A small aircraft carrier rose out of the sea.
The Duel Boat began descending toward it—like it had been automatically guided into a trap.
"What is that…? The ship's landing on it by itself."
Once the Duel Boat touched down, the carrier's internal mechanism pulled it inward. It was like the vessel had been snatched and dragged into the carrier's belly.
Shizuka clutched Jounouchi's arm, trembling.
"B-Brother… are we going to be okay?"
"We'll be fine." Jounouchi forced a grin. "Your big brother's here. I'll protect you."
Even as he said it, his stomach had already sunk.
When the Duel Boat finally stopped inside the carrier, all the interior spotlights snapped on—every beam converging on the ship like it was under interrogation.
The screens inside the Duel Boat lit up again, and Noah's face appeared.
"Could you come out, Seto? And one other duelist as well."
"I refuse. What are you going to do about it?" Kaiba barked.
"You're already in my hands." Noah smiled. "You don't get to choose."
As he spoke, dozens of mounted machine guns unfolded around the carrier's hangar, their barrels tracking the Duel Boat.
Jounouchi swallowed. "H-Hey… you're serious?!"
Even Kaiba stiffened. With that kind of firepower pointed at them, pride alone wouldn't keep anyone alive.
Kaiba moved to exit.
Aoi and Yugi's group surged forward instinctively, trying to go with him.
Kaiba spun back, voice cutting.
"Aoi—stay on the Duel Boat. He's targeting me. This has nothing to do with you. And it has nothing to do with the rest of you either."
Gunfire rattled across the hangar—warning shots, loud enough to make everyone's blood run cold.
Noah's voice came smoothly through the speakers.
"That won't do, Kaiba. Besides you, I'm inviting two more people."
His tone turned playful, almost sing-song.
"First: the silver-haired girl behind you. Second: your little brother. Everyone else stays."
Kaiba's face tightened.
Aoi looked at him evenly. "You heard him. He specifically named me."
"NOAH!" Kaiba snapped up at the ceiling. "You wanted me—why drag her into this?!"
"Seto," Noah replied, amused, "I have my reasons."
Kaiba clicked his tongue. "Tch."
Kaiba, Aoi, and Mokuba stepped out of the Duel Boat together.
Yugi and the others watched with anxious faces.
"Guard the ship," Aoi told them. "Wait for us to come back—Kaiba, Mokuba, and me."
Yugi nodded hard. "We will."
As the three walked away, Anzu's worry spilled out.
"Are they going to be okay?"
"They will be." Ishizu emerged and placed a calming hand on Anzu's shoulder. "Kaiba and Aoi are exceptional duelists. I believe they'll be fine."
The three followed a narrow corridor deeper into the carrier.
Aoi spoke into the empty air, voice steady.
"What exactly are you planning to do with us?"
Noah's answer came through the overhead broadcast.
"There are some people who really want to see you. Keep walking. They'll explain."
At the corridor's end, a mechanical door slid open.
They entered a wide chamber—pitch black, seemingly empty.
Mokuba's voice echoed with a small tremor. "What is this place…?"
"If someone's here," Aoi said coolly, "then come out already."
A brilliant glare exploded to life.
Five silhouettes appeared in front of them.
A hoarse, stale voice rolled through the room.
"Seto Kaiba… and Kisaragi Aoi. Long time no see."
Kaiba's eyes widened. "Don't tell me…"
"The Big Five," he spat.
"That's right." The speaker chuckled. "After you drove us out of KaibaCorp, we fell into ruin—briefly."
"But then Master Noah found us… and gave us hope again. Hope of reclaiming KaibaCorp."
A pause—then, lower:
"As the price, our bodies no longer exist. What you see here is only our consciousness."
"Tch." Kaiba scoffed. "Parlor tricks."
He raised his voice to the void.
"Noah. Say it. What do you want?"
"Simple." Noah answered. "I promised the Big Five I'd help them take KaibaCorp back."
"But for them to obtain bodies again, you and the woman beside you must be defeated in a duel."
Aoi stepped forward, unfazed.
"So what is it?" she asked. "One at a time? All five at once? Or do you plan to come down and face me yourself?"
Noah laughed softly.
"What nerve. No wonder Seto values you."
"Enough talking," Kaiba snapped. "Start."
"No." Noah's voice hardened.
"Kaiba, you don't move yet. The first to accept the challenge is the woman. You come later."
A snap rang out.
Three black holes opened beneath their feet.
Kaiba, Mokuba, and Aoi dropped through at the same time.
A whirl of darkness—like being flushed through a vortex.
Aoi slammed down onto rough ground.
When she opened her eyes, she was lying on a barren wasteland. No people. No animals. Just bald dirt mounds and dead wind.
"Kaiba?" she called without thinking.
No answer.
"So he separated us." She pushed herself up. "And this place… what a cheerful welcome."
Noah's voice came from the sky, as if the clouds themselves were speaking.
"Sorry to dump you somewhere so bleak."
"I split the three of you apart," Noah continued. "Beat the Big Five, and you'll be reunited with the other two."
Aoi lifted her chin. "Then where are they?"
A snap.
The Big Five appeared in front of her.
"All right," Noah said, delighted. "The cast is assembled. Show me what you can do."
Aoi's gaze slid over the five of them—calm, almost bored.
"Show you my strength?" she said. "Noah… you're underestimating me."
She faced the Big Five.
"So—one by one, or all five at once?"
One of them stepped forward.
"Kisaragi Aoi. We know you're strong. So we decided the five of us will share a single deck and duel you together."
Aoi answered instantly.
"No."
The Big Five stiffened. "What—afraid?"
Aoi let out a small laugh.
"Afraid? Don't make me laugh."
Then her eyes sharpened.
"My condition is this: double your Life Points. Otherwise this will end too quickly, and I'll get bored."
For a moment, even the air felt stunned.
Then the Big Five burst into laughter.
"Fine. Since you suggested it—done."
Noah's voice floated down, amused.
"Interesting. Then let me see whether your arrogance has weight behind it."
He patted someone beside him, gently—almost affectionately.
"Right, Mokuba?"
Mokuba's eyes were unfocused. His voice came out flat, obedient.
"Yes… big brother Noah…"
Elsewhere, Kaiba woke up in a forest.
Trees. Mist. Silence.
"Where am I…?"
He spun, fury boiling up through the confusion.
"Aoi! Mokuba!"
No response—only wind through leaves.
Kaiba's teeth ground.
"That brat… he split us up."
A door appeared in midair before him, absurdly out of place—like someone had pasted a doorway onto reality.
Noah's voice echoed.
"Seto. You said you wanted to know who I really am."
"Go inside. Then you'll know."
"I don't care who you are!" Kaiba roared. "Release Aoi and Mokuba!"
Noah's laughter was light, almost pitying.
"This is my world, Seto."
"If you don't go in… you'll never find them."
Kaiba clicked his tongue again—pure venom.
"Tch."
Then he stepped through the door.
And disappeared.
Join here to read ahead.
In Star Rail, Ultra-Beast Armored — Have I Caught "Equilibrium"? l (Chapter 80)
Uma Musume, But I Only Have Five Years Left to Live (Chapter 178)
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Doctor, Not a Bangboo (Chapter 150)
Ben Tennyson Wants to Join the Justice League ( 126 )
TYPE-MOON: Redemption Beginning with the Holy Grail War (Chapter110)
Yu-Gi-Oh! — Transmigrated into the White Dragon Girl (Chapter190)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter105)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter225)
Can Playing Games Save the World? 65
Crossover Anime Multiverse: The Demon Hunter of an Unnatural World 77
From Junkman to Wasteland 66
Weekly Refresh of Overpowered 31
I'm Grinding Proficiency Like 46
From Kiana, Lord Ravager, Onwa 195
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 170
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 225
Naruto: Weaving the Future, Be 65
Zenless Zone Zero, but Kamen R 76
Multiverse Crossover: The Perf 66
My Cyberpsycho Girlfriend 65
Uma Musume: The Dark Trainer 210
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 115
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 130
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 105
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 90
My Harem Is Indescribable 85
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 90
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 100
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 75
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 60
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 71
Checking In in Demon Slayer 75
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 80
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 66
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 58
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 65
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 63
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 59
Why did they assign me to Uma 55
MYGO Beauties 56
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 45
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 49
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 36
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 35
The Uma Musume Who Became 30
I'm Definitely Not the King of 35
After Maxing Out Every Class 35
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