"Brother, I'm going to help Noah," Mokuba said. "You stay here and look after Aoi."
"I understand," Seto replied. "Be careful."
With Seto's permission, Mokuba sprinted out of the duel arena.
Gozaburo had noticed Noah and Mokuba leaving—but he didn't stop them. In his eyes, none of it mattered. As long as he defeated Aoi Kisaragi, everything they did would be meaningless.
On the platform, Gozaburo and Aoi placed their decks into the duel systems at the same time.
"Duel!" ×2
Gozaburo Kaiba LP 4000Aoi Kisaragi LP 4000
"I'll take the first turn, Aoi Kisaragi," Gozaburo declared.
"My turn. Draw."
"I activate the Spell Card Bitter Choice. I select five cards from my Deck and reveal them to you. You choose one. The card you choose goes to my hand—everything else is sent to the Graveyard."
Five cards materialized on his side of the board:
Exodia the Forbidden One
Right Arm of the Forbidden One
Left Arm of the Forbidden One
Right Leg of the Forbidden One
Left Leg of the Forbidden One
"What—those five?!" Seto's eyes narrowed sharply.
"Choose," Gozaburo ordered.
"I choose Exodia the Forbidden One," Aoi said instantly.
"Very well. Exodia goes to my hand. The other four are sent to the Graveyard."
Seto's thoughts snapped into place.
(He's dumping the limbs on purpose… what's he planning?)
Gozaburo continued without hesitation.
"Next, I activate Graceful Charity. I draw three cards, then discard two."
Aoi's eyes half-lidded with faint amusement.
(A greatest-hits playlist of forbidden cards, huh.)
Gozaburo discarded Exodia the Forbidden One—and another card.
"What? He threw Exodia itself away too?!" voices rose in disbelief.
"Now all five pieces are in the Graveyard," Seto muttered, tense.
Seto leaned forward and barked, "Gozaburo—why are you dumping Exodia's entire body into the Graveyard?!"
"Silence, Seto." Gozaburo's voice cracked like a whip. "This duel has nothing to do with you."
He pressed on.
"I activate Contract with Exodia. If Exodia the Forbidden One, Right Arm, Left Arm, Right Leg, and Left Leg are all in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon Exodia Necross from my hand."
"Rise—Exodia Necross!"
A skeletal, cursed figure emerged, stitched together by hatred.
Exodia Necross (ATK 1800 / DEF 0)
"I Set one card. End my turn." (Cards in hand: 3)
He smiled coldly.
"Behold—the rage of Exodia. This undead demon is my symbol."
"Undead?" Aoi's tone was flat. "Boring."
"My turn. Draw."
Aoi placed a card down with casual confidence.
"I activate Pot of Greed. I draw two cards."
(If you're throwing banned cards around, one more won't kill the vibe.) she thought.
Then she looked up, smiling.
"Gozaburo Kaiba… this duel is already over."
"Are you attempting a one-turn kill?" Gozaburo's eyes narrowed.
Inside, he dismissed it.
(Impossible. Exodia Necross can't be destroyed by battle, or by Spells/Traps that destroy it. And I have a set card besides. She can't OTK me.)
Aoi's voice was calm.
"We'll see."
"I activate Melody of Awakening Dragon. I discard one card to add up to two Dragons with 3000 or more ATK and 2500 or less DEF from my Deck to my hand."
She discarded The White Stone of Legend.
"I add two Blue-Eyes White Dragons to my hand."
"And because The White Stone of Legend was sent to the Graveyard," Aoi continued, "I add a third Blue-Eyes White Dragon to my hand."
Gozaburo laughed, savoring it.
"Heh. Seto… you've handed her all three of your Blue-Eyes."
Seto didn't even blink.
"You're mistaken," he said coldly. "Those aren't my Blue-Eyes."
Aoi snapped her fingers, irritated.
"My turn isn't over—stop monologuing."
"I activate Graceful Charity. I draw three cards, then discard two."
She discarded Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Sage with Eyes of Blue.
Gozaburo sneered.
"You finally got them—then you throw them away? Idiotic."
Seto's eyes sharpened with recognition.
"No," he muttered. "The idiot is you."
Aoi moved with ruthless efficiency.
"I activate Maiden with Eyes of Blue's effect from my hand, sending it to the Graveyard. I place True Light face-up in my Spell & Trap Zone."
A stone tablet etched with Blue-Eyes White Dragon rose behind her like a monument.
"I activate True Light to Special Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand!"
The tablet flared—and a white dragon burst forth.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon (ATK 3000 / DEF 2500)
"Next—Maiden with Eyes of Blue's effect in the Graveyard: when I Special Summon a Blue-Eyes, I can Special Summon this card."
A faint, ghostlike girl appeared.
Maiden with Eyes of Blue (ATK 0 / DEF 0)
"I activate Sage with Eyes of Blue from my hand, discarding it. I target one effect monster I control—send it to the Graveyard—then Special Summon a 'Blue-Eyes' monster from my Deck."
"I target Maiden with Eyes of Blue."
But Aoi cut in mid-motion.
"Chain: Maiden with Eyes of Blue. When she becomes the target of an effect, I can Special Summon a Blue-Eyes White Dragon or a Level 1 LIGHT Effect monster from my Graveyard."
"I Special Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my Graveyard!"
A second dragon roared into existence.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon (ATK 3000 / DEF 2500)
"And by Sage with Eyes of Blue's effect," Aoi finished, "I Special Summon Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon from my Deck."
A pale, ethereal dragon descended, radiating pressure.
Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon (ATK 2500 / DEF 2000)
"When this card is Summoned," Aoi said, eyes on Gozaburo, "I can banish one Spell/Trap my opponent controls."
"I banish your only set card."
Gozaburo's face cracked.
"What?!"
Seto's mouth curved into a thin smile.
"It's over."
Gozaburo snarled, trying to cling to his one remaining pillar.
"Impossible! Exodia Necross can't be destroyed by battle! Even if you deal damage, my Life Points won't hit zero!"
Aoi's gaze was indifferent.
"Battle."
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon attacks Exodia Necross—Burst Stream of Destruction!"
A beam of white annihilation slammed into the undead Exodia.
Gozaburo LP 4000 → 2800
"Second Blue-Eyes White Dragon attacks Exodia Necross—Burst Stream of Destruction!"
Gozaburo LP 2800 → 1600
"Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon attacks Exodia Necross!"
Gozaburo LP 1600 → 900
Gozaburo's grin returned—twisted, triumphant.
"See? All your monsters attacked, and I still have Life Points left!"
Aoi and Seto spoke at the same time, voices overlapping with the same contempt.
"Idiot."
Gozaburo blinked. "What?"
Aoi's eyes didn't move.
"Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon has an effect: during either player's turn, if your opponent controls a monster, I can tribute this card to Special Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my hand."
"I tribute Blue-Eyes Spirit Dragon. I Special Summon Blue-Eyes White Dragon."
A third Blue-Eyes erupted onto the field.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon (ATK 3000 / DEF 2500)
"And a Blue-Eyes Special Summoned during the Battle Phase can still attack."
Aoi raised her hand.
"Final attack."
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon—Burst Stream of Destruction!"
"No—NO!" Gozaburo screamed, finally losing composure as the blast swallowed him.
Gozaburo LP 900 → 0
Aoi's eyes were cold, unwavering.
"Checkmate."
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 155)
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 (Chapter200)
"Is this chat group even serious?" (Chapter110)
I, Lord Ravager, Utterly Loyal! (Chapter230)
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 200
Honkai: Is This Still the Prev 42
Elf: My Starter Pokémon Is Inc 65
Warhammer: My Primarch Is Remi 180
From Demon Slayer to Grand Ass Volume2/5
The Way the Umamusume Look at 68
Uma Musume, but My Cheat Power 230
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 220
Uma Musume: A Calamity Born fr 154
I, a Reincarnation-Loop Player Volume4/30
The Violent Girl Group Is Beat 120
Uma Musume: The Horse Girl Who 67
Uma Musume: From Beginner 135
Becoming a Horse Girl, I Will 85
Uma Musume: I Want All 110
I Can Copy Unique Skills 100
Summoning an Evil God, but the 70
Supernatural Multiverse 100
My Harem Is Indescribable 90
Jujutsu Kaisen: Heroic Spirit 95
"I'm just a Valkyrie passing through." 68
Uma Musume: Today Is Another Romantic Battlefield 105
Still playing traditional Honk 69
The Most Filial Son Under Heav 80
What Should I Do After Switchi - Volume2/3
Reincarnated as a Demon, Skill 70
Hell-Difficulty Dungeon? 55
Transmigrated as Sukuna 75
Checking In in Demon Slayer 80
The Reincarnating Trainer of Tracen Academy 85
I Refuse to Become a Heroic 70
My Best Friend Into a Slime? 65
A Saiyan Stands Above Marvel 70
What Do You Mean by Using a Lab Mod to Be the Hero? 70
Tanya Starts from Re:Zero 65
Why did they assign me to Uma 65
MYGO Beauties 65
DanMachi: Emiya the Giant Hero 55
The Gacha Merchant Who Started 65
Honkai's Otherworld? Wait—Who Are You People?! 45
Emiya Shirou, Determined to Slay Every Curse and Evil Spirit 45
The Uma Musume Who Became 40
I'm Definitely Not the King of 45
After Maxing Out Every Class 45
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