Chapter 89: Dragons vs Mechanical Dragons?
[3rd POV]
As the duel reached its conclusion, the audience erupted into applause. Seto smirked
triumphantly, turning his back on Zigfried as he calmly stepped down from the Duel Arena without a word. Utterly humiliated for the second time, Zigfried's knees buckled, and security moved in to escort him away.
Suddenly, a boy sprinted onto the field, dodging the guards that were chasing him. Running towards Zigfried, he stopped and glared at him angrily in tears, "Brother!"
"L... Leon?" Zigfried muttered in a daze.
"What in the world are you thinking?!" Leon shouted angrily, "Why would you do something so stupid?!" In response, Zigfried averted his gaze and bit his lips, ashamed of facing his little brother before him.
"I know you're mad... But are you really going so far just for revenge?!" Leon continued to
shout.
"You don't understand!" Zigfried yelled back, "He ruined everything!"
As the two brothers glared at each other, Leon turned his head. He stared at Seto and begged desperately, "Sir, please forgive my brother! Please!"
"Leon!" Zigfried screamed.
In silence, Seto slowly approached Leon, his expression filled with contempt. The sound of his shoes hitting the ground sent shivers down the spines of the two brothers. When Seto finally stopped, his eyes glinted coldly at Leon, making the boy flinch.
"Your brother attempted to hack into my company's main security system." Seto explained, "We have enough evidence to put him away for years to come..."
At the mention of jail time, Leon's face turned ashen, and Seto crossed his arms with a snort, "You are one of the contestants, correct? Despite the fact you're his brother, why are you feeling remorseful if he's the one that would be punished." Seto pointed at Zigfried, "This has nothing to do with you."
"You're wrong..." Leon stammered, shaking his head. "He's my brother and my only family, so I can't let you separate us!"
"So, are you saying that you will go where he goes?" Seto questioned.
"T...That's right," the boy nodded, "even if it's prison."
Zigfried: "Leon!!"
"Is that so?" Seto muttered and stared at the boy in silence. Subtly glimpsing into the private booth window, he gazed at Yuna, who smiled at him worriedly. With a sigh, he snapped his finger, "Let them go..."
Surprised, Zigfried dropped to the floor and stared at Seto standing before him. "I will only give you this one chance, leave." Seto growled, "You're lucky that my mood is good right now."
"T... Thank you..." Leon spoke gratefully.
"I didn't do this for you," Seto scoffed, "I just don't want to ruin the atmosphere of this tournament. So don't disappoint me..."
"Yes!" The boy exclaimed with a relieved smile.
Turning to the stunned Zigfried, Seto knelt and whispered, "You should be grateful I let you off the hook, but there won't be a next time..."
Standing up, Seto ignored the two brothers' reactions as he began to walk away. However, before leaving the scene, he stopped and added, "Also... stay away from Sano, or you'll absolutely regret it." Leaving Zigfried stunned, Seto left without looking back.
Thirty Minutes Later...
When the situation with the Schroeder brothers was resolved, Seto immediately made his way to the private booth. Unbeknownst to him, his steps quickened as he opened the doors.
"Sano." He muttered upon spotting a girl waiting in the room.
Turning around, Yuna smiled softly, "Kaiba... I've returned..."
"Yes," Seto nodded stiffly under her smile, and he felt his heart clogged up in his throat, "Welcome back..." Lifting his head, Seto's pupil instantly darted to Pegasus and Mokuba in the room.
Pegasus: "Ha ha ha, I will go commentate on the finals. I have to keep the audience excited." Mokuba: "I just remembered that I made plans with Noah. See you later."
While still in conflict, Mokuba and Pegasus made a tactical agreement to leave the room together. Nodding subtly, Seto waited as the door closed behind him, engulfing the room in silence.
"See... I'm not hurt." Yuna explained and spun in a circle. Her hair flowed gently around her, "Are you satisfied... with this?"
"Yeah..." Seto felt embarrassed and averted his gaze. Coughing awkwardly, he recalled the promise Yuna had made to him before leaving. Breathing calmly, Seto tried to hide the anticipation in his voice and asked with curiosity.
"Sano... You said you would tell me something. Don't tell me you've forgotten?"
Remembering her promise, Yuna's face suddenly turned red, and she flinched. Before Seto could say anything more, she hurriedly blocked his mouth with her hands. Squirming, Yuna averted her gaze, blushing furiously.
"A...About...T... That..." Yuna whimpered with difficulty. Her pupils trembled wildly as she glimpsed at Seto in embarrassment.
"Tomorrow!" Yuna screamed while staring at the ground, "A... Are you free tomorrow?"
When she carefully removed her hand, Seto slowly nodded, "I should be free for a few hours..."
"N... No!" Yuna exclaimed, "A few hours... is not enough..." She mumbled nervously. She gently closed her eyes and took several deep breaths. When Yuna finally gathered all of her courage, she gazed at Seto with resolve. "A day... Would you please... spare a day?"
"A day..." Seto uttered in shock, and his mind began to go crazy. Recalling all the romantic scenarios explained by his brothers, he soon realised what Yuna could've meant...
Under Yuna's expectant face, Seto chuckled and ruffled his hair, "A day huh... What will we be doing?"
"U... Uhhh..." Yuna stammered and bit her lips, her voice barely a whisper: "I... Want to visit... Kaiba Land... With you..."
"D...Don't misunderstand!" She exclaimed with a blush, "I... just never been... to an
amusement park before, so I'm curious..."
Seto looked fixedly at Yuna's embarrassed appearance, realizing how adorable she was. Unable to resist, he decided to tease her a little. "Then you can just go with Mokuba, right?"
he suggested with a mischievous glint in his eye.
"Ah..." Yuna froze, and her pupils trembled, "T...That..."
"He would happily agree," Seto continued, "So wouldn't that satisfy your request?"
Smiling to himself, he didn't notice Yuna's frustration. Finally, when he glimpsed at Yuna, Seto saw her taking a deep breath as she slowly unclenched her fists in resignation. "No..." She muttered quietly and lifted her head, "I want... to go with you..."
Seto: "W...What?"
"You heard me!" She yelled with a blush, "I... want to go with you..."
Doubting his ears, Seto stared at Yuna in a daze. As the silence dragged on, Yuna nervously rubbed her palms, "You... accept, right?"
Seeing him nodding stiffly, Yuna relaxed, and her smile returned, "Thanks... I look forward to it." Moving to the door, her hand gently rested on the wood, "Come on... The finals will end
soon."
"Yes..." Seto answered, and together, they left the booth. Walking side by side, Yuna didn't mention what happened in the room, as if it were a fever dream. However, Seto knew deep down that it was genuine, and he anticipated the next day with quiet eagerness.
[Yuna's POV]
Walking beside Kaiba, I desperately suppressed the stupid grin that was forming on my face.
The fact that Kaiba agreed almost made me leap into joy as I realised that tomorrow was my chance. When I finally calmed down, my expression returned to its usual blankness as we made it to the control centre of the stadium.
By the time we arrived, Pegasus and Mokuba were already waiting, "Is the final match over yet?" Seto questioned.
"Yes," Mokuba nodded, "It just reached its conclusion. Big Sister and Yugi-san should
prepare for the title duel soon."
"...Who won?" I asked curiously. Possibly due to my intervention, the time where Kaiba confronts Zigfried was in the semi-finals instead of the finals in the original series. That's why Leon still has to duel one last duellist before choosing to battle either Yugi or me.
As Mokuba handed me a tablet containing all the eliminated participants and the tournament tree. I was expecting the result to remain the same. However, the winner was someone that I
was not expecting...
Ten minutes later...
Yugi and I followed Pegasus and stepped into the centre of the stadium. Smiling, he took the microphone from the staff and brought it close to his mouth, "Greetings, everyone! It has been three days since the beginning of this exciting championship!"
"In those three days, we saw intense battles that left us with chills and amazing commentaries between opponents. However, that all ends today since only one duellist has
remained!"
"Now, that duellist will face the toughest challenge they have ever seen!" Pegasus explained, "To claim the titles of these two rulers, will they succeed? Let's see now!" The audience cheered as Pegasus gestured at the entrance of the stadium. Following his gaze,
Yugi and I watched as a small boy emerged from the tunnel. The boy has dark blue hair and eyes. He was dressed in a dark blue buttoned jacket and pants, resembling a traditional dojo-
type outfit.
Walking towards us, the boy observed us calmly. However, he couldn't hide his sparkling eyes
as his mouth gaped in admiration.
"Hello, boy; as the winner of the Grand Championship, may you introduce to everyone your name one more time?" Pegasus asked and handed him the microphone.
"Zane... Zane Trusdale..."
"Nice to meet you, Zane," Pegasus greeted with a professional smile, "You have really gathered a lot of attention in your matches. May I ask where you got these skills?" Embarrassed by the compliment, Zane smiled awkwardly and pointed at the audience, where
a group of people dressed similarly to him sat, "I... trained in a Duel Monster Dojo of Cyber Arts... My seniors all helped me get this far..."
As mentioned, all of Zane's seniors cheered as they raised posters for the Cyber Art Dojo. Caught by the unexpected answer, Pegasus laughed in amusement, "A dojo for duelling? That sure is interesting! So what is your goal for participating in this tournament?"
"Our dojo is still small..." Zane replied cutely, "I wish to spread our infamy by winning this
tournament..."
"And spread your infamy you did!" Pegasus exclaimed, "However, now you have the chance
to spread it even further! Now, Zane, you have the right to become the best of the best! Butn/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
before that, you must face your most significant challenge. Who will you face, the queen or
the king?"
Staring at Yugi and I, Zane's expression turned solemn. After a minute silence, Zane pointed at me, "Her..." "Oh?! You choose Miss Sano?" Pegasus smirked, feigning shock, "Why's that?!"
With sparkling eyes, Zane muttered thoughtfully, "Dragons are cool..." Hearing his response,
the audience burst into laughter, and I glanced at Yugi apologetically.
"Looks like... I've been chosen..." I said, and Yugi smiled wryly.
"It's fine. Good luck, Sano-san." He replied. "There you have it!" Pegasus announced, "Get ready folks, now you will see the legendary Yuna Sano duelling today! Will our Zane be able to handle it? Let's find out!"
attack her life points directly!"
As the monster fired its laser, Yuna revealed the card in her hand, "Because my Divine Dragon
Lord Felgrand is destroyed, I will summon Keeper of the Shrine from my hand!"
[Keeper of the Shrine: 2100 Defence]
*VROOM!*
The laser struck the elderly man, creating a futuristic sound. Smiling, Yuna chuckled in amusement at the exhilarating duel, "I was outsmarted here. Good job." Feeling embarrassed
by the compliment, the boy blushed and anxiously set one card face down before proceeding
to end his turn.
"However, it may not be such a good idea to give me any more cards?" Yuna commented
while staring at her hand, "During your end phase, I will activate the effect of Mikazukinoyaiba, the Moon Fang Dragon and summon it from my hand." [Mikazukinoyaiba, the Moon Fang Dragon: 2200 Attack] [1] "Now it's my turn, and I will draw," Yuna continued, "I will banish the Moon Fand Dragon on
the field to summon Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!"
[Red Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon: 2800 Attack]
"With Red Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon's effect, I can revive the Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand
from my
graveyard!"
[Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand: 2800 Attack]
"This time, Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand will banish the Cyber End Dragon and gain one
thousand attacks!"
[Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand: 2800 -> 3800 Attack]
"This is over, Zane-san!" Yuna yelled and pointed at him, "Divine Dragon Lord Felgrand,
attack the Cyber-Laser Dragon!"
"Not so fast; I will activate my trap card, Rare Metamorph and give Cyber-Laser Dragon five
hundred more attacks!"
[Cyber Laser Dragon: 2400 -> 2900 Attack]
*BOOOOM*
The dragon crashed into the mechanical beasts, creating an ear-grating sound as Divine
Dragon Lord Felgrand's teeth tore through Cyber Laser Dragon's metal exterior. [Zane Truesdale: 4000 LP -> 3100 LP]
Yuna: "Now, Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, attack his life points directly!" Roaring, Red-
Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon unleashed a bloody red beam, and Zane fell backward, stunned.
[Zane Truesdale: 3100 LP -> 300 LP]
Gasping, Zane's heart beat frantically as adrenaline surged through his body. His hand trembled with a mix of anxiety and excitement. He hadn't been pushed this far since he first picked up a deck of Duel Monsters. Staring at Yuna's calm expression, Zane felt a shiver run down his spine. He glanced at his fellow dojo members, who watched him with worry etched
on their faces.
"I can't lose now..." He muttered to himself, "No matter how strong, I will push through!"
Raising his head, Zane noticed Yuna smiling at him with her arms crossed. "That's an outstanding attitude to have. Show me what you got." Setting one card face-down, she
nodded at him, and the boy drew a card.
"This is it!" Zane shouted, prepared to use all he had, "I will activate Cybernetic Fusion
Support and pay half of my remaining life points as cost!" [Zane Truesdale: 300 LP -> 150 LP]
"Now, I can banish monsters in my graveyard as Fusion materials!" He explained and showed
Yuna his other card, "With that, I will play Power Bond and fuse the last two Cyber Dragons in
my graveyard to fusion summon Cyber Twin Dragon!"
[Cyber Twin Dragon: 2800 Attack]
"With Power Bond, the fusion monster I summoned will have its attack doubled! But I have to
take damage equal to its original attack!"
[Cyber Twin Dragon: 2800 -> 5600 Attack] "Now I will battle!" Zane shouted desperately, "Cyber Twin Dragon, attack Divine Dragon
Lord Felgrand!"
"Hold on!" Yuna interrupted, "At the start of the damage step, I will activate my trap,
Damage Diet and all damage I take this turn will be halved!"
Zane gritted his teeth as his eyes shined with reluctance and despair, "Ugh... Cyber Twin
Dragon, continue to battle!"
[Yuna Sano: 3300 LP -> 2400 LP]
"Cyber Twin Dragon can attack twice! Go and destroy the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon!" [Yuna Sano: 2400 LP -> 1100 LP]
As the Cyber Twin Dragon finished its attack, Zane fell silent, staring at the ground in
frustration. He knew it had been his last chance to make a comeback, but even that plan had been thwarted.
"Zane-san..." Yuna muttered worriedly as the young boy hurriedly wiped his tears.
"It.. It's alright..." Zane mumbled embarrassingly, "I have tried my best..."
"Nn..." Yuna's smile returned, "You did great..." Nodding, Zane smiled wryly before bowing, "Thank you for the duel! But I'm not going to go
down without a fight yet!"
Yuna laughed and felt pleased, "Very well, let's see if you can survive until the end! After my
monster is destroyed, I will revive Keeper of the Shrine back from the dead!" [Keeper of the Shrine: 2100 Defence]
"Then, I will normal-summon Cyber Kirin in defence position," Zane continued as a small
cybernetic dragon appeared before him. [Cyber Kirin: 800 Defence]
"Because of Power Bond, in my end phase, I will take damage equal to Cyber Twin Dragon's
attack, but that damage can be negated by tributing my Cyber Kirin," Zane explained that the
monster had disappeared as soon as it arrived, "Now I will end my turn." Yuna: "Then it's my turn, and I will draw! First, I will summon Chamber Dragonmaid!"
[Chamber Dragonmaid: 1800 Attack]
"When she's summoned, I can add Dragonmaid Changeover back to my hand!" Yuna explained and revealed the spell, "Then I will activate it, fusing Chamber Dragonmaid and the Keeper of the Shrine to fusion summon, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!"
[Starving Venom Fusion Dragon: 2800 Attack]
"When Starving Venom Fusion Dragon is fusion summoned, I can target one special summoned you control, and Starving Venom Fusion Dragon will gain attacks equal to that
monster's attack!" Yuna yelled, "I will target your Cyber Twin Dragon!" [Starving Venom Fusion Dragon: 2800 -> 8400 Attack] "Then, I activate Pot of Greed, drawing two more cards from my deck!" She shouted and
glimpsed at her hand, "Afterwards, I will banish Blue-Eyes White Dragon, Dragon Knight of
Creation and Keeper of the Shrine to summon, Chaos Dragon Levianeer!" [Chaos Dragon Levianeer: 3000 Attack]
"Since I banished light and dark monsters, Chaos Dragon Levianeer can target up to two cards
and destroy them!" Pointing at the Twin Cyber Dragon and Zane's set trap, the dragon
unleashes its magic as the two cards explode into pieces.
"Finally! Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, attack Zane's life points directly!" The monster
screeched, leaping across the field.
Watching the monster lunge towards him, Zane thought, 'How long will it take to reach such
strength?'
*BOOOOOOM*
[Zane: 150 LP -> 0 LP] Watching his life points dropped to a zero. Zane sighed as he was slowly let down from the
platform. Walking with his head lowered, he stopped as Yuna blocked his path.
"...You okay?" She asked, and Zane nodded.
"I just realised how weak I still was..." He replied, and Yuna patted his head, "Sorry if I didn't
become much of a challenge."
"So... what?" Yuna shrugged, "All it matters... is you having fun... So did you?"
"Yes." Zane smiled, "Thank you for giving me this amazing experience."
Shaking Yuna's hand, the audience applauded a fireworks littered the sky, signalling the
official end of the intense tournament that had been going on for days. Staring at Yuna's
smile, Zane made a promise to himself, one day... He will definitely duel her again, and this time, he will be ready...
I hope you enjoy it! This chapter is a bit long since I want to finish the arc in one go.
[1] This was initially called Crescent Dragon due to the OCG translation, but it became this
name once the official TCG name was released for easier understanding.