Domino City.
Inside the KaibaCorp office.
"Hmph, do you really need to report something like this to me?"
"Is winning not the standard expectation?"
Hearing the report from his subordinate, Roland, Seto Kaiba stared out the window with an expressionless face, his voice cold.
"Yes, young master." Roland immediately stood straight and bowed.
Kaiba turned his gaze toward the computer on his desk.
Displayed on the screen were dense rows of data regarding 'Link Summoning.'
It contained the data Jaden Yuki had sent him previously, as well as data gathered later when Jaden used Link Summoning in action. Every detail was clearly recorded.
"How is the research on Link Summoning progressing?" Kaiba asked coldly.
"Young master, most of the analysis for Link Summoning has been completed. We have now entered the live combat testing phase," Roland replied.
"Oh?"
A hint of interest flickered across Kaiba's face.
He had no interest in those so-called business wars, nor did he give them a second thought.
Compared to those trivial matters, Kaiba placed far more importance on the development of Duel Monsters and this entirely new summoning method.
"Let's go take a look."
"Yes, young master."
Led by Roland, Kaiba soon arrived at the KaibaCorp Research and Development Department.
As the doors swung open, the employees inside snapped to attention, waiting for Kaiba's inspection.
"President, the Duel Disk for Link Summoning has been completed!"
A researcher stepped forward, cradling the latest model of the Duel Disk, and respectfully handed it to Kaiba.
This Duel Disk looked no different from the latest model Kaiba usually used. It featured a mechanical arm-guard component and a pair of VR glasses that displayed various data.
Kaiba skillfully donned the Duel Disk and placed the VR glasses over his right eye.
As he clenched his left fist slightly, a sapphire blue glow surged from his left arm. Simultaneously, dense streams of data began to flow across the lens of the VR glasses.
[Latest LINK Tester: Booting Up]
[LINK Summoning: Analyzing...]
[Verifying Identity... Authentication Successful. Duelist: Seto Kaiba...]
[Extra Monster Zone: Deploying...]
Bang!
The Duel Disk on Kaiba's left arm began to transform.
Five Monster Zones deployed across the disk. However, above those five zones, two special Monster Zones appeared.
Underneath those two zones, the faint outlines of several arrows were marked. But because no Link Summon had occurred yet, the eight arrows remained black and inactive.
"Interesting."
The corner of Kaiba's mouth curled upward as he strode into the testing field.
The researchers outside immediately returned to their posts, preparing to initiate the experimental duel.
[Experimental Duel: Starting]
[Duel Opponent Selected... Yugi Muto]
Rumble...
The massive doors ahead slowly opened.
The empty testing area was enveloped in a surge of virtual projections, transforming into a magnificent, ornate hall.
A figure walked slowly through the front doors.
He had spiked hair of black, red, and gold, a sharp and solemn gaze, and wore dark clothing.
There was no doubt about this familiar silhouetteit was the Pharaoh who once resided within the original King of Games, Yugi Muto! It was Atem!
"Yugi..."
Kaiba's lips quirked into a smirk. His eyes burned with an intense fighting spirit.
"Let's see you help me test this brand-new summoning method!"
"DUEL!"
Several days later.
Duel Academy. Infirmary.
Alexis sat by Atticus Rhodes's hospital bed, silently caring for her still-weak brother.
Ever since Atticus had been rescued, he would wake up occasionally, but neither his spirit nor his physical condition was good. Even when conscious, he could barely manage to say more than a few words.
"The Shadow Riders have been quiet for a while since Camula's attack," Chazz noted.
Chazz stood to the side with Bastion, Zane, Banner, and Crowler, discussing their next move.
"It seems they've grown afraid of us, na no ne!" Professor Crowler said arrogantly. "You must remember, the students of our Duel Academy are the elite of the elite! Even the Shadow Riders are absolutely no match for us!"
"Give it a rest. Weren't both Shadow Riders defeated by Jaden?" Chazz looked at Crowler with blatant disdain. "And weren't you the first one to fall in the last battle?"
"Ah... er..." Crowler's foot slipped, and he nearly tumbled over.
"A-anyway, as long as Jaden is here, the Shadow Riders are nothing to fear!" Professor Crowler coughed into his fist, suddenly looking very solemn.
"No," Alexis's voice rang out from the side.
Everyone turned to see her looking at the five of them with a serious expression.
"Jaden is strong, but we can't just push everything onto his shoulders. Making Jaden face every duel alone is too much pressure for him!"
"Well, that may be true, but..." Crowler's expression twitched as he recalled the previous Shadow Duel, his scalp prickling with fear.
Even though he had said some cool things when he was defeated, he was still terrified deep down.
Seeing this, Professor Banner stepped in to smooth things over.
"In any case, two of the Spirit Gates have already been opened, meow."
"If the enemy plans to attack, they will certainly target those who still hold Spirit Keys and haven't been defeated yet."
"Jaden's key can serve as our final insurance. But if the enemy bypasses Jaden to find us, we must pull ourselves together and fight with everything we have, meow," Banner said with a smile.
"Agreed. Our duels should be finished by our own hands," Bastion chimed in. "If we can't even manage that, how can we ever hope to surpass Jaden Yuki?"
Chazz and Alexis nodded simultaneously.
They admitted there was a gap between their strength and Jaden's. However, if they only hid behind him, that gap would become something they could never close in their entire lives.
"Speaking of which, I haven't seen Jaden today either..." Alexis murmured, looking around.
"My brother's condition has stabilized quite a bit. If nothing major happens, please help me look after him for a bit." Alexis gave Chazz and Bastion a small smile, waved, and left the infirmary.
"...She went to look for Jaden again," Chazz said, leaning his face in his hand with a speechless expression as he watched her leave.
"It's hard to imagine that the Queen of Obelisk Blue acts just like any other girl when she likes a guy."
Bastion crossed his arms and nodded seriously.
"...You guy, you look all prim and proper, yet you actually observe things like that?" Chazz looked at Bastion suspiciously. "By the way, Bastion, what's your type?"
Bastion Misawa was a top student of Ra Yellow, known as the academy's premier intellectual and a total "straight man." It was hard to imagine what kind of woman someone as serious as him would like.
"Well..." Bastion frowned and thought for a moment. Then, he smiled and shook his head.
"Sorry, but up until now, I haven't really thought about those things."
"To me, the thing I'm most interested in right now is still dueling."
Bastion's rugged face was filled with a sense of righteous dedication.
Women?
How could a woman be as interesting as a duel?
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