"I activate the Spell Card—Card of Sanctity!"
Kaiba's voice carried the desperation of an all-or-nothing gamble.
"Both players draw until they have six cards in hand! Next, I activate the Spell Card Mystical Space Typhoon!"
Without a second thought, he slapped down the freshly drawn card.
"I destroy one of your Spell or Trap Cards! I choose—the left set card!"
A sudden whirlwind howled across the field, tearing through Yuto's left face-down!
The image flashed—it was the dreaded Newtype Sensing!
Kaiba's eyes gleamed. He had seized this fleeting chance.
"Then, I activate the Spell Card Monster Reborn Reborn!"
Kaiba revealed three cards from his hand—three Blue-Eyes White Dragons!
"Yuto, make your choice. Which one will be revived?!"
Yuto twitched at the corner of his mouth as he stared at the three identical dragon cards.
'Seriously, man…'
With a helpless shrug, he pointed at one. "That one."
"Excellent!"
Kaiba placed the chosen Blue-Eyes White Dragon onto his Duel Disk.
The other two he slipped into the inside pocket of his coat.
With a dazzling roar, the chosen dragon took wing once more, descending onto Kaiba's field!
However, instead of attacking right away, Kaiba asked a question that struck to the soul.
"Yuto… what do you fight for?"
Yuto froze, caught off guard—he hadn't expected Kaiba to ask something like this in the middle of a life-or-death Duel.
Kaiba didn't wait for an answer. His voice was heavy, urgent, as though years of suppressed emotion finally found release:
"I fight for my brother—Mokuba! Pegasus has taken him!"
His fists clenched, knuckles white.
"Only by defeating you here can I climb the steps to Pegasus—and take Mokuba back!"
His eyes pierced past Yuto, toward the depths of the castle, as though he could already see his imprisoned brother. The air was thick with despair.
"Or else…"
His voice grew hoarse, dangerous. He suddenly turned, striding toward the edge of the tower. The wind tore at his coat.
"If I lose to you… then…"
He stood at the brink of the precipice, the forest stretching endlessly below, his figure swaying in the wind like that of a martyr resolved to fall.
"I'll die…"
The words fell lightly, but weighed like lead upon the silent rooftop.
One step back would send him plunging into the abyss.
Kaiba's pupils unfocused. A vision surfaced—Mokuba's frail body lying pale on the ground, while a younger, furious version of himself screamed:
'Why didn't you save him? Why?!'
The accusation stabbed into his heart like a dagger!
"AAARGHHHH—!!!"
Kaiba clutched his head, a scream of raw agony tearing from his throat!
All reason, pride, and calculation were consumed in that instant by the terror of losing his brother and the madness of desperation!
He spun back around, eyes bloodshot, like a beast driven to the edge, his gaze locked onto Yuto. With every ounce of strength left in him, he roared his final declaration:
"This turn will decide everything, Yuto Tenshou!!!"
Burning with his last will, his arm swept down like a battle standard, pointing at Yuto's monster!
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon—attack! Target ACE – Johnny Ridden the Crimson Lightning! White Lightning!!!"
The dragon's maw flared with pure light, locking onto the crimson Zaku!
"…"
Yuto could have flipped his face-down Bombardment Marker.
In his mind, the tactical path unfolded crystal clear:
Chain Bombardment Marker, destroy both the Blue-Eyes and Johnny Ridden, then use his resources—activate Operation British to Special Summon three H.L.V., Normal Summon MS-06-SSP Police Zaku, trigger its effect to Special Summon MS-06 Zaku II…
Finally, activate Colony Drop… victory was certain.
He could have won.
Won with undeniable, overwhelming finality.
Yet, abruptly then, his hand, raised to flip the card, froze for a heartbeat—then slowly lowered.
Kaiba noticed immediately.
Yuto hadn't flipped the card. He hadn't launched the guaranteed winning combo.
Instead, he silently watched Kaiba's twisted expression, heard the anguish in his roar for Mokuba, felt the resolve that would gamble even his life for his brother.
And then—he chose to accept this "defeat."
"You win, Kaiba." Yuto's voice was calm, devoid of ripples.
Kaiba didn't respond, nor did he reach for the Star Chips.
He walked forward heavily, step by step, his sharp eyes fixed on the one remaining, unrevealed face-down on Yuto's Duel Disk.
"Yuto." Kaiba's voice was low, carrying an undeniable demand.
"That face-down card of yours… what is it?"
Yuto averted his gaze slightly, speaking with deliberate nonchalance.
"Just a useless card. Here, take the Star Chips, and go save Mokuba."
He extended the five chips again.
Kaiba didn't take them. Instead, he jabbed a finger at the card, knuckles whitening.
"You held back, didn't you?!"
His voice rose sharply, brimming with anger at being underestimated—and something subtler, harder to name… regret.
"No." Yuto's reply was sharp and resolute. His eyes met Kaiba's with unflinching steadiness.
"Then prove it!"
Kaiba's breath quickened, his finger nearly touching Yuto's Duel Disk.
"Right now! Flip it! Show me what that card is!"
Yuto shook his head, withdrawing the hand holding the Star Chips. His tone grew grave, heavy with meaning.
"Seto Kaiba, look at yourself! Is exposing the truth of one card really more important than saving your brother?!"
His eyes pierced Kaiba's restless ones.
"Don't you have something far more urgent to do right now?!"
Kaiba froze as though doused in ice water.
The image of Mokuba imprisoned washed away his fixation.
His fists trembled, forcing the fury down, leaving only the deeper urgency.
His eyes darted once more between Yuto and that card—but at last, he took a deep breath, burying his doubt and resentment.
He asked no further. With a sharp turn, his coat flared like a banner as he strode toward the castle's depths.
He already knew, in his heart, what that card was.
...
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