Reading settings
# Chapter 523: Kaiba VS Yugi
When Yugi left the Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall alone, although Joey Wheeler and Téa and the others intended to keep him there, Yugi's movements were so fast that they didn't have time to say anything before he left.
When the others also left the Exhibition Hall after Yugi, they found a black luxury sedan leaving from in front of the Exhibition Hall as if it had completed the task of an assassination squad leader, and Yugi's figure was nowhere to be seen.
The sharp-eyed Joey Wheeler noticed a three-dimensional Blue-Eyes White Dragon car emblem on the front of the black luxury sedan before it drove away, with the words "KC" on the base: "That car, is it from KaibaCorp?"
"Could Yugi have gotten into that car? We don't see him anywhere around." Tristan looked around. In front of the Exhibition Hall was a main road, and there were no other cars parked nearby, nowhere to obstruct the view at all.
Téa was a little confused: "But why would Yugi get into a KaibaCorp car? And judging by how hurried he looked just now, and how coincidental it is for a KaibaCorp car to appear here, it's almost like they've been following us and waiting at the entrance for Yugi to get in."
Téa's suspicion was not unfounded. After all, it was well known that Kaiba President was always someone who liked the new and disliked the old. He could burn everything left from Gozaburo's time just because of his personal preference, without any pity even if many of those things held memories from his childhood. He had no interest whatsoever in antiques and cultural relics.
On the top floor of the KaibaCorp Headquarters Building, common decorations found in other company President's Offices, such as classical oil paintings, armor and swords, etc., were completely absent from Kaiba's Office. Instead, there were many high-tech props favored by Kaiba personally, as well as merchandise related to Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Of course, Kaiba's explanation for having Blue-Eyes White Dragon merchandise was to cultivate his aura as a Duelist and live with his Duel Monsters day and night. The credibility of this explanation is debatable.
Although Kaiba's KaibaCorp participated in the "Egyptian Antiquities Traveling Exhibition" activity held by the Egyptian Antiquities Organization, where Ishizu worked, in Domino City, and the construction of the Egyptian Antiquities Traveling Exhibition Hall was also completed by KaibaCorp, that was only because it was commercially profitable and Ishizu had given Kaiba a card of Obelisk the Tormentor.
After Battle City ended and Marik was apprehended, achieving Ishizu's goal, the cooperation between Kaiba and Ishizu was considered over. Although the "Egyptian Antiquities Traveling Exhibition" was still ongoing, Kaiba and the Egyptian Antiquities Organization had no further connection. KaibaCorp cars would certainly not pass by this area, as the location of the Egyptian Antiquities Exhibition Hall in Domino City was already considered remote.
Not only Téa, but Marik, Tristan, and Joey Wheeler also had some suspicion towards KaibaCorp.
"Miss Ishizu, I remember that the Millennium Necklace seems to be..." Joey Wheeler suddenly recalled, recalling that Yugi had mentioned the mysterious power of the Millennium Items, and that the Millennium Necklace could foresee the future. His gaze couldn't help but turn towards Ishizu.
However, Ishizu shook her head and looked at Hayato beside her with some helplessness: "I'm sorry, although the Millennium Necklace does have the power to foresee the future, it's a capability I haven't used for a long time. And because of the interference ability of the Millennium Ring on other Millennium Items, I cannot accurately foresee Mr. Mutou Yuugi's situation."
"I think, instead of making wild guesses and deductions here, it would be more convenient for us to go directly to KaibaCorp," said Hayato, who was self-aware of being a humanoid mobile signal jammer, smiling apologetically at Ishizu and offering a suggestion.
Hearing this, Marik proudly pulled out the key he had clipped to his waist and held it up: "I have a motorcycle." As he spoke, he pressed a button on it, and the lights of a red and yellow painted motorcycle not far away lit up. The dazzling lighting effects on the vehicle's body created an effect like flowing lava, extremely conspicuous even in broad daylight.
Looking at Marik's motorcycle, Tristan said with interest: "Isn't this motorcycle a Tristan Gold Wing? And it's even been modified with electronic control and lighting modifications, it looks really good, it's just... why does it look strange?"
Compared to Tristan, who was focused on the vehicle itself, Joey Wheeler recognized at a glance what the modified lights on Marik's motorcycle were.
"Isn't that the pattern of Lava Golem? Why would you put such an ugly monster on your car?" Although slightly different from the classic card art of Industrial Illusions, Joey Wheeler had a deep impression of the image of Lava Golem because Hayato had "gifted" him the Big Baby more than once, and he couldn't forget it at all.
"That kind of thing isn't important, okay? The most important thing right now is to go find Yugi," Téa said, feeling quite speechless towards the two guys whose attention had completely drifted off. "However, a motorcycle can only carry a maximum of two people. There are so many of us here."
"I have the key to the Exhibition Hall's truck. That vehicle can carry many people, but its speed is limited because it's used to transport important items," Ishizu also produced a key and held it in her hand, suggesting, "How about two of us go ahead first, and the others take the truck?"
Hearing Ishizu's suggestion, the group discussed it and decided to have Hayato and Joey Wheeler go ahead on the motorcycle, while Téa, Marik, Ishizu, and Grandpa Solomon (the four 'old, weak, sick, and disabled'), along with Tristan, would take the Exhibition Hall's truck.
"First the mummy revived, and then Yugi suddenly ran off too. I just have a bad feeling..." Grandpa Solomon watched Joey Wheeler and Hayato get on the motorcycle. Joey Wheeler fumbled to put on his helmet and said with a slight worry.
"Don't worry, Master Solomon. Although I don't know what happened, we will definitely protect Yugi from being harmed by that guy Kaiba," Joey Wheeler said, giving a thumbs-up. "I, Yugi, and Hayato, the three of us are invincible!"
"It wouldn't make much difference if you were removed, actually," Tristan, as Joey Wheeler's teasing friend, immediately shot him down. Téa actually had the same feeling as Solomon and looked at Hayato and Joey Wheeler with pleading eyes: "Please, Hayato, Joey Wheeler, please bring Yugi back safely."
"Okay, don't worry," Hayato nodded and put on his helmet.
"It's my motorcycle, Brother-in-law. Be careful when you drive and don't scratch my paint," Marik reluctantly handed the key to Hayato. "But Brother-in-law, how come I never heard you say you learned how to ride a motorcycle?"
"Heh heh, would I tell you that I once trained at the Hawaii Spy Training Center?" The confident Hayato took the key and started the motorcycle. "My riding skill is A+."
Ten minutes later.
"Ugh~"
Joey Wheeler, who got off the motorcycle, squatted by the green belt on the side of the road in Kaiba Industrial Park, his face pale and looking very unwell: "What exactly happened just now!"
"I told you, I trained at the Hawaii Spy Training Center," Hayato was much more composed than Joey Wheeler. He parked the motorcycle in front of a huge building and casually took off the card of Gaia the Fierce Knight that he had attached to the motorcycle before leaving the Exhibition Hall entrance.
This was also a new usage of Card Spirits that Hayato had explored. By having the Card Spirit possess other props, various powerful functions could be achieved. For example, Gaia the Fierce Knight could help Hayato easily drive most 'riding tools,' home appliances attached with Drytron Meteonis Dracodes would become networked smart furniture, and Little Blue could even increase the washing machine's power output to the maximum and burn out the motor...
The last one can be ignored.
Let alone driving a mere motorcycle, if Hayato wanted to, he could even use a bicycle that grandpas and grandmas use for grocery shopping to race and win against racing motorcycles with the help of Gaia the Fierce Knight. "'Riding Skill is A+'" was not bragging.
However, it was clear that Joey Wheeler could not adapt to this kind of racing that exceeded the human limit. Although he didn't experience motion sickness, the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush made him feel a bit nauseous now.
Nevertheless, Joey Wheeler's physique was ultimately different from ordinary people, or perhaps his worry for his friend allowed him to overcome the physiological discomfort. Hayato and Joey Wheeler walked into their destination—the latest completed building in the Kaiba Industrial Park, located on the outskirts of Domino City, at the end of the coast—another Kaiba Dome.
"That guy Kaiba actually built another Kaiba Dome here. Is he planning to hold the next KC Cup here?" Joey Wheeler looked around the spacious hall of the Kaiba Dome. "And, did Yugi really come here? Although I did see the car we saw at the Exhibition Hall entrance here."
Just as Joey Wheeler finished speaking, he and Hayato heard Kaiba's voice amplified through the public address system:
"Full Projection System, activate! Footage playback!"
Along with Kaiba's voice, a huge screen in the hall of the Kaiba Dome lit up. A field with no lights on, in darkness, appeared on the screen.
Immediately after, the countless grid areas of the dome above the field, which were divided like a chessboard, lit up one by one with white light, illuminating the field. At the same time, Kaiba's figure standing in front of an entrance was revealed.
"Is that, Kaiba? He's actually here." Joey Wheeler frowned. "In that case, maybe Yugi also..."
The white light on the dome showed some distortion and change, gradually simulating a complete sky. The white clouds floating and changing shape due to airflow, or the occasional bird flying across the azure sky, were all so real. If they hadn't just seen the dome before it was activated, Hayato and Joey Wheeler might have actually believed the sky before them was real.
And on the ground, as Kaiba stepped forward onto the Duel Field, next to him, without any virtual projection device, one Duel Monster phantom after another appeared, and then dispersed behind him as he walked.
【Cyclops】, 【Dark Clown】, 【Sangan】, 【Crush Card Virus】, 【Lord of D.】...
And, Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Saying there was no virtual projection device wasn't entirely accurate, because all the signs indicated that Kaiba had actually used the entire dome of the Kaiba Dome as a virtual projection device!
By the time Kaiba reached one end of the flat Duel Field, only one Blue-Eyes White Dragon remained behind him, while Kaiba's gaze was focused intently on an entrance opposite him, a smirk on his lips.
Under the gaze of Hayato and Joey Wheeler in front of the screen, and Kaiba inside the field, the imposing Dark Yugi, wearing an unexpanded Duel Disk, walked out from there.
"You've arrived, Yu↑gi↓" Kaiba, who had only given his own entrance special effects and pulled some strings, said with a cold laugh as Yugi calmly walked onto the field opposite him and stood still. "Speaking of which, the last duel I had with you was a long time ago. I haven't had a chance to prove that I'm stronger than you."
"The experience of being defeated by your Exodia back then is still fresh in my memory today. This shame of defeat, I will repay today," Kaiba raised the Duel Disk on his hand. "Consider this a warm-up before defeating Hayato Kobayashi and winning the title of Duel King. I will bring down the whip of complete defeat upon you, Yu↑gi↓!"
"Yugi is dueling Kaiba?!" Joey Wheeler in front of the screen was quite unexpected. "What's going on?"
The one who answered him wasn't Hayato, but Keipei, who had also appeared in the Kaiba Dome Hall at some point: "Brother, yesterday he got two cards from Pegasus that seem powerful enough to even suppress Divine-Beasts."
"Keipei?"
Nodding at Hayato, Keipei's expression was heavy: "After getting those two cards, Brother has been acting very strangely, as if he's being controlled. He's impatient to duel you, Brother Hayato, and Yugi. I couldn't stop him, and coincidentally, Yugi also actively wanted to find Brother."
Meanwhile, inside the Kaiba Dome, facing the fighting spirit-filled Kaiba, Dark Yugi did not immediately expand his Duel Disk to respond.
"Kaiba, this duel is not pure. There is some kind of evil power mixed in," Dark Yugi knew the content of that illusion through Yugi Mutou's retelling. "Even so, do you still want to continue the duel?"
In the illusion, his duel with Kaiba would lead to the revive of an existence called King of Destruction. Although Dark Yugi didn't think he would lose, he felt that conflict should at least be avoided. However, although his initial purpose was to see if Kaiba, who also appeared in the illusion, had encountered any accident, who would have thought that Kaiba had already turned into a red-named monster and wanted to duel anyone he saw.
"Hmph, still talking about such boring things. I don't care about those supernatural things you're talking about," Kaiba's gaze didn't waver in the slightest. "My goal has always been only one, and that is to prove that I am superior to you!"
(End of Chapter)
When Yugi left the Cultural Relics Exhibition Hall alone, although Joey Wheeler and Téa and the others intended to keep him there, Yugi's movements were so fast that they didn't have time to say anything before he left.
When the others also left the Exhibition Hall after Yugi, they found a black luxury sedan leaving from in front of the Exhibition Hall as if it had completed the task of an assassination squad leader, and Yugi's figure was nowhere to be seen.
The sharp-eyed Joey Wheeler noticed a three-dimensional Blue-Eyes White Dragon car emblem on the front of the black luxury sedan before it drove away, with the words "KC" on the base: "That car, is it from KaibaCorp?"
"Could Yugi have gotten into that car? We don't see him anywhere around." Tristan looked around. In front of the Exhibition Hall was a main road, and there were no other cars parked nearby, nowhere to obstruct the view at all.
Téa was a little confused: "But why would Yugi get into a KaibaCorp car? And judging by how hurried he looked just now, and how coincidental it is for a KaibaCorp car to appear here, it's almost like they've been following us and waiting at the entrance for Yugi to get in."
Téa's suspicion was not unfounded. After all, it was well known that Kaiba President was always someone who liked the new and disliked the old. He could burn everything left from Gozaburo's time just because of his personal preference, without any pity even if many of those things held memories from his childhood. He had no interest whatsoever in antiques and cultural relics.
On the top floor of the KaibaCorp Headquarters Building, common decorations found in other company President's Offices, such as classical oil paintings, armor and swords, etc., were completely absent from Kaiba's Office. Instead, there were many high-tech props favored by Kaiba personally, as well as merchandise related to Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Of course, Kaiba's explanation for having Blue-Eyes White Dragon merchandise was to cultivate his aura as a Duelist and live with his Duel Monsters day and night. The credibility of this explanation is debatable.
Although Kaiba's KaibaCorp participated in the "Egyptian Antiquities Traveling Exhibition" activity held by the Egyptian Antiquities Organization, where Ishizu worked, in Domino City, and the construction of the Egyptian Antiquities Traveling Exhibition Hall was also completed by KaibaCorp, that was only because it was commercially profitable and Ishizu had given Kaiba a card of Obelisk the Tormentor.
After Battle City ended and Marik was apprehended, achieving Ishizu's goal, the cooperation between Kaiba and Ishizu was considered over. Although the "Egyptian Antiquities Traveling Exhibition" was still ongoing, Kaiba and the Egyptian Antiquities Organization had no further connection. KaibaCorp cars would certainly not pass by this area, as the location of the Egyptian Antiquities Exhibition Hall in Domino City was already considered remote.
Not only Téa, but Marik, Tristan, and Joey Wheeler also had some suspicion towards KaibaCorp.
"Miss Ishizu, I remember that the Millennium Necklace seems to be..." Joey Wheeler suddenly recalled, recalling that Yugi had mentioned the mysterious power of the Millennium Items, and that the Millennium Necklace could foresee the future. His gaze couldn't help but turn towards Ishizu.
However, Ishizu shook her head and looked at Hayato beside her with some helplessness: "I'm sorry, although the Millennium Necklace does have the power to foresee the future, it's a capability I haven't used for a long time. And because of the interference ability of the Millennium Ring on other Millennium Items, I cannot accurately foresee Mr. Mutou Yuugi's situation."
"I think, instead of making wild guesses and deductions here, it would be more convenient for us to go directly to KaibaCorp," said Hayato, who was self-aware of being a humanoid mobile signal jammer, smiling apologetically at Ishizu and offering a suggestion.
Hearing this, Marik proudly pulled out the key he had clipped to his waist and held it up: "I have a motorcycle." As he spoke, he pressed a button on it, and the lights of a red and yellow painted motorcycle not far away lit up. The dazzling lighting effects on the vehicle's body created an effect like flowing lava, extremely conspicuous even in broad daylight.
Looking at Marik's motorcycle, Tristan said with interest: "Isn't this motorcycle a Tristan Gold Wing? And it's even been modified with electronic control and lighting modifications, it looks really good, it's just... why does it look strange?"
Compared to Tristan, who was focused on the vehicle itself, Joey Wheeler recognized at a glance what the modified lights on Marik's motorcycle were.
"Isn't that the pattern of Lava Golem? Why would you put such an ugly monster on your car?" Although slightly different from the classic card art of Industrial Illusions, Joey Wheeler had a deep impression of the image of Lava Golem because Hayato had "gifted" him the Big Baby more than once, and he couldn't forget it at all.
"That kind of thing isn't important, okay? The most important thing right now is to go find Yugi," Téa said, feeling quite speechless towards the two guys whose attention had completely drifted off. "However, a motorcycle can only carry a maximum of two people. There are so many of us here."
"I have the key to the Exhibition Hall's truck. That vehicle can carry many people, but its speed is limited because it's used to transport important items," Ishizu also produced a key and held it in her hand, suggesting, "How about two of us go ahead first, and the others take the truck?"
Hearing Ishizu's suggestion, the group discussed it and decided to have Hayato and Joey Wheeler go ahead on the motorcycle, while Téa, Marik, Ishizu, and Grandpa Solomon (the four 'old, weak, sick, and disabled'), along with Tristan, would take the Exhibition Hall's truck.
"First the mummy revived, and then Yugi suddenly ran off too. I just have a bad feeling..." Grandpa Solomon watched Joey Wheeler and Hayato get on the motorcycle. Joey Wheeler fumbled to put on his helmet and said with a slight worry.
"Don't worry, Master Solomon. Although I don't know what happened, we will definitely protect Yugi from being harmed by that guy Kaiba," Joey Wheeler said, giving a thumbs-up. "I, Yugi, and Hayato, the three of us are invincible!"
"It wouldn't make much difference if you were removed, actually," Tristan, as Joey Wheeler's teasing friend, immediately shot him down. Téa actually had the same feeling as Solomon and looked at Hayato and Joey Wheeler with pleading eyes: "Please, Hayato, Joey Wheeler, please bring Yugi back safely."
"Okay, don't worry," Hayato nodded and put on his helmet.
"It's my motorcycle, Brother-in-law. Be careful when you drive and don't scratch my paint," Marik reluctantly handed the key to Hayato. "But Brother-in-law, how come I never heard you say you learned how to ride a motorcycle?"
"Heh heh, would I tell you that I once trained at the Hawaii Spy Training Center?" The confident Hayato took the key and started the motorcycle. "My riding skill is A+."
Ten minutes later.
"Ugh~"
Joey Wheeler, who got off the motorcycle, squatted by the green belt on the side of the road in Kaiba Industrial Park, his face pale and looking very unwell: "What exactly happened just now!"
"I told you, I trained at the Hawaii Spy Training Center," Hayato was much more composed than Joey Wheeler. He parked the motorcycle in front of a huge building and casually took off the card of Gaia the Fierce Knight that he had attached to the motorcycle before leaving the Exhibition Hall entrance.
This was also a new usage of Card Spirits that Hayato had explored. By having the Card Spirit possess other props, various powerful functions could be achieved. For example, Gaia the Fierce Knight could help Hayato easily drive most 'riding tools,' home appliances attached with Drytron Meteonis Dracodes would become networked smart furniture, and Little Blue could even increase the washing machine's power output to the maximum and burn out the motor...
The last one can be ignored.
Let alone driving a mere motorcycle, if Hayato wanted to, he could even use a bicycle that grandpas and grandmas use for grocery shopping to race and win against racing motorcycles with the help of Gaia the Fierce Knight. "'Riding Skill is A+'" was not bragging.
However, it was clear that Joey Wheeler could not adapt to this kind of racing that exceeded the human limit. Although he didn't experience motion sickness, the aftereffects of the adrenaline rush made him feel a bit nauseous now.
Nevertheless, Joey Wheeler's physique was ultimately different from ordinary people, or perhaps his worry for his friend allowed him to overcome the physiological discomfort. Hayato and Joey Wheeler walked into their destination—the latest completed building in the Kaiba Industrial Park, located on the outskirts of Domino City, at the end of the coast—another Kaiba Dome.
"That guy Kaiba actually built another Kaiba Dome here. Is he planning to hold the next KC Cup here?" Joey Wheeler looked around the spacious hall of the Kaiba Dome. "And, did Yugi really come here? Although I did see the car we saw at the Exhibition Hall entrance here."
Just as Joey Wheeler finished speaking, he and Hayato heard Kaiba's voice amplified through the public address system:
"Full Projection System, activate! Footage playback!"
Along with Kaiba's voice, a huge screen in the hall of the Kaiba Dome lit up. A field with no lights on, in darkness, appeared on the screen.
Immediately after, the countless grid areas of the dome above the field, which were divided like a chessboard, lit up one by one with white light, illuminating the field. At the same time, Kaiba's figure standing in front of an entrance was revealed.
"Is that, Kaiba? He's actually here." Joey Wheeler frowned. "In that case, maybe Yugi also..."
The white light on the dome showed some distortion and change, gradually simulating a complete sky. The white clouds floating and changing shape due to airflow, or the occasional bird flying across the azure sky, were all so real. If they hadn't just seen the dome before it was activated, Hayato and Joey Wheeler might have actually believed the sky before them was real.
And on the ground, as Kaiba stepped forward onto the Duel Field, next to him, without any virtual projection device, one Duel Monster phantom after another appeared, and then dispersed behind him as he walked.
【Cyclops】, 【Dark Clown】, 【Sangan】, 【Crush Card Virus】, 【Lord of D.】...
And, Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
Saying there was no virtual projection device wasn't entirely accurate, because all the signs indicated that Kaiba had actually used the entire dome of the Kaiba Dome as a virtual projection device!
By the time Kaiba reached one end of the flat Duel Field, only one Blue-Eyes White Dragon remained behind him, while Kaiba's gaze was focused intently on an entrance opposite him, a smirk on his lips.
Under the gaze of Hayato and Joey Wheeler in front of the screen, and Kaiba inside the field, the imposing Dark Yugi, wearing an unexpanded Duel Disk, walked out from there.
"You've arrived, Yu↑gi↓" Kaiba, who had only given his own entrance special effects and pulled some strings, said with a cold laugh as Yugi calmly walked onto the field opposite him and stood still. "Speaking of which, the last duel I had with you was a long time ago. I haven't had a chance to prove that I'm stronger than you."
"The experience of being defeated by your Exodia back then is still fresh in my memory today. This shame of defeat, I will repay today," Kaiba raised the Duel Disk on his hand. "Consider this a warm-up before defeating Hayato Kobayashi and winning the title of Duel King. I will bring down the whip of complete defeat upon you, Yu↑gi↓!"
"Yugi is dueling Kaiba?!" Joey Wheeler in front of the screen was quite unexpected. "What's going on?"
The one who answered him wasn't Hayato, but Keipei, who had also appeared in the Kaiba Dome Hall at some point: "Brother, yesterday he got two cards from Pegasus that seem powerful enough to even suppress Divine-Beasts."
"Keipei?"
Nodding at Hayato, Keipei's expression was heavy: "After getting those two cards, Brother has been acting very strangely, as if he's being controlled. He's impatient to duel you, Brother Hayato, and Yugi. I couldn't stop him, and coincidentally, Yugi also actively wanted to find Brother."
Meanwhile, inside the Kaiba Dome, facing the fighting spirit-filled Kaiba, Dark Yugi did not immediately expand his Duel Disk to respond.
"Kaiba, this duel is not pure. There is some kind of evil power mixed in," Dark Yugi knew the content of that illusion through Yugi Mutou's retelling. "Even so, do you still want to continue the duel?"
In the illusion, his duel with Kaiba would lead to the revive of an existence called King of Destruction. Although Dark Yugi didn't think he would lose, he felt that conflict should at least be avoided. However, although his initial purpose was to see if Kaiba, who also appeared in the illusion, had encountered any accident, who would have thought that Kaiba had already turned into a red-named monster and wanted to duel anyone he saw.
"Hmph, still talking about such boring things. I don't care about those supernatural things you're talking about," Kaiba's gaze didn't waver in the slightest. "My goal has always been only one, and that is to prove that I am superior to you!"
(End of Chapter)