Who Let Him Play Yu-Gi-Oh!

"I won! That was a fun duel!"

Jaden struck a pose.

Zane: "..."

"...As much as I'd like to say that, I'm sure you don't feel the same way," Jaden admitted.

So, you noticed.

Zane took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, and stood up, closing his eyes for a moment.

"Well played. You've improved a lot these past six months. Right now, you're stronger, Jaden Yuki."

"I wouldn't say that," Jadeb scratched his head. "Honestly, I could kind of feel it—you weren't at your best, were you, Zane?"

Zane frowned. "If you think I was going easy, you're wrong. That would be disrespectful. No matter the opponent or situation, as a duelist, I would never allow myself to do that."

"No, no, that's not what I mean," Jaden waved his hands. "It's more like, while you were dueling me, your real opponent seemed to be someone else in your mind..."

Zane pondered.

Was his mind really elsewhere?

"Your dueling feels different now, like you couldn't fully focus or show your best. It's a shame... But you're still strong, Zane. You'll bounce back soon—no, you'll be even stronger than before."

Jaden grinned and held out his hand.

"When that happens, let's duel again."

Zane was silent for a few seconds, then took Jaden's hand.

"...Alright."

The match ended. It was rare for a quarterfinal duel to end without anyone getting seriously hurt. The medics waiting outside dashed to the field as soon as Zane's life points hit zero, ready to carry him off on a stretcher, but he refused.

The medics were surprised. "Hey, no casualties this time?"

Zane, on the other hand, thought he might need a therapist instead...

The third match started quickly—it was finally time for the legendary duelist Seto Kaiba to take the stage. Everyone was excited; after so many years, most had never seen Kaiba duel in person and were eager to know what his dueling looked like now.

The random draw was perfect—the next match was a grudge match.

His opponent was none other than the last of the New Doma Three Swordsmen, Loren, who seemed to hate him to the core.

The two stood on stage.

"Finally. Do you know how long I've waited for this moment, Seto Kaiba?" Loren said coldly.

"I don't know, nor do I care," Kaiba replied flatly. "But since you're here, duel like a real duelist. Hmph. Or are you scared? You can still back out."

"You!"

Loren's anger only grew at Kaiba's arrogance.

"Fine. Let's let the duel do the talking."

They each activated their duel disks.

"Duel!" x2

"I'll go first. Draw!"

Loren wasted no time, raising a card.

"Field Spell—Seal of Orichalcos!"

A hexagram appeared, and a blaze of green light shot up, enveloping both duelists and sealing them off from the outside world.

The Arbiter outside smiled at the scene, even licking his lips.

"No need to explain Seal of Orichalcos; effect," Loren said coldly.

"Of course," Kaiba sneered. "You're just digging your own grave."

"No, this is the embodiment of my revenge, the flames that will burn your arrogant soul to ashes!" Loren replied. "Activate Spell Card 'Graceful Charity'—draw three cards, discard two."

Loren discarded two cards, then summoned a monster.

"Set in Defense—Babycerasaurus!"

[Babycerasaurus: DEF 200]

"Hm?" Kira muttered.

"What's up? Is something wrong with that monster?" Jaden asked.

"No, it's nothing," Kira shook his head.

Babycerasaurus—now that was a card from GX.

Its effect: when destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon any Level 4 or lower Dinosaur from your Deck.

Who would've thought this overlooked old card would someday become a top-tier one-limiter?

"Then I'll set my remaining cards—"

Loren set his remaining four cards at once.

"Four set cards?"

Jaden was surprised.

That's just like Kira!

"This duel is the entire meaning of my existence now," Loren stared at Kaiba. "If it weren't for you all, I'd probably just be an ordinary person, with an ordinary, warm family..."

"My turn, draw," Kaiba interrupted mercilessly.

"You don't even care who I am or why I want revenge?" Loren demanded.

"Heh. Why would I bother learning every stray dog's backstory?"

"You—" Loren almost fainted from rage.

He was about to launch into a dramatic monologue, but Kaiba shot him down in a single sentence.

Kaiba didn't care at all.

"Fine! Have it your way, we'll settle this with a duel!" Loren snapped. "Activate trap 'Paleozoic Marrella'! Send a trap from my deck to the Graveyard!"

"Paleozoic?" Kaiba frowned.

Another archetype even he hadn't heard of.

But Kaiba knew the new Doma had their own custom printing methods, and their influence spanned many dimensions. It made sense they'd have cards unknown in this world.

"I send this trap from my deck," Loren revealed it.

"'Survival's End'—to the Graveyard."

Another card Kaiba didn't recognize.

As one of the world's top card printers, Kaiba was confident he knew every card in existence—even if he didn't own them. So he was sure which ones shouldn't exist in the current world.

"Interesting," Kaiba smiled.

An opponent like this was worth his time.

"Then, from my hand, the effect of 'Dictator of D..' By sending a 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' from my deck to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon it."

Kaiba sent Blue-Eyes from his deck to the Graveyard.

"Special Summon—Dictator of D.!"

[Dictator of D.: ATK 1200]

Loren recognized the card: "Kaiba's evolved 'Dragon Ruler' series. This guy has some nasty follow-up effects..."

Dictator of D. can discard a Blue-Eyes or any card with Blue-Eyes White Dragon in its name to revive a Blue-Eyes monster from the Graveyard.

Loren: "Then I'll take care of your troublesome monster right away.

Activate the trap 'Survival's End' from the Graveyard!"

Mokuba was shocked: "A trap from the Graveyard!?"

"'Survival's End' banishes itself from the Graveyard to destroy one Dinosaur you control and one card your opponent controls."

Loren declared.

"I'll destroy my Babycerasaurus and your Dictator of D.! Let's go down together, Seto Kaiba!"