After the four duels concluded, everyone was busy with their own affairs—either waiting for the Duel Airship to reach what Kaiba described as a suitable battlefield, or tending to unconscious friends.
Only Youmi was not among them.
She stood on the dueling platform of the Duel Airship, her right hand holding what now served as her vessel—[Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle]. Though she no longer looked like she might collapse at any moment, being marked for expulsion by the world still cast a shadow over her mood.
"What's with that gloomy look?" [Ten Thousand Dragon], once again posing as [Sphere Kuriboh], floated beside her.
"It's nothing. I was just thinking… next, I might run into that kid named Noah, right?"
Youmi slipped [Lovely Labrynth of the Silver Castle] into her Deck Box.
The card hadn't seen much action lately—though it still found plenty of time to complain inside her head, which was one of the things giving her headaches. "The duels there use KaibaCorp's database-based Duel Management System and take place inside a virtual world. Will I even be able to exist stably inside something like that?" She turned toward [Ten Thousand Dragon].
"Oh, right. That slipped my mind." The dragon mused, realizing what she meant. "If it's a virtual space, maybe I should give you a few cards that exist digitally as temporary vessels. That might work better."
After a pause, it added, "To be honest, I'm not a fan of that Deck Master system. It's so one-sided and unfair. Maybe I should just open a backdoor for you—let you wipe the floor with everyone and move straight to the semifinals."
[Ten Thousand Dragon] didn't sound like it was joking… it truly seemed displeased about the duels Youmi might soon face.
"Hey, have you no shame? You'd really cheat that blatantly?" Youmi brushed her bangs aside and gave a tired smirk.
After staring at the dragon for a moment, she said, "Actually, I've gotten used to [Lovely Labrynth]'s body anyway. It's lost its novelty. Give me a new Deck—something fresh to possess, even if it's temporary."
This exchange was known only to Youmi, [Ten Thousand Dragon], and the hapless host body [Sphere Kuriboh].
"You really are a twisted one, huh? By the way…" Youmi was turning over the new cards [Ten Thousand Dragon] had given her when she suddenly asked, "You always seem to enjoy watching me squirm. Tell me… are you a man or woman?"
At first, [Ten Thousand Dragon] had spoken in a male voice, but later shifted to a female one—and had never changed it back.
Yet during its male-voiced phase, it hadn't sounded like something capable of switching tones so easily. If anything, it reminded her of Yubel.
"For a transcendent being beyond mortal understanding, gender is meaningless to me."
Their idle talk began drifting into philosophical territory, and [Ten Thousand Dragon]'s voice slowly reverted to masculine. "That said, it only applies to my true self. The one speaking to you now and the one who once helped and dueled alongside you are not my original body."
"My true self still observes countless duelists across the world and gives birth to new card spirits. The me you perceive is merely a projection of my consciousness. Since you are the observer, it's natural that my voice changes based on your perception."
"And aren't you the same, Youmi?" it added, moving [Sphere Kuriboh]'s little paw to poke her chest. "After meeting me, your consciousness bonded with cards and built yourself a new body. You've already transcended humanity. Even without a vessel, your consciousness would endure. Gender is merely a reflection of whichever card you inhabit."
Unfazed by the poke, Youmi looked down at her right hand—a hand far paler and more delicate than her original human one. She stared at it for a long time. "Ah… maybe so. For a true duelist, gender doesn't really matter anymore…"
She sighed—like a sage who'd seen too much and grown weary of it all.
[Ten Thousand Dragon], perhaps feeling responsible as the root of all this (perhaps), tried to comfort her—abruptly, then, was interrupted by a sudden yelp.
With a thunk, Youmi slammed her head into the airship's railing, letting out a strange squeak like an angry gopher, then turned toward [Ten Thousand Dragon].
"I feel like I got a little too carried away enjoying being a woman. Anyway, just send me a few male-based cards next time, okay? As the one who made me like this, you owe me!"
No sooner had she said that than the Duel Airship suddenly began to shake violently.
At the same time, a massive fortress rose slowly from the depths of the sea.
As if everything had been scripted from the start, Noah's fortress hijacked the airship's operating system, forcing everyone aboard to enter the base. Youmi, though newly empowered, dared not use too much of her strength lest the world reject her outright, so she stayed silent, watching as the Big Five began explaining the Deck Master system.
A digital projection of Seto Kaiba, clad in a dark blue trench coat, appeared before them and began a duel against the supposedly impregnable [Total Defense Shogun].
"Seto Kaiba's Deck Master is [Blue-Eyes White Dragon]. Now, please observe Kaiba's opening move."
As the Big Five's voice echoed, Virtual Kaiba began his turn.
"My turn—draw." The digital Kaiba drew a card, then seized up mid-motion as if someone had hit the pause button.
"For simplicity," one of the Big Five added, "let's assume [Total Defense Shogun] bricked and passes its first turn."
Then Virtual Kaiba resumed.
"I activate [Blue-Eyes White Dragon]'s Deck Master effect! I reveal up to three [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] in my hand and gain effects based on the number revealed!" Virtual Kaiba showed all three. "I reveal three, so I add [Polymerization] from my Deck to my hand! This turn, the Fusion Monster I summon using [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] as materials can attack the opponent directly once! I Fusion Summon—[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon]!"
After yet another display glorifying Kaiba's eternal lack of shuffling, [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon] appeared on the field.
"Kaiba's Deck Master was one of the three [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] he revealed. Since it was used as Fusion Material for [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon], his new Deck Master becomes [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon]."
"Battle Phase—[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon], attack directly!"
All three dragon heads unleashed their beams upon [Total Defense Shogun].
"At this moment, [Total Defense Shogun] may pay 1000 LP to activate its Deck Master effect—when an opponent's monster declares an attack, pay 1000 LP to destroy that attacking monster!"
A brilliant light even stronger than [Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon]'s breath radiated from [Total Defense Shogun], shattering the attacking dragon. Virtual Kaiba staggered back as if struck and then burst into digital fragments.
The Big Five's mocking voice followed promptly: "While Deck Masters grant powerful abilities, the instant one is destroyed, the duelist immediately loses! That's the rule. Fascinating, isn't it?"
"You wretched Big Five! You said we'd settle things with a fair duel, and yet you invent childish nonsense like this!" Kaiba clenched his fists in fury. As a true duelist, such ridiculous mechanics were intolerable.
(Or maybe he just couldn't stand watching his 'ultimate wife' get blown up again?)
Nevertheless, his protest was useless. As the program began, the floor beneath them gave way, and everyone was pulled into a glowing pit—descending into the virtual world.
Among them, Youmi gradually dissolved into pure light as she fell.
...
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