I fixed Roland with a piercing stare as he entered my office, his steps halting just short of the polished obsidian desk that separated us. My arms were crossed as I leaned back in my executive chair, the towering skyline of Domino City casting long shadows across the room.
"This better be important, Roland," I said sharply. "I have a mountain of work to attend to for the Battle City tournament."
Roland stood straight, his hands clasped behind his back. "Sir, it's about the tournament you're planning," he began. "I thought you should know—someone leaked information about it to the North American Duel Monsters Champion."
My expression darkened. "Any idea who would do such a thing?" I asked, my tone icy. "That information was supposed to be locked down until the official announcement."
"A group calling themselves the Rare Hunters hacked into our system," Roland explained. "I've cleared out the viruses. But... I have a recording you should see. It features the North American Champion discussing the tournament."
My brow furrowed. Another infiltration. Another threat. I steepled my fingers and muttered to myself, "It seems I'll have to sweep KaibaCorp for spies once again."
"Play the recording," I ordered. "Any leads are better than none."
Roland nodded and moved to the massive television screen mounted on the far wall. The screen flickered to life, displaying a vivid duel in a local arena—spotlights blazing down on the two duelists.
"Who are they?" I asked.
"The older man is Jason Whitesmith, the reigning North American Champion," Roland answered. "The child is Connor Hawkins, an underdog competitor."
On screen, Jason—an older man, roughly sixty, with graying hair tucked behind his ears and a pristine white lab coat—stood tall and composed. His face was stoic, with sharp crow's feet from years of intensity. Connor, a five-year-old boy with bright blonde hair and wide blue eyes, stood bravely across from him. The stark contrast was enough to make the crowd lean forward.
Then Jason spoke.
"As for my announcement," he said, voice booming across the stadium, "I call Seto Kaiba a coward for trying to pull a fast one on the world!"
My pupils narrowed.
"He's trying to claim the title of the world's best duelist. Not that this is a problem," Jason continued, "but he plans to do so without inviting the true champions from around the globe."
Gasps rose from the audience. The camera panned to capture the crowd—open-mouthed spectators frozen in awe.
"Now, for my announcement!" Jason's voice boomed across the arena. "I call Seto Kaiba a coward! He plans to crown himself the world's greatest duelist—but without inviting the actual best duelists from around the world!"
My jaw clenched. How dare this nobody insult me in public. Me—Seto Kaiba.
Jason turned to face Connor, and though the boy looked small and uncertain, his stance was firm. Jason gave a thin smile.
"Well, looks like this is a good game for you, Connor," he said. "You're a worthy subject to unveil this card against."
I watched, captivated and seething. Jason raised his hand.
"I discard King of the Swamp to add Polymerization to my hand. Then, I activate it to Fusion Summon... Dragon Master Knight."
My eyes widened.
Dragon Master Knight? That card... how did he—?
"You don't have a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon on the field," Connor asked, voice high and innocent, tinged with awe and confusion. "How are you going to bring it out?"
Jason chuckled, his face smug. "I'm glad you asked that, Connor. King of the Swamp substitutes for fusion material. And here," he held up a card, "is Black Luster Soldier. Now watch closely."
With a blinding flash, Dragon Master Knight materialized in the arena—an enormous creature cloaked in divine energy, with wings outstretched and armor that shimmered like forged moonlight. It stood proudly behind Jason, who crossed his arms with an air of godhood.
I shot out of my chair.
He actually did it. He used Blue-Eyes... my Blue-Eyes.*
"Roland," I said, voice cold and low, "hunt down the remaining copies of Dragon Master Knight. I won't allow anyone else to disrespect my monsters like this."
"Yes, sir," Roland responded.
Back on the screen, Jason basked in the attention. The announcer's voice cracked with emotion.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime event! The first official tournament appearance of Dragon Master Knight!"
Jason looked over his shoulder, smiling at the stunned crowd. "If you're shocked by this monster—just wait for my next surprise. I plan to finish this duel in one attack."
The crowd roared. Phones lit up like stars as people recorded the moment.
"I play Megamorph!" Jason declared. "Since my life points are lower than my opponent's, my monster's attack doubles!"
The number above Dragon Master Knight surged.
10,000 ATK.
The stadium fell into stunned silence.
"It's over nine thousand!" the announcer shouted. "That's the world record for highest attack points—broken here in an official duel!"
Connor stood frozen, his tiny fists clenched. His blue eyes were wide but focused.
"Dragon Master Knight—attack Tri-Horned Dragon! Destruction Burst Stream!"
A titanic beam of holy energy blasted across the field. Connor's monster was vaporized. His life points plummeted to zero.
I stared at the boy on the screen.
A five-year-old who stood his ground, faced that beast, and didn't flinch.
"He's not ordinary either," I murmured.
The duel platform lowered as the crowd clapped. Jason stepped forward and extended a hand. Connor hesitated but eventually accepted it.
Jason leaned in, whispering something that made Connor's eyes widen and face contort with rage. The boy clenched his jaw, nostrils flaring.
I rewound the footage and zoomed in. Connor's body language shifted in real time from polite to hostile.
"That man said something," I muttered.
Jason stood upright, his face placid again.
"Interesting..." I whispered. "Very interesting."
I narrowed my eyes at the screen.
"You want to play in my Battle City tournament, Jason? Fine. You'll get your wish. But mark my words…"
I curled my hand into a fist.
"I'll crush you. And when we meet, my God Card will show you what real power looks like."
"Roland," I said, turning away from the window and fixing him with a narrowed gaze. He stood patiently just inside the door, waiting for my command. "Make sure to invite the rest of the world's best duelists. Every last one of them. I want you to include Jason and Connor on that list as well."
Roland gave a brisk nod, but he didn't move yet. My tone must have told him I wasn't finished.
I paced slowly across the polished tile floor, each step echoing with frustration. My gloved hands were clenched tightly behind my back, jaw locked in irritation.
It seems like the Rare Hunters are making their move, I thought. Forcing me to invite duelists on short notice? That'll make it easier for them to sneak into my tournament unnoticed.
I turned sharply to face Roland again, my voice lower now but full of resolve. "I only wanted the God Cards… and to beat Yugi. To finally reclaim my rightful title."
My fists tightened, knuckles whitening as I gritted my teeth.
"But now," I muttered, "this tournament will have to be delayed... to allow time for these extra duelists to arrive. All thanks to this spectacle Jason orchestrated."
Roland shifted slightly at the door, and I gestured for him to wait.
"Before you go," I added, pointing a firm finger at him, "I need someone to look into Jason and Connor. Quietly. I want to know everything."
Roland's brow furrowed slightly, but he nodded in understanding. "Yes, sir." He turned and exited the office, his footsteps vanishing into the corridor.
I sat heavily into my high-backed leather chair and rubbed my temples. A dull ache pulsed behind my eyes.
"Where did Jason get access to such rare cards?" I whispered to myself. "That Dragon Master Knight isn't just powerful—it's dangerous in the wrong hands. Jason had it ready. That isn't luck. That's planning."
My eyes narrowed as I stared at the flickering holographic display of the duel replaying silently in front of me.
"Jason might have the experience, but Connor…" I leaned forward, elbows resting on the desk. "How did a five-year-old know that the fusion required Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon?"
I squinted, analyzing every twitch of the boy's expression in the footage—his confusion, followed by realization. That wasn't just guesswork. That was knowledge. Familiarity.
"No way a child his age would know the fusion requirements unless…" I paused. "Unless he's not what he seems."
The headache worsened.
"I'm going to need to restructure the tournament entirely," I muttered, running a hand through my hair. "A final sixteen bracket. It's the only way to keep this contained and efficient. I don't have time to sort through an army of wannabe duelists. Only the best."
I exhaled sharply, resting my back against the chair. The office was quiet except for the soft hum of the building's systems and the looping replay of Dragon Master Knight obliterating Connor's monster in one blow.
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