"Delta."
Kira remembered the name.
Alpha had said before he died that Delta was the best among them.
"So you're the one," Kira said.
"Yes, my brother was destroyed by you," Delta replied calmly.
"So, you're here for revenge?"
"Not quite. We may be brothers, but there's not much sentimentality between us. I'm here purely on business."
Delta raised his Duel Disk.
"Of course, though the duel here isn't quite a Shadow Game as you know it, the results are similar.
The loser's consciousness data will be deleted. If I lose, my program will be erased, and my existence ends.
If you lose, while your body will be fine, you'll likely never wake up in the real world again."
Kira understood. Sure enough, this was starting to feel a bit like Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS.
In VRAINS, all duels are online, and while there's no Shadow Game per se, there are high-stakes life-risking duels where the loser becomes a vegetable who never wakes up.
But compared to the Shadow Games he'd experienced, this was still entry-level.
"I see." Kira raised his arm and activated his Duel Disk as well.
"Duel!" ×2
[Kira, LP 4000]
[Delta, LP 4000]
"I'll go first. Draw!" Kira said. "I'll set a monster face-down in the front row, set one card in the back row, and end my turn."
"Standard opening." Delta nodded. "Then, my turn—draw.
First, I activate the spell 'Trade-In', discarding a Level 8 monster from my hand to draw two cards.
I discard Level 8 'Tyrant Dragon' and draw two."
He slowly selected a new card from his hand.
"Next, I activate the Continuous Spell 'Future Fusion'."
Kira's eyelid twitched.
Wow, the eternal forbidden card.
Banned since 2012, and only released after being heavily nerfed in 2017.
But in GX, there were actually two versions of Future Fusion: Zane's equip version, and a later continuous version identical to the original real card.
Delta's was the continuous spell version.
"Future Fusion lets me select a Fusion Monster, then send the required Fusion Materials from my deck to the graveyard.
On my second Standby Phase, that monster is fusion summoned."
As the name suggests, it lets you fuse in the future. Of course, the real reason it was banned wasn't the fusion, but the ability to mill the deck so precisely.
And the monster most often paired with Future Fusion was—
"I choose this Fusion Monster," Delta revealed a card, "Five-Headed Dragon!"
Kira narrowed his eyes.
Of course.
F.G.D.—used by the five evil KaibaCorp board members, with 5000 ATK/DEF, one of the highest stat monsters in Yu-Gi-Oh.
But the point is, its fusion requirement is just any five Dragons.
"F.G.D. requires five Dragon-type monsters," Delta said, sending five cards from his deck to the graveyard. "So I send five Dragons to the graveyard!"
Five dragons swept into the graveyard—instant, precise milling. That's the true power of Future Fusion.
Delta paused, then smiled lightly.
"All my cards physically exist in the ABIAK building," he said. "If you beat me, you can take my deck—or any rare card stored in the building."
"Heh, you're generous," Kira grinned. "Don't mind if I do."
"As you say, the winner takes all—that's only natural."
Delta shrugged, as if indifferent.
"Next, I activate the spell 'Graceful Charity'—draw three cards, then discard two." Delta continued, "Then I play 'Silent Doom' to special summon a Normal Monster from my graveyard in defense position."
A card slid from his graveyard.
"The Gemini Monster 'Darkstorm Dragon' can be treated as a Normal Monster in the graveyard or on the field, so I special summon it in defense!"
[Darkstorm Dragon, DEF 2500]
Kira remembered that the previous AI trio also used Darkstorm Dragon. Considering they were based on Kaiba and all had a fondness for Dragons, it wasn't surprising.
"Now, as a Gemini, Darkstorm Dragon can be Normal Summoned again to gain its effect," Delta said. "I Normal Summon it to gain its effect.
Once per turn, by sending a face-up Spell/Trap to the graveyard, destroy all Spells/Traps on the field!"
He pulled his Continuous Spell from the slot, sending it to the graveyard.
"I send 'Future Fusion' to the graveyard—your back row is destroyed."
Darkstorm Dragon spread its wings, summoning a black hurricane. Kira's set card flipped and was shredded by the storm.
Continuous Trap—'Dragon Capture Jar.'
"Cautious, aren't you?" Kira smiled. "Removing the threat from Dragon Capture Jar?"
"You used that card against Seto Kaiba's duel program before. Since you'd expect to face AI like us in ABIAK, there's a good chance you included anti-Dragon measures in your deck."
Delta's tone was calm as ever.
"I am the most outstanding among my brothers—chosen after countless tests. Simple tactics won't work on me."
He drew another card.
"I play 'Card of Burial Magic,' banishing 'Future Fusion,' 'Graceful Charity,' and 'Silent Doom' from my graveyard to draw two cards." (Anime card)
Delta drew two more cards.
"Now, the effect of 'Frost and Flame Dragon' in my hand. By banishing two WATER and one FIRE monster from my graveyard, I special summon it.
I banish the FIRE 'Darkblaze Dragon' and two WATER 'Blizzard Dragons'!
The legendary dragon that transcends ice and fire—
—Frost and Flame Dragon, come forth!"
PS: 2 Bonus chapters at 1000 PS.