A jet.
Kira was sure he heard right. The Kaiba brothers really seemed to have decided to give him a jet.
"A new model developed in-house by KaibaCorp, equipped with an autopilot system," Mokuba said. "It's easy to operate. You just input the destination and the built-in AI will navigate to the target.
It uses the same AI as the Blue-Eyes White Dragon Jet—there's no consumer version yet."
Kira nodded. He knew the President's Blue-Eyes Jet had AI capable of autonomous flight, hovering, and even 360-degree pivots—Kaiba's black tech.
But the fact that a card-game company has such advanced tech didn't strike him as odd. Before Kaiba researched card games, they were a military-industrial company, and even before pivoting into cards, they had world-class black tech.
The most outrageous example is the Noah arc. According to the AI Noah's calculations, KaibaCorp had the technological and military might to conquer the world on its own. Of course, that was Noah and Gozaburo's claim, and the plot never actually played that out, so who knows. But that Kaiba's military tech is cutting-edge is certain.
"Of course, AI control isn't that precise. Autopilot can't land just anywhere, but hovering above your specified coordinates is fine."
"So I have to jump down myself, huh?"
Kira quickly thought of the President's routine superhero landings from planes. Sometimes the President wore a jet-powered glider pack while free-falling—full-on rich-superhero vibes.
What else could he say?
Just thank the President for swiping a plane for him—truly generous.
A plane in the most literal sense.
…
Two days later.
A black sedan cruised through the city and arrived at an ancient manor outside town.
An oak-carved gate, its surface mottled with moss and the marks of time, iron knockers with a simple, archaic design.
The car stopped at the gate. The door opened, and Don Zaloog stepped out first, with his four ever-present underlings right behind.
The five Burglars stood outside, facing the massive estate, looking around.
"This... is the place?"
Chick muttered.
"These meeting locations keep getting weirder."
"How much is this manor worth?" Meanae's eyes gleamed with envy.
"Keep it together. Be professional," Don Zaloog scolded. "We're here on a mission today—don't embarrass the Burglars."
"Yes, boss!"
Don Zaloog took a deep breath and stepped forward. The seemingly old gate was actually automatic and slowly opened as he approached. A cobblestone path wound forward, flanked by neatly trimmed hedges.
Just then, Kira's voice came through his concealed earpiece: "Can you hear me?"
"Loud and clear, boss," Don Zaloog whispered.
"Good. Now look to your three o'clock."
"Hm?"
Don Zaloog hesitated.
He gestured and counted "one, two, three," and found that direction—there, a dark-skinned, muscular woman was also walking their way.
"That's Tania—your teammate on this run," Kira said. "I asked her to give you a wave."
At the same time, the woman also put a hand to her ear, as if listening to her earpiece. After that, she looked up, searched around, quickly spotted them, and lazily waved.
The Burglars waved back in greeting.
Kira continued: "First corner after the entrance, take the left turn—also one of ours. Say hi."
By now Tania had joined the Dark Scorpion group. They pushed open the door and entered the mansion, and sure enough, at the turn Kira mentioned, they encountered someone. The person's clothes were archaic yet splendid, a golden mask on his face, arms folded in arrogant poise.
He, too, seemed to hear something, then turned and nodded at them to confirm.
The Burglars were surprised as they returned the nod.
Could this be the rumored undefeated war god—the Pharaoh?
Even someone like that, a legend of dueling, had been turned—no wonder the man is called "Duel King."
They reached the designated meeting room. The Shadow Riders members didn't speak; after exchanging looks and confirming who was on their side, they each found a seat.
The room looked like it had once been designed as a dining room, with a long table and six chairs lining the sides.
At the far end sat a seventh chair, empty. But behind it was a huge screen on the wall.
They sat. After a short wait, another person entered.
Hooded and masked, his eyes under the shadow seemed dangerously dark red.
Don Zaloog and the others immediately grew alert.
They didn't know his identity, only that he was one of the rare alchemy masters of the age. Even within the organization, he was only referred to as "Amnael."
They also knew he was the right-hand of the Shadow Riders' leader, and his status was nothing like the other executives.
The Shadow Riders' leader never showed up, and many instructions came through this man. He was like the leader's arm.
But unexpectedly, Kira said over the earpiece again, "He's one of us."
The Burglars: "?"
Huh?
Even he's ours?
Don Zaloog was still stunned when Amnael seemed to hear something as well. He turned toward them and gave a small nod, as if to confirm identities.
Don Zaloog: "."
Amnael then pulled out a chair, sat down, and said nothing for now, taking out a thick tome on alchemy to read.
Eight people in the room, and no one spoke. The atmosphere grew a bit stifling.
Now four of the Shadow Riders' executives were gathered here—eight people total—eight undercover operatives.
After a short wait, the door opened again. Another person entered.
Broad-shouldered and burly, his frame was hidden in a long black coat. He wore a black hat and a metal mask, his look somewhat intimidating under the cold light.
His duel disk was especially conspicuous—like Professor Crowler's model, mounted on the chest rather than on the arm.
His codename was Titan.
He'd actually met Kira once before, a self-styled dark duelist who turned out to be a fraud. Back then at the abandoned dorm, he fainted after Silent Magician spooked him and was taken away by the Academy.
Later, the Shadow Riders' leader pulled him out and granted him dark power, turning him into a true dark duelist; now he was one of the Shadow Riders.
"Be advised—that one's the enemy."
Almost everyone else received Kira's reminder.
Don Zaloog looked at the burly, fierce-looking man and couldn't help but feel a twinge of pity.
In a room of nine, he was the only actual Shadow Riders loyalist left.
He suddenly felt sorry for the guy...