Chapter 34: Saq-Dora-Gon

Arriving on the first floor via elevator, Hayato jogged out of KaibaCorp Building with the unconscious Grandpa Sugoku on his back. Just as he stepped through the main doors, Anzu spotted a high-end black sedan parked directly in front of the building.

"That's the car," Hayato said, raising one hand to wave. "Hey! Over here, give us a hand!"

At Hayato's call, Anzu saw a man with a low-profile hairstyle step out from the side of the black sedan. He shouted back toward Hayato, "Don't you dare give me orders!"

"Manjoume 正司 (Masato)?" Anzu had considered that the transportation Hayato found might be an incredibly expensive taxi, his own family car, or a hospital ambulance, but she never expected it to be Manjoume Masato, the man Hayato had once had an unpleasant duel with.

"Call me Mr. Manjoume!" Manjoume corrected reflexively. He walked forward, looking at the terrified expression on Hayato's face as he carried the unconscious Grandpa Sugoku. "Hey, hey, hey! Hayato Kobayashi, that guy on your back isn't Yugi Muto, is he?! Is KaibaCorp researching some kind of life-force draining weapon or something? How did Yugi Muto turn into an old man!?"

"No, it's Yugi's grandfather. He fainted because the Duel Monster holograms were too stimulating," Anzu said. She hadn't expected Manjoume's imagination to be so vivid that he mistook the white-haired Sugoku Muto for a Yugi Muto undergoing evil experiments.

"Stop talking and focus! The most important thing right now is getting Grandpa Sugoku to the hospital. It'll be bad if we're too late!" Hayato said firmly to Manjoume Masato. "Manjoume, I have to ask you to drive us to the hospital."

"So why on earth do I have to follow your orders?" Manjoume Masato was in a foul mood due to Hayato's assertive attitude, but after looking at the frail, unconscious Sugoku Muto, he curled his lip in annoyance. "Tch, just this once. Hurry up and get the old man in the car."

He and Hayato helped carry Grandpa Sugoku into the backseat of the sedan, securing his seatbelt to prevent further injury from sudden braking or acceleration. Anzu sat next to Grandpa Sugoku, and Manjoume sat in the front passenger seat. However, just as Hayato was about to get in, he realized with embarrassment that there were no seats left.

"It's full. The car is a bit small," Manjoume said, fastening his seatbelt in the front left passenger seat and turning to look at the back. "Hayato Kobayashi, how are you getting to the hospital?"

"You guys go ahead, I'll grab a taxi and then—" Hayato was halfway through his sentence when Anzu interrupted him. "No, Hayato-kun, you stay here at KaibaCorp."

"But Grandpa Sugoku needs care."

"Manjoume and I will take care of Grandpa Sugoku." Ignoring the "When did I ever say that?" look Manjoume was giving from the backseat, Anzu stared intently into Hayato's eyes. "Kaiba said his virtual image system is equipped with impact simulation. I'm worried Yugi might get hurt in the duel too, so someone needs to stay behind as a precaution."

Looking at Anzu's serious expression, Hayato knew that Yugi's duel with Kaiba would inevitably end in Yugi's victory, but he couldn't convince an Anzu who was worried about Yugi. "I understand. I'll make sure to look after Yugi."

Turning to Manjoume in the front seat, Hayato spoke up: "Then I'll leave Anzu and Grandpa Sugoku in your hands, Mr. Manjoume."

"Ah~" Although he had emphasized it countless times, someone had finally called him "Mr." Manjoume Masato could barely restrain the smug expression threatening to overflow on his face. "I am Manjoume Masato! Leave a small matter like this to me!"

Watching the black luxury sedan disappear around a distant corner with Grandpa Sugoku inside, Hayato stopped watching and turned back to re-enter the Kaiba Group building.

When he reached the rooftop again, the moment he stepped out of the elevator, he could hear a majestic, earth-shaking roar echoing from within the enclosed structure.

"Roar!"

"That sound... has Blue-Eyes already appeared?" Quickening his pace into the building, Hayato saw Kaiba and Yugi standing on their respective duel platforms. He also saw the White Dragon, breathing out an endless gale of light and wind from its maw, destroying the monsters on Yugi's field in a single strike!

Sanctity and power coexisted within the monster before him; its massive wings were enough to blot out the sun. Bathed in the fragments left behind by the destroyed monsters on the field, the most iconic monster in Duel Monster history, [Blue-Eyes White Dragon], had made its entrance!

"That's Grandpa's card! But it wasn't just now!" Yugi watched his Life Points plummet rapidly due to Blue-Eyes' attack. His body felt a slight sting from the impact simulation system built into Kaiba's specialized duel platform, but his heart was clouded by mystery.

"Hmph! Yugi Muto, you aren't the only person in the world who possesses [Blue-Eyes White Dragon]. Out of the four Blue-Eyes cards in existence, three are gathered in my hands. If I am to reach the top and become the strongest Duelist, then the fourth Blue-Eyes is the only monster that can threaten me."

"So, you tore up a precious card that was like life itself to that person!" Yugi's expression was terrifyingly serious. "To steal someone else's treasure just for that reason... you are truly despicable, Seto Kaiba! In my grandfather's name, and in the name of my dignity as a Duelist, I will definitely defeat you!"

Kaiba let out a light laugh. "Anyone can talk big. If you can do it, then give it your best shot, Yu~~gi~~ Mu~~to~~!"

Though the rage in his heart was nearly tangible, the pressure from the [Blue-Eyes White Dragon] on Kaiba's field was simply too overwhelming. Yugi could only end his turn by setting a monster in defense position.

"Cry all you want before [Blue-Eyes], wail, and then die!" Kaiba commanded Blue-Eyes to attack without hesitation. Very few monsters currently in existence could withstand Blue-Eyes. And his attack was indeed successful; the monster Yugi had set was destroyed in a single blast by the gale of destruction spat out by [Blue-Eyes White Dragon].

"Blue-Eyes is the strongest monster card in the world, and with three of them, I am the strongest Duelist. Come, Yugi! Please entertain me with the wails of someone attempting to scale a mountain only to stumble off a cliff! Just like that old man." Kaiba repeatedly agitated Yugi's nerves.

"The death rattle of your monster when it's destroyed by Blue-Eyes is truly melodious. Just standing here, I can hear that old man's final gasps!"

"Damn it! My turn!"

As Yugi angrily drew a card, his expression froze, and he couldn't help but turn his head to look at Hayato, who was watching from the side. *This card... is it the one Hayato gave me?*

*How about a few tickets?*

(End of Chapter)