Aigami's body was hit head-on by the Elemental HERO and was knocked back. He landed heavily on the ground, rolling over and over, his head spinning, and every bone in his body aching.
He didn't know how long he rolled before stopping, his strength completely drained in the process. The pain was like countless spikes pricking every nerve in his body, and fatigue washed over him like a tide.
When he came to his senses, his clothes were drenched with sweat, his whole body icy cold.
Youyu put away his Duel Disc and walked forward slowly.
"Are you okay?"
Aigami let out a pained and muffled groan, struggling even to turn over.
"You say you're fine? That's great. But to be cautious, let me check on you."
Youyu bent down and extended his hand towards him.
"You know, dueling is a physically and mentally exhausting activity; you might get hurt if you're not careful. Come, let me check on you..."
Aigami seemed to want to struggle, but he was too weak.
His injuries hadn't fully healed to begin with, and after the recent ordeal, he was even weaker now.
But he was still clearly aware that his Card Deck was being pulled out from his Duel Disc, and he mumbled something incoherently, struggling to resist.
"Dueling is a dangerous activity; kids shouldn't mimic it lightly. Well, I'll hold onto your Card Deck for now," Youyu stood up, shaking the Cubic Deck he had taken out, "You see, if you keep being so reckless, the next person you provoke might not be as kind-hearted as I am.
Sigh, the world is getting worse; many duelists are becoming less and less fair-minded, and a hothead like you is most likely to suffer."
After all, didn't they say the Pranam were ascending to a new dimension without conflicts where everyone's consciousnesses are highly Synchro?
Then, you probably won't need a Card Deck in such a world, right?
Aigami mumbled more intensely, his words incoherent and unclear. Youyu guessed he might be saying something about "sneak attack" and "being prepared"...
"Taking your Card Deck is for your own good. At least think about your sister; if you end up dead outside, what will happen to Sella? Besides, she and I have a promise..."
Upon hearing this, Aigami's reaction on the ground intensified involuntarily.
His adorable sister actually secretly sought out him!
And she even said there was an agreement!?
What agreement? How come I, as her brother, never heard of this?
Misfortunes really come in pairs when you're down, and Aigami was in truly dire straits, blow after blow, lying on the ground like a salted fish.
A Pranam lost his dream.JPG.
As he was "friendly" exchanging cards with a newly met card friend to strengthen their friendship, Youyu suddenly heard a strong gust behind him. The heavy sound of helicopter rotors roared, causing his ears to ring, and the whirlwind billowed his trench coat.
Youyu turned his head, a beam of incandescent light piercing down like a sword, causing him to almost squint.
When he focused and saw clearly, Kaiba Seto had already somehow appeared behind him. The president, as always, wore a stone-faced expression, his face livid, and his mouth a tight line.
Then, Youyu saw several fully armed agents jumping down from a helicopter emblazoned with the KC logo—here, "fully armed" is no exaggeration. These agents were robust, their bodies wrapped head to toe in the Aigami Anti-God Armor recently developed by Kaiba, with visors flashing on their helmets and their bodies aglow with high-tech indicator lights.
A group of burly men moved in skilled and swift maneuvers, swarming forward, pinning Aigami to the ground with many hands. Some grabbed his hands, others his legs, and one placed a strange mask over his face. Aigami's vision went dark, and he couldn't see anything.
He struggled desperately, but his Spiritual Power was isolated by the "Anti-Aigami God Armor" these agents wore (as Youyu called it), and his extraordinary powers were further restrained by the mask on his face, leaving him unable to exert any strength.
Without his mystical powers, Aigami was merely an ordinary handsome boy, nowhere near a match for these big men. He was promptly pinned down, limp and ensnared as if he had gone through an overwhelming activity involving multiple people, then pushed forward to Kaiba Seto.
And Kaiba Seto, as always, looked down his nose at everyone with a full-fledged villainous demeanor.
Kaiba casually took the Quantum Cube from Aigami's hands, glanced at it, and snorted, as if expressing disdain for such mystical creations.
Millennium Item?
The president can quickly reshape it scientifically once he returns!
"You're late." Youyu shrugged, "I've already taken care of it."
Kaiba Seto's grand arrival was certainly eye-catching, but he was just too slow. Both Youyu and Aigami had concluded matters by the time he arrived, akin to how law enforcement in Hollywood movies casually arrives after the lone heroes have already dismantled the villains' lair.
Kaiba glanced at him, his gaze pausing on the Card Deck in Youyu's hand, then glanced over at the half-dead Aigami sprawled like a collapsed mess. He grasped the situation immediately.
Hmph, arrogant kid, how dare you challenge You↑yu↓, this is your fate!
But unexpectedly, Kaiba wordlessly snatched the Cubic Deck from Youyu's hand, walked over to Aigami... and inserted it back into his Duel Disc.
Aigami: "?"
Youyu: "?"
Hey, President, what are you doing with my Card Deck? Why touch it?
Well, even if it was Aigami's Deck a few moments ago, it just had a new name—didn't you hear?
"You took the fragments of the Millennium Pendant, didn't you?" Kaiba asked.
Aigami pressed his lips together, remaining silent.
"You're a fool who doesn't know your own limits, Aigami. Challenging Youyu was the stupidest thing you could have done."
Kaiba spoke, pausing, then abruptly changing his tone.
"But! Matters between you and me aren't over yet!"
Youyu: "..."
Aigami: "..."
Youyu roughly understood. Last time, when President Kaiba and Aigami's duel went unfinished due to a malfunction, the President couldn't allow anyone else to steal his duel.
If Youyu had taken Aigami's Card Deck, Kaiba wouldn't be able to finish the duel from last time...
"The new Duel Disc launch event is about to begin. Aigami, during the launch event, I will defeat you in a duel!" Kaiba declared, "At that time, you must hand over the fragments of the Millennium Pendant to me!"
Youyu: "..."
President, he's already tied up! You can mold him into any shape you want!
Why insist on a duel...
After developing so much equipment, creating such a large commotion, you still ultimately insist on dueling...
...It's like taking off your pants to fart!
President: I don't care, this duel will happen whether you want it to or not!
At this point, Aigami's heart was filled with despair.
After this series of blows, Aigami was about to develop a psychological shadow regarding dueling.
He even somewhat wanted to say, perhaps you should just take my Card Deck. I really can't duel any longer...
"Take him away!"
The President waved his hand, signaling for his subordinates to drag Aigami away.
Then he turned his head to look at Youyu.
"And You↑yu↓! You must be present at the launch event as well!"
Youyu: "..."