"Leave it to me," Youyu responded helplessly.
They say in the world of the King of Games, everything is resolved through card battles, and it seems to be true. These days, even hacking a system requires card dueling...
But thinking about it, it's not that surprising. In subsequent works of the Yu-Gi-Oh series, hacking systems through card duels happens more than once or twice. Especially in the sixth installment, Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains, the battle stage is directly moved to the internet, with the story primarily about human-versus-machine wars...
Youyu directly integrated the system from Mokuba into his Duel Disc.
His Duel Disc is connected to the "Duel Link" system built by Kaiba, which can overcome spatial barriers and link opponents through virtual projection for online duels using digitized cards.
He just usually doesn't use this feature.
"Be careful, Brother Youyu."
Though Mokuba didn't think Youyu would lose, he still reminded him.
"The duel computer system of the D Department was developed by Kaiba Group, equipped with the highest-level dueling intelligence frequently used by my brother in battles, connected to the 'Duel Link System' card database that holds data of all top duelists.
Even my brother can't easily win against it..."
Youyu believed this.
Kaiba Group's development of human-machine interfaces over the years has indeed been impressive. Five years ago during the timeline of the Dark Side of the Dimension movie, Kaiba almost lost in a duel against the humanoid Atem...
After these years, the strength of top human-machine interfaces must have improved significantly.
Of course, even the strongest human-machine interface is still not at the level of artificial intelligence in Yu-Gi-Oh! Vrains.
In that narrative context, machines are formidable opponents. In that work, humans developed true artificial intelligence, which led to a racial conflict resolved only through card duels. Those computers, when it comes to playing cards, were truly formidable, and even the main characters (let's consider them the main characters) with top-tier card decks at the time struggled.
Sometimes Youyu thinks it would be interesting to bring President Haima to that world to duel against those AI aiming to start wars. After all, although those AI are strong, our president's title of "Machine Slayer" is not for show...
Connection established. Youyu stood in the room of Kaiba Group, the surrounding scenery changed, and light blue data streams constructed a virtual room. Opposite him appeared his opponent—a virtual figure of a duelist simulated by the firewall of the D Department.
The ID registered in the Duel Link by the opponent was a long, complex code that looked like a machine's ID.
[Youyu, LP 4000]
[Computer, LP 4000]
The computer's turn began. Youyu's virtual image slightly narrowed its eyes, preparing to see what kind of card deck the opponent used.
It wasn't a surprise; the computer started by playing "Volcanic Slicer," clearly using a Volcanic deck.
[Volcanic Slicer, ATK 1800]
"Once per turn, 'Volcanic Slicer' inflicts 500 damage to the opponent. This turn, this card cannot attack."
Volcanic Slicer spewed a "Fireball Technique" right onto his face, leaving a temporary crack on the right cheek area of Youyu's virtual character. The 0s and 1s forming the data stream faded like light blue blood with the impact.
[Youyu, LP 4000 → LP 3500]
The Volcanic Deck, during the early days of D Department's establishment, Youyu also fought their deck. Perhaps this deck performed excellently in practice—against normal duelists in a 4000 Life Points environment, there's indeed little counterplay against such decks that directly bombard their health. So now this deck has gradually become standard for D Department's special duelists.
"Set one card, end turn," the computer's cold mechanical voice sounded.
"It's my turn then," Youyu said, "Activating the Magic Card 'Reasoning,' the opponent declares a level, and I begin flipping cards from the top of my deck.
Until I find a monster that can be Normal Summoned, all other flipped cards are sent to the graveyard.
If that monster matches the declared level, it's sent to the graveyard. If not, it Special Summons."
Of course, the computer won't hesitate; it directly chose the level with the highest hit rate: "Level Four."
Youyu flipped five cards in a row, the sixth was a Monster Card.
"I found a level one monster, 'Treeborn Frog,'" he said. "So I send all other flipped cards to the graveyard and Special Summon 'Treeborn Frog.'"
[Treeborn Frog, ATK 100]
The computer immediately activated its back field's Set Card.
"Continuous Trap 'Blaze Accelerator Reload' activates."
The trap flipped over, a white heavy cannon exuding modern firepower appeared on the field.
"I'll sacrifice 'Treeborn Frog,'" Youyu continued his operation, "Tribute Summon Mobius the Frost Monarch!"
The frog vanished under the halo, and followed by the sweeping icy world, the white monarch descended!
[Mobius the Frost Monarch, ATK 2400]
"Mobius' effect, destroy up to two Magic Trap Cards on the field," Youyu said, "I'll destroy your back row trap 'Blaze Accelerator Reload!'"
The Frost Monarch swung a heavy fist across the air, ice and snow turned into cannonballs flying.
"Activating the effect of 'Blaze Accelerator Reload,'" the computer continued, "Send one 'Volcanic' card from the hand to the graveyard and draw a card from the deck."
A card, transformed from data, appeared in its virtual image's hand and was sent to the graveyard area of the Duel Disc. The card dispersed into data streams and vanished at the graveyard entrance.
"I send 'Volcanic Scattershot' to the graveyard and draw a card."
The computer drew a new card from the top of the deck.
"Then the effect of the sent 'Volcanic Scattershot,' when entering the graveyard, inflicts 500 damage to the opponent."
The fireball hit Youyu's body, leaving a hole in his abdomen with a fierce impact. But soon, more data streams filled the hole anew.
[Youyu, LP 3500 → LP 3000]
"The subsequent effect of 'Volcanic Scattershot,' when sent to the graveyard by the effect of 'Blaze Accelerator,' sends the other two 'Volcanic Scattershot' from hand or deck to the graveyard, destroying all opponent's monsters!"
The new bullets were loaded, fired. Mobius the Frost Monarch was blasted battered by blaze projectiles, while the white cannon launching the bullets also shattered under Mobius' fist.
Mutual destruction.
"Next are the effects of the other two sent 'Volcanic Scattershot,'" the computer's voice remained cold, "each inflicts 500 damage."
[Youyu, LP 3000 → LP 2000]
The monsters on the field were blown clean during his turn, and his Life Points were halved, the firepower of the Volcanic series indeed proves formidable.
"Brother Youyu!" Mokuba, observing the battle, was somewhat anxious.
"It's fine." Youyu just smiled slightly, "It wouldn't be interesting otherwise."