CHAPTER 417: CHAPTER 416: THE SOUL OF THE SPIRIT

Kira didn’t really get why, but Kaiba seemed to be getting fired up again as the duel progressed.

But the field was getting tense. An ATK 4500, nearly invincible monster. In future meta, it wouldn’t be unbeatable, but most decks wouldn’t have an answer for it.

In this era, it was absolutely overpowered. Kaiba’s deck really could dominate the world.

But even now, it wasn’t unsolvable.

Still, with Kira’s hand empty and field clear, if he only drew a defensive monster, he couldn’t withstand Kaiba’s next assault.

Most of his usual traps and counters wouldn’t work either. The Ultimate Dragon was immune to almost everything, even god cards.

But that was only natural.

Kaiba Seto is not someone you can beat with just tactics.

To win this duel, Kira had to go one step further.

He closed his eyes, fingers on his deck.

Like Jaden said, don’t think about what you’ll draw next.

Don’t hope for anything, don’t fear anything. Don’t think—just feel.

Live in the moment, as a duelist. Feel the energy flowing through his deck, the pulse of every card, every spirit.

Kira drew.

He kept his eyes closed the whole time, never even looking at what he drew.

In one smooth motion, without looking, he played the card.

"I activate the Spell Card—

—Card of Sanctity!"

A rainbow shot into the sky, then shattered into seven colors, as the Card of Sanctity’s power rained down.

The spectators gasped.

"Did he know what he drew without looking!?"

Mokuba was stunned.

He remembered—it had happened before, with Yugi. Even Kaiba had been amazed.

But Jaden just nodded.

"Of course," Jaden smiled. "A true duelist is connected to his deck by soul. Sometimes, when the feeling is right, you can sense your deck’s response without even seeing it."

Jellyfish-head acted as if it was nothing special.

Kaiba narrowed his eyes, but couldn’t help but smile.

That guy’s card—again.

Exactly the same. Exactly.

Back then, he’d cornered Yami the same way, even started celebrating his victory. But just as he was popping the champagne, Yami made an impossible draw—Card of Sanctity.

That’s the feeling!

Kaiba’s heart roared, the image of his old rival overlapping with the boy before him.

"Both players draw until they have six cards in hand!"

Kaiba drew with him, laughing.

"Hah, you’ve created a chance for yourself—but can you seize it?"

With today’s card effects, even drawing six might not be enough to take down Ultimate Dragon.

But—

As the cards entered his hand, Kira felt it.

A strange energy, as if a new spirit drifted in one of the cards.

Not Black Luster Soldier, not Silent Magician, not any of his usual spirits.

People have said that duelists and monster spirits have mystical bonds. Sometimes a card used for long enough gains its own spirit.

At this moment, he felt the birth of a new spirit—one awakened through countless battles, truly his own.

He smiled.

Here it comes.

"First, I summon this guy," Kira said, showing a monster card. "Grinder Golem."

"Huh? An 8-star monster?!" Mokuba exclaimed.

"But not on my field—on yours, President Kaiba," Kira said. "Grinder Golem can be Special Summoned to the opponent’s field by tributing two of their monsters.

And two tokens appear on my field."

[Grinder Token, ATK 0] x2

"Then Grinder Golem is Special Summoned to your field, President."

A vortex appeared, and the monstrous Grinder Golem rose on Kaiba’s side, bristling with terrifying spikes.

[Grinder Golem, ATK 3000]

"Whoa, Kira summoned a monster that looks straight-up villainous!" Jaden joked.

The crowd was stunned.

Give your opponent such a strong monster? Why?

This was a GX-era card, but no one back then could have guessed it would someday be banned.

Simple reason: Grinder Golem could spawn tokens on your field and itself on the opponent’s, so with Link monsters that bounce monsters back to hand, you could easily fill your field with tokens and gain massive advantage.

But in the early days, no one realized.

Kaiba frowned, suspecting Kira’s plan.

"You... don’t tell me..."

Kira smiled.

"Your Ultimate Dragon is so strong—this is Kaiba’s power.

Now, let me show you my ace—the strongest monster with my soul!"

He revealed a card.

"I tribute your ’Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon’ and the ’Grinder Golem’ I just summoned to your field!

From the abyss of lava, awakened with the power of destruction and rebirth—

Level 8, Lava Golem!!!"

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PS: Sorry Silent Magician but Lava Golem is the true waifu! xD

PS2: Bonus Chapters at 2000 PS