Well, whether what Kaiba said was true or not didn't matter much to Youming—this kind of progression fit his expectations perfectly. He felt like he was playing a classic old RPG: clear objectives, fast pacing, no sidequests—just one straight path into darkness.
And of course, there was that required "background lore" moment everyone must include.
> "The Red‑Eyes is the ultimate artifact of potential—the 'evil eye.' With it, I gained the power to suppress all other factions in the Underworld; it's thanks to this Eye that I could stand against the Undead King."
Explaining a major story item—nothing unusual in Youming's experience. Many creators spent time like this. Kaiba continued:
> "It was through the Red‑Eyes that I founded the first Kaiba Corp factory and built our city, defense mechs, everything."
He emphasized the artifact's significance to the world. Youming nearly rolled his eyes. How could a single card do all that?
But then heavier revelations dropped.
> "Of course… there are also Duel Disks and cards."
Youming blinked at the Duel Disk on his arm and the card-case pistol at his hip. "You mean the Duel Disk too?"
> "Yes."
It turned green? Youming couldn't resist:
> "You use the Red‑Eyes to build a green Duel Disk?"
Kaiba responded coldly but with logic:
> "It needed camouflage. I couldn't let the Undead King know I had it before I was ready."
Now more importantly:
> "This Duel Disk is my proudest product. A mass-produced model; it stores energy, materializes cards, initiates Dark Games—now even ordinary people can stand against powerful foes."
Youming nodded; this trope was familiar. In all dueler shows, the destiny is decided by a game.
> "But a Deck alone isn't enough. The Duelist is key—someone weak can bluff with strategy, but a strong duelist can crush them easily."
Youming thought to himself: "So that's why they always scream about souls, pride, friendship… then pull out a one-shot that wins the duel."
Kaiba caught his eye. "Have you experienced that yourself—what I'm talking about?"
Youming stared. "Me? Experienced?"
Kaiba froze, then brushed it off. While avoiding the topic, he refocused everyone:
> "Let's be clear: New Domino City is our only Duel Disk factory—and the only place to properly wield the Red‑Eyes. We cannot let it fall."
Though under ten years old, Kaiba stood firm between a fox and a mech—unmistakably authoritative.
> SLAP He struck the table. Green light gleamed in his eyes as he surveyed uneasy allies.
> "Now's no time for personal doubts. We must unite against this crisis."
Silence—no applause, just dim resolve.
Suddenly, Youming clapped. A few stifled murmurs, casting Kaiba's seriousness aside.
> "Why are you clapping?"
> "Wanted to break the ice."
Kaiba paused. "I'm serious."
Youming continued earnestly:
> "In a war meeting like this, efficiency matters. But you spent time uniting the group—especially knowing there's a traitor here—if you don't do this, we might break before the battle begins."
His words hit the room like a bomb. Kaiba's face tensed; he resisted smiling at the insight, then sighed heavily.
> "Thanks. Now, about the battle plan…"
He addressed the mech beside him: "Miruku, are we ready?"
> "Yes, Kaiba-kō," the mech responded, lights glowing. "All systems aligned per your strategy."
> "Excellent." Kaiba paused. "But first… we must deal with the traitor."
He drew his Duel Disk pistol and clipped it onto his arm. The Disk powered up, lights blinking.
> "To find the traitor… one thing is necessary."
The Invitation appeared:
> DUEL!
Black mist overtook the room, creeping toward Youming's arm. He grimaced:
> "Here we go—just as expected."
PS: Miruku is the name of the KaibaCorp support mech in the story.
PS: Access advance chapters at
https://www.patreon.com/c/NanamiTL