Dinner time.
As the host, Alister had prepared a rather sumptuous banquet for his three guests. The venue was elegantly arranged; a long dining table was draped with a pristine white cloth and set with exquisite silver cutlery. Roses sat in crystal bottles on the table, their petals translucent under the soft lighting.
Alister's hospitality soon made Yugen feel that even if he had only come to hitch a free meal, the trip was already worth it. There was delicate French foie gras, Italian ham, perfectly grilled steaks, and aromatic pasta. Alister had reportedly hired top-tier chefs to handle the banquet, and every dish was meticulously prepared.
"But Alister, you're still using your old deck, huh?" Mokuba casually remarked while they ate. "I thought... well, I don't know, maybe you'd want to make a clean break from the past or something."
Alister gave a faint smile.
"The past was once my shackles; I lived my whole life for it. Of course, with your help, I realized it was all just a lie. Dartz carefully wove that web of deceit to make me a willing tool. This deck was born for exactly that purpose."
Many of the monsters in Alister's deck were created through Doma technology and born from the darkness in his own heart. For instance, the KaibaCorp weapons that had brought war to his hometown, his younger brother's favorite toy robot, and so on. His past experiences and his darkest memories were the prototypes for his cards.
"But now, I've moved past that," Alister continued with a smile, glancing at the deck in his hand. "To me, this deck carries my pastthe collective memories of my family and my brotherbut it is also the strength that supports me as I keep moving forward.
After all, one must step toward the future; wallowing in the past will never bring a new life. Instead of constantly dwelling on what was lost, it's better to look ahead at what can still be gained."
Alister paused for a moment and glanced at Kaiba. "However, I'm sure President Kaiba understood this long ago."
Kaiba said nothing.
Though he remained silent, words from an old friend surfaced in his mind.
Kaiba had lived his entire life this way. To him, the word "past" carried only pain and tragedy; only the bright future he carved with his own hands held any meaning.
Yet, at the Duel Tower, during the most unforgettable defeat of his life, his rival had told him exactly that.
"The future will not visit a man without a past," Yami Yugi had said then. "No matter what kind of past it is, it's never meaningless. The past is connected to the self of the present and the future."
Those words were meant for Kaiba, but the Yami Yugi of that time had also been speaking to himself. Because back then, he had no past. Without being able to reclaim his history, even his outlook on the future was pitch black.
Thinking of his old rival, Kaiba's mind drifted for a moment.
If that guy were still here, would he acknowledge the future that I have connected to now?
"Tch, speaking of which, the President has been single all these years. Is that really okay?" Alister teased, crossing his legs.
Kaiba's expression remained deadpan. "Boring."
After all, the President was a man who intended to become the King of Games. Romance was just a distraction. It was a well-known rule that the King of Games does not target, as it were.
Besides, he already had his Blue-Eyes White Dragon.
In Yugen's eyes, the President was a classic shonen rival charactermaking a high-profile entrance and appearing to be on par with the protagonist, yet never actually managing to win. A similar character was Vegeta next door...
"Let's talk business," Kaiba said flatly. "You said you found something. What did you dig up?"
Alister wiped the smile from his face and sat up straight.
"I received the clues you sent. We tracked down a specific company."
"A company?" Mokuba frowned.
"Indeed."
As Alister spoke, he made a gesture. Two subordinates immediately appeared and projected an image onto the screen behind the dining table.
The image of a corporate building soon emerged. It had a resolute and sharp silhouette, with every line seemingly carved with precision, standing like a giant fortress constructed of glass curtain walls and aluminum alloy frames.
"...ABIAK?" Mokuba frowned as he read the name.
"ABIAK," Yugen murmured. "It's KAIBA spelled backward."
Mokuba suddenly realized it. "Oh, you're right. Is that a coincidence or..."
"There's no such thing as a coincidence," Seto Kaiba sneered, resting his chin on his interlaced fingers. "Interesting. Is this meant to be a provocation?"
"Looking at the name, it's easy to make that association," Alister said. "Furthermore, my people conducted an investigation. On the surface, they appear to be an internet enterprise, but it's impossible to find out exactly what they're doing. However, these guys definitely shouldn't be underestimated."
"How so?" Mokuba asked.
"First, their armed forces," Alister replied. "My men tried to make contact with them. This company seems to possess an extraordinary level of military strength. Firearms, ammunition, cutting-edge equipmentthey're even better equipped than the local authorities. But we can't get a read on their background, nor do we know where their weapon supply channels come from. In fact..."
Alister frowned and paused.
Mokuba asked, "What?"
"...They also possess some novel, high-end gear," Alister continued. "According to intel gathered from actual contact, they have new types of energy rifles and large-scale central nervous system weapons that induce shock, among others. Even stranger, a lot of the technology looks like..."
He paused for several seconds.
But there was no need to continue; Seto Kaiba finished the sentence calmly. "It has the shadows of KaibaCorp technology, doesn't it?"
Alister raised an eyebrow. "Is that your handiwork?"
"No. KaibaCorp hasn't manufactured weapons in many years, as you well know," Kaiba said coldly.
"But you know what's going on?"
"Perhaps. Everything will be clear after tomorrow."
Kaiba showed no intention of elaborating and instead asked, "How are the arrangements coming along?"
Alister shrugged. "That building is completely sealed off from the outside, but our reconnaissance team still managed to find the only way to infiltrate the interior."
With a wave of his hand, a detailed map flickered onto the screen.
"Beneath that building, hidden within the sewer system, there is a passage that allows entry. Going up from there gives you a chance to reach the ABIAK server room. You might find what you're looking for there."
Alister turned his head, his expression serious.
"But I still have to warn youthat ABIAK place is weird. The layout of their building is practically a military fortress. Every step could be a lethal trap."
"Is that so?" Kaiba sneered, appearing unconcerned.
"It seems you know what you're doing, so I won't say any more. The infiltration route is arranged; as for what happens after you're inside, that's up to you."
Alister shrugged.
"Though I still have one question..." He looked at Kaiba earnestly. "Why are you so insistent on going in yourself? I mean... with Seto Kaiba's resources and power, there are plenty of other ways to handle this, right?"
Kaiba's face remained as calm as a placid lake.
"Because this is the one thing I must settle personally."
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