Chapter 1363: Past Life?

"'Threatening Roar', all monsters cannot declare an attack!" Kaiba shouted.

The transparent roaring sound wave was released, as if a layer of invisible prohibition had been placed. Akhenaden's entire field was instantly silenced, and the baring-teeth Vylons immediately ceased their efforts.

The attack was blocked, but Akhenaden was still not angry at all; instead, a trace of approval appeared in his eyes.

"I said it before, as expected of you, Seto." Akhenaden said slowly. "Even using such backward power, you can still effectively defend, counterattack, and delay my offensive. Think about it, what could you achieve if you obtained more power!"

Akhenaden said loudly, waving his hand to continue the operation.

"Although you cannot declare an attack this turn, it doesn't mean my offensive is over!" Akhenaden said. "I activate the effect of 'Vylon Sigma'! Once per turn, remove one Xyz Material, and I can absorb one monster in Attack Position on the opponent's field as an Equip Card!"

Kaiba: "Nani?"

Akhenaden pointed to the dragon shrouded in golden brilliance on Kaiba's field.

"Absorb 'Kaiser Glider' as an Equip Card!"

One of the three orbiting Xyz Materials was absorbed into Sigma's body as if pulled by traction. The shining golden dragon let out an unwilling cry, but still helplessly transformed into a ball of golden light, absorbed and attached to Vylon Sigma.

Kaiba gritted his teeth slightly.

Kaiser Glider, this dragon was actually another layer of backup he had secretly laid out. When Kaiser Glider was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, he could bounce one monster on the field back to the owner's hand.

This should have been a very powerful bounce effect, triggered whether destroyed by battle or effect. But the opponent actually chose neither, instead directly absorbing Kaiser Glider to equip...

In fact, Kaiba's front line in this first turn was truly very powerful.

There was Lord of Dragons providing non-targeting resistance to all Dragons on the field, Blue-Eyes White Dragon standing on the field with high ATK, Kaiser Glider's hidden bounce effect as a backup, and the strongest defensive Trap "Threatening Roar".

In the DM era, this was definitely an iron-wall formation; anyone who could show such a formation in the first turn was an expert among experts.

Yet, even such a front line appeared so weak in front of the opponent, broken through to this point so easily...

Could it really be as the opponent said, that this was the huge chasm between decks and dueling styles?

Akhenaden: "It's not over yet. Next, I activate the effect of 'Vylon Omega'! Once per turn, I can absorb a monster with 'Vylon' in its name from my Graveyard as an Equip Card. I will absorb 'Vylon Prism' from the Graveyard and equip it to 'Vylon Omega'!"

Another Vylon was dragged out from the Graveyard. A multi-faceted prism shining throughout, its entire body shining with diamond-like brilliance. The prism had no lower limbs, but two arms popped out from the sides, attaching to Vylon Omega.

Akhenaden: "When 'Vylon Prism' is used as an Equip Card, whenever the equipped monster battles, only during damage calculation, the equipped monster gains 1000 ATK!"

At this moment, Vylon Omega's ATK had already reached 3700; gaining this effect boost, Vylon Omega was equivalent to now possessing 4700 ATK.

Stronger than Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!

"4700 ATK, it's already approaching the power of a god..." Kaiba muttered.

And this was just the ATK. Kaiba didn't doubt for a second that this monster also hid other extraordinary special abilities, and it certainly wouldn't be weak.

"Not bad, that's why I said, this is true power!" Akhenaden raised his voice, earnest and sincere, sounding truly like an elder who had broken his heart. "You should become the King of Light, Seto! This deck is the deck that possesses the ultimate power of light; this should have been your power! As long as you accept me, accept Lord Zorc's opportunity..."

"Shut up!" Kaiba said angrily. "Duel is duel, hurry up! I don't care what strange summoning method you use or what powerful deck you have; I will use my own way, my own power to crush you, that's all! So stop the nonsense and hurry up!"

Akhenaden choked.

Afterward, he did indeed shut up for a moment, but he didn't seem angry; instead, the gaze he directed at Kaiba carried a bit of appreciation, a bit of relief, and even...

... Compassion?

It almost made Kaiba feel uncomfortable.

"Look, I said it, you were born to be a king, Seto. This is what you deserve, and you were born with this personality." Akhenaden said peacefully. "You don't feel that way now, perhaps it's just because you still hold onto luck, thinking your path can work. But it doesn't matter. I will show you further just how strong this power I can provide you is."

He paused for a moment as he spoke, took a deep breath, and then continued.

"Next, I activate the Spell Card 'Vylon Matter'!" Akhenaden said. "Select three Equip Spell Cards in my Graveyard, shuffle the selected cards into the deck, and then I can choose one of two effects to activate: draw one card from my deck, or destroy any one card on the opponent's field."

Three cards popped out of his Graveyard in a rush, and Akhenaden held them high above his head to display them.

"I banish two 'Vylon Fragment' and one 'Vylon Filament' from the game, a total of three Equip Spell Cards from my deck, and the effect I choose to activate is 'destroy one card on the opponent's field'!"

He said, pointing to Kaiba's back row.

"If you think that face-down card can protect you through this turn, I will take away that naivety! Destroy Seto's face-down card!"

The three Equip Spells transformed into spiral golden light and were absorbed into the card, shooting toward Kaiba's back row like golden arrows.

"You've been babbling since just now, I don't know what you're talking about, I'm not Seto!" Kaiba shouted. "I am who I am, don't pin those supernatural fallacies about past lives on me! Activate face-down card, Trap Card 'Threatening Roar'!"

The moment the Trap was activated, a domineering transparent sound wave exploded, sweeping across the opponent's entire field like a tiger's roar in the mountains.

"During the turn 'Threatening Roar' is activated, all monsters on the opponent's field cannot declare an attack!" ===== CHAPTER 1364 =====

He remembered that when he had just become a high priest, he had received every possible care from Akhenaden, who was also one of the seven high priests.

During his rookie days, Akhenaden was extremely attentive to him, often chatting with him about life, the future, and plans; he would guide him in the secrets of the Millennium Items and the knowledge of monster spirits, personally spar with him to improve his swordsmanship, and care for his daily life...

To Seto, Akhenaden had long since been like a father.

Until that day, when Seto truly learned that Akhenaden was actually his biological father.

At that time, Akhenaden, who had already fallen into becoming a dark high priest, said to him with a broken heart: "You are my son, you are the one who should become the Pharaoh!"

"I am willing to do anything for you! Even if it means falling into the abyss of darkness, even if it means selling myself to the devil, I will not hesitate!"

"..."

But in the end, Seto did not choose to stand on his father's side.

They broke apart, and he personally buried the biological father who had cared for him so deeply for many years and who had valued him a hundred times more than he valued himself.

With what complex emotions and what kind of resolve did Seto finally decide to execute such righteous justice by killing his own kin?

All of this—the former familial love, the bits and pieces of memories, the pain and sorrow of the final choice—all poured into Kaiba's mind like a rushing river.

Kaiba's figure swayed, his face deathly pale.

"Those just now, could they be..."

He looked up, only to find that the old man opposite was also hunched over, breathing slightly. When the two looked up, their eyes met, and their hearts could not help but tremble.

"You saw it too?"

Akhenaden said with a trembling voice.

"Are you willing to believe me now? My son, Seto?"