The protagonist: Here I come, here I come, here I come! I challenge the president!

(Jonouchi: 500LP → 0)

“Damn it!!”

He slammed his fist onto the ground, not caring about the pain in his hand. Jonouchi was utterly consumed by the helplessness and powerlessness of defeat in the duel.

“Jonouchi!”

As his friends, Yugi and the others immediately rushed to his side.

“After dueling me, you must have tasted the flavor of fear, haven't you? Although I have no idea how an amateur like you managed to get Pegasus’s invitation to the Kingdom Tournament, nor how you acquired five star chips.”

Before coming to the tournament hosted by Pegasus, Kaiba had already gathered information. He knew exactly what kind of people received Pegasus's invitations and understood the significance of the star chips.

“But Jonouchi! That kneeling posture suits you best! Unable to rise and fight again, just like a defeated dog!”

“Kaiba!”

Yugi felt Kaiba was taking things too far, and as the only girl among them, especially as Jonouchi’s friend, Anzu was angered by Kaiba’s words.

“What are you talking about! What do you know! You don’t understand at all why Jonouchi is fighting so desperately! You know nothing, so you have no right to judge him!”

“That’s right!”

Following Anzu, Yugi spoke up:

“Jonouchi is fighting for his sister’s eyesight…”

“Stop! Don’t say anything more!”

Anzu and Yugi tried to defend him, but to Jonouchi, their words sounded no different from Kaiba’s earlier mockery.

“Hmph!”

With a cold snort, Kaiba’s face grew even colder.

“No matter how weak a duelist is, they have their own reasons and convictions. But the important thing is, do you uphold them—or are you crushed by them? Jonouchi! Whether you regret dueling me or not is irrelevant. Right now, you’re like a wild dog, scared of battle! You’ll never stand up as a duelist again!”

Jonouchi: “……”

“Hey, Yugi! Say something for Jonouchi!”

Jonouchi stared at Kaiba, tears glimmering in his eyes, his body trembling. Anzu, as a girl, felt a pang of sympathy.

Thinking how Yugi, a powerful duelist who had already collected ten star chips, was right beside her, Anzu turned to him for help.

*sigh*

Yugi silently sighed and stepped forward between the two sides, drawing everyone’s attention.

“I think… President Kaiba is absolutely right.”

“What?!” ×N

Everyone—Yugi’s friends and the Kaiba brothers—looked at Yugi in shock.

Even Yugi, who had defended Jonouchi, had spent the day with them, so they all expected him to stand by Jonouchi. Now, he was siding with Kaiba?!

They thought Yugi would be their friend, stepping forward to defend Jonouchi, but now he was standing with Kaiba instead?!

Both sides were caught off guard, though Yugi could guess their thoughts. Still, he continued with his overall view of the situation:

“Kaiba’s words might be harsh, but he’s speaking the truth.”

“Yugi!”

“Anzu! Let him finish!”

Just as Anzu tried to interrupt anxiously, Jonouchi himself stopped her. Having only known Yugi for about a day, especially since Yugi had helped Yugi retrieve three powerful cards, Jonouchi was eager to hear his opinion.

“No matter why Jonouchi entered the tournament, or why he chose to duel Kaiba, the fact remains—weakness is weakness! In Duel Monsters, skill is what matters most!”

“Your dream, Jonouchi, is to win the championship and use the prize money to cure your sister’s eyesight. But don’t you think others have dreams too?! Doesn’t Kaiba have his own reasons for coming to this island?!”

“Kaiba’s younger brother, Mokuba, was kidnapped by Pegasus. If Mokuba hadn’t been clever and escaped the castle alone, if we hadn’t protected him, Kaiba’s resolve to fight Pegasus would be even more intense!”

“Beyond Mokuba, Kaiba must defeat Pegasus, break his agreement with the Five Elders who betrayed him, and reclaim the Kaiba Corporation! Tell me, is what Kaiba’s fighting to protect any less important than what you are?”

“So, Jonouchi! If you’re truly unwilling to accept defeat, if you refuse to carry the label of ‘loser dog,’ then stand up! Become a duelist again! Improve your skills! Strengthen your deck! Challenge Kaiba again and again—a second time, a third, even endlessly! Just as Yugi once fought Kaiba for his grandfather’s sake, wielding his grandfather’s deck, succeeded in assembling all five pieces to summon the one monster in Duel Monsters whose appearance guarantees victory—‘Exodia the Forbidden One’—and utterly crushed Kaiba!”

Yugi: “(*/∇＼*)”

Kaiba: “……”

Could you please stop reminding everyone of how I was defeated by Yugi’s “Exodia”!

After Yugi’s lecture, everyone fell silent, especially Jonouchi.

“Right, I almost forgot to mention, all that was said from the perspective of a bystander. But now…”

Yugi turned to Kaiba, his eyes sharp and filled with the desire to duel.

“As Jonouchi’s friend, since you defeated him, I’ll help him win back his honor, if only for a moment! And as a participant in the Kingdom Tournament, currently the first to collect ten star chips, let me test whether you, Seto Kaiba, are truly qualified to duel Pegasus!”

This is Seto Kaiba! One of my favorite childhood anime characters! The chance to duel him is thrilling! (Ahem, and if I fight the President, the system rewards should be even richer… right?)

“Yugi, huh… Since you’re the first to collect ten star chips, it means you have the right, the strength, and the confidence to challenge me!”

Though arrogant, Kaiba respected true duelists with skill, as that was the mark of the strong. He himself was a formidable duelist.

“But I have a small suggestion—could we use the island’s dueling platform for our match?”

Seto Kaiba: ?

After a moment’s hesitation, Yugi decided to be honest:

“President Kaiba, your homemade duel disk… frankly, it’s pretty lame.”

Seto Kaiba: ???

Everyone else: “……”