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# Chapter 550: The First God Card
Due to the effect of [Burning Fighting Spirit], **[Super Polymerization - Dark Magician]**'s ATK was reset from its lowered value, allowing it to decisively defeat Grimo and end the Duel.
Yugi, slightly relaxed after another Duel victory, no longer suppressed the damage and fatigue that had accumulated throughout the Duel. His legs gave out, and he half-knelt on the ground, gasping for breath.
But just then, the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** spread across the ground suddenly began to shrink!
"This is!"
Yugi was startled at first, then remembered what Grimo had said earlier: "Only the winner can leave the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]**; the loser's soul will be sealed." With the end of the Duel, was the Seal underfoot starting to seal Grimo's soul?
Yugi wasn't sure, but he saw Grimo struggling to stand up, tightly clutching a card in his hand.
"Damn, damn it, I actually lost just like that!" Looking at the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** shrinking back towards him, Grimo was well aware of his impending end, but he was extremely unwilling for his actions to end in defeat like this. "At- at least I'll contribute a portion of my power to Rafael-sama!"
As he spoke, Grimo laboriously raised the card in his hand, causing Yugi's pupils to contract: "Is that, **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]**?!"
"You bastard, what are you going to do to **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]**!"
Although Yugi voiced the question, the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** had already shrunk to less than an inch away from Grimo. Green light/flames emerged from the Seal, engulfing Grimo completely!
"Nameless Pharaoh, your strength is too great. For our great ambition, I will take your 'God', even if my life ends here!" Grimo, engulfed by the flames, let out a cry of pain. Although the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** caused no damage to his body, he could feel his soul being stripped from his body. "Rafael-sama, this is my final power!"
"Ugh ahhh!!!"
Accompanied by Grimo's painful wail, his soul and the green light/flames shot up into the sky together. His body went limp and collapsed onto the ground.
Honda and Joey Wheeler helped Téa support Solomon Muto, while Tristan helped the fatigued and weak Yugi up. Joey Wheeler, meanwhile, went forward to check on Grimo's condition.
However, no matter how Joey Wheeler searched through Grimo's Duel Disk, the **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]** card had vanished without a trace. And within the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** that Grimo had used earlier, his sealed soul had appeared.
"[Orichalcos]!" Watching the green light disperse into the sky, Yugi gritted his teeth and muttered.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Rafael and Valon stood around a small circular altar, watching a card appear out of thin air as the green firelight in the altar gradually dispersed.
Rafael reached out and picked up the red-bordered card, which was indeed **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]**.
Within the card, **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]**, having been taken from Yugi in a way that violated the Duel ritual, let out an angry roar. Its divine power attempted to spread out from the card, but was instead suppressed by the seal set up in the room, leaving it only capable of impotent rage.
"Grimo," Rafael closed his eyes, softly mourning the name of his subordinate. He etched the other's sacrifice into his heart and solemnly put away the **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]** card.
"Although he lost the Duel where he gambled his life, he risked his life to send the 'God Card' out using the power of [Orichalcos]. That's truly an admirable resolve," Valon also praised Grimo. "With this, Rafael, your task is complete. We've finally gotten the first of the 'Three Egyptian Gods' cards."
"What about Alister?" Rafael opened his eyes and spoke without joy or sorrow, seemingly having put Grimo's matter behind him and no longer caring. "Has he already gone to KaibaCorp?"
"Yeah, after all, that guy has a deep obsession with KaibaCorp. Huh? Wait a minute, doesn't that mean I'm the last one?"
Valon realized this and quickly turned around, walking towards the room's exit. "No way, even if I don't aim for first, I shouldn't be the last. I need to hurry and leave too!"
Seeing Valon leave in a hurry, Rafael looked at his back and said, "That Ishizu Ishtar and Mutou Yuugi are also owners of **[Millennium Item]**s. Don't underestimate them."
"Oh, got it. But I won't lose to some nobody. See you later, Rafael!"
Valon said without looking back as he left the secret room. Rafael, meanwhile, turned his head and looked at a screen.
On the image displayed on the screen, Alister, in disguise, was currently sneaking through the quiet and deserted KaibaCorp building at night.
Although Rafael's subordinate Grimo was the first to take action to seize the "Three Egyptian Gods", it didn't mean that Alister and Valon hadn't made any preparations before that. Alister had spent several days investigating Kaiba's movement pattern, who owned **[Obelisk the Tormentor]**, and where he would place the "God Card".
The reward for his investigation was that he now knew clearly that Kaiba Seto would leave the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card in the KaibaCorp building's Data Center every night, using the nighttime hours to collect and analyze data, trying to uncover the card's potential power and usage method as much as possible. Kaiba himself wouldn't return until the next day.
As for KaibaCorp's security at night, although the patrol and rotation were arranged extremely tightly, Alister still managed to find a fifteen-minute gap within them. As long as he quickly took the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** within this opening, Alister could easily complete his task, without even needing to duel Kaiba Seto.
Although he was fully confident that he wouldn't lose to Kaiba, Alister chose to avoid Kaiba mainly because he wanted Kaiba to experience the pain of loss more deeply.
If possible, Alister also planned to use the power of the "Doma" organization, which had developed for so many years, to cause KaibaCorp to collapse, making Kaiba lose everything he could lose. Then, he would appear before him and grant him complete defeat, crush his dignity as a duelist, and then strip him of his life and soul.
Just thinking about it made Alister feel incredibly excited.
In no time, he had already sneaked to the entrance of the Data Center. Hiding in the ventilation duct and waiting for this round of security personnel to leave, he jumped out of the duct. Without spending much time searching, he immediately spotted the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card that Kaiba had placed in the most conspicuous spot.
Alister also noticed a very hidden light emitter in the corner.
"Hmph, a crude method." Putting on infrared glasses, Alister saw the infrared sensor lines, invisible to the naked eye, placed around the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card. If he had recklessly made a move just upon seeing the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card, it would have only triggered the alarm.
But Alister had investigated this beforehand. For this, in addition to the infrared glasses, he had also prepared a complete set of professional tools.
Carefully approaching the central computer where the card was placed, along the gaps in the infrared lines, the closer he got to **[Obelisk the Tormentor]**, the more excited the smile under Alister's mask became. In just a few moments, he was only one step away from the "God Card", within reach.
"Click~"
Easily taking the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card, Alister turned around proudly, ready to leave. But suddenly, a voice entered his ears:
"Hmph, caught you, the mouse that's been lurking around KaibaCorp for so many days."
"Nani!?"
The previously dim Data Center suddenly lit up. To Alister's surprised expression, Kaiba, whom he had determined would absolutely not be here, actually appeared, standing on a high place and looking down at Alister!
"Kaiba, Seto!"
"Why are you here—!"
"Why am I here, you ask? Do you think your hacking technology is so brilliant?" Kaiba's mouth curved into a disdainful smile. "There were a few vulnerabilities in KaibaCorp's firewall that were detected but deliberately left unrepaired by me. The moment you hacked in through those vulnerabilities, I knew."
"After having the experience of being hacked once, how could I not take any precautions?"
"Hmph, then are you ready to accept punishment, you despicable thief!"
Hearing Kaiba's words, Alister gritted his teeth in anger. He ignored everything and turned around to leave directly. Although he really wanted to take down Kaiba here, it was too early, and he also needed to take the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** with him.
Kaiba naturally wouldn't just watch this masked thief of unknown identity escape. He immediately followed: "You bastard, are you trying to escape!"
Alister and Kaiba began a fierce chase. Although their identities were different, what surprised both of them was that they were running neck and neck, neither faster than the other.
Kaiba was surprised that the thief before him had the ability to keep pace with him, someone who trained regularly. Alister was also surprised that the pampered Kaiba had enough stamina to keep up with him.
Neither of them could outrun the other, but for Alister, this was bad news, because Kaiba had a significant geographical advantage in this building. While he wouldn't necessarily set up mechanisms within the building, he could at least use the security team to obstruct Alister.
Although the security personnel were useless and couldn't keep up with the two of them at all, Kaiba used the security team as roadblocks to block Alister's escape route. After several detours, the two chased each other all the way to the Rooftop on the fiftieth floor. Alister was cornered by Kaiba at the edge of the Rooftop, with no retreat.
The security team downstairs had blocked all escape routes. One more step back and Alister would fall from the Rooftop. The floors above required identity verification to access. With no way up or down, Kaiba's capture of Alister was like catching a turtle in a jar!
"With this, you have no way to escape, you despicable rat," Kaiba said calmly and arrogantly, crossing his arms over his chest. "To sneak into KaibaCorp and lay your hands on the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card, you're truly audacious."
"Tsk, no retreat left, huh," Alister muttered to himself, annoyed. He looked at Kaiba. "Don't you have any regrets about losing **[Obelisk the Tormentor]**, Kaiba Seto? Aren't you afraid I'll tear up the card even if it costs me my life?"
Saying this, Alister took out the card he had taken.
Hearing this, Kaiba sneered coldly: "If you can do it, go ahead and try. Anyway, I have plenty of that card in your hand."
"Huh?" Hearing Kaiba say this, Alister was also stunned. He looked down at the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card in his hand, but suddenly found that there seemed to be a sticker on the surface of this card. After peeling off the sticker, Kaiba's signature was revealed?!
"This isn't the 'God Card'!"
Discovering that he had been tricked, Alister angrily tore up the card in his hand directly. The shredded paper was thrown behind him, falling towards the ground from a height of a hundred meters.
"You tore it up just like that, huh? Do you need more of my signatures?" Kaiba said mockingly. "You knew I suspected your actions, but you didn't expect me to prepare a 'substitute/decoy'. Your intelligence, using only such low-down methods, is only fourth-rate."
Being mocked by Kaiba like this, Alister was expressionless at first, but then began to grin ferociously: "Kaiba Seto, I originally planned to make you taste the pain of loss more. Since you're pushing me step by step, don't blame me."
"I'll just return my resentment to you right here, and then I'll take both your soul and **[Obelisk the Tormentor]**!" Alister raised his left hand, and his Duel Disk automatically performed a field setup. "I'll use my 'War' Deck!"
"A Duel Disk model I haven't seen before," Kaiba frowned, looking at Alister's Duel Disk, but didn't take his words to heart. "Talking nonsense about 'soul' and such like a madman, you really are an idiot. However, when it comes to Duel Monsters, I won't lose to anyone!"
"I'll use my evolved strongest **[Blue-Eyes]** to bring complete defeat upon you."
"Duel!" X2
[Alister: 4000 LP]
[Kaiba: 4000 LP]
"The first turn is mine, draw!" Alister impatiently snatched the first turn and drew a card. "I activate the effect of **[Machina Fortress]** from my hand! By sending **[Machina Megaform]**, a Level 8 monster, from my hand to the Graveyard, making the Levels total 8☆ or more, I Special Summon **[Machina Fortress]** from my hand in Attack Position!"
Amidst the roaring sound of metal mechanisms operating, a tank-like giant mech manifested on Alister's Field!
[Machina Fortress] [Level 7 / EARTH]
[Machine Type / Effect]
[2500 ATK / 1600 DEF]
(End of Chapter)
Due to the effect of [Burning Fighting Spirit], **[Super Polymerization - Dark Magician]**'s ATK was reset from its lowered value, allowing it to decisively defeat Grimo and end the Duel.
Yugi, slightly relaxed after another Duel victory, no longer suppressed the damage and fatigue that had accumulated throughout the Duel. His legs gave out, and he half-knelt on the ground, gasping for breath.
But just then, the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** spread across the ground suddenly began to shrink!
"This is!"
Yugi was startled at first, then remembered what Grimo had said earlier: "Only the winner can leave the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]**; the loser's soul will be sealed." With the end of the Duel, was the Seal underfoot starting to seal Grimo's soul?
Yugi wasn't sure, but he saw Grimo struggling to stand up, tightly clutching a card in his hand.
"Damn, damn it, I actually lost just like that!" Looking at the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** shrinking back towards him, Grimo was well aware of his impending end, but he was extremely unwilling for his actions to end in defeat like this. "At- at least I'll contribute a portion of my power to Rafael-sama!"
As he spoke, Grimo laboriously raised the card in his hand, causing Yugi's pupils to contract: "Is that, **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]**?!"
"You bastard, what are you going to do to **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]**!"
Although Yugi voiced the question, the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** had already shrunk to less than an inch away from Grimo. Green light/flames emerged from the Seal, engulfing Grimo completely!
"Nameless Pharaoh, your strength is too great. For our great ambition, I will take your 'God', even if my life ends here!" Grimo, engulfed by the flames, let out a cry of pain. Although the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** caused no damage to his body, he could feel his soul being stripped from his body. "Rafael-sama, this is my final power!"
"Ugh ahhh!!!"
Accompanied by Grimo's painful wail, his soul and the green light/flames shot up into the sky together. His body went limp and collapsed onto the ground.
Honda and Joey Wheeler helped Téa support Solomon Muto, while Tristan helped the fatigued and weak Yugi up. Joey Wheeler, meanwhile, went forward to check on Grimo's condition.
However, no matter how Joey Wheeler searched through Grimo's Duel Disk, the **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]** card had vanished without a trace. And within the **[The Seal of Orichalcos]** that Grimo had used earlier, his sealed soul had appeared.
"[Orichalcos]!" Watching the green light disperse into the sky, Yugi gritted his teeth and muttered.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Rafael and Valon stood around a small circular altar, watching a card appear out of thin air as the green firelight in the altar gradually dispersed.
Rafael reached out and picked up the red-bordered card, which was indeed **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]**.
Within the card, **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]**, having been taken from Yugi in a way that violated the Duel ritual, let out an angry roar. Its divine power attempted to spread out from the card, but was instead suppressed by the seal set up in the room, leaving it only capable of impotent rage.
"Grimo," Rafael closed his eyes, softly mourning the name of his subordinate. He etched the other's sacrifice into his heart and solemnly put away the **[Slifer the Sky Dragon]** card.
"Although he lost the Duel where he gambled his life, he risked his life to send the 'God Card' out using the power of [Orichalcos]. That's truly an admirable resolve," Valon also praised Grimo. "With this, Rafael, your task is complete. We've finally gotten the first of the 'Three Egyptian Gods' cards."
"What about Alister?" Rafael opened his eyes and spoke without joy or sorrow, seemingly having put Grimo's matter behind him and no longer caring. "Has he already gone to KaibaCorp?"
"Yeah, after all, that guy has a deep obsession with KaibaCorp. Huh? Wait a minute, doesn't that mean I'm the last one?"
Valon realized this and quickly turned around, walking towards the room's exit. "No way, even if I don't aim for first, I shouldn't be the last. I need to hurry and leave too!"
Seeing Valon leave in a hurry, Rafael looked at his back and said, "That Ishizu Ishtar and Mutou Yuugi are also owners of **[Millennium Item]**s. Don't underestimate them."
"Oh, got it. But I won't lose to some nobody. See you later, Rafael!"
Valon said without looking back as he left the secret room. Rafael, meanwhile, turned his head and looked at a screen.
On the image displayed on the screen, Alister, in disguise, was currently sneaking through the quiet and deserted KaibaCorp building at night.
Although Rafael's subordinate Grimo was the first to take action to seize the "Three Egyptian Gods", it didn't mean that Alister and Valon hadn't made any preparations before that. Alister had spent several days investigating Kaiba's movement pattern, who owned **[Obelisk the Tormentor]**, and where he would place the "God Card".
The reward for his investigation was that he now knew clearly that Kaiba Seto would leave the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card in the KaibaCorp building's Data Center every night, using the nighttime hours to collect and analyze data, trying to uncover the card's potential power and usage method as much as possible. Kaiba himself wouldn't return until the next day.
As for KaibaCorp's security at night, although the patrol and rotation were arranged extremely tightly, Alister still managed to find a fifteen-minute gap within them. As long as he quickly took the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** within this opening, Alister could easily complete his task, without even needing to duel Kaiba Seto.
Although he was fully confident that he wouldn't lose to Kaiba, Alister chose to avoid Kaiba mainly because he wanted Kaiba to experience the pain of loss more deeply.
If possible, Alister also planned to use the power of the "Doma" organization, which had developed for so many years, to cause KaibaCorp to collapse, making Kaiba lose everything he could lose. Then, he would appear before him and grant him complete defeat, crush his dignity as a duelist, and then strip him of his life and soul.
Just thinking about it made Alister feel incredibly excited.
In no time, he had already sneaked to the entrance of the Data Center. Hiding in the ventilation duct and waiting for this round of security personnel to leave, he jumped out of the duct. Without spending much time searching, he immediately spotted the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card that Kaiba had placed in the most conspicuous spot.
Alister also noticed a very hidden light emitter in the corner.
"Hmph, a crude method." Putting on infrared glasses, Alister saw the infrared sensor lines, invisible to the naked eye, placed around the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card. If he had recklessly made a move just upon seeing the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card, it would have only triggered the alarm.
But Alister had investigated this beforehand. For this, in addition to the infrared glasses, he had also prepared a complete set of professional tools.
Carefully approaching the central computer where the card was placed, along the gaps in the infrared lines, the closer he got to **[Obelisk the Tormentor]**, the more excited the smile under Alister's mask became. In just a few moments, he was only one step away from the "God Card", within reach.
"Click~"
Easily taking the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card, Alister turned around proudly, ready to leave. But suddenly, a voice entered his ears:
"Hmph, caught you, the mouse that's been lurking around KaibaCorp for so many days."
"Nani!?"
The previously dim Data Center suddenly lit up. To Alister's surprised expression, Kaiba, whom he had determined would absolutely not be here, actually appeared, standing on a high place and looking down at Alister!
"Kaiba, Seto!"
"Why are you here—!"
"Why am I here, you ask? Do you think your hacking technology is so brilliant?" Kaiba's mouth curved into a disdainful smile. "There were a few vulnerabilities in KaibaCorp's firewall that were detected but deliberately left unrepaired by me. The moment you hacked in through those vulnerabilities, I knew."
"After having the experience of being hacked once, how could I not take any precautions?"
"Hmph, then are you ready to accept punishment, you despicable thief!"
Hearing Kaiba's words, Alister gritted his teeth in anger. He ignored everything and turned around to leave directly. Although he really wanted to take down Kaiba here, it was too early, and he also needed to take the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** with him.
Kaiba naturally wouldn't just watch this masked thief of unknown identity escape. He immediately followed: "You bastard, are you trying to escape!"
Alister and Kaiba began a fierce chase. Although their identities were different, what surprised both of them was that they were running neck and neck, neither faster than the other.
Kaiba was surprised that the thief before him had the ability to keep pace with him, someone who trained regularly. Alister was also surprised that the pampered Kaiba had enough stamina to keep up with him.
Neither of them could outrun the other, but for Alister, this was bad news, because Kaiba had a significant geographical advantage in this building. While he wouldn't necessarily set up mechanisms within the building, he could at least use the security team to obstruct Alister.
Although the security personnel were useless and couldn't keep up with the two of them at all, Kaiba used the security team as roadblocks to block Alister's escape route. After several detours, the two chased each other all the way to the Rooftop on the fiftieth floor. Alister was cornered by Kaiba at the edge of the Rooftop, with no retreat.
The security team downstairs had blocked all escape routes. One more step back and Alister would fall from the Rooftop. The floors above required identity verification to access. With no way up or down, Kaiba's capture of Alister was like catching a turtle in a jar!
"With this, you have no way to escape, you despicable rat," Kaiba said calmly and arrogantly, crossing his arms over his chest. "To sneak into KaibaCorp and lay your hands on the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card, you're truly audacious."
"Tsk, no retreat left, huh," Alister muttered to himself, annoyed. He looked at Kaiba. "Don't you have any regrets about losing **[Obelisk the Tormentor]**, Kaiba Seto? Aren't you afraid I'll tear up the card even if it costs me my life?"
Saying this, Alister took out the card he had taken.
Hearing this, Kaiba sneered coldly: "If you can do it, go ahead and try. Anyway, I have plenty of that card in your hand."
"Huh?" Hearing Kaiba say this, Alister was also stunned. He looked down at the **[Obelisk the Tormentor]** card in his hand, but suddenly found that there seemed to be a sticker on the surface of this card. After peeling off the sticker, Kaiba's signature was revealed?!
"This isn't the 'God Card'!"
Discovering that he had been tricked, Alister angrily tore up the card in his hand directly. The shredded paper was thrown behind him, falling towards the ground from a height of a hundred meters.
"You tore it up just like that, huh? Do you need more of my signatures?" Kaiba said mockingly. "You knew I suspected your actions, but you didn't expect me to prepare a 'substitute/decoy'. Your intelligence, using only such low-down methods, is only fourth-rate."
Being mocked by Kaiba like this, Alister was expressionless at first, but then began to grin ferociously: "Kaiba Seto, I originally planned to make you taste the pain of loss more. Since you're pushing me step by step, don't blame me."
"I'll just return my resentment to you right here, and then I'll take both your soul and **[Obelisk the Tormentor]**!" Alister raised his left hand, and his Duel Disk automatically performed a field setup. "I'll use my 'War' Deck!"
"A Duel Disk model I haven't seen before," Kaiba frowned, looking at Alister's Duel Disk, but didn't take his words to heart. "Talking nonsense about 'soul' and such like a madman, you really are an idiot. However, when it comes to Duel Monsters, I won't lose to anyone!"
"I'll use my evolved strongest **[Blue-Eyes]** to bring complete defeat upon you."
"Duel!" X2
[Alister: 4000 LP]
[Kaiba: 4000 LP]
"The first turn is mine, draw!" Alister impatiently snatched the first turn and drew a card. "I activate the effect of **[Machina Fortress]** from my hand! By sending **[Machina Megaform]**, a Level 8 monster, from my hand to the Graveyard, making the Levels total 8☆ or more, I Special Summon **[Machina Fortress]** from my hand in Attack Position!"
Amidst the roaring sound of metal mechanisms operating, a tank-like giant mech manifested on Alister's Field!
[Machina Fortress] [Level 7 / EARTH]
[Machine Type / Effect]
[2500 ATK / 1600 DEF]
(End of Chapter)
