CHAPTER 405: CHAPTER 404: RESOLVE (BONUS)

With Koyo and the Arbiter’s battle ended, the quarterfinals finished.

After the quarterfinals, there was a break. Just like in the first Duelist Kingdom, the quarterfinals were held en route, but the semifinals would be at a separate, special venue.

Back then, it was the Duel Tower, symbolizing the end of Kaiba’s past. He planned to win the Duel King title and the three Egyptian God Cards atop that tower, ending his history.

But everyone knows what happened. Kaiba spent a fortune to host the world’s biggest tournament, gathered the God Card holders, and wagered the Duel King title—yet in the end, Yugi took everything.

No one knows how much Kaiba spent, but Yugi won the Duel King title and the Gods, and Kaiba got nothing.

It seems that, ever since, Kaiba was semi-retired. Publicly, he claimed he was done with dueling, focusing on business, but everyone knows he still dueled plenty.

The Duel Ship continued. According to the organizers, the destination was close, and duelists could rest and tweak their decks.

The final battleground was in sight.

Back in his room, Jaden laid out Koyo’s deck—the one he inherited—on the table, staring at it in a daze.

At least half were rare cards, impossible to buy. For his budget HEROes, it was a huge upgrade. These were the HEROes he’d always dreamed of. Now, holding them, he only felt emptiness and heaviness.

The door opened. Jaden turned to see Kira enter.

"Kira..."

"How’s Koyo?" Kira asked.

"Still unconscious in the ship’s infirmary. The equipment can’t find anything wrong..."

Jaden didn’t continue.

But they both knew what that meant. In the Orichalcos barrier, losing meant your body survived, but your soul was gone.

The only way to save souls taken by the serpent god—the Arbiter—is to defeat him, as Atem once proved.

Kira glanced at the deck on the table.

"Koyo’s deck?"

"Yeah. The semifinals are all tough. I need to power up my deck. And now, I have to fight for Mr. Koyo too."

"I knew you’d say that." Kira shrugged. "So even if I told you to quit now, you wouldn’t listen, would you?"

"Of course not," Jaden replied. "Mr. Koyo fought as a duelist to the very end. How could I give up here?"

"I thought so."

Kira nodded, handing him a sheet of paper.

"What’s this?" Jaden asked.

"Information on the Orichalcos deck the Arbiter might use."

Kira explained.

"Kaiba and I know these cards well. You’re the only one in the semifinals who hasn’t seen them. If you face the Arbiter, you’ll be at a big disadvantage."

Jaden glanced at it, moved. "Kira... you prepared all this..."

"Don’t get sentimental yet. This is just in case," Kira said seriously. "But I think it’s likely he won’t use these cards.

As you saw in his duel with Koyo, the Arbiter may use many different decks."

"Like you and Misawa?" Jaden nodded.

"Yeah, something like that," Kira said. "Anyway, just in case. But his strongest deck is probably still Orichalcos.

But if you do duel him, be ready for anything."

"Yeah, I know." Jaden nodded quickly.

Seeing him so eager, Kira realized his advice might be pointless.

For Jaden, there was no such thing as preparing for a duel—he always just did his thing, no matter the opponent.

But honestly, if Jaden really did face the Arbiter, Kira wasn’t optimistic.

In the anime and manga, Jaden is a classic growth protagonist. But right now, he’s only halfway through first year—no Masked HEROes, no Neos, Supreme King’s power unawakened, Yubel still drifting in space—he has no trump cards.

He’d just inherited Koyo’s advanced HERO deck, which was an upgrade, but still—against the Arbiter’s level...

Honestly, Kira thought even with luck, Jaden’s chances were slim.

But Jaden wouldn’t listen anyway. Kira had said all he could; now it was up to Jaden.

"By the way, during the duel, the Arbiter did something to you. Do you feel anything odd?" Kira asked.

Jaden frowned, staring out the window.

"I can’t say for sure."

"Can’t say?"

"It felt weird," he said after thinking. "I saw lots of random images, like... memories.

But strange—I don’t remember having those memories."

Jaden thought harder.

"Someone kept calling my name. ’Jaden, Jaden,’ over and over, like from somewhere far, far away..."

Kira pondered.

It might be the lost memories from Jaden’s childhood, or his past life.

But either way, it was probably related to Yubel. The voice calling him was likely Yubel.

In the anime, Yubel said even after being sent into space, she could still sense Jaden. Even far from Earth, their bond remained.

She kept calling to him, and Jaden had nightmares every night.

Until KaibaCorp erased those memories, and the connection was severed. Jaden completely forgot about Yubel.

Could it be that the Arbiter’s interference was restoring his link to Yubel?

PS: Bonus Chapter at 300 PS