Chapter 264: A Life of Expectations
Chapter 264: A Life of Expectations
It was over.
Delta lay on the ground, his body feeling as if it were floating on an invisible tide, drifting with the waves and slowly sinking beneath the froth.
The duel was over, but so too was his mission and his short life.
This had been his final duel, and undoubtedly the most unforgettable one.
The Quadruple Dismissal, his Dark Paladin banished thrice and his Five-Headed Dragon once. That accursed Gust of Wind from his opponent seemed to blow relentlessly, buffeting him with each gust.
But that was not the worst of it. The final, crushing blow that shattered his defenses was the 'Draft Order' that followed the gust.
Reveal the top card of the opponent's deck, and if it is a monster that can be Normal Summoned/Set, Special Summon it to your field.
Ha! What were the odds of not revealing a monster after Gust of Wind sent Winged Beast-Type monsters back to the deck? NTR from your opponent's deck, who could believe it? Was this some new and powerful evolution of the minotaur?
It was common knowledge that the darkest of the Emperor series was none other than "Evil Emperor Gaius". Each Emperor corresponded to a different attribute, and Gaius, being the dark attribute, with a name that meant "Evil Emperor", clearly stood out as the most sinister and evil of them all, giving the impression of a ruler over the abyss.
However, after today, Delta couldn't care less about Gaius. As he looked at the Wind Emperor on Yu Xuan's field, he felt that the title of the darkest Emperor should rightfully belong to none other than it.
Evil Emperor? Compared to the abyssal depths of this Wind Emperor, Gaius was but a petty villain, unworthy of holding its shoes.
As he reminisced about this torturous duel, he suddenly realized that this brief imprisonment was a reflection of his entire life.
His life, too, had been a constant struggle against a pre-determined fate, just as brief and filled with torment.
Especially at the end, when "Dark Paladin" arrived on Yu Xuan's field to deliver the final blow, he thought he saw his father in the breath of the dragon.
He seemed to see disappointment, reproach, and even loathing in his eyes.
As his vision was engulfed in darkness, he felt as if time had turned back, returning him to the past.
He remembered his creation by his father, the moment he gained sentience and consciousness, training with his brothers using different decks, and awakening to greater intelligence with each duel.
Soon, he emerged as the most exceptional among his siblings.
"As expected of my son," his father had said proudly.
"Soon, you will become my right-hand man," the man had told him, placing a heavy hand on his shoulder. "Do not disappoint me."
"I will never let you down," he had promised solemnly.
Of course, that promise now lay in tatters.
He recalled the looks of admiration and envy from his brothers, for he carried not only his father's expectations but also the hopes of the others. They all saw him as a role model, the best among them, destined to serve their father in their stead.
But ironically, despite being modeled after Gozaburo Kaiba, Delta had never harbored any ambitions, not even for a moment. He had no desire for power or control, and the idea of usurping KaibaCorp from Gozaburo Kaiba and seeking revenge held little interest for him.
He was content with the way the world was. The only thing that truly intrigued him was KaibaLand, Gozaburo Kaiba's masterpiece.
". . ."
"Gozaburo Kaiba is a murderer, the most vicious criminal, robber, and thief in history.
"And he is the most absurd of them all. Kaiba Corporation was once a leading industry in the world, renowned for its cutting-edge technology and superior military firepower.
But what did this guy do after taking it for himself? Opening a White Dragon amusement park and building roller coasters? Why doesn't he just go and sell baby pacifiers while he's at it?"
The brothers were all indignant, echoing their father's words in their condemnation. But only Delta muttered under his breath, "I actually think KaibaLand looks pretty fun."
However, this muttering seemed to reach his father's ears. He lifted his eyelids disapprovingly and asked, "Did you say something, Delta?"
"Ah, no, Father," Delta lowered his head. "I was saying that you are right, Seto Kaiba is an unforgivable villain."
Only then did the man nod, not pursuing the matter further.
But Delta never told anyone that he, too, had a wish during his fleeting life. He wanted to visit KaibaLand at least once before he ceased to exist.
Such was the paradox of Delta, an AI created with a vengeance purpose, the most exceptional of his siblings, yet all he desired was to opt out of the rat race.
Even if he didn't play any games, he would be content just selling balloons at the park, watching children scramble up and down the slides, observing young couples and kids screaming with delight on the White Dragon roller coaster. That, to him, was a life of contentment.
Of course, that was nothing but a pipe dream.
After all, they were on opposing sides. While his father and brothers rallied against the 'oppressive regime,' shouting slogans akin to 'overthrowing the Qing dynasty and restoring Ming,' each of them seething with righteous indignation at the current dictator's ineptitude and hedonism, Delta, the number one warrior under his father's command, lacked any fighting spirit and even contemplated joining the enemy to dance and make music together.
What a joke.
". . ."
"If you don't want to fight, then why bother gambling with your life?"
Yu Xuan approached Delta, who was already lying on the ground, his body beginning to disintegrate into data.
"Even as an AI, since you possess self-awareness, you should understand the value of 'being alive,' shouldn't you?"
"Heh, if you're asking whether I want to die, of course not," Delta replied with a self-deprecating smile as he closed his eyes.
"That's precisely why you humans will never understand. From the moment of our creation, our destinies are predetermined. Whether or not this is what I want is irrelevant. My mission is to fight for my father, and that's enough."
Yu Xuan fell into a thoughtful silence.
"I think it's you who don't understand humans," he said quietly. "Being able to comprehend such a concept actually makes you more human than you realize."
"Oh?" Delta opened his eyes with an air of confusion.
"There are many humans in this world who live their lives this way," Yu Xuan explained. "They strive to meet the expectations of others, pushing themselves to become what they are expected to be, because those expectations were placed upon them from birth, even if it's not what they truly want."
"Is that so?"
Delta closed his eyes again, a weary smile playing on his lips.
"Then perhaps I am more human than I thought."
But it didn't matter anymore. It was all in the past now.
He had done his best.
Now, he could finally lay down his weapons.
Delta's body completely disintegrated, his data scattering and dissipating into the virtual space.
(End of Chapter)
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