Kaiba gave her a small nod that would have meant little from anyone else, but it was the closest to thanks Gardner was likely to get. She wasn't so bad.

"Not far then. So long as these staircases don't move, it's a straight shot."

His familiar confidence had returned to his step now, but as they ascended, he began to consider his approach.

"I've heard this world's magic is controlled by precision, something like an equation. In theory, that should be difficult to mess up so spectacularly, right?"