Clap, clap, clap.
As the duel ended, Aster and the other two couldn't help but applaud Hikaru.
There was no audience here. Hikaru had no need to perform for anyone. To duel in a place like this relying on pure Fusion, and then earn the recognition of an entire dimension's spirit will, creating an entirely new monster in the process... that kind of achievement spoke for itself.
Among the three spectators, Aster had the most measured reaction.
After all, though he had never witnessed this particular scene before, he had personally "seen" something even more extreme.
Compared to the flames that accompanied the birth of Destiny HERO - Destroy Phoenix Enforcer, this World of the Forgotten was actually tame.
Because throughout Hikaru's duel, the entire "world" had been responding to and supporting him.
When Hikaru had dueled against the Light of Destruction, he had been fighting against the very rules of the universe.
With the duel concluded, the great lion lowered himself slightly and extended a claw, gently clasping Hikaru's hand with a fingertip in a handshake, then began to thank him.
He could feel it. This world, this dimension, was evolving into something entirely new because of this duel.
Perhaps one day, the entire dimension would be completely transformed...
"When that time comes, this world probably won't be called the World of the Forgotten anymore..." As he spoke, something instinctive stirred within him. "In my heart, this world seems to be answering me, telling me of its future possibilities.
Memento...
I understand now. This world will become a true world of spirits.
And its name will be:
Mementomictlan!"
He would become this dimension's first, and truest, Guardian!
As his words fell, the skull decorations on the great gate slowly rearranged themselves into a massive emblem that looked remarkably like his crown.
Black smoke, misfortune, pain, torment... countless energies surged into the surroundings, forming piles of white bone.
But this time, those bones carried no suffering or agony. Instead, they seemed to be nurturing new life!
That's right.
Leo Wizard realized it in his heart.
This world, like other spirit worlds, would slowly begin to give birth to spirits of its own!
He swept his robe.
The spirits who had recently fallen into this dimension, who hadn't yet endured too much torment and hadn't been assimilated, found themselves draped in robes of bone. They felt strength returning to their bodies, and laughter, of all things, rang out in this dimension for the first time.
"If they are forgotten, then I will remember them. And then I will raise them." Leo Wizard made his final resolution.
Though Leo Wizard was no god, at that moment, in Hikaru's eyes, he was a true God of Mercy!
Leo Wizard thanked Hikaru once more. Without a moment's hesitation, he handed over his own essence: Leo Wizard the Dark Fiend.
Though Hikaru was unlikely to ever use the card, he accepted the gift with solemnity.
"As long as you hold this card, as long as I still exist in this dimension, you may return to this forgotten world at any time."
"Thank you, Lord Leo Wizard." Hikaru nodded gently.
Though Hikaru had drawn on his knowledge of the Memento archetype to predict this world's evolutionary path into the Mementomictlan dimension, and had leveraged that knowledge to create new cards during the duel, it was ultimately a shortcut.
For the time being, the only copy of Mementotlan Mace in this world was the one in his hand.
After all, it had been "created" by the collective consciousness of every spirit in this dimension.
Hikaru put the card away, then opened his Deck and gave it a quick look.
Sure enough...
Though this world had altered his Deck, there were clearly limits to the changes.
Hikaru's personal spiritual power couldn't resist the full force of this World of the Forgotten, so some cards had been replaced. But at the same time, if this world tried to completely overwrite his entire Deck or match the sheer magnitude of Super Polymerization, it would fall short.
Fortunately, not many cards had changed. Just two copies of Mementotlan Fusion had been added out of nowhere.
Hikaru put his cards away and greeted the other three.
He had watched the two men arrive at the gate, so he'd had time to think about what would come next.
Amon and Aster.
Two very distinctive individuals.
In the original Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, Amon was a very peculiar character. What made him unique was that he was one of the few people who had absolutely no connection to Jaden, had never even dueled Jaden, yet had defeated both the "second male leads" of the show, one after the other.
His duel against Chazz wasn't particularly noteworthy. In the original series, Chazz had always been too arrogant and overconfident before truly suffering, so Amon had defeated him with ease.
But Amon's duel against Aster revealed just how absurdly powerful the truly elite duelists of this world really were.
Amon had needed to perform a ritual to obtain Exodia, and Aster, having fallen for Echo at first sight, had wanted to protect her.
The duel's starting point was a bit strange, but its content was even stranger.
Despite having just added Exodia to his Deck, Amon had maximized his draw power and forcibly assembled four of the five pieces within just a few turns.
And Aster, who had never faced this type of duelist before, had spontaneously played a card called "Power of Four," limiting both players' hands to four cards maximum and cutting off Amon's path to assembling all five pieces of Exodia.
Later, Amon had used Exodia's ritual to gather the pieces in the Graveyard through battle, aiming for victory that way.
And in that sudden situation, Aster had once again played the exact right card: a Trap that skipped the Battle Phase entirely.
This showed that in the original series, duels between elite duelists weren't purely about "dueling." They were clashes of a deeper power. Otherwise, Aster couldn't have drawn precisely the right counter at precisely the right moment.
Naturally, this was also what sealed Aster's defeat.
Echo and Amon were genuinely in love. So at the duel's climax, Echo had willingly sacrificed herself as a tribute for Exodia, tipping the balance of "power" and sealing Aster's loss for good.
But Aster was, without question, a true destined hero. Even knowing he was fated to lose, even watching his Duel Disk's Life Points drain away, he felt no regret or resentment.
If a hero's destiny was to sacrifice himself to protect others, he would walk to his death with open arms.
After Exodia was unleashed, he had stood before Jaden and the others, arms spread wide, using his own body as a shield so his friends and teacher could escape with their lives.
And now fate had brought these two together again in this dimension.
Hikaru thought it over.
He hadn't seen the Sealed Dark Magician during his duel with Leo Wizard, but old Solomon Muto would never have lied to him. So this world definitely contained that "sealed" sorcerer somewhere.
Still, his own trial was complete. He wouldn't interfere with whatever meeting lay ahead between the two.
Though he had noticed Aster developing feelings for Echo again, that wasn't something he needed to worry about. Aster was a genuine gentleman. Once he confirmed the couple was together, he would never overstep.
After Hikaru's duel, logically one of either Aster or Amon should undergo the trial next, but since both had arrived at essentially the same time, they would need to settle who went first.
But Aster had no interest in that sort of thing. Besides, after watching Hikaru's duel with Leo Wizard, he felt this world didn't need him. He had already seen something fascinating enough. He didn't need a trial, and he wouldn't take any of the spirits being nurtured here.
Amon, after Aster stepped aside, chose to face Leo Wizard directly.
"Human, after watching Hikaru's duel, you still want to undergo a trial with me?" Leo Wizard didn't mind.
He was far stronger now than before. Though he had previously wielded this dimension's forgotten spirits as effortlessly as his own power, he had been forcing the use of cards that weren't truly his.
But now, having received this world's acknowledgment, his dueling would be even stronger than when he faced Hikaru!
Still, a trial didn't necessarily require a winner and a loser. Even if Hikaru had lost, given the content and spirit of his duel, Leo Wizard would never have truly cursed him.
"Then, speak your mind."
Amon nodded.
He spoke about what he had seen at the Nexus, and about some of the tragedies in the human world.
His purpose in coming to this dimension was to change its current state and save some of the forgotten cards.
However...
Since Hikaru had already accomplished all of that, he simply wanted to ask, with genuine admiration, if there was anything he could help with.
After all, he was already here.
If his dueling energy could contribute to this dimension in any way, he didn't mind going all out against Leo Wizard.
Hearing his aspirations and sensing no malice, Leo Wizard gave a slight nod.
Perhaps because Hikaru's performance had been so outstanding, Leo Wizard's attitude toward human intruders had softened considerably. Rather than dismissing Amon's ideas as fantasy, he told Amon that if he could stay and help the spirits here care for those still slumbering beneath the bones, he would consider observing Amon's resolve.
Different people warranted different approaches. Hikaru's convictions could be read through dueling alone.
But Amon's ideals required witnessing his actions firsthand. Rushing straight into a duel wouldn't suffice.
"Creating a world of peace and equality?" Aster stood beside Hikaru, listening to Amon's words with a measure of respect.
If someone truly had that kind of ambition, it was worthy of admiration.
He had already been quietly comparing Amon's dueling skill and energy to his own, and he hadn't expected Amon to possess such a grand vision on top of it.
"He should be the representative from the Eastern Academy branch," Hikaru said from the side. "In about two weeks, when the semester starts, representatives from every Duel Academy branch worldwide will come to the main campus. Aster, you'll have plenty of chances to spar with him then."
Aster nodded, but then shook his head. "I appreciate it, but I still have a lot of world tour matches and other commitments, so I probably can't attend classes normally."
Hikaru didn't mind.
Aster was a busy person. That was nothing new.
Just then...
Just when everyone seemed satisfied, Echo suddenly spoke up.
"Lord Leo Wizard! I did some research beforehand. This dimension contains Exodia, doesn't it!?"
The moment those words left her mouth, everyone present stared at her in shock.
How could she ask something like that at a time like this?
"...Exodia." Leo Wizard's voice dropped low. The warm smile on his lion face gradually faded. "I don't know where you came from, but you are correct.
Indeed, this world does contain Exodia.
The discarded Exodia."
Just as she thought!
Echo broke into a delighted smile.
Aster couldn't help but frown. The favorable first impression he'd had of Echo vanished in an instant.
Exodia?
How could something like that possibly be forgotten?
Unless...
He thought of a certain "legend."
Over a decade ago, when Duel Monsters was just gaining popularity, Maximillion Pegasus, president of Industrial Illusions, had held the Duelist Kingdom tournament. Before that tournament, the King of Duelists, Yugi Muto, had the invincible Exodia in his Deck. To stop and defeat that unbeatable set of cards, Weevil Underwood had tricked the young, trusting Duel King and thrown the cards into the sea.
The discarded Exodia.
Could cards like that still exist in this dimension!?
"Those are the most powerful cards. Truly invincible cards." Echo took two deep breaths and addressed Leo Wizard, though her eyes were mostly on Amon. "If we could obtain that ultimate power, then no matter what tragedy we face, we can overcome it. No matter what duel, we can win...
With cards like those, we could become the strongest duelists in the world overnight, and... we could build an ideal world."
"NAIVE!!!"
Leo Wizard roared.
His fur stood on end, his crown flashed with a cold, sinister light, and the entire dimension seemed to pulse with purple radiance.
"That is the discarded Exodia! A wraith of Exodia, drenched in resentment!"
He glared straight at Echo, his body emanating a bone-chilling aura. Black gales whipped around them, forcing Amon to step in front of her.
"Though it was not its master who abandoned it, that Exodia carries the oldest hatred, jealousy, and abandonment of any card in this world! It is the true source of all resentment in this World of the Forgotten!"
Leo Wizard roared.
If Solomon Muto hadn't come to this world and taken Exodia's soul with him, the resentment here would have been far, far worse!
Now, Exodia's "soul" had been removed. But the resentment and suffering it had accumulated in this world were as deep as mountains, as vast as hell.
That was not Exodia. It was a terrifying evil spirit inhabiting Exodia's body!
A spirit brimming with malice toward humanity!
"To use such a card, you must sacrifice the person you love most and sever all emotion..."
"Lord Leo Wizard!" Hikaru suddenly cut in.
"Hikaru, are you going to defend them..."
"What I mean is, my friend was just asking out of curiosity. You don't need to explain any further about how it all works." Hikaru coughed twice.
Leo Wizard caught himself and took two deep breaths.
Indeed. In his anger, he had revealed things he shouldn't have.
As expected of Hikaru... He shouldn't have lost his composure like that.
He shook his mane, then lowered his gaze to the group. Noticing Echo's contemplative expression, he growled menacingly, "Do not ask any more questions about this. It's for your own good!"
"If you still wish to rescue some of the spirits in this world, then go explore. Otherwise, leave! Humans!"
Though he said "feel free to explore," Leo Wizard was clearly issuing a dismissal.
Hikaru could feel it too. His body and consciousness were slowly "rising," a clear sign that he was about to return to the human world.
"I'm sorry, Amon. I blew it." As the sensation of fading set in, Echo said to Amon with genuine regret.
She had been too hasty.
"It's fine." Amon replied softly.
Aster frowned slightly.
Sartorius had told him that he might encounter a turning point in this dimension, a catalyst to grow stronger, a crossroads of destiny.
He looked at Hikaru and couldn't help but let out a quiet sigh. "Director, it seems I'll be attending school properly next semester. Could you ask Vice-Chancellor Crowler to arrange a private dormitory for me?"
"Ha ha. Professor Crowler will be thrilled. Why the sudden change of heart?"
"Destiny." He drew a wistful breath.
Is that so...
Hikaru heard the word "destiny" from Aster's lips again, yet this time he sensed none of the old rejection or bitterness toward the concept.
Because Aster's destiny was guiding him to become the person he wanted to be.
Aster understood now why Sartorius had told him he would find new possibilities here. A hero might sacrifice to gain power, but never by sacrificing someone else!
Hikaru said nothing more to Aster. The two of them felt something like the gurgling of bubbles, like the sound of water, and then slowly faded from this dimension. When Hikaru came to, he was back in his workshop.