The duel ended. The red glow around Kite's body gradually began to dissipate. He gasped for breath and wiped the sweat from his chin.
Photon Mode released at this moment. Orbital 7 immediately saluted him and asked: "Master Kite, are you alright!"
"Of course."
Kite's breathing gradually settled, stabilizing his breath. He looked at the card he'd drawn on the final turn in his hand.
Galaxy Expedition, huh...
Looks like it really was time for him to conduct a long-overdue "expedition."
He then used more even breathing to adjust his rhythm, and slowly looked at the enormous AA-ZEUS.
Very close. Truly very close.
Using "Rank-Up-Magic" was still too dangerous for humans. Even for him, using Cipher Ascension had left him feeling exhausted.
Fortunately, this world wasn't a real cosmos. Otherwise he felt it would be truly difficult to duel in this kind of environment.
"So that's how it is. If that's the case, then it's indeed enough."
On the other side, the defeated Prime-Heart still maintained his armored state.
The surrounding spirits didn't dare breathe. All were greatly shocked, watching the defeated "Great Leader" in astonishment. Even though it was just an avatar of the Great Leader, it was still the existence they looked up to, an extremely powerful warrior, someone that not one of them had ever defeated!
And even without counting Prime-Heart, AA-ZEUS was the genuine "champion" of their dimension. Although it hadn't conducted many operations on its own turn, a 6-material AA-ZEUS was enough to make the vast majority of duelists swallow defeat!
Yet they hadn't expected Hikaru to actually defeat AA-ZEUS using just one Fusion Card, and afterward almost intercept the Great Leader's duel, while also providing help to his teammate.
How would the Great Leader treat these two humans?
Could it be that the Great Leader would actually... provide his power!?
"You played well." Prime-Heart pressed on his face-mask. The armor automatically began to release, revealing the face beneath the armor.
He was still smiling, as if his face was originally like that.
Kite looked seriously at Prime-Heart.
After the duel ended, he'd only then completely realized the core of this duel.
Although this was a "2v2" duel, in reality, the duel wasn't like that.
Actually, although AA-ZEUS had displayed considerable power during the duel, more of it was waiting and support. It was waiting, waiting to see what extent they could achieve when facing "Riumheart."
Maxx "C," D.D. Crow, Chaos Angel...
Ordinary spirits generally would, no, could only, use cards within their own system.
Kite had faced spirits more than once during the Fusion Army's invasion of the Xyz Dimension, and while busy recovering Number cards in other dimensions, he'd also encountered spirits several times. So he knew this.
Because spirits' decks weren't substantial decks, but the manifestation of the spirit's power.
Even Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS - Sky Thunder was actually just utilizing rapid low-Level monster increase to call out its own "true body."
After all, its very ability revealed an inner logic. It was a support card for all Xyz Monsters. So any system's Xyz duelist could attempt to use it!
But Prime-Heart violated this logic!
Prime-Heart was undoubtedly "Mannadium Riumheart." So clearly, he was completely different from all other spirits!
He not only used monsters of his own tribe, but even used a large number of universal cards ordinary spirits wouldn't have, even including "Chaos Angel," which should belong to the Chaos tribe!
He wasn't merely a "spirit warrior." Actually, he was a genuine "duelist"!
Prime-Heart slightly moved his hand. The armor completely released, returning him to Riumheart's state. He noticed Kite's appearance, thought for a moment, then smiled and began to explain.
Although he was only "Riumheart," his true body, that "strongest man," had genuinely saved the lives of multiple dimensions on the verge of collapse, so he'd gained the protection and faith of many spirits.
Actually, not only these monsters and cards he'd used, but including the spirits and cards of multiple dimensions including this one, Visas could use all of them.
But as said before, Visas himself couldn't easily leave, so he could only project his projection to duel.
So he only possessed a portion of "Synchro" power and "Visas."
He didn't rush, but first let AA-ZEUS speak to explain.
"Yes."
After hearing this, AA-ZEUS first responded, then thanked Riumheart, and then began to recount its own logic.
It was a spirit natively born in this world, and also the first champion of "Star War," a spirit that had genuinely, with a spirit's body, obtained power comparable to gods.
Therefore, it naturally had its own persistence and motivation.
That day, red light pierced through the world belonging to it. In its resistance, it relied on its foundation to protect some weaker spirits, even awakening its own power.
Over just twelve short years, it persisted here, protected here, and grew ever stronger.
However, on that day, it encountered something it would never forget in this lifetime.
At some point when the red light ran rampant, a certain spirit it had saved, because of the power contained in the red light, because it wanted to help, because it wanted to become stronger... whatever the reason, that spirit touched the red light, merged into the red light, and then...
Twisted!
It became a spirit AA-ZEUS completely didn't recognize, forgetting itself, forgetting AA-ZEUS, forgetting its own kind, even wildly venting power.
In the madness, in the pain, AA-ZEUS had to choose to shoot down that spirit, to protect its other companions.
When it watched that spirit slowly die in its palm, transforming into pure energy points of light, it felt its soul was being torn. In the end, only that spirit's regret remained in its heart.
Big Brother AA-ZEUS, I'm sorry, I... I was too scared.
Yes!
It was too scared!
It feared falling into helpless circumstances again, it feared losing its current safety, it feared its power couldn't help AA-ZEUS, it feared...
Feared everything!
That day, AA-ZEUS's life was completely changed.
That day, AA-ZEUS's life ended.
That day, AA-ZEUS madly gathered all its energy. Even at the cost of death, it wanted to eliminate the red light of this dimension.
That day, its voice reached out to Visas, letting him notice this world. Then, when AA-ZEUS was madly venting its energy, it stopped it and absorbed the red-light power of this dimension, stabilizing this dimension.
After that, this dimension gradually became a dimension where various "star-type spirits" and "giant mechanical-type spirits" gathered, battled, and competed.
Also after this, under the Cosmos Queen and AA-ZEUS's management, this dimension became bigger and bigger, more and more lively.
"Power is only a tool, a means of battle. But without fighting spirit, without courage, without conviction, one can only lose oneself in fear." AA-ZEUS calmly recounted its own story, recounted its deeds before becoming champion, recounted why it valued so much a duelist's own conviction.
Only the purest human could bring out its power. This wasn't its narrowness but its persistence!
That is, spirits that don't use external force (red light), and pure human duelists!
"So that's it." Kite understood. He extended his fist toward AA-ZEUS and said: "I understand, AA-ZEUS."
"Although I came searching for you only to obtain the qualification to battle, I can understand your thinking.
I too have existences I desire to protect. I too can understand your thinking."
Kite, in order to save his brother, had used Galaxy-Eyes and hunted Number cards. Hearing AA-ZEUS's story, he could resonate well.
"But as I said, obtaining you is only so I have the qualification to battle. So I won't necessarily use you!"
This was something that left many spirits stunned.
This, this was the champion Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS - Sky Thunder!
Regardless of what deck, so long as it was an Xyz Summoning deck, adding AA-ZEUS could enhance the deck's power out of nowhere, enhance monster ability out of nowhere, letting any Xyz Monster have the terrifying effect of instantly flipping the table!
Hadn't Kite personally witnessed the champion's ability?
Although this duel, the spirits cared more about the Great Leader, since the Great Leader was this dimension's savior, AA-ZEUS's performance was also taken to heart. They knew its power!
While other spirits refined their own power and enhanced their main deck, AA-ZEUS had long stopped caring what monster cards were in its main deck. Every duel, it used different "weak monsters" to overlay itself, to prove everything.
Although this Kite had indeed won against AA-ZEUS and the Great Leader's avatar, this didn't represent everything!
But hearing these words, AA-ZEUS slowly turned its head and looked at Riumheart.
For the first time, an expression other than a smile appeared on Riumheart. He looked at AA-ZEUS, and encouragingly nodded.
Then, like the sun, like the stars, AA-ZEUS slowly transformed into starlight, transformed into particles, gradually dissipating. Finally, it transformed into an enormous card. In an extremely short time, the card shrank, finally becoming a normal, black-based card, slowly rotating before Kite.
Kite carefully extended his hand to catch the card.
Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS - Sky Thunder!
Suc, successful?
"You passed his final trial."
!?
Kite was slightly surprised and looked up at Riumheart.
Hikaru had a sudden realization and struck his fist against his palm, tapping his left hand once.
"So that's it. AA-ZEUS doesn't like humans who rely only on power. What he wants to see more is pure will. So whether you can truly take AA-ZEUS himself away in the end requires no craving for AA-ZEUS?"
Ah.
Not just Kite. Many spirits only then had a sudden realization.
No wonder that although they could sometimes call AA-ZEUS for help, they'd never been able to inherit His Excellency AA-ZEUS's power or cards. It was because they hadn't understood His Excellency AA-ZEUS's true thinking?
Only by not relying on external force can one truly strengthen oneself in will?
The manifestation in dueling was that AA-ZEUS more hoped to end the duel and obtain victory before Summoning AA-ZEUS, rather than having no choice but to Xyz Rank-Up AA-ZEUS during Main Phase 2.
Kite looked at the card and took a deep breath.
"As expected of Master Kite!" Orbital 7 excitedly spun its head in place. As a mechanical life form, it had considerable fondness for a super-giant robot like AA-ZEUS.
"Nice!"
"Wow! Kite got AA-ZEUS!"
Yuma and Tori couldn't help cheering together. Astral also nodded repeatedly.
With AA-ZEUS, whether Yuma or Kite, they could play stronger or more varied duels!
Kite finished looking at the card, lightly nodded, said a word of thanks to it, and then carefully put it away.
Now he finally had reason and opportunity to force contact with Team Despair.
But beyond this...
He looked at Riumheart.
Certainly, he had finally obtained the chance. But he didn't want Hikaru, whom he'd pulled in to help him with the trial, to come away without gains.
After all, the other party had cleared the field, obstructed, and prepared support means.
However, before Kite was about to ask him, Riumheart had already raised his hand.
In the sky, that floating Vicious Astraloud didn't fly back to its Deck. Instead, it quietly landed in Hikaru's hand. Hikaru caught it naturally, slightly raising his brow.
On the card, no "spirit power" was attached. It was a pure card.
But...
At closer range, Hikaru actually detected a detail he hadn't observed before.
Could this be the legendary...
Anti-counterfeit mark!?
Hikaru was startled and only then realized this card had a special "lock." Clearly the intent was to prevent copying. If Hikaru took this card back to the Fusion Dimension, probably even KaibaCorp wouldn't be able to replicate it out of nothing, unless Hikaru sent the card over for experimentation.
This way, the card wouldn't be as easy to copy as other cards.
"Wow..."
"It's Lord Vicious Astraloud!"
The surrounding spirits chattered, as if they'd seen Vicious Astraloud before.
This gave Hikaru a heads-up.
From the way things sounded, could Visas have made avatars of even Vicious Astraloud or Amritara?
Hikaru had obtained Vicious Astraloud but had no Fusion Materials. Still, he didn't mind too much.
After all, he'd adventured through many spirit worlds and understood spirits well. He knew this was fairly normal. Card gifts, unless the body card itself was gifted, were almost always just one or two individual cards.
At this moment, Kite instantly spoke: "Vicious Astraloud, a Fusion Monster that can directly appear by banishing monsters in the Graveyard, is indeed a rather powerful card.
But without Fusion Materials, how is this card supposed to appear!"
"Hey! Kite, don't think that just because you won once against the Great Leader's avatar you can speak recklessly!"
"The Leader naturally has his own considerations!"
"Great Leader, let me duel this guy!"
Kite's expression was serious as always, without much expression, looking rather cold. At the same time, his tone was so firm and strong that many spirits thought he had a problem with Riumheart.
But Riumheart was always good-tempered, and could also sense the speaker's emotions. So he knew Kite wasn't dissatisfied but hoping to secure more opportunities for Hikaru.
"Is that so? Fine, then." He suddenly changed his mind.
By normal spirit rules, one Vicious Astraloud was enough.
But he wasn't an ordinary spirit, and Hikaru wasn't an ordinary duelist. Following the normal process of dawdling and having Hikaru come here to challenge time after time was too troublesome.
He took out his Deck, searched through it, found "Visas Starfrost," then casually tossed it toward Hikaru.
Hikaru was overjoyed and hurriedly caught the card.
Although it was just Visas Starfrost, not the deck he most wanted, once he had Visas, all the subsequent cards could be found some way to obtain!
"Hikaru, you probably want to use your dimension-topping alchemy talent to extract other cards, right?"
"Alchemy?" The Xyz Dimension group was puzzled by Riumheart's words.
"Ahem..." For the first time, Hikaru didn't directly answer Riumheart's question.
After all, the card had "anti-theft measures" clearly prepared, and Hikaru's first thought upon getting it was separation. That was somewhat impolite.
"You may certainly try."
?
"But that card is different." Riumheart spread both hands and said, "The lock on that card isn't a lock using my power. It's the power of the Engraving Dragon."
"Engra, engra what?" Everyone was confused. Just now, Riumheart's voice felt jarring and piercing to them.
Among these countless people, only Hikaru and Tierra heard this name. It seemed precisely because he'd just fused with Tierra today, he could hear this uncanny name.
Engraving Dragon?
"Dragon of All Things' Engraving... hm, looks like you all still can't hear." Riumheart's gaze slightly glanced outside the cosmos, not lingering on this topic long. "In sum, that card is one of the remnant cards after I absorbed the red light. It can both seal the red light's power and protect cards."
Dual purpose...
Hikaru didn't dwell on the name but thought about other aspects.
Quite well protected the spirit, and by the way protected the card too.
"If you've listened and understood, then you should know this isn't a seal that can be broken by force."
Hmm.
Hikaru furrowed his brow.
If that was the case, then it indeed wasn't something alchemy could handle.
Actually, Hikaru had already done many experiments with "Aleister the Gifted Grand Sage" and "Spen the Sealed Grand Sage." But until now, Hikaru hadn't mass-produced or manufactured any other related cards.
Those two cards were like genuine "paper scraps." Although they possessed special power, no data could be extracted from them either.
Born from nothing, existing from nothing.
"But conversely, so long as you can accomplish something worthy of 'legendary deeds,' that power will gradually become substantial and available for your use."
There was such a good thing?
The question was...
What was a legendary deed?
Hikaru was slightly puzzled.
Riumheart looked at Hikaru's Deck and slowly said: "Fallen of Albaz."
Albaz, hearing the call, was startled and actually thought he was being called. He jumped out to Hikaru's side, then pointed at himself in confusion.
"Me?"
"Ah, sorry, I wasn't talking about you."
Albaz sulkily scratched his head, a little embarrassed.
"But thinking about it this way, it's actually similar." Riumheart was amused by his own words. He spoke for a bit, then continued explaining: "Simply put, that's to reverse from 'weakest' and become 'strongest.'"
Real, really weak?
Hikaru knew what Riumheart meant, but he'd never thought of Visas-related or Albaz-related as weak.
"These are my cards, and also your cards. In legendary deeds, in various challenges, in the surge of emotion and fighting spirit, a brand-new power, a power belonging to you, a power belonging to Fusion, will also be born.
Hikaru, your dueling, your Fusion, are already pure and unblemished. Now the moment for you to practice has arrived."
The moment to practice!
Inclusion, the future!
After Hikaru heard this, he had a sudden realization.
No wonder.
No wonder last time Visas had told him he must first achieve "unification" before it was appropriate to come.
Embrace all, fuse the future!
His own ideals had nothing that could be changed. He'd also dueled Tierra and completed his self-Fusion.
So then, only one thing remained.
That was...
To accomplish it!
To prove its correctness!
And before Hikaru, coincidentally, there was precisely a world he could accomplish, challenge, save, and fuse. The Branded Dimension!
Even beyond the Branded Dimension, there was the Vampire Empire Dimension, the One God War in the Synchro Dimension, and all other dimensions, all things that were about to happen or currently happening. All of that was the equation by which he'd prove his result!
Hikaru looked at the card in his hand, the excitement in his eyes hard to suppress.
"Nothing in the world happens from nothing. Your choices, your decisions, your faith, your persistence, your will, will decide your actions, which produce impressions, which influence others, which thereby influence all other things in the world.
When bad factors influence each other, worlds and dimensions become bad because of it.
When beautiful factors influence each other, worlds and dimensions become more beautiful.
This is precisely the cause-and-effect cycle of all things in the world."
Riumheart's figure slowly began to dissipate, gradually flowing into the cosmos, flowing all around, flowing into all things of this dimension.
"Hikaru, your legend, your conviction, has already spread across countless spirit dimensions. Countless spirits imagine your beautiful qualities as the beauty of humanity. Countless Fusion-system spirits view you as a model. You have become a brand-new peerless alchemist, and become the motivation for even more spirits. Under this cycle of Fusion, one day you will become stronger than any existence.
By then, you will be the well-deserved product of all 'Fusion'! The well-deserved true agent of Super Polymerization!"
"This card of challenge and trial that was meant to be given to you at your next single duel, I'll give it to you early. Because there is no error I can correct for you. You completed self-unification earlier than I anticipated, and are more excellent than I imagined."
"Go prove the things you want to do."
Visas's hands held this dimension, protecting this dimension, not letting it split apart.
And Hikaru's hand held Visas's card, contemplating future matters, preparing to separate the entangled dimensions.
The real Visas's voice echoed at Hikaru's ear, and the card of "Visas" in his hand, almost simultaneously, softly flickered.
The so-called cycle was just this.