Hikaru smoothly returned from the Star War Dimension to the Synchro Dimension.
Though this haul wasn't much, the prospects were extremely exciting, so Hikaru's mood was particularly good.
Also, on the way back, aboard Yuma's Emperor's Key, Hikaru thought about many other matters.
Visas had told him that he could obtain his power by completing his own legendary story, by saving the Branded Dimension.
But actually, this wasn't the "only" possibility.
Because Fusion was inclusive. Especially his Fusion was even more inclusive.
Logically speaking, whether Gladiator Beast Andal, or the Vampire Empire, they were actually all links in his past and future "Fusion." It was just that Hikaru hadn't realized before what he was actually doing.
He'd made choices based on his own instinct, his own sense of responsibility, his own compassion, and friendship with other spirits.
But truly speaking, even without knowing this, he wouldn't have changed his behavior.
After all, although he had his own self-interested matters, more of it was things he did from his true heart.
At most...
He now knew that no matter what he did, there was actually a "reward."
Because everything of his was Fusion!
However, Tierra was very satisfied with this.
Although humans and all beings, the vast majority of the time, would probably not receive rewards for their efforts, especially those who burned their lives for their goals or dreams, they might never see the day of success. So "reward" actually wasn't important to them.
But Tierra, as the number-two boss of Hikaru's camp, certainly hoped Hikaru's efforts, Hikaru's struggle, Hikaru's conviction, would have a matching reward, a matching perfect ending.
Beyond this, on Visas's card, there was also that "red light" power.
Honestly, this was the first time Hikaru had truly known the specific name of the red light.
Dragon of All Things' Engraving...
This was an existence that absolutely didn't exist in Hikaru's memory. The name only somewhat resembled the "Hieratic" series monsters.
But clearly, that was a completely different existence!
Although the name contained "engraving," Hikaru could realize that the name was absolutely closer to...Ten Thousand Dragon!
The Ten Thousand!
Hikaru shook his head.
Compared to things Hikaru already knew, clearly this unknown existence was possibly an even more inexplicable one he didn't understand.
Actually, Hikaru even used "Forbidden Apocrypha" aboard the Emperor's Key to search cards. But the existence of the Dragon of All Things' Engraving couldn't be searched at all.
He knew the name but couldn't search it. Even Azathoth couldn't describe it.
As expected of... the true form of the red light?
In sum, although Hikaru still didn't know what the Dragon of All Things' Engraving was actually trying to do, at least he finally knew the red light's true name.
Later he wouldn't need to refer to it as "red light" and "red light" anymore.
Regardless, he would step forward one step at a time, to find the true culprit of all this, to find the true origin of every problem.
But before all of that, Hikaru still needed to handle current matters, present matters.
When Hikaru returned to the Team 5D's base, he found Jack in an intense duel with a duelist.
The opponent was a teammate of "Dr. Swift," whom Hikaru had once battled. He also looked like an ordinary person who'd discovered the "One God truth" and, through his own knowledge, had manufactured his own "pseudo-god."
Like Dr. Swift, they didn't much trust Team 5D's.
Their team was also among the very few duelist teams that had entered the top 32 through their own efforts.
Just today, they'd proactively sought out Team 5D's, seemingly wanting to settle a match with them.
At this very moment, Jack was in a match with them.
Hikaru greeted Yusei but didn't worry too much about the duel's content.
Jack in the original work was the man undefeatable in standing duels. That was a joking way to put it. Actually, his strength was absolutely worthy of acknowledgment.
What's more, the current Jack had obtained his complete power and was preparing to challenge Team New World's Paradox. He was on a level not to be compared with before.
However, this duel was still worth thinking about.
Hikaru looked around and discovered drones filming in the vicinity.
Those cameras and other things were also operating at high speed.
Throughout the City, perhaps at every moment, these existences were conducting recording, letting every duel be transmitted and recorded.
Although it was currently the "off-season," it didn't mean off-season.
The WRGP officials had never restricted the actions of any team during this period, allowing them to conduct competitions of any degree.
All duelists who lost in duels would, according to normal victory-loss relationships, affect the details of the subsequent WRGP tournament. If a certain team could eliminate all other teams during the off-season, then that team would be champion!
So long as the rule of "at most 3 people participating" was followed, then any form of duel was permitted!
Moreover, the victor could even take away the loser's cards!
That is...
Card Betting Rules!
For duelists, this was the most "bloody" dueling rule.
Because for any strong duelist, every card in his deck was the manifestation of his own will, and equally his heart and power.
But this was also the most real, most primal duel.
Because the earliest dueling tournaments were card-betting duels, even duels that wagered souls.
And in this world, the earliest One God War, the earliest duels between humans and priests, were also card-betting duels!
This WRGP tournament was both a competition of technique and equally a competition of souls!
Even originally the One God War had nothing like this so-called tournament.
The true One God War never obsessed with this kind of form. Just like when Crow had once obtained the power of the Ultimate Earthbound Immortal, then went to complete the Ultimate Earthbound Immortal's geoglyph to try to change the world.
So long as the ritual was completed, any God's Chosen could complete the god's re-creation.
However...
The WRGP provided a stage. It provided all God's Chosen with the opportunity to duel, to battle, to contend for a truly "strongest" one. So no team was dissatisfied with the schedule.
Fortunately, the duel between this team and Team 5D's didn't look like it had that high an intensity.
Although the opponents kept asking questions, kept questioning Jack, they didn't display much distrust.
On the contrary, they listened very seriously to Yusei's group's answers.
Yusei was moved for a while and said that if it hadn't been for Hikaru's duel with them back then, which had made the friends across from them realize their prejudice, they probably wouldn't be dueling with them at this time.
In sum, the atmosphere here was very harmonious.
Not a single competitor showed impatience. Instead, they came to understand each other more and more during the duel. Even more, when the duel had reached halfway, the Dragon Immortal's God's Chosen, Hugh, also came with his teammates to visit Team 5D's, clearly with the same mindset as the other team, preparing to duel Team 5D's.
After discovering someone had beaten them to it, they stopped, found a place to quietly sit down, and didn't disturb either side.
Hugh directly stated that since Team 5D's had already dueled another team today, they wouldn't take advantage. They would visit again later.
The seeds sown during the preliminary stage had finally taken root and sprouted. Many teams that dueled with Team 5D's developed interest in their true ideals.
This was the scene Yusei most wanted to see. Now that it had truly appeared, his smile even felt unfamiliar to people. He'd never laughed heartily before. Now he was even happily laughing with friends.
The atmosphere at Team 5D's base was quite harmonious.
They knew that before the main tournament began, they might be able to defeat some teams and obtain the subsequent "direct pass."
But they equally knew...
Those here were actually the "minority" of this world.
In this world, only an extremely small portion truly wanted to sit down and talk. The majority acted purely for their own selfish desires.
They understood clearly that in this City, during this one-month "off-season" period, countless duels would definitely erupt. Among them, there might even be some terrifying duels people could never forget in a lifetime.
Making one anticipate, and making one have to be serious.
Good news, at least now, Team 5D's had gained brand-new allies.
One was Kite of the Xyz Dimension. One was Syrus of the Fusion Dimension.
The two, during this one-month period, would definitely go conduct the duels they needed to conduct for their brothers.
That was a good thing.
Watching Jack defeat his opponent, laugh heartily, call himself "KING," and then the opponent showing an "ugh, if my luck had been better I'd have won" look, Hikaru couldn't help laughing.
Karmic ties had brought everyone together. The inclusiveness of ideals let everyone understand and recognize each other.
Within three or four days, Team 5D's would probably duel with these karmically connected teams, discussing the future.
Kite was anxious but understood not to be too hasty, so he'd said he'd go to Team Despair a few days later.
Hikaru could take advantage of this time to make repairs.
On one side, he could try to challenge and analyze "Visas." Never mind how difficult, in any case he had to try. If he succeeded, wasn't that a huge win?
On the other side, Hikaru also had to make another trip to the Branded Dimension during this short time to check progress, and then...
One day later.
"Oh! Your idea is quite clever~"
Beside Hikaru, Tierra lightly snapped her fingers, praising Hikaru's choice.
Next, Hikaru was going to a rather special dimension.
Or rather... ruins?
Hikaru was going to the Fusion Army's former training ground, the former Gladiator Beast training camp!
A dimension only "Fusion Army's most elite members" could enter!
With Leo Akaba's death and the Fusion Army's split and recombination, these dimensions had been locked down by KaibaCorp. Many dimensions had been taken over, and this "elite forces training camp" had naturally been announced.
Earlier, Hikaru had heard Tierra say that the current Cyclops actually already possessed the ability to challenge and become "Emperor," but because of his own flaw, couldn't take that further step.
But...
Saying it was a flaw, in Hikaru's view, that wasn't a flaw at all!
Origins?
Although Cyclops was of "slave spirit" origin, never mind spirits, even in the human world, human origins might have high and low, noble and lowly, but human character never had so-called high or low, noble or lowly.
Cyclops's origins might not be good, but the current him had long surpassed his kin, possessing extraordinary power, only slightly weaker than the finest Gladiator Beast legion commanders.
As for the fear of the Fusion Army born from Fusion Army's actions...
This felt more like post-war trauma. Although Hikaru had won several times against Fusion Army members using "Gladiator Beast Gyzarus," Cyclops had almost never been a main member during battles with the Fusion Army. This had left him lacking the opportunity to fight the Fusion Army head-on and take revenge.
He indeed feared, was afraid, dreaded the "Fusion Army," feared "laboratories" and so on, but this didn't mean he lacked courage.
Just like when he'd learned of the conditions for becoming "Gladiator Beast Emperor," he'd unhesitatingly, to help Hikaru, become a "Three Knights" tier spirit, challenge things spirits of his tier couldn't accomplish, and give his all to manifest and control more "Gladiator Beast cards."
He had foundation, courage, responsibility. The only thing he lacked...
Was opportunity!
And for Hikaru, he had the time, had the effort, to help him find this opportunity.
What's more, Hikaru would absolutely never, after learning of his companion's mental and psychological problems, drag his feet when he had a way to help.
So he came to the first target point.
"Halt. Who are you."
Hikaru passed through the dimensional gate and landed on the ground. He was intercepted the first instant. Two black-suited men extended their arms crossed into an X, blocking Hikaru's advance.
Hikaru got ready the student ID he'd fished out earlier. Just as he was about to show it, one of the men recognized him.
"Ah, isn't it Hikaru?" A black suit recognized Hikaru and slowly lowered his arms. Seeing this, his colleague also dropped his guard, then together they curiously looked at Hikaru.
Hikaru!?
The Hikaru?
The Absolute Fusion User, natural-born Fusion duelist, apex of Duel Academy, GX champion, most talented genius, certified world's strongest Fusion duelist?
Actually appearing here!
The two suited men were slightly excited. As KaibaCorp employees, they were normally very bored here. Seeing Hikaru, they immediately grew enthusiastic and curious.
However, the required questions still had to be asked.
Like why he'd appeared here, what he was here to do, and so on.
After hearing Hikaru's line "during vacation time I wanted to visit places the Fusion Army harmed to see if I could help with anything," they nodded wildly.
As KaibaCorp employees, they had many "internal messages" and knew that the Crowler lineage of duelists were mortal enemies of the Fusion Army. So they instantly accepted this explanation.
"Extracurricular internship during vacation? Probably only Hikaru would have such a grand internship goal."
"If that's the case, Hikaru, we actually happen to have something you might be able to help with."
Although Hikaru wasn't a KaibaCorp member, once KaibaCorp members confirmed Hikaru had come to this dimension, they almost instantly regarded him as "reinforcements."
On one hand, Hikaru, as the Fusion Dimension's "savior of humanity," did have sufficient affinity. On the other hand, KaibaCorp always had super-high benefits and treatment for sufficiently excellent duelists.
Therefore, even if he'd barged into their work site during vacation, they wouldn't obstruct him. They'd even help wildly check off his coursework attendance sheet.
"Oh?" Hearing their words, Hikaru's interest was piqued.
He'd originally been thinking of exploring the Fusion Army independent dimensions taken over by KaibaCorp one by one and trying his luck. He hadn't expected to run into it right here!
...
STONES 💎
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