No one knew that in the pitch-black night, just outside Duel Academy Island, a steel beast lurked quietly in the water, like a hunter watching its prey.
It was a submarine. Soldiers in uniform bustled inside, and a woman in an officer's uniform was the commander.
Her name was Echo, and she had grown up with Adrian Gecko. She was here as Adrian's backup—if anything unexpected happened, she'd respond immediately.
Meanwhile, Adrian was already deep in the dark forest on Duel Academy Island.
There were many rumors about Duel Academy in the underworld of dueling.
Even before Kira became famous, Duel Academy had attracted attention from many powers. For example, the student disappearances at the old dormitory years ago—rumor had it the Academy once opened a door to the world of darkness, and on the other side was unimaginable power. Whoever obtained it could rule the world.
Although unconfirmed, Kira knew the legend was true. The old dorm incident was indeed connected to another dimension, Nightshroud, the final villain who could drag the world into darkness.
But the incident was covered up by all sides and hadn't been mentioned in years.
Until a Duel King emerged from the Academy, growing ever more famous. Many self-proclaimed top duelists who tried to investigate never returned.
Rumor had it that the door had indeed been opened, and terrible power lay behind it—now held by the Duel King.
So the Duel King became one of the world's most feared beings. Any who dared invade his territory or challenge his authority would be dragged into eternal darkness.
This was one of Adrian's goals—to investigate the legend and find the power said to make a duelist a King.
Crows screeched ominously overhead as Adrian made his way to the old dormitory.
"Echo, I found it," Adrian said into his earpiece.
"Okay, be careful," Echo replied. "If anything happens, we'll act immediately."
"Got it, I'm going in."
Adrian crossed the "No Entry" barrier and entered the dorm.
"Weird, none of my equipment is picking up anything.
The instruments can't detect any dark energy. This place just looks… ordinary—"
Creak.
Adrian's pupils shrank.
That was the sound of the floor cracking.
Before he could react, the ancient planks gave way.
Adrian fell.
For a moment, he felt as if the crack in the floor didn't lead to a basement, but to hell.
He felt like he was falling forever—or maybe it was only an instant.
He hit the ground hard and slowly regained his senses.
Dizzy, disoriented, he struggled up, thinking he might have a concussion.
"Echo, something happened. I fell…"
He spoke into his earpiece.
"I take back what I said—this place is weird. I—"
He paused.
"Echo?"
But there was no human response.
Only a strange whisper in his ear. It sounded like a woman's voice, but sharp and hoarse—impossible to make out, but deeply eerie.
Adrian frowned and cut the connection. He got up and groped forward.
At first, it was total darkness, still looking like the old dorm. But as he walked along the cobwebbed corridor, at some point it became luxurious, though the lighting was even dimmer.
He recognized the corridor, and his pupils shrank.
Compelled, he walked forward.
Ahead was a room with the door ajar.
A boy stood at the doorway.
A red-haired boy, young but with a steely, almost sinister look in his eyes.
Adrian recognized him—it was himself.
His younger self.
The younger Adrian entered the room and went to the bed.
On the bed lay a still younger boy, eyes closed, pale, attached to life-support.
That was his brother.
Adrian's beloved brother, but also his greatest shadow.
Adrian Gecko had been an orphan—really, even orphan was putting it lightly. He was a refugee from a desperately poor area, starving and waiting for death.
But his luck changed—he was chosen as the adopted son of the Gecko Conglomerate chairman, raised as the heir.
He worked desperately hard and didn't disappoint, excelling in every field, called a person with the bearing of a King.
But then, unexpectedly, the chairman had a biological son—Adrian's brother, Shido.
Naturally, the real son got the inheritance, while Adrian, more capable in every way, was left to support Shido.
Adrian loved his brother and would give his life for him.
But if things stayed that way, he'd never inherit the conglomerate, always living in his brother's shadow, doing all the dirty work.
More importantly, he'd never achieve the grand ambition that meant more than life to him.
But Shido had always been sickly.
This scene before Adrian was one of countless chances he'd had—
—Pull the plug, switch off the life support, and with just one action, his brother would die.
If he covered it up—Adrian had the ability—his brother's death would seem natural, and he'd regain his place as heir.
The red-haired boy stood at the bedside, looking at his beloved brother, unmoving.
"…Kill him, and you'll become king."
A voice spoke behind Adrian.
"So that's it, Adrian Gecko. This is your darkness, is it?"
Adrian: "!"
The world spun; hospital bed and younger Adrian vanished into a vortex. Regaining his senses, Adrian turned and saw a young man standing behind him, hands behind his back, smiling warmly.
But Adrian's face turned grave instantly.
The Duel King, Fujiki Kira.