"We won!"
The duel ended.
The burning Nazca Lines in the sky faded, and the gigantic spider image vanished as if it had never existed.
Leader of the Dark Signers, Rudger, collapsed to his knees, eyes vacant, as if stripped of all spirit by his defeat.
After a long moment, Leo was the first to cheer.
"We won!"
The others' faces also lit up with joy and relief after the heavy pressure lifted from their hearts.
Yes, it really looked like they'd won.
Ever since learning about their destinies as Signers, fighting the Dark Signers had been the greatest weight on their hearts. Although the battle hadn't lasted long, every Signer had been through life-and-death trials—each duel perilous in the extreme, where a single mistake could have cost them their lives.
Now that they saw the Dark Signer leader clearly defeated, it finally felt as if the threat was truly gone. A huge weight was lifted. Looking now at Director Goodwin's imposing figure, a sense of security surged through them like never before.
He was, truly, too powerful.
Even Yusei Fudo, the strongest Signer, felt admiration deep inside.
Burn deck effects—Yusei actually enjoyed using them himself. Of all the Yu-Gi-Oh! protagonists, Yusei's talent for "strategic setup" was perhaps the most thoroughly emphasized. In the series, he created countless lethal burn combos, including some original, infinite loops from the animation.
Perhaps partly due to the constraints of the anime's Riding Duel rules, Yusei himself was a heavy burn trap enthusiast.
What's more, unlike former protagonists, Yusei showed no stubborn obsession with settling everything through a final clash of trump-card monsters. He freely used all sorts of non-monster, trap-heavy burn and lock decks.
All in all, Yusei was a balanced duelist who could perfectly handle any style—from head-to-head battles to defensive burn decks. This ability referred not only to changing decks, but to adjusting tactics mid-duel using the same deck, flexibly responding to different opponents.
That's why, compared to his first impression of Jaden, Yusei found it easier to approve of "Goodwin" when they met. He saw something of himself in Goodwin's dueling style.
After all, the 5D's world was much less "sunny" than GX.
"So that's how it is."
Rudger's eyes became unfocused as he knelt, muttering under his breath.
"I'm still not worthy, am I?"
Perhaps, so it seemed now.
He had once been a key member of the original Ener-D research lab. But later, he was corrupted by the Netherworld, losing his true self. In awe of that overwhelming power, he had once believed it was the ultimate force in the world.
But now, the false Rex Goodwin easily defeated him—even the Earthbound Immortals were nothing to this man. With such overwhelming strength, it seemed he really had been a frog in a well all along.
He thought he'd touched the ultimate power, but to true experts, the Earthbound Immortals were hardly worth noticing.
"Seventeen years ago, you alone triggered the 'Zero Reverse,' tearing apart Domino City and creating the Satellite."
Kira said.
"Countless died, and countless families were shattered. Was this your so-called destiny?"
The other Signers, having gathered closer, were shocked.
Triggered Zero Reverse? Seventeen years ago, the original Ener-D went out of control—so it wasn't an accident!?
"It was you!?"
Even the usually calm and reserved Yusei lost composure.
"You caused Zero Reverse!?"
Rudger lifted his head weakly.
"The son of Dr. Fudo, huh… Such a familiar face…"
Rudger replied, serene.
"Yes. It was me."
Yusei's heart quaked.
He knew his father had died because of Zero Reverse. The Satellite was created because of it.
Jack, Crow, nearly all his childhood friends in Satellite—all became orphans and "trash" because of Zero Reverse. If not for that, they might have had happy, complete families; entire lives could have been different.
"Why!?"
Yusei erupted.
"It's because of you… because of Zero Reverse, countless lives were ruined.
If there had been no Ener-D, no research, there wouldn't have been Zero Reverse. The Satellite wouldn't exist. None of us would have lost everything and become orphans!
Yet, knowing all this, why has no one ever blamed me? Why have they all accepted me as their friend and even smiled at me, without any complaints?
How am I supposed to face them? How can I ever make it up to them, Rudger!"
This was the deepest darkness in Yusei's heart—guilt toward all his friends and Satellite's people, as if somehow all of it was his fault, that he was born bearing the curse of the Ener-D.
Even Jack, who grew up with him, was stunned, "Yusei, you…"
He'd never realized that Yusei lived with this kind of burden.
After a pause, Rudger said, "So this is the darkness inside you, Yusei Fudo."
He smiled lightly and shook his head.
"We're all just chess pieces on the board called 'Fate.' I pulled the trigger for Zero Reverse back then, fought you as a Dark Signer today… but, in truth, I never had a choice."
Yes, destiny was to blame for everything. Zero Reverse wasn't his true intention. Rudger had fought the Netherworld's corruption years ago, but in the end, he failed and severed his own arm that bore the Signer's Mark.
At least, before losing his mind completely, he entrusted that arm to his brother, Rex Goodwin, and told him to gather the remaining Signers to stop him.
That was the last thing he could do.
At least his dying wish was now fulfilled. Even as he fell completely into darkness and became a servant of the Netherworld, the Signers had gathered, and the Dark Signers had been defeated.
However…
He looked with difficulty at the current "Rex Goodwin," still with a last trace of regret.
Who exactly was this person standing in Rex's place?
Who was the powerful being that inserted another soul into this body?
His whole life seemed caught at the center of a huge vortex, surrounded on all sides by supreme powers—Legendary Crimson Dragon, the netherworld Netherworld, the mysterious Iliaster organization, the shadowy forces behind it all, and now even this mysterious new strongman…
Too many grandmasters in this game of chess.
Only now did he truly feel how weak he was—a pawn, moved and used by stronger hands, living a tragic life.
But in the end, who these people were no longer mattered.
From here on, let them fight among themselves. He was tired, ready to finally leave this chessboard.
Rudger closed his eyes, and his body dissipated into the wind.
He left Yusei's questions unanswered.
A moment of silence hung over the scene.
Then Kira glanced at Yusei and suddenly asked, "Do you know why your name is 'Yusei,' Yusei Fudo?"
…