The experience in the "Star Wars" dimension was, for both groups, an experience as if from a dream.
Even for Hikaru, who hadn't participated in the duel and had only watched a single duel, this peculiar experience was exceptionally precious.
Especially since that mysterious Great Leader had told Hikaru what he currently lacked.
Although Hikaru didn't know what exactly this Great Leader had meant, one thing at least could be confirmed. That was that his current defect and insufficiency really was the "field" problem he'd noticed in himself before.
"Hikaru" and "Hikari," these two utterly different but definitely the same "self" in the eyes of humans and spirits, were genuinely affecting him.
Perhaps he ought to find a way to integrate them?
Only, he had absolutely no idea how to go about it.
Or rather, at present he hadn't actually noticed any "negative" impact of these two "designations" on himself at all.
Previously, when Hikaru's memory had been affected due to the Darkness incident, when Tierra had figured out how to amend his "race," she'd converted him into a "spirit" easily enough. Afterward, he'd returned to a human state just as easily.
Looking at it, this kind of situation had no impact on him at all. Even during special periods, like the spirit invasion, he'd been able to use this method to detect spirits hidden among humans. So he'd never studied it in detail.
Now it seemed he really did need to research his own physical situation more deeply.
But he wasn't too worried.
Because that voice had also said the same thing, that he was currently walking this path.
Although Hikaru himself hadn't quite worked it out, since that mysterious voice had also been talking like a riddle-master without spelling things out, since it was something he was doing, the answer was pretty much on the tip of his tongue.
Everything Hikaru did was for one thing: Fusion.
If it was something he'd been trying recently, then without a doubt, it would definitely be Fusion-related.
So the answer was actually quite obvious.
Just keep on Fusing!
And what he'd been busy with recently was helping Yusei complete his cause.
This was, on one hand, because the Crimson Dragon had "compensation" to give him. On the other, it was also Hikaru's attempt at refining "Super Polymerization." At present it wasn't going super smoothly, but at least there were some signs of it coming together.
Returning to the Grand Cosmos Workshop, Hikaru then brought several people back to the Synchro Dimension, and so it came time to part.
Syrus thanked Hikaru profusely for helping him find the way to that dimension and giving him the chance to obtain the Drytron, bowing to Hikaru in thanks over and over. Hikaru waved his hand in modest deflection.
After all, it was to find Zane Truesdale. As Zane's friend, helping Syrus was Hikaru's own duty and he needed no thanks.
Hikaru didn't see the two off, because he still had to bring Yuma Tsukumo's group to find the Xyz Dimension team. Syrus and his companion didn't linger, planning to head back and share the good news. At the same time, Atticus Rhodes was also planning to properly train Syrus before they encountered the "City Hall team," so he could become even more outstanding.
As they left, Atticus Rhodes chatted with Hikaru for a few more words.
On one hand, he lamented that Hikaru had once again been such a great help. On the other, he couldn't help bringing up the matter of Syrus.
"That timid Syrus is already gone. What appeared before me now seemed to be a resilient, tough duelist, no less than Zane."
Atticus Rhodes looked at Syrus's back, at that short but ramrod-straight body and purple uniform, with feeling.
He was extremely skilled at reading people, and quite accurate too. Not only with Zane Truesdale, Jaden Yuki, or Chazz, but even in judging his own sister, whom he saw day and night through a "perfect filter," he could still see her shortcomings and defects.
Syrus, as a duelist, had none of his earlier appearance.
And this, they had Hikaru to thank for.
Hikaru hurriedly shook his head.
This credit could in no way be laid at his feet.
Syrus had joined the Combined Unit himself. Syrus had insisted on guarding his friends' cards himself. Syrus had never fought alongside Hikaru. At the critical juncture, he'd only faced the Dark World's attack together with Jaden Yuki.
Syrus's growth actually had nothing to do with Hikaru.
However, Atticus Rhodes shook his head.
"Hikaru, that's not how it is." Atticus's mouth curled up, without his usual playful cynicism, but smiling as he said: "The role of an idol is a very big one. You aren't Syrus's older brother, but you are the exemplar for all Fusion duelists.
When you established the Fusion Department, Syrus's heart was probably already comparing itself to you.
And moreover, I remember Professor Akaba always cultivated and promoted him that way too, saying he was the counterpart to you."
Although later this kind of thing and this kind of promotion had disappeared, Syrus, at some point in time, had surely demanded this of himself, and had surely felt either fear or excitement because of it.
When the Fusion army incident occurred, when Hikaru and Syrus met in the interrogation room, the gears of fate had actually already begun to turn.
"Under this gradual, imperceptible influence, Syrus's self changed. Although you aren't the primary person, you were the initial push."
He knew it, after all.
At first, Syrus had joined the Combined Unit precisely because of Hikaru's recommendation to serve as an "undercover." And it was precisely this experience that had made Syrus, this "undercover," become in the truest sense the current standing "face" of the Combined Unit.
For this, they had Hikaru to thank.
"And besides... Hikaru, it's not only people. In our interactions with each other, even spirits and other existences are quietly influencing one another."
"Senior, what are you getting at with this?"
Atticus Rhodes chuckled.
He didn't know Hikaru's specific "physical state," but he understood his adorable juniors far too well.
Although Hikaru was mild with people and exceptionally serious in receiving and treating others, at the very beginning, Hikaru had had an inexplicable "distance" between himself and all his other classmates. It was only after Hikaru had stayed at the academy longer and longer that he'd gradually, truly, slowly dissolved that "distance."
Atticus had once simply thought Hikaru was warm outside and cold inside, and that through his interactions with friends, he'd gradually opened his heart, or something along those lines.
Now it seemed that wasn't the case.
Hikaru probably, at the very start, hadn't accepted the current situation, but had other factors going on.
Only through more and more interaction with friends had he integrated into the academy, integrated into this world.
Clearly, this too was "Fusion."
All things were relative. Hikaru was influencing others, and naturally others were influencing Hikaru too.
He voiced some of his guesses. Hikaru sank into thought, falling silent.
Seeing Hikaru not speak up again for the moment, Atticus Rhodes waved his hand and chose to bid farewell.
Tierra glanced offhandedly, then turned to Hikaru and said: "This human is as sharp as ever, Hikaru."
She too somewhat agreed with Atticus Rhodes's guess.
Because she knew more than Atticus Rhodes. She knew what that mysterious "Great Leader" meant. And she knew that Hikaru wasn't only human, but also had some spirit characteristics.
Of course, she knew even more that Hikaru, this "person," had never been a human from the "Fusion Dimension." So Atticus Rhodes's thoughts and guesses were not wrong.
Hikaru glanced at Atticus Rhodes's departing figure, then fell silent for a moment, and gave Tierra a long look.
"What is it?"
"...Nothing."
What came next was simple. Following the map, Hikaru led Yuma Tsukumo and Cathy Katherine toward the Xyz team's area. Because they were now in the human world, Astral's form could no longer be normally observed, unless one's spirit power was sufficiently high. Otherwise, in others' eyes, only these two were present.
When tomorrow's tournament resumed, the various teams would be isolated from each other again, but now was just the right time to send them over. They were, after all, humans from the Xyz Dimension, and should be delivered to the Xyz Dimension's team.
As for why Syrus's group wasn't leaving together with them, that was simpler still. Because of the earlier Fusion army incident between the two dimensions, the two dimensions' teams had been arranged at opposite ends of the team layout, exactly on opposite paths. On top of that, Fusion Dimension representative members really weren't quite suitable for delivering Xyz Dimension people. Having Hikaru, this "local" "Fusion Dimension person," deliver them was the best option. So Hikaru had voluntarily taken the job.
When Hikaru knocked on the Xyz Dimension's door, the robot who opened up had an impatient look on its face. But upon seeing that enormous lobster head, its head literally popped up off its body, and it emitted smoke in excitement.
"Yo, Orbital 7!" Yuma laughed heartily.
"Master Kite!! It's Yuma, Yuma Tsukumo!"
"What?"
Sitting at the base staring into space, Kite Tenjo, who had actually been at loose ends and could only fret and stew in silence, heard this voice and rushed out.
He saw Yuma Tsukumo and Cathy Katherine beside him standing at the door. Many complex expressions flashed across his face, and finally he let out a long, heavy breath, looking as if a great weight had been lifted.
Seeing Kite left the two of them even more excited than Kite seeing them. They ran noisily into the room and even complained to Kite Tenjo, saying how unlucky they'd been during this stretch. Kite Tenjo listened expressionlessly and nodded, seeming to be taking in information, understanding their situation during this time. When Yuma had rambled through most of it in his usual muddled way, Kite Tenjo then looked at Hikaru.
"Hikaru... I've heard about you from Zane Truesdale."
Hikaru lightly nodded.
Kite looked Hikaru over again. This person who shared his surname naturally already had a good deal of goodwill in his eyes.
Unlike other people, Kite Tenjo and Zane Truesdale were true "friends." Back then it had been him who'd guided Zane Truesdale onto the path of Xyz, and it was also him who'd provided Zane Truesdale with Photon-ization and Number-hunting equipment and modifications. Later, the Number cards that Zane Truesdale had collected had been handed to him as well. So naturally, he'd heard some stories from Zane Truesdale, and knew that quite a few Number cards had been "hunted" with Hikaru's help.
Although Kite Tenjo no longer specifically hunted Number cards, he still remembered these things.
Combined with Hikaru's performance in the preliminary matches recently, Kite still had quite a favorable impression of Hikaru.
Now, on top of it all, Hikaru had brought over Yuma Tsukumo, in his mind "the biggest hassle" and also "the biggest help." His goodwill was maxed out, and he directly raised Hikaru's status by several star-tiers in his heart.
Hikaru didn't get self-conscious either. This was a rare chance to make contact with the reclusive "Xyz diplomatic team." Earlier, when Yusei had come to visit, for some reason he hadn't been able to speak with Kite Tenjo. Now was a perfect opportunity.
And moreover, he had also seen "Hart Tenjo" and "IV" before. If he could find allies in this competition, it would also let Yusei breathe easier.
"The One God War... only a god's proxy can participate in the true duel?" Kite Tenjo's brow furrowed tightly.
He wasn't interested in the affairs of this world.
But he faintly realized one thing: exactly why Hart's Team Despair had entered the tournament. He could also understand why they were completely ignoring him.
Because he himself didn't have the "qualification"?
Then he precisely seized on the "Divine Arsenal AA-ZEUS - Sky Thunder" in Yuma Tsukumo's story.
A god-slaying weapon.
If it was for participating in the "One God" challenge, obtaining qualification, and going up against Hart's team, then this kind of existence should also work, right?
Only...
He looked at Yuma Tsukumo. The cold poker face softened, and he even revealed a slight smile.
Yuma had been through so much fear for so long, better to leave it be for now.
Kite Tenjo and Hikaru chatted for a while. Whether it was really that they both had the "Amagi" designation or not, the two of them chatted very well. Hikaru also had some information on Shay and Yuto to share with Kite at this opportunity. So they simply sat down and talked for a long time. It wasn't until deep in the night, when Hikaru felt he couldn't linger any longer, that he rose to bid farewell.
Kite Tenjo, for a rare change, acted like a proper host, rising to see the guest off, and even arranging to establish communication with Team 5D's through the WRGP tournament's online contact methods afterward.
This was something Yusei had been hoping to do all along. It happened to be an opportunity.
"Hikaru, huh..." After Hikaru had left, Kite looked at Yuma and Cathy, and began mulling in his heart.
The spirit world's duel challenges required two people, it seemed. And since that world was still allowing challenges...
The brief three-day intermission ended. After the interlude concluded, the WRGP tournament still proceeded normally.
Jack hadn't returned to Team 5D's yet, but Yusei believed he would surely bring back change, bring back "himself." Under this atmosphere, a new round of duels began.
Three days of time, saying it's long isn't long, saying it's short isn't short.
For Yusei, his team had basically talked to the captains of every team. This was a good beginning.
And for duelists, three days of time was extremely precious.
Not only was it a hard-won rest time, it was also a very important time for modifying decks!
Three days of time was enough for every team to modify their own decks anew. When dueling resumed, quite a few spectators sensed that the atmosphere of the duels, or rather, the content of the duels, had changed!
The people and the teams were still those same people and those same teams.
But the content of the duels had inexplicably undergone changes.
Sophia observed this world's duels through the mirror surface. After three days of time, she had preliminarily grasped all the effects of "Nekroz" cards. But in her view, this still wasn't enough.
Time was extremely pressing for her. Even with sea-of-questions tactics, wanting to catch up in a short time to Tierra, who'd developed early, wasn't such an easy matter.
Watching the duels of this dimension's tournament duelists, observing and learning from their duels, was also exceptionally important.
And it was among such duels...
"I activate Trap Card, Light-Imprisoning Mirror, LIGHT monster effects on the field and in the Graveyard are negated! I know, your deck is all LIGHT monsters, right? Haha."
"Trap Card, Mischief of the Gnomes, this turn, both players' hand monsters' Levels are reduced by 1. Come, how are you going to Synchro!"
"Quick-Play Spell Card, Star Changer, target 1 face-up monster on the field, raise its Level by one or lower it by one! I choose to raise, this way, your Level's wrong!"
Eh, eh!
Sophia felt as if she'd opened the door to a new world.
Duelists who'd looked stronger in earlier matches, when caught by opponents with prepared plans against unprepared ones, were suddenly extremely stressed in play. Quite a few were even directly defeated.
"Counter tactics." Declan Akaba pushed up his glasses and explained to her, "Three days of time is enough for these people to prepare cards in advance, so that when facing different duelists, they can use different prepared counter cards..."
Counter tactics!
Sophia was still keeping her eyes closed at this point. If she'd opened her eyes right then, others might have seen the excitement in her eyes she couldn't hide.
Yes, yes, yes. This is what I wanted to see!