"Everything around here is..."
Yuma Tsukumo floated in the sky.
This world seemed to be neither the human world nor the spirit world, but a special world.
In this place, everyone could float and fly through the sky. Precisely because of this, everyone could see the full appearance of this world.
Yuma turned around, looked below, looked around.
Tombstones.
Tombstone after tombstone.
These tombstones were engraved with names and times. Everything seemed to have stopped at the instant they entered this world.
And beyond this one tombstone, beside it were more tombstones. Around those tombstones were even more tombstones. Looking everywhere, across the entire land, tombstones were everywhere. And when Yuma raised his head to look at the horizon, they were still densely packed like trees.
Lush and dense!
Seeing this scene, Yuma Tsukumo felt he could see fresh, living beings, one after another. They had their own ideals, their own goals, dreams they'd never abandon. And they had ultimately been drawn into this world by E-Ra. At the strongest moment, they'd died in this kind of place, silent and nameless, forever able to become only members of the forest.
This world wasn't dark.
Radiance nourished the land.
This world wasn't gloomy.
Because E-Ra's aesthetics weren't bad, this place was actually rather pretty.
But this loneliness and silent passing, this true "despair" of not leaving behind any traces, made Yuma Tsukumo feel his breathing grow more and more difficult.
"E-Ra!" Yuma put on his D-Visor, activated his Duel Disk, and shouted E-Ra's name. Everything was left unsaid.
Astral also wasted no words. Beside Yuma, he fixed his gaze on E-Ra.
His memories had been taken by E-Ra. He already had a grudge with E-Ra. Seeing E-Ra actually do such terrifying things, he was even more unable to tolerate it.
Similarly, everyone present had reasons they had to fight E-Ra!
Perhaps Team 5D's members' reasons were lighter, but Quattro, Kite, and even Hikaru all had certain reasons they couldn't tolerate E-Ra.
"Hmm..." E-Ra looked at these people she'd enraged, showing no particular reaction.
Unlike Darkness.
Though she was called a "concept god," she wasn't unskilled at dueling. On the contrary, under her control, many humans' dueling levels performed better than they normally would.
Similarly, quite a few humans or non-humans had forced her to this point.
Before Astral had left the Astral World, hunters often came to the Astral World attempting to kill her, this embodiment of despair.
But no one had succeeded!
From the very beginning of humanity in ancient times!
To now, the era when human dimensions connected to each other!
Endless people had attempted to kill her. In the end, they'd all died here.
To her, it was just another time.
Of course, today was slightly different.
Perhaps due to dimensional travel, or perhaps other factors.
In any case, there were somewhat more people this time.
This itself wasn't a problem.
She'd never been idle. Simultaneously provoking one or two "hopes" was of no difficulty to her, and nothing inappropriate.
The problem was, right now, at this time, there were slightly too many people simultaneously coming to her residence.
"Heheh, seems like there are quite a few of you wishing to duel me." E-Ra looked at the crowd before her, slightly licked the corner of her mouth, and said. "Though I don't mind, if I had to duel this many people, it'd probably be too unfair. Erasing you so easily would also make my despair seem boring and powerless."
She lightly clapped her hands. "Since that's the case, I'll give you an opportunity.
In this place, you can freely duel each other without worrying about breaking anything. Decide your strongest, then come duel me."
She spoke as if thinking on behalf of everyone.
"Nonsense!"
"Don't even think about it!" Yuma thrust his fist forward, striking a pose, and shouted loudly. "I don't understand complicated matters, but there's one thing I do understand. Because of you, countless people have already suffered. Kite, Hart, and people of other worlds!
Now, you still want to trick us into destroying each other! Forget it!
You hurt them, I won't let you off!"
Very spirited.
Yusei turned to look at Yuma Tsukumo, feeling this kid was truly quite good.
"Hmph..." E-Ra narrowed her eyes, thinking.
First, she absolutely wouldn't try to fight everyone. Second, she wouldn't accept a wheel battle either.
Because she wasn't stupid.
Fighting everyone was practically no different from suicide. As for a wheel battle, so long as enough information was exposed, this group of duelists would absolutely easily think of tactics and solution-thinking targeting her deck.
Though she had many powerful, invincible cards in hand, the caution she should have still had to be maintained.
Beyond that.
1 versus 2...
Could she?
She pondered this question.
It wasn't that she felt 1v2 was too difficult, but she was thinking about whether it was possible.
Right now she'd already figured out why she was blocked in the Synchro Dimension unable to return to the Xyz Dimension.
The One God war.
This war that seemed like it could be freely joined actually had rules that couldn't be defied.
The victor would become the genuine "One God."
The defeated would be demoted, sealed, become subordinate gods, become evil gods, become monsters, become Earthbound Immortals.
This wasn't a legend of this world, nor an excuse or claim from earlier defeated parties. It was fact.
The rules of the One God war were like this!
So her wanting to leave, wanting to break Crimson Dragon's blockade, wasn't something she could do just by wanting to.
Damn Crimson Dragon.
Crimson Dragon's power far exceeded hers!
As an existence that had personally experienced Crimson Dragon's power, she understood this most clearly.
Precisely because of this, she couldn't help feeling some anger.
Earlier she'd cooperated with the Fusion Army. At that time she'd encountered Red Nova. She knew he was the strongest Earthbound Immortal. She'd also heard that guy could once fight Crimson Dragon to a draw, powerful beyond measure, one of the strongest gods in this world.
Speaking fairly, E-Ra had felt that guy's power.
In a weakened state, he still had power not less than top-tier Number cards. In complete state, he might be about the same as her.
So she'd thought Crimson Dragon was probably around this level, a "concept-type god" like her.
But different! Completely different!
After personally experiencing Crimson Dragon's power, E-Ra understood, it was absolutely different!
Whether Earthbound Immortals, or Darkness, or other gods, whether she had a gap with them or exceeded the opponent, this gap wasn't something that couldn't be eliminated.
For example, Darkness could gain power equal to hers for a short time by swallowing Tragoedia.
That kind of gap was visible to the naked eye.
But Crimson Dragon was different!
When she personally experienced it, she understood, this was power she could never catch up to for all eternity!
Without relying on external power, no matter how she tried to spread darkness, no matter how she tried to spread despair, even destroying the Astral World, destroying Earth, she couldn't do it, couldn't catch up. A heavenly gulf!
Only the power of the Source Number. Only obtaining the Source Number's power, only then would she have a chance to compete on the same stage with Crimson Dragon.
Or...
She looked at Hikaru.
Super Polymerization!
Earlier she'd tried to entice Hikaru, wanting him to join under her banner. Right now was truly an opportunity.
If she could defeat Hikaru in this duel, then she'd have a chance to gather the three powers of Super Polymerization, Source Number, and Crimson Dragon's power.
By then, forget this world, all dimensions could be easily destroyed.
Of course, this kind of good scenario was just for pondering.
But even just pondering, it was reasonable.
Because she had to make a special decision.
That was, in this duel, she had to make Crimson Dragon satisfied.
At least make Crimson Dragon consider it appropriate.
Only by making the opponent feel it appropriate could she smoothly escape.
Otherwise if she directly dueled Hart now, won while he was unconscious, then fled, wasn't that looking for trouble with Crimson Dragon?
That is, the energy scale couldn't be lacking either.
She looked at Yuma Tsukumo.
Since she'd already appeared, then Astral couldn't be let go.
Similarly, she looked at Hikaru again.
Super Polymerization. Though it didn't quite match the original plan, the plan involving Yugo hadn't unfolded, but since she'd encountered him, it was impossible to miss the chance.
Then the answer was simple.
"Alright, since that's the case, I'll give you an opportunity."
E-Ra slowly raised her right hand and lifted her index, middle, and ring fingers, slowly speaking: "Three dimensions."
"?"
"Since you all want to duel me, I'll give you an opportunity.
Each of your dimensions can select one duelist to duel me, using a special 3v1 dueling method. That is, me, you, me, you dueling method. I will have three decks. Every turn you change a person, I'll rotate a deck.
This is the cycle of despair."
E-Ra crossed her hands, the bright corners of her mouth curved into a smile: "This is the maximum concession I can give. It's also the final duel that will drive your fates into the abyss of despair."
"Wanting to fight three alone!?"
"Too arrogant, this bastard!"
Jack and Crow were somewhat irritated.
But Yusei caught the detail issue: "Each dimension... does the Fusion Dimension count?"
"Of course." E-Ra lightly spread her hands. "I said, three dimensions, each dimension, one duelist."
Crow furrowed his brow.
Each dimension, one duelist...
Wasn't this deliberately trying to get Hikaru involved?
"That's fine too." Hikaru calmly accepted. "I happen to want to not let you leave alive!"
You're giving a chance for 3 on 1?
Then I definitely won't stand on ceremony!
So the "Fusion Dimension's duelists" quickly decided who would appear.
After all, there was only one person present.
Yusei's group of three chatted a bit and didn't dwell on it either.
As "intruders" and "runaways" of the One God war, though Crimson Dragon was blocking, as their captain, Yusei should participate.
On the other side, Xyz Dimension people were in urgent discussion.
Not that they were arguing over who should go.
If all dimensions could only fight one at a time, they'd all be dying to personally go up and give E-Ra a hard punch.
But if each dimension could only send one person, that was different.
It wasn't about dimensional face, but about choosing the most suitable person.
Kite was strong, but his current physical condition was poor, and he was very worried about the still-unconscious Hart. Making him go was truly difficult for him. Though Quattro could move again, testing the limits of Rank-Up magic for Throne and forcibly using despair's power to summon Xyz Monsters that didn't belong to him had still affected his body and mind. He wasn't suitable either.
So the duel had already been decided from the moment E-Ra spoke of the dueling method. Yuma, in better condition, would go.
But beyond this, the two of them didn't trust Yuma like Crow and Jack did.
Not that they didn't trust Yuma's dueling ability, but they were worried about him.
In Kite's view, Yuma was still a child, still needing to be protected, still a "little brother." Though he himself was still conscious, he had no way to duel and could only let Yuma participate. Facing this kind of dangerous duel, the pressure should be considerable, so he spoke some words with Yuma while also searching his own deck for cards that could help Yuma.
Quattro's thinking was different from Kite's, but his behavior was actually similar.
He wouldn't verbally worry about Yuma like Kite. But he desperately wanted to personally hit E-Ra. Since he couldn't personally hit E-Ra now, he had to have some sense of participation. So he stuffed all his ace cards into Yuma's hands, letting Yuma figure it out himself.
"Quattro..." Looking at the cards in his hands, Yuma looked at Quattro emotionally, feeling he was just short of hugging him.
"Don't look at me. If you lose, I won't forgive you!" Quattro coughed and continued. "Go. Take my share, father's share, Kite's and Hart's share, Nash's share, and everyone's share.
Let that thing know human fury is enough to burn a god!"
Yuma wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. His gaze gradually grew firm, then he suddenly nodded in place.
So the final duel selection was out!
The three people flew to the very front of the team, standing in a row, facing E-Ra.
Behind them were their companions, cheering them on.
"Just as expected."
E-Ra sneered.
From her perspective, the rightmost was Yuma, then Yusei, and finally Hikaru.
That is, their default order was Yuma, Yusei, Hikaru?
Because she was the Xyz Dimension's despair, Yuma Tsukumo fought first. Yusei Fudo's goal was connection and resonance, so he was position two. Position three was Hikaru, whose ideal was inclusion and creation, so he was position three.
Hmph.
Truly laughable and direct tacit understanding.
But this was also an opportunity.
So long as she won before Hikaru's turn, she could directly freeload the power of Super Polymerization.
"Everyone's Life Points are 12000. No objections?"
Everyone nodded.
"Also, field, Graveyard, and banished states are shared. Hands are not shared."
"Then, come on, humans! Feel genuine, true despair!"
Accompanying E-Ra's declaration, the world shifted from bright to dark. The tombstones' shadows were infinitely stretched. The entire world grew dim. This despairing world instantly became a black hole devouring all things!
"Prepare yourself, E-Ra!" Yuma shouted.
"Duel!" ×4.
Hope side: Yuma Tsukumo, Yusei Fudo, Hikaru. LP: 12000.
Despair side: E-Ra. LP: 12000.
....
STONES 💎
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