Western Critical Point.
"Hahaha—Hurry up, Shou, Kenzan!"
Yuki Judai, carrying a backpack, laughed as he bounded down the hillside with large strides, not at all worried about slipping, full of energy.
"Wait, big brother!!" Despite Shou's greatest effort to keep up with Judai, his height and physical ability didn't allow him to do such an incredulous thing.
"Haha, Shou, well, I'll just go on an adventure with big brother first!!" Tyranno Kenzan found Marufuji Shou's inadequacies amusing and laughed heartily, disregarding his senior status and quickly ran off.
A week ago, Judai found Kenzan and Shou. After witnessing Shou and his brother's duel, he led Shou and Kenzan off to all sorts of places.
They wouldn't go to the recorded sites but ran wildly in strange places.
Opportunities to adventure in unknown places like this are quite rare!
But whether by sheer luck or his own plan, Judai actually encountered a hidden duelist in these strange places, secured a victory, and obtained a "fish stamp."
In short, within just a week, Judai had acquired a stamp, and his adventures were very smooth.
Next, there was a good six months ahead.
Of course, such adventures had their prices, like the discomfort compared to sleeping at various Kaiba Company sites, but for Judai, who would rather fish for a day rather than attend classes, it was very entertaining.
And it was just right, having just experienced the Fusion Army incident, everyone's mood wasn't great, so such adventures helped alleviate tension, and Kenzan and Shou didn't complain.
They wanted to have carefree fun, too.
However, while running, the smile on Judai's face suddenly ceased.
"Judai, be careful."
A voice warned him in his ear.
"Hmm."
In response, Judai altered his reckless descent, took a fierce step forward, braked with his left foot, and pulled Shou, who nearly faceplanted, to himself, the red school uniform flapping like a coat in the wind.
"What—what's wrong, big bro?" Marufuji Shou asked, panting.
"Big bro?" Kenzan also asked Judai, puzzled.
To hold two peers with one hand, Judai's arm strength was astonishing even to someone like him with the bones of a dinosaur.
Judai squinted, looking ahead.
It seemed like a spirit's village, houses collapsed, fire everywhere, with cries of children and sinister laughter.
"Wait here for me." Yuki Judai withdrew his hand, picked up his bag with one hand, and said seriously.
"How can that be, big bro?" Shou immediately protested, "It looks dangerous ahead, how can we let you go alone!"
"Yeah, big bro, as your underling, I'll definitely go with you!"
Judai turned back to the two.
Judai had many good friends, with the closest being the Fusion Department family.
But beyond that, though Shou and Kenzan took the initiative to call him "big brother," he genuinely saw them as brothers.
Months back, Judai faced a spirit rampage attack, and Mitsuzawa got injured. After that, Judai secretly began training.
For someone who hated studying and would rather fish if utterly bored, practicing spirit power was inconceivable to outsiders.
However, he indeed trained.
His physical ability already surpassed peers, and with the spirit's amplification and personal training, he was confident he could take on two Blue Academy guards himself.
But—could such confidence and skill protect others in battle?
It was uncertain.
Yet, he didn't hesitate long, nor refuse, and ran straight towards the besieged village.
No matter how unclear the situation, he could tell, this village was attacked by other spirits, those spirits even taking delight in their cruelty and slaughter within!
This he could not ignore!
He reached the village, caught a launched spirit, glanced at him, and said, "Can you hold on! Stay strong!"
It looked like Freed the Matchless General?
With a breath left, struggling, he said, "The village was attacked, my children, all slaughtered..."
Judai's mouth trembled.
To protect the children, it seemed this elder spirit had nearly exhausted all strength, fainting.
"Ha, where's this meddling fellow from, daring to disturb my fun?" A red figure with a magic staff softly tapped his back, sizing up Judai, "Oh? A human... are you the humans rumored lately?
Stay away, spirit matters don't concern you humans. I'm not playing house with you."
"Why do such things?!" Looking at the surroundings, hearing children's cries, seeing numerous collapsed houses, Judai looked at this spirit, gritting his teeth, trembling as he asked.
Bullying the weak, was it really fun?!
"Why?" The Mage laughed heartily, "Because it's fun—what else?"
"Killing these weak spirits, increasing my power?" As he spoke, this Mage excitedly scratched his head.
A black smoke emanated from his body, a light curtain appeared behind him.
That was—
Judai's eyes widened.
It was the strange light Manjome and Hikari investigated before, right!?
Due to the dimension invasion ordeal, Manjome and Hikari shared everything they knew with the Fusion Department members, making Judai realize these odd "lights" might originate from the same source that attacked him and Mitsuzawa.
It's said Akaba Leo also had this strange light.
These lights incite battle hunger and a thirst for destruction. Moreover, through destruction, the possessed would grow stronger.
It seemed this spirit attacked other spirits to grow stronger!
Judai gently passed the unconscious Freed the Matchless General to Kenzan, suggesting he take him aside to rest, then wordlessly opened his bag to retrieve a duel disk.
"Oh ho, a human warrior—" The Mage ignited with more furious flames, glaring white light mixing with fire scorched the air, "Interesting, if I can eliminate you, I should gain more power!
This challenge, I'll accept it!"
As he spoke, countless fiery serpents rose from the ground, coiling around his left arm, gradually forming a red-hot duel disk.
Yuki Judai LP: 4000.
Legendary Flame Lord LP: 4000.