The night curtain falls. The day's clamor quietly hides away, and the trees intertwine like robust branches, forming an impenetrable wall, slicing the sky into mottled fragments.
The shadows of the trees stretch and twist, swaying like ghosts on the ground.
Marufuji Ryo treads this path, walking on his way back to the student dormitory after a day of studies.
This is the last semester of his studies at Duel Academy. But after living for three years on campus as an absolute king, Caesar is starting to feel a bit lost in this final semester.
It wasn't that he was unwilling to keep his title as the academy's Caesar. Especially after Yugen claimed the title of Duel King, no one thought it disgraceful when he lost to Yugen.
It's just that the duel with Yugen has kept him pondering, thinking about his future path in dueling, and how to break through the current bottleneck to proceed further.
Of course, he accepted Yugen's invitation without hesitation and joined his lab. And Yugen lived up to his word, showing him more possibilities for the Cyber Dragon.
Possibilities he had overlooked before.
Now his vision has widened, seeing more potential and more routes, but he still doesn't know which to choose. Nonetheless, he has decided to find his path this last semester and break through the bottleneck that's held him back for long into a higher realm.
The chilling mist rose silently from nowhere, spreading quietly, like the breath of a ghost rising from the depths of the earth. The entire forest gradually became shrouded in a haze.
Caesar noticed something was wrong halfway through his walk. The mist grew thicker, making it difficult for him to discern direction. Moreover, it didn't feel like an ordinary mist; it carried an air of ill-intent.
Returning from Duel City, Marufuji Ryo had also broadened his knowledge a lot. He had learned that there were many beings with dark powers, and even witnessed those with supreme power like the Evil God, which made him more sensitive to these matters.
"Who's there?"
He suddenly turned around.
Several seconds of silence.
Then a graceful figure slowly emerged from behind a tree, chuckling. The person was tall with long green hair, exotic eyes, vibrant red lips, and long, fair, shapely legs beneath her skirt.
"Not only cute, but also quite keen," the woman licked her lips, appreciatively sizing up Marufuji Ryo, "Upon closer look, you're rather handsome. Your baby genes must be pretty good too."
Marufuji Ryo was taken aback.
Jumping straight to having a baby, what kind of progress is this?
He took a half-step back, cautiously asking, "Please be respectful, miss. Who are you?"
"Me? I'm Camilla," she laughed softly, as a swarm of bats seemed to rise behind her.
She raised her arm, activating her Duel Disc.
"No need for too much explanation. However, if you can't defeat me in a duel, you won't be able to walk out of this fog."
Though Marufuji Ryo still didn't understand her background or intentions, given his expanded knowledge, he could guess some aspects: "Dark Duel?"
"Oh? You know quite a bit. That's right, it's a Dark Duel," Camilla chuckled, "Well, handsome, do you dare to accept?"
Marufuji Ryo recalled the terrifying moments of the Dark Duels he had witnessed in Duel City and the miserable states of those who lost.
Is it finally his turn to face such a moment?
To say he wasn't afraid would be a lie.
However...
"Then let's do it!"
Marufuji Ryo activated his Duel Disc.
He couldn't back down here, nor would he allow himself to do so.
The woman chuckled delightedly, "Great, I like brave and strong men like you. Let's do it!"
"Duel!" x2
[Marufuji Ryo, LP 4000]
[Camilla, LP 4000]
"I'll go first, draw!" Camilla declared, "Summon 'Undead Werewolf' in attack position!"
Under the moonlight, a werewolf with chained hands appeared, letting out a long howl toward the moon.
The original card from the animation used by Camilla which hasn't been made into a physical card.
[Undead Werewolf, Attack Power 1200]
"And I set a card face-down, ending my turn."
"My turn, draw!"
This was Marufuji's first experience with a Dark Duel. Although he didn't know how strong his opponent was, it was the most dangerous moment he had ever faced, and he had to give it his all using everything he had learned in life.
But before he could make a move, Camilla suddenly launched her attack. First, a string of sharp laughter, then a wave of her hand.
"Before you can make any moves, I'll block your way!"
"What?" Marufuji was startled.
"Activate the face-down card, Continuous Trap - Dragon Race Sealing Pot!"
The most renowned and widely-used anti-dragon tool from the DM era, a giant pot with a twisted dragon face appeared on Camilla's field.
"So long as this card is on the field, all attacks from Dragon Race are sealed!" Camilla laughed gleefully, "If you're using Dragon Race, then that's unfortunate..."
Seeing this seal move from the opponent, Marufuji instead closed his eyes, letting out a relieved chuckle.
"Indeed, just as Yugen said..."
Then he reopened his eyes and resumed his actions.
"Activate the Equipment Magic 'Future Fusion'!" Marufuji declared, "I can choose Fusion Material from my card deck to perform a Fusion Summon on a Fusion Monster!" (Original effect)
He drew out three Cyber Dragons from his card deck in one go.
"I send three 'Cyber Dragons' from my card deck to the graveyard for a Fusion Summon!"
Marufuji raised his arm high. Three Cyber Dragons appeared behind him, then successively transformed into currents of light engulfed in a whirlpool.
Surging energy and electric light burst forth, and the currents seemed to merge into a solid steel entity. A dragon's moving head, a steel body, a three-headed giant dragon descending like a steel fortress!
Electronic Ultimate Dragon, summon!
[Electronic Ultimate Dragon, Attack Power 4000]
Starting directly with a 4000 attack power behemoth.
But that wasn't the most shocking part for Camilla.
She stared with wide eyes, unable to hide her astonishment.
"Not a Dragon Race!?"
She exclaimed.
"Why? Aren't you a Dragon Race user?"
Before Marufuji could reply, a voice came from the mist beside them.
"Indeed. Those bats, are they your scouts?"
Camilla was taken aback.
"Using bats to probe the opponent's card deck before the battle, searching for their weaknesses... very clever, I don't dislike it. Unfortunately, once exposed, it might become your own weakness."
"Who is it!?" Camilla shouted.
Yugen chuckled lightly, walking out from the white mist.
Camilla's eyes shrank instantly, her expression turning quite grim.
"Duel King... Fujiki... Yugen!?"