"It's unbelievable, sir!"
Yugen was sitting in the director's office of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau, facing a projection screen displaying a doctor in a lab coat with an exaggerated expression, his voice sharp with excitement.
"Ever since the duel between Yusei Fudo and Jack Atlas at the Dueling Hall the other night, the operation of the Mo~Ment has reached an unprecedented peak!"
Moment, the name of the perpetual motion machine that serves as the heart of today's New Tongshiyi City. This perpetual motion machine is located in the underground facilities of the Kaiba Group, providing the city with endless energy.
The person talking to Yugen was Dr. Akutsu, the head of the Moment department. Akutsu is a super genius in perpetual motion machine research, so passionate about its development that he almost becomes fanatical. Therefore, he always likes to elongate his pronunciation of "Moment" as if to express his affection.
"The numbers have declined a bit these days, but they're still quite impressive." Akutsu said with excitement, "I have a hunch, our research on the Moment might just break through to a new level anytime soon!"
"Hmm, maybe. In a few days, the Lucky Cup is about to begin."
Yugen responded calmly to him.
"Around that time, the Moment will probably have a more apparent reaction. Be sure to closely monitor the operation of the Moment and report any fluctuations to me immediately."
Akutsu snapped to attention: "Understood, sir!"
The operation of the Moment is closely related to dueling, and the duels of the Dragon Sealer significantly boost the energy surge of the Moment. Such tremendous energy is naturally a good thing if kept within certain limits. However, if it exceeds the load, it could trigger another disaster like the Zero Reverse incident, potentially blowing the entire city away.
With the Lucky Cup approaching, just a few Dragon Sealers aren't enough. These days, Yugen also had Vice Director Yego run around to gather duelists from various places to participate in the tournament.
Though we say duelists, they naturally don't really expect them to defeat the main characters, the Dragon Sealers. These duelists' true task is to serve as experience packets, aiding the protagonists to gain experience through intense duels or psychological tactics, awakening their abilities by any means necessary.
The task of finding the experience packets was wholly entrusted to Yego, and Yugen didn't interfere. He's been busy running to the Card Development Department these past few days.
5DS is an era of rapid Synchro development, and most card research institutes focus mainly on Synchro. Many well-known Synchro Monsters and Synchro Card Decks were created during this era.
Sifting through many seemingly unpromising projects at the research institute these past few days, Yugen discovered a series he saw potential in.
Scrap.
Despite being named Scrap, this card deck was not at all scrap in the early Synchro era; it was once a powerful T1 deck in the environment.
The main feature of the Scrap deck is self-destruction, unfolding through self-explosion. The series' characteristic is using the effects of "Scrap" cards to destroy one's "Scrap" cards, triggering various effects upon destruction to create a tight offensive.
Compared to the main deck, the extra deck's Synchro Monster big boss, "Scrap Iron Dragon," should be the most famous one in that environment.
Scrap Iron Dragon, an Eight-Star Synchro, requires only one Tuner plus one or more non-Tuner monsters as materials, with no restriction on using Scrap monsters, allowing it to be easily integrated into any mainstream deck.
With an attack power of 2800, its effect allows you to select and destroy one card on each side of the field once per turn. In the early Synchro environment, it was almost the best general-use explosive Synchro plug-in and very powerful.
Additionally, if the Scrap Iron Dragon is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, it can revive a Scrap monster from your graveyard, ensuring continued force. It has an excellent single-card performance among Eight-Star Synchros. Back then, any mainstream with the capability to summon Eight-Star Synchros would consider including the Scrap Iron Dragon.
While stocking up... no, wait, now it should be called inspecting at the Synchro Research Institute, Yugen was happily immersed in the warehouse when a muffled voice said from the side.
"Speaking of which, there are so many guys called 'Synchro Monsters' in this era, each seeming more useful than the last. Would you abandon us for a new love?"
Yugen glanced behind him; the one speaking was the floating eye. But now everyone knew it was Cotton Candy.
"How could I?"
Yugen cheerfully stuffed another card into the card box as he spoke.
"To a Duelist, every card is unique and irreplaceable."
"You're all my wings."
Cotton Candy squinted: "Ugh, that just sounds unreliable to me."
"Did you pop out with the sole purpose of saying this?"
Yugen continued picking cards without lifting his head.
"Not really," Cotton Candy replied, "just reminding you that some ominous presence started appearing in your city just now."
Yugen paused, frowning: "An ominous presence?"
"Yes. Well, technically it's across the river," Cotton Candy said, "does that no longer count as part of the city?"
Across the river... the Satellite District?
Yugen temporarily put down the cards in his hand, pondering for a moment.
He recalled that the Satellite District was the main battlefield for the battles between the Dragon Sealers and the Dark Markers. The awakened Dark Markers' base seemed established in the Satellite District. They brainwashed and controlled many Satellite District residents, gathering them to serve as soul bait to summon the Earth-Bound God.
But the Dark Markers' actions should begin after the Lucky Cup, after the Dragon Sealers have shown themselves.
Could this also be a part of the historical deviation? Have the Dark Markers started acting early?
Cotton Candy looked at him: "What do you say, boss?"
"I should check it out."
Yugen set out towards the door.
...
...
Meanwhile, in the Satellite District.
A derelict factory, where moonlight seeped through the broken ceiling, forming a pale frost on the rusty conveyor belts. The air reeked of a mixture of machine oil and damp moss.
Residents of the Satellite District passing by couldn't help but stop, casting curious glances at the ruins of the decrepit factory.
In the center of the factory appeared an altar.
A trapezoid altar, occupying the central factory area, long steps of green stone broke through the soil between rusty presses. Bronze fire basins hung beneath twisted steel beams, with ghostly green flames licking faded safety slogans.
The Satellite District residents looked at each other in confusion.
This factory... did it always have this thing?
Under the moonlight, amidst the hazy mist, a figure appeared vaguely atop the altar.
The figure, cloaked, riding a fine horse, gazed into the distance, the cloak billowing in the wind like an ancient general.
The general emitted a weathered voice.
"Almost... they should arrive shortly."