"So, Aster lost?"
"Yes, Sartorius-sama."
Inside the pristine white headquarters of the Society of Light, the students knelt behind Sartorius, reporting to him.
Sartorius had, since childhood, possessed the power to directly read the future, to divine it through fate, a talent bordering on true foresight. According to legend, there was once a Millennium Item that could predict the future, but unlike that "artifact," Sartorius had been gifted with supernatural abilities from birth.
Innate!
He was born with this gift, this talent. And within his heart surged two conflicting impulses:
To use his abilities to bless the world, or to destroy it.
However, even for someone so gifted, there were still things that could not be easily divined.
Himself.
Thus, whether Aster could defeat Amaki Hikaru and thereby alter Sartorius's own destiny, that was something even he could not easily discern.
And now, the outcome stood before him.
The Sun had grown brighter!
[Reversed Position]... but it didn't matter!
Because the Sun card, upright or reversed, was always auspicious!
"This is what you requested, Sartorius-sama."
At that moment, Silver Meteor stepped forward respectfully, holding out a tray toward Sartorius.
Sartorius turned and gently took the cards from the tray.
The corners of his mouth lifted into an involuntary, slightly crazed smile that slowly spread across his face.
These two cards housed Amaki Hikaru's [Fate] and the power of [Light Force]!
"The time is noon, three days from now." He held the two cards and laughed grandly, issuing a command to the Society's members: "Notify everyone to gather in the hall at that hour."
"Understood!" Silver Meteor replied at once. "I'll personally escort any students nearby who haven't arrived."
Sartorius nodded lightly.
Then, once more, he picked up one of the cards in his hand, his smile gradually fading.
Three days.
Three days to assemble everyone, it would be enough.
He had already seen the future where all the members gathered at the Society.
Once they had all departed, he gently sat back in his chair.
However, this time, he didn't sit upright with formal dignity. Instead, he reclined, crossing one leg over the other, folding his hands in his lap, and closing his eyes.
Though his eyes were shut, it was as if images flickered before him.
Through them, he could see that three days later, those Society members would return one by one to prepare for the final "ceremony."
He could see it.
In three days;
Amaki Hikaru, fully prepared, would arrive before the Society, accompanied by many Duel Academy students, to challenge him.
Gladiator Beasts, Shaddoll, Gem-Knights, all kinds of Fusion Monsters. Every possibility and future appeared before his eyes.
And even…
His mouth opened instinctively into a grin, strange "steam" escaping like he was a demon dwelling in the sulfurous fires of hell.
Because…
He saw it!
He saw himself summoning a brand new ace, momentarily stunned by his own move, never expecting he could fight like this.
Bang.
A man who pursued "Perfect Fusion" lost to [Fusion], wasn't that the irony of [Fate]?
Then, Sartorius's smile disappeared in an instant.
He could see [Fate], but fate was fickle. He must ensure he seized that ultimate power within this time.
…
Meanwhile, just across the street from Sartorius's location, in Aster Phoenix's residence, Aster was intently inspecting every card he had.
"Aster, that Spirit named Winda isn't an ordinary spirit."
"She might not even be Winda, but the disguise of some powerful entity."
"The reason you could see your father's soul… it might have been because of her."
Having recovered from being overwhelmed by the Light Force, Aster could finally hear his partners again.
Although he had lost some of his ability to judge fate, Aster's spirit power had increased thanks to the Light Force. From previously only hearing Spirits, he could now even see them.
Beside him, Destiny HERO - Dasher was constantly giving his analysis, while Elemental HERO Phoenix Enforcer chimed in now and then.
"An extraordinary being?" Aster pulled out the card for Destiny HERO - Plasma. Both Spirits looked at the card and fell silent.
This Destiny HERO - Plasma, Aster's father once equated it with the Egyptian Gods. It was a card created by divine inspiration, filled with mysterious power and soul. Its card spirit, too, was [extraordinary].
Hikaru had helped him snap out of his despair, and even through that spirit Winda, gave him a chance to see his father again. This secret… he could never tell anyone else. Even if his partners warned him about the spirit's danger, he didn't care.
Because he believed that Hikaru, far more rational and resolute than himself, had his reasons for choosing to ally with such a spirit.
He had no right to question it.
"More importantly…" Aster slowly picked up his Deck.
"Dasher, you said that if I gain Plasma's recognition, his true form will emerge?"
"That's likely the case," Dasher nodded. "Aster, it's the last card your father ever made. It was born through guidance from Plasma's spirit.
"Because of the Light Force, it ended up like this.
"As long as you gain its recognition, the unfinished work your father left behind might finally be completed."
"That said… it's extremely dangerous, Aster," Phoenix Enforcer said in a low voice, conflicted. "Aster, with your synergy with us HEROes, there's no need to rush. In one or two years, it might awaken on its own. Trying to awaken or challenge it now could be incredibly risky."
"Three days."
"What?" Phoenix Enforcer paused in surprise.
"Three days," Aster said again, smiling. "I heard it, Sartorius told me. [He] Will hold a grand ceremony in three days."
"A ritual to destroy everything!"
"I must be ready before then!"
Aster looked at the card in his hand.
"Sartorius, Amaki Hikaru, they've both helped me so much recently. Now it's time for me to fight for it. How could I be afraid of a little danger?"
"Fate is calling me to battle!"
With that, he unhesitatingly bit his finger and let his blood drip onto the Destiny HERO - Plasma card.
Within seconds, a blood mist spread out. The stench of blood filled the room. Almost instantly, Aster was overwhelmed by a terrible force, slammed into the wall with a deafening crash, his vision spinning, he nearly passed out.
"Aster!" His two Spirits panicked.
"I-I'm fine," Aster said with a smile still on his face, staggering to his feet.
…
At the same time, Hikaru was also making his preparations.
"One last piece." He looked at the purple Monster card in his hand. "Just in case, I'll bring this one out too."
He was about to face an actual "boss" from the original. He had to be ready for anything!
...
If we can reach and maintain top 50 this week, I'll post 15 bonus chapters.
Bonus @200 PS