As the Duel ended, Yusei arrived at Hikaru's location. After seeing Serena, he nodded at Hikaru, then turned his gaze to the giant geoglyph beside them.
The enormous vulture-shaped flame painting suspended in the sky had not dissipated. The gigantic Earthbound Immortal still lingered overhead, breathing like a force of nature, inhaling and exhaling, causing the entire world to seemingly brighten and darken with each breath.
It was as if this colossal bird were the sun and moon of the entire world.
"A Genesis God-level entity?" Tierra raised an eyebrow.
Stronger than her current self, but only marginally so.
In the distance, after Crow defeated Shinji, a pained expression briefly crossed his face. But he just gritted his teeth, not speaking, not shedding tears.
When a Duel ends, all grudges between the two Duelists should vanish like smoke.
He simply remained silent, continuing his ride without a word.
"Crow."
Yusei watched Crow's relentless D-Wheel pull farther away. He frowned. "He wants to complete that Geoglyph..."
In this world, Duels between chosen ones could accelerate the completion of a Geoglyph. Once the Geoglyph was complete, the god within it would fully awaken.
It would no longer be bound by the Geoglyph, no longer an "Earthbound Immortal", but would return to its original form, its truest form: the posture of a "Synchro God."
If Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca's Geoglyph was completed first, while other gods had not yet revived, then victory would essentially be secured.
Yusei recalled that Wiraqocha Rasca was the "Ultimate Earthbound Immortal", widely confirmed as the strongest candidate among the Earthbound Immortals. Even a direct confrontation with the Crimson Dragon could only be described as evenly matched.
If Crow completed the Geoglyph before the Signers could awaken the Crimson Dragon's complete form, then everything Yusei had worked for would come to nothing.
He frowned deeply.
Screeeech
Just then, everyone heard the violent sound of braking. A D-Wheel, after a frantic drift, skidded to a stop in front of them.
"Kalin!" Yusei exclaimed.
Kalin stopped his D-Wheel and removed his helmet, revealing not his usual manic expression, but a face tinged with sorrow.
He looked at the giant Geoglyph nearby, at the Ultimate Earthbound Immortal soaring through the sky, and at Crow speeding into the distance. He couldn't help but sigh.
Then he turned to Yusei, and, as if suddenly seized by some strange impulse, burst into wild laughter. "Hahahaha! Yusei, seeing you so conflicted is truly satisfying!"
"Kalin, why are you here."
"Hmph. My little protégé was defeated. Of course I had to come!" Kalin snorted.
Although he hadn't spoken much with Shinji, the "Earthbound" power in Shinji's possession was precisely what had been used to revive his own Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu. The scattered Earthbound Geoglyphs flowing through the Lower District had all been provided by Kalin himself.
Since his revival, he hadn't changed much. He had only two goals.
First, revenge. To get revenge on Yusei, who had betrayed him.
Second, Dueling. To Duel however he pleased. To Duel freely and wildly in this insane world.
People in the Lower District couldn't Duel people in the Upper District? Then he would share his own power with them. Give them the strongest Dark Sign power and let this world revel in chaos.
He hadn't originally cared much for Shinji's beliefs, the Lower District's resistance against the Upper District. He just wanted to Duel. To Duel wildly and joyfully.
But when he saw Shinji and Crow, good friends, Dueling with the intent to destroy each other, Kalin, who had never been particularly invested in Shinji, finally felt a pang of sadness.
Because he remembered his own friendship with Yusei. And the rift between them.
Even if it truly had been a misunderstanding, at this point, the hostility born from that misunderstanding was real. And once hatred takes root, it never fully disappears.
More importantly...
"Yusei, what's wrong?" He suddenly whipped his head around and shouted. "At this point, do you still want to abandon Crow? Do you want to make Crow feel the same pain I felt!?"
"Kalin, once Crow completes the Geoglyph, you know what will happen, don't you?" Yusei shot back.
Kalin simply laughed. "Isn't that even better, Yusei! Since Crow is determined to change this world, shouldn't you support him as a friend? Just like Crow once supported you."
Yusei couldn't immediately refute that.
"Yusei." Hikaru interjected. "As a friend, you should point out your friend's mistakes. That's the right thing to do, isn't it?
If back then, when Kalin attacked Sector Security, you had told him not to do it, or told him it was wrong... then you would still be the best of friends."
He casually tapped Serena on the head, drawing a yelp of pain from her. "Just like this idiot, who unilaterally decided to play the hero. She caused a city-wide manhunt, and Rin and Yugo, who were studying under you, nearly suffered because of it.
If she had asked me or anyone else at the time, if someone had given her advice or corrected her, she wouldn't have ended up like this."
Kalin frowned, glaring at Hikaru with obvious displeasure. "Tch. Yusei, who is this kid? He has no business speaking here!"
But after hearing those words, Yusei's tightly furrowed brows suddenly relaxed.
During this time, because he had witnessed a ruined future, his mind had been wound impossibly tight, terrified of making a single wrong move. And ironically, that very tension had left his thoughts muddled.
Yes.
"He's a friend I met at the Friendship Cup." Even in this urgent moment, Yusei generously extended his hand to introduce Hikaru to Kalin. "He's a Duelist specializing in Fusion from the Fusion Dimension. A truly excellent Duelist."
"A Duelist specializing in Fusion, huh? Hahahaha, that's truly interesting!" Kalin wasn't like most Duelists in this Dimension, who believed Synchro was supreme and looked down on "classical" summoning methods.
For Kalin, a Duel was a Duel. As long as he won, any tactic was fair game. What a Duelist should do was enjoy the Duel, so the summoning method didn't matter.
"Kalin, I know Crow would never do anything evil. But if he completes the Geoglyph, it'll only start a brand new cycle. For this world, nothing will actually change."
"I don't care what happens to this world," Kalin said indifferently. "What does that have to do with me?"
It didn't matter who became the "only god."
"It does," Yusei said firmly. "As long as this world doesn't find a new path forward, then your tragedy, Shinji's tragedy, all of our tragedies will keep repeating. I want to change all of that."
"Heh, then go Duel Crow," Kalin sneered. "Can you Duel him? Will he Duel you?"
Two pointed questions.
Yusei could easily answer the first: Yes. He could accept any Duel.
But the second...
"That guy must be in a lot of pain right now, having just destroyed his best friend. And for what?" Kalin continued. "For himself, for the children he wants to protect, and for you. That kid, the last time I saw him, I could tell he desperately wanted to help you but hated that he couldn't do a thing."
If Yusei challenged Crow to a Duel, Crow would definitely refuse.
And given Yusei's personality, he could never force someone into a Duel.
"That's not difficult."
While the two argued, Hikaru had already raised his left hand. The Dark Mark on his arm emitted a crimson glow, drawing their attention.
"Yusei, ultimately, Crow ended up like this because of Serena." He shot another fierce glare at Serena.
Serena flinched.
"No, the real enemy is the people from New Domino City," Yusei said, shaking his head. "You can't blame good people. The source of evil is those who kidnap and commit atrocities. Besides, Crow ended up this way because of his disagreement with Shinji. It has nothing to do with her."
"The ones cooperating with New Domino City's elite are people from my Dimension. The Fusion Army. My enemies."
Hikaru responded calmly: "And even if Crow's situation truly has nothing to do with Serena, she was still the spark that set it off. I can't just ignore that. Otherwise, as a Duelist, how can I uphold my own Duel?"
He turned to Kalin. "You two should also want to settle the score, right?"
They exchanged a glance, and Kalin suddenly burst into laughter. "Hahahaha! Interesting! Kid, I like you!"
"How about it, Yusei? Dare to Duel me! Last time, your Duel Runner malfunctioned and we never got a winner. This time, you'd better give me a real fight!"
Before Yusei could even respond, Kalin had already turned and sped off.
Yusei took a deep breath.
Before leaving, he looked at Hikaru with concern. "Hikaru, be careful of Crow's Earthbound Immortal and his Assault Blackwing combo. That combination... is almost invincible."
At least, he himself hadn't figured out how to beat it yet.
"Heh, my favorite thing is defeating the invincible," Hikaru replied with a light chuckle.
Yusei was still worried, but after a moment, he gave a firm nod. Then he started his Duel Runner and chased after Kalin.
"Ha! You actually followed, Yusei? Aren't you worried he'll lose to Crow? Even I'm trembling with excitement just thinking about that guy!" Kalin laughed. "Besides, he's also a Dark Signer. If he wins, aren't you worried he'll seize the chance to revive the Earthbound Immortal backing him?"
"No! Because he is Hikaru! A true Fusionist."
The reason Yusei chose to give up his Dragon Signer identity, chose to accept modification, chose to participate in the "only god" war in human form, was precisely because Hikaru had inspired him.
He wanted to reconcile all people, all gods, to lead every living thing onto a new path, instead of drifting through an eternal cycle with no foreseeable end. And if that was what he believed, then he should place absolute trust in Hikaru.
That was the true meaning of "Synchro."
It was also the inspiration he had gained in the future, witnessing Hikaru's unwavering devotion to Fusion.
After Hikaru came to this world, Yusei had watched every one of his Duels here.
Hikaru was truly too pure. Too "Fusion."
And so, he believed that Hikaru, the purest Fusion Duelist he had ever known, would never disappoint anyone.
That was Hikaru.
...
Stones??