A pitch-black chamber, a detention room set apart from the rest.
A guard sat slumped on a wooden chair outside it, thin and unremarkable, asleep — carefree, as if the man locked behind those bars had never given anyone a moment's tension.
Behind the iron bars, in the dark, Shun knelt with his eyes closed.
Days had passed. No food had come. He said nothing. He was silent, but far from calm.
He sat with everything that had happened to him, turning it over again and again. Nothing in it offered comfort. Not one memory brought him anything close to peace.
His hands turned into fists. His shut eyes pressed tighter.
"Happy ninth birthday, nii-san."
"Thank you, Ruri."
Young Ruri beamed up at him.
"We're going right now, right?"
"Don't be so impatient. It's my birthday. You're not the one supposed to be getting gift."
"No! I am giving you this gift. I'm taking you to the amusement park. You only have to pay for the tickets!"
"Fine, fine. I understand."
Shun took her hand, and they left the house together, riding the bus to the park in comfortable silence.
"Here we are, nii-san!"
"I've never been here before."
"Then I'm glad I picked it."
It was still just before noon, the sun mild, a steady cool breeze keeping the whole park comfortable.
"Let's go on that ride first, nii-san!
"And that one!
"And that one!"
"Calm down, Ruri. We'll go on every single one. Just one at a time after another."
They rode through the park's attractions — the Park Riders, Train Chaser, Rope Seats, Boat Tiers, Ferris Wheel — until they finally collapsed onto a bench, only Shun resting while Ruri still bounced with energy.
"Nii-san, I want ice cream."
"We just ate lunch."
"But I want something sweet."
"Fine, fine. Come with me." He took her hand again. "Don't let go of my hand, Ruri. This place is too crowded. You'll get lost."
"Mm-hm."
They walked five minutes to a small ice cream store, the man inside was more interested in his television than his customers.
"Two chocolate ice creams, please."
"Yeah, coming right up."
"Here you go."
"Thanks. Here, Ruri—"
He turned, and she wasn't there. He had looked away for only a few seconds.
"Ruri!"
Both chocolate cones hit the ground.
"Hey, kid! Pay for those first!"
Shun ran faster than he'd ever run in his life, looking at every face in the crowd.
A thought struck him far too late. He pulled out his dumbphone phone and dialed her number.
"Nii-san?"
"Ruri, where are you?"
"I'm... by the big tree."
"The biggest one?"
"Mm-hm."
He reached the park's green section in under four minutes.
There she was, gripping her dumbphone phone in one hand and her pink sling bag in the other.
"Hey, are you her brother?"
A boy nearby asked.
Shun's fist connected with his face before he'd even decided to swing.
"Nii-san! What are you doing?!"
"Did he take you here?!"
"No, nii-san! There was a clown juggling balls and handing out toys. I went to look, and before I knew it I was lost. He was helping me find you!"
"Then why didn't you call me?"
"I forgot your number. I don't remember Mom or Dad's either."
"...But those numbers are saved in your phone."
"I forgot about it..."
Her eyes welled up. Becoming teary. Shun took a deep, slow breath.
"...Sorry. I overreacted."
"It's fine."
The boy pulled himself up off the ground, wiping his face.
"Keep a better eye on your little sister next time. You shouldn't let her out of your sight."
He said, already disappearing into the crowd.
"Sorry, nii-san. I made you worry."
Shun gave a small, relieved smile.
"Don't worry about it. Looking after you is my job. There's nothing to apologize for."
"No — it's because I wandered off. I couldn't even help myself once I got lost. I made you worry."
He set a hand gently on her head.
"I mean it. If I don't protect you, who will?"
"Mm-hm."
Shun's crossed arms tightened, his shut eyes pressing harder, as another fragment surfaced.
An empty court, no equipment in sight, just three kids standing around.
"So what do we do now?"
"Let's just take turns."
"That's not going to be fun."
Two of them argued back and forth. The third leaned against the green mesh fence ringing the court — black pants, white leather jacket with black trim strips and zipped shut, a metal men's locket hanging from his neck, the belt at his waist hanging loose.
His arms were crossed as he watched a young man in a black T-shirt under brown shirt walk past in dark jeans.
"Hey!"
The stranger looked over to the person. Something in his eyes carried real weight.
"Are you a Duelist?"
"I am."
"Then duel with us. We're short a person."
"Oi, Yuto, he's way older than us!"
"Yeah, obviously! He's probably really strong!"
The stranger's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Scared already? Before you've even tried?"
"Are you actually strong?"
"Depends how weak you are."
Yuto's mouth curved into something sharp.
"You weren't planning a tag duel?"
"No. We wanted to duel one at a time, so the third person wouldn't just sit around bored. I want to become the strongest Duelist there is. Beating those two alone wouldn't mean anything. I want real opponents."
"...That's a little childish. Whatever. You want to duel me, then?"
"That's exactly what I said."
"I'll wipe that smile off your face."
Blue-flamed warriors and a roaring lightning dragon clashed across the court against gleaming, sky-borne mechanical sky kings, the whole space lit up in flashing colors.
By the end, both boys sat on the ground, drenched in sweat, chests heaving.
"It was amazing duel."
"Guess you weren't all talk. What's your name?"
"Yuto. What is yours?"
"Shun."
"You're strong. I couldn't afford to let my guard down for a second."
"Same to you. Your plays were unpredictable — pulling from hand, field, and graveyard."
"That's just how me and my Phantom Knights fight. Like a warrior who never lowers his weapon, no matter the situation."
"My Raidraptors are the same. They come down from the sky no matter what."
"Whoa, that was amazing."
One of the other boys said.
"Yuto's the strongest out of all of us. I didn't know someone could actually push him that hard."
They talked a while longer before parting ways.
"Hey, are you a student at Heartland Duel School? You must be close to graduating."
"No. I just got accepted."
"What? You look at least two years older than me."
"How old are you?"
"Thirteen."
"I'm sixteen."
"You're older than me and already this strong. Why are you enrolling just now?"
Shun paused before answering.
"I wanted to start now. Age doesn't stop you from applying. I'm still within range, that's all."
"That's not what I meant."
"I know. I just wanted to start now."
"Your acceptance letter must have already come, then."
"Yeah, yesterday, actually. What about you? Are you not in school yet?"
"I have applied too. Letter hasn't arrived yet."
"I got placed in the Spade branch. I wonder where you'll land."
"I don't really care which branch. But being end up in your class would d be fun."
"I also want to. I'm sure you'll get in."
"Thanks. Hope so."
Another fragment surfaced — graduation day of seniors, a packed gymnasium, the round of duels against underclassmen before the ceremony.
"Oi, Yuto. How long are you gonna take?"
"The seniors are stronger than I expected."
"Heh. Are you losing? Ruri's doing better than you."
"I'm winning this, just watch!"
Then, a malicious jolt of thunder roared. And just after that, a whole part of Heartland was filled with screams of it's own people. Horrified screams.
His blood flowed faster than ever.
"Oi, what's this kid doing here?"
Sawatari pointed at the newest arrival, a boy clutching a stuffed toy.
"His name is Riley. He's coming with us."
"What's that supposed to mean, Akaba Reiji? This isn't a kids' game. It's win or die, and you're bringing a brat to Fusion Dimension?"
"We aren't going to Fusion Dimension."
"What?!"
"We don't know enough about that place. We don't have numbers, nor strong strategy. That's exactly why we're going to Synchro Dimension first."
"Synchro Dimension..."
"To build an alliance. To gather enough force to actually stand against Academia."
"If we're going to fight, now is the time! I'm not waiting any longer to make them pay! Who knows how Ruri is right now!"
"Which is exactly why we need greater numbers. A fight we can't win is the same as losing before it starts. I don't operate that way."
The newest, most unexpected member of the Lancers spoke up.
"I'm with Reiji Akaba on this. Without strength, all we have left is a dream of fighting them."
"You just appeared out of nowhere," Shun snapped. "What makes you think your opinion is worth hearing?"
"Shun, right? I want to help because what's happening is wrong. I don't know how strong I really am, but I'll push past whatever limit I have if it means helping."
"You talk like you're already the strongest person here." Shun rounded on Ryo."You said there's some unknown dimensional signature coming off him. So what proves he isn't an Academia spy?"
"Because I'm not."
"Words alone don't prove anything."
"They don't," Ryo said evenly. "Then tell me — what proves your sister is really being held by Academia?"
"...Her friend Sayaka came to me in tears one day. Said she couldn't find Ruri anywhere. She had gone to fetch water and never came back." Shun's jaw tightened. "That has to be Academia's doing. There's no other explanation!"
In the corner, Razz murmured to Vance.
"This adventure hasn't even started and they're already at each other's throats. Something like this should happen in the middle of an anime."
"This isn't an anime, and it isn't a adventure, Razz. Keep that attitude up during this mission and you'll lose more than you realize."
Celina spoke quietly to Shun, calming the room, until some of the fight went out of him.
Ryo distributed a set of specialized cards from Leo Corporation's Research and Development department, and Reiji explained what each one was meant to do. Everything was okay. But Reiji had to say they took this technology from an outsider's Duel Disk.
Shun's expression darkened as he listened. He turned on Yuya.
"You're carrying Yuto's ace. His partner monster. And now all these Duel Disks is running the same functions as his. Did you take his Duel Disk from him too?!"
"N-no! I didn't—"
Something in Shun cracked at that — disappointment, maybe, in himself, or in the whole situation — and he couldn't argue further, only resolve to become fiercer. Stronger.
But I couldn't.
Shun's eyes snapped open in the dark cell, fury sharpening behind them.
I couldn't protect Ruri. I promised her I'd always keep her safe. That I'd never lose sight of her again.
I wasn't strong enough. Yuto was always calmer, always stronger than I ever was.
One failure after another. That's all I've done.
From somewhere down the corridor, shouting and commotion reached him. He was moving before he'd even finished the thought.
He vanished from the cell.
The guard outside jolted awake. "I said don't disturb—" He turned, and froze. "Everyone! The prisoner's gone!"
The moment the reinforced door opened, Shun dropped down from above, taking the responding guard out cold, then every guard that followed after him.
Not anymore. Not you, Ruri. Not you either, Yuto. I'll take down anyone who stands in my way to save you both.
I'll crush everyone who gets in my way.
With his resolve set, the rebellion spreading through the Facility carried him along with it — prisoners breaking loose in every direction, guards scrambling to hold a line that had already given way.
Gongenzaka came to save Shun. But Shun had already saved himself. Without any word, Shun went to take his Duel Disk and deck.
By the time they all made it outside, into the reeking sprawl of the trash and disposal yard, Security officers were already waiting, closing in on every side. Roget commanding from front.
Just as the last shard of their hope was about to give out, a massive white craft arrived of the sky above them.