"Urgh!"
Kirk Dixon staggered backward, face pale, barely able to stand.
So strong...
He now understood. When the other said "you're only at this level," there was no mockery—just a statement of fact.
In this man's eyes, he truly was just fodder.
So this is the power of the Gladiators...
"It's only the tip of the iceberg."
Mello walked forward slowly.
"This deck hides abilities you cannot comprehend. Unfortunately, at your level, you'll likely never see more."
Kirk gritted his teeth, trying to stand, lips trembling, body shaking.
He could only force his head up.
"What do you want?" Kirk asked hoarsely. "You already stole the deck you wanted, didn't you? Why come back? Why target our Industrial Illusion... cough... cough..."
"Why?"
Mello stopped before him, his Duel Disk reformed into a cane.
He tapped Kirk's forehead with the cane, a mocking smile on his lips.
"As a top Card Professor under the Industrial Illusion, you can't be ignorant of how this world truly works, can you?" Mello said. "Ever since your Professor Pegasus unearthed the Duel Monster slabs from ancient Egypt three millennia ago, the fate of this world began to shift.
Duel Monsters, at first just a popular game on the streets, gradually revealed extraordinary power.
First the ancient relics—capable of manipulating hearts and destroying the world.
Then the impact on technology—cards seeping into diverse fields, advancing global tech by decades in just ten years..."
"What are you trying to say?" Kirk panted.
Mello gazed at him coolly.
"The point is: the Industrial Illusion may look like a card entertainment company on the surface. In truth, over the years it has forged deep ties with astronomy, physics, military tech—every field. It's already the core enterprise of this world.
If you want a world to truly fall, you must strike at its heart."
Kirk's mind was slipping. His vision filled with blinding light, as if all things were being devoured by purity.
At those words, he jerked his head up. "You—you're Light..."
"Right. Your Industrial Illusion was among the first to sense our presence... Correct. We are the entity you named 'Light Force.'"
Mello admitted it openly.
"Sartorius was wrong from the start. He tried to find some earth-ending weapon, but that was never going to work.
The Industrial Illusion is the foundation stone of this tower—and it will be the beginning of its collapse."
"This won't happen..." Kirk's consciousness blurred. "You can't—you won't—"
He never finished. His head drooped.
"Oh, I can. And you will help me."
Mello spoke calmly.
"Now, I need a small favor. Take me to Maximillion Pegasus."
Silence for a few seconds.
Then Kirk Dixon slowly raised his head again. In that instant, his hair had turned pure white, and his eyes shone with pale light.
"No problem."
…
Gentle waves embraced an island at sea, encircled by endless green. A luxurious castle stood at the island's center, within which rested an elegant villa. Sunlight filtered through glass domes, lighting every corner like a sea palace.
Behind the villa lay a private beach of fine sand, and beside it a crystal-clear private pool like a giant sapphire inlaid in stone. The water was pristine; smooth white pebbles lined the edge. The air carried hints of flowers and sea salt.
Maximillion Pegasus lounged on a wide white wicker recliner, wearing a soft gray-white bathrobe, collar loose, holding a glass of ruby wine that gleamed under the evening glow.
This was where legends began—the island that hosted the first Duelist Kingdom. Here, Yugi Muto defeated the father of Duel Monsters and claimed his first Duel King title.
That was ten years ago. The past has dispersed like clouds. Even remembering that battle where the boy toppled him, the loss of the Millennium Eye, the wife he could not save—Pegasus now only smiled, at peace.
He'd long retired and let go. Except for world-threatening matters like the search for the apocalyptic Ultimate D card, he'd left ordinary affairs to his two adopted sons.
Recently, news came that the Light of Destruction inhabiting Sartorius had been defeated by the current Duel King, Fujiki Kira, and that the Ultimate D lost for a decade had been recovered. "Youngsters are remarkable."
Pegasus sipped wine and basked in the sun, eyes half-closed.
Duel King Kira—he hadn't interacted much with him, but the man seemed interesting.
For some reason, from indirect impressions, Kira reminded him of Yugi—not the Pharaoh, as the world imagines, but the present-world personality.
Having faced the original Duel King deeply as the first boss, Pegasus knew the difference. They looked the same, but their styles—and even their presence while merely standing—were completely different.
The dark persona radiated kingly dominance, exerting pressure in a duel.
The other, easily underestimated, at first glance seemed just a vessel for the king—a feeble chick. But later you realize even that frailty was part of the trap—like his dueling itself. By the time you notice, you're sunk in a web of chains, unable to escape...
"If someday I introduce Yugi-boy to Kira-boy, that'd be delightful," the retired Pegasus mused, chuckling.
A voice came from behind.
"Two generations of Duel Kings meeting? A fun idea. But Mr. Pegasus, you'd better worry about yourself first."
Pegasus frowned and turned. Mello strode into his private courtyard, stopping by the pool, smiling as he met Pegasus's gaze.
"You?" Pegasus said coldly. "Why are you here?"
"Nothing special." Mello shrugged and narrowed his eyes. "Just borrowing your throne for a while."