The Duel Terminal's feed, projected through holograms, poured like a tidal wave into every major Duel Plaza across the Redemption Satellite Zone in real time.
At the instant the sacred blaze struck its opponent head-on and Chigami's LP hit zero, the giant screen froze on the glaring red "LP: 0" warning. The plaza fell into a silence so sharp you could hear a pin drop, and then, in the next second, it detonated into a deafening storm of cheers.
Duelists who had endured and endured beneath that perpetually gray sky had their eyes turn red with emotion. Some gripped their Duel Disks and dropped to their knees, screaming as they finally vented years of suppressed unwillingness and burning blood.
Others threw their arms around each other and cried with joy, tears streaming down their faces along with their smiles.
"We won! We finally won!!!"
Inside the arena, the holy flames gradually calmed like a receding sea. The golden Eye of Horus that had been flowing across Yusaku's face slowly faded away. His hair, still carrying that faint dawnlike sheen of gold, shed its divinity and returned to its dark brown-black shade. Only the Millennium Puzzle floating at his chest refused to fully dim, leaving behind a gentle, lingering warmth that made it seem even more sacred.
The moment he turned around, hosts from dojos all across the Redemption Satellite Zone crowded in, surrounding him. Every face was filled with unrestrained excitement and a reverence that came straight from the heart.
"Yusaku! You actually did it!"
"I knew you could!"
"Come visit our Flame Dojo more often! Our dojo will always welcome you!"
While the dojo hosts clustered around Yusaku in gratitude, a shout rose from the giant screen in the Never-Sunset Arena.
"Look over there! The passage opened!"
Everyone followed the direction being pointed.
On the north side of the Duel Tower, the alloy wall slowly slid apart to either side, and a passageway flooded with pale daylight appeared—so bright it felt like it swallowed the world.
"That's the Upper District ahead, right?" Yusaku said with a small smile, stepping forward.
Beck and the others from the Redemption Satellite Zone hurried after him. Their footsteps carried both the unease of breaking through their shackles and an endless anticipation for a new world.
Watching them enter the passage, the Tenji Academy people sitting in the stands wore ugly expressions, but no one dared to stop them.
After all, the rules had been agreed upon. They lost. From this day on, the Upper District and the Redemption Satellite Zone would be fully connected.
The Tenji Academy group didn't dare say a single word. They only shrank back, shook their heads, and filed out as well, preparing to wait until the anger was spent so they could go comfort their own Duelists.
When the first warm strand of sunlight spilled through the passage and landed on their faces, a few birds even flew in, cutting through the light.
What greeted them was a clarity they had never seen before.
A pure, deep blue sky, not a speck of dust in it. A few cotton-like clouds drifted lazily by. The wind carried the fresh scent of grass and flowers.
There was none of the Redemption Satellite Zone's ever-present reek of engine oil, none of that choking, ash-gray smog that blotted out the heavens. Even the sunlight felt gentler and warmer, like a veil of soft gauze draped over the earth.
"The… the sky is actually blue…" a boy from the Redemption Satellite Zone trembled as he raised a hand, as if trying to touch that distant, unreachable blue. His voice shook with disbelief.
Beside him, a dojo master slowly lifted his head. Tears glittered along his lashes as he murmured, "I never thought… I'd step into the Upper District in this lifetime…"
Yusaku looked at the people around him—some gasping in awe, some dazed, some crying openly—while the players stared around with unabashed curiosity, taking in every detail.
From today onward, the barrier between the two places had been completely destroyed. Duelists from the Redemption Satellite Zone could freely gaze up at this blue sky, breathe this clean air, and no longer be sealed away inside a dark cage.
At that moment, a cold system prompt rang clearly inside Yusaku's mind.
[Mission progress has reached 100%. Congratulations to the host for completing the mission. Rewards have been issued. Please check and receive them.]
Two hundred Tea Card Shards and ten thousand Crystals—did they arrive?
Just as Yusaku was about to call up the system panel to confirm, the noise from deeper inside the gate abruptly went quiet.
"They really came up!"
"Yusaku's here—hurry, get over here!"
Yusaku lifted his head.
A group of well-dressed people hurried toward him.
Beck and the duelists and players from the Redemption Satellite Zone immediately stepped forward in alarm, forming a protective line in front of Yusaku. Their eyes turned sharp as blades.
"What do you want? If you're here to Duel, I'm willing to accept!"
The bald man in front waved both hands quickly, plastering on a warm, eager smile.
"We're not here to Duel Yusaku! I'm the master of the Thunder Dojo. I came specifically to invite you to join us! Name your conditions. Pick any resources you want!"
"Join your dojo? You wish." A female dojo master wearing light makeup stepped forward, her tone sincere. "You'd be better off with our Flower Dojo! We don't normally recruit male Duelists, but for Yusaku, I'm willing to break a hundred-year rule! Same deal—whatever conditions you want!"
"You think your dojo can compare to ours? Our Thunder Dojo ranks in the top hundred of the Upper District!"
"Uh, our dojo's strength is limited—we don't dare dream of having Yusaku join. We only ask that you endorse our dojo and help raise our prestige!"
Hearing that, the players surrounding Yusaku immediately lost interest and began to disperse.
"What a letdown. I thought they were here to provoke him."
"Yeah. The way they rushed over, I was already tense and ready to fight."
Yusaku paused for a beat, then smiled faintly as he looked at the Upper District hosts staring at him with eager eyes. He pretended to consider it, then spoke.
"Everyone, sorry. I don't have any plans to join a dojo for now."
The dojo masters let out a chorus of regretful sighs. One after another, they shook their heads and started walking away.
"I knew it wouldn't be that easy to recruit him."
"Come on, let's go. Got our hopes up for nothing."
"This is fine too. At least he didn't join anyone, so we don't have to worry about some dojo suddenly skyrocketing."
Some of them left, but a portion still lingered, clearly unwilling to give up.
Just then, a flamboyant figure shoved through the crowd and strode over.
It was a boy in a shiny silver jacket. The Duel Disk on his wrist was outrageously designed—when it unfolded, it looked like a mechanical giant bird spreading its wings, the body studded with flashing neon lights.
Behind him, a companion carried a floating camera rig, the lens already trained forward. They had come prepared.
The boy stopped in front of Yusaku, chin lifted.
"You're the guy who cleared the Duel Tower, right? How about a Duel with me?"
As soon as he said it, the crowd that had been watching stirred again, many people surging closer with excitement.
Yusaku looked at the noisy, overheated crowd. His fingertips unconsciously brushed the edge of his Duel Disk. After a brief moment of thought, he shook his head.
He genuinely wasn't in the mood to Duel right now. He still had to find Lapis and the others. He'd already decided before coming up that the first thing he'd do in the Upper District was regroup with them.
"Sorry. It's not a good time for me…"
The silver-jacket boy hesitated, then pushed on anyway.
"I know you like gambling for cards. These three Decks were expensive. Every one of them is strong. Come on?"
Yusaku's tone turned instantly, his expression warming into a polite smile.
"Actually, if you think about it, Duels are also a way to exchange ideas. If you're sincere, why don't you let me take a look at what you brought?"
Players: "..."
Redemption Satellite Zone duelists: "..."
Yusaku wasn't short on his own Deck, but he was missing plenty of cards that were being sold on the market. The last time he got physical cards and built a Deck, he'd basically sold everything off. Now someone was delivering Decks right to his doorstep—perfect for replenishing his inventory.
He liked people who showed up to "donate Decks" the most.
The more, the better.
Seeing Yusaku agree, the boy froze for two seconds, then his face exploded into delight. He adjusted his tie with exaggerated flourish.
"Quick! Start the livestream! Everyone's hunting for news about Yusaku right now. If I beat him, I'm going to blow up overnight!"
Yusaku raised an eyebrow. He'd been wondering why this guy came charging at him the moment he arrived.
So it was for fame.
The surrounding spectators began to whisper.
"Isn't that Yamamine, the guy who wins by doing 'gag Duels' and crazy stunts? He's actually challenging Yusaku?"
"He's not seriously thinking he can 'stunt' his way to victory, is he? Even Tenji Academy couldn't beat Yusaku, and he thinks he can, with his self-made dojo?"
"I bet he gets deleted in two turns. From my perspective, Yusaku is just a complete monster."
Once the streaming gear was set, Yamamine looked at Yusaku again.
"Need time to prepare?"
Yusaku shook his head and snapped his Duel Disk open. Purple energy prisms ignited instantly.
"No. We start now."
Yamamine stopped talking, slammed the activation button on his Duel Disk, and the giant, birdlike chassis unfolded with a dramatic spread of mechanical wings.
"Duel!"
"Duel!"
Both voices rang out at once, and the hologram display immediately projected their Life Points.
[Yusaku, LP 8000]
[Yamamine, LP 8000]
(End of Chapter)
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