Sea's Joy Marine Park had a connection to the name "KaibaLand" so thin it was almost laughable.
The only thing you could even force into the same sentence was the park's polar-themed, Blue-Eyes White Dragon Ferris wheel.
Its silver-white, scale-like metal shell shimmered with a cold sheen under the sun. Massive dragon wings spread wide to cradle rows of gondolas, and with the low hum of gears, the entire structure climbed slowly toward the sky.
At the sharp-edged entrance, Yusaku and his companions were struck hard by the black dragon-shaped silhouette—
But what made his heart tighten even more was the fact that Rona and the others were already waiting by the flowerbed in the entry plaza.
He recognized the three of them at a glance. With looks like theirs, mixing them up was impossible: the girl with long ash-gray hair was tilting her head as she leaned into a playful offensive; the blonde girl squatting on the lawn held up her phone, filming with total focus; and the small figure with deep-black hair tipped with flecks of cold gold kept glancing toward the entrance from time to time, watching the moment "Master" might appear.
Nearby tourists had already lost their composure because of them.
Some kept turning their heads to stare and, in a blink, walked straight into a power pole—rubbing their forehead while still looking resentful that they had missed more.
Others used "buying water" as an excuse to pace back and forth, just to steal one more look.
The instant someone's hair flicked into a perfect arc, Saya suddenly lit up like she had found a treasure.
"I see Master!"
Rona immediately stopped what she was doing and turned, standing beside a movable lamp post as she looked back.
The moment she confirmed that familiar silhouette, bright light burst into both girls' eyes, and they hurried toward Yusaku without hesitation.
"Sorry. I got held up on the way," Yusaku said with a smile as he stepped forward. Seeing the three of them, the tight, muffled ache in his chest melted into scorching warmth.
Before he even finished, Rona had already thrown herself into his arms, burying her face against his chest and breathing in deeply. Her voice, scented and nasal, carried a soft complaint.
"Why are you so late? We waited forever."
Yusaku didn't argue. His tone was full of apology and indulgence.
"Sorry for making you worry. I won't leave you again."
Saya leaned in too, cheeks lifted as she called out, bright and clear, "Yusaku-nii," her round eyes brimming with unwavering affection and trust.
Yusaku bent down and patted her head. The warmth at her hair tips softened his heart even further.
At that moment, Labrynth stepped forward. Her gaze swept over the curious crowd gathering around them, and she smiled as she teased.
"I know you two want to see him, but with a sea of people like this, are you really sure you want to keep standing here?"
Rona and Saya's faces immediately flushed a faint pink.
"Let's go," Labrynth said, lifting her hand to point toward the distant Blue-Eyes White Dragon Ferris wheel. The sapphire necklace at her throat swayed lightly as she moved.
"This isn't the place to talk. I've never ridden a Ferris wheel before. They say at the very top you can see the whole park."
She gathered her skirt and walked into the grounds, ribbons trailing behind her in a lively arc.
"Yeah. We should move," Yusaku said, taking Saya and Rona's hands as he followed.
Behind them, a group of players was left standing there, utterly bewildered.
As the four of them walked away, the plaza erupted into overlapping screams.
"Damn it! How does Yusaku even know those three?!"
"Is this the protagonist halo? Even the Glory Spirits are that close to him!"
"We barely got to see Glory, and someone already snatched them away!"
"What do you mean 'your wife'? That's obviously my wife!"
"Cough. Putting aside whether they even know you guys, your 'wife' calling someone else Master… shouldn't you at least break up cleanly first?"
"Shut up! Don't talk!"
Soon, the four arrived beneath the Ferris wheel.
While they waited in line, Labrynth suddenly pulled out a polaroid camera from her bag and snapped a photo of Yusaku and Rona, who were chatting and laughing with Saya with their heads bowed close together.
With a soft click, the photo slid out of the camera.
She pinched the developing picture delicately, and once the image clarified, she handed it over with a gentle smile.
"Keep it. A souvenir. This is the first photo we've taken since we found each other again."
In the photo, Yusaku's mouth was curved into a faint smile. Rona and Saya leaned in toward him from the side, their eyes full of bright laughter.
Yusaku looked at the picture and smiled.
"But the most important person isn't in it. Let's take another—one with all four of us."
Before Labrynth could react, Yusaku caught her by the wrist and pulled her in, gathering all four of them into a close cluster.
"Alright. I'll say 'cheese,' and everyone smile."
"Cheese!"
The shutter clicked again.
In the instant the frame froze, Labrynth's ribbons brushed her cheek, Saya threw up an adorable peace sign, and Rona playfully glared at Yusaku's profile. Four smiling faces shone under the sunlight, bright enough to make the world feel lighter.
Not long after, the four of them boarded a Ferris wheel cabin.
As the cabin rose, the view outside unfolded piece by piece. When they reached the top, Rona pointed excitedly into the distance, her voice full of delight.
"Look over there! The carousel, the roller coaster, and that sea of flowers!"
Yusaku followed her line of sight. The entire park spread out beneath them like a living painting: colorful roller coaster tracks twisted like a giant dragon, carousel lights glittered, and vast flower fields rippled under the breeze—everywhere bursting with fresh, unfamiliar life.
After the Ferris wheel, they moved on to the bumper cars.
Rona and Saya teamed up in a pink, adorable car. Rona gripped the steering wheel while Saya sat in the passenger seat, both of them laughing so hard they could barely breathe. Labrynth looked quiet on the surface, but at key moments she would suddenly crank her wheel and slam Yusaku's car straight into the guardrail, sending all three of them into helpless fits of laughter.
By the time the sun had sunk low, they finally returned to the hotel to rest.
Back in the room that evening, they ordered an oversized strawberry cake and a few icy drinks. Saya was the first to pick up a forkful of strawberry cream and hold it to Yusaku's mouth, eyes sparkling.
"Master, try this. The strawberry's super sweet!"
Yusaku paused, then smiled and took a bite. The creamy sweetness melted across his tongue.
Rona blinked, then leaned in on purpose, teasingly close.
"Wow, Strawberry Saya. You're really going all in."
Saya's cheeks instantly turned bright red. In a panic, she grabbed another bite and shoved it toward Rona's mouth.
"Even cake can't stop you from talking!"
"It's true!" Rona retorted, mouth full, words slightly muffled.
Saya glared at her, and the two immediately chased each other across the room, their clear laughter filling the air.
Labrynth took advantage of the chaos to pick up her camera again, capturing the fleeting moments: Rona's hair flying as she ran, Saya's adorable indignation as she gave chase, and Yusaku's gentle profile as he watched them.
When she put the camera away, she smiled at Yusaku.
"They're still as noisy as ever."
Then she noticed a dab of cream at the corner of Yusaku's mouth. Without thinking, she lifted a pale finger, wiped it away carefully, and—just as naturally—tasted it herself.
Yusaku froze for a fraction of a second, but Labrynth acted as though nothing had happened.
"So, what's next? Do we find the other sisters, or go back to the hotel?"
Yusaku looked at the two still fooling around, warmth gathering at the corner of his eyes.
"First, we'll find the other sisters. But before that, I'm going to stay with you for a few days and actually relax. You've been through a lot."
"Hey! Stop talking and come play!" Rona waved at them from afar.
Yusaku answered with a short sound and took Labrynth's hand as he walked over.
"Today, don't think about anything. Just have fun."
After a few more rides, the sky slowly darkened.
The four found a soft patch of grass and sat down. Rona lay back, staring up at a sky gradually soaked in night, and asked casually:
"Master, where are we sleeping tonight?"
"We're not going back to the hotel," Yusaku said with a smile.
He took out a Quantum Cube. The moment the faintly gold-glowing cube appeared, it drew all three of their gazes.
"It can open an independent space inside. I can arrange it however I want. I'll prepare a room for each of you—any style you like."
Rona and Saya's eyes went wide with wonder.
"That's really possible?"
Yusaku nodded, then tossed the cube upward.
In the next instant, a dazzling flash swept across the sky, and the four of them vanished from the grass as though they had never been there.
Inside the space built by the Quantum Cube, the bedrooms were fitted with comfortable beds, and beyond the windows stretched a serene, blue ocean view.
After settling in, the four gathered to play Monopoly. In the end, Rona and Labrynth won, while Saya and Yusaku lost.
By their agreement, the losers had to give the winners a shoulder massage. But as the massage continued, the atmosphere gradually turned… delicate.
Rona's voice carried a shy edge.
"Um… Master… why do your hands keep… missing the spot?"
Yusaku coughed lightly, then hurried to explain.
"Accident. Pure accident."
Labrynth laughed softly, her tone lazy with amusement.
"So how do you want to make up for it?"
Yusaku swallowed once, then answered honestly.
"All of it."
Saya turned bright red and spoke in a tiny voice.
"I-I can help too…"
What followed was the kind of long-awaited reunion that didn't need words.
The night stretched on, warmth and laughter threading through it, until even time itself felt blurry around the edges.
When Yusaku finally returned to bed, his steps were unsteady.
Rona and Saya slipped in after him, careful and quiet. Each hugged one of his arms and fell asleep with contented, peaceful breaths.
Rona pressed her cheek to his chest, her voice soft.
"Master, I'm a little cold. I want to sleep with you."
Saya nodded quickly, whispering the same.
"Me too. I'm cold."
Yusaku couldn't help smiling. Spirits, afraid of the cold? That was a first.
But with them clinging to him like that, how could he refuse?
At that moment, Labrynth emerged as well, still holding a towel. Seeing the two already wedged into the bed, she paused, then smiled and walked over.
"You two really move fast."
Rona grinned.
"Labrynth-onee-san, you can take your turn next time. You should hurry up."
Labrynth raised an eyebrow, then slid under the blanket without hesitation.
"Oh? Who said I'm waiting? More people is more fun. And warmer."
Thankfully, the bed was large enough.
The four of them nestled together, talking in low voices about the funny things that had happened while they were apart, until sleep finally overcame them—and they drifted off in each other's arms.
Early the next morning, Rona was woken by the alarm.
They hadn't come here just to play.
They had heard there was a new battleship event here—supposedly, you could actually win a cruise ship.
Since they were about to search for the other spirits, they needed transportation. If something that convenient was being handed out, why wouldn't they check it out?
The challenge was hosted inside Sea's Joy Marine Park's dedicated Duel Stadium. It was normally a gathering place for duel enthusiasts.
The stadium's outer walls were built from countless small mirror-glass tiles layered like dragon scales, reflecting dazzling colors in the morning light. Even from a distance, it hit with serious visual impact.
Outside, the area was already packed. Discussions and exclamations overlapped, the atmosphere lively yet tense. Everyone wore a mix of anticipation and unease.
When they entered the stadium, the central arena was surrounded so tightly it was almost impossible to move.
A burly, muscular man stood on the platform. His Duel Disk gleamed with metallic shine. He cleared his throat, then shouted with a booming voice:
"Everyone, listen up! Submit one monster card with over 2500 ATK, and you get a chance to challenge! Win, and you'll get at least two rare cards. But if you dare take on higher difficulty…"
He paused deliberately, sweeping his eyes over the crowd.
"…you can take home our park's ultimate grand prize: one gigantic cruise ship! Just one monster card with 2500+ ATK to enter! This chance won't wait—act now!"
Yusaku and the three girls squeezed up to the edge. His eyes fell on a large signboard listing the rules in detail.
Submit one monster card with over 2500 ATK to register and challenge the arena champion. The higher the challenge difficulty, the richer the reward.
After registration, you duel the champion with a reduced starting hand size based on the difficulty you choose. The challenger may choose to go first or second.
Win with 5 cards in hand: two rare monster cards with over 2500 ATK.
Win with 4 cards in hand: ten rare cards.
Win with 3 cards in hand: one powerful deck.
Win with 2 cards in hand: lifetime free admission to Sea's Joy Marine Park.
Win with 1 card in hand: 1,000,000 cash, plus an entry slot for the Duel Tournament.
Win with 1 card in hand, taking no damage: the ultimate grand prize—one gigantic cruise ship.
"Win with one card and take no damage? That's insane! How is anyone supposed to do that?" someone immediately protested.
"Otherwise you think a cruise ship grows on trees?" someone beside him shot back.
"I think four cards is the most reasonable. The rewards are pretty good too," another person analyzed quietly, and the crowd erupted into more debate.
A boy with glasses raised his hand.
"Excuse me. For the last challenge… can you choose which single card it is?"
The muscular man on the platform nodded.
"Of course you can choose. But you are forbidden from choosing spell cards that refill your hand, like 'Card of Sanctity' or 'Pot of Greed.' Keep that in mind."
The moment they heard that, plenty of people who had been eager suddenly cooled off. The organizers had clearly anticipated loopholes.
Reina finished reading the signboard and turned to Yusaku. She blinked, playful and expectant.
"So, Master—are we joining?"
Saya and Labrynth looked over as well, their beautiful eyes full of anticipation.
Yusaku's lips curved into a confident smile.
"If the draw were random, trying to win with one card and take no damage against someone starting with a full hand would basically be impossible."
"But since I can choose the card…"
He lifted his gaze toward the arena and smiled.
"Then it's simple. Let's challenge it."
(End of Chapter)
[Get +30 Extra Chapters On — P@tr3on "Zaelum"]
[Every 300 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter Drop]
[Thanks for Reading!]