Chapter 1289: Counterfeit

At this moment, elsewhere in the city.

Thirteen black Duel Runners surrounded Yusei Fudo from all directions. Dozens of Ghosts laughed loudly in unison.

"Yusei Fudo, this time you're really finished!"

"No matter how strong you are, there's no way you can win against all thirteen of us at once!"

Yusei ignored them and simply drew.

"My turn, draw!"

"When there is a monster on the opponent's field and none on your own, Special Summon 'Level Warrior' from the hand!"

[Level Warrior, ATK 300]

"When Level Warrior is Special Summoned by this effect, its Level becomes 4," Yusei said. "Next, I Normal Summon 'Hyper Synchron'!"

[Hyper Synchron, ATK 1600]

"Level 4 Hyper Synchron, Level 4 Level Warrior, tune the stars!"

[4 + 4 = 8]

"The gathered stars shall become new power, turning into a shining road! Synchro Summon—"

"—Stardust Dragon!"

Between the shining stars, light converged into the form of a noble silver dragon. Countless light points spiraled down like a pouring galaxy. In the center of the interwoven light trails, silver-white dragon wings pierced the void and spread. Every dragon scale reflected the light of nebulae. When Stardust Dragon's slender body fully manifested within the light flow, it was as if the starry sky fell silent—all sounds transformed into visible notes, floating within the star winds stirred by its flapping wings.

[Stardust Dragon, ATK 2500]

Yusei Fudo's famous ace had descended, yet only mocking laughter came from all around.

"Facing so many opponents, what can even Stardust Dragon do?"

Yusei said: "When Hyper Synchron is used as Synchro Material, the Synchro Monster gains 800 ATK."

[Stardust Dragon, ATK 2500 → ATK 3300]

"At this moment, activate the Set card, Trap Card 'Torrential Tribute'!" Yusei declared. "When a monster is successfully Summoned, destroy all monsters on the field!"

All the Ghosts were greatly shocked.

"Destroying your own…"

"Does this guy know he has no chance of winning, so he's self-destructing!?"

Although these Ghosts did indeed have monsters on their fields, there was no need to Synchro Summon Stardust Dragon first and then activate Torrential Tribute. They could have activated it when summoning Level Warrior. There was no reason to waste their own ace.

But the next moment, Yusei continued: "At this moment, Stardust Dragon's effect activates! When a card effect that destroys cards is activated, Tribute Stardust Dragon itself to negate that activation and destroy it! Sacrificial Sanctuary!"

Stardust Dragon's body bloomed with even more dazzling light, gradually disintegrating like stardust. Yet the energy it released withstood the impact of Torrential Tribute, nullifying the trap's violent power into nothingness.

The Ghosts were even more puzzled.

Blowing up the field himself, then sacrificing his own ace to negate his own effect… it made even less sense.

"Then this is the finishing move. Activate the Set card, Trap Card 'Cosmic Blast'!" Yusei declared. "When your Dragon-Type Synchro Monster leaves the field, inflict damage to the opponent equal to that monster's ATK!"

All Ghosts: "Nani!?"

"Correct. Whether you have ten people or twenty, under the free-for-all rules, you are all treated as 'the opponent.' Therefore, the effect damage is full-field AoE."

Yusei suddenly twisted the throttle, accelerating his Duel Runner.

"Stardust Dragon, strengthened by Hyper Synchron, has 3300 ATK. All of you will take 3300 points of damage!"

Stardust Dragon's dragon soul manifested above the Trap Card and shot out like a meteor, piercing through all the Ghosts' Duel Runners.

"Ugh aaaah!"

[Ghosts, LP 4000 → LP 700] × 13

"Damn it…"

"Don't get cocky!"

The Ghosts grew agitated.

Yusei: "Set 1 card. Turn end. During the End Phase, Stardust Dragon, which left the field due to its own effect, returns to my field!"

[Stardust Dragon, ATK 2500]

"My turn, draw!"

It was now one of the Ghosts' turns.

That Ghost sneered coldly: "Not bad, but even with 700 LP, we still have so many people. It's enough to smash you to pieces…"

Yusei: "Activate the Set card, Trap Card 'Synchro Blast'! Inflict 1000 damage to the opponent for each player who controls a Synchro Monster!"

All Ghosts were shocked again: "Nani!?"

"I have Stardust Dragon on my field, so all of you take 1000 damage!" Yusei declared.

Stardust Dragon's body seemed to ignite, manifesting a flaming stardust clone that bombarded all the Ghosts.

"Ugh aaaah—!"

[Ghosts, LP 0] × 13

All Duel Runners were forced to stop. Several Duel Runners flipped on the spot, colliding with nearby teammates' Duel Runners and triggering a chain reaction—boom boom boom—a series of flips and explosions.

Thirteen kills!

Instantly defeating thirteen opponents, Yusei drifted to a stop, letting out a long breath.

So far, he had already taken down over thirty.

But for some reason, he felt uneasy, as if an ominous premonition lingered in his heart.

"Jack…"

Yusei glanced at the GPS locations of his 5D's team teammates on the Duel Runner display.

After thinking for a moment, he turned his Duel Runner and accelerated sharply toward Jack's direction.

…

"Won't you come out and chat?"

Kira looked toward the endless darkness behind the massive Timelord.

After a moment of silence, the figure he wanted to see indeed emerged from the darkness.

A huge metal structure floated in the air, resembling a nautilus device, from which sharp gazes shot out.

It was basically the same as the life-support device of the Z-ONE he had seen before. But having seen it many times, Kira could still notice subtle differences in the patterns and structure.

"Fujiki Kira… is it?"

The Z-ONE that appeared now looked at him coldly for a moment and said in a deep voice: "In both my world and this world, you are an individual who should not exist. Why are you here? And why are you interfering with the affairs of this dimension?"

"If you put it that way, you're not a native of this dimension either. Why are you interfering?" Kira countered.

This Z-ONE only said: "I am nothing more than a witness now. My era has already passed. I simply want to witness it to the end. That is my mission."

Kira frowned: "Witness? Witness what?"

But before he could receive an answer, a nearly identical voice came from above and behind Kira.

"Let me tell you the answer… This guy is not me at all."

Kira turned around and saw another nautilus-like floating device appearing in the sky behind him. Kira immediately realized—this was the Z-ONE he had always known.

However, this Z-ONE stared coldly at his own mirror image opposite him and said icily: "He is merely a counterfeit."

…