Chapter 1292: Dragon of the King

While Jack and Copy Yusei’s Duel raged intensely, neither of them knew that several top-tier gods of the current dimension were jointly spectating the match.

The fake Z-ONE observed the scene and said indifferently, "Jack Atlas—I once had expectations for him too. But... unfortunately, it seems his limit is ultimately just that."

"That’s not necessarily true."

Kira smiled.

The fake Z-ONE glanced sideways at him. "Oh?"

"I gave him a little inspiration. I don’t know what Jack Atlas is like in your dimension, but the current Jack may not be the same as the one you know."

The fake Z-ONE stared at him for a moment, then said indifferently, "Then I’ll look forward to what you mentioned, just a little."

"My turn. Draw!"

It was now Jack’s turn once again.

"I activate the Equip Spell ’Premature Burial’, paying 800 Life Points to Special Summon 1 monster from my Graveyard in Attack Position!

The monster I revive from the Graveyard is Strong Wind Dragon!"

[Jack, LP 3200 → LP 2400]

Life Points converted into energy and were absorbed into the Spell Card. A black vortex opened on the ground. A verdant storm swirled up, and the energy reassembled into Strong Wind Dragon’s form as it descended.

[Strong Wind Dragon, ATK 2400]

Copy Yusei said calmly, "However, Strong Wind Dragon revived by this effect was not Tribute Summoned using Dragon-Type monsters, so its ATK returns to its original value. This ATK cannot defeat Junk Berserker."

"Hmph! Do you think I need you to remind me of something like that?" Jack said. "I Normal Summon ’Force Resonator’!"

[Force Resonator, ATK 500]

"Level 2 Tuner monster ’Force Resonator’!

Level 6 ’Strong Wind Dragon’!

Tuning!"

[2 + 6 = 8]

Jack gently closed his eyes and clenched his right fist. Flames seemed to ignite on his fist, and even the Dragon Mark on his arm began to burn. That power radiated outward with a scorching pulse.

His journey to the Red Nova Ruins this time was not entirely the same as in the original anime.

In fact, before departure, Kira had specifically taken Jack to the Sector Security’s research institute to show him their current research status.

The institute under the Sector Security covered an extremely wide range of topics, dabbling in all kinds of Deck types, and even researching the legend of the Crimson Dragon and the dragons corresponding to the Dragon Marks that had evolved from it.

Of course, Jack—as a pure hothead—was clearly not suited for research. Like Jaden, letting him tinker in a lab was far less effective than letting him Duel more, which had a higher chance of him imprinting new cards.

Still, Kira had used the visit to show Jack new possibilities for Resonators and Red Dragon Archfiend, subtly hinting at a potential new evolution for Red Dragon Archfiend.

Jack had not disappointed him on this Red Nova Ruins journey. He successfully conquered the Red Nova—said to be the strongest Earthbound Immortal—through Duels and absorbed its power. Taking this as the catalyst, Red Dragon Archfiend had evolved into a new form that had never even appeared in the original 5D’s anime.

"The King’s roar shall now shake heaven and earth! Engrave this unparalleled tyrant’s power upon your body! Synchro Summon! Soul of Fury——Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!!!"

In the void, a magma pool boiled and exploded. Dark red Synchro rings formed a hellish matrix within the lava. Accompanied by a dragon roar that twisted the air, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend burst forth from a boiling magma pillar. Liquid flames constantly seeped from the gaps in its armor-like crimson scales. The broken right horn looked as if it had just been severed by a divine blade, with the fracture in a molten dark-gold state. The dripping lava burned into fire meteors while falling. When it spread its tattered dragon wings, all the splashing lava suspended in the air, forming thousands of flame mirrors. Each mirror reflected that ferocious scar on the right horn, as if declaring that this was the hellish tyrant who had returned from death.

[Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, ATK 3000]

"What?"

A flash of surprise crossed Copy Yusei’s face.

Scarlight? What was that? He’d never heard of it.

Even the fake Z-ONE watching via remote livestream, and the real Z-ONE himself, showed emotional fluctuations at this moment.

"Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend...?"

The fake Z-ONE murmured the name.

In any timeline he knew, Jack Atlas seemed never to have Summoned this ace.

That was only natural. Because Kira clearly knew this dragon did not exist in any known timeline of the 5D’s dimension. This dragon was born in a different dimension entirely—in the fifth Yu-Gi-Oh! series, Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, it was originally the ace used by Jack Atlas of a parallel world.

The real Z-ONE, surprised, also glanced at Kira. "Was it your intervention that created the birth of this new Red Dragon Archfiend?"

"Who knows," Kira shrugged. "I merely hinted at a possible direction. But this power is something Jack Atlas won with his own strength."

Z-ONE fell silent.

Fujiki Kira—this person had only appeared in this dimension not long ago, yet he had so casually created a new possibility that had never existed in any timeline before.

Although a single Red Dragon Archfiend might have negligible impact on history, the ease with which he birthed a possibility that shouldn’t exist in the original timeline was enough to move Z-ONE.

Could it be that this man named Fujiki Kira carried within him the possibility to change the future?

"Now I’ll show you the embodiment of my furious soul—the wrath of Red Dragon Archfiend!"

Jack shouted.

"Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend’s effect activates! Once per turn, destroy all Special Summoned Effect Monsters on the field except this card!"

Copy Yusei frowned. "Field-wide destruction?"

This was on an entirely different level from the original Red Dragon Archfiend’s effect—a true upgrade from a slingshot to a cannon.

Jack swept his hand forward. "Absolute Authority Flame!!!"

The broken right horn of Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend suddenly burst with dazzling molten light. It raised its head and let out a roar that split space. Dark red streams of fire gushed from the gaps in its scales, instantly coalescing into a sky-covering fire cloud overhead.

The moment it swung its dragon claw, tens of thousands of fire meteors poured down like a violent rain. Fortress Warrior’s rocky armor melted on contact with the flames, while Junk Berserker’s jagged greatsword twisted and deformed like a candle. The two figures struggled in the sea of fire for less than half a second before being completely decomposed by flames carrying the dragon’s fury. Fortress Warrior turned into drifting iron sand, while Berserker’s red armor exploded into countless sparks. Its gears and parts vaporized into crimson metallic mist while falling.

"Not over yet," Jack laughed triumphantly. "Then, for each monster destroyed by this effect, inflict 500 damage! Take the wrath of the King’s Dragon!"

[Copy Yusei, LP 4000 → LP 3000]

...