Chapter 133: Alternative Timeline: Duel Academy - 10

[Yumi, LP 600]

[Paradox, LP 3400]

[Z-one, LP 100]

Watching his partner get knocked down yet again, Z-one couldn't help but feel a sense of despair.

Paradox had already struggled so hard to turn the Duel around, only to have his entire field wiped out by the pink devil standing before them. At this point, Yumi seemed to lack more human emotions than the two of them, despite the fact that they were practically cyborgs themselves. After all, both men had transferred their brains into machines as their human bodies grew old and decayed over time.

It was a rather unsettling thought.

At least when they dueled against normal opponents, their opponents were allowed to play the game. But against Yumi, simply getting a turn of their own felt like a precious privilege.

And now, the pressure of the Duel had fallen entirely on Z-one's shoulders.

He had only 100 Life Points remaining, and the only monster in his hand was one that couldn't be Normal Summoned or Set. Paradox, meanwhile, had practically become useless in this Duel, leaving Z-one to deal with Yumi on his own.

Looking back at the entire match, it was difficult to believe that they had started with three Duelists against one.

They had the advantage in both numbers and resources, yet they had barely managed to put any meaningful pressure on Yumi. If anything, the situation had been the exact opposite. Yumi had spent most of the Duel pushing them into one desperate situation after another, leaving them scrambling to find a way to survive.

And now, with Paradox's field empty and his own Life Points hanging by a thread, Z-one had run out of room for mistakes.

"Everything relies on these last few turns..." he murmured beneath his breath.

His gigantic mechanical hand slowly moved toward his Deck, the massive fingers hovering over the cards as he prepared to draw.

With Paradox unable to do much of anything, the outcome of this Duel rested entirely on him.

Z-one closed his eyes.

For a brief moment, he recalled the journey that had brought him to this point. He had been born into an era where the world had been ruined by Duel Monsters, forced to live through the consequences of humanity's own mistakes. It was the story of Yusei Fudo, the hero of the past, that had inspired him to keep going and attempt to save what remained of the world.

He had even modified his own body to resemble the man he admired.

He had tried to save everyone he could, yet there had been times when he had failed to save the people who needed him most. Eventually, he had become one of the last surviving humans in a ruined world, standing alongside the few friends who had remained by his side.

And after everything they had endured together, he had become the man he was now.

Paradox...

Aporia...

Antinomy...

My friends...

Please, lend me your strength!

The top card of his Deck began to glow.

Z-one opened his eyes and drew it with a powerful motion.

"DRAW!!"

His gigantic hand swept through the air in a wide arc, ripping the card from his Deck with enough force to leave a trail of light behind it. The movement generated a tremendous burst of wind that swept across the ruined rooftop.

"Mother fuc-!" Yumi shouted in annoyance.

The next thing he knew, the powerful gust hit him head-on and sent his malnourished body flying through the air.

The force of the wind was so great that the remaining windows of the academy shattered, sending broken glass scattering away from the building. Yumi's hair and jacket billowed violently as he struggled to regain his balance, only to find himself falling from the sky.

Looking down, he watched the ground draw closer. Yumi clenched his teeth, his annoyance growing by the second.

Redoer immediately leaped upward, catching her Master with both hands before he could hit the ground. Her long purple cape fluttered behind her as she turned in midair, carrying Yumi back toward Z-one and Paradox.

"Redoer's effect! I attach the top card of each opponent's Deck to her as material!"

The top cards of Paradox's and Z-one's Decks shot out at his command, transforming into glowing orbs that flew toward Redoer. The two orbs joined the others circling around her body.

Redoer descended onto the ruined academy rooftop and gently set Yumi back on his feet.

Yumi straightened his jacket, looking thoroughly unimpressed by what had just happened. Honestly, he was starting to get sick of this destiny-draw nonsense.

He had dueled countless people by this point, ranging from ordinary NPCs to protagonists and even the antagonists themselves. Yet, somehow, so many of his opponents had managed to pull off a miraculous draw whenever they were pushed into a corner.

Seriously, what was it going to take for him to get one of those himself?

Why was he always the one dealing with other people's ridiculous last-minute miracles?

Was there some kind of rule that prevented him from having one?

Meanwhile, Z-one lowered his gaze toward the card he had drawn. The moment he recognized it, his single visible eye widened beneath his mask.

"I activate the Spell Card, A Wild Monster Appears!"

He raised the card, and it began to glow brightly.

The ground trembled.

A massive figure began to emerge into the air, its enormous mechanical body towering over the ruined rooftop. A large screen served as its face, while gigantic golden hands extended from either side of its body. Behind it, a pair of enormous golden metal wings spread wide, making the already imposing monster look even more intimidating.

"I can use this Spell to Special Summon a monster that cannot be Normal Summoned or Set, ignoring its Summoning conditions! And the monster I'm summoning is Sephylon, the Ultimate Timelord!"

[Sephylon, the Ultimate Timelord, 4000 ATK]

Z-one's voice grew more confident as the massive Timelord took its position on the field.

"Once per turn, Sephylon allows me to Special Summon as many Timelord monsters as possible from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard! Their ATK will also become 4000!"

Four additional pillars of light appeared around Sephylon.

One after another, four more Timelords materialized on the field, each taking its place beside their massive companion. Their imposing figures loomed over Yumi and Redoer, their powerful bodies glowing with energy as their ATK increased.

[Zaphion, the Timelord, 0 -> 4000 ATK]

[Lazion, the Timelord, 0 -> 4000 ATK]

[Sadion, the Timelord, 0 -> 4000 ATK]

[Sandaion, the Timelord, 4000 ATK]

Yumi looked up at the five enormous monsters surrounding him.

"...Out of the frying pan and into the fire."

He couldn't help but make the sarcastic remark.

Well, at least Z-one had finally managed to do something impressive.

Yumi was already familiar with the massive downside of the original A Wild Monster Appears! After activating it, the player couldn't Summon any more monsters that turn, and the opponent wouldn't take any damage that turn either.

However, judging by the way Z-one had immediately used Sephylon's effect to summon four additional Timelords, Yumi had a pretty good idea of what was going on.

This was probably one of those broken anime versions of a card. You know, the kind that kept all the powerful effects while conveniently ignoring the drawbacks that were supposed to balance them.

Perhaps, in his desperation, Z-one had pulled an Atem on him. Maybe he had simply printed a card that didn't originally belong in his Deck, placed it on top during his Draw Phase, and made it look like a perfectly legitimate draw.

Honestly, after everything Yumi had seen in this Duel, he couldn't even rule that possibility out.

Z-one wasn't wasting the opportunity, either.

"Go, Sandaion! Attack Redoer!"

The massive Timelord brought its gigantic palms together, gathering a brilliant ball of light between them. The energy continued to build until the glowing sphere was large enough to engulf both Redoer and Yumi.

Then, with a powerful motion, Sandaion launched the attack.

"Sandaion's effect activates at the end of the Damage Step if it battled! I inflict 4000 damage to you!"

Z-one declared the effect with confidence.

Even if Yumi somehow managed to survive this attack, he still had four more Timelords standing behind Sandaion, each with 4000 ATK. With only 600 Life Points remaining, Yumi was practically standing on the edge of defeat.

"I activate Redoer's effect!" Yumi raised his hand as the enormous ball of light rushed toward him. "By detaching two materials from her, one Monster and one Spell, I can draw one card and banish Redoer until the end of this turn!"

Two of the orbs circling around Redoer suddenly burst into light.

Redoer vanished from the field just as the incoming attack reached her position, leaving the enormous sphere of energy to head toward him alone.

Yumi drew a card. The moment he looked at it, his golden eyes widened slightly. Then, as though he had just found exactly what he needed, the corners of his mouth curled into a smirk.

The massive ball of light continued rushing toward him, growing larger with every passing second.

But Yumi didn't seem particularly worried anymore. Instead, a dimensional wormhole opened beside him.

"By paying half my Life Points and banishing Transaction Rollback from my Graveyard..."

[Yumi, LP 600 -> 300]

"...I can activate a Trap Card from my Graveyard."

A Trap Card slowly emerged from the dimensional wormhole, floating beside him as Yumi reached out to take it.

"And the card I'm choosing is... Magic Cylinder!"

Z-one's eye widened.

"When I'm targeted for an attack, Magic Cylinder negates that attack and inflicts damage to the opponent equal to the attacking monster's ATK!"

Two enormous cylindrical cups materialized directly in front of Yumi.

The first cup opened wide and swallowed the incoming ball of light whole. For a brief moment, the attack disappeared inside it, its blinding glow illuminating the surrounding area.

Then the second cup turned toward Z-one.

The captured energy was released in a massive blast, sending the same ball of light hurtling back toward its original owner.

Z-one froze. The attack he had been so confident would finish Yumi was now flying straight back at him. And with 100 Life Points remaining, he couldn't afford to take a single point of damage.

For the first time since drawing his card, the hope in Z-one's eyes began to fade.

The advantage he had just gained suddenly seemed insignificant. He had managed to summon five powerful Timelords, each with 4000 ATK, yet Yumi had found a way to turn even their combined strength against him.

It was almost laughable.

But before the returning attack could hit Z-one, a figure suddenly moved in front of him. The person spread his arms wide, placing himself directly between Z-one and the incoming blast.

"...Para...dox?"

Z-one's eye widened beneath his mask.

His friend had moved without hesitation, standing right in front of him as the enormous ball of light continued its approach.

"Z-one..." Paradox murmured.

He tilted his head slightly, looking back at his longtime friend.

"Everyone... thank you for everything. Our time together... our goal of restoring the world... our mission..."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"I'm leaving the rest to you now."

Z-one stared at him, unable to comprehend what his friend was about to do.

"Paradox, what are you-"

"Z-one, this is my final hope!"

Paradox turned back toward the incoming attack.

"Take it!"

The massive ball of light struck him directly. A tremendous explosion erupted across the rooftop, swallowing Paradox in a blinding flash before the shockwave blasted both men away from the impact.

[Paradox, LP 3400 -> 0]

Z-one's gigantic mechanical body crashed down onto the island below.

The impact shook the surrounding ruins as he hit the ground, his enormous frame skidding across the broken terrain. One of his gigantic hands had been completely destroyed, while the other was severely damaged. His mask had shattered, leaving his face exposed to the open air.

Beneath the broken mask was an unsettling sight.

Part of his face was covered by old, wrinkled skin, while the right side had been replaced by sleek mechanical plating. His black, spiky hair remained visible, and the other half of his face bore a striking resemblance to Yusei Fudo.

For a moment, Z-one barely seemed to notice the damage to his body. His single eye was fixed on the sky above. The dark cloud created by the explosion was already beginning to fade, revealing the ruined academy rooftop where he and Paradox had been standing only moments earlier.

But Paradox was nowhere to be seen.

Far below, the remains of his D-Wheel had crashed onto the ground, dark smoke rising from the wreckage.

Yet the person who had been riding it was gone.

There was no sign of him anywhere.

"PARADOX!!!"

Z-one's anguished cry echoed through the ruined academy.

The man from the future could no longer hold back his grief. Tears slipped from his eye as he stared at the place where his friend had disappeared, the reality of what had just happened finally settling over him.

They had been through so much together.

They had lived through the destruction of their world, endured the hardships of being among the last surviving humans, and carried the burden of trying to restore the future. Through it all, they had remained together, working toward the same goal despite everything they had lost along the way.

And now, Paradox was gone.

Z-one was alone.

The Duel had never been a normal one to begin with. It had already crossed the line into a semi-Shadow Duel, where the monsters were real rather than holographic projections.

They had deliberately chosen this method because they wanted to kill Yumi.

In a semi-Shadow Duel, the monsters, Spells, and Traps were not simply projections displayed for entertainment. Their effects manifested in reality, meaning that a direct attack could inflict genuine harm on the people involved. Under the wrong circumstances, even a single blow could prove fatal.

That had been the entire point of their strategy.

They hadn't intended to defeat Yumi through an ordinary Duel. They wanted to use the power of their cards to kill him outright.

Even during the previous turn, when Z-one had ordered Hailon to attack, he had aimed at the ground where Yumi and Raye were standing. His intention had been to take both of them out at once instead of simply targeting the monster, as a normal Duelist would.

They had been willing to go that far to accomplish their goal.

Yet none of them had expected that they would be the ones to suffer the consequences.

Watching Z-one openly mourn the loss of his friend, Yumi's expression gradually darkened.

He had to admit, this was getting awkward.

Before, he had felt like a villain because his opponents kept pulling off dramatic destiny draws, delivering emotional monologues, and performing all sorts of ridiculous anime nonsense whenever they were about to lose.

Now, however, he was starting to feel like the actual villain in someone's story.

Feeling like he had just watched the protagonist's best friend sacrifice himself right before the protagonist's eyes. And judging by the way Z-one was crying, Yumi wouldn't be surprised if the man suddenly started recalling every happy memory he had shared with Paradox before gaining a massive power-up.

Was this how it felt to be the final boss?

Because if so, Yumi wasn't sure whether he should be amused or concerned.

He stood quietly for a moment, allowing Z-one to mourn his friend.

Eventually, the man from the future pushed himself upright. His damaged mechanical body began to float back into the air, returning his gaze to the ruined academy rooftop.

"I... I won't ever forget your sacrifice, Paradox..." Z-one murmured.

His voice was low, but the grief behind it was unmistakable. Then his gaze shifted toward Yumi. The sorrow in his single visible eye slowly gave way to hatred.

"I won't forgive you."

Yumi: "..."

Seriously?

This bastard had spent the entire Duel playing dirty and trying to kill him. He had used real monsters, launched attacks aimed directly at his body, and done everything he could to put Yumi six feet under.

And now he had the nerve to act self-righteous because his own attack had ended up killing his friend?

Yumi couldn't even begin to understand the logic behind that.

After a moment, he let out a long sigh.

His golden eyes slowly shifted to crimson red.

At the same time, the black Slifer Red jacket he was wearing began to change. Its appearance darkened further, and a massive red No. 96 appeared across the back.

Dark, ominous mist began leaking from his body, spreading around him as the wind swept through his hair and jacket.

The atmosphere around him changed completely.

The casual, almost playful attitude he had maintained throughout the Duel gave way to something far more unsettling.

"How cruel," Yami Yumi said mockingly, spreading his arms wide. "Don't you have a human heart?"

His words were clearly meant to provoke Z-one even further. And judging by the hatred in the man's eye, they had done exactly that.

Z-one didn't bother responding. Instead, he thrust his remaining hand forward.

"Sephylon! Finish him off! Direct attack!"

The massive Timelord brought its gigantic hands together, gathering another enormous ball of light between its palms.

Then it launched the attack straight toward Yami Yumi.

Yumi, however, remained perfectly calm.

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell, The Flute of Summoning Kuriboh." He casually flipped open the final face-down card on his field. "This lets me Special Summon Winged Kuriboh from my Deck."

The Spell Card activated, and a small creature with brown fur and a pair of white wings appeared in front of him.

[Winged Kuriboh, 200 DEF]

Winged Kuriboh: "Kuriri! Kuri Kuri!"

Winged Kuriboh fluttered its tiny wings, looking up at the enormous ball of light rushing toward it.

The attack struck the little creature directly.

A tremendous explosion engulfed the area, blasting away another large section of the already ruined academy. The shockwave swept across the rooftop, sending dust and debris flying in every direction.

For a moment, Yami Yumi disappeared behind the blinding light.

Then the explosion faded.

He was still standing in the same spot, completely unharmed. A faint barrier of light surrounded him, protecting him from the attack's destructive force.

"Once Winged Kuriboh is destroyed, its effect activates," Yumi explained calmly as he sent the card to his Graveyard. "I take no damage for the rest of this turn."

Z-one's eye twitched.

But he wasn't finished.

"Sadion! Direct attack!"

He ignored Yumi's explanation and immediately ordered his next Timelord to attack.

Sadion gathered another massive ball of light and fired it toward Yumi. The explosion shook the rooftop once more. And once again, Yumi emerged completely unharmed.

"Sadion's effect activates," Z-one declared, his voice growing increasingly strained. "When it battles and my Life Points are below 4000, they become 4000!"

[Z-one, LP 100 -> 4000]

His Life Points were restored, giving him another chance to continue the Duel. But Yumi didn't seem particularly impressed.

"Lazion! Direct attack!"

Another enormous ball of light came crashing down toward him. The explosion engulfed Yumi once more, only for the attack to deal absolutely no damage.

"Zaphion! Direct attack!"

Z-one issued another command, his voice growing harsher with every passing second.

The next Timelord launched its attack, sending yet another massive ball of light crashing toward Yumi. The resulting explosion shook the ruined academy, but when the light faded, Yumi was still standing there, completely unharmed.

By now, it was becoming painfully obvious that Z-one wasn't thinking clearly anymore.

He was no longer attacking because he had a proper strategy in mind. He was doing it out of anger, desperately trying to hurt the person he blamed for Paradox's death. Yet no matter how many attacks he launched, Yumi remained standing.

The man from the future stared down at him, his single eye filled with hatred.

After a moment of silence, Z-one finally spoke through gritted teeth.

"...Turn end."