Sunday — 2:42 PM. Confluence District, Lyon.
The tournament is in full swing. After their stunning victory against the Speed Warriors, Yugo, Kael, Armin, and Natsuo wander through the participants' village. The atmosphere is electric. Between bike customization booths, giant screens broadcasting live duels, and cheering crowds, everyone's hyped.
— "We're in the main bracket, guys," says Armin, phone in hand. "The next rounds start tomorrow morning."
— "Did you see that?" adds Natsuo, pointing at one of the screens. "Some guy crushed both his opponents. Didn't even need to finish the course."
On screen, a replay shows a lone, hooded cyclist riding at inhuman speed. He says nothing, has no team, and yet... every card he plays is lethal. Surgical. Without hesitation.
A name appears on the screen:
"No.13 - Rider Zero"
Yugo squints.
— "That style… I know it."
Kael looks at him.
— "What, you've seen that guy before?"
Yugo slowly nods.
— "Not in years. But… that guy… it's Leo."
Silence falls over the group. Even Armin lowers his phone.
— "Leo? Your old teammate? The one who taught you to play?!"
— "Yeah… and he betrayed me."
---
Flashback — Three Years Ago.
A foggy canal, at dawn. Two figures train side by side, pushing their bikes to the limit. One, young and determined — Yugo. The other, calmer, more methodical — Leo.
They always played together. Card brothers. Road brothers.
But one day, Leo vanished. No warning, no message.
He left with their fused deck.
---
Back to Present — 2:55 PM.
— "He's back," Yugo whispers. "And he's not here to play around."
— "Is he alone?" Kael asks.
— "That's the worst part. He doesn't need anyone."
---
Monday — 9:00 AM. Official Duel: Yugo VS No.13
The sky is overcast. The virtual referee announces the rules: 1v1 duel. Terrain: a winding towpath with slippery sections and potholes. Spectators line up on the bridges.
The silence is unsettling.
Leo — or rather Rider Zero — rolls his matte black bike to the starting line. Visor down. No words.
Yugo arrives, focused. His screen lights up, deck ready. His heart pounds.
— "Do you remember me?" he asks Leo.
No answer. Just one gesture: a thumbs down.
The start signal blares.
---
Phase 1 — Infiltration.
The start is brutal. Leo shoots forward like a bullet. No errors. He glides through puddles, dodges rocks like he memorized the path. At the same time, he plays.
— "Summoning Spectral Blade in attack position. Activating Phantom Territory: my cards gain 500 points as long as I lead the race."
Yugo grits his teeth. That deck… it's theirs. Or rather, a twisted version of what they built together.
— "He's modified our deck..." he mutters.
But he won't back down.
— "Summoning Destructive Cyclone. Activating its effect: negating all field effects."
Phantom Territory is wiped clean. Leo doesn't flinch — he just speeds up.
---
Phase 2 — The Invisible Wall
A mental barrier rises. Yugo feels it: Leo predicts everything. Every move. Every card.
It's like dueling a mirror.
But there's a flaw: Leo never attacks directly. He waits. Watches. Wants Yugo to self-destruct.
— "Fine, I'll make you move!"
Yugo plays Flame Resonance, sacrificing a creature to trigger a chain of effects.
Leo smirks. His first since the start.
— "You want me to take you seriously? Very well."
— Spectral Fusion.
Two monsters vanish, replaced by a colossal entity:
"Zero Phantom – Shadow of the Past" — a half-dragon, half-shadow mechanical beast.
— "A card we never created together…" Yugo murmurs.
Leo has gone beyond them.
---
Final Phase — Judgment
The course grows treacherous. A section of the canal has collapsed. They must jump. Leo does it without hesitation. Yugo follows, but his landing is rough.
That's when Leo goes for a direct attack.
But Yugo counters at the last second:
— "Activating Phoenix Reflection! Your attack is returned and your monster is destroyed if my LP is under 2000. And… it is."
The creature explodes. Leo wavers. For the first time, he steps back.
The timer buzzes. Points are tallied. A draw.
But the score doesn't matter. It's what they exchanged during the duel that does.
---
End of Match — 10:15 AM
The crowd is going wild. No one speaks. They all witnessed something rare.
Leo steps off his bike, lifts his visor. His eyes meet Yugo's. A long silence.
— "You haven't changed," he says quietly.
— "Neither have you," Yugo lies.
Leo turns away, ready to vanish again.
But this time… Yugo stops him.
— "This tournament's just beginning. Next time… I'll beat you."
A faint smirk on Leo's face.
— "I don't doubt it."