WebNovels

Chapter 44 - Nametag: "Darkness"

Yumi sat calmly in his seat, staring at the card in his hand, Contrast HERO Chaos. What interested him wasn't that he owned the card but that the card's print itself.

He remembered the moment it appeared: in his duel against his older sister. His emotions, raw and overwhelming, fused with the realization of what he'd forgotten… and the result was this card's creation.

It was just like those moments in Yu-Gi-Oh! when the protagonist, cornered in a duel they couldn't afford to lose, suddenly felt a surge of determination, drew a blank card, and watched it print itself into existence, becoming the miracle key to victory.

Yumi half-expected the card to vanish afterward, like Shooting Star Dragon did in the anime. That's why he hadn't even checked his Extra Deck after the match. He was too focused on building that deck to mess with Chazz.

But after the duel, flipping through his cards, Yumi realized something. Contrast HERO Chaos hadn't disappeared.

The card was still there.

He almost laughed in relief. At least he didn't need to shout something cringe like "Clear Mind! Accel Fusion!" in the middle of a duel to conjure it.

His gaze drifted from the card to a piece of paper on the desk: Sunday's extracurricular activity notice.

Ruins exploration.

It was from Lyman's class. Yumi immediately recalled an anime plot: Professor Lyman organizing an excursion to search ruins, only to trigger a mechanism that dragged everyone into the Spirit World. There, they'd run into Gravekeeper spirits, and Jaden would have to duel them.

Not a deadly Shadow Game, though the loser would feel real pain, no one actually died.

Yumi wasn't exactly thrilled about spending time with Gravekeepers. Sure, they were strong and annoying, but they weren't invincible. And if push came to shove, he could just… print a set.

No, what really caught his attention was something else.

The ruins were a gateway.

A way to cross between the real world and the Spirit World, the place where Duel Spirits truly lived.

And that… was far more interesting.

...

As expected, not many showed up in the end.

On one side stood the Slifer Red trio led by Jaden. On the other was Alexis, alone. And in the back, Yumi, Celina, and Rio lingered together as the "research group."

"Say…" Syrus tilted his head at them curiously. "We're here 'cause the Red Dorm head forced us. Why'd you guys come?"

"Exploring ruins sounds interesting," Alexis replied calmly, though her real reason was different. This was another chance to search for her missing brother.

"Ruins do sound pretty cool," Chumley chimed in. "They're near the volcano, usually off-limits. Without a teacher, we'd never get in."

Alexis added, "I've heard rumors these ruins might be tied to Shadow Games. I want to see for myself."

Because of her brother, she was sensitive to anything linked to Shadow Games or missing students. She never missed a chance to investigate, though every clue so far had led nowhere. Still, she refused to give up.

"Alright, everyone's here," Professor Lyman clapped his hands. "Let's go!"

The group packed up and set off toward the mountain ruins.

"According to the records, this ruin is an ancient tomb," Lyman explained as they hiked. "Some say it's a forbidden tomb, but that's just a rumor, ahaha…"

At the word "forbidden," Alexis's eyes sharpened.

A forbidden tomb… It might connect to the missing students. Maybe even her brother.

Yumi, meanwhile, drifted off. He glanced at a tree, then casually slipped behind it.

"Yumi, what's wrong?" Celina asked, seeing him vanish for a moment and reappear.

"Nothing. Thought I saw something," he said lightly. Lyman frowned, sensing something was off, but couldn't place it.

What everyone didn't notice was that the "Yumi" walking with the group was actually his card spirit substitute. The real Yumi, dressed in his Sky Striker HERO outfit, peeked from behind the tree, having swapped places in an instant.

After a long trek, the group finally reached their destination near Duel Academy's volcano: the entrance to the ancient ruins. Supposedly, it housed the tombs of ancient duel arenas. Even weathered by time, the structure resembled a dueling field.

Lyman squinted at the ruins, smirking inwardly. Next came the "accident." Pharaoh, his cat, would trigger the hidden mechanism, awakening the artifact that would transport them all into the Spirit World.

But before he could act, the ground shook violently.

A green light shot into the sky, the blue heavens dimmed, and the blazing sun split into three. Rainbow light poured down like a net, draping across the horizon and sealing the ruins under its glow.

The students froze in shock. Even Lyman's face twitched.

This wasn't his doing.

He turned, and saw Yumi, hands raised innocently.

"Professor, I think I touched something I shouldn't have?"

Lyman: "…"

In an instant, everything changed.

The triple suns burned above, their rainbow glow drowning the ruins. Dusty stone and moss glistened in the light as the whole landscape warped.

By the time they regained their senses, the group was no longer at the entrance. They were deep within the ruins' heart, surrounded by grim figures in ancient soldier garb, spears leveled at them.

Professor Lyman immediately threw his hands up and screamed, "What's going on!?"

"Aren't you the one who brought us here!?" Syrus shouted, clutching his head. "Shouldn't you be explaining!?"

"I... I have no idea!"

Of course, he was acting. He knew exactly where they were: the Spirit World, the Valley of the Gravekeepers. Trespassers here were doomed to be mummified and sealed forever.

That was the plan.

But in his version, it was supposed to be Pharaoh who "accidentally" triggered the artifact. Not Yumi.

Now, Lyman could only sneak uneasy glances at the boy. Ever since meeting him, he'd felt something was off. The longer he observed, the stronger that unease grew.

He was supposed to be the mastermind here. Yet sometimes, it felt like Yumi was reading from the same script, and even write his own.

"There they are again, those who trespass the King's Valley."

The soldiers parted, and a man stepped forward. Stern, robed, staff in hand. The Gravekeeper's Chief, the duelist spirit who faced Jaden in the anime.

...

Meanwhile, in the real world, the true Yumi stood before the rift in space and time, a gateway linking reality to the spirit world.

He stepped closer, covering his hands with the spectral grip of Contrast HERO Chaos.

His theory had been simple but bold: the original Black Luster Soldier only matched Blue-Eyes White Dragon in raw strength, but the Envoy of the Beginning had surpassed it by unlocking chaos, tearing through dimensions with reality-splitting slashes. Contrast HERO Chaos also held the power of light and darkness; the power of chaos.

Yumi reached toward the rift, grabbing it without being sucked in or pushed away.

He smiled, seeing that his theory was right. With the power of chaos, it seems that he can create a rift in reality to travel between the real world and the spirit world.

Just as he prepared to enter, a blade shot out of the rift. Raye materialized behind him and yanked him back, the strike missing by inches. The two skidded to a stop, eyes narrowing at the figure stepping through.

A blue-armored warrior emerged, sword still glowing from the swing.

"Who are you? How can a human wield the power of chaos?" the warrior demanded, his voice echoing through the helm.

Yumi's eyes widened. "Black Luster Soldier…"

The knight's gaze sharpened as he felt the torrent of spirit energy surrounding Yumi, the massive army of powerful duel spirits waiting behind him.

"I see. So you are Darkness," the soldier declared.

Yumi: "?"

Raye: "?"

They both were confused. First, it was the Earthbound hard-to-kill roast chicken called him Darkness, now even Black Luster Soldier?

Sure, his power is similar to the Final Bosses in Yu-Gi-Oh. The power to print cards.

But that didn't mean he was a Final Boss! What, did he have a nametag call: "Darkness" or something?

"I'm n-" Yumi started, but the knight cut him off.

"I am the harbinger tasked with guarding this world from invasion. A guardian of the underworld. I will not allow you to cross, Darkness!"

The blade swung, unleashing a chaos-charged slash.

"Kuriboh!" Yumi discarded a card, and the fluffy brown furball popped out, taking the hit before vanishing in smoke.

The knight whirled, expanding the rift with another cut. More warriors, beasts, and magicians marched through, an army of duel spirits, like heroes from across worlds and galaxies, rallying like an endgame raid party ready to strike down the so-called "ultimate threat."

The scene was supposed to be epic. Until-

Yumi casually waved his hand.

"Trap card! Torrential Tribute! When a monster is summoned, destroy all monsters on the field! And trap card, Skill Drain, negating the effect of all face-up monsters on the field!"

Black Luster Soldier: KISAMAAA!!! (You bastard!!!)

The army lost its powers instantly. A massive tidal wave erupted, swallowing them all and hurling the spirits back into the rift.

When the waters faded, Yumi stood soaked but calm. The knight, kneeling with his blade stabbed into the ground, barely resisted being dragged away.

"That was easy," Raye deadpanned, appearing behind him in spirit form. She'd been destroyed with the rest, but unlike the others, she returned to Yumi's grave instead of vanishing into the rift.

"You're stronger than before... Darkness…" the knight muttered. Rising, he shifted his sword into his shield, the weapon transforming into a hybrid shield-blade-duel disk strapped to his arm.

Cool.

Yumi smirked and lifted his Duel Disk. "Should've done this from the start."

"DUEL!" x2

[Yumi, LP 4000]

[BLS, LP 4000]

"I'll go first, draw!"

The knight's sharp gaze locked onto his hand as he pulled his opening card.

"Spell card, Advanced Ritual Art!"

A vast magic circle spread beneath his feet, glowing with ominous power.

"I send the Level 4 Normal Monster, Dark Blade, and the Level 4 Normal Monster, Moon Envoy, from my deck to the graveyard!"

Two armored warriors appeared on the circle, their bodies dissolving into streams of energy that shot skyward, merging together into a single beam, becoming a beacon.

"One soul guides the light, the other guides the darkness, together, they open the gate of chaos!"

With a swing of his armored arm, as if cutting through reality itself, the ritual ignited.

"From the chaos, I summon myself, arise! Black Luster Soldier!"

A cyclone of chaos erupted from the altar, swallowing the light before condensing into a radiant figure. A swordsman in gleaming blue armor descended, shield in one hand, sword in the other. When his boots struck the ground, the impact was like a battle standard planted into the earth.

He gave a single casual swipe of his blade, yet the air itself seemed split in silence. Even restrained, his aura radiated such force that not even kings of the dragon clan would dare to challenge him.

[Black Luster Soldier, ATK 3000]

The knight raised two more cards, sliding them into his duel disk. "I set two cards face-down, and end my turn!"

Twin face-downs shimmered into place behind the towering warrior, completing the opening move.

Yumi smirked, resting his hand on his deck. "Draw!"

He glanced at the card and couldn't help but chuckle.

"Spell card, Giant Trunade! Return all spells and traps on the field back to the hand!"

A roaring gust of wind surged through the arena, blowing away BLS's set cards before he could even think to use them.

"And next, my ace! I normal summon, Sky Striker Ace - Raye!"

A futuristic gateway ripped open beside him, and Raye stepped out, sword at the ready, planting herself proudly at Yumi's side.

[Sky Striker Ace - Raye, 1500 ATK]

"Quickplay Spell, Life Hack! I target Raye. Her ATK becomes equal to your Life Points, but all damage you take this turn is halved!"

Raye's sword pulsed with radiant energy, her aura spiking skyward.

[Sky Striker Ace - Raye, 1500 -> 4000 ATK]

The armored knight narrowed his eyes. He knew the attack would sting, but even halved damage couldn't be ignored.

"Battle! Raye, strike down Black Luster Soldier! Ace Striker!"

Raye dashed forward in a flash of steel, her blade humming with lethal force.

The Black Luster Soldier raised his sword to defend, knowing it was futile, but unwilling to yield without resistance.

"Quickplay Spell, Energy Drain! Your Black Luster Soldier's ATK becomes 0, and I get to draw a card!"

A dark pulse surged through the field. BLS's strength shattered in an instant, his once-mighty blade suddenly weightless.

[Black Luster Soldier, ATK 3000 -> 0]

Raye cut clean through him as if slicing paper. A violent explosion shook the battlefield as the knight was blown back.

[BLS, LP 4000 -> 2000]

The soldier staggered, almost falling to one knee. If not for the halved damage, he'd have been finished then and there.

As a powerful warrior, trusted with guarding the spirit world, if he falls in just one turn, that would be a humiliation that could never be washed off.

The enemy barely even gets ready, and you're already down? Can you even call yourself a warrior at this point?

"Quickplay spell, Mischief of the Time Goddess! Skip directly to my next battle phase!"

The knight's eyes widened as time itself fractured. The mischievous goddess' laughter echoed, and the flow of battle reset.

Raye's power returned to normal.

[Sky Striker Ace - Raye, 4000 -> 1500 ATK]

"Raye, direct attack! Ace Striker!"

She lunged again, her blade cutting across the armored warrior's chest, sending him tumbling across the ground.

[BLS, LP 2000 -> 500]

The soldier forced himself up, gasping, sweat dripping beneath his helmet.

"So… strong…" His voice trembled with something he hadn't felt in ages, fear.

If this were a Shadow Game, he would gladly stand up and fight to the very end, even if his effort amounted to nothing. But this isn't a Shadow Game, just a regular duel, but he could already feel most of his strength leaving his body.

This is like the enemy just demonstrating their power, showing a fraction of what they can do, and he has already fallen to his knees and nearly fainted.

This overwhelming power created a sense of fear and dread that struck deeply into the warrior's soul.

"Quickplay spell!" Yumi wasn't done, as his battle phase isn't over.

The knight's eyes went wide. "Another one!?"

The soldier's face grew pale, falling deeper into despair.

"Berserker Soul!"

"First, I have to discard my entire hand," Yumi said, sending his final card to the grave. "Then I draw until I get a non-monster card. For every monster card I drew, I must discard it, and a monster with 1500 or less ATK can attack once more."

The knight froze, realizing his last chance rested in Yumi not pulling a monster card.

"Draw!" Yumi drew and raised the card up. "Monster card, Kuriboh!"

The furball was discarded, and Raye dashed forward once more, blade swinging, hitting the armored warrior in the face and sending him rolling on the ground, before lying on his back.

[BLS, LP 500 -> 0]

"Gotcha! That was a fun duel!" Yumi grinned, flashing his trademark two-finger pose.

Black Luster Soldier did not appreciate that comment.

Too drained to even argue, the knight just lay there. His body shimmered with golden light, scattering into yellow particles before fading from sight.

"...Did I just kill him?" Yumi tilted his head, genuinely confused.

This wasn't a Shadow Game. This was the real world. So why did it look like he'd just committed first-degree murder?

"He's just embarrassed and rage-quit." Roze appeared at his side, sipping hot chocolate as if nothing happened.

As duel spirits, both she and Raye could tell the truth, BLS was still alive, just choosing to fake death out of shame.

"I see…" Yumi muttered. He casually plucked the cup from Roze's hands, took a sip to warm his still-soaked body, then handed it back.

Roze: "..."

She said nothing, quietly retreating back into his body along with Raye.

The dimensional rift pulsed, spitting out the rest of the group who had been pulled into the Spirit World.

"How the hell did you get my clothes wet!?" Spirit Yumi barked as they swapped outfits again.

"Long story short, a nuke dropped and wiped out an entire army," Yumi answered flatly, shrugging his jacket back on.

Then his gaze shifted toward the still-unconscious group. That's when he noticed something off, hanging around Celina's neck was half of a dark relic, the same one Jaden earned from dueling the Gravekeepers in the anime.

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