"Intruders, state your purpose."
"Ah, well, Black Luster Soldier, hello!" Jaden was experienced. Having been almost mummified before, he quickly started explaining when he heard the Black Luster Soldier speak like that.
"Dimensional Duel, I see." The Black Luster Soldier nodded.
The Black Luster Soldier seemed surprisingly easy to talk to!
He sheathed his weapon and introduced himself: "I am the harbinger tasked with guarding this world from invasion, the one who created it. I am also one of the guardians of the underworld.
In this land of warriors, countless warriors come here intending to become the strongest, attempting to grow stronger through training and battles."
He pointed to the distance, where countless warrior monsters were competing in martial arts, essentially playing cards.
"Ohhh! I'm so pumped!!" Jaden shouted excitedly.
"I will arrange opponents for you," the Black Luster Soldier continued. "Most warriors may not wish to leave this world, but if there are any who do, it is their choice.
Here, whether it's advancement or training, everything is decided by the most ancient of battle rituals. So, you need not worry."
Hikaru nodded.
As long as it's a duel, there's no problem.
"Unless—" The Black Luster Soldier turned back to add, "If you lose, you will stay here for training until the so-called dimensional exploration ceases, or until you defeat me."
"How can that be!" Jaden jumped up, clearly displeased.
"You've already said it yourself, right? You're seeking to duel the spirits of broken dimensions to provide energy." The Black Luster Soldier's cold, handsome face remained expressionless. "But our world doesn't need such things."
"For me, I am here guarding the eternal rest of my king, protecting the gates of this underworld, and not allowing any outsider to intrude!"
He said softly, "This is the greatest concession I can make."
Jaden was still about to argue, but Hikaru patted him on the shoulder and shook his head.
"Hikaru?"
"We are, after all, the intruders," Hikaru shook his head. "Besides, if we win, it'll be fine."
Looking at the situation now, this Black Luster Soldier seemed to be the guardian of the resting place of the unnamed Pharaoh from Yu-Gi-Oh—the same one that Seto Kaiba desperately tried to find: the gatekeeper of the underworld's entrance!
This kind of spirit wasn't something they needed to provoke, because he was an absolute "Lawful" entity. Even though they were rash intruders, as long as they didn't overstep, he wouldn't attack them.
In fact, Hikaru even wanted to make a good impression.
After all, there was, right before his eyes, a real top-tier spirit!
"Mm... Haha, that's right! Alright then, Black Luster Soldier, quickly find us some opponents!" Jaden shouted, raising his voice.
The Black Luster Soldier gave Jaden and Hikaru a deep look, slowly nodding. "I will find warriors suitable for you."
Afterward, a few warriors came over to clean up the area so that Hikaru and Jaden wouldn't be so uncomfortable.
After a while, under the watchful eyes of everyone, two warriors dressed in a very familiar way came in front of them.
"Wow! Avian, it's real! Hikaru, look—" Jaden couldn't contain his excitement, gripping the prison bars and eagerly leaning forward.
Red mask, white wings, and all covered in green feathers, who else could it be but "Elemental HERO Avian"?
Seeing his favorite monster appear right before his eyes, how could he not be thrilled?
Next to Avian, a knight riding a horse looked quite imposing, with particularly similiar aspects to the Black Luster Soldier, a knight with a certain dignity.
Gaia The Fierce Knight.
'Two "Normal" monsters, huh?'
"Do not underestimate our warriors," the Black Luster Soldier spoke from a distance as the referee. "They are the elite among my warriors."
'Elite?'
Gaia was fine, but Avian, with only 1000 attack points, was also considered "elite." It seemed they shouldn't let their guard down just because they were Normal monsters.
"The rules of the match are a tag duel, with both sides starting at 8000 life points, using the same field. The intruders will attack first, and the opponent can attack afterward," the Black Luster Soldier continued, explaining the rules.
It was the standard tag duel format.
Hikaru nodded.
"Then, Warrior's Ceremony, start!"
"Duel!" (×2)
[Jaden & Hikaru, LP: 8000]
[Avian & Gaia, LP: 8000]
With the Black Luster Soldier's announcement, Jaden and Hikaru spoke in unison.
Afterward, Jaden drew a card and quickly began his move. "I summon in defense position, Elemental HERO Clayman!"
[Elemental HERO Clayman] Level 4│EARTH│Warrior│2000 DEF│Normal
"Next, I set one card and end my turn!"
Hikaru pressed the duel disk, checking Jaden's set card, and then his eyes blurred, feeling dizzy.
'Jaden… why did you set that card?'
"Haha, don't worry, Hikaru! I set a trap in a defense position, it's the perfect turn for defense."
"My turn, Draw."
For some reason, his expression didn't look very good, and his face appeared a bit dark.
Avian had a blank expression, even slightly cold, as he glanced at his hand and immediately activated one of the cards. "I activate my spell card, Dark Fusion!"
'What?!'
Hikaru's eyes widened.
'What fusion?!'
"This is a fusion card specifically for Fiend-type monsters. I'll fuse the Elemental HERO Burstinatrix in my hand with myself.
The pitch-black wings, turn into blades, and tear apart everything before me!"
"I Fusion Summon, Evil HERO Inferno Wing!"
Before their stunned eyes, a slender female demon with black wings slowly descended in front of them.
[Evil HERO Inferno Wing] Level 6│FIRE│Fiend-type│2100 ATK
"Evil... Evil HERO? From Elemental to Evil? This... and it's a Fiend-type monster!" Jaden was still a bit confused, not fully understanding the current situation. He mumbled, "It has the same attack as Flame Wingman, but turning from Flame Wingman into a beautiful female demon... seems pretty cool..."
"Battle- Inferno Wing, attack Clayman."
"I activate a Trap Card!" Jaden quickly responded as the opponent declared an attack, hurriedly getting ready to activate his set card.
"Wait, Jaden, " Hikaru quickly tried to stop him, but it was too late.
"Trap Card, Sakuretsu Armor!" Jaden wiped his nose with his finger and carefully explained, "Hikaru, don't worry! Sakuretsu Armor's effect can be activated when the opponent declares an attack, targeting one attacking monster. That monster is destroyed!"
Upon seeing this Trap Card, Hikaru slapped his forehead and covered his eyes. Avian shook his head helplessly, while Gaia couldn't help but laugh. In the distance, the Black Luster Soldier spoke up: "Warriors from another world, the monsters Fusion Summoned by Dark Fusion cannot be destroyed by effects in that turn."
"What!!"
BOOM!
Clayman was destroyed instantly.
[Jaden & Hikaru, LP: 8000 → 7900]
"Does it also have piercing damage?"
"Not only that," Avian puffed out his chest proudly and explained, "Inferno Wing's effect can be activated when it destroys a monster by battle. It deals damage equal to the higher of the destroyed monster's attack or defense!"
"Huh? Isn't this just a stronger version of Flame Wingman?" Jaden was still talking when the demon woman arrived before them, showing a seductive smile, and then released pitch-black flames.
"Whoa, hot, hot, hot—!" Jaden, being the loyal type, knowing it was his fault for not playing well, immediately stepped in front of Hikaru, taking the flames for both of them.
This was a real duel with monsters, and every battle damage was real!
[Jaden & Hikaru, LP: 7900 → 5900]
"End of turn." Avian crossed his arms, acting like a pro.
"Sorry, Hikaru, I dragged you into this!" Jaden still wore a bright smile on his face, apologizing, "Looks like you're facing a strong monster now!"
Hikaru rolled his eyes.
'Does this guy even realize how much of a debuff "Sakuretsu Armor" is?!'
'In the original story, no one who used that card had a good outcome! I can't believe we got such a terrible start in my first tag duel in this world!'
He glanced at his hand.
'Forget it, it's just fate. Let me show you how it's done and turn this around!'