The preliminary matches proceeded in full swing. Every team was carrying out their own team's strategy. New dark horses appeared, and previously well-regarded teams gradually saw their rankings drop.
With this match concluded, Team 5D's total record reached 7 wins and 1 loss, and they had already locked in their advancement. What came next was essentially a matter of exhibition.
Similarly, with this round of duels ending, the teams advancing could basically be locked into a range too.
Although there were more than a hundred teams, in reality only 32 would ultimately advance to the official "WRGP" tournament.
While thirty-two teams looked like quite a few, in reality these were teams compiled from the entire world and visitors from multiple dimensions. Thirty-two teams under such circumstances were duelists among duelists, carefully selected from among more than a billion duelists. Each was genuinely one in ten thousand.
But exactly which thirty-two teams could advance, and which seemingly-advancing teams would be eliminated, was a completely uncertain matter.
Some enthusiastic spectators, with brackets and calculators in hand, began to calculate based on win-loss relationships and discovered that in extreme cases, even a certain lose-lose-lose-lose "5-win" team had a chance of advancing to the Top 32.
Moreover, according to normal "Swiss round" dueling, 5 wins was actually enough to advance!
But...
Whether it was deliberate, or the WRGP officials' precise calculation, in any case, under the President's arrangement, some teams that looked like they'd advance smoothly inexplicably ran into powerful opponents, and unfortunately lost in these 4 extra matches that shouldn't have been played.
In any case, with audiences all faintly sensing something shady, some teams with theoretical qualification possibilities began to fall behind, while some teams whose hopes had originally been slim began, unexpectedly, to see opportunities emerge.
And under these circumstances...
Rumble.
Rumble.
Crimson-red magma rolled in an enormous cavern. A red little figure flew above the magma, watching with keen interest the man within the flames.
That was a blonde man in a silver-white uniform.
His forehead was already soaked with sweat. His whole body was trembling, as if he might collapse at any moment. But the very next second, he opened his eyes.
The instant the flames opened his eyes, it was as if fire spurted out from within them. Then, he raised his right hand high.
The back of his right hand had a huge gash cut across it. That was something he didn't want to recall, and a scar that had appeared when he lost to Yusei in the last City war.
In that duel, he'd lost to Yusei, lost to Yusei's "Junk Warrior"!
Since then, Jack had become the "Former King," and Yusei had begun his own adventure, challenge, and awakening.
As a friend, he already owed Yusei too much. And as a teammate, he wasn't strong enough.
He didn't want to see any day when, during a duel, Crow or someone else, because of the team's insufficient strength, would go seeking more existences and thereby walk down extreme paths.
As Yusei's teammate, he had to repay!
"Uwaaah!!!"
"Hoo hoo!" The red little figure's golden eyes went wide as it watched this scene.
Jack roared, raising his right hand. His right hand seemed to burn with raging flames. Then, he slammed it viciously against his own chest.
"Wait!" The red little figure shrieked.
It wasn't any other life. It was the world's strongest Earthbound Immortal, "Red Nova," a being that had once been on par with the Crimson Dragon, and moreover, a powerhouse that had many times fought the Crimson Dragon to a standstill in the One God contest.
Previously, it had once given its power to Leo Akaba. And it was in that duel that it had seen Hikaru's dueling, been drawn in by that pure dueling. And then, at that time, it had discovered "Jack Atlas," this fine sprout of talent.
Although Jack possessed the Signer's mark of the Crimson Dragon, in reality Jack Atlas was more suited to its own power!
Last time, it had used Jack Atlas's affection for Carly to lure him over, wanting Jack to join its ranks and become its God's Chosen. But Jack Atlas had easily defeated the "Dark Signer Carly" who had Earthbound Immortal backing, and had even, because of that, used that power to create "Red Nova Dragon."
But precisely because of this, it appreciated Jack all the more.
In this era where more and more One God contenders were emerging, and even the old-timers of the North had revived, having such a fitting, outstanding God's Chosen was much better than some invader from an unknown otherworld.
But at that time, Jack hadn't listened to its suggestion, and had instead delivered harsh words, saying that if it dared lay hands on Carly again, he would utterly annihilate it.
More importantly, he was a member of Team 5D's, and would only duel for Yusei's philosophy.
Red Nova, hearing his words at the time, had only found them laughable.
Without enough power, did he really think this One God War could be easily won?
He wouldn't actually think Red Nova Dragon was the entirety of Red Nova's power, would he?
This time, Jack had come actively seeking. It found this even more laughable.
As long as it was for the Crimson Dragon, it absolutely wouldn't hand Red Nova's power to Jack.
But it appreciated Jack Atlas very much, and told him: as long as he could withstand its power with his mortal body, it could consider it.
But the issue was!
How could a human possibly withstand the power of a god!?
That Yusei Fudo had modified himself into something neither man nor ghost, called himself some "Unity God." Wasn't his lifespan drastically shortened anyway?
This kind of thing, how could it possibly be done...
Then it saw Jack actually raise his own power and strike at his own heart.
Insane!!
"A true king never yields to another. Even if I burn my soul, I will absolutely not retreat!"
His chest began to blaze fiercely. His clothes were seared open, and the scent of scorched flesh drifted through the cavern.
"Aooo!!!"
Red Dragon Archfiend materialized behind him.
Red Nova's mouth fell open.
Jack's chest gradually transformed from red flames into golden light. With each thumping heartbeat, the burning soul appeared where Jack had originally stood.
"You, you're insane..."
It was the strongest Earthbound Immortal, the ultimate Earthbound Immortal. It was a genuine "Synchro God," so it saw through everything!
Whatever helping his teammates, whatever craving power, at the very instant of burning his own heart, the only thing Jack was thinking was one thing: he absolutely could not let the "god" before him look down on him!
Self-respect. This was the point at which Jack Atlas had always grown stronger. And at this very moment, his self-respect, his pride, had finally activated his "burning soul."
Jack strode forward with wide steps and pointed at Red Nova: "Red Nova, you are the strongest Earthbound Immortal, right!"
"Of course. Having felt my power, you finally realize it, right?" Red Nova laughed heartily. "This power is absolutely more than what that stingy Crimson Dragon gave. With this power, you can even surpass Yusei Fudo..."
"You've always been at odds with the Crimson Dragon, and have never admitted your own defeat, right."
"Hmph, it just found itself some helpers. In a one-on-one, I would absolutely not lose to it!"
Over these past days, in Jack's ear, Red Nova had been boasting day and night about its own might, its own power, telling him about its glorious battles with the Crimson Dragon.
As the strongest Earthbound Immortal, it didn't need companions to defeat the Crimson Dragon. This was its long-held conviction!
And the root of it all was self-respect and pride!
"I am a Signer. But I need your power!"
"Unless you give up the Signer's identity, I absolutely won't give you my power."
Jack strode forward with wide steps and pointed at Red Nova: "Red Nova, I will definitely obtain your power."
"What, you want to take it by force? Like Red Nova Dragon before?"
...
A long silence.
Then, Jack began to draw a deep breath and said: "No... what Yusei desires is to reconnect all things.
Earlier, he said he had forgotten the Crimson Dragon, forgotten one of the most important 'connections.'
But in the same way, I understand. Red Nova, you too are one of this world's most primordial Synchro Gods! I have an obligation to help Yusei bring you and the Crimson Dragon back into harmony!"
"Back into harmony? You're insane?!"
Red Nova directly cast off the small flame-body limiting itself, turned into fire-light, and merged into the magma. Then a massive fire giant slowly rose from the flames under the control of coiling serpents.
That enormous Earthbound Immortal, as if it could swallow the sun and moon, stared fixedly at Jack.
"I could absolutely never reconcile with the Crimson Dragon! Forever, absolutely not! It imprisoned me for countless ages. How could I reconcile with it! What's more, I will definitely prove it isn't as strong as I am!"
Gods were merciful. Even Earthbound Immortals would revive their Dark Signers. In fact, if Crow asked Wiraqocha Rasca to help find Shinji, perhaps he could find a Shinji revived by an Earthbound Immortal.
In this world, even the most stigmatized "evil gods" were essentially primordial "Synchro Gods" rather than truly evil gods. So toward humans, toward ordinary life, they were actually extremely merciful.
But gods were stubborn.
There were some things that, for them, were absolutely intolerable.
For example, the Earthbound Servants could accept "Synchro," but absolutely could not accept Red Nova's control. So they would help Hikaru "rise in revolt."
They could leave all their Synchro power in this world, but they would never forgive Red Nova, until their uprising succeeded.
The same went for Red Nova.
It could accept anything. Even being betrayed by the Earthbound Servants and Earthbound Immortals, even being dragged down by the trash of the Fusion army, even being humiliated by Hikaru, it could accept it all. Even Jack secretly siphoning off its power earlier, it could accept.
Whatever. Anyway, to it, sleep it off, five thousand years pass, and the stolen power would return. As for the Earthbound Immortals' respect, it fundamentally didn't need that either.
It only wanted to defeat the Crimson Dragon!
It only wanted to prove it was the strongest!
This point was extremely obvious in Sophia too.
She herself was quite tolerant toward mortals. If mortals really had a heart oriented toward good, even if they stole her power of destruction and creation, at most she'd get angry.
The reason she wanted to reset the DT planet, to reshape this cosmos, was the same. It was because the planet's creatures were destroying the planet and ruining the environment. But as long as they could change, all would be fine.
But there was one thing she absolutely could not accept, and that was Tierra's philosophy.
At this very moment, Red Nova was the same.
Jack couldn't persuade it.
"Then let's duel!" Jack Atlas thrust his fist forward, pointing at Red Nova.
"If you can't even beat me, what do you speak of about fighting the Crimson Dragon!"
"Do you think this would make me admit defeat?!"
"Then let's see, is your self-respect stronger, or is my self-respect stronger!"
"Interesting. Wagering self-respect, rather than wagering power or wagering cards?!" Red Nova was thoroughly stirred to fury. "Fine, Jack Atlas. I'll prove that your laughable self-respect and friendship don't hold up to a single strike!"
"Then I'll prove that your anger at the Crimson Dragon is only an escape from a cowardly self that dares not admit defeat!"
"Nonsense. Do you actually think you're inferior to Yusei Fudo!"
"...I've already lost to him once!"
!!!
Red Nova stared blankly for a moment. Then, the raging flames in the cavern grew even more intense. Even the rocks were shattered by the fire!
"Let us duel!"
"Duel!"
Flames covered the entire cavern. Carly Nagisa, who had been waiting outside for several days without seeing Jack come out, noticed the fire-light burning abnormally. She let out a scream and quickly braced against the fire, propped one hand in front of her, and rushed into the flames.
In this duel, Jack was not alone.
Because beneath his burning soul, he had thoroughly awakened!
Gods would not abandon their own philosophies and thoughts.
Red Nova was like this.
Sophia and Tierra were the same.
Sophia's phantom slowly rose out from the mirror. Her body gradually transformed from illusion into substance, then slowly, lightly, landed on the ground.
In her hand, at this moment, a deck was resting. She lightly picked it up, opened her eyes, and light like ripples of water flashed across them once, revealing her transcendent nature. She looked at the deck, using her divine power to permeate each card, verifying every one.
Declan Akaba had already begun to experiment with a new version of the "Pseudo-Deity Engine." In her heart, she also understood clearly that Declan Akaba had no thought or intention of pursuing this world's "One God."
Well then, there was no need to push that human anymore.
She could accept failure, could accept that the humans of this world had other paths of change and progress. She could accept that Declan Akaba did not genuinely respect her from the heart and was still cautious and wary of her at every turn. But she could not accept losing to Tierra.
Not in the past, and not in the future.
Not even at this present moment!
It's time, Tierra. Time for another long-awaited battle.
In her eyes, that strange light flashed once more.
Meanwhile.
Far away at the Team 5D's base, Tierra, who had been watching listlessly as the other contestants dueled through their final round of life-or-death advancement matches, suddenly felt something stir in her heart. A familiar and ancient power surfaced before her.
Sophia.
"...Hikaru."
Being called, Hikaru thought Tierra was too bored. He turned to look at her, only to find her exceptionally serious.
"What's wrong?"
"There's about to be a duel."
"Who?"
"My duel with Sophia."
In her eyes flashed an indescribable radiance. Almost excitement, almost reminiscence, almost desolation...
Only at moments like this could Hikaru more clearly recall that Tierra was an extremely complex god.
...
STONESSSS
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