"You're saying… I fear failure? Me? The KING of this City?!" Jack Atlas growled, teeth clenched.
"Hmph. Or are you just a third-rate Duelist too cowardly to admit the truth?"
Jack bit his lip—but didn't respond.
Because he knew.
Ever since leaving Satellite… ever since joining Sector Security… ever since going pro—he had stagnated.
No growth. No change.
He was still the same as he was back when he parted ways with Yusei.
Even with new Synchros like Sirius the Blue Wolf Star… nothing had truly evolved.
No—maybe he had even gotten weaker.
Maybe, somewhere along the way, he really did start to fear failure.
Fear facing old friends again.
But his ambition kept him pushing forward.
And that was why, after defeating yet another forgettable opponent, he'd challenged Seto Kaiba—right in defiance of Security protocols.
Because his heart demanded it.
"I activate Azure-Eyes White Dragon's effect! I destroy one monster on your field! That fake dragon—get lost!"
"I activate Stardust Dragon's effect! When a card effect would destroy cards on the field, I Tribute it to negate and destroy that card!"
"Sanctuary of the Sacrificed!"
Even in his storm of emotions, Jack made his move.
"And with that, our KING cleanly wipes out the new White Dragon!" the MC's words rushed to catch up with the spectacle.
"Quick-Play Spell—Ultimate Fusion!"
Just as the crowd erupted with relief—Kaiba unveiled a new card.
"A Fusion Spell just for Blue-Eyes! By shuffling back Blue-Eyes monsters from my field, hand, or Graveyard, I can Fusion Summon a monster that lists 'Blue-Eyes White Dragon' or 'Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon' as material!"
"Fusion—commence!"
"Ah!"
Of course—
Up till now…
Seto Kaiba hadn't even fused yet!
"I return Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my Graveyard, Azure-Eyes from the field, and another from my hand… now descend! My strongest servant—Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"
"AHHHH!!"
The radiant dragon reared back, all three heads locking eyes on Jack.
The ultimate form of Blue-Eyes!
Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!
Level 12. LIGHT. Dragon. ATK 4500!
"A true living legend…" Even the veteran MC whispered in awe.
"Behold it—the strongest, the ultimate dragon in all of history!" Kaiba's arms crossed as his cape fluttered in the wind. "Battle! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, crush that fake dragon!!"
The Ultimate Dragon roared, unleashing triple breath blasts.
Red Dragon Archfiend was obliterated.
Jack LP: 3400 → 1900
"End of turn."
Now their D-Wheels were neck and neck—barely halfway through the course.
Kaiba glanced at Jack and scoffed.
"…My turn!"
Jack's heart blazed at Kaiba's words.
What did he mean?
"That's not a card you should ever use"?
How absurd!
Duelists used whatever it took to win—didn't Kaiba himself use Negate Attack earlier!?
Vrrrrrrrmmm!
Jack raced past the track's big screen. He glimpsed Yusei, Yuya, Hikaru Amagi…
Fusion-user… and Yusei…
Boom boom.
His heart pounded harder.
That card was never yours to use!
Not just Starlight Road…
More importantly… Stardust Dragon!
He looked toward his Graveyard—Stardust Dragon lay dormant, unable to revive under revival restrictions.
Ah… so that's it!
He understood now.
"I was right to Duel you!"
"But Blue-Eyes feels disappointed!"
"Hmph! Then allow me to show you the Duel of this City's true KING!"
Only a Duel with a real stronger opponent could reignite his dimming soul.
"My turn! Draw! I switch Sirius the Blue Wolf Star to Defense Position, set two cards, and end my turn!"
"Oh? Putting Sirius in Defense? Hoping I'll destroy it and get hit with a stat drop, huh?"
"Why don't you try and see!?"
"Heh… My turn! Battle—!"
"Now! I activate my face-down: Call of the Haunted! I Special Summon Red Dragon Archfiend from my Graveyard!"
"Rise again—MY SOUL!!"
ROOOAAAARRR!
The blazing wings of Red Dragon Archfiend burst back to life.
Level 8. DARK. Dragon. ATK 3000!
"He brought back Red Dragon Archfiend!!" the MC shrieked. "Why, Jack?! That puts it right in front of the Ultimate Dragon—!"
"Shut it! I fight my Duel!!" Jack roared.
"Heh… interesting. Then—Battle! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Attack Red Dragon Archfiend with Ultimate Burst Stream!!"
All three heads took aim. The energy built—destruction itself poised to fire—when Jack flipped his trap:
"Trap Card—Roar of Pride!"
"When your monster's ATK is lower during damage calculation, pay LP equal to the difference, then gain that difference +300 as bonus ATK!"
"I pay… 1500 Life Points!!"
"What!? Jack—he's sacrificing his life points… for his dragon!!" the MC cried.
"I'll fight with Red Dragon Archfiend!!"
Jack LP: 1900 → 400
"Strike back—RED DRAGON ARCHFIEND!!!"
ATK: 3000 → 4800
With a roar that shook the skies, Red Dragon Archfiend met the blast—and overpowered the Ultimate Dragon's full assault!
Kaiba LP: 1600 → 1300
Red Dragon Archfiend: 4800 → 3000
"How's that, Kaiba!? My Red Dragon Archfiend is every bit as strong as your Blue-Eyes!"
"Heh. Now that's more like it," Kaiba replied calmly, not even flinching.
It shook Jack—how unfazed he was.
"HE BEAT THE ULTIMATE DRAGON!!"
"JACK!! JACK!! OUR KING!!"
The City erupted in cheers. Even Yuya and Rin couldn't help but shout for their idol.
It looked like Jack had won.
And then—
Kaiba, riding on his high Speed Counter count, surged ahead on the track.
"This is it. I can finally feel my blood boiling again!"
"Same here!" Jack grinned. "Been too long since I felt this alive!"
"Jack Atlas."
"!?"
Kaiba clenched his fist.
"For you… this is just the beginning. The gate to a new dimension of Dueling has opened. Across the world, the universe—even across dimensions—there are infinite unknown Duels ahead!"
"You've seen it—there's no end to the path of Dueling!"
"Synchro, Xyz, Fusion, Tribute, Ritual…"
"Do you really plan to stop here!?"
"OF COURSE NOT!!" Jack snapped.
"Good."
Kaiba nodded—then looked at the crowd screens.
At Yugi.
At his students.
At Duelists from beyond.
At Hikaru Amagi…
"Exactly!!
Believe in your Duel. Believe in your monsters. Believe in your soul—your conviction—your Deck!
Compared to Duelists who march toward a future they've already decided, you're far behind!
This is what lies ahead for all Duelists!"
In Kaiba's heart, the plan had already formed—a transcendent, multiversal Duel Tournament.
Only the most powerful… the most "ultimate" Duelists—could enter!
He'd already found a candidate among the students…
And he, Seto Kaiba, had already surpassed even himself.
"…You…" Jack finally understood.
This Kaiba's heart—it wasn't bound by any one world!
"I respect your courage to challenge Blue-Eyes…"
"But playtime ends here."
"What!?"
"I activate—Quick-Play Spell: The Azure Emerges! I banish all cards from my hand, field, and Graveyard that list 'Blue-Eyes' in their names—including this card!"
"What kind of card has such a cost!?" the MC gasped. "Isn't that basically game over if it fails?!"
But no—this was the final move. Kaiba's ultimate resolve.
"Then—I Special Summon up to THREE Blue-Eyes White Dragons from my Deck!!"
"WHAT!?" Jack's eyes flew wide.
"Come forth—MY LOYAL SERVANTS!!"
VRRMMM
SCREEEE
ROOOOOAAAAARRR
Three Blue-Eyes White Dragons emerged in radiant light, their wings casting a glow across the Duel Track.
"Three… Blue-Eyes White Dragons?!"
"Hmph… It ends now. My most loyal beasts—ATTACK! DESTROY MY ENEMIES!!"
The three dragons charged, unleashing destruction—
At that moment, countless City cameras shorted out, redirecting the feed.
Only a madman's voice echoed above the KaibaCorp Duel Complex:
"ENDURANCE! INVINCIBILITY! ULTIMATE POWER!!"
"SMASH! CRUSH! ROAR FOR GLORY!!"
"MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"