[Scene – Canal de l'Aube, 3:42 PM]
The wind blew softly along the dried-up canal, lifting beige dust that settled into every crevice of the bike's frame.
Riding at full speed on his black mountain bike equipped with a touchscreen on the handlebars, Kael squinted, fully focused. His matte helmet barely reflected the spring sunlight.
— "Come on... just one more summon before the next turn."
He slid his finger across the screen without slowing down. The interface reacted instantly.
— "I summon Deflector Dragon in defense mode! And I activate Mind Portal from my hand."
A blue hologram lit up to his right: a spectral dragon floated for a moment above the canal.
A digital voice echoed in his earbuds:
> "Speed: 32 km/h. Focus: unstable. Remember to breathe."
Kael gritted his teeth.
— "No way I'm messing up this sequence. If I can't handle the terrain and the duel at the same time, I don't stand a chance against a real Cycloduellist."
A pothole appeared out of nowhere. He lifted slightly off the saddle, absorbing the shock. His finger brushed the screen again.
— "I special summon Labyrinth Phoenix! Cost: 800 LP."
He gasped, a smile on his lips. The flaming hologram appeared in a virtual explosion as he skidded slightly left, riding along the collapsed bank.
— "That's it... strategy and legs. The duel never stops."
---
[Continuation – Same place, a few meters ahead]
Kael slammed the brakes, his tires screeching over the gravel. He was panting, his thighs burning. He put a foot down, wiping sweat from his temple.
— "I'm exhausted… but I managed two kilometers in active duel mode. Not bad for a first test."
A deep, calm voice echoed from the shadow of an old stone bridge just above the canal.
— "You almost lost at the third turn. Your Deflector Dragon was useless against a direct attack."
Kael froze. He looked up. A figure sat on the edge of the bridge, legs crossed, helmet set down beside him.
The stranger smoothly jumped down.
He wore an old Cycloduel jersey, worn but recognizable: TEKKANDAN CREW. Kael's eyes widened.
— "Wait... you were part of the TEKKANDAN crew?!"
The man smiled calmly.
— "I was riding before it became trendy. I've been watching you for a while. You've got potential, but you're using your screen like a living room gamer. Not like a Cycloduellist."
He stepped closer, tapping Kael's handlebars.
— "Your eyes are stuck here. But your real strategy needs to be here..." He tapped Kael's chest. "...and here." He pointed to his legs.
Kael swallowed, intrigued.
— "You wanna learn? I'll show you how to really fight... while riding."
The man mounted a dusty mountain bike, equipped with a double screen. He stared at Kael.
— "Name's Yugo. First Cycloduellist to win a match without summoning a single monster. Just with the road."
A shiver ran down Kael's spine.
— "Maybe this is the beginning of my real training."
---
[Interlude – A few minutes later, still by the canal]
Kael was walking beside his bike while Yugo rummaged through his bag.
— "Hungry?" asked the veteran.
— "Uh… a little, yeah."
Yugo pulled out a completely flattened pita bread wrapped in plastic, and a can… of cold soup.
— "...That's all you have?" Kael asked, grimacing.
— "Cycloduellist fuel." Yugo cracked open the can, took a sip... and made a funeral face.
— "Oh no… I grabbed the fish flavor."
Kael burst out laughing despite himself.
— "Man, you've got grandpa tastes, seriously."
Yugo shrugged.
— "Maybe that's why I'm still riding strong at 40, while you're already cooked after two kilometers."
Kael stifled his laughter. Point taken.
— "Okay, I get it. Train me."
---
[Training – A few minutes later, back on the track]
The two mountain bikes rolled at a good pace, tires hammering the gravel steadily.
Yugo spoke calmly through the Bluetooth earpiece he had given Kael.
— "Rule #1 of Cycloduel: the duel follows the cyclist's pace, not the other way around."
— "So if I speed up, the phases get shorter?"
— "Exactly. And if you slow down, you risk losing mental rhythm. You have to stay clear-headed. The duel must never mess up your riding."
Kael frowned, focused.
On his screen, a Summon Phase had just begun. He swiped his finger quickly, keeping his eyes on the path.
— "I set Obsidian Wall face-down. End of my turn."
Yugo glanced at his own screen.
— "Not bad. Now, think about the terrain. The left bank is getting more unstable. You choose your path during the duel phase. You keep playing, but your legs control your survival."
Kael exhaled hard, picked up speed, eyes locked straight ahead.
— "And if I screw up?"
— "You lose a monster. But if you fall, you lose everything."
They kept riding for several minutes. No slowing down. No distracting visuals. The holograms stayed subtle, semi-transparent, hovering behind the handlebars, synced with their movements.
Kael clicked his screen one last time before the final turn.
— "I attack your LP directly with Meteor Reaper. Duel over."
Yugo smiled through his mic.
— "Nice. 5 kilometers covered, duel under control, no driving errors. You just finished your first real Cycloduel."
Kael slowed down, drenched in sweat, heart pounding.
— "I thought it would be harder…"
— "It is harder. You were just focused."