At the edge of the Dark Sanctuary on the outskirts of the Varian Empire, all remained the same.
The same three massive, terrifying stone statues, each representing one of the Sacred Beasts.
The same ancient nursery rhyme, passed down through the Spirit Continent.
Only this time, the girl cloaked in gray atop the altar no longer sang with a pure, clear voice. Her rendition was now laced with sorrow and eerie melancholy.
Delicate fingers lifted her hood—revealing Luca Slint, blonde-haired and green-eyed, whose once angelic face now bore a gruesome scar running from her right eye to her cheek.
A flaw upon a perfect gem, stark and jarring.
"Half a year, huh?"
Ceasing her song, Luca stepped to the center of the Dark Sanctuary.
Magic from the Sacred Beast statues surged toward her chest, converging until it triggered a chime of metallic wind bells in the dark.
The Millennium Ring.
Upon contact with the altar's magic, it reappeared around Luca's neck.
"Long time no see... I missed you—missed you so, so much, my other self!!"
Her tone turned manic, clutching the Ring tightly, her trembling face twisted with pain, the scar twitching along with her expression.
No response. The soul within the Millennium Ring feigned silence. Summoned after half a year, it refused to answer.
"So you're done talking? Fine. I don't trust you anymore anyway. But we're still partners—I need your power."
She opened her mouth wide and sank sharp teeth into her own arm without hesitation.
Blood dripped onto the altar.
At once, the blood-activated altar sent out three beams of crimson light, one to each Sacred Beast statue.
The first to react was Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder—its eye sockets glowed blood red.
"Hamon is awakened... That makes sense. He had already awoken before I was imprisoned."
Next came the statue of Uria, Lord of Searing Flames—also glowing.
Luca was visibly surprised.
"Even Uria awakened? Looks like you've been busy these past six months, my other self."
And then—
The largest statue of them all, Raviel, Lord of Phantasms, lit up in crimson as well.
"Impossible! Even Raviel awoke?! Just six months… where did all the souls come from?!"
All three Sacred Beasts were now fully awakened.
Fresh out of prison, Luca was hit with a tremendous "surprise."
It had taken her years of backroom dealings, secretly cultivating Shadow Duelists with the Slint family's help, to awaken Hamon.
Yet in just six months, the Millennium Ring's new host had awakened the other two.
Legend says the fully awakened Sacred Beasts rival the Egyptian Gods.
Capable of absorbing Duel Monsters' souls as sustenance, granting their master eternal life.
It was unbelievable. What kind of host had the Millennium Ring found?
Was Luca really that weak before?
Rehooded, Luca quickly left the still-glowing altar.
Outside, a white-haired elder awaited her.
"How's the Demon God Ritual, Luca?"
"Far better than expected, Grandpa."
This elder, leaning on a golden cane, was Locke Slint—the current head of the Slint family.
"The Sacred Beasts are fully awakened, Grandpa. You can draw their cards from the ritual any time."
"Excellent! Truly excellent!"
He patted her golden hair absentmindedly, eyes locked greedily on the altar.
The legend of eternal life consumed him. Even the black energy leaking from his Millennium Eye couldn't hide that lust.
Locke had been family head since age 20—nearly 80 years now.
With the Eye's curse and blessing, he had dominated Duels and the nation alike.
Honor, fame, power, wealth—even women—all his for the taking.
Yet, not even the Millennium Eye could change his mundane truth:
He had no magical talent.
A muggle, unable to channel mana to extend life. Unable to enter the Demon God Ritual. Dependent on his granddaughter.
But now, with the Sacred Beasts awakened, even that final limitation would vanish.
"Just one more step to eternal life."
To sustain the Sacred Beasts, souls of Duel Monsters were required.
So, where to harvest them?
Thus, the Slint-Seth Inter-Nation Pact.
No place was better than the Livorden capital, soon to host every noble and their strongest Duelist.
The capital would be their hunting ground.
Their fallen paradise.
"Luca, prepare to depart."
"The capital again? I just got out of that hell, Grandpa. You're so cruel."
Half a year in prison had left Luca with permanent trauma… and a scar.
Yet her words belied her expression: a twisted smile, sickly sweet.
Her fingers brushed the scar with a yandere glint.
"But I suppose it's fine. There's someone I want to see in the capital. Aisha Yuna Carlos. Kaima Seth. I've missed you so much these past six months~"
The train's wheels turned in darkness, an unstoppable current of fate.
The fate of the kingdom.
Of its people.
And of the Duelists now pulled into its whirlpool.
All threads converged on the Livorden capital.
Aboard the magitek train, Aisha Carlos finally relaxed, comforted by her sister Alice.
Inside the Millennium Puzzle's soul room, Dark Aisha handed Miles a small bouquet of paper flowers folded from book pages.
"What's this?"
"A gift. For you."
"A thank-you gift? Why now?"
"..."
She didn't answer. But after half a year together, even she had opened up.
"Well… if you're giving it to me, I'll take it."
He caught a glimpse of her trying to hide a smile.
"Wait, are you excited about the capital trip?"
"Mm."
"Do you like the capital?"
"No."
"Then why are you happy?"
"Because you're fighting for Carlos with all your heart."
In a land where Duel strength decides status, the capital's noble gathering was a real power stage.
Miles had personal reasons, too.
Aside from becoming King of Games, he wanted to raise the Carlos family's standing.
Only with a higher status could Aisha reach the top tiers of this world.
And after seeing so many miraculous magics at Fusion Academy, Miles had started to believe:
Maybe—just maybe—there existed a mage or summoner who could forge him a new body.
Loli God never lied!
Hope. Desire. Despair. Ambition.
Duelists moved forward, their destinies intertwining. And none could predict what awaited at journey's end.
...
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