T-Bone looked at the Thestalos that had just reached his hand—he hadn't even had time to Summon it, hadn't even warmed it—and then at the LP display on his Duel Disk, and he felt lost.
This might be the most bewildering moment a duelist can experience.
He still had cards, still had LP, but he was already... gone.
But this shouldn't be.
What about the power of the Four Monarchs? Wasn't he supposed to be invincible once he obtained their power?
He was supposed to be on the correct path of destiny after receiving the baptism of light, right?
Then losing here today—getting one-shot by a bunch of Dark Scorpion gagsters plus Jackpot—was this also his fate?
"No, I don't understand..."
T-Bone fell to his knees, staring blankly at his hands.
"My destiny, why is it like this?"
"I think I said this recently, but..."
Kira walked forward.
"When you hand victory and defeat over to fate, you've already lost."
"This duel may have looked like you were dueling me, but I could feel your true opponent was someone else. That power wasn't yours, and even the flow of the duel wasn't truly guided by your will.
It only looked like you were at the wheel, but the car was on autopilot from the moment you sat down."
T-Bone was silent.
"A true duelist carves out their own destiny. A duelist who steps into the arena without even their own fighting will—from the start—is only ever going to be this much."
T-Bone: "..."
Well, that sounds convincing. The opponent won, after all—hard to argue.
But even if you build the mood, speak those lofty words... he couldn't help roaring inside—
—What the hell is Jackpot 7, anyway!?
Is that your path of carved-out destiny? Your path is seriously shady, isn't it?
Can't you win like a normal person, so your speech doesn't feel so out of place?
In fact, it wasn't just him raging inside— even the watching Knights of Hanoi were thinking their leader must not be human.
Good thing this kind of person is their leader, not their enemy. Just look at this duel: his main monsters were the bargain-bin Dark Scorpion gang, yet when the fighting started it was Deck Devastation Virus or Jackpot 7 every time.
Imagine it— even without a Shadow Game, dueling a guy like this probably shortens your lifespan.
Even Ryuya Saito—who used to be a leader—wiped sweat from his brow, suddenly certain that when Revolver fixed him back then, he must've been going easy. This guy probably has ten thousand ways to make you never want to touch cards again.
"Alright, you came a long way; it couldn't have been easy."
Kira waved a hand.
"I won't keep you. Go. Give Sarina a message for me: I'll be paying her a visit in the next couple of days."
The newly spared T-Bone didn't leave. He looked at Kira with a crying face—
Mainly at the Deck Kira casually slipped into his pocket.
Seriously, my Deck got plundered. I just lost four Monarchs and two spirits. I've also lost the light's power and turned back into a scrub. If I return to my boss like this, will I live?
But he didn't have to worry long.
At that moment, white light bloomed in the air. Within it, something round took shape—like a mirror.
From the mirror came a clear, melodious woman's voice.
"No need to send that message. I've already heard."
T-Bone shuddered and looked up in terror as if electrocuted. "La—Lady Sarina..."
Her image had not yet appeared, but her voice continued from within the mirror. "You're truly disappointing, T-Bone... Well, it was expected.
I told you not to pin hopes on them. In the end you were all ordinary people to begin with. Even if my brother and I intervene in your plain destinies, this is all you amount to... Enough. You've done plenty.
Rest now, T-Bone. Leave the rest to me."
A beam of light shot out of the mirror, striking T-Bone.
"Lady Sarina!"
T-Bone cried out one last time as he vanished, transformed into a beam of light that was absorbed into the floating mirror. An image flickered briefly within—a card bearing T-Bone sealed inside—but it vanished in an instant.
Everyone present at the club was a dark duelist; turning people into cards should have been nothing new, but even they gasped.
The ability to turn people into cards is already something only relatively powerful figures in the dark dueling world can do. But to do it remotely through a mirror from god-knows-how-far away—most of them had never seen anything like it in their careers.
The deeper your brush with darkness, the better you grasp how terrifying that scene was. The mysterious woman behind the mirror was undoubtedly a heavyweight in the underworld—how strong was unclear, but at least a regional overlord.
Kira had long known the siblings were unusual, so he wasn't surprised.
Those two were unlike most dark duelists; they were born psychics, with the ability to foresee the future.
Yes—Yu-Gi-Oh!'s world is vast and strange. Psychics aren't that rare. The siblings could see the future from childhood; once they learned Dueling, they naturally became formidable duelists.
Perhaps for that reason, Sarina's brother drew the gaze of the Light of Destruction. Vessels with such exceptional talent aren't exactly common.
The mirror soon showed an image: a pale-skinned woman in kimono, rather pretty.
"Revolver," Sarina smiled. "The duelist who surpassed the fate my brother foresaw—extraordinary indeed.
From what you just told T-Bone, it seems you've discovered my base, haven't you?"
"I thought you would've predicted that future," Kira smiled.
Sarina shook her head.
"Predicting your own future isn't so easy, even for my brother and me. When you try to peer into your own fate, subjective emotions inevitably interfere.
But don't worry—I won't run. I'm not going anywhere. I've long wanted to meet you as well—just not yet. It isn't time."
She smiled.
"Because before that, there's a special event today. Two other youths at Duel Academy have a pivotal duel today. My mirror scrying suggests it may be a turning point of destiny—I wouldn't miss it.
Also, there's someone I want to see at Duel Academy. But no rush—if things go smoothly, I'll come find you afterward."
Kira narrowed his eyes.
"Duel Academy?"