After the joy of reunion, everyone didn't linger here for long.
Gaia brought Tenjo Hikari and the weak Spirits to a small village.
To call it a village might be too "big" a word; in reality, it was just a few tents, a few small huts, and some Spirits surviving here.
This was a camp set up by Gaia, where he had rescued Spirits from the hands of the Light Monarch in this Dimension.
He introduced Tenjo Hikari to the Spirits here, and also explained to them about the so-called "Fusion Duelist in pursuit of ultimate fusion." Upon hearing that Tenjo Hikari was the idol of the "Great Lord," these Spirits quickly let go of their wariness toward humans, either busying themselves with their own tasks or curiously gathering around to listen to Tenjo Hikari and them reminisce.
After a brief chat, Tenjo Hikari curiously asked about the situation here.
The Critical Point Dimension is a chaotic, opportunity-filled Dimension.
In this Dimension, various unpredictable forces abound.
Here, it belongs to the "Land of the Knights of Glory" under the Light Monarch.
"There's nothing glorious, nor any knights besides yourself," the Dark Flare Knight grunted.
"It's called the Land of the Knights of Glory, but it's more of a place where the strong prey on the weak..." Gaia said while drawing a map on the ground with a stick, "Those living here are mostly Warrior-Type Spirits. Higher-ranked warriors attack the lower-ranked ones, the defeated become 'nourishment,' and the surviving ones become the knights' slaves, attendants, and so on, continuing this cycle."
"Ha?" Flame Swordsman raised an eyebrow, "What nonsense of a Land of the Knights of Glory is this?"
"No wonder you're wandering here," Dark Flare understood.
As someone from the Warrior's Domain, following the Primal Black Luster Soldier, the most honorable and noble warrior and knight, they deeply understood Gaia's thinking and actions.
This is simply an insult to knights, intolerable!
"But... haven't you already completed the trial of the Black Luster Soldier, becoming a Black Luster Soldier?" Flame Swordsman understood the situation but not the experience.
The Black Luster Soldier is the strongest warrior!
Every Warrior Spirit once dreamed of becoming the Strongest Warrior, and the Black Luster Soldier is the pinnacle for all warriors!
Gaia, having become a Black Luster Soldier, may not be as strong as the godlike Primal Black Luster Soldier, but among its fellow Spirits, no one could defeat it!
That's impossible!
"Idiot, did you forget? Gaia gave the Black Luster Soldier card to our lord," Dark Flare sighed helplessly.
"Ah—" Flame Swordsman smacked his own head.
He had forgotten about that.
All of Tenjo Hikari's Curse of Dragon, Gaia The Fierce Knight, and Dark Magician were obtained from others, and he'd forgotten that the Black Luster Soldier came from the Dark Magician Girl.
Without the 'original,' Gaia could only fight in different forms, losing to other warriors was no surprise.
"No, even if I had it, I wouldn't do it," Gaia shook his head earnestly, "Crushing that guy with overwhelming power would just be doing the same thing as him, wouldn't it?
Besides, since I follow our lord, naturally I seek a more integrated form."
He scratched his head.
"In the end... I'm still a High-Level Monster."
Tenjo Hikari noticed it too.
Its current form resembled Soldier Gaia The Fierce Knight more than Gaia The Fierce Knight, essentially a fusion of the Black Luster Soldier and Gaia. It was probably its strongest form before becoming a Black Luster Soldier.
"I think you might be missing a mount, maybe a dragon," suggested Dark Flare, raising a finger.
Tenjo Hikari happened to have a "Gaia the Dragon Champion" card obtained recently from the Magical Scientist, so he guessed that Gaia's lack of evolution into a fused form was simply due to a lack of partners.
"Oh yeah, I thought so too—" Flame Swordsman pretended to have really thought of it.
"A boring idea," Tierra sighed as the two Spirits gave Gaia advice, "Ritual Monster or High-Level Monster, what's the difference? Isn't a purple form not required for fusion?
No wonder you two haven't changed in so long; did you notice this point and so don't want to evolve?"
"Uh... Lady Midrash..." Dark Flare was embarrassed, as his intentions were indeed exposed.
"Nope?" Flame Swordsman scratched his head, a bit confused but hastily responding to Tierra, "But Lady Midrash, you do have a point."
"Who are you?" Gaia didn't recognize Tierra, and seeing it wasn't an old friend, his old temper flared, "I'm reminiscing with Flame Sword and Dark Flare, what's it to you—"
Midra lightly squinted, feeling pressure focusing on him, making it hard to breathe even for a Spirit who had become a Black Luster Soldier. However, it wasn't a Spirit that feared 'pressure' or 'power.' It stood to reason with Tierra, but luckily Flame Sword and Dark Flare pulled him back to calm him down.
"Sigh, what she said makes sense too." Gaia murmured about Tierra's words after sitting down again, "Looks like my self-training needs work. The Primal Black Luster Soldier has reminded me time and again not to lose my temper and clash with partners; otherwise, it wouldn't be considered fusion..."
"As expected of the Black Luster Soldier..." Tenjo Hikari, hearing this, couldn't help but nod and replied to Gaia, "Gaia, just like I told you before, regardless of Ritual or Fusion, the summoning method, the Summoned Monster, it doesn't matter. I won't hinder others' thoughts; I just pursue my fusion.
Even now, you can join my team."
He stood up, extended a hand: "Not as a warrior on the losing side, but as my friend and partner, joining as part of the fusion."
Gaia couldn't help but laugh.
A year had passed, and he'd indeed been worried about one thing.
That is, the warrior who had once defeated him would suddenly change his mind and no longer insist on fusion.
After all, humans were truly too fickle.
Yet after a year, all he felt from Tenjo Hikari was a purer and even more ardent drive for 'fusion'!
Gaia saluted Tenjo Hikari once more.
"Let's go. Show me the enemy who defeated you, to fulfill your [fusion], your understanding of warriors and glory," Tenjo Hikari.
"Yes!"
Gaia stood and then called out loudly, shouting to the Warriors around, "My compatriots, my Warriors! Your lord and the lord he serves, today will once again challenge that tyrant!
For true glory, for true knights—"
He slowly clenched his fist, saying, "Please cheer for us!"