Chapter 31: Future City Heartland
The first day of the Maiami Championship drew to a close amidst the explosive fireworks of Shun Kurosaki's Raidraptors.
After winning the match, Shun didn't even spare his dazed and battered opponent a glance, simply walking back to the lounge as if his opponent was nothing more than casually discarded trash.
Back in the lounge, Yūga Hōzumi's group packed up their things, preparing to return to the hotel.
But just as the three of them exited the stadium, they unexpectedly ran into the members of the Yusho Duel School.
"Wait a moment," Yuzu called out to them.
The three turned their heads in unison. At that moment, Yuya Sakaki looked at Yuto's face and exclaimed in surprise, "You really look exactly like me!"
From his seat in the audience, Yuya Sakaki hadn't been able to see clearly from such a distance. This time, face-to-face, a thought suddenly crossed Yuya's mind: *Is this an older or younger brother my missing dad somehow conjured up for me? Did he leave without a word because Mom found out?*
"Huh? Why didn't you disappear this time?" Yuzu wondered aloud, looking down at her bracelet.
"Is there something you need?" Yūga Hōzumi asked.
"Can you tell me who you are? Why did you suddenly compete on behalf of the Leo Duel School? And what's this war you keep mentioning?" Yuzu asked.
"Don't you think you're asking a few too many questions?" Yūga Hōzumi said. "Sometimes, knowing too much can put you in danger."
"Danger?" Yuzu was confused by Yūga Hōzumi's words.
"Putting that aside," Gongenzaka spoke up, "do you realize that your recent actions have caused a lot of trouble for Yuya and the Yusho Duel School?"
"Trouble?" Upon hearing this, Yuto looked at Yuya Sakaki's identical face and understood. "If that's what this is about, I apologize for the trouble we've caused."
Yuto's direct apology made it difficult for Yuya Sakaki and Gongenzaka to say anything more. However, Yuzu, still full of questions, pressed on, "What is this danger you're talking about?"
Yūga Hōzumi shrugged and smiled at Yuzu, then turned his gaze toward Sora Shiun'in, who stood silently behind the others.
"If you're really that curious about our identities, why don't you ask this little runt?" Yūga Hōzumi said.
"You two... you've met before?" Yuya Sakaki couldn't help but ask, seeing the topic shift to Sora.
"Oh, right." Yūga Hōzumi ignored Yuya Sakaki's question. "For tomorrow's match, you'd better show some real skill. If you keep up this facade, you'll die." After saying his part, he turned to leave.
Behind him, Sora's expression flickered, prompting Gongenzaka to ask, "Sora... is there some grudge between you two?"
"Haha, a grudge?" Hearing Gongenzaka's question, Yūga Hōzumi couldn't help but laugh. "What's between us and him is far more than a simple grudge. We have a life-or-death feud."
...
After the three returned to the hotel, Shun Kurosaki couldn't help but ask, "Are we just letting that Fusion dog go?"
"He hasn't been exposed yet," Yūga Hōzumi said in a low voice. "Otherwise, we wouldn't even get a chance to act. In this city, Reiji Akaba has far more tricks up his sleeve than you can imagine."
"However," Yuto said, "I'm not at ease leaving that sinister fellow by Yuzu's side."
"Don't worry," Yūga Hōzumi said. "In tomorrow's match, I'll rip this guy's disguise off, layer by layer. He won't be able to hide."
The next day.
Arriving at the venue early in the morning, Yūga Hōzumi's group watched the performance of two Entertainment Duelists, Yuya Sakaki and Sawatari Shingo. Afterwards, Yūga Hōzumi turned to Shun Kurosaki and Yuto. "So, this is this dimension's popular 'Entertainment Dueling.' What do you think?"
"Can these people really become our allies?" Shun Kurosaki said with a frown. "The battlefield needs warriors, not clowns performing tricks."
Yuto, however, looked nostalgic after watching Yuya Sakaki's performance. "If it weren't for this war, his duels would probably be very popular in Heartland City."
"Speaking of which, I think it's my turn next?" Yūga Hōzumi sat up from his seat, checking his Duel Disk and Deck.
"Be careful," Yuto reminded him.
"Don't worry," Yūga Hōzumi said. "It's the perfect chance to show you the new power I've obtained." With that, he opened the lounge door and walked toward the dueling field.
Meanwhile, in the Yusho Duel School's lounge.
"Be careful, Sora," Yuya reminded Sora after winning his duel and returning to the lounge.
"Don't worry, Yuya," Sora said confidently, sucking on a lollipop. "I won't lose to some Xyz user."
A short while later, the two of them arrived at the center of the stadium.
"Next up is today's second match! From the Leo Duel School, contestant Yuan Youhao, versus contestant Sora Shiun'in from the Yusho Duel School!" the Announcer Uncle said with great enthusiasm.
"Alright then! First up, let's select today's Action Field!" the Announcer Uncle said. The multicolored light sphere above their heads burst open, and a card was revealed from within.
"This card? What a fitting field for the Maiami Championship, a gathering of the dueling world's future stars!" the Announcer Uncle exclaimed, pressing the button in front of him.
"Action Field, activate! Future City Heartland!"
Hearing this, Yūga Hōzumi on the field, and Yuto and Shun in the lounge, all had their expressions change simultaneously.
Soon, thanks to the Solid Vision system, skyscrapers glittering with neon lights rose from the ground. The dazzling neon combined with the bright, starry sky above to create a breathtaking nightscape of a futuristic city.
"How incredible! It's like something out of a sci-fi movie," someone in the audience exclaimed.
The atmosphere in the venue was electrified by this nightscape of perfect harmony between technology and nature, and cheers erupted from all corners.
"Candy Street would still be more exciting, but the audience seems to be enjoying this. I guess this field isn't so bad, huh?" Sora said playfully, looking at Yūga Hōzumi, completely ignoring his stone-cold expression.
"This place is..." Yūga Hōzumi glanced at the projection of Academia's main gate in the distance, then looked up toward Reiji Akaba's surveillance room. *You've really given me a grand 'gift,'* he thought.
Watching Yūga Hōzumi's expression on the screen, Reiji Akaba muttered to himself, "It seems he's quite fond of my gift. I wonder if this will be enough to add fuel to your fighting spirit."
"What's wrong?" Sora said. "Aren't you excited to duel in such a beautiful field?"
"You're right," Yūga Hōzumi said, his voice laced with the killing intent he'd honed on the battlefield. He stared at Sora, enunciating each word. "Burying you on this field is indeed quite fitting."
...
(end of chapter)