Chapter 188: Skeleton Knight

The subsequent Friendship Cup proceeded slowly in a more harmonious environment, and as time passed, with the aid of super technology and Card Spirit power, the areas controlled by Kaiba Corporation in the Satellite District rapidly developed; numerous facilities were built by Kaiba Corporation, and since this region now belonged to Kaiba Corporation, it showed no courtesy to the people of this world.

Quickly, venues such as Duel Fields and World Promotion Halls were constructed, and everyday consumer stores and specialized equipment shops that Satellite District residents had never imagined before gradually appeared.

Kaiba Corporation didn't care whether you were from the Upper or Lower Districts—as long as your deck had forty cards, you could come.

Of course, considering the incompatibility of currencies, Kaiba Corporation simply issued special cards, freely giving them to anyone whose deck contained at least forty cards; what they did with the rest—exchange or otherwise—was entirely up to them.

For the Satellite District, suffering from material shortages, this was essentially a gift!

Duelists are hard to come by—how many people have a forty-card deck? Kaiba Corporation was effectively giving everyone free rations for over a week!

Although the Satellite District wasn't starving, it was still free—who wouldn't like that?

Because of this initiative, Kaiba Corporation and the Interdimensional People gradually became more friendly in the eyes of the Satellite District residents, especially those like Yūgo who frequently interacted with Interdimensional People, who were now more willing to tell Tenjou Hikari more about this world.

"Skeleton Knight?" Yu Dai and the others gathered together, listening to Yūgo's tale, their heads full of question marks.

"Yes!" Yūgo stood there, gesturing wildly with his hands, "He appears only at night, said to track those marked for death and destroy them in a Duel!"

"Let's not even get into why it's done with a Duel," Wan Wan Zhangmu spoke up, "Why ride a horse to Duel?"

"Because it's a Rush Duel!" Yūgo laughed, "If it's not a Rush Duel, it's not a Duel at all!"

Rush Duel?

The group turned toward a nearby spot. There, Tenjou Hikari was helping Yūsei fine-tuning a motorcycle—the people of this world called it a "D-Rail," a special vehicle capable of autonomous driving and card identification.

In this world, people were more accustomed to Rush Duels, so ordinary Duels rarely stirred excitement, and there were far fewer practitioners.

It was said that hidden within this was some strange secret, known only to certain insiders and high-ranking officials.

But Tenjou Hikari knew the truth: in this 5Ds world, conducting high-speed Duels using D-Rails could resonate with a "Perpetual Motion Engine," generating endless energy to power the entire world—in this world, Duel wasn't important because of some external reason; it was important because it was inherently so!

The world's lifeline was tied to Rush Duels; thus, Duel was naturally of supreme importance.

Tenjou Hikari had not found "Kaiba Corporation" here, so he could confirm that although this world contained people from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds and even seemed to be experiencing events from 5Ds, certain details likely differed from his memory—yet overall, the 5Ds backdrop remained intact.

That was normal enough. His own world wasn't identical to his memories either.

Still, this Skeleton Knight left him somewhat confused.

Was he perhaps that random passerby from the first episode of 5Ds who was destroyed by Jack?

Although Tenjou Hikari wasn't particularly skilled in science, he was still someone who tinkered with machinery, so helping Yūsei out wasn't a problem—he didn't need to focus as intensely as Yūsei, and thus picked up most of the details.

It seemed there was a legend in this world: a skeleton who appeared only at night, riding a skeletal horse, challenging people to Duels.

Though some still didn't believe it, because it had existed for so long, it had become a kind of urban legend.

"Alright, Yūgo, you don't need to tell them those kinds of stories," Rin grabbed his flailing hands, forcing him to calm down.

"It does sound vaguely familiar," Asuka murmured, slightly conflicted.

Wan Wan Zhangmu nodded.

"Hmm, urban legend, ghost story?" Yu Dai rubbed the back of his head and chuckled, "If you put it that way, I've Duelled demons, zombies, robots—you name it. Seems pretty normal to me."

"What?" "Huh?"

Yūgo and Rin, both children, reacted with shock and curiosity; Rin, the girl who seemed uninterested on the surface, couldn't help but blurt out: "R-Really?"

"It's not anything strange—probably just a Duel Monster Spirit."

"Duel Monster Spirits? Isn't that just a legend?"

"You have stories like that in this world too, right? Good—then, Captain, are you free?"

He whispered a call, and Golden Captain appeared beside him.

Rin and Yūgo both jumped—they'd vaguely glimpsed a golden shadow after Yu Dai's call, but couldn't make out the details.

"Huh? You can see it?" Wan Wan Zhangmu was astonished.

"I… I felt something…" Yūgo was stunned.

Unlike Serena, who had undergone professional training and enhanced her abilities early on, these two still possessed innate, natural talent that allowed them to sense the presence faintly.

On the other side, Yūsei merely looked up curiously—and saw nothing at all.

Later, the group explained Interdimensional Travel to Yūgo and Rin; upon learning they could find Card Spirits during such travel and even become partners, traveling and Dueling together, both showed clear interest and longing.

To be honest, if Yūsei hadn't gone through all those experiences, hearing this might have excited him too.

But now, Yūsei had no such excess "fun."

The group chatted with Yūgo for a long time, speculating from their own perspectives about this world's "urban legends."

Then they prepared to head elsewhere; they planned to take the two children to Kaiba Corporation, where there were fresh things that might broaden their horizons—the two kids, though two or three years younger, were quite skilled Duelists and likely deserved a high rating from Kaiba Corporation, earning many gifts.

Having never left the Satellite District, the two children were thrilled upon hearing this; they told Yūsei, preparing to go see for themselves. Yūsei nodded gently, didn't refuse, and continued adjusting the vehicle.

When night fell and darkness covered the sky, he tested the D-Rail on an underground track, calculated the final data, and excitedly high-fived Tenjou Hikari.

This D-Rail he'd built by hand—with a built-in Perpetual Motion Engine—was nearly perfect!

All that remained were fine-tuning adjustments and output optimization!

Tenjou Hikari was equally excited.

Although he didn't understand technology well, through analogy, helping Yūsei adjust the vehicle these past few days had clarified many things he'd previously struggled with; now, he had full confidence he could revise the Interdimensional Gate formula left by Master Professor Dadesi.

At night, Tenjou Hikari carried his belongings and his written notes, walking back toward the base. Police cars followed him, "protecting" him—he had no objections. But halfway there, he suddenly noticed Tierra materializing beside him, grabbing his arm.

Tenjou Hikari didn't resist her action; he was pulled.

The next instant, a pitch-black figure swept past; the two police officers trailing him collapsed instantly, followed by eerie flames rising around them, thick smoke swirling.

"Hm?" Tenjou Hikari straightened, looking ahead with Tierra.

There stood a skeleton, riding a towering skeletal horse, its eye sockets hollow, bones exposed, staring at him with empty, lifeless orbs.

…

Had the urban legend he'd heard just this afternoon appeared before him now?

Tenjou Hikari raised an eyebrow.

Or had he been lying in wait all along, waiting for him to be alone?

The skeletal horse slowly lowered its head; atop its back, bones rose vertically, forming a bone Duel Disk, which then slowly glowed.

So that's how it was—

It made sense.

Tenjou Hikari couldn't identify the identity of this "Spirit," but since it was a Duel, there was no room for retreat.

"Fine—let me see this world's urban legend—"

Click—

He unfolded his Duel Disk.

Absolute Fusionist, Tenjou Hikari, LP: 4000.

Revived Soul, Skeleton Knight, LP: 4000.

Chapter 3, bonus update, request votes~

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(End of Chapter)