Gone.
Just like that?
Ryo Nakamuta and his companions stared in shock at the scene before them.
Even knowing that dark duel losers would fall into the endless darkness of the Spirit Duel World, seeing someone dissolve into mist right in front of them was another matter entirely.
Ikeda Hiromu and Kito Saku now truly grasped the terror and intimidation of dark duels!
This was fear rooted deep in their hearts, and their emotions began to unravel.
Thankfully, Ryo Nakamuta grabbed their hands in time, giving them a steady look, preventing them from making too much noise.
But it was too late.
"Oh? The night is always so unpredictable."
"Three little mice have scurried out."
"Shall I invite you out myself?"
"Or will you come out on your own?"
The black-robed figure noticed them, turning slightly toward Ryo Nakamuta's group. Despite the mask, their gaze radiated a chilling fear.
"Haha!"
"H-O-N-E-S-T-L-Y, Sir we were just passing by! We difinitely don't know anything!"
Ryo Nakamuta sighed inwardly, knowing there was no hiding now. He reluctantly led Ikeda Hiromu and Kito Saku out from the bushes.
Seeing the trio in Phantom God Dimension Academy uniforms, the black-robed figure relaxed slightly.
Just students? A minor inconvenience, nothing more.
As long as they weren't from the Duel Alliance, this would be easy.
"Phantom God Dimension Academy mice, huh?"
"Interesting. Your Principal Samejima must be insane."
"He's really willing to let students risk investigating dark duels."
"Come on, let's have a dark duel."
"Defeat me, and you can make a wish to our great evil god."
"Trust me, it'll come true!"
"Come, accept the duel…"
The black-robed figure's smile widened as they spoke. They'd hunted countless Phantom God Dimension Academy students, and their gaze toward Ryo's group was that of a predator eyeing prey.
Hidden by the mask, Ryo and his friends couldn't see it.
"A wish, huh?"
"To become a Salamangreat pro."
"That's possible, right?"
Ikeda Hiromu's eyes went vacant, as if controlled, mechanically opening his duel disk and inserting his deck.
"Can I become a Duel King like Muto Yugi?"
"All I have to do is beat you, right?"
Kito Saku, like Ikeda, had lifeless eyes, activating his duel disk and inserting his deck with a foolish grin, lost in some fantasy.
Ryo Nakamuta alone remained clear-headed, unaffected by the dark power eroding their minds. Seeing Ikeda Hiromu and Kito Saku about to accept the dark duel, he had no choice.
He quickly pressed his own accept button first.
If he didn't, one of them would take the duel, and if anything happened to them, how could he face Asuka?
The next second, duel information appeared!
Both players' Life Points: 8000 LP.
First turn: Black-robed figure.
Second turn: Ryo Nakamuta.
"Hm? Strange."
"Why aren't you affected by the dark power?"
"Don't you have any wishes?"
The black-robed figure paced curiously, their expression under the mask a mix of intrigue and puzzlement.
This was the first time they'd met someone without dueling-related desires, untouched by dark corruption.
Such a person was either utterly desireless or had already achieved such mastery in dueling that they no longer craved glory.
Ruling out the latter, that left only the former.
How interesting.
So young, yet without desires?
Wasn't that a bit absurd?
"Wishes?"
"If I had to say, my wish is to go home."
"Eh, you wouldn't get it anyway."
"Come on! Your turn, play your cards!"
Ryo Nakamuta waved dismissively, urging the black-robed figure to start, while his peripheral vision checked on Ikeda Hiromu and Kito Saku.
After he accepted the duel, both had fallen into a deep sleep, collapsing motionless on the ground.
If not for Ikeda's snoring, Ryo might've thought they were already gone.
Thankfully, they were just unconscious, and the dark duelist seemed to be the black-robed figure alone.
No need to worry about their safety for now—he could focus on the duel.
"Fine, I'll indulge you."
"My turn. I activate the effect of Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon, special summoning it by revealing Blue-Eyes White Dragon in my hand."
"Next, I activate the spell card Trade-In!"
"I discard Blue-Eyes White Dragon to draw two cards, then activate Monster Reborn."
"I revive Blue-Eyes White Dragon from the graveyard and set one card face-down."
"That's it for my turn, little mouse. Your move."
With simple plays, the black-robed figure effortlessly summoned two 3000 ATK ace monsters to the field!
The presence of Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon made Ryo Nakamuta's expression shift slightly.
He knew that in this world, combining the six dimensions, duelists' skills had advanced significantly, but he hadn't expected Blue-Eyes White Dragon to have support like Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon.
No wonder these dark duelists could crush Phantom God Dimension Academy students.
Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon alone was enough.
And who knew what other Blue-Eyes cards they might have?
"What's wrong, little mouse? Not drawing yet?"
"Scared?"
"Heh heh heh…"
The black-robed figure smirked playfully, confident that their two 3000 ATK white dragons were more than enough to handle Ryo Nakamuta.
"My turn, draw."
"Scared? I think the one who should be scared is you."
"When you have monsters on the field, I can special summon this card from my hand!"
"Cyber Dragon!"
As the card hit the duel disk, a silver-armored dragon forged from mechanical fragments materialized on the field.
Its 2100 ATK was far below the two white dragons.
But the black-robed figure shuddered at the sight of Cyber Dragon.
They knew the deck's strength well. With fusion power, breaking 4000 ATK was child's play.
Even 8000 ATK wasn't out of reach.
If this kid knew how to play Cyber Dragon properly, they were in trouble!
"If I'm not mistaken, few people play Cyber Dragon."
"The most famous one is…"
"From the GX dimension world."
"Marufuji Ryo, or as he's called, Kaiser Ryo."
(T/N: F**k,its such a coincidence guys I thought Ryo would be easily remembered character as I searched with keyword 'Best Male Japanese name' (I was reading as I was translating and WOW).)
"What's your connection to him?"
The black-robed figure eyed Ryo Nakamuta cautiously, an inexplicable sense of unease creeping in.
A feeling they couldn't quite place.