In a pitch-black alley, the purple-haired boy set the tall man down, took off his mask and goggles, revealing a face identical to Yuya Sakaki, Yugo, and Yuri.
He was "Yuto," from the Xyz Dimension.
And the one he'd knocked to the ground with a single punch was his companion, who had left the Xyz Dimension alone together with him to search for Lulu Obsidian, her brother "Shun Obsidian."
"Sorry..."
Shun didn't hold it against Yuto, because by this point he'd come to his senses too. That person just now really wasn't Lulu.
Just like that "Yuto" he'd seen who had carried Lulu off, it seemed that in other dimensions, there were also people who looked exactly like Lulu.
"Why would there be a girl who looks just like Lulu, and a boy who looks just like me..." Yuto pondered with a grave expression, feeling he might have fallen into some especially big trouble.
"Shun, this is the Synchro Dimension, their City. Next time we can't draw attention like this again."
"Hmph..." Shun had no fondness for the Synchro Dimension.
To be precise, once he learned that the Synchro Dimension was cooperating with the Fusion Dimension, he had not the slightest fondness for this world.
Yuto sighed.
Ever since the Fusion army attacked the Xyz Dimension last year, the concept of "trust" no longer existed between the two dimensions.
The reason was simple: whether the Fusion army was an officially recognized force of the Fusion Dimension or an independent Fusion Dimension faction wanted by the Fusion Dimension, this point actually had no meaning.
To the Xyz Dimension, the Fusion army's identity was only one thing, and that was "invaders from the Fusion Dimension."
Although Heartland had successfully defended against the first wave of attacks right away and launched a counterattack, dealing a blow to the enemy's command level, those remaining Fusion army soldiers and spirits still caused a great many casualties in the Xyz Dimension.
No one knew how many people died in that turmoil. In the Spade, Heart, Diamond, and Clover academies, quite a few of the two's friends had become completely unreachable.
Up until half a year ago, the Xyz Dimension's populace had not the slightest trust in the Fusion Dimension.
So when the Fusion Dimension once again proposed a "diplomatic team," almost no one on the Xyz Dimension side accepted.
Especially for someone like Shun, whose little sister had been carried off directly by the Fusion army, he had even less fondness for the Fusion Dimension.
"Calm down, Shun." Yuto sighed and said, "Have you forgotten Truesdale?"
Shun Obsidian knit his brows and gave a cold snort.
More than half a year ago, the Fusion Dimension's diplomatic team came to this dimension. At that time, Zane Truesdale, as "Kite Tenjo's friend," had come along to this dimension too.
Originally the Xyz Dimension had not the slightest fondness for these people, and even locked them up under surveillance like hostages. It wasn't until the recently held Heartland dueling tournament, where Zane Truesdale demonstrated the "Xyz Summon" that only their dimension could use, that the Xyz Dimension people gradually came to accept this person.
You had to understand, over this half year, aside from this batch of diplomats, the Xyz side accepted no exchange of any kind from the Fusion Dimension. Forget personnel transfers, even something like passing along a message wasn't allowed!
Hearing this, Shun Obsidian instinctively rubbed his forehead again.
In fact, the reason the Xyz Dimension was now exchanging with the Fusion Dimension again was partly due to this: because in that duel, the duel between Kite, Yuma, and that mysterious existence caused a dimensional rift to erupt, and Zane Truesdale and that other Fusion Dimension duelist were both pulled into it.
This scene, he had witnessed with his own eyes.
In that dimensional rift incident, he had charged forward without hesitation and was pulled into this dimension along with them.
And precisely because of this, after coming to this dimension and learning that his compatriots were once again trying to establish exchange with the Fusion Dimension, he had no particular resistance to it. But to this day he still didn't trust the Fusion Dimension, believing the Fusion Dimension must still have some scheme or trick. So he had yet to join up with Kite Tenjo.
Besides, he felt this was also an opportunity. Maybe he could discover the Fusion Dimension's scheme, then follow the trail to find his little sister.
Yuto hesitated for a moment, looking out at the bright city.
The City, this city utterly different from their Heartland, had its own kind of beauty too.
"If we're talking about a scheme... maybe it's right in this WRGP competition?"
But...
The two of them, only two people, how could they participate in the competition?
If they could find Hart, maybe they could form a team, but as things stood now it was a bit difficult. Neither of them much trusted the Fusion Dimension's people, and for locals, finding a strong enough duelist just by casually searching wasn't that easy either.
Or...
He took out his deck and dug a card out of the Extra Deck.
Mn.
Terrifying black electric current lit up in his hand. He felt a stab of pain, but then this electric current shock dissipated again.
A bizarre "number" surfaced on the back of his right hand.
He took a deep breath.
There wasn't much time. He couldn't dawdle.
"You two look very anxious."
In this deserted little alley, a strange voice rang out. The two were instantly on guard, holding their Duel Disks ready, their gazes sharp as swords, looking toward the person who had appeared in the alley at some unknown point.
It was a man wearing a security police uniform. Seeing the two's movements, he showed not the slightest fear, but instead smiled and said: "His Excellency the President is already awaiting you two in the reception room.
And besides... there, two of your companions are waiting for you as well."
Shun Obsidian and Yuto looked at each other, noticing the shock in each other's eyes.
Even their own compatriots hadn't detected the two of them, yet the president here had actually already found them? And had even found their companions!?
Shun Obsidian made as if to leave, but Yuto hurriedly stopped him, took a deep breath. Compared to the matter of being discovered, what he cared about more was the "companions."
Who could it be?
The missing Hart? Yuma, who'd chased after them?
No matter who it was, if they could get news of them, it would be something to be excited about for the two of them. So he agreed without hesitation: "Alright, please lead the way.
But if we find out you're deceiving us, don't think it can be easily let go."
"Hahaha, His Excellency the Grand President is a man of his word and would never disappoint you two."
The two, half believing, followed this policeman to the Grand President's residence, and only then discovered that the Grand President really hadn't deceived them, but likewise, it really wasn't the "companions" they'd assumed.
The registration competition lasted about a week. The Fusion Dimension's delegation had been wanting to find a chance to exchange with the Xyz Dimension the whole time, but had never found the opportunity.
The most important point was that before coming here, the two sides had already made a basic arrangement.
The Xyz diplomatic team and the Fusion diplomatic team were completely "isolated." The two sides were separated by an invisible wall. Unless the Xyz team came to visit on their own initiative, the Fusion side going to visit could only wait for the Xyz Dimension's response.
Generally speaking, after multiple visits, some response should have been given no matter what.
But...
The Xyz Dimension's "diplomatic team" was a total of just 3 people!
And these three people also happened to be the "WRGP" participating team!
However, there were still special circumstances.
"Lulu?" Kite Tenjo was a bit surprised.
After many days of unsuccessful visits, Lulu left the Fusion Dimension's team on her own initiative and came to the Xyz Dimension's rest area together with Serena. After seeing Lulu, Kite Tenjo blanked outright for a moment.
He originally had no connection with Yuto and Shun Obsidian. The "Number" hunting he handled day to day rarely involved interacting with ordinary students. If not for Yuma Tsukumo, he might even have stayed focused on his work the whole time.
During the Heartland competition, he'd happened to learn of Shun Obsidian and Yuto's affairs, but hadn't taken it much to heart. Yet one thing was certain.
That was that Lulu Obsidian was a person of their dimension.
He himself wasn't interested in diplomacy. He'd come to the Synchro Dimension simply to find an excuse to search for missing people, and hadn't expected to unexpectedly run into Shun Obsidian's little sister.
And precisely because of this, he had never responded to the Fusion Dimension.
But now it was different. The Fusion Dimension's team actually had Lulu Obsidian in it. So even with no interest, he ought to get involved to some degree.
With the help of his left and right arms, the few of them sat down. Kite Tenjo folded his arms and listened to Lulu Obsidian recount her experiences during this period, and even saw Lulu Obsidian demonstrate summoning a spirit, then silently nodded.
Hearing that Lulu Obsidian had even written and sent a letter home, his left and right arms showed obvious awkward expressions, but Kite's face was quite calm.
Compared to these matters, the point he cared about more was...
"Hikaru? I've heard Truesdale mention him... Is it that person he spoke of?"
"Eh! You know senior Zane too!" Serena, beside him, spoke up excitedly. "Do you know where he is now?"
"So it is, then." Kite nodded.
Then he got up directly and said to the robot beside him: "Orbital 7."
"Yes!" The robot stood up and saluted.
"You and the left and right arms handle the rest."
"Understood!! Eh, Master Kite, what do you mean?"
"Diplomatic reconstruction."
He wasn't interested in these things, but he was willing to believe the words of his Xyz Dimension compatriots.
"Wonderful!" Serena cheered excitedly.
She'd accomplished something big!
She'd known that as long as Lulu stepped in, everything would turn out fine!
"Mr. Amagi, please wait a moment." Lulu hurriedly tried to reach out to stop Kite Tenjo. "Then, may I ask, my brother and Yuto..."
Kite Tenjo slowly knit his brows, and after a moment of silence, said with a cold snort: "Missing."
"Those fools... are all missing." When he said this, the corner of Kite Tenjo's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.
!!!??
It had been so hard to get a chance to reunite...
Lulu's hands slowly grew somewhat limp, and the expression on her face gradually became less resolute, like a frail willow branch about to fall at any moment.
Serena hurriedly cheered her up, telling her it was all right.
They just had to find them, and it would be fine!
Just like how she'd come back too, hadn't she!
Whether out of personal interest, or because he couldn't bear to see them so heartbroken, as he was leaving, Kite Tenjo added, in a seemingly offhand way: "They all went missing in this dimension. And since the WRGP is the biggest competition in this dimension, then the people of this planet should all be paying attention.
If you two can perform in the duels, maybe you could get them to notice you too."
The two girls blanked for a moment, then looked at each other.
"The WRGP doesn't restrict the origin or background of registrants."
Although he'd only watched a few days of registration duels, Kite Tenjo had already grasped all the logic of this competition.
Goodwin...
That "Grand President," his goal was very clear, and very simple.
He wanted to bring "everyone" into this competition!
So, as long as you registered, you could participate, without even needing to explain your origin, as long as you had enough people!
That man absolutely had hidden secrets.
It was just that Kite Tenjo's mind right now was full of where exactly those unlucky fellows were, and he had no interest in meddling in the family affairs of other people's dimensions.
Compared to these, using this competition to find those guys was more important.
Then he left just like that.
As for matters related to diplomacy, leaving them to KaibaCorp and the robot was fine. He didn't care anyway.
After Serena returned to the Fusion Dimension's team with good news, they got tangled up again.
Where could they scrape together a team to enter the duels?
"Hmm... Rin?" Lulu raised an idea.
"That's right!" Serena's eyes lit up.
Hadn't Rin and Yugo not joined Team 5D's reserves?
Serena recalled Rin's expression when they'd asked her a few days ago.
Yugo had always greatly looked forward to and craved a duel with Jack, because Jack was his idol and the object of his admiration. So he didn't want to join Team 5D's; he wanted to build his own team and duel Jack and even Yusei.
But...
They still hadn't found a third teammate up to now.
Now, wasn't one right here!?
So the next day, while Hikaru was doing experiments and stealing a moment of leisure to watch the final day of registration duels on Yusei's broadcast device, in one of the competition zones, he saw three identical girls happily and boisterously participating, and beside them, a laborer serving them tea and water and repairing machines.
"Even diplomatic members can register however they please?" Hikaru took a sip of water.
It seemed Goodwin was set on making the competition "lively and bustling."
After registration closed, there were over a hundred teams alone.
Hikaru even saw a special name among this dazzling array of teams: Team New World.
He raised an eyebrow slightly.
After a while longer, Jack Atlas returned to the base.
Over the course of a few days, he'd successfully dealt with, in the nobles' subspace, the existence that had used "Number" cards to lure Carly into becoming a Dark Signer. But to his disappointment, that fellow was merely an Earthbound Immortal calling itself "Red Nova," and wasn't the intel Hikaru needed.
Still, he was quite satisfied with the duel, because in this duel he'd gained a brand-new power, which should also be able to help Yusei.
And beyond this, he'd brought another piece of news.
"I found out using the privilege I demanded from Goodwin." Not ashamed of it, he was instead rather proud. "Tomorrow's opening ceremony, the first duel, will be us against a random team!"
The "new King," the "former King," the "hero of the upper layer," Team 5D's gathered several of the City's most important duelists, so for this first duel to feature them was perfectly reasonable. It was both a kind of display and a "welcome" to duelists of other dimensions.
"In that case... then for the next duel, do you still want me to go up?" Hikaru asked.
"I'll go." Yusei took a deep breath.
As the captain, as the core of the team, as the center of everyone's aspirations, he had to shoulder this responsibility.
In this opening duel, he would display his resolve!