After accidentally getting the President a wife, Kaiba wasted no time capitalizing on the situation.
He immediately gave Mokuba a very simple order: agree to any of Yumi's requests as long as they were reasonable. At the same time, Kaiba himself casually added that if Yumi ever felt like joining the Pro League, Kaiba Corp would be more than happy to sponsor him.
Then, the President and his wife disappear into his office.
Yumi smiles, thinking that he should ask for a helicopter back to Duel Academy.
He had already been off the island for three days. By the time he got back, it would be four. While he could just summon something that can fly, or ride the D-Wheel all the way back, the time difference wouldn't be significant, maybe a few hours faster at best.
So instead, Yumi decided to make good use of Kaiba Corp's resources.
Specifically, to upgrade his newly acquired D-Wheel.
Thanks to finding the President a wife, Yumi was granted access to their absurdly advanced computer systems. He scanned the D-Wheel thoroughly, wanting to upgrade and modify it.
He discovered a compact, futuristic Momentum Device hidden within its frame.
A built-in Momentum meant Synchro Summoning was fully supported. So that is how Paradox was able to play Synchro back in the DM era.
With the D-Wheel now either stored in his shadow or him riding it, Yumi realized something important.
Once he figured out how to style his hair into a crab shape, he could fully cosplay as 5D's protagonist.
Unfortunately, the D-Wheel itself was too advanced for the current era. Any major modification risked breaking something irreplaceable, so Yumi limited himself to cosmetic changes.
The white paint job was replaced with a deep crimson.
"…Who changed the headlight from purple to magenta?" Yumi asked, staring at the front of the bike.
He was fairly certain he hadn't done that.
Considering he had his Duel Spirits helping, he decided one of them had gotten bored and creative, must be Yumi. He chose not to investigate further, leaving Dark Law behind to watch over the bike and return it later.
After that, Yumi turned his attention to the deck he'd taken from Paradox.
Once he removed all the Malefic cards, what remained were monsters that naturally belonged to other timelines: Red-Eyes Black Dragon, Gandora the Dragon of Destruction, Cyber End Dragon, Rainbow Dragon, Light and Darkness Dragon, First of the Dragons.
"…That's a lot of dragons," Yumi noted.
Maybe Paradox had secretly been a Kaiba fan.
The Blue-Eyes White Dragon had already been dealt with. Yumi used his Spirit Energy and altered it into Maiden with Eyes of Blue and handed her over to the President. Yumi had no interest in stealing Kaiba's dragon.
He already had Galaxy-Eyes. NTR'ing Kaiba after everything he'd done for him would just be rude.
The remaining dragons, however, didn't recognize him as their owner. And now that they were freed from the Malefic forcing them to obey Paradox, they had zero reason to listen to another person who isn't their original owner.
"How annoying," Yumi muttered.
He didn't bother negotiating.
One card in his hand began to glow. Its image blurred and shifted, the text wiped itself clean, and the monster's identity was overwritten entirely.
The First Sky Striker Ace.
The dragons that had been roaring moments ago fell completely silent.
Yumi looked at them calmly, giving them a brief demonstration of how the Blue-Eyes had been "convinced" earlier.
He put the other dragons away before shifting his gaze toward the Malefic cards.
Yumi glanced at the pile, then activated the Ring's ability. The Spirit Energy was drained cleanly from the cards, leaving behind nothing but blank cards.
He tossed them aside without a second thought.
...
As the helicopter approached Duel Academy, Yumi slid the door open and jumped out without a second thought.
Almost immediately, The Earth manifested behind him, solid arms catching him mid-fall and lowering him safely to the ground, the impact dispersing harmlessly.
Midori saw everything from the helicopter window. The tight knot in her chest loosened far quicker than it did for the pilot and the bodyguard beside her, both of whom stared in stunned silence.
Neither of them commented.
Thanks to Yumi spending an unreasonable amount of time repainting and fiddling with his new D-Wheel, a full five days had passed between his departure from the island and his return.
Apparently, that was more than enough time for things to get out of hand.
"Hmmm," Yumi murmured as he looked around the campus. "The Light moved a lot faster than I expected."
The Obelisk Blue dorm was completely white. Not stylish white, just aggressively white with pale blue lines.
Half of Ra Yellow had suffered the same fate, splashed with paint like someone had gone wild with a bucket and zero restraint.
Still, somehow, Slifer Red remained exactly the same.
"AIBO! You're back!"
Jaden's voice rang out across the yard as he waved enthusiastically, jogging over like nothing unusual was happening at all.
After returning to the Slifer Red dorm, Yumi sat down for lunch with Jaden. The conversation was casual, but it didn't take long for Yumi to piece things together.
While he'd been away, the Society of Light had moved quickly. Obelisk Blue was completely under their control now, and roughly half of Ra Yellow had followed.
Jaden and the others didn't really understand what that meant.
While Yumi did. Brainwashing, plain and simple.
As for Celina's absence.
"She and Rio fought," Jaden said, shrugging slightly. "Not sure why. Celina lost, then she just… left. I can't find her anywhere."
That doesn't explain much, he didn't knew if whether or not Rio got brainwashed again or not. Rio is good at dueling, but her mental is kinda weak, so he could understand if she got brainwashed again. As for Celina... he was also curious about what had happened to her.
After lunch, Yumi headed back to his room. The moment he stepped inside, he noticed how empty it felt.
"Everyone," Yumi said calmly.
In response, his Duel Spirits appeared one after another, filling the room in seconds.
"Help me look for the others."
They nodded in unison and dispersed without hesitation, slipping through walls, shadows, and open air as if the room itself meant nothing to them.
He then shifted his gaze toward the second bunk of their three-story bunk bed. Seeing his many Kuribohs looking at him with their big, teary, round eyes.
"I didn't expect the Light to move so fast. Sorry for making you guys stay without any protection." Yumi didn't expect that his Kuriboh surveillance system would become useless under the powerful influence of the Society of Light.
The Kuribohs let out delightful 'Kuri Kuri' before turning back into card form that stay neatly in his hand. He can clearly see that his Kuriboh was afraid and exhausted, and had to hide to avoid getting devoured by the Light.
Yumi put the deck back into his pocket, lay back on his bed, hands resting behind his head.
He decided to wait for their reports first before doing anything else.
...
A few days ago, near the cliff behind the Slifer Red dorm.
Celina and Rio stood facing each other as heavy rain fell without pause, soaking them down to the skin. The wind carried the sound of the waves below, dull and distant.
[Celina, LP 200]
[Rio, LP 400]
"Face it," Rio shouted, rain running down her face as she clenched her hand. "If you really don't like him like you keep saying, then leave Slifer Red already!"
Celina looked back at her through rain-soaked bangs, water dripping from her chin.
"Why I stay has nothing to do with that idiot," she snapped.
"Liar!" Rio shot back immediately. "How long are you going to keep lying? To everyone else, and to yourself!"
Celina stiffened.
"You said you don't like him," Rio continued, her voice shaking despite herself, "but you keep him all to yourself!"
"I-" Celina tried to speak, but the words caught in her throat.
When she thought about it, Rio wasn't entirely wrong.
Her relationship with Yumi was strange. She didn't mind his presence at all, even after months of sharing the same room. She had planned to move up to Obelisk Blue at the start of the school year, yet stayed in Slifer Red without really questioning it, because Yumi refused to move.
She called them roommates.
Yet she slept beside him.
Even when Yumi joked about "warming the bed," Celina didn't brush it off. And when Rio, who clearly liked him, tried to claim that spot, Celina didn't back down.
She dueled her instead.
Celina's feelings toward Yumi were complicated.
If asked, Do you like him?
She would answer no, instantly.
But if asked, Do you have feelings for him beyond friendship?
She froze.
And that hesitation only made Rio angrier.
"You can't even be honest," Rio said, teeth clenched. "Not to me. Not to him. Not even to yourself."
She raised a card.
"I banish the two 'Infernoid Piaty' and 'Infernoid Antra' from my graveyard to Special Summon! Infernoid Onuncu!"
She slammed the card down.
Blue flames erupted behind her, roaring upward as a massive mechanical serpent emerged from the ground. Its metal wings spread wide, rain evaporating on contact as it towered over the field.
[Infernoid Onuncu, 3000 ATK]
Celina stared up at it, breath catching. "…What?"
"Onuncu's effect!" Rio shouted over the storm. "When it's Special Summoned, destroy all other monsters on the field!"
The creature roared, unleashing a wave of blue flame that swept across the field. Celina's Cat Dancer vanished instantly, its hologram dissolving into sparks.
"Onuncu, direct attack!"
The massive Infernoid unleashed a blast straight toward Celina.
[Celina, LP 200 -> 0]
As the holograms faded, Celina dropped to her knees.
The rain kept falling.
Her strength gave out, and she collapsed onto the muddy ground, consciousness slipping away. Through blurred vision, she saw the white-dressed Rio standing over her, her dress soaked and clinging to her frame.
"Even now," Rio said quietly, "you're resisting Lord Sartorius's Light?"
"Rio…" Celina murmured weakly, her eyes finally closing.
"If you can't follow the Light," Rio said, her voice cold, "then you should drown in the Darkness."
She stepped forward and pushed Celina's unconscious body over the edge.
Rio stood there for a moment, expression unchanged.
Yet tears slipped from her eyes anyway, mixing with the rain as they fell. She didn't wipe them away. Turning around, she walked off, leaving the cliff behind.
...
Yumi opened his eyes.
A black portal unfolded in front of him. His gaze shifted toward it just as a figure stepped through.
Sky Striker HERO - Yumi emerged, holding an unconscious Celina in his arms. Her clothes were soaked through, torn in places, water dripping onto the floor.
"What the?" Yumi muttered.
He was already off the bed, a card sliding into his fingers.
Time passed quietly.
"I've finished patching her up, Master."
Yumi turned back toward the soft voice.
A young girl with pink hair stood beside the bed, dressed in a maid's uniform blended with a nurse's attire. Pink, dragonic claws replaced her hands and feet, a tail swayed gently behind her, small wings rested against her back, and curved horns framed her head.
Nurse Dragonmaid.
Celina lay on the bed behind her. Her damaged clothes had been removed, her body carefully cleaned and treated. Bandages wrapped around her injuries, placed neatly and without excess.
"She's severely dehydrated," Nurse continued, worry faint but present in her voice. "Fatigued, malnourished, and her body temperature dropped dangerously low."
Her eyes lingered on Celina.
"Still… she somehow survived all of that. That alone is a miracle."
At that moment, Winged Kuriboh LV4 floated back into the room, struggling slightly under the weight of a box filled with nutrient IV bags.
"Thank you," Nurse said, taking the box and immediately setting up a nutrient drip. Her movements were practiced and efficient.
Yumi walked toward the door, stopping just before it. He drew two more cards.
Chamber Dragonmaid and House Dragonmaid appeared behind him, joining Nurse at Celina's side.
"Watch over her," Yumi said.
All three nodded without hesitation.
He stepped out into the hallway.
Rain poured outside, streaking the windows as thunder rolled faintly in the distance. Yumi looked out into the dark night and sighed.
"I was gone for five days," he muttered. "How did things get this bad?"
According to his memory of the original GX storyline, although the Society of Light has indeed tried to destroy the planet, but not once did they ever cause such damage to anyone.
Celina could have died; fortunately, Yumi found her before her condition could get any worse, and he managed to get her medical help and proper care.
Yumi shifted his gaze toward the open sea in the distance as Elemental HERO Ocean and Masked HERO Vapor rose. He watched as the two heroes approached him before handing him a soaked deck of cards.
Turning the deck around, Yumi saw the cards on it.
Lunalight Blue Cat...
"…Is this everything?" he asked quietly.
"I believe so," Ocean replied, hesitating. "Although..."
"The spirits are drained," Yumi finished.
Being able to see the spirits within Celina's deck, he has noticed how weak the remaining spirits are, barely holding together.
"So the Light doesn't just brainwash people," Yumi murmured. "It destroys Duel Monster spirits too."
Thinking back to the GX anime, when Chazz's Ojama spirits try to help him, they were destroyed by the Light, leading to him being brainwashed.
Soon, one by one, his other spirits return, handing over decks with low or no spiritual energy.
Ojama, Cyber Angel, Roid, Dinosaur, and Ice Barrier.
"They really did move fast..." Yumi murmurs quietly. Besides the Slifer Red dorm, every main cast member who is in Ra Yellow or Obelisk Blue was brainwashed.
...
The next night, well past curfew, Chazz called Jaden out to a random cave on the island.
Yumi followed close behind.
Not because he trusted Chazz's sudden invitation, but because the Society of Light had already proven they didn't mind picking targets opportunistically. Celina was proof of that. He wasn't about to let Jaden walk into something alone.
Fortunately, Yumi had learn to clone himself, leaving one remaining by Celina's side, watching over her condition. The other followed Jaden through the forest, keeping just far enough back to stay unnoticed.
As they reached the cave, Yumi slowed to a stop.
"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked flatly.
Standing near the cave wall was Aster, half-hidden in the shadows.
Jaden has come to duel a man who looked exhausted rather than intimidating, with glasses slightly crooked, dressed in a plain black business suit that felt completely out of place on the island.
They both do not know the other two hero users nearby.
Aster had seen him arrive at Duel Academy and followed out of suspicion.
He then reveals that this man was named Howard X Miller, who was undefeated in the pros, having never lost a Duel.
Howard X Miller plays a, well, a Mill Deck, that focuses on destroying his opponent's Deck and causing them to lose when they can't draw a card.
While the other two HERO users watch from a distance as Jaden duels against X.
[X, LP 4000]
[Jaden, LP 4000]
"I'll go first. Draw." Howard X Miller drew his opening card, adjusting his glasses as he looked down at his hand.
"Spell card, Card Destruction." The card activated instantly. "We both discard our entire hands and draw the same number of cards."
Both duelists sent their hands to the Graveyard and drew again.
"When Elegant Light LV4 is sent to my Graveyard by a card effect," X continued calmly, "its effect activates."
A soft glow formed on his field, and a small lamb-shaped light manifested briefly before fading.
"This allows me to Special Summon a Level 4 monster from my Deck."
He flipped through his Deck and placed a card down.
"I Special Summon Trap Sluzer."
A strange mechanical monster with three elongated legs clanked onto the field.
[Trap Sluzer, 800 ATK]
"I set four cards. Turn end."
Four face-down cards appeared behind the machine.
X allowed himself a thin, unsettling smile as he looked at Jaden, who was still wearing the same naive, relaxed grin.
"Alright! My turn! Draw!" Jaden pulled his card, glanced at his hand, then looked back at Howard's field.
"You like setting cards, huh?" Jaden said cheerfully. "Kinda like my AIBO!"
He raised a card.
"Well, I've got just the thing for that! Spell card, Heavy Storm! Destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field!"
A violent gust tore through the cave, the air roaring as the storm formed overhead.
X's smile vanished. The face-down cards were ripped straight off the field.
"Trap card! Threatening Roar!" X shouted, flipping one card up in desperation. "You can't attack this turn!"
The effect activated, but it didn't stop the storm.
The remaining set cards were swept away completely, shattered into fragments of light. When the wind finally died down, only Trap Sluzer remained on Howard's side of the field, with a pitiful 800 attack power.
X: "..."