Hikaru returned to the hideout.
He rushed inside with visible excitement, immediately pulling out every piece of machinery he could find, and began fully focused on modifying The Emerald Codex.
Previously, when he first arrived in this dimension, Hikaru didn't think much of it.
His plan was simple: casually locate the Earthbound Servants, help Muddy Dragon solve its issue, then hang around with Red Dragon Archfiend and the Signers, watch the Dark Signer incidents like a tourist, enjoy the duels of this world, and collect a few Synchro-Fusion related cards along the way.
But now, ater learning that not only had the Fusion Military arrived in this dimension, but Akaba Leo himself had shown up…
Everything was completely different.
Before, he could take his time: traveling, experimenting a bit, crafting cards, enjoying his summer break.
It was half research, half vacation, no pressure.
But Akaba Leo being here? That was the perfect opportunity.
Hikaru couldn't tell if he was excited, or if the power of an Earthbound Immortal was boosting him, but all his research suddenly progressed shockingly well.
Good, If he could build a macro cosmos workshop here too, victory chances would skyrocket!
Meanwhile, after socializing with the nobles for a while, Akaba Leo finally listened to Lilos's report.
Upon hearing that Hikaru had obtained an Earthbound Immortal card, Leo's expression didn't change at all.
He simply scolded Lilos in front of the nobles, then "raised him high and set him down lightly."
He told him not to take it personally, just prepare for the next ambush.
At a general's level, even Leo wouldn't punish someone lightly, their individual competence was too high. Someone like Lilos wouldn't be disciplined just to appease nobles.
Besides, what Leo cared about didn't lie there at all.
He looked toward the massive machines his soldiers had transported into this dimension's aristocratic district.
Then he gently took out his deck.
Having already secured the power of the Sacred Beasts, the Numbers, and the Earthbound Immortals…
He could finally attempt it.
Back then, he and his comrades conducted experiments with the "God Cards."
Using solid-vision compression, they attempted to condense infinite mass into a single card, thus creating a God Card capable of building a world where everyone could live freely, a world with unlimited resources, no scarcity, no suffering.
At that moment; The instant the card "manifested," Leo understood:
They had not created that card. Rather, that card had finally found a vessel suitable for itself.
In that moment, Leo was given a choice.
A pendulum-swing of the soul. A choice between two futures:
To walk the path of selflessness: share that power, reshape the world, let all people live happy lives.
Or to walk the path of selfishness: take the power for himself alone, and create a world where only he enjoyed all existence.
In that flicker of his soul…Akaba Leo chose the latter.
Unfortunately…
Due to unforeseen events, the experiment failed.
Zarc and Ray, who were meant to contain the power, split apart, leaving Leo with nothing.
But;
Although he failed then, he still had a chance.
If he could gather his daughter again…
The world would be his.
Not only that, even though he didn't obtain the full power of GOD, the resonance of that experiment left him with a sliver of possibility.
He had already taken data from Serena through cultivation and experimentation. Not long ago, when Yuri captured Ruri in the Xyz Dimension, Leo extracted the data from her as well.
Now, with the Sacred Beasts + Numbers + Earthbound Immortal energies…
He could unlock that possibility.
Click…
Click…
Like a pendulum swinging, Leo's eyes pulsed with that possibility.
A card floated before his vision.
He exhaled;
A Fusion Monster.
A Fusion Monster that ordinary people would never even see, an overwhelmingly powerful one.
But unlike normal Fusion Monsters…
The upper half of the card was the usual purple of a Fusion Monster, yet the lower half was green, the color of a Spell Card!
Not only that, but its appearance was unlike any other card:Between the effect text and the artwork, there was even an extra card zone strip.
With this card, it didn't matter whether the opponent used Sacred Beasts or Number cards, they would all be powerless and insignificant before it.
But just as Akaba Leo's confidence peaked…
The machine that maintained the card's physical manifestation flickered, a distorted pulse.
Hm?
Leo's brows tightened.
It seemed the data of only two girls was still not enough.
This world should have one as well, shouldn't it?
My daughter…
Meanwhile, in the Fusion Dimension, his beloved daughter Serena followed the school delegation and Jaden to the Red Dorm's transit platform.
Recently, Misawa had left as the chosen representative to the Xyz Dimension, and Chazz was busy every day running his company, so the Fusion Department felt unusually empty.
Now, the timing was finally right, as a first-year standout, Serena naturally had the opportunity to join this month's interdimensional trip.
As Jaden walked beside her, he casually asked whether she wanted him to accompany her.
Serena knew perfectly well: Jaden-senpai wasn't asking because he wanted an opportunity, he simply had too much time on his hands.
But… today, she wanted to try something different.
She didn't want Jaden tagging along.
So before they even reached the transfer platform, she firmly insisted that Jaden go do something else.
She had plenty of experience, he didn't need to worry.
Jaden actually wanted to protect Serena, but since she insisted so earnestly, he couldn't follow her around as a man.
"Too bad Alexis isn't here," he muttered.
Alexis had gone on a trip with Atticus to Domino City. Jaden honestly wanted to go too, maybe visit Yugi Mutou's shop.But he'd missed the chance.
As the dimensional machine activated, Serena subtly raised her left hand.
The gate's light rotated slowly, and then, it shifted to green.
If Jaden had been there, he'd have dragged her away instantly.
After all, Jaden had personally experienced Banner-sensei tampering with gate destinations with alchemy, sending travelers to entirely different worlds.
But when a straightforward person tries scheming for the first time, others tend to let their guard down.
Serena didn't know how to construct a Dimensional Gate…but she had researched how to alter its destination.
Moments later, she landed in a wide, empty research facility. Her reflexes kicked in; she immediately rolled into a dark corner, hiding her presence.
A familiar scent lingered in the air…
As expected!
The tension in her chest froze and died.
The dimension where Ruri was imprisoned was indeed…
The Fusion Military Headquarters.