New Domino City, on a speeding highway.
The silver-haired female duelist faced Ghosts surrounding her from all directions, frightened and alarmed. "Who… who exactly are you people? What do you want?"
But her question received no answer. One of the Ghosts sneered coldly, "Go, 'Ally of Justice Nullfier,' direct attack!"
[Ally of Justice Nullfier, ATK 1600]
The girl cried out in alarm. But just as the Ally of Justice Nullfier's bombardment was about to hit her, a clear and powerful voice came from behind: "This attack will be taken by this card! Discard 'Swift Scarecrow' from your hand! Effect activate! This card negates a direct attack and forcibly ends the Battle Phase."
A small scarecrow flew out in front of the girl and steadily withstood the Ally of Justice Nullfier's cannon fire.
"Nani?"
The Ghost dueling changed expression drastically.
A red Duel Runner sped up from behind and came alongside the girl—it was none other than Yusei Fudo.
"Yusei Fudo," the Ghost said in a deep voice. "Are you going to interfere with our actions?"
Yusei shouted, "My companions and I have already split up and gone to various parts of the city to stop you! I don't know who you are, but I won't let you continue to recklessly rob our city of its peace!
My turn, draw!"
Yusei drew a card, then swung his arm and played a card from his hand.
"I Normal Summon 'Junk Synchron'!"
[Junk Synchron, ATK 1300]
"Junk Synchron's effect—Special Summon 'Swift Scarecrow' from the Graveyard!"
[Swift Scarecrow, ATK 0]
"When there is more than one monster on my field and no monsters in the Graveyard, Special Summon 'Mirror Ladybug' from my hand!" Yusei said. "The Level of this Special Summoned Mirror Ladybug becomes equal to the combined Levels of the other monsters on my field.
Junk Synchron is Level 3, Swift Scarecrow is Level 1, so Mirror Ladybug's Level becomes 4."
Yusei swung his arm.
"Level 3 Junk Synchron, Level 1 Swift Scarecrow, plus Level 4 Mirror Ladybug—tuning!
The gathered wish becomes a newborn shining star, turning into a road of light! Fly forth, Stardust Dragon!!!"
[Stardust Dragon, ATK 2500]
"Stardust Dragon attacks 'Ally of Justice Nullfier'! Shooting Sonic!"
"Aaaaah—!"
[Ghost, LP 900 → LP 0]
The Ghost's Life Points hit zero, and the impact of real damage simultaneously blew apart the Duel Runner. The Duel Runner tumbled and crashed into the side of the highway, turning into a burning wreck.
"Damn it, Yusei Fudo, don't get cocky too soon," another Ghost said in a deep voice. "You may have taken down one, but there are thousands upon thousands of Ghosts. How many can you defeat alone?"
"Come on," Yusei said without fear. "My companions and I will never allow you to continue destroying everything!"
…
At the same time, Crow, Jack, and Akiza Izinski had also split up and gone to various districts of the city, where they had already clashed with the Ghost machines.
"Red Dragon Archfiend, pulverize those annoying small fries for me!"
With a thunderous roar from Jack, Red Dragon Archfiend howled above him. The dragon's sharp claws blasted out churning flames, burning one Ghost along with its Duel Runner into mechanical wreckage.
"Too weak, too weak!" Jack shouted. "No matter how many of these small fries come, it's meaningless. Small fries are just small fries!"
As soon as his words fell, the Ghosts surrounding him actually began to scatter one after another, as if they were afraid of him.
Some turned off at passing intersections onto other branches, while others simply slowed down and fell behind, quickly leaving the road.
Jack was stunned.
"What's going on? Are they all scared of the sharpness of Jack Atlas?"
Even though he said this, and despite his arrogance, he sensed that something felt off about the situation.
Sure enough, after driving his Phoenix Whirlwind a little further, he saw a Duel Runner lying across the road ahead. Someone was straddling that Duel Runner, blocking his path.
"Yusei?"
Jack stopped his vehicle, puzzled.
From a distance, he saw what appeared to be Yusei's Duel Runner. Upon getting closer, the rider was dressed exactly like Yusei. When the other party removed their helmet, revealing that signature crab hairstyle, who else could it be but Yusei?
"Didn't we agree to split up and stop the Ghosts' actions everywhere?" Jack asked. "What are you doing here?"
But Yusei didn't respond to his words. After staring at him for a moment, he smiled gently.
"You're still the same as always, Jack. Always so confident, charging forward bravely, with nothing in your eyes but the road ahead."
"What are you talking about?"
Jack frowned.
He instinctively felt that the aura of the Yusei before him seemed different from usual.
Then he glanced at Yusei's Duel Runner and suddenly noticed something. During the WRGP, their Duel Runners had all undergone some modifications and should have had the 5D's team emblem on them.
But the Duel Runner in front of him had neither the team emblem nor any traces of the modifications made a few days ago.
Additionally, although this Yusei's outfit was largely the same, the visor of his Duel Runner helmet was purple. The Yusei he knew had a colorless, transparent visor.
Immediately afterward, Jack recalled the recent incident where a mechanical fake Jack had impersonated him.
"No, you're not Yusei."
Jack said coldly.
"Who are you?"
The "Yusei" opposite him merely smiled faintly.
"You seem to have gotten smarter than I remember."
"Another Yusei?" the fake Yusei said calmly, then suddenly started his Duel Runner and addressed Jack.
"But unfortunately, we still have to be enemies. Well then, care to race me for another lap?"
Jack snorted heavily, clenching his fist as the dragon mark on his arm seemed to burn.
He had just returned from the ruins in Greiger's hometown, having comprehended a new realm of "Burning Soul" and absorbed the power of the Earthbound Immortal Red Nova. At this moment, he was more confident than ever, certain he would no longer lose to any opponent.
Not to mention a fake Yusei—even if it were the real Yusei, he was confident he wouldn't lose again.
"No matter who you are, as long as it's a duel, Jack Atlas will accept it!"
Jack declared.
"Even if you were the real Yusei!"
The fake Yusei smiled. "I thought so too."
"Turbo Duel, Acceleration!" ×2
…
"Another Yusei, huh?"
At this time, Kira had also noticed the situation on Jack's side through Iliaster's surveillance of the city and grew somewhat interested.
He had a feeling that Yusei Fudo's duplicate was probably related to this entire riot incident.
As he drove his Duel Runner toward that direction, Kira suddenly heard the roar of a Duel Runner engine catching up from behind.
"Sorry, Fujiki Kira!"
The Duel Runner rider behind him laughed loudly.
"But I can't let you pass!"
…