As the duel began, the students made way for the two, and after their Duel Disks lit up and automatically shuffled, the surrounding buildings and roads also began to transform automatically.
Only in the aspect of dueling does Kaiba Company's action become so explosive.
In almost just a matter of seconds, Tenjo Hikari and Ed Phoenix ascended onto a large platform slightly higher than the other students, making it easier for them to observe the duel details.
Moreover, to ensure all spectators could see the duel without missing the details, countless transparent light screens lit up around the stage, displaying images of the two from other angles.
"Is the first move mine? Then, it's my turn, draw card."
Tenjo Hikari drew a card.
Ed being possessed by the Light of Destruction was unimaginable even for him.
After all, in the original work, Ed represented the hero corresponding to Saiou's dark persona, embodying "Destiny."
Anyone in the world being possessed by the Light of Destruction is theoretically possible, except for Ed, who has never been affected.
Through analyzing the original work and this world, Tenjo Hikari roughly speculated that although Ed is sharp-tongued and opposed to Yuki Judai, he is inherently a hero who longs for peace and wishes for stability.
Thus, he naturally wouldn't be corrupted by destructive desire.
However, the facts laid before Tenjo Hikari forced him to believe otherwise.
"Activate Continuous Spell Card, Flame Swordsrealm." Tenjo Hikari glanced at his hand card and inserted a Continuous Spell Card into his Duel Disk.
"Wow, it's the Swordsrealm!"
"It's coming!"
Seeing Tenjo Hikari's move, the students of the school immediately understood his intentions, and those who hadn't seen the Flame Swordsman for a while became excited.
After all, Flame Swordsman is one of Tenjo Hikari's most famous "signature cards."
Tenjo Hikari looked at his hand card.
Though surprised, Tenjo Hikari wouldn't remain astonished.
The reason is simple: more than half a year ago, while waiting for Judai to battle the Three Phantasm, Tenjo Hikari accidentally discovered that Kagemaru "died unexpectedly," realizing that "the storyline of the original work" at most could serve as a reference, and following it completely was clearly not viable.
So all this time, apart from dealing with the Fusion Army, he spent the remaining time discussing the current situation with Manjome, trying to understand the school's and the world's conditions.
But Ed and Judai remained topics Tenjo Hikari didn't consider.
The reason is simple.
In Tenjo Hikari's view, it really had nothing to do with him!
The "Path of Hero" of both Judai and Ed consists of their own setbacks and growth; meddling in their love and hatred while idle isn't pleasant at all.
But——
All this is based on them still being correspondingly matched.
Now, not knowing how the Wave of Light infected Ed, but at least Ed hasn't completely fallen into madness, then, in the face of his confusion, Tenjo Hikari couldn't pretend he didn't exist, couldn't let him search blindly for Judai, who is nowhere to be found.
"Ed, I will give it my all."
Ed nodded slightly.
Countless spectators swallowed, watching the duel with anticipation.
Although it seemed Tenjo Hikari collected many powerful Fusion Monsters, for some reason, every time Tenjo Hikari unveiled the "Flame Swordsman," it felt like he was at his most earnest.
"Activate Continuous Spell Card, Flame Swordsrealm's effect!" Fiery flames started to burn around Tenjo Hikari, gradually concealing a blue-clad swordsman with arms crossed amid the flames.
"Once per turn, from your hand card or face-up monsters on the field, send 1 monster to the Graveyard and Fusion Summon 1 [Flame Swordsman]!"
Tenjo Hikari sent a monster from his hand to the Graveyard: "Come forth, my most loyal swordsman!"
"Ha, Master, I'm here!" Flame Swordsman leaped from the flames and stood upright on the field.
Flame Swordsman, LV 5, Fire Attribute, Warrior-Type, DEF 1600.
"Set one card, end turn!"
Simple yet "nostalgic," the second and third-year students of the school couldn't help but smile with nostalgia at this scene, while some first-year students, though unaware of what their seniors reminisced about, couldn't help but become excited when the legendary swordsman appeared before them.
"Flame Swordsman." Seeing Tenjo Hikari summon this monster, Ed raised his head slightly, whispering.
Tenjo Hikari's "Path of Fusion" extensively recorded within the school featured beloved Fusion Monsters used in battles, pairing them with various Flame Swordsman Fusion Cards, allowing the Flame Swordsman, with only 1800 ATK, to fulfill various roles.
Ed closed his eyes to ponder.
In a certain aspect, he admired Tenjo Hikari's unadulterated pursuit of Fusion.
And now he...
"My turn, draw card." Having drawn, Ed unveiled two cards, "Spell Card, Destiny Draw."
"Discard 1 Destiny Hero card from the hand card to activate. Draw two cards."
"Send Destiny Hero - Malicious from hand card to the Graveyard, draw two cards."
After drawing, he pointed towards the Graveyard, "Malicious' monster effect from the Graveyard removes itself, Special Summon another Malicious from the Deck!"
"Come forth, Destiny Hero - Malicious."
A warrior, nicknamed "Malicious," bearing wings on his back and bare-chested, appeared in Ed's field.
Destiny Hero - Malicious, LV 6, Dark Attribute, Warrior-Type, ATK 800.
"Next, I Normal Summon, Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude!"
A warrior clad in a green tattered cloak adorned with diamonds waved his cloak, materializing on the field.
Destiny Hero - Diamond Dude, LV 4, Dark Attribute, Warrior-Type, ATK 1400.
"Diamond Dude's effect, once per turn, reveal the top card of your Deck. If it's a Normal Spell Card, send it to the Graveyard. Otherwise, return it to the bottom of the Deck.
If the effect sends a Normal Spell Card to the Graveyard, during the main phase of your next turn, you can activate that card's effect from the Graveyard."
"Minister, Marufuji Ryo once recommended you to me, saying your fusion would allow me to witness things beyond destiny." Ed recalled his duel against Caesar in the professional arena.
Tenjo Hikari gently nodded.
He certainly didn't mind dueling Ed.
After all, wanting the "Destiny Hero - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer," representing the "Fleeting Phoenix" among Fusion Monsters, could only be acquired through dueling Ed.
"But..." Ed lowered his head, looking sorrowful, clenched his hands while a dark aura grew thicker around him, and said, "Recently, I understand increasingly that destiny cannot be changed.
The next card will be a Normal Spell Card."
Several students stretched their necks, trying to see what Ed's next card would be after hearing his declaration.
"Impossible, right? How can it be so easy?"
"Yeah, how many Normal Spell Cards can one Deck have?"
"Can't be that lucky, genuinely a Normal Spell Card..."
Some ordinary students thought Ed was bluffing.
But Ed had already slowly raised and displayed the card for everyone to see.
"Normal Spell Card, Pot of Greed!" He sent the card to the Graveyard, "Next turn, Pot of Greed's effect will apply!"
"Really a Normal Spell Card!?"
"Such good luck—"
"No way? This really works? Pot of Greed!?"
Below the stage, Serena watched the duel. An inexplicable sense of invincible fear rose within her—merely revealing a card made her feel as if she was being watched by a terrifying demon, sending chills down her spine!
What's happening, this duel—
She glanced around.
While indeed, there was no suspicious person, she kept feeling a malicious gaze locked onto this duel from the sky!