Phantom's Requiem

Chapter 29

Divergence

(Theme for the Heartland/Academia arc: "Sacrifice" by 9mm Parabellum Bullet)

Stabilizing himself against the wall, Yuto looked around the room he'd been placed in. He noticed his cloak was placed on a small table next to the mat he had been sleeping on. He struggled to remember what the contents of his nightmare were, but ultimately, his efforts were fruitless. All he could remember was that dragon, and the name Zarc. Suddenly, as the world rearranged itself aroun him, he found himself in a bustling city, though it wasn't Heartland. He immediately knew who was behind it.

"Hello, Yuto. I was wondering when you'd come back here," S greeted, his appearance having changed since the last time Yuto had been to the depths of his heart.

"What happened to you?" Yuto asked, suspicious of his dark half's discoloration. S merely chuckled in response.

"Oh, it's nothing major. Turns out that giving you cards that use so much of my power results in a rather interesting transformation. To be honest, I like the way it looks," he replied, smiling.

"You said that you gave me cards that used your power. What do you mean by that?"

"It's exactly what it sounds like. That Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon – Overload of yours? I created it. It's the same with Hollow Rebirth. Though, if I were using my own deck, I could've turned its disadvantages into my advantage. Regardless, I know what you're thinking, and no, I didn't have anything to do with that nightmare you had. There is something you should know, though..."

"What?"

"It's actually quite simple. Don't trust Reiji Akaba," S smirked.

"Why not? He hasn't done anything that would make me distrust him," Yuto countered.

"You mean he hasn't done anything yet. Oh, well. You'll learn in time. Now, don't you have somewhere you have to be?"

Yuto snapped back to reality, as his so-called "other half" forced him out of his subconscious. As his counterpart disappeared from sight, S let out the laugh he'd been holding. "HAHAHAHAHA! It's a good thing I'm able to control myself in these sorts of situations... I have to stay composed around him. For as much as I dislike the Xyz brat, he's not stupid. If he ever saw me losing it like this, he'd grow suspicious. No matter what happens, I have to stay like this when he's here. If he ever saw one of those outbursts, it would be the end of this little façade. But... if he's ever in a situation where things go south, I'll just have to take over for him. Getting carded would be quite the impediment to my revival. Then again, the next time things don't go as planned will probably be in Fusion. Maybe I can show Leo just how it feels to be torn apart by your sworn enemy... HAHAHAHAHA! Just a little while longer. One more confrontation. You're almost complete again, Zarc."


As the room came into view around him, Yuto walked over to the table where his cloak lay folded. Donning it once more, he exited the room, entering the most expansive area of the base. Eyes scanning the room, his gaze landed on Sayaka and Allen. He beckoned to them for come closer.

"I'm going out on patrol for a while."

"But you need to rest! You were burning up yesterday, and after that you just collapsed!" Sayaka protested, clearly worried for her comrade.

"I'll be alright. Besides, we're low on resources as it is, and the two of you need to stay here and look after the others. It's the least I can do, after having been gone for so long."

"But..."

"I hate to admit it, but you're right, Yuto. Just... be careful, okay?" Allen responded.

"Yuto... you didn't just come back here because you wanted to make sure they were safe, did you?" Yuya asked once they had cleared some distance between themselves and the hideout.

"I feel like I've lost a sense of myself lately. I came back here so that I can find out who I am," he explained, gazing toward the horizon. How long had it been since he'd seen the light of day in Heartland? The light gray color permeated the sky at all times. It'd been that way for the last three years now. His mind started to wander.

These three years felt like the only world he'd ever known. The vibrant, bustling world he remembered felt like it had been so long ago, that he just dreamt about it, that it never really existed. The one thing he could consistently remember was the fear etched onto the features of his friends as the violet light enveloped them. Their cries still haunted him in his dreams, which had become increasingly horrific.

More recently, however, on the few nights that he revisited the burning city that he'd seen the night he reunited with Yuya, he swore that he could see a dark silhouette among the flames, its eyes glowing ominously, boring into him, before it was engulfed by the flames, revealing it to have a deep maroon color for the briefest of moments.

He was jolted out of his thoughts by a scream of terror coming from amongst the ruined buildings. Darting off as quickly as possible, in an attempt to make it in time to help, he located the source of the sound, as three members of the Obelisk Force gazed at a man standing atop the rubble, dread written on their faces. In a flash of light, they were gone.

"You're... Are you Kaito?" Yuto whispered.


"So, which will it be? Clear Wing or Rin?"

"I..."

"Oh, so you value your dragon more than you value her? That's funny, I could've sworn that you would've been more receptive to my way of things, given how far you went trying to find her. I suppose you're all bark and no bite," Yuri taunted, grinning.

"That's not it! I'm not giving you Clear Wing because I don't believe you! Academia needs Rin for their plan, anyway, don't they?!"

"What, the Arc Area Project? I could care less about that. But, well, it doesn't look like you're going to go along with my demands quietly. I suppose I'll have to use more... forceful methods of taking your Clear Wing. Besides, we have unfinished business, don't we?"

"Yeah... we do," Yugo said. Turning to Rin, he continued. "I won't lose here. I'll finish this, and then we can both go home and forget about all of this. Just wait, Rin," he smiled.

Duel Start

Turn 1: Yuri

Yugo LP/Hand: 4000/5

Yuri LP/Hand: 4000/5

"I'll start! I activate Polymerization to fuse Cordyceps and Darlingtonia Cobra in my hand! Two sweet-smelling flowers which indulge in the abyss! Spiral together, and from the hell beneath your petals, awaken a new power! Fusion Summon! Level 7! Arise, Predaplant Chimerafflesia!"

Predaplant Chimerafflesia

1 "Predaplant" monster + 1 DARK monster

Level 7

DARK

ATK: 2500

DEF: 2000

[ Plant / Fusion / Effect ]

When this card battles, the opponent's monster's ATK becomes its original ATK, and this card gains ATK equal to the change until the end of the battle.

"I set a monster. Turn end," he yawned.

"That's it? You're pretty disappointing. I expected more," Yugo taunted his foe, somewhat inverting the status quo for their interactions.

"Since this is the last duel you'll ever play with that Clear Wing of yours, I thought we would take the time to enjoy it," Yuri retorted.

"We'll see about that! I draw!"

Turn 2: Yugo

Yugo LP/Hand: 4000/5

Yuri LP/Hand: 4000/1

"I activate Speedroid Scratch to send Den-Den Daiko Duke from my hand to the Graveyard and add Double Yoyo to my hand! I summon the Double Yoyo that I added with this card's effect to revive Daiko Duke and Synchro Summon! The bullet of wind rings out, carried along its path by the wondrous wings of light! Now, echo on! Level 7 Synchro Summons! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"

To be continued...


Bit of an announcement here, updates for this one are gonna slow down a bit from here on in, since I'll also be working on re:ARC-V, which you should totally read after this chapter. Good stuff.

Ulrich362's Review: Well that was... different. So Yuto didn't love Kotori then, fair enough but they're clearly close especially if she'd ask him directly. Then we have that nightmare and even if Yuto can only recall tiny bits and pieces of it it isn't good for anyone involved. I wonder if he'll have a run in with a certain vengeful Xyz Duelist, I suppose only time will tell. As far as Yuri's encounter with Yugo... actually, I doubt you would go with that plan but technically... You know what I actually think that would be a pretty interesting plot point. All things considered S's influence combined with his would mean either outcome leads to the same inevitable conclusion but it would be an interesting twist if you went that way and had it come completely full circle. As for every one of Ray's aspects being in the Fusion Dimension... the climax is rapidly approaching. Interesting chapter, looking forward to the update.

Welp, Kaito showed up, so... yeah. As for how Supremacy (That's what "S" stands for; just put it here since I'm not sure if I'll have another opportunity to mention it, and I feel like there aren't too many ways to put it into dialogue without it feeling clunky)/Zarc will factor in... well, we'll just have to see, now won't we? I've put a lot of thought into your... let's just call it a "suggestion" over the last month, though. Anyways, c'ya next chapter.