Chapter 5: Dilemma (Pt. 2)

'Candidate Kendai, please decide.'

A drop of perspiration, as big as a pea, dripped off Yuchi's chin. He couldn't help but feel a chill running down his spine. It was a choice that would determine his life for at least the next ten years, a choice that would change his destiny. It was only natural that he was nervous about the next sentence coming out of his mouth.

He clenched his fist tightly and turned his head to look at the big holographic screen in the commanding centre. Two Units – one blue and one purple, were dashing through the city. Their continuous stomping actions left behind big craters on the ground and caused much damage to the streets in the city, but fortunately there were no people out there. All of the residents in the city had been evacuated to the nearby facilities.

Miles away from the large humanoids were five other Units, all black and had a distinct design from the humanoids. 'Zombonoid' would be a more fitting name for these black 'vehicles', as they seemed to look more like a living dead, hideous and ugly, rather than a proper human being. They were motionless, standing still in a neat row as if they were waiting for the colored Units to arrive before them.

'Technical Sergeant Tenshi, fire at the first Darkness Unit,' commanded the old man in front of Yuchi. A typical military commanding officer, he had a stern look on his face with a few furrows in his brow. His short hair was completely white suggesting that he might have tons of experience serving the military. He wore a light green military long coat with a white shirt and a black tie inside as well as a pair of dark green pants. A number of silver badges were hanging on his chest. His nametag read 'Lupine Hevesy'.

'Roger,' replied Tenshi, who proceeded to press a button on the control column. The blue humanoid abruptly halted and its left arm swiftly moved up, pointing towards the direction of the first black Unit in the row. Then suddenly its arm changed form. The palm and its fingers clenched into a fist shape and closed back into the arm. It now looked more like the tube part of a gun. Without hesitation, Tenshi pressed the second button and the 'arm' fired at the black Unit. There was a continuous banging sound and Yuchi could see the fire-sparks shooting right out of the blue 'arm'.

One of the bullets hit the target but did not cause much damage to it. Instead, it caused the five black zombonoids to retaliate. They started to rush towards the U.N.D.E.A.D. Units in lightning speed. The latter had stopped under the old man's command while Tenshi was attacking.

'Technical Officer Maya,' commanded Lupine, 'Initiate Clause No. 11 of the United Nations Asimov Treaty.'

Yuchi was confused. Didn't the Asimov Treaty only have ten clauses?

'Roger!' replied a young woman in front of the big holographic screen. Her task was to work on the many keyboards and control panels right under her fingers.

'Clause No. 11 initiated. Forcing all Units in Section M3 into Duel Mode,' announced a voice.

A large white ring enclosed all the seven Units in the region. They all suddenly stopped moving; they stayed frozen in their respective positions. Then, immediately the Units all changed forms. Their armor shrank along with their bodies, revealing the pilots inside them. The Units no longer looked like mechanical human beings nor zombies, they had morphed into merely exoskeletons that acted as protection for the pilots sitting on them. Now they were just a little taller than two men standing on top of one another, a stark difference from their original height of about a few thousand feet.

'Duel Mode set up. Default configuration selected for own Units. Drawing the Duel Lanes,' announced the same voice.

Yuchi looked at another screen in the commanding centre, he was perspiring profusely and his heart was thumping strongly. It was a two-dimensional map of the whole Neo Domino City. Two new yellow lines emerged on the purple map. One was labeled 'WILES' and the other was labeled 'TENSHI'.

'Duel Lanes drawn. Unit Type Three will battle Enemy Unit A and B. Duelist: Pilot Tenshi Ryuma. Unit Type Two will battle Enemy Unit C, D and E. Duelist: Pilot Wiles Euclid. Transferring duelist data to Duel Lanes.'

'Now, Candidate Kendai,' Lupine turned to Yuchi and asked, 'would you like to help save the city?'

'…But why me?' retorted Yuchi.

'Because you can do it,' said Lupine.

...Twenty minutes ago.

Wiles led Yuchi along the white corridor they had just landed on. They reached a room with a big white door. The golden plate on the door read: 'Commanding Centre'.

'Mr. Kendai, please place your ID card on this,' Wiles pointed to a strange device with a red, blinking light on it. Yuchi covered the light with the front of the plain Duel Monsters card he had been holding on for hours. The device seemed to understand his actions and replied with a 'ting' sound. The white door swung open and both of them stepped inside.

'Sir, this is Candidate Code No. 0005 Yuchi Kendai,' Wiles introduced Yuchi to the old man named Lupine Hevesy, who welcomed both of them at the entrance of the commanding centre with a smile.

Wiles then turned to Yuchi and introduced Lupine to him, 'Mr. Kendai, this is Commander Lupine Hevesy.'

'…Hajimemashite,' Yuchi greeted.

'Welcome, Candidate Code No. 0005 Yuchi Kendai. I believe you have known that this is the U.N.D.E.A.D. Headquarters, am I correct?'

'…Yes, Commander Hevesy,' Yuchi replied shyly. He had never met someone of such a high authority before.

'…But… Candidate? What does it mean?' Yuchi asked.

'Ho-ho,' laughed Lupine with a deep and loud voice. 'It means that you are selected to become a Pilot of U.N.D.E.A.D.!'

'Congratulations, Mr. Kendai,' added Wiles.

'…Me?' Yuchi was neither enthusiastic nor elated about the news. He was rather bemused. 'But… How did you choose me?'

'The duel just now, it was a test,' interrupted a voice from behind. Yuchi turned over to look at his back. It was Tenshi.

'T…T… Tenshi?' Yuchi jerked as he encountered with his black-suited rival who had just defeated him.

'It's Technical Sergeant Tenshi, Mr. Kendai. We are at the Headquarters now,' reminded Wiles.

'S…Sorry, Technical Sergeant Tenshi,' Yuchi apologized for his mistake. 'But… didn't I lose the duel?'

'I never said that U.N.D.E.A.D. would not recruit you if you lose the duel,' Tenshi corrected in his same arrogant tone. 'Remember my final words with you?'

Yuchi recalled it. 'You played well in this duel. Good enough to save the city and its people.' So that's what he meant!

Tenshi let out a smirk, greeted Wiles and Lupine, and walked away.

'But what kind of test, since it did not gauge my dueling skills at all?' Yuchi thought.

'Anyway, let's move on with introducing you the Headquarters, starting off with the Commanding Centre, and…' Lupine was suddenly interrupted by the wailing of a siren and the flashing of red lights.

'Sir, our spy planes have detected the appearance of five Darkness Units! They are currently heading towards Section M3 of the city!' shouted an administrator working with one of the computers in the commanding centre.

'Looks like there are here,' whispered Lupine. The kind smile on his face had already disappeared and was replaced with a frown. 'What about the Neo Domino Self-Defense Forces?' he inquired loud and clear.

'Sir, the Army sent out five AG-5700 tanks but were destroyed by the Darkness Units!' replied the same administrator. Yuchi raised his eyebrows. He had read it once on the newspaper that the AG-5700 tanks were equipped with some of the most powerful weapons and had one of the best defense technology among all the giant warfare tanks, but for it to be destroyed would mean that the Darkness Units were actually quite strong.

'Inform the Japan Government of the situation and declare Emergency State. Evacuate all the residents from Region M3 to Region A3,' commanded Lupine.

'Roger!'

'Prepare the Unit Types Two and Three in Battle Mode. Pilots Tenshi Ryuma and Wiles Euclid!'

'Sir!' Tenshi marched to face Lupine along with Wiles, prepared to receive orders from him.

'Pilot Wiles, you will operate Unit Type Two, while Pilot Tenshi will operate Unit Type Three. Change immediately after this and assemble at the Departure Hall at 1715. Your Units will take off at 1720,' instructed Lupine to the two pilots.

'Roger!' shouted the two pilots accordingly, and they left the commanding centre, heading towards the male changing room.

Yuchi thought that this might be the worst and best day of his life ever. Less than five hours ago, he was defeated by his rival and now, he was actually going to witness a real demonstration of the Units that he had yearned to pilot for years.

'But do I really have the skills to drive it? Am I weak? Is this a good chance for me?' He kept asking himself.

'Now then…' Lupine had finished with his orders and he turned his head to look at Yuchi. He asked with the grin returning to his face, 'Candidate Kendai, would you like to pilot a Unit?'

'P… Pardon?' Yuchi could not believe what he just heard.

'This will be a good opportunity for you to try out piloting a Unit, as a potential member of the U.N.D.E.A.D.,' the old commander rephrased what he had just said.

'B… But, this is an emergency situation! How can you just let a beginner do this?' complained Yuchi.

'Candidate Kendai, please believe in yourself.'

'How can I believe in myself? I lost the duel with Tenshi, and…'

'Like what Technical Sergeant Tenshi said, it wasn't a test for you to gauge your skills,' Lupine reiterated Tenshi's words. 'We are already certain with your skills before the duel.'

'Then… what is it for?' Yuchi slightly calmed down.

Lupine ignored Yuchi's question. He was busy with ordering his people around to perform their respective tasks. Typical of what a Commander would do under such circumstances.

'Technical Officer Maya!' he called out.

'Yes, Sir!' replied the young woman.

'Put the Units in Standby Mode at the Departure Hall, Stations A3 and A4. Prepare for launch anytime as soon as the pilots enter the Control Chambers.'

'Roger!'

'Sir, Pilots Tenshi and Wiles have already entered the Control Chambers!' reported an officer who seemed to be working under Maya.

'Good. Let me communicate with the pilots,' he ordered.

The big holographic screen at the centre of the large white room changed from showing the camera recording of the Darkness Units approaching Neo Domino City to a video call with both the pilots.

'Sir!' reported both Tenshi and Wiles. They were already fully dressed in their uniforms, which consisted of a close-fitting plug suit and a helmet. Wiles had took off his half-moon glasses and replaced it with a pair of goggles.

'Pilots Tenshi and Wiles,' Lupine started to speak, 'this mission is very different from what I have taught you both. For now, just run towards the Darkness Units in full speed before I give you any further instructions.'

'Roger!'

'Launch the Units!' Lupine commanded Technical Officer Maya.

'Roger!' Maya obeyed, pressing two buttons on the control panel to her left. Yuchi could hear the sound of something moving very quickly from outside the tower, it was loud at first but it gradually diminished.

'Now… Candidate Kendai, would you like to help them?' Lupine turned to Yuchi and inquired.

'Me…?' Yuchi could not speak anything more.

'Yes. Candidate Kendai, please decide,' he put on his smile again.

Yuchi pushed the big door in front of him. He passed through the door and walked along the rocky path that would lead him to the light beyond.

'Where am I? Aren't I at the Headquarters?' he asked himself.

Yuchi took one step after another, plodding towards the light not far away. He was sure that it was a place he had never seen before. Aside from the brown stone road he was stepping on, the rest of his surroundings were white. Luminous, it should be said.

Yuchi reached his destination. He was blinded by the light that engulfed him. Its intensity became stronger and stronger. He realized that he was being taken by the light towards another place.

The light suddenly stopped shining and Yuchi regained his vision. He was indeed at another location. The surroundings were black and white.

Yuchi suddenly remembered where he was. He was at the bedroom of his apartment, but the apartment was not his current one. There were fewer newspaper cutouts scattered around the floor. His bed was clearly cleaner and the wardrobe was not as dented.

Yuchi noticed a younger himself leaning against the wall of his bedroom. He tried to call out to him but failed. The younger Yuchi was busy reading a newspaper cutout. He was smiling at something.

There was a knock at the door and the younger Yuchi asked, 'who?'

'It's me, Kaworu,' a younger version of Yuchi's silver-haired friend opened the door to reveal himself. 'What are you smiling at, Yuchi?'

'Oh, this,' the other Yuchi walked over to Kaworu and showed him the newspaper cutout he was reading.

'You mean your dreams, Yuchi? To enter U.N.D.E.A.D.?' Kaworu also couldn't help but grin at reading the cutout.

'Yeah. You think I can do it?'

'Yuchi,' Kaworu said to his friend, with the tone of an old woman, 'I am sure you can do it. After all, you are a dueling genius, aren't you?' He laughed.

'You are sure?'

'Yes. 101% sure.'

'Thanks, pal.'

Another light engulfed the older Yuchi and he was transferred to the current time. He was back at the Headquarters.

Yuchi had an epiphany. He realized that everyone around him was sure he could become an U.N.D.E.A.D. pilot. Kaworu, Lupine, Wiles… Even Tenshi, who was not so direct with his words.

'It was only me. I was useless. I took my loss too seriously. I thought the loss would signify the end of myself already.'

Lupine looked at Yuchi and let out a smile.

'Am I strong?' He changed the phrasing of his previous question and asked himself.

'Yes,' replied Wiles' voice in his head.

'Can I pilot the Unit?'

'Yes,' replied Lupine's voice in his head.

'Yuchi, believe in yourself,' added Kaworu's voice in his head.

Yuchi gradually picked up what he had just lost. His courage. His confidence. His optimism. His satisfaction with himself. Taking in a deep breath, he said confidently to Lupine:

'I want to pilot a Unit.'

'My Mistress,' reported the shadowy figure named Fate. 'It seems that U.N.D.E.A.D. has initiated their counter-attack against our Darkness Units.'

'You mean that Clause Eleven of Asimov Treaty has been put in effect?' replied the young girl.

'I'm afraid so, my Mistress.'

'As written by Soteria's script,' the young girl was sitting on her throne, grinning evilly as she watched the battle began from the screen in front of her.

'Fate.'

'Yes, my Mistress?'

'Make an urgent call to Soteria. Tell them that in order to carry out Step Two of their plan, we would need more funds.'

'Yes, I understand. I'll immediately look to that. By the way, my Mistress.'

'Hmm?'

'…Nothing. Please enjoy the battle, my Mistress,' Fate took back what he had wanted to speak. He stepped backwards and disappeared into the door at the back of the dark room.

'Father King…' the young girl whispered to herself sadly. 'Please rest in peace. Your daughter will surely win the battle.'

It was twenty-five past five. A plane from Munich, Germany had just landed safely at Nagoya International Airport, a hundred miles away from Neo Domino City. It was a small plane, as it served only certain personnel related to the military. Such as Master Sergeant Amaya Suzuki of the Neo Domino Self-Defense Force.

Amaya stepped out of the deck and strolled like a rich lady into the Arrival Hall. She had long, beautiful brown hair and a fair complexion. Wearing a pair of sunglasses and a mask on her face, nobody could recognize her look. Contrary to her identity as a young girl working for the military force, Amaya boasted an extravagant white silk dress and a pair of branded high-heels.

She entered the Arrival Hall proudly and pulled her luggage away. She walked passed columns and columns of counters, ignoring the expressions of the people who seemed to be observing her.

Amaya didn't need to bear with hours of waiting at those counters. She had the backing up of not one, not two, but three military organizations. Tugging her heavy luggage, she sauntered to the counter at the furthest end of the row, with a sign on it that said 'V.I.P.'

She presented her passport to the lady at the counter, then waited at the chair at the side in a sitting position that suggested she was impatient. The lady scanned her passport into a computer and within seconds, Amaya was free.

Buying a cup of coffee at the vending machine, Amaya took the opportunity to glance at the many information boards outside the Arrival Hall. One of them attracted her attention. As a resident of Neo Domino City who had not returned to her hometown for months, she was very interested in any issues concerning it. Appropriately, the title of the article on that information board read, 'Neo Domino City invaded by unknown machines'.

Preview of Next Chapter

Yuchi finally had the chance to pilot his Unit!

He battled with one of the enemies in a Unit Duel!

Yuchi summoned his ace monster, but it was...?

The mysterious girl named Amaya arrived at the Headquarters.

What did she have to do with U.N.D.E.A.D.?

Next chapter… Chapter 6: Fight!

Unit, Launch!

Card of the Chapter

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A Note From the Author

Initially, I planned Dilemma to be just one chapter long.

But, due to certain circumstances (one most obvious is lengthy descriptions) I have to split it up into two chapters.

I added in some other details which were not in my original plan.

For example, the early appearance of the young girl named Amaya Suzuki.

She was originally scheduled to appear in the current Chapter 7 only.

Next chapter will feature another full-length duel!

It's Yuchi VS the Darkness Unit, so don't miss it next week!

Please remember to review after reading too, Arigatou!

-Project M.G.

Special Announcement

In celebration of Christmas Day, there will be a special chapter of M.S.!

It will be published along with either Chapter 8 or 9.