Raised to be a Killer

Alexis felt utterly drained, burdened by the harsh truth that her home was no longer a reality. The place of her birth, her childhood memories—everything had been erased when the dimensions collided. Meanwhile, those who had been "carded" returned as the realms fused into one. Although her female Slifer-friend was back, he was not. As she wandered down the street, she overheard children engaged in a duel; the phrase "fusion summon" made her wince. Despite the loss of her dimension, the memories of Duel Academy lingered painfully. Approaching a public park, something caught her eye: a tall man clad in a black polo-neck shirt, sleek leather pants, and knee-high boots. But it was his striking navy-blue hair that truly captivated her. Could it be him? "Zane, is that really you?" she called out.

Zane heard a familiar voice, one he hadn't heard in ages. He wasn't even sure where or what this world was—it certainly wasn't the ruins of Heartland City. He glanced over his shoulder to scrutinize the approaching girl—it was definitely her. "That depends on who you ask," he stated dryly.

Alexis was puzzled by his remark, especially since Zane had mysteriously disappeared one day. She settled next to him on the bench and said, "After you left, they called you a 'Legend from Duel Academy's past.'"

He couldn't claim to be shocked; after all, Leo Akaba had gone to extreme measures to manipulate everyone. "Well, when he could no longer use me for his nefarious tasks, he resorted to exploiting my reputation instead," Zane responded with a hint of sarcasm.

Alexis stared at Zane, astonishment etched on her face. She knew he'd recently graduated, but his connection to the Obelisk Force remained unclear. "But I thought you weren't involved in the invasion?" she questioned.

Zane sighed wearily, pulling a card from his pocket and handing it to Alexis.

She examined the card. It wasn't the depicted creature that disturbed her, but the ominous black border and dark background. "This… this is an XYZ monster… How did you get this?" she asked.

Zane looked skyward before answering, "So, Alexis, who do you think gave Leo Akaba the information for the XYZ Dimension invasion?"

With her fingers curled into a tight fist, Alexis confronted Zane, realizing that the initial invasion's success stemmed from his role as an informant. "What made you do it, Zane?" she asked.

Zane looked down, his blue bangs shadowing his eyes. "He said that if the dimensions were united, everyone would return. I foolishly hoped my little brother might come back too… But, of course, he conveniently omitted the fact that it only applied to 'everyone who was carded'," he said bitterly.

Alexis understood that desperate hope. A part of her had wished the police were wrong, until she found her brother among flowers in an open casket. "Don't blame yourself for believing him; nearly everyone at the Academy did," she remarked.

Zane clenched his knees, then looked at Alexis. "The harsh reality is that from the moment we entered that Academy, we were essentially raised to be killers."

She knew Zane was right, but influenced by Yusho, Yuya, and others, she now believed dueling should bring joy, not conflict. Extending her hand, she said, "You know what, Zane? Let's find a way to spread happiness through our dueling instead."

Though he considered it foolish, he was drawn to her radiant smile. "Well, why not?" he chuckled, taking her hand.