Chapter - 8

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Chapter - 8: Battling Destiny

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Azazel didn't seem to notice Judai's disapproving look, or maybe he ignored it altogether, speaking as if he were in front of an old friend with whom he could speak freely.

"You should enjoy yourself while you have the chance. We don't know when the conflicts between the three factions might start again. So I suggest you take that friend of yours and do whatever you have in mind, if you know what I mean," Azazel said, his tone not hiding his perversion.

"Thank you, but for now I consider her just a good friend," Judai clarified vaguely. "It's only because she's around me that I've decided to take precautions. We both know that this is a dangerous world, and normal people aren't exactly equipped to deal with it." He said those last words with a tone of authority that couldn't be ignored.

Damn it, no matter how much time had passed or that he found himself in a completely different universe after his death, some things would remain unchanged for eternity.

It seemed as if he was destined for this, as if there was nothing he could do to change it. Every time he thought he could have a normal life, fate intervened. It was as if an invisible force was pushing him along a predetermined path, no matter how hard he fought to change it.

And so, although he longed for a peaceful life, he always found himself involved in situations beyond his control. By now, he was used to it; he was no longer a kid who believed he could save everyone.

Takuma Saio's words were so profoundly true that they still resonated in Judai's mind like an unforgettable melody. The awakening of the three Sacred Beasts, the encounter with the Light of Destruction, and the clash with Yubel were all events caused by his presence at the Duel Academy.

From that moment on, he was determined to never let his supernatural presence harm his friends again. No matter how much the course of events had changed or how much time had passed, that goal remained unchanged.

Even in this new world, full of challenges and uncertainties, he had never forgotten the promise he had made to himself. He was determined to protect it at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing his own existence, because he understood the weight of his actions and the importance of preserving those special bonds with the people he loved.

Yes, his new family, including his perverted brother and the friends he made at Kuoh Academy, remained at the center of his life and decisions. Even when conflicts or difficulties arose along the way, the strength of the bonds he had formed with them continued to support and guide him through adversity.

After all, it was the power of these bonds that had once plunged him into darkness, awakened the dormant power within him, and transformed him into the mighty Supreme King.

He had become "evil" because his friends had publicly turned against him and then died in front of him, blaming him for their deaths. Of course, their negative emotions were amplified by another power (though he didn't know it at the time).

Another very important detail was that they had actually survived, but at that moment, he was too focused on finding strong duelists to challenge in order to demonstrate his absolute strength.

Of course, this didn't justify all the people he had hurt and those who had actually died because of his actions and all the pain he had caused at his weakest moment.

And sure, their complaints against him were partly justified because he had risked their lives to save Jesse. But he didn't regret his actions that day, because there was nothing wrong with helping a friend in danger.

Second, when he had his breakdown after losing his friends to the Mad King of the Dark World, in addition to receiving Super Polymerization, he couldn't control his powers and allowed that other personality to take over.

Eventually, he was able to regain control by accepting this part of himself, although this was mostly due to accepting everything he had done and how much pain he had caused his friends and Yubel herself.

And after his fusion with Yubel, he had become a being that could be defined neither as human nor as a Duel Monster. He was something more, a presence that even the beings he'd faced in his long battles couldn't classify. They simply called him an anomaly, a strange existence that shouldn't have existed at all.

Judai was glad things had turned out this way. In this new world, he wouldn't make any more mistakes due to his memory loss, and his beloved guardian wouldn't be alone anymore.

"Oops, looks like I touched on a sensitive topic there," chuckled Azazel, seeing the young man's expression, "Although I must admit, it seems like you've awakened a sleeping dragon."

But Judai didn't seem too pleased with that comparison. "Azazel, I can assure you that the day you see me angry, you'll be the first to run away like a scared little chicken."

"Scary stuff," Azazel said mockingly, before turning serious. "Alright, alright, I'll watch my limits with your friend. As for Sacred Gears for her, though, I have some that might be worth considering."

Judai crossed his arms, waiting for Azazel to continue speaking. He knew how important this topic was and how it could change his long-term plans.

Azazel began to stroke his chin. "You could give her a Twice Critical like yours, or maybe something more interesting since it takes quite a while to power up and could prove a bit too dangerous for her?" The perverted Fallen Angel mused.

"She could go with a good old Sturdy Saint, which would make her more resilient. Or seeing her wield the Twilight Fusion Bow would be very interesting, as it would allow her to fight from long range, and if she has an affinity for light or darkness, it could amplify the power released. Oh, hey, maybe Trick Vanish? That can be a really good equalizer against strong people with few skills, actually, you should watch out for one of those, it's quite dangerous. Actually, now that I think about it, it would only be effective with a user with some combat experience, don't you think?"

The Governor of the Grigori had just retreated into his own world, now rambling about what effect Trick Vanish might have on someone with only one Sacred Gear like his.

Judai watched him, confused, as Azazel rambled on, before snapping his fingers. "So, instead of babbling, do you have any useful advice?" he asked, steering the conversation back to his favor. "I'm looking for something that can protect her and grow with her, without her needing to actively participate in battles to be helpful."

Azazel stopped talking and focused, understanding the seriousness of Judai's request. "I get it. You're looking for a Sacred Gear that provides continuous protection and support, without requiring direct involvement in combat."

Judai nodded, recognizing the expertise of the person in front of him. After all, with thousands of years of experience, he should not be underestimated. "Exactly."

"As for the usual Sacred Gears, not many might be suitable for a normal human... well, perhaps some of mine, since they are easier to adapt to, although they do put a lot of stress on the body."

"Why?" Judai raised an eyebrow.

"Compatibility is important, kid, especially with someone who's never dealt with the supernatural side of this world," Azazel explained. "They're called, in order: Procellarum Phantom, Applause Wall, Scouting Persona, and Twinkle Aegis."

"What exactly do they do?" Judai asked, with a hint of doubt.

"To put it briefly, the Procellarum Phantom is based on Twice Critical. However, instead of enhancing everything, I've made sure the enhancement is focused on a specific area: the legs. This also reduces the time needed for the enhancement. It increases the user's leg strength by ten times and their movement speed by ten times. Not only could it provide great support in combat, but it would also allow her to escape easily if things go south."

This... actually seemed like a very useful Sacred Gear, even without considering the possibility that it could be further developed with its user to grow stronger together.

But there was a major problem with this plan. Judai shook his head with a worried expression. "She has no combat experience, nor any good endurance. Giving her something like this would just be a burden for her; she wouldn't know how to use it at all."

Azazel scratched his head, letting out a small sigh. "You really don't make things easy with your requests," he said, but a small smile appeared on his lips. "Fortunately, the other Sacred Gears might meet the needs of your girl."

Judai's interest was piqued, "I hope they're good enough for her because, so far, I'm not impressed."

Azazel scoffed with disdain. "Applause Wall and Twinkle Aegis are both Sacred Gears based on their defensive capabilities. The former can generate powerful force barriers at will within a certain range, while the latter can create a giant light shield for defensive purposes, which is notably resilient. This shield can be thrown at the enemy, spinning like a yo-yo, and can be surrounded by fire and lightning."

Azazel had a smug look as he explained his creations. "Not only does it contain an elemental fairy with whom I made a pact, but it can also modify its offensive and defensive abilities based on the attribute."

"A fairy?" Judai exclaimed, clearly surprised. After all, this world was still too new to him. "How did you manage to convince her to become the power source for a Sacred Gear?"

Azazel seemed pleased to share the information, as if it allowed him to boast more openly about his achievements. "What can I say? I offered them a contract they couldn't refuse. You'd be surprised at how many supernatural creatures are looking for a good job," he said with a smile.

Judai honestly didn't know how to respond, so he decided to return to the topic that interested him. "Anyway, they both seem very compatible for her, but before making a decision, I want to know about the last Sacred Gear."

Azazel nodded without any issues. "The Scouting Persona allows the user to create a multitude of floating masks, which can then be used for surveillance activities such as detecting enemies, gathering and transmitting information over long distances, and they can also be used as shields."

"Masks?" Judai exclaimed, stunned, as a series of memories from the past flooded his mind, as if he were reliving them again.

Well, how could it not, when this reminded him of one of the most powerful adversaries he had faced in his old world? Nightshroud, progenitor of the World of Darkness, who had enacted a plan to engulf all humanity into his realm but was ultimately defeated in their final duel.

Nightshroud used masks imbued with fragments of his power to possess duelists. These masks allowed the duelists to access Nightshroud's dark power and forced them to fight to accumulate even more strength.

Each victory increased the duelist's power, strengthening their bond with Nightshroud. The goal was for the duelists to accumulate enough power to free him from his dark dimension.

Judai was indeed fortunate that Nightshroud couldn't exile people to the World of Darkness if they had some sort of mystical connection. For example, he himself, who had fused his soul with Yubel, or Kaiba, who was the reincarnation of a priest who had wielded the Millennium Rod. And, of course, not to forget Yugi and the Nameless Pharaoh who possessed the Millennium Puzzle.

All this had led to Judai's final victory, but there was still one thing that tormented him long after that battle. No matter how much time had passed, he couldn't forget it.

The horrible future Nightshroud had prophesied...

By the end of his long journey, Judai had discovered that Meklord/Machine Emperor Genocide was the cause of that horrible destiny, but fortunately, it had been prevented thanks to the survivors who traveled back in time and inspired Yusei Fudo to ensure that Ener-D did not spiral out of control.

But that information had left Judai with much to ponder. In retrospect, he understood that Nightshroud had been partially right in his prophecy, which added a real motivation to his intent to bring salvation to humanity through the World of Darkness.

This had made Judai doubt his actions for a long time during his journey around the world, as by defeating Nightshroud, he had made a decision for the entire planet.

Had he done the right thing by defeating him? Had he made a mistake? Was Nightshroud right about humans? Could the world have been a better place under his cold, controlled logic?

Questions like these were constant doubts for him, but in the end, Judai realized he couldn't let these uncertainties paralyze him. He decided to continue fighting for what he believed in, protecting those he loved, and trying to make the world a better place by his own means.

He had seen too much pain and suffering to allow a Duel Monster born in another dimension, even if well-intentioned, to control the fate of all humanity.

"Yes," Azazel confirmed. "I must admit that it's one of my most difficult Sacred Gears to control, but I can only be confident in its future growth with a suitable user—" He couldn't even finish his sentence before he was interrupted.

"Alright, I want that Sacred Gear," Judai interrupted, not wanting Azazel to get lost in his own little world again.

"Wait—What?" Azazel looked at him in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Judai confirmed with a simple nod. "This Sacred Gear is perfect for her, maybe even too perfect..." he added, without further explanation.

Azazel looked at him with a suspicious glance. "Well, if you're so sure, who am I to say no..." He shrugged with a smile. "Alright, then it's decided."

"Yes," Judai responded simply, his tone indicating that he was ultimately quite satisfied with their agreement.

"Now that we've taken care of the truly important matters, what do you say we talk about what you want me to do with them?" Azazel asked, indicating the half-dead fallen angels lying on the ground.

Judai showed a cold look as he began to explain his intentions for them. He certainly wasn't inclined to show leniency to those who had tried to kill a member of his family.

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A/N: I hope you enjoy the chapter!

On the other hand, if you want to see something specific in the next chapters, or even just have some good advice for the story as a whole, I am always willing to read a comment if it is constructive criticism.

If you see any mistakes, I would be grateful if you would point them out to me, so that I can correct them when I have some spare time, and make the story as complete as possible for myself and especially for you.

To facilitate a clearer understanding, I've retained pictures of the respective characters. Your feedback is always valued, and if you have any suggestions for the upcoming chapter, please feel free to comment—I'll be sure to respond as usual.

Please leave a review if you like the story.

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