Strong! Invincible! Strongest!!

"You dare say... I'm afraid of failure. I, the KING of New Domino!" Jack gritted his teeth and roared.

"Hmph. Are you a mediocre Duelist who can't even admit the truth to himself?"

Jack clenched his jaw but said nothing.

He understood.

Ever since he left the Satellite District, since he joined the Security Bureau, since he became a Pro Duelist, he could feel it.

He hadn't grown. Not at all.

He was still the same as when he parted ways with Yusei. Even though he now had new Synchro Monsters like Blue Sirius in his Deck, nothing had truly changed.

No. Maybe he'd even gotten weaker.

Maybe, at some point, he really did become afraid. Afraid of failure. Afraid of seeing his old friends. Maybe even...

But the desire to climb higher made him keep moving forward.

That's why, after defeating yet another boring opponent, he went off script from the Security Bureau's plan and challenged Seto Kaiba, because his heart demanded it.

"Activate the effect of Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon! Destroy one monster on his field. Be gone, eyesore of a dragon!"

He targeted Stardust Dragon.

"Stardust Dragon's effect! When a card or effect would destroy a card on the field, I can Tribute this card to negate and destroy that effect!

Sanctuary of the Sacrificed!"

Though his mind was a mess, Jack activated the effect.

"I don't know what's going on anymore, but our KING has cleanly dealt with the new Blue-Eyes!" the MC shouted, his mind also spinning, while his instincts as a commentator kicked in.

"Quick-Play Spell, Ultimate Fusion!"

As the cheering swelled, Kaiba played another new Spell Card.

"This is Blue-Eyes' exclusive Fusion Spell!" Kaiba declared. "By returning Blue-Eyes White Dragons from my hand, field, or Graveyard to the Deck, I can Fusion Summon a monster that lists Blue-Eyes White Dragon or Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon as material!"

"Fusion!"

"Ah!"

Yes, until now...

Kaiba hadn't even used Fusion yet!

"I return Blue-Eyes White Dragon and Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon from the Graveyard, and another Blue-Eyes from my hand to the Deck! Descend now, my most powerful servant, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

"Ah!"

"Wooooaaah!!!"

"My god..." A snow-white dragon slowly lifted its massive heads. Three pairs of piercing eyes focused in unison on Jack.

The ultimate form of Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon] Level 12│LIGHT│Dragon│4500 ATK

"This is..." the MC murmured, stunned even in his professionalism, "the return of a legend."

"What do you think? This is the most powerful, most ultimate dragon in history!" Kaiba crossed his arms, his hair whipping in the wind. "Battle! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, destroy that false dragon!"

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon inhaled deeply and unleashed three massive bursts of destructive energy. Red Dragon Archfiend was erased in an instant.

[Jack, LP: 3400 → 1900]

"End of turn."

At this moment, Jack had slowed down. The two D-Wheels now raced side by side, while the track was only halfway completed.

Kaiba glanced sideways at Jack and gave a low snort.

"My turn!"

Jack heard Kaiba's words, and his heart blazed.

'What did he mean?'

'I wouldn't use that kind of card?'

'Impossible! Any card that brings victory should be acceptable to a Duelist! Even Kaiba used Counter Gate!'

Vroom...

He roared past the viewer displays on the sidelines, catching glimpses of Yusei, Yugo, Hikaru...

'A student who only uses Fusion... and Yusei…'

Boom-boom.

His heartbeat thundered.

'I wouldn't use that kind of card?'

'Not just Starlight Road, more importantly... Stardust Dragon!'

He glanced at the Stardust Dragon in his Graveyard, unable to revive it due to summon limitations.

Realization dawned.

'Of course!'

His heart pounded. His body felt like it was on fire.

"Dueling you was the right choice!"

"But Blue-Eyes is disappointed in you!"

"Hmph! I'll show you what it means to be the King of the City!" He finally understood.

Yes!

Only by Duelling a true powerhouse could his frozen heart burn once more!

"My turn, draw! I switch Blue Sirius to Defense Position, then set two cards!

End turn!"

"Oh? Switching Blue Sirius? You want me to destroy it and lower my Attack again?"

"Try it and find out!"

"Hmph. My turn! Battle."

"I activate my set card, Call of the Haunted!" Jack reused a once-spent Trap Card. "I Special Summon Red Dragon Archfiend from my Graveyard!"

"Revive, my soul!"

"!!"

Red Dragon Archfiend beat its burning wings and returned from the Grave.

[Red Dragon Archfiend] Level 8│DARK│Dragon│3000 ATK

"He revived Red Dragon Archfiend on purpose!" the MC cried out. "Why, Jack?! That puts your monster right in front of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

"Shut up! I have my own Duel to play!" Jack roared.

"Heh, how interesting. Then let's battle! Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon, destroy my enemy!"

"Attack Red Dragon Archfiend, Ultimate Burst!"

All three heads targeted Jack's dragon. Energy gathered to annihilate.

But at that moment, Jack flipped a Trap Card, "Prideful Roar!"

"During damage calculation, if my monster's ATK is lower than yours, I can pay the difference in Life Points. Then, during this calculation only, my monster gains ATK equal to the difference plus 300! I pay 1500 LP!"

"What?! Jack sacrificed his own Life for Red Dragon Archfiend!" the MC screamed. "What resolve!"

"I'll fight alongside Red Dragon Archfiend to the end!" Jack's body seemed to ignite with real red flames.

[Jack, LP: 1900 → 400]

"Counterattack, Red Dragon Archfiend!!"

[Red Dragon Archfiend, ATK: 3000 → 4800]

Red Dragon Archfiend roared and pushed back the force of the Ultimate Dragon. Against all odds, it shattered the destructive beam!

[Seto Kaiba, LP: 1600 → 1300]

[Red Dragon Archfiend, ATK: 4800 → 3000]

"How's that, Kaiba! My Red Dragon Archfiend is no less than your Blue-Eyes!"

"Heh. Now that's more like it." Kaiba still looked unbothered, as if he hadn't taken a single hit.

Jack felt a pang of pressure.

"Whoa! He took down the Ultimate Dragon!"

"That's Jack for you! Our KING!"

City's citizens cheered with wild joy. Even Yugo and Rin forgot their earlier concerns and joined in.

To them, it looked like Jack had won!

But then Kaiba, still in the lead with more Speed Counters, roared ahead, "Interesting. My heart's finally starting to boil!"

"Hah! I'm pumped too!" Jack said. "I haven't felt this way in ages!"

"Jack Atlas."

"!?"

Kaiba raised his right fist. "You've only just stepped through the door of a new dimension of Duels. There are endless unknown Duels in this world, the universe, even other dimensions!"

"You've seen it now. The path of Dueling is endless!

Tribute, Ritual, Fusion, Xyz, Synchro;

Will you stop here?"

"No way!" Jack snorted.

"Exactly."

Kaiba nodded, then looked to the screens, the audience, Yugi Muto, his own disciples, Duelists from other worlds, and Hikaru...

"That's right!

Believe in your Duels! Believe in your monsters! Believe in your soul and in your faith!

Trust in your Deck, and charge forward on the path before you!

You've already fallen far behind those Duelists who walk a path with a determined future!

This is the future of Duelists!"

In his heart, Kaiba was already imagining a cross-dimensional, ultimate Duel tournament. Only the strongest, those who had transcended all limits, would be worthy to join.

Among the students, he had already found a promising seedling.

And he had long since surpassed his past self.

"You..." Jack finally realized. This man, Seto Kaiba... His heart had long left the bounds of a single world.

"I commend your courage in challenging Blue-Eyes.

But playtime ends now!"

"What?!"

"I activate Quick-Play Spell, Rage with Eyes of Blue! I banish every card on my field, in my Graveyard, and in my hand face-down, including this card!"

"What kind of card demands that?!" the MC croaked. "Isn't that basically instant surrender?!"

However, from Kaiba's view, this was his final move.

"Special Summon up to three Blue-Eyes White Dragons from my Deck!"

"What?!" Jack's eyes widened.

"Come forth, my loyal servants!!"

FWOOOSH!

Three Blue-Eyes White Dragons emerged, their pristine wings gleaming.

"Three... Blue-Eyes White Dragons!?"

"Hmph. This is the end. My loyal servants, battle! Annihilate my enemy!"

The three dragons gathered power and launched their attacks toward different targets.

In that instant, the City's cameras all malfunctioned and cut to other footage.

Only one crazed voice echoed across the base's skies:

"Sturdy! Unbeatable! Supreme!"

"Shatter! Pulverize! Applause!!"

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!"

...

Stones PLZzzz