"My turn, draw." Rio simply drew her card, looking down at it. "I Normal Summon Dewdark of the Ice Barrier."
Snow gathered, forming into a figure in ninja clothing with a long purple scarf.
[Dewdark of the Ice Barrier, 1200 ATK]
"Battle, Speaker, direct attack!" Rio said calmly, already knowing full well the main effect and weakness of the Earthbound Immortal card: they can attack directly, but they don't block attacks.
"I activate my Trap, Spider Egg!" Kumo's face-down card flipped open. "When you declare a direct attack, I can negate it and Special Summon three Spider Tokens to my field in Attack Position!"
[Spider Tokens, 100 ATK] x3
The little girl's cold wind attack was blocked, but Rio didn't look worried.
"Secret Guards direct attack!" She said as the swordsman dashed passed the three spiders and swung his blade directly at Kumo.
[Kumo, LP 4000 -> 3900]
"What the!?" Kumo murmurs, holding her chest in pain, shocked and confused.
"Deward's continuous effect, if I control only Ice Barrier monsters, Level 2 or lower monsters I control can attack directly." Rio said, seeing her monster kneeling down and turning to a defensive position.
The original card only allows Deward to attack directly if the user controls only Level 2 or lower monsters. Yumi simply upgraded it so that its effect is only usable and supports the Ice Barrier archetype.
[Secret Guards of the Ice Barrier, 1600 DEF]
"My field spell, Spider Web's effect, when your non-insect monster attacks, at the end of the Damage Step, your monster is changed to Defense Position, and you can only change its position by the end of your next End Phase." Kumo said through gritted teeth.
Rio didn't mind and continued. "Defender, Deward player direct attack!"
The two monsters charged forward, striking Kumo directly and bypassing her monsters.
[Kumo, LP 3900 -> 3700 -> 2500]
[Defender of the Ice Barrier, 1600 DEF]
[Dewdark of the Ice Barrier, 800 DEF]
"Since you control four or more cards, I can Special Summon Medium of the Ice Barrier from my hand." She placed the card down as the blue-haired woman stepped onto the field.
[Medium of the Ice Barrier, 2200 ATK]
"Turn end." She said calmly.
"My turn, draw!" Kumo snatched her card from the deck with a sharp flick, her grin twisting into something wicked as she looked at it.
"Heh... looks like your dumb luck's run out!" she hissed, raising the card high. "I've got only Insect-Type monsters in my graveyard, so I can send two of your Defense Position monsters straight to the graveyard to Special Summon this beauty!"
Her eyes gleamed crimson as she pointed at Rio's defenses. "Say goodbye to Defender and Deward! I send them both to the grave, come forth, Mother Spider!"
Both of Rio's monsters disintegrated into blinding white light. A shadow rippled through the field, and from it emerged a monstrous red spider, its metallic legs clicking menacingly against the floor, each one sharpened like a blade.
[Mother Spider, 2300 ATK]
"Next!" Kumo snapped, her voice laced with mania. "I activate Earthbound Immortal Uru's effect! By tributing one Spider Token, I can take control of one of your monsters!"
A Spider Token vanished into black mist. Uru screeched, firing a strand of crimson web toward Rio's side, but the web stopped midair, shattered by an icy barrier.
Rio's voice was calm, controlled. "Secret Guards' continuous effect, my Ice Barrier monsters can't be targeted by your monster's effects."
Kumo clicked her tongue, glaring daggers at her opponent before letting out a sharp exhale. "Tch... fine. Since your Defender is gone, nothing's stopping me from attacking now! Go, Earthbound Immortal Uru! Crush that backstabbing bitch!"
She threw her arm forward, laughter bubbling up like madness. The colossal spider roared, hurling a massive, crimson web of destruction straight at Rio.
Rio didn't even flinch. "From my hand, I activate Ice Kuriboh!" she shouted, holding up the card as frost gathered around her. "When I'm targeted for a direct attack, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!"
The moment she placed it on her Duel Disk, a small white Kuriboh materialized, its fur shimmering with frost and tiny shards of ice clinging to its body.
[Ice Kuriboh, 300 ATK]
"The attack is redirected to Ice Kuriboh!"
Uru's web lashed out, wrapping around the little creature. A moment later, it exploded into glittering ice shards that scattered across the field like snow.
Rio's voice cut through the storm: "Ice Kuriboh's effect, when it's destroyed by battle, we both take the battle damage!"
Kumo's eyes widened. "NANI!?"
The shards turned into a violent blizzard of light, slamming into both duelists.
[Rio, LP 4000 -> 1300]
[Kumo, LP 2500 -> 0]
Kumo screamed, a shrill, ear-piercing sound, before collapsing to the ground, overwhelmed by the aftershock of the Shadow Game.
Rio exhaled softly, lowering her Duel Disk as she approached the fallen girl. Kumo's breathing was shallow, her face pale, but the red spider mark on her back still pulsed faintly with light. Her unconscious hand clutched Earthbound Immortal Uru's card as if her life depended on it.
Rio frowned. "It's not disappearing..."
Her suspicion was confirmed when Kumo's eyes suddenly snapped open, her white sclera now swallowed by a deep, pitch-black void.
In an instant, Kumo's arm jerked upward, and from her palm shot a massive, crimson web. It struck Rio square in the chest, launching her backward into a tree. The impact cracked the trunk and knocked the air from her lungs. The red silk wrapped tightly around her, pinning her in place like prey caught in a trap.
A low, otherworldly voice echoed from Kumo's mouth, no longer her own. "To think... there would be such a powerful and troublesome duelist."
Her movements were sharp, almost mechanical. Uru now spoke through her body, eyes glowing with a dull crimson light. "But without control of your Duel Spirits... you cannot defeat me."
Rio looked up through the strands of web, her voice calm and unwavering. "I know…" Her lips curled slightly. "But he can."
Uru's eyes narrowed. "He?"
Before the question could finish, a crimson comet streaked down from the sky. It slammed into Uru with explosive force, throwing her back into the ground. The impact shook the area, dirt and dust billowing like smoke.
When the haze cleared, a figure stood between them.
Raye, clad in her Kagari Armor, wings of molten crimson spread wide behind her, each metal feather radiating heat and embers like falling stars.
The ground shuddered again, this time from a heavy landing. Beside the tree where Rio hung trapped, The Earth crashed down, and on his shoulder perched Yumi.
"Darkness!?" Uru hissed, stumbling back a step. Her head turned, and she froze.
Before her stood a small army of Duel Spirits: Burst Wingman, Dark Law, Neptune, Roze, K9-17 "Ripper", Exosister Kaspitell, Sphere Kuriboh, Double Kuriboh, KuriDJ, Winged Kuriboh, Kuribangboo, Sky Striker Kuriboh, and several others appearing out of thin air, surrounding her completely.
Uru blinked. "Huh… why are there so many Kuribohs?"
The little creatures chirped indignantly, puffing up as if ready to throw down.
Ignoring them, Uru refocused her glare on the more dangerous spirits now closing in.
Yumi's eyes flashed. "Get it!"
With that single command, the entire group charged. Energy flared, wings unfolded, weapons and fists swung, and the possessed girl vanished beneath a barrage of attacks. The assault was merciless, fast, precise, and absolute.
Though the duel had already ended with Rio's victory, Uru refused to yield. Instead of fading quietly into defeat, it tried to use its lingering power to strike down the duelist who bested it.
Moments later, the dust settled. Kumo lay motionless on the ground, freed from the web, her expression painful, but the crimson marks on her back had faded.
Yumi stood over her, holding Earthbound Immortal Uru's card between his fingers. The dark sigil on it pulsed faintly before the card disintegrated into streams of yellow light.
He watched silently as the spirit energy swirled away, then sank into his chest, merging with his own.
Unlike Aslla Piscu, whose destruction had been instant and absolute, Uru's end was slower, painful. The spider's spirit lingered just long enough for Yumi to draw in what remained of it.
Yumi's gaze shifted toward Rio, still tangled in the crimson web against the tree. "Sorry for leaving you hanging," he said with a smile.
Raye raised an eyebrow at the pun but said nothing. At Yumi's nod, she summoned her flaming blade and sliced through the sticky web with a swift motion. The silk burned away in flickers of orange light, freeing Rio.
As she fell forward, Yumi stepped in to catch her, but he failed.
The two crashed to the ground in a heap, with Rio landing squarely on top of him.
Yumi: "..."
Raye: "..."
Rio: "..."
For a moment, silence filled the air. Even the Kuribohs looked on, blinking curiously.
Yumi stared up at the sky, dazed. He thought he'd gotten stronger lately… but apparently, his physical stats hadn't caught up to his Duel Energy.
Rio's face turned bright crimson, steam practically rising from her head as she scrambled off him.
"I-I-I'm so sorry!" she stammered, brushing off her skirt, refusing to make eye contact.
Raye tilted her head, confusion crossing her face. She remembers he has insane endurance and speed, so why was he so weak physically?
The tension from moments ago finally eased into laughter, soft, genuine. The danger had passed, and for the first time in days, the air felt calm again.
With the defeat of Earthbound Immortal Uru, the mysterious string of student disappearances came to an end, much sooner than anyone expected.
The investigation's conclusion was officially attributed to Rio Kastle, following Yumi's quiet insistence that she take the credit.
...
The next day, in the Slifer Red cafeteria.
"Uhh, aren't you gonna eat anything besides vegetables?" Celina asked, watching Rio pick at her tray. The blue-haired girl's meal was small, mostly greens, barely any meat.
"I'm on a diet," Rio replied calmly.
Celina blinked. Alexis looked equally alarmed.
"Uh… that's not healthy," Alexis said, her tone full of concern. Unlike the two of them, Rio was already slim, she didn't have Celina's toned muscle or Alexis's large curves.
Rio sighed, shoulders slumping. "I'm too heavy for Yumi to carry…"
Celina and Alexis froze.
The memory of yesterday replayed in Rio's mind, Yumi's failed attempt to catch her, their tumble to the ground. Her cheeks burned just thinking about it.
As a girl hopelessly in love, there are few horrors greater than discovering your crush can't lift you.
Alexis exchanged a look with Celina. "She's serious about this, isn't she?"
Celina rubbed her temple. "Yeah, but she's got it backwards."
"Huh?"
"It's not that she's too heavy," Celina said, poking at her rice. "Yumi's just too weak. I barely ever see him eat or exercise. He spends most of his time in bed, if there weren't classes or people dragging him out, he'd probably stay in his room all day."
"So… he's a shut-in?" Alexis concluded.
Celina shrugged. "Not exactly. It's more like he doesn't need to work for food here, so he's gotten lazy."
When she looked up again, Rio was gone.
A moment later, she spotted Rio across the cafeteria, standing in line, ordering a mountain of food.
"She won't... would she?" Celina uttered, unsure, before finishing her meal and quickly getting up.
Alexis soon followed as the two girls stepped outside the cafeteria.
Outside the Slifer dorms, they found Rio standing in front of Yumi's room, a large food tray balanced in her hands.
She knocked.
After a few seconds, Yumi opened the door, still in his uniform jacket.
"Rio?" he asked.
"I heard you haven't eaten yet," she said, fidgeting slightly, trying to act shy. "So… wanna have lunch with me?"
Before he could respond, she stepped right past him into the room.
Yumi: "?"
He didn't know what was going on or what had gotten into her, but with his understanding of women, he knew not to piss them off.
He didn't stop her when she started feeding him.
He knew just how crazy a woman can become when in love; like a ticking time bomb, ready to blow up any second. He somewhat feared that if he rejected her too directly or just outright be cold toward her, it might cause this ticking time bomb to explode, and she might turn into his Yubel.
"Enjoying yourself, huh?"
Celina's teasing voice came from the doorway. She strolled in, sitting down next to Rio, and plucked an egg roll from the tray.
She raised it to Yumi's mouth with a teasing smirk. "Now, say ahh."
Rio's eyes widened. "Celina!?"
She turned to Yumi, glaring daggers. "Yumi. Say ahh."
Yumi: "..."
Damn it!
This might sound like every man's dream, being fed by two beautiful girls, but no one tells you how terrifyingly complicated it actually is.
Then, Raye appeared beside him. She wore a Japanese-style maid outfit and held up a piece of sausage with a sweet, playful smile.
"Master," she said innocently, "say ahh."
Rio: "..."
Celina: "..."
Yumi: "..."
Yumi suddenly pulls out the equip spell, Formal Dress: Maid Style, that he printed not too long ago. He originally printed cards like this to mess around, mostly because he has too much Spirit Energy on him and doesn't have any good idea for what cards to print.
You're not helping!
And just as the tension peaked, Roze appeared behind them, looking utterly unamused. Without hesitation, she took three massive bites, devouring the food all three girls were holding.
Rio: "..."
Celina: "..."
Raye: "..."
...
Time flowed quietly at Duel Academy. With nothing eventful happening, the most notable excitement came from the Duel between the Princeton brothers.
Then Yumi's Kuribangboo found the next Shadow Rider, an Amazon warrior named Tania, but he wasn't interested in dueling another Amazoness, so he let Jaden handle this matter.
Then, one morning, a massive submarine surfaced just offshore of the island. But Yumi wasn't interested in it.
"Oi, Yumi, some middle-aged guy is demanding to duel you," Celina said, pushing open the door. She found him lying on his bed, arms behind his head, half-asleep as usual.
"Not interested…" he mumbled, turning over.
Celina sat on the edge of his bed, crossing her legs. "He says he's after the three Sacred Beast cards."
Yumi cracked one eye open. "Unless he somehow collects all the keys and gets past me, he won't even reach where they're sealed."
Celina leaned against his back, brow raised. "How do you know all this?"
"I have my ways," he replied vaguely.
Before she could press further, there was a knock at the door. Celina got up and opened it to find Alexis standing there, looking mildly exasperated.
"Huh? He mistook Jaden for Yumi?" Celina repeated, half incredulous, half amused.
Yumi opens both eyes, curious now. First Titan had mistaken him for Jaden, and now another guy was doing the reverse.
Were they really that alike?
He shrugged. "Well, saves me the trouble."
Later that day…
"Where's Jaden?" Yumi asked during lunch, glancing at the long table. It was fried shrimp day, Jaden's favorite, but his seat was empty.
"Uh, he left with that submarine guy," Alexis explained. "Apparently, he paid Jaden a large sum of money to stay with him."
Celina tilted her head, finding this explanation a bit off. "That doesn't sound like something Jaden would do." She murmurs.
Yumi blinked, standing up and bolting out of the cafeteria before everyone could react.
Damn it, I got too relaxed… I should've remembered Jaden was going to be kidnapped.
Jaden is one of his useful allies to deal with the foes in this world. Although he knew Jaden would eventually escape on his own, he didn't know how or if he could even escape in this timeline.
Without hesitation, Yumi leapt from the cliffside near the dorms. The wind roared past him as he landed neatly on top of the Sky Striker Mecharmory - Hercules Base, its thrusters humming as Raye piloted it from within.
Raye pressed a button, letting Yumi into the ship. Without another word, they took off toward the night sky.
...
Two days later, over the open sea.
A small speedboat cut through the waves. Yumi sat on the passenger side, arms crossed, while Jaden steered with his usual optimistic grin.
"I finally see Duel Academy, AIBO!" Jaden shouted, pointing toward the distant island. His stomach growled audibly.
Yumi sighed. "You really need better friends, Aibo."
Jaden blinked. "Huh? What do you mean?"
"I mean the fact that no one thought it was weird that you just hopped into a stranger's submarine and vanished," Yumi replied flatly. "And none of your friends notice something was wrong with this."
Jaden laughed awkwardly. "Hey, it's all in the past now! Besides… didn't you come looking for me, AIBO?"
Yumi: "..."
But Jaden's grin didn't fade, carefree as ever, like none of it mattered.
Yumi sighed again, turning his gaze toward the waves. There was no point in arguing with him.
At least he was safe now.
The speedboat sped onward, sunlight glittering across the ocean, as the two headed back toward Duel Academy.