Jaden stood silently, eyes locked on his opponent.
For a brief moment, a faint golden light flickered in his eyes—but vanished just as fast.
He wasn't angry anymore.
Because this guy... wasn't even worth getting angry over.
Instead, his mind wandered back.
"Everyone is born into a role"?
If that's true, then he was born a villain.
All his life, strange accidents had followed him—kids getting hurt, slipping into comas, just from being too close. He brought pain. He was a walking disaster.
And yet—
Somehow he'd made it this far. He'd escaped that pain.
He'd found friends.
People who stuck with him.
Even here, in another dimension, they had his back—willing to get hurt for him, to fight beside him.
No, he wasn't angry.
But he did remember.
Bastion had been injured—because of him.
That voice that time... it wasn't a hallucination.
He wasn't born a hero. But maybe he was born to draw evil toward him. Maybe that made him the villain in other people's stories.
Maybe the darkness he once left behind in another world was coming back to reclaim him—and drag his friends into it all over again.
Just like this jackass said:
He couldn't bring justice or salvation.
He'd seen how the Satellite folks got stomped on by the Security police.
He wanted to stop it—but what good would it do to knock one of them down? They'd just bow and apologize, then lash out worse in the shadows.
Was he just wasting his time?
He remembered those two days ago.
When he wandered around, challenging strangers to duels for fun—
And Hikaru Amagi was with Yusei and the others, tinkering with D-Wheels, sharing supplies from KaibaCorp with Satellite folks, even strangers—
Food, gear, you name it.
Hikaru believed in Yusei.
Said meeting him might be the real treasure of this dimensional trip.
Jaden had just been caught up in the excitement...
But it was real. That joy. That fire.
That was no lie.
Heroes aren't fake.
He smiled. Wide and bright.
"You were talking about... roles?"
"You're a cop, right? Officer Leo?"
"Obviously. What, you just figured that out?"
"Heh. Going against the cops... doing what they won't do... That's the spirit of a vigilante!"
He grinned, sharp and fearless.
"Sorry, Officer Leo. I was born to be the guy who goes against the flow!"
Leo frowned, hard.
"Hikaru… mind if I borrow one of your lines today?"
"Final turn!!"
The MC nearly dropped his mic.
"W-W-Wait, did you hear that?! Ladies and gentlemen, I think we all heard it! The duelist from another dimension—Jaden Yuki—just declared his final turn! In only the fourth round! And yet Leo still holds the advantage!"
Leo scoffed, "You can't just say you'll win! You've got nothing! I've got my field, I've got my set card—how're you going to win through all of that!?"
Jaden raised a hand.
"Then watch closely. My turn! I draw!"
He drew, glanced at the card—and slammed it down.
"I Normal Summon Elemental HERO Stratos!"
A gust of wind blew through the arena as Stratos dove in from above, landing with a wind-charged thud.
Stratos – Level 4, WIND, Warrior – ATK 1800.
Hikaru blinked.
Wait a second. That card wasn't in Jaden's deck before.
Did he just print that card mid-duel!?
Stratos' effect activated—
"I destroy your face-down card!"
The Trap flipped up: Sakuretsu Armor.
Leo's plan to blow up Jaden's monster had failed.
"Tch! Doesn't matter, I still—"
"Spell Card! Double Fusion!"
Jaden held it high.
"I pay 500 Life Points—this turn, I can perform Fusion Summons twice!"
Jaden LP: 2800 → 2300.
Hikaru rubbed his chin. That card was way stronger than its real-world version.
"I fuse Bubbleman on the field with Blazewoman from my hand—Fusion Summon!
Elemental HERO Absolute Zero!!"
A white-caped hero of pure frost hit the field, cold air radiating off him.
Absolute Zero – Level 8, WATER, Warrior – ATK 2500.
"He's not strong enough to beat my Synchro!" Leo barked.
Jaden just smiled.
He turned to the cameras—struck a cheesy, awkward pose—and then faced Leo again.
"Heroes never run. Even in the worst of situations, they fight together—and win."
"W-Wait, you're using Absolute Zero as Fusion Material?!"
"Fusion Summon again! I fuse Absolute Zero with Avian in my hand!"
"Fusion conditions: 1 'Elemental HERO' + 1 WIND monster!"
"Come forth—my storming hero!
Elemental HERO Great Tornado!!"
A roaring wind. Metal armor. A cold gaze.
Great Tornado – Level 8, WIND, Warrior – ATK 2800.
Leo trembled.
"Even if your ATK matches mine—how do you plan to win!?"
"Sorry," Jaden said coolly, "the duel's already over."
"What!?"
"When Absolute Zero leaves the field—ALL of your monsters are destroyed!"
Blizzards howled. Leo's monsters froze and shattered into frost, his field instantly wiped clean.
He stumbled back—actually felt the chill. Like ice clung to his bones.
"W-W-What an effect!!!" The MC stuttered through the cold.
"In just one move, Leo's field is gone! Even the stolen HERO became a frozen statue of justice!!"
"Leo's completely defenseless! Is there any hope left?!"
"This... can't be..." Leo whispered.
"I'm the genius officer... I'm... I can't..."
"Stratos, direct attack!"
Leo LP: 4000 → 2200.
"Now—Great Tornado! Finish this!!"
Before Jaden could even announce the attack, Great Tornado flew forward—delivering a blistering spinning kick right to Leo's chest, launching him into the stadium wall.
Leo LP: 2200 → 0.
Jaden blinked. "Whoa."
Then he laughed. "Heh—guess he couldn't handle a HERO's justice."
He raised two fingers in victory, casually pointing at his opponent.
"I win. That was a pretty fun duel."
And though he hadn't even hit him that hard...
Between the impact, the ice, and the sheer disbelief, Leo passed out cold.