Jaden Yuki was a first-year student at Duel Academy, about to enter his second year.
As a well-known student, he was infamous for skipping class, sleeping during lectures, sneaking into dorms, and wandering into restricted areas. To teachers, he was a delinquent and a problem child. Yet, as a Duelist, the name "Jaden Yuki" was famous across not just the first-year class, but the entire academy.
He was the only student considered comparable to Hikaru, and under most circumstances, he rarely lost a Duel. In his match with Professor Banner, he nearly won and even exposed Banner's true identity, something even Zane Truesdale hadn't done.
Occasionally, students from the Polymerization Club would try to pick on other Fusion Club members, and Jaden was often their target. Yet his HEROes would always thrash them, sending them running with their tails between their legs.
And when that happened, Jaden would flash his usual exaggerated grin and say, "That was a fun Duel!"
To the Fusion Club's rivals, Jaden saying it was "fun" was ten times more terrifying than Hikaru's scowl or sharp tongue!
And it was this same Jaden who, today, found himself in trouble.
As Hikaru and the others were preparing to return to the human world, Jaden was supporting someone and slowly making his way toward the portal.
"Hang in there, Bastion."
"Sorry, Jaden. I didn't expect that Spirit to go berserk," Bastion said grimly. "It even broke our emergency teleporter."
Blood still dripped from Bastion's forehead, a wound from the sudden Spirit attack.
"Also, I'm not actually that hurt."
"Don't say that! That attack was meant for me, wasn't it? If not for you, I'd be the one bleeding."
Jaden cut him off, pained.
"Apologies, Jaden. I failed to block it," Avian said, bowing his head.
"Jaden, it was my negligence. I promise I'll be more vigilant next time!" Captain Gold added, floating beside him.
Burstinatrix and Bubbleman also voiced their regrets, clearly disappointed with their earlier inaction and ashamed they hadn't protected Jaden, letting a friend take the hit instead.
To the HEROes, failing to protect Jaden was already a sin. Letting his friend get hurt in his place? Unforgivable.
"It's okay, Captain," Jaden managed a strained smile. "The Duel was over. Who knew a Spirit would go berserk?"
This dimension Jaden had come to was a broken one. He had heard Bubbleman might be here, so he came to find his partner.
The Fusion Club had near-complete control of the Academy's dimensional gates, and since he hadn't joined Hikaru on his trip to The Mountain, Jaden didn't want to waste the chance and invited Bastion on an expedition.
Everything had gone smoothly. After finding Avian, Captain Gold, and most recently Burstinatrix, Jaden finally reunited with his most-used HERO, Bubbleman.
Right then, after the Duel ended, as they were happily chatting with Spirits, one suddenly snapped and attacked!
No one, not even the other Spirits, had seen it coming. Jaden himself was caught off guard.
If Bastion hadn't reacted in time, Jaden might've taken a blow straight to the chest.
He knew it was an accident.
Still smiling, he comforted Bastion and the HEROes as he helped his friend walk.
Captain Gold tried to take over carrying Bastion, but the moment he reached out, he saw the terrifying resolve in Jaden's eyes.
He retracted his hand, allowing Jaden to keep holding Bastion.
Jaden had grown up without friends.
He'd lived alone since childhood.
For some unknown reason, everyone who got close to him ended up mysteriously injured, some even fell into comas. Over time, other kids avoided him, and Jaden distanced himself in turn.
With no friends, he started playing with cards by himself, even designing his own. Still a child, he fell in love with Duels and monsters, especially HEROes.
Because they were cool. Because they were reliable.
He treated his cards as friends. He dreamed of becoming a hero one day.
One day, KaibaCorp held a major event. Only the most beloved or successful child would have their "dream" sent to another dimension as a goodwill gesture from humanity to the Spirits.
That day, Jaden excitedly sent in his homemade cards and dreams of the future. He packed all his hopes and his Deck into that submission.
And he was actually chosen.
He became the luckiest kid in the world.
After that, the misfortune that had always clung to him seemed to vanish. No one around him was mysteriously injured ever again.
He was the luckiest!
He repeated that to himself.
As long as he believed, he always drew what he needed. Before Duel Academy, he had no real friends. But once there, he gained Syrus, Chumley, Chazz, Bastion, Hikaru, Zane, Atticus, and Alexis.
He and Hikaru founded the Fusion Club together. It was fun, and it meant he could Duel with Zane every day. More importantly, the Fusion Club let them fight back against the arrogant Polymerization Club, letting them play the part of HEROes.
That was his good fortune!
Even so—
That journey was also laced with pain.
He clenched his teeth, golden light flickering in his eyes.
Against the Shadow Riders, he learned the brutality of Shadow Games. The pain was real and overwhelming. After the Duel with Banner, he realized his own resolve wavered.
He hesitated too much.
Members of the Polymerization Club always picked fights, only stopping after being properly humbled. Hikaru and Chazz were secretly plotting something, clearly trying to keep it from them, Afraid they'd worry.
Then there was Zane.
That reminded him, no matter how much fun they had in the Fusion Club, one day they'd part ways. Like Zane, who would graduate.
But what about other partings?
Not just graduation...
What about—
Death!?
That Spirit just now—
It wasn't a mistake.
He saw it. Right before the Spirit went berserk, it glowed with blinding white light.
Smiling, he helped Bastion reach the dimensional gate. After glancing around, he chose to leave this world.
Still smiling, a smile that was no longer the pure one from before.
And as he left, he thought he heard a faint, ethereal voice ripple through the world.
"Jaden, wait for me. I will find you!"