Yusei's hideout turned out to be surprisingly well-equipped.
When Hikaru inspected the place, he found not only the essentials, food, water, and bedding, but also a collection of small tools scattered across a workbench. Some of them looked familiar.
They were the same instruments he had once used to help Yusei upgrade his D-Wheel, though now, by the look of it, they'd been replaced and left behind.
They wouldn't be much use for mechanics anymore, but they'd be perfect for Tierra to craft a few surveillance drones. With those, Hikaru could monitor patrol movements and avoid being detected by Sector Security.
Though the ARC-V detention centers were far more humane than those in the 5D's world, where even inmates were allowed to keep their decks, it was still better to stay out of trouble whenever possible.
After confirming that this underground corner really was as deserted as Yusei had said, Hikaru began to assess the current situation.
The most pressing issue, of course, was the mark on his left hand.
It wasn't exactly the same as the Dark Signer marks from Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.
The sigil on his skin glowed faint red, shaped not like the usual Earthbound god symbols but more like a winged hound, a form that carried an unmistakable aura of primal hunger.
"That appears to be the Earthbound immortal, Chacu Challhua…"
The deep, rumbling voice of a Dragon echoed in Hikaru's mind.
Hikaru nodded slightly.
"Yes," he murmured. "That's what I thought too."
"Sorry, Hikaru," the dragon's voice added quietly, "I've dragged you into this."
"There's nothing to apologize for," Hikaru interrupted firmly. "This is exactly why I came."
He wasn't here out of altruism, to mend the rift between the Upper and Lower cities of the Synchro Dimension. He wasn't that noble, nor did he have the influence to play savior.
That conflict had festered for years, and no single duelist, no matter how strong, could end it with a few exhibition duels.
Besides, Hikaru wasn't even from this dimension. If he interfered openly, the locals would never see him as a liberator, only as another outsider pulling their strings.
What the people of the Undercity truly wanted was freedom, not to become the subordinates of a visitor from another world.
So Hikaru kept his focus narrow. His purpose here had always been twofold:
First, he had accepted the power of Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon, and thus, the Red Dragon had eventually summoned him to this world.
Second, his partner, Mudragon, had long been tormented and watched by the Earthbound Gods' influence. Hikaru had come to help free his friend from that curse.
Everything else, helping civilians, countering the Earthbound threat, would only be done if it didn't interfere with those goals.
He adjusted his cloak, gathered his thoughts, and prepared to move.
The map Yusei had given him marked a meeting point for the Resistance. It was deep within the twisting labyrinth of the Undercity, an area so chaotic in structure that even the Upper City's authorities couldn't fully map it.
That confusion was the only reason the Resistance could still hold their gatherings at all.
Even so, the entrance wasn't open to everyone. Attendance required a specific pass, an identification card that bore the insignia of their cause:
"United Resistance."
Fortunately, Yusei had tucked one of those cards inside the map packet.
With it, Hikaru passed through the checkpoint without question.
The meeting hall was dimly lit, filled with cloaked figures. Most were gaunt and pale; others were slouched from exhaustion or malnutrition.
On the podium stood a man with spiky hair, giving out instructions with an air of authority, clearly the leader of this gathering.
Shinji Weber.
Hikaru said nothing. He simply found a corner to sit in, keeping his cloak up, blending into the crowd.
Fortunately, many others here were also keeping their faces hidden, people who didn't want to reveal who they really were. So no one paid him much attention.
As more and more people packed into the room, the air grew thick and heavy. The smell of sweat, oil, and dust mixed together, but Hikari didn't mind. As long as no one tried to steal from him, that was all fine.
When he saw how many had gathered, Shinji seemed to be seized by a sudden rush of passion. His voice rose, ringing with conviction.
To be honest, Hikaru didn't think the man was wrong. The people of the Lower City were starving, while those of the Upper City treated the slums like their personal garbage dump. Nothing about that was normal.
Even worse, the upper-city nobles gave the lower-city residents no way up.
If anyone from the lower levels dared to enter the Upper City, they would be arrested immediately, and thrown into the labor camps to mine for the city's resources.
Before, the poor could at least find a bit of comfort in the name of Jack Atlas, the "King" who rose from their ranks. But now, even that last hope had been stripped away.
Given all that, an uprising was inevitable.
For that reason alone, Hikari respected Shinji for being the first to take a stand.
The only thing that concerned him, though, was the faint mark he glimpsed on Shinji's left hand.
Hmm…
"For the sake of freedom, we created Riding Duels, duels that symbolize our yearning to break free!
But the people of the Upper City stole them, turned them into their twisted 'Turbo Duels,' and now make sport of hunting us for entertainment!"
Hikari frowned slightly.
That part was a bit narrow-minded, he knew that in Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, Riding Duels had indeed originated in the slums as a symbol of freedom.
But given that Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon and D-Wheels existed even in ancient eras, it was clear that this dimension had possessed "Riding Duels" long before the lower city ever formalized them.
"Comrades, can you accept that?!"
Shinji clenched his fists, his voice trembling, eyes glistening with emotion.
"When we're starving and freezing, when we fight with everything just to survive, our lives are nothing but a joke to those above!"
"But now, finally, we have a chance!"
"A chance to give those arrogant nobles a taste of their own medicine, to drag them down where they belong!"
As he spoke, Shinji reached into his cloak and pulled out a Duel Card.
People craned their necks to see what it was, some even standing on tiptoe to get a glimpse.
Hikaru's spiritual perception was far sharper than most, one glance was enough for him to recognize the card.
Earthbound Lineage...
Wait, was that really a card tied to the Earthbound Gods?
"With this card, we can draw the sigil upon the ground.
Once the Earthbound Geoglyph is complete, it will engulf every Security officer in range, and when that happens...!"
"Hold it right there!"
With a resounding bang, the door was kicked open. A man with bright orange, spiky hair stormed in, his heavy boots echoing across the floor. The sudden crash sent gasps and shrieks through the packed room.
He was tall, broad-shouldered, his body hardened by years of struggle.
Three bold yellow markings ran across his forehead and cheeks, the permanent Criminal Marks branded by Security. Three marks meant he'd already been arrested and convicted three separate times.
"Crow!? You're finally here, does that mean you're ready to stand with us?"
"Shinji, no! You mustn't use that card!"