Both Hikaru and Yusei dealt with the Fusion Army effortlessly.
That was only natural. Their individual abilities and Duel skills were already on entirely different levels. Even Yusei, who had long since "abandoned the Dragon Mark", was no longer an ordinary human, but a modified Unification God. To expect ordinary Fusion Army soldiers, even with scientific enhancements, to contend with a crystallization of future human technology like Yusei was nothing more than wishful thinking.
However, Crow's situation was far from optimistic.
He'd been distracted ever since he left earlier, unable to focus. Along the way, he rescued a young girl, and just as he was about to take her somewhere safe, a large group of people immediately swarmed him.
These weren't ordinary Security Police.
They lacked the restraint and professionalism Crow remembered. The moment they appeared, they began firing guns and cannons without hesitation. Even during Duels, they attacked in groups, showing no mercy whatsoever.
As someone who had been imprisoned more times than he cared to admit, Crow knew better than to confuse these people with the police he remembered.
So even when they claimed they were "arresting criminals," he didn't believe a single word.
Earlier, he'd heard the girl behind him shout, and only then did he realize that she knew these people well. She understood exactly how they operated.
Although Crow's riding skills far surpassed theirs, these Dimension Police were utterly unreasonable. They repeatedly used Solid Vision Technology to crash obstacles directly into his path, blocking roads and forcing him to change routes again and again.
Even so, he still couldn't shake them.
Worse yet, this area lay closest to the Upper District, where Fusion Army police were the most concentrated. Soldiers appeared everywhere, hemming Crow in and forcing him higher and higher in elevation. In the end, he was even driven toward the Upper District itself just to barely avoid capture.
"Damn it…" Crow dodged another physical obstruction and cursed under his breath.
In Riding Duels, using solidified cards to destroy the opponent's path, or worse, directly interfere with their tires, was the dirtiest tactic imaginable. It was strictly forbidden.
Seeing this, Serena grabbed onto the back of Crow's D-Wheel and started throwing anything she could find behind her, Fusion Army helmets, goggles, scraps of equipment, hoping to slow their pursuers, even a little.
"Crow, how are things on your end?"
"Ah...Master!" Serena recognized the voice instantly.
She hadn't expected such luck, running into Master's acquaintances so quickly in this Dimension.
Neither Hikaru nor Crow paused to question her reaction.
Crow replied immediately, "It's bad! They keep using physical attacks."
"Hold on," Hikaru said firmly. "Yusei and I are on our way!"
Just as the words left his mouth, Crow noticed something strange.
The massive GG screens mounted on the towering buildings along the roadway all switched simultaneously.
"Emergency Broadcast: Terrorists have broken into an elementary school in Sector 5, forcibly abducting and controlling multiple children. A large-scale riot is currently underway. All patrol units are ordered to return to base immediately."
Crow's eyes widened violently, his pupils contracting.
The wanted criminal displayed on the screen, It was Shinji.
"Shinji!!!"
The name tore from his throat instinctively.
But at that exact moment, the police, who should have been retreating and sealing roads, instead intensified their pursuit.
Taking advantage of Crow's brief distraction, they rammed his D-Wheel head-on. The sudden impact destabilized Blackbird instantly. At the same time, some unknown explosive detonated with a thunderous bang, nearly flipping the machine over.
Crow and Serena were thrown clear.
As they crashed to the ground, Crow twisted instinctively, shielding Serena with his body.
Fortunately, the explosion produced few fragments. Neither of them was seriously injured.
"Careful! Don't hurt Miss Serena!" someone shouted angrily."Are you insane!? She's the Professor's daughter!"
Although Leo Akaba had never been particularly kind to Serena, in their eyes she was still his biological daughter.
At most, this was a conflict between an old father and a rebellious child.
Their orders were clear: bring Serena back alive, not kill her.
In fact, even for the other two girls who looked exactly like Serena, the Professor's instructions had been the same: bring them back unharmed. Anything beyond that was unacceptable.
The Fusion Army soldiers disguised as police saw Crow fall and immediately exited their vehicles.
"No need to rush," one of them said coldly.
"And no need to listen to the Security Police's orders."
"Our mission is to retrieve Miss Serena," another added.
"And make sure she doesn't escape again."
Crow felt a dull numbness spreading through his thigh, pinned beneath the fallen D-Wheel, but he barely noticed it.
The pain in his mind was far worse.
Because of his weakness, he hadn't been able to stop Shinji, watching helplessly as his friend spiraled further and further into extremity.
Because he lacked power, he couldn't resist these brutal, physical attacks.
And because he didn't have enough power, all he could do was stand by and watch Yusei modify himself, forcing a smile the entire time.
He had always longed to fly.
With Hikaru's help, he had finally soared through the skies on his D-Wheel.
And now, he was nothing more than a bird trapped in a cage, able only to stare up at the heavens.
The sky…
Blood-red.
Crow froze for an instant.
Then his eyes snapped into focus.
With a roar, he grabbed the side of the fallen D-Wheel and heaved. The machine flipped violently, forcing the surrounding Fusion Army soldiers to stagger back in shock.
"Get in!" he shouted.
Serena didn't hesitate. She threw her last smoke bomb, then scrambled onto the D-Wheel.
"Don't panic, he won't get away!"
"Surround him! Even if he had wings, there's nowhere to escape!"
They were on a suspended lane. If the Fusion Army blocked the road with their D-Wheels, Crow would have no way through.
And the starting speed was too slow.
At that moment, Crow unleashed strength far beyond that of an ordinary human.
His right leg was nearly numb—but he jumped onto the D-Wheel anyway. Using gravity, he stomped down on the accelerator and rammed sideways.
Because of the heavy use of Solid Vision attacks, much of the lane's guardrail had already been destroyed.
And that...
That was his escape route.
The D-Wheel burst through the broken guardrail and launched into the open air.
Serena gasped.
Crow slammed a button.
With a mechanical whine, the Blackbird D-Wheel unfolded wings, and shot sideways through the sky.
The Fusion Army soldiers stood frozen at the edge of the lane, staring in disbelief as Crow crossed the gap between suspended roads, slamming down onto a lower lane tens of meters away.
"Did it really grow wings?"
BANG! BANG!
The D-Wheel hit hard, bouncing twice.
Crow scanned the area, and only when he saw nearby police completely ignoring him, rushing frantically toward the Upper District, did he finally breathe out.
They weren't the same group.
Which meant...
His heart sank.
If the ones earlier were after the girl behind him…
Then the police racing back now were...
BOOM!
The ground ahead ignited in pale blue flames.
A corridor of fire stretched across the lane, forming a massive pattern suspended in midair.
And then, under Crow's stunned gaze, Shinji burst through.
Driving his D-Wheel like a madman, he smashed through several officers blocking the way and tore past like a gale.
In that instant, Crow saw them.
Two crying children.
Bound with rope.
Tied to the back seat like livestock.
"Shinji!!!"
Crow roared.
His numb right leg suddenly surged with strength.
He slammed the accelerator and gave chase.
"Crow!!!"
Though Crow didn't say another word, Shinji heard him.
And he understood.
Crow's fist slammed into the D-Wheel's control interface.
"Duel Mode activated."
A cold, merciless voice echoed from both machines.
As if declaring, that in this moment, friendship no longer existed.
Only a Duel remained.