A few days later, Hikaru and his group boarded a plane to the Princeton Group headquarters. Besides Hikaru and the others, Serena and Lulu came along too, treating it as an extracurricular activity to let Lulu observe, and to give Serena a chance to unwind.
On the plane, Chazz briefed Hikaru on the status of his earlier duel footage.
"The duel with Leo Akaba, I cut it into two versions. One went to the master, and the other to the other seniors for review." He explained the details.
Cards like the Earthbound Immortals, the Sacred Beasts, the Numbers, and the card Hikaru had played at the very end that had shredded the imaging system entirely, only restoring after Armityle the Chaos Phantasm appeared, none of those were suitable for public viewing.
The Sacred Beasts especially. The less people knew about those cards, the better.
Beyond that, Pendulum as an entirely new card type had piqued Seto Kaiba's interest greatly.
More importantly, because of Hikaru's duel, Kaiba seemed to have finally confirmed what that most recently discovered dimension was hiding.
So it was the Pendulum Dimension, the "P Dimension." It had been well hidden.
"You might end up becoming our dimension's Pendulum pioneer." Chazz spread his hands in front of him, venting to Hikaru. "Though you're already famous enough in our dimension. After all, you weren't the first person to use Synchro here, but you were the first to use Synchro for Fusion.
I guarantee, once people find out about this, your followers are going to get even more fanatical."
"Fanaticism isn't always a good thing." Hikaru shook his head at that.
Being admired was something he secretly enjoyed, sure. But that didn't mean he wanted his fans or club members to worship him fervently or imitate him obsessively.
He didn't want people arguing on his behalf, and he certainly didn't want someone using his name to belittle others someday. That would defeat the entire purpose.
Jaden was very curious about "Pendulum," but Hikaru just shook his head and told him it wasn't usable yet.
Although he had Leo Akaba's "legacy" and had run tests, unfortunately, he couldn't even use Starving Venom Fusion Dragon at the moment.
As it stood, the reason Leo Akaba had been able to successfully use Pendulum Monsters wasn't simply because he possessed Pendulum cards. There was another important factor: he himself had certain qualities.
It was very likely some trait unique to specific individuals like Serena and Yugo. Hikaru alone couldn't do it.
Unless Pendulum was fully and completely born in the future, there was no way to use it normally.
But in any case, KaibaCorp was gradually coming to understand the relevant details.
Jaden could only wait in anticipation for the day he'd see "Pendulum" in action.
Additionally, Hikaru mentioned that the dimensional gate he'd constructed using alchemy had passed multiple tests and was now operational. If anyone had places they were interested in visiting, they could try using the dimensional gate in the Fusion wing.
"Ohhh! A dimensional gate just for our department? That's awesome, I can't wait!" Jaden replied excitedly.
"A dimensional gate, huh? That works. There are a few locations that don't meet the school's requirements..." Chazz thought for a moment and nodded.
They arrived at the Princeton Group headquarters. From the exterior alone, it was even more lavish and massive than KaibaCorp. That alone made clear that the Princeton Group certainly had ambition.
Upon entering, Chazz's two older brothers opened with their customary jabs at their younger sibling. Then, without further ado, things got underway.
First up was Atticus Rhodes versus the Princeton Group's representative duelist. Hikaru looked and didn't recognize the opponent. Not a legendary duelist, but apparently a professional duelist whose ranking score was higher than Aster's in the world pro circuit.
"Higher than Aster Phoenix?" Jaden and Chazz were taken aback.
The former had actually dueled Aster and genuinely lost to him. The latter had long known Aster by reputation and had previously studied Hikaru's duel against Aster to analyze Hikaru's deck, well aware that Aster was an extremely difficult opponent.
If it were him, he'd struggle to figure out how to beat the combination of Destiny HERO - Plasma and Destiny End Dragoon.
And this duelist ranked even higher than Aster Phoenix?
Hearing this, Hikaru just shook his head.
High scores meant nothing. What mattered was the person's actual strength.
In the original series, there were plenty of pro league duelists who outranked Aster on paper, but when it came to actual duels, they went down without a whimper. Just like that "Pro Duelist X" who had dueled Hikaru in the Fusion wing, he'd scored higher than Aster too and was supposedly a pro "nobody could beat in their first match." And look how that turned out.
However, what Hikaru hadn't expected was that partway through the duel, Atticus genuinely looked like he was about to lose.
Fortunately, at the very moment it seemed like defeat was imminent, Atticus pulled off a dramatic comeback. He survived one turn thanks to a Trap Card, then wiped his brow, coughed twice, and called out to the audience: "Alright, here comes the reversal! Everyone, keep your eyes wide open~"
Then he quickly Tributed a monster to summon Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty, used its effect to clear the field and recover resources, and claimed victory.
After it was over, he wiped away nonexistent cold sweat and, seeing three stunned juniors staring at him, quickly struck a pose of total composure, gave a thumbs up, and managed a strained smile.
The rules for this representative battle stipulated that the proxy duels had to conclude before the family head duel. So both the 1-vs-1 and 2-vs-2 had to be won for Chazz to get his chance to face his two brothers.
If Atticus had lost right out of the gate, Hikaru and Jaden wouldn't even need to take the field.
Backstage, Atticus was frantically wiping away his very real cold sweat.
That was close. He'd nearly gone too far.
Lately, he'd been studying "Entertainment Dueling", the art of guiding the audience's emotions through performance, Life Point fluctuations, and the shifting probabilities of victory, executing "reversals" and other dramatic moments.
But he might have been a bit too eager to try it out. By the end, he'd painted himself into a corner on the edge of a cliff. Forget entertainment, it was more like a horror show, giving Hikaru and the others a collective heart attack.
Still, despite the hiccup, he'd won in the end.
All he could do was wipe the sweat from his forehead and remind himself that he still needed more practice and refinement.
Then he tossed the whole incident out of his mind, slung his camera around his neck, headed to the Scenery Corp viewing area, and started cheering, "Go Hikaru! Go Jaden!", while getting ready to take photos.
"If I could be as carefree as Atticus-senpai, life would probably be so much easier and worry-free." Serena watched Atticus's antics and couldn't help but sigh.
"Y-yeah, I suppose?" Even Lulu could only nod along at the sight.
She wasn't very familiar with the people of this world. She was simply here to observe what dueling looked like in this dimension.
In any case, now that the 1-vs-1 was over, it was time for the 2-vs-2.
"Some famous GX Tournament competitor, and he nearly lost?" Within the Princeton Group, several men who appeared to be Chazz's uncles were murmuring among themselves. "If the help Jun's brought is only at this level, there's hardly any point, is there?"
"Exactly. The opponents we've prepared next are legendary duelists!"
Legendary duelists?
Lulu was hearing this strange term for the first time.
In her world, no such title or designation existed.
Just as she was thinking this, Hikaru and Jaden had already equipped their Duel Disks. Hikaru's high-tech Duel Disk caught the attention of several Princeton Group members, who couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
"That Duel Disk, isn't that the same type Jun has?"
"Wait, I know this guy. Isn't he the one who competed against Jun for the championship?"
"It's the GX Tournament champion, Hikaru!"
"Ruthless, Jun. To secure the family head position, you even brought in your own rival?" Chazz's second eldest brother was watching from the sidelines, genuinely surprised to see Hikaru take the field.
Hikaru bowed politely and greeted them, then explained that while he was Chazz's rival in competition, they were close friends in their everyday academic lives.
"Hmph, fair enough. There's something to be said for mutual respect between rivals." Chazz's second brother was straightforward enough and didn't dwell on it.
Taking advantage of the moment, Lulu asked Serena what the GX Tournament champion was. Serena immediately puffed out her chest and began explaining what the title represented, the world's best, the genius among geniuses, the most talented duelist of their generation, the "King of Duelists" among the young.
That was Hikaru. Her master!
He was that amazing?!
Well, of course, he should be that amazing!
Lulu recalled the duels she'd witnessed Hikaru fight and nodded deeply.
Whether it was the duel against Crow or the duel against Leo Akaba, Hikaru had been confident and resolute, with unwavering convictions. Having a title like that didn't seem strange at all.
"Who's the other one from Slifer Red? What did he place in the GX Tournament?"
"Uh, never seen him. Doesn't look like he made it to the finals."
"Ha, that kid Jun, he's going easy on his brothers, huh? Bringing in a champion and some nobody?"
Several Princeton Group elders began muttering again.
Hearing this, Lulu glanced curiously at Jaden. Serena, on the other hand, looked slightly embarrassed after catching those remarks.
Which only made Lulu more curious, so she asked.
Serena's answer was simple, the only reason Jaden had no ranking was because he hadn't entered. If Jaden had participated, who the champion would have been was anyone's guess.
That strong?!
Lulu understood instantly.
In other words, Chazz had never considered "saving face" for his brothers at all. The duelists he'd invited were, from the start, the strongest duo available. His goal was to make his brothers look utterly foolish.
Well, obviously. If he wasn't aiming to decisively win, why would Chazz have issued the challenge in the first place?
Just as the two were getting ready, suddenly, two loud shouts of "HAH!" rang out. Two men in Chinese-style robes leapt high onto the dueling platform, performed a somersault, relay-vaulted off each other in midair, then crossed positions and landed in a synchronized pose.
The two were identical twins, dressed in Chinese robes of different colors. The one on the left had "Mei" written on his forehead and wore orange. The one on the right had "Kyuu" written on his forehead and wore green. They were none other than two of the famed "legendary duelists", the legendary Tag Duel specialists, the Paradox Brothers!
"We are the wandering gatekeepers."
They stood shoulder to shoulder, arms crossed, staring down Hikaru and Jaden.
"Wow, they look alike too! Lulu!" Serena called out to Lulu excitedly.
Lulu, however, noted that these two were clearly actual twins, quite different from her and Serena's situation.
"Hmph, they're duelists who once faced the legendary King of Games, Yugi Muto himself. They gave both Yugi Muto and Joey Wheeler a run for their money. They're not the kind of opponents just any duelist can beat." Chazz's second eldest brother smirked.
Ohh!
Gasps of amazement erupted from the onlookers. Reporters began snapping photos furiously, and even Atticus couldn't resist photographing the two bald men.
Although Lulu didn't know who they were, hearing the title "King of Games" was enough for her to grasp their historical significance, and she let out an exclamation of her own.
"Tch, so what if they're legendary duelists?" Just as she was marveling, from the spectator seats not far away, a slightly thin young man with his hands shoved in his pockets spoke coldly. "Duelists are judged by strength. It's no big deal."
"Whoa, Rex-senpai!" Hearing his voice, Serena looked over and was surprised to discover that tagging along with the Scenery Corp camera crew was none other than Rex Raptor!
"We bear you no grudge."
"Fight us with all your might."
The two spoke one line each, extending their arms to form an "X" cross, then declared in unison:
"Defeat us, and the path shall open!"
"Now then, DUEL!"
GONG
A strange gong sounded.
This was the Paradox Brothers' classic opening!
Reportedly, even the King of Games Yugi Muto himself had been startled by their entrance back in the day!
After the iconic introduction, reporters went absolutely wild with their cameras.
"Ohhh, as expected of legendary duelists! What presence!" The Princeton Group elders applauded enthusiastically.
The Paradox Brothers then turned their gaze to Hikaru and Jaden. "As we said, we bear no grudge."
"However, Jaden, during the dormitory duel last time, you certainly gave us a thorough lesson."
"Hahaha, being remembered by legendary duelists? I'm truly honored!" Jaden grinned and scratched the back of his head.
Back when Hikaru had first arrived in this world, Jaden and Syrus had been punished for breaking Academy rules and forced into a dormitory duel, lose, and they'd be expelled. Their opponents at the time had been the Paradox Brothers.
The Paradox Brothers didn't seem upset. Mei let out a cold chuckle and said, "We're mercenary duelists. As long as it's a 2-vs-2, we're happy to accept any invitation from anyone in the world."
"However, this time, we came on our own initiative. Because we heard you might be taking the field."
Since the Spirit World favored Tag Duels as a way to test duelists' fighting spirit and synergy, Tag Dueling had gradually become formalized and popular in the human world as well.
A famous super duo like the Paradox Brothers naturally had many organizations eager to hire them, so their lifestyle was quite comfortable and carefree.
Honestly, because life had been too comfortable, they hadn't felt the burning drive to improve like Rex Raptor had. As a result, they'd lost to Jaden and Syrus in that dormitory duel, drawing considerable skepticism from many.
It was precisely because of that loss that the two had abandoned their old ways and urgently begun researching new strategies and playstyles.
Leveraging their status as legendary duelists, their astronomical market value, and the connections that let them thrive anywhere in the world, the two had spent the past year completely overhauling their decks. All for one purpose: revenge.
Simply put, to defeat Jaden and prove themselves!
While Syrus wasn't here this time, having Hikaru as a partner meant the brothers weren't exactly bullying anyone.
So they didn't hide their intentions, laying everything out openly.
"Haha, I really am popular, aren't I?" Jaden said cheerfully. In the past, that would have been the end of it. But this time he pivoted, turning to Hikaru. "Sorry about this, Hikaru. Looks like you'll be facing opponents tougher than what you should've gotten."
Hikaru couldn't help but smirk. "Ha, I've been wanting to face the famous Paradox Brothers for a long time, so it's no problem. Besides, didn't you say you're super strong right now?"
"Hahaha."
The two bantered back and forth.
"So then, are you ready?" The KaibaCorp referee announced.
"Of course." All four duelists spoke.
"The rules follow the Spirit World's standard Tag Duel format. Life Points: 8000. Battle Phase is permitted starting from the second turn. Both teams share their field zones: Monster Zones, Spell & Trap Zones, and banished cards." The KaibaCorp referee raised a red flag and called out the rules.
"And now..."
"DUEL!" ×4
Jaden Yuki & Hikaru — LP: 8000
Paradox Brothers — LP: 8000
...
5 Bonus CHapters @700 PS