The Spirit World.
Compared to the human world, this place appeared infinitely more vast and empty. The twilight sky even held a faint, shimmering tint of pink. The distant scenery was dreamlike and ethereal, looking much like the legendary fairylands of old.
Yubel spread her wings and floated a short distance away, gazing out at the horizon. Seeing Jaden Yuki following close behind, she descended from the sky, crossing her arms as she flew to his side.
"Hmph. I didn't expect you to rush in here so recklessly." She glanced at the boy and added, "As the Supreme King, shouldn't you be a bit more cautious before entering an unknown land?"
Jaden Yuki glanced at Yubel, who had manifested in her physical form, and said coldly, "Whether I'm being impulsive or not isn't any of your concern, Yubel."
"Heh heh heh. Even the Supreme King can be driven by his emotions, it seems." Yubel couldn't help but let the corners of her mouth curl upward.
She knew perfectly well that the reason Jaden had acted so impulsively was because of her. For the sake of her safety, Jaden Yuki had thrown caution to the wind and charged into this place without any investigation. Having spent years together, their hearts and minds were long since linked; their occasional bickering was nothing more than minor play.
Seeing that Yubel was unharmedand even had the energy to needle himJaden felt relieved and began to take note of their surroundings.
"Supreme King, there are so many spirits up ahead!" At that moment, the figure of Ash Blossom & Joyous Spring drifted out from Jaden's side. She looked toward the distance, her body swaying as she flew forward.
"Kuri kuri!"
Winged Kuriboh also flew out from Jaden's deck, following close behind Ash Blossom. It wasn't just them; Ghost Reaper & Winter Cherries, Ghost Ogre & Snow Rabbit, and Ghost Belle & Haunted Mansion also emerged one by one from his deck, flying in the same direction with looks of fascination on their faces.
"These low-level spirits seem to be drawn in by some kind of influence," Yubel noted, putting aside her banter as she watched the spirits flocking together.
"Let's go. We should check it out as well." Jaden followed the footsteps of his spirits and walked into the forest.
They hiked until they emerged from the trees into a wide clearing. A massive crowd of low-level spirits had already gathered there, and more were continuously pouring in from the sky.
"Moke..."
A white Mokey Mokey drifted past Jaden with a leisurely air. Its eyes, narrowed into tiny slits, swept over Jaden. However, the moment it saw Yubel standing beside him, the Mokey Mokey reacted like a cat whose fur had been rubbed the wrong way. It dove into the crowd of spirits, terrified.
Mokey Mokey's commotion alerted the other low-level spirits to the presence of these two uninvited guests. The peaceful atmosphere was instantly shattered. A large group of spirits caught sight of Yubel and immediately scattered in every direction, overwhelmed by her sheer pressure. The few remaining spirits huddled in corners, shivering.
"Hey now, Yubel, you should restrain yourself a bit. There's no need to go around scaring these low-level spirits," Jaden remarked, shooting her a look of mild exasperation.
"Hmph. I have no interest in frightening them. Their levels are simply too low; they fear me out of instinct." Yubel crossed her arms, her brow furrowed. She didn't exactly enjoy being feared by everyone, but being a Level 10 entity among spirits that were mostly Level 1 or 2 was effectively a dimensional strike.
"Are you the Duelist who has been searching for me?"
Just as Yubel was about to continue her bickering with Jaden, a deep, rugged voice rang out from among the spirits hiding in the corner.
"That voice..." Jaden Yuki paused, startled, and quickly turned his head.
He saw a man wearing a silver-white masked helmet, his long brown hair flowing behind him. A Duel Disk was strapped to his left arm as he walked out from among the spirits with a smile.
"Lord Kaibaman!"
Upon seeing the man, many spirits cheered with joy, looking at him as if he were their savior.
"It seems your popularity among the spirits is the exact opposite of mine, Supreme King," Yubel commented, cross-armed.
Jaden's mouth twitched, but he didn't respond. As the Supreme King, he was likely a figure of universal terror in the Spirit World.
"It's actually a legendary spirit that only appears in textbooks! I'm seeing a living Kaibaman for the first time!" Ash Blossom was practically vibrating with excitement, her eyes sparkling. "Even though he's going to get a harsh lesson when he duels the Supreme King later, he looks really cool right now!"
Kaibaman: "..."
He really wanted to ask where this incredibly punchable spirit had come from. But compared to that, he had a more pressing concern.
"Young man! I can feel the terrifying dark power dwelling within you!" Lifting his left arm, Kaibaman shouted toward Jaden, "Let's duel! Let me bear witness to whether you possess the mental fortitude to control this power! Is your darkness a darkness of justice, or a darkness of evil? If your darkness represents evil, then I shall crush you with the light of justice!"
Rumble, rumble, rumble.
An invisible aura erupted around Kaibaman. Faintly, the roar of a dragon echoed across the clearing.
Yubel crossed her arms, unable to stay silent. "This guy's personality is a bit... intense."
"Yeah. He's basically carved from the same mold as President Kaiba," Jaden Yuki replied as he activated his Duel Disk. "Kaibaman, since you've challenged me, let's begin."
"Begin? No." Kaibaman smiled slightly. He reached out and pointed at Yubel. "You must accept this trial as well!"
"Me?" Yubel looked confused.
"Correct. I can sense that the darkness in your heart is no less than that of the youth beside you! Your eyes are filled with obsession. If your power were to run wild, you would be a far more troublesome existence than he is!" Kaibaman declared loudly.
"Tch..." Yubel gritted her teeth, her expression turning sour.
"A Tag Duel? Or are you planning to face the two of us alone?" Jaden asked, his interest piqued. Though he always fought alongside Yubel, he had never actually participated in a proper Tag Duel with her.
"Hmph." Kaibaman crossed his arms. As his body blurred into a phantom image, an identical clone appeared right beside him.
"Let us be your opponents!" The two Kaibamans spoke in unison, their movements perfectly synchronized.
Jaden Yuki and Yubel shared a glance. The latter smiled and raised her left arm; the Fiend Dragon Wing Duel Disk, covered by a magic eye, unfolded upon her arm.
"In that case, let's do this together, Jaden."
"Alright."
The four of them walked to their positions around the clearing, and the aura in the air shifted violently.
"DUEL!"
[Jaden Yuki & Yubel: LP 8000]
[Kaibaman & Kaibaman: LP 8000]
[Tag Duel, Begin!]
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