Meanae didn't know why her master had come up with such a strange plan—the "Underworld Plan."
Simply put, it was a plan to gather duelists whom Kira had fought or evaluated at Duel Academy—those he believed were strong or had special talents—and form an elite team representing the Academy.
Each duelist would begin testing and training based on their original deck, with a dedicated team from Kira's lab evaluating their performance using various decks and testing their deck compatibility.
Every member would switch among different decks during duels, trying a wide range of tactics. In the end, their preferred style would be combined with results to settle on the deck and strategy that best matched their personal synergy.
Only those with the most outstanding and consistently stable performance would remain and join the team.
In fact, this was something Kira had been considering for a long time. Based on his memory of the original plot of Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, he knew he couldn't rely on solo efforts forever.
In the early arcs up through the Sacred Beasts, it didn't matter much. The Shadow Riders called themselves a dark organization, but when they actually attacked, they used one at a time approach. As long as he was strong enough, he could take them down one by one.
But from the Society of Light arc onward, and into the later Dimension World and Darkness arcs, while individual strength remained the foundation, having capable teammates would make many things much easier.
You need a general, and you need elite troops.
Kira had always felt that Duel Academy could field elites. Season 1's episodic stories were everyday and plain, but they showed the Academy was a place full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. For example, Damon—not weak at all.
In fact, he even had a brief appearance in the Society of Light arc. During the GX tournament, when students' morale plummeted after repeated losses to pros, several exceptionally gifted elite students stood up and even beat top-ranked professionals. Damon was among them.
So Kira realized the Academy could absolutely have a powerful squad. Whether facing the Society of Light now, or later if they were trapped in another dimension, this team would be a key fighting force.
The GX tournament was the perfect stage to test this team, and the invading Society members were ideal opponents for live combat.
This was different from most student duels; fights against the invaders were real battles, closest to Shadow Duels, with pressure unlike regular matches.
Strictly speaking, they still weren't true Shadow Duels: even if you lost, you'd only be brainwashed by the Society, not killed. Troublesome, yes—but even brainwashing could be undone. The risk was acceptable.
At least better than throwing them straight into duels wagering life energy.
And the team's first-day performance didn't disappoint. Every dispatched member won; not a single slip.
By contrast, the Society of Light would likely be up all night questioning reality.
Wondering whether they'd invaded Duel Academy—or ended up in the underworld.
The Academy's situation was fully under control. After observing for a day, Kira felt reassured.
Even if something unexpected happened, the Academy's elite squad had Jaden. Now that Jaden had obtained The Gentle Darkness's power and awakened the Dark Wave, his strength had grown greatly; he could hold a front on his own. With him there, most unexpected events were nothing to fear.
Kira could go handle other matters.
For example, the one he'd told people to keep tabs on—the world champion called The D. It seemed he'd stepped onto the world stage again and was about to appear at this season's Pro League World Championship.
It was only when someone mentioned it that Kira remembered the championship was happening.
Though he considered the Pro League long since a children's game, it still had a high level of recognition in the dueling world.
This season's Pro League was nearing its climax—the day of the championship decider was coming. The buzz was high, with many following the matches.
Kira recalled that, if he wasn't mistaken, something unexpected was going to happen at this tournament.
…
Somewhere, in a dark room.
"Uaaah!"
A man roared like a beast.
The room's lights were off, pitch black in every direction. But the furniture was a wreck—coffee table flipped over, cups and saucers shattered on the floor. A wardrobe toppled, clothes strewn everywhere, scattered cards among them.
This crazed man was The D., the former pinnacle of the professional circuit, a man with a champion's title.
For years he'd maintained a perfect public image. Elegant and gentle, always wearing a gentleman's smile. He was also an excellent guardian—the guardian of the Pro League's super rookie, Aster Phoenix—and the media had crafted him into a "good father."
But no one knew his true face, not even Aster, the one under his care. No one knew the torment he endured day after day, year after year.
He was currently using his left hand to press down his right arm had flared up and gone out of control. That restless right hand, as if disobedient, strained toward a briefcase lying amid the chaos.
"No… no."
The D. struggled to control his about-to-rampage arm.
"This card—this one card—must never…"
"What mustn't?"
In the broken mirror beside him, his reflection grinned hideously back. But though it was a reflection, it looked entirely different from him right now.
He was currently clutching his arm, struggling, teeth gritted, face contorted. The reflection, however, smiled lightly, like a devil coaxing a man to sign a contract.
"It doesn't matter anymore," the reflection said. "The Light is about to descend—the Light of Destruction, which will flatten everything in the world and turn it into a blank white void.
When that time comes, all concealment, all sin, will be meaningless.
It's enough. You've held it back long enough."
As the devil's words poured out, the man's twisted expression gradually relaxed, and his eyes grew more like those in the mirror.
"Yes… it's been long enough. The world will end—there's no need to hide anymore…"
He loosened his left hand, letting his right do as it wished. Freed, his arm smashed the briefcase with a single punch—the force so exaggerated it split it open.
He opened the case and drew out a card.
A card radiating darkness and ill omen.
"Ten years… finally."
A devilish smile curled the man's lips.
"Ultimate D—hand over the rest of your power to me."
...
2 Bonus chapters at 500 PS