With the conclusion of the final battle between Hibiki Momiji and the Judge, the quarterfinals have officially ended.
According to the schedule, there is a brief break after the quarterfinals. Just like in the first Duel City tournament, the quarterfinals took place during the journey, but the final stage for the championship after the semifinals has a dedicated venue.
Back then, it was the Duel Tower, a symbol of Kaiba and his past. He planned to earn the title of Duel King on that tower and acquire the Three Phantom Gods cards, thus reaching the pinnacle of the world and making a break with his past.
But as everyone knows, what happened afterward. The largest-scale tournament in the world was organized by the President, gathering the holders of the Three Phantom Gods and betting on the title of Duel King, yet all the investments ended up serving as a bridal dress for the Game.
No one knows how much money the President spent on that tournament, but in the end, the Duel King was won by Game, the Three Phantom Gods ran off with Atom, and the President gained nothing.
It seems that ever since that tournament, President Kaiba has been in a half-seal state. Externally, he claimed he would focus on business and stop playing cards, but it was well-known that he continued to play a lot...
The Duel Ship continues its course. But according to the organizers, they are not far from the destination, so the duelists can rest a bit, eat something, and adjust their card decks.
The battleground is near at hand.
Back in his room, Judai took out the card deck he received from Hibiki Momiji and spread the cards out on the table, getting momentarily lost in thought.
At least half of these are rare cards that are hard to buy on the market, undoubtedly a significant boost to his civilian heroes. These elegant heroes are precisely what he has always dreamed of, but now holding them in his hands, he just felt a sense of emptiness and a bit of heaviness in his heart.
The door behind him opened. Judai turned his head and saw Yugen walk in.
"Yugen..."
"How is Mr. Hibiki?" Yugen asked.
"Well, he is unconscious in the ship's infirmary, and the medical equipment can't detect any reason..."
Judai didn't continue speaking.
But they both knew what that condition was. Those who are defeated within the Orichalcos Barrier seem alive, but their souls are no longer there.
Defeating the Snake God—essentially the Judge's true form—is the only way DM's Atom proved could save those whose souls were sucked away.
Yugen glanced at the spread-out card deck on the table.
"Mr. Hibiki's card deck?"
"Yes... all four semifinalists are powerful figures, so I must study and strengthen my deck too." Judai nodded, "Moreover, I have to work hard for Mr. Momiji as well now."
"Alright, I figured you'd say that." Yugen shrugged, "So even if I suggest that you give up the match at this point, you probably wouldn't listen, right?"
"Well, of course." Judai said, "Mr. Momiji fought to his last moment as a duelist. How could I retreat from such a place?"
"I knew it."
Yugen nodded and handed him a piece of paper.
"What's this?" Judai asked curiously.
"It's a list of card information I know about a possible original deck from Doma called 'Orichalcos' that the Judge might use." Yugen said.
"Seto Kaiba and I are well-versed with this information. You're probably the only one in the semifinals who hasn't seen these cards. If you end up facing the Judge, the situation might be very unfavorable for you."
Judai took it and glanced, feeling somewhat moved: "Yugen, you... had all this prepared already..."
"Don't be too moved yet; this is just in case." Yugen said solemnly, "But I think there's a bigger possibility that guy doesn't plan to use these cards at all.
As you saw during his duel with Mr. Hibiki, the Judge might be the type to use various decks in battle."
"Just like you and Mitsuzawa?" Judai nodded.
"Uh... you could say that." Yugen said, "Anyway, these are just in case, because I believe his strongest deck is still the Orichalcos series.
But as for what deck he'll actually use in a duel... if you truly face off against him, you'll need to be prepared for any strategy."
"Yeah, yeah, I know." Judai nodded repeatedly.
Seeing him agree so quickly, Yugen suddenly realized that his advice might be unnecessary.
Because for Judai, there was never such a thing as studying the opponent and preparing in advance before a match. No matter what deck the opponent uses, he always sticks to his own, adapting as needed.
But honestly, Yugen wasn't optimistic about the outcome if Judai really faced the Judge.
Whether in the animation or the manga, Yuki Judai is a classic growth-type protagonist. But now, Judai's only halfway through his first year, lacking the Masked Heroes from the later manga or the New Space from the later animation. The Overlord's power hasn't awakened, and Sister Yubel is still drifting in space, so he doesn't have any trump cards to play.
He had just acquired the advanced Hero card deck entrusted to him by Hibiki Momiji, which is his first real enhancement. But to face an opponent like the Judge in such a state...
...Honestly speaking, Yugen felt that even with cheats, his winning odds were slim.
However, it's evident that Judai wouldn't listen to advice, and as a friend, Yugen had said all he could. What happens next would be up to Judai himself.
"By the way, earlier in the arena, it seemed like the Judge did something to you." Yugen asked, "Did you feel anything off?"
Judai frowned, staring out the window distractedly for a moment.
"I... I can't say."
"Can't say?"
"The feeling was very strange." He thought for a moment about how to put it, "I saw many fragmented images, it felt like... some kind of memories.
But it's strange, I don't remember having those memories at all."
Judai recalled something.
"I also heard... someone kept calling my name. 'Judai, Judai', calling continuously, seemingly from a very distant, very far-away place..."
Yugen pondered for a moment.
This might relate to the period of Judai's childhood memories that were deleted, or perhaps his past life.
But regardless of which memory it was, they should be related to Yubel. It's likely that the voice calling his name was Yubel.
In the animation, Yubel mentioned that when she was just launched into space, she could still receive feedback from Judai. Even though she was far from Earth, their master-servant connection had not been broken.
She kept sending signals to Judai, who was having nightmares every night at that time.
Until Kaiba Company's technology erased the part of Judai's memory related to that connection, effectively severing this connection, and Judai thoroughly forgot about Yubel's existence.
Could it be that the Judge's interference with his memories is showing signs of restoring his link with Yubel?