"Aaaaaaah——"
Jack Atlas watched helplessly as his Life Points dropped to zero. His ace monster, the Red Lotus Demon Dragon, let out an unwilling roar under the opponent's final attack, dissipating into fragments of data in the air.
And standing opposite was the monster that roared hoarsely and spewed flames from its mouth, the same monster that delivered the final blow... it was also the Red Lotus Demon Dragon.
The opponent who looked exactly like him, the identical Wheel of Fortune, and even the same Red Lotus Demon Dragon. It felt like dueling a mirror image...
...No, it was like dueling the past version of himself, the Duel King Jack Atlas who was once celebrated by all and had not yet been torn down from the pedestal.
"Impossible... Did I actually... lose?!"
Jack's pupils quaked, his mind and body deeply shaken.
Lost to this impostor?
His D-Wheel "Wheel of Fortune" trembled violently, the engine emitted a piercing wail from overload. In the next second, steam spurted from all over the body of the vehicle, shrouding the entire track in white mist. Jack desperately gripped the handle, but the impact was too fierce—the vehicle lost control at high speed, the front wheel slammed into the guardrail, and the whole D-Wheel flipped through the air like a kite with a broken string.
"Ugh——!"
Amidst the ear-piercing sound of metal twisting, Jack was flung out of the cockpit by inertia. His body traced a parabola in the air, crashing heavily onto the hard surface outside the track. Armor shattered, bones clearly cracking, and blood oozed from the corner of his mouth. He tried to prop himself up, but the pain swiftly devoured his consciousness, and his vision was gradually engulfed by darkness.
In the distance, his opponent's D-Wheel came to a halt in front of him, the residual warmth of the engine evaporating in the night breeze.
Jack, covered in blood, struggled to maintain his last shred of consciousness, desperately raising his head to look at the impostor standing before him.
"How... is this possible..."
What a joke, he, Jack Atlas, actually lost to his own impostor. The other clearly used the exact same D-Wheel as he did, the same Card Deck he used in the duel just now...
Yet, with an identical configuration, a difference in skill was determined, meaning the opponent's abilities as a duelist were entirely superior to his own?
Unbidden came the impostor's words to mind that he had said before the duel began.
"The current you has long lost the glory of a king! Without those things, you're the impostor, and I'm the genuine article!"
"There is only one king, and that is me, Jack Atlas!"
"..."
Jack's heart wavered.
Could the other be right?
Having lost the status of the king, the pride of the king, he was now no more the undefeated legend of New Tongshiyi but a clown. That's why he lost to the shadow of his past...
As the agony continued to ravage his body, Jack's consciousness struggled at the brink of darkness. Blood dripped from his forehead, blurring his vision. He gritted his teeth, trying to prop himself up, but the sharp pain from the broken ribs forced him back to the ground heavily.
"Is it... over like this..."
Just as he was about to lose consciousness, a gentle white light suddenly spread over him. The light wrapped around him like warm water, and the pain miraculously began to fade. The sound of healing came from broken bones, torn muscles reconnected, and even scraped skin healed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Jack turned his head abruptly—
The silver-haired, white-robed Mage Elf stood quietly behind him. She floated inches off the ground, her pure white robe moving without wind, her silver hair flowing with a starlit radiance. The crystal Magic Staff in her hand emitted a warm white light, and healing runes scattered in the glow, with each bit of white light that penetrated Jack's body taking away a measure of pain.
Jack stared in awe: "Who are you...?"
The Elf did not answer but bowed her head slightly, her emerald eyes reflecting Jack's wretched figure.
The roar of engines tore through the stillness of the night, and a pitch-black D-Wheel cut into the battlefield like a ghost, tires squealing against the ground, firmly blocking between the Fake Jack and the freshly healed True Jack.
Jack's eyebrows twitched: "Is it you?"
Yugen supported the handlebar with one hand, casually removing his helmet with the other, a faint smile on his lips. His gaze passed over the Fake Jack's pure white "Wheel of Fortune," and directly pierced into the cockpit at the identical face of Jack.
"I heard you're the true 'king'?" Yugen's tone was flippant, yet carried a razor-sharp edge, "What an honor it is."
Fake Jack squinted, a trace of coldness flickering in his purple eyes. He did not reply, but the engine of his white D-Wheel emitted a low, threatening growl.
Yugen remained indifferent, only smiling more brilliantly. He leisurely pulled out a Card Deck from his bosom, casually inserting it into the Duel Disc on his D-Wheel, locking the deck in place.
"Well then, esteemed king..." He tilted his head slightly, his gaze suddenly turning fierce, "Dare to accept a challenge from a 'nothing special' Chief of Public Security Maintenance like me?"
The night wind picked up suddenly, two unseen auras clashing in the air.
Fake Jack met his gaze solemnly and, after a moment, suddenly let out a cold laugh.
"Hmph, although I didn't expect you to show up so soon... but why not?"
"Do you think that Jack Atlas would be afraid of you?"
The Jack lying on the ground clenched his fist in anger: "You bastard..."
This bastard really considers himself Jack Atlas?
Yugen glanced back at the true Jack, half-dead and sustained by the Elf's support, saying, "Your companions and an ambulance are on their way, just hold on for a bit."
Having said this, Yugen started his D-Wheel, already moving forward to line up beside the Fake Jack.
Fake Jack sneered: "Just as well, Fujiki Yugen. I've wanted to test myself against you for a long time."
"Speed Duel, accelerate!"
[Yugen, LP4000]
[Fake Jack, LP4000]
Fake Jack seized the initiative, the Wheel of Fortune dashing out at full speed, riding a transparent cyclone through the first turn.
Yugen said leisurely: "The driving skills among people in this world are truly monstrous..."
Having to jockey for first attack in a Speed Duel by riding is really unfriendly. Especially as the Wheel of Fortune is already one of the top D-Wheels in the world, there aren't many vehicles that can outpace it.
Yugen pondered whether he should consider practicing his driving skills as well...
"The first move is mine, the Duel King, drawing a card!" Fake Jack was arrogant, "I set a monster in Face-down Defense Position, and then set a card face-down, ending my turn!"
Yugen: "Then it's my turn, drawing a card."
Yugen slowly drew a card: "This Card Deck is truly suitable for an opponent of a king, especially matching with you."
Fake Jack laughed heartily: "Oh really? But no matter what you reveal, I, Jack Atlas, will crush it with absolute power!"
Yugen: "I Normal Summon 'Piercing Frog' in Attack Position!"