Is this the world of card dealers? Yada thieves!

If Jaden hadn't been reluctant to kill them and hadn't held back his Duel Monsters, taking their lives would have been a piece of cake given the strength of his cards.

"Besides, [Hero]'s iron fist should be used to defeat villains like the guy who caused this situation. Teaching them a lesson ends here—"

"—Stopping here isn't enough, Judai."

Just as Judai finished speaking, another voice suddenly sounded behind him. Judai jerked away from the food warehouse and turned around to see the door that had been half-closed being pushed open by a hand. That hand was covered in scales—and unlike the arms of Harada, Professor Cobra, and the others, which had been mutated by the power they had received, that hand was a thoroughly demonic claw, exactly the same as the one Judai had seen at "that guy's" place!

No, that was the real "that guy" that Jaden had met back then!

Just as Jaden was about to send the monsters he had just recalled back out to attack the guy who dared to show himself again, the door that was pushed open completely didn't reveal the energy life form he had seen before, but a face that Jaden had seen once not long ago!?

"Amon!?"

"Judo, are you overjoyed to have met someone you thought you'd never see again, but who you unexpectedly reunited with?" Amon raised his right hand, adjusted his glasses, and revealed a strange, eerie smile. "It's really enviable. I was also reunited with you after a long separation."

"...So that's how it is, it was you!"

Hearing the other person's strange tone, Jaden immediately guessed what was going on and said coldly, "You even have the ability to possess other people's bodies? You're really despicable and awful!"

“No matter how bad you are, you can’t compare to Judai, who forgot about me and still looks so self-righteous.” Although he had the appearance of Amon, his eyes were not his original gray-blue but were stained with an ominous pale yellow. “Amon Garlem” squinted at Judai. “Besides, don’t make it sound like I forcibly took over this person’s body.”

Judai was taken aback by what he said: "What...did you say!?"

“Generally speaking, when humans are injured, in addition to normal medical treatment, they can better recover by consuming supplements, right? But for me, things like ginseng are useless. Apart from the omnipotent dueling energy, only the darkness in people's hearts can become my supplements. Therefore, I am very picky, but this person has enough darkness in his heart for me to absorb.”

"He accepted my temptation without hesitation, willing to take my power to fulfill his wish. Although I haven't fully drawn out the darkness in his heart, I can at least use his body to act."

With arms outstretched, "Amon" smirked: "So, are you going to attack the 'Amon Garlem' you know in order to eliminate my 'dangerous guy' ahead of time? Although it will cost one person, it will also eliminate any potential threats to others you care about in this school."

"Didn't you want to be a 'hero'? I'm giving you the chance to make your wish come true."

As he spoke, a hopeful expression appeared on "Amon's" face, as if he was expecting something.

But Jaden only showed an angry expression: "What a despicable guy, but no matter what you say, I would never do such a thing to my important comrades!"

"Don't say that, Judai. Why do you consider 'Amon Garlem' a comrade? Just because he was your classmate for a few days? If that's the case, what about me, who has always loved you?"

"Amon" showed a sad expression, and for some reason, Jaden felt that this was not an acting act but a genuine expression of emotion. "Amon" then pointed to himself and said, "Let me tell you the truth about this person, Jaden. From the very beginning, he did not come to this school as a student, but as a 'spy'."

"The power of Duel Monsters began with the 'Doma' incident, which swept the globe in the year 2000 but was completely covered up by governments around the world. It was targeted by the higher-ups of humanity. Over the years, they have been conducting inhuman experiments in order to obtain power that can break the balance. At the same time, their covetousness for the powerful forces that already exist in the world has never disappeared. I think you have experienced this more than once, haven't you?"

"Kagemaru, are there still the 'Three Phantoms'...?" As a witness to the incident, Jaden certainly remembered the old man who had reached the end of his lifespan and tried to obtain the power of Duel Monsters to prolong his life. "But this has nothing to do with Amon, does it? He doesn't seem like someone who has ambitions for the power of Duel Monsters!"

"Of course he doesn't, but he's different from you, Jaden. He can't just be a duelist. At least, the 'Galem' in his name can't."

"Amon" ran his left hand across his face. "On the surface, he is the young master of the Gallam Corporation, but in reality, he is a commercial spy for the Gallam Corporation. He seems to be called something like 'Galam Child.' His student age and the identity of the young master are his best disguise. From the beginning, he has been eyeing powerful cards like the 'Three Phantoms' of the Duel Academy."

Unlike Amon, who had always kept his identity well hidden in the original timeline, [Yubel], who was now possessing Amon, completely exposed Amon's hidden identity and revealed everything.

"Remember when you were dueling with Professor Cobra, you asked him to find me and try to destroy the items related to the 'Death Bracelet'? Actually, he had already found me, but told you that he hadn't found me because he had shifted his focus from the 'Three Phantoms' which had no leads for the time being, and thought that my power was also a good gain."

After a pause, "Amon" pointed to his head with his index finger. "So now, do you still think such a selfish, two-faced guy is your ally?"

"Come on, Jaden, although this world isn't the perfect one I initially chose for us, it still offers a stage large enough to showcase your talent. All you need to do is summon your Duel Monster. Whichever monster it is, just let its claws glide gently across this spot..."

Sharp fingernails grazed across Jaden's throat and chest as "Amon" began instructing him on how to kill "himself," saying, "...this person will die, and you will be welcomed by your more valued comrades as a 'hero' who eliminated the crisis."

"Is there anything more worthwhile than this? Hurry up and do it to me, I can't wait to feel the pain you've inflicted on me again, and to experience your deep love for me!"

On Amon's face, this big man, a rather feminine shy expression appeared, and even his cheeks were flushed.

But Jaden remained unmoved and gave his answer again without hesitation: "But I refuse! I, Jaden Yuki, am going to say no to arrogant guys like you!"

"Whether you control Amon, Saiou, or even Kagemaru, I will never do what you say. Whether you heard what I just said to Aibo or not, I will repeat it again—the iron fist of [Hero] exists only to defeat villains like you, and should never harm anyone else!"

Seeing Judai's resolute expression, "Amon's" expression turned somewhat sour. It was unclear whether it was because Judai had repeatedly rejected him, or because the keywords "Aibo" or "[Hero]" in Judai's words had provoked it.

"A hero? I've already given you, Jaden, the chance to become a true hero, so why are you still obsessed with that boring hero illusion that Kobayashi Hayato instilled in you?" Scratching his head in frustration, "Amon" said somewhat angrily, "The perfect hero only exists in your imagination, Jaden. You're nothing more than a fake hero indulging in the fantasy woven by Kobayashi Hayato!"

"In the end, do you, who have forgotten me, even deserve to be called a hero? What kind of hero are you if you can't even remember me!"

Enraged, "Amon" simply raised his hand, releasing an invisible force from his left hand. Jaden immediately raised his Duel Disk on guard, but before [E·Hero Neos] could appear, Jaden discovered that although the force was aimed at him, it bypassed him and did not touch him at all.

Instead, I heard the sound of clothes rubbing together behind me.

Turning his head to the side, Jaden tried his best not to look away from "Amon" in front of him, and used his peripheral vision to observe the situation behind him. He found that Harada and the other two, who had just been defeated by his monsters and should have been unable to move, had actually stood up again. However, their movements were extremely stiff and strange, like puppets or puppets that were suspended by strings to make them move.

"You deny the existence of sacrifice, you deny the existence of pain, but you, Jaden, who so admires the perfect hero, can so easily sacrifice me and inflict pain on me... I see, I understand now. It's because you, Jaden, only see your so-called 'comrades' as 'audience' for your heroic stage, right?"

"Amon" said to himself, "For those who don't need to enter your heart, of course you need to leave them with a glorious and righteous image. And the pain and hatred I received are precisely the proof of your love for me. So that's how it is. So that's how much you value me, Judai!"

Seeing "Amon's" face making a crazy, freakish expression, Judai looked disgusted: "You bastard, are you a complete lunatic?"

"That's right, because the pain/love you gave me, Jaden, made me go crazy with joy!"

"Because of your love and pain, I am perfectly awake, Judai, but you are intoxicated by the fantasy of being a hero. I originally thought that these boring rubbish might make you see the ugliness of humanity and wake you up from your dream, but I didn't expect you to be sleeping so deeply, Judai, that I had to use a slightly extreme method to wake you up."

Amon raised his left hand as if connected by a thread, and as he flicked his fingers, Harada and the others also made a move, placing their hands on their heads. When Judai noticed this, he suddenly had a bad feeling.

"What are you doing?!"

"Hmm~ What exactly am I going to do?" With a wicked smile, "Amon" suddenly gripped his hand. "Of course, it's to—use the most efficient method to wake you up, Judai!"

"Snap—" X3

Jaden turned around with a horrified expression and saw Harada and the other two, under manipulation, twisting their necks with their arms and snapping them. Three lives were lost right before his eyes!

"I did tell you, Jaden, that I wanted you to attack me so you could eliminate the threat to others and become the hero you wanted to be. But you rejected my offer." Although there was no blood on the scene and his hand hadn't touched anything, "Amon" shook his hand as if to shake off any dirt. "If I did nothing, wouldn't it seem like I was deceiving you?"

"So now—seeing me really start taking other people's lives, have you changed your mind, Judai?"

"Kisama!" In a very short time, under the repeated provocations of [Yubel], Jaden once again fell into extreme anger, his pupils changing color slightly.

Chapter 1770 Juniors are not allowed to contradict their seniors

"Where did Judai go?" Manjoume paced back and forth anxiously. "The school's surveillance cameras are all powered normally, but they all lost their footage around the time Judai left."

"The students on patrol also said they hadn't seen Judai. The school is only so big, how could he have run off to some remote corner?" Asuka said worriedly. "Isn't it just John's personality that he has no sense of direction?"

John looked troubled: "It's not like I wanted it to be like this, and if Judai is going to get lost, it shouldn't be in this place where he's already been studying for three years."

"Unfortunately, communication devices don't work in this world, so we can't locate where my brother is." Jianshan was getting restless. "No, I can't just sit here and wait for news from my brother. I'll go out and help look for him."

“I know the abnormal magnetic field of this world is making you very irritable, but you have to be patient, Kenzan.” Jim quickly held Kenzan down, afraid that the guy would lose control. He and Marufuji Sho had only been out of bed for less than a day, and he didn’t want the abnormal magnetic field of the duel energy to affect him and make him lose his mind. “You can’t use your dinosaur DNA to find people.”

"Kora, don't underestimate my dinosaur DNA—ouch!"

Jianshan was tapped on the head with a "thud," and he squatted down, clutching his head. He regained a little clarity and realized that he had actually been somewhat influenced and become impulsive.

Behind Kenzan, Marufuji Sho, holding an inflatable hammer, said seriously, "Kenzan, you've really lost your composure. Are you even worthy of being my little brother? You can't even keep your composure without your big brother. You're a disgrace to your big brother!"

"But you yourself were just nervously biting your nails over there, weren't you?"

"Juniors are not allowed to contradict their seniors!"

The crowd gathered in a corner of the stadium, discussing Jaden's disappearance. To explain the cause, we have to go back to when, before Jaden left, Manjoume, out of "shyness," left the lounge and approached Professor Chronos to ask if there was anything at the academy that he, Mr. Manjoume, could help with.

While there are indeed many things happening at the school these days, there aren't many problems that require a student of Manjoume's strength to solve. After all, patrolling the school would be a waste of Manjoume's energy, and the card spirits attracted to the area around the school are currently just small fry at the level of [Sand Swamp Monster], not worth wasting Manjoume's power on.

Even if a slightly stronger monster occasionally appears around the school, it's just an enemy that students like Dilano-Kenzan and Marufuji Sho can handle. Not only Manjoume, but even Asuka and John are currently in a state of having nothing to do.

But because they were idle, Professor Chronos found a suitable opportunity to inform them of the information Hayato had given them: the possibility that John's [Ultimate Jewel God - Rainbow Dragon] could bridge the two worlds and bring everyone back to the human world, and the power necessary to realize this possibility was John's growth.

Despite the support of the "Duel Energy Distributor," which finally allows the students at the school to fight without worrying about the "Death Gloves" holding them back, it's best to avoid reducing their Life Points to zero through duels in this world where Duel Monsters deal true damage. However, it's difficult for John to grow through duels if he holds back, whether it's John holding back or his opponent holding back.

Therefore, it is not easy for John to grow through duels. After all, it is not easy to find someone who can fight John to a perfect even with both sides holding nothing back. Asuka and the others who came out earlier than Manjoume have already tried their skills against John one by one. Jim, O'Brien, and Asuka are still a bit weaker than John, not to mention younger juniors like Kenzan and Marufuji Sho.

"So, you mean I, Manjoume, will duel with John Anderson? Hmph, the result is obvious, of course I will win." Manjoume gave his theoretical basis, "John Anderson also participated in last year's 'Second World Martial Arts Tournament,' but he lost to Yuki Judai back then. However, Yuki Judai was eliminated in the final eight, so it is only natural that I am stronger than Judai."

"The conclusion is that I am far stronger than John Anderson. The two are not very evenly matched. If you want to hone this guy's skills, I am not a suitable opponent."

"Wow, it's rare to hear that there's something Manjoume-sama can't do," Marufuji Sho said sarcastically from the side. "I thought you were going to give another long-winded account of your championship win last year."

"Huh? How did you know I was at the 'Second Best Martial Arts Tournament' last year—"

"Alright, alright, that's enough for us to sample. Hurry up and take it away (half annoyed)." Not to mention the other students from the same school, even Jim and the others couldn't stand Wan Zhangmu anymore and quickly interrupted, "But if you ask me, the one who made John's strength grow was indeed the one who helped John fully awaken the [Ultimate Jewel God - Rainbow Dragon] back then."

“The tenth generation elder brother? Indeed, there is no one more suitable than the elder brother. He is strong enough to allow John to go all out without worrying about the duel ending too quickly.” Kenzan clenched his fist and tapped his palm. “Much more suitable than Banjou-senpai.”

"That last sentence is superfluous, goldfish!" Looking at Kenzan's headscarf, Manjoume complained unhappily, "I wonder what that guy is doing in the lounge, he hasn't come out for so long."

Just then, Fubuki arrived near them and asked curiously, "Isn't Judai here with Asuka-chan?"

"Brother? Why aren't you going to rest?"

Seeing Asuka's dangerous look, questioning her for moving around without fully recovering, Fubuki quickly explained, "I'm all better now, completely healed. Thanks to Hayato-sensei's 'Duel Energy Distributor,' I only recovered a little later than Kenzan and Sho—actually, if you hadn't taught me a lesson yesterday, I probably would have recovered even faster. You really didn't hold back at all..."

Did you say anything, Onii-chan?

"There's nothing there, absolutely nothing!"

Seeing Fubuki standing at attention like a spirited young man, Manjoume asked, "Master Fubuki, what do you want with Judai?"

"Yes, it's actually about this world. I remember you went there with Jaden, right? The world of the Royal Valley of Long Sleep, which was guarded by the Grave Guardian monster."

Fubuki looked at a window in the gymnasium that offered a view outside and pointed to the sky. Although it was still daytime according to their normal biological clock, the full moon in the sky meant that the desert was currently in the dead of night. However, Fubuki wasn't pointing to the moon outside the window, but rather to the scene from daytime that none of them had forgotten. "I don't know if it's a coincidence, but there are three suns in the sky in both worlds."

“It’s just like the three sun gods Helios from Daitokuji’s story.” Asuka nodded, indicating that she was deeply impressed by the three suns she had seen in that world. “And when we left that world, the elder who guarded the grave told us that the way to leave that world was to pass through the archway of the Valley of Royal Sleep in front of the three suns in the sky merging into one and appearing in the light curtain.”

Marufuji Sho had also been to that world, but he didn't understand why Fubuki was bringing this up now: "Is Fubuki-senpai looking for a way to leave this world? But are the methods for leaving the two worlds really compatible? We don't even know if the sun in this world will merge into one, and we can't find the door to the [Valley of Royal Long Sleep] here."

"That's not the point. I know there's no entrance to the Valley of the Kings' Long Sleep here. But don't you guys think it's unusual that there are three suns in the sky?" Fubuki said. "Maybe it's all under the same sky!"

"Under the same sky...does that mean that world might be connected to this one?" Manjoume realized what Fubuki meant, his eyes lighting up. "If that's the case, if we can find the [Valley of the Royal Slumber] again..."

"So, through that passage connecting to the Duel Academy, we can return to our original world?" Although not a participant in the "[Valley of Royal Sleep]" world, John guessed Fubuki's thoughts. "That's wonderful! We have another way back!"

"That's great news, but does Jaden have anything to do with that world?" Jim asked curiously.

"Although Judai is quite lucky, you're not planning to get him to give you directions by throwing your shoe or something, are you?" Manjoume crossed his arms and looked at Fubuki with a suspicious gaze.

Seeing that not only Manjoume, but also Asuka, Kenzan, Marufuji Sho, and even John, Jim, and O'Brien were looking at her with uneasy eyes, Fubuki quickly waved her hand: "Why do you all have such a stereotypical prejudice against me? I just wanted to ask Judai to use those two pendants."

Not to mention Fubuki, Asuka and the others had also almost forgotten that Judai always carried two disc fragments he obtained in the "Valley of Royal Sleep" world. When pieced together, they could protect the holder in the Dark Games.

—But the problem is that there are very few people who seriously play the dark games these days. They're either like Saiou, who doesn't use tricks in duels but only plays little tricks outside of duels, or like Yubel, who always finds a proxy to duel, or like Lopto, the Shadow of the Kings from the "Duel-Links" world, who doesn't even duel you but achieves his goals outside of duels.

Perhaps that's why the two disc fragments from Jaden's story have such a low profile.

Regardless, it is a special item from the world of "[Valley of the Royal Slumber]". If we extract the special energy contained in it, it might be used as a road sign to guide us to the location of "[Valley of the Royal Slumber]".

“I’ve already asked Misawa Sora. Although he looked really sleepy, he told me that if there’s a sample as a reference, he might actually be able to use it to create a special navigation tool,” Tenjouin Fubuki said excitedly. “Although this means that even if we can leave this world, we’ll have to leave the academy buildings here, but a place is only a Duel Academy if there are people.”

For Fubuki, who hadn't yet learned about the [Ultimate Gem God - Rainbow Dragon]—a method for returning to the original world—this was her only hope. For Jim and the others, it was also a highly feasible new attempt where they could finally be of use instead of just sitting idly waiting for John to unleash the power of the cards.

However, Asuka keenly sensed something was amiss: "Wait, brother, didn't you come here to find Judai first, but went to the lounge first?"