Yu-Gi-Oh!: This isn't a duel!

It seems... they're going to find someone.

That person is very important to me.

Just as Lilith was about to be completely swallowed by the black mist and her consciousness was about to sink into eternal sorrow, a dazzling red light suddenly shone on her slender arm without warning!

"Roar--!"

A dragon's roar, ancient and distant yet carrying endless sorrow and power, resounded deep within her soul.

The blinding red light instantly transformed into an indestructible barrier, completely enveloping Lilith. Then, it transformed into a red meteor, resolutely merging into the core of the churning black mist.

Outside the barrier, Tiandao Lian and the others stared blankly at the scene, their mouths opening and closing, their throats feeling as if they had a wad of cotton stuck in them, too shocked to utter a single word.

Within the realm of the heart, on the still, lifeless surface of the water.

You Yang silently gazed at the cards floating in front of him.

He didn't reach out for help immediately; his eyes still held struggle and confusion.

The "Gray Swimming Sun" on the opposite side was not impatient. He stood quietly on the water, staring at Swimming Sun with his lifeless eyes, patiently waiting for Swimming Sun to make his final decision.

Just then, a scorching red light suddenly appeared on You Yang's arm without warning.

A mark bearing a ferocious red dragon head appeared on the back of his hand, radiating a scorching heat.

Seeing this, "Grey Wanderer" frowned slightly, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, but he did not speak to stop it.

"Youyang—! Where are you?!"

It wasn't until that tearful yet incredibly resolute cry rang out in the empty world that the suffocating silence in the room was finally broken.

Both Youyang turned their heads at the same time, looking in the direction from which the sound came.

In the dark void, Lilith was seen running towards them, anxiously calling out You Yang's name.

At this moment, her once exquisite gothic dress was now somewhat tattered, and her delicate face was covered in dust, making her look drab and disheveled.

However, her ruby-like eyes held a frighteningly strong spirit, burning with a flame called "persistence".

When her gaze pierced through the fog and she finally saw You Yang's familiar figure, a bright and genuinely happy smile instantly bloomed on her dusty little face.

"Youyang! That's great... Are you alright?!"

Lilith excitedly took steps, wanting to run over.

"boom!"

However, just as she was about to approach Youyang, she was ruthlessly blocked by an invisible wall of air.

"What is this? Let me in!"

She was immediately anxious and waved her little fists, pounding on the transparent yet indestructible wall, trying to break through the barrier and reach You Yang.

"Grey Sun" coldly stared at the faint yet tenacious red light on Lilith's arm, a barely perceptible smile playing on its lips.

"It seems... some reckless fools have forced their way in."

He turned his head and looked at You Yang again, his voice still ethereal and indifferent:

"So, now, you should make your choice."

"It is a choice to abandon them and hide peacefully in this painless haven forever."

"Or choose to defeat me, seize this forbidden power that can merge dimensions, and face the cruel storms outside."

He glanced at Lilith, who was still anxiously pounding on the wall outside, and added casually:

"Make your choice, don't worry about her."

"Don't worry, this is your inner world, she can't hear our conversation."

Hearing "his own" words, You Yang slowly turned his head, his gaze passing over the invisible wall, and took a deep look at the little girl with a face full of anxiety.

Then, he turned around and looked directly at the "gray sun" in front of him once again.

"call--"

You Yang took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

As he exhaled that stale breath, the lingering hesitation and confusion deep in his eyes completely receded like the tide.

Instead, the sharp, confident light in those dark eyes, just like that of a hawk during their duels, was restored!

"Since... there are still people waiting for me to go back."

Although You Yang's voice was not loud, it was as firm as iron:

"Then, of course I will respond to that expectation!"

"after all--"

He curled his lips into a smug smile.

"A true hero cannot desert his post at a time like this!"

Past memories are just memories; one should not be trapped in them and stop moving forward!

You Yang made a sudden gesture with one hand, and countless streams of data surged forth like a tide.

A pure white light, symbolizing hope, shone on his arm, forming a stark contrast with the pitch-black Duel Disk of "Grey Sun" opposite him—a sleek, pure white Duel Disk appeared prominently on Sun's arm!

With a wave of his arm, You Yang quickly used the cards floating in front of him to form a deck.

You Yang unfolded his deck to the side, and then, with high fighting spirit, he slammed it into the Duel Disk!

"Since you've made your choice..."

Although "Grey Wanderer's" expression remained blank, there was a faint smile at the corner of his mouth.

As You Yang raised his arm, he also raised his arm.

Two swimmers, one in black and one in white, simultaneously let out a heart-wrenching shout:

"Then—the duel begins!!!"

【Yang Tour: LP 8000】

【Gray Sunshine: LP 8000】

As the virtual coin, black and white on both sides, soared high into the air, it plummeted rapidly under the influence of gravity, finally landing steadily.

"Gray Sun" glanced at the coin toss result and said coldly:

"I choose to attack first!"

Both players moved in unison, simultaneously drawing five starting cards from their decks.

"Gray Sun" glanced at his hand, and without hesitation, drew two cards, revealing one of them face up to Sun:

"I activate the effect of the monster card from my hand - [Phantom Hero: The Almighty]".

You can activate this effect by discarding 1 "HERO" monster from your hand, other than this card.

"Special Summon this card from your hand."

He then revealed the other card in his hand and sent it to the graveyard:

"I send the [Destiny Hero - Sprinter] in my hand to the graveyard!"

"As a price, I will Special Summon it!"

"Come forth—[Phantom Hero: The Solitary Moral]!"

Dark purple light gathered on the field, and a heroic warrior clad in heavy pinkish-purple armor and wielding an exaggeratedly large blade reappeared in this world, exuding a heavy sense of oppression.

【Phantom Hero - The Solitary Moralist】【5 Stars】

[Dark/Warrior/Effect] [Attack: 1600 / Defense: 1800]

"Gray Wanderer's" offensive did not stop. Pointing to the monster that had just appeared, he continued:

"Next, I'll activate the entrance effect of [Phantom Hero - The Solitary One]!"

"This effect can only be activated if this card is Normal or Special Summoned."

"Phantom HERO" monster from your Deck can be treated as a Continuous Trap Card and placed face-up in your Spell & Trap Zone.

"I've placed [Phantom Hero: Increment] in my backrow as a continuous trap from my deck!"

A red energy wave emanated from the single eye on the chest of [Phantom Hero - The Solitary One], precisely striking into "Gray Wanderer's" deck.

A card was pulled out automatically, and without even glancing at it, he slammed it directly into the spell/trap zone in the back row.

You Yang looked at the five cards in his hand, his brows furrowed slightly, and his expression was somewhat unpleasant.

This duel was actually not easy to win.

While checking the deck just now, he astutely noticed a problem—

The deck he's currently using only contains monsters from the Elemental HERO, Neo Spaca, and Masked HERO series.

Although core cards like Elemental HERO Skywalker are still in the deck, it prevents him from being completely unplayable.

However, powerful cards like [Phantom Hero - The Alone] and [Evil Hero - Dark Star Gold Demon] play a crucial role in resource management in modern hero decks.

Because it belongs to the "Phantom Heroes" and "Evil Heroes" series, it doesn't exist in his deck!

This is naturally a weakening for his deck.

However, if my guess is correct, the deck composition of the opponent "Grey Wanderer" should be exactly the opposite of mine.

The opponent likely does not have the three heroes: "Elemental Hero", "New Spaceman", and "Masked Hero".

Characters like "Phantom Hero," "Destiny Hero," and "Evil Hero" should be the opponent's main force.

As for "Special Heroes," as a connecting monster, they should be a shared resource held by both sides.

That being the case...

You Yang took a deep breath, and his eyes sharpened again.

Let's bring it on! Let's see whose hero is superior!

The "Gray Sun" opposite him remained calm, his deathly gray eyes showing no emotion, like a dueling machine with a pre-programmed sequence of events.

He continued his operation, his voice ethereal yet cold:

"At this point, I can activate the effect of [Phantom Hero - Incremental Man] on the field."