7. Yu-Gi-Oh ARC-V A New Story of Pendulum (Standard Arc)

Chapter 16 The Truth of Heartland

After leaving the warehouse, the group returned to You Show Duel School. The evening air still carried the weight of everything they had learned, and the quiet halls of the school felt heavier than usual. With Ruri and Rumi's whereabouts no longer a secret, Yuni knew it was time. She couldn't keep the truth scattered among different people. A meeting had to be called—only those who already knew were gathered.

Inside the classroom, Yuya, Yuzu, Ron, Jean, Vivian, and Katrina sat in a loose circle, waiting for Yuni to begin. The silence stretched until Yuya finally broke it.

"So, Yuni," Yuya asked carefully, trying to keep his tone calm but firm, "what is it you want to talk about?"

Yuni drew in a deep breath. Her gaze lowered for a moment, then lifted with quiet resolve. "You see... before you and Yuzu came to the warehouse, I was in the middle of a duel. My opponent was Yuto—the same person Yuzu and Vivian saw attacking Sawatari. The one who..." her eyes lingered on Yuya, "...shares your face."

The words landed like a shockwave.

"What?" Yuzu's voice cracked. She had caught a glimpse of that shadowy figure before, when Sora stumbled upon him. But to hear Yuni say she had dueled him—it twisted everything. Did her interference that night force him into hiding? She leaned forward, pressing for clarity. "Wait—hold on. You mean you were actually dueling him?"

Ron shifted uncomfortably, still shaken by what he had witnessed. "It's true. I... I'm still stunned, honestly. Yuni, you brought out three Rank 7 Xyz Monsters in an instant. Who does that?"

Yuni gave a half-smile, but her shrug carried no real pride. "What do you expect? I'm the one teaching Xyz Summoning at LDS. If I couldn't manage that, my reputation would be in shambles."

Katrina spoke up next, her tone steady but her eyes narrowed as though replaying the duel in her head. "But in the middle of the duel, everything changed. When Dark Rebellion attacked, Rumi took over. She countered the strike—and she used Sister's Light Patience to defeat him in the end."

Yuya's eyes widened. He turned sharply to Ron and Jean, his voice tight. "That means... you both knew. You knew the whole truth. About Yuni... and Rumi being the same person."

The room fell still again, every pair of eyes turning to Yuni as if to demand confirmation, the secret finally laid bare.

Jean frowned, folding his arms as his analytical side took over. "How did it even happen? Rumi is our comrade—how could she fuse with your sister? That isn't scientifically possible. Rumi and Yuni aren't Duel Monsters, they're real people. This shouldn't be..." He trailed off, shaking his head. "...possible at all."

Vivian raised her hand lightly, almost like she was addressing a class. "The short version? Yuni, Rumi, and two others were originally one being. When the Dimensions split into four, that person's soul was split as well. Yuni is the Standard piece, Rumi is the Xyz piece. The Fusion and Synchro pieces are still missing, but we know they must exist somewhere."

A heavy silence followed.

Yuni placed a hand over her chest. "And because the original soul rests within me, only I can draw the other pieces into myself. They can't absorb me—it only works the other way around."

Jean exhaled slowly, trying to process the logic. "I'll be honest, I don't fully understand. But if what you're saying is true... you mean you alone can hold Rumi inside you. And—" his gaze shifted toward Yuzu, "—considering how much Ruri and Yuzu resemble each other, I assume Yuzu can do the same with Ruri. Is she inside you now?"

Yuzu hesitated, then nodded firmly. "Since the truth is out, there's no reason to hide anymore." Closing her eyes, she drew in a breath. A brilliant white light burst outward, forcing everyone to shield their faces. When the glow faded, Yuzu was gone. Standing in her place was a familiar figure with long violet hair and soft eyes.