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

Chapter 23 Battle Between Buddies

After bringing Kurosaki Shun to the medical room at LDS, Ron and Jean volunteered to remain by his side, watching over him until he recovered. The others, however, had different plans as the Junior Youth Championship loomed closer.

As they walked down the road together, Katrina tilted her head. "So, Brother, Sister—where are you going now?"

Yuni smiled, walking alongside Yuya. "We promised our friends and family we'd stop by Gongenzaka's dojo. Brother wants to test out the Synchro cards he gave to him, so we planned a duel for today."

"I see." Reisho adjusted his glasses thoughtfully. "You don't mind if I come too?"

"Not at all," Yuni replied warmly. "But... what about your father? Won't he worry if you're gone?"

Reisho's tone hardened slightly, though his face remained calm. "He would. But I already told him I had other business to attend to. He won't expect me back for a few more days."

"I see..." Yuzu murmured, a little uneasy at the casual way he spoke of Akaba Leo.

When they arrived at the dojo, the courtyard was already lively. Shuzo stood proudly at the entrance, the children bustling around him. Ryu and Vivian chatted near the training hall, while Sora lounged against the wall with his ever-present lollipop. Even Ms. Yoko had come, greeting them with her usual warmth.

"Everyone's here," Yuni said, surprised at the turnout.

"Yeah, but why are we here exactly?" Sora asked, sucking on his lollipop. His expression shifted immediately when his gaze fell on Reisho. His hand stiffened, the candy stick nearly slipping from his mouth. What the hell—why is he here? Don't tell me he came to check on my mission...

Reisho caught the boy's reaction and studied him carefully. So this is the spy my father sent... It seems he's blending in well enough.

Meanwhile, Ayu tugged on Yuya's sleeve, whispering curiously. "Big Brother Yuya, who is he?"

Yuya smiled gently. "This is Reisho. He's Akaba Reiji's brother... and also the co-President of Leo Corporation."

Reisho stepped forward, his tone polite but assured. "It's nice to meet you all. I've already heard everything from Yuni. You don't need to worry—I won't be interfering with You Show."

The dojo quieted at his words, everyone studying him carefully, weighing whether they could trust the brother of the Professor's heir.

"I was tired of waiting for you, Yuya!" Gongenzaka declared, folding his arms proudly.

"What's the point in dueling right now?" Ryu asked, tilting his head. "You've already dueled plenty of times..."

"But Brother hasn't had a real match with him yet," Yuni said firmly. "It's true—Gongenzaka has always been our best friend. Ever since our father went missing, he put his body on the line to protect us from the cruel public."

Yuya nodded. "And even if we're best friends, a real match is a different matter entirely. Especially now that we're aiming to be pros."

Gongenzaka's voice grew stronger. "Yuya, Yuni, and I have fought countless times before, but there was never any seriousness in those matches! I couldn't fault you for feeling hurt after your father disappeared. But I realized—pitying you only made me weaker. And in that time, both of you grew stronger than me, thanks to LDS' support!"

"Made you weaker...?" Katrina murmured, glancing between Gongenzaka and her siblings.

"In the match between You Show and LDS," Gongenzaka continued, fists tightening at his sides, "I wasn't able to win even when it came down to a tie, one to one! My weakness held me back. That softness in my heart is what cost me victory! If I'm to purge myself of it, I must push myself further!"