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

Chapter 43 Yuya vs. Yuri

The thick canopy of the Jungle area filtered sunlight into scattered beams, painting shifting patterns across the mossy ground. The air was damp, alive with the hum of unseen creatures and the rustle of leaves overhead.

Ahead, Michie and Teppei Tairyobata were already waiting. Michie's sharp eyes narrowed the moment she spotted Satoshi stepping out from the shadows of the trees.

"Hey, hold on—" Michie raised her voice, folding her arms with suspicion. "You're not one of the participants, are you? Then what are you doing here?"

Before Satoshi could answer, Yuni quickly interjected, lifting a hand. "Michie, wait. He isn't a participant."

"What?" Teppei's brow furrowed. He glanced at Satoshi with open distrust, then at Yuni. "If that's true, then why is he here at all?"

Yuya stepped forward, his tone calm but firm. "We'll explain everything in the meantime. There's more going on here than just the tournament."

The group settled into a small clearing, the jungle sounds filling the silence as tension slowly eased. Satoshi lowered himself onto a fallen log, his expression heavy with thought.

"So..." he began, looking across the circle at Michie, Teppei, and the others. "You already encountered the Obelisk Force?"

Vivian's shoulders slumped, and her voice trembled slightly. "Yes. They came out of nowhere... and they turned the Duel Knights into cards." The weight of the words lingered in the air.

Yuni's fists clenched against her knees, but her voice stayed steady. "They'll be all right. I've already sent their cards to Reiji—he'll know how to restore them." Then, she leaned forward, eyes narrowing in concern. "But Satoshi... where's Serena? Isn't she supposed to be with you?"

Satoshi's face fell. He hesitated, guilt flickering in his eyes. "...We were separated back in the Volcano area." His voice was low, almost reluctant, as though admitting it made the distance between them heavier.

The group exchanged uneasy looks. The Jungle seemed to grow quieter around them, as if the forest itself was listening.

The air around the iceberg area was biting cold, every breath forming a faint mist. Shards of frozen spray glimmered in the light, and the terrain crunched beneath their boots. Yuzu and Serena moved quickly behind the two ninjas, their capes whipping in the chill wind. When the group finally stopped, Serena turned sharply toward Hikage, her expression fierce.

"What are you after?" she demanded. "It doesn't seem like you're working with them!"

Hikage's eyes flicked toward the horizon, scanning for movement. "Tsukikage, I'll leave these two to you. There might be more of them nearby. I'm going to check on the situation." Without another word, he vanished into the frozen mist.

"Understood, brother," Tsukikage replied calmly, his voice muffled beneath his scarf.

Yuzu's thoughts spun. Both Yuya and Yuni had told her about these two—bodyguards, protectors. She tightened her grip on her sleeves and asked carefully, "Are those people really Obelisk Force? From what we heard, they're from Academia of the Fusion Dimension."

"They're from Academia," Serena confirmed with a grim nod. "And they're out to capture me. But I won't be captured. You must be Hiiragi Yuzu, right?"

"I... am Yuzu," Yuzu said, a sweatdrop sliding down her temple at Serena's intensity.

"Even without the ninja's help, I could have fended them off myself!" Serena snapped. "They're obeying the Professor's orders!"

"You mean Akaba Leo?" Yuzu asked softly.