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

Chapter 8 No Cards, No Pardon

When Serena and Sawatari returned to the hideout, Sawatari looked around curiously. "Hey, where's Reira?"

Jean's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp with frustration. "Yuya came back not long ago from Security. He found out where Yuzu and the others are, so he decided to bring Reira there himself."

Serena crossed her arms, her tone flat. "So he's found Yuzu? That's fine, I suppose."

Jean's temper flared—she opened her mouth to scold them for being reckless, but before she could, the roar of an engine cut through the air. Shinji barreled up on his D-Wheel, panic in his eyes.

"It's Security!" he shouted. "Run—we're surrounded!"

Serena's expression snapped to surprise. "Were we followed?"

There was no time to answer. With a hiss, nets fired from launchers overhead, ensnaring Serena, Sawatari, Jean, Crow, and Shinji.

"Let go of me!" Serena fought against the restraints.

"Get your hands off the kids!" Crow bellowed, straining against the net.

The Security forces yanked them roughly toward the waiting transport car.

"Let go of me! Do you even know who I am?!" Sawatari roared, thrashing.

"Shut up and get in already!" an officer barked, shoving him hard into the vehicle.

"Do you realize what'll happen when I tell my father—" Sawatari started, but his words were cut short as Shinji and Crow were hurled in on top of him, pinning him flat.

Jean and Serena were the last to be shoved inside before the door slammed shut.

Outside, the children cried out, trying to run after them, only to be held back by more officers.

"Don't worry about me!" Crow shouted through the narrow opening, his voice breaking as he locked eyes with the children. "Eat properly! Don't skip meals, you hear me?!"

The car began to pull away. The kids screamed, their small voices begging for Crow's return. None of them noticed the silent figure standing in the shadows of a nearby tree. Tsukikage watched with a heavy expression, eyes closing as the patrol cars vanished into the night.

Inside the cramped transport, the captives sat in bitter silence, the hum of the engine rattling through the steel frame.

Jean muttered under her breath, "Good thing Yuya and Reira weren't arrested..."

Sawatari snapped back instantly, his voice indignant. "Not a good thing at all! This is a blatant mistaken arrest! I'll tell my father about this—get every last one of these bastards fired! You hear me, Security?!"

Jean sighed, exasperated. "Can you please calm down, Sawatari?" She turned to Crow and Shinji, her tone softer. "I'm so sorry you got dragged into this. You were only trying to warn us..."

Shinji shook his head with a grim smile. "It doesn't matter. At least the kids didn't get taken. That's what counts."

Crow leaned back, his fists clenched tight. "Still... I hope they don't go back to stealing food just to survive."

"Kiryu will look after them," Shinji said firmly.

Sawatari growled, glaring at the sealed doors. "Fine, but where are they even taking us?"

Shinji's eyes darkened. "If Security captures you and drags you into a car like this, there's only one place you're going."

The weight of his words sank into the silence, the reality pressing down on all of them like the walls of the transport itself.