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

Chapter 20 Earthbound Pendulum God Ccapac Apu

"Now we're going to start the third match, it is Hiragi Ryu versus—" Melissa's cheerful voice cut short as a worker rushed onto the platform, thrusting a tablet into her hands.

She frowned. "What is this?"

The stadium screens flickered. In an instant, everyone saw it—purple flames towering into the sky, shaping into the form of a colossal giant over the city.

Gasps and cries rang out from the audience. "What is that?!" "Is it a monster?!" "Some kind of Action Field effect?!"

Melissa's eyes widened. "What is this?! It looks like the image of a giant rising in the middle of the city! What is going on out there?!"

Both Tops and Commons broke into panic, the once-rowdy Friendship Cup thrown into chaos.

Crow stood, his voice low and grim. "That flame..."

Jean clenched her fists, staring up at the mark blazing in the sky. "It looks the same... the same as when Yuya was pulled into that Shadow Duel..."

Vivian wrapped her arms around herself, shivering. "What is this feeling..." She didn't notice the faint purple glow flickering on her arm, pulsing in rhythm with the flames above.

Ray's eyes widened in horror, her voice trembling. "No... that's Ccapac Apu's mark... It's real... The Dark Signers... they're back..."

Yuzu gasped, clutching her chest. "Then Yuya and Yuni... they're in danger right now..."

Risu narrowed her eyes, scowling at the sky. "Whatever this is, I don't like it one bit."

The flames writhed higher, casting long shadows over the city as fear swept through the stadium. The Friendship Cup was no longer the crowd's focus—something darker had returned to Synchro Dimension.

Mark revved his D-Wheel, his voice laced with venom. "First, Zarc—no, Sakaki Yuya—I'm going to send you straight to the bowels of the underworld!"

"Mark..." Yuya muttered, his grip tightening on the handles.

Mark sneered. "Let me warn you ahead of time. Those spiders you faced were nothing but scouts, searching for hosts. But this mark here..." The purple glow flared on his arm like fire. "This one is genuine."

At the same time, Reisho, Rua, and Ruka arrived with the help of the council. They rushed over to where Katrina and Yuni were waiting.

"Yuni, what is going on..." Ruka asked, her voice trembling.

Reisho froze as his eyes fell on the rider before them. His breath caught. "You're..."

Mark laughed darkly. "Well, even Reisho has come to my welcoming party. I thought you'd drag Ray here too, but no... I guess you're still the same coward you were."

Reisho's face hardened, his eyes on the glowing mark on Mark's arm. "To think... you've become a Dark Signer..."

Mark's roar echoed across the bay. "I will never forgive any of you! These flames are my vengeful inferno! I can never forget what happened—you stabbed me in the back and cast me into death itself!"

Yuya's heart pounded, but he forced himself forward. "Everyone, get back! This is my fault... my burden to carry. Mark became like this because of me. I will definitely save him and bring him back!"

Ruka looked at him in shock. "What do you mean by that?"

Yuni lowered her gaze, her voice heavy. "Back in the original dimension... Mark used to be one of our friends."

The wind howled through the purple flames, and the stage for a fated clash between Signer and Dark Signer was set.

(Flashback)