7. Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V: A New Story of Pendulum (Fusion Arc)

Chapter 11 Survival Duel

The royal Throne Room stood silent, bathed in cold, sterile light that gleamed across the polished marble floor. Monitors flickered along the walls, displaying the vast expanse of the island and the defense systems coming online. At the center, Akaba Leo sat upon the obsidian throne — his eyes unwavering, his mind sharp as steel.

From the window, the reflection of a colossal silhouette rippled across the sea. A giant ship was closing in on the docks, its engines roaring against the wind. Leo's expression darkened. He already knew who it belonged to.

A sharp tone cut through the tension — a communication line opening. "This is Sanders! Some of the enemies have landed on the island's north side!"

Leo turned his gaze toward the glowing console beside his throne. His voice was calm, but his tone carried authority like a blade. "Understood. Carry out the operations according to the plan. Make sure you take Sakaki Yuya down."

"Roger. Leave this to me." The call ended with a sharp electronic click. The room fell silent again, save for the faint hum of the monitors.

Leo leaned back, his gloved fingers tightening around the armrest. The reflections of multiple faces flashed across the monitors — Yuya, Yuzu, Yuni, and the countless Duelists converging on Academia. His gaze lingered on Yuya's image.

"If Ray's soul has been within Hiiragi Yuzu all this time..." he muttered, his voice lowering into a near whisper. "Then Zarc and Zarine's souls must also be residing within Sakaki Yuya and Yuni."

He paused, eyes narrowing as memories of the cataclysmic war echoed in his mind — Zarc's roar, the world's collapse, Ray's desperate sacrifice.

"That's why Sakaki Yuya must be dealt with first..."

The wide Training Room trembled faintly under the hum of its ceiling lights, rows of elite students standing in formation before their instructor. The scent of polished metal and ozone filled the air, a reminder that this was not a classroom—it was a forge for soldiers. One student stepped forward, his voice firm despite the tension surrounding them. "Salute the instructor!"

Dozens of gloved hands rose in perfect unison, the sharp sound of boots echoing through the hall. Sanders returned the salute with a brisk nod, his expression unreadable. "Students," he began, pacing before them with the authority of a commander. "I have a special lesson for you elite students who have earned the top grades in Academia. The target is an enemy of Academia called the Lancers. Right now, they are on our island and getting closer to Academia itself. Let's use them as a jump-off point on your path to becoming full Duel Soldiers."

The room's massive screen flickered to life, displaying real-time footage from the northern perimeter. The Synchro groups were moving through the jungle terrain, their Duel Disks glowing faintly in the mist. Sanders folded his arms, eyes cold. "Watch closely. This is not a mock exercise."

Outside, the scene cut to the landing zone where Yugo's group and Rin's group had gathered among the scattered crates and docking rails. The ocean wind whipped across the deck, carrying the metallic tang of fuel and salt. Crow scanned the empty horizon and frowned. "I thought they'd give us a warm welcome when we landed, but it's too quiet."

"Maybe they heard of the Great Sawatari Shingo, the man who succeeded in both the City and Heartland! Maybe they ran away!" Sawatari declared proudly, crossing his arms with a grin that fooled no one.