For the entire day, aside from the morning duel and helping in the infirmary, Hikaru spent all remaining time urgently researching and gathering information on Atticus Rhodes.
Fortunately, although Hikaru "couldn't remember" Atticus, Tierra remembered perfectly.
She had no personal interest in other humans, but as a mechanical god, she never forgot anything she had seen or heard. Once Hikaru raised the question and showed how seriously he took it, she quickly assembled a new playback device in the Grand Cosmos Workshop so he could view the records.
As Hikaru watched, the memories gradually returned.
Beyond that, Chazz also gathered additional information at the academy.
According to his research, Atticus Rhodes, Zane Truesdale, and another person whose name he couldn't recall had actually been known as the academy's Three Prodigies.
This was completely different from his impression of "Duel Academy's Kaiser." Even after investigating and remembering that someone called Atticus was known as "Duel Academy's King," he had no idea they'd had a third close friend.
When Hikaru finally integrated all the information, everything clicked.
Existence erasure!
Another, even more powerful ability of Darkness. Rather than modifying memories, it directly erased a person's presence from all of humanity's consciousness. In the original story, only Atticus, having once possessed Darkness's power, had noticed this and helped Jaden find "Yusuke Fujiwara."
It seemed that in this world, for some reason, Darkness had erased even Atticus's existence.
Why?
He couldn't understand. Atticus and Alexis were supposed to be off-campus, studying entertainment dueling...
Even if there was something useful against Darkness, there shouldn't have been a reason to target them.
Wait!
Hikaru suddenly realized.
If Atticus and Alexis were truly off-campus, Darkness wouldn't need to do this. Conversely, they might have actually arrived on the island before the seal went up, just like Aster!
Then another thought struck him.
Atticus had used Darkness's power many times. During his duel with Zane, he had even begun adapting to it... If that method could be taught to everyone, it might directly counter the mental attacks.
That was probably exactly why Darkness didn't want anyone to know about or find him!
But...
He worried that once he left, his memories would gradually fade again.
"I've been observing this too." Tierra held up one finger like Doraemon and said with a grin, "Starting with that Paladin incident, I was curious how it was done.
When even you had your memories affected, I was truly shocked.
After all, with the Sacred Beasts and Earthbound Gods standing guard, memory modification shouldn't have been possible."
These gods and demons were certainly far below Darkness in scale, but Darkness wasn't acting personally either. It was modifying memories remotely, something the guardians couldn't block at all.
"So there's only one possibility: it isn't targeting you specifically. It's modifying the memories of humanity as a whole."
"As long as you're human, you'll be affected to some degree. No amount of strength changes that."
So that was it...
That made things difficult.
Hikaru rubbed his temples.
It seemed he could only have Flame Swordsman, Master Diamond, and the others remind him periodically.
Just as he was thinking this, he noticed Tierra smiling, hands spread at her sides, looking like a deity dispensing wisdom.
Was she waiting for him to ask? She had a solution?
Hikaru was astonished.
There was a way?!
He genuinely hadn't expected it.
He couldn't help praising her. "Tierra, you have a solution? That's incredible..."
Tierra laughed heartily, then said, "Of course I do. I am the Star-Creating God, the God of Rebirth. As a god, granting you, my chosen one, a genuine divine blessing isn't difficult."
She studied Hikaru. "It's simple. You just need to stop being human."
?
Tierra rubbed her chin, tilting her head in thought. "Actually, I've had suspicions for a while. You don't seem to be a purely human being. A while back, when you suddenly attacked that spirit disguised as a human, you said it was based on some strange feeling, right?
In any case, it seems very easy to shift your 'nature.' Not enough to instantly make you non-human, but maintaining a superimposed state between human and spirit for a short period should be effortless."
Hearing this, Hikaru opened his mouth slightly.
...
As expected, the distinction between "Hikaru" and "Hikari" wasn't simply a matter of understanding or naming...
He took a deep breath.
Never mind. He could research this later. There were no leads right now. If he couldn't even get past Darkness, there was no point thinking about what came after.
Hikaru nodded. Tierra casually snapped her fingers. Just as she described, with Hikaru's breathing, he felt no discernible change. The entire "transformation" was complete.
Just as Tierra could freely alter her own life form, shifting between spirit, human, machine, and undead, this was second nature to her. Changing someone willing to be changed was equally simple.
And Hikaru's own impure nature made the transformation feel effortless for her.
That fast?
Hikaru touched his hands, sensing no difference, and bounced a couple of times.
Previously, when Tierra had altered Lapis's nature, it had required extensive preparation and several assistants. Yet for him, a special state could be applied this casually?
In any case, Hikaru finally felt somewhat relieved.
He remembered that the Revelation Records mentioned several special locations Aster probably hadn't reached yet. He would investigate those personally later.
Returning to Duel Academy, the oppressive, suffocating atmosphere that had weighed on him seemed to vanish. Only when he opened the door and saw classmates outside clutching their heads in pain did he clearly realize nothing had actually changed.
He had gained resistance remarkably easily.
So then...
He looked out the window. Amber light filtered in.
He silently drew a card from his Deck. A broken card.
Destiny HERO - Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer.
This card had been born during his duel against Sartorius, who was controlled by the Light of Destruction. Since then, Hikaru had tried many methods to fully manifest it, but for some reason, it had never changed.
Now, flames reignited on the card. The phoenix seemed to be stirring back to life.
Destiny...
It had always been watching over that person.
As expected, the issue wasn't his alchemy. The moment of destiny simply hadn't arrived yet.
In the original story, Aster's two greatest duels, his two defining moments of destiny, were against Sartorius and Adrian Gecko. These duels were inescapable destiny, and challenges he personally needed to overcome.
The Hero of Destiny ultimately needed to fulfill destiny's mission.
Only by completing his destiny could the phoenix truly burn forever.
As time passed and dusk approached, Hikaru put away the increasingly hot card and drew another.
The pass to what was once the "World of Darkness" and now the "Dimension of the Forgotten," a card unique to Hikaru that granted him free passage.
After a burst of wind, Hikaru gently landed before an enormous skull gate.
Unlike the darkness and oppression of his last visit, this dimension had brightened considerably. The darkness and grudges had nearly dissipated. Hikaru could even see decorations along the paths outside the gate: torches and similar things.
He spotted the chair he had left last time, chuckled softly, then sat down calmly as before, waiting.
Before long, a couple and a handsome young man appeared again.
This time, there was no surprise or wariness on their faces. Only calm.
They saw Hikaru sitting nearby.
The gate slowly opened. The Lion Wizard and numerous skull-adorned spirits floated behind it.
They welcomed Hikaru. Several spirits excitedly called out "Hikari! It's Hikari!" But the atmosphere gradually cooled their excitement.
The Lion Wizard looked at Echo beside Adrian.
Destiny had guided the same three people here once again.
But unlike last time, everyone present had already guessed the others' intentions.
Adrian wanted to create an equal, perfect world. Aster wanted to protect everyone.
"Adrian, are you planning to sacrifice your loved one for power?!" Aster blocked Adrian's path.
Adrian's expression was blank. He calmly adjusted his glasses. "I don't need to tell you."
"Sacrificing your loved one for power, what meaning could such power have?!" Aster pressed.
Echo, meanwhile, had shed her earlier composed demeanor. She looked quite relieved and happy.
Over the past month, whenever this dimension opened, she had come here to wait for Adrian. Now that Adrian had finally returned, it meant he had truly decided.
He was going to become "King." A true, merciful "King"!
"...Sigh, humans." The Lion Wizard sighed, looking at Aster. "Since these two have made up their minds, let it be. Leave everything to me. Let me..."
"No." Aster shook his head. "I can't stand by and watch people fall before me. Even strangers."
"Well said, Aster Phoenix." Adrian remained calm, even cold. "But in our academy, people fall every day!"
"If they fall from malicious attacks, then we fight back! I absolutely cannot accept sacrificing a human for power to fight back!" Aster continued.
"Yes, so I'm fighting back. I've had enough of watching people around me collapse and never wake up."
The Lion Wizard tried to interrupt again. Beside him, Hikaru was already shaking his head. "Your Excellency, let them have their final argument. It's better for both of them."
Echo spoke up. "It's all right, Aster Phoenix. I'm grateful, but..."
"This has nothing to do with you, Echo!" Aster didn't let her finish.
Although he had taken an instant liking to Echo when they first met...
Right now, at this moment, standing before Adrian was someone who had steeled his resolve to protect everyone: Phoenix Guy Aster!
He raised his left hand and deployed his Duel Disk. Adrian's expression was stone-cold as he placed his Deck into his own Duel Disk.
Nothing more needed to be said.
"Duel!" x2.
Adrian Gecko, LP: 4000. Aster Phoenix, LP: 4000.
"My turn. Draw." Adrian glanced at his hand.
Two Cloudians, Left Arm of the Forbidden One, Left Leg of the Forbidden One, Card Destruction...
"Defense Position Summon: Air Circulator."
A mechanical monster resembling a wind deity appeared on the field.
Air Circulator. Level 3, WIND Attribute, Aqua-Type. DEF 600.
"When this card is Summoned, I can activate its effect." Adrian drew two cards. "I return two cards from my hand to the Deck and shuffle. Then I draw two cards."
He returned the two Cloudians to his Deck. The Deck auto-shuffled in the Duel Disk. Then the top two cards ejected automatically.
Right Arm of the Forbidden One. Right Leg of the Forbidden One!
He calmly placed the cards in his hand. Behind him, the spirits who saw this gasped.
How was this guy so terrifying?!
Who could beat someone who drew like that?!
Adrian looked at his hand, then at the top of his Deck.
If nothing went wrong, the next card should be... Exodia the Forbidden One!
As long as all five different Forbidden One pieces were assembled, that person would win.
With these cards, no enemy in the world, no matter what they were, would lose a duel against these five cards.
Using this method, this power, even the most evil existence couldn't resist. Then he could protect Duel Academy's students.
"Turn end."
"My turn. Draw!"
The instant Aster drew, he could feel it. A resentful, terrifying monster was watching him from the shadows.
If he couldn't change the course of destiny this turn, he would face defeat. And perhaps... death!