Hikaru watched the duel while taking out a notebook to organize the current situation.
He'd already sorted out the development strategy for his own "Great Cosmos Workshop." Actually it was completely designed by Tierra, so Hikaru only needed to nod, which wasn't difficult.
The Branded Dimension was in a category where Hikaru couldn't set his heart at ease, going to check every two or three days. So no plan needed to be designed. Improvising each day was fine.
So what Hikaru was actually planning was "the next strategy for the Synchro Dimension."
Just as Team Skyrocket and Team Prototype could seek out Team 5D's for duels before the WRGP main tournament, Team 5D's actually had some special duels they wanted to directly participate in as well.
The reasoning was simple.
If they could connect with each other's ideas as early as possible, ideally establishing connections with all thirty teams, then Yusei's ideal would be complete!
But...
This took time.
Thirty teams. Excluding teams that proactively sought them out or already supported them, the remaining teams almost had to think of a way to challenge a brand-new team every day. Only this way could they complete "connections" with all teams within the short off-season.
This wasn't simple. Even for the iron-tough members of Team 5D's, this wasn't simple.
Because nearly every duel was a high-intensity, high-strain fatigue duel with a "god's spokesperson." Among these many duels, the slightest mistake or slight injury could mean unable to participate in duels for several days afterward.
So the meaning of "substitutes" also emerged.
Hikaru wrote and scribbled.
Although Hikaru was also a member of Team 5D's, he actually existed more as a "strategist" and "reference." Yusei treated him more as a purely supportive friend. As long as he was present, whether he competed or not wasn't important.
Perhaps in Yusei's heart, he cared more about Hikaru the person and Hikaru's "Fusion."
This let him fill in gaps, like looking in a mirror, seeking his own problems from a scientific angle and perfecting his own "Synchro."
Precisely because of this, Hikaru could actually spend more time helping them plan.
Thirty days. Starting from the goal of "truly communicating with all other teams," several teams were in the category of "no time needed at all."
That was the "Base tier" teams, the Pendulum Dimension team, the Xyz Dimension team, the Fusion Dimension team, and the "Moonwind Bird" team. Although these teams also had many excellent duelists, including Reiji Akaba, Rex Raptor and the others, and Kite Tenjo, these teams were mainly here for the excitement and wouldn't contend for the result of the "One God" war.
Especially in the Pendulum team's case where even "Sophia" was no longer participating, they were purely there for the excitement, completely usable as simple exchange duels without needing to go all-out.
Of course, if this match got played to the point where Yugo and Yuto suddenly went mad, saying something like "yi-ma-ku-so, together we eat mud" and starting to perform combination, that would be another matter.
But regardless, currently these teams were in the highest-safety category.
Next were teams like Team Skyrocket and Team Prototype who'd already had brief contact with Team 5D's, or were curious about Team 5D's ideals and proactively began contacting Team 5D's.
Although these teams weren't "friendly forces," they were actually the partner teams Yusei most hoped to win over. Precisely because of this, for these teams' duels, Hikaru as an "other-dimension person" wasn't very suitable to directly participate.
Not just these two teams.
Team Ragnarok, Team New World, were actually also this type of team. Both teams actually had doubts and agreements toward Team 5D's. What they needed was Team 5D's answers and performance. If they could gain their acknowledgment, they'd probably instantly become powerful support.
Actually, in the original work, Team Ragnarok ultimately provided Team 5D's the opportunity to fly to the "Ark Cradle." Antinomy, as "Bruno," taught Yusei to learn Accel Synchro. It could be said they were all beneficial friends and good teachers of the protagonist team.
In sum, these two teams were also types Hikaru didn't need to participate in, and could just watch their duels as a witness.
Hikaru simply categorized things, then determined some ranges. After separating out these teams, he focused on the teams he'd marked with red circles.
The real "core problem" was...
Team Despair and Team City Hall.
Hikaru tapped the notebook with his pen, thinking.
In Team Despair, there was not only Hart Tenjo, but also Quattro. Combined with what Shay and Yuma had said earlier, this team probably also had E-Ra and the Throne.
This was a team that must be resolved. If left unattended, no one knew what storm this team might stir up in the Synchro Dimension.
And in Team City Hall, although there was Shay as a "spy," the matter of Misawa and Zane still couldn't be left alone.
Regardless, his first goal coming to this dimension was to find Misawa and Zane. Now they were very likely all on Team City Hall, and possibly even amnesiac.
At first glance it seemed like nothing, just amnesiac duelists becoming local duelists or something.
But actually it wasn't like that.
Whether Zane or Misawa, spirits were beside them. Yet they, forget about awakening their memories, didn't even know who they were. In the worst-worst case, Tania should also have told Misawa that he could find Fusion Dimension people, but actually she hadn't!
Then considering that Yusei had earlier controlled most of the planet's surveillance points and analyzed data yet hadn't searched out Misawa and Zane, the answer was coming forth.
A special existence didn't want them to recover their memories!
Hikaru pinched his brow, thinking of that day, the scene of "Polaris" dueling.
That figure, that color, was absolutely Crimson Dragon, no mistake.
If Polaris was truly Zane, then it meant Zane had actually been chosen as one of this world's "Negative Crimson Dragon" agents!
This was equally a difficulty!
Two headache-inducing problems appeared before Team 5D's simultaneously. At first glance they seemed unrelated, but that wasn't actually the case.
Because behind all of this was one "culprit."
Whether Misawa and Zane's amnesia, Yuma Tsukumo's accidental loss of contact, or the Throne and Hart Tenjo, behind them was all the same person, the same god's shadow.
The Goddess of Despair, E-Ra!
This vicious, mad damned goddess...
Hikaru's face was cold as he pondered.
Hikaru had always upheld the thinking of "each family handles their own affairs." So no matter whose matter it was, he wouldn't proactively intervene. In the Synchro Dimension's matters, he only supported Yusei and the others, never proactively.
On one hand, he didn't want to influence others' plans and thinking. On the other hand, he felt no need to participate in matters that didn't need him.
Since people of this world could resolve things, why waste his own time doing these things? Better to spend the time on happy alchemy and joyful adventures, wouldn't that be beautiful?
Normally, someone like "E-Ra" should be resolved by Yuma and Kite themselves.
But...
That was under normal circumstances.
Hikaru could absolutely no longer tolerate E-Ra continuing like this.
Hikaru wasn't facing E-Ra for the first time.
Actually, as early as a year ago, or even earlier, back when he'd first encountered Numbered monsters, there was absolutely the shadow of the Goddess of Despair behind them.
Later, when Hikaru dueled Leo Akaba, E-Ra had also contributed considerable effort, providing spider-type Xyz Monsters to let Leo Akaba Summon high-tier Numbered monsters.
Even when Leo Akaba died, this goddess still didn't behave. Not only did she covet "Super Polymerization's" power, she'd also clearly harbored ill intent toward him.
If she'd left afterward and messed around in the Xyz Dimension by herself, that would have been fine. Hikaru had his own matters to attend to, no time to deal with her. But...
Darkness clearly borrowed E-Ra's power!
If Darkness had actually summoned Number 86 back then, every human in the entire Fusion Dimension would have died!
Even counting only what she did in the Fusion Dimension, E-Ra was already unforgivable! What's more, this madwoman had now expanded her business to all dimensions!
Simply the King of Stirring Trouble!
Even without the brand-new friendship built with Kite Tenjo and Yuma Tsukumo, without Shay's fury, Hikaru had no way to further tolerate this bastard causing chaos.
Hikaru finished writing his next plan and slowly narrowed his eyes.
Back when Darkness had used various schemes, traps, mind control, and memory tampering to torment Duel Academy's teachers and students, Hikaru had no way, no target, to proactively attack.
But this time was different.
According to the current information summary, that mad goddess was very likely in the Synchro Dimension!
Clearly, she coveted the throne of "Synchro One God"!
She must be present, must be in Team Despair!
Solve this guy once and for all!
Hikaru's eyes glinted with fierce light. Tierra, on the other hand, looked interested.
Setting other things aside, having adventured with Hikaru until now, she'd already met many "concept-tier" deities. First Light of Destruction, then Darkness. Now they were about to make trouble for this goddess called E-Ra. It excited her a bit.
Her current mental state was even better than before. Previously she'd only been thinking she could "borrow the Hikaru's momentum" to line up against Light of Destruction. Now was different.
She was strong!
She was quite happy to see this kind of thing.
What's more, she was also very happy to see a goddess just as skilled as her at stirring things up meet her Waterloo.
Very satisfying.
By this time, the duel had gradually reached fever pitch.
The decks used by Andal and BB were both "Gladiator Beast." The cards both possessed were all "complete." So what was being contested was foundation, technique, and luck.
Although in normal duels, luck was an extremely important element, in this world, "heart" and "power" were the most important things.
"Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor's effect, once per turn, can Special Summon 1 Gladiator Beast Fusion Monster from the Extra Deck other than Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor, ignoring Summoning conditions!"
On Andal's turn, he called out one of the strongest monsters he could currently pilot, "Gladiator Beast Heraklinos." But at this moment, BB activated a Set card, Gladiator Beast Charge, preparing to destroy Heraklinos.
"He's won." Tierra saw and couldn't help nodding.
Playing to this point, it was a contest of individual will and strategy.
Andal, in a situation where the opponent had a Set card, hadn't Summoned the higher-tier Gladiator Beast Domitianus. Instead he'd chosen to Special Summon Heraklinos. This was Andal's chance to win.
Because as long as Heraklinos was face-up on the field, discarding 1 hand card could negate and destroy a Spell or Trap Card activation.
Something of a mini Solemn.
"Ba, battle!" Andal commanded the highest-tier legion commander card, pointing at BB.
BB roared twice. Out of options, he was defeated by battle, then curled up, holding his head, tears appearing at the corners of his eyes.
The next moment, Tamer Editor also began attacking.
"Ugh!" BB curled up, instinctively trembling.
Andal saw this scene. His not-particularly-clever bear head instantly recalled many things.
Recalled memories of being captured, memories of being imprisoned with his kin, the fear in the laboratory.
Tamer Editor's attack halted before BB. BB didn't feel the final attack, slowly opened his eyes, and finally saw the paused steel spear.
"I... I'm the same..." Andal wasn't good with words.
But this single sentence, like the sharpest blade, instantly pierced BB's heart chamber. In his pain, his body involuntarily softened. Wordlessly weeping, he finally couldn't help crying out to the sky.
Several staff, seeing this, hurriedly ran over. They comforted him together, then called their colleagues to start operations.
Andal scratched his head, transformed the Duel Disk back into his badge, carefully hung it, then stood in place.
Seeing this, Hikaru and Tierra also manifested, appearing beside him.
"Ma, master!"
"Well done."
Hikaru said softly.
Andal excitedly clapped his bear paws, then pumped himself up.
Now, he felt he had nothing to fear!
Watching his happy appearance, Tierra was very satisfied.
That's more like it!
She was preparing to expand the Great Cosmos Workshop's space later. Andal at the least had to be lord of a planet. If he was still like his old bear self, how would that work!?
Now Andal's performance was worth anticipating.
Hikaru looked at the scene inside the glass room, at BB's collapsing and cathartic weeping, and couldn't help silently clenching his fist.
The notebook instantly became wrinkled from being clenched.
Leo Akaba, the Goddess of Despair E-Ra...
Although Leo Akaba had been dealt with, the Goddess of Despair E-Ra was equally an accomplice to this current scene.
Without thoroughly resolving this other culprit, in the world, in the cosmos, in multiple dimensions, countless more "BBs" would experience such things!
For instance, the pain Kite and Shay endured!
The Goddess of Despair absolutely couldn't be allowed to live in this world any longer!
Hikaru took a deep breath.
Time to give the Goddess of Despair the "despair" she wanted!