Z-ONE directly named Paradox, but Kira wasn't surprised.
He'd guessed from the start that everything he did might be under Z-ONE's surveillance.
Within the world of 5D's, Z-ONE was the mastermind behind the entire plot. Rudger was consumed by the evil god's power; Yusei and the others grew up in Satellite; the Signers defeated the Dark Signers and then formed Team 5D's...
The entire storyline flowed within Z-ONE's grasp.
Just as Z-ONE himself claimed in the final battle against Yusei: he was the god of this timeline. Everything and everyone's fate danced to his will. Nothing in this dimension escaped his notice.
Kira's bold theft of Paradox's Duel Runner—using the enemy's own device to barge into this dimension—had a high chance of being detected.
But Kira had considered this and didn't care. If the enemy came to him, a direct conversation was probably even better.
He understood Z-ONE's ultimate objective, and it was unlikely their interests conflicted directly. In fact, talking face to face could help him grasp the situation and maybe even cooperate.
It was just a pity the other side never reached out. Of Z-ONE's subordinates, even Primo, one of the Three Pure Nobles, hadn't been interested in real conversation—just yelled about anomalies and started fighting.
From what Kira could tell, the Three Pure Nobles didn't even have the access to communicate with Z-ONE yet. Their memories were fragmented; all they'd been implanted with were their missions.
In the anime, the three never recognized Antinomy, who was supposed to be on their side. Most of Z-ONE's commands reached them as oracles rather than direct orders, showing just how limited their authority was.
So being able to meet the mastermind himself at this moment was fortunate.
"Paradox—is he your companion too?"
Standing before Z-ONE, Kira dropped all pretense. A ripple of magic washed over him as he resumed his true appearance.
"I'm from another dimension. Your companion may have lost his way and wandered into my world. We had a bit of a conflict, but he's fine—currently in my world.
I came here to prevent the destruction of two worlds."
Z-ONE peered long and hard at him, then spoke slowly.
"Yes, I know."
Of course. Z-ONE knew.
Again, Kira wasn't surprised. Z-ONE's technology transcended space-time; he was aware of everything in this dimension.
After a moment, Z-ONE exhaled softly.
"So—your dimension has already produced a King?"
"A King…?" Kira hesitated.
He sensed Z-ONE was talking about him—but he'd never revealed his identity. So how could Z-ONE know? Did he know that Kira was a Duel King from another world?
"A Duel King is more than just a title," Z-ONE stated calmly.
"A true King is one who has surpassed the limits of ordinary mortals, reached the highest realm through countless victories—the ultimate level for a duelist."
"I've seen countless timelines, witnessed endless possibilities. Many powerful duelists never pursued fame, yet reached the very peak of strength through battle and hardship. Though they may be unknown in their own era, in my eyes, they are true Kings."
"On the other hand, some duelists, acclaimed by the public as King after winning big tournaments, may never truly possess a King's heart or step into the domain of the true King."
He paused, then offered an example.
"Jack Atlas, undefeated before the Fortune Cup and revered as the Duel King by thousands, is nothing but an empty title. Even now, he's still far from being a real Duel King."
Kira understood.
The Duel King Z-ONE spoke of was not the title as bestowed by the public, but a realm attained through skill and growth. Even without public recognition, strength alone would qualify someone as King in Z-ONE's eyes.
By comparison, Jack—showered with glory for years—was not a true King. Titles meant nothing if the strength wasn't there.
Now that he thought about it, when Paradox appeared in the movie Bonds Beyond Time, he referred to the three protagonists as the Duel Kings of each era.
Of those three, Yugi Mutou was undoubtedly a true Duel King. Yusei Fudo earned his title after beating Jack in the Fortune Cup. Only Jaden Yuki had never actually won such a title in GX—after the anime, he set off as a wanderer, uninterested in tournaments and fame. Strictly speaking, Jaden never held the Duel King title.
But Paradox still counted Jaden among the Duel Kings—probably because, in Z-ONE's sense, what mattered was one's mastery, not the title. By then, Jaden was already at the very peak.
Z-ONE, by calling Kira "King," was referring to this realm, not some accolade from his own world.
Kira's mind spun.
He and Z-ONE had never fought, yet somehow Z-ONE had judged his true strength.
For most duelists, the only way to know another's strength was to duel directly. Sometimes, great powers could sense each other's "aura," but that only gave a rough idea—never a true measurement.
Did Z-ONE's super-advanced technology let him measure fate or power levels directly, like a "scouter" from Dragon Ball?
Z-ONE sighed quietly. "If this dimension had produced a true Duel King, its future might also change for the better…"
From his tone, Kira realized Z-ONE believed that not even one true King currently existed in this world.
"What about Yusei Fudo?" Kira asked.
"Yusei Fudo? According to the records, given his talent, it's only a matter of time before he becomes King. But, unfortunately, he isn't one yet. By the time he matures, it might already be too late for this world."
Z-ONE's voice was calm. "Still, even so, Yusei Fudo is the man closest to being the King at present."
Kira frowned slightly.
By Z-ONE's standard, even Yusei hadn't reached the true King's realm yet?
…