When he returned to the starting point for the third time, Ed was sure of it; this was indeed a maze.
He couldn't be certain if it was targeting him, but he was undoubtedly trapped. A labyrinth in the darkness, with twisting walls enclosing him as if in layers of shackles.
Trying to feel his way around in the maze, he found he had completely lost his direction. Ed was gradually losing his patience.
"Come On! Destiny Hero: Tenacious Man!"
A Destiny Hero monster responded to his summoning and appeared in the field. With a grand wave of his hand, the Destiny Hero punched the wall beside him. The brute force directly blasted through the wall, leaving a huge hole.
Ed stepped through the hole in the wall and walked out.
"I don't know who you are, or if you can hear me. But if you think a trap of this level can handle me, you're too naive."
Ed said faintly.
"This kind of trick won't work, you might as well show yourself."
But his words vanished into the darkness, like a stone sinking into the sea, without any response.
"Alright." Ed shrugged, "Then it seems I'll have to drag you out myself."
He said, waving his hand again. The Tenacious Man shouted, throwing another punch. The maze wall was pierced through once again.
It was indeed a simple and rough method. If you can't find a way out, create one. As long as he kept opening a path in the same direction, eventually, he would get out.
The thought was indeed not bad.
But when yet another wall was smashed through, and Ed stepped out, he was suddenly stunned.
The scene behind the wall was entirely unexpected for him.
It was a studio.
A man with glasses sat at the desk, working intently. A silver-haired young boy lay by the side of the table, full of expectation watching what the man was doing.
"Alright, see how this is."
The man with glasses smiled as he handed the drawing board to the boy beside him. The child reached out his tender little hands to accept it, his eyes seemingly lit up when he saw the heroic image on the board...
"Dad... Dad?"
Ed couldn't help but step forward two steps, tremblingly speaking.
That was indeed his father. Entering this room felt like walking into the memories of many years ago. His father's smile was so vivid, even the excitement he felt as a child receiving the hero designed by his father...
"No."
He suddenly snapped back to reality, forcing himself to pull away before getting lost in memories, shaking his head vigorously.
"This isn't real, it can't be real."
Ed spun around, only to see the wall he had just punched through had already returned to its original state, with no trace of the hole?
He quickly realized the maze was not that simple.
Either what he saw was an illusion, or none of this was ever real. Or the maze itself was an extraordinary creation, like the barrier in a Dark Game.
If this was a Dark Duel, typically, the way to break the barrier is to duel and defeat the one who activated it.
And if it was another type of Dark Game, the forms would vary widely.
For example, in DM, the way Ousama and Shadi from Egypt played the maze game, breaking through Ousama's mind maze required finding the only real room.
Of course, Shadi never found the real room in the end. Because even Ousama himself didn't know the answer at that time...
"Hanuo Knight, is it? I don't know what trick this is, but you've messed with the wrong person."
Ed said coldly.
"You think a maze can trap me?"
"You expect this to make me panic?"
"You know nothing, you have no idea what I've been through!"
Bang!
The Tenacious Man thrust his fist once more, punching through yet another wall.
"I will find the exit, I will drag you out," Ed said loudly, "And you'd better pray this has nothing to do with the Ultimate D card, or else..."
Walking into the next room, his words were abruptly cut off, followed by his pupils contracting.
This place turned into a cemetery.
In the pouring rain, young Ed stood alone before his father's tombstone, his gaze lost and bewildered.
A black umbrella appeared over his head.
Ed turned back in surprise, seeing the man who had arrived by his side unnoticed.
That man was Takuma Saiou.
"No storm lasts forever," Saiou said softly, "Even the mightiest storm has a moment when it comes to an end."
Ed looked back at him in shock.
"Just wait," Saiou warmly told him, "The storm will always pass."
Ed lowered his head.
"But... how long do I have to wait?"
"I don't know. But until then, I'll hold the umbrella for you."
That was his first meeting with Saiou.
"What are you trying to say?"
Ed shouted loudly.
"You mean to say you know everything about me and Saiou!?"
Despite saying that, internally, he was quite shocked.
If this wasn't some sort of mind suggestion from the Spiritual Series, if these weren't just things his brain showed him, and it was indeed some barrier created using extraordinary power...
Then why would the other party know things in such detail?
This scene was from many years ago, he was very certain there were only Saiou and himself in that cemetery. How could anyone else know about this scene, this event?
And what was the purpose of the opponent showing him these?
To show off the omniscience of the Hanuo Knights?
No, it's just a trick. Or maybe it's merely an illusion my brain is showing me.
"Ha!"
The Tenacious Man shouted and punched through another wall. Ed trudged forward, but his steps were beginning to falter.
Bumping out of that cemetery, he entered a new scene. The transition from darkness to a brightly lit interior momentarily blinded him.
Ed steadied himself with effort, squinting his eyes, seeing faintly into the past again. His childhood self, sitting at a table. A much younger Saiou sat across the table, flipping a Tarot card.
"The upright Demon card," Saiou said, "Represents evil, injustice, temptation, bondage. This is the destiny I am going to meet, the destruction that awaits me."
"Regrettably, though I can foresee this future, I know nothing about what will actually happen."
Young Ed listened in a daze, grasping the meaning partially.
Then he clenched his fist.
"Then if... if there comes a day Saiou you face a great storm, this time, it will be my turn to hold the umbrella."
"To hold a big, big umbrella!"
Saiou smiled gently.
"Then I'll be counting on you, Ed."
"..."
Ed shook his head vigorously, trying to shake these thoughts off.
"Why are you showing me these things?"
"Come out!"
"Afraid to face me?!"
A voice echoed from the darkness.
"It's nothing."
The leader of the Hanuo Knights, Revolver, emerged slowly from the shadows.
"Just reminding you, Takuma Saiou, that friend you promised to lend a hand, needs help right now."