"Intruders. State your intent," the Black Luster Soldier demanded, his voice stern as he gazed down upon them.
"Ah, well… Hello, Mr. Black Luster Soldier!" Jaden Yuki, ever the quick thinker, immediately stepped forward, waving energetically.
He'd been threatened with mummification before—he knew how this stuff worked.
"...Dimensional Duel… I see," the soldier nodded.
He was surprisingly reasonable for a guy wielding a broadsword.
Holstering his weapon, he formally introduced himself:
"I am the emissary of conquest, sworn to protect this world from intrusion. I also serve as one of the wardens of the Netherworld Gate.
In this land of warriors, countless fighters strive to become the strongest. They come to train, to grow, to ascend."
He pointed toward the distance, where countless warrior-type monsters were clashing in battle—through duels, of course.
"Oooh! I'm fired up now!" Jaden yelled, pumped full of excitement.
"I will arrange opponents for you," the Black Luster Soldier continued.
"Most warriors have no desire to leave this world—but if any do, it is their choice.
Advancement here is governed by ancient combat rites. You need not worry about interference."
Hikaru nodded.
If it's just a duel, then there's no problem.
"However—" the soldier added, turning back to face them, "If you lose…
You will remain here to train. Until your dimensional expedition ceases—or until you defeat me."
"That's not fair!" Jaden jumped in protest.
"You yourselves said your duels with broken dimensions provide energy," the soldier replied coldly.
"But our world requires no such thing."
"I stand here guarding the eternal slumber of my king. I protect the gate to the Netherworld.
I will allow no outsider to trespass."
"This is the greatest concession I can offer."
Jaden wanted to argue further, but Hikaru put a hand on his shoulder, shaking his head.
"Hikaru?"
"We are intruders, after all," Hikaru said.
"Besides… we just have to win."
If his hunch was right, this Black Luster Soldier was one of the guardians of the resting place of the nameless Pharaoh—the very one Seto Kaiba had spent his life seeking, the gate to the Netherworld.
This was no spirit to trifle with.
In fact, Hikaru would love to make a good impression.
He was the real deal—a top-tier Duel Spirit!
"Haha… yeah, that's true!" Jaden grinned.
"Alright then, Mr. Black Luster—bring on our opponents!"
The soldier gazed at the two for a moment… then slowly nodded.
"I shall call forth warriors befitting your strength."
Shortly afterward, a few warrior monsters arrived to clean up the battlefield and make the area more comfortable.
Then, under the watchful eyes of all gathered, two familiar-looking warriors approached the cell.
"Whoa! Avian! Look, Hikaru, it's really him—!" Jaden was practically bouncing, gripping the bars of the cell.
Red mask, white wings, green feathers all over his body—none other than Elemental HERO Avian.
Jaden's favorite card… right before his eyes. How could he not be excited?
Standing beside Avian was a mounted knight in dark armor, exuding dignity—bearing a striking resemblance to Black Luster Soldier.
Gaia the Fierce Knight.
Two Normal Monsters?
"Do not underestimate my warriors," Black Luster Soldier announced from afar, acting as referee.
"These are my elite."
Elite, huh?
Gaia made sense, but Avian?
A 1000-ATK vanilla monster?
Clearly, their simplicity didn't mean weakness. Better not let his guard down.
"This will be a tag duel.
Each team has 8000 Life Points and shares a single field.
The intruders will go first. The second player may attack," the Black Luster Soldier explained.
Standard tag rules.
Hikaru nodded.
"Then… let the Warrior's Rite… begin!"
"DUEL!" ×2
Jaden Yuki & Hikaru Amagi, LP: 8000
Avian & Gaia, LP: 8000
With the opening call, Jaden quickly drew his first card and leapt into action:
"I summon in Defense Position—Elemental HERO Clayman!"
Elemental HERO Clayman – Level 4, EARTH, Warrior-Type, DEF 2000, Normal Monster.
One of the classic Elemental "brick boys."
"Then I set one card and end my turn!"
Hikaru glanced at the card Jaden had set, blinking as his vision briefly swam.
Wait a minute, Jaden—you set THAT card?!
"Don't worry, Hikaru! A solid Defense Position monster plus a set Trap—this is the perfect first turn!" Jaden grinned.
"My turn. Draw." Avian drew his card.
Oddly enough, his expression darkened.
Stoic, cold—even a bit intimidating.
He glanced at his hand and activated a Spell:
"I activate the Spell Card: Dark Fusion."
"What?!"
Hikaru's eyes widened.
"Fusion?!"
"This is a Fusion card for Fiend-Type monsters.
I fuse Blazing Inpachi Girl from my hand with myself."
"Dark wings of chaos, rend all that stands before me!"
"Fusion Summon! Evil HERO Infernal Wing!!"
A voluptuous she-devil with pure white wings descended gracefully, glowing with infernal flames.
Evil HERO Infernal Wing – Level 6, FIRE, Fiend-Type, ATK 2100.
"Evil HERO?! You went from 'Elemental' to 'Evil'?!" Jaden was stunned.
"And she's a Fiend-Type…?
She has the same ATK as Flame Wingman… but as a dark-winged femme fatale. That's actually… kinda cool…"
"Battle. Infernal Wing attacks Clayman."
"I activate my Trap Card!" Jaden snapped back to focus, flipping his set card.
"Mirror Force!"
"Wait, Jaden—!" Hikaru tried to stop him—but it was too late.
"Mirror Force destroys all your opponent's Attack Position monsters when they declare an attack!"
"Hikaru, relax! This'll wipe her out!"
Hikaru slapped his forehead in dismay.
Avian just shook his head.
Gaia chuckled out loud.
From afar, Black Luster Soldier's voice echoed:
"Warriors from another world, know this: monsters summoned through Dark Fusion cannot be destroyed by effects that turn." (Note 1)
"WHAT!?"
BOOM.
Clayman was annihilated.
LP: 8000 → 7900
"And she has piercing?!"
"Not just that," Avian said proudly.
"When Infernal Wing destroys a monster in battle, she inflicts damage equal to the higher of that monster's ATK or DEF!"
"Huh? That's just a super-buffed Flame Wingman—!"
The demonic woman fluttered forward with a wicked smile and unleashed a wave of black fire.
"HOT HOT HOT—!!" Jaden, ever the loyal partner, leapt in front of Hikaru to shield him from the searing flame.
Because this was a real spirit duel—those attacks hurt.
LP: 7900 → 5900
"Turn end," said Avian, folding his arms coolly like a true pro.
"S-Sorry, Hikaru! My bad!" Jaden chuckled sheepishly through his burnt hair.
"Now you have to face the boss monster alone!"
Hikaru rolled his eyes.
Jaden, you absolute moron.
You really had to go and Mirror Force the ONE fusion immune to destruction…
This is what I get for double battles, huh?
He looked down at his hand.
Alright then.
Screw superstition. Let's win this with cold, hard tech.
Note 1: In the anime, monsters summoned via Dark Fusion cannot be destroyed by card effects that turn. In the TCG, they are unaffected by effects that target them. Either way, Mirror Force doesn't work—so this scene is consistent with the original portrayal.