Yugioh 5DS: And the Abyss stared back (Repost)

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Days blurred together as routine settled into my life. For once, things felt... steady. It was a strange feeling, but not unwelcome. The kids were adjusting well to their new lives, their laughter filling the house in a way that made everything feel a little lighter.

I made sure they had what they needed—decks, a daily allowance, even small treats from the supermarket where I worked. Seeing them argue over card strategies or excitedly test out their new combos made it all worth it. They were finally getting the childhood they deserved.

Meanwhile, the city was buzzing with excitement. The Fortune Cup was just around the corner, and you could feel it everywhere. Posters of Jack Atlas were plastered on every wall, every screen, his name on the lips of every duelist and tourist crowding the streets. People from all over the world had flooded New Domino, eager to witness the event firsthand.

But me? I couldn't care less.

Sure, the Fortune Cup was going to be a major turning point in everything. The plot was shifting, big things were about to happen—but I had no interest in any of it. My priorities were different.

I had the kids to take care of. And I had people to hunt.

Shroud's appetite wasn't going to feed itself.

"When are we eating?!" Grapha's voice exploded in my head like a thunderclap, his impatience rattling through my skull for what had to be the tenth time today.

I sighed, finishing up the last touches on my meal. "Soon. Very soon. Someone's making a move—someone who wants to conquer the Spirit World. Someone with enough darkness to keep you fed for at least a week."

That finally shut him up.

"A week?" he scoffed after a pause. "And you call that eating well?"

I rolled my eyes, grabbing my plate and sitting down. "It's what I can offer for now. Be patient. There are bigger targets coming. Soon."

A low growl rumbled in the back of my mind. "You better not be lying, sack of meat."

I smirked. "When have I ever lied to you?"

Grapha didn't answer, but the silence was telling.

For now, I could eat in peace.

I wasn't going to be in the Fortune Cup, but there was something else I wanted to test—a theory that had been gnawing at the back of my mind.

The Spirit World.

Nightshroud had given me power beyond what I could fully comprehend, abilities I had yet to push to their limits. Moving through this world was effortless, a simple flex of will. And yet, I had never actually done it. Not because I couldn't.

Because I was afraid.

But now… now I had something new.

I reached for the box beside me, my fingers brushing against the cool surface before I flipped it open. Instantly, three cards materialized before me, their presence shifting the air in the room. The shadows deepened, thickening as if the very space around me recoiled from their existence. A wave of malice radiated from them, pressing against my skin like unseen hands.

I could feel it—pure, unfiltered power.

A slow smirk tugged at my lips. This is going to be a good way to decompress.

–

[Days after]

I drifted through a world of swirling, iridescent colors, surrounded by enormous floating bubbles, each one holding a different reality. Dimensions—countless, vast—each inhabited by duel spirits, their energies pulsing like faint echoes across the void.

As I moved, I scanned the endless expanse, watching as fragments of worlds passed by in shifting hues. Then, something caught my eye—a pocket dimension glowing with an unusual light. There was something different about it. The faint outline of a massive forest stretched within, its canopy dense and alive with energy.

Curious, I surged forward, piercing through the surface of the bubble-like barrier. The moment I crossed the threshold, the shift was instant. My body felt heavier, the air thick with an unfamiliar presence. A hundred different spirits stirred at once, their collective energy washing over me like a crashing wave.

Then, silence.

I hit the ground lightly, landing in the heart of the forest, surrounded by unseen figures hidden in the foliage. The air was thick with tension. They were afraid.

I didn't need to look at my cards to know why.

The darkness clinging to them was suffocating, radiating an aura of dread that sent the spirits recoiling into the trees, their energy trembling with unease.

"Relax, guys," I thought, feeling their hesitance ripple through the air. "They're just fairies."

"Weak little insects," Grapha's voice rumbled in my mind, his tone dripping with contempt.

A chorus of laughter followed, deep, guttural, and filled with malice as the other Dark World monsters stirred in response, their voices echoing like distant thunder.

The spirits of this place weren't just afraid. They were prey.

And they knew it.

I let out a slow sigh as I started walking deeper into the forest. The dense canopy above filtered the light into scattered emerald streaks, casting shifting shadows across the moss-covered ground. There was something here—something powerful. And more importantly, someone I needed to find. Someone I needed to help.

"There's something… tasty here," Grapha's voice slithered through my mind, thick with intrigue.

I smirked. "Yeah. The man I told you about—he's here."

We continued forward, the oppressive aura growing stronger with each step. The deeper we went, the more the air felt charged, buzzing with raw energy. Then, I saw it—a duel taking place in a clearing just ahead.

A girl, barely more than a child, with long green hair stood on one side of the field. Opposite her was a man clad in a strange uniform, his entire stance radiating unchecked madness. Even from a distance, I could hear him, his words spilling out in a manic frenzy.

"—and with that, I will rule this world! Hahaha!" His laughter cracked through the air like broken glass, wild and unhinged.

I narrowed my eyes, already irritated by his theatrics. Without hesitation, I leaped from my vantage point, cutting through the air like a shadowed meteor. The wind howled past me, and then—impact.

I landed between them with a force that sent a ripple through the clearing, just outside their duel field. Dust kicked up around me, the shockwave rustling the trees.

The crazed man's laughter cut off abruptly. The girl's wide eyes flickered with shock.

I straightened, letting the moment sink in before I spoke.

"Mind if I cut in?"

The man turned to me with a deep frown, but I caught it—the flicker of fear in his eyes, barely masked beneath his arrogance.

"Who are you?" he demanded, his voice trying to sound firm, but there was an edge of unease to it. "This is a duel! Leave now, or face the consequences!"

"Consequences?" I echoed, tilting my head slightly, amusement creeping into my voice. "All I see is you bullying a girl."

I raised my hand toward him, fingers poised, then snapped them together with a sharp clack.

[Darkness: 2000 LP]

A ripple of energy pulsed through the air as reality shifted. Luna's eyes widened as she looked around, her breath hitching. I had pulled her back into the real world, but I could tell—she could still see both. The Spirit World and this one overlapped in her vision, flickering like a fractured mirror, refusing to separate.

"WHAT?!" the man roared, his voice cracking with disbelief. "How is this possible?!"

I ignored him, turning my attention to Luna. She was still trying to process everything, her gaze darting between the duel field and the strange energy crackling around us.

"Little girl," I said, my voice calm but firm, locking eyes with her. "I only need one turn."

Luna swallowed hard, her fear evident, but after a moment of hesitation, she nodded meekly.

That was all I needed.

A pulse of darkness surged between us, thick and heavy like a shroud descending over the field. Luna gasped, her body stiffening as shadows coiled around her, creeping up her arm and across her face.

And then it happened.

A dark mask formed, covering half of her face, its surface sleek and obsidian, glowing faintly with eerie red lines. It wasn't just any mask—it was Nightshroud's. A symbol of our link, a merging of our power.

Luna's breath hitched. "W-what is this?" she whispered, her voice trembling as she reached up, fingers brushing against the mask.

I let out a slow exhale, feeling our connection settle into place. "For the rest of this duel, your deck is mine," I said, my voice steady. "But don't worry—we're doing this together. A collaboration, if you will."

Her body relaxed slightly as my confidence seeped into her through our link.

"Let's put an end to this," I murmured, my smirk hidden beneath the shadows.

The Professor had no idea what was coming.

"Just because you're wearing a mask now doesn't mean you can look at me like that, brat. And you, shadow man—after I crush her, you're next!"

The Professor's voice was filled with arrogance, but I barely paid him any attention. The forest around us was eroding, the once vibrant dimension now cracking under the weight of his presence. Darkness oozed from him, spreading like a sickness, warping the very space we stood in.

"Arrogant worm," I muttered, watching as our turn began. Luna's fingers tightened around the top card of her deck as she drew.

"What… what is this?" her voice echoed in my head, laced with uncertainty. Her wide eyes locked onto one of the new cards in her hand—one of my cards.

I smirked behind the mask. "This? This is our ticket to a quick victory."

I guided her gaze to another card in her hand, one she was familiar with. "Play this first," I instructed.

Luna hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "I activate Upstart Goblin!" she called out, placing the card on her duel disk.

[The Professor: 5000 LP]

I grinned as I saw what she had drawn next. Perfect.

"Let me take the lead," I said, feeling her hesitation through our link. I sensed her reluctance, her uncertainty pressing against me like a wave of static.

"Trust me," I added, my voice steady. "Look and learn, Luna. One day, you'll need to be strong on your own."

Taking control, I moved her hand, guiding her next play.

"I summon Chaos Summoning Beast in Attack Mode!" Luna declared, placing the card onto her duel disk.

A surge of dark energy crackled across the field as the beast emerged.

[Chaos Summoning Beast : 0/0]

Luna's hand hesitated over the card I guided her to. The moment her fingers brushed against it, a low rumble echoed in the distance, followed by arcs of lightning crackling from the card itself.

She flinched.

I felt the hesitation ripple through her, the instinct to pull away. Before she could, I stopped her hand mentally, my presence pressing against her thoughts.

"Do not fear," I reassured her with a smirk. "He won't harm you."

Luna swallowed hard but nodded, steeling herself.

"I sacrifice Chaos Summoning Beast to summon, without its usual conditions—Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder!" she declared.

The moment the words left her lips, Chaos Summoning Beast dissolved into a burst of dark energy. The sky above roared in response. Thunder crashed like a war drum, splitting through the corrupted forest as arcs of golden lightning spiraled outward, tearing through everything in sight.

The very air trembled.

The ground cracked.

The corrupted forest—the twisted, decaying world this duel had warped—was obliterated in an instant. Stone crumbled, shadows scattered, and from the destruction emerged Hamon.

The towering beast loomed before us, its nightmarish form glowing with raw, electrified fury. Its jagged yellow armor pulsed with crackling energy, its eyes glowing like twin suns of judgment.

[Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder : 4000/4000]

Luna stiffened beside me.

I could feel it—the fear gripping her at the sight of the beast, the sheer overwhelming presence it carried.

I placed a reassuring thought in her mind, steadying her. "He is yours to command."

I turned back to Hamon, my voice sharp and absolute. "Destroy the link. Take them back to the real world."

The beast let out a deafening roar, its massive claws slashing through the air. Something invisible shattered, and in an instant, the world around us distorted.

Luna vanished, her consciousness snapping back into reality.

I, however, remained in the Spirit World.

Alone.

Watching as the pieces of what was once this battlefield dissolved into nothingness.

But I wasn't powerless. Even from here, I could still help her.

Luna stood frozen for a moment, eyes darting around as chaos erupted in the stadium. The once-stable dueling arena had been reduced to a molten wasteland, magma bubbling beneath what little ground remained. The sky above crackled with furious energy, Hamon's presence twisting the battlefield into something out of a nightmare.

The crowd roared—not in excitement, but in pure terror.

"Now, Hamon!" Luna called out, and in that moment, I took control for just a split second, my voice layering over hers. "Attack his monster—make him unconscious."

Hamon let out a guttural roar, the sky darkening even further. Lightning surged through the air, the energy building to a violent crescendo.

"W-wait!" The Professor scrambled back, panic seeping into his voice. But there was nowhere to run. The once-pristine stadium had crumbled, leaving only isolated platforms of solid ground amidst the sea of magma. He was cornered.

The thunder struck like judgment itself.

Hamon's attack tore through his monster first, obliterating it in an instant. But the energy didn't stop there—it surged forward, traveling through the shattered remains and crashing into him.

He screamed, his body wracked with pain as the raw power sent him reeling.

[The Professor: 5000 LP → 3800 LP]

And then, the final blow.

"Hamon's effect activates," Luna continued, steadier now. "You take an additional 1000 damage."

A second bolt of lightning split the sky. The force sent him collapsing to the ground, his body twitching as the last of his strength drained from him.

[The Professor: 3800 LP → 2800 LP]

He wasn't getting up.

Not for a while.

"The Professor is unconscious—Luna wins!" the MC announced, his voice shaky, barely masking his nerves.

The entire stadium fell into stunned silence. The roaring crowd that had filled the air moments ago was now frozen, watching in disbelief. Hamon faded from the field in a flicker of crackling energy, and with it, my mask disappeared from Luna's face.

And just like that, my connection to the outside world was severed.

I found myself standing in the Spirit World once more, gazing at what had once been a lush, vibrant forest. Now, it was nothing more than a wasteland—reduced to ashes and ruin, just like the battlefield before.

I let out a slow sigh.

I wanted to help her, but maybe… I overdid it. The kid needed guidance, that much was clear. Maybe I could tutor her and her overly self-righteous brother.

Well, let's see this dragon, I mused, a small smirk forming as I turned toward the power I'd sensed earlier.

As I walked, the air grew heavier, hotter. Soon, I arrived at an arid, broken landscape—cracked earth stretching as far as the eye could see, scorched trees standing like skeletal remains. The sight was all too familiar.

Hamon had done something similar to the forest.

Before I could take another step, a voice—furious and commanding—thundered inside my mind.

"How dare you interfere with young Luna?"

I smirked. There it was.

"Well, first things first—hello," I responded, my voice laced with deliberate amusement. Nothing irritated ancient, self-important beings more than casual disrespect.

The presence flared in agitation, but I continued before it could speak again.

"I don't think someone who expected a child—barely more than a toddler—to protect an entire world from those pesky Immortals is in any position to tell me what to do."

The voice softened, shifting to something calm but firm. "It is Luna's destiny."

I rolled my eyes. "And maybe she doesn't want it? Did it ever cross your mind that she's just a scared little girl?"

"All Signers must face tribulations. Luna is no different."

I stopped walking, exhaling sharply before turning my gaze toward where I knew the presence was watching from.

"Listen, you two-bit dragon, this is a child. This will be her choice—whether she saves you or not."

The air around me crackled with tension, but I wasn't done.

"I won't influence her decision… but I will make sure she knows exactly what it entails."

Without waiting for a response, I turned my back on the unseen dragon and kept walking.

If it wanted a savior, it would have to earn it.

I reached deep into my power, pulling at the shadows, and let the energy wrap around me. The Spirit World flickered, its colors bleeding into a void of nothingness before I felt the familiar pull—dragging me back to reality, back to Earth.

Changes were coming. I could feel it.

"I didn't eat anything!" Grapha's voice roared in my head, sharp and irritated.

I smirked, stepping forward as the weight of the real world settled back onto my shoulders. "Yeah, well, I wasn't about to kill someone in front of a kid."

"Weak sack of meat."

I chuckled. "Overgrown snake."

Grapha growled, but I could tell he was amused beneath all his usual threats and insults.

The rest of the way home was filled with our usual banter, his grumbling and my sarcastic jabs bouncing off one another like an old routine.

And honestly? It was pretty entertaining.

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Well, I lost my account and so I'm going to upload in this new one, sorry for the wait everyone !