Review Acknowledgements
Thank you to jdkeller2000, uyigho98, pokemonking0924, tmnt101107, dinocam3, Yukimura rikkaidai, L4S1N3ZZ-RUL3Z, LoneTaker, donkeyboy100, savagemaster1999, Xenvic, HunterHQ, King of Autumn Leaves, doa570047, Frost190, T.V. 2000, Ethan Kironus, kurenai lui, TheRealD3lph0xL0v3r, TANK3R911119, Iris Luster, shaswatpatnayakthewriter26, snowman1989, Valtryek-sama, makotoxvalerie, CrazedGammaMan1921, Kominato-sama, Danielj28, FlameFireZero X, Yukiipee, and LMArchfiend for reviewing Chapter 54.
First update of 2025, and the first update since June. Damn. A big part of that was burnout and loss of interest, but also just real life being exhausting. And honestly, there are times I find writing duels to be easier than dialogue. At least with duels I don't have to worry about how often I use certain words and phrases.
That rant aside, welcome back to Fifth Circuit, and I hope you enjoy Chapter 55. No duels this chapter, just revelations about the backstory. I hope I managed to convey it well. Enjoy.
Chapter 55: Truth in Flames
Akira frowned as he stepped into his and Hanako's penthouse. He had left the office earlier, only to be called back in to oversee handing a saboteur over to the police. Queen had sent him out immediately after, but Hayami had quietly told him what had happened.
Yuji and the Lancers had been broken out by the Collective, and SOL didn't know where they were.
While he had kept his business face on at SOL, now that he was in the privacy of his home, Akira breathed a sigh of relief and sat down at the dining room table, steepling his fingers and pushing his forehead into them.
He didn't know where Yuji was, and despite being worried, he didn't want to know; if SOL or Academia questioned Akira, he wouldn't be able to tell them anything. The obvious place was Dr. Kogami's home by the ocean, but Akira knew Yuji was too smart to go there immediately. Queen would undoubtedly be watching it for any sign of him, and Yuji wouldn't go until he was certain it was safe.
As for the Collective being the ones to break him out… Akira didn't know how he felt about that; the Collective were cyberterrorists, and Akira wanted to believe that Yuji wouldn't work with them… but if he had to, he would.
And after what Yuji had told Akira, the latter suspected the former very much had to.
"They have Hanako. Academia captured her in the Xyz Dimension. She's their prisoner."
Akira's fingers twitched as the anger surged in him. Ever since their parents' deaths, he and Hanako had been together. He had taken it upon himself to protect her, and even when it became clear that she didn't need his protection, he was still her big brother, so knowing that the people SOL had partnered with were holding her prisoner…
He took a steadying breath, forcing himself to calm down. Anger would not help him here. He needed to think about his options. Of how he could help Yuji.
The obvious choice was to resign as Dr. Kogami and his research team had, but Akira was averse to that; he had a responsibility to the people who worked for him, and the people of Den City, and he couldn't abandon them. And if he did resign, Queen would appoint a new security director, and that person would undoubtedly be her pawn.
No, in the long run, quitting would cause more harm than good, as satisfying as it might feel. But at the same time, Akira knew he couldn't support SOL's partnership with Academia. But he couldn't act openly like the Collective could. And if he kept working at SOL, then Queen's eyes would be on him the whole time.
…Yes, on him. But not on others.
Akira reached into his jacket pocket, pulled out his cell, then called a number. "It's me," he said. "I need your help."
It took a few hours for the speedboat to reach the city – and for Asuka to find their hidden port – by which point the sun had begun to set.
Hanako had spent those hours talking to Yugo and Yuzu about their experiences in the Standard, Synchro, and Xyz Dimensions. Hanako told them about Heartland, and they told her about the Maiami Championship Battle Royal and the Friendship Cup.
The Link duelist couldn't help her surprise that Yuji had participated in the Friendship Cup; he never cared about duel tournaments the way Go did, but Yuzu's statement that the Lancers had been there to recruit duelists explained it. If it was for the sake of the mission, Yuji would go along with it. And Go would duel because he enjoyed it.
The entire time they were talking, Ryoken kept quiet, thinking to himself. The only time he spoke up was after Yugo told Hanako about his and Yuji's duel with Yuri (which left Hanako feeling nervous for her teammate), and Yuzu awkwardly explained what her bracelet had done to Yugo and Yuji.
"We'll need to find a way to stop that," the other Link duelist insisted. "It's useful for getting rid of Yuri, but if Yuji or Yuya Sakaki show up, it could send them or Yugo into unexpected danger."
After that interjection, Ryoken returned to quiet contemplation, while Hanako worried about where Yuji had gone off to. Until Jun had told her about Daichi's messages to Dr. Zweinstein. They hadn't just been one-way; Daichi had told his former mentor about his encounter with Yuji, Leila, and a girl that Yuzu was certain was Serena, in Heartland.
Hanako was of two minds on that; on the one hand, Yuji was with allies, and she was glad to hear that, along with the fact that Leila was still alive and fighting. On the other hand, the fact he was traveling dimensions with a girl that wasn't her… irked her. Just a little.
Perhaps picking up on Hanako's (slight) irritation, Yuzu told her about the Friendship Cup's finale and how she ended up in the Fusion Dimension. At that point, Asuka took over and told Hanako about You Show Duel School and Yusho Sakaki.
She recognized that name; Leila, Sayaka, and Anna had mentioned a teacher of theirs named Yusho Sakaki. That led into Asuka's and Yuzu's explanation of who Yusho was in the Standard Dimension, how he had ended up in the Xyz Dimension, and then how he had arrived in the Fusion Dimension.
He traveled multiple worlds because he wanted to stop Leo Akakba, Hanako thought. He had to leave his wife and son behind, but he never intended to be gone as long as he was. She glanced at Ryoken. If Dr. Kogami did that, would Ryoken and Yuji forgive him?
That was as far as they got before they reached the city, then all conversation stopped until Asuka brought the boat in. And then led them to a hidden tunnel that eventually took them to You Show Duel School.
"It's getting late, but you should meet our teacher," Asuka said to Hanako and Rin. "You'll be staying with us, after-."
"Wait." Asuka blinked and looked at Ryoken. "I need to talk to Hanako," he said. "In private."
"Ryoken?" Hanako asked.
The Academia defector frowned. "It can't wait?"
"Maybe, but I'd like to do it now. When I know we'll have time."
"…Hanako?" Asuka asked. "Are you okay with that?"
"Of course." Hanako frowned at her fellow Link duelist. "Is this going to be a long talk, Ryoken?"
"It will," he confirmed. "Please tell Yusho I'm sorry."
"I'm sure he'll understand." Asuka led Yuzu, Yugo, Jun, and Rin away, the latter giving Hanako a quick hug before she followed her friend. Ryoken in turn led Hanako to his private lab.
"You said Academia never touched your Deck," he said, glancing at the card fabricator. "I made a Fusion Monster for myself, so I can make one for you too if you want."
"Thank you," Hanako replied. Whatever Academia had done, Fusion Summoning wasn't responsible; it was just a tool, and the chance to add it to her arsenal was too good to pass up. It would absolutely give her an edge on Yuri the next time they fought. "What is it we need to talk about?"
Ryoken grimaced before sinking into a chair. He gestured to another, which Hanako accepted. "We need to talk about SOL Technologies."
Hanako frowned. "They're working with Academia. But we can't do anything about that while we're here in the Fusion Dimension."
"Not right now, no. But I've been working on a transporter to get us back."
She blinked. "You… can get us back?"
"Maybe. I did work on father's teleporter, and I've talked with Dr. Zweinstein about it. Academia's Duel Disks also have automatic return functions that teleport duelists back to Academia when they lose, and Jun's Duel Disk still had his. Give me a few more days, and I should be able to rig something up."
Hanako's thoughts raced. "If we can go to the Synchro or Standard Dimensions, maybe we can get the Lancers' help? Go and Yuji are already working with them, and they need to be told."
"…I would rather not be in debt to this Reiji Akaba. Or work with his Lancers if I can help it."
"What?" Hanako asked, confused. Her eyes widened in realization. "You… don't want to join them?"
Ryoken frowned. "I've never met Reiji Akaba. All I know about him is what Yusho Sakaki and Yuzu Hiragi have told me: He is the CEO of the Leo Corporation and is opposed to the Professor, his own father. If he is anything like Queen… I simply don't know enough to put my trust in him."
"…Okay, I can see where you're coming from," Hanako admitted. "But do you think Yuji or Go would work with Reiji Akaba if he was untrustworthy?"
"Desperation can make for strange bedfellows." The Link duelist chuckled. "I certainly never expected to work with an idealist like Yusho. It wouldn't surprise me if Yuji's alliance with Reiji Akaba was for convenience and Go joined to be with Yuji."
"Well, if not the Lancers, then who else?" Hanako asked. "Academia and SOL are working together, and we'll need allies to fight them. Who else besides the Lancers could we work with?"
"…That was what I wanted to discuss." Ryoken sighed. "I was hoping to keep you and Yuji out of this… but I don't think we have a choice anymore."
"A choice? What are you talking about?"
"…I know who the leader of the Collective is."
Hanako blinked. "Bohman? You know who they are?"
"I do." Ryoken closed his eyes. "Bohman is an alias for mine and Yuji's father, Dr. Kiyoshi Kogami."
"It has been far too long, Yuji."
Kingmaker stared at his father. This… this wasn't how he had seen their reunion happening. Not in a server connected to LINK VRAINS, not with Collective lieutenants close by… not with Kiyoshi Kogami being their leader.
The man smiled at his son, then turned to the others present and lightly bowed. "I apologize for the deception, but you were strangers before. Now that my comrades have vouched for you, I can give an honest introduction. Welcome to Den City, visitors from other worlds. I am Dr. Kiyoshi Kogami, founder of the Collective and formerly of SOL Technologies. Thank you for looking after my son."
"…HUH!?" Sawatari exclaimed, eyes wide. "You- But- WHAT!?"
Sawatari was actually the most coherent of them; Leila and Edo just stared at the man with equally wide eyes. While Yuya was frowning at Yuji's father.
Dr. Kogami didn't miss it. "Primus told you my identity then, Yuya Sakaki?"
"He did," the Lancer confirmed. "But nothing more. He said you would explain it yourself."
"I absolutely intend to." The doctor turned back to his son. "This wasn't how I wanted to welcome you home, but-."
"Does Ryoken know?"
Dr. Kogami blinked. His son's face was… carefully blank. "…Not at first," he admitted. "He found out and confronted me after the first attack."
"…Why?" Kingmaker asked, his voice low. "Why didn't you tell me? Why keep this from me?"
"To shield you," his father answered softly. "To protect you from my choices."
"Shouldn't I have a say in that? I joined SOL because of you and Ryoken; if I knew about this-!"
"Yuji." Kingmaker blinked and looked back at Yuya's hand on his elbow. "I… can't even pretend to understand what you're feeling. But if you want answers, getting angry isn't going to get you them."
The Link duelist glared at his Standard counterpart before closing his eyes and breathing through his nose. "Alright." He turned back to his father and Yuya let go of his elbow. "I… have a lot of feelings right now. But I would like to get them in order before I say something I'll regret. And we need to prioritize."
"That's true," Leila said, finally regaining her ability to speak. "Yuji told us you worked for SOL and created LINK VRAINS, but here you are as the leader of the group opposing SOL and terrorizing LINK VRAINS." She frowned. "I think I speak for all of us when I say we want that discrepancy cleared up."
Yuya, Sawatari, and Edo all nodded, as did Dr. Kogami after a minute. "I was always planning to answer your questions. Though it is a long explanation." He gestured behind him, and a conference table with ten chairs around it appeared. The doctor walked around to the other side, his four lieutenants following him.
As they walked, their avatars changed, the masks and robes disappearing to reveal three older people – two men and a woman – in lab coats, and a younger man in a gray coat over a white shirt and black vest.
"Allow us to reintroduce ourselves," the woman said. She had short red-and-orange hair and dark blue eyes. "I am Dr. Kyoko Taki, formerly of SOL Technologies."
"My name is Dr. Hiro Idenshi," Quartus said. He had spiky green hair and red eyes behind red-framed round glasses. "Also formerly of SOL. Learning your code was considerable fun."
The third man, who had spiky violet and light blue hair, a violet goatee, and violet eyes, nodded in greeting. "I introduced myself as Secundus, but my real name is Dr. Aso Mizuki."
"And I am Daichi Goetsu," the youngest said, a smile on his face. His spiky and layered gray-blonde hair was swept to the right, with two layers reaching past his chin. He looked over the Lancers with his blue eyes. "A pleasure to meet all of you again."
Kingmaker narrowed his eyes. "Drs. Taki, Idenshi, and Mizuki were my father's primary assistants at SOL's Research & Development division," he told the others.
"We were," Aso confirmed. "But when Dr. Kogami was forced to retire, we resigned in protest." The five of them sat down on one side of the table, with Dr. Kogami in the center. The Lancers took the opposite side, Kingmaker across from his father.
"You have every right to be angry with me, Yuji," the doctor started. "I lied to you for such a long time and caused chaos in Den City. All I can ask for is your understanding."
"…If that is what you want, then explain," Kingmaker said. "Before, you told us that you started the Collective to destroy King, not SOL Technologies. Was that true?"
"It was," Dr. Kogami affirmed. "The chaos the Collective's agents caused was always intended as a distraction, not the end goal."
"And none of the people you recruited knew this?" Yuya asked while frowning. "You just… used them as pawns?"
The doctor grimaced. "I did not enjoy sending them out under false pretenses, but it was necessary. Distractions were needed to keep King and Queen from realizing our real goal, and all of them had been hurt by SOL. I gave them their chance at revenge, and they in turn helped us find what we needed."
"And what was that?" Edo asked. "What were you searching for that required waging a virtual war as a distraction?"
"The truth about the fire eight years ago," Dr. Mizuki answered. "While we were working at SOL, we found signs that King maintained a private server, and that said server contained evidence of what happened."
"That server is connected to LINK VRAINS," Dr. Taki said. "While our agents distracted SOL's network security, we performed scans to locate an access point to the server."
"Unfortunately, it wasn't as simple as we hoped it would be," Dr. Idenshi said. "The access point moves around LINK VRAINS, changing positions based on an algorithm we have yet to parse."
"That and opening the entrance itself requires a sequence that we haven't figured out," Daichi concluded with a shrug. "We had hoped to solve these problems by now, but King's measures were more extensive than expected."
"And what is the truth?" Leila asked. "Just what is it that you're trying to expose?"
"Father, you said that King was responsible for the fire eight years ago," Kingmaker said, meeting the doctor's eyes. "What happened that night?"
Dr. Kogami closed his eyes. "I've kept the truth from you for eight years; you of all people should know, Yuji."
Hanako stared at Ryoken. "Your… father?" she breathed. "Bohman is… Dr. Kogami?"
"…I found out after the first attack," the Link duelist explained. "I acquired a code fragment the Collective used and recognized it my father's signature. I confronted him in private, and he confirmed it."
"…Why?" she asked. "Why would Dr. Kogami start the Collective? Why would Yuji's father do that?" Her eyes narrowed. "And if you knew all this time, why didn't you tell Yuji!?"
"Father wanted to keep me and Yuji out of it; he hoped it would spare us from the consequences of his actions. And when he told me why, he begged me to keep Yuji in the dark for his own good. After what he told me… I agreed."
"And what did he tell you?" Hanako demanded. "What could be worth lying to someone you love like that?"
"The truth. About the fire eight years ago." Ryoken's eyes narrowed. "Yuji doesn't know, but please Hanako; when we see him, let me or my father be the one to tell him. He deserves to hear it from us."
"…Alright," she agreed. "But what happened? Why would the fire make Dr. Kogami start the Collective?"
"King's real name is Tsukasa Hideki," Dr. Kogami began. He steepled his fingers. "Before he was CEO, he was my younger research partner in R & D and a professional duelist who won several tournaments. And almost nine years ago, he and I created what we believed would be the next step of progress: Real Solid Vision."
Yuya blinked. "You've had Real Solid Vision for almost nine years? But Yuji told us all your dueling takes place in VR."
"I remember," Kingmaker said, "that when you modified mine and the others' Duel Disks for Real Solid Vision, you said SOL never released it for the public."
"What?" Sawatari said. "Why wouldn't you?"
"Because we learned about its applications beyond dueling," Dr. Kogami answered, closing his eyes.
"Beyond dueling?" Leila repeated.
"It was Tsukasa who first proposed it. Dr. Kogami opened his eyes. "Think about it; Real Solid Vision can make holograms solid. What if we could use it with more than Duel Monster cards? What if we could make buildings out of Real Solid Vision? Not buildings like a Field Spell, but actual, habitable structures. Constructing skyscrapers and highways in minutes instead of months; would that not be a logical use of Real Solid Vision?"
Yuya's, Sawawtari's, and Leila's eyes were wide; they had clearly never thought of such a thing. But Edo was frowning. "The teachers at Academia talked about this," he said. "When the Professor introduced Real Solid Vision, there were people who had the same thought as King, of using it to make real buildings. But such a use was deemed too costly and inefficient."
"Really?" Sawatari asked. "Why?"
"Continuous usage requires too much power, for starters," Edo explained. "Our Duel Disks have Real Solid Vision installed, but their applications are limited and aren't active for long. And while Academia has facilities with Real Solid Vision generators installed, they can't create anything too complicated or run for too long without overheating."
Yuya frowned in thought. "Action Fields back home are generated by machines built into the arenas, and the one we had at You Show couldn't run for very long before it was upgraded."
"There's also a safety issue," Kingmaker said with his own frown. "If the Real Solid Vision generator was ever shut down, the buildings would fade away and anything or anyone inside them would fall."
"Even if backup generators were installed, it can take anywhere from a few seconds to a few minutes for them to come online, depending on how much power they produce," Leila said. "Even if the main generator failed for only a second, the injuries that could result from that…"
Dr. Kogami nodded. "Every one of those arguments are true; as amazing as Real Solid Vision is, it just hasn't developed to the point it could be used for what Tsukasa wanted. It is just too inefficient, costly, and risky for everyday use. But Tsukasa is a stubborn man, and he couldn't let go of the idea of alternate applications. So he hit on a use of Real Solid Vision that was actually feasible: military use."
Yuya stiffened. "Military use?"
"Not in the way Academia uses it," Dr. Kogami explained. "I don't know what conflicts your world has, but in certain regions of ours, armed conflict still exists, where men kill with guns, tanks, and other weapons. Tsukasa hit on the idea of using duelists in war. Instead of governments spending thousands on tanks or missiles, why not have a single person send a monster to wipe out the enemy?"
"That's… that's horrible!" Yuya exclaimed, his eyes wide. Every one of the Lancers had similar expressions of horror. "That goes against everything dueling stands for!"
"Even Academia wouldn't stoop that low," Leila muttered. Edo could only agree with a grim nod.
"I agree with you," Dr. Kogami said. "That was why I shot Tsukasa's idea down immediately. Humanity has enough means of mass slaughter; I would not be party to creating another. I made that fact very clear to him."
"…He didn't let that stop him, did he?" Kingmaker asked, a sinking feeling in his stomach.
"He did not," Dr. Kogami confirmed gravely. "While SOL does make Duel Monster cards and Duel Disks, its primary interest has always been in the network; in artificial intelligence and its evolution. And right before we developed Real Solid Vision, I postulated a theory: artificial intelligence with free will."
Sawatari tilted his head. "Free will? What difference does that make?"
"Right now, artificial intelligence is limited in what it can achieve. It can perform tasks faster than humans, but it cannot create anything new or act without human commands. By giving free will to AI, I believed they could usher in the next stage of human evolution. But I failed to find an ethical way to create such AI."
The doctor's frown deepened. "It started with budget discrepancies. I noticed that certain funds and equipment in our department had been misappropriated, in subtle ways that you wouldn't notice unless you were actively looking for them. Tsukasa was responsible for those discrepancies, and I tracked him down to a warehouse that had been rented by what I realized was a shell corporation. I could have alerted my superiors at the time, but I considered Tsukasa a friend and a reasonable person. If he was up to something, I was certain there was a reasonable explanation."
The frown deepened even further into a grimace. "I should have sounded the alarm. If I had, all of this could have been avoided. When I arrived at the warehouse and disabled its locks, I uncovered an experiment. One that Tsukasa had been running for just over two months. He called it the Hanoi Project: He had kidnapped six children, all orphans that no one would miss, and forced them to duel in Real Solid Vision."
"…What?!" Yuya breathed with wide eyes. "He… he kidnapped children?"
"And forced them to duel?" Sawatari repeated. "In Real Solid Vision?"
"Tsukasa was present in the warehouse when I found it. I confronted him about what he was doing, and he explained. He had not let go of his idea of military use of Real Solid Vision, and while thinking of it, he had recalled my theory of AI with free will. So he combined the two ideas. The children were in separate rooms of the warehouse and were forced to duel against AI. If they won, they would be fed. But if they lost, they would be electrocuted, and the food they received would be reduced. His idea of creating AI with free will was to have those AI observe the children while they were dueling, and imprint on them. The data from this experiment would then be used to create the AI. These AI would then be sold to militaries as soldiers. Perfect war machines with no risk to soldiers or duelists."
"He forced children into an experiment like that!?" Edo exclaimed. "But… he is SOL's CEO. If this was known, he would have been arrested! So why-?"
"You didn't report him," Leila realized, looking at Dr. Kogami in shock. "You covered for him!"
"…I did more than that," Dr. Kogami said regretfully. "I was furious with Tsukasa. He had violated so many ethical codes with his actions. The result couldn't possibly be worth this. I fully intended to go to our superiors and the police with what he had done. He would be disgraced, fired, and arrested for his crimes. And when I said as such, his only reply was, 'Are you that eager to ruin your son's future?'"
Kingmaker blinked. "Your son? Ryoken?"
"Tsukasa had used resources that had been allocated in my name for the experiment. One of the bases for the Hanoi Project was my theory on free-willed AI. We were known partners who had collaborated on prior projects. If his experiment became public, suspicion would fall on me, and everything connected to us. To save face, SOL's current CEO would likely fire me, and if things went really bad, I could be arrested as well. And the Hanoi Project's existence would taint Ryoken's future."
Dr. Kogami's fists clenched. "Tsukasa picked the perfect counterargument," he said angrily. "Ryoken's mother had passed away recently from illness, and we had no extended family. If I went to prison, he would be sent to an orphanage. And even if I didn't, mine and Tsukasa's reputations would follow him the rest of his life; such is the way of the world. For my son's sake… Tsukasa convinced me I had no choice but to turn a blind eye."
He lowered his head. "No, I did more than turn a blind eye. Tsukasa… convinced me to help. He convinced me to participate in the experiment as well."
"…What?" Yuya said. "You… helped him? You helped him torture children?"
"I believed that if I had a hand in it, I could at least make sure the children survived. That it would be as painless as possible for them." He sighed, ashamed. "Or that was the excuse I told myself. In truth, I was a coward, afraid for Ryoken's future and not brave enough to do the right thing. There are no excuses for what I did. For what Tsukasa did. For what we did."
The Lancers' reactions were understandable. Shock, disgust, horror… except for one of them. Kingmaker, across from his father, kept his face blank. But on his knee, his fingers were twitching. A memory of a sensation… of a shock. What was this?
"What does this have to do with the fire?" Kingmaker eventually asked. "What does this… Hanoi Project have to do with it?"
"…Everything," Dr. Kogami said. "As I said before, Tsukasa never intended to start the fire, but his, and my, actions were responsible for it." He closed his eyes. "In his preparations for the experiment, he soundproofed the warehouse and put limiters on the Real Solid Vision used. Limiters to make sure the children wouldn't be hurt to the point they were in danger of dying or being crippled. But even if they had some protection, they were still in pain. For the two months I aided the project, I did what I could to reduce it, but…"
Eight years ago…
"What is this, Tsukasa!?" Kiyoshi shouted at his phone. "The inhibitors have been locked!"
"Did you think I wouldn't notice?" The blonde man on the other end of the video call replied. "That you tampered with the equipment?"
"The pain caused to the children is excessive," Kiyoshi argued. "I did what I can so they don't suffer unnecessarily!"
"And this is necessary," Tsukasa said. "Lowering the strength of the RSV and the shocks makes the data inconsistent. To make the most usage out of it, we need the inhibitors unaltered. The scientist in you knows this."
"And if you keep this up, the children could die!" Kiyoshi said. "Their bodies haven't matured to the point they can withstand this punishment!"
"So?" Tsukasa asked. "They are orphans; unwanted and unneeded. No one will miss them."
"Tsukasa," Kiyoshi growled.
"Be honest, Kiyoshi; would you even know any of them if not for this project? The chances of any of those children growing up and contributing to society are low. At least in this, they'll help usher in a new age of humanity."
Tsukasa hung up, leaving Kiyoshi gritting his teeth. He looked up at the monitors, just in time to watch the child with indigo hair scream as he was electrocuted and thrown across the room.
"I'm sorry," he muttered. "I'm so sorry that I'm a coward…"
"But after four months of the project… something happened. One of the children was different from the others. Different in a way that neither Tsukasa, nor I, could have ever known."
"…make it stop…"
Kiyoshi blinked and watched as the child pawed at the ground.
"Make it stop," he begged. "Please, make it stop. Please. Please, make it stop." He raised his head, tears in his green eyes. "I don't want to be here. I don't want to be here. Make it stop. Please. Make it stop."
Kiyoshi grit his teeth and glared at the panels in front of him. The ones Tsukasa had locked. He had never felt so powerless.
"Please… make it stop!"
The doctor blinked as sparks danced over the console. He gasped as the readings went haywire.
"Make it stop!"
The inhibitors Tsukasa had locked were released, and then shut down. The limiters on the Real Solid Vision were removed.
"Make it stop!"
"What's happening!?" Kiyoshi exclaimed. He attempted to touch the console, only to flinch away as more sparks appeared. "What is this!?"
Kilometers away, Tsukasa blinked as the remote readings he was getting went wild. "A malfunction?"
"Make it STOP!"
At that scream, Kiyoshi looked again at the screen. The child's green eyes had turned gold, and a dark aura surrounded him. The Duel Disk Tsukasa had strapped to his arm had activated, despite there being no duel. The kid tore out a card and slammed it down. The monster materialized and let out a roar of rage.
"VIRAL DAWN LINK DRAGON! DESTROY EVERYTHING!"
A flash of red heralded Kiyoshi's vision turning black.
It was the screams that awoke him. Or perhaps it was the heat. But when his consciousness returned, Kiyoshi found himself underneath a metal sheet. Awkwardly pushing it off, he gasped as he looked around.
Hell. That was the only word appropriate for where he found himself. A hell of twisted steel, melted concrete, fire and smoke. In the distance, he could hear screams and sirens, and he could smell ash and charred flesh. The air shimmered from the heat and was clogged with smoke.
Kiyoshi didn't know how he was alive, but looking over what used to be Den City's warehouse district, a single thought broke through the shock: My fault.
He stumbled over the rubble and shouted, "Anyone!? Is there anyone here!?"
He was answered by cries and screams, and he moved as fast as he could in their direction. This fire was his mistake, his responsibility; if he could find and save a single person from it… then perhaps he could atone in some small way.
But he found no one living. He came across charred corpses, and when he followed the screaming, he was too late; they were already dead.
He lost track of time. He didn't know if he had been over this part of the ruins before or not. He had lost his lab coat at one point, but he didn't care. All he cared about was the singular thought in his head.
Let there be one person alive. Let me save that person.
Let there be a single light in the darkness of my sin.
And eventually, he heard it: A single moan. Light and muffled. Kiyoshi didn't know how he heard it over the flames, but he didn't care. He turned towards it, and at the second moan, he picked through the rubble. Until he finally uncovered a child's face. A very familiar face.
The child's green eyes blinked listlessly at him, his cyan-and-indigo hair pressed against his face. The twisted remains of a Duel Disk were by his left arm, with a single card held tightly in his hand.
Kiyoshi recognized the child; how could he not after watching his torment? And the outburst said torment had caused.
Another man might have flinched away from the child. Called him a monster or demon. But Kiyoshi? He simply smiled as tears of gratitude fell from his eyes.
"He's alive… he's alive…"
Present day…
When Dr. Kogami finished his story, no one spoke. The Lancers were too busy staring at him in stunned horror. And then they turned to the one facing the doctor.
Kingmaker's- Yuji's gaze didn't leave his adoptive father, his face pale as his hands shook. Not with anger but with horror and realization. Of what he was being told he had done.
In the corner of his mind, Yuji recalled his talk with Yuya and Yuto about a voice rising from within. That took control of them at certain points. That voice must have taken control of him eight years ago. But most of his mind was occupied with processing his emotions at the story; of horror, guilt, shock… and above all else, a question.
"…Why?" Yuji breathed. "Why did you take me in after that?" Why take in a mass murderer? Whether his actions were his own or not, they had resulted in over a thousand deaths.
The doctor's eyes hadn't left Yuji's once since he started his story. "Because when I found you in the rubble, I did not see a devil or monster. I saw a child whose life I had ruined. And when I took you in, it was with the hope I could give you a life to replace that one."
"…"
"…You said you wanted to reveal the truth of the fire," Yuya recalled. "What are you hoping to achieve by doing that?"
Dr. Kogami looked at his son's doppelganger. "Judgment," he answered. "Judgment of King… and myself." He narrowed his eyes. "I want to expose the Hanoi Project to the public. Doing so will result in King's removal from SOL and imprisonment… and my own."
"Why?" Sawatari asked incredulously. "Why would you want to be arrested?"
"Because I am guilty. For the past eight years, I have been haunted by my mistakes. By the result of my cowardice. When I sleep, the nightmares jolt me awake."
Yuji remembered that when he was younger, he had woken up from nightmares, and his father had comforted him. He had never wondered why his father was awake in the middle of the night to begin with.
"Ever since the fire, my time has stopped moving," Dr. Kogami continued. "In the aftermath, I devoted myself to raising Yuji and Ryoken, hoping that would be enough. I do not regret that decision. But over the years, my guilt built up. To the point I couldn't handle it anymore."
"That was when he confided in us," Dr. Mizuki said. "Dr. Kogami was mine, Kyoko's, and Hiro's teacher. And when he told us the truth about the fire, we shared his hatred of King."
"What that man did, what he coerced the doctor to do," Dr. Taki muttered, clenching her fists. "It is unforgivable. So we decided to help Dr. Kogami with his plan, no matter what would happen to us."
"He attempted to dissuade us," Dr. Idenshi said. He chuckled. "He failed obviously."
"I understood that I could not achieve my goal of exposing the truth on my own," Dr. Kogami said. "I needed help, and my own students were the best possible."
"Not your sons?" Yuji breathed, his emotions still a whirlwind.
"I did not want you or Ryoken involved in what I was doing. Ryoken only found out after the Collective's first attack; he recognized the code we used as my work. He confronted me, and I told him the truth. He wanted to help me after, but I still refused to involve him directly."
"So Master Ryoken helped us indirectly," Daichi said. "He helped us coordinate attacks so that they, and SOL's response, would occur away from the areas we wanted to search. Having a person inside SOL's security division was a great help."
"…You want to expose the truth about the Hanoi Project," Edo said. "And you've been searching LINK VRAINS for a server connected to King. That server has evidence of the Hanoi Project in it?"
"It does."
"How do you know that?" Leila asked. "You've stated what the consequences of releasing such information would be; King must know that as well. Why would he not destroy any evidence he has?"
"King is arrogant and believes himself untouchable," the doctor said simply. "Powerful men like him rarely bother to destroy what they think will never see the light of day. But if you want more concrete proof, you need look no further than Soulburner's Fusion Monster."
"Salamangreat Violet Chimera?" Yuya recalled. "What does that card have to do with anything?"
"Cyberse monsters," Yuji said. "They're connected to the Hanoi Project, aren't they?"
"They are." Dr. Kogami sighed. "As horrific as King's experiment was, it produced exceptional data. The scientist in me couldn't just discard it, so I copied as much as I could; nowhere enough to prove our crimes unfortunately. Most of the data had been stored in off-site backups; the fire only destroyed that day's information. There wasn't enough to create the AI that King wanted to make, but I was able to use it to make an algorithm. That algorithm served as the base for Data Material."
"Data Material is what Data Storms are made of," Yuji told the Lancers. "…And what Cyberse cards are made of?"
"Data Material forms the base of Cyberse cards," Dr. Kogami said. "The algorithm I made allowed their creation. And I kept it to myself; SOL does not possess it."
"But the original data still exists, and could be used to make Cyberse cards," Leila surmised. "And Soulburner's Fusion Monster…"
Yuya's eyes widened. "You were forced to leave SOL because you protested their partnership with Academia," he remembered. "You didn't make Violet Chimera?"
"I did not. King did. Its existence is proof that the data still exists. King has it and has hidden it in his private server. We find the data and spread it to the public and the courts, and King and I both go to prison for our crimes." Dr. Kogami met each Lancer and his son in the eyes. "That is the purpose of the Collective. Why we started war. And it is what I hope you'll help us with."
He closed his eyes. "I understand what I am asking. I know it is difficult and morally objectionable. I will not force the Lancers' cooperation-."
"We'll ally with you."
The doctor's eyes opened and snapped to the voice. Everyone else, including the Lancers, turned in identical surprise to the speaker.
"Yuya?" Yuji asked.
The teen was frowning at the doctor. "I cannot condone what you've done," he continued. "You lured people in with promises of revenge, only to use them as a distraction. And no matter how justified your cooperation was, you still experimented on children. Those are actions that I cannot forgive."
It was Yuya's turn to close his eyes. "But I can tell how much you love Yuji. I can see that you want to do the right thing, even if I disagree with your methods. And I know that the Collective is the Lancers' best chance of ending Academia's alliance with SOL." He opened his eyes and looked at the others. "Does anyone disagree with me?"
Sawatari, Edo, and Leila were all frowning. "I have no right to condemn the Collective's actions, given my own history in Heartland," Edo admitted.
"Nor I," Leila said. "To survive, the Resistance adopted many of Academia's tactics. We did to them what they did to us."
"I can't say I'm happy with how you treated your own people," Sawatari said. "Doesn't paint the best picture of us working together, does it?"
"We will not use and discard the Lancers," Dr. Kogami asserted. "We will be honest with you."
"Of course you will; your son is one of us." Sawatari turned to said son. "So? What do you say, you socially awkward hoodlum? Want to ruin the life of the man who ruined yours?"
Yuji's eyebrow twitched at the nickname, even as Dr. Kogami and Daichi each raised their own brows. "I… my emotions are a mess. But one thing is clear to me: King cannot be allowed to remain in his position." He faced his father. "I don't know how I feel. I don't know if what I feel towards King is revenge. I don't know what to feel about your role in it, father. But I have no objections to working together. Does anyone else?"
The other Lancers shook their heads. Dr. Kogami stared at them before smiling gratefully. "Thank you," he said.
Hanako stared at Ryoken in horror. "The fire… King, Dr. Kogami, and Yuji caused it?"
He scowled at her, making her flinch. "Yuji was not at fault," he said strongly. "He was a victim of King's arrogance and greed, just like our father. When I learned the truth, I agreed to help however I could. Mostly by using my position at SOL to keep the focus away from father's scans."
"…And what end do you foresee?" Hanako asked hesitantly. The idea that Yuji had suffered like that… it sickened her. The fact that one of the men responsible for his pain had taken him in… it left her feeling very conflicted about Dr. Kogami.
"…Father wants to face justice for his crimes," Ryoken said. "I do not like the idea of him going to prison… but if that is his wish, then how can I as his son go against him? And King…" Ryoken scowled and clenched his fists. "After what he did to Yuji and what he forced my father to do, using me to guilt him… I want nothing more than for everything that man built to fall down around him."
He wants vengeance, Hanako thought. Ryoken doesn't want justice for the wrongs committed; he wants King to be punished for hurting his family. Justice and vengeance were related, and it was easy to one to become the other. But the hate she could see coming from Ryoken… it was far too similar to what she had seen in Kaito. There was no way Hanako could mistake it for justice.
And she couldn't blame him. Whatever thoughts Hanako had about Akira's boss had been replaced by disgust and horror at his actions. Ryoken's hatred of the man was justified. She was just worried about what Ryoken would do in his pursuit of revenge. Of what Yuji would think of his brother.
And speaking of Yuji… "He doesn't know?" she asked. "Yuji… he doesn't know what happened?"
"…No, he doesn't," Ryoken admitted, looking morose. "I wanted to tell him after father told me, but I was afraid of how he'd react. Of what it would to him."
"You'll tell him the second we see him again," Hanako insisted. "He deserves it." And he is stronger than you think he is.
"I will. And what about you?" Hanako blinked. "What do you think of Yuji now?"
It was a reasonable question. She had just been told that Yuji was at least partially responsible for the deaths of over a thousand people. Most people would be at least wary of him.
But her? "I am worried for him," she admitted. "Whatever took control of him… it could reappear and hurt him again." Her eyes narrowed. "Which is why I want to be next to him. So that whatever he faces, he doesn't face it alone."
When Ryoken had described something awakening within Yuji, Hanako had felt ill. The idea of that happening again and Yuji being powerless against it filled her with dread.
Hanako needed to be there for him. She wouldn't let whatever possessed Yuji have him again. She was so focused on that thought that she didn't notice her bracelet's soft glow.
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Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V: The Fifth Circuit. Chapter 56 – The Lancers in VRAINS
Question of the Chapter
Since G Golems and Sunavalons have been brought into the OCG/TCG, which other anime-exclusive archetypes would you like to see made real?
Author's Notes
So, we finally got it: the truth about the fire eight years ago. As many of you guessed, there was something similar to the Lost Incident from VRAINS but changed for the Link Dimension. In this case, King (real name Tsukasa Hideki) wanted to combine Real Solid Vision with AI to make ideal Duel Soldiers to sell to the world's militaries, kidnapped children to do so, and then coerced Dr. Kogami into helping him. But there was something different about one of the kids.
I'll make it plain for anyone who didn't realize it: The trauma of the experiment and Yuji's despair awoke Zarc's fragment within him. Zarc lashed out with Viral Dawn, destroying not only the warehouse, but the entire district around it. Dr. Kogami survived only through good luck, while Yuji survived because Zarc and Viral Dawn protected him. And the combined trauma of the experiment and Zarc's possession shattered whoever Yuji was before the fire. Zarc hollowed him out and left him an empty shell. For a time, at least.
Eagle-eyed readers should have noted that Yuji's berserk episodes have been different from the other boys. Even if his only real episode was against Abelard, he reacted whenever Yuya awakened, which Yugo and Yuri haven't; the closest they got was when Roger placed that shock chip in Yuya's helmet, and that was partially Clear Wing's doing. The only other times the boys went berserk was when the Heavenly Dragons were fighting each other. Zarc's possession is the reason for Yuji's sensitivity. The trauma left him emotionally damaged, making it harder for him to get mad enough for Zarc to take over, but also left him more vulnerable to the other boys' reactions.
And then, we have Dr. Kogami's role in the Hanoi Project. It's similar to Kiritsugu Emiya's role in the Fuyuki Fire in Fate/Zero; even if he didn't intend it, he was partly responsible for it, so he tried to atone for it by saving and raising a victim of his sin. But unlike Kiritsugu, whose raising of Shirou was enough to give him some peace, Dr. Kogami lived and couldn't escape the guilt of his actions. And he does intellectually know that King was primarily responsible, but guilt isn't logical. Even brilliant scientists like him are only human. So he wants to be punished for his crime, and he wants King to be brought to justice for the same crime. That means revealing the truth to the public, and more importantly to the police, courts, and media. That truth is hidden on King's private server, which is hidden in LINK VRAINS, and which the Collective and Lancers are going to be searching for.
Finally, we have Hanako's reaction. I wanted her to be told what happened eight years ago as well, and while I'll admit Ryoken telling her might be a little contrived, I think it went well. I do plan for both of them to have a main role in the Link Arc, so they did need scenes. Their reunion with Yuji will definitely be interesting.
Thank you once again for your continued support of Fifth Circuit. Hopefully I'll get more than one chapter out this year. Please leave a review of your thoughts on the chapter and what you're hoping to see in the future.