Chapter 1255: The King’s Confusion

Fake Jack: "Aaaaaaaaah—!"

A piercing metallic tearing sound ripped across the track. The Phoenix Whirlwind Duel Runner’s front wheel bearing completely disintegrated under Trishula’s final strike. Hydraulic fluid sprayed out like blood from the ruptured lines, mixing with condensed nitrogen to form eerie vapor clouds. When Trishula’s absolute-zero breath swept across the cockpit, the moment Fake Jack was flung out played out like slow motion—his white coat fluttering in the air, yet the skin on his face began cracking like cheap silicone.

The body tumbled across the asphalt seven and a half times. Each impact triggered more severe mechanical failures. The left arm bent backward at an unnatural angle first, the elbow hydraulic rod piercing the synthetic skin. Blue coolant splattered across the road, leaving a ten-meter fluorescent trail. When the torso slammed into the guardrail, the chest and abdomen suddenly burst open, revealing precisely arranged motor mechanisms that were now sparking and popping with electrical flames.

Fake Jack finally crashed at the edge of the track. His remaining right hand still clutched the ice-encased "Red Dragon Archfiend" tightly. Electrical sparks kept bursting from his spinal joints, and his artificial vocal cords emitted intermittent electronic sounds.

"You... you... you..."

He struggled to raise his head toward Kira. He looked like he was gnashing his teeth, but speaking seemed extremely difficult.

"I am the King... I am Jack... I... cannot lose in a place like this..."

The unfinished sentence was cut off by the explosion of the main power supply short-circuiting, turning him into a pile of smoking mechanical wreckage.

Fake Jack had lost.

Kira performed a stylish drifting brake and stopped elegantly by the roadside. True Jack followed closely behind on his own Phoenix Whirlwind, stopping as he looked at the wreckage on the ground.

"A robot?" True Jack’s eyes narrowed slightly.

"Yeah," Kira replied. "Your copy. Looks like you’re quite the celebrity."

Jack fell silent, lowering his head to look at the miserable pile of "himself" that had exploded open, along with the identical Phoenix Whirlwind that had flipped over beside it. His expression grew complicated.

Although he had spoken disdainfully of the fake earlier, this impostor had actually earned his respect.

That was only natural. First, the fake had somehow obtained such a highly detailed replica of the Phoenix Whirlwind. Combined with the copied Red Dragon Archfiend cards, it was practically a perfect duplicate of Jack himself.

Although he had lost the previous duel because his own resolve had wavered and he had been overpowered in duelist spirit, a loss was a loss. The opponent had beaten him once—that was a fact.

And now this ultra-high-fidelity robot—one that seemed to possess strength comparable to his own—had been completely dismantled by Kira, reduced to this wrecked state. If it had been him facing the fake instead... would he have ended up the same way?

Jack shook his head, refusing to dwell on the question.

Whatever. It was only natural. Previously, even he, Yusei, and Crow together couldn’t handle this monster in a three-on-one. Facing him alone would obviously leave no chance. What was he even thinking?

The cards Kira had shown this time left Jack’s heart palpitating. Rescue Cat, Premature Burial, and Brionac—together they seemed to generate nearly infinite resources, effortlessly instant-killing the opponent. The combo was simply broken.

Oh right, and that final dragon that had appeared in a flash—Ice Barrier Dragon Trishula.

Jack couldn’t help but glance at Kira again with a complicated expression.

Just from that brief summoning, he had felt an extraordinary pressure from the dragon. Was that Kira’s dragon as a Signer?

Just how large was the gap between him and this person...?

Still, it was natural for Jack to be shocked by the combo.

After all, it was a collection of several forbidden cards’ power.

First, Brionac, Dragon of the Ice Barrier—before its effect was nerfed, it had been a long-time banned card. Rescue Cat too—precisely because of its insane ability to essentially "Normal Summon Brionac," it had enjoyed a seven-year prison sentence starting in 2010. It was only released in 2017 after its effect was nerfed, observed for half a year, and finally fully liberated after good behavior.

Premature Burial went without saying—it was still banned to this day.

Some archaeologists even argued that although Premature Burial had records of self-recycling combos with cards like "Harpie’s Feather Duster" since the DM era, that alone wasn’t enough to warrant its ban. Not to mention its accomplice "Harpie’s Feather Duster" had been banned early on, giving Premature Burial even less reason to be forbidden.

For a long time, Premature Burial had actually only been Limited, not Forbidden. It was truly banned in September 2008—right around the time Brionac began dominating the competitive scene.

So the archaeologists had solid evidence: the crucial trigger for Premature Burial’s ban was precisely Brionac and Rescue Cat.

All you needed in hand was one Premature Burial and one Rescue Cat—they could give you back an entire world.

Seeing Jack staring down at the wreckage on the ground, Kira suddenly laughed. "What’s wrong? Has the former King lost confidence after being hit by this impostor?"

"What did you say?"

Jack immediately looked up. The slight confusion in his eyes was replaced by a beast-like gleam once more.

"This Jack Atlas lose confidence? Never! Even until the end of the world, I will keep fighting—and one day I will surpass you!"

"Hahaha, that’s good to hear."

Kira smiled and nodded, glancing at the still-smoking mechanical wreckage beside them.

"The appearance of this thing probably means new enemies will be coming soon."

Jack’s eyes flickered. "What do you know? Who would dare create a fake like this of me?"

"I don’t know, but they definitely don’t have good intentions," Kira said, looking at Jack. "But I think this experience should have taught you one thing, Jack Atlas.

Falling from the throne was not a fall for you—it was progress. But if you start doubting yourself just because your past shadow whispers a few words, then that transformation would have been wasted."

Jack’s heart stirred, but he kept his tsundere expression. "Hmph, I already know that without you telling me!"

Kira smiled. "Good that you know. You, Yusei—all of you will soon awaken new power and step onto a wider stage. Of course, the process of evolution won’t be easy. It may come with pain, and even danger.

But if you feel you’re ready... I suggest that during the WRGP break, you take some time to visit Greiger."

"Greiger?"

Jack froze for a moment.

That former Dark Signer?

...