Chapter 1279: Mechanical Combination

New Domino City.

At the edge of the steel forest filled with towering skyscrapers, three twisted streams of energy—red, gold, and blue—entwined with one another. First came a thunderstorm that pierced the clouds, then flames that scorched the night sky, and finally a shockwave that made the glass curtain walls tremble. The silhouette of the Armityle emerged amid the explosion.

Larger than the surrounding skyscrapers, the Chaos Phantasm’s demonic head overlooked the city. Its golden skeletal armor gleamed with a cold luster under the moonlight. The crimson dragon head on its left arm accumulated scorching energy that warped the air, spraying lava-like sparks with every breath. The entire commercial district’s power system began to overload; neon tubes burst one after another, and blue-purple arcs of electricity danced around its massive form in the darkness.

Even from afar, the colossal demonic body radiated terrifying pressure. Fake Yusei caught a distant glimpse of the three-colored demonic god’s form rising between the buildings and couldn’t help but frown slightly.

"So that’s the ultimate Sacred Beast. I didn’t expect even a god-tier relic that should have vanished in the river of history to appear."

Jack sneered. "It’s not too late to feel fear. I don’t know who you are, but no matter what plan you have, you’ll never get past that man named Fujiki Kira."

Well, as someone who had personally experienced the terror of the Sacred Beasts, Jack at least had the right to say those words.

Fake Yusei shook his head. "Of course I know. Fujiki Kira is indeed a terrifying and troublesome variable. I never accounted for such an opponent in my original plan... Well, it doesn’t matter. After all, saving the world was always going to require dealing with at least one god-tier opponent."

Jack’s expression shifted slightly. "Saving the world? What do you mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like," Fake Yusei said calmly. "We won’t let this world repeat the mistakes of ours. That’s why we were born."

"But you don’t need to know too much—your very existence is in the way. That’s why I need to eliminate you."

"Don’t joke around!" Jack shouted. "A bunch of fakes daring to act arrogant in front of me? My comrades and I will never allow you to run wild!"

"I know. The bonds of Team 5D’s are stronger than anything. I understand that better than anyone."

Fake Yusei’s expression remained unchanged.

"But just as you believe in your comrades, I believe in mine," he continued.

"What?" Jack’s face changed. "What did you do?"

"Nothing much—just started an all-out war," Fake Yusei replied. "While we’re talking, my comrades have already begun to move. By now, they’ve probably all started their respective battles."

...

At the same time, elsewhere in the city.

Crow Hogan’s Duel Runner left crimson trails on the neon-lit streets, its tires kicking up a silvery spray as they splashed through puddles.

"Go! Blackwing Armor Master, direct attack on the Ghost!"

Armor Master threw a heavy punch, slamming straight into the face of a Ghost robot. The robot was blasted off its Duel Runner, tumbling to the ground as its vehicle crashed and exploded into scrap.

"Alright, who’s next to challenge the great Crow Hogan!" Crow shouted.

To his own surprise, the moment his words fell, the remaining Ghost machines actually scattered in eerie synchronization, as if receiving an order. They cleared a vacuum zone in the middle of the road. Crow’s engine roar suddenly sounded especially loud—the entire street now held only the thunder of his single Duel Runner.

Until an identical roar tore through the silence from behind.

The black shadow in his rearview mirror made his blood run cold. It was a Duel Runner with exactly the same paint job as his own, even the bluish flames from the exhaust pipes matching perfectly.

When the Ghost Duel Runner pulled alongside him, he clearly saw the face beneath the helmet visor—the face that sent chills through his limbs.

It was another Crow Hogan, his lips curled in an icy smile that the real owner should never wear.

"You—" Crow was stunned. "Who the hell are you?"

...

Similar scenes unfolded on another street.

"Black Rose Dragon, Black Rose Flame!"

At Akiza’s command, Black Rose Dragon let out a roar that shook the night sky. Dark red petal-like flames erupted from beneath its wings. The mechanical Ghosts were entangled by raging vines; thorny black brambles twisted into their alloy joints, producing sparks and the sickening screech of metal warping.

The Ghosts’ Duel Runners melted into glowing red molten iron the instant they touched the dragon breath. Three mechanical bodies were hurled skyward by the vines, only to be pierced through their cores by subsequent rose fireballs on the way down. The exploding Ghost machines shattered like crushed glass ornaments.

Psychic powers were especially useful at times like this.

However, just as Black Rose Dragon raised its head and fired another breath, an identical dark red energy wave slammed in from the upper diagonal. Black Rose Dragon’s flames were completely neutralized by the matching surge.

Akiza’s heart jolted. She looked up sharply and saw another "herself" standing at the edge of an office building, her rose-colored hair fluttering in the night wind. Even the arc of the fluttering hair tips matched perfectly, as did the outfit and figure. Most spine-chilling of all was the phantom of Black Rose Dragon slowly unfolding behind the other girl—its flower-dragon wings a blood-red hue under the moonlight.

Akiza instinctively covered her mouth and stepped back. "You... who are you?"

The girl on the rooftop smiled.

"What’s so surprising?" she said with a grin. "I am you."

...

Meanwhile, at the site where the Armityle had appeared.

The moment the Armityle’s destructive strike tore through the air, Fake Trudge’s Duel Runner could no longer withstand the force. Its metal frame crumpled like a soda can slapped by an invisible giant hand, carving a twenty-meter spark trail across the asphalt.

His body snapped in half mid-air. What burst from the waist fracture wasn’t blood but dozens of severed hydraulic tubes and cables. The synthetic skin peeled away like cheap latex, revealing the precision alloy spine structure beneath. Six glowing joints flickered wildly in overload. His upper torso slammed into a traffic light pole; the chest armor plate popped open with a "clack," exposing the core processor as scorched circuit board fragments fell from the break.

Finally, his upper body dragged across the road in a long trail of sparks before coming to a reluctant stop.

Kira’s Duel Runner drifted to a halt beside him, and the Armityle’s image vanished.

Though only half a body remained, Fake Trudge still had consciousness—his mouth could still move.

"One turn, Armityle, dealing ten thousand points of damage and unaffected by traps..."

He sounded somewhat bitter as he spoke, letting out a long sigh.

"No wonder they said I wasn’t your match. Your power is on a completely different level."

Kira smiled.

"You’re right about the ’different level’ part. Now, why don’t you tell me—what exactly are you, that mechanical Jack, and the Fake Yusei who just appeared?"

...