The Predaplant Planet, or the Predaplant Dimension, was a massive world. Beyond the Predaplant spirits, it was home to other lifeforms and spirits that had stumbled into the dimension by accident.
That was the ecology of the Predaplant Dimension.
By preying on other life, they absorbed energy and strengthened themselves. Of course, they didn't literally eat their prey. In most cases, they consumed the opponent's dueling energy. Actually digesting them would require time to process excessive impurities.
Much like real carnivorous plants, the beauty on the surface of this planet was nothing but camouflage.
After being escorted by several Predaplant spirits, Hikaru soon laid eyes on the local leader. Or rather, the ruler of this particular territory.
Predaplant Triphyoverutum.
This massive three-headed plant dragon was the absolute sovereign of the Northern Continent, sharing hunting grounds with the Predaplant spirits of other continents.
Worth noting: Hikaru encountered an enormous number of Predaplant spirits here, including ones like Pineapple Nepenthes Valley Spirit Roaming Whale and Green Chain Dragon Anaconda, spirits that should theoretically exist but hadn't yet appeared in his era. There were even masses of plants whose names Hikaru couldn't begin to guess.
The Predaplant Planet was vast. According to the spirits, many ordinary spirits here possessed no dueling power but still cooperated with the main forces in hunts, serving as part of the planet's ecosystem.
So that was how it worked.
In this world, beings like the Anaconda and the Roaming Whale were treated as "spirit civilians," the kind that looked like spirits but didn't actually have cards.
That made sense.
In the larger dimensions, not every spirit qualified to participate in duel ceremonies. In the Critical Point, for instance, plenty of ordinary spirits lived as regular citizens, some going their entire lives without witnessing more than a handful of duels.
By contrast, spirits like those on the Predaplant Planet, who cooperated in group "predation," understood dueling ceremonies far better than average spirits.
"Hikari. I've heard your name."
Triphyoverutum lowered one of its heads and studied Hikaru with care.
"You are the most famous human Fusion Master. You once used our Chimerafflesia to stand against Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon..."
Among the spectating spirits, several enormous Chimerafflesia plants puffed out their chests and held their heads high, looking as thrilled as could be.
"Ha ha ha. When my master used me to defeat Black Luster Soldier, I must have looked the same way." For once, Flame Swordsman materialized and spoke up on his own.
But what Hikaru hadn't expected was where the story of Chimerafflesia versus Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon had even spread from. How did spirits in this dimension already know about it?
"I'm told you are a duelist who pursues the ultimate Fusion. So your appearance in our dimension must mean you've come seeking something?"
Hikaru smiled and nodded. "That's right."
Triphyoverutum hummed in contemplation.
As ruler of the Northern Continent, it was more than happy to duel a famous Fusion Master and noted Predaplant user like Hikaru.
But it also harbored some uncertainties.
Or rather, a kind of confusion.
"Hikari, would you answer a few questions for me?"
"What is it?" Hikaru found its tone curious.
"What is it that keeps you pursuing Fusion?"
Hikaru hadn't expected Triphyoverutum to ask something like that. He was momentarily taken aback, then thought for a moment. "At first, it was probably necessity. But over time, it became more and more interesting, so I kept at it."
A straightforward, balanced answer.
And a natural one.
Nobody was born loving something or destined to walk a certain path.
What duelists trusted was their own judgment, not some nebulous notion of "fate."
"Then... what if your Fusion was missing something?"
"Missing something? What do you mean by that, exactly?" Hikaru didn't follow.
"...Ha. Fair enough. I understand. Then, let us begin the duel ceremony." Triphyoverutum called out.
A magnificent red flower bloomed in the center of a vast, open basin. Its petals spun, and five leaves transformed into five Monster Zones, locking onto Triphyoverutum's left claw.
Hikaru flicked his left wrist. His Duel Disk activated with a snap, glowing with purple light.
"Hikari, you are a Fusion duelist renowned across dimensions. Would you grant me the first turn?" Triphyoverutum asked.
Hikaru's growing fame meant that even the leaders of major dimensions now asked him for the first turn rather than fighting over it. He thought for a moment, saw no reason to refuse, and nodded. "Sure."
RUMBLE, RUMBLE.
The earth churned. Countless plant spirits tumbled into the vast basin from every direction. Some clung to the walls. Some took root near the duelists. Others simply sat wherever they pleased.
Among the bizarre array of Predaplants were even flying dragon-type spirits, hovering above for the perfect aerial view of the duel.
The entire arena was packed. Flyers overhead, crawlers on the ground, swimmers through the soil. Every variety imaginable.
Every spirit in the area that could make it in time, every spirit holding "warrior" status, had come. Perhaps because the turnout was so enormous, spirits from other dimensions had even slipped in. Those that had survived or defeated Predaplant ambushes also gathered to watch.
This was the legendary Hikari, after all!
Among the crowd, a cold-eyed Darlingtonia Cobra slithered unnoticed to the edge of the arena, its eyes fixed on the field.
Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobras were a common sight on the Predaplant Planet. One more or fewer wouldn't raise suspicion.
But...
This particular cobra was no ordinary cobra. It belonged to...
Yuri.
Its plant-like eyes contracted repeatedly as it watched the duel, recording every detail and relaying the scene back to its master.
It could already imagine how excited its master would be. "Ooh, a duel with Senior Hikari! How fun! Show me more Fusion!"
"DUEL!"
Predaplant, Northern Sovereign, Triphyoverutum. LP: 4000.
Absolute Fusion Master, Hikaru Amagi. LP: 4000.
"My turn."
Several root tendrils whipped from Triphyoverutum's body, dragging a card from the earth.
"Hikari, do you know what real Predaplants are like?"
"Uh, you mean actual carnivorous plants?"
"Correct."
Hikaru was unsure why Triphyoverutum had brought this up.
But the great plant dragon began to explain.
"In nature, carnivorous plants are organisms that capture and digest insects to obtain nutrition. These plants typically grow in nutrient-poor environments, lacking sufficient minerals, places like swamps or wetlands. Therefore, they must prey on insects to absorb adequate nitrogen and other minerals."
"As you likely know, most spirits have an archetype, an origin. We Predaplants are the spiritual reflections of those very plants."
The words from Triphyoverutum's gaping maw carried reason and concern.
"We are users of Fusion Summoning. But our Fusion requires other beings to assist, even to devour other beings, before we can conveniently perform a Fusion... For example, like this."
It used a root tendril to lift a card from its collection and placed it on the field. "I pay 1000 Life Points and activate the Spell Card, Instant Fusion."
Triphyoverutum, LP: 4000 → 3000.
"You should be very familiar with this card." It spoke. "Pay 1000 Life Points to activate. Fusion Summon 1 Level 5 or lower Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, treated as a Fusion Summon. That monster cannot attack and is destroyed during the End Phase.
I pay 1000 Life Points and Special Summon Level 3, Zombie Warrior."
A trembling skeletal warrior crawled from a crypt. Its body was in terrible shape, bones cracked and crumbling.
Zombie Warrior. Level 3. DARK Attribute. Zombie-Type. ATK 1200.
A Fusion Monster with no effects.
"Normal Summon, Predaplant Sundew Kingii."
Classic.
Tierra nodded from the sidelines.
The true "soul" of the Predaplant archetype: Sundew Kingii.
She had watched Hikaru fuse Sundew Kingii into Predaplant Chimerafflesia countless times.
But...
Something different seemed to be happening today.
By now, having watched so many duels, studied so much, participated in a few herself, and even played casual games with Serena to test her knowledge, Tierra was no longer the clueless goddess she had once been.
After all, watching Hikaru duel for this long had built up real game sense.
If the goal was simply to Fuse into Predaplant Chimerafflesia, there was no reason to open by paying 1000 Life Points for a monster guaranteed to self-destruct at the End Phase.
Which meant Triphyoverutum had Fused this monster for a specific purpose: either for Zombie Warrior's Type or its Attribute.
Considering that the Predaplant Deck was entirely DARK Attribute monsters with no shortage of DARK Fusion Materials, the reason Triphyoverutum had used Instant Fusion for this monster was most likely not about Type or Attribute at all, but rather...
The fact that it was a Fusion Monster itself!
"I activate the effect of Predaplant Sundew Kingii! Once per turn, during my Main Phase: I select Fusion Materials for a DARK Fusion Monster, including this card on the field, from my hand, my field, and monsters my opponent controls that have Predator Counters on them, and send them to the Graveyard. I Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck.
The Fusion condition is: 1 Fusion Monster and 1 DARK monster."
It lightly flicked its right claw. From the barren basin, dense vegetation surged upward. A winged dragon-shaped plant burst from the foliage.
"Level 8, Predaplant Dragostapelia."
Predaplant Dragostapelia. Level 8. DARK Attribute. Plant-Type. ATK 2700.
There it was.
Dragostapelia!
Seeing this familiar monster materialize as a spirit before him, Hikaru grinned.
Predaplant Dragostapelia was a staple external engine and generic monster-effect tool in DARK Fusion Decks.
Of course, if that were all there was to it, Hikaru's reaction wouldn't have been so strong.
As a card, Dragostapelia's most notable claim to fame might not even have been its strength, but rather that, as a Predaplant card, it had become an external engine splashed into another Deck, much like Predaplant Verte Anaconda. That Deck was the recently released Tearlaments.
As an old card with low rarity, its price had skyrocketed thanks to Tearlaments. A strange twist of fate.
In any case, it was a classic card in DARK Fusion strategies. Even before Hikaru came to this world, it had been a solid generic Fusion Monster.
Of course, Yu-Gi-Oh was a game that never stopped evolving. Card efficiency and systems would always progress. With examples like Spellbook of Judgment in mind, Hikaru knew there would never be an invincible Deck, only invincible new cards. So Dragostapelia didn't particularly intimidate him.
And by the same logic, at least in the current era, Dragostapelia was quite useful for his own Deck.
After taking in Dragostapelia, Hikaru circled back to what Triphyoverutum had said earlier.
"You need to prey on other creatures to perform Fusion. Could it be... that your spirit bodies also have a flaw?" Hikaru asked with curiosity.
Triphyoverutum shook all three of its heads.
It wasn't quite that severe.
"We Predaplants are spirits that survive by preying on other spirits, absorbing their dueling energy. Our Fusion, too, works by devouring an opponent's energy during a duel.
Under this powerful form of Fusion, our planet flourished. But now... the Spirit Dimension has fractured. The spirits in neighboring dimensions have grown stronger during this period of recovery. Relying on duels to devour opponents' energy has become harder and harder.
Our Fusion has reached its limit."
So that was it.
That was why it had asked those questions before the duel.
"Lord Hikari, given our planet's predicament, given that our Fusion has hit a dead end, I, as the ruler of the Northern Continent, am deeply curious: in this situation, how would you Fuse? How can you earn my recognition?
If you can answer my question, resolve my confusion, and illuminate a new path... then every spirit on the Northern Continent is yours to try recruiting. Including me!"
"I Set two cards. Turn end!"
"I see. So that's how it is." Hikaru listened, showing no frustration or nerves. Instead, he couldn't help but chuckle. "Then my luck, and yours, is quite good."
Hikaru drew a card from his Deck and looked at it. "As it happens, I've just acquired a bit of new power myself."
...
STONES 💎