Arc-V: Cultivating Future

Interlude: Jack Atlas

Sounds of furious typing filled the room.

It was late night, and Jack Atlas is still up. Still watching the monitor and typing keywords after keywords. Opening pages after pages and searching for information.

Furious does not even begin to describe his feelings regarding the latest duel.

No. Itwas not duel.

It was straight up attempted murder.

Jack had known Sergey has reputation, and not a good one. He knows that monster has habit of giving false hopes to his opponent before crushing said hope. And said opponent.

And then, he goes and upped his cruelty meter. Summoning those infernal monster—

(The wine glass shattered under his grasp, shards digging past the gloves and into his skin. Drawing crimson liquid that drips on the floor. In his left hand, pain seared as if a hot branded iron pressed against his skin.

Jack pay no attention to it. Eyes blown wide with terror surges within him when hummingbird soar in the sky. Violet instead a burnt orange.

His secretary did not even finished her word when Jack already out of the room. Heart beating thump thump thump in terror, wishing he wasn't too late because if he's late then—)

SLAM!

Jack slammed his fist on the table. Breathing heavily.

Calm down. He needs to calm down.

No matter how hurt his chest become at mere memory of the geoglyphs, he needs to calm down. He can't do anything if his vision is filled with red rage.

Getting up to make fresh batch of coffee (he's going to feel it tomorrow, he know it), Jack resume in his search.

Being the King means he has access to files normal people doesn't. Sergey's criminal records. His duel records. Testament of Wardens and fellow inmates in Facility. CCTV recording of the brutal duel.

His deck.

Now that he had compiled them all, he moved to new search. Keywords pushed up to the forefront if his mind. Burning and leaving marks.

Earthbound. Geoglyphs.

Oh, there are more. However, these two are the most prevalent.

(Deranged laugh. Wild look. Rejoice at cruelty and carnage. Hurt hurt hurt hurt hurt they lashed out at the world and will turn everything to ashes, to hell.

Hummingbird rise on the sky, scorched the land.

Revenge revenge revenge revenge revenge

A soul loses in vain. Darkness takes over and corrupts.

Burnt orange sear into the soul and forces a vision—)

His search show something.

Nazca line.

Bile rose at the back of his throat.

It was just picture, but the way one of these picture shows up during the damned duel, the sinister feelings it brings, and what followed right after, Jack thinks he was excused to be paranoid.

(Explosion rattles the arena.

Smell of burnt flesh.

Soul is about to be sacrificed to evil god.

Without thinking—

"RED DRAGON ARCHFIEND!")

It was a monster that was familar to Jack. A Younger form of his Ace.

Younger, more reckless, less thinking and more of action.

But... it is perfect.

Because instinct is what prevent a tragedy from occuring.

Knock knock

It sounds more of someone banging his door than knocking it.

Or maybe it was just Jack.

"Come in."

Enter, Ruka.

The only sane member of the council. The youngest, and wisest of them all, in way she understands his standing in removing Sergey from tournament altogether and locking him into deepest pit they can find and throwing away the key.

Alas, she was stonewalled like him. What with being youngest, and not as connected as rest of the council.

The other old coots are deep in Roget's pocket and they follow his suggestion like blind sheep. Agreeing to keep Sergey under guise of challenging Lancers to prove their mettle.

It was disgusting.

"Did I wake you up?"

Jack gestured to his fifth pot of coffee.

"I see."

"What did you bring?"

"Two good news and one not so good news."

"Tell me the good news." His day had been shitty, he want something to cheer him up. Maybe the other council members grow a brain and decided that Jack's opinion of Sergey is correct? Maybe they changed their mind?

"First, thanks to your actions in saving Ren from death, and helping Crow Hogan walks to the infirmary, your reputations had increased by 120%, most of it come from the commons."

"I don't care about it." He was doing the normal thing! Anyone in his shoes would stop a murder from happening! And Crow can barely stand on his own feet, what with him receiving backlash of the explosion without something to act as shield. "What the other good news?"

"The doctors manage to save Ren's life. He's out of critical phase."

Now that, that was something Jack liked to hear.

"Bad news."

"Despite having no longer in danger of dying, Ren is in comatose. Not to mention his right side is badly charred and he won't be able to see anything from his right eye ever again."

As Jack thought.

"Keep an eye on him. Tell me if anything happens." He had known Ren. He had made name years ago. Jack would've love to dueled him had Duel Crusher was not a thing. He looks like prominent duelist. Alas... "And make it clear Sergey Volknov is confined to his room at all time except until he's called for duel. Put security you trust to guard the door."

"Done. Other participators, particularly Sakaki Yuya, Hiiragi Yuzu, Yugo, Shinji Weber, and Kurosaki Shun, are not happy with the decision. But it was more to they want to give Sergey piece of their mind than anything."

Understandable, but it was necessary to lock him up.

He doesn't trust that monster to not hurt anyone even if they're not dueling. Roget is sponsoring him, protecting him from consequences. It could go to Sergey's head and make him reckless and dangerous.

Combine with the other participants who won't take well to it...

Yes.

Safety needs to be increased. For their own sake.

"Let's hope... the next round is better. Though I don't put much to it."