"Bastard!!!"

Tojo Satoru's eyes were bloodshot; he could no longer endure the man's mockery.

He lunged straight for You Hong's face.

You Hong didn't even bother to move his eyes.

He merely shifted his body casually, dodging Tojo Satoru's attack.

Then, without the slightest hesitation, You Hong returned a punch.

The punch landed squarely on Tojo Satoru's face, sending his entire body reeling backward.

"Tojo!" Kagawa Hideyuki quickly ran over, spreading his arms and using his body to cushion Tojo Satoru's fall.

Bang! Thud!

The two collided, tumbling to the ground in a sorry state.

Only Tojo Satoru's heavy, painful gasps and Kagawa's suppressed coughs remained in the laboratory.

You Hong shook his right hand, which had just delivered the punch, took two steps forward, and stopped in front of the two, looking down at them from above.

"I said," he began slowly, "he started it. You all saw it."

Kagawa Hideyuki struggled to crawl out from under Tojo Satoru, his grizzled hair disheveled, his face bearing scratches and a flush of burning anger.

He didn't bother to find his glasses, just stared intently at You Hong: "You... what exactly do you want?!"

"What do I want?" You Hong seemed amused by the question.

He flipped his finger, and the platinum-colored, wheel-like Advent Deck appeared in his hand. "It's not about what I want."

He held the Advent Deck between his fingertips and dangled it in front of Kagawa Hideyuki, a nearly malicious curve on his lips: "You're the ones who want to prove something, aren't you? To prove whether your pile of 'Advanced toys' are just scrap metal?"

Looking at the platinum Advent Deck in the man's hand, Kagawa Hideyuki finally realized that the man before him was also a Rider.

"I'll do it!" Tojo Satoru struggled to get up from the ground, reaching for a strangely shaped black belt that had fallen nearby. "I'll show you!"

"No! Absolutely not!"

Kagawa Hideyuki's face changed dramatically, and he lunged forward, pressing down firmly on Tojo Satoru's hand reaching for the belt.

His strength was no match for Tojo Satoru's, but at that moment, he unleashed astonishing willpower, using the weight of his entire body to pin the other man down. "The System isn't stable yet, data is missing. Forcibly activating it will kill you. Tojo! Calm down!"

"Let go of me, Professor!" Tojo Satoru's eyes were bloodshot, like a trapped beast. "Let me kill this bastard!"

"No means no!" Kagawa's voice trembled, yet it was exceptionally firm.

"Tsk." You Hong watched the farce unfolding before him, pursed his lips, and the faint, insincere smile on his face completely vanished, replaced by undisguised weariness.

He was tired of watching the two of them roll around on the ground arguing.

A waste of time.

He simply turned around, took a few steps, and walked towards the huge floor-to-ceiling mirror in the center of the laboratory.

He stood before the mirror, aimed the Advent Deck in his hand at it, and then turned to speak.

"I'll be waiting for you inside, so come as soon as you can."

Hum—!

The mirror surface suddenly erupted with intensely distorted light, rippling violently like water struck by a stone!

You Hong's figure was completely swallowed by the light, instantly disappearing from the real world.

After You Hong disappeared, Kagawa Hideyuki seemed to have made a decision.

He almost stumbled as he rushed to an inconspicuous metal cabinet nearby, quickly inputting a password.

The cabinet door sprang open, revealing the Alternative-Zero transformation gear. He moved with a dexterity unbefitting a scholar, swiftly buckling the belt around his waist and picking up the Advent Deck engraved with "TRIAL PROTOTYPE-00."

"Professor!" Tojo Satoru roared, trying to stop him.

"Shut up!"

Kagawa growled back, his voice carrying undeniable authority. "Watch Nakamur! Watch the System!" He abruptly aimed the Advent Deck at the violently fluctuating mirror surface. "Henshin!"

Blinding white light instantly enveloped his body, coalescing in the light stream into a heavy armor interwoven with dark silver and off-white.

The white "V" symbol on his forehead was extremely striking.

The next second, Alternative-Zero, into which Kagawa Hideyuki had transformed, plunged without hesitation into the giant mirror, which resembled the entrance to an abyss!

On the desolate streets of the Mirror World.

You Hong stood there composed, his platinum armor glowing with a warm yet hard luster under the eerie light.

He watched as the space not far across from him intensely warped, and the figure of Alternative-Zero emerged from it.

"Oh?" You Hong raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his tone. "You actually came? Commendable courage."

Alternative-Zero wasted no words.

Beneath his helmet, Kagawa Hideyuki's eyes held only burning Battle Intent and desperate resolve.

He let out a muffled growl, and his heavy body surprisingly burst forth with disproportionate speed, charging forward fiercely.

Sword Vent!

The blade of the "Slash Dagger" ripped through the air with a piercing shriek, cutting fiercely towards You Hong's neck.

A typical slashing opening move, with a tricky and vicious angle, targeting the vulnerable neck armor joint.

Clang—!!!

Sparks flew!

However, the longsword, capable of cutting through steel plates, struck squarely against You Hong's left forearm guard, which he had casually raised to block.

There was no anticipated cutting sensation; instead, it felt like striking an indestructible mountain rock.

A huge shockwave traveled up the blade, numbing Kagawa's arm!

Alternative-Zero's pupils beneath his faceplate suddenly constricted.

This defense... how could it be so strong!

"Too slow." You Hong's voice came through his faceplate, carrying a hint of lazy commentary.

He didn't even counterattack, merely pushed and swung his arm outwards casually.

A colossal force suddenly erupted!

Alternative-Zero's heavy body was like a fallen leaf caught in a gale, uncontrollably stumbling backward, his heavy iron boots plowing two deep tracks in the ground.

He retreated a full seven or eight steps before barely steadying himself, his chest armor heaving violently.

"How is that possible..." Kagawa Hideyuki was horrified.

Although his Alternative-Zero System was not a complete product, it was a very powerful existence, yet it couldn't even break the opponent's defense.

"Continue." You Hong beckoned him with a finger, his posture casual. "Don't stop."

"Roar!"

Alternative-Zero was thoroughly enraged. He suddenly hunched his body and charged forward again.

This time, his speed was faster, his strength fiercer.

Mid-charge, his right leg stomped hard to gain leverage, and his heavy body suddenly performed a Splash, executing a fierce Jump Kick in the air.

The heavy battle boot, covered in sharp armor, smashed fiercely towards You Hong's head.

This kick was powerful and heavy, showcasing Alternative armor's explosive power to its fullest.

The air was compressed into a roar.

You Hong still didn't move, even slightly raising his chin, as if appreciating the opponent's flashy attack.

Just as the battle boot was about to touch his faceplate—

Bang!

Another dull thud!

You Hong merely raised his right arm seemingly casually, lightly knocking upwards with his forearm.

The movement was pitifully small, yet precise to a desperate degree.

Alternative-Zero's Jump Kick, which had concentrated all his power, was thus parried in mid-air by a Frillish raised platinum arm.

The immense kinetic energy was like a mud ox entering the sea!

Kagawa Hideyuki felt as if his ankle was clamped tightly by an iron vice, and a cold sensation transmitted through his armor.

He tried with all his might to break free, even twisting his body to try and attack with his other foot, but the opponent's arm was unmoving, like an unshakeable mountain!

"Good strength," You Hong's voice carried a hint of mockery, "Too bad, it's just for show."

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly swung his arm, which was clamping Alternative-Zero's ankle, downwards!

Whoosh—!

Alternative-Zero's heavy body instantly lost all balance, like a giant rag doll, smashed hard onto the cold, hard ground by an irresistible force!

Boom!!!

Debris flew, and dust billowed!

A clear, human-shaped crater appeared in the middle of the street.

Alternative-Zero's entire upper body was embedded in it, with only his legs still twitching slightly outside the pit.

His chest armor was covered in spiderweb-like cracks, and his breathing beneath the faceplate became heavy and painful.

You Hong strolled to the edge of the pit and looked down at the struggling black and gray Rider at the bottom.

"Hey," he lightly kicked Alternative-Zero's exposed calf, "Still alive? Can't get up already?"

A suppressed cough and the sound of metal scraping came from the bottom of the pit. Alternative-Zero suddenly propped himself up with both arms, forcing himself out of the pit, and stood up unsteadily.

His movements were noticeably much slower, but the eyes beneath his faceplate stared intently at You Hong, burning with an unyielding flame.

"Heh," You Hong chuckled softly, looking at the opponent's disheveled yet still stubborn appearance, and nodded. "Alright, at least you've got some backbone. But..." He raised his hand, casually flicking at non-existent dust on his chest armor.

"Is the warm-up over?"

He tilted his head, his compound eyes flashing with cold green light. "If you've had enough fun, it's time to concede, isn't it, Professor Kagawa?"

"Don't... don't look down on me!"

Alternative-Zero let out a muffled roar, again raising his Slash Dagger and assuming an attack stance.

You Hong looked at him in this state, shook his head slightly, and let out a soft 'tsk'.

"Alright." He shrugged, a faint, almost imperceptible sigh seeming to emanate from beneath his platinum armor. "Since you want to play so badly..."

He pulled a card from his waist and held it in his hand.

"Let's start the next round."