The Promise that surpass Space & Time

"Ugh... I'm beat..." said Yuji walking.

Just today, there are at least 30 peoples challenging him, and not only that there is at least a dozen of student that chasing him either to bought Odd-Eyes or his HERO deck from him, or even to made him their direct disciple for the teacher.

"Aren't you happy?" Said Sakura, walking beside him.

"Ugh... at first I was happy they acknowledge my skill, but after many challenge and chasing, the fatigue finally catches up to me"

"Humhum" giggled her looking at the exhausted Yuji.

Because of the duel between Yuji and Sakura, the promotion exam will be postponed until there is a future announcement.

The duel between them even made the highlight news of Duel Academy. The news can be found on the magazine, wall magazine, school newspaper, and even website.

Thanks to that duel, the name Yuji Kusanagi and Sakura Isshiki become much more famous, especially Yuji.

He is said to be the second generation of Seto Kaiba, because of the similarity between his Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon and Kaiba's own Blue Eyes White Dragon.

It's even said that Odd-Eyes in terms of versatility already surpassed that of a Blue Eyes.

Not only that, there's even a rumor that his E•HERO deck were given to and by Pegasus himself, and his E•HERO cards were one of a kind copy, and it's not for sale.

There are also some students who called him the strongest HERO deck user.

In just one ordinary duel, his name spreads like a wildfire.

Thanks to that, for two days straight, he chased by students and teachers alike for:

One, is to buy the card Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon or his HERO deck.

Two, is to challenge and bring down Yuji Kusanagi.

Three, the teacher wanted him to become his/her disciple for *certain* reasons.

"The second Kaiba my ass... I'm nowhere near his level, and what is it about The strongest HERO user?! Even with my current deck I'm still struggling to beat Jaden who use the common HERO deck" complained him.

Sakura nod, "Yeah... that guy is so scary, he can draw anything he needs as he wanted too"

Both of them were walking alone together through the street.

Today, Sakura received a challenge from Jaden, and both of them duke it out in front of Slifer Red Dormitory.

They dueled and dueled, until the pale moon hangs on the sky.

It is already 20.22 p.m, and just let a girl alone to her house (dorm) is at this hour is dangerous, that is why Yuji accompanied her to her house (dorm).

When they walk, Yuji secretly glance at her.

[No matter what... their resemblance is uncanny]

After the duel between them at promotion exam, Yuji... for hours tried to communicate with Odd-Eyes, he even begged Jaden to help him, alas... it was for nothing, the dragon didn't answer him nor Jaden, even his partner Winged Kuriboh can't communicate with it.

"What a troublesome dragon..." whispered him.

"What is it about a Dragon?" Asked her.

Yuji scratches his cheek, "N- no, nothing"

"Don't lie…"

Yuji sighed, he gave up and told Sakura everything.

"Oh" answered her.

"Oh?" Asked Yuji.

"It's probably a shy one... there's an article about bonding with animal, that they won't quickly bond or friendlier to human even after they knew each other for years, and the one you face is a ghost of a card... well comparing those two, you... is much tougher" explained her.

Yuji sighed, "Ugh..."

Finally, they arrived near the perimeter of Obelisk Blue Girls' dorm, if Yuji steps in he would... well... just ask Syrus.

"This good enough, good night Yu- ...!" before she left, leaving him behind, Yuji grabs her hand.

"Sakura... can I requested something from you" asked Yuji, looking serious toward her.

BADUMP!

Her heart suddenly pounding, but she already used to this, so she won't mind it, although she found it strange... why she is only pounding in certain situation?

"What is it?" Asked her.

"Um… You see... uh..." Yuji scratched his head, the words seem so hard to be spoken.

"Say it!"

Yuji sigh, "Sakura... if... just if okay... if I turned evil and lost my ways... would you..."

Sakura pressed her index finger to Yuji's mouth, "I understand... leave it to me, if you turned evil like that guy ZARC, I... I promise I would bring you back"

Yuji's widened his eyes,

BADUMP!

His heart pounding for a moment, but he didn't know why

He's just there standing, looking and listening to her.

Sakura then retract her hand, smiling, "But, I also requested something from you"

"Oh? What is it?" Asked Yuji, happy to hear her request.

Sakura turned back, "You see... I'm not only beautiful, but also very smart and talented..."

Yuji drop his eyelid, "Oi, what's this about boasting yourself?"

Sakura smiled, but Yuji can't see it, "Simply put, a girl of my kind is kinda hard to forge a relationship with, that is why..." she turned back, facing Yuji with solemn expression

She then paused, Yuji widened his eyes

[No way... is she?! Is she gonna?! Oh my god!! She's going to confess to me!] Think him in his head.

"For the next life and so on... please... befriend me again..."

Yuji were speechless hearing her words, he shakes his head and then smile as he closed his eyes, "I see..." he then opens it again, "I promised... no matter what time, what dimension, and no matter who you are... I'm going to search for you and befriended you again" said Yuji pound his chest like a brave soldier.

"Really? Then it's a promise..." said Sakura, as she brings and show Yuji her pinky finger.

Yuji nod, "I promise", and he coiled his pinky finger around hers.

Both of them smile then laugh at each other under the watchful gaze of the pale moon.

.....................................

Later on her bedroom,

Sakura were laying on her bed looking at the ceiling of her room.

His words before reverberates in her mind,

[I promised... no matter what time, what dimension, and no matter who you are... I'm going to search for you and befriended you again]

Remembering his words again made her happy, but she soon realized something

"Isn't what I said to Yuji and vice versa is basically a marriage proposal?" Wondered her, "Huh... to think that kinda proposal exist" laugh her amused

She then took a card from her deck beside her, and looking at her signature card, her ace monster, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon.

"ZARC..."

Sakura then remembers, when the blinding lights from the collision between the confronting two dragons, immersed her in the white light.

She received a vision, the same as Yuji.

As to why she didn't talk about it to Yuji because she herself wasn't a staunch believer in something unscientific like magic, premonition, or any supernatural thing.

So she just bruised it off nonchalantly, but after seeing Yuji's worried face, she must have a change of heart.

In her vision, she was transported to a futuristic world, there he met ZARC as some sort of ghost.

The first time he met ZARC, he was a passionate duelist, eager to entertain the peoples with his duel, and the peoples responded by cheering him on.

But... the next time she was transported again, ZARC become a completely different person.

Boastful, Vicious, and Greedy for exciting duel.

Unlike before he entertained his audience with skill and acrobatics, the ZARC she knew right now is truly like to torment his opponents until they reach critical condition.

Next, what is she dubbed as the most illogical thing plausible.

That... a human merged with Duel Monster Spirit, and one of the spirit is her ace Starving Venom Fusion Dragon.

The other two were unknown, but she certainly saw and remembers Odd-Eyes, albeit its figure is kinda different.

"Starving, do you had wanted to talk about something to me?" Asked Sakura.

But the card didn't answer her.

"Fine..."

She then put the card into her deck, and then back to her bed.

She closed her eyes...

Next time, she was transported again in some sort of hill.

There, he met ZARC who already wreak havoc upon the world, and to her surprise... a girl with the same face resembling her.

"Ray... that girl..."

That girl, with just 4 cards, manage to defeat the monstrosity knew as ZARC, but after she does it the world begin like it was splitting into four segments followed with a blinding white light.

Then Yuji's words reverberates into her mind again.

[Sakura... if... just if okay... if I turned evil and lost my ways... would you...]

She opened her eyes... and took the Starving Venom Fusion Dragon from her deck again

She glares at it,

"ZARC... Why... just why you must had the same face as Yuji?"