A red projection, a holographic image constructed entirely from light. The man in the image was broad-built, dressed like an archaeologist, sleeves rolled up, a beard on his chin, and a gentle smile on his face.
"Yuma, Astral," he said.
Yuma was stunned. "D-Dad!?"
He instinctively stepped forward and reached out, but his hand passed straight through the projected image. Only then did he realize it was merely an extraordinarily lifelike projection.
Yuma's father was Kazuma Tsukumo, once one of the world's foremost explorers. During an expedition with Dr. Fika and Byron, they had activated a gate to the Barian World within some ruins.
To obtain the Supernatural Power that could heal his son, Dr. Fika had offered his close friends Byron and Kazuma Tsukumo as living sacrifices. From then on, Kazuma Tsukumo had vanished beyond the dimension, with neither his fate nor whereabouts known.
This was the first time Yuma had seen his father again after so long. His emotions surged, his nose stung, and all the hardship and longing of these years flooded into his heart.
"If you are seeing this image, then things have already developed in the worst possible direction," Kazuma Tsukumo in the recording said. "Receiving this message means that the seven Numbers in the ruins have all awakened."
Yuma was baffled. "The seven Numbers in the ruins?"
Kazuma Tsukumo explained, "Across our world, there are seven hidden ruins, each concealing a Number. They are all exceptionally special Numbers, and every one of them is crucial.
"Time is short, so I cannot explain the origins of these seven Numbers in detail. But you only need to know that if these seven cards fall into the hands of the Barian, their immense power will awaken."
He paused, then said with utmost gravity, "Yuma, Astral, no matter