Cold wind howled through the substation, and high-voltage arcs crackled between the surrounding porcelain insulators.
Jinzo hovered in midair, his scarlet compound electronic eyes looking down at Yūki as a low, mocking sound like scraping metal came from his throat.
"Human brat, since you stepped forward of your own accord, prepare yourself."
Jinzo raised his mechanical arm, fitted with a high-voltage generator. The stitched steel plates on his chest rose and fell slightly, his voice cold and cruel.
"This is no childish make-believe drill at your Duel Academy. This is a genuine Shadow Game, with souls on the line!"
"If you lose... your dueling soul will become the finest tribute for me to rebuild my body!"
Terrifying mental pressure swept outward alongside a violent electromagnetic field. Even the swirling snow was shredded into ice fragments in midair.
Yet the black-haired boy standing opposite him showed no fear at all. Instead, he rubbed his chin with interest.
"A duel with souls on the line, huh..."
Yūki raised his head, met those two scarlet beams of light, and spoke unhurriedly.
"That does sound pretty exciting."
"But Mr. Jinzo, if this is a wager, shouldn't we make the rules clear?"
"You've spelled out exactly what happens if I lose. But what if I win? What do I get?"
Jinzo's mechanical face, fitted with an iron restraining respirator, twitched slightly.
His compound electronic eyes, glowing bloodthirsty red, stared fixedly at Yūki as though he had heard some impossible fantasy.
"What did you say? Win?!"
Grating mechanical laughter abruptly tore through the snowy night's dead silence.
"Keh heh heh heh! Ignorant brat! I am the mechanical overlord who commands psychokinesis! Before absolute Dark Power, do you think you have even the slightest chance of winning?!"
The cables above Jinzo's head violently sprayed purple sparks, and