A swordswoman named Linker has journeyed across nine dimensions, and now Konami has laid out exactly how that works. The “Dimension Linker” Lore [RUSH DUEL] tells us everything about her blade, her partner, and the warp device that lets her hop between realities.
The lore comes from the Yu-Gi-Oh! Rush Duel format, which Konami launched earlier this year. It mixes trading-card-game mechanics with a story about a woman who protects the multiverse. The source reads like a pitch for a full anime series, complete with powered-up forms, rival operators, and a princess who wears a headset Linker gave her.
Here is what the lore actually says, broken down.
Born in the Sea of Neuron
Linker was born in the Sea of Neuron, which is apparently a thing in this universe. She is a swordswoman who traveled across nine dimensions, and her blade is not meant to sever but to unite. That is a nice line, but it is not clear what uniting means for a sword.
The lore ties her directly to the Duel Links game. Her sword resembles the Gate Keys of Duel Links, and the ring on her finger has a jewel similar to the Skill Icon. She and her partner, Riletta, fight together and take on appearances that suit each reality.
What matters most is what happens when the Graveyard is full of different monster types. That is when Linker and Riletta show their true might. The battlefield this time is an elegant land where mysterious forces gather round, and Linker works with her colleagues from the organization and the land’s local Onmyoji to face the monsters, spirits, demons, and yokai causing trouble.
Riletta and the Ammo Change
Riletta is described as a cheerful and energetic older-sister-type who is Linker’s partner. She fights alongside Linker and takes on appearances that suit each reality. Her firearm-like weapon changes its ammo, allowing her to utilize a variety of abilities.
The lore also mentions that Riletta has no latent spiritual power. Instead, she does things by combining the aid of local people with cutting-edge technology. That is a funny line, but it is the whole explanation for how she operates.
Powered-Up Forms
There are two powered-up versions of Linker and Riletta. Waso Gozen Linker is a powered-up form with the added strength of a Samurai. Her chain-whip sword has transformed into two Japanese-style katana. She gains power through the connections and prayers of people in the dimension she is currently in.
Wako Gozen Riletta is her powered-up form with the powers of an Onmyoji. The lore does not explain what happens to Riletta’s firearm in this form, which is a strange omission. The description simply says she is powered up with the powers of an Onmyoji.
The Operator and the Tablet
Dimension Oper is an operator who supports Linker and Riletta from their original dimension. She is a reliable lady who always does her job properly. Dimension Pramma also supports the pair. She is the same age as Oper, but their personalities are like night and day. Pramma is a blunt but very easygoing older-sister-type.
Dimension Channel is Pramma’s tablet. It allows her to check on how Linker and Riletta are doing in other dimensions. The display is very similar to the worlds of Duel Links, which ties the lore back to the game that spawned it.
Reifu and the Princess
Reifu is a female Onmyoji who helped show Linker and Riletta around the land when they first arrived. The bracelet she wears appears to have been given to her by Linker as a Spiritual Power Amplifying Device. That is a great name for a prop.
Nehime is the princess of the country. The headset she wears is a gift from Linker to let her help with information sharing. The lore does not explain what the headset actually does, but the gesture is sweet.
The Warp Device
The warp device used by Linker and Riletta is called Dimension Jump. It has a shape very similar to the gate in Duel Links. Nine display screens in the air, each leading to a different world, are deployed around the gate. You can see the world being visited this time in the upper right corner.
That is a lot of setup for a trading-card-game mechanic. The lore treats the warp device as a real object with a real function, even though it is just a way of moving cards between decks.
Searching Fuden and Fuden Issen
The lore includes two illustrations: Searching Fuden and Fuden Issen. In Searching Fuden, Reifu guides Linker around the city. Linker has changed into a kimono that fits the local environment. In the back of the picture is a familiar figure, one that looks very similar to Shitotsu the Talismanic Warrior.
In Fuden Issen, Linker and Reifu create some sort of energy beam. They are fighting against someone who looks similar to the demon depicted on Talismanic Seal Array. The lore does not say who they are fighting, but the resemblance is noted.
What This Actually Is
The “Dimension Linker” Lore [RUSH DUEL] is a marketing document. It is Konami telling a story about its new trading-card-game format in a way that fans of the game will recognize. The references to Duel Links, the Skill Icon, and the Gate Keys are all callbacks to existing Yu-Gi-Oh! lore.
The lore is also a way of explaining the mechanics of Rush Duel. The warp device represents the ability to move cards between decks. The powered-up forms represent the mechanics of Rank-Up and Link-Up. The illustrations tie the story to the cards themselves.
The Verdict
The lore is fun. It is a silly, imaginative story built on top of a trading-card-game mechanic, and it is clearly written with affection for the source material. It is not deep, and it is not trying to be. It is a pitch for a format, dressed up as a fantasy adventure.
The best lines are the ones that acknowledge the absurdity of what they are saying. Riletta’s lack of latent spiritual power is explained as a combination of local people and cutting-edge technology. That is a joke, and it lands.
The weakest parts are the gaps. The lore never explains what the Skill Icon does, what the Gate Keys do, or what the warp device actually enables. It assumes the reader knows the game well enough to fill in those blanks.
The lore also leans heavily on the concept of the Graveyard. Linker and Riletta show their true might when there are many different types of monster in the Graveyard. That is a callback to the Yu-Gi-Oh! tradition of using the Graveyard as a resource, but it is not explained here.
The schedule of events in the lore is simple:
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| Journey across nine dimensions | Linker travels across dimensions |
| Meeting Reifu and Nehime | Linker and Riletta arrive in the land |
| Dimension Jump activation | Warp device deploys around the gate |
| Searching Fuden illustration | Reifu guides Linker around the city |
| Fuden Issen illustration | Linker and Reifu create an energy beam |
The key facts from the lore are:
- Born in the Sea of Neuron
- Sword resembles Duel Links Gate Keys
- Ring resembles Skill Icon
- Partner is Riletta
- Warp device is Dimension Jump
- Powered-up forms: Waso Gozen Linker and Wako Gozen Riletta
- Operator is Dimension Oper
- Tablet is Dimension Channel
- Illustrations: Searching Fuden and Fuden Issen
The lore is a good example of how trading-card-game companies use fiction to sell mechanics. It is not a deep story, but it is a coherent one, and it is clearly aimed at fans who will enjoy the callbacks.
The final image of Linker and Reifu creating an energy beam against a demon from Talismanic Seal Array is a strong visual. It is the kind of moment that makes a trading-card-game fan smile, even if it does not make sense as a plot point.
The lore ends on a cliffhanger of sorts. Who are Linker and Reifu fighting against in Fuden Issen? The lore does not say, and it does not need to. It is a story about a swordswoman who travels between dimensions, and that is enough.
The paper’s view is that this is a charming, if slightly silly, way of selling a new trading-card-game format. The lore is a marketing tool, but it is a well-crafted one, and it shows a company that cares about its fans.
Source material: ““Dimension Linker” Lore [RUSH DUEL],” YGOrganization.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.