Disclaimer: The following piece is in no way a claim to ownership of the depicted characters. Yu-Gi-Oh, Yu-Gi-Oh R, Yu-Gi-Oh GX and Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's are owned by TV Tokyo, Konami Corporation and Kazuki Takahashi. The book/poem after which this fanfiction document has taken its name is the property of Edgar Allen Poe. This story as presented is strictly for entertainment purposes, both for its owner and readers.

Chapter 2 – The New Kaiser, Dragunity vs. Red Daemon

"This is the last of my collection," Ryo noted, placing a stack of cards on the coffee table and fanning them out. Standing opposite him with his arms crossed, Jack looked on in interest at Ryo's collaboration of well over 1,000 cards apart from his own Deck.

"What do we have to choose from?" Jack asked, trying to think of the best option. In response, Ryo crossed his own arms over the black leather trench coat and began to think deeply to himself.

"Most of these cards aren't well-themed," the black-clad duelist sighed. "The Cyber-Style is the only Deck I've ever built, and those cards are now off limits."

"Unfortunate." Glancing off to the side, Jack quickly glimpsed the Cyber Reverse-Style Deck, covered in its black vines, and thought of the power it held. Then, a glimmer shone from within the pile of cards that made him pull a certain one from the group, pulling it free. "Dragunity Knight – Gale Rider?"

"Dragunity is a theme based around equipping Dragons to Birds," Ryo noted. "I've seen it played, but I don't possess enough to make a full Deck of it."

"Shame," Jack somberly noted, putting down the monster. "A Level 10 Synchro Monster is a rare gem of a card, and indeed a terrible thing to waste."

Smiling slightly out of nowhere, Ryo snapped his fingers and noted, "I might just have something. The Deck… I saw it run competitively some time ago."

"Did it run well?" Jack asked.

"It gave me a run for my money, along with Ryukishi Kyojo," was the reply. For a second Jack remembered the older, hard core Riding Duelist, before his attention returned to the moment.

"Do you know the person why played it very well?"

"I do," Ryo noted, turning to Jack as he twisted his loose hair into a ponytail again. "He was my apprentice for some time. He came to me a graduate of Duel Academia, and I gave him a chance to become a Pro Duelist. He's since stopped running the Deck."

"What are you thinking of doing?" Jack questioned, thinking he likely knew the answer but wanted to hear it for confirmation.

"Right now? That I need to grab my cheque book." Turning and walking away, he stepped over to his study in the next room to grab said item, followed closely by the blond duelist. While there, he also pulled a small credit card-like item and stuffed it into his pocket before turning to leave.

"What was that?" Jack pondered.

"D-Wheel License," Ryo answered, grabbing a helmet from underneath a chair before doing up the belts on his coat, which he normally left hanging. He then grabbed his house keys while Jack grabbed his own helmet, and they stepped out the door into the elevator after Ryo locked the door behind them.

"I didn't know you rode," Jack said simply.

"With the economy in rough condition, it's cheaper than owning a car. Besides, it gave Yusei the money."

"You bought a D-Wheel from Yusei?"

"Of course. He's a good friend with great quality and honest policies."

"True." When the elevator door opened, both men stepped out into the parking lot and walked down until Ryo stopped at a black Motorcycle-like D-Wheel and got on, pulling a helmet resting on the seat over his head. In the opposite space was Wheel of Fortune; Jack had parked near it without realizing whose it was.

"You ready?" Ryo asked as Jack got on his own D-Wheel and put on his helmet.

"Ready."

Sitting in a leather chair in a dressing room at the Duel Stadium, a man with brown hair in an army cut and slightly effeminate eyes, dressed in a navy outfit with an Obelisk Blue-like coat on, fanned through his Deck. His winning streak in the Pro Leagues had recently hit a brick wall, having won 10 consecutive matches followed by 3 recent losses. Now he began to question the validity of this Deck, wondering about whether or not he even belonged here…

Suddenly, there was a knock on his dressing room door. "Come in," the man declared, only to be surprised when Ryo and Jack stepped in the door. "Jack Atlus? Hell Kaiser?"

"I'm just going by Ryo now, Sorano," Ryo said simply, Jack standing behind him with his attitude reserved and his arms crossed. "Jack, this is Sorano Taigo."

"Pleased," Jack said simply, to which Sorano smiled before turning back to Ryo.

"What brings you here?" he asked, prompting Ryo to pull out the Gale Rider card from his pocket. "Dragunity? I stopped running that deck years ago."

"I'm not offering you the card," Ryo retorted. "I'm here to buy the Deck."

"What?" Sorano asked as the green-haired duelist pulled out his cheque book. He then pulled out a pen as well and wrote a number down.

"Will this do?" Ryo asked, tearing the slip from the book and handing it to Sorano. The brown-haired man looked at it for a mere second before he burst out cheerily and said,

"Yes sir!"

Standing on the roof of the apartment building with his arms crossed, Ryo waited with an Academia Duel Disc on his arm for Jack to show up for a designated practice round. Standing to his left, Sho and Asuka looked on in anticipation while Ryo looked through the Deck he now held, before shuffling it and placing it in the powered-down device.

Suddenly, the door to the roof opened up and Jack stepped out, his long Blade Disc strapped to his arm, followed closely by Yusei and Crow. The two followers stepped over to where the others were, while Jack took up a stance opposite Ryo and put his Deck in his Duel Disc.

"Pleased to see you decided to appear," Ryo noted, smiling and briefly closing his eyes.

Jack simply bellowed in retort, "It is the duty of the King to take on all challenges set before him." Both players then raised their left arms, causing Ryo's Duel Disc to extend its blade and Jack's to power up. Both of them then pulled 5 cards and yelled,

"DUEL!"

Ryo: LP 4000

Jack: LP 4000

"Draw!" Ryo declared, pulling an extra card in doing so. "Magic Activate: Cost Down! By discarding 1 card from my hand, I reduce the Level of all monsters in my hand by 2 for this turn!" Pulling one of his card and flipping it around, he added, "I discard Dragunity – Powered Vice."

"Impressive," Jack noted with crossed arms as Ryo placed the mentioned card in the Cemetery chute, where the motor pulled it into the Disc's body.

"Now that it is Level 3 instead of Level 5," Ryo added, flipping another card, "I Summon Dragunity – Cross Wing (ATK: 2300)!" From a blue vortex that formed behind Ryo emerged a Tengu-like monster with 4 red-feathered wings, an eagle-like face with legs ending in talons and arms like eagle's legs.

"What… is that monster?" Crow asked.

"A Dragunity monster," Yusei noted, "is a Bird that uses Dragons for its power."

"When this monster is successfully summoned," Ryo informed as his Cemetery glowed and he held up his arm, "I may equip 1 WIND Dragon-type monster in my Cemetery to this card, and increase its ATK by half that of the equipped Dragon. Come, Powered Vice!"

From below the eagle-like creature emerged a large, muscular dragon of dark grey scales and red armour that included massive bladed wings and a pair of arms resembling vice grips. Coming up from behind it, the Tengu grabbed the muscular upper arms of the dragon and wrapped its lower wings around the waist of the dragon.

"Powered Vice holds 2100 ATK, so the ATK of Cross-Wing increases by 1050 (ATK: 3350). I set 1 card. Permanent Magic: Arms Drop. I end my turn."

"Draw!" Jack declared, pulling a card from his Deck before revealing one from his hand. "I Special Summon Vice Dragon (ATK: 1000)!" Rising up in front of Jack was a large, dinosaur-like purple dragon with green ragged membrane for its wings and massive forearms. "Next I summon Magna Drago (ATK: 1400)!"

Also appearing beside the purple dragon was a smaller, red dragon with brown wings and tusks in its lower jaw. The monster growled at Ryo, who glared at it calmly, before Jack continued. "I Tune my Level 2 Magna Drago to my Level 5 Vice Dragon!" The red dragon breathed out 2 white orbs before exploding, which turned into 2 green rings that surrounded the purple dragon.

The purple dragon was turned into a yellow outline version of itself, which breathed out 5 white orbs before disappearing. The orbs then formed a vertical formation that changed into a white column of light. From this emerged a dark grey dragon with orange wing membranes, a large hump behind its short neck and broad head, abnormally long legs and thick arms and tail.

"Synchro Summon: Explode Wing Dragon (ATK: 2400)! And next, Magic Activate: Stamp Destruction!"

"Those cards," Yusei realized to himself as he noticed Jack was using cards he normally passed on. "Is he using that guy's Deck?"

"I destroy Powered Vice and deal the opponent 500 damage!" From the card that formed erupted a pressure wave that struck the large dragon, making it explode in the grasp of the Tengu.

Ryo: LP 3500

Jack: LP 4000

"And next, when Explode Wing Dragon attacks a monster of less ATK than itself," Jack informed, "it is automatically destroyed and the opponent receives its ATK as damage. Explode Wing Dragon, attack Cross Wing!" A huge fireball instantly formed in the dragon's mouth and launched at the Tengu, destroying it and making a shockwave that forced Ryo to cover his face.

Ryo: LP 1200

Jack: LP 4000

"Trap Card Open!" Ryo declared, flipping his set card. "Sixth Sense! I declare numbers 5 and 6!" Six orbs bearing the Kanji of numbers 1-6 appeared behind Ryo and lit up one by one. Eventually, the one bearing 5 lit up. "Now I can draw 5 cards!"

"Main Phase 2," Jack declared as Ryo drew, "Permanent Magic: Future Fusion. I select F.G.D., and so I send 5 Dragons from my Deck to my Cemetery. I select Strong Wind Dragon, Dread Dragon, Vice Dragon, Tyrant Dragon and Masked Dragon." Showing all 5 monsters, Jack placed them into his Cemetery slot. "I set 1 card and end my turn."

"Draw," Ryo declared, pulling a card before spinning it around. "I activate the effect of Arms Drop. During the Draw Phase, when I draw a Dragon-type Dragunity monster, I can discard it and draw 1 new card. I Discard Dragunity – Phalanx." Placing said card into the Cemetery, he reached for his Deck again and grabbed the card.

"You think your next pull will be any better?" Jack asked.

"Let's find out. Draw!" Ryo challenged, pulling his card before instantly placing it horizontally. "I Summon Dragunity – Guardwing (DEF: 2000)!" Emerging in front of Ryo was a crouching blue bird-like humanoid, which crossed its wings over its own body as it crouched defensively.

"When this monster is successfully summoned, I can send 1 Dragon-type Dragunity monster from the Deck to the Cemetery to equip my existing one with a Dragon-type Dragunity monster from my Cemetery. I select Dragunity – Phalanx."

The card of a monster known as Dragunity – Black Spear instantly slid out from the Duel Disc, and so he grabbed it and inserted it into the Cemetery. Then, the mentioned card slid back out, only to be grabbed and placed in its proper slot behind the bird-man. Behind it then appeared the form of a silvery dragon with an armoured body and segmented wings.

"I activate the effect of Dragunity – Phalanx," Ryo declared, pulling the card back out of the Magic & Trap Card Slot. "When it is equipped to a monster I control, I may Special Summon it (ATK: 500)!" Slapping the card on a Monster Zone on the tray, the dragon then rose from behind the bird-man to appear beside it.

"I Tune my Level 2 Dragunity – Phalanx to my Level 4 Dragunity – Guardwing!" The silvery dragon slashed its sword-like arm to produce 2 white orbs that changed into green wings before it disappeared. These rings surrounded the bird-man and converted it into 4 white orbs, which combined into a vertical column of light.

"He's managed to Synchro Summon on the second turn," Crow said ecstatically. "This is great!"

"Perhaps," Yusei noted solemnly, "but only if he can make up for lost advantage from Jack."

"Synchro Summon!" Ryo yelled as a black-coloured humanoid bird riding a silvery serpentine dragon rose up from the light. "Rise: Dragunity Knight – Gaelborg (ATK: 2000)!"

"An impressive effort," Jack roared, "but your Dragunity Knight has less ATK than Explode Wing Dragon (ATK: 2400)!"

"I activate the effect of Dragunity Knight – Gaelborg!" Ryo declared, at the same time a card from earlier sliding out of his Cemetery. "By excluding Cross-Wing from the game, until the End Phase, Gaelborg gains its ATK (ATK: 4300)!"

"What?" Jack yelled in disbelief.

"Gaelborg, attack Explode Wing Dragon! Cyclone Spear!" As its dragon roared, the bird-man riding it drew a lance-like object and aimed it at the grey dragon before Jack, creating a cyclonic burst that struck it and destroyed it. Jack was forced to cover his eyes with his Duel Disc as the shockwave hit him.

Ryo: LP 1200

Jack: LP 2100

"I set 2 cards," Ryo declared. "End Phase: my Dragunity Knight's ATK returns to normal (ATK: 2000). Your turn, Jack."

"Draw!" Jack declared, violently pulling a card. "I summon Dark Resonator (DEF: 300)." Placing the card down, a gremlin-like monster wielding a tuning fork and a glass orb on a staff, complete with symbols on its back, appeared before Jack and turned blue. "I end my turn."

"Draw!" Ryo declared. "I activate the effect of Arms Drop, and discard Dragunity – Scimitar. Next I draw again!" Pulling his second card, he immediately played it. "Magic Activate: Angel's Gift!" Pulling three cards, Ryo took two monsters from his hand and placed them in the Cemetery.

"When you're finished drawing every card you have," Jack snapped, "make a real move."

Frustrated by such a rude comment, Ryo pulled a card from his hand and slapped it down. "I summon Dragunity – Halberd (ATK: 1700)." Emerging beside the dragon-rider, a steel-coloured serpentine dragon complete with swore-like bill and blades rose up with a scream. "Halberd, attack Dark Resonator!" With a screech, the dragon shot at the small monster and struck it, unable to harm it but somehow harming Jack.

Ryo: LP 1200

Jack: LP 700

"What's going on?" Sho asked, just before Asuka managed to pipe up and answer.

"Dragunity – Halberd gives all Level 4 or lower Dragunity monsters the ability to inflict Penetration Damage," she explained, getting nods from Crow and Yusei.

"That's why he summoned it instead of discarding it," Crow noted.

"Since I couldn't destroy Dark Resonator on my first try," Ryo said, "I decided to deal some damage anyway. Dragunity Knight – Gaelborg, attack Dark Resonator!" Once again raising its spear, the rider exploded the small monster with a sudden cyclonic burst, once again forcing Jack to take cover.

"I end my turn." Ryo said.

"Draw!" Jack declared, the card beside him suddenly lighting up. "And on this, the second Standby Phase, by the effect of Future Fusion, I Summon F.G.D. (ATK: 5000)!" From a vortex of behind Jack energy emerged a mammoth beige dragon complete with five differing heads, each one representing an element besides LIGHT.

"F.G.D., attack Gaelborg!" All five of the monster's heads roared out in fury as they all fired burst of energy, all of which struck dragon-rider and its steed. But just before the black struck Ryo, he flipped a card.

"Trap Card: Guard Block! I take no Battle Damage, and I draw 1 card!" The explosion from the destruction of the monster was stopped by an invisible barrier around Ryo as he pulled a new card, making Jack rather angry.

"You will fall before the King no matter what," Jack bellowed. "I set 1 card and end my turn!"

"Draw!" Ryo declared, reaching for a card. "I release Dragunity – Halberd to Advance Summon Dragunity – Cross-Wing (ATK: 2300)." The dragon roared as it changed into a rainbow orb and formed another one of the four-winged Tengu-like monsters that he had summoned earlier.

"He brought out that monster again?" Crow asked in awe. "Why?"

"Your monster is powerless against mine," Jack smugly declared, arms crossed. "It was last time and it will be again."

"Maybe," Ryo pointed out, "but I still have tricks up my sleeve. When this monster is Normal Summoned, I equip it with a Dragunity from my Cemetery. Return again, Powered Vice!" Once again the muscular Dragon appeared behind the bird creature, but this time, instead of attaching, it joined the bird-man with a defiant roar.

"What's this?" Jack asked as everyone looked on, stunned.

"When Dragunity – Powered Vice is equipped to a monster I control," Ryo explained, pulling the card from the Cemetery and holding it up, "I may Special Summon it instead (ATK: 2100)."

"And it's a Level 4 Tuner monster," Yusei noted, "which means…"

"Magic Activate: One for One!" Ryo declared, placing a card into the Cemetery. "From my Deck I Special Summon the Level 1 Dragunity – Vardos (ATK: 0)." Out of a white vortex emerged a small, fierce-looking falcon whose body had pieces of armour attached, to give it a battle-ready look.

"Level 10 among three monsters," Jack realized. "Then he…"

"I tune my Level 4 Dragunity – Powered Vice to my Level 5 Cross-Wing and Level 1 Vadros!" With a mighty roar, the dragon conjured an electrical field between its massive forearms that created 4 green rings, exploding it in the process. The two birds then jumped up into the air and surrounded themselves with their wings as they changed into 6 white orbs, merging into a single column of light.

"That monster…" Yusei noted as Judai stepped out onto the roof, standing arms crossed against the walls of the entry. A look on intrigue was in his eyes, making him question what he saw.

"Synchro Summon!" Ryo yelled. "Dragunity Knight – Gale Rider (ATK: 3800)!" Up from the light emerged a 6-winged, armoured monster similar to one of Crow's Black Feather monsters that was riding a three-headed black dragon. Its appearance immediately kicked up a storm. "And now all set cards return to the Deck!"

"Then you lose your card too," Jack noted, only to get a confident look from Ryo in reply before the black-clad man snapped his fingers.

"Chain: Equip Trap, Magic Reflector Armour – Metal Force! Equip to Gale Rider (ATK: 4100)!"

"Your efforts are impressive," Jack noted, "but still as useless. Chain! Trap Card, Threatening Roar! In this turn, you cannot declare an attack!" The card which Jack had just flipped disappeared moments before a metallic gloss covered the dragon and its rider. Moments later, Jack's other set card warped away and the winds died down.

"My turn is not done," Hell Kaiser declared, unshaken, as he pulled one of the two remaining cards from his hand and held it up to Jack. "Magic Activate: Bonds of Brethren! From my Deck By paing 1000 Life Points, I select 1 monster I control and Special Summon 2 Level 4 monsters of that type from my Deck in face-up Defence Position!"

"Impressive move," Asuka noted, Sho applauding as Ryo fanned through his Deck and found 2 cards. Both of them he then slapped on the trap horizontally before slapping the Deck back into its place, where it automatically shuffled.

"I Special Summon 2 Dragunity – Power Vice (DEF: 1200)!" On either side of the massive manned dragon arose the one of the massive large-armed armoured dragons from earlier, crouching before turning blue.

"You're stalling," Jack gloated. "Why else would you resort to such a move, especially for 1000 Life Points.

Ryo: LP 200

Jack: LP 700

"Perhaps it is you who's desperate," Ryo sneered. "Or you will be. Magic Activate! Force of Dragunion! I draw 1 card for each Dragunity I control!" Pulling up 3 cards, Ryo them slapped one down. "Equip Magic: Power of Unity! The equipped monster gains 800 ATK and DEF for every face-up monster on my field. I equip this card to Gale Rider (ATK: 6500)!"

"What?" Jack asked in awe as a red aura formed around the dragon and its rider, causing it to roar out loudly as Jack's weaker dragon.

"Had Ryo been able to attack this turn," Crow noted, "this duel would have ended in his victory."

"That we are certain on," Yusei added. "And I'm also certain the next turn will be a deciding one. I can feel it." Both Sho and Asuka were surprised by such a statement, but over in the corner Judai, still undetected to the group, was not at all shocked.

"So tell me Jack, Kaiser..." Judai thought to himself, smiling as Yubel appeared behind him and his eyes flashed over into hers. "Who will make the final blow?"

"I set 2 cards," Ryo declared, forcing his only 2 remaining cards into their slots. "I end my turn! Make your move Jack; it will be your last."

"Draw!" Jack declared. I set 1 card. Magic Activate: Card of Death! I draw 5 cards from the Deck!" One by one his fingers shuffled over the Deck as he pulled 5 new cards one-by-one; he then fanned them out in his hand and smirked.

"A fresh hand at this point in the game is a pretty deciding move," Asuka whispered to herself. Turning to Yusei, she said, "You were right."

"Magic activate!" Jack declared, flipping up the card he had just set. "Spider's Thread! From my opponent's Cemetery I extract a Magic Card the opponent activated in their previous turn and add it to my hand. Chain: Emergency Rations!"

"I know exactly what he's doing!" Sho issued. "He wants Bonds of Brethren."

"Yes he does Sho," Judai thought, "but only Jack and I know what he has waiting."

"I send Spider's Thread to the Cemetery to recover 1000 Life Points. However, the effect of Spider's Thread still applies, and I take Bonds of Brethren!" As Jack's first Magic Card dissolved for the effect of the second one, the card in Ryo's Cemetery that he had mentioned slid out and warped into Jack's left hand.

Ryo: LP 200

Jack: LP 1700

"Magic Activate: Bonds of Brethren! For 1000 Life Points, I Special Summon Lava Dragon (DEF: 1200) and Debris Dragon (DEF: 2000)!" Out of two blue vortexes formed 2 small dragons, both of which crouched on either side of the massive dragon before turning blue.

Ryo: LP 200

Jack: LP 1700

The first was an ugly purple monster with no wings, just a long crocodilian body with 8 legs and a yellow fan on its tail. The other was a small light grey dragon with long thin wings, orange orbs on its shoulders and chest and some green armour on its body.

"Jack doesn't own either of those monsters," Crow realized.

"There's no denying it now," Yusei said gravely. "It's that guy's Deck."

"I activate the effect of Lava Dragon! By releasing this face-up Defence Position monster, from both my hand and Cemetery I Special Summon 1 Level 3 or below Dragon-type monster. Come: Twin-Headed Behemoth (ATK: 1500)! Revive, Masked Dragon (ATK: 1400)!" As Ryo's jaw hung slack, Jack took a card from his hand and one that slid out of his Cemetery, and slapped both on the tray after banishing the one he already had out.

The purple dragon roared out before its body split into 2 orbs of neon power, spawning 2 new dragons who snarled viciously. The first was an anthropomorphized purple monster with 2 tails rising from under a Greek war skirt, with powerful legs and a pair of heads where its arms would be. The other appeared as a red dragon with segmented wings, some bone-grey armour on its body and a mask-like plate over its face.

"10 Stars?" Asuka realized. "It is that Deck."

"What Deck?" Sho asked, seemingly the only one not aware.

"You'll see," Crow said, somewhat cheery at getting to see the legendary cards.

"I set 2 cards," Jack said, smirking. "And then, I Tune my Level 4 Debris Dragon to my Level 3 Masked Dragon and my Level 3 Twin-Headed Behemoth!" The crouching dragon's wings unfurled to release 4 white robs that changed into green rings before the dragon itself disappeared, letting those green rings pass over the other 2 monsters.

Both the red dragon and the purple dragonoid were changed into yellow outlines of themselves, revealing their 3 inner white robs each. As the outlines faded the six orbs formed a vertical column that merged into a massive column of light and wind. "The King of Hell shall now release his greatest servant," Jack chanted, "to cleanse the Earth and light the Pyres of Dogma! Synchro Summon! Incinerate, Trident Dragion (ATK: 3000)!"

A loud and booming demonic roar echoed out from within the light as the silhouette of a serpentine dragon with three heads and massive wings took form. Yusei, Crow and Jack were all caught off guard when their Signer marks roared to life, glowing intensely and sparking with red electricity as the monster cast off its light bindings.

The monster had blood-red scales and a bone-white underbelly, with segmented wings and devil horns on its heads on either side of dark green eyes. Flame-like glowing marks began to glow along its body in a fashion similar to the Dragon Birthmarks, but from head to wingtips to tail tip.

"That monster!" Sho yelled out, finally understanding the term "That Guy's Deck" as Crow and Yusei clutched their marks, grunting slightly in pain. Jack, on the other hand, help his right arm up to gesture at the massive beast, larger than his five-headed monster and far more sinister-looking.

"When Trident Dragion is Synchro Summoned successfully," Jack issued, "I may destroy up to 2 cards I control. I choose my set cards!" The left and right heads looked down at the set cards, roaring at them to make them explode and kicking up a dust storm in the process. "Now, my Dragon may attack 3 times this turn."

"Even so," Ryo declared, "your monster has only 3000 ATK. 3 Attacks will not defeat me!"

"I'm afraid your assumptions are wrong," Jack issued, holding up the two cards that had just been destroyed. "Both Dummy Marker and Fire Trap allow me to draw one card when they are destroyed by a card effect." Placing both into the Cemetery, Jack pulled 2 new cards as his largest dragon locked eyes on Ryo, nightmarish echoes escaping its jaws.

"This is bad," Asuka realized. "If Jack can pull the combos of that guy…"

"Brother will…" Sho noted, too nervous to complete his sentence before Crow and Yusei both grunted in anticipation of a kill shot.

"Well-played Jack," Judai complemented. "And I bet I know what you drew."

"I release F.G.D.," Jack declared, his five-headed monster warping off the field with a loud roar, "and activated Donated Power! Now, the ATK which belonged to my F.G.D. becomes inherited by Trident Dragion (ATK: 8000)!" Roaring out demonically, the gigantic dragon glowed bright red as its power grew immensely. But, sadly for Ryo, Jack was not yet done.

"Continuous Magic: Unity of the Tribe! All the monsters in my Cemetery are Dragon-type, to all Dragon-type monsters I control gain 800 ATK (ATK: 8800)!" As the next card same into play, the demon dragon let out more fiendish growls as its power rose further, to the ATK Cyber Dark Dragon had been at when be battled Sho as Hell Kaiser. "Battle! Trident Dragion, destroy Dragunity Knight – Gale Rider! Lucifer's Firestorm!"

As all three of the heads of the monster built up large fireballs in their jaws, Ryo's eyes glared over in red light from the reflection, before he flipped a card. "Trap Card: Holy Barrier – Mirror Force! I destroy Trident Dragion!" Everyone in the audience cheered as Ryo glared confidently at Jack, who merely grinned smugly as he put down his last card.

"Instant Magic: Hellfire Burst!" Jack issued, stunning everyone. "When my Level 7 or higher Dragon-type Synchro monster attacks, I destroy all Spell & Trap Cards the opponent controls without applying their effects. Therefore, Mirror Force is null and void!" As Ryo stared on in horror, a massive fire stream shot out of all the fireballs among the monster's heads, burning through all 5 of Ryo's rear cards without draining the three fireballs at all.

"It's all over," Yusei noted. "Without Metal Reflector Armour – Metal Force and Power of Unity, the ATK of Gale Rider returns to normal (ATK: 3800)." As he said this, the aura faded off the mounted dragon and its metal coating also dissolved, leaving it exposed to the onslaught. "The King trumps the Kaiser."

"Lucifer's Firestorm!" Jack bellowed as, with a deafening and earth-shaking demonic roar, the three fireballs in the dragon's mouths all released their power in streams at the other dragon and its rider, searing it to a crisp in mere seconds and moving on to Ryo. He bowed his head in accepted defeat as the flames washed over him, taking his precious few Life Points.

Ryo: LP 0

Jack: LP 700

With a final monstrous growl, the red and grey dragon raised its heads and spread its wings as its body dissolved into virtual embers, showering them over the field as the Solid Vision died down. Jack's Duel Disc switched off as Ryo's simply retracted, and both players then walked to the centre of the field to shake hands. All three Dragon's Birthmarks stopped sparking as they died down, showing that it was all truly over.

"That was an honourable duel," Ryo smiled. "A good test of the mettle of my new cards. I have one question though." The black-clad man then asked slyly, "why did you use Ryukishi Kyojo's Deck?"

Slightly taken back by the question, Jack answered, "Because of what you said earlier. You mentioned that the Deck had given you a great challenge earlier in your career… as had Ryukishi Kyojo."

"Why do you have his Deck?" Asuka asked, all four side-liners stepping toward the two.

"He left it to me before he went off to America," Jack explained. "To my father, actually; it contained the Red Daemon's Dragon card, as he was the Summoner responsible for its awakening, and since he was laying low he decided to let someone inherit the Deck."

"Summoner?" Crow questioned.

"The Legendary Emissaries of the First Signers," Judai interjected from afar, stepping toward the group as he spoke. "They arose again after the Darkness Incident because the Crimson Dragon willed their spirits to return so that the Five Dragons would be ready for the coming of the Dark Signers."

"How do you know this?" Sho asked, right before, unnoticed by everyone except Judai, Ryo and Jack, Yubel appeared beside Judai and smiled.

"The Five Dragons had stone tablets to house their spirits in the Dominion of the Beasts," she said. "I have seen these tablets, and I have also told Judai of them."

Yusei, although not able to directly perceive Yubel, intuitively guessed what she had said and turned to Jack to ask, "Why did you use Trident Dragion and not Red Daemon's?"

"The spirit of Trident Dragion spoke out to me," Jack said, knowing he may sound crazy. "It knew that it would be the ultimate test of Ryo's Deck, and so I summoned it to combat him. And it will still be that way for some time to come, until your Deck can surpass it."

"Ryo, you are the Heir to Cyber-Style and Cyber Reverse-Style," Yusei said, Ryo sighing in nervous thought at the idea, but knowing it to be true. "Until you can use your legacy, you will never duel as yourself."

"You're right," Ryo said, blinking quickly before looking down at his Deck. "I won't lift the Curse that is the Cyber Reverse-Style's bloodlust by ignoring it; I must break its iron will."

"And once you have," Jack said, holding up his Duel Disc with the Trident Dragion card face-up on top of the Deck, "We'll duel again."

"Bring it," was Ryo's challenging reply.

Card of the Week – Ryo

Dragunity – Powered Vice

Attribute: WIND

Level: 4

Type(s): [Dragon/Tuner]

Effect: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. When this card is equipped to a monster you control from your Cemetery, you can Special Summon this card.

ATK/ 2100

DEF/ 1200

* Revelations, Deck testing, powerful cards… I'd say a successful chapter. Review if you wish.*