Last save...

'Hamon,' Konami thought. 'He just drew it.'

As the three Spells Devack placed over the course of the Duel vanished, Konami knew he was right. He was right, and the Duel was about to take a turn for the worst.


Chapter Four - That Man's Name Is...


The golden god hissed softly, revealing its rather unholy form to the two Duelists present.

Hamon, Lord of Striking Thunder - (LIGHT/Thunder) - LV10 - (4000/4000)

"The Lord of Striking Thunder..." Konami breathed. "So that's the one you were hiding beneath that bald cap of yours!"

Devack grinned. "That's right. And now that I've given him form, Hamon shall reign destruction upon this field, and you along with it!" He threw his hand forward in a desperate show of power. "Go, Hamon! Destroy his Swordstalker with your Cerulean Skyfire!"

The behemoth roared angrily at Devack's words, prompting a series of destructive bolts to fall from the black skies above. They crashed into the dark warrior's body easily enough, and Swordstalker bellowed in pain as it felt its body wither away to nothing. A second later it was gone, reduced to naught but ash in the wake of Hamon's awesome power.

But Konami knew the worst was yet to come.

"Now Hamon," breathed Devack. "Use your effect to smite the fool who'd dare oppose your might! Lost Thunder!"

Konami braced himself. It was something he'd grown used to doing whenever cards like Hamon were involved. After all, when it came to Shadow Games, a thousand points of Piercing Damage was -

"Gaaaaaaaaaaaah!" he cried, his body struck down by a fierce blow of lightning.

KONAMI - THE HUMAN LIGHTNING ROD

"That'll do." Devack chuckled, lowering his stance and Duel Disk as his Turn came to a close.

Konami took a moment. He took two. Lightning hurt after all, even when it came from a glorified chicken made for a children's card game. After a moment however, his status as a Player Avatar kicked in, and he was ready to throw down once more.

"That... actually kinda hurt." He muttered.

"Are you going to cry?" Devack asked in reply. "Do I need to call your parents?"

Konami swept his hand aside angrily. "I don't have parents, you Slifer Slackin' Hamon Hangin' chromedome! And I'll make you pay for insinuating otherwise! My Turn... Draw!"

TURN EIGHT - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 2000 LP

"I'll summon the Ogre of the Black Shadow in Defense Position..." Konami muttered. "And with that, end my Turn."

Ogre of the Black Shadow - (EARTH/Beast-Warrior) - LV4 - (1200/1400)

Devack laughed as the large, smoke-covered figure took to the field in a crouched form. "Have you figured it out yet?" he asked Konami. "Defense Position won't help you anymore! My Hamon will tear through your monster's defenses, and still inflict a thousand damage to your Life Points!"

"Maybe," he huffed. "Still, giving up a thousand points is better than letting you end the Duel in one go!"

"We'll see if you still feel the same after tasting another wave of Hamon's lightning!" Devack laughed. He drew a card.

TURN NINE - DEVACK - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 4000 LP

"Hamon," he roared once again. "This time, wipe out his genie!"

The Lord of Striking Thunder screeched, and yet again released a wave of its destructive bolts. The energy coursed through the Shadow Realm easily, and in seconds, La Jinn was no more. For a second time a following stream of electricity coursed through Konami's body, and he fell to all fours as he attempted to endure its hallowing pain.

KONAMI - LIGHTNING STRIKES TWICE

Devack laughed. "How is it? The fear? The pain? Tell me boy, is your life flashing through your eyes?!"

"Ha... Haa...!" Konami hissed. Smoke rose from his body, remnants of the 53, 540 degree Fahrenheit temperatures he'd just endured. He felt as though he couldn't move. Paralysis, perhaps? He didn't know. What he did know however, was that if he didn't do something quick, everything was going to end. The only problem was...

'I can't think of a way out,' he thought. 'I can't think of a way out! As much as I hate to say it... this might be too much for me!' Konami glanced at the Sacred Beast glowering at him from above. 'Is this it then? Is this how my savefile ends...? Beaten and bruised, reduced to nothing more than chicken feed in a world few can see?'

No.

Konami dug deep; deeper than he had in a while. It was there that he found it - a glimmer of hope.

Slowly, steadily, he climbed back to his feet. Smoke continued to rise from his body all the while, and the pain was unlike anything he'd felt since moving to New Domino. Even so, he stood.

"Oh?" Devack asked. "So you still have some fight left in you after all?"

"Yeah," replied Konami. "Just enough to draw one more card. If I can't beat Hamon on my next Turn... well, we both know that it'll be game over for me."

Devack grinned. "That's right. So go on, boy. Make your move."

"Here goes nothing," he mumbled quietly. "...Draw."

It was said quietly, but contained more willpower than anything previously spoken.

TURN TEN - KONAMI - TWO CARDS IN HAND - 1000 LP

He stared at the drawn card cradled between his fingertips. Its artwork stared back. For a moment, all was silent. Then, just as Devack opened his mouth to speak, Konami laughed.

It started small and weak, but with time it grew. It grew and grew, until it was loud and rambunctious, echoing across the landscape into the deepest and darkest corners of the Shadow Realm itself. Devack took a step back in surprise. The sudden change in attitude was completely unexpected for him, and with good reason.

Konami had been on the verge of losing! What could have possibly been so funny that he felt the need to laugh?!

"Sorry," Konami said, attempting to explain. "It's just... back at Duel Academy, one of our most important classes was about making our comebacks as dramatic as possible. The thing is... with a card like this, that's kind of hard to do."

He revealed the drawn card, and Devack's eyes boggled.

It was Fissure.

"No - it can't be!" Devack roared, unwilling to believe that such a card existed in the deck of his opponent. "There's no way you have such a weak and old-fashioned card!"

"Oh, but there is." said Konami, strength returning to his figure as he spoke. "And the proof is right here! Fissure, do your thing! Reveal yourself, and destroy the weakest monster Devack controls!"

He slammed the age-old Spell upon his Duel Disk, and watched as the Shadow Realm itself ruptured and broke. Light shone in from the world they'd left behind, and with it, a giant hand emerged - reaching down to grab the oversized chicken that was Hamon.

"No, No!" Devack repeated over and over. His fists were clenched tighter than ever before, damaging the cards he still held in his hands. "This can't be happening! I can't allow it! I won't!"

Hamon squawked in agreement, but nothing could be done. The giant hand squeezed the might out of the Sacred Beast, and with one final roar, Hamon shattered, defeated by the same type of card that gave it life.

Its remains sprinkled across the field softly, but they too, did not last. With Hamon defeated the very power of the Shadow Game itself was lost. The black plains slowly dissipated, and the world returned to its natural color. Only Devack's Duel Disk remained - a reminder of the fact that the Duel, though drained, was not yet complete.

There was just one problem, Konami realized while glancing at his surroundings.

They weren't in Devack's cell anymore.

Indeed, the magic of the Shadow Game had transported them outside; an area that had more than enough room to host both the Duelists and their monsters.

Of course, their arrival had not gone unnoticed.

"Konami!" Carly shouted, the relief clear in her voice. "You're alive!"

Trudge and Mina were also present it seemed, along with many other officers of Sector Security.

"Alright, that's enough!" Trudge roared. "This magic show is over! Devack, you're coming with me!"

"No!" Konami said fiercely, surprising everyone present. "He can go with you when it's over. Right now however, our Duel still needs to be concluded!"

"Are you insane?" Trudge asked. "You just disappeared in front of everyone with a convicted felon! I have half a mind to bring you in too for questioning!"

"I don't have time to deal with your common sense, Trudge!" Konami barked. "I had to get struck by lightning twice to make this far! I'm not backing down now!" He turned back to the surprisingly quiet Devack, and continued his Turn. "I'll change my Ogre of the Black Shadow to Attack Position, and then... I'll follow that move up by summoning Rogue Doll in Attack Mode!"

A flash of light accompanied the Ogre's climb to its feet, and suddenly, a floating doll sat on the field where before there were none.

Rogue Doll - (LIGHT/Spellcaster) - LV4 - (1600/1000)

"Now my monsters, it's time we got a little payback for all the pain this guy's put us through! Let's hit him directly with a Two-Pronged Attack!"

The two monsters made their agreement known, and Devack howled in pain as he suddenly found himself punched and flung by their respective abilities. He hit the dirt with a loud thud, but didn't stay down for long. He was far too big and burly for a couple of light blows to keep him down, and if Konami could survive being struck by lightning, then he was determined to prove that he could make it through worse!

"You'll have to do better than that, boy!" he hissed, climbing back to his feet. "You may have beaten Hamon, but you won't beat me!"

"Wait, what?" Carly asked. "Hamon's one of the Sacred Beasts, isn't it? Don't tell me that we missed all the good stuff?!"

"Sorry Carly, but that's exactly what he's saying." Konami replied. He clenched his empty fists. "My hand's all used up, so I guess that makes it your move, Devack."

"Humph," the cultist retorted. "You can rest assured that I'll make it the last! Draw!"

He violently ripped a card from his deck and glared at Konami's monsters.

TURN ELEVEN - DEVACK - THREE CARDS IN HAND - 1200 LP

"I summon Dark Jeroid in Attack Mode!" he shouted, placing a card on his Duel Disk that prompted a four-legged mechanical looking thing to materialize.

Dark Jeroid - (DARK/Fiend) - LV4 - (1200/1500)

"Next, I'll be making use of his ability!" Devack continued. "When it's summoned, I can decrease one face-up monster's Attack by eight hundred points. With this, your Rogue Doll is finished!"

Konami glanced at his withering doll with a scowl, understanding what Devack intended.

"Dark Jeroid, destroy that plaything!" the man roared a moment later, and it was done. Dark beams shot from the shoulder-blades the mechanized monstrosity possessed, and the possessed doll fell to the ground in pieces.

"Don't think for a second that you'll be able to beat me..." Konami countered, "with such weak attacks! My Turn, Draw!"

TURN TWELVE - KONAMI - ONE CARD IN HAND - 600 LP

"I summon Dark Assailant in Attack Position!" Konami declared. A blue-skinned assassin appeared on the field seconds later, armed with the Psycho Sword that granted him rule over the bad lands.

Dark Assailant - (DARK/Zombie) - LV4 - (1200/1200)

"What?" breathed Devack. "No!"

"It's time for a sacrifice! Ogre, at least take that Dark Jeroid with you! Attack!" roared Konami, flinging his hand forward as he prepared for his final assault. The possessed Beast-Warrior howled in response, and tore clear across the field in a mad dash. Its fist bashed into the Dark Jeroid's center without any hesitation, and in a surprising twist, the thing exploded, enveloping both monsters in a sphere of smoke and ash.

Both Konami and Devack winced due to the proximity of the blast, but before long the field had cleared, and with it, Devack's defenses. Konami clenched his fist.

"Dark Assailant," he began. "Let's finish it! Direct Attack!"

The Psycho Sword-wielding assassin cackled, and traversed the length of the field in an instant. It appeared just beneath Devack a half-second later, arm poised to draw its blade. Devack stared at the figure for but a moment before his mouth opened.

"Nooooooo-" he began, but Konami's command cut through his howl.

"Sever him!" Konami roared, and the Dark Assailant did just that.

With a single cleave of the Psycho Sword, Devack staggered back. Digitized indications of a sword swing hovered across his midsection, and in that moment, a horn blew.

KONAMI - 600 LP

DEVACK - 0 LP

"I... I did it." Konami breathed, letting the tension leave his body at long last. "...I won!"

Those words seemed to be the one thing everyone had been waiting to hear, for not a second after he said it did all hell break loose.

The first thing Konami remembered was slumping over in exhaustion. A second later, Carly tackled him to the floor. Ordinarily, that would have been fine; but Carly hadn't tackled him out of joy or worry for his safety. It had been out of rage.

"I can't believe you beat the second Sacred Beast without recording it! Do you know how hard it's going to be to write an article on it now?!" she hissed, throttling him back and forth with no response.

Sector Security also seemed pretty incensed, but Konami was pretty sure that had more to do with Devack being out of his cell more than anything else.

And speaking of Devack...

"Ugh," the man coughed, falling to the ground as the last of his strength finally left him. Though the monsters had long faded, the last wound he'd taken from them had not. Instead, it seemed as though the fatal wound Konami's Dark Assailant had inflicted was to stay. Because of it, Devack knew he wouldn't be staying in the world of the living.

Konami too, seemed to realize as much, for he pried Carly off in favor of approaching the man warily. The two stared at each other blankly.

"You're disappearing," Konami said finally.

"Of course," replied Devack. "Such is the price... of losing a Shadow Game. Now, the Shadow Realm awaits."

"You're rather calm about this," Konami continued. "Were you expecting this outcome too?"

Devack closed his eyes, and for once, a content expression drifted across his face. "No," he said solemnly. "It was my wish to defeat you here. To pry the soul from your body... and sacrifice it to my Sacred Beast."

"Humph, idiot. Hamon was never meant to be in your hands. Your current condition is the proof of your ignorance."

"Perhaps," Devack said. "But if that is truly the case... then what is to be said of the one who gave it to me?"

Konami raised an eyebrow. "The one who gave it to you? You mean... it didn't just wind up in your hands one day?"

"Of course not," Devack chuckled. "It was given to me... by an off-the-books visitor. It was he who alerted me to your existence... and he who first opened my eyes to the powers of darkness."

"Then he's also the one responsible for dooming you," Konami replied. "Give me a name."

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" Devack asked. "For me to make everything easy for you... to wipe away the mystery that remains."

Konami didn't deny it. In all honesty, he would like that very much. Devack chuckled, even as his body began to disappear from the mortal realm.

"It is a man who claims to know you well," he said, keeping Konami's attention. "A man whose ruthlessness knows no bounds, whose power knows no ends. The one who introduced me to the Beasts... is a man by the name... of Sayer."

"Sayer," Konami repeated, tasting the name on his lips. "Never heard of him."

The cultist smiled, "Well, he's heard of you." and with those words, the last of him vanished into the Shadow Realm.

The officers of Sector Security finished their approach seconds later.

"What's going on?! Where's Devack?!" Mina asked frantically.

"Gone." Konami murmured, climbing back to his feet. "And unless he's a semi-relevant character, we won't be hearing from him again."

"No... my first day on the job and I've already lost an inmate," Mina whispered. "Director Goodwin's going to kill me...!"

"Hey!" Konami barked. "No K-wording! This is a kid's fic."

"This is your fault!" Trudge grumbled, grabbing Konami by the collar. "If you had just let me interfere when I wanted to, Devack wouldn't have gotten away!"

Konami scowled. "That's the thing. He didn't get away. He just disappeared. His soul belongs to the Shadow Realm now. Unless someone fishes him out, he'll be stuck there for good. It's a far worse prison than any isolated cell you and your buddies can stick him in."

"Trudge, let him go." Mina said finally. "It isn't his fault. It was my idea to let them see Devack in the first place. My idea, my responsibility."

"But Mina-!" Trudge said.

"No buts, Officer." replied Mina. "They were civvies. We didn't have any business leaving them anywhere alone with a criminal like Devack. The only silver lining here is that it seems like those who dueled him are finally starting to recover from their injuries."

'No doubt a consequence of the Shadow Game's creator being defeated,' Konami thought. "So, what happens now?" he asked.

Trudge grunted as he released his hold on him. "Now? Now you get hurry up and get outta here before I change my mind about letting you leave!"

"Hold on," Mina interrupted again. "Before all that, I'll need to get a statement. And if what you said is true about Devack and this 'Shadow Realm' place... then I'll need you to explain as much to the Director."

"Director? You don't mean Director Goodwin?!" Carly gasped.

Mina nodded. "The very same. He might not believe any of this if it came from me, but... if the one involved in the situation were to explain..."

"Konami, we have to do this! Don't you understand? This is my chance to get an exclusive with the Director! We can't turn away from this!" Carly whispered.

Mina heard her however, and was quick to put a stop to any plans Carly was making. "Actually, it's Konami alone who will be accompanying me to the Director's office. We were with you the entire time, Carly. There's no need for you to make a statement."

"W-What?!"

"Alright, you heard her!" Trudge said, stepping forward to escort Carly off the premises. "Let's get going! Civvies don't need to be at the Facility any longer than necessary, especially when they're journalists looking for their next scoop!"

"What?! Wait! No! Konami, help me!" Carly wailed, trying and failing to escape Trudge's grasp. Konami watched him carry her toward the entrance with a blank stare.

"Sorry Carly, not this time." he muttered.

"Shall we go?" Mina asked, opening the door to a sleek black van.

Konami hadn't seen it pull up.

"Yeah," he replied, stepping inside and buckling his seatbelt. "Let's go."

Mina nodded, and together, the two set off to see Goodwin.

The drive was long but pleasant. Mina was a natural with the vehicle even when speeding it seemed, and she handled the turns far better than Carly had earlier that day. There were no needless swerves into other lanes, and more importantly, no bumps. Mina, it appeared, knew to drive around them, something that only increased her level of respect in Konami's eyes.

"So," he asked after he'd finally settled in. "What's Director Goodwin like, anyway? Is there anything I should know about him?"

"Director Goodwin is a serious man. I like to think that he'd be a bit more receptive to serious people."

"Well then," Konami said lightly, "it's a good thing I'm the most serious person you know."

Mina shot him a look. You know the one. That look.

"What?" asked Konami. "I can be serious. You should've seen me Duel against Devack! It was super-serious, and totally awesome!"

"I'm sure it was," Mina replied. "I just wish it didn't cost me an inmate."

"Hey, it'll be fine. I'll explain things to Director Goodwin. You know, make sure he knows it wasn't your fault." Konami said. "You did everything you were supposed to."

"Yeah..." Mina agreed, "I just hope the Director feels it was enough."

Their conversation ended then, and it was a good thing it did because the Sector Security Headquarters was right in front of them.

They had arrived.

After parking the car, Mina accompanied Konami into the building and up the elevator. It wasn't until they'd reached Director Goodwin's office that she spoke again, and even then, her words were crisp and short.

"Wait here."

"Like, right here?" he asked, pointing to the exact spot in which he stood. "Not a foot to the left, a foot to the right? What if I need to rest my back a little? Can I lean against the wall? What if I decide to sit on the floor? Oh, or lean against the wall while sitting on the floor? That's always a fun one-" he caught Mina shooting him a dry expression. "Yeah okay, shutting up now."

"Thank you," Mina muttered, and she vanished inside the office. Several seconds passed before she poked her head back out the door. "Director Goodwin will see you now."

"About time," Konami grunted. "I've been waiting for like, hours."

Mina frowned, no doubt because she had told him just minutes ago that he needed to be serious. Nonetheless, she opened the door to grant him entry, and stepped aside so that he could see the Director in person.

When he did, he gasped.

"No," Konami breathed. "It can't be...!"

Mina blinked in surprise. Was there some secret history between the two that she didn't know about?

There wasn't.

"Your first name is Rex?" Konami asked, having caught sight not of Goodwin's appearance, but the plaque seated at the front of the man's desk. It read, and I quote, "Director Rex Goodwin." "That's the coolest name ever! Tell me, tell me. Do you use a Dino deck? Do you? Oh boy Hassleberry would have a Field Day with you."

"It is, isn't it?" The Director said, "I'm afraid I must disappoint you however, for not once in my lifetime have I made use of a Dino deck. After all, Duel Monsters already has a Dinosaur-using Duelist with my name. I believe his initials are R.R.?"

"Rex Raptor sucks and everyone knows it," Konami grunted, waving off the Director's words.

"Perhaps," the older man agreed, "but we digress. Miss Simmington didn't bring you to me so we could discuss old relics of the past. We're here to talk about the problems we face in the present. Mina, leave us."

The woman nodded without comment, and left the room. When she was gone, Konami spoke.

"Alright, what's up?" he asked, speaking calmly despite the Director's rather imposing demeanor.

"Devack," the Director replied. "It is my understanding that he somehow vanished during your Duel?"

"At the conclusion of it, yes. He was taken as a sacrifice," Konami explained, "as a victim of his own scheme. Using the power of a Sacred Beast, he called forth the darkness to partake in a Shadow Game. He lost... and now he must face the penalty of his actions."

"A Sacred Beast you say," the Director hummed. "Then another has appeared, after all?"

"You know of them?"

"Though I pride myself a busy man, I do like to stay on top of the news," said the Director. "I know all about Uria's little lightshow downtown, and of your connection to the events. This is the second time you've stopped their rampage, is it not? It seems New Domino City owes you quite the debt, Mr...?"

"Kodo," Konami said. "Konami Kodo. I'll take my thanks in Depii, if you don't mind."

"Oh I'd oblige you, Mr. Kodo, but I fear the citizens of New Domino wouldn't take kindly to paying an additional tax to fund your... illicit activities. Street Dueling is, after all, illegal."

"You gonna charge me?" Konami asked. "Go right ahead. I've got the Princeton Brothers on speed dial. Try anything and they'll be down here faster than you can say, 'Get Your Game On!'"

The Director raised a hand, cutting off Konami's rant before it could really begin. "Charge you?" he asked, as if horrified by the mere thought. "I don't want to charge you, Mr. Kodo. Why, right now, I could absolutely kiss you."

"Please don't." Konami muttered.

The Director Goodwin shook his head before moving to explain. "You've single-handedly eliminated key threats in my city more efficiently than all the forces of my Sector Security combined! That alone earns your merit and respect, but if what you say is true, then not only have these supernatural threats nearly been beaten entirely, but that monster of a man Devack's been dealt with as well. It's a good day for New Domino City as far as I'm concerned. The only thing I can't figure out is what's in it for you? What possible reason could you have for getting involved in this mess?"

Konami blinked. He... honestly hadn't been expecting that question.

"I'm not quite sure," he muttered, surprised at his own response. "After Uria, everything just kind of... happened on its own. I just happened to be in the right place at the right time, I guess."

"Nonsense." The Director said. "Let me tell you a secret. In this world, there's no such thing as coincidence. Everything happens for a reason, Mr. Kodo. And I believe that fate's brought you to me for one too." The Director suddenly intertwined his fingers, giving him an eerily similar appearance to another manipulative figure, one Gendo Ikari.

Konami seriously doubted Goodwin could reach Ikari's levels of bull, however.

"What we have here is an opportunity, my friend." said the Director. "An opportunity to use each other's resources to achieve our goals."

"Our goals?" Konami wondered.

The Director smiled behind his curled fingers. "You don't strike me as the type of man who likes to leave things half-finished. You've already taken out two of these Sacred Beasts. I suppose you'll be gunning for the third, as well?"

"Of course. Raviel is perhaps the dangerous of the three Sacred Beasts," replied Konami. "If I leave things be, there's no telling what kind of harm it could do."

"Yes... and it just so happens that I'm in need of a strong and powerful Duelist in an upcoming fundraiser tournament of mine. Ordinarily I'd just use Jack, but ever since his loss at the Fortune Cup to that ex-con Yusei he's been a little... hard to reach." He made to glare at the door through which Mina left, but returned his attention to Konami quickly enugh. "You see, there will be some people competing that I simply cannot let win. The prize is something I'd like to keep out of the wrong hands you see, and if my dear friends at the Arcadia Movement get their hands on it, I fear that this city will be heading straight into an unmitigated disaster!"

"And? What's this have to do with me?" Konami asked, though he already knew.

The Director rose from his seat and smiled. "Why, is it not obvious, Mr. Kodo? I try to be humble about it, but simply put, the tournaments I put together here in New Domino City simply cannot be beat. From the annual Fortune Cup to the World Grand Prix I have planned for next year, there's no better place to show off your skill. Now, if what I hear about these Sacred Beasts is true, they've all been seeking to show their strut. Just think of the little girl with Uria obliterating her neighborly street Duelists, or of Devack ruling his fellow inmates! These Sacred Beasts infuse their wielders with the pride of a king... and from what I've seen from the reports, the skill to match."

Konami's lips twitched. "You think Raviel's owner is going to enter the Tournament. You think they're going to try and win it all."

"Wouldn't you?" the Director asked. "My Tag Force Tournament is going to be the pinnacle of this year's entertainment! Not only does it have all the buzz of the Fortune Cup, but it's open to any and all entrants, meaning three times the Duelists, and who knows how many more awe-stopping, jaw-dropping Duels. It's the only place to be."

'Except at home, reading the next chapter of Learning to Shine.' Konami thought. 'Update Hiyuusha, update!' He coughed, and turned his attention back to Director Goodwin. "This 'prize' you're worried about. What is it?"

Director Goodwin seemed to have been waiting for that question, for he grinned when Konami asked it. Returning to his desk, the man flipped a hidden switch that released a lock buried beneath the office floor. A slow hum followed his action, and slowly, a small, cylindrical tube rose from the center of the floor. It wasn't the tube that was important however, but rather, what was inside it.

"A card," Konami sighed, shaking his head softly. "Of course it's a card."

"Ah, but not just any card." Director Goodwin explained, "What I have here... is a Plot Card."

Konami blinked. He read the sentence above this one, and then blinked again. "I'm sorry," he apologized, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I think I miheard you. A what card?"

"Plot Card," the Director repeated. "There is but one in this world, and I had to go through extraordinary lengths to receive it."

"What does it do?" Konami asked, deciding to just go with it.

"Interested?" Director Goodwin asked.

"What Does It Do?" Konami repeated.

"Is it not obvious?" Goodwin asked. "He who wields this card may change the world in whatever way they wish. They can make themselves a king, a god even, if only they proved themselves worthy of its power."

'In other words reader,' Konami thought. 'It's a glorified Plot Device. Which begs the question...'

"Why didn't you use it?" he asked the Director. "Surely a guy like you has a few things he'd want to fix with the world."

"Who says I haven't?" the Director asked back. Konami felt a shiver run down his spine. "Alas, an individual may only use its power once. One card. One soul. One wish. I wasted mine, but in doing so, found myself in a position of power that could easily suit my needs."

"You made yourself Director." Konami realized. "You cheated the system... and changed the world."

"Yes," the Director said. "And so you see why it this must not fall into the wrong hands..."

"Then why offer it as a prize at all? Destroy it if it's so dangerous. Bury it! Don't... glorify it and pass it off onto whoever can throw down best at a children's card game!" Konami said. "Use some sense!"

"Oh, but I am. I have thought this through very, very well. I once thought as you did, that this card would be best off destroyed, so that it could never be used against me. But then... I realized there were better ways to make use of it. It's abilities as a wish granter may have been lost to me. But its status as an irresistible prize... was not."

Konami's eyes widened, and he understood. "You're setting a trap. The people you're worried about, you want them to try and take it!"

"Yes. My foes have fought well thus far, but they've stuck to the shadows, beyond my reach. The card's power cannot be used by those unworthy. It will not work for those who steal it through underhanded means. With my Tag Force Tournament, they will be forced to step into the light to prove themselves worthy of its power, and when they do" the Director's eyes gleamed. "You will end them."

Konami paused for a moment. "Now when you say end-"

The chapter ended.