"Any last words before I end you Spectre, or would you prefer to just drift off wordlessly into the night like the rest of your organization, once I'm through with them of course." I glare at her from across the field. "Are you ever gonna make your move, or are you just gonna keep running your trap like a novice?" Her eyes sharpen as she quickly glances down at her hand. "Fine then, have it your way. My turn, I draw! I activate My field spell Cynet Universe's effect! Once per turn, It allows me to shuffle a monster from one of our graveyards into its owner's deck! And I think I'll choose Shiranui Spiritmaster! Next, I'll go ahead and activate the equip spell Fairy Meteor Crush from my hand, equipping it onto Firewall Dragon. When a monster equipped with this card attacks a defense position monster, you take the difference between my monster's attack and your monster's defense as damage! Now Firewall Dragon, attack Shiranui Spectralsword! Go Tempest Attack!"

I brace myself as a sudden, sharp stabbing pain shoots through my right shoulder as the blast connects with my monster and then me. "GAHHHHHH!" I yell out as I'm tossed backwards by the force of the blast. (LP: 5200) "Hmph, not so mighty now that you're the one on the ground are you? I'll set one more card and end my turn." I struggle to get back to my feet, when I feel a hand on my shoulder. Looking up I see Janice helping me to stand up. "I know that deck she's using. It might seem strong, but it has a weakness. If she doesn't have any Link Monsters, then her deck is crippled. Especially if she loses Firewall Dragon." "I'll keep that in mind, but you need to stay back. This might actually be more difficult than I thought it would be, and I don't want you caught in the crossfire."

I take a step forward and stare down at the giant dragon in front of me. "What's your name?" The woman looks surprised for a moment, but quickly regains her composure. "Oh, so now you ask my name? A little late in the fight for that don't you think?" "Either tell me or don't, it doesn't matter in the end. I just thought you might want me to remember you once you were gone." She smirks. "My name is Haos Dedra, and I shall be the one to destroy you! And once I'm done with you, I'll go after that partner of yours, what was her name? Oh yes, Ryoko Umi. She will be next on the list!"

At that moment, I can physically feel something inside me snap. "Oh, is that so? Well then, I'll have no regrets in putting you down. My turn, I draw. I'll start by activating Call of the Mummy from my field! When I control no monsters, I'm allowed to special summon a zombie type monster from my hand! And I special summon Shiranui Solitaire once again! (Atk: 500, Def: 0) Then I activate his effect, allowing me to tribute him and bring out my final Shiranui Spectralsword from my deck! (Atk: 800, Def: 0) Next I'll activate Shiranui Spectralsword's effect from my graveyard! Once per turn, I can banish him and one other non-tuner zombie type monster from my graveyard and special summon one zombie type synchro monster from my extra deck whose level is equal to the total levels of the monster's I banished! I banish Spectralsword and Solitaire!"

"WHAT?! You had another in there?! Damn it, I thought Spiritmaster was the only one left!" I smile a bit, finally feeling the odds shift back in my favor. "Well you thought wrong! Now once again, appear before us, oh ancient ancestor of the all powerful samurai, and lead us into the future of dueling with your knowledge and wisdom of the blade, SYNCHRO SUMMON! SHIRANUI SAMURAISAGA! (Atk: 2500, Def: 0) Next I activate Shiranui Solitaire's effect again! When he is banished, I'm allowed to special summon 2 of my banished monsters to the field! And I choose Spectralsword and my other Samuraisaga! Next, I'll tune together my Samuraisaga and Spectralsword and Synchro summon again! Materialize oh master of combat, ruler of all warrior spirits, and lord of the samurai! Strike down your foes with your mighty blade of fire, SYNCHRO SUMMON! SHIRANUI SHOGUNSAGA! (Atk: 3000, Def: 0) And once more, I'll synchro summon, using Shogunsaga and my other Spectral Sword! Behold the spirit of the almighty warrior who wields the power of the scorched sun. Lord of the ghosts of the unknown flame, appear and bring this battle to an end with your decisive power! SYNCHRO SUMMON! SHIRANUI SUNSAGA! (Atk: 3500, Def: 0) Then I activate Sunsaga's effect! By returning Shiranui Samuraisaga and Shogunsaga from my graveyard to the extra deck, I can destroy 2 of your cards on the field! And I choose Cynet Universe and your Scrap Iron Scarecrow! Now that your Cynet Universe is gone, Firewall Dragon's Attack goes back down from 2800 to 2500! Now attack Samuraisaga! Shiranui Style Spirit Cut!" I watch as both of our monsters burst into a radiant light as fire consumes them. "Next, I'll have Sunsaga attack you directly! GO, SCORCHING SUN STRIKE!" Haos cries out in pain as her life points are reduced and she falls to her knees. (LP: 4500) "And with that, I set one card and end my turn. Not bad for someone who was supposedly defeated now was it?" I ask with a mocking tone. She grunts, and slowly gets back up on her feet.

"It's not over until there aren't any Life Points left for me to give, and even then I won't give up! I draw! I normal summon RAM Cloudia in attack mode! (Atk: 1800, Def: 1000) Next, I will special summon my second Backup Secretary! I'll then activate RAM Cloudia's effect, and tribute Backup Secretary and special summon Cyberse Wizard from my graveyard in attack mode! I'll then build the overlay network and XYZ summon! Number 39: Utopia!" (Atk: 2500, Def: 2000) This is wrong, she shouldn't have any of these cards! These are the protagonists cards! They shouldn't be able to beaten as long as they had them! "You…. How did you do it? No normal duelist could have obtained those cards, and I highly doubt that you won them from their proper owners." I can't tell at first, but I am soon able to tell that she is laughing. "Oh, but I did! And I took so much more than just their cards! I took their memories of all the times they had used them as well! So now, even if they get them back by some miracle, they'll have no knowledge of how to use them!" "That's horrible! How could you do that to someone?!" I look over and Janice i shaking from head to toe. "Not only did you take their cards, but their memories as well?! How cruel could you be?!"

"Well look at it this way girly, if they don't have their memories of the cards, then they never know they lost them! Now then, unless you want to be next, I suggest you shut your trap and let us finish our duel." Janice doesn't say anything else after that. "Well then, do you feel like making a little bet Shiranui Spectre?" I look up interested. "What sort of bet? If it involves you walking away from this free, then the answer is no." She laughs a bit. "No no, nothing like that, that's not necessary since I already know I'll win since I have these cards. What I propose is this: If you win, then I'll give you every single one of these cards that I have here, and I'll even return the memories I stole to their owners." "And if I lose, what do you stand to gain?" "If you lose, then I get your deck and you tell me everything I want to know willingly." I take a moment and think it over. If I lose, then my career is pretty much over, but if I win, which I probably will, then I'll be doing a lot more than just protecting this timeline and bringing in a fugitive, I'll be recovering protagonist cards. Now that'll be sure to put me on the fast track to a promotion. "Alright, you're on. Hit me with your best shot!"

To be continued….