DISCLAIMER: I do not own Fate/Extra or Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS. Both are products of Nasu and Konami respectively. Any relation to characters, living or dead, are purely coincidental.

Previously, on Fate/VRAINS!

Julius has been captured by SOL Technologies and interrogated, but Akira first warns him of the consequences of harming his family! Aoi and Hakuno are finally able to return LINK VRAINS, and the former is determined to retake her spot as the #2 in the Top Ten!

However, Hakuno notices a dark figure waiting in shadows: the Dead Face, wielding the crimson Saber!

At long last, a grand duel in the theater of the Gods takes place! Who shall emerge victorious?

Only one way to find out! INTO THE VRAINS! ! !

Fate/VRAINS

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN THE DEAD FACE GOT HAKUNO?!"

Shinji recoiled, swearing he felt his eardrums rupture from the scream of one Rin Tohsaka, who's face appeared on a holographic monitor projected from the bracer on his forearm. "I mean what I said, Tohsaka." he got out, tapping his ears to ensure they were still in working order. "Before I could get the bastard, Kishinami showed up and got locked into a Bounded Field. Where it is, I've got no idea! Now will you quit screaming at me?!"

"Ugh! You idiot!" Rin scowled fiercely as she glared at him in the vain hope of him spontaneously combusting on the spot. "If Sessyoin gets her, then she'll have access to all the Moon Cells in existence! Do you understand what'll happen if she has that?!"

"Yes, I do!" Shinji snapped back. "Look, I know I screwed up, alright?! Me and Rider are looking for the Bounded Field, so for fuck's sake, Tohsaka, QUIT SCREAMING AT ME!"

Honestly, why did he have to suffer like this? It was like the world had it out for him or something. Rin was constantly yelling at him for whatever reason and his luck may as well have been E-Rank. Sure, he knew he had a lot to make up for, but what the hell? Did he unknowingly piss off a gypsy in his past life or something? Wronged a vengeful god?

[In the doghouse as usual, eh Master?] a female voice teased from inside his bracer, causing him to scowl.

"Not the time, Rider! Now, hurry up and help me find that idiot before she goes and gets herself killed!"

TURN-10: LAST ENCORE

Emiya - 6400

Dead Face - 9100

[ Servant Archer - Nameless / EARTH / LA: Left, Right, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right / Servant / Effect / ATK 2200 / LINK - 4]

[Servant Saber - Nero Claudius / FIRE / LA: Left, Right, Up / Warrior / Servant / Effect / ATK 2300 / LINK - 3]

The duel had been no different than her battle with Julius, yet somehow, it felt worse. Her body had taken a major hit and was trembling, reeling from the intense pain that the Dead Face had inflicted. She was panting, trying to overcome this intensity before she managed to force her body to stand on shaky legs. "Are you alright, Master?" Archer asked worriedly.

"I...I'm fine, Archer." Emiya told him, gritting her teeth. "It-it's not as bad as when we dueled Julius." For that, she was at least thankful. The agony and pain she felt was beyond compare. The pain she suffered was like being electrocuted and then being stabbed again and again all over. Even so, she powered straight through and focused on the task at hand. "Tell me... Who are you?!"

The Dead Face offered her no answer, something she should have expected. "My Turn! Draw!" he announced. "Battle! I attack Archer with Saber!" The red-clad Saber poised her blade, flames flickering. She then leaped forward, sword trailing behind her with the intent of separating the bowman from his torso.

Emiya would not allow that. "I activate my face-down! The Trap, Rho Aias!" she declared as the card flipped up. "When a Link Monster I have on the Field is targeted for an attack during the Battle Phase, I can negate its destruction and reduce the battle damage by half until the end of the Battle Phase!" Saber swung her blade, only to find it barred by a decorated shield of flower petals. Archer was defended, by Emiya felt her body sting as the dancing flames touched against her skin.

Emiya - 6400 - 100 = 6300

"Tch." the Dead Face scowled beneath his facade before continuing. "I summon Dead Cell - Link Rewire from my Hand, next to Saber's Right Link Arrow!" On cue, another rusted and malfunctioning monster appeared in a tornado of rose petals. This one was similar to Hakuno's own Link Connector, given its round appearance and smaller orbs floating around it, only having three glowing eyes in the center instead of one.

[Dead Cell - Link Rewire / FIRE / Level 4 / Fiend / Gemini / Effect / ATK 100 / DEF 100]

"Link Rewire can't be targeted by Special Summoned Monsters for an attack." Dead Face revealed, making Hakuno click her tongue. "I end my Turn!"

"My Turn! Draw!" Emiya took her card. She took a quick look at her hand, only to frown heavily. I don't think I can use these cards just yet. she thought with some trepidation. And I can't attack Saber, either. I could use one of my Equip Spells, but I want to save them for when I really need them. Deciding to just play it safe, she set one of her cards to the field. "I set one card face-down and end my Turn."

The Dead Face stared at her for a second, as if judging her, before continuing. "My Turn! Draw! Since Link Rewire is a Gemini Monster, I can Normal Summon it as an Effect Monster!" The glowing eyes and orbs around its body glowed dark red, signifying the change. "I then activate Link Rewire's Effect! I can Special Summon up to three Dead Cell Monsters from my Graveyard with their Levels reduced to 1 and their ATK and DEF turned to 0! Return to me, my Monster servants!" Link Rewire let out a tired, warped groan as its orbs dived into the ground, opening up portals for three monsters to emerge. Among them was Link Accelerator and Assault Program. Next to Assault Program was a much larger, darkened and rusted automation, carrying a great battle ax.

[Dead Cell - Command Program / DARK / Level 2 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 0]

"He has six Monsters on his field now." Emiya muttered cautiously, watching as her opponent raised his arm, marked by glowing circuits. "Another Link Monster. Does that mean, he has another Servant?"

"Watch this." the Dead Face told her with a chilling tone, sending shivers down her spine. "I activate Command Program's Effect! When my opponent has exactly one Link Monster on the field, I can target a Dead Cell Gemini Monster on my Field and Normal Summon it as an Effect Monster! I target Link Accelerator! And then I use Link Accelerator's Effect!"

Archer narrowed his eyes. "When performing a Link Summoning using that Monster's Effect, Link Accelerator is counted as two materials. And unless he intends to sacrifice Saber, he has four other Monsters out on the field."

"Appear! The circuit of roses!" With a streak of light, the square-shaped circle reappeared above them, beckoning Monsters to gather and call upon an even greater power. "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is at least three Dead Cell Monsters! I set Dead Cell - Link Accelerator, Mimic Program, Assault Program and Command Program into the Link Markers! Link Accelerator is counted as two materials! Circuit combined!"

The monsters all became spears of light that slammed into the cursors, releasing a pulse from the circuit while the cursors lit up. Suddenly, Emiya felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up on end. Archer himself tensed, feeling something powerful emerging from within the circuit. When it exploded and gave rise to the creature, both Master and Servant were left gobsmacked in disbelief once it descended to the field. It was a behemoth, garbed in brown and red Chinese armor, revealing gray skin and thick muscles. In its hand were an assortment of weapons, including a mighty spear with a sharpened edge. Its face was gaunt and relatively cold, save for the look of livid rage that burned from its blank eyes as a menacing crimson aura pulsated from its being.

"Impossible..." Emiya whispered in horror. "T-that's...!"

"Appear! Link Summon! Link 5! Servant Berserker - Lu Bu!"

[Servant Berserker - Lu Bu / FIRE / LM: Up, Upper-Left, Upper-Right, Left, Right / Warrior / Servant / Effect / ATK ? / LINK-5]

"Lu Bu?!" Archer exclaimed in shock. "But how?! He's supposed to be Rani's Servant!"

"Umu! You are correct on that, bowman!" Saber nodded with a serious expression as she put a hand to her hip. "Once, he and I were adversaries, though he willingly lent us his aid! Truth be told, however, I do have reservations, considering his track record with his betrayals."

"Enemies?" Emiya questioned.

Then, suddenly, she remembered. When she had first put on the Regalia, after Twice H. Pierceman had given her the tools necessary to escape the Moon Cell, information had spread into her. Not just how to escape deletion, but even the various many possibilities that existed as well. Possibilities about her. About what Servant she would have called upon. And among those Servants that would have answered her call was a beautiful one, garbed in red with an indomitable will. Furthermore, Saber's words had sparked an old memory within her. Of standing between Rin and Rani, both of whom were ready to engage one another at any moment.

A fated duel, as it were, and one where she had to pick a side.

"You..." Emiya whispered with realization, staring at the Dead Face in wonder. "Are you...?"

The Dead Face didn't answer. He raised his hand over his face, bringing it down and removing the corrupted veil of death to reveal a plain looking youth with brown hair, wearing the brown uniform of Tsukumihara Acadmy. His eyes were dull, bearing not a single spark of life. A stark contrast to the malicious intensity that he bore earlier.

Despite his gender, he wore the same face as hers.

He was also Hakuno Kishinami. A survivor of the Moon Cell Holy Grail War.

There was a myriad of emotions that ran through her. Curiosity. Intrigue. And fear. Fear of what could have happened that turned him - her parallel self - into a ghost that could only hate. When she opened her mouth, Hakuno Kishinami spoke in a cool voice, contrasting the fiery passion that Saber sprinkled in her speech. "You are wrong. I am not Hakuno Kishinami." he told her lamely, locking eyes with her. She found herself almost lost in them, drowning in their coldness. "I am... Frankenstein's monster. Nothing less."

"Oh, hogwash, Praetor!" Saber scoffed, looking angry. "You are who you are! Nothing in this world changea that! Not the gods, and most certainly not that whore, Sessyoin!"

"How?" Emiya asked fearfully. "How did you...?"

Hakuno Kishinami offered her a look of frigid indifference, then offered a sad smile. "Perhaps if you win, I will tell you." he told her before he brought his hand back over his face. "But...as I told you. I want to affirm my existence!" Pulling it down, Hakuno Kishinami once again assumed the mask of the Dead Face and continued on with his Turn. "When Berserker is successfully Link Summoned, he gains ATK points equal to the original value of all Link Monster's ATK points! The only Link Monsters present on the field are Saber and Archer! Therefore, his ATK becomes 4500!"

Emiya's eyes widened in panic. "4500?!"

Lu Bu released a wordless, guttural roar that shook the air. The aura around him grew thicker, and unless Emiya was going crazy, she swore she saw him grow bigger.

[Servant Berserker - Lu Bu: ATK 4500]

"Battle! I attack Archer with Berserker!"

With another roar, Lu Bu charged straight at Archer, spear in hand. Cursing, Emiya quickly acted to save her friend and Servant. "I activate Rho Aias's Effect from the Graveyard!" she called out, just in time as the pink-flowered shield defended the dark-skinned archer from the behemoth, even though a massive shockwave ripped apart the ground beneath their feet. Shrapnel shot into her body, causing her to cry out in pain, staggering while her digital frame quickly worked to repair the damage. "Up...up to three times in a duel, so long as its in the Graveyard, I can activate it! Afterwards, I banish it from the Graveyard!"

Emiya - 6300 - 2300 = 4000

Hakuno Kishinami clicked his tongue, but otherwise relented on his assault. "I end my Turn here." he announced. "Do not disappoint me, Kishinami Hakuno."

Emiya glared back at him, choosing to focus on her Turn. "My Turn! Draw!" She took another look at her hand. Slowly, the gears in her mind were beginning to turn. I think I can make something with this. she thought, nodding to herself. "I set one card face-down and end my Turn!"

Saber blinked. "Ara? No Equip Spells?" she questioned before narrowing her eyes, putting a hand to her chin. "A trap, perhaps?"

"My Turn. Draw!" Hakuno Kishinami roared. "I set one card face down! Now, battle! I attack Archer with Berserker once again!"

As the behemoth readied another assault, Emiya looked at Archer, offering him a small grin. "You ready for this, partner?" she asked him.

"You have been hanging around Rin too much." he told her with a grin of his own. "Let's do this!" To the surprise of their opponents, Archer didn't try to fight back. instead, he merely smirked back at his opponent, even though Berserker had brought down his weapon and reduced him to mere shards. Emiya withstood the resulting backlash of the attack, barely able to keep her feet on the ground while shielding her face.

At first, Hakuno Kishinami had believed he had won, only for his eyes to widen when he saw a cracked Rho Aias in front of her, which promptly shattered apart and scattered around her, flowing into her being. "I activate Rho Aias' second Effect! If its in the Graveyard and I would take damage that would reduce my Life Points to zero, I can reduce the damage by half!"

Emiya - 4000 - 2300 = 1700

"You still lost your Servant." he reminded her before throwing his arm out. "And now you're wide open! Let's finish this! Saber! Attack Kishinami Hakuno directly!"

"Apologies for this, Hakuno!" Saber said in advance as she swung her sword, creating a trail of flames before charging at her with the intent of finishing her off. "This was a spectacular duel!"

In spite of the fact that she was on the verge of defeat, Emiya merely smiled confidently. She looked at Saber and had the answer she was looking for. Now she realized what this duel was about. And now that she had her answer, she had everything she needed. "The show's not over yet!" she called out, surprising them both yet again. "I activate my face-down! SERAPH Restoration Protocol!" On cue, one of her two set cards flipped up, revealing the card before them.

"What?!" Saber cried, still in mid-air. "A Spell?! In the middle of the Battle Phase?!"

"When this card is set on the field, it's treated as a Trap Card!" Emiya revealed to them. "I can Special Summon a Link Monster from my Graveyard! Until the end of this Turn, that Monster can't be destroyed in battle and battle damage is halved! C'mon back, Archer!"

Just as Saber brought her sword back down on Emiya, a flash of light burst between them. Then a pair of black and white scimitars blocked the flaming blade, stopping it dead in it tracks while flames danced between them.

Emiya - 1700 - 100 = 1600

"You willingly let yourself be destroyed, in order to get the advantage..." Saber marveled as she locked blades with the opposing Servant before she backed off. "You truly are an impressive Servant! Might I know your True Name?"

Archer smiled whimsically. "Unfortunately, Saber, my name is as the card I reside in says." he answered. "I am a nameless servant, here to serve someone with no background. And as my Master has said, this show is far from over!" For emphasis, he swiped his swords together, falling into a combative stance, practically daring his foes to strike him.

Hakuno Kishinami gritted his teeth. Anger and rage was beginning to build up, but he quickly pushed them down as hard as possible, lest he lose himself to his own nature. He hated to admit it, but she was quite skilled. Better than him, even. Even though she was still but a mere amateur, she was capable of pushing him back. And he had more than enough time to acclimate to the rules of this world. He continued forward with the duel, revealing his face down. "I activate the Trap, Mad Enhancement! This card can only be activated if I control a Berserker on the Field and a Monster I control failed to destroy one of your Monsters! I can double the ATK of a Monster on my Field! I gift its effects to Saber!"

The red-garbed woman smiled as she swiped her sword, creating a storm of rose petals around her. A storm gathered around her form, creating a powerful aura around her body that continued to run wild. The flames that burned from her sword grew ever fiercer, as if suddenly being lit aflame like never before.

[Servant Saber - Nero Claudius: ATK 2300 + 2300 = 4600]

"I end my Turn here!"

Emiya nodded. "My Turn!"

This is it... I can't fail this Duel. Not like how I did with Go. Closing her eyes and sucking in a breath, she put a hand over her deck. This...will be my Destiny-!

"DRAW!"

She pulled the card out, creating a powerful gust of wind. Daring to open her eyes, she glanced at her card. Her smile threatened to break her face in half. It's here! Unable to stop the push of courage and strength in her heart, she boldly declared, "Now, it's showtime! I activate the Spell, Link Break! I return Archer to my Extra Deck and Special Summon three of the materials that were used to summon him! I Special Summon Moon Cell Automation - Assault Program, Link Connector and Summoning Program!" Archer tossed his scimitars to the ground, allowing his body to disappear into blue pixels while his swords called upon the two aforementioned monsters, both armed and ready for battle.

[Automation Moon Cell - Summoning Program / LIGHT / Level 6 / Spellcaster / Moon Cell / Gemini / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 2400]

[Automation Moon Cell - Link Connector / LIGHT / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Moon Cell / Gemini / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 600]

[Automation Moon Cell - Assault Program / LIGHT / Level 5 / Spellcaster / Moon Cell / Gemini / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 1500]

"Since Link Connector was Special Summoned, I can Normal Summon it as an Effect Monster!"

"Don't think so!" Hakuno Kishinami interrupted. "I activate Dead Cell - Cracked Moon's Effect! When you Normal or Special Summon a Monster, I can negate its Effect! Consider your Link Connector useless!"

To his confusion, Emiya smirked. "Just what I was hoping you'd do! I activate Link Break's Effect from the Graveyard! By banishing it, I can pay 1000 life points to Normal Summon again!" she revealed, her frame flickering as if sustaining damage.

Emiya - 1600 - 1000 = 600

"I Normal Summon Automation Moon Cell - Summoning Program as an Effect Monster and use its Effect! I Special Summon Automation Moon Cell - Link Fix from my Hand to the Field!" A new Moon Cell monster appeared in a flurry of rose petals. This one appeared to be a cylinder of some kind, marked by dozens of circuits and horizontal lines while rings floated below and above it.

[Automation Moon Cell - Link Fix / LIGHT / Level 9 / Spellcaster / Moon Cell / Gemini / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0]

"When I control another Moon Cell Monster besides Link Fix, it's treated as an Effect Monster!" Emiya revealed, shocking Hakuno Kishinami. From the start, this had been her plan all along! She had tricked him into using Cracked Moon, wasting its use on Link Connector so she could summon Link Fix. But why? What could it possibly do to help her in this situation? The brunette was quick to enlighten him, soon explaining Link Fix's Effect. "Link Fix lets me Link Summon a Link Monster with a Link Rating equal to the Level of a monster I have on the field, with Link Fix being the only Link Material! In this case, I target the Level 5 Automation Moon Cell - Assault Program, a Level 5 Monster to use Link Fix's Effect! Link Fix counts as five materials!"

Without losing stride, she raised her hand high to the air. "Emerge! My moonlit circuit!" Seconds later, the circuit appeared before her once again. "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is at least one Moon Cell Monster! I set Link Fix into the Link Markers!" Link Fix let out a whirl as the rings on its body began to spin wildly, creating copies of the monster before they dived into the cursors, releasing the monster inside the circuit. "Circuit combined!"

Out from the circuit was another machine, this one bearing a more comedic aura to it, yet not any less intimidating. It was purely yellow with white stripes around its arms and legs, bearing the appearance of a demented jester. The white mask over its face was pure white with red markings, in addition to the peering eye on the left side. Upon touching the ground, it fell into a mock bow while a strange mirage settled over its form, as if creating an illusion of some kind.

"Appear! Link Summon! Link 5! Yellow King: Cosmic Clown!"

[Yellow King: Cosmic Clown / LIGHTNING / LM: Upper-Left, Upper-Right, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right, Bottom/ Spellcaster / Link / Effect / ATK 0 / LINK-5]

"Zero ATK?" the Dead Face questioned. "What do you hope to do with that?"

"You're about to find out." Emiya promised with a smile. "On the Turn Cosmic Clown is summoned, it can't be targeted by card Effects! Also, when a Spellcaster-Type Monster is next to its Link Arrow, I can reduce that Monster's ATK to zero and seal away its Effects to destroy a set card on your field! Next to Cosmic Clown's Bottom Link Arrow is Summoning Program! I lock down its Effect and reduce its ATK to zero and destroy Dead Cell - Cracked Moon!" With a snap of its fingers, Cosmic Clown created a thin film of distortion around Summoning Program, which bowed its head before the clown created a ball of energy that it tossed at the card, destroying it. Hakuno Kishinami scowled at the loss of his card, though Emiya wasn't done yet. "Cosmic Clown has another Effect! When Linked to a Moon Cell Monster I control, in this case, Automation Moon Cell - Link Connector next to its Bottom-Right Link Arrow, I can take control of one of your Monsters until the end of the Turn!"

The Dead Face's eyes widened, suddenly realizing what Emiya had in mind. "Y-you-!"

"I target Servant Saber - Nero Claudius!" Emiya called. "Now, Cosmic Clown! Radio Tune!"

With a spin, the yellow clown snapped his fingers, creating a wave of noise that washed over the field. Saber initially attempted to resisted until she spoke again. "You want to save him, don't you?" she called to the red-clad Saber. Nero's eyes widened, looking up in surprise. Thanks to the noise, Hakuno Kishinami could not hear them. He was oblivious to the conversation that was taking place now. "He's in pain. That existence of his...you want to free him from that."

She stared at the girl, then smiled and nodded. With a leap, Saber joined Emiya's field, standing beside Cosmic Clown with her blade raised proudly. The sight would have infuriated Hakuno Kishinami, had he not understood that Emiya now realized just what this Duel was about, even if she didn't know the full story. A thin smile spread across his lips, but he couldn't hold off the hatred his existence demanded of him anymore. "Even with Saber, Lu Bu's ATK is still higher!"

"Not for long!" Emiya shot back as she revealed one of her trump cards. "I activate the Equip Spell: Excalibur and attach it to Servant Saber - Nero Claudius!" Placing the card down on the field, Saber tossed aside her curved red sword, in favor of a blade wreathed in light. She gave it a quick swing, testing its weight. Satisfied, the Emperor of Roses turned her gaze to Lu Bu, who readied his spear in response. "And now, battle! I attack Servant Berserk - Lu Bu with Saber! As of this moment, Excalibur's Effect activates! When equipped to a Monster entering the Battle Phase, it increases that Monster's ATK by the same amount of the Monster its targeting! In this case, Saber gains ATK points equal to Lu Bu's!"

[Servant Saber - Nero Claudius: ATK 4600 + 4500 = 9100]

With a mighty roar, Saber brought Excalibur down on Lu Bu, creating a golden arc of light that slashed him straight in half, creating an explosive shockwave that kicked up a storm of dust and debris, obscuring the Dead Face. Saber pulled back, falling next to Emiya's side. Excalibur's Effect resolves, dissipating from her grasp and became replaced by Saber's trusted crimson blade. "Did that beat him?" Emiya asked cautiously, unable to see through the smoke.

"No, it did not." Saber replied. "Berserker is powerful, yes, but even he has a drawback. Perhaps to reflect how he killed his own superiors, his Effect has him deal damage to his owner upon his destruction, with the damage being equal to his current ATK. To prevent that, Praetor set a Trap to reduce the damage." The smoke cleared, revealing Hakuno Kishinami to be safe and sound indeed. However, he was not in good condition. Most of his deathly shroud was destroyed, and his digital frame was practically in shambles. He was missing most of his arm, and he had lost a good chunk of his torso. Half of his face was revealed, with the other half being the remains of the deathly mask of the Dead Face. "Last Chance negates the damage done by the Effect, and reduces it to zero. And with Lu Bu destroyed, Mad Enhancement now loses its Effect."

Dead Face - 9100 - 4600 = 4500

[Servant Saber - Nero Claudius: ATK 9100 - 4500 - 2300 = 2300]

Hakuno Kishinami was on his last legs. He was virtually unable to fight any longer. Seeing his state, Emiya couldn't help but feel reminded of her Duel with Julius. Was this how she looked? So pitiful? So weak? So...defeated? Yet, when she saw his eyes, she understood then and now what must be done. Closing her eyes and steeling her heart, she played her last card. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell, Moon Cell Gemini." she revealed the last card that was set on the field as it flipped up, revealing it to be another Spell card. "Just like SERAPH Restoration Protocol, when set, it's treated as a Trap Card. This card can only be activated when I destroy a Monster and if I control exactly one Servant Monster. If I control a Gemini Monster, I can Normal Summon it as an Effect Monster. I Normal Summon Automation Moon Cell - Assault Program and use its Effect. Once per turn, I can have a Monster declare another attack. With this..."

She sucked in a breath and looked at Saber. The woman nodded, bearing a sad smile as she produced a rose from her person. Nodding back, and preparing herself for what was to come, she began the final strike. "I attack you directly with Saber!"

Holding the rose up to her lips, Saber closed her eyes, taking a whiff. Around her, rose petals began to dance around her, blowing past her and circling around both her and her Master. When she snapped open her eyes, a fire was a lit inside them. A fire of passion and sadness. Even though this would be the last time she would see her Praetor again, she would make this a fine send off for him! He deserved only the greatest of funerals, after everything this beautiful man was forced to endure! "Open the gate! The curtain to the solo stage draws!" she declared as she threw the rose into the air. It exploded, creating even more petals that danced around them before she grasped her sword in both hands. "Behold my talent! Listen to the thunderous applause! Praise it! The Golden Theater!"

Swiping the sword, creating an arc of flames before she prepared the final blow, she rushed forward, gliding across the air. In a single moment, Saber locked eyes with Hakuno Kishinami, both smiling as the latter bowed his head and closed his eyes. Not seeing the tear that fell from Nero's cheeks.

"Laus Saint Claudius! !"

And the Emperor of Roses brought her sword down on this tragic play...

At the open lot where Blue Angel was engaging in a Duel, Elizabeth Bathory, the former Lancer Servant of a version of Run Ru that she herself had slain, suddenly felt her body freeze and her heart clench. An odd sensation that she almost didn't understand until a blowing wind rushed by, and with it the scent of roses. She recognized the smell and found herself lowering her head.

She had come to the lot not to spy on Hakuno Zaizen's activities as Emiya, but to scope out the competition. Since Aoi Zazien, Blue Angel, was the Idol of VRAINS, it was only fair that she wanted to see what all the fuss was about. The crowd certainly seemed to love her, but Elizabeth didn't really see much to be excited about. The girl was a fake, playing a role that meant nothing to her. She was sure she could play the role of Idol far better than she ever could.

However, her previous good mood, which came about at the prospect of killing the girl and taking her place and making herself the rightful idol of LINK VRAINS, vanished when she smelled the fragrance that blew across the wind.

A tear dripped down her face, soon falling to the ground down bellow. "You stupid pig..."

Dead Face - 4500 - 4600 = 0

YOU WIN! ! !

The shroud of the Dead Face was erased. Hakuno Kishinami was on the floor, back pressed against the ground while body his body was slowly breaking apart. Saber kneeled at his side, holding his hand. Archer stood next to Emiya, watching the poor man slowly break down into tiny bits of data that soon disintegrated, only moments after forming. "He was practically on his last legs when he dueled you." Archer said, voice heavy. "I'm surprised he lasted this long."

"That is because Praetor is a strong Master." Saber said tenderly.

Emiya looked on a little while longer, before she soon joined the red-clad woman's side, kneeling down to Hakuno Kishinami's side and taking a hand into hers. Somehow, it felt...warm. Not cold, like she was expecting. His hand felt like it was on fire, like a raging furnace on full blast. Hakuno Kishinami craned his head, looking at Emiya with a peaceful, almost content expression. Seeing his face made tears swell in her face.

"How?" she choked. "How did this happen to you...?"

"It was how I was born." Hakuno Kishinami said. "In my world... Kishinami Hakuno died at the hands of Twice H. Pierceman, when he decided that, in spite of the Moon Cell granting his wish, humanity wasn't worth saving. So he shut it down. Every function of the Moon Cell ceased to work properly. That also included filtering what happened to the discarded data of the slain masters. It didn't know what to do with their data, and it eventually accumulated, becoming a pool of emotions. Hatred. Sorrow. Anger. Rage. Despair. All of that, from the Masters killed by his hands."

Hakuno Kishinami looked up at the ceiling, staring at it almost contemplative before a smile of reminisce touched his lips, as if recalling a fond memory. "I was born from that pool. Created from the parts of all the Masters that died at Twice's hands. I was made using spare parts...with Kishinami Hakuno as the base."

"So that's what you meant by confirming your existence." Archer said sadly, closing his eyes. "You wanted to see whether or not you were your own person. Who better to give you that answer, than Hakuno Kishinami herself?"

Hakuno Kishinami nodded. He then turned his head back to Emiya, who was openly weeping for him. Tears dropped to their joined hands. "Kishinami Hakuno..." he said before pausing, then shaking his head. "No... Emiya. Was I just a faulty copy of someone, or...was I...?"

"You..." Emiya tightened her grip on his hand, putting on the best smile she could offer. "You are...Hakuno Kishinami. No one else. You are you. No one can tell you otherwise!"

"...!" Hakuno's eyes widened. Then, a wide smile touched his face. Just as the last of his body broke down into data and vanished forever. "Arigatou... Emiya-san."

Saber looked at the dancing lights. The last remains of her Praetor, just as they disintegrated into nothingness. Closing her eyes, she whispered a small prayer before smiling. "Farewell... my beloved Hakuno Kishinami."

COMING UP!

HAKUNO Kishinami, the Dead Face, has finally sought the peace he longed for. Saber is now entrusted to Hakuno, who still fears for the day when Kiara Sessyoin will make her move! In the meantime, she adjusts her deck, and tests her newfound mettle with Aoi. A Duel between the Emperor of Roses and the Idol of LINK VRAINS is underway!

Archer: TURN-11: SABER. Yare yare. It seems like things are going to be even more troublesome around here...

Saber: Hold a moment! What do you mean by that?! Answer me, bowman!

Dead Cell - Link Rewire / FIRE / Level 4 / Fiend / Gemini / Effect / This card cannot be targeted by Special Summoned Monsters for attacks. This card cannot declare an attack. While this card is a Normal Monster on the field, you can Normal Summon it to become an Effect monster with this effect:
Once per turn: Special Summon up to three Dead Cell Monsters from your GY with their ATK and DEF reduced to zero and their LV reduced to 1. During your opponent's Standby-Phase, perform a Link Summon using the monsters Special Summoned by this card's Effect. Afterwards, the cards used as Link Materials, including this card, are banished.

Dead Cell - Command Program / DARK / Level 2 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 0 / Effect / Once per turn, if your Opponent controls exactly one Link Monster: Target 1 Dead Cell Gemini Monster you control: Normal Summon that card as an Effect Monster.

Servant Berserker - Lu Bu / FIRE / LM: Up, Upper-Left, Upper-Right, Left, Right / Warrior / Servant / Effect / ATK ? / LINK-5 / 3+ Dead Cell Monsters / On the turn this card is successfully Link Summoned, it gains ATK points equal to the original ATK value of every Link Monster on the field. When this card is linked to another Monster, that card's Effects are negated. If this card is destroyed in battle: you take damage equal to its ATK points.

Automation Moon Cell - Link Fix / LIGHT / Level 9 / Spellcaster / Moon Cell / Gemini / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0 / Once per turn, if this card would be destroyed in battle: reduce battle damage to zero for the rest of the Battle Phase. While you control another "Moon Cell" Monster, this card is treated as an Effect monster with this effect:
Once per turn: Link Summon a Link Monster with a Link Value equal to the Level of a Monster you control, using this monster as the only Material. For every Level the targeted Monster has, this card is treated as that many Link Materials. After its Effect resolves: banish this card.

Yellow King: Cosmic Clown / LIGHTNING / LM: Upper-Left, Upper-Right, Lower-Left, Lower-Right, Down / Spellcaster / Link / Effect / ATK 0 / LINK-5 / 1+ Moon Cell Monster / On the Turn this card is successfully Link Summoned, it cannot be targeted by card Effects. When this card is linked to a Moon Cell Monster you control: Target 1 Link Monster on your Opponent's field: take control of that Monster until the End of that Turn. If this card is linked to a Spellcaster-Type Monster: reduce that Monster's ATK to zero and negate its Effects and target 1 card set on your opponent's field: destroy that card. You can only use each Effect of Cosmic Clown once per turn.

SERAPH Restoration Protocol / Spell / Normal / Target 1 Link Monster in the GY: Special Summon that card to your field. (This turn, the monster summoned by this effect cannot be destroyed by battle, and any damage you take from battles involving that card is halved). When set on the field, this card is treated as a Trap Card. You can activate this card in the GY once per turn. After its Effect resolves: destroy that card.

Link Break / Spell / Normal / Target 1 Link Monster on your Field: return that card to your Extra Deck and shuffle it. Special Summon up to three Monsters used to as materials to Link Summon that card to your Field in DEF position. You can banish this card from your GY and pay 1000 LP; This turn you can Normal Summon 1 additional time.

Moon Cell Gemini / Spell / Quick-Play / Target 1 "Moon Cell" Gemini Monster on your Field: Normal Summon that card as an Effect Monster. If this card is set on the field, it is treated as a Trap Card.

Rho Aias / Trap / Counter / During the Battle Phase, when a Link Monster you control is targeted by an attack: You can target that monster; Until the end of the Battle Phase of this turn, the targeted monster cannot be destroyed and any damage you take from battles involving that monster is halved. If this card is in the GY: activate its Effect. You can only use this Effect three times per duel, and if you do, banish this card. If this card is in the GY and your LP would be reduced to zero: halve the damage.

Mad Enhancement / Trap / Normal / Activated only if you control a face-up Monster with "Berserker" in their name and failed to destroy a Monster your opponent controls this turn. Target 1 Monster you control: double that monster's ATK.

Last Chance / Trap / Normal / If you would take Effect Damage that would reduce your Life Points to zero: negate that damage and reduce it to zero.

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Special thanks go to Donjusticia, who helped beta the chapter and edited card effects.

Sorry for the delayed absence. I decided to focus on my life outside of the site. To make up for it, here is the conclusion to the duel between Hakuno Zaizen and HAKUNO Kishinami. Apologies for its short length. I promise I will make up for it next chapter, which will feature a spectacular duel between Aoi's Trickstars and Hakuno's Saber.

On another note, I have a new story uploaded. If you are a fan of Death Note, please check out my newest work, "Death Note: Blank Pages." Assuming you are into a much smarter and more morally gray Light Yagami, anyway.

REVIEWS

Boyzilla: tis indeed HAKUNO, but you already knew that much from our PMs. And he finally got the closure he needed, and a much needed send off.

BraveWolf13: You think this is epic? Good sir, just wait until you see the climax for this arc!

Guest (Student): Some good observations, but the rules have changed. Servants are now Duel Monster Spirits in this world, as they must adhere to the rules. This, of course, means that their statistics no longer apply. That's not to say I'm abandoning the Servant battle mechanic altogether. It will make a return, but you'll have to wait a long time before that happens. And as for what happened to HAKUNO Kishinami, you have your answer.

Guest (Good Hunter): I have plans for Caster to appear. She won't make a prominent appearance yet, you'll have to wait quite a bit. As for Yusaku, believe it or not, I actually do have plans for him getting a Servant, along with the main duelist cast. I can't give away how they'll get Servants yet, though. Please be patient! Yusaku's role in this arc is already done for the most part. However, there's still another character who hasn't made his debut yet. At least in my story.