Everyone was safe, or as safe as they could be after escaping from an underwater fortress containing a revenge-driven teenager determined to destroy their minds. But, in the end, Noah came through for everyone. He had managed to open up an exit to the virtual world and let everyone out. Everyone, that is, except for Gozaburo and Noah, himself.

"I can't believe he's gone," said Mokuba, as the jet they had escaped in rocketed towards their next destination.

"I know," replied Darius. "But he did the right thing in the end, even though it cost him his mind."

"Ok," said the bossy voice of Seto Kaiba, "enough with the mushy stuff, Noah was a lunatic bent on taking over my company. He may have had a change of heart at the last minute, but all that proves is that he was weak and undeserving."

"Kaiba," growled Darius.

"No, Darius, this little side trip was nothing more than a distraction on my way to the top, and there's nothing you can do to stop me."

"We'll see, but don't forget, you still have two duels to go before you can win this tournament of yours," Darius grinned. "And whose to say you'll even survive the first duel. I mean, if you're up against me, well, your track record against Yugi is not that impressive, and I beat him, so what are your chances then, huh."

Kaiba looked infuriated at what Darius said. "I will not lose in my own tournament. Your victory over Yugi was nothing more than a fluke. And I will prove it when I beat you and take your Egyptian God card from you."

"We'll see soon enough, because, unless I'm mistaken, our next destination is coming right up."

Indeed it was, Kaiba Corp. island used to be a military arms manufacturer before Kaiba won the company from his step-father. Now all that was left was a single tower amongst the ruins. During the landing procedures, Kaiba announced to everyone on board that the top of the tower will be the setting for the finals of Battle City.

After the jet landed and everyone exited, they made their way to the tower, with a couple of taunts from the now insane Marik. Darius wasn't really paying attention, instead, as he was walking towards the tower, he was having a conversation in his head with his guardian.

"Kaiba has a thing for dangerous situations, doesn't he?" said the knight.

"First, on top of a blimp, then on top of a tower, I'd certainly say so," Darius replied.

"But first, we have to decide who's dueling who. How do you think that will work?"

"Knowing Kaiba, something dangerous and unnecessary."

Darius was right. After everyone had entered the tower, Roland explained that all four of the remaining competitors had to chose one of the four doors in the room. Darius rolled his eyes and chose the closest door to him, as did Marik and Kaiba. Joey tried doing a little hot potato and wound up picking the door Marik went in. Yugi just told him to pick the remaining door. When the door to Darius' little room was closed, he found himself shooting upwards until the lift stopped. He found himself parallel to the other 3 finalists way up off the ground. One look at the surroundings told Darius everything he needed to know about what was going to happen.

Yep,though Darius, dangerous and unnecessary.

"Before the finals of the Battle City Tournament can begin," explained Roland, "the duelists must be split up to determine who will face who. This will be done by a four way duel. Each finalist will start with 4000 life points and a deck of no more than 40 cards. Every time a duelist loses life points, their lift will rise towards the top. The first two duelists to reach the top will face off against each other in the first round of the finals, while the remaining two will face off in the second round. Duelists, you have 5 minutes to prepare your decks."

Scratch that, Darius thought, very dangerous and extremely unnecessary. But at least I get to choose my opponent, or at least try to. Darius removed cards from his deck until he only had forty left.

"Now the turn order will be established. Duelists, please remove one monster from your deck and show it the other duelists. The monster with the highest attack points will go first, and the monster with the lowest attack points will go last. However, the monster you pick cannot be used in the duel."

That's an interesting rule. However, I can never resist going last if the opportunity is presented to me, Darius smirked and picked the monster in his deck with the lowest attack points.

"Duelists, reveal your cards."

All four of them revealed their cards to each other, and Darius was pleased. His Dark Anomaly had the lowest attack points, although Joeys Swordsman of Landstar was a close second. Kaiba's chosen monster was the strongest, with Mariks next.

"The order will be Mr. Kaiba, followed by Marik Istal, then Joey Wheeler, and finally Darius Rhodes. Duelists, good luck, and let the Battle City Finals begin."

Kaiba: 4000
Marik: 4000
Joey: 4000
Darius: 4000

"Alright, I start," said Kaiba drawing. "And I summon my Vorse Raider (1900) in attack mode." Kaiba's monster appeared and swung his double bladed weapon to dramatically start the duel off. "I'll end my turn."

Kaiba: 4000; Vorse Raider: ATK 1900
Marik: 4000
Joey: 4000
Darius: 4000

"My turn then, you fools," Marik drew. "I'll summon Newdoria (1200) to the field in attack mode." Marik's monster was orange with a vicious look on its face, and a crown with spikes protruding from its side. It wore golden cuffs and green pants. It took the field and just stood in thin air, waiting for a command. "I end my turn."

Kaiba: 4000; Vorse Raider: ATK 1900
Marik: 4000; Newdoria: ATK 1200
Joey: 4000
Darius: 4000

"Then it's my turn," Joey proclaimed. He drew, then looked a little crestfallen at his hand. "I'll set one card facedown, and that is all."

Kaiba: 4000; Vorse Raider: ATK 1900

Marik: 4000; Newdoria: ATK 1200
Joey: 4000; one facedown
Darius: 4000

"My turn then," said Darius, drawing. "I'll summon my Night Shade (2000) in attack mode." Darius' three eyed, gray skinned monster appeared with a flourish, and looked gleeful. "Then I'll activate my Offer of Peace magic card." Darius' magic card rose and showed one king being offered a warrior from another king. "With this card, I can give an opponent one monster I control for one turn. That monster will return to me on my next turn, but until then, its attack points are cut in half, it can't change battle positions, and it cannot be destroyed or tributed. So Night Shade, join Marik for a turn." Darius' monster vanished from Darius' field and reappeared on Marik's (2000 → 1000). "I'll end my turn with a facedown."

Kaiba: 4000; Vorse Raider: ATK 1900
Marik: 4000; Newdoria: ATK 1200, Night Shade: ATK 1000
Joey: 4000; one facedown
Darius: 4000; one facedown

"My turn now," said a smug Kaiba, drawing a card. "Now Wheeler, Darius, you both are wide open for a direct attack. But, since I have a grudge against mutts, I think Vorse Raider will attack Wheeler with Savage Slash." Kaiba's monster rushed across the field and took a swing at Joey, who, with nothing to protect him, took a huge hit to his life points. "I'm finished for now."

Kaiba: 4000; Vorse Raider: ATK 1900
Marik: 4000; Newdoria: ATK 1200, Night Shade: ATK 1000
Joey: 2100; one facedown
Darius: 4000; one facedown

"Then I can cause more chaos, then," said Marik. "I summon Lord Poison (1500) in attack mode." Marik's monster looked like a trunk of a tree that had one too many metallic spikes sticking out of it. "Now Newdoria, attack Kaiba's monster now." The crowned fiend rushed the field at Vorse Raider only for the Beast-Warrior to cut it down. "Now my monster can destroy yours with its special ability," cackled Marik, while Vorse Raider exploded. "And with my Spell of Pain magic card, all my life point damage will be transferred to little Joey Wheeler." Joey's life points took another dive as he rose higher and higher to the top. "I end my turn." With those words, Marik suddenly lost 1000 life points and his chair rose up to the 3000 mark. "What is this? Why did I lose life points?"

"That's simple," explained Darius. "For every turn that Night Shade doesn't attack, he deals the controller 1000 points of damage. And right now, you're controlling him, Marik."

Kaiba: 4000
Marik: 3000; Lord Poison: ATK 1500, Night Shade: ATK 1000
Joey: 1400; one facedown
Darius: 4000; one facedown

"That was a cheap shot, Darius, and you'll pay for it."

"Not likely any time soon, because I plan on taking you out of this duel, once and for all."

Original Cards

Offer of Peace: (Magic): Select one monster on your side of the field and place it on your opponent's side of the field. The selected monster loses half of its attack points, cannot change battle position, cannot attack, and cannot be destroyed or tributed (Any Battle damage done involving a battle with the selected monster is applied normally). Return the monster to your side of the field on your next Standby Phase.