Disclaimer: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's, and the character of Raven is the creation of sammycrusinix.
Chapter 20: Suicide Duelists
"Infernity Wraith gains a Specter Counter every time I take damage." Kiryu revealed. "And once he has three Specter Counters on him, Infernity Wraith is destroyed. When that happens, I really will lose the duel."
"I see. So I only have to hit you three more times." Misty observed as her face twisted back into a psychotic grin. "How wonderful. Your suffering will make your death all the more beautiful. I'll end my turn here so you can prepare yourself for the end."
Kiryu drew his next card. "I now activate a Spell card, Underworld Exchange Synchro! By sending Void Ogre Dragon to the Graveyard, I can summon another Dragon-type Synchro monster from my Extra Deck that's the same attribute and level! Appear now, Hundred Eyes Dragon!"
Kiryu's blood red dragon became enveloped in a pillar of purple flames. The flames soon subsided to reveal Kiryu's other eye-covered dragon.
"I now activate Hundred Eyes Dragon's effect!" Kiryu announced. "By banishing a Fiend-type monster from my Graveyard, Hundred Eyes gains that monster's effects until the end of the turn. And the monster I'm banishing is my Infernity Archer!"
The ghostly form of a large knight clad in black armor, wielding a large bow and arrow appeared on the track. The dark knight flew into the large central eye on Hundred Eyes Dragon's chest.
"Now because I have no cards in my hand, the effect of Infernity Archer allows Hundred Eyes Dragon to attack directly!" Kiryu announced. "Hundred Eyes Dragon! Hit Misty with Infinity Sight Stream!"
The dragon reared back its head and fired a stream of purple flames at Misty. The dark-haired woman cried out as her life points dropped down to 600.
Once again, Misty broke into psychotic laughter. "How wonderful! I'm now so close to the brink of death! I only wish that your dragon were stronger. Then I really could've died."
"So my hunch was right. You're helping Z-one so you can die!" Kiryu realized. "You've been hoping that my friends and I would have to duel you so we can stop Z-one and that the duel would kill you."
"I deserve to die!" Misty continued with a mad grin. "I deserve to die because I killed Divine. I was in love with him you know. But he was only using me. He used my younger brother too and ended up killing him. That's why he deserved to die! And I deserve to die because I killed him! It all makes perfect sense, you see?"
"Yeah, I see alright." Kiryu replied. "You're feeling guilt over killing that man. Trust me, I know what that feels like."
"Hey Crow, what's Kiryu talking about?" Joey asked on the sidelines.
"Kiryu… killed a security officer a long time ago." Crow hesitantly explained. "But he was a different guy back then. Hell, the whole city was different. Back then, Kiryu, Yusei, Jack, and I were all in a Duel Gang in Satellite. We ended up beating all the other gangs. But after that, Kiryu went over the top and tried taking on Security. That's when it happened."
"Man. I guess that explains why Kiryu seems kind of on the edge." Joey remarked.
"I know what it's like to carry around that kind of guilt." Kiryu continued. "It's hard to live with yourself after doing something like that. But even someone like you just shouldn't throw your life away!"
"Shut up!" Misty shot back. "How could you begin to understand how I feel? Now if you're done, please kindly end your turn!"
"…Okay, I'll end my turn there." Kiryu agreed. "And with the end of my turn, the effect of Underworld Exchange Synchro destroys Hundred Eyes Dragon!" The underworld dragon exploded in a flash of purple flames. "When Hundred Eyes Dragon is destroyed, I can add an Earthbound Immortal to my hand. Now then, make your move."
Misty chuckled with mad glee as she drew her next card. "Earthbound Immortal Ccarayhua, attack Kiryu directly! Devil's Tongue Lash!"
The giant gecko launched its tongue down at Kiryu, creating a massive cloud of dust upon hitting the ground near him. After a moment, Kiryu emerged from the dust cloud unharmed with Infernity Wraith. A ball of unearthly blue fire was floating by the wraith's right side.
Misty broke into another fit of laughter. "I activate a Quick-Play Spell from my hand, Earthbound Rampage! By giving up half my life points and sending every other card in my hand to the Graveyard, Ccarayhua can attack again this turn! Ccarayhua, strike Kiryu with another Devil's Tongue Lash!"
Misty's gecko launched its tongue down at Kiryu a second time, kicking up another massive cloud of dust. This time when Kiryu emerged, a second blue fireball had appeared by the left side of Infernity Wraith.
"Kiryu's wraith already has two of those counters on it!" a worried Jesse observed. "If he gets hit with any more damage, he's done for!"
"I'm afraid I have to end my turn there." Misty announced. "But on my next turn, I'll bring this duel to an end with your death!"
"You won't get the chance!" Kiryu declared. "I'm not going to lose this duel! And I'm sure as hell not going to let you throw your life away!"
Suddenly the owl man mark on Kiryu's arm began to glow. At the same time, the top card of his deck began to shine with a blue light.
Kiryu drew the card from his deck. "I summon Spirit Cleanser Fiend Exorcist!" The small robed demon appeared on the track. "With Fiend Exorcist's effect, I summon an Earthbound Immortal from my hand! Rise up, Earthbound Immortal Ccapac Apu!"
A massive pillar of blue light shot up from the ground into the sky. In moments the light faded to reveal Kiryu's shadowy giant.
"I tune the level two Fiend Exorcist into the level ten Ccapac Apu for a level twelve Synchro Summon!" Kiryu announced.
Fiend Exorcist transformed into two rings made of white light. The rings went up into the sky and enlarged to encircle Ccapac Apu.
"A holy resonance reverberates through the land! Its power casts away the darkness to reveal the light within!" Kiryu chanted. "Synchro Summon! Reveal yourself, Earthbound Guardian Ccapac Apu!"
The rings of light shrank and went into Ccapac Apu's body, creating an explosion of white light. Moments later the light faded to reveal the giant in its white guardian form.
"I activate Earthbound Guaridan Ccapac Apu's effect!" Kiryu announced. "Until the end of the turn, Ccapac Apu can negate the effects of one of my opponent's monsters! And of course the monster I choose to use this on is Ccarayhua!"
Blue lights flew from the gecko's body into Ccapac Apu's eye. As this happened, the green parts of Ccarayhua's body turned grey.
"In addition to negating Ccarayhua's effects, Ccapac Apu also gains half its ATK." Kiryu revealed. "Which means his ATK is now 4900!"
"And because that big lizard's lost its effects, Kiryu can attack it!" Joey excitedly realized.
"Ccapac Apu, attack Ccarayhua and end this duel!" Kiryu commanded. "Guardian Fist!"
The giant raised his fist and struck Ccarayhua in the chest. The shadowy gecko exploded in a blinding flash of white light that enveloped the entire area. Misty screamed as her remaining 300 life points dropped down zero. When the light finally died down, the monsters had vanished and the entire group was back inside the gear chamber that the duel had started in. The wall of the chamber had stopped rotating and a hidden square hatch had opened up. Misty meanwhile was on the ground by her toppled D-Wheel.
Kiryu quickly dismounted his D-Wheel and went over to her. "Are you okay?"
Misty slowly got to her feet as she held the back of her head. "I think so. Though… I don't know why I am. You should've killed me in that duel."
"I never wanted you dead." Kiryu told her. "I've got enough blood on my hands already."
"Oh… I see. Then I suppose it was unfair of me to expect you to deliver my death." Misty realized. "I'm truly sorry I caused you so much trouble."
"I'd like very much to help you Misty." Kiryu offered. "I've been where you are, and I can help you through it."
"I'm surprised that there'd be someone who'd worry about me so much." Misty replied.
"Hey, you're the first person in a long time who can satisfy me." Kiryu smirked.
"Uh, s-satisfy you?" Misty repeated with a blush.
"Oh, I mean as an opponent!" Kiryu frantically explained as his own face turned red. "Of course you are pretty hot, I mean…"
"Hey Kiryu! You wanna save the flirting for later?" Crow impatiently interrupted. "We've got a city to save, ya know!"
"Uh, coming!" Kiryu quickly assured him before turning back to Misty. "Won't you come with us?"
"…Okay." Misty finally agreed. "I guess... maybe I have more to live for than I thought after all." And with that, the entire group rode into the hatch.
Yusei's team had finally emerged from the narrow corridor that went out from the first gear chamber. They had arrived inside a much larger round chamber with a massive domed ceiling. Scattered around chamber were piles of junk and debris, as well as a few large slabs of stone depicting different monsters.
"So is this the main gear chamber?" Jaden wondered as he and the others dismounted.
"Uncertain. But I think it's the most logical conclusion." Bruno answered.
"These stone slabs look like the ones that inspired Duel Monsters." Yugi noticed as he looked around.
"Most of the monsters on the slab look like Synchro monsters." Yusei observed.
"Hey Yusei?" Aki interrupted.
"What's up?" Yusei replied.
"Well, I know you'll probably end up dueling Z-one before long. So I want to lend you these." Aki replied as she handed Yusei three cards.
Yusei's eyes widened a bit when he saw what the cards were. "Are you sure?"
Aki nodded. "You'll probably need all the help you can get. Besides, this way I can feel like I'm fighting alongside you."
Yusei smiled and took the cards. "Don't worry. I'll have these back to you when I'm done."
At that moment, Jack's team finally arrived on the scene. Alexis quickly parked her D-Wheel and ran over to the others. "Jaden!"
"Alexis?" Jaden responded before running over to meet Alexis half way. "You okay? What happened?"
"I'm fine." Alexis assured him. "I was brainwashed into guarding some gear."
"I'm the one who snapped her out of it." Carly chimed in. "So Jaden, are you going to thank me for saving your girlfriend?"
"G-Girlfriend?" Jaden repeated as his face turned bright red.
"Whoa, whoa! Back up!" Alexis frantically cut in as her face also turned red. "Jaden and I are not a couple."
"Really?" a surprised Carly asked with a tilt of her head. "Could've fooled me. Especially after the way Jaden came all the way from the past to save you."
"Yeah, I thought you guys were a real item." Tea chimed in.
"Same here." Aki agreed.
Both Jaden and Alexis had a deep blush on their faces. Yubel meanwhile had appeared next to Jaden in spirit form and was grinding her teeth. A moment later, Crow's team finally arrived.
"Well, looks like we all made it." Crow observed as he and the others dismounted.
"Yes. But the question now is, where is Z-one?" Yugi wondered.
"Ask and you shall receive, Pharaoh." A deep booming voice spoke from above. Everyone looked up to see Z-one coming down through a hole in the center of the ceiling.
"This ends now Z-one!" Yusei declared.
"You are all fools to oppose me." Z-one told them. "I'm doing what needs to be done to change the future and save the human race from ruin."
"There's another way to do that besides killing so many innocent people!" Yusei argued. "And whatever that way is, we'll find it!"
"To think that I was ever that naive." Z-one remarked.
"What's that supposed to mean?" Yusei asked as he narrowed his eyes.
"Never mind." Z-one responded. "The power source of the central gear is linked to my very heart. In order to shut that source down, one of you must defeat me in a duel."
"Then I'll take you on!" Yusei declared.
"Count me in too!" Jaden cut in. "I want to get back at you for what you put me, Alexis, and Jesse through!"
"I will duel you as well!" Yugi declared. "The three of us will take you down together!"
"A duel with the Nameless Pharaoh, the Supreme King, and the leader of the Signers. How interesting." Z-one commented. "Very well. The three of you may face me all at once. But I warn you, this duel can only end with your demise."
Author's Note: One regret I have about this trilogy is not really giving myself the opportunity to really develop the relationship between Kiryu and Misty. If I had been thinking back then, maybe I would've written Stardust and Roses so that Misty had escaped the Pit with Yusei and the others. But then I would've needed to come up with someone else to guard the third gear chamber. I plan to do a bonus story featuring Misty and Kiryu at some point. In the meantime ladies and gentlemen, the time has come to prepare yourselves for the main event!
Three duelist kings! One twisted cyborg from the future! The final battle to decide the fate of Neo Domino is about to begin!
In the meantime, please review and let me know what you think.