Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has stuck with this story. I hope you enjoy the remaining two chapters.

Chapter 36

Yusei pulled up to the start line and tried not to make eye contact with the opponent.

"I enjoyed watching your last battle," the 'Master's' deep voice drew Yusei's attention regardless.

The 'Master' was unimposing: a regular sized man with a non-descript appearance and uncoloured hair. The only imposing thing about him was his hooded cloak and the skull on his bike.

"I don't believe we've met until now," Yusei replied, returning his gaze to the start line and trying to focus on the commentator's introductions.

"Oh, we've met," the Master said. "I was watching. The whole time."

Yusei felt a shiver go down his side but he gritted his teeth. He couldn't let this man get to him. They had to win once and for all.

"Jack duels wonderfully," the man continued with a deep laugh. "Especially when his friend's on the line."

Yusei's mind went into overload. The chains around his limbs pulled him down. The pain overwhelmed him. And Jack's distraught expression broke his heart.

No. He was free. He was safe. This man couldn't hurt him or Jack any further.

Yusei closed his eyes and let the past out in an expelled breath. He reopened his eyes and met the Master's eyes with renewed determination.

"Jack isn't the only one good at duelling," he declared.

The Master grinned.

"I'm counting on it," he said.

"Ready Riders?" the Announcer's voice cut in.

Yusei tensed and began revving his engine.

"3, 2, 1, Let's Duel!"

Yusei took off, soaring into the lead as his 8000 point life counter lit up on his dashboard. The Master overtook him seconds before they hit the point determining who made the first move.

Yusei stayed relaxed. He would have his chance soon. He just had to believe.

"Draw!" the Master drew his first card.

"I set two cards and end my turn," the Master declared.

No monsters on the first turn? Yusei knew better than to underestimate his opponent but it was a strange choice. If anything, however, it only put Yusei more on edge. The Master was likely up to something. But what?

"Draw!" Yusei pulled his first card free and was glad to see a trusty favourite appear in his hand.

"I play Speed Warrior in Attack position. Speed Warrior, direct attack!"

Yusei braced himself for backlash from the 3 set cards as Speed Warrior dashed in.

Nothing happened.

Speed Warrior slashed at the Master and he grunted as the damage took effect, dropping his life points to 7100.

Yusei frowned. That was easier than expected. It made him uneasy. What were those three cards if not a defence against attacks? What was the Master planning?

"Draw," the Master declared, drawing even with Yusei as he did so.

"I activate my face down Spell card: Pre-Emptive Strike."

Yusei felt his heart drop.

The Master grinned at him and explained the effect to the crowd as he flipped the card.

"Pre-Emptive Strike allows me to send half of my opponent's extra deck to the Graveyard."

The crowd gasped but Yusei had to obey. Half of his key cards gone. Playing a Riding duel with only half of his synchro monsters was going to be tough. But it was doable. Yusei revved his engine and pulled ahead in an attempt to gain some kind of advantage.

"Next, I play Vice Dragon," the Master said, his monster appearing beside him.

He made no effort to catch up to Yusei.

"I sacrifice Vice Dragon to summon Nightmare Daemons."

Yusei faltered as the 3 Nightmare Tokens materialised on the field in place of the Monster.

He should have expected something like this. Memories of his capture and the agony these monsters had had him endure tore at the edges of Yusei's mind but he fought to keep them at bay. They were fragments of the past. Mere memories couldn't harm him.

"I end my turn."

Yusei drew a shaky breath before starting his turn.

"Draw!"

He glanced down at the card and a new plan began to form in his mind.

"I play Hayabusa Knight," he said, the bird-like warrior rising behind him like a pillar of security.

"I attack," he declared.

Whispers spread through the crowd at the move.

Hayabusa Knight only had 1000 attack. A direct attack would certainly do damage to the Master but the Nightmare Tokens would deal even more to Yusei.

Yusei couldn't care less. He needed those tokens gone to play properly. If he needed to take some damage to do so, that was simply the way this battle had to go. It would be over soon anyway, if Yusei had anything to say about it.

Hayabusa Knight swooped down for the attack, its claws ripping through the Nightmare Tokens.

Yusei braced himself as the resulting damage hit him, the force of the resulting wave shaking his bike and straining his wounds. He held on tight with gritted teeth and watched eagerly as Hayabusa Knight closed in for a direct attack on the Master.

"I activate 'Switch'," the Master announced, flipping yet another of his face down cards.

Yusei barely had time to react before the card's instructions came into effect.

Hayabusa's attack was redirected, spiralling across the field and slamming into Yusei and his monsters at full power.

Yusei bit back a groan and tightened his grip as the breath was knocked from his lungs and one of his ribs shifted.

The crowd rose from their chairs but Yusei couldn't tell if they were yelling or cheering. The sound was merely a drone in his ears as his life points dropped to 5700 points and both Hayabusa Knight and Speed Warrior disappeared from his field.

"My turn," the Master said calmly as he overtook Yusei.

"I set one card and end my turn," the Master said.

No monsters again? This time, Yusei could clearly hear the disapproval of the crowd. Yusei didn't buy it. The Master definitely had something up his sleeve. Yusei needed to end this. And fast.

"Draw," he said. "I discard one card and play Monster Reincarnation to resummon Speed Warrior to my field."

His faithful regular appeared at his side once more.

"Next, I play Turret Warrior, Quillbolt Hedgehog, and Junk Synchron."

His three monsters appeared as his card dwindled to one. Yusei wasn't concerned. One attack was all he needed to gain the upper hand.

"I tune Junk Synchron, Quillbolt Hedgehog, Turret Warrior, and Speed Warrior to synchro summon Crimson Dragon."

The familiar burn of Crimson Dragon's tattoo seared into his back and he caught sight of his fellow signers as his most powerful monster appeared on the field. The twins smiled at him while Jack, Crow, and Aki punched their fists to the air in a sign of comradery.

Yusei returned the gesture.

"Crimson Dragon, direct attack!" he ordered.

"I activate my face down card!" the Master called.

Yusei flinched. The trap had been sprung. Now to find out what it was.

The card flipped.

"Snatch Steal," the Master declared.

Yusei looked on, as oblivious as the crowd. It was a card he'd never heard of. And that was unusual. Yusei knew almost every card there was. But this 'Snatch Steal' rang no bells in his mind.

The Master grinned at him.

"I had it special made for this purpose," he whispered.

Yusei felt his breath catch. So this was it. This was the moment this strange team had been waiting for. But why? What did they want?

The Master held his gaze as he explained.

"Snatch Steal gives me complete control over my opponent's monster. And if the duel ends with my victory, the monster becomes mine."