The excitement inside the Lumiose City Lab has peaked as high as the Prism Tower. The professors, along with the trainers and their Pokémon, have been witnessing the game of Vanguard for the first time. "This is probably the most exciting thing I've ever seen since I discovered Mega Evolution," Sycamore remarking the pace and excitement of the game in front of him. Professor Oak is also very impressed, "I must admit, I've never had this much fun watching something since Ash competing in his first Pokémon League." Speaking of firsts, like with Aichi Sendou, Toshiki Kai is teaching the game. But this time, he's teaching the game to Ash Ketchum, a Pokémon trainer, an unknown identity to him or his rivals/allies. "Kai?," Ash calling out to his opponent, "You said that this fight reminded of your first fight with Aichi? What do you mean by that?"
Kai shakes his head as the focus now heads back to the Cardfighter's world, but back when they were younger. "Yes, in a couple of ways. You see Ash, I didn't have the best childhood. I lost my parents and had to move away twice.", Kai reminiscing and telling about his past towards everyone. Despite that, he's mainly directing towards this conversation towards Ash. "Yet through it all, I've played Vanguard and it was through that card game, that I've met Aichi Sendou." Kai then explains that when both were younger, Kai once gave a bruised and battered-up Aichi his now, iconic unit, Blaster Blade. As everyone could probably tell, Aichi was constantly bullied, yet through Vanguard, he was able to stay strong. One day, one of Aichi's classmates, Morikawa, stole Blaster Blade away and then bet it against Kai in a Cardfight. Morikawa lost the game, and Kai won Blaster Blade in the process of doing so. Aichi begged Kai to give him back the card, but Kai said no, under one condition. He then proceeds to tell the, at the time middle school aged young boy, that if someone loses something over the course of the Cardfight, then that was the only way to get it back. Aichi proceeded to muster up the courage and not only win the fight, but also made a bond through the game. The two proceeded to become the best of friends and rivals. The focus now heads back to the present day lab and as for Kai? Well, as he went on, he got more emotional about missing Aichi and wanting to find him all the more. "We all miss him, but by coming to your world, we may have a better chance," Kai finishing up his memories to everyone. "You know what Kai?," Ash calling out to his newfound friend, "If Aichi was here, he would definitely ask you to honor him by finishing this fight!" The mini crowd applauds and cheers in approval as the fight continues on.
The field shows that Ash has a damage count of two, five cards in hand, and has an almost complete formation on the field. Kai, on the other hand, has only 2 units on the field, 4 cards in hand, and 3 damage. Kai now starts his turn by drawing a card and looking at his options. "Alright Ash, I'll start my turn by riding," Kai announces as he slams a card onto the Vanguard Circle, "I choose to ride a creature that has the same bond with creature as you do... The Embodiment of Victory, Aleph!" Kai suddenly gains a demonic spear and his left facing, brown hair suddenly turns into streaking out, red hair. Kai wasn't done yet as brings forth reinforcements, "I now call a second Jarran, and a lord of destruction in the form of Blazing Flare Dragon!" The field now see Kai, along with Charizard to his right, Pignite behind him, and Infernape behind Charizard. Each Pokémon has representations of each called unit. Kai then immediately calls for an attack from Aleph, supported by Jarren. "I'll start my attacks with with my Vanguard, and since he's a grade three, he has Twin Drive, which allows me to a drive check twice!" Ash is shocked by the move, but calms down when he looks at a grade 1. "Kai, I don't think I can take this...", Ash starts as he places the grade 1 on the Guardian Circle and places Future Knight, Lew into the drop zone, "But, I bet that I can count on you, Flash Shield Iseult!" Kamui is shocked by the card, "Did... Ash have a Nullify in his hand all this time?!" Everyone in the "stands" is shocked by the sudden guard. Kai is shocked by the move, but still does his Twin Drive. Both cards are revealed, only to have no triggers, and Ash puts the nullify in his drop zone. Kai follows up with a Jarren and Blazing Flare combo. Ash doesn't guard and proceeds reveals no trigger in his damage check.
Ash then stands and draws. He proceeds to ride, as he calls upon another unit. "Friends never battle alone, and this unit is no exception. Now, it's time for me to ride... Alfred Early!" Ash now gains a unique sword and crown, and proceeds to activate the ability of his Vanguard. "Kai, let's see you deal with Blaster Blade twice, as I call him to Rear Guard!" Ash proceeds to attack, starting with Young Pegasus Knight, being boosted by Barcgal. The power level is equal, but rules state that the attacker would still win. Regardless, Kai defends with Dragon Monk, Genjo, bring the total power to 20,000. Ash then attacks with his Vanguard, supported by Wingal. Kai announces no defenders, as Ash checks his Twin Drive. The first check brings nothing, as well as the second check. Kai reveals no trigger on his damage check, as Ash ends his turn. "Ash, you've fought well, but now, this is it, the Final Turn!" Everyone is now fully concentrated, as everyone looks at Kai unleashing another powerful Grade 3 Unit. "Now, as I ride the Vanguard, it's time to burn everything in this world to ashes with apocalyptic fire! Rise up, Dragonic Overlord!" As Kai slams the card onto the circle, multiple things happen at once. First, Kai's Vanguard circle glows a fiery red. As it glows, the Cardfighter gains wings and a dragonic sword. Finally, the shape of his gauntlet turns into his units' clawed hand. As Kai calls upon Dragon Knight, Nehalem and Demonic Dragon Mage, Kimmara, Kai has a full formation on the field, and a confident and angry look on his face. "Now Ash, prepare to witness my Vanguard's Ultimate Skill!," Kai announces as his circle glows a fiery red, "By paying a Counter Blast of 3, I gain 5000 power, lose Twin Drive, but another ability." He doesn't reveal the full effect yet, but Ash prepares for the onslaught. He starts this by first guarding Blazing Flare's attack with Epona. The second attack is now taken by Ash, as he does a damage check, with no trigger revealed. "Now, supported by Jarren...," Kai starts as he looks at his options, "Overlord... Attack his Pegasus Knight!" The trainers are confused by the tactic as Kai reveals no trigger on the drive check. Just then, as Ash's Fletchling retreats, Kai's Vanguard stands back up! "By attacking a Rear Guard," Kai explains the skill of his Overlord, "my Vanguard's can stand back up for another Attack, and he'll do just that against Blaster Blade!" Ash does let that go, as there's no drive trigger on the check. Kai's Vanguard Stands Up, one last time, as he attacks Alfred, hoping for the best. Kai draws and announces, "Got it... Critical Trigger!," shocking everyone including his own Pokémon team, "This time, all effects will go to Overlord! Now burn, Ash, in our Eternal Flame!" As Kai's circle glows a volcanic red, Ash can actually feel burning sensations through his body, "This is gonna hurt... Ahhh!!!!" Ash, after the effects of the burn, is now struggling to get up, dealing with burning pains all over his body. Everyone watches in horror, as Emi thinks to herself, "Ash, you must pull Eliane, otherwise... it's game over..." As Ash looks at his first damage check, it brings nothing. Ash then closes his eyes as he draws, what could be, his 6th and final damage. A green glow suddenly comes from the card, as Ash opens his eyes. "This is...," Ash says as he's in awe of the card, "A Heal Trigger?" Kai is shocked by the appearance of this card, "It's just like our first fight again... Aichi pulled Yggdrasil Maiden, Eliane for his 6th damage too." Misaki then explains that with a Heal Trigger, if Ash has a damage count more than or equal to his opponent's, he takes a card from his damage zone and places it into the drop zone. Kai realizes that with the trigger, Nehalem's attack would not good be enough.
Ash looks at Kai, then stands up his units and draws. "Kai, you failed to do me and my friends in, so now... it's my own Final Turn!" Everyone looks on in anticipation as Ash looks at his new unit. "Like us trainers, the paladins will evolve to newfound strengths!" Ash then slams the card onto the circle, as he becomes a Knight himself, "He was once prince, but now, as I ride the vanguard, he's now The King of Knights, Alfred!" The trainers are now bowing to Ash, as if he was Alfred himself. "As I have rode Alfred, I will now all Marron, as well as The Knight of Silence, Gallatin!" Ash then pays a Counter-Blast of 3, to use Alfred's skill to call forth a Grade 2 or lower Royal Paladin from the deck and call it to Rear Guard. "The unit I choose is The Knight of Truth, Gordon!" Ash then does an attack from Gordon and Barcgal. Kai doesn't guard and proceeds to reveal a Critical Trigger in his damage check. With that check, Kai's Vanguard is now at 15,000. Ash decide to attack with Alfred, who doesn't get boosted, but with his ability, gains 2,000 power for each rear guard that Ash has on his field. Despite a total of 20,000, Kai drops a card to nullify the attack with Wyvern Guard, Barri. Ash still does his twin drive and draws nothing for his first check, then proceeds to do his second check. Ash then shows his second check, "Got it! Critical Trigger!", Ash announcing to the group, "All of the effects will to Gallatin." Kai then realizes he's in trouble, and doesn't guard the next attack. It was easy to tell, as he had little defense to guard against the now oncoming attack of 23,000 power and 2 critical. As Pikachu makes an Iron Tail attack on Kai like the blind swordsman striking at Overlord. Kai grunts from the pain as he then proceeds to look at his two damage checks. Ultimately, this puts him at 7 Damge, so his only hope is for two heals to come in a row. The crowd holds their breath as Kai reveals on his first check... a heal trigger. "Just another heal, and he survives..." Pikachu says to himself, despite not making a scene. The Cardfighter's faces soon have shocked expressions as Kai's second check is a trigger... but not a heal trigger. "With that final damage Ash," Kai says looking at his opponent with a smile, "I return to my spirit form, and dissipate from the Planet Cray's surface. You win."
The crowd then erupts as they applaud the two players for an awesome match. As the crowd continues to applaud, the two gauntlets soon turn off, the majority of Ash and Kai's Pokémon return, and the lush landscape of Cray turns back into the conservatory part of the lab. Ash smiles and giggles as not only Pikachu and Charizard reunite, but as well as Kai getting a Flamethrower at the face. "Geez," Kai says as he brushes off the soot from his face, "Does that happen when you're with Ash, Charizard?" Charizard growls as he then looks at Ash and Pikachu, who does the same flame to the face. Everyone laughs as they soon join together for an outstanding moonlit dinner at the lab. Sycamore and Oak said to everyone that they recorded the footage of the Cardfight. It was so that no one could never forget the memory of this encounter. The trainers and cardfighters even allowed it to be posted online so that everyone could get into the game as well. After that, Kai looks outside of the entrance to the lab, smiling with Ash's lended Charizard. "You know, Charizard?," Kai says, getting his attention, "I never had this kind of experience before, and there going to be plenty more." "I've been with Ash for quite a long time," Charizard says to his new trainer, surprising him, "But, I've never done a fight like that before." Kai and Charizard look up at the moon, as Ash and Pikachu come up to join him. "Thinking about Aichi and that Cardfight, Kai?" Kai nods as Ash joins his "teacher". "Still have any doubts about Kai, Charizard?", Pikachu calling out to one of his longest friends, who just shakes his head no. "Ash, don't worry," Kai turning to face him, "We'll be counting on you guys to teach us about Pokémon." Ash accepts the offer presented by Kai by putting out his own offer, "Yeah, as long as you don't mind having us take part in more Cardfights." The two humans and Pokémon shake in approval as they headed back inside the lab.
At an unknown location, the same four people are getting restless. "Why are none of our seals working?!", a blue haired man saying to three other people. They all just shake their heads as they have no clue as to why their "seals" weren't working. Some say that the memories of Aichi Sendou have been so strong, no one could use them. "This is bad, the lock on Aichi's seals are weakening," a young girl saying to the small group. "If we don't do something soon..." Just then the oldest of the group finishes the worrisome sentence, "Then the problem that once threatened him and us, will be unleashed... Just what is exactly going on?! "