Yuu Hashimoto: *standing over Donjusticia's grave* So, this is how you end, Donny. Your soul is locked away in a job that demands your full time and attention, your series is left to rot, and all your readers think you're dead.

*Wind blows over the snow-covered tomb, revealing the inscription, "Here lies Donjusticia. Wait…who was this guy?"*

Yuu: But we both know what you agreed to do. You and I made a contract, and nowhere in that contract does it stipulate that death is a legal way to terminate your employment. So…Donny…

*Reaches out and touches the ground of the grave, creating a spiral mark*

Yuu: Rise up now! Rise and give glory to the Earthbound!

Zombie Don: *bursting from the ground* Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuugh! Me make new chapter now!

Yuu: Yes, Don. You make new chapter now. Write down your words and spread forth my will!

Zombie Don: Yes, master, but first, a shout-out to all you who made this next chapter possible! Thank you for your continued support and enjoy the impending apocalypse!

Part 1: Chapter 16 – Pawn of the Earthbound (Part 3)

Demigods

Yugo vs. Bandit

Current State of Duel

Bandit:

2800 LP

1 card in her hand

2 Speed Counters

Controls Desperado Barrell Dragon, Twin-Barrell Dragon, and three set cards (one of which is Trick Coin)

Depserado Barrell Dragon / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2200

Twin-Barrell Dragon / DARK / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1700 / DEF 200

Yugo:

1900 LP

No cards in his hand

5 Speed Counters

Controls no cards

"ORE NO TURN!" Yugo roared, "DRAW!"

Slowly turning over the card in his hand, Yugo's eyes widened once he saw what it was.

"Speed Spell, Angel Conductor!" Yugo declared, "If I have four or more Speed Counters and control no monsters, I can draw two cards before discarding one card! Draw!"

"Goddess of Victory, please!" Yugo begged, turning the cards over before audibly gasping with excitement.

"It's here!" Yugo thought, twisting his accelerators to rocket forward, leaving Bandit in the dust.

"Hey! Don't leave me out of the fun!" Bandit called, twisting her own accelerator to catch up.

"I discard Speedroid Dungeon Dice for the effect of Angel Conductor, and now, Speed Spell, The Start of the Storm, hasudo!" Yugo roared, slamming down the last card in his hand. "If I have five or more Speed Counters, I can pay three of them in order to Special Summon one tuner and one non-tuner from my graveyard! Come forth, Speedroid 5 6 Plane and Speedroid Dragon-Eyed Dice!"

Yugo Speed Counters: 2

Behind Yugo a maelstrom of translucent green wind formed in the air, kicking up the surrounding dust and whipping Yugo's clothing about as his 5 6 Plane and Dragon-Eyed Dice reappeared to his field.

Speedroid 5 6 Plane / WIND / Level 5 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1800 / DEF 0

Speedroid Dragon-Eyed Dice / WIND / Level 2 / Machine / Synchro / Tuner / Effect / ATK 200 / DEF 2000

"HOLY COW THAT'S POWERFUL!" Bandit exclaimed in English, eyes wide with excitement.

"I still have no idea what you're saying, but the effect of 5 6 Plane activates since it was Special Summoned!" Yugo replied, "Since it was Special Summoned, I target your Desperado Barrell Dragon in order to reduce its ATK by six-hundred!"

Zipping forward with its rubber-band powered propellers whirring, 5 6 Plane sprayed Desperado Barrell Dragon with bullets, causing the mechanical dragon to roar with frustration as it took some minor damage to its hull.

Desperado Barrell Dragon: 2800 – 600 = 2200 ATK

"Battle!" Yugo roared, "Speedroid 5 6 Plane, attack Twin Barrel Dragon!"

"On no you don't! I activate Desperado Barrell Dragon's effect!" Bandit replied in English.

Yugo looked at her, a very confused expression on his face.

"Oh, sorry." Bandit apologized. "I mean…DESUHPERADO BOLLELL DOORAGUN NO KOUKA HASUDO!"

"Better." Yugo sighed.

"I toss a coin three times in order to destroy a number of monsters on the field, up to the number of heads! DESPERADO ROULETTE!"

"Speedroid Dragon-Eyed Dice no kouka hasudo!" Yugo countered, "During either player's turn, I can Synchro Summon using Dragon-Eyed Dice and other monsters I control as Synchro Materials!"

Rocketing forward, Dragon-Eyed Dice morphed into a pair of two green rings, which passed over the speeding 5 6 Plane, transforming the aircraft into a set of five white spheres as Yugo raised his hand into the air, feeling the full force of the winds against his skin as his heart pounded against his chest.

"This is it, Rin! I'm unleashing my full power now to win this duel!" He thought before proceeding to his summoning chant. "Spread those wondrous and beautiful wings, and strike down your enemies at the speed of light! SYNCHRO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level seven! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"

In an explosion of light, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon appeared to Yugo's field, the acrobatic dragon corkscrewing through the air, wings catching the glittering dust in the wind and creating a vortex of sparkling light before the dragon came to a stop above Yugo's bike with a mighty roar.

Clear Wing Synchro Dragon / WIND / Level 7 / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000

Yugo Speed Counters: 3

Bandit raised her arms into the air and screamed like a fan girl, causing Yugo to jump with surprise.

"HOLY FLIP! HOLY FLIP! IT'S HERE! IT'S HERE! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OMG! OH EM GEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Bandit roared in English, causing Yugo to pale with growing fear.

"Whatever insane death threats she's threatening me with, whatever demonic chant this is," Yugo thought, gulping nervously, "I won't let you down, Rin!"

"Speedroid Dungeon Dice's effect!" Yugo exclaimed out loud, trying to keep his voice from cracking from his previous fright, "Since I Synchro Summoned a WIND Synchro Monster, I banish this card to add one Magic or Trap Card from my deck to my hand that requires a dice roll!"

In front of Yugo, the phantasmal image of a 6-sided dice, whose faces were an elaborate set of mazes, appeared before unfolding and depositing a card into the air, which Yugo caught before adding it to his hand.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" Bandit exclaimed with growing excitement, "THIS IS SO COOL, YUGO! Thanks for making this the best duel ever! Now I get to fight your ace monster with one of my ace monsters! Don't forget, Desperado Barrell Dragon's effect is still going through! Let's see what the results are!"

Over each of Desperado Barrel Dragon's barrels, a coin appeared before flipping into the air and landing, displaying the result. Over the barrels on the right and left, the results were tails, however, the center head's result was heads.

"More than enough!" Bandit exulted with a grin. "Desperado Barrel Dragon, destroy Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"

"The Start of the Storm no kouka hasudo!" Yugo countered, "If a WIND Synchro monster I control would be destroyed, its mandatory effect makes me banish this card from my graveyard instead!"

Desperado Barrel Dragon fired a blast of energy at Clear Wing Synchro Dragon. In response, Clear Wing created a raging barrier of pure air, which deflected the shell, leaving Yugo's monster unharmed.

"YOU ARE SO FREAKING AWESOME!" Bandit wailed in English, looking like the happiest girl in the universe. "I don't even care if you're pulling ahead right now! THIS IS SO COOL!"

"None of your threats will sway me from my mission!" Yugo roared back at her, determined not to let the psychopathic Academia soldier intimidate him. "BATTLE! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon attack Desperado Barrel Dragon!"

"HELL DIVE SLASHER!" Yugo and Bandit roared in unison, Yugo jumping with surprise and confusion after hearing Bandit perfectly imitate him.

Roaring, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon rose into the air before going down with a rapid corkscrew, dive-bombing Desperado Barrel Dragon at full velocity and obliterating the immense machine.

Bandit: 2800 – 300 = 2500 LP

"Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect!" Bandit exulted, "Since it was destroyed, I add one monster from my deck to my hand that has a coin tossing effect! I add Extra Clip Dragon from my deck to my hand. Furthermore, I chain two Fusion Enlistment's to the destruction of my Desperado Barrel Dragon!"

In front of Bandit, two of her face-downs flipped up, their images depicting Goddess with the Third Eye holding up a scroll, The Light Hex-Sealed Fusion, Dark Hex-Sealed Fusion, Earth Hex-Sealed Fusion, Beast-King of the Swamp, Mystical Sheep #1, and Versago the Destroyer all standing at attention.

"If a monster I control is destroyed," Bandit explained, "Fusion Enlistment allows me to reveal a Fusion Monster in my Extra Deck in order to add all Fusion Materials specifically listed on that Fusion Monster and one 'Fusion' Magic or Trap Card from my deck to my hand! I reveal Gatling Dragon and Back-Alley Bandit Gambler in order to add Barrel Dragon, Blowback Dragon, Gambler of Legend, Sand Gambler, and two copies of Speed Fusion from my deck to my hand!"

"SIX CARDS!?" Yugo exclaimed, as Bandit added all of the cards to her hand.

"Seven if you count Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect." Bandit sweetly replied, a smug grin on her face.

Despite himself, Yugo found himself smiling. He looked up at Clear Wing, feeling a rush of confidence as his companion looked back at him.

"Yuru onu!" Yugo challenged in his best English, letting the thrill of the duel fill him. "I set one card face-down! Turn end!"

Yugo Speed Counters: 4

Bandit Speed Counters: 3

"You are just so cool! But I'm still gonna beat you!" Bandit exulted. "My turn! DRAW!"

"Speed Spell, Risky Investment, Activate!" Bandit began, "I toss a coin, and if the result is heads, I can add up to two 'Trick Coin' from my deck to my hand and gain one speed counter for each card added to my hand with this effect! If tails, I discard two cards and lose two speed counters!"

"And the result is going to be heads no matter what." Yugo grimaced.

"You catch on quick." Bandit smirked, before a holographic coin appeared to the field, flipped through the air, and landed on heads.

"No trick coin needed for this one!" Bandit whooped, Hamon-themed bike exploding forward, passing Yugo. "I add two Trick Coin from my deck to my hand and gain two speed counters!"

Bandit Speed Counters: 5

She shuffled the two copies of trick coin into her immense hand before digging out another card and placing it on her duel disk.

"Time to really up the stakes!" She called. "Come on out! Gambler of Legend!"

Appearing to Bandit's field was a confident-looking cowboy, who tossed a coin in one of his hands, looking eager to play a game.

Gambler of Legend / DARK / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 500 / DEF 1400

"Next!" Bandit continued, "I since I control a DARK Machine-Type monster, I can Special Summon Extra Clip Dragon from my hand with its own effect! Come on out!"

Next to Bandit's Double Barrel Dragon, a serpent-like robot with a body made of mechanical ammo belts and a head made out of ammo clips and bullets, appeared to the field.

Extra Clip Dragon / DARK / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 2000

"Extra Clip Dragon's effect activates when it is summoned!" Bandit declared. "I activate one copy of the trap card, Gun Cannon Blast, from my deck!"

"And what does that do?" Yugo nervously asked as Bandit's trap appeared to her field.

"Good question!" Bandit enthused. "Answer, completely depends! I'll fill you in as the duel continues."

"Great." Yugo thought to himself.

"First," Bandit continued, "I'm activating the effect of Gambler of Legend and chaining the effect of Extra Clip Dragon to the effect of Gambler of Legend! Extra Clip Dragon's effect! If a monster with a coin tossing effect activates its effect, I can toss a number of coins equal to the number of coins that would be tossed for the first monster's effects and store them for later." LEGENDARY GAMBLE!"

"You have a problem." Yugo murmured, shying away from Bandit's utterly ecstatic expression as Gambler of Legend tossed three coins into the air.

"I KNOW!" Bandit beamed, hugging herself as the coin toss resolved, two of the results showing tails while one showed heads. "Ooh! And it looks like I get the second to last effect of Gambler of Legend! I have to destroy one card I control!"

"And why do you look so happy about…wait…never mind." Yugo sighed. "You actually got all heads, didn't you?"

"Extra Clip Dragon's effect!" Bandit exulted, "I replace ITS coin toss results with the results of Gambler of Legend, changing all three results to heads! With this, Gambler of Legend's effect destroys all monsters you control, and since Gambler of Legend isn't Level five or higher, you can't negate its effect!"

Smiling, Gambler of Legend unholstered a pistol before aiming it at Clear Wing's head.

"Trap hasudo!" Yugo countered, "Dice-Shield! I target Clear Wing Synchro Dragon in order to roll a six-sided dice! Based on the dice result, one Shield Counter is placed on Dice-Shield! EKAY! Dice-Shield!"

Around Clear Wing, a cubic force field appeared, the numbers of a dice on each of its faces, before the force field began to rapidly spin around, coming to a stop at "4."

Dice-Shield: 4 Shield Counters

Yugo smiled.

"For each Shield Counter placed on Dice Shield with this effect, Clear Wing gains two-hundred ATK and DEF, even if this card leaves the field!"

Clear Wing Synchro Dragon: 2500 + (200 X 4) = 3300 ATK / 2000 + (200 X 4) = 2800 DEF

"Nice ATK power, but what are you gonna do against Gambler of Legend's effect?" Bandit asked, looking excited.

"Dice-Shield's effect!" Yugo declared, "If the targeted monster or Dice-Shield would be destroyed, I can remove one Shield Counter instead!"

Gambler of Legend fired his pistol at Clear Wing's head. With a resounding "PING," the bullet bounced off the face of Clear Wing's shield, before the forcefield turned to display "3," showing the number of remaining Shield Counters.

Dice-Shield: 3 Shield Counters

"So COOL!" Bandit shrieked, grin widening. "Time to turn up the heat on you, Yugo! Speed Spell, Speed Fusion, activate! I pay two Speed Counters to fuse Barrel Dragon and Blowback Dragon in order to summon Gatling Dragon!"

Bandit Speed Counters: 3

Yugo managed to keep his bike steady as Bandit's immense Gatling Dragon rolled back onto the field, chariot wheels spinning furiously as it pointed its Gatling Cannons in Yugo and Clear Wing's direction.

Gatling Dragon / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2600 / DEF 1200

"Speed Invasion's effect activates." Bandit continued, "Since I summoned a monster from the Extra Deck, I gain a Speed Counter!"

Bandit Speed Counters: 4

"But this is just the beginning, Yugo!" Bandit continued, "You brought out your ace, so it's only fair that I bring out mine!"

"Desperado Barrel Dragon?" Yugo asked, a little concerned.

"I've got an even better one!" Bandit countered. "I activate my second Speed Fusion, paying two Speed Counters in order to fuse together my Gambler of Legend on my field and the Sand Gambler in my hand!"

Bandit Speed Counters: 2

Above Bandit's head, the new Fusion Portal appeared before Gambler of Legend and a man in a dapper tuxedo rose into the air before swirling together in the center of the Fusion Portal.

"Gentleman who plays a game of chance by day, legendary outlaw who gambles by night, with your combined luck defy the odds and become the wanted criminal who gambles for the highest stakes! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level four! Back-Street Bandit Gambler!"

Roaring onto the field riding a motorcycle, a burly man in a black cowboy hat, red bandana over his face, and thick sunglasses rode next to Bandit. Reaching into his pocket, he extracted a bright golden coin before holding it up to the sun so that it reflected the bright light.

Back-Street Bandit Gambler / EARTH / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Fusion / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 800

Bandit Speed Counters: 3

Yugo narrowed his eyes at the new Fusion Monster. Sure, it was slightly stronger ATK-wise than Gambler of Legend, but that couldn't have been the only reason Bandit summoned it.

Bandit cracked her neck and knuckles before extending her hand towards her Gatling Dragon.

"Gatling Dragon's effect!" Bandit declared, "I toss three coins in order to destroy an equal number of monsters on the field! GATLING ROULETTE!"

"Clear Wing Synchro Dragon's effect!" Yugo countered, "Since a Level five or higher monster is activating its effect, I negate the effect and destroy it! Dichroic Mirror!"

Gatling Dragon's barrels began spinning rapidly, however, just as it activated its effect, Clear Wing's wings lit up, preparing to destroy the oversized Gatling Cannon.

"Back-Street Bandit Gambler's effect!" Bandit countered, "Since my opponent is activating a card or effect, I can toss a coin in order to negate and destroy that effect if the result is heads! If the result is tails, Back-Street Bandit Gambler is destroyed! GO! OUTLAW ROULETTE!"

Back-Street Bandit Gambler tossed his coin into the air before rapidly drawing a pistol and spinning the chamber, pointing it at his own head. Racing forward, he caught the coin in his other hand before revealing it, showing tails.

Bandit grinned knowingly.

"Trick Coin's effect!" Bandit declared. "I change the coin result to heads!"

Bandit Speed Counters: 2

Bandit Gambler pulled on the trigger, preparing to fire, however, just before the gun could go off, he flipped the coin over, and flicked the gun chamber with his finger, causing a blank to be fired from the gun. Leaning back on his motorcycle, Bandit Gambler lazily pointed his pistol at Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, before flicking back the bullet chamber and firing.

"Dice-Shield's effect!" Yugo countered, as the bullet bounced off Clear Wing's forcefield, "I remove one Shield Counter in order to prevent Clear Wing's destruction!"

Dice-Shield: 2 Shield Counters

"But its effect was still negated and now Gatling Dragon's effect will resolve!" Bandit countered.

Above Gatling Dragon's head, three coins appeared, all flipping to show two at heads and one at tails.

"Gun Cannon Blast's effect!" Bandit declared, pointing at her trap, which glowed with energy, "Since I got two heads on this result, I can target one card you control in order to destroy it, and I'm destroying Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"

"EKAY! DICE-SHIELD!" Yugo countered as Bandit's trap card fired a blast of energy into the forcefield, which deflected the damage from Clear Wing.

Dice-Shield: 1 Shield Counter

"EKAY! GATLING DRAGON!" Bandit countered, "I DESTROY GATLING DRAGON AND CLEAR WING!"

Roaring, one of Gatling Dragon's heads fired into Clear Wing's Shield, while another of its heads fired directly into itself, causing the immense machine to explode in a shower of fire, metal, and sparks.

"DICE-SHIELD!" Yugo roared, using the last of the shield counters to protect his ace monster.

Dice-Shield: 0 Shield Counters

"DESPERADO BARREL DRAGON'S EFFECT!" Bandit exulted, "SINCE GATLING DRAGON WAS DESTROYED, I SUMMON THIS CARD FROM MY HAND! COME OUT! MY OTHER ACE MONSTER! DESPERADO BARREL DRAGON!"

Shaking the track with a mechanical roar, Bandit's immense Desperado Barrel Dragon rampaged onto the field, mechanical feet leaving craters in the track as it raced next to Bandit and her other monsters.

Desperado Barrel Dragon / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2200

"BATTLE PHASE!" Bandit declared, "None of my monsters have enough ATK to defeat your Clear Wing, but I don't need ATK power! Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect! I toss three coins into the air in order to destroy monsters on the field, up to the number of heads! EKAY! DESPERADO ROULETTE!"

Yugo almost reached out his hand to command Clear Wing to negate the effect, before remembering the effect of Bandit's Back-Street Bandit Gambler.

"I'M TAKING THE EFFECT HEAD-ON!" Yugo declared, "DO YOUR WORST!"

"WISH GRANTED!" Bandit replied in English, as the coin toss results appeared above Desperado Barrel Dragon's head, all three results showing heads.

"BEST DUEL EVER!" Bandit screamed in more Enlgish, causing Yugo's forehead to bead with sweat. "I DRAW ONE CARD AND DESTROY CLEAR WING SYNCHRO DRAGON!"

"DICE-SHIELD'S LAST EFFECT!" Yugo bellowed, "If the equipped monster would be destroyed, I can pay one-thousand Life Points and tribute Dice-Shield in order to prevent Clear Wing Synchro Dragon's destruction! FINAL CHANCE ROLL!"

All three of Desperado Barrel Dragon's cannons fired into Clear Wing Synchro Dragon before Yugo and his trap card glowed with light. With a roar, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon unfurled his wings as a new cube of solid energy formed around him, deflecting the three cannon blasts before the trap card exploded into sparks.

Yugo: 1900 – 1000 = 900 LP

"YES! YES! YES! YES!" Bandit celebrated in English before switching back to Japanese, "I knew it couldn't end that easily! But I've still got tons of juice in me! I set two cards face-down! Turn end! JUST TRY TO WIN NOW, YUGO!"

Bandit Speed Counters: 3

Yugo Speed Counters: 4

Yugo roared ahead on his Motorcycle, preparing to rise to Bandit's challenge. Closing his eyes, he placed his hand on top of his deck, a silent prayer to the goddess of victory and Rin forming in his mind…

…when the immense roar of a dragon sounded in his head.

Yuri vs. Gamma 626

Current state of the duel

Gamma – 626:

4000 LP

(No cards in its hand)

Controls 2 Meklord Army of Skiel Mark II, 2 face-downs, and The Invincible Meklord Army

Meklord Army of Skiel Mark II / WIND / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1200 + 1000 + (200 X 2) = 2600 / DEF 1000

The Invincible Meklord Army / Spell / Continuous / Face-up Attack Position "Meklord Army" Monsters you control gain 1000 ATK, also, any battle damage they inflict is halved. During your opponent's turn, if a "Meklord" Monster you control is targeted for an attack: You can Tribute this card; Activate 1 "The Resolute Meklord Army" From your hand, deck, or GY.

Yuri:

4000 LP

2 cards in his hand (including 1 copy of Predator Plants Spino Dionaea)

Controls 2 Predator Tokens

Predator Token / DARK / Level 1 / Plant / ATK 0 / DEF 0

"Boku no turn, draw!" Yuri declared with a jovial smile, licking his lips with glee.

"Boku no magic card, Predator Gardening, Hasudo!" Yuri called, revealing a card depicting a garden consisting of his predator plants monsters and a goblin stooping down to plant a small snapping Fly Hell. "By tributing two face-up DARK monsters I control, I can Special Summon two 'Predator Plants' monsters from my deck! Come forth! Predator Plants Orphys Scorpio and Predator Plants Drosophyllum Hydra!"

Quivering, Yuri's two Predator Tokens began to grow inside, molting their outward skin before one of them transformed into a scorpion-shaped plant while the other transformed into a larger Predator Plant with multiple heads and a large central mouth on its chest.

Predator Plants Orphys Scorpio / DARK / Level 3 / Plant / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 800

Predator Plants Drosophyllum Hydra / DARK / Level 5 / Plant / Effect / ATK 800 / DEF 2300

"Orphys Scorpio no kouka hasudo." Yuri continued, same pleasant smile on his face. "I discard Predator Plants Spino Dionaea in order to Special Summon Predator Plants Darling Cobra!"

Chucking the monster into his GY, Yuri stretched his hand forward as twin flowers shaped like the heads of snakes sprouted from the ground before the rest of the monster's body slithered out, revealing that, instead of two monsters, it was a single monster with two heads.

Predator Plants Darling Cobra / DARK / Level 3 / Plant / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 1500

"Li-life-fe grow-ows amid-midst the-e flow-owering-ing field-ield." Starve Venom's multiple voices whispered from Yuri's extra deck, sounding both hungry and amused. "A-A fea-feast of-f fetid-id frui-uit. Set-et me-e free-ee a-and I'll-ll devou-our leaf-eaf a-and stem-em a-and root!"

"Let's have some fun now." Yuri agreed, licking his lips with anticipation, "Darling Cobra's effect activates when it is summoned, allowing me to add a Fusion Magic or Trap Card from my deck to my hand."

A card popped out from his deck before Yuri reached for it and shuffled it into his hand. Spreading out the cards in his hand, he drew out another card before continuing with his turn.

"Magic Card, Yuugo, hasudo!" Yuri triumphantly declared, "I fuse Predator Plants Drosophylum Hydra and Predator Plants Orphys Scorpio in order to Fusion Summon!"

"Del-el-ic-ic-ous-ous!" Starve Venom's multiple voices sighed in Yuri's head as the Fusion Portal formed behind Yuri and the two fusion monsters swirled into the center.

"Two beautiful flowers with insect-alluring fragrance, now become one and from the hell beneath your petals give birth to a new terror! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Poisonous dragon with hungering fangs! Level eight! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!"

"A-A-HA-HA-AW-AW-AW-AW-AW!" Yuri heard his dragon's multiple voices cackle as he materialized onto the field, multiple mouths drooling with anticipation before the dragon reared its head forward and let loose a ferocious roar.

Starve Venom Fusion Dragon / DARK / Level 8 / Dragon / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2000

"Public Safety Hazard ace monster recognized." Gamma 626 droned, scanning the monster with its eyes. "Threat level…high."

"Such-uch a-an in-in-sul-ult!" Starve Venom rumbled, glaring down at the drone. "On-on-ly-y hi-igh? Sh-Sh-all-all I-I shred-ed this-is ob-ob-nox-ox-ious-ous stee-eel sol-ol-dier-ier to-o scrap-ap?"

Yuri grinned in response. To everyone else, Starve Venom's speech was nothing but unintelligible roaring. But for him, with whatever gift he had been born with, he could comprehend his ace monster, making Starve Venom his closest and only companion.

"Starve Venom Fusion Dragon's effect." Yuri grinned, "During the turn it is Fusion Summoned using only monsters on the field as material, I can increase his ATK by the total ATK of all Special Summoned monsters my opponent controls!"

"The Invincible Meklord Army no kouka hasudo!" Gamma 626 countered, "I tribute this card in order to activate the Resolute Meklord Army."

"Thus, reducing your monsters ATK." Yuri sighed.

Meklord Army of Skiel Mark II: 1600 ATK

Meklord Army of Skiel Mark II: 1600 ATK

Starve Venom opened its mouths, sucking in violet energy, which streamed from the hulls of Gamma's monsters, empowering the dragon.

Starve Venom Fusion Dragon: 2800 + 1600 + 1600 = 6000 ATK

"Now, excuse me for a moment, since I can't believe I'm saying this to a walking calculator," Yuri continued, "but it would seem that you, well, miscalculated in tributing your Invincible Meklord Army, as, despite that move, Starve Venom will still completely destroy you with one attack. Oh well." Yuri shrugged. "I suppose this duel was moderately enjoyable. Starve Venom Fusion Dragon, destroy."

Baring the fangs of his multiple mouths, Starve Venom stalked towards one of the drones, intentionally taking the hunt slowly to savor the moment. However, just when he was about to chomp down on one of the Skiel drones and Gamma – 626, he suddenly twitched, head jerking off to the side as if listening, acid-green eyes growing wide with astonishment.

Yuri shook his head, feeling a slight tingle as well.

"I-I…s-sence-ence some-ome-thing-ing…" Starve Venom mused, "…some-ome-one-ne…from-om be-e-fore-ore. Yes-es! He-he's here-ere!"

Starve Venom threw back his head, cackling with excitement. Sensing his companion's same enthusiasm, Yuri found himself snickering with excitement as well, even if he didn't fully understand his friend's joy.

"Yes-es! The-e time-ime, i-it draw-aws near-ear!" Starve Venom exulted. "I-I can-an feel-eel it-it com-om-ing-ing! I-I must-ust e-vol-ol-ve-e!"

Yuri nodded his head in understanding, realizing that this was not the way the duel needed to end.

"On second thought." Said Yuri, raising his hand and calling off the attack. "I change my mind. Destroying you right now would hardly be entertainment. So instead, we'll play a little game. Try to damage me, and in return, I'm going to not destroy you until I grow completely bored of this game. Setting two cards face-down. Turn end."

Gamma – 626's robotic eyes blinked at Yuri, the machine looking confused. Yuri turned his head towards where his dragon was looking, towards the tall Public Security Maintenance Bureau Headquarters in the distance.

"Yes…" Yuri mused to himself, "…it's coming. I can feel it too!"

Selena vs. Barrett

Current Status of Duel

Barrett:

2500 LP

3 Speed Counters

1 card in his hand

Controls Beastborg Panzer Puma, Beastborg Panther Predator, Panther Warrior, Construction Sentinel, Beastborg Barracks, Beastborg Recycler, and 1 set card

Beastborg Panzer Puma / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 1500

Beastborg Panther Predator / DARK / Level 6 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 1600 / DEF 2000

Panther Warrior / EARTH / Level 4 / Beast-Warrior / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 1600

Construction Sentinel / DARK / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1400

Selena:

1900 LP

3 Speed Counters

1 card in her hand

Controls Moonlight Gold Lynx

1 Set Card

Moonlight Gold Lynx / DARK / Level 6 / Beast-Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1400

"So, you betrayed your own dimension, went against everything you believed in, for the sake of two foreign savages and their foolish ideals!?" Barrett growled, remaining eye narrowed with contempt.

"I believed in a lie!" Selena countered. "I didn't believe anything they said at first. I'm not so gullible as you think! I had to experience how Academia duels. We are not merely battling warriors and defeating them with honor so that we can build a better universe, we're exterminating entire populations without mercy! The kind of universe the Lancers are striving to create is one far closer to what Academia taught me than anything we are actually doing, so I will follow them! Watashi no turn! DRAW!"

"Moonlight Green Peahen no kouka!" Selena declared, "I banish Moonlight Ambush Dance from my graveyard in order to Special Summon Green Peahen from my hand!"

Above Selena's head, the blue summoning portal opened up before a pair of immense peacock-feather fans appeared, covering the entrance of the portal before opening up to reveal a mocha-skinned girl who looked like a cross between a Brazilian Carnival dancer and a Chinese fan dancer. She had short light-brown hair combed down to cover her forehead with the sides tied into two long ponytails, and wore a small feathered headdress, a bird mask with a decorative beak over the nose and moon-shaped eye-slits, and coppery brown-and-green feathered swimsuit-like attire with a blooming green-and-blue peacock tail affixed to the rear. In each of her hands she carried a large peacock feather fan, which she used to accentuate her movements as she twirled through the air in a mesmerizing dance.

Moonlight Green Peahen / DARK / Level 5/ Beast-Warrior / ATK 1400 / DEF 1900

"Two materials." Barrett mused. "So, now you are ready to fight seriously."

"I've never stopped fighting seriously." Selena replied, "I'm just fighting for a better goal now. Moonlight Green Peahen's effect!" Selena declared, "Once per turn, I can reveal one 'Moonlight' Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck in order to give Green Peahen that monster's effects until the end of this turn! Splendid Imitation!"

Grinning, Green Peahen opened up her fans before rapidly spinning around until she was nothing but a blur of green and brown feathers. When she stopped, Moonlight Cat Dancer was standing in Green Peahen's place, though this version of Cat Dancer still had the moon-shaped bird mask of Green Peahen over her face.

Moonlight Green Peahen: Now treated as "Moonlight Cat Dancer"

"Moonlight Green Peahen's final effect!" Selena continued, "Once per turn, during either player's turn, I can Fusion Summon one 'Moonlight' monster from my Extra Deck using monsters from my hand or side of the field as Material!"

Smiling, Selena's Moonlight Green Peahen turned Moonlight Cat Dancer unfurled her Peacock-feather fans before rapidly spinning them around and throwing them into the air. In the air, the colors blurred together before a blue-and-green fusion portal appeared in the sky, which sucked Green Peahen and Gold Lynx into its center.

"Radiant Peahen with lustrous green feathers! Gentlewomanly lynx glowing with golden fur! Swarm in the vortex of the moon's gravity and become a new power! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Elegant beast dancing in the moonlit wilderness! Moonlight Panther Dancer!"

With a roar, Panther Dancer charged onto the field, claws slicing through the air with threatening zings as she ran alongside Selena's bike.

Moonlight Panther Dancer / DARK / Level 8 / Beast-Warrior / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2500

Selena Speed Counters: 4

"Trap hatsudo!" Barret declared, not missing a beat, "Beastborg Medal of the Crimson Chain! I target your Moonlight Panther Dancer!"

"Moonlight Crimson Fox no kouka hasudo!" Selena countered, "I banish my Crimson Fox in order to negate the activation of Crimson Chain's effect and increase both our Life Points by one-thousand!"

A web of crimson chains sprung free from Barrett's Trap Card, however, before the chains could wrap around Panther Dancer, Crimson Fox appeared to the field, karate kicking the chains away before bowing and disappearing.

Selena: 1900 + 1000 = 2900 LP

Barrett: 2500 + 1000 = 3500 LP

"Well planned, but you also increased your opponent's life points, hindering your main strategy of maximizing damage output." Barrett analyzed.

"I'll have more than enough offensive power to defeat you!" Selena replied. "Watch now, Barrett! I know I cannot convince you with any of my words, so I will instead show you my new power!"

"You're trying to…convert me!?" Barrett growled.

"Barrett, you have always cared for me." Selena replied, voice growing softer, "You're actually probably the closest person I have to a father. You're doing everything you're doing right now for my sake. I'm fighting for myself and all the dimensions, and that includes you!"

"Soft words will not sway me." Barrett replied, turning his head away.

"Then it's time for action." Selena declared. "Moonlight Gold Lynx's effect! Since I only control 'Moonlight' monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my graveyard! Return now!"

Rising up from a black portal, Gold Lynx rose up to the field before tipping her top hat towards Barrett and drawing her crossbow.

Moonlight Gold Lynx / DARK / Level 6 / Beast-Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1400

"Moonlight Gold Lynx's effect activates!" Selena declared, "I destroy your face-up Beastborg Medal of the Crimson Chain, just in case you plan to activate its effect again! Moonlight Monster Hunt!"

Moonlight Crimson Fox raised her crossbow to her eye, looking down the sights before firing a golden bolt into Barrett's trap, obliterating it.

"With Gold Lynx's effect, I also send a second copy of Moonlight Crimson Fox from my deck to the graveyard!" Selena continued as a new copy of Crimson Fox appeared to her field before sinking into a graveyard portal. "And since Crimson Fox was sent to the graveyard with a card effect, I target your Beastborg Panzer Puma in order to change its ATK to zero!"

Appearing behind Panzer Puma, Crimson Fox grabbed the immense cyborg puma warrior in a headlock, claws raking through wires connecting vital systems, weakening the monster.

Beastborg Panzer Puma: 0 ATK

"BATTLE!" Selena declared, "Moonlight Panther Dancer can attack each monster you control twice each, and each time she destroys a monster by battle, she gains two-hundred ATK! The first and second attacks! Destroy Beastborg Panther Predator!"

Hissing, Panther Dancer extended her claws before swiping at Barrett's defense position Panther Predator, destroying it with the second blow.

Panther Dancer: 3000 ATK

"The third and fourth attacks!" Selena declared, pointing towards Construction Sentinel before her Fusion Monster sliced off the machine's crane and backhoe, shredding the hulking vehicle into scrap metal. From his bike, Barrett stoically watched the destruction of his monsters, tightly gripping the handles of his bike to avoid spinning out of control as he was hit by the numerous shockwaves.

Panther Dancer: 3200 ATK

"The fifth and sixth attacks!" Selena continued, indicating Panther Warrior.

Roaring, Panther Dancer charged forward, parrying a blow from Panther Warrior's sword before dispatching the monster with two quick blows.

Panther Dancer: 3400 ATK

"This is the final attack!" Selena declared, "Moonlight Panther Dancer, attack and destroy Beastborg Panzer Puma!"

"Guardian Sentinel no kouka!" Barrett countered, "If a 'Beastborg' monster I control is attacked, I can discard this card in order to make it so that I take no battle damage from battles involving that monster!"

In front of Panzer Puma, a small flying drone appeared before attaching itself to Panzer Puma's robotic chest with a set of four mechanical legs. Roaring, Panther Dancer sliced at Panzer Puma before destroying the cyborg with a second blow. However, while all his monsters were gone, Barrett continued to pilot his bike, completely unharmed by the battle.

"Panzer Puma's effect could revive its Fusion Materials, but that would be useless against your monster, so I will not activate the effect." Barrett continued. "Meaning that you have no choice but to end your Battle Phase now."

"Tch!" Selena growled, upset that her attack hadn't worked. "I may not have beaten you this turn, but I am far from losing my edge. Maybe now you can see why. Turn end!"

Selena Speed Counters: 5

Barrett Speed Counters: 4

Barrett calmly placed his hand on top of his deck.

"A mission is a mission." He mused. "Whether or not you have retained your skill, Selena-Sama, I will bring you in. Watashi no turn! DRAW!"

Glancing at the card he had drawn, he stoically added it to his hand before stretching his hand towards one of his traps.

"Beastborg Medal of the White Cross no kouka! I remove four Medal Counters from this card in order to draw one card from my deck!"

Beastborg Medal of the White Cross: 9 – 4 = 5 Medal Counters

"This duel is over." Barrett declared, grim faced. "It is time to call forth the ultimate weapon in my arsenal. Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür no kouka! I banish Machine Lord Ür from my hand and Beast King Barbaros from my graveyard in order to Special Summon this card from my hand! Appear!"

Through a black graveyard portal, the phantasmal image of Beast King Barbaros, an immense lion-headed sphynx with the body of a Black Panther, rose into the air with a proud roar. Above the monster's head, a crimson machine shaped like a Bishop from a game of chess appeared before breaking into pieces and combining with Beast King Barbaros. In seconds, Barrett's new monster, a towering mechanized version of Beast King Barbaros, loomed over Selena, robotic eyes glowing red.

Beast-Machine King Barbaros Ür / EARTH / Level 8 / Beast-Warrior / Effect / ATK 3800 / DEF 1200

Selena grimaced at the monster. She had never seen Barrett use this card in any of his duels. Though it somewhat fit with his deck composition, its effects did nothing to support Barrett's strategy other than to give Barrett some extra high ATK to run over more powerful monsters without actually damaging the opponent. The new monster could do just that with her Panther Dancer, but Selena suspected that there must have been more to Barrett's strategy than summoning a powerful beat-stick.

Barrett smiled at Selena as if reading her mind.

"Beastborg Barracks no kouka!" he declared, "I banish Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür and Beastborg Panzer Puma from my graveyard in order to call forth the ultimate weapon!"

Rising up from the GY portal, Panzer Puma reappeared with a smirk on its semi-robotic face before joining with Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür as they swirled together in an immense fusion portal. Clamping his hands together, Barrett began his new summoning chant.

"Heavily armored warrior of the frontlines, merge now with the king of savage machinery to become the mobile command center of my final campaign! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Bring down fang and steel against the enemy lines! Level Ten! Beastborg Machina King Barbaros Ür Omega!"

Bursting through the Fusion Portal with a thunderous robotic lion roar, Barrett's new monster, a colossal fully mechanized version of Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür rolled onto the duel field on a set of four immense treads. Rocket launchers and tank cannons were affixed to the monster's shoulders and its mechanized panther back carried what looked like storage and launch pads for more Beastborg monsters.

Beastborg Machina King Barbaros Ür Ω / DARK / Level 10 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 4000 / DEF 3800

Barrett Speed Counters: 5

Selena stared up at the immense machine as it landed next to but not on the track, the narrow roadway far too small for its wide treads. Even as far off the ground as the track-way was, the roadway only came up to the immense creature's shoulders as it mercilessly plowed through several small buildings below, unhindered by any obstacle. In another lifetime, the proud form of the machine would have excited Selena, who had delighted in Academia's unparalleled military strength. Now, it just reminded her of Shun's face when he had stared up at Dennis's Antique Gear Chaos Giant.

"No matter what it takes, I will stop that monstrosity!" Selena vowed, more to herself than to Barrett. "I won't let Academia crush whomever they please!"

"You say that, but I can sense no force behind those words." Barrett countered. "Rhetoric will get you nowhere in this duel! Guardian Sentinel no kouka! Since I Fusion Summoned a 'Beastborg' monster, I can activate this effect, during the End Phase, this card will be returned to my hand! Furthermore, I activate the effect of Barbaros Ür Omega! I set one 'Beastborg' Trap Card from my deck directly to my field!"

A small drone attacked to Barbaros Ür Ω's back deployed from one of the monster's launch pads before dropping a package onto the duel field. Opening up, the package deposited a face-down card, which landed next to Barrett's bike before disappearing.

"Beastborg Machina King Barbaros Ür Omega's additional effect!" Barrett continued as his monster plowed through a small skyscraper, scattering debris across several blocks. "Once per turn, I can Fusion Summon one 'Beastborg' monster from my Extra Deck by shuffling materials from my graveyard into the deck! I return Akz the Pumer and Command Sentinel to my deck in order to Fusion Summon Beastborg Panzer Puma! Return now to the frontlines!"

From Barrett's graveyard, the phantasmal forms of Akz the Pumer and Command Sentinel rose up and flew into two open bays on Barbaros Ür Ω's back before the entrances closed up. After a brief pause in which the sound of welding could be heard, Panzer Puma appeared on one of Barbaros Ür Ω's launchpads before rocketing onto the trackway, ready to fight again.

Beastborg Panzer Puma / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 1500

Barret Speed Counters: 6

"Beastborg Panzer Puma's effect!" Barrett continued, "Since it was Fusion Summoned, I add Bull Blader from my deck to my hand before discarding it to activate its second effect! I will be destroying your face-down card now! PANZER SCHLAG!"

"Trap hasudo!" Selena countered as Panzer Puma fired her cannon, "Moonlight Fusion Dance! When this card is activated, I can Fusion Summon one 'Moonlight' monster fusing together cards I control, in my hand, or by banishing cards in my graveyard as material!"

"Leo Dancer?" Barrett asked, narrowing his eye. "Even if you summoned her now, her power is insufficient against the power of Barbaros Ür Omega!"

"There is more than one way my Moonlight Monsters can evolve!" Selena countered, "Just as I have embraced a new path for myself, so I have chosen a new for my monsters! Time to show you my resolve now! Using my Moonlight Gold Lynx and Moonlight Panther Dancer, I fusion summon!"

"A new path?" Barrett questioned as Selena's monsters rose into the air. Once in the air, Gold Lynx bowed to Panther Dancer before taking Panther Dancer's arm and leading her into a frenzied tango, their bodies blurring together as Selena began her new summoning chant.

"Elegant Beast Dancing in the Moonlit Wilderness! Gentlewomanly lynx glowing with golden fur! In the gravity of the waning moon combine into a mighty huntress! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Sleek predator of stealth and finesse! Level eight! Moonlight Leopard Dancer!"

Back flipping through the air, before landing on her feet just in front of Selena's bike, Moonlight Leopard Dancer, a freckled dark-skinned leopard-girl with a svelte well-toned body appeared, a pair of long spears in each of her leopard-paw hands and a wooden waning-moon shaped shield strapped to each of her wrists. She wore a headdress which consisted of an iron cat skull with black feathers, and wore leopard skins over her chest, forearms, and waist. Glittering gold and jewel ornaments of a tribal look adorned the monster's arms, ankles, and neck and her braided black hair, which fell down her back in a tightly braided ponytail. Strings of round moon-like beads wrapped around the monster's eyes like a blindfold, yet despite this, the monster seemed to be perfectly aware of where she was.

Moonlight Leopard Dancer / DARK / Level 8 / Beast-Warrior / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000

Barrett narrowed his eyes at the new monster.

You exchanged your Panther Dancer for a statistically weaker monster." He mused. "I'm assuming its effect compensates for its lower ATK?"

"Moonlight Leopard Dancer cannot be destroyed by battle." Selena confirmed. "Furthermore, the effects of any monster Moonlight Leopard Dancer battles are negated, including those that activate in the graveyard.

"Yet you summoned your monster in attack position." Barrett pointed out.

"Of course I did!" Selena snapped. "I am no coward! Besides, I know your deck, Barrett."

Barrett smirked in response.

"You do know my deck." He admitted. "So, you should not be surprised that I am doing this! Beastborg Fabricator's graveyard effect! I can pay two speed counters and banish this card and the appropriate Fusion Materials from my graveyard in order to Fusion Summon one Beastborg monster from my Extra Deck!"

"You sent that card to the graveyard the first turn!" Selena exclaimed. "You were planning this from the beginning!"

"No strategist goes into battle without a long-term plan." Barrett agreed. "I pay two speed counters and banish my Beastborg Fabricator, Bull Blader, and Messenger Sentinel from my graveyard in order to fusion summon!"

Barrett Speed Counters: 4

To either side of Barrett, Bull Blader and Messenger Sentinel rose into the air, swirling into the center of a Fusion Portal as Barrett began his summoning chant.

"Armored Bull Warrior, merge now with the swift watchman and rally your comrades to war! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level six! Beastborg Bull Jäger!"

Thundering onto the field with a pair of hydraulic-powered bull legs, Barrett's new monster, a cyborg version of Bull Blader with a gas mask over its metallic face connected by hoses to a pair of cylindrical containers on its back and a robotic right arm with a sword attached to its end, joined Panzer Puma as the two fusion monsters bore down on Selena, Barbaros Ür Ω looking down from above.

Barrett Speed Counters: 5

Beastborg Bull Jäger / DARK / Level 6 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 1700

"Beastborg Bull Jäger's effect!" Barrett declared. "While it is on the field all 'Beastborg' monsters I control inflict piercing damage! Furthermore, 'Beastborg' monsters I control gain four-hundred ATK! EKAY! Jägermacht!"

Beastborg Machina King Barbaros Ür Ω: 4000 + 400 = 4400 ATK

Beastborg Panzer Puma: 3000 + 400 = 3400 ATK

Beastborg Bull Jäger: 2000 + 400 = 2400 ATK

"Battle!" Barrett roared, "Beastborg Panzer Puma! Attack Moonlight Leopard Dancer! AXT STREICHEN!"

"Moonlight Leopard Dancer's effect!" Selena countered, "My monster is not destroyed by battle and the effects of your Panzer Puma are negated! Waning Moon Kata!"

Panzer Puma threw its axe down on Leopard Dancer, but with a roar, Leopard Dancer blocked the strike with her shield before lunging at Panzer Puma with her spear, damaging the mechanical part of the monster before kicking her away with a muscled leg. Shockwaves from the battle struck Selena and her bike, but she managed to remain upright.

Selena: 2900 – 900 = 2000 LP

Beastborg Panzer Puma: Effects Negated

"Ekay! Beatborg Machina King Barbaros Ür Ω!" Barrett commanded, "Kaiser Geschütz!"

Slowly, the missile launcher and various pieces of artillery affixed to Barbaros Ür Ω pointed at Selena and her monster before the immense mechanical monster roared at them and fired.

"Ekay! Moonlight Leopard Dancer!" Selena roared back, "Waning Moon Kata!"

An immense explosion shattered half the trackway as the missiles and blasts of artillery made contact, the blast so powerful that Selena and her monster were lifted into the air. Holding onto her bike, Selena crashed back onto the trackway, barely managing to maintain control while Leopard Dancer used the upward momentum from the explosion to leap onto Barbaros Ür Ω's face and bury her spear into the monster's robotic eye, causing the cyborg to cry out in pain.

Selena: 2000 – 1900 = 100 LP

Selena Speed Counters: 3

Beastborg Machina King Barbaros Ür Ω: Effects Negated

Barrett eyed Selena, who was panting as she continued to ride her bike, winded but not defeated.

"You have fought valiantly, but you must know that you cannot win, Selena-Sama. During the End-Phase, Guardian Sentinal returns to my hand. Turn end!"

Selena Speed Counters: 4

Barrett Speed Counters: 6

Across from Barrett, Selena began chuckling.

"I fail to see what is so funny." Barrett replied with a scowl. "I did not hit you that hard with my last attack."

"Yuya has a catchphrase he uses," Selena panted, a grin forming on her face, "when he's far behind and about to make a comeback. I thought of it just now. Get ready, Barrett, because the fun, is just beginning!"

She placed her hand on her deck.

"Watashi no turn…DR-!" Selena began before a sudden immense pain tore through her body.

"AAAAAAAAUUUUGH!" Selena screamed, wondering at first if she had torn a muscle. However, this pain was something different, something she had never experienced before. It was not so much a physical pain, but an explosion of alarm that shocked her senses into a state of sudden…

…awakening.

"He's returned!" A voice echoed in her head. "He comes now in all his rage!"

Gasping, Selena looked down to see that her bracelet had lit, flashing with blinding pale blue light like the light of a police car.

"Selena-Sama!" Barrett called, sounding concerned.

Selena, however, did not hear him. Slowly turning her head around, as if by instinct, she found herself looking in the direction of the city's Public Security Maintenance Bureau Headquarters.

"He's there! He must be stopped! Before it is too late!"

Zarc vs. Yuu vs. Aleisha

Current State of Duel

Zarc Kamiya:

200 LP

No cards in his hand

Controls The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm

Yuu:

1500 LP

1 card in his hand

Controls Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken, Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon, Earthbound Disciple Geo Ogre, Earthbound Prison, and three set cards.

Aleisha Claire:

550 LP

6 cards in her hand

Controls no cards

Shadows oozed from Yuya's body as he stared out with glowing red eyes, a look of complete and utter contempt and hatred on his face. Yuu looked on at the sight through Sergey's eyes, looking eager and excited to continue dueling. He, however, seemed to be the only one in the room feeling that way. The monsters Yuu had summoned were slinking away, Geo Gryphon managing to pry itself free of Zarc's grasp and scuttle backwards. Light itself seemed to be fleeing from the supreme king as his shadow grew.

Despite this, Aleisha had managed to regain her footing and raise her duel disk.

"My turn!" she bellowed, placing her hand on top of her deck, "DRAW!"

Yuu turned Sergey's head to regard Aleisha with surprise. Off to the side, Zarc did not even regard her, as if he could have cared less whether she dueled or not.

"Aleisha, I admire your enthusiasm," Yuu sighed, "But really, this is just sad. In case you haven't figured it out yet, you are way beneath this fight's weight class. Just forfeit. I'll make sure to end you quickly. I'll even fulfill your mission and kill this little destroyer demigod for you."

"SHUT UP!" Aleisha bellowed. "I told you! I promised to defeat the destroyer, and that is exactly what I will do, even if I have to destroy myself in order to do it!"

Yuu rolled Sergey's eyes.

"Well, this will certainly be comical, if nothing else." He murmured.

Aleisha glared at him before raising her hand into the air.

"We are now in the future, which means that my fortune ladies return! Fortune Lady Fire is Special Summoned by the effect of Fortune Lady Fate while Fortune Lady Future, Infinity, and Dark are also returned to my field!"

Fortune Lady Infinity / LIGHT / Level -10 / Spellcaster / Dark Synchro / Effect / ATK 5000 / DEF 5000

Fortune Lady Future / LIGHT / Level -8 / Spellcaster / Dark Synchro / Effect /

ATK 4000 / DEF 4000

Fortune Lady Dark / DARK / Level 5 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000

Fortune Lady Fire / FIRE / Level 2 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 400 / DEF 400

"Fortune Lady Fire's effect activates since it was Special Summoned by the effect of a 'Fortune Lady' Monster! I target Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken in order to destroy it and inflict damage to Yuu's lifepoints, equal to its ATK!"

"Eizoku Trap hasudo!" Yuu countered, stretching his hand towards one of his face-downs. "Earthbound Tether!"

From the face of the trap card, which depicted an immense ghostly hand dragging down a large dragon by a large chain, a length of shadowy iron chains appeared before wrapping around Aleisha's Fortune Lady Fire before a set of hands dragged her beneath the ground.

"Earthbound Tether's effect." Yuu calmly explained. "If my opponent targets an 'Earthbound' monster I control with an attack or with a card effect, I can negate that attack or card effect and destroy it. Furthermore, while Eathbound Tether is in play, 'Earthbound' monsters I control cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect."

New chains sprung up from the ground, wrapping around the lines of energy covering the earthbound disciple monsters' bodies before the chains began glowing the same color as their respective monster.

"Anything else you would like to try?" Yuu sarcastically asked, brushing some dust from Sergey's suit, "I'm sure by the time you break through all my defenses, you'll have plenty of resources with which to use against the Destroyer.

"You should know me well enough to know that I never go into a battle without multiple backup plans." Aleisha spat. "The fact that you wasted Earthbound Tether's effect on Fortune Lady Fire means that I can now do this! Fortune Lady Future no kouka hasudo! Even though your Earthbound Monsters cannot be destroyed, they can still be banished! I target your Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon in order to enable you to add one copy of that card from your deck to your hand before banishing it. Of course, since you don't have any copies of that card in your deck…"

"Then it would seem my monster is banished without me gaining any card advantage." Yuu nonchalantly finished, watching as Fortune Lady Future effortlessly cleaved through the neck of Geo Gryphon with the scythe blade of her staff, causing the monster to vanish. "Of course, since Geo Gryphon has been banished instead of destroyed, it also means that you avoid its effect."

"Glad to see you're catching on." Aleisha sniffed before stretching her hand towards her other Dark Synchro Monster. "Fortune Lady Infinity's effect! I target your remaining Earthbound Disciple monsters in order to banish them both until the Standby Phase of your next turn! Ekay! Timeline Manipulation!"

Rising into the air, Fortune Lady Infinity pointed her staff at Yuu's remaining monster, refracting them into dozens of spectral images of themselves before each of those images faded away, leaving Yuu wide open.

"See, I kept thinking that your objective was to defeat the Destroyer." Yuu called to her, sounding annoyed. "How does this factor into that plan again?"

"Oh, I don't need a special assignment to wreck your best laid plans, Yuu." Aleisha sneered, "I'm doing this on my own time. And the best part is, once I've gotten you out of the way, I will still, as you put it, have enough resources to prevent the Destroyer from ever resurrecting again."

"You are so arrogant." Yuu snorted, shaking Sergey's head. "I don't know whether I should admire or pity you for it."

"It takes one to know one, Mr. Self-Proclaimed Harbinger of the Renewal." Aleisha shot back.

"Harbinger of the Renewal." Yuu replied, closing Sergey's eyes and sniffing in through his nostrils. "I like that. It's got a nice bit of bite to it, while still conveying the vast significance of the work I do. I ought to consider keeping you on as a branding specialist. You've certainly managed to sell yourself on the idea that you actually matter in the vast scheme of existence."

"You are both equally deluded." Zarc growled from across the room. "Both of you will see your hopes and dreams crumble to dust, your idols smashed to pieces, and your very existence forgotten in the ashes of the dominion I shall rule for eternity."

"Such a glorious future you have planned for the endless eternities." Yuu scoffed. "I cannot, of course, deny that you are following your very nature and that you must consider such an existence beautiful, but forgive me if I elect to put a little kink in your plans in favor of a more…transcendental epoch for our existence."

A kink in my plans?" Zarc rumbled, an amused smile coming over his face as the shadows oozing from his body quivered with what looked like laughter. "Well, I'd certainly like to see you try. Perhaps I will let your memory live on, as a private joke."

"Excuse me," Aleisha snarled, "but it is MY turn and I am putting a kink in BOTH of your plans!"

A snort of laughter escaped Sergey's mouth as Yuu laughed while Zarc completely ignored her. Ignoring their response, Aleisha slammed another card on her disk before continuing with her turn.

"Fortune Lady Wind, shoukan!" she declared as a short green-haired fortune lady appeared next to her other monsters, a gust of wind kicking up around her.

Fortune Lady Wind / WIND / Level 3 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 900 / DEF 900

"Fortune Lady Wind's ATK and DEF are each equal to her Level times three-hundred. Also, since she was Normal Summoned," Aleisha continued, "I can destroy a number of cards my opponent controls, up to the number of 'Fortune Lady' monsters I control! I choose to destroy Earthbound Prison, Earthbound Tether, and Yuu's two face-down cards! EKAY! WINDS OF FORTUNE!"

Raising her staff into the air, Fortune Lady Wind seemed to gather energy from her companion Fortune Ladies into the crystalline tip of her staff before pointing it at Yuu's field, conjuring an immense tornado of wind, which caused even Sergey's heavy cyborg frame to strain with difficulty.

"Clear my monsters and then my backrow." Yuu grunted, an amused smile on his face. "A classic Raigeki plus Harpy's Feather Duster move. Primitive, Aleisha! Primitive! I would have thought even you would use more sophisticated tactics! Double Trap Open! Earthbound Indignation and Earthbound Prisoners!"

Against the force of the winds, two of Yuu's face-downs revealed themselves, Earthbound Prisoners depicting a group of small phantasmal creatures sinking into a deep pitch-black cavern of the earth while Earthbound Indignation depicted an immense phantasmal Condor shrieking with fury as its corresponding geoglyph shattered beneath it.

"Earthbound Prisoner's effect resolves first!" Yuu declared. "If one or more 'Earthbound' cards I control would be destroyed while I have two-thousand or fewer life points, I can add two 'Earthbound Prisoner' Monsters and one 'Earthbound Warden' monster from my deck to my hand! Using this effect, I choose to add Earthbound Prisoner Body Preserver, Earthbound Prisoner Spirit Sealer, and Earthbound Warden Demon Taskmaster from my deck to my hand! And now, Earthbound Indignation's effect! Since a face-up Field Spell Card I control would be destroyed, I can negate the activation of that effect before banishing cards my opponent controls, up to the number of 'Earthbound' cards I control while inflicting 1000 damage to my opponent's Life Points for each of those cards destroyed! Feel the full force of your folly as you not only fail to defeat me, but prevent ME from defeating the Destroyer! Since I control four 'Earthbound' cards, I banish Fortune Lady Future, Fortune Lady Infinity, Fortune Lady Dark, and The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm in order to inflict one-thousand damage to the destroyer and three-thousand damage to you! EKAY! EARTHBOUND INDIGANTION!"

Above Yuu's head, a multi-colored spiral mark appeared before firing a bolt of multi-colored energy in Aleisha and Zarc's direction. Horror-struck, Aleisha staggered backwards, but Zarc looked completely unphased.

"I don't think I approve of this." Zarc idly sniffed before stretching out Yuya's hand. "The Phantom Knights of Compassionate Necromancer no kouka hasudo! Since my Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm is being targeted by an opponent's card effect, I can banish Compassionate Necromancer from my graveyard or face-up from my Extra Deck in order to negate that effect and destroy it."

In front of Zarc and Aleisha, the spectral image of Yuto's Compassionate Necromancer appeared, arms raised in warding. Taking the blast full-on in her chest, the monster blocked any of the damage from reaching either Aleisha or Zarc before raising her hands towards Yuu's field and firing the energy back, destroying Yuu's trap card and forcing Yuu to stagger backwards from the force of the explosion.

"Of course, since that effect was negated, it means that the rest of your Magic and Trap Cards are now destroyed." Zarc idly commented as the winds from Fortune Lady Wind's effect picked up again, tearing through Yuu's remaining face-up trap card and the hands littering the field, obliterating all of them.

"Awfully altruistic of you, Zarc." Yuu grunted, managing to stagger back onto the duel field. "I'm beginning to feel left out in these temporary alliances. Aleisha, what do you say we two earthbound users team up next round against Zarc for a change?"

"Not on your life OR death!" Aleisha snarled, looking disgusted. "Especially not when I'm about to destroy you!"

"Worth a shot." Yuu shrugged. "Though I should probably point out Earthbound Prison's effect now that you have destroyed it."

"What effect!?" Aleisha growled.

"Trust me, you'll love this." Yuu continued with a smirk. "When Earthbound Prison is destroyed, its effect halves the life points of the player who destroyed it while also negating the effects of their monsters. I don't think I need to explain what this means for you, Aleisha."

Shocked, Aleisha watched as a swarm of ghostly hands rose up from the ground before grabbing at the throats, legs, and arms of both herself and her monsters and squeezing violently before eventually fading away.

Aleisha Claire: 550 / 2 = 275 LP

Fortune Lady Infinity: 0 ATK / Effects Negated

Fortune Lady Future: 0 ATK / Effects Negated

Fortune Lady Dark: 0 ATK / Effects Negated

Fortune Lady Wind: 0 ATK / Effects Negated

"Impotent. Completely impotent." Yuu mused to himself. "Such is the nature of even enhanced humans when facing off against Gods. We cannot solve the universe's problems with even the best of men. Something much greater is needed, which is why your quest was always doomed to fail, Aleisha. You should feel no shame in this, other than at your foolishness for thinking you were an exception to the rule. Humanity simply doesn't have the strength or power it needs. Wouldn't you agree, Zarc?"

"With everything save the implication that you are anything like a true god." Zarc rumbled, glaring at Yuu. "As I see it, two hapless undead fools have made the mistake of poking a dragon with a stick and hoping it would not burn them to ash for their insolence."

"I don't care if I get burned." Aleisha whispered, stepping forward, face hard as stoned. "So long as I can take you all down, it will be worth it."

Yuu raised one of Sergey's eyebrows.

"Magic card activate, Misleading Fortune!" Aleisha proclaimed as a holographic image of Fortune Lady Infinity holding out a trio of tarot cards in her palms appeared next to Aleisha before glowing with light.

"I'm unfamiliar with that one." Yuu remarked with a scowl. "Let me guess, some sort of weapon of last resort?"

"I told you, I would stop at nothing to complete my mission, even if it meant destroying me." Aleisha growled. "Misleading Fortune's effect! I tribute my Level negative ten Fortune Lady Infinity in order to make us all draw cards for every three negative levels Infinity had, meaning we all draw three cards!"

Holding up her staff, Infinity slowly faded into nonexistence before all three of the duelists drew a trio of cards from their decks and shuffled them into their hands.

"And?" Yuu asked, sounding annoyed.

"The second half of Misleading Fortune's effect resolves." Aleisha continued, eyes downcast but resolute. "We banish cards from our hand equal to the number of cards we drew with this effect before all of us take damage equal to the number of cards we individually banished with this effect times the level of the 'Fortune Lady' monster tribute with this effect times negative one-hundred."

"A draw!?" Yuu snarled. "Is that seriously what you were planning all this time!?"

"It's like you said, Yuu." Aleisha coldly replied. "I could never hope to beat the two of you. Fortunately, I'm willing to settle for the next best thing. All of us will lose, and when we do, all of us will perish."

From the hands of each duelists, three cards flew out before swirling into the depths of a black portal in the center of the room above their heads. As the portal sucked in all nine of the cards, it began to grow in size, gravitational forces picking small loose objects off the floor and walls and vaporizing them as they came into contact with its shadowy surface.

"You do realize just how inane this suicide of yours is, right?" Yuu growled. "I will be just fine if Sergey ends up melted into a pool of primordial building blocks and the Destroyer's essence will live on even if his reincarnations leave the mortal plane! I exist in the Underworld! I can hunt down the spirits of the incarnations if I must! The only person who will end up permanently removed will be YOU!"

"You thought Carly didn't think of that?" Aleisha savagely replied, face twisted into a nervous laugh. "The ancient laws specify that the winner of a duel decides the fate of the losers. If this duel ends in a draw with no winners, then it will mean that me, Sergey, and what's left of the Destroyer's incarnations will be scattered in a thin mist across the spiritual realm and underworld! Even you won't be able to find them, much less resurrect them! As for the Destroyer, he will have to wait for another epoch before his essence can be reincarnated again! Don't fool yourself, Yuu! Even you cannot afford to wait that long!"

"No…I can't!" Yuu growled before he, Zarc, and Aleisha all leaped into the air and began sprinting for Action Cards. Launching onto a platform with a pair of rockets installed in Sergey's legs, Yuu deftly grabbed a nearby action card before transforming it like he had done with his past Action Cards.

"Action Magic!" he roared. "Earthbound Refusal! If my opponent activates a Magic or Trap Card while I have 'Earthbound' cards in my graveyard, I can banish one card of the same type from my graveyard in order to negate the activation of that card and destroy it! Using this effect, I banish Earthbound Prison from my graveyard in order to end this ridiculous farce!"

"Action Magic!" Aleisha countered. "NO ACTION! I negate the activation of your Action Card and destroy it!"

"YOU MISERABLE BACKSTABBING HUMAN WHORE!" Yuu roared, Sergey's face twisted into one of inexpressible rage.

"Losing control of your own game?" Zarc called from up above, an amused sneer on Yuya's face as he held a card in his hand. "I thought someone like you could handle the machinations of a mere human. But then, what did I expect when the one making that claim was an equally deluded human?"

Yuu looked up at Zarc, face quickly returning to one of quiet control.

"So, you managed to find a counter. Good." He mused. "Acceleration, I suspect?"

"NO!" Aleisha cried, looking completely distraught.

"I admit that I am almost tempted to just hold it in my hand, if only to watch you lose your mind like a beheaded chicken again, but I suppose I will be merciful." Zarc rumbled. "Action Magic, Acceleration, the effect damage is negated."

Raising his hand, Zarc launched a bolt of black shadow from Yuya's palm directly into the growing singularity, consuming the black hole before it was completely gone. Falling to her knees, Aleisha stared up at Zarc, mouth open in complete disbelief.

"Take heart, humans." Zarc rumbled with amusement. "It is an honor to be defeated by a God. I will make sure to make your deaths especially beautiful. Now, Aleisha, was it? End your turn so that I can get to ending the both of you. Quickly now. I am not known for my patience, and I tend to grow more violent when I'm angry."

Quivering, Aleisha slowly got up to her feet before extracting some cards from her hand and continuing.

"I activate Future Visions, blocking off your Normal Summons." She began. "Finally, I set three cards face-down. Turn…end."

Zarc slowly descended from the platforms like a king walking down a set of palace steps, draconic shadows oozing from his body as he raised his duel disk to eye level before grinning with a satisfied grin.

"Finally. It has been so long since I have been so awake. And now, thanks to you two fools, I can complete my resurrection even sooner than I had first anticipated! Ore-Sama no turn! HAMETSU DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!"

An explosion of shadow erupted in an arc through the air as Zarc ripped a card from the top of his deck. Unlike the Shadow Draw Yuu had used earlier, the energy of this draw did not disperse, but instead launched straight out before slamming into the wall and ceiling, creating a great gash in the stone and metal.

"Yuu…about that temporary truce we talked about?" Aleisha whimpered, turning to Yuu with a look of complete desperation. Yuu, however, did not even seem to be paying attention to her. Far from looking the least bit worried or concerned, he looked…pleased. Sergey's mouth was affixed in an immense grin and Yuu was staring at Zarc transfixed, as if the rampaging demon were the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

"Utsukushii." Yuu and Sergey murmured in unison.

"My feast begins!" Zarc proclaimed. "Magic card, Haoh no Yokubou, hasudo! I send one 'Supreme King' Dragon-Type monster from my Extra Deck whose type is treated simultaneously as at least two different Extra Deck types in order to draw cards until I have six in my hand! Sacrifice yourself for your master now, Supreme King Black Dragon - Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon, so that I may grasp ultimate power!"

In front of Zarc, the phantasmal image of Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon appeared before the immense head of a shadowy dragon rose up from Yuya's body and swallowed the spectral dragon whole. Glowing with fluorescent green energy, Zarc placed his hands on top of his deck before drawing six cards, completely replenishing his hand.

"Impossible!" Aleisha gasped. "With just one card!?"

"You humans will see many marvels before I am done." Zarc murmured to himself, not really looking at either Aleisha or Yuu. "I suspect that before I even finish this turn, you will have said 'impossible' many more times. Shall I keep a tally for my amusement?"

"That would be a good idea." Yuu replied with a smirk. "And in return, I'll keep a tally for every time you stare blankly in my direction with your mouth open like a fish's."

Zarc turned his head towards Yuu, expression collapsing into a thunderous scowl.

"For that, you shall die first, and painfully." Zarc rumbled. "It is never a good idea to spoil my good mood. People die when that happens. Always."

"Why yes!" Yuu smirked. "That is very true. In fact, I distinctly remember that you died, the last time your mood was ruined."

"That," Zarc growled, "was a button you should not have pushed! Magic card, Amazing Pendulum! If I control no cards in my Pendulum Zones, I can target two Pendulum Cards face-up in my Extra Deck and activate them! Return now! Spectrum Magician and Monochrome Magician!"

In a swirl of monochrome and multi-colored light, the two pendulum magicians reappeared before taking their places in the translucent columns of blue light.

Monochrome Magician: Scale 0

Spectrum Magician: Scale 10

Zarc smiled a large toothy smile, disfiguring Yuya's face with a grin the boy would never willingly have worn.

"Behold the power of the summoning method I created!" Zarc proclaimed. "Just as I shall rise again, so too shall my monsters! SWING! PENDULUM OF MY SOUL! SHINE THE POWER OF MY LIGHT ACROSS THE HEAVENS AND EARTH!"

Above Zarc's head, the image of the pendulum appeared before swinging across the sky, creating an elaborate pattern of multi-colored light as Zarc continued his chant.

"Return now, my monster servants! Jester with the mask of death, Entermate Skullcrobat Joker! Ambitious witch of a thousand colors, Chameleon Magcian! Glowing insect of the night, Entermate Fireflux! And finally, my treasured companion! Return to me now, Resurrected heavenly dragon with beautiful heterochromatic eyes and the soul of a god! ODD-EYES PENDULUM DRAGON!

In an explosion of multi-colored light, Zarc's monsters streamed from the Pendulum Portal before lining up next to The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm. Standing in their center was Odd-Eyes, who loomed over them, eyes glowing with a more intense energy as he let out a savage roar.

Entermate Skullcrobat Joker / DARK / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 1800 / DEF 100

Chameleon Magician / DARK / Level 3 / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 800 / DEF 1600

Entermate Fireflux / LIGHT / Level 4 / Insect / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1600

Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon / DARK / Level 7 / Dragon / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000
"No! NO! NO! NO! NOT THIS!" Aleisha wailed. "Not like this!"

"Yes." Yuu murmured to himself. "Finally. Something I've been waiting for, for a long time."

"I am only beginning!" Zarc proclaimed, "Behold the power of my second companion! I overlay my Level four The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm and Entermate Skullcrobat Joker in order to Xyz Summon!"

"NO!" Aleisha cried.

"YES!" Yuu exclaimed, twisting Sergey's face into one of pure madness.

Transforming into dual streams of light, Zarc's two monsters drained into the depths of the Xyz Galaxy before Zarc began chanting, voice overlaying with the voice of Yuya and Yuto as their spirits appeared by his side, eyes glowing with phantasmal light.

"Dragon who rebelled against the will of his creator to serve a more glorious purpose! Form your power from the pitch-black energy of darkness to continue your rebellion against the tyrant who demands our submission! XYZ SHOUKAN! Cast down the foolish oppressors! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"

In a violent explosion of multi-colored energy, Zarc's second dragon emerged from the Xyz Portal before joining by Odd-Eyes's side. Staring at one another, the two dragons began glowing with energy before throwing back their heads and roaring in unison.

"Egao Magician no kouka hasudo!" Zarc continued, "If I Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summon while this card is face-up in my Extra Deck, I can banish this card in order to gain Life Points equal to the number of monsters on the field times one-hundred. Since there are seven monsters on the field, I gain seven-hundred life points."

Above Zarc's head, the petit form of Smile Magician briefly appeared before the shadow dragon oozing from Yuya's body snapped forward and swallowed the child whole, causing Zarc to lick Yuya's lips in appreciation.

Zarc: 200 + (100 X 7) = 900 LP
"That tasted good."
Zarc mused to himself. "I wonder how sweet victory over these two fools will taste?"

"I imagine it would taste quite astounding." Yuu glibly replied. "You'll be swishing it around in your mouth for hours and thinking to yourself, 'How? Just how on earth did I possibly manage to win against a superior opponent with my shabby and predictable tactics?'"

"You seem to want to die." Zarc smirked. "Very well then, let me grant you your wish! THE TIME IS AT HAND NOW! I HAVE SLEPT FOR FAR TOO LONG! NOW YOU TWO SHALL WITNESS THE BEGINNING OF MY GLORIOUS RESURRECTION! MAGIC CARD, SUPREME KING'S REQUIEM, HASUDO!"

In front of Zarc, the holographic image of a spell card depicting the silhouette of an immense dragon directing a swarm of dragons as they flew through Synchro rings, Fusion Portals, and Xyz Portals appeared to the field before glowing with light.

"Supreme King's Requiem's effect," Zarc rumbled, the eagerness showing plainly in his shark-like grin. "I target two Dragon-Type monsters I control and declare a level between one and twelve, and for the rest of this turn, both of those monsters are treated as having that Level. Furthermore, immediately after the first effect resolves, I can Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summon 1 'Supreme King' Monster from my graveyard using the monsters targeted by this card's first effect as the material! Using this effect, I target my Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon and declare the Level of Seven in order to give both my monsters that Level!"

Roaring in unison, Odd-Eyes and Dark Rebellion began glowing with light as their levels harmonized.

Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: Level 7

In front of Zarc, an immense Xyz Portal formed on the ground before the two dragons transformed into two immense streams of black shadow, which bathed the entire duel field in darkness. In the depths of the shadow, the only lights that could be seen were the eyes of Zarc, Yuya, and Yuto as they all began to chant as one.

In the ecstasy of his triumph, Zarc chanted.

"Futairo no manako no ryū yo!"

In terrible anguish, unwilling to continue, but unable to stop himself, Yuto chanted.

"Sono kuroki gekirin o furuwase!"

Gripped by a sudden overwhelming force, Yugo felt and heard himself chanting in the middle of his duel against Bandit, eyes glowing green as his thoughts lost focus on the world around him.

"hamukau teki o…"

"Uhm…Yugo?" Bandit asked, not sure what was going on.

Atop his train, Yuri felt the power growing within him, within Starve Venom too as they both aligned their wills with the familiar desires and chanted as one.

"Sen-enmet-ets-u-u se-eyo-o!"

As one, ignoring the distance of space, the five chanted as one.

"XYZ SHOUKAN! IDEYO! RANK NANA! IKARI NO MANAKO HAGAYAKESHI RYŪ! HAŌ KOKURYŪ – ODD-EYES REBELLION DRAGON!"

Supreme King Black Dragon - Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon / DARK / Rank 7 / Dragon / Xyz / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 2500

Yugo vs. Bandit

Current State of Duel

Bandit: 2500 LP

No cards in her hand

3 speed counters

Controls Desperado Barrel Dragon, Back-Street Bandit Gambler, Extra Clip Dragon, a face-up Gun Cannon Blast, and 2 set cards.

Desperado Barrel Dragon / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2200

Extra Clip Dragon / DARK / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 2000

Back-Street Bandit Gambler / EARTH / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Fusion / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 800

Yugo: 900 LP

1 card in his hand

Controls Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, which has gained 800 ATK and DEF thanks to Dice-Shield

Clear Wing Synchro Dragon / WIND / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / ATK 3300 / DEF 2800

"Seize your destiny! Become the king! Become one!"

Yugo's mind had become sharper, faster, and clearer in an instant. Gone were his feelings of fear or nagging doubt. He knew what he needed to do and how to do it. Nothing could stand in his way. A confidence this strong had only been felt by Yugo one other time, during the night when he had finally faced down his rival and defeated him. Though he would later come to learn that the one named Yuto had not been the one who had taken Rin from him, the victory had still been immensely satisfying.

He had no doubt that this victory would prove equally satisfying. Now he was fighting for more than mere survival, or even for Rin. Now he was fighting for himself!

"Speed Spell, Armageddice, hasudo!" Yugo roared, "I pay four speed counters in order to roll a six-sided dice! Based on the dice roll, a number of cards on the field will be destroyed!"

Yugo Speed Counters: 0

Above Yugo's head, a cyclone of winds appeared, forming into a dark storm with a rapidly spinning dice at its center. Instead of the regular dots, each face of the dice showed a number of skulls on the faces, corresponding to their respective die numbers.

"Whoa!" Bandit exclaimed, eyes widening. "That's a pretty powerful effect! Definitely don't want that to get through! I activate Back-Street Bandit Gambler's effect! Once per turn, I can-…"

"Useless!" Yugo countered, "Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to the activation or effects of Armageddice! EKAY! Armageddice!"

With an explosion of force, the dice rocketed out from the center of the storm before landing on the field with a bounce. Eventually coming to a stop, the dice finally settled with a single red skull showing on top.

Bandit breathed a sigh of relief.

"Bad luck, Yugo, though it was definitely a good try." She replied. "So which card are you going to destroy?"

"Desperado Barrel Dragon, begone!" Yugo commanded, an immense lighting bolt raining down from the clouds above him before striking at the machine and destroying it.

"Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect!" Bandit countered. "Since it was destroyed, I can add a Machine-Type monster with a dice-rolling effect from my deck to my hand. I'll use this effect to add Twin-Barrel Dragon from my deck to my hand. Furthermore, I activate the counter trap card, Desperado Chance! Since a monster I controlled was destroyed, I can Special Summon one monster from my hand, deck, or graveyard with a coin-tossing effect! Say hello to Desperado Barrel Dragon!"

Exploding from a blue portal, Bandit's immense draconic machine reappeared, bullet chambers of its cannons spinning with anticipation.

Desperado Barrel Dragon / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2200

"Desperado Chance's additional effect!" Bandit continued, "When this card's effect successfully summons a monster, I toss a coin and apply one of two effects depending on the result! If the result is heads, the summoned monster cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect once per turn, is the only monster I control that can be targeted for attacks, and has its ATK doubled! If its tails, the summoned monster has its ATK halved and cannot activate its effects! GO! Double or Nothing Chance!"

In front of Desperado Barrel Dragon, a singe coin appeared before launching itself into the air, curving in a wide arc, and landing on the ground before spinning. Slowly, the coin settled down to a complete stop, revealing the result as "heads."

"The goddess of victory smiles on me today!" Bandit whooped. "Now your dragon can't beat me! But don't worry, I'll make sure to reunite you with Rin once we fuse the dimensions together and create paradise."

Desperado Barrel Dragon: 2800 X 2 = 5600 ATK

Yugo found himself smiling at this. Perhaps it was the girl's naivety, or perhaps it was the mention of Rin, but whatever the reason was, he felt himself taking strange pleasure in contemplating the horrors this foolish Academia soldier would soon face.

"Armageddice's additional effect!" Yugo declared. "During the turn its first effect is used, I can banish this card from my graveyard in order to Special Summon an 'Armageddice Token' whose Level is equal to the die result for the first effect! Come forth! Armageddice Token!"

Rising up from a black portal was the dice used for the first effect of Yugo's spell card. Now, however, the skull dice was encircled by a large translucent ring lined with grinning skull heads.

Armageddice Token / DARK / Level 1 / Machine / Tuner / ATK 0 / DEF 0

From within his Extra Deck, Yugo heard a roar.

"It's coming, my friend." Yugo thought to his Extra Deck. "We shall become stronger now!"

"Wait…your token is a tuner?" Bandit exclaimed. "Does that mean…?"

Yugo raised his arm into the air.

"Using my Level one Armageddice Token and my Level seven Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, I SYNCHRO SUMMON!"

Bandit's mouth dropped open and her eyes widened in astonishment as she watched the dice token morph into a single ring of green light before encircling Clear Wing Synchro Dragon in its light.

"Shine the wings that store the holy light, and strike down your enemies with its radiance! SYNCHRO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level 8! Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon!"

Yugo's bike rocketed forward as a pillar of light shone behind him. From the depths of the light, Yugo's new monster, an immense dragon similar to Clear Wing, but larger and with crystalline wings, horns, and claws, appeared behind him before roaring proudly, eyes glowing with a deep yellow light.

Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon / WIND / Level 8 / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 2500

Bandit began screaming at the top of her lungs in a crazed fan-girl way, hysterically waving her hands above her head. Yugo began wondering how her screams of terror would sound in comparison.

"Battle Phase!" Yugo declared, turning his bike around to face Bandit while making a sharp turn. "Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon, attack Desperado Barrel Dragon! KRYSTALLOS EDGE!"

"Not so fast!" Bandit called back. "I activate the effect of Desperado Barrel Dragon! During the Battle Phase of either player's turn, I can toss a number of coins in order to destroy cards my opponent controls up to the number of heads! Furthermore, I chain the effect of Extra Clip Dragon, Tossing three coins to store for later in case I want to replace its results with that of my Despardo Barrel Dragon! Go! Extra Clip Dragon!"

Ammo belts spinning, a trio of coins appeared above Extra Clip Dragon's head before flipping into the air and landing on the ground, all three results ending in heads.

"And now," Bandit continued, "Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect! GO! DESPERADO ROULETTE!"

Bullet chambers spinning, Desperado Barrel Dragon pointed its cannons at Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon before the bullet chambers came to a stop, two of the barrels coming up empty while the central cannon came up loaded. Nodding her head, Bandit stretched her hand towards her trap card.

"I will choose to not replace Desperado Barrel Dragon's results in order to do this!" Bandit declared. "Since the result of Desperado Barrel Dragon's coin tossing effect was exactly one head, I activate Gun Cannon Shot's first effect! I inflict five-hundred damage to your life points!"

A beam of energy exploded from Bandit's trap card, slamming into Yugo and exploding in a cloud of smoke. Yugo, however did not look the least bit phased by the damage.

Yugo: 900 – 500 = 400 LP

"And now," Bandit continued, "Desperado Roulette Dragon's effect goes through! Destroy Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon!"

Roaring, Desperado Barrel Dragon fired its central cannon at Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon. Roaring with rage, Crystal Wing raised his fists in front of his face before deflecting the blast, the bullet glancing off his crystalline plating, leaving the dragon unharmed.

"What!?" Bandit exclaimed in shock.

"A monster summoned using Armageddice Token as a material cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect once per turn." Yugo explained. "Now the final battle begins! Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon, rise up and rend my enemy! KRYSTALLOS GALE EDGE!"

Rising into the air, Crystal Wing left a shining trail of light as it rapidly ascended before launching into a dive heading straight towards Bandit's monster. In response, Desperado Barrel Dragon pointed its cannons towards Yugo's Crystal Wing, preparing to fire.

"Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon's effect!" Yugo roared, "If it battles a Level five or higher monster, it gains the ATK of that monster until the end of the Damage Step!"

Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon: 3000 + 5600 = 8600 ATK

"Back-Street Bandit Gambler's effect!" Bandit countered. "I toss a coin in order to negate your monster's effect and destroy it if the result is tails! GO! OUTLAW ROULETTE!"

Pointing his pistol at his own head, Back-Street Bandit Gambler tossed a coin in the air before catching it and revealing the result to be "tails."

"Trick Coin activate!" Bandit declared, stretching her hand towards her last face-down. "I pay one speed counter in order to change the result to 'heads!'"

Flipping around the coin in his hand, Back-Street Bandit Gambler removed the pistol from his head before pointing it at Crystal Wing and preparing to fire.

"Time for them to witness your power, my friend." Yugo thought to himself as the roar of his dragon sounded in his head.

"Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon's effect!" Yugo declared, "During either player's turn, I can select one monster that activated its effects in this chain in order to negate its effects, destroy it, and increase the ATK of my monster by the ATK of the destroyed monster! Krystallos Mirror!"

Suddenly unfurling its wings, Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon unleashed a flash of blinding prismatic light into the eyes of Bandit and her monsters, the light shining so intensely on Back-Street Bandit Gambler that the bandana-wearing biker exploded in a cloud of dust.

Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon: 8600 + 1000 = 9600 ATK

"The time is almost at hand! I shall seize my destiny and nothing can stand in my way! CRYSTAL WING SYNCHRO DRAGON, DESTROOOOOOOOOY!" Yugo roared as his monster slammed into Bandit's monster, shattering the colossal construct into a cloud of iron flakes and fire.

Bandit: 2500 – 4000 = 0 LP (LOSE!)

Yuri vs. Gamma – 626

Current State of Duel

Gamma – 626: 100 LP

No cards in its hand

Controls no cards

Yuri: 4000 LP

6 cards in his hand

5 set cards

Controls Starve Venom Fusion Dragon, Predator Plants Dragostapelia, Predator Plants Chimerafflesia, Predator Plants Spino Dionaea, and Predator Plants Moray Nepenthes.

Starve Venom Fusion Dragon / DARK / Level 8 / Dragon / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2000

Predator Plants Dragostapelia / DARK / Level 8 / Plant / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2700 / DEF 1900

Predator Plants Chimerafflesia / DARK / Level 7 / Plant / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000

Predator Plants Spino Dionaea / DARK / Level 4 / Plant / Effect/ ATK 1800 / DEF 0

Predator Plants Moray Nepenthes / DARK / Level 4 / Plant / Effect / ATK 1600 / DEF 1000

"I think you almost had me last turn." Yuri mused, eyes glowing with violet light as he watched the mechanical drone stagger back upright. "Ignoring all your pathetic misplays and woefully inadequate cards, I dare say you might have gotten me down to at least thirty-nine hundred life points, if not thirty-eight hundred. For that, I think I'll give you one more chance. Don't waste it."

"B-B-B-B-B-B-B-Boku no turn…d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-draw." The drone stuttered, sparks flying from various parts of its damaged frame.

"There! That's the spirit!" Yuri cheered, clapping his hands in applause. "Back in the fray, like a truly fearless hunk of scrap metal!"

"So-o amus-us-ing-ng" Starve Venom laughed in multiple whispered voices. "Yet-et…I-I, feel-eel the-e call-all! We-e, must-ust not-ot delay-ay!"

"Soon, my friend." Yuri promised. "We will reach our destiny soon! But let's not forget to enjoy the journey as well as the destination."

"Ah-ah, the journey-ey," Starve Venom mused to himself, licking his mandibles with a drooling tongue. "some-ome step-eps an-and beat-eats of foo-oot and wing-ing. Wha-at tale-ales we'll-ll tell-ell, wha-at song-ongs we'll-ll sing-ing? Wha-at meat-eats we'll-ll meet-eet, wha-at feast-easts they-ey'll bring-ing!?"

Yuri wiped a stream of drool from the corner of his mouth, tasting the strong flavor of meat his companion was savoring in anticipation.

"Magic card, acti-acti-acti-vate." Gamma – 626 stammered, voice growing steadily more distorted as more systems failed. "Core Implosion! I spec-spec-special summon one-one-one-one 'Core' Monster from my graveyard before-before-before destroying it-it-it-it-it. Using this effect, I-I-I-I special sum-sum-sum-summon Sky Core Mark II-II-II-II-II from my grave-grave-grave-grave-grave-grave-grave-grave…"

The rest of the machine's sentence degraded into a garbled buzz.

"Yes, yes." Yuri sighed. "I get the idea. You're destroying your own monster to summon your meklord. Took you long enough."

Rising up from a black graveyard portal, the spherical Sky Core Mark II rose from the portal before imploding in on itself and creating a circular portal through which five machine parts appeared. Rising into the air, the machine parts combined together until they formed what looked like a robotic bird with flexible metallic wings equipped with gyro-rotors and thrusters.

Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II / WIND / Level 2 / Machine / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0

Skiel Top Mark II / WIND / Level 2 / Machine / Effect / ATK 600 / DEF 0
Skiel Guard Mark II / WIND / Level 2 / Machine / Effect / ATK 200 /
DEF 300

Skiel Attack Mark II / WIND / Level 2 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 0

Skiel Carrier Mark II / WIND / Level 2 / Machine / Effect / ATK 400 / DEF 0

"Kikai Shikkō Kikkan Skiel ∞ Mark II's effect!" the drone continued, voice returning to normal. "Its ATK and DEF is equal to the combined ATK and DEF of all other 'Top,' 'Guard,' 'Attack,' and 'Carrier' monsters."

Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II: 2200 ATK

"Kikai Shikkō Kikkan Skiel ∞ Mark II no kouka!" Gamma – 626 continued, stretching its damaged arm towards Yuri's monster. "Once per turn, I can target one special summoned monster my opponent controls in order to equip it to my monster."

"Su-uch a-a glor-orious-ous brai-ain of nut-uts and bol-olts. Such-uch an-n in-insip-ip-id-id coll-oll-ect-ection-ion of-f dolt-olts!" Starve Venom growled with disdain.

"Trap hasudo." Yuri yawned. "Nonchalance Shield. I target my Starve Venom Fusion Dragon in order to make it so that it cannot be targeted for attacks or by other card effects this turn. But of course, you can still take my Dragostapelia in order to equip it to your monster and raise its ATK."

"I target Predator Plants Dragostapelia." The drone declared, as a stream of tentacle-like lights burst out of the infinity symbol on its monster before wrapping around Yuri's fusion monster and sucking it into the center.

Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II: 2200 + (2700 / 2) + 1000 = 4350 ATK

"Skiel Top Mark II no kouka!" the drone continued, "Once per turn, I can target 1 monster in my opponent's graveyard in order to equip it to an '∞' monster I control and increase its ATK by five-hundred. I target Predator Plants Sundew Kingii for this effect!"

Lowering its beak-like head, the machine opened up the tip of its head before shooting out a beam of white cable into Yuri's graveyard and extracting Yuri's monster before tossing it into the core of the Meklord.

Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II: 4350 + 500 = 4850 ATK

"Am I supposed to be intimidated by an extra five-hundred ATK, or are you just trying to compensate?" Yuri asked.

"Skiel Attack Mark II no kouka hasudo!" the drone continued, ignoring Yuri. "I send the Sundew Kingii equipped to my '∞' monster to the graveyard in order to allow my '∞' monster to attack directly this turn!"

Letting out a robotic bird-like shriek, the meklord began glowing with energy before rising into the air with a burst of its thrusters. Tilting its nose into a dive, the machine extended a long cannon on its underbelly towards Yuri, preparing to fire.

Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II: 4350 ATK

"BATTLE!" the drone declared. "Kikai Shikkō Kikkan Skiel ∞ Mark II, DIRECT ATTACK!"

Yuri began laughing, pupils contracting into slits beneath their violet glow.

"TRAP HASUDO!" he roared. "RIDICULE WORLD! I increase the ATK of all your monsters by one-hundred while making it so that any monsters whose ATK is different from their original ATK cannot attack this turn!"

Flipping face-up, Yuri's trap, which depicted a legion of ghostly laughing faces mocking a despondent man, revealed itself before a swarm of those same sadistic faces swarmed from its face and crowded around Gamma – 626 and its monster, laughing hysterically as the drone and the monster suddenly came to a halt.

Skiel Top Mark II: 700 ATK
Skiel Guard Mark II: 300 ATK

Skiel Attack Mark II: 1100 ATK

Skiel Carrier Mark II: 500 ATK

Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II: 4850 ATK

"Anything else!?" Yuri demanded, a crazed smile pulling on the corners of his cheeks. "Come on, now! You have to have something! Anything! Don't leave me so bored! I DID give you QUITE a few chances, not to mention this LAST chance!"

A stomped towards the drone, but it didn't respond.

"WELL!?" Yuri demanded. "That can't be it, can it!?"

"Turn end." The drone emotionlessly replied, lowering its duel disk.

Yuri grasped at his head with both of his hands before shuddering and laughing.

"So…boring….so…BORING!" Yuri roared, voice growing louder and deeper with the last word. "I have wasted enough of my life on you! But take comfort! Even though you do not deserve it, I shall allow you, a lifeless machine of all things, to be the first witness of my evolution! Boku no turn…DRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAW!"

An aura of shadowy energy enveloped Yuri as he swiped a card from the top of his deck, creating a shockwave that slammed into the drone. Next to Yuri, Starve Venom began cackling with glee, beady eyes glowing with green energy.

"Finall-all-y-y! A fea-east of-of fu-fu-sion-ion unfold-olds! For-owar-ard frie-end! Fuse-use to new-ew for-orms!"

"Magic card! Yuri roared, "Yuugo, hasudo! I fuse Starve Venom Fusion Dragon and Predator Plants Chimerafflesia!"

"AWWW-AWWWW-HAAAA-AAAAA HAAAAA-AAAA!" Starve Venom cackled as he and Chimerafflesia rose into the fusion portal before blending together. Clamping his hands together Yuri began his summoning chant, feeling the ecstasy his companion was feeling as he merged with another life to become stronger!

"Poisonous dragon with hungry fangs! Sweet smelling flower that invites the abyss! Now become one, and indulge in whatever pleases you! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level 10! Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon!"

Bursting free from the Fusion portal, Yuri's new monster, a larger version of Starve Venom with elegant multi-colored flower-like wings and a neck and chest with a slit running up its middle, appeared to the field before roaring with delight.

Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon / DARK / Level 10 / Dragon / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3300 / DEF 2500

"YES-ES!" Greedy Venom's multiple voices roared with renewed vigor. "I-I AM-AM, STRONG-ONG-ER-R! I-I AM-AM GREA-EAT-ER-R! I-I AM-AM…HUNGRIER!"

"It is time to feed, my friend!" Yuri agreed, licking his lips. "Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon no kouka! I target Kikai Shikkō Kikkan Skiel ∞ Mark II in order to negate its effects and change its ATK to zero! EKAY! Avaricious Venom!"

Roaring, Greedy Venom opened up his flower-like wings, projecting fields of membrane-like energy fields between the fangs at the tips of his wings. Stretching out his neck, Greedy Venom opened up the slit extending down his neck to his chest, creating a second more immense mouth, which sucked away a stream of energy from the Meklord, causing the core of the machine to go dark.

Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II: 0 ATK

"BATTLE!" Yuri roared. "Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon, attack Kikai Shikkō Kikkan Skiel ∞ Mark II! GREEDY FEASTING!"

Rising into the air, Greedy Venom's wings projected a network of glowing orbs and veins of energy as more energy rose up his gaping chest and neck, before collecting into his open mouth. With a bellow from the other mouths spread across his body, Greedy Venom fired a beam of energy into the drone's ace monster.

"SKIEL GUARD NO KOUKA!" The drone countered. "Once per turn, I can negate the attack of one of your monsters!"

Before the blast of energy could reach the drone's monster, the tail of the Meklord rose up before a network of wire-like extensions stretched out from the sides of the tail and projected a barrier of energy, which deflected Greedy Venom's attack.

"WE-E AN-ANTICI-ICIPATE-ATED-ED THIS-IS!" Greedy Venom roared. "NO-OW! YU-UR-I-I! I-IT I-IS TI-IME!"

Yuri yanked a card from his hand as shadows swirled around him.

"We will become stronger!" He declared, "We will become infinitely stronger! MAGIC CARD, CHOU YUUGO, HASUDO!"

Slamming one of his most powerful magic cards onto his duel disk, Yuri discarded a card from his hand to fuel the card's power as a complex fusion portal network appeared behind Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon. Roaring with manic pleasure, Greedy Venom snatched up Spino Dionaea and Moray Nepenthes before the three of them swirled into the center of the fusion singularity. With a voice booming like a god, Yuri began his summoning chant.

"Apex Predator, imbibe the souls of the weaker creatures and lay waste to the living world as an unstoppable scourge! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Merge and evolve life into a more perfect form with your feast! Level eleven! Scourge Venom Fusion Dragon!"

Darkness exploded from Yuri and the fusion portal as a new monster descended from the sky, immense multi-colored wings glowing with the aura of the violet energy projections jutting out from the wings' Venus Fly-Trap like edges. The horns of Scourge Venom were longer, more twisted, and curvier than those of Greedy Venom and were inlaid with three violet spheres filled with green liquid. The dragon's mouth sported two pairs of fanged mandibles, which opened up like a colorful blooming flower. On its neck and chest were a pair of gaping fanged mouths, which drooled streams of greenish acidic poison. Over the skin of the dragon was a smooth clear membrane, which was linked to the inner skin by a network of pulsing purple veins just beneath. Multiple mandible-equipped mouths snapped along the dragon's elbow's knees, and at the end of its scythe-tipped tail. Translucent purple spheres of green liquid decorated the dragon's fangs, claws, knees, arms, chest, body, and fanged tail, connected by translucent artery-like tubes to six larger translucent violet pods of green liquid attached to the dragon's wings. Shining through the shadows oozing from its body were the dragon's six glowing green eyes. Opening all of its mouths, Yuri's new dragon unleashed a roar that nearly shook the train from its tracks.

Scourge Venom Fusion Dragon / DARK / Level 11 / Dragon / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3500 / DEF 2800

"Marvelous…power." Scourge Venom rumbled, examining his new body, his multiple voices more unified in their speech patterns. "And two evolutions in one day. We are…unstoppable!"

"Battle." Yuri whispered, eager to see his monsters power for himself. "Scourge Venom Fusion Dragon…DESTROY!"

There was a pleasant smell of acid, poison, and raw energy in the air as Scourge Venom unleashed his power, liquefying the Meklord, the drone, and the front of the train. Climbing onto his dragon's back, Yuri turned his gaze to the tall building in the distance which his dragon was approaching, feeling the distant pulses calling to him.

"We are coming. We have grown much stronger for this moment! Finally! We shall become one!

"WE SHALL BECOME ONE!"

"What is going on?" Rin suddenly asked in shock, looking down as her bracelet began blinking with green light.

Looking down at her own bracelet, Yuzu noticed that her own gems had lit up, beating in time with a sudden pulsing that had developed in the back of her head. She quickly looked around, trying to see if Yuya and any of his counterparts were near, but saw only the faces of the crowd that had joined them.

"Ooh…interesting." Ti'ika Sara mused in Yuzu's head.

"Do you know what is going on?" Yuzu asked. "It usually only glows then Yuya or someone who looks like him is near."

"That seems likely." Yene mused through Rin. "The Creator and Destroyer certainly would have had a close relationship…though in this case, I doubt that any of the Destroyer's incarnations are near. More likely, the essence of your past life is awakening."

"What do you mean by that?" Rin asked.

Yuzu felt herself smiling as Sara's emotions began bleeding into her own.

"It means that we should brace ourselves." Yuzu found herself saying. "The Matriarch is making her move."

"The Earthbound's God is exerting her power now?" Ruri asked as she and Jatun looked towards the distant Public Security Maintenance Bureau HQ. On her wrist, Ruri's bracelet rapidly blinked with golden light as a faint pulse beat inside her head.

Jatun solemnly nodded her head.

"I can feel the presence of her second vessel now. Dark Signer Yuu Hashimoto is drawing out the power of the Destroyer. Soon, the Destroyer's incarnations will serve her will just as we serve her will now."

"Yuto is there!" Ruri exclaimed, eyes widening. "What will she do to him!?"

Jatun lowered her head in silence.

"I believe your friend is under the possession of the Destroyer now. Let us pray that our Matriarch breaks Yuto free of His power, and that Yuto does not resist the will of the universe spiral."

"We can't just stand by and risk Yuto getting hurt!" Ruri cried. "I'm going after him now!"

She sprouted her wings from her back, much to the apparent shock of Jatun, and was about to fly off, when a sudden crushing sensation dropped her and Jatun to the ground.

"My will is eternal." A voice that sounded like a blend of Yuu Hashimoto's and the voice of a much stronger, more ancient, and more powerful being rumbled in Ruri's head."My law is unbending. Be still, my children, and do not interfere."

"Matriarch…" Jatun gasped in pain and reverence.

Crippled with pain and sudden fear, Ruri felt her strength and power fleeing her body as she looked on towards the tower where a sudden flow of incomprehensible energy seemed to be gathering in a spiraling wave.

"He must be stopped, before it is too late!"

Selena gasped as she looked down at her bracelet, trying to process what was going on. She felt odd, like someone else was shoving thoughts into her skull, and yet, the thoughts did not feel so foreign to her. It felt more like she was…remembering…something she had forgotten for a long time.

"What…is going…on?" Selena whispered to herself amidst gasps of breath.

No answer came to Selena, yet as the bracelet continued to pulse with life, she felt as if she were receiving…impressions…of what she needed to do. Slowly, she turned her head to look in the direction of the Public Security Maintenance Bureau.

"Something terrible is happening over there." She thought to herself. "Something even worse than Academia's invasion or Roger's scheming. If I don't put a stop to it, the entire universe could be in danger. I have to finish this duel now! But how?"

"We can finish this duel." A new thought replied. "Our destinies are not decided by random chance! Ours is the power to shape our own destiny! Reach out with your will now and grasp a new future!"

"But how?" Selena thought to herself, still trying to figure out if she was talking to herself or if there was some other presence in her mind.

"The power is within us. Let me guide you and I will show you how to use it."

"Who are you?" Selena asked, somehow certain that she was not just going crazy.

"I am Ray." The voice replied. "Second avatar of Kaishi, the creation goddess and bearer of her light! I have sworn an oath to defend the existence of this universe for all time. Will you join me in this cause, champion?"

Selena's eyes widened as a vision unfolded before her. In a flash of light from her bracelet, she saw a radiant figure with her face, but older and more mature, standing before her, hand outstretched in offering. Around her, Selena could see the dimensions outstretched, a growing darkness threatening to destroy all of them unless someone rose up to protect them.

Off to the other side, Selena saw Barrett's Barbaros Ür Omega plow through another skyscraper, sending rubble flying everywhere. At this sight, Selena saw the figure with her face flinch as if in pain.

"When I learned what Academia was doing," Selena thought, "I turned from them and vowed to undo the destruction they had caused. If this Ray's goal is to also prevent destruction, then I have an ally."

Without a word, Selena reached out with her hand…

…and clasped the hand of Ray.

"NANI!?" Barrett called as he shielded his eyes from the blinding light that suddenly poured from Selena, as if she had become a miniature sun. A few moments later, the light had died down, though Selena's eyes and bracelet still glowed like lamps.

"ATASHI NO TURN!" Selena called in a voice that was strangely amplified, as if two people were speaking. "DRAW!"

Recovering from his shock, Barrett stretched his hand towards one of his face-downs.

"Trap hasudo!" Barrett called. "Beastborg Medal of the Titanium Chain!"

Appearing next to Barrett was a chrome titanium case wrapped in chains of the same color and material. Upon appearing, chains from the contraption sprang out before wrapping around Selena's Leopard Dancer.

"While Beastborg Medal of the Titanium Chain is active," Barrett explained. "the effects of all of my opponent's monsters are negated! Futhermore, while I control a 'Beastborg' monster, this card cannot be destroyed and my opponent cannot activate monster effects!"

"Quick Play Speed Magic Card!" Selena countered in her goddess-like voice. "Moonlight Ray! I pay two speed counters in order to negate the effects of Titanium Chain and make it so that all "Moonlight" monsters I control are unaffected by my opponent's card effects until the end of this turn!"

Inexplicably, despite the time of day, the moon suddenly appeared in the sky above Selena's head before a beam of light descended from the orb and settled on Selena's monster, who began to radiate with its glow. With a raging roar, Selena's Leopard Dancer pulled at the titanium chains binding her before snapping them to pieces and freeing herself from their bonds.

Selena Speed Counters: 2

"BAKANA!" Barrett sputtered. "That speed spell was not in the deck of speed spells I gave you! No speed spells were ever made specifically for Moonlights!"

"Moonlight Gold Lynx no kouka!" Selena continued, "Since I control a 'Moonlight' monster, I Special Summon this card from my graveyard! Return now!"

Rising up from the graveyard portal, Selena's gentlemanly Lynx rose from the graveyard before tipping her hat towards Barrett and unholstering her crossbow.

Moonlight Gold Lynx / DARK / Level 6 / Beast-Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1400

"Her effect activates once she is Special Summoned!" Selena continued, "I target Beastborg Panzer Puma in order to destroy it before sending a copy of Moonlight Purple Butterfly from the deck to the graveyard!"

"Hyah!" Gold Lynx called as she charged towards Panzer Puma with her saber, parrying a blow from the immense cyborg's ax before launching a bolt into the cyborg's chest and destroying it.

"A miscalculation!" Barrett growled. "You could have used the effect of your Gold Lynx to destroy my Beastborg Machina King!"

"Speed Spell, Speed Fusion, Hasudo!" Selena countered, ignoring Barrett as she activated the last card in her hand. "I pay my last two speed counters in order to conduct a Fusion Summon using Moonlight Gold Lynx and Moonlight Leopard Dancer as Fusion Materials!"

Selena Speed Counters: 0

"What are you planning?" Barrett growled as Selena's two monsters rose into the center of the Fusion Portal before blending together in a mass of gold and ebony light.

"Sleek predator of stealth and finesse hunting in the moonlit savannah! Gentlewomanly lynx glowing with golden fur! In the gravity of the waxing moon combine into a mighty huntress! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Mighty and elegant warrior of the moonlit jungle! Level nine! Moonlight Jaguar Dancer!"

With a roar, Selena's new monster appeared to the field, body glowing with what looked like golden moonlight. Jaguar Dancer was a strong amazoness-like woman with tanned skin marked with white spots like the spots of a Jaguar, a tribal golden jaguar mask and colorful feathers covering the upper half of her face and wild shimmering golden hair, and small pieces of Aztec garments covering her chest and waist. A large waxing moon crest was affixed to her back and she wielded an immense battle axe with a curved crescent-moon head made out of roughly carved obsidian.

Moonlight Jaguar Dancer / DARK / Level 9 / Beast-Warrior / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 2500

"We have the power to finish this duel now." Ray called to Selena's mind. "I leave the rest in your hands."

"BATTLE!" Selena called in her own voice, stretching her hand towards her new Fusion Monster. "Moonlight Jaguar Dancer, attack Beastborg Machina King Barbaros Ür Omega!"

Roaring with strength and determination, Selena's Jaguar Dancer charged towards Barrett's immense ace monster, using her immensely powerful legs to leap hundreds of meters into the air while raising her obsidian axe over her head, preparing to strike.

"An admirable effort, but useless." Barrett sighed. "Beastborg Machina King, counterattack! Final Campaign Roar!"

Opening its immense mechanical mouth, Beastborg Machina King charged up a beam of energy in its maw, preparing to fire it at Selena's monster.

"Moonlight Jaguar Dancer no kouka!" Selena and Ray declared in unison, eyes and bracelet glowing with power. "If she attacks a monster, she gains ATK equal to the original ATK of the monster she is battling until the end of the damage step! EKAY! Waxing Moon War-cry!"

Beastborg Machina King fired a beam of energy in the direction of Selena's monster. However, just before the energy could connect, Jaguar Dancer brought down her axe, the waxing moon crest on her back and the white spots on her skin glowing with energy as the axe seemed to slice straight through the beam of energy and into the titanic cyborg's mechanical head.

Moonlight Jaguar Dancer: 3000 + 4000 = 7000 ATK

With a roar of strength, Jaguar Dancer plowed straight through the immense machine's body, coming out the other end before landing on her feet and planting her axe head firmly in the concrete ground. Behind Jaguar Dancer, just as she stuck the landing, the immense construct exploded, shockwaves from the blast causing Barrett to momentarily spin out of control.

"Guardian Sentinel no kouka!" Barrett roared. "I discard this card from my hand in order to make the damage zero!"

"Moonlight Jaguar Dancer no kouka!" Selena and Ray countered in unison as Jaguar Dancer leaped back onto the trackway with a superhuman leap before charging at Barrett. "If she destroys a monster by battle, the controller of that monster takes damage equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster in the graveyard!"

Barrett stared at Selena with his one eye wide as a dinner plate.

"Moon-lit…" Selena and Ray began as their monster raised her axe.

"JUDGEMENT!" they finished as their monster brought their axe down on Barrett causing his bike to spin out of control before crashing into the wall of the trackway and come to a complete stop.

Barrett: 3500 – 4000 = 0 LP (LOSE!)

Without a word, Selena immediately turned her bike around in a complete U-turn before speeding towards the Public Security Maintenance Bureau HQ, leaving her old bodyguard and mentor behind as the forced return function on his duel disk activated.

"WE SHALL BECOME ONE! WE SHALL BEOME ONE! WE SHALL BECOME ONE!"

Yuya saw the duel, he heard the words, he felt the rage, he smelled and tasted victory, and thought nothing. He did not exist. He did not have a mind to think or make decisions. He was nothing more than a bag. A sack of nerves and flesh to be filled by a greater being. To be filled by God. And it was agony! God crushed his spirit and tore at the seams of his body till Yuya felt that he would burst. Yet he did not resist. He could not resist! God had claimed him and God would have his way with him!

And now God spoke.

"Supreme King Black Dragon - Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon no kouka hasudo!" Zarc roared, eyes blazing with blood-red energy as his hybrid dragon reared its head back before unleashing a ferocious roar. "I destroy every Level seven or lower monster on the field and inflict damage to my opponent's Life Points equal to the ATK of those monsters on the field! BEGONE FROM MY PRESENCE, FALSE PROPHETS OF FORTUNE!"

Opening up its wings, Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon projected a set of energy spikes from his metallic wings before unleashing a surge of purple power, which ripped through all of Aleisha's monsters, reducing them to dust. Shielding Sergey's eyes as if against an annoying dust storm, Yuu held his position, watching with what looked like fascination.

"Trap hasudo! Fortune's smile!" Aleisha declared, managing to struggle against the energy enough to stretch out her hand. "I negate the damage from your monster's effect and Special Summon Fortune Lady Light from my hand! Come forth!"

In a flash of light, Aleisha's petit witch appeared in front of her before stretching out her hands and deflecting the power from Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon's attack.

Fortune Fairy Light / LIGHT / Level 1 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 200 / DEF 200

Zarc did not even seem to notice the move.

"Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon no kouka hasudo." He growled, "I detach one Overlay Unit from my monster in order to enable it to attack once for every one of my opponent's monsters that was destroyed this turn."

"That's quite a few monsters destroyed this turn." Yuu observed matter-of-factly. "But you're a fool if you think that will be enough attacks against me. I suggest destroying Aleisha first. That way, your turn won't be completely wasted."

"It's over now, for both of you." Zarc growled in reply, affixing his gaze on Yuu, "Begone from my sight, worms. Supreme King Black Dragon – Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon annihilate the corpse who thinks he's a god first! IMPERIAL WRATH REVOLT!"

Leaping forward, Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon charged headlong at Yuu, tusks raking across the floor and wings crackling with energy as it closed the gap on an unflinching Yuu.

"Earthbound Warden – Demon Taskmaster no kouka." Yuu calmly replied. "I discard this card in order to activate one 'Earthbound' Trap card from my deck."

Zarc snarled in annoyance as a ghostly multi-colored jaguar-like humanoid with bloody claws appeared in front of Yuu before sinking into the spiral mark on Sergey's chest. Body suddenly exploding with multi-colored light, Yuu stretched out Sergey's hand as a trap card materialized directly in front of him.

"TRAP HASUDO!" Yuu proclaimed in a voice magnified a thousand times its normal volume, as if a legion of gods were speaking in unison. "WILL OF CH'ASKANCHA! IF MY OPPONENT DECLARES A DIRECT ATTACK WHILE I HAVE LESS THAN 2000 LIFE POINTS, I CAN BANISH ALL CARDS FROM THE GY, FACE-UP IN THE EXTRA DECK, AND FACE-UP IN THE DECK, ACTIVATE ONE FIELD SPELL CARD FROM MY HAND, DECK, GRAVEYARD, OR THAT IS BANISHED, AND SPECIAL SUMMON UP TO FIVE OF MY BANISHED 'EARTHBOUND' MONSTERS! KNEEL BEFORE THE WILL OF THE UNIVERSE!"

In an explosion of light, an immense multi-colored spiral mark suddenly appeared behind Yuu before expanding in size, energy pouring from the mark and slamming into the charging Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon, stopping the creature dead in its tracks. From the center of Sergey's feet, lines of multi-colored energy spiraled outward, creating the same spiral pattern in the floor as the one in the air behind Yuu. As the lines of energy approached Aleisha and Zarc, the both of them struggled backwards, Zarc visibly enraged by the interference while Aleisha looked deathly afraid. The sudden roar of a vacuum appearing in the center of the marks suddenly forced Zarc and Aleisha forward, threatening to suck them into its depths. From the depths of each player's graveyards and extra decks, the spirits of multiple monsters appeared before all of them were violently absorbed into the center of the swirling spiral marks.

"BECOME FOOD FOR MY REBIRTH, THAT THE UNIVERSE MAY BE RENEWED!" Yuu proclaimed in the same godly voice, "ACTIVATE FROM THE DECK NOW! EARTHBOUND ZIGGURAT!"

Exploding from the ground, a terraced stone temple rose into the air just beneath Sergey's feet, carrying Yuu into the air with it. Depicted on the surface of the temple's walls, the images of the Nazca geoglyphs burned with different colored energies, with an immense multi-colored spiral mark burning in the center of the temple.

Yuya could feel God's anger. How long was he going to have to endure the resistance of this lesser being!? But it didn't matter. He would tear down the lesser gods, just like he had done before!

"RETURN NOW! THE AGENTS OF MY WILL!" Yuu proclaimed, raising his hands into the air towards the spiral mark, "EARTHBOUND PRISONER LINE WALKER! EARTHBOUND WARDEN DEMON TASKMATER! JIBAKU KAIREI GEO KRAKEN! JIBAKU KAIREI GEO GRYPHON! AND JIKBAKU KAIREI GEO OGRE!"

From the depths of the spiral mark above Yuu's head, the five monsters appeared before slamming down in front of their master, forming a protective wall with their bodies.

Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker / DARK / Level 3 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 800 / DEF 1100

Earthbound Warden Demon Taskmaster / DARK / Level 7 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 1700 / DEF 1100

Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken / DARK / level 8 / Fiend / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 1200

Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 1500

Earthbound Disciple Geo Ogre / DARK / Rank 4 / Fiend / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000

"A pathetic wall to hide behind?" Zarc snarled, "Is that the extent of your powers? I really shouldn't be surprised. Every other god I have faced has only ever been able to cower before my might."

"Owari, my child." Yuu sighed in a tone like that of a regretful mother, "You have forgotten who you truly are, reduced to the mere shadow that you are. Can you even remember your life before the second era?"

Zarc glared at Yuu, and Yuya could feel a seething resentment welling up within him.

"I do not care what I was before." He growled. "That legacy is irrelevant! My identity is my own, not a shadow of my past life! I will forge my own destiny, not follow the path YOU would set for me!"

"Everything will follow the path I set for them." Yuu replied with a voice of rumbling thunder. "Including you, Demigod of Destruction."

"SILENCE, MEDDLER!" Zarc roared. "You did not have the power to break me before, and you do not have the power to stop me now! SUPREME KING BLACK DRAGON – ODD-EYES REBELLION DRAGON, ATTACK EARTHBOUND DISCIPLE GEO GRYPHON!"

"Suicide?" Yuu asked in his own voice.

"He is a shadow of Owari. He will endlessly pursue destruction, even if it means his own." Yuu replied in the other voice.

Roaring, Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon used his tusks to slice through the ghostly body of Geo Gryphon before the demonic creature reappeared as a phantom and slammed into Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon's chest, causing the powerful dragon to explode in a shower of golden sparks.

"So, what now, Demigod of Destruction?" Yuu asked. "Or did you seriously want to kill your own monster that much?"

"You had best learn to mind your tongue, walking corpse, before I rip it out of you." Zarc growled in reply. "You are right to call me the God of Destruction,"

"Demigod." Yuu replied. "There's a slight difference."

"I am the master of destruction." Zarc continued, ignoring the comment, "I wrought unimaginable devastation upon my own world and when my enemy tried to destroy me, I forged a new essence of creation through my sheer will!"

"Creation and destruction both bow before me." Yuu replied in the other voice, "You cannot oppose me with any essence of creation when they all serve my will."

"You do not control the essence I forged!" Zarc roared, a mad glint in his blood-red eyes. "Behold the power of my own will! The immortality of the Pendulum Summon! Since my Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon was destroyed, I can place it face-up in one of my Pendulum Zones instead of removing it from the field! Defy death and the will of this false god now my servant and companion!"

"Fascinating." Yuu yawned as Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon appeared in the middle of a blue pillar of light to the left of Zarc. "And this helps you out…how?"

"Sokkō Mahō, Supreme King's Xyz Reincarnation, hasudo!" Zarc roared, slamming down another card from his hand. "If a 'Supreme King' monster I control was destroyed this turn, I can target one 'Supreme King' monster I control, in my pendulum zone, in my graveyard, or face-up in my Extra Deck in order to Xyz Summon one other 'Supreme King' monster from my Extra Deck using just that monster as the Xyz Material. Furthermore, if I used a card on the field for the summon, I can immediately activate that monster's effect that requires an Xyz Material to be detached! BEHOLD MY GLORIOUS REBIRTH! ODD-EYES REBELLION DRAGON, OVERLAY!"

In the center of the field, a black-and-gold lotus flower bloomed into existence before Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon transformed into a stream of black-and-purple light and poured into the center of the flower. Closing up its petals, the lotus flower suddenly burst into flames as Zarc began his summoning chant.

"Futairo no manako no ryū yo! Fukaki yami yori yomigaeri, ikari no honō de chijō no subete o yakiharae! XYZ SHOUKAN! Ideyo! Ranku 7! Wazawai yobu rekka no ryū, Haō Retsuryū Oddoaizu Reijingu Doragon!"

Exploding from the flaming flower with an earth-shattering roar, Zarc's new servant, a burning dragon similar to Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon, but with wings made of fire and bright heavy scales etched with lines of magma, appeared to the field, an aura of darkness overshadowing the beast as the shadow around Zarc seemed to rise into the air with exultation.

Supreme King Violent Dragon – Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon / DARK / Rank 7 / Dragon / Xyz / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 2500 / Scale 1

"So, this is the strength of the Pendulum Summon." Yuu mused as he looked up upon the immense burning dragon that emerged from the smoldering remains of the lotus flower. "A source of infinite resources and infinite rebirth, and a gateway to new and more powerful summoning techniques."

"What I have long been missing shall be mine at last." The other voice replied. "Now, at last, the final essence of creation has been delivered to me, to be shaped by my will!"

"I will not allow you to twist MY creation into one of your dark parodies!" Zarc roared in defiance. "You will not get the turn to do it! ODD-EYES RAGING DRAGON NO KOUKA HASUDO! I detach all of its Overlay Units in order to negate the effects of all Magic and Trap cards and destroy all cards on the field other than Raging Dragon! EKAY! RAGING HOLOCAUST INFERNO!"

Wings transforming into streams of pure magma and fire, Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon, swept aside everything in its path, disintegrating every card on the field. Aleisha scrambled out of the way of the fires, barely managing to avoid disintegration while her companion, Fortune Lady Light, did not fare as well. From atop his ziggurat, Yuu was forced to use Sergey's implanted jets to dodge the flames and escape while the temple collapsed into rubble. The beams of heat sliced cleanly through the walls, floor, and ceiling, causing cracks to form in the entire structure as support beams and segments of pillars toppled to the ground all around the duelists.

"Raging Dragon's effect!" Zarc proclaimed, a look of utter glee on his face. "My servant gains two-hundred ATK for every card destroyed by this effect!"

Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon: 3000 + (8 X 200) = 4600 ATK

"Earthbound Ziggurat's effect," Yuu murmured, managing to raise Sergey back onto his feet. "When it is destroyed, I destroy all 'Earthbound' monsters I control in order to inflict eight-hundred damage to my opponent's life-points for each."

"You have no monsters to destroy, and therefore no damage." Zarc sneered. "How unfortunate for you. You might have been able to defeat me with that effect, but I suppose this is what happens when your almighty gods are so pathetically feeble that they rely on field spells to do anything."

"You will find that even with our curse, we remain far more powerful than you can ever hope to be." Yuu replied, eyeing Zarc with a look of pure contempt.

"You know nothing of power!" Zarc roared. "If you and your gods had any real power, they would have released themselves from their doodles in the ground long ago!"

"And what of you, demigod?" Yuu whispered with a smile, taking a step closer to Zarc and his dragon. "Have you, with all your power, managed to free yourself from your own fleshy prison?"

"My freedom begins with your destruction!" Zarc replied with a sadistic smile. "I just hope that some of your essence remains to witness my glorious return! Then I can see your stunned faces when you behold TRUE power! EKAY! SUPREME KING VIOLENT DRAGON – ODD-EYES RAGING DRAGON, DIRECT ATTACK! DESTRUCTION BURST OF RAGE!"

Rearing back its head, Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon charged its attack, scales steaming and glowing red-hot before it unleashed a gout of raw flame and magma in Yuu's direction. Pressed against the will of the true god, Yuya could feel victory drawing near. He was so close now! Everything he had dreamed of for an entire epoch was finally coming to fruition! He would become one! He would become one!"

"HE WOULD BECOME ONE!"

"EARTHBOUND PRISONER BODY PRESERVER NO KOUKA HASUDO!" Yuu roared, slamming a card onto Sergey's duel disk as the flames roared towards him. "IF I RECEIVE A DIRECT ATTACK WHILE MY LIFE POINTS ARE 2000 OR LESS, I CAN SPECIAL SUMMON THIS CARD FROM MY HAND AND REDIRECT THE ATTACK TO IT! COME FORTH!"

Directly in front of Yuu, a blue portal appeared before a phantasmal white featherless bird with its skeletal wings wrapped against its body in folds of gauze like a mummy leapt out and took the blast from Zarc's monster.

Earthbound Prisoner Body Preserver / DARK / Level 2 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 1800

"Earthbound Prisoner Body Preserver's additional effect!" Yuu continued, staggering against the force of the blast. "If it would be destroyed, I can take one-thousand damage instead!"

Yuu: 1500 – 1000 = 500 LP

"I vowed to destroy you first for your insolence and I intend to keep that promise!" Zarc roared, leaping to his feet and grabbing an Action Card. "Action Magic Card! Epic Showdown! Each of us choose a monster we control to change to attack position and double its attack! Naturally, I choose my Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon. You, on the other hand…well…"

Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon: 4600 X 2 = 9200 ATK

Earthbound Prisoner Body Preserver: 0 X 2 = 0 ATK

Yuya did not think it was possible to feel this much glee, but somehow, even with all of God's lust for ceaseless destruction, he managed to cram in the sadistic glee that came from seeing Yuu's stunned expression.

"Epic Showdown's other effect also prohibits any Action Cards for the rest of this turn!" Zarc continued, nearly laughing with maniacal glee. "SUPREME KING VIOLENT DRAGON – ODD-EYES RAGING DRAGON'S NO KOUKA! It can make up to two attacks during each battle-phase! KNEEL BEFORE TRUE POWER, WORM! EKAY, RAGING DRAGON! THE SECOND ATTACK! FUNGEKI…

NO…

DESUTORAKUSHON…

BAASUTO!"

An inferno of fire exploded from the maw of Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon, vaporizing Earthbound Prisoner Body Preserver before striking against Sergey's body, crackling the man's flesh into flakes of charcoal while slowly melting wires, metal, and circuitry.

In depths of the fire, Yuu struggled to keep Sergey's body together while stretching out one of the cybernetic arms like a man pleading for help. Lips slowly burning away, he only barely managed to shape Sergey's face into a delighted smile before his god took control.

"EARTHBOUND PRISONER SPIRIT SEALER NO KOUKA HASUDO!" The other voice declared through Sergey, causing the flames to suddenly disperse as the immense spiral mark blazed to life on the deceased man's chest. "If an 'Earthbound' monster I control is destroyed by my opponent's attacking monster while I have 1000 life points or less, I can negate the damage before equipping Spirit Sealer to my opponent's monster…AND TAKING CONTROL OF IT!"

Yuya felt God's heart suddenly shatter.

In an explosion of multi-colored light, the immense spiral mark reappeared behind what was left of Sergey's shambling burnt cybernetic body before an utterly immense ghostly hand shot out from the depths of the mark and grabbed Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon. Shrieking in pain and rage, Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon thrashed against the grip of the hand, but it was unable to break itself free.

"Impossible…" Zarc gasped, face suddenly growing deathly pale as all his smugness and confidence left him. Now, Yuya did not feel the impending wholeness of becoming one, but the rending God had experienced once before. Looking upon Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon as it thrashed against the grip of the hand, he felt not like a player that had lost his ace monster, but like someone who had had their brothers torn from their family or their own heart ferociously ripped from their chest. This was not supposed to be! Odd-Eyes! Dark Rebellion! They were part of him! She had no right to take them!"

The voice of the hateful bound god boomed from the depths of the portal while what remained of Sergey's burnt mouth moved in time with it.

"Earthbound Prisoner Spirit Sealer's other effect! While it is equipped to my opponent's monster, that monster is treated as an 'Earthbound' Monster, its Level or Rank is multiplied by -1, and its Extra Deck types become their fundamental opposites!"

Roaring in agony, Odd-Eyes Rebellion began transforming, body becoming pitch-black in color before its external features faded into scarlet lines of energy, like the faces drawn on Sergey's own Earthbound monsters. Flying from the duel disk, Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon's card rose into the air before the name printed on the card burned a black purple and the black rank stars on the left shifted to the right before become translucent and crème-colored in hue. On the forehead and chest of both the card and dragon, a multi-colored spiral mark appeared.

"Earthbound"Supreme King Violent Dragon – Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon / Rank -7 / Dragon / Xyz / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 9200 / DEF 2500 / Scale 1

"NO! STOP IT! I FORBID IT!" Zarc raged, immense impotent fury boiling through Yuya's veins.

"The Spirits of life linger in the body, giving the body strength! Two or more kindred souls can embrace each other to breathe life into a new body, and the magic of their bonds can further evolve the strength of their body! This is the power of Xyz who overlays spirits into a new body and uses the power of those bonds to evolve the body! NOW EMBRACE THE POWER IN OPPOSITION! Let the strength of the body crush the will of the spirits and govern them as it descends into planes of greater primal power! BEHOLD THE STRENGTH OF THE DARK XYZ!"

The black galaxy-decorated Xyz portion of the Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon card faded until it became translucent. Roaring with madness, Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon slowly collapsed into the center of an invisible singularity, before its body enfolded from the center of the singularity, patches of its body briefly turning translucent before returning to opaqueness.

"Earthbound"Supreme King Violent Dragon – Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon / Rank -7 / Dragon / Dark Xyz / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 9200 / DEF 2500 / Scale 1

"Stop it! STOP IT!" Zarc bellowed, a tear actually coming to his eyes. Within him, Yuya could feel his growing fear. He knew what was coming next, but he couldn't stop it!"

"Now, at last, the final essence of creation shall be born!" The voice proclaimed as a legion of smaller ghostly arms launched from the portal before grabbing Yuya's body and hoisting him into the air before a single phantom hand reached out to grab Yuya's pendant. Yuya felt Zarc and Yuto as all three of them thrashed against the flood of pain that coursed through their body. From the clash of Destruction and Creation came forth the swinging powers of the pendulum! All things in this universe exist with an opposite! Destruction and Creation! Light and Darkness! Life and Death! Happiness and Despair! The essence that the two battling gods created embodies the eternal nature of change! No matter how much the universe swings in one direction, it can always swing to its opposite state! BUT EVEN THIS PRINCIPLE HAS ITS COUNTERPART IN OPPOSITION!"

Zarc's will faded against the overwhelming power of the other god and Yuya suddenly came awake. Within, he could still feel Zarc as the dark god writhed in agony and horror. Yuya now felt his own horror as he saw darkness emanate from the hand holding his pendulum before creeping up along half the gem and encompassing half the string wrapped around his neck. Even though the pendant was not physically part of him, Yuya felt as if he was being violently defiled. This was not right! The pendulum was changing! He could feel it! Memories of his father came to his mind.

"When you feel like crying, smile instead!"

"Be like a pendulum. No matter how far it is pushed one way, it can always swing back!"

"So swing back, Yuya! Let nothing weigh you down with despair!"

Something was weighing down his pendulum. It was not just darkening the pendulum. It was changing! Growing denser, heavier, and colder, like a steel chain left in sub-zero temperature.

"AS THE DIVINE PENDULUM SWINGS FROM ITS OPPOSITES, SO SHALL ITS OPPOSING FORCE, THE INFERNAL ANCHOR, SINK TO DEEPER AND DEEPER EXTREMES OF DEPTH IN AN UNRELENTING PLUNGE! EMBRACE YOUR OPPOSITE NOW! SINK WITH THE ANCHOR OF YOUR SOUL AND PLUNGE INTO LIMITLESS DESPAIR!"

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yuya, Yuto, and Zarc screamed in unison as they witnessed the final transformation of the pendulum and Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon. Dark mist fading from the pendulum, the hands around Yuya's neck withdrew to reveal half the clear pendulum gem darkened into a pitch-black crystal that seemed to absorb any nearby light into its shadowy depths. One-half of the crystal's silver wing decorations was now a glimmering gold in color and half the string around his neck had been replaced with a heavy set of iron chains, which weighed down on his neck with supernatural force, as if the trinket wanted to crush his body flat. Feebly, the pendulum appeared to be trying to swing back and forth as it had before, but now, whenever it swung in the direction of its darker half, it would come to an abrupt stop before pulling down. Straining against the weight pulling against his neck, Yuya managed to look up to see what was happening to the rest of Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon's card. The lower green pendulum half of the card was now the deep purple of a Trap Card. Instead of a red and blue gem on the left and right of the pendulum box displaying the pendulum scales, a gold gem on top and a green gem on the bottom had taken their place, a 4 above and below the points of each respective gem. With its transformation complete, the card flew onto Sergey's duel disk before settling on the center monster zone.

"Earthbound"Supreme King Violent Dragon – Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon / Rank -7 / Dragon / Dark Xyz / Dark Anchor / Effect / ATK 9200 / DEF 2500 / Magnitude 1

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaagh!" Yugo roared in agony, feeling a sudden pain grip his being, as if someone was reaching into his chest and ripping out his heart. In the distance, he could hear the roar of a dragon, before another dragon's roar sounded closer by.

"By the blood of my father! She corrupts the essence we created! She taints the birthright of my brother! CURSE YOU. BOUND GOD! MAY YOU AND ALL YOUR KIN BURN FOR THIS!"

"NO!" Yugo bellowed, falling off his bike. "I must become…become…"

He choked on his words before fainting as the pain became too much.

"NO-O-O-O!" Scourge Venom roared in agony as Yuri suddenly clutched his chest in pain.

"What is this!? Who is hurting us!?" Yuri screamed before collapsing onto his dragon's back. With a piercing roar of pain, Scourge Venom crashed onto the roof of a nearby skyscraper, jaws and mandibles gaping open in raw agony before finally succumbing and exploding in a shower of dust, particles coalescing into the card on Yuri's duel disk.

"No!" Yuri screamed, "I can feel it! I am so close! I will become the strongest! I must…"

His next words were drowned out in a scream as he collapsed to the ground, his vision fading as he looked towards the Public Security Maintenance Bureau Headquarters which stood just beneath an immense multi-colored spiral mark at least a mile wide in the air just above.

"What…is that?" Selena asked, eyes widening with horror as she saw the immense spiral-shaped mark appear in the air above the Security headquarter building, tendril-like swirls stretching out from the center in an endless expansion.

"That…is bad." Ray murmured from within.

Selena tightened her grip on the accelerators, rocketing forward as fast as the bike could take her.

"That's her mark!?" Yuzu exclaimed in shock as she and Rin looked up towards the immense mile-long multi-colored spiral mark in the air, which was steadily growing bigger as they looked upon it.

Before Sara could respond, a sudden surge of heat and power flared to life in the mark on Yuzu's arm, causing her to double over on her knees. On Yuzu's back, a spiral-shaped mark blazed to life.

"What's happening!?" Rin asked, approaching her friend with concern.

"She's giving us a gift…" Sara murmured from within Yuzu, voice heavy with reverent awe.

"She has done it then?" Yene asked through Rin. "The final essence is ours?"

"The Pendulum and its opposite are now ours to command." Yuzu and Ti'ika murmured in unison, looking down at their deck, which was glowing with pale blue and vivid red lights.

"A birthright that should have been shared with you from the beginning, counterpart of the Creator." A voice proclaimed from the spiral mark on Yuzu's back, "And a gift that I confer upon you. Embrace its power and unleash your full potential!"

"Impossible…" Zarc whimpered within Yuya. "This can't be! The Pendulum Summon was mine! She has no right to take it from me! It's not hers! Not hers! Not hers!"

"Everything is mine to bend to my will." The voice replied through the spiral mark and Sergey's mouth, even though Zarc had not spoken aloud. "From the inception of this universe, since the inception of all universes, I have held the right and authority to use all people, places, things, and times to serve my divine purpose! Your dragon now bears my mark, as all existence shall bear my mark! You really should have seen this coming, Demigod of Destruction. After all, you couldn't have failed to notice the counterparts of your enemy becoming my tools. Did you honestly think you and your incarnations would be spared?"

Yuya's eyes widened as he suddenly thought of Yuzu, a mark not unlike Sergey's mark emblazoned on her flesh. With horror, he suddenly recalled the legend Roger had shared with him.

"You're one of the evil gods from the story…" Yuya croaked, voice sounding extremely weak. "You were the one who destroyed Akllasisa, and her husband, and the people of the stars…"

Sergey turned his head to regard Yuya with an imperious expression, like that of a queen just beginning to notice a dirty peasant before deciding that he was beneath acknowledging. In a few seconds, however, the expression changed to the condescending mocking sneer of Yuu.

"Ah, so you've heard that story." Yuu mused with a laugh. "Did Aleisha tell it to you, or…no…wait…was it Roger perhaps? I recall that fool nearly wetting his pants when I spoke through Sergey that day. What exactly were you told?"

"What have you done with Yuzu?" Yuya growled, still feeling the primordial rage from Zarc even as the dark presence shrank from his consciousness.

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE WITH RURI!?" Yuto bellowed next to Yuya.

"See, that's not exactly an answer to my question." Yuu sighed, folding Sergey's scorched arms, "But no matter, I suppose it doesn't really make a difference. The tale you heard was something of a cautionary tale taught to the Signers and the Phoenix Guard who served with them, warning them to not let their petty differences and ambitions divide them. How ironic, considering what happened…"

He looked down at Sergey's right arm before looking back up at Yuya.

"I suppose you could say that the legend is essentially true, though as a perfectly accurate representation of history, it falls laughably short. I will say this though. You are standing in the presence of the god who destroyed the civilization spoken of in the tale. The will of this god could not be stopped then, and it will not be stopped now, even if you try to stall even longer by refusing to end your turn!"

Yuya flinched before looking at the remaining cards in his hand.

"We cannot lose! We cannot lose! We cannot lose!" The voice of Zarc rumbled from within.

Thinking of Yuzu, and what this horrific god might do to her, Yuya found himself in agreement.

"Setting three cards face-down!" Yuya declared, "Turn end!"

In front of Yuya, the three cards materialized before fading away. As the turn ended, the power Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon gained also faded.

Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon: 3000 ATK

"You are such a disappointment, Destroyer." Yuu sniffed, before placing Sergey's hand on top of his deck. "You know we really tried to push you, tried to get you to access your deepest and greatest powers, but all you managed to do was put up a pathetic showing as nothing but your second incarnation."

Against his will, Yuya felt the darkness rise up to take control again.

"I WILL NOT BE INSULTED BY A GOD WHO HAS BEEN DEFEATED IN MULTIPLE WARS AND CONFINED TO ROT IN AN INFERNAL HELL!" Zarc roared. "Our duel is NOT finished! Take your last miserable turn! By the time my next turn comes, I will drink your blood!"

"Difficult, considering I am in an entirely different plane of existence within the Underworld." Yuu replied with a sigh, "But if you do manage to defeat me, you are welcome to choke on all the roasted caramelized Sergey-blood you want. Though, fair warning, I'd imagine there's a fair bit of motor oil in there as well."

"Shut up and begin your turn!" Zarc snarled.

"As you wish, Demigod of Destruction." Yuu smirked before suddenly pausing as the spiral mark on Sergey's chest flashed with light. An annoyed expression suddenly came over Sergey's face as he craned back his neck and closed his eyes as if in concentration.

"You have got to be kidding me! Do we really have to do this now, Aki!?"

"She threatens our work! The impudent black rose witch! We must go, NOW!" The other voice rumbled in irritation.

Sergey's eyes opened again before regarding Zarc.

"My apologies," Yuu sighed, "but it would seem that something more important has come up, so if you will excuse me…"

"You're running away, in the middle of our duel!?" Zarc rumbled in indignation. "Are you trying to insult me even more, or are you just afraid?"

"Afraid of a sniveling demigod like you?" Yuu laughed. "Perish the thought. But, of course, I do enjoy insulting you as much as possible, so allow me this one final jab. I am sorry I have to leave in the middle of this duel, but I promise to compensate you with a worthy opponent, someone whose tactics are as sophisticated and complex as your own. Sergey, smash."

The multi-colored light vanished from Sergey's eyes before the hulking cyborg blinked and smiled at them, not looking the least bit upset over the state of his severely damaged body.

"Utsukushii…" Sergey murmured to himself, looking down at his burnt flesh before snapping to attention and placing his hand on top of his deck. "ORE NO TURN! DRAAAAAAAAW!"

Yuya looked up at the demented ruined face of Sergey as he drew a card from the top of his deck before adding it to his hand. Underneath patches of his blackened skin, he could see what looked like the endoskeleton of a robot. How could Sergey possibly still be alive, much less dueling, in his current state? What on earth was going through his head?

The pungent cinnamon and mint taste of golden resonating angelic choirs flowed through Sergey's soul as he looked upon his magnificent exalted body of twisted burnt charcoal flesh and melted warped steel and gloried in it! His mistress, the dead god, had rewarded his discipleship, and her rewards were as robust as they were beautiful! He was bathed in soft light. He was the soft silky emerald organ of ruin and the crisp tangy ruby violin of death! A song of the end was written in the scars and burn marks, and it tasted delightful to his eviscerated lips! And what was more…oh what was more!? His master, oh blessed mist-clean cool pale canvas of infinite possibility! He had given Sergey the savory iron-hard baton to conduct the music of the Destroyer Demigod's end! Utsukushi! Utsukushi!

The Demigod, oh blessed icon of all that was art! Art! Yes! Art! Such a master composer that stood before Sergey, almost making Sergey shrink back as he thought of his singular unworthiness! Unworthy, wretched imitator he was! A mortal man who had only embraced the alluring Siren of destruction, but had, ALAS! ALAS! But had not made the mistress his wife! The Demigod, the descendant of the truly magnificent, sublime Destroyer…HE had made destruction his woman, and had born so much beautiful delightsome fruit from her! What was Sergey to this true masterpiece!?

And yet…a foul smell…a small stain…a slight discordant note…caught Sergey's eye as he looked upon his icon.

"You," he murmured, "You deal in destruction and yet…you are not…destroyed…yourself…not completely."

Yuya looked back at Sergey, a confused expression on his face.

Yes! YES! Sergey could see it now! The demigod dished out destruction! He was a master ripper and tearer of others, but he wasn't destroyed himself!

"Incomplete…" Sergey muttered to himself, shaking his head in disapproval. "Incomplete, incomplete! So close…but incomplete! A destroyer of others…but not of himself!"

No, this demigod was not a true god of destruction! Not yet! Oh, not yet! The desire did not yet burn through his soul, fill his belly and lungs with succulent crimson, and splash from his open veins in triumphal blood-red song! He clung to life! He was afraid to be destroyed! A small defect in what was otherwise a magnum opus…yet so ugly! OH SO UGLY!

He had to fix it! The artwork he was so ready to worship! He had to fix it!

"I will fix you!" Sergey vowed, stepping towards Yuya, who backed away in terror, "I will fix you! I will fix you! I will fix you! I will fix you! I will fix you!"

He paused to fill what remained of his lungs with air.

"I WILL PERFECT YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOU!"

Sergey looked down at his field, and frowned.

"Yuu has given you despair when you were about to attain victory!" he bellowed, indicating the corrupted Raging Dragon. "Yet the note is discordant! It has not been played at the right time! He only wanted to paint a picture of the dead God's superiority! But I will honor you better, Destroyer! I will not end you when you are weak! I will crush you when you have your strength! MAGIC CARD! EARTHBOUND RECONSTRUCTION, HASUDO!"

In front of Sergey, the image of his Magic Card, which depicted a ziggurat rising from the ground in a haze of multi-colored light appeared before glowing with energy.

"Earthbound Reconstruction no kouka!" Sergey continued, "I activate one Field Spell Card from my graveyard and add one of my banished 'Earthbound' cards to my hand! Return, Earthbound Prisoner Dream Seer and rise up, Earthbound Ziggurat!"

Beneath Sergey's feet, the immense terraced temple of Earthbound Ziggurat rose into the air, carrying Sergey up in the air with it before the ghostly form of Dream Seer appeared next to Sergey and coalesced into a card in Sergey's hand.

"Earthbound Prisoner Dream Seer no kouka!" Sergey continued, "I discard this card in order to add one field spell card from my deck to my hand! DREAM VISION!"

Chucking the monster into his graveyard, Sergey plucked a card that popped out of his deck before showing it to Yuya and adding it to his hand.

"Earthbound Ziggurat no kouka!" Sergey continued, as the terraced pyramid began glowing with light, "Once per turn, I can Special Summon one 'Earthbound' monster from my graveyard! Return! Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon!"

Roaring, Sergey's monster rose up from the ground near the bottom of the pyramid before ascending the steps of the ziggurat and roaring in Yuya's direction.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 1500

"Field Maho, Earthbound Temple!" Sergey declared, slamming the card he had added to his hand with Dream Seer's effect onto his duel disk. Immediately upon activating the card, the ziggurat he was standing on began transforming, growing an altar on top and circular rotating stone calendars on the sides. "When this card is activated, I can add one 'Earthbound' card from my deck to my hand! I use this effect to add Earthbound Arisen from my deck to my hand. FURTHERMORE!" he suddenly shouted, causing Yuya to flinch, "Earthbound Temple's effect! I increase my life points by five-hundred for each 'Earthbound' monster I control!"

Sergey, Raging Dragon, and Geo Gryphon all glowed with energy as Sergey threw back his head. Slowly, the blackened ash of his skin began to repair itself, not returning to full health, but reknitting to more than a blackened ash.

Sergey Volkov: 500 + (500 X 2) = 1500 LP

The skin could feel now again! But not to feel the ugly dull drab mess of comfort! No! This was a splendid paradox! He had fixed himself, yes, but not to restore! NO! How could art be appreciated if one did not have eyes that saw!? How could he feel the pain that was to come without good enough skin!?

"Earthbound Temple no kouka!" Sergey continued, "I pay one-thousand life points in order to Special Summon an Earthbound Monster from my graveyard! Be reborn! Jibaku Kairei Geo Kraken!"

Sergey screamed in a mixture of pain and delight as a dark aura surrounded his body, causing his muscles to seize up. At the base of the temple, the ground erupted and Geo Kraken emerged into the air before joining Sergey and Geo Gryphon.

Sergey: 1500 – 1000 = 500 LP

Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 1200

"I will not lose!" Zarc rumbled weakly from within Yuya, against Yuya's will, "I will not become their slave!"

"Magic card, Earthbound Arisen, hasudo!" Sergey roared, "If there is a card in the Field Spell Card Zone, I can Dark Sacrifice one card from my side of the field or my hand and Special Summon one 'Earthbound' monster from my graveyard! Yuu left me with Earthbound Warden Demon Flogger! He would have me Dark Sacrifice this card to keep you weak, Destroyer! But I will make this duel beautiful! I Dark Sacrifice Earthbound Prisoner Spirit Sealer for this effect!"

"What?" Zarc asked from within Yuya, sounding astonished.

With a gasp, the darkness and markings faded from Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon before the dragon lashed out, leaped off of the temple and returned to Yuya's field, the card flying off of Sergey's duel disk and returning to Yuya's disk, the changes in the card now gone.

Supreme King Raging Dragon – Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon / DARK / Rank 7 / Dragon / Xyz / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 2500 / Scale 1

"Why would he give us back our monster?" Yuto asked, his spirit appearing beside Yuya before looking up at Sergey with confusion.

"Odd-Eyes…Dark Rebellion…you've come back…" Zarc murmured with a mixture of relief and confusion.

From up above, Sergey sneered at them.

"You see now, Destroyer!? Yuu would have used your own strength to destroy you. This would have been beautiful…BUT UNSIGHTLY! To strip you of your strength and then crush you!? DISGUSTING! But I have given you your strength…NOW BEHOLD MINE! Return now! Jibaku Kairei Geo Ogre!"

Roaring, Sergey's behemoth humanoid demon emerged from the ground at the base of the temple like a zombie before lumbering up the temple steps to stand next to Sergey and his other monsters.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Ogre / DARK / Rank 4 / Fiend / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000

"If that is your strength, then I am hardly impressed." Zarc growled through Yuya.

Sergey grinned at this.

"Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker no kouka!" Sergey declared, "I banish this card from my graveyard in order to target your Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon and Special Summon it!"

The phantasmal form of Line Walker rose up from Sergey's graveyard before wrapping around Raging Dragon, forming a ghostly membrane. At the top of the temple, Geo Kraken writhed in anticipation.

"Jibaku Kairei Geo Kraken no kouka!" Sergey roared, "I destroy your monster and inflict eight-hundred damage to your life points!"

"So that's the only reason he gave us back our monster…" Yuto groaned. "He was going to destroy it with Geo Kraken's effect from the beginning!"

"He is mocking me!" Zarc rumbled from within both Yuya and Yuto. "I will not allow it! TRAP HASUDO! SUPREME KING HOWLING! Since I control a face-up 'Supreme-King' monster, I negate the effects of all cards you control before reducing the ATK and DEF of all monsters whose effects were negated to zero!"

Screaming in pain, Yuya felt Zarc's power rise up within him in the form of a shadowy dragon, before the dragon howled at Sergey and his monsters, causing the temple's light to fade while Sergey's monsters slumped to the ground, succumbing to sudden weakness.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon: 0 ATK / 0 DEF / Effects Negated

Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken: 0 ATK / 0 DEF / Effects Negated

Earthbound Disciple Geo Ogre: 0 ATK / 0 DEF / Effects Negated

Earthbound Temple: Effects Negated

"That's your power!" Zarc snarled. "Now end your turn so that I can show you MINE!"

Sergey breathed in through his ruined nose, an ecstatic expression on his face.

"Yes…YES! Utsukushii! Utsukushii!" Sergey squealed. "Your confidence is back! You have your power now! You truly think that you cannot lose!"

"I NEVER LOSE!" Zarc bellowed through Yuya and Yuto.

"YOU WILL DIE AND BECOME PERFECT DESTRUCTION!" Sergey roared back, face twisted with maniacal glee. "EARTHBOUND WARDEN DEMON EXECUTIONER, SHOUKAN!"

Involuntarily, Yuya gasped as he recognized the monster Sergey summoned. A hooded demonic dwarf wearing a loin cloth, skin decorated with scars and crimson war paint, the monster from the video Roger had shown Yuya sauntered up next to Sergey before unsheathing a massive obsidian axe almost as big as its own body.

Earthbound Warden Demon Executioner / DARK / Level 4 / Fiend / Dark Tuner / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 0

"A dark tuner…" Yuto breathed.

"He's going to Dark Synchro Summon!" Yuya gasped.

"Earthbound Warden Demon Executioner no kouka!" Sergey declared, I target my Geo Gryphon in order to change its level to one and make Demon Executioner gain levels equal to the levels Geo Gryphon lost!"

Howling, Demon Executioner brought his axe down on Geo Gryphon, beheading the beast before inhaling through a ragged hole on his head, sucking up six white stars from the stump of Geo Gryphon's neck.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon: Level 1

Earthbound Warden Demon Executioner: Level 11

"YES! YES! YES!" Sergey murmured to himself, voice growing with excitement. "MORE! MORE! Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon, Earthbound Warden Demon Executioner DARK TUNE!"

Groaning, Earthbound Warden Demon Executioner exploded into a shower of eleven white orbs which flew into the corpse of Geo Gryphon before the body faded away, leaving behind ten black spheres, which orbited around an area of empty space, black lightning crackling between the orbs as Sergey began his summoning chant.

"Erupt from the ground and rise into the air to hunt down your victims and deliver unspeakable torment and evisceration! DARK SYNCHRO! Crush the bones of my opponent! Level negative ten! Jibaku Kairei Geo Marchosias!"

In an explosion of pitch-black shadow, an immense demon with the head and lower body of a wolf, upper body and arms of a silverback gorilla, and wings of an eagle emerged from the blackness before lines of white energy blazed to life on its pitch-black body. Baring its claws and fangs, Geo Marchosias unleashed a terrible tormented howl that shook the walls and ceiling of the building.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Marchosias / DARK / Level -10 / Fiend / Dark Synchro / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2000

Sergey was closing his eyes and waving his arms about like a music conductor as his demonic monster slavered at the mouth and snarled at anything that moved. Eyes snapping open, Sergey let out an incoherent scream before stretching his hand towards his graveyard.

"THE RISING ACTION! THE MUSIC MUST CRESCENDO! SILVER AND GOLD FOR THE DECORATIONS! SAVORY MEAT AND FRESH SQUEEZED LIMES FOR THE FEAST! SOFT SILK AND RUGGED PERSIAN CARPET FOR THE FURNISHINGS! NOW THE SECOND ACT BEGINS! BURN! BURN! BURN! BURN WITH THE SECOND ACT! EARTHBOUND WARDEN DEMON TASKMASTER NO KOUKA!"

Suddenly, Sergey's voice became a choked whisper as his eyes grew wide with anticipation.

"I banish this card from the graveyard in order to Dark Fission Summon, by subtracting Jibaku Kairei Geo Ogre from Jibaku Kairei Geo Krakken!"

Shrieking in pain, Geo Krakken melted into a colorless atom made of eight protons before Geo Ogre melted into a colorless puddle of four anti-neutrons which touched the surface of the eight-proton atom…

…before exploding into multi-colored light as Sergey began his summoning chant.

"Demon that terrorizes the earth, subtract your essence from the demon that crawls across the earth and unleash your power as the demonic champion of the Underworld! DARK FISSION! Shed the false form your human masters gave you and assume your true form! Level negative ten! Jibaku Kairei Geo Glasya Labolas!"

Erupting from the ground with its own purple geoglyph forming just beneath it, Sergey's next monster's appearance knocked Yuya back as it raised its immense body into the air. With four arms, tentacles around its waist, a pair of large wings, ram horns crowning its immense head, and violet lines of energy covering its body, the creature looked like nightmares made material.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Glasya Labolas / DARK / Level -10 / Fiend / Dark Fission / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 1800

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" Sergey screamed, a look of extreme desperation coming over his face before he stretched his hands towards his two monsters. "THE CLIMAX! THE CLIMAX! JIBAKU KAIREI GEO MARCHOSIAS! JIBAKU KAIREI GEO GLASYA LABOLAS! DARK OVERLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!"

Roaring in unison, Sergey's two Earthbound Disciples flew towards each other before compressing into an invisible singularity in the center of the field. Spiral mark on his chest blinking with madness, Sergey began his summoning chant.

"Rise up from the depths of the underworld to lead your legions of tormentors! Be reborn! The Marquis of Hell! DARK XYZ! Rank negative ten! Jibaku Kairei Geo Aamon!"

An immense baboon head with round black spider like eyes unfolded from the center of the singularity before the rest of the creature's body, which consisted of the frontal half of a wolf ending in the tentacled mass of seventy thick serpent tails emerged from the depths of the void to encompass the room, multi-colored lines of energy providing illumination. On its forehead and chest, a pair of immense black crystals shone through translucent patches of flesh.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Aamon / DARK / Rank -10 / Fiend / Dark Xyz / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2300 / Dark Overlay Units: 2

"Dark Synchro, Dark Fission, and Dark Xyz…" Yuya murmured.

"And not just these," Yuto added, "We've seen Dark Rite and Dark Anchor as well!"

"They have corrupted all the essences." Zarc rumbled from within. "I will not forgive them!"

"Geo Aamon no kouka!" Sergey proclaimed, raising his hands into the air, "I Special Summon both of Geo Aamon's Dark Overlay Units! EKAY! Torturer's legion!"

Throwing back its head, Geo Aamon let out a pained howl before the two crystals burst from its forehead and chest before expanding and unfolding into Geo Marchosias and Geo Glasya Labolas.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Marchosias / DARK / Level -10 / Fiend / Dark Synchro / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2000

Earthbound Disciple Geo Glasya Labolas / DARK / Level -10 / Fiend / Dark Fission / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 1800

"BATTLE!" Sergey roared. "Jibaku Kairei Geo Glasya Labolas, attack Supreme King Violent Dragon – Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon! DARK MIASMA!"

Throwing back its immense horned head, Glasya Labolas unleashed a multi-colored spray of dark shadow from its mouth in the direction of Raging Dragon.

"Glasya Labolas no kouka!" Sergey bellowed. "If it attacks a Special Summoned monster, that monster has its effects negated and ATK and DEF changed to zero!"

"Trap hasudo!" Zarc countered, managing to take control to activate another of his face-downs. "Supreme King Maneuver! If an opponent's monster declares an attack, I negate that monster's effects and Special Summon one 'Supreme King' monster from my graveyard or face-up from my Extra Deck! Return to me now! Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon!"

Rising up from a graveyard portal, Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon appeared in front of Raging Dragon before raising up his arms and deflecting the blast from Glasya Labolas before roaring at Glasya Labolas, causing the demon to cower back.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Glasya Labolas: Effects Negated

"CONTINUE THE ATTACK!" Sergey demanded, "JIBAKU KAIREI GEO GLASYA LABOLAS, DESTROY RAGING DRAGON!"

Obediently, the demon rushed forward with its claws bared, apparently not caring if it would also be taken out in a double K.O. Zarc, however, reacted faster and grabbed an Action Card.

"Action Magic, Miracle!" Zarc thundered. "I negate the destruction of my monster!"

Lashing out with claw and tusk, Raging Dragon cleaved through the ghostly body of Glasya Labolas, managing to decapitate the beast's head before its entire body exploded in a shower of sparks.

"Jibaku Kairei Geo Glasya Labolas no kouka!" Sergey roared. "I special summon two 'Earthbound' monsters from my graveyard! Resurrect! Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon and Jibaku Kairei Geo Kraken!"

Dust from the body of Glasya Labolas coalesced together into the two aforementioned monsters before the two creatures slammed onto the ground with a roar.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 1200

Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 1500

"Jibaku Kairei Geo Marchosias!" Sergey commanded, "Ekay! Attack Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon! BERSERKER AGONY!"

Dashing forward with its fangs bared, Marchosias charged towards Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon, but before it could reach the dragon, Rebellion Dragon fired a burst of supercharged lightning into the creature's body, obliterating it.

Sergey Volkov: 500 – 200 = 300 LP

"Jibaku Kairei Geo Marchosias and Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon no kouka!" Sergey roared. "Geo Gryphon destroys Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon! Ekay! Geo Gryphon!"

Shrieking, Geo Gryphon charged forward before lashing at Odd-Eyes Raging Dragon's neck, destroying the immense dragon.

"NO!" Zarc roared from within Yuya before Yuya reflexively strained against the dark god's essence. He could not stand it. The pain was becoming too much!

"GET OUT OF ME!" Yuya roared back, feeling the presence of Zarc fading.

"Stop resisting me and let me win!" Zarc roared back.

"LEAVE US!" Yuto roared back.

"AAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUGH!" Zarc bellowed.

"Jibaku Kairei Geo Marchosias no kouka!" Sergey roared with glee as he looked on the suffering of Yuya, Yuto, and Zarc, "Once per turn, if it is destroyed while there is a card in the field spell card zone, I can revive Geo Marchosias! Return! Geo Marchosias!"

Erupting from the ground, Geo Marchosias leapt onto the air before landing on the ground, causing the building to shudder even more.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Marchosias / DARK / Level -10 / Fiend / Dark Synchro / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 2000

"Furthermore!" Sergey continued, "If it is summoned this way, I negate the effects of all cards you control before choosing to either destroy all monsters you control or all Magic and Trap Cards you control! Say goodbye to your last facedown card! EKAY! GEO MARCHOSIAS! EARTHBOUND UNDERWORLD HOWLING!"

Jaws opening to reveal an immense demonic maw, Geo Marchosias let out an infernal howl, which caused the whole building to shudder before the last face-down card on Yuya's field exploded in a shower of dust.

"BATTLE!" Sergey roared in complete madness, "Jibaku Kairei Geo Marchosias! Attack Supreme King Black Dragon – Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon! BERSERKER'S AGONY!"

Yuya, Yuto, and Zarc immediately understood what Sergey planned to do and sprinted for an action card, determined to turn Sergey's suicidal rampage against him.

"Such beautiful resistance…" Sergey mused to himself, listening to the sweet music and savoring the sweet smell of the horror and destruction he was unleashing, "…your struggle is fantastic, Destroyer, but it is also…"

His immense cybernetic body thundered forward with a pair of rocket-propelled thrusters.

"UNSIGHTLY!"

Yuya was inches away from grabbing an action card, when the metallic body of Sergey slammed into them, sending them flying through a nearby wall. Off to the side, Geo Marchosias slammed into Rebellion Dragon before Rebellion Dragon sliced at the creature's neck, obliterating the demon.

Sergey Volkov: 300 – 200 = 100 LP

"EKAY! JIBAKU KAIREI GEO GRYPHON!" Sergey bellowed as his Earthbound Monster flew forward before striking down Odd-Eyes Rebellion Dragon.

"Odd…Eyes…" Yuya burbled, blood coming from his mouth as he barely managed to stretch his hand towards his monster. Within him, Zarc had completely faded, leaving him feeling empty and weak.

"JIBAKU KAIREI GEO AAMON!" Sergey roared, "DIRECT ATTACK!"

Rearing back its head, Geo Aamon unleashed a tornado of pitch-black energy from its maw, which tore through the structure of the building as it headed towards Yuya's body.

"DESTROYER RULING OVER DEATH AND AGONY! BECOME ONE WITH THE IDEAL YOU EMBODY BEFORE BEING REBORN!" Sergey proclaimed, basking in his impending victory.

"NEVER!" Aleisha roared, stepping in front of Yuya.

Sergey gasped, realizing that he had completely forgotten about the stinky stain of a duelist cowering in the corner. No! This wasn't right! This wasn't the victory he had composed! What was she doing ruining his work of art!?

"ACTION MAGIC!" Aleisha bellowed, "GREAT ESCAPE! THE BATTLE PHASE IS ENDED!"

No! This wasn't right! It wasn't beautiful anymore! His performance was being interrupted! Upstaged by someone with no culture! No class! It was ugly! Stinky! Repulsive! Vomit-inducing! He wanted to dig out his eyes! No! NO!"

Hummingbird mark glowing, Aleisha produced a sphere of black energy around herself and Yuya before Aamon's blast struck, sending them both flying out through the outer wall of the building.

Around Sergey, the walls and ceilings began to collapse, but the hulking cyborg stood still.

"Opponent's disconnected!" Sergey's duel disk announced. "Duel ended!"

Aleisha vs. Sergey vs. Yuya: NO CONCLUSION!

"No…" Sergey moaned, feeling the weight of his failure. "…I could…have made you…beautiful…"

A nearby support beam fell from the ceiling, landing on Sergey and sending him through the floor.

"The dead God…she dislikes…ugliness…" Sergey thought to himself as he fell. "She will not…be happy."

Yugo groaned as he picked himself up from the ground before looking at his surroundings.

"What…happened?" he gasped rubbing his forehead, which was pounding with an immense headache.

A sudden crazed whooping from up above caught his attention. Whipping his head around, he caught his opponent, Bandit, slowly descending to the city ground below by a large yellow parachute.

"OH MY GOSH! OH MY GOSH! THAT…WAS…AWESOME!" the girl cackled. "The way you pulled out that victory at the very end!? LEGEND! Of course, you did go a little crazy and blow me off my bike at the end there, BUT OH MY GOSH! Just you wait, Yugo! This isn't over! I'll be back to duel you again! And if I lose again, I'll just challenge you the next day! And the next day! AND THE NEXT DAY! And the next…!"

Mounting his bike, Yugo sped away as quickly as he possibly could.

"So-o…clo-ose…so-o…clo-ose…" Starve Venom weakly murmured from his card as Yuri picked himself up from the ground.

"No…" Yuri growled, feeling the power fading from him, "NO!" he repeated, slamming his fists into the roof of the skyscraper. He had almost completely forgotten about the mission the professor had given him. Why should he care anymore! He had tasted TRUE power! He knew he was just inches from being…completed! What would be the point of carrying on against so many weak opponents if he couldn't become one!?

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught a speeding D-Wheel…no…two D-Wheels…

Activating a function on his duel disk, Yuri looked through a holographic screen before zooming in on the two riders, separated by only a few tracks.

"Selena…" he breathed, staring at the first one…one of the girls he was tasked with capturing should Barrett fail…he looked at the data…Barrett had recently been defeated by Selena…but why should he care about her when…?

His heart skipped a beat when he saw who the second duelist was.

"Yugo…" Yuri breathed, a sudden hunger seizing him. Before, he had not given his Synchro counterpart much thought…but now…

"Yugo…darling!" he purred, licking his lips in anticipation.

"Clea-ear Wing-ing! Bro-oth-ther-er!" Starve Venom cackled with glee.

Half-way towards the Public Security Maintenance Bureau Headquarters, Selena suddenly saw the immense spiral mark vanish.

"Ray!?" she called, "What happened!?Ray?"

But the voice suddenly did not respond. Inside, Selena felt as if something had been abruptly snuffed out. Looking down at her bracelet, she saw the light dim.

"Ray?" Selena called one more time.

No answer.

Selena closed her eyes.

"Mission objective…" she told herself, "…investigate the anomaly and…"

And what?

She looked up at the immense skyscraper in the distance. Why had she been rushing to the building? What would she do when she got there? She was beginning to realize that whatever this voice, this Ray, was…she had not been very helpful.

The sound of an Antique Gear Giant toppling a skyscraper in the distance caught her attention.

"Mission objective," She murmured to herself, twisting her bike's accelerator, "regroup with the lancers and repel Academia's invasion! No more distractions! Nothing else matters, not even some kind of weird demonic god or angel!"

Nazca Lines: Peru

Amidst the shadows covering the face of the Nazca planes, a single light shone.

Aki felt Quetzalcoatl pouring his power into her as she unleashed her own psychic powers, enhanced by the Dragon Father's will, against the abominable Earthbound Temple in the center of the spiral geoglyph. In spite of the dark energy radiating from the geoglyph, in spite of the legions of familiars crying out against her and her comrades, she planted her feet firmly in the desert plains, renewing her Signer-enhanced psychic attack against the ziggurat's foundation until the pitch-black stones began to tremble.

"Its energy is fading!" Quetzalcoatl called from within Aki's mark. "Now, my daughter! Unleash your fury! Execrate this horror from the mortal plain!"

With a determined roar, Aki felt a rush of energy as her spiritual dragon companion, Black Rose, appeared in the air above her, before unfurling her petal wings and unleashing a gale of energy against the walls of the terraced pyramid.

"BE PURGED!" Black Rose roared from up above before unleashing a stream of black flame into the structure.

"ENOUGH!" The enraged voice of a primordial creator god mixed with the voice of her former comrade roared from the depths of the structure before a pillar of pitch-black shadow erupted from the top terrace of the pyramid. Around the pyramid, the spiral geoglyph lit up with multi-colored energy before an identical phantasmal mark appeared in the air above. Emerging from the pillar of shadow, Yuu appeared, eyes burning with rage. Raising a hand into the air, Yuu's marks lit up with energy before an invisible force pushed back against Aki's and Black Rose's attack, dispersing the black flame and pushing Aki back.

"To me!" Aki called to Black Rose, who obediently swooped down before transforming into a shower of gold dust and merging with a card in Aki's extra deck. Activating her duel disk, Aki looked up at the former signer before stepping forward.

"So, you've finally emerged from the Underworld." She called up. "It took you long enough."

"This was not an intelligent move, Aki." Yuu breathed, activating a circular duel disk with a multi-colored spiral mark on its face. "I warned you all what would happen if you trespassed here."

"This was inevitable, Yuu." Aki icily replied, "You knew we'd never stand by and just let you and your god destroy the universe."

"True." Yuu replied. "And now for the sake of that same universe you claim I want to destroy, I must eliminate you, old friend."

"DUEL!" Aki called.

"MAQANAKUY!" (duel!) Yuu and Ch'askancha called in Quechua as the spiral mark in the sky swelled to ten times its size.

FEATURED FAN CHARACTERS (in order of who's the most "shippable")

#6: Name: Yuu Hashimoto / Original Concept by: Donjusticia / Affiliation: Earthbound / Deck: Unknown (but probably pure B.S.) / Status: Active / Reason for the number 6 spot: He made a bet with Aleisha that he could be more repulsively unshippable than her. He won.

#5: Name: Aleisha Claire / Original Concept by: Donjusticia / Affiliation: Earthbound (Cult of Carly and Aslla) / Deck: Carly's Fortune Lady Deck / Status: Unknown / Reason for the number 5 spot: Despite her best efforts to defeat Yuu, she still managed to be attractive to cold-blooded reptiles. / Trivia: I have two aunts, one named Melissa and the other Aleisha. When I first saw Melissa Claire, this concept immediately came to mind. Speaking of which…WHERE THE HECK DID MELISSA GO!? Oh well, I'm sure we'll find out eventually.

#4: Name: Gamma 626 / Original Concept by: Roger…this was seriously one of the best characters he created / Affiliation: Roger's Regime / Deck: Skiel Mark II / Status: In the place where all robots go when they die. / Reason for the number 4 spot: Come on people! How many of you wouldn't want to cuddle up with a heartless dictatorial police drone at least once?

#3: Name: Ti'ika Sara / Original Concept by: The Incans / Affiliation: Earthbound (Cultivation Clan) / Deck: Dark Seeds / Status: Demanding that worshipful fan art be made of her this instant! / Reason for the number 3 spot: You can ship her, but the FBI will break down your door and apprehend you for your lewd fan art depicting a young and innocent three-million year old goddess.

#2: Name: Yene Paryaqaqa / Original Concept by: Some peon nation under the authority of the Incan Empire / Affiliation: Earthbound (Stormbringer Clan) / Deck: Abyssal Sea Creatures / Status: Posing for his fan-art / Reason for the number 2 spot: WHAT!? ONLY NUMBER TWO!? WHO THE HECK BEAT HIM!?

#1: Name: Bandit / Original Concept by: Donjusticia / Affiliation: Academia / Deck: Gun Dragons / Status: Stocking Yugo / Reason for the number 1 spot: She just too adowable not to be put here! / Trivia: Almost all of the coin results shown in the duel were decided by a virtual coin thrower. She really is THAT lucky.

#0: Name: Our Holy God, The Will of the Universe, Ch'askancha / Original Concept by: Ch'askancha has no creator. Ch'askancha was, is, and will forever be. / Affiliation: Ch'askancha affiliates with none, all affiliates with Ch'askancha. / Deck: Not to be spoken of by the unworthy. / Status: Above all. / Reason for the number 0 spot: ALL PRAISE CH'ASKANCHA! OUR LORD! OUR MASTER! THE UNBEDNING ETERNAL WILL! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA! ALL HAIL CH'ASKAHNCHA!

FEATURED FAN CARDS (In order of the most clunky and impractical in real life)

Yugo's Monsters

Speedroid Frisbeetron / WIND / Level 1 / Machine / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 200 / If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 1 "Speedroid" monster from your deck except "Speedroid Frisbeetron". (You can only use this effect of "Speedroid Frisbeetron" once per turn).

Speedroid Dungeon Dice / WIND / Level 2 / Machine / Tuner / Effect / ATK 400 / DEF 200 / You can Special Summon this card if you control a face-up WIND Synchro monster. If this card is summoned: You can tribute this card; Roll a six sided dice and activate one of the following effects based on the result rolled.
1-2: Special Summon 1 "Speedroid" Monster from your deck whose Level is equal to the dice result.
3-4: Add 1 "Speedroid" Monster from your deck to your hand whose Level is equal to the dice result.
5-6: Draw 1 card.
If you Synchro Summon a WIND Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck: You can banish this card from your GY; Add 1 Spell/Trap Card from your deck to your hand that requires a dice to be rolled.

Yugo's Extra Deck

Hi-Speedroid Dragon-Eyed Dice / WIND / Level 2 / Machine / Synchro / Tuner / Effect / ATK 200 / DEF 2000 / 1 "Speedroid" Tuner + 1 non-Tuner
If this card is Synchro Summoned: You can target 1 WIND monster in your GY: Special Summon it. You can target 1 monster you control to declare a Level between 1 and 12; That target's Level becomes the declared Level until the End-Phase. During either player's turn, you can: Immediately after this effect resolves; Synchro Summon 1 monster using cards you control, including this card.

(Original Concept by FanOfKings)

Yugo's Spell/Trap Cards

Speed Beacon / Trap / Normal / If an opponent's monster declares an attack: Special Summon 1 "Speedroid" monster from your hand or deck. You can banish this card from the GY and roll a six-sided dice; Special Summon 1 "Speedroid" monster from your GY whose level is equal to the Level of the result rolled. (If no "Speedroid" monsters in your GY have a Level equal to the result, lose half your LP instead).

Angel Conductor / Spell / Normal / Speed / If you have 4 or more Speed Counters and control no monsters: Draw 2 cards, and if you do, discard 1 card.

Dice-Shield / Trap / Continuous / Activate this card by targeting 1 face-up monster you control. Roll a six-sided dice; Place 1 Shield Counter on this card equal to the dice result, also, increase the ATK of that monster by 200 X the dice result (this ATK and DEF change remains even if this card leaves the field). If this card or the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle or removed from the field by a card effect, you can remove 1 Shield Counter from this card instead. If the equipped monster would be destroyed, you can tribute this card instead.

The Start of the Storm / Spell / Normal / Speed / Activate only if you have 5 or more Speed Counters. Pay 3 Speed Counters; Special Summon 2 Monsters (1 Tuner and 1 Non-Tuner) from your GY. (You cannot Normal Summon during the turn you activate this card). If a WIND Synchro Monster you control would be destroyed, banish this card from your GY instead.

Armageddice/ Spell/ Quick-Play/ Speed/ Pay 4 Speed Counters; Roll a 6-sided dice, and if you do, destroy cards on the field equal to the result. During the turn this effect was activated: You can banish this card from the GY; Special Summon 1 "Armageddice Token" (Machine-Type/WIND/Tuner/ATK 0/DEF 0). ("Armageddice Token's" Level is equal to the result rolled for this card's first effect, also, a monster Synchro Summoned using "Armageddice Token" cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect once per turn). (Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to the activation of this card or its effects).

(Original concept by bladeWriter3).

Bandit's Monsters

Extra Clip Dragon / DARK / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 2000 / You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) if you control a DARK Machine-Type Monster. If this card is summoned: You can activate 1 "Proton Blast" from your deck. Once per turn, if you activate a monster effect that requires a dice roll; You can target that monster to toss a number of coins equal to the number of coins that would be tossed for that monster's dice effect. After tossing coins for the target's effect, you can replace the coin results with the coin results tossed for this card's effect.

Bandit's Extra Deck

Back-Alley Bandit Gambler / EARTH / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Fusion / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 800 / Gambler of Legend + Sand Gambler
If your opponent activates a card or effect: You can toss a coin; If the result is heads, negate the activation of that effect, and if you do, destroy it. If the result is tails, destroy this card. If this card would be destroyed (by battle or card effect): You can toss a coin; If the result is Heads, this card is not destroyed, also, you take no battle damage from battles involving this card for the rest of this turn.

Bandit's Spell/Traps

Speed Invasion / Spell / Turbo Field / Activate this Card at the start of the duel. Unaffected by card effects. If a player activates a non-Speed Spell: That player takes 2000 Damage. The player to reach checkpoint 1 goes first. Each time a player Special Summons a monster from the Extra Deck: They place 1 of their Speed Counters on this Card. During each End-Phase: Each player places 1 of their own Speed Counters on this Card. If a player takes Damage: He/She removes 1 of his/her Speed Counters from this Card for every 1000 points of damage taken.

Reckless Boost / Spell / Quick-Play / Speed / Toss a coin; If the result is heads, gain 4 Speed Counters. If the result is tails, lose 4 Speed Counters.

Trick Coin / Spell / Quick-Play / Speed / If you toss a coin: pay 1 Speed Counter; Change the coin toss to the other result. You can pay 1 Speed Counter: Add this Card from yourGY to your hand.

Risky Investment / Spell / Quick-Play / Speed / Toss a coin: If the result is heads, add up to 2 "Trick Coin" from your deck or GY to your hand, and gain 2 Speed Counters for each "Trick Coin" Added to your hand with this effect. If tails: Discard 2 cards in your hand, and if you do, lose 2 Speed Counters.

Fusion Enlistment / Trap / Normal / If a monster you control is destroyed: You can reveal 1 Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck; Add all Fusion Materials listed on that Fusion Monster from your deck to your hand, and if you do, you can add 1 "Polymerization" or "Fusion" Spell/Trap Card from your deck to your hand.

Gambler's Draw / Trap / Normal / Toss a coin; Activate 1 of the following effects depending on the result:
Heads: Draw 3 Cards
Tails: Pay 3000 LP (This is not optional).

Desperado Chance / Trap / Counter / If a monster with a coin-tossing effect was destroyed this turn or your opponent declares an attack against a monster you control with a coin-tossing effect: Special Summon 1 Monster with a coin-tossing effect from your hand, deck, or GY, and if you do, toss a coin. If the result is heads, that monster cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect, also, its ATK is doubled. If the result is tails, halve the ATK of that monster, also, it cannot activate its effects. While the monster summoned by this effect is face-up on your side of the field, your opponent cannot target other monsters you control for attacks.

Yuri's Extra Deck

Scourge Venom Fusion Dragon / DARK / Level 11 / Dragon / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3500 / DEF 2800 / 1 Level 8 or higher DARK Dragon-Type Fusion Monster You Control + 2 non-token DARK monsters on the field
Must be Fusion Summoned using the above Fusion Materials and cannot be summoned other ways. Once per turn, you can have this card gain ATK equal to the combined ATK of all other Special Summoned monsters on the field until the Standby-Phase of your next turn. Once per turn, you can target 1 monster on the field: Negate that target's effects, and if you do, this card gains the effects of that monster until the end of the turn. If this card is destroyed: Destroy all monsters on the field, inflict damage to your opponent's LP equal to the original ATK of the monsters destroyed, and Special Summon this Card (Ignoring its Summoning Conditions).

Yuri's Spell/Traps

Predator Gardening / Spell / Normal / Tribute 2 DARK monsters you control; Special Summon 2 "Predator Plants" Monsters from your deck. (You can only activate 1 "Predator Gardening" per turn).

Nonchalance Shield / Trap / Normal / Target 1 monster on the field: Until the end of this turn, that target cannot be targeted for attacks or by other card effects.

(Generic, lazy, and uninspired. What more could you want from a fan card?)

Gamma 626's Monsters

Skiel Top Mark II/ WIND/ Level 2/ Machine/ Effect/ ATK 600/ DEF 0/ If you do not control a face-up "Meklord Enforcer" monster, destroy this card. Once per turn: You can add 1 "Skiel" monster from your deck to your hand. You can discard this card from your hand: Add 1 "Sky Core Mark II" from your deck to your hand.

Meklord Army of Skiel Mark II / WIND / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1000 / If you control no monsters or control a "Meklord" or "Skiel" Monster: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. Increase the ATK of this card by 200 for each "Meklord" and "Skiel" Card on the field. If this card is destroyed (by battle or card effect) and sent to the GY; You can Special Summon 1 "Meklord Army" Monster from your deck OR return this card from your GY to your hand. You can equip this card (From your hand) to 1 "Skiel" Monster you control as an Equip Spell Card with this effect.
*Increase the ATK and DEF of the Equipped monster by 200 for each monster you control. If the equipped monster would be destoyed, you can destroy this card instead.

Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II/ WIND/ Level 2/ Machine/ Effect/ ATK 0/ DEF 0/ This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the total ATK of all other face-up "Skiel" monsters you control. Cannot be targeted by your opponent's card effects. Once per turn, you can target 1 Special Summoned monster your opponent controls: Equip that target to this card. This card gains ATK equal to half the original ATK of the monster equipped to this card with its own effects, and gains an additional 1000 ATK if that monster was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck. You can only equip 1 monster at a time to this card with this effect. Once per turn, if a monster equipped to this card is sent to the GY: You can target that monster; Equip that target to this card. You can only control 1 "Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II."

Skiel Top Mark II/ WIND/ Level 2/ Machine/ Effect/ ATK 600/ DEF 0/ If you do not control a face-up "Meklord Enforcer" monster, destroy this card. Once per turn: You can target 1 monster in your opponent's GY; Equip that target to a face-up "∞" monster you control. While that card is equipped, that face-up "∞" monster gains 500 ATK. You can discard this card from your hand: Add 1 "Sky Core Mark II" from your deck to your hand.

Skiel Guard Mark II/ WIND/ Level 2/ Machine/ Effect/ ATK 200/ DEF 300/ If you do not control a face-up "Meklord Enforcer" monster, destroy this card. Once per turn, if a "Skiel" monster you control is selected as an attack target, you can negate the attack. You can discard this card from your hand: Add 1 "Sky Core Mark II" from your deck to your hand.

Skiel Attack Mark II/ WIND/ Level 2/ Machine/ Effect/ ATK 1000/ DEF 0/ If you do not control a face-up "Meklord Enforcer" monster, destroy this card. You can discard this card from your hand: Add 1 "Sky Core Mark II" from your deck to your hand. You can send 1 card equipped to a "Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II" you control to the graveyard: Face up "Meklord Enforcer Skiel ∞ Mark II" you control can attack your opponent's LP directly this turn.

Skiel Carrier Mark II/ WIND/ Level 2/ Machine/ Effect/ ATK 400/ DEF 0/ If you do not control a face-up "Meklord Enforcer" monster, destroy this card. If a "Skiel" monster you control destroys an opponent's monster by battle: Inflict 200 damage to the controller of that monster. You can discard this card from your hand: Add 1 "Sky Core Mark II" from your deck to your hand.

Gamma 626's Spell/Traps

The Invincible Meklord Army / Spell / Continuous / Face-up Attack Position "Meklord Army" Monsters you control gain 1000 ATK, also, any battle damage they inflict is halved. During your opponent's turn, if a "Meklord" Monster you control is targeted for an attack: You can Tribute this card; Activate 1 "The Resolute Meklord Army" From your hand, deck, or GY.

Core Implosion / Spell / Normal / Special Summon 1 Machine-Type "Core" Monster from your GY, and if you do, destroy it.

Selena / Ray's Monsters

Moonlight Fennec / LIGHT / Level 2 / Beast-Warrior / Pendulum / Scale 0 / ATK 400 / DEF 2000 /
Pendulum Effect: (Unless you control another "Moonlight" monster in your other Pendulum Zone, this card's Pendulum Scale becomes 4). Any battle damage you take from battles involving a "Moonlight" monster you control is halved. You can return 1 "Polymerization" or "Fusion" Spell/Trap Card in your GY to your hand; Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone. (You can only use this effect of "Moonlight Fennec" once per turn).
Monster Effect / Cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect once per turn.

Moonlight Kitten / LIGHT / Level 1 / Beast-Warrior / Pendulum / Scale 7 / ATK 600 / DEF 300/ Pendulum Effect: You cannot Pendulum Summon monsters except "Moonlight" monsters. (This effect cannot be negated). You can destroy 1 face-up "Moonlight" Pendulum Card you control: Add 1 "Moonlight" Pendulum Card from your Deck or Face-Up from your Extra Deck to your hand. (You can only use this effect of "Moonlight Kitten" once per turn).

Monster Effect: You can tribute this card: Special Summon 1 "Moonlight" monster from your Deck except "Moonlight Kitten". (You can only use this effect of "Moonlight Kitten" once per turn).

(I NEED MY FAN-ART OF THIS CARD!)

Moonlight Sand Cat / LIGHT / Level 4 / Beast-Warrior / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 700 / Left Scale 6 / Right Scale 3 /

Pendulum Effect: If this card is activated while you control a "Moonlight" Monster in your other Pendulum Zone: You can excavate the top 3 cards of your deck; Add 1 excavated "Moonlight" Card to your hand, and send all other cards excavated by this effect to the GY. If no "Moonlight" Cards were excavated by this effect, shuffle all cards excavated by this effect into the deck.

Monster Effect: If this card is removed from the field and sent to the Extra Deck: You can activate this effect; Add 1 of your banished "Moonlight" cards to your hand.

Lunalight Gold Lynx/ DARK/ Level 6/ Beast-Warrior/ ATK 1500/ DEF 1400/ If you control no monsters or the only monsters you control are "Lunalight" monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your hand or graveyard. If this card is Summoned, you can target 1 card on the field: Destroy it, and if you do, send 1 "Lunalight" monster from your deck to the GY. You can Banish 1 card from your Graveyard to target 1 "Lunalight" monster in your Graveyard, face-up in your Extra Deck, or that is currently banished: Special Summon that target. (You can only use each effect of "Lunalight Gold Lynx" once per turn).

(BROKEN!)

Moonlight Green Peahen / DARK / Level 5 / Beast-Warrior / ATK 1400 / DEF 1900 / During either player's turn, can Special Summon this card (from your hand) by banishing 1 "Polymerization" or "Moonlight" Spell/Trap card from your Graveyard. Once per turn, during either player's turn, you can reveal 1 "Moonlight" Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck: Until the End of this turn, this card's name becomes the name of the revealed Fusion Monster. Once per turn, you can Fusion Summon 1 "Moonlight" monster from your Extra Deck using monsters from your side of the field or Hand as Fusion Materials (This is a quick effect).

Selena / Ray's Extra Deck

Moonlight Leopard Dancer / DARK / Level 8 / Beast-Warrior / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000 / 1 "Moonlight" Fusion monster + 1 "Moonlight" monster
Cannot be destroyed by battle. Once per turn, during your Main Phase 1, you can tribute 1 "Moonlight" monster you control: Each monster your opponent controls cannot be destroyed by battle once per turn, also this card can attack all monster your opponent controls, twice each. These changes last until the end of this turn. Negate the effects of any monster this card battles, including in the graveyard.

Moonlight Jaguar Dancer / DARK/ Level 9/ Beast-Warrior/ Fusion/ Effect/ ATK 3000/ DEF 2500/ "Moonlight Leopard Dancer" + 1 "Moonlight" monster
Must be Fusion Summoned with the above Fusion Materials and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. Cannot be destroyed by your opponent's card effects. During the Damage Step, if this card attacks a monster, increase this card's ATK by the original ATK of the monster it is battling until the end of the turn. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle, inflict damage to your opponent's LP equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster in the Graveyard.

Selena / Ray's Spell/Trap Cards

Moonlight Fusion Dance/ Trap/ Normal/ Fusion Summon 1 "Moonlight" monster from your Extra Deck using cards on your side of the field or hand as Fusion Materials or by banishing monsters from your Graveyard. You can banish this card from your Graveyard: Add 1 "Polymerization" or "Moonlight" Spell/Trap card from your Graveyard to your hand.

Moonlight Ambush Dance/ Trap/ Counter/ If your opponent activates a card/effect while you control a "Moonlight" monster, you can discard 1 "Moonlight" monster from your hand: Negate the activation of that card/effect, and if you do, destroy it. If you control a "Moonlight" Fusion Monster, you can activate this effect without discarding a card.

Moonlight Battle Dance / Trap / Normal / Activate only during the Battle-Phase of either player's turn. Until the end of the Battle-Phase of the turn this card was activated, "Moonlight" monsters you control are unaffected by your opponent's monster effects and cannot be destroyed by battle. You can banish this card from your Graveyard: Increase the ATK of 1 "Moonlight" monster you control by 1000 until the end of the turn.

Moonlight Ray / Spell / Quick-Play / Speed / If your opponent activates the effect of a Spell, Trap, or Monster while you control a "Moonlight" monster: Negate the effects of that card, and if you do, until the end of this turn, "Moonlight" monsters you control are unaffected by your opponent's card effects.

(Original Concept by bladeWriter3)

Barrett's Monsters

Construction Sentinel / DARK / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1400 / If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. (You can only Special Summon "Construction Sentinel" once per turn this way. If this card is Special Summoned, you can reveal 1 "Beastborg" Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck to activate this effect: Send 1 "Polymerization" or "Beastborg" Spell Card from your Deck to your GY, and if you do, Fusion Summon the revealed monster, using monster you control and in your hand as Fusion Materials, including this card. If this card is used as Fusion Material for the Fusion Summon of a "Beastborg" Fusion Monster: The summoned monster gains the following effect. (You can only use each effect of Construction Sentinel" per turn.)
If it is summoned: You can place 1 "Beastborg" Continuous Trap card from your Deck or GY face-up in your Spell/Trap Zone.

(Original concept by bladeWriter3)
Command Sentinel / DARK / Level 6 / Machine / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000 / You can Special Summon this card if you control a face-up "Beastborg" Card. If Summoned this way: You can add 1 DARK Machine-Type "Sentinel" Monster from your deck to your hand.

Messenger Sentinel/ DARK/ Level 3/ Machine/ Effect/ ATK 800/ DEF 200/ If you control a "Beastborg" card: You can send this card from your hand or side of the field to the GY; add 1 Beast-Warrior-Type monster or 1 DARK Machine-Type "Sentinel" monster from your Deck to your hand. (You can only use this effect of "Messenger Sentinel" once per turn.)

(Original concept by bladeWriter3)

Guardian Sentinel/ DARK/ Level 4/ Machine/ Effect/ ATK 700/ DEF 1400/ If a "Beastborg" Fusion Monster or a Beast-Warrior Type monster you control is targeted for an attack, you can send this card from your hand to your GY to activate this effect: This turn, you take no battle damage involving that monster. If you Fusion Summon a "Beastborg" Fusion Monster while this card is in your GY: You can add it to your hand, but you cannot activate this card's other effect. (You can only use each effect of "Guardian" Sentinel once per turn).

(Original concept by bladeWriter3)
Barrett's Extra Deck

Beastborg Panzer Puma / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 1500 /
1 Level 6 Beast-Warrior-Type Monster + 1 Level 6 Machine-Type Monster
When this card is Fusion Summoned Successfully: You can add 1 Beast-Warrior or Machine-Type Monster from your deck to your hand. You can discard 1 Beast-Warrior or Machine-Type Monster from your hand to target 1 card your opponent controls; Destroy it. If this card is destroyed by battle and all the Fusion Materials used in its Fusion Summon are in your GY; You can Special Summon all of them.

Beastborg Bull Jeager/ DARK/ Level 6/ Machine/ Fusion/ Effect/ ATK 2000/ DEF 1700/ 1 Level 4 or Lower Beast-Warrior-Type monster + 1 Level 4 or Lower Machine-Type Monster
If a "Beastborg" monster you control attacks a defense position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent's LP. "Beastborg" Monsters you control gain 400 ATK. If this card is destroyed by battle and all the Fusion Materials that were used in its Fusion Summon are in your graveyard: You can Special Summon all of them.

Beastborg Machina King Barbaros Ür Omega / DARK / Level 10 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 4000 / DEF 3800 /
Beast Machine King Barbaros Ür + 1 "Beastborg" Fusion Monster
Once per turn: You can Fusion Summon 1 "Beastborg" Monster from your Extra Deck by shuffling monsters from your GY into the deck as Material. If a "Beastborg" Monster is Fusion Summoned successfully to your side of the field: You can activate this effect; Set 1 "Beastborg" Trap Card from your deck to your side of the field. This card can attack each monster your opponent controls, once each.

Barrett's Spell/Traps

Speed Invasion (already covered effects so I am not doing it again!)

Beastborg Fabricator / Spell / Speed / Pay 2 Speed Counters; Fusion Summon 1 "Beastborg" Monster by banishing Materials from your side of the field, hand, or GY. You can banish this card from your GY and pay 2 Speed Counters; Fusion Summon 1 "Beastborg" Monster from your Extra Deck, by banishing monsters in your GY as Material.

(Original concept by bladeWriter3)

Overdrive Booster / Spell / Quick-Play / Speed / Activate only if your opponent takes battle or effect damage. Pay up to 2 Speed counters: Draw cards equal to the number of counters removed. You can only activate 1 "Overdrive Booster" per turn.
Beastborg Barracks / Trap / Continuous / You cannot Normal Summon Monsters. Once per turn: You can Fusion Summon 1 "Beastborg" Monster from your Extra Deck by banishing monsters you control, in your hand, or in your GY as Material. If this card is destroyed: You can add 1 "Beastborg" Spell/Trap Card from your deck to your hand.

Beastborg Recycler / Trap / Continuous / You cannot Normal Summon Monsters. Once per turn: You can Fusion Summon 1 "Beastborg" Monster from your Extra Deck or GY by returning your banished monsters to your GY as Material. If this card is destroyed: You can set 1 "Beastborg" Spell/Trap Card (Except "Beastborg Recycler") from your GY to your side of the field.

Beastborg Medal of the White Cross / Trap / Continuous / If you take battle or effect damage: You can place 1 Medal Counter on this card for every 100 points of damage you took. Once per turn: You can activate 1 of the following effects.
1. Remove 4 Medal Counters from this card; Draw 1 card.
2. Remove 6 Medal Counters from this card to target 1 "Beastborg" monster in your GY; Special Summon it.

Beastborg Medal of the Titanium Chain/ Trap/ Continuous/ You cannot Special Summons monsters, except "Beastborg" monsters. Cannot be destroyed while you control a "Beastborg" Fusion Monster. Negate the effects of all monsters your opponent controls, also your opponent cannot activate monster effects. (You can only control 1 "Beastborg Medal of the Titanium Chain).

(bladeWriter3's idea! Not mine!)

Yuya / Yuto / Zarc's Monsters

Monochrome Magician / DARK / Level 1 / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 2000 / Scale 0 / Pendulum Effect/ Unless you control "Spectrum Magician" in your other Pendulum Zone: This card's Pendulum Scale becomes 5, also the following effects are negated. All battle damage you take involving Pendulum Monsters you control and monsters that were either summoned by tributing at least 1 Pendulum Monster or summoned from the Extra Deck using at least 1 Pendulum Monster as Material becomes 0. Your opponent cannot activate cards or effects in response to the summon of Pendulum Monsters or the Summon of monsters that were summoned either by tributing only Pendulum Monsters or that used only Pendulum Monsters as Material.
Monster Effect/ During either player's turn, you can activate this effect: Banish both this card and 1 "Spectrum Magician" you control, and if you do, this turn, your opponent cannot activate Spell/Trap cards or the effects of Spell/Trap Cards. Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to the activation of this effect. (You cannot activate the effect of "Spectrum Magician" this turn).

(bladeWriter3's card)

Spectrum Magician/ LIGHT/ Level 7/ Spellcaster/ Pendulum/ Effect/ ATK 2500/ DEF 0/ Scale 10/ Pendulum Effect/ Unless you control "Monochrome Magician" in your other Pendulum Zone: This card's Pendulum Scale becomes 5, also the following effects are negated. Pendulum monsters and monsters you control that were summoned by either tributing only Pendulum Monsters or used only Pendulum Monsters as Material cannot be destroyed once per turn. Once per turn, during either player's turn, you can activate this effect: Ritual, Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Summon 1 monster from either your hand or Extra Deck, using only Pendulum Monsters you control as Material.
Monster Effect/ During either player's turn, you can activate this effect: Banish both this card and 1 "Monochrome Magician" you control, and if you do, this turn, your opponent cannot activate monster effects or summon monsters. Cards and effects cannot be activated in response to this effect. (You cannot activate the effect of "Monochrome Magician" the turn you activate this effect).

(bladeWriter3's card)
Chameleon Magician/ DARK/ Level 3/ Spellcaster/ Pendulum/ Effect/ ATK 800/ DEF 1600/ Scale 2/ Pendulum Effect: You can target 1 monster you control; for the rest of this turn, the original Attribute of all other monsters you control becomes the same as the Attribute of the targeted monster. You can only activate this Pendulum Effect of "Chameleon Magician" once per turn./ Monster Effect: Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can activate this effect; Target 1 monster you control, all other monsters you control become the same Type as that monster until the end of this turn.

(Everyone give a round of applause to Asui from "Boku no Hero Academia" for volunteering to cameo in this chapter. Also, yes, this is a bladeWriter3 card).

Smile Magician/ LIGHT/ Level 1/ Spellcaster/ Pendulum/ Effect/ ATK 0/ DEF 0/ Scale 0/ Pendulum Effect/ Once per turn, during either player's turn, you can activate this effect: All monsters on the the field gain ATK equal to the total number of monsters on the field X100, also no player takes any damage this turn. (These changes last until the end of this turn.)

Monster Effect/ If you Special Summon an "Entermate," "Magician," or "Odd-Eyes" monster (other than by Pendulum Summon): You can Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, you can make this card's Level become the same as 1 other monster you control. (You can only Special Summon 1 "Smile Magician" per turn this way.) If you Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Summon while this card is face-up in your Extra Deck, you can activate this effect: Banish this card, and if you do, gain LP equal to the total number of monsters on the field at the time of this effect's resolution X100. (You can only use this effect of "Smile Magician" once per turn.)

(The DNA test results show that this is bladeWriter3's child. Not mine.)

The Phantom Knights of Divided Tapestry / DARK / Level 2 / Warrior / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 2000 / Scale 5 /

Pendulum Effect / If this card is activated: You can Special Summon 1 "Phantom Knights" Trap Card that can Special Summon itself as a monster from your deck or GY, treating it as if it were Special Summoned by its own effect.

Monster Effect / If you take damage: You can banish this card and 1 other "The Phantom Knights of Divided Tapestry" card from your GY; Draw 1 card for every 1000 points of difference between you and your opponent's LP. (You can only use this effect of "The Phantom Knights of Divided Tapestry" once per turn).

The Phantom Knights of Compassionate Necromancer / DARK / Level 8 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2800 / Scale 1 /

Pendulum Effect / Once per turn: You can target 1 DARK Xyz Monster you control; It is treated as having a Level equal to its rank. (If it is used as a an Xyz Material for the Xyz Summon of a DARK monster, any materials attached to that monster become Xyz Materials on the summoned monster).

Monster Effect / You can Special Summon this card (From your hand) by banishing 3 "Phantom Knights" Trap Cards with different names from your side of the field or GY. If Special Summoned with this effect, this card's Level becomes 4. Once per turn: You can Special Summon 1 "Phantom Knights" Monster from your GY. If this card is in your GY or face-up in your Extra Deck when your opponent targets a "Phantom Knights" card you control with a card effect: You can banish this card; Negate that card or effect, and if you do, destroy it.

Yuya / Yuto / Zarc's Extra Deck (Both of these cards are compliments of bladeWriter3).

Karma Paladin/ DARK/ Level 8/ Spellcaster/ Fusion/ Effect/ ATK 2500/ DEF 2000/ 3 Spellcaster monsters
If this card is Fusion Summoned using a "Magician' Pendulum Monster as Material: You can target 1 Trap Card in your GY; add it to your hand. If a monster is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can banish a card in your GY; apply one of the following effects.
*Draw 1 card.
*Gain 1000 LP.

Reincarnation Paladin/ DARK/ Rank 4/ Spellcaster/ Xyz/ Effect/ ATK 2500/ DEF 2000/ 2 Level 4 Spellcaster monsters
If this card is Xyz Summoned using a "Magician" Pendulum Monster as Material: You can target 1 Monster Card in your GY; add it to your hand. If a monster you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can detach 1 Material from this card; Special Summon, from your hand or Deck, 1 Monster with the same Type, Attribute and Level as the destroyed monster. You can only use each effect of "Reincarnation Paladin" once per turn.

Yuya / Yuto / Zarc's Spell/Trap Cards

Entermate Performance Shuffle / Spell / Normal/ Shuffle 2 "Entermate" cards you control into your Deck to target up to 3 cards your opponent controls; Destroy those targets. If your opponent controlled more cards than you at the time of this effects activation, and the cards shuffled into your Deck by this effect were Pendulum Cards, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects in response to the activation of this card or its effects. You can only activate 1 "Entermate Performance Shuffle" per turn.

(bladeWriter3's card)

Pendulum Swing-Back / Discard 1 Card; Special Summon 1 Pendulum Monster face-up from your Extra Deck.

Paladin's Vow/ Spell/ Continuous/ Destroy this card if you do not control either Spellcaster Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Monster. At the end of the Damage Step in which a Spellcaster-Type monster you control declared an attack on an opponent's monster, you can activate this effect: Target 1 Spellcaster-Type monster you control; that target gains ATK equal to the difference between that target's original and current ATK, until the end of the Battle Phase. During either player's turn: You can Tribute this card to target 1 monster you control; that target gains ATK equal to half the combined Original ATK of all Spellcaster-Type monsters you control, until the end of this turn.

(bladeWriter3's card)

The Phantom Knights of Forgotten Vows / Trap / Counter / If a Spell/Trap Card(s) you control would be destroyed: You can activate this card; Special Summon up to 2 "Phantom Knights" Monsters from your deck or GY to your side of the field. Monsters summoned by this effect cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect this turn. If an opponent's monster declares an attack while this card is in your GY and you have 1000 or fewer LP: You can banish this card and discard 1 Spell/Trap Card from your hand to target 1 of the monsters summoned by this card's effect; Until the end of this turn, your opponent can only attack the monster targeted by this effect.

Supreme King's Gluttony / Spell / Normal / Send 1 "Supreme King" Dragon-Type Monster that as simultaneously treated as two or more Extra Deck Monster Types from your Extra Deck to the GY; Draw until you have 6 cards in your hand. Then, if you control a face-up ************** Draw 1 more card. You can only activate 1 "Supreme King's Gluttony" per turn.

(bladeWriter3's anime version of Card of Sanctity)

Supreme King's Requiem / Spell / Normal / Target 2 Dragon-Type Monsters you control: Declare a Level from 1 to 12, and if you do, both those targets are treated as having that Level, also, you can treat one of those monsters as a Tuner Monster. Immediately after the first effect resolves; You can Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summon 1 "Supreme King" Monster from your GY using the monsters targeted by this effect as Material. If the monster summoned by this effect is destroyed: You can banish this card from your GY; Special Summon 1 "Supreme King" Monster from your Extra Deck whose Level/Rank is equal to the Level/Rank of the monster destroyed, also, if an Xyz Monster was summoned by this effect, attach the destroyed monster in the GY or Face-Up in the Extra Deck to that monster as an Xyz Material.

Supreme King's Xyz Reincarnation/ Spell/ Quick-Play/ If a "Supreme King" monster you control is destroyed: You can target 1 other "Supreme King" monster you control, in the GY, face-up in the Extra Deck, or face-up in one of your Pendulum Zones. Immediately after this effect resolves, Xyz Summon 1 "Supreme King" Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck, using the targe as the only Material, also, if that target was on the field, the monster summoned by this effect can immediately activate its effect that requires detaching Xyz Material. (You can only activate 1 "Supreme King's Xyz Reincarnation" per turn.

(bladeWriter3 card)

Supreme King Howling / Trap / Counter / Activate only if you control a face-up Dragon-Type Monster with "Supreme King" in its name: Negate the effects of all cards your opponent controls, also, change the ATK and DEF of any monsters whose effects were negated to 0.

Supreme King Maneuver / Trap / Counter / Activate if an opponent's monster declares an attack: Negate that card's effects, and if you do, Special Summon 1 "Supreme King" Monster from your GY or face-up from your Extra Deck. (If you control a face-up "Supreme King Dragon Z-Arc" you can Special Summon 1 "Supreme King Servant" Monster from your Extra Deck instead, and, if an Xyz Monster was summoned by this effect, you can attach "Supreme King" monsters from your GY or Face-Up from your Extra Deck to that card as Xyz Materials).

Aleisha's (edit: CARLY's monsters)

Fortune Lady Visions / LIGHT / Level 1 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 100 / DEF 0 / You can banish this card from your hand; Add 1 "Future Visions" and 1 "Fortune Lady" Monster from your deck to your hand. If a "Fortune Lady" Monster you control is banished while this card is banished: You can activate this effect; Special Summon this card.

Fortune Lady Cosmos / DARK / Level 7 / Spellcaster / Dark Tuner / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ? / You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) by Dark Sacrificing 1 face-up "Fortune Lady" monster you control. This card's ATK and DEF are each equal to its Level X 300. During each of your Standby Phases, increase the Level of this card by 1 (Max. 12). Up to thrice per turn: You can target 1 "Fortune Lady" monster you control; Decrease its Level by 1 (Min. -12), and if you do, you can increase the Level of this card by 1.

Fortune Lady Prophecy / DARK / Level 1 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 100 / If you control a face-up "Fortune Lady" monster while this card is in your hand: You can activate this effect; Special Summon this card, and if you do, banish 1 other "Fortune Lady" Monster you control. You can tribute this card to target 1 set Spell/Trap Card on the field; Activate that card. (If the activation conditions or timing are incorrect, that card is destroyed).

Fortune Lady Time / LIGHT / Level 1 / Fairy / Dark Tuner / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ? / If you control a face-up "Fortune Lady" monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. This card's ATK and DEF are each equal to its Level X 200. During each of your Standby-Phases, increase the Level of this card by 1 (Max. 12). Up to thrice per turn: you can target 1 "Fortune Lady" Monster you control; Increase its Level by 1 (Max. 12).

Fortune Lady Foresight / LIGHT / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1500 / If your opponent activates the effect of a card from the hand or GY while you control a face-up "Fortune Lady" monster: You can discard this card and 1 other card from your hand; Negate the activation of that effect, and if you do, destroy it. If an opponent's monster declares a direct attack while this card is in your GY; You can banish 1 other card from your GY; Special Summon this card from your GY, but banish it when it leaves the field.

Fortune Lady Fate / DARK / Level -5 / Spellcaster / Dark Rite / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ? / You can Dark Rite Summon this card with "Rites of Fortune". If this card is Dark Rite Summoned during your opponent's turn: Inflict 1000 damage to your opponent's LP. This card's ATK and DEF are each equal to this card's Level X -400. During each of your Standby Phases, decrease the Level of this card by 1 (Min. -12). This card inflicts piercing damage. Once per turn: You can target 1 "Fortune Lady" Monster you control; Add 1 of your banished "Fortune Lady" Monsters to your hand, and if you do, banish that target, but Special Summon it during the Standby-Phase of your Next turn.

Fortune Lady Destiny / DARK / Level -7 / Spellcaster / Dark Rite / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ? / You can Dark Rite Summon this card with "Rites of Fortune". If this card is Dark Rite Summoned during your opponent's turn: You can destroy 1 card on the field. This card's ATK and DEF are each equal to this card's Level X -400. During each of your Standby Phases, decrease the Level of this card by 1. This card inflicts piercing damage. This card can make up to 2 attacks per Battle Phase. Each time a "Fortune Lady" monster you control destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can activate this effect; Draw 1 card.

Aleisha (CARLY'S) Extra Deck

Fortune Lady Future / LIGHT / Level -8 / Spellcaster / Dark Synchro / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ? /
1 or more "Fortune Lady" Monsters – 1 Dark Tuner
Cannot be Special Summoned, except by Dark Sycnrho Summon or by the effect of a "Fortune Lady" Monster you control with a lower level than this card. This card's ATK and DEF are each equal to its Level X -500. During each of your Standby Phases, decrease the Level of this card by 1 (Min. -12). Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up card on the field; The controller of that card adds 1 copy of that card from his/her deck to his/her hand if possible, also, banish the target. If an opponent's monster declares an attack or activates an effect: You can banish this card; Special Summon 1 monster with ? ATK and DEF from your deck, also, return this card to your field during the Standby Phase of your next turn.

(Awww yeah! This Fortune Lady be my waifu!)

Fortune Lady Infinity / LIGHT / Level -10 / Spellcaster / Dark Synchro / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ?
1 or more "Fortune Lady" Monsters – 1 Dark Tuner
Must be Synchro Summoned and cannot be Special Summoned other ways. This card's ATK and DEF are each equal to its Level X -500. During each of your Standby Phases, decrease the Level of this card by 1. Up to twice per turn: You can target 1 card on the field; Banish that target but return it to the field in its same position during the controller's next Standby Phase. If your opponent declares an attack or activates an effect: You can banish this card; Special Summon 1 "Fortune Lady" monster from your hand, deck, or GY, also, Return this card to the field during your next Standby Phase.

Aleisha (NO CARLY'S!) Spell/Traps

Dimensional Festival / Spell / Normal / Target up to 2 cards you control, and if you do, your opponent must target an equal number cards he/she controls; Each player banishes the cards they targeted with this effect. During the End Phase of the turn this card was activated, shuffle all cards banished by this effect into their owner's decks.

Fortune's Favor / Spell / Quick-Play / Activate only if you control a face-up "Fortune Lady" monster: Special Summon 1 Level 1 or higher "Fortune Lady" Monster from your hand, GY, or that is banished.

Misleading Fortune / Spell / Normal / Tribute 1 "Fortune Lady" monster you control with a negative Level: All players draw cards equal to the Level of the tribute monster divided by -3 (rounded down to the nearest whole number). After this effect resolves, each player banishes cards from his/her hand equal to the number of cards he/she drew with this effect, and if he/she does, he/she takes damage equal to the number of cards they banished with this effect X the Level of the monster tributed for this effect X -100.
Future Prophecies / Trap / Continuous / This card's effects are negated unless you control a face-up "Fortune Lady" monster or you control no monsters while "Future Visions" is active on the field. If your opponent Special Summons a monster(s): Banish those monsters, but return them to the field during the Standby-Phase of his/her next turn.

Rites of Fortune / Trap / Dark Rite / This card is used to Dark Rite Summon any "Fortune Lady" Dark Rite Monster. You must also Dark Sacrifice monsters you control or in your hand whose total Levels are equal to or less than the Level of the monster being summoned when the Levels of the non-base offerings are subtracted from the Levels of the base offering. You can banish this card from the GY to target 1 "Fortune Lady" Monster you control; Increase or decrease its Level by up to 3 (Max. 12 and Min. -12).

Rites of Destiny / Trap / Dark Rite / This card can be used to Dark Rite Summon any "Fortune Lady" Dark Rite Monster. You must also Dark Sacrifice monsters you control or in your hand whose total Levels are equal to or less than the Level of the monster being summoned when the Levels of the non-base offerings are subtracted from the Levels of the base offering. If a "Fortune Lady" Monster you control would be destroyed (by battle or card effect), you can banish this card from your GY instead.

Sergey / Yuu's Monsters

Earthbound Prisoner Dream Seer / DARK / Level 4 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 1900 / You can discard this card from your hand; Add 1 Field Spell Card from your deck to your hand. (You can only use this effect of "Earthbound Prisoner Dream Seer" once per turn). If this card is in the GY when an "Earthbound" Field Spell Card is activated: You can activate this effect; Special Summon this card. Once per turn: You can target 1 "Earthbound" Tuner you control; Treat its Level as equal to the Level of this card. An "Earthbound" Monster Special Summoned using this card as a Material gains this effect.
If it is summoned: You take no damage from battles involving that monster.

Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker (2.0) / DARK / Level 3 / Fiend / Tuner / Effect / ATK 800 / DEF 1100 / If this card is Normal Summoned: You can add 1 "Earthbound" Field Spell Card from your deck to your hand, or, if there is already an active "Earthbound" Field Spell Card, you can draw 1 card instead. You can banish this card from your GY to target 1 monster your opponent controls that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck; Special Summon it to your opponent's field.

Earthbound Prisoner Spirit Sealer / DARK / Level 2 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 800 / DEF 0 / If an opponent's monster destroys an "Earthbound" monster you control by battle while you have 1000 LP or less: You can activate this effect; Negate the damage, and if you do, equip this card (From your hand) to the opponent's monster, take control of the equipped monster, and if you do, it is treated as an "Earthbound" monster, its Level/Rank is multiplied by -1, if it was a Fusion Monster, it is treated as a Dark Fission Monster, if it was a Synchro Monster, it is treated as a Dark Synchro Monster, if it was an Xyz Monster, it is treated as a Dark Xyz Monster, and if it was a Pendulum Monster, it is treated as a Dark Anchor Monster.

Earthbound Prisoner Body Preserver / DARK / Level 2 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 1800 / If an opponent's monster declares a direct attack while you have 2000 or less LP: You can Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, change the attack to this card and proceed to damage Calculation. If this card would be destroyed by battle, you can take 1000 damage instead. This card can be treated as 2 Tributes/Dark Sacrifices for the Tribute/Dark Sacrifice Summon of an "Earthbound" Monster. If an "Earthbound" Card you control would be destroyed, you can banish this card from your GY instead.

Earthbound Warden Demon Flogger / Effects and Stats unrevealed

Earthbound Warden Demon Taskmaster / DARK / Level 7 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 1700 / DEF 1100 / During your opponent's turn: You can discard this card; Activate 1 "Earthbound" Trap Card from your deck. You can banish this card from your GY: Dark Fission Summon 1 "Earthbound" Dark Fission Monster using monsters you control.

Earthbound Warden Demon Executioner / DARK / Level 4 / Fiend / Dark Tuner / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 0 / Cannot attack. During each of your End-Phases: Take damage equal to the ATK of this card. Once per turn: You can target 1 Synchro Monster you control whose ATK is lower than the ATK of this card: That target's Level becomes 1, and if it does, this card gains Levels equal to the difference between that target's current Level and Original Level.

Sergey / Yuu's Extra Deck

Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken (2.0!) / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 1200 /
2 "Earthbound" Monsters
Once per turn, during your turn, if a monster(s) is Special Summoned to your opponent's field: You can destroy as many monsters your opponent controls that were Special Summoned this turn as possible, and if you do, inflict 800 damage to your opponent for each. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can activate this effect at the end of the Damage Step; Special Summon that monster to your opponent's side of the field in face-up defense position.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon (2.0!) / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 1500 /
1 "Earthbound" Tuner + 1 or more "Earthbound" Non-Tuners
If an "Earthbound" monster(s) you control is destroyed: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; destroy that target. Once per turn: You can target 1 other "Earthbound" Monster you control with a Level lower than the Level of this card; Destroy that target. During the End Phase of a turn in which a monster was destroyed by this card's effect: you can activate this effect; Add 1 card from your deck to your hand. (You can only use this effect of "Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon" once per duel).

Earthbound Disciple Geo Ogre / DARK / Rank 4 / Fiend / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000 /
2 Level 4 "Earthbound" Monsters
Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to target 1 card on the field; Destroy it. If your opponent activates the effect of a Spell/Trap Card during your turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; Destroy as many Spell/Trap Cards your opponent controls as possible, and if you do, inflict 800 damage to your opponent's LP for each of their cards destroyed.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Glasya Labolas/ DARK/ Level -10/ Fiend/ Dark Fission/ Effect/ ATK 3000/ DEF 1800/ 1 "Earthbound Disciple" monster - 1 "Earthbound Disciple" monster
If this card battles a monster while there is a card in the Field Spell Card Zone, the ATK and DEF of the monster this card is battling becomes 0, also, its effects are negated. If this card is removed from the field: You can target 2 "Earthbound Disciple" Monsters in your GY with a positive Level/Rank; Special Summon them.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Marchosias/ DARK/ Level -10/ Fiend/ Dark Synchro/ Effect/ ATK 2800/ DEF 2000/ 1 "Earthbound Disciple" Monster - 1 Dark Tuner
This card can attack each monster your opponent controls, once each. (The following effect of "Earthbound Disciple Geo Marchosias" can only be used once per turn). If this card is destroyed while there is a card in the Field Spell Card Zone: Negate the effects of all cards your opponent controls and Special Summon this card, then activate one of the following effects:
1: Destroy all monsters your opponent controls.
2: Destroy all Spell/Trap cards your opponent controls.

Earthbound Disciple Geo Aamon / DARK / Rank -10 / Fiend / Dark Xyz / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2300 / 2 Level -10 "Earthbound Disciple" Monsters
When this card is Dark Xyz Summoned successfully: You can activate this effect; Special Summon all Dark Xyz Materials attached to this card. Once per turn, during your opponent's turn, if there is card in the Field Spell Card Zone; You can gain LP until you have 4000. Once per turn: You can pay LP in multiples of 500 to target 1 "Earthbound" monster you control; Increase the ATK and DEF of that monster by the amount of LP you paid for this effect until the End-Phase.

Sergey / Yuu's Spell/Trap Cards

Underworld Invasion - Synchro Fusion Overlay / Spell / Normal / If there is a card in the Field Spell Card Zone: Fusion Summon 1 "Earthbound" Fusion Monster, Synchro Summon 1 "Earthbound" Synchro Monster, and Xyz Summon 1 "Earthbound" Xyz Monster using "Earthbound" monsters you control that can be used as Materials for all three monsters.
(Hey look! It's Epsilon's favorite card!)

Earthbound Cycle / Spell / Quick-Play / Activate at the end of the Battle Phase of either players turn if you control an active "Earthbound" Field Spell Card and have less than 2000 LP. Select 1 player that took Battle Damage this turn: Halve that player's LP, and if you do, until the end of this turn, that player takes no damage, also, Special Summon any number of your "Earthbound" Monsters destroyed by battle this turn, and if you do, the turn player can immediately conduct an additional Battle Phase.

Earthbound Tether / Trap / Continuous / Activate this card if your opponent targets an "Earthbound" monster you control for an attack or with a card effect. Negate the attack or activation of that effect, and if you do, destroy it. "Earthbound" Monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect while you control a face-up Field Spell Card. If this card is destroyed, you can set 1 "Earthbound" Trap Card from your deck.

Earthbound Prisoners / Trap / Normal / If an "Earthbound" Card(s) you control would be destroyed while you have 2000 or fewer LP: You can activate this card; Add 2 "Earthbound Prisoner" monsters and 1 "Earthbound Warden" Monster from your deck to your hand. You can banish this card from your GY; Special Summon 1 "Earthbound Prisoner" Monster from your GY or that is banished.

Earthbound Arisen / Spell / Normal / Activate only if there is a card in the Field Spell Card Zone: Discard 1 card or Dark Sacrifice 1 card you control; Special Summon 1 "Earthbound" Monster from your GY. You can banish this card from your GY and tribute 2 monsters you control; Special Summon 1 "Earthbound" Monster from your GY. (The monster summoned by this effect can make up to 2 attacks during the Battle Phase of this turn).

Earthbound Ziggurat / Spell / Field / During each of your Standby-Phases, destroy this card unless you Dark Sacrifice 1 monster you control. Once per turn: You can Special Summon 1 "Earthbound" monster from your GY. "Earthbound" Cards you control are unaffected by any of your opponent's card effects that do not destroy them. If this card is destroyed, except by its own effect: Destroy all "Earthbound" Monsters you control, and if you do, inflict 800 damage to your opponent's LP for each card destroyed with this effect.

Earthbound Temple / Spell / Field / When this card is activated: Add 1 "Earthbound" card from your deck or graveyard to your hand. You cannot summon monsters other than "Earthbound" monsters. (This effect cannot be negated.) Once per turn, you can activate this effect; Gain LP equal to the Number of "Earthbound" monsters you control X 500. Once per turn, you can pay 1000 LP; Special Summon 1 "Earthbound" monster from your hand or graveyard. Cannot be destroyed while you control an "Earthbound" monster.

Earthbound Reconstruction / Spell / Normal / Activate 1 Field Spell Card from your GY, and if you do, you can add 1 of your banished "Earthbound" cards to your hand.

Will of Ch'askancha / Trap / Counter / (This card is always treated as an "Earthbound" Card). Activate only if your opponent declares a direct attack while you have less than 2000 LP. Banish all cards in all player's GY, face-up in the Extra Deck, and face-up in the deck; Activate 1 Field Spell Card from your hand, deck, GY, or that is banished, and if you do, you can Special Summon up to 5 of your banished "Earthbound" Monsters. (If you control a face-up "Jibak Daitōryō – P'allta Muyu Ch'askancha", you can activate this card from your deck).

(PAY NO ATTENTION TO THE NAME MENTIONED AT THE END OF THIS CARD! IT'S PROBABLY A RED HERRING!)

Not gonna do the action cards because too much work.

ALL HAIL OUR EARTHBOUND OVERLORDS! This chapter sure took a while, not necessarily because it was so much to write (though that was certainly a factor), but because I was busy doing my student teaching to get my teaching license, so naturally, fanfiction was put on hold for a while. But I've passed, I'm happy, I'm fresh, and READY TO DESTROY THE WORLD OF CANON WITH MY INSANE FAN DESIRES!

For the next chapter, I could go in different directions, so I am going to give you, my readers, a choice. Which would you rather the next chapter be?

A.)A purely OC-focused chapter filled with new separate plot-lines, incoherent overpowered fan cards, and the shunting of major characters into the background.

B.)An obligatory beach episode where all of the Academia forces, Dark Signers, Earthbound Gods, Light Signers, and Lancers gather to the beach for some silly fun time and fanservice. (Sergey will of course be wearing a speedo for maximum "utsukushii" and nightmare fuel and Yene will be doing some tricks in the ocean in his whale form).

C.)A fairly boring duel between Yuu and AKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! OH MY GOSH IT'S THE BLACK ROSE WITCH AKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! I DON'T EVEN CARE IF THE REST OF THE CHAPTER BLOWS, JUST GIVE ME MY WAIFU AKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

So those are the options. OC chapter, beach episode, or EPIC DUEL BETWEEN DARK SIGNER YUU HASHIMOTO AND AKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII! It's a hard choice, but I think most of you should be able to narrow it down to at least two choices.

bladeWriter3: OH! OH! PICK C! PICK C! OVER HERE! PICK C! OH! OH I KNOW! PICK C! PICK C!

I'm feeling like option B is getting a lot of votes here…

Literally everyone else reading this: OPTION C, YOU MORON!

Well, I'll see what I can do. It'll take a while to design swimsuits for all the characters, but I'll do my best.

Everyone else: NOOOOOOOOOOOO!

A special shoutout also goes to my buddy, bladeWriter3, for helping me tremendously with this chapter. In recognition of his service, he gets to take the first stab at responding to the reviews, before I step in and correct his numerous errors. So, take it away Writer! Lampoon my readers and alienate my fanbase with some OUTRAGEOUS statement!

bladeWriter3: SURPRISE ALL YOU MEAGER FANFIC READERS! Bet you thought you'd seen the last of me. Well you are WRONG!

Random Guy: When are YOU going to update!

bladeWriter3: *nonchalantly kills that random guy with his laser beam-eyes* That's right, I have laser eyes. Anyone else brave enough to question me and/or Donjusticia? Come on, whatcha got people?

Leo Akaba: I have an army!

bladeWriter3: We have a Rhigorphan.

Rhigorphan: RHIGORPHAN SMASH! *smashes Academia into a pancake...then eats it topped with whipped cream, butter and syrup, served with a side of bacon and eggs benedict*

bladeWriter3: There, one less side to worry about in "Yu-Gi-Oh! Infinity War of Thrones." But enough shameless references, I have a job to do. As co-writer (pun totally intended) of these last few duels, as well as creator of several cards featured here, I have asked he who must not be named to allow me to do review responses, including my own. So now I'll just do this instead of continuing to work on my own stories. Although in my defense, I still update more frequently than some people on this site.

Donny: What the heck is a Rhigorphan?

Yuu: For that matter, why haven't I recruited baldeWriter3 into my evil army? His laser eyes would be WAY more effective than Dark Signer Bracelet Girls!

ThePLOThand chapter 9 . Aug 6

Well, you see the forbidden arts I use to spam Reviews iiiiissss….. USING CHAPTERS YOU HAVEN'T REVIEWED THE FIRST TIME OR GOOD OL' GUEST REVIEWS!
(all caps did make it sound more awesome, right?)
Also the last part wasn't just for you, but everyone can do this music thingy too if they want.

bladeWriter3: I see you have mastered the forbidden art of review spam, but I have mastered the art of the dramatic exit. *points to Donny* What's that!? *sneaks away when no one is looking*

Donny: Well, flip! He's gone now, I guess that means I'll have to revoke his review privileges and do all this on my own now. And yes, ALL CAPS MAKE EVERYTHING MORE AWESOME AND SHOULD BE OVERUSED AT ALL TIMES. IT WILL IN NO WAY GROW ANNOYING OR INNAPROPRIATE OVER TIME. ALSO, YOU SHOULD IMAGINE ME WHISPERING THESE LINES INSTEAD OF SCREAMING THEM.

bladeWriter3 chapter 34 . Aug 6

I can't give a full review now Don, but what I can do... Is tell you that Yuya and Yuto Pendulum Summoned 5 monsters when they already controlled Enlightenment Paladin so you should get rid of that part where Fireflux got banished.

bladeWriter3: What, are you saying it's against the rules for player's to have more than five monsters? Well guess what... SCREW THE RULES, I HAVE SETO KAIBA'S MONEY!

Donny: Oh! You're back! I could have sworn you just vanished into thin air, kind of like the next chapter to "Beyond the Pendulum."

*insert laugh track*

Anyway, your egotism for responding to your own review and slow update times aside, yeah, yeah, yeah, nag, nag, nag! I CREATED THIS FANFIC WORLD! WHO'S TO SAY I CAN'T MAKE UP WHATEVER RULES I WANT!

On a serious note, I believe I fixed that issue. If you see any mistakes in this chapter, let me know and I'll see if I can resolve those issues. Thanks for the review!

thetiger39 chapter 34 . Aug 6

I'm going to give out my opinion here. I do believe that Neya is not suited these types of subplots with the way that I wrote her. She is more suited towards breaking others out of manipulation rather than being manipulated with the way I wrote her.

I don't expect this subplot to last very long be more of a set up for the purposes of setting up a rivalry or arch nemesis series of heated action packed battles between Aaron Tarleton and Neya Mizuki. With a willpower rating of 10/10, Neya should be picking the lock to the cage right now and should be out in no time.

!LGS Neya: Man, I though she was cooler than that.

bladeWriter3: Who in Armityles' unholy name is Neya? Is she a character that was introduced in between the introduction of the Phoenix Guard and Shun Vs. Crow? Because if I'm being honest, I just skim over those chapters. It took more than a few rereads for me to realize I'd already seen the Raviel-themed Academia forces.

Donny: What my friend meant to say was that of course Neya is the main character of this series and will most definitely be featured in every chapter from now on! In fact, instead of naming this series, "Signs of Renewal," it shall, henceforth, be given its proper name, "Neya's Signs of Neya's Renewal (The Story of Neya)."

But hey, seriously, tiger39, I appreciate the enthusiasm for your OC, but the review section is generally best used for reviewing the chapters of this story. Feel free to send me as much info and commentary about Neya in PMs, but unless a chapter features Neya in it, then try not to focus exclusively on this one OC. I don't really get much feedback and the other readers get no information as far as how good the story is if all the comments are about a single OC from several chapters ago. Having submitted OCs of my own for other stories, I completely understand the enthusiasm and desire for one's creation to shine, but, with that enthusiasm comes the need to understand that, usually, another author's work is NOT about one's OC.

That being said, to all those of you who ARE interested in a more Neya-focused story, check out thetiger39's story, "Legend of the Grey Signer." It's a good read.

Thank you for your consistent support. More Neya, along with the other OCs others have submitted, will be featured in the future. Let me know what you thought of this chapter.

Royal2 chapter 34 . Aug 6

So Zarc is awake and good response funny good chapter man.

Yes, Zarc has arrived...and so has Ray. Could you believe that the original plan for these whole quote-unquote chapter was originally just Yuya/Yuto/Zarc Vs. Aleisha Vs. Yuu? Serena and Ray only showed up because I know how to get what I want. The same thing applies for Yugo and Yuri's parts as well. They were created because I mentioned them being in sync with Zarc when he summoned Rebellion Dragon (Fun Fact: It was my idea for Rebellion Dragon's Summoning Chant to written in Japanese. It's always been one of my favorite Arc V Summon chants)

Donny: And this is why I like collaboration. Many wonderful ideas from many different people come together to make something truly awesome.

Yuu: You're certainly taking this well.

Donny: *thinking* I WILL KILL BLADEWRITER3 FOR UPSTAGING ME! LOOK AT HIM! PRETENDING HE'S SUCH A BIG SHOT BECAUSE HE THINKS HE MADE THIS SERIES EVEN BETTER! AS SOON AS I FINISH WITH THIS CHAPTER, I WILL IMMEDIATELY TAKE CONTROL OF HIS MASTERPIECE AND SEE HOW HE LIKES IT! AW-HAW HAW HAW!

Yeah…I love collaboration.

Epsilon Tarantula chapter 34 . Aug 6

How did Yuya get six monsters onto the field? Did the Seal of Orichalcos cross dimensions or something? Still, interesting that you gave him Paladins outside of Synchro Summoning. I would've found another kind of warrior/mage to utilize.

And Selena vs. Barrett...honestly not the most exciting duel around. Might've had more 'oomph' if it was in Xyz, as I will do in Omen. Mainly because of what I have planned there...but no spoilers.

The Fortune Ladies are broken, and YUTO APPEARS! Yes! And with a last name too! Huh...might want to steal-I mean...borrow it for Omen. And there's the horrible card that does all three Extra Deck summoning techniques. I dreaded the day it would appear, and have elected to NOT have that in Sergey's 3rd deck.

Sergey: Not my fault zat Epsilon decided to bring back VISER DES!

And Yuu continues to be smug and prove why Sergey must regain his free will. Because destruction's a lot more fun when UTSUKUSHI is yelled. Also, Compassionate Necromancer reminds me of Ruri for some bizarre reason. Also, Sergey's new deck is now more broken than ever. Hooray!

And ZARC has a last name now? Huh. Whoever chose it did a better job than Rudolf did when selecting a name. Wonder if it was Dr. Gimyohan? Hmm...

Wait...ZARC is here? AHHHHHH *Jumps out the window*

On a final note, I merely gave Serena the Fujiki surname because I've already assumed that she's married Yuri already.
And as a true final note...9.3 out of 10! Congratulations! The duels flowed evenly, and Yuu has begun his work.

bladeWriter3:

Yugo: What's an "Orichalcos?"

bladeWriter3: It's Latin for "B.S. Magical Powers that are completely Superfluous to the Plot that Doesn't Matter." Though I do hope you enjoyed the second part of the duel Epsilon, especially since it didn't have Serena relying on one of her already existing Fusions to bring out the win. And speaking of Fusions, Sabre Dancer, am I right?

Though I am disappointed that now Donny's version of Moonlight Fusion, as well as my own, will have to be removed from her deck lists. Donny was very close in terms of effects though.

And just so you know, the duels had more than an issue during the drafting process. Particularly when Donny forgot that Aleisha had already normal summoned during the turn she summoned Infinity and Destiny, which caused Yuya and Yuto's turn to be rewritten a bit. And before you say it Donny, you were responsible for her and Yuu/Sergey's turns, not me.

Glad you liked.

Donny: *snort* Uhm, ACTUALLY, "Orichalcos" is a GREEK word, and it means "BRONZE." Everything else in that last statement was true, however, and yes, of course Zarc could access the powers of the Orichalcos. He's a GOD! Or…demigod…in this version.

And WHY ON EARTH do you think that Compassionate Necromancer has ANY similarity with Ruri!? I mean, other than the fact that she's a girl who's compassionate, can raise the dead, is a somewhat macabre individual in this universe, and has a connection with Yuto, who is kind of like his phantom knights and therefore sets up some kind of thinly veiled foreshadowing of future events, THEY HAVE NOTHING IN COMMON!

Yuto: Not true! Both of them like to kiss skulls!

Ruri: *Making out with fresh human skull before noticing Yuto watching her* YUTO! Don't you ever knock!?

bladeWriter3 chapter 34 . Aug 6

Okay, I can give a better review NOW:

Hitotsu) Yes, my Queen does something! (Why am I saying that, I was the one who wrote the script for the duel after pestering you about her lack of screen time?) And though the Yuya/Yuto turn was changed from when we drafted, I am pleased with the changes.

(Though I do command you to use the card that was cut out from this duel at a later time.)

And thus the two new Paladins make their debut! (And to Epsilon Tarantula, you clearly were tired if you didn't realize Reincarnation Paladin from my last update of Beyond the Pendulum. Same stats, same design, same effects, you probably should re-read just for future reference)

Wait, Yuto has a LAST name!? Well much better than some of the other fan surnames I've seen. And now Zarc makes his appearance...Oh that's gonna be fun (I should know, I wrote all of Yuya/Yuto/Zarc's turns in this duel!), so all I can say is get ready to start playing the Raging Dragon music, people!

Futatsu) What exactly happened to Yuto's parents, and why do I get the felling the Earthbound has something to do with it? And seeing as Yuri is officially Yusaku's dad in this universe, I can finally do this:

Young Yusaku: Mommy, Daddy, do I have to stay with Uncle Yuya and Aunt Yuzu? I can't stand all that egao garbage. It hurt's my edge!

Selena: Would you prefer hanging out with Aunt Ruri and her multiple personalities?

Young Yusaku: Heck NO! If I hear her shipping fantasies about my grown up self and those other guys one more time, I'm going back to the Hanoi Project for the rest of my life!

Yuri: That's still an option you know.

(Also to my fellow readers, I apologize for creating Egao Magician. I felt a bit of my soul die when I designed that card)

Mitsu) I HAVE ABSOLUTELY NO ARTISTIC TALENT WHATSOEVER! My fan Yu-Boy/Bracelet Girl works were just the base bodies traced over with the rest drawn over! Although I will consider getting someone I know to make such fanart... if someone out there would just make a TV Tropes Page for Beyond the Pendulum already! (The cover would be a good picture for the page)

Reward: Continuity!

Yuu: Wait, what do you have against iCarly?

Aleisha: Best not to question it.

bladeWriter3: I've already responded to my own review once, so instead, since I don't know what Donny's got against ICarly, I'll sing the theme song. Ehm..

I know, you see -

-crash-

Weaboo!Ruri: Speaking of my Yaoi Fanfiction, who want's Donny to write more of it in the response section of the next Vrains Abridged chapter?

EVERYONE: DON'T WRITE MORE!

(But seriously, WHERE THE H-E-DOUBLE-HOCKEY-STICKS IS THAT TV TROPES PAGE I ASKED FOR!?)

Donny: I believe the TV tropes page is in the same nebulous dimension where your next chapter of "Beyond the Pendulum" is. If we can just follow the cryptic clues left behind by the Free Masons, I believe we should be able to find both.

Also, of course Weeaboo Ruri, of course I'll write more of your wonderful, totally acceptable in modern times, fanfiction because I am a completely tolerant guy who does not object to utterly weird and disgusting, I MEAN, normal and diverse shipping pairs.

Above the Winter Moonlight chapter 34 . Aug 6

Very good chapter! I enjoyed it, especially Yuu/Sergey intervening on Yuya's duel against Aleisha. I am looking forward to seeing the conclusion to that duel!

And the Serena versus Barrett duel is getting interesting as well.

Looking forward to the next update. Update soon

bladeWrtier3: Yes, yes I know, I'm awesome. I'd do a Lady Gaga parody, but there is no way I can top the ever hilarious YGOTAS versions. Those always crack me up.

Which reminds me the LK has finished Season 4, and will finally be doing season 5. Excuse me, I need a minute to...cry...and not the happy kind...

Donny: Here is your "soonish" update. I hope you enjoyed it, I know Sergey did.

Sergey: Utsukushii…utsukushii…

Nox Descious chapter 34 . Aug 6

Meanwhile, in the DBZ reality, all the Gods of Destruction and their respective angels along with Goku and Vegeta are gathered together for an emergency meeting.

Beerus: WHIS! PIZZA! Delivery, NOT Digiorno!
Whis: Don't worry, I made sure to bring enough for everybody!
Goku: Ooooooooooooh! Did you bring any Hawaiia…..
Vegeta: SILENCE KAKAROT! DON'T YOU REMEMBER! We do not say the H word in front of Beerus!
Goku: Whoopsy! Forgot again!

Beerus: Now then, I suppose you are wondering why I gathered all of you fellow Destruction Gods here today! I shall be blunt! King Zeno is in one of his moods again and is dead set on erasing another universe from existence. Rather than host another tournament to determine which universes live and die, I propose we direct Zeno's attention to... you know where...

Champa: You mean... THAT Universe?!

Beerus: Indeed Champa! We placate King Zeno by suggesting he destroy... Universe Thirteen, better known as the Yugioh Universe!

Goku: Wait a minute, I thought there were only twelve universes!

Beerus: Officially, there are only twelve but that's because the Yugioh Universe is so embarrassing and abyssmal that nobody likes to talk about it. Even King Zeno himself forgets it exists sometimes, and before you ask, the reason the God of Destruction of the Yugioh Universe and HIS personal Angel arent here for this meeting is because we made absolutely sure NOT to invite them!

Goku: oooooooooooooooh! Who's the God of Destruction of the Uh Oh Yugioh Spaghetti-O universe?

Champa: Some idiot named ZARC along with his equally idiotic personal Angel named Ray!

Vegeta: ZARC? DAFUQ is ZARC? What kind of Food or Alcohol Pun does the name ZARC Mean!

Beerus: Ahhhhhhh yes! That's reason Number One why Zarc and Ray aren't invited to God of Destruction meetings. THEY BROKE THE NUMBER ONE RULE OF DBZ NAMES! They didnt make their name a Pun of anything food related! BLASPHEMY!

Champa: And of course they also broke the Number Two Rule. Never EVER EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES get Romantically involved with your Angel, or BAD THINGS WILL HAPPEN! And by bad things, I mean Zarc and Ray fought each other which forced Ray to split Universe Thirteen into four separate pieces, and that just messes everything up!

Vados: B-B-B-B-But... Champa Senpai... does that mean you don't like me?

Champa: WHY OF COURSE I LIKE YOU VADOS... as a friend!

Goku: OOOOOOOOOOH Gonna take more than a Sensu Bean to recover from that. Not even the dragon balls can bring somebody back from the friend zone! But anywhoooo, boy oh boy that Zarc Muckerburg guy sounds pretty strong! I wonder if I could spar with him some day!

Beerus: Actually, that's reason Number Three why the Yugioh Universe is so abhorrent! They don't do any fighting at all there. They never EVER resort to pragmatic methods of dealing with their enemies because every single creature on that universe, both Mortal and God, solve all their disputes... With a children's card game...

Vegeta: DAFUQ?

Goku: LAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAME!

Whis: Well to be fair, the card game itself is quite capable of causing a great deal of destruction given the right circumstances, not to mention the duels are quite badass!

Beerus: DON'T YOU PLAY DABURA'S ADVOCATE, WHIS! It is lame and you know it, but fear not! That nonsense will be a thing of the past! Now my fellow destruction gods, all in favor of persuading King Zeno to erase the Yugioh Universe from existence, say AYE!

Every single destruction God: AYE!

Beerus: EXCELLENT! A UNANIMOUS VOTE! Now all we have to do is take care of ZARC! We could let him and his cray cray Angel Tsundere fight it out again, but I have a better idea! I'm sending someone down there from Goku's Universe who is actually quite adept at Childens Card Games himself!

MEANWHILE!

Zarc: WHAT DO YOU MEAN I CAN'T SUMMON FOUR SUPREME KING DRAGONS AND MYSELF?!

Perfect Cell: Nope, you can't! Says right here in the new rules! Unless you control a Link Monster, then you can only special summon one monster from the extra deck at the time, Boy oh Boy do I feel sorry for you, Zarc! Not only did you fall victim to the banlist, but Link Format hit your deck HAAAAAAAARD!

Zarc: Link Say What Now? Nevermind! TREMBLE IN FEAR PERFECT CELL AS I UNLEASH THE POWER OF MY ASTROGRAPH SORCERER!

Cell: Eeeeeeeeehhhhh no you won't! That card's banned!

Zarc: WHAT?! BUT I NEED THAT TO SUMMON MYSELF TO THE FIELD!

Cell: Oh also, there actually is no screwing of the rules in the game, so I'm afraid you gotta abide by the banlist! Too bad, so sad!

Zarc: NO MATTER! I can still summon Supreme King Dragon Zarc to the field by invoking the power of Violet Poison Magician, Black Fang Magician, White Wing Magician, and Double Iris...

Cell: EEEEEEEHHHHHH NOPE! SORRY! Double Iris Magician is also banned!

Zarc: GRAAAAAAAAAAAAH! ENOUGH! GO SUPREME KING DRAGON STARVING VENOM!

Cell: That one is banned as well! Just happened a couple months ago! Sooooooorryyyyyyyyyy!

Zarc: F33K YOU!

Cell: Also, Pendulum Zones don't exist anymore! You gotta use your regular spell and trap zones to put your pendulum monsters in and that means you only have room for three spell or traps on the field.

Zarc: THAT'S IT! I'M LEAVING! and i'm taking the four teenage boys who share a piece of my soul with me!

Cell: Also it's cheating to have someone help you during a game! BYYYYYYYYEEEEEEEEEE!

bladeWriter3: Oh, you never fail to disappoint with hilarious reviews Nox. And to be fair to Zarc, I can't blame him for wanting to leave. I mean, Konami bans Astrograph, Double Iris and SK Stave Venom, but it takes them UNTIL DECEMBER TO BAN FIREWALL DRAGON IN THE TCG! I MEAN, WHAT THE HELL KONAMI!? WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL!?

Donny: I love Konami and the totally fair and balanced Yu-Gi-Oh Card Game! SHUT UP AND TAKE MORE OF MY MONEY!

thetiger39 chapter 34 . Aug 6

Now that I am on a computer and not on my tablet, I'll give out an extended review since I tend to forget things.

Wow Selena already going Egao on us? Selena talking about bonds and friendship at this point in the game?

And since Zarc is here, guess its not a OHKO victory for the god, Yuu Hashimoto then whose like Level 100 or something like that. Speaking of Levels, Neya in Legend of the Gray Signer starts off chapter 1 at Level 30. Experienced protagonist much?

Neya's Theme song: Reach out to the truth - Persona 4
Time to make History - Persona 4
To become the foundation of the world - Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel

Yuzu's Theme Song: Time to make History - Persona 4 (yes Neya and Yuzu share the same song. heck, just give Yuzu, Neya's songs)

And that, good luck writing the next one.

bladeWriter3: Again, who's Neya? Is she some OC who isn't involved in the main plots of the story?

Donny: I'm glad you're enjoying the chapter. And yes, of course Selena has fully embraced Egao.

Selena: I SUMMON MOONLIGHT LOL KITTEN! ITS EFFECT MAKES ALL OUR MONSTERS HUG EACH OTHER AND SHARE COTTON CANDY! AW! HAW! HAW! HAW!

Yuzu: Ruri…Rin…I'm scared…is that crazy lady really one of our counterparts?

Ruri: That's no lady…that's a demon wearing a smile on her face!

Rin: How horrible!

Zarc: Yuya! What does the scanner say about Yuu Hashimoto's power level!?

Yuya: *holds up the scanner only to have the scanner immediately explode*

Zarc: That can't be good…

Yuya: It couldn't handle the levels of B.S. it detected in Donny's character and deck design.

Solphage chapter 34 . Aug 7

Well, after a quick reread, i love the story and it's my favourite in the yugioh section again; I'm hyped for majestic video games hero, will he be raid geared? Ultimate armour? IDDQD? Don't answer that, I'll read and find out~ hype activated anyway

bladeWriter3: IDDQD? What on earth is that? Eh, probably won't matter in the long run. Until then I say; DO NOT STOP READING THIS! GO CHECK OUT DONJUSTICIA'S OTHER WORKS, AS WELL AS MY OWN! There, self-promos done. Hope you're happy.

Donny: *sigh* Writer, you seriously don't know what IDDQD is? It OBVIOUSLY stands for, Irradiate Dumb Dodo-birds for Questioning and Detention. I was about to answer that, yes, this series would indeed incorporate plot elements of that nature, but I shall refrain from giving that answer as you wish to remain hyped.

Thanks for the review.

ScalchopWarrior chapter 34 . Aug 8

WOOOOOO UPDATE!

Okay, I'm in a hurry so this review is gonna be short and you can't make me make it makey and longer so HA

Serena (CAN'T MAKE ME SAY SELENA NO MATTER WHAT DARK TORTUE YOU USE) vs Barrett : It is a card game. It is on motorcycles. That is all

Yuya/Yuto vs Fortune Lady Woman (I forgot her name and I'm too lazy to scroll back up) and Sergey/Yuu : oof ouch the edge it hurts. Zarc is back and everyone's happy except those dead people they're sad.

I think I might have missed a duel but whatever

Ok, small question...what does saying "GY" in speech mean? Like I know what it stands for, but do people actually say "Gee why" out loud when they speak? Or are they actually saying "Graveyard"? If so, then why even write it as "GY"? I HAVE SO MANY QUESTIONS AND NO ANSWERS

Sometimes...there's just too much going on and I have no idea what's happening. Case in point, this chapter.

That's all, bye have to go see ya some other sunny/rainy/stormy/apololyptic day

;D

bladeWriter3: They didn't always say GY on the card texts?

Zarc: These things have texts? You know in hindsight, I always criticize the dub for editing the card images, and yet when we do a movie, they just change the text? Why do they do that?

bladeWriter3: Something about not wanting to promote a card game on TV or something.

Zarc: What? Not wanting to promote a card game on TV, in a show where CARD GAMES are the ANSWER to EVERYTHING? Why would they thinl the show would do that?!

Donny: I also see absolutely no promotion of any particular product in ANY Yu-Gi-Oh series, except maybe motorcycles. SO SHUT UP AND TAKE MORE OF MY MONEY, KONAMI!

ThePLOThand chapter 34 . Sep 9

Wouldn't depicting all OC Cards be much easier if you just wrote down their effect Texts once they appear in the chapter for the first time?
As opposed to writing the chapter and Then the OC Sheets.

BGM:
start: Battle! Gym Leader (Johto Version) - Pokémon Heart Gold & Soul Silver Music Extended
for Yuya vs Aleisha: Pokemon UltraSun & UltraMoon - Ultra Necrozma Battle Music (HQ)
for Dark Rite summoning: Dark Matter 02 - Pokemon: Super Mystery Dungeon - Music Extended
when Zarc is starting to resurface: Pokemon UltraSun & UltraMoon - Team Plasma Boss Ghetsis Battle Music (HQ)
when Yuto takes over: Pokemon UltraSun & UltraMoon - Rocket Boss Giovanni Battle Music (HQ)
for their Counter: Pursuit ~ Cornering Together - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice Music Extended
for the intruder: Dragonball Super - Theme of El Hermano (Fanmade)
when Yuu starts his turn: Dragonball Super - Saiyan's Pride (HQ Recreation)
when Aleisha of all People Comes to the rescue: My Hero Academia OST - You Say Run
when Zarc does Show up: Battle Against Dusknoir - Pokémon Mystery Dungeon: Explorers of Time & Darkness Music Extended

bladeWriter3: Yes, yes it would. Except we like to make things difficult and drawn out so that you all will have to either read it or gloss over it. But either way, it gives us more reason to dely updating, forcing you all to wait even long for a new chapter! And soon, with it, we will take over the entire .Net populace! IT'S GENIUS!

Sorry, tapped into my inner Phineas and Ferb fan there.

Donny: I'm betting the URL you typed into your review is going to be censored, writer. Also, Aleisha getting "You Say Run!?" All the yes.

As for your question, maybe. But as in the original series, one can get away with creating a lot more tension if they don't reveal everything all at once.

Yuya: Because people apparently can't read their opponent's card texts in this world for some reason.

Which is actually what I decided the rule was for this series. Just made things make more sense.

Thank you for your review.

ThePLOThand chapter 11 . Sep 14

also are we going to see those dark Card types:
Ally, Souls, CGI, average human, Velocity, Deed,
Bonus Points if you can guess their non-dark version's names

bladeWriter3: *Too tired of responding to him/her several times over to answer*

Donny: *feeling empowered because ThePLOThand's review spam string makes it look like I have a lot more readers* Guessing time!

Ally=Union. Souls=Spirit. CGI=Toon. Average Human=Gemini? Velocity=Speed (as in Speed Spell). Deed=Flip?

I know I got some of these right. Also, NO! I don't think I'm going to do ALL of them…that would take up way too much space, precious space that I would stuff to bursting with even more OCs instead.

Guest chapter 2 . Sep 19

Gemini monster?

They still make you!?

bladeWriter3: Gemini Monsters

You know what I don't understand? The fact that they even existed to begin with.

Donny: Yes! They exist!

They exist to make Dark Signer Rin's super cool deck possible. That is literally the ONLY reason.

NauticaI chapter 34 . Oct 16

Not gonna lie, I almost forgot about this series while waiting for the next update but nicely enough these latest chapters have been great (so all is forgiven :P). Since I didn't comment on the first part I'm gonna mash them together in one hopefully nice review. So I'm really liking the main character arcs right now (probably because I liked arc v alot); the expansions on Barret and Sergey's characters/decks are nice and Yuya/Yuto's duel was interesting with addition to their paladin cards (wonder whats going to happen when they get the Nirvana High Paladin if they get it at all). I didn't expect Zarc to appear so soon tho; are we nearing the end game already? Anyhow I dont know why I like the main character arcs more the OC arcs probably due to the prior reason lel.

Now for my serious opinion: I think the reason why I don't enjoy the OC arcs as much as the main arc is because they seem very disconected from the main story. Perhaps the two arcs will eventually tie together and I dont doubt that it will but for now its for me to get invested in it (although they are OCs so the creators of the OCs will be invested and I guess if I had an OC in the story I would be invested too). Now, as to fix this issue, you could have the chapters be more evenly divided between OCs and the main characters and perhaps have them interact more (since they exist in the same world) though this might not be feasible if plot requires them to be separate. This is just my opinion and may be baised due to the prior reasons so take it with a grain of salt. Overall, I'm enjoying these new part and hopefully we'll get more parts not with a year long gap :P.

Extra stuff:
So I saw in the last chapter that you like OCs even if they make writting the story harder huh? Well what if I sent you another OC but made it possible to be either a background character or part of the main story. This would make it easier for you write if you chose to do so and it will satisfy my selfish desire to have my own OC in this story :P. Also I see that you want Moonlight Kitten art. I could try my hand at that but I haven't drawn in so long that it might just suck :D

bladeWriter3: *are we nearing the end game already?* PFFF-HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHA...

No, not even close. And Donny already asked me to make a Moonlight Kitten (p.s. I want fifty of them) fan art. But instead, I drew Yuya's Pendulum corrupted by the Dark Anchor. You're welcome Donny.

Donny: Yes, thank you a lot for that fan art. You can check it out by going to bladeWriter3's home page. He did a very accurate representation of the corrupted pendant, which will in no way portend dramatic shifts in this story's plot at all and should be glossed over as just an artistic fluke. Dark Anchors. Pffft! What even ARE those!?

Devoted reader: Uh, dude, we read bladeWriter3's fanfic, we already KNOW what they are!

Donny: PAY NO ATTENTION TO ANY OF BLADEWRITER3'S SPOILER-FILLED FANFICS!

But anyway, I am so very glad that you are enjoying this series again. Yeah, I think I could have done less with the OCs, as they can distract from the main story. Hopefully, however, I will be able to do as you suggested and channel the powers of George R. R. Martin to make the paths of all these OCs cross, which I do plan on happening. Just know that their stories ARE all interconnected, including Aki's weird side plot duel against Yuu. Man, already next chapter is featuring ANOTHER OC. Lame.

bladeWriter3 Ending thoughts: To all of you who have stuck by and read this story or one of our other works; thank you, it means a lot to us. Also at one point Yugo and Serena are gonna Tag Duel! OOPS, did I spoil that? Oh well, this is what you get for letting a sarcastic fanboy do review responses Don, goodby!

*Writer gets lifted by his pet cyborg direwolf and flies off.* *TWINKLE*

Donny: Twinkle? What the heck does "twinkle" mean?

Yuu: It means the cyborg direworlf's jet engines exploded in a massive deadly inferno, leaving both writer and his pet cyborg to suffer horrific burn injuries while simultaneously looking beautiful from way down below.

Donny: Oh, well that's a shame. I suppose I'll have no choice but to take over bladeWriter3's work from now on.

Yuu: You sabotaged his direwolf, didn't you?

Thank you all once again for your reviews and have a happy Holliday season! And since it tis the season…please enjoy this special musical number by Sergey Volkov!

The Sergey Volkov Man (From "The Nightmare Before Zarcmas")

(Parody of "Oogie Boogie Song" (From "The Nightmare Before Christmas"))

Sergey Volkov: *Tromping over in his hulking cyborg body to examine Zarc* Vell, vell, vell, vhat have ve here? Zarc ze destroyer, huh? OH! I'm veally scared!

So you're ze von, zat everyvone's…talking about! BLAUGH! HA! HA! HA! HA! HAAAW!

You're joking! YOU'RE JOKING! I can't believe my eyes!

You're joking me! You've gotta be! Zis can't be ze right guy!

He's vimpy! He's UGLY! I don't know vich is vorse! I might just blow a circuit, if I don't die laughing first!

Yuto: But technically you're already dead.

Sergey: Quiet, ghost boy!

'Cause vhen mister Sergey Volkov says, zere's beauty close at hand!

You'd better not go for an Action Card! 'Cause I'm ze Sergey man!

And if you think you're vining! You'll soon be proven wrong!

'Cause zis vill be ze last time, zat you here ze Sergey Song!

VOO-OOH! Vooh-ooh!

VOO-OOH! I'm ze Sergey Volkov man!

Zarc: Surrender now or you will face the dire consequences! I'm here to give some Zarcmas gifts, so please come to your senses!

Sergey: UTSUKUSHII! UTSUKUSHII! I can't believe my ears!

Could someone burn this destroyer up!? You're grinding up my gears!

It's FUNNY! I'M LAUGHING! You veally are too much

And now, VITHOUT your permission…I'm going to do my stuff!

Yuya: What are you going to do!?

Sergey: I'm going to do the BEST…I…CAN!

VOOOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!

Ze sound of crushing bones! Is music in the air!

Cause I'm ze vicious Sergey Man!

And NO! I don't play fair!

It's much more fun, I must confess

When LIVES are on ze line!

Not just mine, of course

But YOURS, old boy!

Now ZAT vould be just fine!

Zarc: Cease and desist or you will soon be added to my naughty list!

Sergey: OH BROTHER! You're something! You put me in a spin!

You aren't comprehending, the position, that you're in!

It's hopeless! You're FINISHED! You haven't got a prayer!

I'm mister Sergey Volkov, and you…aren't….going…novhere!

Happy Holiday season everyone! (Now please SOMEBODY make "The Nightmare Before Zarcmas" so this song can actually come from somewhere).