Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Mammon's Wrath

by LordMammon

Sateriasis Marlon is a sixteen year old student who is better known by his alter-ego Mammon, a relentless hunter currently contracted to the Knights of Hanoi tasked with the elimination of Playmaker. He's regarded by many as a highly dangerous individual with no sense of morality but you know what they say about assuming...

7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven: The Tainted Inferno

(VRAINS)

"Let me get this straight, Emma hacked into my company's mother computer, went to duel Playmaker only to fall unconscious again for Mammon to steal it and challenge Playmaker to win if off him. Which he then lost, meaning Playmaker now has the backdoor." Akira and Colt stood in an alleyway deep within the system "Am I right?"

"Yeah, pretty much from what I could gather." Knowing that she was planning to duel Playmaker eventually, Colt had hacked into the VRAINS camera system to observe the events.

"I don't have a clue what she was planning to do." Akira said.

"I'm guessing she was interested in the incidents that happened ten years ago. About how SOL Technologies was involved." Trying to listen in on the conversation, a butterfly sneaked out of a nearby abandoned building. "It's due to your demotion and lack of authority that you can't access any of the data that is held on them. It's ironic that you work in the data room all day."

Akira remained silent, so Colt continued "Look at it like this, if Playmaker infiltrates the mother computer, Kitamura, your successor as Security Manager will be eager to eliminate Playmaker. Because he'll be the one held responsible. Meaning that if all the attention is on Playmaker, we can slip into the data bank completely unnoticed."

"So what you're suggesting is to use Playmaker as a decoy?"

"Correct." Colt answered.

"Fine. I understand, if my company is covering up its involvement ten years ago, I can't ignore it. Let's just hope this goes well." Akira logged out but Colt remained in the network for a little while longer.

Without turning around, he spoke "I know you're there Blue Angel, you can't hide from me."

Sitting her room, Aoi who was the one controlling the butterfly gasped when Colt revealed his knowledge "How did he know?"

Despite his mask hiding his expression, Colt's condescending tone more than made up for that "Trust me when I say this. Do not follow us into the mother computer, you'll only end up hurting yourself. So listen to what your brother has told you."

---

(Real World)

On the screens before them, the schematic to SOL's mother computer was laid bare to Yusaku and Shoichi "There must be a lead to the incident ten years ago at the centre of the data bank."

"The incident ten years ago…" Yusaku muttered.

'Yeah, I hope so.' Ai placed his hands behind his head.

"There are many security traps blocking your way to the centre. I've already created ways to deal with them." Shoichi said.

"You work fast." Yusaku smiled slightly.

"Leave it to me."

The screen flashed then flashed. 'We're linked to SOL's mother computer.' Ai turned to face the other two, he saw that they both looked varying shades of unsure 'Hey, aren't you going?'

"One: This data was originally hacked by Ghost Girl, meaning that it may not be credible. Two: It later wound up in the hands of Mammon and the Knights of Hanoi, there is the chance that it is all a set up to trap me. Three: Either one of these people could be doing this for their own gain. As both Ghost Girl and Mammon seem like individuals who don't do anything if it doesn't benefit themselves."

Hearing this, Ai gurned 'Why are you just saying this now? I said from the beginning it might be a trap! Lost your nerve?'

Yusaku glared at Ai "I didn't say I wasn't going."

"He's just saying that it never hurts to be careful." Shoichi cut in.

However that didn't stop Ai from commenting anyway 'What's with that! Humans are so annoying!'

Yusaku took out his deck as he made the jump "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

---

Instead of logging into the usual area of VRAINS, Yusaku had logged into what looked like a massive maze.

"Take this, Yusaku!" Shoichi transferred over a propulsion device which materialised in the system allowing him travel deeper into the system. Also providing a glowing green tail of sorts.

"Move vertically down from point 434." Shoichi guided Playmaker carefully as the person in question dove "Maintain speed and continue diving."

Ai decided he'd like to weigh in 'Unlike Link VRAINS, this place is desolate. And this tail is just… So uncool."

Shoichi chimed in to tell him why "As long as it is connected, it emits jamming waves so that you won't be detected.

After enough time had passed and Playmaker continued following the guidance given, the usual green parallelograms that were orbiting around the place suddenly gave way to a string of purple ones that were hurtling down the empty space at a breakneck pace. "Be careful! If you hit it, you'll be erased!"

Playmaker quickly dodged out of the way "It's a security trap!"

But as soon as he got out of dodge the first time, a second came into view 'Another one is coming!' Ai yelped.

"I sent Sphere Kuriboh. Use it as a decoy!" Shoichi hurriedly sent the monster to prevent anything going wrong.

Just in time, Playmaker was able to fire the small mechanical monster into the security trap, prevent what would've been a very unpleasant demise.

"Take the side road and turn immediately!" Playmaker followed the order to a tee, but it only resulted in the discovery of more security traps. The fact he was heading straight towards another one didn't really help matters, it forced him to use yet another Sphere Kuriboh.

'You only have one Sphere Kuriboh left!' Taking that into account Playmaker moved up into another section. One that contain an absolute metric shit of traps, because apparently Sod's law was a legitimate thing. He tried his best to avoid them as best he could but it ended up in him having to use the last Kuriboh in his arsenal.

"Good. Keep going straight." Shoichi watched on as the screen tracked Playmaker's progress "You're almost through Area A."

'That was easy! Let's go to the goal!' It was just then that something unusual happened, the winds of a data storm blew. 'What? A data storm?' Diving in further, the two found out that it wasn't just the winds but a fully-fledged storm 'There's a data storm?'

"Do we have to go through?" Playmaker asked.

'It's too dangerous! We have to give up- No if we dive deeper, the data storm's effect will be…' But as Shoichi was thinking through what to do, the worst case scenario happened, a security trap hit Playmaker's 'tail' severing it.

"Flee!"

As a result of the impact, Playmaker was flung backwards and became caught up in the data storm's winds.

(SOL Technologies)

"Wh-What's going on?!" Kitamura stammered in shock, standing up from his desk.

"Intruder in the mother computer!" One of the workers below him answered.

"What?" Kitamura's face contorted into an expression which shouldn't be physically possible to make, yet somehow he still made it.

"I'll put it on the screen!" The worker showed the live feed, Playmaker was now on his D-board.

Once again Kitamura's face contorted in sheer unadulterated terror "P-Playmaker!"

In his own office, watching his own feed of the mother computer. Zitor's face showed the opposite reaction of Kitamura's. "You've finally shown yourself Playmaker, I'm surprised you made it so far without tripping our system. But even a perfect plan, never survives first contact with the enemy." Smirking he lifted his own disk "I'll be waiting. Into the VRAINS!"

Back in the security room, Kitamura was flipping his shit, so to say. "Redirect Prototype A and B immediately!" He shouted, referring to his success in creating 100% Ai duelists, something he greatly mocked Akira for. "Exterminate Playmaker!

In the system, the two Ai duelists appeared, one of them was green while the other was orange "Duelists?" Playmaker said through gritted teeth.

'Found Playmaker.' Both Ai's droned.

'They're a 100% Ai duelists!' Ai said.

"SOL Technologies can make these?"

'Beginning speed duel.' The green one said.

'Hey! Didn't they teach you that duels are 1 on 1?'

Elsewhere, Colt and Akira were also watching the scene unfold from Colt's apartment "Looks like you were correct." Colt said.

"Kitamura sent his precious Ai squad." Bitter and sarcastic couldn't even begin to describe what Akira had just said sounded like.

Colt on the other hand chose to ignore it entirely "He seems desperate if he's willing to use them straight away. It would seem like now would be the perfect time to go since he'll be focused on them."

"Yeah." He lifted his disk as too did Akira "Into the VRAINS!"

Back in the system, the Ignis was busy running his mouth 'Sheesh! No one taught them manners! We can't duel them normally.' Both AIs sped forward and began to encircle Playmaker 'What will you do, Playmaker?' In response Playmaker outmanoeuvred the encirclement, leaving the AIs in the dust.

'Split into two groups. Formation D!' The two parted in a pincer like movement.

'Playmaker! Don't turn this into a bigger deal! Give me a break!' Kitamura sweated before he realised something 'Hurry up before the higher ups find out! If they find out, I'm finished! Even worse, Lucifinia could find out and blackmail me!' He slumped in his chair in a state of total despair 'But if I win this duel, they'll support Ai duelists and I'll acquire the Ignis! My reputation will surely rise! And then I'll take Lucifinia's place as the higher ups favourite!'

He stood up and gained a sense of bravado "Okay, Playmaker! Just you wait!"

'I was waiting for this. We didn't run away, we'll prove it!' Ai ran his mouth yet again.

"A duel is 1 on 1."

'Switching to Duel mode.' Soon Playmaker was embroiled in a match with the green Ai, also known as Prototype A.

To begin with the Ai activated the effect of Tentacluster Darkwhip a monster with 100 attack points and 500 defence points in its hand, paying 500 LP to Special Summon it. It then activated the Spell Card Machine Duplication to Special Summon two copies of a Machine monster with 500 or less ATK from its Deck. It Special Summoned two more copies of Darkwhip.

Then it used the three copies of Darkwhip to Link Summon Tentacluster Nautilus a link 3 monster that had zero attack points and all of its link markers pointing down to the Extra Monster Zone.

As Nautilus was Link Summoned, the Ai activated its effect to Special Summon a Tentacluster monster from its hand to a zone it points to. It Special Summons Tentacluster Drillworm a card with 600 attack and 1200 defence points to the bottom Link Point of Nautilus. It took the liberty to normal summon a second copy of Drillworm to the bottom-left Link Point of Nautilus. Then it activates the effect of Nautilus to destroy all cards it points to. As both Drillworms were destroyed, their effects activate, allowing the Ai to send a random card from Playmaker's hand to the graveyard for each.

In addition if it was a monster that was sent to the graveyard, another random card would be sent there as well. Flick Clown and Dual Assembwurm were sent to the graveyard by the effect of the first Drillworm, while Linkslayer and Cynet Defrag were sent there by the effect of the second.

Even before he began his turn Playmaker was already in a disadvantageous position. To compound matters even further during the Standby Phase, since the Ai controlled no monsters in the Main Monster Zones, and had no cards in its hand, it activated the effect of Drillworm in its grave, banishing the other Drillworm from there to send yet another random card from Playmaker's hand to the graveyard, then Special Summoning it in defence mode. Dotscaper was the unfortunate card plucked from his hand.

While this was happening, just beneath the speed duel's location. Akira and Colt had entered the system, holding the same propulsion device that Playmaker used to navigate through 'Well, it looks like Playmaker is having more trouble than he should. I wonder why that is?'

Kitamura looked awful pleased with himself as he watched his Ai systematically destroy Playmaker's hand and then he observed the orange Ai ram into Playmaker, knocking the hacker back "Playtime's over, Playmaker!" He grinned when he heard the Ignis complain about the fairness of this manoeuvre "Did you forget you are inside our mother computer? I won't let you do whatever you like inside SOL Technologies! This isn't Link VRAINS. I'll do anything to accomplish my goals."

"Aim for Playmaker's disk! Steal it!" He barked out to his workers. One of them turned and gave him a look of disbelief, something he quickly became irate about "Hurry up and give the orders! Or I'll fire you! Just do as I say!"

The orange Ai rammed into Playmaker again, 'They're going crazy!' Ai yelped again. Prototype B went to punch Playmaker but its arm was suddenly restrained by a distinctive blue energy whip, it was then tossed up into the air.

Following the whip down would reveal Blue Angel had somehow made her way into the mother computer "Hey, AIs? Stop doing whatever you want."

"Blue Angel!" Playmaker said in shock.

"I'll be the one to defeat Playmaker!" Blue Angel was seemingly ignoring Playmaker. "So Leave!"

'You're interfering with us?' A said while B said 'If so, we will eliminate you.'

"Oh. Then I guess I have no choice I'll take you on!" She said with a determined face.

"Blue Angel…" Playmaker muttered as if it was the only thing he could say.

"Don't get the wrong idea. I only came to repay my debt."

"I don't recall ever paying you."

"That works too."

The screen outside the mother computer showed Blue Angel taking Prototype B away from Playmaker, into a separate corridor. Kitamura looked mortified "First Playmaker, then Blue Angel?" He banged his fists down hard "Why is Zaizen's sister inside our computer? Just what exactly is going on? Hey! Bring Zaizen here at once!"

"He left early today." One worker replied, crushing Kitamura again "Maybe he's sick?" one more said. "Nonsense!" Came another voice, "What should we do, Mr. Kitamura?" Came a rather more measured voice.

"Duel her!" Kitamura snapped "Eliminate her immediately! Zaizen will be held responsible!"

B, like A before it, switched into Duel mode beginning its match with Blue Angel. The discovery of this greatly perturbed Colt "What the hell is Blue Angel doing here?!"

Hearing this, Akira decided to weigh in "What did you say? What is Aoi doing here?!"

Colt was too caught up in himself to even listen to his contractor "I explicitly told her not to follow us!"

"Wait. You spoke with her? When was this? And why didn't you tell me?" Akira said, going into that overprotective brother mode of his.

Colt cocked his head "Look. If you must know, she was spying on our conversation. After you left, I spoke with her momentarily. But I expressly told her not to pull a stunt like this!"

Akira stopped "No matter what you said, it lead to her coming here. I won't let her do anything dangerous!"

Colt also halted his movements "We've come so close to the centre. Stopping now would be you turning your back on your chance to learn the truth about what happened ten years ago! We have little time left."

"But Aoi is-" Akira went to say, only to be cut off.

"Hold it!" Colt roared "While, I don't like it myself, you've got one thing to learn. Your sister isn't a child anymore. She's old enough to make her own choices. Now if you're done, let's go! If we waste any more time, Playmaker will get there before we do!" Colt took off leaving Akira no room for thought, forcing him to follow his hunter.

---

(Time Skip)

The two saw light at the end of the tunnel, "That must be it up ahead." Colt said, traveling into the light which soon dissipated revealing an almost space like setting with balls of data orbiting about the place. In the centre there was a huge pedestal which on it contained the data being held in the banks.

However there was one thing that was out of place, or rather one person out of place. That man clapped as he made his way into view. "Well, well, well. This is unexpected. Zaizen, since when were you interested in the incidents ten years ago?"

Akira growled "Lucifinia, what are you doing here?"

"It's simple really Zaizen, Bishop said that since Playmaker had the backdoor, I was to be responsible to prevent him from gathering the information."

Colt looked confused as the two SOL managers came face to face "Who's this?" He asked bringing Zitor's attention to him.

"Ah. You must be Colt, the hunter Zaizen hired to take out the undesirables in my system. My name is Zitor Lucifinia, I'm head of Link VRAINS development." Zitor's hand began to glow a bright red "And you're interfering in something you really shouldn't be." With a flick of his wrist, a digital cage appeared round Colt and Akira "No hard feelings really, I just can't have people interfering."

'Intruder! Intruder!' The warning system blared, just as Playmaker took his first steps into the databank.

This alert resonated in the security room "There's an intruder in the main system!" The already crushed Kitamura somehow found a way to fall down another rung of the mental stability ladder "What?!"

"I'll send a feed through!" The giant screen in the middle showed what was occurring, a keyboard appeared before Zitor which he used to punch in a code, causing the floor to move.

"L-Lucifinia! What's he doing there? Playmaker too!"

Back in the system, Zitor strolled towards Playmaker "Hello there, Playmaker."

Playmaker looked confused while he didn't expect not to be challenged, he certainly wasn't sure who this man was, and this was compounded even further when he saw Colt and Akira trapped in Zitor's cage program "Who are you? What have you done to them? Are you a Knight of Hanoi?" Where some of the questions Playmaker blurted out in roughly the first 3 seconds.

Zitor's look turned deadly "First off, don't you dare associate me with that disgusting hacker group. Second: I have given my introduction to those two over there but I suppose it wouldn't hurt to introduce myself again. I am Zitor Lucifinia, the head of Link VRAINS development. The one responsible for creating the system, so I must commend your efforts to save it. Third: Those two are being held back to prevent them from interfering."

"And that means…" Playmaker said.

"That if you want to gain the data held in here, you'll have to beat me in a duel." Zitor explained, lifting up his disk.

Ai stuck his head out of the disk 'So, this is SOL Technologies data core. Data is processed and released from here.'

All of a sudden, Playmaker glared fiercely at Zitor, almost as if he was looking at a Knight of Hanoi "Were you waiting for me?"

"Yes. I was. I knew you had the backdoor, so I waited for you to turn up." Zitor answered, hand on hip. "Now those two over there are a totally different story. Just like you, they are interested in the data stored here. If I'm completely honest, I'm surprised that so many people made it here. This place is very well protected, for even one person to get in here is a feat."

"I see. I understand perfectly now." Playmaker closed his eyes.

'Does that mean we were decoys? Did we only get the backdoor so that they could get in here too?' Ai said.

"Move out of the way, Lucifinia." Playmaker said bluntly but with the slightest hint of venom in his voice.

Zitor laughed "What did you ask me to do? Leave? I'm sorry but that's just not happening. I can't allow you to go any further."

"Does that mean you know what's stored here?"

"Yes. I've known what's been stored here for a very long time. What happened at SOL Technologies ten years ago. Especially what happened to people like you, Playmaker."

Akira looked livid "He knew the entire time? Does that really mean SOL was involved in the incidents ten years ago? And covered them up?"

Playmaker's eye twitched "I have the right to know what's stored here."

Zitor spoke, seemingly without acknowledging Playmaker's last statement "You were a victim from the first incident ten years ago."

In the control room eyebrows were raised "What incident?" a worker asked.

'I don't know what he's talking about, but I feel everyone here shouldn't find out.' Kitamura acted quickly "Send this footage to my office! I'll record it in my office! Turn off all the monitors! And don't record it! If you disobey, you do you're fired!"

Kitamura marched to his office and cut out any outside interference, watching it, Playmaker was the one speaking "If you know what happened then hand over that data."

"Have you been listening? I'm not going to do that." Zitor said.

'He knows what's on here but won't show it?' Ai said, nearly as angry as Playmaker 'He must be really petty!'

"Oh. Hello there. You must be Playmaker's Ignis. It's a real pleasure to meet you, IGN006." Zitor put particular emphasis on the last part.

'That's right! I am Playmaker's great Ignis!' AI started with a sense of bravado only to falter when he realised something 'Wait. What did you call me?'

"IGN006. That was your designation, it says so in this data here." Zitor explained himself in a rather condescending way.

'Does that mean this data contains my real name?!'

"No. Just your designation." Zitor said but in his mind something else was going on 'Ignis, that man created you. Due to his paranoid delusions, I won't allow him to gain control of you. I take you here and now.' He continued out loud "If you hand that Ai over to me, then I'll gladly leave. If you do so, I'll take the data here and release it to the world, bringing the project to light."

"No way. People with no knowledge of what we went through, shouldn't be the ones to handle this. There are three reasons why. One: I'll personally uncover the truth about the incident. Two: No matter the fact you claim to know what's on here, this has nothing to do with you. Three: However, since you are adamant to not just hand it over, you know the only why you could possibly stop me." Playmaker kept to his mantra.

The head of development looked bored stiff through most of Playmaker's speech, only lighting up at the last section "A duel? I told you that was the only way to get rid of me about five minutes ago."

"That's right. If you win, I'll comply and leave without taking the data. In addition I'll hand over this Ai." Mortified didn't even begin to describe the expression Ai pulled.

"But if I win, you leave and you allow the two of them to go free as well."

"All of that is perfectly fine by me. I formally challenge you to a duel!" Zitor stuck his arm out.

"I accept."

The layout for a master duel appeared before them, in the centre of the floor. During this time Colt took the liberty to ask Akira about Zitor "What's his deck like?"

Akira gritted his teeth "He's one of the best duelists in the company's history. His deck is extremely tough to beat, even I couldn't figure out a way out of his multiple locks."

Hearing this, Colt grimaced under his mask "Sounds like Playmaker is in for a rough ride."

"Duel!" Both of them shouted simultaneously.

Zitor's LP: 4000 Playmaker's LP: 4000 Cards x5

Turn 1

"I'll be taking the first turn." Zitor said, waving his hand away bar one card "I summon Infernal Puppeteer Lucifer!" Zitor's monster was somehow an even more demented puppet than Mammon's Marionpet. Its face was broken into quarters and coming from the multiple holes adorning it, you could that there were flames pouring out of it, the stings holding the puppet in place were close to being severed and were on fire as well.

Infernal Puppeteer Lucifer, Level 4, Fiend, FIRE, Effect (0/0)

"Lucifer's effect activates, when this card is summoned I can add one spell or trap card from my deck to my hand." The selected card ejected itself into Zitor's hand "Now, appear! My blazing circuit of anguish!"

'He's link summoning already?!' Ai's sentiment was shared by everyone bar Akira who just watched closely.

"The summoning conditions are one Infernal Puppeteer monster with 0 attack points!" The square appeared on the floor beneath Zitor's feet, Lucifer turned into a black twister and hit the bottom marker "I set Infernal Puppeteer Lucifer in the link markers! Circuit combine! Appear, Link 1! Infernal Puppeteer Zeltron!" This monster had its face nearly fully broken, instead there was fire consuming the missing pieces. The stings holding the puppet in place were close to being severed, only one of the strings was actually taut making the monster lopsided.

Infernal Puppeteer Zeltron, Link, Fiend, FIRE, Effect, (0) Link Markers: Bottom.

"I place one card face down and end my turn."

Ai jumped out to explain the situation 'He's played a link monster with 0 attack. Just like why he's here, I can't figure out the reason for why he'd do something like that.'

Playmaker glared the Ignis down, "No matter if a monster has 0 attack points or 4000, nothing will be enough to stop me!"

Just before Playmaker began, Zitor cut in "By the by, when Zeltron is on the field by himself you can't attack him, instead it changes to a direct attack on me."

Ai scratched his head 'He wants us to attack him? Is he mad? He must realise that he'll only damage himself!'

"Don't be stupid." Playmaker said harshly. "Of course he knows, he wouldn't have played it if he didn't."

Zitor's cards x3

Turn 2

"My turn! I draw! I discard Stack Reviver to special summon Bitlooper from my hand!" Bitlooper looked to be a more advanced robotic version of Bitron and Digitron stuck on a more advanced body.

Bitlooper, Level 4, Cyberse, EARTH, Effect (1500/2000)

"By discarding a level 2 or lower monster, I can special summon Bitlooper. Next, I summon Cyberse Gadget!" Cyberse Gadget was another robot this time grey, which took its place next to Bitlooper.

Cyberse Gadget, Level 4, Cyberse, LIGHT, Effect (1400/300)

"When it's summoned, I can negate the effects of a level two or lower monster in my graveyard and special summon it in defence mode. Resurrect, Stack Reviver!" The small filing robot ascended from the graveyard next to Cyberse Gadget.

Stack Reviver, Level 2, Cyberse, DARK, Effect (100/600)

Zitor gained a somewhat manic look "Oh, is this it? The summoning of the famous Decode Talker that defeated two of Link VRAINS' top duelists? Ok then! Show me! Show me your power!"

Taking a moment due to Zitor's sudden ramblings, Playmaker then continued "Appear! The circuit that leads to the future! I set Bitlooper, Cyberse Gadget and Stack Reviver in the link markers!" The gate appeared and the three monsters headed towards it, striking the top and bottom diagonals "The summoning conditions are at least two effect monsters! Circuit combine! Link summon! Appear, Link 3! Decode Talker!"

The card that could well be considered one of Playmaker's aces, landed with little need for an introduction.

Decode Talker, Link 3, DARK, Cyberse (2300) Link Markers: Top, Bottom Left and Bottom Right.

What no one expected was for Zitor go on a laughing fit, only calming down after what seemed like an eternity. He regained his calm state as he spoke with his usual firm tone "My apologies for that. I don't often get the chance to test myself against a skilled duelist, most of the people at SOL are utter crap." He cocked his head to Akira "No offence, Zaizen. I actually think you're decent."

"Thanks…" Akira mumbled.

"Cyberse Gadget's effect activates from my graveyard! When it is sent from the field to the graveyard, I special summon one Gadget token!" A miniature version of Cyberse Gadget appeared "And when I use Stack Reviver to link summon I special summon one level 4 or lower cyberse monster in defence mode. I resurrect Cyberse Gadget!"

"Now Decode Talker's effect! Power integration! It gains 500 attack points for every monster it's linked to!"

Decode's ATK: 2300 – 3300

'Yes! If we attack him now, we'll deal 3300 points of damage and eradicate over half of his points and have him on the ropes!'

"Are you sure about that?" Zitor smirked making everyone's faces fall "I activate the Continuous Trap, Descent to Hell!" The card art showed a mangled puppet falling into a deep abyss that had flames at the bottom, which give the card's name was supposed to be Hell itself. "When this card is active on the field alongside an Infernal Puppeteer link monster, once per turn I can't take damage from direct attacks."

'Grrr! What an annoying card!'

"However, this card will be destroyed when I control no Infernal Puppeteer link monsters and I take 500 points of damage as a result."

'Oh? Well that's something at least…' Ai muttered, calming down. 'But that still means we can't attack!' Playmaker's face turned sour at Ai's deduction.

That was something Zitor couldn't help but look smug at "If you recall, Zeltron can't be attacked instead I become the target of the attack. But due to Descent's effect I don't take damage from said attack. As you can see it is meaningless to even try. I ask you, the 'Hero of VRAINS' what are you going to do to beat me?"

From their position in the cage, Colt and Akira knew exactly the trick Zitor was pulling "He's getting Playmaker riled up so that he can force him into becoming nothing more than a puppet." Colt said "Is this what he's like at SOL?"

"Sadly yes, it has been noted that every manager of any major part of the company that fell out with him lost their jobs. In their place came people who all answered to him." Akira said, grasping the bars tightly.

"Appear for the second time! The circuit that leads to the future! I set Cyberse Gadget and Gadget Token in the link markers." On the gate the middle left marker and the bottom right one illuminated

"Oh? Another link summon? I can't see the point in it though." Zitor said sounding just as proud of himself as his son usually did.

His comment however, was ignored entirely "Link summon! Link 2! Flame Administrator!" Link Administrator was a red robot that looked quite block like that also had flames painted onto its armour.

Flame Administrator, Link 2, Cyberse, FIRE, Effect (1200) Link Markers: Middle left and Bottom right.

"Hmph. From the way you looked, it seemed as if you were going to summon something grand. Instead you go and summon a pitiful monster with only 1200 attack points. Truly disappointing."

Ai was the one to respond to Zitor's jab 'Just you wait! Flame Administrator's effect has yet to activate.'

Playmaker took the hint and began to explain "When Flame Administrator is on the field, Link monsters on my field gain 800 attack points!"

Decode's ATK: 2300 – 3100

"And what is that going to do exactly? My trap prevents any damage that may come my way. So all this attack boosting is meaningless." Zitor shrugged, not looking the least bit concerned by anything.

"Battle! Decode Talker attacks you directly! Decode end!" Decode sped towards Zitor, raising its sword and preparing to strike the head of development who maintained his look of total boredom.

"I play Descent's effect. For this attack I choose to negate the battle damage I would've received from this attack!" Zitor snapped his fingers causing a wall of fire to appear in front of him. Leaving Decode to cleave into that instead.

"However! Since you've used your negation for the turn, I can now use Flame Administrator to attack you directly!" Playmaker said.

The others watched in anticipation as Flame Administrator inched ever closer. It looked as if Playmaker had succeeded in damaging Zitor when the spikey haired male jumped back, however that wasn't the case "I activate the effect of Zeltron! When I'm the recipient of a direct attack, I can select one Infernal Puppeteer monster from my deck and special summon it next to Zeltron's link!" The selected monster came out of the card slot and Zitor held it out for all to see "I summon Infernal Puppeteer Belphegor!" This monster had its face fully broken, fire consumed practically the whole body. The stings holding the puppet in place were severed and the monster lay on its back with only the hands visibly moving.

Infernal Puppeteer Belphegor, Level 4, Fiend, FIRE, Effect (0/0)

'What's with all the puppets?' Ai shivered 'They're really starting to creep me out.'

"Due to this effect, your monster's attack is now changed to Belphegor!" Multiple singed strings came from Zeltron, pulling Administrator away from Zitor, causing the attack to slice through Belphegor.

"He dodged two of Playmaker's attacks…" Colt looked concerned for Playmaker, everything was seemingly going at Zitor's pace and he didn't look like he was going to relinquish control anytime soon.

Unknown to any of the combatants, Colt and Akira included. Blue Angel had also defeated her Ai and snuck her way into seeing the duel occurring. Her eyes widened when she saw her brother stuck in Zitor's trap. 'Brother! What's happening here?'

"I set one card face down and end my turn." Playmaker said through gritted teeth.

"Tell me something Playmaker. Are you around the same age as my son? He's sixteen if you need to know."

Playmaker went to answer, only to be waved off "Sorry. Stupid question. You were a victim ten years ago. That'll make you the same age. Trust me when I say this, I have no idea of the pain you endured during that tragedy. But both my son and I have suffered tremendously during those ten years."

'Oh great. He's going to tell a story, I just hope he doesn't use his creepy puppets!' Ai shivered whilst running his mouth.

"The children of the Hanoi project weren't the only ones kidnapped ten years ago." This revelation shocked Playmaker, Blue Angel and Shoichi who was listening in too from the back of the truck, "Ten years ago. There was another incident. Something called the Inferno Project was executed. During that time I was 26 years old and my son was only 6." There was the ever so slight sign of tears in Zitor's visible eye "For a long time, all I could do was pray and hope that my son would be returned to me. I spent each minute of every working day looking for a way to save him. I failed to find the project's location, however a miracle occurred when he came back to me. Though I found out he was completely traumatised and during anytime we were out together always stuck to my leg, unwilling to converse with anyone bar me. I imagine you undergoing a similar predicament."

From his office Kitamura looked hit for six 'Kidnapped? What's he talking about? What did SOL Technologies do?'

Zitor narrowed his eyes "Nevertheless! The reason I stand before you, is to prevent you from extracting the data on the Hanoi Project! I can never feel your pain but I know that you'll misuse the data!"

However, Playmaker looked irate with his face contorting harshly "You know nothing about me!"

The man referred to as SOL's Bulwark simply cocked his head sideways "Oh? I don't know anything about you?" He smirked slyly "How sure of that are you?"

Playmaker staggered backwards "Lucifinia, you have noble intentions but you only know a fictional version of me! You can't possibly know what I'm really like!"

"So you're continuing this match then?" Zitor said "I look forward to seeing how you even damage me, let alone defeat me."

'Is he still talking?' Ai snarked 'Let's hurry up and beat this guy already, Playmaker!'

"I'll take that as a yes then. From here the gates of Hell have opened, there is nothing but war!" Zitor shouted

'Ah! He sounds really into it now! Maybe I shouldn't have done that…'

The head of development snapped his fingers "At the end of the turn Belphegor is destroyed by battle, I can add one level 4 or lower Infernal Puppeteer monster from my deck to my hand."

AI narrowed his eyes 'So that's it. His deck is a defensive one, his monster forces people to attack him. He then uses either a trap or the monster's effect to nullify any damage that would come his way. He is a most irritating opponent.'

"I'd call it more than just mere defence. There's a saying that goes 'If you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you.' This is the abyss." Zitor said coldly.

Playmaker's cards x3

Turn 3

"My turn! I draw! I activate the Continuous Spell, Ascent to Heaven!" This card was diametrically opposed from the card to the left. This one showed a set of pearly golden gates that shone brightly. There was also a puppet lying just beneath them crawling to its feet. "This card like Descent before it will be destroyed when I have no Link monsters on my field and I will take 500 points of damage. Its effect will become apparent later so in the meantime, I summon Infernal Puppeteer Leviathan!"

This monster was different from the others. Instead of being a humanoid puppet, this one was dragon yet that still didn't stop it from going through the same tortured process of flames burning it to a cinder and the torched strings ensnaring it.

Infernal Puppeteer Leviathan, Level 4, Fiend, FIRE, Effect (0/0)

"Appear before me again! The blazing circuit of anguish!" The gate appeared just beneath Zitor's feet "The summoning conditions are two Infernal Puppeteer monsters with 0 attack points! I set Zeltron and Leviathan in the link markers!" Zeltron and Leviathan turned into blazing twisters and hit the bottom and bottom left of the square. "Link summon! Appear, Link 2! Infernal Puppeteer Setral!"

This monster shared many similarities with the card that came before it. It had its face nearly fully broken, the fire was attached like armour on its arms and upper body. The stings holding the puppet in place were fully severed, the monster was lying on the ground only its torso showing.

Infernal Puppeteer Setral, Link 2, Fiend, FIRE, Effect (0) Link Markers: Bottom and Bottom Right

Akira sighed "That's it…Playmaker's finished." He then suddenly punched the cage "Damn him! Damn him! Why is he doing this?! He says he wants to release the data but he said earlier that he's known for a long time. All he's here for is to hide the truth!"

Behind him Colt looked totally despondent, he had removed his mask and was fiddling with it "Inferno…" He muttered making Akira turn to him.

"Nem?" He asked quietly and unsure of himself.

Colt gave a devastated look to his contractor and didn't even look like he was aware he was talking "Win at all costs… They'll come for me if I don't…" He sounded eerily similar to Mammon's breakdown the day prior

Zitor caught Colt in his peripheral vision 'So my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. That's means what Allen said is true.'

Watching from her position just behind a barrier Blue Angel looked just as confused as her brother did 'What's going on with him? Why's he acting different all of a sudden? Is he a victim of one of these incidents just like Playmaker was?'

"Setral's effect. Once per turn, by banishing one Infernal Puppeteer from my graveyard, I can target one monster you control who has less than 1500 attack points and take control of it until the end of the turn when it's destroyed! I banish Belphegor to take control of your Flame Administrator!"

Setral suddenly jumped to life and strings began to emerge from its back. They slinked their way to Playmaker's link monster pulling it to Zitor's side, linking to Setral's bottom marker.

"Without Flame Administrator on your field, your monster loses 800 attack points and mine gain that amount."

Decode's ATK: 3100 – 2300

Setral's ATK: 0 – 800

"Ascent to Heaven's effect! For the first time during a turn when a monster I control gains attack points you take damage equal to the amount of points gained!"

A beam shot out of the card and struck Playmaker hard, blowing him back a couple feet. Causing a digital shock to run through his system.

Playmaker's LP: 4000 – 3200

"Lucifer's effect from the graveyard. I can banish this card from my graveyard to add one Infernal Puppeteer from my deck to hand." However said monster didn't last long "I now discard one monster from my hand to activate Ascent's second effect. For the rest of this turn my Infernal Puppeteer Link monster gains 200 attack points for each link marker on the field. If you recall, Setral has two, Administrator likewise. Finally Decode Talker has three. Leading to a grand total of seven. In layman's terms Setral will gain 1400 attack points!"

A light shone on Setral and the monster picked itself up from the ground, revealing that the bottom half of its body was non-existent

Setral's ATK: 800 – 2200

'That's still not enough to get over Decode!' Ai shouted triumphantly.

Zitor laughed coldly in response "Who said I was done?" That caused Ai to recoil in shock "Descent like Ascent has another effect. By discarding one trap card from my hand, I can half Setral's attack points and have him attack you directly!"

Setral's ATK: 2200 – 1100

'Ahhh!' Ai cried, then turned to the angered Playmaker 'D-Do something Playmaker! I don't want that creepy thing anywhere near me!'

But all Playmaker did was stand stock still "Battle! Infernal Puppeteer Setral attacks you directly! Blazing Manipulation!" Crawling out of the bottom of Setral's torso a set of torched strings phased right through Decode Talker and began to encircle Playmaker, they then closed in and grabbed a hold of Playmaker. Choking the life out of him as he fell yelling to the floor. His torso had been cut into with the digital blue data underneath showing.

Playmaker's LP: 3200 – 2100

The attack left Playmaker on the ground for a considerable time, Zitor couldn't help but rub in his total control of the duel "Are you regretting that you thought you could beat me? This is my domain you are in. Like I said to you before we began, as long as you covet the data I will be here to repulse you." All of a sudden he looked Mammon levels of insane, running a hand through his overhanging hair "I warn you, Playmaker! If you stand it'll be your last today!"

Playmaker's outstretched hands curled into fists as he slowly pulled himself up, his eyes were shadowed "Lucifinia… No matter what you say, there is one thing you'll never understand. I will not be leaving here until I uncover the truth of ten years ago!" The look of pure rage and determination was strong enough to even unnerve the perpetually calm Zitor, who was taken aback.

Zitor grunted "Fine. So be it! I set one card facedown and end my turn. With the turn ending Setral's attack points return to normal and Flame Administrator is destroyed."

Setral's ATK: 1100 – 0

Zitor's Cards x0

Turn 4

"My turn! I draw! I summon Balancer Lord!" Balancer Lord was a knight with grey armour and a sword and shield.

Balancer Lord, Level 4, Cyberse, LIGHT, Effect (1700/1200)

"I activate my Continuous Trap, Limit Code! I put a limit counter on this card for every Cyberse Link monster in my graveyard! Due to your monster's effect, there is one Cyberse Link monster in my graveyard, Flame Administrator."

Limit Counters: 0 – 1

"I then special summon a Code Talker from my extra deck and equip it with this card! I special summon Encode Talker from my extra deck!" The card that had successfully defeated both Blue Angel and Mammon took its position linked to Decode Talker.

Encode Talker, Link 3, LIGHT, Cyberse (2300) Link Markers: Top, Bottom and Bottom Right.

"Decode's effect! It gains 500 attack points for each monster it's linked to! Power Integration!" The purple aura once again engulfed Decode Talker.

Decode's ATK: 2300 – 2800

"Meaningless! It's all meaningless!" Zitor yelled manically "You cannot surpass my field! Once per turn Descent will negate your attack. Then I can use Setral's effect to block your attacks further!"

'Grrr! That man…' Ai grumbled 'He's so full of himself and annoying, but I hate to say it Playmaker, he's right. If you can't figure out a way around that combination of cards, then I may as well pack my bags.'

Zitor reverted from manic to calm "I've spent years perfecting this deck. This is the ultimate defence, simply put nothing can beat it. Everything is meaningless in comparison."

Playmaker looked confident "But it seems that you don't know of my true goal. I bet my future on this! Appear, the circuit that leads to the future! The summoning conditions are at least two monsters! I set Balancer Lord and Link 3 Encode Talker in the link markers!" Both monsters sped towards the gate in the sky.

"Link 4, eh? That can only mean one thing…" Zitor narrowed his eyes.

"Link summon! Appear, Link 4 Firewall Dragon!" Playmaker's ace dragon landed with a thud as it store down the head of development.

Firewall Dragon, Link 4, LIGHT, Cyberse, Effect (2500) Link Markers: Top, Bottom, Middle Left and Middle Right.

Decode's ATK: 2300 – 2800

"So you finally called upon it. Your ace monster that was able to defeat the leader of the Knights of Hanoi. Firewall Dragon… Truly an awe-inspiring monster."

"Here I go! From my hand, I activate the spell card, Linkage Hole! When I have a Link 4 or higher monster on my field. It destroys a monster on your field for every link 3 or higher monster on my field!" Zitor's face contorted momentarily.

From the cage, Akira looked just as confident as Playmaker "Just because Lucifinia's monsters can't be attacked, doesn't mean they can't be destroyed by other means. That's the weakness he was trying to hide. His monsters are vulnerable to card effects, all you have to do is kick the door in and the whole rotten structure will come crashing down on his head."

"I only need one! Since I control the Link 4 Firewall Dragon, I can destroy your Infernal Puppeteer!" A blast of energy struck Setral, annihilating the seemingly invincible monster, causing a blast to rock the area.

Ai was in a boisterous mood 'Now! Since you no longer control one of your Link monsters, your annoying spell and trap cards are destroyed and you take 500 points of damage for each!'

Both Ascent and Descent appeared then burst into particles. Said Particles then became energized and shocked Zitor, causing a tear in his clothing to appear, in contrast to Playmaker the data energy in Zitor's body was black.

Zitor's LP: 4000 – 3000

The black haired male barely had enough time to pick himself up before Playmaker began his assault "Battle! Decode Talker attacks you directly!" With a huge slash, Decode struck deep into Zitor, knocking him back several feet onto his back. Smoke billowing out from the deep gash.

Zitor's LP: 3000 – 200

"End this now, Firewall Dragon! Direct Attack." When the attack caused yet another large blast, practically everyone expected Zitor to be lying on the ground in defeat. However as the smoke cleared he stood, maintaining a remarkably calm look with a set of scales in front of him.

'W-What happened? He should have 0 Life Points!' Ai said in disbelief.

Zitor smiled smugly "I won't allow anyone to exert a sentence on me. Behold!" He threw out his arms dramatically "I activate the Trap Final Judgment! Now, during the turn I take damage from a direct attack, if I have three or more Infernal Puppeteers in my graveyard, I can summon one Link monster from my extra deck whose link is equivalent to the number in my graveyard. Currently, there are 4 monsters inhabiting it."

The scales began to catch fire, quickly becoming engulfed "Descend, Master of Hell itself! I summon Link 4 Infernal Puppeteer Sendong!"

The fire spooled into the air and from it came a pitch black gate with skulls adorning it. As the door cracked open, a set of blazing hands grabbed onto the sides. It then pulled the rest of the body out, showing off an inferno of blue flames attached to the monsters purple torso. Unlike Setral the bottom half of Sendong was very much a thing, blazing with ferocious black flames. The strings were coming out of every crack in the monster's tortured face.

Infernal Puppeteer Sendong, Link 4, FIRE, Fiend, Effect (0) Link Markers: Bottom left, Bottom Right, Top Left and Top Right.

'What is with this guy's monsters?' Ai shivered 'There all so creepy, just like him!'

"The second effect of Final Judgment. The monster that dealt me battle damage this turn, is destroyed and I gain life points equal to half that monster's original attack points!" Decode was obliterated and a red aura surrounded Zitor.

Zitor's LP: 200 – 1350

'The whole duel… Was it just a set up to this?' AI said.

"The question is, were we even on top to begin with? Were just playing his game?" Playmaker finished.

Colt had recovered enough to ask Akira a question when he noticed the other SOL official grimacing at the sight of Sendong "Is that his ace monster?"

"Yes. It is indeed." Akira said grimly "When he's summoned it, Lucifinia has never lost. It's essentially a win condition for him and the fact he manged to summon it on Playmaker's turn, puts Playmaker in deep trouble."

"I set one card facedown and end my turn." Playmaker said begrudgingly.

Playmaker's cards x1

Turn 5

"My turn! I draw!" Zitor didn't waste any time "Battle! Sendong attacks Firewall Dragon! Infernal manipulation!"

"What's he doing? His monster has 0 attack points and Playmaker's has 2500. He'll only kamikaze himself!" Colt either didn't pay attention during any of Zitor's turns or his memory of Inferno had given him short term memory loss.

"Sendong's effect! By banishing one Infernal Puppeteer monster from my graveyard I can make this monster's attack points equal to that of your monster's attack! As well as that, once per turn this card can't be destroyed in battle with another monster! I banish Leviathan from my graveyard!" The strings coming from Sendong's face dipped into the graveyard portal and pulled Leviathan out, proceeding to incinerate the monster gaining its strength.

Then it groaned ghoulishly and sped towards Firewall Dragon, its entire body fully engulfed in blue and black flames.

Sendong's ATK: 0 – 2500

'This is bad! If we lose Firewall, we'll lose for sure!' Ai flapped his arms wildly.

"I know! I activate the trap, Doppler Phase Coating! I equip this card on Firewall Dragon!" A clear blue barrier appeared just in time to stop Sendong in its tracks "Doppler Phase Coating's effect! Once per turn, the equipped monster can't be destroyed in battle." Sendong retreated back to Zitor's side.

"Fine then. I activate Sendong's second effect. When the monster this card battles isn't destroyed, I can banish one monster from my graveyard to deal you damage equal to half that monster's attack points. Firewall has 2500 attack, which means you are taking 1250 points of damage!"

Playmaker's LP: 2100 – 850

"I set one card facedown and end my turn. With it Sendong's attack returns to normal." The blazing flames died down and Sendong phased out of the physical world "Just as Zeltron and Setral, when Sendong is the only monster on my field, any attack is now directed to me."

Zitor's cards x0

Turn 6

"Here I go! My turn, I draw!" Playmaker started.

However he was quickly cut off by Zitor "I activate the Trap, Infernal Graveyard!" This card showed Sendong's strings wrapping around multiple graves, each one baring the name of one of Zitor's Link monsters. The strings were just burrowing into Zeltron's grave. "I can only activate this card when I control a Link 4 monster. This card equips itself to my monster. The equipped monster can't be targeted nor destroyed by card effects. Also when all of the monster's Links are filled, I can send both cards and the monsters linked to it to the graveyard to deal you 4000 points of damage!"

'What?! That's not fair! If that card can't be destroyed by card effects then it's all but invincible!'

Zitor deadpanned at Ai's comment "That's the point. My victory is all but assured."

"But there's an issue isn't there, Lucifinia?" Akira said making Zitor turn to him "Two of the card's link markers point to Playmaker's side of the field. So unless you can find a way to fill those spaces, that effect won't activate."

All Akira received was an icy, venom laced tone of voice "Why don't you just zip it and watch quietly, Zaizen."

"I activate a Spell from my hand! Alert Lancer! When a Cyberse attacks a monster in defence mode this turn, it deals piercing damage!"

Ai's face lit up 'Wow! I never thought of it that way! So far all the monsters he has summoned have 0 attack and defence points! If we were take all his monsters being like that, if this coming attack lands you win, Playmaker!'

"Firewall Dragon attacks you directly!"

With little else to do, Zitor began his reply "Sendong's effect! Up to the number of free link markers this card has. I can summon one Infernal Puppeteer from my deck! I select Infernal Puppeteer Asmodeus!" Asmodeus was a lanky puppet with disproportionate arms and legs in comparison to its rather small torso, which was set ablaze in a sea of yellow flames.

Infernal Puppeteer Asmodeus, Level 4, FIRE, Fiend, Effect (0/0)

'To quote yourself, "It's all meaningless." Due to Alert Lancer's effect, you'll take damage no matter what!' Ai mocked Zitor, failing to notice the head of development's almost eerily calm expression.

"I play the Continuous Trap Infernal Guard!" The card showed, seven monsters. Three of them were Zitor's Link monsters, Zeltron, Setral and Sendong who were in the foreground. Behind them there were four shadowy figures with piercing blood red eyes, they seemed to be protecting the monsters in the foreground. "Like my other traps, this card will be destroyed when I control no Link monsters and I take 500 points of damage. However, this allows me once per turn to negate any battle damage I take from the destruction of a monster in my main monster zone!"

Firewall's attack landed and Asmodeus was obliterated. However, it was all meaningless in the eyes of Zitor who stood stock still as the blast forked in front of him leaving him completely untouched.

'He dodged it again?!' Ai gurned 'Does this guy ever accept when he's bound to lose?'

"You can try as hard as you want. I won't let anyone beat me!"

"I end my turn." Playmaker said, frustrated by Zitor's stalling tactics.

Playmaker's cards x0

Turn 7

"My turn, I draw! This card shall drag you further into the abyss! I activate the Continuous Spell Blazing Deprivation!" Sendong stood front and centre of this card. The ghastly ignited strings descended upon a group of unsuspecting monsters, sucking them dry of any life "I needn't tell you this card's downside. But its upside will be revealed to you very shortly."

"Battle! Sendong attacks Firewall Dragon! Infernal Manipulation!" As the strings stretched out Zitor continued "As you already know, by banishing one Infernal Puppeteer from my graveyard, Sendong gains the attack points of a monster it is attacking. I release Asmodeus from my graveyard to gain Firewall's attack."

Sendong repeated the progress it did last time as it powered up once more.

Sendong's ATK: 0 – 2500

'But that means nothing! With Doppler Phase Coating, Firewall can survive your monster's attack and we take no damage!'

"Deprivation's effect! By banishing one monster from my graveyard, I can lower your monsters attack points by 500 points during damage calculation!"

Firewall's ATK: 2500 – 2000

"I mightn't be able to destroy that card, but I can still deal you damage!" The strings phased through the barrier and scorched Playmaker's arms, causing the hacker to recoil in pain.

Playmaker's LP: 850 – 350

"Due to other factors, I won't activate Sendong's second effect. However, I will activate Sendong's third effect! When this monster successfully deals you battle damage, I can summon one Infernal Puppeteer from my deck next to one of this cards Link Markers! I summon my second Lucifer! Lucifer's effect activates. I add one Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand."

Infernal Puppeteer Lucifer, Level 4, Fiend, FIRE, Effect (0/0)

Akira narrowed his eyes, as too did Playmaker 'What's he planning?'

"I activate the Continuous Spell String Generator! Once per turn I can summon one Infernal Token to either player's field! I summon the Token to your field next to Sendong's Link Marker!" The Infernal Token was in essence a smaller version of Sendong. "I end my turn with that."

Sendong's ATK: 2500 – 0

'This is really bad, Playmaker!'

"Infernal Guard allows him to negate any damage he takes, while on the next turn Deprivation will decrease Firewall's attack again, meaning if he gets an attack off, he'll deal 500 points of damage which is enough to finish me off. To make matters worse, if he fills all of Sendong's Links, Infernal Graveyard's effect will activate and he wins as well." Playmaker explained his dire situation.

'Then do something about it!' Ai shouted, totally panic stricken. 'But can anything be done?'

"Stop panicking. That's what he wants you to do." Playmaker mirrored Zitor's expression, leaving an unsettling aura of unnatural calm to descend over the whole databank. "Are you really an Ai?"

'Why are you so calm?! I'm panicking because I know the odds of defeat! Can you turn this around?'

Playmaker looked apathetic at best "If you're that worried, then think about your new home."

Ai couldn't believe what he was hearing 'You're fine if he breaks apart our passionate friendship?'

"There is no friendship between us." Apparently the word subtle wasn't in Playmaker's dictionary.

Ai froze in place 'You're colder than an Ai.' He muttered.

"I don't need warmth from people. Why don't you act like an Ai and explain the cards."

'Fine! I'll talk like an AI!' Ai then proceeded to rip the ass out of other AIs '"Stupid" is a forbidden word. And our chances of winning our less than 5%.'

"No, our odds are much lower than that. But I'll say one thing. If you're worried that I'll lose, you don't need to. Because I definitely won't lose. Not until I uncover the truth with my own hands." Playmaker clenched his fist "This deck contains my feelings of the past ten years. I will find the truth!"

Zitor's cards x0

Turn 8

"I draw!" Playmaker declared at a crescendo of emotion.

"This card shall decide whether or not you can uncover the truth!" Zitor said as Playmaker looked longingly at his drawn card "Well, Playmaker?"

"I set a card facedown and end my turn."

Zitor closed his eyes "I see. You truly can't do anything to beat me. Looks like the truth of ten years ago shall remain in our databank. After all, it was meaningless in the first place. It is simply your destiny." He opened his eyes again "Now is the time for your path to end. If you leave now, I will bear no ill will. I myself intend to release the data after this, I'll handle this from here. I won't allow someone like you who has a future to ruin it by pursuing revenge. I ask you once more, leave this place so you can continue your future."

Just as Playmaker was about to respond Blue Angel came out of hiding "Playmaker!" she said.

"Aoi?!" Akira said, pushing up against the bars "Get back! This place isn't safe!"

Blue Angel seemingly didn't hear Akira "Before this duel is over, I want to know what happened ten years ago. The true story, only." She looked at Playmaker "Playmaker, since you showed up Link VRAINS has changed dramatically. I don't know what I duel for anymore. But if I learn what's going on, if I know what you're fighting for… I feel like I can move forward. Tell me, Playmaker."

Before Akira could get another word in, Zitor was there to block this desire "This is none of your concern!"

"Hold it…" Playmaker muttered.

'I wish to know too, Playmaker.' Ai said. 'Because there is no way this man doesn't know what happened as well. Your secret will be revealed soon.'

Zitor growled for a bit but calmed down "Alright then. I'll tell you what happened. Ten years ago, an incident occurred it is known as the "Lost Incident." A group of children went missing one by one. A certain organisation kidnapped them."

"It sounds just like that Inferno Project you talked about earlier." Blue Angel said.

"Indeed, it was a very similar event. One of the children kidnapped during the Lost incident was no other than the person standing opposite me in this duel."

Blue Angel's eyes widened in shock "No way! You were a victim, Playmaker?!"

"Stop, Lucifinia. I don't wish for you to tell others my past."

"Playmaker…" Blue Angel etched out.

"After we were kidnapped, we were imprisoned separately." Playmaker thought back to the stark white room that he had spent those fateful days entrapped in "The room contained nothing. Except for VR equipment. The VR showed a duel arena. We were forced to duel there." He then remembered the robotic voice saying "You Lose!" Then the crippling pain that came from the shocks. "We could only eat, sleep and duel. This repeated every day. Everything was based on dueling. If we don't win a duel, we don't get to eat." He snapped out of his flashback "When could we leave? How long could we live? We just kept dueling, worried because we knew nothing."

"How horrible… Who would do something like that to children?" Blue Angel said as every failed to notice the subconscious twitch of Zitor's visible eye.

"No one told us where we were or how long we've been held captive."

Zitor cut in "Yet, half a month after the incident started, it suddenly ended without warning."

"You can go home. You gave it your all." Came the voice from Playmaker's memories. The next thing he knew, three men entered the room dashing to his aid. Taking him out alongside the other victims of the incident.

"You were rescued. But the identity of the main culprit still remains clocked in shadows." Zitor's eye twitched again "The incident was covered up, so the media didn't raise a fuss."

Blue Angel stepped forward "Since you know so much, does that mean you know Playmaker's true identity?"

'H-Hold up!' Ai interjected.

Zitor's expression gave nothing away, it was only after a prolonged silence did he speak. His voice as cold as ice "Yes, I know exactly who Playmaker really is."

Everyone wore an expression of pure shock, Ai was the only one to speak 'Wait! What! How is that even possible?'

"I don't have to say how I know that. In fact under the company's data protection laws I'm legally not allowed to say."

'Phew. Our cover was almost fully blown there.' Ai said.

"Do you really believe we were saved from the incident?" Playmaker asked Zitor who just looked blankly at him "We weren't saved!"

"I have the right to know what the incident's mission was!" Playmaker barked "One: That incident tore apart my life. I'll prevent you from hiding the truth and reconnect my life that was torn apart! Two: That incident deeply hurt us and our families. Some still haven't recovered from the shock. I'll learn the truth for them and their families! Three! During those hellish days, when my heart was about to break…" He thought back to the numerous the voice had given him strength "Whoever kept encouraging me, wasn't among the people rescued. If he's still captured, I have to rescue him! The incident ten years ago hasn't ended for me!"

"There's a great irony here, Playmaker." Zitor started "You said your life was torn apart by that incident. But for something to tear in the first place requires it to be whole at the start. From what I can gather you led a normal life until the incident."

Playmaker ignored Zitor "After the incident. To heal the wounds in my heart, I received treatment for years. I also tried hard to forget that incident. But no matter how much time passed, I couldn't forget. Those horrible memories were burned into my eyes, feasting on my heart. It became my flesh and blood that I couldn't dig out. When I realised that, I decided to face my own destiny. You said earlier that I'll ruin my future by seeking revenge. I have no future, only destiny. When I investigated the incident, I found something. The Lost incident had another name, one you have called it by. The Hanoi Project!"

"Hanoi Project?" Blue Angel questioned "The Knights of Hanoi have something to do with the Lost incident?"

"That's why I'm after Hanoi." Playmaker told Blue Angel

'Hanoi Project…' Ai said, deep in thought.

"It's understandable for you to think that. However, your knowledge of the incident will only stretch so far." Zitor said, with a slight hint of smugness.

The head of development's comments confused Playmaker "What do you mean?"

"The name of the project's mastermind is in this data." That sentence sent shockwaves through everyone in the room.

"What?" Playmaker looked irate beyond belief as his pupils shrunk "Who is it?!" As Zitor remained silent, Playmaker got even more desperate "Who is it?! Answer me, Lucifinia!"

Zitor sighed "It's all meaningless. I can't tell you. In addition if I were to tell you who it was it'll only inflame your desire for revenge. I'll end it here and now!"

'You two are on parallel tracks, Playmaker.'

"Seems so."

'Our opinions match for the first time! I'm touched!' Ai said, the lines on his face moulding into what could be considered a smile.

Playmaker's cards x0

Turn 9

"All I have to do is draw a monster and your journey ends. I draw!" Everyone held their breath as Zitor drew, then there was silence "Consider yourself lucky, the card I drew was a Spell card so I can't trigger Infernal Graveyard's effect this turn."

Colt having stayed silent for a long time, perked up to depict Playmaker's situation "It doesn't matter about that though. He may not be able to use his trap's effect but with Playmaker's life dangling by a thread, all he has to do is declare an attack and his spell will suck Playmaker dry."

"This is the final attack! Battle! Sendong attacks Firewall Dragon! Now, Sendong's effect! I banish my third copy of Lucifer to increase Sendong's attack points!"

Sendong's ATK: 0 – 2500

"Deprivation's effect! I banish Belphegor to lower Firewall's attack to 2000!"

Firewall's ATK: 2500 – 2000

The strings slinked their way to Firewall Dragon "It's over Playmaker!"

'What are you going to do, Playmaker?'

"Just be quiet."

'You should be panicking more!'

"The Quick Play Spell, Cynet backdoor! By banishing a Cyberse monster on my field I can add a Cyberse in my deck with lower attack to my hand. The banished monster to my field next turn and it can attack you directly. I banish Firewall Dragon!" Firewall slipped into the graveyard portal before the strings could wrap around it. "I add Draconet from my deck to my hand."

'Hey! If you banish Firewall, his attack will come to us!' Ai flapped his arms wildly.

"No. Since Doppler Phase Coating is no longer equipped, it goes to the graveyard and its effect activates. When this card leaves the field during the battle phase, the battle phase ends!" A barrier appeared around Playmaker protecting him from Sendong's raging strings.

'You just may survive!' Ai gloated

'He was able to change the situation with just one card?' Blue Angel thought.

'When the banished Firewall Dragon returns to the field next turn, it can attack him directly, if that happens Playmaker wins.' Colt deduced 'It'll be one hell of a comeback.'

"Damn you." Zitor growled with Sendong returning back to normal "String Generator's effect! I summon one Infernal Token to my field!" The token appeared next to Sendong's bottom right link marker.

'Ha! It is all pointless! It's over next turn anyway!'

"How sure of that are you?" Zitor asked slyly "I will not be defeated! I activate the Field Spell Blazing Circuit!" There was barely anytime to see what the card looked like before purple flames spewed from the card, scorching a circle into the ground that had a star right in the middle "When I control three Infernal Puppeteers on my field, any battle damage I take from a direct attack becomes 0!"

"What?" Playmaker was taken aback as was everyone else.

'We can't attack again! Ah! This is so frustrating!'

"On my next turn without a doubt, Infernal Graveyard will end you. I pass it over to you for your last fateful turn."

Zitor's cards x0

Kitamura looked as happy as he could possibly be "Good, good, good. That's right, Lucifinia. Don't give him that data!" He took a deep breath then it looked like his face stopped functioning 'SOL Technologies' secret. If I get it, I'll have a trump card to use against the higher ups! That'll get me a promotion for sure! Do it Lucifinia, get me my promotion!'

Playmaker store Zitor down "Lucifinia, this is a duel for justice. A duel for the truth of ten years ago."

"I'm aware of that. That's the reason I'm here after all, my pride is on the line here too. It is for those reasons I will not lose." Zitor placed a hand on his hips "The people responsible for your incident ten years will be found and brought to justice."

"No. You don't know anything. I'll win this because this a duel for the truth and justice! I don't trust anything but my own justice!"

"Heh." Zitor scoffed "Justice? You think invading a company's private data bank is justice? Let's dissect this situation shall we?"

'Does this guy ever close his mouth?' Ai moaned only to get a glare from Playmaker in response.

"You are a victim from ten years ago, you wish to see the people responsible held to account. However, all your so called justice is based on an assumption. That the Knights of Hanoi do in fact have something to do with that incident. For the sake of argument, let's say they don't. You've been attacking innocent people, is that justice? I don't think it is."

"Lucifinia…" Playmaker growled.

"Now. Why I'm here, I am here because I also seek justice for the children of Hanoi. But I also have another motive. Within the bank is also data on the Inferno Project, the incident that stole my son from me. I seek true justice, wanting every person involved in these heinous schemes to be brought to justice. But what do you seek? You seek self-satisfaction. You seek revenge not justice. People other than you hold no worth, in your world there are three people. 'I, me and myself.' Does that sound right?"

Everyone remained silent, Playmaker's face contorted in rage before he spoke in pure unadulterated rage "Lucifinia, I've said this before. No matter how much you say, you know nothing about me or my goals! I'll defeat you and finally have closure on the incident ten years ago!"

Turn 10

"My turn! I draw! Cynet backdoor's effect! The banished Firewall Dragon returns to the field!" Firewall Dragon re-appeared from the ether "Next I summon Draconet!"

Draconet, Level 3, DARK, Cyberse, Effect (1400/1200)

"Draconet's effect now activates! When it is summoned, I can special summon a level 2 or lower monster from my hand or deck in defence mode! I special summon Bitron from my deck in defence mode!"

Bitron, Level 2, EARTH, Cyberse (200/2000)

"Appear! The circuit that leads to the future! I set Bitron in the Link marker! Link summon! Link 1, Link Spider!"

Link Spider, Link 1, EARTH, Effect, Cyberse (1000) Link Markers: Bottom

Zitor narrowed his eyes "Just what are you planning, Playmaker?"

"Link Spider's effect! Once per turn, I can special summon a Level 4 or lower monster from my hand next to its Link. I special summon Digitron from my hand!"

Digitron, Level 2, EARTH, Cyberse (1500/0)

"Appear again! The circuit that leads to the future! The summoning conditions are two Cyberse monsters! I set Digitron and Bitron in the Link markers! Link summon! Appear, Link 2! Recovery Sorcerer!" Recovery Sorcerer looked to be a more evolved and advanced version of Cyberse Wizard, being clad in golden armour and having blue hair.

Recovery Sorcerer, Link 2, LIGHT, Effect, Cyberse (1500) Link Markers: Middle Left and Bottom

"Appear for the third time! The circuit that leads to the future!" The stripe on Playmaker's bodysuit glowed.

"Triple Link summon?!" Blue Angel said, mouth agape.

"Pointless! No matter how many monsters you summon, it doesn't matter! You're only digging your own grave!" Zitor shouted manically.

Playmaker continued, undeterred by Zitor "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are one Cyberse Link monster! I set Link Spider in the Link marker! Appear, Link 1! Security Gardna!" Security Gardna was a robotic monster with white and blue armour.

Security Gardna, Link 1, LIGHT, Effect, Cyberse (1000) Link Markers: Middle Right

"This card can't be used for Link summons and only one Security Gardna can be face up on my field at a time. I place Security Gardna on the field here!" The location of the monster was a shock to everyone. It had been placed right next to Sendong's last open Link.

'Three Link summons, an impressive feat. However, he made a fatal miscalculation, he placed his card next to Sendong. My victory is now certain.' Zitor thought "The effect of Infernal Graveyard! Since you summoned your Link monster next to Sendong, it means all monsters next to its links and itself will now be destroyed. I destroy Sendong, Lucifer, two Infernal tokens and Security Gardna! You now take 4000 points of damage!" The monsters evaporated and fed into Sendong, who charged up as the strings swirled together fully torched.

The impact caused a giant cloud of smoke to appear, leaving Playmaker's fate briefly unknown, while Sendong shattered as too did Zitor's Spell and Trap cards.

"No way… Did Playmaker lose?" Colt said in disbelief.

"The deed has been done, Playmaker has been defeated." Zitor began to walk away before a voice called him back.

"Are you sure about that?" Low and behold Playmaker was alive and well.

'Ta daa! We survived!' Ai looked around for any applause and acted fully like a magician.

Zitor's eyes twitched and for the first time his hidden eye was visible, it showed the bottom of what appeared to be a scar "Impossible! Infernal Graveyard's effect should've-"

Ai danced 'But we didn't take the effect!'

"When Security Gardna is special summoned effect damage becomes 0 that turn. It negated the damage to me!" Playmaker finished resolutely causing Zitor for the first time in a while to lose his cool completely.

"Security Gardna has that effect?!" Zitor grasped the side of his head "Impossible!"

'Ha ha! You fell for it!" Ai gloated again. 'We did it Playmaker! See that? He was fooled by my excellent acting!'

"Due to your horrible acting, he was only a second or two away from figuring out what I was up to." Playmaker crushed Ai's sense of self-esteem swiftly.

'Looks like I won't win the acting award for best AI.' Ai said in a depressed tone

"With Sendong leaving the field, your Spell and Trap cards are now destroyed and the downsides now trigger. You lose 1000 Life points."

Zitor's LP: 1350 – 350

"Also with the destruction of your monsters. Infernal Circuit's effect will now end. So I can now attack!" The circle below the field vanished, leaving Zitor completely open for an attack.

'Your times up! We've won!'

Zitor shook, to him this was his moment of realisation "Go ahead, Playmaker. You've won, just end it here."

"Battle!" Playmaker declared "Firewall Dragon attacks you directly! Tempest Attack!" Zitor made no move to get out of the way, instead the red glow that had trapped Akira and Colt reappeared on his hand. The glow evaporated from his hand and the cage dissolved just as the attack landed, knocking the head of development to the ground.

Zitor's LP: 350 – 0

Playmaker: Win!

"Incredible. He made a comeback from that dire situation." Colt said in disbelief as Playmaker walked closer "He really is an impressive duelist. However, since he's now won no one else may be able to quench his desire for revenge."

Playmaker walked calmly past the deflated Zitor "As promised, I'm taking the data." The floor to the data reappeared allowing him to cross over the formerly bottomless pit. Blue Angel also ran off to the side of her brother

"Ai, eat as much as you want."

'Playmaker, what did you just say? Did you say my name?'

"Hurry up."

'Okay, okay. Sheesh. Leave it to me!' The dark shadows poured out of the disk and Ai became its monstrous form 'I'll eat everything!' He descended head first into the databank, proceeding to eat any file he could lay his eye upon before returning back to Playmaker's disk patting what could be considered its stomach 'I ate a lot. I'm stuffed.'

Akira walked up to Playmaker "Is it true what Lucifinia said, Playmaker? You really were a victim of ten years ago?"

"Zaizen, stay away from the incident and from me."

As Playmaker walked past him, Zitor called out to the hacker, staggering to his feet "Playmaker! Don't you dare misuse that data, I may have been beaten this time but if I even catch sight of you wasting it. I'll happily reveal who you are to everyone." Even in defeat, Zitor couldn't handle not being in control in some facet. "Kuso yarō." He spat.

Playmaker just looked at Zitor, not responding as the winds of the data storm swept into the room. Appearing on his D-board as it raced by, he vanished into the distance.

"I'm off too." Colt said, placing the mask back on his face he looked at Blue Angel "Next time I say something, how about you follow it?" Before Akira could reprimand him, Colt dissolved away.

"Aoi." He then turned his attention to Blue Angel "Why did you follow us here?"

Blue Angel looked unsure of herself "I…"

"The road to this place is very dangerous, you could've been hurt."

Suddenly, she had a burst of courage "I'm old enough to make my decisions for myself. Explain to me, why do you insist on keeping me locked up?"

"Aoi…" Akira muttered "I'd never forgive myself if you got hurt, I do it to protect you. Ever since our parents died, I told myself that I would let any harm come to the six year old you. I wouldn't let you be unhappy in any way."

"You really think that why about me?" Akira nodded making Blue Angel smile "At least I know why now. You needn't have any more concerns."

(SOL Technologies)

Kitamura kicked his desk furiously "Lucifinia, you're worthless! How could you allow Playmaker to steal our company's data?!" He started to pace about "If others find out, I'll no longer be security manager! No one must know! No one! No one!"

From outside, the workers walking past could hear the muffled screaming "I think I hear something." One said "Playmaker must have stolen the data."

Once more the chess board was laid out, however this time there was no one there apart from the three higher-ups. "Playmaker succeeded in the heist of our data. Lucifinia failed to stop him." Rook said.

"He now has the information on both Hanoi and Inferno. What do you think we should do about this? Should we call Lucifinia back here for punishment?" Knight interjected.

"Demotion maybe?" Rook suggested

It took Bishop a while to respond "No. Lucifinia will be more than punished when Playmaker reads that data. He's too valuable a piece for us to lose, he'll remain in his post for the time being."

---

Yusaku couldn't even walk fully out of the access door due to his physical weakness "Are you okay, Yusaku?" Shoichi asked concerned for his wellbeing.

"Shoichi…" Yusaku was able to etch out in between haggard breaths.

"You did well." The purple haired male said with a smile.

'And it was all thanks to me!' Ai wanted to grow his ego just a little bit further.

"Yeah. You did great too."

'Hooray! He praised me! Hooray! Yeah!'

"Shoichi, analyse this immediately."

Soon enough, Ai was back to his eye form and complaining readily 'You're going to look at my private parts again?'

Then multiple files appeared on the screen "A file on the incident should be here somewhere."

Working their way through the files, the two chanced upon the one file that could solve everything "Shoichi! This one!"

Once clicking the file, a picture popped up, one of the founder of the Knights of Hanoi. Dr Kogami, the title gave everything away 'Director' "Dr Kogami. Kiyoshi Kogami. Planned and executed the Hanoi Project."

"He's the Hanoi Project's mastermind?" Yusaku spat in barely contained rage.

"This man is… A researcher at SOL Technologies."

Dragging the file over to the side a second file was opened up. This one showed the picture and name of the main backer of the project, the man who had funded the project and kept it hidden for the duration of the project. He appeared to be in his late thirties to early forties, he had royal blue hair that was swept neatly to his right. His pale skin was in direct contrast to his purple eyes. He seemed to be wearing a black robe with grey shoulder pads underneath was a blue tie.

"Director Marlon. Dantous Marlon." Shoichi spoke the name, only just hiding his hatred "It says here that he was the Legal Director of the company."

Ai looked around at the blank faces 'You don't seem very surprised by this.'

"I expected something like this, that's why SOL Technologies had this data to begin with." Yusaku replied.

"It says that while Dr Kogami planned and executed the project by himself, Director Marlon protected the Project from coming under any scrutiny, he would also provide the funds to keep the Project going. But due to a whistle blower, SOL Technologies found about their plan."

'Was it really just those two? Maybe people like Zaizen and that Lucifinia creep were involved?' Ai narrowed his eye.

"For Zaizen, that's a negative. Ten years ago, Zaizen was 16 He hadn't joined SOL Technologies yet. However, for Lucifinia that isn't so clear. As he said in your duel, he was 26 ten years ago and could very well have worked for SOL."

'Yeah, you're right.'

"SOL Technologies feared the consequences of their actions if it was exposed, so they covered it up. Can you see if they still work at SOL now?"

After a moment, Shoichi replied "The majority of the staff back then are now all retried."

"What was the incident's mission?"

"It doesn't say." Then something on the screen made Shoichi's mouth fall agape "What's this?!" Once viewing it, Yusaku's mouth also fell to his feet.

'What is it?' Ai asked noticing the reactions around him.

Shoichi was the one to respond "Seven years ago, Dr Kogami died. Four years later, Director Marlon also passed away from an unknown illness."

(Hanoi)

In the lower echelons of the base, Revolver and Dr Kogami descended the spiral staircase into the depths below. The centre gave way to a massive bottomless pit which had this strange blue light glowing in it.

"This power… A new fight is beginning."

"Yes." Dr Kogami pulled something out of his pocket, keeping it clenched in his fist for the time being "When this seed bears Hanoi's fruit." Opening his palm, a small cube of data was present "That's the end of Link VRAINS- No, the whole network world. To achieve this long cherished dream, I resurrected from the dead." He then dropped the cube down the hole. "Dantous, my friend. This is only the beginning, SOL may have silenced both of us but they will not be able to stop this dream any longer."

---

A/N: So yeah... I'm a bit of a liar. I got this done way faster than I thought I would, even with my revision accounted for. Don't expect me to do this again.

Moving swiftly on:

I went through about five different designs of Zitor's deck before settling on Infernal Puppeteer. The base idea was always there, the idea of total damage negation it was just the design I struggled with.

So, big twist! Sateriasis' father was involved in the Hanoi Project. His presence there will be explained in later chapters.

I've made the decision that I will accept OCs. If you want to have it included then send me a PM.

Okay this time round, I will not be back for two months. See ya.