Yuma won his match against Akiza's. After being battered and thrown, Yuma was tired and aching but Chaos was taking care of that for him. He offered Akiza a hand. "Let me help you."

Wordlessly she took it. Together they walked out the field.

(-.-)

He slumped down onto the provided chair within his own assigned garage. Pulling off the fingerless glove he had on his right arm, Yuma stared at the red mark on his arm. It was hook-like with a diamond lodge in the middle. " This…wasn't here before."

There was a knock on the door. Opening it Yuma looked past Yusei's concerned face and down at the sandwiches within his hand.

"Oh food! Is that for me?" Yusei nodded stiffly..

They settled on the floor to eat. Eagerly Yuma bite down on the sandwich obvious to Yusei's glances at his mark.

"Yuma, did you do something to Akiza's power?"

Yuma nearly choked on bread at the question. "How did you tell?"

"These marks connect us together." Yusei took off his own glove to show the same red carving on his skin. " It took me a while but the mark told me Akiza wasn't the only one with powers down in that arena."

"She's not." Yuma confirmed, slowing down with his eating he elaborate. "My power is …complicated. Even now, I'm not sure what exactly I can do. Doesn't help that the people who probably know the answers are….."

Yuma shook his head. "It's not important. What's important is our up and coming duel!"

By now his energy had returned to him and with food in his stomach, Yuma was pumped to finally be able to turbo duel.

" Are you sure you're well enough to Turbo Duel? Akiza wasn't exactly gentle." Yusei points out.

Yuma gave him a wink. "Don't worry, Yusei. I'm all ready for our duel. So don't you go easy on me."

"I won't."

And that was a promise.

(-.-)

Wind rushing against his ears, sunlight illuminated his gold and white Duel Runner. Most importantly, no bugs were going to be flying into his mouth because of the gray faceguard he had on.

All things considered, dueling Yusei was about as challenging as dueling Akiza. The older boy always seems to have an answer to all of Yuma's tricks. Sure, not all of Yusei's monsters were strong individually but by using them together, Yusei was able to pull off combo after combo. It was fascinating seeing Yusei utilize everything he got to call upon Nitro Warrior to combat against Yuma's very own Trishula, Dragon of the Ice Barrier.

After destroying Trishula, Yusei turned to Scarlet Star and use Nitro Warrior's effect to turn the poor monster into attack mode. Thankfully Yuma was sort of prepared for it. "Trap activated Call of the Haunted! Come back to me Trishula!"

"Nice try Yuma. But that does nothing to stop my Nitro Warrior from attacking your Scarlet Star."

"No but this will, Urgent Tuning!" Taking a deep breath Yuma let his Chaos reach out to Trishula who accepted it in turn. His mark glowed despite the sun being high in the sky but Yuma didn't care. " So Trishula! Scarlet Star! Converge together and bring forth the destructive chaos of a new beginning! Trishula, Chaos Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"

For a moment he could imagine another voice rang out with his own, blue hand moving alongside his in unison. They were so to being one-

"Don't get distracted now, Yuma! This duel is far from over" Yusei informs him, drawing Yuma out of his reminiscence. "Nitro Warrior attack!"

"I activate Trishula, Chaos Dragon of the Ice Barrier's ability! When this card is synchro summoned I can banish up to 3 cards on your field, and for every card banish my dragon's power grow by 100 ATK and DEF."

It was close, Nitro Warrior was mearly a hair away. Any closer than Yuma might not be able to made a come back.

Scrap-Iron Scarecow prevented Yuma from dealing any actual damage and that was enough for Yusei to even the playing field. "Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Stardust Dragon!"

Yuma's breath was stolen away when the pure white dragon appeared on the field, nearly losing control of his Duel Runner. " Woah! Is this your ace monster, Yusei? He looks awesome!"

Although its wings were tattered, the dragon flew protectively alongside Yusei. And some small heavy part of Yuma's heart ached for Utopia.

" Indeed, you've already shown me your ace monster. It's only fair that I show you mine." Something about that statement made Yuma pause. "I set one card and end my turn."

Yuma waved away his yearning and returned his mind back into the game. "Bad choice, Yusei because I activate the speed spell-Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy that face-down you just set and-"

"Not so fast Yuma! Stardust Dragon banishes itself to prevent that destruction," Wrapping itself in its own wings, the dragon disappeared in a flurry of light.

"But now your field is wide open! Scrap-Iron Scarecrow wouldn't be enough to protect you if I just summon another monster." Yuma wasn't sure what Yusei was planning but he got a feeling he wouldn't like it.

"Then it's a good thing I'm not giving you a chance to summon another monster! Trap activate, Cosmic Blast!" Yusei revealed his other play down. " When Stardust Dragon leaves the field this card allows me to deal you damage equal to its ATK."

"Wait what?" Yuma could do nothing when a phantom Stardust Dragon flew straight at him, sending his LP down to 0.

His Duel Runner swerved out of control after than, it took a lot out of just to not crash outright. He wrestled his Duel Runner to stay stable until it came to a stop. The faceguard was pulled down the moment his feet touched the ground. Taking in a deep breath, Yuma let out a sigh.

This was not how he had expected his duel with Yusei would go. After watching Yusei dueled Armstrong he had hoped that their duel would be more exciting. It was fun in the beginning and then he was….unfulfilled. It wasn't the loss that made his heart heavy but something else.

He pushed that feeling down before turning to face Yusei with a smile. "Congrats on being the champion, Yusei!"

Yusei gave him a nod. "Will you watch my duel with Jack?"

"Of course."

(-.-)

He saw this scene before. Crumbling buildings, raging flames. He could taste the despair in the air.

Yuma flinched at the destruction.

Luna was there, Akiza too. All three of them levitate over the ruined Satellite as Jack and Yusei ride on below them.

"Where are we? What's going on?" Luna asked.

"This is a vision." Yuma told her as he let her hold onto his hand for comfort. Heat of a star curled around him. "A vision of what to come when the Earthbound Immortals are released."

He offered his hand to Akiza as they flew after Yusei and Jack. Hesitantly, she took it.

(-.-)

It was nice having dinner with Tanner, Yanagi and Yusei again. Luna and Leo and him talk about the new manga about a normal middle schooler who somehow found out he was an heir to the mafia.

As night settled in, Yuma lingered in the living room while everyone got to bed. His cards spread out all over the table, Yuma debated whether to switch out one of his Ice Barrier traps for The Ice Bound God. He didn't have a lot of choice on which card to add to his deck, side decking could only do so much and Yuma didn't have that many cards. Maybe he could finally buy some new cards with the prize money. What was that one card Rio always used…

A warm blanket was placed over him. Yuma looked up in surprise only to find Yusei. " What's troubling you, Yuma?"

"Nothing. I-I'm good!" Just the world was ending and he once again had to help save it when all he wanted to do was to have some fun duel.

Yuma shook his head. Why was his thinking such thing, there were more important things to duel with now.

Yusei placed a hand on his shoulder, firm and gentle. "Do you trust me, Yuma?"

"Of course, I wouldn't give you Half Unbreak if I didn't." Yuma replied instantly.

"Then trust me when I say you're not alone." Yusei knelt down to face him. "There's something weighing you down, that much is clear from our duel. And I want you to know I'm here for you."

The silence stretched out into an eternity as Yuma mulled over what Yusei just said. Faintly he could feel another hand on his other shoulder, giving him a little push. "Can I-can I hug you?"

Without hesitation, Yusei held his hand wide open.

Relief washed over him the moment Yuma wrapped his arms around Yusei. For the first time in a long time, Yuma weeped. He buried his face into Yusei's chest, he'll apologize for ruining his shirt later, for now he was just so tired.

His family, his friends. They were safe, they're alive and they were universes away. This was the price of his wish. It was worth it and it was excruciating.

"I miss them." He whispered to Yusei. And Yusei's hand kept steady around Yuma's shivering form.

(-.-)

When Yuma opened his eyes again, he was cocooned in a thick blanket with his back resting against the sofa's arm. The door creaked open and Yusei came stumbling in. Bruised and beat up.

Yuma rushed to help him only to be tangled within the thick blanket and fell head first to the ground with a heavy thud. Thankfully no one woke up from it.

When he finally freed himself, Yuma dragged Yusei to sit down on the free sofe. "What happened? Where did you go?"

He let Chaos reach out to Yusei as the older boy told him about the lurking men with purple marks, how Yusei chased after the man thinking he was the last Signer only to find out that it was a Shadow Drone.

"You played a Shadow Game?" Yuma asked in a hush tone, his eyes widened. Master Rokujuro made sure that his students knew about the dark history of Duel Monster.

" I'm fine now. " Yusei reassured him. "But this brings up more questions. And I know who has the answer."

And Yuma knew too. He didn't think much of Rex Goodwin, he was no Mr. Heartland that for sure but Yuma has never interacted with the head of Sector Security long enough to get a field of the man.

"What about after that? We still don't know when the Satellite will be attacked."

The scratches on Yusei's face faded. "Which is why I am planning to go back to the Satellite. Someone needs to warn everybody about the incoming danger."

"What about the twins? And Akiza and Jack? We still need them with us don't we?" What about me? Yuma didn't ask.

"Right now, it would be safer for you guys to stay here in the city." He placed his hand over Yuma's. "I'll come back, I promise."

Yuma had been promised that before.

(-.-)

Yuma had never got the chance to see his parents off that day. Faker was pushing for a quick trip so he was still in school when they left. He'd spent years wishing he had just skipped school that day, that he was able to say goodbye to them. Would it have eased the pain he felt through the years? Yuma didn't know but he yearned for it.

" Here, I want you to have this" Yusei handed him a card.

Yuma's eyes grew wide when he realized which card Yusei just handed him. "Armory Arm? This is the card that helps you against Greiger. I can't take this!"

"Then will you keep this safe for me?" Yusei asked instead. "You can give it back to me when we meet again."

"Okay."