Senshi has found himself in a difficult situation. Meldrick has set things up so that he is forced to duel against Houki. He's dueling against Valatin as well, but it's a lot worse with Houki. Also, no matter who wins, Houki or Senshi will be dragged to the bottom of the ocean if he can't figure out a way out of this. On top of that, Charlotte is being held hostage so that no one interferes with this duel. Meldrick has outdone himself.

"It's your move, Ichika. That's assuming you can even make a move." Valatin claimed. The duel only started, but Houki already brought out Yumira with 1000atk points and had a face-down with their combined life points at 4400. Luckily, it's Senshi's turn now, but he isn't sure what to do.

'Senshi we have to do something to save Houki and Charlotte.' Ichika told him as the two talked mentally.

'I know, but Meldrick isn't leaving us with many options.' Senshi claimed.

'But there must be something we can do to save them. We've got to get through to Houki, but how?' Ichika wondered.

'There might be a way. We have to reach who she is on the inside.' Senshi told him. 'We have to remind her of your friendship with her and hope she can break herself free. Luckily, she has a card you gave her to do that.'

'Fortune Swordsman!' Ichika remembered. He gave her that card on route to Duel Island. That card means a lot to Houki. 'That could work. We need to remind Houki who she is. Having her see that card might help.'

"Are you going to make a move or not?" Valatin said. "Keep in mind that the lives of your friends are on the line here, or is that why you're being hesitant?" All of them were worried what was going to happen, but the only way out is to fight.

"Very well! My turn!" Senshi said as he drew his next card. "I'll start by playing my Troop Advance spell! I can't summon any more monsters this turn, but this card does allow me to special summon a monster with 1000atk points or less from my deck! I'm summoning out Stratos Gardna!" Senshi summoned out a blue figure with bulky thick armor and had a round top and green visor. It rose in defense mode with it having 2100def points. "I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn."

"That's it? I expected more out of you." Valatin said.

"Houki! You have to break Meldrick's control over you!" Senshi called.

"Houki, listen to him! You're dueling Ichika! You can't do this!" Charlotte called.

"Save your breath. Master Meldrick's mental grip is like iron. No one has ever been able to break it and no one ever will." Valatin said. "Besides, you have other matters to worry about. It's my turn now!" Valatin stepped in for Houki and drew his card. "I'll start my turn by summoning Virus Code Thrasher to the field!" Valatin summoned out a purple warrior wearing light armor and had a flowing white scarf. He also carried a jagged sword. His monster also had 1000atk points. "Next, I activate Virus Antidote! With this spell card, every time our turn comes around, we'll gain 300LP."

"I have a feeling there's more than that." Senshi said as he didn't like where this was going.

"You're right! I activate another continuous spell: Virus Infect!" Valatin said as he played another spell. "Thanks to this spell, every time our life points increases, yours will decrease by 300. Now, Virus Code Thrasher, attack Stratos Gardna!" That maneuver surprised everyone as his monster jumped in the air and was getting ready to attack.

"Why is he attacking?" Rin said.

"Houki..." Valatin said as he knew what she had.

"I activate Dimension Wall!" Houki said as she activated her trap.

"This trap card will make it so you take all the damage!" Valatin said. Thrasher smashed its weapon against Gardna, but Senshi was the one blasted with his life points dropping to 2900. "There's more! When my Virus Code Thrasher engages in battle, you lose 300LP!" A small shock travelled through the field and hit Senshi with his life points dropping even more to 2300. "I think that ends my turn, and that means Yumira gives us even more power." Yumira used her power and their life points increased to 4800. "That also means that Virus Infect deals you damage since our life points increased." Senshi got hit by a dark blast and his life points dropped even more to 2300. None of this was looking good for any of them. "This is almost too easy. We have twice the amount of life points you have now. Obviously, those lightweights we sent you were slackers."

"This duel is far from over, Valatin!" Senshi claimed. "Houki, you must snap out of it before it's too late!"

"Houki, listen to us!" Rin called, but nothing was working.

"I think you're all wasting your breath." Conner said. "This is one of the scenarios where actions speak louder than words." That's what he thinks and he's trying to figure out how he can do that.

"It's my turn!" Senshi claimed as he drew his next card. He saw it was Akatsubaki and that was just what he needed. 'Akatsubaki! Perfect! This card would represent Houki. It's ability will also come in handy.' He thought as he began seeing the card combo that can help. "I activate my Stratos Backdoor trap card! This trap card allows me to have one less tribute for an Infinite Stratos monster that's level seven or higher! That means I can release my Stratos Gardna to summon out Infinite Stratos Akatsubaki!" He released his guardian and summoned out Akatsubaki as she flew out with all 2400atk points. "Akatsubaki, attack Yumira!" Akatsubaki pulled out twin blades and flew straight at Yumira with her being taken out in one strike. That also caused Houki's and Valatin's life points to drop to 3400.

"You dare attack your friend? Maybe winning is really all that matters to you." Valatin taunted.

"Try the mind games all you want, but I will find a way to get ALL my friends out of this!" Senshi said. "I now activate Akatsubaki's special ability! My life points increase by the damage that was just inflicted!" Akatsubaki emitted her own bright light with Senshi's life points increasing to 3700.

"Trying to regain your life points? That's clever, but it's not good enough against us." Valatin said. "Besides, if you win, Houki is the one who will be going for a long swim, not me."

"We'll see about that." Senshi said as he is doing his best to figure out how he and Houki can get out of this, but there might not be much time left.

...

Meldrick

While the duel was going on, Meldrick was hidding away in a different part of the harbor. He was fully aware of what was happening and was quite pleased with himself.

"My plan is perfect. Ichika will either lose because he can't face his friend, or he'll win and the guilt of failing to save her will devour him." Meldrick claimed. "All that is left to do is wait and see what happens."

"Master Meldrick..." Oberin announced as he reported to him.

"What is it?" Meldrick questioned.

"I thought you would like to know that Ichika's other friend, Laura Bodewig, is being pursued by your minions as we speak." Oberin said. "If they capture her, do you want her brought back here?"

"Yes. Another friend of his under my control shall really tighten this knot." Meldrick claimed. By using Ichika's friends against him, he just can't see how he can lose.

...

The Duel

"Houki, listen to me before it's too late! You have to snap out of it!" Senshi called as he continued to try and get through to her, but nothing appeared to be working.

"Save your breath! I keep telling you that it's useless!" Valatin said. "Houki, show him that your friendship means nothing. Take him down." Houki followed through with her orders as she drew her next card. "Since it's now our turn, my combo activates! We gain 300LP while you lose them! Our life points practically switch!" The change in life points occurred with theirs rising to 3700 and Senshi's dropped to 3400. "Now, take your turn, Houki."

"I summon Hito of the Blazing Flame to the field!" Houki said as she summoned out Hito with him having 1700atk points. "Next, I activate Spiritual Transition! This allows me to summon a monster that's the same attribute as one I release, but a different type."

'There's only one monster Houki has that meets that condition.' Senshi thought as he knew what was next.

"I release Hito to summon Coronix the Sun Phoenix!" Houki declared as Hito vanished and Coronix took her place with 2400atk points. "Coronix, attack Akatsubaki!"

"She's doing what?!" Cecilia said. Coronix flew straight at Akatsubaki, but Akatsubaki countered the attack. The two of them clashed into each other in a collision of power and they both ended up destroyed.

"Why would she do that?" Mila questioned.

"It's because Coronix can come back!" Rin said as she knew what she was planning.

"That's right! I remove Yumira from play so I can bring back my phoenix!" Houki claimed as she took one of her cards and removed it with Coronix rising. "However, I'm not allowed to attack with Coronix this turn after using that ability. Of course, I can still attack with Virus Code Thrasher!" Valatin's monster went on the attack and slashed its weapon against Senshi with Senshi's life points were dropping to 2400.

"Hoo..." Cecilia said as she sighed with relief. "If she had attack, this duel would have been over."

"But I fear the worst is yet to come." Rin said as his friends didn't like where this was going.

"It's over, Ichika!" Valatin prematurely declared.

"Not yet!" Senshi claimed. "I play Mental Toughness! Since I just took damage from a direct attack from a monster that has less than 2000atk points, this trap allows me to draw one card for every 500LP I lost. That means I can now draw two cards!" He drew two cards and hopefully they were two cards that could help.

"Even that won't save you!" Valatin said.

"I end my turn." Houki said.

"My turn!" Senshi said as he drew his next card, and it was one that can really help. "Perfect! I activate Monster Reborn to bring back Akatsubaki!" Akatsubaki flew back on the field and was ready to go.

"Are we looking at a repeat?" Valatin mocked.

"Make fun all you want, but you won't be laughing when Akatsubaki attacks your Virus Code Thrasher!" Senshi claimed as Akatsubaki went on the attack.

"Don't forget that when Virus Code Thrasher is in battle with another monster, you lose 300LP!" Valatin reminded. His monster unleashed another shock with Senshi's life points dropping to 2100.

"That won't matter!" Senshi said as Akatsubaki slashed right through Virus Code Thrasher and destroyed him with Valatin's and Houki's life points dropping to 2300. "And Akatsubaki's ability increases my life points by the damage you just took!" Senshi was gained life points again as his life points increased again to 3500.

"Well, I must admit I'm surprised you lasted this long, but it won't do you any good. You can try to hold on all you like, but it won't do you any good." Valatin claimed. "We both know you don't have what it takes to endanger your friend and win this duel."

"Youki, listen to me!" Senshi called as he just ignored Valatin. "You must not allow Meldrick to control you! Remember who you are, who your friends are!" He kept calling out to her to try and reach the friend he knows. "Remember all the times we had together! You dived into the ocean to save my deck! You managed to infiltrate Duel Island to help me save Chifuyu! I know you are stronger than Meldrick!" His words seems to be getting through to her as she was trying to resist.

"Don't listen to him! You belong to me now!" Meldrick tightened his hold on Houki's mind and had her under his control once more.

"Forget it, Ichika! There's nothing you can do! Your friend is gone and you will be finished! Victory will soon belong to Master Meldrick!" Valatin claimed. He's trying to save his friend, but Meldrick has a strong hold on Houki. What can he do? How can he reach the friend that is trapped inside?