As I said before, this chapter is also short. The next chapter should make up for it though, so no worries.

Epyon: Yes, my master.

John: Ok… Well, that was their second duel. For so little time to practice, they did very well.

Captain Obvious: But I was talking about Rue. Wait. Now I'm confused... Anyway, Rue has practically memorized the movie, but that doesn't mean he would recite all of it.

Demon Fan: Whoa. You reviewed right when I posted this chapter the first time. I believe Max is done dueling for this arc, look forward to the next one though!

Chapter 20: Rematch of Force

After Matt was gone, Adene said, "It seems that I'm the only one left."

"Then there's no need to waste time talking," Draken stated, turning on his Duel Disk. "Let's get started."
Adene brought out Bowen and then did the same. "Yes, let us. Show me if you have improved; only by doing that will you be able to stay alive."

"A Buster Blader!" Hope exclaimed. "If his ability is like the normal effect…"

"Bowen's effect-that's his name-is not as geared towards Dragons as you might think," Darche said. "You'll see soon enough."

As they finished preparing, Rue called over, "Hey, Draken! Don't be an idiot by summoning Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

"Do me a favor and go jump off a cliff," Draken growled.

"Fine, be that way. I was only trying to offer a bit of friendly advice…" Rue muttered while everyone ignored him, focusing on the duel that was beginning instead.

Draken: 8000

Adene: 8000

"I would prefer to choose who goes first over a coin toss as well," Adene said.

"That's fine. You still got that quarter?" Draken asked Miles.

"Sure. Draken, call it," Miles said as he flipped the coin.

"Heads?" Draken guessed.

Miles looked at the coin. "…Nope, tails. Adene begins."

"It works for me," Adene said as he drew. "Even though I will not be in battle this turn, I'll call Dragon. I suppose I should explain what that means for the audience. Bowen's Deck Master ability lets me call a Sub-Type. If I battle that Sub-Type that turn, it will be destroyed, even if my attack is too low."

"Talk about cheap!" Neo exclaimed.

"It isn't really as helpful as you might think," Gen disagreed. "Most decks use a variety of Sub-Types, so he could not choose the correct one ahead of time. Draken himself uses a few different Sub-Types; even though he has mostly Dragons, his goal is to get a Blue Eyes White Dragon out. However, even if his deck had nothing but Dragons, Bowen's effect only helps Adene during his turn. There are many ways he could get around it."

"That's all true. Nevertheless, Draken had better be careful," Amy stated.

"I lay one monster in defense mode and two cards face down," Adene said. "That's all."

Draken looked at his cards and shook his head. "Wow. This really isn't a hand I can make much use of yet. But if I draw the right cards… anyway, I summon Kaiser Seahorse. (1700/1650) He attacks your defense monster."

Adene smirked slightly. "It was my Army Dragon. (700/800) I get another to put into defense mode."

"Not them again!" Draken complained. "Stupid things keep special summoning their little friends… I'll take the other two down next turn. Until then, I'm done."

Adene glanced at his hand. "I pass."

"…What?" Draken said.

"I said I pass. Go ahead," Adene prompted.

"…All right, it's your funeral," Draken shrugged, drawing. "Ah, this is perfect for your annoying Army Dragons. I summon Spear Dragon! (1900/0) Kaiser Seahorse attacks your second Army Dragon."

"I get a third."

"Then I attack it with Spear Dragon! But what's nice about it is that Spear Dragon does damage to you, even when your monster is in defense mode," Draken explained. "He has to go into defense mode himself after an attack, but it's worth it."

"Even so, I will not stop your attack," Adene stated.

Draken: 8000

Adene: 6900

"Whatever you want then. I'm done," Draken said.

This time, as Adene drew, he said, "I call Undead."

"Undead? Have you completely forgotten what my deck is based on? I don't use any Undead cards!" Draken pointed out.

"That is true. But there are ways to change Sub-Types," Adene told him. "I activate my trap card, DNA Operation! I choose a Sub-Type and all face-up monsters on both sides of the field will be that Sub-Type. To make sure you don't benefit from it, I call Undead."

"Well, that alone pretty much kills me," Draken said flatly as his monster's bodies suddenly seemed to be rotting, their skin drawing in as though to expose their bones.

Rue did not seem too impressed. "What's so bad about that? Draken still has the same monsters he needs to work with. Bowen's effect will be more useful now, sure, but Draken's acting as though it's worse than that."

"Did you see all of the cards Kisara played?" Kazel asked. "Many of them did not require a Red Eyes Black Dragon, but a Dragon Sub-Type in general. Draken's deck is similar."

Claire's eyes widened. "So you're saying…"

"Many of his best cards have just been made useless, since he needs to have a Dragon Sub-Type on the field to activate them," Kazel stated. "Some examples would be Stomping Crash, Immense Dragon Wing Burst, Dragon Rage, Burst Breath, and Lord of Dragons, although Dragon Calling Horn would still work."

"Then he is in a really bad position," Larka said worriedly.

Kazel nodded. "Yes, he is."

"I still don't think it's that big of a deal," Rue shrugged. "Draken based his deck around one key monster, the Blue Eyes White Dragon. He's got some cards that are only for the Blue Eyes. Unless Adene has something that can change card names, Draken should be fine."

"I'm surprised that you're defending his dueling ability," Claire commented.

Rue rolled his eyes. "That would be because his attitude stops me from doing it too often."

Ignoring the side conversation, Adene continued his turn. "I also activate my other trap card, Holy Radiance. This forces us to play all monsters face up, even ones in defense mode."

"That means we have no way of getting around DNA Operation," Darche realized.

"Playing monsters face down wouldn't have helped for long anyway," Draken said.

"Now I summon Exclusivity Virus! (1600/1000) His effect lets me discard a card from my hand to call a Sub-Type. All monsters on the field with that Sub-Type are then destroyed. I discard Mysterious Chinese Nabe to call Undead. This destroys your two monsters, and my own Virus. I end my turn," Adene said.

"Well, they say the best defense is offense! If I can't play in defense mode, I guess I'll take this opportunity to do some damage!" Draken declared. "I summon Sapphire Dragon (1900/1600) and attack directly! That's all."

Draken: 8000

Adene: 5000

"Haven't you ever heard of magic or trap cards?" Rue said sarcastically.

"They all require having a Dragon on the field, idiot," Draken informed him.

"All of them? Your luck is horrible in anything except Go Fish," Rue stated.

"Why don't you tell someone who cares?" Draken retorted as he turned back to Adene.

"See what I mean?" Rue asked Claire. She did not bother responding.

"I will pass again," Adene said.

"You are seriously lucky that I can't get a Blue Eyes out yet," Draken told him. "I summon Dol Dora (1500/1200) and attack directly! Unfortunately, I can't do anything else…"

Draken: 8000

Adene: 1600

"You managed to acquire a solid lead," Adene said. "But now I am finally ready to even up the score. I call Undead, as you probably already assumed. The first card I will play is Foolish Burial. This magic card lets me search my deck for a monster and put it into the Cemetery. I choose to put Chaos Soldier in there. Next, I play Rebirth of the Dead. By discarding a spare DNA Operation from my hand, I can put a monster card from my Cemetery into my hand. I choose to take Chaos Soldier. Then I play Fusion! By fusing together The Marsh Guardian King and Chaos Soldier, I form Master of Dragon Knight!" (5000/5000)

As everyone stared at the new monster in awe, only Miles could find any words to speak. "That explains how Draken lost."

"Hold on a minute. I thought you needed a Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon to bring that out!" Draken protested.

"Usually, I do. But The Marsh Guardian King can act as a fusion substitute, so he replaced the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon," Adene explained. "Now I attack your Sapphire Dragon with Master of Dragon Knight!"

Draken: 4900

Adene: 1600

"Why not Dol Dora? It would have done more damage, right?" Mach inquired.

"Yes, it would have, but Dol Dora can be special summoned from the Cemetery with weaker stats after it's been destroyed once," Adene informed him. "I wanted to get a monster out of the way for good. I can deal with Dol Dora later. I am done with my turn."

"I switch Dol Dora to defense mode and play Lord of Dragons (1200/1100) in defense as well," Draken said. "That's all for me."

"Master of Dragon Knight destroys Lord of Dragons," Adene stated. "I have nothing else to do."

Draken sighed in relief as he saw what he drew. "Finally, I can actually play something besides a monster! I place a Sapphire Dragon in defense mode and lay a card face down."

"Once again, I will have Master of Dragon Knight destroy your Sapphire Dragon and end my turn," Adene said.

"…Now I'm the one who has to pass," Draken sighed, looking at his hand.

"Unless you can stop me with your face down card, this is the end for you," Adene told him. "I summon Manju God! (1400/1000) His effect lets me get a ritual or a ritual monster from my deck and add it to my hand, so I'll choose Chaos Soldier. Then I equip my Master of Dragon Knight with Bow of Falling Stars-Shiiru! This lowers his attack by 1000, but it allows me to also attack directly." (4000/5000)

"Then you haven't won yet. I'll still have 900 Life Points," Draken pointed out.

"That is why I will use this magic card, Inherited Strength! I sacrifice a monster and add its attack to another one of my monsters for the rest of my turn. I will offer Manju God to increase my Master of Dragon Knight's attack by 1400! (5400/5000) He attacks directly!"

The Chaos Soldier riding on the Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon brought up the bow, shooting an arrow straight at Draken. But just before it connected, a barrier sprang up, knocking it aside.

"Luckily for me, I had an Attack Nullification," Draken said.

"That is indeed fortunate for you. I end my turn," Adene stated. (4000/5000)

"Still, if I can't finish this quickly, it's going to be over for me…" Draken muttered. "I need to get a certain card, and fast." He drew, and grinned. "What do you know? I ask and my deck delivers. It's time to end this duel."

"You think you can defeat my Master of Dragon Knight?" Adene asked.

"Not in a direct fight," Draken said. "But I have other ways. I'll start by summong Ally of Justice Kaibaman!" (200/700)

"What are you hoping that will do for you?" Adene inquired.

"Kaibaman is to Blue Eyes White Dragon as Dark Dragon Hatchling is to Red Eyes Black Dragon," Draken explained. "I sacrifice Kaibaman to special summon a Blue Eyes White Dragon from my hand!" (3000/2500)

"Although it is a strong monster, it cannot destroy my Master of Dragon Knight," Adene said.

"This magic card proves you wrong!" Draken told him as he placed it in his Duel Disk. "It's called Burst Stream of Destruction! I can only activate it when I have a Blue Eyes White Dragon on the field, but when it is used, it destroys all of your monsters!"

"Then you were right. It is over for me…" Adene stated as the Blue Eyes shot out a stream of white lightning, obliterating the Master of Dragon Knight.

"My Blue Eyes can't attack the same turn I do this, but I have another option. I'll bring out Darche and have him attack for the win!"

Adene just stood there calmly as Darche ran up to him, slashing at him with his sword.

Draken: 4900

Adene: 0

"Excellent. You have also grown stronger. I am satisfied, as I am sure Master Tirran will be," Adene said, shutting down his Duel Disk. Bowen vanished a moment later.

"All of you did well," Aya directed to the whole group. "I can see why Lord Tirran takes great interest in your group. But that does not change the fact that he needs the Limiter's power."

Larka looked away nervously as all four of their opponents turned their gaze towards her.

"You will have to face him. You cannot rely on your friends to fight that battle for you," Aya said to her.

Larka nodded. "Yes… I know. I will be ready when the time comes."

"Good." Aya paused, and then said, "You know of the Sky Temple, correct?"

"Yes," Hope answered.

"Be there at six in the morning tomorrow," Aya instructed. "That is when Lord Tirran wishes to settle this."

"Six? Isn't that when normal people sleep?" Rue said in disbelief.

"We aren't normal," Miles reminded him. "Sarius isn't either."

"We've got it," Amy assured her.

"Then I bid you good luck and farewell," Aya concluded, turning and walking away.

"As do I," Adene said before following her.

"I'm sure we'll see each other soon enough. So until then!" Mach added as he left too.

"All I have to say is that I hope I never have to visit this ridiculous world again," Shadow snarled.

"You know that isn't very nice," Mach said as he came over to Shadow and grabbed his arm, dragging him off.

"Quit it! I can walk by myself!"

"But never in the direction you're supposed to," was all they heard Mach say before they were too far off into the distance.

…

Light stopped in an alley, considering where she should go next in the town. It was impossible for her to know if the Limiter was even in this area, but there was nothing she could do besides look in every area at every person that she could find. It was a tedious job, but one she did not mind.

She heard someone approaching, and turned. When she saw who it was, she smiled at him. "Hello Lord Juno. Why are you here?"

"I came to see if you had many any progress," Juno replied, halting in front of her.

"Didn't Tundra deliver my message?" Light asked worriedly.

"Tundra cannot do anything anymore, since she died," Juno said dryly.

Light stared at him in disbelief. "She died?"

"As did Gaia, Wave, and Dark."

"That many? It's hard to believe…" Light murmured.

"Yes, it is. Bolt, Flame, and Gale lost but are not dead. I will be dealing with the Limiter myself," Juno stated. "Enough on that though. How are you faring?"

"I have found nothing yet," Light said apologetically.

"That is fine. Just keep looking, and be aware that I will come again later," Juno told her.

"All right. I will see you then," Light said as he left the alley.

To be continued…