I...did it. I did it. I DID IT! I was able to complete the Standard arc before the story's second anniversary! Knowing myself, I didn't expect to pull it off, but here we are. Maybe I should've waited for the actual day to post this, but I don't want to keep you readers waiting, not to mention I hate not to update immediately after I finish a chapter.

So consider this an early anniversary gift, as well as a way to celebrate Christmas Eve! Certain parts of this chapter were delicate to write, but I'm really happy with the end result. I'm also happy to announce the story's first chapter has over 15000 views! It warms my heart to see the story get love from its readers on top of mine.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!

- In response to ZarcEternal's review:

"There's actually another reason why he didn't do that this time, but it will be revealed later on."

- In response to Zeromk7's review:

"Back when I first wrote the chapter, I remember I was studying Caligula at school, and I also like his tie to Diana and the madness which was born from it, hence why I picked him. I don't have any evolutions in mind for him, but that might change in the future."

- In response to DSpaceZ's review:

"Well...I guess he went as all out as Vince, which in his case isn't completely going all out? Haha, no, you're right, Reiji still had much more up his sleeve. And well done, it was indeed a Destiny reference."

[Using Anime/Manga Effects.]

Akaba Leo's POV

"Why did you allow Yuri to speak with the Defector!?"

This. Was. A. Disaster. A DISASTER! We weren't supposed to suffer defeat at the hands of Standard! What happened? Why was the outcome so different from the invasion of the Xyz Dimension?

I didn't underestimate my opponents. Hah, in fact, I was even more prudent than in our last invasion! I took into account everything, starting from the possibility that Serena joined hands with Reiji and leaked our battalion's Dueling strategy, all the way to the unknown factor drawing Yuri to his side thanks to those accursed Mythorrors!

I dispatched the Obelisk Force, Shiunin Sora, Hashima Daphne, Carta Philus, Yuri—I even had Dennis Mackfield help us from the shadows, and you're saying that still wasn't enough to win!? If not, then what!? Should I have thrown this entire island at them!?

If loss wasn't enough, Hashima was taken hostage and will, more than probably, join the enemy like Serena because Yuri attempted to card her, making her view us as her enemy! Thanks to the secret camera I equipped to the Devil's Fusion counterpart's Duel Disk, I saw Hashima lose to the unknown factor, and while I admit I wasn't happy about it, carding her was unnecessary! She was still of use to me, dammit!

Oho, and don't think for a second I didn't notice Sakushi's devilry in action! Hashima's Duel Disk getting damaged was no coincidence. It was all planned, meant to rub salt into the wound! Was this his revenge in action!?

The invasion was a fiasco, but I was able to see something interesting: Hiiragi Yuzu's bracelet. More accurately, its special powers. Glow, cause Duel Monsters to act independently, teleport people away from her... Simply incredible. It was Ray, I was sure of it. No, it had to be.

It would make sense. The bracelet each of her counterparts have was created from the 'En' cards, which, in turn, were a link to Ray. Sensing Hiiragi was fighting the Devil's alter ego, the unconscious Ray inside her piece of jewelry awoke and acted. But that raised a question. Why only now? That didn't happen with Ruri and Rin. Was the unknown factor somehow a cause of it? That, too, would make sense...

"I'm sorry, Prof, but I don't follow." if things weren't bad enough, Philus managed to add to it. Yuri thought he wasn't interested in him, but now that he revealed that wasn't the case anymore, the stage was set for their Duel. They only needed my approval, which put me in a tough spot.

I couldn't let them Duel. The mercenary was supposed to be my security measure against Yuri; I couldn't allow him to learn of Philus's cards and Dueling strategy. But if I didn't let them Duel, that would hurt my bond with Yuri. He'd start to hate me, and maybe think of lashing back. As much as it pained me to admit, I still needed the Devil's spawn to fasten my plans; I needed his strength.

"You ordered me to stop Yuri from engaging the Defector in combat, which I did." Philus continued speaking, prompting me to clench my fists in frustration. "Why are you angry?"

I punched my throne's armrest. "We were aiming to avoid letting Yuri develop an interest in the Defector, but you still allowed that happen!" I shouted and glared at him.

Philus lowered his head a little, closing his left eye and looking at me only with his right one. "I tried my best to prevent that," he reasoned. "But when Hiiragi Yuzu made him disappear, I had to relocate him. By the time I found him, he was already—"

"Silence!" I punched the armrest again, prompting him to close his eye and further lower his head. "I don't have time for your excuses! Maybe I would if you hadn't promised Yuri a Duel!"

"I had to persuade him, Prof." he remarked, head still low. "It was the only way—"

"I SAID SILENCE!" the nerve of this insolent brat! The damage was already done, so shut up and don't try to walk your way out of this! As I said, I didn't have the time for this, nor the patience! "Fetch Yuri and head to a private, training room. I don't want the entire school watching you two Duel."

"As you wish." Philus bowed with his entire body.

"And if you dare not hold back, I'll card you myself on the spot!" I threatened him, planning to watch everything from here through the cameras. Better make it clear, or else this idiot might reveal all his best cards to Yuri and make me lose my security measure. "That applies if Yuri notices and you blame it on me, too!"

"Of course." he bowed again, prompting me to huff.

"Good. Dismissed."

"Glory to the strongest." were the young man's final words, and he left the throne room.

At the very least, this will be another chance for Philus to learn of Yuri's cards and style, on top of the Duel he saw between him and Yuzu... I tried to calm myself with that thought, rubbing my temples with one hand to stop a headache from arising. I can't wait for all of this to be finally over...

Turn 14:

Lancers — The Chosen Warriors

Sakushi Vincent's POV

I came to with a start, waking up to the feeling of being thrown out of my own dream and being left with a sense of vertigo. Although...Visions would be more accurate. I thought with a grunt, slowly sitting up and holding my head to stop the room from spinning.

Those were, without a shadow of a doubt, Visions, but they were...different from the ones I've had so far. First things first, I could barely see in them; they were filled with static, sporadically blocking sight, hearing, and feelings...I barely managed to figure out who they were about. It's like...they were trying to contact me, but because of the weak connection, only a small part of the message got through, and when it completely collapsed, I was forced to wake up.

This brings me to my second point: I didn't know those Mythorrors. Well, I knew them, but not as Mythorrors. They aren't even in my deck. I corrected myself again. However, knowing their name was enough! This couldn't be a coincidence. Maybe this was their call for help.

I grabbed my Duel Disk and immediately started writing a message to Reiji, ready to reveal to him who I want my new Monsters to be. Noticing my determined movements, Demiurge couldn't help but speak up.

"Hoh? I see you're in a good mood today." he sounded engrossed in an activity of his own. He just spared me a glance and went back to work. "I'm busy manifesting my cards into this world, so I won't be paying much attention to you humans' tedious acts for the majority of this day."

"Sure thing." I said with the same tone. He had the ability to manifest them with a single draw, but now he's taking his time. I guess it takes him less energy doing it this way? Yesterday's Duel probably cost him more energy than he had expected.

Speaking of yesterday, a wonderful surprise awaited me when Nakajima drove me home. Apparently, while I was Dueling Reiji, Yoko and Yuya were doing the same. The mother challenged her son to a Duel with the intent of helping him steel his resolve for the battles to come, which she brilliantly accomplished. Not only that, but her words and Yuya's Entertainment Dueling eased Shuzo and the kids' distress!

Well...I was hit with a deep sense of guilt as I listened to Shuzo recount everything, but I did my best to ignore it. I...I was still afraid of losing them, even after hearing all that. I will tell them the truth...in the future, once this crazy journey's over with.

Once I finished the message, I placed my Duel Disk down on a bedside table with a sigh and stood up, stretching my arms and legs while doing so. My deck's about to get stronger...but according to Reiji, that won't be enough. I also had to harden my heart!

"But how do I do that?" I asked myself, bringing a hand to my chin. It was something natural...my compassion, optimism, strong attachment to emotions...I was fated to be like this. Huh...thinking of it like that...it would be cool to rebel against fate and become who I want to be.

"You're in a really good mood, my lord." seeing the grin I was now sporting, Reynardine chuckled.

I nodded to confirm his words. "I need your help, actually. Does anyone have any ideas how to achieve what Reiji advised me?"

Multiple Mythorrors took an inhale, ready to answer me, "Mockings of my current behavior, as well as mean ideas, are prohibited." no one spoke up after my words, prompting me to sigh in exasperation.

"Knowing what to expect from your opponent by reading their movements and emotions is always helpful." Ereshkigal pointed out. "There are many of us who can teach you that."

"Ooh, that would be a great start!" I agreed with a snap of my fingers. If I expect everything, my stoic façade would be unbreakable! "That reminds me...currently, I'm unable to sense the auras of Duel Spirits. I'd like to learn that as well, if possible..."

Yamatochi hummed. "Of course." great!

"Aha! See, that's exactly what you're doing wrong!" I blinked in surprise at Succubus's remark. "You should be meaner. To me, you sounded unsure about your own question, giving us the chance to easily decline your request!"

"The demon's correct." Nattmara continued. "If you don't sound convinced, no one will take you seriously."

"O-Oh, I see." that's...a good point. It should be about time I discard my shyness, too.

"Learning to say cringey stuff with a straight face is excellent training to look sure of yourself!" Adaro beamed. I...guess? The merman's next words revealed the true intent behind his words. "Like that 'children' thing of yours!"

"Wha—" I choked on air.

"A good suggestion..." Xolotl admitted, prompting Adaro to chuckle victoriously. D-Dammit, I was trapped! If others agreed with him, I'll no choice but to do it, which would grant some of them the perfect chance to tease me...! Also, cringey? How dared you call my deepest feelings towards you cringey!?

The shrewd merman materialized in the air in front of me, sporting a wide grin.

"So? What are you waiting for?" he urged me. "Say, 'Adaro, my child'."

"Tch." I glared at the wall next to me as my cheeks heated up. This was my fault. I should've expected the troublemakers to pull a stunt like this. But...his suggestion was indeed correct: this was a way to train my poker face. "...Adaromychild..."

Sidonia, Snow, and Succubus giggled at my mumbling. "Couldn't hear you~." Adaro placed his hand to his ear in a mocking gesture, drawing my eyes to his. Fine! Here, accept it!

I took a deep inhale, "Adaro—" no, wait. What did Ereshkigal just tell me? This provocation...was to be expected from him. I was reacting exactly as he wanted me to! No way I'll lose to something so obvious! I exhaled, and now that I was calm...I smiled. Heh, he almost got me there. "—My child."

Adaro's hand dropped to his side, and he stared at me with a dumbfounded expression. Now, you would guess he didn't expect me to realize his plan, but...it wasn't that. I could feel...an intense burst of warmth coming from his soul. Was he...embarrassed?

"Again."

I blinked twice. "Eh?"

"Don't eh me!" I took a step back at his sudden outburst. Why was he acting like this? "I said again! Say that again!"

I blinked, this time in realization. Oh. Oooh! He liked it! I couldn't contain a smirk, the situation now having been reversed. However, I used the same caring and calm tone from before to say, "Adaro...my child."

Blood gushed out of his nose. "Hot damn!" he cried out and covered the lower part of his face with his hands. The Hell was that reaction!? "Th-That paternal tone of yours...damn. I...really didn't see it coming."

"What!?" good thing Shuzo was making breakfast downstairs, or else he would've heard my shocked gasp. Paternal, he said!? My blush returned, ten times worse than before. I...didn't mind the word, but...really? Wasn't he exaggerating a little? Was this part of his plan? No, his reaction looked too genuine to be fake!

"I had no idea you were into this kind of thing." Sidonia mocked Adaro, although he paid her no mind, much to her displeasure.

"Focus, people, focus!" Snow clapped her hands as she materialized next to Adaro, prompting the merman to swim to the side a little and give her some space. She smirked wide, "Vince-kun, let's continue your training. Next, call me 'onee-san'."

Huh!? "I love the way you think!" Succubus came in next beside Snow and idly rested an arm on the latter's shoulder. She flinched upon touching her cold skin, but she didn't retract. "Call me that, too, sweetheart."

"I feel like we're getting farther and farther away from our starting cause..." I muttered in exasperation. I shrugged my shoulders and decided to indulge them. "Snow-oneesan, Succubus-oneesan."

"Aww, so cuute!" the two girls giggled, causing me to blush again. OK, that's enough teasing for today—

"No!" Adaro exclaimed and aimed an accusing finger at the girls. "Child! The perfect word to hear from Master is child! Anything else is trash!"

"E-Eh!?" oi, oi, was he serious? It's true the girls had a totally different reaction from him, but you're saying all that can change by simply using a different word? I glanced at the two, who shrugged in response. Well...I guess trying won't hurt? "Snow, Succubus...my children."

Shock, followed by the burst of warmth. "Why did it suddenly get hot in here?" Snow extracted a paper fan from one of her sleeves and started fanning herself. Unbelievable...Adaro was right! If I call them my children, they turn genuinely happy!

"Excuse me for a moment." we all stared at Succubus, who walked through the room's door like a ghost. We then heard a muffled squeal from the other side, after which she returned sporting a serious expression. "Don't mind me."

"W-Wow..." I breathed out, happy myself to know they didn't mind being called my children. In fact, they seemed to love it! Wait, just to be sure, "Yamatochi?"

The three vanished at that, giving the god the space to materialize before me. He awkwardly fit into the room, his build, along with his additional heads and tails, covering a lot of space. I wonder...what's the reaction of someone as serious and silent as this god? Will it be the same?

"Yamatochi, my child."

Shock, followed by the burst of warmth. "My master." not losing his composure, he nodded in reply. However...his tails were curled together and wagged from side to side, betraying his calm voice.

Amazing...simply amazing! I lost all self-control. I summoned my Mythorrors one by one and called them my children, extremely curious to try it out on them all. Some resisted, some indulged without a fuss, and each reaction was unique. It appears that, for an unknown reason, hearing that from me made them feel weird and warm inside...except for Shadow, but that was normal since they're simply an empty shadow.

Demiurge's servants quickly got bored of my "training" and stopped paying us attention. Not that I mind. Their constant mocking was getting repetitive and bothersome.

"Hold on a minute!" once I was done with Aylith, whose only change in behavior was a barely noticeable glint in her eyes, I realized an important detail. "There are those among you who have actual children. That makes them...my grandchildren!"

"That's—" Ereshkigal paused for a few seconds, weighting my words. "Acceptable?"

"Indeed. Acceptable." Aylith agreed, her tone clearly relaying the message 'don't get any funny ideas, or you'll regret it'.

"Haha, perfect!" I was allowed to call them my children and grandchildren...how could something so insignificant and stupid bring me so much happiness? Ah, today's off to a great start!

Akaba Reiji's POV

(...A couple of hours later...)

"What have you decided to do, Hashima Daphne?"

My father's so-called Hitwoman continued to silently scrutinize me, as she's been doing since setting foot into my office, her hands cuffed behind her back and held by Nakajima for extra safety. Such a calm and professional demeanor must be the fruit of a rigorous training regime, not to mention high self-confidence. To be expected from a Duel Soldier.

Or should I say ex-Duel Soldier? She probably didn't consider herself a subordinate of my father anymore. And even if she did, it would be only a small part of her mind which didn't get used to the idea of "changing sides". She had no reasons to feel any attachments to Academia given what transpired the previous day, which was why I expected her to request a meeting with me.

"I want to be a part of your Lancers." Daphne stated, narrowing her eyes at me. "But you saw this coming, didn't you? That's why you conveniently left the television in my room turned on, so I could see the big reveal."

Ah, she noticed. That, too, didn't come as a surprise. Showing her that was a way of saying "you are free to join me", giving her a choice that would raise the likelihood of her actually doing that.

"I only wanted to give you a chance, not to force you into it." I said sincerely. It isn't easy to recover from betrayal. Some people break, others manage to move on. Daphne's a good addition to the Lancers, no doubt about that, but if the blow would've been too much for her to handle...a broken soldier would only slow us down.

And I won't alter her memories. I used that device once, and that's that. I still feel disgusted at myself for using it, but I had no other choice; Kurosaki was needed in the tournament. I will restore the memories of those three once this is all over, that's the promise I made to myself back then. I won't add Daphne to that list.

"That said, how can I be sure you won't turn on us when we're at Academia?" I inquired while adjusting my spectacles. This was a test; let's see how she'll respond.

"The remaining reason why I stayed there...was Yuri." Daphne glared at the ground in anger and shame. No honorifics this time, hmm... Also, remaining, she said? Interesting...I wonder what other reasons were making her force herself to stay there. "But as you clearly saw, I'm trash in his eyes. I'm done with him, and with Academia. I won't make a bigger fool out of myself by rejoining them, either."

Yes, that's another good point. Maybe not on the same level as Serena, but she also seemed like someone who cared about their pride. "...I see." she raised her head when I spoke up. "Then you may fight by our side, Hashima."

I nodded to Nakajima, prompting him to remove her handcuffs. "I will do my best." she vowed with a small bow of her head.

"Thank you. In a couple of hours, at noon, the other Lancers will gather here to collect the cards I've made them," I explained to her, leaning back into my seat. "I've made you some as well, in case you would join us."

"You even thought of that?" Daphne asked in exasperation, and I'm sure I heard her whisper 'He's like the Professor on that regard.' "Thank you. I will be here at noon." her expression then turned uneasy, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "What of...Yuu, was it?"

Ah, she's interested in the one who saved her. "Sakuragi didn't step down from his position as a Lancer if that's what you mean. You'll surely meet him at the assembly."

"Very well." was all she said back before leaving my office.

"Sir?" Nakajima started uncertainly once she was gone. "Are you sure it's fine to let her, and even Serena, join the Lancers...? Their tie to Academia..."

"Is in the past." I remarked when he fell silent. I turned my chair around and stood up, taking a few steps closer to the window so I could stare down at Maiami City. "Their strength, their knowledge...they are needed. Moreover, this is their chance at becoming someone they want to be, and not someone dictated to them by their superior."

"Sir... Yes, of course."

Sakushi Vincent's POV

(...At noon...)

"Gongenzaka, your face..." seeing our friend's patched-up face, Yuya couldn't help but ask about it.

"I had a serious Duel with Father in order to prove my resolve." he deadpanned, prompting the two of us to sigh, me in relief and Yuya in understanding. I thought something bad happened, but it was just a father being worried for his son, the same thing that happened to Yuya with his mother.

"I wonder what's the reason behind Akaba Reiji's emergency meeting." Xolotl remarked as Nakajima lead us to Reiji's office, exactly as he did to me yesterday. He had a point...Reiji said we won't head to the Fusion Dimension yet, but he didn't mention anything else in his message. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

Only Dennis and Shun were present when we arrived, and we could feel the tension in the air the moment we stepped into the room. Shun was glaring at Dennis, who, in turn, had his back turned to him and was staring at a wall with a nervous smile.

Nakajima excused himself and left, and Dennis wasted no time in joining us.

"Guys!" he exclaimed, looking at us like holy saviors. "I couldn't take it anymore!" he whisper-shouted on the verge of a mental breakdown. "All my attempts at starting a conversation failed...and he kept glaring at me... I was about to cry...!"

"It's OK, it's OK." Yuya reassured him with an awkward chuckle, while Gongenzaka patted him on the shoulder. Shun closed his eyes and pretended like we weren't there; man, he's one tough nut to crack...

The other Lancers arrived one by one after that, followed by Nakajima. Even Daphne appeared, earning a shocked stare from us. She paid them no mind and glanced in my direction, nodding in salute. I smiled and replied to it in kind; she's with us now like Serena!

"Hold up, why is she here?" Sawatari demanded.

"This morning, Hashima requested to become an official member of the Lancers and the President approved," Nakajima explained. "She will join you in your—"

"Blatantly allowing an enemy to join our ranks for the second time...!" Shun growled out, taking a few steps towards the man in a threatening manner. "Serena, who never set foot onto the battlefield and was kept in the dark about the truth is one thing, but her? She knew what she was doing! Do you think I'll accept this!?"

Serena's fists clenched at the harsh reminder, while Daphne frowned. As expected, Shun wasn't taking these news lightly...

"A part of me...wished to defect from Academia for a long time now." the brown-haired youth confessed, earning yet another round of shocked stares. Serena's mouth also hung open, completely taken aback.

"She was partially reluctant, yet her scent was still that strong?" you could say that again, Adaro. "What an ambitious girl~."

"Striving to create a utopia where everyone may live happily is, without a doubt, a noble goal. But," Daphne narrowed her eyes at Shun. "Academia lost its initial shape. It got rotten. Laughing at your opponent's misery and treating war as a game... I greatly admired our goal, but sometimes, it felt like we're forgetting what we're fighting for."

"Then why did you betray him?" Serena inquired, not bothering to hide her interest. She probably agreed with what she's said and wanted to hear the words of someone else with her own opinions. "I have a hunch, but I want to be sure. I heard the rumors...both of them."

The glare Daphne shot at Serena made her stiffen as if expecting her to lash out.

"S-Scary...!" Nekomata muttered in fear. Yeah, not even when I called her pathetic did she glare like that... If those rumors are true, then they must be something really personal.

"What rumors—"

"None of your business!" Sawatari flinched at Daphne's shout, effectively silencing him. Her glare slowly softened, to the point of turning sorrowful and self-angry. "...Yes. Those also helped me choose this course of action."

Serena's body relaxed at that, but she said nothing. "I have no more reasons to side with Academia," Daphne continued from where she left off. "But I can't ignore what I've done, either. That's why I joined the Lancers, to put an end to this madness and to atone for my mistakes."

"Seeking redemption, are we?" Sidonia snickered. Oi, that's still something, wasn't it!?

Shun's eyes widened in anger and his fists clenched. Uh-oh. "Carding my people was but a simple mistake, you say—"

"Kurosaki, that's enough." an exasperate Nakajima interrupted the youth. "I understand your disapproval, but the President's decision is final."

"Then I'll talk directly with him!" Shun exclaimed. "Where is he!?"

"The President is currently training with Wierrd. Please, be patient until they finish to talk with him."

Shun gritted his teeth in frustration. "Training with Manek...?" Yuya parroted in surprise. Right, he did say his side job was helping Reiji out with testing his 'D/D' cards. Did that mean he made himself some new cards? Or...he already had them, but Yuya and I weren't strong enough to draw them out?

I'll go with the first one. I decided, not wanting to ruin my mood with the second option.

"Allow me to explain why you're here." Nakajima walked up to a four-wheeled table cart stationed in front of Reiji's desk and gestured at the piles of cards neatly arranged on it. "These are cards created by the Leo Corporation for you. Among them, you'll find generic support cards, as well as cards made specifically for your archetypes."

"Hmm, a pile's missing." Hevelius noted with interest. I guess those were Manek's new cards.

"Please, when you take your cards, leave your Duel Disk behind," Nakajima went on. "There are modifications we wish to apply to your Duel Disks for your battles against Academia. Hashima, since your Duel Disk was damaged, we're going to provide you with a new one."

"I appreciate it." the said youth thanked him.

Phew, good thing I deleted the note written by who sent me to this isekai a long time ago, or else I would've been in trouble...

Sawatari was the first to replace his pile with his Duel Disk, taking a moment to quickly fan through his new cards. "So much time wasted...when are we finally going to the Fusion Dimension?" Shun asked impatiently.

"Tomorrow at ten the President will be waiting for you here." Nakajima stated.

"Tomorrow..." Gongenzaka muttered thoughtfully. Reiji's giving us some time to breathe and get used to our new cards, huh? That's a good idea. On top of that, not only will I have to familiarize myself with the cards he gives me, but the ones I get from Demiurge, too. That should be enough time to do that.

"You people...!" Shun grumbled in a low tone, shoving Sawatari to the side to take his cards and throw his Duel Disk on the table. Ignoring the blonde-haired youth's complaints, he left the room without saying another word.

"That guy can be so annoying sometimes." Sawatari said out loud, not that I disagreed with him, and left as well. I understand why Shun's acting this way, but that's no excuse for it.

"Noboru, considering how unique your deck is, your cards are only archetype-related." Nakajima remarked when Gongenzaka took his pile after Tsukikage, who then silently left. "I hope that isn't a problem."

"I, the man Gongenzaka, have no complaints." he reassured the man.

"Hashima, Serena, the President will be waiting for you here in two hours." Nakajima told the female Duelists as they took their cards. "He would like for you to tell all information you have regarding Academia."

"Fine." Serena answered, while Daphne simply nodded.

"So he waited for the situation to calm down to do that." Balor commented.

"Well, if they're willingly revealing their homeland's secrets, it's safe to say they're a part of our team!" you said it, Seth.

"Boss, where's our share of the banquet?" what do you...wait, Willauk's right! There were no more cards on the cart!

"Your cards aren't finished yet, Sakushi." seeing my confused face, Nakajima rushed to speak up. "Please, return here in the afternoon to get them."

"Ah, sure thing!" I nodded with an excited smile.

"I wish you all a good day." Nakajima bowed his head a little and left the room with the cart.

"These cards..." a small gasp escaped Yuya's lips as he fanned them. "They're perfect."

"I guess we should've seen it coming, considering the Leo Corporation produced them." Dennis agreed and placed them away into his pocket. He then smiled wide and pointed at the doors with his thumb, "There's a restaurant nearby I heard serves amazing food. Would you guys like to join me?"

"I didn't eat yet, so I'll gladly accept your offer!" I was getting a little hungry, not gonna lie.

"I, the man Gongenzaka, will join you as well." he said, followed by a nod from Yuya and Yuu.

"LDS' cafeteria offers delicious food as well." Serena pointed out as a matter of fact, somewhat confused by his offer. "Why would you go to the trouble of trying a new eating establishment when there's a good one right under your feet?"

"Why did she counter with such a logical-sounding remark?" Succubus deadpanned. The only person who wasn't taken aback was Daphne, who probably even agreed with Serena.

"U-Um, because I'd like to see if what I've heard is true...? And it's fun trying out new places from time to time?" Dennis wasn't sure how to answer. The indigo-haired youth's unimpressed stare didn't help him, either. "Y-You won't come with us? Eating together is a great way to learn more about each other!"

Her eyes suddenly widened. "I see...knowing one another would put us at an advantage during a team fight." we sweatdropped at her enthusiastic tone, except for Daphne who, once again, was unaffected by her words. There's probably only one cafeteria in Academia, making her question understandable, but this... Did these two ever eat with someone just for the fun of it? "Very well. Count me in."

"G-Great!" I exclaimed, still confused but happy nonetheless. "Daphne? What do you say?"

"Sakuragi Yuu," the said youth flinched when Daphne abruptly called him out, ignoring my question. "You...had every right to let Yuri card me. After all, we mercilessly attacked you and your comrades, sealing many of them into cards."

Yuu's shoulders tightened at that, however, she didn't stop. Maybe his decision, illogical from her perspective, was bothering her and she wanted to know his motivations no matter what. "If I were in your shoes, I would've left you to perish without a second thought. But you..." her expression softened. "You stopped Yuri. You were angry, too. Why?"

Everyone turned to Yuu, awaiting his response. His teeth were clenched in anger, but his eyes were filled with sorrow. I understood his frustration, his pain, even his fear. The fact he was here with us, ready to head to the Fusion Dimension and put an end to this madness, proved just how strong he was.

"My team was supposed to intercept the invaders," he closed his eyes. "But we...we couldn't do a thing. We failed. I failed as their leader. And yet...why was I the only one to survive? On top of that, I had my ass saved. I didn't even win with my own strength! There's no end to how pathetic I am...!"

"At least this one admitted to being pathetic." oi, Camazotz, shut it!

"I want to grow stronger and avenge my friends. I can only do that if I become a Lancer!" Yuu proclaimed. "Nobody deserves to be turned into a card. When I saw Yuri pointing his Duel Disk at you, I didn't feel any satisfaction...because your expression...was the same as theirs!"

Daphne's eyes dilated a little. "Hurt, scared, drowning in despair—it was like, like staring at my friends' faces right before their final moments." Yuu blurted out with shaking hands. "I didn't want someone else with that expression to perish in front of me. That's why I saved you."

I placed a hand on his shoulder to comfort him. Admitting your own shortcomings and recalling painful memories takes courage; he did extremely well. Yuu glanced at me and managed to smile weakly.

"I'm scared." he remarked, looking at Daphne again. "I'm incredibly scared to die like that. But...I don't want my friends' sacrifices to go in vain. That's why I fight now."

The others smiled proudly at his words, except for Serena, who stared at the brown-haired youth intensely and waited for her answer. She didn't have to wait too long for it.

"I...see." Daphne said awkwardly. "I...um, thank you."

"We would've done the same." Yuya declared, earning another nod from Dennis and Gongenzaka. "We all want to defeat Academia, so for that end, let's get along nicely, Hashima!"

"Like Serena, you've also shown us your true smile." the female Duelists' eyes widened in shock at my words. "It was so pure...but then you thought of Academia. You and Serena should be greedier and think more for yourselves!"

"Again with that smile-thing." Serena muttered in exasperation.

"Greedier..." Daphne mused. I wonder, was she reminiscing about a promise of the past? Her voice took on a much calmer tone now, and a ghost of a smile graced her face. "I'm not hungry at the moment. Maybe another time."

"She's a good girl." Succubus commented out of the blue.

"Yes. She has a hard exterior like Serena, which makes them cute in moments like these." Snow agreed with a giggle, although her next words didn't sound very innocent. "How dared cabbage brows attempt to card her?"

I was sure I sweatdropped at hearing that silly nickname again. It seems Adaro won't be the only one to use from now on... But Snow had a point, so I don't mind it at all. I'll make sure to give Yuri a piece of my mind the next time I see him, for Daphne, Yuzu, and for that kick he landed on me!

"It's only obvious the strong choose those who can live." Camazotz was hell-bent on getting on my bad side today.

"Pardon me, but I must disagree." Reynardine said cautiously not to invoke the wrath of the bat god. "To say nothing of the fact tyrants never reach far."

"...Don't compare a god with a human..." Howard warned him.

Um—"Ha! Gods and humans aren't that different, in the end." actually, Adaro had a point there.

"Blasphemy!" Balor exclaimed. Wait, why were we suddenly arguing!?

"Is it so hard to keep your voices down!?" Demiurge suddenly roared, putting an end to the conversation. By the looks of things, our Mythorrors didn't share the same opinions on certain matters...I hope this won't become a big problem in the future...

"Sakushi!" Daphne ran up to us as we were heading to the elevator. Oh, did she change ideas and wanted to join us? "I just remembered. Before my first meeting with the Professor where he ordered me to hunt you, he talked with Shiunin Sora."

My eyes widened. That's...! "With Sora?" Yuya echoed in surprise. "Then—"

"It's as you guessed." Daphne knew what we're thinking. "There's a high chance he reported something to the Professor that prompted him to target Sakushi."

"Sora's behind it?" Gongenzaka gasped.

"We've spent a lot of time with that boy." Xolotl pointed out. "It's hard to tell what he could've reported."

"Yeah..." there's no point making wild guesses, especially when I didn't even know where to begin with. But, this piece of information was a great lead. "Thanks, Daphne. I'm going to ask them directly why Academia insists I'm a Defector!"

...

"Um, Yuu, I'm sorry for what I've said the other day." Yuya apologized out of the blue as we left the elevator and headed for the exit. He stared at the ground with a shameful expression. "Instead of thanking you for fighting bravely on the front lines with your friends, I allowed my self-pity to blind me."

"We were all shook by what had happened." Yuu reasoned with him. "Moreover, the President-san was riling you up...so let's put that behind us. No harm done."

"Thanks." sporting his usual smile, Yuya raised his head. "It won't happen again."

"Vince, Yuzu, everyone!" that voice! Masumi walked up to our group, followed by Yaiba, both of them sporting grateful smiles. Although...it won't stay there once Serena will point out her actual identity. "Congratulations on winning. We thank you all for protecting our city...our Dimension."

"We did what we had to." I smiled back, amused by how weirded out she sounded saying that. It's only normal, wasn't it? They're still getting used to all of this, after all.

Both of them suddenly frowned, causing me to blink in confusion. "Yes..." she whispered before I could ask what was the problem. "But Vince...you might not know this, but Hokuto's been missing since you two Dueled."

My eyes widened in realization. So that's what this was about... They figured out why he's been missing, and they want me to confirm it. Dammit, how was I supposed to answer that? I couldn't just tell them 'yes, he was carded; it was nice talking to you, have a good day'! Not when the culprit was standing right next to me!

"Did those bastards card him, too?" Yaiba gritted his teeth in anger and desperation. They were his friends...they deserve to know what happened. But...the truth can sometimes be—

"Yes." no one was ready for the word that left Serena's mouth, especially her next ones, "I did it."

In an instant, Yaiba grabbed her by the collar of her jacket and made us gasp in shock. Serena, however, didn't lose her cool in front of Yaiba's expression of pure hatred and stayed still like a rock. Girl, seriously, what were you thinking!?

"What...did you say!?" the X-Saber user exclaimed, drawing the attention of some passersby.

"Taking the blame again...is she experimenting with reactions at this point?" Ereshkigal inquired in confusion.

"Yuzu...you...to Hokuto...!?" Masumi's eyes widened to dinner plates, incapable of fathoming what her rival did.

"I'm not Yuzu. I'm Serena." she revealed, causing the two to do a double-take. I could tell Masumi was glad she was wrong by how her posture eased a little. "I look like her, but I'm a different person." narrowing her eyes at Yaiba, she continued in a lower tone, "I did what I did because I believed in lies. Academia was keeping secrets from me."

"You're from Fusion, too...!?" Yaiba growled in the same tone. His reaction...this was just the start. Even if the war will end, discrimination will continue to exist between the Dimensions, with Fusion- the perpetrator- right in the middle of it. We have to work hard to avoid that, too.

"Thanks to Vince and Yuzu, I've seen Academia's true colors," Serena explained. "We spoke of justice when, in truth, we did countless, terrible things...like what I did to Hokuto. If Yuzu's been captured, I'll give my all to rescue her. If there's a way to undo the carding process, I'll give my all to find it. As one of the Lancers, I'm going to fight Academia, too."

"So what? You think that's enough to—"

"Yaiba, stop it." Masumi put a hand on his shoulder to stop him. "People are staring."

True to her words, the passersby were silently watching the scene unfold, both interested and confused why someone would pick a fight with one of their saviors. Serena and Yaiba were luckily keeping their voices down, so no one heard their words.

"You're fine with this?" he stared at her with a betrayed look.

"Of course not." glaring at the indigo-haired youth, she replied without missing a beat. She then glanced in my direction. "But...I believe in Vince and Yuzu. As long as they put an end to this and they return home with Hokuto, this is of little importance."

"Tch!" Yaiba gritted his teeth in frustration and shoved Serena away from himself. He stormed off, growling at anyone who looked at him and causing the crowd that formed to resume what they were previously doing.

"Masumi..."

"I'll talk with him. We just need some time." she reassured me, staring at where he went. To note she said 'we' and not 'he'. Neither of them was happy with this, but they'll have to accept it and wait for the war to be over. "Good luck, Vince, everyone... Bring back Yuzu and Hokuto to us."

"We will." Yuya vowed firmly, prompting her to nod and run after Yaiba.

"...I lost my appetite. Go without me." Serena declared and went in the direction from where we came from. Should I say something to lighten her spirit...? No, that won't do any good. She hates it when people pity her; it would only irritate her further.

"Serena..." by the looks of things, Yuya was thinking the same. "After we managed to spur her to come, this happens..." he muttered with a dejected tone, a sentiment I shared with him.

"G-Guys, c'mon, don't make those faces!" Dennis tried to bring us back into high spirits. He snapped his fingers, a great idea crossing his mind. "Vince, you said you can talk to Duel Monsters, right? Mind telling us more about that?"

"You can what now?" Yuu and Yuya asked in unison.

"I heard there are people with that ability, but I always thought it's a simple myth..." Gongenzaka remarked incredulously.

"That certainly worked." Hevelius chuckled. Yeah...I guess we now know what we'll be talking about while eating.

In the afternoon...

I had a strong sense of déjà vu as I entered Reiji's office. The sun was setting in the background, Reiji was sitting in his chair and watching me approach his desk...it reminded me of yesterday, and with it of our Duel. I quickly shoved the unpleasant memory away and spoke up, unable to conceal my excitement.

"I came for my cards!"

With a nod of his head, Reiji held up a hand that contained a set of cards. "Here they are." but he pulled his hand back when I tried to reach out for them. "I apologize for prying into your privacy, but I was incredibly interested in...Demiurge's Dark Draw, yet my men were unable to find the program in your Duel Disk which triggers that glow."

"The typical nosiness of you humans." the said god grumbled in my mind. However, you had to admit it was a smart move on Reiji's part to investigate something suspicious, to be expected from someone like him. Heh, and I've prepared myself for it!

"Ah, that..." I scratched the back of my neck with a sheepish chuckle to fool him. "Demiurge came up with it, but he's very possessive of things he creates. He himself deleted the program so you wouldn't see it..."

"In that case, I also apologize for the inconvenience." heh heh, he brought it! "Forgive me for what I've done."

"I'll take these cards as an apology." I joked playfully as I finally got my hands on them. Let's see...yep, everyone I requested was here! One, two...four...nine...woah, he made me over ten cards!? Did he actually want to use these as an apology...?

"Y-You! What are you doing here, Ixtab!?" proving karma was a thing, Camazotz suddenly found himself ill at ease. Did they know each other?

"Oya? Camazotz?" the said goddess spoke up with a mesmerizing voice. "What do I owe the unexciting pleasure? Out to gather new heads for your ballcourt?"

"I-I—"

"Actually, you can't keep your victims' heads in a Duel, can't you?" not giving him the time to answer, and as if taking pleasure in his state, Ixtab chuckled. "It must annoy you, right? Why did you come here, then?"

"Are you mocking me?" the bat god himself realized the true intention behind her words. He hissed in anger, drawing a snort from the goddess. Oh...I guess this animosity was the reason behind his displeasure. "We weren't paying attention to the human for just a moment and this happens!"

So it's my fault I picked someone you're on bad terms with? No, wait...it actually was. To a limited extent though.

"Shouldn't that be your fault?" oh, thanks for taking my side, Ixtab! "What happened to the watchful god that snatched off Hunahpu's head? It's unlike you to get rusty." Camazotz hissed for a second time.

"Charon." one of Demiurge's newest servants that joined us spoke the ferryman's name uncomfortably, for a good reason considering who she was. "Hades permitted you to abandon your duties?"

"Do you enjoy doubting one of your former lords, Styx?" Charon's harsh reply effectively silenced the Titaness.

This...was quite the predicament. I didn't regret asking for Ixtab and Charon, but...this and what happened earlier...the small gap which separated my and Demiurge's Monsters was slowly widening. I mustn't allow that to become the cause of a possible fall out.

"Let us take a moment to calm our nerves, everyone." luckily, there are those who'll help me prevent that, like Saleos. "We're setting a bad example for the children."

"Ah...! Ah, aaahhh! My king! MY KING!" Seth abruptly shouted at the top of his lungs. "To think the legendary compeer of my son would unite under your banner...! Unbelievable! Astonishing! Befitting of a king! Yes, without a shadow of a doubt, you're my king!"

The goddess in question, Ammit, growled anticlimactically in response, not sharing his excitement. I, on the other hand, could only think of one thing: Seth never actually meant I was his king before! Was he lying this whole time!?

That said, why was she only called 'Mythorror Ammit'? She was supposed to be a goddess... When I voiced my question to Reiji, he raised an eyebrow.

"And Baphomet?" that...oh. Well, he had a point there. Truth be told, Baphomet was supposed to gain an Extra Deck evolution with 'God' in his name in my custom deck, but that didn't happen yet here. Reiji just assumed low Leveled Main Deck gods don't get that in their names. "I see you like your new cards."

Noticing the CEO's faint smile, I tried to hide my blush behind a fake cough. For how long have I been silently standing here and switching between different expressions?

"I'm glad." he turned serious as he stood up, prompting me to do the same. "Be prepared for tomorrow, Vince. We're going to travel to a new Dimension."

The next day...

"You're late! It's a hundred thousand years too early for you to make me wait." Sawatari shouted with his usual brazen attitude as Yuya, Gongenzaka, and I arrived at Reiji's office, this time for last, unlike yesterday.

"I don't really know whether you're getting at early or late with that analogy." Dennis pointed out with an exasperated smile. Heh, he's in a good mood; either he's been talking with him until now or he came way later than yesterday.

"Shut up! No one asked you!" Sawatari scolded him.

"At first glance, we look like a bizarre team." seeing the Lancers for the first time, a Mythorror commented with her childish voice.

"You got it in one, Fey." Adaro replied to his newly-made friend with a chuckle.

"While we're waiting on Reiji, I'll give a recap on what I found out during the Battle Royal." Manek declared as he took a step forward, drawing our attention. "It looks like the Fusion Dimension is after Yuzu and those who share her face."

"They captured my sister." Shun's fists clenched at the reminder. He then glanced at Serena. "She had an almost identical appearance to Serena and Yuzu, as well as a bracelet. But why? And why would my sister be targeted by Academia...?"

"I would love to know that myself." Serena remarked. "The Professor and his aides more than probably have access to that information."

"Right." Daphne agreed with a nod. Nothing new so far, then.

"To make things easier for us, I'm dubbing you four the 'Bracelet Girls' since it seems you share similar bracelets along with the same face." Manek told the indigo-haired youth, who only shrugged in response. "That said...Rin, your Synchro counterpart, was also captured by Academia."

"What?" Yuya gasped.

"Rin from Synchro...?" my eyes widened. Leave it up to Manek to discover an important plot point while none of us are looking.

"How do you know that?" Serena asked in confusion.

"During the tournament, I ran into Yuya's Synchro counterpart, Yugo." what!? He appeared during the Battle Royal, too!? How did we miss that!?

"So that person who helped you save me is Yugo...and is one of Sakaki's alter egos?" Yuu thought out loud. Wait, Manek and Yugo even Dueled together!? How many things did we miss!?

"The same face as Yuto, and he uses Synchro?" Shun's eyes widened in shock and anger. "He's the Pawn of Fusion, our enemy! You and Fusion worked together!?"

"Yugo would've probably thrown a tantrum for saying his name wrong." Manek sighed in exasperation. "Shun, his name is Yūgo, not Yūgō. You guys jumped to conclusions and thought he was an enemy, but Yuu and I can ensure you he's on our side. Yugo assumed the same when you attacked him, plus the fact Yuri, who kidnapped Rin, has the same face didn't help."

"What...did you say?" Shun was completely confused now. "So he wasn't an enemy...?" his eyes widened in realization. "Then the one who captured Ruri was—"

"Yuri." I concluded for him, earning a shocked glance from him. "He admitted it when Yuzu and I met him."

The Raidraptor user's fists clenched, to the point his knuckles turned white. "That bastard...!" he muttered through gritted teeth. Yuri was lucky Shun didn't know he was the true culprit, or else he would've had a furious Duelist with a damaged side to worry about on top of me, Serena, and Yuu.

"Arriving so late is certainly proving to be annoying." Ixtab sighed out of the blue. "I'm having a hard time keeping up with all these names and twists."

"Whining already? You could've stayed home." Camazotz snorted.

"As someone who doesn't bother remembering these humans' names, you aren't one to talk." Ixtab pointed out, earning an irritated scoff in reply.

Manek frowned. "Not to mention, there's another mystery involving the dragons Yuya and his counterparts use." the mentioned youth nodded in agreement. "Their names always consist of a Summoning Method followed by 'Dragon'... Serena, did you ever see Yuri's dragon?"

"No." Serena shook her head. "I never had the chance. Only a handful of people at Academia were strong enough to force Yuri to use his dragon, and they never lasted more than a turn."

"Starve Venom Fusion Dragon." we all turned at Daphne who spoke up in a low tone, thus giving an eerie vibe to the said Monster. Lindworm growled, content to know the dragon's name. To think Yuzu managed to force him to Summon it...well done, Yuzu! Now I just hope she was able to defeat it, too.

"Starve Venom...Fusion Dragon." Yuu's eyes narrowed. "Yes, it's clear there's a pattern between the four dragons. Yugo's dragon is called Clear Wing Synchro Dragon."

"Mine is Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon." Yuya reminded us.

"And Yuto's is Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon." Shun concluded.

"Four Dimensions, four boys and girls with the same face, four dragons and bracelets," I listed. Yep, there's no mistaking it, "This can't be a coincidence."

"Indeed." a new voice interjected. It belonged to Reiji, who was walking down a flight of steps that connected his office to who knows where. "I see you're all gathered."

"Humph, so the President-san shows up last." Sawatari remarked in a low tone.

"All eleven members of the Lancers have been gathered, captain!" Dennis reported with a military salute and an excited smile.

"It's not eleven." Reiji said.

"Ah, please forgive me." Dennis apologized. "With our captain, that's twelve of us."

"We're thirteen." Reiji corrected him for the second time. Who's he talking about...? Seeing our confused stares, the D/D user glanced from where he came from, prompting us to do the same and see someone standing at the top of the stairway. But that's—"Reira will come along, too."

Coco growled. "Involving a child into this battle..." Snow wasn't happy, either.

"What does he think he's doing?" Saleos concluded for them, and I agreed with them. Why would he bring Reira with us? She may be strong, but she's still a kid. "And what happened to that child? This sadness and fear I'm sensing...those eyes... Trauma, I'm sure of it, but of what?"

"Trauma?" I whispered in surprise as we watched Reira join us. Reiji...no, there's no way in Hell he's responsible for it. An incident, maybe? Now I was really interested in finding out more about this little girl.

"Hi, Reira." the Dopant user greeted her, to which she replied with a silent wave of her hand. Oh, that was a quick and calm response...so they already met a long time ago, probably when Manek came to help Reiji test out his cards.

"We're not going to play games." Shun complained to the CEO. "A kid like that, fighting Academia with us? He'll just get in the way!"

"Reira's abilities are equivalent to any of yours." Reiji answered calmly. "She will absolutely not be a hindrance."

"Wow, to be held in such high regard by the captain is quite amazing." you could say that again, Dennis. He then smiled warmly at her. "How old are you?"

"There's no way she's older than an elementary schooler!" Sawatari butted in, causing Reira to tighten the grip on her patchwork teddy bear. "A Junior class kid with strength that matches that of Sawatari, the master of Pendulum? Unbelievable!" what did you say?

"Who's the master of Pendulum?" Gongenzaka rebuked, voicing my exasperation. "The first person to use Pendulum was Yuya. Don't act as if you're the one who came up with it."

"In any case, I won't accept this!" Shun stated. "A kid like that marching into Academia with us!?"

"We aren't going to Academia." we gasped in shock at his words, except for Reira and Manek. "Our destination is the Synchro Dimension."

Yuu blinked twice. "Synchro? Not Fusion? Why?"

"The Synchro Dimension hasn't been dragged yet into the war between Dimensions," Reiji explained. "We'll recruit comrades there. Our foremost motive is to have them bond with Standard and form an alliance to take on the Fusion Dimension together."

"An alliance..." Daphne's eyes narrowed.

"That's certainly a better approach than simply rushing into the lion's den." Balor admitted begrudgingly. As expected of Reiji, he really thought this out.

"We shouldn't waste time before entering the Fusion Dimension to crush Academia!" Shun glared at our leader. "Isn't that what the Lancers are for!?"

"He's being impatient, allowing his anger to take the wheel." Hevelius was right.

Sidonia giggled. "What a weak human." we can agree he wasn't doing the right thing, but we can't ignore his strength, either. 'Weak' was a bit of a stretch.

"I only play games I can win." Reiji raised his voice to get the message through. "Expansive preparations are necessary to aim for victory. At this stage, we have no chance of defeating Academia if we challenge them in a battle."

"We're greatly outnumbered and our majority is still inexperienced." Reynardine pointed out. "It pains me to say it, but Sir Reiji is correct." sadly, yes...

"Joining forces with you was a mistake." but Shun didn't want to hear any of that. "I'll march into Academia myself and save Ruri."

"If you do that, you'll dig your own grave." Daphne interrupted his tantrum. "Academia assembles Duelists from all over the Fusion Dimension and provides them with a top-tier education. Every day, it produces Duel Soldiers. What can you accomplish by going there alone?"

"You would be defeated by their sheer numbers." Serena said. "I approve of Reiji's plans. For now, we have to be ready for the threat of war and make preparations for the sake of victory." her expression softened a little. "I'm sure the Professor will treat Ruri kindly. You'd know if you saw how he treated me. I look like Ruri, right? And Yuzu, too."

"You're saying he'll treat Yuzu kindly as well?" Yuya asked in a worried tone.

"Hiiragi Yuzu wasn't captured by Academia." Reiji suddenly dropped a truth bomb. "She disappeared during the Battle Royal with Yugo."

"WHAT!?" Dennis lost control of himself and put his hands over his mouth.

"Then the person Mieru saw Yuzu with...was Yugo!" yes, the pieces were finally coming together! I smiled wide, happy to know our friend wasn't kidnapped by Yuri. I'll have to thank Yugo for helping us the first time I see him!

"After Yugo and I saved Yuu, we split up." Manek revealed. "He went to the Iceberg Area to find and help Yuzu and Vince. By the looks of things, he managed to find Yuzu, and together they fled to the Synchro Dimension where Yugo's home advantage would allow him to easily safeguard Yuzu."

He then turned to Shun, who stayed silent. "We're going to Synchro in order to save Yuzu and form an alliance. It's killing two birds with one stone. To make sure we can save your sister, we have no other choice."

"Hmph. I still don't like the sound of that, but...so be it." finally! We managed to sway him to our side. "What do we know of the Synchro Dimension?"

"According to Yugo, the current Chief of Security appeared out of nowhere one day and took over the position by giving the Executive Council the Real Solid Vision system. We believe he's from the Fusion Dimension, but it's only a guess since we're lacking information on this matter." we nodded our heads in unison to Manek's words. Considering we had a spy here in Standard, a spy for Synchro was a valid possibility.

Reiji instructed us to collect our respective Duel Disks from the same cart as yesterday, which was stationed in front of his desk. Daphne now had a Standard model Duel Disk with the same color scheme as her previous one, namely a white-trimmed indigo, and I was ready to bet it emits an orange energy blade upon activation.

"Our Duel Disks are equipped with a newly-invented dimensional transportation device." Reiji stated. "We used a Duel Disk from the Xyz Dimension as a reference."

"From the Xyz Dimension? You mean Yuto's!?" Shun glared at Yuya, back to his usual self. "You said Yuto entrusted you with his card, didn't you? You must've taken it by force along with his Duel Disk!"

Styx released a long sigh, irritated by the youth's attitude. "So much anger and this could be a simple misunderstanding." which obviously was, there's no way Yuya'd do that.

As he glared at the tomato-haired youth, his eyes suddenly widened as if he's seen a ghost, but when Yuya questioned it he said it was nothing. Weird... Did he remind him of Yuto or something?

"Except for Noboru who uses Steadfast Dueling, these Duel Disks are also equipped with a function that allows the activation of an Action Field at the start of a Duel. Of course, Action Traps have been disabled," Reiji explained. "Pendulum Summoning and Action Cards are our greatest weapons. Use those to your heart's content."

"Can we memorize the location of the Action Cards?" Yuu inquired.

Reiji shook his head. "Their locations will differ with each terrain, making that impossible." heeh, I would've loved to do that myself! Sigh, another time, then.

"Now, please prepare the cards we distributed you." we raised the card that was given to us alongside our Duel Disks. "We've inputed the Synchro Dimension's coordinates in them. Set them in your Duel Disks and activate them at my signal."

So once we use them, we won't have another way of moving between Dimensions... "Wait, would we even appear in the same place?" Manek suddenly asked. "Sure, it will take us to Synchro, but what if we end up in different locations?"

"That would be a huge problem!" Willauk exclaimed in concern for me.

"No need to worry." Reiji told us. "I had my company's best men develop this device. The chances of that happening are very slim." phew, that's a relief! "Now, it's time to depart. Onwards to the Synchro Dimension! Dimension Mover, activate!"

To the next chapter of our journey! I thought as we activated the said device one by one, causing a bright light to be emitted from our Duel Disks. It completely covered us, and everything went white...

Fan-made Cards:

Vince:

Mythorror Goddess Ixtab (UNKNOWN)

EFFECTS UNKNOWN

[Trivia: Ixtab was the indigenous Mayan goddess of suicide by hanging and a psychopomp.]

Mythorror Charon (UNKNOWN)

EFFECTS UNKNOWN

[Trivia: in Greek and Roman mythology, Charon is a psychopomp, the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron. Concept credit goes to mekyaku.]

Mythorror Titaness Styx (UNKNOWN)

EFFECTS UNKNOWN

[Trivia: in Greek mythology, Styx was the Titan goddess of the River Styx and the personification of hatred. Concept credit goes to mekyaku.]

Mythorror Saleos

Normal Trap

EFFECTS UNKNOWN

[Trivia: this card's a reference to Saleos, a Great Earl of Hell according to Johann Weyer, said to be of a pacifist nature. In IANW, this card was known as "Mythorror Shi-Shi". Concept credit goes to mekyaku.]

Mythorror Ammit (UNKNOWN)

EFFECTS UNKNOWN

[Trivia: Ammit was a demoness and goddess in ancient Egyptian mythology. Concept credit goes to mekyaku.]

Mythorror Fey (UNKNOWN)

EFFECTS UNKNOWN

[Trivia: the Germanic fey means "fated to die", which may have been influenced by Old French fae (fay or fairy). Concept credit goes to mekyaku.]

Aaand it's done! Starting from the next chapter, we're in Synchro! I can't wait for it!

I decided to start this chapter with Leo, where I showed his reaction and thoughts to everything that happened in Standard. For any of those wondering, no, I won't write Philus vs. Yuri; I don't see a reason to do that when we know Philus won't go all out. It would be a different matter if that wasn't the case.

Then we have Vince getting permission from his Monsters to call them "his children", as well as call their children "his grandchildren". This doesn't only serve as a humorous/heart-warming scene, but also a way to deepen the bond between Vince and his Mythorrors, which is important for the story later on.

The following scenes are to mainly reveal Daphne's and Yuu's motives for joining the Lancers, as well as show the thoughts of the other characters on the matter, including the Mythorrors, and reveal there's some hostility between Vince's and Demiurge's groups. Then I thought it would be nice to see Masumi and Yaiba for one last time before we head to Synchro, where Serena confronts and tells them the truth. I don't think anyone has written something like this before, but do tell me if I'm wrong. Not to mention, this will also play a role in Serena's development later on.

With new cards come new children for Vince, as well as new Visions! But this reminds me, I still have to continue Mythos Anthology... I left it untouched for quite some time, so expect an update for that bad boy, too! Lastly, the scene before the Lancers' departure to Synchro speaks for itself, so this concludes my ending A/N.

Reviews really make my day and it's a great way to communicate with you readers, and maybe find out errors I can avoid making. Please review, and with that said, here's the chapter's last scene!

Two cards appeared on the screen before turning around, revealing Hierophant of Prophecy and Raidraptor - Rise Falcon. They suddenly glowed, and a smiling Yuu and a frowning Shun emerged from them respectively.

"This is my first time in a chapter's last scene..." Yuu pointed out, thrilled to be here and talk directly to the readers. "The room- if we can call it that- is definitely bigger than I imagined it."

"Here's the Secret of the Chapter." Shun declared out of the blue, causing Yuu to wave his hands around in shock.

"Stop, stop! Wait, Kurosaki!" he vehemently shouted. "We just got here!"

"I know, but we have no time to waste." Shun crossed his arms over his chest. "The sooner this is over, the sooner SakushiRyu starts the next chapter, and the closer I am to saving Ruri."

"Th-That may be true, but still! That isn't how the procedure works!" Yuu told the older Duelists. He then blinked, remembering something important. "Oh, and this time it's special. Instead of a Secret, we're going to reveal something that happens in the chapter itself."

"Really? Is that what SakushiRyu was blabbering about before we came here?" Shun mused while bringing a hand to his chin, ignoring the faint 'You weren't listening!?' that came from the distance and Yuu's exasperated face. "Then go ahead and say it."

"I-I guess we can move on..." Yuu muttered before turning towards the viewers, his smile back on his face. "Starting from the next chapter, our story is going to receive its own Openings and Endings!"

"Revealing spoiler-free things like this to save up Secrets..." Shun thought out loud.

"D-Don't say that, Kurosaki!" Yuu scolded the youth with a nervous chuckle, trying his best to ignore a certain writer's killing intent coming from the distance. "The Openings are going to feature the same songs used in the anime, while the Endings are going to be different and chosen by SakushiRyu himself."

"So we'll have some variety at least." Shun shrugged. "Better than nothing, I suppose."

Yuu's right eyebrow twitched. "You aren't even trying to hide the fact you're in a hurry...!" his smile then widened. "With that said, we'll see you in the next chapter, everyone!"

"We wish you a happy holiday season and a prosperous New Year." Shun said with his usual tone, but upon closer look, one could see his lips forming a ghost of a smile.

The screen faded into black, followed by the words [To Be Continued...].