Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V: In a New World Redux

by SakushiRyu

Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V is about to air, and an excited youth can't wait. But when the episode starts, he is suddenly thrown into a Yu-Gi-Oh! series, ARC-V itself! Watch as he makes friends, rivals, and foes in this isekai and discovers his role in a war between dimensions and gods from the past, present, and future! (Rewrite of "Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V In A New World") (Cover Art made by AiraAura)

17. To Oppose a God

Here we are again, everyone. I was quite excited to write this chapter considering the events and the Duel it contains, and I'm pleased with how they came out. Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!

- In response to Xager-the-Chaos-King's review:

"A lot of info about Demiurge will be revealed in this arc, so you won't have to wait long. And while he created the 'Gnostic' archetype, the very concept of the Mythorrors didn't start from him though. More about that will be revealed in this arc, too."

- In response to Arie Draconoid's review:

"Yes to both questions."

[Using Anime/Manga Effects.]

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Sakushi Vincent's POV

(...The night before the prison break...)

Whose Vision...is this?

I asked myself the moment I had found myself in front of a young woman, who was smiling and humming a lullaby with her eyes closed, cradling a sleeping baby in her arms. Although her expression didn't show it, she had it rough...no, maybe it was more correct to say her child, that sweet bundle of joy, made her momentarily forget about her pain.

Left alone by the man she loved, turned into the village's laughing stock, forced to raise a child in such poor conditions...in spite of that, not once did she shed tears. She didn't wish to lose herself in melancholy; she was a strong woman. She promised herself she'll give her child a happy life, no matter how deep in the dark they were.

But...who was she? In these past few days, I've seen the Visions involving my newest children. Could she be...one of Demiurge's servants, her past which was unknown to history itself? No, the feeling I get by staring at her...she was just a simple human. And there's nothing drawing me to her. This Vision isn't about her.

The child she was holding suddenly stirred, and when he opened his eyes, I knew instantly whose fate got tied with mine. Actually, it came on instinct. Staring at those beautiful, citrine irises helped me realize that. They were beautiful...maybe too beautiful. So beautiful that they looked inhuman.

There's a chance those eyes were the decisive factor. Think about it: if people were already talking about her, what difference did it make to change the sneers into rumors? In the end, it was a very human thing to do. To be curious, that is. Why did her child have eyes like that? Why did her man leave her when she gave birth? Why, why, why...

So many questions were answered with ignorance. Maybe she's a witch; that would explain those weird eyes. Maybe her man found out she's a witch; that would explain why he left. It's easier to believe in your delusions than in reality. How pathetic.

"What do they know? Why he truly left...!?" the mother thought out loud, tightening her grip on the curtains as she watched the village folk marching towards her house with flaming torches and weapons in hand. People she once loved were now coming for her head.

"Mama...?" hearing her son's voice, she quickly drew the curtains. She didn't want him to see such a monstrous display of emotions. She turned around with a forced smile, crouching down in front of her now-six-year-old child. His eyes reminded her so much of his father... "Why are those people angry? Mama didn't do anything wrong...!"

Her smile turned sad. Her son was quite the perceptive one, which wasn't great considering the village he grew up in. She knew he realized a long time ago how things really were, what people really felt behind all those lies and smiles. How terrible for a child to know that...

"Yes, I know, too. But they don't." she shook her head lightly. She then struck a guts pose to calm him down. "Don't worry! Mama will make sure to tell them." her smile widened, and he could almost feel the sadness hidden in it. "However, I'll have to do that alone. You know the forest behind our house? Leave through the back door and run."

"N-No, Mama...!" he shook his head intensely as tears fell from his eyes. His mother wanted to cry, too, but she had to stay strong. For this last time in her life, she must stay strong. "I-I don't want to...go alone! Together...! O-Only together—"

"Please." his cries were stopped by the woman, who placed her hands on his shoulders. "You must do as I say, now more than ever. Promise me you'll run far, as far as you can. Do you understand?"

He didn't. Why did he have to run away? Why couldn't she come as well? Why were those people angry at her, when she did nothing wrong? Why, why, why...!?

"Y-Yes! I...u-understand...!" he answered through sobs and raised his pinky finger. She did the same, proud of her little champ, and they locked fingers. At that moment, a promise was made.

So the boy ran; he didn't stop, not even when his legs screamed at him in pain. He went through the entire forest and still ran, to the point he didn't know where he was anymore.

When fatigue finally took its tool, he slowed down, and accidentally tripped on a rock. The pain that shook his body, the realization of what happened to him and his mother, the sudden fear of being alone who knows where, all came crashing down on him, and he cried once more.

That was supposed to be it. It was sad and painful, but it was the truth: on his own, a child had no hopes of surviving in the wild. His mother probably knew, too—she wasn't dumb—but she desperately clung to hope. Hope that maybe he'll find a way to live and be happy... It was much easier to believe in your delusions than in reality, in the end.

He should've died right then and there...yes, should've, but he didn't.

"You poor thing."

I jolted at the sound of a distorted voice echoing around us. A purple silhouette, its only distinctive feature being a red left eye, suddenly materialized from thin air in front of the boy, staring down at him with a certain air of mockery.

"Those worthless worms robbed you of the woman that loved your dearly." the entity slowly bent down, violating the child's personal space, and stared right into his eyes. The six-year-old was too surprised to utter a word, his eyes and mouth trembling in fear. "You're powerless, ready to die at any given moment."

After all the things I've experienced since coming to this world, surprisingly, this was the first time I've felt such a strong bad feeling, disgust, and repulsiveness towards someone. Every fiber of my being was screaming at me to separate the entity from my child, either by fleeing with the latter or by killing the former.

Who's that? The question obviously popped up in my head, but I didn't have an answer to it.

"Fear not. Like your mother, I also see something valuable in your existence," our eyes widened at the entity's sickening chuckle. "Do you want power, boy? I can give it to you. If you do as I say, you'll become strong...and you might save your mother."

It was easy to play with the emotions of a naïve kid, especially if you offer them something they had loved and just lost. I knew better. That bastard didn't mean it; he knew it himself that woman was already dead. But lying's an easy task, especially to those harboring ill intentions. He poisoned my child when he was drowning in despair to make sure it would work.

Let me move. Let me talk. Let me do something, dammit! And all I could do was simply watch it happen. I wanted to curse him, shove him away, seize his neck and squeeze until it would snap. I don't give a damn who he was. No one...no one is allowed to do this to my children!

The boy eventually nodded, weak and hopeful. The silhouette's eye curled up in a makeshift smile and he hugged him gently, causing my eyes to widen further.

"What an obedient vessel." his tone was kind, but if the child could see his face, even he would know that was a lie. A red grin with fanged teeth formed on the entity's face, pleased he was able to fool this human so easily.

It came on impulse to roar. However, not out of desperation, but out of rage.

---

Turn 17:

To Oppose a God

---

"AAAAAAAAA—AGH!"

As if waking up with a start and screaming like a lunatic wasn't enough, I also managed to fall off the couch and unceremoniously land on the floor. However, that mattered little to nothing in this situation where all I could think about was the boy from that Vision.

Who was he? Why did I have a Vision of someone who wasn't one of my Mythorrors? What happened to him?

I want to go back... I want to actually be there and save him from that bastard! Who did he think he is, exploiting a child with such arrogance and despicable intentions!? Vessel, he said? He was lucky I couldn't do anything or else—the lights in the room suddenly turned on, snapping me out of my thoughts with a snarl as I shielded my eyes with a hand.

"Vince!" shouting in concern, Ren ran up to me and offered me his hand which I furiously slapped away before glaring at him with bared teeth, causing him to freeze.

"Don't touch me!" I silenced him. Even Antinomy, who hurried to check on me with him, silently stood in place behind his friend, neither of them expecting such an outburst. My Monsters and Demiurge didn't say a thing, either.

I know they did nothing wrong...but I was having a hard time holding back my emotions. I was mad...at us humans. If those stupid villagers used their brains instead of believing in superstitions, that child's fate could've been different! This second batch of Visions made me start to feel disappointed in our kind. Sure, humans voluntarily or involuntarily hurting others came as no surprise, but it didn't bother me to this extent...I hated it, but I've never felt this way.

For the first time in my life, I had no idea what I'm becoming.

"Why does it have to be complicated!? It's so annoying!" I vented my frustration by yelling and punching the floor. I didn't care if I'm waking up our neighbors or making a fool out of myself in front of my housemates; I needed this. "It's always easier to tear down than to build, and it's much harder to tie than to untie, but why!? This isn't what we're born for! When will this struggle end!? When will the clouds part to reveal the sky!? When will we—"

"Are you done crawling in self-pity and victimhood?" w-what...did he say? I slowly looked up at Ren, who was staring down at me with clenched fists and blocking the light with his body, covering his front in shadows. His mask hid his face, but by his tone, I could tell he was glaring at me. "What do you hope to accomplish, from down there? Everyone can stumble on their journey...but I get the feeling you're staying on the ground for too long."

My eyes widened. He...no, I...I wasn't...! "Ugh!" I blinked in surprise as Ren suddenly grabbed his spasming right hand, the one I batted away, and gasped in pain. W-What's happening!?

"Quick, the medicine!" Antinomy exclaimed and frantically dragged his friend to the bathroom, but at the last second, Ren pushed him away and entered alone, slamming the door behind him. The T.G. user wasn't pleased with this in the least, however, he said nothing.

"His hand...did I...?" worried about his condition, I got to my shaky feet and walked closer to the bathroom.

"Vince, calm down." Antinomy met me halfway there, grabbing my arms to help me stand. R-Right, I need to steady my breathing. "His old wounds sometimes act up. It isn't your fault it happened. We've got it under control, don't worry."

I nodded, prompting him to continue. "Sit down at the table and collect your thoughts. I'll make you some tea." I nodded again with a weak 'thanks' and did as I was told.

First that Vision and now this...on top of it, my Mythorrors were incredibly worried about me after witnessing my outburst, which made me feel angry with myself for losing control like that. Demiurge and his servants seemed amused by it on the other hand, to which I simply rolled my eyes. Sigh, what a terrible start to a new day.

Ren...was right. His reality check felt like a slap to my face. It's normal to stumble or be frustrated about life's flow, but I shouldn't whine about it so much. In the end, it won't change anything, won't it? My actions will change things, so I must stand up and continue walking.

That said, shouting at my housemates like that for no real reason at three in the morning...how shameful. "It's alright." as if sensing my inner turmoil, or maybe it was evident on my face, Antinomy spoke up with a reassuring tone. He made himself and Ren some coffee; he knew I wasn't a big fan of it, so he brew tea only for me. "You've been on edge lately, it's no shocker you lost control for a moment."

Since the day before yesterday to be precise, when Dennis and Gongenzaka's Duel went viral in the afternoon. By the looks of things, I wasn't the only one who thought about appearing on TV to give their location to the other Lancers, and they also collected money by giving a Dueling performance. I told Ren and Antinomy they were my friends—which they easily believed considering Dennis used Pendulum and they had the same Duel Disk as me. They treated Xyz as another Summoning Method the Tops made but didn't release yet, much to my relief—and asked if they could take me to the Central Park, but they helped me realize we can't.

The Central Park was in the Tops area, a place where Security was very watchful and was backed up by the Top citizens. It's too dangerous for us, fugitives targeted by Security, to go there. I knew where they were but couldn't regroup with them... And if that wasn't enough, the next day, news came that they were captured by Security in an underground Dueling arena together with Shun!

Why were we all so unlucky in this Dimension...?

The door to the bathroom finally opened, drawing our attention. The masked man looked perfectly fine, prompting me to sigh internally in relief. So he had a wound on his right hand...I guess that explained why he always keeps his gloves on, as well as his mask, whenever he leaves his bedroom.

Although... "Seeing him in pajamas wearing that mask and gloves is hilarious." Adaro came to the same realization.

"Is everything OK?"

"Yeah." Ren nodded to his friend's question, sitting down beside him and taking hold of his own cup. "It took a little time for the pain to vanish though. I didn't have such a serious reaction in a long time."

"It was two weeks ago if I remember correctly..." Antinomy muttered. We were also wearing nightclothes, albeit in my case it was more so using my old clothes as makeshift pajamas. "But what's important right now is that you're fine."

"Agreed." Ren took a sip of his beverage by raising his mask a little. Once he readjusted it, he turned towards yours truly. "I...am sorry. What I've said may have been somewhat insensitive."

"Huh?" he's apologizing? Why? "No, what you said was true. I was...whining. And I ended up yelling at you because of it. I'm the one who should say that..."

"...I won't deny what you said." Ren sighed. "You were also correct. But...I noticed you're the type of person who loves to think. Look out; thoughts can slow you down sometimes. If you're hit, just stand up and move on. You won't survive in life if you only cling to hatred and despair."

"My thoughts...?" my eyes widened at his words. Well...there's no reason to deny I don't think a lot. You could even say it was one of my flaws. I'll make sure to listen to his advice. "Thanks, Ren."

"Don't mention it." he waved his left hand.

"Thoughts can slow you down, eh? Fitting, coming from someone like you." Antinomy hid his smirk by taking a sip of his drink, to which I chuckled in agreement.

"Oi..."

At night...

"Maiami City's stadium was also huge, but the grounds for Riding Duels are so spacious..." I whispered in bewilderment when we entered the Duel Palace, where a huge audience of over twenty thousand has gathered. Melissa, the commentator of this event, was doing an excellent job at pumping up the crowd.

"We're finally here." Ren remarked, taking in the scenery like me.

"This is where we'll be fighting for a while, huh?" Nattmara groaned. "It's so loud... I can already feel the incoming migraine."

"Now, now, don't ruin the mood, Natty-chan~!" Succubus giggled, to which she growled in reply.

Melissa proceeded to declare the time has come for the exhibition match, causing the audience to go wild and cheer for Jack, except for the two next to me and the Tops who remained collected and simply clapped their hands.

"They're so full of energy, yet the King didn't appear yet." by her tone, I could tell Sidonia shrugged in exasperation.

"All these people are chanting his name...what a king!" Seth laughed. "Everyone is head over heels for him!" I guess that's what it means to be a King here, but that got me wondering: could we unite the Commons and Tops using that title...?

My pondering was interrupted when Melissa first announced Jack's opponent—"Yuya!?" I cried out in disbelief, watching the said youth ride a D-Wheel to the starting line. It was really Yuya! I thought with a wide smile.

"It looks like he had the same idea as you, Vince-kun." Saleos pointed out. Yeah, this was great! We were able to reunite! Ah, w-well, not really, but you know what I mean. Was he alone or did he come here with other Lancers, was my next question.

Noting my happy expression, Antinomy spoke up. "A friend of yours?" I nodded, prompting him to frown. "I don't know why he was chosen as Jack's opponent, but this is bad."

I gasped, suddenly remembering the circumstances. Yuya was Jack's opponent! I believe in his strength as a Duelist, don't get me wrong, but can it surpass the King and the plot? My happiness instantly changed to concern, which continued to grow as Jack made his cool entrance.

"That man..." Xolotl intoned, a familiar emotion resurfacing as we stared at the King. "It's the same sensation I get by being near Antinomy."

Jack makes him feel that, too? I thought in surprise, side-glancing at the T.G. user, who stared at the Duelists down below with narrowed eyes. Maybe this Duel will help us figure out something?

The blonde-haired man declared he'll beat Yuya in three turns, which did a horrible job at easing my nerves, but he also talked about entertainment. He considers his fighting style what we'd define as Entertainment Dueling...and Yuya was the first to fight him in the show. I see what you did there, writers.

Then came another surprise, namely the fact an Action Field will be used in this year's tournament. I immediately tied that to Yuya, thinking he didn't sign up for this like I did, but he got the attention of someone who could easily manipulate the Friendship Cup. That would explain why he was chosen for the opening match, too.

The Duel started, and things played out according to Jack's prediction. He used a 'Red' deck and an Action Card to get the better of Yuya, going as far as insulting him and calling his Dueling "self-satisfaction". He didn't grant us the time to understand what he meant, for he took the 'final turn' and Synchro Summoned an evolved version of his ace: Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend.

Xolotl gasped audibly. "That dragon is...!" I placed a hand on my chest as that feeling of familiarity morphed into fear. The Aztec god...was afraid. No, maybe that would be putting it lightly: it was so intense that his fear overwhelmed my own emotions, and I stood rooted to the spot, despite all my instincts telling me to flee or cry for help.

Is this...what real fear feels like? I clenched my shaking hands. Why this reaction though? Did Xolotl know Scarlight? To have such a strong reaction, he must surely know—Wait. Scarlight...? No, this wasn't about Scarlight. How didn't I realize it sooner? Jack completely detoured my attention from what was truly important.

Scarlight was a servant of the Crimson Dragon, aka Quetzalcoatl, the twin brother of Xolotl...who also killed the latter in his Ehecatl aspect. Aaagh, if Xolotl mentioned that feeling of his when looking at Jack, I would've immediately connected the dots! I wasn't blaming him for my own mistake of course, but Quetzalcoatl didn't come to my mind since Antinomy didn't have...no.

I gulped, suddenly feeling uneasy. Scarlight was the reason Xolotl felt that strange way by staring at Jack. Antinomy didn't have a Signer Dragon in 5D's, but as I've already stated, the one standing beside me wasn't that Antinomy. Therefore, the chances of him having a Signer Dragon...weren't zero.

"When did Quetz become a father? With whom?" Xolotl thought out loud, sounding on the verge of a panic attack. Father...!? Scarlight wasn't simply his servant in this universe, but his son!? Did the same apply to Antinomy's and even Aki's possible Signer Dragons!?

"Sir Xolotl, please, calm down!" Reynardine instructed the said god, managing to snap him out of his agitated state. Thanks for that, Reynardine...and curse Quetzalcoatl, scarring my child like this...!

"So that's how things are, huh?" Demiurge's words made me blink.

"May we know what you mean by that?" Ixtab inquired, but all we got in response was a 'humph!' from him. What was that all about?

I didn't have the time to think about it as Jack continued with his turn, and OTKed my friend by using Scarlight's effect followed by a direct attack, brutally blasting him from his D-Wheel.

Was the King out of his mind!? "Yuya!" I cried out in dread. Grasping my arm, Ren stopped me from running down to the racetrack.

"It's no use, Vince. You can't rush to his side without the guards detaining you." crap, he was right...! Not to mention, I'd also have to walk through the large groups of people that formed on the stairs to cheer for Jack.

Not a single soul in the crowd was showing any signs of concern for Yuya. They're entranced with Jack, chanting his name again like some sort of sacred prayer. Seriously, these people...! I won't lie that the Duel was good, but that finish was unnecessary! What's exciting in watching someone hurt their opponent? Demiurge and his servants approved of Jack's philosophy, even a few of my own children did, but I couldn't comprehend it.

Ren released my arm. "Look." a team arrived to carry the injured Yuya away on a stretcher just then, much to my relief. "They'll treat his wounds, no need to lose your cool."

Antinomy glanced to the side. "After all we have other problems to concentrate on." true to his words, a trio of Security officers ran up to us. The Hell...?

"What's this about?" Willauk inquired.

"This is Security." one of them stated the obvious. "Cooperate and come with us quietly."

As if! "Idiots." Fey giggled. "Don't they realize who they're talking to?" hmm, not to boast, but she had a point there.

"Apparently not." Adaro said with the same mocking tone.

"Why are you arresting Friendship Cup participants?" I asked while readying my Duel Disk.

"Could it be...?" Ren muttered, suddenly irritated. "Their actual plan was to apprehend us here by permitting our entry in the tournament?"

What!? "Yes, that's the best explanation I can think of as well." Antinomy scowled. We walked right into their trap, huh. "As things stand, we have no choice but to defend ourselves."

But before another word could be spoken, two men in white suits and green-shaded glasses stepped between us, causing our eyes to widen in surprise.

"We have orders from the Executive Council to lead these three to their quarters." one of the two revealed. Eh? The Executive Council, you say...? Why would they get in Security's way, didn't they work for them in the first place?

"Even the Security Bureau cannot stop us." his partner added, to which the three officers gritted their teeth in frustration.

Balor hummed, somewhat amused by this turn of events. "Infighting?" yeah, probably...

The next day...

As expected of a society that loved Dueling to an unimaginable extent, we Friendship Cup participants were getting the royal treatment, our lodgings being on the same level as first-class hotel services. I've never been to such a hotel before, so finding out what rooms rich people spend their vacations in was a pleasant experience! The Mythorrors liked it as well, a few of my children saying how cool it was, while Demiurge was busy flaunting how it's only obvious he'd get to stay in such lodgings, to which his side agreed.

However, 'pleasant' only went that far. None of the participants could leave their room, putting us on the same level as prisoners. Or, I guess, esteemed prisoners? In any case, the penthouse was situated atop the Executive Council building, meaning we were under their complete protection. They didn't want us to leave or be possibly attacked... We'll have to bear with it.

The view which came with being so high up in the sky was breathtaking though. I could see the Duel Palace and the ocean that surrounded it! It also allowed me to see Melissa's special entrance on the opening day, parachuting out of her helicopter and landing in the middle of the Duel Palace. That girl...her enthusiasm was on par with Nico's, haha.

An introduction of the twenty-four Duelists soon followed, which I was glad for since I'd get to see who else was taking part in this tournament. Although, discovering the City branded me as "the backseat kid" made me pout. Why were Yuya and I treated so harshly? Whatever. What's important is knowing that all the Lancers have gathered here, even Gongenzaka, Dennis, and Shun who were supposed to be in the Facility!

Sure, there were no signs of Reiji and Tsukikage, but if Reira was a participant, I'm sure our leader had a hand in it. I trust his judgment and believe in him, so I'll do the same in Reira and her strength. Coco, Snow, and Saleos weren't happy in the least of it, though. It's a good thing the D-Wheels have the auto-pilot setting for us Riding Duel newbies...

There were three Commons I've never heard of among us as well, Shinji, Tony, and Damon were their names, and a random Duel Chaser. It was hard to tell if he was the one Ren or Antinomy defeated or someone else entirely, but that shouldn't matter much. Chojiro Tokumatsu and Sergey Volkov were also present, some well-known people in the City that got the crowd fairly excited.

Amazing reveals came next. First things first, both Yugo and Yuzu were here too! I'm so glad to see our pink-haired friend again, we managed to find her at last. On top of that, she's with Yugo! It was probably him who spurred Yuzu to enter the tournament, and I'm sure she wasn't regretting her choice now that she saw we're here too. As I hoped, Aki's also participating as the Tops' most beloved Duelist, which didn't come as a surprise considering her fame and origins.

If all that wasn't enough to get me into good spirits, Harald and Crow Hogan were revealed for last. The former—who's on spot #3 right after Antinomy I might add, creating a freaky coincidence since the #1 Aki, the #2 Antinomy, and the #4 Jack of my Top 5 5D's characters were also present in this series—traveled to the City from Sweden.

I read something about a foreign participant coming to Duel in the Friendship Cup, though I wasn't able to find anything about their identity. I'm really glad it turned out to be Harald...imagine a Duel between me and him, two fellow god users! Just the idea got my Entertainment Duelist blood boiling!

After Jack and Aki, I guess it was only fair they'd bring back Crow too, a Common like Shinji and the rest. I didn't find anything about him on the net, which means he kept a low profile until now. His introduction didn't have a positive ending due to Melissa's comment related to Jack that stirred up both Tops and Commons. These people...sigh, by the looks of it, it won't be easy to unite them even using the title of King.

Having said that...if Crow was a thing, what of Black-Winged Dragon? Xolotl felt the presence of a Signer Dragon in the building, but he couldn't tell how many of them exactly or who their wielder was. I told him what I knew from the past series and the possible users so he could prepare himself in case we'll end up fighting them, which managed to ease his mind a little, much to my relief.

Seeing as the audience won't calm down, Melissa proceeded to announce the first match: Crow vs. Gongenzaka. The Blackwing user looked to be in a hurry, not paying much attention to the Duel, which insulted Gongenzaka. But near the end, when Crow's turmoil finally came to an end, he gave it his all and managed to defeat our friend's Pendulum-fused Steadfast Dueling with a Delta Accel Synchro Summoned Monster. Although...he didn't call it that, which I guess wasn't even a thing in this universe with no Clear Mind, but that's pretty much what it was.

Their Duel succeeded to get everyone to come together. The following Duel did the same, but unfortunately, in a horrible way. After a last-minute change to the match-up where Tsukikage replaced Reira—thank the gods! I'm sure she's strong like Reiji says, but she's still too young to drive a D-Wheel...—he Dueled Shinji who provoked the audience for the entire fight, despite Melissa scolding him for it. He also insulted Tsukikage's pride as a ninja, saying he was siding with the Tops, even if that clearly wasn't the case, which greatly angered our friend considering his brother sacrificed himself during the Battle Royal to carry out his mission.

It was...frustrating to watch. And not only because of Shinji's way of doing things, namely fighting anger with anger and insulting Tsukikage for no real reason, but also because...I understood his pain. His past...the situation between Tops and Commons...the discrimination and prejudice...wasn't it the same for my Mythorrors?

Would I be the same as Shinji if I were to focus only on our hatred and despair, and not heed Ren's words? The thought...honestly scared me. An open mind has the power to avoid conflicts. Without conflicts, there will be less discrimination and prejudice. But Shinji wasn't even considering that. He wants to defeat the Tops with anger and brute strength, but that won't change anything. It won't unite the City; the Commons will only become the new Tops.

Shinji's Battlewasps ultimately got the better of Tsukikage and his 'Ninja' deck, which further worked up the Commons. The last Action Magic he collected couldn't protect him...then why did he look at it again once the Duel ended, as if lost in thoughts of what could've happened if the Duel had continued? Was this also a part of Reiji's plan...?

[Alright, everyone! Let's introduce the playing cards for the next match!] Melissa announced, the sight of the angered Commons and the frightened Tops making her visibly nervous. Two holograms materialized in the middle of the Duel Palace, and my eyes widened at who they were. [Sakuragi Yuu! Versus! Harald!]

I jumped to my feet in shock. "Yuu's going to fight Harald!?" first it was Gongenzaka up against a recurring character, and now Yuu...who'll fight a fellow god user like me!?

"It's the man you were looking forward to fighting yourself, Sakushi-kun." Hevelius pointed out through a giggle, but did a double-take upon noticing my worried expression. "Hm? Am I wrong? You don't look too happy, despite the fact you're about to see him fight."

"His opponent is Yuu, after all..." I deadpanned in a low tone.

I'm happy to see him Duel, no doubt of that, but my concern for my friend takes precedence! Yuu could hold his ground against Harald and his ace, Odin, that I'm sure of. While it will be a tough match, his chances at victory weren't low. But what if more gods came into play, like Thor and Loki? Yusei managed to defeat Harald and the three gods, but he was the protagonist!

"But Yuu mastered his deck and demonstrated great forethought in our Tag Duel against Barrett and Serena..." I reasoned with myself out loud.

"As long as the young sorcerer keeps his composure and thinks ahead, the scales will tip in his favor." you said it, Yamatochi.

The two Duelists eventually entered the Duel Palace. Harald was wearing the same outfit and riding the same D-Wheel as his 5D's counterpart, albeit the latter lacked his Duel Disk's blade which was probably replaced by an energy blade. Yuu was given a white and dark purple Riding Duelist attire and a matching D-Wheel.

"You can do this, Yuu." I cheered for him in a low tone.

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Sakuragi Yuu's POV

"W-Woah!" I cried out in surprise when I accidentally rode onto the side of the arena, and quickly leaned to the left to get back on the track. I can't let my guard down, huh? I sighed through my nose. Surprisingly, it wasn't easy to fall off this thing even though I'm a beginner, and the auto-pilot feature will turn on once the Duel starts, but actions like speeding up and keeping one's balance still depend on the driver.

If the others managed, so will I. I told myself and came to a stop at the starting line beside Harald, who didn't waste any time in addressing me with a collected smile.

"So you will be my first opponent. Let's both give it our all and make this a memorable fight."

"Likewise." I replied, mirroring his smile. Calm and polite...phew, he wasn't another Shinji. The previous Duel was really hard to watch, Shinji's provocations and its results making it an unpleasant experience. Not to mention, Tsukikage lost... I hope he and Reira were both OK.

And speaking of Shinji... "That guy came from Sweden, right?" someone from the Commons stand inquired rather loudly, making sure we heard him.

A different person continued, "Humph! He probably flaunted his money and status to those Top bastards to assure himself a seat in the tournament!" oi, were you listening to yourself?

"He's just another Top!" the third comment made me scowl. They were saying whatever they pleased at this point! They were still worked up from Shinji's performance... Harald traveled here from afar, and this was how they treat him?

"I'm sorry." at my words, Harald glanced at me in surprise. "It's your first Duel, but the crowd is already insulting you. Without solid proof to boot."

"Ah, that?" he scoffed, prompting me to blink. He then looked back at the road. "Worry not. I won't let their frustration cloud my judgment. Besides..." he abruptly smirked, and I stiffened. "They'll be singing a different tune once they witness my strength."

Strength? I parroted in confusion. That smirk...it was honestly unnerving. Whatever he was planning to do, it will definitely be bad news for me, too.

"Now then, Action Field on!" Melissa's shout snapped me out of my thoughts, and I also focused on the road. "Field Spell, Crossover Acceleration!"

A yellow pulse of light spread across the sky, causing our surroundings to take on a bluish hue and Action Cards to scatter around the arena.

[Duel Mode, on. Auto-pilot, stand-by.] our Duel Disk declared and deployed their energy blades. A holographic starting board then appeared in front of us and started a count down.

Harald's eyes narrowed. "Here goes..." I whispered, tightening my hold on the handles.

"Riding Duel...!" the count down reached zero, and Melissa grinned. "Acceleration!"

"DUEL!" we shouted and drove off in unison.

Harald: LP 4000

VS

Yuu: LP 4000

Thanks to his experience in driving a D-Wheel, it came as no surprise that Harald was able to easily surpass me.

"Taking the first corner and the first move is Harald!" Melissa announced.

"Watashi no turn!" the said man exclaimed. "From my hand, I summon Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts!"

A two-tailed goat with black fur appeared on his field, loudly grinding its teeth together.

Tanngnjostr of the Nordic Beasts: Earth / Beast / Effect / ATK: 800 / DEF: 1100 / LV: 3

"I set a card and end my turn."

I frowned. "Huh!?" Melissa cried out in shock. "Harald summoned a Monster with 800 Attack and simply left it in attack mode! What is he thinking? Is he depending on his set card to survive Yuu's turn!?"

Maybe, maybe not. I thought and tapped his Monster's card on my display panel, zooming onto it. That card has an effect that focuses on Battle Position? If that's the case, it's likely his set card is a bluff, something meant to act as a distraction and only changes a Monster's Battle Position. But maybe he wants me to think that so I'd focus on Tanngis...no, Tanngsto...Tann-gnjo-str, there, I managed to say it!

I looked back at the road. I'll create a counterstrategy for both scenarios! "Ore no turn!" I drew a new card. "I summon Spellbook Magician of Prophecy!"

The Monster that referenced the Magician Tarot card appeared with a yawn.

Spellbook Magician of Prophecy: Water / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK: 500 / DEF: 400 / LV: 2

"If this card is Normal Summoned or flipped face-up, his effect activates." Magician's Spellbook materialized in his hand and he leafed through it, stopping at a certain page which he began reading. "I add one 'Spellbook' Spell Card from my Deck to my hand."

He snapped his fingers, causing a card to shoot out of my deck. "I add Spellbook of Supremacy to my hand! Next, I activate a Monster's effect from my hand." I showed all the viewers three cards from my hand. "By revealing Spellbook of Supremacy, of Knowledge, and Star Hall, I can Special Summon High Priestess of Prophecy through her own effect!"

The Monster that referenced the High Priestess Tarot card appeared with an alluring giggle.

High Priestess of Prophecy: Light / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2100 / LV: 7

"Yuu summons a pretty Monster with 2500 Attack!" Melissa noted. The Commons were cheering again too, although they were urging me to beat 'that Top bastard'...sigh, that wasn't better than nothing. "Is Harald regretting his earlier play!?"

He will soon. "I activate the Continuous Spell Spellbook Star Hall!" I continued. "Each time a 'Spellbook' Spell Card is activated, one Spell Counter will be placed on this card. Moreover, for each Spell Counter it has, all my Spellcaster-Type Monsters gain 100 Attack!"

"Meaning the more spells you cast, the stronger your followers get." Harald pointed out, his smirk still on his face. "A fitting battle style for a sorcerer. Not bad."

If I were in an anime, I would've sweatdropped right now. "Y-You're reading too much into it..." Vince tends to do the same, now that I thought about it. That said, it's also part of his Entertainment Dueling, therefore he has a reason to do it. "Moving on, I activate Spellbook of Supremacy!"

A card, which depicted Reaper of Prophecy with shadows covering his face and a purple glow radiating from where his eyes should be, appeared. A Spellbook was floating above his head, soaked in an ominous aura.

"This turn, if my 'Prophecy' Monsters attack, you can't activate Spell and Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step," I explained. "Star Hall's effect also activates, and it gains one Spell Counter."

(Star Hall: 0→1 Spell Counter; Magician: 500→600 ATK; High Priestess: 2500→2600 ATK)

"Yuu seals off Harald's set card!" Melissa gasped. "No, it's worse than that...he can't even use an Action Card to defend himself!"

"Exactly!" I confirmed her words and aimed a finger at his goat. "Now I activate High Priestess's effect! Once per turn, by banishing one 'Spellbook' Spell Card from my Graveyard, I can target and destroy one card on the field. I banish Supremacy to destroy your Monster! Divine Law!"

"For safety, you'll even destroy Tanngnjostr?" Harald inquired as my sorceress summoned her Spellbook and opened it, unleashing a lightning bolt from its pages. He suddenly glared, as if offended. "Too shallow! I activate the Trap Card Vordr's Condolence!"

A card, which depicted a white child-like silhouette with yellow eyes affectionately hugging the back of a battered warrior, appeared.

"By targeting Tanngnjostr, this turn, it cannot be destroyed by battle or your card effects!" the lightning bolt struck true, but the goat simply shook it off with an annoyed huff. "Thanks to this Trap, I can also change my target's Battle Position."

I gritted my teeth. My premonition was correct, but his card did more than just change Battle Position...

"In the end, a magic trick is but a cheap trick." Harald's smirk returned. "I won't bat an eye at such things."

"Really now...?" I frowned. I can't damage him this turn... "I activate the Spell Card Spellbook of Knowledge. I send Magician to the Graveyard in order to draw two cards!"

Glancing at my new cards, my frown deepened. Nothing useful. "Star Hall's effect activates for the second time. I set two cards face-down and end my turn!"

(Star Hall: 1→2 Spell Counters; High Priestess: 2600→2700 ATK)

"What a turn of events! Harald, who seemed to be in a pinch, escapes Yuu's turn unscathed!" Melissa said in awe, a sentiment shared by the Tops in the audience.

"That young boy isn't half bad..."

"But that Harald person managed to hold his ground perfectly."

"As expected of a foreign Duelist who earned his way into the tournament!"

At least they're properly cheering for us, unlike the Commons. Then why? I asked myself, staring at Harald's expression. He...doesn't seem to care about that in the slightest. I've already Dueled people who don't live for the audience's applause, people like Kachidoki Isao, but Harald...is the first to make me feel uncomfortable...!

"Watashi no turn!" my opponent declared after we turned a corner. "Draw! I switch Tanngnjostr back to Attack Position, allowing its effect to activate. I can Special Summon one non-Tanngnjostr 'Nordic Beast' Monster from my Deck in Defense Position. Appear now, the Tuner Monster, Gullinbursti of the Nordic Beasts!"

A boar with golden fur appeared on his field with an angry huff.

Gullinbursti of the Nordic Beasts: Light / Beast / Tuner / Effect / ATK: 300 / DEF: 100 / LV: 3

"A Tuner..." so he was aiming for this, huh?

"Upon Normal or Special Summon, Gullinbursti's effect activates." Harald stated. "I can Special Summon one 'Nordic' Monster from my hand. Join us, Tyr of the Nordic Champions!"

A sword-wielding warrior appeared next, brandishing his weapon with a valiant battle cry.

Tyr of the Nordic Champions: Light / Warrior / Effect / ATK: 2000 / DEF: 2000 / LV: 4

"To conclude my preparations, I summon the Tuner Monster, Vanadis of the Nordic Ascendant!"

Following his words, a winged woman joined his field, her mischievous smirk and the scythe she cradled in her arms making it hard to believe she was actually an angel that descended from the Heavens.

Vanadis of the Nordic Ascendant: Dark / Fairy / Tuner / Effect / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 400 / LV: 4

Yeaaah, maybe I spoke too soon. This was what he was aiming for. "Four Monsters, two of which are Tuners." Melissa listed in excitement, the opposite of what I was feeling at the moment. "I see somebody's planning to perform a consecutive Synchro Summon!"

"Indeed. Now...behold my strength!" recalling his words prior to the Duel, my eyes widened. "I tune the Level 4 Tyr with the Level 4 Vanadis!"

As the angel's body morphed into four green rings that surrounded the warrior and turned him into four stars, he chanted.

"When the roar of the patron of warriors and heroes echoes throughout the battlefield, all those unworthy to be our foes cower in fear! Let your soul's red flames burn brighter than Mars! Synchro Summon! Descend, Tyr, General of the Aesir!"

A bright beam shot through the rings, from which a giant Tyr emerged. He now had a prosthetic right hand which wielded a red sword, while a silver shield lined with gold and cyan was in his left hand, and he discarded his dark blue shoulder cape. Instead, silver armor lined with the same colors as his shield adorned his shoulders, torso, knees, and feet, and he wore a belt that had a wolf head ornament on its front holding a red orb in its jaws, too.

Tyr, General of the Aesir: Light / Warrior / Synchro / Effect / ATK: 3000 / DEF: 3000 / LV: 8

I...I wonder what Manek or Vince would say if they'd been in my shoes. I didn't have the ability to interact with Duel Spirits like them, but I could tell something was off about this Monster. His presence was oppressive. This wasn't fear: unlike when I Dueled the Obelisk Force, my fingertips weren't trembling, my breath didn't hitch, and I didn't want to flee either.

As I stared up at Tyr, who held my gaze with an unreadable expression, I...felt out of my league. Like a beginner who just realized how stupid it was to challenge a veteran; like staring at an insurmountable summit. Some Monsters were designed to arouse such feelings, but this was the first time...I actually felt like an ant standing before a mountain.

No one in the Duel Palace said a thing, fallen into a trance like yours truly. The silence was finally broken by Harald, who chuckled at our reaction, and slowed down his D-Wheel so we'd be side by side.

"We humans will never change. Years may pass and we may evolve, but our breaths will always be stolen when we gaze at something which stands above us." he raised a hand at Tyr and clenched it. He then turned his head in my direction, and I gasped as a glowing arrow-like rune came to life on his left eye. "Sakuragi Yuu...are you ready to learn what it means to oppose a god?"

I gulped. What the Hell is going on? First his Monster—no, his god, and now that weird symbol on his eye...I was wrong. An opponent like Shinji would've been much better. I was at a complete loss of words right now.

"Ha...Ha-Harald summoned an intimidating Synchro Monster...with 3000 Attack." Melissa wheezed out when she managed to break free from her trance.

"It isn't over yet." revving his engine, Harald sped forward. "I proceed with the activation of Gullinbursti's other effect! I target Vanadis in my Graveyard and return her to my hand. Now I tune the Level 3 Tanngnjostr with the Level 3 Gullinbursti!"

As the boar's body morphed into three green rings that surrounded the goat and turned it into three stars, he chanted once more.

"The one whose name is the most renowned amongst the gods, with your benevolent radiance, disperse the chaos that plagues the world! Synchro Summon! Descend, Freyr, Shepherd of the Aesir!"

A bright beam shot through the rings, from which a fair-skinned man with lifeful green eyes and a luxuriant brown beard and hair, the latter being tied into a small ponytail at the back of his head and at the right side of his face, emerged. He wore a loose-fitting white tunic and pants, a brown belt and boots, and a feathered left-shoulder cape, and carried a wooden staff with an eagle sculpture on its tip in his right hand.

Freyr, Shepherd of the Aesir: Earth / Beast-Warrior / Synchro / Effect / ATK: 2000 / DEF: 2500 / LV: 6

This new god wasn't as oppressive as Tyr, in fact, there was something...soothing about him, but it didn't put my mind at ease. Not when I had so many questions swirling in my head and I was currently in a Duel.

"A s-second god makes its debut!" Melissa exclaimed. "In all my years as a reporter, I've never seen Monsters like these...!"

"Duel Monsters has moved into a new era." Harald glanced backwards at me, revealing a rhombus-like rune appearing on top of the arrow on his left eye. He gained one whenever he summoned a god...their presence was affecting his body's appearance? "Tyr, activate your effect!"

His Warrior god let loose of a resounding shout, creating sound waves that hit my Monster and caused her to grunt in pain.

"Once per turn, for each Monster with Aesir in its name that I control, he can lower the Attack and Defense of all Monsters under your control by 600," Harald explained. "With two such gods on my field, your sorceress is weakened by 1200 points."

I gritted my teeth. "Dammit...!" now she's easy prey for both of his Synchro Monsters.

(High Priestess: 2700→1500 ATK)

"Battle!" Harald threw an arm to the side. "Go forth, Tyr! Attack High Priestess! Vanargand Avenger!"

There! I quickly leaned down to grab an incoming Action Card that my opponent ignored, but I frowned upon reading its effect. Not what I wanted, but still usable. "Akushon Majikku: Attack Force! Since our Monsters are battling and yours has a higher Attack, mine gains 600 Attack during damage calculation only!"

(High Priestess: 1500→2100 ATK)

Lightning bolts shot out of High Priestess's Spellbook, but Tyr effortlessly evaded them and crossed the distance between himself and my sorceress. The blade of his sword ignited and he slashed her across the chest, prompting her to explode with a pained cry and make my D-Wheel wobble due to the shock waves.

Yuu: LP 4000 - 900 = 3100

"T-Torappu hatsudō: Reading the Future!" a card, which depicted a cloaked figure in a dimly lit room with Tarot cards scattered on a table, two of which were glowing, appeared. "Since you destroyed the Level 7 High Priestess, I can add one 'Prophecy' Monster and one 'Spellbook' Normal Spell from my Deck to my hand!"

"Hoh?" Harald raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Yuu lowers the damage by using an Action Card and takes advantage of his Monster's destruction to search himself new cards!" Melissa reported. "But he now controls no Monsters, while Harald still has a god to attack with! It will be a direct attack!"

"Correct! Do it, Freyr!"

Following his user's words, the second god caused the sun's ray to concentrate on me with a wave of his staff.

"With a Normal Spell in my Graveyard, I'm allowed to activate this Trap Card: Mage's Discernment!" a card, which depicted Crusader of Endymion conjuring a set of magic circles to shield himself from a bright beam of yellow light, appeared. "The damage I would take from this battle is negated!"

The same magic circles appeared around me, leaving my LP intact.

"Your determination didn't falter... Good. Duelists like you are why I love Dueling." Harald admitted. "I set a card and end my turn. It's your turn to show me strength, Sakuragi Yuu. The question is...do you have it?"

My strength... I closed my eyes to focus on my and Daphne's conversation from yesterday.

...

"Not agaaaa—agh!" I cried out in frustration as I was swept off my feet for the umpteenth time by Daphne's shoulder throw, landing on my back with a gasp. The brown-haired youth released me, but I stayed lying on the ground and glared at the ceiling.

We've been training for hours, but I still haven't accomplished anything! Daphne could easily shift between defense and offense like she does with her cards. If I attacked, she blocked and countered before I even realize I must go on the defensive, and the next thing I knew was that I'm soaring through the air like a leaf.

She was amazing, and I was a disaster.

"Do you wish to stop?" was what she asked whenever I lost, staring down at me with a neutral face. I sighed and eventually shook my head, prompting her to offer me her hand and help me get to my feet. "You shouldn't feel disheartened, Sakuragi. You've lasted much longer in this round."

"But I lost nonetheless." I rubbed my face with my hands in an attempt to steady my nerves. I was grateful for her kindness, don't get me wrong, in fact, it was helping me continue trying, but losing so many times was just annoying. At least Serena and Manek weren't paying attention to us, so I was making a fool out of myself only in front of Daphne. "I'm gonna be honest: when I asked you to help me, I was half-serious. I never imagined I'd be this bad..."

Her mouth opened, but she closed it before saying anything. After a few seconds, she opened it again, "It is of no matter, Sakuragi." she reassured me in a low tone.

"No, it actually is." I pressed, finally letting my anger get the better of me. "I don't want to be weak anymore. I don't want to fail you guys. I became a Lancer so my friends' sacrifices won't go in vain and to stop Academia. But how do I plan to be useful when I can't even defend myself with my fists—"

"That's enough." Daphne's palm was suddenly in front of my face, causing me to step back in surprise and stop sulking. She then crossed her arms and regarded me sternly. "Don't say the first things that come to your mind. There's a reason why self-defense classes exist. It isn't something you can master in a couple of hours, especially if the one helping you isn't an actual teacher."

"Oh..." I blinked twice, not expecting such good counterpoints. "Y-Yes, but—"

"And I believe I didn't express myself with the right words earlier." Daphne cut me off for the second time. "It doesn't matter you can't win in hand-to-hand combat because that isn't your strength to begin with. It's your wits."

My eyes widened, this time in shock. "My...wits?" what did she mean?

"I know, for I share the same strength as you." my eyes widened further. We both draw strength from our wits? "We aren't like Serena, who fights with brute force, or Vince and Wierrd, who use the bonds with their Monsters to grow. We Duel by carefully analyzing our opponent's moves and devising the appropriate counterstrategies. We find efficiency in logic."

I stare at her, dumbfounded. That was... I didn't know what to say. Her words left such an impression that I found myself thinking it wouldn't have made sense if I knew how to use my fists.

"...Ahem." clearing her throat, Daphne suddenly looked to the side in a futile attempt to hide a blush. "At least, that's what I think. You're free to disagree and—"

"Heh...heh heh, hahahaha!" I tried my best to contain the laughter, but it was a losing battle. It's just...to see Daphne from all people act bashful because she realized what she had said was a sight I never expected to behold. She glared, and I quickly spoke up, "I appreciate it, Hashima. I'm...really glad I've met you."

OK, maaaybe I could've avoided saying that, but I really meant it. Not only her, but Vince, Manek, Yuya, and so on... I couldn't thank god enough for letting me meet these colorful people.

"Ah." was all Daphne said as her eyes widened. "I, um...appreciate it too, Sakuragi."

"Actually, just Yuu will do." considering the current situation, I think we could finally drop the formalities.

She was shocked. In a good way. "In that case...please, call me Daphne from here on."

I showed her my biggest and happiest smile. "Sure thing!"

...

When I lost against the Obelisk Force, it was because I was inexperienced. But not anymore. My deck developed, too. As such...it didn't matter that I was fighting gods; I won't lose!

"Ore no turn! DRAW!" I exclaimed with a burst of determination after we turned a corner. "I, using the Scale 1 Star of Prophecy and the Scale 9 Tower of Prophecy, set the Pendulum Scales!"

I placed the cards on the ends of my energy blade, causing the word [PENDULUM] to flash between them and two pillars of blue light to appear on my left and right. The first pillar contained a pale-skinned young woman with violet eyes, which had star-shaped pupils, and short, dark blue hair. She wore a white and dark blue robe adorned by golden stars and long strips of cloth with magical letters of an unknown language engraved on them, as well as an ornate, star-shaped crown. She held a futuristic jug in her hands, and her Spellbook floated beside her.

Star of Prophecy: Light / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK: 2400 / DEF: 2000 / LV: 7 / SC: 1

The second pillar contained a tan-skinned elderly man with piercing yellow eyes, a short stubble, and long, white hair that had faded yellow ends. He wore a black and teal blue robe adorned by yellow strips of cloth with magical letters of an unknown language engraved on them, and held a Spellbook as four yellow spheres orbited him.

Tower of Prophecy: Earth / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 1000 / LV: 3 / SC: 9

"A new wielder of the peculiar Pendulum Summoning has appeared!" Melissa's eyes widened in glee. The crowd was finally alive again, gasping and muttering among themselves about this revelation, their attention shifting from the Norse gods to yours truly.

"Star no kōka hatsudō!" a card jutted out of my GY. "When activated in the Pendulum Zone, I can target one 'Prophecy' Monster in my Graveyard and add it to my hand. I target High Priestess! Next, I activate Spellbook of Secrets, using its effect to add a different Spellbook from my Deck to my hand. I add Spellbook of Eternity to my hand!"

After doing so, "Star Hall's effect activates, and it gains one Spell Counter. Tower's Pendulum Effect also activates! Each time I activate a Spellbook, after its effect resolves, you take 200 damage and I gain 200 Life! Crisis Liberation!"

(Star Hall: 2→3 Spell Counters)

Tower closed his eyes and began chanting, causing the spheres around him to light up. Harald flinched as a red glow surrounded him, while a green glow did the same for me.

Harald: LP 4000 - 200 = 3800

Yuu: LP 3100 + 200 = 3300

"I activate Spellbook of Eternity!" I moved on without missing a beat. "I target one of my banished non-Eternity 'Spellbook' Spell Cards and add it to my hand. I target Supremacy! Star Hall's and Tower's effects activate! Crisis Liberation!"

My Continuous Spell gained its fourth Spell Counters and the same scene from before repeated itself.

Harald: LP 3800 - 200 = 3600

Yuu: LP 3300 + 200 = 3500

"Now I activate Spellbook of Supremacy! This turn, if my 'Prophecy' Monsters attack, you can't activate Spell and Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step. Star Hall's and Tower's effects also activate! Crisis Liberation!"

(Star Hall: 4→5 Spell Counters)

Harald: LP 3600 - 200 = 3400

Yuu: LP 3500 + 200 = 3700

"What a marvelous sight!" Melissa's words earned equally excited cheers from the crowd, which made me smile pridefully. "Yuu's Life Points are now higher than Harald's! He keeps using one Spell Card after another...it's like an endless magic show!"

"And this is only the start!" I raised a hand at the sky. "With my set Pendulum Scales, I can simultaneously Summon Monsters from Levels 2 to 8. The pendulum's light shall illuminate our paths, unveiling a fated encounter! Pendulum Summon! From my hand, come, High Priestess! Reaper of Prophecy! And Prophecy Destroyer!"

A portal opened between the two pillars, and three beams shot out of it before landing on my field, revealing the Monsters that referenced the High Priestess, Death, and Devil Tarot cards.

High Priestess of Prophecy: ATK 2500→3000 / DEF 2100 / LV: 7

Reaper of Prophecy: Dark / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK: 2000→2500 / DEF: 1600 / LV: 6

Prophecy Destroyer: Dark / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK: 2500→3000 / DEF: 1200 / LV: 6

"Three Monsters just like that, two of which have the same Attack as Tyr..." Harald chuckled. If the situation was bothering him, he was doing a great job at hiding it. "Color me impressed. However, you still got a long way to go before you can actually defeat my gods."

"Do your best to stop me, then." I allowed myself to mock back. "Reaper's effect activates when he's Normal or Special Summoned, gaining 600 Attack and enabling me to add one 'Spellbook' Spell from my Deck to my hand since there are four 'Spellbook' Spells with different names in my Graveyard. I fetch myself Spellbook of Fate!"

Reaper brandished his scythe as an ominous aura enveloped him.

(Reaper: 2500→3100 ATK)

"Star's other Pendulum Effect comes into play." the crowd's cheers kept getting louder and louder as I continued activating effects. "If I Pendulum Summon 'Prophecy' Monsters from my hand, I can draw one card for each, in this case three!"

"Yuu's hand is back at four!" Melissa squealed. "He's on a roll! Will his magic show triumph over Harald and his intimidating Monsters!?"

"I activate High Priestess's effect! I banish Knowledge to target and destroy Tyr!" I pointed at the said god. Time for the first one to bid us goodbye! "Divine Law!"

"Don't get too ahead of yourself! At this moment, I activate a Counter Trap Card: The Norns' Envisage!" a card, which depicted three goddesses with their eyes closed and raising their staffs as a white aura circled their feet, appeared. "It negates the activation of a card or effect that targets a card I control and destroys it! Begone!"

"What!?" my eyes widened in shock.

The lightning bolt fired from High Priestess's Spellbook suddenly bounced backwards, striking herself with it and leaving the field in a shower of particles.

"Moreover, for the rest of this turn, Monsters under my control cannot be banished or be released by my opponent." I gritted my teeth at Harald's words. That means I can't use Fate to banish a god...!

"Harald protects and destroys at the same time!" Melissa frowned. "Yuu can defeat both Tyr and Freyr if he attacks with Reaper and Destroyer, but it won't be enough to deplete Harald's Life!"

"I'll just use a different strategy to win!" I declared, releasing one of the handles to raise a hand and then clench it. "You asked for it, Harald. I'll show you my strength! I overlay the Level 6 Reaper and Destroyer!"

My two Monsters turned into purple beams and entered a swirling galaxy, from which a pillar of light shot out.

"Moon, lend your radiance to the sorceress of the night sky! Shelter the light with your virtuous darkness! Xyz Summon! Come, Rank 6! Crescent of Prophecy!"

A pale-skinned woman wearing a gray, purple, and yellow robe and an ornate, crescent-shaped headdress that covered the upper part of her face emerged from the portal, flourishing her bow to the viewers, which was as tall as herself and had magical letters of an unknown language engraved on it. Her long, black hair that faded into blue and then gray ends blowed in the air as she followed me.

Crescent of Prophecy: Dark / Spellcaster / Xyz / Effect / ATK: 2400→2900 / DEF: 2000 / RK: 6

"From Pendulum came Xyz!" Melissa grinned wide. "Yuu continues to surprise us!"

"By using an Overlay Unit, I activate Crescent's effect!" one of the lights orbiting her was sucked into her bow. "Until the End Phase, the attack of one Monster you control is lowered by 500 for each 'Spellbook' Spell Card in my Graveyard. I choose to weaken Tyr! Moon Solemnity!"

Crescent pulled back the string of her bow and created three arrows of purple energy, which she then fired. Tyr swung his sword, cutting down two arrows, but the last one managed to pierce him in the shoulder, causing him to grit his teeth in pain.

(Tyr: 3000→1500 ATK)

"I activate Prophecy Destroyer's effect from my Graveyard, who was just sent there as an Overlay Unit to use Crescent's effect. By banishing Spellbook of Supremacy, of Eternity, and of Secrets from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon this card! Be reborn!"

The said Monster returned to my field through a GY Portal, roaring to announce his arrival.

"This changes nothing." Harald pointed out in a defiant manner. "You'll inflict more damage to me this way, yes, but it still won't be enough to win you the game. I guess this is the extent of this Xyz Summoning, your strength."

"...I never said Xyz Summoning was my strength."

Shock. For the first time since this Duel started, Harald looked in my direction with eyes widened in shock, not expecting such a retort...and not knowing what to expect next, either.

"I activate Spellbook of Power!" I cried out, pleased to see I was able to draw a new reaction from him. "By targeting a Spellcaster-Type Monster under my control, I can raise its Attack by 1000 points until the end of this turn. I target Crescent! Star Hall's effect and Tower's Crisis Liberation follow that up!"

"What?" Harald asked.

(Star Hall: 5→6 Spell Counters; Crescent: 2900→3900→4000 ATK; Destroyer: 3000→3100 ATK)

Harald: LP 3400 - 200 = 3200

Yuu: LP 3700 + 200 = 3900

"Yuu did it, folks!" the crowd cheered in tandem with Melissa's announcement. "If he attacks now, Harald's Life Points will be gone! And let's not forget that Spellbook of Supremacy's effect is still in play, meaning Harald can't activate Spell and Trap Cards to protect himself!"

"To complete my preparations, I activate Spellbook of the Fool." I stated. "With this card, I can send one 'Spellbook' Normal Spell from my Deck to the Graveyard. I select Spellbook of Decree! Star Hall's effect and Tower's Crisis Liberation are next!"

(Star Hall: 6→7 Spell Counters; Crescent: 4000→4100 ATK; Destroyer: 3100→3200 ATK)

Harald: LP 3200 - 200 = 3000

Yuu: LP 3900 + 200 = 4100

Time to end this! "Battle!" I threw an arm forward. "Crescent will attack Tyr! Lunar Breaker!"

The General of the Aesir banged his sword to his shield challengingly and rushed forward. Crescent didn't move from her spot however, and she calmly fired another arrow, which the god blocked with his shield but caused it to crack as the arrow pierced it.

Now in range, Tyr swung his sword at my sorceress, but she avoided it with a backflip and readied another arrow when she was upside down mid-jump and could see Tyr again.

"You're being too narrow-minded!" Harald abruptly exclaimed. "Freyr no kōka hatsudō! Once per turn, if our Monsters battle, he can make it so those Monsters won't be destroyed by that battle, and neither of us will take any battle damage! Acclaimed Frith!"

Crescent fired the arrow, but Freyr conjured a wall of sunlight in front of his brethren, protecting him from the attack.

I grimaced. "A Monster Effect..." Supremacy doesn't seal those off. But it's OK; I could still win! "Battle! Destroyer attacks Tyr! This time, he won't escape!"

True to my words, our Monsters' swords clashed in a somewhat comical sight considering how big the opposing god was compared to my magical fiend. But in the end, Destroyer's sword shattered Tyr's and slashed the god's torso in two, triggering an explosion that made Harald grunt.

Harald: LP 3000 - 1700 = 1300

"I commend you for defeating Tyr." the arrow-like rune was gone from Harald's eye. So I was right: the gods were tied to those symbols. "But you've exhausted all your attacks."

"Then I'll simply provide myself with new ones!" his eyes widened for the second time. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell Rank-Up-Magic Ensuing Force!"

A card, which depicted a close-up of Empress of Prophecy pointing her wand at the viewer as a bright aura rolled off her body and her eyes glowed fiercely, appeared.

"Through its effect, I can Xyz Summon one 'Prophecy' Xyz Monster from my Extra Deck that's one Rank higher than a 'Prophecy' Xyz Monster I control by using it as material!" Crescent turned into a purple beam that entered a swirling galaxy, from which a pillar of light shot out as I chanted. "Teacher of wisdom who reached new heights! With your magic, help others cross the bridge between deity and humanity! Rank-Up Xyz Change! Come, Rank 7! Hieron the Great Hierophant of Prophecy!"

To emerge from the portal was my evolved ace, the magical letters engraved on the long strips of cloth attached to his robe and staff pulsing both with Light and Dark Magic.

Hieron the Great Hierophant of Prophecy: ATK 2800→3500 / DEF 2600 / RK: 7 / SC: 10

"An Xyz Summon during the Battle Phase?" Harald gasped.

"Yuu evolves his Xyz Monster and earns an additional attack!" Melissa shouted over the cheering crowd. Heh, they were really into it now, weren't they? Not that I was complaining. This was much better than them insulting Harald or being scared of his gods. "Can he do it!? Can he defeat his opponent right here and now!?"

"Only one way to find out! Battle! Go, Hieron! Attack Freyr!"

Spellbook of the Master materialized in my ace's free hand, which he then opened and turned page after page at great speed. Two lightning bolts shot out of the book, one yellow and the other purple, striking Freyr and ensuing an explosion that washed over his user.

I avoided the smoke and took the lead for the first time in this Duel. "Did I do it?" I thought out loud, glancing backwards just in time to see the Nordic user shoot out of the smoke—without the rhombus-like rune on his eye and smirking.

"Spellbook of Supremacy prevents me from activating Spell and Trap Cards...but the same can't be said about effects."

My eyes widened in shock. "You...!" he found a loophole in the effect!?

"If I would take battle damage, I can banish Vordr's Condolence from my Graveyard to activate its effect," Harald explained. "The damage becomes 0."

"Incredible!" Melissa gasped. "Just when it looked like it was over, Harald managed to survive!"

I gritted my teeth. It was frustrating, but it can't be helped. I'll finish this in my next turn! "I set a card face-down and end my turn."

A moment of silence passed as we turned the corner, followed by Harald speaking up.

"...I underestimated you. Accept my sincere apologies." I blinked twice at his sudden apology and humble tone, a complete contrast to his prideful tone from moments ago. "Your strength...I promise to remember it for as long as I draw breath."

Where did that come from? "Y-You don't have to say that!" unsure of how to react, I quickly stopped him. "I'm not the type of Duelist who gets bothered by that, so don't worry about it."

"...I see. In that case, I thank you." he smiled again, and his eyes gleamed with curiosity. "Seeing as we're already being honest with each other, I must admit that I can't help but wonder about the story your eyes tell me."

"Eh?" what did he mean?

"This isn't the first time you face a god, am I correct?" wait—how did he know!? Noticing my surprised expression, Harald chuckled. "It seems I am. The audience was incapable of mustering a word when they saw my gods. You, on the other hand...at first, you were also speechless, but then you continued Dueling like nothing had happened. You showed me your strength, your resolve...which defeated two of the Aesir. It was magnificent."

Was it...thanks to Vince I was able to recover so quickly from his Synchro Monsters' presence? I won't lie, Harald's Dueling...did remind me of Vince's, which I was familiar with. A Main Deck composed of mythological creatures and cards that reference them, an Extra Deck containing actual gods, using their knowledge and love of myths to express themselves in a Duel, and even drawing the same way, putting the index finger on top and the middle finger at the bottom of a card!

Their prideful nature, too. Vince wasn't as prideful as Harald, sure, but he also tends to boast about his Monsters to entertain the viewers. And it always worked. If there's one thing I was sure of at the moment...it's that if they would Duel, it would be the most intense and the best myth-focused Duel of all time.

"You have a promising future." Harald's next words snapped me out of my daydreaming. "You have the potential to become one of the strongest Duelists known to men."

"Thank you..." I guess this was how he displays his respect for his foes. "However, I have a different goal now." that's what I was aiming for before I was dragged into this war. Hearing someone of Harald's caliber tell me that made me incredibly happy, though. "I have a duty I must fulfill."

He blinked, surprised. "I...see." closing his eyes, he chuckled. "It's nice to see you plan to use that strength for something, instead of simply fooling around. I'm not here for fun, either. I, too, have a duty I must fulfill—" he reopened his eyes, and I straightened up as the menacing glare he shot me took my breath away. "Even if it means crushing you here."

His glare vanished, prompting me to release a breath I wasn't aware I was holding. What was that all about...!? Th-Those...weren't the eyes of a human.

"Behold! This is what it means to oppose a god!" Harald pointed at the sky, which began to darken as clouds converged above the Duel Palace as if it was about to rain. "Return to the land of the living, Polar Gods of the Star World!"

The clouds suddenly parted, allowing two familiar Synchro Monsters to descend to the battlefield, bathed in sunlight and accompanied by the echo of an army of fearless soldiers.

All I could do was stare, eyes wide in shock. "They...came back...!?"

"My gods are immortals." Harald smirked, the glowing runes on his eyes again. "If a god was destroyed by battle or your card effect, I can Special Summon that god during the End Phase. Moreover, if summoned this way, an additional effect can be activated. With Freyr, I gain 800 Life Points!"

The sunlight reached Harald, enveloping him in it.

Harald: LP 1300 + 800 = 2100

"With Tyr, I target one card on the field and send it to the Graveyard." he gestured towards me. "I target your set card!"

"Dammit!" I gnashed my teeth as the set Spellbook of Fate burst into flames. It wasn't the only line of defense I had up my sleeve, but it was the best one, especially now that I knew his gods were immortal. Banishing one with Fate wouldn't have allowed it to revive.

"No matter how many times they're defeated, they revive! What a terrifying effect!" Melissa was having a hard time believing it as well. Not only were they immortal, but their free resurrection triggered another effect... They weren't your everyday opposition, that's for sure.

"Watashi no turn!" Harald announced while drawing. "I activate the Spell Card Nibelung's Treasure. I take the Equip Spell Nibelung's Ring from my Deck and activate it on your side of the field, equipping it to a Monster you control. I select Hieron!"

"On my field and to my Monster?" an effect like that existed? A silver ring with runes engraved on it materialized on Hieron's index finger. My ace carefully inspected it before trying to take it off, just to find out he couldn't, prompting him to grit his teeth in frustration.

"Harald gifted a ring to Yuu's Monster?" Melissa was shocked too, and I think I heard a faint "Wish someone would do that to me..." after that, but it was hard to tell over the crowd's cheers.

"Don't misread it, that is no gift." Harald corrected her. "Due to its effect, the equipped Monster cannot attack, be released, change its Battle Position, or activate its effects."

I blanched. He turned Hieron into a sitting duck that easily? "A-Actually, I take back what I've said." Melissa muttered with a nervous chuckle.

"If it makes you feel better, you draw two cards instead of one during your Draw Phase, but if you draw a Monster Card this way, you must discard one of the drawn cards."

"That's hardly a compensation...!" by the way his smirk widened, I guess he agreed with me.

"And that's not all. Nibelung's Treasure allows me to draw five cards once the first part of its effect concludes!" you even get to draw? Five at that!? "Now I use Tyr's effect to lower the Attack and Defense of all Monsters you control by 1200 points thanks to the presence of two Aesirs on my field!"

His Warrior god took a big inhale. Not on my watch! I told myself and revved my D-Wheel's engine, increasing my speed to catch an incoming Action Card. Exactly what I needed! "Akushon Majikku: Detour! The effect of Tyr is negated and you take 500 damage!"

Before he could shout, a white aura surrounded both Tyr and his user, causing them to flinch in discomfort.

Harald: LP 2100 - 500 = 1600

"Yuu successfully dodges Tyr's effect and inflicts 500 damage!" Melissa punched the air in happiness and relief.

"It matters not!" Harald interjected. "I activate the Equip Spell Nordic Relic Nothung and equip it to Tyr!"

The red sword in his god's hand glowed brightly as it morphed into a new silver sword that had a black tip and a dragon head-shaped handle decorated with two feathered-wing ornaments.

"Carve the might of the dragon-slaying sword into your eyes! Let's fight!" Harald threw an arm forward. "Tyr, take your revenge on Prophecy Destroyer! Vanargand Avenger!"

"What!?" I gasped in confusion.

"Has Harald lost it!?" if only that would be the case, Melissa. "Tyr has less Attack!"

"A higher Attack isn't always needed to win a battle." Harald proclaimed. "Freyr, activate your effect! Acclaimed Frith!"

With a roar, Destroyer swung his sword at Tyr, who used his shield to effortlessly deflect the strike.

"That attack seems meaningless at a first glance, but I have a clear goal in mind," Harald explained the obvious as Nothung's blade was enveloped in blue energy and sunlight. "If the equipped Monster attacked an opponent's Monster, at the end of that battle, Nothung's effect comes into play. Your Monster is destroyed and you take 800 damage!"

Our swordsmen crossed blades for the third time, but in this round, Destroyer's shattered upon contact and Tyr then slashed him across the chest, creating an explosion that made my D-Wheel wobble.

Yuu: LP 4100 - 800 = 3300

I didn't expect a combo like that, but... "Harald only has Freyr left to attack with." Melissa voiced my thoughts. "It has less Attack than Hieron! Unless Harald has another trick in store for us, his Battle Phase is over!"

"As a matter of fact, I do have another trick to use." you don't say... "If Freyr's effect is activated during my Battle Phase, the Monster under my control that I used his effect on can declare an additional attack."

My eyes widened. "A second attack!?" he plans to use Nothung's effect again? "But Tyr will be destroyed before you can use that combo!"

"You honestly believe that will be the case?" Harald's chuckle wasn't reassuring at all. "Battle! Tyr, attack Hieron! Using Nothung's other effect, the equipped Monster won't be destroyed by battle!"

It could also protect his god from destruction!? The Great Hierophant unleashed a barrage of yellow and purple lightning bolts from his Spellbook, but Tyr deflected them with his shield and even bisected one of them with his sword. Having reached his foe, the General of the Aesir thrust his sword at my ace, piercing him in the chest and causing another explosion.

"H-Hieron!" I cried out in concern as I almost lost control of my D-Wheel, a slip my opponent used to take back the lead.

Yuu: LP 3300 - 800 = 2500

"Harald succeeded in defeating Yuu's Monsters!" Melissa shouted. "A complete comeback!"

Freyr has 2000 Attack. It isn't enough to deplete my Life Points. I reassured myself—but gasped when Harald grabbed an incoming Action Card.

"Cards that are scattered throughout the field at the start of the Duel and can be later picked up by the Duelists." the Nordic user inspected the card. "Duel Monsters has come a really long way. I activate the Action Magic Power Gem! By targeting Freyr, his Attack is increased by 800 points!"

"2800 Attack!" Melissa stated the amount of ATK the god reached. "If that attack hits its mark, it's game over for Yuu!"

"Put an end to this fight, Freyr!" Harald turned his D-Wheel sideways and aimed a finger at me. "Attack Sakuragi Yuu directly!"

With a wave of his staff, the Shepherd of the Aesir caused the sun's ray to concentrate on me.

"I won't lose, Harald! By banishing Mage's Discernment from my Graveyard, I activate its effect!" a set of magic circles appeared around me, leaving my LP intact like last time. "With a Spellcaster-Type Monster in my Graveyard, the battle damage I would take from this direct attack is negated!"

"You dodged it...which is what I expected you to do." I blinked twice at his words. "But sadly, this is as far as your strength will get you against me and the Aesir. The Battle Phase may be over, but I still have something left to do. I activate the Spell Card Gotterdammerung! I target Tyr...and you take control of him!"

I choked on air. "What did you say!?" he's giving me control of his Monster!? Of a god!?

Instead of glee or solace, all I could feel was restlessness as Tyr crossed the field and followed me, silently and scrupulously staring at me, prompting me to tighten my grip on the handles.

"W-What in the world is Harald planning...!?" Melissa, as well as the crowd, were equally confused by his move. "He just gave control of his strongest Monster to Yuu!"

"But it won't last for long!" the glow of the arrow-like rune on Harald's eye intensified. "I activate the Spell Card Das Rheingold!" a card, which depicted a gauntleted arm holding up a golden ring and encompassing in it a fortress-like building from the background, appeared. "I target Tyr and regain his control!"

To my relief, the Warrior god returned to his side. Although...should I really feel relieved?

"By doing so," and Harald's about to explain why I shouldn't. "You take damage equal to Tyr's Attack, in this case 3000!"

"Effect damage...!?" dammit, I had nothing against that! And there weren't any Action Cards in sight, either!

Tyr swung his sword to the side, releasing a crescent-shaped energy wave that had no trouble hitting me, and I gritted my teeth as I tried my best to prevent my D-Wheel from spinning out of control. Steam was then emitted from its front, causing it to eventually come to a stop.

Yuu: LP 2500 - 3000 = 0

Winner: Harald!

The audience's cheers reached a deafening crescendo once the Duel concluded. "The winner has been decided!" Melissa shouted over them. "The one to emerge victorious in this exhilarating fight between sorcerers and gods iiis—Harald!"

"In the end, I lost." removing my helmet, I released a dejected sigh. The Lancers keep losing one by one...we weren't proving anything to the Executive Council at this rate. The Duelists of the Synchro Dimension were much stronger than we expected though. I gave it my all in this Duel, so I had no regrets, but it's annoying nonetheless.

"Don't let a loss dishearten you." walking up to me while holding his helmet under an arm, Harald showed me a reassuring smile. He then glanced to the side. "All these cheers are solely for you."

"For me?" my brows furrowed in confusion, and I listened closely.

"You were amazing, Yuu!" a Common shouted.

"Your magic show was the best I've seen in my life." commented a Top.

"We'll be waiting for an encore!" several people concluded in unison.

"...They all sound...happy." was all I could think of, not expecting my Dueling to draw such a reaction. I wasn't even an Entertainment Duelist! Why was everyone cheering for me, and no one for Harald?

"I struck fear into their hearts, silencing their tantrum, and you resonated with them, earning their trust and love." as if sensing my inner bewilderment, Harald spoke up with a chuckle. "Your flawless Dueling...they sound fixated on calling it a 'magic show', so let's roll with that."

His tone helped me notice something. "You enjoyed it, too."

"Without a doubt." Harald didn't try to hide it in the last, playfully rolling his shoulders. "Your Dueling left an impression on us all. I take it you enjoyed yourself as well?"

"I...yes, I did." I admitted with a sheepish smile. He pushed me to my limits, I got to Pendulum Summon for the first time, and the entire Duel Palace was chanting my name...I would be lying if I said I wasn't content right now. Was this the essence of Entertainment Duelist, I wonder? "Thank you."

"There's no reason to thank me." he remarked, and we shook hands. He began walking back to his D-Wheel when an idea popped into my head.

"Wait, Harald!" I quickly shouted, prompting him to turn around. I wanted to repay him somehow for the great Duel, and what a better way than to get him excited about a much stronger opponent? "The person who showed me a god before you is actually participating in the Friendship Cup. He's called Sakushi Vincent, and I think you two—"

"Oh?" I straightened up when his menacing glare made its return out of nowhere. He was glaring at the ground, so it wasn't as bad as last time, but it still managed to cut me off. "So the one I must defeat is him, huh?"

"Eh?" instead of explaining himself, he just walked off, seemingly lost in his thoughts, leaving me with more questions than I would've preferred...

---

Fan-made Cards:

Yuu:

Spellbook of Supremacy

Normal Spell

For the rest of this turn after this card resolves, if your "Prophecy" monsters attack, your opponent cannot activate Spells/Traps until the end of the Damage Step. You can only activate 1 "Spellbook of Supremacy" per turn.

[Trivia: "The magic sealed inside the Spellbook of the Master corrupted Mat, turning him into a wicked sorcerer. He began to spread death to all those around him, whether they were friend or foe..."]

Reading the Future

Normal Trap

If your Level or Rank 5 or higher "Prophecy" monster is destroyed by your opponent's card; add 1 "Prophecy" monster and 1 "Spellbook" Normal Spell from your Deck to your hand. You can only activate 1 "Reading the Future" per turn.

Mage's Discernment

Normal Trap

At damage calculation, if you would take battle damage while there is a Normal Spell in your GY; negate all battle damage you would take from that battle. During damage calculation, if you are attacked directly while this card and a Spellcaster monster are in your GY: You can banish this card; negate all battle damage you would take from that attack. You can only use each effect of "Mage's Discernment" once per turn.

Star of Prophecy (Light/Spellcaster/Pendulum/Effect/ATK: 2400/DEF: 2000/LV: 7/SC: 1)

Pendulum Effect: You can only Pendulum Summon Spellcaster monsters. This effect cannot be negated. When this card is activated: You can target 1 "Prophecy" monster in your GY; add it to your hand. If you Pendulum Summon a "Prophecy" monster(s) from your hand: You can draw 1 card for each. You can only use each effect of "Star of Prophecy" once per turn.

Monster Effect: If this card is in your hand: You can target 1 "Prophecy" monster you control; Special Summon this card, then you can make this card's Level become equal to that target's Level/Rank. If this card is Special Summoned: You can send 1 "Spellbook" Spell from your Deck to the GY. You can only use each effect of "Star of Prophecy" once per turn.

Tower of Prophecy (Earth/Spellcaster/Pendulum/Effect/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1000/LV: 3/SC: 9)

Pendulum Effect: You can only Pendulum Summon Spellcaster monsters. This effect cannot be negated. Each time you activate a "Spellbook" Spell, after its effect resolves, your opponent takes 200 damage and you gain 200 LP. You can only control 1 "Tower of Prophecy" in your Pendulum Zones.

Monster Effect: If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can inflict 100 damage to your opponent for each different "Prophecy" monster and "Spellbook" Spell you control and that is in your GY. You can target 1 "Prophecy" monster you control, then choose a number from 1 to 8; that target's Level becomes that number. You can only use each effect of "Tower of Prophecy" once per turn.

Crescent of Prophecy (Dark/Spellcaster/Xyz/Effect/ATK: 2400/DEF: 2000/RK: 6)

2 Level 6 Spellcaster monsters

You can detach 1 material from this card; lower the ATK of 1 monster your opponent controls by 500 for each "Spellbook" Spell in your GY until the End Phase, and if its ATK was reduced to 0 this way, you can destroy it, and if you do, gain 1000 LP. If this card is destroyed by your opponent's card: You can target 1 "Spellbook" Spell in your GY or Banish Zone; add it to your hand. You can only use each effect of "Crescent of Prophecy" once per turn.

[Trivia: "Guardian of the Crescent library. She possesses a strong affinity for Dark magic, hence why she was handpicked by Hieron and Trice to guard the aforementioned library. In battle, she uses her magic to unleash powerful energy arrows from her bow..."]

Rank-Up-Magic Ensuing Force

Quick-Play Spell

Target 1 "Prophecy" Xyz Monster you control; Special Summon from your Extra Deck, 1 "Prophecy" Xyz Monster that is 1 Rank higher than that monster you control, by using it as material. (This is treated as an Xyz Summon. Transfer its materials to the Summoned monster.) This turn, the Summoned monster is unaffected by your opponent's Monster Effects. You can only activate 1 "Rank-Up-Magic Ensuing Force" per turn.

[Trivia: "The Arrogant Kaesar's troops launch an assault on La Maison, and the leader of the first squad to intercept them is Empress herself, angered by the dawn of a new war..."]

Harald:

Vordr's Condolence

Normal Trap

Target 1 "Nordic" or "Aesir" monster you control; this turn, it cannot be destroyed by your opponent's card, also you can change its Battle Position. At damage calculation, if you would take battle damage: You can banish this card from your GY; the battle damage you take from this battle becomes 0. You can only use each effect of "Vordr's Condolence" once per turn.

[Trivia: in Norse mythology, a vǫrðr is a warden spirit, believed to follow from birth to death the soul of every person.]

Tyr of the Nordic Champions (Light/Warrior/Effect/ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000/LV: 4)

If there is no other "Nordic" or "Aesir" monster on the field, destroy this card. You can Tribute this card; this turn, if the effects of your "Aesir" monsters or the activation of their effects would be negated, they are not, but all effects resolve as if they were negated.

[Trivia: Did some changes to this card's IRL effect for convenience's sake, fusing it with its anime effects.]

Tyr, General of the Aesir (Light/Warrior/Synchro/Effect/ATK: 3000/DEF: 3000/LV: 8)

1 "Nordic" Tuner + "Tyr of the Nordic Champions"

Once per turn: You can lower the ATK/DEF of all monsters your opponent controls by 600 for each "Aesir" monster you control, until the end of this turn. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this face-up card you controlled was destroyed by your opponent's card: You can Special Summon this card (from your GY). If Summoned this way: You can target 1 card on the field; send it to the GY.

[Trivia: in Norse mythology, Týr is a god and patron of warriors and mythological heroes. The rune that appears on Harald's left eye is the Tiwaz, which means "The god Tiwaz", Tiwaz being another name for Tyr.]

Freyr, Shepherd of the Aesir (Earth/Beast-Warrior/Synchro/Effect/ATK: 2000/DEF: 2500/LV: 6)

1 "Nordic Beast" Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters

Once per turn, during damage calculation, if a monster you control battles an opponent's monster (Quick Effect): You can activate this effect; those monsters cannot be destroyed by that battle, also neither player takes any battle damage from that battle. If you activated this effect during your Battle Phase, your monster can declare an additional attack. Once per turn, during the End Phase, if this face-up card you controlled was destroyed by your opponent's card: You can Special Summon this card (from your GY). If Summoned this way: You can gain 800 LP.

[Trivia: in Norse mythology, Freyr is a god associated with fertility, peace, sunshine, and with good harvest. The rune that appears on Harald's left eye is the Ingwaz, which means "The god Ingwaz", Ingwaz being an alternative, older name for Freyr.]

The Norns' Envisage

Counter Trap

When your opponent activates a card or effect that targets a card(s) you control while you control a "Nordic" or "Aesir" monster: Negate that activation, and if you do, destroy that card. Monsters you control cannot be banished or be Tributed by your opponent for the rest of this turn after this card resolves. You can only activate 1 "The Norns' Envisage" per turn.

[Trivia: in Norse mythology, the Norns are goddesses responsible for shaping the course of human destinies. Their appearances used for this card are the same as "Goddess Urd's Verdict", "Goddess Skuld's Oracle", and "Goddess Verdande's Guidance".]

Nordic Relic Nothung

Equip Spell

Equip only to an "Aesir" or "Nordic" monster. It gains 800 ATK while your opponent controls a Dragon monster. At the end of the Damage Step, if the equipped monster attacked an opponent's monster: You can destroy that monster, and if you do, inflict 800 damage to your opponent. Once per turn, if the equipped monster would be destroyed by battle: You can activate this effect; it is not destroyed.

[Trivia: in Norse mythology, Gram, also known as Nothung, is the sword that Sigurd used to kill the dragon Fafnir. This card's the 'Nordic Relic' version of "Enchanted Sword Nothung", which it bears resemblance to.]

Das Rheingold

Normal Spell

Target 1 "Aesir" monster your opponent controls, disregarding any effect that would not allow you to; gain control of that monster, and if you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to its ATK. You can only activate 1 "Das Rheingold" per turn.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to the Das Rheingold, specifically the event where Wotan, another name for Odin and the owner of the arm which appears in this card's art, seizes the Rhine gold and the ring that was made with it, in order to pay his debt to the giants who have built the fortress Valhalla.]

---

The Friendship Cup has officially started, woo-hoo! We've finally reached this point of the story as well... I can't wait to write all the upcoming Duels!

I decided to start this chapter with a Vision, whose owner will have quite the impact on the story and my old readers should already be familiar with. This Vision wasn't shown in IANW though, revealing the boy's backstory and showing something new to the old readers! More will be shown regarding him and the silhouette in the future chapters. Then there's Ren giving Vince a reality check, helping him realize he can't let his anger and despair get the better of him, or else he might become someone like Shinji, which won't be good for anyone involved.

We head to the Duel Palace for the Friendship Cup, and the first fan-made match is between Yuu and Harald. While it's pretty obvious who would've won, I'm still happy with how it concluded. Yuu went all out, using his Spellbooks, Pendulum, Xyz, and even Rank-Up, but Harald managed to defeat him without using his infamous ace or Thor and Loki, highlighting his strength. A quick thank you to Haoh Ryu Z-ARC who helped me with the runes for the new Aesir gods. I wanted to give an actually Extra Deck to Harald this time around, so expect more gods to debut!

As a final note, Tanngnjostr uses its actual effect for convenience's sake and will continue doing so unless stated otherwise.

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 Tyr, General of the Aesir and Crescent of Prophecy. They suddenly glowed, and Harald and Yuu emerged from them respectively.

"B-By any chance," Yuu rubbed his hands together as he addressed the other male, prompting him to raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Would you mind telling me why you looked ready to murder someone at the end there...? I want to know if I should be worried for Vince's safety, considering I told you about him."

Harald blinked twice. "Ah. I honestly wouldn't, but SakushiRyu instructed me to avoid talking about that to anyone." he stated with an apologetic smile. "To avoid spoilers, he said. I'm sorry."

"No, don't be." Yuu sighed in exasperation. "It isn't your fault. That said, can you tell about the runes that appear on your eye? Since I won't reappear anytime soon, I'm in no rush to leave this place, and I wish to satiate my curiosity with something, no matter how trivial it may be."

"Is that so?" Harald chuckled, bringing a hand to his chin. "The same applies to me, so I don't mind indulging you in my special powers and their story. However, let's reveal the Secret of the Chapter before that so the chapter can officially end."

"Sure." finally smiling, Yuu nodded and the two turned to the viewers.

"It is the following," Harald started. "As their myth states, a Vordr has been following me since birth and will continue to do so until I draw my last breath."

"Vordr...? You mean the spirit that's on your Trap Card?" Yuu's eyes widened. "You can see it?"

"Indeed." the Ansuz rune appeared on Harald's right eye as he glanced backwards. Seconds later, the white child-like silhouette with yellow eyes climbed up his shoulder and rubbed its cheek affectionately against the Nordic user's, before waving a tiny hand at the viewers.

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