Alastor was walking through the arena hallway.
Alastor: Akiza proved to be my most powerful opponent yet, let's hope Yusei can perform at least as well as she did.
?: It's been a long time Alastor.
He looked up to see Jaden standing down the hallway.
Alastor: Too long, now what do you want?
Jaden: You know what I want. I want my son back.
Alastor: Well, I don't want to go back. I've been locked away for 7 years, and I'm enjoying myself. Now if you don't mind, I have places to be.
Jaden: I'll get you back son, I promise.
He then went to search for Yusei, not having to look for very long.
Yusei: Jaden, what is it?
Jaden: I wanted to give you this.
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a deck before handing it to Yusei.
Yusei: What is it?
Jaden: It's the deck Alex made for Yubel. I'm sure using this will help bring him back. He shares a bond with her.
Yusei: Okay, I'll use it in my duel, and I promise I'll get your son back.
Jaden: Thank you. I know you can bring him back.
Meanwhile, Alastor was sitting in the waiting room.
Alex: You've caused enough harm! I won't let you hurt anyone else!
Alastor: And how are you going to stop me? I'm in control now, and I say we haven't caused enough harm. Don't forget how we were treated years ago. It's because of fearful and ignorant people like that crowd that I came to be. Or did you forget our past?
Alex: Of course I haven't forgotten, but that doesn't mean I want to take it out on innocent people. All you do is cause destruction and misery. I'll get out of here eventually, and then you're going away for good!
Alastor: Empty threats. I wonder what you'll say when your friend Yusei is lying defeated at my feet.
Alex: He'll beat you!
Alastor: We'll see about that.
Guard: Mr Yuki, it's almost time for the next duel.
Alastor: Finally. Let's see how long Yusei lasts.
He headed towards the ring, eager to prove yet again that no duelist alive could match him.
Yusei: It's time. I hope Jaden is right about this deck.
MC: Well duelists, it's time for the duel that will determine who will face Jack Atlas in the title match. Will it be the undefeated Prince of Darkness Alexander Yuki? Or will it be Satellite's Shooting Star Yusei Fudo? One thing's for sure, we're in for the most intense duel of the tournament yet! Now duelists, start your duel disks!
Both: Let's duel!
Alastor: 4000 LP
Yusei: 4000 LP
Yusei: I'll go first, and I play Mystic Tomato in defense mode.
Level 4/Dark/Plant
ATK 1300/DEF 1100
Yusei: I place one card face-down and end my turn.
Alastor: So Jaden gave Yusei Yubel's deck in the hopes it will bring Alex back. How pathetically predictable. I draw. And I use the effect of Evil HERO Wave Rider in my hand. Since I control no monsters, I can special summon this card and another level 4 or lower Evil HERO from my hand, so I summon him and Voltage to my field.
Wave Rider
Level 4/Water/Fiend
ATK 800/DEF 1200
Voltage
Level 4/Light/Fiend
ATK 1600/DEF 1400
Alastor: And now their effects activate. So due to Voltage's effect, I can add a monster from my deck to my hand whose name is listed as a fusion material for an Evil HERO monster, so I add Stone Guardian to my hand. Next, due to Wave Rider's effect, when he's summoned, I can draw cards equal to the number of Evil Heroes on my field, so with 2 out, I draw 2 cards.
MC: Unbelievable! Alex has summoned two monsters at once and increased his hand by 3 at the same time! Just what does he have in store for Yusei?
Alastor: I tribute Wave Rider to summon Evil HERO Malicious Edge. Since you control a monster, he only requires one sacrifice.
Level 7/Earth/Fiend
ATK 2600/DEF 1800
Alastor: Next I play Dark Fusion, and I fuse Voltage and Stone Guardian to summon my Lightning Golem.
Level 6/Light/Fiend
ATK 2400/DEF 1500
Alastor: And now Lightning Golem's effect activates. Destroy Mystic Tomato with Voltic Ball!
Lightning Golem launched a sphere of black lightning at Yusei's monster, destroying it.
Alastor: Mystic Tomato's effect only activates when it's destroyed by battle, not by an effect. Malicious Edge, attack Yusei with Needle Burst!
Malicious Edge launched his claws at Yusei, tearing through his shirt and making several cuts on his chest.
Yusei: 1400 LP
MC: Incredible, if Lightning Golem attacks, Yusei will lose the duel!
Yusei: I play the trap Damage Condenser! With it, by discarding one card, I can summon a monster from my deck whose attack points are less than or equal to the damage I just took, so I summon Yubel in attack mode!
Level 10/Dark/Fiend
ATK & DEF 0
Alastor: So you managed to summon her anyway.
Yusei: Yes, and I'll use her to bring Alex back.
Alastor: I place a card face-down and end my turn.
Yusei: My turn, I draw.
Alastor: And now I play the continuous trap Shadow Imprisoning Mirror. This card prevents all dark attribute monsters on the field or in the graveyard from activating their effects. Yubel may be able to protect you, but she can't damage me or evolve to her higher forms. Tough break Yusei.
Yusei: You knew I would use this deck?
Alastor: Obviously. Alex has a bond with Yubel, which knowing Jaden, would prompt him to give you her deck in the hopes it would bring Alex back.
Yusei: I summon Treeborn Frog in defense mode.
Level 1/Water/Aqua
ATK & DEF 100
Yusei: I place a card face-down and sacrifice Treeborn Frog to keep Yubel in play. I end my turn.
Alastor: My turn, I draw. Lightning Golem's effect activates. Destroy Yubel!
Yusei: I activate my face-down, the counter trap Dark Illusion! This will negate your monster's effect and destroy it.
A blast of energy shot out from Yusei's trap and hit Lightning Golem, destroying it.
Alastor: So you delay your defeat a little longer. I place a card face-down and end my turn.
Yusei: I draw, and due to Treeborn Frog's effect, since I control no spells or traps, I can summon it from my graveyard. And now I play Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your Shadow Imprisoning Mirror.
Alastor: I play the continuous trap Imperial Custom. As long as this card is in play, none of my other continuous traps can be destroyed, so your Typhoon has been downgraded to a light breeze.
Yusei: Man, he's always one step ahead of me. I place a card face-down and tribute Treeborn Frog to keep Yubel in play. I end my turn.
Alastor: I draw. And I play the spell Dark Calling. I banish Wave Rider and Sky Slash to summon Evil HERO Nefarious Captain.
Level 5/Water/Fiend
ATK 1400/DEF 1000
Alastor: And due to his special ability, when I have cards in my spell and trap zone, he gains 200 attack for each of them, and is also able to attack your life points directly.
Captain: 1400-1800 ATK
MC: Oh no, if that monster attacks, Yusei is done for!
Alastor: Attack Yusei with Shadow Saber Slash!
The monster leapt at Yusei with his blade drawn.
Yusei: I play the trap Draining Shield! This will negate your monster's attack and increase my life points by the same amount as his attack points.
Yusei: 3200 LP
Alastor: Worthless struggling, I end my turn.
Yusei: My turn. If I don't draw the right card, I'm a goner. I draw! Just what I needed. I play the Giant Trunade spell card. This returns all spells and traps on the field to their owner's hands.
A tornado appeared on the field, sending Alastor's traps back to his hand.
Yusei: And now that they're off the field, I play Card Destruction, so we both discard our hands and draw cards equal to the amount we discarded.
Alastor scowled at Yusei, but discarded his hand and drew a new one.
Alastor: So you managed to get Yubel's effects back. You'll still lose.
Yusei: Maybe not, I play Exile of the Wicked. This card destroys all Fiend Type monsters on the field.
And since all monsters out were fiends, every monster was destroyed.
MC: Yusei has destroyed all of Alex's monsters, but he destroyed his own monster as well!
Yusei: And now Yubel's effect activates. When she's destroyed, I can summon Yubel - Terror Incarnate using her effect.
Level 11/Dark/Fiend
ATK & DEF 0
Yusei: And now I play Monster Reborn to summon Sacred Phoenix of Nepthys from my graveyard.
Level 8/Fire/Winged Beast
ATK 2400/DEF 1600
Yusei: And now, attack directly with Inferno Stream!
The phoenix reared its head back before breathing a stream of red hot flames at Alastor, taking away more than half of his life points.
Alastor: 1600 LP
Yusei: Come back to us Alex!
Deep in Alex's subconscious, he can hear his friend calling out to him.
Alex: Yusei?
Alastor: I'm afraid Alex isn't coming back Yusei, I'm here to stay. I have to end this duel soon or Alex will overpower me.
Yusei: I place a card face-down, and due to the effect of Yubel - Terror Incarnate, at the end of each of my turns, all other monsters are destroyed.
MC: Yusei has made a fantastic comeback, how will Alex respond?
Alastor: I draw. And I summon Infernal Prodigy in attack mode. This monster can be special summoned when I control no monsters. And now I sacrifice him to summon Evil HERO Galactic Ruler. Normally this monster would require two tributes, but since I'm tributing an Evil HERO, he only requires one.
Level 7/Light/Fiend
ATK 2500/DEF 2000
Alastor: And now I activate the equip spell Rainbow Veil onto my monster. With it, any monster that battles him will have their effects negated during the battle phase.
Yusei: Oh no.
Alastor: Now attack Yubel!
Yusei: I play my trap, go Fiend Rose! This card will equip itself onto my monster, preventing her from being destroyed in battle and cancelling all battle damage.
Alastor: Grrr, I place a card face-down and due to the effect of Infernal Prodigy, I draw 1 card at the end of my turn.
Yusei: I draw. During my standby phase, the effect of Sacred Phoenix of Nepthys activates, reviving itself and destroying all spells and traps.
Alastor: I play my face-down card, the quick-play spell Half Shut! With this, Galactic Ruler's attack points are halved this turn, but he can't be destroyed in battle.
Galactic Ruler: 2500-1250 ATK
Nepthys revived and burned away all the spells and traps on the field.
Yusei: Due to the effect of Fiend Rose, when it leaves the field while equipped, the monster it was equipped to is destroyed.
Alastor: But we both know you wanted that to happen Yusei.
Yusei: Due to the effect of Yubel - Terror Incarnate, when she leaves the field, I can summon Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare using her effect.
Level 12/Dark/Fiend
ATK & DEF 0
Suddenly, a jolt rocked through Alastor's head as the memory of Alex's first duel with Yusei played in his mind.
Yusei: This is the monster you used to beat me when we first met, and now it's the monster that will bring you back Alex!
Alastor: I'm not Alex, I am Alastor! And I will defeat you!
Yusei: Yubel, attack Galactic Ruler! Due to her effect, she's not destroyed, I take no damage, and after the battle, you take damage equal to your monster's attack points, after which your monster is destroyed.
Yubel's dragon heads breathed twin jets of flame at Galactic Ruler, destroying him and bathing Alastor in flames.
Alastor: 350
Alastor fell to one knee, panting heavily.
Yusei: Now, Sacred Phoenix of Nepthys, attack directly!
Nepthys started charging a fireball in its beak before it launched it at Alastor.
Alastor: I activate the effect of Necro Gardna in my graveyard! By banishing this monster, Nepthys' attack is negated!
Necro Gardna appeared in front of him and blocked the fireball.
Yusei: No, I almost had him! I end my turn.
Alastor stood up, waves of darkness rolling off of him.
Alastor: You've pressured me long enough, this duel ends now. I draw. I play the spell Monster Reborn to resurrect my Galactic Ruler.
Yusei: Alex you have to snap out of it, remember who you really are!
Alastor: I told you to stop calling me that. I am not Alex, I am Alastor! I am destruction, I am fury incarnate, and I am the one who will end you! I send 1 card from my hand to my graveyard to activate Super Polymerization! With this, I can summon a fusion monster using any monsters on the field as material, so I fuse Galactic Ruler with Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare! I summon Neos Wiseman!
Level 10/Light/Spellcaster
ATK & DEF 3000
Alastor immediately felt Yubel's presence in his mind.
Yubel: Your time has come Alastor!
Alastor: No! I won't go back!
Alex: I'm retaking control, right now! I won't let you hurt anyone else Alastor!
Alastor: Nooooo!
Alastor created a whirlwind of darkness like when he first emerged. When it died down, his armor was gone and he was looking at the floor, panting hard.
Yusei: Alex, is that you?
He looked up and opened his eyes to reveal Alex's eyes.
Alex: Yeah, thanks to you and Yubel.
Yusei: Well, I'm glad you're back Alex.
Alex: Thanks. I'd love to continue this duel, but you need to face Jack more than I do.
Yusei: Alex, what are you doing?
Alex: Yusei, it's been fun, but-
Alex stopped, putting his hand on top of his deck.
Alex: I surrender. You win.
The words had just left his mouth when he collapsed to the arena floor.
MC: Alex has surrendered the duel, which means Yusei is the winner! He will face Jack for the title of King of New Domino City!
Yusei ran across the duel field to check on Alex. He propped Alex up and spoke to him.
Yusei: You didn't have to surrender Alex.
Alex: I know, but I wanted to. You need to duel Jack to help your friends, while I only entered the tournament because I wanted to face strong duelists, and I got what I wanted, besides, I know I would have won our duel anyway.
He weakly raised up his hand, showing Yusei the last card in it.
Yusei: Your Vicious Claw card?
Alex: Yep. If I had used it, Neos Wiseman would've had 3300 attack points, dealing you 900 points of damage if I had attacked, and since Neos Wiseman's effect deals you damage equal to the attack of the monster he battles, you'd have taken 2400 more damage and lost.
Yusei: So you knew you could win and you still surrendered?
Alex: I don't mind. Like I said, it's more important for you to duel Jack than it is for me to duel him. Just do me a favor okay?
Yusei: What?
Alex: Be sure to win, for your friends, and for me, okay?
Yusei: Of course. I'll win, I promise.
Alex: I'm sure you will.
That was the last thing he said before slipping from consciousness. Yusei picked him up and took him to the infirmary. On the way, he met up with Jaden and Alexis, and Alexis proceeded to take him from Yusei, holding her son in her arms.
Alexis: Thank you so much Yusei.
Yusei: You're welcome. I couldn't have gotten through to him without this deck.
Jaden took the deck back and slipped it into the deck box attached to his belt.
Jaden: I saw you and Alex talking, what did he say?
Yusei: He told me he wanted me to win the tournament, and I promised him I would.
Jaden: I see, well good luck Yusei.
Yusei: After that duel, I don't think Jack will be so bad.
The three of them then went to take Alex to the infirmary. Soon, Alex was laying in a hospital bed with an oxygen mask strapped to his face. The doctor assured them Alex was fine and that the mask was just a precaution since he passed out so suddenly. Once everyone had a chance to calm down and think, they brought up how Goodwin must have set the whole ordeal up.
Jaden: That man has a lot to answer for.
Yusei: You've got that right, and I'm going to go get some answers from him right now.
Alexis: Just don't do anything foolish Yusei.
Yusei: Don't worry, I won't. And I'm gonna find out what Goodwin's up to. I'm getting the feeling nothing about this tournament was random.
Jaden: I think you're right Yusei. Whatever Goodwin is planning, it must be something big to go to these lengths. Be careful.
Yusei: I will be. You've gone too far Goodwin. Threatening my friends was bad enough, but bringing Alex into all this was crossing a line. I'm gonna get answers, even if I have to force them out of you.
Hey everyone. So Alex is back and he decided to surrender the duel. But at least we know he could have won. Not to mention we finally got to see him use Super Polymerization. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter, and I'll see you in the next one.