It was another morning at Duel Academy, an Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley had all slept in. They rushed downstairs and saw their trays had been left for them.
Syrus: Alright, let's dig in.
But when they inspected their trays, there was no food on them.
Jaden: Not much to dig in to.
Syrus: Someone ate all our food.
Chumley: What kind of selfish jerk would do that?
They looked up and saw Chazz sitting across the room.
Chazz: You snooze you lose.
Syrus: That's it. Give us back our food or I'm telling.
Chazz: I would, except I ate it. And it was good.
Chumley: Professor Banner! Chazz is being Chazz again!
They waited for a minute but there was no response.
Jaden: Don't tell me Baner's still MIA. This is getting serious.
Later, all the key keepers were in Sheperd's office.
Jaden: Professor Banner is still missing? He couldn't have just vanished into thin air.
Shepperd: We have no idea where he is.
Crowler: We've searched everywhere for him, and there's no record of him leaving the island.
Chazz: Do you think the Shadow Riders got him?
Lily: But Professor Banner didn't have a spirit key, so they wouldn't have had a reason to attack him.
Michael: It could be possible that Banner is working with the Shadow Riders.
Jaden: There's no way Banner could be working alongside them.
Sheppard: I understand how you feel Jaden. I've known Banner for many years, and he always seemed like a good man, but after what Atticus told us, we can't rule out the possibility. Regardless of whether or not Banner is working with them, you all need to be careful. With only one Shadow Rider left, they'll be trying harder than ever to gain the spirit keys.
Alexis: We understand Chancellor.
Everyone left Shepperd's office and Jaden met up with Syrus and Chumley outside the school to tell them everything.
Chumley: So how do we find out what's up if we can't even find Banner?
Syrus: Chumley has a point. I mean Chancellor Shepperd turned the whole academy inside out and didn't find a trace of him.
Chumley: I want to help, but what can the three of us do that hasn't already been done?
Jaden: Look guys, I know it seems hopeless, but we can't give up. We owe it to Professor Banner to keep looking. He'd do the same thing for us. Right?
Chazz: Right.
Syrus: Beat it Chazz.
Chazz: Chill. I'm not here to cause trouble, I'm here to save the day and find Professor Banner.
The others looked at each other, unsure of what to say to Chazz.
Chazz: Well, say thank you! In any case, when searching for a missing person, the first thing to do is go to the scene of the crime.
Syrus: Except we don't know where that is.
Chazz: It's an expression! We just need to retrace Banner's steps.
Syrus: But we don't know his steps.
Jaden: I know, but let's just humor him.
Syrus: Can I just laugh at him instead?
Chazz: Quiet, The Chazz is on the job.
The made their way to the red dorm and began to go through Banner's room.
Syrus: Sorry guys, but I got nothing.
Jaden: Me either. You'd think he'd leave a note or something.
Chumley: He did, look.
He pulled out a sheet of paper that had been left by Banner's phone and handed it to Jaden.
Jaden: It's definitely Professor Banner's handwriting, because it's not very clear. What does that say, "Tree?"
Chazz: Let me see that. Of course, know I see it.
Jaden: See what Chazz?
Chazz: The clue.
Jaden: What clue?
Chazz: You see Jaden, tree must have a secret meaning.
Syrus: Really?
Chazz: Oh come on, it's plain as day. At least, for a genius such as I.
Chumley: So what's it mean?
Chazz: What it means is that Banner took on the Seventh Shadow Rider.
Jaden: Are you serious?
Chazz: Of course I am. And there's more. I know who the rider is as well. I am just too good.
Jaden: (Sarcastically) Yeah, you're great. So then who is it?
Chazz: Who indeed. The note was left by the phone, which means Banner wrote it while talking to someone. Someone who's name sounds like tree. Now then, who do we know with a name like that? Here's a hint: She owns the card shack.
Syrus: You don't mean?
Chazz: That's right, Dorothy. She's the seventh Shadow Rider!
Jaden: It's official, you've lost it.
Chazz: Oh yeah, well just watch. I'm gonna call her on it right now.
He dialed the number for the card shack and demanded she own up to being a Shadow Rider.
Dorothy: What? A Shadow Rider? How do you ride a shadow? Is this a prank call? Don't make me report you.
Chazz, feeling rather embarrassed, hung up the phone.
Chazz: Okay, maybe I was a little off.
Everyone: A little?!
Chazz: Let's keep looking.
After searching for a few more minutes, Syrus pulled out a map of the island with a strange mark on the forest.
Syrus: Check this out. Isn't that the Mark of Amnael?
Jaden: What's the Mark of Amnael?
Chazz: It was the last thing Banner covered in class before he disappeared. This must be where he is.
Jaden: Well then let's go.
They headed into the forest to look for Banner, Chazz saying he'd lead the way.
Syrus: So Chazz, other than following you, what's the plan here?
Chumley: Yeah, how do we find Banner once we get to the alchemy mark?
Chazz: Easy, we find his cat Pharaoh, which is why I brought this.
He pulled out the cat toy he had been waving around on Duel Monster's spirit day.
Jaden: Chazz, if that didn't work last time, what makes you think it will now?
Chazz: Well I don't see you coming up with any better ideas.
Syrus: Actually, I have an idea.
Chazz: Do you? Well what is it then?
Syrus: If calling for Pharaoh isn't enough, then let's try this.
He pulled out a marker and drew whiskers on Chazz.
Syrus: There, now Pharaoh will think that you're a cat. Of course, you'll have to develop a convincing meow. Try to do one.
Chazz: How about I show you my claws instead?!
He began to chase the others, none of them aware they were being watched by someone. Soon after, Alexis was walking past her brother's dorm room when she heard something crash to the floor. She burst inside and saw the room was in shambles and her brother was gone. She looked out the window and saw a cloaked figure running away.
Alexis: Come back here!
She gave chase, following him to a secluded part of the forest, where he stopped running and turned to face her.
Alexis: So let me guess, you're a Shadow Rider?
Her opponent didn't answer and just activated his duel disk, Alexis following suit.
Alexis: Then let's go, because I know you have Atticus, and I'm not leaving here without him.
Alexis: 4000 LP
Rider: 4000 LP
Her opponent drew a card and placed two cards face-down, not doing anything else.
Alexis: Is that all? I draw! And I play Polymerization to fuse Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater to summon Cyber Blader in attack mode!
Level 6/Earth/Warrior
ATK 2100/DEF 800
Alexis: Next I play the Equip spells Fusion Weapon and Black Pendant, giving my monster 2000 more attack points!
Blader: 2100-4100 ATK
Alexis: This is for my brother. Cyber Blader, attack directly with Whirlwind Rage!
No sooner has she declared her attack then her opponent's face-down cards activated.
Alexis: That's Ring of Destruction and Ring of Defense!
Two metal rings, one with shields attached and one with explosives attached, appeared, the one with explosives latching onto Cyber Blader and the other spinning in front of the Shadow Rider.
Alexis: Atticus, everyone, I'm sorry.
Cyber Blader exploded and Alexis was knocked unconscious.
Alexis: 0 LP
Winner: Rider.
Alexis' spirit key disappeared, and the Shadow Rider opened an ancient tome, sealing Alexis in its pages. At the dorm, Michael and Lily were walking past Atticus' room when they saw the door wide open. They saw the state the room was in and realized what happened.
Lily: We need to find Atticus.
Michael: Right.
They found Alexis' footprints leading away from the dorm and followed them.
Michael: If I had to guess, the last Shadow Rider just made his debut appearance.
Lily: I think you're right.
They reached the spot where Alexis dueled the Shadow Rider and found her cards lying on the ground.
Michael: Alexis! Can you hear me?
Lily: Michael, do you think that she?
Michael: Yeah, I think she lost. We need to find Jaden and Chazz before that Shadow Rider does.
Lily: You run to the Red Dorm and warn them while I go tell Chancellor Shepperd.
Michael: Okay, be careful.
They split up and ran to find the others. On her way to the building, Lily was ambushed by the Shadow Rider.
Lily: Give me back my friends!
The Shadow Rider didn't respond and just activated his duel disk.
Lily: Fine. Let's duel!
She turned on her duel disk and discreetly turned on her pda to let Michael know what was happening.
Michael: Lily, be careful.
He turned around and began to run back to help her, but the duel already started. The Shadow Rider just placed a single card face-down and activated the Dark Door before ending his turn.
Lily: Are you underestimating me? Big mistake, I draw! And I play the spell Joker's Straight! By discarding one card, I can summon Queen's Knight from my deck!
Level 4/Light/Warrior
ATK 1500/DEF 1600
Lily: Next I can add King's Knight to my hand. Also, this spell lets me immediately normal summon a monster, so I summon King's Knight.
Level 4/Light/Warrior
ATK 1600/DEF 1400
Lily: And now I use his special ability to summon Jack's Knight from my deck!
Level 5/Light/Warrior
ATK 1900/DEF 1000
Lily: And now I sacrifice all three of my monsters to summon Arcana Triumph Joker from my graveyard!
Level 10/Light/Warrior
ATK ?/DEF 2500
Lily: And due to her special ability, since we're both holding a total of 8 cards in our hands, she gains 4000 attack points! Now attack him directly!
Triumph Joker raised her sword and charged the Shadow Rider, but a portal appeared in front of her, a similar one appearing in front of Lily.
Lily: What?!
She looked at her opponent's field and saw he had activated the trap Dimension Wall, meaning she was taking the damage from her attack. Triumph Joker came out of the portal and struck Lily, knocking her out.
Lily: 0 LP
Winner: Rider
Michael arrived just as the Shadow Rider sealed Lily in his tome like he had to Alexis.
Michael: I'm gonna make you pay for that. Duel me!
Michael: 4000 LP
Rider: 4000 LP
The Shadow Rider drew a card before placing two cards face-down before letting Michael go.
Michael: Fine, I draw! And I play the spell Graceful Charity! I draw 3 cards from my deck before discarding two!
He drew his cards and sent Reign-Beaux and Makyura the Destructor to his graveyard.
Michael: Now I play Monster Reborn to summon Reign-Beaux in attack mode.
Level 7/Dark/Fiend
ATK 2500/DEF 1800
Michael: Reign-Beaux, attack directly!
His opponent didn't say anything and revealed one of his traps, a Magic Cylinder.
Michael: Nice try, but since I discarded Makyura using Graceful Charity, I can play trap cards from my hand this turn, like my Energy Absorbing Monolith! This will negate the damage from your trap and raise my life points by the damage I would've taken.
Suddenly, his opponent's other face-down card activated, revealing a trap with a picture of a missile launcher on it.
Michael: That's Damage Boost, which means I'm taking twice as much damage as before, which means,
Reign-Beaux's attack went in one of the cylinders and came out the other, striking Michael and knocking him out.
Michael: 0 LP
Winner: Rider
The Shadow Rider collected Michael's key and sealed him inside his book before going after Jaden and Chazz. Meanwhile, Jaden, Chazz, Syrus, and Chumley were sitting around a campfire recalling their interactions with Banner. Their stroll down memory lane was cut short when they heard a cat bawling.
Jaden: Wait, that was Pharaoh.
Chumley: It came from that direction.
Chazz: Spread out, this could be our only chance.
They split up and Chazz found Pharaoh lying on the ground next to Banner's glasses.
Chazz: He must be close.
Ojama Yellow: I'm scared boss.
Chazz: What else is new?
Suddenly, the mark of Amnael appeared in the air in front of Chazz and began moving away from him. He followed it to a lake where he found the Shadow Rider waiting.
Chazz: You must be the last Shadow Rider. Well get set, because I'm about to Chazz you up!
Back in the forest, Syrus, Jaden, and Chumley had rejoined and found Pharaoh.
Chumley: There you are.
Jaden: Now where's Professor Banner?
Suddenly, Jaden's Shadow Charm began to glow.
Jaden: This is a bad sign.
Back at the lake, Chazz had summoned his Armed Dragon LV 7 and just used its effect to destroy all of the Shadow Rider's monsters.
Chazz: Next turn, you're finished!
His opponent began his turn and placed a card in his spell and trap zone before a giant monster appeared on his field.
Chazz: What is that thing?
Back in the forest, Jaden and the others were searching for Chazz and Banner.
Jaden: Chazz? Professor Banner? Can you hear us?
Syrus: I'm getting a bad feeling about this Jaden.
Jaden: I hate to admit it, but so am I. I think splitting up was a bad idea.
Chazz: Ahhhhh!
Chumley: That was Chazz's voice.
They rushed to the lake, but all they found was Chazz's cards floating in the water.
Jaden: What happened?
Ojama Yellow: He lost.
Jaden: Who did?
Ojama Green: The boss. He faced a Shadow Rider and lost.
Jaden: No way.
Syrus: What is it Jaden?
Jaden: Chazz has been defeated by a Shadow Rider.
Syrus: What?!
Jaden: We need to warn the others.
Chumley: I'll call Michael on his pda.
Syrus: I'll try Lily.
Jaden: And I'll get a hold of Alexis.
They pulled out their pdas and tried to call their friends, but didn't get an answer.
Syrus: This doesn't look good Jaden.
Jaden: I'm afraid you're right Sy.
Suddenly, the whole island began to shake, and six pillars of light sprung up in the ocean around Duel Academy.
Syrus: What's going on?
Jaden: I don't know, but it can't be good.