"Attack! Put him out of his misery!" Conner ordered as his monster attacked and defeated another opponent. "Not even a challenge." He said as he was rather disappointed he didn't find anyone to really challenge him. However, with the quick victories, he began to rack the points in.

"Nice going, bro." Mila said.

"It was a waste of effort. This is my own tournament and I find this too easy. Mila, did you hear anything about those two cards?" Conner said.

"Nothing yet." Mila said.

"Well, they can't hide, and I'm sure whoever has them will be in the finals." Conner said as he was determined to get his hands on the card. He just needs to find them, and one of them will soon be shown.

...

Ichika

Ichika, Cecilia, and Rin took a little break and stayed by a river. As the girls were talking, Ichika was thinking. Ichika couldn't stop thinking about what Meldrick warned him about. Hearing more and more about Senshi's past has him thinking of what this power is that Meldrick wants so badly.

"Is there something troubling you, Ichika?" Senshi said.

"It's this whole thing. Meldrick wants your power, and that power could really help, but we know nothing about it." Ichika said.

"Perhaps, but we don't know much about my past yet." Senshi said. "What we do know is having the two cards that Tatenashi told us about, Izanagi and Izanami, could be most vital to that. Of course, we have to figure out a way to get those cards from Meldrick. He'll surely use them against us."

"Yeah. He warned us that one of his minions holds one of them. Plus, we don't even know what Meldrick looks like. How can we face him when we can't find him?" Ichika said.

"Be patient and don't discourage. That time will come and we'll be ready." Senshi said.

"I sure hope so." Ichika said.

"Ichika, who are you talking to?" Rin said as she and Cecilia looked at him like he was crazy. Since that whole conversation was partly in Ichika's head, they couldn't really tell that Senshi was talking to them.

"Uh... No one..." Ichika said.

...

Valatin

Valatin was trying his best to keep tabs on Ichika for when they strike. He had someone following him around, but he didn't really say or do anything.

"Master Meldrick said to wait until the time came to unleash Zen here, but how long am I suppose to wait?" Valatin questioned. The guy named Zen just stood there and didn't do anything. "Hey! Speak! Do something! Can you even hear me in there?!"

"I can now." Zen spoke with Valatin getting a little spooked, but he could see it wasn't Zen himself talking.

"Master Meldrick... Where are you?" Valatin asked.

"I'm on my way to the city right now." Meldrick said, and he was right. Meldrick was arriving by boat and the boat was getting closer and closer to the city. "I'm coming to claim what will be mine. The time has come for this one to strike, and Zen here has the power of Izanagi by his side. He won't be able to stop a being that powerful. Where is he now?"

"By the river, not that far from here." Valatin said.

"Excellent. Just watch and see, Valatin." Zen said and just took off. To be more precise, Meldrick controlled him like he was a regular puppet. If Meldrick was being truthful, a great threat is heading towards Ichika.

...

The River

"Well, I think that's enough rest. I think we should get going." Ichika said.

"Good idea. I would love to see you in action again." Cecilia said.

"Yeah. Time is of the essence. We need to get you all the points you need before eight other duelists." Rin said. "You're already more than halfway there, so let's get the rest of the way." That did sound like a plan to Ichika and he was ready to go.

"Ichika, remember that no matter what opponent we end up going against, we must push on ahead." Senshi said. Ichika understood and was going to do his best to do just that. Suddenly, Senshi felt something and looked around for it.

"Something wrong?" Ichika asked.

"I sense something coming our way. Brace yourself." Senshi warned.

"Ichika, aren't you coming?" Rin asked.

"Hold on a minute. You two might want to stand back." Ichika said as he looked around himself. Trouble was heading their way and it was coming in fast. Soon, Zen came running across the bridge and jumped off with him landing down across from them and gave them a good spook. "Nice landing. Who are you?"

"We meet again, Ichika Orimura." Meldrick said with Ichika instantly knowing what's going on.

"Meldrick!" Ichika said.

"Not this again." Cecilia said.

"Doesn't this guy ever quit?" Rin said.

"I'm getting sick of your underlings, Meldrick. Why won't you just face me yourself?" Ichika said with annoyance.

"We've already been over this. Besides, I don't think you want to turn down this duel. Zen here has something you might be interested in." Meldrick claimed as he pulled out a card from his deck and showed it: a powerful card. "Remember how I warned you that one of my minions had one of the two powerful cards? Behold, this is Izanagi."

"Izanagi?!" Ichika said as he couldn't believe it. "That's one of the cards that Tatenashi told me about! Are you saying that's the real card?!"

"Yes, and it will be the instrument of your demise." Meldrick claimed. "Izanagi can't be defeated as easily as anything else you faced before. However, I'm willing to make a deal with you this time. The winner of this duel gets the power and this card."

"He's throwing in a card as well? Can he do that?" Cecilia questioned.

"It looks like it." Rin said.

"Ichika, we must get that card." Senshi said as this could be their chance to get that card.

"You're right, but we better be ready for anything. No telling what could happen if he plays that card." Ichika said. They're walking into a dangerous duel this time, but they need to be able to take the risk. Now that they were on the same page, they switched places with Senshi taking control this time.

"Very well, Meldrick. I will beat you and claim that card!" Senshi said as he accepted the challenge.

...

Meldrick

"Excellent. With Izanagi, there's no chance of him defeating my minion." Meldrick said as he believed victory was coming at him like how the wind blows against his face.

"Master Meldrick..." Oberin greeted as he stepped forward. "If I may ask, why did you entrust Izanagi to a mere a minion?"

"That pour soul's mind was already shattered when I found him. Controlling him is easy." Meldrick said. "Zen might be the one dueling, but I'm really the one in control. So, I can control Izanagi through him like a puppet. There's no fear in this plan."

...

The Duel

"Let's begin." Meldrick said as he and Senshi activated their duel disks and were about to start.

"Time to duel!" They both claimed and began with 4000LP.

"I will go first." Meldrick said as he got this started. "I'll start by playing my Psychain Maelstrom field spell!" When he played that, storm clouds formed in the sky and swirled around with a dark hole in the center. "With this field spell, when a Psychain monster is summoned, another one can be summoned with it."

"A what?" Rin questioned.

"Let me show you. I summon Psychain Hippomus to the field!" Meldrick said. He summoned out a monster that looked like a hippo, but it looked like it was made out of brain matter with it having 1400atk points.

"That creature is rather revolting." Cecilia complained as none of them liked how it looked.

"Thanks to my field spell, I can summon another Psychain to the field. I now summon Psychain Cerebell!" Meldrick said as he summoned out another strange monster. The head was a brain with a snout attached to it, and the stem looked like the frame of a four-legged beast. It also had 1200atk points. "Next, Cerebell's ability activates. When it's summoned, I get to draw a card for each Psychain on the field. I have two, which means I can draw two cards." He said and drew two cards. "I should warn you that all I need is just one more monster to summon out Izanagi. For now, I place one card facedown and end my turn."

"So, I must prevent you from summoning a third monster. That can be done." Senshi said as he drew his next card. "I'll begin my turn by summoning Infinite Stratos Uchigane Nishiki!" Senshi summoned out a new Infinite Stratos as this one flew out and had a total of 2400atk points.

"Incredible! That monster is so powerful!" Cecilia said as she was amazed.

"Yeah, but I bet there's a big weakness." Rin said.

"Uchigane Nishiki, attack Psychain Cerebell with Storm Barrage!" Senshi ordered. His monster unleashed a series of missiles and unleashed them on Cerebell. Cerebell ended up getting destroyed with Meldrick's life points dropping to 2800. "I'm afraid there is a problem. When Uchigane Nishiki attacks, she loses 800atk points." Her power dropped down to 1600.

"So, a couple more attacks and your monster will be powerless? That must be real helpful." Meldrick taunted.

"I'm not done. I activate Trading Places!" Senshi said as he played a spell. "This allows me to switch a monster on my field with a monster in my deck if it has equal or fewer attack points. I'll switch out Uchigane Nishiki with Rocket Flyer!" Senshi took his monster back and summoned out his Rocket Flyer with it having 1500atk points. "Attack!" Rocket Flyer flew straight at Hippomus and smashed right into it. It got destroyed and Meldrick's life points dropped to 2700. "I place two cards facedown and that ends my turn."

"So far, so good." Rin said.

"Yes, but I do wonder how long that will last." Cecilia said as this was far from over.

"My turn!" Meldrick said as he drew his card. Unfortunately, it was Izanagi. He just needs three monsters now. "First, I activate the trap known as Psychic Rift! By banishing one psychic-type monster in my graveyard, I can summon another one. I banish my Hippomus to summon my Cerebell!" His Cerebell came back on the field as he removed Hippomus. "Next, I summon Psychain Parilobe!" He summoned out a different monster as this one had a brain with a long stem and had folded wing-like extensions with 800atk points. "Next, Parilobe's ability allows me to special summon a psychic-type monster that I banished."

"Oh no! With three monsters, could that last card in his hand be what I think?!" Senshi said.

"I'm bringing back Hippomus!" Meldrick said as his hippo-like creature came back with 200def points. "With Hippomus' ability, I can now summon again this turn! I now tribute all three monsters to summon out the one!" All three monsters were offered as great power was formed and called a great and powerful monster. "I summon Izanagi: Deity of Creation!" The great Izanagi was summoned to the field. Izanagi was a white giant with a long serpent-like lower body with a black underside. He had grey circles running down his back and had white feathered wings. He also wore a white headpiece on his head with wing-like extensions.

"What is that thing?!" Cecilia questioned.

"It's massive!" Rin said. All of them were astonished at what they saw.

"So... So that's Izanagi..." Senshi said. He had hoped to see it, but not like this.

"Watch closely, Great Hero, for this will be the monster that sends you to oblivion!" Meldrick claimed. Unless Senshi can figure out how to beat a god-like monster, this could be it for him.