Previously, on Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V: Pendulum's Fifth Swing!

You Show Duel School succeeded in repelling LDS' assault in a grand display as Yuya unveiled a new power born from his Pendulum - the Ritual Monster, Entermate King Odd-Eyes Dragon. Zarc and Ray finally discuss their pasts, but he's offered few answers and instead finds new questions.

Meanwhile, after having left You Show, Reiji and Ray discuss their next move when they learn that they discovered the location of Yuto and Shun.

Shun, wishing to see for himself what sort of person Reiji is, accepts a duel between them. Though he manages to show the power of his home dimension, Reiji circumvents his efforts and forces him to use a forbidden power - Fusion Summoning, the power that once ravaged his home. Despite this, however, Reiji manages to defeat Shun, and obtains his cooperation.

Where will the Pendulum swing now...?


A Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V Story:

"Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V: Pendulum's Fifth Swing"


Scale 12: The Girl with the Bracelet (Part One)

It had been a long time since Berrett had been summoned to the throne room.

The last time he came here, he still had an eyeball intact, and had less scars. The halls seemed to stretch on forever, and the sheer size only made him feel slightly anxious. The eerie silence made him feel as if he was walking towards his execution. His footsteps echoed loudly through the hall. The elite guard, all dressed in varying colors with flags and silver armor, Duel Disks shining proudly on their wrists, stood sentinel on either side. Each one of them had been chosen by the Professor himself, and trained by him as well. If anyone had dared to trespass and think that they could confront him by themselves, they would find a stalwart wall before them. Even Berrett, one of the senior duelists of the Fusion Dimension, doubted he could defeat many of them before falling to exhaustion.

'I wonder why the Professor has called for me?' he questioned to himself as he neared the large doors leading up to the throne room. 'There have been no new announcements as of yet' Regardless, the man had summoned him, and he would dare not deny his commander.

He stopped just short of the grand door before him. He closed his eye and sucked in a deep breath, steeling his nerves. When he first stood before Leo Akaba, he felt a great pressure fall on his shoulders. He had been a trembling fool, and he dared not repeat the same foolish mistake. He pressed his hand against the door and pushed, stepping inside.

If the hallway seemed expansive, the throne room was seemingly endless. Banners hanged from the walls proudly like coats of arms, each bearing the colors of red, yellow and blue respectively. On each banner were beasts, one a serpentine dragon, another winged beast and the last a gargantuan demon. In the center of the room, where the throne sat, was a man with tanned skin, wearing a dark purple outfit reminiscent of a military uniform, golden pauldrons sitting atop his shoulders with a black cape hanging on his shoulders. A bit of metal was seemingly buried in his skull, veins bulging around it. His face was cold like a glacier, and his eyes were like blades, piercing straight into the depths of Berrett's very soul.

He did not tremble or quiver. Instead, he trudged forward and approached the man who had earned his loyalty before coming to a stop at the feet of the throne. He got on his knee and bowed his head. "Professor. I apologize for my tardiness."

"...Berrett, old friend." Leo Akaba smiled thinly. "There's no need to put yourself on airs. Stand. I would not have my closest associate kneel like some common man."

Berrett looked up at Leo, surprised by his words, but he smiled sheepishly and pulled himself up on his feet.

Long ago, after Berrett had suffered an otherwise debilitating injury, it had been Leo who had nursed him back to health. At the time, he had been shocked that the leader of Academia would choose to waste his time healing someone who had failed his comrades. Very rarely would Leo ever show such kind displays, often portraying the look of the cold and hardened leader that the Fusion Dimension looked up to. During that time, Berrett had come to understand the human being that laid underneath that cold exterior. Someone who did not take joy in conquest, but considered it a necessary evil for the purpose of bringing balance to the world.

The more he learned about the convictions and the burdens that plagued Leo Akaba, the more devoted Berrett had become. To his genuine surprise, however, the man had eventually come to consider Berrett a friend. Not a close one, mind you, but enough so that he all but demanded Berrett treat him as he would a comrade.

"Sorry, Leo. It's been a while since you called on me. Has something happened?"

Leo nodded before he raised his Duel Disk, inputting a few commands and opening up a holographic screen in front of them. "A few days ago, the Science Division discovered an energy reading." he said, showing Berrett the information. "It's nowhere near the same level as the readings we've been receiving as of lately, but what concerns me is the energy being emitted."

"This is..." Berrett narrowed his eyes. "Fusion?"

"It's significantly higher than anything the denizens of the Standard Dimension are capable of, but they're lower than the energy Academia produces. While I doubt it's anything too troublesome, but I don't like having unknowns. I can't ask Shiunin to investigate this, since he's busy with his own mission. Instead, I'd like for you to look into the matter. Try to be discreet, and do not alert LDS of your presence."

Berrett bowed his head. "Of course, Leo." he promised before he turned on his heel and taking his leave.

Unknown to either men, however, a girl had been hiding in the throne room for quite some time. They hadn't come here by choice, having run about the academy like a rat trying to navigate a maze, though they had been happy they had. Especially after hearing what the Professor had tasked Berrett with.

'This is it! My opportunity to prove myself to the Professor!'

The figure quickly made their way out of the throne room, a silver bracelet glistening in the dim light.


It had been a few days since You Show Duel School had won the feud against LDS. Reiji Akaba had indeed given his word about ensuring the school stayed afloat, as the day after, Shuzo had come rushing home in tears with a big fat check. Yuzu and Zarc were happy for the man, who had been bouncing for joy as he now had the opportunity to ensure that the school would continue to prosper and possibly expand. He had been sprouting gray hairs all day during the feud, worried that he would lose not only his best students, but the school he and Yusho helped found would go under.

The first thing Shuzo did after depositing his check was contract some construction workers to expand the building. With the new funds he now had, Shuzo decided it was time to not only expand You Show, but also hire new help. After all, if he wanted to make the school prosper with success, he alone couldn't make it succeed and was sending out small job listings. As for the renovations, the workers said it would take a few weeks for it to be finished, not to mention the implimentation of the various new facilities and dueling arenas that were going to be added.

In the meantime, however, study sessions were instead held in the dueling courts at LDS, after having gained permission of course. As a matter of fact, Reiji had all but assured the students would have the time they needed to conduct their studies with the assets at their disposal. It really came to show just how much the President of Leo Corporation respected Yusho Sakaki's legacy.

During this time, the students of You Show had been striving to improve themselves. Alongside Yuzu, Yuya had briefly broken off from studying with Zarc to discover more of Pendulum's secrets and instead focused on helping Yuzu grow stronger, especially after he learned that she didn't want to become a burden. He didn't want her to become so concerned or fearful that she would be left behind and offered his support. Almost every day, either Zarc, Sora or the anklebiter trio found them in the courts, casually dueling with one another and honing their abilities.

It had not just been Yuzu, either. Somehow, Gongenzaka had been greatly inspired by the ferocity and passionate dueling of his friends and aspired to grow even stronger. No one had seen him for quite a while, and when Yuya happened to run into his father during a trip to the grocery store, the senior had informed them that he had secluded himself and was undergoing intensive training.

'I almost feel kind of left out.' Zarc thought with a wry smile as he watched a duel between Yuya and Yuzu unfold. 'Gon's holed himself up and dueling like there's no tomorrow, Yuya and Yuzu are learning more about Ritual, the little ones are still learning how to do Advance Summoning and Sora's off doing his own thing. Maybe I should invest in Ritual myself?'

"Well, look what the cat dragged in!" Zarc looked over his shoulder, finding Yaiba approaching. "Yo. Been a while."

"Yaiba." Zarc greeted. "Your friends aren't with you?"

Yaiba shook his head. "Nah. Hokuto's training with some new transfer student. Kurosaki, I think his name was. And Masumi's helping out at her parents store."

Since You Show was borrowing LDS' courts for their study sessions and whatnot, running into LDS students was inevitable. On some occasions, Yuya, Yuzu, Zarc or even Sora would be challenged by someone from LDS. The LDS trio also ran into them every now and then. As one might expect, Hokuto had not taken his loss against Yuya Sakaki lightly and treated him as his own worst enemy. Every time they met, he almost always demanded a duel and had to be pulled by the ear by Masumi. Yaiba, on the other hand, would accept challenges from Sora and Yuzu, the latter determined to avenge her loss. As for Masumi...well, Sora had quickly come to regret his decision in ending their duel in a draw the last time they met, as she was now constantly hounding him.

It was hilarious. Sora was practically running for the hills as Masumi chased him down, determined to get a duel out of him and prove that she could defeat him.

While Yaiba and Zarc mingled, the duel between the two You Show duelists was finally coming to a close. "Alright, Requiem Diva!" Yuzu called out. "Attack Yuya directly!"

"Not so fast!" Yuya called out as he slammed a card on his duel disk. "I activate the Action Magic: Evasion! This negates your monster's attack, and I get another shot at victory!"

The pink-haired girl smirked. "Not bad, Yuya...but not good enough! I activate the Action Magic: One More! If a monster attacked this turn, it can attack again!" Yuya's eyes widened in panic. Before he could set off and look for an action card, Yuzu's monster shot forth a dark blast that soared through the air, hitting him dead on and knocking him to the ground face-first, legs dangling in the air before he fell right back down.

Yuya Sakaki – LP 2000 → 0

WINNER: Yuzu Hiiragi!

"Owww..." Yuya groaned as the Action Field dispersed into golden flakes. He struggled slightly, as for some reason it seemed like his face was glued to the floor, but after a few more seconds, he finally pulled his face free from the floor and shook his head. "Yeesh, hit me a little harder why don'tcha?"

"Not my fault you didn't move out of the way in time." Yuzu giggled at his expense, making him roll his eyes. As he pulled himself up to his feet, the girl happened to notice Yaiba. "Oh, Yaiba! When'd you get here?"

"Just now." the sword-wielding Synchro user replied. "Only just saw the end. How many does this make now?"

Yuya chuckled. "Around twenty wins and twenty four losses, with me having the four losses." he said. "I'm still trying to get used to Ritual Summoning. Getting the monster's out is easy thanks to Pendulum Summoning, but getting the Ritual Card in your hand is a pain. Maybe it's time I reworked my deck a little. Now that I think about it, I could use some new cards anyway."

"Speaking of new cards, did you guys hear the news?" Yaiba asked them. "The Leo Corporation's almost ready to distribute some mass-produced Pendulum cards to the public. Pretty soon, everyone's gonna be using it!"

Yuya's eyes widened at this before a grin formed. "Seriously? That's great! Oh man, it'll be so awesome, getting to duel someone else who can do Pendulum besides me and Zarc!"

"You do remember the Akaba siblings have Pendulum too, I hope?" Zarc reminded. His mind then flashed back to Ray words' from before and fell quiet, face turning pensive. 'That dream from before… Somehow, it felt more vivid than usual. And, I could hear it more clearly. I still can't make out what that monster was saying, but… Based on what Ray said, could that ruined city actually be real?'

It just sounded so ludicrous. Who ever heard of a monster coming to life and leveling a whole city? Still, it didn't seem like Ray was lying. And he couldn't shake the fact that there was definitely more between them than either was aware of.

"So, Sakaki, you ready for the tournament?"

"Tournament?" Yuya said before his eyes widened, remembering what was coming up soon. "Oh, that's right! The Maiami Championship's almost here!"

Zarc tilted his head. "Maiami Championship?"

"It's a tournament that's held around the end of the year." Yuzu explained to him. "Duelists from across the globe come to compete. And from what I've heard, this year is supposed to be even better than last year's. Dad said that there's a possibility that they'll be implementing a massive Action Field all over the city during the Finals."

"I heard that too." Yaiba smirked. "It's gonna be freaking great! You three better be prepared, because I ain't holding back!"

"Neither are we!" Yuzu grinned back. Chances are, her opportunity for a rematch would come during the championship. She happened to look at the large digital clock placed above the entrance into the courts. Her eyes widened. "Ah, crap! There's a sale going on today! And I'm on cooking duty tonight!" She quickly rounded to the boys. "Zarc, come and make yourself useful!"

"Wait, what are you-whoa!"

The silver-haired teen couldn't get a word in as the girl grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him away, practically dashing out of LDS. The remaining two boys in the court sweatdropped at the sight, seeing a trail of dust left behind in their wake. "That girl of yours really does just go with the wind, doesn't she?"

"She really does..." Yuya said with a nervous laugh. Then his brain caught what Yaiba said. His face turned scarlet. "W-what?! Yuzu isn't my girlfriend! She's a childhood friend, that's it!"

"Coulda fooled me." Yaiba snickered. Really, who was he kidding? It was painfully obvious that those two were in love or something. It would save a lot of time if they just kissed. Besides, Yaiba had a bet with that Sora kid about who would confess first. "By the way, Sakaki, that Yuto guy a brother or something?"

Yuya ceased his flustering floundering and stared at Yaiba in slight surprise. "Yuto?" He had heard that name before. It was supposedly the name of his doppelganger who defend Yuzu from Sawatari when she confronted him at the warehouse.

"Yeah. He looks just like you, except he's always brooding and looks so freaking gloomy. Dresses all in black." Yaiba described him in detail. "And he's a hell of an Xyz Duelist! I saw him mop the floor with two guys at once! It was freaking amazing!"

'That Yuto guy is here?' Yuya thought. A sense of curiosity overcame him. Ever since he learned about this person, this mysterious twin who had a card just like Zarc's, he had wanted to meet him for himself and see what they were like. Not only that, but he wanted to thank Yuto for protecting Yuzu when he could not.

"Hey, Yaiba. This Yuto guy...is he still here at LDS?"


When Reiji had stated that Standard was woefully unprepared, he had not been joking.

Yuto watched several people duel, some showing off incredible skills and others being above average at best. Yet, in spite of this fact, not a single one of them had an 'edge'. They lacked the strength and skill necessary to fight for their lives. Even the duelist Shun was facing off against, an Xyz-user like them, wasn't worth of note.

As a matter of fact, Yuto could name at least thirty different duelists from back in Heartland who also used the Constellar archetype that would rage and berate Hokuto Shijima for his subpar knowledge of his own deck. It said a lot about his skills when, despite having performed three Xyz Summonings at once, one of which included a Rank 6 Xyz Monster, Shun wiped him out via a OTK.

"You..." Hokuto grimaced as he lowered his head. "You're good..."

Shun huffed. "I'll be blunt. You are, by far, the worst Xyz duelist I've ever seen. You didn't even prepare of the possibility that your opponent might have an effect that could counter your own monsters' effects." Hokuto winced, his head bowing further down. Any further, and he might risk snapping his neck in half. "That said… You aren't a complete amateur." Hokuto blinked and looked up, finding a ghost of a smile on Shun's lips. "Not many can pull off three Xyz Summonings at once in a single turn. You have potential, but you don't plan ahead."

"T-then, how do I…?"

"If you want my opinion, change to a different deck." Shun suggested. "Try the tellarknight. They're similar enough to your Constellar deck."

"I-I see!" Hokuto beamed before bowing once again. "Thank you, Kurosaki-san!" With that, he took off running, leaving behind a trail of dust in his wake.

Yuto smiled wryly as he stepped out into the field. "You are a harsh critic." he said jokingly as Shun slipped his deck into his holster, finished for the day. "Though you were surprisingly nice to Shijima. Out of all the people from the Xyz Course who've asked to duel you, he's the only one you offered advice to."

"It's only because he was better than the rest of them." Shun retorted. "In all honesty, I'm amazed that Academia hasn't already arrived to take over Standard. Nevermind that, were you watching the whole time?"

"I was."

Normally, because of his age, Shun Kurosaki would have been enrolled into LDS as a student, but thanks to the intervention of Himika Akaba, who had been informed and delighted to hear that members of the Xyz Dimension had chosen to align themselves with them, evaluated Kurosaki's skills and determined he would be better suited as a proctor instead of a student. In other words, while Yuto was enrolled as a student, Shun was a teacher and therefore had to duel many students throughout the day. They had only been here a few days, already Shun had developed something of a fanbase. The senior students admired him for his skills and abilities, as well as his no-nonsense approach. The younger students were infuriated that someone as young as he was had become a teacher, but they were silenced by his abilities. And that was to say nothing of the female attention he was getting.

Yuto had to admit, it had been a while since he had seen his old friend so flustered. He never received this sort of attention back in Heartland.

"Have you dueled yet?"

"No, but I will soon." Yuto told him. "I'm going to be dueling in this arena, though. A request from Akaba-san. Seems he wants to test my own abilities against one of his Lancers."

Shun raised an eyebrow. "Hoh? A test this early, huh? Well, if he thinks they're good, I wonder how they'll fair."

"U-um, excuse me? Is there a Y-Yuto here?"

The two turned, and for a moment, their minds blanked. Two women entered the room, one a teenager and the other a child, perhaps between late elementary and early middle school. The child had long purplish-gray hair, wearing a striped shirt underneath a pale blue hoodie. Her eyes were blue, staring at the two shyly. She also wore shorts with somewhat large shoes for someone her age. Around her wrist was a white duel disk. The teenager, however, was what made them so startled. Were it not for her apparent age, one could mistake her for Ruri.

"R-Ruri…?" Shun muttered in shock before shaking his head. "S-sorry. Who are you two?"

"My name is Ray Akaba." the teen introduced herself. "Reiji's sister. This is Reira, our little sister."

Reira bowed politely. "H-hello..."

"Reira?" Yuto questioned, eyes wide. "Wait, you mean she's my opponent?"

Shun spluttered and stared at the little girl incredulous. Judging by Yuto's words, Reira Akaba was to be his opponent. And his earlier words meant that this little girl was also one of the Lancers – Standard's assault force. His surprise and shock faded into rage and a scowl showed on his face. "He would involve a child in all this?" he growled in outrage. "What is he thinking?!"

"Reira is young, yes, but her skills are undeniable." Ray retorted. "She has the abilities to back up such claims as well. You might think my brother is playing a game, Kurosaki, but I can assure you, he did not choose Reira without reason. Of course, actions speak louder than words."

"Hence why Reiji asked for the two of us to duel." Yuto determined with a serious look on his face. "Even so, she's still a child. She may have skill, but can she handle what we're up against?"

"I-I can." Reira spoke in her sister's stead. "To be honest, I'm a little scared… B-but, I don't want to be a burden to Big Sis or Big Bro!" She spoke those words from the bottom of her heart. She wanted to prove that she was not a burden or anything of the sort.

Yuto and Shun exchanged a look with each other. Neither one was happy with this, but they couldn't actually do anything about it. Reira's words also made it clear that she had willingly chosen to join the Lancers. That being said, they couldn't exactly accept having a child participate in what was going to be a war. If this kid was serious, then they needed to make it clear what they were getting themselves into.

"...very well, then." Yuto said after some thinking. Shun stepped aside and let his friend and Reira step into the arena. "However, I will make this very clear, Reira-chan. If you're serious about fighting in a war, I will not hold back!" He swung his arm, the hardlight blade forming seconds later.

Reira nodded. "I-I understand!" she said, activating her Duel Disk seconds later.

As the two prepared to engage each other, a group of LDS students happened to be walking along the hallway when one of them paused. "Huh? A duel? Who's dueling?" he questioned before his eyes widened in shock. "T-that's… Yuya Sakaki?!" Sawatari grinded his teeth and pressed his face against the glass. "No, he's...the bastard from before!"

"Are you sure, Boss?" Kakimoto asked. "I mean, what're the odds of Yuya Sakaki having some twin no one knows about?"

"Trust me, Kakimoto. Even if this guy looks exactly like Yuya Sakaki, I recognize that emo look anywhere!"

"Hey, wait a second!" one of the other stooges cried, pointing to his opponent. "Isn't that Reira Akaba?!"

"Say what?!"

"It's true! She's got a 100% win streak! Not to mention she's the top student in the Youth Class!"

"I recognize the other chick, too! That's Ray-sama from the Expert Class!"

"N-no way, for real?!"

'Why in the heck would the best duelist in Leo Duel School be here watching some nobody duel her little sis?' Sawatari questioned with a frown. 'This doesn't make any sense at all!'

"Seems we've attracted a bit of an audience." Ray noted, seeing several LDS students begin to crowd the halls, watching eagerly to see who would come out on top. "I've been meaning to ask something, Kurosaki. Compared to yourself, how good is Yuto?"

Shun shrugged. "He was one of the best in the Xyz Dimension." he stated. "But when you compare him to Tsukumo and Tenjo...well, neither of us holds a candle to those two."

"Let's go!" Yuto roared.

DUEL!

Yuto – LP 4000

Reira Akaba – LP 4000

"I take the first Turn!" Yuto declared.

Turn 1: Yuto / Hand: 5

"When there are no monsters on my field, I can Special Summon Phantom Knights Bloody Armor from my Hand!" Appearing before Yuto was a rather grizzly sight: a suit of armor, steel the color of black yet dyed in crimson, wielding a broken sword in one hand and a cracked shield in the other.

[Phantom Knights Bloody Armor / DARK / Level 5 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 100]

"Then I summon Phantom Knights Ragged Glove!" A ghostly apparition appeared in front of him, blue flames possessing a tunic and helm with large tattered gloves.

[Phantom Knights Ragged Glove / DARK / Level 3 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 500]

"I activate Bloody Armor's effect! Once per turn, I can destroy a "Phantom Knights" monster on my field, then draw 1 card! I destroy Ragged Glove!" As the monster dissipated into flames and vanished, Yuto took a card from his deck. "When a "Phantom Knights" monster is destroyed by battle or by card effect, I can Special Summon Phantom Knights Fragile Armor!" Compared to the crimson-splattered armor, the next one that appeared looked more regal, but no less intimidating, wearing tattered robes with its armor.

[Phantom Knights Fragile Armor / DARK / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1000 / DEF 2000]

Yuto glanced at his cards before he began his next move. Seeing the cards in Yuto's hand, his eyes narrowed sharply. It seemed he now had a way to push Reira against the wall, and strike first blood while he was at it. Taking the two cards in his hand, Yuto placed them on the edges of his board. "I will set the Scale 2 Dragodies, the Magic-Equipped Warrior and the Scale 7 Dragonox, the Magic-Equipped Warrior in the Pendulum Zone, therefore setting the Scales of the Pendulum!"

The rainbow-colored word "PENDULUM" spread across Yuto's board as shimmering pillars of light appeared on either side of him. To the pillar on the left was a white-clad warrior with a dragon's helm over their face, right-arm clad in black metal. In the right pillar, a warrior clad in jet-black armor with a blue tint hanged in the air, wings outstretched and the claw on its left arm hanging by it ship. Overhead, a dark purple pendulum swinged back and forth, leaving behind a dark trail in its wake.

"With this, I can summon any monsters between Levels 3 and 6 simultaneously!"

Shun narrowed his eyes. "So, those are Pendulum monsters." he murmured. When they joined LDS, Reiji Akaba had given them special cards that would be of use for when they began their time here. Shun had not yet used his own cards, so this was his first time seeing the summoning method in action.


"No way! Those are Pendulum cards!" Kakimoto cried out in shock, eyes wide. "Is-is that Yuya Sakaki after all?!"

Sawatari said nothing, continuing to glare at Yuto.


"I set a card face-down, and end my turn."


"Phantom Knights?" one of the LDS students asked, confused. "I thought Yuya Sakaki used Entermate."

"Maybe he changed decks?"

"Is that even Yuya Sakaki? I mean, this doesn't look like any Entertainment Duel I've seen."

"Hey, Sawatari, what do you think?" another LDS asked, looking at the blonde, only to be ignored. "Sawatari?" The blonde duelist was staring at Yuto intensely, teeth gritted and hands balled into fists. If he wasn't sure that this was the guy who mopped the floor with him earlier, he was sure now.

'I don't know why he looks like Yuya Sakaki, and I don't give a damn.' he thought angrily. 'When this duel is over, I will have my revenge!'


"I-is it my turn now?" Reira asked, earning a nod from Ray and Yuto. "O...okay, then." The girl sucked in a breath, then opened her eyes. Yuto couldn't help but note how those eyes seemed to burn with resolve and strength, something he had not seen on a child before. "My Turn! DRAW!"

Turn 2: Reira Akaba / Hand: 6

"When my opponent controls a monster and I don't, I can Special Summon C/C Digi Lens!" Appearing in front of Reira was a clear blue lens, surrounded by a thick metal ring with segmented pieces all floating around it. In the lens was an image of an eye, staring back at Yuto's monsters.

[C/C Digi Lens / LIGHT / Level 1 / Fairy / Effect / ATK 100 / DEF 100]

"C/C?" Shun inquired. "Is that archetype related to Reiji Akaba's D/D?"

"In a manner of speaking." Ray nodded. "It stands for Capture Camera. Which fits, because Reira's a bit of a junior photographer."

"When Digi Lens is Special Summoned, I can draw cards equal to the number of monsters on your field." Reira revealed. "You control two monsters, so I draw two cards! Then, I summon C/C Critical Eye!" Unlike the blue lens, which had a certain serene presence to it, the next monster had a dark aura around it, a menacing red eye embedded in a strip of metal and glaring back at Yuto, who in turn glared right back at it. "Since I now control two "C/C" monsters with different Levels, I can Special Summon C/C Closed Eye from my Hand!" The third eye to appear was embedded on a white plate, also surrounded by segmented bits of metal formed into a ring. The eye, true to its name, was closed, but was open enough for one to see a dark blue iris beneath the lid.

[C/C Critical Eye / DARK / Level 3 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 1400 / DEF 1000]

[C/C Closed Eye / LIGHT / Level 3 / Fairy / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0]

"During my Main Phase, Closed Eye lets me draw add a "C/C" card to my Hand, except for "C/C Closed Eye." However, I can't Special Summon from the Extra Deck the turn Closed Eye is Special Summoned." Reira explained her monster's effects. "Also, Closed Eye can't be destroyed in battle. I set two cards face-down and end my Turn!"

'Not a bad strategy.' Yuto thought, impressed. 'She's young, but I can feel it. Her 'edge.' If she's anything like Akaba-san, then she might know all three Summoning Methods. Maybe even Pendulum Summoning as well.' Yuto glanced down at his cards. 'It's time to see just how strong you are, Reira Akaba!'

"My Turn! DRAW!"

Turn 3: Yuto / Hand: 4

"First, I'll play Card of Sanctity! We both draw until we have six cards in our Hand!" Cards spilled out for both players to take. "Then, with the set Scales of the Pendulum, I enact my Pendulum Summoning!"

The pillars of light shimmered, cloaking the area in a hue of blue. The dark purple pendulum began to swing, opening up a dark portal up above.

"Swing, Pendulum of my Sorrow! Create the Song of Rebellion that calls upon the Souls of my eternal Comrades! PENDULUM SUMMONING!" Yuto cried from the depths of his heart, spreading his arms wide. "Come forward, my comrades!"

Three red streaks of light crashed down on Yuto's field. Unlike the ghostly apparitions that stood side by side like sentinels, these ones bore a more menacing, darker appearance. One was a creature with a pot belly, skin dark gray with horns stretching from its skull and possessing sharp claws. The second was a giant viking, wielding a spiked Morning Star in hand and a boomerang in the other, possessing a frost-white beard with a menacing grin. The third and final monster appeared to be female, having dark skin with bandages over its face, leathery pinions stretching out from its back while a blue fire danced in one of its claws.

"Appear now! Hacklespur, Malebranche of the Afterlife! Barbariccia, Malebranche of the Afterlife! And finally, Alichino, Malebranche of the Afterlife!"

[Alichino, Malebranche of the Afterlife / DARK / Level 3 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 0]

[Barbariccia, Malebranche of the Afterlife / DARK / Level 3 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 1700 / DEF 1000]

[Hacklespur, Malebranche of the Afterlife / DARK / Level 3 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 1400 / DEF 0]

Reira's eyes widened. "Afterlife?" she questioned in surprise. "Not Phantom Knights?"


"That's weird..." Kakimoto frowned in confusion, scratching his head. "Why is he using that archetype?"

Sawatari turned to his stooge, eyes narrowed. "You know something about those cards, Kakimoto?" he asked, or rather demanded.

Kakimoto flinched underneath his boss' gaze, but nodded. "Y-yeah. A friend of mine uses that archetype. They're good cards, all things considered. But their effects only activate if you have no Spells or Traps on the field, or if they're sent to the Graveyard. And if you control any monster besides Afterlife monsters, they're destroyed."

"Eh?! Seriously?!" another of the three stooges asked with wide eyes. "He's got two of those Phantom Knights things! If he summoned those things, then wouldn't that mean-?!"


"Because I control monsters other than an Afterlife monsters, the three I summoned are destroyed and sent to the Graveyard!" Yuto declared as the monsters before him were suddenly consumed by blue flames.


"Talk about an idiot." Yamabe snickered. "He summoned those monsters, and he got them destroyed right when he busted them out! Did he lose a few brain cells since he dueled you, Boss Sawatari?"

"Idiot. Weren't you paying attention to what Kakimoto was saying?" Sawatari snapped, not taking his eyes off the duel. "Those monsters can only activate their effects if he doesn't have any Traps and Spells or if they're in the Graveyard."


"This might seem like an amateurish move, but the three Malebranche I called upon can only show their true power when the right conditions have been met." Yuto swung his arm out. "And true to their name 'Afterlife,' I activate each of their effects from the Graveyard! First, I activate the effect of Alichino! I target a face-up monster on your field and negate its effects! I choose C/C Closed Eye!" A phantom image of the winged female appeared beside Yuto, cradling its flame before sending flying at Reira's monster, smashing straight into it and causing it to become scorched. "Then I activate Hacklespur's effect and return a set card on the field back to the owner's Hand!" The demon appeared next, releasing an earth-shaking roar that destroyed the card on Reira's field, forcing the girl to reclaim it to her hand. "And finally, the effect of Barbariccia! By banishing all "Afterlife" cards in my Graveyard, you take 300 damage for each one!"


"He had three monsters, so..." Ootomo gasped. "900 damage?!"


"Go! Nuadhe Verdict!" The phantom images of Yuto's monsters appeared, all losing shape and becoming bodies of flame that soon launched themselves at Reira. They exploded upon impact, causing the girl to grunt as she skidded back, clothes slightly scuffed from the explosion. She otherwise looked unharmed.

Reira Akaba – LP 4000 → 3100

Shun smirked. "Looks like Yuto scored first blood." he said. "Unless your sister steps up her game, she isn't going to win this."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Kurosaki." Ray countered with a smirk of her own, especially when she saw the fire in Reira's eyes grow stronger. "My little sis is just getting started."

"Since I control a "Phantom Knights" monster, I can Special Summon Phantom Knights Boots!" Yuto continued as he summoned yet another monster., this one cloaked in tatters with the blue flame within the attire.

[Phantom Knights Silent Boots / DARK / Level 3 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 200 / DEF 1200]

"Then I summon Phantom Knights Ghost Horse!" The next to appear was more bestial in form. It was horse armor, possessed by deep blue flames with the metal helmet meant for the horse spewing out flames from its maw. Riding atop the horse was a suit of armor, albeit lacking a helmet, also possessed by blue flames.

[Phantom Knights Ghost Horse / DARK / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1000]


"Two Level 4 monsters..." Sawatari narrowed his eyes. "That must mean… He's going to summon his ace monster."


"I activate Ghost Horse's effect! Since I have two "Phantom Knights" on my field, I send two "Phantom Knights" cards from my deck to the Graveyard!" Yuto exclaimed. "Now, I use my Level 4 Phantom Knights Fragile Armor and Phantom Knights Ghost Horse to construct the Overlay Network!"

A nexus opened up at his feet, and his two monsters descended into it. Moments later, an explosion of light erupted from within. Inside the light, a dark monster began to unravel itself. As it did, Ray felt a sensation similar to the one she experienced during her duel with Yuya Sakaki and Zarc, right as the boy Pendulum Summoned for the first time and called on Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon.

'C-could this be…?'

"Treasonous fangs from the pitch-black darkness, oppose the foolish and crass opposition! Descend now! XYZ SUMMONING!" Yuto bellowed as the monster made itself known. A black dragon wreathed in electricity, tusks extending out from its lower jaw and piercing yellow eyes glaring out in defiance against those that stood before it. "Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"

[Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon / DARK / Rank 4 / Dragon / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000]

Reira stared at the dragon as it made its triumphant appearance, releasing a prideful cry. 'So, this is one of the dragons nee-sama and nii-sama spoke of.' she thought warily. 'I can feel it… There's anger from this dragon, but also a sense of sadness. As if its weeping. Is it because of the battles Yuto-san and Kurosaki-san experienced in the Xyz Dimension?'

'Dark Rebellion...' Ray stared at the dragon, a wistful smile appearing on her face. 'It's been a while.'

As Yuto prepared to begin his next move, he suddenly noticed something odd. His partner, much like it had done before in his duel against that Sawatari character, it had briefly turned its attention to the bystanders watching the duel. More specifically, at Ray. Upon seeing the girl, it let out a roar. One filled with a cheerfulness that he had thought his partner had lost since the invasion had begun.

'It's just like with that Zarc person.' Yuto thought. 'Dark Rebellion, do you...know her?' His partner didn't answer him, making him sigh. 'Are you angry that you haven't had any action in a while? Come on, now...' Dark Rebellion growled. 'Hey, I'm letting you fight now, aren't I?'

At any rate, he could get his answers later after this duel was over. For now, he had a duel to win. "Battle! I attack C/C Closed Eye with Phantom Knights Bloody Armor! Violent Crimson Slasher!" The crimson-dyed armor leaped upon the poor, unsuspecting armor with its blade cloaked in bloody red flame. With a swing, the monster was destroyed. Reira had to shield her eyes from the resulting explosion as it rocked the dueling arena.

Reira Akaba – LP 3100 → 1100

"Let's end this!" Yuto narrowed his eyes and swung his arm forward. "Dark Rebellion! Destroy C/C Digi Lens! Rebellious Lightning Disobey!" The black dragon released a warycry as its wings split open, thunder wrapping around its body and extending the reach of its tusks before it charged straight at Reira, who stared back without faltering even for a moment.


"No way!" the LDS student commentating before. "Is-is Reira Akaba going to lose?!"

"I-I think she might… Who even is this guy?!"

"Moreover, what the heck is going on?! Are they using an Action Field in there?!"


Just as Dark Rebellion neared, Reira's eyes flickered. "Trap, activate! C/C/C Feedback!"

Yuto clicked his tongue. "I should have known…!"

"C/C/C Feedback activates only if a "C/C" monster was destroyed and I have 2000 Life Points or less! During my opponent's Battle Phase, I can conduct a Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Summoning using monsters on my field and in my Graveyard! All Materials used for this summoning are then shuffled back into my Deck!"

"What?!" Yuto shouted in shock. "In the middle of a battle?!"

"I use the Level 3 C/C Critical Eye from my field and C/C Closed Eye from my Graveyard to construct the Overlay Network!"

Dark Rebellion's attack was halted by a translucent barrier preventing it from advancing while a nebula danced in front of Reira's feet, allowing his monsters to dive inside and summon forth a brand new monster, one radiating power. "Open the eyes of heaven, and gaze upon a new possibility! XYZ SUMMONING!" Appearing from the burst of light was a dark-plated angel, a long sword in one hand and a shield in the other. Behind its wings were streams of light, mimicking wings while golden strips of cloth fell from its shoulders, acting like a robe. On the shield was a golden eye, placed vertically on the plate of the shield with a stigma in its pupil. "Come forward! Rank 3! C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C!"

[C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C / LIGHT / Rank 3 / Fairy / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2300 / DEF 2500]


"No way..." Ootome whispered in awe. "She just busted out an Xyz Monster, right during the battle phase! She's an Akaba alright!"

"Yeah, but its ATK is lower than that Yuya Sakaki lookalike's dragon." Yamabe pointed out. "I mean, I guess she bought herself some time, but it's still targeting her weaker monster, so unless that thing has a good effect..."

Somehow, Sawatari doubted that someone related to two of the best duelists in Maiami City wouldn't think that far ahead. He knew that she played that card with the intent of stopping his dragon in his tracks. And soon enough, he would be proven right.


"C/C/C Feedback also forces you to attack the monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck!" Reira said as Dark Rebellion was about to continue its assault.

Yuto grimaced. "Clever. In that case, how about this?! I activate Dragodies' Pendulum Effect! By sending a card in my Hand to the Graveyard, the monster Dark Rebellion is battling loses half of its ATK and DEF at the start of the Damage Step! Drago Domination!"

The white-clad warrior glowered as it raised its black-clad arm before closing its hand into a fist. At that moment, a binding white light wrapped around Photo-Grapher, causing it to stumble slightly in the air.

[C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C – ATK 2300 / DEF 2500 → ATK 1150 / DEF 1250]

"Continue your assault, Dark Rebellion! Rebellious Lightning Disobey!"

Once more, the dragon wreathed itself in furious thunder and charged straight at Reira's monster, crashing right into it. A cloud of smoke kicked up as the assault finished, and Yuto's ace monster returned to his side. Yuto stared at the cloud of smoke that obscured Reira's form from view. 'Seems like she wasn't ready after all.' he thought. 'Still, her moves were excellent. Given enough time and-'

His thoughts came to an abrupt end when the smoke cleared. Shun gasped. "How is that possible?!"

"No way..." Yuto breathed in shock. There, standing in front of Reira, was her Xyz Monster, completely unharmed. "But how?! Dark Rebellion should have destroyed it and taken out the rest of your Life Points!"

Reira sighed softly as she dusted off her jacket. "I don't take any damage from ant battles involving C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C." she explained calmly. "Also, it cannot be destroyed by Xyz Monsters."

"What did she just say?!" Shun gasped. If he didn't know any better, he could have sworn he just heard an Xyz duelist's greatest ally and worst possible enemy. "Damn! If that's the case, then Yuto's only choice is to use regular monsters or target her other monsters! Unbelievable… To think she had a card that can counter an Xyz Monster like that..."

Ray smiled proudly. "Like I told you, Kurosaki. Reira is just getting started!"

Yuto grimaced as his partner let out a low growl of disappointment. It seemed like he needed to re-evaluate his opinion of Reira. "I end my Turn."

"It's my Turn again, then. DRAW!"

Turn 4: Reira Akaba / Hand: 7

"I activate the Spell: C/C Film Change. I Special Summon C/C Closed Eye from my Deck, but its ATK and DEF are reduced to zero and its effects are sealed!" Reira said as her monster appeared before her. "If I control a Level 3 or lower "C/C" monster, C/C Zoom Sniper can be Special Summoned from my Hand!" Appearing in front of Reira was what looked to be a mech, possessing tiny spider-like legs with what looked like a cannon acting as its upper body, though the cannon resembled the extended tube of a camera.

[C/C Zoom Sniper / LIGHT / Level 3 / Fairy / Tuner / Effect / ATK 100 / DEF 100]

"If I have five cards or more in my Hand, C/C Zoom Sniper lets me set a "C/C" face-down from my Deck!" the girl continued before she raised her hand up in the air. "Then I tune my Level 3 C/C Closed Eye with my C/C Zoom Sniper!"

The camera cannon monster leaped up, turning into three green rings. The white-plated monster followed after it, its shape turning translucent to reveal three lights, which promptly exploded and formed into a new monster. "Open your eyes and look upon a new world! SYNCHRO SUMMONING!" The light faded and revealed the monster. It looked to be a knight, clad in white armor with golden edgings while wielding a large sword in hand. Holding the blade before it, as if preparing to engage, a green eye could be found on the hilt of the blade. "The eyes of a refined soul, witness a new possibility! Level 6! C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.B!"

[C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.B / LIGHT / Level 6 / Fairy / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2300 / DEF 2500]

"Another C/C/C monster..." Yuto murmured. "And she used Synchro Summoning this time. If that's the case, then she must know Fusion Summoning as well." His lips curled into a faint smile. "Are all Akabas this strong? If so… I'd hate to think what Leo Akaba is capable of."

"When Photo-Grapher Ver.B is successfully Synchro Summoned, I can revive a monster in my Graveyard in Defense Position! Return, C/C Critical Eye!" The dark-wreathed eye returned to the field, standing next to the white-armored warrior. "Then I activate the Continuous Spell: C/C/C Repeat! It can only be activated if I control two or more monsters summoned from the Extra Deck. This card is destroyed when I have no monsters on the field. Also, once per turn, I can make a monster on my field be unaffected by your cards effects until the end of the turn! Furthermore, because I control Photo-Grapher Ver.C, Photo-Grapher Ver.B cannot be affected by your monster effects!"

Shun rubbed his chin. "She's not bad. This way, she's made it so her strongest monsters can't be targeted by Dark Rebellion's Treason Discharge. An impressive defense." he praised. "She's not half bad."

"I told you she was Lancer material." Ray smirked at him.

The Resistance fighter rolled his eyes. "Save your gloating until after she's won, woman."

"I now activate the Spell: Critical Fusion! It can be activates if I have C/C Critical Eye on my Field! Critical Fusion targets a monster on your Field, then changes its Level according to its own! If its Level 4 or lower, its becomes Level 4. If Level 5 or 6, it becomes Level 6. And if its Level 7 or higher, its treated as Level 8! I choose Phantom Knights Bloody Armor!" A digital eye appeared in front of Reira, looking at Yuto's monster before it blinked. The sound of a shutter clicking echoed before Yuto's monster suddenly lost all color, becoming faded and losing some of its imposing form. "Critical Fusion is then treated as a monster, possessing the same Attribute, Level, Type, ATK and DEF as Bloody Armor, but its effects are negated!" A hardlight copy of Yuto's monster appeared on Reira's field, perfectly mimicking Bloody Armor, yet lacking a presence. It almost looked more like a photograph than an actual monster. "After its effects resolve, I can Fusion Summon a monster from the Extra Deck, using Critical Fusion and C/C Critical Eye!"

"She's using a Spell Card as a material?" Yuto asked in surprise. "Is that even possible?!"

A whirlpool of lights opened up behind Reira, a mixture of colors that beckoned her monsters within so that something new could be made from them. Critical Eye and the hardlight copy of Bloody Armor fell into it, losing their shape entirely. "The eye of darkness. With the mirror image of the bloodstained warrior, open the eyes that will gaze on a new world! FUSION SUMMONING!" Reira clapped her hands, at the exact moment the monster emerged. A more bestial looking creature appeared this time, possessing a centaur-like body with sharp claws for hands. Its armor was dark purple, while gold armor decorated its lower horse-like legs. Over its breast plate was a dark purple eye. "Open your eye, and look upon a new possibility! Level 6! C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.A!"

[C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.A / LIGHT / Level 6 / Fairy / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2300 / DEF 2500]


"Incredible! She busted out with a Fusion Monster!" an LDS student chatted excitedly. "This is insane! Is she really just a kid?!"

As the duel progressed, Yuya and Yaiba finally arrived at the arena where Yuto was supposedly seen. "Talk about a crowd!" the Synchro Duelist whistled. He hadn't seen the students this interested since Reiji Akaba had an exhibition match with Strong Ishijima nearly a year ago. He pushed through the crowd and pushed his way through, moving up to the front. "Oho! Yo, Sakaki! Looks like that Yuto guy's dueling right now!"

"Really?!" Yuya pushed his way through. "S-sorry! Excuse me!" he said, accidentally pumping into a few people and stepping on some toes along the way. Finally reaching the front, he looked at the duelists. One was a girl who looked barely older than Ayu, Futoshi and Tatsuya. The other other was a boy who had the same face as Yuya. "So that's Yuto… I thought Zarc and Yuzu were pulling my leg, but wow. We really do look alike."

"You sure he ain't related?"

"Not unless dad was cheating on mom, and that's not exactly something I wanna think about." Yuya mumbled in distaste. He then looked more closely at the field and his eyes widened. "Whoa, he's using Pendulum cards! D-did they start distributing them already?!"

Yamabe, who had been absorbed into the duel, happened to take notice of Yuya's presence when he heard his voice. When he saw him, his eyes widened. "N-no way…! B-B-Boss Sawatari! Look there!" Sawatari craned his head and his jaw hit the floor. "That's Yuya Sakaki! What in the heck is he doing here at LDS?!"

'That's what I wanna know!' Sawatari thought in shock. 'What the heck's going on here?! Did he transfer here or something?! No way, can't be! We would have heard if he decided to enroll here! More importantly, why does he and that Yuto bastard have the same face?! Don't tell me they're twins?!'


"Battle!" Reira declared. "I attack Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon with C/C/C Photo-Graher Ver.C! At this moment, Photo-Grapher Ver.C's effect activates and increases its ATK by 500! Grapher Shut!" The black-armored warrior developed a dark hue around its body as it raised its blade, ready to throw itself into combat.

[C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C – ATK: 2300 → 2800]

The winged monster raised its sword and brought it straight down upon Dark Rebellion, which attempted to defend itself with its wings. Yuto, however, was unaffected by the blow. "I activate the Trap: Phantom Knights Poltergeist! When an Xyz Monster is destroyed, I don't take any damage from that battle, and during the End Phase, the monster that was destroyed is returned to my field! Also, I send a "Phantom Knights" card from my Deck to the Graveyard!"

"In that case, I'll attack Phantom Knights Bloody Armor with Photo-Grapher Ver.B! Wind Sickle!" The knight raised its sword, the eye on its pommel glowing and gathering wind around its blade, then proceeded to swing it and send an arc of wind straight at the red-stained knight. It was cut in half, destroying it instantly and creating a gust of wind in the process, causing Yuto's cloak to flap.

Yuto – LP 4000 → 3700

"Finally, I attack Silent Boots with Ver.A! Terror Fang Assault!" The bestial knight charged forward, claws poised to rip and tear. The ghostly warrior offered little resistance as it was soon torn to shreds, reducing it to golden shards.

Yuto – LP 3700 → 1600

"I then activate the Quick-Play Spell: C/C/C Critical Capture! By banishing C/C Critical Eye from my Graveyard, a monster on my field is able to attack again! I attack you directly with Photo-Grapher Ver.C!"

The angelic knight charged forward again, sword raised. Yuto narrowed his eyes and countered immediately. "I activate Dragonox's Pendulum Effect! By destroying Dragonox, I negate your attack and end the Battle Phase! Drago Intercept!"

The winged monster vanished in a burst of light, releasing a wave of power that forced Reira's monster to stand down and return to her side. She didn't seem to be disappointed that she couldn't end the duel here, though. "I end my Turn." she ceased her assault. "C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C's ATK returns to normal."

[C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C – ATK: 2800 → 2300]

"Thanks to Phantom Knights Poltergeist, Dark Rebellion revives from the graveyard." Yuto declared as blue flames erupted before him, revealing his dragon who roared upon arrival. "It's my turn again! DRAW!"

Turn 5: Yuto / Hand: 1

"I activate Phantom Knights Rally! I can banish as many "Phantom Knights" cards in my Graveyard as I want, and for each one I banish, I draw a card! I banish Phantom Knights Fragile Armor, Bloody Armor, Tomb Shield, Mist Claws, Shadow Veil and Poltergeist and draw six cards!"

A number of cards appeared for Yuto to grasp. Looking at them, he noticed one in particular and closed his eyes. 'So, the time has come for me to test my own resolve as well, has it?' he thought, recalling Shun's duel with Reiji. He heard his partner give a low whine, as if comforting him. Yuto smiled at Dark Rebellion and gave a nod of thanks. Then, his eyes focused once more. "When I control only Xyz Monsters, I can summon Phantom Knights Infernal Wand from my Hand!" A cracked wand with a gemstone atop it appeared, flames seeping out from the gemstone's cracks. "Then I activate Infernal Wand's effect! Once per turn, I Special Summon a Phantom Knights monster from the Deck, but its ATK and DEF are reduced to zero and its effects are sealed! I summon Phantom Knights Assassin's Daggers!" The flames poured out from the gemstone and formed into a cloaked figure dressed in a tattered robe, wielding wicked-looking daggers, blades as long as the average adult's arm.

[Phantom Knights Infernal Wand / DARK / Level 5 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0]

[Phantom Knights Assassin's Daggers / DARK / Level 5 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 500 / DEF 1000 → ATK 0 / DEF 0]

"I then activate the Spell: Phantom Knights Banner! I can Special Summoner a monster that was banished. I revive Phantom Knights Bloody Armor!" Blue flames erupted before Yuto, forming into the armor stained in red. "Finally, I use my Level 5 Phantoms Knights Infernal Wand, Assassin's Daggers and Bloody Armor to construct the Overlay Network!" Once more, a nebula opened up at Yuto's feet, allowing the three monsters to fall into it and create something even greater. The air became charged with power as the monster began to appear. "From the depths of purgatory, dedicate to the unsinking souls your song of rebellion! Appear and echo forevermore! XYZ SUMMONING!" Appearing before Yuto was a black dragon, its form radically similar to that of Dark Rebellion. Golden armor adorned its body and its wings far larger, with stained-glass light flowing in between the segments of its wings. "Descend! Rank 5! Dark Requiem Xyz Dragon!"

[Dark Requiem Xyz Dragon / DARK / Rank 5 / Dragon / Xyz / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 2500]

Ray's eyes widened. "Another Xyz Dragon?!" she exclaimed in shock. She did not expect to see such a powerful-looking beast to appear before her. As it stood beside Dark Rebellion, she could feel a great melancholy radiating from it. As if its existence was meant to honor the fallen.

Shun, on the other hand, looked more confused. 'Why would Yuto Xyz Summon Dark Requiem?' he questioned. 'It's powerful, sure, but its useless unless one of its materials was Dark Rebellion! What are you thinking, Yuto?'

"The time has come." Yuto whispered. "Here we go, partner." Dark Rebellion and its companion dragon both roared together, as if agreeing with him. "I now activate the Spell: Overlay Fusion!"

Reira's eyes widened. "Fusion?!"

"I can Fusion Summon a monster by using Xyz Monsters on my field as materials!"


Yamabe choked. "A Fusion Summoning that needs Xyz Monsters?!" he asked, incredulous. "I've never heard of a Fusion Monster needing Xyz Monsters!"

"I haven't heard of that, either..." Kakimoto shook slightly. He didn't know what to think about this Yuto person before, aside from the fact that he had mopped the floor with Sawatari. As he continued to watch the duel unfold, however, he was starting to realize the difference between him and everyone else at LDS.

Sawatari, in particular, looked aghast. 'How is this possible…?' he thought, as if shaken. 'He's fighting someone who's just as good as the President of the Leo Corporation and the top student of LDS...and more than that, he's actually pushing her back.' His mind thought back to their last encounter. He had been so confused by who that person was. He had initially thought that it was indeed Yuya Sakaki, perhaps going after him in revenge, but when he thought about it during his brief stay in the hospital, he realized how unlikely that actually was. True, he would still be quite angry with his stunt in kidnapping those brats, but he had won their duel. And more importantly, he got his Pendulum cards back. So what point was there in going after him?

First Yuya Sakaki, then Zarc, and now this Yuto person… They were powerful. Far stronger than even he was. Was he weak compared to these people? But how? And why?! Wasn't he the best besides the Akabas?! Wasn't he the son of-

Then it hit him. Sawatari's eyes widened in realization, then gave a weak chuckle. "Right… I've been relying on the old man all this time, after all." he muttered underneath his breath, voice low so the three stooges didn't hear him. "I relied on pops for everything, getting the best cards there were..."

He had thought he had grown past that weakness. He gathered cards without the help of his father and built his own deck, using his own strength. Was that not enough? Did he need to go even further?

"Whatever it takes..." Sawatari glowered, his hand balling into a fist. "Whatever it takes… I will definitely get stronger…!"


Just as it had for Reira, a whirlpool of colors and lights opened up behind Yuto. The two dragons fell into it and lost their form. The air itself began to tremble as a great power was emerging from it. "Fangs of rebellion! Wings of purgatory! Call forth a forbidden strength, and give rise to the power that will avenge our fallen comrades!" Yuto slammed his hands together, eyes burning. "FUSION SUMMONING!"

The monster appeared from an explosion of dark light. It emerged from a cloud of shadows, armor as black as the night sky with silver edgings along its ankles, hips and wrists. Its helm was shaped like a dragon, visor pointed and possessing mock fangs. Behind its back were iron pinions, azure flames spewing between the segments. Its gauntlets were shaped like sharpened talons. A pale fire between in the visor of the helm, resembling demonic eyes. With an unearthly roar, the black-armored demon emerged and spread its wings out in their full glory.

"The dragon's knight beckoned from the abyss that cries out in rebellion! Level 8! Dark Revolution Fuse-Xyz Dragoon!"

[Dark Revolution Fuse-Xyz Dragoon / DARK / Level 8 / ATK 2800 / DEF 3000]

Shun stared at the monster in awe. "So, this is..." he gulped. "Yuto's Fusion monster..."

"Dark Revolution Fuse-Xyz Dragoon…!" Ray breathed. "It's incredible!"

"When Dark Revolution is Fusion Summoned using only Xyz Monsters on the field as materials, its treated as an Xyz Monster and gains a Rank equal to its Level!" Yuto revealed. "Dark Revolution cannot be destroyed by Fusion, Synchro and Xyz Monsters, nor can it be affected by the effects of those monsters!"


"Say what?!" Yaiba cried. "The heck kind of monster is that?!"

Yuya's jaw went slack. "T-that means, none of Reira's monsters will be destroy it or use their effects on it… O-oi, isn't that kind of broken?"


"Furthermore, when Dark Rebellion and Dark Requiem are used as Dark Revolution's Fusion Materials, it can banish an Xyz Monster in my GY and negate the effects of all cards on your field! Requiem Discharge!" Behind Dark Revolution, the phantom image of Dark Requiem appeared behind it, resounding a cry as it vanished, just as Dark Revolution released a powerful wave of power that collided with Reira's field, forcing all her monsters down to their knees while flames burned along her Continuous Spell. "Dark Revolution's second effect! By banishing another Xyz Monster from the Graveyard, it gains half of the combined ATK of its Fusion Materials! Rebellion Discharge!" The phantom image of Dark Rebellion appeared next, also releasing a cry of its own before vanishing into Dark Revolution, electricity flowing through its being while the flames on its wings burned even hotter.

"Dark Rebellion had 2500 ATK, and Dark Requiem 3000..." Ray's eyes widened. "That means-!"

Reira whispered in awe, "It gains 1750 ATK..."

[Dark Revolution Fuse-Xyz Dragoon – ATK: 2800 → 5550]

Yuto narrowed his eyes and swung his arm forward. "Let's finish this, Reira Akaba! Dark Revolution! Destroy C/C/C Grapher Ver.A! Revolution Pyre Disobey!"

Thunder and fire overlapped with one another as Dark Revolution howled and bounced into the air, kicking up a powerful whirlwind in its ascent. The windows began to shake from the force behind the gales, causing many to believe that the duelists were somehow using an Action Field. At the height of its ascent, Dark Revolution descended and came down upon the bestial monster, who roared in defiance and swung its claws. The two clashed, and Dark Revolution overpowered it with ease, swallowing the monster – and Reira's whole field, in blue flames.

Yuto's monster returned to his side, floating next to him as its rush of power began to recede. Everyone watched with bated breath, wondering whether or not Reira had managed to overcome that attack or fell victim to it. Several seconds went by as the smoke and fire began to fade away. The sound of an LDS student gulping could be heard as loudly as the sound of a pin dropping in dead silence.

After a minute, the smoke parted.

C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.A was unharmed.

"Impossible!" Yuto exclaimed in disbelief. "How did you save your monster?! That attack should have finished you?!"

Reira breathed a small sigh of relief. "I-it was close..." she confessed. "But I activated the Trap card in my hand."

"A Trap from your hand?!" he choked.

"C/C/C Extra Snap." she revealed the ability of the card used to defend not only herself, but also her monster as well. "It can be activated from the Hand if I control a Fusion, Synchro and Xyz Monster on the field. When a "C/C/C" monster on my field is about to be destroyed in battle and my Life Points would be reduced to zero, I can banish a Fusion, Synchro and Xyz Monster in my Extra Deck to negate that monster's destruction and nullify any damage I would take. I banished C/C/C Sonic Halberd the Embodiment of Fused Arms, Rock Armor the Embodiment of Overlaid Armors and Rock Shooter the Embodiment of Tuned Attacks to prevent C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.A's destruction, as well as ending the Battle Phase."

Yuto couldn't help but stare at Reira in amazement. 'To think she managed to evade that attack...' he thought. 'Is she really just a child?' Seeing no other option, he sighed. "I activate the Continuous Spell: Phantom Knights Cavalry. I can activate it by sending a card in my Hand to the Graveyard. When it's activated, it gains a counter for every "Phantom Knights" card that was banished. I don't take any damage that's 500 or lower multiplied by the number of counters. If a monster battles, I must remove a counter. When there are no counters on this card, I have to destroy it. The card is also destroyed if I control no monsters. There are five banished Phantom Knights, thus I place five counters on Phantom Knights Cavalry!"

Ray hummed. "That means, unless Reira deals 2500 damage, Yuto won't take lose any Life Points. That's pretty clever." She then added mischievously in her mind, 'But is that going to be enough to stop her?'

"I end my Turn. At this moment, Dark Revolution's ATK returns to normal and its effect ends." The force binding Reira's monsters lessened, allowing them to stand up once more. The flames on Reira's card also faded.

[Dark Revolution Fuse-Xyz Dragoon – ATK: 5550 → 2800]

Reira nodded. "Then, it's my Turn now. DRAW!"

Turn 6: Reira Akaba / Hand: 3

Reira looked at the card in her hand. Her eyes widened when she saw it, then nodded slowly. She looked over to Yuto. "You are...very strong, Yuto." Reira admitted, making him blink. "I can understand why Big Bro chose you to join the Lancers. But..." Her eyes narrowed. "I...will end this Duel!"


"Hoh? Those are some bold words." Yaiba remarked, leaning forward. "What kind of card do you think she pulled?"

Yuya shrugged. "I have no idea...but whatever it is, it has to break through Yuto's defenses. Her monsters can't destroy or effect his monster, and so long as he's got Cavalry, he won't take any damage."

"Yeah, true." the Synchro Duelist conceded.


Reira then played the card in her hand. "I activate the Ritual Spell: Eyes of the World!"

"Ritual…?" Shun narrowed his eyes. "This is..."

Ray nodded. "Yes. It was the only unique summoning method Standard had until the others were introduced a few years ago. While Ritual Summoning has become a bit rare, there are still users." She then smiled widely in pride, looking over at her little sister. "And no one's better at Ritual Summoning than Reira."

"With Eyes of the World, I can summon a Ritual Monster, but to do so I must tribute two Level 6 C/C/C monsters and one D/D/D Rank 3 Xyz Monster!"

Yuto frowned. "But you don't have any D/D/D monsters!" he pointed out.

Reira offered a small smile. "When C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.B and Ver.A are on the field, Photo-Grapher Ver.C is treated as a D/D/D monster!" she revealed, causing Yuto's eyes to widen. "Now, I offer my Photo-Graphers as sacrifices!" Below Reira's feet, a glyph was erected, radiating a bizarre and unearthly light. In the center of the glyph, a tear opened up, growing until it revealed itself to be an eye. Once the eye fully opened and encompassed the glyph, the three monsters broke apart and dissipated, becoming black shards that slowly began to form into a single point. "The ruler of chaos who commands time itself! Descend unto the mortal plane and erase all who stand in your way! RITUAL SUMMONING!"

The black shards gathered and solidified, creating a new monster. It towered over Reira like a gargantuan behemoth, body as black as night. It was clad in jet-black armor with golden trims, its pauldrons shaped like spheres. Green eyes peered out from beneath the helm, only for the mouthpiece of the helmet to open and reveal sharp rows of fangs. Behind its back, burning green flames erupted and formed into wings. In hand was a giant battle ax, the blade matching the size of a greatsword in length. In the center of its chest was a glowing purple jewel, veins spreading out from it.

"Be born! D/C/D Paradox Time Devil Karna!"

[D/C/D Paradox Time Devil Karna / DARK / Level 10 / Fiend / Ritual / Effect / ATK 3200 / DEF 2800]

"D/C/D?" Shun noted the name with trepidation.

"C/C/C means Capture Camera Creation." Ray explained. "DDD means Different Dimension Demon. When these two powers come together, they create a power that surpasses even theirs. A Different Creation Demon."

Yuto winced, feeling the overwhelming power the monster was radiating before him. "Is this your ace monster…?"

"You could say that." Reira shrugged. "But for now… Let's finish this! D/C/D Paradox Time Devil Karna! Destroy Dark Revolution Fuse-Xyz Dragon! When Karna attacks a monster with 2500 ATK or higher, that monster is destroyed at the start of the Damage Step! Ardha Temporal Devastation!"

The monster let out a terrifying roar as it charged forward, swinging its ax behind it. In equal measure, Yuto's monster charged at it and gathered its flames and thunder to counter it. The two clashed. In the end, however, Yuto's monster was destroyed and obliterated, leaving behind only weak spars and fading embers.

"Because a monster battled, I remove a counter from Phantom Knights Cavalry." Yuto said, somewhat concerned by the loss of his monster. "However, because the damage was below 2500 before the counter was removed, I don't receive any damage. Since I no longer have a monster on my field, Phantom Knights Cavalry is destroyed."

"Not for long." Reira smiled mysteriously, surprising everyone. "D/C/D Paradox Time Devil Karna has another effect. During the End Phase, I tribute it in order to activate the effect." The orb in the center of Karna's chest lit up, glowing with great intensity. Cracks began to spread across its body, dark green flames beginning to seep out from between the cracks. "By tributing Karna, you take damage equal to the original ATK of a monster that you controlled this turn!"


Yaiba's eyes widened. "Seriously?! It has an effect like that?!"

"Dark Revolution had 2800 ATK!" Yuya exclaimed in worry. "That means Yuto will take his own monster's ATK as damage!"

"And since it's higher than 2000, he'll take the hit!"


Yuto closed his eyes, exhaling softly. 'So, this is Reira Akaba's 'blade'. It's sharp. Sharper than what I would have expected.' he thought as he opened his eyes, seeing Reira's monster breaking apart further, ready to explode and take him down. 'She's just as strong as members of the Resistance, I would like to think.'

He supposed that meant his and Shun's worries were unfounded. He still had problems with this, though. No child should have to get involved in war, but he supposed it was not his place to tell Reira Akaba that. Not when she had demonstrated his resolve to him. As much as he hated to admit it, he had lost.

...or, at least, that was what she thought.

"Even though I no longer have fun dueling, I haven't lost my pride as a Duelist!" Yuto roared with fervor. "And therefore, I refuse to accept defeat! I activate Phantom Knights Cavalry's last and final effect!"

Reira gasped. "What?!"

"When Cavalry is destroyed, I inflict 500 damage for each counter to the both of us!" A pyre of azure flames burned in front of Yuto, matching the crumbling and burning remains of Reira's monster as it took on the shape of Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon. "There were four counters! Thus, we take 2000 damage!"

The dragon made of pure flames roared and charged straight at Karna, who casted aside its shell and threw itself straight at Yuto's own gathering flames. The two forces collided with each other, creating shockwaves that rocked the entire dueling arena. Then, at the apex of their struggle, the two bodies of power exploded.

Yuto – LP 1600 → 0

Reira Akaba – LP 1100 → 0

DRAW! ! !

The tremors ceased. Everyone stared at the results in shock. Reira let out a sigh while Yuto dusted off his cloak, the two duelists shutting off their Duel Disks. For a moment, silence hanged in the air, though it was shattered when those in attendance suddenly began to cheer, catching Yuto off guard.

"Dude, that was amazing!"

"I was on the edge of my seat!"

"You weren't sitting on anything, idiot."

"I can't believe there's someone like that at LDS!"

"Oh man, I'm so glad I applied to this school!"

"Hey, if he's got Pendulum cards, does that mean the Leo Corporation is going to be distributing them soon?!"

Yuto was stunned by the cheers of the crowd. They were openly praising his and Reira's duel, even though they were oblivious to the true reasons behind it. None of them even knew what was coming, yet they seemed so cheerful. As Yuto stared at the crowd, the image of his home overlapped with them. For a few seconds, he found himself standing amidst a crowd of students as he dueled against friends, old and new, in Heartland city. It lasted only for a short while and brought a pang of grief to his chest. When he and Shun had left for Standard, they were unable to contact the Resistance. They had no way of knowing what was happening back home. Were they doing alright? Were they pushing Academia back? He had no way of knowing, and it scared him.

"Um, Y-Yuto?" The dark-clad duelist snapped out of his thoughts and found Reira looking up at him in concern. "D-did I...do okay?"

Yuto smiled. "You did. I suppose I can see why Akaba-san had you join the Lancers." he remarked before frowning. "Even so... I still have my reservations about letting you fight in a war. You're still a child."

"I-I know, but I... I want to repay my family. If it weren't for them, I..."

"Reira lost her birth parents in a wartorn country." Ray told him as she approached, Kurosaki trailing behind her. "My mother adopted her when she saw how she had potential for dueling. There's a bit more to the story, but I would rather not get into it. So then, how did you enjoy Pendulum Summoning?"

"It will take some time getting used to, but..."

After having used it himself, Yuto could definitely see the appeal behind the power of Pendulum Summoning. The ability to call forth several monsters, not just from the hand but even the Extra Deck... It made him wonder about its applications, and how long it would be before it would become available to the public. On that note, however, his mind drifted to the topic of the Pendulum Summoning's creator. Yuya Sakaki. He had heard that name before, both from Shingo Sawatari and that Yuzu girl. Both had mistaken him for this person. He had to admit, he was curious.

"If you don't mind, there's something I'd like to ask." Yuto looked at Ray. "It's about-"

"Um, excuse me!" Yuto blinked, as had Shun. The voice that had spoken sounded much like his own, but there was a cheerfulness to it. One that Yuto had long forgotten. The two turned to address the speaker and found themselves slack-jawed. Had the former not known any better, he would have thought he was looking at a mirror image, only his hair was green and red and his eyes colored crimson. "You're Yuto, right?!"

"Y-yes..." He nodded dumbly, still shocked. "And, you are...?"

His double smiled widely. "I'm Yuya Sakaki! Nice to meet you!"

'This is the guy those two mistook me for?' Yuto wondered. 'I suppose I understand why...the resemblance is uncanny.'

"Oi oi, Yuto..." Shun leaned in and whispered in his friend's ear. "You wouldn't happen to have a twin brother in Standard, would you?"

"That depends, is said twin in front of me?" Yuto replied sarcastically. "Because I'm starting to think so." Shaking his head, he addressed Yuya. "Is there something I can help you with?"

Yuya shook his head. "Well, not really. I just wanted to thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"For protecting Yuzu." he clarified. "Zarc told me she went after Sawatari, and you stepped in. It may not mean much, but Yuzu means a lot to me. I wouldn't forgive myself if she got hurt because of me." The boy straightened his back and bowed his head. "So, once again! Thank you very much, Yuto!"

Yuto recoiled in surprise. Ray giggled, noticing how uncomfortable the boy seemed and was trying to convince Yuya to cease his bowing. She also noticed their decks glowing, followed by the soft roars of their dragons. The two had been reunited and seemingly happy to see each other, especially when they mentioned that they had found Zarc after all this time. She felt happy for them, truly. They had been separated from him for so long, after all.

But...

'What is this feeling of apprehension I'm getting?'


"It seems the usage of the Pendulum cards is a success." Nakaijima reported to Reiji as they watched Yuto's duel with Reira come to a close. "There were no unexpected energy fluxuations, compared to when yours and Ray-san's were in development."

Reiji nodded. "So it would seem." He reclined in his chair, resting his chin against his knuckles. "The power of the Resistance is impressive indeed. We were lucky to have them on our side. Perhaps, with this, Standard can-" He was cut off when the monitors started flashing red, overwritten by the word WARNING. Almost immediately, Reiji's demeanor shifted and glared. "What's going on?!"

"Sir!" one of the workers at the main monitor turned to face the president. "We're detecting an extraordinarily powerful Fusion Summon reading! And it isn't from Sora Shiunin!"

"Another Academia Agent?" Reiji frowned heavily. Could this possibly mean that the invasion was starting? Or had something changed? "Do we have a visual?"

"No, sir!"

'Who could it be...?' the President thought with trepidation. He could only hope that this wasn't an ill-omen. Not when things were finally looking up for Standard.


"N-no, wait! Hold on!"

The words of the duelist fell on deaf ears as a blinding flash of light swallowed him whole as he screamed in despair. Seconds later, as the light faded, the duelist was gone. All that was left of them was a card, lying on the ground. The duelist's partner's eyes widened in fear as he backed up against the wall, frightened and terrified. Berrett sighed as his protege and student, Serena, scooped up the card from the ground and placed it on her person.

When he arrived on Standard to gather information on the unusual Fusion Summoning reading the Professor told him about, he had not expected to find Serena, the girl he was tasked with protecting, to have followed him. He knew that she was sick and tired of being pampered like some sort of princess. She was driven by recognition and desire. She wanted to prove her skills to the Professor. Perhaps it was because under some misconception that she believed the Professor thought she was weak and saw no reason to put her on the front lines, much less send her out during the Xyz Conflict. Berrett didn't know why the Professor did so, though Leo had told him Serena was needed for a very special purpose. To what, he could not say.

Considering her worth, Berrett had tried to get her to go back. Key word being "tried." That girl was too damn stubborn. Every attempt to get her to go back was met with refusal and a glare to go with it. She was determined, if nothing else. He respected her desire to prove herself, though, so he made a compromise. She would stick with him throughout the whole mission, and she wouldn't leave his sight. And the moment they were to return to the Fusion Dimension, she was to report to the Professor about her actions.

It worked, surprisingly. Now, the two were gathering information and interrogating the local duelists. As much as he hated doing so, though, Berrett and Serena had to card anyone they defeated. They couldn't exactly tip off Standard about their presence. He took no joy in what he did, but for the sake of the world Leo was advocating, he would do what he must.

They had passed the point of no return, after all.

"W-what did you just do?!" the man whimpered. "What happened to my friend?"

"The same thing that'll happen to you if you don't tell us what we want to know." Serena snorted hotly, raising her Duel Disk threateningly. "Let me ask you again. Who is the strongest Fusion Duelist in this city?"

"I-I don't know! If you want to know something like that, g-go to LDS! Ask someone from the Fusion Course!"

Berrett grimaced. The same answer was before. 'This is going nowhere.' he thought. 'While it is true it would be easier to get the answer from someone from LDS' Fusion Course, we cannot reveal ourselves to the enemy. How tedious.' He shook his head and stepped forward, Serena looking at him in surprise as he raised his Duel Disk. "For what it is worth, you dueled admirably." he told him. "Rest."

"N-no! Wait!"

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!"

The sound of rushing footsteps came from behind them. Berrett looked over his shoulder and found two young duelists, one a teen and the other a girl. His good eye widened, noticing that both of them bore great resemblances to people he knew. The teen looked like an older version of Yuri, and the girl the spitting image of Serena. Both of them looked furious, no doubt having rushed to the poor man's aid when he heard him screaming. Their distraction was a miracle to him as well, as the defeated duelist immediately scrambled to get away. Serena was about to give chase, but he stopped her with a shake of his head.

They had much more pressing matters to concern themselves with. There could be no witnesses, after all.

"Who the heck are you two?!" the pink-haired girl demanded angrily. "What were you going to do to that person?!"

Serena turned and glared at the girl, no doubt annoyed by their interference. However, no sooner had she seen the girl in front of her had she spluttered in shock. "Who the hell are you?!"

"Yuzu?" the teen questioned in shock before narrowing his eyes. "No, you're... Who are you?!"

"W-what the..." the pink-haired girl, no doubt the one named Yuzu, stared at Serena with large eyes. "First that Ray girl, now her too?!"

Berrett looked at his protege. "Young miss." She nodded in understanding. They pressed a button on their Duel Disks. In the next second, a thin chain shot out from them, wrapping around the Duel Disks on the two youths' arms. They were stunned by this development and attempted to remove the chain, only to recoil away when they suffered an electric shock instead. To their surprise, the hardlight boards formed seconds later, despite there being no deck inserted. "This is a Duel Anchor. Until one of us is defeated, it will not be removed." He narrowed his eye, preparing himself for yet another battle. "Apologies for this...but are our orders are clear."

"No witnesses." Serena finished, raising her own Duel Disk in anticipating.

The two duelists in front of them gritted their teeth, confused and angry by this development, but saw no other choice but to comply. They slammed their decks into the Duel Disks and yelled out,

DUEL!

-TO BE CONTINUED-


Card Information

Phantom Knights Bloody Armor / DARK / Level 5 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 100 / If you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card (from your Hand). You can only summon "Phantom Knights Bloody Armor" once per turn this way. Once per turn: You can target 1 card you control; Destroy it, and if you do, draw 1 card. Once per turn: You can discard 1 card; Return up to 2 "Phantom Knights" cards from your GY to your Hand.

Phantom Knights Ghost Horse / DARK / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1000 / Once per turn: You can send 1 "Phantom Knights" card from your Deck to the GY X the number of "Phantom Knights" monsters you control, except "Phantom Knights Ghost Horse." If this card is destroyed by battle or by card effect and sent to the GY; you can banish this card: Return up to 3 "Phantom Knights" Spell/Trap card(s) in your GY to the top of your Deck.

Phantom Knights Infernal Wand / DARK / Level 5 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0 / Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. You can Special Summon this card (from your hand) if you only control Xyz Monsters and no other monsters. (You can only summon "Phantom Knights Infernal Wand" once per turn this way). Once per turn: You can Special Summon 1 "Phantom Knights" monster from your Deck with its effects negated and its ATK/DEF reduced to zero.

Phantom Knights Assassin's Daggers / DARK / Level 5 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 500 / DEF 1000 / Once per turn: You can declare a direct attack with this card.

Dark Revolution Fuse-Xyz Dragoon / DARK / Level 8 / ATK 2800 / DEF 3000 / 2 DARK Xyz Monsters
If this card is Fusion Summoned using Xyz Monsters on the field as Materials, it is also treated as an Xyz Monster and gains a Rank equal to its Level. If this card was Fusion Summoned using "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon" and "Dark Requiem Xyz Dragon" as Materials: You can banish 1 Xyz Monster from your GY: Negate the effects of all face-up cards your opponent controls until the end of this turn. Once per turn: You can banish 1 Xyz Monster from your GY; This card gains half of the combined ATK of the monsters used to Fusion Summon this card until the end of this turn. Cannot be destroyed by Fusion, Synchro and Xyz Monsters. Unaffected by your opponent's Fusion, Synchro and Xyz monster effects.

Phantom Knights Rally / Spell / Normal / Banish as many "Phantom Knights" cards in your GY as possible; Draw 1 card X the number of cards banished with this effect.

Phantom Knights Banner / Spell / Normal / Special Summon 1 "Phantom Knights" monster from your Banished Zone with its ATK/DEF reduced to zero and its effects negated.

Overlay Fusion / Spell / Normal / Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck using Xyz Monsters on your field as Materials. (You can only activate one "Overlay Fusion" per turn.)

Phantom Knights Cavalry/ Spell / Continuous / You must Discard 1 "Phantom Knights" card to ctivate this card. When this card is activated: Place counters on this card equal to the number of your banished "Phantom Knights" cards. Players never take battle damage if the amount is less than or equal to the number of counters on this card x 500. After damage calculation, if a monster battled, remove 1 counter from this card. If there are no counters on this card or you control no monsters, destroy it. If this card is destroyed, inflict damage to both player's LP equal to the number of counters that were on this card X 500.

C/C Digi Lens / LIGHT / Level 1 / Fairy / Effect / ATK 100 / DEF 100 / You can Special Summon this card if your opponent controls a monster(s) and you do not. (You can only Special Summon "C/C Digi Lens" once per turn this way. When this card is Special Summoned: Draw 1 card X the number of monsters your opponent controls. Cannot be destroyed by card effects.

C/C Closed Eye / LIGHT / Level 3 / Fairy / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0 / This card cannot declare an attack. If you control 2 or more "C/C" monsters with different Levels: You can Special Summon this card (from your Hand). You cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck the turn this card was Special Summoned. Cannot be destroyed by battle. Once per turn, during your Main Phase: You can add 1 "C/C" card from your Deck to your hand, except "C/C Closed Eye."

C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C / LIGHT / Rank 3 / Fairy / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2300 / DEF 2500 / 2 Level 3 "C/C" Monsters
You take no damage from battles involving this card. Cannot be destroyed by Xyz monsters. (Quick Effect): You can target 1 Xyz monster your opponent controls and detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; This turn, that monster cannot activate its effects. This card gains 500 ATK during your Battle Phase. Once per turn; you can detach 1 Material from this card: Destroy all Xyz monsters your opponent controls. If you control "C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.A" and "C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.B": This card is treated as a "D/D/D" monster.

C/C Zoom Sniper / LIGHT / Level 3 / Fairy / Tuner / Effect / ATK 100 / DEF 100 / If you control a Level 3 or lower "C/C" monster: You can Special Summon this card (from your Hand). (You can only Special Summon "C/C" Zoom Sniper once per turn this way.) Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; Reduce that card's ATK by 100 for every card in your Hand. Once per turn, if you have 5 or more cards in your Hand: You can set 1 "C/C/C" card face-down from your deck. If you Synchro Summon a monster with this card as Material, that card gains this effect:
● This card cannot be targeted by your opponent's monster effects.

C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.B / LIGHT / Level 6 / Fairy / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2300 / DEF 2500 / 1 "C/C" Tuner + 1 non-Tuner Monster
When this card is Synchro Summoned: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "C/C" monster from your Deck in Defense Position. If you control "C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.A" or "C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.C": All "C/C" monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effect. While your opponent only controls Special Summoned monsters, this card is unaffected by your opponent's monster effects. Once per turn, during your opponent's turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls: Reduce that card's ATK by half of its original value.

C/C/C Photo-Grapher Ver.A / LIGHT / Level 6 / Fairy / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2300 / DEF 2500 / 1 "C/C" Monster + 1 Level 6 Warrior-type Monster
Must be Fusion Summoned and cannot be summoned other ways. Cannot be targeted for attacks. Once per turn, if a "C/C/C" monster you control would be destroyed: Negate that card's destruction. After its effect resolves, reduce this card's ATK to zero until the End Phase. Once per turn: You can discard 1 "C/C" monster; Return 1 "C/C" Fairy-type monster in your GY to your hand.

D/C/D Paradox Time Devil Karna / DARK / Level 10 / Fiend / Ritual / Effect / ATK 3200 / DEF 2800 / You can Ritual Summon this card with "Eyes of the World." Unaffected by your opponent's card effects. If this card battles a monster with 2500 ATK or higher: Destroy that card at the start of the Damage Step. During your End Phase: You can Tribute this card; Inflict damage to your opponent's LP equal to the original ATK of a monster they controlled that you destroyed this turn.

C/C Film Change / Spell / Normal / Special Summon 1 "C/C" monster in your Deck with its effects negated and its ATK reduced to zero.

C/C/C Critical Capture / Quick-Play / Banish "C/C Critical Eye" from your GY and target 1 "C/C/C" monster you control: That card can declare an additional attack.

C/C/C Repeat / Spell / Continuous / Activate only if you control 2 or more monsters Special Summoned from the Extra Deck. During your Main Phase 2: Draw 1 card. You can target 1 "C/C/C" monster you control: That card is unaffected by your opponent's card effects this turn. Destroy this card when you control no monsters, and if you do, Special Summon 1 "C/C/C" monster from your Extra Deck with 1000 ATK or lower, ignoring its summoning conditions. You can only use each effect of "C/C/C Repeat" once per turn.

Critical Fusion / Spell / Normal / If you control "C/C Critical Eye": Target 1 monster your opponent controls; that target's Level becomes the following Level until the End Phase of this turn.
● Level 1-4: Level 4.
● Level 5-6: Level 6.
● Level 7 or higher: Level 8.
Then, until the End Phase, treat this card and 1 "C/C Critical Eye" you control as a monster with the same Type, Attribute, Level, ATK, and DEF as that target, but its effects are negated. Then, immediately after this effect resolves, Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster, using the "C/C Critical Eye" you control and this card only, but it is destroyed during the End Phase.

Eyes of the World / Spell / Ritual / This card is used to Ritual Summon "D/C/D Paradox Time Devil Karna." You must also Tribute 2 "C/C/C" Level 6 monsters and at least 1 "D/D/D" Rank 6 Xyz Monster from your field.

C/C/C Feedback / Trap / Normal / Activate only if a "C/C" monster you control is destroyed and you have 2000 LP or less. During your opponent's Battle Phase; you can Fusion, Synchro or Xyz Summon a monster from your Extra Deck using Materials on your field and/or in your GY. After this effect resolves: Shuffle the monsters used as Materials into your Deck. Your opponent cannot attack any monster you control except the monster you summoned from the Extra Deck.

C/C/C Extra Snap / Trap / Counter / You can activate this card from your Hand if you control 1 Fusion, 1 Synchro and 1 Xyz Monster and no other monsters. If a "C/C/C" monster you control would be destroyed by battle and your Life Points reduced to zero: Banish a Fusion, Synchro and Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck: Negate that card's destruction and reduce any battle damage you take to zero and end the Battle Phase.

AN: Okay, so this chapter was supposed to have two duels, but it was becoming longer than I was expecting, so I decided to split the chapter into two parts. Plus, me and Stranger decided it was finally time to introduce Reira so she could show her stuff. And thanks to Ray, she's much happier here! I'm currently working on the Berret/Serena VS Zarc/Yuzu duel as we speak. Thanks go to Donjusticia for card edits.

Oh, and this chapter is another Starlight's Poet original! I'm trying my best not to rely on Donny, considering the man has a lot on his own plate. Plus, I hate having to bother him while he's busy. Naturally, though, this means that the quality of the duels will be significantly lower.

Also, big news! My 100th story has been published! And the 101st story is coming up very soon. Now, before people start raising the pitchforks and torches and calling me out on breaking my promise of stopping after story number 100, I would like to point out that I already have a few stories that are listed as COMPLETED. The stories that will be published will replace the stories that are listed as being completed. After that, I will not be posting anymore stories and focus on the ones I have.

I would also like to once again say to those who are demanding that I update my stories to BE PATIENT. I am a human being, not a robot dammit!

Anyway, please look forward to the next chapter, as well as my new upcoming story and check out my brand new fanfic "RWBY ~ Memories of V". I would also like to shamelessly advertise the joint project between myself and TheStrangerThatCameFromNowhere. It is a self-insert story titled "Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: The Chains of Fate." Please take a look and tell us what you think. It's also a self-insert by Stranger, not me. Sorry. Friendly reminder that this story has a TV Tropes page, so please be sure to check it out, give it a look and add to it! Friendly reminder that this story has a TV Tropes page, so please be sure to check it out and add to it if you have the chance! I'll post a link to the pages on TV Tropes that cover my stories! Until next time!

See You~