Ichika and the others were ready to step in the castle to face Peggrin. Before they could, Conner is challenging Ichika to a duel himself. Both of them are fighting for similar reasons, but Conner doesn't want to work with them. Conner practically gave Ichika no choice.

"This is turning into quite the show." Peggrin said as he watched. "We'll soon see if Ichika really has what it takes to defeat Conner or if it really was just luck."

"Sir, I'm confused about something." Crone said. "If Conner actually does manage to beat Orimura, isn't this going to cause problems for you and your deal with Conner's company?"

"Not quite." Peggrin said. "There's the loophole. Conner isn't really dueling for me, but if I duel Conner and manage to defeat him, and I will, everything is still on track. Plus, I'm sure Orimura will still find a way to make it in my castle. It might be a rough ride, but I'll get to where I'm going eventually. For now, let's just enjoy the show."

...

Bane

As for Bane, after he believed he trapped Ichika and the others in the cave, he swiped all the stars he needed. He headed straight for the castle and it seems like he's really the first one to make it inside.

"Here you go. I got all ten stars." Bane said. Coincidentally, he's talking to the same guard that took Mila.

"Welcome." The guard said as the door opened up. Bane walked inside, but the guard wanted to share a piece of information. "If you want a good show, you might want to head to the upper levels outside the castle."

"Really?" Bane questioned. "I'm in. I need something to keep me entertained until I this show gets on the road."

...

The Duel

Bane made his way up to the roof. He watched from a window as he spotted the duel going on. He was surprised to see that Ichika and his friends were there.

"Those twerps? I thought I dealt with them." Bane said. "Well, this should be interesting at least. It looks like that twerp isn't doing all that well." He stuck around and watch the duel go on. Conner and Ichika kept the duel going. Ichika had Infinite Satellite at 2200def points and 2000LP. As for Conner, he had the lead with Phantom Centaur at 2800atk points and had 3250LP.

"You might want to take your next turn." Conner said. "It could be your last one."

"Just wait, Conner. I draw!" Ichika said as he took his next turn. "I play my Mecha Upgrade spell card. By sending a machine to my graveyard, I can draw two extra cards. I send Rocket Battler to the grave to summon two draw two more cards." He drew two more cards and it they were just the cards he needed. "Next, I activate Stratos Takeoff! This allows me to summon any Infinite Stratos from my hand or graveyard. I summon Infinite Stratos Byakushiki!" He summoned out his ace monster as it flew out with 2500atk points.

"You summoned out your best monster. Too bad that it's not strong enough to defeat my centaur." Conner said.

"That's about to change. I activate Rocket Boost! This will increase Byakushiki's attack points by 500!" Ichika said. Byakushiki got stronger as his attack points increased to 3000. "Attack Phantom Centaur with Ignition Boost!" Byakushiki took off like a rocket. He flew at the centaur with it's sword and slashed against it as Phantom Centaur was destroyed with Conner's life points dropped to 3050.

"Yes. Not only does Ichika have his best monster, and made it stronger, but he also got rid of that troublesome monster Conner had." Rin said.

"Well done, Ichika." Cecilia said.

"It was a nice move, but it's far from over." Houki said. "I have a feeling Conner's got something bigger planned for Ichika. Don't forget that Conner had a more powerful monster than that centaur in his deck."

"That's right. The White-Eyes Silver Dragon." Laura said.

"Maybe, but that's one card out of at least forty. That card could be anywhere in his deck. Ichika will finish this before that happens." Rin said, but that's only because they didn't know any better.

"It's your move, Conner." Ichika said.

"Very well." Conner said as he drew his next card. 'Just wait, Ichika. With what I have planned, you'll be begging for mercy.' Whatever Conner had planned, it had something to with White-Eyes Silver Dragon in his hand. "I'll start by summoning Jinba the Genie to the field." Conner summoned a red genie with him having glowing yellow eyes. It emerged on the field with it having 1800atk points. "They say your wish is a genie's command. This one is a little different, but my wish goes with what he can do."

"And just what do you wish for?" Ichika said.

"Just watch and see." Conner said. "I can't attack with him this turn, but I can send one your monsters with less attack points than him straight to the graveyard. Say goodbye to your satellite." His genie went over to Ichika's satellite and surrounded it in red smoke. When the smoke lifted into the air, the satellite was completely removed from the field.

"You activated my satellite's special ability. When it's destroyed, I am able to summon a level four or lower Infinite Stratos from my deck." Ichika said. "Rise, Infinite Stratos Blue Tears!" Blue Tears flew up to the field with her having 1600atk points.

"Not bad, but I'm not done yet." Conner said. "Jinba's ability also allows me to draw two extra cards." Conner drew two cards and played one of them. "I activate Pot of Greed. It allows me to draw two more cards." He drew those cards and was pleased with what he had. "I place two cards facedown to end my turn."

'Strange. Conner knows about Blue Tears ability. He also knows his genie is no match for Byakushiki.' Ichika thought. He thought back to his previous duels with Conner. 'One of his face-downs could be Disruptive Interruption. He could try to block damage, but he can only do it three times.'

"Well? Are you going to make a move or not?" Conner said.

"I activate Blue Tears ability. Since I have two Infinite Stratos monsters, she can deal 400 points of damage for each one!" Ichika said. Blue Tears fired lasers at Conner and blasted him as his life points dropped to 2250. "Let's see what you're really planning. Byakushiki, attack Jinba!" Byakushiki flew right at the genie with Ichika watching what he'll do.

"I reveal my trap! I play Joining the Darkness! This transforms all my monsters into dark attribute monsters." Conner said. "That means Jinba, who is a fire attribute, becomes a dark attribute." Jinba may have had it's attribute changed, but it was still destroyed and Conner's life points dropped to 850. "Thank you."

"For what?" Ichika questioned.

"Since you destroyed a dark attribute monster, this trap can now be activated." Conner said. "I activate Virus Illness! Since you just destroyed a dark monster, this trap card destroys all monsters that have more attack points than Jinba." A dark cloud came over and it affected Byakushiki he seemed sick and ended up destroyed.

"No! Byakushiki!" Ichika shouted.

"I can't believe he just destroyed Ichika's best monster!" Charlotte said.

"Conner took damage in order to get rid of Ichika's best monster. A bold move." Ryu said.

"Maybe, but he's left defenseless now, and Ichika still has one monster." Laura said.

"That isn't really going to help this turn." Conner said. "My trap weakens all monsters that remain on the field by the same number of attack points Jinba had." Blue Tears looked sick as well as she lost all her power. "Don't worry, she'll get her attack points back when your turn ends, but that means you can't attack this turn."

'Conner played that perfectly, and I walked right into it.' Ichika thought as he was starting to get anxious. 'I suppose now would be the time to play this.' He held the one card that helped him beat Conner last time: Shield Deflect. "I place one card facedown to end my turn." With it being the end of his turn, Blue Tears gained her power back.

'A face-down. That must be Shield Deflect.' Conner thought. 'I'm not going to fall for it again.' "Here I come, Orimura!" He said as he drew his next card. It was actually the card he was hoping for. "Finally, I can put you in your place."

"Oh really?" Ichika said.

"I'll show you. I summon Twin Balance Beast!" Conner said as he summoned out his black and white two-headed werewolf with 1400atk points.

"Twin Balance Beast?! I think I know what's next." Ichika said.

"His special ability activates!" Conner said. "I sacrifice him to summon a level seven or higher dark or light attribute monster from my hand! I summon White-Eyes Silver Dragon!" His wolf vanished and his dragon emerged with it's 3000atk points.

"I knew he would summon that eventually." Ichika said.

"Yes, but I have a surprise for you, Orimura." Conner said. "You've had trouble against one dragon before. How will you deal with more?"

"More?!" Ichika said as he and the others didn't like the sound of that.

"I activate Dragon Trinity! This allows me to summon the other two copies of the dragon that's on my field!" Conner said.

"You mean you have more than one?!" Ichika said with surprise. Conner wasn't bluffing as two copies of White-Eyes Silver Dragon emerged from his deck. Now Ichika has triple the trouble. "You had three copies of that card this whole time?!"

"No way!" Houki said as none of them could believe what they were seeing.

"I rarely use all three copies. You should feel special, Orimura." Conner said. "I believe I also know what that face-down of yours is. That's why I'm activating the special ability of Needle Fighter from my hand! By sending it to the graveyard, I can destroy one spell or trap card." A metal warrior covered in spikes shot right through Ichika's trap and destroyed it.

"No!" Ichika said as he was he was in real trouble now.

"That's right. I had a feeling that was the same trap you used on me before." Conner said. "You're out of luck this time. White-Eyes Silver Dragon, attack Blue Tears with Lightning Burst Blast!" One of his dragons unleashed a powerful blast of lightning and completely destroyed Blue Tears with Ichika's life points dropping all the way to 600. "There goes your last hope of beating me."

"No. He's defenseless now." Cecilia said as none of his friends liked the looks of this.

"I can't believe Conner had something like this the whole time. Brilliant strategy, hiding it until now." Laura said. This duel looked like it was just about over. Ichika can't beat three of those dragons.

"You're lucky, Orimura." Conner said. "Since I used Dragon Trinity to summon my dragons, I'm not allowed to attack you directly with them, but there's nothing you can do to stop them. You don't have a monster in your deck that can beat all three of them. Just give up." Defeat was staring Ichika right in the face in the shape of three dragons.

'Conner's played this duel well.' Ichika thought. 'He cornered me with his powerful combos, dropping my life points to a mere 600, and now he summoned three powerful monsters at once.' Ichika was starting to think he really can't win.

"No, Ichika! Don't listen to him!" Charlotte called.

"She's right! We all believe in you!" Houki said. "You just need to remember what you're fighting for."

"That's right! Remember that you're fighting for Chifuyu! She needs you!" Charlotte said.

'Chifuyu!' Ichika thought. Remembering she needs help is what's giving him the strength to keep the duel going. He placed his hand on his deck and was ready to draw his next card. "No, Conner. I will never surrender to the likes of you. I'll fight till the very end." It all comes down to his next draw.

'Good luck, Ichika.' Charlotte thought.

'You can do it.' Rin thought.

'We're with you.' Cecilia thought.

'You can win.' Laura thought.

'Just keep believing.' Ryu thought. All of his friends are with him, believed in him.

"Take him down!" Houki cheered. Ichika drew his next card with the strength to keep dueling.

"Let's finish this, Conner!" Ichika said.

To Be Continued...