The finals started with Ichika going against Hector, but Ichika's trying to hold back the spirit in his charm. He's concerned that letting him loose will hurt Hector, but it's greatly affecting his duel. Ichika is down to a mere 200LP with one face-down. Hector has three Beast-Warriors on the field. Eagrith with 2100atk points, Ralius with 1800atk points, and Panthura with 1900atk points. He also had Beast-Warrior Reflect to weaken his monsters and all of his life points.
"I've got to say that I'm pretty disappointed, Ichika." Hector said. "I was expecting more of a fight out of you."
"I'm doing my best." Ichika said.
"No you're not." Hector said. "I've seen you at your best, Ichika. This isn't it. What's going on with you? Are you even trying to win?"
"I am." Ichika said, but that really didn't sound convincing.
"If this is your best, you clearly aren't the duelist I know you as." Hector said. "Where's the guy that gives it his all? The guy who puts his heart out there?" Ichika really didn't know how to answer that.
"Hey! Stop with the mind games!" Houki said.
"I'm not. Houki, can't you see that there's something wrong here?" Hector questioned.
"I can see that you're trying to mess with Ichika's head." Houki said. "You think he's not acting like a duelist? How should he act? Like you? I'm handsome, I'm so cool. How's that?"
"Joke while you can, Houki." Hector said. "I am trying to help Ichika. Something is seriously bothering him. I want to duel Ichika when he's at his best, but he's not doing that."
"Houki, I think Hector's right. Something is wrong with Ichika." Charlotte said.
"But what?" Rin questioned.
"It's your move, Ichika, but I don't think there's much you can do. Not as the way you are now." Hector said.
"Hector, understand that I have to win." Ichika said.
"I understand, but you're not acting like it." Hector said. "Something must have happened in your last duel with Conner. Well, get over it. Conner's not your opponent now. I am."
"It's not what you think." Ichika said.
"I think it is." Hector said. "What happened Ichika? What happened in your last duel that's bothering you? Is it that you're uneasy? You're having doubts? Are you afraid?" Ichika gave a slight reaction to that. That was all Hector needed. "So that's it. Something happened and now you're afraid. Again, get over it. That fear is never going to go away unless you face it."
"That's easier said than done." Ichika said.
"Well, you better do something. You claim you have to win, but you can't." Hector said. "You can't fight two battles at once. You're so afraid of what might happen that you're not really focus on winning. If you can't focus on winning, you can't win. I may not know what happened to you, but there's no way you can win if you keep going like this! You'll never win again because you keep letting fear get the better of you!" Hector's words really hit Ichika hard, but he just isn't sure what to do.
'Maybe Hector's right.' Ichika thought. 'I'm too distracted in holding the spirit back. Maybe I'm too afraid of what might happen that I'm not really trying to win. Still, what do I do? How can I trust that the spirit won't harm someone? Can I really take a risk like that?'
'I was only trying to help.' The spirit said. 'I did what I thought needed to be done.'
'By sacrificing one life for another? No, that's not the answer.' Ichika thought.
'Ichika, I'm sorry, but if we can't work together, all will be lost.' The spirit said. Ichika doesn't want that either. All he knows is that he can't fight two battles and needed to choose. He has since there's a lot riding on him beating Peggrin. 'I promise that I won't make the same mistake.' Ichika took a chance and tapped into the power of his charm and switched places with the spirit. Now the spirit was the one in control.
"Okay, Hector. You were right. I was afraid of the outcome, but I would rather be afraid than fail." Ichika said. "It's my turn!" He drew his next card and the duel was getting serious now.
"That seems more like the Ichika I know." Hector said. "Of course, you're way behind. Better not mess up."
"I assure you that I won't." Ichika said. "I'll start by activating my face-down! I play Droid Assault! Now, during both of our main phases when I have no monsters on the field, this trap card gives me a droid token!" A jet-like robot with lasers flew out and it had 2000atk points.
"2000atk points for a token?!" Hector said.
"I won't be able to attack you directly with it, but I can still deal some damage." Ichika said. "Next, I summon Space Catapultier to the field!" Ichika summoned a four-legged machine with a catapult on the back with it having 1000atk points.
"What good is that thing going to do?" Hector said.
"I'll show you. I can sacrifice one monster to destroy one spell or trap card on the field!" Ichika said. "That's exactly what I'm going to do by sacrificing my droid!" His token was loaded on the catapult and it was taking aim. "I'm aiming to destroy your Beast-Warrior Reflect!"
"What?!" Hector said as he didn't like the sound of that.
"Fire!" The token was fired as a glass-like wall appeared, but the droid was smashed through and was able to destroy the trap. The girls and Ryu were happy to see that. That's just what Ichika would really do.
"He shattered my trap to pieces!" Hector said.
"I'm not done." Ichika said. "I place one card facedown. Then, I activate Refueled Ammo! By returning one monster on my field, as well as every card in my hand, I can draw five new cards!" He returned his catapult and his hand. He drew five new cards, but he didn't quite like what he got. 'None of these monsters can take on any of his.'
"Anything else?" Hector said.
"I end my turn." Ichika said.
"That so? Okay. My turn!" Hector said as he drew his next card.
"Since it's your turn, my trap activates and gives me another droid token." Ichika said as another one appeared on the field.
"That little robot can't help you." Hector said.
"Maybe not, but this will. I activate X Out!" Ichika said. "Since you have a total of three monsters on the field, this trap prevents you from attacking, one turn for each monster!" An X came around all three of his monsters and trapped them.
"No way! He actually played the right card that can save him!" Hector said, but his shock turn to joy. "That's more like the Ichika I know. I might not be able to attack for three turns, but I can still summon some reinforcements. Meet my best beast. I sacrifice Panthura and Ralius to summon Beast-Warrior Dragvius Dragon!" He released both of his monsters and summoned out a new monster. A giant dragon-like warrior in black armor with broad wings. It unleashed a mighty roar with it having 2500atk points. Due to Ichika's trap, it was blocked as well.
"What is that?!" Ryu said.
"That thing looks fierce and powerful!" Rin said.
"You haven't seen anything yet." Hector said. "When Dravius is summoned, his special ability activates. I can bring back two Beast-Warriors." Panthura and Ralius came back on the field. "What's more is that Dravius gains an additional 100atk points for each my warriors that's on the field." Dravius strength increased to 2800. "Since I can't attack, I'll just end my turn."
"My turn!" Ichika said as he drew his next card, but it wasn't one that could help.
"Just one moment." Hector said. "Your trap has one drawback, doesn't it? You have to pay life points to keep it on the field. You need to pay 1000LP, but you don't have that much to spare. That means you have to destroy that trap, as well as any token that came from it." Ichika's trap was destroyed with the token as well. "Seems like you're in trouble now."
'There's only one monster I have that can help me now.' Ichika thought as he had it in his hand. 'The problem is that I need to draw the right card to use it. All I can do now is play defense.' "I set a monster and that ends my turn."
"Not much you can do now, can you?" Hector said as he drew his next card. "I think I'm going to place one face-down and that's all. Your trap gets a little weaker now."
"I still have time to turn this duel in my favor." Ichika said. "My turn!" He drew his next card. It wasn't he needed, but it could help. "I play Monster Reborn! I can now bring back one monster to the field! Rise to battle Infinite Stratos Akatsubaki!" Akatsubaki appeared on the field with 2500atk points.
"Yes! That will even the odds! Akatsubaki can also give Ichika his strength back!" Houki said.
"Not bad, Ichika, but there's something you should know." Hector said.
"What?" Ichika asked.
"It's my trap!" Hector said as he played. "Leading the Charge! This trap card places it's power on Dragvius! This trap makes it so you have to attack him!"
"Does that mean Ichika doesn't have a choice? He has to attack that dragon?" Cecilia said.
"I'm afraid so. It's only going to get stronger if Ichika doesn't do something." Ryu said. "That trap of Ichika's is only going to last one more turn. Once Ichika's next turn ends, it's over."
"That next turn is now." Hector said. "Make your move Ichika because once it ends, so does X Out." If Ichika doesn't draw the card he needs to end this, it's over.
'I have only one chance at this.' The spirit thought. 'If don't draw the very card that I need, this is over. Chifuyu, Conner, and Mila will be lost. Peggrin must be stopped and I'm the only one who can stop him. Can I really do this?' He was starting to have his doubts.
'We can.' Ichika thought as they were sharing strength. 'Look up there.' They looked up at their friends and knew they were there. 'Our friends give us strength. We have them to help us. We can make it through this. I know we can because I don't feel afraid anymore.'
'You're right. We can do this.' The spirit thought as he gained courage, courage that will last forever.
"I draw!" Ichika said as he drew his card and it was the very card he needed. "Yes. First, rise to the field Kuribot!" He flipped summoned Kuribot to the field with it having 300atk points.
"What can that little toy do?" Hector said.
"He's what I need to play this. I activate the ritual spell: Infinity Stratos Ritual!" Ichika said.
"A ritual spell?!" Hector said as he wasn't expecting that.
"I must sacrifice monsters whose levels equal the monster I wish to summon! I choose level seven Akatsubaki with level one Kuribot!" Ichika said as a stone podium with two jugs appeared. Akatsubaki was pulled into one and Kuribot was pulled into the other. From the podium, a beam of light shot into the air as a new monster was being summoned. "I ritual summon Infinity Spatial Swordsman!" He summoned out a soldier wearing armor that looked like it was made out of space with a silver blade an infinity symbol on the shield. He also had 3000atk points.
"No way! He actually ritual summoned?!" Hector said as he wasn't expecting that at all.
"Go, my mighty swordsman! Attack with Infinite Blade Barrage!" Ichika said. His swordsman went on the attack as it repeatedly attacked Dragvius. It ended up destroyed and Hector's life points dropped to 3800. "There's more. When he destroys a monster, you take 300 points of damage." Hector was attacked as well as his life points dropped to 3500.
"I still got plenty of fight in me." Hector said.
"No. This duel is over. He can attack every monster that's on your field." Ichika said. That only meant one thing. "It's over! Attack!" His swordsman repeatedly attacked with his sword. He attacked every monster on the field and destroyed them. The damage all added up to Hector losing all of his life points.
"Ichika won!" Charlotte said.
"What a comeback!" Ryu said as all of his friends were real happy for him.
"Hector, thank you. You gave me the courage to face my fears, and now I can feel like I can take on any duel without any worries." Ichika said.
"Don't mention it." Hector said. "It was a great duel, Ichika. Good luck." Hector gladly accepted his defeat as he left the room. 'Funny. I never cared that much for others, but Ichika and his pals are really something.' He thought. Ichika's faith in the spirit is restored thanks to this duel. With that, he's one duel away from facing Peggrin.