Yu-Gi-Oh! ASPECT (Arc 1): Desire of the Duelist

by D'Sceptre Inc

Akaine. Percy. Save. Evy. Ceren. Tidus. These are the stories of the disgruntled and forsaken across three timelines make famous by three card-playing champions, and what they do when their grievances force them to measure up against their heroes. These are the voyages of the ASPECT.

7. Triple Play

SIGNER TIMELINE/THE SATELLITE/8:40 PM

Worse yet than the looming titan named Vitro the Masked Marvel now eyeing his Red Dragon Archfiend like a particularly troubling horsefly, Jack Atlas finally knew the reason for its master's exasperated look that had lasted several turns. "You had this as backup the entire time, didn't you?!"

The blond Signer's frantic inquiry was answered by Evy's hard-lipped smile. Drawing to her full height – with noted strain in her face as the Psychic bonds on Akiza's mouth wavered all the slightly – Evy replied. "Oh, y-you've got no idea. I'd like to thank you for making me remember the best part of beating Signers."

"And what should that be?!"

"Their dawning sense of realization as the walls cave in on them. That you're. Not. Untouchable." Evy's smile opened into a gate of gritted teeth. "And my only regret is that I'll be the second member of Arcadia to show that to Akiza!"

Both Jack and Akiza paled at this, but for different reasons. "Akiza, this girl knows you from the Movement? Are you sure they're gone!?"

Akiza struggled in her telekinetic bonds, trying to open her mouth so she could tell him that Arcadia was in fact gone and that she didn't know who this girl was, but the restraint the green-haired Psychic's Sage of Stillness had on her voice box held strong. "Don't strain your neck trying to get your words out, traitor," hissed Evy at the storm of mumbles collecting at the former Black Rose Witch's mouth. "Denying me the pleasure of wringing it will only make that a Jack Atlas problem later."

Akiza's eyes burned with rage at her venomous words. "Then continue your turn, if you think your Vitro's got the power to humble your King!" Jack yelled.

"It most certainly does, and its first special ability will guarantee it! Those metal diamonds you've no likely seen circling my colossus are Advent Counters, and once a turn I can give it two more to cut a thousand Attack Points from each of your monsters! Go, Marvelous Mark!"

Vitro's askew mask glowed with a sickly green light – and the hedrons circling around it multiplied to nine – as scars of the same color sprang upon Jack's twin Archfiends. [R.D. Archfiend ATK: 3000 - 2000] [S.S. Archfiend ATK: 2500 - 1500]

Jack raised an eyebrow at this. Evy took no notice. "Since Vitro's seven-counter boost came from my discarded Terrai, the Torque Groundskeeper, however, it's the only monster that can attack this turn – which'll be one too many for your Red Dragon to handle! Vitro, take that dragon down!"

Raising its silver sword at the weakened Synchro Monster, Vitro started charging… only to crash face-first of a glowing wall of glass-like light. "What gives?!"

"You mean besides your monster's lame attack?" Jack quipped. "I knew that throwing out fodder for your Torque monsters on the field was meant for something you were going to use to destroy my Red Dragon Archfiend, and my 'Red Screen' Trap Card will keep it alive!" Continuous Trap now active, he looked up at his cursed Synchro Monsters. "And since that was your only attack this turn…"

"…that means my turn is over," Evy's smile rose again. "But not before I banish my 'Survival of the Swiftest' Spell Card from my Graveyard to add another 'Torque' Spell Card from my Deck to my hand! I'll choose 'Torque Stratoscouting' for this purpose, then Set 1 card and end my turn!"

Jack had only gotten a glimpse of Torque Stratoscouting, but he had his own way of forcing the issue. He drew for his turn and said, "I activate the 'Scarlet Security' Spell Card to destroy every Spell and Trap Card you control!"

"What?!" uttered Evy, taken aback as Jack's confidence grew in the face of the paladin's shock. "Did you think I only relied on my monsters for destruction? Hardly! Now let's see how powerful your Torque is without your Torquia and your Stratoscouting!"

"I'll activate Stratoscouting in response, then!" retorted Evy, to which the Quick-Play Spell Card flipped up immediately, even while the whipping heat of Scarlet Security started ripping apart the emerald tower behind her. "Now I look through the top five cards of my Deck, and shuffle Spell and Trap Cards from your field into the Deck for each Wind monster I reveal!" Showing her five revealed cards, a slight twitch flashed across the Psychic's face from her continuing strain on her powers – and at the solitary monster among them. "It's enough – say goodbye to your Red Screen!"

Jack's Continuous Trap was gusted into the Deck as Evy's magnificent Torquia finally crumbled into flaming ruin. "And thanks to my 'Cecily Machtenn, the Torque Commandant' returning back to the Deck, I can make your Supercharged Skull Archfiend's power even more laughable!"

The powerful magic of the Psychic Torque monster would surge into the Synchro Monster's bones, switching its already weakened Attack Points with its even lower Defense Points. [S.S. Archfiend ATK/DEF: 1500/1200 -1200/1500] Jack, however, was far from done. "Fine by me – after all, the activation of 'Scarlet Security' gives my Skull Archfiend another thousand Attack Points for the turn!" [S.S. Archfiend ATK: 1200 - 2200] The Skull Archfiend's roar of triumph matched the look on his face perfectly. "And even though your Vitro's Attack Points are higher, the rest of your front row is mine! Supercharged Skull Archfiend, take out that prima donna's Donna Fairbreeze with your Supercharged Shock Treatment!"

Donna was soon engulfed in a cone of blistering bolts, and her cries were cut short by her shattering into pieces. [Evy's LP: 3400 - 2700] Ignoring the glowing lines of several parts of Evy's silver armor fading to black from the assault, Jack looked to his ace. "Now Red Dragon Archfiend, it's time Ariana saw your strength! Attack with Absolute Powerforce!"

Ariana quickly joined Donna in Evy's Graveyard, her scowl and lowered stance a testament to the Red Dragon Archfiend's forceful blow. [Evy's LP: 2700 - 2200] "Now I'll activate the Normal Spell 'Cards of Inner Reflection' to banish the 'Force Resonator' from my Graveyard to draw two cards and discard one!" Discarding 'Vice Berserker' as a result, Jack then eyed his newly-gained Normal Spell Card. "Next, I'll activate 'Resonator Call'! I'll use it to add 'Corona Resonator' from my Deck to my hand, then Normal Summon it to the field! Now, since it was Summoned this way, it loses a Level, but gains five hundred Attack Points, and so does any Synchro Monster I make using it!" His newest red-eyed fiend popped up on the field, its body framed by a fan-shaped web of metal adorned with silver musical notes, and a blue crescent adorning its robes. [LIGHT/Fiend/Tuner/Level 3-2/900 - 1400 ATK/300 DEF] "And that Level shift will make it perfect fodder for my new great Synchro Monster."

Both Evy and Akiza stared dumbfounded at Jack at this, but only the green-haired Psychic would respond. "You mean you've got a way to make that wretched dragon even more powerful?"

"Try not to sound too defeated, Evy, because once I tune my Level Eight Red Dragon Archfiend and my Level Two Corona Resonator…" Both monsters aligned together and were swallowed up by a vertical column of light that soon became thick with flames and ash. "…defeating you will be my 'RED RISING ARCHFIEND'S' JOB!"

Cinders gave way and light ebbed to reveal the Level Ten behemoth, its similar visage to the Red Dragon Archfiend's armor only eclipsed by the pair of red-and-black swords it quickly leveled at Vitro's head. Immediately, Corona Resonator's power surged through its form. [DARK/Fiend/Synchro/Level 10 - 9/3500 - 4000 ATK/2500 DEF] "Thanks to its Synchro Summon, Red Dragon Archfiend makes a comeback as well – all three thousand points of him!" With that, the revitalized dragon stormed out to join its fiendish brethren, back at full power."And through Red Rising Archfiend's latent ability, no other monster with twenty-five hundred or more Attack Points can touch it with their abilities, so Red Dragon Archfiend will not be destroying it today! Now I Set one card to end the turn – and since I am, allow me to properly pay you back for your venom!"

Red Rising Archfiend then sheathed one of its swords, jutted out one of its fists toward the green-haired Psychic, palm-up, and all of its outstretched fingers curled in, giving Evy a double deuce the likes of which no one had ever seen before. Akiza's mouth fell open. Did Jack's Archfiend just give Evy the finger?!

"Flattery will get you nowhere." Evy's visor was the only thing keeping Jack from seeing the full extent of her rage. "And just in case you thought I couldn't see that because I was blind…" Both of Evy's longest fingers went up to mirror Red Rising Archfiend's. "Arcadia tech says hi." Drawing immediately, Evy turned to her nearly-bare field. "Now I activate Vitro's ultimate ability! By removing seven of its Advent Counters, it lets me bring out three monsters from my Deck to bring YOUR Archfiends to heel!"

With a vicious sweep of its sword, Vitro impaled the ground with its blade, and the green rift that it brought forth dissipated to reveal 'Archendo, the Torque Mythic', 'Makiu, the Torque Shield', and 'Cecily Machtenn, the Torque Commandant'. [Cecily/WIND/Warrior/Level 3/600 ATK/2000 DEF] [Makiu/WIND/Spectre/Level 3/1050 ATK/2000 DEF] [Archendo/WIND/Beast-Warrior/Tuner/Level 3/1300 ATK/1400 DEF] "Thanks to Summoning another Spectre-Type monster in Makiu, I can draw another card!" Two cards now in hand, Evy forcefully clasped her hands together in glee. "And I think you know what's coming next."

Akiza's eyes widened, both in fear of the likely debut of the Torque Triumvirate and of a new way to bypass the Sage of Silence's vocal stranglehold. Whipping out a tube of lipstick, the ex-Black Rose Witch scribbled a message on the rim of her Duel Disk, and then stamped her foot on the ground loudly enough to get Jack's attention. The eyes of the blond boy saw the words on Akiza's Disk - IT'S JARIN, DYNAS, AND HOI – IF SHE SUCCEEDS, SHE'LL WIN. "Wait, you've seen it before?!" Jack spluttered. "Tell me what it does, and quickly. We don't have much time!"

Akiza readied her lipstick tube for another spoiler, but Evy was faster. "What did I say about pissing me off, Black Rose?!" And with a sweep of her other hand from her pocket, another monster was laid on the floor, the revealed 'Sage of Stillness' now materializing to life and raising his staff as well.

Immediately, Akiza was frozen to the spot, her eyes darting around wildly. "Let her go, NOW!" roared Jack. Evy took no notice, what with the shocks coming from her armor. "W-when I'm through with you, J-Jack. Since she's such a b-blabbermouth, time for a change in plans! I tune my Level Three trio of Cecily, Ma-Makiu, and the Tuner Archendo…"

A second later, the luminescent column consumed the three Torque monsters. "…to Synchro Summon my 'Urarious, the Torque Legend'!" Finally, the mighty WIND chimera emerged from the array, taking point alongside the Masked Marvel and the Torque Enforcer. [WIND/Beast/Synchro/Level 9/2800 ATK/2950 DEF] "Now with this on board, I shuffle my 'Glade and Grove, the Torque Tandem' from my hand into the Deck, to Summon another Torque duo from my Graveyard: 'Chao and Stride, the Torque Pacesetters'!"

This time, the horse-cavalry duo pushed forth onto the field, prowling the turf like the Satellite was their yard. [WIND/Beast-Warrior/Tuner/Level 4/1900 ATK/1100 DEF] "And since I have, Urarious's Pride of the Swiftest ability will strengthen every Torque monster I have by three hundred Attack and Defense Points for each of your monsters!"

Urarious, Alin, and Chao and Stride all raised their head to the blackened skies, their intermingling bellows belaying their power. [Urarious ATK/DEF: 2800/2950 - 3700/3850] [Alin ATK/DEF: 1800/0 - 2700/900] [Chao & Stride ATK/DEF: 1900/1100 - 2800/2000] Evy bit back another grunt of pain, then continued. "Now, with Vitro to help me cut your monsters down to size with its Marvelous Mark again, I can permanently dethrone a King tonight!" [Vitro Counters: 1- 3] [Red Dragon Archfiend ATK: 3000 - 2000] [S.S. Archfiend ATK: 1200 - 200]

Jack tensed. I know I can beat back this attack, but it'll have to be in a specific order or I might not have the Life Points to survive this! Come on, take the bait…

"Now Urarious, destroy that Supercharged Skull Archfiend and hand me my victory!"

Perfect! Jack tapped another button on his Duel Disk. "I activate 'Changing Destiny'! With this Trap Card's power, I can change Urarious to Defense Mode, and that's where it'll stay while it remains on the field! Then you choose whether to inflict damage to me or gain Life Points equal to half of that monster's Attack Points! Make your choice, Evy!"

"Clever, but I know that other Set card's Crimson Fire, and you'll plan to reverse that damage anyways! So I'll gain myself eighteen hundred and fifty Life Points!" [Evy's LP: 2200 - 4050] "I guess destroying Supercharged Skull will be Alin's duty then! Strike with your Torque Shredder!"

One swipe of the gigantic war ax that the Torque Enforcer wielded, and the skeletal Synchro Monster of Jack's was lost in the wind. [Jack's LP: 4000 - 1500]

Jack tumbled back almost a foot – and almost into the path of Trudge's motorcycle. "Whoa, now! I'll help you up – but do you mind telling me who you're Dueling now?" Trudge's gaze then moved left. "And why Akiza looks like she's seen a – AND WHY THAT GHOST IS THE SIZE OF A SKYSCRAPER?!"

"It's hers," Jack explained, nodding towards Evy. "She's Psychic and psycho, and the sooner we free Akiza from her, the better!" He staggered back to his spot in front of Evy. "And when I'm done with that, I'm gonna find out what her group's doing here and why they need an Advent Monster that big to do it!"

Ignoring Trudge's inquiry about what an Advent Monster was, Evy turned to her horseback monster. "Chao and Stride, Jack seems to not know, or care, about when he's beaten. Take down his Synchro –again – and refresh his memory."

One Double-Edged Dash attack later, and Jack was sent sliding back once more, though his feet remained on solid ground this time. [Jack's LP: 1500 - 700] "Now I end my turn by tuning my Level Four Torque Pacesetters and Enforcer to create the Level Eight 'Miranda Cleartear, the Torque Reignholder'!"

This time, the light pillars brought forth a majestic dragon-like figure, holding a staff as long as the Masked Marvel was tall. [WIND/Fairy/Synchro/2400 ATK/2400 DEF] Wait, with the power those two Torque monsters had, why'd she give them up for one weaker than both? Jack pursed his lips, deep in thought. It's her last bluff, and I have the perfect way to call it now."Hey, Trudge!" he snapped.

The beginnings of a snarl drew its way across Trudge's face, but Jack's next words set his mind at ease. "The second I start in with my Red Rising Archfiend next turn, grab Akiza and get out of here! I'll be right behind you, but I'm not risking her getting hurt by this chick any more than she already has!"

"A pity you're not saving yourself, crownless," sneered Evy as she stood up again, making as much of an effort as much as her shorting armor would allow her. "I Set one card f-face-down and end my turn. Your move."

Jack drew, then focused his eyes on Evy. "Y'know, it's actually not often that someone forces me towards all these new strategies! So for this last turn, I'll allow you the privilege of going down to a third-time charm! I activate 'Return of the Dragon Lords' to bring back my Red Dragon Archfiend so we can kick this Duel into overdrive!"

The power of the Normal Spell Card brought forth a blinding cloud of sparkles. An instant later, the shimmering shroud gave way to reveal the mighty Dragon-Type Synchro Monster."Almighty, those Archfiends of yours are like a bad rash!" hissed Evy as she gave a cursory glance at her face-down card.

"And now, I'll use my 'Red Cocoon' to give my Red Dragon Archfiend some proper protection!" Normal Trap Card in play, Jack pointed at Miranda. "Take out that pretender with Absolute Powerforce!"

Red Dragon Archfiend's glowing right claw grew in intensity to the point of almost blinding both duelists and their two witnesses. Without wasting time, it charged at the Fairy-Type Synchro Monster.

But Evy had other plans. "And now, my Torque Reignholder will make you regret it! Thanks to its Swift Takeover superpower, I can destroy any monster with a different Attribute than it, then take its Attribute as its own!"

"It would, if not for my Return of the Dragon Lords' ability to take the blow! I can remove it from the game to prevent Red Dragon Archfiend's destruction!" Jack retorted.

"But what will save you from my 'Retrospectre' Trap Card?" At Evy's words, her Normal Trap Card sprang to life. "It can be used to replace my Miranda Cleartear with another Spectre-Type monster from my hand or Graveyard – like my 'Terrai, the Torque Groundskeeper'! And thanks to Urarious, even though it's in Defense Mode, both it and my Terrai will get even more powerful!"

Urarious growled in compliance – then pain, as the shocking red lightning from Red Dragon Archfiend's new plating sent it to its haunches. "Good luck with that happening!" Jack yelled. "Red Cocoon negates every monster effect of yours upon the equipped monster's attack, including your Torque Legend! But thank you anyway, for giving my Red Dragon Archfiend another target!" With Red Dragon Archfiend's claw tearing through it, Terrai was destroyed as soon as it debuted. "And let's not forget, its destruction will take every monster you've got with it that's in Defense Mode!"

"Like my Urarious…" Evy's voice was low and thick with disbelief as her powerful Synchro Monster finally cried its last, consumed in the wake of the Archfiend's inferno. "Now that that eyesore's off the map, it's time your Advent Monster joined it! Red Rising Archfiend, attack with Absolute Powerslash!"

On command, the Fiend-Type Synchro Monster took both swords and struck Vitro, its weapons slicing clear through Vitro's sword, mask, and body in one fluid motion. [Evy's LP: 4050 - 2950] Evy, in the throes of another furious attack, reached for her wildly sparking Vitro card as its visage shattered apart above her. Looking bleakly on the smoking cardboard of what once was an intact Advent Monster, the Psychic paladin stashed it within her pants pocket and turned back to Jack. But before she could utter another word, Red Rising Archfiend summoned two speedometer rings around itself that soon burned white-hot. "And for yet another of Red Rising's parting gifts, it can hit you for five hundred points of damage for each Tuner in both our Graveyards! That's three in my Graveyard-"

"-and two in Evy's!"

Jack and Trudge both whipped their heads around to face the now-freed but otherwise stock-still Akiza Izinski, the return of her voice music to their ears. "Don't worry, I'm at a loss too! But if your attacks got her powers to wane, maybe this can finish it!"

Jack nodded, then turned back to the panicking Evy, looking at the Sage of Silence that now no longer seemed to hold the red-haired Psychic's tongue. "Hear that? That's what the walls caving in sounds like! Now, Red Rising Archfiend, unleash your Crimson Backlash!"

Both glowing speedometer rings propelled out and cut through the green-haired Psychic, sending her flying back in an explosion that soon eclipsed her from view. Trudge pumped his gloved fists upward in celebration. "Finally, Jack! You've managed to do it again!"

"Not… quite sure he did…" Akiza barely managed to say. Sure enough, Evy staggered out of that cloak of dust, a look of utter rage twisting her face. [Evy's LP: 2950 - 450] "Y… you think I've lost now?! I'm the last of Arcadia, and I'll see you go down before it does! And as soon as my… my turn begins…"

Unbeknownst to Evy, her Duel Disk-holding arm, still limp at her side, was emitting a strange glow. Only Akiza and Trudge noticed the omen, and only the Sector Security officer could properly respond. "Hey Akiza, is that supposed to be something Psychic Duelists do!?"

"No, it's not. That only happened before…" Akiza's mind scrambled for an answer, but Jack was not waiting for it. "Between these Archfiends of mine, you've got nothing in your Deck to help you! And the second I win, you'll see that all your efforts to beat me aren't worth-"

"JACK, LOOK OUT! SHE'S ABOUT TO BURST!"

The blond's head slowly turned to meet Akiza. "Would say that's already happened several turns ago, but I'm not scared of a little temper tant-"

"It has nothing to do with that!" Akiza's pupils were shrinking, and not just from the strain of having to close and open them. "It's called a Psychic Burst, and it only happens when we exert too much power all at once!" Mustering her strength, she called out to Evy."Evy, stop the Duel, you're in danger!"

"NO!" Evy's voice cracked from the force of her lungs straining. "Danger reached my shores the second I decided you were my friend! And then you rewarded it by bringing down the building that MADE YOU on us all! Now shut up and STAY DO-"

BZZT!

Suddenly sparks shot out from Evy's pocket and constricted around her body, causing her threat to end in a heart-piercing shriek of torment. Akiza instantly fell forward, the Sage of Stillness's spell as broken as Evy's body was becoming. "W-what's happening to m-me?!" the green-haired Duelist yelled.

Trudge reached out to help Akiza up. "Don't tell me this is the Psychic Burst!"

"I've never seen any like this – I think her tech's malfunctioned!" Akiza yelled. "Jack, we have to save her! I know what she's done to me, but no one deserves this!"

"…arrrgh! Bleeding hearts of the world, unite!" replied Jack as he stepped forward, only to be sent staggering sideways from the glowing fury of the bolts now reaching to the sky. Out of this, however, a fifth voice rang out from Evy's Duel Disk. "EVY! EVY, COME IN! WHAT'S HAPPENING?! I can't move to your location!"

"Who's THIS, now?!" yelled Jack. It could barely be heard above the tortured chorus of "Makeitstopmakeitstop!", as Evy desperately ripped off her visor, her eyes revealing the blank, milky hue that confirmed her blindness.

"I'm finding Viral and Ehris! We're getting you out of there! Hold on!" The radio in Evy's Duel Disk went silent – a mercy she could not share, as a bolt blew out from her convulsing body and snaked its way toward Jack.

Before it could connect, a pair of hands pushed the blond out of the way. "TRUDGE, NO!" But Akiza's cry came too late. The head of Sector Security was caught in the lightning, and in a flash, both he and Evy disappeared, the storm dying down following their sudden exit. Both Jack and Akiza stared in numbed shock at the area that had once been a party to literally and figuratively the most charged Duel in both their lives.

Another lance of light cut their ruminations short, one on the highway near the half-finished Daedalus Bridge. "If that's Yusei…!" Jack didn't dare consider that dreaded possibility further. He rushed to Akiza's side as the redhead studied the Sages and visor left on the ground by Evy and Trudge's disappearance, and guided her back to his Duel Runner by the arm as the two of them clambered into it. "We can worry about Trudge later, Akiza! If what's happened to him and Evy is happening to Yusei, we have to save him now! Hold on!"

With a gunning of engines, Jack's tires spun manically as he and Akiza sped off towards the anomaly. Soon after, Akiza spoke up. "You know, it's been about two hours since I met that girl, and I still don't know…"

---

NUMBER TIMELINE/ASTRAL WORLD/?

"What in the name…"

"...of all thing sacred…."

"…IS THAT GIANT THING?!"

As new monsters appeared in front of Mizar's eyes, a chorus of cries sprang up from his own compatriots – specifically, Dumon, Alito, and Girag. Thanks to the latter's help, the three of them had finally scaled the tower separating him, Percy, and the emerging Advent Monster. Needless to say, they were looking to keep their distance from the cybernetic paladin looming over Percy's head."Seems your troupe is just in time," he remarked, looking directly at the stock-still Mizar. "You know, it'd be a real shame if they saw my monster end you. If you want, I'll let you surrender now and spare them the trauma."

Mizar blankly stared back at him, then scowled. "The answer is no!" he said firmly."Now tell me what that monstrosity is!"

"Oh, this?" And suddenly, the prophet's eyes turned toward his Android. "It's the newest form of the Airknight Parshath, given new life through the power of the Advent! And good luck overpowering it though combat – no battle will destroy it! The real benefit of this card, however, is in why I devoted three cards to make it."

"That'd be nice to hear…" said Vector, folding his arms.

"Well then," said Percy, "Have a look at its three hedrons!" He pointed to where a trio of diamond-like structures circled beneath the Android within a golden circle of light that flickered in and out of existence. "Those are Advent Counters, and my Parshath gained one for each card used for its Advent Summon. Much like Overlay Units, they serve to magnify my monster's power! But unlike any Xyz Monsters you could Summon..."

And with a pop, two more glowing hedrons sprang up to orbit Android Knight Parshath, bringing its total to five. "…my monster can gain more thanks to its Air Apparent special ability, which also allows me to declare a card type – like say, monsters – and immunize it from the effects of other cards with that type for this turn and the next! It also lets me draw a card to continue my crusade…"

With this, Percy drew. "And that draw gave me the Spell Card 'Remembrance', which lets me put a Spellcaster-Type 'Maedas' monster from my Deck into my Graveyard to add a Fairy-Type 'Maedas' monster from the Deck to my hand! So 'Neron, Reverend of Maedas' will provide the sacrifice for my 'Saint Oletta, Blightspotter of Maedas' to come to my hand!"

"What's that all for then?" Dumon pondered. "He already made his Normal Summon for the turn, so wouldn't this have been better used on his next turn with a new card?"

"Glad you asked cur, because thanks to the fact the total Levels of the Fairy-Type Light monsters I control is exactly six, my Neron can come out from the Graveyard in Attack Mode to bolster my forces!" With another flash of light, the shield-bearing redhead took point next to Percy's Advent Monster. [Neron/LIGHT/Fairy/Level 6/1100 ATK/2600 DEF] "Oh, by the way – Neron has a terrain-changing ability as well! Now watch as she makes the Zone beneath her a Charge Zone!" And with that, a symbol representing a golden lightning bolt jutted out behind her form. "With that, I end my turn!"

"Finally!" Mizar drew once more, gave another look to the still-struggling Kite, and then continued his turn apace with four cards in hand. "First off, since I control a Dragon-Type Dark monster, I can bring forth another of my new Neutrino monsters – 'Neutrino Clipper', in Defense Mode!"

Another red flash came forth from a red X being slashed out in thin air in front of him, before splitting open to reveal a red-haired warrior that matched Neron in height and armor. [Clipper/DARK/Warrior/Level 2/200 ATK/2200 DEF] "Thanks to Neutrino Clipper's Special Summon, it gains two Levels, becomes a Dragon-Type monster itself, and affords me the special ability to let me use any 'Neutrino' Spell or Trap Card in my hand during either turn!" Mizar smiled. "But right now, you've got bigger problems afoot. See, you've endangered my rival and insulted the Galaxy-Eyes lineage, so now it's time I repay those in kind! I Set one monster on my field, then reveal the 'Galaxy-Eyes Neutrino Dragon' in my hand to flip up that Set monster with its special ability. Behold, 'Galaxy-Eyes Asteroidragon'!" A dwarf-like dragon popped up, its silver skin and bright innocent eyes a betrayal to its true potential. [Asteroidragon/DARK/Dragon/Level 1/300 ATK/250 DEF]

At this point, it was impossible between Mizar and Percy to see which of their eyes showed more rage. The former would continue his turn without taking his eyes off the latter, which would make his moves all the more trained.

"Galaxy-Eyes... what now?!" The splutter finally broke Mizar's focus back to Kite.

"Morning, Kite," Mizar teased, finally turning to see Kite propped up by Orbital 7 forming around him. "But yes, sadly, I had to use my new cards against someone else. See, I've been putting them together since our last encounter. I was hoping to debut my new Galaxy-Eyes dragon against you…" Mizar turned back to face Percy. "… but perhaps it making an example of this whelp will prove to you how strong it is."

"Don't count on it," Percy snorted. "Remember, Parshath can't be destroyed by battle or monster effects, so you've got no way to bring it down!"

"Who said Parshath was my target?" Mizar smirked at the news. "My Asteroidragon will ensure I have all the tools I need to put down everything else! See, its Flip ability allows me to storm the field with a Level Eight Dragon-Type monster from my Deck, like my 'Nebula Dragon'!"

Four glowing blue wings signaled the appearance of this great golden wyvern. [Nebula Dragon/LIGHT/Dragon/Level 8/2000 - 0 ATK/2500 DEF] "Of course, Asteroidragon's ability drains my Nebula Dragon's Attack Points to zero, but that's not going to matter pretty soon – because my Neutrino Clipper's third ability activates, allowing me to Special Summon a Dark Xyz Monster to your field and a 'Neutrino' monster from my Deck to mine, so long as either their Attack Points are one and the same! So it looks like you'll be getting an early glimpse of 'Galaxy Stealth Dragon'…" A red hue fell over the battlefield as the black and gold dragon unfolded from the symbol high above both Duelists. [Galaxy Stealth/DARK/Dragon/Xyz/Rank 4/2000 ATK/1600 DEF] "…while I Summon 'Neutrino Dirac' to my field in Attack Mode!"

To meet the Xyz Monster's arrival, a colossal beast with silver armor and a giant face-plate mask crawled out of a rift behind the Astral tower, scaling it with disturbing speed and nearly sending Alito into cardiac when it reached the top where they were. [Dirac/DARK/Dragon/Level 6/2000 ATK/2400 DEF] "Dirac's arrival will allow me to draw another card! What's more, since I activated the effect of a 'Neutrino' card this turn, its latent power jumps its Level to Eight as well! But it'll be my Heliosphere and Nebula Dragons that I use to build the Overlay Network, thanks to Heliosphere's ability to double its Level while I control a Level Eight Dragon-Type monster!"

As the nebula cloud formed once again, both dragons turned into comets of light and swam into the cavity in the center of the Network before it exploded with light. "I call on the power of the Glorious Seven, unchained from our former master, to bring forth my great beast – a cosmic force you have never witnessed before and will never scorn again! Come forth, 'Number One Hundred and Seven: GALAXY-EYES TACHYON DRAGON'!"

A giant purple pyramid-shaped symbol descended from the sky and unfolded into a mechanical dragon, its cybernetic cry nearly shattered the eardrums of Girag. [Number 107/LIGHT/Dragon/Xyz/Rank 8/3000 ATK/2500 DEF] Percy's eyes narrowed into pinpricks upon its presence. "So this is the breed of dragons my enemy used to card away my flock. It'd be fascinating if it weren't tainted by the likes of you."

"After what you've done to Kite for the relative little he's done to you, you are not one to talk!" Mizar shot back, indignant.

Percy just snorted. "Small words from a smaller man. But my Neron will endure anyway, as the Charge Zone it's in gives it a thousand extra Attack Points while you control a Special Summoned monster! And the natural power of my Maedas monsters prevents their effects from being negated by other monsters' effects!"

"Don't worry then, my Tachyon Dragon's special ability will put its power back down again – go, 'Tachyon Transmigration'!" As Tachyon Dragon's reverted into its sealed form once more, lightning lashed and paralyzed Neron and Dragulas. "This will neutralize Dragulas's abilities, and since your Neron activated its ability, my Galaxy-Eyes monster will gain an edge of its own – one thousand Attack Points for the rest of this turn and another attack!"

As Percy's face paled, Mizar's grin grew alongside his Tachyon Dragon's power. [Tachyon Dragon ATK: 3000 - 4000] "Now my Galaxy-Eyes, burn away Percy's ill-gained Xyz Monster with your 'Tachyon Stream of Destruction'!"

One blast of purple light later, and Galaxy Stealth Dragon was dust in Mizar's Graveyard. [Percy's LP: 3800 - 1800]. Percy, however, was undeterred by the onslaught. "A pity. I discard Saint Oletta, the Blightspotter of Maedas in conjunction with Dragulas's destruction to end the Battle Phase, and any further assault your dragon could make!"

"Fine by me, your Life Points are in shoddy enough shape. I Set one card and end my turn!" Mizar grinned. With Tachyon Dragon, Neutrino Clipper, and Neutrino Dirac bolstering my forces, and two cards still in my hand, this field would spell the end for any opponent who dares to face me!

But Percy's grin as he drew his next card, however, belied how non-typical a foe he was. "Seems I'll get to end the Galaxy-Eyes line sooner than I thought! First, I'll re-use Android Knight Parshath's ability to give it another two Advent Counters, draw a card, and give it monster effect immunity for another two turns!"

The Advent Counters circling the Fairy-Type Advent Monster grew to seven. "Now to put those counters to use! See, not only can I put them on my Advent Monsters, but I can also take them away, to fuel even more effects! Like the six I'm taking off my Android Knight for its ultimate ability, which lets me draw another two cards as well as give Parshath five hundred Attack Points for each monster you control! I count three, how about you?"

Mizar's face fell as six of Parshath's hedrons disappeared and its Attack Points rose to eventually exceed those of his Number. [Parshath's ATK: 2100 - 3600] "That Android Knight will not be alone, however! Now that I've taken advantage of your field, it's time to thin it! I activate my – no, OUR – glorious Field Spell, called 'Our City of Enlightenment, Maedas'!"

A glorious palace sprang to life behind the prophet, nearly eclipsing the Astral tower in its size and radiance. "And since it's on the field, so is the Level Six "Saint Azriel, Euphoria of Maedas' in my hand, thanks to its special ability!"

An angel with an elaborate shield depicting an arched golden cherub came up next to the Android Knight and Neron. [St. Azriel/LIGHT/Fairy/Level 6/2200 ATK/2200 DEF] "Two Level Six monsters? That means…" The words failed on Girag's lips, only to come to life on Percy's. "Correct, corrupt one! Now I'll build the Overlay Network with my Level Six Saint Azriel and Neron!" Again, the nebula rift opened above both Duelists, sucking in the twin heralds as streaks of golden light before imploding. "It's time to bring some glory to this Duel! I won't give in, and neither will my Rank Six 'Desaugeo, Sacred Serpent of Maedas'!"

A gigantic white dragon with golden horns took perch on the edge of the building holding Percy and the former Barians, its glare not wavering from Neutrino Dirac. [Desaugeo/LIGHT/Dragon/Rank 6/2900 ATK/1900 DEF] "Well now it's a contest, isn't it?" Mizar remarked, noting their monsters' equal strengths.

"Yes, quite." Percy's grin finally faded. "A shame that your monster has to fall so that other Duelists can know peace." Thrusting his arm forward, he went on. "I activate Desaugeo's ability! Upon being Summoned, it allows me to turn five other Zones on the field into Strike Zones!" As foretold, the same horns atop the Sacred Serpent's head sprouted on each side of every one of Mizar's Monster Zones save for Tachyon Dragon's and the Spell & Trap Zone that held his Set card. For what, was Mizar's next intended request. "Missing my Tachyon Dragon on purpose? It seems you wish to save him for your oversized robot."

"I'll remember that, Mizar – especially when Desaugeo takes out everything around your Dragon! See, I can use one of its Overlay Units to destroy every card in the Strike Zones! Go, Sacred Shinedown!"

With a roar to match its size, Desaugeo lowered its head and let out a thick shower of sparkling gold from its maw – one that would soon turn into a barrage of razor-sharp spikes careening for Mizar's cards. Or at least they would have, had a barrier not sprang into life between the two Neutrino monsters and the fatal storm of shrapnel crashing upon them. "What gives?!" yelled Percy.

"Thanks to you bringing an Xyz Monster on the field," explained Mizar, "I can use an Overlay Unit from my Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon to activate the 'Neutrino Dowsing' Trap Card from my hand, thanks to my Clipper! Now by sending a Normal Spell Card from my Deck to the Graveyard, I can replicate its effect! And the card I chose is 'Stand-Off'!"

"Huh. Mind sheddin' a little light as to why the doomsayer's going mute?" Alito asked of Dumon.

"Simply put," answered Dumon, adjusting his glasses, "It makes Percy's Sacred Serpent useless. Stand-Off takes two monsters on the field, negates their effects, then prevents them from being destroyed by battle, attacking, changing their Battle Positions or benefiting from other card effects! If Mizar picked correctly, then his targets should be..."

"… your Desaugeo and my Neutrino Dirac!" Mizar finished as the Xyz Monster and the Level Six Neutrino monster were suddenly surrounded by fields of electricity arcing between them. "Very interesting," Dumon continued. "One would think to make Tachyon Dragon one of the targets of Stand-Off. After all, Android Knight Parshath looks ready to destroy it, and this effect would have protected it."

"He's got something planned," said a voice. "I know he does."

Dumon turned around to see Vector right behind him. "Two other things might need to be addressed too. The first is that Kite – who's still very unconscious, by the way – hasn't been taken out of danger, despite you guys having several minutes to do so."

Alito nearly choked on his own saliva at the revelation. "W-wait, you're right! Girag, the second the attack breaks, you an' I are going in!" Girag nodded furiously in response.

"And the second, Vector?" Dumon curiously asked. Vector shrugged. "Depends on what Mizar does now. You're right, Stand-Off coulda saved Tachyon Dragon – we've gotta see how important that Set card was that Mizar used his best Neutrino Trap to keep it in play." He turned to Dumon, shocking the white-haired youth with his serious look. "And speaking of fire, I'm sure the back of my neck's warm enough without you trying to laser holes in it."

"I've not forgotten what happened the last time I had my guard down around you," Dumon simply replied, turning his eyes away from his orange-haired ally. "But since Marin and Nash's reactions to you imply you've changed…"

"What changed is that I'm not being manipulated anymore!" said Vector as his eyes turned down. "Look, I get it, I wronged you guys. I've said how sorry I am a thousand times. But I'm also tired of you guys using that as a reason to keep me in order! Every time I offer to do something to redeem myself, you guys shoot me down like you don't want me to, like you'd much rather keep me in the doghouse than give me a chance to do something to make it up to you, and sometimes I think you have no intention of ever letting me out!"

"It's not like that-" Dumon began before Vector cut him off. "Then what is it like?" the orange-haired youth demanded to know. Dumon readjusted his glasses and resumed speaking… only for nothing to come out as he realized Vector was exactly right.

"Y'know guys, he's kinda right," said Girag. "I mean, I'd feel pretty mad if you kept me on a leash like that with no plan of lettin' me off. And besides, it's not like any of us know what's goin' on. I say give him a chance."

"Same," said Alito. "I'd rather err on trusting him again than putting him through something like that anyway."

Vector exchanged looks with his fellow comrades-in-arms, the gratitude in his eyes so apparent that no way of articulating it could do it justice. "Thank you," he said softly before turning to Dumon. "Well?" he asked. Dumon looked between Alito and Girag before finally turning back to face Vector. "That's not how this works," he said.

"What the heck?!" burst out Vector. "I've been working my ass off trying to get back into your good graces! Just let me help so I can atone already!"

"It's great that you're eager to atone Vector, but there's something you're not understanding," said Dumon, his body tense."You do not get to decide when and how your debt is paid. That's the whole point of you being in our bad books to begin with; if you could decide when you've atoned, you wouldn't be in the doghouse for very long, would you?"

Vector took awhile to register Dumon's profound question. "But still, it's obvious from how you treat me that you've no intent of forgiving me Dumon, and I don't get it. Nash has forgiven me, Mizar's forgiven me, Marin's forgiven me, and so have these two. You're the only holdout - something's gotta give."

"I don't know," replied Dumon, holding up a hand to silence Vector, Alito, and Girag's protests. "I can't forgive you just because everyone else has, Vector. I just can't. What you did was unconscionable. While we were Barians I could tell by looking at you that you would've done it even without Don Thousand messing with you. And if I just forgave you because everyone pressured me to, it would be insincere, and you wouldn't understand how much you hurt me and everyone else. You're right that it's bad to lead you on with false hope of being forgiven Vector, but speaking from deep down in my heart of hearts, I'm just not there yet. And honestly…" He paused for a moment. "…I don't know if I ever will. And if I don't, well… you'll just have to live with that."

He swallowed his saliva as the heart-sinking silence fell down on all of them. "So that's it, Vector. I wish I had a definite answer for you, but I don't."

Immediately after, the sparkles dissipated, signaling the neutralization of Dirac – and Girag and Alito's march to retrieve Kite. "I understand," said Vector quietly. "I'll be sure to stay on the straight and narrow in the meantime."

Dumon looked at him and nodded. "Good."

Meanwhile, Percy was not so blinded by combat as to not notice Alito and Girag dragging Kite off. "You do realize all you're doing is keeping my Advent Monster's true target fresh, right?!" His glare turned to Mizar once more. "And your Stand-Off has only stopped your end from being quick, Mizar! Android Knight, you're up! Put down that Tachyon Dragon, with your Android Arc Cannons!"

The LIGHT Advent Monster's first assault was as blistering as its arrival, firing two curling rays of plasma from its shoulder cannons – and straight at the Rank Eight Dragon of Mizar's."You fell for it again! I activate my Trap Card, 'Neutrino Fission'! By discarding one card, this card gives my Tachyon Dragon five hundred Attack and Defense Points as well as destruction immunity for the next two turns! Normally, it only allows me to target a 'Neutrino' monster with its effect, but by discarding my 'Galaxy-Eyes Neutrino Dragon,' its effect allows me to target any monster with this, as well as draw a card afterward!" With Mizar's hand size unchanged at one card, and his Tachyon Dragon's Attack Points climbing once more [3000 - 3500], he all but shrugged off Android Knight's attack with only minimal damage [Mizar's LP: 2000 - 1900].

His field would not stay unchanged for long, though. "Joan, it's time to do what we should have earlier – rid the field of that Clipper!" yelled Percy. "Strike now!"

Unfortunately, the Clipper would not fare as well against the LIGHT monster assault as Tachyon Dragon did, disappearing in a blaze of scarlet sparks after being sliced by the Crusader of Maedas's blade. Percy let another smile crack his face seeing Mizar's field cut down. "I end my turn with another face-down card!"

Mizar, with his next drawn card, looked ready to turn the tables. "It's time I bring forth my new Galaxy-Eyes monster then!"

"You mean the one you put in your Graveyard to activate Neutrino Fission?" This question came from two sources: the inquisitive Vector and the irritated Percy. Mizar grinned wolfishly at them both. "Indeed, and being in my Graveyard won't slow it down one bit! By destroying my Neutrino Dirac, and banishing a Dragon-Type Dark monster of two thousand or more Attack points from my Deck – like Galactic Spiral Dragon - I can bring for my new and improved traveler of the cosmos!"

Out of the twinkling sky of the Astral World came a flash from a star-a star that soon revealed itself to be a gigantic rocket jet. After circling the building that Mizar and Percy were situated on, it finally landed behind the long-haired blond. "The new arbiter of armageddon has come! With claws too big to comprehend, wings to split nebulas end-to-end, and jaws to turn each star within, into fuel for the end it will begin! Go forth and conquer, 'GALAXY-EYES NEUTRINO DRAGON'!"

With these words, the jet unfolded. Two arms jutted down, nearly taking the cannons off Android Knight Parshath as two metal spire-legs gouged into the building roof on either side of Mizar. And then its head emerged, a wicked, carved façade that belied its fearsome power. [Galaxy-Eyes Neutrino Dragon/DARK/Dragon/Level 8/3000 ATK/2500 DEF]

Percy was… less of a fan of this. "TWO Galaxy-Eyes Monsters?! Holactie almighty, after all the damage that name's brought to so many helpless Duelists, you actually went and made more of them?!"

"I refuse to believe any one card can ruin a man, Percy – even if it took forty or so in your case," Mizar hissed out through a gate of gritted teeth. "And you should worry more about what my dragon can do rather than where it came from! Especially since it allows me to add another 'Neutrino' card from my Deck to my hand as a reward for its Summon. I choose 'Neutrino Accelerator'. And thanks to Galaxy-Eyes Neutrino Dragon's effect, Dirac allows me to draw another card! Next, I Set one card face-down and use my Level Eight Galaxy-Eyes Neutrino Dragon and Neutrino Dirac to build the Overlay Network!"

Once again, the swirling nebula appeared above the battlefield. Just as Mizar's battle chant implied, even as a glowing shard of light Neutrino Dragon's form nearly touched the edges of the network as it was swallowed up by the light alongside Dirac. "This time," boasted Mizar, "I Xyz Summon the Rank Eight 'Antineutrino Kaon'!"

And with the declaration, another gigantic dragon rose to take Tachyon Dragon's side, this one wielding a giant silver hammer to go with its bulky armor. [Kaon/DARK/Dragon/Rank 8/4000 ATK/1500 DEF] "Since this monster requires me to reveal a Dragon-Type monster in my hand to prevent it from destroying a card I control, my next move…"

The various spectators tensed, even Percy. "… will be to let it happen." Mizar finished. And with a roar, Antineutrino Kaon turned the card Set behind it to shards."Wait – but why?!" wondered Girag, now carrying Kite and thwarting the latter's efforts to get off his back.

"Because the card destroyed by the effect was my face-down 'Neutrino Accelerator'… " Mizar answered. "… the Spell Card Neutrino Dragon let me Set with its effect! And when this card's destroyed, it affords me a new ability which I impart to my Antineutrino Kaon! But before this, I Chain the effect of the Neutrino Dragon attached to it, which drops the Attack Points of all monsters you control by one thousand!"

Desaugeo roared in pain as its ATK plummeted [Desaugeo ATK: 2900 - 1900]. Mizar, however, was all too ready for battle. "Now, take your mighty hammer to Percy's Android Knight!"

"But why?! I already told you, it can't be destroyed by battle or monster effects!" Percy shouted as he took a four-hundred-point hit (Life Points 1800). Then he looked up and saw his Advent Monster disappear in a cloud of billowing smoke. "WHA-?! Is this because of that Spell?!"

"How perceptive!" Mizar said with backhanded applause. "That card, Neutrino Accelerator, returned your Advent Monster to your Extra Deck since it battled my Antineutrino Kaon and survived! But that's far from all, as Antineutrino Kaon's ability allows me to take out another monster by using one of its Overlay Units – like your weakened Sacred Serpent! Let your Neutrino Bolt fly, Kaon!"

This time, however, there would be a response from the zealous prophet. "That strike of yours is wasted, then! My newest Spell Card will see Desaugeo leave for a far stronger member of the Maedas to take its place! I activate 'Manifest Destiny', and bring forth my Level Eight Fusion Monster – 'Maedas Elite – Xylan the Mountainpeak'!"

Another giant golden portal formed through the Quick-Play Spell's power, this time underneath the Rank Six dragon's feet, sucking it in, producing a being with dark wings fielding six floating swords between its outstretched arms. [Xylan/EARTH/Fairy/Fusion/Level 8/3500 ATK/2500 DEF] "This time, my wonderful Desaugeo will bolster my forces further – for when that Xyz Summoned monster leaves the field, it can bring out two more monsters whose total Levels equal six, the same as Desaugeo's Rank! I call forth my Convener and Sermon of Maedas – the Level Two Saint Esme and Level Four Saint Urie!"

With this, two Fairies – one with four wings and two giant bladed weapons, the other with two wings and a giant halberd – flashed onto the field, the former in Attack Mode and the latter in Defense Mode. [St. Urie/LIGHT/Fairy/Level 4/2000 ATK/600 DEF] [St. Esme/Fairy/LIGHT/Level 2/1200 ATK/400 DEF] "Next, I'll switch Saint Urie to Defense Mode to activate his special ability, turning the Zone my Xylan is on into a Convert Zone – while my Saint Esme does the same to its own Zone, making it a Sermon Zone!"

With a flash, two symbols appeared above the zones, golden chains arching above the corners to anchor them in place, the Convert Zone symbolized by a gigantic golden obelisk ringed by the same blue halo that was above St. Urie's head, while the Sermon Zone's symbol was an elaborate Valkyrian helmet. "Being in a Sermon Zone puts your Kaon down five hundred Attack Points, by the way."Kaon's roar of agony accented Percy's notice. [Kaon's ATK: 4000 - 3500]

Mizar growled, but he refused to fall for the trickery of Percy's new Zones this time. Let him bring their fury, then. "I end my turn. Let us see whether your Elite can stand against mine."

"Wonderful. I draw and call on my 'Hypnotic Fairy'... " As the blue-haired Fairy swung its way onto the battlefield, checklist at the ready, the Fairies next to it glowed blue. [Hypnotic Fairy/LIGHT/Fairy/Level 4/1800 ATK/600 DEF] "...and use its ability to make all Fairy-Type monsters I control Level One! One and done, that is... " Percy's grin grew once more."...because now I build the Overlay Network with Saint Esme and Hypnotic Fairy!"

A swirling galaxy swallowed up the two columns of light that the bulk of Percy's Fairy-thick brigade had turned into. "With these two monsters, I call the Number to precede all others! I Xyz Summon the Rank One 'Number Seventy-Eight: NUMBER ARCHIVE'!"

The rumble of several artifacts – giant cylinders filled to the brim with books – thundered down around both Duelists, cutting them off from the spectators in cacophonous fashion. The mark 78 formed on both the top of the monster's makeshift shelves as well as Percy's right hand. [Number 78/Spellcaster/LIGHT/Xyz/Rank 1/0 ATK/0 DEF]

"A library?" Mizar sniffed haughtily at the Number. "No wonder you preach so much."

"Oh please, it'd do you some good to spend more time in places like this!" Percy rebutted."But I'd rather keep my Number safe from your Galaxy-Eyes monsters, so I'll activate my newly-drawn Spell Card to keep the tide of battle in my favor! Behold, 'Rank-Up Glorious Grail'!"

The Continuous Spell Card promptly flashed onto the field, the last card in his hand now producing a golden harp artifact in front of the prophet. "Now I'll put it to good use! My Rank-Up Continuous Spell allows me to rank up my Light Xyz Monster!" Once more, the library surrounding them glowed with a blinding light, the number embroidering the cases of books changing before both Duelists' eyes. "...the hammer of equivalent exchange, 'Number Sixty-Seven: Pair-A-Dice SMASHER'!"

A terrycloth-dressed giant suddenly snapped into existence from the field of neon sparks where the Number Archives once stood, its gigantic dice-like hammer slung behind its back. [Number 67/LIGHT/Fairy/Xyz/Rank 5/2100 ATK/2100 DEF] "With its new ability, your end will come all the faster! See, its special ability would require me to detach an Overlay Unit, but thanks to my Glorious Grail, banishing a number of Light monsters from my field or Graveyard equal to its Rank'll do as well! I hate having to do this but..." With bated breath, Percy took St. Bath, Joan, St. Azriel, Neron, and Judi, and banished them."Now we each roll the die twice by Pair-A-Dice Smasher's effect!"

Mizar idly stared at the two dice that popped into existence in front of his eyes. Following Percy's lead, he put his palms on both – only for them to shoot out and ricochet all around the stage. Girag was less than amused. "WHOA! WATCH WHERE YOU'RE AIMING THAT, I'VE GOT A PASSENGER OVER HERE!"

"A passenger with working ears..." hissed Kite, still saddled unceremoniously on the larger youth's back. The dice's motions stopped at those words, almost as if to keep from irritating him further, and simply dropped to the floor – Percy's results being seven while Mizar's was ten. "Seems I've won the exchange," Mizar curtly smiled.

"Looks are deceiving, predator," warned Percy. "Pair-A-Dice Smasher, alter the first die."

The monster tapped its hammer on the ground. The first die glowed, and when it ebbed away, the artifact's upturned side now had seven pips on it instead of two. "What sorcery is this?" Mizar demanded.

"Pair-A-Dice's final ability," Percy explained, pointing to his giant Number Monster. "Since it has Overlay Units to spare, it can make any single die result become seven instantly. Since I've got the edge now..." and he did, as his die results now totaled twelve to Mizar's ten. "...you suffer my Number's consequence, as my beast now erects a barrier that protects me from your monster's effects and attacks for two whole turns, starting now!"

"WHAT?!" Mizar yelled, a droplet against the growing swell of noise from the golden barrier that now separated the prophet and Number 67 from him. "Oh, and the army's worth of Light monsters I banished?" Percy went on. "Well, for one time only, by Xylan's special ability, I can bring two of them back – Judi and Joan!" The twin Level Four Spellcasters stormed back to the field. "A shame they're not attacking, but they'll give rise to new life anyways. One that will see you go down in flames! I call on the Overlay Network, and combine my Joan and Judi into..." For the third time in the turn, the nebula above them both sucked in its needed material, then imploded. "...my familiar Rank Four, 'Regis, the Sacred Scorcher of Maedas'!"

Both Mizar and Kite gaped open-mouthed at the gigantic red bird that emerged from its cocoon of flames. [Regis/LIGHT/Winged Beast/Rank 4/2500 ATK/400 DEF] Kite, in particular, was nearly stunned silent. "...That... that was what came after us! I knew it – that monster is what made me like this!"

"Wait –THAT'S what hampered you for so long?" Mizar to face Kite at such a speed he thought his neck would snap. "What does it do?!"

"Why not ask me?!" Percy yelled. "I'd rather show than tell today, so have a look at your new field, Mizar!"

Mizar turned to see that his entire monster lineup – and the Zones beyond them on his field – now had the burning insignia of a winged hawk burned into the floor in five places. "Your field is now Regis's playground, and with him in tow, I end my turn – which sets two final special abilities in motion! First, my Glorious Grail's effect time is up, so the previous form of the Xyz Monster it transformed, Number Seventy-Eight: Number Archive, will be Summoned from its materials to my field – and my Pair-A-Dice Smasher and all of its units become Number Archive's once more!"

The all-too-familiar library zoomed back up around the two of them again, three orbiting lights now encircling it. "And the second deal is Regis's special power – because, in exchange for one Overlay Unit, I can burn away four hundred of your Life Points for each occupied Scorch Zone, like the two occupied Zones right now!"

Mizar's response was a guttural scream as the flames of Regis's Searing Fissure Strike swamped him (Mizar's Life Points: 1900 - 1100). "My turn's over," Percy finished at last.

Mizar, breathing hard from the assault by the Rank Four Xyz Monster, reassessed his current situation. His twin Xyz Monsters lived, but they faced down three titans in Xylan, the Number Archive, and Regis. And thanks to the lingering barrier left by Pair-A-Dice Smasher, Mizar could not utilize them. Leaving the two of them on the board's not an option anymore, he thought. He stood, drew, and grinned. "Time I flip my emergency switch then," he muttered. Then, louder so that the prophet could hear him, "Oh, and you're wrong about me deciding to make one new Galaxy-Eyes monster, too! I call upon the Overlay Network, to combine my two Xyz Monsters, Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon and Antineutrino Kaon!"

The nebula appeared over him, and his two Xyz Monsters swam into it, resulting in an implosion that could be seen across Astral World, even catching the attention of Eliphas. "So...it seems our intruders have met their match," he said, a small smile crossing his face.

Back at the dueling stage, the ebbing light gave way to sleek silver – from the amethyst dotting its shoulders, to the wicked collection of blade-like talons that made up its wings and feet, to the layer upon layer of curves and spikes that made up its head. This great beast's identification would match its grandeur. "I call upon the Rank Nine, 'GALAXY-EYES NEUTRINO TACHYON DRAGON'!" [Neutrino Tachyon Dragon/LIGHT/Dragon/Xyz/Rank 9/3200 ATK/2800 DEF]

Percy, shaking in either rage or shock – even to him, it was too all-consuming to tell, could only mutter one thing in response. "Tidus is going to pay for not finding this out earlier, man..."

Jumping on the opportunity that Percy's (relative) silence gave him, Mizar then revealed another card in his hand. "Now I call upon the 'Neutrino Double-Beta Decay' Quick-Play Spell to waste your Maedas Elite!"

Nevermind then, thought Percy as the crimson blast tore through his precious Fusion Monster and blew it off the field. Definitely cold fury now.

"My turn ends, and so does the effect of your wretched Smasher!" Mizar yelled as Percy's golden barrier faded into nothingness. Percy snarled, drew, and looked at his Number Archive. It's time, he thought. "Regis will be sure to take the last bit of your Life Points with it after I'm through, but it's time I put an end to all of this! I call upon my Glorious Grail to-"

"Not so fast! I'll use an Overlay Unit from Neutrino Tachyon Dragon to stop your Spell Cards and their effects from activating until the end of the Battle Phase! Go, Neutrino Tachyon Neutralizer!" And with this, Percy's great harp was surrounded by red sparks, fossilizing it into a silver statue of its former golden glory, where it crashed to his field with a deafening thunk. Percy stared at it in disbelief for another second before turning to Mizar with a frighteningly wide scowl on his face. "The hard way it is then, Barian. I activate Number Archive's ability. By using one Overlay Unit, it turns into any Number of my choice for the rest of the turn. And I promised this Number would be the one to slay the Galaxy-Eyes Dragons! Prepare yourself!"

With this, the great library rose again, glowing with a green light. But as it started to shift, the bleached sky above them shifted first. A ripple went through the air, and through the visage of the prophet, the view of the skyline that had once only been available to see for a particular few finally revealed itself to all present – a chalk-white expanse surrounding a near-blackened planet at the center. Whirling around at Astral World's atmosphere's drop in glamour, Percy immediately outstretched his hand. Nothing happened. Doing it three more times, Percy immediately flailed out his right hand instead and pushed a button on his Duel Disk. "Yeah boss, you felt that too? Powers aren't going off now, did something-?!"

The response from it only drew the rapt attention of Kite and the four former Emperors, but the only response they got to the apparent new situation was that of the prophet's paling face. Then he whirled up to face them all. "RUN!"

Mizar paled. "Wait, not without an-"

"There's going to be A LOT of things we'll be going without in a few seconds, life-bearing limbs being several of them! I'll try to keep the tech from blowing up upon us all, NOW R-"But at that moment, the tragic ripple cut through him again, and the scene warped horribly, as a column of light suddenly engulfed Percy, shot from the blackened planetoid over the center of the Astral World.

Almost immediately, the former Barians took off, barely keeping ahead of the pillar of light as it swallowed up the building Percy was on. When it concluded the boy and the structure he was on top of were gone, with more beams of light coming from the not-so-dead planet to boot.

"Wonderful!" screamed Alito. "We came to save one world and now another's gonna smoke us?!"

But his cry was cut off by another wall of bright light swallowing a building ten feet behind him. Without another word, they set off again through the disappearing city, dodging beams the whole way through.

---

SIGNER TIMELINE/THE SATELLITE/8:28 PM

Yusei tensed as Save's turn began despite his small lead. Though his Life Points were higher (Yusei's LP 3400; Save's LP 3500), his three-thousand-Attack-Point Bri Warrior was also wearing off from the effects of its Bri Synchron powerup. [Bri Warrior ATK: 3000 - 2400] But most of all, Yusei was very much aware of how hard he'd had to press his monsters just to get his slight advantage.

This is turning out exactly how I didn't want it to go, he thought as the two of them turned onto a long stretch of road spanning the Satellite. Every second I spend here takes me farther away from Akiza, he added, chancing a glance back in the direction from which they'd come. I have to get back to her! She might need my help! But the only way to do that is to win this Duel! He looked back at Save. All I need to do is endure her next turn. But the look in her eyes as she drew her next card told him she wasn't going to let up on him any longer.

"I'll match your Synchro play with one of my own," she began, "But first, I've gotta handle something with my 'Chrome Star Agent, Number Thirteen' – see, when a Standby Phase arrives, the player in action has to banish a face-up card they control and Set it back to their field during the End Phase. So with no other choice, I'll banish my Agent." And with that, the cerulean-crowned operative was gone in a flash of yellow sparks.

"But it won't be for nothing," Save went on, "Because her effect compensates me with seven hundred Life Points!" And her score rose above Yusei's again (3400 - 4100)."Now, let's start the turn proper with my new 'Chrome Star Agent' – code-name 'Enigma', in Defense Mode!" A shimmering wave of light brought forth the white-haired operative, video-screens crackling into life behind her like a saboteur's spider-web. [EARTH/Warrior/Level 4/1500 ATK/1700 DEF] "My Enigma's quite a popular gal, too; the second she's Normal Summoned, she lets me put another 'Chrome Star Agent' in the field from my hand in face-down Defense Mode, like my 'Chrome Star Agent' – code-name, 'Director'!"

Before Yusei could grasp the monster's stats, the Summoned monster was placed on the field face-down, keeping him from knowing what he was about to face. "Now that the trap's been set, let's feed out the lure! I Flip Summon the 'Chrome Star Agent – Forgotten One' that you couldn't hit last turn…" The black-haired spy spun out to the field from the last remaining card from the OutBreak switch-up last turn. Levying her long cannon at Yusei with one hand, she raised her other hand – now glowing an eerie blue – into the sky. "…and utilize its special power! See, I can devote a thousand of my Life Points and banish my 'Chrome Star Agent – Chosen One' from my Graveyard – to make use of one of your Spell Cards – like that 'Tuning' –from your Graveyard!" Save's Life Points crept back down again [4100 - 3100] as she spoke.

Well, that's new, Yusei thought, taking note of Save as his Normal Spell Card materialized on her field via a digital replica. I wasn't expecting that.

"I'll trust you can keep from using the one that's still in your Graveyard then, right? Since it's mine now?"

"Of course, now continue," Yusei curtly replied.

"See, you're already learning how to get along with people again! Would've been nicer all those years ago, but I digress! Now that I have access to your 'Tuning' Spell Card, I'll use it to add – oh, I don't know – 'Millennia Synchron' to my hand!"

Yusei's eyes widened. Originally, that girl he was facing wasn't that familiar – the hood covered her hair, the cloak her body, and the chrome sphere everything else. But the monster's name struck a chord somewhere in his memory, bringing back images of dirty run-down buildings… and a deal with a little girl who took a shining to his journey to pacify the Satellite's Duel Gang scene.

"SAVE!" Yusei exclaimed, recognizing her at last as he slammed on the brakes, eliciting a screech as his Runner's wheels skidded against the pavement. Immediately Save did the same, bringing her own Runner to a stop beside his, each machine attached to thirty feet of skid marks. "I'm so embarrassed that I forgot!" Yusei cried out, finally seeing the emotion of shock cross her exposed face. "I… I tried to find you for days after we met! At least tell me what you fell into during that time!"

"Fell… into…?" Save's expression was quizzical at first. Then her face darkened at the implication. "Do you still think I'm somehow in wi… with a bad crowd now? Absolutely not!"

"Then explain why one of my friends is currently fighting for her life!" Yusei countered. "This isn't you, Save – at least not like the you I remember!"

"Don't talk to me like I'm your kid!" Save snapped. "The group I'm a part of now took me in and did more for me than you ever did! They cared for my safety, which is more than I can say for you, you ass!" She swiveled back in her seat. "Oh, and remember what my Chrome Star Ones can do, b-because I know Akiza will if you duck out of your payback!"

Yusei, to her silent thanks, took no notice of her stutter. "Save, you gotta believe me, I did everything I could to find you," he said desperately. "If I could've, I would've made sure nothing happened to you. And once I make sure Akiza's okay, I'll do the same for you, I promise." He lowered his head and turned to look at the road ahead. "I won't let what happened before happen again. And thank you for reminding me."

"Of what?"

"That there's always someone worth Dueling for, even your enemies."

Save scoffed at this. "Guess I should thank you." She blinked once, twice, then thrice. "But I'd rather introduce you to the 'Millennia Synchron' your 'Tuning' Spell gave me, and the card in the Graveyard from my Deck that I get from it."

"Fine," said Yusei, taking off his helmet. "But not like this. If we're gonna Duel, let's do it facing each other head-on." He stepped off his Runner and ran the procedure to convert his Duel Disk to ground mode. "I imagine you'd rather do it this way than constantly switch between looking back at me and chasing me like some cat-and-mouse game," he added, attaching it to his wrist dealer.

Save took a moment. "Agreed." She dismounted her own Runner and ran the same procedure, snapping her Duel Disk onto her arm and smiling as she saw what her mill turned up."I now tune my Chrome Star Agents – both the Forgotten One and my Enigma'!"

As the Forgotten One collapsed into a foursome of stars, the Enigma followed them by changing into the speedometer rings. Save clasped her hands together, one card still between them. "With them I bring to you my elite class in the Chrome Star coalition, and its most mendacious member – the 'Five Point Agent – Regina the FIFTH'!"

A gigantic opal scythe soon erupted from the beam that bisected the rings, and cut it away from its holder – an older version of the Forgotten One, now with clothing and hair as white as snow, and a gaze as black as the night. [Regina/EARTH/Warrior/Synchro/Level 8/2500 ATK/1500 DEF] This time, it was Yusei left in awe at the brilliant aura behind the Level Eight Synchro Monster, now locking gaze with his similarly-Leveled Stardust Dragon. Maybe I'm wrong, he thought. Maybe Save hasn't lost her way after all. She's still true to herself after all this time. He looked over Save's face in greater detail, a pang of guilt running through him as he noted her scars. All the more reason this needs to end quickly, then.

"Weirdly enough, I agree." Yusei was slightly jostled by Save's response, as if she'd read his mind. "Let's start with my Enigma versus your Junk Synchron. Attack with Enigma Machine-Gatling!"

Enigma's called attack resulted in the screens around her turning to static – then shooting that static as streams of black-and-white-dotted plasma that tore through the DARK Tuner [Yusei's LP: 3600 - 3400]."And even though their Attack Points are equal, I'm gonna play my Synchro's attack out," Save added.

"What are you doing?!" asked Yusei. "This is a mistake, they'll destroy each other!" And my Bri Warrior is weak enough now for her to hit that instead! he didn't add.

"Maybe. But for once it's my mistake to make. Regina the Fifth…time to take down a Signer Dragon! StrikeStardust with your Heart's Content attack!"

Regina the Fifth hoisted up its white-on-purple scythe, took to the air - even higher than she was before - and brought it down, ready to part the Cosmic Flare that its foe was charging up or get destroyed trying.

Yusei elected for what was behind door number three. "Go, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow!" The ramshackle repeller shot out of its rectangular silhouette and between both battling Synchro Monsters, intercepting Regina the Fifth's scythe with a loud clang. "When a monster of yours attacks…" Yusei began.

"-it blocks the attack, I get the idea, I saw what happened," Save cut in. "Fine then. I should've seen that coming, so I'll end my turn with the return of my 'Chrome Star Agent – Number Thirteen', face-down." She waved a hand at Yusei, her mood now far surlier state – but her field all the fuller for the return of the Level Four monster.

Yusei drew, then observed the field. That face-down card Save has could easily be another Operation OutBreak, he noted. And then I'd be in trouble. I have to stop her before she puts down Millennia Synchron again – because if my hunch is right, there's likely a Millennia Warrior somewhere in her Extra Deck. He looked at his hand. In the meantime, I'll have to rely on this card and my knowledge of her monsters' stats to do the rest. "I use the power of my Set 'Scrap-Iron Sentinel' again, which allows me to Special Summon back an old friend of mine – the 'Junk Synchron' you destroyed!"

The Level Three Tuner monster was back on the field, large eyes brimming with joy. "Now I'll tune my Bri Warrior with my Junk Synchron once more!" The emerald android was soon turned to gold through its hologram fading, and the light lance shot through them again. "I Synchro Summon my Level Nine 'Junk Combiner' in Defense Mode!"

A titanic robot that looked like Junk Destroyer's supersized cousin swam out from the Synchro array, shield wings flapping strongly as it shifted to a blue aura in its protective stance. [Junk Combiner LIGHT/Warrior/Synchro/Level 9/2400 ATK/2300 DEF] "Junk Combiner has some heavy-duty tricks of his own – because upon being Synchro Summoned it can send one Tuner monster and one non-Tuner monster from my Main or Extra Deck to the Graveyard, so long as they aren't Light or Dark! Then it nets me a card for each 'Junk' monster I sent! So my 'Junk Welder' Tuner and my 'Junk Changer' will head on down from my Deck so I can draw two! And since my Bri Warrior's gone down, once this Duel it can replace itself with another Synchro Monster made from a 'Synchron' monster in my Deck and a 'Junk' monster from either my hand or Graveyard! In this case, it'll be my Level Three monsters 'Drill Synchron' and 'Junk Forward'!"

Both monsters popped to the field, the Drill Synchron dissolving into a triage of stares that Junk Forward would align with. [Drill Synchron/EARTH/Machine/Tuner/Level 3/800 ATK/300 DEF]

Soon both monsters were lost in the speedometer rings, and later, the lights threading through them. "I now Synchro Summon my Level Six 'Drill Warrior'!" [Drill Warrior/EARTH/Warrior/Synchro/Level 6/2400 ATK/2000 DEF]

Yusei had more in store for his new bronze-armored Warrior-Type Synchro Monster, which was levying its large drill at Save. "By halving its Attack Points, Drill Warrior can now bypass your brigade and attack you directly!" [Drill Warrior ATK: 2400 -? 1200] "Now, let's see if your Traps help against a direct strike! Drill Warrior, you're up first!"

Apparently, Save's luck wouldn't take in this instance as Drill Warrior's spear hit home [Save's LP 3100 - 1900]. "And now, my Stardust Dragon will take it to your Enigma! Go, Cosmic Flare!"

Finally, Stardust Dragon's attack hit its target, tearing through the white-haired operative (Save's LP 1900 - 900). Save grimaced. "I'll get you back for that! Since I took damage from a battle involving my Normal Summoned monster, my 'Chrome Star Agent – Happy Trigger' will come forth and hit you for the same damage I took!"

The maid-dressed agent effortlessly hauled its chain cannon at Yusei after hitting the field, and sprayed several rounds at him (LP 3400 - 2400). Biting back his lip from the impact, Yusei continued. "I Set one card face-down, discard one of the cards left in my hand to banish Drill Warrior for two turns, and end my turn."

As the EARTH Synchro Monster of Yusei's burrowed down into the ground and Lefty Driver was deposited into his Graveyard, Save drew another card as her turn began to bring her hand to three. Crap. Now I'm behind thanks to him. Fortunately, I have a face-down monster. "I now Flip Summon-"

"Oh no you don't!" interrupted Yusei. "I activate Junk Combiner's special ability!" Yusei's Defense Position Synchro Monster suddenly leaned forward and let loose a barrage of missiles from its back.

"Hey, what gives?!" yelled Save.

Yusei finally grinned. "Since it's your turn, my Junk Combiner can target one monster I control – even itself – and destroy all other cards in its column, like your Set Director, as well as activate one of its two alternate systems! The one I picked allows it to gain one hundred extra Attack and Defense Points for each Level among the Tuners in my Graveyard! Between my Junk, Steam, Drill, and Bri Synchrons and my Junk Welder, that totals out to seventeen, and therefore seventeen hundred Attack and Defense Points!" [Junk Combiner ATK/DEF: 2400/2300 - 5100/5000]

Save's face paled. "You…you mean you had this planned for me the whole time after you Summoned Combiner?"

"Of course! I took what you said about baiting the trap seriously, Save! Why else would you Summon a monster with more Attack Points than Defense face-down? You were planning to Flip Summon it this turn and turn the tides – so Junk Combiner will drown it in those tides before you can!" He thrust out his hand. "Go, Junk Cataclysm!" Junk Combiner's missiles finally touched down on Save's Director, putting it down in a field of flames.

Save winced at the flames from the Synchro Monster's strike… then shot out a grin of her own. "Cool. Guess we're both getting lucky today, because my Director has a once-per-Duel effect as well! And thanks to my Chrome Star Debrief, I get to add two Level Four or lower 'Chrome Star Agent' monsters from my Graveyard to my hand to make up for its trip to the Graveyard!"

The Agents Forgotten One and Rouge were back in her hand within seconds. Two cards richer, Save's smile did not leave her lips. "Now, let's see if I can make up for lost Life Points! I Flip Summon back my Chrome Star Agent – Number Thirteen, and activate my new Spell, 'The Power of One'! Thanks to it, I can bring back my 'Chrome Star Agent' Tuner brigade to the field, whether they're in my hand or banished! Come forth, Forgotten One AND Chosen One!"

So that's why she banished the latter Agent with Forgotten One! Yusei realized. Her monsters don't waste any motion!

Right at that moment, Save's field was filled to capacity with the two Warrior Tuners, standing alongside Regina V, her Set Number 13, and Happy Trigger. [Chrome Star Agent: Chosen One/EARTH/Warrior/ Tuner/Level 3/1400 ATK/400 DEF] "Before I bring forth my next agent of destruction, I activate Regina the Fifth's first special ability! Since you've got a card in your hand, I can guess its type – and if I call it right, it goes into your Deck while I draw a card. And you'd have put it on the field if it was a Spell or Trap, so it has to be… a monster!"

Yusei's mouth drew shut in a pursed line as he revealed 'Junk Defender' from his hand, then shuffled it back into his Deck. Save, as stated before, drew again, Set the new card she had, and continued apace. "Time for another Tune to tell, then! I Tune the Chrome Star Agents Chosen One and Happy Trigger!" Over the roar of the light stream encompassing the materials, Save continued. "I Synchro Summon the head-and-enemy-turner, the 'Five Point Agent – DENSIS THE FOURTH'!"

The armor-thick Synchro Monster now had horns to go with its devilish grin, settling on the ring in Defense Mode like a coiled cat. [EARTH/Warrior/Synchro/Level 7/1700 ATK/2700 DEF] "And since my Chosen One hit my Graveyard by means other than destruction, that's three hundred more Life Points for me for every face-down card I've got! I've only got two here, but every bit counts! (Save's LP: 900 -1500)Densis the Fourth's ability goes off too – because all I need do is drop its Defense Points to zero, to take command of a monster you've got whose Attack Points are less than the twenty-seven hundred Defense Points it lost!" She pointed to Yusei's Stardust Dragon. "So now your best monster's coming over to serve me!"

Yusei's blue eyes shot open again at the news. No WAY am I losing Stardust again! "I activate my Trap – 'Tuner's Arrest'! It'll negate your Densis's targeting ability on my Stardust Dragon, since a Tuner was used to bring it to the field last turn!"

Save's brow furrowed as her monster's assault bounced harmlessly off a giant crystal-shaped barrier surrounding Yusei's Stardust Dragon. "Fine then, I'll do this the hard way: I Normal Summon my 'Millennia Synchron', Flip Summon my 'Chrome Star Agent – Number Thirteen', and Tune my Synchron up with Densis the Fourth!"

A golden shard of rock burst open to reveal the eponymous pyramid-shaped Tuner, its single bionic eye whirring madly in its stone socket. [Millennia Synchron/EARTH/Machine/Tuner/Level 1/0 ATK/1000 DEF] Soon, however, the single star it became guided the laser that swallowed up Densis whole. Yusei could only stand in shock as the light turned golden, the hue of the Synchro Monster forming beneath it overpowering its blinding white.

"I Synchro Summon 'Millennia Warrior' in Defense Mode!" Promptly, the gold-coated EARTH Synchro Monster rose up to float on the purple-haired girl's right, the Eye of Wdjat decorating its hammer. [EARTH/Warrior/Synchro/Level 8/2000 ATK/3000 DEF] "I was actually hoping I could've stopped this," Yusei said, shaking his head.

Save heard him. "I'm not stopping anything," she replied. "Not this Duel, not my work with the Aspect, nothing."

"What are you doing with the Aspect, anyway?" Yusei asked. "And while we're on the subject, who are they?"

"People who've done more for me than you ever did," answered Save venomously. "Now I activate my Millennia Synchron's effect! Since it was used to Synchro Summon a 'Warrior' Synchro Monster, I gain a thousand more Life Points and draw another card!" She did so with a flourish (Save's LP 1500 - 2500). "Now, since I know you've got Scrap-Iron Scarecrow to stop my Regina the Fifth from attacking, I'll activate another Operation to cut your field to size – the 'Operation StormyNight'!"

In a flash, a fierce wind whipped up the moment the Continuous Spell Card appeared beside Save. "Now we each choose one monster, and send the rest of them napping in face-down Defense Position! I'll pick my Regina the Fifth of course, and you…?"

"…Stardust Dragon." said Yusei, narrowing his eyes as his Junk Combiner was flipped face-down, wiping out the gains it had made the past turn while Number 13, the Forgotten One and Millenia Warrior were placed face-down on the crusader's side of the field.

Yusei wasn't worried. Sorry Save, but I'm not leaving Stardust at your mercy, he thought.

But Save had other ways to slay his dragon. "StormyNight does another good thing for me – like dropping your Stardust monster's Attack Points by a hundred for each Set card on the field!"

Stardust Dragon roared as blackened spots started sprouting up among its pristine coat. [Stardust Dragon's ATK: 2500 - 2000]. "And it's right in position for the shadows of my Operation Spell Card to consume it whole!" Save went on. "Since there are three or more Set monsters on the field, I can use StormyNight's final ability to take one of your Special Summoned monsters with two thousand or less Attack Points and send it to the Graveyard, at the cost of no further direct attacks this turn!"

Yusei's eyes widened. "So no matter what happened, you had a way to take down Stardust Dragon?!"

"And in a way that not even its special power could save it from! Sucks when that happens to those you swore to protect, doesn't it?!" Save hissed as the warping tree-like black silhouettes around both Duel Runners wrapped around Yusei's dragon, cocooning it and shrinking it down to the size of a marble before exploding in sparks. Yusei's shock only lasted a second before he remembered what Save had said. Direct attacks are off the table. And my Graveyard's full of resources to help me for the next turn.

But Save wasn't done. "And after my Regina purges us of that Junk Combiner's presence..." she left her sentence trail off unfinished as the Five Point Agent's Heart's Content whipped through the robotic Synchro Monster's bulk like a roll of cheese."...I think I'm through on my end for now," Save finished.

"Then I'll start my turn again…" Yusei drew, and curtly grinned. "…and bring back my Drill Warrior who, thanks to its ability, can also return the Junk Welder in my Graveyard to my hand!"

"All the better to snipe out of your hand next turn! Also, since you Summoned something useful this turn, I'm gonna respond in kind! By banishing 'The Chrome Star Check' from my Graveyard, I can Flip Summonmy Number Thirteen and allow its Attack Points to become the same as your Drill Warrior!" [Number 13's ATK: 1300 - 2400] "And since it's now your Standby Phase, you have to choose a monster of yours to banish until your End Phase!"

Meaning I won't have the Attack Points to stop Number Thirteen from phasing away again on Save's turn, and I lose my last Synchro on this turn! Yusei looked at the Spell he still had Set on the field."Alright then, guess Drill Warrior's burrowing away again."

The Level Six Synchro Monster promptly disappeared. "Now I activate my Set card, the Quick-Play Spell Card 'Synchro-Librium'! By revealing a Tuner monster from my hand, and Special Summoning a monster from my Graveyard with the same Level as it, I can Synchro Summon with both monsters, even while the first is still in my hand! Come on out, 'Tuningware', as I tune you with 'Mono Synchron'!"

Both monsters quickly fell between the speedometer wings, and the resulting light show lit up Yusei's face once more. "I Synchro Summon the Level Two 'Stardust Synchron'!"

"What – but I've never seen you with a monster like that before…" Save's words died when she took note of one specific detail on the dragon-scaled Synchro Monster that rushed out to the Signer's field. [LIGHT/Machine/Synchro/Tuner/Level 2/200 - 0 ATK/1500 - 1200 DEF] Of course, she realized, He's going to Synchro Summon!

"Stardust Synchron's debut now gets me three cards!" Yusei went on. "The first comes from the effect that resurrects my mighty Stardust Dragon from my Graveyard, the second from both it and its Synchro Materials' Types matching through my 'Synchro-Librium' Spell, and the third from Tuningware being used as a Synchro Material once again!"

"Oh shoot, that can't be good for me…" Save muttered, as Yusei's empty hand was replenished with two new cards and his mighty shining ace came roaring back above his head. [Stardust Dragon's ATK/DEF: 2500/2000 -2200/1700]."I wouldn't think so either – but right now, it's time for a new trick. I tune both of my Synchro Monsters together – my Level TwoStardust Synchron and my Level Eight Stardust Dragon!"

"Another Synchro Monster I don't know about?!" Save uttered, her words panicked and jumbled as the twin rings formed around the rising WIND Synchro Monster, the final bolt from the blue rocketing above the entire field of battle. Yusei then closed his eyes, and envisioned something powerful, knowing his next great performance would require a strong memory and will to enact. .And now, Save. Everyone I ever slipped up against, failed to save, or failed to see. This day, no more. No further. I take on my own road to destiny, and pave the way forward for theirs to follow! Let the light I call upon illuminate all our futures together. He opened his eyes, determined. Here goes. "I Synchro Summon –'STARDUST WARRIOR'!"

The light dissipated but did not disappear. Instead, it imbued itself within the body of the newest and most powerful of Yusei's Synchro Monsters as it flexed its semi-mechanical limbs. Spreading its majestic wings to full, the vibrant Synchro Monster's trail of stardust only served to make its titanic presence all the more mystifying. [WIND/Warrior/Synchro/Level 10/3000 ATK/2500 DEF]

Save was finally speechless, gaping in nervous awe. The visage of this new monster was as terrifying as its predecessor was captivating. But the small part of her that even the Aspect'straining didn't get to – but the item encircling her neck had – thumped madly. And a rush of intel ran back into the small crusader's mind.

For all the effort it took to Synchro Summon, that Stardust Warrior's Attack Points has only matched my face-down Millennia Warrior's Defense Points. Not .And also…oh, my Regina the Fifth has a final ability too… one that's sure to keep her on the field for my next turn. Oh Yusei, you fair-weather fraud, I'm about to turn your world asunder!

"I activate the effect of my Five Point Agent, Regina the Fifth!" Save's uncharacteristically booming voice was, again, ignored by Yusei, still a bit out of sorts from the strain it took to Summon the Level Ten Synchro he now had. "Since you've brought out your biggest, baddest monster, this card not only gains its effects but immunity from them so long as your Warrior remains on your field…" She then activated her Set card with a set of frenzied giggles. "…not that it'll be doing THAT for much longer, either, because I ALSO activate my Set card, 'Operation DoubleLife'!"

"And what does that do?"

"Oh, nothing serious," Save lied. "Just ensures I have a second chance to take your Stardust away! Because, at the cost of another card from my field or Graveyard, like my Number Thirteen, for starters…" and Save's sole face-up Agent fizzled away. "…I can bring out up to two Earth Agents from my Graveyard! But to ensure the stats stay at their peak – which doesn't happen if I bring out two – I'll simply elect to bring back my Five Point Agent, Densis the Fourth, for another crack at capturing your Synchro!"

"Except this time my Synchro'll bite back harder!" Yusei declared, as he saw the visage of Densis IV phasing back to the field. "By Tributing my Stardust Warrior, I can shut down your Five Point Agent's Summon and destroy it!"

"Oh, joy!" Save clapped her hands together with a frightening grin. "What a wonderful ability that is! So potent, so fast! So, I'll bring forth my own ability to turn back yours! Remember the last 'Operation' card that got dusted because of OutBreak's effect expiring? Well it has another gift while in the Grave, and-"

KA-KRAK!

Both duelists heard the thunderclap and turned to see the bolt that shot out of the darkening sky before surging in a spot miles away. But to Yusei and Save, two important people were still there.

"Evy!"

"AKIZA!"

Almost as if summoned by their dual cries of concern, another lightning bolt tore from the sky and crackled a full ten meters behind them. It started moving towards them. "What's happening right now?!" Yusei asked Save, his shock palatable.

Save took no notice of her target. Instead, she jumped onto her runner and slammed her feet on the gas, wildly tapping her watch as Yusei soon followed suit. "Come on, boss, come on! This wasn't supposed to be happening unless we were in real trouble! And not like this!"

Were Yusei focused on the skyline, he'd have another implication as to why Save was so concerned – starting with the white-bordered planet now flickering above the sky like a faulty floodlight. Or the bolt's origins stemming to a fixed point on that sphere as well. But his eyes were locked firmly on Save right then and there, and to his detriment that celestial body would not be the only thing he would miss for it. "What's going on, Save? That bolt over there might have crashed on top of Akiza, and we're only out-speeding this one until we're out of road! What's happening?!"

"I don't know!" snapped Save. "This was our emergency switch to get back to the Dystopia, but we're clearly not in danger – so who in the world IS?!"

"Wait!" called Yusei as another bolt of lightning came down the highway towards them. "What's the Dystopia of Desire?!"

Save, eyes forward, didn't respond, instead turning and stopping her Duel Runner to avoid the oncoming lightning. Yusei was almost half out of his own Runner, eyes fully on the person he intended to save, his voice cracking as he called out for Save to either take his hand or give him an explanation as he T-boned her Runner with his own.

"GWAAAAAAAAAAAA-!"

"OH NO, SAAAAAAAVE-!"

Yusei, in the only bit of good fortune he would have that day, managed to catch Save's body as they tumbled through the air from the impact. But they could not avoid the bolts closing in on them, and with a furious flash of emerald light, Save, Yusei, and their Duel Runners were gone from the highway in a flash.

---

ASTRAL WORLD/NUMBER TIMELINE/?

"Gagaga Dean, attack his Hydraul Hollow Gorge!" yelled Yuma, thrusting his arm forward. "Gagagablaze Attack!"

"Not so fast!" interrupted Tidus. "I activate my Trap, Hydraul Pressure Prison!"

Before Yuma knew it, his high-powered Spellcaster was entrapped within a large sphere of water. "Hey, what gives?" said Yuma.

"Let me repeat myself and elaborate," said Tidus. "I activated my Hydraul Pressure Prison and targeted your Gagaga Dean with it. Now she can't attack, and also her Attack and Defense stats are both halved. Oh, and one other thing: Since Gagaga Dean isn't a Hydraul monster, she's unaffected by your other card effects that are active on the field."

"No way!" uttered Yuma in dismay. He checked the rest of his cards. "Then for my second Main Phase, I'll activate Gagaga Caesar's effect! By banishing a monster from my Graveyard, I can make the Levels of all Gagaga monsters I control equal to that monster's Level! So I'll banish Level Four Gogogo Golem from my Graveyard to change all my monsters' Levels to Four! Next, I'll overlay Level Four Gagaga Caesar and Gagaga Dean!"

As he spoke, the two monsters glowed brightly – yellow for Gagaga Caesar and purple for Dean – and took off into the sky as a spiral nexus opened underneath them. "With these two monsters," bellowed Yuma as they flew into the nexus, "I build the Overlay Network, and Xyz Summon 'Number Thirty-Nine: Utopia'!"

As Tidus looked on, the white-and-gold warrior that was Yuma's signature rose out of the nexus and took up a stance between the two Duelists. "And there's more!" Yuma announced, taking a card from his hand and putting it in the slot, "I activate the Continuous Spell Card Rank-Up Utopic Exceed! This lets me do some crazy wicked stuff, like Tribute my Utopia to Special Summon two Utopia Xyz Monsters from my Extra Deck – one Rank Five and one Rank Six – and then attach a monster from my Graveyard to each one!"

With that, Utopia glowed a bright white light before dispersing, and two orbs of light emerged from Yuma's Extra Deck box and placed themselves onto his field. The bright lights faded, revealing who they were. "So now say hello to Rank Five Number Thirty-Nine: Utopia Infinity and Rank Six Number Thirty-Nine: Utopia Beyond!" He grinned cheesily. "Now Utopia's gone to Infinity… and BEYOND!"

A pregnant pause accompanied Yuma's words. "Alright, alright, I get it!" Yuma grumbled. "It was just a joke, jeez!"

"Told by the biggest joke Heartland City's ever spawned." Tidus hissed. "And considering what you've done, it's a wonder to me how you have any friends left."

"So what?" asked Yuma. "I never have a bad thing to say about anyone or anything, and I'm proud of that! It means I'm a nice person!"

Tidus paused for a brief moment before asking his next question. "Is that why you knowingly helped Astral in his war against the Barians? Why you brought those world-ending beings over to ours? And then befriended the only one of them who took away the one person left in Heartland that I cared about?! Because you're nice?"

"Sure!" said Yuma. "But I also did it because it was the right thing to do!" Then he backpedaled. "Only it wasn't fighting them. Well, I mean, we did fight them, but it wasn't like we were trying to destroy them or anything!"

"Then why was Astral planning on doing that as soon as he got the Numeron Code?"

"I…" Yuma started to reply before his voice trailed off. Try as he might, there was nothing he could come up with to argue back. "I… I stopped him," he managed at last. "Sure, he was planning on destroying Barian World, but I stopped him. I changed his mind. I showed him he didn't have to do it."

"But that's not the only sketchy thing," Tidus went on. "Don't you think it's a little odd that Astral recruited you to help him fight Barian World rather than someone more suited, like say, the government? I mean, that's what they're there for. But instead of going to the people who were best equipped to deal with it like a responsible person, Astral chose to put you and your friends in the line of fire. He made all of you participate in a war between worlds. Do you realize how that looks from an outside perspective? A being from another world recruits the help of some middle schoolers to help him retrieve a bunch of deadly weapons that come together and form a line of code that essentially makes him a god? That doesn't sound sketchy to you? I mean, you guys could've been killed. What kind of person does that to innocent people?"

Yuma struggled to reply. "Well, I mean… when you put it that way, it does sound a little off," he admitted before regaining his nerve. "But it wasn't like that! Astral chose me because I'm the one my father left the Emperor's Key with!"

"So wait a minute, did your dad know about Astral World and Barian World when he gave you the Key?"

"Yeah."

Tidus just stood there, his face a mixture of emotions as he tried to process what Yuma just told him. First there was a mixture of shock and disbelief, then finally disgust. "That's terrible!" he said finally. "Your dad was in on the whole thing?"

"My dad wouldn't have given me the Key if he didn't think I could handle it!" Yuma retorted, a tad defensive. "But still though, don't you think it's incredibly irresponsible of your dad to just let you fight in this war? I mean, what kind of parent would do that to their kid?"

"What do you mean?"

"I've been running numbers in the Heartland Division of Trial and Venture – an actual detective agency, not a bunch of untrained kids. You've been at the epicenter of everything that's befallen Heartland City. And you're telling me what started it all was a gold-plated birthright from an irresponsible tomb raider? Who would want to emulate someone like that?"

Before Yuma could respond, Tidus's Hydraul Hollow Gorge lowered its head to meet its master's heightened one, their four piercing eyes causing the Heartland Champion's words to falter on his lips. "And the worst part of it is that I used to believe in how beneficial those Numbers could be too. Earlier, when my investigations were closing in on you and all you've done, the friends I made along the way had Numbers too. And I believed just what those two on the precipice did – or pretended to in order to play you – that it was just the cell-worthy that happened upon these.

Tidus' look hardened. "But then the sky turned red and that apocalypse cult came out, one of whom was your friend! And still is, after everything you let him take for granted! Well, I'm done. I've seen what the Barians are like when they get their hands on power. There's only one legacy worth preserving now. And it's not Astral World's, it's not the Barians, and it's certainly not the cult of Tsukumo…"

He paused for a moment, taking a breath to calm down and change his tone. "Honestly Yuma, I have nothing against you. I think you're a pretty good kid, and that's why I'm concerned, because I don't think you realize just how sketchy your life is. Your dad gives you a pendant that he knows contains this being who was created to help his world gain an advantage over their enemies and who recruits both you and your friends to help him acquire one hundred potential weapons that combine to form a power that makes him a god capable of rewriting reality as we know it, and none of that sets off any alarm bells in your head? If you were someone who didn't have the Key, wouldn't you be worried about Astral's intentions? Wouldn't you be terrified that there's this being out there who can change reality on a whim, and there's nothing you could do about it? Any sane, logical person would be greatly alarmed, and the fact you're so okay with it only makes it worse. I mean, what's stopping Astral from rewriting reality to suit his whim right now?"

"Me. And all my friends."

A beat. "You're serious."

"Dead serious." Yuma put his fist to his chest. "Maybe somebody having friends is news to you, Tidus-"

"Wow. That's not what my point is. At all."

"What?" Astral stepped in here. "His point isn't that he dislikes the notion of friendship, Yuma. His point is that a relationship such as ours at its beginning was ripe for manipulation; that I'm taking advantage of your naiveté without you knowing. And to be fair, he has a point; looking at it from a different point of view, I can see how it could alarm someone."

"Oh," came the simple reply before Yuma turned his attention back to the Aspect duelist. "Well maybe it alarms you, Tidus, but I never thought for a moment that Astral was using me and my friends for some nefarious plot! That's just not who he is, and the fact that you think otherwise shows you don't have any idea who he is or what he's really like! I've gotten to know Astral during the time we were Number Hunters together, so I think I have the right to say this: He's not the type of person who would disregard people's feelings like that, and if you spent even one day with Astral you'd know that too! And by the way, they're my friends, not cultists!"

"Except he did disregard your feelings," Tidus pointed out. "What about that Duel he forced you into? The one where if you lost, he'd destroy Barian World with the Numeron Code and erase everyone's memories of him?"

"How do you know about that?"

"You'd be surprised what a well-trained detective can unearth," said Tidus, patting his Hollow Gorge. "There's nothing in my files on you and Astral that can't be traced back to Astral World. Now answer my question. Astral had the code and forced you to Duel for how he used it. He was threatening to take away everything you two had achieved together at the drop of a hat, and there would've been nothing you could've done to stop him!"

Yuma paused for a while, collecting his answer. "Once Astral had the Code, he could've done it at any time," he began, "But instead he challenged me to a Duel and gave me a chance to stop him. If Astral was as scary as you're trying to make him out to be, I don't think he would've done that."

He paused. "I mean, I get that in your own way you're trying to look out for me Tidus, but everything you're worried about has already happened. That disaster you're so frightened of never happened, because I prevented it. I know your heart's in the right place, but you're a little late to the party here. The fact is, Astral's never going to hurt anybody, because he's got me and all my friends to give him a reason not to. And also because he's just as good a person as we are!" Astral smiled warmly from his position behind Yuma. It was always good to be reminded of how much faith Yuma had in him.

"So if you have a point you'd like to make to me Tidus," finished Yuma, extending his arm and pointing his index finger downward, "Do it through the Duel! Because it's your turn now, and I'm getting tired of standing around talking!"

Tidus sighed. "My point was that nobody should have that kind of power. But since you've decided to stick to your guns, I have no choice but to stick to mine."

He drew for his turn and looked at his card. "I activate the Spell Card Golden Pearls of Hydris! I banish three cards from the bottom of my Deck, but add one of them to my hand and shuffle this card into my Deck!" He picked up the three cards that his Duel Disk's shuffler had ejected. "So I'll banish Hydrauls Huntress, Rising Fury, and Webbedspinner from my Deck, but ultimately add Webbedspinner to my hand! Next, I'll activate my Hydraul Arsenal's effect! I can reveal the top card of my Deck to send cards from the top of my Deck equal to the number of cards in my hand to the Graveyard if the revealed card is a 'Hydr' card, then if I sent four or more cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard this way, I can either return one card on the field to the hand or destroy it!"

He took the top card of his Deck and showed it to Yuma. "So I'll reveal my Whirlpool Hydraulegend Quarri and-"

"Not so fast!" interrupted Yuma, thrusting out his hand. "I activate Utopia Infinity's effect! By using one Overlay Unit, I can change the effect of your Arsenal to negating the next attack this turn from a monster either one of us controls!"

"Fine!" replied Tidus. "But my Quarri's effect activates! Since it was revealed from my Deck by a card effect, I can pay five hundred Life Points to Special Summon it instead of returning it to my Deck!"

He tapped some buttons on his Duel Disk and placed the card in his Monster Zone. Right after he did so, an enormous blue and red serpentine creature emerged onto his field in Defense Position (Tidus's LP 4000 - 3500).

"There's more you should know about!" Yuma announced. "Since I detached Number Thirty-Nine: Utopia to activate Utopia Infinity's first effect, I can now negate the effects of one face-up card on the field! So I'll negate the effects of your Brainwave!" Seeing Tidus's grimace, he went on. "But that's not all! I activate Utopia Infinity's Quick Effect! Once a turn when a monster's Summon, attack or effect is negated, I can have him gain the effects of one of those monsters until this turn ends! So now Brainwave's effects come to work for me!"

"You've gotta be kidding me," Tidus murmured. "In any case, not only is Quarri still Special Summoned, but its effect activates, and you can't Special Summon non-Water monsters for the rest of this turn!" He took a card from his hand and played it. "And next I'll activate Foolish Burial to send my Hydraul Headmaster – Big Gulf from my Deck to my Graveyard, which enables me to activate its effect! I can destroy one 'Hydr' card I control to Special Summon it from my Graveyard! So I'll destroy my Arsenal to bring him to the field! Or I would, if my Legendary Conductor of Hydris didn't protect Arsenal from being destroyed!"

As Big Gulf appeared on his field, Tidus triumphantly pointed toward Utopia Infinity. "Now I activate Big Gulf's other effect! By shuffling it into the Deck, I can return one monster you control to the hand! So I'll return your Utopia Infinity to your Extra Deck and be done with it!"

"I activate Utopia Beyond's effect!" countered Yuma. "By using one Overlay Unit, I can banish one face-up Xyz Monster I control, and if I do, I can Special Summon one Utopia monster from my Graveyard and then gain twelve-fifty Life Points! So I'll banish Utopia Infinity and Special Summon Utopia to avoid your Big Gulf's washout and restock my score !"

"You'll do no such thing!" Tidus declared. "Quarri's effect prevents you from Special Summoning non-Water monsters, so Utopia's staying where it is!" He took a card from his hand and activated it. "But that's not all I'll be doing to interrupt your strategy! I activate the Trap Card 'Parallel Dimension Deepsea Trench' from my hand since you activated two or more effects of monsters on the field this turn! This card banishes one monster from the field, then Special Summons one Level Seven or higher Aqua, Fish or Sea Serpent-Type monster from my Banished Zone! So I'll banish my Quarri and your Utopia Beyond, then bring back Quarri! And since you activated two or more effects of monsters you control this turn, I can treat this Special Summon as being through Quarri's Summoning conditions!"

Both monsters left the field. Immediately afterward, Quarri reappeared right where it had been. But Tidus wasn't done. "Next I'll Summon 'Hydraul Webbedspinner' in Attack Mode! [Webbedspinner/ And with that, my forces for this turn are assembled!" He thrust his arm out. "Now, Hydraul Brainwave, attack Utopia Infinity!"

"Your attack's not going through!" Yuma retorted. "Because in case you forgot, Infinity changed your Arsenal's effect to negate the first attack from monsters you control this turn! So now Brainwave's attack is negated through Arsenal's effect!"

"No matter," said Tidus, "I still have my other monsters. Hydraul Webbedspinner, attack Yuma directly!"

"Arrrgh!" Yuma grunted as Webbedspinner's attack struck his midsection [Yuma's LP: 1500 - 800]. "And next, I'll have Quarri do what Brainwave couldn't! Attack his Utopia Infinity!"

"Not so fast!" said Yuma, "I activate Infinity's effect that it got from Brainwave! I'll send five cards from the top of my Deck to the Graveyard, and if any of them are Level Two or lower monsters, I can change the attack target to one of your monsters! So here I go!" He tentatively put his hand to his Deck. I hope this works.

Without further delay, he took the top five cards and looked at them. "YES!" he took one of them and revealed it to Tidus. "One of the cards I just sent is the Level Two Gagaga Child! So now-" he placed her in his Graveyard slot with the other cards he'd sent "- I'll redirect the attack to your Webbedspinner!"

"Nice try," said Tidus, "But Webbedspinner can't be attacked while I control other Hydraul monsters."

"Fine then! I'll make your Hollow Gorge the attack target instead!" said Yuma, pointing to the monster in question. Almost immediately, Quarri turned its head on Hollow Gorge and shot a blast of water at that monster, shattering it to pieces.

Tidus shouted, "Well, if I can't destroy Infinity, I'll go after your Dododo Wizard instead! Arsenal, blow it to pieces!" Yuma could do nothing but watch as Dododo Wizard bit the dust. "I end my turn," said Tidus, satisfied.

"Good, my move then! I draw!" Yuma added his drawn card to his hand. Only two cards, he noted. But I know just how to make the most of them! "I activate the Equip Spell 'Gagagarevenge'!" he announced. "This card brings back one Gagaga monster from my Graveyard and equips to it! So now Gagaga Caesar gets another go!" He beamed proudly as his monster returned to the field in a flurry of lights. "And next, I activate Gagaga Dean's effect from my Graveyard! Since I have a Gagaga monster out, I can Special Summon her!"

"And that's not all, either!" he went on as Gagaga Dean made her return to play. "Gagaga Dean also gains half the original Attack Points of the monster that enabled her comeback! So now she'll gain half of Gagaga Caesar's power!"

As he spoke, the two monsters held their hands up, glowing yellow to signify the transfer of energy (Gagaga Dean's ATK: 1900 - 2700). "Next I activate Gagaga Caesar's effect! I banish one monster from my Graveyard to change all the Levels of all face-up monsters I control to that monster's Level! So I'll banish the Level Six Gagaga Head to make Caesar and Dean Level Six!" He grinned at Tidus. "I bet you know what's coming now." Not waiting for his response, he went on. "I overlay Level Six Gagaga Caesar and Gagaga Dean!"

His two monsters glowed their respective colors – yellow for Caesar, purple for Dean – and shot up into the sky as a glowing red spiral formed on the ground beneath them right in front of Yuma. "With these two monsters," Yuma bellowed, "I build the Overlay Network, and Xyz Summon 'Gauntlet Launcher' in Attack Mode!"

Tidus raised a pleasantly-surprised eyebrow as a big-kneed warrior clad in red armor hit the field. [Gauntlet/EARTH/Warrior/Xyz/Rank 6/2400 ATK/2800 DEF] "Well, this is refreshing," he snarked. "I thought you were gonna Summon another Utopia monster."

"Yeah well, I have more surprises in me than just Utopia!" Yuma shot back. "When it comes to people like you and what you're doing, I'll pull out any stops I have to!"

"People like me, huh?" mused Tidus. "View must be a beaut from that glass house of yours, child."

"I'm fine where I am!" said Yuma. "In any case, Gagagarevenge's effect now activates! When it's sent to the Graveyard because the monster it was equipped to was used as an Xyz Material, all Xyz Monsters I control gain three hundred Attack Points!"

With that, his Gauntlet Launcher and Utopia Infinity both glowed with golden-yellow light [Gauntlet Launcher ATK: 2400 - 2700; Utopia Infinity ATK: 2500 - 2800]. "Next I activate Gauntlet Launcher's effect!" said Yuma. "By using one Overlay Unit, he can destroy one monster you control! So I'll use both his Overlay Units to destroy both Quarri and your Arsenal!"

Before Tidus could react, an explosion of water rocked the field. When it died down, Quarri was nowhere to be seen. Arsenal, however…

"Hey, what gives?!" asked Yuma, noticing it still on the field. "That monster's supposed to be destroyed!"

"Someone's forgotten about Legendary Conductor of Hydris," scolded Tidus. "It protects its holder from destruction once a turn, remember?"

"Yeah well, good thing I have more than that to destroy it then!" said Yuma, thrusting his arm forward. "Utopia Infinity, attack Hydraul Arsenal!" With a slash of Infinity's saber, Arsenal broke apart. "Next, Gauntlet Launcher, attack Hydraul Brainwave!"

Tidus's face betrayed his irritation as both his monsters bit the dust. "My turn's done!" said Yuma.

"Good!" snapped Tidus, drawing for his turn. "I activate the Spell Card 'Strife and Depth'! This card lets me add an Aqua-Type monster whose Attack Points are between one hundred and five hundred from my Deck to my hand! Then, if the top card in my Graveyard is a monster, I can banish cards from the top of my Deck equal to that monster's Level, and if so, place that monster on either the top or bottom of my Deck! So first I'll add Hydraul Herald from my Deck to my hand! Then, since Level Two Hydraul Brainwave is the top card of my Graveyard, I'll banish two cards to put Brainwave at the bottom of my Deck!" He did so. "Next I'll switch Webbedspinner to Defense Mode and Set a monster. That ends my turn," he muttered through gritted teeth.

"Yay! My go then!" said Yuma, drawing for his turn. "Aaaaaaaaaaaaw, SNAP!" he exclaimed, overjoyed. He looked from the card he'd drawn to Tidus. "We're in the endgame now, Tidus," he said confidently, revealing the card he'd drawn. "I activate De-Xyz! In order to use it, I have to send one monster from my Deck to the Graveyard, but in exchange, this card returns one Xyz Monster I control to the Extra Deck and Special Summons its Xyz Materials to my field!" Placing a card from his Deck into his Graveyard slot, he went on, "So I'll send my Dododo Warrior to my Graveyard to return my Gauntlet Launcher to my Extra Deck and Special Summon Gagagas Caesar and Dean!"

With a flash, Gauntlet Launcher was gone, replaced by the two monsters that had formed it. "Next I activate Gagaga Dean's effect! On my Main Phase, while she's Level Three or higher, I can reduce her Level by one to add a Gagaga monster from my Deck to my hand whose Level equals her current Level! So since she's now Level Four, I'll add Level Four Gagaga Gardna from my Deck to my hand! And I'll also activate Gagaga Caesar's effect to banish Level Six Dododo Warrior from my Graveyard to make his and Dean's Levels Six!" As his monsters glowed, the red spiral formed beneath them, and they vanished into it. "With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network, and Xyz Summon 'Sword Breaker' in Attack Mode!"

Once again, Tidus was amused to see a brand-new Xyz Monster appear on Yuma's field. [Sword Breaker/EARTH/Warrior/Xyz/Rank 6/2700 ATK/1000 DEF] "You subverted my expectations yet again," he mused. "I figured you'd bring back Gauntlet Launcher."

"Yeah well, I'm full of surprises!" said Yuma. "Now, Sword Breaker's effect is a bit like Gauntlet Launcher's, only with an extra twist! By using one Overlay Unit, I can declare a monster Type, and if Sword Breaker battles a monster of that Type, that monster's destroyed!" He pointed to Tidus's Set monster. "So I'll use one Overlay Unit and declare the Aqua-Type! Now, Sword Breaker, attack Tidus's Set monster!"

To Yuma's surprise, Tidus wasn't bothered to see his monster destroyed. "You just made your last mistake of this Duel, Yuma!" he said. "Reveal, 'Hydraul Herald'! When it's destroyed, I can Special Summon one Level Two or Level Four Hydraul monster from my Deck, and if so, reveal three cards from the bottom of my Deck! So first I'll Special Summon a second Hydraul Rising Fury, and then I'll reveal Hydraul Brainwave along with 'Leva, Hydraulegend Shorecrasher' and 'Ikkaku the Hydraulegend of Permafrost'! And if you've learned anything from Quarri, it's that when a Hydraulegend monster is revealed, I can pay five hundred Life Points to Special Summon it! So I'll do this for both my Hydraulegends, and activate my Brainwave's effect! When it's revealed from my Deck by a card effect, I can send it to the Graveyard!"

From Yuma's perspective, everything seemed to happen all at once: First Tidus placed his Brainwave in his Graveyard slot, then as Herald broke apart, two massive creatures appeared, one resembling an ogre [Leva/WATER/Beast-Warrior/Level 11/? ATK/4000 DEF]; the other a giant whale made of ice [Ikkaku/WATER/Rock/Level 10/400 ATK/3600 DEF] [Tidus's LP: 3500 - 2500] "And you want to know the best part?" asked Tidus. "Ikkaku's a Rock-Type monster while Leva's a Beast-Warrior, so your Sword Breaker won't do a thing to either of them!"

Yuma gritted his teeth. "That's not all though," Tidus went on, calmer. "Leva's effect changes the Attack Points of all monsters I control to equal half of my opponent's Life Points. Lucky for you I guess."

That doesn't make any sense! Yuma thought as Leva's effect took hold. Why make all his monsters so weak? Now they all only have four hundred Attack Points, and that's way too weak to do anything to either one of my monsters! With nothing else to do however, all he could say was, "I end my turn."

"I'm up then," said Tidus. He drew for his turn. "I Tribute Leva to Tribute Summon my Hydraul Submerger!" As his new creature appeared on the field, two things happened. First, the Attack Points of all his monsters returned to normal. Second… "And now I activate Hydraul Submerger's effect!" he announced. "I reveal one card from the bottom of my Deck for each card I currently control, and Submerger gains four hundred Attack Points for each Aqua-Type monster revealed this way!" Taking his Deck out of its slot, he revealed the bottom three cards. "I reveal Hydraul Barrage, Silver Pearls of Hydris, and Hydraul Great White Wail!"

"That's a shame!" said Yuma. "You only revealed one Aqua-Type monster, so Submerger only gains four hundred Attack Points!"

"Oh, but each of these three cards has its own effect!" shouted Tidus. "I activate all three! First I Special Summon 'Hydraul Great White Wail' in Defense Mode! Next, I'll send 'Silver Pearls of Hydris' to the Graveyard to add the Field Spell 'Hydris, the Sunken Capital' from my Deck to my hand! Lastly, I send 'Hydraul Barrage' to the Graveyard and banish Leva from my Graveyard to reveal one card from the bottom of my Deck for every one thousand Defense Points that Leva had! And since it had four thousand Defense Points, I reveal... 'Diagala the High Tidal Hydraulegend', 'Hydraul Deepsea Call', 'Hydraul Harborer – Cecae' and 'Hydraul Shipwreck'! Next, Diagala's effect activates! I'll pay five hundred Life Points to Special Summon it, even though I have to banish Ikkaku in the process!"

As the great ice sculpture of a monster vanished, a thick mist overtook the field, ominous in its nature (Tidus's LP 2500 - 2000). But Yuma had no time to register it, for out of the mist came what could only be described as every pirate's nightmare. As Yuma, Astral and every onlooker watched in abject horror, the ghastly, almost spectral form of Davy Jones himself appeared slowly out of the mist. "Diagala has a very useful effect," said Tidus. "He gains one hundred Attack Points for every card in either of our Banished Zones; that's five for me and three for you, for a total of eight. So Diagala gains eight hundred Attack Points." (Diagala's ATK 1000 - 1800)

"Next," Tidus went on, "I'll switch Webbedspinner back to Attack Mode, and now it's Battle Phase time! Hydraul Submerger, attack Yuma's Sword Breaker!"

"But why would you do that?!" asked Yuma, confused. "Your monster only has fourteen hundred Attack Points, so it'll only destroy itself!"

"That's the point, smart one," said Tidus derisively as his Submerger bit the dust [Tidus's LP: 2000 - 700]. "Because now that it's destroyed and in the Graveyard, Diagala gains another hundred Attack Points – or so it would, if not for its other effect! For each Graveyard with ten or more cards in it, Diagala gains one thousand Attack Points! So now its strength rises to twenty-eight hundred!"

The implications dawned on Yuma as Diagala's strength rose to its final score. "You were right about one thing Yuma," said Tidus triumphantly. "This is the endgame." As a chill ran through Yuma's entire body, Tidus lowered his arm. "Diagala, attack his Sword Breaker!"

Unable to do anything, Yuma just watched helplessly as his Sword Breaker broke apart, its remains scattered throughout the field (Yuma's LP 800 - 700). With wide eyes, he watched as Tidus turned to his last monster.

Tidus, for his part, felt vindicated. One more attack and this guy's gone! he thought. All I have to do is just-

But he didn't finish his thought, for all of a sudden his surroundings faded, losing their color until they became a dull gray. Confused, he looked up to see the Dystopia appear in the sky. What the… he opened up a screen in front of him. "Akaine, what's the deal?"

"Akaine?!" Three voices - Yuma's, Shark's and Rio's-echoed the surprise Tidus felt at the new entrant to the chaos.

"Wait, Shark! Rio! I thought you were all down there - where's everybody else?" Yuma asked.

"Right now, too busy standing watch over Kite!" Rio replied.

"And considering how this guy's Hydraulegends nearly knocked us off our perch, I'm starting to envy them!" added her brother. "Speaking of such, what's this about, Tidus?!"

"Hard as this may be for you to process, abductor, not every catastrophe is the fault of someone unlucky enough to be near a Barian!" Tidus roared out, turning back to the still-obscured figure hovering above his jewel-encrusted Duel Disk. "Now what this about, Akaine?"

"It started with Ev-" Another bolt of light cut through the feed, almost blinding Tidus. "-and her suit went nuts! I'm pulling back everyone I can as quick as possible, we're going to lose her otherwise! Do you have eyes on Target Three?"

"Give me a turn and I'll beat Target Three!" shouted Tidus. "I'm telling you Ak-"

KRAK!

Three lightning bolts shot from the sky at Tidus's words, finally cutting off the illusion of the world above and revealing the bleached sky surrounding the Dystopia-as well as the dead planet it rested above – in the Astral sky.

The first bolt from that fury bisected the Aspect duelist's Hydraulegend Diagala. Its scream of pain finally brought ht reality of the Duel into both Yuma and Astral's minds, and they watched with horror as the great beast disintegrated in the path of that beam. Tidus's Duel Disk started to spark from the energy discharge, and the resulting aftershock caused the game he had with Yuma to terminate early.

Yuma would not have a chance to celebrate, as the other two hit near the tower where Kite's trajectory ended, and with Shark and Rio's cries of "KITE!" finally overpowering Tidus's curse at the close contact, chaos ensued.

"Tidus! Never mind that Astral creep and Yuma; I'm going for a blind recall! Hold on!"

Tidus paled. "No wait, you hold on-we're on a precipice, if your porting goes off now, we'll be stuck-" Too late, as the Duel Disk Tidus had on finally erupted with red light, as it swallowed up both Duelists and Tori Meadows below them. When it finally died down, Yuma, Tidus and Tori were gone. The waterlogged plateau they were on fell apart with their disappearance.

"YUMA!" Shark charged to the edge of the platform, only to be held back by his sister's hand.

"Reginald, stop! Right now, we don't even know where they've gone! Let's just try to make sure nobody else disappears too! Hurry, we need to regroup!"

Biting back several curses of his own, Reginald Kastle looked desperately back at the black planet in the chalk-white sky. The receding comet of red light had come to roost at the castle floating above it.

"You BETTER get back home to us, Yuma."

And with that, the two siblings braved the white bolts from the Dystopia on all sides as they made their way down to Kite.

---

DUEL ACADEMY/HERO TIMELINE/8:58 PM

The humanoid mass of chrome forming before Jaden's eyes finished molding into two large blasters on each arm. The light then faded, allowing Jaden a glimpse at the new creature before him - a female form in grey-scale, although its glowing red eyes indicated it wasn't entirely human. "This is it, Yuki!" called Ceren triumphantly, "Behold a new kind of monster of my own creation! This is 'Paraidux Patrol – Bertha the Double Barrel!'"

"Okay."

A beat. "That's it?" asked Ceren, a little let down. "Just 'okay?'"

Jaden shrugged. "I don't know what to tell you," he said. "I've been through a lot, so I'm just not feeling anything from Bertha right now." He looked up at her. Not like I'm not gonna worry about how I'm gonna beat her, he added to himself.

"Well maybe Bertha's effects will get a rise out of you!" snapped Ceren. "Her first effect gives her five hundred Attack Points for each Advent Counter on her! So since I used one monster and four Spells, she gains five Advent Counters!" As he spoke, four spheres appeared around Bertha, signifying her newfound strength [ATK/DEF: ? - 2500].

"Next," he continued, "I'll Set one card face-down, and then activate Bertha's second effect! I can give her three more Advent Counters to destroy one Paraidux Spell or Trap Card I control along with a Spell or Trap Card you control! So I'll add three more Advent Counters to Bertha to destroy my face-down card along with your pesky Rainbow Veil!"

"No!" Jaden despaired as three more spheres appeared around Bertha [ATK/DEF 2500 - 4000], shattering the multicolored layer of protection around Air Neos. "But that's not all!" boasted Ceren. "The cards that were destroyed are now Set to their controller's opponent's side of the field!"

What? Why? Jaden could only wonder as Ceren's destroyed card now appeared on his side of the field, while his own Rainbow Veil card appeared face-down on Ceren's. "Now there's only one more piece of business to take care of," said Ceren, pointing to Air Neos. "Bertha, attack his Air Neos!"

Jaden could only look on helplessly as Bertha's cannons shot down his winged monster (Jaden's LP 2700 - 1200). "Alright then," said Ceren, checking his hand and field. "That seems to be about it, so I'll end my turn."

"I'm glad you did," said Jaden dryly as he drew for his turn. Frowning at his draw, he shrugged resignedly. "I Set one card face-down and end my turn."

"I…" Ceren paused, struggling to find the words. "That was so underwhelming." Jaden simply shrugged in response. "Oh well, no matter." He drew for his turn. "I wish I could say this was a good Duel Yuki, but… honestly, it wasn't. But then again, I don't know; maybe it suits you to be defeated while cornered like a rat." With nothing else to say, he pointed to the poor sap he was about to take out. "Time to put you down for good," he said with finality. "Goodbye and good riddance. Bertha, take him out."

On his command, the giant chrome woman opened fire. "Not so fast!" Jaden burst out suddenly. "I activate my face-down card, Draining Shield! This card negates your attack and adds your monster's Attack Points to my Life Points! So forget about taking me out this turn!"

"Son of a…" Ceren let his curse fall short as Bertha's attack was neutralizing by a barrier of light, minimizing the blasts and turning them into little sparkles that drifted down onto Jaden (LP 1200 - 5200). "Fine. I end my turn."

"Great," said Jaden, drawing for his. But he grimaced at the card he'd drawn. What?! Hidden Armory? What am I supposed to do with this?

"What kind of question is that?" asked Yubel in his mind. "There are plenty of cards in your Deck that you can activate in the Graveyard."

Right, yeah… Jaden looked at Bertha, then at his Deck. There's more than one way to use a card. "I activate Hidden Armory!" he announced. "I have to send the top card of my Deck to the Graveyard to use it, but in exchange it lets me add an Equip Spell Card from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand!"

He took the top card of his Deck, looked at it, smiled without letting Ceren see, and placed it into his Duel Disk's Graveyard slot before taking out his Deck and removing a card from it. Adding the card to his hand, he shuffled his Deck and put it back before showing the card to Ceren. "I'll add my Element Sword to my hand!"

"That was pointless," Ceren pointed out. "What good was adding that card – and a mediocre one at that – if there's no monster for you to use it on?"

Jaden simply shrugged. "Guess you'll just have to find out. I end my turn."

From where she and Banner floated, Ehris narrowed her eyes at the redcoat. "What was that supposed to be just now?"

Banner just grinned. "Wait and see," he said knowingly. "This is Jaden being clever."

"I fail to see how that's going to help against Ceren."

Banner looked aside at Ehris. "Keep watching," he said simply, yet sagely. Ehris cocked a bemused eyebrow at him before returning her attention to the event below.

"Fine!" said Ceren annoyedly as he drew for his turn. "Bertha, attack him again!"

"No shot!" retorted Jaden, removing a card from his Duel Disk's Graveyard slot and putting it into his pocket. "I banish Necro Gardna from my Graveyard to negate that attack!"

"Motherf..." Ceren stopped himself and calmed himself down. "When did you… oh right, when you played Hidden Armory… Honestly, I should've seen something like that coming from you, even if the odds were that small. Anyway, I end my turn."

"My move then," said Jaden, drawing for it. Oh, come on! He sighed. "I'll throw down a face-down and end my turn."

Ceren said nothing, simply drawing for his turn. "I'm not falling for the same trick twice, so first I'll Set one card face-down, then activate Bertha's effect to give her three more Advent Counters to destroy one Paraidux Spell or Trap Card I control and one Spell or Trap Card you control. So I'll destroy both cards that we just Set!"

"You'll fail again, Ceren!" Jaden shot back. "I activate my face-down card, Residual Reflection! By banishing two monsters from my Graveyard, this card reduces all damage I take this turn to zero! So I'll banish Air Neos and Nebulos to keep myself around for another turn!"

"Dammit." Ceren let out a groan combined with a sigh as Bertha acquired three more spheres (ATK/DEF 4000 - 5500) and shot them at Jaden's already-deployed card. Worse still, he thought, it's already off the field, so it won't come to my side after Bertha's effect resolves. Feeling annoyed but not knowing what else he could do, he shrugged tiredly. "I end my turn. Go."

"Sure," said Jaden, feeling just as tired all of a sudden but drawing for his turn. "I throw down a face-down and end my turn."

"Again?!"

Jaden shrugged. "I'm only making do with what my Deck gives me."

Ceren sigh-groaned again, drawing for his turn without saying a word. Okay, even if I target his face-down card with Bertha's effect, he'll probably just activate it in response. Then again, attacking him without destroying it would be both negligent and idiotic. Then again, he added with a glance at Bertha, You can never have too many Attack Points on a monster. He looked at the card he drew. Damn, a monster. He looked at his hand. No more Spells or Traps. And I can't use Jaden's for Bertha's effect since they're not Paraidux cards. He looked at Jaden's field again. But that's assuming he's not bluffing… Eyeing Jaden one last time, he thought, Fuck it. Even if he is, I'm calling it. "Bertha, attack him directly!"

There's no way, he thought. No way he's gonna get out of this a fourth time. There's just no way.

"I activate my Trap!" he heard Jaden yell. "Necro Fusion!"

Damn. It.

"Necro Fusion lets me Fusion Summon a monster by banishing its Fusion Materials from my Graveyard, face-down!" Jaden explained. "So while I'm losing Neos and Sparkman for the rest of the Duel, I'm hoping that my new Hero will make up! Say hello to Elemental Hero The Shining!"

To Ceren's chagrin, a spiral nexus opened up above Jaden's side of the field, accompanied by Elemental Heroes Neos and Sparkman. The two immediately overlaid each other as their bodies twisted, coalesced, and entered the nexus, which promptly shot out a heroically-built figure clad in white and outlined in gold, with a ringed entourage that was also gold. But to his surprise, it knelt down and crossed its arms in front[Elemental HERO The Shining: Warrior-Type/LIGHT/Level 8/ATK 2600/DEF 2100].

I don't get it, he thought. Why Defense Mode? He checked the field. Well, it's obvious he did it to protect himself.

"Defense Mode?" asked Ehris in disbelief. "What an idiot. I know there's nothing he can do to counterattack, but at the same time it's not like that monster'll be good for defending either." She turned to Banner. "All in all, this student of yours is nothing like the Supreme King."

"He's not," answered Banner. "He only just got back after going through a whole ordeal in another dimension, so it's understandable that he's not acting like himself. And to make something quite clear, the person down there now is who he really is. Whatever this 'Supreme King' business is about, it's just something that took up a small duration of his life."

Ehris glared daggers at him at that last line. "That 'small duration,'" she hissed, "Took more from me than you'll ever have in your one miserable lifetime. You have NO idea what I've lost, so before you go defending him, maybe consider the people whose lives he's affected." She turned curtly back to the Duel, indicating that this would be the final word. Banner let the matter go and did likewise.

"Whatever," Ceren said. "Bertha's still stronger than that thing, so I'll just have her attack it." And with a quick wave of his hand, The Shining was gone as soon as it had come. "Shame it couldn't stick around," he added wryly. Then his grin faded as he saw Jaden's. "Crap, you wanted that to happen, didn't you?"

"Do I really need to answer that?" asked Jaden in a knowing tone. "Meanwhile, The Shining's effect puts Neos in my hand and Nebulos back in my Fusion Deck!"

Ceren was too exasperated to say anything in response, so he simply decided not to, other than "I end my turn," of course. Jaden then drew and smiled at what he had gained.

"I activate the Spell Card Hero's Return!" Jaden announced. "This card brings back one Level Four or lower Warrior-Type monster from my Graveyard, so I'll use it to bring back Elemental Hero Blazeman!"

"Next," he went on, "Blazeman's effect activates! Whenever he's Normal or Special Summoned, I get to add a Polymerization from my Deck to my hand!" Without wasting time, he did just that. "Next I'll activate Polymerization, to fuse Blazeman on my field with Neos in my hand to Fusion Summon Elemental Hero Nebulos one more time!"After Nebulos reappeared on his field, Jaden continued. "Next I'll activate Nebulos's effect to Tribute him to bring out exactly who I need to bring Bertha down! Come on down, Elemental Hero Nova Neos!"

A gargantuan pyrokinetic appeared before Ceren and Bertha, taking the place of Nebulos. The white-armored Fusion Monster flexed both of its hands – one clawed, one not – and finally settled on Jaden's field. [Nova Neos/Warrior/LIGHT/Level 10/3000 ATK/2500 DEF]

"Now, Nova Neos – attack that Bertha with everything you've got! Supernova Serration!"

As Nova Neos took to the night sky – and rocketed past Ehris and Banner, both sent into tumbles from its wake – Ceren was at a loss for words. "How do you think this is going to go, Jaden?! Your new Neos is powerful, but my Bertha surpasses it in every…" A bloodcurdling scream cut off Ceren, and he turned to his Advent Monster in shock. Bertha's head had shot up in a cry to the skies as its silver skin was now covered in flames that formed into a silhouette of Nova Neos. Its Attack and Defense Points soon went in a different direction from Nova Neos – straight down. [Bertha's ATK/DEF: 5500/5000 - 500/500]

"Pride does come before a fall, doesn't it Ceren? And the falls don't come faster than with Nova's new ability, which turns the Attack and Defense Points of every monster you've got down to five hundred! Neos, you've got your target, now finish this Duel!" At Jaden's words, Nova Neos came rocketing down from the sky, its impact with the slumped Bertha producing a great explosion that both of them had to shield their eyes from.

When the smoke cleared, all that was left on Ceren's dissipating field was the shocked Duelist himself, and his LP bar emptying out to 0.

"Now Ceren, I believe you had some terms you said you'd agree to." Jaden pronounced. Yubel chimed in almost immediately. "Well, well. That's certainly a new Hero you pulled out of a hat. Perhaps I'm not the only person you treated yourself to today, eh...?"

Jaden's response was incredibly different from what he would have said a month ago. Yeah, I guess.

Ceren, after a long period of silence, finally grinned. "Guess I do have that word to keep up to." His grin then dropped. "It's a pity I won't be the only one paying it."

"Wait, what are you talking about?!" Jaden, Banner, and Yubel all belted out that statement, but Ehris heard only two of those voices as a shudder ran through her body. Frantically looking around for the source of that shock, she quickly opened a golden rift with her apple and left through it, the gateway snapping shut and sending Banner plummeting to earth as Ceren continued his monologue.

"I'm far from the only one fed up with how little regard you've shown to the victims of your actions, and before I leave, I'm going to bring forth the leader of our little group to guarantee we mete out your punishment! I did not spend a calendar year pulling my family back together to see you ruin our newfound purpose in life!" Ceren pulled out his Duel Disk from his arm and tapped a button on the bottom of it, just as another woman with blond hair and dressed in an outfit similar to a sailor's raced onto the scene.

Ceren's motion had only been stopped by her arrival. "Damnit, Jaden, you brought back that enabling patsy Echo too? First, you kill people, then you bring the wrong ones back! You are completely devoid of any sort of justice!"

The figure came to a stop. "I beg your pardon?!" she yelled. "I'm not an echo, prick! I'm Reggie! Look me up! Current dean of Slifer Red! Echo's who I'm here to find out about when I'm not busy uncovering who's been holding my students hostage!"

Oh, yes… Banner mused as he stumbled to his feet. Apparently, there are still some students stranded from this Academy's trip into – wait! Jaden, did Miss McKenzie say she was the new dean? I've been replaced?!

Yubel rolled her eyes. Jaden's eyes, however, stayed locked on Ceren throughout. "That situation's about to end, Professor MacKenzie!"

Reggie's left arm moved to her side, showing a Duel Disk adorning it. "I'd hope so, Jaden – you've been good so far, and certainly nothing like Bonaparte used to write about. Speaking of which, since we're here – he responded. Says he's moved by your kind words, and Marcel's made a full recovery."

"Wonderful." Both Jaden and Reggie turned to the near-forgotten brunette, Ceren. "Now that the world-usurping fail-son's long national nightmare is over, can we get to Jaden's newest screwup-"

Then Ceren's mind hearkened back to a factoid mentioned before in the conversation and his eyes widened. "Wait…MacKenzie? Reggie Mac... Oh my god, Reggie, is that you? After all these years?"

"What do you mean is it-" Then Reggie's memory was jogged. "CEREN YUBIN?! Are you serious?"

"Wait, you know him?" Jaden asked the question out loud, while Yubel and Banner spluttered it out in silence.

"I do, yeah! His sister's been missing for a year and a half, the tournament coming up was supposed to be in her honor since she won the last one! Ceren, have you found her?!" Reggie implored.

Ceren's head hung at Reggie's inquiry."I… I have. And I'm not the only one, Reggie. There's… been a lot more she's seen than you could know, so many other people and places and…" Ceren's voice trailed off. "Why'd we have to meet like this, Reggie? And now you're running cover for this kid? I mean, ma'am… did they even tell you what he's done?"

"Of course they have!" Reggie straightened up. "Saved Duel Academy on four separate occasions – that Crowler's heard of! It's why I'm happy to be his dorm's dean – and it's why in the world you've got some explaining to do as to why you've come back to accost him!"

"NOTHING… " Ceren's shock was palpable. "… Never mind. You couldn't know. I'm sorry for how we've met Reggie, but I've got more important things to do now. And Jaden needs to pay for the lives shattered in his wake. Step aside."

Reggie, after three seconds, stormed forward instead. "I'll do no such thing. I'm your Dueling opponent now… "And Reggie's Duel Disk snapped to life. "And I'm calling in my marker from your life debt to me. If I beat you – which really, doesn't sound that hard, considering – your vendetta with Jaden ends now. Are we clear, Yubin?" Before the heartbroken Ceren could respond, another yell pierced the night sky. "Hold on, Reggie, I've got the others here!" And the racing form of Blair Flannigan came to a stop near Reggie, as drenched with sweat as the accompanying Professors Fontaine, Crowler, and Sartyr. "And yeah – that's the kid who shot me out of the tree earlier!"

Ceren's retort would be cut off by a deafening alarm from the device attached to his Duel Disk. Opening the channel, he saw Akaine's face again, and she was frantic. "WHERE ARE YOU, Ceren?! Evy's just been brought back and the rifts aren't stopping! If you don't get back it'll reac-"

Even as Crowler's mouth fell open into a "Are those the Yubi-" and Jaden's realization of the sparks forming behind Ceren prompted him to yell out, a column of light shot out of Ceren's Duel Disk, and lightning started pulsing into him. Jaden was the first forward, and with his help, the malfunctioning disk was yanked from his arm. Blair was up in the next second, despite Reggie's flailing arms failing to hold her back, trying to assist Jaden.

But as she reached them, so did the bolts, and all three were swallowed up by the light before it disappeared in a snap with the three Duelists inside.

The perilous pall that hung over the gathered teachers could have been cut with a knife. Finally, Reggie spoke. "I'm scared to ask, but please, one of you – tell me you've seen this happen before and you know what to do."

Professor Sartyr answered her. "You've got it in one, Miss MacKenzie."

"We've seen this before, yes…" Crowler's voice was almost a whisper. "…but knowing where they've gone might be beyond what we can do."

Reggie MacKenzie ran a hand through her hair, looking hopelessly at the crater where two of her students – and her former peer – once stood.

"Then it's time we stop talking and start trying. Call Sheppard."

TO BE CONTINUED…

---

No intro for you all this time, the action's furious and long-past due. Next chapter, we handle how the canon-protags face the Aspect on their own home turf-and if their friends can save them from their fates in time. Links to the Aspect Decks used here, the Neutrino, and some specific choice cards are all below. Till next chapter, champs.

Evy's Torque: bdsceptyr/gallery/60350024/the-torque

Ceren's Paraidux Patrol: bdsceptyr/gallery/59718240/paraidux-patrol

Tidus's Hydraul: bdsceptyr/gallery/60952857/the-hydraul

Mizar's Neutrino: bdsceptyr/gallery/?catpath=&edit=0&q=

...and Asteroidragon: bdsceptyr/art/Galaxy-Eyes-Asteroidragon-742875612

...and Galaxy-Eyes Neutrino Dragon!: bdsceptyr/art/Galaxy-Eyes-Neutrino-Dragon-675155223

As well as Jack's Corona Resonator: bdsceptyr/art/Corona-Resonator-733954641

...and Red Rising Archfiend!: bdsceptyr/art/Red-Rising-Archfiend-799647040

Also, Yuma's new Utopia Infinity: bdsceptyr/art/Number-39-Utopia-Infinity-798991762

And we can't forget Yusei's new Stardust Synchron: bdsceptyr/art/Stardust-Synchron-803238456

...or Junk Combiner: bdsceptyr/art/Junk-Combiner-802693816

But the Warrior of the Hour in the Save/Yusei showdown was Millennia Warrior: bdsceptyr/art/Millennia-Warrior-613464750

...and its adjoining Synchron: bdsceptyr/art/Millennia-Synchron-613462718

Don't memory-hole Tuner's Arrest, though: bdsceptyr/art/Tuner-s-Arrest-802708625

And Jaden's newest Neos Fusion is no slouch either: bdsceptyr/art/Elemental-HERO-Nova-Neos-792137498

Finally, a residual card from that Duel is anime-only, so allow D'Sceptre Inc. to help with finding it: wiki/Residual_Reflection