Before we start, I would to give a huge thanks to everyone who has been keeping up with this story so far. I really appreciate your feedback and I'm happy to see that you're enjoying this. Anyway, without further adieu, here's the next chapter.


Eventually, after recieving some directions from an information center that he came across, Kai had managed to find his way around the city a little easier than before and got a clear path to the library. Using a map that he was provided with, he eventually came across said building. It was smaller than a large majority of the buildings that he passed by on the way here, Ruko's school included, its architecture ressembling that of a small, but smart house. Two large trees along with several smaller trees surrounded the building and the entrance had a light on the overhanging roof just above the doors. Checking back on the map he had, Kai acknowledged that this was the place that Hitoe had asked him to meet her by. Speaking of whom, the Selector herself was coming towards him from the opposite direction with Yuzuki's card in hand.

"Hello Kai!" she called. Kai waved back and pulled out Tama's card from his pocket. The LRIG called out and waved over to both Hitoe and Yuzuki with a large smile on her face. The Selector and the Cardfighter then looked over to the library doors.

"So what is it you wanted me over here for?" asked Kai.

"Yuzuki said she would explain everything after I take you through to the library garden on the other side," Hitoe answered. She went over towards the doors with Kai following her a few steps behind.


Unknown Location...

Leon could only stare at the strange space that his presence was summoned to. It was dark with barely any light present and there seemed to be nothing around him. He couldn't help but wonder over his current scenario. Just who or what had brought him here and what did they want with him? As if his thoughts had already been read, his answer had already come.

"Soryu Leon..." The Aqua Force user turned around to find the source of the voice. To his surprise, standing before him was a familiar person, taking on the appearance of an astral spirit like version of himself.

"Tatsunagi Takuto," he spoke.

"I don't have a long time to speak to you," Takuto replied "So please listen carefully." The Child of Soryu nodded in response in the account that he was prepared to listen to what Takuto had to say.

"I have gotten myself into a most unfortunate predicament," he began "On my way back from the Planet Cray, I stumbled into a strange White Room. I freed someone who was being held prisoner there, but I got captured in the result. I learned that Mayu, the person in control there is manipulating a higher power in the world outside of that room."

"I see," murmured Leon "Then how are you contacting me this moment?"

"I'm using your PSY Qualia as a means of talking to you," Takuto replied "But I can't keep in contact for long in case Mayu finds out that she hasn't taken all of my power. Before she completely drained me, I began a summoning with the intention of bringing a strong Cardfighter to my aid, Aichi being in mind at the time. But because my power was being drained quickly, I ended up abruptly summoning Kai Toshiki to the world outside of where I'm being held." Something then clicked in Leon's head. This was how Kai had vanished from his world.

"Is he alright?" he asked "I have heard news from abroad that Sendou has been worried sick about him."

"I haven't seen how he has fared so far," Takuto answered "But from what conversations I've been hearing, he's been dragged into the conflict that my hostess has been manipulating. Whilst I was being drained, I could sense that Mayu's power is somehow blurred between the lines of imagination and reality. I could also feel a familiar dark presence which leads to believe she may some sort of connection with the Void." Leon gritted his teeth. He knew full well of what happened when the Void sealed away the Aqua Force on Cray and he wasn't happy with allowing himself to be manipulated by said being to allow his clan to return to power. He was thankful that Aichi had managed to make him see what he was doing was wrong back then and all the enemies he had made during this time eventually more or less became close friends.

"What do you need me to do though?" Leon asked. Before Takuto could answer, he quickly turned around, then back to Leon with a concerned expression on his face.

"I need you to find a way to where Kai is and let him know of my predicament," he replied "From what I've been seeing from here and the explanations I have been getting, I'd advise if Aichi were not to come."

"Why exactly?"

"Because if he were to be dragged into the battles there and learn the truth about them, then..." Takuto's answer was suddenly cut off as a brilliant flash of light engulfed the entire space, blinding Leon's vision. Before everything went all white, he could see Takuto vanishing from right in front of him.


Kai's World: Soryu Island

"Leon-sama!"

"Are you alright?!"

Leon slowly but steadily got his grasp of reality back together. He was seated in a chair in the library section of the island. Beside him were the twins, Jillian and Charlene who looked concerned for their friend. He cluctched his head as he tried to recall everything that Takuto had told him. The being from Cray was being held captive by someone called Mayu, from another world entirely and Kai Toshiki had been been brought into the battles that transpired there. Leon could also remember Takuto advising him about something to do with not letting Aichi join him on this situation, but his reason was cut short from the sudden interruption. He looked back at Jillain.

"Did something happen?" he asked.

"You kind of spaced out for a moment," she answered "What's going on?" Leon stood up slowly with help from Charlene, having not fully regained conscoiusness from his use of PSY Qualia to talk with Takuto.

"The wind has summoned me for an important task," he spoke "But I may require outside assistance to accomplish this." Leon than turned over to Charlene.

"Can you patch through a call to Foo Fighter?" he asked. "I may need to speak to 'him' about this."


Wixoss World: Library Garden

Kai and Hitoe sat at a table in the small, but lush garden at the back of the library. It was peaceful and quiet with no one else present at the time, thereby giving them enough space to discuss matters on their own. To the side of the table, Tama and Yuzuki's cards were resting up against Hitoe's bag so the two LRIGs would be able to get a better view of the discussion from their perspectives. Yuzuki cleared her throat so she could get the conversation going.

"First things first," she spoke "Did you happen to find anything about Ruko?"

"No," Kai answered "But I've found out that where I'm staying is only a floor above from where her family are living. I haven't taken the opportunity to see them yet."

"I see," said Hitoe "Maybe when we can get some better information about where our friend is, I could introduce them to you later."

"Tama's heard Ru's grandma is really nice," Tama replied "Though Tama can't talk to her."

"Anyway," Yuzuki continued "I've also been wondering if maybe you could shed some light about this Aichi and Ren you've mentioned to us before. You said the first had helped you recover from your dillema with this Link Joker and I was wondering if maybe you could tell us a bit about those two."

"Very well then," Kai said. He then closed his eyes deep in thought as he went back over those memories.

"Back in my world," he began "I was already acqainted with the game of Vanguard at a young age."

Kai's Memories/POV

"Royal Paladin was the very first clan that I had used. During those days, I wasn't always the strong fighter I currently am. My friend, Tashi Miwa was the one that brought me into the game, but for some reason, I can't recall the name of my first opponent."*

A younger Kai was seen cardfighting a boy around his age with Miwa watching from the sidelines. For some strange reason in this flashback, his opponent is obscured by a dark shadow making it very hard for him to remember who it was he faced then.

"Eventually, after several months came that fateful day. The day I met Sendou Aichi."

The scene jumps a few months into the future where Kai first meets a young boy with blue hair after noticing the scuff marks and plasters on his face.

"In those days, he was always picked on for his shyness and frail appearance. As a result, he didn't have any friends back then. I gave him the card that would eventually become his avatar and change his life for the better. Blaster Blade."

"Hold on," Yuzuki interrupted "You mean to say he's now as strong as you from giving him that card?"

"I wouldn't say it was just that," Kai replied "But I'll get to that later. After that, everything for me eventually changed for the worse."

"What happened?" asked Hitoe.

"I lost my parents and was forced to move," he answered "Being too young to fend for myself back then, my uncle took me in and I transferred to a new school. During this time, I picked up the Kagero clan as my new deck and discovered Dragonic Overlord."

Kai is then seen entering the classroom of his new school and taking a seat by the window in front of a boy with red hair. The scene cuts to Kai on the roof where he is met by the same red haired boy along with a taller boy with purple hair.

"That was when I met Suzugamori Ren and Shinjou Tetsu."

"What is Ren like?" Tama asked.

"Ren was always a bit of an airhead," Kai replied "But he had a good judge of character."

The flashback then cuts to Kai's first game against Tetsu when he defeats him with Dragonic Overlord.

"Eventually after we got acqainted and I had my first game with Tetsu, Ren offered me a chance to be among his team, Foo Fighter. We thought that the good times could never end and I thought I was finally at home with myself. But sadly, that was when fate had decided to play a cruel trick once again. One day, I returned to the place where we held our cardfights to see that Ren had beaten Tetsu into submission."

The younger Kai could see that Ren before him has a more sinister glint in his eyes.

"I didn't know about what exactly was going on at the time, but Ren had picked up a strange power known as PSY Qualia which allowed him to communicate with the Shadow Paladin units he commanded. But he couldn't control it and ended up being consumed. As a result, he became power hungry looking to defeat the strongest and become the best. I tried to stop him, but I wasn't strong enough."

The scene cuts to Ren using his PSY Qualia to manifest himself as Blaster Dark on the surface of Cray in front of Kai.

"But before he could strike the final blow, he passed out from overusing that power. I knew that in our current states, there was nothing more I could do. I left behind everything once again and moved back to my original home, hoping I could become even stronger on my own so I could try again to save Ren. Because of what happened then, I wasn't exactly a friendlier person when I returned back to everyone I knew well."

"What exactly do you mean?" asked Yuzuki.

"I came across to others as more of a lone wolf with more a selective mute appearance," Kai answered "Miwa would be the only one who I could tolerate. One day, I was challenged by the self-proclaimed strongest fighter, Katsumi Morikawa. I originally turned him down, but I accepted when he willingly betted Blaster Blade as a prize for the winner. After I defeated him, I eventually found out that this was the same Blaster Blade I had given to Aichi."

Aichi stumbles into Card Capital to retrieve Blaster Blade. Kai prevents him from doing by explaining why he can't give it back.

"Even though the card was stolen, Morikawa had to respect the terms for a Vanguard Fight. This therefore meant if Aichi wanted Blaster Blade, he would have to fight me to get it back. Plucking up enough courage, he challenged me under those conditions. As he was new to the game, I gave Blaster Blade back to him on the condition he would hand it back should I win. I taught him the rules as we went along and eventually, through sheer luck and a miracle, he emerged victorious."

The current trail of memories ends with Aichi using Blaster Blade to deal the final blow to Dragonic Overlord.

Present

"Wow," murmured Hitoe "It sounds like he's very brave to go through with a challenge like that."

"Yeah," replied Yuzuki whilst looking over to her "Almost reminds me of a certain Selector who's been holding on to my card." Hitoe almost jumped in surprise to that statement.

There's no way I can be someone like this Aichi she thought I mean, I guess I can understand why from what Kai's explained so far, we could sort of relate. But whether it's in the game of Wixoss or Vanguard in his matter, there's no way I could be like him. Shaking herself clear of that thought, Hitoe turned her attention back to Kai. "You can continue now if you want," she said.

Kai nodded as he went back to the story he had shared so far. He continued to explain about how Aichi at first still had a long way to go to become the strong cardfighter he was known for today as well as giving brief mentions of Katsuragi Kamui and Misaki Tokura, his teammates whilst he was still a part of Q4. He recounted the events that occured in the first and second national tournaments whilst also dropping mention of Aichi's PSY Qualia incident and his failed attempt to bring Ren back to his senses. Kai then explained how Aichi had managed to bring Ren back in the final round of the second national tournament and things began looking up from there. He also told the group of his adventures in the Asia Circuit with how his Kagero deck was replaced with Narukami and that he returned to Ren to play with his team once again like he did before the PSY Qualia incident whilst also dropping mention of Tatsunagi Takuto and Soryu Leon along with Aichi's progression in the Circuit as he eventually finished his tale.

"And then of course there is the Link Joker incident," he concluded "I think you already know the rest from what I told you earlier."

"Yeah," said Yuzuki who was still in awe over the whole explanation "That is quite the story. I didn't think Cray was any more real until you mentioned that Takuto guy."

"Tama finds Kai's story amazing!" called Tama. Hitoe couldn't find any words to describe everything she heard. From what she could gather, Kai along with Aichi and Ren had been through a lot in their lives back in their home world, all three sharing their good and bad moments in different ways.

"I kind of wish we could meet them though," she murmured "Aichi sounds like he's a really nice person." Kai could understand at where she was coming from. Deep down however, he thought that bringing Aichi into this world's current state was not such a good idea. If he ended up becoming a pseudo-Selector like him, only because of his PSY Qualia, he could become an easy target before he could understand of what he would be getting himself into. Nonetheless, he still had a task to accomplish so there would be time for him to explain everything to Aichi when they would eventually and hopefully reunite. Kai turned over to Yuzuki.

"I believe that this isn't the only thing you wanted to ask of me," he spoke. The LRIG nodded and turned over to Hitoe.

"You did remember to bring your deck like I asked, right?" The Selector nodded and reached inside her bag, pulling out a small case containing her cards.

"You want me to engage Hitoe in a practice battle?" asked Kai.

"That's right," replied Yuzuki "If the worse case scenario happens to come when we eventually find Ruko, we need to be ready for anything." She then looked up at Hitoe. "Do your best, I'll be watching."

"Yeah," she replied "Um... Kai, I know I'm feeling nervous going up against you, but please don't hold anything back."

"But of course," he replied as he lay an LRIG card face down onto the mat that the two of them had placed on the table. Hitoe got herself set up for their battle to begin. Both Cardfighter and Selector reached for their starting LRIGs on their respective ends on the playmat.

"Open!"

"Open, the LRIG!"

(Insert Music: Cardfight! Vanguard Unreleased Soundtrack: Stand Up, Vanguard!)*

Both Selector and Cardfighter flipped their LRIG cards up, revealing both Lizard Soldier, Conroe and Yuzuki-Zero respectively.

"Um... Kai, you can go first," said Hitoe.

"Very well then," he spoke "Draw. I grow Embodiment of Armor, Bahr!" He motioned to Hitoe that he was passing the turn over to her.

"Right," she said "Draw. I grow Yuzuki-One!" She then placed Echidna, Phantom Dragon from her hand into the center SIGNI space that was directly in front of the LRIG card before downing it. "Attack!" Kai revealed the crushed Life Cloth to be Roaring Fire Pillar before placing it in her Ener Zone. "Next!"

"No guard." Kai then revealed Seal Dragon, Artpique, drawing 1 card from its Life Burst before placing it in his Ener Zone.

"Turn end."

End of Turn 2

Kai vs Hitoe

Hand - 7 : 6

Life Cloths - 5 : 7

Current LRIGs - Embodiment of Armor, Bahr : Yuzuki-One

SIGNI: EMPTY - EMPTY - EMPTY : EMPTY - Echidna, Phantom Dragon - EMPTY

Ener - 2 : 0

"The first attacks have already been dealt," murmured Yuzuki "Hitoe's doing okay so far."

"But why didn't Kai summon any SIGNI or even Ener Charge on Kai's turn?" asked Tama.

"He must be conserving his cards for the defensive later," she answered "Even so, I wonder how this will turn out."

"Draw," spoke Kai "Ener Charge. I grow Blazing Core Dragon and summon!" He placed Iron Tail Dragon and Gatling Claw Dragon on the left and right SIGNI spaces of his side of the mat. "Using Conroe's Self-Exceed ability, I pay 1 and move him to my LRIG Trash to add a Level 1 Red SIGNI from my deck to my hand." Kai then revealed Wyvern Guard, Barri as the card he was searching for before he shuffled his deck. "And then, I use Blazing Core's ability." He moved Seal Dragon, Artpique from his Ener Zone to his Trash before moving Iron Tail and Gatling Claw's cards there in its place. Kai took out a single card from his LRIG deck and held it out before him.

"Three sealed gods of destruction, gain the power of explosive flames and rise! Blazing Flare Dragon, Superior Grow!" As Kai placed the card on top of Blazing Core Dragon, Yuzuki and Hitoe could only look on in surprise having not realized that he did not have another Kagero LRIG with the same manuever he used against Chiyori the other day. Tama meanwhile looked on at the card seeing the dragon depicted. It was red in a lighter shade than Dragonic Overlord having four red wings, two large and another two half the size. Its right arm had a double barrel gatling gun kind of weapon whilst the dragon had two left arms, one wielding a sword and another with a blade on the wrist.

"Again?!" gasped Yuzuki "You mean to say Aleph isn't the only one with that kind of ability?!"

"Amazing!" called Tama whilst throwing her fist into the air in excitement. Kai briefly glanced down at Yuzuki before turning his attention back to Hitoe.

"Image it," he spoke "You and Yuzuki are standing in the presence of the Lord of Explosive Flames, where a fierce battle awaits the both of you."

"Wow..." murmured Hitoe, who was breathless at this spectacle. Yuzuki should be glad that she's not facing this in the flesh. I'm not sure if I even stand a chance against Kai now. Yuzuki noticed Hitoe's expression and glanced up at her.

"Hitoe, don't panic!" she called "You're still in the third turn and you have your own way to catch up to Kai's current state!" The Selector nodded and looked back at him.

"Summon! Garp attacks!" Hitoe placed the defeated Echidna, Phantom Dragon in her Ener Zone.

"Next, Kimnara and Iron Tail Dragon!" Kai called.

The first two Life Cloths that were crushed were Silvan, Natural Stone and Expelling Flames of the Dragon Phoenix. Hitoe noticed the Life Burst on the second card.

"Using the Life Burst," she spoke "I move Gatling Claw Dragon from your Ener Zone to your Trash and banish Kimnara." Kai nodded complying with the card's effects.

"Finally, Blazing Flare Dragon attacks!"

"Guard!" Hitoe revealed Servant O from her hand before placing it in her trash.

"Turn end," Kai spoke.

(End Insert Music)

End of Turn 3

Kai vs Hitoe

Hand - 4 : 5

Life Cloths - 5 : 5

Current LRIGs - Blazing Flare Dragon : Yuzuki-One

SIGNI: EMPTY - Cross Shot, Garp - Iron Tail Dragon : EMPTY - EMPTY - EMPTY

Ener - 2 : 3

Hitoe looked over her hand and then back across to Kai's side of the field.

If I remember from seeing it right when Kai opened through the pack that had this card, Blazing Flare can pay 5 Ener to send any one of my SIGNI to my Trash. In addition, each time one of Kai's card effects banishes or trashes one of my SIGNI, he can allow Blazing Flare Dragon to give 3000 power to one of his SIGNI until the end of that turn. I need to be careful with what I play.

"Is everything alright?" Kai asked.

"Um... I'm fine," replied Hitoe "Draw and Ener Charge." Ruko, wherever you are, I promise we'll find a way to help set things straight for you! "Grow, Yuzuki-Two!"

On the field that Kai was picturing, nothing much changed of Yuzuki's appearance even with the hovering cannons on either side from her Level 1 form, with the only difference being the addition of small crystal like red wings on her back and several red markings on her face. Back to reality, Hitoe continued on with her turn.

"Then by paying 1, I use the Spell Swift Advance!"

"Now this is where things get interesting," murmured Yuzuki.

"How so?" Tama asked.

"Watch and see," she replied.

"Superior Grow, Yuzuki-Three!" Hitoe placed the card on top of Yuzuki-Two. The third form of Yuzuki didn't really depict anything different from the second form aside from a different pose and a higher level of power. Kai looked on, having now realized of what was coming his way.

"Impressive," he spoke "If I'm not mistaken, Yuzuki also has a Level 4 form. By paying the cost for the Spell you used, you've not only caught up to Blazing Flare Dragon, but you've cut down the Grow Cost for next turn."

"Yeah," replied Hitoe "Yuzuki helped me to assemble this deck around her, so I know what she needs me to do in different scenarios."

"Still, I didn't think you were that perspective Kai," said LRIG murmured "Though I suppose your experience through Cardfighting in your own world has helped you to see that." Kai nodded and motioned for Hitoe to continue.

"Right," she replied "I summon Bronda, Tyranno and Silvan! Attack!"

Kai first moved his Cross Shot, Garp and Iron Tail Dragon to his Ener Zone before flipping up his next crushed Life Cloth. The card revealed was Silvan, Natural Stone. No Life Burst was present on it though.

"Now Yuzuki will attack," Hitoe spoke.

"No guard." Kai flipped his next Life Cloth revealing Dragon Monk Genjo.

"Got a Heal Life Burst," he said "Recovering one Life Cloth with the top card of my deck."

"Over to you Kai," replied Hitoe.

End of Turn 4

Kai vs Hitoe

Hand - 4 : 2

Life Cloths - 4 : 5

Current LRIGs - Blazing Flare Dragon : Yuzuki-Three

SIGNI: EMPTY - EMPTY - EMPTY: Silvan, Natural Stone - Bronda, Natural Stone - Tyranno, Phantom Dragon

Ener - 5 : 1

"You're doing well Hitoe!" called Yuzuki "Keep up the pressure!"

"Go Kai!" cheered Tama. Yuzuki turned to her and could only sweatdrop a bit. Figures.


Kai's World: Foo Fighter Headquarters

Ren sat back in his office chair, looking out of the window overlooking the large city that stood before the building. Despite no longer attending Fukuhara High School from graduating a few months ago, he felt like keeping the school uniform for casual wear after Kai had shown disapproval from his use of his old black trenchcoat. He was looking up at the sky with a certain preoccupation on his mind.

Kai, I know it is your thing to travel across the world looking for strong opponents, but I didn't think you were the type that would go off everybody's radar so suddenly.

"Is something bothering you, Ren-sama?" Ren turned around to face the person that asked him. She wore a smart dark blue jacket and short skirt. The girl's eyes and hair color also followed suit with the color of her clothes, only her eyes were a much lighter shade of light blue.

"It's nothing important, Asaka," he answered in his casual tone "Just thinking so hard over something makes my head hurt so bad."

"I see," she replied "I have someone outside who wants to see you."

"Oh? Let's see who has come over then."

Asaka nodded and went over to the doors which opened, revealing Soryu Leon in their presence. The Aqua Force user stepped inside and walked over to the desk where Ren faced him.

"Hello there!" he called "What can I do for you today?"

"Suzugamori Ren," Leon replied in a more serious tone "There is a matter I wish to discuss with you."

"Oh?" pondered Ren "What would that be?" Leon turned back to Asaka.

"If you could give us a few moments," he spoke.

"Of course." Asaka nodded and left the office through the doors. Leon then turned back to Ren with the matter at hand.

"You've noticed it too?" he asked.

"But of course," replied Ren "Kai's disappearing acts have gotten old since the whole deal with the Link Joker invasion. I wonder why this one feels so different?"

"That could be the fact that he is no longer on this world," Leon answered. Ren's interest was now perked up at this point. Until now, he had no idea of why Kai's disappearance had been bugging him so much. He then got up from his desk and walked over to Leon.

"So then, what do you have in mind?"


And here we go! Hope you've all enjoyed this chapter. Sorry if most of it was basically a flashback/recap chapter, but I thought it would be helpful if Hitoe and Yuzuki were more familar with Aichi and Ren earlier for later on. Anyway, don't forget to favourite, follow and/or leave a review and I'll see you later on the next chapter.

* Yep. If you've read the manga and seen the trailer for the movie, that is indeed Kouji Ibuki. If you saw the subbed 3 minute promo, around the first minute mark, you can hear Kai asking himself just who is Ibuki which leads me to believe he has somehow forgotten about him at this point in time.

* This soundtrack first plays in Episode 105 when Aichi is going over the basics of Vanguard with Naoki.