And welcome back everyone to the penultimate chapter of Aichi vs Ulith! I hope you enjoy this one as there will be a surprise in store!


Selector Battlefield

(Selector Infected Wixoss OST: Battle More)

The entire battlefield had fallen practically silent at the turn of events that had just occured. Aichi was completely frozen, silently sobbing away at the scenario that lay before him. Ulith had gotten inside his head and broken the truth out of what impact that his actions would have on the people and LRIGs he faced in the Selector Battles. He knew for a fact that no matter how much he could deny that he wouldn't want to hurt them, he knew that the Selector herself was indeed correct. One way or another, he would hurt them in his efforts to save them and he knew that the only one that could be blamed, was himself. This then led him to misplaying by trying to attack with Blaster Blade and Alfred, before summoning any SIGNI for defence, only to have his turn to come to an end immediately due to a power gained by the reversed LRIG now opposing him.

Shiro, still darkened by the power of Reverse in her Sunspot Miko form, eyed the cardfighter along with the two Royal Paladin units maliciously, impatiently waiting for another command from Ulith so she could attack them both once again. Both the Swordsman of Light and the King of Knights were already beaten and battered from her previous round of attacks and were greatly concerned for Aichi's state after everything that Ulith had spoken to him about. The Selector on the other hand remained still on the table, keeping her cold smile and her gaze trained on her opponent, now broken by the truth that she had given him. And now, thanks to his recent misplay, it appeared that victory would be in her grasp sooner than she imagined.

Meanwhile up in the tower, everyone watching could only stare down at Aichi, greatly concerned for his state. None were more horrified from the recent turn of events that occured than Yuzuki, Naoki, Hitoe and Kai. The Selector amongst the group could only feel very worried, her eyes close to the verge of tears and being unable to bear watching through the whole ordeal any longer. Kai turned to Leon and Ren, whose gaze remained trailed on Ulith, a brief rainbow coloured glow flaring in their eyes, as if they knew exactly everything that had been going on.

"You saw that image too, didn't you?" he asked, his serious tone filled with a hint of pent up anger.

"Yeah," replied Ren "That image Ulith showed Aichi... she already knew that was more than enough to make him snap."

"And by taking into account everything we've learned about the Selector Battles so far," Leon explained "Whether we want to believe it or not, there is some truth to her words."

"But still, what she did to Aichi... that's just plain cruel..." Yuzuki growled, struggling to restrain herself from letting her anger get the better of her.

"Aichi!" yelled Naoki "Can you hear us?! You gotta snap out of whatever Ulith put into your head!" But his words didn't even reach the Royal Paladin user's ears as he then looked down towards the ground from the tower windowsill.

"Damn it!" he growled.

"W... We're too high up..." Hitoe murmured, a hint of worry still present in her voice "No wonder Aichi can't hear us."

"Mayu must have it made it this way so spectators couldn't give their preferred Selectors the support they needed," Kai muttered, growling under his breath as he looked down to the battlefield. Although he wasn't exactly showing it, he too was greatly concerned for Aichi's current state, wondering if the Royal Paladin user would even be able to recover. Aichi... Just what will you do?

Back at the battlefield, Aichi remained as he was, distraught from both the words Ulith had spoken to him and the image that she had shown him during the previous turn. As tears continued to fall from his eyes onto the table's surface, Blaster Blade turned his attention over to him.

"My Vanguard, you can't lose hope now!" he called "As long as you continue to allow her words to dictate your every move, you won't be able to save Shiro, nor will we be able to save anyone!"

"B... But if have to hurt them..." Aichi sobbed.

"Remember why you're battling to free Shiro!" replied Blaster Blade "Remember why you've entered this world!"

At first, Aichi had stopped sobbing, an indication being that there were no more tears flowing from his eyes. But even Alfred knew that Blaster Blade's words alone were not enough to snap the cardfighter out of his current state. That suspicion was all but confirmed when Aichi didn't answer, his expression minus the earlier tears having not changed at all. That was all Ulith needed to assure herself that he was beyond the point of recovery, at least from her perspective. The Selector smiled viciously as she drew her cards to start her turn.

"I suppose even your words were meaningless, Ahmes," she spoke, seemingly mocking the Swordsman of Light's efforts to try and snap the cardfighter out of his state. "How about I give Sendou some space to sulk around whilst sparing him the pain of seeing you annihilated before his eyes."

(End Music)

With a snap of her fingers in her free hand, Aichi could feel his PSY Qualia activating again without his own consent, the glow in his eyes having appeared once more as everything suddenly went dark.


Aichi's Vision

Once again, all vision he had of the field around him faded into pitch black, essentially leaving him to believe that he was all alone once again in this image, expecting Ulith to appear and break him down even further. When a few moments had passed, it appeared to him that the cruel demanored Selector was nowhere to be found in wherever he now found himself in. As he gazed around the space he now found his consciousness in, the only thing he felt he could do was to fall onto his knees and think about everything that had happened throughout the battle. The words of Ulith echoed through his head once again as he struggled to think over all that lay before him.

"The real irony of the matter is, the filth that you intend to save from this neverending cycle... will be the same scum that you'll break apart yourself."

"W... Why...?" he said to himself, his voice filled with complete guilt "Why do I have to hurt other Selectors when I want to save them...?

"This is what I live for in the Selector Battles. I'm suprised you haven't felt the same, considering that you were all too willing to sell out a friend's memories just to save a meaningless world."

"How... did Ulith know about Kourin-san...?" Aichi quivered "I didn't want to have her lose her memories... but if I didn't stop the other Takuto at that time... then..."

"That must be easy for someone whose cardfighting life has had no consequences on the world there."

"This isn't right... And yet... I... I have to hurt them... tainting their wishes and... bringing them nothing but despair..." Am I really no different than her?

"Despair...?"

Aichi's eyes for the first time since Ulith's first image suddenly broke out of their distraught appearance and widened in response to what he just heard. This was a voice that he thought that he wouldn't have a chance to hear again. Not since the night that he first entered this world had he heard that familiar voice. Slowly but surely, he got up from his knees and turned around to find the source that was standing right behind him. When his eyes looked upon the source that had spoken out to him, he could only gasp.

"You are...!"


Selector Battlefield

(Selector Infected Wixoss OST: Battle ~ Even if I Hurt Myself)

In the reality around the cardfighter however, it appeared to everyone else with the exception of Ulith that Aichi was practically helpless on his own, with no response as to what was about to befall him. His eyes appeared seemingly dull, with only the continuous glow of his PSY Qualia keeping them alight. Alfred and Blaster Blade could only stare up at the motionless Aichi, wondering what had happened to him. The Swordsman of Light turned his attention back to Ulith, glaring at her intensely with anger present in his eyes.

"What have you done to my Vanguard?!" he demanded fiercly.

"It's just as I said," she replied "I'm merely just using his PSY Qualia to spare him the pain of seeing you and Alfred being crushed before Shiro. Then he will join Reverse along with the two of you once that has occured."

As Blaster Blade gritted his teeth in response to what the Selector had just said to him, Alfred had suddenly realized what she had meant exactly. And the answer was not a pleasant one at that.

"I see!" he gasped.

"What is it, your majesty?!" the Swordsman of Light asked.

"By manipulating his PSY Qualia... She's sealed off Aichi's consciousness and focus elsewhere, meaning that he can't use any of the cards from his hand whilst he's in this state!" the King of Knights replied. Everyone else up from the tower gasped in shock upon hearing the conclusion that Alfred had managed to draw up.

"That's practically cheating!" yelled Naoki "If that's true, Aichi can't even guard any attacks coming his way unless he snaps out of it!"

"I never thought I'd say this, but is this something even Mayu herself would allow?!" Yuzuki growled "The fact that she's allowing underhanded tactics like this to go on under her gaze?!"

No one else from amongst the group said anything out aloud, but each were occupied with their own thoughts on the matter. All of them were hoping however that deep down, Aichi would find a way to break out of the scenario he now found himself in before all of Ulith's upcoming attacks could finish him off. Speaking of whom, the Selector's lips pursed a devious smile as she kept her gaze upon the Royal Paladin user.

"Nemain, Cryskull, Energe," she spoke "Drown Ahmes and Alfred even deeper into the depths of despair and bring Sendou Aichi one step closer to oblivion! Attack!"

The 3 SIGNI on her table nodded to her command as the two Royal Paladin units could only brace themselves for the onslaught to come. They held out their swords in front of them, but Energe, Nemain and Cryskull launched devastating black beams of energy right at them. The beams joined together to form one large attack that instantly hit both Blaster Blade and Alfred head on at practically point blank. A massive explosion rocked the table, knocking Aichi's subconscious body backwards into the seat that he was sitting in before slumping downwards. His eyes still remained open with his PSY Qualia remaining activated whilst Alfred and Blaster Blade were knocked to the ground from the impact of the blast they had suffered from.

The next 3 Life Cloths flew upwards and revealed themselves one by one. The first, Servant D glowed, indicating that the first attack had triggered its Life Burst. The top card of the cardfighter's deck, which was another copy of the Colourless Guard SIGNI, moved to his Ener Zone. The second Life Cloth revealed Knight of Silence, Gallatin and the third, Swordsman of the Explosive Flames, Palamedes. The final two Life Cloths did not have any Life Bursts to aid the cardfighter in this dire hour of need, not that he was aware of it. Meanwhile back in the tower, everyone watching could only glance down at Aichi, worrried about what was coming next.

"Aichi! Hang in there!" Naoki called desperately "You can't let her beat you like this!"

"Do something!" cried Hitoe.

"Aichi..." Kai murmured, he too also concerned for the state of the Royal Paladin user, unaware of what was currently going on with him.

(End Music)


Aichi's Vision

(Cardfight! Vanguard OST: Tadayou Kehai)

"You... are...?"

Aichi could only stare wide-eyed at the person that had now appeared in the vision that Ulith had sent him into. Right there in front of the cardfighter, standing before him at this very moment, was Umr. She was at a much closer distance towards him compared to the last time that the two had apparently encountered each other in the Royal Paladin user's 'dream' from entering this world. Aichi although aware of the fact that the circumstances for their 'first meeting' were possible to have only been a dream in itself, felt this was the opportunity he needed to get some answers right now.

"Umr..." he breathed.

"U... mr...?" the girl replied, a hint of confusion present in her voice and expression, just like the last time the two of them had seemingly crossed paths.

"That's right... I think," said Aichi "That's your name. Um... Do you remember me?"

"Remember..." Umr spoke, her tone seemingly monotoned now that she had regained her composure. "Another word for recollection... But it appears you are correct... I do recall something about you that feels... familiar."

"Then... you remember me?" the Royal Paladin user asked.

"Vaguely..." she answered "It appears that... I have somehow lost a small portion of my recollection. Aichi, was it?"

Aichi was surprised. He had partially expected Umr to not even have a thought about him, given that the last time he saw her was in a dream from his arrival in this world. But now that she had some recollection of him, it appeared that their meeting just being a dream was starting to not be the case. Why that was remained a mystery to him, even to the girl standing before him. Out of curiousity, Umr walked a little closer towards Aichi, glancing all over his expression with her bright blue eyes, as if she was studying him.

"Your eyes hold... sadness..." she murmured "And you mentioned... despair..."

At this point, Aichi's mood had suddenly dropped again, having remembered immediately about why he was in the state that he was in. A small tear left his right eye as he began recalling everything that had been going on throughout the battle.

"It's... someone I've been fighting..." he explained "They showed me the truth... of what might happen if I continue to fight... in the Selector Battles. The only thing I'll do... is hurting people... all because of what I believe in."

"Then why?"

"Huh?" Aichi blinked in confusion to Umr's sudden question, having not expected her to respond like this.

"Why do your eyes hold sadness, if you all you are doing is fighting for what you believe in?" she asked.

"I... I don't want to hurt any more people..." he answered "But if going through the Selector Battles, hurting more people, is the only way forward... then what should I do?"

The air remained silent around the space as Aichi and Umr could only look on at one another, wondering about what would happen next. Several moments passed as the two remained in place before the girl suddenly raised her right arm out in front of her. Aichi was slightly surprised from the sudden action, but was unsure of what was to come from this.

(End Music)

"I vaguely recall you... reaching out like this..." she murmured.

"That's right..." Aichi replied "Um... I reached out for your arm, hoping you would hang on to my hand when that vortex appeared in that dream."

"Then rise up..." Umr spoke "Take my hand as you tried to once before."

The Royal Paladin user was unsure from this sudden action. Back in that dream, he only reached out for Umr's hand as a gesture in the hope that she would help him ride out of the storm that occurred at that time. But here, now that there was seemingly nothing to interfere with their conversation, he felt as if she didn't quite understand the implications of what could be seen as an otherwise harmless gesture. Regardless though, he felt as if the only way he was going to understand everything about her would be to do as she suggested. Slowly, Aichi raised his own right arm in front of him as he walked a little forwards towards Umr. Eventually, when they were practically arms' length from one another, they moved their respective hands towards each other until eventually, they made contact.

At the moment of contact however, neither were expecting or prepared to anticipate what was about to occur. Aichi's eyes suddenly flared up with the glow of his PSY Qualia once again as a strange black aura surrounded Umr.

"T... This is..."

Before she could finish her sentence, the girl was completely enveloped and obscured by the aura, now pulsating with a bright rainbow coloured glow mixed in with the blackness that covered her.

"Umr?!" gasped Aichi.

At this moment, the aura that covered Umr suddenly erupted into a bright rainbow coloured flash, mixed with several streams of black as the space that the Royal Paladin user was in grew brighter and brighter and brighter. Before everything went completely white from the sudden intensity of flash, Aichi suddenly froze up, a strange feeling having begun coursing through him.


Selector Battlefield

Back on the battlefield, for the moment, it appeared that nothing had changed since Ulith had begun her onslaught of attacks on Blaster Blade and Alfred, now bringing the total number of Life Cloths that Aichi had to 0. To make matters worse for the Royal Paladin user, Shiro still hadn't waged an attack during this turn and that meant from how he appeared, unless he did something, Ulith was guaranteed to claim victory. The two Royal Paladin units struggled back onto their feet, the previous attack(s) from all 3 of the Selector's SIGNI having already done a number on them, compared to the punishment that the reversed Shiro had put them through on the turn before that. Ulith kept her malicious smile on her lips as she kept her gaze upon the cardfighter's seemingly lifeless eyes, barring the glow of PSY Qualia.

"It has certainly been fun," she spoke "But, it appears that unlike your previous exploits, you were not destinied to save anyone. This ends now. Shiro, put Ahmes and Alfred out of their misery!"

"Shiro... final... ATTACK!" the reversed LRIG called out as the all too familiar dark red aura surrounded her once again. Whilst Alfred could only "TSK!" under his breath as he prepared himself for the worst, Blaster Blade then turned around and turned his gaze towards Aichi.

(Selector Infected Wixoss OST: Battle ~ Even if I Hurt Someone)

"My Vanguard, come back to us!" he called out loud "If you remain the way you are, then all hope for us and Shiro will be lost! You cannot give up on what you believe is right!"

At first, there was seemingly no response from Aichi, aside from his eyelids falling shut, as if it appeared at first that he couldn't bear to watch the devastation that would unfold before him. As Blaster Blade could only look behind him, seeing Shiro had begun her charge towards him and Alfred, he held out the blade itself before him, bracing himself and hoping that his words were enough to break Aichi out of the stupor that Ulith had caused him to spiral into. Up in the tower, everyone could only watch in horror as Shiro got closer towards the Royal Paladin user's table, concerned about his state and if he could still defend himself now whilst he still had that opportunity.

Then, just when all appeared to have been lost, Aichi suddenly opened his eyes, still retaining their aura of PSY Qualia and quickly leaned forwards, throwing a card that he still held in his hand sideways towards the front of the table he was seated at. As he did so, no one noticed a faint purple glow eminating from his LRIG deck.

"I guard with Defending Seeker, Shiron!"

Suddenly, everyone that was watching from up the tower gasped in shock upon hearing him speak once again. It wasn't the words that he spoke out loud that had caught their attention, but from the voice that spoke. From what they heard, it appeared to be Aichi's regular voice but mixed in with that of a vastly different voice. One that was familiar to the Royal Paladin user but unfamiliar to the others. From what they could gather, a female voice had overlapped with the cardfighter's own the moment he declared the instance to Guard. As the Royal Paladin user threw the card sideways down onto the table in front of the LRIG space, the unit appeared in front of Alfred and Blaster Blade, shielding them from the oncoming attack.

Growling under her breath, Shiro relentlessly punched and kicked away at the shield, but it refused to shatter before her efforts. Eventually after she had worn herself out from repeatedly attacking the barrier, she begun retreated back to Ulith's table. Just as the reversed LRIG did so, both it and Shiron disappeared from the battlefield. Speaking of the Selector, Ulith who had kept her sinister sneer throughout the entire battle up to this point, could only stare on at Aichi in disbelief, as if she had known something that everyone else present on the battlefield was unaware of for the moment.

What the hell?! Surely that voice couldn't have been...?!

As she tried to process the scenario that lay before her in her head, meanwhile at the top of the tower, everyone spectacting the battle could only glance down at Aichi, wondering what exactly had happened to him before he managed to successfully guard against Shiro's attack, enabling him to survive another turn. None however were more shocked from this than Kai, Yuzuki and Leon, who were even startled by the strange turn of events.

"What was that all about?!" gasped Naoki.

"Please tell me I wasn't hearing things just then!" replied Yuzuki. Leon shook his head, to confirm the LRIG's suspicions.

"I'm not sure how this is possible," he spoke "But... I'm sensing another presence... from within Sendou!"

With the exception of Ren who merely gazed upon the Royal Paladin user, everyone else present amongst the group at this very moment, were speechless at the conclusion that the Aqua Force user had managed to draw up. Even Kai was shocked at the sudden turn of events. After hearing the way that Aichi had spoken out just now, he had wanted answers as to why this was, but the fact that there was apparently another presence within the Royal Paladin user had only led to raise more questions. What was this other presence that Leon spoke of? Why was it eminating and speaking out from within Aichi? Little did he and everyone else know was that the answer to those questions would soon come to light.

Back down on the field, by the time that Shiro had returned to the table, Ulith's earlier expression of shock and confusion had turned into a sharp glare, as if she too had already suspected everything that was going on around Aichi.

"Well, I suppose I should congratulate you for surviving this far," she spat, a hint of annoyance present under her breath "But your fate remains sealed! Now that it's become the turn's End Phase and Shiro's attack failed to damage you, I activate Lockdown Barrier!"

As the Black Spell card revealed itself to all, a sudden gale raged across the battlefield as sparks flew across the LRIG space on Aichi's table. The sparks suddenly began shocking both Alfred and Blaster Blade as they cried out loud in pain, falling to their knees. Whilst Aichi seemingly remained unresponsive as to what was happening in front of him, his attention seemingly fixed on the card that was just put into play, Ulith gazed upon him once more with a fraction of her sinister expression having returned to her.

"First, I Lock all of my SIGNI!" she called. At this very moment, 3 pairs of black rings suddenly appeared around Energe, Original Spear, Code Anti Cryskull and Skull Witch, Nemain before enclosing both of the SIGNI and Shadow Paladin unit in a black sphere each. In turn though, their cards on Ulith's table had also been flipped face down with black sparks going across them.

"With this, not only can I prevent you from upping Alfred and Blaster Blade at the start of your next turn," the Selector explained "But in addition, you can't Grow into any White LRIGs during that turn! Finally, any SIGNI you summon during your next turn whose colours were already different from your LRIG or rather your Legion, cannot attack!"

"Tsk... so she's even gone as far as to sealing our Vanguard's attacks during his next turn..." Alfred muttered as he glanced up towards Ulith.

Blaster Blade however was not concerned about that fact for the moment. The Swordsman of Light glanced up towards Aichi's eyes and could only silently gasp in shock. Something seemed different about them, or at least, his left eye in particular. That eye had a much brighter shade of light blue in contrast to his regular eye colour. And then there was his voice just now. It sounded like him when he was serious, prior to Ulith's words breaking him apart. But now, unless he was sure she was imagining things, Blaster Blade could have sworn she could have heard a female voice overlapping with the Royal Paladin user's own voice.

"My Vanguard, what is this strange presence I can sense from you?" he asked.

"B... Blaster Blade...?" Aichi replied in partial confusion, the other voice from earlier not overlapping his own for some reason. Before he could ask anything else, that same feeling from earlier when the image he was in faded out, had crept into him once more.

"Do not be alarmed..." the earlier female voice spoke out through his lips, this time without his voice overlapping with her own.

"So you are that presence..." Blaster Blade muttered "What reason do you have for possessing my Vanguard?"

"I never expected nor intended for things to appear this way..." the voice continued "But, I can assure you that this will only be temporary."

"What do you mean?"

"Look."

At this point, the strange presence that was possessing Aichi, moved his right hand and pointed his finger towards the LRIG deck. Blaster Blade along with Alfred glanced towards the LRIG deck as well. Their eyes widened in surprise as the purple glow that they didn't notice from earlier had gotten brighter. Then, it suddenly hit the Swordsman of Light as he returned his gaze back to the possessed cardfighter.

(End Music)

"Are meaning to tell us... that you're an LRIG?" he asked.

"That, I do not know," the voice replied "I feel as if... I was meant to be brought to a battlefield... to participate."

(Cardfight! Vanguard OST: Unmei no Deai)

"Participate...?" murmured Alfred.

"Whether I will end up doing so or not is something... that Aichi will decide..." she answered "I will... relinquish control back to him."

And with that, Aichi's eyes closed once again, only to immediately spring open once again. His regular breathing could be heard, indicating that the 'presence' that had briefly possessed him had kept her word to Blaster Blade and Alfred and the Royal Paladin was now back to normal. Well, almost normal considering that PSY Qualia remained active and his left eye colour still remained a bright light blue.

"W... What happened?" he murmured to himself.

"My Vanguard!"

Aichi blinked for a moment before he looked down to Blaster Blade who had called out to him and the King of Knights that stood beside him. Their expressions seemed serious as they gazed at him.

"That presence... do you know her?" the Swordsman of Light asked.

"Presence...?" he murmured. Then, it suddenly hit him as he finally pieced everything together. "Umr... Did she...?" He then glanced over towards his LRIG deck, the purple glow still eminating from the cards that were there. Aichi recalled that Yuzuki once told him at the library earlier in the day that Umr was considered to be a one of a kind LRIG in the game outside of the Selector Battles and that neither her, Ruko or Hitoe had encountered an actual LRIG named Umr. Was this meant to be a sign that she was trying to call out to him somehow? Through his own PSY Qualia no less? Aichi didn't know what to think. From what he read of the rules about Wixoss due to some aid from Yuzuki's brother, Kazuki, he knew that he could not Grow an LRIG whose type was different from the one he currently controlled.

"There's no need for concern."

Aichi at this point could have sworn that at this point, he was now hearing things. Now it seemed to him that Umr's voice was now echoing in his head.

"That girl's Lockdown Barrier," her voice echoed "According to what I could read, has sealed you from standing your current LRIGs, growing into any White LRIGs and any SIGNI with a different colour from said LRIGs won't be able to attack during this next turn. But, there is a fatal flaw with that."

The cardfighter's eyes could only widen. Now that he was brought up to speed after being temporarily possessed by her, albeit without her own intent, by the way that Ulith had laid things out before him, he couldn't even do anything to turn the battle around. Thinking over the scenario, he replayed what Umr said just now and glanced towards the LRIG deck. Just what could she mean by a fatal flaw? He shut his eyes in an attempt to remember everything that had gone on through her brief possession. Eventually, he managed to recollect the exact moment where his gaze was trailed upon Ulith's Lockdown Barrier card the moment that the Selector had activated it. He now remembered seeing something on the card that he could benefit from.

But... Will Blaster Blade be alright with it...? he thought.

"Is something wrong, my Vanguard?"

Aichi snapped out of his thoughts as he turned his attention down to Blaster Blade.

"Um... I think I know a way to get around Lockdown Barrier..." he murmured "But... I'm not sure if you'll like it..."

"Although I sensed no malicious intent from her, if you feel that you want to trust that presence, then I won't stop you," the Swordsman of Light spoke "Remember what I said to you earlier. Do not give up on what you believe is right."

"That's right..." Aichi murmured as he looked back towards Ulith and then gazed down towards Shiro. I haven't forgetten, Shiro. I will... This time, I will definitely save you! The Selector said nothing as she made a simple gesture to officially end her turn.

(End Music)

End of Turn 9

Aichi vs Ulith

Hand - 5 : 3

Life Cloths - 0 : 4

Current LRIGs - Light Source Seeker, Alfred Exiv (Legioned with Blaster Blade) : Tamayorihime, Sunspot Miko

SIGNI : EMPTY - EMPTY - EMPTY : Energe, Original Spear (Locked) : Code Anti Cryskull (Locked) : Skull Witch, Nemain (Locked)

Ener - 7 : 2

"Just what was with Aichi now?" murmured Naoki. "He was acting all strange and now he's... normal again?"

"It was like... someone else was talking through him somehow..." murmured Hitoe, unable to think of something to properly describe the situation after being so bewildered.

Yuzuki despite not saying anything, nodded silently in agreement. Kai meanwhile could only keep his gaze upon the Royal Paladin user, wondering how exactly he was planning to overcome Ulith's Lockdown Barrier for the upcoming turn, that is, if he could at all. Down on the field, Aichi drew his cards before looking carefully amongst his options. Then, as if he wasn't exactly thinking at all, he took Servant D2 from his hand and placed it into his Ener Zone. Looking back towards his LRIG deck, the purple glow having not left it at all, he reached out for the cards present there and looked through them. When he found the source of that light, his eyes widened in surprise. Ulith however had not taken her sinister gaze off of him.

"Just what do you hope to do," she spoke "Due to Lockdown Barrier, you can't Grow into any White LRIGs as both Alfred and Blaster Blade are of that colour. Your final hope for Growing into a different Royal Paladin has faded away."

"That's wrong, Ulith," he replied.

"What?" the Selector spat.

"I pay 2 of my Servant Ds from my Ener Zone, using their Multi-Ener effects to Grow my Legioned Alfred and Blaster Blade into a Level 4 Black LRIG!" Aichi called. At this point, Ulith could only stare partially dumbfounded at the Royal Paladin user, a crazed expression having now been plastered on her face.

"What do you actually plan to do?" she asked, a hint of sarcasm and insanity present her voice. "After all, if I recall from the way the battle has progressed, none of your Royal Paladins that are LRIGs possess the colour of Black!"

Aichi at this point took ahold of the card that emitted the purple glow and placed the rest of his LRIG deck back in its original spot on the table.

"Due to your Lockdown Barrier's effect," he explained "If I have an LRIG that is a different colour from one that I have on the field, during this turn, I can grow it ignoring the LRIG type rulings!"

"What are you...?!" Ulith then stopped in mid reply, glancing over at Lockdown Barrier at the top of her Trash Pile. She looked carefully at the Constant effect, more specifically at the last 2 or 3 lines of text and inwardly gasped in horror. Crap! I forgot about that drawback! But, what does he actually have to save him?!

At this moment, the two Servant D Guard SIGNI cards from Aichi's Ener Zone moved from his Ener Zone to his Trash Pile as the cardfighter held the card that was now in his hand high above him. He closed his eyes as he began to speak out aloud for everyone present on the field to hear.

"Formed from pitch-black darkness," he spoke "To fight those who would hurt anything and everything I care about, transcend my image and come before us! Grow!"

(Cardfight! Vanguard Unreleased Soundtrack: Crusade of the Shadow Paladins)

Aichi then opened his eyes, the glow of PSY Qualia within his eyes from earlier having now intensified as a black aura surrounded him from head to toe and the light blue that was now covering his left eye shined even brighter than it was before. A dark aura surrounded the LRIG space as Blaster Blade and Alfred remained bewildered for a brief moment before they suddenly vanished from the battlefield to make way for the new appearance. A giant column of black energy erupted and covered the entire table, obscuring the Royal Paladin user from sight. When several moments had passed over, a bright rainbow coloured glow disappated the column, revealing Aichi and the newcomer that he brought to the battlefield.

"Umr=Fyra… Wielder of the Key of Impartiality!"

Umr seemed vastly different than what Aichi had remembered seeing in his dream, or in the case of everyone watching from the tower, the form that was depicted on the artwork of Ren's Ancient Surprise ARTS. Aside from just her usual black scarf, most of her clothing… if one could call it that, consisted only of several very long straps that seemed to act like bandages, wrapping around both her arms and legs as well covering up both her chest and her lower body, all of which were tied up by multiple buckles that kept the straps tied together. To both sides of the LRIG were two wing like structures, each with several large keys attached to them and the weapon of choice that she carried which manifested itself out of the dark energy was a large gleaming silver key that was much taller than she was, the hilt blade being nearly twice as wide as the girl herself.

In addition, Umr's hair was much longer than anyone had remembered seeing, now tied up in multiple places and her horns had grown slightly larger with some straps wrapped around and held together by more buckles. Everyone from up in the tower gasped in shock as to the arrival of the new LRIG, now made possible thanks to Ulith's own card and her meddling with Aichi's PSY Qualia.

"That's... really her?!" gasped Yuzuki.

"Then there's no doubt about it," said Ren "That girl, was the presence within Aichi-kun earlier."

"This is... the real Umr..." Kai muttered.

"T… This is impossible…!" Ulith gasped in sheer disbelief and fury as to what she was seeing before her, though it was quiet enough for everyone else to not hear. How did he manifest the conscious of Project: Locked Soul as an LRIG?!

Shiro, still under the influence of Reverse, gazed upon Umr as maliciously smiled, clenching her fists as sign of impatience to clash with the newfound LRIG. Speaking of whom, Umr clutched a hold of the gleaming silver key that she now wielded, in the same manner that Blaster Blade would have clutched his own blade, as if she was already seemingly prepared to clash with the corrupted LRIG. Aichi, now freed of the earlier despair he had originally found himself within, turned his gaze upon Ulith. A sign that he was now prepared to go all out in this battle to save Shiro and restore her to normal, no matter what. Turning his attention to his hand, he reached out for three cards and placed them in his empty SIGNI spaces. The figures that appeared were God Eater, Ultimate Sword, Axe, Large Breaker and Swordsman of the Explosive Flames, Palamedes.

"Let's go!" he declared "Attack!"

The two former White SIGNI and Palamedes, their cards now corrupted by the reversed Shiro's ability nodded to his command and charged towards Ulith's table. When they reached the SIGNI that she had locked earlier, they suddenly leaped into the air. The Selector growled under her breath, having recalled that since she turned Aichi's SIGNI black thanks to Shiro and that Umr herself was under the colour of Black, Lockdown Barrier couldn't stop them from attacking. But that was the least of her concerns.

"That's right," Aichi spoke out "If I can't attack SIGNI that are locked, that leaves only one target!"

"Tsk, so you figured it out," she muttered under her breath.

At this moment, Axe, God Eater and Palamedes all took the opportunity to deal a slash each onto Shiro who stumbled backwards from the impacts and fell onto her back, growling both in pain and annoyance. Ulith's crushed Life Cloths revealed Revive Flare, Energe, Original Spear and Code Anti Cabrera. Energe's Life Burst was useless to the Selector as she had turned all of the White SIGNI in her deck Black and that her other copy of Arc Aura was in her Trash Pile thanks to her earlier Ancient Surprise ARTS. As she appeared uninterested by the result, the two SIGNI and the single unit had returned back to her table. Umr, who had been awaiting for a command, turned around and looked up towards Aichi.

"It appears... you have found your resolve..." she spoke.

"Yeah..." he replied "I... I don't know how to thank you..." He then looked back at his opponent, prepared to make the move that would decide the outcome of the battle before them.

"Ulith!" he called "I will prove that we're not the same as you claim we are and save Shiro from you!"

"How interesting," the Selector mused "I didn't expect you to recover thanks to that girl saving your neck at the last minute and exploiting the way around my Lockdown Barrier. However..." As she finished her sentence, an all too familiar dark red aura surrounded her as her expression now seemed even more crazed that it did before.

"I will personally see to it, that you'll be drowned in the depths of despair once more and that this time... this time, you'll stay broken!"

(End Music)


And there we go! In an attempt to win the battle with a bit of underhanded foul play, Ulith manipulates Aichi's PSY Qualia once again to send off his subconsciousness elsewhere to render him from being unable to use any cards from his hand during his stupor. However, the plan backfires when she unintentionally brings him into contact with Umr once again, even unintentionally setting up the Royal Paladin user the means to call her into battle via her own Lockdown Barrier ('Deus Ex Machina/Plot Device Card', which can be found in Spells section of the Original Designed Cards list, link of which is on my profile) which was meant to Lock him out from staging any comebacks. Now with Umr fighting beside him, the tables have seemingly turned for Aichi. But does Ulith have one final trick up her sleeve? Find out in the upcoming conclusion! Remember to follow, favourite and/or leave a review and I'll see you all again next time! Until then!