Authors notes: Finally the good stuff starts. The little tournament arc is over. Glad to see some of my audience enjoyed the little cameo of Koyo (who I'm keeping around.). I'm aware Koyo was much older in the manga (Though I'm not sure what his age was) but I wanted to make him more fitting for context I had him in. He's a student in this book, had to lower his age a bit.

Which reminds me. Does anyone know where I can read the entire GX manga online? The most I've been able to find yet is up to chapter 41, and I've waned to see the Masked Heroes, Spheres and so on in action for a while now.

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The Emissary of Extinction

Chapter 18

Dawn of Extinction Part 1: The Martyrs

Xiaolang and Koyo was already awake. Both were sitting crossed legged on the floor. Koyo picked up a card then set it. "So why are you here?"

Xiaolang picked up a card. "Moving in. Johan and Judai are up half the damn night talking and it's a bit of a pain to move around in there sometimes. You don't have a room-mate so I'm moving in."

"What makes you think I want one?"

Xiaolang placed The Six Samurai – Irou face up on the floor. "You need a strong guy to practice against, so do I."

Koyo flipped the set card, revealing Negate Attack. "I guess. So what's this tournament really about anyway?"

Xiaolang was so glad he was looking down when Koyo said that, it hid his eyes. He considered lying, considered denying there was anything about it. Considered creating a false excuse. "You don't wanna know." He set one more card. "So can I move in?"

Koyo nodded. "Alright. But what's the real reason you're moving in?"

"Heh" Xiaolang had to hand it to Koyo, he wasn't stupid. "Just feel like an outsider among the others sometimes. They've already come and gone through this place. They speak of adventures I don't know about and sometimes it just feels like I don't belong. I don't really fit in with those guys." He set the only card in his hand. "So I moved out. I want someone I can better relate to."

"I get you. I can't fit in with anyone outside our year. They've seen some crazy things." He drew a card, showing all three. He was fusing together Flash and Voltic. "But I need to know. Does the tournament have anything to do with that spirit I've been sensing?"

Xiaolang was too shocked to actually show it. His words left him before he realized it. "You can sense spirits?"

"Yeah. I'm pretty sure you can too."

"Yeah." Both were silent for a moment, just shifting their cards to speak out moves. Shimmer Soldier attacked Irou, destroying him. Koyo ended his turn. Xiaolang drew a card. His thoughts were penetrated by Koyo's words. "That Extinction Armor card has something to do with it, right?"

Xiaolang nodded. He flipped up one of his cards, return of the Six Samurai. He removed Irou from his graveyard and placed it on his side of the field. He placed the only card in his hand on the field. It was Great Shogun Shien. He controlled a defence position monster named Chamberlain of the Six Samurai and Irou too. He could summon Shien without sacrifice. "Yeah. It does." He had Shien attack Shimmer Soldier. It was destroyed, Koyo used it's effect to summon Elemental Hero Flash. "And it's pretty complicated." Irou attack Flash.

Koyo too three Elemental Heroes from his graveyard, moving them off to the side. He returned a copy of Reinforcement to the Army from his grave to his hand. "It's early."

Xiaolang moved Chamberlain of the Six Samurai to his graveyard. "The spirits name is Draygor. Among duel monster spirit legends it's called The Emissary of Extinction."

Koyo picked up a card. He activated the Fusion Recovery he'd drawn and the Reinforcement of the Army in his hand. He played the Polymerization he added to summon Terra Firma. "How do you get a name like that?"He revealed his set Call of the Haunted to revive Shimmer Soldier. He tributed it empower Terra Firma.

"Murder a shit load of monster spirits." He flipped up his Unity of the Six. He showed his Chamberlain, Nisashi and Kamon in his graveyard. Shien and Terra Firma were equal. Both were destroyed.

"Details?"

Both moved their monster cards to the graveyard.

A lot of people would be doing that today.

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"I. I will...force them."

Kenji started walking back to his dorm.

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"I will force their hands."

Sosuke opened his door.

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"I will...use my pawns against them."

A white haired Ra opened his eyes. He started running.

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A ra yellow student suddenly stopped fixing her hair. "I will find my bones."

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Sho was outside in the morning sun. About to draw a card, it was his morning exercise. Practice with his deck for half an hour and come up with any new combinations he could.

Though today he would have a partner. He could not see the darkness surrounding his opponent. He turned to face him, no one needed to say anything.

Except: "Duel!"

Sho was first to draw a card. "Draw!" He glanced at it. "Future Fusion! I must send monsters that list as fusion materials for any monster in my fusion deck. In two turns I can summon it." He pulled out his entire deck, parting it and selecting three cards. "I send Cyberdark Keel, Edge and Horn. In two turns I can summon Cyberdark Dragon. I activate Polymerization. I fuse Ambulanceroid and Rescueroid. To fusion summon Ambulance Rescueroid!" What looked like a cross between an ambulance and a cartoon appeared. It 'stood' as it appeared on the field. (Attack position. ATK/2300 DEF/1800). "I set one card. And summon Decoyroid!" A go-kart took it's place next to the Ambulance. (Defence position. ATK/300 DEF/500). "Turn end."

Sosuke picked up a card. "I summon Giant Orc." Another one of Sosuke's overweight monsters appeared, scratching it's belly with it's club. (Attack position ATK/2200 DEF/0) "Giant Orc will attack Decoyroid!" The Orc raised it's club and started running across the field. It may have been slow, but the coming attack would be effective.

Not that Sho minded. "Reverse card open! Supercharge!" He drew two cards. "When you attack a monster I control, and the only monsters I control are Machine-type monsters, I can draw two cards." Sho nodded, he'd gotten good draws. He didn't bother looking up as Giant Orc destroyed his Decoyroid, only grinning when it was actually destroyed. "Ambulance Rescueroid! It's effect activates when a monster I control is destroyed by battle, I can revive it!" A door on the side of the fused Roid opened and Decoyroid jumped out of it. (Defence position. ATK/300 DEF/500). "I can only use this effect once per turn, but right now it's enough."

As Sho finished speaking, Giant Orc had made his way back to his side of the field. He took to a knee. (DEF/0) Sosuke pulled three cards from his hand, placing them into his disk one by one. "Giant Orc changes to defense position when he has attacked. I set three cards. Turn end."

Sho waited a moment before drawing. "He must know he cant win. So why fight me?" "Draw!" He glanced at his hand. "I set three cards." "Next turn I can summon Cyberdark Dragon. I cant finish the duel with the cards I have now. But that's ok." "Ambulance Rescueroid! Attack Giant Orc!" The monster rammed right into it's target, making it scream as it was destroyed. Sho nodded. "That's all I can do for now." "Turn end."

Sosuke drew a card silently. He waved out a hand. "Call of The Haunted, activate!" Giant Orc appeared again, scratching at it's belly again. "I tribute Giant Orc! To summon Great Maju Garzett!" The freak, even among fiends appeared with a primal roar. "It's attack points are equal to twice the original attack power of the sacrificed monster." (ATK/4400) "I activate the Equip Spell, Big Bang Shot!" (Great Maju Garzett ATK/4800) "The equipped monster inflicts piercing damage when it attacks. Which he'll do now! Battle! Attack Decoyroid!" It opened it's mouth, light growing inside it. It breathed it out, a spear of black smoke shot at it's target. It collided, exploding on impact.

Sho's field was completely covered by the light of the attack, the sound of Decoyroid shattering was lost completely among the sound. Sosuke was laughing. "You're as weak as you look!" He continued laughing. "How disappointing!" He laugher was suddenly punctured by a quiet, high-pitched voice.

"I'm sorry. I just like to take my time." The smoke parted, showing a smiling Sho. "But since you want to rush this, so will I."(LP/3600)

Soskue wasn't even smiling anymore. "Wha-? How?"

Sho pointed to his now face-up trap. "Life Force! Any time I would take battle damage, I can pay 400 life points to negate the damage."

"Heh. Now I see why you passed with top marks last year. But you wont win. I set one card. Turn end." "You'll never get past this. Not even you can! No one can!"

Sho was actually grinning now. "I've improved so much since I was a first year. It was a good idea coming back. We can see how much we've all grown." "Draw!" "How much we learned." "Future Fusion effect activate! It's my second Standby phase after I activated it. Now I can summon the monster I prepare to fuse. Summon! Cyberdark Dragon!" The ultimate monster of the Cyberdark series appeared. The "Horn" head roared out, signalling it's coming onto the field. Sosuke couldn't quite suppress a shudder of fear. (Attack position. ATK/1000 DEF/1000) "Cyberdark Dragon effects activate! When it's summoned, I can select a dragon-type monster in my graveyard and equip it to Cyberdark dragon as an equip card. But I have none right now, so I'll change that! Reverse card open! Rebirth Judgement! As long as this card is activate, all monsters in our graveyards become the type I declare, I choose Dragons! Now I add Rescueroid to Cyberdark Dragon."

Rescueroid appeared, almost like a blue counterpart to the fused roid monster that was also in Sho's control. The base of the creatures neck wrapped it's horns around it, followed by connecting wires too it. It's power was Cyberdark Dragons now. (ATK/2600) "Cyberdark Dragon also gains 100 attack points for every monster in my graveyard. I have Cyberdarks Horn, Keel and Edge. As well as Ambulenceroid." (ATK/3000) "Though this still isnt enough." "I move Decoyroid to attack position." (ATK/300) "This is a risky play." "Decoyroid! Attack!"

"What!" He grinned. "Well it's your funeral! Reverse cards open! All Extinction Armor!" Great Maja Garzett roared out as bones burst from it's chest, a different skull growing over it's own. Maybe it was because there were three activated at once, but Sho could have sworn the bones were growing really quickly. He knew what this meant of course, but he didn't need Life Force to save him.

"Reverse Card Open! Sacrificial Battle!"

Great Maju Garzett crushed the go-kart in a mighty hand, reducing it to dust in an instant. The dust flew out of Great Maju Garzett's hand. It started to glow.

(Sho LP/3600) Sosuke didn't know what to make of it..."What?"

Sho grinned as the glowing dust cloud reached his side of the field. "Sacrificial Battle. I can activate it when I attack a monster with greater attack than the monster I attack with. I take no damage from that battle." The cloud shifted, growing and wrapping itself around Cyberdark Dragon. It started to roar. It's attack points started to rise higher. 4000, 5000, 6000...

Sho finished his sentence with a smile. "After the battle, I can raise the attack points of another monster I control by the battle damage I would have taken from that battle." The points were rising even faster now. 15000, 20000, 250000. "And you played three copies of Extinction Armor. That's 36000 points of battle damage!" (Cyberdark Dragon ATK/39000) "Ambulance Rescueroid will review Decoyroid." Was the afterthought of that sentence. True to his word the Go-kart appeared again. (Defence position. ATK/300 DEF/500)

Sosuke fell back. "Oh my god! This isnt-you must be cheating!" He started crawling back. "Cheat! Cheat!"

Sho grinned, turning the last card in his hand. "Limiter Removal." (Cyberdark ATK/78000) "That's for calling me weak, Sosuke." Sho closed his eyes in satisfaction. He'd never had a match won so unfairly before. He felt incredible, not even Judai had gotten anything like this in his time as a duellist.

"You are weak, boy." Sho's eyes snapped open, he looked down at his suddenly grinning opponent. "Think you got the guts to use that power against me?"

"That voice. It's not human. It's Draygor!" "Battle! Full Darkness Burst!"

The next minute passed by with too much chaos for either duellist to process clearly. Cyberdark Dragon screamed out with it's attack, but as soon as the shock wave hit it's target it was like the force was suddenly amplified. Sho covered his ears as the attack continued. It hurt. "I'm never doing this again!" In time the power died down, showing his opponent lying down on his back. His life points depleted. Not that Sho expected anything different after taking more than half a million damage. Sosuke was smiling as he was unconscious, other than the ruffled clothing, he seemed to be ok.

He could suddenly hear explosions from inside the woods. "What?" He ran off. "What's going on here?" He didn't want to leave an unconscious Sosuke alone, but he had a feeling..."Something's wrong."

Sosuke opened his eyes. "What power. Draygor. You can give me this kind of power. This...and more." He grinned. "I will serve your will."

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Xiaolang burst out of Koyo's room. "Draygor!"

Kenji turned up to face Xiaolang. "No. But I'll fight you if you want."

Xiaolang had already made his way down the steps, and he moved to take the correct position, activating his duel disk. "Fine. I'll kick your ass again."

Kenji smiled. "Try it."

"Xiaolang!" Xiaolang and Kenji looked up at Judai. Who had just walked out of his room. "Step back! I'll handle him!"

"Judai! Sense around! We got bigger problems. He's all over the island!"

Judai let his eyes changed to Yubels for just a second while Johan was still putting on his shoes. "Oh no." "Johan! Let's go!" He jumped down. "Xiaolang! I'll leave things here to you!"

The boy nodded. "Works for me. Koyo! Stick around I might need you!" Xiaolang drew a card as the mark on his chest began to glow. "Let's go!"

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Jim was taking a nap, Karin laying next to him as he heard footsteps approaching him, he shifted his hat with his hand and looked up at a White-haired Ra who was looking down at him. The boy had his duel disk activate and ready. "Duel me."

Jim blinked. "You come out to find me, just to fight me? There's more to life than duelling you know."

The boy blinked. "Just duel me."

Jim sighed. "Alright. Stay here, Karin." Luckily Jim always carried his duel disk around with him. He, along with his opponent took a few steps away from Karin. He activated his duel disk.

"Duel!"

Jim would start. "Draw! I summon Shell Knight!" Shell Knight had it's arms crossed as it rose up in front of him. (Defence Position. ATK/0 DEF/2000) "Shell Knight effect activate. Shell Burst!" Three shells suddenly rose out from the Knights back, firing themselves at the Ra student without a second of warning. (Ra LP/3500) "I set one card, turn end."

His opponent drew a card. "Draw!"

Jim suddenly grinned. "Reverse card open! Rock Bombardment!" He pulled out his deck. "By sending a Rock-type monster from my deck to the graveyard, I can inflict 500 damage to you." He revealed a card. "I sent Flint Cragger!" He placed it in his grave. "You might want to cover your head, ghost boy."

"Ghost? Is that a joke about my ha-? Eh?" He looked up. "Oh damn!"

Jim shook his head as Rock Bombardment fulfilled it's name. (Ra LP/3000) "I shouldn't duel first years..."

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Kezan ran out the front of his dorm as he heard screaming. He looked to see a female student smiling as her opponent fell. He thought her opponent was just being over dramatic until he noticed he was smoking. "What are you doing!"

The female Ra looked up to Kenzan, her smile not reaching her eyes. "Just target practice. Would you like to take his place?"

Kenzan had run up to the fallen student, a few other random students having gathered as well. "He's badly burned-sarus." He turned to his fellow students. "Take him to the nurse. And can you lend me your Duel Disk?" He held out his hand to receive the duel disk. He slammed his own deck into his deck zone as the injured student was taken away. "I'll make you stop this."

"Heh."

"Duel!"

Kenzan drew a card. "Draw-don! I summon Black Stego-sarus!" The sharp-teethed stegosaurus roared. (Attack position. ATK/1200 DEF/2000) "I set one card. Turn end-don."

She drew a card, looking at it with a growing smile. I set a monster. Then I set three cards. It's your turn."

"Draw! I summon Hyper Hammerhead!" (Attack position ATK/1500 DEF/1200) "I special summon Gilasaurus!" (Attack position. ATK/1400 DEF/400) "Hyper Hammerhead! Battle! Attack her set monster-sarus!"

Kenzan failed to see his opponent smile. "Reverse Cards Open! Gravity Bind! Gravity Gain!" Hyper Hammerhead roared out, all of Kenzan's monsters did. Something was bothering them, but Kenzan did not know what.

"What have you done-sarus!"

She chuckled. "I have stopped all attack. Gravity Bind stops all level 4 or higher monsters attacking. Gravity Gain stops all level 4 or lower monsters attacking. No monster can attack as long as these two cards remain. Gravity Bind requires no cost to use, but Gravity gain needs a sacrifice. Reverse card open! Fires of Doomsday!" Two small fires suddenly burned on her side of the field, growing and taking form, in the shape of two creatures Kenzan could not identify. They each had one eye. (Defence position. ATK/0 DEF/0) "I cannot summon during the turn I use this card, so I'm using it now. You can continue."

"I can't attack as long as both of them are active. But even one can slow my Dinosaur monsters down." He scanned his hand. "That card can help me." "I set one card. Turn end."

"Aww, does Kenzan not like being powerless. Don't worry, I'll end your suffering soon. Draw! Because it's my Standby phase, I must tribute one of my Tokens to keep Gravity Gain active." One of her tokens suddenly burnt out. Just vanishing. "I set one monster. And one card. Now I flip summon my other set monster!" She flipped it up, revealing "Stealth Bird!" This was not a bird Kenzan had seen before. Not even close. The bird was completely metallic blue, wing to talon. It's shape was different from any other bird as well. Kenzan had never seen a bird with such noticeable ears before. (Attack position. ATK/700 DEF/1700) "Stealth Bird Effect Activate!" It spread open it's wings. It started flapping them, shooting a barrage of feathers.

"What-sarus?" Kezen tried to block his face with his arms, but his mid and lower body were not defended by the act. (LP/3000) "How did you do that?"

"When Stealth Bird is flip summoned, you take 1000 damage. Also, once per turn, I can force this monster back into the set position." She picked up the card, placing it back face-down. The hologram on the field was once again just a set monster. " Next I activate Tremendous Fire!"

"Tremendous Fire-sar-ah!" For a second, the ground under them was red, but then it burst open. And both duellists were covered completely in fire. Kenzan was forced to shield his eyes. He couldn't see anything other than flame. Even as he covered his eyes he could only see the brightness. The fire without end, without mercy. Without a way to extinguish it.

It could only extinguish itself, and a few seconds later it was doing that. After a handful more seconds the fire was gone, nothing more than a memory. "What, was that-don?" (LP/2000)

"Tremendous Fire inflicts 1000 damage to you. And 500 to me." (LP/500) "I end my turn."

Kenzan nodded. "Strong effect. But my monsters are stronger-sarus!" "Draw-don!" He glanced at the drawn card. "Just what I wanted." "I tribute Gilasaurus to activate Big Evolution Pill! I can summon a Dinosaur-type monster for my hand without tributing, and this effect lasts for three of your turns-sarus! I summon Super Conductor Tyranno!" Kenzans ace monster roared as it appeared on the field. It's cyborg body crackled with power as Kenzan reached for the last card in his hand. "I activate Tail Swipe! First I select a level 5 or higher Dinosaur-type monster I control. I choose Super Conductor Tyranno-sarus. Now I can return up to two monsters you control to your hand. As long as they are lower levels than my monster, or set monsters. I return both your set monsters two your hand-don!" The Cyborg Dinosaur roared, swiping out it's tail in front of it. This created a powerful wind which seemed to guide itself to it's targets. Both set cards were picked up and forced back into their owners hands.

"You still cant attack, Kenzan!"

Kenzan's eyes changed into their slitted form. "Yes I can-sarus! Reverse Card Open! Escape Instinct! I must tribute 1 Dinosaur-type monster I control, I tribute Black Stego! Now I can select either Spell or Trap cards, and destroy all face-up cards you control that are the same type. I choose traps-sarus!"

"Traps?" She looked at her perfect combination. "Oh no!"

They shattered. "Hyper Hammerhead! Battle!" Hyper Hammerhead rushed forward, slamming it's face down on the only thing that was standing between it's controller and Super Conductor Tyranno. The token was snuffed out like a candle. This was it. "Super Conductor Tyrano! Direct attack-sarus!"

"No! Don't do it! I don't want-to let it end quite like this."

"Hmm?" Kenzan had noticed the sudden change, and somehow his monster had noticed too, it had stopped as well.

His opponent was smiling, though it wasn't a smile that belonged on such a pretty face. "So many ruthless students here. It's perfect for me. You'd make fine subjects if you were not so adamant about killing me. Not that it matters, I'll bring you all to death soon enough. Reverse card open! Extinction Armor!"

The cybernetic Dinosaur roared as bones ripped though it's chest and bound themselves together. It's spine burst out of it's back, the top of the spine growing a skull over it's head. The spikes on the dinosaurs head were snapped off as the skull grew. In seconds the Dinosaur had finished changing.

"You live with this now, Kenzan." She stopped speaking and suddenly collapsed. Unconscious. Kenzan felt his blood run cold.

"She might not make it-saurs! I have to stop Super Conductor Tyranno!" His eyes glanced at his set card. "I have to!" "Reverse card open! Jurassic Impact!"

With no one concious around to witness it, he didn't explain it. He just stood there, his eyes closed as his field was drowned in light. He heard the sudden impact, and the roars of his monsters as they were destroyed. "At least she's safe-sarus. But I'm going to have to restrain her." (LP/0)

He opened his eyes, and looked down to see his opponent had long since gone. "Where did she go-sarus?" He let the thought go. "I need to see what's going on-sarus." He ran, he had to get to the main building of the academia. The group would naturally gather there.

So he hoped.

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Jim was just about ready to finish his duel. (LP/2000) Field: monsters: Cenozoic Fossil Machine Skullwagon (Attack position ATK/1700 DEF/1400) Weathering Solider. (Defence ATK800 DEF/1200) Spells/Traps: 1 set card. It was his turn.

"Draw." He nodded. "I win." "I activate Time Stream." (LP/1000) "You know what this card does. I Return my Cenozoic Fossil Machine Skullwagon to my fusion deck. To summon Paleozoic Fossil Machine Skullconvoy!" The machine that appeared on the field was some kind of weird cross between a dead dinosaur and a truck. It's glowing eyes were lightly what it used for headlights. (Attack position. ATK/2100 DEF/1800) "Skullconvoy can attack up to three times in a turn. You control three monster, so I can defeat them all. When Skullconvoy destroys a monster by battle, you take 1000 damage."

"1000?" (LP/2200) "And my monsters only have 2000 defense points." (Field: 2 Giant Soldier of Stone's. Aqua Madoor. One set card.) "Damn...not bad, stranger."

"Hmm?" Knew he didn't imagine that. "That voice is not my opponent's. Who are you?"

"Draygor. Who are you?"

"Jim. Jim Crocodile Cook."

Draygor's current body smiled, turning to face the growling Karin. "Well I get the 'Crocodile' part. You carry company more interesting than anyone else I've ever met. Now, since you've defeated this Martyr, let me reward you properly. Reverse card open. Extinction Armor!" Draygor and Jim watched as Jim's monster was stabbed from the inside, the ribcage forming over the bones on the creatures underside. Finally the face of the creature was changed into Draygor's "Much better. Now finish this duel, I'm bored here."

Jim nodded. "Fine. Skullconvoy! Attack all three of his monsters." The monster roared before attacking, then rammed each of the monsters down one by one. All of them were in defense position, so there would be no battle damage here. Only effect damage would finish this game.

Draygor watched as the roof of the convoy opened. This was it. "You play an interesting strategy. And you've no qualms about paying your own life points for victory. You understand sacrifice." He smiled. The scrap had already been launched, and all of it was coming for him. "I'll enjoy watching you fall!"

It landed, and when the holograms finally faded the student was already walking away. He said nothing as he left.

Jim deactivated his disk. "Strange kid."

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Back at the Red Dorm Koyo watched on with anxiously as Xiaolang continued to duel Kenji. Xiaolang had found himself in a bit of trouble.

Xiaolang took a step back. (LP/3400) The only monster he had was The Six Samuai – Zanji. At least for a few seconds longer. He wasn't scared though. "Gonna try finishing me?"

"Oh yes. Tyrant Dragon, attack!"

Xiaolang covered his eyes as his only remaining monster was burned by the attack (LP/2300). "Let's see if I can pull it off." "Reverse card open! Reinforce Truth! I can special summon a level 2 or below Warrior-type monster from my deck. I summon Shien's Footsoldier!" A spear-holding monkey dressed in armor appeared on Xiaolangs' side of the field. "I can't believe I got a monkey in this deck. What do monkeys have to do with samurai?" (Defence position. ATK/700 DEF/300)

"Tyrant Dragon. Destroy that one too!"

The monkey pulled off it's hat, blocking it's face with it. Xiaolang wasn't sure, but he thought he could hear the monkey making a noise that sounded like "uh oh". Whatever the noise actually was, it was drowned out the second the flame touched it.

Xiaolang nodded. "Shien's Footsoldier effect activate! When it's destroyed by battle, I can special summon a level three or below Six Samurai monster from my deck. I summon The Six Samurai -Yaichi!" The Samurai of Water appeared, it's scope and bow already prepared as it stood on the field. (Defence position. ATK/1300 DEF/800) "Anything else for me?"

"I set a card and end my turn."

Xiaolang grinned and picked up the top card of his deck. "Heh. You might be my new ace after all." "Reverse card open! Return of the Six Samurai! I can select and revive a "Six Samurai" monster in my graveyard. I choose Zanji!" Zanji held his weapon in both hands as he appeared once more. (Attack position. ATK/1800 DEF/1300) He placed the card he had drawn in his monster cad zone. "I special summon Great Shogun Shien!" (Attack position ATK/2500 DEF/2000) Xiaolang looked at Kenji's side of the field. Two set cards. Well I can get rid of one." "I activate The Six Samurai – Yaichis effect! Once per turn, I can destroy 1 set Spell or Trap card you control. I choose the card on the right. Yaichi!" The archer took aim. "Take it out!" He let go, the arrow hit it's target, it shattered. Xiaolang grinned. "Got him." "Zanji! Attack Tyrant Dragon!"

"You fool! Finish it Tyrant Dragon!" The Dragon opened it's mouth, letting lose a river of fire on it's opponent. Zanji soared into the oncoming blaze, slashing the blade of his Naginata into the inferno. It glowed, cutting through the fire like it was parting water. Zanji reached the Dragon, slashing at it with all the power it possessed. Tyrant dragon screamed and exploded, somehow taking Zanji with it. "H-how? My monster was stronger than yours!"

Xiaolang smiled. (LP/1200) "When Zanji attacks a monster, he destroys them automatically at the end of the battle. Point differences mean nothing. Looks like I've won this one, Kenji. Now tell me what Draygor's up to."

"Heh. Well...I suppose I could tell you..." Kenji suddenly smiled. "But surely you figured it out already!"

"Draygor!" Xiaolang would never in all his life forget that voice. "Let Kenji go!"

"Oh hell no. Haven't you heard, boy? I have quite a following among the students. Some are truly loyal to me. Kenji here is one of them. And he's been kind enough to let me use him as a host. Being a spirit gets you down after a while, but it beats being locked in that gateway."

"You sure?" Xiaolang's chest started to glow, the strength of the Six was making itself known to the world. "I'm sure I can arrange permanent residence there for you. You, your bones and a locked gate forever and ever."

"Heh. A sense of humor. You know that was one thing that made Ritan such a good servant. And such a good meal. Tell me, how does it feel to have his blood on your hands?"

Xiaolang's eye twitched, along with his right hand. "You killed him Draygor! Not me!"

"Oh really? Had you not come back to fight him I would have never tried opening the gate again. Had you lost I would have just taken you. You could have saved him."

"What makes you think I wanted to save him?"

'Kenji' chuckled. "I would have thought you'd have wanted at least one family member kept around. You know, Ritan told me all about your family. And I will share with you a secret. As thanks for releasing me." 'Kenji' looked Xiaolang in the eye, his twisted smile actually reaching his eyes. "It was all your fault."

This was all Xiaolang could take. "FUCK YOU! You fucking freak of nature!"

"That it's boy! Get angry! Get furious! Reverse card open! Extinction Armor! Embrace your killer instinct!"

Xiaolang was too blind with rage to notice Shien's screams as the bones ripped through his chest, a spine bust from his back. A great deal of Shien's helmet was destroyed to make way for the skull that was wrapping around the shogun's head. Before long, Shien was no more. All that remained was just another monster, clothed in the bones of another monster.

Xiaolang gave the order. "Burn him to death! BURNING REACH!" Shien pulled his sword back as it gathered flame across it's surface, he slashed, sending a river of blue and black fire at his opponent.

'Kenji' was laughing. "That's it! That's the way! You can try and kill me but it wont change anything! It's your fault! Your fault for your family! Your fault I'm here!" The attack reached him, but Draygor only kept laughing as Kenji's body was subjected to the flame. "Your fault my Martyrs walk the island to my will! Your fault that the dawn of extinction has come! Your fault! Your fault!" Draygor just laughed and laughed as the attack completely hid him from view.

Moments passed before the fires died, and when they had it revealed an unconscious Kenji,. Xiaolang was panting, from exhaustion or just trying to calm down was a mystery to Koyo. He decided not to ask any questions. Not that he had any chances too, Xiaolang suddenly walked off.

"Watch the dorm, Koyo."

No way Koyo was going to question him when he was that angry.

XXXXXXXXX

Judai bust open the front doors of Duel Academia. "Oh dear god."

His eyes darted around the scene in front of him. Everywhere he looked random students were duelling one another. He didn't need to see with Yubel's eyes to know that the students were in danger.

The wounds he could see were enough to prove that. He saw one Obelisk blue student fighting a Ra yellow. The Ra's face was bleeding. Judai had a suspicion they could not see out of his left eye with the blood that was dripping down somewhere on his head. The Obelisk was in worse condition, he was leaning up against the wall next to him. His leg was bleeding, perhaps it was broken.

Judai couldn't just stand there and watch it all..."Stop it! Draygor!"

As if in response to Judai's words, everyone who was duelling suddenly turned to face him. As one, they all spoke, but the voice that left their mouths belonged to none of them.

"I may be weakened, but I have enough strength to control the students here. You will return my bones to me, or they will suffer. They will die. Return to me my bones. Return them to me or suffer the consequences."

Judai, though sheer force of well, managed to keep his facial expression from reacting to those words. He understood what they meant. If he refused, Draygor would continue to make the students fight. Where that led was not something Judai could be sure of. Though he could guess. Even so, he could give him to Draygors' demands. "I wont return them."

Each of the students shrugged. "Then you can watch them die."

The students turned around, it was back to duelling with them.

"I gotta stop them!" "Johan! Let's go!"

With that, Judai and Johan joined what was quickly becoming chaos.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Rei smiled as she shouted out an order. "Mystic Dragon, Direct Attack!" Her opponent screamed as he was struck by the force of the Dragon's attack. (LP/0). He collapsed. Rei nodded. "Have I gotten better, Asuka?"

The graduate nodded as her opponent followed the fate of Rei's. "Yes. Now let's keep fighting!"

-boom!- "Watch out!"

Both girls managed to jump out of the way before a piece of wall hit them. They got back on their feet to see two figures standing on the other side of the hole. Standing until...

"Direct attack!"

Both girls were forced to block their eyes as a wall of light suddenly seemed to slam itself into the two figures. The girls could not see, but they could hear two dull thuds. They removed their arms when the light had faded enough for them to see. There was only one figure there now.

"Are you two alright?"

"Yusuke."

"Fujiwara?"

Yusuke let Asuka's use of his last name slip by. If she was uneasy about him then he wouldn't complain. "The student body is being controlled by Draygor. They're being forced to fight."

Rei forced herself to her feet. "Fight who?"

"Everyone. Against one another and anyone Draygor is not in control of. I think I know why."

"What's your guess, Fujiwara?"

"Dra-" He was suddenly stopped as he saw some more students coming down the hall. Three of them. "Draygor knows. And he's angry at us." He raised his disk. "We haven't hidden all of his bones yet. Run, run and hide them. I can take care of myself."

"But Yusuke-"

"No arguments, Rei! Hide what's left to be hidden! Keep the pieces separate!" He turned to look at his allies. "GO!"

They ran. With a resigned nod Yusuke watched them run. He'd rather be doing something useful than fighting random students. "Well." He thought. "At least it's only three on one. I might have a chance." He noticed something move out of the corner of his eye. "Shit." The four fallen were standing up. With a sigh he resigned to his fate. "If I make it, I'm never duelling alone again."

"Yusuke!"

Yusuke turned and grinned. "Awesome." With a spring in his step, Fubuki Tenjoin had jumped to his side. "Fubuki." He turned to see: "Kaiser."

"Yusuke. Guess the crew is back together again." All three of them grinned. "I've missed this."

Fubuki and Yusuke nodded, in a few seconds they had stepped back from the group of duellists. They all had their disks activated. Fubuki was grinning widest. "It's time to do what we do best! Let's show em boys! Let's tell these children who we are!"

Kaiser slammed his deck into his duel disk. "Kaiser Ryo."

Yusuke had to resist the urge to chuckle. "Yusuke, the Shining Tempest!"

Fubuki's disk activated. "The Blizzard Prince! Fubuki Tenjoin!"

Yusuke raised an eyebrow as he looked to his old friend. "Whatever happened to 'Fubu-king'?"

Kaiser chuckled. "I'd forgotten about that one."

Fubuki sighed. "Ah the good old days. Oh well. We got other times to remember them. Right now, we got to deal with this."

Both the others nodded.

"Duel!"

It was seven against three. Draygor had set seven of his pawns on three of the finest students to ever walk though the grounds of Duel Academia. It was more than two on one.

Draygor's pawns didn't stand a chance.

XXXXXXXXXXX

"Flame Shoot!"

"Sapphire Horn!"

Both of their respective opponent's fell down, their life points depleted. "Was that the last of them?"

"I think so, na-no-ne."

Judai and Johan turned around to see a Chronos walking towards them. He looked a little worse for wear. "It's been like this for almost an hour now. Some of the students suddenly started duelling and now it's come to this na-no-ne. What's happening to them?"

"X Bomber!"

All eyes were on the door as a Ra Yellow was shot through the door, landing completely out cold. A figure walked over to him. "I told you to move-sarus!" He looked up. "Judai it's getting worse. We passed more than a dozen matches on our way here." He leaned down, pulling the students duel disk from his body. "Take their disks, they cant fight each other if they don't have anything to fight with." He moved to another unconscious student, taking his disk as well. Judai and Johan did the same for their opponents, it was going to be a pain getting the students decks back to them when it was over, but if it kept them alive then so be it.

XXXXXXXXXX

This day would be a long one. A long and difficult one.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Today's Strongest Card

Fossil Fusion

Spell (Normal)

Remove from play, from either player's Graveyard, Fusion Material Monsters that are listed on a "Fossil" Fusion Monster Card, and Special Summon that monster from your Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Fusion Summon.)

Commentary: Jim

"So many possibilities! This is my favourite kind of Fusion!"

Authors notes: Yeah, I know Sho's win was absolutely ridiculous, but I think people underestimate him so I wanted him to have a badass moment. Besides, when's the last time you saw over 500,000 battle damage in a single attack? Or in a single duel even.

Math for Cyberdark Dragons attack (Save you checking it yourself)

Battle damage from attack itself: 73,200

Doubled once: 146,400

Doubled again: 292,800

Doubled third time: 585,600

Moral of the chapter: Never underestimate short, effeminate, blue-haired duellists. Or they'll get you.