Author's Notes:With my last chapter I reached 200 thousand words. Wonder what my chances are at hitting a Million by the time this book is done?

Who would want to read that much? It's looking like a choice between leaving this book unfinished, or having it be 'holy fucking shit' long.

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The Emissary of Extinction

Chapter 35

Calm Before the Storm

"Over eight million people, and most of them will be dead. Even I am taken aback by Draygor's efficiency in genocide." Haou was looking out the window of Principal MacKenzie's office, taking in the sight caused by his age old enemy. "Everything that Light touches eventually arrives at this."

"How many do you think are still out there?"

"You're oddly...calm, about this principal. Are you not worried for you family?"

"My children are my family. And they're both safe. We need to think practically."

"I applaud your ability to think objectively in this situation. I can't be sure how many would have survived but we have a bigger problem. What will we do once the students here learn about the fate of the populace?"

"Very few students actually live at this campus. They come in for lessons from around the city. I don't think we'll be able to control them once news gets around. Luckily right now they're too scared to even step out, but once everyone knows it's possible to leave, they will try to."

"To be picked off by Draygor's servants, or twisted to Ritan's ends. I warn you, things are only going to get worse here."

"Speaking of Ritan. Are you sure we can trust the boy?"

"You mean his son?"

"Yes."

"We can. He wants to eliminate Ritan as much as I wish to eliminate Draygor."

"Why?"

"I do not know for sure. Samejima knows some things, but he would not say. Unless it becomes relevant it is not a concern. For now we must prepare for the battle ahead."

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Death walked through the threshold of a door, seeing Sosuke holding a skull in his hand and thinking aloud. "To think this is what we are under the skin, blood and organs, almost disappointing that this is what human life is underneath."

Death stopped walking. "There are many disappointments in life."

Sosuke threw the skull away. "Look who showed up, at long last. Where'd you get too?"

"To put Draygor in isolation. You'd do well to show more consideration for his condition."

"Heh. He's the Emissary of Extinction. It's not like you can kill something like that. I think Xiaolang's last effort was about the closest anyone's gonna get."

"If we don't keep him away, he might try it again."

"Wait, what? Xiaolang's dead."

"No. He survived. In bad condition as well. He, along with Judai Yuki and his personal army have arrived. Draygor ordered Xiaolang to be killed."

"So why the fuck are you here?"

"He is guarded, I was in the process of dealing with the first guard when more showed up. I was not in the mood to take them all on myself."

"Heh. You're going to have to defeat someone one day, you do know that right?

"Are you trying to imply something, War?"

"Maybe, maybe not. But you must conclude a duel eventually. I've cut down two!"

"You're a barbarian, War. I will not take pleasure out of pure carnage." He turned to his other two allies. "I take it you two actually accomplished something in my absence?"

Yuuka nodded. "We found supplies and good shelter..."

"And?"

"Nothing."

"Pestilence. I know when I'm being lied to."

"We...we found survivors! In the street there they were. Two of them! But how? Everyone's supposed to be dead!"

Sensing her rising hysteria, Death quickly spoke. "Strong spirits can withstand Draygor's wrath, for a time. Draygor attacked while weakened, it is no surprise there are survivors. They will all be killed too."

"Why? It's not like they're a threat."

"They live. That's enough of a reason. Now listen to me, all of you." All attention was on him. "Draygor has withdrawn himself from this fight for a time, until he recovers. We are to take this battle into our own hands and do as he would. We are the Four Horsemen..."

"We shall signal the coming of the end of the world!"

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"That's it before you showed up."

With Sho's story shared, it was time to give thoughts to Draygor's current servants. In perhaps a very odd turn of events, it was actually one of the two new unofficial members of the group who raised their opinions first. Reggie was the first sibling to speak. "He said the Four Horsemen? Since when did monsters read the Bible?"

"Let's see. He's named the Emissary of Extinction, has a love of killing folk. I think Draygor would consider the Four Horsemen his favourite subject of the book. Well, that or the flood. Actually most of the book would appeal to him."

"You make the bible sound like a book full of almost nothing but violence and bloodshed."

"I'm not far off the mark."

"Prick."

"Bitch."

Manjoume had seen enough of these fights to want any more. "Settle this on your own time! So if Draygor's servants are truly calling themselves the Four Horsemen, who's who?"

Kaiser held his chin in his hand, thinking to himself about the two victims he had seen. "Chronos and Koyo Hibiki received a heavy wound to their chests. Whoever defeated them is War. From footage O'Brian managed to extract from the cameras at the front of the main academia building, it looks like Sosuke Senso is playing that role. He has a habit of holding and trying to settle grudges."

Kenzan was the next to name one of the four. "Kabayama and Soho Himitsu have been struck by hunger and thirst-don. Famine. The student is Jinn Kyojakuna. I remember him being the shortest student in the dorm, and I think the entire acadmia-sarus."

Asuka thought carefully about her former dorm head. "Emi and Yaseimaru Hanta are currently isolated due to a virus we can't identify. Pestilence."

Sorano suddenly spoke up. "Yuuka Byoki."

All eyes suddenly turned to him, with Sho asking the obvious. "How can you tell?"

Sorano didn't say anything for a moment, but it was hard to notice the red forming on his face. "Err...call it a hunch?"

Everyone turned away, the same thought on most of their minds..."Pervert."

He honestly wasn't sure which girl said that.

Determined to force everyone's mind out of Sorano's gutter, Sho turned the conversion to the last Horsemen. "That leaves Death. It must be Kenji Shinu. He's the only third Year Osiris Red. So what happens when he defeats someone? You don't think it could actually be..."

For most, the unspoken possibility was not a first. They all had faced the unspoken prospect before. The ultimate price, far beyond a mere loss, except perhaps the most pride shattering loss. Yet, there had been an escape last time, but against the wrath of one who based its entire existence on this prospect, could there be one this time? The thought could have been left for a while, leaving the occupants of the room to dwell on it, but Edo spoke up long before that much time could pass.

"Let's make sure not to lose to him, ever."

A solemn nod met Edo's words. While easier said than done, it was sound advice.

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Ritan continued walking through the streets, finding bones everywhere he went. The most interesting sights so far had been car crash remains he'd found. He'd only just passed one that filled half the street with busted cars, wrecked building fronts and many, many, many broken bones. "Good thing the doctors are dead I suppose. The sight of these streets would be too much for them to bare."

Ritan continued in his leisurely pace, one step after another his eyes were watching everything in sight carefully, waiting for signs of any more survivors.

He stopped. What sounded like a can being kicked in the distance had caught his attention. "And there's my next recruit."

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Sho walked through the halls of the American Duel Academia, but his mind was elsewhere.

"I'm going to reap you, Sho!"

"Would he...have killed me?"

His mind played back the silence the Horsemen of Death somehow seemed to emit. The empty, absolute silence. Silence where only nothing could be found. Sho knew by now that Death had not yet finished a duel, and couldn't help but wonder why. Could it be that 'Death' did not wish to kill anyone? Or was he simply that apathetic?

"Sho."

The younger Marufiji was knocked out of his thoughts by the appearance of the older one of the two. "Brother."

Kaiser walked up next to his brother. "Are you alright?"

Sho nodded, but didn't say anything. Kaiser chuckled. "You're not a good liar. What's wrong?" Sho looked around, trying to see if-"We're alone, I checked."

"I was just thinking about...Death."

"The Horsemen or actually dying? I can tell you a little about the second if you're really that interested."

"Don't make jokes, not about that!"

Kaiser blinked. "I didn't know it affected him that much." "Alright, I'm sorry. No jokes. So what's bothering you?"

Sho turned around and looked out of a window. "He didn't finish the duel. Just like Samejima, he didn't then either. I just wonder why."

"Worried?" Sho didn't answer, but Kaiser saw his reflection against the glass of the window. "Were you ready for his attack?" Sho nodded. "Then why the worry?"

"Everyone else who's faced a horsemen has been injured for it. And he calls himself 'Death'. What if..."

"His victim dies." Sho nodded. "Sho, I can see why you're worried, we all are. No one wants to face him, no one sane would want to. But I know you're strong enough to face him, you've proven that, regardless of my belief in you. But I can't let you face him if you're worried. I'll do it."

"Eh!" He turned. "Why?"

Kaiser smiled to himself, looking up as his mental gaze turned back to another time. "I was supposed to die back then. I truly thought I was going to die, and I was fine with that. I'd had the greatest battle of my life, and I did it to help a friend. Every day I've had since has been a gift, but I'd throw it away in an instant to help out again. If you don't want to fight Death, I'll do it. Win or lose at least I protect you. I've fought to the end of my life once before, I'd do it again without regret."

"Brother. You ca-" Sho was silenced by Kaiser grasping his shoulder, in what was likely intended to be affectionate, but could not quite hide the force his brother was trying to use in getting the message across.

"No objections, little brother. It's my life. Let me live it as I want to." He let go and walked off, leaving a silent, and now slightly guilty Sho.

"I am not letting you face him. I'm not watching you die again while I sit back like a coward!"

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Yusuke looked up to the sky, his face solemn. "There was a time I served a cause not much better than this."

"Master."

"Honest."

"Stop blaming yourself, Master. You made a big mistake, and all the damage has been fixed."

"Not all."

"That friend of yours, Fubuki was right. There will be some who will not forgive, don't try to reach those kinds of people. Just work with those who are not so adamant on marking you as evil."

"How?"

"We're at war, so fight. Fight against the darkness that's coming."

Yusuke smiled. "Easier said than done, but alight."

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Ritan kicked open the door before him and was met with screams of fright. Before him half a dozen people were huddled up against the wall, terrified, distracted, confused.

Manipulatable. "Perfect."

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A new morning came, though the sunlight would not pass through the darkened sky. The new day had come, the dawn of another chapter in this saga of the Emissary of Extinction.

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Xiaolang's eyes slowly opened, his mind once again blank for a moment as he stared up at the ceiling above him. He blinked a few times, wondering where he could be. He blinked again, trying to remember everything past the haze of sleep, and then it hit him. He threw the blanket off him, looking for, locating and walking to a window. He parted the curtains to behold the world outside. A darkened sky, a darkened city, a population he knew was likely all dead by now.

"I'll repay the world for this, somehow. I'll make it right. I gave Draygor the way out of his prison, so I'll put him back in or kill him, along with you, Ritan!" His teeth gritted as his fist clenched, his nails digging into the dried blood inside his hand. "Koyo. I'll make them pay!"

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Haou stood atop the American Duel academia, looking up to the sky above, to the eternal night. The darkness had not parted, or even waned slightly during the time that had passed. The city below was unlikely to see any sunlight for a considerable time. Below it a violent darkness pulsed across the roof as the King looked up at the work of an old foe.

"I will erase you from existence, Draygor. You've lived too long. And you too, Ritan. Former or not, you allied yourself with Draygor and you'll pay the price for that." His eyes glowed. "Along with anyone who would dare stand in my way." The violet wrath shot up, enveloping Haou as his last thoughts echoed across the empty city around him.

"This all ends here!"

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Ritan looked at the campus of Duel Academia from a distance. "My enemies will fight one another, but I have my own soldiers to fight for me if need be. This war is going to go down an interesting route." He turned to the sky. "Soon."

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Death and his allies stared down at the city below them, able to see Duel Academia in the distance, where their enemies had made their base.

"Horsemen. From here on, we march to battle. The end of the world begins from here."

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End of Chapter

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Today's Strongest Card

Arcana Force EX – The Dark Ruler

Monster

Light

10

Fairy/Effect

ATK/4000 DEF/4000

This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by sending 3 monsters you control to the Graveyard. When this card is Special Summoned, toss a coin. ● Heads: This card can attack twice during the same Battle Phase. If this card battles twice using this effect, it is changed to Defense Position at the end of the Battle Phase. This card's battle position cannot be changed until the end of your next turn, except with a card effect. ● Tails: If this card is destroyed, destroy all cards on the field.

Commentary: Xiaolang

"Don't envy Judai for having to face this one. Two attacks in a single turn? AND The ability to destroy every card? Must remember to avoid this Saiou guy!"

Author's notes:

Kinda short I know, but this was a transition chapter. Now we can move on. From here on is the final arc of the book. It's going to be the longest one, but this story will meet its grand finale in New York City.