"Sorry but officer Trudge isn't here right now." Roman's voice spilled out of Trudge's lips. Mocking and malicious at the same time.

"Cut the dramatic old man." Yuma snapped. "What do you want?"

The unnatural grin on Trudge's face grew wide. "I believe it's time that you and I face each other again, Yuma Tsukumo."

Yuma shivered at the way the man pronounced his name.

"If you think you're strong enough to beat me, come to the site of the Old Reactor."

And just like that Roman left.

Yuma turned to the Satellite natives. " Do you guys know where the Old Reactor is?"

"You're not seriously thinking of facing Roman, are you?" Luna asked fearfully

"I beat him once, I can beat him again." Yuma told her. Blister had placed his hope onto Yuma, not to mention all those people who disappeared.

"We'll all go with you." Yusei concluded. He opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Crow's cheerful declaration of ."To the Old Reactor we go then!"

(-.-)

Roman spieled on and on about destiny as colorful Ener-D swirled around them. The man blamed destiny for Kalin's death, blamed it for all of his actions, all the pain he caused.

"There are incredible forces at play here, Yusei! Humans are just a means to an end! We're not important! We're disposable cods in a machine. Our lives mean nothing!" The man hissed, trying to convince Yusei. "Look at this, Yusei. This beautiful light! It is a part of the chain reaction that took the life of Hajime Fudo! And as for more, the light shall bring me to a destiny your father could never achieve!"

"Don't use destiny as an excuse." Yuma cut in. Finally put himself in between Roman's jabbed at Yusei using his connection to Yusei's father. "Life is just a series of choices. It might not be the best choices or even good ones but at the end of the day nothing is predetermined."

Sure he was haunted by the Door of Destiny nearly half of his life. But he could have chosen to refuse its request. He could have chosen a lot of things in his life that could have changed his future. But nothing was set in stone, his duel for Number 25 proved that.

Roman sneered at him, clearly annoyed at Yuma's interruption. "If there was one thing I didn't predict, it was that destiny would throw a sacrificial lamb at my feet. Once I cast you into the shadow, your power will be for the Dark Signer to use as we pleased."

"Let's see about that shall we? My will against your destiny!" Yuma activated his Duel DIsk.

"Duel!"

(-.-)

Unlike their last duel, Roman wasted no time to set up Earthbound Immortal Uru. Spider Web was activated, there were two sacrifice tokens on the field after Dewloren's direct attack activated his set card. And he just burned Yuma for each tokens tributed.

And yet Roman still had a little surprise for him. "And like a spider catching its prey, I'll make absolutely sure you won't escape this web. I activate the trap Web of the Earthbound deity! So long as I have Earthbound Immortal Uru on my field no monster level 4 or higher on your field cannot attack nor can they use ability! Now Earthbound Immortal Uru attacks that boy directly."

Yuma held up his hands to guard himself against the attack. The web once again clashed with Yuma's Chaos, pushing him back and burning his arms. In the end Yuma was forced off his feet and ended up colliding into the hard steel of the bridge. His life points dropped to a measly 100.

"Watch Yusei, watch as I finish this boy off and despair as I achieve my destiny." Roman said, grinning like a maniac.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Roman." Yuma grunted. "I still have Life Points left, and so long as I am willing to fight for it there's hope."

He pulled himself up, got help from Yusei half way, and stood to face Roman.

"Your will is strong Yuma, I'll give you that." Roman chuckle. "And had I not known better I would have thought you two were brothers. Both of your stubbornness reminded me so much of Dr. Fudo. Tell me Yusei, After all these years, the Signer who came down here hoping to defeat me, is you. Is that not destiny in control?"

"Destiny is what you made of it." Yusei replied firmly

Roman laughed before telling them about his time as Dr. Fudo assisted when the man discovered the Planetary Particle which then led to the creation of the non-polluting Ener-D Reactor. But then abnormal phenomenons began to occurred and scrambles to shut the Reactor down.

Roman had set out to investigate and found himself at the Nazca Lines. There a man of Illiaster convinced him to usurp and took over the project. It was then that Earthbound Immortal Uru infected him through the reactor which clashed with his own Signer Mark of the Head. In the end he cut off his hand which held the mark of the Head, entrusting it to his brother, before blowing up the reactor causing Zero Reverse.

"That's not destiny! You chose to give into the darkness in your heart. You chose to listen to that Illiaster man. Just like you chose to reveal to Yusei that you have a hand in his father's death and use Blister to duel for you." Yuma yelled back. "You CHOSE to do all those terrible things when there were other options."

"That's right." Yusei sighed as he stared down at the Mark on his arm. "I understand that life is a long series of chain reactions. If my father had never discovered those "planetary particle" things. Then Zero Reverse would have never happened. Satellite would've still been a part of New Domino City. Millions of people wouldn't be left to turn to steal and commit crime just to get some change in their pockets. Blitz, Nervin, Tank and Rally would have a chance of a comfortable life . Jack, Crow, and Kalin would have grown up with their parents and families. . ."

Then, Yusei looked back up at Roman."But my dad was my dad! Not some cosmic chess piece! People suffered because of the Zero Reverse so don't tell me that's "fate"! Don't tell me it happened because it was meant to! It was because of you!"

"Don't you dare think like that, Yusei!" A familiar voice yelled out.

Turning back, Yuma smiled as he spotted Crow, who went off as they entered the Reactor, standing by one of the windows on the wall.

"You're right that Zero Reverse didn't happen because of destiny. But listen," Crow placed his hand on his hip. "If Zero Reverse never happened, you and Jack wouldn't have met and become best friends. Your father couldn't have known what Roman would do what he did and no one blames you for that! Not me, not Jack and I bet not even Kalin. Good things lead to bad things, and lead to more good things! And that's just life! That guy's just using destiny as an excuse to be a jerk!"

He then gives Yuma a thumbs up. "End that creep kid!"

Yuma returned the gesture. " Let's end this duel, Roman! Kattobingu!"

He thought of all the could haves and what ifs as he drew, the fairytale life he had hoped for after the Number War. He never regretted the deal but perhaps he hadn't accepted his predicament as he thought he had. Then he felt Yusei's heart beating alongside his, felt Akiza reaching out and Luna pushing him and even Jack's distant presence and thought….

He could learn to carve out a new path for himself.

"I summon Scarlet Star of the Ice Barrier and when a Level 4 monster or lower is summoned, Silver Star the last Spirit gets to join the field and raise the level of Scarlet Star to 4."

Scarlet Star stepped out of the summoning gate first, his hand holding onto another, leading the new monster out to the field. Another boy with a light blue hood covering his face, his cape fluttered unnaturally in the air revealing bits and pieces of an intriciated tunic in contrast to the simple leather armor of Scarlet Star.

"Go on, Synchro summon your if you can bypass my Web of the Earthbound Deity, they'll just crumble to dust." Roman taunted.

Yuma smiled. "Good thing I won't be synchro summoning then. I overlay the level 4 Scarlet Star with level 4 Silver Star."

"Yuma?" Yusei questioned the mention of overlay but Yuma hadn't truly summoned Xyz summon in so long. Being able to do it now was making him all giddy.

"When two distant stars come together, they'll open up a path of infinite possibility!" Yuma chanted gleefully as his two monsters turned into beams of red and gold that danced through the sky. A mini galaxy formed on Yuma field as he held up his hand, red particles gathered to form a new card. "Xyz summon! Rank 4 Number F1: Accretion Arkos!"

An elf-like being emerged from the galaxy, with light blue skin that appeared to melt into their flowy white clothes, they somehow glowed even brighter than the reactor below.

Gasps echoed throughout the area at the summoning but that was just the beginning. "Since I'm using Silver Star as an Xyz material for a 'Number' monster, Accretion Arkos gain 800 ATK for every monster on my field. 2000 ATK is more than enough to end this duel. Go Accretion Arkos! Gathering Sparks!"

Roman snapped out of his stupor. "How? My trap-"

"Won't be doin anything because Xyz monster don't have a level, they have ranks!"

Roman growled. "I don't know what this Xyz summon is, boy. But it won't be enough to defeat me. Activate trap Brilliant Shrine Art! This directs your attack torwar Earthbound Immortal Uru! Prepare to be submerged into the shadow, Yuma Tsukumo!"

"Are you sure about that?" Yuma smirked. "When an Xyz monster is summoned, their friends stick around as overlay units instead of going to the grave and let me show you why. Quick effect! Whenever Accretion Arkos is battling a monster with higher ATK, they can consume one overlay unit and double their attack!"

"What?!"

Shooting at the giant spider, Accretion Arkos shattered it with one punch.

"And since your Earthbound Immortal is no more. Dewloren is free to attack! So end this Dewloren, King's Commandment!"

Yuma's knees gave out the moment Roman's LP hit zero only to be caught by Yusei. His monsters faded away signaling the end of the battle.

"Don't think that this is over," Roman dashed that hope away. "A new Immortal, the mightiest of them all,had already been unleashed. If you can't activate the four control units before sunset, the door to the Netherworld will open and the King of the Netherworld will be resurrected."

The man proceeded to rip off his duel disk and pulled a switch on his mechanical arm. Yusei pulled Yuma away before he could register what was happening but it was too late.

"Even if I didn't defeat you. The two of you shall fall with me just the same."

An explosion erupted, cutting the bridge in half and pulling the ground from underneath Yuma's feet. Yusei grabbed him before he could fall down while his other hand held onto the bridge's cable. They still weren't exactly safe dangling over the sea of Ener-D. Trudge attempted to pull them up but with each jerk Yuma could tell that cable was slowly ripping.

He really used a miracle right about now.

His answer came to the form of a snapping cable. Yusei wrapped his arms around Yuma as they fell. And although he called upon his Numbers for help, they could only shield Yuma and Yusei as the sea Ener-D reached up to take both of them.