Alex: 5000 LP
Atticus: 1900 LP
Alex's field: Evil HERO Necro Commander, Meteor Black Dragon, 1 face-down.
"He still hasn't moved," Breaker commented, Atticus still lying on his back on the ground. "After an attack like that, it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't get back up at all," Lord of Dragons added. "Come on Atticus, you can do it!" Yusei encouraged. "Alex is counting on you!" Akiza reminded.
"They're right! Alex needs me, and no matter what he throws at me, I won't quit until I save him!" Atticus thought to himself, his resolve to win strengthened. He got to his feet and walked back to the duel field. "My turn, I draw," he said, although a bit strained. "He's certainly tough," Dark Crusader complimented.
"Well, he is related to our lord," Jinzo pointed out. "Are you saying he could possibly defeat our king?" Breaker questioned. "He has certainly lasted longer than everyone our lord has faced so far, but I am confident he shall fall soon enough," Jinzo answered. "Alex, I know it hurts, but I'm here for you, we all are. You don't have to go down this road! You can still do the right thing!" Atticus shouted.
"You're wrong. It's too late for me. I've already chosen my path, and there's no going back," Alex responded. Atticus looked at him intently and saw tears falling to the ground, but he wasn't the only one to notice. "Look at Alex," Luna said from the sidelines.
The others looked in his direction and saw what she was talking about. "He's crying," Akiza said. "He wants to stop, but he thinks he's too far gone to turn back," Yusei surmised. "Alex, I can't begin to understand the depths of your sorrow, but I can bring you back, and help you move forward," Atticus thought to himself.
"I place two cards face-down and activate Card of Sanctity, so now we both draw until we have six cards in our hands," he declared. "Next I play one of my face-downs, the spell Back to Square One! By discarding one card, I can return one monster on the field to the top of its owner's deck, so Meteor Black Dragon returns to my extra deck," Atticus explained.
"Alright, he managed to get Meteor Black Dragon off the field," Jack praised. "Now I play the spell Dragon's Mirror, so by banishing the monsters I need from my field or graveyard, I can summon a dragon type fusion monster, so I banish Red-Eyes and Meteor Dragon to bring back my Meteor Black Dragon!" Atticus shouted.
Level 8/Fire/Dragon
ATK 3500/DEF 2000
"All right, he's got his dragon back!" Leo exclaimed. "Now I play my other face-down card, the spell Gap Power. Since you have more life points than me, half the difference between our life points is added onto Meteor Black Dragon's attack points this turn," Atticus explained as his monster received a power boost.
Meteor Black Dragon: 3500-5050 ATK
"Now attack with Dark Meteor Impact!" he shouted as his dragon launched a meteor that struck Necro Commander and sent Alex flying. "My lord!" Jinzo shouted. Alex got up and walked back to the duel field, his armor having absorbed most of the impact, but still leaving him in pain. "I'd better end this duel quickly before Alex gets seriously hurt," Atticus said to himself.
Alex: 1850 LP
"I place one card face-down and end my turn, which means my dragon's attack returns to normal," Atticus conceded. "I draw. And I activate Dark Fusion. I fuse Voltage and Stone Guardian to summon Evil HERO Lightning Golem," Alex declared.
Level 6/Light/Fiend
ATK 2400/DEF 1500
"I activate Lightning Golem's effect. Destroy Meteor Black Dragon with Voltic Ball!" Alex ordered as Lightning Golem launched a sphere of black electricity at Meteor Black Dragon. "If Atticus' dragon gets destroyed, Alex will be able to attack him directly!" Leo exclaimed.
"I play the trap card Metal Coat! When this card is played, it equips itself onto one of my monsters, keeping it from being destroyed by card effects," Atticus explained as a white aura glowed around his monster and Lightning Golem's attack bounced off him. "Alright, he saved his dragon!" Luna shouted.
"But then why doesn't Alex look concerned?" Akiza asked. True to her word, Alex's face wasn't showing the slightest bit of emotion. "I equip Lightning Golem with the spell Eternal Evil. This card can only be equipped to Evil HERO fusion monsters, and while equipped, Lightning Golem can't be destroyed by effects, and when he attacks, he gains attack points equal to half the attack of his target until the end of the battle," Alex explained.
"So if he attacks, he'll gain half of Meteor Dragon's attack?" Leo asked. "Half of 3500 is 1750, added onto Lightning Golem's attack of 2400," Luna said as she worked out the math in her head. "Would equal 4150 points!" Akiza exclaimed. "Lightning Golem, attack with Dark Lightning!" Alex ordered.
"I activate Metal Coat's other effect! By sending it to the graveyard, my monster won't be destroyed by this battle!" Atticus yelled. "But you'll still take damage," Alex reminded as Lightning Golem's attack struck Meteor Black Dragon.
Atticus: 1250 LP
"I activate the Fiend Cannon trap card. Since your dragon survived the battle, you take 500 points of damage," Alex explained as a blast of energy shot from his trap and hit Atticus in the chest.
Atticus: 750 LP
"I end my turn," Alex conceded. "I draw. Meteor Black Dragon, attack his Lightning Golem!" Atticus ordered. "What?! But his monster will just gain attack points again!" Leo exclaimed. "That's where you're wrong Leo," Yusei corrected.
"What do you mean?" Leo asked in confusion. "The effect of Eternal Evil to increase attack points only activates when the equipped monster is attacking, not if it's the one being attacked," Jack explained. Meteor Black Dragon launched his attack, destroying Lightning Golem and knocking Alex onto his back.
Alex: 750 LP
"Alright, he destroyed Lightning Golem!" Luna cheered. "At this moment, the effect Eternal Evil activates. Since it was equipped to a monster when it was destroyed, I can add it back to my hand," Alex explained as the card slipped back out of his graveyard.
"Say what?!" Atticus exclaimed. "This is bad, if Atticus can't get rid of that card, he'll lose the duel," Yusei said grimly. Atticus looked at his hand and pulled out a card. "I place one card face-down and end my turn," he declared. "My turn, I draw," Alex declared.
"And now I play the trap Mind Crush! Now I can declare one card name, and if you have a card of that name in your hand, you have to discard all copies of that card in your hand, and I choose Eternal Evil!" Atticus shouted. "Alright, if it goes to the graveyard while it's not equipped, it can't come back!" Luna shouted.
Alex took the card and put it in his graveyard before pulling out another card from his hand. "I activate the spell Dark Calling. I banish Malicious Edge and Necro Commander from my graveyard to summon Evil HERO Malicious Fiend," he said.
Level 8/Fire/Fiend
ATK 3500/DEF 2100
"Its attack is the same as my monster's, so if it attacks, they'll both be destroyed," Atticus pointed out. "I activate the continuous spell Kishido Spirit. With it in play, my monsters can't be destroyed in battle with monsters that have the same attack as them. Malicious Fiend, attack!" Alex shouted.
Malicious Fiend dashed up to Meteor Black Dragon and slashed him across the chest, destroying him. "I end my turn," Alex conceded. "It's my turn," Atticus said as he was about to start his turn, but hesitated. "The only way I'll have a chance to win is to draw that card. Come on, for Alex's sake, please let me draw it!," he mentally pleaded with his deck.
"I draw!" he shouted before he looked at the card he drew. "It came, Alex," Atticus said. Alex just stood there, waiting to see what his uncle would do. Atticus placed the card he drew in his spell and trap zone. "I play the equip spell Different Dimension Reincarnation. By discarding one card, I can special summon one of my banished monsters and equip it with this card, and I choose my Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" he shouted.
Level 7/Dark/Dragon
ATK 2400/DEF 2000
"But Red-Eyes isn't a match for Alex's monster," Leo pointed out. "Maybe this Red-Eyes isn't, but I have another one who is," Atticus responded. "He couldn't possibly mean that card, could he?" Alex asked himself. "I never wanted to use this card again, but if it'll bring you back, then I'll play it, no matter what happens!" Atticus shouted.
"I sacrifice Red-Eyes Black Dragon in order to summon the Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon!" Atticus yelled as Red-Eyes burst into flames before he dived into the ground. The ground then began to shake violently. "What's going on?" Akiza asked. "I think we're about to find out," Yusei replied.
Suddenly, a fiery vortex appeared in front of Atticus, and when it died down, the evolved version of Red-Eyes stood before him. "I've never seen that card before," Jack commented. "Me either. Where did Atticus get a card like that?" Yusei asked.
"From the very being that Alex merged his soul with. Years ago, I was under Nightshroud's control, and he made me use this dragon. I never wanted to use it again, but I knew I had to if I wanted to get the real Alex back," Atticus proclaimed.
Level 9/DARK/Dragon
ATK 2400/DEF 2000
"But its attack points are the same as the other Red-Eyes, so why would he play it?" Leo asked. "Because due to his special ability, Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon gains 300 attack points for every dragon type monster in my graveyard. So with six dragons in my grave, he gains 1800 attack points," Atticus explained.
Darkness Dragon: 2400-4200 ATK
"Now, attack with Inferno Dark Fire!" Atticus commanded as Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon launched a massive fireball that engulfed Malicious Fiend and bathed Alex in flames.
Alex: 50 LP
Alex stumbled for a moment before clutching his head. "Agh, my head. What's wrong with me?" he asked. "I think Alex is starting to snap out of it," Yusei said hopefully. "Wait, wasn't I just dueling someone? Uncle Atticus?" Alex asked as he gazed across the duel field.
"Alex, you're back," Atticus said joyfully. "I'm afraid I can't allow that," Nightshroud said as he appeared in an ethereal form, manifesting himself behind Alex. "You used me. You can consider our deal officially over. I'm done helping you, and as soon as I figure out how, you and I are splitting for good," Alex promised.
"I'm afraid we've come too far for me to allow that, and since you're unwilling to cooperate further, and since I cannot separate myself from you, I shall take command of your body," Nightshroud said as he turned into a cloud of black smoke and forced his way into Alex's body through his chest.
"Alex, fight him!" Atticus shouted. "I'm trying! I can't stop him. I'm too weak from our duel," Alex responded. "Come on Alex, you can do it!" Yusei encouraged. "Don't let him order you around!" Jack yelled. "Come back to us Alex!" Luna begged. Alex looked at his friends and said "I'm sorry."
A shockwave of darkness expelled from his body, knocking everyone down. When they got back up, Alex's eyes were glowing blue, showing Nightshroud was in control. "You monster, give me back my nephew!" Atticus shouted in anger. "You are in no position to make demands. It is my turn. I draw," Nightshroud declared.
"I activate the spell Legacy of a Hero. Since there at least two level four or higher monsters in my graveyard with the word HERO in their name, I am permitted to draw three cards. Now I shall activate the spell Magical Stone Excavation. By discarding two cards from my hand, I shall add a spell from my grave to my hand. I select the Dark Calling spell card," he explained.
"He's going to summon another fusion monster?" Luna asked. "I activate Dark Calling, and with it, I shall banish Malicious Fiend, Lightning Golem, and Spiritual Soldier from the graveyard in order to summon Evil HERO Supreme King," Nightshroud said as he summoned a monster that was exactly the same as Alex when he wore his armor during the Fortune Cup.
Level 8/Dark/Fiend
ATK 3300/DEF 3000
"But it has less attack than Darkness Dragon," Leo pointed out. "I activate the effect of Evil HERO Necro Charmer in my grave. Once while this card is in my grave, I can Special Summon one level 5 or higher Evil HERO monster from my hand, so I summon Evil HERO Galactic Ruler," Nightshroud explained.
Level 7/Light/Fiend
ATK 2500/DEF 2000
"What is he about to do?" Yusei questioned before Nightshroud began speaking. "I now activate the effect of Evil HERO Supreme King. Once each turn, I can sacrifice another Evil HERO I control to summon a level 8 or lower Evil HERO fusion monster from my Extra Deck," the spirit explained. "What?" Atticus asked in surprise. "I sacrifice Evil HERO Galactic Ruler. Appear, Evil HERO Neos," Nightshroud declared as he summoned the strongest Evil Hero.
Level 7/Dark/Fiend
ATK 2500/DEF 2000
"And due to his special ability, he gains 300 attack points for every Evil HERO monster in my grave. With 6 in my grave, he gains 1800 attack points," he explained.
Evil HERO Neos: 2500-4300 ATK
"Due to his effect, Evil HERO Supreme King cannot attack the turn his effect is activated," Nightshroud informed. "Since Neos only has 100 more attack points than Atticus' dragon, and Supreme King can't attack, Atticus will still have life points left," Luna pointed out, hoping Atticus still had a chance to win.
"I activate the spell Burial from a Different Dimension, and with it I shall return Malicious Edge, Malicious Fiend, and Lightning Golem to my GY," Nightshroud explained. "Wait, but if he does that, Noes will gain 900 more attack points!" Leo shouted. "Which means that he'll have enough attack points to finish Atticus!" Luna added.
Evil HERO Neos: 4300-5200 ATK
"No way. Alex, I failed you. I leave the rest to you Yusei," Atticus said. Nightshroud ordered Neos to attack, but Neos seemed to be fighting against the command. "Feeling defiant? If you ever want to see Alex again, you will follow my orders, now attack," Nightshroud commanded. Neos looked at Atticus as if to say "I'm sorry" before he launched his attack at Red-Eyes Darkness Dragon, sending Atticus flying.
Atticus: 0 LP
Winner: Nightshroud
"He lost," Luna said in shock. "I'm sorry Alex, I tried," Atticus said as he dissolved into shadows and disappeared. "I'd love to send the rest of you to my world, but unfortunately, this body requires rest," Nightshroud said as he walked into the castle.
"Now what do we do?" Akiza asked. "I don't know," Yusei admitted. They all turned around and went back to the hospital to figure out a plan. Little did they know that they were being followed.