In the Dark Signer's lair, one of the candles on the candelabra on the table went out, just as it had when Devack was defeated. "Kalin's flame has been extinguished, how disappointing," Roman commented. He created a spider and sent it out. Across the Satellite, Yusei placed Stardust Dragon's card in the slot for the control tower.
The pedestal glowed and Yusei snatched the card off the panel before running out before the tower sank into the ground. Leo and Luna called out to Yusei from the highway and he mounted his duel runner and drove over to them. "Way to go, Yusei. Wait, what's that?" Crow asked as he pointed off to the side of the highway.
A dome of light had appeared, and when it faded away, all the people who had been absorbed by Kalin's Earthbound Immortal had been returned. "It's just like Goodwin told us," Luna said. "By defeating Kalin's Earthbound Immortal, you freed all the people trapped inside of it," Crow commented.
"While this is good news, we can't take a victory lap just yet. There are still two more control towers to be activated and three more Dark Signers to be defeated," Yusei pointed out. Suddenly, a spider floated in on a line of silk, landing on Trudge's uniform before it crawled onto him.
Suddenly, Trudge slumped forward, a blank stare etched onto his face. Luna asked if he was alright, and Roman's Dark Signer mark appeared on his arm. Yusei noticed the mark and shouted for everyone to get away from Trudge. "I know you're controlling him, Roman," Yusei said.
"How very astute of you, Yusei. I merely wished to offer you an invitation," Roman communicated through the officer. Yusei asked what Roman was inviting him for, and the Dark Signer just laughed. "Nothing much. I just thought you'd like to watch the final duel of your friend Alex before he becomes a Dark Signer," he informed.
Yusei said Alex would defeat him, but Roman said that was up to destiny. "If you want to see our duel, I suggest you hurry to the old reactor. Your friend will arrive at my location before too long," Roman said before his spider vanished, releasing his hold on Trudge. Luna asked Yusei if he thought Alex would really win, and Yusei said he was sure.
"I hope I'm right, because if Alex loses, we may never win this war," he thought to himself. Meanwhile Alex had arrived on site and opened a path using a device Goodwin had given him before he left New Domino. He followed the path and wound up in a room he recognized from when Roman had captured him during the Fortune Cup.
He picked up a picture frame and turned it, seeing a picture of Roman, a younger Rex Goodwin, and a man he assumed must've been Yusei's father. "Curious?" Roman asked as he walked into the light. "Maybe. Why are you with the director and Yusei's father in this photo?" Alex asked.
"I suppose I might as well tell you. Long ago, me and my brother worked alongside Professor Fudo on the original Ener-D Reactor," Roman informed. "Wait a minute, Goodwin is your brother?" Alex asked, surprised Goodwin failed to mention it. "Yes, although that shouldn't be what concerns you now," Roman said as he raised his duel disk.
"Fine. I've been waiting for the chance to get even for our last duel," Alex responded. "That's the spirit, but why duel here? Let's go to a more fitting location, one where your friends can watch your final duel before joining our ranks," Roman offered. "They're coming here?" Alex asked.
"Yes, and I imagine they'll arrive soon," the Dark Signer responded before he turned and walked out another door in the room. Alex carefully followed him, eventually ending in a large chamber with a rope bridge spanning a large chasm. Alex walked to the other side of the bridge and prepared himself to duel.
"Alex!" Luna shouted from above them. The others ran down to where Alex was, but Alex told them to stay back. "This duel is mine. It's time for you to pay for what you've done Roman," Alex swore. "You can be angry all you like, but I only did as was required of me by destiny, just as soon you will also fulfill your destiny," Roman responded as he pressed a button on his mechanical arm, the old reactor spurring to life. Alex and Roman both activated their duel disks and began their rematch.
Alex: 4000 LP
Roman: 4000 LP
"I'll go first. I place one card face-down and end my turn," Roman concluded. "That's his opening move? A single face-down?" Trudge questioned. Alex started his turn, but he hesitated. "What could Roman be planning? He set a card, but he didn't summon a monster. Whatever he's got planned, I can't pass up this chance to take the lead," Alex thought to himself.
"Since there are no monsters on my field, I can special summon my Evil HERO Infernal Prodigy to the field in attack mode."
Level 2/Dark/Fiend
ATK 300/DEF 600
"And next, I sacrifice him to summon my Evil HERO Galactic Ruler. You see, even though Ruler is level 7, I can summon him with 1 sacrifice if I use an Evil HERO."
Level 7/Light/Fiend
ATK 2500/DEF 2000
"Now, attack directly!" Alex shouted as his monster rushed Roman and delivered a swift punch to his chest, knocking him back.
Roman: 1500 LP
"Way to go Alex!" Yusei shouted. "Not only did he land the first hit, he took away more than half of Roman's life points," Leo celebrated. "However now the effect of my Wolf in Sheep's Clothing trap card activates," Roman declared.
"Say what?" Alex asked. "Since I took damage from a direct attack, I can summon a level 1 monster from my hand along with a monster with the same name from my deck, so I summon two Dark Spiders in defense mode," Roman explained.
Level 1/Dark/Insect
ATK 0/DEF 0
"I activate Galactic Ruler's special ability. When he inflicts damage to my opponent's life points, I can add either an Evil HERO monster, a copy of Dark Fusion, or a spell that lists Dark Fusion in its card text from my deck to my hand, and I choose my Evil HERO Dark General. I set a card face-down and due to Prodigy's effect, I can draw 1 card. I end my turn," Alex declared.
Leo said those spiders were no sweat, but Luna shook her head. "They're not for attacking. He set himself up to summon his Earthbound Immortal," she pointed out. "He needs two sacrifices to play his Immortal, and with that move of his, he's got what he needs in a single turn," Trudge added.
"It's my turn. And I activate the field spell Spider Web," Roman declared as the walls were coated in white thread. "Just great," Alex commented. "You can guess what happens next. I sacrifice my two Dark Spiders to summon Earthbound Immortal Uru!" Roman shouted.
Level 10/Dark/Insect
ATK 3000/ DEF 3000
"And don't forget, since a field spell is in play, Uru can attack you directly. Strike with Dark Thread!" he ordered as his monster fired a net of threads at Alex. "Not so fast Roman. I'm activating an old favorite of my mom's, Hallowed Life Barrier! By discarding one card, all damage I take from your monsters this turn becomes 0," Alex explained as a barrier appeared between himself and Uru's attack.
"So you managed to dodge that one. Well, your monster won't dodge this. I play the Fissure spell card to destroy your Galactic Ruler," Roman declared as a burst of energy shot up from beneath them and struck Galactic Ruler. "With him gone, I place 2 cards face-down and end my turn," he concluded. "My move. And I summon my Dark General in attack mode," Alex declared.
Level 4/Dark/Fiend
ATK 1600/DEF 1300
"Now I activate his special ability, allowing me to add an Evil HERO monster from my deck to my hand, like my Evil HERO Stone Guardian. Now Dark General, attack Roman directly!" Alex shouted as his monster raised its sword and charged at Roman. "Alright, if this connects, Alex wins!" Leo exclaimed.
"Which is why I play the Roar of the Earthbound continuous trap. If you attack with a monster that's weaker than my immortal, your monster is destroyed and you take half of its attack points as damage," Roman explained as his trap moved in front of Dark General, Alex's monster crashing into it, causing him to be destroyed.
Alex: 3200 LP
"I activate the effect of my Evil HERO Stone Guardian. Since an Evil HERO was destroyed, I can summon him from my hand to protect me," Alex informed.
Level 4/Earth/Fiend
ATK 800/DEF 2000
"I place one card face-down and end my turn," he concluded. "Then it's my move. How long do you think you can defend yourself from my Earthbound Immortal's attacks? Uru, attack him directly!" Roman ordered. "I activate the trap Dimension Wall! With its effect, you take the damage from this battle instead of me, which means you lose Roman," Alex declared.
"I activate my own trap card, Wiretap, which means your trap is negated and shuffled back into your deck," Roman explained as Uru's attack struck Alex, knocking him onto his back.
Alex: 200 LP
Luna called out for him, but Alex assured her he was okay. "But how long will that be the case, I wonder? One more attack from my immortal and you will lose this duel and become a Dark Signer. I end my turn," Roman conceded. "It's my move, and due to Stone Guardian's special ability, I can add a copy of Dark Fusion to my hand," Alex explained.
"Where is it? That one card is all I need to turn this duel around. Well, until I draw it, I have to hold out," he thought to himself as he played another card from his hand. "I play the spell Foolish Burial Goods. With it I can send one spell or trap from my deck to my graveyard, and I choose my Transaction Rollback. With that, I end my turn," Alex declared.
Suddenly he could hear Roman laughing. "What's so funny?" Alex asked. "It's just so funny to me how hard you're fighting against a fate that you yourself set into motion," Roman explained. "What do you mean I set it into motion? I don't have anything to do with this," Alex responded, but Roman just laughed again. "On the contrary, you have everything to do with this," the Dark Signer corrected.
To be continued…