During Yukina's duel against Hebi, Taiyo arrived and confronted Diego while helping Hana and Cindy. Yukina managed to defeat Hebi, but that wasn't the end. Taiyo pulled a fast one over Diego and caused a chandelier to fall right on top of him. The girls were stunned at what they saw.

"Did that really just happened?" Hana questioned.

"Leave it. You said it yourself that he's a vile man that no one will miss." Taiyo claimed.

"Hana! Cindy!" They all looked behind them and saw Yukina and the others running just as the spectacle ended. "Are you two okay?!" Yukina asked with her noticing Taiyo. "Taiyo?! You're here?!"

"What's going on around here?" Kent questioned.

"Never mind that now. Let's get your friend back and then get out of here." Taiyo said.

"Uh... Right... Sylvia told us everything. Let's find Henry and hope its not too late." Yukina said. As unusual as the situation is, they had to get Henry back for that's their top priority.

...

Henry

Henry was placed in a room until he could have his power drained away. He just sat in that room with him holding his knees and felt only despair.

"Henry! Henry, where are you?!"

"Cindy?!" Henry said as he took relief that she was here. "Cindy! I'm in here!" He called as he banged against the door to get their attention. Yukina and the others heard the sound of the banging and soon came across the door he was in.

"In there!" Yukina said. Kent pulled the door open and Henry nearly fell out with them catching him.

"Are you okay?!" Cindy asked.

"I am now that you guys are here." Henry said. They were all glad he was okay, but Yukina spotted something and took a look inside. Inside that room were the other members of the Black Ace that lost their duels and had their power drained away. They were just tossed aside like pieces of trash. "The other duelists that lost... Diego just stuffed them in here after their powers were drained?"

"This is horrible. How can that Diego do this to people?" Sylvia said as they all hated seeing this.

"Let's just get out of here. I'm afraid there's nothing we can do for them now." Taiyo said. They all hated to leave them like this, but he was right. They'll just have to come back for them another time.

...

The Stadium

"It's sad to say, but Duel Battlers will soon be coming to an end." M.C. announced. "Yukina has managed to make it all the way to the finals. That only leaves one spot left. Who will be her opponent? Will it be Raika or Cray? We'll have our answer once the next match starts! Don't go away!" Everyone was getting excited about the finale of the tournament, but Yukina and her friends had other things in mind. After rescuing Henry, they took him to one of the rooms where they can rest and treat Henry.

"Okay, Taiyo... Enough is enough. I think it's time you gave us some answers as to who you are and what is it you want." Yukina said. "It does seem like you're on our side, but why is it a duelist like you isn't competing in this tournament? If you're against the Black Ace, why not work with us?"

"I suppose it is time I told you everything." Taiyo said.

"How about you start with telling us who you are." Kent said.

"The last time we saw you, you said that I was my father's daughter. Does that mean you know my father Andre Osama?" Yukina asked.

"I did." Taiyo admitted. "The truth is that your father was once my teacher, Yukina. He was the one that taught me about dueling." Him just mentioning that was a complete surprise to Yukina and her friends.

"My father was your dueling teacher? He never told me about you before." Yukina said. "I don't remember ever seeing you in Decker Village before either."

"That's because I'm not from Decker Village, but your father was my teacher." Taiyo said. "It happened during a time he was away from the village. He came into my town and he saw how much I wanted to learn how to duel." Taiyo remembers that day well. Back when he was just a kid, he was excited about dueling and wanted to learn how to duel so badly. That enthusiasm is what brought him to Andre. As Andre was passing through a local town and saw Taiyo's passion for dueling, he helped him out and taught him. "I don't know what made him decide to take me as his student, but I was always thankful that he did."

"But how can that be and Yukina doesn't know you?" Cindy questioned.

"You know, I do remember one point that your father was gone for almost a whole month and you stayed with me." Hana told Yukina.

"I remember that, too." Yukina said.

"Yes. He told me about you and knew he couldn't stay. That's why we spent every hour we could on me learning to duel and how to improve." Taiyo said. "Even after he left, I continued practicing what he taught me. He even told about the forbidden card. Years later, I decided that I wanted to pay my old teacher a visit. He told me all about how I could find Decker Village."

"He must have taught you well because I had no idea you ever came to Decker Village." Hana said.

"Well, he was a great teacher. Sadly, I arrived too late. When I arrived, I was told all about what happened with the forbidden card and Andre." Taiyo said. "As you can imagine, I was filled with rage and a strong desire for vengeance was forming."

...

Flashback

Deciding to pay his teacher a visit, Taiyo made his way to Decker Village. When he got there, he met Hoiko and Hoiko told Taiyo all that happened up in the shrine and how his teacher was gone.

"No! It can't be!" Taiyo shouted as he smashed his hands against the wall of Hoiko's home. "He can't... He can't be gone!"

"I'm afraid it is." Hoiko told him. "His own daughter was there when it happened. She saw him fall into the lava." Hearing the news of this was greatly upsetting to Taiyo as tears fell from his face.

"Curse them... Curse those who are responsible for this!" Taiyo shouted.

"I wanted to go after those responsible, but Hoiko talked me out of it. He told me about how Yukina already left on her own journey to find Life Destroyer. I remained in Decker Village and continued to work on my own skills. Hoiko told me that it was my teacher's last wish that Yukina be the one to find Raika and stop the Black Ace from achieving their goals that involve Life Destroyer. I did not wish to interfere with my teacher's last request, but I could not leave this alone. I felt that there was something I had to do. The answer to what soon came when you came back to Decker Village, Yukina."

...

Later

After months of working in Decker Village, Taiyo knew that Yukina and her friends came to Decker Village. They never knew about that as he kept himself hidden from them. When Yukina's spirits were lifted and they were ready to leave, Taiyo watched from afar and wasn't sure if Yukina could be trusted with something so important.

"So, now that you have seen what Yukina is like, what do you think of her now?" Hoiko asked.

"She might be my teacher's daughter, but that doesn't mean she has what it takes." Taiyo said. "Look what happened after she failed once. She came running back home, had a broken spirit, and came looking for some cheap trick that could help her."

"She faced a setback, but she was able to rise back up from that." Hoiko said.

"Yes. She was able to rise back up. She certainly does have potential." Taiyo said. "However, I don't believe she's living up to that full potential. Even if she faces Raika and Life Destroyer again, she could fail and might not get another chance. They must be stopped."

"So what are you going to do?" Hoiko asked.

"I do wish to honor my teacher's last request. However, this matter is of great importance." Taiyo said. "I'll have to see if Yukina really does have what it takes to defeat Raika. I'll have to see it with my own eyes." That was when it all started for Taiyo.

End of Flashback

...

The Black Ace

Meanwhile, something was going on in the Black Ace building. Taiyo thought the chandelier fell on Diego and crushed him, but that wasn't the case. The chandelier missed Diego by a hair, but the impact did knock the wind out of him and did damage his body. However, Diego was able to get back up.

"Those rotten rats! How dare they do this to me!" Diego complained. "I will see to it that when they're power is fed to Life Destroyer, it will be slow and painful." He claimed as his evil wasn't finished yet.

...

Yukina's Friends

"After that, I heard about Duel Battlers and knew you were going to compete." Taiyo said. "I've been keeping my eye on you, Yukina. When I saw how things were going for you, I began to fear you were losing sight of your real mission and you were playing right into the enemy's hands."

"Never. I'll never forgive Raika and Diego for what they did to my father." Yukina claimed.

"But I needed to be assured of that." Taiyo said. "I feared you were playing right into the enemy's hands and I couldn't allow something like that to happen. You also needed to be reminded of what your real goal was, so I thought the best way to do that was for you to start at square one again. If you could rise back up after such a setback like that, you would be even stronger."

"So that's why you smashed her DPA." Cindy said.

"You thought it would protect Yukina while also giving her newly found strength and resolve." Hana said.

"Yes, and it seemed to have worked." Taiyo said. "I was beginning to have my doubts, but when you realized that you can face Raika even if you didn't get into Duel Battlers, those doubts began to vanish. I was testing your resolve, Yukina, and now I am convinced that you might have what it takes to defeat Raika and Life Destroyer. That time is drawing near." Yukina finally understands. Taiyo was simply trying to honor her father's last wish. Now that Yukina has come as far as she has, she must win.

...

Diego

Diego made his way through the halls of his building despite his injuries. It's like he just won't give up no matter what until his twisted goals are reached. As he was walking through the halls, he looked ahead and saw that Raika came back.

"Raika? What are you doing here?" Diego questioned. "Why aren't you getting ready for your next match with Cray?"

"I heard something was going on over here. I thought I come and check it out." Raika said. "What happened to you, Diego? You look like you've had better days."

"Not to worry. I'm just on my way to get you more power." Diego said.

"Sounds good. In fact, I think it's time I took yours." Raika said as he reached for Life Destroyer.

"What? Don't joke like that, Raika." Diego said.

"Who's joking?" Raika taunted as he was serious. Diego couldn't believe that Raika was actually turning against him. "I am grateful you gave me this power, but I don't need your help anymore. You said it yourself that everything was for me, and now that I don't need you anymore, I think I'll take whatever power you have in you."

"You... You... I made you what you are! You can't do this to me!" Diego denied.

"Just watch me!" Raika said as he went for it. It was over before anyone knew it and the only sound that was heard was Diego's screams. When it was all done, Diego was against the ground and Raika was radiating with dark power. He's going mad with power as his hunger for it only grew. "More... I want more... I will soon have more. Once I defeat Cray, Yukina is next."

...

Yukina's Friends

"That's some story, Taiyo. I had no idea that my father had a student like you." Yukina said.

"Just like you, I want to avenge what happened to him, but I know he wants you to be the one to stop the Black Ace." Taiyo said. "As a father, he just simply believes in you. That's why I believe he entrusted you with his deck." That's what Yukina thought as well.

"Taiyo, did you learn anything more about the Black Ace we don't know?" Hana asked.

"Yeah, like why is Diego doing all of this? Who exactly is Raika, and where did he come from?" Cindy said. "More importantly, what's the deal with Life Destroyer? How can a card have this kind of power?"

"The origins of Life Destroyer are a mystery that has yet to be solved." Taiyo said. "However, I believe this card has existed for hundreds of years. It grows in power from the darkness that is found in people's hearts. It was sealed away somehow, but if that was the end, we wouldn't be in this mess."

"Diego somehow found it and that's how we ended up in this mess to begin with." Kent said.

"And he needed someone who could handle the dark power within that card. Someone who would be able to control it." Taiyo said. "Somehow, he found Raika."

"But I remember Raika had a hard time controlling the power when he first stole it." Yukina said.

"Yes, but now he's learned to harness that power." Taiyo said. "Before, Raika was just another upcoming duelist with a rough history. Apparently, he gained a reputation well enough for Diego to know and use him for his goals. Now that Life Destroyer has been freed, it's becoming more and more powerful with each duelist it's defeated. Before, Life Destroyer was able to absorb just a little power from it's victims. Now, it's capable of taking all of it. Life Destroyer is an embodiment of evil and darkness. It have the potential to destroy our way of life, but I'm sure you're all aware of that much."

"Well, it certainly doesn't sound like it was sealed away because it was just misbehaving like a little brat." Sylvia said.

"Yukina, everyone believes that you are the one who can stop this." Taiyo said. "This is your father's will, his last wish. If Raika and Life Destroyer are darkness, you must be the light that can shine through and grant people hope. You must defeat him." Being reminded of her mission, Yukina's resolve is even stronger now.

"Hold on! I think you're all forgetting something!" Cray said as he finally speaks. "You're all forgetting that I'm the one who is going to face Raika next. I have no intention of losing just so Yukina can be the big hero. I'll be the one that defeats Raika, and then I'm going to defeat Yukina!"

"That's right!" Kent agreed. "Cray can defeat Raika himself! There's really no need to pin all our hopes on Yukina when Cray is the one who is going to win."

'Hmm... He is confident. Despite knowing the circumstances, he's not afraid or anything. He really believes he can win.' Taiyo thought. 'Maybe he can.'

"Remember this, Yukina! It's not Raika who is going to defeat you or who you will be facing you in the finals! It's going to be me!" Cray declared as he is fully sure of himself that he's going to be the one that wins in the end.