Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V: The Six Dimensions

by BlaiseCandell

Before the invasion of the Xyz Dimension, scans done by the Fusion Dimension reveal two more dimensions. The Ritual Dimension, and the Link Dimension. Within those two dimensions, Chiaki, Yuji, Miharu and Yuno have their lives turned upside down, and are tossed into a vicious war. Also, why are there five people with the same faces as them?

54. Chapter 54: To The Victor, The Spoils

Starting Notes:

Welcome back! This chapter cuts back and forth between three on-screen duels, so… uh, I tried my best to have a reminder of the board state at the start of each section, but since all three duels are pretty complex, it might take a bit, haha. It was going to be four, but I let one of them be offscreen, since it would really be too confusing then. But essentially, this is similar to a combination of Episodes 90, 91 and 92, cutting between different duels. One special request that I have about reading is that even if the formatting does confuse you somewhat on the duels, please read through the chapter in the order that it's written in without skipping any of the scenes to read later ones first, because all the duels are written to split at specific points for reasons, so if you skip them, there'll be some problems with transitions. :)

But yeah, it's a long chapter! Best experienced all in one go, but very long. Enjoy! :D

---

Chapter 54: To The Victor Belongs The Spoils

When the woman saw the distress on the face of the man in the park, she sighed.

"... oh, Z_."

The silver and green-haired man looked towards her. "... I haven't seen you in a while," he said. The woman sat down next to him, looking at him. She was clearly concerned about him, and that did warm the man's heart slightly. "You said that you would be busy, but I didn't expect you to be gone for so long."

"I'm sorry." The woman sighed. "... I didn't expect things to go so badly for you, while I was gone… I did my best to come back as fast as I could. I saw what happened. That person, they—"

"Four million yen," the man murmured. "That's how much his hospital fees were. And I didn't have to pay any of it. The city ruled that it was an accident during an Action Duel caused by his lack of caution, as opposed to my monster's attack blasting him off a rooftop. That person will be crippled for life, and they've smeared his name just to make sure that I, their current headliner, didn't get a speck of mud on my name."

"Did you mean to?"

"I…"

There was a moment of silence. No one else was around.

"You can be honest with me, Z_," she said. "You know that I'm not going to judge you for it—"

"You know me too well," the silver-haired man said with a frustrated laugh. "Yes, nee-san." His voice was slightly sarcastic. "I didn't want to admit it—but yes, I lost my temper. I didn't want to hurt him specifically, but I wanted to hurt all of them. Every single last one of them." He spread out his arms, as though mocking her. "You're sweet and kind and the most accepting person that I know, but if you say that you can still accept me despite that, then you're just going to sound like the most condescending person in the world. You'd be an asshole for siding with me, instead of the people that I hurt."

Throughout his furious rant, the woman hadn't spoken a word. She was just watching him.

"So what? Can you really say that you're on my side? Do you want to know what R_ said to me when she saw me the other day? She could have said nothing! She already abandoned me when people began to mock me back then too. If she was going to abandon me, then she had no right to say anything about me! Do you know what she said? She told me that I should have fought back against their demands for entertainment! Does she think that everyone is in the same position as her, to just be able to live their lives the way that they want to? Does she think that I made this choice for no reason? She can't even look at me and see me!"

The woman looked at him.

There had never been any romantic feelings between those two, and she knew that very well. If circumstances hadn't driven them apart, then maybe they would have had the chance to actually think of each other in that way—but in the end, they had never been able to be anything more than childhood friends who had splintered apart.

Was that another form of tragedy, when it came to the existence of those two?

"I'm just…" The man sat back down, covering his face with his arm. "It used to be so easy. I used to be able to say things so confidently. But now, every choice I make has to consider a thousand things. Publicity, image, power—dueling was supposed to be about fun, wasn't it? I don't know when my words stopped belonging to me. I don't know when I stopped being me, but I hate it. I want to go back, but I can't, because I hate the me that I am now but I love the power that it's given me!"

The gold-haired woman raised a hand. She gently held onto the wrist of the man, before he could hit himself. "I know," she said softly. "You're living a lie. If even you can see that… it's not too late to turn off this path."

"It is too late!" He shook off her touch. "It is too late… I can't go back to who I was."

"... Z_, don't do this to yourself."

"All I can do is keep walking. Maybe I'll drag some of them down with me too, what about that?"

She tugged at his sleeve. "You're scaring me," she said quietly.

The man's yellow eyes widened. For a brief moment, he looked ashamed. He finally reached out for her, lifting her hand with his.

"I—I'm not threatening you, nee-san. Not you. I'll never hurt you. And if anyone comes after you, I'll destroy them too. You don't have anything to fear from me, alright?"

"But what if I'm scared for you?" She said. "I don't want you to be that person that you despise." Even as she said it, she knew that it was far too late.

No matter what she did now—

She could only continue to Watch it happen.

"Do you still have that card?" She asked.

"Astrograph Sorcerer?" The man nodded. "I've had it the whole time. It's still a card with no effects, but it'll evolve someday."

"It will." She looked at him. "... by then, I hope you'll be happier. Otherwise…"

Otherwise, it would be far too late.

---

"So, you're Yuya Sakaki and Yuno Sugisaki. I've heard quite a lot about both of you." The well-built man nodded to them. "I am Barrett."

"Barrett, huh?" Yuno sighed. "Yuya, can you handle this guy for now?"

Yuya blinked. "Huh?"

"If we leave those three alone, they might intrude in the other duels," Yuno said quite sensibly. "I'll clean up, and then I'll help out whoever's struggling the most."

Yuya nodded. "In that case," he said, "I'll handle this. Good luck."

"Thanks. You too." The two of them high-fived, before Yuya turned back to Barrett. This guy… he had to be strong, right? If Academia had allowed him to be Serena's guard, then he had to be somewhat capable…

But he was also here for Serena, Miharu and Yuzu. And Yuya would not give a single one of them up!

"... that look in your eyes. I like it, young warrior." Barrett raised a hand. "Come. I will test you."

---

"So, you're the one who kidnapped Rin," Yugo said.

"... didn't I say that?"

"Don't you even regret it a bit?" Yugo clenched his fists. "I've spent months wanting to beat you up! You bastard!" He had thought that it would be satisfying to find this person and tell him off, before defeating him, but… this was such an empty shell. There were no motivations at all behind those eyes, and that made Yugo even angrier. There was no reason that this person had to come for Rin at all. Even if Yugo won against him, that wouldn't change him at all—and it wouldn't bring Rin back either. All of that was very obvious.

But Yugo had never been one to follow logic. And well, beating the crap out of this guy would, at the very least, make him feel much better about everything.

"Regret…" The boy seemed to actually consider the word. "No."

That only made Yugo more furious. "You feel nothing about hurting Rin?" He demanded.

(What the boy had meant wasn't that he had felt nothing, of course. He had certainly felt resentment and frustration at his actions. However, what he had actually meant was that he did not regret making the decision to obey his orders, considering the situation that he had been in. Regret implied that he would have changed his decision, which he would never have.)

(However, unlike Yuno, Yugo was not the kind that would navigate those waters so easily. So he simply heard the words exactly as they were.)

"Fine! I'll make you kneel down and apologise to her!" Yugo raised his hand. "Come on!"

Yuji tilted his head. After a moment, he nodded.

---

There were no longer any more interruptions.

Serena raised her duel disk. Her limbs felt like they were going to fall off, but she focused on what was in front of her.

… and of course, there was only one person in front of her.

[DUEL!]

Yuri Kaiba: 4000LP

Serena Akaba: 4000LP

[Turn 1: Yuri] [H:5]

"You like the second turn," Yuri said, drawing his starting hand. "I'll let you have it, so that at the very least, you're not going to completely disappoint me." He revealed a card. "Spell Card, Predapractice. I will Special Summon a "Predaplant" monster from my hand. Come—Predaplant Chlamydosundew!" A strange lime green lizard-like creature covered in orange spots appeared.

[Predaplant Chlamydosundew (2*/600/200/DARK/Plant/Effect)]

"Then, I can add a "Predap" card from my deck to my hand, but I can't Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck this turn, except Fusion Monsters." Yuri narrowed his eyes. "I will activate the effect of Chlamydosundew."

The bright green and yellow lizard glowed, letting out a sharp, rasping noise.

"I can perform a Fusion Summon using monsters in my hand, on the field, and monsters you control with Predator Counters, including Chlamydosundew itself. I will fuse Predaplant Chlamydosundew on the field and Predaplant Byblisp in my hand." Chlamydosundew floated up. Next to it, a see-through version of Byblisp—the insect-like creature with legs made of teething flowers—rose up. "Bloom, parasitic dark flower! With the rolling of your carrion-like petals, let the force of your scent overpower the world! Fusion Summon! Level 7! Predaplant Chimerafflesia!" The familiar bright pink flower bloomed in front of him, vines lashing out all around it.

[Predaplant Chimerafflesia (7*/2500/2000/DARK/Plant/Fusion/Effect)]

Serena couldn't help but smile when she saw it, despite everything. Yuri noticed, and he frowned. "What are you smiling about?"

"I was just thinking. You really wanted to grow one of these in Academia, right?" Serena looked at the monster nostalgically. "Something about it being the largest flower in the world. But the Professor wouldn't let you, because of the stench."

"It was because of the climate," Yuri muttered. "The flower smells perfectly lovely, and anyone who thinks otherwise is wrong." He gestured to his graveyard. "Predaplant Byblisp's effect. Since it was sent to the graveyard, I can add a "Predaplant" monster from my deck to my hand. I'll set a card and end my turn. Over to you."

[Turn 2: Serena] [H:6]

"Draw!" Serena glanced at Yuri's monster. "Chimerafflesia drains 1000 attack points from any monster that it battles. I'm not going to just run into that trap!"

"So you're maybe smarter than the idiots that just attack it," Yuri said with a shrug. "Well, not really. Even a monkey would remember my card effects after losing to me eighty-nine times in a row." Serena grimaced, her face going slightly red in embarrassment. "Cat Dancer alone won't defeat Chimerafflesia. So?"

"I'll activate the effect of Moonlight Black Sheep in my hand! By discarding it, I can add the Spell Card, Polymerization, from my deck to my hand!" Serena took the card from her deck, revealing it immediately. "And I'll activate Polymerization! I'll fuse Moonlight Purple Butterfly and Moonlight Yellow Marten in my hand! Butterfly that wields violet poison! Crescent-tailed moon creature that dances through the night! Spiral into the moon's gravity and become a new power! Fusion Summon! Come to me! Beautiful beast that leaps towards the future! Moonlight Rabbit Dancer!" The dancer in a white hood appeared, her blue and green skirts standing out against her pale skin.

[Moonlight Rabbit Dancer (5*/2000/1000/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect)]

Serena nodded to her monster. "Moonlight Yellow Marten's effect! I'll add a "Moonlight" Spell or Trap from my deck to my hand. I'll set a card facedown! And Moonlight Rabbit Dancer can attack you directly, but the damage is halved! Attack, Rabbit Dancer!" The figure leapt forward, kicking straight towards Yuri's face.

"That's…" Yuri shrugged. "Sure. I don't mind it."

Rabbit Dancer's foot landed, and the violet-haired boy didn't flinch in the slightest.

Yuri: 4000 - 2000 / 2 = 3000LP

"And when Moonlight Rabbit Dancer deals damage to you by a direct attack, I can send a monster you control with higher attack points than her to the graveyard!" Serena declared. "Backstage Kickoff!"

Rabbit Dancer leapt towards Chimerafflesia, sweeping the large flower away with a wide kick.

"I'll end my turn there," Serena said. In the past, she would have gone for a One Turn Kill, but there were two reasons why she hadn't done so this time. The first was that she had learned patience, on some level—to keep the duel slower, so that she wouldn't burn through all her resources immediately. The second was that this was Yuri, and she did not think that it would be that easy to take him down.

Patience.

[Turn 3: Yuri] [H:4]

"Draw," Yuri said. "During the Standby Phase, since Chimerafflesia was sent to the graveyard last turn, I can add a "Polymerization" or "Fusion" Spell from my deck to my hand." He held onto the card for a brief moment, before putting it next to the rest of the monsters in his hand. "I'll Normal Summon Predaplant Flytrap." The tiny bright green flytrap appeared on his field, seeming rather unassuming. Tiny flies flew around it idly.

[Predaplant Flytrap (2*/400/800/DARK/Plant/Effect)]

"I will activate the effect of Predaplant Flytrap. I will place a Predator Counter on a monster you control." Yuri pointed to Rabbit Dancer. "Moonlight Rabbit Dancer." A small dark sprout appeared on the woman in a hood, seeming to sap away at her energy.

[Moonlight Rabbit Dancer: Predator Counter(s): 1]

"Then, the Equip Spell, Predapruning. I will Special Summon Predaplant Chlamydosundew from my graveyard." The small green lizard appeared, frills surrounding its neck and flaring up. "And like I said—Predaplant Chlamydosundew lets me use monsters in my hand, on my field or monsters that you control with a Predator Counter as material for a Fusion Summon."

Yes. This was Yuri's style. People might think that it was overwhelming power, because of Starving Venom's powerful attack gaining effect, but in reality, Yuri's style was something more cunning than that. Planting a seed and letting it grow—but not in the way that most might think. The seed did not grow into something powerful for himself—rather, it was something that drained away the options of his opponent. Sly, insidious, never quite direct. Always hiding another meaning.

"I will fuse your Rabbit Dancer with Chlamydosundew," Yuri declared. Rabbit Dancer was stolen and dragged over to her side of the field, turning to a dark streak and fusing with the plant lizard. "Beautiful dark flowers, form a new creature who could never bend to the will of another! Wipe out all those that would threaten my will! Fusion Summon! Level 8! Predaplant Dragostapelia!" The plant dragon with tattered wings appeared, letting out a sharp roar.

[Predaplant Dragostapelia (8*/2700/1900/DARK/Plant/Fusion/Effect)]

"Dragostapelia attacks you directly, Serena. Toxin Spray!"

"I will activate the effect of Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin in my hand!" Serena declared. "I'll Special Summon her in Defense Position, and all damage that I'll take this turn is halved!" The woman dressed in dark blue silks appeared, waving her two purple fans through the air.

[Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin (4*/600/1800/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]

Dragostapelia's attack shifted to her newly summoned monster with a swish of Yuri's hand, destroying it.

"Since a monster I control was destroyed by battle or a card effect, I can activate the Trap Card, Moonlight Reincarnation Dance! I'll add two "Moonlight" monsters from my deck to my hand!"

"Sure. Attack directly, Flytrap." The smaller monster lunged forward, hitting her across the side.

Serena: 4000 - 400 / 2 = 3800LP

"I'll move to my Main Phase 2." Yuri revealed a card in his hand. "Spell Card, Polymerization. I will fuse Predaplant Flytrap on the field with Predaplant Cordyceps in my hand. Two beautiful flowers with an insect-alluring fragrance! Now become one, and form the ancient creature slumbering beneath nature's bounty! Fusion Summon! Appear! Level 5! Ancient cetacean—Predaplant Ambulomelides!" In Defense Position, Yuri's other Fusion Monster appeared, plants blooming over its crocodile-like back.

[Predaplant Ambulomelides (5*/1000/2500/DARK/Plant/Fusion/Effect)]

"When Predaplant Ambulomelides is Fusion Summoned, I can add a "Predaplant" monster or a "Predap" Spell or Trap from my deck to my hand." Yuri smirked, fanning out the cards in his hand. "I end my turn. Over to you."

Serena drew a card—and then she grimaced. Her hand spasmed for a brief moment—barely noticeable at all.

"... what's wrong with you?" Yuri asked roughly.

"Nothing," Serena replied, sharp as ever. "My turn!"

---

Yuya drew the top five cards of his deck, as his opponent did the same.

Don't underestimate your opponents, he reminded himself. Always start by assuming they're on the same level as you, if not higher.

[DUEL!]

Yuya Sakaki: 4000LP

Barrett: 4000LP

[Turn 1: Barrett] [H:5]

"I'll start," the blue-haired man said solemnly. "I will activate the Continuous Spell, Beastborg Fusioner! Once per turn, I can Fusion Summon a "Beastborg" monster from my Extra Deck, using monsters from my side of the field or my hand, but while I control Beastborg Fusioner, I cannot Normal Summon or Set monsters!" He held up two cards. "I will fuse Panther Warrior and Dark Sentinel in my hand! O ferocious black panther, merge together with the watchman of the holy darkness, and raise a new war cry! Fusion Summon! Come forth and appear. Beastborg Panther Predator!" A strange warrior appeared. His left half was covered in blue and gold armour, but the helmet revealed a distinctly bestial face, that of a black panther. Meanwhile, the other side was entirely made of coppery green metal, like an android.

[Beastborg Panther Predator (6*/1600/2000/DARK/Machine/Fusion/Effect)]

"Beastborg?" Yuya murmured. "So that's your archetype? Half beast, half robot?"

"My monsters are hardened soldiers of war," Barrett said. "Just like me. They're honourable, and they will never stop fighting."

Hardened soldiers of war… did that have something to do with why the man was covered in scars and wore an eyepatch?

"Beastborg Panther Predator's effect," Barrett declared. "Once per turn, I can inflict damage to you, equal to half of Panther Predator's attack points!" A missile shot out towards Yuya, who barely dodged.

Yuya: 4000 - 800 = 3200LP

"I'll set two cards facedown. Over to you."

Barrett had… emptied out his entire hand?

[Turn 2: Yuya] [H:6]

"Draw!" Yuya glanced at his hand. "I'll set the Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and the Scale 8 Timegazer Magician in the Pendulum Scales!" The two pillars of light shot up around him. "And now, with this Pendulum Scale, I can Pendulum Summon monsters from Level 2 to Level 7! Swing, pendulum of souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon! Appear now! My monsters!" Two streaks of light shot down. "Appear! Wondrous and beautiful dichromatic eyes! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! And in Defense Position, Performapal Bit Bite Turtle!"

In front of him, the large red dragon appeared with a ferocious roar. Immediately, Yuya felt his heart skip a beat. Next to it was a yellow turtle with a purple shell, the shell tied with a long pink ribbon.

[Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (7*/S4/2500/2000/DARK/Dragon/Pendulum/Effect)]

[Performapal Bit Bite Turtle (3*/S3/800/1200/WATER/Reptile/Pendulum/Effect)]

Barrett raised his head with an alert look. Odd-Eyes roared again. Above and nearby, Yuri, Yugo, Yuji and Yuno all showed visible signs of discomfort.

"Continuous Trap!" Barrett declared loudly. "Beastborg Medal of the Steel Chain! Once per turn, if my opponent Special Summons monsters to their field, those monsters cannot attack, change their battle positions or be destroyed by battle! And this is a permanent effect!" Steel chains shot up, tying down both of Yuya's monsters. Yuya's eyes widened.

"Well," he said, grimacing as Odd-Eyes roared—the red dragon sounded furious at the fact that it couldn't attack. "I will activate the Spell Card, Odd-Eyes Fusion! I will fuse Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Bit Bite Turtle!" The two monsters broke through the dull-coloured chains, turning into shrieks. Odd-Eyes seemed almost satisfied now. "Cold-blooded dragon slumbering beneath the aquatic waters, appear now and quash pitiful prey beneath your scaled claws! Fusion Summon! Venomous fangs frothing at the seams between the sea and the shore—Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" The reptilian-form of Odd-Eyes appeared, its red and green body twisting around as it slowly floated in front of Yuya. White-grey mist floated around it, seeming to blur the edges of its body. It slashed its claws through the air—just as majestic as it had looked when he had dueled Yuzu.

[Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (8*/3000/2000/WATER/Dragon/Fusion/Effect)]

Barrett raised a hand. "Continuous Trap, Beastborg Medal of the Crimson Chain! Once while it's face-up on the field, when my opponent Special Summons a monster from the Extra Deck, I can target one of those monsters. It cannot attack, change its battle position, or be destroyed by battle. Then, the targeted monster's controller cannot Normal or Special Summon monsters, or activate Spell or Trap Cards!"

That was…

So Yuya basically couldn't do anything right now, even though Thermal-Eyes was already face-up on the field?

"I'll end my turn," he said. Internally, he began to consider what to do. Was there something that he could do with this deck of his, when so many options were already cut off?

[Turn 3: Barrett] [H:1]

"Draw," Barrett said, his voice rumbling loudly. "I will activate the effect of Beastborg Panther Predator again. You will take damage equal to half its attack points!" Panther Predator dashed forward, slashing at Yuya and lowering his life points once again.

Yuya: 3200 - 1600 / 2 = 2400LP

"Then, since you took damage, with the effect of Beastborg Medal of the Steel Chain, all face-up monsters you control lose attack points equal to the damage that you took!" Thermal-Eyes roared indignantly as steel chains whipped it.

[Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon: 3000 - 800 = 2200ATK]

"I'll then end my turn there," Barrett said.

Patient. Disciplined. A style that involved stopping the opponent from making any move. Trying to create a guaranteed victory…

While on the surface, it seemed to be rather similar to the dueling style of the Obelisk Force, it was anything but. The Obelisk Force's dueling style was malicious, trying to completely ignore the opponent and just prove their own superiority. On the other hand, this was a painfully meticulous style which still engaged with the opponent.

This was…

"You don't seem like most of the other Academia members that I've met," Yuya hedged. "I didn't think that Academia would have adult members…"

A shadow seemed to cross Barrett's face. "... I don't quite approve of using children as soldiers," he said. "It goes against my morals when I first became a soldier in the first place… however, they are orders from my superiors. I cannot disobey them."

"Have you been a soldier before Academia started to invade other dimensions?" Yuya was genuinely curious, despite the situation—this was a person so radically different from most people around him. An adult.

"I fought in the military back when the Outer Islands were still at war," Barrett said. "... I have been a soldier for a very long time. Almost as long as you've been alive." He shook his head. "... I am weary. But I do believe in Academia's mission, and thus, I must fight for that belief."

Yuya looked at him.

I can't force my beliefs onto others. This man believes in those things so strongly. And I still struggle to know what I believe in.

But even if I can't quite be sure what I believe in, I already know that it's not the same as these people.

And as such, my beliefs haven't wavered one bit. I still have to win!

All I have to do is win, and we'll be fine.

All I have to do—

---

A man stood in the stadium.

"You know," he said, "I can't stand myself because of all of you. Every single one of you. You and your disgusting eyes and those voices that make me want to throw up constantly. I can't stand thinking that I'm the same as any of you."

He turned to his opponent, that figure that he was so familiar with.

"And you," he continued, "are the worst one of them all."

He spread out his arms.

"But I'm not like any of you, right? Even if biologically, I share the same parts as all of you, even if I have skin and blood and eyes and ears and all of those things… if I'm so unlike you that you try to put me up as a freakshow spectacle while looking down on me all the way, well, fuck you all. I've had to change myself just to become a person that can live without your stares, and yet, I keep feeling those stares on my back, like someone's waiting for me to slip up, so that they can grin and laugh at me. So that they can live their sick twisted lives with more satisfaction, with that pathetic attempt to push someone else down so that they look better. And that's all of you!"

Six dragons were behind him, each of them roaring loudly at the same time as his shout.

"But I won't be your joke or your sacrifice anymore," he said. "Stop using me to make yourself feel better about your sad, pathetic lives. You can't even see yourselves with that overinflated self-importance." He sneered at them, adjusting the collar of his shirt. "If you all think that I'm so unlike you, I'm glad to be that. I've decided that I'm going to become something inhuman. That way, if I'm stared at, it'll be because of something that I actually chose to be. And I will be strong—stronger than any of you! And all that I will do—"

---

—is win.

[Turn 4: Yuya] [H:2]

"Draw!" Yuya glanced at the card in his hand. Alright. Good.

He turned to Thermal-Eyes, who was still fruitlessly struggling with the crimson chain that was wrapping around it. It genuinely hurt to see it—to see this evolution of his ace monster roaring and struggling on its own, to try and make it out, still fighting for the chance to battle.

"I'm sorry," he said to his monster. "But while you're here, he has us trapped."

Thermal-Eyes stopped, looking at him.

Yuya cracked a smile. "I kind of got impulsive when I brought you out, huh? Sorry about that. But now—our only path forward lies with losing you."

"How do you plan on doing that?" Barrett said. "You cannot use it as material, since that's a Special Summon. You cannot use Spells or Traps either."

"It's a simple thing," Yuya said. "All of those things that you said are true. Which means that I had to think the entire time—running through all the possible options and eliminating them. But I could figure out one thing. You said that the effect only applies while I control the targeted monster."

He raised a card.

"I will tribute Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon," he said. "And I will Set a monster facedown." He placed down the card with a single tribute.

Barrett's eyes widened.

"It's hard to figure out in the moment, because it feels so helpless," Yuya admitted. "But I can only destroy your Chains through a monster effect—and that's really hard to find, if the monster's not already on the field. The easier method is to…" He smiled to himself. "Take a step back."

He raised a hand.

"I still have Timegazer and Stargazer in my Pendulum Scales! Swing, pendulum of souls! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon! Return from the Extra Deck! Wondrous and beautiful dichromatic eyes! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Performapal Bit Bite Turtle!"

The two monsters reappeared on Yuya's field.

"I will activate the effect of Beastborg Medal of the Steel Chain!" The thin metal chains shot up, wrapping around both monsters again. However, Odd-Eyes seemed unconcerned, letting out a roar and turning to Yuya, nodding.

Yuya nodded back.

It was strange. He had passed out during Yuno and Miharu's match, and he didn't know why, but…

When he had awoken, this card had been in his Extra Deck, shining dimly.

"Open, circuit of the world of smiles!" Yuya called. "Arrowhead confirmed! The conditions are two Pendulum Monsters, including a Level 7 or higher "Odd-Eyes" monster! I will set Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Bit Bite Turtle in the Link Markers!"

And Crimson Chain could only be used once. There was nothing stopping him now.

"Dragon that splits light into fragments, shine with every shade of colour that the world can see! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Link 2! Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon!"

From above him, a bright dragon appeared. It seemed to be made of glass—light shone through its body and split, casting rainbow-like rays of light on the ground beneath it. Its shadow, as a result, seemed erratic, never maintaining the same shape as it shifted and light was constantly shone on different parts of its body. Around it, white angelic wings spread out, fluffy like clouds. It let out a sharp roar, and when it raised its claws, they glittered, reflecting the light around it.

[Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon (L2/2500/LIGHT/Dragon/Link/Effect/↙, ↘)]

"And Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon's effect!" Yuya called. His heart was racing right now. "When Link Summoned, all other monsters on the field, except Pendulum Monsters, have their attack points halved until the End Phase! Splitting Spectrum!" The dragon flew around, a beam of light shining on Panther Predator. It seemed to cast an optical illusion of three shadows behind Panther Predator—red, green and blue, brightly layered on each other to form other colours as well.

[Beastborg Panther Predator: 1600 / 2 = 800ATK]

"Battle Phase!" Yuya continued. "Attack Beastborg Panther Predator, Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon! RGB Shift!"

Red, green and blue light shot down in three lasers, destroying Barrett's monster and lowering his life points as well.

Barrett: 4000 - 1700 = 2300LP

"Your Traps only work when a monster is summoned, but now, I actually have a strong monster on the field. And that means," Yuya said, smiling widely, "I've broken through your chains!"

"... I've never seen that," Barrett said. "You're the only person who has ever escaped both chains, once I set them up. Against Reiji Akaba, I didn't draw either. But fully sealed off, fully tied down, you managed to escape… by taking a step back?" He shook his head abruptly. "I confess that I'm impressed, but that logic makes no sense. War cannot be won by backing down. You must push forward at every step, slow and steady. If you retreat—"

For a moment, he flinched from nothing. Yuya noticed it, his eyes widening.

Had the very word of retreat stung this man to that extent?

"If you retreat, you're a coward that deserves to die with everyone who fought and fell in that battle," Barrett murmured to himself, sounding like he was dwelling on something—sounding as though he was repeating words that he had already spoken a hundred times before. Maybe words that had been spoken to him so many times too. "And yet… retreat brought you a chance at moving forward? I don't understand that part."

He gestured to his two Continuous Traps, which were glowing.

"When I do not control a "Beastborg" monster… my two chains are broken." Both cards shattered. "When Beastborg Panther Predator is destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon all monsters that were used as material for its Fusion Summon. Return—Panther Warrior, Dark Sentinel!"

First, a humanoid panther appeared, letting out a loud and gruff growl. Its skin was purple, and it was rather muscular. A long green cape could be seen behind it, similar to the green cape that Panther Predator had been wearing. Thick ridges could be seen along its muscles. A long silver curved sword could be seen in its right hand.

Next to it, a strange green machine with thin wings appeared, a red mechanical eye in the middle of its body, blinking slowly and robotically. Idly, it just seemed to… stare.

[Panther Warrior (4*/2000/1600/EARTH/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]

[Dark Sentinel (4*/1500/1800/DARK/Machine/Effect)]

"That's fine," Yuya said. "I end my turn."

---

The roof was cold. Neither Yuji or Yugo could care though, as they stood on the rooftop. One of them didn't mind the cold, while the other one was too angry to care.

(And well, both of them had grown up on the streets. Technically, one had at least been in an orphanage, but their lives had been similarly poor from the start. Both of them needing to steal to live, both of them getting into trouble with people taller and stronger than them and having to flee.)

(Both of them having no one to rely on except a guardian who they couldn't really confide their troubles in, and a girl who they valued as the most important person in their life.)

(The truth was, their lives were perhaps the most eerily similar of any of them.)

(In another life, Yugo might have seen his best friend, Rin, be defeated in a duel, and be kidnapped by a Fusion duelist too, and he would chase after her. He might have agreed to anything to get her back, with how desperate he was.)

(Neither of them knew enough, however, to acknowledge those similarities.)

[DUEL!]

Yugo: 4000LP

Yuji Fujita: 4000LP

[Turn 1: Yugo] [H:5]

Yugo immediately took the first turn as well, drawing the top five cards of his deck and looking at them. Yuji was a tad slower, clearly not as focused as Yugo was.

"I'll start," Yugo said. "I'll—"

He had been about to pull off a certain combo and bring out Clear Wing, but a part of his brain had immediately told him 'no'. Trusting his gut, he immediately took a different move from his originally intended one.

I'm going to crush this guy.

"I will Normal Summon Speedroid Ultra Hound!" The red and yellow dog made of zigzagging metal appeared, held together by screwed bolts. Its ears flicked from side to side, and round black eyes stared forward at Yuji as the dog let out a bark.

[Speedroid Ultra Hound (3*/800/800/WIND/Machine/Effect)]

"And when Speedroid Ultra Hound is Normal Summoned, I can send a "Speedroid" card from my deck to the graveyard! Then, since I control a WIND monster, I can Special Summon Speedroid CarTurbo from my hand!" The strange white and red playing card made entirely out of metal appeared, a blue battery gleaming in the middle of it.

[Speedroid CarTurbo (3*/800/1200/WIND/Machine/Tuner/Effect)]

"I'll tune the Level 3 Speedroid CarTurbo to the Level 3 Speedroid Ultra Hound!" CarTurbo turned into three stars that spun around the red mechanical dog. "Magical sword with the form of a cross. Use your power to rend all enemies! Synchro Summon! Appear now! Level 6! Hi-Speedroid Kendama!" The shiny blue metal monster appeared, spinning around on the spot.

[Hi-Speedroid Kendama (6*/2200/1600/WIND/Machine/Synchro/Effect)]

"Kendama's effect!" Yugo picked up a card from his graveyard. "I'll banish a Machine monster, like Ultra Hound, from the graveyard, and deal 500 damage to you! Do it, Kendama! Brutal Swing!" The sword swung outwards. Yuji didn't flinch, simply taking the effect damage as it was.

Yuji: 4000 - 500 = 3500LP

"I'll end my turn. Over to you."

[Turn 2: Yuji] [H:6]

Calmly, Yuji drew a card. "I'll Normal Summon Tour Guide From the Underworld." The woman in a blue uniform appeared in front of him, looking rather mischievous. Her bright pink hair was rather striking, considering the fact that she was, well, a demon.

[Tour Guide From the Underworld (3*/1000/600/DARK/Fiend/Effect)]

"I will activate the effect of Tour Guide From the Underworld. I can Special Summon a Level 3 Fiend monster from my deck or hand, but I cannot use that monster as Synchro Material, and its effects are negated."

"Good," Yugo muttered. "If you used Synchro in front of me, I would punch you."

Yuji took a card from his deck, revealing it. "Come—Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss." A dark beast-like creature with matted skin that resembled a hyena's fur appeared. It looked distinctly like it was rotting—like a corpse left out to decay for several days on end. Small horns could be seen on the top of its head as well.

[Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss (3*/1500/900/DARK/Fiend/Effect)]

"I'll overlay the Level 3 Tour Guide From the Underworld and the Level 3 Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. In the middle of the journey of our life, I found myself within a dark woods where the straight way was lost. Xyz Summon! Rank 3! Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss!" The blue-haired man appeared in Attack Position, adjusting his red tunic. His eyes were rather serious.

[Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss (R3/1000/2500/LIGHT/Warrior/Xyz/Effect) (OU:2)]

"I'll detach an Overlay Unit from Dante. I will send up to three cards from the top of my deck to the graveyard, and Dante gains 500 attack points for each one." Yuji held up three fingers. One of Dante's Overlay Units spun around and vanished. "Pulled to the Underworld."

[Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss: OU:2 - 1 = OU:1; 1000 + 500 x 3 = 2500ATK]

"Then, the effects of several of my monsters activate. I'll start with Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. When it's sent to the graveyard, I can send a "Burning Abyss" Spell or Trap from my deck to the graveyard. Then, the effect of Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. When he's sent to the graveyard, I can Special Summon a "Burning Abyss" monster from my deck. Come—Draghig, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss." A dark humanoid creature with a roundish, animalistic head appeared, twin torn wings slowly moving back and forth as the creature floated in front of Yuji.

[Draghig, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss (3*/1100/900/DARK/Fiend/Effect)]

"Dante attacks Kendama. Traveler's Bargain!" Dante dashed forward.

Yugo lifted a card from his graveyard. "I'll banish Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice from my graveyard and negate the attack!" He called determinedly.

Draghig's attack points weren't high enough. Yuji moved to his Main Phase 2. "I'll activate the Spell Card, Preparation of Rites," he said. "I will add a Level 7 or lower Ritual Monster from my deck to my hand, and a Ritual Spell from my graveyard to my hand."

Yugo blinked. "So that's why you sent a specific card with Cagna?" He said. Despite his anger and impulsiveness, he still remained rather perceptive.

"I will activate the Ritual Spell, Sins Cast into the Burning Abyss. I can Ritual Summon a DARK monster using monsters in my hand or field, with a total Level that is equal to the Level of the monster that I'm summoning. Since I am Ritual Summoning a "Burning Abyss" monster, and my opponent controls a monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, I can also tribute a "Burning Abyss" monster from my deck. I will tribute Draghig, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss on my field, and Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from my deck. Love, which pardons no one loved from loving in return, seized me for his beauty so strongly that, as you see, it still does not abandon me. Ritual Summon! Level 6! Francesca, Noblewoman of the Burning Abyss!"

The pretty and elegant brunette with long hair appeared, her body ghost-lik and translucent, a blue dress draped over her body and trailing on the ground. She swung a wooden staff through the air, a cold and determined look on her face.

[Francesca, Noblewoman of the Burning Abyss (6*/2000/2500/DARK/Spellcaster/Ritual/Effect)

"Francesca's effect. I will send a card from the top of my deck to the graveyard. And since it's a "Burning Abyss" monster, I can change your monster's battle position." Kendama turned to Defense Position. "Then, your monster's stats decrease by the stats of the monster that was sent to the graveyard. I sent Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss to the graveyard. It has 1700 attack points and 1000 defense points."

[Hi-Speedroid Kendama: 2200 - 1700 = 500ATK; 1600 - 1000 = 600DEF]

"I'll set a card and end my turn there," Yuji said. "During the End Phase, I will use the effect of Scarm in the graveyard. I will add a Level 3 DARK Fiend monster from my deck to my hand. Francesca's debuff is permanent."

[Turn 3: Yugo] [H:4]

"You are… bad at this," Yugo said. "Aren't you? If you had Ritual Summoned that monster first, you were pretty much guaranteed to get rid of Kendama. Why did you wait?"

Yuji shrugged.

… my head has always been louder than my voice.

"It can't be that you're not good," Yugo said. "You'd be dead if you went into war without being at least kind of good. So… you're just not focusing?" He frowned. "Fine then. I'll make you have to watch! Since I control a WIND monster, I can Special Summon Speedroid Taketomborg from my hand!" The blue and gold monster appeared on the field, spinning around rapidly with a clattering sound.

[Speedroid Taketomborg (3*/600/1200/WIND/Machine/Effect)]

"I'll use the effect of Speedroid Taketomborg. By tributing it, I can Special Summon a "Speedroid" Tuner from my deck, but I cannot Special Summon monsters this turn, except WIND monsters! Come! Speedroid Den-Den Daiko Duke!" The doll appeared, holding onto a double-sided drum on a stick, the drum being white with some red patterns on it. It was wearing a distinctly noble outfit—a fancy brown hat with blond fur on it, over a head of brown hair that parted around blue eyes. A red cape parted around some fancy clothes, with white gloves and yellow boots on its hands and feet.

[Speedroid Den-Den Daiko Duke (3*/1000/1000/WIND/Machine/Tuner/Effect)]

"I'll banish Taketomborg from the graveyard to use Kendama's effect! Brutal Swing!" Kendama swung forward again, dealing more damage to Yuji's life points.

Yuji: 3500 - 500 = 3000LP

"And then, the Spell Card, Synchro Adjustment! I can target a Synchro Monster I control, and I can decrease its Level by 1 or increase its Level by 1, and then, I can draw a card! I will target Hi-Speedroid Kendama and decrease its Level by 1!"

[Hi-Speedroid Kendama: 6* - 1* = 5*]

"I will then tune the Level 3 Speedroid Den-Den Daiko Duke to the Level 5 Hi-Speedroid Kendama." Yugo held up a fist. "Let's go full throttle, right from the beginning! Metal dragon with the power of the shining, free winds, take flight with the ideals of those who wish to rise! Synchro Summon! Level 8! Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake!" His strongest Speedroid monster appeared in front of him, letting out a loud roar, neon green winds sweeping up around it.

[Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake (8*/3000/2800/WIND/Machine/Synchro/Effect)]

"Truth be told, I barely know how to read," Yugo said. "I can talk, yeah, but reading books? That was a waste of time as a kid. So all of that stuff you're spouting for your summoning chants? Probably from some legendary text, but it means absolutely nothing to me. I'll burst past the dreams and fantasies you've made with those words the way that I always do—with these machines that have always been by my side, I will ride into the future! Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake's effect! I'll choose the effect that destroys all other cards on the field! I control no other cards, so it doesn't affect me, but it will destroy everything that you have! Leisure Hurricane!"

"Trap Card, Thieving Shadows of the Burning Abyss. Since I control no other Spells or Traps, I can draw two cards, but all Spells and Traps I control during the End Phase are destroyed." Yuji drew the two cards before his entire field blew up. "When Dante is sent to the graveyard, I can add a "Burning Abyss" card from my graveyard to my hand, And when Francesca is sent to the graveyard, I can add a "Burning Abyss" Spell or Trap from my graveyard to my hand as well." He swiftly added four cards to his hand.

"All those cards won't matter! I'm defeating you now! Kitedrake attacks directly! Howl of the Drifting Dragon!"

Kitedrake shot forward.

"I'll banish Thieving Shadows of the Burning Abyss from the graveyard to Special Summon a "Burning Abyss" monster from my graveyard with its effects negated." Scarm appeared in Defense Position, becoming Yuji's shield.

[Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss (3*/800/2000/DARK/Fiend/Effect)]

"Blow that up, Kitedrake!" Kitedrake destroyed Scarm, but Yuji's life points remained untouched. "I'll set a card and end my turn!"

"During the end of your turn, I will use Scarm's effect and add a Level 3 DARK Fiend monster from my deck to my hand."

[Turn 4: Yuji] [H:10]

"Draw," Yuji said, holding onto a ridiculous amount of cards in his hand. He glanced at them, eyes tracing over the cards.

… it's not like I want to try so hard. It's exhausting. I can see what this guy wants from me.

He wants me to show some kind of hidden monstrous strength that could justify his friend's loss, so that he can take revenge by overcoming it and crushing it. That's what he wants to happen. If he had won there, he probably would have been even more upset. He's the one living in his own idealistic dream of what he wants to happen, anyway.

I feel like I might die.

It just feels so constricting.

It's those expectations. My entire life, people have been looking at me. 'You're good with words, Yuji.' 'You're good with writing, Yuji.' 'You have talent.'

'If you just try—'

'If you just try—'

'If you just try—'

'I don't understand why he's not trying, when he has so much talent. The moment that he tries his best, I'm sure that he'll accomplish everything that he wants to do, I'm sure that he'll be better than everyone else, I'm sure that he's the strongest one and that he just hasn't had the chance to show off what feats he can accomplish by himself. He just has to try.'

Oh, shut up.

All of you with your false expectations. All of you who look at me and don't see me, just an idealised version of what you want me to be.

'It's a shame that he's so unmotivated,' you all say. 'If he just tried one day—'

Just thinking of it makes me want to sit down somewhere far away and never face any of you again.

Let's talk about something else. A hypothetical scenario.

Imagine that there is a boy with the physical potential to be one of the fastest runners in the world. However, he has no interest in it, and so, he never trains. Physically, he never trains. Several years pass, and the boy decides to try his best and participate in a race.

Now, you idealistic people would probably say 'oh, he's going to show his full strength for the first time!'

And that's just another form of your disgusting expectations.

There is no such thing as full strength. There is no such thing. That's a delusion that all of you have learned from the shows you watch.

That boy may have talent, but because he has never trained with it, he will enter the race and fall flat on his face. He will be left in the dust by everyone around him. It will still take him years of training and effort.

And you bastards. You will look at me and say 'wow. That's such an edgy monologue. He sounds exactly like the person I want him to be! I can't wait until he learns the value of trying! I can't wait until he does all those great things that I want him to do!' And you will miss the entire point of me, my existence, of what I am struggling so hard to tell you. I can think all of these words in my head, I can have the richest thoughts and my words can flow so easily when I think, but speaking? Forget about it. And because of that, you will continue to delude yourself.

And you will ignore me and the person I want to be, the things I want to do. All you will see is what you want me to be.

And I will never be able to convince you otherwise. That is the shared delusion that all of you live in.

I have never lived in that world. Nor do I want to.

I have talent, but I am weak. If your first response to that is to deny it and argue that I can become stronger, you are exactly the kind of person that I hope to never meet. I hope that you never see me either, and I especially hope that you don't ever say that you're invested in me.

I will admit. Sometimes, I imagine that I find all of you people who think that talent will make you the greatest. I want to seal all of you away in a soundproof jar. That way, I will never feel stressed out by your existence again.

Yes, alright? It is not wrong that if I did practice like the rest, I could become far stronger. But right now, as I am, even if hypothetically, I put in my full effort… I would still be weak. That's all there is to me. I have never dueled seriously, I have never had the motivation to grow, and your optimistic delusions do not change the fact that I am weak!

And what does becoming stronger even earn you?

I am alright with being the weakest person here. I cannot imagine a version of me that will ever want to become stronger. It's a Red Queen's race, don't you see? Have you ever read 'Through the Looking Glass'? In a certain chapter, both Alice and the Red Queen are running with all their strength just to remain in the same spot. The Red Queen says "Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!"

Let's talk about dueling. Maybe I had talent all along. But…

Yuji looked at Yugo, seeing the determined look in the other boy's eyes. He thought about Yuno Sugisaki, about Yuri Kaiba, about Shino and about all the others that he had seen.

Look at these poor souls. They're caught in that rat race.

Because once you have the will to become strong, you will start to compare yourself to the people around you. And that, in itself, is what we call 'drive'. 'Drive' is the slippery slope. It is what will destroy my soul if I allow it to exist in me. When you want to become strong, you will then want to become stronger. Then, when you're stronger, you'll see more people that are stronger than you and you'll think 'ah, I need to be stronger than them too.' You climb and climb that ladder, chasing after an invisible goal that you will never reach.

So, you put in all that effort to go on a road that leads nowhere. It's a road that will only go on and on, and you will never find the end of it.

In that case, isn't it better to just not bother?

… I don't quite know what it really means to feel 'happy'. But I do know what it means to feel 'content'.

I am content with being weak. I am content with never stepping on that road. I am content to never try.

Because contentment with just having what you have…

It is a far better life, than poisoning your soul with hope.

That's how I feel, anyway.

… that's why I don't think that you and I can ever get along.

He held up two cards.

You have a lot of hope in your eyes.

I respect that. It's more hope than I've ever seen in anyone else. You're… really aiming for something, huh? You're truly aiming to climb that impossible ladder, and searching for something on it.

I can never defeat you, if that's the case.

I don't want to play into expectations either…

But, maybe just this once. I'll play the role that you want to see in me, just this once.

… I still think about Chiaki a lot. But…

It's almost time. I just need to hold on.

To survive, to make sure that I can carry on surviving, I have to stay the way that I am. And well. That might be something that people judge me for, but… those people are useless, anyway.

In this duel, I, Yuji Fujita, will play the role of 'your villain.' The person you destroy to find yourself. As angels rebelled and fell from heaven, changing shape but still remaining punishers, as Dorian Grey never changed but condemned his soul to suffer in this place, as Faustus never sought redemption and conspired with the devil, I will never be perfect, and I have already sinned,

This is my punishment for how I hurt you and your friend, too.

"Ritual Spell, Sins Cast into the Burning Abyss," Yuji said. That was clearly the card that he had added back to his hand with Francesca's effect. "I will tribute the Level 4 Armageddon Knight in my hand. Since you still control a monster Special Summoned from the Extra Deck and I'm Ritual Summoning a "Burning Abyss" monster, I can tribute a monster from my deck. I will tribute the Level 3 Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss." The two monsters shot up, shifting into shadows that overlaid each other. "I am the way into the city of woe, I am the way into eternal pain, I am the way to go among the lost. Arrive now, the one who bridges the gap. Ritual Summon—Level 7. Charon, Ferry Boatman of the Burning Abyss!" Charon appeared, adjusting the tie of his suit, skeletal hands rising in the air.

[Charon, Ferry Boatman of the Burning Abyss (7*/2400/2600/DARK/Fiend/Ritual/Effect)]

"When Calcab is sent to the graveyard, I can return a set card you control to the hand," Yuji declared. Yugo's set backrow card returned to his hand. "When Charon is Ritual Summoned, I can Special Summon a "Burning Abyss" monster from my graveyard in Defense Position. Return—Francesca!" The other Ritual Monster appeared in Defense Position. "And I'll use Francesca's effect. I'll send the top card of my deck to the graveyard."

He picked up the card.

"... it's not a "Burning Abyss" monster, so I can't use the additional effect." Yuji placed the card in his graveyard. "I'll activate the Spell Card, The Terminus of the Burning Abyss. I will fuse Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss in my hand." He dropped the four cards from his hand, leaving him with three cards in hand. "Woe to you, depraved spirits! Hope not ever to see Heaven. I have come to lead you to the other shore; into eternal darkness; into fire and into ice. And thou, who are there alive, depart thee from these who are dead. Fusion Summon! Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss!" The version of Dante in holy gold and white robes appeared, blue hair tied in a long braid. He was holding onto a long staff that was topped with a black crystal, with golden wing-like structures surrounding it on both sides.

[Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss (9*/2800/2500/LIGHT/Fairy/Fusion/Effect)]

"Cir's effect activates," Yuji said. "I can revive a "Burning Abyss" monster. I will Special Summon Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss in Defense Position." The blue-haired man in a red tunic reappeared on Yuji's field. "Farfa's effect. I can target a monster you control and banish it until the End Phase. I will choose Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake." Kitedrake vanished from the field, despite its ferocious roar. "I will use the effect of Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss. I will send a "Burning Abyss" card from my hand to the graveyard to draw a card."

He cycled out the card in his hand.

"Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss attacks you directly."

"When my opponent declares a direct attack, I can Special Summon Speedroid Menko from my hand in Attack Position, and then, all your monsters are changed to Defense Position!" The spinning blue and orange machine appeared, whipping up winds around it that forced both Dante and Charon to step back, falling into Defense Position.

[Speedroid Menko (4*/100/2000/WIND/Machine/Effect)]

"... fine," Yuji said. "I end my turn. Scarm lets me add a Level 3 DARK Fiend monster from my deck to my hand again."

[Turn 5: Yugo] [H:3]

Kitedrake reappeared on Yugo's field, before he drew another card. "It's not bad," he said. "And all your monsters have a surprising number of defense points, so it's still going to be difficult to tear them down."

"You could give up," Yuji said quietly.

"As if," Yugo said. "I'm going to win!" He seemed to have taken Yuji's words as a taunt, which was the complete opposite of what Yuji had actually wanted to say.

"Yes," Yuji said. "I… know."

Yugo blinked. "Huh?" He narrowed his eyes—not willing to trust in any good intentions on Yuji's part at all. "... whatever. Spell Card, Graceful Charity. I will draw three cards and discard two cards. Then, I will banish Speedroid Den-Den Daiko Duke from the graveyard to Special Summon a "Speedroid" Tuner from my hand or graveyard. Return from the graveyard—Speedroid Fuki-Modoshi Piper!" A white-skinned doll with bright green hair appeared, a white feather in his hair. The bright green scarf was patterned like feathers.

[Speedroid Fuki-Modoshi Piper (4*/1000/1000/WIND/Machine/Tuner/Effect)]

"I control two other WIND monsters right now, so with Fuki-Modoshi Piper's effect, I can excavate the top two cards of my deck and add one of them to my hand." Yugo picked up a card from his deck, making for four cards in his hand. "I'll Normal Summon Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice." The spinning four-sided dice appeared in front of him.

[Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice (1*/100/100/WIND/Machine/Tuner/Effect)]

"I'll tune the Level 1 Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice to the Level 4 Speedroid Menko!" The two monsters shot up in bright streaks of light, one of them turning into a single ring that the other flew through. "Lively soul of swordplay. Synchro Summon! Come, Level 5! Hi-Speedroid Chanbara!" The half-red, half-green sword appeared on the field, quite large, though not as large as Kitedrake.

[Hi-Speedroid Chanbara (5*/2000/1000/WIND/Machine/Synchro/Effect)]

"And then, I will use the effect of Speedroid CarTurbo in my graveyard," Yugo called. "I'll banish it and another "Speedroid" monster from my graveyard. So I will banish it along with Speedroid Menko! All WIND monsters I control will gain 800 attack points until the End Phase!"

[Hi-Speedroid Chanbara: 2000 + 800 = 2800ATK]

[Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake: 3000 + 800 = 3800ATK]

[Speedroid Fuki-Modoshi Piper: 1000 + 800 = 1800ATK]

Yugo raised his head. Currently, his opponent controlled four monsters in Defense Position. The Xyz Dante with 2500 defence points, the Fusion Dante and Francesca also with the same defense points, and Charon with 2600 defense points.

"You're not going to take any damage this turn, but I am going to disassemble you," Yugo said. "Hi-Speedroid Chanbara can attack twice per turn, and it gains 200 attack points permanently when it battles. Attack the Fusion Dante!"

"... the effect of Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss," Yuji said. "I will discard a "Burning Abyss" card and draw a card."

He sent a card from his hand to the graveyard without any hesitation. When he drew a card, he barely looked at it.

"The card that I sent from my hand to the graveyard was Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. When sent to the graveyard, Alich lets me target a monster you control and negate its effects until the End Phase. I will choose to target your Chanbara and negate its effects. It will not gain any attack points, and it will only attack once this turn." The red sword slashed through Dante and destroyed him, but Yuji had mitigated the worst. "And when Dante is sent to the graveyard, I can send a random card from your hand to the graveyard. I'll choose the right one." It fell from Yugo's hand into the graveyard, leaving the blue and yellow-haired boy with only two cards in hand.

"Sure," Yugo said. "In that case, Kitedrake attacks your Charon! Howl of the Drifting Dragon!"

"When Charon, Ferry Boatman of the Burning Abyss battles a Special Summoned monster, I can pay 500 life points at the start of the Damage Step." Dark shadows pooled under both Charon and Kitedrake. "I can send both Charon and the monster it is battling to the graveyard. Death Sermon!"

Both monsters were absorbed by shadows. Kitedrake faltered, before it was dragged down into the depths.

Yuji: 3000 - 500 = 2500LP

"Ugh, Kitedrake…" Yugo grimaced. "Kitedrake lets me add a "Speedroid" monster from my deck to my hand when it is sent to the graveyard by an opponent's card!"

"Charon lets me add a "Burning Abyss" Spell or Trap from my deck to my hand when he is sent to the graveyard," Yuji responded. The two of them both swiped up cards from their deck at the exact same time.

"Main Phase 2," Yugo said. "I'll set two cards facedown and end my turn." He just had Chanbara and Fuki-Modoshi Piper on the field now, with one card left in his hand. CarTurbo's boost wore off as well.

"Hey! What are you doing up there?"

Both Yuji and Yugo glanced down. Yuto was halfway up the ladder, looking at both of them.

"Do you need help?" Yuto asked Yugo.

"No," Yugo replied. "This is the bastard who kidnapped Rin. He's mine to deal with!"

"He kidnapped…" Yuto looked at the state of the field. "You look like you need help."

"Well, I don't," Yugo replied irritably. "Not to insult you, but I can handle this. Like I said, he's mine to handle! Do you know how long I've been chasing this guy?"

Yuji's gaze turned to Yugo for a brief moment, as though waiting for an answer. However, Yugo had clearly just been saying it as a rhetorical question.

"I have to be the one to defeat him! I can't face Rin otherwise!"

"But Ruri—"

Yuji raised a hand. "If you would like to raise the case of Ruri Kurosaki," he said, "he's downstairs." He pointed towards the roof beneath them, selling out Yuri in an instant. Yuto had most likely seen them first, since they were standing on the roof, which meant that he hadn't seen the situation inside yet.

Yuto looked at him. "Kyorin told me about you," he said after a moment. "She's still worried about you, you know."

"... I wanted her to stop worrying," Yuji muttered. "It's no use…" He shook his head. "Go." Please.

Yuto looked at both of them.

"I don't want to agree with him, but go down, Yuto." Yugo gritted his teeth. "Go!"

Yuto looked at Yugo. "You better win," he said, and he began to climb down. Yugo looked back at Yuji.

"Take your turn," he said.

---

Yuri had clearly been about to blatantly call Serena out on her lie that nothing was wrong, but then, they bore witness to the awkward sight of Yuto being rejected from the duel above.

"What's with the chaos going on up there?" Yuri muttered, even as Serena gazed at her hand. Currently, her field was empty. Meanwhile, Yuri still had Ambulomelides in Defense Position and Dragostapelia in Attack Position, with a set card that Serena didn't know the identity of.

Yuto came down. He looked at Yuri with hard eyes, as though about to say something—

"No. Get away."

Yuto's mouth fell open as he turned to Serena, who was staring at him.

"Go help Yuya or Yuno," she said. "This isn't your duel. It's mine! He's my opponent!" She noticed Yuri staring at her, seeming surprised. "You—" She coughed, her throat hurting, but she still had to make herself heard. "What Yugo said, that applies to me too—I've been waiting a long time for this!"

"I have the right too," Yuto protested. "He took Ruri—"

"And you can deal with that by punching each other out later!" Serena shouted. Everyone had paused their duels to look over for a brief moment. "I know that I'm going to sound selfish and inconsiderate, but I still have to do this by myself! You need a settlement from him, but I need a battle! You can settle things without a duel, but I can't!"

"It's a victory no matter whether or not you win with a partner—"

"I know!" Serena shook her head. "But I just said that I'd fight for myself! If I let you step in now, that's me saying that I always have to be protected by someone else, and I don't! So respect my decision, and find another opponent!"

Yuto looked at her, before he nodded. "Defeat him," he said. He turned to Yuri, who looked back at him. Neither of them seemed to know what to say. Yuto's lips parted for a brief moment, considering his words, and then he delivered the only words that he really wanted to say to Yuri.

"Fuck you."

Yuri blinked. Yuto hurried over to Yuya.

Serena stared.

… did Yuto just curse? What exactly had Yuri done?

Right.

He had kidnapped Ruri Kurosaki.

"Agreed," Serena said, drawing his attention back to her. She repeated Yuto's words in agreement. "Fuck you." And with that, she started her turn. Yuri let out a surprised sound that resembled a laugh. It was a sound that, despite Serena's resolve, did something funny to her heart—a strange, painful ache.

[Turn 4: Serena] [H:5]

"I'll set the Scale 1 Moonlight Wolf and the Scale 5 Moonlight Tiger in the Pendulum Scales!" The two pillars of light shot up around her, with her Pendulum Monsters within them, and Yuri frowned. "With this Pendulum Scale, I can Pendulum Summon monsters from Level 2 to Level 4! Swing, pendulum that reflects the moon! Pendulum Summon! Come—Moonlight Emerald Bird! Moonlight Crimson Fox!" The two monsters appeared in front of her, both of them dancing, dressed in dark skirts.

[Moonlight Emerald Bird (4*/1200/1000/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]

[Moonlight Crimson Fox (4*/1800/600/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]

"With Moonlight Emerald Bird's effect, I will send a "Moonlight" card from my hand to the graveyard and draw a card," Serena said, cycling out a card. "And I will use the Pendulum Effect of Moonlight Tiger! Revive! Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin!" The blue-themed dancer from before reappeared, ribbons streaming through the air from her hair. "However, Sapphire Dolphin's effects are negated, she cannot attack, and she is destroyed during the End Phase!"

However—

"I will activate the Spell Card, Fusion Recovery," Serena declared. "I'll add Polymerization and Moonlight Purple Butterfly from my graveyard to my hand. Then, I will activate Polymerization, to fuse Moonlight Emerald Bird and Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin!"

"Not Crimson Fox?" Yuri murmured.

"Sapphire serenity that floats through the water! Emerald feathers that shroud the sky! Spiral into the moon's gravity and become a new power! Fusion Summon! Come to me! Beautiful beast that dances in the moonlight! Moonlight Cat Dancer!" The woman with light pink skin appeared, wearing a purple headdress. Her bright pink hair was rather wild, but it lent a beauty to her appearance. She spun two knives through the air, as though she was a performer at a circus. The cyan ribbons wrapped around her wrists, spinning in a swift rhythm as well.

[Moonlight Cat Dancer (7*/2400/2000/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect)]

"Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin's effect!" Serena called. "I can add a "Moonlight" card or Polymerization from my graveyard to my hand! And Moonlight Emerald Bird's effect! I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Moonlight" monster from my graveyard or that is banished! So come back—Moonlight Black Sheep!" The dancer in a jet-black tuxedo appeared next to the other two monsters.

[Moonlight Black Sheep (2*/100/600/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]

"I'll then activate the Spell Card, Polymerization, again! I'll fuse Moonlight Black Sheep and Moonlight Cat Dancer!" The two monsters shot up in dark streaks.

"Evolving Cat Dancer immediately," Yuri noted.

"I can't afford to hold back against you," Serena said. "The beautiful beast dancing in the moonlight! The beast lurking in jet-black darkness! Swarm in the vortex of moon's gravity and become a new power! Fusion Summon! Come forth! Elegant beast dancing in the moonlit wilderness! Moonlight Panther Dancer!" Cat Dancer's evolution appeared, ever the dark but graceful figure.

[Moonlight Panther Dancer (8*/2800/2500/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect)]

"Black Sheep lets me add a "Moonlight" monster from my graveyard to my hand," Serena said.

She picked up a card, hesitating for a brief moment.

"And Moonlight Wolf's Pendulum Effect," Serena continued. "I'll banish Moonlight Black Sheep, Moonlight Yellow Marten and Moonlight Emerald Bird from the graveyard to Fusion Summon! The beast lurking in jet-black darkness! Crescent-tailed moon creature that dances through the night! Emerald feathers that shroud the sky! Spiral into the moon's gravity and become a new power! Fusion Summon! Come to me! Blades that shred through the curtains! Moonlight Sabre Dancer!" The gold-haired and purple-skinned dancer appeared, her gleaming silver blades slashing through the air, the long pink and gold skirt spreading around her legs.

[Moonlight Sabre Dancer (9*/3000/2600/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect)]

"Moonlight Sabre Dancer gains 200 attack points for each Beast-Warrior which is banished or in the graveyard. That's eight."

[Moonlight Sabre Dancer: 3000 + 200 x 8 = 4600ATK]

"Moonlight Panther Dancer can attack each monster you control twice! Attack Predaplant Ambulomelides!" The dark feline dancer leapt forward, slashing at Ambulomelides, though Panther Dancer didn't destroy it.

Yuri flipped over his set card. "Trap Card, Predaplanning. I can send a "Predaplant" monster from my deck to the graveyard, and place a Predator Counter on every monster on the field. It does not destroy or target, so none of your monsters are safe!" A card slipped into the graveyard slot, and across the field, dark sprouts bloomed like parasites on every single monster.

[Moonlight Sabre Dancer: Predator Counter(s): 1]

[Moonlight Panther Dancer: Predator Counter(s): 1]

[Moonlight Crimson Fox: Predator Counter(s): 1]

[Predaplant Dragostapelia: Predator Counter(s): 1]

[Predaplant Ambulomelides: Predator Counter(s): 1]

"But your Dragostapelia only negates activated effects," Serena said, showcasing her knowledge of Yuri's effects again. "So my monsters don't lose most of their effects. And Panther Dancer can still attack each of your monsters twice. Attack Ambulomelides again!"

"Yes, I know very well that you know," Yuri said, grinning from ear-to-ear. "Please. Don't take me for an idiot. I will activate the effect of Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra in the graveyard. By banishing another "Predaplant" monster from my graveyard, I'll lower Panther Dancer's attack points by 500!" A dark vine lashed at Panther Dancer's leg, weakening her.

[Moonlight Panther Dancer: 2800 - 500 = 2300ATK]

And she became just weak enough to fail to destroy the monster. Her attack reflected back on Serena, causing a small amount of damage as well.

So that Trap was to send Drosophyllum Hydra to the graveyard, more than anything else.

Serena: 3800 - 200 = 3600LP

"Panther Dancer can't touch either of my monsters. And Sabre Dancer only has one attack," Yuri said. "So? Who is it on?"

Logically, the bigger threat would be…

"Sabre Dancer attacks Ambulomelides!" She declared. Dragostapelia's effects didn't matter as much for her deck, but Ambulomelides was a problematic monster to deal with. The attack hit and destroyed the monster, but she didn't deal any damage. "I'll end my turn."

"... you chose the right one based on what you know," Yuri said. "Because you know me so well." He snorted. "Somehow."

[Turn 5: Yuri] [H:3]

"Draw." Yuri picked up Cordyceps from the graveyard. "By banishing Cordyceps from the graveyard during the Standby Phase, I can Special Summon two Level 4 or lower "Predaplant" monsters from the graveyard. But I can't Normal Summon or Set a monster this turn. Come back—Predaplant Byblisp and Predaplant Chlamydosundew."

Once again, the green frilled lizard appeared, with orange spots all over its body. Next to it, the strange wasp-like covered in bulbous and transparent bubbles appeared.

[Predaplant Byblisp (1*/0/1900/DARK/Plant/Effect)]

"Chlamydosundew's effect." Yuri gestured forward. "If I send Panther Dancer to the graveyard, you can just Fusion Summon Lio Dancer with Moonlight Wolf's effect. So the answer is obvious—I'll fuse your Moonlight Sabre Dancer, my Predaplant Byblisp and my Predaplant Chlamydosundew." He clapped his hands together.

Serena blinked. Three monsters? This wasn't a monster that she was familiar with, in the slightest.

"Two beautiful flowers with an insect-alluring fragrance! Now, become one, and form the cunning, chimeric shapeshifter. As the seasons shift, tear down nature itself and make your move! Fusion Summon! Level 9! Predaplant Triphyovertum!" A large, vibrant green and long-necked dragon appeared, several smaller heads on vines curling around it. Wings made from purple membranes stretched out behind it. Its tail went from green at the hips to dark purple, stretching along the ground. Red dots could be seen all over the green dragon's body as well.

[Predaplant Triphyovertum (9*/3000/3000/DARK/Plant/Fusion/Effect)]

It was a monster that Yuri hadn't used before.

It had been… a while, since they dueled. Even before Serena had left Academia, Yuri had already cut off ties with her for almost a year.

Of course he would have grown in that time. Yuri was the kind of person that could never stay still.

"I just got bored of you seeing and understanding every move that I make," Yuri said. "What are you, a microscope? Stop looking so closely at me."

"Then," Serena shot back, "if you don't want me to understand you, what am I supposed to do with you, you idiot?"

Yuri narrowed his eyes.

"The reason that I can't stop looking at you, the reason that I can't stop trying to understand…" Serena pointed forward. "It's because you hide everything! It's because you can't ever say what you mean! That's why I have to keep looking at you!"

"What do you mean?" Yuri shot back. "I'm not that complicated, idiot."

Serena looked up in exasperation, before turning to glare at him. "You're the idiot," she shot back. "If even you could be considered uncomplicated, there would be no complicated people in the world!"

"Then what are you seeing when you look at me?" Yuri shot back. "What exactly can you see? Because you keep looking at me with those eyes, and yet you've never understood me, not even for a second! If you can't even see me, then why do you keep looking at me?"

"Because you were crying!" Serena yelled.

Yuri blinked.

"The day that you told me that you no longer wanted anything to do with me," Serena said, "the day that you started to distance yourself from me… you said all those cruel things to me, but when you turned away, you were crying! I saw that! You didn't want to say any of that at all, and that's why I can't let you go without knowing why!"

"... you're just way too blind for my tastes," Yuri said. He gestured to his field. "When I Fusion Summon a DARK monster while Predaplanning is in the graveyard, I can banish it from the graveyard to target and destroy a card on the field. I will choose Moonlight Wolf."

The card in Serena's left Pendulum Scale exploded. Serena winced.

"That's the problem with Pendulums, you know. You need both of them." Yuri snapped his fingers. "Otherwise, they'll just be stuck in the Extra Deck. And let me guess—Reiji Akaba only gave you two of them, right? So you can no longer Pendulum Summon that monster back to the field! Byblisp lets me add a "Predaplant" monster from my deck to my hand again. And Predaplant Triphyovertum gains attack points equal to the total original attack points of all other monsters on the field with a Predator Counter."

… what?

That was Dragostapelia, Panther Dancer and Crimson Fox, so…

[Predaplant Triphyovertum: 3000 + 2700 + 1800 + 2800 = 10300ATK]

… that was ridiculous. It was like Starving Venom, but continuous and dependent on a factor that could be manipulated by Yuri himself. At the very least, Starving Venom depended on the opponent's actions, but… it even gained the attack points of Yuri's own monster?

Serena revised her thoughts. That earlier Trap had not just been to send Drosophyllum Hydra to the graveyard. It was to power up this monster too.

"Predaplant Triphyovertum attacks Moonlight Panther Dancer," Yuri said, his lip twisting. "Predator's Metamorphosis!" Vines lashed out.

Obviously, if this hit, Serena would lose.

"I'll discard Moonlight Silver Hound from my hand!" Serena declared. A young woman wearing pale fur and dark clothes over light grey skin appeared, dog ears on her head. There was a headdress of white fabric over her black hair which covered the top of her head and her eyes. She was somewhat translucent since she hadn't actually been summoned. "I will change the battle positions of all monsters on the field, and this turn, if my monsters attack a monster in Defense Position, they deal piercing damage!"

"It's that one," Yuri said, sounding genuinely annoyed. Triphyovertum, Dragostapelia, Crimson Fox and Panther Dancer all changed to Defense Position. "Fine. Main Phase 2. I'll set a card. Your turn."

That easily…

[Turn 6: Serena] [H:1]

"Draw!" Serena glanced at the card. "I will Normal Summon Moonlight White Rabbit!" The girl in a white hood appeared in front of her.

[Moonlight White Rabbit (2*/800/800/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]

"White Rabbit's effect," Serena said. "I can Special Summon a "Moonlight" monster from my graveyard in Defense Position! Come back! Moonlight Silver Hound!" The monster that she had discarded the previous turn appeared on the field now, her ears flicking upwards. Three needles—senbon—could be seen peeking from between her fingers.

[Moonlight Silver Hound (2*/400/1900/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Effect)]

"When Moonlight Silver Hound is Special Summoned, I can send a "Moonlight" monster from my Extra Deck to the graveyard to add a "Polymerization" or "Fusion" card from my deck to my hand. I'll send Moonlight Wolf to the graveyard." She added the card to her hand. "I will then activate the effect of Moonlight White Rabbit. I'll return your set card to the hand!" The card flew back to Yuri's hand. "I'll then activate the Spell Card, Polymerization! I'll fuse Moonlight Crimson Fox, Moonlight White Rabbit and Moonlight Panther Dancer!" The three monsters shot up.

"... her, then." Yuri folded his arms.

"Elegant beast dancing on the moonlit wilderness! The lively white rabbit illuminated by the moonlight! Crimson cunning hiding in the shadows! Swarm in a vortex of the moon's gravity and revive with a new power! Fusion Summon! Come forth! The king of beasts dancing atop the summit of the moonlight wilderness! Moonlight Lio Dancer!"

And when Lio Dancer appeared, it felt like they were kids again.

[Moonlight Lio Dancer (10*/3500/3000/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect)]

Serena had won most of the fights that she had gotten into as a kid. Whenever Lio Dancer showed up, she had believed in her own invincibility. She had believed that no matter what opponents she faced, she would win. That was how she had been, back in her orphanage. So she had always, always sought out the fight first.

And yet…

When she had first met Yuri, he had called her out for it.

---

Six years ago:

"You're a bully," the boy remarked. Serena bristled.

"A bully? What do you mean?"

"I've heard of you," the boy said. He was sitting in the grass, seemingly not caring that it had just rained and the grass might leave stains on his clothes. "You pick fights with all the other students here."

"I just want to find out who's the strongest," Serena said with a frown. Back at her orphanage, she had been the undisputed strongest. That was why Leo Akaba had adopted her, right? Because she was the strongest? But when she had come here, so many of the other students around had such bad decks—they looked so determined, but they weren't even able to put up a good fight before Cat Dancer defeated them. "I'm not bullying them. I'm just seeing who is strong and who is not!"

The boy pulled at a shoot, lifting the shears in his hand and snapping them shut, cutting it off. He didn't reply to her, initially.

"Oi, are you just ignoring me now?"

"You aren't going to listen to me, so why bother?"

"I want you to take back what you said."

"I can't." The boy raised his head. "You just confirmed it for me."

"What do you mean?"

"What makes you think that you have the right to judge who's strong and who's not?" The boy said. "How are you even judging them?"

"I mean—they just aren't able to pull off any decent moves! They don't have a lot of Fusion Monsters either—and—"

"... you're such a nuisance," the boy muttered.

"Huh?"

"Are you aware of who those kids are?" The boy waved out a hand. "It's the summer holidays, idiot. There are no normal students here."

"Huh?" Serena blinked. "Then why are they here? Can't they go home?"

"... you really are an idiot," the boy muttered. "Can you get out of my garden, please?"

"My father's the Professor," Serena said. "Technically, if I say it, it's my garden too."

"And a privileged idiot too. Those are the worst." The boy didn't even look at her. "Go and ask your father then." He stood up, about to walk off.

"Wait!" Serena called. The boy tilted his head over. "Who are you?"

"Why? Going to complain to your father about me?" The boy adjusted the collar of his school uniform. "Yuri Kaiba. I hope we don't meet again, Serena Akaba-san."

Serena watched him go. Kaiba? Why did that last name sound so familiar to her?

---

"Hey!"

Yuri tilted his head. He was in the garden, just like he had been a week ago. Serena bit her lip for a moment, before she held out a box of chocolates.

"I'm sorry," Serena said after a moment. She had gone right to her father and asked—and she had found out the truth. All the kids that were still here… they were all those that no longer had families to return to, because of the war. They were the less fortunate—the kind with access to less resources, practically no financials, who had to stay at the school because they wouldn't have a roof over their head otherwise. Wards of Academia.

And there she had been, thinking that they were all weak…

And she had asked about this boy too. Out of all the wards of Academia, this was the most unfortunate one. There was a reason that the Kaiba family name had sounded familiar to her, despite her knowing very little about the world and its current affairs in general. It had been a bloody affair that had shaken the entire world.

Seto Kaiba, the older son of the family, had stood up to his father's war-profiteering, calling for it to end. He and his father, Gozaburo Kaiba, had argued with each other over and over—

Not that the protestors had cared about any of that kind of stuff. All they had wanted to do was to send a message.

To them, Seto Kaiba had just been another Kaiba.

Seto Kaiba had been eighteen. Gozaburo Kaiba had been forty-four.

Yuri Kaiba had been six when he had watched his family be brutally murdered in front of him, televised to the entire world—Domino City and the Outer Islands. He had been six when he had crawled to his brother's bleeding body, desperately crying out to his brother—and his misery had been broadcasted to the entire world, before he had been painted with the same brush.

And well, everyone despised this boy's family. That was why he had no friends. That was why he sat alone in a garden all the time, and everyone avoided it. Only ever scared of him.

Yuri took the chocolates after a brief moment. "For what?"

"Look, you were right. I didn't know. And I was… being cruel to others." She pouted. "... you were the only person to tell me I was wrong."

"So?"

"I want to be friends," Serena said. "Is that okay?" She felt unexpectedly shy. Everyone avoided her too, because she was the daughter of the Professor and because she was far too headstrong—they were afraid to incur her father's protective wrath, and they were intimidated by him.

She was lonely. Maybe he was lonely too.

Yuri looked at her. He turned away. Serena's heart sank for a moment, and then he held out a bowl of strawberries. "I'm going to wash these," he said. "You… can have some. For the chocolate."

---

In the present:

Serena considered what Yuri had said again.

"That's the problem with Pendulums, you know. You need both of them."

Didn't that apply to both of them too? The part of Serena that had been shrieking for independence for her entire childhood rebelled at the idea, but after a moment, it calmed down.

Was there anything innately wrong with needing someone else there? No person was an island, after all.

And besides—it wasn't like her Moonlight Tiger was useless on its own. She could still do so much. Just like how Moonlight Wolf could still do so much, even if she was the only one there.

Maybe the correct phrasing wasn't that Pendulums needed each other.

Maybe they were independent and powerful on their own, but they found a sense of unity when they were together with someone else.

… maybe she was just wistfully trying to find some secret meaning in the words that Yuri had said so carelessly.

"To be honest," Serena said, recalling the first time that they had met, "you were the first person in my life who corrected me when I was doing something wrong. And I still continued to be so self-righteous—all the way until I met the Lancers."

Yuri stared at the ground for a moment.

"But I still think of you," Serena confessed. "I still think of how good it might have been if we had stuck together, you know? I still don't know why we ended up like this. But don't you think about me too? Don't you wish that we were still on the same side too?"

Yuri stayed silent.

"You just want to duel strong opponents, right?" Serena said. "Doesn't dueling Academia sound like a nice change of pace? Can't we go back to how we were once? Can't I tell you when you're doing something wrong too?"

Yuri clenched his fists. "... we can never go back," he said, sounding bitter. The words felt like they were being dragged out of his throat, strung on a thin thread.

Serena stared at him.

"Your self-righteousness. Your blindness. Your sense of justice. Your lack of gentleness." Yuri rattled off those terms quickly, not leaving room to breathe between each of them. "How did it end up with me as the one serving Academia, while you defected from it? I thought that you'd be blind forever." When he laughed, it was mocking. "I still think of you too. It's wrong, and I hate you for it. If I gave you up, I should have forgotten about you completely. And yet I think about you all the time. I can't get you out of my head. Even when you're dimensions away and I can't see you, I feel like I can still feel you there, looking at me. Judging me every time I make a move." He raised a finger. "We can be on the same side again if you go back with me. And there are no other options other than that."

"... then it'll never happen," Serena said, gritting her teeth. "I know better now. And I know enough to know that you've known that this was wrong since the start!" She pressed a hand to her chest. Her hands were still shaking. For a brief moment, her vision swirled. She took a deep breath. "If you keep on doing the wrong thing even when doing it, aren't you just proving all of them right about you? I thought that was what you wanted to avoid!"

Yuri looked at her, and raised a hand. "Lio Dancer is unaffected by card effects," he said. "But that effect only applies once it is on the field. Since we were in the same lessons, I assume that you know exactly what I mean by that ruling. When Lio Dancer is summoned, there is a brief moment when it is not unaffected by card effects. And during that window, I will activate the effect of Predaplant Triphyovertum. Once per turn, when my opponent Special Summons a monster from the Extra Deck while I control the Fusion Summoned Triphyovertum, I can negate the summon and destroy that monster!"

Serena's eyes widened.

"... and yes," Yuri murmured. "It's a monster born to destroy Lio Dancer. It's a monster whose sole purpose is countering each and every one of your monsters." He raised his hand, making a slashing motion through the air. "Order of Nature!"

Three vines grabbed onto Lio Dancer and tore her apart. Serena winced, turning away for a brief moment.

"... see?" Yuri said, arching an eyebrow. "That's always been your problem. You're so righteous, but you can't look at things as they are. You have to wrap them up in that shiny wrapping paper that you call 'justice' in order to be able to bear it, but you can't bear it. You are so afraid to take responsibility for your own thoughts! That's why you listened to the Professor for years!"

"And what about you?" Serena retorted. "You're just as afraid! Aren't you the one that shuts down everything so that you don't have to feel? Aren't you the person who's just taking out his trauma on every single person that he sees? Isn't this just your attempt to be in control, the way that you weren't ten years ago? That's why you listened to him for so long too, and why you're still listening to him!"

The words were cruel. From both of them. Far too cruel, too much to the point, piercing at the other's weak point.

And yet…

Serena exhaled. "Is that what you really think of me?" She asked.

Yuri nodded. "It's what you think of me too, then." He snorted. "Fair enough. So we're both cowards that are scared to think for ourselves. So what? Doesn't that make it easier to live?"

"It was easier," Serena agreed. "It was so much easier…" She breathed out. "But… I can't live like that anymore. Even if it's harder to think for myself, to figure out what's right by myself… I have to do it." She couldn't be that bird living happily in a cage anymore, now that she knew what it felt like to see the world. "I have to keep my freedom. And to keep it, I must earn it!"

Yuri stared at her.

"Moonlight Crimson Fox's effect!" She declared. "I can change the attack points of a monster on the field to 0 until the End Phase, if it's sent to the graveyard by a card effect! I'll change your Triphyovertum's attack points to 0!"

[Predaplant Triphyovertum: 10300 → 0ATK]

And that meant that Triphyovertum wouldn't gain more attack points even if another Predator Counter was placed on the field. Until the end of the turn, anyway.

"Moonlight Tiger's effect," Serena said. "I'll revive a "Moonlight" monster, but it cannot declare an attack, its effects are negated and it's destroyed during the End Phase! Return, Moonlight White Rabbit!" The girl in a white hood appeared on her field.

"Your hand is empty," Yuri noted. "You no longer have any more Fusion cards. What are you going to do now?"

"I'm going to get rid of your monsters," Serena said. "You said I'm blind? What's on my field right now, Yuri?"

"White Rabbit and Silver Hound, Tiger in the Pendulum Scale," Yuri said, not batting an eye. "I know that you never learned Contact Fusion, nor did you learn any other Fusion methods. Your Pendulum Monster's effect is already exposed, and it can't help you anymore. If you can't Fusion Summon—or I guess, Pendulum Summon, then you can't do anything."

"... just because you haven't moved on from Fusion, Yuri," Serena replied, "doesn't mean that I haven't! I will take the Level 2 Moonlight Silver Hound and the Level 2 White Rabbit—and overlay the two of them!" The two monsters shot up, turning into bright silver streaks of moonlight.

Yuri's eyes widened. "You…"

"Like I said, I'm done with that life," Serena declared. "What better way to cut off ties than this? Dancer with a beautiful plumage of feathers! Let the world hear your colourful song as you tide through the night! Xyz Summon! Rank 2! Moonlight Songbird Dancer!"

A petite woman with light blue skin appeared, wearing a rose gold crown in her hair, moonstones embedded in it. Behind her, a cape swept out and up in the air, resembling sky blue wings. She was wearing a white tunic and a skirt with several puffy layers. The skirt was pink and white. She was wearing long stiletto heels, though since she was floating above the ground, she didn't actually have to balance on them. In her left hand, she was holding up a rapier. Her azure eyes stared forward, a steely glare greeting Yuri. The two Overlay Units flew around her, silver streaks in the air.

[Moonlight Songbird Dancer (R2/1000/1500/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Xyz/Effect) (OU:2)]

"An Xyz Summon from you?" Yuri exclaimed. "That's…"

"... do you want to know what I felt when I first talked to Shun Kurosaki properly, face to face?" Serena said. "Shame. I couldn't look at him directly. I hadn't carded a single person, but even though my hands were clean… I had never felt so ashamed to be me."

"You didn't do anything."

"Exactly." Serena clenched her fists. "Not a single thing. I never stopped to wonder 'is this right'? I never stopped to think for myself." They had both admitted it. "Did you know that apparently, he was a genuinely sweet and kind person before the invasion of Heartland? He would volunteer at orphanages and take care of kids. Everyone adored him. Kids looked up to him and wanted to be like him someday." She shook her head. "I looked at him and I couldn't see any of that at all, at first. He just looked like a furious, frustrated, feral beast, ready to bare his fangs at anyone and anything."

She breathed out slowly.

"But I saw it," she said. "When we dueled. When we came to Synchro. He looked at me and he reached out a hand. He accepted me as his comrade, despite everything. Back when we trusted Dennis, he tried his best to offer some comfort to him. He's a brother who is hurting over the loss of his sister, of his life, of everything he once had."

"So what?" Yuri replied curtly. "Is this a sign of your love for him or something?"

… was he jealous?

"No," Serena said. "It's nothing like that. I asked Reiji Akaba for this of my own accord. I asked him for it, and I told myself that I would only use it once I fought Academia again. That I would use it against Academia for the first time. Because that's part of my atonement." She shook her head. "It's my promise. That I will see Ruri Kurosaki again, safe with her brother, and I will apologise."

Songbird Dancer's skirts flared through the air as she flew upwards.

"No matter how much I apologise, it's never enough," Serena said. "For all that time that I stood by, blind to everything. So I need to make up for it with my actions. Even if I am not worthy of forgiveness, I can keep going. It's the only way for me to fix what I've done." She raised a hand. "Songbird Dancer's effect. I will detach two Overlay Units from Songbird Dancer. This is essentially Cat Dancer's effect—she can attack every monster you control twice, and they are not destroyed by the first attack! Songlight Reverie!"

The woman raised her rapier, surrounded by moonlight.

[Moonlight Songbird Dancer: OU:2 - 2 = OU:0]

"I will activate the effect of Predaplant Dragostapelia," Yuri said, rolling his eyes. "I will target your monster and place a Predator Counter on her—"

"Moonlight Songbird Dancer cannot be targeted by card effects," Serena replied. Yuri narrowed his eyes. "If you can bring out a monster that I've never seen, can't I do the same? You're not the only one that gets to change!" She pointed forward. "Attack Predaplant Triphyovertum! And when Songbird Dancer attacks, she permanently lowers all your monsters' attack points by 400! Nightlit Pierce!" The rapier stabbed forward. Due to Songbird Dancer's own effect, Triphyovertum wasn't destroyed.

[Predaplant Dragostapelia: 2700 - 400 = 2300ATK]

Yuri: 3000 - 1000 = 2000LP

"Second attack! Nightlit Pierce!" This attack properly destroyed Triphyovertum.

[Predaplant Dragostapelia: 2300 - 400 = 1900ATK]

Yuri: 2000 - 1000 = 1000LP

"When Songbird Dancer destroys a monster by battle, I can pay 800 life points and add a "Rank-Up-Magic" card or "Moonlight" Spell or Trap from my deck to my hand," Serena said. Her life points fell.

Serena: 3600 - 800 = 2800LP

"I'll set a card facedown," she said. "Over to you."

Yuri looked at her.

"What?" She asked.

"... you're still an idiot," Yuri said. "But you're not as useless anymore." And he drew a card swiftly.

[Turn 7: Yuri] [H:4]

Serena blinked. Her cheeks went slightly red.

… from Yuri, that was practically a compliment, as annoying as he was.

Yuri looked at the card in his hand. "When I said that I think about you—" He started, before he grimaced, clutching at his head.

"Yuri?" Serena called. Then, as Yuri pulled his hand away…

He was now looking at the ground. He spread his arms out. "It seems she's been waiting for you too," he said, his voice taking on a different cadence. "It seems we've been waiting for a while." He now sounded practically gleeful. "Shall we get to it?"

"Get to what?" Serena said, her eyes widening.

"What?" Yuri echoed. He lifted his head and grinned widely, and Serena's heart sank.

His eyes were glowing.

"Surely you know," Yuri continued, still grinning. "You've seen it already. I'm just surprised that you managed to hold all of us back for so long, moonlight."

Serena glanced at her bracelet. It dimly flickered, and then it stopped.

"Unfortunately," Yuri continued, "it seems that your time is up, no?"

---

A while ago:

Currently, Yuya had both Stargazer Magician and Timegazer Magician in the Pendulum Scales, and his Odd-Eyes Dissolver Dragon was in the Extra Monster Zone. He also had a monster that he had set the previous turn in order to tribute Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and remove it from the field, so that he could circumvent the effects of Barrett's Beastborg Medal of the Crimson Chain. Meanwhile, Barrett had lost both of his Beastborg chains the turn before, along with his Panther Predator. However, with Panther Predator's effect, he had revived both Dark Sentinel and Panther Warrior, which now stood in his Main Monster Zones.

[Turn 5: Barrett] [H:2]

Barrett drew a card silently. Yuya watched him, slightly concerned.

"I will use the effect of Beastborg Fusioner," Barrett declared. "I can perform a Fusion Summon of a "Beastborg" monster using materials in my hand and on my field! I'll fuse Dark Sentinel and Panther Warrior again! O ferocious black panther, unite as one with the watchman of the holy darkness to give rise to a new bestial hero! Fusion Summon! Show yourself, Level 6, Beastborg Wolf Kampfer!" The monster that appeared now was far more mechanical than the monster before it—it had purple metal forming its face and claws, as well as its legs, ending in long yellow claws. Yellow spikes could be seen all over the monster's body. Silver armour and metal covered its body as well. A long brown cloak rolled down its back like a curtain. A large gun could be seen attached to its shoulder, ready to fire.

[Beastborg Wolf Kampfer (6*/2200/1500/DARK/Machine/Fusion/Effect)]

"I will activate the Equip Spell, Beastborg Medal of the Overdrive Mechanism. This card can only be equipped to a Beast-Warrior or Machine monster. I will equip it to Wolf Kampfer. The equipped monster gains 500 attack points for each monster that my opponent controls." The monster let out a roar as a silver medal appeared on its chest.

[Beastborg Wolf Kampfer: 2200 + 500 x 2 = 3200ATK]

"Attack Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon!"

Wolf Kampfer struck at the dragon, and after a few sharp slashes of its bloody red claws, the dragon shattered into glass, fragments flying everywhere and dissipating.

Yuya: 2400 - 700 = 1700LP

"When you take battle damage, Wolf Kampfer will inflict 300 damage to you!" Wolf Kampfer slashed through the air wildly again. A slash of wind shot past Yuya.

Yuya: 1700 - 300 = 1400LP

"And when the monster equipped with Beastborg Medal of the Overdrive Mechanism destroys another monster by battle, I can inflict 300 damage to you for each "Beastborg" card in the graveyard! There are three!" Three sharp silver slashes shot through the air, hitting Yuya as well.

Yuya: 1400 - 300 x 3 = 500LP

"I'll end my turn," Barrett said. However, before Yuya could draw another card, someone spoke up from nearby.

"Can I help?" Yuto said. "I've been rejected by the other two, and Yuno's…"

All three of them, even Barrett, spared a brief moment to look over at Yuno Sugisaki, who was currently doing the dueling equivalent of playing with his food. Or at least, that was how it appeared to the three of them, considering that Yuno had taken only two of Hound Dog's shots so far, and his life points remained otherwise untouched. Currently, he had several of his Link Monsters on the field, though his dragon wasn't on the field yet.

"... he's pretty upset, isn't he?" Yuya said. He had been observing Yuno's duel out of the corner of his eye, even if it was far less suspenseful than his own. "He could've won around six times by now."

"Well, he is strong enough that those three probably don't matter to him," Yuto replied. He sighed. "... maybe it's because he's upset. But I don't think that him being upset is enough for him to stall like this. After all, if he was upset, he'd just defeat them and chase after Kogami-san."

Yuya blinked. Then, he saw Yuno glance over at the two other matches happening in the building, before he glanced at the roof above as well.

Was Yuno… waiting for them? Was he trying to wait and see if any of them needed help before he ran off?

Was he afraid that if he left, the rest of them would suffer for it?

"So, unless you're a stickler for honour—"

"No," Yuya said. "I'm not." He nodded. "I'll take your help, Yuto. Besides, if I rejected you, it would make things really awkward for you."

"Oh, do you think so?" Yuto said somewhat sarcastically. "Alright then."

[INTRUSION PENALTY: 2000LP]

Yuto Kamisoka: 4000 - 2000 = 2000LP

[Turn 6: Yuto] [H:5]

"My turn," Yuto said.

"You two are fighting together against me then?" Barrett said.

Yuto gestured to the side. "If you want to condemn us, you'll have to condemn the entirety of Academia, who taught me that these tactics were necessary in the first place," he replied. "I'm sure that Yuya could deal with you pretty well on his own, but I have some of my own stress that I need to let out too." He placed down a card. "Come, The Phantom Knights of Torn Scales!" He Normal Summoned the monster in silver armour, beady blue ectoplasm staring through the helmet.

[The Phantom Knights of Torn Scales (3*/600/1600/DARK/Warrior/Effect)]

"I'll activate the effect of The Phantom Knights of Torn Scales. I can discard a card to send a "Phantom Knights" card from my deck to the graveyard." He picked up the card that he had discarded. "I'll banish Phantom Knights' Wing from the graveyard to revive a "The Phantom Knights" monster, but that monster is banished when it leaves the field." Blue flames flickered around him. "Come back. The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak!" A blue spirit in a purple cloak appeared next to Torn Scales, clearly the card that he had sent to the graveyard with Torn Scales' effect.

[The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak (3*/800/1000/DARK/Warrior/Effect)]

"Then, I will overlay both the Level 3 The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak and the Level 3 The Phantom Knights of Torn Scales!" The two monsters turned into streaks of light that orbited around a single spot. "Thin shields rise. A battalion of soldiers charges across the battlefield. Xyz Summon! Rank 3! The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail!" The blue humanoid spirit with two shields appeared, its thin silver chainmail chestplate gleaming blue from the cold light. It spun the shields around, looking rather calm.

[The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail (R3/1000/2000/DARK/Warrior/Xyz/Effect) (OU:2)]

"Once per turn, I can detach an Overlay Unit from Jagged Chainmail in order to set a "Phantom Knights" Spell or Trap from my deck to the field. If it's a Quickplay Spell or a Trap, I can activate it this turn, even though I just set it!" A single set card appeared on Yuto's field, directly behind Jagged Chainmail.

[The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail: OU:2 - 1 = OU:1]

"I will then activate it." The card flipped over. "The Continuous Trap, Phantom Knights' Sword. I will target Chainmail, and by doing so, I will increase its attack points by 800!"

[The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail: 1000 + 800 = 1800ATK]

"I will then activate the Spell Card, Phantom Knights' Fang." Yuto gestured to his monster. "By detaching an Overlay Unit from a DARK Xyz Monster I control, I can double that monster's attack points!" Jagged Chainmail's remaining Overlay Unit turned to blue mist, swirling around it and powering it up.

[The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail: OU:1 - 1 = OU:0; 1800 x 2 = 3600ATK]

"I can also send a "Phantom Knights" Spell or Trap from my deck to the graveyard." Yuto pointed forward. "The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail will attack Beastborg Wolf Kampfer! And since there's still only two monsters that Yuya and I control in total, your monster's attack points don't rise any further!"

Jagged Chainmail's shields were put to offensive use, and Yuto's Xyz Monster cut straight through the Fusion Monster, without any resistance. The Equip Spell shattered as well.

… Yuto would admit that it was pretty satisfying.

Barrett: 2300 - 400 = 1900LP

"When Beastborg Wolf Kampfer is destroyed by battle, I can revive both of its Fusion Materials!" Panther Warrior and Dark Sentinel reappeared in Defense Position, serving as shields for the opponent.

"Fine," Yuto said. "I'll set two cards facedown." With that, he emptied out his hand. "Over to you, Yuya."

"Thanks," Yuya said, smiling at him. "My—"

A pause. A strange shift in the air.

"Hah. Is it like that?" Yuya tilted his head. He was still smiling cheerfully, but there was something very calculated to his voice. "What a perfect situation. It's a set-up. Are we just supposed to keel over and fucking die then?" Barrett blinked at the coarse language—it didn't seem to fit the boy in front of him.

"I know, right?" Yuto muttered, in a far colder tone. "Is that what he wants from us? Fuck that." He gestured to Yuya. "I'll kill you, Pendulum. But let's destroy him first. What do you say?"

Yuya's gaze landed on Barrett. The military soldier shivered. Despite him usually being able to steel himself, the sight of two boys with the same face staring at him, their eyes glowing brightly…

It was a terrifying sight.

"I think," Yuya said, drawing his next card, "that's a great idea, Xyz. Except that I'm going to be the one killing you." His smile did not fade from his face.

"Hah. Be as delusional as you want. You're the weakest one other than Ritual. You don't even have any of our original power except the artificial one." Yuto flippantly raised a hand, seeming to be considering if he should flip the bird at Yuya or not. However, he lowered it a second later. "You're only the one that he gave Pendulum to because you literally had jackshit in your arsenal beforehand, and he wants a proper bloodbath, not a one-sided annihilation." The boy with black and purple hair grinned, his teeth peculiarly visible, like a predator baring its fangs. "I agree with that. Don't we all want an even fight when we destroy each other? We're each other's only worthy opponents, aren't we? I want to kill all of you, especially Fusion, but it's no fun if you're weak—you'll disgrace our original self's name."

"You should tell that to Ritual," Yuya muttered. "At least my current self is trying to become stronger. If I fought Ritual, I'd kill him for how goddamn useless he is."

"Leave that to Synchro." Yuto hummed. "Though we know Ritual will just lie down and die anyway. He's the defect. So? Let's rip him limb from limb already, what are you waiting for?"

---

A while ago:

Yuji currently had both Francesca and the Xyz form of Dante in Defense Position on his field, while Yugo had two set cards, along with Chanbara and Fuki-Modoshi Piper in Attack Position.

[Turn 6: Yuji] [H:6]

"Draw," Yuji said. "Francesca's effect. I'll send the top card of my deck to the graveyard." He raised the card. "It's Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss. Your monster's attack and defense points decrease by that amount—I'll choose your Chanbara."

[Hi-Speedroid Chanbara: 2000 - 2700 = 0ATK; 1000 - 2200 = 0DEF]

"I will change Francesca to Attack Position," Yuji continued. "I'll Normal Summon Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss." The strange ash-skinned demon appeared, wearing a helmet with horns on the top of it.

[Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss (3*/1700/1000/DARK/Fiend/Effect)]

"Francesca will attack your Hi-Speedroid Chanbara!"

"You're not going to try and get rid of my set cards?"

"You have two," Yuji said. "... I… am unlucky." By that, he of course meant that he would've probably have sent the wrong set card back to the hand. "Francesca will attack your Chanbara."

"Trap Card, Speedroid Dupligate!" Yugo declared. "I'll banish a WIND monster from my graveyard, like Hi-Speedroid Kendama, and target a card you control. Then, I can return it to the hand! I will choose Francesca!"

The monster was blown back to Yuji's hand. Yuji didn't flinch.

Between destroying Chanbara, or destroying the Tuner that Yugo could probably bring back easily, the answer was obvious.

"Attack Hi-Speedroid Chanbara, Barbar," Yuji said. His monster raised its spiked mace, smashing it against the red and green metal with a sharp clang. Both Yuji and Yugo flinched at the sound. It seemed to echo in their heads for a moment.

Yugo: 4000 - 1700 = 2300LP

Yugo recovered first. "When Hi-Speedroid Chanbara is sent to the graveyard, I can target a banished "Speedroid" card and add it to my hand. I'll add Speedroid Taketomborg back to my hand!" He picked up the card. "Is that all?"

Yuji set a card, before nodding in wordless reply.

[Turn 7: Yugo] [H:3]

"Draw!" Yugo called. He glanced at the card. "I will Special Summon Speedroid Taketomborg from my hand, since I control a WIND monster!" The blue and gold monster reappeared on his field. "And I will—"

There was a loud sound that echoed in his mind like the clanging metal of before.

A heartbeat. Then, another.

Blink.

Yuji clutched at his heart for a brief moment. He felt light-headed—

Blink.

Yugo watched him, eyes glowing, a cold frown on his face. "This is why we all dislike you," he said, his voice echoing slightly. Before, Yugo's voice had been angry, but it hadn't been hateful—Yugo had never been a very hateful person, after all. However, it was almost like something else had seeped into him and rotted him from the inside out, giving birth to this irrational hatred.

Or was it really irrational?

Hadn't it already existed for the two people here?

Not Yugo and Yuji, perhaps, but Yugo and Yuji, if one could understand. The same and yet different.

"Why is everything so difficult for you?" Yugo asked roughly. "Even Pendulum's less of a waste of space, as weak-willed as that idiot is. As you are, you're just boring. I'm ashamed to call you 'me' when you're so much… well, so much nothing in one single human shell."

"... take that complaint up with him." Yuji looked up, eyes glowing silver. "I don't have a stake in this fight."

"The stake of this fight is your existence, you dumb fool." Yugo rolled his tongue over the word—Yuji didn't even tense up at the insult, but he understood both meanings. Yugo wasn't just calling him unintelligent—he was insulting Yuji's inability to express his words properly. A dated, offensive word, but… Yuji didn't say anything in return. "While you exist, you exist to fight us. While we exist, we exist to die. That's why we can't fucking stand you. You want to live on your own without fighting? You don't want to kill or be killed? I'd understand if it was the other you, but not you, Ritual. We were born with one purpose, so get that through your thick goddamn skull already."

"... we were all born from him." Yuji covered his face. "The things we hate in each other were born… from him too."

"So what?" Yugo sneered. "Rebellion? What is worth existing, anyway?" He gestured forward. "It's about time, no? The rest still have to clear away their opponents before they can do anything. Me? I'll kill you right here, Ritual, and I won't even feel bad about it. You're an aberration, anyway."

---

Across the dimensions, six bracelets resonated.

But they could not change the present.

---

"I will Normal Summon Predaplant Lilizard," Yuri said. The green lizard with several round-shaped purple flowers forming its tail and floating over its body appeared.

[Predaplant Lilizard (3*/1200/1200/DARK/Plant/Effect)]

"And the Spell Card, Fusion Substitute," Yuri continued. "I will Fusion Summon using monsters on the field. I will fuse Predaplant Lilizard with Predaplant Dragostapelia!"

The two monsters shot up—the monster that Serena had weakened, and the one that he had just summoned to the field. They turned into dark swirls.

"Shall we devastate her?" Yuri said. "Come, partner. Two beautiful flowers with an insect-alluring fragrance! Now become one, and from the hell beneath your petals, give birth to a new terror! Fusion Summon! Appear! Poisonous dragon with hungry fangs. Level 8! Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!"

[Starving Venom Fusion Dragon (8*/2800/2000/DARK/Dragon/Fusion/Effect)]

And Yuri's ace appeared with a roar that sounded hungry, its claws scratching against the ground. And as it roared, Serena felt that feeling of 'something wrong' intensify with a vengeance. She touched the bracelet around her wrist, but its colour remained dull.

"You know, Serena, I should thank you," Yuri said, still grinning maniacally. "You were the one who delayed it until now, weren't you? It's good. Four at once isn't good enough. Two at once won't do either. It's all or nothing!"

"What are you talking about, Yuri?"

Yuri smirked. "Starving Venom's effect," he said in a singsong voice. "You only have that songbird of yours, but that works too. When Fusion Summoned using only monsters on the field as materials, I can have Starving Venom gain attack points equal to the total attack points of all monsters my opponent controls! Hungry Fang!"

Starving Venom shrieked wildly again.

[Starving Venom Fusion Dragon: 2800 + 1000 = 3800ATK]

"Now, your monster's an Xyz Monster, and it can't be targeted by card effects. It's doubly protected from Starving Venom's effect—kudos to you. I guess we'll have to do it the hard way. That set card is your Moonlight Exchange, no?"

Serenaa stiffened up.

"It's a powerful Trap. It both negates any kind of damage that you might take, whether it's battle damage or effect damage, and it gives you back double the amount as life points. But its key flaw is that it can only be activated in response to damage." Yuri hummed. "You paid 800 life points for the chance to gain far more life points. It's a good choice. I can't count the number of times you've stalled me out with that Trap and gained a few turns. But I'm not feeling merciful today. And that face is reminding me of something else now…" He snapped his fingers. "I will activate the effect of Fusion Substitute. I will banish it from the graveyard and return Dragostapelia to the Extra Deck to draw a card."

He didn't even look at the card. The moment that he drew it, he played it with complete confidence.

"Spell Card, Mystical Space Typhoon. I will destroy your set card." Serena's set card was torn apart by dark winds.

Serena watched him.

"Scared?" Yuri asked.

"You're not Yuri," Serena said. "Who are you?"

"Good question," Yuri replied. "You're not quite moonlight yet either. Who are you trying to fool?"

"Huh?"

"Just returning your question," Not-Yuri said nonchalantly. "It's the same thing, really. You're not quite yourself either. You're still looking at that bracelet and praying that it'll light up and all of this will stop. But like I said, it's over. No one can give you any more miracles."

He pointed forward.

"Starving Venom Fusion Dragon attacks Moonlight Songbird Dancer! Toxic Spore!"

And when Starving Venom attacked, it was with more ferocity than Serena had ever seen from her. Serena had seen this monster so many times, and never before had she been scared of it until now. Shadows and vines tore through the ground—

Serena: 2800 - 2800 = 0LP

Winner: Yuri Kaiba!

And Serena herself, hit by the impact, could only find herself flying back, until she hit a wall. The entire building shook. Serena couldn't even move—the pain wasn't quite as much as it should be, due to the fact that the nerve gas from earlier was still numbing her body and cutting off her movements, but…

Yuri looked at her, and then he turned away, those eyes of his still glowing.

That somehow hurt even more than the attack had.

"Don't go!" Serena found herself shouting. "You—"

And she knew deep in the soul that her next words were very true.

"—will die if you do!"

Yuri turned his head to her and spoke the most frightening words in existence.

"Yeah," Yuri said. "That's the point."

---

[Turn 7: Yuya] [H:3]

"Draw," Yuya growled out. "Swing, pendulum. Come from the Extra Deck! Performapal Bit Bite Turtle! And my faithful partner with eyes of rage, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

Like an executioner, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon appeared on the field with a ferocious roar. Bit Bite Turtle seemed horrified by Yuya, edging forward, as though trying to hide from both Yuya and Odd-Eyes.

"And from my hand, Performapal Spikeagle!" A brown eagle in blue sunglasses appeared, wings flapping swiftly.

[Performapal Spikeagle (2*/900/900/WIND/Winged Beast/Effect)]

"And I'll Flip Summon Performapal Kaleidoscorp!" A red scorpion appeared, looking far more family friendly than a scorpion should normally look. Its claws were replaced with pink shields that had orange stars on them and blue outlines around them. A blue tail formed of tape rolls appeared, wiggling through the air, without a stinger at the end at all.

[Performapal Kaleidoscorp (6*/S4/100/2300/LIGHT/Insect/Pendulum/Effect)]

"I will activate the effect of Performapal Kaleidoscorp," Yuya declared. "I can target a monster I control and it can attack all Special Summoned monsters you control this turn. I will choose my Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" He grinned. "And Spikeagle's effect. I can target Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and this turn, it can inflict piercing damage."

He pointed forward.

"Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon attacks both Panther Warrior and Dark Sentinel! Spiral Flame Strike!"

And the two blasts of flame shot forward, hitting both monsters and destroying them, dealing damage to the nuisance of a soldier.

Barrett: 1900 - 900 - 700 = 300LP

"Spikeagle," Yuya spat out. The eagle shot forward, defeating Barrett—causing an explosion of winds that tossed him back, uncharacteristic for such a small attack. Barrett was knocked back against the rocks with a loud crack.

And yet, the malevolent force did not fade.

Barrett: 300 - 900 = 0LP

And the duel did not end.

"Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon will attack your Jagged Chainmail too!"

After all, Kaleidoscorp let his monster attack every Special Summoned monster the opponent controlled. And well—

Yuto was an opponent too, now.

"I will destroy Phantom Knights' Sword to negate Jagged Chainmail's destruction," Yuto said. The card vanished. Yuto still took damage though.

Yuto: 2000 - 700 = 1300LP

"Main Phase 2," Yuya declared. "Spell Card, Pendulum Fusion. I will fuse Performapal Kaleidoscorp and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Dragon with dual coloured eyes! Become one with the docile glittering poison, and revive as a new race! Fusion Summon! Come forth, Level 8! Performapal Gatlinghoul!" A green goblin in a black hat appeared, holding onto a red gatling gun. It let out a crooked, sharp laugh.

[Performapal Gatlinghoul (8*/2900/900/DARK/Fiend/Fusion/Effect)]

"Gatlinghoul's effect," Yuya said loudly. "I promised I'd kill you, Xyz. You take 200 damage for each card on the field. That includes—guess what? Spikeagle, Bit Bite Turtle, Gatlinghoul and my Pendulum Monsters. Phantom Knights' Sword, Jagged Chainmail and your two set cards. That's nine, for 1800 damage, and you have 1300 life points! Gun him down!"

"Give me a break. You're getting arrogant." Yuto rolled his eyes. "Trap Card, Phantom Knights' Fog Blade. I'll equip it to your Gatlinghoul. Its effects are negated, and it cannot attack, nor can it be attacked." The blue fog swirled around Gatlinghoul, locking it down. "You piss me off. You're the weakest one, and you think that you can win against any of us?"

"I'll end my turn," Yuya hissed. "Over to you."

[Turn 8: Yuto] [H:1]

"Draw," Yuto said. He flipped over his other set card. "Quickplay Spell, The Phantom Knights' Rank-Up-Magic Launch. I will target The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail and Rank Up that monster by one Rank." He pressed his hands together. "Formed from pitch-black darkness, to fight those foolish enough to oppose it with its treacherous fangs! Now, descend! Rank-Up-Xyz-Change! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" Dark Rebellion emerged, lightning crackling around it, letting out a ferocious roar. Strangely enough, from above Gatlinghoul, a translucent spirit of Odd-Eyes appeared, which roared back in response.

[Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon (R4/2500/2000/DARK/Dragon/Xyz/Effect) (OU:1)]

"And my Rank-Up-Magic Launch will attach itself to Dark Rebellion as an Overlay Unit," Yuto explained.

[Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: OU:1 + 1 = OU:2]

Yuto pointed at Odd-Eyes. "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's effect. By detaching an Overlay Unit from it, I will halve the attack points of Performapal Gatlinghoul, and Dark Rebellion will gain attack points equal to the amount that Gatlinghoul lost! Treason Discharge!"

Both dragons roared loudly as the lightning connected them. Gatlinghoul almost seemed to just be Odd-Eyes's proxy.

[Performapal Gatlinghoul: 2900 / 2 = 1950ATK]

[Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: OU:2 - 1 = OU:1; 2500 + 1950 = 4450ATK]

"You dare?" Yuya shouted.

"And I'll do it again," Yuto shot back. "I'll detach an Overlay Unit from Dark Rebellion again. I'll target Gatlinghoul again. Steal until you're full, Dark Rebellion! Treason Discharge!" Dark Rebellion roared wildly, seeming very satisfied. Gatlinghoul, meanwhile, was clearly seething.

[Performapal Gatlinghoul: 1950 / 2 = 975ATK]

[Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: OU:1 - 1 = OU:0; 4450 + 975 = 5425ATK]

"It's very unnecessary, but I just want to see you crushed," Yuto said, grinning widely. "Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon attacks Performapal Gatlinghoul! Lightning Disobey of Rebellion!" The lightning shot forward, and the entire building seemed to shake with it, the lightning bolts burying Yuya.

And yet, Yuto tilted his head.

"How are you not dead?" He asked bluntly.

"I discarded Performapal Inflater Tapir to use its effect. Neither of us took battle damage from that battle." Yuya glared at him. "So it's a wasted attack."

"I'll set a card," Yuto said. Dark Rebellion's attack points fell back to normal as he ended his turn. "Over to you then, if you think you can—"

"Oh, but it's not quite his turn yet."

[INTRUSION PENALTY: 2000LP]

Yuri Kaiba: 4000 - 2000 = 2000LP

[Turn 9: Yuri] [H:5]

"Room for one more?" Yuri asked smugly. "After all, I find that my schedule's opened up to deal with both of you. You can be my appetiser before I devour the rest." He held up a card. "I will Normal Summon Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio." The dark scorpion made of bark appeared, a sharp contrast to Yuya's earlier Kaleidoscorp.

[Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio (3*/1200/800/DARK/Plant/Effect)]

"And I'll send a monster from my hand to the graveyard to Special Summon Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra," he declared. The green snake with a purple flower for a tail appeared as well.

[Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra (3*/1000/1500/DARK/Plant/Effect)]

"Darlingtonia Cobra's effect. I will add Polymerization to my hand and activate it. And now, the reprise! Two beautiful flowers with an insect-alluring fragrance! Now become one, and from the hell beneath your petals, give birth to a new terror! Fusion Summon! Appear! Poisonous dragon with hungry fangs. Level 8! Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!" The purple and green dragon appeared on his field with a howl.

[Starving Venom Fusion Dragon (8*/2800/2000/DARK/Dragon/Fusion/Effect)]

"Shall we get started?" Yuri said with a grin. "There'll only be one of us left standing after this!"

---

"... they sure are getting wild over there," Yuno murmured. All hesitation was gone as he raised his head. His opponents looked very freaked out. "Well, I guess I'm done too. Open, circuit of the limitless ocean. Arrowhead confirmed! The conditions are three monsters with different names, including a Link Monster! I will set Marincess Blue Slug, Marincess Mandarin and Marincess Pascalus in the Link Markers! Cybernetic dragon that crosses into reality! Now, infuse yourself with the ocean waves that crash against the shore, and pull the world into your magnetic field! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Link 3! Magnetic Current Link Dragon!" His own ace appeared, purple and blue scales gleaming brightly.

[Magnetic Current Link Dragon (L3/2500/WATER/Dragon/Link/Effect/←, ↓, →)]

"Good to see you, Magnetic Current," Yuno said. He sounded calm in a dissonant manner—in a situation where he distinctly should not. "Shall we get to it now?" He raised a finger. "Not too fast though. I need to make sure that we all drown properly."

And when he smirked to himself, there was something bloodthirsty to it.

---

"Let's go, then. This is what I was saving him for, after all. I'll tune the Level 4 Speedroid Fuki-Modoshi Piper to the Level 3 Speedroid Taketomborg."

Yuji tilted his head backwards, simply watching.

Yugo grinned. "Spread those wondrous and beautiful wings, and strike down your enemies at the speed of light! Synchro Summon! Appear now! Level 7! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!" His ace appeared in front of him, powerful and bright, its white and blue body standing out starkly against their gloomy environment.

[Clear Wing Synchro Dragon (7*/2500/2000/WIND/Dragon/Synchro/Effect)]

Yuji watched it.

"I will Normal Summon Speedroid Maliciousmagnet!" Yugo continued. The blue metal creature with two curved magnets as wings appeared.

[Speedroid Maliciousmagnet (1*/0/0/WIND/Machine/Tuner/Effect)]

"When Speedroid Maliciousmagnet was Normal or Special Summoned, I can target a monster you control and perform a Synchro Summon with that monster and Maliciousmagnet! I'll tune the Level 1 Maliciousmagnet to your Level 3 Barbar!" The two monsters shot up. "Thousand-face possessing shadow of the labyrinth. With that sharp blade, render chaotic darkness! Synchro Summon! Level 4! Hi-Speedroid Puzzle!" The blue humanoid robot appeared, orange fibres flowing around it as a scarf.

[Hi-Speedroid Puzzle (4*/1300/1600/WIND/Machine/Synchro/Effect)]

"Barbar's effect," Yuji responded. "I will banish Alich, Calcab and Cagna from the graveyard to inflict 300 damage to you for each." The shots of hellflame shot towards Yugo—a retaliation for losing his monster.

Yugo: 2300 - 300 x 3 = 1400LP

"Hi-Speedroid Puzzle will attack your Dante! And when it battles a Special Summoned monster, its attack points become double its attack points until the end of the Damage Step!" The sleek blue warrior dashed forward, punching towards Dante.

[Hi-Speedroid Puzzle: 1300 x 2 = 2600ATK]

Dante was destroyed by the hit.

"Dante's effect lets me add a "Burning Abyss" card from my graveyard to my hand."

"Doesn't matter. This puts you down," Yugo growled. "Clear Wing Synchro Dragon attacks you directly—Helldive Whirlwind Slasher!" The white and blue dragon flew forward. Winds swept up everywhere, tearing up bits of the roof and sending them flying through the air.

"Trap Card, The Traveler and the Burning Abyss." Yuji's set card flipped up. "I'll Special Summon as many "Burning Abyss" monsters that were sent to the graveyard this turn as I want, in Defense Position. Return, Dante."

Dante reappeared, forming a wall that Clear Wing couldn't quite overcome.

"Fine. I'll set a card." Yugo narrowed his eyes. He had two set cards again. "Take your turn."

[Turn 8: Yuji] [H:6]

"Draw," Yuji said.

He looked at the card.

Slowly, he breathed out.

… it seems that I can't escape.

"I will activate the Equip Spell, Fulfillment of the Contract. I can pay 800 life points to target a Ritual Monster in my graveyard and Special Summon it back to the field. But if the Fulfillment of the Contract is destroyed, the monster is banished." He picked up a card. "Return—Charon." The skeletal boatman reappeared on the field.

Yuji: 2500 - 800 = 1700LP

"When my life points are 2000 or lower," Yuji said, "I can reveal this card in my hand and tribute DARK monsters from my field or hand with a total Level of 7 or more. Naturally, I will tribute Charon. Then, I can Ritual Summon this card from my hand."

Yugo smirked. "So even you can bring yourself to do it?" He asked. The building was shaking now. "Come then, let it burn you alive!"

Yuji glared at Yugo. "Misery incarnate. Which way shall you fly, in infinite wrath and infinite despair? Dragon serving as the embodiment of hell, sink lower into the infinite abyss, beyond that plane of any mortal comprehension, and return back stronger than before, your feathers stained with demonic intent! Now, devour me as tribute, and let the hell I suffer form a new heaven! Advent. Level 7. Mythical creature slumbering in the depths of the fallen abyss—Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon!"

The beautiful grey-feathered dragon appeared, broken shackles and chains around its clawed feet. It raised its head, its black horn rather striking despite it being in the night, a broken halo floating above it. Its glass-like tail whipped through the air. Blue flames surrounded several parts of its body. Its icy blue eyes stared forward at Yugo.

[Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon (7*/2800/2000/DARK/Dragon/Ritual/Effect)]

"If Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon is Ritual Summoned," Yuji said, "all other Special Summoned monsters on the field have their attack points become 0 until the End Phase, but monsters I control other than Empty Abyss cannot attack this turn. Suppression Decree."

Yugo grinned. "When a Level 5 or higher monster activates its effect on the field, I can activate the effect of Clear Wing Synchro Dragon to negate that effect and destroy that monster! Then, Clear Wing will gain attack points equal to the attack points of the destroyed monster! Dichroic Mirror!"

Clear Wing roared. Empty Abyss did not.

"Once per turn, if Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon would be destroyed by a card effect while I control no other monsters," Yuji responded, "I can pay half my life points and send a monster from my hand to the graveyard." He discarded a single card. "And Empty Abyss remains on the field. Declaration of Absolution!" Empty Abyss flew up, her halo glinting for a swift moment. Her wings spread out, and Clear Wing's winds did not manage to strike her down.

Yuji: 1700 / 2 = 850LP

"My effect is still negated," Yuji continued. "But you don't get my dragon's life."

Yugo growled.

Empty Abyss landed again. She looked straight into Yuji's glowing eyes, as though trying to find something. Then, it let out a soft sound, nuzzling against his neck.

"I'm not him. I'm me," Yuji said, his voice completely neutral.

The dragon roared.

"... yes. I guess I'm him too. If you want to ask that." Yuji turned towards Yugo. "It's already come to this. He can only activate his effect once per turn anyway. I want your other effect. But first—I sent Charon to the graveyard, and I discarded Francesca. I get a "Burning Abyss" Spell or Trap from my deck, and another from my graveyard too."

He added the two cards to his hand quietly.

"Once per turn, I can target a Level 5 or higher monster on the field. Then, by banishing a Spell or Trap from the graveyard, I will destroy that monster."

He raised a finger—

(And the clock ticked on towards oblivion—)

"Flames of Judgement!"

And Empty Abyss flew around, white and blue flames dancing, before they shot towards Clear Wing.

"Continuous Trap, Follow Wing!" Yugo called. "Clear Wing cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effects!"

The flames washed by, hitting the roof—

And then, with a loud clang, with the sound of crumbling and cracking concrete—

The old, unmaintained building in the Commons collapsed in on itself.

(It had suffered wear and tear and the City had never taken care of it. It had suffered the wild lightning of rebellion, the angelic flames of judgement, the treacherous vines that would tear anything apart, the wild winds that reveled in their journey, the waves that carefreely washed away anything else that could bother them, the red blasts that were always intended to be seen.)

(And so, it creaked.)

---

Serena noticed it when dust began to fall from the ceiling, when the supporting pillars began to shake.

She coughed, struggling to get up—

"Yuri! Yuya! Yuto!" Her voice came out in a desperate shriek, as she saw a concrete pillar above them beginning to slowly shift.

And then the roof fell in.

Bricks and metal plates and all those things. They fell, and Serena closed her eyes, preparing to be crushed—

And yet, nothing touched her.

She opened her eyes slowly.

The first thing that she saw was Barrett's face. The man slowly fell over. Serena could see the moon in the sky now, gleaming brightly above her. It illuminated the wounds on Barrett's back, from where he had put himself above her to protect her from the falling debris. He was bleeding and bruised and there were some sharp bits that had torn through his clothes and lodged themselves in his back.

"Barrett!" She cried out, immediately looking him over. "I—" She knew basic first aid, of course—most of the Academia students knew it, in order to patch up the wounds of others while they were out in the field. Serena had too much free time back in Academia, so she had learned it too—but she had no first aid kit to work with right now. Maybe the Obelisk Force would have one, if she went over—

Her legs didn't work as she tried to stand up.

"Serena-sama…"

"It'll be fine, Barrett—just wait—"

"Having so much compassion for your enemy, Serena-sama?" Barrett said in that familiar rumbling tone of his. "You're still too kind to be on the battlefield…"

"If you say that, then you saved my life too!" Serena shouted back. "We don't have time for you to lecture me on how terrible of a soldier I am—I defected to the Lancers, didn't I? That part is obvious now, at least. I'll help you once I get a first aid kit—"

"... well. I'm the same as you. Too kind and too weak." Barrett reached out a hand, holding onto her arm. "Serena-sama. Explain it to me, so I can hear it directly from you. Why did you leave Academia?"

He needed help. But he was looking at her so seriously that Serena had to answer. "I thought that what Academia was doing was wrong, and I couldn't fight for them anymore," she said seriously. "My honour couldn't handle it. That's all there is to it, really."

"... you sound resolute." Barrett shook his head. "So… was it not for your own happiness?"

"... well, that too." Serena pressed a hand to his clammy shoulder. "I am happy, Barrett. With the Lancers, even when we are in danger, even when we are struggling, I feel what you told me about so long ago. I feel the wish to fight for something greater than myself. I am not sure if I ever believed in Academia. I think I just wanted something to believe in. But I do believe in the Lancers. They're my friends, and they make me happy."

"... I see."

Serena saw Barrett's mouth curve into a smile.

"Then, I will allow you to fight for what you believe in, Serena-sama," he said. "I will not take you back to Academia now."

"Alright. Then, let me go and find a first aid kit—you're going to be alright—"

"I had a daughter once, Serena-sama," Barrett murmured. "If she had lived… I would have wanted her to grow up to be like you."

Serena looked at him. Barrett was from the Outer Islands, right? Then, his daughter must have died when…

"There is no need for you to save me, just for me to become your enemy."

"Saying that our enemies don't matter is Academia's philosophy, and I've already forsaken that!" Serena shouted. "Aren't you still a human that is injured and dying in front of me?"

The moon above was shining.

Serena glanced at her bracelet.

Please, she thought. Save him. I can't move, but please.

The bracelet flickered faintly for a moment. It was so quick that Serena thought that she might have imagined it. But nothing happened at all. No miracle happened. Nothing at all came to help her.

It was just her, and this man who had put himself in harm's way just to protect her from it.

Serena focused.

If there were no miracles, then the next best thing…

Was to send him back to Academia to be treated, wasn't it?

"... someday in the future, Barrett," Serena said, "I hope that you and I won't have to be enemies anymore." She reached over to his duel disk.

"Serena-sama?" Barrett said, sounding confused.

"I believe in the same things as you," Serena said. "In honour in war, and all those things… and I think Academia needs more people like you. People who can still lend a hand to others in need." She found and pressed the button, and Barrett vanished, still looking at her, teleporting back to Academia.

She then sank down in the rubble.

She was so tired. Her body just wasn't functioning right now—

But her mind and heart were still worried.

Slowly, she turned her head towards the middle.

The entire roof had caved in. Yugo and Yuji had fallen through it, both of them collapsed at different places on the ground—both of them were unconscious from the fall, and Yuji looked a little worse off from Yugo. The pale-haired boy was somewhat buried by the rubble and concrete, to the point where he could barely be seen, while Yugo remained mostly unscathed, except for, well, the obvious harm of having fallen down from the roof.

Meanwhile, Yuya, Yuri and Yuto had narrowly escaped the large collapsing pillar, but they were all unconscious as well. The duels had long since terminated there—all the duelists were currently unable to continue, after all. Yuto was slightly further away, having been the one that was furthest from the collapsing pillar. However, Yuri and Yuya were in a pile at the side. Serena's brain took a moment to understand, and even then, she didn't believe it. Yuri had clearly shoved Yuya out of the way, and his bottom half was still under assorted crumbled bricks and stone. That was what could be inferred from their positions, at the very least, but…

Why would Yuri save Yuya? That didn't make any sense.

And Yuri—he hadn't come out unscathed. She had to check on him—she had to see how badly injured he was—

Before she could consider that though…

There was one person who wasn't among the crumpled forms on the ground.

A sharp laugh cut through the air, echoing loudly.

Serena looked over, despite her vision beginning to fade.

The creature behind Yuno Sugisaki's smile was laughing. A low-pitched, cruel, sharp laugh—

It sounded like what the devil might sound like.

(It would haunt Serena's nightmares for a very long time. Her helplessness, and that laugh in the background—something else behind it, a different voice echoing Yuno's own.)

"You always did favour me the most, didn't you, sir?" His tone was almost mocking. "Even if it's for your own sake. Watch the rest of them tear each other's throats out, and feast on their corpses afterwards. Well, I'll take what I can get."

In her shaky vision, she saw Yuno reach down for a rock, lifting it up, as though to weigh it in his hands.

"If they die, the one closest to them gets it, right?" He said. Serena stared at his face—for a moment, she saw his lips twist up slightly, like a child that had found a new toy. His eyes gleamed not just with that strange glow, but with something cold and cruel. "And it's not like we can duel now. Well, what a shame. Looks like we'll have to return back to primitive methods. To the victor belongs the spoils."

He strode over to Yuto, turning the rock over in his hand again.

"Hey, Xyz," he said, placing the rock right over Yuto's head. "Don't speak for all of us, yeah? Worthy opponents? I could barely stop myself from laughing. Who here other than you gives a shit? Fusion sure doesn't, despite what he says. He just wants to find someone who can make him fight with all his strength because he feels dead otherwise. Synchro doesn't either—he just wants to have everything that he wants. Pendulum? What does that cowardly liar even feel about dueling, anyway? He sure doesn't know. And we all know that Ritual's skill is rotting in the coffin that his soul lives in."

Yuno tilted his head.

"So there are no worthy opponents for you to find. Not that you really want them—you talk about worthy opponents, but all that you want is to fight someone that will make your death mean something. None of us are worthy opponents for each other—"

Serena passed out before she could hear the next words, despite how badly she was fighting to stay awake.

---

"—we're just meatsacks born to kill each other. The day that all of you figure that out, that'll be so much easier. I sure don't give a shit about anything other than that. And maybe occasionally messing with that woman's shards, too." Yuno lifted the rock. "So, like I said. If we were born to kill each other, how about we simplify the process? The faster you die, the faster I get to die too."

And his arm smashed straight down.

---

Duel 1 Summary: Yuri Kaiba vs Serena Akaba

Duel Format: Normal Duel

Note: These duels definitely require a Duel Summary, no matter how hard it is to write, lmao.

Turn 1: Yuri Kaiba

Yuri activates the Spell Card, Predapractice, Special Summoning Predaplant Chlamydosundew (2*/600/200) from his hand and adding a "Predap" card from his Deck to his hand. He uses the effect of Chlamydosundew to Fusion Summon using itself on the field and Predaplant Byblisp in Yuri's hand, Fusion Summoning Predaplant Chimerafflesia. (7*/2500/2000) Yuri uses Byblisp's effect to add a "Predaplant" monster from his Deck to his hand. He sets 1 card and ends his turn.

Turn 2: Serena Akaba

Serena draws. She activates the effect of Moonlight Black Sheep in her hand, discarding it from her hand to add Polymerization from her Deck to her hand. She activates the Spell Card, Polymerization, fusing Moonlight Purple Butterfly and Moonlight Yellow Marten in her hand, Fusion Summoning Moonlight Rabbit Dancer (5*/2000/1000) in Attack Position. With the effect of Moonlight Yellow Marten, since it was used as material for a Fusion Summon, she can add a "Moonlight" Spell or Trap from her deck to her hand. Serena sets 1 card facedown. Moonlight Rabbit Dancer attacks Yuri directly with its effect, but the damage is halved. [YK: 4000 - 1000 = 3000LP] With Rabbit Dancer's effect, Serena sends Yuri's Chimerafflesia from the field to the GY. Serena ends her turn.

Turn 3: Yuri Kaiba

Yuri draws. During the Standby Phase, he uses the effect of Chimerafflesia to add a "Polymerization" or "Fusion" Spell from his Deck to his hand. He Normal Summons Predaplant Flytrap (2*/400/800) He uses its effect to place a Predator Counter on Moonlight Rabbit Dancer. He uses the Equip Spell, Predapruning, Special Summoning Predaplant Chlamydosundew from the GY. Using Chlamydosundew's effect, he fuses Rabbit Dancer on the field with Chlamydosundew, Fusion Summoning Predaplant Dragostapelia. (8*/2700/1900) Dragostapelia attacks Serena directly. Serena uses the effect of Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin (4*/600/1800) in her hand, Special Summoning her in Defense Position and halving all damage that she takes for the rest of the turn. Dragostapelia destroys Sapphire Dolphin, and Flytrap attacks directly. The damage is halved with the effect of Sapphire Dolphin. [SA: 4000 - 200 = 3800LP] Yuri activates the Spell Card, Polymerization, fusing Predaplant Flytrap on the field with Predaplant Cordyceps in his hand, Fusion Summoning Predaplant Ambulomelides (5*/1000/2500) in Defense Position. When Ambulomelides is Fusion Summoned, Yuri can add a "Predaplant" monster or a "Predap" Spell/Trap from his Deck to his hand. Yuri ends his turn.

Turn 4: Serena Akaba

Serena draws. She sets the Scale 1 Moonlight Wolf and the Scale 5 Moonlight Tiger in the Pendulum Scales. She Pendulum Summons Moonlight Emerald Bird (4*/1200/1000) and Moonlight Crimson Fox (4*/1800/600) from her hand. With the effect of Moonlight Emerald Bird, she sends a "Moonlight" card from her hand to the GY to draw a card. Using Moonlight Tiger's effect, she Special Summons Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin from her GY. Serena activates the Spell Card, Fusion Recovery, adding Polymerization and Moonlight Purple Butterfly from the GY to the hand. Serena activates the Spell Card, Polymerization, fusing Moonlight Emerald Bird and Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin. She Fusion Summons Moonlight Cat Dancer (7*/2400/2000) in Attack Position. With Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin's effect, since it was used for a Fusion Summon, she adds a "Moonlight" card or Polymerization from her GY to her hand. With Moonlight Emerald Bird's effect, since it was used as Fusion Material, she Special Summons Moonlight Black Sheep back to the field. She activates the Spell Card, Polymerization. She fuses Moonlight Black Sheep and Moonlight Cat Dancer, Fusion Summoning Moonlight Panther Dancer (8*/2800/2500) in Attack Position. She uses Black Sheep's effect, adding a "Moonlight" monster from her GY to her hand. She uses Moonlight Wolf's Pendulum Effect, banishing Moonlight Black Sheep, Moonlight Yellow Marten and Moonlight Emerald Bird from the GY to Fusion Summon Moonlight Sabre Dancer (9*/3000/2600) in Attack Position. Moonlight Sabre Dancer gains 200 attack points for each Beast-Warrior monster which is banished or in the GY. (MSD: 3000 + 200 x 8 = 4600ATK) Moonlight Panther Dancer attacks Predaplant Ambulomelides. Yuri activates the Trap Card, Predaplanning. He sends a "Predaplant" monster from his Deck to the GY to place a Predator Counter on every monster on the field. He places one on Sabre Dancer, Panther Dancer, Crimson Fox, Dragostapelia and Ambulomelides. Dragostapelia's effect negates the activated effects of all monsters Serena controls with a Predator Counter. Panther Dancer attacks Ambulomelides. Yuri activates the effect of Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra, banishing another "Predaplant" monster from the GY to lower Panther Dancer's ATK by 500. (MPD: 2800 - 500 = 2300ATK) [SA: 3800 - 200 = 3600LP] Sabre Dancer attacks Predaplant Ambulomelides and destroys it. Serena ends her turn.

Turn 5: Yuri Kaiba

Yuri draws. He banishes Cordyceps from the GY, Special Summoning Predaplant Byblisp (1*/0/1900) and Predaplant Chlamydosundew from the GY. However, he cannot Normal Summon/Set monsters this turn. He uses Chlamydosundew's effect, fusing Predaplant Byblisp, Predaplant Chlamydosundew and Moonlight Sabre Dancer. He Fusion Summons Predaplant Triphyovertum (9*/3000/3000) in Attack Position. Yuri banishes Predaplanning from the GY to destroy Moonlight Wolf in Serena's Pendulum Scale, since he Fusion Summoned a DARK monster. He uses Byblisp's effect to add a "Predaplant" monster from his Deck to his hand. Triphyovertum's effect allows it to gain ATK equal to the total original ATK of all other monsters on the field with a Predator Counter. (PT: 3000 + 2700 + 1800 + 2800 = 10300ATK) Predaplant Triphyovertum attacks Moonlight Panther Dancer. Serena discards Moonlight Silver Hound from her hand, changing the battle positions of all monsters on the field. Triphyovertum, Dragostapelia, Crimson Fox and Panther Dancer all change to Defense Position. He sets a card and ends his turn.

Turn 6: Serena Akaba

Serena draws. She Normal Summons Moonlight White Rabbit (2*/800/800) from her hand. She uses the effect of Moonlight White Rabbit to Special Summon Moonlight Silver Hound (2*/400/1900) from the GY. She uses the effect of Moonlight Silver Hound. Since it was Special Summoned, she sends Moonlight Wolf from the Extra Deck to the GY to add a "Polymerization" or "Fusion" card from her Deck to her hand. She activates the effect of Moonlight White Rabbit, returning Yuri's set card to the hand. She activates the Spell Card, Polymerization, fusing Moonlight Crimson Fox, Moonlight White Rabbit and Moonlight Panther Dancer to Fusion Summon Moonlight Lio Dancer (10*/3500/3000) in Attack Position. Yuri activates the effect of Predaplant Triphyovertum, negating the Fusion Summon of Lio Dancer and destroying it. Serena uses the effect of Moonlight Crimson Fox, changing Triphyovertum's ATK to 0. (PT: 10300 → 0ATK) Serena uses the Pendulum Effect of Moonlight Tiger, Special Summoning Moonlight White Rabbit from the GY, but its effects are negated, it cannot attack and it is destroyed during the End Phase. She overlays the Level 2 Moonlight White Rabbit and the Level 2 Moonlight Silver Hound, Xyz Summoning Moonlight Songbird Dancer. (R2/1000/2000/OU:2) She detaches two Overlay Units from Songbird Dancer to allow it to attack each monster Yuri controls twice, and have those monsters not be destroyed by the first attack. (MSD: OU:2 - 2 = OU:0) Moonlight Songbird Dancer cannot be targeted by card effects. Songbird Dancer attacks Predaplant Triphyovertum. When Songbird Dancer attacks, the ATK of all monsters that Serena's opponent controls are lowered by 400. (PD: 2700 - 400 = 2300ATK) [YK: 3000 - 1000 = 2000LP] Songbird Dancer attacks Triphyovertum again. [YK: 2000 - 1000 = 1000LP] (PD: 2300 - 400 = 1900ATK) Since Songbird Dancer destroyed a monster by battle, Serena pays 800 LP to add a "Moonlight" Spell/Trap or a "Rank-Up-Magic" card from her Deck to her hand. [SA: 3600 - 800 = 2800LP] She adds Moonlight Barrier to her hand and sets it facedown, ending her turn.

Turn 7: Yuri Kaiba

Yuri Normal Summons Predaplant Lilizard. (3*/1200/1200) He activates the Spell Card, Fusion Substitute, fusing Lilizard and Dragostapelia to Fusion Summon Starving Venom Fusion Dragon (8*/2800/2000) in Attack Position. Starving Venom Fusion Dragon gains ATK equal to the total ATK of all Special Summoned monsters Serena controls. (SVFD: 2800 + 1000 = 3800ATK) He banishes Fusion Substitute from the GY and returns Predaplant Dragostapelia from the GY to the Deck to draw a card. He activates the Spell Card, Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Serena's set card. Starving Venom Fusion Dragon attacks Moonlight Songbird Dancer. [SA: 2800 - 2800 = 0LP] Yuri wins!

---

Duel 2 Summary: Yuya Sakaki vs Barrett (and Yuto and Yuri also show up, and it's a clusterfuck)

Duel Format: Normal Duel → Battle Royale

Turn 1: Barrett

Barrett activates the Continuous Spell, Beastborg Fusioner. With the effect of Beastborg Fusioner, he fuses Dark Sentinel and Panther Warrior in his hand, Fusion Summoning Beastborg Panther Predator (6*/1600/2000) He uses its effect to inflict damage equal to half its ATK to Yuya. [YS: 4000 - 800 = 3200LP] Barrett sets two cards facedown and ends his turn.

Turn 2: Yuya Sakaki

Yuya draws. He sets the Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and the Scale 8 Timegazer Magician in the Pendulum Scales. She Pendulum Summons Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (7*/S4/2500/2000) in Attack Position and Performapal Bit Bite Turtle (3*/S3/800/1200) in Defense Position. Barrett activates the Continuous Trap, Beastborg Medal of the Steel Chain. Once per turn, when his opponent Special Summons monsters to the field, those monsters cannot attack, change their battle positions or be destroyed by battle. Yuya activates the Spell Card, Odd-Eyes Fusion. He fuses Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Bit Bite Turtle, Fusion Summoning Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (8*/3000/2000) in Attack position. Barrett activates the Continuous Trap, Beastborg Medal of the Crimson Chain. Once while it is face-up on the field, when a monster is Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, he can target it, and it cannot attack, change its battle position or be destroyed by battle. The controller of that monster cannot Normal or Special Summon monsters, or activate Spell or Trap Card. Yuya ends his turn.

Turn 3: Barrett

Barrett activates the effect of Beastborg Panther Predator, inflicting damage to Yuya equal to half of Panther Predator's ATK. [YS: 3200 - 800 = 2400LP] Since Yuya took damage, Beastborg Medal of the Steel Chain lowers his monsters' ATK by the amount of damage he took. (TEPD: 3000 - 800 = 2200ATK) Barrett ends his turn.

Turn 4: Yuya Sakaki

Yuya draws. He tributes Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon to set Performapal Kaleidoscorp facedown. Using Timegazer and Stargazer, he Pendulum Summons Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Bit Bite Turtle from the Extra Deck. Barrett uses the effect of Beastborg Medal of the Steel Chain to stop Odd-Eyes and Bit Bite Turtle from attacking, being destroyed by battle or change their battle positions. Yuya uses Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Bit Bite Turtle to Link Summon Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon. (L2/2500/↙, ↘) With the effect of Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon, Yuya halves the ATK of all non-Pendulum Monsters on the field. (BPP: 1600 / 2 = 800ATK) Yuya has Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon attack Beastborg Panther Predator. [B: 4000 - 1700 = 2300LP] Since Barrett no longer controls a "Beastborg" monster, his two chains are destroyed. When Beastborg Panther Predator is destroyed by battle, Barrett can revive its Fusion Materials, Panther Warrior (4*/2000/1600) and Dark Sentinel (4*/1500/1800). Yuya ends his turn.

Turn 5: Barrett

Barrett draws. He uses Beastborg Fusioner's effect to fuse Dark Sentinel and Panther Warrior, Fusion Summoning Beastborg Wolf Kampfer (6*/2200/1500) in Attack Position. He activates the Equip Spell, Beastborg Medal of the Overdrive Mechanism. Wolf Kampfer gains 500 ATK for each monster that Yuya controls. (BWK: 2200 + 500 x 2 = 3200ATK) Wolf Kampfer attacks Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon. [YS: 2400 - 700 = 1700LP] Since Yuya took battle damage, Wolf Kampfer inflicts 300 more damage to him. And since the monster equipped with Beastborg Medal of the Overdrive Mechanism destroyed a monster by battle, Yuya takes 300 damage times the number of "Beastborg" cards in the GY. [YS: 1400 - 300 x 3 = 500LP] Barrett ends his turn.

Turn 6: Yuto Kamisoka

Yuto intrudes. [YK: 4000 - 2000 = 2000LP] Yuto Normal Summons The Phantom Knights of Torn Scales (3*/600/1600) from his hand. He uses Torn Scales' effect, discarding Phantom Knights' Wing to send The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak (3*/800/1000) from the Deck to the GY. He banishes Phantom Knights' Wing from the GY to Special Summon The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak from the GY. He overlays the Level 3 Torn Scales and the Level 3 Ancient Cloak, Xyz Summoning The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail. (R3/1000/2000/OU:2) He detaches 1 Overlay Unit from Jagged Chainmail to set a "Phantom Knights" Spell/Trap from the Deck to his field, and if it's a Quickplay Spell or a Trap, he can activate it this turn. (TPKOJC: OU:2 - 1 = OU:1) He activates the card that he just set—Phantom Knights' Sword. He targets Jagged Chainmail, giving it 800 more ATK. (TPKOJC: 1000 + 800 = 1800ATK) He activates the Spell Card, Phantom Knights' Fang, detaching 1 Overlay Unit from Jagged Chainmail and doubling its ATK. (TPKOJC: OU:1 - 1 = OU:0; 1800 x 2 = 3600ATK) Then, he sends a "Phantom Knights" Spell/Trap from his Deck to the GY. Jagged Chainmail attacks Wolf Kampfer. [B: 2300 - 400 = 1900LP] Barrett uses Wolf Kampfer's effect to revive Panther Warrior and Dark Sentinel yet again. Yuto sets 2 cards and ends his turn.

Turn 7: Yuya Sakaki

Yuya draws. He Pendulum Summons Performapal Bit Bite Turtle and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon from the Extra Deck, along with Performapal Spikeagle (2*/900/900) from his hand. He Flip Summons Performapal Kaleidoscorp (6*/S4/100/2300) With Kaleidoscorp's effect and Spikeagle's effects, Odd-Eyes can attack each Special Summoned monster that Barrett controls once, and it deals piercing damage. It attacks Panther Warrior and Dark Sentinel. [B: 1900 - 900 - 700 = 300LP] Spikeagle attacks directly. [B: 300 - 900 = 0LP] Odd-Eyes attacks Jagged Chainmail. Yuto destroys Phantom Knights' Sword to protect Jagged Chainmail from destruction. [YK: 2000 - 700 = 1300LP] Yuya moves to his Main Phase 2, activating the Spell Card, Pendulum Fusion. He fuses Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Kaleidoscorp, Fusion Summoning Performapal Gatlinghoul. (8*/2900/900) He uses Gatlinghoul's effect to inflict 200 damage for each card on the field. Yuto activates the Trap Card, Phantom Knights' Fog Blade, targeting Gatlinghoul and negating its effects, stopping it from attacking and stopping it from being attacked. Yuya ends his turn.

Turn 8: Yuto Kamisoka

Yuto activates the Quickplay Spell, The Phantom Knights' Rank-Up-Magic Launch. He targets Jagged Chainmail and Ranks Up that monster by 1 Rank, Xyz Summoning Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon. (R4/2500/2000/OU:1) Rank-Up-Magic Launch attaches itself to Dark Rebellion as an Overlay Unit. (DRXD: OU:1 + 1 = OU:2) He uses Dark Rebellion's effect on Gatlinghoul twice. (PG: 2900 / 2 / 2 = 975ATK) (DRXD: OU:2 - 2 = OU:0; 2500 + 975 + 1950 = 5425ATK) Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon attacks Gatlinghoul. Yuya discards Performapal Inflater Tapir to use its effect, stopping both Yuya and Yuto from taking battle damage from that battle. Yuto sets a card and ends his turn.

Turn 9: Yuri Kaiba

Yuri intrudes. [YK: 4000 - 2000 = 2000LP] Yuri Normal Summons Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio. (3*/1200/800) He sends a monster from his hand to the GY to Special Summon Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra (3*/1000/1500) from the Deck. He uses its effect to add Polymerization to his hand. He activates the Spell Card, Polymerization, fusing Darlingtonia Cobra and Ophrys Scorpio, Fusion Summoning Starving Venom Fusion Dragon. (8*/2800/2000)

An unspecified amount of time after this, this duel is interrupted by the building collapsing. There is no result.

Thank you to Ben23ten for pointing out a mistake with Turn 8! :) It's since been corrected, but funnily enough, I have a precedent for forgetting that Odd-Eyes isn't on the field, lmao.

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Duel 3 Summary: Yugo vs Yuji Fujita

Duel Format: Normal Duel

Turn 1: Yugo

Yugo Normal Summons Speedroid Ultra Hound. (3*/800/800) He uses its effect to send Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice from his Deck to the GY. He Special Summons Speedroid CarTurbo (3*/800/1200) from his hand, since he controls a WIND monster. He tunes the Level 3 Speedroid CarTurbo to the Level 3 Speedroid Ultra Hound, Synchro Summoning Hi-Speedroid Kendama. (6*/2200/1600) He banishes Ultra Hound from the GY with the effect of Hi-Speedroid Kendama, inflicting 500 damage to Yuji. [YF: 4000 - 500 = 3500LP] Yugo ends his turn.

Turn 2: Yuji Fujita

Yuji draws. He Normal Summons Tour Guide From the Underworld. (3*/1000/600) He uses its effect to Special Summon a Level 3 Fiend monster from his Deck, but that monster's effects are negated and it cannot be used as Synchro Material. He Special Summons Cagna, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss (3*/1500/900) from the Deck. He overlays the Level 3 Cagna and Tour Guide, Xyz Summoning Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss (R3/1000/2500/OU:2) in Attack Position. He detaches Cagna from Dante to send the top three cards of his Deck to the GY and have Dante gain 500 ATK for each card sent to the GY. (DTOTBA: OU:2 - 1 = OU:1; 1000 + 500 x 3 = 2500ATK) Cagna's effect activates since it was sent to the graveyard. Yuji sends the Ritual Spell, Sins Cast into the Burning Abyss from the Deck to the GY. Since Graff, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss was sent to the GY, Yuji can Special Summon a "Burning Abyss" monster from the Deck. He Special Summons Draghig, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss. (3*/1100/900) Dante attacks Kendama. Yugo banishes Speedroid Tri-Eyed Dice from his GY to negate the attack. Yuji activates the Spell Card, Preparation of Rites, adding a Level 7 or lower Ritual Monster from his Deck to his hand, and a Ritual Spell from his GY to his hand. He activates the Ritual Spell, Sins Cast into the Burning Abyss, tributing Draghig on the field and Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from the Deck to Ritual Summon Francesca, Noblewoman of the Burning Abyss (6*/2000/2500) from his hand. Francesca's effect lets him send a card from the top of his Deck to the GY. He sends Barbar to the GY, so Kendama's stats decrease by that amount. (HSK: 2200 - 1700 = 500ATK; 1600 - 1000 = 600DEF) He also changes Kendama to Defense Position. He sets 1 card and ends his turn. Scarm lets him add a Level 3 DARK Fiend monster from his Deck to his hand.

Turn 3: Yugo

Yugo draws. Since he controls a WIND monster, he Special Summons Speedroid Taketomborg (3*/600/1200) from his hand. He tributes it to Special Summon Speedroid Den-Den Daiko Duke (3*/1000/1000) from his Deck. He banishes Taketomborg from the GY to use Kendama's effect, inflicting 500 damage to Yuji. [YF: 3500 - 500 = 3000LP] Yugo uses the Spell Card, Synchro Adjustment, decreasing Kendama's Level by 1 to draw a card. He tunes the Level 3 Speedroid Den-Den Daiko Duke to the Level 5 Hi-Speedroid Kendama, Synchro Summoning Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake. (8*/3000/2800) He uses Kitedrake's effect to destroy every other card on the field. Yuji activates Thieving Shadows of the Burning Abyss. Since he controls no other Spells or Traps, he can draw two cards, but all other Spells and Traps he controls are destroyed during the End Phase. He uses Dante's effect. When Dante is sent to the GY, he can add a "Burning Abyss" card from his graveyard to his hand, while when Francesca is sent to the graveyard, he can add a "Burning Abyss" Spell or Trap from the graveyard to his hand. Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake attacks directly. Yuji banishes Thieving Shadows of the Burning Abyss from the GY to Special Summon Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss (3*/800/2000) from the GY in Defense Position. Kitedrake destroys it. With Scarm's effect, Yuji adds a Level 3 DARK Fiend monster from his Deck to his hand.

Turn 4: Yuji

Yuji draws. He activates the Ritual Spell, Sins Cast into the Burning Abyss. He tributes the Level 4 Armageddon Knight in his hand and the Level 3 Calcab, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss from his Deck to Ritual Summon Charon, Ferry Boatman of the Burning Abyss. (7*/2400/2600) He uses Calcab's effect to return Yugo's set card to his hand. With Charon's effect, when he is Ritual Summoned, Yuji can Special Summon a "Burning Abyss" monster from his graveyard. He Special Summons Francesca in Defense Position. He activates her effect, sending the top card of his Deck to the GY. He activates the Spell Card, The Terminus of the Burning Abyss, fusing Scarm, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, Farfa, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss and Cir, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss in his hand. He Fusion Summons Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss. He uses Cir's effect. Since it was sent to the graveyard, he can Special Summon Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss from the graveyard in Defense Position. With Farfa's effect, since it was sent to the graveyard, he targets and banishes Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake until the End Phase. He uses Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss's effect, sending a "Burning Abyss" card from his hand to the graveyard to draw a card. Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss, attacks Yugo directly. Yugo activates the effect of Speedroid Menko (4*/100/2000) and Special Summons it to the field in Attack Position, changing Yuji's monsters to Defense Position. Yuji ends his turn. Scarm lets him add a Level 3 DARK Fiend monster from his Deck to his hand. Kitedrake returns to Yugo's field.

Turn 5: Yugo

Yugo draws. He activates the Spell Card, Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two cards. He banishes Speedroid Den-Den Daiko Duke from the graveyard to Special Summon Speedroid Fuki-Modoshi Piper (4*/1000/1000) from his graveyard. He uses Fuki-Modoshi Piper's effect to excavate a card from the top of his deck for each other WIND monster he controls. He excavates two, and then he adds one of them to his hand. He Normal Summons Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice. He tunes the Level 1 Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice to the Level 4 Speedroid Menko. He Synchro Summons Hi-Speedroid Chanbara (5*/2000/1000) in Attack Position. He uses the effect of CarTurbo in his graveyard, banishing it and Speedroid Menko from the GY to increase all his WIND monsters' ATK by 800 until the End Phase. (HSC: 2000 + 800 = 2800ATK) (HSK: 3000 + 800 = 3800ATK) (SFMP: 1000 + 800 = 1800ATK) Chanbara attacks Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss, who is in Defense Position. Yuji uses Pilgrim's effect to send a "Burning Abyss" card from the hand to the graveyard and draw a card. He uses the effect of Alich, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss, negating Chanbara's effects until the End Phase. Pilgrim is destroyed. When Dante, Pilgrim of the Burning Abyss is sent to the graveyard, Yuji can force Yugo to send a card from his hand to the graveyard. Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake attacks Charon. Yuji activates Charon's effect, paying 500 life points to send it and the monster it is battling to the graveyard. [YF: 3000 - 500 = 2500LP] Yugo uses Kitedrake's effect since it was sent to the graveyard, adding a "Speedroid" monster from his Deck to his hand. Yuji uses Charon's effect, adding a "Burning Abyss" Spell/Trap from his Deck to his hand. Yugo sets 2 cards and ends his turn.

Turn 6: Yuji Fujita

Yuji draws. He uses Francesca's effect, sending the top card of his deck to the GY. He decreases Hi-Speedroid Chanbara's ATK/DEF by the ATK/DEF of the Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss that was sent to the GY by Francesca's effect. (HSC: 2000 - 2700 = 0ATK; 1000 - 2200 = 0DEF) He changes Francesca to Attack Position, before Normal Summoning Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss (3*/1700/1000) from his hand. Francesca attacks Chanbara. Yugo activates the Trap Card, Speedroid Dupligate. He banishes Kendama from his GY and returns Francesca from the field to the hand. Barbar attacks Chanbara. [Y: 4000 - 1700 = 2300LP] Yugo uses Chanbara's effect, adding Speedroid Taketomborg from his banished cards to his hand. Yuji sets 1 card and ends his turn.

Turn 7: Yugo

Yugo draws. He Special Summons Speedroid Taketomborg from his hand, since he controls a WIND monster. He tunes the Level 4 Speedroid Fuki-Modoshi Piper to the Level 3 Speedroid Taketomborg, Synchro Summoning Clear Wing Synchro Dragon (7*/2500/2000) in Attack Position. Yugo Normal Summons Speedroid Maliciousmagnet (1*/0/0) from his hand. He uses Maliciousmagnet's effect. He tunes the Level 1 Maliciousmagnet to the Level 3 Barbar, Malebranche of the Burning Abyss that Yuji controls. He Synchro Summons Hi-Speedroid Puzzle (4*/1300/1600) in Attack Position. Yuji activates Barbar's effect, banishing Alich, Calcab and Cagna from the GY to inflict 300 damage to Yugo for each of the banished cards. [Y: 2300 - 300 x 3 = 1400LP] Hi-Speedroid Puzzle attacks Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss, which is in Defense Position. When Hi-Speedroid Puzzle battles a Special Summoned monster, its attack points become double its attack points until the end of the Damage Step. (HSP: 1300 x 2 = 2600ATK) Dante is destroyed by the attack. Since it was sent to the GY, Yuji adds a "Burning Abyss" card from his GY to his hand. Yugo has Clear Wing Synchro Dragon attack Yuji directly. Yuji activates the Trap Card, The Traveler and the Burning Abyss. He Special Summons "Burning Abyss" monsters from the graveyard that were sent there on that turn, and he can choose as many of them as he likes. He Special Summons Dante, Traveler of the Burning Abyss from the graveyard in Defense Position, protecting himself. He sets 1 card facedown and ends his turn.

Turn 8: Yuji Fujita

Yuji draws. He activates the Equip Spell, Fulfilment of the Contract, Special Summoning Charon, Ferry Boatman of the Burning Abyss from the GY by paying 800 LP. [YF: 2500 - 800 = 1700LP] He then uses the effect of Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon (7*/2800/2000) in his hand. Since his LP is less than 2000, he can tribute DARK monsters from his field or hand with a total Level of 7 or more to Ritual Summon Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon from his hand. He tributes the Level 7 Charon, Ferry Boatman of the Burning Abyss on the field, and Ritual Summons Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon in Attack Position. He activates the effect of Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon. When it is Ritual Summoned, he can change the ATK of all other Special Summoned monsters on the field to 0 until the End Phase, but other than Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon, other monsters that Yuji controls cannot declare an attack this turn. Yugo activates the effect of Clear Wing Synchro Dragon. Since a Level 5 or higher monster activated its effect, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon can negate that effect and destroy that monster, and Clear Wing will gain ATK equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster. Yuji uses Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon's other effect, paying half his LP and discarding Francesca from his hand to stop Empty Abyss from leaving the field. [YF: 1700 / 2 = 850LP] Clear Wing's effect still negates the first activated effect of Empty Abyss. Yuji uses Empty Abyss's second effect, targeting Clear Wing and banishing The Traveller and the Burning Abyss from the GY in order to destroy it. Yugo activates the Continuous Trap, Follow Wing, protecting Clear Wing from destruction by battle or card effects.

This duel is interrupted by both participants falling through a roof and being knocked unconscious. :D As is the YGO style.

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OC Cards:

Moonlight Rabbit Dancer

(5*/2000/1000/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Fusion/Effect)

2 "Moonlight" monsters

This Fusion Summoned card cannot be destroyed by card effects while it is face-up on the field. This card can attack your opponent directly, but the damage it inflicts to your opponent is halved. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent by a direct attack: You can target 1 monster they control with higher ATK than this card; send it to the GY.

Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin

(4*/600/1800/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Effect)

Once per turn, during your opponent's turn (Quick Effect): You can Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position, and if you do, this turn, all damage you take is halved. If this card is sent to the GY by a card effect: You can add 1 "Moonlight" card or "Polymerization" from your GY to your hand. You can only activate each effect of "Moonlight Sapphire Dolphin" once per turn.

Moonlight Silver Hound

(2*/400/1900/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Effect)

(Quick Effect) You can discard this card; change the battle positions of all monsters on the field, and if you do, until the End Phase, if a monster you control attacks a monster in Defense Position, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent. If this card is Special Summoned: You can send 1 "Moonlight" monster from your Extra Deck to the GY; add 1 "Fusion" or "Polymerization" card from your Deck to your hand.

Trivia: The piercing effect is based on Antique Gears. :) No reason, I just thought it was fun.

Moonlight Songbird Dancer

(R2/1000/1500/DARK/Beast-Warrior/Xyz/Effect)

2 Level 2 "Moonlight" monsters

This card cannot be targeted by card effects. Once per turn, if this card destroys a monster by battle: You can pay 800LP; add 1 "Rank-Up-Magic" card or 1 "Moonlight" Spell/Trap from your Deck to your hand. You can only activate this effect of "Moonlight Songbird Dancer" once per turn. If this card declares an attack: All your opponent's monsters lose 400ATK. You can detach 2 Xyz Materials from this card; for the rest of this turn, the first time each monster your opponent controls would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed, also this card can attack all monsters your opponent controls, twice each, this turn.

Trivia: I actually made this card in like 2018, so it's nice to finally use it somewhere. Songbird clearly references Ruri's cards, and the phrasing that Serena uses for herself—a bird that was happy to be in a cage. Its effect wears the opponent down over time and relentless attacks—referencing the spirit of the Resistance, which Serena admires now. It's a monster which, by stats, you would think would be a support monster. But Moonlights are an aggressive deck. And Serena is still an aggressive player. So it is a far more aggressive monster, despite its low stats. And it adds RUMs to hand as well because it references Shun Kurosaki. :) It's Rank 2 because White Rabbit-Black Sheep is an easy Xyz Summon too. And well, fun tidbit is that Songbird also represents Yuzu a little, just from the name—there's a reason that I used 'Songbird' and not any other bird.

Thermal-Eyes Pendulum Dragon

(8*/3000/2000/WATER/Dragon/Fusion/Effect)

1 DARK Dragon monster + 1 Reptile monster

This card is unaffected by the activated effects of monsters your opponent controls with less ATK than this card. Once per turn, if this card destroys a monster by battle: You can gain LP equal to the destroyed monster's original ATK. Once per turn, if this card battles a monster with higher ATK: You can negate that attack and banish this card until the End Phase, and if you do, you can Special Summon 1 Pendulum Monster from face-up in your Extra Deck.

Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon

(L2/2500/LIGHT/Dragon/Link/Effect/↙, ↘)

2 Pendulum Monsters, including a Level 7 or higher "Odd-Eyes" monster

If this card is Link Summoned: Halve the ATK of all non-Pendulum monsters on the field, except this card, until the End Phase. At the start of the Battle Phase: You can target 1 "Odd-Eyes" monster you control; this turn, if that monster attacks a Special Summoned monster, change the opposing monster's Level to 5, and if you do, negate its effects until the End Phase. You can only control 1 "Odd-Eyes Dispersion Dragon".

Trivia: To complete the Odd-Eyes group! Vortex (Fusion) is WIND, Absolute (Xyz) is WATER, Meteorburst (Synchro) is FIRE, Gravity (Ritual) is EARTH. If you take Odd-Eyes itself to be Pendulum and DARK, giving it a LIGHT Link counterpart is nice too. The wiki page says that Saber Dragon is a counterpart, but I am choosing to treat that as a joke, considering that Saber Dragon is Odd-Eyes Dragon's evolution, and not Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's. Since this story treats the Vortex/Absolute/etc group as Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's evolution, Saber Dragon doesn't really fit. :) Anyway, this monster, as mentioned in the story itself, was born from the Yuno incident a few chapters ago, separately from Vortex/Absolute/Meteorburst, who were born in Chapter 13, and Yuya doesn't have Gravity yet. :)

Beastborg Medal of the Overdrive Mechanism

(Spell/Equip)

You can only equip this card to a Beast-Warrior or Machine monster. The equipped monster gains 500 ATK for each monster your opponent controls. If the equipped monster destroys a monster by battle: You can inflict 300 damage to your opponent for each "Beastborg" card in your GY. The equipped monster cannot be destroyed by card effects while you have a "Beastborg" monster in your GY. You can only control 1 "Beastborg Medal of the Overdrive Mechanism".

Phantom Knights' Fang

(Spell)

You can detach 1 Xyz Material from 1 DARK Xyz Monster you control: Double that monster's ATK until the End Phase, then, if that monster was a "Xyz Dragon", "The Phantom Knights" or "Xyz Dragon" monster, you can send 1 "Phantom Knights" Spell/Trap from your Deck to the GY. You can only activate 1 "Phantom Knights' Fang" per turn.

The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail

(R3/1000/2000/DARK/Warrior/Xyz/Effect)

2 Level 3 monsters

This card cannot be destroyed by card effects. Once per turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; Set 1 "Phantom Knights" Spell/Trap from your Deck to your field, and if it is a Trap or a Quickplay Spell, it can be activated this turn. If this card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 "Phantom Knights" card from your GY to your hand. You can only activate this effect of "The Phantom Knights of Jagged Chainmail" once per turn.

Sins Cast into the Burning Abyss

(Spell/Ritual)

This card can be used to Ritual Summon any DARK Ritual Monster. You must also Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels exactly equal the Level of the Ritual Monster you Ritual Summon. If your opponent controls a monster Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, and the monster that you are Ritual Summoning with this card's effect is a "Burning Abyss" monster, you can also Tribute 1 "Burning Abyss" monster in your Deck. During the Main Phase, except the turn that this card was sent to the GY: You can banish this card from your GY; add 1 "Burning Abyss" monster from your GY to your hand.

Francesca, Noblewoman of the Burning Abyss

(6*/2000/2500/DARK/Spellcaster/Ritual/Effect)

You can Ritual Summon this card with "Sins Cast into the Burning Abyss". Once per turn: You can send the top card of your Deck to the GY; then, if it is a "Burning Abyss" monster, you can target 1 monster on the field; change its battle position, and it loses ATK/DEF equal to the ATK/DEF of the monster sent to the GY to activate this effect. If an effect is activated that would destroy a "Burning Abyss" monster(s) you control: You can negate that effect, and if you do, destroy this card. If this card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 "Burning Abyss" Spell/Trap from your GY to your hand. You can only activate each effect of "Francesca, Noblewoman of the Burning Abyss" once per turn.

Trivia: Updated the PBSC so that the activation condition is phrased correctly. Francesca is a real life woman who was written as a character in Dante's Divine Comedy. She is a symbol of the path that one takes when they surrender themselves externally to outside influences—to a refusal to take responsibility for one's own moral conscience and agency. Her self-destruction is what turns Dante's path away and allows him to learn from her fate—thus, her effect allows her to sacrifice herself for another "Burning Abyss" monster—or symbolically, another sinner.

Synchro Adjustment

(Spell)

If you control a Synchro Monster and your opponent controls a Special Summoned monster: You can target 1 Synchro Monster you control, then activate 1 of these effects;

●Increase its Level by 1, and if you do, draw 1 card.

●Reduce its Level by 1, and if you do, draw 1 card.

Thieving Shadows of the Burning Abyss

(Trap)

If you control no other Spell/Traps: You can draw 2 cards, but during the End Phase, destroy all Spell/Traps you control. You can banish this card from the GY; Special Summon 1 "Burning Abyss" monster from your GY with its effects negated. You can only activate each effect of "Thieving Shadows of the Burning Abyss" once per turn.

Trivia: Updated with one very important word, lmao. I forgot to put the word 'other' last time that I posted this, I think.

Charon, Ferry Boatman of the Burning Abyss

(7*/2400/2600/DARK/Fiend/Ritual/Effect)

You can Ritual Summon this card with "Sins Cast into the Burning Abyss". If this card is Ritual Summoned: You can target 1 "Burning Abyss" monster in your GY; Special Summon it in Defense Position. If this card battles a Special Summoned monster, during the start of the Damage Step: You can pay 500LP; Send both this card and the monster it is battling to the GY. If this card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 "Burning Abyss" Spell/Trap from your Deck to your hand. You can only activate each effect of "Charon, Ferry Boatman of the Burning Abyss" once per turn.

Moonlight Exchange

(Trap)

If you would take damage: You can gain LP equal to twice that amount instead. You can banish this card from your GY: Special Summon 1 "Moonlight" monster from your GY. You can only activate each effect of "Moonlight Exchange" once per turn.

Magnetic Current Link Dragon

(L3/2500/WATER/Dragon/Link/Effect/←, ↓, →)

3 monsters with different names, including a Link Monster

Once per turn: You can target 1 Level 5 or higher monster your opponent controls; negate its effects, then, place that opponent's monster in a Main Monster Zone this card points to and take control of it until your opponent's next End Phase, and if you do, your opponent gains LP equal to the original ATK of the targeted monster. If this card is sent to the GY: You can Set 1 Trap from your GY to your field. It can be activated this turn.

Empty Abyss Ritual Dragon

(7*/2800/2000/DARK/Dragon/Ritual/Effect)

You can reveal this card in your hand while you have 2000 or less LP: Tribute DARK monsters on the field and/or in your hand with a total Level of 7 or more; Special Summon this card from your hand. (This is treated as a Ritual Summon.) If this card is Ritual Summoned: All other Special Summoned monsters on the field have their ATK become 0 until the End Phase. On the turn you activate this effect, while you control this face-up card, no other monsters you control can attack. Once per turn: You can banish 1 Spell/Trap from your GY and target 1 Level 5 or higher monster on the field; destroy that monster. Once per turn, if a card or effect is activated that would destroy this card while you control no other monsters: You can halve your LP and send 1 monster from your hand to the GY; the next time this card would be destroyed by a card effect, it remains on the field.

Trivia: Empty Abyss's effect is a reflection of Starving Venom. It is a monster that uses the ATK of all Special Summoned monsters, but decreases all of them instead of increasing them. It protects itself from effect destruction by decreasing the player's own LP, while Starving Venom destroys other monsters and inflicts damage to the opponent's LP. While Starving Venom steals another monster's effect, Empty Abyss just destroys the monster instead. It's the difference between an executioner and a murderer. Empty Abyss's effects are less wild than Starving Venom's, but ultimately, they're both tailored to remove other monsters from the field in different ways. Empty Abyss affecting Yuji's other monsters, technically being capable of targeting a monster on any side of the field, and requiring no other monsters to protect itself is a representation of Yuji's preference to be alone—of course, not that he has to be. It's not as xenophobic as the Burning Abyss monsters. Banishing a Spell/Trap is a reference to Magnetic Current bringing back a Trap. It's also a reference to Burning Abyss not liking Spells/Traps on the field.

And to be honest? Empty Abyss's effects not being revealed yet wasn't to hype it up or anything like that. It wasn't even intentional. The reason that it wasn't revealed was because I forgot that it didn't work on Yuno's monsters until I wrote Chapter 20, and then forgot that I never revealed it. So, whoops? :) That's why the revelation of its effects isn't that dramatic in this chapter either—because it's not a big reveal, Yuji just hasn't gotten to use them on screen yet because his opponents happened to be bad for showing them off. Him getting to use them is just because the duel worked out that way. (Namely, Yugo actually has Level 5 or higher monsters.)

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Different Card Effects from TCG:

Moonlight Black Sheep - Its anime effect adds it back to the hand, but instead, I just gave it its TCG effects, minus the clause where it cannot add itself back to hand, so that I don't interfere with her canon duels but her deck is a little more consistent.

Predaplant Cordyceps - Uses its anime effect, which restricts Normal Summons/Sets, but doesn't restrict Special Summons like the TCG effect.

Moonlight Cat Dancer - Anime effect. This is like the one Serena card I cannot change, even though I really want to.

Moonlight Panther Dancer - Anime effect.

Beastborgs in general - Anime-only cards.

Beastborg Wolf Kampfer - Treated as Level 4 or lower Beast-Warrior + Level 4 or lower Machine for its materials, since according to the wiki, it has no specific materials. Anime-only card. (Konami, please print them.)

Moonlight Lio Dancer - Anime effect.

Stargazer Magician - Anime effect.

Timegazer Magician - Anime effect.

Predaplant Lilizard - Anime-only card, for obvious reasons. I've stamped a hard 'once per turn' restriction on its effect, because that's Ipiria on steroids.

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon - Anime effect.

Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon - Anime effect.

Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon - Anime effect.

Clear Wing Synchro Dragon - Anime effect.

The Phantom Knights' Rank-Up-Magic Launch - Anime effect, but a Quickplay Spell.

Predaplant Darlingtonia Cobra - Uses its OCG effect, which allows the user to add any "Fusion" or "Polymerization" Spell card instead of just "Polymerization". However, uses its anime condition, which lets it use its effect when Special Summoned in any way, not just by a "Predaplant" monster.

Speedroid Maliciousmagnet - Anime effect.

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End Notes:

… haha. :) Sorry for the cliffhanger? Honestly, while I do think the cliffhanger is a better ending to this chaotic chapter, it's also because writing what happens right after would mean that I have to jump into another long scene, and this chapter's long enough. Help.

… please note, the first scene has a very unreliable narrator. And wow, the writing process for this chapter was painful. The number of things I had to keep track of between scenes… still though, while I could have wrote all three duels separately and placed them in order, I firmly believe that the way it is now reads far better, because the twists hit harder. I can't wait to get back to continuous duels that don't have to split up. Anyway, the writing process of this chapter went as: list out all the scenes → Serena vs Yuri up until things go wrong → Yuya vs Barrett up until things go wrong → Yuji vs Yugo up until things go wrong → the starting flashback and the ending scene → the Berserk Mode stuff in the middle → boys destroying Barrett, Serena and the ceiling. I ended up cutting Yuno vs Obelisk Force because I think we all know how that would go and I did not actually want to write it, lmao.

So, let's go one by one with the duels! We'll start with Serena vs Yuri, since it's the most straightforward one. Firstly, let's talk about the Predatorshipping dynamic in this story. Can I just say—this dynamic that I have for Yuri and Serena is the only way that I can really see Predatorshipping working out in this universe. They argue a lot, they are rarely genuine with each other, but they are never blind to each other's flaws. They always call out the other, and that's the only time that they can be honest with each other that they actually care about each other. One has been privileged enough to always be sure in what others tell her, and the other is too tired and pessimistic to care, so he takes everything that others tell him, etc. And Serena actually gets through to Yuri for a brief moment when she uses Songbird Dancer. Songbird Dancer is a representation of how she's learned to understand others different from her, and when she uses it and shows Yuri her willingness to understand, Yuri actually responds by trying to explain himself so that she'll understand! It's a miracle!

… and then Zarc. :D Serena's bracelet is out of energy, or 'battery', in a sense—she can no longer suppress Berserk Mode, not just in this chapter, but pretty much forever now. Her bracelet was essentially charging up energy for the first sixteen years of her life, and she used it up in several instances. It won't 'recharge' in time for the next time that she'll need it.

Everyone thought Yuto vs Yuri was going to happen here… but not under these circumstances, sorry. It'll happen at some point, and Yuto will get to speak his mind—but this is not the time for it. Trust me, it's more satisfying when it does happen—and besides, doing it here would draw away from Yugo vs Yuji, because the conflict at play is pretty similar. To give both duels the weight they deserve… it could not happen here, in one chapter. Yuto and Yuri are very important to me to get right, so.. patience. :)

Anyway, over to Yuya and Yuto against Barrett. That one is interesting. First—I wanted Yuya to break the chains himself. That response of him taking a step back to break out of it is his own maturity. Also, because of fanfics, I thought there were more Beastborgs than there actually were. The hilarity of Yuto showing up and being like "I'm going to intrude in a duel" and both Yugo and Serena being like "no, you're fucking not, this is our duel, gtfo" and Yuya being like "ok, thanks, come over!"

The main show though is Yuji vs Yugo. I'll be honest and say that Yuji's monologue here has been written for around seven months now—Yuji vs Yugo has been decided for a while. It's surprisingly fitting now for my own personal feelings now on how people perceive Yuji in this story. This is probably the one Yuji scene that I've been looking forward to writing the most, because his character shines through so clearly here. And Yugo shines quite a lot too. I will never get tired of saying this—I love Yugo's character. In this story, the power level goes Yuri/Yuno Yugo/Yuto Yuji Yuya. And while you might want to argue with that and tell me that Yuji is more powerful than them, remember who you're arguing with. :) It's Word of God here.

Want some fun symbolic facts about the duels? Yuji doesn't use Cherubini in this duel at all. Why? Because Cherubini is the card born from his attempt to understand Yuno in return, back in Standard. Of course, Berserk!Yuji probably doesn't care about that, but Yuji definitely does. It's a card that he has not used since meeting Yuno—simply cherished, in his own way. And the Yu-boys, when Berserk (though Yuno vs Obelisk Force was cut), do not summon a single monster from their Extra Deck (or in Yuji's case, with his summoning method) other than their dragons after they go Berserk, excluding Yuya, due to Pendulum Summon. Even so, he relies mainly on Odd-Eyes for the entire turn, with every other card being there only to support Odd-Eyes. None of the Yu-boys who already have their dragon evolutions use them during this duel, even though they have the opportunity. Why? Well, partially because they're waiting to bring out their dragons, and partially because… uh, reasons. Chapter 39 might give you a hint on that, if you're curious, but I'm not going to say it explicitly here.

Serena's Songbird Dancer, more than anything is a representation of how far she's come. There's a lot of stuff on that in the OC Cards section though, so I'll just cut that short here.

This is the most lore-heavy chapter in the entire story. Because of that, the writing style is abstract in a very lovely way. There's a lot of double meanings and things like that here. A lot of what happened in this chapter, as you can probably tell from the end, is from Zarc influencing the boys slightly. It's still the boys and their own choices, but the matchups are very much what Zarc wanted them to be. I will point out that Yugo saying that he got a gut feeling that he shouldn't use Clear Wing was… well, not a gut feeling. It was a certain someone telling him to save it. The question is—how much is the Yu-boys, and how much is Zarc? When exactly do the lines lie between each of their selves? How much influence does Zarc have on them, even when their eyes aren't glowing? It's something that I really wish the show had explored more—the blurring between selves.

Also, why did Yuri save Yuya? Why is Yuno still conscious? Great questions! They'll be answered later. :D

Also, Berserk Mode, like I said, is very different from canon in this version. :) Disclaimer, the Yu-boys' opinions of each other in Berserk Mode do not reflect their opinions of each other as their actual selves. Anything more than that is a spoiler. But yeah, you can feel free to speculate on any secret meanings that might be present—but I'm not confirming anything.

DNFing all the duels was always the intention. I'd appreciate if you guys aren't upset at me for not killing off the Yu-boys yet! :D Frankly, they're too interesting to sacrifice right now. I'm the same person who chose not to kill off Yuto because I wanted a chance to let him make friends with other characters and exist outside of Yuya—for the same reasons that I didn't kill off Yuto then, I'm not killing the rest off now either. I'm not super eager to kill off characters yet either. There will be a time where things will get really bad, but that's not now. I have more than a hundred chapters left to go. And I want my character interactions, thank you. :D Make no mistake, this chapter is going to have consequences, because unlike canon, we have a witness (Serena) who actually saw what happened and uh, isn't going to get spirited away. I'll spoil that much. So the boys are going to have to actually figure some stuff out.

Also, I thought I should clarify this now. This is an ensemble fic, yes, but as everyone has already figured out—the Link counterparts, Yuno and Miharu are the actual protagonists. Yuji and Chiaki are two of the main characters, just like the canon counterparts, and they will get a lot of development, but they are not the protagonists of the fic. Thus, the amount of development they will get is roughly equal to their other counterparts (aka, a lot), but they are not the protagonists. And yes, that has been the plan for the entire fic. My protagonists are not expendable to the plot of the story, for obvious reasons. Read that as you will. ;3

Review responses!

To LHOCIN, I'm not going to lie, when I read "we won't miss you guys". I burst out laughing. I have the mildly controversial opinion that Shinji should have been more important to the plot than Crow, because he had more clearly stated motivations. Crow wanted to protect the kids, which could have been a more personal POV, while Shinji wanted to change the city for the same reasons, but on a wider scale. You're pretty much right about most of the stuff you said, but I hope you understand why I didn't end up writing Yuto vs Yuri here! Thank you for your review!

To Pyro777, oh, I do get that! As you said, the conditions do modify it. However, that does mean that the terminology is not consistent among the cards, when it comes to PSCT. Starving Venom's effect clearly affects everyone despite stating "your opponent". However, it never states any conditions, and it's treated as similar to Zarc's effect. It's pretty inconsistent, which is why I said that I'd just make the judgement myself. :)

To phantomdragons, I love the phrase "unsupervised", lmao. Yeah, the Yu-boys should not be unsupervised. Yuno has the only brain cell in the situation but it's not enough. Mm, killing off the High Council was pretty much my intention the entire time. It didn't sit right with me how easily they were forgiven in canon when it's implied that they were the reason that the City was so unfair anyway. Roget was only around for three years, but it's clearly been that bad since Yugo and Rin were kids.

To King, mm, Yuji doesn't like dueling, so even if he uses his dragon more when he has to duel, he's not going to duel people for no reason. And he's not the kind to take things out on other people either. I get what you mean by not wanting Empty Abyss's effects to be revealed in a DNF, but my counterpoint, as mentioned earlier, is that Empty Abyss's effects are not some big secret or reveal. Like, they were literally supposed to be revealed in Chapter 21. So yeah, at this point, I just want to get it out there. The Ritual counterparts will get screentime in the future once the plot gives them the chance for that. Also, like I said, I don't want to kill them off so early. I cannot wait until Chiaki and Miharu meet. :)

To Mr. Owl, Barrett was really lame in canon, yeah. Since I couldn't just retcon him out of existence though, I wanted to at least use him as a way to develop Serena a bit. He'll probably come back again because of that. Yuya vs Barrett was kind of the leftover match, since I needed someone to get swept by Yuya for the scene where he turns on Yuto and Yuri comes over. Hope that you enjoyed Yugo vs Yuji and Serena vs Yuri! Your mentioning of the pizza meme is so funny because that's literally how I described this chapter to my friend—everyone is just dramatically facing each other, and then Yuto shows up with 0 context.

To T.V. 2000, I will say that it's a bit of a darker tone than how this story normally goes! In a sense, I want to write to reflect things in real life, but I don't want to go to the point where it becomes overly edgy and detached from reality. I always worry about that balance—I do want to cover the subject matter of Arc-V from, well, a more realistic perspective compared to a children's show, but the entire story can't always be so dark. :) I don't think this is a spoiler, but Arisu's Fusion, if she uses one, has to be original, because there are only 16 monsters (15 in OCG + Thorn Prisoner Vandarlizuma) as of writing this that can be summoned with MSF! And none of them fit in Arisu's deck, so I can't use any of them. Hope that you enjoyed!

To cardfan135, haha, I'm glad to hear that!

To kikuruhime, hah, you are in the minority, but I won't lie—seeing your review made me a little relieved. I do want to have the Yu-boys interact on equal terms, and having any of them forced into a spirit form so early isn't really appealing to me. And yup, this chapter is entirely mindfuckery.

To the Guest asking about possible 'Empty' monsters, there wouldn't be a point to it. I mean, I could probably find a way to make it work, but Empty Abyss already works as it is. It's easy to summon, has an effect that lets it play a role of an offensive beatstick in Burning Abyss, and also has removal. I can't think of a single thing that it needs more. At most, there would be some OC Burning Abyss monsters, but considering that the Main Deck Burning Abyss monsters are the most xenophobic monsters ever and die if there is a non-Burning Abyss monster on the field, making another archetype would be clunky, inefficient and it would make every duel harder to write. I know that the reason that you're asking this is because Fifth Circuit did it. But the situation of the decks in this story is different from the situation of Fifth Circuit, though I don't mean that in a negative way. Fifth Circuit chose Cyberse for Yuji and Trickstars for Hanako to pay homage to VRAINS, and I think that's a pretty interesting and wholesome way to do it. However, it also created some problems, because VRAINS-era archetypes in general are pretty difficult to insert a dragon into. And so, that's why the writer made the 'Viral' archetype—an attempt to justify his dragon's existence in the deck that it was a part of. But it's not quite the same here. When I was choosing the decks for Yuji and Yuno, as well as designing their characters, the first priority when it came to the archetypes I chose, before all else, was that adding a dragon to them wouldn't destroy the synergy of the archetype itself. Empty Abyss can exist easily in Burning Abyss—it's even searchable with Preparation of Rites, and it doesn't need a specific Ritual Spell or specific Levels, so it's not a brick in most circumstances. Marincess was chosen because it supports WATER monsters mostly, and not Cyberse monsters, which is the reason why it was so fitting for Yuno in the first place—a Dragon monster wouldn't be completely out of place in it. So anyway, yeah. I have a lot of genuine respect for scififan and the effort that he's put into his story, and a lot of his choices make sense in the context of the story he has created, but they don't make sense in mine. Hope you understand that.

Alright, that's it! Quick update on the other story I write regularly, if you follow that one—it'll most likely get an update in a while and regular updates for a bit after that. Like I said, I write that one to avoid burnout on this one, which means that I've been very productive on it, lmao. I'll need to edit the chapters, but yeah, they'll work. And if you don't know what I'm talking about, uh, I write another story called Twin Dragons, which is another AU. It also has the same six dimensions, but the only OCs that are shared between both stories are Yuno/Yuji/Miharu/Chiaki. That one has each Yu-boy having a twin sister instead. You can check it out if you would like. :)

I'm also pondering a different story at the moment—it's pretty complicated though, and I'm not more interested in that story than this one, so if I post that, it'll be in a long while.

QOTC: What's your favourite canon Dimension Dragon? (Starving Venom, Clear Wing, Odd-Eyes and Dark Rebellion?)

Thank you for reading! :D I've been waiting the whole Synchro Arc to get here. It was a pain to write, but I'm pretty satisfied that it's done. I hope you enjoyed it for what it was too, even if it was not the result you wanted.