Hi everyone Rosestar48 here! In this chapter Yuya and Sora meets Kurosaki.
Beyond the Pendulum
In a simulation at Leo Corporation, Reiji step forwards. The reflection of D/D Savant Galilei and D/D Savant Kepler, now with altered effects, gleam in his glasses, "Using the Scale One, D/D Savant Galilei and the Scale Ten D/D Savant Kepler, I set the Pendulum Scale!" Reiji declares. Both monsters, now with glowing red eyes, arise in the columns of light beside Declan. "With this, I now can simultaneously summon multiple monsters from Level 3 to 9!" Reiji states. "Grand power which shakes my very soul! Arise within me and give birth to a new light that rends the darkness! Pendulum Summon! Come before me, my monsters!" He chants. The Summon portal opens, and as the purple mass of light surges forth "The three transcendental deities who rule over all kings… D/D/D Doom King Armageddon!" Reiji chants as he calls forth all three copies (ATK: 3000x3). "Pendulum Summoning confirmed!" A technician confirms. "Summoning energy levels are stable!" Another technician states. "Good! If it can stabilize at this stage…" The lead technician pleased. The monsters hang in the air without any troubles as Reiji imagines himself facing Yuzu Hiragi and Mozarta the Melodious Pendulum Maestra "Yuzu Hiragi…" He muses hi rival's name. He reaches for the last card in his hand "President!" Nakajima stops him. "We have cleared today's benchmarks! Our experiment this time was a success!" He tells Reiji. Reiji heaves a sigh of relief.
Later "Congratulation, sir. We are now one step closer to creating our own Leo Corporation Pendulum Cards" Nakajima congratulates Reiji. "However, they are still incomplete. Compared to the original Pendulum Cards Yuzu Hiragi possesses…there is a far gap between their energy output. As they are now, they're far from being usable in the tournament" Reiji notes. "Yes sir, my apologies!" Nakajima apologizes. "I will make sure the research department resolves this! We will do whatever it takes to make them usable in the tournament" He vows. "That is the deadline" Reiji agrees as he gets up. Reiji snaps his fingers and the blinds dematerialize. "We cannot underestimate our competition…in the tournament that will be taking place in this Miami City. No matter where our opponents may come from" Reiji states.
In You Show Duel School, Yuzu was sitting in the Duel Field, watched by the kids. "Yuzu has been sitting like that for a while now…" Ayu notes. "And she seemed so happy yesterday talking about she only has to win two more to qualify for the tournament…"Tatsuya points out. "Maybe her brain is all shivered out from all those quizzes?" Futoshi suggests. Yuzu was remembering her conversation with Nico Smiley.
(Flashback)
"Allow me to congratulate you again on your second victory, Yuzu" Nico said. "Thanks" Yuzu tells him. "But you don't seem very happy even when you're saying congratulates…" She points out. "Oh, I'm happy!" Nico reassures Yuzu. "You learned proper hospitality from the Cooking Duel. Then, you learned the Duels are a communication too from the Quiz Duel…And managed to rank up successive wins!" He states. "I can say that this is start for my project of getting Yuzu Hiragi into the Junior Youth Championship" Nico said. "Then why aren't you getting more happy about it then?" Yuzu asks. "That's your job" Nico tells her. "My job?" Yuzu confused. "Entertaining people comes first for Pros! If you're aiming to be a Pro Duellist, you have to surprise and steal the hearts of your audience! All while earning a raucous applause! As you are now, you're only within my expectations" Nico points out. "Within your expectations…?" Yuzu repeats. "Being able to surpass your audience's imagination is the mark of a pro! I hope that in the next Duel you'll allow me to experience the same!" Nico states.
(Flashback ends)
Back in the present, Yuzi growls in frustration "Being able to surpass their imagination is the mark of a pro huh…?" Yuzu mutters. "That is right…When Sir first took to the skies during his Action Duel, they often said the crowd had their heart stolen too…" She admits. Yuzu then remembers what Reiji told her about Yusho
(Flashback)
"Of course I am aware of Yusho…as the pioneer who lead the way in creating our current Action Duel. I respect him from the bottom of my heart" Reiji states.
(Flashback ends)
"Reiji Akaba...He surprise me too" Yuzu muses.
(Flashback)
"Fusion Summon! Be born! D/D/D Flame King Genghis!" Reiji declares and a warrior-like fiend wreathed in fire appears (ATK: 2000). "Synchro Summon! Be born! Level 7! D/D/D Gust King Alexander" Reiji declares (ATK: 2500). ""Xyz Summon! Be born the Rank 4 Wave King Caesar!" Reiji declares. Caesar appears, standing (ATK: 2400). "Using Fusion, Synchro and Xyz one after another…" Yuzu muses. "Pendulum Summon! Come before me, my monsters!" Reiji declares. The Summon portal opens, and as the purple mass of light surges forth as Reiji summoned three copies of D/D/D Doom King Armageddon! (ATK: 3000x3). "and even Pendulum Summoning" Yuzu states.
(Flashback ends)
"That's not it either…he also…" Yuzu muses.
(Flashback)
"I have seen the possibilities of further evolution in Pendulum Summoning!" Reiji states.
(Flashback ends)
She take off her pendulum and swings it in the air "Further possibilities of evolution for Pendulum Summoning…" Yuzu muses. "He can see it…why can't I?!" She asks. Yuzu gets up and runs out of the Duel Field, to the kids' surprise "Yuzu?" Ayu wonders. "Where are you going?" Tatsuya asks. "383! 384! 385! 386! 387! 388! 389! 390! 391! 392! 393" Shuzo draws cards from a dispenser, and then Yuzu runs in "I don't understand! I don't understand what I should do, Dad! What do I do so I can see it! How do I go further?!" Yuzu asks him. "The road is long! But don't give up! You have to take it one step a time! Pressing forward step after step! You have to go onwards!" Shuzo replies. "But if I don't know what path to follow, I can't go forward! What should I do to see what path I should take?!" Yuzu protest. "I can't see it either! Not at all! Even though we've come this far together! Right now, I can't see Yuya's heart at all!" Shuzo replies and he bursts into tears. "Huh? Yuya?" Yuzu confuses. "Well, Yuya hasn't been coming to Duel School recently, has he?" Ayu notes. "He's with Sora again today?" Futoshi wonders. "Yeah, if I remember this is their fifth match" Tatsuya states.
"And with this! My turn is complete!" Sora's opponent states. "It is your turn, face me!" He dramatically tells Sora. "Cool, so cool! That was really interesting! You might give Yuzu's Entertainment Dueling a run for its money!" Sora appreciatively praises the kabuki Duelist. "Hey! Stop messing around and draw already! You're going to end it this turn!" Yuya tells him. "Fine fine…" Sora reluctantly agrees. "But recently, it seems like you've been really excited…Oh well" He notes. "My turn! Draw!" Sora declares and he draws Edge Imp Sabres."Alright here it is Edge Imp Sabres!" Sora cheers. "I've been showing you all my cards so far, so you know what's in my hand right?" Sora point out to Yuya. "What should I do next?" He asks. "It's obvious! You use the Polymerization card in your hand and fuse the Edge Imp Sabres and Fluffal Bear in your hand as well!" Yuya replies. "That's it!" Sora agrees. "Looks like you've got it now, Yuya!" He comments. "I activate the Spell Card: Polymerization from my hand!" Sora declares with Yuya mimicking Sora's movements. "The monsters I choose to fuse are Edge Imp Sabres and Fluffal Bear!" Yuya states. "Claw of the demon and fangs of the beast!" Sora chants. "Within a vortex of mystery become one" Yuya chants. "and reveal to us your new form!" Sora chants. "Fusion Summon!" Yuya and Sora declares. "Come forth, horrifying beast that shreds all! Frightfur Bear!" Sora chants (ATK: 2200). "I attack directly with Frightfur Bear!" Yuya and Sora declares, and the kabuki Duelist hits the wall and slides down on it (Opponent's LP: 0). "Such a splendid view…Truly splendid…" The kabuki Duelist declares. The stagehands draw the curtains across as Sora's WIN portrait pops up. "All right, that does it! The fifth one was a pushover too. Well I'm glad that Yuya is learning to use Fusion properly, so it' all good" Sora comments. "I won't think about unnecessary things anymore! I have to completely master Fusion Summoning for the Junior Youth Championship! In order to defeat Masumi Koutsu!" Yuya vows.
At LDS "Hey Masumi, are you going to go out searching today too?" Yaiba asks her. "Of course! I have to find that black-masked girl and ask her about Professor Marco!" Masumi replies. "But is that girl really the culprit?" Yaiba asks. "You haven't seen her using Xyz, have you?" Hokuto asks. "That's why I need to find her and see if she uses Xyz with my own eyes!" Masumi points out and heads out. "Man, she really is stubborn…"Yaiba comments. "Don't let her catch you saying that or she'll send you flying" Hokuto warns him. "But she's right, though. If we don't find the culprit fast, the situation us only going to get worse" Yaiba admits. "Yeah, it's been rumoured that some top members of LDS are being taken out" Hokuto admits. "Eventually they might show up in front of us-"Yaiba muses. Suddenly Gongenzaka approaches Yaiba, brimming with apparent rage. Yaiba unlimbers his wooden katana "Wh-what do you want!? You want to go?! You wanna face me again?!" Yaiba angrily ask Gongenzaka. Instead, Gongenzaka's knees crash to the ground "I, the man Gongenzaka, have a request for a fellow man!" He explains. "Wahuh!?" Yaiba, is, if anything, even more surprised by this, gabbling in shock.
In the alleyway where the LDS top-team were attacked, Masumi goes over the keep-out tape and begins looking for clues. Her search is fruitless until a falling stone catches her attention, and she sees the claw marks of the monster that attacked the top-team members still scarring the overpass "That's…? This is where members of the top team were" Masumi thinks. "What are you doing over there!?" Someone, yelling, asks Masumi, and she flees in terror. "It can't be…Professor Marco was attacked by that kind of monster?" Masumi wonders,
Yuya and Sora walk through the harbour "I would've ended that Duel one turn earlier! Your opponent's monster's ATK was only 1500. Instead of summoning Fluffal Bear there, you could've summoned Fluffal Leo with 1600 ATK…" Yuya claims. "I knew that, I just wanted to show you Fusion Summoning. It seemed like you didn't get it last time, after all" Sora replies. "I've got Fusion down now! I've gotten enough practice too! All that's left is to polish my skills!" Yuya claims. "Well, aren't you confident" Sora notes. "Then I guess I should have you show me your Fusion Summoning. I've been wanting to have another match for some time now" He agrees. "You're on!" Yuya tells him, then Masumi approaches them "You're…Masumi Koustu!" Yuya exclaims. "Do you know what's going on inside Miami City right now?" Masumi asks them. "What do you mean?" Yuya asks. "The repeated assault incidents by a mysterious duellist" Masumi states. "Repeated assault incident?" Yuya repeats. "All the victims are connected to LDS. But none of them can say what actually happened…Because all of them have disappeared" Masumi states. "Disappeared…?" Yuya asks. "They're all gone! Professor Marco and members of the LDS top team…They were all attacked and never seen again. This is just a rumour from within LDS, but…" Masumi states. "Please! Tell me where I can find her! You know, don't you!?" She begs Yuya. "Her…?" Yuya confuse. "The one who was with you back then, the black-masked girl!" Masumi exclaims.
(Flashback)
Yuya then remembers his last meeting with the Duelist.
Flashback ends)
"If I had caught her then…I could've been able to prevent the incidents after that!" Masumi believes. "It's all because you let her get away!" She blames Yuya for letting her get away. "You can't be serious…I don't know anything…" Yuya protest. "Don't lie to me! Professor Marco has disappeared! That kind and strong Professor Marco has…!" Masumi exclaims. "He might be suffering somewhere right now! That's why I have to find him as soon as possible!" She states. "Hurry up and tell me where she is!" Masumi yells at Yuya. "I already told you, I don't know!" Yuya denies. "Then why were you with her at the first scene of the first incident!?" Masumi asks him. When Yuya didn't reply "If you're going to insist on feigning ignorance, then…! Then as a Duelist, I'll force an answer out of you" Masumi tells him, unholstering her Duel Disk. "An LDS Fusion Summon is no problem at all for you now" Sora comments. "You could take her out in a jiff!" He states. "You're saying I should accept her challenge?" Yuya shocked, asks. "Yeah, and besides, you've been saying for a while now that you've had enough practice, and all you need now is to polish your skills in a real match" Sora points out. Yuya takes out his Duel Disk "Who's going to be taken out in a jiff!?" Masumi asks. "Did you forget how badly he lost to me!" She states. "Well, the Yuya here now is on a different level from back then" Sora replies. "How is he different?!" Masumi asks. "He understands that LDS Fusion Summons aren't actually a threat now!" Sora states. "Those words are an insult to Professor Marco who taught me Fusion Summoning!" Masumi incensed. "I won't forgive you! I'll beat some sense into you first!" She challenge Sora. "Huh? You want to Duel me? I don't think you should, you'll just hurt your confidence more" Sora protest. "Shut up! LDS is the strongest! I'll make sure you never forget it!" Masumi yells.
"You're LDS!?" A voice asks her.
Everyone reacts in shock as Kurosaki rushes forward, pushing Yuya aside and causing him to drop his Duel Disk and his cards, which spill over the ground. Activating his Duel Disk "If you're LDS…then I'll be your opponent!" Kurosaki tells Masumi. Masumi gasps in shock, Sora frown and Yuya gets up from being pushed and looks at Kurosaki. Kurosaki advances forward and Masumi backs away. "Are you…the culprit of the repeated assault incident?" Masumi asks Kurosaki. "Now, face me!" Kurosaki simply tells her. Masumi stood there in fear "Duel me!" Kurosaki demands. The masked Duelist leaps over a container "Stop it, Shun! Stop being so reckless!" She yells, grabbing his arm. Everyone gasps at her appearances. "Ruri!" Kurosaki yells his comrade's name. Ruri removes her mask "I thought I told you before that this isn't our battlefield! I told you that they aren't our enemies!" She protests. Kurosaki yanks down his scarf "This is MY battlefield! In order to get Yuto back I have to do this! If you're going to get in my way, I'll defeat you too!" He retorts. "I've found the culprit behind the assault incidents. Sent backup, Yaiba, Hokuto!" Masumi contacts them and as everyone turns at her "Wait! We don't know if he's the culprit yet!" Yuya protest. Seeing him for the first time, Kurosaki gasps "Yuto!" He calls Yuya, which confused Yuya. "Why is Yuto here…?" Kurosaki wonders. Removing his dark glasses "Did you get away?! Did you manage to escape on your own!?" Kurosaki asks him. "Huh!?" Yuya confused. "Yuto!" Kurosaki calls out, but as he presses him with questions, Ruri punches him in the solar plexus, immobilizing him. "Yuto…" Kurosaki mutters. "He is not Yuto" Ruri tells Kurosaki, before he passes out. Ruri puts him over her shoulder "Contact LDS and send as many people as possible!" Masumi asks Hokuto.
In the city, "Understood, Yaiba is on it right now!" Hokuto reassures Masumi. "That's right, they're at the Southern Warehouse District within the city!" Yaiba explains to an LDS official. Yuzu, meanwhile, was reading a Duelling magazine in the street "Even Yuya is trying to learn Fusion from Sora…and trying to press forward" She muses. "So what should I do!?" Yuzu exclaims. She throws her arms up and collides with Hokuto in a crash. "Ow!" Yuzu said. "Don't jump out like that!" Hokuto tells her. Yuzu points to the as she recognizes them. "You're-!" Hokuto exclaims. "Yuzu Hiragi!" Yaiba exclaims. "You're not even apologizing when you're the one who ran into me!?" Yuzu asks. "You also should learn to be more aware of your surroundings!" Hokuto retorts. "Hey! That's enough Hokuto! Let's go!" Yaiba breaks them up. "Y-Yeah…" Hokuto agreed as he gets up. Yuzu, also gets up "Did something happen?" She asks. "We found the culprit of the assault incidents. The mysterious duelist!" Yaiba explains. "Huh!?" Yuzu gasps in shock.
Ruri picks up Yuya's Polymerization card "This card doesn't suit you" She comments. "Huh?" Yuya confused. "Well, isn't that too bad. I don't like hearing about presents I give people though" Sora replies. Sora licks his lollipop "I wouldn't mind showing you just how amazing that card is, though!" He states. "Hey!" Yuya exclaims. Both Ruri and Sora stares at each other. "Cut it out, Sora! And you too!" Yuya angrily tells them, getting between them. "Masumi!" Everyone hears Hokuto calling as he Yaiba and Yuzu runs up. With Yuzu in close proximity to Ruri Yuya's bracelet lights up and both Ruri and Kurosaki were warped away before they others arrive. "Masumi!" Hokuto gasps. "Where's the culprit?" Yaiba asks. "He disappeared…" Masumi gasps. "Yuya, are you okay?" Yuzu asks him. "She disappeared again…" Yuya shock, states. "Huh?" Yuzu said. "And those people kept saying I am and I'm not Yuto…" Yuya said. "What're you talking about?" Yuzu asks. "I don't know!" Yuya states and he buries his head in his hands. "I don't know what's going on anymore! Or why my bracelet shines and they disappeared when you come near!" Yuya states. "Yuya…" Yuzu whispers. Yuzu notices Yuya's cards on the ground, and she picks them up for him "Why're they thrown around like this…" Yuzu wonders. "Here" Yuzu hands them back to Yuya. "LDS is here" Yaiba said as they arrived. Masumi runs toward them "I'm sorry! The culprit was just here!" She apologizes. "This looks like things are going to get troublesome…" Sora comments, and he gently guides Yuya away. "You should hurry up too, Yuzu!" Sora tells her. "Y-yeah!" Yuzu agrees.
Before Yuzu could leave "Hey! I heard you need two more matches to enter the Junior Youth Championships" Yaiba comments. "Huh? Why do you know that?" Yuzu asks. "Well, good luck, although it might be impossible for you" Yaiba tells Yuzu. "What? Impossible?! You-!" Yuzu tries to ask Yaiba, but Yaiba runs off. "Yuya? Sora?" Yuzu looks around. Yuzu spies Yuya's Polymerization card that Ruri dropped, and she picks it up "This is a card Yuya forgot to pick up, isn't is…?" Yuzu wonders. "Polymerization…" She mutters.