AN: Hello, I have the next chapter here. We have another hyper focused duel here. This one might have a bit of controversy with it, because of how it changes a character from the original, but think it still works here. Despite that, I really like this duel and it is a very big showcase for the growth of a certain character. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.

See Datasheet Chapter for cover art details.

Chapter 66 – The Cyberdark

Jaden, Weiss, and Blake followed Zwei through the woods. However, the corgi stopped as he began to whimper, his tail going between his legs, "Hey what's wrong?" Jaden said before trying to comfort Zwei. Blake and Weiss then looked forward, seeing someone in a small clearing. He wore a jet-black long coat with silver and red lining. His greenish blue hair matched his eyes, but their malevolent glare was matched by his sinister smile, "Wait, is that-" Weiss was saying until Blake cut her off.

"Zane!?" Blake said as she ran towards him, "What happened to you?"

"I…I have come to a realization." Zane spoke before putting his right hand on his head, "In order to always win, I can never hold back any of my power." He said spoke while grabbing his face, his nails digging into his skin, "I must grow stronger and keep fighting stronger opponents." He said before pointing at the shadowy obelisk blue, "That does not include you, so go on, run away." the Hell Kaiser spoke before sneering, "It's what your good at, right, Darling?"

For a moment, Blake felt her heart shatter. However, she clenched her fists before speaking to her friends behind her, "Jaden, Weiss, keep going forward and save Ruby." She said before focusing on the Hell Kaiser, "I will stay back."

"Blake…" Jaden spoke before Weiss grabbed his shoulder, looking at him in focus. He then nodded before looking back to Blake, "Okay, just be careful." The spirited Slifer Red said before he and Weiss ran off.

"You are making a mistake," Zane spoke as he readied his duel disk, "This is your last chance to get away."

"Zane, you're a terrible liar," Blake spoke with a soft smile, "I know you are trying to push me away, and it almost worked. But I can see you're in pain…A pain I know all too well." she said before focusing, "I promise to save you."

"Duel!" the two duelists spoke as a black aura encompassed the aura.

Blake: 4000 Life Points

Zane: 4000 Life Points

As the dark aura filled the area, it condensed around the duelists' neck and arms in the shape of metal restraints, "You should have left when you had the chance," Zane spoke, "Now, your fate is sealed."

Blake felt the retrain on her neck, but then clenched her fist before focusing, "I'll go first." Blake said as she looked at her hand, "I summon Lunalight Blue Cat in attack mode." She said the blue ballerina kitten was seen, (1600 ATK / 1200 DEF). "I'll set one card and end."

"I see, you are holding out to see what my Cyber Dragons will do first." Zane said as he drew, "However, it is not those cyber monsters you should be worried about. As I send Cyberdark Cannon to the grave to add Keel to hand."

"Cyberdark?" Blake commented.

"Observe, I summon Cyberdark Keel!" Zane said as a lanky black metal serpent dragon was seen, (800 ATK / 800 DEF). "With its effect, I can equip the cannon I sent the grave this turn to boost its attack by that monster's attack, which is 1600." He said as a leech-like metal dragon was seen. At that moment, wires connected the two monsters as a dark aura encompassed them, (800 + 1600 = 2400 ATK), "Now attack!" he said as Keel fired a crimson energy blast from Cannon.

"It won't be that easy, I use my facedown card, Kunai with Chain!" Blake countered as the weapon coiled around Keel and Cannon, troughing off the laser beam as Blue Cat held the other end of the chain, "Not only does that change the monster's battle position, but my Blue Cat gains 500 attack points." She said as her monster tightened the grip on the chain, (1600 + 500 = 2100 ATK).

"Heh, if that was your best counterattack." Zane said before setting a card, "Then you have no hope of winning."

"I draw," Blake said as she started her turn, "First, I summon Lunalight Emerald Bird in attack mode." She said the green avian dancer was seen, (1200 ATK / 1000 DEF). "With her effect, I can send a Lunalight to grave to draw one card." The shadowy Obelisk blue said before doing so, but took the card she discard, "Since I have Purple Butterfly in my graveyard, I can banish her to special summon Lunalight Wolf from my hand." He said the purple wolf fighter appeared mid-kick, (2000 ATK / 1800 DEF). "Now, all my Lunalight monsters have piercing damage and your monster's boost was only to its attack points. Blue Cat, attack his monster!" she ordered, knowing she had enough damage on the board now to win the duel.

"Too predictable, I reveal my facedown card, Depth Amulet." Zane said as a necklace of jewels, bones, and a scythe blade was seen, "With this, I can discard a card to negate your attack." He said as he sent Cyberdark Horn to the grave.

"Tsk," Blake gritted her teeth before pointing, "I attack with Wolf now."

"And I discard another card," Zane said as he sent Cyberdark Edge next.

"Emerald Bird now attacks," Blake gave a third order.

"I'll let this one go through," Zane said as a flurry of feathers caused Cannon to explode, "However, Keel remains as I send the monster equipped to the grave. As well, since a monster battle while Cannon was equipped, I can send a monster to the grave. And I pick my Cyber Dragon." However, at the card was sent, a black electric shock emanated from his restraints, "Gah!"

Zane: 4000 – 400 = 3600 Life Points

"Zane!" Blake cried out.

"It's fine, I can take this pain." Zane responded after the shocking subsided, "Will this stop you, or are you going continue this duel?"

"…My battle phase not over yet." Blake said as she took a card out of her hand, "I play, Flash Fusion allowing me to use the monster on my field for a fusion summon." She said Blue Cat and Emerald Bird merged in a vortex, "I fusion summon Lunalight Cat Dancer and attack your Keel!" she said as her monster leaped out of the vortex and threw its daggers, (2400 ATK / 2000 DEF). One hits Keel's neck, causing it to explode. The other cut past Zane with Cat Dancer's burn effect being applied.

"GAAAAAAAAHHHH!" Zane screamed as he was shocked, causing Blake to grit her teeth at the sight.

Zane: 3600 – 100 – 1600 = 1900 Life Points

Blake entered her second main phase as she took a card from her hand, "Due to Flash Fusion, my monster would be destroyed at the end of my turn. However, I play Polymerization to fuse my Cat Dancer and Wolf to make Lunalight Panther Dancer!" she said as another vortex formed, merging her monster into one as the brutal Lunalight was seen, a smirk on her face as her eyes remained hidden behind her green bangs, (2800 ATK / 2500 DEF). "I end my turn."

"Then it's my move." Zane said as he drew, slightly short on breath, "I summon Cyberdark Chimera in attack mode." He said as a green mechanical creature was seen with over half a dozen protruding blades, (800 ATK / 2100 DEF). "I now discard a spell card," he said before sneering, "To add Power Bond to my hand." The Hell Kaiser said as Blake had a line of sweat run down her face, "However, I won't use that fusion spell this turn. Instead, I play Overload Fusion! By banishing all five of my Cyberdark monster from my field and graveyard, I can fusion summon a dark machine monster." He said as Chimera roared before exploding, "Behold, Cyberdarkness Dragon!" The smoke cleared a rusted dragon abomination was seen with a red laser cannon mounted on its back, (2000 ATK / 2000 DEF). "When summoned, I can equip it with a machine or dragon from my grave for an attack boost." He said as his Cyber Dragon returned to the field before becoming attached to the rustic dragon abomination, (2000 + 2100 = 4100 ATK). "Go, Crimson Evolution Burst!" the Hell Kaiser said as his monster charged its laser cannon before firing the red beam.

It collided with Panther Dancer, obliterating it as Blake recoiled from the shockwave. As she tried to push herself up, the restraints unleashed a shock of black electricity, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" She screamed as she held her neck collar in agony.

Blake: 4000 – 1300 = 2700 Life Points

"Yes, this is the true terror of the Cyberdark monsters," Zane said as Blake stood up, breathing heavily. However, she noticed he was out of breath as well, his left hand on his chest.

"Zane, you're…" Blake said before scowling at the fusion monster, "I think I get it now with those cards." She said before drawing at the start of her turn, "I summon Lunalight Tiger in defense mode." She as the yellow and black cat was seen in a knelt stance, (1200 ATK / 800 DEF).

"It's my turn," Zane said as he drew and then pointed, "I attack your monster with my own." He said as Cyberdarkness Dragon attacked with its laser cannon again.

"When Tiger is destroyed, I can use her effect to-" Blake was saying until cut off.

"Not this time, as I use Cyberdarkness's effect. By sending Cyber Dragon to equip it to the graveyard, I can negate your monster's effect." He said as the equipped monster faded away as Blake's field remained empty, (4100 – 2100 = 2000 ATK).

"Oh no," Blake said as she gritted her teeth, "I need to figure out a way to get around this monster before he attacks me or gets another cyber dragon equipped to it." She said before drawing, "I play Pot of Greed." She said before drawing two cards, gasping at one of them. She then had a look of focus before playing it, "I activate Fire Formation – Tenki. Now, I can add a beast warrior to my hand. As well, all my beast-warrior monsters gain 100 attack points." The shadowy Obelisk Blue said before a card ejected from her deck, which she played, "I now summon Lunalight Yellow Marten in defense mode." She as the weasel dancer was seen in a knelt stance, (800 ATK / 2000 DEF). "Since you lowered your monster's attack points, you can't beat over my monster that easily. So, I set one card and end my turn." In saying that, the Depth Amulet faded away.

"Is that so," Zane said before drawing, then took the three cards in his hand, "I set these and end my turn."

"This is it, my only shot." Blake thought as she looked at her deck, "I know one card that can let me win now and save him." She closed her eyes and let out a breath, "I draw!" she said before doing so, then saw the card and played it, "I activate Future Fusion!" She said as the continuous spell showed itself, causing Zane to hold his head in pain, "Now, to make Lunalight Sabre Dancer, I must send three Lunalight monsters to the grave." She said as the souls of Lunalight Crimson Fox, Kaleido Chick, and White Rabbit were seen. "With this effect, I can use Crimson Fox to make your monster's attack 0 this turn." She said as Cyberdarkness Dragon recoiled in a red aura, (2000 – 2000 = 0 ATK). "Also, Kaleido Chick lets me add Polymerization back to my hand." Blake said as she added the card back, then took a new one to send to the grave, "I discard Lunalight Black Sheep to add back White Rabbit, then summon her to the field." She said as the bunny dancer was seen with her hammer, (800 ATK / 800 DEF). "She allows me to summon back Tiger in defense mode," Blake said as the black and yellow cat was seen again, (1200 ATK / 800 DEF).

"Three monsters and a fusion spell in hand," Zane commented.

"You know what's coming, but first I use White Rabbit's effect to bounce two of your three set cards back to the hand." She said as the right and left cards faded, causing Blake to focus on the middle one, "He had to set Power Bond as a bluff, but if that card is not it, then it could be…" She hesitated, then focused, "I play Polymerization, fusing my three monsters to make Lunalight Sabre Dancer!" The Shadowy Obelisk Blue said her three kneeling dancers merged into one, and the blond feline fighter was seen with a duo blade. (3000 ATK / 2600 DEF). "Go, attack with Curved Blade Bisector!" she declared as Sabre Dancer rushed in, cutting off its head with an explosion afterward.

Blake's monster landed back at her side, but both gasped as the smoke cleared with a yellow barrier around Zane's body, "Unlucky, as you picked the wrong cards to send to my hand." Zane said as he pointed to his trap card, "Power Wall, this card lets me send cards to the graveyard to block the damage I would have taken. One card for every 500 life points." He said before taking out a chunk of his deck and sending it to the graveyard, but one ejected, "And it seems as though I sent Cyber Dragon Herz, which means I can add a Cyber Dragon to my hand." He then had a sinister snare on his face, "If you had went for your Leo Dancer, you would have won."

"Damnit," Blake said as she ended her turn.

"I draw," Zane said as he played the card, "I play Cyber Revsystem to bring back the Cyber Dragon from my graveyard before." He said as the serpent-like metal dragon was seen again with a dark aura, (2100 ATK / 1600 DEF). "Now, Cyber Dragon Core was also sent to the grave before, so I can banish it to summon another Cyber Dragon from my deck. And with two on the field and one in my hand, I fuse all three with my spell card, Power Bond, to make Cyber End Dragon!" the Hell Kaiser said as his three machines combined in a vortex. The result was a flash of lightning before a black silhouette shined through in the shape of a three-headed dragon. The fusion monster roared with a soundwave ringing through the whole island, (4000 ATK / 2800 DEF). "And with the effect of Power Bond, its attack points double." He said as Cyber End Dragon gained a darker aura, its silver metal became black, (4000 X 2 = 8000 ATK). "Now, attack with Evolution End Burst!" The Hell Kaiser said as his monster unleashed a blast from its mouths.

"I'm not giving up; I still have one more card!" Blake responded, "I reveal Battle Fusion. Now, my monster gains all 8000 of your monster's attack points!" she said before her Sabre Dancer crossed her swords, cutting through the beams as she held them back.

"And I too have one more card, Limiter Removal!" Zane said as he activated the quickplay spell, "Now, Cyber End Dragon's attack points are doubled again!" he said as the dark aura grew larger, as did the laser beams, (8000 X 2 = 16000 ATK). Sabre Dancer's swords began to crack as she could not hold back the power, soon shattering along with her body. The rest of the blast headed towards Blake, who was overwhelmed by it with no way to dodge. The burst of damage erupted in a pillar of light that pierced the clouds.

Smoke filled the area before clearing to reveal black laying on her stomach. Her Obelisk Blue jacket had been reduced to ash, showing her black sleeveless top. The restraints on her arms and neck still sparked with black electricity, "…" Blake said nothing as she appeared motionless.

"…" Zane looked down at her before closing his eyes, "This is the price of power." He said as tears started to form in his eyes. He then turned to talk and walk away, but then realized something, "Wait, why is the duel still going?" The Hell Kaiser spoke as his duel disk had not reset, his turn was still going, "What, but how-"

"You didn't do the math." Zane heard a voice speak from behind him. In turning around, he saw Blake, pushing herself up, "I used nearly all my Lunalight monsters by the time Sabre came out. With her effect, she gained 200 points for each one in my grave and banished zone. With the boost of Battle Fusion and Tenki, I'm still standing with enough life points." She said as their minds flashed back to the last moments of the attack, seeing the vicious Lunalight with its powerful aura, (3000 + (200 X 12) + 8000 +100 = 13500 ATK).

Blake: 2700 – 2500 = 200 Life Points

"And now, all you can do is end your turn," Blake spoke as she stood up, her arms limp to her sides.

"Which means, Power Bond's second effect now activates." Zane spoke as he closed his eyes, "I take damage equal to the original attack of my Cyber End Dragon." he then had a soft smile before being electrocuted by the restrains, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" The Hell Kaiser was engulfed in the electrification, but the dark aura was shocked as well, disappearing along with the last of his life points. Zane's monster roared as its dark aura faded as well, its metal returning to normal before the monster faded away.

Zane: 1900 – 4000 = 0 Life Points

Once finished, the restraints on both duelists faded away. Zane staggered before opening his eyes. He had a soft smile again before falling backward, with no strength left as he lost consciousness. Blake tried to reach out for him, but in taking a step forward, her body began to give out as she fell forward. Her consciousness was about to fade as she hit the ground but was caught by someone. She turned to see it was the fiery Ra Yellow, slightly out of breath, but with a smile on her face. Blake gasped, then smiled back, eternally grateful for the friends she had made here.

AN: There you go, Blake has come a long way in this series. She went from her self-destructive nature, to becoming a friend willing to put herself on the line to save someone just like they would for her. Zane here lived up to his nickname. As I can predict, some people may not like that the persona he has here is another mind control version, while the original was more his choice. However, with the new context of this fanfic, I felt it was better this way. He tried to fight it more than any other character, even doing what he could to push Blake away not to hurt her. Still, it was duel that was unavoidable. I don't really know of many duelists who can say they experienced a 16K monster attack and survived the battle damage, but with the help of the cards she was given, she lives to duel another day. These next few chapters are getting intense, so be ready for them. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.

Now, time to answer some questions. Only have one this time that was partially answered, regarding if Salem has Sophia and Tierra. While thematically good, Sophia cannot be summoned in this fanfic as it uses extra monsters not in this time of the game. As for Tierra, it is summonable, but very hard to write because of that condition. We shall see when she duels again what cards she has up her sleeve. Those were all the questions I had, feel free to ask more, and I will answer them in the next chapter.