Ryoga returned to the hideout to see Yuto, Shun, and O'Brien just sitting there. What he noticed was Yuto and Shun were eyeing each other, not looking at anything else. All of their focus was on each other. He could feel a lot of tension radiating between the two.

"What happened to them?" Shark asked O'Brien with a raised eyebrow.

"Yuto challenged Shun and they Dueled. It came out as a draw. They agreed on something where Shun wouldn't Card anyone for a while but he could assault as many LDS students as he wanted." O'Brien informed Shark on what he had missed out on.

Shark stroked his chin. "Interesting. How many people from LDS has he beaten?"

"I lost count." O'Brien replied with a grim look. "A lot."

"I'm heading out." Shun suddenly said, shocking Shark and O'Brien.

"I'll go too. We have a deal, but I'm just going to make sure no one gets in your way." Yuto told Shun. Shock was seen on Shun's for a split second, but he quickly regained his composure.

"Whatever. Just don't get in my way and punch me in the stomach again!" Shun warned Yuto as they both stood up and left.

"Something wrong?" O'Brien asked the only other person in the hideout as he got up to his feet.

"It's Yuya." Ryoga said.

"What's wrong about him? Did he lose one of his Duels that he needs to get into the championship?" O'Brien enquired.

"No. He won his match today actually. But, it's the way he did won. He used Fusion Summoning." Shark revealed with a pained expression.

"Really?!" O'Brien widened his eyes. He was shocked at this news, but then he got suspicious. "Wait, I thought Yuya didn't have a Fusion Monster."

"Exactly. He said the same thing that one day. He said he didn't have an Extra Deck, but then he Xyz Summoned against that Akaba Reiji guy."

"Xyz Summon! Show yourself, Rank 7! Odd Eyes Absolute Dragon!"

"Interesting. Well, we shouldn't worry about it now." O'Brien told Shark. "I'm gonna go fix up my Deck. You can go out if you want."


At LDS

"What?! You're sending out students as bait?!" Nakajima yelled with anger in his voice.

"Yes." A man responded tonelessly.

"But they are just kids!" Nakajima rebutted.

"Kids who are at the top of their class and are one of the best Duelists LDS has to offer." The man quickly countered with a sharpened gaze. "During times like this, we need to make use of gifted students like them!"

On the screen on the observatory, it switched from a view of Masumi walking, to Yaiba looking around, and finally to Hokuto walking around.

"Let it happen, Nakajima." A voice suddenly said. Akaba Reiji was seen coming up an elevator and into the observatory.

"But President, with all due respect to you, they are just kids. They could easily get hurt and end up like the others at LDS." Nakajima argued, still seeing a problem with the plan.

"They can take care of themselves. Besides, we have the top team coming soon to back them up. Those mysterious Duelists will show up." Reiji told Nakajima calmly.


Meanwhile

"Let's have a huge party today to celebrate my qualification for the Junior Youth Championship!" Sora exclaimed with a wide grin.

"Not yet!" Yuya said.

"Huh?! Why?" Sora questioned with a frown.

"I still have to win one more, so the celebrating is on hold until I finish my last Duel!" Yuya explained his reason for holding off the celebration.

"What?! But then if you don't qualify, we don't get a party?!" Sora asked in fear.

"Why, you!" Yuya yelled as he grinned and got Sora in a headlock. After a few moments, the two boys began to break into laugh.

"I really want to eat some cake!"

"Once I qualify, I'll let you eat cake until you're sick of it!" Yuya exclaimed. The 3 kids laughed along with them while Yuzu looked at her Fusion Card in silence.

"This card doesn't suit you..."

Yuzu looked up as she saw Kotsu Masumi looking around, before running into an alleyway, Yuzu decided to run after her.

"Where are you going, Yuzu-oneechan?" Tatsuya asked as Yuya and Sora stopped laughing and looked at Yuzu.

"I remembered something I have to do!" Yuzu yelled back as she kept running.

"Something to do?" Yuya repeated.

"Is she getting the cake?!" Sora asked with happiness.

"Sorry, go back without me!" Yuzu called out while the group looked at her in surprise as she kept running away.


In a Different Area

There was a flock of birds perched on a building while stalking Masumi, as if they knew something bad was about to happen to her.

Masumi suddenly stopped and let out a gasp. There, standing in front of her, was Kurosaki Shun, the one responsible for the recent LDS assaults.

Shun turned to her with a serious and stoic face. "Are you alone?"

Masumi gave Shun a look of confusion, not knowing what he was talking about.

"Where are the brat and the girl from last time?" Shun interrogated Masumi.

"I don't know." At that moment, Yuzu ran into an alleyway. Masumi clenched her fist.

"I always thought that it was the black-masked man...the one who had attacked Professor Marco. What did you do with Professor Marco!?" Masumi demanded for an answer.

"Marco?" Shun repeated the name of Masumi's teacher.

"Yes, it's the name of the LDS teacher who taught me Fusion Summoning." Masumi told Shun.

"Oh, him." Shun said, now knowing who Masumi was talking about. "He wasn't that much of a challenge." Shun lifted his hand. "His lack of combat experience showed in his weak and flimsy-"

"SHUT UP!" Masumi interrupted Shun. "Professor Marco is my teacher! I won't forgive you for belittling him!"

"It wasn't just Marco! Everyone from LDS was flimsy and pathetic! In not one of my Duels against them did I sense an iron determination or steeled strength!" Shun admitted.

"Then...does that mean everyone from the other cases-?!" Masumi trailed off, waiting for an answer.

"I did it." Shun revealed. "If you say you won't forgive me, then…" Shun held up his Duel Disk and activated it. "State your grudge by defeating me!"


At the Observatory

"President." Nakajima said. Reiji looked at him. "The team is at your command."

"Target located." They heard Masumi say, with that, they looked back at the screen.


With Shun and Masumi

"Hokuto, Yaiba, get here quickly!" Masumi commanded.

"Roger!" Hokuto replied through Masumi's Duel Disk, already on his way.


With Yaiba

"Sorry, finish up the rest on your own." Yaiba told Gongenzaka before leaving, making Gongenzaka look on in confusion as he deactivated his Duel Disk.


With Yuzu

Yuzu was walking through an alley, looking for Masumi, however, she looked ahead and saw a black shoe walk in front of her. More of the person was revealed, and Yuzu saw Yuto.

"I cannot let you go any further." Yuto told her.


With Shun

"So you called your friends? But you underestimate me if you think two more will suffice." Shun told Masumi.

"Don't worry. You're already well-known at LDS. Since I knew what you looked like, I was used as bait, walking around town waiting for you to show yourself. Simply put, you fell for our trap!" Masumi pointed at Shun with a triumphant smile.

"That's right!" Hokuto came out of nowhere next to Masumi. "Don't you worry, Masumi. We're definitely going to avenge Professor Marco!" This shocked Masumi, then out of nowhere, Yaiba skidded to a halt right next to Masumi, grinning.

"Let's finish this up before the top team shows up! If we manage to catch the criminal ourselves, our opportunities will widen!" Yaiba told Masumi.

"Yaiba...Hokuto…" Masumi whispered before curling her lips into a grateful smile.

"How about we go with the battle royale rules? None of us can draw or enter battle on our first turn." Yaiba told Shun.

"Fine. Either way, I'll finish you and your friends off all at once." Shun told the group calmly.


With Yuto and Yuzu

"I don't want my comrade to be interrupted." Yuto said to Yuzu.

"Your comrade...you mean that one guy from back then? Wait, don't tell me he's fighting Masumi right now as we speak?"


Meanwhile

Masumi strapped on her Duel Disk and activated it alongside Yaiba and Hokuto.

"DUEL!"


Back with Yuto and Yuzu

"Please, stop him! Didn't you stop him back then too? Why this time…" Yuzu trailed off.

"You don't need to know why. I don't want to involve you." Yuto told Yuzu. This made her frustrated, as a result, she started to run past Yuto. However with great reflex, he grabbed Yuzu's wrist with a tight grip.

"I don't want you to get hurt!" Yuto declared, raising his voice.

"You don't want to hurt me?" Yuzu repeated out of disbelief. "Why are you saying things like that to me while you go around and hurt other people?!" Yuto gasped slightly, allowing Yuzu the opportunity to force Yuto's hand off her wrist. "Are you saying it's fine if Masumi gets hurt?!" Yuto looked down at the floor, away from Yuzu, clearly ashamed of his actions. "Just who are you!? No, the other guy too! Answer me! Who are you? What are you after?"

Yuto finally decided to give her a little insight. She deserved to know after all of the questions. "We're after our comrades...saving our dear comrades who have been captured by our enemy!"

"Captured comrades…? Is that...Ruri?" Yuto gasped when Yuzu said that, confirming her suspicion. "That person...he looked at me and called me Ruri. Is Ruri your captured comrade? Do I look like her…?" Yuto took off his mask.

"That's what I thought at first. 'Why is Ruri here…?' But you aren't Ruri! Ruri would never learn the enemy's Summoning Method, with a smile on her face no less!" Yuto exclaimed with a furious inflection in his voice, anger evident on his face.

"Enemy?" Yuzu repeated out of confusion.

"Yes. The Summoning Method of our enemy is...Fusion." Yuto revealed.

"Fusion Summoning? The reason I learned Fusion Summoning was to protect the school...because I wanted to protect my friends!" Yuto gasped again. She had good reason, plus, she didn't know about the invasion.


Back with Shun

"As I thought, I don't feel an iron determination or a steeled strength in your Dueling!" Shun told the three LDS Duelists.

"What was that?!" Yaiba exclaimed in shock.

Hokuto smirked. "I'm amazed you can even run your mouth when you're this badly beaten!"

"That's right, because ever since that fateful day, we were always badly beaten...fighting and living on the edge." Shun closed his eyes, reminiscing on the hell that Heartland became due to Academia's presence.

"We?" Yaiba repeated.

"What is this guy on about?" Hokuto deadpanned.

"But, we always had to stand up again!" Shun gritted his teeth and clenched his fist. "We had to continue fighting, until we finally overwhelm and eradicate our enemies! MY TURN!" Shun drew his card with so much force, a strong gust of wind was released, all of the birds in the area went crazy. They started flying above the three LDS kids, now definitely knowing something bad was going to happen to them.

"I activate the Magic Card Dimension Xyz! If my life is below 1000 and there are three of the same Card in my Hand or Graveyard, I can Xyz Summon using those Monsters as overlay units! Using the three Vanishing Lanius' in my Graveyard, I overlay! Obscured falcon, raise your sharpened talons in front of adversity, spread your wings of rebellion! Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank 4! Raid Raptors - Rise Falcon!" In a wall of flames, Shun's ace monster flew out up into the sky.

Rise Falcon: Rank 4, 100 Atk, 2000 Def

Hokuto and Masumi looked at the Monster in confusion. "100 attack…"

"This Monster can attack every Special Summoned Monster on the Field!" Shun revealed.

"What was with that 'eradicate' nonsense? There is absolutely no way you can beat us with that low of an Attack!" Yaiba told Shun.

"I activate Rise Falcon's effect. By detaching an overlay unit, it gains Attack equal to the total Attack of all of my opponent's Special Summoned Monsters!" Shun explained as beams of light coming from the Monsters clashed into Rise Falcon, making it burn up with fire.

Rise Falcon: 100-16400 Atk

"1-16400!?" Yaiba took a step back.

"No way!" Masumi exclaimed.

"Seriously?!" Yaiba yelled in shock.

"Battle! Raid Raptors - Rise Falcon! Rend and tear all of our enemies to shreds! Brave Claw Revolution!" Shun declared as Rise Falcon flew high into the air before skydiving down, striking the LDS trio's Monsters, destroying them. All three kids screamed in pain as they were thrown back. Yaiba and Hokuto fell to the ground face-up unconscious while Masumi was face-down also unconscious. Their life points had all dropped to 0.


With Yuto and Yuzu

"We, too, are fighting to protect our comrades. In order to end this conflict, and to create a world where no one has to get to ever get hurt! I don't want to involve you in that conflict. However, if you have no choice but to fight, I want you to survive! Even if it means using Fusion Summoning! The you who is trying to become stronger to protect your friends…The you who is trying to change yourself isn't wrong." Yuto told Yuzu with a soft smile, much to her surprise, reminding her of something Yuya said.

"With that, you're trying to change yourself into a different Yuzu from up until now!"

Yuto continued to smile even wider. "I'll continue to fight! With Ruri and my comrades. In order to save our future! Hmph, you are a lot like Ruri…" He stated as he started to walk away.

"Wait! Tell me! Who is Ruri?" Yuzu asked. Yuzu winced as a strong gust of wind came.

"Ruri is one of our comrades, and Shun's younger sister." Yuto answered, his cape flying around because of the wind.

"What about you? What's your name?" Yuzu asked.

"Me…? I...am Yuto." Yuto replied as the gust of wind became stronger. Yuzu covered her eyes again and looked away. When she looked back to where Yuto was standing, he was already gone.

"Yuto…"


With Shun

Shun stood over Masumi as the three kids laid unconscious. Soon, he heard multiple footsteps, he turned around to see Nakajima and other officials from LDS standing there.

"Took you long enough...but I'm sick of fighting small fry! Bring me your boss!" Shun demanded.

"If you want me, I am right here." Reiji said.

A gasp left Shun's mouth as Nakajima and the others stepped aside and made way for Akaba Reiji, who was walking towards the Raid Raptors user. Now was the moment that Shun had been waiting for...a chance to Duel Akaba Reiji. A chance to beat him, and use him as ransom against the Professor. He thought this would get him one step closer to stopping Academia and getting his sister back.

Well, he was right...in a way.


False alarm! No Duel, just the last turn of a Duel in the anime. I didn't want to bore you guys with that, but I wanted to keep the last turn in because it was a really badass turn.

Sorry for the really short chapter here guys. But, to be honest, I think covering basically all of episode 24 in this chapter is good.

Anyways, not much to say here, so...here is the chapter preview.

Shun finally has the chance to face off against Reiji. Shun challenges him to a Duel, although Reiji doesn't seem interested and wants to get to the chase of why he was there, he accepts the challenge. The 2 start to duke it out, little does Shun know, that he facing the man who controls all 3 Summoning Methods, along with the newest, Pendulum Summoning.

Here you go! Reiji and Shun are Dueling. I didn't show the Duel this chapter because...well, I don't have a good reason actually. I just guess I want to save the Duel for next chapter. Just stay patient guys, the Duel will be next episode. I think a lot of people wanted this Duel to happen in the anime, but it never happened. Because at the time, both Duelists were undefeated, well… Reiji actually had a loss but that's because he surrendered to Yuya when he definitely could do something. But who knows who would have won that Duel, but I think Reiji would have won.

Guest: Thanks!

Totallynotobsessedperson: No, this is episode 24. The events of episode 21 were covered in chapters 25-27 basically, except I added a Duel between Yuto and Shun. The events of episode 22-23 were basically covered last chapter. Shark is suspicious of Sora, he's thinking he is from Academia at this point.

Anyways. That's all for this chapter guys. Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.

Take care, goodbye!