Akaba Reiji and Jack Atlas stood in silence in the throne room. Complete. Dead. Silence. They didn't know the cause but for some reason, a humongous dragon suddenly appeared. Then, the beast unleashed a blast that completely destroyed a section of the city.

Jack, who had lived in the City for his entire life...had a small aching feeling in his chest as he witnessed a portion of his home get eradicated within the span of a second.

He didn't know whether or not this dragon had a connection to Academia or not, but whatever the case, the Tops and Commons were certainly going to be riled up even more. The amount of rage and discomfort flowing throughout the City will soon bring an end to the place he called home.

And Jack Atlas was sure as hell not going to let his home die. Even if his home felt like Hell itself sometimes.

"Now I am completely certain." The blond-haired man spoke up, catching Akaba Reiji's stunned attention, "I will do this. However, it won't be for you. It will be for the sake of the City, and the City alone. It is about time I did something about the Tops and Commons problem, regardless of what anyone says."

Behind Jack's back, Akaba Reiji's lips curved into a small smile. While he didn't show it, Reiji actually cared about the state of the City greatly.

Wiping the smile away instantly, Reiji said, "The Tops and Commons will only temporarily cooperate for this. So, for the people of the City to truly unite…"

Jack narrowed his eyes.

"We need to continue the Friendship Cup…"


With Yuzu and the Others

For Hiragi Yuzu, the happiest day of her life was when she first attended the You Show Duel School.

It was for many reasons:

father could work in an occupation he genuinely enjoyed...

2. She got to discover Dueling, a hobby that would change her life as she knew it

3. She got to meet the Sakaki family

Sakaki Yusho and Sakaki Yoko were great, kind individuals who were great parents as well. They treated their child so well…

Oh yeah, and then there was their child.

He seemed a little weird. And the goggles he wore just looked pretty weird in combination with…the hair.

Ah, yes. The hair.

Red and green, just like a tomato.

And then there were the crimson red eyes. The eyes that would soon be a frequent sight in her life. And the same eyes that would sometimes make her heart race...make her quake in fear...or rage out of anger.

She had recently lost those eyes. And her world had become much darker. It was still light, of course, with the shine of her other friends and family. But...without those crimson eyes, the difference in light was just so...noticeable.

And now they were here again. Staring at with wide beads of shock.

She spoke the name of whom the red eyes belonged to…

"Yuya…"

She took a step forward and reached a hand out. Everyone was frozen still as they saw the hand make contact with the side of his head.

Contact…

The thing she was hoping for when she saw him.

It meant he was real. Not a hallucination. No tricks.

This was the true Sakaki Yuya standing in front of him.

The tomato-haired boy grasped the hand on his head with gentle care, tenderly slipping it off and gripping it tightly.

Contact…

The one thing he had been missing for so long. Bound to the earth as a spirit of some sorts, only able to search the memories of his companion and nothing else.

And now...he was free.

"Yuzu...I'm back." A small, genuine smile appeared on his face. It hurt to smile, for some reason. He didn't know why, it just did.

"Yuya…" Tears began to leak down her face as she embraced her 14-year old friend, letting out a loud, "You idiot!"

"Do you know…"

Drop.

"Do you know just how worried…"

Drop.

"Do you know just how worried I was for you, Yuya! To just disappear like that one day on the Miami Championship! Our home was attacked! Innocent people were Carded for just no reason...attacked by some guy who looked like you! Saved by another! Taken away accidentally from my home because of this stupid trinket! It's just too much! And now, here you are…"

She wiped the tears off her face as she let go of her friend's body. She looked at him with strong eyes. No more tears. Those were the only ones she was going to show.

"I know things have been hard...and I'm sorry for that. But I'm here now, you don't have to worry about me anymore." Yuya spoke with a calm and kind voice.

"Yes...I know." She let out a wide smile towards him. The smile faded as she began to ask Yuya questions. "But Yuya, what happened to you? Yugo told me he beat you that night and you just disappeared afterwards!"

"The fight between me and Yugo was a misunderstanding. I harbor no ill feelings towards him. He thought I was…"

"Yuri." Sora supplied.

"Yuri, yes. He thought I was him. And he won. Yuto was also there that night and for some reason...when he came near me I felt like I was fading. So I gave him Odd Eyes and I was...absorbed into him I guess."

O'Brien closed his eyes. Yes, he remembered that fact. Yuto had revealed this all to the Lancers back in Standard.

Yuya shook his head, "That's not what matters right now! Where is Yuto? And Sora, what are you doing here?" He turned his head towards the cyan-haired boy, who looked away out of discomfort under his gaze.

After a few moments of waiting and persuading from an expectant look from Yuya, Sora spoke.

"I defected from Academia!" He exclaimed with no sign of hesitation. Yuya's jaw dropped slightly out of surprise, but it closed when he began to speak.

"But why? Why now?"

"It's because...I admit, my original mission in Standard was for Academia. But...as I spent more time with you guys...the more I thought of you as my friends. Look, I know you can't believe me...but, here me out! I still believe in Academia's goal for a perfect utopia. However, you, Yuzu, and everyone back at You Show Duel School were my only friends. And I don't want to live in a world where you guys aren't with me!"

"Sora..." Yuya whispered the name of the boy out of surprise. He had never seen Sora get this emotional. The closest was in his Duel with Shun. And that wasn't a very pleasant Duel to say the least. He closed his eyes and smiled, "Well, it's good to have you back."

Sora returned the smile with a very small grateful one of his own.

Yuya became serious once again. "Now, I'll ask again. Where is Yuto?"

"We don't know." Ruri spoke up, catching Yuya's attention. He immediately recognized her from the Friendship Cup. "He just disappeared after you four lookalikes…"

"Astrograph Magician who watches over all of Space and Time! We superimpose our wishes with your profound power!"

Ruri silenced herself, not wanting to go into detail about whatever that was.

Unfortunately for her, O'Brien spoke. He began to tell Yuya what had happened with the four boys, talking about how they all gathered up right next to each and other and began reciting the chant for a ritual of some sorts. He also spoke about the appearance of a mysterious dragon that most likely destroyed a portion of the city, much to Yuya's discomfort.

"The dragon called itself...Z-ARC." O'Brien finished his explanation with a grim face.

"Z-ARC?" Yuya repeated, suddenly remembering the conversation with that weird voice.

No, Yuya. No one can know about that! If they knew, they would go crazy and things would go straight to Hell! Yuya thought to himself.

"I've never heard that name before." Yuya lied.

O'Brien looked at Yuya for a moment before looking away, slightly suspicious of something.

"So…" Ruri started with an awkward and slightly shy tone, "You are Sakaki Yuya, Correct?" She took a deep breath when he gave a nod, "So, I would assume that...because of your surname, that you are the son of Sakaki Yusho?"

"My father?!" Yuya blurted out almost immediately. "You've seen him!? You know where he is?!"

"I don't know where he went. He seems to have disappeared but he just appeared one day out of the blue in Heartland three years ago."

"Three years ago he disappeared from Standard and ditched his family!" Yuya spat with an agitated tone. "What the hell was he doing all this time?!"

"Yuya!" Yuzu spoke up. "Please calm down. Your hand is shaking."

She looked down, and so did Yuya. And to his surprise, she was right. His hand was shaking faster than it ever has before. He grabbed his wrist, stopping the quivering immediately.

"I'm sorry. I got carried away there…" Yuya trailed off with an embarrassed face.

O'Brien gave him yet another look, Something's wrong. He seems completely different from when I first met him…

"No, I apologize for bringing up your father." Ruri said with a bow, "It was very insensitive of me to speak of something that seems to bother you greatly."

Yuya accepted this apology and moved away from the topic of his dad. He inaudibly cursed under his breath when he remembered something.

"What's wrong?" Yuzu asked out of concern.

"Yuto. When he disappeared, he took my Deck with him…"


In Another Part of the City

Yuto let out a loud gasp, opening his eyes and grabbing his head. He stood his body upright and immediately let out a cry of pain. There was pain all over his body. He could barely move for some reason. And his head was hurting like a bitch!

He immediately identified his surroundings. He was in some abandoned house, seemingly in hiding from rioting Commons and Academia Duelists on the hunt.

"So you've finally woken up, huh?" A voice asked.

Yuto widened his eyes, his gaze darting around the area to see Kurosaki Shun right next to him with a concerned yet mostly composed look on his face.

"Shun! It's...ugh! It's good to see you…" Yuto groaned, slowly trying to rise to a sitting position, only for Shun to push his body back down.

"Don't push yourself, idiot. You are only going to make the pain worse." A new voice spoke from behind Shun.

The purple hair with strands that looked like tentacles gave away the identity of the voice easily.

"Ryoga!" Yuto mustered a grin, happy to see his friends were safe.

"Oi! Don't forget about me." A man with yellow marks on his face and ginger-colored hair came into view.

"Crow!" Yuto immediately identified the man with a surprised look. "What are you doing here? I thought you would be fighting alongside the rest of the Commons."

"I decided to tag along with you guys. Even though the Tops are here, this place is my home. And I don't wanna see my home fall." Crow explained. "So, here I am helping you guys out."

"Yuto." Shun interjected, making eye contact with his comrade and friend. "What happened to you? We found you collapsed on the ground unconscious!"

"I don't know...I was with Ruri and some other guys…" Shun flinched at the mention of Ruri, but he remained as calm as he could. "I blacked out in the middle of a Duel with some guy from Academia named Darkness."

"Darkness?" Ryoga repeated with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, I think I lost. And I might have been transported by Yuzu's bracelet again."

"Did you happen to see that huge dragon in the sky?"

"Huge dragon?" Now it was Yuto who had the raised eyebrow, "What in the world are you talking about?"

The sound of Crow punching his open palm could be heard. Speaking through grit teeth, he said, "That damn dragon just appeared and destroyed a section of the city! All the people who were over there are dead now!"

He didn't really care about the Tops, but the deaths of fellow Commons hit him hard like a punch to the gut. He just hoped to God that Frank, Tanner, and Amanda weren't in that area.

"I must have been unconscious for that." Yuto said with narrowed eyes, gathering all his strength to sit up, this time without being pushed back down. He gave Crow a look of empathy, and so did Shun and Ryoga. The three of them already knew what it was like to suddenly lose your people in the blink of an eye, as well as hoping that your loved ones were not one of those people.

"It's okay." Crow held up his hand, giving a half-smile. "I'll just have to move on like the Commons always have."

"Where were you earlier, Yuto?" Shark asked, trying to get back on track.

"At some park."

Shun exchanged glances with his tentacle-haired comrade before looking back at Yuto.

"Don't worry. If it's the same place, then Tsukikage, Sawatari, and Gongenzaka should be on their way."

"You said there were other guys with you, right Yuto?" Crow enquired with a mug of interest.

The Phantom Knights user nodded. "Yeah, O'Brien was there. As I said, Ruri and Yuzu were there as well. Reira and Serena are there also. Yugo was there but I think he was teleported along with me. Finally…" Yuto took a deep breath and exhaled. He was going to regret saying this, he already knew it. "Shiunin Sora was helping us out as well."

"WHAT?!" Shun bursted out of anger. "Yuto! You idiot! You trusted that Fusion scum?! He's Academia, remember! He is the enemy that needs to be eradicated!"

"He's not part of Academia anymore!" Yuto interrupted before Shun could ramble on even further. "He defected."

"Yuto." Ryoga spoke up, "Typically Shun is the one I would be against in arguments between the two of you. However, even I have to ask…" He walked forward and gripped Yuto's collar, "WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!"

Yuto winced from the pain in his body and Ryoga's loud voice. As he seethed from the pain, he tried to defend himself. "Look. I know this seems crazy, but I saw it in his eyes. He wasn't trying to deceive us, he actually is trying to fight on our side now."

"You saw in his eyes?! That's your excuse?! Yuto, that is the most naive thing I've ever heard!" Shun was on the verge of going on a hunt for Shiunin Sora's head, and it showed from the steam coming out of his ears.

"Guys! Guys!" Crow came to Yuto's rescue, forcing Ryoga's hand off the boy. "Break it up! Yuto's your friend right? Shouldn't you trust your friend's judgement? If he believes that this Sora character isn't on the bad side anymore, then shouldn't you support him?"

"Shut up, Crow!" Kurosaki yelled. "This is war! If an enemy suddenly shows up and says 'I'm going to be on your side now', you should not believe them! What Yuto is doing is giving Shiunin Sora a free pass of capturing Ruri and the others!"

A large amount of tension filled the air. Shun seemed like he was going to go mad, Ryoga was trying to hold down his anger but to no avail. Yuto was trying to calm them down, and poor Crow was just dragged into it all for no reason.

"Shun…" Yuto croaked, standing up to his feet despite the throbbing in his body and head. "Please...you have to trust me. You're...my best friend! You can think of me as the worst kind of scum there is...but please, trust Shiunin Sora. Believe me, I hated the guy...I...I still do...but I'm willing to put my hatred aside if he wants to help."

The two Xyz Duelists made eye contact. Shun looked into Yuto's eyes. His hawk eyes met a steel gray. And those eyes were not faltering in the slightest. They had this weird feel to them. It was as if they were saying 'It's alright, just trust me'.

The hawk eyes of Kurosaki Shun retreated, and he admitted defeat. "Fine, I'll give him one chance."

Ryoga let out a gasp of shock, surprised as his friend's decision. He looked at him as if he was crazy for just a moment before closing his eyes as well.

"Alright, I give. But I'll be keeping my eye on that bastard, I hope you know that's Yuto."

Yuto nodded with a grateful smile, "Thank you. And don't worry, if I see a single sign of him still being aligned with Academia, then it's over for him."

Ryoga opened his eyes, turning around to face the Commons street. "If the others are at the park, then we should hurry over to them quickly."


Later-At the Park

"So...let me get this straight." Sawatari Shinto said with an exasperated tone. He pointed a finger towards Yuya, "You and Yuto were one. I knew that...but now, you somehow split apart."

Yuya nodded.

Tsukikage, Sawatari, and Gongenzaka had arrived to the scene of the park. The first interaction between them and Yuya's group was Gongenzaka running up to Yuya and Yuzu and giving them in the tightest hug ever. Something that probably came close to breaking both of their backs.

After that, it was followed by a stream of questions mostly from Sawatari. It was things like 'Was Ruri any bit of an asshole like her brother' (a question that made the girl very uncomfortable due to the bad reputation of her sibling), 'Are you really Yuya', and also questioning Sora, which fortunately ended on a good note.

Now, they were trying to explain what happened to Yuya and what happened in the park.

"And now, Yuto, Yugo and the other guy were just wisped away by your bracelets?" Sawatari summarized, earning a nod from Ruri, Serena, and Yuzu. He let out a sigh, "Why did I join the Lancers again?"

"To fight Academia, of course." Tsukikage answered.

"That was a rhetorical question."

"That strange phenomenon with Yuya and the others that you talked about...I can't believe it might have a connection to that big dragon." Gongenzaka muttered out of disbelief.

"Guys!" A familiar voice to the Lancers could be heard yelling. Everyone turned to the sound of the voice to see Yuto, who was being supported Crow and Ryoga along with a running overjoyed Shun. While it was Yuto who did the yelling, Shun was doing the running.

Soon, Ruri would be following suit as well, making a mad dash for her brother.

Like everyone expected, the two embraced in a tight loving hug. By the time Yuto and the others got there, Ruri and Shun had separated.

Seeing that he was in no condition for a hug, Ruri spared Yuto by sending him a smile instead. A smile which he returned in a heartbeat.

Yuzu let out a gasp as she looked down at her bracelet, worried that it would transport either Yuya or Yuto. But to her surprise, it didn't even make a twinkle.

What the heck is with this thing? Yuzu thought with a frown. First it wouldn't teleport Yuri like she wanted earlier, then it transported everyone except Yuya. And now it won't work again.

Yuya beamed towards Yuto, walking forward with a smile on his face. "It's good to see you in the flesh again, Yuto."

"Same here. I don't know how what happened to separate us, but I'm glad you're right here in front of me." Yuto returned with a smile of his own.

"You know, it's weird. I've been stuck with you for so long, yet we've never had a formal greeting before." Yuya stopped walking, and so did Yuto. He slipped his arms off of Ryoga and Crow, no longer needing their support to stand.

"I know." Yuto said, holding his hand out. "Let's change that."

Yuya grasped the hand with a tight grip. "Hello. My name is Sakaki Yuya."

"My name is Yuto. It's nice to finally be able to see you, Sakaki Yuya."

"Likewise."

Everyone stared at the two's greeting with smiles on their faces. Even Sora and Shun couldn't help but grin.

Ruri and Yuzu were smiling the widest as they saw their male counterparts getting along with each other well.

Suddenly, Sora spoke up. "Kurosaki!"

The smile on the Raidraptor user's face faded, and it turned into a scowl. He turned to the cyan-haired boy with a look of slight disgust. "What?"

"Just know that I'm on your side now, for good. No tricks. However, just because I'm on your side, doesn't mean I've stopped hating you!"

Shun narrowed his eyes. To no one's surprise, there was going to be a heavy amount of tension between the members of the group, between Sora and Shun the most. At the moment, most of the hatred currently within the group stemmed from the two of them.

"Just because you claim to have defected from Academia doesn't mean I trust you now. I still hate you as well. And my hatred towards you will never disappear!" Shun raised his voice to make himself more menacing, though he would know that against Sora that wouldn't work. "One piece of advice to keep in mind. If you betray us later down the line, no matter what Yuto or anyone else says, I will personally end you on the spot."

"I wouldn't have it any other way."

Silence filled the area. The smiles from Yuya and Yuto's interaction were immediately wiped away thanks to Shun and Sora. Fortunately, it seemed that the interaction between the two seem to ease the tension just by a little bit.

"Way to go for ruining the positive mood, Kurosaki." Sawatari mumbled, trying to break the ice.

"If you don't shut up the mood is not the only thing that's going to be ruined!"

"Brother!"

"Enough!" Yuto jumped in, having enough of the fighting. "You guys need to stop! There are still Academia soldiers walking around Carding people and we're standing here bickering without a care in the world!"

Shun and Sawatari's mouths clamped shut from that statement.

Ruri let out a sigh of relief.

Yuto closed his eyes

"Look. Everyone on this team has their differences. We all come from different backgrounds. Some filled with joy and smiles. And some filled with hate and anger. We won't always see eye to eye. It's a given that there will be conflict within the team, but we can't let that jeopardize the entire mission! When it comes down to it, our backgrounds and other people's preconceptions about us don't matter at all!"

Serena and Sora raised their heads, looking at Yuto with a look of awe.

"As long as we are ready to do the right thing, that's all that matters! As I've said, we'll probably fight a lot more in the future, but when push comes to shove...we have to bury the hatchet and work together!"

Shun and Ryoga glanced at Sora for a split second before returning their attention to their fellow Resistance comrade.

"I want to put a stop to Academia's plans just as much as you all want to. However, as much as I hate to admit, I am powerless on my own. We all are!" Yuto told the group with a pained expression on his face. "But if we band together and put aside our differences, we just might stand a chance! We, as a team, could defeat Academia! We just need to work together!"

As he spoke, multiple Ancient Gear Chaos Giants came into view. And soon, more screams could be heard as more people were Carded without remorse.

"Now…" Yuto turned around to see the new arrivals over most of the buildings in the area. "With our combined strength, we can drive Academia out of the Synchro Dimension! Who's with me?!"

After a moment's worth of silence, Shun stepped forward. Everyone, even Yuto, was surprised to see him be the first one to openly accept. Regardless, the others soon followed suit, with Sora eventually being the only one who hadn't said a word.

The former member of Academia looked at the assembled group with a detested look in his eyes. He originally had no hesitation for joining them, but looking at them now, he really began to question himself.

What right did he have to suddenly turn around and join these guys?

They actually had good excuses for why they fight. For the most part, Sora thought his motive was selfish. And for that reason, along with his former allegiance with Academia, Sora felt like he did not deserve to fight alongside the Lancers.

He turned his head to see Yuya, Yuzu, and even Gongenzaka looking at him with hopeful and expectant faces.

They were willing to look past his past transgressions and lies...they were willing to accept him as a friend again.

Sora shut his eyes and turned away, trying not to show the small tear that formed in his eye. He was not about to show the damn Xyz Duelists that he was showing being touched by Yuya and his friends.

"Fine. I guess I'll join the stupid Lancers. So, what's the plan?"


Later-Commons Area-Slums

A revolution.

That's what it was supposed to be for the Commons.

Change...

They would overthrow the Tops with their sheer numbers and work to create an equal society where the term 'Tops' and 'Commons' wouldn't exist. No child would have to walk the streets begging for food or sitting in the cold waiting for the end to come.

They would live happy for once. True happiness was within their grasp. Smiles were going to be put on the Commons faces when they finally got to live the lives they were robbed of.

A revolution, it was supposed to be. Not a slaughter fest.

"AHHHH!"

"TONY!" Shinji cried out as his friend was thrown to the ground, his life points dropping to 0.

It was all just a blur to Shinji Weber. One minute, the Commons were rioting, and then the next these men in uniforms just showed up turning people into Cards! It didn't matter if they were Tops or Commons, everyone was a target in their eyes.

And now it was over for him too.

"I end my turn." The second Academia Duelist said with a grin, an Ancient Gear Ultimate Hound Dog hovering above him and another one over his partner. "It's the end of the line for you now. Draw your last Card so you can be finished off!"

Damn it! Shinji thought through grit teeth. Only 400 life points, no Monsters on his Field and his Hand had nothing to help him. As far as he was concerned, nothing in his Deck could help him win.

It's over…

"Hold on just a second!" A voice called out.

Two people intruded in on the Duel, an Action Field appearing due to one's presence. Shinji immediately saw the two behind the Academia Duelists with several other people lurking behind them, along with an oddly familiar d-wheel coated in white and an assortment of some other colors being lumbered by a big brute.

He could immediately identify the two new arrivals.

"Crow...and Kurosaki Shun!"

Both Crow and Shun took the intrusion damage. They took without flinching even once.

Shun: 4000-2000 LP

Crow: 4000-2000 LP

"Let's make this quick!" Crow said to Kurosaki, not taking his eyes off Shinji.

"Understood." Shun responded, "My turn, draw!"

A few minutes passed by, and soon the two Academia Duelists were lying on the ground defeated.

Shinji was left in awe as the Action Field disappeared. Shun and Crow had effortlessly defeated them both, where he and Tony had gotten their asses kicked.

The two Academia Duelists were teleported back as a result of their defeat.

"Hey, Shinji! Are you alright?" Crow asked out of concern as he ran towards his friend, holding out his hand.

Shinji remained silent. A dejected look appeared in his eyes as he glanced to the left.

"Damn it, Shinji! Say something!" Crow yelled, but he went silent as soon as he saw what Shinji was staring at.

Tony's Card.

Crow's hands fell to his side, they swung in midair momentarily before tightening into fists. The Black Feather user grit his teeth, either from anger or from the pain of his nails digging into his skin.

"Academia...those bastards!"

"Crow…" Shinji whispered, covering his face with his hands. "I am so sorry...first Damon disappeared in the Friendship Cup, and now Tony is gone too. Many of our other friends were beaten as well and Carded without remorse…"

"Shinji! Please, don't worry about it! It wasn't your fault! We can still avenge the fall of our friends! They might be gone now, but their spirit lives on with us! By defeating Academia, we could maybe try to find a way to reverse the Carding!" Crow suggested, trying to give Shinji a more positive outlook after his most recent loss.

"Shinji." Yuto spoke up. "I know how much you and the other Commons hate the Tops, but in order for this equal society you dream of to exist, you guys need to join forces!"

"Join forces?" Shinji growled, clearly disgusted at hearing the words. "That's the last thing I want! It's true that I want a just and equal society, but it cannot be born through holding hands with the Tops! They are selfish pieces of shit who only care about their own protection! The moment Academia is driven out, they'll turn around and put down us Commons! Fight together?! Join forces?! Don't make me laugh! Such a thing will never happen between the Tops and Commons!"

"Shinji! Just hold up a-"

"And now, a special announcement from the King, Jack Atlas!" The voice of Melissa Claire rang throughout every corner of the city, catching the attention of the Lancers and cutting off Crow.

A giant hologram of Jack appeared over in different parts of the city for all to see.

This sudden appearance caused the rioting Commons to pause what they were doing. They began yelling and cursing at the holograms of Jack. Other Commons were either running or trying to fight members of Academia.

Regardless of what anyone was doing, Jack began to speak.

"People of our City, Tops and Commons alike: We are currently under circumstances that require your combined assistance. As I speak, our City is being taken over by members of an organization called Academia!"

"Academia?" Multiple Tops and Commons repeated with awestricken looks on their mugs.

"I assure you, these visitors do not come in peace! Currently, there is a group of Duelists called the Lancers that are this place's only hope for survival! However, if the Tops and Commons band together, we can change that!"

"Tops and Commons...band together?" Shinji seethed, his teeth looking like they could pop out of his mouth at any moment from how hard he was clenching them. "There is no way in Hell I'm standing for that! WHAT KIND OF PERSON DO YOU TAKE ME FOR, JACK ATLAS?! I KNOW YOUR TRICKS, THIS IS THE TOPS MEANS OF DECEPTION TO GET THE COMMONS TO DO THE DIRTY WORK FOR THEM!"

After his declaration, more Commons began to join in, some yelling about how the Tops ruined everything in their life and others saying how they would rather die than work with the Tops.

"How disgusting." A member of the Tops said. "The Commons always did act like a bunch of hogs."

"SILENCE!" Every hologram of Jack Atlas boomed, silencing almost everyone. "Look at this!"

The holograms of Jack disappeared, and in their place were large rectangular screens. Soon, actual video footage appeared in a split screen.

On one screen were multiple Commons who were cornered by Academia soldiers. On the other screen it was essentially the same except with Tops instead of a Commons.

Every soldier walked forward as the victims each let out a loud scream, much to the horror of the Tops and Commons watching. The Academia soldiers grinned and laughed as they pressed a button on their Duel Disk, releasing a purple light and enveloping the citizens, causing their bodies to disappear.

After a few moments, in the bodies place, Cards fell to the ground.

Cards that had the victim's faces on them.

"This will happen to every single one of us if you do not get over this petty hatred for each and other and at least work together to drive out this threat! We may have lost many people, but the combined population of the Tops and Commons are without a doubt still more than half a billion! This is an amount Academia could only dream of! For years the Tops and Commons have clashed with one another! Now, it is time for that fighting to stop! Think about what is at stake here! Our lives! Our home! Our City! I have had no say in the affairs of the Tops and Commons, despite being the King! But now, we as a City can make a difference together!"

Every citizen in the City widened their eyes, they stared at the holograms closest to them, watching with anticipation. And for the raging Commons, their anger was quelled temporarily, they were now interested to hear what Jack Atlas had to say.

"Tops! Commons! It is time for our long history of fighting to stop! If you fight each other over trivial matters such as social class, then we're only making Academia's mission be easier! If you wish to continue such foolishness, then you all can die knowing that we never stood a chance! If you wish to live, then join forces for this one time! And remember this, we're not fighting for ourselves anymore! If you fight with me, you bear the burden of carrying more than one life on your shoulders! And for all of those who hate me so much, if you have any problems then you can come try and face me head to head after this battle is over!"

Silence filled the entire City. Even the rioting Commons were speechless. The result of Jack Atlas' speech was completely unknown.

Would the Tops and Commons accept it and work together for the first time in who knows how long? Or will they just continue to rip each other to shreds with Academia gradually destroying them as time went by?

All of a sudden, a single voice in different locations of the City spoke up.

They all said, "I BELIEVE IN THE KING!"

Immediately after, many in the Tops and Commons began to cheer in agreement, with only a select few remaining silent.

"YEAH! LETS TAKE THE FUCKING CITY BACK!"

"I can't believe it…" Shinji murmured.

"THIS IS OUR HOME! WE'RE NOT ABOUT TO LOSE IT TO SOME FREAKS IN UNIFORM!"

"The Commons are going through with this…"

"WE WILL NOT LET THEM DESTROY OUR CITY!"

"The Tops too…" Gongenzaka said with a small smile.

"They have all experienced the pain of fear, loss, and hopelessness. Now, Akaba Reiji and Jack Atlas are using that pain to rally everyone together." Ryoga spoke his thoughts out loud. "Shinji Weber. Whether you like it or not, there are Tops who are willing to work together with the Commons. Now, you can either mope about the social system and die alone...or you can get over it and take a step forward into the future! It's your choice..."

From his throne room, Jack smirked. He glanced at Reiji, who was wearing a small smile himself. His face turned serious once again as he returned his attention to the people of the City.

"All those who choose to stand and fight together...FOLLOW ME!"

A loud eruption of cheers erupted from many different locations in the City. Most of these people were those who supported Jack Atlas. However, there were some, who were just fighting for change to occur.

Obviously, there were some Commons who wanted to continue with the riot, but they could not do such a thing with small, scattered numbers. Especially with most of the City working together against Academia. They too wanted to get rid of Academia, as much as they hated the Tops.

In fact, the Tops and Commons still hated each other. However, some form each side were willing to put aside their differences and hatred and try to work together to defeat this new threat.

"Everyone!" The holograms of Jack Atlas spoke, "If you wish to fight Academia, then you must be prepared to Duel your hearts out! I will be fighting alongside you! Remember, never fight alone! Always be with someone!"

Immediately after that statement, many scavenged their surrounding areas for a Duel Disk. Most already had a Deck, but they just didn't have a Duel Disk on them due to the Friendship Cup.

Speaking of which…

"I have one final announcement to make. After this battle finishes, the Friendship Cup will continue with the final three matches! The second semifinal match, the finals match between the winners of the semifinals! And then, the grand finale! The winner of the finals against me, the King! As of now, throwing the losers into the underground is strictly forbidden. Now with that said, I only have one more thing to say. For those who side with me, welcome to the fight! And I hope that through this battle change will be caused throughout the City. I will see you all on the battlefield!"

After that, the holograms disappeared. And, with the morale of the Tops and Commons boosted, they rallied into multiple groups and prepared to fight off those from Academia.

"I...I cannot believe any of this! The Tops will just stab us in the back when the enemy is dealt with!" Shinji argued with a loud tone, hoping someone other than the Lancers would hear him. "Doesn't anyone remember what they did?! They threw us in prison for no reason! Treated us like dirt! Beat us up! Took our little amounts of money! And they-And they…"

Shinji shut his as he punched the ground with all his might. "DAMN IT! You mean to tell me...that after all of that suffering...after being stuck in Hell for so long...You mean to tell me that I have to work with the people who put me in Hell for my entire life! Working together isn't going to make up for all of the years I've lost in Hell! NOTHING WILL!"

Crow looked at his friend with a sad face as he could see tears forming at the edges of his eyes, trying desperately not to trickle down.

"Shinji...I know how you feel." Crow placed a hand on his friend's shoulder, causing him to tense up and give his attention, "I still can't forgive the Tops for what they've done. But...I want to create a better future for Amanda, Frank, and Tanner to live in. And a future born out of blood...I can't stand for that! I don't want to kill anyone! And I don't want the kids living in a future where they know that I had to stain my hands with the blood of others to get them there…"

Shinji sighed.

He mentioned the kids.

For both of them, yes even Shinji, the kids were always a kick to the balls. They had a very soft spot for the three. So if anyone mentioned something along the lines of 'its for the sake of the kids', then they would agree to almost anything.

And this time...Shinji really hated how much he cared for the kids.

"Shinji Weber." This time, it was Yuto who spoke up. "I know how you feel. I bear hatred towards Shiunin Sora for siding with Academia and deceiving those in Standard." He turned his head towards the boy, who looked away out of guilt. "However, he has recently decided to change his ways, and while I still hate him and Academia more than anything, I am willing to put off my hatred and work with him."

"Academia ruined our lives in a single moment." Shun interjected, trying to support Yuto and Crow. "One moment everything was normal. And then the next...gone...all gone…and it was because of Academia!" His tone turned to one of distaste as he sent Sora a look of disdain, the latter not even wanting to face him because he already knew how he would look at him. "And yet...to take down Academia, I have chosen to work with Shiunin Sora so no one else has to suffer from Academia's wrath like us from Heartland."

Shinji's eyes which were just riddled with hate, were now just filled with nothing.

Hatred had been part of Shinji for so long. And now he was being told to get rid of it…

Without hatred, Shinji Weber was nothing. Without hatred, just what was Shinji Weber.

Absolutely. Nothing.

Or so he thought…

He reminisced on memories with Crow and the three kids he looked after…

The smiles of joy that would appear on their faces when he would visit…

The laughs during dinner when Tanner would do something stupid with his food…

The moments where each one of them would talk about a bright future…

Future.

He had made a vow to the kids one time.

He said that no matter what happened, he would make sure that he would get them a future where they could be truly happy.

A future where they would be treated with some sort of respect by others,

A future where they could be successful…

It was one of the main things that motivated him to carry out with the revolution to change the ways of the City.

But...now that he thought about it…

The kids would never look at him with the same smiles ever again if he carried out this revolution.

Did he hate the Tops? Yes, he would always hate the Tops.

Did he hate hate the Tops more than he loved the kids…

No.

Crow and the kids are his entire world. And he's not going to damage that world over a revolution. The price would be too high…

Shinji scanned through all of the Lancers, lingering on Shiunin Sora, Yuto, Shun, and Crow in particular. With a defeated look, he said, "Fine. I guess I'll have to give up on this revolution...as much as I don't want to, there is just no point anymore. If there is some sort of chance in the change you guys believe in, then I guess I'll stick around to see if it works. And if it doesn't...then you can be damn sure I'll go back to my old views!"

Crow let out a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Shinji."

He held out his hand, pulling Shinji up when he accepted it.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Sora looked back to face the others. He had just remembered something that seemed off to him.

"Roget didn't try to say anything…"

Had Sora mentioned anyone else, they all would have just ignored it and not give it another thought. But some members of the Lancers actually paled as they realized that Roget didn't try to interrupt Jack or anything. He didn't try to take advantage of the situation at all like one would expect out of someone like him.

"Now that you mention it...other than confronting me personally, Roget hasn't made any moves at all." Yuto said, unaware of the chip that was in his helmet when he Dueled Ruri.

"Sergey attacked me!" Yuzu suddenly exclaimed, prompting everyone to look at her, with anger flashing in Yuya and Gongenzaka's eyes the most. A small blush appeared on Yuzu's face at the sudden attention. "I faced him in a Duel...and I managed to turn it into my favor using Pendulum…" Yuya, Yuto, Serena, and Sora gasped out of shock. "But as I was about to finish him off, he ran away…"

O'Brien narrowed his eyes. "Something is off about this. Roget must be planning something!"

"I agree." Sora said, twisting the lollipop on his mouth with his right hand as he cupped his elbow in his left hand. "The members of Security are acting weird…"

Sawatari raised an eyebrow out of disbelief. The members of Security were acting weird? They were just following orders. Nothing seemed to be weird about them at all.

"I don't know...but as time goes on, I've been noticing that the guys from Security were hunching over slightly. They seem to be completely emotionless. I have a feeling Roget is messing with their minds..." Sora clarified, tapping his foot to try and get his brain working.

"Emotionless?" Ryoga murmured out of confusion. "Nothing seemed wrong with them when I Dueled them at the council."

"But think about it!" Sora pressed on. "Wasn't their sudden appearance weird? If Roget did something to them, maybe it didn't take full effect!"

He paused to let the Lancers ponder on this for a moment. He began to pace rapidly, a full idea coming into his head.

"I can't say for sure, but my gut tells me something weird is going on!"

Tsukikage stepped forward, his expression unreadable partly thanks to his mask.

"Perhaps Shiunin Sora is onto something. I suggest we split up into groups once again. O'Brien, Ryoga, and Shiunin Sora, may you three please accompany me. I believe that we have some inspecting to do at the Security Bureau."

The three in question nodded their heads, all of them stealing a glance at each other.

"I'm going too." Yuya suddenly said, surprising many in the group.

"But Yuya you-" Yuzu started, only to be cut off by her friend raising his hand to silence her.

"I'll be fine, Yuzu. Don't worry. I'm not going to die again! That's a promise." Yuya gave her an assuring smile, placing a hand on her shoulder.

Gongenzaka crossed his arms. "If Yuya is confident that he will be fine, then as his friend, I will support his decision."

"Gongenzaka!" Yuya looked to his other childhood friend with a grateful smile.

Tsukikage gazed into Yuya's crimson eyes. The son of Sakaki Yusho stared back, meeting his gaze with determined eyes. He didn't know what it was, but something in Yuya's eyes made Tsukikage believe that he would be alright.

The Fuuma ninja closed his eyes. "Very well. Sakaki Yuya, you may join us in our investigation."

Yuya gave him a nod of thanks before turning to his Xyz counterpart. With a hint of red appearing on his cheeks out of embarrassment, he spoke.

"Sorry, Yuto. But if I'm going to go with these guys, I kind of need to…"

Yuto raised his hand with a smile, causing his counterpart to close his jaw.

"No worries, Yuya. I was planning on returning it to you anyway." The Xyz Duelist reached for his Deck, removing it from his Duel Disk and scanning through it. He took out every Card that originally belonged to Yuya, including the ones from the Extra Deck. He then reached over to his holster and pulled out the remainder of Yuya's Cards. He merged the stacks together to form a single Deck. "Take it back. It is yours after all."

Yuya gladly took back his Deck, looking through and giving his counterpart a smile as he did so. "Thank you for looking after it, Yuto. Actually, hold on." Yuya went back into his Deck, taking out a single Card. "Here, take this."

"Yuya I-"

"I don't want to hear it." Yuya interrupted, silencing Yuto. "Take it. I think it will be very useful for you in the future. Besides, as long as you have that, it will be like a part of me is always fighting with you."

Yuto released a sigh. "Very well. If that is what you want, then I'll take it." He willingly took the Card from his counterpart. "Thank you, Yuya. I'll make sure that your good will won't go to waste."

Yuya nodded with a smile. In the next moment however, worry flashed through his eyes when he realized that he was missing something.

Fortunately for him, someone seemed to be listening to his thoughts.

"Take it…" Shinji Weber said, reluctantly holding out his Duel Disk. "I have a spare, but I'll be expecting that one back as soon as you're done with it."

Yuya looked at the device in his hand with a surprised look. He had never expected something like this to happen with a stranger he had just met. Regardless of weird it was, the Entermate user grasped the Disk with a tight grip.

"Thank you. You won't regret this!"

Shinji immediately turned around and grunted. "Come on. We have Academia soldiers to face, don't we?"

Tsukikage nodded out of agreement. "Sakaki Yuya, Shiunin Sora, Kamishiro Ryoga, Austin O'Brien, with me. While the City fights back against Academia, we will make our way over to the Security building as stated. Chances are Roger has retreated or he's set up a trap for us. Be prepared for anyrhing!"

He got no objections from any of the four.

"Kurosaki Shun." The ninja called out, turning to said boy. "Always be with another person. Don't let your hatred for Academia cloud your judgement and make you do something rash. We want as many people to survive this battle as possible, and staying in numbers will make it harder for our numbers to be chipped down."

Shun closed his eyes as a response, letting out a 'hmph' sound. "I make no promises…"

"With that, I only have one more thing to say. Hiragi Yuzu, Serena, Kurosaki Ruri, never abandon the group. Stick with the others and your safety will be guaranteed." Tsukikage said, accepting their nods as them taking the advice, albeit Serena was slightly reluctant to bob her head. "Good. With that over with, we can do our duty!"

He turned around and began walking away, with Yuya, Sora, O'Brien, and Ryoga following him.

"Oi! Oi! Aren't you going to say 'good luck' or something like that? Give a little support for your teammates!" Sawatari yelled with an aggravated tone.

Tsukikage stopped, not bothering to even turn around. "I would wish you good luck, but then luck won't help you." And with that, he continued walking along with the other four, leaving a dumbfounded Sawatari to his thoughts.

"God damn!" Sawatari cursed out loud as soon as Tsukikage and the others are out of earshot. "What's his problem? He's always so serious! And he sticks so close to the rules of his damn clan with no faith in anyone else at all!"

"Sawatari." Gongenzaka spoke with a stoic face, setting his eyes on the blond. "There is nothing wrong with honoring the rules of one's family, and bring serious is sometimes a trait people can't help, it's part of how they were brought up."

"That doesn't excuse him not wishing us good luck though!" Shingo rebutted with a scoff.

"He didn't wish you luck because he was being cold. He didn't wish you luck because he knew that you didn't need it." Gongenzaka said, much to Sawatari's confusion.

"And what do you mean by that?"

Gongenzaka looked at the retreating forms of Tsukikage, Yuya, and the other three.

"It takes a while to realize, but Tsukikage believes in all of us as comrades. He believes that we are all strong, and that he can trust in us should the time arises. I, the man Gongenzaka, can respect a man like him."

As Sawatari pondered this, Shun raised his arm, letting out a bold declaration with no hesitation.

"This is our chance to defeat Academia! We will not let bring this town to ruins like in Heartland! I swear I will not allow that to happen!"

"Brother…" Ruri murmured with a smile. It seemed the man who cared about others was still a part of Kurosaki Shun, no matter how scarred he was.

"What are we waiting for?" Serena spoke up for the first time. "We are ready but are the rest of you?"

Gongenzaka held out a fist. "Of course! I will give it my all in this fight!"

"I can't let Yuya and Gongenzaka outdo me." Yuzu said with a rare cocky smirk that would be seen more frequently before her very first encounter with Yuto in Standard.

"I will do my best!" Ruri exclaimed with a fire burning in her eyes. Shun sighed out of exasperation, not arguing because he already knew how an argument would turn out.

"This is our home." Crow started, speaking for both Shinji and himself. "For our Carded comrades and the people we have to protect, there is no way we're going to let Academia get away with this attack!"

"I will fight too!" Reira squeaked out. It was a quiet voice, but nonetheless it held a wall of confidence in tone.

Sawatari sighed, playing with a strand of his hair. "I guess I'll fight. After all, I know that you guys wouldn't last a second without me!"

Yuto didn't speak. He didn't need to say anything to give out his answer because anyone who knew well enough would already know the answer.

With everyone's decision set, it was Sawatari who decided to have the last word.

"Alright! Let's go kick Academia's ass!"


1-2 Hours Later

"PEOPLE OF THE CITY! ACADEMIA HAS BEEN DEFEATED! THE FIGHT IS OVER!" The booming voice of Jack Atlas announced, ringing through the ears of everyone in the City.

The battle had been won.

The combined effort of the Lancers along with the mostly unified Tops and a Commons brought a fall to Academia. All defeated members returned to the Fusion Dimension wallowing in failure.

The battle was quick, as the amount of soldiers sent into the Synchro Dimension was not nearly as much as the amount sent into the Xyz Dimension.

Everything was good…

However, Jack Atlas knew that the peace would not last for long. He was no idiot.

Academia would most likely return at some point. On top of that the rift between the Tops and Commons was still large. A fight could easily break out within a day or less. Hell, Jack estimated that if nothing was done, then the peace would be destroyed in the span of a few minutes.

And that was being generous.

Due to the state of the City, the best action currently was to continue the Friendship Cup, as Jack had said in his announcement.

Now, a few members of the Lancers (with the exception of Yuto who was escorted to wait for the finals match after the semifinals) were sitting in a special area in the stadium, looking up at a screen taken from the view of Melissa Claire's cameraman on a helicopter that would display the two Duelists in question as they would ride throughout the city.

Members of the Lancers that were not there were stood guard throughout the Cith to make sure no riot started.

Due to the battle, Yuya, Tsukikage, Sora, O'Brien, and Ryoga had to postpone their visit to the Security building. Currently, with all of the danger ceasing, they were now beginning to infiltrate the building.

Back to the stadium where the Friendship Cup was taking place, the voice of Melissa Claire finally spoke through a microphone, ringing throughout the City.

"Hello, everyone! Melissa Claire is here and back at it again! Due to the word of the King, the Friendship Cup will now be continuing to reach its conclusion! Now, after much waiting, we are now ready to pick it up again! So, without further ado, let's get the contestants of the second semifinal match onto the ground! The current matchup is…"

Two holograms of two figures appeared. One slim and one bulky form towered over the stadium, facing each other to reveal themselves to the audience.

"Yugo vs Sergey Volkov!"

"Yugo and Sergey?!" Yuto cried out of shock from his private waiting area as he watched the monstrous d-wheel of Sergey ride onto the Field.

In another section of the City with Gongenzaka, Yuzu widened her eyes as she heard the name of the man. She could have sworn that he had nearly blown a fuse in their Duel. Was he truly in any condition to Duel?

Back to Sergey, there was noticeably no sign of a white d-wheel following him.

"Where's Yugo?" Sawatari—who was left watching the match in the stadium—muttered out of confusion.

After a few moments, boos began to be heard coming from the audience at the sight of no Yugo. Their anger was slowly building up and soon that anger began to remind them of their hatred for their opposite social classes.

Before that could escalate, Melissa intervened quickly.

"Well!" She exclaimed with a chuckle. "It seems that Yugo will not be able to join us. Perhaps…Perhaps he got Carded?" Melissa gulped, her usual cheerful demeanor taking a dip into fear.

"STOP RIGHT THERE! I'M NOT DOWN FOR THE COUNT!"

The next thing everyone knew, the iconic white d-wheel of Yugo drove in onto the scene, skidding to a halt right next to Yugo.

His visor slid up as he glared at Sergey with flaming eyes of hot red anger and teeth clenched so hard that they could pop.

"I made a promise...to win!"


Finally done. Sorry that this chapter took so long, I just wanted to rest my brain from the last chapter so I could think of the scenarios in this chapter.

Then, on top of that, my uncle was sick and he literally lost his memory temporarily somehow. Fortunately, he's alright now and his memory is back intact, but I was really shaken up about that for a couple of days. Furthermore, I came down with food poisoning twice over the past couple of days but everything's good now for the most part.

Anyway, next chapter will briefly (probably not briefly) reveal how Yugo got his d-wheel back and how he responded to the dark spirit that spoke to him.

Also next chapter: Yugo and Sergey initiate their Duel. Yes, the result will be next chapter, I'm not splitting it.

So, Yuya is fully back in action. He will have a single Duel as the Synchro Dimension arc closes, and I think you guys will be surprised who the opponent will be. What he is doing will be covered, do not fret.

Now...where is Aki? Don't worry, she will make her reappearance soon, and she will have have another Duel in this arc.

This will most certainly be the last chapter before I return to my home in America. My next chapter for this fic might be on like August 30th or early September give or take.

Heart of the mem: I checked that fic out, its a nice read. I haven't read any fanfiction on the Arc-V fandom in a very long time (probably been at least half a year), and I've forgotten about most of the fanfictions I've read.

7roop3r: I know I implied that Purple Poison talked to all of the boys due to the fact that her name was revealed to only Yuri, but that's not the case. She only talked to Yuri. But yes, I'm trying to have the four dragon magician things play a small role in this fic.

Skadi: You're right on the money. White Wing is female while Black Fang and Double Iris are both male. And obviously, as revealed, Purple Poison is female.

Neonecrodarkman: Haha, I didn't think it would make anyone laugh. I put the line there because it seemed in character for Yuri to be so casual about something like that.

Bridgey: Thanks for the feedback, really appreciate it. Also, about Rin's Synchro Monster, she's already used it once before in her Duel against Yuri in chapter 12 (I don't blame you for forgetting, it's hard enough to keep track of all the Cards created).

DivadX: Lmao, I'm gonna need lots of good luck for the rest of the Synchro arc!

Well, that's all for this chapter. No Duel this time because there were so many before and there is going to be a lot in the following chapters.

Hope you guys enjoyed.

Take care, goodbye!