"The current score stands at a single victory for both Duel Academy Alpha… and Duel Academy Beta!" Crowler goes on to announce the start of the next round.

"It's time for Round Three of the Visas Tournament! This round will determine who will come out on top at the midway point! The academy that loses THIS duel will have to win the next two in order to win this tournament!"

He then points to Duel Academy Beta's side of the arena. "Now without any further ado… Straight from Duel Academy Gamma… Duel Academy Beta's third representative!"

Clovis Reyes - Fluxxwave (Super Slowed + Reverb)

Jaden and his friends look over at the entryway to see the next duelist they're facing.

He's sitting on top of a throne chair that's being carried by his four followers.

Crowler continues. "The best duelist to have ever attended Duel Academy Gamma! With an alleged record of 107 wins… and zero losses!

He is described by many as a master tactician when it comes to Duel Monsters… Having the unique ability to identify massive weaknesses in any dueling deck after seeing it in action only once!"

It was then that Jasmine and Mindy paid more attention to the guys who were carrying this duelist. "Is that…" "Our male counterparts…"

Syrus then commented. "Aw man… I sure am lucky I'm not facing him."

The duelist then gets off the chair as the four guys set it down on the ground. After a quick acknowledgement to them, he makes his way to his spot at the arena, but not before blowing a quick kiss to his admirers who are watching from above.

The cheering they did in response was so loud, everybody on the other side heard it.

Jaden then looks at Chazz. "So this is the guy that helped you… How are you feeling?"

"It's great that I get to see him actually dueling this time." Chazz looks down at his hand. "I'll never forget the time where he kissed my hand and said that our spirits were intertwined."

That was enough to make Jaden blink twice. "Uh… What?"

"Straight from Duel Academy Gamma! Commended by the number 2 student of Academy Beta… ALEXANDER RHODES!"

Alex rested his hand on his hip as he stood there looking more bored than anything else.

"I know I shouldn't be getting my hopes up… But there's gotta be SOMEBODY who can give me a thrill!"

"And now!" Crowler continues. "The third representative of Duel Academy Alpha!"

Alex raises an eyebrow as he sees his opponent introduce herself by riding what he can only describe as a giant motor vehicle in the shape of a swan.

"There are very few students at Academy Alpha that are more well known than this one!" Announced Crowler. "One of Alpha's very best when it comes to Duel Monsters! She wins! And wins some more! Earning herself the title of… Queen of Obelisk Blue!"

The duelist steps out of the swan and faces Alex. Ready to face him head on.

"Please give a warm welcome to… ALEXIS RHODES!"

As everybody from Alexis' Duel Academy was cheering her on, Alex could only deliver a comment. "You sure know how to make an entrance!"

"I could say the same thing about you!" Alexis readys her duel disk. "Unlike you, I actually don't USE my friends the way you do!"

Alex could only smirk. "Please, they're like… my followers… Pawns to use at my disposal…

A friend should never subsist on another's dream. The one that would be my friend must have a reason for living that goes beyond me. And they should put their heart and soul into protecting this dream… Even if it means opposing me.

For me to call somebody, 'my friend,' they must be my equal in every respect."

"Hmm?" Alexis could only glare. "What does THAT supposed to mean? Whatever happened to just being kind to others?"

"When Jaden Yuki asked me to duel for him, I said yes because I wish to meet somebody who I'd consider to be my equal… and also to meet Chazz again." He looks up to see Chazz watching them. "HEY CHAZZ! HAVE YOU TOLD EVERYBODY HOW CLOSE WE ARE? HOW YOU SPENT ALL THOSE HOURS STUDYING WITH ME!?"

Chazz blushes as he lets out a long sigh. "I'd say I didn't enjoy my time with him… but then I'd be lying."

"Okay, I believe that's more than enough talking, you two!" Crowler yells. "Which Rhodes is going to come out on top!? Now here we go!"

DUEL

Alexis Rhodes - 8000 LP

VS

Alex Rhodes - 8000 LP

Right behind Alex, he can hear a few familiar voices cheering him on.

"You can do it, Alex!" Female Jaden shouts at him. "We believe in you!"

Charlize is also there with her. "I've spent a lot of time at her academy… She doesn't have a chance!"

Then a third girl spoke up. She is Adelaide Rhodes. Alex's older sister and Atticus' female counterpart.

"I know my brother better than anyone else! It doesn't matter who his opponent is! He always comes out on top!"

Smirking to himself, Alex looks over his starting hand. "I think I'll go ahead and make the first move… If you don't mind."

Alexis nodded. "I'd like to know what cards you're playing before I make a move! So go ahead!" She then thinks to herself. "The last two winners went second in their duels… So if I go second… I'd have an extra card… But he volunteered to go first… Was he bluffing, or…"

"I think I'll start off with THIS!" Alex shouts. "By discarding one water attribute monster in my hand, I special summon Icejade Ran Aegirine from my hand! (DEF: 2500)"

Alexis blinks twice. "Icejade? I've never heard of a monster like that before."

"If you like the name, you'll LOVE it's special effect when it's summoned in this way. "Alex continues.

"You see, when Icejade Ran Aegirine is special summoned, I can summon a level 3 Icejade token beside it! (DEF: 0)

Did I mention that Icejade Ran Aegirine's a tuner? Because it is! I'll tune my level 7 Ran Aegirine… and my level 3 token to synchro summon… LEVEL 10… Icejade Gymir Aegirine! (ATK: 3000)"

"WHOA!" Jaden leans forward. "It's only the first turn and he's summoning a monster like THAT!? What on Earth is Alexis going to do!?"

Alex smirks. "I'd like to go on, but… Since this is only the first turn, I think it's only fair to give you a shot… You only get one though! So make it count!"

"One shot is all I need! Draw!" Alexis begins her turn. As she looked at her hand, one monster in particular stood out to her. It's a monster that is both unfamiliar yet familiar at the same time.

"This monster… Has an alternate version of me used it before? It's like it was… made for me."

She then continues her turn. "I'll activate the spell card… Machine Angel Ritual!"

"Huh?" Alex said disappointingly. "Cyber Angels? Are you messing with me right now!?"

Now it's Alexis' turn to smirk. "Oh, so you know all about these cards then?"

Alex shook his head. "I know enough to never expect to win while playing them! And the same goes for every other deck that uses rituals! Ritual summoning is a slow and unrewarding summoning mechanic that's better off forgotten!"

Alexis grits her teeth. "Slow and unrewarding? How's THIS for slow and unrewarding!?"

She sends monsters from her hand to the graveyard. "From my hand, I send Etoile Cyber and Cyber Prima… to ritual summon a level 10 monster… CYBER! ANGEL! VRASH! (ATK: 3000)"

"WOW!" Jaden yells. "Now THAT'S a ritual monster I hope to never face!"

"I activate Cyber Angel Vrash's effect!" Continues Alexis. "When it's summoned, your monster instantly gets destroyed, and you take 1000 damage!" She made a fist. "Go, Cyber Angel Vrash! Angelic Fury!"

"You won't get to me that easily!" Shouted Alex. "Gymir Aegirine! Blizzard Barrier!"

Cyber Angel Vrash tried to destroy Icejade Gymir Aegirine with its effect, only to be blocked by Aegirine's effect. "Gymir Aegirine can prevent itself from being destroyed by a card effect once per turn!" Said Alex. "Plus, since she wasn't destroyed, I don't take any damage!"

"I'm not through yet!" Alexis summons a monster. "I summon Blade Skater! (ATK: 1400) Now it's time to battle! I'll have Cyber Angel Vrash attack your monster!"

Cyber Angel Vrash and Icejade Gymir Aegirine collided with each other at the center of the field. The moment the dust settled, Alex's monster was destroyed, but Alexis' monster still remains.

"Hold up!" Hassleberry commented. "Why is it that only HIS monster got destroyed?!"

Alexis smirks. "I suppose you're wondering about the reason why my Cyber Angel-"

"Yes yes! Machine Angel Ritual's graveyard effect allows you to remove it from play in order to prevent Cyber Angel Vrash's destruction by battle…

I already know all this stuff, counterpart. There's nothing you can teach me."

"I don't need to teach you… I just need to win!" Said Alexis. "Blade Skater! He's wide open! Direct attack!"

With incredible speed, Blade Skater rushes towards Alex. She jumps up in the air and by using her sharp skate, performs a downward slash. "Ah!"

Alex Rhodes - 6600 LP

Looking at the last card in her hand, Alexis let out a sigh. She really wishes she could do more right now. "I end my turn!"

"It's my turn now! Draw!" Alex draws a card.

"I activate a monster effect in my hand!" Alexis shouts at him. "Maxx C! Now for the rest of this turn, every time you special summon a monster, I get to draw a card from my deck!"

"I'll activate quick play magic!" Alex shouted back. "Crossout Designator!" "What's that card!?"

He smirks. "Crossout Designator is a spell card that can negate Maxx C's effect… as long as I remove from play one Maxx C of my own from my deck!"

"This guy has an answer to every part of my strategy!" Thought Alexis. "He has constructed himself a deck perfect for going against opponents who he has no knowledge of! Is this what it feels like to duel yourself?!"

Alex continues. "I'll now activate another spell card, Triple Tactics Talent! Since you activated a monster effect during my turn, I get to choose one of three effects… I'll choose the one that allows me to draw two cards from my deck!"

"I just don't get it!" Jasmine leans forward. "Alexis' monster was negated! He shouldn't have been able to activate that card!"

Chazz then spoke to her. "Crossout Designator doesn't negate the ACTIVATION of an effect, it just negates the effect! Alexis still activated it! It doesn't matter what happens after!"

Jasmine rolls her eyes. "Yeah… I'm just going to pretend that I understood what you said!"

Alex looks at the cards in his hand. "I now have everything I need to go full combo on you, counterpart! And with no more cards left in your hand, I don't need to fear any interruptions! So get ready!" "Show me what you got!"

He summons a monster. "From my hand, I normal summon Righty Driver! And when Righty is summoned, I can special summon Lefty Driver from my deck!

Next, I activate the spell card, Icejade Cradle, letting me fetch Icejade Tremora from my deck! I'll activate Tremora's effect, I can discard it to special summon a water attribute monster from my hand, I choose… Ursartic Mikpolar! (DEF: 2000)"

"You're nowhere near finished, are you?" Alexis questions him.

"Not even close, now let me continue." Alex looks through his deck. "Mikpolar's effect lets me fetch my Ultimate Bright Night Ursatron Alpha to my hand! Now since I control an Ursartic monster, I can special summon it! (DEF: 700) And when it's summoned, I can add Ursartic Radiation to my hand!

I now activate Ursartic Radiation! Giving it seven counters! Now every time an Ursartic monster is special summoned from my hand or extra deck, I can remove a counter to draw a card!"

"You can draw up to SEVEN cards with that!?" Alexis said in disbelief.

"A blessing of the Ursartic, now let me continue." Alex removes monsters from his field. "Righty Driver is a level 1 tuner and Lefty Driver is a level 2 non-tuner, that means their difference in level is one… I can send them both to the graveyard to special summon Ursartic Polari from my extra deck! (DEF: 1000) Its effect allows me to activate my field spell, Ursartic Big Dipper directly from my deck! But not before setting off Radiation's effect! Draw one card at the cost of a counter!"

Alex draws a card. Then immediately after, the scenery changes.

"Now from my hand, I activate Ursartic Departure! By discarding my Ghost Belle and Haunted Mansion, I can add not one, but two Ursartic monsters from my deck to my hand! I fetch Ursartic Megapolar and Ursartic Megatanus! Now by tributing the Megatanus in my hand, I can special summon Megapolar! (DEF: 700) After drawing another card due to Radiation, I send Megapolar and Ultimate Bright Knight to special summon Ursartic Polar Star! (DEF: 2000) After drawing another card because of Radiation, I activate Polar Star's effect! I can send it along with Mikpolar from my field to special summon a level 7 synchro monster from my extra deck!

BUT FIRST… I activate my field spell, allowing me to banish Bright Knight from my graveyard to substitute the ENTIRE cost! From my extra deck, I special summon Ursartic Septentrion! (ATK: 3000)"

"Alex… is unstoppable… Alex… is unbreakable." Chazz spoke to himself.

He then feels Jaden nudge him. "Hey, whose side are you on!?"

"After drawing another card because of Radiation, I activate Polari's effect! By sending Mikpolar to the graveyard, I can special summon Megatanus from the graveyard! Now I send both Polar Star and Megatanus to my graveyard to special summon Ursartic Grand Chariot! (ATK: 2700) Grand Chariot activates after Radiation… I draw another card and both your monsters are automatically sent to the graveyard!"

"WHAT!?" Alexis shouted as Cyber Angel Vrash and Blade Skater disappeared from her field.

"Now that your field is wide open, I'll attack with both my monsters!"

Alexis Rhodes - 2300 LP

Alex put his hands behind his back. "I wonder what you'll do now… You have no cards in your hand or field and I have two very powerful monsters and cards in my hand thanks to Radiation… But you are free to keep going if you wish… I end my turn."

Alexis draws a card. "It's not over… Until the last card is played…" She looks at her new card. "I set one card face down… and end my turn."

"Let's see what you have… I draw." Alex draws a card.

"I activate a trap!" Yells Alexis. "Necro Fusion! By removing from play Etoile Cyber and Blade Skater, I fusion summon-"

"I activate a monster effect!" Alex shouts. Interrupting Alexis. "When my opponent banishes cards due to their own card effect, I can revive my Icejade Gymir Aegirine from my graveyard! (ATK: 3000)"

"A revival effect!?" Shouted Jaden. "But that means… That means…"

Alex smirks. "Your Cyber Blader monster won't get her attack points doubled now that I have three monsters! (DEF: 800)"

Alexis lets out a sigh. "Well… I've done everything I can… I'm… I'm sorry I couldn't live up to your… expectations."

"Oh, that's quite alright…" Alex draws a card from his deck. "I'm just on a higher level; that's all. It's not your fault that you're gonna lose. I wanted to play a fun game… and in a way… I got what I wanted. I can't complain… I attack your monster with Septentrion and attack you directly with Icejade Gymir Aegirine!"

Alexis Rhodes - 0 LP

"I'm sorry, Jaden." She whispers to herself before walking away.

With the round now over, Alex looks over to Crowler and smiles at him. He knows he has words of praise coming his way.

"Uh, well there you have it, folks!" Crowler began announcing. "Another win for Duel Academy Beta! In what was the fastest duel yet! Victory in only the fifth turn! Duel Academy Beta only needs to win one more time if they wish to win the tournament! If things weren't heating up before, they're certainly heating up now! The winner… of Round Three is… Alex Rhodes!"

Alexis Rhodes VS Alex Rhodes

Number of Turns: 5

Winning Monster: Icejade Gymir Aegirine

Winner: Alex Rhodes

"SHE TRIED! SHE TRIED! SHE TRIED! YEAH YEAH SHE TRIED!" Syrus, Jesse, and Hassleberry chanted in unison as Alexis sat down next to Jaden. With just one more loss before they have to say goodbye to Jaden forever, they thought they could do their best to get everybodys hopes up.

It wasn't working. Syrus shouts. "What did she do!?" "SHE TRIED! SHE TRIED! SHE TRIED!"

It was then that they dodged a bottle of fruit juice thrown by Aster. He was the most annoyed out of everybody. "Damn! I missed!"

"BUT YOU TRIED!" Syrus, Jesse, and Hassleberry chanted again. This time pointing at Aster. "YEAH YEAH YOU TRIED!"

Jaden spoke to Alexis. "Hey, for what it's worth, I think you did really well. I never thought I'd ever see a monster like Cyber Angel Vrash."

Alexis then looks at him. "Are… you sure you can trust Chazz? I mean… He's good and all, but… After what I just had to face."

"Hey, don't worry about Chazz! He's gonna be fine!" Jaden assures her. "After all, who exactly was training him with advanced cards? I can't wait to see him in action!"

"Yeah…" Alexis nodded in agreement. "Yeah. Me too."