The Domino City Regional tournament has wrapped up the crowd in the stadium cheering to the heavens. The final four duelists stand on the podium to receive their prizes for making it to finals. Standing above the runner-ups, is the tournament champion, Jiro Katsuro.

Jiro has an aura of confidence around him at all times. This isn't his first tournament. Being a graduate of Domino High, he's taken part in almost every local tournament in the city, and goes home with another trophy.

His eyes are a fierce golden yellow that pierce through his opponent's soul. While his pit-black hair is short and wild like a mane. He's wearing a blue long sleeve shirt with a black vest, and dark blue pants, reflecting his edgy nature.

On the large screens around the stadium, they display a highlight reel of the duels of the finals. The final clip shows the last turn of the tournament. Jiro was using a Phantom Knight deck against his opponent's Shaddolls. Using his Arc Rebellion Dragon, he negated El Shaddoll Construct and Winda's abilities, and gained their attack points before attacking for the game.

After the tournament is over, Jiro walks home under the clear sky. He carries the trophy he won on his shoulder like a baseball bat, bouncing it lightly with each step.

Turning the corner onto an empty street, a figure steps out of the shadows. It's a man in an all white suit with a gangster's hat. They block Jiro's path, making themself the centre of attention.

"Congratulations on winning the tournament, Mister Katsuro. I'm sure that trophy would make for a fine additional to your collection." The man in white says, his words unnatural with a metallic tone to his voice.

"Domino is starting to run out of real duelists that can give me the challenge I need. As for the trophy, you can have it for twenty zeni." Jiro has a hint of boredom to his voice, like he doesn't care.

"I'm not here for the trophy. I'm actually here to give you that challenge you're after."

Jiro raises a brow at the statement. "I'm listening."

"You can call me the Collector. I'm here on the behalf of my benefactor to invite you to take part in a real event. If you can beat me that is."

"If you're looking for a duel, you're on. But let's make this one fast. 4000 life points each. 8000 would take too long, and this isn't a tournament duel," Jiro states the terms of the duel, his arrogance is shown in his change of tone.

"Agreed," the collector rips the sleeve off his jacket to reveal a pale arm. His fore arm transforms, turning into a full automatic duel disk with his deck sticking out the back of his hand.

Jiro is surprised by the cybernetics, but continues with the duel. He puts the trophy down before activating his duel disk. It's a modified variation of the original battle city disk, made to incorporate the newer summoning methods.

"Let's Duel!"

DUEL

Jiro Katsuro 4000LP

VS

Collector 4000LP

"I'll take the first turn with this, my Graceful Charity card. I draw three cards, and then discard two," the Collector rebuilds their hand before discarding the rest. "Next, I activate the effect of Cyber Dragon Nachster. By discarding another monster, I can special summon it from my hand." [L1/Light/Machine/ATK 200]

"A Cyber Dragon deck? I should have guessed given your cybernetic arm," Jiro comments, looking down at his cards before looking back up at his opponent.

"There's more. First, Nachster's other effect activates, as well as the Herz I discarded. Herz searched another Cyber Dragon from my deck to my hand. And then Nachster revives the Cyber Dragon in my grave." [L5/Light/Machine/ATK 2100] Using a combination of effects, the Collector summons the original Cyber Dragon.

"You must have sent that to the grave earlier with Graceful Charity. Clever."

"My turn isn't over yet. Nachster is treated as Cyber Dragon while on the field, or in my grave. I activate the Polymerization spell in my hand to fuse the two Cyber Dragons on my field, with the one in my hand to Fusion Summon the level 10, Cyber End Dragon!" [L10/Light/Machine/ATK 4000] "And then I'll end my turn with a face-down." With just a card left in his hand, the Collector has summoned a high attack monster to his field, with a mystery card for defence.

"Impressive. Cyber End Dragon is an iconic monster. Hell Kaiser would be so proud," Jiro starts his turn by drawing. "I normal summon The Phantom Knights of Ancient Cloak in attack mode." [L3/Dark/Warrior/ATK 800] "Next, I special summon The Phantom Knights of Silent Boots." [L3/Dark/Warrior/ATK 200] Jiro has successfully summoned two monsters of the same level. "I overlay my two warriors to Xyz summon the Rank 3, The Phantom Knights of Break Sword!" [R3/Dark/Warrior/ATK 2000]

The Collector smiles, knowing the combo Jiro is about to perform with his monster. "Ah yes, Break Sword. You used him often in your duels to bring out Raider's Knight."

"Exactly! I use Break Sword's ability. By detaching one material, I can destroy a card on both our fields."

"Unfortunately, that won't be happening. I activate the trap, Infinite Impermanence. Your Break Sword has its abilities negated, and you can't use spell and trap cards in the column I used the trap in." The Collector prevented Jiro's combo.

"I have more ways to rank up my monsters. Like with this, Phantom Knights' Rank-Up-Magic Force! I banish the Ancient Cloak from my graveyard to rank up Break Sword." Jiro evolves his rank three monster into a rank 4, becoming a new warrior. "Rank Up! Rank 4, Raider's Knight!" [R4/Dark/Warrior/ATK 2000]

"Looks like I failed to stop your combo."

"There's more where that came from. By detaching a material from Raider's Knight, I can rank him up even further." By using a material, the black knight evolves, transforming into an empowered dragon of rebellion. "Rank Up! Rank 5, Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon!" [R5/Dark/Dragon/ATK 3000]

"Arc Rebellion. The strongest card in your deck. Not bad."

"Well then, you'll like this. By detaching a material from Arc Rebellion, he gains attack equal to the original attack points of all other monsters. And since I have an Xyz monster as material, those same monsters are negated." [Arc Rebellion 3000 - 7000] "I attack Cyber End Dragon."

Arc Rebellion takes to higher ground as Cyber End tries to blast them out of the sky. Firing a barrage of fire balls from their three heads, Arc Rebellion bobs and weaves through the attack before making some distance. The dragon engulfs themself in blue flames before launching themself head first at Cyber End. Arc Rebellion crashes through Cyber End, tearing it apart before cutting it in half. The monster explodes, taking almost all of the Collector's life points with it. [Collect LP 4000 - 1000]

"During my second main phase, I banish Silent Boots from my grave to search for Fog Blade, and add it to my hand. I'll set these two cards face down and end my turn." He ends his turn with two cards left in his hand.

The Collector starts his turn. He draws from his deck, and immediately reveals it. "I activate Harpie's Feather Duster. This card destroys all your spell and trap cards on the field." A storm comes over Jiro's side of the field, destroying his Fog Blade and Claw trap cards. "Next, I use my trap card, Reckless Greed. So I get to draw two cards, however I can't draw for my next two turns."

"Risky move. Make sure those cards are worth the drawback."

The Collector draws from his deck. As he pulls his cards, his duel disk reorganises the cards, putting a new two on top before he draws them. "Fortune smiles on me. I discard Herz from my hand to special summon Galaxy Soldier in defence mode." [L5/Light/Machine/DEF 0] "Herz allows me to add the Cyber Dragon from my grave back to my hand, and Soldier searches for another copy. Now I discard Cyber Dragon to summon my second Soldier."

From no monsters to two, the Collector is making haste on his comeback. Jiro is still confident in his ability to win.

"I overlay my two monsters to Xyz Summon, Rank 5, Cyber Dragon Nova!" [R5/Light/Machine/ATK 2100] "Now I rank up my Nova to make a new monster." Nova takes its own power and uses it to evolve itself, becoming a stronger dragon. "Rank Up! Rank 6, Cyber Dragon Infinity!" [R6/Light/Machine/ATK 2100] "Infinity gains 200 attack points for every material attached to them. And, once per turn I can target one attack position monster you control, and attach it to Infinity. Since I can't destroy Arc Rebellion, I'll just take it." Arc Rebellion is absorbed by Infinity, becoming another source of its power. [Infinity ATK 2100 - 2900]

The Collector attacks Jiro directly with Infinity. The mechanic dragon of infinity space hits him dead on without his trap cards to block it. Jiro nearly loses all of their life points from one attack. [Jiro LP 4000 - 1100]

"I end my turn. Let's see what you've got to stop my monster."

Jiro gets back up off the ground, and dusts himself off. "I've defeated worse monsters than that." He draws from his deck, and smiles. "Since I control no cards, I can activate my own Infinite Impermanence from my hand, and I'll use it to negate Infinity."

"Nice try, but I negate with Infinity. I detach a material, to negate and destroy your trap card." [Infinity ATK 2900 - 2700]

"Good. Now that your one use negate is dealt with, I banish Fog Blade from my graveyard to revive Break Sword." By removing his destroyed trap card, his horse knight returns to the field. "And just like you did, I can rank my monster up without a spell card. I upgrade Break Sword into the Rank 5, Xyz Armor Fortress." [R5/Water/Machine/ATK 2500] Jiro turns his spectral knight into a mechanical warrior with a rocket launcher. "I use Fortress to detach a material to add Armored Xyz to my hand."

The Collector is pleased with this development. Watching Jiro overcome both of his strongest monsters is just as he intended.

"Since Fortress doesn't have any materials left, I can upgrade him. Rank Up! Xyz Change! Rank 7, Full Armored DARK Lancer!" [R7/Water/Aqua/ATK 2800] From one monster to another, Jiro summons the dark knight of the sea, and his secondary ace monster. "Lancer gains 300 attack points for every equip card, and material attached to him." [Lancer ATK 2800 - 3100] "Next, I activate Armored Xyz. This spell card equips Arc Rebellion to my Lancer, making their attack points the same." Lancer equips itself with Arc Rebellion, turning the dragon into pieces of armour with its wings and scales attaching to their body. [Lancer ATK 3100 - 3600] "And since I just equipped Lancer with a monster, their other effect triggers, attaching your monster to them." With their lance, Jiro's monster turns Infinity into an overlay unit, adding to the others. [ATK 3600 - 3900] "Attack!"

DARK Lancer charges all of their energy into their lance. Channelling the black flames of the rebellion dragon, and its own aqua abilities, they fling their lance at the Collector, striking them directly with a full current of energy. [Collector LP 1000 - 0]

The monsters disappear as the duel ends. Jiro dusts off his vest before grabbing his trophy. As the dust settles however, the Collector stumbles out. Sparks fly off their body as wires and pieces of metal stick out of them. They were a machine the whole time.

"Well done, Jiro Katsuro. You have earned yourself the honour of competing in the Duel Circuit," they say, their words distorted from the damages.

"Duel Circuit?" Jiro asks, visibly confused by the android's words.

The Collector pulls out an envelope from their jacket. "Here, take this!" They toss the prize for Jiro to catch it. "You wanted a real challenge, here's your gateway." The Collector starts laughing before falling back. In a sudden reaction, they explode into a ball of flames, destroying any trace of them.

Jiro looks at his prize, and opens it to find an invitation to a duel tournament hosted by Industrial Illusions. He places it into his vest before walking around the flames, already preparing for their next challenge.