Author's Note (a.k.a. The author venting): Hey! :D It's APN. If you're one of the two people who care (oh, who am I kidding, it's probably less than that), you're probably wondering why this fic isn't just a chapter of my "Duels Without Story" fic. And you'd be entirely valid for saying that. The thing is, though, I found myself getting quite tired of trying to write Duels for that fic, stopping whenever I'd reach a certain point. So, my solution is to make an entirely separate fic per Duel (screw your sorting issues with Ao3, let's add more fics, mwahaha), and will post a single turn per chapter in order to keep myself motivated because peer pressure is the greatest weapon of all. So enjoy, dear viewer, and I'll see you at the end of the chapter!

IMPORTANT INFO: Yusaku plays with Master Rules 4, while Yuya is on Master Rules 3. So Yuya has Pendulum Zones separate from his Spell and Trap Zones and does not need Link Monsters to facilitate Summons from the Extra Deck, his Extra Monster Zone simply being treated as any ordinary Main Monster Zone. Got it? Cool. Cool. Coolio.


prologue: get off.


A silver Duel Board soared with the wind's digital breeze, leaving faint, glowing streaks across the artificial skyline of Link VRAINS. The Duel Board's rider was silent, his thoughts consumed by the past. Yusaku Fujiki's eyes were sharp, his expression cold as he scanned the virtual horizon. It was a world of peace now, a digital landscape cleansed of the chaos that once threatened to consume it. But for Yusaku—no, for Playmaker—the end of one battle did not bring solace.

"Ai…" Yusaku whispered the name, barely audible over the hum of the Duel Board. The name hung in his mind, echoing through the void that had formed in his heart after their final battle. The Ignis of Darkness, his partner, his friend—gone. And Yusaku was left behind, with only the weight of his regrets.

His Duel Board hummed beneath him as he flew, his thoughts consumed by the endless search. Yusaku didn't know if Ai could ever return, but still, he pressed on, as he had always done. Go forward, he reminded himself. But to what end? What was left now, without Ai by his side?

A sudden distortion rippled through the virtual sky, calling Yusaku's attention. He slowed the Duel Board, eyes narrowing as the digital world twisted in a way that even he, with all his experience, had never seen before. Data streams curled and coiled like a storm, and from the center of it, a figure emerged.

"Hey! Anybody there?!" a voice shouted, full of confusion and an odd, childlike enthusiasm.

Yusaku blinked. That voice…it sounded like Ai's. In reality, the noise he had heard had a bare, marginal resemblance to Ai's voice, and even then, it more closely matched the one he had while taking on the form of a SOLtiS. Still, a marginal resemblance was enough to make Yusaku react. He gripped the edge of his Duel Board tightly and angled it towards the source of the distortion, an empty wasteland in the midst of the storm. As he neared, the swirling data storm began to settle, revealing a young man standing on a solid platform of shimmering code.

Yusaku's eyes widened slightly. The figure was not Ai.

Instead, a boy with wild red and green hair stood in the middle of the platform, his large, expressive eyes darting around with a mix of confusion and awe. The boy looked a bit younger than Yusaku, wearing a white uniform jacket, but with the howling gales behind him, the coat drifted behind him as if it were a cape, and strapped to his hip was a deck case. The red Duel Disk on his left wrist looked different than the standard SOL Technologies one most Link VRAINS avatars wore; it was a lot more bulky and rectangular, like a miniature tablet, and above his plain orange T-shirt was a pendant holding a blue gem, repeatedly swinging left and right in a mesmerizing fashion.

The boy's demeanor radiated a strange, playful energy that seemed at odds with the solemnity of the virtual landscape around him.

"Where am I…?" the boy muttered under his breath. He took a few tentative steps forward, balancing himself with exaggerated arm movements like he was unused to his surroundings. "Did the Solid Vision system glitch again? Yuzu? Headmaster Hiragi? Are you there?"

Yusaku felt a weight settle back onto his shoulders as the realization hit him—this wasn't Ai. It wasn't even close. He had let himself hope, for just a moment, that somehow the Ignis had returned. But no, it was just some random stranger—a kid.

Annoyance prickled at the back of Yusaku's mind. He didn't have time for this.

Yusaku tried to guide his Duel Board away from the platform, hoping that the kid would go unnoticed. He wasn't here to play babysitter. Unfortunately, fate had other plans for him, as the boy's eyes locked onto Yusaku immediately.

"Hey! You there!" The boy waved his arms energetically, stumbling forward as if trying to catch Yusaku before he could disappear. "Wait a minute! Can you help me? I have no idea where I am!"

Yusaku's expression hardened. He had no interest in entertaining this. Without even looking back, he prepared to accelerate away. But before he could, the boy—defying the laws of movement within Link VRAINS—somehow managed to leap from the platform, landing precariously on the edge of Yusaku's Duel Board.

"Whoa!" the boy exclaimed, flailing his arms to balance. "How do you steer this thing?"

Yusaku's annoyance deepened, his eyes narrowing as he shot a sharp glance over his shoulder. "Get off."

The boy blinked, seemingly unfazed by Yusaku's cold tone. Instead, he smiled sheepishly, his eyes full of a strange kind of innocence that Yusaku hadn't seen in years. "Oh, sorry! I didn't mean to intrude! I just…well, I figured if anyone knew what was going on, it'd be the guy with the cool hoverboard!"

Yusaku's fingers twitched, fighting the urge to push the kid off his Duel Board. He didn't have time for distractions, especially not from a child. "I don't know how you got here, but if you're not in danger, then I'm not interested. Leave me alone."

For a moment, the boy's expression faltered, but he quickly recovered, his energy undiminished. "Ah, wait! I'm really lost here. My name's Yuya, by the way. Yuya Sakaki, full-fledged pro-Dueltainer and Creator of Pendulum Summoning!" He smiled as if that introduction should clear everything up.

Yusaku's eyes remained cold. "I don't care."

Yuya's grin didn't falter. Instead, he leaned in, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. "So, what's your name?"

Yusaku sighed inwardly. This was a waste of time. "Playmaker."

"Playmaker?" Yuya echoed, tilting his head like a confused puppy. "That's a pretty cool name! So, do you duel? I mean, obviously, you do—it's kind of hard to miss the Duel Disk. But this place…" He looked around again, his excitement momentarily giving way to genuine confusion. "This isn't like anywhere I've been before. Is this some kind of advanced Solid Vision system?"

Yusaku grit his teeth. He didn't owe this guy an explanation, nor did he want to indulge his curiosity. "This is Link VRAINS, a virtual reality network. Now get off my board."

Yuya's eyes lit up at the mention of Link VRAINS. "Whoa, that's awesome! Virtual reality, huh? That sounds like something out of one of a sci-fi movie! I didn't even know Solid Vision could pull something like this off. But how did I get here? Last I remember, I was with my friends in You Show—"

"Not my problem," Yusaku interrupted, cutting him off sharply. He jerked the Duel Board, trying to shake Yuya off, but the boy clung on with surprising agility, grinning as if this was all part of some game.

"You're really not much of a talker, huh?" Yuya commented, still not letting go. "You remind me of someone—oh! Reiji! Yeah, he was super serious all the time, too. But don't worry!" Yuya puffed out his chest dramatically. "I'm really good at making people smile! Just wait!"

Yusaku's patience was wearing thin. He had been done with this conversation before it had even begun. "I'm not interested in smiling," he said coldly, his voice lowering to an icy edge. "Get off now, or I'll make you."

There was a pause as Yuya blinked, his smile faltering ever so slightly as he seemed to process Yusaku's words. For a moment, it looked like he might back off. But then, instead of retreating, Yuya chuckled. "Wow, you're serious! I get it, but you can't spend all your time being this intense! Trust me, I know. I used to be all about making people smile, too, even when I didn't feel like it. But—"

Yusaku stopped abruptly, his Duel Board coming to a halt as his eyes flashed with frustration. He turned to face Yuya directly, his gaze as cold as steel. "I told you, I'm not interested in talking. I'm looking for someone."

Yuya's expression softened, his playful demeanor slightly fading as he caught the underlying pain in Yusaku's voice. "Someone important to you?" he asked quietly.

Yusaku didn't answer immediately, his gaze shifting away. "Someone I lost," he finally muttered. "And I'm not going to stop until I find him."

Yuya's eyes widened, and for the first time since their encounter, his cheerful energy dimmed. "Oh…I see."

The silence between them grew heavy and awkward as the reality of Yusaku's words hung in the air. But then, Yuya smiled softly, his voice gentle. "I know what that's like. Losing someone you care about. It's…rough."

Yusaku didn't respond, his grip on his Duel Board tightening as he prepared to leave again. He couldn't afford to get caught up in someone else's problems. He had enough of his own.

But Yuya wasn't finished. "When I was just a kid, my dad disappeared. I didn't know what to do, and for a long time, I didn't know if I'd ever see him again. It felt like this endless chase, and sometimes, I wondered if it was even worth it. But then I realized—"

"I'm not interested in your story," Yusaku cut him off, his voice harsh. "I don't need your help. I don't need anyone's help."

Yuya looked at him, eyes serious for the first time. "Everyone needs someone, Playmaker."

Yusaku's eyes narrowed at Yuya's words. The sincerity in the boy's tone struck a chord that Yusaku wasn't prepared for. This kid…Yuya Sakaki…there was something about him that made Yusaku feel like he was looking into a mirror of the past—a time when he still believed in connecting with people, in trusting someone else. But that time was long gone.

Without a word, Yusaku jerked the Duel Board to the side, trying to dislodge Yuya once again. But Yuya, to Yusaku's mounting frustration, held on firmly, his grip as steadfast as his cheerful demeanor.

"Please, just listen!" Yuya pleaded, his voice tinged with desperation. "I know I can help you! Let me—"

"No." Yusaku's response was cold and final, a verbal wall thrown up between them. "I don't need help. I don't need you. This is my fight." And it was. Yusaku didn't need anyone else getting hurt because of him, not again.

Yuya stared at Yusaku for a long moment, his expression shifting from surprise to something more persistent. "Then, if I can't help you, how about I challenge you? A Duel!" His voice was filled with determination, and his Duel Disk flared to life, casting a bright yellow glow that illuminated his face. "If I win, you have to let me come with you. And if you win…well, I'll leave you alone."

Yusaku's first instinct was to refuse. He had no time for pointless duels, especially not with some overly enthusiastic stranger who didn't understand what was at stake. But something in Yuya's eyes—something in his unwavering determination—stopped Yusaku from immediately dismissing the idea. This kid was serious, and more than that, he was stubborn. Yusaku recognized the look because he had worn it himself countless times.

Yusaku's hand hovered over his Duel Disk, hesitating. Why was he even considering this? He had a mission, a purpose, and it didn't involve entertaining a lost kid with dreams of smiles and friendship.

He turned to face Yuya fully, his expression unreadable. "Fine," Yusaku said, activating his own Duel Disk, which emitted a blue aura in contrast to Yuya's. "But don't think for a second that this will change anything."

Yuya grinned a spark of excitement in his eyes. "You'd be surprised, Playmaker. Let's give it our all!"

Both duelists leaped off the Duel Board and landed on solid ground that materialized beneath their feet. Yusaku felt a sense of calm settle over him as he took his stance, focusing entirely on the Duel ahead. This was what he knew, what he could control. A duel was straightforward—victory or defeat, nothing more, nothing less.

[ DUEL! ]


turn one: this is fine


[ DUEL! ]

PLAYMAKER: 4000 LP

YUYA SAKAKI: 4000 LP

[ TURN 1: PLAYMAKER ]

"My Dueling never loses," Yusaku declared, his eyes narrowing as he surveyed his opening hand. He hadn't drawn anything too spectacular, but it didn't matter—he could make do with what he had.

"I Normal Summon Draconnet!" Yusaku shouted. From the ground, a small, winged creature took to the skies, its cyan body matching with the digital skies above. Azure lines ran through its entire body, the ones on its curled tail resembling a WiFi signal as it landed on the center of Yusaku's field.

[Draconnet (3* | 1400 ATK | 1200 DEF | DARK | Cyberse | Effect) (P: ATK)]

"Woah!" Yuya exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement. "That's a cool monster! Cyberse-Type, right? I've never seen anything like it!"

As he did with most of what Yuya said, Yusaku ignored the dual-haired boy and instead focused on his cards. With any luck, he'd be able to finish the Duel without any more unnecessary interactions. "Draconnet's Effect activates. I Special Summon a Level 2 or lower Normal Monster from my Deck. Come! Digitron!" A white circular robot with a black face and blue eyes materialized next to Draconnet, its face devoid of any expression.

[Digitron (2* | 1500 ATK | 0 DEF | EARTH | Cyberse) (P: ATK)]

Without missing a beat, Yusaku stretched his arm toward the digital skyline above them, his voice calm and collected. "Appear! The circuit that leads to the future!"

A high-tech circuit (because that indeed was the only way to describe it) opened up over the space between Yusaku and Yuya's Main Monster Zones, this one to the far left, at least from Yusaku's point of view. The central rectangular portion was a shimmering blue, with eight triangular arrows pointing in every direction, almost glowing faintly in sync with the pulsating data lines that rippled through the air. Yusaku's Duel Disk projected the diagram like a digital bridge, connecting his monsters to something beyond.

"The summoning conditions are 1 Normal Monster. I set Digitron in the Link Markers! Circuit Combine!" Yusaku declared, sweeping his hand toward the tiny machine as it dissolved into lines of code, swirling up into the circuit. The silver arrow at the very bottom flashed into a burning red, indicating an active summoning.

"Link Summon! Appear! LINK-1! Link Spider!"

From the swirling code emerged a sleek, mechanical spider. Its central, spherical body glowed with blue lights, and eight thick, segmented legs extended outward, each traced with glowing circuitry. The futuristic design of Link Spider suggested both strength and agility, ready to take on any challenge in the Duel.

[(LINK-1 | 1000 ATK | EARTH | Cyberse | Link | Effect) (A: ↓)]

Yuya's eyes widened in awe. "Wait, what's a Link Summon?! What kind of summoning is this?!"

Yusaku's eyebrows furrowed. How could this child be in Link VRAINS and not know what Link Summoning was? He was either a terrible duelist…or he genuinely was from another world. Yusaku didn't have the time or patience to explain it all. But then again, he had agreed to this Duel, and Yuya had a right to know.

"This is a Link Summon," Yusaku said tersely, his voice calm but with an edge of finality that signaled he wouldn't explain more than necessary. "They can only be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck to one of two Extra Monster Zones or Main Monster Zones that their Link Markers point to. They have no DEF points and can only be in the ATK position. Any effects that would try to change their battle position are null and void. Also, Link Monsters have no Levels. Instead, they have Link Ratings, which correspond to how many monsters are supposed to be used for their Link Summon, except in specific cases, and effects that depend on Levels won't work on them. Understand?"

From the other side of the field, Yusaku could see Yuya's head spinning. He went quiet for a few minutes before his brain regained some primary function. "I…think…so?" he hesitantly responded.

"Good," Yusaku curtly nodded, not wanting to slow down the pace. The faster he dealt with Yuya, the quicker he could work on finding Ai. "Link Spider's Effect activates. When it's Link Summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Cyberse Monster from my hand. Come! Garbage Collector!"

Link Spider glowed, and directly underneath where its arrow pointed emerged a new monster: a cylindrical trash compactor with tongs on either side, presumably used to grab incoming garbage. Its lid was open, and the front was decorated with a red frowny face.

[Garbage Collector (2* | 100 ATK | 1900 DEF | WIND | Cyberse | Effect) (P: DEF)]

"Aw, he looks so sad," Yuya commented, clearly having noticed the unfortunate decoration on Yusaku's newest monster. "Don't worry, buddy. I'll make sure to turn that frown upside down with some classic Yuya Sakaki Dueltaining!"

Yusaku rolled his eyes. "I activate Garbage Collector's Effect. I return a Cyberse monster from my field to my hand…" In an instant, Draconnet disappeared, and the monster appeared back in card form in Yusaku's hand. "…and then I Special Summon another monster from my Deck with the same level as the returned monster! Appear! Flame Bufferlo!"

Where Draconnet once stood—er, flew—then appeared a blazing bison. Its main body was cybernetic black, but as its form solidified, a sudden burst of fire shot out from its horns and tail, embers flickering as it stood tall.

[Flame Bufferlo (3* | 1400 ATK | 200 DEF | FIRE | Cyberse | Effect) (P: ATK)]

"So, you're just filling up your field with monsters?" Yuya realized, his face saying that he was struggling to keep up. It also said that he struggled with basic arithmetic, but that's beside the point. "What's your plan?"

"Appear! The circuit that leads to the future!" Yusaku raised his hand, and once again, the digital circuit materialized above the field, this time larger and more intricate, with multiple arrows flashing. "The summoning conditions are two or more Cyberse monsters! I set Link Spider, Garbage Collector, and Flame Bufferlo in the Link Markers! Circuit Combine!"

The three monsters dissolved into glowing streams of data, which shot into the Link Markers. The circuit exploded with energy as a new form began to take shape, the lights growing ever brighter until they coalesced into a singular figure.

"Link Summon! Appear! LINK-3! Decode Talker!"

From the radiant energy emerged a humanoid figure clad in sleek, dark armor with purple and gold accents. Its chest plate bore circular, magenta-colored details resembling circuitry nodes. The helmet, with its visor-like feature, gave it a robotic appearance. In its right hand, it wielded a large sword with a glowing pink blade, seemingly made of energy or data. The left arm extended outward, and the creature's dynamic stance exuded readiness for battle.

[Decode Talker (LINK-3 | 2300 ATK | DARK | Cyberse | Link | Effect) (A: ↙↑↘)]

Decode Talker—the first Link monster Yusaku and Ai had obtained together. The memory saddened him, but at the same time, it also fueled his determination. This was the card that had carried him through countless battles, the card that symbolized his partnership with Ai. And now, in this Duel, it would guide him once more.

"Flame Bufferlo's Effect activates. When it leaves the field, I discard one card from my hand to draw another two cards from my Deck," Yusaku's expression remained stoic as he calmly picked up the cards, prepared for what came next. "I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."

A blank, holographic card appeared right in front of Yusaku before quickly vanishing into the surroundings.

"Your move."

Yusaku finally unfocused his sharp gaze from the field, turning to his opponent, and would not lie when he said that he was surprised that the dual-haired boy had gone utterly silent, not even making a peep. There were no quips, no cheerful outbursts or jabs about "smiles" or "entertainment." His expression was hidden behind his bangs as he stared down at the field, specifically at Decode Talker. Yusaku had no idea what was going through Yuya's mind, but for a split second, he wondered if he had finally gotten the boy to quiet down and focus.

But as Yusaku turned away, preparing for Yuya's turn, a sudden burst of energy exploded from the other duelist.

"Oh, man! That was awesome!" Yuya shouted, his face lighting up with excitement. "Link Summoning's so cool! You just combined them like—like—whoosh! I've never seen anything like it! This is going to be fun!"

Yusaku let out a small, exasperated breath. Of course. He should have known better than to expect silence from Yuya Sakaki.

"But since you showed me some new tricks…" Yuya took a single step back and swept his hand across his Deck, his usual playful grin returning. "…it's time for me to show you mine! Ladies and gentlemen!"

Yuya's bright and exuberant voice rang out as he threw his arms wide, his grin infectious. His aura shifted, filling the air with energy and a sense of spectacle that Yusaku found both distracting and irritating.

"We are the only ones here," Yusaku pointed out.

Yuya didn't seem to hear Yusaku, or maybe he chose to ignore it. The show was on, and nothing could stop him now. "Let me introduce you to a world of excitement, a Duel where every move brings a smile! My show is only beginning, so how about we start with a grand round of applause for the ace of You Show, Yuya Sakaki!"

Yusaku did not clap.

Yuya's energy surged like a performer stepping into the spotlight for the grandest act of his life. He slid a card from his Deck with a flourish, holding it high above his head. "Alright, Playmaker! Get ready for something that'll knock your digital socks off! I draw!"

[ TURN 2: YUYA SAKAKI ]

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Chapter Notes: So welcome! Yusaku has effectively bricked. Yuya is confused, and both might just be a smidge out of character, though hopefully, it's JUST a smidge. Card games are the most important. Thank you for reading, and if you enjoyed it, comment, leave a review, give kudos, or do all that good stuff, if you'd like, of course. With that, though, this is APN signing off. Until the next turn! :D

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CARDS WITH DIFFERENT EFFECTS THAN THE TCG ERRATA:

Link Spider / Its Effect can Special Summon any Cyberse monster from the hand, not just a Normal monster.

Decode Talker / It can Tribute the opponent's monsters it points to because it's dumb he can't do that already.