Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V: In a New World Redux

by SakushiRyu

Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V is about to air, and an excited youth can't wait. But when the episode starts, he is suddenly thrown into a Yu-Gi-Oh! series, ARC-V itself! Watch as he makes friends, rivals, and foes in this isekai and discovers his role in a war between dimensions and gods from the past, present, and future! (Rewrite of "Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-V In A New World") (Cover Art made by AiraAura)

27. Foretold Dusk

Here we are again, readers!

First things first, I apologize for the long wait (nearly a whole year, damn) but I've been active on AO3 for the first half of this year, with stories I should probably upload here as well, before actually starting this chapter. WuWa and ZZZ also dropped, and much to my displeasure, I had my personal life to keep me distracted, too. That said, I still can't believe this chapter's done and we're reaching the halfway mark of Redux, not to mention, its fifth anniversary!

This is my longest chapter yet, and in my opinion, the best duel I've ever written, so get ready for its epic conclusion! I'm so excited to be able to post this finally!

Thanks to everyone who reviewed the last chapter!

- In response to Yukio Nohsaka's review:

"Honestly... One recommendation I have is that you should give it a go even if you're unsure of yourself. You might not like your own work at the beginning and might have to get over your anxiety that anyone can read and judge your work, but nobody is a pro from day one. Hell, to this day I learn new stuff about the rules while devising duels. So don't hesitate. Try it out, even if it's to write a one-shot. Because if you like it and continue writing, you'll find out exactly how amazing it is."

- In response to ZeldaSpellman's review:

"Hmm, I don't really follow Rush Duels or the anime. I prefer Master Duels because you can pull off much crazier and more complicated combos. Though, I love the designs and gimmick of the Imaginary/Metallion archetype."

- In response to RaymanLegends's review:

"Yep. I already planned how to insert them into the story as well, heh heh."

[Using Anime/Manga Effects.]

---

Eve's POV

FLASHBACK

What is strength?

I once believed it was necessary for moving forward in life, for protecting the things you cherish. Something to strive for, something to praise. Perhaps it is. Maybe strength truly does bring happiness. However, as someone who has witnessed conflicts destroy entire populations time and time again, I couldn't agree with such an optimistic view anymore.

Strength is a curse.

It fosters enmity, consigning you to a lifetime of struggle. It renders you fragile, regardless of how mighty a god you profess to be. It imposes duties on your shoulders, pulling you into a profound abyss under an unfathomable burden. Sadly, strength has long been entrenched in human society, serving as the catalyst for many of our most pressing issues, like war.

I didn't realize it at the time, but becoming accustomed to moving abroad because of war wasn't a good thing. No wonder my parents cried and felt sorry for me whenever I tried to reassure them of that. Now I, too, earnestly hope that no one has to get used to that feeling. Leaving behind everything except a few belongings, enduring sleepless nights filled with dread and despair, and arriving at your destination without a place to call home... I consider myself very lucky to have survived it all with my sanity intact.

I was fourteen when my life finally changed for the better. Despite not being the first time I changed schools unexpectedly, and despite my mother's reassuring words that I looked perfect that morning, I stood still at the gates of my new high school, staring at it as if it was a beast that would devour me were I get any closer. The first day has always been tough, but if I made it all those times before, I'll just do it again.

I inhaled and exhaled slowly to calm myself. Here I go. I thought and took my first step into the school grounds—only to fall to the ground as someone collided with me from behind with a surprised cry. It caused a little scene, people staring at us as they walked by without so much as asking us if we were alright.

"Ouch..." I muttered. I admit I was right in the middle of the way, but how did this person not see me!?

"S-Sorry!" A male voice hurried to apologize. I turned to its owner, seeing a youth of my age with fair skin, grayish light blue eyes, and gray hair that reached his shoulders and was kept in a low ponytail. I blinked twice when I got a better look at his androgynous face. Were it not for his voice and male uniform, I would've guessed he was a female. "I overslept and was so scared I'd be late—on the first day, to boot!—that I wasn't paying attention to my surroundings...!"

As I looked at the guy, my irritation melted away, giving way to confusion. It was clear that he was on the verge of tears, overwhelmed by shame, but um...there was no reason to cry over something so trivial.

"It's not a problem." I reassured him and stood up, dusting myself off before picking up my backpack.

He did the same while eyeing my backpack curiously. "A-Are you from Sector 19?" I flinched to his question.

I despised that name. I detested the person who came up with that naming system, and all those who voted in favor of it as well. My father told me it was implemented years before I was born, and it required all countries to be renamed with "Sector" and a number to simplify things during the ongoing wars, no matter how inhumane it was.

"I-I wasn't making fun of you!" He quickly added upon sensing my discomfort. He showed me his backpack, revealing the same type as mine but in its variant for males. It was the newest model back in Sector 19. "To tell the truth, I-I'm also from there..."

"Oh." The whole Sectors ordeal and incessant wars were a sensitive topic, but his question was free of ill intentions; he was genuinely pleased to have discovered a fellow refugee from his old country. An apologetic smile crossed my face. Maybe I was more on edge than I had thought. "I see."

"I'm Philus." He extended a hand to me. "Nice to meet you...um..."

"Eve." I shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, too."

It didn't take long for us to find out that we shared the same classes. It was a curious twist of fate, which we've welcomed with open arms. After all, Philus and I were in the same predicament, which led to a deep understanding and a strong friendship between us. On top of that, we even lived on the same street. We spent most of our days together, supporting each other and assisting our parents whenever possible.

It all began with an encounter, which then led to another.

"Let him go!" I shouted at the three bullies from another class who'd targeted Philus one day. A crowd had formed around us, yet no one was intervening or calling for a teacher. Were they not ashamed of themselves? Someone was getting hurt right in front of their noses! I hated people like those.

"E-Eve!" Philus spoke up, probably to tell me to step back or else I'd get hurt, but he gasped when the guy holding him by the collar of his uniform shoved him against the nearest wall.

"Give me a good reason to, missy." The leader of the group snorted and seized me by an arm. Oh, I'll give you a reason, don't you worry—

"That's enough!" A new voice interjected. A dark-skinned male of our age with short, black hair emerged from the crowd, shooting daggers at the bullies. "Leave them alone."

"Adam?" The leader glared back at him. "What do you want? They're from Sector 19, the ones who declared war against Sector 40! Our homeland is in shambles because of them! Shouldn't you be helping us!?"

Revenge. So that's why they were targeting us, huh? Sector 19 did, in fact, attack Sector 40, but it resulted in mutual destruction for both countries. This war caused extensive loss on both sides, while the true instigators remained unscathed, already preparing for future conflicts to further their own interests. While I couldn't say that the anger of these guys was unjustified, dealing with the issue in this manner will only lead to more problems.

"I don't care about Sectors." Adam said, apparently of the same opinion as me. "This is your last warning."

The leader saw red at that. "If you're protecting the scumbags from Sector 19, you're a traitor!" He released me and threw a punch in Adam's direction, which the dark-skinned youth side dodged and then punched him in the gut. Some people in the crowd gasped as the leader fell to the ground, clutching his middle in pain.

"Why you!" The other two bullies let go of Philus too and rushed to their friend's aid, only to be knocked to the ground by Adam with two punches. That said, as someone from the same country or possibly out of pity, he went easy on them; they were slowly getting back to their feet without delay.

"Hurry!" Adam grabbed me and Philus by our hands and we ran past the agitated crowd of students. We shook off the bullies by escaping to the school rooftop, where Philus and I were catching our breath and processing what had occurred. Adam, on the other hand, couldn't stop laughing.

"Did you see their expressions when I KO'd their boss?" He asked between wheezes. "It was priceless! Haaahaha!"

Philus and I shared a confused glance. "U-Um, thank you," my friend said. "For helping us back there..."

"No need to thank me." Adam reassured him. His warm smile was then replaced by a frown. "I hope those three learned their lesson. If they pick on you again, don't hesitate to give me a shout, Philus."

"Y-You know my name?" Philus's eyes widened.

"Ah," How didn't I recognize him sooner? "You're Adam, from science class."

"Eh!? Wait, you're right!" Philus remembered as well.

"Talk about a coincidence, right?" Adam chuckled. "I never thought our first conversation would be like this."

"Agreed..." Philus nodded. He eyed the dark-skinned youth with concern. "I'll let you know if I need your aid, though Eve is already there for me and...um, won't you get in trouble for hurting other students?"

"It's alright." Adam flashed him a confident smirk and a thumbs up. "It's self-defense."

"I don't believe the matter can be solved that easily..." I leveled him with a flat stare.

We kept in touch with Adam, befriending him as well. It was hard not to, honestly. It turned out we had many things in common, beyond our shared experience of being here due to the same war, and his solar personality effortlessly drew us to him, just like moths to a flame.

High school eventually ended, and we all passed with excellent grades. We were eighteen when we enrolled at the best university in the Sector, together as a team striving diligently for a common goal. The tension between the Sectors hadn't vanished, but wars finally ceased for a while.

"The entire university praises us for our great teamwork," Adam explained one day. "We should give a proper name to our team so people could recognize us better. Wouldn't that be amazing?"

I looked to the side in thought. "I'm not sure..." We aimed to help people through science, not make a name for ourselves. Even so, the idea of a group name sounded better than hearing 'You know, those three!' whenever other students or our teachers mentioned us.

"Eden," Philus said out of the blue. "What about Team Eden?"

"That was fast!" Adam blinked twice. "What made you think of that?"

"Well, you two are called Adam and Eve." Philus gestured at us. "The Book of Genesis narrates how God created Adam and Eve, the first man and woman, and placed them in the Garden of Eden. I thought it would be a fitting title."

"Whoa, that's true!" Adam grinned. "What do you think, Eve?"

I felt my cheeks heat up. Weren't Adam and Eve lovers in the book? Sigh. If they didn't put any weight on that detail, I won't, either. Plus, it had a nice ring to it. "That works for me." I nodded.

"Then from today, we're Team Eden!" Adam announced before placing an arm around my and Philus's shoulders. We smiled at his hallmark excitement.

Sometimes, I wondered where I'd be were it not for Philus and Adam. It may have been my dream to pursue science to help people, but I couldn't hold my head high and say I hadn't hesitated more than once about this road I was taking. The same went for my teammates. We lent our ears to each other when we stumbled and gave each other hope. It's a strange feeling that I couldn't put into words, but I felt...free with them, like I could be myself and also have fun along the way.

It's only natural our radiance drew others to us.

"Excuse me," someone interrupted us while we were discussing our next project plans in the garden on campus. It was a male of our age with short, silver hair that had pale light blue bangs falling over his right cheek and wearing glasses. If memory served me right, I saw him attending the same courses as us. "How are you three so faithful and dedicated to your research?"

"We wish to help people through science." Adam told him with a smile. "That alone is a great cause."

"I don't understand... That's your goal. That alone cannot motivate you to this extent."

"We also believe in ourselves," Philus explained. "We never shy away from a new challenge and we broaden our horizons every day."

"Either we succeed or we fail." I finished for him. "What's important is that we do it together, as a team."

The person's eyes widened. "I see..." He realized. "What really gives you strength and hope is being a team."

My friends and I shared a glance. "Maybe." We said in unison, prompting us to laugh.

"Can I become a member of Team Eden?" The person's query cut our moment short. That's...a first. We've never had anyone express a desire to join us before. Our peers and seniors admired us, but that adoration also intimidated them; while they praised us from a distance, they always seemed hesitant to approach us or get to know us better as individuals. "I, too, want to experience how it feels to work as a team...and be like you."

"Of course!" Adam declared before Philus or I could fully process his words. Sigh, Adam's eagerness to help those around him was truly admirable, but a matter like this should be discussed first. Nevertheless, I agreed with him. This person appeared...to be adrift, lacking focus and aspiration. He required someone to guide him towards self-discovery. "We'll teach you what it means to be a team."

"But..." Philus tried to argue, but the person had already bowed to us.

"I'm thankful for this opportunity! I'm Isaac. I won't let you down."

Despite my and Philus's initial worries, Isaac ended up being a good addition to the team. We completed our research more quickly and in a more refined manner than before, and we became the talk of the university. It will take some time for us to become as close to him as we were to each other, but that's all part of the official process of creating bonds.

We were chewing over our next project when Adam got an idea.

"How about using Solid Vision next?"

"This is the first time I have heard about it." I admitted.

"Me, too." Isaac chimed in.

Adam's face lit up with excitement as he realized he had to elucidate the subject. "You know the card game Philus and I play, Duel Monsters?"

Ah, the one they sold at the store Philus insisted on dropping by every afternoon on the way home from high school to check if new products had arrived. I made the mistake of calling it a children's card game when he first took me to the store, earning myself a long scolding from my friend who emphasized it was meant for people of all ages. True enough, upon closer look, I noticed players in their mid-twenties in the store as well. At least he hadn't told Adam of this, or else I would've been scolded by him, too... They haven't stopped playing Duel Monsters even after half a decade, and they frequently talked about it during lunch. Their passion didn't go unnoticed by Isaac either.

Adam continued, "Official duels in tournaments utilize the Solid Vision system. It produces holographic projections when cards are played."

"Many years ago, Solid Vision was upgraded into Real Solid Vision," Philus explained. "The system now produces holograms with mass that can be touched and deal physical blows."

"Real Solid Vision..." Isaac adjusted his spectacles, now intrigued. "Why should we use this system?"

"If the holograms we create are given mass, they come to life." Adam said. "Philus and I have been wondering in the past months what would happen if we place unlimited mass into a single card. We could create infinite possibilities across the world—no, the universe, and guide humanity to peace."

"That's a theory worth expanding on." I concurred with a nod.

"And while we're at it!" Adam abruptly grinned wide. "You two could learn how to duel!"

What? "I fail to see how that would help us better understand Solid Vision." Isaac voiced my thoughts.

"It isn't about Solid Vision." Adam corrected him. "It's so we can play together in our spare time! I love dueling Philus, but we're both itching for new opponents. There's no one else on campus who's a Duelist, and the nearest card store is too far away. Believe me, you will love Duel Monsters!"

"Yeah!" Philus, please, don't cheer him on.

Isaac and I decided to humor our friends. We soon discovered this children's card game wasn't meant for children. At least not fully. The combos, the types of Monster effects, Chains, missing the timing... wasn't this a little too complex for a kid? And why was it so fun? Dueling our friends, discussing strategies and building decks, watching live tournaments—together, as a team. As Team Eden. It was...heh. We were enjoying ourselves more than we ever could've imagined.

Our new project was proceeding smoothly, too. We discovered a door to another world, beyond which was an unbelievable quantity of vast energy. It was enough to allow travel through space-time. It was a breathtaking revelation.

But just as dangerous.

We attempted to draw upon that energy and seal it within a card, however, controlling it proved difficult. Many of our experiments concluded in failure, but thanks to them, Adam found a way to control it. That method utilized the human body. We reluctantly permitted him to use his own body in an experiment—and he grasped the forbidden fruit.

The machine filled our laboratory with light and static noise, but our attention was fully on Adam, bathed in light like the beacon of hope he was to us. We waited with bated breath for the results. As he gripped the card, his very form seemed to transform into light, but then his eyes widened, and he immediately dropped the card.

"What happened!?" Isaac asked.

"I..." Adam gasped for air. "I just jumped through time..."

Impossible. That meant—"It worked...!?" Philus voiced our disbelief. The experiment was a success!

So why was Adam staring at the card in fear?

"This energy has a will of its own." He brought a hand to his chest. "That is what sent me across time. It...it saw me. I can sense it... It's trying to cross that door! What have we unleashed unto this world...!?"

He grabbed the card again. No! "Adam, that's enough!" I ordered him. He was panicking. We were all panicking. I wasn't sure what he had seen, or what he was sensing, but we were clearly playing with forces beyond our comprehension. Dammit, why have I agreed to this reckless idea!? "We must discontinue the experiment!"

"It's too late!" Adam shouted. "I have to stop this thing from—"

The lab plunged into darkness as the power was abruptly cut off. Adam fainted as the energy flowing from the machine into his body disappeared, and the thud of his body hitting the floor reverberated through the now-silent room.

"P-Philus!" Isaac gasped the youth's name whose fist was on the EPO button.

My vision was going blurry from the tears forming in my eyes. "ADAM!" I screamed and rushed to his side. Philus was beside us the next second, crying like me and trying his best to ascertain our friend wasn't dead. Isaac just stood there by the control panel, too shaken to move.

We abandoned the project after that incident. It could give us the strength to guide humanity to peace without a shadow of a doubt, but the risk of losing control of it was too high. There was also the possibility that it could cause unforeseeable damage to the fabric of existence or be misused by the government as a tool for war. We were mere university students doing their best to make the world a better place; we weren't mentally equipped to take responsibility for such consequences.

What's more, Adam was the first who wanted to forget the project. He wouldn't speak a word about what he had seen, and he couldn't avoid frowning whenever Duel Monsters was brought up. It was weird. It scared me to think something out there could cause our confident and sunny friend to behave like this.

A week went by, and we were ready to begin a new project.

Everything returned to normal...or so we had thought.

BOOM

I gasped as the floor shook for the umpteenth time, enough for me to lose my footing and fall to my knees. The city was under bombardment by another Sector. The authorities evacuated the university, but Adam and Philus were missing. Isaac and I sneaked back in during the chaos. We were scared. We wanted to flee, to call our parents and make sure they were safe, but we wouldn't leave them behind. I won't permit war to steal what is dear to me again!

I returned to my feet with a renewed spirit and resumed searching for my friends. The building could collapse at any minute, so we had to hurry. That's why we split up in the first place. "Adam! Philus!" I yelled as loud as I could, but no response. "Dammit...!"

Before the attack, we were on our way to the cafeteria for lunch when Philus remembered that he had forgotten his deck in the lab and went back to get it. Adam, too, forgot his deck and went after him. Two routes led to our laboratory, and Isaac let me take the shorter one. Hopefully, that's where they were.

"Guys!" I smiled in relief when I reached my destination and saw my friends there, safe and sound. Why were they even wasting their time here? Their lives were more important than salvaging our research!

Adam's eyes widened. "What are you doing here!?" What did it look like? I came for you!

"Ah, if it isn't Eve." Philus chuckled, oblivious to the destruction around us. "Where's Isaac? Is he coming here, too? Or did he hightail it out of here and abandon Team Eden?"

What...did he say? "Shut up!" Adam placed himself between me and him. "Leave Eve and Isaac alone, Philus!"

Something was wrong. Very wrong. "Wh-What are you two on about?" I inquired as the ground shook again. "This isn't the time to quarrel! We have to run!"

"That was the plan from the beginning." Philus remarked. "But Adam wouldn't let me."

"I won't let you take another step until you drop that card, Philus." Adam glared at him. "That thing has a will of its own! It's using you!"

"Card...?" I parroted in confusion. Then it dawned on me. There could only be one card with free will in our lab. "Philus, did you...!?"

"Yes, I did." Philus revealed the Duel Monsters card he was hiding behind his back. My heart dropped. "I concluded what we feared to accomplish."

"Philus, how...how could you!?" I cried out in horror. "That power is—"

"Amazing!" Philus's expression became sinister as he grinned. "I was able to tame that unbelievably vast energy, and now I'm finally strong! The world won't suppress me anymore!"

No. No, no, no. This wasn't the Philus we knew. Our Philus never insulted his friends, he wasn't so airy, his grins weren't scary, and above all, he'd never wish for power to hurt others. Our Philus was an irreplaceable, gentle friend whose smiles were warm and who wished to save lives through science. The energy must've somehow contaminated his mind during the experiment. That was the only explanation for his current behavior.

Adam reached the same conclusion. "More like it has you under its control!" He lunged at Philus. The distance between them was short, which didn't give Philus enough time to dodge, and thus he was tackled against the wall behind him, getting the wind knocked out of him. Adam used the opportunity to snatch the card away from him. "Eve! Take this and run!"

"What!?" I gasped when he threw the card at me. I caught it, despite my mind screaming at me not to out of fear, and I had no idea what to do next.

"No! What have you dOnE!?" Philus's voice dropped an octave at the end, even sounding more feminine. Was it the energy that took control of him?

"Run, Eve!" Adam urged me, gritting his teeth as Philus attempted to free himself from his grasp. "Hurry, please! You and Isaac... don't you die!"

I had to act fast, to evacuate to a secure location and get the card as far away from Philus as possible. If he got his hands on it, who knows what would happen? But if I ran, I'd be leaving my friends behind, relinquishing to war what I fought to protect. I understood the need to run away, but I...I couldn't do it. I couldn't turn my back on them. To Hell with that! There had to be another way! Knock Philus out, put him in confinement, cure him, seal back the energy—anything, except leaving them here to die!

The ceiling cracked loudly just then, and we all gasped. I covered my head with my arms as the ceiling collapsed, completely blocking the entrance to our lab with rubble. No...! This...this wasn't how it was supposed to go!

I screamed, "ADAM! PHILUS!" I tried moving the rubble, but it was no use. It wouldn't budge one millimeter. What's worse, the floor was starting to crack as well. I didn't have the strength to save the two people I considered my family. Tears welled up in my eyes as I punched the rubble in frustration and despair.

I had no choice but to run.

The floor gave away as I went in the opposite route, now searching for my remaining friend.

"Eve!" Isaac shouted the moment he came into view. I hugged him without a word when he was within arm's reach, out of happiness for having found him alive or because I needed a shoulder to cry on, I wasn't sure. Maybe both. He frowned at the action and the card I was holding, but his eyes widened upon noticing I was crying. "What's wrong!?"

"Adam and Philus...! They...! I...!" I couldn't even bring myself to say it.

But it was enough for Isaac to understand. "No...!" He gasped in horror.

"W-We must...live," I forced myself to stop sobbing and talk. "It was A-Adam's...last wish—"

BOOM

An explosion much stronger than any of the previous ones shook the building. Cracks formed all around us, and in the next second, everything gave away and Isaac and I were free-falling towards the ground.

"EVE!" Isaac cried out and hugged me in panic.

I'm sorry, Philus. I couldn't save you. Not from war, nor from that energy. I thought while hugging back Isaac. I'm sorry, Adam. I couldn't save you...nor fulfill your last wish. I couldn't save you, either, Isaac. I'm sorry... I'm sorry...!

There was no escaping death any longer—or so I thought.

"Wh...What happened?" Isaac whispered in bewilderment as we let go of each other.

In the blink of an eye, we weren't falling anymore. We were unharmed, standing in a glass container or an invisible force field of sorts. How did I know? It was the most logical explanation I could work out so suddenly if I saw a human in space without a spacesuit. And right now, Isaac and I were literally in space. We were surrounded by stars, comets, asteroids, nebulae, and milky ways, and for a second, we were enraptured by the sight.

Were we experiencing the same dream? Was this the afterlife?

That's when I noticed I was missing something. "Where's the card...!?" I hadn't let go of it, I was sure. Where did it—

"I'm right here, woman."

I sucked in a sharp breath as I felt something appear behind us with those words. Isaac must've felt it too, because he met my alarmed glance with one of his own. Who...no, whatever it was, it wasn't human. Its presence was almighty, invoking both fear and respect from the depths of my being toward it, like I instinctively knew it was ancient and powerful, that it was a god.

We slowly turned around and finally saw the energy's true appearance that was hidden in the card: the silhouette of a serpentine dragon that had yellow eyes and dark teal markings on its white-glowing body.

"Greetings, humans who've broken my seal." The god said with a male voice that sent shivers down our spines and made us take several steps back. "Heh. You've accomplished a miraculous feat that could earn you the attention of The O.R.D.E.R., yet you cower at this impaired body of mine. Well, I guess that's why humans are amusing in the first place."

"Eve, i-is this...?"

"What Adam saw...!" I confirmed Isaac's query.

"No. That man saw someone much, much worse." The god corrected me. I gulped as anger crept into his voice. "I'm not the serpent which tempted your friend to grasp the forbidden fruit. It was that obnoxious goddess I've been keeping sealed using all my focus and powers for more years than your little brains could fathom. And whom you've aided to escape me, I might add."

Isaac gasped again. "No...!" I shook my head. If what he said was true, then Adam's and Philus's deaths could've been avoided. If this goddess he mentioned hadn't poisoned Philus's mind, then he and Adam would've returned to the cafeteria before the attack and we could've fled together. I refused to believe him. I refused to believe I had my friends' blood on my hands! "You're lying—"

The god punched the force field that was protecting me and Isaac, causing it to shake violently and silencing me.

"That hag killed my mother!" He roared at us. "I wasn't strong enough to kill her, so I was forced to trap her in my domain. But that was fine, too. You humans should know why! The real objective of prison is to take someone's spirit and break it! I was so close to succeeding, another century or two would've been enough, but then you ruined EVERYTHING! It's your fault she broke my seal, turned your friend into her vessel, and killed the one who tried to stop her! All. Your. Fault!"

I cried as reality settled in, while Isaac just stared ahead with a lost gaze. It didn't matter if he was lying or not. We attracted the gaze of a god who ruined our lives, and that's that. It was all our damn fault. The god seemed to calm down now that his venting was over, and regarded us with narrowed eyes. I wasn't sure if he was annoyed by our reaction or if he pitied us as people who lost someone dear to them to the same monster.

"You'll help me." He proclaimed once we've composed ourselves. What did he say? How could we, mere humans, help a god!?

Isaac was of the same opinion, "Why should we—"

"Why should you? Why shouldn't you!?" The god laughed. "Would you prefer to plunge to your deaths or allow The O.R.D.E.R. to punish you for breaking my seal? Don't be silly. Let me explain what happened thoroughly. When that man—Adam, I heard you call him—came into contact with my powers, he created a hole in my seal. It wasn't enough to permit that hag to escape, but she managed to glimpse back at Adam. At you all, actually."

"Is that...when she possessed Philus?" I asked skeptically. We might as well hear him out. Not like we could leave and return to our lives, anyway.

"No, she didn't have the time. She merely planted a seed in you four, a seed that would sprout the moment you allowed her whispers to overwhelm you. That's what happened to Philus, and when it did, she ordered him to return to the lab. When he touched my card, she tore through my seal, turning your friend into her vessel."

"That's when Philus returned to the lab for his deck." Isaac remarked. "Or...did he lie? His deck was always on his person. Adam was a different story, but he... I thought it was strange, but I didn't put too much thought into it. It can happen. You mean to tell us there was more to it?"

"There's also the chance Adam sensed she took control of Philus." The god nodded. "She was free, but powerless. However, she's a goddess who draws power from the despair of others. She recovered in an instant by virtue of that unexpected war. She suppressed me, even tried to seal me in my own domain. I was already weakened from having maintained the prison for so long that I barely had enough energy left to prevent it. Not to mention, I had to waste some of it to suppress her myself, prevent her from leaving before she could die under the rubble inside her vessel."

"That's when Adam intervened," I caught on to his story. "And took your card out of Philus's hand."

"Yes. Her powers lingered on me for a few more minutes, but they luckily vanished when I needed to save you. The same happened to her, hence why she couldn't go after you immediately." The god sighed in exasperation. "I'm practically on my deathbed here. One of you will have to become my vessel so that I won't die and we can work together."

"So you can exploit us like that goddess did to Philus?" I dared glare at him. As I said, it's not like we could leave and return to our lives, anyway. We had nothing to lose. "What even is your end goal?"

"Don't compare me to her." Despite saying that, the god chuckled. "It isn't 'exploiting' if our interests align, correct?"

"What interests...?" Isaac asked.

"You see, I'm a god who controls space and time. When that hag escaped my seal, she greedily stole a fraction of my powers which allow her to travel through space. I can't pinpoint its exact location, but I can still feel them. In other words...she's still alive, inside Philus. Maybe she even took Adam as a prisoner to teach him a lesson for disrupting her plans."

Isaac and I looked at each other with widened eyes. If we defeat the goddess, we could free Philus and Adam. It wasn't too late yet to make things right!

But... "Can we trust you?" I returned the god's gaze anew. His story lined up with what had occurred in the past hour, but that would mean believing every word he had said. Also, we didn't know him enough yet to determine whether or not he'd betray us down the road.

"I can introduce you to Agents who trust me." He offered. "We could even form a contract if you want to be extra sure."

"A contract?" Isaac echoed.

The silhouette suddenly shuddered, morphing into that of a human with the same yellow eyes and dark teal markings as its dragon form as it entered the force field. Up this close, we could see his irises were actually miniature galaxies.

"You'll help me kill that obnoxious goddess. In return, I'll help you save your friends and you'll get to live." He vowed. "Whoever dishonors the contract, shall die. Sounds good? You won't be able to return to your previous lives once you become Agents, but it's better than dying without going out with a bang...am I right, humans?"

I took a resolute step forward, voice unwavering as I answered, "Yes." Isaac placed a hand on my shoulder and nodded at me. I smiled at him and nodded back. It stung to leave our lives behind, it was too sudden, but we didn't exactly have a choice, and Team Eden...was our everything. "Give us the strength to save Adam and Philus...and the whole world."

"Hmm, I like those expressions." The god chuckled. "You'll get to save worlds a lot as Agents, don't worry. My name is Genesis Omega Dragon, but simply G.O.D. or Genesis will do. I've heard your names from inside my card earlier: Eve and Isaac."

He extended a hand towards me.

"By the way, I liked your team's name. Do you mind if we call ourselves Team Eden?"

"It isn't a problem, after all, Team Eden didn't die." I took his hand. "It simply gained a new member."

END OF FLASHBACK

---

Turn 27:

Foretold Dusk

---

"Demiurge. What a displeasure to meet you in person at last."

I greeted our opponent when I came to a stop with a loud click of my heel on the ground in front of my defeated comrades on the outside platform attached to our facility. Fortunately, my medication kicked in not long ago, and I could stand on my feet without any support or discomfort from my scars. That, too, I owed to the people present here today, who've been valiantly keeping this wicked god at bay. I couldn't thank them enough.

On that note, in spite of all their efforts, they couldn't defeat the Arrogant Kaesar... Oh, I wasn't disappointed in them by any means. Transcendent Pendulum, Delta Accel Synchro, the White Goddess, Triple Tuning, a 'Majestic' Synchro, the Lunalight Goddess, the Sovereign of the Aesir—and I was only scratching the surface. As I watched the fight from my private quarters, my soul as a Duelist was moved like never before. Heh, Adam and Philus would be proud to hear me say something like that.

My point was, we marched into this battle knowing well it wouldn't be an easy game, despite our advantage in numbers, but if none of that did the trick...there was no saying Genesis and I could defeat him, either. However, we won't yield to despair. We mustn't, under any circumstances.

If we lose, humanity is doomed. If we win, we live.

This time, I won't fail to protect the world, nor what I love.

"You're...Eve." Demiurge surveyed me with the same interest as someone would the filth on the side of the road. He wrinkled up his nose. "I can smell Genesis Omega Dragon's stench all over you. So you're his vessel, as well as the leader of those three losers, huh?"

He broke into a wide grin then, going from apathetic to vicious in an instant. "Fufu, you're humanity's last-standing line of defense." He pointed out. "Once I make mincemeat of you and that pesky god, I can finally pull the curtains on an era where I rule supreme!"

Hmph, he's truly the most arrogant being I've ever met. I silently took in the sight of his avatar, and I couldn't help but grimace. It's even more repulsive in the flesh than on a screen... I've never laid eyes on such a colossal and ugly thing in my life, and as an Agent, I've seen my fair share of horrors alongside Team Eden. It was time to use all my experience and Adam and Philus's dueling teachings to the fullest.

"How rude." Was Genesis's reply from his card. "It's been over a decade since I left my card as it takes too much energy to materialize my body, so I haven't showered in quite a long time—and saying it out loud like this, damn, I haven't showered in a long time!—but that doesn't mean I smell. In fact, time is pretty much frozen in a card, so I can't even sweat in here!"

"He threatened to kill us, and that's what you worry about?" I raised an eyebrow.

"One must have their priorities straight." I sighed in exasperation at his answer. Sometimes, it wasn't hard to believe he and Demiurge were related.

"Th...This situation...!" Harald suddenly breathed out, catching our attention. "It aligns with the prophecy Father saw...! Does this mean the person it foretold wasn't me...but Eve?"

"Hoh~? Did you hear that, Eve?" By his tone, I could tell Genesis had just grinned. "You're part of a prophecy!"

I didn't share his excitement. "I'm undecided whether to be proud or intimidated." To be the lead actress in a prophecy made me feel incredibly important. At the same time, it made me anxious. Prophecies were both revered and dreaded in myths, after all. "But it's irrelevant. We simply need to follow the plan, and we'll win."

"Simply follow the plan, you say?" Demiurge's mocking grin didn't leave his face as he shook his head. "Did the loss of your lowly subordinates not get the message across? Logic is meaningless in the face of a god. Whatever dull-witted plan your minds cooked up, or no matter how many improvisations you implement, you'll never outdo the great me! Don't take my word for it, look around you!"

He gestured around us, prompting my comrades to either grit their teeth or frown. "Seven of you couldn't beat me!" He waved a hand at me before clenching it. "Genesis's vessel or not, a single human shouldn't hope to make a difference against me!"

"Is that so?" I raised my Duel Disk. "Then let us put your theory to the test."

Current Duel status:

Demiurge - LP: 4100

Hand: 1 card

Field: controls 1 Supreme Mythorror God Demiurgus Rex

Supreme Mythorror God Demiurgus Rex: ATK 4500 / DEF 3500 / LV: 12

Eve - LP: 2000

Hand: 5 cards

Field: controls no cards

"That false bravery of yours is laughable!" The Arrogant Kaesar threw his clenched hand to the side. "Observe my enhanced power! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a retainer of mine that is banished, in my Graveyard, or face-up Extra Deck, but it can't attack directly this turn. Resurrect Eloah!"

A sphere of dark energy formed between Demiurgus Rex's four hands. Particles gathered inside it, eventually taking the shape of Tiamat who swam out of the sphere and landed behind his master's smaller form in Defense Position without a word.

Mythorror Goddess Tiamat: ATK 2000 / DEF 1000 / LV: 4

He opted to utilize that effect after the Battle Phase instead of before it? Then again, an extra attack wasn't required to defeat the previous batch of opponents, and even if he had predicted my intrusion, he couldn't have attacked me directly with it. There was also the likelihood of me using a hand trap or an Action Card. He played it safe and was now setting his field for my next turn, huh? He was arrogant, yet wary at the same time. What a troublesome combination for us.

"Tiamat no kōka!" The goddess silently outstretched an arm, conjuring a whirlpool of saltwater under herself. "By banishing a Spell Card from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon one face-up Level 4 or lower Mythorror from my Extra Deck. I banish Astron Rebirth and bring back Leo in defense mode!"

The said Gnostic emerged from the whirlpool, aggressively snapping his fangs and claws at me.

Mythorror Gnostic Leo: ATK 1900 / DEF 200 / LV: 4 / SC: 6

"Leo?" Harald's frown deepened. "By releasing him through his own effect, he can Special Summon Camazotz from the Graveyard, and if Camazotz is destroyed, he can resurrect another servant..."

"Tiamat and Camazotz make for a total of three sacrifices," Isaac eyed me in concern. "His avatar can evade destruction thrice... Eve..."

I signaled to him that it was alright, to which he responded with a confident nod. We Team Eden knew each other's decks like the back of our hands. With my reaction to my opponent's moves, he knew I had the perfect cards to counter them, and he likely already had an idea of which ones they were.

"I place the Scale 1 Mythorror Gnostic Pisces into my Pendulum Scale once more!" The Monster consisting of a white and a black eel reappeared in the pillar on its master's left, biting the air in a ravenous manner.

Mythorror Gnostic Pisces: ATK 2300 / DEF 1200 / LV: 7 / SC: 1

"I end my turn. Darkness Ousia's effect also expires." Demiurge concluded. "It's your turn to demonstrate to me what you are capable of, Genesis's vessel. You may be carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders, but don't forget to make your pathetic last stand enjoyable for me. If I get bored, there's no telling how much I'll hurt you later~."

"Watashi no turn." I ignored his shameless taunts. "Draw! I activate the Quick-Play Spell Mystech Trice!"

A card, which depicted two misshapen, humanoid silhouettes glowing with white energy and leaving trails of yellow-green and azure flames in their wake as they dashed out of a futuristic, round gate, appeared.

"Through its effect, I may Special Summon up to two 'Mystech' Monsters from my hand in Defense Position," I explained while placing two cards on my Duel Disk's energy blade. "Show yourselves, Mystech Factor Balthazar, Mystech Utopian Gate!"

The event depicted on my Spell was recreated as the two silhouettes emerged from the card and then morphed into my Monsters. The first was a vibrant, blob-like entity with a grinning mouth, three eyes, and two noses jutting out of its back, creating the appearance of a nightmarish monster straight out of an artist's wildest dreams.

Mystech Factor Balthazar: Light / Fiend / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 10

The second was the left side of a futuristic gate, a white and gold machine with an azure gem, which was its core, glowing on it, a pointed, black bottom that had two golden cables spiraling it, and a white segmented wing attached to its side. Someone like Vince could tell from a glance the Monster this card references.

Mystech Utopian Gate: Light / Machine / Pendulum / Tuner / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 1 / SC: 12

"Utopian Gate no kōka o shiyō." I waved a hand in the said Monster's direction. "Only once during a turn, by banishing this card I control, I may Special Summon two 'Mystech' Monsters with different names from my hand, deck, or face-up Extra Deck in Defense Position. Show yourselves, Mystech Factors Caspar and Melchior!"

My Gate left the field in a burst of light, from which two new nightmarish blobs emerged and lined up with their brethren.

Mystech Factor Caspar: Light / Fiend / Tuner / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 10

Mystech Factor Melchior: Light / Fiend / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 10

"Face-up Extra Deck...? Then she, too, has access to Pendulum Summoning..." Serena, who didn't have the strength to move into a more comfortable position on the ground due to the aftermath of Ama strengthening her, noted. "But even without it, she managed to summon three Level 10 Monsters...?"

"I'm just getting started. Behold Melchior's effect." The said blob's eye bulged at my command, and electricity sparked around it. "Once per turn, I may use it and other Monsters I control as materials to Fusion Summon one Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck without the need of a 'Fusion' Spell! I fuse my three Factors!"

As they turned into red, blue, and yellow energy and spiraled into a portal, I chanted.

"The Three Wise Men become one, thereby awakening the ultimate spell from the horizons of space-time! Fusion Summon! Show yourself, Level 10! Phantasm Emperor Trilojig!"

A humanoid donning deep violet armor featuring two large fists, eyes drawn on his gauntlets, chest, and joints between his legs and pointy feet, and two round appendages affixed to his back emerged from the portal with a resonant battle cry.

Phantasm Emperor Trilojig: Dark / Fiend / Fusion / Effect / ATK: 4000 / DEF: 4000 / LV: 10

"A 4000-Attack Fusion Monster?" I heard Aki ask in surprise.

"I'm not done yet." I informed everyone present. "Balthazar's and Trilojig's effects both activate. Only once during a turn, if Trilojig is Special Summoned, or if another Monster is Special Summoned from the Graveyard to my field while I control him, I may target one face-up monster my opponent controls to inflict damage to them equal to half its original Attack. Arrogant Kaesar, your avatar may be unaffected by my card effects that don't destroy it, but that doesn't prevent me from targeting it regardless."

"The fury of the ghosts that haunt you takes shape." Trilojig's eyes gleamed as he unleashed a dark beam from his hands at our foe in the shape of Demiurgus Rex's head. "Hollow Phantom Gate!"

"Bahaha! Weren't you watching this duel from the corner you were sniveling or wherever you came from?" Demiurge pointed at the Gnostic in his Pendulum Zone. "Pisces no Pendyuramu Kōka! Only once during a turn, I can choose between effect or battle damage and nullify any damage of that type for this turn! It will be effect damage!"

He swept one of his wings to the side, batting the beam away before it could hit him.

"He fell for it." Genesis's hushed cheer ended with an intimidating growl. "Now he's guaranteed to take battle damage."

I nodded. "Balthazar's effect resolves." I stated. "If this card has served as a Fusion Material for the Fusion Summon of a Level 10 monster, by paying half my Life Points, I Special Summon all the material Monsters that were used for that summon from the Graveyard!"

Eve: LP 2000 / 2 = 1000

My three Factors returned to the field through a GY Portal.

"And now for Caspar's effect." Its eyes bulged at that, but unlike Melchior, the electricity it generated surrounded all my companions. "Once per turn, I may reduce this card's Level by 2, and by doing so, the Levels of all other Monsters I control become 1."

(Caspar: Level 10→8; Balthazar: Level 10→1; Melchior: Level 10→1; Trilojig: Level 10→1)

"I tune the Level 8 Caspar with the Level 1 Balthazar and Melchior!" As my Factors underwent the summoning sequence, I chanted. "Wishes assemble to open the door to a new space and time! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Level 10! Timelord Progenitor Vorpgate!"

A bright beam shot through the rings, from which a mechanical Monster with two golden wings and the image of an elderly man's face projected on the screen on his torso descended.

Timelord Progenitor Vorpgate: Dark / Fairy / Synchro / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 10

"This time it's a Level 10 Synchro?" Jack asked.

"I activate Balthazar's effect once again." I declared. "If this card has served as a Synchro Material for the Synchro Summon of a Level 10 monster, by paying half my Life Points, I Special Summon all the material Monsters that were used for that summon from the Graveyard!"

Eve: LP 1000 / 2 = 500

"Balthazar's effect can only be used twice during a turn, therefore, I can't make use of it anymore this turn," I explained as my three Factors reappeared. I then opened my eyes wide. "But that's fine. I've already gathered the required materials for my next summon! I overlay the Level 10 Balthazar, Caspar, and Melchior!"

They turned into yellow beams and entered a swirling galaxy, from which a pillar of light shot out.

"With these three Monsters, I build the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon! Show yourself, Number XX! The chaotic messenger of darkness! Rank 10! Utopic Dark Infinity!"

Two stylized Xs flashed on the pillar, from which a warrior clad in gladiator-esque armor with a red scarf tied around his neck, an X on its chest, and a clawed shield on his left arm stepped out, brandishing his sword at our foe.

Number XX: Utopic Dark Infinity: Dark / Warrior / Xyz / Effect / ATK: 4000 / DEF: 4000 / RK: 10

"Eve's classic Extra Deck lineup!" Ren said.

"Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz." Demiurge ran a hand through his hair. "The same strategy the toy of the Different Dimension Daemons uses, huh? You humans seriously lack creativity. Besides, none of those insects have enough Attack to oppose the great me. If your goal was to show off, congratulations, you've succeeded."

"On the contrary." I remarked, earning a quirked eyebrow from the god. "Not only have I shown off, but I'll also defeat you. Utopic Dark Infinity no kōka o shiyō. Only once during a turn, if he is Special Summoned, or if another Monster is Special Summoned to my field while I control him, I may target one face-up monster I control to gain Life Points equal to its original Attack during the End Phase. I target Utopic Dark Infinity himself!"

A dark aura surrounded my Number for a few seconds. I did say I will defeat him, but you can never be too sure, especially when Action Cards are involved and your opponent refuses to bite the dust at whatever you throw his way.

"I activate the Spell Card Terraforming." I stated. "Through its effect, I add one Field Spell from my Deck to my hand. I add Mystech Trinity 2, which I then activate!"

A pond with a network of translucent white veins in it and small flames levitating above its surface materialized under my and my Monsters' feet.

"With it, once per turn, I may target up to two Level or Rank 10 or 'Mystech' Monsters I control and increase their Attack by 1000 points until the end of this turn," I explained as the flames concentrated around two of my companions. "I target Trilojig and Utopic Dark Infinity!"

They assumed their battle stances, prompting their ATK to rise to 5000.

"Battle." I extended an arm in front of me. "Vorpgate, attack Demiurgus Rex!"

"What was the point of strengthening your other weaklings then?" An irritating laugh left Demiurge's mouth as Vorpgate began charging his attack. "You're attacking with 0 Attack! That's suicide!"

"You can only dream you'd win that easily." I glared at him. "Vorpgate—like the Timelords who succeed him—cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects and I don't take any battle damage involving him. This battle subsequently ends with no result, and at the end of the Damage Step, I activate Vorpgate's other effect! Since this card that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck battled, all Monsters you control are banished until the End Phase, and the battle damage you take for the rest of this turn is halved!"

"It's the same scenario as with Jack's The Annihilation Burst." By his tone, I could tell Antinomy had just smirked. "Because Eve's effect resolves last, even if Demiurge uses Leo's effect, whatever it revives will be banished!"

"The reticent wind of fate cuts time's grip on your existence and whirls you to the future: Tulpa Storm!" Vorpgate spread his arms and fired the wave of energy it had been charging. It washed over Tiamat and Leo, causing their bodies to turn semitransparent before breaking apart into particles.

"So that's how it is." Whether this twist bothered him or not, the Arrogant Kaesar did a good job at concealing it behind an amused grin. "You were aiming at my servants, not me. However...if you get elated at an insignificant accomplishment of this scale, you have nothing between the ears, woman. Even if you destroy my avatar and attack me directly, you can't fully deplete my Life because the battle damage is halved thanks to your own effect!"

"Unless I do this: I activate the Quick-Play Spell Chrono Stasis!" A card, which showed Genesis's dragon hand holding up a gray sphere orbited by two rings with letters of an unknown language engraved on them, appeared. "By targeting Vorpgate, until the start of the next Draw Phase, his effects that have been used previously this turn—no longer apply."

Demiurge's eyes slightly dilated. Vorpgate was entrapped in the sphere that's on my Spell's artwork, making him gray out and freeze, but it was then absorbed into his body as soon as it appeared, returning him to normal.

"She...stopped time for the effect?" Harald wondered out loud.

"By doing so, the battle damage won't be halved anymore." Isaac smiled.

"Tulpa Storm is also treated as not having been activated, meaning your banished Monsters won't return during the End Phase, and cannot be reactivated, either," I explained over Genesis's unhinged chuckles. "This is one of Team Eden's god's powers: the ability to bend time to his will. Although he cannot use it in his current state, and even if he could, The O.R.D.E.R. severely prohibits him from using it at full force, it's a different story in a duel. Battle! Trilojig, attack Demiurgus Rex!"

Trilojig may have technically been the only attacking Monster, but my trio advanced as one, prompting Demiurgus Rex to roar in retaliation. The eye on his chest bulged as the crimson tattoos on his body lit up, seconds prior to releasing a vortex of black flames from each of his four hands at my Monsters. Vorpgate halted and clapped his clawed hands together, invoking just as many transparent barriers, which were shaped like the screen on his torso, to deflect the vortices, allowing Trilojig and Utopic Dark Infinity to safely jump from platform to platform towards their target's head.

A magic circle suddenly appeared in front of the eye on Demiurgus Rex's chest, glinting as chaotic energy began forming on its surface, but Utopic Dark Infinity slashed it in half before it could fire it. With all obstacles removed from his path, Trilojig drew a fist back as a dark glow enveloped it.

"Total Destruction and Reincarnation Strike!" He punched the air in front of himself, throwing himself back by the recoil as he unleashed a large wave of energy at the Supreme Mythorror God's face like a punch, to which Demiurge clicked his tongue when the shock waves washed over him, and his avatar stumbled backwards—but didn't leave the field.

Demiurge: LP 4100 - 500 = 3600

"It didn't work?" Utopic Dark Infinity inquired once he and Trilojig each landed on a platform near me. As if to answer him, Demiurgus Rex straightened up, revealing a soft glow around his head that was slowly crumbling apart like glass. Was that his effect to prevent destruction? That shouldn't be possible...unless, there was more to it than he had stated.

"Using your words," the god said slowly as his unpleasant grin returned. "You can only dream you'd win that easily! If I would be destroyed, I can destroy or banish a servant of mine instead. It was you mongrels who assumed this effect was limited only to my Monster Zones!"

"He destroyed Pisces...!" True to Isaac's words, the Gnostic in his Pendulum Zone was nowhere to be seen. So I was right. To think he was able to keep that a secret for this long...

"But now there's nothing left for you to use as a shield!" I narrowed my eyes at him. "Battle! Go, Utopic Dark Infinity! Finish him!"

"Yes, Master!" A sonic boom was created by my Xyz Monster as he leaped into the air. Demiurgus Rex outstretched a hand, ready to catch him in a crushing grip to stop the attack, "Hope Sword Darkness Slash!" But Utopic Dark Infinity swung his sword to the side with a piercing SLASH and released a crescent energy wave that bisected both the opponent's hand and their head. Before any blood could spew from the cuts, the gigantic Monster and his real body were engulfed in an explosion that shook our entire H.Q.

Demiurge: LP 3600 - 500 = 3100

"What's going on...?" Despite my hard-earned victory over the evil god's avatar and the damage I've dealt to his LP, none of us cheered, and Serena was the first to voice our perturbation once the smoke cleared to reveal a battered but grinning Demiurge. "He mocked Eve earlier...yet he allowed himself to be destroyed...!?"

"You're missing the point, impulsive girl." Placing a hand on his chest, he sneered. "I am still standing, Life Points well above 0. Removing my Rex self from the field is no cause to rejoice, especially if I've let go of it willingly. Haven't you learned from your lesson when you defeated my first form? Then again, why should I believe you would, with those sluggish brains of yours? You'll soon come to regret this transgression, too, heh heh~."

"He's twisting his own words." Genesis protested in a whisper. People of his caliber were the first to bend their moral code if it meant getting their own way.

"That remains to be seen." I informed the Arrogant Kaesar. He plans to use his cards, no, correction, Vince's cards that require him to control no cards, definitely those that enable him to draw. My attempt to end him backfired...what a pain. I need to raise my defenses for his next turn. "I set one card. Turn Over. Caspar's and Trinity 2's effects expire, therefore, Trilojig's Level and his and Utopic Dark Infinity's Attack return to normal. The latter's effect then resolves, and I gain Life Points equal to his original Attack!"

A warm, golden glow enveloped me at those words.

Eve: LP 500 + 4000 = 4500

"Trinity 2's mandatory effect activates as well." I stated. "During the End Phase, it is shuffled into my Deck and I activate a different 'Mystech Trinity' Field Spell from my hand or Deck in its place. I choose Mystech Trinity 3!"

The flames around around my feet were replaced by a dark cocoon deep inside the pond, which pulsed like a heart at random intervals.

"Pfft! What's the point of correcting me if you're only going to cower behind a hastily-erected defense? You hypocrite humans always prove my words true one way or another!" Demiurge gripped the top card of his deck, which flashed purple in response. "Ore-sama no turn! Dark Draw! I activate the Spell Card Anansi's Triumph! Since I control no Monsters, I can Dark Draw a card for each Special Summoned Monster you control! Thank yourself for making this possible, Genesis's vessel!"

My prediction was correct again. "Here it says he's got twelve cards left in his deck." Genesis read what was shown on the screen of my Duel Disk. He then sighed, disappointed. "If he didn't have Supreme Kaesar's Draw, you could've planned to deck him out. That would've been hilarious to pull off."

"I've been keeping count, and he's removed forty-eight cards from his deck so far, including the three he's just drawn. This is the first time I duel someone who runs a sixty-card deck..." I admitted to my god. Adam and Philus told me and Isaac that such decks were rare, usually constructed when it thins out too easily or to accomplish a specific win condition. Considering the former was the case and that Demiurge could manipulate his draws, even with cards that aren't in the deck to boot, it made sense for him to use one. So when he replaced Vince's cards for his, he also stuffed the deck, huh?

"I activate the Spell Card Hephaestus' Gift! Since I control no Monsters, I can Dark Draw a card and add the face-up Cancer from my Extra Deck to my hand! Next..." Demiurge's grin widened to the point it could hurt as he raised a card from his hand. "The ceremony of my grand revival shall commence. I activate the Spell Card Supreme Kaesar's Coronation!"

A card, which depicted a close-up of Demiurgus Rex's head, appeared. The obsidian shards above his head united to form a crown that was shining brightly, thus shrouding his face in shadows and making his glowing, red left eye stand out more, and the silhouette of an unknown Monster was levitating above him and seemingly crowning him.

"I return my first form, which was banished by Red Supernova Dragon's effect, to the Graveyard and add this Monster from my Deck to my hand." Demiurge's crazed chuckles filled the air as he waved the searched card to and fro playfully. "Everyone present should be up to speed about my identity and my feats. Nevertheless, allow me to disclose some additional, thrilling details. The Duelist who brought the United World to its knees was empowered by the great me."

I eyed our foe suspiciously. What's the point he's trying to make? We, Team Eden, were already aware of that, and my teammates had more than enough time to explain the entire situation surrounding Demiurge to the newcomers while he was asleep by Isaac's sedative, except to Serena who regained consciousness moments before Demiurge did too.

"What?" Serena gasped, confirming my thoughts. Her gaze then dropped, "Ray?" And she focused on what her original incarnation was telling her in her mind. Her eyes widened in shock. "That's the person you and Ama tried to save from this bastard...!?"

"But~!" Demiurge's excitement increased further now that he knew Ray and his sister were listening through the Lunalight user. "The truth is...Astrograph Sorcerer's effect, which spelled the end for the United World, didn't originate from me. That power was bestowed on me by an Agent who works directly for a member of The O.R.D.E.R.!"

The people fighting by my side gasped in unison. "What did you say?" My eyes widened.

"That can't be...!" Aki breathed out. "The O.R.D.E.R. are supposed to be ultimate overseers of existence!"

"One of the five members of The O.R.D.E.R. is in cahoots with this guy?" Genesis echoed, surprised himself by this revelation. "Oi, oi, this is serious. If someone from The O.R.D.E.R. defected..."

"There's a chance you might be obeying the orders of a superior who wants you dead." Demiurge finished for him with a nettlesome giggle. "An appropriate fate for you lot, if I say so myself. Although...you're already insects that will be squashed under my heel soon enough! If my opponent controls three or more Monsters of different Summoning Methods, I can Special Summon this card from my hand. Serve me, the Agent of betrayal! Mythorror Tetramorph!"

A tall and well-endowed female Monster, who was shown in Coronation's art, appeared from a Schwarzschild wormhole of blue flames. They wore violet armor over a sleek yet durable layer of black cloth-like armor that acted as their skin and possessed two pairs of indigo-feathered wings, as well as four heads: a woman's head on the bottom-center, which had shoulder-length scarlet hair and was covered by a helmet with a yellow visor, a bull's head on the left, a lioness's head on the right, and an eagle's head on the top-center, the last three of which were made of metal and had red eyes.

"Mors tua, vita mea." Their human head proclaimed in a voice that was neither female nor male, and they brandished their sword bathed in blue flames.

Mythorror Tetramorph: Dark / Fiend / Pendulum / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 0 / SC: 0

"Level 0...!?" Jack asked. "And this feeling...!"

"It isn't the same I get by staring at Demiurge or his Gnostics." I concurred with the King. As Harald had said, the Arrogant Kaesar and the monsters that contain a fraction of his power invoke uneasiness in our hearts with a simple glance. This Tetramorph did not. They weren't created by him; they rallied under his banner willingly like the Four Perils and the majority of his Extra Deck Monsters.

"Demiurge is not speaking falsehoods." Tetramorph disclosed. "Domina mea ordered me to assist him in his conquest. As Her right-hand Agent, I shall see it through."

"There you have it." The said god said nonchalantly. This was the worst possible scenario none of us foresaw. Yet...not all hope was lost. Genesis's domain can't be breached, or be spied into from the outside, not even by The O.R.D.E.R. Right now, our top priority is making sure Demiurge faces the consequences for his crimes, so everything else will have to come later. Noticing my resolute expression, our foe quirked an eyebrow. "Hoh? You've got guts, human. If that wasn't enough to deter you, and you won't turn out to be a disappointment, then breaking you will either be a chore—or a wonderful experience!"

An aura of darkness oozed out of his back at those words, enveloping his body in it as his eyes flashed red. We tensed up. This feeling... It was the same as when he summoned his avatars. Something was coming!

"By banishing themself, Tetramorph's effect activates!" The Agent pointed their sword forward as blue flames surrounded their body. "I banish face-down my Demiurgus and Rex selves from my Graveyard and shuffle thirteen different 'Mythorror Gnostic' Monsters from my field, Graveyard, face-up Extra Deck, or banishment into the Deck in order to reach new heights!"

Tetramorph vanished inside a dimensional rift, and Demiurge raised a hand to the sky.

"From the Extra Deck: Capricorn, Sidonia, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Gemini, and Aquarius! From the banishment: Leo, Howard, Hevelius, Aries, Scorpio, Taurus, and Phobos!" The listed cards flew out of his Duel Disk and circled him, leaving trails of light in their wakes colored after their additional Attributes, before piling on his Deck and Extra Deck slots. Demiurge threw his arms out and grinned like a madman. "Return me the darkness I blessed you with, and become the foundation of my evolution!"

The aura around him thickened and enclosed him in a sphere orbited by the trails of light, gradually ascending into the air and expanding to match the size of his avatars. Red lightning crackled within the sphere, with some bolts veering out of it. This prompted my Monsters to intercept them, preventing potential damage to the facility, platform, and my injured comrades on the Solid Vision road. This summoning sequence was...!

"My omnipotence is the ultimate finality, my shadow blacks out the bright of Creation!" Demiurge's chant echoed from the sphere. "I am the depthless darkness, the incarnation of chaos whose roar surges through the omniverse, the destroyer who tamed the stars! Bow to me, and accept my will as the new order of your primitive world! Integration Summon! I stand superior to all: Supreme Mythorror God Demiurgus Kaesar!"

Two black wings that were ten times larger than his avatar and had spiked spines and purple-veined, crimson membranes stretched out from the sphere, beating the aura away to reveal himself. He was taller than any Monster I've ever seen, even Harald's Odin, the jagged tips of his black scales gained a reddish hue, and on his chest was a bulky, skull-shaped, golden head with two horns that twisted around his shoulders to create shoulder-guards, an actual mouth with fangs and a pointed, purple tongue, and the eye he also had on his previous form. The flames covering his fingers were a mix of black and gold, an additional set of wings was attached to his back, whose size fitted his body unlike the first set, and the shards levitating above his head united to form a black crown with a purple piece glowing on its front. His mask was completely gone now, exposing a lion-like, brutish face to us which had a red left eye and a golden shard replacing his right eye, and similar shards were present on his four palms and the chin of his chest-skull colored yellow, blue, scarlet, russet, and green.

Demiurgus Kaesar let loose a deafening roar with his arrival, which shook everything around us.

Supreme Mythorror God Demiurgus Kaesar: Divine / Divine-Beast / Fusion / Pendulum / Effect / ATK: 5000 / DEF: 4000 / LV: 13 / SC: 13

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" Demiurge, whose waist fused to the forehead of his avatar, burst out laughing once he saw our dumbstruck expressions and he glared down at us. "Are you paying attention, you imbeciles? I became a Level 13 Divine-Beast who commands all Attributes, including Divine!" The various shards adorning his avatar's body flashed their respective colors to emphasize his words. "This is what you must struggle against if you dare challenge a god to a duel!"

"He's fused with a Duel Monster!?" Ren couldn't believe it. "Like Zarc did...!?"

"Genesis!" I called out to the god within me.

"Don't look at me! Neither Ama nor I knew he had a third form!" He shouted back. "He must've unlocked it after experimenting on himself with Integration Summoning... On the bright side, he didn't bust out an overcolored card like Zarc did, but only a Fusion-Pendulum Monster." That was hardly a compensation.

"That vessel was a competent human, a miracle among your pathetic kind, and he knew exactly how to entertain his master." Demiurge, as strange as it sounded, spoke highly of someone who wasn't himself for once. "I won't rob him yet of the title of the one whose Duel Monster form controlled all the Summoning Methods."

I heard Serena say quite an unladylike insult under her breath, but it was definitely Ray who couldn't keep those words to herself. Not that I blamed her. She had every right to be angry at this bastard for having manipulated her boyfriend into committing atrocities.

"That said, you're worrying your pretty little heads about the wrong thing." Demiurge pointed out. "It's high time you learn your place, damn rats! If I descend, my effect activates! The effects of all cards you control are negated, then I destroy as many cards you control as possible, and by doing so, you take 300 damage and I gain 500 Life for each destroyed card! Disappear under my might! Apocalyptic Revelation!"

Demiurgus Kaesar's chest-skull screeched as its eye glowed, conjuring swirls of miasma under my Extra Deck trio and set card and around my pond.

"I won't let you. Torappu hatsudō: Mystech Shell!" A card, which depicted the same silhouettes as Mystech Trice with their palms and foreheads touching inside a transparent, white sphere, appeared. "I choose effects that destroy and banish cards. With this, until the end of this turn, your effects that I chose cannot remove my Level or Rank 10 Monsters and 'Mystech' cards from the field."

"How meaningless." Demiurge snorted. "Has the sight of my third and most powerful form made you forget? Chain Links resolve in the opposite order to which they were activated in. Any effect you activate will be negated by the great me when my effect resolves last."

"Wrong." His right eyebrow twitched as I interjected. "Since I control three or more Level or Rank 10 Monsters at this instant, Mystech Shell's activation and effect cannot be negated by your card effects. Trinity 3's effects, too, cannot be negated by you due to its own effect."

"None of your cards will be destroyed, so you won't take any damage and I won't gain any Life, either..." Despite saying that, Demiurge rolled his shoulders in exasperation. "You act big after preserving your board, but you're still neck-deep in danger, mongrel! I'm unable to destroy or banish your cards this turn, but that doesn't grant them immunity! For starters, the chain resolves, and I negate the effects of your three weaklings!"

A pillar of miasma erupted from the swirls and shot into the sky, causing my companions to grunt as their strength was drained.

"I place the Scale 7 Mythorror Gnostic Cancer into my Pendulum Scale and activate his Pendulum Effect!"

The 'Gnostic' follower that represented the Cancer constellation appeared in the pillar on his master's left and immediately burst into particles.

Mythorror Gnostic Cancer: ATK 800 / DEF 1200 / LV: 2 / SC: 7

"Only once during every three turns, by destroying this card, I can add up to two different servants of mine from my Deck to my hand!" After doing so, he revealed them. "I, using the Scale 1 Mythorror Gnostic Howard and the Scale 11 Mythorror Gnostic Scorpio, set my Pendulum Scales!"

He placed the cards on the ends of his energy blade, causing the word [PENDULUM] to flash between them and two pillars of blue light containing his Monsters to appear on his left and right.

Mythorror Gnostic Howard: ATK 0 / DEF 0 / LV: 7 / SC: 1

Mythorror Gnostic Scorpio: ATK 2200 / DEF 1700 / LV: 5 / SC: 11

"Due to Scorpio's continuous Pendulum Effect, my servants and I gain 500 Attack." Demiurgus Kaesar's left eye flashed red as his ATK rose to 5500. "Using my set Scales, I can now simultaneously summon Monsters from Levels 2 to 10. Battalion of mythical creatures and gods! Obey my commands, and let my power become the supreme authority which repels the light! Pendulum Summon! Be reborn: Pisces, Libra, and Aura!"

A portal opened between the pillars, and three beams shot out of it before revealing the said Mythorrors in Attack Position.

Mythorror Gnostic Pisces: ATK 2300→2800 / DEF 1200 / LV: 7 / SC: 1

Mythorror Gnostic Libra: ATK 1000→1500 / DEF 1000 / LV: 3 / SC: 12

Mythorror Titaness Aura: ATK 3300→3800 / DEF 2500 / LV: 10 / SC: 1

I frowned at his field. "He already rebuilt his formation...!" Antinomy voiced the reason behind my vexation.

"This is merely the beginning." Demiurge taunted. "Pisces no kōka! Only once during a turn, if it's Normal or Special Summoned, I can target one card we each control and destroy them. It doesn't matter what I target on your side since my effects can't destroy your cards this turn—not that I care about your cards in the first place. My aim is Pisces itself!"

Like they did in his duel with Harald, his fishes didn't concern themselves with us, and instead attacked each other, coiling their bodies together as they tore at each other's scales before breaking apart into particles.

"Pisces's other effect activates now that it was destroyed by a card effect!" Demiurge gestured forward. "I can target up to two other servants of mine with different names in my Graveyard or face-up Extra Deck and Special Summon them in defense mode!"

A large GY Portal opened in front of him, from which Azi Dahaka and Camazotz emerged and obediently bowed to him.

Mythorror God Azi Dahaka: ATK 2500→3000 / DEF 2000 / LV: 7

Mythorror God Camazotz: ATK 2800→3300 / DEF 2100 / LV: 8

"It's those punching bags again." Genesis groused, annoyed like yours truly. "On top of that, he went from an empty to a full field in minutes. Is this the dueling strength of a god who's had Zarc, a World Duel Champion, as his vessel? Hmm, I wonder...had I been Zarc's master, would've I become as strong as this bastard or an even greater threat?"

"Are those traces of curiosity I detect in your tone?" I side-glanced at my Deck slot with narrowed eyes. "I hope not, or else I won't hesitate to tear your card in half if you're fantasizing about turning on us."

"Oh, don't sweat it! It was just an intrusive thought." That did little to ease my thoughts, Genesis. "Ya know, like the ones you get while driving or holding a knife? Also, you're so cold! Not that I dislike that about you~."

I sighed in exasperation. I knew fully well he'd never consider becoming our enemy—he stood to gain nothing from it, and he had his own personal reasons for fighting by our and The O.R.D.E.R.'s side—but it was no joking matter. In his defense, I wasn't being serious either, and anyway, it would take much more to end him than simply damaging his card.

"Focus." I scolded him and focused back on our foe.

"I activate Libra's effect, targeting myself for it." The said Gnostic put her human hands together in a praying manner and Demiurgus Kaesar growled. "This turn, I can declare an additional attack! Next, I activate Camazotz's effect, destroying Libra to allow him to attack up to two Monsters this turn!"

"My pleasure, Demiurge-sama!" The bat god's claws tore through Libra's skin without an ounce of pity, prompting her to leave the field with a pained scream.

"But he's in Defense Position. Why do that?" Harald remarked. He then frowned. "Unless his real motive wasn't to gain an extra attack, but to free up space..."

"It's a shame you can only put your brain to use when you must decipher my plays, and not when you should realize your own folly for opposing the great me." Demiurge snorted. "I activate Howard's Pendulum Effect, targeting myself for it! Howard is Special Summoned to my field and I gain 500 Attack for this turn!"

The Magus left his pillar and landed in Defense Position in the Monster Zone where Libra was seconds ago.

(Demiurgus Kaesar: 5500→6000 ATK)

"Let's draw this ridiculous confrontation to a close! Battle!" Demiurge aimed a clawed finger down in my direction. "My attack will lay waste to Vorpgate! Azi Dahaka's Aži's Complot activates, increasing my stats by 600 during damage calculation only! Because your piece of junk's effects are negated, you will take the damage, Genesis's vessel! Ultimus Deus!"

A magic circle materialized in front of his avatar's head at those words. Electricity and flames escaped the sides of his mouth as he opened it wide, unleashing a beam of chaotic energy that tripled in size upon passing the circle and completely enveloped my Timelord. He tried to raise a hand and counterattack, but he was soon overwhelmed by the attack, exploding with a gasp. The shock waves reached me without a hitch as I did nothing to protect myself, yet they merely blew my hair around instead of inflicting any pain.

"Hoh? What's this about?" Demiurge glanced at his Titaness. "The choice to activate Aura's effect to negate the activation of a card or effect during the Battle Phase didn't pop up. How did you dodge 6600 damage?"

"It was possible with Trinity 3's continuous effect," I explained, coolly pushing away some hair that fell into my eyes. "I take no battle damage involving my Level or Rank 10 and 'Mystech' Monsters."

"It will take more than that to defeat our leader." Isaac stated with a proud smile.

"Oh, really?" Demiurge didn't shy away from the challenge. "Battle! Aura, do away with Trilojig! Aži's Complot also strengthens her! Raging Tempest!"

(Aura: 3800→4400 ATK, 2500→3100 DEF)

Aura dismounted her lion-shaped cloud steed and ordered it to lunge. My Fusion Monster acted quickly and punched the air in front of him, hitting the lion with a gust of wind that broke its body apart and headed for the Titaness together with the steed's remains. The reprisal didn't hit its mark, however. Aura spun around, guiding the gust and the clouds in an arc with the tip of her spear, and threw them back at Trilojig, resulting in an explosion on contact with him.

(Aura: 4400→3800 ATK, 3100→2500 DEF)

"Aura no kōka hatsudō!" She nodded to her master's command. "If she destroys a Monster via battle, I gain Life equal to half that Monster's Attack or Defense, whichever is higher. Trilojig had 4000 Attack, therefore, I gain 2000 Life! Cruel Breeze!"

Green particles and wind surrounded the god's human body for a few seconds.

Demiurge: LP 3100 + 2000 = 5100

"His Life went up again...!?" Serena clicked her tongue.

"Due to my effect, I can attack all Monsters you control, once each!" Demiurge revealed. "Get lost, Utopic Dark Infinity! Ultimus Deus!"

My weakened Number raised his shield to defend himself, but the chaotic beam easily defeated him as it did to Vorpgate. If only their effects hadn't been negated, I could've protected them at the very least... You did well, you three; rest for now.

"All alone like at the beginning." Demiurge snickered at the sight. "It seems you failed to cling to that worthless life and future of yours, after all. Battle! Using the extra attack I gained from Libra, I attack you directly! Ultimus Deus!"

"Oh no!" Aki gasped as Demiurgus Kaesar began charging his attack. "Without her Monsters to aid her, Demiurge's followers can stop her from collecting an Action Card...! Then there's Aura's negation effect to consider, too!"

"Bye-bye, witless cur!" Demiurge yelled at me and unleashed another chaotic beam. Aki was right; there was no reason to search for an Action Card, which was I stayed still and allowed the attack to hit—not me, of course, but the futuristic, round gate which opened in front of me.

"If I would take battle damage from a direct attack," I stated. "I can banish Mystech Trice from my hand or Graveyard instead. Furthermore, for the rest of this turn, I take no battle damage from direct attacks."

The silhouettes shown on the said card appeared on my left and right, each with an arm outstretched towards the gate. We nodded at one another before they vanished once the gate finished absorbing Ultimus Deus.

"An unclassified effect, huh? The same loophole I found in the impulsive girl's strategy. Hmph, you humans will never grow tired of copying your opponents." Sure, let's make it about you. "The Battle Phase concludes, but I still have something left to do! I overlay the Level 7 Azi Dahaka and Howard!"

His Monsters turned into purple beams and entered a swirling galaxy, from which a pillar of light shot out.

"Staunch guard dog of the Underworld, under my lead, let none escape the clutches of death! Xyz Summon! Howl, Rank 7! Mythorror Gnostic Kerberos!"

A magic circle suddenly appeared at the tip of the pillar, and black stars lit up one by one on it, followed by a black line which connected them all, revealing the Cerberus constellation. The three-headed, black-furred hound with sharp fangs, a single orange eye and a spiky collar for each of his heads, obsidian claws, and red circuits running along his body emerged from the circle.

Mythorror Gnostic Kerberos: ATK 2900→3400 / DEF 2500 / RK: 7

"Now, behold the pinnacle of my 'Eloah' ability!" Demiurge spread his arms. "Ore-sama no kōka o hatsudō! Once per turn, by rendering myself the only being capable of attacking directly this turn, I can declare one Attribute to banish all Monsters my opponent controls with that Attribute! It will be Dark!"

The purple shard on his crown lit up. "You don't control any Monsters at the moment, and even if you did, I wouldn't be able to banish them due to Mystech Shell, so let's focus on the second part of my effect." The god instructed. "I Special Summon one retainer of mine from my Deck, Extra Deck, Graveyard, or banishment with the declared Attribute or whose text lists that Attribute, ignoring its summoning conditions and treating it as properly summoned if needed! Reshape Eloah!"

A wave of purple energy burst out of the shard, inverting the colors of everything it rippled past, reaching the far ends of Genesis's domain. In the next second, the wave returned from whence it came and returned our surroundings to normal, with the addition of a new Mythorror on Demiurge's field, one that spelled Harald's defeat during their match in the Friendship Cup: his strongest Star of Destruction, Apophis.

Mythorror God Apophis: ATK 4000→4500 / DEF 2000 / LV: 12 / SC: 10

Forge Eloah could summon any servant by sacrificing the life of another, Resurrect Eloah could, as its name stated, resurrect any servant for free, and this variant could summon any servant from anywhere while also disrupting my field? Tsk. He wasn't exaggerating when he said it's the pinnacle of his 'Eloah' ability...

"To think a Monster of this size could fit into the dome as well..." Jack was impressed. However, anything bigger than Apophis might've been a problem. We weren't capable of constructing a dome that surpassed Earth's size at the time. "That aside, his effect... if his new form is treated as a Monster of all Attributes, then Apophis will negate the effects of all of Eve's Monsters during the Battle Phase since they're bound to match Kaesar's."

"You've hit the nail on the head." There was a dangerous glint in Demiurge's eyes. "I won't stop at backing you into a corner. No. You deserve a much more fitting punishment for thwarting me to these lengths. I'll snuff out every last spark from your souls so that not even ashes will remain, and then, and only then, will I personally kill you! By Special Summoning a god to my field while controlling Camazotz, I can activate his effect to Dark Draw a card!"

After doing so, "I place two cards face-down and end my turn. Howard's Pendulum Effect also expires." His avatar's ATK dropped back to 5500. "I must say, clearing your second-rate field was duck soup. That isn't what I should experience if I'm fighting the leader of an Agent group who has gathered reinforcement at the last minute and are supposed," he air quoted and rolled his eyes, "to defeat the great me. Your bragging was hot air after all. How disappointingly predictable."

"Serena was right; you're too hasty in your rejoicing." I raised my Duel Disk to draw his gaze to it. "I've barely shown you what my ultimate deck is capable of, and you're already crying victory? That's a fatal mistake, Arrogant Kaesar."

"Ultimate?" Our adversary's eyes widened in surprise, but his expression soon morphed into mockery. "Don't make me laugh. Everything in the presence of my most powerful form is pathetic! As the vessel of a god, you might be on a different level from the seven losers who cheer for you, but you're still a hundred years too early to hope to match a god like the great me!"

"What do you think we've been doing for the past fourteen years?" I lowered my arm and glared at him. "Waiting around for your return, twiddling our thumbs? Get real for once. Team Eden has been tirelessly active, fulfilling our duties as Agents, while searching for any leads to you and your mother. We've fought and grown to reach this crucial confrontation and the one which will soon involve your mother. The companions we've encountered across space and time can attest to our unwavering determination. They've rallied to our cause, and now fight alongside me as my Monsters."

"That mawkish way to address your Monsters..." The gears turned in Demiurge's head. "You can interact with Duel Spirits. A vessel doesn't require that ability to communicate with the god inside them, which was why I didn't sweat the details, but come to think of it, earlier, you seemed to understand what Tetramorph had said."

"I did." I confirmed his words.

After a god takes over their host's body as Demiurge did to Vince, or they lend them a portion of their powers as Genesis and Ama did to me and Serena respectively—in my case, many years ago when my duel against an Exception in another universe went south due to my scars and Genesis had to intervene, or else we wouldn't be here today—the host gains the ability to commune with Duel Spirits. We're uncertain why that's the case. It could be because these gods were also Duel Monsters, but we're unable to prove this theory because we aren't acquainted with any gods and hosts, not even Agents, who aren't tied to this game.

Agents are tasked with resolving Exceptions, such as the one we're in now, an anomaly that wouldn't have taken place were it not for the collision between different alternate realities. It was during those missions that I met my Monsters. They were impressed by my conviction, by my charisma, and requested to join my deck as fellow Agents. Some simply wished to fight with me and Genesis, while others saw this as a chance to give purpose to their existence. Whatever their reasons may be, to this day, I cannot describe how grateful I am for their, as well as Team Eden's, loyalty.

"Going back to the point, the title 'ultimate deck' isn't unfounded." I warned Demiurge. "Bar a few exceptions, the Monsters I wield are revered as legends in the universes from which they hail. Only I can control this ultimate deck, because I've spent so long crossing space and time together with these Monsters and Team Eden. So believe me when I say..."

I tucked some of the hair covering the left side of my face behind my ear, revealing the ugly scar I had there and my discolored left eye. Simultaneously, I could feel Genesis's scarce energy within me resonate with my will, condensing into a white aura around me, and I hardened my glare.

"I'm more than qualified to match a haughty god like you."

Demiurge clicked his tongue as his smile turned upside down, displeased by how unfazed I was by both his words and the board he'd built. His servants, on the other hand, visibly recoiled at my aura and glare.

"This human...!" Camazotz muttered while Kerberos and Apophis growled and hissed at me respectively.

"She's getting into this, huh?" Aura concluded for him.

"Show 'em what you're made of, Eve." Genesis urged me, thrilled to see the destruction I was about to unleash on our foes.

"Of course. Trinity 3's effect activates during the End Phase!" I extended my arm forward. "Like Trinity 2, it is shuffled into my Deck and I activate a different 'Mystech Trinity' Field Spell from my hand or Deck in its place. I choose the first card of my 'Trinity' archetype, Mystech Trinity 1!"

The dark cocoon deep inside the pond was replaced by electric sparks which streaked across the pond's surface at random intervals.

"This card cannot be activated during the Main Phase," I explained. "In exchange, it has a powerful effect. Upon activation, the effects of all cards you control are negated!"

The sparks leaped out of the pond, striking Demiurge's Monsters and Scorpio in his Pendulum Zone and prompting them to glare back at me through the pain.

"A cheap trick." Demiurge scoffed as he and his avatar showed no signs of discomfort by the electrocution. "Due to my effect, I am unaffected by your card effects, and you can't release or use me as material, either!"

"I expected as much." I dismissed the news. "Thankfully, like I did with Tulpa Storm, my true aim is your servants, not you! Now that Scorpio's Pendulum Effect has been negated, your stats return to normal!"

(Demiurgus Kaesar: 5500→5000 ATK; Aura: 3800→3300 ATK; Camazotz: 3300→2800 ATK; Kerberos: 3400→2900 ATK; Apophis: 4500→4000 ATK)

"I won't have to worry about your servants' effects anymore, either." I pointed out to rub salt into the wound. "Trinity 1's effect continues. If I have no cards in my hand, Monster Zones, or Spell & Trap Zones when this card is activated, certain effects are applied. I had no cards in any of those locations, therefore, all three effects apply!"

Another spark flew out of the pond and struck my deck next, causing a card to eject from it. "I add one 'Mystech' card from my Deck to my hand." I declared. "Then I destroy two cards on the field, them being your two set cards!"

An additional pair of sparks pierced the god's backrow and made them shatter like glass, revealing The Final Problem and Minerva's Tactical Forecast. Hmm, it was a good choice to focus on his backrow. Those cards would've been a thorn in the side to navigate around.

"Don't act as if you're out of the woods yet, woman." Demiurge rebuked me. "If it's destroyed on the field and sent to the Graveyard, Minerva's Tactical Forecast allows me to Dark Draw a card and inflict 500 damage to my opponent!"

A spear-shaped beam shot down from the sky, washing over me and making me gasp.

Eve: LP 4500 - 500 = 4000

"Eve!" Ren called out in concern.

"I-I'm fine." I reassured him, doing my best to ignore the pain shooting through my scars. He and Isaac, who bore identical scars to me, though not to the same decree, knew how much they hurt whenever they suffered damage in a duel. But I won't permit this pain to falter me. "My Life Points took a small hit, nothing more. Watashi no turn. Draw! I activate the Spell Card Mystech Cards of Ascension!"

The card I've searched, which showed Genesis's dragon silhouette with three cards spiraling between his hands in a triple-helical structure and leaving crimson trails in their wake, appeared.

"Through its effect, for each Level or Rank 10 Monster that left my field by battle or your card effect during this or the previous turn, I may draw one card. Three Monsters which fall into that category left my field during your turn, meaning I draw three cards! I activate the Spell Card Pendulum Voyage!"

A card, which depicted two of my Mystech Gates connecting and opening a bright portal between each other to an unknown destination, appeared.

"By discarding a card," I said and did just that. "I may add two 'Mystech' Pendulum Monsters with different names from my Deck to my hand. And I summon one of them, the Tuner Monster, Mystech Heaven Gate!"

The left side of a futuristic gate akin to Utopian Gate appeared behind me.

Mystech Heaven Gate: Light / Machine / Pendulum / Tuner / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 1 / SC: 12

"Now I activate the effect of the other Monster I've searched," I revealed the said card. "I target Heaven Gate and banish this Mystech Dystopian Gate from my hand in order to Special Summon one 'Mystech' Monster from my Deck or Graveyard with a different original name from my target. Show yourself, Mystech Hell Gate!"

The right side of a futuristic gate which shared a similar yet antithesis design to Heaven Gate appeared next.

Mystech Hell Gate: Dark / Machine / Pendulum / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 10 / SC: 1

"By targeting Hell Gate, I activate Heaven Gate's effect." The gem and circuits on the latter's frame lit up at that. "I reduce or increase my target's Level by 1, and in addition, if it and Heaven Gate are used as materials for a Fusion Summon this turn, I may treat them both as Level 10 Monsters and that target as two Monsters. I reduce Hell Gate's Level!"

The said Machine gained a yellow outline for a few seconds.

(Hell Gate: Level 109)

"Let's begin." I raised a hand to the sky. "Hell Gate no kōka o shiyō. By using Monsters I control as materials, I simultaneously perform a Fusion Summon and a Synchro Summon!"

The Arrogant Kaesar blinked twice. "Simultaneously?" Harald parroted equally surprised. "Such a summoning was possible?"

"I fuse my two Gates!" A spectral copy of Hell Gate materialized beside the original one, and as they and Heaven Gate turned into red, blue, and yellow energy which then spiraled into a portal, I chanted. "The doors to a faraway universe become one, thereby awakening the insurmountable fate from the depths of space-time! Fusion Summon! Show yourself, Level 10! Arcana Force Extra - The Twilight Ruler!"

A humanoid, alien-like machine slowly emerged from the portal. It had a gray body adorned by three orange orbs placed one on top of the other on their torso and an orb inside the palm of their hands that were equipped with four black claws arranged in a cross, three tails attached to their waist instead of legs, each of which ended with a crooked, black claw, and a featureless mask with three purple eyes for a face. A wave of light and darkness burst out of their back next, and took the shapes of two long-necked dragon heads with the same color scheme as the main body, an orb on their foreheads, and one head having spiraled horns while the other spikes jutting from its back, and they let loose a mechanical screech in unison.

Arcana Force EX - The Twilight Ruler: Light / Fairy / Fusion / Effect / ATK: 4000 / DEF: 4000 / LV: 10

"Now I tune the Level 1 Heaven Gate with the Level 9 Hell Gate!" As my Gates reappeared beside me and underwent the summoning sequence, I chanted. "Desires assemble to part the vast sea of stars and uncover a new horizon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Level 10! Creation Dragon Viracocha!"

A bright beam shot through the rings, from which a god whose body consisted of a sphere burning with white flames and having a man's face drawn on his front emerged. Attached to his body in a cross were four long-necked dragon heads with dark olive green necks, jagged green scales on top of his necks and foreheads, light green muzzles shaped as beaks, crimson eyes, and white and black feathers growing out of the sides. He, too, roared with all his heads to announce his arrival.

Creation Dragon Viracocha: Light / Dragon / Synchro / Effect / ATK: 4000 / DEF: 4000 / LV: 10

"Hell Gate's effect continues." I stated. "After Fusion and Synchro Summoning, I perform an Xyz Summon by using this face-up card in my Extra Deck. And by virtue of its other effect, if I use Hell Gate as an Xyz Material, I may treat it as two Monsters! As such, I overlay the two Level 10 Hell Gates!"

A purple beam shot out of my Extra Deck and split into two before entering a swirling galaxy, from which a pillar of light emerged.

"With these two Monsters, I build the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon! Show yourself, Number M! The hollow god of macabre illusions! Rank 10! Numerounius!"

A stylized M flashed on the pillar, from which an ivory mechanical torso lined with pale purple and with black joints surfaced. An angelic choir rang out in the area then, followed by two white-feathered wings, two legs with feet shaped as tall and blocky high heels, and a great helm with a single, yellow line that acted as an eye sprouting out of the torso. The Number's eye flashed as he let loose a deep battle cry and beat his wings.

Number M: Numerounius: Light / Fiend / Xyz / Effect / ATK: 4000 / DEF: 4000 / RK: 10

"As expected of Eve," by his tone, I could tell Antinomy had just smirked, proud of my display of strength. "She built herself another solid lineup."

"Heh heh heh." The battlefield was silenced by Demiurge's abrupt chuckling. "Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz, all flaunting 4000 Attack. It's out of the ordinary for a human to round up such a trio for a second time at this breakneck speed, that much I'm willing to admit. However, you're naïve if you believe that's enough to fluster me!"

"Don't worry. I've long realized the only way to discompose you is by putting you before the doors of defeat." Was my sarcastic reply to his jeer. "The Twilight Ruler's effect comes into play on summon. Like their fellow 'Arcana Force' Monsters, they change effects depending on whether they are in upright or reversed position."

My Fusion Monster's card appeared above them and started spinning.

"Unfortunately for you, The Twilight Ruler is an Agent capable of adjusting the flow of destiny as they see fit." My words earned growls of approval from The Twilight Ruler's dragon heads. "If the result is not to my liking, by paying 2000 Life Points, I may choose the effect to gain instead. So, what will the result be?"

The card stopped spinning in the upright position.

"It's the upright effect, the one I was going for." I was putting my luck to work today, wasn't I? "Battle. The Twilight Ruler, attack Aura! The End Ray - Light!"

The Twilight Ruler's right head which had spiraled horns unleashed a beam of light at the opposing Synchro Monster. She raised her spear to invoke a wall of wind in front of herself, though it didn't last a second against the beam and she was struck by it dead-on, resulting in her defeat and forcing Demiurge to shield his human body from the shock waves with a wing.

Demiurge: LP 5100 - 700 = 4400

"The Twilight Ruler can attack Monsters twice during the Battle Phase." I stated. "Battle. The Twilight Ruler, attack Camazotz! The End Ray - Darkness!"

My companion's left head which had spikes jutting from its back fired its own beam—a beam of darkness—at the other Synchro Monster, but he easily dodged it by flying away. The eyes of The Twilight Ruler's mask flashed as the beam struck a platform created by the Action Field, and instead of destroying it, the beam bounced off of it, conveniently striking the flying god and destroying him.

"I take no battle damage since Camazotz was in defense mode!" Demiurge reminded me. "His effect also activates on destruction! I Special Summon one Level 5 or lower Mythorror that's face-up in my Extra Deck or Graveyard, and this turn, it can't be destroyed by battle or your card effects!"

Libra returned to his field through her signature magic circle in Defense Position.

"The Twilight Ruler's other upright effect enables me to draw a card if a Monster I control destroys your Monster by battle once per turn." I moved on, unperturbed. "Battle. Numerounius, attack Kerberos! Chaos Eraser!"

Followed by his battle cry, chaotic energy began concentrating in front of Numerounius's chest, which it released in the form of a rain of beams and feathers that washed over the three-headed dog and caused it to explode with pained howls. Demiurge merely scoffed as the shock waves hit him once more.

Demiurge: LP 4400 - 1100 = 3300

"Lastly, Viracocha will attack Apophis!" I pointed a finger at the enormous serpent. "At this instant, I activate Viracocha's effect. If an attack is declared involving this card and an opponent's Monster, I gain Life Points equal to half your Monster's Attack and any battle damage I would take from this battle is halved!"

A fiery white aura enveloped me at that.

Eve: LP 4000 + 2000 = 6000

"Well done..." Serena commented. "Gaining as much Life as possible against that bastard is a smart move... But, that dragon's effect only halves battle damage... It will still be destroyed in a draw with Apophis...unless her other Monsters...?"

"That's right." Isaac confirmed her hunch. "Eve's Extra Deck Monsters individually pack a hefty punch, but their true might becomes visible when they work together."

"Numerounius, aid Viracocha!" I urged my Xyz companion. "If a Monster on my field would be destroyed, I may instead detach one Overlay Unit from Numerounius or destroy one Monster I control, and by doing so, I gain 2000 Life Points!"

Viracocha's four heads unleashed streams of cosmic energy in unison that spiraled and fused into a single attack and collided with the chaotic beam Apophis fired in retaliation. Our attack broke into particles due to the overwhelming force of our foe's counterattack, but before it could reach the Creation Dragon, Numerounius's Overlay Unit flew in front of the former and expanded into a wall of crimson crystals that deflected the beam. At the same time, I was enveloped by a warm, golden glow.

Eve: LP 6000 + 2000 = 8000

But the battle hasn't concluded yet. The leftover particles from Viracocha's attack gleamed, and moments later, they assaulted Apophis as millions of tiny comets, piercing his body all over and prompting him to leave the field in a deafening explosion.

"Alright." Ren cheered. "Her Life reached 8000 points and she destroyed that abomination!"

"Why get jubilant over something as trivial as that?" Demiurge remarked with a grin. "Apophis no kōka hatsudō! If this Ritual Summoned card leaves the field except as material, I can place him in my Pendulum Zone! As such, using the Scale 10 Apophis, I complete the Pendulum Scales!"

The typical pillar of blue light appeared on his left. Instead of containing Apophis's serpentine body, which could never hope to fit into properly, it only housed his menacing crimson eyes with pupils swirling with light and dark energy, glaring ominously in my direction. His set Scales were 10 and 11... he couldn't Pendulum Summon with those, but that detail surely didn't escape his notice.

"You destroyed three of my retainers and raised your Life...that's all?" The Arrogant Kaesar apparently found my upturn amusing. Though, he won't for long. "To say nothing of the fact the more Life you replenish, the more pain I get to inflict on you. You're only digging your own grave, woman."

"That remains to be seen." I told him. "And there's more to this attack than meets the eye. By controlling Viracocha at the end of the Damage Step, his effect continues. The Monster he battled is destroyed, and you take damage equal to half the Attack it had on the field. It's true Apophis is still on the field, but not as the Monster Viracocha battled, meaning the effect resolves only with you taking the damage!"

"Pray, rejoice, submit! The North Star's light will melt and remold you according to my will! Polestar Execution!"

White flames erupted from under Demiurge's feet at Viracocha's command, prompting him to grimace as they licked at his skin and to bat them away with a beat of his wings.

Demiurge: LP 3300 - 2000 = 1300

"No matter how often he denies it or acts impervious to it," Aki spoke up, her words carrying hope in them. "He's steadily being cornered!"

"My turn isn't over yet, either." I added to maintain the morale. "At the end of the Battle Phase, Numerounius's other effect activates. I Special Summon to my field one Monster that was sent from the field to the Graveyard this turn! Return to the land of the living, Camazotz!"

"Pledge yourself to my Chaos!" My Number produced a series of sound waves at the ground, conjuring a GY Portal from which the said bat god emerged in Defense Position, his legs and arms encased in crimson crystals to the ground.

"How dare you, human filth...!" Camazotz seethed as he struggled against his restraints. "I'm a god, not some—"

"Disposable object?" Genesis completed his sentence, earning an angry screech in return. "With how fervently your dear master treated you as such, we've figured you'd get a kick out of serving us as well. Apologies if we mistook a gross kink of yours for fear of your superior, fufu~."

"I set two cards. Turn Over." I concluded. "Trinity 1's effect activates during the End Phase, and I replace it with Trinity 3."

"Ore-sama no turn!" Demiurge exclaimed. "Dark Draw! Your impudence in damaging my Life and defiling my field demands recompense, mortal. But don't you worry: I'll repay your transgression tenfold! I start by activating the Spell Card Supreme Kaesar's Blessing!"

A card, which showed a continuation of Astron Rebirth, appeared. Virgo floated unconsciously in the foreground, her now-completed body halfway through its transformation from pure brown energy to its solid form, as a close-up of the eyes of Demiurge's silhouette form glowed ominously in the background.

"By excavating the top five cards of my Deck, I add two of those cards to my hand because my avatar is present on my field and then shuffle the rest into my Deck!" Another card to maintain hand advantage? Seriously, this bastard's avarice knows no bounds... "Next I activate the great me's Reshape Eloah, declaring—the Water Attribute!"

My brow furrowed. "Water? Not Light?" Jack's voice carried a hint of vexation. If he had picked LIGHT, he could've banished all my companions. "He must intend to leave Eve's Monsters on the field to attack them in succession, which would result in more damage instead of one direct attack using himself...!"

The dormant blue shard on Demiurgus Kaesar's lower left palm suddenly ignited, unleashing a wave of energy of the same color that cascaded across the battlefield, identically to how it did in the god's previous turn. The colors of our surroundings were inverted, only to return to normal as the pulsating wave receded back into his avatar and left in its wake a new servant on our foe's field: the Titaness binding oaths for the deities, Styx.

Mythorror Titaness Styx: ATK 2900 / DEF 3000 / LV: 10 /SC: 11

"I activate Styx's effect, targeting Number XX: Utopic Dark Infinity in your Graveyard!" Styx's veil and waist cloak consisting of grayish waters flowed forward, plunging into a GY Portal that opened in front of me and dragging out Number XX from it. My Xyz Monster's attempt to free himself wasn't met with success, and his body merged with the waters as a result. "My target is banished and Styx gains his name and effects until the end of this turn! Soul Bind!"

I frowned at the loss of my Number and those words. "He'll use Utopic Dark Infinity's effect to increase his Life Points again..." Genesis, like me, already knew where this was going.

"I activate the Spell Card Amun-Ra's Splendor!" A loud hiss echoed forth from Apophis's eye in Demiurge's set Scales. "Using its effect, I Special Summon one Mythorror from my hand or Pendulum Zone in defense mode and grant it a new effect. Serve me, my divine serpent that feasts on the sun!"

The eye in his Pendulum Zone vanished, seconds before reappearing in his real form above Demiurgus Kaesar with a roar.

"Fortunately for you, I won't release Apophis for an Advance Summon or use him as material any time soon, so his new effect is wasted. Then again, leaving such a formidable servant on the field spells more trouble for you, right~?" Demiurge drew out the last word teasingly. "I activate Styx's obtained effect. Since another Monster was Special Summoned to my field while I controlled her, I can target one face-up monster I control to gain Life Points equal to its original Attack during the End Phase. I target myself!"

A dark aura surrounded his avatar for a few seconds.

"Now I activate Apophis's effect!" He slid Mythorror Gnostic Kulshedra's card into his Duel Disk's GY slot. "I discard a card to target and banish one card on the field! It will be that pesky Field Spell of yours!"

A swirl of miasma appeared around my pond, prompting it to vanish from existence.

"Without Trinity 3, she'll take the damage from Demiurge's attacks...!" Antinomy pointed out.

"Apophis's effect continues! One Fear Counter is placed on each face-up card you control! Eyes of Chaos!" The energy inside the serpent's eyes burst forth like fire, conjuring a purple mist around my Extra Deck trio and Camazotz. "I activate Libra's effect, targeting myself to gain an additional attack this turn! Then I activate the Spell Card Persona Coalesce! I Fusion Summon one 'Mythorror' Fusion Monster by banishing one Monster from my field and one Mythorror from my Extra Deck who shares the same Summoning Method as a Monster you control!"

Libra and Mythorror Gnostic Phobos from his Extra Deck turned into red and blue energy respectively, which then spiraled into a portal as he chanted.

"Star that marks the dawn of destruction. Fear born from bloodshed. Become one in the mystic whirlpool and give rise to my new servant! Fusion Summon! Fly down, apex predator armed with jet-black wings! Mythorror Gnostic Valravn!"

A purple beam shot out of the portal and formed a circle in the sky. Purple stars lit up one by one on it, followed by a purple line that connected them all and revealed the Corvus constellation, after which the half-wolf and half-raven knight flew out of it with an ear-piercing scream.

Mythorror Gnostic Valravn: ATK 2800 / DEF 1700 / LV: 8

"Th-That bastard...! He used up his entire Extra Deck...!" Serena muttered incredulously, a sentiment shared by us all. This was the first time I had witnessed a Duelist play all fifteen cards of their Extra Deck in a duel—properly, unlike some troll decks Adam and Philus showed me and Isaac. If we didn't know any better, we'd think Demiurge was showing off.

"Valravn's continuous effect." Demiurge grinned viciously. "In his presence, all Monsters that have a Fear Counter have their original Attack and Defense halved!"

"E-Even me...!?" Camazotz protested as he and my Extra Deck trio were robbed of their strength.

(The Twilight Ruler: 4000→2000 ATK, 4000→2000 DEF; Viracocha: 4000→2000 ATK, 4000→2000 DEF; Numerounius: 4000→2000 ATK, 4000→2000 DEF; Camazotz: 2800→1400 ATK, 2100→1050 DEF)

"I, using the Scale 1 Mythorror Gnostic Hevelius, complete the Pendulum Scales!" Demiurge placed the remaining card in his hand on the left of his energy blade, causing the word [PENDULUM] to flash on it and the pillar of blue light containing his Monster to appear on his left. "I can now simultaneously summon Monsters from Levels 2 to 10 once more! Pendulum Summon! Be reborn: Aura!"

A portal opened between the pillars, and a sole beam shot out of it before revealing the said Titaness in Attack Position.

"The preparations are done. Now to mow you down!" The Arrogant Kaesar pointed a clawed finger in my direction. "Battle! Head the assault, Aura! Take your revenge on The Twilight Ruler! Raging Tempest!"

Now! "Torappu hatsudō: Mystech Creation!" A card, which depicted a continuation of Mystech Shell, appeared. The transparent, white sphere containing the two silhouettes glowed brightly in the upper background, while the rest of the artwork was filled with a turbulent sea of the same waters as my 'Trinity' cards. "I activate one 'Mystech Trinity' Field Spell from my hand or Deck, and have it become unaffected by your card effects until the end of this turn!"

"Smart thinking." Isaac praised my move. "If Eve activates Trinity 1, she will negate the effects of Valravn and Apophis, returning her Monsters' stats to normal and restoring their effects."

"I beg to differ." Demiurge gestured at his Synchro Monster. "Aura no kōka hatsudō! Once per turn, when a card or effect is activated during the Battle Phase, I can negate that activation and destroy that card! By doing so, Aura gains 500 Attack until the End Phase!"

"You've forgotten my special ability so quickly. You have a short memory, woman!" Aura mocked me as she waved her spear around like a whip, causing the winds circling it to extend across the field and wash over my Trap, thus shredding it to particles.

(Aura: 3300→3800 ATK)

"I haven't forgotten. In fact, I must thank you for making this possible: Pendulum Extend, activated!" A card, which showed Dark Doriado kneeling on the ground and praying behind a round, transparent barrier, which had the stylized Pendulum Scale numbers going from 0 to 13 engraved on its border, as her body was bound by magical seals, appeared. "Since the activation of a card or effect was negated this turn, this Trap Card permits me to target one face-up Pendulum Monster in my Extra Deck. I target Heaven Gate!"

The same barrier materialized in front of me, albeit without the number 13 on it.

"Until the end of this turn, I may negate instances of damage I would take up to Heaven Gate's Pendulum Scale, in this case 12." I declared, prompting Aura to grit her teeth in frustration. "Moreover, during the End Phase, I may draw cards for every two instances of damage I negate using this card's effect!"

"Alright, she's safe!" Ren cheered.

"You won't take the damage, but your Monster will be destroyed!"

True to Demiurge's words, Aura waved her spear one more time, invoking a tornado around The Twilight Ruler and prompting them to roar in pain as their body was cut in numerous places before exploding. The ensuing shock waves collided into the barrier protecting me, and the number 12 on it vanished as a result.

"Aura's Cruel Breeze activates because she destroyed your Monster in battle!" Demiurge exclaimed as green particles and wind surrounded his body briefly. "I gain 1000 Life because your pathetic Agent had 2000 Attack!"

Demiurge: LP 1300 + 1000 = 2300

"You dampened the mood." Demiurge accused me, a derisive grin plastered on his face. "How typical of you humans. What's also typical of your kind, is prolonging your demise for no apparent reason. Don't forget my warning from before you started your first turn: entertain me, or you'll be severely punished for wasting my time! Battle! Using my effect, I attack Viracocha, Numerounius, and Camazotz! Begone, wall of weaklings! Ultimus Deus!"

Without any remorse or consideration for his own retainer's safety, Demiurgus Kaesar fired a massive chaotic beam that vaporized my Monsters and would've done the same to me were it not for Pendulum Extend protecting me. Once the beam dissipated, the numbers 11 and 10 vanished from the barrier's surface.

"That's enough destruction for now." Demiurge told himself. "I end my turn. Aura's effect expires, and her Attack returns to normal." His Synchro Monster's ATK dropped back to 3300. He then spread his arms and clenched his hands, sporting a crazed look. "At this moment, Styx's effect resolves, and thanks to Hevelius's Pendulum Effect, I double the amount of Life I would gain from my 'Mythorror' Monster's effect!"

A golden glow enveloped him as he burst into laughter.

Demiurge: LP 2300 + 10000 = 12300

"N-No...!" Aki gasped in dread.

"His Life Points...exceeded 10000 for a second time...!?" Harald's eyes widened, witnessing such a feat for the first time in his life.

"I've admonished you imbeciles repeatedly since my glorious return that the discrepancy in our strengths is as distinct as night and day, yet you persist in ignoring it!" The god regarded us with a glare full of mockery and disdain. "It thereupon falls onto my shoulders to deal you the divine punishment you deserve. No...it isn't even a responsibility, but my right as a god!"

"You're nowhere near qualified to be a judge or to speak of rights." I spat back with a glare of my own. "We humans shall decide for ourselves our future, and whether it's right or wrong to oppose you to safeguard it! Pendulum Extend no kōka! This turn, I negated a total of three instances of damage through its effect. As such, I draw one card!"

My eyes dilated ever so slightly upon seeing what I'd drawn.

"Hoh~. One of your trump cards, second only to yours truly." Genesis commented. "What an impeccable timing."

"This isn't a mere coincidence. It's the embodiment of our wish to defeat Demiurge." With this, the light at the end of the tunnel shone brighter than a second ago. I put the card into my hand, and then raised my arm wearing the Duel Disk as the top card of my deck began emitting a white glow. "Watashi no turn!"

"That light...is it...!?" Jack drew in his breath.

"It isn't." I answered truthfully. "In his current condition, Genesis lacks the required amount of energy to perform a special draw like Shining and Dark Draw or lend me his strength like Ama did to Serena. However, this isn't a mere battle, but a duel. In a duel, unexpected outcomes can occur, whether they result from divine intervention or a human's ingenuity in replicating a special draw! By banishing Mystech Cards of Ascension from my Graveyard, I activate its effect! Instead of conducting my normal draw during my Draw Phase, I add this specific card from my Deck or face-up Extra Deck to my hand!"

Spinning on my heels to gain momentum, I tore the card out of my deck and unleashed its intense glow into the sky. The light forced everyone around me to shield their eyes, while a radiant white aura exploded at my feet, lifting my cloak and hair.

"This god may only be Special Summoned from my hand by controlling no Monsters and having one face-up Pendulum Monster in my Extra Deck and one in my banishment, whose Pendulum Scales include his Level." Despite my scars flaring up at the imminent summoning of Genesis, I grimaced and pressed on with my explanation. "This is Pendulum's new possibility born from my hands: Convergent Pendulum Summon!"

"What?" Demiurge glowered at me, surely bothered by how many times he'd been surprised in this long duel. "You have a unique Pendulum, too?"

"Isaac's Pendulum transcends the set Scales..." Serena recalled with widened eyes. "Eve's Pendulum...converges the Scales from two different locations onto her field...!?"

"From the brightest reaches of space and the darkest depths of time," I chanted as two pillars of light appeared on my left and right, one shining with a sacred, golden glow and containing the Scale 12 Heaven Gate, and the other comprised of a dark miasma which absorbed the light around itself and contained the Scale 1 Dystopian Gate. "A portal to a mysterious dimension has opened, ushering in an unparalleled realm of possibilities. Break your seal and show yourself with a cosmic roar, our—Team Eden's—G.O.D.!"

I slammed the card onto my Duel Disk's energy blade, causing the pillars and the Gates in them to swirl together and form an enormous, white circle with a futuristic design.

"Level 10! The supreme space-time dragon deity, Genesis Omega Dragon!"

A colossal, white-scaled serpentine dragon with dark teal markings and azure crystals adorning his body, a wing made of azure, green, and yellow flames attached to each of his arms, and yellow eyes whose irises were miniature galaxies slithered out of the portal, which then gained a solid form as it closed and chains materialized to bind it, and he coiled his body around it with a thunderous roar.

"The exhilaration of stepping into the battleground always justifies the wait." Genesis emitted a contented growl as he flexed his claws and slightly parted his lips, the closest thing he could do to a smile in this form, his breath forming mist as it escaped the corners of his mouth. "And this Pendulum never ceases to amaze me. I was only a blank card, but when Eve became my vessel, my summoning condition came on its own, as if resonating with her desires. Fufu~, rejoice, Arrogant Kaesar. You bastard will be defeated by the greatest duo known to men and gods!"

Genesis Omega Dragon: Divine / Divine-Beast / Pendulum / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 10 / SC: 13

"Don't make me laugh!" Demiurge threw an arm to the side in a defying gesture, angered by the prospect of losing to a mortal and a god inferior to him. Hm-hmm, as always, Genesis knew perfectly well how to push someone's buttons. "You have 0 Attack! What do you hope to accomplish!?"

"The impossible." I deadpanned to add fuel to the fire. "I set one card. Next I activate the Equip Spell G.O.D. Blaze Cannon and equip it to Genesis. This card may only be equipped to Genesis, and through its effect, he gains 1000 Attack and Defense times the current turn count!"

"Turn count, you say?" Demiurge blinked twice.

"The current turn count—" Judging by his tone, I'd bet Antimony has just grinned. "Is twenty-seven!"

The flames of Genesis's wings intensified as his eyes flashed, and he threw his head back to unleash another powerful roar.

(Genesis: 0→27000 ATK, 0→27000 DEF)

"27000 Attack!" Isaac exclaimed, sporting a spirited smile.

"Upon activation, G.O.D. Blaze Cannon permits me to take one card that lists 'Genesis Omega Dragon' in its text from my Deck, and either add it to my hand or send it to the Graveyard." I stated while dumping a card. "Battle. Our efforts have bore their fruit at last. You hid behind your servants and protective effects dozens of times, but in this instant, here and now, you will fall, Demiurge! Do it, Genesis! Attack Aura!"

"Vanish!" Fire accumulated inside Genesis's mouth, which he blasted at his designated foe in the shape of a large sphere. His head recoiled from the attack's force, and true enough, when the latter made contact with Aura, she was incinerated on the spot with a pained scream and Demiurge's entire field was enveloped in a nuclear explosion whose shock waves nearly blew us all away and caused even the dome containing our H.Q. to shake.

The wait for the smoke to dissipate felt interminable, but nothing compared to the frustration of witnessing Demiurge with LP still intact. He and his Monsters, though charred, stood resilient, with the exception of Aura of course.

"Heh...heh heh, hahahaha." Demiurge's grating laughter obtained everyone's focus, while Genesis and I bore the brunt of his intense glare. He was mad. We really must've been on the brink of defeating him for his anger to have boiled over...! "I'll have you eat those words, you damn worms! During damage calculation, if a retainer of mine is attacked by an opponent's Monster, by banishing Supreme Kaesar's Blessing from my Graveyard and targeting your Monster, the damage I would take from this battle becomes 700!"

Demiurge: LP 12300 - 700 = 11600

Dammit, his last bastion just had to target, the only type of effect Genesis wasn't unaffected by? "Supreme Kaesar's Blessing's effect ain't over yet!" The evil god pointed out. "At the end of the Damage Step, if I control my avatar, the targeted Monster is banished, and you can't activate cards or effects in response to this effect's activation!"

My eyes widened. "Now that effect is plain stupid." Genesis growled out, equally shocked. "It targets and forbids me from using my effect in response? It couldn't be any more situational than that!"

"Watch helplessly as your feeble, third-rate god—you upstart curs' final gleam of light—is thrown into the darkness of the Different Dimensions!" Demiurgus Kaesar spread his four arms, conjuring energy inside his chest-skull's mouth, and Demiurge's tongue rolled as he all but screamed with a crazed expression, "DIE!"

Followed by a screech from his chest-skull, the energy in its mouth erupted forth as a beam of black and gold flames and electricity that enveloped Genesis, who did his best to endure it, but eventually left the field in a burst of particles with a pained gasp.

"Genesis was...! Blast it!" Ren shouted in frustration.

I dug my nails into my palms to avoid losing my composure. It's alright. He caught us off guard, but it's alright. We can still do this. I just have to survive his next turn...which is easier said than done...! I told myself. "Turn Over..."

"Now that was an epic fail if I've ever seen one!" Demiurge held his stomach with a hand as he laughed and waved his other hand in my direction. "But that's how it is with morons like you, woman. Always fast to give a sappy speech and declare victory once you reveal your ostensible contingency plan. That won't be the case today. The moment I've summoned my Kaesar self, I've taken control of this duel and your future! Ore-sama no turn! Dark Draw!"

"As if you're one to scold me for getting ahead of myself! Torappu hatsudō: Dimensional Barrier!" Pixels appeared on Demiurge's side of the platform, merging on the ground to form a seal with a futuristic design. "I declare Pendulum. This way, for the rest of this turn, neither of us can Special Summon Pendulum Monsters, and the effects of all Pendulum Monsters on the field are negated!"

"A card that can lock any Summoning Method for a turn...?" Aki echoed in awe.

The Arrogant Kaesar shook his head. "That could've made a dent in my strategy in the early game, I must admit. But at this stage, it's nothing more than futile resistance!" Wow, thank you, Captain Obvious. "I may be a Pendulum Monster in this form, but I'm also unaffected by your card effects. As such, nothing stops me from activating Reshape Eloah! I declare the Wind Attribute!"

The same scenarios from the previous turn repeated itself, this time involving the green shard on his avatar's upper right palm and summoning the storm of violence and decay from his GY in Attack Position.

Mythorror Gnostic Kulshedra: ATK 3000 / DEF 2800 / LV: 9

"Because she's only a Ritual Monster, Kulshedra bypasses your Trap's lock! Battle!" Demiurge announced. "You prevented the resurrection of Aura, who can negate the activation of a card or effect during the Battle Phase, so let's see what you've got up your sleeve! I attack you bastard directly! And using Hevelius's Pendulum Effect, the damage will be doubled! Ultimus Deus!"

"By banishing Mystech Protection from my Graveyard, I activate its effect!" A Trap Card, which depicted a spear of dark miasma hurtled toward my two Mystech silhouettes, appeared. One of the two selflessly shielding the other by using its own body, but by doing so, its chest was impaled by the spear, allowing the darkness to corrupt the once pure spot. "Until the end of this turn, my Life Points cannot be decreased below 100 by either battle or effect damage. Of course, I choose battle damage!"

The silhouettes appeared in front of me and took each other's hands, melding their bodies together and forming a large wall that repelled the chaotic beam fired by Demiurgus Kaesar. Seeing this, Hevelius made a bizarre gesture with his hands that conjured yellow energy around the wall and caused several cracks to appear on it, allowing portions of the beam to pass through them and strike my body. It ripped a few holes in my suit and blew me off my feet, and I cried out in pain as I landed on my stomach behind my defeated comrades on the platform.

Eve: LP 8000 - 10000 = 100

"Eve!" My teammates gasped in unison.

"The card you discarded with Pendulum Voyage, huh?" Demiurge noted. "Humph, have it your way. Kulshedra, use your effect! Only once during a turn, if my opponent takes battle damage, they take an additional 800 points of effect damage! Infernal Cataclysm!"

"I need an Action Card...!" I scrambled back to my feet, ignoring the protests of my scars through gritted teeth.

"Eve!"

Having heard me, Isaac tossed his grapple gun at me, which I caught right as Kulshedra bit the side of her own tail and her eyes flashed. I aimed the gun at the nearest floating platform and fired, and once it securely hooked on, I sprang into the air, narrowly evading the swirling vortex that materialized at my feet and rose after me, determined to engulf me whole. As I collected the Action Card perched on the platform, I leaped off just in time for the vortex to swallow and tear it to shreds.

"Akushon Majikku: Acceleration!" I landed on my feet where I was seconds ago with the help of the grapple gun, though one of my legs gave away, and I fell to one knee. "The effect damage...becomes 0...!"

"She managed to hang on by the skin of her teeth." My desperate situation drowned Jack's words of relief.

"Has the umpteenth demonstration of my strength helped your monkey brain understand what I meant by saying you're only digging your own grave?" Demiurge gloated at me. "It doesn't matter how many 'companions' you round up, how many traps you prepare, or how many Life Points you gain. I will always be one step ahead of you, for I am a god and you're specks of dirt tainting the path I am destined to walk. Well, whatever. There's no reason to repeat myself if you aren't willing to listen. Nor continue this charade for that matter."

As Demiurgus Kaesar's colossal tail hung over the main platform, it cast an ominous shadow upon me, Isaac, Serena, and Harald, engulfing us in its darkness. Demiurge's face twisted into a grotesque smile as he leered down at us.

"I'll smash you flat!"

However, luckily for us, he never got the chance to. A barrier of light engraved with Aztec and Norse symbols materialized in the air to block his tail before it could make contact with us, dissipating as he withdrew his tail.

"We won't let you." Ama and Harald proclaimed in sync, accompanied by a growl from the Crimson Dragon. The Ansuz rune was glowing on the Nordic user's right eye as he held Serena's hand and a golden aura was rolling off the dragon's body sprawled on the Solid Vision road as they both transferred their magical energy to the goddess, who was operating via Serena's body once more and had her free hand outstretched towards her vile older brother.

A trembling sigh escaped my lips as I watched the scene unfold. The three of them managed to muster enough strength to combine and erect an urgent barrier, good. If Ren had been next to Ama, he could have shared his own magical energy, just like Harald was doing. It's only Quetzalcoatl who could do it without physical touch, but let's hope this will be enough...

"Hoh?" Demiurge tried to crush the Crimson Dragon, Aki, and Jack next, only for the barrier to stop him again. He then tried the same with Antinomy and Ren, even our H.Q., but failed both times. He brought a hand to his forehead and shook his head, chuckling in exasperation. "My foolish sister, in your current conditions, for how long do you estimate this hurried barrier will hold? Actually, never mind the question. Let's find out without further delay—"

"Please, wait, Demiurge-sama!" The one to halt the said god just now wasn't a comrade of mine, but one of his own who spoke up for the first time since her summon, namely Styx. She shot me an inexpressive glance, and then fully turned to her lord. "Excuse my rudeness, but I believe that will be unnecessary. I agree that the barrier can't hinder you, however, there's no doubt that victory is in your capable hands, either. The result speaks for itself. Rushing it would only—"

Demiurgus Kaesar's tail suddenly smacked her to the ground as if she were an annoying fly buzzing in his ear, cutting her short with a hurt cry.

"As a matter of fact, I won't excuse you." He spat out while lifting his tail and baring his teeth at his subordinate. "What audacity you must have to interrupt me and share your opinion as if I give a damn about it. If I had to stop and listen to any of you lowlives mewling, there would be no end to it! Shut your trap and obey my orders, or you can kiss our oath goodbye! Did I make myself clear!?"

"Y-Yes, Demiurge-sama," As quickly as her wounded body would allow her, the Titaness prostrated. Her lord couldn't see her face since her forehead was touching the ground, but she angled her body so I could, and I noticed she was staring at me with an inexpressive glance for the second time. "I understand. I apologize for what I've done, sir."

Styx, you...! She had no reason to dissuade Demiurge from crushing us instead of continuing the duel. It didn't matter to a servant how their master won, as long as they emerged triumphant. What she had done was rather stupid and only served to humiliate herself...unless she had a clear goal in mind.

According to Genesis, as surprising as it sounded, there was a single soul within his half-brother's army worthy of redemption. Yes, a certain Titaness who rallied under his banner not for greed or revenge and who never took the lives of her foes during the Great War... It was Styx. She and Demiurge swore an oath: in exchange for intel about the Olympians, Demiurge and his fellow commanders wouldn't set their sights on Styx's beloved ones.

If the Titaness and the Arrogant Kaesar weren't on good terms and the occasion that the latter could be liquidated presented itself, it was only rational she'd take action. And what better method to help me realize her betrayal than those furtive glances her so-called master couldn't see?

"I place one card face-down and end my turn." Styx's successfully annoyed Demiurge and made him conclude his turn. "With no cards on your field and in your hand, I won't have to wait long until my next turn comes anyway. Since you're hellbent on clinging to the most absurd and tiniest flickers of hope and deny me, I'll end you after I've properly defeated you, when all that are left in your hearts are darkness and despair!"

He raised a hand and clenched it threateningly. "Feel honored! I will personally ensure each and every one of you ungrateful mutts will meet your doom. Absolutely no other outcome was possible for this pitiful last stand, which you've learned at your own expenses. You've thrown a myriad of strategies and words at me, yet none did the trick... Heh, if I had to pick a favorite, it would be yours, Genesis's vessel. Ultimate deck? Humph, I know a horrible joke when I hear it! Neither you nor your third-rate Monsters will ever be able to reach my level of strength!"

Huh.

Strength, he said...

"Fufu...heh heh heh..."

A chuckle brought a sudden hush to the battlefield like four turns ago, but this time, it wasn't Demiurge who caused it—it was me. Despite the searing pain of my scars attempting to pin me down, I couldn't suppress a laugh at the sheer irony of the situation. With a determined smile, I rose to my feet, never once breaking eye contact with our adversary.

"Why is it that...it always boils down to strength?" I wondered out loud. I took a shaky step forward, then another, and I began walking towards the lunatic god. "I can tell from a mile away what strength is to you, Demiurge. A blessing. A proof of your existence. The authority through which you subjugate and take what you want from others. Your type of perspective is truly the most rotten out there. I, on the other hand, believe strength is a curse. A false hope. The breeder of our struggles. I hate strength, and yet, ironically, I need it... We all do."

I came to a stop with a loud click of my heel on the ground in front of my defeated comrades, just as I did when I had first presented myself. My smile grew as I narrowed my eyes at our opponent.

"If strength were a curse, as long as it means protecting those dear to me and accomplishing my goals, I would gladly curse myself. Alternatively, if strength were a double-edged sword, as long as it means stabbing my foes, I would gladly stab myself. This is my resolve! The resolve, which together with the hopes of those you've wronged, will vanquish you!"

Demiurge snorted, naturally peeved by my speech. "I've had enough—"

CRACK!

The battlefield was silenced for the third time, now by a crack that appeared in the air above me, bending reality as we know it.

"This will probably be the last turn." I stated as the crack spread and light seeped through it. "I won't waste this opportunity. Pay close attention, Demiurge, for this is the truth: I have long surpassed the strength you boast of. You haven't taken control of our future. You never will. No one ever will! Watashi no turn! Draw! Now, in order to uphold your end of our contract, return to me! The embodiment of space and time, Genesis Omega Dragon!"

The crack finally shattered, and from its blinding light, the serpentine dragon coiled around a portal emerged with a grand roar in Attack Position.

"Missed me?" Demiurge gritted his teeth at Genesis's teasing query.

"Genesis came back!" Serena exclaimed in a mix of shock and joy. "But how...?"

"I see, Eve used that Trap's effect from the Graveyard!" Antinomy realized.

"Yes, I did." I confirmed his words. The spectral image of a Trap Card, which showed two G.O.D.s back-to-back, one fully crimson and the other fully blue, with a burst of dark light where they touched and a square grid in the background, appeared. "If Genesis leaves my field by battle or an opponent's card effect, by banshing Transtemporal Migration and targeting him in my Graveyard, banishment, or face-up Extra Deck, he will be Special Summoned during the second Standby Phase after this effect's activation, ignoring his summoning conditions. Since two turns have passed now, my god reveals himself again!"

"That's the card you sent to the Graveyard using G.O.D. Blaze Cannon's effect...! You bastard...!" Demiurge seethed. "The real reason you destroyed Aura two turns ago wasn't to ensure Dimensional Barrier's lock would prevent her resurrection and you'd survive my turn, but to ensure you could activate that Trap's effect in case I had a counter at the ready...!?"

"I told you. We are the greatest duo there is." Genesis glanced at me and took notice of my battered self. "I couldn't see what was happening here from the Different Dimensions, but I'd say you did well, Eve. Leave the rest to me."

An exasperated sigh left my lips at that. "Show off."

"I've had enough of you cockroaches!" Demiurge finished his earlier sentence. "Do you think you've won? With 0 Attack!? You can't touch the great me! End your turn already so I can kill you!"

"0 Attack? Are you sure about that?" Isaac asked him.

"Due to Transtemporal Migration's additional effect," I explained. "The stats of Monsters Special Summoned to my field through its effect become the same stats they had when they left the field if they were higher than their original values."

Demiurge's eyes dilated. "When Genesis left the field, he had 27000 Attack and Defense." Ren recalled. "So his stats become 27000!"

The flames of Genesis's wings intensified once more, and his ATK and DEF increased to the said number.

"Moreover, since this is the Standby Phase, Genesis's effect activates. Once per turn, during this Phase, he gains 1000 Attack!" Following my words, Genesis roared as his ATK rose to 28000. "I, using the Scale 12 Nova Portal, set one of the Pendulum Scales!"

I placed the only card in my hand on the end of my energy blade, causing a pillar of blue light containing a miniature supernova to appear on my right.

Nova Portal: Light / Psychic / Pendulum / Effect / ATK: 0 / DEF: 0 / LV: 1 / SC: 12

"Genesis, activate your effect!" I instructed him. "Once per turn, I can target cards my opponent controls, up to the number of cards in my Pendulum Zones, and destroy them. With one, I target your set card!"

"Disappear!" Genesis's eyes flashed, conjuring a dimensional rift around the said card, sucking it in before closing.

"My Book of the Yamimakai was...!" For the first time since his revival, panic flashed in the Arrogant Kaesar's eyes.

"It isn't yours." I corrected him, lowering my voice menacingly. "Like that body, those clothes, that Duel Disk...they belong to Vince. All of which you will return to him! Battle! Genesis Omega Dragon, attack Supreme Mythorror God Demiurgus Kaesar!"

"I-Impossible...!" Demiurge looked as though he was on the verge of tearing out every strand of hair from his head in a fit of rage. He had no more effects to protect himself. And because he was fused to his avatar, he couldn't run to find an Action Card, either. "I...the Supreme Kaesar...am going to lose...!? No...no, no, no! NOOO!"

The anger behind his roar was intense to the point we humans involuntarily flinched. "I won't accept it! Not when I'm so close to achieving my goal! You, useless idiots!" He called out to his four servants. "Don't just stand there! Slow him down! Find an Action Card and give it to me! I don't care how, just do it already!"

Apophis and Kulshedra roared in acknowledgment, but they were in for a surprise when streams of grayish water materialized around their mouths and bodies, binding and preventing them from unleashing any sort of attack. Valravn, too, was immobilized by Styx, who caught him between her hands before he flew off.

"She's helping us...!?" Aki gasped.

"Do it! Quickly!" The Titaness begged.

"Why you—Out of my way!" Demiurgus Kaesar crushed both her and the innocent Valravn under a palm, drawing pained screams from them and freeing his other two servants from the water.

But it was too late.

Genesis released a cosmic beam spiraled by azure, green, and yellow flames from his mouth, and all Demiurge could do was watch with wide eyes and a flabbergasted expression as it engulfed him and his avatar. His Kaesar self waved his hands around in a vain attempt to bat the beam away, but he was soon overwhelmed by it, and he roared in agony as he was thrown back by it and exploded, causing our surroundings to shake.

Demiurge: LP 11600 - 23000 = 0

Winner: Eve!

"She did it!" Jack yelled.

"The demon was defeated!" Harald cheered.

The duel has concluded at last. Exhaustion caught up then, and I fell to the ground on my knees and hands, panting for air. It took so much to defeat Demiurge... If anything, his status as a dangerous threat was well-earned. And this wasn't over yet. We've won the battle, but he was still alive. There was one more step we had to take before we could claim triumph in this war.

"I...won't...forgive you...!" A voice laced with venom muttered. The smoke from Genesis's attack cleared, revealing an injured Demiurge shooting daggers at yours truly. Some of his scales were chipped, his hair was in a complete mess, and one of his wings was bent unnaturally, surely broken. Maybe...we should've been more careful with Vince's body. We'll have to treat it thoughtfully once he regains it. "Damn insects...! You'll...pay for this...!"

"That bastard..." By the snicker that left him, it was hard to tell if Genesis was truly worried as his half-brother slowly got to his feet and began stumbling towards me. "He has strength left to stand? What a disgusting monster."

"Eve," Ama spoke up from inside Serena, actually sounding concerned, unlike Genesis. "I'm unsure for how long our barrier can impede him. If Ray joins in, I'd wager for a few minutes at best..."

I quickly tapped an icon on the top right corner of my Duel Disk's screen, causing it to open a small window showing a charging bar. I sighed in relief upon seeing it glowing green, signaling it was fully charged.

"It's alright, Ama. We've stalled him plenty."

"What...?" Demiurge halted, surprised by my words. "What did you say? Stall me?"

"Now, DiNA!" Genesis cried out, a thrill of excitement rushing through him. "Do it!"

[Activation command recognized.] A youthful, feminine robotic voice replied. The screens of all computers and monitors of the nearby workstation on the platform lit up one by one. [Activating God Killer protocol.]

A white square appeared around Demiurge's feet, and seconds later, energy chains of the same color shot out of its edges. They wrapped around the god's ankles and wrists, tugging him back down to the ground.

[Target, Demiurge, immobilized. First phase, completed.] DiNa stated. Akin to a beating heart, the square began pulsing and releasing particles that compressed into a translucent wall, gradually building upwards. [Initiating second phase. Charging high density G.O.D. particles...]

"What is the meaning of this...!" The Arrogant Kaesar jerked his hands and feet but failed to break free. "God Killer...protocol!? You lot have been keeping a God Killer hidden from me all this time!?"

"That's right." I confirmed his words. "This is DiNa, the machine we Team Eden constructed in the past fourteen to kill you, a detail I've omitted earlier for obvious reasons. Did it not cross your mind why Genesis hasn't been able to recover yet, despite all these years? Maybe it did, in which case you've probably brushed it off, claiming he's weak. The real reason...is that we've been fueling DiNA with his energy until this very moment."

Demiurge stilled, and I could see in his eyes how the puzzle completed itself in his head. His eyes opened wide and he bared his teeth at me with an anger so deep it put all the previous moments when he snapped combined to shame. He made to lunge at me, but thankfully, the chains restricted him.

"HUMAAANS! YOU DECEIVED ME!? THIS WAS YOUR PLAN FROM THE BEGINNING!"

Yes, you believed in a lie.

It wasn't that Genesis lacked the energy to perform a special draw or help me. He had it, but he couldn't use it, or else DiNA's charge wouldn't be completed now. From the beginning, there was no need to win against you in a duel. We only needed to ensure you'd accept our challenge, and then stall you, leaving DiNA to erase you from the fabrics of existence once it charged. If Harald couldn't defeat you, this was the strategy we would opt for.

You probably wondered why we weren't dueling you at once, too. Eight-on-one would've made things much easier for us, right? Yes, but only if we aimed to win. Since we had to stall, hitting you in waves was more efficient. We'd wear you down, leaving you with no strength to defend yourself against DiNA, all while you brush off your doubts with your arrogance, claiming there's no need to discern the thought process of ants. We'd play along, making it seem as if winning would be the deciding factor of our survival, when in truth, even your own time-consuming, boastful speeches would be turned against you.

"This isn't over yet!" Demiurge shouted defiantly. "You may bind me, preventing me from harming you or this body with the vessel in it, but...heh heh...my soul isn't bound! If I can gather sufficient energy before this stupid machine does its thing, I can escape!"

What!? "For the love of...!" Genesis wasn't pleased by that, a sentiment we all shared. "He can force his soul out of my domain? If he knows how to do that, he and his mother must've experimented with the powers she stole from me and a domain of their own...!"

"You have to stop him." I urged him. We couldn't allow him to run, not when we were steps away from ending this!

"Believe me, I know. But I'll need more energy—..."

"Genesis?" I frowned in confusion as he suddenly fell silent.

"You mongrels won the battle!" Demiurge's shout snapped me to attention. My stomach twisted as I watched his face split into a wide grin. "But you'll never win the war—"

Our eyes, including Demiurge's, widened as a sword of blue flames suddenly pierced his chest from behind.

"Mors tua, vita mea." Tetramorph, who took a step back without extracting their sword, proclaimed. How did they enter Genesis's domain? Did he permit it? That must be why he went silent! "Your death will ensure the victory of existence."

"You, too...!" The Arrogant Kaesar turned his head to glare at them. "Dared to lie to me!?"

"I never spoke falsehoods. This is simply where your usefulness ends." Tetramorph's words were cold and distant, giving the impression they were used to betray those their master ordered them to assist. "This sword inflicts no physical pain. Instead, it preys on your soul. You won't flee the God Killer."

By then, DiNa's wall of particles surrounded Demiurge and continued to rise into the air. The god clenched his shaking hands and dropped his head as he started mumbling to himself.

"Curse you...! Curse you...!" He threw his head back up and snapped. "CURSE YOOUUUU!"

Numerous cards flew out of his deck and Extra Deck and aligned around himself in a circle, to which a bright glow enveloped them. Tetramorph readied their second sword, preparing to stop whatever was happening in front of them, but a pulse of violet energy erupted under Demiurge's feet, hurling the Agent severals meters back and nearly blowing us away, too.

I gritted my teeth in frustration. "What now!?" Why couldn't this execution go smoothly!?

"W-Wait, Demiurge-sama!" I heard Supay's voice from one of the cards. "I can still be of use to you!"

"You can't do this to me!" Perses spoke up next.

"This...this isn't how it was supposed to go!" Uitzilcapac whined.

"Mercy! Demiurge-sama, I beg of you!" Azi Dahaka plead.

"SILENCE!" Demiurge wanted none of it. The cards began disintegrating and entering his body, causing it to be enveloped by the same bright glow. Tetramorph's sword impaling him also vanished as the light reached his chest. "YOU ARE MY SLAVES! IF I ORDER YOU TO DIE, YOU DIE!"

"He's fueling my powers inside of him by sacrificing his servants!" Genesis discerned his last-ditch plan. "Even if I step in to help the Agent, with so much energy, we won't be able to stop him! DiNA, hurry up!"

[Second phase, completed.] DiNa said right on time. [Initiating third phase. Releasing charged high density G.O.D. particles in ten...nine...]

Tetramorph spread their wings and took off, creating a sonic boom in their wake. They aimed their sword at Demiurge, but before it could pierce him, a wall of violet energy formed behind him to intercept the strike. It rippled like water upon coming into contact with the blade, and it released a new pulse of energy, hurling Tetramorph back for the second time.

[...Six...five...]

Styx's spirit materialized in front of Demiurge, a forlorn smile donning her expression. She had time to relay one final message to us before she, too, perished.

"Tell Charon...and Pallas...I'm sorry."

[...Two...One.]

The Arrogant Kaesar's body was entirely enveloped by the glow of his powers. Simultaneously, the walls of the square trapping him unleashed a light of their own, and everything went white.

---

Fan-made Cards:

Eve:

Mystech Trice

Quick-Play Spell

Special Summon up to 2 "Mystech" monsters from your hand in Defense Position. If you would take battle damage from a direct attack, you can banish this card from your hand or GY instead, also, for the rest of this turn, you take no battle damage from direct attacks. You can only use each effect of "Mystech Trice" once per turn.

Mystech Factor Balthazar (Light/Fiend/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 10)

If this card is sent to the GY as a Fusion or Synchro Material for a Fusion or Synchro Summon of a Level 10 Fusion or Synchro Monster: You can pay half your LP; Special Summon all the materials that were used for that Summon from the GY. You can only use this effect of "Mystech Factor Balthazar" twice per turn.

[Trivia: I altered this card's manga effects for convenience's sake.]

Mystech Utopian Gate (Light/Machine/Pendulum/Tuner/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 1/SC: 12)

Pendulum Effect: You can only Pendulum Summon "Mystech" monsters. This effect cannot be negated. During your Draw Phase, instead of conducting your normal draw: You can banish all cards in your Pendulum Zones; add 1 "Genesis Omega Dragon" or 1 "Mystech" card from your Deck to your hand, except "Mystech Utopian Gate".

Monster Effect: Cannot be destroyed by your opponent's card. You can banish this card you control; Special Summon 2 "Mystech" monsters with different names from your hand, Deck and/or face-up Extra Deck in Defense Position. You can only use this effect of "Mystech Utopian Gate" once per turn.

[Trivia: this card's appearance is a reference to "Number 39: Utopia".]

Mystech Factor Caspar (Light/Fiend/Tuner/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 10)

Once per turn: You can reduce this card's Level by 2, and if you do, the Levels of all other monsters you control become 1 (these changes last until the end of this turn), also, if this card would be used as a Synchro Material, it and the other Synchro Materials are sent to the GY disregarding any effect (your choice, if it is yours) and they are unaffected by your opponent's card effects while in the GY this turn.

[Trivia: I altered this card's manga effects for convenience's sake.]

Mystech Factor Melchior (Light/Fiend/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 10)

Once per turn: You can Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters you control as Fusion Materials, including this card, also, it and the other Fusion Materials are sent to the GY disregarding any effect (your choice, if it is yours) and they are unaffected by your opponent's card effects while in the GY this turn.

[Trivia: I altered this card's manga effects for convenience's sake.]

Number XX: Utopic Dark Infinity (Dark/Warrior/Xyz/Effect/ATK: 4000/DEF: 4000/RK: 10)

2 Level 10 monsters

Cannot be destroyed by battle, except with a "Number" monster. If a monster you control battles an opponent's monster, before damage calculation (Quick Effect): You can detach 1 material from this card; halve any battle damage you would take from that battle, also, at the end of damage calculation, you can Special Summon from either GY to your field, 1 monster that was destroyed by that battle. If this card is Special Summoned, or if another monster is Special Summoned to your field while you control this monster: You can target 1 face-up monster you control; gain LP equal to its original ATK during the End Phase. You can only use each effect of "Number XX: Utopic Dark Infinity" once per turn.

[Trivia: I didn't change its manga effect, but I wanted it to have proper wording.]

Mystech Trinity 2

Field Spell

Cards in your hand are unaffected by your opponent's card effects. During your Draw Phase, if you control a Level/Rank 10 or "Mystech" monster, you can draw 2 cards instead of your normal draw. Once per turn: You can target up to 2 Level/Rank 10 and/or "Mystech" monsters you control; they gain 1000 ATK until the end of this turn. During the End Phase: Shuffle this card into the Deck; activate 1 "Mystech Trinity" Field Spell from your hand or Deck, except "Mystech Trinity 2". It cannot leave the field during this End Phase.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to "Darkness 2".]

Chrono Stasis

Quick-Play Spell

Target 1 monster you control, or 1 card on the field if you control "Genesis Omega Dragon"; until the start of the next Draw Phase, that target's effects that have been used previously this turn no longer apply, are treated as not having been used/activated, and cannot be activated. You can only activate 1 "Chrono Stasis" per turn.

Mystech Trinity 3

Field Spell

This card's effects cannot be negated by your opponent, also, you take no battle damage involving Level/Rank 10 and "Mystech" monsters. Once per turn, if you would take effect damage (even during damage calculation): You can activate this effect; you take no damage, and if you do, gain 1000 LP. During the End Phase: Shuffle this card into the Deck; activate 1 "Mystech Trinity" Field Spell from your hand or Deck, except "Mystech Trinity 3". It cannot leave the field during this End Phase.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to "Darkness 3".]

Mystech Shell

Normal Trap

Choose 2 of these options, and if you do, until the end of this turn, Level/Rank 10 monsters and "Mystech" cards you control cannot leave the field by your opponent's effects that include those options.

- Effects that destroy cards.

- Effects that send cards to the GY.

- Effects that banish cards.

- Effects that shuffle cards into the Deck or Extra Deck.

- Effects that return cards to the hand or Extra Deck.

- Effects that use cards as material or Tribute them.

If you control 3 Level/Rank 10 or "Mystech" monsters at activation, this card's activation and its effect cannot be negated by your opponent. You can only activate 1 "Mystech Shell" per turn.

Mystech Trinity 1

Field Spell

Cannot be activated during the Main Phase. If this card is activated: You can negate the effects of all cards your opponent controls, then choose which of these effects to apply, in sequence, depending on the locations where you had no cards when this card was activated.

- Hand: Add 1 "Mystech" card from your Deck to your hand.

- Monster Zones: Destroy 1 card on the field.

- Spell & Trap Zones: Destroy 1 card on the field.

During the End Phase: Shuffle this card into the Deck; activate 1 "Mystech Trinity" Field Spell from your hand or Deck, except "Mystech Trinity 1". It cannot leave the field during this End Phase.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to "Darkness 1".]

Mystech Cards of Ascension

Normal Spell

Choose this or the previous turn; draw 1 card for each Level/Rank 10 monster that left your field by an opponent's card during that turn, also for the rest of this turn after this card resolves, you cannot draw cards. During your Draw Phase, if this card is in your GY, instead of conducting your normal draw: You can banish this card; add 1 "Genesis Omega Dragon" from your Deck or face-up Extra Deck to your hand.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to "Card of Ascension".]

Pendulum Voyage

Normal Spell

(This card is also treated as a "Mystech" card.)

Discard 1 card; add 2 "Mystech" Pendulum Monsters with different names from your Deck to your hand, also, if you discarded a "Mystech" Pendulum Monster this way, you can add it to your Extra Deck face-up. You can only activate 1 "Pendulum Voyage" per turn. You cannot Pendulum Summon monsters during the turn you activate this card, except "Mystech" monsters.

Mystech Heaven Gate (Light/Machine/Pendulum/Tuner/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 1/SC: 12)

Pendulum Effect: You can only Pendulum Summon "Mystech" monsters. This effect cannot be negated. If you have a "Mystech" card in your other Pendulum Zone: You can destroy this card; place 1 "Mystech" Pendulum Monster from your Deck in your Pendulum Zone, except "Mystech Heaven Gate".

Monster Effect: Cannot be destroyed by your opponent's card. You can target 1 other monster on the field; reduce or increase its Level by 1, also, if it and this card are used for a Fusion Summon this turn, you can treat them both as Level 10 monsters and that target as 2 monsters. You can only use this effect of "Mystech Heaven Gate" once per turn.

[Trivia: I altered this card's manga effects as they were incomplete.]

Mystech Dystopian Gate (Dark/Machine/Pendulum/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 10/SC: 1)

Pendulum Effect: You can only Pendulum Summon "Mystech" monsters. This effect cannot be negated. During your Main Phase: You can gain 200 LP for each Level/Rank 10 and "Mystech" monster you control, and if you do, inflict that much damage to your opponent. You can only use this effect of "Mystech Dystopian Gate" once per turn.

Monster Effect: If this card is in your hand: You can target 1 Level/Rank 10 or "Mystech" monster you control; banish this card, and if you do, Special Summon 1 "Mystech" monster from your Deck or GY with a different original name from that target. You can only use this effect of "Mystech Dystopian Gate" once per turn.

[Trivia: this card's appearance is a reference to "Number 98: Antitopian".]

Mystech Hell Gate (Dark/Machine/Pendulum/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 10/SC: 1)

Pendulum Effect: You can only Pendulum Summon "Mystech" monsters. This effect cannot be negated. If you control no monsters (Quick Effect): You can destroy all cards in your Pendulum Zones; Special Summon 1 Pendulum Monster from your hand, ignoring its Summoning conditions.

Monster Effect: If this card is used for an Xyz Summon, you can treat it as 2 monsters. During your Main Phase: You can Special Summon 2 monsters from your Extra Deck (1 Fusion Monster and 1 Synchro Monster), using monsters you control as both Fusion and Synchro Materials (they are treated as properly being Summoned), then you can Xyz Summon 1 Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck, using this face-up card in your Extra Deck as Xyz Material. You can only use this effect of "Mystech Hell Gate" once per turn.

[Trivia: I altered this card's manga effects as they were incomplete.]

Arcana Force EX - The Twilight Ruler (Light/Fairy/Fusion/Effect/ATK: 4000/DEF: 4000/LV: 10)

3 monsters, including 2 Level 10 monsters

This card is also treated as a DARK monster while on the field. If this card is Special Summoned: You can toss a coin and gain the appropriate effect, then you can pay 2000 LP, and if you do, choose the effect to gain instead.

- Heads: Can attack monsters twice during the Battle Phase. Once per turn, if a monster you control destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can draw 1 card.

- Tails: Cannot be targeted by your opponent's card effects. If this card is destroyed: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; destroy it.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to "Arcana Force EX - The Light Ruler" and "Arcana Force EX - The Dark Ruler".]

Creation Dragon Viracocha (Light/Dragon/Synchro/Effect/ATK: 4000/DEF: 4000/LV: 10)

1 Tuner 1 non-Tuner monsters

If an attack is declared involving this card and an opponent's monster: You can activate this effect; gain LP equal to half that monster's ATK and halve any battle damage you would take from this battle, then, if you control a "Creation Dragon Viracocha" at the end of the Damage Step, destroy that monster (if it is still on the field), also, inflict damage to your opponent equal to half the ATK it had on the field. You can only use this effect of "Creation Dragon Viracocha" once per turn.

[Trivia: Viracocha was a creator deity in the pre-Inca and Inca mythology who, in one legend, had one son, Inti, and two daughters, Mama Quilla and Pachamama. Inti and Mama Quilla were used by Rex Godwin in Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's as "Sun Dragon Inti" and "Moon Dragon Quilla", furthermore, this card's also a reference to "Earthbound Immortal Wiraqocha Rasca", which was also used by Rex.]

Number M: Numerounius (Light/Fiend/Xyz/Effect/ATK: 4000/DEF: 4000/RK: 10)

2 Level 10 monsters

Cannot be destroyed by battle, except with a "Number" monster. If you would target this card with a "Rank-Up-Magic" Spell's effect, you can treat it as Rank 11. At the end of the Battle Phase: You can Special Summon from either GY to your field, 1 monster that was sent from the field to the GY this turn. If a monster(s) you control would be destroyed, you can detach 1 material from this card or destroy 1 monster you control instead, and if you do, gain 2000 LP.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to "Number C1000: Numerounius". M was a Roman numeral with a value of 1000.]

Mystech Creation

Normal Trap

Activate 1 "Mystech Trinity" Field Spell from your hand or Deck, and if it is currently the End Phase, it cannot leave the field during this End Phase. It is unaffected by your opponent's card effects until the end of this turn. You can only activate 1 "Mystech Creation" per turn.

Pendulum Extend

Normal Trap

If the activation of a card or effect was negated this turn: Target 1 face-up Pendulum Monster in your Extra Deck; until the end of this turn, you can negate instances of damage you would take, up to that target's Pendulum Scale. During the End Phase, if this card was activated this turn (and was not negated): You can draw cards for every 2 instances of damage you negated using this card's effect. You can only activate 1 "Pendulum Extend" per turn.

Genesis Omega Dragon (Divine/Divine-Beast/Pendulum/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 10/SC: 13)

Pendulum Effect: During the End Phase: You can discard 1 card, then declare 1 Phase; the next player that enters that Phase takes 1000 damage or draws 1 card, your choice. You can only use this effect of "Genesis Omega Dragon" once per turn.

Monster Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by controlling no monsters and having 2 Pendulum Monsters, 1 in your face-up Extra Deck and 1 in your banishment, whose Pendulum Scales include this card's Level. You cannot Pendulum Summon the turn you Special Summon this card. Unaffected by your opponent's card effects which do not target it. Once per turn, during the Standby Phase: This card gains 1000 ATK. Once per turn: You can target cards your opponent controls, up to the number of cards in your Pendulum Zones; destroy them. If an attack is declared involving this card or your opponent activates a card or effect that targets this card: You can place 1 Pendulum Monster from your hand, Deck, or face-up Extra Deck in your Pendulum Zone; negate that attack or activation, and if you do, it becomes the End Phase of that turn. If this card in the Monster Zone is destroyed: You can place it in your Pendulum Zone.

[Trivia: I altered this card's manga effects as they were incomplete.]

G.O.D. Blaze Cannon

Equip Spell

Equip only to "Genesis Omega Dragon". It gains 1000 ATK/DEF x the current turn count (even if this card leaves the field, it loses the ATK/DEF it gained this way only at the end of that turn). If this card is activated: You can take 1 card that lists "Genesis Omega Dragon" in its text from your Deck, and either add it to your hand or send it to the GY. You can only activate 1 "G.O.D. Blaze Cannon" per turn.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to The Winged Dragon of Ra's Attack Name, "God Blaze Cannon".]

Mystech Protection

Normal Trap

You can activate this card's effect from your GY by banishing it. If you would take damage (even during damage calculation): Choose battle or effect damage; until the end of this turn, your LP cannot be decreased below 100 by that chosen type of damage. You can only use this effect of "Mystech Protection" once per turn.

Transtemporal Migration

Normal Trap

Target 1 face-up monster you control, or on the field if you control "Genesis Omega Dragon"; banish it until the next Standby Phase. You can only activate 1 "Transtemporal Migration" per turn. If a monster you control whose original name is "Genesis Omega Dragon" leaves the field by an opponent's card and is now in your GY, banishment, or face-up Extra Deck (even during the Damage Step): You can banish this card from your GY, then target that monster; you can Special Summon it, ignoring its Summoning conditions, during the 2nd Standby Phase after this effect's activation. The ATK/DEF of monsters Special Summoned to your field by this card's effects become the same ATK/DEF they had when they left the field if they were higher than their original values.

[Trivia: this card's artwork is a reference to "Malefic Paradigm Shift".]

Nova Portal (Light/Psychic/Pendulum/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 1/SC: 12)

Pendulum Effect: If your opponent activates a monster's effect while you control "Genesis Omega Dragon" and have a "Nova Portal" in your other Pendulum Zone: You can destroy all cards in your Pendulum Zones; it becomes the End Phase of that turn. You can only use this effect of "Nova Portal" once per turn.

Monster Effect: (Quick Effect): You can add this card from your hand or your side of the field to the Extra Deck face-up, then target 1 "Genesis Omega Dragon" you control; this turn, if you activate its effect in response to an attack that is declared involving it or to your opponent activating a card or effect that targets it, you can make that effect's resolution become "negate that attack or activation, and if you do, banish the monster this card attacked or was attacked by or the negated card".

[Trivia: I altered this card's manga effects as they were incomplete.]

Demiurge:

Supreme Kaesar's Coronation

Normal Spell

Send up to 2 "Demiurgus" monsters from your hand or Deck to the GY, or return up to 2 "Demiurgus" monsters from your banishment to the GY, then add 1 "Demiurgus" monster or 1 "Mythorror Tetramorph" from your Deck or GY to your hand. This turn, if you would shuffle "Mythorror Gnostic" monsters into the Deck using the effect of "Mythorror Tetramorph", you can also shuffle those from your banishment. You can only activate 1 "Supreme Kaesar's Coronation" per Duel.

Mythorror Tetramorph (Dark/Fiend/Pendulum/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 0/SC: 0)

Pendulum Effect: You cannot Pendulum Summon. This effect cannot be negated. If there are 3 or more monsters with the same card type (Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, or Pendulum) on the field: You can banish 1 card you control; Special Summon this card from your Pendulum Zone.

Monster Effect: (This card is also always treated as an "IkaImagine" card.)

Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) while your opponent controls 3 or more monsters with different card types (Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, or Pendulum) or by its Pendulum Effect, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. Cannot be Tributed or be used as material. You can banish this card you control; Special Summon 1 "Supreme Mythorror God" monster from your Extra Deck by fulfilling its Summoning conditions. Its Summon cannot be negated, and your opponent's card effects cannot be activated when it is Summoned. You can only use this effect of "Mythorror Tetramorph" once per turn.

[Trivia: this card's a reference to the tetramorph cherub. Concept credit goes to Arclight Dynamis.]

Supreme Mythorror God Demiurgus Kaesar (Divine/Divine-Beast/Fusion/Pendulum/Effect/ATK: 5000/DEF: 4000/LV: 13/SC: 13)

Pendulum Effect: You can only Pendulum Summon "Mythorror G" monsters. This effect cannot be negated. Your opponent cannot enter their Battle Phase. You can shuffle 3 of your banished "Mythorror G" monsters into the Deck; Special Summon this card, ignoring its Summoning conditions.

Monster Effect: (This card is also always treated as a DARK, LIGHT, EARTH, FIRE, WATER, WIND Fiend monster.)

Must be Special Summoned (from your Extra Deck) with "Mythorror Tetramorph" by banishing face-down "Supreme Mythorror God Demiurgus" and "Supreme Mythorror God Demiurgus Rex", and by shuffling 13 different "Mythorror Gnostic" monsters into the Deck, from your field, GY, and/or face-up Extra Deck. You can only control 1 "Supreme Mythorror God" card. Unaffected by your opponent's card effects, cannot be Tributed or be used as material by your opponent, and it can attack all monsters your opponent controls, once each. If this card is Summoned: You can negate the effects of all cards your opponent controls, then destroy as many cards they control as possible, and if you do, for each destroyed card, they take 300 damage and you gain 500 LP. Once per turn, if this card would leave your field: You can activate this effect; it does not. Once per turn: You can declare 1 Attribute; banish all monsters your opponent controls with that Attribute, also, Special Summon 1 "Mythorror G" monster from your Deck, Extra Deck, GY, or banishment with that Attribute or whose text lists that Attribute, ignoring its Summoning conditions and treating it as properly Summoned if needed. You cannot attack directly the turn you use this effect, except with this card. If this card is destroyed: You can place it in your Pendulum Zone.

[Trivia: Concept credit goes to Coolfireblast. Special thanks to Haoh Ryu Z-ARC who helped me word its effect.]

Supreme Kaesar's Blessing

Normal Spell

Excavate the top 5 cards of your Deck, and if you do, add 1 excavated card that lists "Mythorror G" in its text to your hand, or 2 if you control a "Demiurgus" monster, also place the rest on the bottom of your Deck in any order. You cannot attack during the turn you activate this card, except with "Mythorror G" monsters. During damage calculation, if a "Mythorror G" monster you control is attacked by an opponent's monster: You can banish this card from your GY, then you can target that opponent's monster; the battle damage you would take from that battle becomes 700 if it is higher than 700, also, banish that target at the end of the Damage Step if you control a "Demiurgus" monster. Your opponent cannot activate cards or effects in response to this effect's activation. You can only use each effect of "Supreme Kaesar's Blessing" once per turn.

---

I'm still having trouble processing that this duel's done. At long last, after a year I think, the legendary and arduous confrontation between our chosen heroes and Demiurge has come to a close!

The chapter starts with Eve's backstory that takes inspiration from the manga, where we see how Team Eden was founded and how they made contact with Demiurge's mother and Genesis. My old leaders can see I've made some changes to it, that's because I wished for it to be more impactful and for Genesis to appear more serious since, as he stated, Team Eden accidentally helped the goddess who killed his mother escape.

Then we dive into the duel. Since Eve only dueled once in the manga, meaning her deck didn't get to shine much, I gave it a touch of my own. Regarding its name, because the names of many cards in the OCG were changed to "Mystic" in the TCG and even "Mystik" cards exist, I've decided to use its OCG name, "Mystech", in order to avoid confusion with the previously mentioned cards. Unlike in the previous version, I made as many of her fan-made cards properly reference past antagonists as possible.

Also, unlike in the previous version, Eve actually has to break a sweat to win, and even has to summon Genesis. It would've hurt Demiurge's character to show him pathetically losing to her, especially after all the efforts the previous Duelists had to go through simply to damage him, hence why the duel is vastly different from its predecessor. I'm especially proud of the last turn, for which I took inspiration from the last turn of Mizael and Kaito's duel from Zexal, fitting since Genesis can control space and time like Photon and Tachyon respectively.

Demiurge's last form is a Fusion-Pendulum Monster, but I wanted it to be special since it's, well, the strongest version of his avatar, so I made its summoning involve the Integration technique, and thus added new lore to the said technique: As long as the Duelist fuses with the Monster they're summoning, it's an Integration Summon, no matter if it's a Monster of all Summoning Methods or merely Fusion-Pendulum. Since there's a connection between the god and Zarc, I thought this twist would be fitting.

Then there's also Eve's unique Pendulum, Convergent Pendulum. You guys don't want to know how many names I brainstormed for it... I honestly lost count at five. Oh, not to mention how it should appear visually and how it should work. Considering Genesis is capable of controlling space, I figured this concept of "convergence" was appropriate. And since Eve has more than one card that can summon Genesis even during her opponent's turn that can be tied to his ability to control time, being able to be summoned outside his specified "time", namely Convergent Pendulum.

As a small note, Phantasm Emperor Trilojig and Timelord Progenitor Vorpgate use their actual effects for convenience sake, and will continue doing so unless stated otherwise.

Once the winner is decided, Team Eden's true plan comes to light in the form of DiNA, a God Killer machine they've built to kill Demiurge. Since Vince's completely sealed away and Spectrum isn't a thing in this version, my old readers got to experience a new twist, namely Tetramorph coming out of nowhere to betray Demiurge. Sadly, the guy had one final ace up his sleeve and then...who knows? After all, the aftermath shall be revealed in the next chapter, alongside many other plot points!

Reviews really make my day and it's a great way to communicate with you readers, and maybe find out errors I can avoid making. Please review, and with that said, here's the chapter's last scene!

---

A card appeared on the screen before turning around, revealing Genesis Omega Dragon. It suddenly glowed, and Eve and Genesis's human spirit form emerged from it.

"You did well, Eve. Yes, exceptionally well." The Duel Spirit nodded a few times to his own words. "It's been years since I've last seen you fight and pull off such a spectacular comeback. I nearly forgot how ruthless you could be under all your poise and couth."

"Ruthless?" His vessel closed her eyes, an impish smile gracing her features. "You wound me."

"Fufu, do I now?" Genesis replied, mirroring her smile. "Revealing you've been lying to him from the instant he's woken up, with such nonchalance to boot... It sent a shiver down my spine. You were truly meant to be my vessel."

"It's the ending that heartless god deserved." Eve's face abruptly contorted as she opened her eyes. "If DiNA's attack managed to strike him, that is..."

"As you already know, there's only one way to find that out." Genesis folded him arms behind his back. "And that's by moving onto the next chapter of our story."

"Quite literally." Eve agreed with a nod, and the two addressed the viewers. "Because it's linked to me, I'll do the honors. Today's Secret of the Chapter is as follows: my battle theme is Emiya Illya Theme from Fate/Kaleid Liner Prisma Illya."

"A theme befitting of your character and status as the wielder of the supreme space-time dragon deity." Genesis's smile morphed into a grin as he closed his eyes and slowly raised his arms. He then struck a bizarre pose, unnaturally bending his body. "Aka, me! G.O.D.!"

Eve regarded him through half-lidded eyes. "I told you to drop these Jojo poses." She reminded him. "They make any situation awkward. And we already know your name. Why are you make such a big deal out of it?"

"Who! Knows!?" Genesis, unbothered by her words, struck another pose. Eve sighed in exasperation before the screen faded into black, followed by the words [To Be Continued...].