Anthony Nezbitt watched as Gozaburo watched the video testimony video that he'd created for the interview. Where others might have shifted uneasily, wiggling in their seats or shifting about with worry or even merely just stared at the man trying to get a response Nezbit did none of these things. There was no need to. What would happen WOULD happen. There was nothing at this point that he could do to alter that. One could prepare, of course. Set up systems, plug in the data, have as many options available and failsafes in place… but in the end it was the simple fact that human nature would prevent him from having anything change now. It was all upon Gozaburo Kaiba.

'It is why humanity is such a tiresome thing,' he thought in annoyance. 'With a machine I can perform the exact same actions a thousand times and get the same results. But with people… they are foolish and fickle things. Willing to do whatever they desire without a care for what SHOULD happen.' He mentally scoffed. 'This testimonial is proof of that.'

As it was Nezbit should have been hired on the spot. He was a genius when it came to programming and engineering. Top of his class, graduating in a third of the time normally needed, and more importantly he knew how to present himself to the world. He wasn't some crazed scientist in a lab coat covered in grease; he was a professional. He understood well how to present himself to the world. It was all there in his file… Mr. Kaiba should have seen that and known at once if he were a fit or not (per all his calculations he was the best fit but there was always the odd chance that the position requires something else…).

'But no. We are expected to present testimonials. People telling pathetic little stories about how wonderful we are or the hardships we went through or other such things that tug on the heartstrings. Foolishness… that is what it all is! Utter foolishness! A waste! I have far better things to be doing that this! Every moment I sit here waiting for him to judgeme based on a few comments made by other people is invention and inspiration lost. But instead of being able to do the things that truly matter I am left sitting here, waiting to see if his 'emotions' will be properly played upon in order to get me a job. Not because of my skills. Not because of my history. Not because of my intelligence. What other people feel about me influencing him.'

His face remained utterly still even as he seethed over that.

'Pathetic.'

Mr. Kaiba finally used his mouse to stop the video. "Impressive… most impressive."

"Thank you, sir," he said, forcing himself to smile. It appeared that he had calculated right and the testimonies-

"How did you do it?"

"Pardon?"

"How did you create this?"

"Ah. Well, it was a simple editing program. I made it myself of course. The ones on the market weren't able to do what I desired."

"I imagine so. They aren't designed to create fake renderings of humans."

Nezbit froze.

"…pardon, sir?" he managed to get out.

"Harvey Sprink would never refer to you as 'Anthony'. He would have called you Tony."

Nezbit winced. "I don't like being called Tony."

That caused Mr. Kaiba to smirk. "Which only means he would have been far more eager to call you Tony. I once made the mistake of telling him I don't like the name 'Goz' and now he calls me that every chance he get. Helen Wrightwood referred to your work on the Bryce Project and how you worked with her personally on it."

"I did."

"Oh, I'm sure she would claim that," Mr. Kaiba said. "That project beat out my own KaibaCy Design by 6 weeks… considering she spoke directly to me concerning it she would have thrown in a few digs about how she cost me a lot of money. And then there is Honda Mizoti. A recluse… do you know why?" Mr. Kaiba leaned forward. "He's been dead for 6 months. Died with a hooker's lips wrapped around his shriveled cock. The family has been covering it up because they are afraid the stock might tank if people find out the family friendly face of LongLife died because his heart gave out getting a nobby."

Nezbit swallowed.

"So you created those in the computer," Mr. Kaiba stated. "How."

It wasn't a question. But he also didn't have the choice of not answering.

"I used a special program that took old interviews they did and then overlayed their facial features onto another person's face. Its called-"

"DeepFake. I am aware." Mr. Kaiba motioned for him to continue.

"I used myself, reading from a script."

"I thought they were all a bit too wooden. However it wasn't that much to truly make me consider it… not till you made your little mistakes." Mr. Kaiba leaned forward, fingers threaded together. "Tell me… if I gave you footage of… well, let's say the leader of a 3rd world country… could you make him declare that he is about to attack a neighboring country?"

"I… I could."

"Could you change the background of the video? Yours was just a plain black screen."

"With a few weeks of programing yes."

"Put other people in the shot. Other advisors. Something to really sell that this leaked or stolen footage."

"Yes sir."

"And would you have any moral qualms doing so?"

"Not in the slightest, sir," Nezbit said.

Mr. Kaiba smiled and rose up, sticking out his hand. "I think we're going to go far."

~Present Day~

"Soon this will all be over," Nezbit said as he watched Joey squirm under the glare of the enhanced Red-Eyes monster. His Arcana Knight Joker was strung up, unable to do a thing to free itself, and worse its power was now being fed directly into Aria's monster. "Don't worry, Joseph… it truly isn't that bad in here."

"Oh yeah?" Joey complained. "If that's the case why don't ya just stay in here then?"

"I do plan to return… many times. This place is… quite wonderful." He paused, the faintest of smiles tugging on his lips. "With a few improvements it will be better than the so called "Real World"."

"Man, what are ya talkin' about?" Joey complained with a roll of his eyes. "So called… it is the Real World, pal!"

"There is nothing more real about where you came from than here. It just has better… stimulation."

"Stimu-what?" Joey asked crudely. "Man, are ya talkin' about some sex thing?"

Nezbit scowled at that. "I am not that crass, child. Stimulation… the sensations that our brains feel."

"Eh?"

Nezbit shook his head. "We don't truly interact with the world… you realize that, right? No, of course not. You touch something or taste something or hear something and believe that you truly have done that. But you don't… not really. Each and every one of us is a glob of fat floating in water, trapped in a dark bone shell, with a bunch of electrical impulses being shot into us that tell us 'I am taking a step' or 'I have seen a bird'. It is no less real than what we experience right now. In fact… this Virtual World is far more real. Because it doesn't lie. Everything we are experiencing is truly the brain experiencing it. No phantom pain. No false sense of there being some 'other' near us. No mirages or sounds that only we hear. All of it can be controlled and measured and recorded and played back to others. That is what makes this world better."

"Then why do ya want my body then, huh?" Joey demanded. "Why are ya so interested in it?"

"Because there is still work to do," Nezbit said. "Work I can't do while in here. With your body I can improve the Virtual World… make it truly real. Perfect the sensations… make it so that the madness that can come to others when they enter this world is eliminated."

"I'd say ya need ta remove your own madness, pal," Joey retorted. "Thinkin' that this place is real because you can have everyone experience the same things? That ain't life."

"Life is messy. Sloppy. It is the proof that if there is a god he is an inferior creator. Just look at humanity… all of you are so… chaotic. Driven by your wild impulses. You all are little more than rats that learned how to talk and to put on clothes. But all it takes is a single twitch in your gray matter and suddenly you are back to being rodents, scurrying about without any care of order." Nezbit shook his head. "That is something else I plan to fix."

"Plan ta fix?"

"With your body I will activate Phase 2 of the Virtual World. As people enter into it, seeking out their foolish desires of pleasure I will be able to go in and… do some recoding."

"Recoding?" Joey asked, scrunching up his nose.

"Indeed. You, I think, will be the first I experiment on, since you will be a captive audience." His mouth twitched again but he resisted the urge to chuckle. "I will go through and snip away the parts of you that have you react in such foolish and wild ways. Get you to truly behave as you should: with order. Precision. Able to follow orders and commands. Perform tasks without deviation. No daydreams that can distract you or the like. Just perfect order."

Joey stared at him, eyes wide in shock. "Ya want ta turn all of humanity inta robots?"

"Why not?" Nezbit asked. "Robots are vastly superior to humans. Emotions… they get in the way of things. They blind us. Loyalty. Love. Desire. Passion. They keep us from being able to do what is truly needed. We once were willing to turn people into machines… slavery was what it was called. The Great Pyramids were built in such a way and they still stand. What do we have now that will last even 10 years? Nothing. Because every worker now dreams of something else or feels they are more important than the great projects that can define us. Wanting to make connections, caring about others… all distractions.

"I will remove that all. We will be a force that knows that we are lesser… that we are not as great as the purpose set out. I will remove all of these things and I will create a better human race… only living forever in our Virtual World, working together to create something that will last forever. That WE will last forever."

Joey just stared at him.

"This is the part where you say I am crazy," Nezbit said, taunting the teenager. "Where you try and shame me. Maybe attack me as being sick? Please, it is to be expected. Go on." Nezbit waved a Joey. "Come on now."

"…nah man," Joey said with a shake of his head. "I'm good."

That made Nezbit blink.

"See, I know people like ya… dealt with'em plenty of times. Ya need people ta insult ya and mock ya ta keep ya goin'. Its… its like you're a little wind-up soldier and every insult is just turnin' the key on your back so ya can keep sayin' things. Well, I ain't interested. I'm gonna focus on this duel so that all your dreams never come true. Then ya can live in this virtual world forever. How about that?"

Nezb it stared at Joey in surprise. 'I… why isn't he… he should have become enraged by what I said! Why isn't he-'

"And speakin' of da duel, I'm gettin' back to it!" Joey said before pointing at his Deck Master. "I'm gonna activate my Deck Master's special ability!"

Nezbit frowned. He had been hoping Joey would be stupid enough to bring out his Deck Master in the false believe that it could defend him. He would have enjoyed Aria destroying it and winning the duel right there.

"This ability is known as The Turn and The River!" Joey stated. "Every turn I can pay 1000 lifepoints to force both of us ta draw two cards from our deck!" (Joey-3000)

"What a weak ability," Aria stated. "This game is all about advantage and you negate what you would have gained by not only giving me two cards as well but also losing a quarter of your lifepoints to do so."

"Ya'd think that, wouldn't ya?" Joey taunted. "Which only means I MUST have something else planned!" He held up a card. "I activate Joker's Straight! This card allows me ta summon one Queen's Knight ta the field and then I can add one King's Knight ta my hand." His duel disc spat out the cards while the female knight appeared in defense mode. "Next, I'll normal summon my King's Knight and his effect allows me ta summon my Jack's Knight also in defense mode." All three of the Poker Knights appeared on the field, kneeling with their hands on the pommels of their swords. "And I'll end my turn."

"Your wall won't last," Aria declared as she drew a card. "You have given me more options when you used The Turn and The River… but I believe it is time I showed you my Deck Master's ability. I activate Black Dragon Forge." Fire began to bubble from the Red-Eyes Black Dragon's mouth. "This ability allows me, at the cost of 1000 lifepoints, to activate directly from my deck one spell or trap card, so long as it is a Red-Eyes one. And I select Red-Eyes Fusion."

The Red-Eyes Black Dragon unleashed a glut of flames that took the form of the spell card even as Aria's lifepoints drained down. (Aria-3000)

"I will now use Red-Eyes Fusion to fuse the weaker of my Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragons with my Red-Eyes Black Meteor Dagon in order to summon Meteor Black Comet Dragon."

The Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon let out a roar as its body exploded in flames, its scales cracking and breaking open to reveal rivers of heat flowing through it. The entire body became consumed in an aura of flames as it shifted, limbs and wings twisting as it turned into the fiery space dragon.

"And now I will use its effect. When this card is summoned I can send one Red-Eyes monster from my deck to the graveyard in order to deal half its attack points as effect damage to you. I select the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, dealing 1400 points of damage to you!"

The Meteor Black Comet Dragon roared before blasting out a stream of flames that quickly took on the form of the Red-Eyes Darkness Metal Dragon, racing over Joey's knights before striking him, causing him to cry out in pain. (Joey-1600)

"And while my fusion monster can't attack this turn I can attack with my Arcana Knight Joker empowered Red-Eyes Alternative Black Dragon, destroying your Queen's Knight!" The beast did as commanded, the Arcana Knight Joker crying out as its power was sucked away and channeled into a blast that destroyed the Queen's Knight.

'So close…' Nezbit thought to himself. 'So close to this being all over with! Soon I will return to the real world and my true work will begin!'

~MC~MC~MC~

"What do you think?" Tristan asked as he crouched next to Tea. They were on a small hill, looking down into a valley that held a small village. There were maybe, at most, 15 little huts that were made of a mix of wood and what looked like clay, with straw thatched roofs and wooden shutters for windows. The paths were just compressed dirt, pounded down by the constant movement of cattle and wagons.

'Or at least I assume as much,' Tea thought with a shake of her head. "I don't like it."

"What do you mean?"

"We can't see anything," she pointed out.

"Uh…yeah we can."

"I mean there is nothing to see other than this… postcard of a village." She waved her hand towards the settlement. "Where are the people? The animals? There is nothing."

"So you think it's a trap?"

Tea pressed her lips into a fine line. "I think this entire world is a trap, Tristan."

"Great, I was thinking the same thing," he muttered darkly before standing up. "And I guess you know what we have to do now."

Tea groaned. "Spring the trap?"

"Spring the trap."

"I hate that we only have that option," she muttered even as she stood up and brushed off her pants (she'd thankfully decided that morning to go with jeans rather than a skirt; she didn't need Noah or his goons peaking up her skirt the entire time she was in the Virtual World).

"We can't just keep running," Tristan pointed out. "Noah controls this world so he'll be able to track us down-"

"I know, I know," Tea complained. "Doesn't mean I'm happy about this at all." She rolled her shoulders, wondering if she really needed to stretch when she wasn't actually physically doing anything. Yet she did it all the same. She'd have questioned her sanity but considering she had been captured and forced into a computer where a bunch of demented old men wanted to steal her body… sanity had long breezed past as an option for her. "So, how brazen do you want to be?"

Tristan threw his hands behind his head, threading his fingers together. "I'm thinking we just march down there like gullible idiots."

"Wonderful," Tea snarked.

"You have a better idea?"

"…sadly no," she admitted. "Come on."

"You've gotten a bit more sarcastic recently, you ever notice that?"

"What do you mean?"

"I just… you tend to snap back at people more and aren't as… bubbly."

Tea frowned. "I was never really bubbly. I mean sure, I was more positive than most but not bubbly."

"You were sugary sweet."

"I was not! I mean I wasn't a raging bitch but I could be a bitch. Ask Yugi about when he and Joey decided to come to the burger place I was working at."

"I worked there too, Tea."

"Did you?"

Tristan frowned, brow furrowing. "I… think so? I know I got a job at a burger place…"

"This is anime bullshit, isn't it?" Tea asked. When Tristan stared at her she sighed. "Edwin said in his world we were an anime. You not remembering if you worked with me at Burgerpoluza feels like an anime thing."

"…it disturbs me that you are okay with us being fictional characters."

"My adopted brother has a moon goddess pining for him and we are currently trapped in a video game. My boyfriend timeshares his body with a ghost and there are times I wonder if they aren't more of a couple than Yugi is with me. We routinely deal with insane billionaires, insane Egyptians, and insane alternate versions of ourselves." She shot Tristan a cold look. "Disturbed got its ass kicked month ago."

"Right," Tristan said as they finally entered the village. "I suppose I can see that. I mean, at this point there-" He stopped.

"You almost jinxed us, didn't you?"

"Almost but I think I caught myself in time."

And that's when the guards popped out, pointing spears at the two of them.

"…oh my gaud, Tristan!" Tea said in the most over the top California Valley Girl voice. "This is, like, totes awesome that we walked into a trap! I, like, just can't get over it, ya know?"

"Shut up," Tristan grumbled, raising his hands over his head.

~MC~MC~MC~

Joey lowered his head, eyes shut.

"So… do you accept that you have failed?" Nezbit asked. "There is no shame in accepting the inevitable. In fact I would argue that is shows great strength of character to understand your place and be willing to stand down and accept defeat. Not many have the maturity to do so. It speaks well of you that are you able to understand that you have failed and this is your end."

Joey's shoulders shook.

"That, though, is not needed," Nezbit complained. "Sobbing… that is for infants. For those that can't express themselves properly. You are grown, Joseph… there is no needs for tears. Stand tall and accept what is about to happen… and know that thanks to me you name will live on far longer than you could have ever hoped for."

Joey threw his head back and laugh.

"Man… do ya actually hear yourself?" he cackled. "Ya sound like one of dem romance novels that Tea likes ta read that she don't think me and Yug and Tristan know about!" He let out a snort at that. "Come on… that is really the best ya can do right now? Try and convince me ta give in and just let ya take over my body?"

"I am… trying to get you to handle this as an adult and accept that what is destined to happen WILL happen."

"Well, I hate ta break it to ya pal-" He paused, a smirk forming on his lips as he shook his head. "Nah, I can't finish that. Because I don't mind at all layin' out for ya how ya are so utterly wrong! You're about ta go down in flames! And… I think ya know it too."

Nezbit frowned, reaching up and adjusting his tie. "I have no idea what you are blathering about or how you came to these false delusions but I'm afraid you're quite wrong. Look at your field and look at mine. Aria has proven herself to be your better. Your lifepoints are down to 1600 and you only have a weak and pathetic defense that will fall very soon. Your strongest monster is now under my control, feeding my dragon. And your deck master can do nothing to help you."

"Shows what ya know," Joey said, rubbing his finger under his nose. He had been waiting to pull off this move, even considering doing it during Aria's turn, but had decided to wait so he could truly deliver the crushing strike. "This here? Its your last turn."

"Because I am about to beat you?" Aria asked, staring at him with her dark false eyes. It was so strange but also… so sad. Because this wasn't a real person. It was just a fake created by Nezbit to hide behind.

And Joey would destroy the blasphemy.

"I'll start by usin' my deck master's special ability once again! I reduce my lifepoints by 1000 to force both of us ta draw two cards." Aria and him did so but before Joey could say a word Nezbit let out a huff. (Joey-600)

"The final desperate move. That's what that was. Did you try and gain something to stop me? I think so… but I also think that it won't matter. Perhaps you can stall for another turn or two… but Aria has done well to force you back at every turn. She is stronger than you… you do realize I didn't go into this duel blind, correct? I knew exactly who you were, Joey Wheeler. What kind of man you are. How you live. How you duel. I saw your defeat at the beginning of Battle City and knew that the Red-Eyes Black Dragon was the perfect weapon to defeat you." At that Aria's Deck Master lowered its head and snarled, a puff of flames escaping its maw. "I learned every move you could possibly make… I do admit that this new deck was a bit of a surprise but… nothing I couldn't overcome. And now you are about to face your total defeat."

"Man… ya know nothing about me," Joey replied with a shake of his head. "Ya think ya know me? Understand me because of what I did before? That's only part of da story. I'm more than my past… I'm my future. How I'm gonna keep growin' and learnin'. I've made mistakes… ain't gonna deny that. But that just means that I've been able to learn from those mistakes and move past them, so I can be better."

He paused.

"That's your problem though, ain't it? Why ya can't figure out how I'm gonna win. Because ya don't wanna change. Don't wanna grow. You'd rather just have the entire world just continue on like it always has… or at least how ya think it should. Never dreamin', never hopin'. Well… too bad because I'm dreamin' of a lot of things and none of dem involve either of ya!"

"You have no hope," Nezbit said simply. "You can't win. The cards you drew… they can do nothing to help ya."

"Man… I don't care WHAT I drew!"

"…what?" Nezbit said and Joey found it probably one of the greatest feelings ever: the confusion on the face of the bastard who had kidnapped him and his friends."

"Ya heard me… I don't care. Don't matter. I just needed more cards in my hand."

"…what?" Nezbit repeated.

"Aw, what's da matter? Does not compute? Well, you'll be seein' soon enough! First though I need ta send an extra copy of my Queen's Knight to da graveyard ta summon something new… my Joker's Knight!"

Where with the Imperial Bower it was a question if they were knight or jester with Joker's Knight there was no debate. This was a knight who served the wild card and was proud of it, letting the world know that it would forever aid its charge. From his mask that was done up like a mime's face to his great broad arms that were left bare he was at once a joke and a serious matter.

"Now, when I sent my Queen's Knight to da graveyard that allowed Joker's Knight ta claim her name, so that he could act her in place along with my other monsters. Which is good cause I plan on doing somethin' special."

"Going to activate another Face Card Fusion?" Aria asked. "It won't work… it will just destroy our monsters but my Meteor Dragon will easily take the last of your lifepoints next turn."

"Man, you and Nezbit are the same, ain't ya? Thinkin' in poker there's only one way ta win! I activate Joker's Wild!" The trap card that had been returned to his field earlier flipped up. "And I'll send my Royal Straight Spell Card ta da graveyard ta give Joker's Wild that effect!"

"Royal Straight?" Nezbit asked, confused.

"This card allows me ta get rid of a King, Queen, and Jack's Knight from my field in order ta summon a monster that lists all three of dem. Only…" Joey smirked. "It ain't gonna be another Arcana Knight Joker."

One could have been forgiven, at first, for believing that Joey had summoned another Queen's Knight. The figure was her, of course. Yet… also not. For her armor was far more regal and ornate than the original Queen's Knight. The shield far larger. The sword longer and sharper. The armor a work of beauty but from the narrowing of eyes the knight didn't care how pretty she looked.

She had a dragon to slay.

"This is my Arcana Triumph Joker, and she's gonna take ya down, Aria! And you're hopes of takin' my body, Nezbit!"

The engineer though shook his head. "Her attack points are nothing. All you've done is sacrifice your wall of-" He stopped. "…why did you do that? She isn't in defense mode… why would you summon her in attack mode if she has zero attack points? Why?"

"Finally catchin' on, ain't ya?" Joey teased. "Well, let me explain! See, Arcana Triumph Joker gains attack equal ta the number of cards in our hands." Joey paused. "OUR hands."

"…no," Nezbit whispered as he realized just what was happening. Energy began to flow from Aria and Joey's cards, their hands powering up the Knight who merely smirked as an aura of energy grew and grew around her.

"And with us both havin' 6 cards that means her attack increases ta 6000!" Joey proclaimed.

"No… no, there must be something I missed. Some way-"

"There is, master," Aria stated, cutting him off. "My Deck Master's ability. It works on either player's turn." Aria held out her hand. "I use Black Dragon Forge once more, allowing me to sacrifice 1000 lifepoints to activate one card directly from my deck. And I chose Inferno Fire Blast."

That made Nezbit nod. "Well done, Aria." He looked at Joey. "That card allows her to have one Red-Eyes Black Dragon attack your lifepoints directly… and thanks to Red-Eyes Fusion's effect when the Meteor Black Comet Dragon was summoned it became also known as a Red-Eyes Black Dragon, making it the perfect target. So you see… you were truly always doomed."

"Ya… too bad I knew about Inferno Fire Blast and was prepared for it. I activate Arcana Triumph Joker's special ability!" Joey held up a single card. "See, I can now send one card from my hand ta the graveyard and destroy all cards on the field that are the same type. So I'll send another Imperial Bower to the graveyard… and have Arcana Triumph Joker destroy all your monsters!"

Aria's eyes went wide. "That… you can't!"

"I can!" Joey declared and his Arcana Triumph Joker raised her sword up before slamming it against her shield, the vibration causing Aria's dragons to shake before they, and the captured Arcana Knight Joker, shattered. "And now there ain't no target for your Inferno Fire Blast, meanin' its just a puff of smoke!" The spell card that had appeared thanks to the Black Dragon Forge disappeared instantly, leaving only ashes. "And with our field clear I can now put an end ta ya and this duel! Arcana Triumph Joker… attack!"

Aria shielded herself but there was nothing she could do. Nothing that could stop the assault. Her entire strategy had been to come at him hard with the Red-Eyes Black Dragon and its alternate selves and that had left her with nothing when Joey had cleared the deck. Even summoning her Deck Master wouldn't work, as its destruction would have caused the same result.

Joey watched, startled as Aria was sent flying back, crashing into a wall before her form began to glitch.

"Hey! What's happenin' ta her!"

"She lost, Joseph," Nezbit stated even as he began to fizzle and pop. Segments of his body began to pull away from him, lines of began shake and shimmy as they tried to come back together. "She has no more purpose… and thus the system wisks her away." He looked at his hand. "As… do I." He took a deep breath. "I will not scream. I will not cry. I will face my end with dignity."

"Yes, you will," Noah's voice called out over the intercom system. Or maybe it was just Noah being all around them; Joey couldn't tell, what with the wacky rules of the Virtual World. "And by that I mean face your end… the dignity part is up to you. Honestly I see you breaking down and sobbing soon enough. Pleading with me to save you."

"No, I will-"

Nezbit froze.

"Ah. Finally noticing?" Noah chuckled and though Joey couldn't see him he had the sense the kid was now looking right at him. "He was attempting to set up new Virtual Avatars to battle you, in an attempt to wear you down. He was going to try and disguise himself as other members of the Big 5 in hopes he could trick you… and me."

And now Noah's attention was fully on Nezbit.

"Did you think that would truly work?"

"What… what is happening," Nezbit said as the glitching he had gone through suddenly changed. No longer pulling apart but rather he began to break up, little squares disappearing as they floated away.

"You failed. You lost. And as my father was always fond of saying: you only get one chance at winning." Noah snickered again. "As for what is happening… I am erasing you, Nezbit. Piece by piece." A few squares flew away from the engineer. "Why, I do believe that was you winning the science fair back in 8th grade. Oh, and there is you building your first computer."

"No… no!" Nezbit screamed, his cool and collected façade shattering along with the shattering of his body. "You can't do this to me! I am… I am…"

The man blinked.

"Who am I? Why… why can't I remember? What is my name?"

"Nothing," Noah replied coolly. "You are nothing."

"I…"

And the last of Nezbit disappeared.

"…damn," Joey whispered, swallowing.

"Now then, as for you," Noah stated, "you have won so congratulations! Though I must warn you that you can still be challenged by the rest of the Big 5 so it would be wise for you to leave now." Joey frowned as a small device with a red button appeared before him. "This will return you to the real world. You'll need to remain in a cell until this is all sorted out…"

Joey took the device… and shoved it in his pocket. "No way, man. Not with my friends still in danger."

"You'll risk yourself for them?" Noah asked. "Hmmm… curious. I wonder how that will work out for you."

Joey shuddered as Noah's laughter filled the air before fading away, leaving him completely and utterly alone.

~MC~MC~MC~

I had been in the dome for hours.

Or days.

Or years.

There was no way to tell.

I had tried to count but I kept getting lost. And the fact that I couldn't sleep or didn't get tired meant there literally was no way to keep track of time.

There was nothing but me and my thoughts.

It was far worse than what had happened the last time in the Virtual World. There I had been able to at least focus on things like adventuring to try and take my mind off the fact that I couldn't rest. And I had cracked and gone mad briefly that time.

I wouldn't survive the dome.

I squeezed my eyes shut. 'Even if someone realizes I'm in here… a few seconds out there will be eons for me.'

It was the perfect trap-

"Edwin!"

I snapped my eyes open.

"Wha?" I got out, at once hating how stupid I sounded. But it was still startling to find the Pharaoh leaning over me, shaking my shoulder before grabbing onto me and helping me sit up.

"Careful Edwin… very careful," he told me as he helped me up.

"Pharaoh?" I asked dimly. "What-" I looked around and frowned. "What new trick is this?" I felt the cold metal of the… thing (there was no better answer for what it was, other than cyberpunk coffin due to its shape but I really didn't want to think of it like that)… I had been lying in. "I feel that," I murmured. I sniffed the air. "And I smell that too." I stared at the Pharaoh, eyes slowly widening. "This is the real world."

"It is," The Pharaoh informed me. "Yugi and I were never-"

I cut him off with a bear hug.

"Thank you," I whispered, clinging to the younger man and after a moment the Pharaoh hugged me back.

"It is alright Edwin… its okay." After a moment he pulled back enough and I winced at how weak I had been. We had other things to worry about. "Yugi and I weren't put I in the Virtual World… Noah didn't trust us not to meddle with his plans. What of you?"

"I… I was trapped in a dome. It was set to make my mind feel like years were going by when it was only seconds. He wanted to drive me insane." I managed a half smile. "Well, insaner." I shook my head. "Thanks for getting me out."

The Pharaoh though frowned. "Edwin… I just found you when the pod opened and you began to stir. I didn't let you out."

"…that's weird," I murmured. "I didn't let myself out either so-"

And that's when a solid white rectangle slid up from the ground in front of us.

"Edwin?" the Pharaoh asked but I shook my head.

"Not me," I stated.

"THE FIRST ROUND OF THE CONTEST HAS BEGUN! ENTER, CHAOS OF EARTH-1, ALONG WITH YOUR CHOSEN ALLY."

"I believe he is referring to the two of us," the Pharaoh said. "But who is that? And what is that thing?"

"That… would be Entropy."

"The being you spoke of after the Battle of the Eternal Gate? The one who said you would need to compete to determine good and evil and which was greater?"

"Yeah," I said, swallowing. "And I'm guessing that we just got drafted into the first round."

"We can't go though," the Pharaoh stated. "Our friends-"

"I don't think Entropy cares… and isn't going to take kindly if we delay." I held out my hand and Gleipnir flew into my grasp. I made sure my Morpher and my Lightsaber were also still on my person before taking a deep breath. "Okay… here we go."

And with that the Pharaoh and I stepped through the doorway… and left Earth-1 behind.

THE STORY OF EDWIN AND THE PHARAOH CONTINUES

IN THE BRAND NEW FANFIC

CHAOS WARS

Arc 1: The Chaos of Three Worlds

Starting Next Week

Author's Note: So, to explain what is happening: I have decided that Chaos Wars, a multi-year series of crossovers, will occur as its own fic. For the next roughly 16 weeks (or 8 chapters) Edwin and the Pharaoh will be out of this fic and dealing with Chaos Wars.

Now, before people begin to complain about that… the plan was always for these two to have a smaller role in the Virtual World Arc, at least for now, to allow other characters a chance to shine. We saw it with Joey's duel here, where Edwin and the Pharaoh had small roles… and we'll be seeing it with other duels as well.

Arc 1 will be "The Chaos of Three Worlds" and involve Edwin and the Pharaoh, along with a few others, working together to deal with the first challenge. They will then return to this story. The Virutal World arc WON'T end without them… I'm merely pulling them off the board so I can focus on other characters.