Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth

by DivadX

Yuhiro Furutani, one of 8 children kidnapped 10 years ago by an unknown group, now works as Raguel, an agent in LINK VRAINS' Black Market. One day, he fights the Knights of Hanoi and encounters Playmaker, who becomes his newest assignment. Follow Yuhiro as he now must decide who he wants to become: as both a duelist and as an individual.

111. Chapter 111: Braving the Elements

Response to Reviews

Thank you to Donkeyboy100, HunterHQ, Guest, Ambiguous, Anonymous, Noobmaster, Big Duels, Unknown, Kingdom Hearts Guy, Unnamed, Guest, Guest, 2hupedia and Melodias for reviewing Chapter 110 of Obscured Truth.

Hello, everybody! As of this chapter, we are on the last month of 2024, so I hope you're doing well and are safe and sound this holiday season! I really hope you enjoy this chapter, as while it's mostly a dialogue chapter, it does set things up for chapters down the road.

But let's move that aside for now and some reviews:

Donkeyboy100: Glad you liked the duel involving the 'Topologina' OC cards, as well as how they were used to help Pandor achieve victory in the end.

HunterHQ: I was able to watch some clips from Transformers One, so they helped piece together what was going on. Ai should definitely get an Oscar for his acting, which was certainly effective. One could say that his acting was almost like Vector's acting back in Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal, where he put the performance of a lifetime in his final duel against Shark. I'd say that the others are wary about Roboppy because they know of his increasing strength, especially since he defeated Pawn, Ondina, Ghost Girl, Blood Shepherd and Aerith in duels. Yuhiro has at last realized the impact of his sins, as they made him turn his back on what was important to him the most. The reason why Ai showed the chaotic duel footage between Yusaku and Yuhiro to everyone else was to show that he wasn't messing around. I can confirm that the envoys were seeing the duel between Ai, Akira and Aoi during Chapter 110, so expect their reactions to it in this chapter. If Brion did declare war on Yuhiro, then it'd only cause more problems down the road for both Japan and the entire world, which is of grave concern to him. Thus, expect to see his reaction to the footage and recent events in this chapter as well. Jericho's someone who's willing to whatever it takes to get the job done, and in this instance, he'd have no qualms in using the footage to turn everyone against Yuhiro. That's correct. Jericho preferred to duel not just to give him better odds, but so his wounds can further recover as well. While Zero did have counters against the ISO Gale crystals, he didn't have time to activate them for two reasons. First, he didn't recognize them until it was too late. Second, his priority was protecting Akira. Yup, Zero definitely inflicted some massive emotional damage to Jericho, as words have a great impact when combined with actions. Do note that Zero was at risk of losing his humanity if he chose to sacrifice his sons for victory, as it'd make him no better than Watchman as a result. Despite the disappointment Lycaon, Perseo and Jeromy showed, Zero still cared for his sons to the point where he'd rather have them face justice than let someone else dispose of each one. For his wife wouldn't want him to become a murderer. I will say this: Even if Pandor arrived to stop Jericho earlier on, the latter would have defeated Zero one way or another. So in the end, Jericho was the victor in the duel. I for one am beyond happy to see more 'AtIgnister' cards, as I can't wait to use them down the road. And the fact that one of them is a Link 5 monster means the deck gets even stronger. Ai now has both a Link 5 and a Link 6 monster to use at his disposal. Zero and the Autos have a unique ability for them to use in a duel, which, just like the ISO Morphosis, isn't a Skill at all. If Pandor had more strength, she could have been able to cancel the duel in its entirety. While I was honestly tempted to put in a part where Jericho contacted Brigadier to practically blow up SOL Technologies' private hospital, an important fact came into mind: Jericho is someone who wants to make sure he always had the advantage. He'd rather dangle a threat around someone's face than destroy it so it tortures them from the inside out. I can definitely recall how the Gundalians from Bakugan: Gundalian Invaders practically eliminated each other from the inside out out of persona agendas or their loyalty to Emperor Barodius, with the most infamous example being when Gill killed Kazarina. And had Gill kept his mouth shut, he would have got away with it. Regarding your comment about Ai, he was actually willing to give back the consciousness data if Akira had agreed to the deal. Though since Akira refused, then it meant that Ai had to be defeated for everyone's consciousness data to be released. Jericho didn't use the ISO Morphosis because he was confident that he could win against Zero. However, since Jericho's back was against the wall back in the previous chapter, he decided to unleash it. I will never use the Cyberspice Rush duel archetype, as the last thing I want is for reviewers to make inappropriate jokes about it. Zero will certainly not be happy once he learns about Souta's materializer, that's for sure. In terms of who helped the higherups try to overthrow Zero a long time ago, they were just people who had grievances against SOL Technologies itself. Those people were either caught by the authorities, fired by SOL Technologies or killed off to eliminate loose ends. Jericho captured and tortured so many living beings that the Throne of the Personas will be running for a very long time. If it was cut off from the captives, then while it would still work, it would lose the 'torture' factor in helping to break apart Jericho's enemies from the inside out mentally.

Guest: While Ai does have a grudge against Yuhiro, he does have hope that he can one day forgive him for what happened a long time ago. Though for the time being, Ai really wants to make sure that Yuhiro never forgets what he did, as well as the consequences his actions produced. I mean, regarding the 'AtIgnister' cards, they certainly provided a what-if scenario if Yusaku accepted Ai's offer to fuse with him.

Ambiguous: Jericho called Zero a fool for trusting humans because the former believed that qualities such as kindness, love, trust and mercy doesn't help someone win a battle. Nor do they help someone survive brutal scenarios. Jericho reunited the envoys of Albinor so he can use the heroes' greatest strength against them. Think of it like the Crystal King using Vengestone against the Ninja in Ninjago. Or to quote the Crystal King himself: "Let my enemies' weakness become my strength". Aoi and Miyu certainly put up a strong effort, but Ai won in the end due to his determination being stronger than theirs. Well, Raguel does have Arin, so there's a strong chance he and the heroes can fight back against the Cursed Boundary Layer should it return. One could say that the Cursed Boundary Layer is almost like the symbiotes from Marvel Comics as well. What you're saying in the case of the Kings is certainly true, as by murdering Zero and his wife, they'd be able to seize control of SOL Technologies. When that plan failed, they decided to pin the blame on Albinor Inc. for saving Zero's life. It'll take time for Zero to set things right between SOL Technologies and Albinor Inc., but the wounds both companies suffered will heal over time. Remember: The Kings and the other executives are at SOL Technologies' private hospital right now. For your inquiry regarding the unexpected help, I can't answer that question because it falls in spoiler territory. Jericho certainly made cards that were not only dangerous, but also helped him as well, so the possibilities of him creating even more dangerous cards are endless. The ISO Morphosis isn't a Skill like in a Master or Speed duel. Rather, it's an enhancement that the Isos can take on once per duel that affects them for the rest of said duel.

Anonymous: The answer to your first question will be revealed this chapter. I can see Ai salvaging Judgment Arrows using Lightning's remains that were in Bohman. Of course Jericho's confident, as he was wouldn't have admitted the truth if he weren't confident. Herald made only one Progleo. That's it. I mean, if Jericho used the energy of multiple captives to power Throne of the Personas, then he could have used the executives for such a purpose as well. You certainly make a good point, as once the truth comes out, then Jericho's gonna experience massive consequences. Rest assured, Lazarus will return in the future, as the Exodia archetype isn't done yet. If I'm being honest, I'm not a huge fan of Sevens and GO RUSH, as it didn't have the same animation the other previous Yu-Gi-Oh! series had. As for your other point, I can count Jaden and Yuya, as they were innocent and joyful, only for harsh reality to hit them in the face. Then again, whereas Jaden grew as a person, Yuya simply reverted back to his smiling philosophy upon being hit by harsh reality. Had Yuya been willing to see the common sense on when to use his smiling philosophy and when not to do so in battle against enemies, then he could have had the same growth Jaden had.

Noobmaster: Remember: Everyone except the Hanoi (a majority of them), Go, Pandor and Akira and Aoi battled against Ai clones, as their monsters weren't sentient unlike the real Ai's deck. If the previous chapter's anything to go by, it shows that Ai's unpredictable and willing to cross the line. Thoughts the AtIgnister monsters have on Judgment Arrows? Honestly, all of them would see Judgment Arrows as the card that brought nothing but pain onto everyone. Yet, given Ai's mission, they're willing to work with the card to ensure his mission is complete. Though whether Ai will destroy Judgment Arrows later on or not is what remains to be seen. Can you blame Jericho for being a little childish? It's one of the many things that helped him retain his intelligence. The guy has imagination and no limits whatsoever. I guess in a way, Brion's 'PSY-Frame' deck counts as Integration Summons, but only when they're geared to him in battle. Which silhouette are you talking about regarding the Season 3 opening? Can you please clarify?

Big Duels: Jericho certainly pulled a Vector not only by playing Throne of the Personas, but for also activating Contract with the Personas as well. I will say this: Jericho would have won one way or another even if Pandor arrived earlier to not only destroy the link between his life points and the bombs, but also diffuse them as well, especially since he had cards he can use from his hand to survive. Glad to hear that the 'Persona' deck is growing on you, as each duelist's deck symbolizes the user in a way. If you want a reminder, re-read the beginning of Chapter 102 on why Jericho chose the 'Persona' deck. Regarding the comparison, do note that the ISO Morphosis affects the player for the rest of the duel, not by giving them a Skill they can use once per duel. If you're curious on where I got inspiration for the ISO Morphosis from, it was from Super Dragon Ball Heroes. Specifically, the Dark Dragon Ball Enhancement. I can see Pandor making a copy of Topologina Nabee later on just to troll Ai down the road. Definitely funny for sure. While what Ai certainly told Raguel was very harsh, especially given the latter's actions several chapters ago, you have to remember that he's doing it for multiple reasons. In this case, Ai's doing it not only to make the heroes see him as a villain, but to also make sure he upholds his end of the deal with Jericho as well. After all, Jericho's someone who can see that something's not right, and will act in the event that things are not going according to his plan.

Unknown: That is certainly true, as both Raguel and Jericho became weaker upon discarding their humanity just to gain power. I mean, while what you're saying is true, Raguel still murdered someone. It is possible for the heroes to call upon other allies if push comes to shove. For your question on Krystal, she isn't retired, as she's younger than she looks. Re-read Chapter 74 to get a reminder if needed. Jericho will certainly need a wake up call down the road, especially given what he threw away in exchange for power. In terms of Water Leviathan's chant, do note that I combined the sub and dub versions of it together, so I hope it's good with you.

Kingdom Hearts Guy: No kidding, as many people lost duels against Ai and Roboppy. It's not just them, as Zero also lost his duel against Jericho.

Unnamed: It's unfortunate that betrayal always comes from those who are close to you. Never from your enemies. In life, trust is sadly hard to come by as well. For the ISO Morphosis, it isn't a Skill. Rather, it's an enhancement. Think of ISO Morphosis like the Dark Dragon Ball Enhancement in Super Dragon Ball Heroes. But to sum it up, ISO Morphosis basically makes Jericho unaffected by anything their opponent throws at him during his turn only, which includes cards, effects and Skills. The enemy can only impact Jericho during their turns only with cards, effects and Skills.

Guest: No. Anti-Skill would not be able to stop ISO Morphosis because the latter isn't a Skill. Rather, it's an enhancement. Think of ISO Morphosis like the Dark Dragon Ball Enhancement in Super Dragon Ball Heroes.

Guest: I mean, that's a possibility, as there were episodes where 'couples' worked along side one another in defeating their common opponents. While The Arrival Cyberse AtIgnister will have sentience, neither Darkwight nor Dark Infant will have sentience. Regarding the Deadly Seven, they only consist of Chaos Xyz monsters that appeared during the first part of Season 2 of Zexal. So since Gimmick Puppet Fanatix Machinix appeared a very long time after Zexal ended, it wouldn't be a part of the group. I will say that the previous Overseer was able to keep the branches in check not just by appealing to the rules each branch has to follow, but also getting some assistance from SOL Technologies in the event things went out of hand.

2hupedia: If you want to be bitter about a situation, then that's your decision. However, letting that bitterness linger for longer periods will only kill you from the inside out. But nonetheless, let's agree to disagree, shall we?

Melodias: Glad you like Obscured Truth so far. If you have questions, you can create an account and send me a PM.

Now that all the reviews have been answered, let's get to the next chapter, shall we? I hope you all enjoy!

Chapter 111: Braving the Elements

The screen is pitch black as the duel disks belonging to Yuhiro, Yusaku, Takeru, and Arashi slowly fall from the top, scattered around the screen, and leaving small trails of stardust behind them. All four duel disks hit an invisible ground in unison, causing them to explode into cards that were used by every character in the story so far. The cards continue to rain across the screen before the Cursed Boundary Layer blackens the screen completely, replacing it with a new scene.

The camera moves from left to right, showing a grassy field with Den City and the following characters: Yuhiro, Miyu, Aoi, Yusaku, Takeru, Arashi, Brea, Go, Roxy, Kusanagi, Greg, Quinton, Miles, Ryoken, Youta, Takeya, Akairo, Emma, Kengo, Akira, Brion, Rachel, Gil, Tsubaki, and Gekiryushi. The wind blows, causing each person's hair and clothes to be blown up a bit. The scene suddenly changes, revealing Playmaker, Raguel, Blue Maiden, Numera, Slipstream, Tigress and Aerith on one side. On the other side was Revolver, Specter, Lord Kazuma, Gil, and Soulburner, a destroyed LINK VRAINS behind them.

The screen then changes to show Yusaku and Ai in the streets of a raining Den City. Yusaku was looking down, and Ai was looking upwards, the rain drenching their clothes. Yusaku slowly looks up with a vexed expression, while Ai runs a hand through his hair and turns his gaze onward. In another area of Den City, Yuhiro is shown running as his strength was drained, having cried in despair as a silhouette of Yukage is shown with a smile before fading away in the rainy mist. Miyu and Roxy follow after Yuhiro, with Arin turning into a blanket to keep him warm as the quartet head back to Café Matsuo.

The Knights of Hanoi are shown next, with Revolver, Specter, Lord Kazuma, Baira, Faust, Dr. Genome, Dancho and Infearno appearing one by one. However, the images of Dancho and Infearno then disappear before being replaced by Demeter and Ondina. Simorgh, Bird of Sovereignty and Ghostrick Angel of Mischief appeared behind the two of them as well.

The screen then changes to show Akira walking on a sidewalk in the real world, having looked upwards at the sky. His image is shown on a large screen that Jericho was looking at back in his laboratory, as if having determined his next target. A sadistic grin appears on his face as seven colored orbs, one white, one black, one yellow, one red, one brown, one green and one blue orbit around him. Soon, Darkest Persona Force – Loki the Crow appears behind Jericho, and nearby was an imprisoned Watchman, who groaned in pain as he tried to recover from the torturous pain he received to no avail.

Aoi and Yusaku are shown sitting on a bench together, with Yuhiro and Miyu sitting on a similar bench nearby, the quartet gathering their thoughts together before speaking. The screen then shifts to Kusanagi and Katsuya driving the Café Nagi truck, with Roxy following after the duo by driving her car, as if the trio were on an important mission.

Ai and Roboppy are shown next, the camera zooming in on his right eye and revealing the reflection of Playmaker and Raguel. The reflection turns real, and the camera zooms in on Playmaker and Raguel's left eyes, showing Ai's reflection as his grin turns into a wider one.

Back in LINK VRAINS, Roboppy appears riding on his duel board, Appliancers Vacculephant and Laundry Dragon appearing behind him before he thrusted out his right hand, which caused both monsters to fly downward. Next, Ghost Girl and Blood Shepherd appear riding on their duel boards, Altergeist Memorygant and Battledrone General appearing behind the duo. Go Onizuka appears next, Gouki the Giant Ogre and Gouki the Great Ogre appearing behind him before being replaced by SengokuQueen, The Six Samurai – Tajima and Secret Six Samurai – Rihan appearing behind her. Stregone appears next, Quintet Magician and Nirvana High Paladin appearing behind him. Revolver appears seconds later, Borreload eXcharge Dragon and Borreload Dragon, along with The Fang of Critias appearing behind him. Drachen appears after Revolver as Red-Eyes Black Dragon, The Claw of Hermos and Archfiend Black Dragon Skull rise up behind him before being replaced by Lord Kazuma, with Dragon Magia Master, Dark Magician the Dragon Knight and Dark Magician – Showtime emerging behind him. Numera appears with Geomathmech Final Sigma behind her, along with Tigress as Superdreadnought Rail Cannon Gustav Max appears behind the latter. Slipstream is shown next, Clear Wing Synchro Dragon and Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon rising up behind him before being replaced by Soulburner, Salamangreats Heatleo and Pyro Phoenix also appearing behind him in the process. Percival, Electrolyzer and Gil then appear afterwards, Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, PSY-Framelord Omega and Abyss Actor – Ballistic Balladeer appearing behind the three of them. Last but not least is Zero, Yggdrago the Sky Emperor appearing behind him as energy surrounded his body.

Unbeknownst to all of the duelists, Jericho is shown looking down at them on a very tall building, three individual and darkened silhouettes on each of his sides appearing beside him as they disappeared to show Dogma, Brigadier, Juggernaut, Cryomancer, Despa and Apsed, and Bahamut. Silhouettes of duel monsters also appear behind the group one by one, with the first two being Dogmatika Alba Zoa and Tri-Brigade Shuraig the Ominous Omen. The next pair of duel monsters were Springans Ship – Exblowrer and Icejade Gymir Aegirine. The last pair of duel monsters were Despian Quaeritis and The Bystial Lubellion. The six duel monsters then disappeared, where Darkest Persona Force – Loki the Crow, along with Persona Soul – Pandora and Persona Force – Teferi the Mishima rose above the group before all three of them let out a loud roar. Standing away from the group were Issachar and Hallucina, with Blue Tooth Burst Dragon and Chimera the Illusion Beast also appearing before both monsters let out a loud roar.

Blue Maiden and Akira are shown back-to-back, their hands raised as Marincess Great Bubble Reef and Tindangle Acute Cerberus fire beams of energy at their common foe, determined expressions evident on their faces.

Ai is shown again, his lips curving into a grin as he points his right hand forward. The camera then zooms back to reveal he was in space and riding a duel board, Dark Templar AtIgnister, Wind Pegasus AtIgnister, and Light Dragon AtIgnister behind him. The three monsters charge forward at Raguel, Playmaker and Aerith. Raguel uses Cyreath Medusa to stop Wind Pegasus AtIgnister, Aerith uses Trickstar Bella Madonna to stop Light Dragon AtIgnister, and Playmaker uses Decode Talker to clash against Dark Templar AtIgnister.

A battle-wounded Raguel is shown facing off against Jericho in a desolate, network-like battlefield. Turboblaze Desolation Dragon appears behind Raguel, while a massive, six-winged humanoid appears behind Jericho.

At the Asagao Gardens, a picnic is being held. Roxy and Kusanagi are shown cooking hot dogs and hamburgers, while Greg and Katsuya are serving them to the group. On one side of the large picnic table was Yusaku, Aoi, Takeru, and Jin. Across from them was Yuhiro, Miyu, Arashi, Brea, and Rachel. Arashi makes a joke, which caused Brea to humorously punch him in the shoulder, a smirk on her face while a similar one appears on Rachel's face. Takeru laughs after seeing Arashi in pain, while Aoi and Yusaku let out a small chuckle as well. Jin, on the other hand, lets out a small gasp of concern for Arashi. Miyu is shown happily resting her head on Yuhiro's shoulder, the two of them smiling at one another in gratitude and happiness. Arin also raised his arms in joy upon seeing the happy expressions on Yuhiro and Miyu's faces, having sat on her shoulder to watch them. Afterwards, everyone present look up at the sky as a rainbow appears above the sun, smiles all evident on their faces.

In the real world…

Roxy reeved up the engine as Yuhiro and Rasterliger quickly got in the van, where the garage door opened up so she can began driving the vehicle, which headed onto the road seconds later. After driving on the road for a few minutes, Roxy headed towards an intersection, where she turned right before going down the road. Following a few more minutes of driving, Roxy turned left and entered in a parking lot, having parked in one of the spots seconds later upon arriving at a new location. One containing a mid-sized building that resembled a motel.

The front door of the motel opened, where Arashi exited the building before running over to the van, having got in the back set as Roxy started it up again. She backed up the van out of the parking lot and turned right, having proceeded to turn right once again before driving up the road. Upon heading to the intersection and waiting a full minute, Roxy turned the van right before going down the road, intent on racing over to the Den City Airport as fast as possible.

Silence filled the air as Roxy continued driving the van to the Den City Airport, everyone reflecting on what happened so far in the battle. Not only did Ai defeat almost all of the Knights of Hanoi in duels, but he also defeated Go, Pandor, Akira and Aoi as well. For Roboppy, he proved to be quite a strong duelist, especially since he was able to defeat one of the Hanoi members, along with Emma, Kengo and Miyu in duels. Overall, both Ai and Roboppy proved to be strong duelists, especially how they were able to catch their opponents off guard multiple times.

What was truly unsettling so far were two things. First, Ai activating Judgment Arrows during his duel against Akira and Aoi. It showed that he was intent on fulfilling his mission to the end no matter who or what was in his way. Given what Ai went through recently in losing the other Ignis, along with all the events that happened so far, the overwhelming pain made Ai resolute to the point where nothing would make him stand down. While Ai's intentions to get revenge on SOL Technologies by taking the Code Keys were obvious, everyone had a feeling that something else was going on behind the scenes. Something that everyone wanted to figure out before it was too late, especially when you took into account Jericho's appearance several weeks ago and how he infected Yuhiro with the Cursed Boundary Layer to use him as a pawn so he can accomplish three things.

One: Eliminate anyone who would try to oppose his plans.

Two: Capture Rachel and Ai to find the Root of All Knowledge's location and acquire it.

Three: Weaken Earth so Urizen's forces can take over the planet completely.

The other thing was Ai's decision to show everyone Yuhiro's duel against Yusaku when the former was infected by the Cursed Boundary Layer, which practically shocked everyone upon seeing it. Apparently, Ai showed the footage because of his anger towards Yuhiro not only for defeating Yusaku in such a brutal fashion, but for capturing him as well. It was likely that Ai also showed the footage in order to cause discord within the group, which would discourage them from fighting due to everyone's differing reasons in how to approach the situation after learning this egregious information. Perhaps there were other reasons why Ai chose to show the footage, but the only way to find that answer out was to look for him. In other words, by finding Ai, the group can get what they're looking for and eventually figure this mystery out.

Eventually, the van made it to the Den City Airport, where Roxy and the others saw the Café Nagi truck having just parked near Akira's plane. Roxy, Yuhiro, Rasterliger and Arashi got out of the car, where they saw Yusaku, Takeru and Kusanagi right beside the Café Nagi truck. The seven of them then walked up to the airstair before going upwards, where they entered into Akira's plane. and walked through the hallway to get to the lounge. From there, the group crossed through the area to enter into another room. One that contained VR chairs in the area.

And in one of those VR chairs was Akira, with Aoi, Miyu, Arin and Hayami looking at his unconscious body. The five of them soon turned to see Yusaku, Takeru, Kusanagi, Roxy, Yuhiro, Arashi and Rasterliger arrive, shocked expressions evident on all of their faces.

"Yusaku…" Aoi muttered upon seeing him, a sad expression on her face.

"Yuhiro…" Miyu added, who also had a sad expression on her face.

"Let's get Zaizen back to your place, Aoi." Yusaku spoke up, with Aoi nodding in agreement to what the former said. "Are you okay if you provide us with the address?"

Aoi pressed a button on her duel disk, where the address popped up on Yusaku's duel disk a few seconds later. "Here. This is the address to the apartment Akira and I are located at, Yusaku."

"We should hurry, guys. It wouldn't be wise to be here any longer than we already are right now." Yuhiro advised, which made everyone nod in agreement as he walked over to the VR chair Akira was sitting on before pressing a button on it, where the blue glass cover went upwards seconds later.

"H-H-Hold on a second! You can't just move Mr. Zaizen's body out in the open, or else people will ask questions!" Hayami protested, as Roxy walked over to Akira and gently picked his body up in her arms seconds later.

"You don't have to worry about us, as we have it covered." Kusanagi assured Hayami.

"Although we strongly ask that you don't tell a single soul about what happened." Roxy firmly requested before letting a growl out at Hayami, intent on making sure that she would fully adhere to it.

Hayami quickly nodded upon seeing the fierce expression on Roxy's face, not wanting to experience her infamous wrath. "O-Okay then. I wish you all the best."

"Please keep what happened a secret, Hayami, as well as the fact that you saw us. We don't want any trouble whatsoever." Yuhiro kindly requested, which made Hayami nod in response, knowing that this matter was an urgent one. Besides, given the people she saw right now, she deduced that they may be LINK VRAINS' heroes in the real world. Hayami would obviously keep this information a secret as a result, especially since they put their lives on the line to save the network multiple times.

With that, Yuhiro, Miyu, Arin, Aoi, Yusaku, Takeru, Arashi, Kusanagi and Roxy (with an unconscious Akira) exited the plane by walking down the airstair, having proceeded to head on over to the vehicles parked nearby the plane. While Aoi went with Yusaku, Takeru and Kusanagi, Miyu went with Yuhiro, Roxy, Arashi and Rasterliger after putting Akira's unconscious body in the Café Nagi truck. Once this was done, Roxy and Kusanagi turned on their respective vehicles before driving them out of the airport's parking lot, intent on driving over to the Zaizen residence.

A few minutes later, at the Zaizen residence…

Aoi pulled the blanket up over Akira's body, having done so to make sure he was kept warm. For it was never wise to leave an unconscious body out in the open, especially since the elements can still affect it even if the person wasn't conscious at the moment. "I couldn't protect my brother. It's all my fault."

"It's not your fault, Aoi." Yusaku tried to assure Aoi. "We were there too, but-."

"No. It's my fault." Aoi sadly insisted, having looked down at the ground in shame. Seeing this, Miyu sat down beside Aoi and gently grabbed the former's head before shoving it into her chest, having cradled it with her hands. This comfort allowed Aoi to cry seconds later, the sadness and everything that happened so far now weighing heavily in her mind. Arin also turned into a blanket to comfort Aoi further, knowing that she went through a lot lately.

Yusaku frowned, refusing to believe that Aoi was to blame for what happened to Akira. Ai was the one to blame for what happened to Akira, not Aoi in any way whatsoever. "Don't blame yourself, Aoi. Stay with Zaizen. We'll take care of things moving forward and find Ai in the network. Once we get more information, we'll keep you in the loop."

"That's easier said than done, Yusaku." Yuhiro pointed out, which got Yusaku's attention. "If Ai was able to hide in the network for five years from the Hanoi, as well as remain undetected all of this time, then we're going to need a very strong lead to find him."

"I think I may have an idea, but I know none of you will like it." Kusanagi spoke up, which got everyone's attention. "When Yuhiro kidnapped Yusaku, Gil was able to help us find his location through a method that was built off of our program in finding the other Ignis."

"I thought you said that Ai's algorithm helped us find Yusaku, Kusanagi." Takeru commented, which made Kusanagi turn to him.

"That's correct, Takeru. But Gil also helped us find Yusaku through his method and the program together."

"What do you mean, Kusanagi?" Roxy inquired.

It was Aoi who answered Roxy's question. "When Yuhiro had Judgment Arrows in his deck, we used Gil's copy of the card to find out where the former was in the network. Long story short, since Lightning's algorithm was in Judgment Arrows, the tracker you and the others used in finding the Ignis was able to locate where Yuhiro held Yusaku in captivity."

Yusaku immediately turned to Yuhiro after he put two and two together. "Judgment Arrows was in Ace's deck, wasn't it? That was the only way you could have obtained the card, as neither Lightning nor Bohman would be stupid enough to leave the card around after their defeats."

"It was, Yusaku." Yuhiro confirmed, as he took out his deck and pulled out Judgment Arrows. How could Yuhiro have allowed himself to use the same card that caused nothing but pain to everyone for the past while? The fact that Yuhiro allowed himself to sink just as low as Lightning and Azrael by using Judgment Arrows was one of the things he certainly regretted. It also showed how he was no better than those he fought against in battle.

"I doubt Gil will help us, guys." Arashi voiced his opinion. "After what Yuhiro did to him, I really don't think he'll want to get involved in what's going on."

"And if memory serves, Gil disappeared recently." Miyu added, having remembered how Gil ran off upon realizing that he didn't know what to do with his life since his mission for revenge was finally complete.

"Which means the only way we can find Gil is if he wants to be found." Roxy finished, before letting out a loud sigh. "You know what pisses me off more than Ai using Judgment Arrows? It's the fact that he had the audacity to show the brutal duel Yuhiro and Yusaku were involved in all those weeks ago! I mean, what Ai did was seriously low!"

"It was Ai's attempt to cause discord amongst us." Rasterliger realized. "The worst part is that one of the people who saw the footage was Brion, who's now the King of Central Japan. If Brion puts a bounty on Yuhiro, then he, along with all of us, will be in danger."

Silence filled the air as everyone in the room processed this information. This was not good at all, as if Brion became an enemy, it'd only become worse for them down the road. No one needed that right now, especially since Ai posed enough of a threat as it was right now.

"But if Brion does that, then he'll be risking the world's safety in return." Yuhiro countered Rasterliger's point. "Long story short, the both of us are in an unsteady, Mexican standoff here. If I'm being honest, I really don't want to lose Brion as an ally, as he was able to keep his morals despite everything that's happened to him."

Yusaku grit his teeth as the horrific memories from the past few weeks returned to his mind, which was due to the duel footage he saw earlier. The brutal loss clearly mirrored the pain he went through during the Lost Incident, and while it wasn't as bad compared to what happened to Yusaku ten years ago, it still clearly traumatized him. However, that duel reminded Yusaku of how powerless he felt during the Lost Incident, which still affected him from time to time. Long story short, it was like Yusaku was relieving the pain he felt from the Lost Incident all over again.

"Yusaku, are you okay?!" Kusanagi questioned, as he placed a hand on Yusaku's right shoulder, which returned the latter back to reality.

"I'm fine, Kusanagi. I'm fine." Yusaku assured Kusanagi and everyone else present, where they were all concerned for his wellbeing. "Let's go, guys." As such, everyone else turned to head out, only for Miyu, Arin and Roxy to stay behind.

"If it's okay with you, auntie, I'd like to stay with Aoi for the night." Miyu requested.

"That's perfectly fine, Miyu. For I knew you'd say that one way or another." Roxy stated, before turning to the others. "Miyu and I will stay with Aoi for the night to make sure she's okay. With everything that's happened lately, we need to be there for one another if we're to win this battle." That, and I don't want to take any risks regarding Aoi's current health right now, went unsaid.

"That's understandable, Roxy." Yuhiro agreed with Roxy's point. Since Aoi was dealing with a lot right now, it was only understandable for someone to stay with her for the night to keep her company. Not just that, but also provide comfort and care as well. "You're good with taking me back to Café Matsuo, right, Kusanagi?"

"I'm fine with that, Yuhiro." Kusanagi replied. "I'll also take Arashi back to the motel he's residing at for the time being."

"Works for me." Arashi added, as he, Yusaku, Takeru, Yuhiro, Rasterliger and Kusanagi began to once again head to the door, intent on calling it a night.

"Just be careful, guys." Aoi spoke up, which got everyone's attention. "With Gil unlikely to help us, and the fact that we don't have any other leads on Ai whatsoever, we'll have to tread carefully if we're to stop him."

"That's true, Aoi. Since Ai now has both Code Keys, SOL Technologies is under his control." Kusanagi stated the obvious. "No one knows what he'll do anymore."

"We'll keep you in the loop once we get more information." Yusaku promised once again. "In the meanwhile, get some rest." With that, he, Yuhiro, Rasterliger, Takeru, Arashi and Kusanagi headed to the door before closing it, having proceeded to begin leaving the area and head over to the Café Nagi truck, intent on calling it for a night.

Aoi felt herself fall apart once again as tears fell from her eyes, which led Miyu to gently comfort the former upon seeing her more upset than before. Roxy also sat down beside Aoi and put a hand on her shoulder to let the latter know that things will be okay in the end. I'm so sorry, Akira, Aoi thought in her mind, as she continued to cry. I failed you. You trusted me… and I failed you.

Except for Aoi crying, the whole room was silent as Miyu and Roxy sat in silence, having comforted their grieving friend. Even though the battle wasn't over, it still left its scars on those who were involved in it.

No more people will become unconscious in the battles to come. This was something Roxy, Aoi and Miyu will make sure never happens again, especially in a high-stakes battle such as this one.

Elsewhere, in the network…

Ai levitated in the air as both Code Keys appeared in his hands, which spun before they began to activate. After putting pieces of purple data material inside each one, he brought the Code Keys together, where they synchronized with each another successfully and formed into a light-blue, digital circle that had SOL Technologies' emblem at the center. The digital circle then floated in front of Ai, where a white line went vertically downwards and sliced the emblem in two, which led it to open like a gate for him. At last! Ai finally had access to SOL Technologies itself, and now that he did, he can do whatever he wanted with the company!

But Ai wasn't one to put all of his eggs in one basket, which was why he infused both Code Keys with pieces of his upgraded algorithm should something happen to him. Besides, the last thing Ai wanted was for him to seize control of SOL Technologies for his plans. If that happened, then the chances of the simulation involving the Crisis would come to pass. A simulation that'll make humanity face something worse than death should he succeed in his goal.

"Did we do it, master? Did we reach our goal?" Roboppy asked.

"We did, Roboppy. We definitely did." Ai confirmed, a triumphant smile evident on his face as he saw SOL Technologies' data core just behind the doors. Having seen this, Ai and Roboppy walked through the door, where they entered into a circular data room that resembled SOL Technologies' databank. Up ahead of the duo was a massive, blue core that contained all of the company's data, along with multiple files stored in the walls of the room. There were also multiple-colored orbs orbiting around the area, where one of them grabbed a file and inspected it before putting it back in its designated slot.

Now all I need to do is seize control of SOL Technologies' data core, Ai thought in his mind, as he and Roboppy began to head over to the blue core ahead of them.

WHOOSH!

Ai and Roboppy suddenly turned to their right as a portal opened up out of nowhere, where two silhouettes began to appear. Ones that the duo clearly recognized.

"Hey there, best buddies!" Jericho happily greeted Ai and Roboppy as he exited out of the portal, with Loki carrying an unconscious Zero over his right shoulder.

"Oh, great. It's you…" Ai groaned upon seeing Jericho and Loki.

"Why so serious, Ai? I'm here because the big guy Loki's carrying tried to stop your big triumph, which I took care of myself. You're welcome, by the way."

"You defeated Zero?" Roboppy questioned, surprise evident on his tone. If he recalled, one of Ai's clones didn't have the chance of defeating Zero. It wasn't just that, as not even one of Raguel's data clones could defeat Zero in their duel several weeks ago. But given how Jericho was able to defeat Zero in a duel, it was clear that he was either just as strong as him, or even stronger. Regardless, it clearly showed how more terrifying Jericho was when compared to Lightning, Azrael and Bohman.

"Of course I did, Roboppy." Jericho answered, as he looked around the area. "I can see you both got into SOL Technologies' data core, which kind of looks like the company's mother computer, don't you think?"

Come to think of it, the area does look like the mother computer, Ai thought in his mind, as he also took a closer look at the area. He really didn't have the time to ponder the infrastructure of the area, especially since Jericho was now on the scene. As a result, Ai had to tread carefully, lest he screw up and give Jericho another advantage. "What do you want?"

"You remember that deal we made on how you'd help me seize control of SOL Technologies and Albinor Inc., right?" Jericho reminded Ai and Roboppy, which made the duo frown upon hearing that reminder. "Gotta say, the both of you did quite the job succeeding in the task. Now it's time for you to give me the Code Keys, Ai, as your end of the bargain will be fulfilled once you do so."

"If I give you the Code Keys, you'll have control of SOL Technologies instead of me, which I worked very hard to obtain by the way." Ai countered. "And let's be honest here: You didn't plan on letting Roboppy and I go from the very start. Nor did you plan on fulfilling those promises you made back in the ruined Cyberse World." He summoned the greatsword with a violet blade in his hands while Roboppy pulled out a long whip that had a batter charger on both ends.

Jericho chuckled after seeing Ai and Roboppy's defiance, where he suddenly let out a laugh seconds later. "What do you think vermin like you can accomplish despite being hailed as the wisest of the Ignis, Ai? Let me show you what happens to those who commit mutiny against me, as they will see no mercy and never defy me again!"

Before Ai and Roboppy could react, Jericho let out a loud shout as a purple and black-colored aura began to surround his body, which cackled with electricity seconds later. Suddenly, Jericho charged forward and punched Ai in the gut with such force that the latter was pushed back several feet. Jericho unsheathed the short sword from his sheath with his right hand while a blade made of data material appeared in his left hand, intent on continuing the attack. However, Roboppy swung the whip in his hands forward, which ensnared Jericho's left arm and temporarily restrained him. Due to this, Ai was able to regain his bearings and charge forward at Jericho, having proceeded to slash him with the greatsword in his hands.

Jericho stumbled back a step or two as he slowly his bearings to try and fight back against Ai and Roboppy, the latter having managed to restrain him with all of his strength. Seeing a stunned Jericho in front of him, two brown, rock-hard gauntlets appeared on Ai's arms while pieces of rock-hard greaves and shoulder pads also appeared on his body. From there, he charged forward and punched Jericho several times to further weaken him. Ai even delivered a knee strike onto Jericho's stomach, which even made him lost balance as a result.

I just need to keep putting the pressure on Jericho a little longer, Ai thought in his mind, as he rolled out of the way to evade blasts of data material Jericho fired out of the blade of data material. He also narrowed his eyes upon seeing the wounds on Jericho's left forearm and right bicep. It's clear that Jericho's been wounded before, though not from our previous battle. Eventually, Jericho will tire himself out due to those wounds of his, and Roboppy and I will be able to escape! "Provide cover fire for me, Roboppy."

"You got it, master." Roboppy said, as he immediately pulled out a gun resembling a combination of an elephant and a vacuum cleaner before firing a laser out of it at Jericho, who dodged it in response. Ai then charged forward as a yellow and gold-colored lance appeared in his hands, where he tried to strike Jericho with it. However, Jericho parried the attacks using the short sword and blade of data material in his hands, having chuckled a few seconds later once again.

"Sorry, but I have to put this waste of time to an end…" Jericho muttered, a grin on his face as he released a burst of purple and black-colored energy from his body that not only pushed Ai and Roboppy back, but also stunned them as well. He quickly slashed the air to create two, glowing yellow X's, each of which had two columns on their sides. From there, Jericho quickly fired the yellow, glowing X's at Ai and Roboppy, the both of them preventing the duo from moving upon impact. Black and purple energy surrounded Jericho's hands before he fired them at Ai and Roboppy, which caused a small explosion that not only sent the duo flying off the ground, but also land on their backs upon impact as well.

Once this was done, Jericho fired blasts of data material from the blade of data material at Roboppy, where they restrained the latter and prevented him from assisting Ai. Seeing that Roboppy was restrained, he walked towards Ai before kneeling down to him, the farce of a battle having nearly reached its end. From there, data material surrounded Jericho's right arm as it began to vibrate, where he plunged it straight into Ai's chest to begin searching for the Code Keys. This made Ai scream in pain as Jericho continued his search, where he pulled the Code Keys from the former's chest after a full minute had passed upon locating them.

"Ah. Here they are. Thanks for doing the grunt work, Ai. You've clearly made things easier for me." Ai slightly opened his eyes as he grabbed Jericho's right arm in an attempt to retake the Code keys, who merely smirked back in response. "I'd kill you now, but there's still something else I need from you, and it's not just your algorithm. As for what it is, you'll find out in due time." Jericho flicked Ai's forehead with his left index finger, which knocked the latter unconscious seconds later.

After that was done, Jericho pointed the blade of data material in the air before firing data material from it, where a portal opened up upon doing so. After picking up an unconscious Ai and Roboppy, Jericho and Loki (with an unconscious Zero) walked into the portal to return back to base, which closed up from behind them seconds later.

Several minutes later, in Jericho's server…

WHOOSH!

The envoys (except for Juggernaut, who wasn't here) turned to their right upon seeing a portal open up. All of them soon noticed a silhouette begin to emerge from it. One they obviously saw before.

"Welcome back, Master Jericho." Dogma greeted Jericho with a bow, as the latter emerged from a portal with Loki behind him, who carried an unconscious Zero over his right shoulder. As for Jericho, he carried an unconscious Ai and Roboppy over his shoulders. "It seems the mission went well."

"It certainly did, Dogma." Jericho agreed, as he threw the unconscious and bruised Ai and Roboppy down to the ground. "As of now, Zero, Ai and Roboppy are no longer a threat to us."

"Ah, so that's what Zero looks like." Apsed commented, having looked at Zero just now. "Doesn't he literally look like SOL Technologies' previous ruler?"

"That's because he is in the flesh, Apsed." Despa firmly answered Apsed's question.

"Did the old man at least put up a good fight, Jericho?" Bahamut inquired, which made Jericho nod in confirmation.

"He certainly did, Bahamut. Caught me off guard several times." Jericho honestly told Bahamut. This was clearly true, as Jericho was outsmarted multiple times in his duel against Zero. He then snapped his fingers, where Pandora and Teferi appeared seconds later. "Help Loki in taking the prisoners to the prison area of this server. Make sure they're kept alive as well, as I need things from them."

"Of course." Pandora complied, as she picked up Roboppy while Teferi picked up Ai, where they followed Loki to a set of stairs that extended down to the next level below so they can fulfil Jericho's orders. Unbeknownst to everyone, Zero was slowly regaining consciousness, having proceeded to gain an awareness on what was going on and where he was at following his duel against Jericho. Though he obviously didn't have enough strength at the moment, he had to bide his time for the time being, and only once he was back to normal would he then try to escape.

With that done, Jericho looked around the area, having noticed that there was one less envoy present. "Where'd Juggernaut go?"

"She-." Cryomancer began speaking, before the group turned to see Juggernaut suddenly logged into the network.

"About time you came back, Juggernaut." Jericho stated, as he crossed his arms. "Care to explain where you went?"

"Sorry for being late, Jericho." Juggernaut apologized. "I felt queasy earlier, so I needed to return to the real world so I can get some rest."

"I can advocate for Juggernaut, Jericho. The stress she's felt as of late must have accumulated onto her to the point where she needed a small break." Dogma told Jericho, who let Juggernaut take a break in the real world so she can get some rest.

Jericho frowned after hearing Juggernaut's answer. In a way, Dogma was right, as Juggernaut was also busy in being the Chairwoman of the Tokyo Horizon Institute. Besides, it wouldn't be fair to make Juggernaut suffer from burnout, as fresh minds filled with rest were needed for what's to come. "I understand, Juggernaut. Thank you for explaining. Though please give me a heads-up next time, as I was worried that something happened to you."

"Thank you for understanding, Jericho." Juggernaut responded, relieved that Jericho wasn't angry or firm with her. After all, he was once a human, so he understood the necessity of things such as food, water and rest.

"In the time you were resting, Juggernaut, there were two duels going on with pivotal information in them." Cryomancer firmly told Juggernaut.

"Duels?" Jericho raised an eyebrow, now wanting to know what he missed out on while he battled against Zero.

"We're not robots, Cryomancer. We need to rest in order to recharge our energy for the next days' tasks." Hallucina told Cryomancer, having supported Juggernaut's decision in taking a short breather earlier.

"On the topic of robots, I wanted to speak to you about your AI, Hallucina." Jericho interjected, which got Hallucina's attention. "While Lazarus put up a good fight, it lost against the Hanoi's pet AI Pandor in their duel. Still, it fulfilled its purpose in delaying our enemies, so I'll be letting this failure slide for now."

"I'll analyze what happened and make sure such a thing won't happen again." Hallucina promised.

"See to it that the task is done as soon as possible, as I'll be needing Lazarus's services later on, especially given the strength our enemies possess at the moment."

Hallucina nodded. "Alright. I'll make sure it's done." With that, she logged out of Jericho's server, intent on getting the job done.

"Jericho, you need to see this." Brigadier said, which got Jericho's attention as the former gestured him to look at the light-green monitor, where it showed Blue Maiden and Akira's duel against Ai. As for the digital screen nearby, it showed Aerith's duel against Roboppy.

"So these are the two duels I missed…" Jericho muttered, wanting to know what happened in them.

"Aerith nearly defeated Roboppy on the first turn of the duel, sir." Dogma explained. "The card she played in Dark Room of Nightmare, along with the 'Trickstar' deck's specialty in inflicting effect damage during either player's turn, would have resulted in her obtaining an infinite One Turn Kill if she had more 'Trickstar' monsters to bring out to her field."

"But it was obviously not enough for her to win, as Roboppy was able to jump over Aerith's defenses and defeat her in the end with no resistance whatsoever." Cryomancer firmly pointed out. "Since Aerith saw Roboppy's previous duels, she should have taken into account that some of his monsters can attack directly while they're not co-linked. Had she done so, she would have likely survived the turn with some life points remaining."

"Even if a duelist knew how their opponent's deck worked, there are multiple factors that can determine how a duel will end, Cryomancer. Some examples including not getting the cards needed to defend oneself, the opponent being able to persevere through their turn despite multiple setbacks, a card with an unexpected effect that can throw a duelist off guard appears-."

"You don't need to provide a list of the factors, Dogma. I'm perfectly aware that not everything in a duel is linear."

Jericho narrowed his eyes as he looked at the conclusion the duel, where Arin wrapped himself around Aerith in order to protect her from the fall. I thought all the Shadow Giants were all destroyed. Yet one still lives, Jericho thought in his mind, a grin on his face. It appeared that fortune continued to smile on Jericho, as he now had another lead to make sure things remained according to plan. If Jericho captured Arin, then he can use the latter's DNA to create another Cursed Boundary Layer, which would further help in weakening Earth. Not just that, but throw an unexpected monkey wrench in any plans Playmaker and the others were making to stop Jericho as well!

"Are you alright, sir?" Dogma asked Jericho, which made the latter snap out of his thoughts.

"I'm fine, Dogma." Jericho simply answered, pleased to see that there was a Shadow Giant still alive. And the fact that it was the smallest one was even better, as Arin's destruction will likely lead to Raguel snapping once again if he timed it just right.

"You found something, haven't you?" Brigadier figured out, which made Jericho turn to him.

"I did, Brigadier. Let's keep an eye on Aerith for now, as she may have something that can help us down the road."

Brigadier nodded back in confirmation, having understood Jericho's instructions in the process. Whatever Jericho found, it must be important for him to ask that we keep tabs on Aerith, Brigadier thought in his mind. He was, however, curious on what Jericho found after looking at the duel footage between Aerith and Roboppy. Maybe it was a secret weapon Playmaker and the others had on hand in an attempt to stop Jericho's plans. Or perhaps it was something the envoys didn't know about. Something that Jericho was hiding from them for some reason. Whatever it was, Brigadier wanted to find out for himself, as it was never wise to engage in battle against someone if you didn't have the proper knowledge on hand in advance.

"Pardon the intrusion, Jericho, but I believe you should see the Dark Ignis' duel against Blue Maiden and Zaizen." Despa interjected.

"It was spectacular, Jericho. The Dark Ignis clearly put on a show in that duel, especially given the suspense and terror it evoked." Apsed added.

"Then let's see it." Jericho replied, as the group turned over to see the duel footage of Ai battling against Blue Maiden and Akira play out. In Jericho's mind, he expected Ai to keep Judgment Arrows, especially since an Ignis like Lightning created it. It was also a powerful weapon that was be wielded efficiently if the user had the means to keep it on the field. For many individuals tried to wield Judgment Arrows, and of those individuals, only Lightning and Bohman were able to use it efficiently.

The duel also gave Jericho more information on what else Ai had in his deck, as the footage pretty much confirmed Cryomancer's earlier theory on him being able to use all the summoning methods by showing his Ritual monster in combat. With this footage, Jericho would now be able to fully take on Ai in a duel if needed. Then again, Jericho wasn't one to play by the rules of humans, as all bets were off.

"Truly spectacular, don't you think? Seeing the agony on their faces truly makes the show entertaining."

Jericho clapped with his hands upon seeing the conclusion of the duel footage, which showed Akira and Blue Maiden swirling in a typhoon of water before they were spat out afterwards. "It truly was, Apsed. It definitely was."

"Ai's strength is the real deal. His way of dueling, along with how he treats his duel monsters as allies rather than tools has clearly earned him my respect." Bahamut decided, having clearly respected Ai duelist to duelist for those reasons.

"The Dark Ignis is a true survivor of many tragedies. It's a sad, but unfortunate motivator in this world, so I get what he's going through." Brigadier acknowledged.

"What Ai did was necessary, as he got the job done." Cryomancer stated, as she crossed her arms. "At least he managed to finish his task so it doesn't bother him later on."

Dogma frowned after seeing the duel footage. He never knew how much Ai suffered due to everything that happened so far, as like Brigadier said, the loss of the other Ignis clearly motivated him into acting this way. Due to this, Dogma felt conflicted in the matter, and it was clear that Juggernaut felt the same way. Was it worth waging battle against Playmaker and the others in order for Jericho's plans to prosper? Or was there something Dogma was missing at the moment? Something that Dogma wasn't aware of. Something that Dogma clearly wanted to find out before it was too late to do so.

Jericho pressed a button on his duel disk, where the two Code Keys orbited above it. "Thanks to Ai's efforts, I now have SOL Technologies' Code keys, which means the true work can begin."

"True work?" Despa and Apsed repeated.

"That's right, gentlemen. Both SOL Technologies and Albinor Inc. can now begin on completing the Eclipse Initiative while we focus-." Jericho began confirming, before the Code Keys suddenly burned with violet-colored energy, which made him drop them to the ground upon noticing that something wasn't right here. "The Hell?!"

Brigadier knelt down to the ground as he picked up the Code Keys with his hands, where his eyes glowed with a red color before he analyzed them. The crazy thing was that Brigadier wasn't affected at all despite the Code Keys burning with violet-colored energy. "After examining the keys, I have come up with two theories, Jericho. One: The Code Keys were tampered with either by the Dark Ignis or someone else. Two: The Code Keys don't recognize you as their true owner, which means you have to kill the previous owner if you wish to efficiently use them."

"I remember Dairoku saying that the higherups and a few select individuals had their DNA scanned into the Code Keys so they can use them if needed." Dogma recalled.

"Then it's simple. We go to SOL Technologies' private hospital and get answers from the higherups." Cryomancer stated. "If they don't comply, then we'll get samples of their DNA and blow the whole place up. Kill two birds with one stone, if you ask me."

"Though I agree with your idea, Cryomancer, I still detest it." Bahamut voiced his opinion. "Not only are there many innocent people at that hospital who will likely see us-."

"Oh, lighten up a little, Bahamut. The higherups already had their chance to defend themselves, and they failed quite miserably if you ask me." Apsed interrupted, having quickly discerned what Bahamut meant by his comments earlier, especially given the latter's honor and how he didn't like dirty tricks. "Surely, a part of you clearly recognizes that honor doesn't have a say in every matter, right?"

"Apsed makes a valid point, Bahamut. We proved our superiority over the higherups, so it's only right for us to demand that they do what we say." Despa supported Apsed's point.

"Well, excuse me for keeping my code of honor all of this time." Bahamut remarked, slightly irked with what Apsed and Despa said just now despite clearly agreeing with their points. Nonetheless, there were some things Bahamut clearly didn't like, as he'd prefer to hold onto his code of honor to the very end than resort to dirty tactics just to win a duel.

Jericho frowned after processing this information. This meant Ai was the only one able to assist with this matter, and Jericho was honestly glad he didn't kill him, as things would be much harder if he did so earlier. "Here's a better idea. Let's interrogate Dairoku and Ai for answers, as the former created the Code Keys while the latter obtained them for us. Besides, the both of them have things on hand that I need."

"And what would that be, sir?" Dogma questioned.

"For Dairoku, he has a secret weapon that can be of great use to us." Jericho began answering. "As for Ai, he has something that can be beneficial in achieving the Unity." He then turned over to Despa and Apsed. "The both of you will be with me, as I'll need your skills in getting information from the prisoners. As for everyone else, make sure that SOL Technologies and Albinor Inc. begins its efforts on completing the Eclipse Initiative. Along with achieving the Unity, this is our topmost priority."

After the other envoys nodded in compliance, Jericho motioned for Despa and Apsed to follow after him, where the trio went to the set of stairs before walking down them. Upon entering the prison area of his server, the trio went down the hall and headed down to one cell that held a particular person.

Having noticed that Watchman was sleeping, Jericho knocked on the cell door loudly, which waked him up. "Hey, Arshad. You awake in there? Or are you acting like a dead man? Because I'll know one way or another."

Watchman slowly opened his eyes after seeing who was here. "From what I heard, it looks like you brought your old team back together. I do wonder how they'll react if they find out the truth-."

SNAP!

Jericho snapped his fingers as data material appeared and blocked Watchman's mouth out of nowhere, which lowered the volume of his voice so no one can hear his words. Well, except for the people that were at his cell, of course.

"Oh, Arshad. You still act so self-righteous after everything that's happened so far, huh?" Jericho taunted Watchman. "What's sad is that you still haven't found out the truth on why things turned out the way they currently are after all of this time."

"The old man has no more information to give, Jericho." Despa told Jericho. "Let's go interrogate Zero and Ai to get the information you require."

"Shush, Despa. This is about to get really good!" Apsed exclaimed, now wanting to know what Jericho was about to say next.

"Here's the truth, Arshad. You truly failed in stopping my father, the disciples and I the moment you began to work for Dr. Kogami all those years ago by partaking in the Lost Incident." Jericho continued. "It's not just that, as your close contact with Myojin inadvertently helped the envoys track down and eliminate him and his beloved family."

"Impossible! There's no way your envoys could have tracked down Myojin and Lyla! I made sure they were safe!" Watchman exclaimed, shocked that the envoys were able to track down Myojin and Lyla sometime after Urizen and his followers were banished to the dark side of the network.

Jericho chuckled. "But their deaths happened one way or another, Arshad. Those deaths were what motivated you to choose victims so you can try to get revenge on my father for what he did, along with saving humanity and eradicating sin, of course. In addition, one of those victims you chose, whose name was Azrael, caused the near eradication of the Inquisitorius. As a result, Dogma had to take the remnants and rein them in to make sure they're operational."

"This can't be!" Watchman gasped. He clearly wasn't aware that the Inquisitorius was nearly destroyed all those years ago. Nor was he aware that one of the Lost Incident victims were responsible for doing such a thing.

"You've also had many chances to kill the Knights of Hanoi, yet you didn't. You chose the 'merciful path' in an attempt to gain more pawns for your plans." Jericho grinned. "Due to your stupid decision, the Hanoi was allowed to cause chaos, and their precious little tower was what enabled me to come back in the first place."

Watchman narrowed his eyes back in defiance to what Jericho said just now. "Myojin and I made sure to fully seal the dark net away from the rest of the network, as well as destroy all connections between the two of them so that you, your father and his disciples can never return. There was no way the Tower of Hanoi would be able to undo all of those things."

"But it did in the end, old man, and now I'm here." Jericho responded. "Moving that aside, your decision to use pawns rather than take action cost you big time, as your allies alienated you the moment the truth got out. And thanks to the battles in Mirror LINK VRAINS weakening you guys, none of you were able to stop me from grabbing the remnants of the seven other Ignis for myself once they all settled down."

"Damn you…" Watchman seethed in pure anger.

"Do you also remember when you and I battled against one another in the network? Well, all those wounds I dealt to you were ones that allowed me to track your whereabouts in the network." Jericho pressed a button on his duel disk, where it showed pieces of purple data material filled with a code algorithm. It then glowed with an orange color, which indicated that the algorithm belonged to Watchman himself. "It enabled me to find where Zero's base was in the network and damage his base of operations, as well as capture you in the process. What's more, Ai and Roboppy are now enslaved to do my bidding. Long story short, you are the sole instigator of all of this, Arshad! You are the one who accelerated what's to come, not stop it! In the end, all of this is on your head!"

Watchman's eyes widened in terror as the revelations on his actions processed in his mind. In his quest to avenge Myojin and Lyla, as well as save humanity by eradicate sin, his actions caused more harm than good. The consequences that spawned from Watchman's actions included the near eradication of the Inquisitorius at Azrael's hands and Jericho's return from the dark side of the network. It also led to Jericho being able to damage Zero's base of operations and enslave Ai and Roboppy for his plans in helping Urizen return back to the network. Overall, everything that's happened so far truly was Watchman's fault. "I can't believe this…"

Jericho laughed upon seeing the look of pain on Watchman's face. "Don't feel bad, Arshad. I brought you a gift in your old friend Dairoku, who is a cell or two nearby to cheer you up. Now you guys can catch up and lament how you're both failures to this world." With that, Jericho, Despa and Apsed left Watchman's cell, having driven Watchman's failures down into his mind.

"Bravo! Bravo, Jericho! What you did was truly magnificent!" Apsed praised Jericho for how he mentally tortured Watchman.

"While it certainly was, Jericho, we still have the other prisoners to attend to if you're looking for answers." Despa reminded Jericho.

"You need not remind me, Despa." Jericho replied back, as the trio headed down the hallway before turning to another cell nearby, where they saw Zero inside it. He then knocked on the cell door, which got Zero's attention seconds later.

"Just when you already defeated me, you come back for more, huh?" Zero taunted. "Whatever it is you want, you're not going to get it, Jericho."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that, Dairoku. For you have something I need. The Maximum Formula."

Zero narrowed his eyes back at Jericho. "There's no way I'll hand over the Maximum Formula to you, as you're not worthy of using it."

"Hey, pal. Your sons and the other executives are still in that private hospital. If you don't comply, then I'll have one of the envoys go over there and blow the place up." Jericho reminded Zero.

"I'll never give the Maximum Formula to you." Zero defiantly replied back.

"Alright, then." Jericho turned over to Despa and Apsed. "Gentlemen, see if you can get Zero to comply with my reasonable request. While I obviously don't want you guys to kill him, put Zero to a place where he'll cooperate just to escape the pain."

"I thought you'd never ask!" Despa exclaimed, a grin evident on his face.

"YES! Let the torture begin!" Apsed cheered, as he and Despa entered into Zero's cell, ready to begin their torture routine. While they began to do so, Jericho walked away from Zero's cell and headed down the hallway, where he wanted to speak with the other two prisoners that were brought into the area recently.

Nearby were two cells, with Ai being restrained in one cell while Roboppy was in the cell right next to it. Standing guard at these two cells were Pandora and Teferi, ready in the event Ai and Roboppy planned on launching any unexpected plans to escape from their predicament.

"No signs of movement from either of them." Pandora reported.

"They're still breathing, which is clearly a good thing." Teferi added. "Pandora and I also checked to make sure neither of them were up to any funny business."

"You've done well, Pandora and Teferi. I'll take it from here. Return immediately." Jericho replied, as he pressed a button on his duel disk. Soon, Pandora and Teferi turned into particles that went into Jericho's duel disk a few seconds later. Once that was done, Jericho simply knocked on the cell door loudly, which made Ai wake up after hearing it.

"Quite rude to wake someone up, don't you think?" Ai questioned, as he briefly looked around the area he was in right now. "Interesting. So this is where you've been hiding all this time. I do wonder how you've been able to launch your plans without Lightning, the Hanoi or anyone else being able to find your whereabouts this whole time."

"That's not relevant right now, Ai." Jericho crossed his arms. "I don't know what you did to SOL Technologies' Code Keys, but you're going to undo whatever program or thing you've done that's preventing me from using them."

Ai merely chuckled back at Jericho after hearing his demands for assistance. "And why should I help you with that matter? I clearly got you SOL Technologies' Code Keys, so it's your problem to fix, not mine."

Jericho slightly grit his teeth upon seeing Ai continually defying him. "You're still showing defiance after all this time? Wow. While I knew you're the wisest of the Ignis, I didn't expect that wisdom to make you stupidly blind to what's happened up until now. Or do I need to remind you what will happen to your loved ones if you don't comply?"

"I'm not afraid of you because I have nothing to lose, Jericho. Even if you kill me, my death will only rally others to stop you, your allies and your plans." Ai defiantly said back.

Jericho opened the cell door to Ai's cell, intent on completing his other reason on why he visited the cell in the first place. "It's a good thing I spared your life, Ai, as I wouldn't be able to try and fix the Code Keys if you were dead. Besides, aside from your algorithm, there's still something else I need from you."

"Is that what you think? Because there's nothing else you can take from me now that you got my algorithm and the Code Keys."

"You and I both know that's a lie, Ai. After all, you obtained a special gift upon absorbing the remnants of the other Ignis a while back." Jericho countered, as he entered inside Ai's cell, where the restraints around the latter's body further restricted his movement so he couldn't move whatsoever. Data material once again surrounded Jericho's once arm to make it vibrate once more, where he plunged it straight into Ai's chest to begin searching for the special gift inside him. This made Ai scream in pain once again as Jericho continued his search for a minute or two, having pulled out a rainbow-colored orb filled with data material from the former's body by the time it was over.

"Ugh…" Ai groaned in pain as he felt pain coursing through his body. Though he was able to make his ultimate monster using the remnants of the other Ignis prior to encountering Jericho, he was clearly still angry with what the latter for stealing something that was precious to him. After all, the other Ignis gave their remaining essence to help Ai and Playmaker defeat Bohman in Mirror LINK VRAINS, so what Jericho did just now in stealing that gift defiled their sacrifice.

"This will prove to be quite useful for my plans moving forward." Jericho put the rainbow-colored orb filled with data material into his duel disk, and once he did that, a blade of data material appeared in his left hand. He also unsheathed the short sword from his sheath with his right hand, having pointed it at Ai. "You and Roboppy were good servants, Ai, but it's time for you to die." He then swung the blades in his hands towards Ai, intent on killing him before going over to kill Roboppy once the deed was done.

"Master Jericho! There's an urgent concern I need to address with you!" Dogma exclaimed, as he ran down the stairs and headed over to Jericho, who turned to the former upon hearing his voice. Due to this, Jericho was forced to halt the attack, now wanting to know what was going on.

"What's the matter, Dogma?" Jericho inquired, having noticed the urgency in Dogma's voice just now. For Dogma wouldn't have come here unless something unexpected happened. One that Jericho had to immediately take care of, lest it get in his way later on.

"Hallucina called just now and asked for your assistance regarding the Eclipse Initiative." Dogma explained. "According to what she told me, the resources SOL Technologies and Albinor Inc. have on hand aren't synergizing with the technology from your server. If this isn't corrected, then Issachar's materializer won't be able to properly materialize the technology from its origin point. Or to sum it up in terms you'll understand, neither your technology nor anything else related to it won't be able to appear in the network whatsoever."

Materializer? Eclipse Initiative? Now this just got interesting, Ai thought in his mind, as he paid close attention to what he heard just now. Perhaps if Ai found a way to play some mind games on Dogma, he can get some more information on what's going on, especially since the Eclipse Initiative appeared to revolve around Jericho's plans. For until now, Ai didn't know about the existence of the Eclipse Initiative, and wanted to know more so he can pass the information down to Playmaker and the others later on as soon as he can.

Jericho grit his teeth after hearing this information. Just when the Eclipse Initiative was ready to start, a problem clearly presented itself. One that would have repercussions if it wasn't addressed right away, especially since it involved the dark side of the network itself. While he expected there being challenges regarding the technology from the dark net, he didn't expect it to be this bad. Unfortunately, since Jericho was the only one around who was familiar with the technology in his server, this meant he had to deal with this matter personally. "Fine. I'll go check it out. In the meanwhile, Dogma, I have a task for you." He pressed a button on his duel disk, where the Code Keys were transferred over to Dogma's duel disk.

"You're giving me the Code Keys, sir?" Dogma inquired.

"Only for the time being, Dogma. Interrogate Ai and find out how to disable what he did to the Code Keys. I expect results by the time I come back." Jericho quickly said, before he logged out of his server, intent on assisting Hallucina with this urgent matter at hand.

Due to what happened just now, Dogma was put in charge of keeping an eye on Ai and Roboppy, along with figuring out how to undo whatever Ai did to the Code Keys upon obtaining them. Silence mostly filled the air as all they heard was screams, which clearly came from Zero because of the torture session Despa and Apsed were inflicting onto him.

"Your name's Dogma, right? And you're a calm and reasonable person unlike Jericho, yes?" Ai asked both questions at the same time.

"You are correct on my name, Ai. As for your other question, I am a calm and reasonable person." Dogma answered both questions back. "If I were in your position, I'd undo whatever it was you did to the Code Keys. After all, the last thing you want is to be tortured by those two nearby."

"Those two?" Ai raised an eyebrow after hearing the last part of that answer. Ah. It seems that there were other people who were loyal to Jericho. Not just that, but there were other prisoners in this area residing in those cells. If Ai found a way to break out of his cell, then he can rescue Roboppy and everyone else that's imprisoned in this server.

"Yup. They're quite known to be masters of torture itself. One acts like a ruthless bad cop while the other acts like a compassionate good cop. Sometimes, both masks slip away and they proceed to brutally torture a victim until they give in. It's quite… unsettling, if you ask me." Dogma frowned as Zero's screams continued to echo in the area, having sensed that Despa and Apsed were enjoying their time with Zero a bit too much. "Excuse me." He walked down the hallway in order to get Despa and Apsed to calm down, as if they tortured Zero too much, they'd end up killing him.

Ai turned his head to Roboppy's cell, where he saw him still unconscious inside it. "Don't worry, Roboppy. I'll get us out of here. I just need a little more time understanding this place, as well as determine who has enough compassion to help us out here." This was clearly true, as Ai wanted to get an understanding of the place he was in before trying to break out of his bindings. He also wanted to acquire as much information about this server as possible so he can pass it onto Playmaker and the others later on. For they'll need all the help they can get if they were to defeat Jericho.

Lastly, Ai wanted to determine who was clearly working with Jericho and who was hesitant in following his plans. So far, Ai had a lead in Juggernaut, who was known as Jitney Phaeton in the real world. If memory served, Juggernaut agreed to help him get on Akira's plane in exchange for sparing the lives of the pilots and keeping their conversation a secret. Based on this, Ai deduced that Juggernaut didn't want to cause harm to humans because she was someone who valued life. Thus, Ai had at least one of Jericho's allies on his side so far.

The screams echoing through the area began to die down, where they were reduced to nothing more than small shouts from a cell nearby. While Ai was curious on who else was imprisoned in the server, he didn't have time to think about it upon seeing that Dogma was returning back to his cell. But what got Ai's attention was Dogma looking at a digital screen that showed old video footage, a sad but firm expression evident on his face. In the footage, it showed a young boy with lavender hair and blue eyes playing with a girl that had light-blue hair and indigo-colored eyes. Keeping an eye on the two kids were Ukyos and Constantine, both of which had grateful smiles on their faces as they saw them have fun with one another.

"What are you watching, Dogma?" Ai inquired.

"A video from a forgotten time." Dogma simply replied, having snapped out of his thoughts before closing the footage up seconds later. "Make no mistake, Dark Ignis. Master Jericho will return at any point wanting the Code Keys to be purified. For your sake, as well as the sake of your friend, I'd do what he says."

Ai smiled. "Based on the way you speak about Jericho, along with that video you were watching earlier, you seem to hold him in high regard."

"Jericho and Urizen helped me during grave times, so I serve them as gratitude for their aid." Dogma turned to Ai. "As such, I have a sworn duty to protect him and Urizen from opponents such as yourself."

"Is that so? Then… would you protect them from themselves?" Ai challenged what Dogma said just now.

"Themselves?" Dogma repeated.

"Yes. Themselves." Ai's smile turned into a serious frown. "You know what Jericho's really doing, don't you? And you're keeping it a secret from all his other allies? Quite a shame. Shame, shame, shame."

Dogma narrowed his eyes back at Ai, a little irked at him for being accused of keeping secrets. "I am not keeping secrets, Dark Ignis. If anything, I trust in Jericho's judgment and make sure his plans reach fruition."

"And yet I have a feeling that Jericho hid some information from the others." Ai theorized before letting out a chuckle. "I wonder how they would react once they learn the truth. Will there be a fight between you guys based on who's siding with Jericho and who's choosing to betray him? As for you, Dogma, have you decided which side you'll be on when that time comes?"

"Dogma, we got some news to share with you!" a voice exclaimed, which made Ai become quiet as Despa and Apsed walked down the hallway to speak with Dogma. As for the one who spoke just now, it was Apsed, who had a joyful look on his face.

"What news?" Dogma inquired, now curious on what Apsed said just now.

"Thanks to our torturous techniques, we managed to get something out of Zero." Despa reported. "Although it was quite cryptic, as he said some numbers, letters and symbols. Rest assured, we got the information written down as soon as possible."

Perhaps it's an algorithm to the Maximum formula Jericho said that Zero has on hand, Dogma theorized in his mind. This was good, as Jericho and the envoys were one step closer to getting the Maximum Formula from Zero. Though it'll take some more time and work, Dogma was confident in Despa and Apsed's abilities to get information out of Zero. "You've done well, gentlemen. Jericho will be pleased with information. In the meanwhile, the both of you should give Zero a break while he recovers some energy. For a person who's dead…"

"…Can no longer be tortured. Yeah, yeah. Despa and I already know that, Dogma." Apsed turned to Ai before turning back to Dogma. "You've been put on guard duty? I thought Jericho was going to interrogate Ai on how to get the Code Keys functional again."

"Hallucina called and asked for Jericho's urgent assistance regarding the resources from Albinor Inc. and SOL Technologies." Dogma explained. "If the issue isn't addressed, then the Eclipse Initiative will not be successful."

"May I ask exactly what this Eclipse Initiative is is, gentlemen?" Ai asked, which made Dogma, Despa and Apsed turn to him.

"You may not." Despa told Ai, before turning back to Dogma. "Were you able to get some information out of the Dark Ignis on solving the dilemma regarding the Code Keys?"

Dogma, in response to that question, rolled his eyes. "Aside from hearing his unrelated ramblings, I haven't been able to get anything out of him so far."

"Then let Despa and I put the Dark Ignis in a time out for now." Apsed offered, which made Dogma nod in agreement as wings made of roots with crimson eyes in them and claws at their tips quickly sprung out of nowhere before speeding towards Ai, where they made him scream in pain upon piercing him. Ai's eyes widened upon experiencing the excruciating pain flowing through his body, which meant he had to recover if he and Roboppy were to get out of Jericho's server.

"Use this time to think over whether you'll agree to Jericho's request or be defiant to the point of your own demise. For your sake, as well as for the sake of your friend, I do hope you make the right decision." Dogma warned Ai before heading back to the stairs with Despa and Apsed, wanting to resume the work Jericho gave them on the Eclipse Initiative.

Time passed as Ai got to meet more people who were put on guarding the cells temporarily. First was Brigadier, who didn't talk too much aside from telling Ai that he understood what it meant to survive against many tragedies. Though tragic events were an unfortunate motivator in this world, the fact that Ai persevered against them clearly showed his willpower to keep going despite what he lost. While Ai tried to get some information out of Brigadier, it unfortunately didn't work, as he was too focused on getting his shift done so he can go back to working on the Eclipse Initiative.

Second was Bahamut, who was a bit talkative to an extent unlike Brigadier. He praised Ai for having a strong bond with his duel monsters to the point where the latter didn't treat them as tools. For this, Bahamut told Ai that he had his respect. Though Ai wasn't able to get information from Bahamut, he was able to tell that the latter abided by a strong code of honor. A code that not only wouldn't stand for dirty tricks done by anyone whatsoever, but also give Bahamut's opponents a chance to defend themselves in battle. Lastly, the code of honor motivated Bahamut to only battle against strong opponents, as he wanted to grow and get stronger with each victory he fairly obtained. In a way, it ironically reminded Ai of Revolver's sense of honor, as the Hanoi's leader would prefer to settle things in the network than resort to dirty tactics. At least as of now compared to three months prior, where Revolver allowed Lord Kazuma and Specter use Numera and Akira as hostages in an attempt to defeat Raguel and Playmaker in their respective duels.

Last but not least was Cryomancer, who was silent for a bit aside from telling Ai that he did what he had to do to get the job done. Nothing more and nothing less. Like earlier, Ai wasn't able to get any information out of Cryomancer, which was evident by the latter either ignoring the questions or simply telling the former to be quiet. At one point, Cryomancer even told Ai to undo what he did to the Code Keys, as he clearly wasn't in a position to negotiate with any of them. Once again, Ai refused to comply, which simply made Cryomancer roll her eyes back in response as silence filled the air. After some more time passed, a notification popped up on Cryomancer's duel disk, which she read before heading towards the stairs.

"It looks like your shift is over." Ai stated the obvious, which made Cryomancer stop walking before turning to him. "A shame. I really wanted to get the chance to know you more."

"Let me make something clear with you, Dark Ignis. The only reason you're alive is because Jericho still needs you to undo whatever you did to those Code Keys." Cryomancer told Ai. "If you don't soon, you'll end up facing Despa and Apsed's torture sessions, and given what the old man's experiencing at the moment, that's one of the last things you want to deal with right now." She then headed to the stairs once more before walking upwards, having completed her prison shift in the process.

Old man? Could it be that Watchman's alive this entire time, Ai wondered in his mind. No. That wouldn't make sense, as Raguel stabbed Watchman multiple times using Excalibur a week or two ago. Even though any wounds that are inflicted by Excalibur would also affect the person in the real world, Watchman very likely integrated himself into the network the same way Dr. Kogami did all those months ago. One way or another, he would have succumbed to those wounds and perished by now. With this information in mind, it led Ai to come to one conclusion.

Zero was also imprisoned in this server, which meant that Ai would have to figure out a way how to rescue him as well if possible.

Ai snapped out of his thoughts upon seeing Dogma walk down the stairs to the prison area of Jericho's server. This was good, as it meant that Ai had another chance to talk to Dogma. However, Ai only had one chance to make things count, as Despa and Apsed would likely visit him next after Dogma's shift ended. Given what Ai experienced earlier just now, he did not want to be at the mercy of Despa and Apsed right now.

"You're back." Ai said, a part of him knowing that he won't meet Juggernaut in person. That had to wait another time, as getting himself and Roboppy out of here became a priority.

"Have you finally decided to adhere to Master Jericho's request, Dark Ignis?" Dogma asked back. "Remember: It's not just your life that's at stake, it's your friend's life as well. I really hope you make the right decision here."

Ai shook his head. "Like I told Jericho earlier, there's no way I'll undo what I did to those Code Keys, especially since the path he's on will only lead to both his own destruction and the deaths of many people heartlessly."

"What do you mean?" Dogma raised an eyebrow, now wanting to know more on what Ai said just now.

"Based on the video you saw earlier, I can discern that it showed a younger version of Jericho playing with someone he loved, right?" Ai figured out. "What could have happened that turned Jericho into the monster he is in the first place? Or was he always like this from the very start? I bet the little girl he played with, who I assume is your daughter, would be very disappointed in him if she found out the truth."

Dogma shook his head back in response. "Jericho isn't a monster, Dark Ignis. Nor was he one to begin with. He's a person who wanted to make a positive difference in this world from the very start, and now that he came back, he and his father will make sure the planet is healed."

"I find that hard to believe, Dogma. After all, wanting something too badly can change you into something you're not." Ai rolled his eyes. "Perhaps in Jericho's mission to 'heal' the world, he became the very thing he swore to destroy. A power-hungry individual, blinded by his own ambitions and the intent to fulfil them no matter what he must do to succeed in his goals."

"No… Jericho wouldn't be blinded by his goals… He'd make sure such a thing doesn't happen to him…" Dogma muttered, surprise to hear this information. In the time Dogma knew Jericho, he always saw him as a person who balanced intelligence, creativity and emotions together. By doing so, Jericho became the person he is today. There was no way Jericho became what Ai described just now, as he'd make sure his ambitions didn't consume him to the point of no return.

"Think of it like this. It's like a little kid playing with a dangerous object like scissors, where the guardian comes in and takes it away from them for their own good." Ai continued. "Does the child complain and feel angry or sad? Obviously. But it's for their own good, don't you think?"

"It certainly is…" Dogma crossed his arms in agreement with what Ai's analogy.

"Oh, and here's another one! Let's say that same kid becomes defiant and refuses to do things for their own good. They would not only endanger themselves, but also become a bad influence on others if left unchecked. In a way, I can't help but feel these analogies apply to this situation at hand, am I not correct?"

Dogma narrowed his eyes before briefly looking down at the ground and back at Ai. As much as he hated to admit it, those analogies not only applied to the situation at hand, but also made sense as well in general to those who had parents and/or siblings. For Dogma was once a father, and he would do whatever was needed to make sure his daughter was safe. Sadly, Dogma lost his daughter in Constantina to unfair circumstances, which was just like how Ai lost the other Ignis recently. Due to this, Dogma couldn't help but emphasize with Ai, as both individuals lost people who were like family to them.

Ai smiled after seeing Dogma process the information in his mind, pleased to see that he was getting through to him. Just a little more, and he'd be able to get out of here. Who knows? Perhaps he'd gain an ally as well down the road. "You know, protecting Jericho is one thing, especially since you have a sworn duty to him and your father. Though I have one question."

"What would that be, Dark Ignis?" Dogma asked.

"Are you willing to put your own foot down to stop Jericho and his father from being consumed by their ambitions and arrogance? Will you stand against them just to keep them safe from themselves?" Ai inquired.

"What?" Dogma's voice wavered upon hearing the same question twice, but in different ways. Though he had a sworn duty to serve Jericho and Urizen, as well as protect them, he never thought of a possible scenario where he'd have to fight against those two individuals. After all, the Albinor family helped Dogma during difficult times, which was why he served them out of gratitude in the first place. But for Ai to ask such unsettling questions made Dogma tense up, as the former wouldn't ask them if the situation wasn't as precarious as this one. Nor would Ai ask those questions if the people involved such as Jericho weren't as they appeared to be on the surface.

This meant Dogma had to figure out what was really going on, as well as see if Jericho had truly changed since he last saw him. The only way to do that, however, was to stay by Jericho's side and continue fighting against his enemies so his plan can succeed. For in doing so, Dogma would be able to abide by his oath and eventually find out the truth at the same time. Overall, it was an easier and tactical solution, as Dogma didn't want to take any risks until he gathered more information.

Well played, Dark Ignis, Dogma admitted in his mind, as he unlocked the cell door to Ai's cell before entering inside. He offered a hand to Ai, which made him cautiously frown back in response. "Don't despair, as your efforts aren't in vain. For you have convinced me."

Having concluded that Dogma wasn't planning anything suspicious, Ai took his hand and allowed the former to help him stand up. Once that was done, Dogma walked over to Roboppy's cell and unlocked the door before entering inside, where he picked the unconscious Roboppy up with his hands afterwards. From there, Dogma handed the unconscious Roboppy up and handed him over to Ai, having freed the both of them from prison in the process.

"You have done your part in delaying Master Jericho, Dark Ignis. Now it's my turn to repay you." Dogma continued, before he pressed a button on his duel disk, where the Code Keys were transferred to Ai's duel disk seconds later.

"Why are you helping me, Dogma?" Ai questioned upon seeing the Code Keys being returned to him just now.

"While I have my personal reasons, I will tell you one of them, Dark Ignis." Dogma answered. "I had a daughter once. She died a very long time ago due to things outside my control, so I know what it's like to lose someone and be powerless to save them from death."

Before Ai could do anything, Dogma quickly put a hand on his neck, where the latter quietly spoke several words in the form of a chant as yellow energy entered into the former's body. A second later, Ai felt energy leave from his body in the form of infected data material, which meant that he was freed from Jericho's program. Dogma did the same thing for Roboppy by placing a hand on his neck, where yellow energy entered into the latter's body before infected data material exited out of it.

"With this, you and Roboppy are both free, Ai. Leave now and never return to oppose Master Jericho. If you do, then don't expect me to be so merciful."

"You know, I could use your help for what's to come, as I can certainly benefit from your wisdom." Ai said.

"Let me remind you that I still have a sworn duty to Jericho and his father. I can't go back on it." Dogma told Ai, who rolled his eyes.

"Wow. You must be crazy for staying with the guy who became a corrupted version of his previous self."

Dogma chuckled. "Perhaps, but everyone saw you and Playmaker as crazy for pushing for coexistence between humans and AIs."

Ai thought this over before smirking back. "Fair point, Dogma. Fair point."

Before Dogma could say anything else, Ai charged straight forward and struck him in the stomach with his knee so quickly that he the former was pushed back several feet upon impact. Dogma immediately pulled out two Black Keys and threw them at Ai, who dodged each one upon seeing the both of them speeding towards him. Having carried Roboppy on his back, Ai jumped in the air and bicycle kicked Dogma so fast that he was pushed a few more feet back, the latter having been forced onto one knee.

The prison alarm soon went through the entire server, which caused multiple drones to emerge out of nowhere in an attempt to stop Ai and Roboppy from escaping. It wasn't just that, as Brigadier, Despa, Apsed, Juggernaut, Cryomancer and Bahamut began to run down the stairs upon hearing it. Having seen this, Dogma pressed a button on his duel disk, which caused Ai's duel disk to beep seconds later. After looking at it, Ai understood what to do, as he couldn't afford to take any risks now that he had the chance to escape Jericho's server.

"Contact Jericho at once, Cryomancer." Brigadier told Cryomancer, as she pressed a button on her duel disk while a Thompson Contender appeared in the former's right hand, which he quickly fired at Ai to prevent him from escaping. However, Ai dodged the bullets fired from the Thompson Contender, and also summoned a yellow and gold-colored lance to destroy some of the drones nearby. The other drones fired blasts of energy at Ai, who spun the lance with his right hand in order to quickly block them while his eyes glowed a golden color to scan those energy blasts at the same time. Since the type of energy the drones fired contained an algorithm that prevented a person from leaving Jericho's server upon being hit, Ai had to wait until the moment was right for him to secure his freedom. For if he was hit even once, he and Roboppy wouldn't be able to use the last gift Dogma gave them to officially secure their freedom.

The white lab coat Juggernaut wore suddenly morphed into a cyberized battle suit that immediately covered her body, where metallic plating appeared on her shoulders and a helmet with digital green eyes also wrapped itself around her head to secure it. Once this was done, she immediately fired blasts of energy from her gauntlets at Ai, who dodged the attacks as he continued to try and escape the prison area of this server.

"We'll take care of this," Despa and Apsed said in unison, as wings made of roots with crimson eyes in them and claws at their tips quickly sprung out of nowhere before speeding towards Ai, who quickly summoned a greatsword to slash each one upon seeing them.

A light-green aura surrounded Bahamut's body as he charged forward in an attempt to subdue Ai in combat, only for rock-hard greaves and shoulder pads to not only appear on the former's body, but also cushion the impact to the point where he was pushed back several feet instead of taking damage. Seized the opportunity upon seeing a stunned Ai, Cryomancer ran forward, an icy sword forming in her hands as she attempted to strike him and Roboppy so she can stop their escape attempt. However, a smirk appeared on Ai's face as golden particles surrounded his and Roboppy's bodies, where they quickly logged out of Jericho's server seconds later. Due to this, Cryomancer's attack missed, where her sword sliced the air instead of Ai and Roboppy following their escape.

"Damn it…" Cryomancer cursed, angry that she and the other envoys weren't able to stop Ai from escaping.

"Jericho's not going to like this." Bahamut said, with the other envoys nodding in agreement as well.

WHOOSH!

Jericho quickly returned to his server upon receiving the distress call from Cryomancer, where he looked around at seeing the slight carnage that occurred in the prison area just now. "What the Hell happened-?" He gasped seeing a fallen Dogma on the ground. "Dogma, are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Master Jericho. I'm fine." Dogma assured Jericho, as the latter went over to where the former was, concern evident on his face.

"Just what happened here? Where's Ai and Roboppy?" Jericho questioned, wanting answers not just from Dogma, but from the other envoys as well.

Dogma slowly got up on his feet before turning back to Jericho. "They knocked me out, took the Code Keys and escaped the server."

"You've seriously got to be kidding me…" Jericho grit his teeth, shocked that Ai and Roboppy were able to find a way to escape from his server. He turned everyone else present, a furious expression evident on his face. "How the Hell did this happen? How did Ai and Roboppy escape not just from my security systems, but from all of you as well?!"

"While the Dark Ignis is clearly a warrior, it looks like we underestimated his true strength just now, Jericho." Bahamut theorized.

"That'd make sense, as Ai isn't a human like the rest of us." Juggernaut agreed.

"On the plus side, we came close to stopping Ai and Roboppy from escaping." Apsed stated, which earned him a glare from everyone else in the room.

"But they still escaped." Despa angrily reminded Apsed, who slumped his shoulders over in defeat, clearly accepting the truth rather than try to lift everyone's spirits up with what happened.

"Didn't you say you have a contingency in the event Ai and Roboppy planned on rebelling against you?" Cryomancer questioned, which led Jericho to nod his head back in confirmation.

"Of course I do, Cryomancer. There's no way I'd let Ai and Roboppy slip from my grasp that easily." Jericho told Cryomancer before pressing a button on his duel disk, intent on finding where Ai and Roboppy were in the network. Not just that, but also give them a massive jolt of electricity for daring to defy him. However, a screen popped up on Jericho's duel disk that showed the words 'Connection Severed' multiple times, which made him angry upon looking at it. "Impossible! There's no way Ai would be able to sever the connection between himself and my program!"

Brigadier's eyes glowed with a red color before he analyzed the screen Jericho was looking at. "Yet the Dark Ignis found a way to do so, Jericho. Like Bahamut said, we underestimated his true strength."

"May I say something, Jericho?" Juggernaut asked, which got Jericho's attention, now curious on what the former wanted to say next. "While Ai and Roboppy took the Code Keys and fled, we were still able to get enough of SOL Technologies' resources to begin the Eclipse Initiative."

"That is a bright side, indeed." Apsed commented, glad to see that there was still an upside in this situation.

"Perhaps, but we still have two other prisoners to attend to, one of which founded SOL Technologies itself." Despa pointed out.

"That's right! If Zero escapes from his cell, then we'll further risk losing our hold on SOL Technologies." Cryomancer acknowledged what Despa said just now.

"Despa and Cryomancer are right, Jericho." Brigadier agreed with Despa and Cryomancer's points, having realized the priority at hand now that Ai and Roboppy were gone. "We still need to keep an eye on Zero, as like with the Dark Ignis and his comrade, he may try to escape from this server."

"Thus, the Eclipse Initiative should be our utmost priority for the time being." Dogma finished, having seen the anger on Jericho's face. "I know you want to go after Playmaker and the others to draw the Dark Ignis out, Jericho, but he's seen both us and this place. If we're not careful, then he'll expose all of us to the world."

"So what do you want me to do about it then, Dogma?" Jericho inquired. He was clearly angry with what happened, and wanted to clearly kill Playmaker and everyone else Ai cared out not just to punish him, but get his location as well.

"For now, focus on the Eclipse Initiative, as it takes more priority at the moment than hunting Playmaker and his allies. In the meanwhile, I'll keep tabs on the Dark Ignis and Roboppy to make sure they don't do anything that would jeopardize the project. If I get any updates, I'll bring them to you right away."

Jericho frowned before nodding in acceptance after hearing Dogma's offer, knowing that the latter made a strong point in this matter. At least for now, anyway. "Very well. I leave the task to you then, Dogma. If it helps, you won't have to do so for too long, as I have what I need to create a new tracker." He pressed a button on his duel disk, where a rainbow-colored orb filled with data material orbited above it.

"What's that you got there, Jericho? Is it something from Ai?" Bahamut asked, having begun to piece together what Jericho meant earlier when he said that Ai had something on hand to assist in achieving the Unity. Apparently, this must be what Jericho was talking about earlier.

"When Playmaker battled against Bohman back in Mirror LINK VRAINS, Ai absorbed the energies of the other Ignis to create a very powerful monster that would not only counter the latter's strategies, but also help Playmaker win the duel as well." Jericho explained. "All Ai has to do is summon a monster that contains this combined energy, and I'll be able to track him down wherever he is in the network. He may have won this battle, but the war is far from over."

Dogma almost gulped upon seeing what Jericho had in his hands at the moment. With the rainbow-colored orb, Jericho would be able to find Ai and Roboppy wherever they were in the network once again upon completing the new tracker. However, Ai and Roboppy still had a lead for two reasons. First, given the urgency of completing the Eclipse Initiative, Jericho would have less time available to complete the tracker. However, time was still time, and Jericho would eventually complete it one way or another. Second, the tracker would only activate the moment Ai brought out a monster that contained the energies of all eight Ignis together at once. This meant Ai had time to settle any final matters he had with Playmaker and the others, but only until he brought out his ultimate monster in a duel. When that occurred, then Jericho would be able to find Ai's whereabouts and either recapture the latter or kill him to obtain his algorithm.

Good luck, Ai. May we never see each other again, Dogma thought in his mind, hopeful that Ai and Roboppy wouldn't return to oppose Jericho and the envoys of Albinor. Otherwise, it'd not only lead to his undoing, but also lead to the completion of Jericho's plans in the end as well.

The next morning, in the real world…

"Yes! I'm almost here!" Brea cheered, as she continued to run over to her destination, which was a small bakery that had multiple pink flags on it. According to the bakery's social media page, it was selling orange and cranberry scones, which were Brea's favorite of them all. In addition, the first thirty people who got to the bakery would get one for free upon purchasing a different food item. Thus, Brea's plan was simple: Do a quick jog, grab some breakfast, and then get some groceries from the bakery done after that. Since Brea was put on the side to recover from what happened weeks ago, she decided to get some training in so she can control CXyz Skypalace Babylon later on. After all, as per what Roxy said, it took both physical and mental fortitude for someone to wield a member of the Deadly Seven without experiencing pain.

Eventually, Brea made it to the bakery, where she grabbed the items off of the list Gabriella gave her before rushing over to the line to purchase them. She did some quick calculations in her head, and smiled after finishing them up. Yes! There's only twenty-nine people in line at the moment, Brea thought in her mind. With me in line, I'll be able to not only get the items off the list, but also get my special scone as well for free! It's mine!

The line moved quickly, where Brea followed the customers as they scanned their items before purchasing them, with a young woman at the cash register handing each one their respective pastries upon doing so. After a few minutes, Brea eventually made her way to the cash register, now time for her to pay for the things she got from her list. As long as everything went well, then Brea would be able to get her orange and cranberry pastry for free.

"Let's see. One set of gourmet hamburger buns, a set of plain bagels, four pizza bases and an apple pie," the young woman listed off each of the items Brea gave to her. "That'll be twenty-three dollars and seventy-five cents."

"Here you go." Brea said, having handed some cash to the young woman. "And I'll have one orange and cranberry pastry as well, please."

"I'm sorry, miss, but you're technically the thirty-first person in line. Unfortunately, someone made their order online, and was able to secure their free orange and cranberry pastry before you."

Brea's jaw dropped out of shock upon hearing this information, having clearly been caught off guard as a result. "Are you serious right now?! Your social media said that the first thirty people who got in line would get an orange and cranberry pastry for free. Yet that person you gave the pastry to ordered their food online, who is clearly not in line at this moment!"

"Since the person fulfilled the criteria quite early, we had to put it aside for them," the young woman explained. "I do hope there's no inconvenience."

"No inconvenience?!" Brea repeated, still irritated that a person who ordered online beat her to getting a free orange and cranberry pastry. If she had known that, she would have ordered everything online and picked it up before going on her jog. "In that case, how much is one orange and cranberry scone?!"

"While it's seven dollars and thirty cents, we have a limited stock right now due to online orders. But we should have more in the next few days," the young woman responded, which made Brea slump over in defeat.

You've got to be kidding me, Brea cursed in her mind, as she grabbed her receipt before leaving the bakery, still irked that she was defeated by a person who ordered online. Due to this experience, she made a mental note to order the food online moving forward before picking it up, especially when it came to special deals like this one.

Several minutes later…

"How could I have not known of this?! It clearly said on the bakery's social media page that the first thirty people who arrived at the bakery in person would get their orange and cranberry scone for free! It didn't say anything about those who order food online!" Brea complained aloud. Even though she fulfilled the criteria, the fact that a person who ordered their food online and got the scone first still irritated her. At Gabriella's insistence, Brea decided to go on a walk so she can clear her mind despite having done her jog earlier. This way, she'd be able to clear her head and be able to focus on other priorities for the day.

Brea was so immersed in her thoughts that she didn't notice the Soltis guard up ahead, having accidentally bumped into it seconds later. "Oh. Sorry about that. I didn't see you there." The Soltis guard simply ignored Brea before continuing to walk, which caused a tick mark to appear on the latter's forehead. "Hey! At least acknowledge me back, tin for brains!" The Soltis guard simply ignored Brea once more as it headed over to its designated location.

Looking around, Brea noticed that there were a few more Soltis guards in the area, which made her tense up because the area wasn't patrolled this much during this time of the day. It was usual for a few cops to be in the area in case something happened, but for there to be multiple guards roaming about raised suspicion. Not just that, but a potential mystery. One that Brea wanted to solve, especially since it revolved around SOL Technologies' newest product in the Soltis.

Thus, Brea quietly followed the Soltis guard a good distance away in order to evade detection, wanting to know where it was going. Thanks to the training she received during her youth, she was able to easily avoid detection and continue to quietly follow after the Soltis guard. It was like Brea was on a reconnaissance mission, having been sent to scout out an area and not only obtain information about the target, but also pass it on to their allies before returning to base. After some time following the Soltis guard, Brea saw that it was going to SOL Technologies itself, where there were multiple employees gathered around the entrance for some reason. While she wanted to know more information, she didn't want to risk making a mistake that would jeopardize her attempts in figuring out what was going on. So Brea immediately hid behind a tree and several bushes, wanting to analyze the scene from the shadows.

Okay, what the Hell's going on here, Brea wondered in her mind, having narrowed her eyes as she looked at what was happening at SOL Technologies' entrance. There were many Soltis guards on the sides of the entrance, having scanned each employee before designating their job status in the company, as well as whether one of two things would happen. They were either to stay at SOL Technologies for a few hours, or in the event they weren't required to be onsite, were sent to get their belongings and any work materials necessary for them to work at home. Whatever it is, I don't like it one bit, especially since it may have to do with Ai's return.

After quietly slipping away from the area and going in the opposite direction, Brea pulled out her phone before dialling a number, hoping to reach out to Roxy, Yuhiro and Miyu so she can fill them in on what she saw. To Brea's surprise, it went to voicemail, which made her raise an eyebrow. Usually, either Roxy or Yuhiro would answer the phone after hearing it ring, but since there was no response, it meant that something bad was already going on.

Well, it was a good thing Brea had another person she can contact to tell them what she found out, especially now that she knew who Playmaker and the others were in the real world. She dialled another number on her phone, which rang for a few seconds before someone picked it up on the other end.

"Hello?"

"Arashi, it's Brea. Can we talk? I found some information you and the others need to know about." Brea said.

"Look, Brea. This isn't the best time right now, as the others and I have to deal with something on our end." Arashi replied on the other end.

"But it's important, Arashi. I think what I found just now may possibly help with the battle against Ai. Can I please talk to you?"

There was silence on the other end as Arashi thought over Brea's question. After what seemed to be an eternity, he finally gave an answer.

"Okay. I'm at the Café Nagi truck right now with Yuhiro and the others. Text me once you arrive."

"See you then." Brea responded, before hanging up on the phone. She then began to head towards the Den City Square, having recalled how the truck was usually parked there to get customers. The sooner Arashi and the others got the information Brea on hand, the sooner they would be able to gain an advantage in the current battle.

After all, even the slightest amount of new information obtained can determine the difference between victory and defeat.

Elsewhere, at SOL Technologies…

Hayami blinked as one of the Soltis guards' eyes glowed blue, where it started to scan her after a few seconds passed. Once this was done, the Soltis guards' eyes returned to normal, having finished the identification process.

"Scan complete. Identity confirmed as Risa Hayami," the Soltis guard said. "As of now, your work arrangement has been designated as remote until further notice."

"Remote?" Hayami repeated, surprised at what she heard just now.

"Employees whose work arrangement has been designated as remote must work from home until further notice," the Soltis guard explained. "Your visit is limited to one hour. Please take your personal belongings and anything else you require for your work. Accessing company systems and operating equipment are forbidden unless your work arrangement requires it. Upon exit, we will inspect company property taken out to ensure it complies with your work arrangement. Violation of any of these policies will result in a penalty." The Soltis guard gestured to the gate up ahead. "You may enter."

Hayami walked towards the gate, an uneasy expression evident on her ace. "Since when did security get so tight? It's like a checkpoint." She then entered inside SOL Technologies, having noticed several workers carrying their personal belongings in boxes. There, Hayami assumed that those workers must also have remote work arrangements, which was why they were carrying their belongings on the way out to the company's front gate. She then entered inside SOL Technologies' security operations center, where her eyes widened in confusion upon seeing the lights out. It wasn't just that, as not only was there no one sitting at the chairs working, but the core in the room wasn't turned on as well.

"No one's here? What's going on?" Hayami quietly muttered to herself.

"Hayami? What are you doing here?" a voice asked, which got Hayami's attention as she turned to her left, a male employee having spoken to her just now. "Didn't you read the email?"

"I did, but…" Hayami began responding.

"Not many of us are going to be here at the building as of now. All workers whose work arrangement has been designated as remote have been asked to get their belongings and work laptops before heading home. Only workers whose work arrangements are listed as onsite are allowed to stay at the company starting tomorrow."

"But what about people whose work arrangements are listed as hybrid? Don't they get a say in this?"

The male employee shook his head. "For the time being, there's no hybrid work arrangement, Hayami. Until further notice, people's work arrangements have been classified as either remote or onsite. On the plus side, none of us lost our jobs, as we're supposed to start working on a new initiative very soon."

"New initiative? I wasn't aware of this." Hayami stated.

"Then I suggest that you read the email again, Hayami, as it contains some reading material that can help you assist SOL Technologies with the new initiative." the male employee replied. "The good news is that we won't be doing this alone, as Albinor Inc. will assist us in completing something called the Eclipse Initiative. About time we got someone to work with us after everything the company's been through lately, don't you think?"

If memory serves, Albinor Inc. was one of SOL Technologies' old partners before the former betrayed the latter, Hayami recalled in her mind. But what is this Eclipse Initiative? I never heard of that before in my time at SOL Technologies.

"Look, Hayami. You should gather your belongings quickly. The Soltis are constantly doing surveillance, and if they catch you in the company past your allotted visit, you'll risk getting penalized. The last thing any of us want right now is to be fired."

"But doesn't this sound suspicious to you at all?" Hayami questioned back, knowing that something was clearly not right here. If this kept up, then the Soltis will be the ones in charge of the company, not humans.

"Just be grateful that we all still have jobs at SOL Technologies, Hayami." the male employee countered. "Besides, we'll all be getting massive rewards once the work on the Eclipse Initiative is complete. See you online!" With that, the male employee headed to the door of the security operations center before exiting it completely.

Hayami sighed upon seeing the male employee leave, tears now forming from the edge of her eyes. "After Executive Vice President Zaizen fought so hard to keep the people and this company safe, everyone just leaves? This isn't good at all. Not the teeniest tiny bit."

Meanwhile, at Central Japan…

Brion narrowed his eyes as he looked at the crowd of people just ahead of him, who were clearly and justly infuriated with what just happened. After getting several reports on the Soltis suddenly turning on people, he immediately sent some troops to protect the latter from the former, which proved to be successful so far. It wasn't just that, as the people assisted in the efforts by not only continuing to inform Brion of these reports, but also keep each other safe as well. In a way, the people of Central Japan were one giant family that was there for one another no matter what.

When Brion first learned about the Soltis units and their various functions, he decided to order multiple copies so they can assist in the reparation efforts for Central Japan despite his reservations about SOL Technologies. However, his suspicion on SOL Technologies' new product still lingered in his mind, which was why he had some of his forces look into their schematics for any potential weaknesses they can exploit in the event the company launched any ulterior motives they had in mind. Unfortunately for Brion, it appeared that this concern became a reality due to Ai taking over SOL Technologies, where he was now using the Soltis for whatever endgame he had in mind.

But the battle against Ai wasn't the only thing on Brion's mind at the moment. The other thing coursing through Brion's mind was learning that Raguel, who he once genuinely respected for showing bravery and honor in battle, was the one responsible for murdering so many people a few weeks ago. And amongst those people murdered was Balius, whom Brion intended to put on trial for his crimes before executing the former once it was over. According to a few troops who were sent to investigate what happened to Balius, they told Brion that the fallen ruler had been torn into pieces by the Cursed Boundary Layer before what remained of his life force was drained away. It was as though a vampire came and drained away a victim's blood, where their body eventually became a withered husk due to the process. Lastly, a forensic scientist took a piece of Balius' DNA, and upon complete analysis, informed Brion that Balius would have died due to the pieces inside his heart. One way or another, Balius would have died at some point after the battle in Central Japan.

Moving that aside, what also shocked Brion was how Playmaker and the others withheld the truth on Raguel's actions despite the good reasons they had of doing so. It clearly shocked Brion because he never saw Playmaker and the others to withhold secrets from others. He clearly saw them all as honorable individuals. The worst part was that Brion didn't know what to do at all with the situation, as while he wanted to keep his people safe, he didn't want to risk long-term harm to everyone else indirectly. This was something Brion learned about in his attempt to blow the whistle on SOL Technologies for its connections with the Black Market, as while he had good intentions, they'd cause nothing but harm to the many innocent employees working at the company. The good thing was that Greg and Rachel were nearby, who Brion trusted to the core. Once this meeting was over, he'd get more information from them, as the duo were also involved in the battle against a corrupted Raguel.

For now, the main concern was appeasing the crowd and making sure that everything was going to be okay in the end. This way, Brion can keep everyone in Central Japan united as one, as the last thing he wanted was for the country to be thrown in disarray again.

"My people, please remain calm." Brion tried placating the crowd. "So far, we're making great strides in this campaign-."

"You said that we'd be safe!" one person accused Brion.

"You lied to us!" a second person exclaimed in anger.

"You shouldn't have bought those Soltis in the first place!" a third person shouted as well.

"Please remain calm, everyone. If you just allow me-." Brion tried to speak again, only to be interrupted by more shouts in response.

"SOL Technologies must burn to the ground for what they did to us!" a fourth person screamed.

"Yeah! It's time for a revolution!" a fifth person exclaimed.

"Den City and its people have failed us! Action must be taken!" a sixth person added.

"Is there any hope for either SOL Technologies and/or Den City?" a seventh person questioned.

"We can't afford any bloodshed, your Highness!" an eighth person pleaded.

"There has to be a peaceful solution to this problem!" a ninth person said.

"ENOUGH!" Brion shouted, as PSY-Framegear Alpha suddenly attached to his body before he fired a blast of lightning into the air. Due to this, the sky filled with energy before dissipating, which practically stopped the crowd from talking. "Listen to me right now, everyone! So far, we've all worked together in not only disposing the Soltis out of Central Japan, but also rebuilding our home as well! If we start fighting amongst ourselves now, then all of our hard work will be undone! We can't afford that right now! Surely, you all understand that fact, right?!"

The people quietly nodded in agreement, clearly knowing that fighting amongst themselves was not going to solve the problem. While they all had different opinions on this situation, everyone agreed that they didn't want to risk losing their home once again. Otherwise, they might not have a place to live in by the time this was all over.

"Burning SOL Technologies and Den City to the ground, along with everyone in it will not solve the issue right now! It'll cause far worse repercussions for Central Japan down the road! Or do all of you want to follow in Balius' footsteps and become monsters like him?"

That question practically shocked everyone upon hearing it, as they didn't want to become like Balius at all. This made several people in the audience look down in pure shame, having realized that they advocated for murder. They even remembered what Balius' fate was due to the choices he made while he ruled Central Japan, and none of them wanted to suffer that same fate.

"The only way we can move past these series of events is if we all unite as one like we're doing right now." Brion told the crowd of people. "Rest assured that I am evaluating every option available before making a final decision."

"Yeah, right. Balius would have taken action right now!" a person rudely interjected, which caused the crowd to get even more wild upon hearing that comment.

Brion narrowed his eyes in pure irritation upon seeing the crowd get wilder, clearly upset that they weren't fully listening to him. While he obviously didn't want to be a tyrant like Balius, there was only so much charisma can do to keep people in line. Due to this, Brion felt his patience run thin, especially since the crowd was on the verge of no longer being under control. Turning over to Greg, who was nearby, he nodded his head at him as if to give the latter an order. In response, Greg motioned some troops to go into the crowd and restrain the ones who were making everyone else uneasy, having succeeded in doing so.

Having grown more irritated with the crowd, Brion fired another blast of lightning from Alpha into the air that caused the sky filled with energy before dissipating, which practically stopped the crowd from talking. After seeing that the crowd was silent for good, Alpha detached itself from Brion's body, having managed to complete its goal. "Had it not been for me, Balius would have put Central Japan in a far worse state than it is right now. In fact, he would have highly likely waged war on the entire world and cause even more losses. Is that something all of you would prefer?"

Gasps of shock erupted from the audience upon hearing both the question and Brion's points just now, each person clearly having been silenced as a result. None of them wanted to live in a reality where Balius not only continued to rule as a tyrant, but also put Central Japan in a worser state than it was in back then. If the people had a choice, they would have preferred Brion to rule over Balius, as the former obviously showed mercy compared to the latter.

"Think on that while I evaluate which option will work best for Central Japan's wellbeing." Brion added, which further stunned them into silence. "After a decision has been made, a plan will be finalized and put into action as soon as possible. What I ask from all of you is to return to your homes and continue helping one another as we go through this trying time. In the meanwhile, if any of you have complaints, I will address each and every one of them individually." He then turned around and headed to the palace gates, intent on entering inside the palace to gather his thoughts.

"You heard King Brion! Return to your homes immediately or there will be consequences!" Greg shouted, as the soldiers stationed at the palace gestured the crowd to disperse, who chose to do after getting a reality check on the current matter at hand. It wasn't just that, as none of them wanted to risk fighting against the guards stationed near the palace. Some of the people felt shame due to their comments while others grumbled under their breath at what was happening right now. In addition, a few people were still shocked with how things turned out while others felt assured that Brion would solve things in the end. After the crowd fully dispersed, he and Rachel, as well as the other troops, followed after Brion so they can further discuss with him on the best plan of action moving forward.

Several minutes later, in Central Japan's royal palace…

"Have troops stationed in each of Central Japan's sectors. The last thing any of us wants is for people to take matters into their own hands." Brion instructed the soldiers and agents nearby. "Remember: Restrain and de-escalate. Do not wound or kill."

"Yes, sir," one soldier complied, as he ran off to give the orders to the other soldiers and agents in the area.

Brion turned to another agent that was nearby. "Has the information regarding the Soltis been gathered together?"

"We're doing some checks, sir, but it should be ready soon," an agent answered Brion's question.

"Good. Hand the information on the Soltis to me once it's been checked over. I plan on making a statement about recent events in the next few days."

The agent nodded in compliance. "I'm on it, sir." The agent then ran over to the other agents nearby, intent on finalizing the investigated information on the Soltis and anything else before fulfilling Brion's orders.

"Your Highness, can we please talk?" Greg asked, as he and Rachel caught up to Brion.

"Not now, commissioner. I have pressing matters to attend to regarding Central Japan's wellbeing." Brion answered, as he continued to walk towards the throne room's main office, wanting to get some work done regarding the press statement. However, Greg and Rachel still followed him, much to his irritation. "The Soltis… The Shadow… I intend on putting both problems to an end once and for all…"

"Please listen, your Highness! If you plan on doing what I think you'll end up doing, your people will only suffer more than they already have so far!"

That comment made Brion stop walking upon hearing it, having turned to Greg and Rachel seconds later. "How long have the both of you known?"

"What are you talking about?" Greg inquired.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, commissioner. For I learned the truth regarding the Shadow recently." Brion responded, which made Greg and Rachel gasp upon hearing it.

"Is there anything else you need, your Highness?" a soldier interjected, which made Brion, Greg and Rachel turn to him upon hearing his question.

"Leave us." Brion ordered, as the soldier quickly left the room upon seeing that something was amiss. Brion then had Greg and Rachel follow him to the throne room's main office, wanting to speak to them alone.

"How did you find out what really happened with the Shadow?" Greg questioned.

"When the Dark Ignis battled against Zaizen and Blue Maiden, he showed all of us footage of Raguel's duel against Playmaker." Brion narrowed his eyes before he slammed his hands onto the table in pure fury. "To think that I saw Raguel as someone with honor and courage this entire time! I never thought he'd be capable of murdering so many people!"

"Please listen, your Highness. If too many people knew what was truly going on, then things would have even been more disastrous for us and the entire worldin the long-term." Rachel explained, which made Brion frown after hearing this information.

"I am quite aware of that, Rachel Miyake." Brion snapped back. "Had I known this sooner, I would have captured Raguel a long time ago! Yet I can't do so now because if I do, the world will not only learn that the Shadow infected a human, but also result in it suffering from never-ending chaos as well. How am I supposed to keep my people safe from threats if I'm not able to reveal the truth to them? If I keep secrets, then I'll end up no better than Balius, and I can't afford that right now."

Greg sighed. "There's no easy answer to dilemmas such as this one, your Highness. Every ruler will face challenges in their career, especially when it comes to caring for the place they rule and the people that live there. In fact, you remind me of myself at a young age, as I faced something like this a long time ago."

Brion turned to look at Greg, now curious at what he heard just now. "What do you mean by that?"

"When I was younger, I joined the police force because I wanted to help bring justice to criminals and make a positive difference to the community." Greg began speaking. "However, I've had a history of using brutal tactics to bring criminals to justice, which caused my superiors to reprimand me every now and then. But in my time on the police force, I saw family after family suffer from the horrific actions of criminals and get away with lighter sentences, which only fuelled by brutal tactics against them. Eventually, I faced disciplinary charges for police misconduct, where I got so fed up with the justice system that I left the police force shortly afterwards."

A look of surprise appeared on Brion's face as Greg began to tell his story, who clearly didn't expect to hear this information from the latter at all in the time he knew him. He wasn't the only one surprised, as Rachel also gasped upon beginning to listen to the story. If the both of them knew anything, it was that the story was only going to get darker from there.

"Following my resignation from the police force, I became a vigilante who sought to bring true justice no matter what had to be done, especially since my faith in the justice system was strained at the time." Greg sighed. "Thanks to my actions, I was able to avenge the pain multiple families suffered at the hands of criminals in a brutal fashion. Not only did I help them obtain peace, I also managed to restore a little balance to the world every time I succeeded as well. On one of my missions, I was close to eliminating my target when several people stopped me from doing so. One of which was the previous FBI commissioner at the time, who provided me with an offer due to my potential. He could either arrest me for what I've done, or recruit me as one of the FBI's newest assets. Intrigued by this offer, I accepted it and joined the FBI shortly afterwards."

"I didn't know about this, Greg…" Rachel muttered.

"Neither did I." Brion admitted, still surprised by what he heard.

"When I first started in the FBI, my brutal tactics weren't welcomed, as there were rules that all workers had to abide by regarding the use of force." Greg continued. "However, the FBI commissioner helped me see that there was more than one way of bringing criminals to justice and restoring a little balance to the world at the same time. He even taught me how to look at all sides of a scenario and weigh the information gathered before making a decision. It took time, but he never gave up on me despite the mistakes I made, and I eventually became a better person. Despite this fact, I have to exercise a great amount of effort to restrain myself because the moment I cut loose, it gets ugly for everyone very fast."

"Which means there'll be consequences for the enemy, yourself and everyone else around you." Brion realized, as he deeply thought this over. "My selfish actions when I tried to report the AI chip to the authorities would have made everyone at SOL Technologies suffer had I succeeded in my goal."

"And it cost you big time, mister!" Rachel firmly reminded Brion, which made him roll his eyes. "You were locked up in Den Jail and forcibly enslaved by Balius afterwards. Had it not been for Raguel and us, you would have remained there with the other slaves."

"I'm aware of that fact, Rachel. But if anything good came out of this, it's that I gained the wisdom needed on how to be a strong leader. The only challenge now is how to balance emotion with compassion in a delicate situation like this one." Brion turned back over to Greg. "When the Dark Ignis dueled against Zaizen and Blue Maiden, I learned that Raguel had already been sentenced for his crimes, where you were one of the decision makers. Is this true?"

"It is, your Highness." Greg confirmed. "I spoke with Playmaker and his allies in deciding what Raguel's punishment would be, as it'd only get worse for all of us if the truth got out. The reason why Rachel and I didn't tell you sooner was because you were preoccupied with rebuilding Central Japan after your battle against Balius. The last thing either of us wanted was to add more pressure to you, especially during a fragile time for Central Japan."

Brion thought this over after hearing Greg and Rachel's reasons in not telling him the truth sooner. All of this was clearly true. Central Japan was going through a fragile time in rebuilding itself, and adding another problem in the Shadow wouldn't help it nor Brion out. Plus, the sentence Raguel received for his crimes was way worse than a simple execution, as he had to remember his sins forever while everyone else got to move on from the pain. In addition, Raguel had to take responsibility by continue to protect the network for the rest of his life so he can eventually redeem himself. Ultimately, the judgment Raguel had to accept for his sins was a burden he had to accept for the rest of his life. "I get it. You and Rachel didn't want to burden me anymore than I already am right now. However, I'm still shocked with what I learned recently. To be honest, I don't know whether I can trust Raguel again."

"While Greg and I forgave Raguel for what he did a while back, he still has to work hard to redeem himself. In time, he'll earn our trust again. He may even earn your trust again as well, your Highness." Rachel told Brion, who nodded in agreement before turning back to Greg.

"This man you hold in high regard would be of great service right now, Greg. Can you contact him and ask that he come to Central Japan? I could really use his wisdom and leadership during this difficult time." Brion requested, now wanting to meet the previous FBI commissioner himself.

Greg sadly shook his head before walking to look out the window. "Unfortunately, I can't anymore, Brion. He passed away ten years ago."

"Passed away?" Brion repeated, now wanting to know what happened to the previous FBI commissioner and how he died. "What happened to him?"

"Ten years ago, the FBI commissioner's son was kidnapped by criminals, which made him spend every amount of energy trying to locate him." Greg explained. "His wife dying out of grief didn't make things better, as it only fuelled his desire to rescue his son and ensure the people who were responsible were punished. I tried stopping him, but he barred me from helping with the case due to it being a high profile one."

"Greg…" Rachel muttered, as she quickly ran over to him and gently held his right hand with her left hand.

"One day, the previous FBI commissioner and several of his men went to investigate a lead that would ultimately help him not only find his son, but also punish the wrongdoers as well." Greg looked down at the ground, a sad expression clearly evident on his face. "Unfortunately, they were trapped in an ambush and killed shortly after. No one survived, and the worse part is that none of us who was responsible for killing them." He began to cry after recalling that memory.

Greg mentioned that the incident with the previous FBI commissioner occurred ten years ago. Could it be that the previous FBI commissioner's son took part of the Lost Incident around that time, Rachel wondered in her mind. Hopefully the answer to that question would be found soon, as whoever was the FBI commissioner's son deserved to know the truth about what happened to his mother and father.

Brion walked over to Greg before putting a hand on his left shoulder, having managed to comfort the latter as a result. "I'm sorry to hear about your loss. From the way he impacted your life, he must have been a good man."

"In the previous FBI commissioner's will, it said that he wanted me to succeed him if he were to die in battle, which I did a week or two after his funeral. Since then, I took it upon myself to live a life that honors all his teachings and memories. One that'll make him proud once I see him again." Greg added, having wiped the tears from his eyes with his left forearm.

Brion then walked away from Greg and Rachel as he processed the story he heard, along with the impact the previous FBI commissioner had on the former's life. After doing so, he began to speak. "I wish I had the wisdom the previous FBI commissioner had, as it would be of great help right now."

"The most important thing I learned from the previous FBI commissioner is that if you're willing to put in the time to investigate the situation from all sides, then you'll find hidden details. Ones that can help you find the true solution to the problem." Greg told Brion. "One that not only has the least repercussions for all parties involved, but also prevents long-term pain for those who aren't involved as well."

"Since Raguel was already sentenced, there's nothing else to be done for the Shadow? One way or another, people will want to know who was truly responsible for recent events." Brion countered, before something crossed his mind. "Unless…"

"Unless what?"

"The answer to this dilemma lies in my lost memories."

"Lost memories?" both Greg and Rachel repeated, as Brion walked away from the duo and headed to his desk.

"When I battled against one of the Dark Ignis' clones, he questioned why someone with noble lineage like myself agreed to work for SOL Technologies in the first place." Brion began explaining. "While I know part of the answer to this question, the more I ponder about it, the more I feel like there's another reason why I joined the company's bounty hunter task force in the first place. A reason that, while appeared to be good for me at the time, was one that made me try to stop a person's plans after learning the truth about them back then."

"You think the answer to this problem is in your lost memories?" Rachel questioned, now curious on where Brion was going with this.

"Exactly! If I can find my lost memories, I'll be able to get the answer needed so I can give my people the closure they deserve!"

Greg frowned as he thought this over. While he was curious in the information that can be found in Brion's lost memories, it was still risky to do so because the truth can sometimes do more harm than good. After all, once something is made known, it can never be made unknown again. "Though it'll take some time, it's possible for me to modify the memory scanner so it can restore memories. But there's something I want to know, Brion. Are you sure you want this? Have you considered the consequences of such a decision? The last thing any of us want right now is for your mind to be damaged."

"I considered the consequences, Greg, and I made up my mind." Brion answered, having fully made up his mind on the matter. "If it means helping the people of Central Japan, then so be it."

"Surely, you're not serious on doing this for Brion, right?" Rachel inquired, which got Greg's attention.

"He made up his mind, Rachel. I can't back down from his request now." Greg responded back. For I too want to know what is in Brion's memories, Greg admitted in his mind. If the information in Brion's memories can help Yuhiro and the others defeat Ai, then it'll be worth it in the end. Who knows? Maybe it'll help for the battles to come as well.

Thus, the three of them left the throne room's main office, intent on modifying the memory scanner so Brion can get answers. If all went well, then new information will end up being uncovered. Ones that will reveal new and past truths, as well as provide guidance on what to do next moving forward.

Elsewhere, at Den City Square…

Yuhiro, Yusaku, Takeru, Arashi and Kusanagi watched the screens as LINK VRAINS was finally reopen to the public. Fireworks appeared in the sky as multiple duelists rode on their own duel boards, with one of them being Brave Max. Other duelists also cheered on the rooftops, all of them joyful to return to the network after all of this time. At the center of the area was a massive, three-dimensional circle of stars with the words 'LINK VRAINS Ai-Land' in the middle.

"Guys, LINK VRAINS has reopened." Takeru stated the obvious. "This is Ai's doing."

"He released all content for free, so more people than before have logged into the network." Kusanagi said.

"It's not just that, Kusanagi. There's also an announcement on changes to the duel rules as well." Yuhiro observed, curious on what the changes were and how they would affect duels moving forward. Perhaps the changes were ones that would allow duelists to use their strategies to the fullest. For thanks to Link Summoning, other summoning methods were slightly restricted, so Ai was probably planning on making sure every duelist can use their strategy at full power in order to bring more players to LINK VRAINS.

"I highly doubt Ai's doing this so people can regain their faith in SOL Technologies again." Arashi voiced his suspicions, which made everyone frown upon hearing it.

"The worst part is that none of us know what Ai's truly planning." Yusaku commented. "If we only had more information or even a lead, we'd be able to get some clues and figure out Ai's whereabouts."

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

The quintet turned to the door upon hearing the sound, now curious as to who would that be. After all, Kusanagi closed up Café Nagi temporarily, so no one should have the audacity to try and knock on the door.

"I'll go check it out." Arashi volunteered, as he headed over to the door of the Café Nagi truck. Upon doing so, he saw Brea, who had her arms crossed. "You're angry with me for not agreeing to meet up with you sooner, aren't you?"

"No, I'm just irritated by the fact that you're busy right now." Brea replied. "Besides, with what I found out earlier, the matter became more urgent than ever. That's why I wanted to speak with you asap."

"Who's there, Arashi?" Kusanagi inquired.

"It's just Brea, Kusanagi." Arashi answered back. "She has some information to share with us."

"Let her in." Yuhiro said, as Arashi gestured for Brea to enter inside the Café Nagi truck, which she did.

Huh. This must be how the legendary Playmaker logged into the network in the first place, Brea thought in her mind, as she looked around the food truck. The fact that it's mobile means Yusaku can log into the network anywhere he wants. It certainly has one advantage over Café Matsuo, that's for sure. "Sorry for the sudden notice, but there's urgent information I need to share with you guys."

"If it's about Ai, then we already know, Brea." Yusaku stated, as he gestured to the screen, which made Brea look at it for a few seconds before letting out a small gasp.

"Okay, that's not good…" Brea acknowledged the obvious. "But that's not what I wanted to share with you guys."

"Then what is it?" Takeru questioned, before he and the chair he was sitting on were suddenly pushed to the side by an irritated Brea.

"Just move over and let me show you!" Brea quickly typed on the digital keyboard for a minute before other screens popped up, where they showed Soltis guards at the sides of SOL Technologies' entrance, having scanned each employee before allowing them inside. Some Soltis guards were also scanning each employees' belongings to make sure all policies were followed, with a few employees being forced to return back inside to put away things they weren't allowed to take with them despite having a remote work status.

"Uh, w-what's got you so angry all of a sudden, Brea?" Arashi inquired, which led Yuhiro to chuckle upon putting two and two together.

"She's fired up due to getting cheated out of a deal for sweets, Arashi." Yuhiro told Arashi, which made Brea grit her teeth upon being reminded of what happened earlier this morning.

"That social media page didn't say anything about online orders regarding free orange and cranberry scones, Yuhiro! It clearly said that the first thirty people in line would get one for free!" Brea exclaimed loudly, which made both Yuhiro and Arashi sweat drop out of pure fear.

"Maybe you should tell us what you found before the information exits from your mind due to anger, Brea." Kusanagi gently suggested, which made Brea snap out of her anger seconds later after hearing the suggestion.

"Sorry. I was distracted." Brea gestured the others to look at the screens. "When I went on a walk this morning, I saw multiple Soltis units in the area. Well, way more than usual, anyway. So I followed after one to see what was going on, and apparently, there were multiple ones guarding SOL Technologies' entrance. As per the footage, they're clearly kicking people out of the company, and are mostly running the place now."

"Since Ai now has control over SOL Technologies, he'd want to make sure that no one could interfere with his plans." Yusaku deduced as he put a hand to his chin, having looked at the screens just now.

"Even if that's the case, we have to find Ai in order to find out what his plans are, Yusaku." Yuhiro reminded Yusaku.

"Well, while I don't have an answer to your dilemma, I do want to raise another concern here." Brea spoke up, which got everyone's attention. "The Soltis were created to serve the people, right? Have you considered the possibility of SOL Technologies using it for other reasons?"

That comment made the others in the room think for a minute, now curious on what Brea said just now. Even though the group knew about SOL Technologies' newest product and how it was created to serve the people, as well as regain their faith, none of them took into account the possibility that the company would have ulterior reasons for doing such a thing.

"If anything, SOL Technologies may have created the Soltis to spy on people so it can identify potential threats before planning next steps based on priority, especially since they're all connected with one another. And now that Ai took over SOL Technologies, he'll likely make sure no one tries anything to stop him intentionally or unintentionally, lest they pay the price."

"It's not just that." Yuhiro continued, having now put the pieces together in his mind. "Anyone who has control of SOL Technologies can do the same thing, which means they'll stay one step ahead of their enemies." He truly dreaded a reality where someone else got the Code Keys and used them for their own nefarious purposes. Ones that were way worse compared to whatever Ai was planning right now.

"Well, that's a concern to certainly take into account here." Takeru agreed with what Brea told him and the others just now. Since the Soltis were being advertised and to different clients worldwide, this meant that anyone who bought one would be under surveillance by SOL Technologies itself. This clearly made Takeru worried, as he had loved ones at home who'd be targeted if SOL Technologies ultimately deemed them as threats.

"Ditto." Arashi added in support to Takeru's comment. He too had loved ones back home, and if any of them bought Soltis units, they'd be in danger as well. This was something Arashi did not want right now, especially after Takeda was nearly killed by Windy all those months ago.

But before anyone else can talk, a notification popped up on the monitor, which led everyone to look at it a few seconds later.

"It's an email from Revolver." Kusanagi said after reading it. "He wants to meet you guys in the network."

"Did he find a lead on Ai?" Takeru asked.

"The only way we'll find out is by meeting with him and Demeter." Yusaku said.

"Then I'll join you guys, as you'll need as much help as you can get." Brea spoke up, which led everyone else to turn to her.

"While we appreciate you bringing this information to us, Brea, this isn't your fight." Yusaku told Brea, who rolled her eyes.

"On the contrary, it kind of is now, Yusaku." Brea countered. "Let's be real here: You guys lost a lot of allies in your battle against Ai so far, am I not correct?"

Yusaku frowned after hearing Brea's question. "We did. Almost all of the Hanoi have been defeated, along with Go and Zaizen. Roboppy also defeated Ghost Girl and Blood Shepherd in battle, as well as Miyu and one of the Hanoi's newest recruits." Like with Yuhiro, Yusaku was also grateful that Roboppy spared Miyu, especially since she already went through enough as it is for the past while.

"Roxy and Miyu are at Aoi's place right now to make sure she's recovering, so neither of them will be able to help us for now." Yuhiro added.

"Long story short, we're going to need more allies if we're to stop Ai." Takeru realized, who also frowned after coming to the conclusion on the matter at hand.

"Glad you guys came to the same conclusion." Brea remarked, having crossed her arms in triumph just now. "After all, I'm one of you guys now, so it's only fair I provide my assistance to help win this battle. See you guys in twenty minutes!" She then exited out of the Café Nagi truck, having begun her walk home in the process.

"She does have a point, everyone." Arashi reminded everyone else in the Café Nagi truck.

"Given her indirect connection to the Lost Incident, she would have been thrown into this battle one way or another." Yuhiro acknowledged.

"I know, Yuhiro, but the last thing any of us want is to suffer any more losses." Yusaku pointed out.

Yuhiro sadly nodded in agreement. "That's true, Yusaku. However, she made her choice in this matter, and will be helping us moving forward." Though I do wonder what Gabriella will think on this matter, Yuhiro thought in his mind, a frown evident on his face. Hopefully, she's understanding, as we're going to need all the help we can get to stop Ai from whatever he's planning next.

Twenty minutes later, in the network, at the Hanoi's server…

Playmaker, Soulburner, Slipstream, Raguel and Tigress logged into the Hanoi's server, having accepted Revolver's invitation to meet with him and Demeter. However, upon logging into the server, they only saw Revolver waiting for them at the moment.

"Good to see you accepted my invitation, Playmaker." Revolver stated. "Though I don't recall allowing Tigress to attend this meeting."

"Since you guys suffered multiple losses, I figured I'd join in on the fight." Tigress commented. "Besides, I'm indirectly linked to everything that's happened so far, as well as what occurred prior to that."

Now that's interesting. I didn't expect there to be another link to current and past events, Revolver thought in his mind. Tigress obviously isn't one of the Lost Incident victims, or else she'd have a Cyberse deck like Playmaker and his squad. If anything, she must know someone who was either there in the Lost Incident all those years ago or provided materials to ensure it can remain operational. He made a mental note to look into this latest information when he had the time available, and like with the others, he wouldn't go after them in the real world.

"Why did you ask to meet, Revolver?" Playmaker inquired.

"You know why, Playmaker." Revolver firmly answered, as he turned to face the others present. "Now that the Dark Ignis has both Code Keys, he'll be able to launch whatever plans he has in mind for his war on humanity, and there's no way I'll let it happen."

"Unless you found any leads on Ai, Revolver, there's not much we can do at the moment." Soulburner told Revolver.

"While I didn't find any leads so far, I was able to find a clue. Earlier today, the Dark Ignis closed SOL Technologies."

"Closed?" Playmaker repeated.

"That doesn't make sense. Ai reopened LINK VRAINS just now, so he'd be the one to make sure it's running." Slipstream observed.

"You're correct, Slipstream. The Dark Ignis didn't shut down the system. All the Dark Ignis did today was shut the corporation down and dismiss any humans that were there." Revolver responded, as he gestured to one of the screens nearby, which led everyone to look at it. The screen showed SOL Technologies being run by Soltis guards, having cleared the area of any humans that were there. "While SOL Technologies' headquarters is occupied by Soltis, the Dark Ignis allowed the employees to retain their jobs by working from home. It's not just that, as any worker at the company who has an onsite work arrangement was allowed to remain under constant supervision by Soltis. As for why this is the case, Demeter and I are looking into it."

"We know of this already, Revolver, as Tigress passed this information to us recently." Raguel commented.

"After I scouted out the area and saw what was going on at SOL Technologies, it led me to come up with a theory of my own." Tigress began explaining. "Instead of serving the people, SOL Technologies may have created the Soltis to keep an eye on anyone that can become a threat in the future. From there, the company would compile a list of these threats before deciding the best way to deal with them should they truly threaten its wellbeing. But now that Ai's in control of the company…"

"Come on, Tigress. Ai isn't a bad person. He wouldn't have done what he did if it wasn't for a good reason." Slipstream pointed out, which made Tigress look down at the ground in shame.

"I wasn't saying that at all, Slipstream. I was just making an observation based on what I saw, that's all."

"But what you did was wise, Tigress, as your theory has provided information on what the Dark Ignis might plan to do next." Revolver stated, pleased that Tigress took the initiative in trying to solve the mystery at hand.

"If taking over SOL Technologies is step one, then why is reopening LINK VRAINS to everyone step two of Ai's plan?" Soulburner wondered out loud. "Unless he's planning on enslaving humanity and becoming their ruler or something!"

"I don't think Ai's the type of person who would enslave humanity and become a ruler, Soulburner. It's clearly not in his nature." Playmaker said.

"What you think doesn't matter, Playmaker. What matters is the truth, and the truth is that the Dark Ignis is now humanity's enemy." Revolver scathingly told Playmaker. "For once in your life, stop thinking optimistically and accept the truth. The sooner you do so, the sooner you'll be able to free yourself from whatever's preventing you from completing the mission."

"Says the guy who spared Jin's life rather than attack to defeat Lightning back in Mirror LINK VRAINS." Raguel snidely remarked, which earned him a scowl from Revolver.

"Okay, everyone. Let's remain civil here and not fight amongst ourselves." Tigress told everyone else present. "What about Zero? If he was able to destroy a bunch of Raguel's data clones in combat, as well as wield Cyberse monsters, then I'm sure he'll be able to shut down the Soltis for good."

Revolver put a hand on his chin as he thought this over for a moment. "Zero is someone with incredibly unique abilities for a human, as he was able to acquire the information to Zaizen's plane and bypass the viral shield before logging into the latter's server. On the topic of Cyberse monsters, they're able to appear outside of a duel, which was proven earlier by how Zero's monster put Blood Shepherd in his place."

"He also has the ability to destroy data anchors, which means anyone's chances of forcing him into a duel have been massively reduced." Raguel added. "Though if we all know Ai, he would have found a way to force him into a duel."

"But what happened to Zero, anyway? If he's a strong duelist like us, he would be here right now." Soulburner commented.

"Maybe Zero was defeated by one of Ai's clones." Slipstream hypothesized.

"No, Slipstream. An Ai clone wouldn't be strong enough to take Zero down in battle, especially with the deck he wields. Nor is Zero one to run away, as he was quite hellbent on stopping me when he first appeared several weeks ago." Raguel shut that hypothesis down, having recalled how his data clone was quickly and ruthlessly defeated at Zero's hands a few weeks ago.

"Still, until more information comes to light, we should assume that Zero was taken down by Ai at some point prior to his duel against Zaizen and Blue Maiden." Demeter stated, as she and Pandor walked over to where the others were.

"Damn it! It looks like we're back at square one." Tigress cursed. If Zero were still here, then his assistance would help in finding Ai. Not just that, but also eliminate the Soltis to make sure he wouldn't be able to use them.

"Then the only way we'll be able to make progress is if we find Ai." Soulburner reminded everyone present.

"That's not possible, Soulburner. After the Dark Ignis took control of SOL Technologies, it used a new Ignis algorithm to make sure any trails were scrubbed clean. In other words, it can't be found." Revolver said.

"Then we have to go to LINK VRAINS." Playmaker spoke up.

"You think Ai's in LINK VRAINS?" Demeter questioned, as Playmaker turned to her.

"I do, Demeter. After Ai defeated Zaizen and Blue Maiden, he said that he and I would meet up again in the network. If we start looking for clues in the network, I believe we'll find something there."

Demeter thought this over for a second before nodding in agreement. "While I agree with what you're saying, Playmaker, we need to exercise caution. For there's no telling what Ai's planning now that he reopened the network."

"Nevertheless, we gained another clue, Demeter." Revolver pointed out, before turning to Playmaker. "If you think the Dark Ignis is calling for us, then we'll start our search in LINK VRAINS, Playmaker. However, once we find the Dark Ignis, I will be the one to end matters with him."

"I won't let you hurt him." Playmaker countered.

"You will not stop me, Playmaker!"

"We'll see about that, Revolver!"

"This is getting us nowhere fast." Soulburner pointed out, the others obviously nodding their heads in agreement.

"Soulburner's right. The more time we waste, the more time Ai has to complete his master plan." Tigress added in support to what Soulburner said just now.

"I concur with Soulburner and Tigress. Let's settle matters between us after we deal with the current issue at hand." Demeter said, having helped calm things down as a result.

"That's fair," both Playmaker and Revolver conceded, knowing that fighting amongst each other was what Ai wanted right now. For people in a group that were indecisive on what to do next would lead to intense conflict, and eventual destruction from the inside out if it wasn't resolved fast enough.

"So we're all agreed. Let's look in the network for any clues of Ai's potential whereabouts, and we'll meet up to discuss our findings in the next few hours or so." Raguel said.

"And whatever happens after that, we'll settle it from there." Slipstream added.

"Alright." Playmaker stated, as he, Soulburner, Raguel, Slipstream and Tigress logged out of the Hanoi's server, leaving Revolver, Demeter and Pandor alone. The whole area was filled with silence before Pandor broke it.

"Shall I accompany you in your search, Revolver?" Pandor asked.

"That won't be necessary, Pandor." Revolver replied. "I do, however, want to know a few things. First, while I'm aware that your three other copies were destroyed in duels involving the real Dark Ignis, I want to know what happened to the fourth one. Was it also destroyed following Zero's loss against the Dark Ignis?"

Pandor frowned. "I too am not aware of what happened to the fourth copy, Revolver. One moment, my connection with my fourth copy was there, and the next, it was completely cut off."

"I did a diagnostic check on Pandor following Ai's battle against Blue Maiden and Zaizen, and aside from the severed connection, there's no damage to her whatsoever." Demeter backed up Pandor's statement just now.

"Nevertheless, I'll investigate the matter to see if I can find any clues." Pandor promised, wanting to get answers on what really happened to her fourth copy.

Revolver nodded in agreement after processing this information. "Then I'll leave the matter to you, Pandor. In the meanwhile, what's the status of the new cards that are being made? Are they fully functional yet?"

Pandor pressed a button on her duel disk, where several cards appeared before they floated above it. "The cards you requested are ready to go, Revolver. However, there's one card that needs a little more time before it can be used in a duel. I do hope you understand." She sent the cards to Revolver, the latter's duel disk having gotten a notification upon receiving them.

Revolver narrowed his eyes as he looked at the cards that appeared in his duel disk just now. After the other Knights of Hanoi showed Revolver the duel between Playmaker and Bohman, he was amazed with how both duelists had Link 5 monsters in their arsenal. Due to this, Revolver immediately wanted a Link 5 monster of his own because he didn't want to fall behind Playmaker and the others in combat. This became more urgent than ever due to recent events, and while it would take time, the hard work will pay off in the end. Together with The Fang of Critias, the cards will certainly be of great help against anything that not only threatens humanity, but also gets in Revolver's way as well.

"That's fine, Pandor." Revolver finally said, having understood Pandor's comment just now. Since he got the other cards, he was content with waiting for the last one, as it had to be the Link 5 monster he requested weeks ago. Thus, Revolver began to walk away, intent on starting to search for Ai's whereabouts in LINK VRAINS. However, he stopped walking seconds later after something crossed his mind just now. "There's one more matter I wish to talk to you about."

"What would that be, Revolver?" Pandor asked.

"The Dark Ignis spared your life after it defeated Blue Maiden and Zaizen in a duel. I'm not sure why, but I believe it wanted you to live on and find out what you wanted for yourself."

"Live? My purpose upon creation was to assist you and the other Hanoi in eliminating threats residing in the network. Aside from that, I have no other purpose."

"Then it'll take time for you to figure that out." Revolver responded. "While you were programmed to help the Hanoi take down threats in the network, I still gave you intelligence. Use it to figure out what you want in your life, and if it means no longer working for the Hanoi, then I have no objections to your decision."

"Revolver…" Demeter muttered, pleased to see that Revolver treated Pandor like an actual person. While it certainly showed how much he grew as a person, Demeter was still concerned with his intentions of eliminating Ai without showing any mercy. Unless Revolver found a way to calm that side of him down, it would lead to his undoing.

Pandor frowned as she processed what Revolver said to her just now in her head before speaking. "What you're asking me to do is very difficult because you limited my free will upon my creation. As a result, I am only able to view things from one perspective."

In response to this, Revolver pressed a button on his duel disk, where Pandor felt energy surge through her mind seconds later as parts of her mind were unlocked. "There. I shut down the program that limits to your free will, Pandor. I even gave you the choice to turn it back on if you choose to do so later on. As of now, you are free to make your own decisions and figure out what you truly want in your life. But it doesn't come without its challenges, as you'll be faced with numerous factors that will challenge your decision making abilities again and again. You could say it comes with the package."

"Is this your way of saying farewell, Revolver?" Pandor questioned.

"Maybe. Maybe not. Maybe it's my way of trying to make things right until my last missions are complete." Revolver cryptically commented back. "If I can give you some advice, it's that you should leave the battlefield so you can make your decisions in peace. Because once this is all over, the Hanoi will cease to exist, and the last thing I want is for the coming battles to take this opportunity away from you. See you around, Pandor." He then continued to walk away, intent on starting the search for Ai's whereabouts in LINK VRAINS.

Demeter, knowing that something wasn't right, quickly followed after Revolver to talk to him. "Revolver. Stop, Revolver! RYOKEN!" She quickly sped up and put a hand on Revolver's shoulder, which made him stop walking before turning to face her.

"What's the matter, Demeter?"

"I will not in good conscience allow you to destroy the good person you've become by going on this dark path!" Demeter exclaimed. "Despite what you and the Hanoi did in the past, you still did some good things. Not only did you provide aid and shelter to people who were caught in the crossfire of past battles, you also spared Jin Kusanagi's life instead of killing him just to defeat Lightning. Your decision not to harm an innocent person shows how you kept your humanity, Revolver, yet you still insist on destroying Ai after agreeing to see things from a different perspective. It's not just that, as you still plan on turning both yourself and the other Hanoi in when all of this is over! Why are you serious about doing both things in the first place?!"

Revolver frowned as he carefully thought things over before replying back. "You don't understand, mother. I don't think you ever understood."

"Understand? What's there to understand?! Ryoken, you've proven that you're not like your father! I don't want you to regress-."

"That's the thing, mother! I am not like my father!" Revolver fiercely interjected. "While he's someone who'd justify his actions by saying they're for the greater good, I am taking responsibility for everything the Hanoi and I have done. All the crimes, all the mistakes… they're on me. Every. Last. One of them."

Demeter gasped. "What?"

"While the Hanoi have done some good, they've still caused so much pain to many people. I can't ignore that any longer." Revolver looked down at the ground, the frown still evident on his face. "And to make things worse, the Hanoi's 'righteous' crusade to protect humanity has also caused us to suffer many consequences. Not only are Dancho and Infearno gone, Drachen was also hurt in a war that he shouldn't have taken a part of! Honestly, I can't believe it's taken me this long to realize how self-righteous the Hanoi sounded in our mission. If this pain is what self-righteousness leads to, then I don't want any more of it!"

"You may be right on some things, Revolver, but it doesn't change the fact that you became a better person." Demeter tried to assure Revolver, which partially worked.

Revolver grit his teeth as he recalled his decision to let Ai go and to stop searching for him in the network. "I let the Dark Ignis live in the hopes that it would remain in the network for the rest of its days and never threaten us again, especially since it recently loss the rest of its kin. But thanks to the mercy I showed, it gave the Dark Ignis time to formulate a plan to take SOL Technologies' Code Keys. Everyone that fell in battle against the Dark Ignis is on my head. It's my fault for letting such a thing happen."

Having seen the pain on Revolver's face, Demeter gently placed a hand on the former's left cheek to get his attention. "The losses that we suffered in the battle against Ai aren't your fault, Ryoken. Everyone chose to fight against Ai to protect Zaizen and stop his plans."

"And it's because of my mercy that humanity's now in more danger than before." Revolver countered, a firm expression now evident on his face. "These two final missions I'm on aren't about me going on a dark path, mother. No. They're about me repenting for my mistakes before it's too late to do so."

"Do you not hear yourself right now, Revolver?! You're fully aware that you and the Hanoi have done good things to repent for past sins, yet a part of you still refuses to let go of the pain from the past!" Demeter pointed out the contradictions in what Revolver was saying overall, which actually made the latter gasp upon hearing this information. "At this rate, you'll lose your humanity if you're not able to fully reconcile with yourself and let go of past regrets."

Shaking the shock off his face, Revolver turned around before beginning to walk away from Demeter, intent on getting to work lest this information overwhelm him. "After I put the Dark Ignis to rest and figure out what truly happened to Infearno, the Hanoi will cease to exist. You and Drachen will be free to live out the rest of your days in peace away from the Hanoi, and that's what I intend to give you by the time this is all over."

"Revolver, please wait! Revolver! RYOKEN!" Demeter tried to reach out to Revolver in an attempt to stop him from walking. However, Revolver simply shrugged off the attempt and sped up his walking, the conversation clearly having ended.

The whole conversation made Demeter tense up as tears formed in her eyes, which led her to put her hands to her face before she let out a shout of sadness. Pandor quickly ran to Demeter and placed a hand on her right shoulder in an attempt to comfort the latter. While this partially worked, it didn't fully solve the problem, as Demeter still continued to cry from everything that's happened so far.

"Revolver's heart is in turmoil, Demeter." Pandor stated. "While he's clearly become a better person like you said, his desire to protect humanity at all costs is what's preventing him from letting go of past regrets and pain. To paraphrase Ai, you could say that time partially stopped for him."

Upon hearing this revelation, Demeter wiped her tears before turning to look at Pandor. "You can tell what's going on with him, Pandor?"

"In the duel between one of my copies and Ai, they were able to discern what was in Ai's heart before trying to appeal to the goodness inside him. Based on this previous analysis, I can detect that what Revolver's feeling is in line to Ai's inner emotions. Both of them don't like what they have to do, but have to do it to make sure their mission is complete."

Demeter looked down at the ground and let out a sigh. "I don't know how to help Ryoken at this point, Pandor. Just when he seems to have let go of the past and be willing to look at the future, something comes along to make him stuck in his views again."

"If I can give you advice, Demeter, it's that being there for someone isn't always enough. Sometimes, it takes a catalyst to help a person accept reality, and combined with the support of loved ones, they'll be able to fully move on from their mistakes as well." Pandor said.

"I hope you're right, Pandor. I really hope you're right." Demeter replied, before she let out a sad sigh, scared to lose her son forever. While Demeter wanted the Knights of Hanoi to take responsibility for their actions and atone for them, which they were doing a good job in so far, she didn't expect the group to turn themselves in once their last three objectives were complete.

One: Eliminate Ai.

Two: Make sure all of Drachen's charges were dropped and his slate was clean.

Three: Find out what happened to Infearno and ensure the perpetrator is defeated for good.

While I'm glad you're taking responsibility for your actions, Ryoken, I don't want it to be at the cost of us never seeing each other again, Demeter thought in her mind, afraid that such a reality would occur in the future. If there was a way Demeter can prevent Revolver and the Hanoi from turning themselves into the authorities while continuing to take responsibility for their crimes, then she'd work to find it in a heartbeat.

Besides, she didn't want to risk losing the people that were in her life for the longest time now. Not when there was the possibility of finding a different option that would not only keep those people free, but also allow them to continue taking responsibility for their crimes without facing judgment from the authorities. For a life where you didn't have people to share it with wasn't one worth living at all.

Meanwhile, in LINK VRAINS, inside the Linguriboh ship…

Ai frowned as he steered the Linguriboh ship to the depths of the network, wanting to get away as fast as possible from Jericho. Thanks to Dogma's unexpected assistance, Ai and Roboppy were not only able to escape, but also get the trackers removed from them as well. While Ai didn't understand why Dogma did such things, he was grateful for this help, as it meant that he no longer had to do Jericho's bidding.

Nevertheless, just because Ai was safe from doing Jericho's bidding didn't mean that the threat of the simulations was gone. For as long as he continued to exist, the simulations he saw back in the Cyberse World would happen one way or another. This meant Ai had to continue with his plan, as he'd make sure that humanity survived in the end no matter what came to pass. Or in this case, it was a gambit, as Ai was putting everything on the line just to ensure his plan reached fruition. He couldn't afford for any of his loved ones to die, which was why he was doing all of this in the first place.

It wasn't just that, as Ai wanted to give Yusaku and the others a fighting chance in the coming battle against Jericho, and Urizen by extension. That's why he was putting something in place to make sure Jericho didn't come out on top when it was all over, as well as secure humanity's survival from all the simulations he saw back in the Cyberse World. For the threat Urizen posed was far bigger than anyone could have ever imagined, and since he was Jericho's father, it became very urgent to stop his plans before it was too late. Otherwise, humanity would suffer a fate worse than death.

Hopefully, everyone will understand why Ai committed all those actions once this was all over, as he genuinely cared for humanity deep down in his heart.

"Ah!" Roboppy said, as his eyes opened before vaulting upwards, having been sleeping a few seconds later. "Was I sleeping just now?"

"You were unconscious for quite a while, Roboppy." Ai simply answered. "Just to catch you up, we were able to escape thanks to some unexpected assistance from one of Jericho's envoys."

Roboppy turned over to Ai, now wanting to know who helped them escape from Jericho's server. "Was it Juggernaut who helped us once again, master?"

Ai shook his head in response to Roboppy's question. "No, Roboppy. For reasons mostly unknown, Jericho's second in command gave us a program that helped us escape from Jericho's clutches. In addition, he destroyed the program Jericho infected us with, so we're both home free." I do hope I can find out what other reasons Dogma had for helping us aside from understanding my plight, Ai thought in his mind, having already learned one reason why Dogma freed him and Roboppy from captivity earlier.

"Can I tell you something interesting, master?" Roboppy asked, which snapped Ai out of this thoughts.

"Yeah, sure. What's up?" Ai replied.

"Apparently, I had a dream just now." Roboppy scratched the top of his head, wondering what it meant to have a dream, as AIs don't have dreams.

"A dream? That's impressive. Dreaming is proof that you have free will, Roboppy." Ai turned to Roboppy. "What were you dreaming about?"

Roboppy thought it over for a few seconds before answering Ai's question. "Well, I was floating in space and felt my entire body shine with golden light like a star. The next thing I knew, I felt my body melt into space before shining even brighter with light!"

"Really now?" Ai questioned, before he thought this information over for a second as he tried to discern what Roboppy's dream meant. After a few seconds of thinking, Ai continued speaking. "Roboppy, listen up! That dream you had wasn't just incredible! It was one that foretold the future!" Suddenly, Ai's outfit changed, where he now wore a purple kimono with dark purple lining and a violet sash. It wasn't just that, as a portion of his hair turned into a mustache and a beard at the same time.

"Wait just a second. Are you saying my dream was a prophecy?" Roboppy inquired back.

"That's correct, young one! A prophecy is a message that has been communicated to you from a supernatural entity. In this case, the message was communicated to you through your dream! The message states that the chosen AI will become strong just like the universe and eventually become one with it! Since the dream came to you, it means you became the chosen AI to conquer the universe!"

"Are you saying I'll become stronger and stronger?" Roboppy smiled, now wanting to know more information about his dream and what it foretold.

"Of course! You will become strong, and through that strength, you'll guide the universe towards a new future!" Ai confirmed.

"Will I become stronger than you, master?" Roboppy asked.

Ai turned his head to Roboppy upon hearing his question. "In due time… probably."

Roboppy joyfully jumped off his chair, pleased to hear this information. "This is amazing news, master! I can't believe I'm going to be conquering the universe soon!"

"When you become a big deal, my only request is that you take care of me and keep me safe from everyone who threatens your vision." Ai requested, which led Roboppy to nod in confirmation.

"Don't worry, master. I'll keep you safe from the bad guys who threaten the universe!" Roboppy promised.

"That's great to hear, Roboppy. Because I got a special reward for all of your hard work." Ai gestured Roboppy to look at the violet orb, where it displayed a silhouette of a large island. "I made you a special kingdom inside LINK VRAINS just for you."

"That's my kingdom?" Roboppy's eyes widened with excitement, wanting to explore it for himself.

"It definitely is, Roboppy." Ai answered. "Use it as your foothold to conquer the universe, young one."

"Thank you, master!" Roboppy said, gratitude evident in his tone.

"Oh, I got one more thing for you, Roboppy. Think of it like a housewarming gift." Energy formed in Ai's right hand as a violet ticket in the form of a letter made of data orbited above it, which went over to Roboppy before entering inside his body.

"Uh, what's this, master?" Roboppy inquired, having held the thing Ai gave him in his hands.

"It's the ticket towards achieving your destiny, Roboppy." Ai explained. "All you have to do is put it in your duel disk, and you'll be on your way to fulfilling the prophecy."

Roboppy immediately pressed a button on his duel disk before putting the violet letter inside it, where he soon felt his body glow with energy. "Wow. I feel the energy coursing through my body, master. It's almost as if my dream is becoming a reality."

Ai chuckled. "Well, as long as you put in the hard work and effort, then it'll certainly become a reality." He pointed his right index finger at the violet orb displaying Roboppy's kingdom. "Now go to your kingdom, Roboppy! Meet your loyal subjects who will be at your side no matter what you face!"

"Okay! I'm going right now!" Roboppy stated, before something immediately crossed his mind. "Hold on a minute! You said my kingdom was in LINK VRAINS, right, master? That means I'll run into Playmaker and his buddies. Or worse. I may run into Jericho and his envoys. If that happens-."

"If it happens, then it's your duty as the ruler to protect your kingdom." Ai told Roboppy. "They stand in your way of not only conquering the universe, but guiding it to a bright future as well!"

"You're right! Okay, now I'm going for real!" Roboppy raced to the face of the Linguriboh ship, wanting to immediately go to LINK VRAINS and enter his kingdom for the first time…

…Only for him to bump his head on the wall before falling onto his back, having let out a small cry of pain as a result.

Before Roboppy could say or do anything else, the floor opened underneath him as he fell out of the Linguriboh ship, having summoned his duel board to stop his fall. From there, Roboppy sped away from the Linguriboh ship towards the general network, intent on entering his kingdom and meeting the citizens there.

Ai sighed as the kimono he wore returned to his previous attire, a sad but content expression evident on his face. While he clearly trusted Roboppy, a part of him knew that the latter's enhanced intelligence would be his own undoing, especially since it was growing faster by the minute. What's more, Ai didn't want to get Roboppy involved in any more of his battles, as he was the one who was in danger here, not him. After all, given what happened, it was only a matter of time before Jericho made a new tracker to find Ai's whereabouts once again in the network.

The worst part of it was that, even though Ai was free, he couldn't go and simply tell Playmaker and the others about what he saw. Not after everything he did to them, as he clearly regretted his actions and how it affected the people he cared about the most. In addition, Ai didn't want to risk anything that would prevent him from stopping humanity's extinction, which was evident by the multiple simulations he saw back in the ruined Cyberse World. Thus, Ai had no choice but to continue with his plan of action, as there was no turning back now.

"Goodbye, Roboppy. And good luck, my friend." Ai said, before he walked back to the steering wheel before turning the Linguriboh ship around to a different area of the network. This way, he'd be able to continue putting off as much distance as he can away from Jericho and the envoys of Albinor. This way, Ai would be able to stay alive longer so he can make sure his gambit can truly be paid off by the time the battles were over.

Several minutes later, in LINK VRAINS…

Roboppy sped on his duel board as he looked around the area, wanting to see where his kingdom was in the network. If he wanted to fulfil the prophecy his dream showed him, he had to go to his kingdom and meet the people that resided there first. This way, Roboppy can form a strong bonds of friendship with his subjects, which would motivate them to fighting for their king. After all, people are more likely to fight for those who showed great charisma and formed genuine bonds with them than for those who ruled with an iron fist. Besides, Ai claimed that Roboppy was to also guide the universe towards a bright future, so he wouldn't be able to fully fulfil the prophecy if he ruled with fear rather than out of genuine respect and love.

"Where could my kingdom be?" Roboppy said aloud, as he continued to look for it. After a few more seconds of searching, he eventually found where his kingdom was in the network. "There it is!" He sped towards the designated island before landing his duel board on the ground, having hopped off of it seconds later.

Looking at the island, Roboppy noticed three things. First, there were buildings of multiple colors and shapes, which nearly resembled that of different laundry appliances. Second, there was what appeared to be a large, green rollercoaster and Ferris wheel. Lastly, there were pieces of block-like formations with different colors underneath the island to solidify the area.

"Yay! My own kingdom!" Roboppy happily danced around before turning into his robot form, having continued to dance after seeing what his kingdom looked like. "Hey, everyone! Come on out! My name's Roboppy, and I'm an appliance just like you!"

Suddenly, household appliance robots with googly eyes emerged out of the area, curious on who arrived just now. From a fridge, to a microwave, a blender, vacuum, lamp, fan, radio, blow-dryer, and many others, they all went over to meet Roboppy, wanting to know more about him. Soon, Roboppy returned back to his human form, having saw the appliances in the area.

"Hey, do you appliances live here?" Roboppy inquired to all the household appliance robots in the area.

"We do!" all the household appliance robots answered repeatedly.

Roboppy smiled after seeing the happy expressions on all the household appliance robots after answering his question. "Awesome, guys! And do you know I'm going to be your ruler? That means you're going to be safe under my care!"

"Hooray!" All the household appliance robots cheered repeatedly, joyful to not meet Roboppy and acknowledge him as their ruler, but also be under his protection as well.

"Now let's have some fun, everybody!" Roboppy stated, as the household appliance robots all got together, having held each other's hands to make a circle. All of them proceeded to move in a circular formation as the other household appliance robots in the area also cheered, beyond grateful with this turn of events. Thus, Roboppy and the household appliance robots in the area all had fun with one another, pleased to be in each other's company as they looked forward to a brighter future. One under Roboppy's kind and guiding command as a conqueror.

Elsewhere, in LINK VRAINS…

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Tigress inquired.

"Any clues related to Ai and/or Roboppy." Slipstream simply answered, who was riding parallel to her on his duel board. Right now, he, Tigress, Raguel, Soulburner and Playmaker were scouting out the area to see if they can find any clues in the network that would help them determine Ai's location. Unfortunately, the network was a very large place, which meant the quintet would have to spread out to cover more ground. However, Kusanagi pointed out that it was better for the group to travel together before splitting up to cover a common area because the last thing he wanted was for anyone to be picked off without the others noticing.

Besides, it was likely that Ai would have laid some traps in the quintet's attempts to find clues related to him. With this knowledge in mind, the group heeded Kusanagi's advice and travelled together to make sure no one can catch any of them off guard. Long story short, safety in numbers was a priority right now due to none of them knowing what Ai's true plans were now that he had control over SOL Technologies.

"What examples of clues do you think would help us find Ai and Roboppy? I mean, anything that resonates with either of them, be it their personalities, antics, interests or other things should help us get a head start here." Something else suddenly crossed in Tigress' mind. "Can one of you also send me a pic of Ai and Roboppy so I know who we're trying to find? The last thing I want is to go all bad cop on someone accidentally."

Raguel couldn't help but laugh after hearing what Tigress said just now. He recalled the times when she played the role of bad cop on people, which… certainly scared them for sure. One could say that Tigress' work with the Rickety Raiders, along with Roxy's mentorship, made her a force to be reckoned with. One that Raguel was grateful to have on his side. He pressed a button on his duel disk, which made Tigress' duel disk to beep as a picture of Ai and Roboppy appeared seconds later. "There. Now you'll know what Ai and Roboppy look like so that you don't interrogate the wrong people."

"Thank you very much." Tigress replied after looking at the two pictures. Good thing I looked at these pictures, as it's a bad idea to underestimate who you're facing, Tigress thought in her mind. She was certainly caught off guard by the monsters Slipstream used in their previous duel, which not only resembled weapon used toys, but also had effects that can catch any duelist off guard if they weren't careful.

"As for your other question, Tigress, one example of a clue was when Ai solved a crossword puzzle to win a rare pin a while ago." Raguel continued speaking, having recalled how Ai's stupid idea to solve a crossword puzzle so he can win a pin led him to being trapped in the fake Cyberse World server. Thus leading to the group's first encounter with Lightning and the revelations that were learned soon after.

"Yeah, I highly doubt Ai would do such a thing again given the dark path he's on and his recent actions, Raguel." Soulburner disputed Raguel's comment, having also remembered the same events from several weeks ago. To think that so much time had passed since then, where all the Ignis were alive and well. One of which was Flame, who helped Soulburner not only look towards the future in a positive way, but also help him get over his fear of ghosts as well.

"Regardless, whatever we find should help us acquire a lead on Ai's current whereabouts." Playmaker said, which led everyone to nod in agreement as they kept looking around the area they were currently in for anything that can help them find Ai.

Soulburner gasped upon seeing something up ahead. It was a new island he never saw in LINK VRAINS, which, unbeknownst to him, was Roboppy's kingdom. "Hey guys, am I seeing things, or is that an island I never saw before?"

"You aren't seeing things, man. I never seen that island either." Slipstream agreed with what Soulburner said just now, having saw Roboppy's kingdom as well. It wasn't just him, as neither of them saw that island before in their time in LINK VRAINS.

"Let's go to that island and check it out." Raguel said, the others nodding in agreement as they increased the speed on their respective duel boards, intent on finding any clues that may be there.

CRACK!

Suddenly, several, glowing cracks appeared in the area Raguel, Playmaker, Soulburner, Slipstream and Tigress were in, where it suddenly turned into a wormhole that threatened to suck them all in!

"Shit! Not now!" Tigress cursed, as she and the others turned their duel boards around, wanting to escape its grasp.

"You've seriously got to be kidding me!" Slipstream exclaimed. Just when they were about to investigate a new lead, they had to deal with one of Ai's traps, which resembled the one Blood Shepherd created to try and capture a duelist that had an Ignis all those weeks ago.

"I told you guys about the possibility of Ai laying traps in the area." Kusanagi reminded the quintet through the comms.

"Can you close it on your end, Kusanagi?" Playmaker inquired.

"I'll do my best, Yusaku. Just hold on tight!" Kusanagi immediately typed on the digital keyboard as he got to work to try and seal the wormhole shut.

The wormhole was so strong that it caused pieces of the islands nearby to be pulled off as they sped forward, which forced Tigress, Raguel, Slipstream, Playmaker and Soulburner to maneuver their duel boards in an attempt to avoid them. It wasn't just that, as the quintet also had to escape the winds the wormhole was unleashing at them. Unless the quintet escaped the trap, they were going to get sucked into the wormhole very soon!

"Just a little further, guys. We're almost out of the danger zone…" Soulburner muttered to the others, wanting to encourage them so they can escape from the trap. Unfortunately, a large piece of debris was torn off from an island nearby, which headed straight towards the group at a very fast rate!

"Look out, Playmaker!" Raguel exclaimed, as he sped towards where Playmaker was before knocking the latter out of the way to protect him from the large of debris. In doing so, the large piece of debris hit Raguel instead with such force that he was stunned upon impact, where the suction increased before it pulled him and his duel board inside. Raguel could do nothing but let out a loud scream as he was pulled through the portal within a matter of seconds.

"RAGUEL!" Playmaker, Soulburner, Slipstream and Tigress cried out upon seeing Raguel being sucked into the wormhole, where it closed up seconds later with a loud crack. The pieces of debris that were pulled by the wormhole floated in the air seconds later, having been freed from the suction the wormhole caused seconds earlier.

"Oh, that's not good…" Kusanagi muttered through the comms, also shocked at what he saw. With Raguel gone, this meant the group was down a person in finding clues to where Ai was at the moment. And since Roxy and Miyu were currently at the Zaizens' residence, it meant he was on his own in trying to find out Raguel's whereabouts.

"Can you find out where Raguel went to, Kusanagi?" Slipstream asked, concern clearly evident in his tone.

"Like I told Yusaku, I'll do my best. In the meanwhile, you and the others should investigate that island you saw earlier. I believe you can find some clues to Raguel's whereabouts there."

"We're on it." Playmaker confirmed, as he, Soulburner, Slipstream and Tigress sped towards the island Roboppy was on, hellbent on getting some answers.

A few minutes later, at Roboppy's kingdom…

The household appliance robots' happiness got cut short as they noticed something was approaching the kingdom. It wasn't just them, as Roboppy sensed the same thing. But before he could act, a majority of the household appliance robots hid around the corner while others reverted to their original forms so they can all evade detection.

"Hey guys, what's the matter? Come on out. There's no need to be afraid." Roboppy said, now concerned for the other household appliance robots' wellbeing. As the ruler of his kingdom, he had a responsibility to care for each and every one of them, especially since they'd be fighting by his side.

WHOOSH!

Roboppy turned around as he saw Soulburner, Playmaker, Tigress and Slipstream jump down from their duel boards and onto the ground, which clearly got his attention. "Hello Playmaker, Soulburner, Slipstream and Tigress. I didn't expect visitors."

"We're here because we have some questions to ask you, Roboppy." Tigress stated. While she'd pull out her crossbow to demand answers from Roboppy, she obviously didn't due to her not knowing what he was truly capable of as both a duelist and an individual. If anything, Roboppy could have another trap to spring if Tigress and the others tried to do anything that would threaten him of Ai. With this information in mind, it was wise to keep things civil lest it get out of hand fast. "First question. Where did you and Ai send Raguel off to with that wormhole of yours?"

"Wormhole?" Roboppy repeated, a look of surprise evident on his face. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know? The one that's near this tiny little island we're all on at the moment. It activated the moment we got close to your location."

Roboppy narrowed his eyes back at Tigress. "First of all, this isn't a tiny little island. This is my kingdom, and as its ruler, I have to protect my people. Second, I have no idea what you're talking about because I wasn't aware of any wormholes in the area until you told me just now."

"Is Roboppy telling the truth, Playmaker?" Slipstream asked, wanting confirmation on Roboppy's statement. If Aerith was with the group, they'd be able to quickly figure out whether Roboppy was lying or not in a heartbeat.

"It appears he is, Slipstream." Playmaker quietly replied before frowning at what was going on. If Roboppy knew about the wormhole, then he'd obviously confirm it, but his response was clearly truthful due to him not knowing about the wormhole until now.

"Third, this place is for appliances only, and you guys don't belong here since you're obviously not appliances." Roboppy continued. "If all of you know what's good for you, then get out of my kingdom!"

"Being resistant, huh? Looks like I'll have to play bad cop here." Tigress decided, as she immediately pulled out her crossbow, intent on getting answers one way or another.

"Easy now, Tigress. It's not worth it." Slipstream told Tigress, having gently dragged her away from the scene so she can calm down. Besides, the last thing any of them wanted was to incur Roboppy's wrath, which was reaching the tipping point as of now.

"Let me try talking to him, guys." Soulburner requested, wanting to see if he can reason with Roboppy. After hearing Soulburner's request, Tigress lowered her crossbow down, having complied with it just now. "Look, we're not here to fight, Roboppy. Like Tigress said earlier, we just have some questions to ask you. If you can tell us where Ai is, along with what his plans are, we'll leave this place right away."

"Now you listen here, Soulburner. I'm the ruler of this kingdom, and I won't answer any of your questions." Roboppy denied Soulburner's request. "Even if I did know the answers to your questions, there's no way I'll tell you."

"We're not gonna hurt Ai! We just want to know where Ai is and the true reasons why he's doing all of this!"

"That's your problem, Soulburner, not my problem. Right now, my problem is you and your allies intruding my kingdom at this very moment! Ai told me that if I'm to conquer the universe and guide it to a brighter future, I have to start by defeating intruders such as you guys first!"

Soulburner raised an eyebrow at that comment. "You ruling the universe? Yeah right."

"You can believe me or not, but it's a fact." Roboppy stated. "My master said that the dream I had foretold the future, where I'd become a conqueror that guided the universe towards a better future! It was clearly foretold in the prophecy my dream showed me earlier, which is something I plan on fulfilling to the letter!"

"As crazy as Roboppy's sounding right now, we can't lower our guard." Tigress said, before turning to the others. "Let's take him on together. If Roboppy's as strong as you say he is-."

"Hang on, Tigress." Playmaker gently interrupted, before taking a step towards Roboppy. "In your duel against Aerith, she nearly figured out the true reasons why you and Ai are on the path you've currently chosen, am I not correct?"

"What mind games are you playing, Playmaker? Because they're not gonna work on me." Roboppy countered.

"If something far worse is going on behind the scenes, then you and Ai are going to need our help more than ever. Tell us what you know, and if you do, we can come to a compromise on the situation at hand."

Roboppy looked down at the ground for a few seconds before letting out a sad sigh, wanting to actually tell Playmaker and the others the truth as to what was really going on. While Roboppy and Ai managed to escape from Jericho's clutches, it was only a matter of time until he found the duo's whereabouts again. Due to the uncertainty of when Jericho would find him and Ai, he couldn't take any chances, as the last thing he wanted was for Playmaker and everyone else to get hurt and/or killed. As a result, Roboppy could not take that risk. "Sorry, Playmaker, but none of you are getting answers out of me. Leave now, or as the ruler of this place, it's my job to force you all to leave!"

"Neither of us are leaving, Roboppy. Not until you tell us where Ai is and what his plans are." Slipstream responded to Roboppy's threat on behalf of everyone else.

"Then I'll do what a ruler's gotta do." Roboppy said, as he activated his duel disk. "If I defeat any of you in a duel, then you all must leave and never return. But if any of you defeat me in a duel, then I'll tell you where my master is in the network. Oh, and just in case you guys were planning on teaming up on me, I got a little surprise on hand."

Before anyone could do or say anything else, Roboppy pressed a button on his duel disk, where laundry machine-like cages emerged out of the ground in an attempt to capture Playmaker, Soulburner, Slipstream and Tigress. Whereas Soulburner was able to dodge quickly in time, the sudden appearance of the laundry machine-like cages caught everyone else off guard before being restrained by them as a result.

"How delightful. Now we can't join forces to take this guy down…" Tigress grumbled, disappointed with what happened just now.

"It definitely sucks right now, that's for sure…" Slipstream agreed with what Tigress said just now.

"I'll handle Roboppy, guys. Just hold on tight." Soulburner told Playmaker, Slipstream and Tigress.

"Don't worry about your friends, Soulburner. They'll be released once this duel's done. You have my word." Roboppy promised. "Oh, and I used several of my master's special algorithms to prevent your allies from hacking into the cages, so don't bother."

Great. With what Roboppy's done, negotiations are pretty much off the table now, Soulburner cursed in his mind, as he activated his duel disk. If I defeat Roboppy in this duel, I'll be able to not only get information on Ai's whereabouts, but also determine what he's planning as well! "Okay, Roboppy. If it's a duel you want, then I accept your challenge."

"Good luck, Soulburner." Playmaker said, having complete faith in Soulburner as a duelist. For he was able to get out of tough situations before, so this was clearly no different at all.

"Alright. Then let's begin, Soulburner!" Roboppy said. "Because once this is over, you'll grovel at my feet!"

"Let's duel!" Roboppy and Soulburner shouted in unison, ready to throw down against one another.

Meanwhile, at Herald's server…

The wormhole opened as Raguel unceremoniously tumbled onto Herald's server, where he slowly got up on his feet. Looking around, he felt relieved after seeing that he was in a familiar area. One that was clearly safe to him.

However, Raguel gasped upon seeing what was going on with Herald's server. Unlike the last time he visited the server, the whole area now consisted of a dark and empty, void-like area that had a silver and grey shell with light-blue lines and golden armor resembling ribbons floating over the area. Not only were there three new towers in the area that shared the same colors as the shell, but the sky was also colored grey as well. Lastly, there was a large gate with runes at the top.

"What the Hell-?" Raguel began saying, before a splitting headache pierced his mind so quickly that he let out a loud scream of horrific pain. Four wisps of energy erupted from his deck before going upwards, where three of them went into the towers while the last one went into the large shell floating over the area. Suddenly, Raguel felt his own avatar shed off of his body seconds later before going into the large shell, which left only Yuhiro remaining as a result.

Yuhiro's duel disk also glowed, where he quickly looked at it, realizing that some of his cards were gone as well. What the Hell happened, Yuhiro wondered in his mind. Why did my avatar shed off of me like that? Why did some of the cards in my deck suddenly disappear? And what's going on with Herald's server? Could it be that the Cursed Boundary Layer has somehow returned?

After looking at the area, Yuhiro turned around to see if he can find any more clues on what was going on. He turned around, only to find a familiar figure sitting on a bench ahead of him. One that he hadn't seen in a long time.

"It's you." Yuhiro gasped upon seeing the familiar figure in front of him. Suddenly, another wormhole opened in Herald's server, where Excalibur Morgan appeared before falling onto the ground by his right side.

"It has been quite a while, Yuhiro Furutani," the figure stated, as he sat up on his feet, who revealed himself as none other than Gilgamesh himself. "The time has come to see if you're still worthy to continue wielding your inheritance after all the sins you committed, as well as whether you're truly ready for the battles to come."

In the sunset over Den City, Yuhiro, Miyu, and Arashi are depicted with Yusaku, Aoi, and Takeru looking out over the area.

Silhouettes of Earth, Windy, Aqua, Flame, Lightning, Herald, and Wraith are shown as Ai clenches his heart in despair before morphing into his human form. The screen shifts to the real world, which shows Roboppy looking out a window as a silhouette of his human form is shown with him.

Jin, Kusanagi, and Katsuya look at the starry skies, grateful smiles on their faces as they do so, glad to be reunited with one another. Silhouettes of Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon and Codebreaker Virus Berserker appear in the area to ensure the peaceful moment wasn't disrupted.

Emma and Kengo Dojun are shown at the Den City hospital visiting his mother as she wakes up, happy to see her son again. A light-blue glow briefly surrounds her body before dimming, as though it were blessing her. In another area of the hospital, Roxy is shown lovingly embracing Miyu with joy, Aoi also smiling after seeing her wake up. Nearby is Yuhiro, who smiles as he watches the group. However, he lowers his head in sadness as he recalls everything that had to be sacrificed for this moment to occur.

Akira is shown rushing over to a helicopter, intent on completing an urgent business assignment. Hayami follows after him in a hurry, having also been called to assist him in completing the assignment.

A split screen then pops up, showing Tsubaki spending time with Hideki on one side, while Gekiryushi is training at the Shinpi-Tekina dojo, people happy to see the dojo being rejuvenated on the other side. Portrait of Zandaka, Kataru, and Arakan are also in the background. A second split screen appears next, showing Greg and Rachel spending time with one another, while Gil is looking at documents with the Bit and Boot under his command. A third split screen appears next, showing Go Onizuka having fun with the kids at the Den City Orphanage with Kenmochi and Yoroizaka, while Brion issues directions as he collaborates with the people in Central Japan so they can work together in rebuilding their home.

The screen then shows Youta, Ryoken, and Takeya looking over a high platform, with Yua, Kyoko, Aso, Eizaburo, and Mikuru in the background watching them. It then shifts to show Emon looking over Beatrice's grave at the cemetery before fading away.

A portrait of everyone riding their duel boards in LINK VRAINS appears on a table as Yusaku and Yuhiro put down their duel disks, having accepted everything that's happened as they strive to move forward towards a brighter future.

Card Gallery

No new cards introduced in this chapter.

QOTC

Over the course of the Yu-Gi-Oh! series, there were plenty of sad moments for both the heroes and villains. Which of them, in your opinion, were the saddest ones of all?

Chapter Preview

Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 112: Trials and Answers. Having investigated the network, the heroes encounter Roboppy on a new island, where Soulburner battles against him in an attempt to get answers on Ai's whereabouts and what his plans are. While the battle unfolds, Pandor meets up with Roxy, Miyu and Aoi, wanting to learn what it means to move forward after facing multiple hardships. Elsewhere, Raguel contends with an unexpected situation on his end. One that will not only push him to his limits, but also see if he's truly prepared for the battles to come…

Author's Notes

I have to say, this was another heavy dialogue chapter, especially since a lot of things happened here. Still, it's a nice breather due to there being a lot of duels in the past few chapters. Let's get to the recap, shall we:

The first thing that happens in this chapter is the first round of anime events, where the heroes bring an unconscious Akira back to the Zaizen residence so he can recuperate in safety. While things remain the same, there are a few differences. First, Roxy and Miyu are staying with Aoi for the night to make sure she's safe, as neither of them want to take any risks regarding her mental health. Second is the discussion between the heroes on how they can find Ai, with one suggestion being getting Gil's assistance on the matter, especially since he was able to help locate Yuhiro's whereabouts back in Chapter 98. However, the idea was quickly shut down upon Miyu reminding everyone that Gil disappeared recently. It's also revealed that Yuhiro still has Judgment Arrows in his deck. Will he succumb and use the card again just to win a duel in the future? Or will it serve another purpose down the road? You'll find the answer to that question later on in Season 3.

The group even discuss the likelihood of Brion becoming their enemy now that he knows the truth on who was truly responsible for the events involving the Cursed Boundary Layer. However, Yuhiro points out that if Brion does that, then he'll be risking the world's safety in return. Due to this, the heroes are in an unsteady, Mexican Standoff with Brion for the time being. Though whether Brion will remain their ally or not will be determined down the road.

Next up is the second round of anime events, where Ai uses the Code Keys to officially gain access to SOL Technologies itself. However, there's a twist. Jericho enters the scene and asks Ai to relinquish control of the Code Keys to him, where he reminds the latter of the deal they made back in the ruined Cyberse World. But Ai, clearly knowing Jericho's nefarious purposes, calls him out for the empty promises he made a while back, as well as how he never planned to let the former and Roboppy go after their mission was completed. Thus leading to a battle between Ai, Roboppy and Jericho, where the two of them actually manage to do well against the latter for two reasons. First, Ai and Roboppy exploited the fact that Jericho was wounded in previous fights, which led them to press their attacks so he wouldn't be able to recover. Second, unlike last time, where Jericho battled against Ai while Roboppy was forced to battle against Loki, Ai and Roboppy were able to team up in withstanding Jericho's attacks. We even get to see Ai use a new weapon in Earth Golem AtIgnister's armor, thus making it the third of Ai's weapons we get to see so far in the story.

Unfortunately, this wasn't enough, as Jericho simply pushes back and easily defeats Ai and Roboppy within seconds. Following his victory, Jericho goes over to the fallen Ai and phases his hand right into the latter's chest, having proceeded to pull out SOL Technologies' Code Keys as a result. Here, we see another of Jericho's abilities, as he's able to phase one part of his body through a person at a time. After grabbing the Code Keys, Ai falls unconscious, which leads Jericho to grab him and Roboppy before returning back to his server with Loki and an unconscious Zero. Now for those of you who were wondering why Loki didn't assist Jericho, it was for two reasons. First, Loki was carrying an unconscious Zero, so he couldn't risk the chance of the latter escaping upon putting him down to the ground. Second, Jericho obviously didn't need help, as he was merely entertaining Ai and Roboppy's futile efforts to stop him in combat. Once again, it just goes to show just how dangerous Jericho is compared to Bohman, Azrael and Lightning, don't you think?

From there, we go to Jericho's server, where Jericho is greeted by the envoys upon seeing their triumphant return. After learning what happened to Juggernaut and seeing that she's alright, Jericho tells Hallucina about how Lazarus did in its first mission. Though Lazarus put up a fight and lost, it still fulfilled its purpose in delaying the heroes. As a result, Jericho lets the failure slide, having seen that he'll need Lazarus' aid again in the future. After ordering Hallucina to make updates to Lazarus so this failure won't happen again, she logs out of Jericho's server to get the task done. So do expect Lazarus to return in the future.

Following this, Jericho gets caught up on the duels he missed while the envoys share their thoughts on them. Upon seeing the duel between Aerith and Roboppy, Jericho notices that Arin, who is a Shadow Giant, clearly survived the battle back in Chapter 100. This revelation clearly makes Jericho happy, as if he captures Arin, he can create another Cursed Boundary Layer using the latter's DNA. After seeing Ai's duel against Blue Maiden and Akira, Jericho says that the true work can begin since he has SOL Technologies' Code Keys. A project called the Eclipse Initiative. What exactly is this initiative, may you ask? Well, while it's in spoiler territory, let's just say that those who read the story very closely will be able to put two and two together for sure.

Upon pulling out the Code Keys, Jericho realizing feels that something's clearly not right with the Code Keys. I will say this now: Ai's responsible for what happened to the Code Keys, as prior to giving them over to Jericho, he put in pieces of his updated algorithm in them. This way, no one else but him can use them. After seeing this, the envoys come up with two theories on why this may be the case, where they all agree to interrogate Ai and Zero before proceeding with next steps of action.

With the information in mind, Jericho takes Despa and Apsed with him to get some answers out of Ai and Zero. However, before doing so, Jericho proceeds to taunt a wounded Watchman by revealing how all of his actions led to this moment. Or to sum it up, Jericho practically says that all of Watchman's failures had contributed towards what's happening right now. The revelations crush Watchman to the bone, his eyes having been opened to the truth as a result. How will this affect Watchman later on? Well, that's for the future to decide.

Next, Jericho goes to see Zero so he can acquire the Maximum Formula from him. However, despite Jericho reminding Zero that he can still murder his sons and the other higherups if he wanted to, the latter refuses to comply with the former's demands. Seeing this, Jericho has Despa and Apsed torture Zero for information, which they are clearly happy to do.

While this is happening, Jericho goes to visit Ai to get answers on what happened to the Code Keys and how to undo the damage. Unfortunately for Jericho, Ai refuses to do so despite the former threatening to harm his loved ones if he didn't comply with the request. The reason why Ai's refusing to help Jericho is because, in his mind, he has nothing left to lose by this point, so why should he help him? This leads Jericho to once again phase his right arm into Ai's chest before pulling out a rainbow-colored orb filled with data material, which is the same one the other Ignis gave to him back in Season 2 for Firewall Dragon Darkfluid's creation. Due to this, Jericho can further power the Unity to make sure things go according to plan.

Having obtained everything he needed from Ai, Jericho proceeds to kill him… only for Dogma to intervene at the last second by informing Jericho that there's a problem regarding the resources from Albinor Inc. and SOL Technologies. Due to the lack of synergy between Jericho's tech and the resources from SOL Technologies and Albinor Inc., it'll result in the Eclipse Initiative ultimately failing if this issue isn't addressed. It's not just that, as it'll prevent Issachar's Materializer from playing the role needed in order for the Eclipse Initiative to achieve success. After realizing how urgent the situation is, Jericho puts Dogma in charge of getting answers from Ai on the matter regarding the Code Keys before going to lend Hallucina a hand, as he's the only one familiar with the tech from the dark net.

It's here where Ai gets to meet most of the envoys, having taken notes on who each one is and what their personalities are. What I will highlight, however, is Ai's interactions with Dogma. For he was able to get through to him not just by sowing seeds of doubt in his mind, but also by appealing to the loyalty he has to Jericho and Urizen on the lengths he'll go to keep them safe. What's more, Ai even challenges Dogma by saying that Jericho has clearly changed since the last time he saw him, who may have even allowed his ambitions to consume him as well. To back this up, Ai makes two analogies that force Dogma to acknowledge what the former's saying, especially since the latter was once a father.

Realizing that something's amiss, as well as emphasizing with Ai over their common grief in failing to save their respective loved ones, Dogma chooses to let him and Roboppy go on the condition that they never return to oppose Jericho again. It eventually leads to a fight between Ai and the envoys, where the former's fighting abilities are restricted for two reasons. First, he's clearly carrying Roboppy on his back. Second, Ai has to find an opening to log out of Jericho's server, as the energy in Jericho's drones contains an algorithm that prevents people from leaving his server upon being hit. Despite these two facts, Ai was able to briefly battle against the envoys while carrying Roboppy on his back before immediately logging out after finding an opening. On the topic of the escape, let's just say Dogma gave Ai a special program that he used to successfully obtain freedom for himself and for Roboppy.

After getting Cryomancer's distress signal, Jericho immediately returns back to his server, demanding answers. We even have a moment where Jericho's humanity briefly returns upon seeing Dogma injured, having quickly ran over to see if he's okay. Here, the envoys inform Jericho about Ai's escape, as well as the fact that he reobtained the Code Keys from Dogma. To make things worse, Ai was even able to somehow disable the program Jericho put in him and Roboppy back in Chapter 102. I will say this now: Dogma was the one who destroyed the program that held Ai and Roboppy captive, as they're now free to do what they please without worrying about Jericho

Following the events in Jericho's server, we return to the real world, where there's a slice of life part moment that occurs before anime events. One thing that I don't think the anime touched on was the danger the Soltis presented, especially since they took over SOL Technologies at that time. Thus, there's a small slice of life part where Brea ends up investigating what's up with the Soltis after failing to get her favorite scone from the bakery. Upon seeing that things are fishy, Brea calls Arashi, where he tells her to meet up with him and the others at Café Nagi. After that, we get to the events at SOL Technologies, only with one significant change. Unlike the anime, the employees retain their jobs based on their work, as those with a remote work arrangement are sent home while the ones who have an onsite work arrangement remain at the company under strict surveillance. For those of you who are wondering why I changed that part, it's to show that karma's biting SOL Technologies even more due to betraying Albinor Inc. several years ago. Now, SOL Technologies is forced to work with and for Albinor Inc. in completing the Eclipse Initiative and indirectly contributing towards something far worse down the road. Quite dark, don't you think?

After this, we go to the scenes in Central Japan, where Brion's not only trying to appease his people upon the Soltis revolting against them, but also processing what he recently learned as well. Specifically, the fact that Yuhiro was the one responsible for murdering so many people upon being infected by the Cursed Boundary Layer. He's even questioning his own trust in Playmaker and the others due to seeing them as honorable individuals all of this time. Though Brion understood why Playmaker and everyone else kept the situation a secret from him, it's still a shocking revelation for him.

Though the people want Brion to burn SOL Technologies and Den City to the ground for its numerous failures, he not only silences the crowd, but also scolds them for behaving just like Balius. What's more, Brion even reminds everyone that he saved Central Japan from Balius' rule, as things would have been far worse had the latter remained in charge. Once he put the crowd in place, he proceeds to get things in order to make sure Central Japan remains stable during this difficult time. However, Greg immediately finds out what Brion's truly planning before warning the latter of the potential consequences should he go through with it. How does Brion respond to this? He practically calls Rachel and Greg out for also keeping the truth from him, and even expresses his frustration at what to do in response to this information. For Brion's actions back in Chapter 65 nearly caused SOL Technologies to suffer the repercussions.

To help Brion out, Greg tells him his own story and how he ended up in the FBI in the first place. Growing up, Greg was someone who wanted to join the police force, bring justice to criminals and make a positive difference to the community. However, he had a history of using brutal tactics due to both his shattered faith in the justice system and how the victims involved in crimes didn't receive peace. In a way, you could say that Greg's similar to Yuri Watanabe from Spider Man, as while the both of them are good people, they can be brutal at times.

But moving this aside, Greg eventually became a vigilante after being fed up with the justice system to the point where he resigned from the police force. During his time as a vigilante, he brought a little balance to the world every time he avenged the pain families went through at the hands of criminals through his ruthless actions. It all changed, however, when Greg crossed paths with the previous FBI commissioner, who offered him a place in the FBI upon seeing his potential. Thus leading Greg to accept the offer and learn over time that there was more than one way of bringing criminals to justice and restore a little balance to the world. The previous FBI commissioner even taught him how to look at all sides of a scenario and weigh the information gathered before making a decision.

Having heard the story and relating it to his own experiences, Brion requests that Greg call in the previous FBI commissioner to assist with the dilemma. Unfortunately, we learn that the previous FBI commissioner died in his pursuit to rescue his kidnapped son from criminals, which was further fueled after learning about his wife's death out of grief. Following the previous FBI commissioner's death, Greg succeeded him as his successor, and swore to live a life that honored his teachings to the very end. While I'm not going to provide spoilers, let's just say the previous FBI commissioner's story is going to make an impact on the heroes one way or another down the road.

As for Brion, it's here where he realizes that there may be an answer to his dilemma in his lost memories. So do expect this to be followed up on in the chapters to come. After all, he is coming close to a breakthrough by this point, and it'll certainly be quite enlightening by the time he finds answers.

From there, we go to another round of anime events, where the heroes mostly make observations of LINK VRAINS being reopened by Ai. In addition, Brea arrives to inform the heroes about what's going on with the Soltis, as well as her concerns on them. Lastly, Brea drives the point home that they're going to need help now that they lost a lot of their allies. On the topic of Brea, due to her indirect connection to the Lost Incident via her parents, she is somewhere between a secondary and tertiary character. Besides, she would have provided her aid to the heroes again one way or another, as the assistance is going to be needed. Rest assured, I have a plan in place for Brea down the road of the story, which will be touched upon later on.

This leads the heroes to meet up with Revolver and Demeter in the network, where it's pretty much anime events for the most part. What I want to highlight during this scene is the ongoing conflict between Revolver and Demeter, as while things are slightly better between the both of them, there's still some things they need to address if healing is to occur. It's here where Revolver finally realizes how much damage the Hanoi's 'righteous' crusade in protecting humanity has caused to people, as their self-righteousness only caused suffering and nothing else. You could say that Revolver's almost acting like Ai in a way, as both individuals are carrying a massive weight on their shoulders regarding their comrades, as well as the actions they need to do to make sure their goals are achieved. Nevertheless, it's going to take something big that will not only help Revolver forgive himself and let go of past regrets, but also led to his and Demeter's reconciliation as well.

Following the meeting with the Hanoi is the last batch of anime scenes, where Roboppy goes to his kingdom and meets the appliances that are there. We also see the heroes searching through LINK VRAINS to try and get any clues on Ai's potential whereabouts. But just when they find a clue, a wormhole appears out of nowhere to try and stop them in their search for Ai, only for Raguel to sacrifice himself so everyone else can continue the mission. Thus leading the heroes to encounter Roboppy before Soulburner duels him while everyone else has no choice but to watch, especially since they're now stuck in cages resembling laundry machines.

And last but not least is Raguel being sent to Herald's server, where his avatar is stripped away from him before reverting to Yuhiro. It's not just that, as pieces of his deck have not only also been stripped away from Yuhiro, but something's wrong with Herald's server as well. The reason why this happened will be revealed this chapter, as Yuhiro encounters Gilgamesh after all of this time. While I won't provide spoilers, let's just say Gilgamesh is going to pay a pivotal role in what's happening here for sure.

Now that everything's been recapped, I want to thank you all for reading Chapter 111 of Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. As always, please let me know your thoughts about the chapters below in your reviews. Also, constructive criticism is appreciated, as your tips and advice helps make the story better. In addition, don't forget to favorite and follow the story. That way, you will get a notification once the next chapter is released.

What did you like the most about this chapter? The anime scenes and the small surprises that were in them? The scenes at Jericho's server? The nice slice of life moment involving Brea and her theories on the Soltis? Brion's conflict with how to handle the situation at hand? Greg's story on the previous FBI commissioner? Revolver finally realizing the truth about the Hanoi's self-righteousness and how it caused so much pain? Yuhiro encountering Gilgamesh back in Herald's server? Or was it something else?

That's all for now, everyone. I plan on doing an update to Roxy's Reports next, which will occur between this chapter and Chapter 112. After that, I hope to get Chapter 112 released by the end of this month, but if not, then expect it to be released in January 2025. As such, I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! See you next time!