Ice Queen Cometh

by Nox Barian

Rio Kamishiro never expected her life would become so chaotic in such a short period of time. First her brother, Shark is set on fire and put in the hospital by a psychopath. Then, she is dragged into the War of the Number Cards alongside her friends. but when familiar faces from the past arrive on Earth, she will begin to question whether she is even human at all. (REMAKE)

11. The Duelist Sanctuary

Welcome Back Everybody!

I really appreciate the feedback from last chapter, and now we've arrived at a part of the story I've been looking forward to write about.

Hope you all enjoy it!

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Chapter 11: The Duelist Sanctuary

The first light of sunrise illuminated Yuma's bedroom, and the bearer of the Emperor's Key awoke immediately, a stark contrast to his usual tendency to sleep in when he didn't have school. While Yuma was grateful to have regained his sense of confidence, now more determined than ever to keep fighting against Kaito and this new threat from the Barian World, the one thing he still didn't have was a plan.

The restoration of his inner fire didn't change the fact that he was outclassed against Kaito and his dragon. His thoughts drifted to the day before, when Tetsuo summoned that strange Chaos Xyz monster under the influence of Rank Up Magic Barian's Force. A lucky draw saved him, creating just the right situation where he could pull off a winning move despite his Number monsters being rendered useless, but he would be foolish to assume that would happen every single time.

"I can't just get lucky next time," Yuma muttered to himself as he stared at the ceiling, laying contemplatively in his hammock bed before he got up and palmed a fist into his hand with determination. "We need a better strategy, and by the end of the day, we're going to have one! If that Number Hunter, or another puppet of Barian World shows up, they won't know what hit them!"

"Right Astral?"

When his passionate decree elicited no reply, Yuma lifted his head up, searching his bedroom for any sign of his glowing friend. He saw him hovering in the corner, his eyes fixated on what seemed to be a rather interesting crack in the wall.

"Hey, Astral!" Yuma shouted to get the spirit's attention. The spirit perked up and turned around.

"Oh? I apologize, Yuma. I did not realize you were awake. Did you say something?"

Yuma stared at his partner with a mix of concern and slight annoyance. "So, uh, you do realize that staring off into space isn't going to magically produce an answer to all our problems, right? You're not going to find any Number Monsters or a secret weapon against Kaito or the Barian World hidden inside my wall. Well…. Then again, if you did, that would be pretty amazing…"

Astral's translucent body stiffened, but he did not respond or even turn to look at Yuma, causing the teenage boy to grow more annoyed.

"Come on, Astral! Snap out of it! I'm ready to go! I've finally broken out of the rut I've been stuck in for the past few days, so what's got you still down in the dumps?"

"I cannot help it," Astral confessed. "I am happy to see you return to your normal self, but I cannot stop thinking about our previous two duels, particularly our most recent duel, the battle that revealed the true identity of the enemy I am destined to face in battle."

"Well, yeah! How could you not?" asked Yuma. "That's why we can't waste anymore time! We need to spend every minute of today coming up with some kind of plan in case another threat comes our way, but I need your help! I need every single one of my friends to help me come up with something because if you haven't noticed,. sitting down and planning things isn't exactly something I'm good at!"

"On the contrary, you performed rather brilliantly without my help," Astral muttered, causing Yuma to grow concerned. The spirit continued. "It is quite troubling that these mysterious people, this Barian World that I know nothing about, is seemingly the enemy I was sent here to defeat, the same enemy which threatens my world. However, if I cannot even go near them without suffering excruciating pain, to the point where I must retreat to the safety of the key, then how can I expect to protect my home from this? This… Chaos…." His body shuddered from the echoes of yesterday's electrical torment.

"I have no idea!" Yuma confessed. "But you're forgetting that you're not alone in this. You've got me!"

"Yes, I know, but up until this point I have advised you to the best of my ability," continued Astral somberly. "You managed to survive yesterday's encounter, but it is almost certain they will send another indoctrinated soldier to assassinate us. If you require my assistance and you lose because I cannot be there to assist you…."

"I get it!" Yuma snapped, his mind battling between frustration and sympathy. "I really do. I can't even imagine how badly that chaos energy hurt you, and that's on top of being seconds away from dying when we almost lost to Kaito. You've got a lot on your mind, but so do I, and I'm ready to face it! We're in this together, Astral, so let's face it together!"

"Oh, Yumaaaaaaaaaa!"

"Yeah, Grandma?"

"Could you come down here pleeeeeeeeease?"

The angelic sing-song voice of Yuma's grandmother brought the emotional debate to a screeching halt as Yuma looked down at the attic door. Contrary to his grandmother's jovial tone, her calling only made Yuma nervous, as his grandmother only talked to him like that when she wanted him to do something that he wasn't going to like. Not wanting to annoy his grandmother by ignoring her, he raced to get dressed and hurried downstairs.

The television was on, paused on what appeared to be a commercial she wanted her grandson to see. She hit play as soon as she saw her grandson come into view, and the advertisement stopped Yuma in his tracks, his eyes growing wide as he read aloud the message on the TV.

"World Duel Carnival?" Yuma repeated in an awestruck whisper.

"Hee Hee! I had a feeling that would get you going this morning!" Haru replied slyly.

Rumors had been circulating online for months that Mr. Heartland was planning on hosting a Duel Monster's tournament right here in Heartland City, but seeing it announced to the public and realizing how soon it was going to occur had thrown Yuma for a loop. A week ago, such an announcement would have electrified Yuma with overwhelming excitement, rendering him so fired up that he likely would have spent several days talking non-stop about it, unable to focus on anything else.

But now?

Now, Yuma wasn't so sure he could be excited. The implications of a tournament here, the city which had transformed overnight into a deadly battleground between two alien races and a rogue, soul-stealing duelist, were quite foreboding. If duelists from all over the world were attending this tournament, as the name suggested, then it was all but certain many of them would have Number Cards. The compulsion to take advantage of the tournament to collect more of them would be too great for any duelist to resist.

There was no doubt in Yuma's mind that if he entered the tournament, he and Kaito would meet again. Even worse, he was certain that the forces of Barian World would see all of these powerful duelists entering the tournament and pick one or two to mold into their latest minions.

Entering the tournament would mean walking into a lion's den of untold dangers, and there was a dangerously high chance that if they entered the tournament unprepared, he and Astral would not walk out alive.

Haru carefully read her grandson's facial expressions, her warm smile fading away, making note of Yuma's pensive state of apprehension and dread.

"So, is this the part where you are going to finally tell your grandma what's been going on with you?"

The barbed edge of Haru's question snapped Yuma out of his trance. He instantly grew nervous, dreading what might happen if she found out about his duels against Kaito and Tetsuo.

"Uh, what? No! Nothing's wrong, Grandma! Honest! I'm just… uh…. You know…. So excited for the tournament that I'm speechless?"

It was a pathetic attempt to avoid the question, and both Grandmother and Grandson knew it. Haru's eyes narrowed into a glare sharp enough to cut Yuma down to size, lips tightening into a joyless smile that practically dared Yuma to try that again.

"Yuma, I am almost eighty years old, but my eyesight hasn't completely vanished. For the past three days, you haven't been yourself at all. I kept my mouth shut since I knew you needed space, but it looks like that little spark inside you that I love so much is slowly coming back, so now I'm no longer keeping quiet about it. How can I help you if you won't tell me how one duel could cause your spark to go out?"

Now Yuma truly was speechless. "But… what… how?"

"How did I know?" Haru finished for him. "Yuma, it wasn't that hard to figure out. You went to that little mini tournament in Sol City with your dear friend, Kotori, a few days ago, but when you came back, you were absolutely miserable, and don't tell me you just looked that way because you came home soaking wet from the rain."

Yuma was slightly relieved his grandmother hadn't figured everything out, as it seemed she assumed he merely suffered a humiliating defeat in the Sol City tournament. The terrifying details of just how much danger he was in that night were still hidden from her.

He wanted to tell her, but where would he even begin? How does a boy tell his grandmother that he almost suffered a fate worse than death?

Dozens of anxiety-inducing images appeared in his mind all at once; Kaito's dragon staring him down, the sneer on Tetsuo's face as the Barian symbol on his forehead pulsed with chaos, losing Astral forever because of his mistakes.

It took Haru's wrinkled palms cupping his hands to make him realize he was visibly shaking.

"I understand if you don't want to talk about it right now, Yuma, but please. Don't shut yourself out from those who only wish to help you. It will only make you feel worse."

"Thanks grandma," he whispered, feeling himself calming down. "But really! You don't need to worry! I'm feeling much better now!"

"Wonderful," Haru replied sweetly, but before Yuma could even say another word, she handed him an enormous satchel full of groceries. The bag was almost as large as Yuma's entire body, so heavy that Yuma nearly collapsed when he tried to cradle it in his hands.

"If you are feeling better, then perhaps you could help me with something. I need you to take these to a dear friend of mine. He lives out of town, and he doesn't really get out much, so if you could bring these to him, you would be doing both of us a tremendous favor. Here's directions of what train you need to take and how to get there after you get off."

Yuma couldn't believe what he was hearing. One minute his grandmother was lending a comforting ear and trying to cheer him up, and the next she was sending him to run errands? Even worse, when Yuma studied the note, he realized just how far away Haru's friend lived. This would take all day and rob Yuma of precious time he could spend preparing himself for the looming threats on the horizon.

"But Grandma…." Yuma whined. "It's the weekend, and I had… y'know, plans…."

Yuma immediately regretted his attempt to make an excuse.

"Alright, now I know for certain you're not yourself!" Haru snapped, her razor sharp glare returning in full force.

"Who are you and what have you done with my grandson? The real Yuma wouldn't even dream of letting his poor old grandmother handle such a strenuous task by herself! Imposter! Where is my grandson?!"

"AAAAAAH! I'm right here!" Yuma shrieked, causing Haru to break her facade of anger and laugh.

"I am only joking, Yuma. Besides, there is a surprise waiting for you when you get there, just a little something that can help you prepare for the tournament. Why, I dare say my friend loves the game of Duel Monsters almost as much as you do. I think he could teach you a thing or two, if you are willing to listen to him of course."

Now Yuma was interested. Even Astral perked up from his thoughtful reflection to pay close attention.

"Yuma, this could be the opportunity we are looking for!" The spirit spoke up, sounding optimistic for the first time all morning.

Yuma nodded in full agreement before turning back to his grandmother. "Well of course I'd be willing to listen! I'm more than happy to play delivery boy for the day if it means I get to meet a Master Duelist. Just tell me where to go, and I'll head there right away!"

"Hee Hee Hee! I had a feeling all I needed to do was mention dueling and you'd change your mind," Yuma's grandmother giggled, and the teenage boy wasted no time fastening the enormous satchel onto his back and racing out the door. The Tsukumo Matriarch watched her grandson depart for the train station, a sad smile on her face. While she prayed for Yuma's safety, her grandson was growing up, and she knew she couldn't keep him out of trouble forever. She could only hope her friend could arm Yuma with the wisdom he would need for the treacherous road he seemed to be traveling.

---

The train ride was smooth and uneventful, and Yuma departed at a small countryside station far outside the city limits of Heartland, but that was only the beginning of Yuma's grueling journey. Now he had to complete the rest of his delivery on foot, the satchel's massive weight placing an agonizing strain on his back.

"What is even in this bag?" Yuma complained through slow strained steps. "Groceries or bricks?"

"Perhaps your grandmother's friend lives in a house in desperate need of repairs." Astral suggested, once again taking Yuma's comment at face value. "If so, then it makes perfect sense she would have you deliver construction materials."

Yuma stopped to glare at the spirit.

"Oh…. was that a joke?" Astral asked, and Yuma gave a pained nod before continuing forward.

Finally, after walking a few miles away from the train station, Yuma finally found his destination, but he soon realized the journey still wasn't over yet, as now Yuma was face to face with the worst nightmare of anybody doing heavy lifting.

Stairs, miles, and miles of stone stairs leading up to what seemed to be the summit of a small mountain.

"You've got to be kidding me…." Yuma groaned as he took the bag off for the seventh time to take a break. "First a three mile walk from the train station, and now I have to climb all these stairs?! What did I do to deserve this? I must be in trouble. Yeah, that's it. That's the only reason grandma would do this to me. I must have done something really bad, and this is her way of punishing me."

"I thought she said she was trying to help you," Astral commented. "Or was that another joke?"

"What do you think?!" snapped Yuma, but before he could pick up the bag again and try to make his way up the stairs, his phone rang. When he saw Rio's name on the caller ID, he panicked.

"Oh, crap! I forgot to tell my friends where I was going!"

He answered the phone, and sure enough, a very worried Rio was on the other end of the line.

"Yuma! Where the hell are you?!" The shrill voice of the ice queen shouted out the phone, making Yuma feel guilty. Just yesterday, he was ambushed by a minion of Barian World, and before that, he was attacked by Kaito. Of course his friends would be worried sick if he didn't show up for dueling practice. "I thought we were going to meet together tonight to practice!"

"I'm so sorry, Rio!" Yuma apologized profusely. "I didn't mean to scare you, just something came up! Grandma sent me on an errand to this place out in the middle of nowhere!"

"And you didn't think to let us know before you left?!" The ice queen scolded him harshly.

"I know! I know! I'm sorry! I just forgot!"

"Tell that to Kotori when you get back," Rio continued. "There's a reason I'm the one who called you. She's been freaking out all morning. I can't even imagine how angry she's going to be with you when she finds out she panicked over nothing."

"Oh…"

Yuma suddenly felt quite guilty, as Rio had told him just how much Kotori had been worrying about him ever since he dueled the Number Hunter, how she figured out what happened to him all on her own, despite him keeping it a secret from her, and even trying to take one of Rio's Numbers by force.

What could he even say to her about all of this?

"Alright, look. I'll tell her you're fine," Rio sighed, trying to defuse the tension in the air. "Can you at least tell me where you are?"

"Uh…." Yuma's mind went completely blank on the name of the train station, so he looked around for any kind of landmark or sign. Luckily, there was a sign next to the stairs, but it was completely worn down, the words on the sign barely legible.

"Yeah, I'm at the…." he paused, squinting his eyes to try and make out the words on the sign.

"Something, something…. Sanctuary…" he spelled out. "Grandma said her friend lives here, and he was some kind of dueling expert back in the day. I think she got the idea to send me here to grow stronger when she heard about the World Duel Carnival, and…."

"Wait, hold on…." interrupted Rio. "Do you mean the Takahashi Duel Sanctuary?"

"Uh…. I think so?" Yuma replied. The significance of the name was completely lost on him, but he assumed that was the real name of the place, given the owner's apparent reputation as a duelist.

"I thought the owner closed that place down years ago," muttered Rio. "He used to take in lots of students and teach them everything they needed to know about Duel Monsters. Rumor has it, he has one of the largest collections of rare cards in the world, stored away somewhere below the sanctuary in a vault, and he would reward some of them to any student who graduated his class."

"No way! Really?! Do you think…." Yuma's voice trailed off as the implications hit him. The thought of bolstering his deck with brand new powerful cards took his excitement to new heights, and now he was overjoyed that his grandmother sent him to this place. Suddenly the idea of carrying that satchel all the way up these stairs didn't seem like such an arduous ordeal.

Astral shared Yuma's sentiment. "Yuma, if this vault truly exists, then it is imperative we convince this man to provide us with what we need to improve our decks. Perhaps if he understood what was at stake, if he knew about the cause you fight for, you could convince him. Keep in mind, our enemies could still find us even all the way out here."

Astral had a point. The fact that the mysterious agents of Barian World chose Tetsuo of all people to serve as their minion proved they had been watching Yuma the whole time. Who's to say they weren't watching him right now, that another brainwashed minion wasn't secretly tailing him, waiting for the right moment to get him alone and challenge him to another duel? Then there was Kaito. If the Number Hunter ambushed him once, he could do it again. Yuma suddenly grew nervous, his eyes darting to the trees, briefly wondering if he was being watched right now.

"Yuma?" Rio's voice on the other line snapped him back to reality, breaking his paranoid trance.

"Sorry, I spaced out for a minute. I just have a lot on my mind."

"I get it, Yuma. There's a lot of pressure on you right now with all that's happened, but now you have the perfect opportunity to get stronger. Head to the Duel Sanctuary and see if the owner is willing to train you. Meanwhile, I'm going to see if we can flush our enemies out of hiding. At the very least, I want to deal with whoever is running around brainwashing people."

"Rio, I don't know if that's a good idea!" Yuma argued, growing concerned. "Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure," Rio affirmed, and if Yuma could see her on the other end, he could imagine the Ice Queen putting a confident hand on her hip. "Besides, I have Numbers too. Both the Number Hunter and these Barian guys are going to come after me anyway, not to mention…"

"What?" Yuma asked, taking notice of the sudden pause. "Not to mention what?"

"It's nothing…." The ice queen answered. Although it seemed like she was avoiding Yuma's question. "It's just something I've been feeling for the past few days…. Headaches, Bad Dreams…. Maybe it's just that the stress of all this Number Hunting is getting to me too, but…. I don't know. Something about the Barian World is getting under my skin. Maybe it's just the fact that they brainwashed our friend. That was crossing a huge line. I have to do this, Yuma. I have to find out more about them, and hopefully find a way to put a stop to what they're doing. You just worry about getting stronger, and stay safe, okay?"

"I should say the same thing about you!" replied Yuma, the worst-case scenario now shifting over to his friends. "If something happens to you…."

"I know, Yuma. I know…." Rio sighed. "I'll…. I'll call you if I find anything out. You just worry about getting stronger, Yuma. I know you have what it takes."

"Thanks, Rio."

With that, Yuma hung up and turned his attention back to the challenge at hand, climbing the mountain ahead, but the excitement of meeting this dueling instructor and potentially bolstering his deck fueled him with adrenaline. He mounted the satchel on his back once again, only this time, it didn't feel nearly as heavy, and he raced up the stairs as fast as his legs could carry him, with Astral silently floating after him.

Unfortunately, his momentum didn't last very long. The weight of the satchel and the physical strain of ascending the stairs soon began to wear him down. Even worse, just when he thought he reached the top, he would see yet another flight of stone stairs, the end seemingly nowhere in sight.

"Oh come on!" Yuma wheezed as he stopped to catch his breath. "This is torture! How many stairs are there? Would it have killed whoever runs this place to install an escalator?" He looked up at Astral hovering above him, and the mere sight of him floating annoyed him further.

"Observation Number Fifteen," muttered Astral. "Stairs are the ultimate form of torture."

Finally, the end was in sight, and as Yuma climbed the final stair and found his feet touching flat ground, he collapsed, the heavy satchel crushing him under its weight. He freed himself from the satchel's straps and slowly staggered to his feet.

"I really do need to exercise more…" he groaned, realizing that he might need a smarter regime instead of blindly charging into vaulting boxes.

But once Yuma got his bearing, he was able to start taking in the sight in front of him. He had finally arrived at the sanctuary, a large dojo of ancient Japanese architecture tucked away in the safety of the mountain forest. Dragging the satchel the rest of the way, Yuma approached the doors of the dojo and knocked on the door.

"Hello?" the exhausted teenager called out. "Anybody home? Delivery from Haru Tsukumo?"

The doors opened, but instead of a warm greeting from the owner, a long steel blade suddenly emerged from the darkness, the tip of the katana dangerously close to Yuma's throat. The boy froze with fear as the wielder of the blade revealed himself, a tall intimidating man dressed in a black ninja gi with an open purple collar. His hair was a short shaggy main with silver bangs drooping down his face, where his ice blue eyes glared menacingly at Yuma.

"What are you doing here?" the man snapped. "State your business!"

"I… I just…. I was just…." Yuma stammered, struggling to form coherent thoughts as the only thing he could focus on was the man's katana, so close that he could almost feel how sharp it was.

"The sanctuary is closed. The master is no longer taking students," The man stated, his glare intensifying. "Or are you an intruder? You heard the rumors of the rare cards hidden in the sanctuary and you thought you could plunder them like a tomb raider? Is that it?"

"NO! I would never steal somebody's cards! Honest!" Yuma shrieked.

"Kaze! Put your weapon down! The boy is a guest, not a thief!" A second voice shouted from the darkness behind the ninja, causing the guardian of the sanctuary to immediately relax, his eyes softening as he lowered his sword. The man, Kaze, sheathed his katana as a second, much older and friendlier looking man emerged to greet Yuma. The old man was quite short, barely reaching Yuma's height, but despite his diminutive stature, he carried himself with authority. There was no doubt in Yuma's mind that this was the owner of the sanctuary, the friend his grandmother wanted him to meet.

The old man greeted Yuma with a wide grin, his wrinkled face stretching and his bushy eyebrows and goatee puffing up. "It always makes for a nice change to see a new friendly face around these parts, especially when it's the grandson of such an old friend. You are Haru's boy are you not?

"Uh… yes sir!" Yuma answered. "My name's Yuma Tsukumo. Haru Tsukumo is my grandmother."

"Well, come on inside, Yuma! You're just in time for dinner, especially now that I can restock my pantry with all that food you brought! Don't let my student's demeanor fool you. Kaze here is just as skilled with a kitchen knife as he is with that blade of his. Kaze, why don't you take that heavy load off the poor boy's hands and get started with dinner."

"Yes, master," Kaze bowed and picked up the satchel with minimal effort. "Apologies," he grunted at Yuma, his stern expression unchanged as he walked back inside.

"Well?" The old man signaled Yuma and waved his hand to encourage him to follow. "Are you just going to stand outside and watch the sunset, or are you going to join us for dinner?"

"Dinner?" Yuma repeated, confused. "What are you talking about, it's not even…. Wait a minute…"

He turned around, and when he saw the view of the city skyline, he was shocked.

"SUNSET?!" Yuma screamed, completely baffled now that it dawned on him just how long it took him to climb all those stairs. As if on cue, his stomach began to growl, and Yuma realized he was just as hungry as he was exhausted. Dinner sounded very appealing right now.

---

The old man escorted Yuma to a guest bedroom in the dojo where he could get a much-needed rest after the grueling climb all the way up the mountain, and an hour later, dinner was ready. The old man was right. Kaze was a good cook, having taken all the ingredients among the groceries Yuma provided for him and combined them into a delicious soup.

"Ahhh…. A delicious meal is a greater treasure than gold," The old man sighed as he rubbed his belly in contentment. "Be sure to give my regards to Haru when you return home, young man."

Yuma felt much better with a full belly and some rest, sharing the hermit's sentiments. He finished eating while Astral floated above him, his eyes closed in a tranquil state of meditation.

"So how do you know my Grandma, old timer?"

"Old timer?!" The old man snapped, growing offended. "For your information, I have a name, boy! Rokujuro Misawa, but everybody around these parts calls me Master Roku!"

"Master?" Yuma repeated, knowing the title was likely well deserved, despite his host's eccentric and jolly demeanor. "So, if you're some kind of dueling instructor, then how come Kaze seems to be your only student? Where's everybody else?"

"Well, suffice to say, in my old age, I've grown a lot pickier when it comes to teaching students," Roku explained. "But I'm willing to give Kazuma Tsukumo's son a chance."

"You knew my dad?!" Yuma gasped.

"Yep! One of my finest students, he was!" Roku confirmed. "Taught him everything he knew about the game he loved so much, and I'm curious if you've got the same spark I saw in him."

"So, does that mean you'll teach me?" Yuma asked, growing excited.

Above him, Astral opened his eyes, taking interest in the conversation below him.

"Hmmmmm, I don't know," Roku stroked his gray goatee, the wrinkles on his bald head creasing as he appeared deep in thought. "I could teach you, but first you must pass an important test. Be warned, though. This challenge is not for the faint of heart."

"Tell me! Please! I'm up for it! I promise!" Yuma leapt to his feet, unable to contain his excitement, not wanting to take the risk of Roku refusing to teach him. "Whatever you need me to do, I'll do it! I'll go carry another load of groceries up the stairs if that's what you want me to do!"

"Alright! If you insist, but don't say I didn't warn you," said Roku ominously.

"I need you to….." he paused, his voice deadly serious, filling Yuma with torturous levels of suspense.

"... Clean every room in the dojo from top to bottom!"

"WHAT?!" Yuma fell over from sheer disbelief, and Roku burst out laughing.

"Ho Ho Ho Ho! Had you going there, didn't I? But seriously, I'd appreciate it if you take the burden off of poor Kaze just for tonight. As he's the only student living here at the moment, the burden of doing all the chores around here usually falls on him."

"But…. But…." Yuma was about to protest, but Astral stopped him.

"Remember why we came here, Yuma. It is imperative that you convince this man to help us. If you upset him, he will not train you, and he certainly will not provide us with any new cards to improve your deck. He must have a positive opinion of you."

"Uh… I mean! Of course! Happy to help!" Yuma forced himself to smile, heeding Astral's advice.

"That's the spirit!" Roku replied with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Take all the time you need, and feel free to use the guest room when you're done. I'm afraid the trains don't stop here after dark, so you'll have to spend the night. Happy cleaning!"

As Roku closed the doors behind him and left Yuma to his own devices, Yuma's fake smile disappeared immediately. He looked around the room and realized just how much of a mess the place was, and he could only imagine how filthy the other rooms were. He was in for a long night.

---

Sure enough, it was almost midnight by the time Yuma finished cleaning, and the young duelist was now just as exhausted as he was when he first arrived at the dojo. Wiping sweat off his brow, Yuma was ready to turn in for the night, hoping that Roku would at least give him something of value, be it a lesson or a card, in the morning.

He was about to make his way back to the guest room, when he saw a crack of light coming from a wall in the hallway. Upon taking a closer look, he realized the wall was actually a hidden doorway.

"Oh great. I missed one of the rooms," Yuma groaned, assuming he would have to clean whatever mess was in that room as well, but before he could take a step, the door opened and Kaze walked out. The ninja's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing Yuma before immediately sharpening into a glare.

"This room is off limits. There is no need for you to come in and clean it," Kaze's disdainful attitude oozed out of his rigidly disciplined voice. "Now run along and get some sleep so you can leave at first light."

"I'm not leaving," Yuma replied, growing annoyed at the young man's hostility. "In case you haven't noticed, Roku agreed to take me on as a student. I'm here to learn from him."

"No you're not," Kaze scoffed. "You're here to enter the vault, just like all the others. That's the only reason anybody comes here anymore, and if you honestly think you can impress the master, then you'll only find disappointment."

"What is your problem?!" Yuma snapped. "You've been rude to me all day, and I haven't done anything to you."

"Don't take it personally," said Kaze dismissively. "I'm just warning you, so you won't waste your time. I've been a student here for far too long, and if the master won't allow me to enter the vault, then I fail to see how he will give you the honor, even if you are the son of one of his former students."

Kaze walked past the young duelist, but Yuma called out to him before he could leave.

"Even if I can't get any of those cards right away, I still want to be here!" he shouted defiantly.

"I'll take anything I can get from him, even if it's just a few pointers!"

Kaze stopped, tilting his head to lock eyes with Yuma. "Are you planning on entering that tournament? Do you really think you will win the World Duel Carnival just by training here for a few weeks? Be careful, boy. That sort of optimism will only hurt you in the long run. You might have dreams of glory now, but dreams are often crushed by reality."

Kaze walked away before Yuma could argue any further, leaving the young duelist disgusted with the ninja's behavior.

"What's got him in such a bad mood?" He muttered under his breath. "What does he even know about me? I'm not entering that tournament for glory. I'm entering it to collect all the Numbers."

"Regardless of his foul attitude, he does have a point," Astral spoke up. "If he has studied under Master Roku for so long and has not gained access to the vault, then I doubt we can succeed where he failed. Our enemies could strike again any day, and therefore, we cannot afford to wait. The sooner we can convince him to help us, the better."

"Well if you ask me, the reason he didn't get into the vault is because he's just a bad student," Yuma replied with a slight pout in his face. "He certainly won't get any gold stars with an attitude like that."

He decided to put Kaze out of his mind for now, but the curiosity of what was behind that door was still in his mind. Even though Kaze told him the room was off limits, he couldn't resist. Surely just a quick peek inside wouldn't hurt?

Yuma pushed the door open with both hands, and what he saw inside was straight out of a dream.

It was a circular torch-lit room, a gallery of statues, each of them resembling a famous Duel Monster from the earliest days of the game.

"Wow…. I…. I can't believe it! That's Dark Magician!" Yuma gasped, pointing at one of the statues before running around the room like a five year old kid on Christmas Day. "And that one! That's Blue-Eyes White Dragon, oh! There's Red-Eyes Black Dragon too! Oh! Oh! There's Harpie Lady, Cyber Dragon and Elemental Hero Neos! Oh! I think I see Judge Man, and Jinzo, Flame Swordsman and, and…. Wow! I…. Wow! This is the coolest thing I've ever seen! There's even some I don't recognize, like that ninja guy over there. Astral, tell me I'm not hallucinating right now!"

"No, Yuma. I can see these statues as well," The spirit confirmed, unable to contain his own surprise as he floated closer to one of the statues to inspect it. "I am merely finding it difficult to believe, myself."

"Oh man! Oh man! This is amazing!" Yuma shrieked with starstruck delight, unable to contain himself. "There's Rainbow Dragon, Ancient Gear Golem, Destiny Hero Plasma, and… and…."

"Heh, Heh, Heh, Heh! I'm glad you like them!" A wheezing chuckle from a familiar voice brought Yuma's head out of the clouds as Roku stepped through the doorway and into the torch-lit room.

"AH! Roku! Er, I mean Master Roku! Uh, I mean…" Yuma stuttered as his excitement quickly faded away, replaced with the fear of being caught. "I…. well… the door was open and…."

"Relax, Yuma. I'm actually quite happy you appreciate my statues," Roku replied, waving away Yuma's concerns. "You see, every time one of my students spreads their wings and leaves the sanctuary to pursue their dreams, I carve a new statue in their honor so I may remember that student forever. Sometimes it's one of their favorite monsters, and sometimes it's a monster that reflects what I saw in them, but all of them represent an aspiring young duelist who honed their craft in this very room. I wonder, Yuma. What kind of memory will you leave behind when you acquire what you are looking for in this sanctuary?"

"What do you mean?" asked Yuma.

"Young man, your Grandmother arranged for you to study under me for a reason," Roku explained, his expression growing serious. "She believes you ran into a spot of trouble during a duel, something that shook your faith in yourself as a duelist. She isn't certain what exactly you experienced, but I wonder. Does it have something to do with the trouble I've been hearing about that's been plaguing the city?"

"Trouble?" Yuma repeated, growing surprised. Did he actually know about the Numbers?

"Don't play coy with me, boy," said Roku, growing stern. "I may be old, but I have a keen eye when it comes to spotting dark omens, and believe me, the rumors I've been hearing seem to be very dark omens indeed, rumors of cards with great darkness inside them, cards that drive duelists to do terrible things. You didn't happen to come face to face with any of these cards, did you?"

Yuma's face fell. There was no point in keeping the Numbers a secret.

"Yeah, I did." Yuma confessed as he pulled his Number cards out of his deck box and showed them to Roku.

"Yuma, are you sure this is wise?" Astral asked, growing nervous, but Yuma ignored him. He knew he needed to be honest with his new teacher.

"The cards you heard about, I have some of them right here. They're called Number cards. It seems like everybody who comes into contact with one of them gets possessed by whatever power is inside them and goes completely nuts, well, everybody except me, my friend Rio, and this other guy out there who's been hunting them, the guy who… well ..."

"He put you into a duel with much higher stakes than you were used to, didn't he?" Roku inquired, his inquisitive mind laying Yuma's secrets bare for him to see. "That's why, according to your grandmother, you were so miserable for the past few days, correct?"

"Yeah…" Yuma sighed, as the very misery he overcame returned for a brief second.

Roku stared at the cards with curiosity and calculation. "Hmmm, I see… And let me guess, you've been dragged into this little conflict centered around these Number Cards whether you like it or not, and now you've taken it upon yourself to keep these cards out of the wrong hands, yes?"

"Yeah, something like that…." Yuma answered, fearful that Roku might object to Yuma having them if he believed they contained darkness inside them. "How did you know?"

"We can talk about these so-called Number cards of yours later, Yuma." Roku avoided the question and changed the subject. "Right now, I wish to focus on where your mind is currently at. You seem to be recovering from your defeat. That spark that gives you such a passion for the game is flaring back to life, otherwise you wouldn't have been so starstruck by my statues, but you're not quite back to your old self, are you? Not yet."

"What do you mean?" asked Yuma. "I feel fine! I was able to win my next duel after some other bad guys came along to try and take my Numbers and hurt my friends! I even won despite them making my best cards useless! I won the duel with the weakest monster in my deck, so just imagine what I could do with some stronger cards and some lessons from you! All I need to do is make my deck stronger, and I'll never lose to that Number Hunter ever again."

"WRONG!" thundered Roku, making Yuma jump. "Is that truly what you think, young man?" The old man's face suddenly twisted with anger, his eyes boring into Yuma like sharpened nails. "If you think becoming a true duelist is as simple as getting your hands on more powerful cards, then you are no different from those power-hungry malcontents who wish to take your Number cards for themselves. Only a duelist with no sense of respect for his cards would think that way."

"What are you talking about?! Of course I have respect for my cards!" protested Yuma, offended by the idea that anybody would accuse him of disrespecting not only his own passion for the game, but the deck his father helped him build. "Duel Monsters is in my blood, my heart, my soul! I love and respect everything about it!"

"Oh? Then why don't you prove it?" Roku provoked the young duelist. He then surprised Yuma even further by pulling out a duel disk of his own. "Talk is cheap. If you want to show me your passion for the game, then there is no better way to do so than with a duel."

"Really? Right now?" Yuma asked, having been caught off guard by Roku's sudden challenge.

"Of course, that is if you don't mind dueling in front of an audience."

"An audience?" Yuma looked around the room, expecting to see people hiding behind the statues waiting to surprise him, but all he saw were the statues themselves.

"What do you mean? There's nobody here but us and your statues. It's not like they can move."

Roku's mischievous grin returned. "Oh, but they do move."

"Huh?! No they don't!" Yuma scoffed dismissively. "Now you're just messing with me."

"No, my dear boy, I'm not." said Roku, slyly, piquing Yuma's curiosity.

"During a duel, these statues come to life and take the form of the very monsters they resemble. Would you like to see?"

Yuma still found it hard to believe, but how could he possibly pass up an opportunity to see some of the most famous monsters in the game come to life before his eyes? Whatever trick Roku had to make these statues move, he would be lying if he claimed he wasn't interested.

"Of course I want to see! Let's duel, old timer! I'll prove to you that I do have respect for my cards!"

"We'll see about that, won't we? Alright, Yuma! Look alive! Your first lesson begins now! LET'S DUEL!"

Duel Gazer Set

Augmented Reality Vision Online

Yuma Tsukumo: 4000 LP

Rokujuro Misawa: 4000 LP

DUEL!

As both duelists drew their opening hands, Astral floated down from above and landed at Yuma's side.

"I am with you in this fight, Yuma, and I will allow you to use our Number cards in this duel. I suspect our new instructor will want us to use them."

"Our instructor?" Yuma repeated, curious at Astral's choice of words, but Astral didn't reply. His golden eyes remained straight ahead, fixated on their instructor turned opponent.

"I'll be making the first move, sonny! For my first move, I will activate the spell card, Unexpected Dai! Since I control no monsters, I can Special Summon one level four or lower monster from my deck, so I'll bring out this, my Mystical Elf in defense mode!"

Roku's first monster appeared on the field in a brilliant flash of light, taking the form of a blue skinned elven woman with long blonde hair. She wore flowing green robes covering her body and a silver spiked tiara on her forehead. Her eyes were peacefully closed and her hands were pressed together in a state of meditative prayer.

Mystical Elf: Level 4/LIGHT/Spellcaster/Normal/800 ATK/2000 DEF

"Next, I'll use my normal summon to bring out my Celtic Guardian to the field in attack mode!"

Now, Mystical Elf was soon joined by another elf, a pale-skinned male warrior wearing brown leather armor with green armored pauldrons on his shoulders and a flowing blue cape draping down his back. The elf wore a green celtic agris helmet to protect his head with silver horns on the sides that curved downward, and in his hands he wielded a massive broadsword. The elf pointed his sword directly at Yuma and assumed a battle-ready fighting stance.

Celtic Guardian: Level 4/EARTH/Warrior/Normal/1400 ATK/1200 DEF

Yuma couldn't believe his eyes. These were the last monsters he had ever expected to face in a duel, and he couldn't fathom why Roku would use them. Granted, these were classic monsters from the earliest generation of Duel Monsters, but sadly the game had evolved to the point where monsters like these were left behind. That's why on occasion, new and improved versions of older monsters would be released to the public, usually taking an otherwise outclassed monster and giving it a more powerful effect, or a card that represented an evolved form of the older monster. This allowed players to experience the nostalgia of the classic era without experiencing the impracticality of using an out-of-date normal monster.

As such, when Yuma heard Roku say he was summoning Celtic Guardian and Mystical Elf, he was expecting one of their many retrained versions to appear on the field.

But no! This was the original Celtic Guardian, the original Mystical Elf, cards that could not do anything on their own, as they possessed no effects. Just what was this old man planning?

"But…. those are Normal Monsters!" Yuma exclaimed in confusion, causing Roku to grin mischievously.

"Oh? Is that a problem?" the old man teased. "Are these monsters too weak for someone of your skill? Do you find it beneath you to face them in battle?"

"No! That's not it at all…. It's just…. I mean…. Well…" Yuma struggled to find the right words without sounding disrespectful, while Astral remained fixated on the two monsters, once again assuming the role of advisor.

"Be careful, Yuma, and pay close attention," Astral advised him, causing Yuma to perk up and focus on his partner. "Roku chose to use this deck for a reason, not just to win the duel, but to teach us something very important. Deducing the wisdom he is attempting to impart on us will be just as important as figuring out his strategy."

Roku chuckled. "Heh, Heh, Heh! Well, my boy, I see you're at a loss for words seeing these old school monsters in action. If that's all it takes to blow your mind, then you're not going to last very long. My deck is filled with surprises."

"Yeah… well….. Okay, you caught me off guard with your monsters, but it's not that difficult to figure out what you're about to do!" Yuma snapped, trying his best to sound tough. "You have two level four monsters on the field, so now you're going to Xyz Summon, right?"

Roku's smirk grew wider from Yuma's assumption. "Oh, is that what you think I'm up to? Well, I'm afraid I'll have to surprise you yet again!"

"I activate the field spell, Sanctuary of Memories!"

The magic of Roku's field spell transformed the interior of the entire dojo. The building molded into a serene and tranquil courtyard, as if the two duelists were magically transported outside. The ruins of an ancient Buddhist temple stood at Roku's back, and an assortment of moss-covered stones and ruined structures surrounded the new field, as if this mysterious garden had been lost to the sands of time for centuries, untouched by human hands and unseen by human eyes. Strangely, while the field spell had altered the dojo itself, the wooden statues were still in plain view, as if they too were part of this hidden world.

However, the power of Roku's spell card was not finished working its magic, as the statues did not stay statues for very long. Yuma grew awestruck as one by one, cracks began to form in the statues, like eggs beginning to hatch. Bursting free from their wooden prisons, the statues came to life, transforming into the very monsters they represented, their appearances identical to how they would appear had Roku actually summoned them.

"GAH!"

Yuma jumped as he saw dragons, warriors, magicians, and machines all begin to move, bellowing and roaring with the energies of life, but they did not come to the field.

It seemed that while the spell had given these statues life, they were merely spectators in this duel, rather than participants.

Even so, it was a miracle to even see half of these monsters in their true forms, as most of these cards had not been used in duels for many years. As Yuma and Astral marveled at their new audience, they couldn't help but feel they were being watched, as if the sanctuary had allowed the very spirits of these monsters to cross over into this world and observe the game they themselves had fought in many times in the past.

Even the two monsters Roku had summoned seemed more alive than before thanks to the sanctuary. Something in the Celtic Guardian's eyes, the way the Mystical Elf held a tiny ghost of a smile on her lips; it all seemed so real, almost too real.

It unnerved Astral to look at them. Even the now living statues in the background seemed to resonate with more life than simple animation. The spirit had never given the idea of Duel Monster sentience much thought, as the only case of it he had seen was in the Number Monsters, and he only assumed they possessed sentience because they contained pieces of his memory. They were alive because Astral gave them life, but was that even true? Astral had barely scratched the surface of the secrets of the Numbers, so if it was possible for other Duel Monster cards to possess some form of sentience, then he could be wrong about his theories regarding the Numbers. Was there more to their identities than their connection to him suggested?

While Astral was at a loss for words, his mind racing with dozens of thought provoking questions, Yuma could barely contain himself, as the sight of the statues coming to life overwhelmed him with child-like wonder.

"This…. This is amazing!" Yuma exclaimed with delight as his dazzled eyes darted around the dojo to count every monster, jumping up and down as the wondrous sight gave him such a rush of energy.

"I can't believe it! They're all here! They're really here! Oh, this has got to be one of the greatest days of my life! Seeing all these legendary monsters, alive! In the flesh, AH! I can't believe it! Oh, I wish my friends were here! They'd never believe me if I told them!"

Roku laughed at how starstruck Yuma appeared to be. He had seen it all before. He had yet to teach a single student who wasn't surprised by what his sanctuary could do to his statues.

"Ho Ho! Quite the spectacle, isn't it? I told you these statues can move, and now the spirits of these monsters have a front row seat to our duel where they can watch the show and cheer for their fellow monsters. It is through this camaraderie that all Normal Monsters on the field gain five hundred attack and defense points."

Celtic Guardian: 1900 ATK/1700 DEF

Mystical Elf: 1300 ATK/2500 DEF

As Yuma watched the power of Roku's monsters increase, he suddenly snapped out of his starstruck stupor, realizing what Roku meant regarding the statues.

"Hey, wait a minute! You said your statues move, but they don't really come to life! That's just a trick of your field spell. The moment this duel is over, those monsters will go right back to being statues again!"

Roku brushed off Yuma's accusation, unbothered by his student's skepticism.

"You can say that they can move, or you can believe they cannot. You can claim it is a trick of my card, or you can believe that the spirits of these very monsters have crossed over to watch our duel, using my wooden statues as vessels. That choice is yours to make."

Roku's speech only confused Yuma further, its meaning completely lost on the boy. Astral, on the other hand, merely stared with pensive focus at the audience of monsters surrounding the field, placing a hand on his chin as he floated above Yuma and pondered the metaphor.

"There is a deeper wisdom in this man's words," he muttered. "I must discover what it all means."

As Astral meditated on Roku's advice, the elderly duelist continued his turn.

"For my final move, I will set one card face-down and activate the continuous spell, Heart of the Underdog. Now if I draw a normal monster during my draw phase, I can show you that I have indeed drawn one and then I can draw again. Your move, Yuma."

Now Yuma was completely lost. Everything he thought Roku was planning to do, he instead did the opposite. Instead of going for an Xyz Monster right away, he left his two normal monsters on the field to their own devices. Was Roku holding back? Or was he saving whatever Xyz Monster he was planning to summon for later?

"Hey, Astral," Yuma whispered. "Do you have any read on this guy? I'm completely lost. Why didn't he summon anything stronger than those Normal monsters? They can't do anything by themselves."

"I am just as perplexed as you are, Yuma," Astral admitted. "It is a most unconventional strategy, but we must keep in mind that we are dealing with a duelist with many years of experience. We must assume he knows what he is doing, and therefore, he does not intend to simply leave his monsters vulnerable to attack. His decision to keep his Normal Monsters on the field instead of using them to Xyz Summon must serve a greater purpose, and in order to win this duel, we must deduce what that greater purpose is."

"So far, it looks like that greater purpose is to mess with my head," Yuma muttered under his breath.

"Hey, Yuma! Are you daydreaming or something? Get a move on! I'm not getting any younger!" Roku snapped, forcing Yuma back to reality. "You keep dueling at this pace, I'll be dead from old age before the fourth turn!"

"Alright, fine! I'm going!" Yuma rebuffed as he played his first card. "I summon Achacha Archer! When I summon him, I can automatically hit you with five hundred points of damage!"

Yuma's masked archer appeared on the field, immediately drawing his bow and firing a flame tipped arrow with a wild cry of "Achacha!" The arrow soared through the air and grazed past Roku's cheek, but the old man seemed unfazed by the attack.

Achacha Archer: Level 3/FIRE/Warrior/1200 ATK/600 DEF

Roku: 4000 - 500 = 3500

"I'll follow it up by activating the effect of Achacha Chanbara in my hand! Since you took damage, I can special summon him from my hand and hit you with four hundred more points of damage."

Another fiery warrior joined the archer on the battlefield, wearing red samurai armor and a white kabuki mask with red warpaint and a messy black mane of hair. The warrior brandished two twin katanas and with his own cry of "Achacha!" fired a blast of flame from the crest on his forehead, which struck Roku in the chest, making him wince as his life points went down a second time.

Achacha Chanbara: Level 3/FIRE/Warrior/1400 ATK/600 DEF

Roku: 3500 - 400 - 3100

"Oh Ho! Not bad, young man!" Roku complimented with a teasing smirk. "Feeling a little scrappy are we, or are you playing aggressively because I got under your skin a little bit?"

In truth, Roku's harsh criticism about Yuma's desire for better cards had gotten under his skin. He was already rattled, and he knew it, but this was all part of getting stronger. Making sure his emotions didn't get the better of him was just as important as improving his deck.

Deep breaths, stay calm, and draw.

"I activate the spell card, Achacha Charge! Since you took effect damage this turn, I can special summon a level three monster from my deck, so I'll summon Zubaba Knight!"

A golden armored warrior wielding two lightning bolt shaped swords appeared in between the two Achacha Monsters, giving his own battle cry of "Zubaba!"

Zubaba Knight: Level 3/EARTH/Warrior/1600 ATK/900 DEF

"Now here comes the best part. Since you took nine hundred points of effect damage this turn, Achacha Charge gives all level three or lower monsters I control a boost of nine hundred attack points until the end of the turn!"

Zubaba Knight: 2500 ATK/900 DEF

Achacha Archer: 2100 ATK/600 DEF

Achacha Chanbara: 2300 ATK/400 DEF

"Battle! Zubaba Knight, attack his Mystical Elf with Zubaba Slash!"

Roku's bushy eyebrows raised upward, studying his opponent as he watched the knight charge towards his monster.

"Oh? And just what do you think you're up to, sonny? Your Knight's attack points are equal to my Elf's defense points. She can fend off your knight quite easily."

"She might be able to fend off a regular attack, but Zubaba Knight has an effect that can get past her defenses! Any monster in defense mode that Zubaba Knight attacks is automatically destroyed!"

The knight charged forward, jagged sword in hand. The blue-skinned elf finally opened her eyes for the first time, seemingly ready for the incoming assault. She let out a quiet laugh as she moved her hands out of their prayer position, catching the blade in her hands and stopping the knight's attack dead in its tracks.

"Wait, what?! She survived Zubaba Knight's effect too?" An incredulous Yuma exclaimed, while Roku laughed at his student's frustration.

"Ho Ho! You didn't think it would be that easy to get rid of my monsters, did you? My Sanctuary of Memories doesn't just give my Normal Monsters a boost. It also protects them from being destroyed by any of those pesky special abilities your effect monsters may have, so I'm afraid you just wasted your attack. I, on the other hand, am about to receive a little reward for protecting my friend, since now I can activate my trap card, Monument of Memories!"

Upon activation, a large wooden pillar erupted out of the tiled floor of the grove, a statue that had yet to be given an identity to commemorate.

"Here's how this card works. Since you attacked a Normal monster, this trap lets me special summon a Normal Monster straight from my deck with the same attack points as the monster that attacked it. However, during the End Phase of my next turn, my monster will return to the deck."

"Oh no!" Astral gasped. "Zubaba Knight's attack power is currently twenty-five hundred. This means Roku can summon a monster with twenty-five hundred attack points, and if the monster he summons is a normal monster, its attack points will increase to three thousand thanks to his field spell!"

Roku picked up his deck, his cunning eyes searching for the perfect monster to summon.

"Hmmmm, let me see….. Ah ha! Here's one that hasn't seen much action in awhile."

"Come on out, Summoned Skull!"

As if sculpted by an invisible chisel, the pillar twisted and carved itself into the shape of a duel monster identical in form to Roku's collection of memorials. Upon its completion, the new statue cracked open and came to life, revealing the terrifying form of yet another legendary monster that Yuma knew all too well. It was enormous, far more intimidating than the artwork on its card suggested, a massive winged demon with its skeleton on the outside of its body, functioning as crude armor plates. A pair of blue bat wings nestled on its back and visible violet muscle tissue behind the bony armor held its hulking body together. The boney demon locked eyes with Yuma, its fanged mouth trapped in a permanent angry snarl as it growled viciously at the boy. Sparks of electricity crackled on its downward curving horns, as if it was itching for Roku to command it to attack.

Summoned Skull: Level 6/DARK/Fiend/Normal/2500 ATK/1200 DEF

Summoned Skull: 3000 ATK/1700 DEF

Now Yuma was certain that Roku specifically chose this monster to intimidate him, as Summoned Skull was still infamous even among modern day duelists. This was the original boss monster, a card that duelists would give up their life savings to acquire in the earliest days of the game, as back then, it was one of the only powerful monsters that was relatively easy to summon. Now, here it was, facing Yuma in battle, and he felt the same pressure the duelists of old felt when forced to contend with this terrifying creature of thunder and darkness.

"All…. Alright… Fine!" Yuma snapped, still trying to sound confident. "So you summoned a stronger monster, but you still have another target on the field for my other two monsters. Achacha Chanbara, attack his Celtic Guardian! Achacha Katana!"

The fiery samurai clicked his swords together, infusing them with his power and coating them in flame. He leaped into the air and brought them down onto the elven warrior, but his opponent was ready. Swinging his broadsword, the Celtic Guardian matched Yuma's monster blow for blow, the two trading strikes until Achacha Chanbara gave up and retreated back to Yuma's field. Roku's life points went down, but Celtic Guardian was unharmed.

Roku: 3100 - 400 = 2700

"Oh, come on!" Yuma shouted, his frustration boiling over. "You've got to be kidding me! Don't tell me that field spell of yours protects your monsters from attacks as well!"

"Ha, Ha! Yep! My monsters risk their lives to protect my life points, so the least I can do is return the favor by protecting them, and just like real life, I receive quite the reward for looking after my friends. After I successfully protect one of my monsters using my Sanctuary of Memories, I can add a new Memory card from my deck to my hand. I will add the spell card, Sword of Memories. Unfortunately, I can only protect my monsters from one attack per turn."

"Alright. Then let's see if a second attack will do the trick! Achacha Archer, attack his Celtic Guardian! Ready your Achacha Arrow, and FIRE!"

The archer fired another flaming arrow, and this time, the attack struck true, piercing the Celtic Guardian in the chest. The elven warrior groaned in pain before transforming back into a wooden statue and shattering into splinters.

Roku: 2700 - 200 = 2500

"Oh, finally!" Yuma exclaimed, breathing a massive sigh of relief that he actually made progress this time. "At least I got rid of one of your monsters, so that's something."

"True, but my Sanctuary has one final effect," Roku explained, causing Yuma to audibly groan.

"Not another one! How can one single spell card have so many different effects?"

Rokujuro smirked. "Finish your turn, and I'll explain it to you."

Yuma could feel his anxiety reaching new heights as he frantically studied his hand for anything important he should do before he finished his turn. Just when he thought he could relish in one small victory, the old man was about to throw Yuma for a loop with yet another twist. Even though there were no stakes in this duel, he was beginning to realize this was going to be just as much of a challenge as his duel with Kaito.

"Stay calm, Yuma," Astral soothed his partner.

"And focus. Remember, this is more about learning than winning. Do not merely think about winning the duel. Think about what Roku is trying to teach us."

"Us?"

Astral nodded. "We are in this together Yuma, and therefore, even though he cannot see me, Roku is my teacher as well. We both have learned the hard way that I do not have all the answers, and so both of us need to evolve as duelists."

Yuma nodded in agreement, his stress soothing from his partner's encouragement.

"So, what are you going to do now, sonny?" Roku asked with a mischievous grin.

"This! I may not be able to attack anymore this turn, but I still have three monsters with the same level, and in case you don't keep up with current events, that means I can Xyz Summon! I overlay Zubaba Knight, Achacha Archer, and Achacha Chanbara! With these 3 Level 3 Monsters, I build the overlay network!"

"Xyz Summon! APPEAR! NUMBER 34: TERROR-BYTE!

The golden spiral of the overlay network lit up the field with its otherworldly glow, absorbing Yuma's three monsters and summoning forth the sealed form of Terror-Byte. The collection of computer chips broke apart and reformed themselves into the body of the mechanical Number Monster, its yellow and black armor plates covering its silver metallic body. The Number Monster's scorpion-like tail flicked in the air as it crouched low in a defensive posture, its glowing red eyes fixated on Roku's Summoned Skull.

Number 34 - Terror-Byte: Rank 3/DARK/Machine/Xyz/0 ATK/2900 DEF

Roku's playful smirk faded instantly at the sight of the monster, growing stern and concerned from seeing one of the very monsters Yuma warned him about.

"So, this is one of the Number Monsters?"

"Yeah, what about it?" Yuma replied, apprehensive over what the old man might say about them.

"Well, you don't seem to be acting all crazy, so that's something," Roku began as he studied the monster, his eyes fixated on the 34 on Terror-Byte's armor as he tugged at the strands of his beard.

"But if what you say about them is true, then what steps have you taken to make sure you won't be corrupted by the power of these cards?"

Yuma looked down at his key. In truth, he hadn't given his immunity to being possessed by the Numbers any thought, as he simply accepted the key's protection and enjoyed the convenience of having the freedom to use these cards without consequence. However, now that Yuma actually had time to think about it, neither he nor Astral understood just how the key protected them from the Numbers. Would he get possessed if he summoned a Number Monster without wearing the key?

Then there was Rio's immunity. She possessed no magic key or ancient artifact. Her resistance seemed to just be part of who she was, with no explanation at all. When Astral was still feuding with her, he feared the possibility that one day Rio would become corrupted by having so many Numbers and no key to protect her. Could that actually happen?

Yuma looked down at his key, trying to figure out how to explain it to the dueling instructor without sounding crazy. "Well, I mean…. I've never needed to take any steps because…."

"Because of that thing around your neck?" Roku inquired, taking Yuma by surprise.

"How did you….?"

"How did I know? I've been around since the earliest days of the game, Yuma. Duel Monsters has been tethered to supernatural forces both good and evil since the day it was unleashed into the world of us simple little humans. What most duelists see as an ordinary card game has actually been used for much darker purposes in the past. Now it seems it is happening again, this time with these Number cards, and like it or not, your destiny seems to be tied to the fate of them, so I must ask you again, young man. How will you ensure that you yourself won't be corrupted by such power?"

"Well…. The key protects me!" Yuma tried to explain, but Roku shook his head.

"I am not talking about the key, Yuma. I am talking about basic human nature. Whether used for good or for evil, these Number cards are a source of power, and it is in the nature of power to corrupt and tempt even the best of us to walk down a darker path. Trust me when I say that humans don't need magical trading cards to have power go to their heads and make them do things that they would later come to regret..."

Roku's words sank into Yuma's mind, which began to race once again, fueled by a new type of anxiety.

"But…. I wouldn't use my Numbers that way…"

"Let me follow up with another question," Roku continued, sounding calmer and more understanding this time. "Why do you want these cards? Did you take an interest in collecting them all because you realized you could use them without consequence? Did you think that having these cards would give you an easy shortcut to become a world champion duelist?"

"NO! Absolutely not!" Yuma shouted, surprising Roku with how quickly he answered.

"I'm doing it to help a friend of mine! I'm doing it to protect my other friends from getting hurt by these cards! Sure, I'd love to be a dueling champion someday, but my friends are way more important than just being the best!"

Roku, initially caught off guard, took in Yuma's passionate declaration with pride and nodded respectfully. "Young man, you just gave a very good answer. Too many people fight only for themselves these days, and when they do that, they open their hearts to be corrupted by the very power they use to achieve their goals. When you put aside your own ambitions to fight for others, you shield yourself against such corruption. Sure, nobody's perfect. You can still falter. It is part of being human, but if your friends are really that important to you, then you won't be led astray. Even better, they can pull you out of a dark place if you find yourself falling into one."

Yuma reflected on the irony of Roku's advice, as he learned that very lesson the hard way the day before, courtesy of Rio and Tetsuo helping him regain his confidence. He could only imagine how lost he would be if he had to face these looming threats without his friends at his side.

"However," Roku continued, growing stern. "Take care not to lose yourself to the righteousness of your cause, or the greatest enemy you'll end up facing might just be yourself. Fighting for what you believe to be right doesn't mean you are always in the right. The world is not as black and white as it seems, and not every battle you face can boil down to a simple case of good versus evil."

Roku's warning caused Astral to think back to what Tetsuo said while he was under the spell of Barian's Force, his hateful ranting towards his home and his people. These mysterious foes from Barian World clearly hungered for more than just the power of his Numbers. Their grudge against Astral World ran deep, a hatred that went beyond a simple desire to take the Numbers for themselves. Without his memories, Astral could not understand their motivations, nor what started this war in the first place.

What could have possibly given them cause to hate his people so much to the point of wanting to destroy his entire planet? Who struck the first blow that began this bitter conflict?

The answers clearly lay in collecting more memories, but after hearing Roku's warning, Astral wasn't so sure he wanted to know the answers to these difficult questions.

"Well, let's not stand around being sentimental! We have a duel to finish!" Roku exclaimed, his tone of voice instantly shifting back to its energetic and playful vigor. "Make your move, sonny! I want to see what these Numbers of yours can really do, and I'm certainly not done showing you what my cards can do."

Yuma nodded respectfully and finished his turn. "I'll set one card face-down. You're up!"

"Very good," Roku smiled and nodded. "Now I can show you the final effect of my Sanctuary. During the End Phase, I can return one Normal Monster from my Graveyard back to the safety of my deck. Afterwards, I can summon a new normal monster with an equal or lower level straight from my deck to the field. I'll return my Celtic Guardian to my deck, and summon this monster to take its place, Giant Soldier of Stone!"

Another statue appeared on Roku's field, made of rock instead of wood, only this monster stayed in its statue form, its appearance resembling a giant cubical golem with a crudely carved helmet covering its tiny head. Its massive arms covered the rest of its body as it assumed a defensive stance, brandishing twin granite daggers.

Giant Soldier of Stone: Level 3/EARTH/Rock/1300 ATK/2000 DEF

Giant Soldier of Stone: 1800 ATK/2500 DEF

"Another defensive wall?!" Yuma exclaimed in surprise. "Not even Hope can beat over that one!"

Astral quickly realized why the old man chose such a defensive monster instead of one better suited for attacking. "I see! Once he ends his next turn, Summoned Skull will return to his deck. Therefore, it makes sense for him to build up his defenses so he won't have to fear the consequences of losing such a powerful monster. Worry about penetrating his defenses later, Yuma. Right now, we are the ones who must defend, at least until Summoned Skull leaves the field. We can only hope Terror-Byte's defenses will suffice."

"My turn! I draw!" Roku drew his card, and by the rules of Heart of the Underdog, he showed it to Yuma.

"Ah Ha! Look here! I drew the Normal Monster, Alligator's Sword. With Heart of the Underdog on the field, that means I can draw another card, and remember, as long as I keep drawing Normal Monsters, I can keep drawing more cards."

Yuma could only watch, his grimace deepening as Roku drew a second Normal Monster, Vorse Raider, and then a third, Gemini Elf, and then a fourth, Alexandrite Dragon. Finally, on the fifth draw, Roku drew a spell card, Successor Soul. Yuma didn't recognize the card, and he still couldn't figure out what Roku was planning. What was even the point of drawing all these Normal Monsters? None of them matched together as part of an archetype. True to their nature, none of them possessed effects that could help him, and of course, none of them could defeat Terror-Byte anyway.

In all of his years of being a duelist, Yuma had never seen such a confusing strategy, but one look at the large grin on his teacher's face made him realize he was about to learn what Roku was planning the hard way. He knew that look all too well. It was a look a duelist only gave when they truly believed they were going to win.

"Alright, I think four is more than enough! Now I'll activate this! The Sword of Memories! I'll use it on my Summoned Skull! Now, he's the only one who can attack this turn. However, I can reveal as many Normal Monsters as possible in my hand and allow them to lend their support to their comrade on the front lines!"

A silver katana with ancient runes carved into its blade fell from the sky and embedded itself in the ground. Wisps of light orbited the blade which then drifted towards Summoned Skull, orbiting around him instead. Yuma squinted as the wisps conjured barely visible images appearing behind the demon, and as they became more clear, he realized they were the ghostly visages of the very monsters Roku had revealed, Vorse Raider, Gemini Elf, Alligator's Sword, and Alexandrite Dragon.

"Now my Summoned Skull gains one thousand attack points for each of his friends who have chosen to lend him a hand in this fight, and as for your monster? Well, I'm afraid my sword forces your Terror-Byte to meet him in battle head on. Now your Terror-Byte is going to switch to attack mode!"

"WHAT?!"

Terror-Byte suddenly reared up on its hind legs and assumed an aggressive posture.

Summoned Skull: 3000 (1000 x 4) = 7000 ATK

"Alright! Let's Battle! Summoned Skull, attack his Terror-Byte now! LIGHTNING STRIKE!"

"Seven thousand attack points…" Astral whispered with dread. "This attack will defeat us in a single blow. Yuma, your trap card! Now!" Yuma immediately followed his partner's instruction.

"I activate my trap, Damage Diet! This cuts the damage I would take in half!"

Yuma's trap surrounded the Number Monster in a white soothing glow, but Summoned Skull ignored the trap and continued its attack.

The sparks surrounding the demon's horns intensified and trickled down its body until Roku's Monster transformed into a living lightning rod. Raising its massive thick forearms into the air, empowered by the building energy, Summoned Skull unleashed the lightning into the sky, roaring furiously as its electrical power left him. The storm gathered above the demon as dark clouds covered the grove, then with one final roar, as if commanding the lightning itself, Summoned Skull brought its wrath down on the Number Monster. Terror-Byte screeched in pain, its electronic voice distorting as its cybernetic body convulsed and thrashed about from the explosive force of the bolt. A stray bolt from the electrical storm then struck Yuma, whose screams mixed together with his Number Monster as the boy's lifepoints took a devastating hit. Finally, the storm subsided, and both Yuma and his Number Monster fell to the ground, with Terror-Byte's body twitching as smoke rose from its unconscious form, still in pain from the attack.

Yuma: 4000 - 3500 = 500

"Oh ho! Nice save!" Roku exclaimed, genuinely impressed that Yuma survived his attack. "And you even managed to save your monster as well! How did you do that?"

"I didn't have to do anything!" Yuma explained as he rose back to his feet. "It's just part of being a Number Monster. A Number Monster can only be destroyed in battle by another Number Monster. Summoned Skull isn't a Number Monster, so while I did take a lot of damage, Terror-Byte lives to see another turn!"

"And I don't have any Number Monsters…." Roku finished. "Or any Xyz Monsters in my deck for that matter, so I cannot destroy your Terrorbyte in battle at all. Alright, Yuma. You've piqued my curiosity. Show me more of what these Numbers can do! I set one card face-down, and now thanks to the effect of my Monument of Memories, Summoned Skull returns to my deck, as do all the monsters I revealed to use my sword."

As Roku shuffled the four cards he revealed into his deck, Summoned Skull's body relaxed as its bone armor turned to wood, its massive form transforming back into a wooden statue before disappearing into the fog of the grove.

"Oh that's a relief," Yuma gasped. With the departure of Summoned Skull, there was far less pressure on Yuma to make a comeback and turn the duel around, but even without that monster, Roku still held an overwhelming advantage over him. Thanks to his field spell, the old man was maintaining total control of the duel, and if Yuma wasn't careful, Roku could surprise him with a monster even stronger than Summoned Skull.

"We cannot hold back any longer," advised Astral. "If we allow Roku to summon another powerful monster, then we are finished. I believe you know which monster you need to summon next."

Yuma nodded. "My turn! I draw, and I summon Gagaga Magician!"

Yuma wasted no time getting his signature brown robed magician to the field, the chains on its body dangling in the wind as it finished taking shape.

Gagaga Magician: Level 4/DARK/Spellcaster/1500 ATK/1000 DEF

"Next, I'll switch Terror-Byte back into defense mode, and then I'll finally use it to get rid of one of your monsters, your Mystical Elf!"

"And here I thought old people were supposed to be forgetful, not you youngsters," Roku teased. "Didn't I tell you that Normal Monsters are protected from your card effects by my sanctuary?"

"Yeah I remember," replied Yuma with a mischievous smirk of his own. "I'm not going to destroy her. I'm going to steal her! Terrorbyte can use one of its overlay units to take control of your monster!"

On Yuma's command, Terrorbyte's mechanical tail opened and fired an electrical tractor beam, which surrounded the elf and pulled her towards Yuma's field like a fish caught on a hook. The elf shrieked as she was caught in the snare, yelling for help, but there was nothing she could do as the Number Monster forced her into its clutches.

"Oh ho! You sneaky little devil!" Roku exclaimed, impressed that Yuma managed to catch him off guard. "So you managed to pull a fast one and steal one of my monsters, but what exactly do you plan on doing with her?"

"Let me show you! Now that I have two level four monsters on the field, I can overlay your Mystical Elf and my Gagaga Magican! With these 2 Level 4 Monsters, I build the overlay network and XYZ SUMMON! APPEAR, NUMBER 39: KING OF WISHES, HOPE!"

The overlay network appeared a second time, absorbing the two spellcasters and conjuring the sealed form of Yuma's first and most reliable Number Monster, which transformed into its true form, the golden winged warrior of Hope. Even Roku was amazed at this monster's appearance, seemingly sensing the great power emanating from the Number.

Number 39 - King of Wishes, Hope: Rank 4/LIGHT/Warrior/Xyz/2500 ATK/2000 DEF

"With two Xyz Monsters on the field, I can activate this, the spell card, Xyz Treasure!" Yuma continued as he revealed the card to Roku. "Now I can draw two cards!"

"Flip Flop and Xyz Unit…" Astral noted as Yuma showed his two new cards to his partner.

"These are just what we need to turn this duel back in our favor. Use them immediately."

"I was thinking the exact same thing." Yuma affirmed with a confident nod. "I activate the spell card, Xyz Unit! This card equips itself to Hope and gives him eight hundred extra attack points! Next I'll take a page out of your playbook and activate the spell card, Flip Flop to switch your Giant Soldier of Stone into attack mode!"

The cubical golem suddenly came to life and stood up into an upright position.

Hope: 2500 + 800 = 3300 ATK

"Ah ha! Clever!" laughed Roku. "You've got a lot of fight in you for somebody who took such a thrashing last turn!"

"You have no idea how much fight I got!" Yuma shouted, the praise he received lighting a fire inside him.

"BATTLE! Number 39, attack his Giant Soldier of Stone! RISING SUN SLASH!"

Hope extended his mechanical wings and took flight, rising into the air and then diving towards the golem with his twin blades armed and ready to strike. As he brought one of his blades down, intending to cut the golem in half, Giant Soldier of Stone suddenly moved its arms up and stopped Hope's attack with its daggers, its massive frame halting Hope's momentum. The Number Monster pressed forward, putting more pressure on the stone soldier, until its sword penetrated its defenses and left a huge scratch on its rocky body. However, Roku's monster did not shatter, and stood firm despite the heavy blow.

Roku: 2500 - 1500 = 1000

"Sanctuary of Memories activates its effect! Roku announced. "Giant Soldier of Stone is protected from your attack and once the battle is over, I can add the spell card, Collection of Memories, from my deck to my hand!"

Yuma grimaced. "Not again! If only I had a way to destroy that stupid field spell, I could turn this duel around, but instead we just wasted our attack, and now he has a new secret weapon!"

Astral tried his best to reassure his partner and calm him down. "I would not say our move was a waste. We put much needed pressure on our opponent and we summoned the perfect monster to protect us from whatever Roku is planning. Hopefully Number 39's power will be enough."

"Yeah, hopefully…" Yuma muttered before turning back to face Roku. "Alright, old timer! That's all I've got for now, so I'll end my turn."

Roku smiled respectfully and nodded. "Very good. That was rather resourceful of you to use one of my monsters to bring out what I'm assuming is your favorite Xyz Monster. You're a fast learner, Yuma!"

Yuma rubbed the back of his head, laughing sheepishly. "Well, I did have a pretty good teacher before I met you." His comment caused Astral to give Yuma a warm, proud smile.

"Good! One cannot truly quench their thirst for knowledge if they always drink from the same river."

"Huh?"

Roku's metaphor was completely lost on Yuma, and the old man laughed again.

"Ha Ha Ha! It means it's a good thing to learn from different teachers throughout your life, and speaking of teachers, it's my turn again! I draw, and thanks to my Heart of the Underdog, if the card I draw is a Normal Monster, I can show it to you and draw again."

Roku drew his card, and his grin doubled in size when he saw what he drew. He showed the card to Yuma, and the young duelist's blood went cold, his face turning as white as the monster depicted on the card. It was a monster he never imagined he would face, a monster that was still feared to this day.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon

Roku drew his second card and revealed it, a second copy of Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and Yuma's growing anxiety from seeing the first copy of the legendary dragon evolved into full blown panic at the sight of the second. Yuma half expected Roku's next draw to be a third Blue-Eyes, but he relaxed when Roku revealed that his third draw was the spell card, Monster Reborn.

"Alright… I think my lessons are starting to sink in…." Roku muttered calmly as he prepared his next move. "Now it's time for tonight's lesson to come to an end."

"What do you mean? You can't use any of the cards you drew!" Yuma protested.

"You only have one monster, and Blue-Eyes needs two tributes for you to summon it, not to mention your Graveyard is empty! There's nothing in your Graveyard to bring back with Monster Reborn."

"Ha Ha Ha! Oh, my dear boy! I'll admit you caught me by surprise a few times, but you still have a lot to learn. You forget that Monster Reborn can be used to summon a monster from either player's Graveyard, so I think I'll take a page out of your playbook. You stole one of my monsters last turn, so I think it's only fair that I steal one of yours. I use Monster Reborn to bring back your Zubaba Knight."

After playing his spell card, Yuma could only watch as his golden knight rose out of the ground and appeared on Roku's side of the field.

Zubaba Knight: Level 3/EARTH/Warrior/1600 ATK/900 DEF

"NO! Yuma shrieked. "Now he has enough monsters to tribute summon his Blue-Eyes!"

"Tribute summon?" Roku repeated with a playful tone of voice. "Now why would I callously sacrifice my Giant Soldier of Stone after he's worked so hard to protect my lifepoints? Besides, there are other ways to summon a high-level monster! Observe! I activate the quick play spell, Successor Soul! By tributing one effect monster, like the Zubaba Knight I took from you, I can send your Terror-Byte straight to the Graveyard, and then Special Summon a Level Seven or higher Normal Monster straight from my deck, and I have a feeling you know exactly which monster I intend to search from my deck. I'll give you a hint. I already have two of them in my hand, and I was rather disappointed that I didn't draw the third one."

"Oh No…." Yuma groaned in dread.

"Oh yes! I tribute Zubaba Knight and Terror-Byte! Come out, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!'

Two blue rings of energy surrounded both knight and Number Monster, forcing them to vanish from the field, and in their place emerged a pillar of brilliant white light. Yuma and Astral shielded their eyes from the blinding glow, as one of the most infamous monsters in the history of the game graced Yuma with its presence, its wings unfolding and its serpentine neck rearing upward into the air, focusing its wrath into a single ear-splitting roar.

Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Level 8/LIGHT/Dragon/Normal/3000 ATK/2500 DEF

Blue-Eyes: 3500 ATK/3000 DEF

The dragon's roar made Yuma jump, his heart quickening as the boy made eye contact with the hardened sapphire-like eyes of the beast. The dragon glared at its opponent, its eyes containing a rage that could never be quelled, a desire for battle that could never be satisfied, its open jaws appearing ready to devour both Yuma and his Number Monster the moment Roku gave the word. The child-like wonder from seeing such a famous monster was completely gone, replaced with the fear this monster placed into the hearts of thousands of duelists in the past, but why? Yuma knew he shouldn't panic, but he couldn't help it. There were no stakes in this duel, no fear of losing Astral or his Numbers. This was just part of his new training regiment, a lesson from a harmless old man who merely wanted to help him, and yet the sight of that dragon, the wrath and power contained in its roar, it sent Yuma back to that cold rainy night, back to the first time an opponent put true fear into his heart. For a brief moment, he saw Kaito's Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon where Roku's Blue-Eyes stood, the cruel sneer of the Number Hunter in place of the kind old man.

Yuma looked to Astral for answers, for some kind of reassurance on what to do, but Astral was just as paralyzed with fear as he was, likely experiencing the same unpleasant memory of that awful night.

"And there it is," Roku noted, his voice sharp and critical. "When staring down a powerful foe, you tremble with fear. Suddenly the pressure is on your shoulders, and defeat is right in front of your face. It's only natural to feel this way. It's another part of being human, but let me ask you something. If facing an enemy that seems impossible to defeat frightens you, then how do you think your monsters feel?"

"Huh?" Yuma woke up from the nightmare he was reliving and came back to reality, Kaito's dragon vanishing and Blue-Eyes taking its place. At first, Roku's question made no sense. How could his cards feel fear, let alone feel anything, but then he saw it, the slightest bit of movement from his side of the field. Hope was floating backwards, visibly flinching at the sight of the dragon.

"Hope?" Yuma whispered.

"You see it now, don't you?" Roku asked with a knowing smile. "While it is the duelist who controls their fate in every battle, it is the monsters who put their very lives on the line to protect the duelist every time they are summoned. You place your faith in them to win your battles in your name, and thus, they must place their faith in you to bring out their full potential, to protect them the same way they protect you."

"Wait… I think I get it!" Yuma gasped. The master's confusing riddles were finally beginning to make sense. "That's why you chose to duel me with Normal monsters. Some of them might have a lot of power like Summoned Skull and Blue-Eyes, but in the end, they don't have any special powers to defend themselves, and that means it's even more important for you to support and protect them with other cards!"

"Now you're catching on, but I believe every duelist should keep this in mind, even modern duelists who play around with monsters that have three or four different effects. If you expect your monsters to fight in your name, but you don't give them the support they need in return, then how can you expect to bring about their full potential? When you judge a monster beyond what they are capable of, when you see that a card is more than just a card, when you can place yourself in their position and feel what they feel, only then will you be able to make them truly move."

"Woah…. I think I get it…." Yuma gasped, suddenly looking at Hope with a brand-new perspective.

"You called your monsters your friends during this duel, because technically they are. They're helping you out the same way human friends do, so you have to help them out in return. If you don't support them back, then they can't help you when you need them the most."

"You really are a fast learner, aren't you?" Roku replied, smiling at his new student growing right before his eyes, but Yuma wasn't the only one learning a valuable lesson. Astral finally understood the deeper meaning behind the unconventional nature of Roku's deck.

"I think I understand. The potential of these monsters depends on the decisions the duelist makes. Normal Monsters are just like Roku's statues. They cannot make moves on their own, but that does not mean Roku cannot do anything with them. The same applies to Yuma's monsters, from the seemingly weak ones like Joe the Pixie to his strongest Number Monsters. A Duel Monster is only as strong as what the duelist chooses to do with it. In order to grow stronger, we must also strengthen our connection with the monsters we send into battle."

"Alright, sonny! Look alive!" Roku shouted, returning Yuma's focus to the duel. "While I'm pleased to see how you're growing as a duelist, we still have a duel to finish, and it's still my turn! Now I activate the spell card, Collection of Memories! Since I control a Normal Monster, I can add Polymerization from my deck to my hand!"

"Polymerization? Why would he…. OH NO!" Yuma gasped in horror. Roku had two other Blue-Eyes White Dragons in his hand, and if he was searching for Polymerization, then there was only one monster he was planning to summon.

"Ha Ha Ha! I always love the look of shock on my students' faces when they realize what monster I'm about to summon. It never gets old! I activate Polymerization! I fuse the Blue-Eyes White Dragon on my field with the two in my hand and combine them together!"

Two more dragons appeared next to the first and a spiraling vortex appeared behind them, pulling the three dragons inside.

"FUSION SUMMON! APPEAR, BLUE-EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON!"

The skies opened up and a new pillar of light slammed onto the tiled floor of the sanctuary as Roku's new dragon came into view. It was double the size of the original Blue-Eyes White Dragon and now possessed three heads instead of one, courtesy of the fusion. All three heads of the dragon reared upwards into the sky and mixed their cries together into a single threatening roar.

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon: Level 12/LIGHT/Dragon/Fusion/4500 ATK/3800 DEF

"Now attack, my ultimate dragon! Destroy his Number Monster and the rest of his life points with your ULTIMATE BURST STREAM!"

The dragon brought all three of its heads down as radiant orbs of energy gathered inside their mouths. Like the turrets of cannons, the heads aimed their mouths at the Number Monster and fired, the three pillars of energy mixing together into a single apocalyptic blast. Yuma could feel the crippling fear once again, the image of Kaito's dragon firing its own blast of light repeating itself in his mind, but Roku's teachings stuck with him. His monster was out there protecting him, and Yuma needed to return the favor and protect Hope in return.

"I activate the effect of Xyz Unit! It counts as one of Hope's overlay units, so I can destroy it to activate Hope's effect and negate your attack! GO! MOON BARRIER!"

Hope extended his mechanical wings, forming a protective shield. The blast slammed into the barrier, forcing the Number Monster backwards, the shield barely holding up as the attack faded away, forcing Hope to his knees as the loss of his equip spell deprived it of much needed strength.

Hope: 3300 - 800 = 2500 ATK

Yuma's legs gave out and he fell on his knees, overwhelmed with relief as he accomplished what few duelists could. He survived an attack from the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.

"Oh My God…." He wheezed. "That was too close."

"Wait…." Astral warned his partner. "Roku is not finished with his turn. It is not over yet."

"Heh… that's a pretty solid defense." Roku applauded the defensive power of his student's monster. "But I meant what I said when I told you it's time to end the lesson! You might have stopped my Ultimate Dragon's attack, but there's plenty more where that came from. Observe! I banish Collection of Memories from my Graveyard to use its second effect. Now my Ultimate Dragon splits apart into the three dragons I used to summon it, so now I have three Blue-Eyes White Dragons on the field, and three more attacks! Last time I checked, Hope can only block two of them!"

"Wait…. NO! No, No, No, No, NO!" Yuma stammered, but there was nothing he could do.

"Yes, Yes, Yes! Blue-Eyes, attack Number 39! BURST STREAM OF DESTRUCTION!"

With another thundering roar, the dragon forced a blast of pure energy out of its mouth. It was pointless to stop the attack, but Yuma still had a promise to keep. He was going to put Roku's teachings to heart and protect his monster, even if the duel was already lost.

"I'm not going down without a fight!" Yuma shouted defiantly. "Negate that attack! MOON BARRIER!"

Heeding Yuma's plea to continue fighting, Hope shared his owner's defiance and boldly stood his ground, conjuring his shield just in time and causing the attack to bounce off the barrier and fade away in the sky.

"The second Blue-Eyes now attacks! BURST STREAM OF DESTRUCTION"

"Block that attack again, Hope! MOON BARRIER!"

History repeated itself as the second dragon unleashed its wrath on the Number Monster, and with its final reserves of power, Hope successfully stopped the attack in its tracks with his shield. As the attack faded away, the Number Monster slumped over in exhaustion, the last of its power gone, and now there was nothing he or Yuma could do but accept their fates.

Astral sighed in resignation, having accepted the outcome as well, but finding no fear or shame in the incoming defeat. They had lost the duel, but they had gained so much wisdom in the process that would empower them the next time they dueled with their lives on the line.

"There goes your last overlay unit, and with that, this duel is over! Now my third Blue-Eyes, attack Number 39 and end the lesson! BURST STREAM OF DESTRUCTION!"

The third dragon fired its attack, and with Hope no longer capable of summoning his moon barrier, all it could do was brace himself as his body was swallowed by the blast. As Blue-Eyes wasn't a Number Monster, Hope was not destroyed, but its body was violently battered by the storm. As the golden warrior crashed to the ground, its armor broken and its body leaving a crater in the tiled floor, the attack continued towards Yuma, knocking the boy off his feet and sending him crashing to the ground, defeated.

Yuma: 500 - 500 = 0 (LOSE)

WINNER: ROKU

Roku turned off his duel disk, and with it, the sanctuary vanished, returning the two duelists to the interior of the dojo and transforming the audience of duel monsters back into statues. Roku approached Yuma, extending a wrinkled hand to help his new student back to his feet.

"I may have pushed you a little too hard. I hope you're not too upset from losing that way, but you felt it, didn't you? You not only confronted the fear every duelist feels when they stare down overwhelming odds, but you felt the fears of your monsters as well, the risks they take to protect you when you send them into battle. When you master that fear, when you put your own life on the line to protect your monsters the same way they protect you, only then can you make them fight at their best. If you treat them as tools to be used, a simple source of power designed to catapult your way to the top, then they will fail you in the end, but if you treat your cards the way you treat your friends, helping them the way they help you, then they will always come to your rescue when you need them."

Yuma looked away from his new teacher and stared down at his deck, picking up the Number card on his duel disk and holding it in his hand.

"I never really thought of it that way," Yuma whispered as he reflected on the duel, the subtle hints he saw both in Roku's monsters and his own. "When I first got these Number cards, they really did go to my head, didn't they? I thought that now that I had them, I could finally be the duelist I wanted to be, but that wasn't true, was it?"

Roku shook his head, his proud smile never leaving his face. "No, young man. It wasn't. It certainly may look that way when you start winning a few times in a row, but receiving a powerful card is only a small piece of the puzzle. So many duelists that I have taught over the years fail to realize this. They come here specifically for the cards in my vault, drawn in by the allure of the shortcut, thinking they can impress me enough that I'll give them a rare card or two, but what they fail to realize is they cannot improve their decks without improving themselves first. A strong monster needs a strong duelist to wield it. A strong duelist needs a strong heart, and you, young man, have a very strong heart. If you keep this up, you'll become a true duelist sooner than you realize."

Yuma wiped a few stray tears out of his eyes. "Thanks old ma…. Er….. Master Roku!" He quickly corrected himself.

"Ha, Ha, Ha! You're quite welcome, Yuma!" Roku laughed before waving his hand to dismiss him.

"Now get some sleep. That duel must have taken quite a lot out of you, and you're going to need all the sleep you can get for what I have planned for you tomorrow, and once the weekend is over, you are more than welcome to come here after school any afternoon you want. My doors are always open to anyone who wishes to continue learning."

With that, Yuma left the statue gallery, walking his way down the winding hallways to find the guest room to sleep for the night, while Roku turned around to gaze at his precious statues. It had been too long since he had met a young duelist like Yuma. Even in this modern world, where the game Roku loved since he was a boy had evolved far beyond its roots, there were still duelists like Yuma, whose true strength lay in their hearts, those who loved the game for what it was rather than the power it could give them.

"Well, Haru…" Roku mused to himself. "I see why you wanted me to meet your grandson. That boy has quite the spark inside him, just like his father…."

The old man gave one final look at all of his statues, each one representing a precious memory of his, a student that had graced the halls of his sanctuary, and his eyes drifted to an empty space next to the ninja statue. For a brief moment, Roku imagined a statue of Number 39 in that space to commemorate Yuma Tsukumo.

---

Author Made Cards:

Sanctuary of Memories: Field Spell

Effect: Normal Monsters on the field gain 500 ATK and DEF and they cannot be destroyed by card effects. Once per turn, if a Normal Monster you control would be destroyed by battle, you can make that monster unable to be destroyed by that battle, and if you do, you can add 1 "Memories" Spell/Trap card from your deck to your hand at the end of the Battle Phase. During the End Phase, you can target 1 Normal Monster in your GY; shuffle it into your deck, and if you do, Special Summon 1 Normal Monster from your deck with an equal or lower level, but a different name. You can only use this effect of "Sanctuary of Memories" once per turn.

Sword of Memories: Quick-Play Spell

Effect: Target 1 Normal Monster you control; reveal any number of Normal Monsters in your hand and place them on the bottom of your deck. The targeted monster gains 1000 ATK for each revealed Normal Monster. At the start of the damage step, if the targeted monster battles an effect monster, you can change that monster's battle position. Monsters you control cannot declare attacks this turn, except the targeted monster. You can only activate 1 "Sword of Memories" per turn.

Collection of Memories: Normal Spell

Effect: Reveal 1 Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck; add 1 "Polymerization" or 1 Normal Monster that can be used as Fusion Material for the revealed monster from your Deck to your hand. During the Battle Phase, (Quick Effect) you can banish this card from your GY; activate 1 of the following effects.

Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck by shuffling Non-Effect Monsters you control on your field or in your GY into your Deck.

Target 1 Fusion Monster you control; Return it to the Extra Deck, and if any of its Fusion Materials are in your GY, you can Special Summon all of them to your field.

Monument of Memories: Normal Trap Card

Effect: During the Battle Phase, if a Normal Monster you control battled an Effect Monster this turn, you can Special Summon 1 Normal Monster from your Deck with an original ATK equal or lower than the monster your opponent controls with the highest ATK. The monster summoned by this card's effect returns to the deck during the End Phase of the Next Turn.

Achacha Charge: Quick-Play Spell Card

Effect: If you have activated the effect of an "Achacha" Monster this turn, you can activate this effect; Special Summon 1 Level 3 Warrior Monster from your deck, and if you do, all Level 3 Warrior Monsters you control gain ATK equal to the total amount of Effect Damage your opponent has taken from the effects of "Achacha" cards this turn, until the End Phase. You can only activate 1 "Achacha Charge" per turn.

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AAAAAAAAAAND, DONE!

In the original Ice Queen Cometh, I skipped the Duel Sanctuary completely, and after reflecting on what I needed to change and improve when writing this version of the story, I realized that was a mistake. There's a lot to explore here with Yuma's character development. Granted, I wanted Yuma and Roku to have a proper duel rather than a simple training session with the statue monsters.

So what did you think of the chapter? Did you like it? Did you not like it? Whatever your opinion may be, feel free to leave a review and let me know!

Until Next Time! THIS IS NOX, SIGNING OUT!