A Song from the Divines Vol. X - TheSingingSword (2024)

Chapter 1: Preperations

Chapter Text

Mai - Domino City, Eredas

"I'm finally home," Mai thought as she looked out the window of her apartment suite on the twentieth floor.

The Kaiba Tri-Towers was home only to the most elite Duelists in Termnnia. It was smack-dab in the center of Domino City, the capital of Eredas, a country that was one gigantic city. It was almost unreal to hold a mug of hot coffee in her hands.

To stand in her suite surrounded by technology and modern luxuries not found out West where Termnnians kept a more traditional way of life. The warm glow of the morning sun beaming through the windowpane was like being blasted by rays from heaven. Planes flew overhead, a sound she had not heard since returning back to Domino. Cars beeping in the streets below and the sound of a DJ on the morning radio.

"Rise and shine Domino City!" shouted the DJ from the radio on Mai's counter in the kitchen. "This is Da Silva Fang Awoooo! It is a warm 75 degrees today. No clouds in the sky as far as I can see, but I can promise a shower or thunderstorm tonight. Those of you out on the coasts, be sure to bring a hat and a lot of sunscreen. You won't believe how many burnt people I saw the other day. Ouch! Well, let's get your morning going with one of my favorite tracks. Y'all remember the Duelist Kingdom Tournament way back when? ("Don't remind me," Mai grumbled) Well, this song was written by a gentleman who was touched in the final match of the games. The legendary King of Games, Yugi Muto against his best friend Joey Wheeler. He was so moved by the Duel that he wrote a song in honor of that great match against brothers fighting for the ones they loved. Here's No Matter What by Mike Pasternak."

The song caused Serenity to stir in her bed. Téa was also woken by the song while asleep on the black leather couch. Her hair was ragged, reminding Serenity of the Kuriboh monster Yugi always summoned.

Mai smiled and took a whiff of the coffee in her black ceramic mug. She turned her head to look at Serenity, who was crawling out of her sheets. She rubbed her eyes and smiled at Mai.

"Morning, sleepyhead," said Mai. "Did you rest well?"

"Yes, thank you," Serenity said dreamily. She raised her head as if on high alert, searching for her prized possession. The holographic puck given to her by Princess Pharmellica was still there. The device contained the map that could lead them to the Pendant of the Kings. She grabbed it and fervently held the puck to her chest as if someone was going to grab it at any moment.

Téa stood up and wrapped her arms around her legs before resting her chin on her knees. "So what are we going to do about breakfast?" she asked. "More importantly, how long do you two plan on being here? We've got the money we need to finance this pilot Mai kept talking about. Shouldn't we seek them out?"

"I already did," said Mai. "Captain Sapphire, the toughest submarine commander in all the seas of Termnnia."

"You sure she's got what it takes?" Téa asked.

Mai beamed at her. "I wouldn't have made us go through all the trouble of hunting monsters for money if she wasn't. She's sailed through the Thunder Dragon Sea before."

"Did she have any proof?"

Serenity nodded assuringly. "It's okay, Téa. I looked into Captain Sapphire myself. What she says is true. She, uh...went deep enough into the ocean and found some pretty rare Ancient Norman artifacts and tablets with monsters on them that inspired Pegasus to create the Ghoti Archetype. With this map and her skills, the Pendant of the Kings is as good as ours!"

"That's all well and good," said Téa. "But shouldn't we be looking for her or something? Why are we wasting time here in Domino?"

"Because she wants to meet us here," said Mai. "We need to pay her upfront before she wishes to conduct any business with us."

"Fine," said Téa. "Forgive me for being so pushy. It's just that Yuri's birthday is close, and we still haven't gotten that artifact. What if the Naralians beat us to it?"

"They won't," said Serenity. "Zane just sent me some aerial photos of their encampment by the coasts. Half their boats have sunk, and I see a bunch of downed CUIRASS mechs all over the forest." She giggled. "We're much closer to finding the pendant than they are."

"If you say so," said Téa. "I just hope this Captain Sapphire will have the same luck sailing down there when we board her sub."

Mai groaned. "Hey now, aren't you the one always preaching about positivity? Come on, brighten our day with that ray of sunshine that always comes out of your spirit. We're going to help Yuri. Be happy. So, how's about some pancakes, ladies?"

"Yay!" Serenity cheered, immediately rushing out of bed to wash and dress before heading down the the tower's dining area to eat.

When breakfast was served, Mai and Téa watched in horror as Serenity noisily ate her breakfast at their table by the canal outside the tri-towers. It was so unlike her to eat in such a way. She was usually a lady who showed table manners when dining with the kings and queens of the West. Only now, as she chomped away at her meal, did they see that her mannerisms were not from the heart. Deep down, she hated acting like such a proper lady. Now that she was free of the high-class etiquette of the Western nobility, she could eat at last at her own pace.

"She sure has a healthy appetite," said Téa.

"That she does," said Mai. "Damn, baby, what have you got in that gut? A black hole?"

Serenity swallowed and gave a smile that was disrupted by a petit burp. She gasped and hunched to hide her blushing cheeks behind her shoulders. "Hee, hee. Sorry. It's been forever since we've been back to Domino."

"Oh, Serenity Wheeler, what are going to do with you?" said Mai. She grabbed a napkin and wiped some syrup of Serenity's cheek.

"Don't look now," said Serenity, "but I think you've got yourself a challenger coming your way."

A young man with bright orange hair and bright green eyes wearing a torn vest over a white top and ripped camo trousers. "Mai Valentine?" he asked.

"That's me," Mai said, slurping the last orange juice.

"I represent Captain Sapphire. She said if you wish to use her services, you must beat me, her first mate, in a Duel. What say you?"

Mai raised an eyebrow, studying the young man before her. "So, Captain Sapphire won't just let anyone on her boat, huh? She wants me to prove myself in a Duel?"

The first mate nodded, a confident smirk playing on his lips. "That's right. Captain Sapphire believes in the power of the Duel. She sees it as a test of skill and character. Only those who can surpass her first mate in a Duel are deemed worthy of utilizing her esteemed vessel."

Mai leaned back, considering the proposition. "Well, if that's the way it works, then count me in. I've never been one to back down from a challenge."

The first mate's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Excellent. We shall settle this right here, right now. Are you prepared, Mai Valentine?"

Mai flashed a sly smile. "Always."

They moved to a nearby open space, clearing the area for their Duel. Curious about the commotion, onlookers formed a circle around them, eager to witness the clash between these two formidable Duelists.

The first mate drew his cards confidently, his orange hair catching the sunlight, making him look like a blazing fire on the battlefield. "Prepare yourself, Mai. I won't go easy on you."

Mai smirked, her own fiery spirit ignited. "That's exactly what I'm counting on."

With a flick of their wrists, the Duel began.

LP 4000

"Duel!" they shouted.

"Ladies first!" said Mai. "I summon Harpie Harpist in Attack Mode! (ATK/1700 DEF/600 LV 4) Next, I play Ties of the Brethren, by paying 2000 of my Life Points, I can summon Harpie Girl (ATK/500 DEF/500 LV 2) and Harpie Channeler (ATK/1400 DEF/1300 LV 4). Then I place two cards face down and end my turn."

"My turn!" said the first mate. "Draw. I play Polymerization and fuse together my Rhainmundos the Red Sword and Fairyarou to create the Vermillion Sparrow!"

ATK/1900 DEF/1500

After a dazzling display of flames, a man with spiked hair colored in a brilliant shade of Vermillion made his appearance. He wore elegant robes of teal blue, goldenrod, and vermillion. Next, I place two cards face down and end my turn. I hope you're preparing some nice defenses, Miss Delight of Termnnia. Because that cute little Harpie Girl is first on the menu. How do you like her? Medium or well-done?"

Harpie Girl whimpered and hid behind Harpie Harpist.

"Don't worry, hun," said Mai. "He's not going to hurt you. Draw! I discard Harpie Queen from my hand to add a Field Spell known as Harpie's Hunting Ground. And I will play it right now. Welcome to my world, hun. A world of hurt, because all Winged-Beasts gain a 200 attack point bonus. Next, I play Pot of Greed and draw two cards." Mai smiled and began to examine her options. It was over for her opponent. "Oh, I am so good! For my next play, I will activate my face-down card, Call of the Haunted and return my Harpie Queen to my field."

A vortex of white feathers appeared before Mai, and from it flew out a beautiful harpie with long bluish-green hair and a revealing outfit that caused many pedestrians to stop and gawk at her. Mothers shielded the eyes of their young ones and walked away, hoping to get away from the Duel.

Mai dramatically held out her palm. She was not done yet. "And now my Field Spell Activates! When a Harpie Lady is summoned, I can target a Spell or Trap and destroy it. So say goodbye to your face-down card. Now, I play Elegant Egotist, and from my hand, special summon Harpie Lady Sisters!"

Now the first mate was getting worried. Mai's Harpies were swarming the field without stopping. With the summoning of the Harpie Lady Sisters, his second face-down card was shattered. Mirror Force. Now he was doomed. But Mai still wasn't done yet. She hated challengers who thought they were going to get an easy win off of her just because she was a girl. Many of these fools often stereotyped female Duelists, thinking that they ran cute little fairies and furry animals. Mai loved punishing them for those chauvinistic thoughts by pummeling them severely. She had taught Serenity how to humiliate her opponents as well. You could imagine the terror on their faces when the cute fairies and puffballs they imagined she would be summoning, turned out to be a fierce Red-Eyes Black Dragon.

Speaking of dragons. Mai tribute summoned one. Offering her Harpie Harpist and Harpie Channeler for Harpie's Pet Dragon. The beast towered six meters above the plaza and had a forty-foot wingspan. Her had fleshy-pink scales and winged membranes coming out from the back of her arms. A golden chain and collar were fastened around her long neck. Harpie Queen grabbed a hold of it and flew on her pet dragon's back.

Harpie's Pet Dragon

ATK/2000 DEF/2500

LV 7

She gained 300 attack points for every Harpie Lady on the field, raising her attack to 2600. Mai ordered the final attack. First, Harpie's Pet Dragon heaved white-hot flames from her mouth and burned Vermillion Sparrow to a crisp. (LP 3300). Next, Harpie Lady Sisters had a go at his Life Points. They formed together to create a spell of multi-colored light in the shape of an X (LP 2150). Then, Harpie Queen gracefully flew into the sky, high above the towers of the city. She dove down and was encased in flames of blue before smacking into her foe (LP 50).

"Want to teach him a lesson, baby?" Mai asked the Harpie Girl.

Harpie Girl let out a loud screech and brandished her claws. She flew towards the first mate and slashed him repeatedly across the chest, ending the Duel. The young man fell backward.

With that, Mai firmly grasped the first mate's hand, sealing their mutual respect. The spectators erupted in applause, acknowledging Mai's victory and recognizing her as a worthy challenger.

As the crowd slowly dispersed, the first mate's eyes gleamed with newfound admiration. "Captain Sapphire will be pleased to hear of your success. She awaits your arrival at the harbor."

Mai nodded, her heart swelling with pride. She had not only won the right to use Captain Sapphire's boat but also earned the respect of the first mate and the onlookers.

"Well done," said the first mate. "The Captain will meet you tonight at the Dice Dungeon Club. Do not keep her waiting."

"Tell her the same," said Mai. She looked over at her friends. "The Dice Dungeon Club, huh? Ladies, follow me. We need to find some nice duds."

Chapter 2: The Card Nexus

Chapter Text

Yuri - Secret Hiding Spot, Paradiso Prima/Standard Dimension

Yuri paced back and forth across the sand, waiting patiently for Axel and the Lancers to arrive. It was very chilly tonight, so he gathered some sticks, dug a pit and started a fire with his lighter. Yuri breathed a sigh of relief as he felt the warmth overtake him. He held out his hands and his legs quaked from the rush of comfort surging through his body. He then heard the vegetation in the jungle rustling. Axel came walking out of the jungle hooded and cloaked. Six other figures followed him. They removed their hoods, the moonlight revealing their identities. Zane, Yuto, Bastion, Shay, and Chazz bowed their heads. The fifth Duelist was a face that made Yuri break into a smile.

"YUYA!" he cried out. He walked over and embraced Yuya Sakaki, the boy who taught him about Pendulum Summons the year before in his dreams. Like Jaden, he developed a liking for him. Yuya was very friendly and cared more about making Yuri smile and having fun so he could be less scared of the game.

Yuyu was stunned by the sudden embrace but smiled and patted his back. "Hey, good to see you, too."

"I'm glad you're real, too," Yuri said. He stepped back. "Man, it's really you in the flesh."

He led his companions to the fire and opened a cooler with drinks to pass around. They all laughed as the fire snapped beside them. "Take off those cloaks, you guys," Yuri said. "Come on. There's no one here but us."

So they did, each of them feeling relieved to have taken off the heavy cloaks. They gathered around the fire to hear what Yuri had planned next.

"Your Highness," said Axel. "I just wanted to say congratulations on your girlfriend winning that pageant the other night. It was quite a fight. I see you've met our Master Pendulum Summoner, Yuya Sakaki."

"Hell yeah! Man, if only I could record the dreams I had with this guy. Our monsters really tore down the house."

"We've already had that taken care of," said Shay.

"You have?" Yuri asked. "Who are you?"

Shay bowed his head. "Forgive me. I'm still new around here. I'm Shay Obsidian. From the Xyz Dimension."

"Xyz Dimension? I take it that's where Xyz Summoning originated."

"It was," replied Yuto. He bowed his head. "It's good to finally see you without my mask on, Your Highness."

"Hey, you're the guy who saved Patty from getting...ahem...thank you."

"Of course. I'm Yuto. Like Shay, I also hail from the Xyz Dimension."

"So do dimensions where Synchro, Pendulum, and other forms of Summoning exist?" Yuri asked.

"They do," said Zane. "Our world, the world where you come from and will soon rule, is called Termnnia, which means Heart in the tongues of the Goddesses. Heart. As in the heart of all worlds. In our world, Xyz, Synchro, Fusion, Pendulum, and LINK Summoning coexist with one another where we come from."

"They do? Wow. How is that possible?"

"Allow me to explain," Bastion said happily.

Yuri took a swig of some fruit punch and nodded. "Alright, Bastion. Lay it on me. But please, keep it as simple as you can."

Bastion nodded, a gleam of excitement in his eyes. "Very well, Yuri. I developed a theory, which I dubbed the Card Nexus."

"What is that?"

"Imagine the Card Nexus as a complex network of interdimensional currents, a web of information and energy flowing through the fabric of time and space."

Yuri scratched his head, struggling to grasp the metaphor. "Uh... so it's like a big... interdimensional internet?"

Bastion chuckled. "In a way, yes! Instead of websites and data, the essence of cards flows through these currents. You see, when a powerful card is created in one dimension, its existence resonates across the Card Nexus, like ripples in a pond."

Yuri's confusion only grew, but he remained attentive. "Resonates... like echoes?"

"Exactly!" Bastion exclaimed. "These echoes of powerful cards reach other dimensions, implanting the seed of inspiration within the minds of individuals attuned to the card's resonance. It's like a cosmic muse, guiding the development of similar cards in different worlds."

Yuri scratched his head again, trying to wrap his mind around the concept. "So... you're saying that when someone in one dimension creates a powerful card, it somehow sends a message to someone in another dimension, telling them to create a similar card?"

Bastion nodded eagerly. "Precisely! It's a subtle, subconscious communication, an exchange of ideas that transcends the boundaries of space and time. The Card Nexus serves as a conduit for this information transfer, allowing for the development and evolution of card mechanics across dimensions. The Card Nexus binds us all together, fostering creativity, innovation, and the continuous evolution of the Duel Monsters game across the multiverse."

"A multiverse?" Yuri said, rubbing his head. "Man...I don't think I can wrap my head around that one. Just the thought that one other world out there exists is still hard for me to grasp. All this time...I just thought it was this world that existed."

"And it doesn't pertain to just cards," Bastion continued. "Consider this: Each Duel Monster possesses its own unique characteristics, abilities, and lore. These aspects are not confined solely to the cards but can transcend dimensions and influence the creation of new beings."

"So that could probably explain why Queen Evangelia Pendragon was able to use Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon thousands of years ago," said Zane. "That monster is originally from the Xyz Dimension."

Yuto rubbed his chin and closed his eyes. "So this so-called Card Nexus could explain why your enemy, King Antilles, can use my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon?"

"I'm afraid so," said Bastion.

Yuto scoffed in disgust. "Hmph, of all the people for my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon to fly to in your world, it had to be against the guy you're fighting against."

"In a cruel taste of irony, it makes sense," said Zane. "Antilles is trying to rebel against the High King." He looked at Yuri. Then he gazed upon Yuto and Yuya. "While I am glad that you're here with us, Yuya, I need some explaining on a certain something that's been troubling me. See, I've heard about the legendary battle you had against Z-ARC. However, by that time, your other incarnations became a part of you. Yuto was one of those incarnations. Why is it that you two stand here as two separate beings?"

"We don't know," said Yuto. "The moment Yuyu stepped into the Heart of all Worlds, I became my own person again. Flesh, blood, bone. They all returned to me."

Bastion chimed in. "I may also have a theory to that," he said. "You and your incarnations have fascinated me from the moment we met you, Yuya. After we had time to settle down from the war and the Rare Hunters, I've been meticulously researching why you and your incarnations separated. I believe that the phenomenon you all experienced upon entering Termnnia can be attributed to the intricate interplay between the dimensional energies and the unique nature of your existence."

Yuto and Yuya listened intently, their eyes fixed on Bastion, eager to hear his theory.

"You see, Termnnia, is a world that seems to be at the nexus of all dimensions, the powerful energies interact in ways that can unravel even the most tightly woven fusions, such as the one you experienced during your saga across the dimensions."

Yuto nodded, starting to grasp the concept. "So, you're saying that Termnnia's profound connection to all dimensions caused our fused personas to separate once again?"

Bastion smiled, impressed by Yuto's quick understanding. "Exactly. Termnnia acts as a catalyst, untangling the threads that have woven your souls together. The very fabric of our world, influenced by the Card Nexus, can unravel even the most complex fusion. Our world truly is one fabricated by the Divines."

"Your world never ceases to amaze me," said Shay. "Truly, it is the heart of all worlds for such miracles to happen."

"Wait a minute," said Yuri. "Going back to this Card Nexus stuff. Does this mean that with all these new card types coming out, these cards could possibly come to our world, too?"

"That is correct," said Bastion. "In time, you might see a Stardust Dragon, Yuya's Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, or Zane's Cyber Dragons being played. This is also why some cards haven't been allowed to come through to this dimension yet. Pegasus read about my theory and wants to test it out for himself by seeing if someone here will be affected by the Card Nexus and create a certain card. And from what I gather from Yuya, someone in this world already has a dragon from a different dimension."

"Really? Who?" Yuri asked.

"Not sure who," replied Yuya. "But I heard from one of the Lancers that someone was spotted using Yugo's Clear Wing Synchro Dragon in this dimension."

"Yugo?" said Yuri. "And he was one of your incarnations?"

"Yeah. He would have liked to come, but...the war back in Termnnia is escalating again."

"Uh oh," Yuri said.

"Uh oh, is right," said Axel. "Now that you've set your sights on the mafia, you really need our help. Unfortunately, with the war again in full swing, many of our members have had to leave. Not long after the pageant, Jaden left to pursue business in Eredas. Zane and Chazz are about to leave in two days, and so on. Our numbers are growing thin. But worry not. I'll remain here with you, Yuri."

Yuri nodded at each and every one of them. "Thanks, guys. And...really, a thousand times, thanks. I can't begin to express how grateful I am for what you guys did for us in the virtual world."

"Our hacker, Clover, just rewrote some code to keep Laxius from changing the game any further," said Zane. "You, on the other hand, had some help."

Yuri held his palm over his chest. "Ser Norman?"

They all nodded.

"Yeah. He came to me during the battle. He said...the mission was almost done, and our bond was getting stronger."

"He's an incredible warrior," said Zane. "And I'm glad to know his time in that hell Bakura created is coming to a close. His progress indeed shows with you." He poked Yuri's chest with a smile. "Ever since Ser Norman came into play, I've seen you make great changes and overcome all sorts of obstacles for the people you care about. Even if those obstacles were scary. The old you, from what I have heard, would have cowered away."

"The filth of Bakura's curse is washing away," said Axel. "Yuri. I'm proud of you."

"We all are," said Zane. "So...going back to his mafia business. What do you plan to do?"

"Well..." Yuri paced away from the fire. "I don't want to target the mafia, per se. They're too powerful, and we will need more than just Lancers to take them out. For now, we should focus on the guy who's been making my life miserable since the day I met him. Brett Martinetti."

Axel punched his palm with anticipation. "Now, we're talking! I've been longing to take out that punk since I got here. Just tell us what to do, boss!"

Yuri paced around again. "Brett's just a smuggler for the family. However, he does rule the Duel Monsters side of their organization. One of the ways Brett maintains control over Duel Monsters is through his gangs. We're going to take them out one by one and take their turf with each victory."

"Well, I don't know about 'we,'" said Chazz. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but we're not even supposed to be here. And remember, the task is for YOU to become a great leader and show you have what it takes to be a king. So taking down the mafia is your business."

"Of course, we're still going to help," said Zane. "Brett's not going to take you conquering his gangs and taking their turf lightly, so he may send someone to hurt you and your friends. Speaking of which, you should get them to fight alongside you—especially your crew from school. The five of you are quite a formidable force. If anyone can take care of these Dueling thugs, it's you guys."

"Whatever you plan to do, you're going to need this," Axel said, handing Yuri a black Duel Disk with glowing patterns on it.

"I already have a Duel Disk, thanks, though, Axel."

"No, not like this one. This Duel Disk has Solid Vision Technology made from the Fusion Dimension."

"What's so special about a Duel Disk from he Fusion Dimension?" Yuri asked.

Yuto, a victim of the malice of the Fusion Duelists, growled in anger. The others exchanged worried looks as he clenched his fists and said: "Those Solid Vision Duel Disks... They bring nothing but destruction and pain. The Fusion Dimension used them as tools to invade other realms, including my own. They turned our Duels into battles of life and death, destroying entire cities in the process. And hunting my people like animals."

Yuri's eyes widened as he realized the gravity of the situation. "So these Solid Vision Duel Disks can practically create...real monsters?"

Zane nodded solemnly. "That's right. The Fusion Dimension's technology is capable of causing physical harm and devastation on a massive scale. In the wrong hands, it can bring about unimaginable destruction. And...unfortunately, Brett has acquired them."

"What do you mean?"

Bastion sighed. "When we were on patrol, we discovered an energy reading that was far too powerful to be of any Duel Disk from this world. When we investigated, we found two thugs robbing a couple of girls by the beach. They were tormenting them with the Solid Vision Holograms from the Fusion Dimension. When Yuto and I apprehended them, we brought them to an undisclosed location and had...Hasselberry interrogate them. It uh...was not clean."

"What did you guys learn?"

"The thugs using them," Axel said, "they work for Brett. He somehow got his hands on a cache of these things and he's selling them off like hotcakes. To Duel Gangs, thugs, and bounty hunters who will most likely use them to cause more damage to you and your friends."

"As if things weren't complicated enough already," grumbled Zane. "Now we've got rogue Fusion Dimension technology on the streets in the hands of criminal dogs!"

"I...I don't believe this!" exclaimed Yuri. "How could he get his hands on something like this?"

"We're trying to figure it out as best we can," said Axel. "We believe he might have found them after the Rare Hunters were defeated."

"How could you guys let this happen?" Yuri's voice trembled with a mix of frustration and disappointment.

Axel sighed heavily, his gaze filled with regret. "Aquarius is huge, Yuri. The facilities in the central island alone go many miles down beneath the ocean. Clover discovered communities of Stowaways in there. Underground towns, markets. There was no way we could find every hiding spot the Rare Hunters used."

Yuri's anger subsided slightly as he absorbed Axel's explanation. "I understand, but still... It's hard to accept that these dangerous Duel Disks made their way into Brett's hands. The consequences could be catastrophic."

Zane said, "Yuri, we've always done our best to protect this city, but we can't be everywhere at once. Now that we know what's happening, we're doing everything we can to rectify the situation. We're here to support you, and together, we'll put an end to this."

Yuri took a deep breath. "You're right. I'm sorry. Blaming each other won't solve anything. We need to focus on stopping Brett and retrieving those dangerous Duel Disks. We'll work together, gather information, and take decisive action."

Axel placed a supportive hand on Yuri's shoulder. "We've got your back, boss. We'll make sure Brett pays for his actions."

As the group continued to make their plans, they were being watched but not by Rare Hunters.

Instead, three odd-looking friends surveyed the group from a hill overlooking the sitting area by the Gates of Peace. They were termnnians named Sid, Zygor, and their short leader, Bonz. They cackled as they peered at Yuri and the others with high-tech binoculars displaying graphs of data and the profiles of the friends, which included their names, genders, win/loss records, and rarest cards.

"Heh, heh, heh," Bonz chuckled, setting down his binoculars. "The one with the glowing eye. I want that one!"

"Why am I not surprised you'd be goin' for the little prince, boss?" Sid chuckled. "Most likely, you want to take on his pretty girlfriend, eh?"

"If anything, you should be going against her, boss," said Zygor, the group's muscle. "She's the one with the deck of zombies and dark monsters. Why don't you show her who's the real master of the undead?"

"Yes, Patty McKnight," said Bonz. "They call her the Reaper. Ha! Wait until she faces my undead horde. But we're here for one man and one man only: Prince Yuri. I can't believe this is the little runt everyone back home has been talking about. Hah! He doesn't look so tough."

"All right, all right," said Sid. "We take on Yuri first, and then we can see Bonz take down his pretty little friend."

"Sounds like a plan to me," said Bonz. "And with these new Duel Disks with the technology from the Fusion Dimension, taking out that group of self-righteous fools will be easy. Yuri won't know what hit him."

Chapter 3: The Junior Cup: Pt I

Chapter Text

Sam - Eden Arena, Gondolin Island

Nestled near the coast of Gondolin, the Garden of Eden Stadium stood as a vibrant beacon of excitement and wonder, often hosting events for junior or peewee competitions like football, soccer, or softball. But today, it would be the center stage for the Dragon Duel Tag Team Tournament, an event held for young children. Though relatively small, the stadium had been ingeniously designed to accommodate a large crowd of enthusiastic spectators. Its architecture, a harmonious blend of whimsy and futurism, perfectly reflected the child-friendly theme of the event.

As visitors approached the stadium, they were greeted by an explosion of colors. The outer facade boasted a mosaic of vibrant hues, with playful patterns adorning the walls. The entrance, framed by arches resembling giant playing cards, welcomedDuelists and spectators alike into a world of adventure.

Above the arena, a translucent dome stretched overhead, allowing the sun's rays to filter through, casting a warm and inviting glow on the battlefield below. Hot air balloons, painted in eye-catching colors and adorned with playful patterns, gently floated through the air, carrying excited spectators on board. They enjoyed a breathtaking aerial view of the Dueling matches unfolding below.

The central Dueling arena, bathed in a soft, radiant light, featured a state-of-the-art holographic projection system. Surrounding the arena, large screens displayed live footage, ensuring that every moment of the matches was visible to all.

Sam gulped as he found himself looking up at the arena. He rubbed the back of his head, trying his best to seem cool and collected to hide his nervousness.

This would be the first time he would ever compete in such a competition. He gulped nervously, his hand clutched to the plastic strap of his Spiderman backpack containing his cards and Duel Disk. He watched Nick Dueling in such events and often wished for his chance to shine in a big tournament. Now that he got his wish, he had another one. To go home. He didn't know if he had what it took to compete in such an event.

On the giant screen outside the stadium, Sam watched a female reporter interview Sergei about the tournament.

"Mr. Sergei, what a pleasure to have you."

"Thank you for having me. It's a pleasure to be here."

"No, thank you, sir. What gave you the idea to create this junior league, or the DragonDuelLeague as it's been called."

"The decision to introduce the Dragon Duel Division was driven by my belief in the potential of our younger generation. I firmly believe that Dueling is not only a game but also a platform for personal growth, skill development, and fostering a sense of community."

"Oh, would you care to explain why you have such a powerful belief in the game?"

"Of course. Throughout my journey in theDueling world, I have witnessed the incredible talent and passion displayed by youngDuelists. Their enthusiasm and dedication have inspired me to create an avenue where they can showcase their abilities and learn from each other in a structured and supportive environment. I have always believed in the power ofDueling to teach valuable life lessons such as strategic thinking, adaptability, and sportsmanship. By introducing the Junior's division, we aim to provide a space where children under 12 can not only engage in friendly competition but also cultivate essential life skills that will benefit them beyond theDueling arena."

"And from your standpoint, this seems to be working well, yes?"

"Very. I have seen firsthand the transformative power of Dueling and how it can instill confidence, foster creativity, and nurture a sense of discipline in young minds. By starting the Dragon Duel Division, we are laying the foundation for their future success, allowing them to grow as Duelists and individuals. Furthermore, the tag team format in the division promotes teamwork and cooperation, encouraging young Duelists to support and rely on each other. Through this collaborative spirit, they can form lasting friendships and learn the importance of working together towards a common goal. Ultimately, my vision for the Dragon Duel Division is to create an inclusive and inspiring environment where young Duelists can thrive. I am incredibly excited about the potential of our young Duelists and the impact they can make on the Dueling world. I invite all parents and guardians to join us on this journey, to support and encourage their children's passion for Dueling, and to witness the growth and accomplishments that await them."

"Thank you, Sergei, for sharing your vision with us. We're eagerly anticipating the incredible matches ahead in the tournament."

"The pleasure is mine!"

Inspiring words, Sam thought. But they were not enough to keep him from wanting to back away.

"Don't tell me you're chickening out now!" a girl said.

Sam nervously turned around and saw Annabelle standing behind him with her hands on her hips. She donned a blue sweater with colorful pins and a pink skirt. The tips of her long pigtails were highlighted in pink, green, and blue. The colors, mixed with her bright blonde hair, gave it the appearance of a rainbow. Her vibrant and whimsical appearance mirrored the child-friendly atmosphere of the stadium, and her confident demeanor starkly contrasted with his nervousness.

"I... I'm not chickening out," Sam stammered. "It's just... this is all so overwhelming. I never thought I'd actually get the chance to compete in a big tournament like this."

Annabelle raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "Come on, Sammy, weren't you always teasing Nick to get better? Well, he has. He competed in two tournaments so far. So he's surpassed your limited view on hisDueling."

Sam felt that right in the chest as though someone shot a poisonous dart at him. He knew she was right.

"Man up. You've been dreaming about this moment for ages. Remember when we used to watch Nick Duel and imagine ourselves up there competing with the best? Well, now it's our turn!"

Sam's gaze softened, and he couldn't help but crack a small smile. In the short time he knew her, Annabelle had always been the one to push him out of his comfort zone, encouraging him to embrace his passions and chase his dreams.

"I know, Annabelle," Sam replied. "I'm just... a bit scared, you know? What if I mess up? What if I'm not as good as the other Duelists?"

Annabelle stepped closer, placing her knuckles on her hips sternly. "Sam, you've got this. I've seen you Duel, and you're better than you give yourself credit. Remember, it's not just about winning or losing. It's about having fun and showing everyone what you're capable of."

Sam took a deep breath. "All right. I'll give it my all. Let's show them what we're made of!"

"Dude! Did you hear Miss Aquarius is going to award the prize to the winner!" said a boy running after his partner as they ventured deep into the arena to prepare for the games.

"No way! Really! Oh, she's so hot! We gotta win! Maybe she'll give us a kiss!"

Sam couldn't help but overhear the conversation of the excited duo. He exchanged a quick glance with Annabelle. The atmosphere in the arena was buzzing with anticipation, and the presence of Miss Aquarius as the prize presenter added an extra layer of excitement.

Sam gulped. "Patty's going to be here? Oh, man!"

"Looks like the competition is fierce," Annabelle whispered, a sly grin forming on her face. "Heh, this is gonna be good."

As they made their way through the bustling crowd, Sam couldn't help but notice the unique outfits and accessories that the other youngDuelists wore, reflecting the themes of their decks. From fantastical costumes to futuristic attire, each participant expressed their individuality and love for the game.

They approached their designated area to prepare for the games. Sam took a deep breath and felt a surge of adrenaline mixed with nerves. The arena's energy enveloped him, fueling his excitement and sharpening his focus.

The stadium was soon filled to capacity, and then, after a countdown and a display of fireworks and confetti, they were live. A colorful MC wearing a rainbow-themed outfit and pompadour hair greeted the crowd.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, and welcome to the grand stage of the Kids' Tag Team Dueling Competition!" exclaimed the lively MC, his voice amplified throughout the stadium. "Are you ready to witness an extraordinary display of skill, strategy, and teamwork? I sure hope so because we have an incredible lineup of talented young Duelists ready to give it their all!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause, their excitement reverberating through the colorful and futuristic architecture of the stadium. The hot air balloons floated gently in the air, providing a whimsical backdrop as spectators aboard enjoyed an aerial view of the matches.

Sam and Annabelle listened intently as the MC continued to set the stage for the epic Duels ahead. The arena's LED screens displayed the participating teams' names and pictures.

"Our esteemed guest!" said the MC. "The newly crowned Miss Aquarius, will be gracing us with her presence as she presents the grand prize to the winners!" the MC announced, causing a wave of excitement to ripple through the audience.

Patty stood up from her seat, her sparkling white dress shimmering under the vibrant lights of the stadium. The crowd erupted into applause and cheers as they saw her.

Some of the boys blushed. "Awww, she's so pretty!" one of them swooned.

"Wow, Yuri, Tyson, Nick, and the others are there, too!" said Sam.

"Yeah, at least we know our friends are supporting us," Annabelle said cheerfully.

With a final wave to the cheering crowd, Patty resumed her seat.

The first round of the tournament was announced. And who else but Sam and Annabelle to start things off?

They heard Yuri, Crystal, and the others cheer them on from the stands, wishing them luck in the games. Sam felt a little better seeing them on the front row, especially Yuri, who trained him how to use his new deck to the best of his abilities. And with Annabelle, a strong Dragon Duelist like her cousin, by his side, he felt confident that he had what it took to get far in the tournament, perhaps even win.

"So Annabelle teamed up with him after all, huh?" Patty said. "How adorable!"

Crystal nodded. "Yeah, she forgave him for what happened when Sam's friends ambushed you guys. And she was thankful for his support during the whole ordeal in the virtual world."

"So she gave the little guy a chance," chuckled Tyson. "Man, this should be good!"

The MC got the crowd's attention again. "We'll give our young competitors just forty more minutes to complete their decks. But in the meantime, we here at the Garden of Eden Stadium have set up a special treat for all of you. An exhibition match pitting two of the island's best Synchro Duelists. Introducing first, the flaming prodigy himself! Cody 'Maverick' Black!"

A young man with spiked hair colored red and bright yellow arrogantly paraded into the stadium wearing a black trench coat and sunglasses with red lenses. He held up his arm with his deck clutched in his grip to get the crowd going. The camera panned closer to his cards, all of them protected in sleeves with a red 3D logo on the back. He turned on his black Duel Disk with holographic flames enveloping it, then shouted at the crowd to hype them up.

"And introducing his opponent! The Princess of Speed herself! The Dashing Dueling Diva who has captivated fans since the debut of Synchro Summoning: The one, the only! Kate Fairfax!"

Out of the entrance of the arena, a girl wearing a white jumpsuit, gloves, and boots rode out on a white motorcycle with neon green holographic ornamentation shaped in scrollwork all around her bike. To the fans' shock, her Duel Disk was mounted right on the motorcycle and instead of standing on one side of the stadium to face Cody, she was riding in circles around him and drew her cards.

"Let's get this party started!" she cried out, waving to the crowd as she drove her motorcycle with one hand, still riding in circles around Cody. "Today, I will debut a bad boy that's sure to leave you all dazzled!" She blew a kiss to the crowd and the hearts of every male melted.

"Is she going to Duel on her motorcycle? Tyson asked.

"Theatrical much," said Patty. "But color me intrigued."

LP 8000

"Draw!" Kate declared. "Woo, starting things off with a bang! I activate Speedroid Scratch! I send a Speedroid monster from my hand to the Graveyard and add a Speedroid from my deck to my hand. Now, I Special Summon Speedrod Terrortop in defense mode!"

"How were you able to do that?" Cody asked, trying to keep up with her movements as she made a sharp turn to circle him again. She passed by and clouded him with her dust.

"If I control no monsters, I can Special Summon this guy to the field," Kate replied with a wink.

Many in the crowd let out cries of shock and confusion. They had never seen or heard of her cards before. Save for one. And he was standing in the shadows, high up in the rafters over the arena.

"Speedroid," Yuya said. Yuto was leaning against a beam with his arms crossed, his eyes fixed on the match below. "So I guess this citizen from the Standard Dimension might be the one who will wield this world's version of Yuto's Clear Wing Synchro Dragon."

"Interesting," said Yuto. "So Bastion's theory on the Card Nexus could be true after all. We must look further into this. Keep a close eye on her moves."

Kate waved to the crowd again and continued her turn. "Now, because I have a Wind monster on the field, I can summon this guy from my hand. Speedroid Taketomborg! And I'll use his ability to send him to the Graveyard and summon a Speedroid Tuner from my deck."

Her Taketomborg zapped away, making space for her new monster. "Go, Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice!" She said, summoning a yellow dice with an eye on it. "Now I activate my Dice's special ability. I can declare a Level from 1 to 6 and target a monster. Then, that monster's Level becomes the Level I chose. I chose my Speedroid Terrortop, decreasing its level to 2. Now, I Tune Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice and Speedroid Terrortop to Synchro Summon, Hi-Speedroid Cork Shooter!"

Suddenly, a huge white and blue gun with a blue telescopic sight mounted on the top formed next to Kate and hovered beside her as she rode around Cody.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Nick. "All that pizzaz for a little toy gun? It's only got 500 ATK points."

"Dude, you'd think you'd know better by now," Tyson said shaking his head.

Kate circled her foe again. "Now I know my gun doesn't look like much," said Kate, "but wait till I activate its special ability. It allows me to summon all the materials used for its Synchro Summon. Red-Eyed Dice and Terrortop return!"

Her strange machine monsters appeared around her one by one.

"And remember Red-Eyed Dice's effect," said Kate. "I can choose a Level between 1 and 6, and a monster of my choosing becomes that Level. Speedroid Terrortop is once again the card I choose, and its Level will go up to four. Now, the conditions are set for another Synchro Summon! I tune Level 1 Red-Eyed Dice and Level 4 Terrortop to Synchro Summon, Hi-Speedroid Hagoita!"

She summoned what appeared to be a huge tennis racket acting as a high-speed flying aircraft with two birdies serving as satellites.

"Now, I activate the spell, Speed Recovery, and bring back one of my Speedroids from my Graveyard. And I choose Red-Eyed Dice again! And with its ability, I'll raise Cork Shooter's Level from 3 to 6 and Tune it together with my Hagoita!"

"Wait! Her Synchro Monster is a Tuner as well?" said Yuri. "What in the hell are those cards?"

"I tune Level 5 Hi-Speedroid Hagoita and Level 6 Hi-Speedroid Cork Gun!" Kate closed her eyes as the monsters floated into the air and transformed into stars. "Roaring through the wind with blinding speed! Accelerate through the astral highway, Rev up your engine, and show them your way! Synchro Summon! Level 11! Hi-Speedroid Clear Wing Rider!"

The crowd gasped as a motorcycle cleverly crafted like a dragon from an unknown dimension sped out of a portal, revving its engines loudly. It landed on the ground, its tires screeching, and then it rode next to Kate.

ATK/3500 DEF/2000

"And I'm not done yet!" Kate announced. "Because I have a Speedroid Tuner on my side of the field, Hi-Speedroid Hagoita returns! And now I'll Tune it together with Speedroid Red-Eyed Dice and Synchro Summon another Hi-Speedroid to the field! Go, Hi-Speedroid Kendama!"

A blue flying craft of odd design appeared over Kate and her Clear Wing Rider. She activated its ability and banished her Dice from the game to inflict 500 points of damage on Cody. Kendama released a salvo of missiles that rained down over Cody, reducing his Life Points to 7500.

"Now, I use Clear Wing Rider's effect to roll a six-sided dice. And I get to send monsters in my Graveyard back to my deck depending on the outcome of the roll."

A blue dice appeared next to her bike. It rolled to a stop, allowing her to send three back to her deck or Extra Deck.

"I set one card face down, ending my turn!" she finally declared.

"Geez, I thought her turn would never end," Carter groaned. "Man, those Synchro cards are so complex."

"I thought you were a Synchro Duelist, too," said Crystal.

"Yeah, I use them, but it took some time to get used to them. But man, those Speedroid cards Kate has are something else."

Cody's turn began, and he started to wow the crowd with his Lavalal Deck. His Duel Disk came equipped with a unique decoration that made it look like streaks of fire followed his cards when he drew them. But he needed to get rid of Kendama first. Using the Laval monster's unique abilities, he Special Summoned enough monsters to conduct a Synchro Summon of his own. Laval Dual Slasher.

He attacked with Dual Slasher, destroying Kate's Kendava, however, she countered with the trap, Michizure, which destroyed his monster, leaving him with nothing but a Boost Warrior that he Special Summoned earlier. Content with getting rid of Kendava, he ended his turn.

"Your go!" he said. "I got first blood this turn!"

"Ha, not enough to deter me!" Kate said. "Draw! I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards. All right, now I banish Speedy Recovery from my Graveyard, adding a Speedroid from my Graveyard to my hand. And I'll summon it—Speedroid Ultrahound, which will send my Speedroid Den-Den Daiko Duke to the Graveyard, triggering its effect. I banish Daiku Duke to Special Summon, Speedroid f*cki-Modoshi Piper. And now my Piper's effect activates. I can excavate cards from the top of my deck up to the number of Wind monsters I have on the field. And I have three. Now, I pick one of those cards and add it to my hand. And the rest get sent to the bottom of my deck in any order I want."

"Man, you really know how to use those cards!" Cody said; he jumped back as she and her monsters passed by. "Phobos Corp weren't kidding when they said you were the one to use them."

"Wait, Phobos Corp gave her those Speedroids?" Patty asked.

"I heard something about it from my dad the other day," said Yuri. "When Synchro Summoning first came out, he said there were some very bright, promising Duelists who used them as though they'd been out their whole life. They supposedly won some big invitation-only event in the towers last week and special cards were given to the top players of the event. I guess Kate Fairfax must have been one of those players because I've never seen cards like those before."

Kate made another donut around Cody and continued with her turn. "Hope y'all can keep up!" she cried out. "Because I'm going to Tribute Duke and Piper to make a LINK Summon.

Carter slapped his palm over his face. "Ugh, now she can LINK Summon, too!"

Her monsters were zapped into a vortex and became a machine that resembled a blue jet. "Say hello to Hi-Speedroid Rubber Band Shooter!"

"Man, what does that thing do?" Cody asked.

"I'm glad you asked. "First, I banish a Wind Synchro monster from my Extra Deck. Bye bye, Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake." She took the card from her Extra Deck and put it in her back pocket. "All right. Then I choose two Speedroid monsters in my deck whose levels equal to Hi-Speedroid Kitedrake's Level. Since his Level is 8, I'll choose these. Speedrod Double Yo-Yo and Speedroid Horse Stilts. Now you pick which one gets sent to my hand."

"That one."

"You chose Horse Stilts, so my Double Yo-Yo gets sent to the Graveyard. And now, I activate Monster Reborn and bring back Speedroid Terrortop, which lets me add Taketomborg to my hand. And I'll summon him to the field and then Tribute it to Special Summon another Red-Eyed Dice to the field."

Cody grunted in frustration, balling his fists. "Damn, not again!"

"Oh, yes!" And I change Terrortop's Level to 2 so I can Synchro Summon my Hi-Speedroid Cork Gun again!"

The gun returned beside her, and with its effect, it summoned the materials used to Synchro Summon it again. And Kate used Dice and Terrortop to bring forth the monster everyone was waiting for.

"Synchro Summon! Level 7! Clear Wing Fast Dragon!"

The crowd stood up on their feet as they witnessed a dragon made of sleek metal and translucent sky-blue glass fly out of a portal and hover over Kate.

"Wow! Look at that!" shouted the MC. "That may not be the Synchro Dragon she usually uses, folks, but it is still one impressive specimen indeed! How will Cody hope to measure up to that monster's strength."

"He won't be around for long," said Kate. "Because I Tune Clear Wing Fast Dragon with Hi-Speedroid Cork Shooter."

"There she goes again, Tuning Synchros with Synchros!" said Tyson. "That girl's incredible!"

Kate held her hand to her chest and chanted: "Amidst crystals of shimmering bright, A dragon soars in a kaleidoscope of grace! Synchro Summon! Level 10! Crystal Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"

Crystal Clear Wing Synchro Dragon was a majestic and ethereal creature. It possessed a sleek and streamlined body, adorned with translucent crystal-like armor that reflected a myriad of colors when caught in the sunlight. Its wings, made of pristine green glass with crystalline patterns, appear delicate yet powerful, capable of slicing through the air with grace and precision. The dragon's eyes emit a radiant glow, signifying its connection to the purest energies. Its overall presence evokes a sense of purity, harmony, and elegance, embodying the essence of crystal-clear clarity and the boundless potential of the Synchro Summoning technique.

"Wait, Yuto," Yuya whispered, his voice filled with surprise. "Yugo doesn't have that card!"

"The people from the Standard Dimension!" Yuto said, his eyes widening in shock. "They must have made their own dragon."

Intrigued by this unexpected variation, Yuya called Bastion. "Bastion, we have something amazing to show you!" Yuya exclaimed. He aimed his phone at the Duel below and filmed Crystal Clear Wing Synchro Dragon flying around the field.

Bastion looked up, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the dragon. "Marvelous. It's Yugo's Clear Wing Synchro Dragon but in a much different form. Ah, the mysteries of the Card Nexus never cease to amaze me."

"How is this possible?" Yuto asked.

Bastion paused to gather his thoughts. "Well, as I've explained before, the Card Nexus has the power to inspire and ignite the creativity of Duelists from different dimensions. In this case, the creator of Clear Wing Synchro Dragon in the Standard Dimension might have taken liberties to infuse their own unique variations into the dragon's design."

Yuto crossed his arms. "That's incredible. It means that Duelists across dimensions can have their own unique interpretations of the same monster!"

"Indeed, Yuto," said Bastion. "The Card Nexus reminds us that the world of Dueling is ever-evolving, with infinite potential waiting to be unlocked."

Yuya nodded and used a scanner on his D-Pad to gather info on the dragon. "All right. Let's see what this Crystal Clear Wing Synchro Dragon can do."

"Yes, be sure to document any new cards you can find and send them to Pegasus. It would be exciting to see these cards brought to Termnnia. Bastion out."

The two of them sat back and watched the Duel continue. After destroying his only defensive monster with her LINK Monster, she attacked Cody directly with Clear Wing Rider and Crystal Clear Wing Synchro Dragon for a combined total of 6500 damage, reducing his Life Points to a mere 1000. Many thought it was his end, but Cody was a fighter.

On his next turn, he activated a powerful spell called Rekindling, which allowed him to summon as many Fire monsters from his Graveyard as possible with only 200 DEF. And so he summoned his lineup of Laval monsters.

"I activate Clear Wing Rider's special ability!" Kate announced. "By sacrificing it, I can Special Summon two Level 7 Synchro monsters from my Extra Deck. I summon Clear Wing Fast Dragon and the original Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"

The crowd gasped at the amazing feat she just accomplished. Now, two more Synchro Dragons, with 2500 ATK and 2000 DEF, had flown around her, joining Crystal Clear Wing Synchro Dragon.

Kate stood up on her bike and gave her rump a few playful slaps, teasing Cody. "Come on, is that all you got!?" she jeered.

"So there's the original dragon," said Yuto.

"Yeah, this truly is amazing. I wonder how many of our friends' cards are out there right now."

"Cora says this world's version of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon is out there," said Yuto. "So who knows."

Again, Cody wasn't deterred one bit. He Synchro Summoned his Ace, Lavalval ExLord.

He was about to attack Kate's Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, but Kate counted. By using Clear Wing Fast Dragon's ability, Kate reduced Exlord's ATK to 0 and negated his effects. Cody tried to chain with Exlord's effect (Chain 1 hasn't been resolved), which allowed him to destroy a monster and inflict 1000 damage, but then that chained Clear Wing Synchro Dragon's ability, negating the effect and destroying Exlord.

Exlord activated his effect in the Graveyard, which Kate chained to activate Crystal Clear Wing's effect, allowing it to gain Exlord's ATK points, raising its power to 5900 and it was unaffected by the effects of Cody's monsters. And Clear Wing Synchro Dragon also gained ATK points by negating Exlord's ability, increasing his ATK to 5400.

"Amazing!" said Nick. "Not only did she stop that Ace of his, but her monsters now have over 5000 ATK points apiece. Ha, it's in the bag now. There's no way this guy can win."

However, Cody proved him wrong. He showed his resiliency by continuing to play despite the disadvantage he had. For this, the crowd applauded him. Using Exlord's ability allowed Cody to summon two non-Synchro Fire monsters from his Graveyard, which allowed him to conduct a Synchro Summon, calling forth Lavalval Dragon, a dragon made of red burning rock and molten lava.

He tried to send Kate's Crystal Clear Wing Synchro Dragon back to the Extra Deck, but he forgot it couldn't be affected by his monster effects.

"Damn, that monster of yours is strong!" he grumbled. He was getting tired of Kate Dueling circles around him and knew he had to end this match one way or another. "I'm through playing around."

He activated a spell that brought out a Tuner from his Deck and he Tuned that monster with Lavalval Dragon to Synchro Summon another Ace monster from his deck. Lavalval Salamander. The beast rose out of a pool of lava that formed behind him and it rose up, challenging Kate's Synchro Dragons.

ATK/2600 DEF/200

"Now I activate Salamander's effect!" he roared over the boiling magma on his dragon's body. "And draw two cards. Then I use Rekindling to bring back as many Fire monsters from my Graveyard with 200 DEF."

Another line of Laval monsters returned to the field, including Laval Dual Slasher and Lavalval Exlord, who was ready to do battle with the Synchro Dragons that beat him earlier.

"What an incredible display of endurance from Cody!" proclaimed the MC. The crowd cheered him on, and while they were on Kate's side for the most part, they started calling out Cody's name triumphantly for his incredible show of skill. He raised his fist in the air. He knew there was little chance for him to win the Duel but he was going down with a bang. He powered up his Salamander with Megamorph, doubling its ATK to 5200.

After an epic clash of Synchro monsters, Kate came out on top and was declared the victor. She got off her motorcycle and held Cody's arm up in victory as the crowd applauded them both for a job well done. Cody patted her back and shook her hand, thanking her for a great match. Then they walked off the arena to make way for the little ones and their big tournament.

"Man, that was amazing!" said Tyson. "Synchro Monsters are such a complex mechanic, but it sure is fun to watch."

"I'll say," said Yuri. "Maybe I should snag a few myself."

Chapter 4: The Junior Cup: Pt II

Chapter Text

After two long hours of amazing Duels, the last match of the tournament began. To the surprise of many, Annabelle and Sam became the favorites to win the tournament and became quite popular as they advanced.

Who would have thunk it? The protege of Yuri Montgomery and the cousin of Crystal Anderson, the Queen of Dragons as a tag team?

Many hoped for them to win, and there was gossip going around that the two liked each other. Their suspicions were only justified as Annabelle got clingier and clingier to Sam throughout the tournament. During the preliminaries, at the end of each Duel, she hugged him. During the semifinals, she jumped on him. And when they secured their place in the finals, she gave him a peck on the cheek. The crowd awwed when they saw this, and soon, the phrase 'Samabelle' started trending all over Aquarius.

When it was time for the final match, they took the stage along with their opponents, two pyro Duelists named Fossey and Albert, who destroyed the competition with their burn decks.

"Hope you two noobs are ready to get pwned!" Albert said, shoving his deck into his Duel Disk.

"Oh, please!" scoffed Annabelle. "If anyone's going down tonight, it's you two. Let's do this, Sam!"

LP 4000 - Annabelle and Sam

vs

LP 4000 - Fossey and Albert

"I'm going to start first!" said Albert. "And I'll do it with a bang by activating these cards from my hand. Two Hinotamas and an Ookazi!" The Hinotama spell card inflicted 500 points of damage to an opponent's Life Points. Since he had two, the damage was doubled to 1000, plus 800 from Ookazi for a combined total of 1800 Life Points, reducing Sam and Annabelle's LP to 2200. When the smoke cleared, Sam and Annabelle were on the ground, smoke billowing off their bodies.

"Can't take the heat, then go home!" sneered Albert. "Now, I activate Pot of Greed and draw two fresh cards from my deck!" He sneered greedily at what he got. "Awesome! It's a Graceful Charity card, allowing me to draw three and discard two from my hand. Ha! And check this card out! It's called Tremendous Fire, which will deal 1000 points of damage to your Life Points!"

Sam and Annabelle were blasted by a wall of fire, both of them screamed as they were engulfed in the intense flames. Their Life Points were reduced to a mere 800 and they haven't started their turns yet.

"This is not good," said Crystal. "Annabelle and Sam haven't even played a single card, and they've lost almost all their Life Points."

"Burn damage decks," said Yuri. "They're old-school, but they still pack a punch."

"Don't worry," said Tyson. "I'm sure they can turn things around somehow!"

Annabelle started things off. "No more trouble from you two!" she declared. "Draw! I will activate Graceful Charity from my hand as well."

"No, you won't!" declared Fossey. "I activate Ash Blossom and Joyous Spring from my hand. If you activate any cards that add cards to your hand from the deck, she will negate that attack."

"Then I'll counter with this!" Annabelle declared. "Triple-Tactics Talent! I can draw two cards if you activate a monster effect from your hand."

"Aw, man!" whined Fossey. "I thought I had you."

Annabelle drew her two cards. "It's not gonna be easy. My cousin is Crystal Anderson, the Queen of Dragons. And she taught me everything I know. And my partner was taught by none other than Yuri. So don't expect an easy win from us!"

"Ha, it doesn't matter who trained you!" sneered Albert. "You two are down to your last 800 Life Points. One attack from either of us and you're done for!"

"I think not!" said Annabelle. "I activate the spell, Supremacy Berry! If our Life Points were lower than yours when this card was activated, we gain 2000 Life Points."

The crowd broke into cheers when Sam and Annabelle rejuvenated a good portion of their Life Points.

"Aww, man!" whined Albert. "All my hard work!"

"Yeah, sucks, huh?" said Annabelle. "Now, I'm going to activate the spell Cost Down. By discarding a card from my hand, I can reduce the Level of all monsters in my hand by two. So that means I can summon this with ease! Horus the Black Flame Dragon Level 6!"

Flames swirled in front of Annabelle, and then Horus flew out, screeching as it took to the air. It glided over their playing field and hovered over Annabelle.

"And then I'm going to activate the spell, Level Up! Now Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 6 evolves into Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 8!"

Horus screeched and raised his wings as a vortex of black flames engulfed him. When the transformation was complete, he spread his wings and revealed his ultimate form before the crowd. Everyone cheered and whistled, eager to see what the Queen of Dragons' little cousin could do with such a beast.

"We'll take you guys down!" Fossey promised them. "I activate two Tremendous Fires from my hand and deal 2000 damage to both of you losers."

Fire flew from Fossey's cards, but Horus blocked the spell, leaving Sam and Annabelle's Life Points untouched.

"What!? What happened?" Albert cried out.

"Horus the Black Flame Dragon can negate your Spell Cards," said Annabelle, "And...."

"I activate Hinotama!" Fossey shouted without letting her finish. Fireballs shot out of his card and again Horus intercepted them. "Why isn't it working!" he pouted.

Annabelle giggled. "If you would just let me finish. As I said, Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 8 will negate your spells so long as he's out on the field!"

Fossey and Albert gulped and stepped back. Their decks were loaded with practically nothing but spells that inflicted damage.

"But...but...but that just isn't fair!" Albert said.

It was Sam's turn. "Draw!" he declared. "I activate Fossil Dig and add a Level 4 Dinosaur to my hand. Now I summon it! Say hello to Jurrac Guiba!" He called on a long-necked carnivorous dinosaur covered in flames.

ATK/1700 DEF/400

"And I'll play Double Summon, allowing me to make another Normal Summon this turn. And I choose this card, Jurrac Monoloph! And guess what? He's a Tuner. So I'll tune him with Guaiba and summon Jurrac Giganoto!"

The crowd cheered once Sam's strongest monster took to the field, roaring as it walked out of a wall of flames.

ATK/2100 DEF/1800

"And with Jurrac Giaganoto on the field, all my Jurrac monsters gain 200 extra ATK for each Jurrac I have on the field. Next, I set two cards face-down and activate the field spell, Molten Destruction!" Their field turned into a lake of molten lava and a volcano loomed over the roof of the stadium. "This card will increase the ATK of all Fire monsters by 500 points. So Jurrac Giganoto's ATK increases to 2800 and Horus the Black Flame Dragon's ATK increases to 3500! You two can't stop us now!"

And how true that was. With only a few monsters in their decks, Fossey and Albert could only play defensive and prayed their traps such as Attack and Recieve would help them. However, Annabelle had Royal Decree, preventing them all from activating traps. After a few strikes on their defenses, the boys were wide open for a direct attack and they lost the Duel.

Sam and Annabelle ran towards each other and embraced in a tight hug as confetti rained down all around them and fireworks illuminated the stadium.

As Sam and Annabelle released their embrace, their faces were radiant with joy and accomplishment. The cheers of the crowd resonated in their ears, filling the air with a sense of triumph. They stood side by side, their hearts pounding with excitement, as the MC's voice boomed through the stadium.

"Ladies and gentlemen, give it up for our magnificent winners, Annabelle and Sam!" the MC proclaimed, his voice resounding with pride. The crowd erupted in a thunderous applause, their cheers echoing throughout the arena.

Stepping forward onto the podium, Sergei, a distinguished figure in the Dueling community, extended his hands, presenting Sam and Annabelle with gleaming medals. The medals, adorned with intricate engravings, symbolized their skill, dedication, and the indomitable spirit they displayed throughout the tournament. Sam and Annabelle accepted the medals with gratitude, their eyes shining with pride.

Patty approached Sam and Annabelle with a radiant smile. She handed them the trophies. "Congratulations, you two," she said, her voice filled with genuine warmth.

Sam and Annabelle, filled with a sense of awe and gratitude, held the trophies high above their heads. The stadium erupted once again, the cheers of the crowd echoing throughout the grand arena. The confetti continued to rain down, creating a kaleidoscope of colors, while fireworks lit up the night sky, painting it with bursts of vibrant light.

In that moment, surrounded by the applause, the shimmering medals, and the gleaming trophies, Sam and Annabelle felt a profound sense of fulfillment.

Sam and Annabelle locked eyes as the ceremony concluded, sharing a silent understanding. They knew that this moment would forever be etched in their memories, a reminder of their journey and the heights they could achieve together.

Ren - Ruby Dragon, Phobos Island

Ren entered Sergei's store and heard a huge commotion coming from the Ruby Dragon Cafe, a small eatery Sergei had built by the ocean so his players could have a bite to eat with a bit of scenery. Down below, ships and yachts lazily sailed by, and seagulls flew over the city. Waves crashed against the city's metal hull below. A group of youngsters was crowded around a screen over the soda bar, watching replays of Kate's victory against Cody in the exhibition match.

"Bro, she's so amazing!" one of the onlookers said. "Do you think they'll be releasing those Synchro Dragons soon?"

"I hope so! I want one of those."

Ren stepped closer to the screens and saw the impressive dragons destroying Cody's Lavalval monsters one by one in the epic replay of the match. He then noticed a young man wearing a black jacket with a fur-lined collar having tea in the corner of the cafe. His hair was colored black and red, with a little red braid going down the right side of his face. Ren smiled as he approached him and took his sunglasses off.

"Leonidas Fairfax," he said. "Long time no see." He looked to the screen at Kate's Duel once more. "Your sister's been doing a good job. My compliments. You trained her well."

Leo smiled and took a sip of his tea. He set the cup down and said: "Ren. It's been a long time. Where've you been? Kate and I have been looking all over for you since rumor spread of your return."

Ren chuckled and sat down. A serving girl approached him, and he asked for some tea with bacon finger sandwiches to go along with them. "I'm sorry I haven't been around lately. I've been...kinda busy."

"With your boy, Yuri?" Leo asked.

"Not quite. I've been too busy even for him. I'm starting to feel guilty about it. He's been looking forward to my arrival for the longest time and I haven't spent any time with him."

"What's been keeping you so busy that you don't spend time with the boy you consider your own brother?" Leo asked.

Ren just smiled. "A lot of stuff. Family business. Duel Gangs."

"This city is full of them." Leo sat back in his seat; the zippers of his jacket flashed in the sunlight. "I've been hearing rumors of a group of vigilantes hunting them down. You wouldn't happen to be in on that, would you?"

"Me? Vigilante? Of course not. My schedule prohibits me from engaging in such... late-night affairs. Why are you so interested?"

"Because I want in on it." Leo finished the last of his tea and set the cup aside. "Ever since I got here, I heard about how Yuri and his friends, these so-called Knights of the Ruby Dragon, were able to fight back a very dangerous group. Rare Hunters, right?"

"Yeah. If you want in on that action, you're too late. Yuri and his friends wiped them all out."

"Maybe so, but there's still the matter of the other morons out there making trouble." He leaned forward and whispered. "Is uh...Brett Martinetti still causing trouble?"

Ren just nodded. "That he is. But I wouldn't want to go messing with him. He's been on a mean streak lately. Something big was going on in his family and he got the ass-end of the deal."

"So rightfully deserved," Leo said with a scoff. "I heard from a reliable source that Yuri is starting up some kind of rebellion against him."

"Really?" said Ren. "And just who might this reliable source be?"

"Who else but Sergei?" Leo sat back up. "He was talking to his niece Natalya. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but she sounded really worried. She said Yuri organized his friends earlier this morning to fight Brett. He's going to stick it to Brett once and for all. And I want to help him. You remember what Brett tried to do with my sister, right?"

"How could I forget?" Ren said, his eyes locked with Leo's golden ones. "Well...I don't know what Brett did to rile Yuri up so badly, but who am I to stop him if he aims to take him down? Yuri and his friends are tough and are considered some of the strongest players on the island. They're the best. And to join them, you must also be the best."

"I can handle myself. Kate wasn't the only one who impressed Phobos Corp. I was part of the invitational competition in the Tri-Towers last week. Put the good word in for me, Ren. I'm good."

"Hmm," Ren said. "Well, if that's what you want to do. But I can tell this won't be an easy battle. What monster could you possibly possess that can help you take on Brett and his goons?"

Leo grinned. "This."

He reached into his jacket for his deck. He took out the top card and held it up for Ren to see.

Ren nodded his head and smiled. "Phobos Corp has been giving up Synchro Monsters like candy." He chuckled. "All right. I'll talk to Yuri."

Garden of Eden Stadium

Annabelle and Sam then headed backstage for some photos and a few interviews. As they awaited things to get started, Annabelle heard a commotion coming from a nearby chamber. He peeked behind a colorful wall and saw Kate surrounded by teens in expensive suits, ties, and sunglasses. She was leaning against her bike with a sparkling lime soda in her hand.

"Don't make a mistake. Accept the offer, Kate. Brett wants those dragons to represent his organization. We can pay you well."

"I said I'm not interested!" Kate declared with authority.

As the scouts surrounded her, their friendly demeanor quickly faded, replaced by an unsettling intensity. The leader of the group took a step forward, his voice laced with false charm.

"Come on, Kate, you're wasting your potential here. We can offer you so much more. Fame, fortune, a place among the elites," he said persuasively.

Kate's eyes narrowed, her expression unyielding. "I appreciate the offer, but I'm not interested. I have my own goals. And I don't need some mafia scum like Brett to reach them."

Another scout chimed in, his tone growing more aggressive. "You think you're too good for us? We made others like you famous. You should be grateful for this opportunity!"

Kate's voice hardened as she stood her ground. "I'm not about to become some worthless accessory to Brett like those Dragon Sisters of his."

The scouts' patience wore thin, and one of them forcefully grabbed Kate's wrists, trying to intimidate her into submission. However, Kate's strength surged forth as she swiftly broke free from their grasp, a defiant fire burning in her eyes.

"Touch me again and I'll knock the crap out of all of you!"

"You little..."

"I won't be controlled or bullied into joining your clubs," she declared. "I'll forge my own path and prove that true talent doesn't need your shortcuts."

The scouts, taken aback by Kate's resolve, hesitated for a moment, their confidence waning. It was clear they had underestimated her strength and determination.

"Need I remind you that no one says no to Brett Martinetti!" said a scout. "Trust me when I say this, girly. You don't want to be enemies with our boss. Accept the offer if you know what's good for you!"

Kate's eyes narrowed, her defiance glinting in her eyes. "I'm not afraid of Brett Martinetti. If he wants my dragons. Tell him to face me himself like a man instead of sending you suits over. Pfft, of course, we all know he's not going to do that. He's too much of a bitch."

The scout's face contorted with anger, his voice dripping with venom. He controlled his emotions and fixed his tie. "You're going to regret this, Kate. You and your damn brother. One way or another, those dragons are gonna belong to the boss."

"Yeah, you should have seen the last guy with a powerful dragon who denied Brett his generous offers." He smashed his knuckles against this palm. "WHAM! A few punches and his Red-Eyes Black Dragon became the property of Brett."

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon?" Annabelle gasped. "Nick?"

"Eat my ass, you dogs," Kate said. "I work for no one. Now get out of here before I call security. Yuri's in the house. And I heard he's got it in for anyone working for Brett."

"Is that so?" said a scout. He looked to his companions and nodded. "His time is coming soon," he said. "You just wait."

They turned and left before someone spotted them. Kate scoffed and tossed her empty soda bottle in a nearby trash can before walking away. She saw Annabelle peeking from the wall and smiled.

"Hey there," she said.

"Oh, hello," said Annabelle. She walked out from behind the wall. "Uh...were you having some trouble?"

"No, no, it's fine. Just some...uh..." She paused and grinned. "Some 'talent scouts' making me an offer I had to refuse. Say you're the winner of the tournament. Hey, congrats. You and your partner were awesome. You reminded me of when I used to Duel with my big brother when we were kids."

"Oh, your brother is a Duelist, too?"

Kate chuckled and leaned against the wall. "Yeah, one of the best. He taught me everything I know. Your cousin is Crystal, the Queen of Dragons, right?"

"Uh-huh. She taught me everything I know, too. Even though she's my cousin, she and I are tighter than sisters."

"Well, that's really sweet. You keep up the good work, okay? And uh..." She looked around. "And if anyone wants to push you into taking career paths you don't want, just tell them no. What's the worst they can do, right?"

Annabelle nodded. She figured that as she got older and famous at the game, pushy talent scouts like the men harassing Kate would show up. She had seen that many times when she was around Crystal. There was always someone in a flashy suit coming with a contract or something to entice her to join whatever promotion or show they had in mind.

"Hey, Annabelle, come on! They're waiting for us." Sam called from down the hall.

"Oh, I have to go. Bye."

"See ya," Kate said, watching Annabelle scamper away.

Chapter 5: Quest for the Pendant

Chapter Text

Mai - Domino City, Eredas

"Have a good time, ladies," said the bouncer, unlocking the red velvet rope to allow the three friends into a nightclub that was owned by their friend Duke Devlin. A song from earth called 'Sexy Back' was playing loudly on the speakers. Chandeliers in the shape of dice hung from the ceiling. Speaking of dice, there was the owner of the club sitting in a VIP booth surrounded by young ladies from the local university.

Duke Devlin was doing magic tricks with neon dice and a red cup. The ladies were no doubt enticed by his speed with the trick. His eyes seemed to be glowing in the dark as he darted his gaze from left to right making sure every one of the girls was watching. He held his dice under a girl's chin. She giggled and blew on them for good luck before Duke began his trick.

"Show off," said Mai. "Come on, let's go before he sees us. Téa, why don't you find us a booth upstairs? I'm going to the ladies' room."

"Huh? Okay," said Téa. "Come on, Serenity."

As Mai departed for the bathroom, Téa took Serenity into the darkness of the club. Only dark blue neon and bright green lasers lit their way. The stairs were even lined with dark blue neon and night lights in the shape of dice. Serenity kept a firm grip on Téa's purse as they climbed the stairs. It spiraled up to the fourth floor, the most exclusive part of the club where a Dueling Arena was kept. Téa paid a hefty amount of Star Chips to get them into a booth all the way at the corner where a fountain spewing glowing blue water was perched and shaded the two friends in turquoise. Serenity scooted to the right till she rubbed against the wall.

Téa did the same. When she got comfortable she took off her purse and set it on the table. She opened it and took out her phone to text Yugi.

Serenity looked around the club nervously. She heard cheers over the music and the blast of a direct attack from a Duel upstairs. Thankfully there was a lamp at the center of the table which Téa quickly turned on. Despite the keypad on her phone was glowing, it was still pretty hard to see anything.

"Anything from Yugi?" Serenity asked.

Téa responded with a quick shrug. Her dress sparkled like a thousand stars. "Nothing," she responded. "He's gone off the grid looking for uh... never mind."

Serenity frowned. "Téa. Enough with the secrets. I'm tired of everyone holding things back from me."

"Can you blame them?" Téa asked. "You broke snuck through Declan's Interdimensional Portal with a card no one was sure should have been given to Yuri. You shouldn't be surprised when people stop trusting you."

"What's going on?" Serenity asked. She folded her arms and crossed her legs.

Téa gulped. "Well...you're not going to like this. With the Princess Wars in the north getting out of control, Yugi has unfortunately come to a conclusion he wished to avoid. He...uh...he's going to find a bride for Yuri."

"What!?"

Serenity's eyes widened in disbelief, her heart sinking at the news. She leaned back in her chair, feeling a mix of anger and sadness wash over her. "Yugi is going to find a bride for Yuri? But... that's not fair! Yuri should have the freedom to choose his own path, his own partner."

Téa sighed, her gaze filled with sympathy. "I know, Serenity. We all feel the same way, but the situation has become dire. The Princess Wars have caused so much chaos and division among the noble houses. Yugi believes that by arranging a marriage, he can bring an end to the conflict and restore peace."

"But what about love?" Serenity's voice quivered with frustration. "Doesn't Yuri deserve to find love on his own terms? Shouldn't he have the chance to marry someone he truly cares for?"

Téa nodded, understanding Serenity's concerns. "I agree, Serenity. But sometimes, sacrifices have to be made for the greater good. Yugi is doing what he believes is necessary to protect Yuri and bring stability to the realm. It's a difficult decision, but he's shouldering the burden for all of us."

Serenity clenched her fists, her resolve growing stronger. "Well, I don't agree with it. Love shouldn't be a pawn in a game of politics. If Yugi thinks he can just find a bride and solve everything, he's underestimating the complexity of the situation."

Téa reached out and placed a hand on Serenity's shoulder, offering support. "I understand your frustration, Serenity. It's not an easy situation for any of us. But remember, we're still here for Yuri. We'll support him and help him navigate through these challenges, no matter what."

Serenity took a deep breath, her determination resurfacing. "Fine. I don't like this, but I guess it needs to be done. Poor Yuri. What about Patty? Isn't he dating her or something?"

"Patty's from the Standard Dimension," said Téa. "She can't be with Yuri forever. That's the way it has to be."

"f*ck!" Serenity grumbled.

A waitress in a skimpy bunny outfit arrived and handed the two girls large glasses of apple martinis on the house. "Treats from Mr. Duke Devlin," she said, setting a third for Mai. "He says he's heartbroken you didn't say hi."

"Oh," said Serenity. "I guess he did see us."

Téa laughed. "Tell him we're sorry. We just need a little time to ourselves."

The waitress bowed. "I'll let him know right away." She turned and left.

Mai came back, quickly finding their booth and sitting down. She sat next to Serenity and took her glass. "Cheers," she said holding it up. "To Us."

"To Termnnia," said Serenity.

"To the safe return of Prince Yuri," said Téa.

They clinked their glasses together and drank. Mai removed her leather jacket to reveal her wine-red gown with a plunging neckline that revealed the swell of her breasts. A black choker with a tag shaped like the sigil of her House hung around her neck. She took a long gulp of her apple martini. "Where did these come from?"

"Duke sent them to us," said Serenity.

"Uh oh," said Mai. "Careful, he might have spiked it with Thrill."

"What's that?" Serenity asked. She looked at Téa who had a very stern look on her face, a sign she did not approve of Mai's statement.

"Thrill is a powerful drug that's been plaguing the streets," Téa explained. "It boosts you full of energy and fogs your mind. It targets the pleasure centers of your brain thereby causing you to go nuts. You start to do things to boost your need for excitement. In other words, you're looking for a thrill, hence the name. But Duke would never do that."

"It was a joke," Mai said in agitation. She set her glass down. "Geez, Téa, have a sense of humor."

"Hasn't anyone done anything to stop it?" Serenity asked.

"Tried to," said Téa. "You can't really stop something that good paying users love. Many clubs around Domino have been shut down because their owners would force their bartenders to spike girls' drinks with the stuff. It would make them go wild. I recently read in the papers that Prince Michael was attending a club downtown for his birthday. To his shock, there was a group of girls having an orgy right there on the dance floor. Being the gentleman that he is, he disapproved and launched an investigation right then, right there. It turns out the girls were drugged out of their minds by Thrill. The club owner was severely punished."

"How severely?" Serenity asked.

"Michael summoned his Terrorking Archfiend to cut off his head live on the news for all to see. And as a warning to any club owners who are stupid enough to want to spike anyone's drinks again. Needless to say, it worked, because I haven't heard about any Thrill-related news since the execution."

Serenity smiled and gave a sharp "Ha!" She sipped her apple martini. "Good. Oh, Goddesses, that's sick! How can anyone do such a thing?"

"Dunno," said Mai, stirring her drink.

"There's nothing in there, Mai," said Téa. "Duke's many things, but he's not a creep."

Mai smiled. "I know." She flipped up the menus on the table. "So, what are you ladies interested in eating tonight? Order up, 'cause it's on me."

"Wow!" said Serenity. "Thanks, Mai. You're the best."

"Hey, yeah," said Téa. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"

Mai smiled and finished the last of her drink. "I'm just happy. After eighteen years away from us, our little baby boy comes back."

"Aww," said Serenity. "Yeah, just a few more months and Yuri comes home." She chuckled. "I see his little nickname has become very popular. Little Daveed is now Yuri. I kind of like it. It matches with Yugi almost. The King of Termnnia and the King of Games. I can't wait for Yugi to teach Yuri how to play."

"Uh-uh," said Mai. "If anyone's going to teach Yuri to be a champ, it's me! I have more credentials as a Duelist."

Téa rolled her eyes. "Says the woman who lost in both the Duelist Kingdom and the Battle City Tournaments."

Mai shrugged. "Those don't count. I felt bad for little Yugi and Joey, so I went easy on them and let them win."

"Sure," said Serenity.

"Go ahead and laugh it up. Say, after dinner, any of you ladies in for a match?"

"You mean Duel Monsters?" Téa's face lit up. She clasped her hands together in eagerness. "It's what I wanted to do all day! I want to try out the new cards for my Heralds. Yugi gave them to me before he departed north."

"Well..." Serenity said rubbing her chin. "I guess I do need a head start on my Red-Eyes. I mean, if Joey can use them, how bad can they be?"

Téa snickered. "You poking fun at that knucklehead for a brother, Serenity?" She asked, to which Serenity haunched her shoulders cutely and placed her finger on her bottom lip.

They ordered their food and once they finished with their meals, Mai led them both upstairs all the way to the fifth floor where the arenas were held. Already there were many Duels taking place. There was a brash young Duelist who played a well-constructed Raid Raptor Deck. He pummeled his last opponent and called it a night before he headed out of the club and into the night. The arenas were open again. Now it was time for Duelists to search for an opponent. However, that was hard to do when the only ones the other players wanted to fight were Mai Valentine and her friends. As soon as the three ladies entered the floor, all eyes darted on them.

Mai Valentine the Delight of Termnnia. Téa Gardner, Princess of Gardenrealm, and Serenity Wheeler the sister of Ser Joey the Red-Eyes Dragon Knight.

"Duel me!"

No, Duel me! I'm the former Intercontinental champion!"

"Duel me!"

Duke Devlin brashly came up the stairs after he heard the commotion from his booth. "Gentlemen, gentlemen," he said. "And ladies."

"Hey, Duke," said Serenity.

"Serenity, how's my former hard-boiled love doing?"

Serenity smirked. "You're still going on about that, Duke?"

Duke shrugged confidently and defiantly. "Those were the best years of my life," he said. "Your kisses were as sweet as candy. And you were pretty good in the sack, I must say."

"Serenity!" said Mai, blushing red.

"Don't listen to him," Serenity said with a shake of her head. "Nothing happened between us like that."

"Still," said Duke. "Our breakup was the worst thing I've ever experienced. Did you leave because you thought were too cool for me? You changed after Prince Marcel gave you those Red-Eyes Black Dragons."

"Duke, I don't want to talk about this right now. I just want to Duel."

"And Duel you shall," said Duke. "I just so happen to have some opponents for you girls to face. They're some of my best players from the shop I own downtown. What do you say? Three-on-three."

Duke's Duelists lined up in front of him as if on cue. They were young and well-dressed for the club. All of them of the Eldori race, donning wild and crazy hairstyles, as was common with those of the toon folk.

"What do you say?" Mai asked her friends. "I think all of us kicking butt at the same time could be quite fun."

Téa pumped up her fist. "Yeah, I'm game."

"So am I," said Serenity. "You're on Duke."

The six Duelists took their places in a Dueling Arena with a lit-up LED floor changing colors in smooth and graceful waves. Mai started first. She summoned Harpie Harpist and cast the spell, Ties of the Brethren. She paid 2000 Life Points and summoned Barrier Statue of Stormwinds and Harpie Channeler. She set two cards face down and ended her turn.

Serenity started after the first opponent ended his turn. He was using a clever deck made of clown monsters. On the field, he had a Crass Clown and Dream Clown in defense mode.

Serenity played Red-Eyes Fusion and summoned Meteor Black Comet Dragon, startling everyone in the club, who thought Serenity was going to summon something cute and fluffy, a stereotype for all female Duelists. Many chauvinistic players assumed that girls would be wielding female monsters, adorable fairies, and woodland creatures. But something as fierce and rare as Meteor Black Comet Dragon was unsettling. Serenity Wheeler stood there in a short white party gown and a pink bow in her hair, with the fifty-foot monster hovering above her in a flaming fury. It seemed so out of place, especially for Duke, Mai, Téa, and anyone else who knew Serenity well.

A long time ago, she did summon fairies and cute creatures. Those days were long gone, and she was quite keen on showing everyone that she was not a girl to be underestimated anymore. She was a Guardian of the High King. And it was about time everyone knew that.

Meteor Black Comet Dragon

ATK/3500 DEF/2000 LV 8

Téa looked at the beast in sheer terror and wonder. "Goddesses, Serenity! Where did you get that!?"

"Who cares," said Mai. "I'm just glad that thing is on our side!"

Soon it was Téa's turn.

"I play the Spell-Card: Advanced Ritual Art! With this card, I can Ritual Summon by sending Normal monsters from my deck to the Graveyard whose total level equals that of my monster." She sent her two monsters away and summoned her ultimate monster. "Come forth, and bring us victory with your radiant light. I Ritual Summon Herald of Ultimateness!"

Herald of Ultimateness

ATK/2000 DEF/3000 LV 12

"You ladies are outshining me now," said Mai, looking up at the new monster. "No pun intended."

Herald of Ultimateness was glowing with multi-colored lights sprouting all over his sleek white frame that was trimmed in gold. His clear wings were glowing in all the colors of the rainbow.

The opponents could not do much with Herald of Ultimateness on the field. If they so much as activated a spell or attempted a Special Summon, Téa could discard a fairy monster from her hand and cancel out their activation.

Mai's turn. She summoned a Harpie Harpist and then Xyz Summoned Lightning Chidori, one of her newest monsters.

A few turns later, Duke's Duelists had summoned powerhouses of their own (Téa only had so many fairies in her hand after all). Master of Oz (ATK of 4200). Fiendish Engine Omega(ATK 2700), and a Sengengin (ATK/2750).

The monsters clashed with each other violently during the battle phases, none of them destroying one another due to the traps and spells each player activated to keep their monsters safe and powered up. Meteor Black Comet Dragon went claw to claw with Fiendish Engine Omega.

They rolled and tumbled across the field, meanwhile, Mai did everything in her power to keep Téa's Herald of Ultimateness from being pummeled by Sengenjin. Her Harpie's Pet Dragon, powered up by three Harpies on the field could easily stand against the brutish beast. He swung his hammer, attempting to crush the dragon's skull, until Mai activated a trap she decided to use as a last resort.

Mirror Wall. Sengenjin golden hammer slammed against the crystalized wall thereby reducing his ATK in half. Harpie's Pet Dragon flew over the wall and bathed the weak monster in flames.

ARRGH! Grunted Sengenjin, and he shattered into a thousand pieces. Serenity took her chance next turn and wiped out the rest of his Life Points. Soon, the other Duelists followed suit. Duke watched in amazement, rolling a lock of his hair around his finger. "Not bad," he said. "Not bad at all. And this is why Lord Gabriele and Lady Luthia chose them to be Prince Daveed's guardians. A big hand for my friends everyone. Aren't they lovely?"

The club roared with applause. Duke pointed his finger in the air and spun his wrist, signaling the DJ to crank up the music. It was party time.

"Phew," said Serenity. Her monsters vanished. "I don't know about you guys, but I think I'm up for a dance."

Mai put her arms around her friends and kissed them both in the cheek with a long, wet, sloppy kiss. "I love you guys," she said. "Let's make sure Yuri is every bit as good as us when it's time for him to Duel."

"Oh, we're going to teach him alright," said Téa. "There is no way I'm letting Yugi and the guys teach him everything. They don't know how to Duel like us."

Mai let them go and headed for the dance floor. She paused when she felt her phone vibrating in her purse. "Oh?" she said. She got a text.

"Who is it?" Serenity asked.

"Captain Sapphire has docked nearby. Our ride to the Citadel is here, girls."

Chapter 6: Training in the Dark

Chapter Text

Patty - Outskirts of Enron Island

Despite being on the most sketchy part of Aquarius, Patty still walked the streets of the industrial island. She donned a black hoodie, which she wore over her head, her hands tucked in the front pocket. Her knee-high boots clomped loudly against the sidewalk as she approached the abandoned steel mill. The Detroit of Aquarius is what many called Enron. And rightfully so. Like the company it was named after, the island was a broken shell of what it once was. What was once the energy hub of Aquarius, Enron, went on a steep decline when the artificial sun was created on Phobos Island. It now served as nothing more than a trading hub with a small village of apartment houses to house workers who came to trade goods, which led to many shady characters coming to Aquarius and haunting the docks.

While it did have its share of fun and very interesting places to explore, parents told their kids, especially girls, to avoid going to Enron Island. Who knew what kind of pirate scum the ports attracted. However, many teens, especially Duelists, chose to come to Enron and have violent duels in the abandoned warehouses. Bullies from many schools chose to come here and make them their bases of operation. Patty found her way to the factory, where she would meet PaniK. She paused and lit a cigarette before pushing the doors open. As soon as she walked in, the air began to grow cold. Her boots crunched on pebbles and shards of glass, reflecting the moonlight.

After taking two careful strides past the door, a huge hand reached out of the darkness and pulled her cigarette out of her mouth. The hand pulled it up over Patty's head, the embers of the cigarette revealing PaniK's evil sneer.

"This stuff can kill you, you know," he said, flinging it into the darkness where it landed in a puddle.

Patty pouted. "Hmph. Didn't know you cared."

"Come on," said PaniK.

As Patty followed PaniK deeper into the factory, she couldn't help but feel a mix of excitement and apprehension. The dimly lit corridors and the eerie silence added to the mysterious atmosphere.

"So, what's all this about?" Patty asked.

"Listen to me, Pamela," PaniK began, his voice low and commanding. "Your deck, the darkness within it, is a source of immense power. It has awakened something within you that sets you apart from others."

Patty raised an eyebrow, still unsure of what PaniK was trying to convey. "What do you mean? My deck is just a collection of cards."

PaniK chuckled, a dark glint in his eyes from the dim lighting of the factory. "Oh, it's so much more than that, my dear. The darkness within your deck reflects the darkness within yourself. It has given you strength, resilience, and the ability to conquer obstacles that would have otherwise crushed you."

Patty looked up at the giant, her curiosity piqued. "But how does it work? How can I tap into this darkness and become stronger?"

PaniK's expression softened as he saw the genuine desire in Patty's eyes. "To tap into the power of your deck, you must embrace the shadows within you. Embrace the parts of yourself that others may fear or reject. It's about accepting who you truly are."

Patty took a moment to absorb PaniK's words. She thought about her journey so far, the ups and downs, the challenges she had faced, and the changes that had occurred in her life. She realized that her deck had indeed been a catalyst for personal growth and empowerment.

"I understand," Patty said. She opened the case on her belt and took out her deck, holding it close to her face. "I've seen the changes that have happened in my life since I built this deck of dark monsters. I admit that even with all the nightmares going on, I overcame it all with this deck. You say it has power. Well, I believe you. I want to harness its power and become even stronger."

PaniK nodded approvingly. "Good. Remember, Patty, true strength comes from within. Embrace your deck, trust in yourself, and never be afraid to confront the darkness. Only then will you unlock your full potential. Stand here."

Patty stopped where she was and watched as Panik waked a yard in front of her. He turned and powered on a jet-black Duel Disk with glowing purple tubes with liquid flowing through them for display.

"Now, let me see what you have unlocked, Pamela. Show me what you're made of!"

Patty took her D-Pad out of the front pocket of her hood and placed it on her wrist. "All right. Fine. And to do this, I'll use my old deck against you."

"Very well."

Both their Life Points displayed 4000.

"DUEL!" they shouted at once.

"Allow me to start first," said PaniK, his voice echoing in the empty facility. "I play Graceful Charity. I discard two cards and draw three. Now, I place two cards face-down and end my turn by playing the Field Spell, Yami!"

The factory was enveloped in a black and purple fog. Patty could see her breath clinging in the air as she looked around the abyss PaniK had created.

"What have you done?" she asked.

"Yami is a field spell that will boost the power of our Fiend monsters by 200 points!" PaniK explained. "Since your deck is loaded with Fiends, you should be thanking me."

"Ha! Thanking you? You'll be begging for the end once I get my best monsters out. All right. I activate the spell Advanced Ritual Art! Now, I can summon a Ritual Monster from my hand by sending a Normal Monster with the same Level as that Ritual monster from my deck to the Graveyard. So by sending Zoa to the Graveyard, I can summon...Zera the Mant!"

Patty's voice echoed through the abandoned steel mill as she summoned her favorite monster. As the dark energy swirled around her, the air grew heavy with an ominous presence. Zera the Mant emerged from the shadows, its imposing figure towering over the Dueling field.

PaniK's eyes widened in surprise, momentarily taken aback by the formidable monster before him. He composed himself quickly, a wicked smile spreading across his face.

"Ah, Zera the Mant, a creature born from the depths of the Shadow Realm," PaniK remarked, his voice laced with both admiration and amusem*nt. "An apt representation of the power that lies within you, Patty. Your connection to the darkness has summoned a force that even I must respect."

He held up his finger.

"But remember, Patty," PaniK continued, his tone turning more serious. "The weight of great might demands the burden of great righteousness. The darkness can be intoxicating, and empowering, but it must be harnessed and controlled. Embrace its strength, but always remain in control. Only then can you truly master its potential."

Patty scoffed. "I won't let it consume me," she vowed, gripping her Duel Disk tightly. "You know what they call me around her, PaniK? They call me The Reaper! My Dueling brings out fear in my opponents. No matter how strong they are, they soon cower before the might of my monsters!"

"Is that so?" PaniK says, his eyes glowing like headlights in the dark fog. "Your monster says otherwise."

"Huh?" Patty looked up at Zera the Mant. He was looking at her from over his bulky shoulder, his eyes gleaming with anger at her arrogance. Patty gasped and landed on her backside. For a moment, she swore she could see her father in his eyes.

"Wha...what's happening?"

PaniK leaned forward, his expression grave. "Patty, the darkness within your deck is a reflection of your own struggles and pain. It holds immense power, but it also carries the weight of your past. Zera the Mant is not just a monster on the field; it embodies the darkness that you've endured. It's a reminder of the battles you've fought, the strength you've mustered, and the scars you bear."

Patty's voice trembled as she spoke, her eyes locked with Zera the Mant's piercing gaze. "I... I didn't realize..."

PaniK nodded understandingly. "The darkness can be a double-edged sword, Patty. It can grant you strength but also awaken buried emotions and memories. It's essential to confront your past and learn from it, but never let it control you. The true test lies in how you channel that darkness, how you shape it into a force to destroy your enemies, not yourself."

He looked at Zera, snarling angrily at Patty.

"You were forced to let this monster go," said PaniK. "You chose Yuri's light over Zera's gentle darkness and allowed him to expel Zera from you."

Patty looked at Zera with weepy eyes. "Zera..." she muttered. "I...I'm sorry!"

PaniK nodded solemnly. "Yes, Zera the Mant represents a part of you that you pushed away — a part that you deemed too dark to embrace. But now, it seems that Zera has returned, seeking to reclaim its place within you. It's a manifestation of your inner strength, the resilience that allowed you to overcome your past."

Patty's gaze softened as she looked at Zera the Mant. Memories of her struggles and pain resurfaced, mingling with a sense of longing. She realized that by rejecting Zera, she had denied a part of herself, a part that had shaped her into who she was today.

"I... I was scared," Patty admitted, her voice filled with vulnerability. "Scared of the darkness within me, scared of what it could do. But now..." She stood up. "Heh, look at all I've accomplished thanks to it. I won the pageant! I beat my rival! I aided in the destruction of the Rare Hunters. And now...the richest kid in the world is mine!"

PaniK leered happily. "Yes, that's it, Patty! Everything that you did was a result of the darkness! Keep this up, and soon, you won't need those pathetic friends of yours anymore. You can rise to the top with your own strength!"

"Yes..." Patty said, her eyes starting to glow purple. "They didn't help me when my father beat me. They didn't help me when I was all alone. Zera, The First Darklord, Diabolos, and all the monsters in my deck helped me fight through my pain and suffering!"

PaniK's smile widened, and he relished Patty's words as her eyes glowed with a dark intensity. He believed he had successfully fueled her resentment and amplified her desire for power.

"Exactly, Patty," PaniK affirmed, his voice dripping with malevolence. "Your friends, they are nothing but weaklings who held you back. But now, with the darkness by your side, you can cast them aside and claim your rightful place among the elite. Embrace your true strength; embrace the darkness within you!"

As Patty's conviction grew, she could feel the darkness swelling within her, filling every fiber of her being. The allure of power and independence clouded her judgment, blinding her to the consequences that might follow.

"Yes," Patty declared, her voice laced with a newfound confidence. "No more relying on others. I will carve my own path with the strength of the darkness. They will all witness my rise to power and tremble before me."

PaniK's laughter echoed through the abandoned factory, his dark influence seeping deeper into Patty's psyche. The lines between right and wrong, light and darkness, began to blur as she prepared to unleash the full force of her deck.

"I activate Monster Reborn!" she shouted. "Now, I bring back Zoa from the Graveyard so he can stand by Zera the Mant!"

Her wild, dark blue Fiend rose out of the shadowy fog; the power of the field spell made its eyes glow. Its ATK rose to 2800, and Zera the Mant's increased to 3000."

"Excellent!" shouted PaniK. "Now, show me what you've got, Pamela!"

Chapter 7: The Right to be Master

Chapter Text

YamiYugi-The Milkwalk Forest Wayshrine

The Wayshrine stood tall amidst the dense forest, its ancient stone structure weathered by time and echoing with whispers of forgotten magic. It was a place of mystic significance, a portal between realms, and a sanctuary for weary travelers seeking solace and guidance.

But now, as Yugi and Ser Gerhalos approached the Wayshrine, they found themselves amidst a scene of both despair and resilience. The once peaceful forest town that surrounded the Wayshrine had transformed into a bustling hub of activity, its streets filled with people seeking refuge from the ravages of war in the northern kingdoms.

Tents and makeshift shelters dotted the landscape, housing families who had fled their homes in search of safety. Smoke rose from small cooking fires, mingling with the scent of pine and damp earth. The atmosphere was heavy with the weight of uncertainty, and yet, amidst the chaos, there was a sense of community, of people banding together to support one another in their shared struggle.

The forest town itself bore the scars of the war. Buildings stood with broken windows and crumbling walls, remnants of a time when life here was peaceful and prosperous. The once vibrant marketplace was now a patchwork of makeshift stalls, offering meager supplies and essentials to those in need. Children played in the dirt, their laughter providing a brief respite from the harsh realities they faced.

Yugi and Ser Gerhalos weaved their way through the throngs of people, their eyes filled with compassion for the weary faces they passed. The lion knight's noble presence commanded respect, and his armor gleamed with a polished sheen despite the hardships around him. Yugi, with his warm smile and comforting aura, offered a glimmer of hope to those he encountered.

As they approached the Wayshrine, they noticed a group of refugees gathered near its entrance, seeking shelter and guidance. The ancient stone structure, adorned with intricate carvings and mystical symbols, emanated a sense of tranquility amidst the chaos. It served as a beacon of hope for those who sought a respite from the turmoil.

People whispered prayers, seeking guidance and protection as they prepared to make their journey through the Wayshrine to an uncertain destination. The soft glow of magical energy enveloped the area, casting an ethereal light that provided a sense of comfort and reassurance.

Yugi and Ser Gerhalos stood at the threshold of the Wayshrine, their hearts heavy with the weight of the suffering they had witnessed.

As they made their way through the crowd of refugees, their attention was drawn to a group of children playing nearby. The sound of laughter and imaginative play filled the air, providing a momentary respite from the grim reality of their circ*mstances. The children had fashioned makeshift armor and wielded wooden swords, pretending to be the valiant Alliance Princes, defending their land against hordes of mechanical knights.

A group of children sat in front of a tent, sniffling, all of them shivering and afraid after having to abandon their village from the Naralian Robotic Knights.

The boy at the forefront brandished his wooden sword with conviction. "You just watch! The Alliance Princes will show these bucket of bolts what for!"

"Prince Michael and his 100 Swords will tear them to shreds!" one exclaimed, swinging an imaginary sword.

"Nuh-uh! Prince Ryon is going to be the one to smash them to bits!" another retorted, mimicking powerful strikes and unleashing a flurry of imaginary blows. "He defeated a thousand robotic knights and destroyed their flying battleship all by himself!"

Yugi smiled and approached the children. "You are all true heroes in your own right. Remember, heroes are not defined by their victories alone but by their spirit and willingness to stand up against adversity."

Ser Gerhalos, his towering presence softened, joined Yugi in addressing the young warriors. "Even in the face of darkness, the light of hope resides within each of you. Your friendship is your greatest weapon. Use that, and your foes stand no chance."

The children paused their play, their eyes widening in awe as they realized that the legendary Yugi and Ser Gerhalos had stopped to talk to them. Yugi and Ser Gerhalos exchanged a knowing glance, acknowledging the children's recognition of the lion knight's heroic deeds. Ser Gerhalos knelt down, his majestic presence captivating the young imaginations before him.

One of the children raised their hand, excitement bubbling in their voice. "Can we be heroes like you? Can we help bring back Prince Yuri?"

Yugi nodded, his eyes sparkling with faith in their potential. "Absolutely! Remember, heroes come in all shapes and sizes; the smallest actions can create the biggest impact. By being kind, supportive, and standing up for what's right, you can help create a world where Prince Yuri can return."

The children exchanged excited glances, their imaginations fired up by the notion that they, too, could play a part in the grand adventure unfolding around them.

They cheered and resumed their play, infusing their games with renewed purpose.

A boy picked up multiple sticks and said. "Look at me! I'm Prince Michael of the 100 Swords!"

The other children cheered in delight, their eyes gleaming with excitement. They quickly joined in, each grabbing a stick or makeshift sword of their own.

"I'm Prince Ryon, the fearless knight!" another child exclaimed, striking a brave pose.

"And I'll be Prince Jon, the Prince of Iron and Thunder!"

"I'll be Princess Maria summoning the legendary Evolzars!" a girl declared, waving her stick in the air.

The children swung their wooden swords with gusto, their youthful spirits igniting the air around them.

Yugi and Ser Gerhalos watched on, their hearts filled with pride.

"Something is going on up ahead," said Ser Gerhalos.

They finally approached a guard clad in steel armor and presented their case to go through. However, no one was allowed to enter the road today.

"I'm sorry, My Lord, there is nothing I can do to help you," the commanding officer of the checkpoint said to Yami. "What with the influx of refugees here in the forest, I fear all travel has been banned per the order of Grand King Relagost himself."

"You don't understand," said Yami. "It's imperative that travel the road. We cannot be delayed."

"You will find no such luck, Master Yu-Gi-Oh," said the officer.

"All right," Yami said in defeat. "Thank you."

"Thank you for your visit," said the officer. "May the Stars of Entuli shine on your path."

Yami bowed and left the military base centered around the Wayshrine. He then headed for the nearby town, a meager community meant for resting weary travelers. There was an inn nearby, still with some vacancies left for VIP travelers such as diplomats or champions. Yami thought it best to call it a day and rest in the town before he made the journey south to find this 'weapon' Ser Gerhalos spoke of.

He went to the front window and made his reservation at the hotel. Just as he got the keys, he saw someone he would rather not deal with approaching him in the reflection of the window. Someone with a wide grin and purple-colored lips.

"Ser Gerhalos," said Yami. He handed him the keys. "Head up to our room at once. I'll be there shortly."

"Is something wrong?" Ser Gerhalos asked.

"Everything's fine. Please, go."

Ser Gerhalos said nothing more and left. Just as he entered the inn, the unsettling visitor stopped in front of Yami and cackled.

"Well, well, well, Master Yugi Muto. We meet at last."

"Crowler? What are you doing here?"

"I heard you were in the area, so I came to seek you out."

"What for?"

"Well, I was hoping we could catch up and talk. I do recall you saying I would never amount to anything. Well, here I am. A teacher having taught an entire class of Dueling legends. There were many attending my school those past four years. Now, I aim to teach someone much greater. "The boy who will soon be High King. That is why I have come here seeking you."

"Yuri?" Yami asked.

"Yes. I've done some thinking, and it seems to me that Yuri is going to need a master. One who is well-trained in the arts of Duel Monsters. I must say, you've had your time, Yugi, but you're nothing more than an antique. As are the cards in your deck. Like you said, this game evolves all the time. And unlike you, I have adapted to those changes, which is how I acquired my Ph.D. in Dueling. I will make a better teacher than you ever will be, Yugi Muto."

"Is that a challenge!?" Yami cried.

"It was indeed. So, what say you, Yugi Muto? A Duel to see who is worthy of being Prince Yuri's master." He held out his right arm. The sleeve of his metallic coat began to morph into a giant Duel Disk. "But better yet," said he, "Why don't you just save yourself the humiliation and just surrender? Accept that you are not fit to teach Yuri. For if you lose, not only will Yuri become my personal lackey, but your title as King of Games will belong to me."

Yami held out his arm, transforming his golden bangle into a Duel Disk. "I do not back down from a challenge Crowler!"

"Good!" said Crowler. "It's not a good sport if you surrender. Let us begin."

LP 8000

"DUEL!" they shouted.

"I shall begin first," said Yami. "Draw! I set a monster face-down in defense mode. Now, I set a card. I end my turn."

"How dull," vexed Crowler. "Is that all?" His chest plate launched a card from his deck. Crowler caught it with ease. "I play the Spell Card, Geartown."

"No you won't!" said Yami. "My Magic Jammer will cancel out your spell. It may have cost me a card from my hand, but it is a price I'm willing to pay."

"Humor me, Yugi," chuckled Crowler. "I shall summon, Ancient Gear Knight in attack mode!" (ATK/1800 DEF/500 LV 4). Crowler continued his turn. "And now, for my Geartown's effect. When it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can special summon an Ancient Gear monster from my Deck or Graveyard. So here comes Ancient Gear Soldier!" (ATK/1300 DEF/1300 LV 4). "And now, I will boost the power of my Ancient Gear Knight with Ancient Gear Tank!"

Ancient Gear Knight mounted himself onto a vehicle with a cannon on the front. His ATK went up to 2400. He attacked.

"I think not!" said Yami. "You've attacked my Four-Star Lady Bug of Doom, who can destroy all Level 4 monsters on the field."

After the Ladybug was killed, four stars appeared on the heads of the Ancient Gear monsters. They shattered into pieces. However, Ancient Gear Tank activated and dealt 600 points of damage to Yami's Life Points.

Yami-7400

Crowler-8000

"Impressive," said Crowler. "I end my turn."

"My turn," said Yami. "Draw!" He examined his options. "Hmm. I set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Look at the King of Games now," said Crowler. "Going on the defensive like a cornered rodent."

"Even cornered rats can fight back," said Yami. "Make your move!"

"I shall," Crowler nodded. "Draw! I summon another Ancient Gear Knight to the field, and with it, I shall attack your face-down monster."

The Ancient Gear Knight raised his lance and dashed forward, ready to skewer Yami's face-down monster. A beautiful elvish woman was flipped up. She had her hands locked in prayer. Her hair the color of chestnut flowed in the autumn winds. Ancient Gear Knight attacked a Mystical Elf. With a defense of 2000, she was able to withstand the Ancient Gear Knight's attack. The lance hit a magical barrier that sent out thousands of glittering lights into the air. The force of the impact knocked the Ancient Gear Knight back to Crowler's field.

"Argh! That's not fair!" shouted Crowler.

"My turn," said Yami. "Draw! Behold the power of my Mystic Box!"

Black magicians' boxes enveloped their two monsters. Each layer of the box was marked with a gold question mark. Suddenly swords came out of thin air and skewered the boxes causing Crowler to scream. The box next to Yami suddenly opened. Ancient Gear Knight was sparking and spazzing in death as the swords punctured his ancient and delicate computer systems.

"My knight!" shouted Crowler. "But where has your elf gone to?"

"See for yourself," laughed Yami.

Crowler's box opened and the elf magically appeared, still praying and still safe.

"How did you do that?" shouted Crowler.

Yami laughed again, confidently. "A magician never reveals his secrets Crowler. I choose to end my turn."

"Fool!" shouted Crowler. "Draw! I will show you to destroy my precious Golems! I will tribute your elf to summon Ancient Gear Engineer! You fool! Your little magic show left you wide open for a direct attack. Go, my Engineer! Attack his Life Points."

The Ancient Gear Engineer's drill began to spin, giving off a deafening whirr. He sprang towards Yami and stabbed him in the gut with his drill. Though the monster was a Phantom, Yami could feel his insides being torn and churned as if being hit by a real beast.

"It's not over," Yami grunted.

Crowler-LP 7800

Yami- LP 5900

"Draw!" said Yami. "I will remove from my Graveyard the Giant Soldier of Stone to special summon, Rock Spirit. And now I shall tribute him to summon Dark Magician Girl!"

A portal spun in front of Yami's feet. Hearts and stars shot out from it, followed by the most iconic and beautiful monster in Duel Monsters. Dark Magician Girl winked as she was bathed in daylight. Crowler's eyes turned into hearts, and he clasped his hands together, watching Dark Magician Girl dance to the field. She blew him a kiss and settled next to Yami's side.

Dark Magician Girl

ATK/2000 DEF/1700 LV 6

"Care to trade for her, Yugi?" swooned Crowler. "I'll give you anything you want for her."

"She's not for trades," said Yami. "Go, Dark Magician Girl! Dark Burning Attack!"

Dark Magician Girl twirled into the air and aimed her staff at Crowler, doing all he could to look up her blue mini-skirt. Dark Magician Girl cringed. "Humph!" she said and blasted Ancient Gear Engineer to pieces and dealt 500 points of damage to Crowler.

"I end my turn," said Yami.

"Draw," said Crowler. "I play the spell, Ancient Gear Castle."

The ground began to rumble. A castle from the dawn of time rose up from behind Crowler, outfitted with giant blue gears and cannons.

"I Set this card face-down, and in doing so, my castle gets a counter. But I will get to that later. End turn."

"My turn," said Yami. "Draw! I shall attack again with Dark Magician Girl."

"Eee," she squealed and stayed at a level so as to avert her legs from Crowler's ravenous gaze. She blasted the face-down monster which was an Ancient Gear Soldier. Yami ended his turn by playing a monster face-down in defense mode, giving Crowler's Ancient Gear Castle another counter.

"Draw," said Crowler, anxious to begin his turn, for he had what he needed for his ace monster. "I now have enough counters to tribute my castle and summon Ancient Gear Golem!"

"Argh!" said Yami.

A veil of dust swirled around Crowler's field. From the cloud rose a mechanical behemoth standing five meters tall. Its ancient mechanical joints hissed and creaked with each movement. Its metallic body was covered in rust and it had blue gears and a glowing red.

Ancient Gear Golem

ATK/3000 DEF/3000 LV 8

Crowler started laughing maniacally and then ordered the Golem to attack Dark Magician Girl. Ancient Gear Golem raised its fist, its gears winding up for battle, ready to do massive damage both to her and Yami's Life Points. Dark Magician Girl whimpered in fear and braced herself for the attack. The fist finally hit her. She screamed in agony and shattered dealing 1000 points of damage to Yami Yugi.

Crowler-LP 7400

Yami-LP 4900

"It's over, Yugi Muto," said Crowler. "Your reign as champion ends today. And Yuri, well, you'll no longer have to worry about him anymore. I set a card face-down. Ending my turn."

"Don't celebrate just yet, Crowler. I set a card face-down. I end my turn."

"That's all you can do?" laughed Crowler. "How pathetic. Draw. I summon Ancient Gear Cannon!" (ATK/500 DEF/500 LV 2). "I will now activate my spell, Limiter Removal. This doubles the attack of Machine monsters for one turn. Now my Golem's attack rises to 6000! And, don't think your little defense monster will save you. My Ancient Gear Golem can inflict piercing damage, meaning your Life Points will take a hit even if your playing defensive. And my cannon's attack will double as well to 1000. This will finish you, King of Games. ANCIENT GEAR GOLEM! ATTACK! MECHANIZED MELEE!"

The gears on the Golem's body wound up. He raised his fist ready to strike.

"Hold on Crowler," said Yami. "I'm not through yet! From my hand, Kuriboh, who will cancel out the damage your Golem will inflict."

"NO!" shouted Crowler.

The little fury monster jumped out of Yami's hand and zoomed towards the fist of Ancient Gear Golem.

BREEE! Screeched the Kuriboh. The monster Yami had in defense was still destroyed and he was still wide open for the Cannon, which attacked. The Ancient Gear Cannon's gears wound up, charging a powerful laser that shot Yami in the chest. "ARRGH!" Yami shouted as he was knocked to the ground with a hard slam. Crowler ended his turn, and per the effect of Limter Removal, both his monsters were destroyed.

Crowler-LP 7400

Yami-LP 3900

"I cannot lose," said Yami. "I cannot let this man take Yuri in. Not like this. It all rides on this next card." Yami placed his fingers on the card. He breathed heavily. "Heart of the Cards...guide me."

Flick! Went the card, sliding out from the deck. Yami held it up.

"I set a monster in defense mode. That ends my turn!"

"I pass," said Crowler. "Go."

Yami smiled. Perhaps this was his chance. "I tribute my monster and summon Archfiend of Gilfer!"

Archfiend of Gilfer

ATK/2200 DEF/2500 LV 6

"Attack his Life Points!" Yami shouted.

The winged fiend flew towards Crowler and slashed him twice across the chest. Crowler wailed from the pain. When his job was done, Archfiend of Gilfer returned to Yami's side of the field.

Crowler-LP 5200

Yami-LP 3900

"My turn," Crowler groaned, massaging his chest, though that was hard to do with his chestplate in the way. He drew. Nothing. He hoped he would only contend with Gilfer for the next turn. He could hold out from another attack. Unfortunately for Crowler, that was just not in the cards.

Yami drew. "It's over, Crowler."

"What?"

"I play the spell, Dark Magic Curtain. By paying half my Life Points, I can special summon Dark Magician from my deck."

"NO!" shouted Crowler. "Not him! Anything but him!"

The legendary Dark Magician flew out of the Dark Magic Curtain. He twirled his staff. "Rrrah!" he grunted after he was done with his theatrics. He gently landed next to Archfiend of Gilfer.

"And now, I shall reveal my face-down card," said Yami. "United We Stand. This will boost the ATK of a monster by 800 for each monster I have on my field, thereby raising my Dark Magician's ATK by 1600 points."

"NO!" cried Crowler. "But how? I was so close!"

The two monsters attacked and it was all over. Crowler was launched halfway across the green pasture in front of the motel and he slid to a stop. His Life Point counter dropped to 0.

Yugi's spectral form appeared beside Yami. "Nice work, Spirit," he said. "Yuri is still ours to train, and we keep our title."

Yami nodded. "We should not get overconfident, Yugi. Crowler is but a taste of the opponents you and Yuri will be facing. We may have won, but Crowler almost had us beat."

"Speaking of Crowler," said Yugi. "Don't you think we should help him up?"

"He can handle himself," Yami said walking away. "No one threatens my pact with Gabriel Delgado and gets away with it. I promised him before he was killed that I would watch over his son no matter what. And I intend to keep that promise."

Chapter 8: Mistress of the Sea

Chapter Text

Yuri - Hidden Lake of Paradiso Prima, Aquarius/Standard Dimension

Yuri and his friends relaxed on a white sand beach surrounding a lake completely hidden from the world. There was a cave on the other side that led to a grotto where Yuri and Crystal once bathed together as children. Tiki torches were stuck into the sand and already lit. There were tables full of food and drinks, a tent that Tyson used to cook the food, and an inflatable giant screen so they could watch movies and play games.

Raven and Ren challenged each other to a diving competition as they swung from a vine into the lake. Nearby, Patty, Natalya, Sabrina, Penelope, and Asuka were sunbathing as they cheered them on. Tyson was behind the grill in his tent cooking burgers, steaks, and sausages while donning a chef's hat and a white apron over his swimming trunks while Carter chopped lettuce. Annabelle was running around the lake chasing after a chibi version of Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV 4. It was so real and lifelike that she felt she was playing with an actual animal, filling her with joy and wonder.

Their Duel Monsters holograms were set to Immersive Mode, a brand new feature that allowed their monsters to roam outside a Duel. Nick jumped into the lake from a rock while nearby, Yuri's Black Tyranno and Trascnedosaurus Meteoros were drinking water with Crystal's Chaos Emperor Dragon.

"They look so peaceful," Yuri said. He was sitting on a lounge chair next to Crystal, watching their monsters from the beach.

"I know," Crystal replied dreamily. "It's kinda cool that our monsters can get some downtime too, huh?"

"These are so cool!" Patty said, taking a picture of the two monsters with her phone. In the sky, Diabolos, King of the Abyss flew in circles before he landed in the lake to join his fellow monsters. Tyson's Behemoth, King of All Animals, walked out of the jungle towards the edge of the lake to have a drink as well. Then Carter's Levia-Dragon Deadalus reared out of the lake, chomping on a huge fish.

Andre suddenly emerged from the jungle to join them. He gulped. He was not only impressed by the sight of the holograms, but the girls also looked spectacular.

Patty was lying on a towel, wearing a black and pink bikini as Crystal rubbed suntan lotion on her back. Up ahead he saw Natalya, Asuka, Sabrina, and Natalya playing volleyball with the rest of the guys by the water. Carter jumped to get the ball but it smashed into his face making everyone laugh. Then something else caught Andre's eye.

Laying by herself under the shade of a tree was a very sexy Asian girl with a voluptuous body. She had long black hair that flowed over her left shoulder, her skin was tan and oily from the lotion she applied, and her toxic purple top was unhooked to prevent tan lines. The Japanese kanji l for love, pleasure, and power was tattooed around a heart on her left buttock. The kanji for gold was tattooed on her ankle, and the kanji for Dragon was tattooed on her right wrist. She drank her alcoholic beverage from a straw, gingerly placing two fingers on it to keep it from moving around. Andre had never seen her before and guessed that she was new to the group.

"Yo, Yuri, who's she?" Andre asked.

"Oh, her? She's, uh...a new addition to the group. Her name's Nikki Dragonuv. Supermodel, makeup artist, and up-and-coming Duelist. Crystal's taken her underneath her wing as her new protege. Ain't she hot?"

"She's beautiful, man."

"Yo! Andre!" Tyson hollered from the grill. "Glad you could make it, dawg!" He noticed Andre's awkward stare. "What's up?"

Yuri pointed at Nikki. Before he could say a word, he approached her. "Hey, you new to the group?"

Nikki looked up at him. "Not really. I was just invited to tag along. Can't say I'm up to living the life of being hunted by hooded goons. Yuri and his pals are notorious for that. But I can't say no to hanging out with the hottest group of Duelists on the island.

"Yeah. I'm Andre."

"Nikkie Dragonuv," she replied.

"Hey, Nikki. Andre thinks you're so fine!" Nick said before diving back into the lake.

Andre went red and backed away. "No, I...I didn't say that. I said it would be so fine to Duel you."

"Duel me? Well, it just so happens. I got my Duel Disk yesterday. My girl, Crystal, hooked me up. You wanna have a go?"

"Sure, but how about we make the match interesting and add some stakes."

Nikki slapped her hands on her hips. "Ugh, lemme guess. I win; I go on a date with you."

"No, I...I thought loser buys drinks."

"Buy drinks?" Nick scoffed. "Hey, dumbasss, we got six coolers full of alcohol and soda. And this place is secluded. There's no shop around here for miles on this part of the island. Buying drinks is gonna be kind of useless."

"All right, a date it is," Nikki said. "But don't think you're gonna beat me, hot stuff." She turned and walked back to her spot to pick up her Duel Disk.

"Oh, this is gonna be good!" Tyson said. "A match like this deserves some good food." He ran back to the grill to cook more ribs. Meanwhile, Andre and Nikki took their places.

"I sure hope this is what you want," said Andre.

"That makes two of us," said Nikki. "Now, ladies first."

T1

"Go, Nikki!" cheered Annabelle.

"Kick some ass!" Natalya called out.

Carter was looking quite dumbfounded. "What the hell's he doing?"

Nikki waved at them and jeered. "Thanks for having my back, girls. All right, I summon White Dolphin! in attack mode!"

She placed the card on her Duel Disk, shaped like a blue and purple butterfly wing. Water started to flood the sand in front of her. Then, a white dolphin with a blue horn on its head jumped out. After its 400 ATK was displayed, it fell back into the water with a splash.

"Ain't he cute? I'll end my turn with that."

T2

"That's all? Ha! Get ready, Nikki! I'm going all out. You guys want my best, well you got it! I summon Armor Exe!" He summoned a wizard armored in black stony armor outlined with orange and a green cape. It snarled, revealing its 2400 ATK points.

"Next, I play Mystical Bestiary! By removing two cards from the top of my deck, I can add two Spell Counters to him. It's something I must do because in order to keep him out since I have to destroy a Spell Counter at the end of every turn. Lucky for you, he can't attack the turn he's summoned. Your White Dolphin is safe for now. So I'll set two cards face-down and bring it back to you, beautiful."

T3

"Why, thank you. Ooooh, that Armor Exe sure is a tough monster. But let's see how he'll handle this. I activate the spell Aqua Fusion! This unique spell card allows me to fusion summon an Aqua, Fish, or Sea Serpent Fusion monster from my Extra Deck so long as I banish the number of monsters needed for the fusion summon from my deck or my hand. Since this card requires three monsters, I banish three monsters from my deck. Here comes Man-Eating Black Shark!"

Out of the water, a monstrous black shark with bulky human arms jumped out of the water. It snarled then the stats revealed 2100 ATK points.

"Well, I'm safe. Armor Exe still has more than enough attack points to take on both your monsters."

"You think your monster scares me, babe? Ha! You forget you have to remove counters from him during both our standby phases. He'll have no more counters by your next turn. Once your standby phase begins, he gets destroyed. But why wait until the next turn to destroy him? I activate this. The Umiiruka field spell!"

She held the card up. It sparked in all the colors of the rainbow with its shatter foil rarity. "Thanks to this card, my Water monsters get a field power bonus of 500 attack points but they lose 400 defense points. My Man-Eating Black Shark is now ready to chow down on your monster! Attack!"

Man-Eating Black Shark jumped out of the water, but it was caught in black chains.

"What happened?"

"You ran right into my trap, Nikki. Shadow Spell. Your monster can't attack, and it loses 700 attack points. Also, I activated the trap, Pitch-Black Power Stone. On my next turn, I can place a Spell Counter on Armor Exe to pay for his cost, so he'll stay for one more go."

"Damn! That's so rude! Whatever. I switch White Dolphin to defense mode and end my turn."

T4

"Nice try, Nikki, but not good enough. I use Pitch-Black Power Stone to give my Armor Exe a Spell Counter for one last go at your Life Points. Now I use Card of Sanctity! This ultra-rare card allows us to draw until we have six cards in our hands. Think of it as a redo. Yes! Just what I needed. I activate the spell, Cost Down! I discard a card, and the level of one monster I chose is reduced by two. Here comes Dark Red Enchanter!"

He summoned a magician in red and gold robes. As he smacked his green staff on the ground, his stats showed up, revealing 1700 ATK.

"When Dark Red Enchanters enters the field, I can place two Spell Counters on him, and his attack increases by 300 for each Spell Counter he receives, so his strength goes up to 2300! First, I'll attack your Man-Eating Black Shark with Armor Exe. Attack!"

Armor Exe lunged forward and sliced up the shark with his claws. Nikki lost 500 Life Points. Then, she watched the Dark Red Enchanter spin his staff around and destroy the White Dolphin.

"Your monsters are toast. Deep-fried just the way I like 'em! I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn."

T5

"So that's how you wanna play, huh? No problem. I like playing dirty, too. Oh, now that it's my Standby Phase, you have to give up a Spell Counter for Armor Exe. But now that he has zilch, you have to destroy it."

"I know," Andre groaned. Armor Exe shattered into triangles.

"Now your Dark Red Enchanter is all alone. But don't worry, Andre, baby. I'll give him a few playmates. First, I activate the Moray of Greed. I shuffle two Water monsters back into my deck and draw three cards. Ha! Perfect! I activate the continuous spell, Secret Cove of Phantasm! This card will decrease the levels of all my Sea Serpent monsters by two and increase their attack by 300 points. Then I play another continuous spell, Song of Serpents! If I summon a Normal Sea Serpent monster, I'm allowed to summon another one! Go Kairyu-Shin!"

The water next to her splashed and bubbled. The blue serpent, dubbed The King of the Ocean, rose upward and screamed menacingly at Andre. His attack was 1800 but with Umiiruka in play, it increased to 2300. "And don't forget the effect of my Song of Serpents! Now, I'm allowed to summon another Sea Serpent from my hand. Sea King Dragon!"

She summoned a yellow-skinned serpent with a giant blue shell protecting it. Its ATK was 2000, now 2500 from the power bonus.

"He still has no idea, does he?" Yuri asked as he ate the ribs Tyson cooked.

Patty giggled. "Nope."

Nikki reared her head up and laughed. "No more guppies, Andre baby. Now, the big fish are here to play. You should know that Kairyu-Shin spells doom for my opponents when he is out. Once he and I are together, nothing can stop us."

"I've taken down stronger monsters than your serpent, Nikki. I will beat it."

"Oh yeah? Let's see how confident you are after this. Sea King Dragon, attack his Dark Red Enchanter!"

"I activate Mirror Force!" shouted Andre.

"NO FAIR!" Nikki yelled.

Sea King Dragon fired a beam of toxic bubbles at Dark Red Enchanter until the mirror-like barrier protected him and bounced the attack right back at him and Kairyu-Shin, destroying them.

"Babies!" Nikki cried out in sorrow.

Andre happily held up his fist in triumph, feeling proud to have taken down those two monsters. "Sorry about that, Nikki. Looks like your babies are toast! Now, I discard one card from my hand and Special Summon, The Tricky!"

He summoned a strange caped monster with a domed head with a red question mark on the center and two tendrils of a jester's conical cap on both sides of its head. With a strength of 2000 ATK, the monster teamed up with Dark Red Enchanter and attacked her Life Points directly, winning the Duel.

"Aw, weak," said Carter. "She lost."

"Awww, no! How could I lose? Crystal Anderson taught me everything I know."

"Man," said Tyson. "Kid's tougher than I thought. Training with Crystal proves nothing against him."

"He got lucky," Patty scoffed. "Look, there he goes, ready to claim his date."

Andre approached Nikki and helped her back on her feet. "Well...uh...I guess we go on a date, huh?"

Nikki blushed. "Wow...I really didn't think you'd beat me. I guess I have to go through with this, huh?"

Carter then approached and put his arm over her shoulder. "You're not my type," he said.

Andre's face turned redder than a tomato. "OH! I'm so sorry! You two are..."

"Yeah...She's my girlfriend, dude."

Andre looked over his shoulder at Nick, who was snickering behind the rocks. "You son of a...I mean uh, sorry, Carter. I didn't know."

"It's cool," he said. "Although, I don't know why she didn't use the Atlantean Deck she used in Regionals last year."

"Wait, you mean that wasn't your deck?" Andre asked.

"Nah. I went easy on you," Nikki said with a wink. "Nick said you were the weakest Duelist in the group so I thought it best not to use my own deck."

Andre smiled back at her and said that he would gladly do it. "So what's the occasion?"

They all looked at him.

"You mean you don't know?" Nick asked.

Andre just shook his head. "No. What's going on?"

"Today's the inaugural episode of Sergei's indie league promotion Dragon Den!" said Crystal. "He didn't tell you?"

"He's already come up with the roster and the match card for tonight's event," said Patty. "Seeing that you were one of the finalists of his Wyvern Cup Tournament, I figure he would have told you about it. The finalists will compete in the show's main event in a fatal four-way."

Andre looked at the sand. "Oh, his indie league promotion. Yeah, about that. I declined his offer to join the show."

"You did?" Tyson asked.

"Why?" Yuri asked.

"I appreciate the offer, but there are certain things going on in my life that are keeping me from joining the event. But I don't want to bore you guys with all that."

"Oh, thanks," Nick said. Relieved to have been spared listening to Andre's problems. His remark earned him a few disapproving glares from his friends. "Wait a minute! So I guess that means...holy crap! I'm in the fatal four-way!"

"How do you figure that?" Raven asked.

"You said so yourself! The top four Duelists from the Wyvern Cup will fight for the championship. I was behind Andre in the finals, so with him gone, that means I take his place!"

"Hmm, that is a possibility," said Raven. "I guess that's an easy win for us, huh, Yuri?"

The others laughed as Nick basked in their attention. " Ah, my adoring fans. Well, you fellas are going to sing a different tune when I win that championship and win that belt."

"So does that mean you guys have entrances and stuff?" Andre asked. "Have you practiced them?"

"We have been since Sergei announced the promotion," said Tyson. "In fact, we had our first entrance rehearsal on Monday. Where've you been?"

"I've been pretty busy," Andre said, sticking his hands in his pockets and kicking a pebble away. "But good luck in the show tonight, you guys. I'm sure you'll blow the roof off the place."

"You're not going to at least Duel in the mid-card?" Patty asked. "Being a finalist in the Wyvern Cup means you're one of Sergei's best players. I'm sure he'll want you competing in his first-ever promotion."

Andre shrugged. "I'll think about it. But I can't guarantee I'll make an appearance."

After enjoying themselves and having their meal, they tidied up their party camp, deactivated their holograms, and then hiked back to the Montgomery Estate to prepare for the show.

Chapter 9: Dragon Den: Pt I

Chapter Text

Ruby Dragon Stadium

Sergei had spared no expense to make this promotion the next biggest thing in Aquarius. He acquired failing indie league promotions across Aquarius as well as their top Duelists and merged them together to build his own. One that could be a stepping stone to allowing young Duelists to show off their potential. With some help from Jacob Montgomery, he was able to build his own little stadium on its own island not far from his shop.

Thousands of people flocked to the stadium to attend the first episode of the show. They came with signs rooting for their favorite Duelists and, of course, they came to see if the future CEO of Phobos Corp was ready for the big time. It was about to rain, but no one worried. The stadium had a roof that closed and kept the audience cozy and dry. Lighting and thunder bellowed outside, but the real storm was the energy and excitement from the audience. The stadium was glowing with red neon and holographic banners of the show's red dragon logo hung from the rafters for all to see.

Andre made his way inside after watching his friends enter the back rooms to get into their Dueling Attire. He found a nice spot on the west side of the stadium that was close to the Dueling Ring and sat down. Down below, he saw a sight that made him smile. Crystal, Annabelle, Sabrina, Askuka, and Nikki were sitting together in the floor seats right by the railing facing the arena. They were going to get an up-close experience with all the action taking place tonight. They were taking pictures and snapping selfies as they eagerly awaited the show to begin.

Finally, it was time to begin. There was a brief countdown before going live across the world and then a dazzling fireworks display. Sergei and Natalya came out of the stage leading to the arena with a standing ovation. Both were dressed at their best. Crystal and the girls cheered and whistled at how stunning Natalya looked in her sparkling red dress. Even though she was one of the shop's best players, she would have rather played the role of Head of Talent Relations and ring announcer.

Everyone in the audience cheered and stood up for Sergei. Being one of the most influential people on the island, they had the greatest respect for Sergei and his love for pushing promising players into the big leagues. Without him, stars like Logan and many others wouldn't have become the household names that they are. And many felt he was the reason behind Yuri's growth as a Duelist as well.

One of the crew members passed a microphone his way and he made his way to the center of the arena to make a speech. He smiled as he waited for the audience to settle down, but they were just so excited. "SERGEI! SERGEI! SERGEI! SERGEI!"

Sergei laughed. "Thank you! Thank you!"

The audience continued to cheer his name and eventually, they quieted down to let him commence his speech.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the inaugural episode of our brand new Dueling show! DRAGON DEN!"

The audience cheered.

"For those of you who don't know, my name is Sergei Fedorov, and it has been my lifelong dream to bring the best Dueling talent from around the world to showcase their skills on this platform. I am proud to say that tonight, we have gathered some of the most promising dueling talents from across the city of Aquarius, who are eager to show off their skills and get noticed by big promotions. But before we begin, I want to take a moment to reflect on what brought us here today. For me, Dueling has always been about more than just winning or losing. It's about the strategy, the creativity, and the passion that goes into every move. And that's what we hope to showcase on this show - not just raw talent but the spirit of the game that brings us all together. So to all of our Dueling contestants, I say this: tonight, you have the opportunity to show the world what you are made of. Talent scouts from many of the island's top promotions are here, so if you want to get that invitation to your desired show, do your best. So let the games begin!"

With that, Sergei concluded his speech as the crowd erupted into cheers, eagerly anticipating the start of the first Dueling match. He handed the phone to Natalya who was going to announce the first match of the night. Generic heavy metal music played as a young man with a red mohawk and black military punk clothes went down the ramp.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" said Natalya. "This match is a Standard 1 v 1 match! And it will be played with Master Rule 2! Introducing first! From Neros Island, Conrad Reks!"

Conrad made his way to the ring and flexed his muscles. His music died down, and then the signature roar of Behemoth King of All Animals thundered across the area as the lights darkened. Then the words BEASTMASTER appeared on the LED titantrons as two statues of holographic lions appeared on both sides of the entrance stage.

Epic trap music played as smoke billowed from the stage, forming a fog. Out from it, Tyson emerged, ready to do battle.

"And his opponent!" said Natalya. "From Paradiso Prima! He is the Beastmaster! TYSOOOOOOON WASHINGTON!"

Crystal and the girls cheered as they saw their friend standing menacingly on the stage with the two lion statues standing on both sides of him. He had his head down to keep his eyes in shadow, his muscles tense, and he was ready for one of the biggest Duels of his life. His family was nearby, cheering his name and whistling.

"WAY TO GO, SON! THAT'S MY BOY!" cheered Mr. Washington.

"Here comes Tyson Washington, ladies and gentlemen," said one of the show's commentators. "This kid has been tearing up the Dueling scene at Sergei's store lately. The Ruby Dragon is a hotbed for amazing Dueling action!"

"Great merchandise, Kole; I love shopping there with my kids," said John Roland.

"Right, you are! He's known for his aggressive Dueling style and his impressive Beast deck. From what I've heard, it's almost like he has his opponent's monsters trapped in a wild jungle, unable to escape from the ferocity of his beasts."

"Absolutely, Kole. Tyson's combos are something to be feared. He's got a way of making it look like his opponents are at the mercy of his beasts! Like they're being hunted down in the wild. It's no wonder he's earned himself a spot on the show tonight. He's got a chance to prove himself to some big promotions! We got talent scouts from Dragonfyre! WCD (World Class Dueling), Exellence Inc, Royal, All Elite Dueling, and the big dog itself, VIP Dueling! Tyson's going to have to really prove himself tonight if he wants to get noticed by any of these premiere leagues!"

"Definitely, and with his Behemoth King of All Animals as his ace, I have no doubt that we're in for an exciting match."

"Wow, Tyson!" Andre whispered, amazed at his friend's powerful entrance. Finally, the battle commences.

Tyson and Conrad stood at opposite ends of the arena, their decks shuffled and ready for battle. Tyson started the Duel by summoning Behemoth King of All Animals, a massive beast monster that towers over the other creatures in his deck. Coner responded by summoning Lavalval Salamander.

Back and forth they went, countering each other's moves with Traps and clever uses of spells. In one battle, Tyson's Gravity Behemoth had been boosted to 4000 with a couple of Equip Spells, but then Conrad activated his Reverse Trap, which made the cards decrease his monster's ATK.

As Tyson's Gravity Behemoth crashed down onto the field, the ground shook beneath Conrad's feet. Conrad gritted his teeth and commanded his Lavalval Salamander to strike back.

"Lavalval Salamander, counterattack!" Conrad shouted, and his monster opened its jaws, unleashing a stream of fiery flames that engulfed Gravity Behemoth.

The audience gasped as the two monsters clashed in a fierce display of power. Gravity Behemoth struggled to stand its ground against the intense heat but eventually succumbed and exploded in a burst of light. As the smoke cleared, Conrad's Lavalval Salamander stood victorious, its flames still burning bright. Conrad let out a triumphant laugh and raised his arms in victory, basking in the cheers of the crowd.

"You haven't beaten me yet! I use Graceful Charity. Now I draw three cards and discard two. Now, I activate Monster Reborn and bring back one of the cards I had to discard. Behemoth, King of All Animals! Let's go, dawg!"

The massive monster emerged from Tyson's deck, towering over the field. Its roar echoed throughout the arena, causing the audience to gasp in awe. Conrad smirked, confident that his Lavalval Salamander could take on anything. But as Behemoth King charged forward, flames flickered to life around its body, intensifying with each step. The sheer heat caused the air to warp and shimmer, and even Conrad started to sweat.

They countered each other with face-down cards, and the audience was at the edge of their seats, wondering who was going to emerge victorious. With his Mystical Space Typhoon, Tyson negated one of Conrad's traps that boosted Lavalval Salamander's ATK points.

Lavalval Salamander attacked first, hurling a wave of lava at the beast, but Behemoth King merely shrugged it off, roaring in defiance. It slammed a massive paw into the ground, causing a shockwave to ripple outwards and throw Lavalval Salamander off balance. Tyson seized the opening, commanding Behemoth King to strike with all its might. The monster lunged forward, its wingspan stretching wide as it prepared to deliver a crushing blow. The audience held its breath as the two monsters collided, creating a thunderous explosion of fire and force.

When the smoke cleared, Lavalval Salamander lay defeated, its once-fierce flames extinguished by Behemoth King's overwhelming power. Tyson pumped his fist in triumph, shouting at the top of his lungs.

Annabelle jumped from her seat. "Wow! Did you see that!?"

"Oh, dear," Nikki said, wiping her forehead. "I need some new underwear when we get out of here. Both those guys are evenly matched."

"Yeah, that was really intense!" said Penelope. "Tyson's improved his Dueling so much! He's quite the entertainer, isn't he?"

At that moment, Conrad retaliated and Synchro Summoned his true ace, Lavalval Exlord.

With a burst of flames, Lavalval Exlord blasted Behemoth King of All Animals with a fiery attack, destroying Tyson's strongest monster.

"Oh, no, that's not good!" said Crystal. "Behemoth is Tyson's best monster!"

The crowd shouted in disbelief as they saw the smoldering pile of ash where Tyson's monster once stood. Conrad started laughing and held up his fist victoriously. "Ha! I've taken down your Behemoth! Now you've got nothing left that can protect you. Now you're all mine!"

But then, Tyson grinned, and the audience grew curious as he revealed his next move.

"I beg to differ," Tyson said, holding up a card. "I still have one more weapon up my sleeve. Behold, my Behemoth in his new form Rise, Behemoth, the King of All Wars!"

The crowd gasped in amazement as the ground shook beneath them, and Behemoth, King of all Wars emerged from the shadows, roaring ferociously. The massive beast towered over Laval Exlord, and Conner's confident smirk faded into a look of concern.

With a roar, War King Behemoth charged toward Lavalval Exlord, and the two beasts clashed in a spectacular display of power. The crowd watched in awe as the two monsters exchanged blows, neither one willing to back down. In the end, the two monsters struck each other with a final, devastating blow, and the arena was engulfed in a bright light. When the light faded, both monsters lay defeated on the field, and the crowd erupted into cheers, amazed by the intensity of the battle.

"IT'S A DRAW!" Andre shouted as both monsters evaporated into dust.

Even though their best monsters were out, they did not quit. The Duel pressed on, but In the end, it was Tyson who emerged victorious. The crowd erupted into cheers as Tyson was declared the winner of the night's first match, with both Duelists receiving a round of applause for putting on an incredible show.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, here's your winner! The Beastmaster! Tysoooooon Washington!"

After Tyson and Conrad left, the arena was still for just a moment. The audience was excitedly talking about the incredible match between Tyson and Conrad, and that was just the first Duel of the night.

After a three-minute break, the next match of the night commenced.

"This match is a standard 1 v 1 match!" announced Natalya. "And it will be played with Master Rule 2!"

The arena was bathed in an eerie blue glow as the lights dimmed. Suddenly, the sound of crashing waves filled the air, and a massive holographic image of the ocean appeared above the entrance ramp. Amidst the waves, schools of fish and pods of whales swam gracefully, seeming almost to leap out of the holographic ocean.

The crowd erupted into cheers as a figure emerged from the backstage area, confidently walking down the ramp toward the Dueling arena. It was Carter. He came out with beautiful and powerful ocean-themed music. Nikki walked out of the waves dressed as Boa Hanco*ck, her favorite character from the anime One Piece.

"Introducing first! Accompanied to the ring by Nikki Dragonuv: From Manta Island! Carter Kim!"

"Yeah, Carter!" cheered Annabelle. She looked up and was in love with the holographic whales swimming over the arena.

As he and Nikki strolled down the ring hand in hand, the holographic ocean appeared to magically separate, forming a clear pathway for their steps. Within the shimmering water wall, spectators beheld schools of fish and majestic humpback whales gracefully gliding past. Carter's eyes gleamed with wonder as he looked out across the audience, and the holographic fish and whales gracefully swam around him, casting a mesmerizing spectacle of technology and light.

"Here comes Carter Kim, with his girlfriend/manager, Nikki Dragonuv, who I hear is a protege to the Queen of Dragons. Quite a catch, huh?"

"No doubt about that, Kole. Carter Kim is known for his unique style of Dueling that resembles art rather than just a strategic game."

"Absolutely, and with his Water Deck, it's like he's painting a picture with every move he makes. The mighty sea monster, Levia-Dragon Daedalus, is the centerpiece of his deck."

"His style is truly a sight to behold, and I can't wait to see what he has in store for us tonight!"

Carter's music faded as he walked up the steps into the ring. Nikki remained ringside to cheer him on. After a long silence, his opponent, Dillan Judas, came out to deafening heavy metal music and a show of flashing red and white lights. He was a Water Duelist like Carter, except he used a Gishki Deck.

Carter began the duel by summoning his Mega Fortress Whale. As his powerful sea monster emerged from the waters of the Umiiruka Field Spell that he had activated, Nikki excitedly jumped up and down, turning to the crowd to generate hype for her partner's impressive skill in bringing out such a powerful creature so early in the game.

Dillan didn't let Carter get too comfortable, however, as he summoned Gishki Zielgigas, a powerful monster that dwarfed even the Mega Fortress Whale.

"Did you see that, folks? Carter Kim has just unleashed Ocean Dragon Lord - Neo Daedalus! This is incredible! He's pulling out all the stops to win this match!"

With Neo Daedalus on his side, Carter felt a surge of confidence. But Dillan wasn't about to give up without a fight. He summoned Gishki Zielgigas once again, its tentacles writhing and lashing out like snakes.

"Let's see how your fancy new monster does against my Gishki Zielgigas!" Dillan taunted.

Carter just grinned. He knew he had the upper hand now, and he was ready to take on anything that Dillan threw. Neo Daedalus charged forward with a fierce roar, leaving a trail of foam in its wake. The two monsters clashed in a mighty explosion of water and power, each straining to gain the upper hand.

The battle raged for several minutes, with both Duelists calling upon their monsters to unleash powerful attacks. Neo Daedalus was a fierce opponent, striking out with its claws and unleashing devastating blasts of water, but Gishki Zielgigas was just as powerful, its tentacles lashing out with deadly precision.

The commentators praised both Duelists for their impressive skills, but Carter's masterful use of his water monsters earned him the win. He jumped down from the arena and walked to Nikki to hug her, then he presented her with a sapphire necklace. The crowd uttered sounds of affection as he put it around her neck and kissed her. Hand in hand, they walked up the ramp and disappeared backstage.

"Wow..." said Andre. "They are really good. I can't believe what a spectacular job these guys are doing."

The night went on, and then it was time for the last match of the mid-card before the main event. It was none other than Logan Richmond, who was there to duel in Sergei's honor. His theme song started blasting as the entire stadium turned dark purple.

An arcane circle appeared over the entrance, firing three beams of light at the ground. The beams joined together, and then there was a flash. Logan and Sabrina appeared out of nowhere. The song Logan was playing was "Sleeping Giant" by 10 Fold, a song Sergei had picked for him when he officially became part of the VIP Dueling roster.

When he was just a boy, everyone made fun of Logan for being so weak. As Sergei watched Logan walk down the ramp, he remembered the young fools laughing at the boy until he cried, and then he approached. "One of these days," he warned them, "You're going to regret laughing at this boy. Like a sleeping giant, he will destroy you when he finds his potential and awakens."

And how true that was. Logan made sure to make each of them regret making fun of him. Now, here he was, one of the top Duelists on the island and Television Champion of the island's premier Pro Dueling League. He ran up the top of the ramp as Sabrina stayed ringside. His music died down, and his opponent's theme song began thundering across the stadium. He walked down the ramp with his faction, the Lighting Factory, a team of Thunder Duelists. He held up his deck in triumph, ready to take down Logan. Once the music died down, the coin was tossed, and the match began.

As Andre watched, someone came down and sat next to him. It was Alexis, hooded in a white sweater.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Just wanted to say thanks for resisting Sergei's offer to come here. Gotta say I'm proud of you for keeping that ego of yours in check."

Andre sat up in his seat.

"That must have taken a lot of guts," she added.

"I had to," Andre replied with a sigh. He watched Logan summon his Magician of Black Chaos and Dark Magician of Chaos at the same time. "I really wanted to be part of the show and show Yuri that I'm a useful part of the group."

"I understand how you feel. He's a good guy. But you put yourself and your needs before his."

"I know. I don't need this lecture again. Declan's probably waiting to destroy me when I get back."

"You're not going to jail or getting the chop if that's what you're wondering," said Alexis. "We don't know how long King Forrest's army will remain in this calm state. So, most likely, you're going to get sent to the frontlines."

"Great. I have to deal with those pompous princes, I wager."

"Keep dreaming," Alexis responded with a chuckle. "I highly doubt you'll be assigned to anything with them."

"Whatever. I wish I could stick around and help Yuri some more."

"You still can. You're just going to be worlds apart. You wanna keep Yuri safe? Then help the Alliance fight back our enemies."

"I guess that's all I can do. Because of the whole Duel King fiasco, I've been banned from further projects revolving around Yuri until he makes it home."

"You don't have to be close to Yuri or do work involving him to be a hero, Andre. Sometimes, the little things can make all the difference."

Andre just nodded. "I'm sorry about Belladonna."

"It's too late for apologies," said Alexis. "What happened to her is something I cannot forgive. However, that doesn't mean I don't applaud you for bettering yourself. And you have, Andre. You improved your character and your Dueling a lot."

"Well...I didn't do that on my own. You know, the funny thing is I came down here thinking I could be Yuri's teacher and master. But when I think about it, the one doing the teaching was him. Seeing him overcome his own demons and fight back all the negativity from that curse inspired me to be better. If he can overcome a curse inflicted on him by the Witch-King, then I can overcome an inflated ego."

Alexis giggled. "That's one way to look at it."

"So before he left, Syrus told me you guys were Dueling Yuri in his dreams and destroying dark crystals. How was that undertaking?"

"It was completely exhausting," Alexis groaned. "When you wake up after a Noctix Duel, you feel like you've got a bad hangover."

Andre lightly snigg*red. "Well, when I do eventually get sent home, at least I know I can face Yuri in a Noctix."

"I doubt that's something you'll need to do. He's overcoming the darkness in his heart."

"Just like I conquered the darkness in mine, right?" Andre said. No response. "Alexis?" He turned his head. The seat where she sat was empty.

When he looked back to the arena, Logan had defeated his opponent. His music blasted on the speakers, and the fans cheered loudly.

"HERE IS YOUR WINNER! LOGAN RICHMOND!" Natalya proudly announced. Logan held up his title and marched around the ring, pointing his finger at the fans to get them to cheer. Then he and Sabrina left the ring.

"Here comes the main event," said Andre. He rubbed his hands together. "Let's see what you got, guys."

Chapter 10: Dragon Den: Pt II

Chapter Text

Finally, it was time for the main event to begin: the Fatal Four Way match for the coveted Dragon Den Championship belt.

The crowd cheered as Yuri was the first to come down to the field. He came down to some very upbeat music and gave high-fives to the fans cheering around the entrance ramp.

"Here comes Yuri Montgomery, the Wyvern Cup Champion!" one commentator exclaimed. "He's been on a roll lately, and it looks like he's ready to take on this fatal four-way match!"

The other commentator chimed in, "Yuri has really come a long way since he first started Dueling. He was timid and afraid to make moves, but now he's got a full set of powerful dinosaur monsters at his disposal, and he's not afraid to use them."

The first commentator nodded in agreement. "That's right, his deck is filled with some of the most ferocious dinosaurs you've ever seen. Including his beloved Ace, the Black Tyranno. I heard from many young players that when Yuri and his Ace are on the field together, they become invincible. He's had an impressive record, beating the likes of former Regional Champion Randall Lawson and Laya Lovecraft, who was a member of the legendary Sensational Dragon Sisters. And with his confidence levels at an all-time high, he's going to be tough to beat."

As Yuri stepped into the ring, the crowd roared with excitement, and the commentators continued to hype up the match. "This is going to be one intense battle," one said. "All four of these Duelists are incredibly skilled, and they all have their own unique strategies."

Yuri made it to the ring, and then the sound of a katana unsheathing rang across the arena. Shogun-themed lo-fi music played as Raven came out onto the stage with the Solid Vision Holograms of two samurai statues on both sides of him. He climbed up into the ring and held up his arms to get a cheer from the crowd. His music died down, and then Nick's entrance began. He came out to generic heavy metal music he got from a royalty-free website. He climbed up the ring, eager to show the crowd what he had.

Suddenly, the lights in the arena went out, plunging the entire place into darkness. The crowd quieted down in anticipation, wondering what could possibly be happening. White embers flew through the black screens of the titantrons as the eerie and slow intro to the song Ogentroost by Amenra started to play and make the arena rumble.

Suddenly, a massive creature with leathery wings descended from above. Diabolos, King of the Abyss. He landed on the field, punching the ground with his fists and lowering his rings over the stage. The neon blue lighting on his body made the arena glow ominously as the music got louder and stronger.

Finally, the dragon unfurled his wings and revealed Patty standing on the stage wearing a black bolero hoodie over a black corset, a frilly black skirt with red LED fiber optic lights, and belted leg-length boots. She wore a black metal skull mask that covered her eyes. Only her glittery pink lips and chin could be seen.

The audience erupted into cheers and gasps as they took in the sight before them. Patty looked regal and powerful, with her hair flowing down her face and her piercing eyes fixed on the other Duelists. Diabolos let out a deafening roar, causing the ground to shake, and Patty raised her arms in triumph. She was ready for this battle, and nothing was going to stop her from coming out on top.

"Wow!" said the first commentator. "A very eerie and macabre entrance. This is Patty McKnight, a girl who has ruled the Ruby Dragon as the number one Duelist since her freshman year of high school. This entrance reflects the horrors that lie in her deck. This is not for the faint of heart."

"You got that right, Dave. Patty is a force to be reckoned with. Her horrifying Fiend monsters got her to rank second in the Wyvern Cup Tournament last week, where she gave Yuri Montgomery the fight of his life."

"Absolutely. And let's not forget about her aggressive style. She uses her Fiend monsters to horrify her opponents. I've seen some Duelists shaking in their boots when they go up against her. It's going to be interesting to see how her opponents handle her dark arsenal."

As Patty made it to the ring, the lights turned back on. She removed her mask and then took off her hood. Her hair flowed down the side of her face, styled in a faux side shave with braids.

The crowd erupted into cheers as the four Duelists took their places at the four corners of the ring. A referee came out to explain the rules and the order of the match. They were going to fight under Master Rule 2, and the order began with the Duelists choosing a monster from their deck and holding it up. The monster with the strongest ATK points got to go first.

Patty no doubt wanted to start things off, for she held up The First Darklord (ATK 4000). Yuri came in second with Transcendosaurus Meteorus (ATK 3500). Then Raven was third with Shadow of the Six Samurai - Shien (ATK 2500), and finally Nick, who figured it would be best to go last, held up Kanan the Swordmistress (ATK 1400).

Patty started her turn, drew a card, and smirked, clearly pleased with what she saw. She surveyed the field for a moment before she started chanting an incantation in a low, ominous voice. Suddenly, a dark aura surrounded her, and her eyes began to glow with an eerie red light. The crowd murmured in fear and awe, knowing that Patty was about to unleash something dangerous.

After activating Greater Polymerization, Patty slammed her card down on the field, and a massive, shadowy creature emerged in a flash of dark energy. It was Guardian Chimera, the ultimate beast of the abyss, standing tall and proud on the field. The crowd gasped in amazement, some even recoiling in fear at the sight of such a terrifying monster.

Patty cackled with glee, her eyes still glowing with an otherworldly light as she admired her creation. The dark aura around her intensified, causing the air to feel thick and heavy. It was clear that Patty was in her element and wouldn't hesitate to use her fiendish monsters to their fullest extent in this match. But she was not done.

Patty activated the spell card "Darklord Contact" from her hand. She sent two "Darklord" monsters from her deck to the graveyard and added "Darklord Tezcatlipoca" and "Darklord Zerato" to her hand. Next, she sacrificed her "Guardian Chimera" to Ritual Summon the powerful "Zera the Mant," which emerged from a dark portal with a blinding flash of light.

But Patty's turn was not over yet. After unleashing a flurry of cards that added, searched, and special summoned monsters, she fused three Darklord monsters in her hand to summon her ace monster, "The First Darklord."

With a burst of dark energy, The First Darklord materialized onto the field, its ominous presence sending shivers down the spines of those in the audience. The creature appeared to be a divine being, its body adorned with black armor and six massive wings stretching out behind it.

With a satisfied grin, Patty ended her turn, leaving The First Darklord standing guard on her side of the field, ready to unleash its devastating abilities at a moment's notice.

"You think you're ready to stand up to me, boys?" she said. "I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

Nick and Yuri had fortunately activated Maxx C when she swarmed the field with monsters to help her bring out her stronger ones. So they had enough cards in their hands to pull off some decent combos. Still, they were quite nervous. Having been summoned with Greater Polymerization, her Guardian Chimera could attack multiple times and could not be easily destroyed. Everyone started cheering for their favorite players, urging them to find a way to destroy Patty's monsters, while Patty's fans whistled and congratulated her on a job well done.

Yuri's eyes were locked on Patty as he drew his next card. He knew he had to take control of the duel early if he wanted to win. With a confident smirk, he performed a few searches and then finally he shouted, "I summon Black Tyranno!"

The ground shook as the massive dinosaur emerged from the card, its razor-sharp teeth gleaming in the light. The crowd roared in excitement as Yuri's monster made its presence known.

"Yuri is not backing down from Patty's dark fiends, folks!" the commentator exclaimed. "He's showing that he's not afraid to take them head-on!"

The crowd cheered even louder as a volcano erupted in the background, spewing lava and smoke into the sky. Suddenly, a huge figure emerged from the flames. It was Transcendosaurus Meteorus! And Yuri still had one more Normal Summon to conduct. He activated Jurassic Power, increasing the ATK of all his dinosaurs by 300, and then he used its effect to summon his high-level monsters with ease.

He called on Absolute King - Megaplunder, with an ATK of 2000, now 2300 with his Jurassic Power card. And finally, he Fusion Summoned his Transcendosaurus Gigantozowler to the field. The crowd screamed and pointed at the ceiling. The giant horned ceratopsian titan peered through the stadium with a fierce look in his eyes. Children cried and hid under their parents' arms, for the Solid Vision beasts were just too real. The monster's ATK rose to 4100 points.

"WOW!" said the first commentator. "Yuri summoned a monster that's already capable of destroying The First Darklord!"

"sh*t!" Patty cursed. She admired watching Yuri summon that creature against Weevil but now she had to deal with it herself. Even her Guardian Chimera looked like it could easily get stomped by it.

The crowd went wild as Yuri's two powerful monsters stood side by side, ready to take on whatever Patty had in store for them. Yuri pumped his fist in the air and grinned. "With two cards face-down, my board is all set!" he said, his confidence rising with each passing moment. "What's the matter, Patty? You don't have that co*cky smirk on your face all of a sudden."

"Ha! Just wait until I attack, Yuri. You, of all people, should know ATK points don't mean everything."

"Sorry to disrupt your little argument, but it's my turn!" said Raven. Raven's apology was met with cheers from the crowd, who were excited to see what he had in store for them. He confidently started to summon his Six Samurai monsters to the field, which eventually led to the summoning of Great Shogun Shien. The crowd went wild at the sight of the imposing samurai.

Next, since he had multiple Six Samurais on the field, he called upon the Grandmaster of the Six Samurai, who wielded a long staff and wore a red and gold robe. The crowd cheered as they saw the synergy between Raven's monsters. Finally, Raven took things to the next level by Xyz Summoning Shadow of the Six Samurai - Shien! The monster appeared on the field, shrouded in a cloak of shadows, wielding two swords and exuding an ominous presence. The crowd was stunned by the display of power, and the commentators were at a loss for words.

"Wow, what a move by Raven! Xyz Summoning Shadow of the Six Samurai - Shien is no easy feat," one commentator said in disbelief.

"That's right, folks. Raven's Six Samurai deck is known for its precision and synergy, and he's showing us why," the other commentator added.

"And then I set three cards face-down," Raven said. His Bushido Counter spells allowed him to draw many cards this turn, enabling him to summon his best monsters and have enough resources in his hand to lay down some protection.

"All right, now it's my turn!" said Nick. Despite the doubts of some onlookers, Nick showed no fear as he faced down his opponents. He knew that he might not have the flashiest or most impressive deck, but he was determined to make every card count and fight with everything he had.

Nick's eyes gleamed as he drew his opening hand, ready to prove himself against his formidable opponents. He set a monster and a back-row card, clearly strategizing for future turns. Then, Nick revealed his new trump card, summoning the mighty Gilford the Legend onto the field. The crowd gasped in awe at the sight of the legendary warrior, with his massive sword gleaming in the light.

"Wow!" Annabelle squealed with excitement. "When did Nick get a cool card like that?"

But Nick wasn't finished yet. When Gilford was summoned, he allowed Nick to equip him with every Equip-Spell he had in the Graveyard. Nick had three since he used cards like Graceful Charity to search for more cards and used Dark Core to try and banish Raven's Grandmaster. However, Raven retaliated with a Six Samurai trap card called Musakani Magatama, which negated his spell. Nick remained calm, for his Gilford now had United We Stand, Mage Power, and a card called Mortshlang, which didn't increase his ATK by a point.

Nick smiled, for it gave his Gilford a special ability he couldn't wait to unleash. He followed up with Freed the Matchless General, a powerful warrior who led his troops with honor and skill. The two monsters stood ready to fight for their master. Then his Spell Cards came into play. United We Stand increased Gilford's ATK by 800 for every monster on the field. Nick had two, which meant he had 1600 points, followed by Mage Power, which increased his monster's ATK by 500 for every Spell and Trap Nick controlled. He had a full backboard, which meant Gilford's ATK went up by another 2500, for a total of 6700 ATK.

"Did you see that? Gilford's attack power just skyrocketed!" one commentator exclaimed.

"That's the power of a well-built warrior deck, folks. Nick may be the underdog in this match, but he's proving that he's a force to be reckoned with!" the other commentator added.

As Gilford stood tall on the field, Nick confidently declared his turn over, ready to face off against his friends in the fatal four-way Duel.

"Wow, what a move by Nick!" one commentator exclaimed. "He's really showing off his Warrior deck's potential with Gilford the Legend."

"That's right," his partner added. "Patty thought she had a clear advantage with The First Darklord's 4000 ATK, but now she's got some serious competition from these other Duelists."

As the Duelists stared each other down, the crowd could feel their passion sparking in the air.

With everyone now set up, the battle began in earnest. Raven and Patty thought Nick was an easy target and attacked him first, but he irritated them with his trap cards, stopping their attacks. However, Patty used Twin Twisters to destroy United We Stand and Mage Power. Even though Gilford lost his power-up, Nick happily accepted the challenge.

As The First Darklord and Gilford clashed, the arena trembled with each hit. Patty's monster swung its black sword with precision and grace, while Nick's Gilford used his sheer strength to deliver powerful blows. The sound of metal on metal echoed through the stadium as they continued to clash.

The audience stood on their feet, watching the intense battle unfold. Some were cheering for The First Darklord, while others were rooting for Gilford. The commentators shouted in excitement, analyzing each move and speculating on what might happen next. As the battle raged on, it became clear that neither monster was willing to back down. The First Darklord's shield and sword glowed with ominous black energy, while Gilford's sword sparked with electricity. Sparks flew as they continued to clash, neither one giving an inch.

Suddenly, Nick activated the hidden ability of his Mordshlag equip spell card, causing Gilford's sword to glow even brighter. The audience gasped as they realized that The First Darklord's ATK had decreased.

"WHAT HAPPENED!?" Patty shouted.

"Just a little something from my spell," Nick replied. "When your monster battles with a monster equipped with this card, it loses ATK and DEF equal to his original ATK."

Patty's eyes widened in surprise and fear as she realized that her First Darklord was outmatched. The crowd groaned in shock and awe as Gilford broke The First Darklord's sword and then slashed him across the chest.

Two turns later, Yuri's Black Tyranno charged forward, but Patty's Guardian Chimera intercepted and destroyed it with its effect. Nick then attacked with his two warrior monsters, but Raven's Six Samurai managed to negate their effects and destroy them.

Yuri retaliated by summoning a new dinosaur monster, but Patty used her Darklord traps and spells to negate its effects and banish it from the field. Nick attempted to strike again, but Raven's Six Samurai deflected the attack with ease.

"Look at them go!" said Crystal.

The crowd cheered as Gilford and Shien clashed in a fierce battle of swords. Gilford's massive sword clashed against Shien's thin but powerful katana. Sparks flew as the two monsters exchanged blows. The commentators marveled at the display of skill and power from both Duelists.

"Look at that exchange, folks!" exclaimed Sergei. "Gilford's sword is massive, but Shien's katana is made of powerful magic steel. He's deflecting Gilford's attacks with ease!"

"Indeed, Sergei," added his co-commentator. "Shien's swordsmanship is top-notch. He's not just deflecting Gilford's attacks, he's also striking back with deadly precision. This is truly a sight to behold!"

The Duelists on the field were both focused on their monsters, analyzing their moves and thinking ahead to their next plays. Nick seemed eager to take down Shien, while Raven was equally keen to defend his monster. As the battle raged on, the crowd cheered and gasped with every move. It was clear that this was a battle of skill and strategy, and both Duelists were giving it their all.

As Raven and Nick's monsters clashed, Asuka watched intently from ringside. Her eyes were glued to the action, and she could hardly sit still as she cheered her boyfriend on. She had been with Raven for years, and she knew how much this match meant to him. With each swing of Shadow of the Six Samurai - Shien's blade, her heart raced, and she could feel the tension building in the arena.

"Come on, Raven!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, hoping that her encouragement would give him an extra boost. "You can do this, baby! You're the best!"

As she cheered, the crowd around her began to join in. They could feel the intensity of the battle, and they knew that the outcome of this match could change everything. With each attack, they held their breath, waiting to see who would come out on top. And through it all, Asuka continued to cheer, hoping that her love would emerge victorious.

Meanwhile, Patty and Yuri focused on destroying each other. Zera the Mant unleashed a flurry of attacks, using its powerful sword to strike Black Tyranno repeatedly. But Black Tyranno, with its incredible strength and durability, withstood the onslaught and retaliated with its own powerful bite attacks, biting and clawing at Zera the Mant with its sharp teeth and talons.

The audience had been on the edge of their seats, cheering and gasping with every blow. Some rooted for Yuri, admiring his bravery and skill, while others rooted for Patty, impressed by her ferocious and unyielding monsters. As the battle continued, the two Duelists exchanged insults and taunts, each trying to gain the upper hand in the psychological battle as well as the physical one. But both were equally determined to come out on top, to be crowned the champion of the fatal four-way Duel. Off the battlefield, they loved one another. But on it, they were fierce rivals.

The people cheered, all of them standing out of their seats as the battle raged on, with no clear winner in sight.

Raven summoned his Legendary Six Samurai - Shien. The new monster appeared on the field, wielding a red katana and looking formidable. With a powerful strike, Shien eliminated Nick's Freed the Matchless General from the field, leaving Nick with no more monsters to defend himself. He attacked Nick with his revived Grandmaster and Great Shogun, wiping out the rest of his Life Points. The crowd cheered for Raven's impressive move and Nick took a deep breath, acknowledging his defeat.

As Nick made his way off the field, Raven turned his attention back to the remaining competitors. He was determined to win this match and make his girlfriend proud, but then Patty launched a surprise attack of her own, summoning Darklord Texcatlipoca to the field. She then used Soul Drain, a spell that reduced Grandmaster of the Six Samurai's ATK to 0 and let her draw a card. He tried to stop it with his Legendary Six Samurai - Shien's special ability, but Yuri joined in, activating Ghost Ogre and Snow Rabbit, which negated Shien's ability and destroyed him. With nothing left to defend himself from the oncoming ATK, Raven just hung his head in defeat and accepted the inevitable. Texcatlipoca destroyed his Grandmaster of the Six Samurai and reduced the rest of his Life Points to 0.

Now, once again, Patty and Yuri were forced to clash one-on-one to see which one of them was the best.

"Hey, Yuri," Patty called, forming a T with her hands to signal a time-out. "So it's just you and me again, huh? Look, before we continue our Duel, I just want to say something. You know me well enough to know that I'm not one for sappy speeches or sentimental moments. But I have to tell you something, Yuri. No matter what happens in this match, you're my best friend. And you always will be. I love you, baby. It's been an honor growing with you and fighting alongside you. And I know that we'll always be there for each other, no matter what happens in this match or in life. So let's give it our all, Yuri. Let's show the world what we're made of, and make this a Duel to remember!"

Yuri nodded. "All right, Patty. Let's do this!"

Later, Yuri managed to summon his Black Tyranno for one last stand. But Patty refused to give up, drawing her last card and summoning Diabolos King of the Abyss.

The crowd was silent as the two monsters faced off, each ready to deliver a decisive blow. The audience held its breath as they watched the final clash.

The two monsters stared each other down, their eyes locked in a fierce battle of wills. Black Tyranno roared, causing the ground to shake beneath them, as Diabolos, King of the Abyss snarled in response, ready for the challenge.

Without hesitation, Patty commanded Diabolos, King of the Abyss to attack Black Tyranno. Diabolos, King of the Abyss charged forward, his massive claws digging deep into the ground as he lunged towards Black Tyranno. Black Tyranno responded with a fierce roar of his own, baring his teeth as he prepared to counter-attack, hoping Yuri had a few face-down cards to give him an edge.

The two monsters collided in a massive explosion of smoke and debris, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Black Tyranno's massive jaws clamped down on Diabolos, King of the Abyss, crushing him with his powerful bite, but Patty wasn't finished yet.

With a flick of her wrist, she activated her trap card, but Yuri countered with a trap that negated the effect of her card and boosted Black Tyranno's ATK by 300. With his newfound strength, Yuri commanded his Black Tyranno to attack again, determined to take down his opponent. With a thunderous roar, Black Tyranno charged forward, his powerful legs carrying him straight towards Diabolos. But Patty was ready, and she activated a card that evened the odds.

Sergei leaned forward in his seat, hands clasped tightly together, watching the Duel with bated breath. As he looked down at the two Duelists on the field, he couldn't help but feel a sense of pride and nostalgia wash over him.

"Look at them go," he murmured to his guests, a smile spreading across his face. "Yuri and Patty have always had such a fierce rivalry since they were children playing in my shop. But they've grown so much since then."

His guests nodded in agreement, eyes glued to the intense battle unfolding below them.

Sergei continued, "It's amazing to see how far they've come. Yuri was always so timid and unsure of himself, but now he's one of the top Duelists in the city. And Patty... well, she's always been a force to be reckoned with. But she continues to grow stronger."

As the Duel continued, Sergei couldn't help but feel a twinge of sadness, knowing that one of them would have to lose. But he was also filled with excitement and anticipation, eager to see who would emerge as the champion.

The two monsters clashed once again, their bodies colliding in a massive explosion of energy. Black Tyranno roared in anger as he was pushed back by the force of the attack, but he was not out of the fight just yet. With a defiant roar, he attacked again determined to take down his opponent.

In the end, it was Yuri who came out on top, dealing the final blow with his Black Tyranno. The crowd erupted into cheers as Yuri was declared the night's champion.

As the dust settled from the intense battle between Black Tyranno and Diabolos, King of the Abyss, the crowd erupted into a wild cheer, knowing they had just witnessed an incredible Duel between two top Duelists.

Patty and Yuri stared at each other, their hearts still racing from the adrenaline of the Duel. Finally, without a word, they rushed towards each other, their arms wrapping tightly around each other in a warm embrace. They held each other tightly as the crowd cheered and applauded them. Then, with a sudden burst of passion, they kissed each other deeply, their lips locked in a fierce embrace.

The crowd's cheers grew even louder as they realized that this was not just a celebration of a great Duel but a celebration of love. Patty and Yuri held each other closely, not wanting to let go of each other, as the cheers and applause continued to fill the arena.

As Patty and Yuri basked in their victory, the rest of the Dragon Den roster paraded around the ring, cheering and congratulating Yuri on his impressive win. Even the defeated Nick, Raven, and their other opponents joined the celebration, showing their respect for Yuri's prowess as a Duelist. Confetti rained down on the ring, and Sergei approached with the championship belt. The belt was zipped up in a black bag, which he removed to show everyone the coveted title of the event. Yuri couldn't believe it. A beautiful championship belt just for him! And with this victory, he earned himself the admiration of the bigger promotions.

A group of talent scouts from various Dueling shows and organizations made their way up the ramp towards Yuri. Each scout carried a business card and a dinner invitation, eager to discuss the possibility of Yuri joining their respective programs.

Sergei raised the microphone to his mouth and addressed the cheering crowd, "Ladies and gentlemen, we have witnessed an incredible Duel today between two of the best Duelists this city has ever produced. But there can only be one champion, and it gives me great pleasure to crown Yuri as the new champion of our show!"

The crowd erupted in cheers and applause as Sergei handed Yuri the championship belt, and the other Duelists gathered around to congratulate him. Patty hugged Yuri tightly and whispered in his ear, "I knew you could do it. You're the best Duelist I've ever seen."

Yuri smiled and kissed her on the cheek.

The other Duelists congratulated Yuri as confetti continued to rain down from the rafters. Sergei took the microphone again and addressed the crowd, "Let's hear it for our new champion, Yuri!"

The crowd roared its approval as Yuri raised the championship belt high above his head, basking in the adulation of the fans. The other Duelists gathered around him, clapping him on the back and shouting their congratulations.

Patty and Yuri made their way to the edge of the ring, where they shared another passionate kiss for the crowd.

But the celebration was suddenly cut short as a familiar theme song echoed across the arena.

Happily parading from the entrance stage was none other than Brett Martinetti and his championship buddies from VIP Dueling and another show called DragonFyre. They marched to the ring with their own championship belts, dressed in their best and flashing their gold and jeweled Duel Disks for all to see.

The crowd unleashed an angry flurry of boos. Soon, every Duelist in the arena cleared a path for them, except Yuri and Patty, who stood their ground. Nick, Carter, Tyson, and Raven jumped in to have Yuri's back in case Brett was up to no good. Brett walked to Natalya and swiped the microphone from her fingers while making kissy faces at her. She frowned at him and backed away.

Brett brought the microphone to his lips to begin his monologue as his music died down. "Well, well, well, isn't this sweet? I never thought I'd see the day. Yuri Montgomery: A champ and a lover boy." He beamed at Patty. "You sure have good taste in girls, Yuri." He winked at her. He was about to say something else when the crowd booed him.

"No, no, no, no, hear me out, everyone. I'm only here to congratulate Yuri on his little victory tonight. And..." He lowered the microphone and approached Yuri until he was face-to-face with him. "to remind him that this garbage-tier league is all he has!"

"BOOOOO!" roared the crowd.

"And this little kiddy promotion is all he ever will have for the rest of his miserable little life. What? Yuri? You think because you beat a gang of hooded goons and beat my lame apprentice, you're hot sh*t? You think that because you won that cute little toy belt, you mean something around here?"

He held up his championship belt and lifted it high for everyone to see.

"Take a good look, Yuri." He then walked to Carter, Tyson, Nick, and Raven and held the belt to their faces, too. "I want all you losers to take a good look. See this! This is a REAL championship title! And this is as close as any of you third-rate rejects will ever get to one. Although, I see some of you have some skill and just might hold championship gold one day," he walked to Patty.

She wrinkled her nose at him and crossed her arms. "Patty McKnight. You impressed me yet again. Then again, you've always impressed me. Time and time again, I ask you to join my posse of champions. But you instead choose to side with these idiots. Look, Patty..."

Brett took his sunglasses off and hooked them to the collar of his black buttoned shirt.

"I'm here to give you one last chance. Join me and my crew. We'll give you the means to acquire real championship gold. The means to become a real star! And I guarantee you can make some real money and move out of that shack with your grandparents. You can live the good life again. But if you don't, may God have mercy on your soul, little girl. Because from henceforth, you will be my enemy! And that is the last thing you want. I swear I will use everything in my power to beat you senseless..." He sneered maliciously. "Just like that drunk of a father beat you!"

"OOOOOOH!" the crowd hollered.

Patty's face turned bright red, and she spat in his face. The crowd cheered her for her actions. Brett, however, smiled. He wiped the spit from his face and sucked it up with his fingers. Then he slapped her hard across the face, knocking her to the floor.

"That bastard!" shouted Andre.

Yuri could take it no more, he attempted to punch the living daylights out of Brett but Brett dodged with ease. Yuri lost his balance in the momentum and Brett extended his leg, tripping him and making him fall to the ground in a heap. Brett's friends laughed at the spectacle, their prestigious championship titles glimmering over their shoulders.

Logan's theme song played and he came running out with a steel chair and his Dark Magician of Chaos by his side. He jumped into the ring and swung the chair around as Brett and his boys got the hell out of dodge. One was not so lucky and got whacked by Dark Magician of Chaos's staff. He flew out of the arena and landed on top of Brett and his friends, making them fall against one another in a messy heap at ringside.

Logan and Dark Magician of Chaos formed a defensive wall as Yuri and his friends gathered around Patty to check on her. Brett slapped her so hard blood trickled down the side of her lip. Logan grabbed the microphone and shouted into it with all his fury.

"BRETT!" he roared. "It was one thing seeing you prance around with that belt and causing trouble for the rest of the roster with your friends and your money. But for you to come here, to another show, and not only insult the new champion but strike his girlfriend! YOU CROSSED THE LINE, BITCH!"

Brett just swayed his head from side to side, making uncaring expressions.

"Enough is enough! I've had it!" Brett's taunting made Logan angrier, and he started yelling at the top of his lungs. "WE'LL SEE YOU LAUGHING WHEN I END YOUR REIGN OF TERROR! I CHALLENGE YOU TO A MATCH, BRETT! YOU AND ME! ONE-ON-ONE! FOR THE UNDISPUTED VIP DUELING CHAMPIONSHIP AT CLASH OF THE TITANS!"

Brett held up his belt, showing he was not afraid of him. "All right, Logan. I'll play along and accept your challenge. But, our match will be an UNSACTIONED MATCH! NO ESCAPE! NO MERCY! ALL CARDS ARE ALLOWED!"

Brett held the belt up even higher and nodded as he accepted the challenge. "Bring it on!" he said as his friends gathered around him and showed off their belts as well. The match was set and the crowd cheered for Logan, hoping he would be the one to end Brett's title reign once and for all.

Chapter 11: Captain Sapphire

Chapter Text

Serenity -Castle Muto,The Storm Coasts, Emboldor/Termnnia

Serenity gave a weak nod as a response, shoving a spoon of cornflakes into her mouth as she examined maps and scrolls littering the table where she sat. The wind howled on the window beside her. Above, a lantern waved back and forth providing light alongside the many candles and the warm blaze of the hearth nearby. Though it was early in the morning, the world outside was still dark as night. Down below, they heard music and laughter as Mai invited the villagers to take shelter inside the castle as the mighty storm outside was growing to be very powerful. Tornados could be seen ravaging the hills miles away from the castle and four of them were raging in the seas.

Joey sniffed the air and licked his lips. "I know dat sweet smell," he said. "Mai's making another batch of her sweet, delicious, corn cakes. Wanna head down and get some? Hey, What's wit all doze maps and scrolls. Ya been starin' at dem since Phoenix and the others left the castle."

Serenity pointed towards the Thunder Dragon Sea. "I'm going out there."

Joey let out a loud laugh that caused the candles on the table to flicker. "Ya gotta be kiddin' me, sis. Dere's no way yer gonna find anything in dat! To explore the Thunder Dragon Seas means certain death. Only a fool would do it."

Serenity chuckled. "Then it looks like I'm a fool. The Pendant of the Kings is out there. And Yuri needs it."

"No!" Joey yelled. "You are not gonna go into doze waters, sis. Look at dat. Doze waves are gonna crush yer boat. Smack 'em right into the rocks. I've seen it happen. Not only dat, doze twisters out there will blow you into the next world. And dere are sea monsters swimming down there. Sailors avoid these waters like they were gateways to the Shadow Realm. Which dey could be fer all I know."

Serenity sighed. "I figured you'd say that."

"Serenity? Ya can't be serious. Da Pendant of da Kings? That item died with Norman the Conqueror. Archeologists, mages, treasure hunters, even Da Seven Golden Kings searched for it. No one has been able to find it. What makes ya think you can?"

Serenity smiled confidently. "I'll find it because there is someone out there who is destined to have it."

"Yuri?" Joey asked. "What makes ya think Yuri can have Da Pendant of da Kings?"

"I feel it in my heart," Serenity said, picking up her bowl and drinking the last of the milk. It dripped down her chin and down her neck towards her chest. She groaned. Joey picked up a handkerchief laying on the back of a chair and tossed it at her. She cleaned herself and got up to put the bowl in the sink. "Our business here in the Storm Coasts is not done, yet," she said.

"Well, yer not gonna have me fer support," said Joey. "I can't help ya on dis quest. I'm needed over in the Coastlands of da west. We got ourselves a young rebel stirring up trouble down dere. And we gotta do somethin' about Antilles' closing of the Gates."

Serenity's calm demeanor faded. Her face turned bright pink. "That bastard. I'm more than sure he wants to keep Yuri off the throne."

"A lot of people believe dat," Joey said, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. "But with a majority of the Senate on his side, there's not much we can do."

Serenity glared at the map on the table. She squeezed both the table's corners and let out a heavy breath to exhale all the frustrations making her chest feel heavy. "Yes, there is," she said coldly, looking at the sketching of the Pendant of the Kings. "You just wait and see."

Her phone vibrated. "That must be our ride. I'll see you later, Joey. Good luck in Emboldor."

"And good luck with this quest of yours," said Joey.

They hugged and Serenity grabbed her things and headed towards the docks of the castle. As soon as she opened the doors to the docks, she was blasted by fierce winds coming from the sea. The palm trees in the gardens bent toward the east and their emerald green palms swished as they brushed against one another. The flowers in the hedges danced and the lanterns hanging from posts swayed back and forth. The sky was not a shade of dull gold, meaning the cloud layers above were thin enough for some sunlight. Despite this, the tornados in the waters far off in the distance still twirled at full power. Streaks of lightning flashed in the ashy-black background behind them.

Serenity, donning a set of leather gear with her sword strapped to her hip, looked at the docks below and saw the submarine Mai promised her had arrived. Mai was already down there talking to the captain; a young Emboldorian woman in a Naval uniform. Her skin was pale and her eyes were as blue as the seas during the calm. She saw Serenity and pointed at her, letting Mai know she had arrived.

"Serenity!" Mai called over the wind and a loud clap of thunder. "Come on, baby, I'd like you to meet Captain Sapphire de Bourbon. She's going to be our pilot."

"Is she up for the task?" Serenity said, walking down the last of the steps. She pictured Captain Sapphire to be a rough and tough, grizzled woman of the seas, but what she saw instead seemed like a girl who should still be in high school. "Goddesses above, Mai, she's so young!"

"Young and loaded with experience," said Mai. "She was the one who found those artifacts from Errestia. She fears her discovery of those artifacts is what led the Naralians here to the Storm Coasts. So she aims to fix that. Uh, for the right price of course."

Captain Sapphire chuckled to hide the fact her pride was just jabbed. She knew Serenity was doubting her skills as a naval captain. She studied the girl from head to toe, wondering how someone so frail, so timid, so cute, could have ever reached the ranks of elite warriors such as the Silver Paladins.

Serenity stopped about five feet from the captain and placed her hands on her hips. The pouches around her waist and thighs bounced and clamored with each movement she made. Serenity tilted her head to the side, eyes squinted to show she was unimpressed with how unprofessional the woman looked. She looked more like a model going to shoot photos for a Naval calendar than a captain with enough experience to navigate the harsh waters of the Thunder Dragon Sea.

"So," Serenity said, at last, staring into the woman's oceanic-blue eyes. "You're from the House of Bourbon, huh? The Uraby sigil on your jacket. He's in flames. Why?"

"I'm from a new branch of the House," saidSapphire. "The Bourbons of Mt. Lagos. We found a living off the obsidian that is found on the mountain. But, I was a little adventurous and decided to join the Emboldorian Navy. I have fought in great battles including the recent War of the Golden Summer. I was also the one responsible for destroying much of Captain Red-Eyes fleet in The Battle of the Kaminari Isles."

Serenity raised an eyebrow, showing she was impressed. "The Kaminari Isles, huh? I heard about that. I can't imagine a ship battle during a violent lightning storm."

"Well, it's a piece of cake when you're driving a submersible," Sapphire replied with a confident smile. "And need I remind you that I discovered those ancient Norman artifacts in those very waters. No one else was able to do what I did. I'm willing to go back there provided you have my coin."

Serenity tilted her head to a tunnel at the castle. Carts full of all the gold they acquired from their adventures the past month were waiting to be collected.

"Ah, very nice." Sapphire nodded her head. "We have a deal."

"I really hope you know what you're doing, Mai," said Serenity.

"I've knownSapphirefor years," said Mai. "If there's anyone who can take us through those waters, it's her.Sapphirehas been known as The Storm Queen because she's famous for piloting her sub in the roughest of waters."

"And the waters of the Thunder Dragon Seas," Sapphire added, plopping a mint into her mouth from a pouch strapped to her calf. "However, choppy waters should be the least of our worries. The Naralians are guarding the area around the ruins with skyships and CUIRASS mechs piloted by Holy Naralian Knights, the best of the best. I also heard many of the worst and most powerful sea serpents in all Termnnia live down there. But it's nothing my baby can't handle, so long as you girls are good shots on the turrets."

"We'll do our best," said Mai. "Serenity, what do you think?"

Serenity sighed. "If your skills are as good as you claim they are, then you got the job. The payment for this venture is right over there and every coin has been accounted for. It's all yours when we get back from this adventure WITH the Pendant of the Kings."

"Very well then," Sapphire said, stroking her chin. "When shall we begin?"

"Anytime is good," Téa said, rushing out of the castle in her leather armor. "I got word from the castle's Master of Weather that the currents are getting weaker and those twisters should be vanishing any moment now."

"How long?"Sapphireasked.

"About an hour," Téa replied.

"An hour, huh?" saidSapphire, putting a finger to her shiny, red, lips. "Mai, darling, it's been far too long. How about a Duel to keep us entertained until the weather dies down?"

Mai smirked and crossed her arms over her chest. "And here I thought you wanted a challenge."

"I'm more than up for it," Sapphire replied, brushing away a lock of hair from her face. "I've always wanted to Duel you ever since I've seen you dominate the Pro Leagues in Domino City." A gem on her brooch glowed and then a beam of light shot out of it and arched toward her wrist forming a brass Duel Disk crafted to look like a sexton.

Mai's smile broadened as her necklace also glowed with radiant light. In a flash, her Duel Disk appeared on her wrist. "Let's do this. It's been too long since I had a good Duel."

LP 8000

"I'll go first,"Sapphiresaid, drawing her card and adding to her five-card hand. "Now, let's see here. Ah, this will do. I set two cards face-down and set a monster in Defense Mode. Your turn, honey bunny."

"You were always such a flirt," Mai laughed. "Draw!" She examined her hand. "Oh, I am just too good. I summon Harpie Channeler in attack mode!"

ATK/1400 DEF/1300

LV 4

"Now, her effect activates! I discard a Harpie card from my hand and then..."

"Hold on!" shoutedSapphire. "I activate my Trap Card, World Legacy Pawns! With this card, I can flip my face-down monster face-up. Say hello to Krawler Spine!" (ATK/300 DEF/2100 LV 2) The card flipped and revealed a mechanical orb with four sharp legs and a red glowing eye at the center of the orb. Its body was made of polished brass and strange appendages swayed in the stormy winds.

Mai chuckled. "Well, it didn't negate my monster's effect. So like I was saying, Harpie Channeler allows me to discard a Harpie card from my hand and Special Summon another Harpie from my deck in face-up defense position. Say hello to the lovely, Harpie Dancer!" (ATK/1200 DEF/1000 LV 4)

Krawler Spine started whirring and stamping its legs. "Huh?" Mai gasped. "What's going on? What's it doing?"

"When it's flipped over,"Sapphireexplained, "Krawler Spine allows me to destroy one monster on the field. Your dancer is a pretty thing. Too bad she won't be around for long. Fire!"

Krawler Spine shot a red laser from its eye. But Mai was too quick for it. "No, you're not!" she said. "From my hand, I activate the Trap Card, Harpie's Feather Storm! This card cancels out your monster's effect, so my Harpie Dancer is safe."

A cloud of feathers flew around Krawler Spine. It beeped and whirred as its laser died down.

"Wait a minute!" criedSapphire. "How can you activate a Trap Card from your hand?"

Mai burst out laughing. "If there is a Harpie on my side of the field, I can activate this card from my hand. So read it an weep, baby!"

Sapphireregained her composure and stood up straight, grinning. "Well, what I deserve for underestimating you. But, I assure you, this won't happen again!"

"Humph," said Mai. "Well, I'll just activate my Harpie Dancer's effect which..."

"Don't think so,"Sapphireinterrupted her. "I activate my Trap Card, World Legacy Mind Meld. This will change your Harpie's effect, forcing her to instead send my Krawler back to my hand."

"Why would you do that, I wonder," said Mai. "I set this Spell Card face down. Now, you're in for a world of hurt, Captain. Because I think it's time for an Xyz Summon!" In front of Mai's feet, The Overlay Network opened. Harpie Channeler and Harpie Dancer transformed into beams of light and were sucked in. Mai snapped her fingers and said: "I Overlay my two Harpies to become the all-powerful Tornado Dragon!"

A twister formed behind Mai, causing her clothes and hair to flap violently. The twister towered hundreds of feet into the sky and then grew arms, legs, a tail, and a head with red glowing eyes. Its wings were F-5s funnels, while the limbs were F-4s. The roar it made was like the sound of a hundred tornados bellowing at once.

Tornado Dragon

ATK/2100 DEF/2000

Rank 4

"Mai!" Téa screamed over the howling winds. "That's one big dragon you've got there!"

"Damn right, he is!" Mai shouted over the wind of her beast. "And I'll use his effect, by removing an Xyz Material from him, I can destroy a face-down card on the field. Like My Spell Card!" Tornado Dragon conjured more wind and destroyed the card, shattering it like glass. Mai let out another hearty laugh. "And since you're wide open, I will attack you directly!"

Tornado Dragon slammed its left arm down onSapphire. The fierce gales shredded her inside. The dragon decided that enough was enough and raised its arm up, leavingSapphirebattered and gasping for air.

Mai - 8000 LP

Sapphire- 5900 LP

"To end my turn," said Mai. "I will activate the effect of my Harpie Harpist. I'll add a monster with fifteen-hundred points to my hand. And now for my Spell Card. Hysteric Sign. When this card is destroyed, I'm allowed to add three Harpie cards from my deck to my hand. Your turn, hun."

"My turn,"Sapphiresaid, still shaken by the immense dragon's attack. "I draw. I got you now, Mai. I set a monster face-down and set this card."

Mai winked. "I hope that face-down isn't a surprise for me. I will remove and Xyz Material from my Tornado Dragon and blow it away!"

Mai took out the last card stacked under her Tornado Dragon, triggering the effect. Tornado Dragon released a gust of wind.Sapphirethen activated the effect of her World Legacy Pawns trap. With it, she flipped her face-down monster face-up. To Mai's chagrin, it was a Krawler Spine, and when it was flipped face-up, it could destroy a monster. The mechanical crab-like creature whirred and shot a laser at the dragon's heart. Tornado Dragon gave out a painful screech. The tornados that made its body dwindled until they became nothing more than a breeze that blew away toward the sea.

Serenity cried out in shock, amazed to see such a powerful creature get destroyed so quickly and so easily. Téa grunted as the wind died down, also speechless at the fact that Mai's dragon was gone.

"I end my turn," saidSapphire.

"You'll pay for that, hun," Mai said with a smirk, as she pulled the top card off her deck. "I just got that Tornado Dragon the other day and was just getting the hang of it. No matter, my Harpies are the real stars of this deck. And they're going to bring more hurt than that dragon you destroyed."

"You're bluffing," saidSapphire. "I saw how Yugi trounced you at Duelist Kingdom and Marik did the same in Battle City. Except for your Harpie's Pet Dragon, you've got nothing else left in your deck to make me worry."

"Wanna bet?" Mai cried out, infuriated that her past losses had to have been brought up, especially the one to Marik which left her in depression for many, many years. "I summon Harpie Channeler in attack mode! Then I'll discard a Harpie from my hand to activate her effect which..."

"I'll activate my Trap Card,"Sapphireinterrupted. "World Legacy Mind Meld. Now your Harpie's Effect changes, forcing my Krawler Spine to return to my hand."

"Your Krawler is back, but my Harpie's effect will continue on," Mai said, blowing her a kiss. "I've got myself another Harpies' Feather Storm in my hand nulling out your monster's effect."

Sapphirenarrowed her eyes and breathed out of her nose. The Duel was fun at first, knowing she would at least hold her own against the former champion. But Mai's new arsenal of rare and powerful Harpie cards was keeping her on the ropes. She was losing, and badly. She started to grow frustrated because no matter what she did, Mai seemed to have a counter for it.

Mai set a card face-down and attackedSapphiredirectly, dealing 1400 points of damage to her Life Points. Now.Sapphirestood with a mere 4500 Life Points, and Mai still stood strong at a full 8000. This was not going out how she planned. Mai ended her turn.Sapphireplaced her fingers on the top of her deck, realizing that it was now or never with this next draw. She set a monster face-down and ended her turn.

"I summon Harpie Perfumer!" Mai said, summoning a beautiful new Harpie who graced the air with a sweet smell of flowers and fruits as she flapped her jade-colored wings (ATK/1400 DEF/1300 LV 4). Mai triggered her Perfumer's effect, which let her add an Elegant Egotist Spell from her deck to her hand. Wasting no time, she activated it, and Special Summoned her beloved Harpie Lady Sisters to the field (ATK/1950 DEF/2100 LV 6). Then - because she had a LV 5 or higher Harpie monster on the field - she Special Summoned Harpie Oracle (ATK/1300 DEF/1400 LV 4) and the Overlayed it with Harpie Pefumer to become the Xyz monster, Lightning Chidori, a monstrous bird made entirely out of lightning.

Lightning Chidori

ATK/1900 DEF/1600

RANK 4

"This is not good,"Sapphiresaid, realizing Mai had enough monsters to wipe her out.

"No, it's not!" Mai said, making a sassy pose as she stuck an arrogant finger in the air. "I remove an Xyz Material from my Chidori and send that face-down monster back to your hand."

Lightning Chidori flapped its flashing, electric wings and conjured up a funnel of lightning that sent the face-down card off the field and back toSapphire's hand. Mai attacked directly with Harpie Lady Sisters, and then activated her Trap Card, The Elegant Harpie Lady, which traded Harpie Lady Sisters for the Harpie Queen (ATK/1900), a Harpie Perfumer, and a Harpie Dancer. Mai forced all her monster to attack, knockingSapphireon her back. She grunted and skid a few feet as her Life Points went to 0.

Téa and Serenity clapped from the steps overlooking the docks.

"Way to go, Mai!" Téa cried out.

Mai blew her friends a kiss and her Duel Disk faded, turning back into the flower necklace. She looked atSapphire, trying to get back up on her feet. "Krawlers are good," Mai said to her. "They should have kept me on the ropes in that Duel. You sure you know how to use them, hun?"

"I can still learn,"Sapphiresaid, rubbing her back before standing back up. "I'll get you next time. You can count on it."

"Yeah, that's what they all say," said Mai. "Now, enough playing around. The currents should be calmer now, so let's take advantage of them while we still can.Sapphire, it's time we cast off, don't you think."

"Aye, aye, Mai!"Sapphiresaid with a salute. "Ladies, pack what you need, and make it fast. Even with my skills, we're going to be in for a bumpy ride."

Chapter 12: Crimson King of the Standard Dimension

Chapter Text

Andre - Lancer's Underwater Hideout

"No," Clover said, typing away at her computer.

Andre locked his hands together. "Please, please, please, Clover. Just for tonight!"

"Forget it, Andre. I made a vow of secrecy to both Prince Yuri and Master Yugi. And unlike you, I intend to keep it."

"What's going on?" Chazz asked as he stepped into the room, his feet aching from a long night of Dueling Brett's minions. He hung his coat over a chair and sat down.

"Nothing," Clover and Andre replied, hoping not to get him involved.

However, Adrian, reading a magazine on the couch nearby, told him what was going on. "Andre here is supposed to go to the movies with Yuri and his pals. However, everyone but him has a date. So he's asking Clover to go with him so he doesn't feel left out," he explained in a babyish tone.

Chazz broke out into laughter. "Aww, that's weeeeak!" he jeered. "Andre, that's just sad."

Clover shook her head. "Ugh, don't listen to him. Shouldn't you be glad to be in the company of Yuri and his friends? Why is a date so damn important?"

"I don't know...I guess it would have been awkward if I just went alone. And you've been working so hard. I figured you'd want some time off."

"I'm an agent working for the Eredian Corporate League. I don't get time off. Especially not when the life of my future High King is at stake. We have a responsibility as Lancers. Our duty is to protect Prince Yuri and uphold our oaths. It's not about personal gratification or fitting in. Now, if you're done playing around, get out there and hunt some Duel Gangs. Sukari needs help."

Yuri - Aquarius Regal Multiplex

Yuri and his friends sat in a club that was part of the movie theatre located in the Diamond District of Phobos Island. They were surrounded by reefs with colorful fishes swimming all over the establishment. They were dressed in their best, Yuri with his championship belt slung over his shoulder. His friends took turns holding it.

"Man, this thing is heavy," grunted Tyson.

"Hey, you actually look good in championship gold," said Raven, Asuka sitting by his side.

"Who would have thought we'd be here like this?" said Carter, Nikki, who was sitting happily on his lap with a drink in hand. "We have Miss Aquarius in our group and two top-ranking Duelists in their promotions." He looked at Yuri, champion of Dragon Den, and Logan, also donning his Television Championship belt from VIP Dueling.

"Who would have thunk it, huh?" Natalya said with delight. "I mean look at all of you."

"Hey, don't leave us out just yet," said Tyson. "My brother, The One and Only: Carter Kim, will be my tag team partner for the upcoming Tag Team Tournament with two new spiffy belts on the line. So you serious, Yuri?"

"About what?"

"You're going to take on the Duel Gangs?"

Yuri nodded slowly. "I am. And if they're working for Brett, then that'll make it all the sweeter."

"You'll go against Brett? Whatever for?" Natalya asked. "Yuri, please reconsider. This is going to be very dangerous. You don't know what Brett could do. The last time you tried to take action against him, he beat you into a vegetative state."

Yuri took a deep breath. "I have to. Brett isn't just some wannabe gangster causing trouble. He represents everything that's wrong in this city. He preys on people's dreams and desires, and he exploits them for his own gain. He thrives on the suffering and fear he creates."

Nikki tightened her grip on Carter's hand. "Yuri, we know he's bad news. But what can one person do against him? You're risking your life."

Yuri nodded, acknowledging her worries. "I know it's a huge risk, but I can't sit back and let him continue to manipulate and control people. This isn't just about me anymore. I have to save Crystal. I just...I just got to free her from him."

Logan, thought about it for a moment. He wanted to argue against fighting against Brett, but seeing the fire burning in Yuri's eyes sparked one in his own soul. "Yuri, I'm in. Let's show Brett what we're made of and bring him down once and for all."

"Not you, too!" said Natalya.

"Hey, relax. I got connections. Trust me, there are lots of people in our promotion who want nothing more than to see Brett get taken down. I'll give them a call and tell them you're looking for soldiers itching to clear the streets of those Dueling punks once and for all."

"What about this Red Sparrow guy we've heard so much about?" Nikki asked.

"Good luck finding him," said Raven. "I've been trying to Duel that guy since we first heard about him. Let me tell you, trying to catch the Red Sparrow is like trying to capture smoke with your bare hands."

"We won't have to find him," said Patty. "This is Yuri we're talking about. If anything, he's going to come to us. The Red Sparrow has been hunting Duel Gangs for years. I'm sure if he finds out, Yuri is going to take out the leader of all these punks, he'll show up. If not, well, what can you do?"

"We're just as good," bragged Penelope. "Yuri, we might have to break a few rules, but I can get some of the boys from down below to join the fight. Brett's been racketeering and harassing our people for far too long. They'll help you take him out."

"Me?" Yuri asked. "I don't know if the Stowaways want anything to do with me after everything I put them through when I was a kid. I was a mobster myself. I was young. And really stupid."

"But you've changed," said Nick. "Consuelo told me to keep away from you because she thought you were dangerous. Now..heh, you're one of her favorite customers. You can count me in, too, buddy. I'm not letting you head into this fight alone."

Tyson nodded his head a few times. "Well, I can't call myself your friend if I let you take on this asshole alone. So you can count the Beatmaster in."

"And you're going to need some help from The One and Only!" boasted Carter.

"I got your back, too, baby," Patty said, kissing Yuri's cheek. "We're in this together. Let's make the streets a fun place to Duel again."

Natalya gulped. "I don't know whether to call you all brave or foolish."

Yuri smiled, appreciating the support of his friends. "Maybe it's a bit of both, Natalya. But sometimes, it takes a little bit of foolishness to be brave. I understand the risks, and I won't ask any of you to put yourselves in harm's way if you don't want to. But if you're willing to stand by my side, together we can make a difference."

Nikki pouted, but she soon nodded her head in agreement. "Well, I can't call myself a member of this group if I don't join. I may be a makeup influencer on Instagram, but my deck's got a lot of bite. Crystal didn't take me under her wing for nothing."

Natalya shivered for a moment, fearing for the safety of her friends. "You're crazy! But...if you're all going in, I won't abandon you. But promise me one thing: promise that you'll watch each other's backs and come back in one piece."

"We promise, Natalya. We'll be cautious, look out for one another, and come back stronger than ever. Together, we can overcome any obstacle."

Natalya smiled. "Well, I trust you. Patty always said the five of you can make amazing things happen. Just tell us what to do."

"Hey, where's that loser, Andre?" asked Nick. "Guess we can't count on him to help us fight the gangs."

"He's leaving Aquarius pretty soon," said Yuri, knowing about Andre's termination from the Lancer's mission. "So, no, you won't be seeing him. I doubt we'll ever see him again once he leaves."

"There is a God!" Nick said, praising the heavens.

"Oh, gee, that sucks," said Patty. "We could have really used him. His Dark Magicians are pretty strong."

Nick scoffed. "Well, we got an even better Dark Magician Duelist in our circle, right, Logan?"

Logan just scratched the back of his head. "I don't know how I feel about this. Heh, I was just starting to get to know him. I think he wanted to Duel me."

"Pfft, more like trying to prove he was the better Dark Magician player than you," said Nick. "That's the only reason he wanted to Duel you. All that loser did was try to outshine everyone."

"Come on, Nick, that's enough!" said Yuri. "You hate him. We get it. I don't need to hear about it every time someone says his name."

Nick just made a smug grin. "Whatever. He's leaving so you won't have to hear me bitch about it anymore."

"Nick, I feel sorry for you sometimes," said Yuri.

"Pfft, sure, whatever. Let's get back to taking out those Duel Gangs. What's the game plan, Yuri?"

"We start by taking their turf from them. One street at a time."

Tyson cracked his knuckles, a fire burning in his eyes. "Yeah, let's head to the streets and wipe them out. Count me in for some good ol' physical confrontation. I'll make sure those gangs crumble when they see us."

"So you are going to war with Brett," Ren said, walking towards them.

"Ren!" Yuri said aloud. "Wow! Fancy seeing you here."

"I can say the same about you. Yuri? At a nightclub? I never thought I'd see the day. You were always so scared of these places."

Yuri grinned and sat up straight as he slid his hand down Patty's thigh, making her smile. "What can I say? They're rubbing off on me."

"Glad to hear. So listen, word is going around that you're looking for Duelists to take on the Duel Gangs. Well, I just might have found the right Duelist for you. You remember Kate Fairfax?"

"She's planning to join?" Patty asked.

"Her schedule prohibits that, unfortunately. Her brother, however, wishes to join your crew. He's outside and wants to show you what he's got."

"I see," said Yuri. He stood up and straightened his clothes. "Let's go meet this guy."

After paying for their drinks and food, they followed Ren to the parking garage, where Leonidas Fairfax was leaning against a concrete pillar waiting for them. His sister, Kate, was drinking a bottle of water as she sat on her motorcycle. Leo looked up, smiled, and gave Yuri a friendly salute.

Leo looked up and grinned. "So, you're James Vincent Montgomery. Or is it Yuri these days? Hmph. We meet at last."

"You the guy who wants to join?" Nick asked.

"That I am. Brett's been giving me and my sister a hard time since we became pros. Always trying to coerce us with money and rare cards to join his group. We keep telling him no. Eventually, their coercing turned to threats."

Tyson crossed his arms and said: "Really? Why would they do that?"

"Our Synchro Dragons," Leo said. "They're one of a kind. Only ones in existence right now."

"You mean like that Clear Wing Synchro Dragon we saw your sister using in the tournament today, right?" Patty asked.

Leo nodded.

"Wait! You mean there's more of those things out there?" Nick asked.

"That's right. See Phobos Corp just printed some new Synchro and Xyz Dragon class monsters for a select few Duelists to try out before getting released. These Duelists were chosen by an invitational-only Dueling event that was held in the Phobos Corp Tri-Towers last month."

"Brett threw a hissy hit when he wasn't invited to attend," said Ren. "I see your father still harbors bad blood after what he did to you, Yuri."

"What a loser," Nick said with a snicker.

"That means bad news for the players involved in the games," said Kate. "Brett is a sucker for powerful dragons. And if you have something he wants, he'll go after it. He sent some of his suits over to try and coerce me to join his group. But I refused. There's no way I will reduce myself to their level."

"So you got one of them flashy Synchro Dragons, too, Leo?" Nick said. "Why don't we test its strength and see what it's made of."

"Nick? Are you serious?" Patty asked.

"Yeah. I mean, if you want to join this crew, you gotta prove yourself. Duel one on one with me."

Kate took one last swig of her water and placed it in her backpack. "Nick Rogers, right? Look, you're a good Duelist and all, but taking on my brother would be a complete waste of his time."

"This won't take long," Leo said. He got off the pillar and looked Nick square in the eyes. "You want to Duel? We'll Duel. But not because I have anything to prove to you. I want to show Yuri the power my Synchro Dragon possesses."

Kate chuckled. "You sure you want to do this, Nick?"

"Yeah, just because I didn't win any of the big prizes, I could still hold my own as one of the top players in each event we participated in. I'm not that scrub you guys used to know. Come on, hotshot, let's see what if this dragon of yours is as tough as you say."

They found an open space to Duel by a fountain next to the movie theater. Seeing that there was a Duel about to start, a group of onlookers gathered to watch Nick and Leo battle it out.

"Looks like we've drawn up quite a crowd," said Nick. "Can't wait to give these adoring fans quite a show."

They stuffed their decks into their Duel Disks and shouted: "Duel!"

LP 8000

"Since I'm the challenger, I'll start first," Nick said. declared. "Draw!" He sneered at his opening hand. "Aww, yeah! Check out his hand, baby! First, I play the spell, Upstart Goblin. Your Life Points increase by 1000 and I get a card. Now I'm going to activate Graceful Charity, drawing three cards and discarding two. The plan gets better and better!" Nick proudly boasted. "If you only knew what I was cooking up, you'd quit now. All right, I activate the spell Advanced Ritual Art! And with it, I sacrifice a Normal Monster, like my Sengenjin, from my deck and Ritual Summon the mighty Black Luster Solider!"

The crowd gasped in awe as the mystical scene unfolded before their eyes. Nick, standing at the epicenter of the arcane circle, exuded an air of confidence. His eyes locked on the ethereal white beam of light shooting skyward from the circle, illuminating the surrounding area in a mesmerizing glow.

The leaves rustled and quivered in response to the howling winds, as if bearing witness to the extraordinary spectacle. Empty soda cans scattered across the field, propelled by the gusts of wind, adding a touch of chaos to the moment. The onlookers couldn't help but be drawn into the unfolding display of supernatural energy.

From within the brilliance of the light, emerged Nick's new trump card, the Black Luster Soldier. The darkness of the night further accentuated the jet-black armor that enveloped the warrior, making it appear even more formidable. The gold trim adorning the armor glimmered and reflected the ambient lights, capturing the vibrant hues of the nearby fountain and the neon glow of the movie theater.

"Now, I'm going to boost Black Luster Soldier's power with Ritual Weapon! It will increase his ATK by 1500 points, raising him to 4500!"

Sparks of electricity danced around the soldier's arm, coalescing with his mighty sword. The blade extended, growing longer, while a radiant blue light engulfed its surface, casting a mystical glow that bathed the surroundings in a captivating azure hue.

"And I've got more for you, hotshot! I play Monster Reborn and bring back Sengejin to the field!"

The artifact depicted in the powerful spell card flashed above Nick and then burst into a flash of light. Sengejin appeared from the light, roaring and swinging his massive golden axe across the air.

"And since your Life Points are higher than mine, I will equip my Sengejin with Megamorph, doubling his ATK points to 5500!"

A red aura formed over Sengejin's massive body. He growled as he grew bigger and bigger. His weight became so immense that the ground where he stood started to crack.

"And I've still got this card to activate!" said Nick. "Ancient Rules! And I'm gonna use it to summon Garnecia Elefantis!"

He summoned a giant elephant standing on two legs and possessing human-like arms. it was adorned in tribal garbs made of gold and colorful tassels and it wielded a jagged sword that was as tall as a street lamp.

"Give up!" Nick boated. "There's no way you stand a chance against my lineup of monsters. It's all over for you!"

Leo laughed. "Swarming beat sticks to the field? Ah, that sure brings back memories of when I was an amateur like you."

"Amatuer!?" shouted Nick.

Leo ignored him and shouted: "Draw! Using its effect, I Special Summon Crimson Resonator to the field!" he said summoning a yellow-eyed Fiend with a tuning fork. "Then, I summon Red Resonator to the field, which allows me to summon Zalamander Catalyzer!"

Flames burst in front of Leo and formed into a wizard in torn robes with a face of fire burning in the hood.

"What do you plan to do with those?" Nick asked.

"This. I Tune Red Resonator with Zalamander Catalyzer and Sychro Summon, Red Rising Dragon!" After his two monsters Tuned together, they formed a dragon made entirely of flames, resembling the beast that lurked within Leo's Extra Deck. Kate smiled as she sucked on a lollipop, for she knew it was a matter of time before her brother called it to the field. Patty saw her mischievous grin and couldn't help but smile as well. Something big was about to come out. She felt it in her bones.

ATK/2100 DEF/1600

"Using Red Rising Dragon's effect, I can bring back Red Resonator from my Graveyard and summon it to the field. Now, I Tune it with my Red Rising Dragon to perform another Synchro Summon!"

There was a bright flash and the monsters turned into orbs that flew through three green rings.

"Through the crimson flames that scorch the heavens, I call upon the might of the dragon born of darkness! Awaken, ruler of infernal fury! Synchro Summon! Level Scar-Red Dragon Archfiend,

As the words leaveLeonidas's lips, the arena trembles with anticipation. Dark clouds gather overhead, obscuring the once-clear sky. Thunder roars and lightning crackles, illuminatingLeonidas's determined expression.

With a burst of crimson flames that engulfLeonidas's surroundings, Scar-Red Dragon Archfiend materializes. Its form is majestic and imposing, similar to its predecessor, the Red Dragon Archfiend, but now adorned in a new coat of crimson, emanating an aura of pure power.

Leonidasand the dragon lock eyes, sharing an unspoken connection forged in the fires of battle. Scar-Red Dragon Archfiend, now underLeonidas's command, stands tall, ready to unleash its fiery wrath upon all who dare oppose them.

ATK/ 3000 DEF/2500

Patty's eyes widened as the crowd gasped and pointed at Leo's new dragon. Many whipped out their phones and started taking pictures of it. "What's that!?" Patty gasped, clinging to Yuri's arm. "I've never seen that card before."

"Man, he looks tough," said Tyson. "Nick sure made a mistake battling this guy."

Yuri shivered, but not from the fact the card was new to him. Memories of Jack Atlas started flooding his mind. He used a deck full of cards that summoned variations of that beast. He remembered how aggressively it wiped out his entire field and destroyed him. "The Card Nexus," Yuri whispered to himself. "It proves itself once again. Bastion was right."

"Just so you know," Leonidas said, "when Red Resonator is used to Synchro Summon, my Life Points increase by the ATK points of the monster I used to Tune him with."

The crowd gasped and Nick grunted as Leo's Life Points increased to 10100.

"Pfft, your dragon doesn't look so tough!" Nick declared irrationally. "I can take him out!"

"If only," said Carter. "Such a shame he lost his Red-Eyes Black Dragon. It would have been awesome seeing it clash with this Red Dragon Archfiend."

"Ugh, can you stop reminding me of that?" Nick groaned.

"Red-Eyes Black Dragon?" Kate wondered. "Could he be the guy Brett's scouts were talking about?"

"My dragon doesn't intimidate you, huh?" said Leo. "Well, that's because I'm not quite done yet. Using the effect of my Crimson Resonator, I Special Summon two Resonator monsters from my deck to the field. Soul Resonator and Synkron Resonator. Now, Soul Resonator's effect activates, allowing me to add a Level 4 Fiend monster to my hand. And I Special Summon it to the field. Wandering King Wild Wind!" He summoned an anthropomorphic panther wearing an ornate skirt of gold and a huge green cape. "Now, I Tune Synkron Resonator with Scar-Red Dragon Archfiend and Synchro Summon a monster. First, Synkron's effect activates, allowing me to add Red Resonator to my hand!"

He closes his eyes and chants: "From the depths of the infernal abyss, Where flames consume and darkness persists, I call forth the catalyst of transformation's might! Synchro Summon! Level 9! Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss!"

As Leonidas's words echo through the air, the arena is engulfed in an otherworldly blaze. The ground trembles and the skies darken as if paying homage to the impending arrival of the dragon's first transformation. The very fabric of reality seems to warp and twist as Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss materializes.

The dragon now takes on humanoid features, its crimson scales pulsating with raw power. Its fiery gaze pierces through the shadows, and its imposing presence fills the arena with a tangible energy. Leonidas and the dragon share a momentary connection, their spirits intertwined in a pact forged through the intensity of battle.

ATK/3200 DEF/2500

Tyson's eyes widened in awe as he witnessed the transformation unfold before him. His breath caught in his throat, and a genuine sense of wonder washed over his features. "Incredible! The dragon has evolved!" he exclaimed. Unable to tear his gaze away, he leaned forward, captivated by the sight of Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss.

Natalya instinctively took a step back, her heart racing as she felt the intense heat radiating from the dragon's towering figure. A bead of sweat formed on her brow, a testament to the sheer power emanating from the creature. Her eyes widened, reflecting a combination of astonishment and respect. "Such power," she murmured.

"Scar-Red Dragon Archfiend's effect activates!" said Leonidas. "When it's sent from the field to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon Red Dragon Archfiend from my Extra Deck!"

A colossal crimson portal materialized, and from within emerged the mighty Red Dragon Archfiend, its form resonating with raw power. The ground quaked beneath its presence, and its piercing gaze fixed upon Leonidas, a testament to their shared bond.

The original Red Dragon Archfiend, wreathed in flames, stood tall and proud. Its crimson scales shimmered with an intensity matched only by its burning eyes. Leonidas felt an indescribable surge of energy coursing through him, the legacy of both Scar-Red Dragon Archfiend and the original Red Dragon Archfiend merging within him.

ATK/3000 DEF/2000

The audience was awestruck, witnessing the summoning of such an iconic and formidable creature. Murmurs of amazement and reverence swept through the crowd as they recognized the legendary power that stood before them.

"Scar-Red Dragon Archfiend's effect activates from the Graveyard!" said Leonidas. "It destroys all Attack Position monsters you control!"

A wall of flames erupted underneath Nick's monsters. He jumped back and scream, falling down on his backside. He gulped as he watched his monsters shatter one by one until his field was empty.

"That's not possible!" he screamed.

"Then prepare to be further amazed," Kate teased him. "My brother's not finished yet."

Leo looked back at his sister and nodded his head in agreement. He then turned back at Nick and continued his turn. "I Tune Crimson Resonator with Wild Wind and summon Red Dragon Rising!"

Again the flaming dragon the represented the soul of Red Dragon Archfiend materialized on the field. It flew in front of Leo, eager to be transformed into a new beast.

"Red Dragon Rising allows me to bring back Crimson Resonator from the Graveyard. Now that I have Dark monsters with a Level of 5 or higher on my field, I can Special Summon Vision Resonator from my hand! Then I will Tune it with Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss and Synchro Summon the mighty Hot Red Dragon Archfiend Abyss Bane!"

ATK/3500 DEF/3000

The blades adorning the dragon's arms elongated and grew in size, gleaming with a menacing aura. Its limbs became more human-like, bestowing a sinister grace upon its frame. The armor, once darkened, took on an even deeper shade, exuding an aura of ominous power. Glowing yellow patterns adorned the armor, tracing intricate pathways that pulsed with an otherworldly radiance.

But perhaps the most striking aspect of this transformation was the chest plate, which now assumed the form of a draconic visage. The face seemed alive, its fierce eyes gleaming with a fiery intensity that could freeze even the bravest of hearts.

"Now, I Tune Crimson Resonator with Red Rising Dragon and Synchro Summon another monster without peer! Level 8! Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!"

As the synchro materials aligned. A surge of power pulsed through Leonidas' veins, resonating with the echoes of the dragons that came before. In a blaze of brilliance, the dragon's presence materialized before him.

Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend towered above, reminiscent of the original Red Dragon Archfiend that had become a legend in the annals of dueling. Its commanding form exuded a regal aura. The dragon's black armor was accentuated by mesmerizing orange tiger stripes, glowing with an ethereal radiance. There was a molten metal gauntlet on its right arm, flames crackled from its surface, and its tail was longer than its body, covered with an impressive display of thagomizers colored jet black.

ATK/3000 DEF/2500

The ground trembled beneath their feet, and excitement electrified the atmosphere. They wondered what else he could summon, but others knew he was ready for the kill. Nick was already done for with his field wide open. Anything else would have been overkill by this point.

"Using Hot Red Dragon Arcfiend Abyss Bane's special ability, I Tribute Soul Resonator and summon the original Red Dragon Archfiend from my Graveyard!"

A flash of red light, and the real Red Dragon Archfiend was reborn. It spread its wings and roared as it joined its counterparts in the air.

"Give up? Or do you want to face the wrath of my dragons?" Leonidas asked.

Nick yelped and formed a T with his hands. "No! No! I quit! Uncle! Uncle! You proved your point!"

Leonidas nodded with a smile, and his dragons disappeared one by one. The crowd applauded him and cheered, thanking him for the incredible spectacle.

Tyson jumped on Yuri and wrapped his arms around his in excitement. "Damn, Yuri, we need this guy!"

"Yeah, with Andre leaving soon, he'll fill the gap," Carter said, nudging Yuri's other arm. "Those Red Dragon Archfiends are going to scare the sh*t out of the Duel Gangs."

Yuri smiled, approached Leonidas, and shook his hand. "Well, with that impressive display, how can I say no?"

They locked hands and pulled each other in for a friendly shoulder bump.

"Thanks, Yuri! Together, we can take down that monster."

"Brett's no monster," said Yuri. "Monsters fight no matter what they come across. Brett hides in the shadows and expects his goons to do all the work. His network and his subordinates are all he has. We take that away, and he has nothing. I'd hate to be him when his family finds out he's been losing power."

"I look forward to seeing it happen," Leonidas said. He looked over his shoulder at his sister, still leaning against her motorcycle. She smiled, the lollipop still in their mouth.

"Man! I just have to try my hand against those!" said Logan. "Leonidas! Mind if I face you dragons with my Magician of Black Chaos?"

Leonidas let out a friendly chuckle. "Sure, sure. Considering you have a championship match tomorrow night, I know you could use a warm-up."

"Wait here! I left my Duel Disk in my car." He sped to the parking garage, and Sabrina trailed after him so she could leave her purse there as well.

"All right!" Leonidas called. "Don't keep me waiting too long."

Nick got up and bumped fists with Leo. "Man, those were some really good moves. We need to go at it again."

"Thanks. But if you intend to keep up with me, you need to evolve that deck of yours."

While the others introduced themselves to Leonidas, Sabrina and Logan traversed deeper into the parking garage, searching for his car.

"Oh, this is going to be awesome!" Sabrina said. "I'd love to see how your magicians stack up to his Red Dragons."

"Me, too, babe!" Logan said.

"Oh, uh, can you take care of this for me?" she asked, handing Logan her purse, her legs skipping around impatiently. "Sorry, I gotta pee."

"I told you you had too many drinks," he laughed as he watched her scamper to the nearest bathroom.

He found his car and unlocked it with the remote on his keychain. The headlights and taillights flashed, and the car wailed, signaling its location.

Suddenly, he was struck from behind by a tall thug wearing woodland camo commando trousers and a black cargo vest. He grabbed Leo and smashed his face against the trunk of the car. Then, more assailants jumped out of the shadows and started attacking Leo. He tried to fight back, but he was dazed and confused. Sabrina saw the assault from the entrance to the bathroom and started screaming.

Logan's world became a maelstrom of pain and chaos. One of the assailants seized Logan's arms, rendering him defenseless, while the thug clad in a cargo vest delivered a relentless barrage of punches to his vulnerable stomach. The pain seared through his body with each strike, leaving him gasping for air.

The tormentors then dragged Logan towards his own car. They forcefully positioned his arm over the open door, a cruel plan taking shape. With a vicious display of force, the thug in the vest swung the car door down onto Logan's trapped limb. Agonizing screams tore through the air, intermingling with the sound of bones shattering.

Logan's body convulsed in spasms of excruciating agony, his legs thrashing uncontrollably as he clutched his injured arm. The tormentors, their viciousness far from sated, showed no mercy. They tore open his shirt, exposing his vulnerable torso, and mercilessly slammed him face-first against the unyielding wall. The impact further ravaged his already battered body, leaving him dazed and disoriented.

In a twisted display of sad*stic cruelty, the man wearing the cargo vest retrieved a fire extinguisher from the wall. A cold gleam of malice flickered in his eyes as he commanded his cohorts to extend Logan's damaged arm. Weakened and overwhelmed, Logan attempted to resist, but the second attacker forcefully yanked his arm across the unforgiving surface.

Without remorse, the assailant in the vest swung the heavy fire extinguisher down upon Logan's already mangled arm. The bone-crushing impact shattered what little resilience remained, eliciting another anguished cry from Logan's tormented soul. His body crumpled to the ground, the weight of his pain rendering him momentarily immobile.

Amidst the chaos, the commotion had caught the attention of Yuri and his friends. They rushed into the garage. Tyson, fueled by a raging fury, barreled towards the retreating thugs, his pursuit a desperate attempt to bring them to justice. The thug in the vest shouted: "Run!" and they fled into the night like rats.

Meanwhile, Yuri and the others converged around the fallen Logan. His groans and moans filled the air as they carefully tended to his broken form. Panic gripped the group as they realized the severity of his injuries, suspecting that his arm had been irreparably fractured.

Amid their distress, Patty's urgent voice pierced the chaos. "Call RAPTOR!" she exclaimed, her plea resonating with desperation. "Someone, get help! HELP!"

The sound of footsteps echoed as witnesses to the assault rushed to contact the authorities, their voices strained with alarm. Yuri and his friends huddled close to Logan, their faces etched with anguish and anger. Tears streaming down her face, Sabrina cradled him in her arms, offering a small semblance of comfort amidst the turmoil.

They stared into the enveloping darkness, a silent understanding passing between them. They knew all too well who would possess the malevolence behind this heinous act.

Chapter 13: The Malice of Brett Martinetti

Chapter Text

Yuri - VIP Duel Stadium

The tension in the air. Whispers and murmurs spread like wildfire, carrying the news of Logan's brutal assault from the previous night. Uncertainty clouded the minds of many, questioning whether he would be able to perform tonight with a broken arm. The weight of anticipation and concern settled upon the spectators, their hopes hanging in the balance.

Yuri, consumed by worry and anger, paced relentlessly along the railing, overlooking the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. The crashing waves reverberated against the metallic walls of the city, a stark reminder of the turbulent emotions that swirled within him. The biting cold of the oceanic air gnawed at his bones, but he couldn't bring himself to still his restless movements.

In the midst of his restless pacing, Yuri heard the faint sound of footsteps approaching from the darkness. His heart skipped a beat as Axel and Yuya emerged from their concealed positions, their figures cloaked in shadows.

"Your majesty..." Axel's voice trembled slightly as he began, aware of the urgency in Yuri's demeanor.

Yuri interrupted him, his voice filled with frustration. "Where have you been!? Did you find anything?"

Regret flickered in Yuya's eyes as he responded, "We searched tirelessly, scouring every corner. But we found no trace of the thugs who attacked your friend. They seem to have vanished, perhaps retreating to the depths of the city's sublevels."

Yuri's anger flared, his voice laced with anger and hate. "Find them! Leave no stone unturned, no alley unchecked! I want those animals brought before me so that I can deliver the justice they deserve!"

"Hey!" Axel shouted. "Enough of that! I understand your duty to confront the mafia, but seeking bloodshed isn't the path to follow. A true king exercises restraint, reserving the spilling of blood only when absolutely necessary."

Yuri's fists clenched tightly, his emotions roiling within him. The weight of his responsibilities bore down on him, conflicting with his desire for vengeance. He paused, allowing Axel's words to settle in, a battle between his righteous anger and the wisdom imparted by his friend.

"And this isn't one of those moments?" he seethed. "I know who sent those...those rats after Logan. I swear when I get my hands on him..."

"Yuri! Enough!" Yuya snapped sternly. "You can't go about with that kind of mindset. You have power, money, and allies in the palm of your hand now. And the first thing you want to do with those gifts is reaping your vengeance on those who have wronged you. You'll be no better than Brett if you keep acting like this."

"Cckk!" Yuri growled. He hissed through his teeth. "Damn it!"

"Don't go about using Dueling for revenge and hurting people," said Yuya. "Please, don't do that. Dueling is supposed to be about having fun and making people happy."

"Happy...how can anyone be happy when someone like Brett extinguishes our joy at every turn? All he's done was make our lives miserable since the day he got Crystal. I want his head! I want his head served to me on a silver platter so I can present it to his uncle!"

Axel grabbed Yuri by the collar of his shirt and held him tight. "You do that, and the gang will retaliate fool! What's that going to solve!? How do you and your friends expect to live in peace with all that heat on your backs all day, every day?"

"So what am I supposed to do? Roll over and let Brett piss on my front lawn?"

"Listen, Yuri, Brett is a tyrant! And like all tyrants, he thinks fear is power. But he's wrong, man. A beaten dog may fear you, but the moment you turn your back on it, that's when it strikes. So that's what you do. Real power comes from respect! And respect isn't about instilling fear or seeking revenge. It's about inspiring others and creating positive change. That's what separates the kings from the tyrants, Yuri. You go out there and take out Brett's little establishments in the underground, and you take away everything from him. No bloodshed, no vengeance. Got it?"

"Whatever." Yuri wanted to say more, but he stomped the ground instead and fixed the collar of his jacket.

"Don't sweat it," said Yuya. "We'll double our efforts in searching for the guys who attacked your friend. In the meantime, you better head into the arena. Your friends are waiting for you."

"All right. Contact me if you find anything on those guys."

Yuya and Axel bowed their heads and darted back into the shadows.

Logan - Medic's Office, VIP Duel Stadium

The medic examined Logan's arm for almost an hour. Even though it wasn't broken, it had to be put in a cast for extra support and protection. Logan winced as the medic gently manipulated his arm, ensuring that everything was aligned properly before putting it back in the cast. Sabrina stood by his side, her worry evident in her eyes.

"There we go, all set," the medic said, stepping back and inspecting his work. "The cast will help stabilize your arm and promote proper healing. You'll need to keep it on for several weeks, and be careful not to put too much strain on it."

Logan nodded, a mix of relief and frustration washing over him. He understood the importance of the cast, but the thought of being hindered by it weighed heavily on his mind. Still, he was grateful that his arm wasn't broken, and he knew he had his friends to support him through this setback.

"Thank you," Logan said to the medic, his voice filled with gratitude. "I appreciate your help. Can I compete tonight?" The doctor adjusted his glasses and pursed his lips. "Given how rough Solid Vision Holograms can be, Logan, I cannot clear you to Duel tonight."

"But...I have to! It's for the championship."

"What's more important?" Sabrina asked impatiently. "You need to rest, Logan. Brett wants you to go out there and further hurt yourself."

"But he wants me to quit even more. I can't let that coward get away with this!"

"It's up to you, son," said the medic. "But if you put any further strain on that arm, you could be in for a world of hurt."

Logan's gaze shifted from Sabrina to the concerned medic, weighing their words. He understood the risks involved, yet his perseverance burned fiercely within him.

"I hear you, and I appreciate your concern," Logan replied. "But this goes beyond just my physical well-being. It's about standing up to injustice, showing Brett and his cronies that they can't break us."

Sabrina's worry deepened, but she recognized the fire in Logan's eyes. "Logan, we'll support you no matter what you decide. Just promise me you'll be cautious and listen to your body."

Logan nodded, gratitude shining in his eyes. "I promise, Sabrina. I'll be mindful of my limits and put my safety first. But I won't let Brett's actions dictate my choices."

The medic sighed, knowing they couldn't sway Logan's urge to Duel. "Just remember, if you feel any severe pain or discomfort, you need to stop immediately. Your health should always come first."

Logan nodded, acknowledging the medic's warning. With his resolve solidified, he knew he had to push forward. The championship awaited, and he couldn't let his friends down.

In the arena, Yuri and his friends had sat in the front row, all feeling nervous about Logan and the big match. As much as they would have liked to see him strip Brett of the VIP Dueling Championship, they hadn't wanted Logan to further put himself in harm's way with that injured arm of his. Solid Vision Holograms, though not dangerous, were built to be rough to add to the experience. They could shove you, throw you, and tackle you to the ground. And everyone knew Brett had a very aggressive beatdown-style deck, meaning he could cause some real harm to Logan.

Brett's music, 'Dig Deep,' blared through the speakers, instantly eliciting a chorus of boos from the fervent crowd. The arena reverberated with a mixture of disdain and anticipation as Brett and his entourage made their grand entrance. Clad in an impeccably tailored suit and tie, Brett had exuded an air of arrogance, his every move calculated to draw attention. His fingers had been adorned with flashy gold rings catching the glimmer of the arena lights, symbolizing his opulent lifestyle.

As the boos rained down upon him, Brett had worn them like a badge of honor, relishing in the animosity. Each step he had taken down the aisle had been measured, exuding confidence and superiority. Slung over his shoulder, the championship belt had commanded attention—a symbol of his past victories and his unyielding grip on power. The weight of the gold surface had glimmered under the spotlight, accentuated by the dazzling diamond that had adorned it, casting a mesmerizing glow throughout the arena.

Brett's entourage, led by his loyal right-hand man Santiago, had played their part in the spectacle. They had joined their leader in berating the crowd, their voices cutting through the sea of boos. With fervent conviction, they had demanded respect for Brett, as if their words alone could sway the opinions of the passionate fans who had stood united against him.

Brett had climbed up into the ring. Clutching his ostentatious microphone, adorned with lavish gemstones and intricately carved with the letter B, he had lifted it to his lips, ready to address the seething audience. But before a word could escape his mouth, a thunderous chorus of boos had engulfed the arena, drowning out any attempt at communication.

Undeterred by the relentless jeers, Brett had maintained a smug composure, reveling in the animosity directed towards him. The crowd's collective disdain had spoken volumes, their hostility fueled by the knowledge that he may have had a hand in the despicable attack on Logan the previous night.

Finally, as the boos had subsided to a simmer, Brett had raised his hand, signaling for a momentary pause in the onslaught of disapproval. A sly grin had tugged at the corners of his mouth, his eyes glinting with malice and self-assurance.

"So word reached my ears that Logan had an 'unfortunate' accident," Brett began, his voice laced with a mocking tone that further incited the crowd.

The response had been immediate, an eruption of boos and jeers echoing throughout the arena. Anger and frustration had reverberated in the air, the audience well aware of Brett's involvement in the nefarious events that had unfolded the previous night. The collective sentiment of the crowd had become a display of solidarity against the reigning champion, their collective voice a resounding statement of their support for Logan and their disdain for Brett's actions.

In the face of the resounding disapproval, Brett had relished the chaos, his grin widening as he reveled in the chaos he had orchestrated. The stage had been set for an epic showdown, where not only skill and strategy would determine the victor, but the weight of justice and retribution had hung heavily in the balance.

BOOOOOO! Roared the crowd.

Brett raised his hands in a feeble attempt to pacify the enraged crowd, but their collective boos had only grown louder and more fervent.

"Look, look, look, look, look, I got how you felt, okay!" he shouted. "But there was no use pointing fingers, okay! The cops had been on this since last night, and there was no evidence to suggest that 'mua' had anything to do with the assault!"

The crowd's response was deafening.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, believe what you wanted to believe, alright," Brett continued. "But the fact of the matter was this! Logan couldn't compete that night, so there..."

The crowd's boos pierced the air and drowned out Brett's words. The audience's frustration and anger had grown with each poisonous word that had dripped from his lips.

"So there would be no championship match tonight," he said.

Undeterred by the overwhelming opposition, Brett paces the ring with a self-assured swagger. His cohorts, masked by smug grins, nod in agreement, fueling their boss's ego.

Just as Yuri was about to leap over the barricade, Logan's music blasted across the arena, and the fans stood up from their seats and cheered to greet him. The music and the graphics on the titantron played for almost two minutes before Logan finally limped out onto the stage. He still wore the cast, worrying many of his fans. Brett just pointed and laughed at Logan's feeble attempt to continue on with the Duel.

Logan's will to fight burned bright in his eyes as he made his way down to the arena, ignoring the pain coursing through his body. Sabrina chased after him, pleading for him to reconsider. She didn't want to see him further hurt himself. But Logan gently reassured her with a tender kiss.

The crowd fell into a hushed anticipation as Logan stepped into the ring, his gaze fixed on Brett. Despite the odds stacked against him, Logan's fiery spirit radiated from every fiber of his being. He squared his shoulders, ready to face whatever challenges awaited him in the Duel.

In Crystal's apartment, she and Annabelle sat in the living room to watch the match. Annabelle jumped up and down in her seat, hoping Logan could dethrone Brett once and for all.

"We're gonna have a new champion!" she happily declared. "Oh, this is gonna be great!"

Crystal just looked at her with a wan smile. She patted Annabelle's head and said: "I sure hope so, sweet pea." But deep down, she was screaming. Screaming for Logan to run while he still could.

The two got into their positions. Since Logan couldn't use his Dueling arm, he instead used a holographic interface that displayed in front of him.

"Thought you could just take me out, huh, Brett?"

"Take you out? Is that what you think I did?" Brett laughed and clapped. "What a lovely bit of theatre you're pulling off, my friend. Bravo."

"Shut up! Who's going to start the match?"

"Well, since I'm the champion, I believe I'll start first!"

LP 8000

"A full eight thousand Life Points?" Tyson said in shock. "I hope Logan knows what he's doing. The longer this Duel drags on, the greater his chance of hurting himself."

"I summon Peten the Dark Clown in attack mode!" Brett declared, summoning a masked clown wearing a yellow-blue-striped suit and an oversized wide-brimmed hat with a pink feather. The clown bowed, removing his hat and sticking his tongue out at Logan.

"And now, I'm going to play Graceful Charity, discarding two cards and drawing three. Ah, perfect." He looked over at Nick with a leer. "Behold! Monster Reborn, and I use it to bring back the mighty Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

"WHAT!?" Yuri and the others shouted at once. Everyone froze in shock as Red-Eyes Black Dragon rose from behind Brett from a wall of black flames. It spread its wings and roared, wowing the crowd with its awesome presence.

"Wow, a Red-Eyes Black Dragon!" Annabelle cried out. "Man, Brett just has the coolest cards!"

Crystal felt sick to her stomach. She recalled the night Brett offered Nick money for that same card, but it was refused. "That's not his," said Crystal. "That card doesn't belong to him!"

At that very moment, Yuri and his friends looked at Nick, who was on the verge of tears.

"You didn't lose that card," said Patty. "It was stolen from you! HE stole it from you, didn't he?"

Nick nodded sadly, his teeth chattering with sadness and anger. "He did. He threatened to throw Consuelo out of Aquarius if I didn't. I'm sorry, guys."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Carter asked.

"Because knowing how you guys are always willing to stick your necks out for me, I knew you'd try to do something stupid like confront Brett to get it back. I couldn't find it within myself to do that to you. I'd rather Brett run around with that card than hurt my friends."

"Impressed by my beast, Logan?" Brett boasted. "Don't get too excited. He's the weakest of my dragons. The best ones are still to come. I set two cards face-down. Your move!"

"I know!" Logan shouted. He slid his good hand across the floating screen and drew a holographic card, adding it to his hand on the interface. "I also know that dragon never belonged to you. Yuri told me Nick Rogers once had a Red-Eyes Black Dragon in his deck. And I know for a fact that amazing creature is his. You stole it from Nick, didn't you? Didn't you?"

Brett scoffed and shook his head. "Hurry up and make your move, Logan. Spare me the theatrics."

"Fine! l activate the spell, Secrets of Dark Magic, and I'll use it to Ritual Summon the Magician of Black Chaos!"

The arena went dark as two silver cauldrons formed on either side of Logan. The purple flames that burned on top of them released a fog of silver smoke and revealed the magician. Magician of Black Chaos glared at Brett poisonously as if he knew that it was he who ordered the assault on his master.

"Attack and destroy Red-Eyes Black Dragon! With Chaos Scepter Blast!"

"I think not!" said Brett. "I activate, Shift! Now I get to choose the target for your attack and I want you to destroy Peten the Dark Clown!"

The Magician of Black Chaos spun his staff and launched a ball of black energy at the clown.

"Why would he do that?" Natalya said with a gasp. "He'll take more damage if that clown takes the damage!"

Peten merely cackled as his body evaporated into a thousand tiny pieces. He was gone, but something strange lingered in the air. A pinkish-purple fog hovered over the spot where Peten was destroyed. Brett reared his head back and laughed.

"I reveal my face-down card. Crush Card Virus (Anime Effect)! When you destroy a monster on my side of the field with 1000 or less ATK, a deadly virus is unleashed, destroying all monsters in your deck with more than 1500 ATK points. Oh, and I take no damage from the attack."

"What!? That can't be real!" Nick clamored. "That just isn't fair!"

"Oh, it is," said Patty. "My dad would have paid anything to get his hands on that card. It is so rare and powerful that its printing was limited. Only fifty Duelists in the world have that card. Unfortunately, Brett is one of those people. Damn it! That thing is strong."

"Not only that," added Carter. "But all of his Dark Magician monsters are totally wiped out. So long as Brett's Crush Card Virus is in the Graveyard, Logan can't summon his strong monsters from the Graveyard."

"So once they're destroyed, they're destroyed," said Tyson. "Man, talk about messed up."

"Yeah, it's too powerful," said Patty. "Many Dueling Leagues and tournaments have banned that card from being played. But this is a VIP Dueling Unsanctioned Match, which means anything goes and any card is allowed."

"That creep!" Natalya said, seething with rage. "Brett set Logan up for that card all along when he wanted this to be an Unsanctioned Match. This is totally unfair!"

"This blows, man," said Raven. "All of Logan's Spells and Traps rely on the Dark Magician to work. His deck is practically useless now!"

Logan discarded half his deck to the Graveyard and set two cards face-down.

Brett laughed as he drew from his deck; his cards were covered in extravagant sleeves. "What's the matter, Logan? Can't fight me like a man now that all your puny magicians are in the Graveyard? I'm going to enjoy tearing you apart, Logan—piece by piece. I'm gonna end your career. But don't worry. I'll make sure your girl is taken care of. I'll treat her well."

Realizing Brett was goading him into doing something stupid, Logan clenched his teeth and said: "Just go!"

"With pleasure, Logan. Hmph. I have no need for this worthless creature stinking up my field. So I activate the spell, Sacred Sword of Seven Stars. By banishing a Level 7 monster from my hand or on the field, I can draw two new cards. So bye-bye, Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"

Red-Eyes roared sadly into the night as it faded into a shower of glittering light. "Red-Eyes!" Nick cried out. "NO!"

Brett heard Nick's cries and drew his two new cards. "Ah, much better. I activate the effect of my Thunder Dragon!"

"Here goes," said Nick. "He's about to summon that Twin-Headed Thunder Dragon of his!"

"Now, I'm going to activate the spell, Thunder Dragon Fusion!"

"What the hell is that?" Yuri asked.

Brett clenched his fist and smirked as he held the Thunder Dragon Fusion spell card in his hand. The crowd watched in anticipation as he slowly raised the card towards the sky. A surge of electricity crackled around him, creating an electrifying atmosphere. The card fused the two Thunder Dragons in his hand with the Thunder Dragon he discarded to add them. The three Thunder Dragons flew out of his Graveyard and into a ball of lightning to fuse into one ultimate beast.

With a powerful declaration, Brett unleashed the spell, and the arena was enveloped in a blinding flash of lightning. As the light dissipated, the three-headed monster, Thunder Dragon Titan, materialized on the field, its massive form casting a shadow over the Dueling arena.

The dragon let out a deafening roar, its thunderous voice echoing through the arena, further intensifying the tension between Brett and Logan.

With Thunder Dragon Titan on his side, Brett's confidence soared. He glared at Logan, savoring the moment as he prepared to unleash its devastating power. With each turn that passed, Thunder Dragon Titan proved its might, launching relentless assaults against Logan's defenses. All Logan could do for the past few turns was excavate his weaker monsters somehow and place them on the field to defend himself. Brett could have easily just wiped them out, but he wanted to savor this moment. He wanted to torture Logan.

With a thunderous crash, Thunder Dragon Titan's lightning-charged claws ripped through Logan's feeble defenses, tearing apart his weaker monsters one by one. The destructive power of the dragon's attacks sent shockwaves across the field, shaking the very foundation of Logan's strategy.

As each turn went by, the attacks grew more relentless and fierce. The ground quaked beneath Logan's feet, and the crowd held their breath, witnessing the overwhelming might of Thunder Dragon Titan as it relentlessly assaulted Logan's dwindling defenses.

Logan struggled to find a way to counter the unstoppable force before him, his options limited by Brett's earlier use of Crush Card Virus. The situation grew increasingly dire as Logan's field emptied, leaving him vulnerable to Thunder Dragon Titan's onslaught.

Brett reveled in his dominance, his smirk widening with each successful attack.

"You should give up now while you still have the chance, Logan," Brett said, fixing his tie. "Your strongest monsters are in the Graveyard and all you have left are weak, pathetic monsters that will get slaughtered by my monster. My championship is not yours! And it never will be! Thunder Dragon Titan, attack!"

The three-headed monster obeyed and attacked Logan's last line of defense. Old Vindictive Magician. When flipped, it allowed Logan to target a monster on the field and destroy it.

"You underestimate me, Brett!" Logan shouted. "I may not have my strongest monsters, but I still have the will to fight!"

As Thunder Dragon Titan launched its assault, closing in on Logan's remaining defenses, Old Vindictive Magician stood defiantly. Logan's eyes glinted with a hint of cunning as he activated the magician's ability just in time. With a wave of his hand, he unleashed a deadly spell that surged towards Thunder Dragon Titan.

The beams of Thunder Dragon Titan collided with Old Vindictive Magician's spell, creating a cataclysmic explosion. The force of the explosion enveloped both monsters in a cloud of black smoke, shrouding the field in mystery.

As the smoke cleared, the crowd erupted in cheers and applause. Thunder Dragon Titan was finally gone.

Brett stood frozen in disbelief, his arrogant smirk wiped away by shock and frustration. The realization that his prized monster had been taken down resonated through the arena, sending a wave of elation through Logan's supporters.

But even though Logan was able to destroy Thunder Dragon Titan, what more could he do? All his best monsters were in the Graveyard and he had no more traps as far as anyone could tell. All he could do was play Pot of Greed. He drew two cards, sighed heavily, and placed one card face down.

Brett drew Card of Sanctity, allowing him and Logan to draw until they had six cards left in their hands. The spell proved troublesome for Logan, for it reduced his deck to a mere two cards. In two turns, he would lose by deck-out. It was hopeless. And Brett was determined to prove it.

"I activate the spell, Ancient Rules!" he declared. "You thought Thunder Dragon Titan was my best monster, Logan? Ha! I have something much more powerful in store for you! I play the spell, Ancient Rules! Now, I summon a monster without peer! Go, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" The crowd let out gasps as lighting formed behind Brett.

Logan's heart sank as he witnessed Brett summoning the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon, an iconic symbol of power and might in the Duel Monsters world. The crowd's gasps reverberated through the arena, a mix of awe and concern filling the air. With his deck reduced to a mere two cards and his options limited, Logan's chances of victory seemed slim.

"Wh-what is that?" Patty shivered. "I...I've never seen anything like it."

"The Blue-Eyes White Dragon," said Raven. "Only five of those cards were ever printed. So, the rumors from the Tournament of Kings were true. There was a Duelist capable of summoning that card. Why am I not surprised that Duelist was Brett?"

"I may not have the legendary cards or the flashy moves," Logan declared. "But what I do have is heart. And with heart, I can overcome any challenge, no matter how powerful the opponent or how slim the odds."

"Oh? One Blue-Eyes White Dragon doesn't scare you, eh? Then let's see how you handle this." He revealed two more in his hand.

"NO WAY!" shouted Yuri. "HE HAS TWO MORE!"

"He...he has three dragons?" Carter mumbled, his body quivering in fear.

Logan stopped acting confident. Now, there was no hope of winning.

"And let's see how co*cky you are when I combined these two with the one on the field!" Brett's eyes became wide with madness. "I activate Polymerization, fusing all three Blue-Eyes White Dragons together to create a monster without peer! A monster so strong that no other creature can stand against it! Behold, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!"

As the three Blue-Eyes White Dragons hovered in the air, a brilliant aura enveloped them, their majestic forms beginning to merge. With a blinding flash of light, the dragons transformed, their bodies intertwining and fusing together. From the radiance emerged a colossal dragon of unparalleled might. It stood tall, its immense figure casting a shadow across the entire arena.

The Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon was a sight to behold, a magnificent creature that commanded awe and reverence. Its body was covered in pristine white scales, shimmering under the arena lights. Three heads, each crowned with a majestic crest, extended from its long and powerful neck. The piercing sapphire eyes of the dragons now burned with an intense, fiery glow, emanating an aura of untamed power.

The Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's wings spanned wide, stretching out as if ready to take flight. Its mighty tail trailed behind, possessing an almost hypnotic fluidity as it swayed with immense strength. The dragon's presence was commanding, radiating an aura of invincibility that sent shivers down the spines of both Duelists and spectators.

Brett then activated Heavy Storm, wiping out the last two face-down cards Logan had to defend himself. It was over; he knew it was going to be over. He braced himself for the attack.

Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon opened all three of their mouths and charged up their most powerful attack. Brett held out his palm and shouted: "BLUE-EYES ULTIMATE DRAGON! FINISH HIM! NEUTRON BLAST!"

"If Logan gets hit by that card, he could get really hurt!" Tyson stood up from his seat. "LOGAN! RUN! GET OUT OF THERE! GET OUT OF THERE!"

But Brett didn't want him going anywhere. He snapped his fingers, and Santiago snuck up from behind Logan and shackled his feet with chains against the arena. The crowd booed at the cowardly and heinous act. Logan tried to run but he fell and landed on his injured arm. He wailed in agony, rolling around on the ground. Soon, his cries of anguish became desperate, pleads for assistance. "HELP! HELP!" he shouted.

Then, Yuri noticed a dash of green rush by him. It was Sabrina. She ran into the field and jumped in the direction of the Ultimate Dragon's attack. She screamed as she felt real heat and power causing pain in every square inch of her body. Her clothes started to rip and tear. The crowd gasped in horror. Solid Vision Holograms were supposed to roughen players up, but not like this.

Then something awful dawned on Yuri. He recalled when Axel mentioned the technology from the Fusion Dimension. Brett was attacking with Solid Vision Holograms from the Fusion Dimension!

"BRETT STOP!" Yuri yelled.

The blast subsided, at last, forming a huge mushroom cloud. When it faded, it revealed Sabrina, swaying around, steam billowing off her body. She fell face-first to the ground.

"OH!" Crystal cried out, shocked by the images on the screen.

"SABRINA!" Annabelle yelled.

"NOOO!" Logan shouted. Brett just stood where he was and laughed. His friends climbed onto the ring and unceremoniously dragged Sabrina's body off the ring, dumping her to the ground.

Tyson screamed and leaped over the barricade. He bulldozed Santiago against the side of the ring and started punching him in the face. Carter joined in as well, undoing the chain on his belt and wrapping it around his fist. He punched one of Brett's friends repeatedly on the forehead.

The crowd cheered, hoping that justice would be served. But Tyson was struck in the back with a steel chair by one of Brett's friends. He fell to his knees, his face creased in pain. Then another strike hit the back of his head, and he fell face-first to the ground. With the loss of his companion, Carter was overwhelmed, and the gang swarmed around him, beating him down. Carter crumpled up into a ball as the gang stomped him to the ground relentlessly.

The sight sent shockwaves through the crowd, fueling their outrage.

The atmosphere in the arena shifted from excitement and anticipation to anger and unrest. The line between entertainment and reality had been crossed, and the consequences were devastating. The crowd demanded justice, yearning for an end to Brett and his allies' cruel reign.

Amidst the chaos and turmoil, Yuri stood tall. The time for words had passed. It was time to take a stand, to fight for what was right, and to bring Brett and his accomplices to justice. He jumped into the ring and attempted to fight the gang himself. But it was doomed to be a repeat of past events as the gang jumped into the ring with amazing speed and pummeled Yuri to the ground. They started stomping him down to take the fight out of him. Brett removed his blazer and rolled up his sleeves.

"GET HIM TO THE SIDE OF THE RING!" he roared. "TIE HIM TO THE SHACKLES!"

The gang grabbed Yuri, stripping him of his jacket and tearing his shirt to pieces before they dragged him to the spot where Logan was shackled. Santiago removed them from Logan's ankles and stomped on his injured arm before kicking him off the arena. Logan moaned from the burning pain; he cried out and wailed, tears streaming from his eyes.

The gang laid Yuri down, punching his face to keep the fight out of him. He tried to fight back, but they kept him down with ruthless assaults. Finally, they stretched his arms over his head and shackled the chains to both his wrists. They pulled on them tightly to keep him from escaping and goaded Brett to blow Yuri up with the dragon's Neutron Blast attack.

The three heads reared their heads up, charging their attack as Yuri lay there motionless.

"NO!" Annabelle yelled. "DON'T DO IT!"

The Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon shot a Neutron Blast at Yuri, surrounding him in a large blue mushroom cloud. The arena shook, and the crowd screamed. The titantrons flickered from the impact. Despite still having his hands chained over his head, he managed to crawl to the edge of the ring.

Brett shouted: "AGAIN!"

His three-headed dragon opened its mouth and attacked again. Yuri was once again blasted by the force of an exploding sun.

The audience began chanting his name as he fought the bounds that kept him down. Yuri's cries became louder as he fought back against the beast. The dragon grew increasingly frustrated until it finally let loose another powerful blast. Yuri rolled on the ground, smoke rising up from his body as he collapsed once again.

Axel, Hassleberry, and Zane watched from a giant screen overlooking the plaza as Brett punished Yuri with his Ultimate Dragon.

"WE GOTTA HELP HIM!" Hassleberry shouted.

"We can't..."Zane stammered. "We...we can't be seen!"

"HEY! We don't have time for this cover-up crap!" shouted Hassleberry. "Our Prince needs us!"

"We can't be seen by the people of the Standard Dimension," said Axel.

"So what do you suggest we do!?"

"I...I don't know..." Axel said, for the first time, unable to think of any solutions

"AGAIN!" Brett shouted.

The crowd even begged him to stop as the three-headed dragon opened its mouth and unleashed another Neutron Blast.

Yuri was struck by the dragon's incredible power once more. There was another tremendous explosion followed by a mushroom cloud. This time, the crowd was silent.

As the smoke cleared, it revealed Yuri lying motionless on the ground.

Brett then walked to Yuri and knelt down. He started punching his face; the giant diamond ring on his finger busted Yuri's flesh open, creating a gash that sent a wave of blood washing over his face.

"What did I tell you about interfering with my business!" Brett shouted, Yuri's face was colored completely red. "I'm not playing around this time, Yuri."

Brett stood back up and looked the crowd in the eye. He pointed to the screen as he spoke.

"You see what happens when someone interferes with one of my businesses? You want her so bad? You want Crystal so bad? Huh! Huh!" He yanked Yuri's hair and shook his head.

Yuri's chest heaved as he gasped for air.

Brett punched Yuri's face again and marched back to his Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon. He was about to command it to attack when Patty ran into the ring, waving her arms.

"STOP!" she pleaded. "Please stop!"

"Get out of the way!" Brett ordered her.

"Look, you want me to Duel for you, I will! I promise I'll do anything you want me to. I'll be yours. All yours. Just please don't hurt Yuri anymore."

Brett just laughed and stepped back as a figure wearing a black hoodie jumped into the ring and smashed Patty's back with a steel chair. Patty fell to her knees and slumped to the ground, the wind completely knocked out of her.

The figure stood next to Brett, the chair still in hand. Then they removed the hood. A long river of silky red hair flowed down to the assailant's chest, and the crowd screamed in shock when they saw it was Darla Deets who attacked Patty from behind.

She looked down at Patty as she lay in a crumpled heap on the ground. Darla was supposed to be leaving for the States again. But it was clearly obvious that she had returned for one last act of revenge against her rival.

She bared her teeth and handed Brett the chair. Brett walked to Patty and shouted: "Fight for me now? It's too late for that, Pamela! Too late!"

He raised the chair and brought it down hard, smacking Patty hard on her back. He raised it and struck her again and again and again, the metal smacking against her flesh thundered across the arena; Patty's legs kicked back and forth from the pain. Annabelle gasped and looked away from the TV, unable to watch anymore.

Brett hit her one last time and smashed the chair on the ground. The crowd booed and roared for action to be taken as the two stood triumphantly in front of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon while a mess of bodies littered the arena.

Darla thanked Brett and then headed backstage. When she was gone, Brett walked back to Yuri's body. He got down on one knee and ripped his musical pendant right off his neck, holding it up to his face.

"You love this so much? Huh?" he said.

With fury in his eyes, he flung the pendant to the ground, the jingle of its delicate chain echoing in the air. With a swift stomp, he shattered it into countless pieces, each tinkling as they hit the ground. His relentless stomping echoed loudly until the once beautiful pendant lay in ruins, its musical tune silenced forever, never to bring hope to Yuri in his Duels again.

Brett placed his foot on Yuri's chest and held up his fist triumphantly as his friends cheered him on. Brett laughed, surveying the destruction he caused. Yuri was beneath his foot like the roach he thought he was. His musical pendant lay shattered, and his friends lay all around him, defeated.

Brett and his group held up their championship belts once last time to show who the real rulers of Aquarius were.