Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

'Over 1000 years ago during the events of Advent, when Artorius Collbrande sacrificed the younger brother of Velvet Crowe, creatures from another world appeared out of nowhere and wreaked havoc on the world. They ended up being sealed in their card forms, we called them Duel Monster cards. Following these events, the people began to fight in card duels through the Solid Vision, the holographic system bringing Duel Monsters to life, allowing players to interact directly with their monsters and their environment. This led to the spread of Duels which achieved worldwide popularity, and as a result players became Duelists. As the world descended into endless chaos over the centuries, legend has it that a Shepherd Duelist appears to purify the darkness from their hearts using the Seraphim, and their cards through the Duels.'

Set in a place completely isolated from the rest of the world of Glenwood where the Seraphim live in peace, a young teenager named Sorey had gone exploring at Mt Mabinogio Ruins.

He found carvings in a stone wall depicting a figure of a legendary Shepherd Duelist, carrying a Duel Disk strapped to his left arm, his right arm carrying five cards that summoned his Monsters. Sorey was consulting his Celestial Record and found a matching page on that same drawing of the wall of hieroglyphs after turning another page to be sure.

"I knew it! A hero, with a Duel Disk strapped to his left arm and raising his five cards to summon super-powered monsters... This mural is a depiction of the Shepherd Duelist!"

Sorey took his entire deck out of the box attached to his belt, and glanced at the cards representing the Tenyi monsters.

"I too will be able to fight against all the bad guys and save the world from darkness... With the help of my Tenyi monsters! Haha ha ha!"

His rejoicing is suddenly cut short when he sliped a foot and his cards he's holding fly to the ground.

"Be careful with your cards though, they are very valuable you know." The male voice said next to Sorey.

Mikleo has very light blue hair, almost silver, hiding a green gem surrounding a gold tiara-like symbol on his forehead, and lavender eyes. He wears a blue shirt and cape with white and gold embellishments. Beneath his bangs, he wears a golden circlet with a green gem in the middle. His pants are white, apart from the ends, which are blue. Mikleo wore a uniquely patterned navy blue and dark gold colored Duel Disc strapped to his left arm.

"Mikleo." Sorey stand up, "Shepherd Duelists have been around since even before the Era of Asgard! If I remember correctly the first Shepherd Duelist was Eleanor Hume, the one who fought opponents with her Exosister deck!"

"Besides, we don't have proof that these ruins are from the Era of Asgard," Mikleo replied, turning his back and crossing his arms. "And don't forget to pick up your cards. If unfortunately there's wind blowing on us, you'll lose them forever; it was not an ordinary deck that you own unlike others that are released in the human world."

"But these ruins are so real!" Sorey said. "Who knew it was just a fake?"

Suddenly, the sky that is usually blue suddenly turned gray, thunder claps, and the storm then began to intensify. Sorey hadn't expected this, but Mikleo felt like there should be a bad omen within the Mt Mabinogio Ruins.

"I feel something, a presence..." Mikleo said, frowning.

"That's---"

"We better go now that our ruin exploration is over for today!" Mikleo said, running away.

Sorey put away his Tenyi deck in his box and quickly follow his childhood friend. The two boys flee the storm as best they can. The ground of the ruins under Mikleo's feet collapsed, Sorey catch the wrist in extremis.

"Mikleo, hang in there!"

"Couldn't you at least make an effort to get me out of this hole? I don't weigh much!" Mikleo exclaimed in annoyance.

Sorey pull Mikleo's wrist and back up as hard as he can. However, the edge of the hole destabilize and collapse, the two boys end up falling.

"Aaaaaah!!" Sorey and Mikleo scream in the impending fall.

They were close to being crushed to the ground of the interior ruins. The Water Seraph took one of his cards out of his deck box and held it between his two fingers.

"Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon, come to our aid!" Mikleo ordered and summon his Ace Monster to save them from their potentially fatal fall.

A siphon of water arise below Mikleo and Sorey in order to slow the fall and land them on the ground of the ruins gently. The whirlwind dissipate and reveal to be a fearsome Sea Serpent-type monster; Poseidra is a serpent-bodied dragon with golden armor from his back to his tail, and he had a golden trident at the end of his tail.

"Wow, thank you for saving Poseidra." Sorey thank him.

"Come on, it's the least I can do about it. I've watched over Lord Mikleo since he was born." Poseidra answered modestly, in a serious tone. "But as usual, you go exploring without even asking Zenrus for permission."

"I can't help myself, I've always wanted to explore any kind of ruins and architecture." Sorey scratched behind his brown hair.

"You know it's something not new that you get yelled at after some form of disobedience." Poseidra sighed.

Mikleo surveyed what was around the inner ruins, "Who knew there'd be ruins underground?"

Poseidra felt a strange presence.

"What is it Poseidra?" Sorey asked.

"I smell something. It's better that we inspect within the ruins." He replied, before dissipating into a whirlwind of water.

After a few minutes of inspection in this area, Sorey and Mikleo stop at the edge of the broken bridge where the height was so immense.

"Whoa, oh man, what a drop." Sorey commented.

"It's been nothing but heights all day." Mikleo added.

"But I has an awesome bas-relief to distract me." He turned to Mikleo.

"Yeah, I bet you did."

"Hmm?" Sorey knelt down, as he noticed there was a human figure lying on the ground and appeared to have lost consciousness after having some fall.

Poseidra's spirit appears behind him, "I was right! There was a human girl there!"

"Really, a human girl?" Sorey wondered in surprise, "She must have lost consciousness! We must help her!"

"Wait a minute, what if she was the cause of some sudden disaster within Elysia a while ago?" Poseidra interrupted him.

"Are you sure she was responsible for this unexpected phenomenon?" Sorey seemed to disagree.

"Poseidra is probably right, we shouldn't get involved with humans." Mikleo added, he agreed with his Ace Monster's opinion.

"But Mikleo, this girl is still alive! And we're not going to leave her alone in these ruins, she needs help!"

"Okay, I want to help you for a moment." Mikleo accept his help.

"Thank you Mikleo!"

Sorey pulled out one of his cards to summon.

"Sahasrara, will you give us a hand?"

He summoned the majestic Link Monster that looked like a beautiful golden oriental dragon with four clawed arms, with a purple beaded necklace around his neck, a long golden mane, a silk scarf around his body and marks on his stomach.

"I gladly accept your request, Master Sorey." The Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara bows so the two boys can ride on his back.

The golden dragon slowly take flight. But before heading to where the unconscious human girl is, Sorey spot a sealed chest in another spot.

"Sahasrara, stop!" He ordered.

"Eh?" The golden dragon suddenly stopped on a specific place where the sealed chest is located.

Sorey get down and rush over to this. He open the wooden chest and discovered something curious and surprising; a beaded bracelet with two colored feathers and a small blue ribbon attached to it, and a white glove with a strange golden symbol somewhat similar to a dragon's head.

Mikleo quickly grabbed them from his friend's hand, "I'll only return them if we have to get out of there after we sort out the problems."

They go back on Sahasrara's back so he can fly again. Sahasrara landed on a place where the unconscious girl is, Sorey and Mikleo come towards her in order to rescue.

The young girl wear a white and yellow flower in her blonde hair, which is worn in a side ponytail. Her bangs crisscross, and the ends of her hair are curled. She had bright green eyes. She wear black, gold, and silver armor on her arms and legs, she has a Duel Disk made of silver armor on her left arm. Her attire consist of a pink and white tunic and black shorts... Her name is Alisha Diphda.

Still passed out, there were Duel cards scattered on the ground around her.

"Mikleo look there are cards scattered around, that means she's a Duelist!" Sorey picked up a few cards before looking at them. "Hey, it's an XYZ Monster, and these Monster cards look pretty similar to each other. They were all Light Attributes and all Warrior-types..."

"Maybe we should rethink this. Hey!" Mikleo tried to persuade him but Sorey ignored him.

"Are you alright?" Sorey shook the sandy blonde's body gently, hoping he could wake her up.

"Uh... Ahh..." She slowly got up after regaining consciousness, opening her eyes which turned out to be bright green.

"Looks like she regained consciousness after a while." Sahasrara felt relieved that she was fine.

"I was... I was in a forest, and then..." She vaguely explained what happened as her vision was still blurry.

Suddenly, Mikleo roared fiercely in front of Alisha to check if she was human or was able to see the Seraphim.

"Eeeeeeekkk!!" Alisha screamed in sudden panic, she quickly pulled back into a fetal position and grabbed her head with her hands as if to protect herself.

Sorey didn't expect such a reaction; that means she was able to see the Seraphim.

"Whaah what the heck are you doing scaring her like that?!"

"I just want to check, that's all!" He replied, his arms crossed. "At first glance she's a very ordinary human girl, but due to the strong resonance she possesses the blonde is able to see the Seraphim."

Alisha kicked Mikleo in the face comically.

"Ouuuch!"

"You fool do you want me to have a heart attack?!" Alisha got angry with shame, showing her clenched fist.

Mikleo clutched the face in pain, "I just wanted to know if you have the power to see the Seraphim!"

"But of course I can see the Seraphim! Who knew that was just a legend?"

Alisha almost forgot the cards dragged on the ground, she pick up everything else. Sorey give Alisha half of the cards he picked up before she woke up.

"Thank you." Alisha showed gratitude to Sorey.

"Glad you're okay." Sorey smiled.

"I'm sorry to have troubled you, but thank you for picking up my cards for me. Are you are?"

"Your name." Mikleo remind him of polite manners.

"Oh!"

The Water Seraph's words made him remember how to introduce himself to someone he had met.

"Right, my name is Sorey! And he's Mikleo, my longtime friend."

"Hmm, your names are Sorey and Mikleo," Alisha nodded, "Is there somewhere I can rest? And also, I'll need to make plans to get back to the capital."

"You're from the city?" Sorey asked.

"Hmm, she's a lovely girl from a city."

The golden dragon's words caught the sandy blonde's attention.

"Oh, a Duel Monster."

"And specifically a Link Monster from the Tenyi family." Sahasrara said, "I would like to know your name."

"Alisha... My name is Alisha, Princess of the Diphda Royal Family." She introduced herself with respect and politeness.

"I was asking what were you doing in the ruins?" Sorey questioned her.

"As I told you, I couldn't remember what happened after crossing into a forest." She explained to him vaguely, "And then... I was almost struck by lightning and I fell."

"Would you like to come and stay with us for a while before you leave?" Sorey offered her hospitality.

"Wait Sorey! You forget that Gramps forbade the presence of humans within Elysia!" Mikleo interjected.

"Are you sure there's no problem?" Alisha asked.

Sorey replied and ignored his friend's warnings, "But if she really needs help, then I should help her. You know it's not like me to give up on those in need."

"Thank you for your generosity," Alisha accept his offer. "But there's only one condition you'll have to accept: face me in a Duel tomorrow."

"How could I refuse a Duel?" Sorey scratch his head. "Very well, I accept your Duel, but first we have to get out of the ruins."

"We have to go back. Gramps will probably give us a hard time when we get back." Mikleo interrupted their conversation.

"So let's go." Sorey said.

Once out of the Mt Mabinogio Ruins, Sorey can finally stretch, just to relax. The storm finally ended and the sky became beautiful and sunny again.

"Aaah, here we are out and in one piece."

"You said it, it's such a pleasant and beautiful landscape at the same time." Alisha gazed at the beauty of the landscape on a sunny day. "I am happy to have possessed a high resonance which allows me to see the Seraphim."

"So that means you also had a connection to the Spirit World?" Mikleo questioned her.

"Because of my mother's commoner status, I was bullied by most of my family members. Duel Monsters from the Spirit World like the Tellarknights are the only friends I had."

"Do you know the Celestial Record?" Sorey showed the ancient book to Alisha.

"Had you read it?" Alisha wondered.

"Yup yup!" Sorey nodded happily.

"As a child, I used to read the Celestial Record."

Mikleo nudge him to remind him of what he has to do.

"We should go to our place where the Seraphim live."

"Okay." Alisha nodded.

Once in Elysia, the place where the Seraphim people live, Sorey will make an important announcement.

"Hi friends, I have someone to introduce to you! The one who can see the Seraphim!"

Their friends the Seraphim rush to Sorey following his announcement. For the first time in her life in 17 years, Alisha can meet the Seraphim in person, having lived in a sheltered upbringing inside a castle as a princess.

Sorey turns to Alisha, "Here is my family in the shrine."

"Seraphim, this is how they are..."

Alisha then introduced herself.

"Seraphim, my name is Alisha! Thanks to my high resonance, I am able to see and hear, you Seraphim! Our world and the one in which the spirits of the Duel Monsters reside are enshrouded by darkness! In order for us to save our worlds, we need help Seraphim and your Duel Monsters! Answer my call! I beg you, Seraphim!"

"I understand your plea for our help, but..." One of the Seraphim, Mason declined and shaked his head. "We can't help you."

"But why?" Alisha asked in disappointment. "We need you, the people of Glenwood, including those of Ladylake are in danger as disasters keep happening!"

"We Seraphim, and even as Duelists, aren't powerful enough to counter all of the current growing Malevolence, and our powers keep getting weaker. Even our Lord Zenrus was far too old to fight against the Malevolence." Mason explained the current situation to her, then asked her for advice on getting further help. "To be able to fight against evil, you will need a Shepherd Duelist who can purify, and fight with super-powerful Duel Monsters that surpass all others. Moreover, if you stay on our lands too long, you can bring disaster on us."

She getting disappointed with the Seraphim's refusal to help, but agreed to listen to Mason's advice.

Mikleo sighed, "Well never mind, Sorey, we need to talk to Gramps."

Inside Zenrus' house, Sorey and Mikleo both get scolded for breaking the strict rules within Elysia.

"You idiots!! Who taught you to do such a thing?!" Zenrus shouting in anger.

Sorey is frightened by such anger, knew what could happen to the slightest violation of the law within Elysia. "S-Sorry Gramps, we explored the ruins, and then we came across a human in distress!"

"You brought a human to our lands so you know full well that it is strictly forbidden to intervene with them?" Zenrus is displeased with their disobedience.

"Calm down Gramps, you also said you should listen to what Sorey said, right?" Mikleo replied calmly, his head bowed.

"It's not the first time you've disobeyed my rules when it comes to exploring these places without my permission! Same goes for Duels, because those Duel monsters are way more real than you imagine!"

"I'm so sorry, Gramps. But I can't leave her here, and she needs help; her people are on the brink. And she's still able to see the Seraphim, and even the Duel Monster Spirits." Sorey apologized.

"Even if this human girl were sincere and honest, she could bring trouble to our field." Zenrus replied quietly.

"Gramps, I'm human too." Sorey fired back. "I was raised with Mikleo among the Seraphim, which gave us the ability to perceive and communicate with them, it's like with Duel Monsters."

"In general, regular humans cannot perceive or communicate with Seraphim and Duel Monsters. But this one is different, and even seemed to have a connection to the Spirit World." Mikleo added, "Mikleo added, "It was the first time Sorey had met a real human being."

"... During all this time that I had protected our lands, I raised you throughout your childhood as mine. I taught you to fight in Duels while respecting the Monsters spirits; and when the time comes, you will protect this shrine like all your follow Seraphim do."

"I know." Sorey said.

"We Seraphim protect Elysia from intruders even being harmless. That's how our law works."

Sorey nodded, "Please Gramps, let us take care of her. We can pack some travel stuff so she can go back without any difficulty."

"Very well, I accept your request Sorey." Zenrus agreed. "On the condition that within two days of our hosting, she must leave Elysia and go back where she came from."

The discussion ends thus, Sorey and Mikleo can leave. Once out of Zenrus' house, Mikleo gives him the glove and bracelet Sorey found them at Mt Mabinogio Ruins.

"Take these."

"Thank you."

Sorey putted on his left hand and wrist the glove and bracelet.

"Heh heh, pretty cool isn't it?"

"These suit you pretty well, they'll make you the future Shepherd Duelist, well it remains to be seen if you were one." Mikleo complimented him.

Sorey showed his clenched left fist, very proud to wear them. "Hey hey look at that my friend! I'm Sorey the Shepherd Duelist!"

"Go join her now, she's probably been hungry for quite a while." Mikleo asks him otherwise.

"'Kay."

Sorey leave and joined Alisha who is contemplating the landscape.

"Enjoy yourself?"

Alisha turned to Sorey, "Sure thing, there was a rich and hidden history in Elysia, I'm really lucky to see it." After a short while, she placed her hands on her rumbling belly; sign that she haven't eaten for more than three days. "Uh..."

"If you need to eat to appease your hungry stomach, I'll cook for you." Sorey seemed amazed on Alisha's hunger.

A few minutes later, Sorey is cooking for himself and Alisha. Once they finish eating, Sorey starts talking first while laying his hands on his lap.

"Tell me, what city did you come from?"

"Of Ladylake, a capital city of the Kingdom of Hyland."

"Ladylake, you mean the City of the Beautiful Lake and the Holy Sword?"

"It was the city where regular Deck Master Duel tournaments take place in our arena."

"Do you just mean Duels?"

"The Deck Master Duel is a variety of a standard Duel, there are several types when playing Card Duels."

"Is that so?" Curiosity was awakening in Sorey.

"Each Duelist chooses any Monster card they would otherwise use in the Duel, including cards from the Extra Deck. Our Deck Masters aren't classed as being on the field and stay face-up next to player, until we decides to Special Summon it to the field. The Deck Master's effects are still active while not being played on the field."

"Cooolll." Sorey's eyes shine with a thousand lights, seduced by this type of concept of the Deck Master Duel. "Must be great as a new type of Duel!"

"The other type of Duel, dating back more than 1000 years, I've proposed to you will be the "Deck Master Turbo Duel"!" Alisha offer Sorey to dueling her. "And I want you to learn it as a Duelist!"

Sorey stood up and slapped his right fist on the left of his chest, "Very well, I accept your challenge!! Apart from the other inhabitants of Elysia and my friend Mikleo, you will be my very first opponent!".

As Princess of the Kingdom of Hyland and Duelist, I Alisha Diphda challenge you, Sorey!!" She exclamed.

The next morning Sorey walks out of his house, fully recovered and armed with his Duel Disk, ready for his Duel with Alisha.

Mikleo walked over to his friend, "Good morning!"

"Good mornin'." Sorey replied back.

As Alisha walked out of the house, Mikleo asked Sorey a question.

"I guess you were going to Duel her, weren't you?"

"Yup yup, and not just any Duel! A Deck Master Turbo Duel!" Sorey replied with joy and good humor.

"What kind of Duel was she talking about?" Mikleo was getting a bit confused.

"It's a Duel variety that Alisha knew! I bet you'll really enjoy it you'll witness it in my first Duel with her!"

"I really want to attend your Duel, but one of ours needs a little help. So you'll tell me when you're finished." Mikleo leave from them after finishing the brief conversation with him.

A few minutes later, Sorey and Alisha come face to face in a specific location where a Deck Master Turbo Duel will take place.

"Did you remember what I mentioned about the Deck Master Turbo Duel yesterday?" Alisha asked.

"Yes." Sorey replied.

"Let me do the tutorial... The Deck Master Turbo Duel is similar to the Deck Master Duel I just mentioned yesterday." Alisha explained to him about the specific rules, "Each player must choose a Monster card that will serve as our Deck Master; thus allowing us to swim on the ocean, run on land or fly in the sky on the back of Duel Monsters."

"It promises to be so exciting!" Sorey was screaming with joy.

"And that's not all, the rest of this rule has the same system as the Deck Master Duel. However, when the player has 1000 or less Life Points, they randomly obtains a powerful Monster, Spell or Trap card from a nearby golden cloud and adds it to their Deck. The player is given a Monster, Spell or Trap appropriate for them. The obtained card can then be materialized in our real world with the proper equipment."

"It's even more interesting than I could imagine." He was seduced by the new rules of Dueling.

Alisha warn him about the downside to this rule. "Nevertheless, you have to choose between drawing a card from your Deck normally or getting an appropriate card from the nearby golden cloud; because if you choose to draw from your Deck, it's the golden cloud that will disappear with the assigned card. Conversely, if you choose not to draw a card from your Deck, then take the assigned card inside the golden cloud when it appears. That's how it was the Deck Master Turbo Duel, get it in your head!"

"It's not going to be easy, but it must be great!"

"Now all you have to do is choose your Deck Master..." Alisha informed him on the last detail of the tutorial, "It can be any of your monsters, even those of the Extra Deck. Only if your monster is able to ride for the Deck Master Turbo Duel."

Sorey took his Tenyi deck out of his box and consulted each one,

"Well let's see, let's see... Berserker of the Tenyi is not fit for me to ride him, and he wouldn't my be Deck Master since he didn't have a special ability that could help me."

He then checked on his other Monster card,

"Tenyi Spirit - Adhara won't be my Deck Master as well, as it was the only Tuner Monster I have in my deck."

Finally he glanced at his Tenyi Link Monster card which give him an idea, "Oh sure, this one should do the trick!"

"So?" Alisha asked.

"I decided to choose which monster as my Deck Master!" Sorey replied, looking serious and determined.

He summoned the majestic Link Monster to his side.

"So here is my strongest Link Monster, Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara!"

"Well, looks like you made a pretty good choice," Alisha commented, "As for me, my Deck Master will be Stellarknight Constellar Diamond then."

She called upon her mighty XYZ Monster at her side. Stellarknight Constellar Diamond is a Wyrm monster like Sorey's, it's a majestic dragon coming straight from another galaxy or from the stars with galactic wings.

"However, I must inform you that using an XYZ Monster as a Deck Master has a very big disadvantage as long as they don't have Overlay Units. Even after Special Summoning it to my field, I couldn't activate its special ability."

"Sorey," Sahasrara addressed to him, "Thank you for choosing me as your Deck Master, in case of trouble it is my duty not only to protect your other companions, but also to Special Summon 1 "Tenyi Spirit Token" in your field. But you have to have a non-effect Monster on your field for me to properly activate my power as a Deck Master."

"That's great, I could even communicate with my Deck Master. The Duel Monsters are way more than real." Sorey said thinking before turning to Alisha, "So let's start our Duel!"

The two 17-year-old humans ride on the backs of their respective Deck Masters and the Deck Master Turbo Duel begin.

"Let's go Sorey!" Alisha exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Yeah!" He replied happily.

"Duel Disk, Set!" Both Sorey and Alisha shout together as their Duel Disks unfold together.

(Sorey - 4000 LP)

(Alisha Diphda - 4000 LP)

"It's time for Deck Master Turbo Duel!!" They exclaim together.

The two dragons took flight to the skies of Elysia. Each player drew until they have 5 cards in hand.

"Very well, honor to the ladies!" Alisha draw a card from the deck of her Duel Disc made of silver metal armor on her left arm.

The Princess of Hyland looked directly at the card she drew in her hand, it's a Tellarknight monster.

"I immediately summon Satellarknight Sirius, in Attack mode!"

The Warrior-type monster of the Canis Major constellation, emerged from a blue rift and roared like a valiant fighter ready to protect his princess.

(Satellarknight Sirius - ATK: 1900 - Level: 4)

"I set a face-down card and my turn is done!" Alisha said after finishing.

"Alright, my turn!" Sorey exclaimed as he draw a card and glanced at his cards in hand. "So two Monster cards, three Spell cards, and a Trap card... With a three-card combo in a single turn, that would give me a bit of a head start."

"Here are two Tenyi monsters that I have in hand, Nahata and Mapura... In Attack mode!"

The two dragon spirits respectively wind and fire make their appearances on the field, and fly away alongside Sorey.

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - ATK: 800 - Level: 4)

(Tenyi Spirit - Mapura - ATK: 600 - Level: 4)

"Hey they have low attack points, did you learn your math anyway?" Alisha remarked, didn't understand why Sorey summoned monsters as weak as hers.

"I wouldn't get carried away so quickly if I were you!" He retaliated, causing her to be confused.

He showed a Spell card that could turn things around for just one turn.

"A Shield & Sword card!" She exclaimed, "Damn it's badly crossed!"

He placed his Spell card in a slot of his Duel Disk to activate it, "Shield & Sword, switch the ATK and DEF of all Monsters on the field!"

The Spell card appeared on the field and rose in front of his opponent's eyes. The attack and defense points of their monsters on the field have been switched.

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - ATK: 800 and DEF: 1000 to ATK: 1000 and DEF: 800)

(Tenyi Spirit - Mapura - ATK: 600 and DEF: 1500 to ATK: 1500 and DEF: 600)

(Satellarknight Sirius - ATK: 1900 and DEF: 900 to ATK: 900 and DEF: 1900)

"What did you do? You switched our monsters' Attack and Defense!" Alisha exclaimed in shock.

Go on the offensive my monsters!" He ordered as the two dragon spirits charged straight ahead, Nahata crushed Sirius with its jaw and destroyed him in front of the Princess of Hyland.

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 4000 - 100 = 3900 - Cards in hand: 3)

"No, Sirius!"

Then Mapura attacks Alisha's Life Points directly with its flamming body.

"Aaah it burns!"

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 3900 - 1500 = LP: 2400 - Cards in hand: 3)

Alisha grunted but remained calm, as she was only getting heated.

"Then I set my two cards face down before ending my turn." Sorey placed his cards in the slot of his Duel Disk.

The face-down card briefly appeared on his field before disappearing. With the end of Sorey's turn and the effect of Shield & Sword, the Attack and Defense points of his two Tenyi monsters return to their initial statistics.

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - ATK 1000 and DEF 800 to ATK: 800 and DEF 1000)

(Tenyi Spirit - Mapura - ATK: 1500 and DEF: 600 to ATK: 600 and DEF: 1500)

"It's my move!" Alisha exclaimed, drawing a card and taking a look at it. "It's perfect, Satellarknight Alsahm is the one I needed to land a big blow on him."

The two Deck Masters fly off to another direction from the sky. Stellarknight Constellar Diamond flapping its wings to gain aerial attitude and balance.

"Be careful Sorey, I sensed a threat in this card." Sahasrara warned him, as he sensed a strange presence emanating from Alisha's drawn card.

"I'll make you regret for destroying my monster!" Alisha revealed the drawn card to him, "Now I summon Satellarknight Alsahm!" She declared, placing her card on the blade of her Duel Disk.

The archer-like monstrer emerged alongside the princesses, armed with his bow and arrow.

(Satellarknight Alsahm - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

"Watch out for Alsahm! This one is dangerous!" Sahasrara exclaimed, drawing attention to his master.

"Exactly, Alsahm has the power to inflict 1000 damage on you if he was summoned to the field!"

"Not that!" Sorey cried out in shock, fearing for his Life Points being inflicted by Alisha's Tellaknight monster effect.

"Bye bye to your 1000 Life Points!" Alisha ordered her monster to activate his effect, "Satellarknight Alsahm, fire!"

Satellarknight Alsahm fire the arrow at Sorey straight ahead while passing across the two Tenyi monsters from his field. The arrow took blast after hitting Sorey on the back of his Deck Master.

(Sorey - LP: 4000 - 1000 = LP: 3000 - Cards in hand: 2)

Alisha continued talking as she activated a button on the round portion of the disk, "It's not over yet, I can reveal my face-down card."

Her face-down card rose and revealed a Spell card in her field.

"I activate a Quick-Play Spell card: Satellarknight Skybridge!"

"But what is that?!" Sorey asked in surprise.

"With Satellarknight Skybridge, I can Special Summon a Tellarknight Monster with a different name from my deck, then I target one of my Tellarknight Monsters on my field and return it to my deck." Alisha explained to him, "The Tellarknight monster I chose is..."

A female Tellarkknight monster appeared from the blue rift next to Alisha.

"Satellarknight Vega!"

(Satellarknight Vega - ATK: 1200 - Level: 4)

After summoning Vega, her other Tellarknight Monster just returned to Alisha's deck by the effect of Satellarknight Skybridge.

"Alsahm, get in my deck!" Then she shuffled her deck, "While the Special Summoned monster by the effect of Satellarknight Skybridge is face-up on the field, I can't Special Summon any other Monsters except Tellarknights.

Vega activate her effect since she was summoned to the field.

"Whenever I summon Vega to my field, I can Special Summon another Tellaknight monster from my hand," Alisha showed her other card and placed it in the blade of her Duel Disk, "Satellarknight Altair, join your beloved Vega on our field!"

The winged Tellaknight Monster joined on the field.

(Satellaknight Altair - ATK: 1700 - Level: 4)

He held Vega's hands, happy to be reunited with her.

"Love stories between monsters were so beautiful, weren't they?" Alisha commented on the intimate relationship between Duel Monsters.

"We're in the middle of a Duel." Sorey answered, seemed unconcerned and confused about the relationship between a man and a woman.

"You're not romantic man! No wonder you only live for Duels!" Alisha sighed in annoyance as she placed her hand over her right eye, before later announcing the effect of her other monster, "Actually, I almost forgot to activate Altair's special ability... If he was summoned to my field, I bring back a Tellarknight Monster from my Graveyard in Defense position! Come back to us, Sirius!"

Sirius reappeared on Alisha's field from the Graveyard thanks to his comrade Altair.

(Satellarknight Sirius - DEF: 900 - Level: 4)

"Not Sirius again!" Sorey exclaimed, annoyed at the return of Alisha's monster he had previously destroyed.

"For a change of sky decor, I have a Field Spell card..." Alisha holded a card between her fingers, looking confident. The front end of her Duel Disk opened so she can placed her Field Spell card in the slot. "Hexatellarknight!!"

The slot closed and her Field Spell card activated. As their respective Deck Masters continue their flight, the usually blue and sunny sky suddenly changed into a totally starry sky, as if they were in a galactic space with many constellations around.

"Whoa that's so beautiful!" Sorey commented with admiration. "We thought we were in space!"

"Gorgeous isn't it?" Alisha added, "With my knighty trio by my side, I can summon an XYZ Monster from my Extra Deck! For that, I Overlay three Level 4 monsters!"

The three Level 4 monsters turned into shooting star-like yellow orbs and entered the Overlay Network.

"Three of the brightest stars form the Southern Triangle constellation in the depths of the southern hemisphere! Let the orange crystals shine with summer light!" Alisha chanted on her XYZ Summoning.

The Overlay Network exploded with a thousand luminous lights.

"I XYZ Summon!! Appear Rank 4... Stellarknight Delteros!!" She cried, her eyes filled with determination and seriousness.

Located in the starry sky of Hexatellarknight below the Overlay Network, the three stars form a constellation of the Southern Triangle. An astal ray emerged, bringing out a knight from the stars carrying a shield and a sword with him. Tree Overlay Units orbs of yellow light orbiting around the body of the Tellarknight Xyz Monster. The appearance of Alisha's XYZ Monster surprised both Sorey and Sahasrara.

Delteros pointed his sword straight ahead, ready to fight alongside Princess Alisha on Constellar Diamond's back.

(Stellarknight Delteros - ATK: 2500 - Rank: 4 - Overlay Units: 3)

This wasn't the first time Sorey had faced XYZ Monsters and witnessed XYZ Summons, as he had often faced Mikleo in his previous Duels with his Atlantean and Mermail decks.

"Now that things are done, I'll reveal to you the power of Hexatellarknight! Each Tellarknight Xyz Monster gains 200 ATK and DEF for each Overlay Units attached to it! In other words, Delteros has three Overlay Units! This gives him a total of 600 extra Attack and Defense Points!"

(Stellarknight Delteros - ATK: 2500 + 600 = 3100 - DEF: 2100 + 600 = 2700)

"It's the most powerful monster ever played!" Sorey exclaimed in shock at the fearsome power of Alisha's XYZ Monster.

"Looks like the chips are down, I'm going to have to take action!" Alisha smiled in satisfaction, then ordered her monster XYZ to attack. "Delteros, destroy Nahata now!"

"It was a good try, but I'm activating my Trap c-" Sorey stated, not wanting to let any of his monsters get destroyed.

Alisha interrupted, "Too bad for you Sorey! I'm going to activate Delteros' special ability!!"

Stellarknight Delteros armed himself with his triangular shield which he held, ready to activate his effect.

She detached one of the Overlay Units under her XYZ Monster card from her Duel Disk and send it to the Graveyard. "Your attempt to stop me will fail! I can detach one from Delteros, allowing me to target 1 card on the field and destroy it!"

One of the three orbs of yellow light orbiting around the Tellarknight XYZ Monster disappear. Due to the effect of the Field Spell card, Hexatellarknight, Delteros lose 200 Attack Points after Alisha detaching one of the three Overlay Units.

(Stellarknight Delteros - ATK: 3100 - 200 = 2900; DEF: 2100 - 200 = 2500)

"Delta Destruction!!" She cried, activating the effect of Stellarknight Delteros.

Sorey's Trap card, Draining Shield, appeared in an attempt to protect Nahata after activating it. But Delteros send out a triangular beam with his shield, and destroy the Draining Shield, leaving Nahata completely vulnerable than any other card that could save it from impending destruction.

The brave XYZ Monster Stellarknight brandishing his sword, stretched out and transformed into a ray of light, he was about to eliminate one of Sorey's Monsters from the field.

Attack Nahata with your Atria Sword!!" Alisha exclaimed.

Delteros' sword sliced Nahata in half, annihilating it from Sorey's field.

(Sorey - LP: 3000 - 2100 = 900 - Cards in hand: 2)

"It's a pity that your Trap card get destroyed, one more attack in my next turn you will lose all your Life Points!" Alisha commented.

"She's right, if I didn't find a single solution that could turn the situation around to my advantage, it's over for me." Sorey said while thinking.

Sorey and his Deck Master stand against the formidable threat of Alisha's Monster XYZ, he must do whatever it takes to annihilate it before Alisha can deliver the final blow to a direct attack on the imminent next turn.

Chapter Text

Since the first Deck Master Turbo Duel began, it was Sorey who took the lead over Alisha. However, as the princess of the Diphda royal family managed to summon a fearsome XYZ Monster, Stellarknight Delteros, it was she who took over the situation to her advantage. How will Sorey be able to defeat Alisha's mighty Monster?

(Sorey - LP: 900 - Cards in hand: 2)

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 2400 - Cards in hand: 3)

"I set a face-down card, and that's it for now." She placed it in the slot of her Duel Disk.

"Now it's my t-" Sorey was about to draw a card, but his Deck Master, Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara, interjected before he could.

"Sorey, wait!"

"Eh?" He looked down at the golden dragon.

"There was a golden cloud, there, before our eyes!"

Sorey saw a golden cloud from far away as Sahasrara indicated.

"You're right, there's a golden cloud that Alisha mentioned!" He exclaimed.

"Like Alisha said, if you choose to draw a card normally, the cloud will disappear... But if it didn't, then just go straight into it and grab the appropriate card." Sahasrara re-informed him. "So what did you choose for?"

"I'll take the golden cloud one. I don't know what card I'll get, but I'll get it now." Sorey answered him directly.

"So let's go!" Sahasrara exclaimed and flew straight towards the golden cloud.

"Constellar Diamond, get 'em! Don't let them take the card from the golden cloud!" She ordered her Deck Master, Stellarknight Constellar Diamond to chased them.

The Wrym Monster was chasing both Sorey and Sahasrara who are about to fly to the golden cloud card and appropriate it.

"Am I not told about another important detail?"

Sorey seemed surprised to hear this missing detail that Alisha hadn't mentioned during the tutorial before the start of their Duel.

"Huh? What do you mean?" He asked in confusion.

"Even during the opposing player's turn, it is also possible to grab the Monster, Spell or Trap card inside the golden cloud and claim it!"

"Seriously?!" He exclaimed in surprise.

"But in return, whoever grabbed the card is not allowed to draw one from the deck until the next turn! As for the one who failed to grab the card, could still draw a card from the deck normally!"

"And those in the Extra Deck?"

"Whoever got a monster from the Extra Deck can still draw a card in the same turn."

"Why didn't you say that sooner?"

"Sorry, but I forgot to tell you an important detail." Alisha stuck out her tongue teasingly, before Constellar Diamond flew straight into the golden cloud.

"Go after them!" Sorey ordered.

Sahasrara followed and overtook them as best he could.

"You have to speed up, old man!" Sorey exclaimed.

"Don't call me an old man!" He shot back.

The Tenyi Spirit Link Monster accelerated faster and enter the golden cloud along with Alisha and Constellar Diamond. A few seconds after entering it, it was Sahasrara who came out first, it was Sorey who managed to grab the appropriate card first.

"Hey hey, I got the card first!" Sorey smirked while holding it.

He glanced at it, the light unveiled the assigned card, revealing the new Tenyi Link Monster card: Draco Masters of the Tenyi!

"What was that? A new Link card? It looked like there were two Monsters in the same card!"

He thought back to his two familiar monsters in his mind; Monk of the Tenyi and Shaman of the Tenyi.

"Thinking of those two, they would be a big help to me. That way I could finish off Alisha's Monster before she activates the special ability."

"Congratulations, you managed to grab the assigned card!" Alisha congratulated him. "For someone who was raised by Seraphim, that's quite a lucky break!"

"Now I draw a card!" He declared, drawing a card from his deck. "To start, I'm going to do a Link Summon!"

The Arrowhead portal appeared on Sorey's field he wished to manifest it. Tenyi Spirit - Mapura was used for the summoning, it then enter the portal, activating the Bottom Link Arrow from within the portal.

"I bring the circuit that builds the path that leads to a new adventure!" Sorey called as the circuit appeared, "Summoning condition is 1 non-Link Tenyi!"

The young man from the Tenyi clan appeared in the Extra Monster Zone from Sorey's field, ready to fight.

"Link Summon! Link 1, Monk of the Tenyi!"

(Monk of the Tenyi - ATK: 1000 - Link 1)

"Take back your maths lessons Sorey! Your Monster only has 1000 attack points and doesn't even have an effect to help you!" Alisha looked a little disappointed at Sorey's Link Monster summoning.

"Once again you've got it wrong again, that's why I summon another of my monsters, Tenyi Spirit - Vishuda!" Sorey replied, holding another card in his hand.

He slapped the blade of his Duel Disk, the dark spiritual dragon emerged out of its card and roared after being materialized.

(Tenyi Spirit - Vishuda - DEF: 2500 - Level: 7)

"Incredible, this one was Level 7. Normally, it takes Tribute two Monsters to summon a Monster of a higher level. But this one could only be Special Summoned if he haven't any Monster with a special ability on the field." Alisha eyed Sorey's high level Monster.

"Then I summon another ally in my field, Tenyi Spirit - Shthana!!"

The water dragon spirit appeared.

(Tenyi Spirit - Shthana - DEF: 2000 - Level: 4)

"Then I can summon another Link Monster!"

The second Arrowhead portal appeared on Sorey's field. Both Tenyi Spirits, Vishuda and Shthana, were used for the summoning, they enter the portal, activating the Botton-Left and Bottom-Right Link Arrows from within the portal.

"Here is the Monk's fighting partner... Link Summon! Summoning condition are two Wyrm Monsters! Link 2, Shaman of the Tenyi!"

A hurricane erupted from the Arrowhead portal, revealing a pretty girl in a traditional purple outfit armed with two fans made of peacock feathers.

(Shaman of the Tenyi - ATK: 1600 - Link: 2)

"And it's not finished yet!"

Sorey shot forward a burst of energy which created a thrid Arrowhead portal in the sky with a silver color version.

Sorey and his Link Monsters flew through.

"Summoning condition are two Wyrm Link Monsters! I'll put both Monk of the Tenyi and Shaman of the Tenyi in the Link Makers, Circuit Combine!"

The Monk and the Shaman then transformed into red and white streaks of energy that entered the appropriate Link Arrows (Bottom-Left, Bottom and Bottom-Right), causing them to turn red. 

"I'll open the circuit that leads us beyond the uncharted sky! I Link Summon!"

The portal then glowed gold and energy converged to form the new one single monster and the Link Arrows around them.

"Link 3, Draco Masters of the Tenyi!!" Sorey called.

The new united monster and Sorey then emerged from the Arrowhead portal.

(Draco Masters of the Tenyi - ATK: 2600 - Link: 3)

"There, now that I'm ready to defeat yours! I'm going to activate the power of my new Link Monster!" He announced which might surprise Alisha. "Divine Cleansing!"

The Draco Masters of the Tenyi activating their effect might give Alisha a hard time.

"I can destroy all of your Effect Monsters you control, up to the number of non-Effect Monsters I control or in my Graveyard! But for that, I mustn't control no other Effect Monsters on my field!"

They created a golden blast made of aura to destroy one target: Stellarknight Delteros.

Alisha's only XYZ Monster so the body shattered and exploded into a million pieces. Stellarknight Delteros was wiped out and sent with his Overlay Units to the Graveyard.

She deploying her right arm to announce. "When Delteros has been sent from my field to the Graveyard, another Tellarknight Monster will take his place at my side!"

The archer-like Tellarknight Monster appeared in Alisha's field, Satellarknight Alsahm, in Defense mode.

(Satellarknight Alsahm - DEF: 1800 - Level: 4)

"You know what that means? Alsahm take your last Life Points."

Alsahm fired the arrow straight at Sorey who might lose the Duel against Alisha.

"Sorry but I activate now my Spell of Pain card!" He announced the revealed card in his field.

"No, not this card!" She exclaimed in shock, being aware of the effect of the Spell card.

"You just figured out that I'm going to divert the damage that was meant for me! As a result, you take the effect damage from your Monster instead!"

The arrow that Alsahm sent towards Sorey, was diverted before it reached him, flew towards Alisha instead and took an explosion after being hit.

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 2400 - 1000 = 1400 - Cards in hand: 2)

"Draco Masters of the Tenyi, attack! Dance of the Twin Dragons!" He ordered.

They created two spiritual dancing dragons that fly straight to Alisha's Monster. However, she had another plan to foil his attack.

She activated her face-down card, revealing a Trap card. "Nice try, sorry but it won't go as planned!! Negate Attack!!"

A barrier caused Sorey's attack to be negated and ended his Battle Phase, Satellarknight Alsahm was safe.

"You're doing well, Alisha." Sorey complimented her.

"And you thwarted my plan at the last moment." She replied, drawing a card from her deck. "I summon Satellarknight Betelgeuse!"

She instantly placed her drawn Monster card on the blade of her Duel Disk, another Tellarknight Monster emerged from a blue rift and appeared alongside Alisha.

(Satellarknight Betelgeuse - ATK: 400 - Level: 4)

"When Beltegeuse is summoned, I can choose any card that lists "Tellarknight" from my Graveyard, but he'll be sent to the Graveyard."

The card that came out of the Graveyard of Alisha's Duel Disk was "Satellarknight Altair".

"My turn is over, and it's up to you." She told him after getting the card and holding it in hand.

"It's my move and draw!" Sorey drew a card from his deck, the Trap card was "Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyi", he instantly placed it in the slot of his Duel Disk. "I set a face-down card and I already finish my turn!"

"You're trying to save time." Alisha said while drawing a card, then analyzed Sorey's face-down card. "I mustn't attack now, Sorey placed a face-down card."

She glanced at the drawn Spell card in her hand.

"Card of Demise, it would help me... Quite risky but well worth it."

She glanced her three other cards in hand so one that might be useful.

"The Divine Wrath should do the trick."

She placed the Trap card in the slot of her Duel Disk.

"I set a card..." Alisha then placed her monster card on the blade of her Duel Disk. "Now I summon Satellarknight Altair in Defense Mode!"

Once again, Altair appeared in Alisha's field.

(Satellarknight Altair - DEF: 1300 - Level: 4)

"And since I played Altair, I can get Satellarknight Vega back on my field!"

Vega re-emerged from the blue rift and appeared alongside her.

(Satellarknight Vega - DEF: 1600 - Level: 4)

"My turn is over!" She announced.

"It's my move!" Sorey drew a card and was about to activate the effect of the Draco Masters of the Tenyi. "I activate-"

"I activate the Divine Wrath!!" Alisha interjected by activating her Trap card during Sorey's turn. Her face-down card rose and revealed in her field. "If you activate your Monster's special ability, I can discard one card so I can negate the activation and destroy the Draco Masters of the Tenyi!"

The Draco Masters of the Tenyi scream in pain as they are shocked and destroyed.

"Now that your only Link Monster has been wiped out, I can do another XYZ Summon in my next move!!"

"Oh yeah? In that case I can bring back my Monk of the Tenyi from the Graveyard with my Monster Reborn!" He showed his Spell card to return his Link Monster back to his field.

(Monk of the Tenyi - ATK: 1000 - Link 1)

"That's all for now." He said.

"It's this mistake that's costing you so much!" She exclaimed, drawing her next card. "I summon Satellarknight Rigel!"

(Satellarknight Rigel - ATK: 1900 - Level: 4)

"I could as well call on my other XYZ Monster!! I Overlay three level 4 my fellow Satellarknights, Altair, Vega and Rigel!!"

The three 4 level Tellarknight Monsters turned into shooting star-like yellow orbs and entered the Overlay Network.

"Three of the brightest stars form the Northern Triangle constellation in the depths of the northern hemisphere! Let the blue crystals shine with winter light!" Alisha chanted on her XYZ Summoning.

The Overlay Network exploded with a thousand luminous lights.

"I XYZ Summon!! Appear Rank 4... Stellarknight Triverr!!" She cried out at her summoning call.

Located in the starry sky of Hexatellarknight below the Overlay Network, the three stars form a constellation of the Northern Triangle. An astal ray emerged, bringing out a knight with a similar appearance of Stellarknight Delteros from the stars carrying a shield and a sword with him, but his armor is silvery. Tree Overlay Units orbs of yellow light orbiting around the body of the Tellarknight Xyz Monster.

(Stellarknight Triverr - ATK: 2100 + 800 = 2900 - DEF: 2500 + 800 = 3300 - Rank: 4 - Overlay Units: 3)

"Unfortunately for you, I have a trick up my sleeve! When Stellarknight Triverr is Xyz Summoned: all other cards on the field are returned to our hands!"

Sorey smirked, knew Alisha intended to do, "That's perfect! You just triggered my Trap!"

His face-down card rose and revealed a Trap card in his field.

"Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyi!"

"What's that!" Alisha had her bright green eyes widened.

"That's exactly what was needed! When any card effect, is activated while I control a face-up non-Effect Monster, I can negate the activation! I'm sorry to disappoint you but your plan has gone wrong again!"

Stellarknight Triverr was electrocuted and shattered into a million pieces before Alisha's eyes as she couldn't do anything to save him.

"No way, I was negligent! How could I let myself be done?!"

"Your hesitation cost you Alisha! It's true that you have to be careful not to fall into the trap, but you made the wrong choice that caused your downfall!" Sorey answered her with candor.

"When Stellarknight Triverr has still Overlay Units is sent to my Graveyard... I can target one Tellarknight monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! Satellarknight Altair!"

Once again Satellarknight Altair returned to Alisha's field from the Graveyard.

"And with Altair's power, I can bring Vega back once again!"

Satellarknight Vega reappeared to Altair's side.

"Those two are particularly tenacious." Sorey said seeing that.

"Altair and Vega have always been my most loyal comrades... Even being separated by the impassable Milky Way, they still remain linked to each other..." Alisha told to him. "It's the same with me and my faithful monsters." She then placed a Trap card in the slot of her Duel Disk. "I place another face-down card, and... I place my Deck Master on my field!" 

To Sorey's shock, Stellarknight Constellar Diamond stepped into Alisha's field at her request. The majestic Wyrm Monster flapped its galactic wings and was ready to attack.

"She's lost her mind?! Alisha won't dare to call on her Deck Master!"

Alisha was more determined than ever to defeat Sorey, even if she took the risk of automatically losing the Duel if her Deck Master would be destroyed. "You pushed me to my last limits. I congratulate you for destroying my two of my powerful Stellarknight comrades. That's why..." She showed her Spell card, "I use Card of Demise which I've in hand!" Alisha drew 3 cards from her deck. "It allows me to draw until I've 3 cards in hand, also for the rest of my turn, you takes no damage. On the other hand, at the end of my turn, I send my entire hand to the Graveyard. And also, I can't Special Summon during the turn I activate Card of Demise."

The three cards Alisha drew are two Spells and one Trap. She showed the first Spell card and activate it.

"I now use Overlay Regen! I can give it to Constellar Diamond and attach this card to it as an Overlay Unit!"

After giving her Deck Master an Overlay Unit, Alisha activated her second Spell card from her hand.

"Then I equip my monster with the Stellarknight Alpha card! It gains 500 attack and defense points, also it's unaffected by the special abilities of your Spell, Trap and Monster cards!"

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond - ATK: 2700 + 500 = 3200; DEF: 2000 + 500 = 2500 - Rank: 5 - Overlay Units: 1)

Alisha's Deck Master was surrounded by a strong glowing aura, roared with determination.

"And even more thanks to my Field Spell Hexatellarknight, it has a bonus of 200 extra attack and defense points!"

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond - ATK: 3200 + 200 = 3400; DEF: 2500 + 200 = 2700 - Overlay Units: 1)

"Nothing can stop them now!" Sorey exclaimed when he saw this.

"I place a card face down and end my turn!" She announced after placing her Trap card in the slot of her Duel Disk.

"It's up to me!" He exclaimed, drawing a card, he glanced at his two Tenyi Spirit monster cards. "Adhara and Ashuna, those are the ones I needed."

He showed his first monster card to Special Summon it to his field.

"I summon Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna!"

(Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna - ATK: 1600 - Level: 7)

"And then I summon Tenyi Spirit - Adhara!"

The earth dragon spirit appeared to Ashuna's side.

(Tenyi Spirit - Adhara - ATK: 0 - Level: 1)

"Looks like you're lucky enough to draw the card you need." Alisha observed Sorey, "If you knew that my Deck Master has the power to prevent cards from our decks from being sent to the Graveyard, and any card that return from the Graveyard to our hands end up being banished instead."

"I bring the circuit!" He announced as the Arrowhead portal appeared on Sorey's field. "Link Arrows authorized! The Summoning conditions are one Link Monster and two Wrym monsters. I set Monk of the Tenyi and two of my Tenyi Spirits, Ashuna and Adhara, in the Link Arrows! Link the Circuit!" Ashuna, Adhara and the Monk were entered the portal, activating the Top, Top-Right and Bottom-Right Link Arrows from within the portal. "I Link Summon!"

The portal then glowed white and energy converged to form the Link monster and the Link Arrows around it.

"Link 3, Berserker of the Tenyi!!" Sorey called.

The Tenyi Link Monster then emerged out from the Arrowhead portal. Berserker of the Tenyi roared in full rage.

(Berserker of the Tenyi - ATK: 3000 - Link: 3)

"Sahasrara, you enter the field area." Sorey asked.

"Are you sure? Once the process is started, there's no going back."

"Yes." He nodded.

"So let's go." Sahasrara flew into the area of Sorey's field.

Alisha smirked, "So you decide to commit as a last resort. In that case I decide to target your Deck Master! Let the ultimate battle begin!"

"Yeah!" Sorey exclaimed.

Sorey, Alisha and their Deck Masters engage as the ultimate showdown begins.

(Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara - ATK: 3000 - Link: 4)

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond - ATK: 3400 - DEF: 2700 - Overlay Units: 1)

"I then reveal Sahasrara's special ability!" He announced by activating the effect of his Deck Master. "If I control a face-up non-Effect Monster, yours can't target my Effect Monsters for any attack, and you can't target Effect Monsters on the field with card effects."

"What?" Alisha was getting shocked upon hearing this.

"Another thing to tell you, I target one Effect Monster you control..." Sorey pointed at his target. "It's Stellarknight Constellar Diamond I choose."

A Tenyi Spirit Token appeared alongside Sorey and Sahasrara.

"And then, I have a Tenyi Spirit Token appearing on my field and its attack points become your targeted monster's original attack."

(Tenyi Spirit Token - ATK: 3400 - DEF: 0 - Level: 4)

"I am aware that thanks to Hexatellarknight, you can send one any Tellarknight card from your hand to the Graveyard and negate my attack!" Sorey pointed his finger to Alisha, "Unfortunately for you, you have no card in your hand that can save you! That's why I attack Constellar Diamond with my Tenyi Spirit Token!"

"Damn it, I know it!" Alisha gritted her teeth.

"Go ahead my Token! Eliminate Stellarknight Constellar Diamond once and for all!" Sorey ordered.

The Tenyi Spirit Token launched an assault and was about to attack Constellar Diamond when Alisha was about to counterattack.

"It was a good attempt, but I'm activating my Trap! Xyz Soul!" She rose up her Trap card.

"Ah! That's a bad sign!" He exclaimed at the last moment.

"I can target one Xyz Monster in either player's Graveyard and all my monsters gain attack equal to its Rank of 200 until the end of the turn!" Alisha explained to him about the effect of her Trap card, "The one I chose is Stellarknight Delteros!"

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond ATK: 3400 + 800 = 4200 - Overlay Units: 1)

(Satellarknight Altair - ATK: 1700 + 800 = 2500)

(Satellarknight Vega - ATK: 1200 + 800 = 2000)

(Satellarknight Alsahm - ATK: 1400 + 800 = 2200)

As Constellar Diamond's attack points increased to 4200, it was Sorey's Tenyi Spirit Token that was destroyed instead and his life points drop to only 100.

(Sorey - LP: 900 - 800 = 100 - Cards in hand: 0)

"Nevertheless, I still have two of my other monsters to go on the offensive!" Sorey replied as he can always attack and ordered one of his Link Monsters. "Berserker of the Tenyi, destroy Satellarknight Alsahm! Fierce Fist!"

As Alisha's Monster was still in defense mode, the terrifying humanoid draconic monster shattered Alsahm's armor and annihilated him. Alisha's Life Points are still intact.

"To top it off, Sahasrara attack Altair!" Sorey replied as his assault continued so Altair was about to get attacked.

"I'm activating... Half or Nothing!" She rose up her Trap card in her field.

"No way!" Sorey cried, his eyes widened.

"You have two possibilities against reducing half of the attack points of your monsters, or ending your turn! Negotiations are non-negotiable!" Alisha continued.

Sorey knew full well that he wasn't taking the risk of losing his monsters by halving his attack points, so he decided to end his Battle Phase.

"In this case I end my turn!" He growled as both of his Monsters stop their onslaught.

As a result, Sahasrara suddenly stopped from attacking Altair (much to Vega's relief) and retreated.

"I was sure you would say that!" Alisha said while drawing a card of her deck. "As you have finished your turn, the effect of my XYZ Soul allows me to put my XYZ Monster back into the Extra Deck, and their attack points return to the initial."

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond ATK: 4200 - 800 = 3400 - Overlay Units: 1)

(Satellarknight Altair - ATK: 2500 - 800 = 1700)

(Satellarknight Vega - ATK: 2000 - 800 = 1200)

(Satellarknight Alsahm - ATK: 2200 - 800 = 1400)

Now all of this depended on Alisha's next decisive turn, because if she got the card that could benefit her, it was over for Sorey.

Alisha looked at the drawn card, it was a Monster card. "This one should be fine."

She quickly placed her drawn card on the blade of her Duel Disk.

"Here is one of my other fellow monsters, Satellarknight Unukalhai!"

A monster knight with a snake tail representing the Serpens constellation appeared alongside the other Satellarknights.

(Satellarknight Unukalhai - ATK: 1800 - Level: 4)

"You intend to bring Stellarknight Delteros back? But do something new for once!" Sorey shouted.

"Sorry but I'm not changing tactics!" Alisha replied as Altair, Vega and Unukalhai turned into shooting star-like yellow orbs and entered the Overlay Network. The Overlay Network exploded with a thousand luminous lights.

"Come back to me Stellarknight Delteros!!"

After Alisha performed her XYZ Summon, Stellarknight Delteros returned to the battlefield. Thanks to her Field Spell card, Hexatellarknight, her XYZ Monster gained 600 Attack Points.

(Stellarknight Delteros - ATK: 2500 + 600 = 3100; DEF: 2100 + 600 = 2700 - Rank: 4 - Overlay Units: 3)

"So let me say one thing... In Duels, opponents can be ruthless towards you and even insist on bringing our monsters back to our field." Alisha candidly told him as she detached one of the Overlay Units under her XYZ Monster card from her Duel Disc and send it to the Graveyard. One of the three orbs of yellow light orbiting around Delteros disappear, and lose 200 Attack Points due to the effect of Hexatellarknight. "Like you, you brought Monk of the Tenyi back to your field because it's part of your strategy."

(Stellarknight Delteros - ATK: 3100 - 200 = 2900; DEF: 2100 - 200 = 2500)

"Like me, I will always stand by my fellow Tellarknights as I bring them back to my battlefield again and again! And I won't let them down!" Alisha continued to tell him as Stellarknight Delteros was about to eliminate Berserker of the Tenyi as she couldn't attack or target Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara with a card effect.

However, Sorey smirked, as the latter had set a trap for Alisha. "I knew you're planning a trick on me, to bring back Stellarknight Delteros and also destroy Berserker of the Tenyi with his special ability." He raised his arm and then announced as one of his cards flew off from his Duel Disk. "If you activates a card or effect that targets a face-up non-Effect Monster I control... So I can banish my Tenyi Spirit - Mapura from my Graveyard to negate the activation, and Stellarknight Delteros is destroyed as a result!"

Mapura's spirit appeared before Delteros' eyes, and the sword and shield were burned as it activated its effect. Its flaming body exploded and burned Delteros to ashes while two of his Overlay Units disappeared with him. Even if Alisha could call another of her Tellarknight monsters either from her deck or from the Graveyard thank to Delteros' effect, she decided not to, since she can still attack because her Monsters on the field are strong enough to annihilate Sorey's.

"Well done Sorey, but I'm afraid you lost anyway since you only have 100 Life Points left! I'm going to have to eliminate Berserker of the Tenyi with Stellarknight Constellar Diamond!"

Her Deck Master roared, went to the final assault.

"Constellar Diamond, destroy his Monster!" She ordered as her Deck Master's galactic wings grew and turning into northern lights, it attacking Berserker of the Tenyi. "Aurora Wings!!"

"Sorry to disappoint you, but it's over for you Alisha!" Nahata's spirit appeared in front of Alisha and Constellar Diamond before they reached Berserker of the Tenyi, "By banishing Nahata from my Graveyard, your monster loses 1500 attack points until the end of my turn!"

Nahata roared as it activated its effect and slashed Alisha and her Deck Master with the wind blades from its body.

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond ATK: 3400 - 1500 = 1900 - Overlay Units: 1)

"No!" Alisha cried in shock.

"I'm afraid so!" He replied of satisfaction, "And now Berserker of the Tenyi, destroys Alisha's Deck Master and thus all the rest of her Life Points! Fierce Fist!"

Berserker punched into Constellar Diamond's armored body, shattering it into a thousand pieces and making it roar in pain. Alisha flew off screaming after her Deck Master was destroyed and automatically lost the Duel against Sorey.

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 1400 - 1500 = 0 - Cards in hand: 0)

Luckily, Sorey who was still on top of Sahasrara's head since the start of their Duel, caught Alisha by the arm before she fell in a potentially fatal fall.

"Hehe, that was pretty well done, Alisha." He let out a smile.

"You really are amazing Sorey. I've never encountered a Duelist who could stand up to my Tellarknights until now." Alisha was happy to face Sorey as her opponent.

Sorey pulled Alisha up to the golden dragon's head. With the end of their Deck Master Turbo Duel, the scenery of Hexatellarknight disappeared and returned to the ordinary sky. 

She then started laughing, "Oh my my, what an idiot I am!" Alisha had tears of joy in her eyes after that, displayed a smile.

The two laugh with joy together.

The next morning, Alisha was about to leave after Sorey provided a leather bag and provisions for her journey, the Seraphim and Mikleo witnessed her departure.

"Take care to you." Sorey prayed to her that everything went well.

But before leaving from Elysia, Alisha wanted to talk with him.

"I was asking you a question, if you allow me."

"Come on, I listen to you." Sorey noded.

"If you really are a human raised by Seraphim, then do you really believe in the legend of the Shepherd Duelists?" Alisha seriously asked.

"Of course I really believe in the existence of Shepherd Duelists!" He answered directly.

"Really?"

"Yes they are known for their deep ties to their fellow monsters! Shepherd Duelists were said to be strongly connected with the Spirit World of Duel Monsters."

"If you had high resonance and a strong bound to Duel Monsters, then does that mean you're destined to be the next Shepherd Duelist?"

"Of course I've always dreamed of becoming a Shepherd Duelist!" Sorey exclaimed happily, "If you knew that I admire them a lot, Eleanor was one back then!"

"Are you really sure it was her?" Alisha replied, "I think it was actually Artorius Collbrande who was the real first Shepherd Duelist over 1000 years ago, he was known to be the only one to possess the Noble Knights. If I were you, I avoided admiring any of them. Artorius committed such acts by stripping all emotions in order to purify the world from Malevolence, he was also at the origin of the sudden appearance of the Duel Monsters."

"Oh, I'm sorry for that." He bowed his head.

"It's been a while since I searched for someone who could become the next Shepherd Duelist." Alisha confessed. "With chaos still reigning, the Malevolence keeps rising in the hearts of people and monster spirits. Worse still, there was a weird guy running after me."

"Eh?" Curiosity flared in Sorey after hearing her confession.

"Yes he wanted to take the Stardust Dragon card from me, but I don't remember owning it."

"And what happened next?"

"He chased me into the forest, I had no choice but to face him in a Duel. Fortunately I managed to escape and take refuge in a temple." Alisha was explaining to him what happened before she passed out after her fall into the ruins.

"And that was why you came to Mt Mabinogio Ruins?" Sorey deduced from this.

"Yes, I remembered entering those ruins by chance." She nodded, and remembered what she saw in her mind. "There were carvings in stone walls depicting a figure of a Shepherd Duelist, thousands of Duel Monsters with the Crimson Dragon wreaking havoc before being sealed in playing cards."

"The Crimson Dragon was involved in it?" Sorey widened his eyes upon learning of a missing detail.

"The Crimson Dragon was said to be furious after Artorius committed such atrocities in the Spirit World, and disappeared after devastating everything in the human world." She said then on to another topic about herself, "As a child, I regularly heard voices in my head. But no one believed me, they thought I was weird even for a princess being the farthest from inheriting the throne."

Sorey hadn't followed everything from Alisha saying, "Whoa, hang on. What are you talking about?"

"You don't believe me? Or you think this is a joke?"

"No, I believe you in that story." He shook his head.

"The situation keeps getting worse. The chaos has caused abnormal climate changes all over the Human World and the Spirit World. As a result, we are on the verge of enduring widespread crop loss and starvation. And even worse, the governments of Rolance and Hyland planning to start their Dueling war in order to seize and appropriate the Match Winner cards for themselves."

"Is there a way we can stop them?"

"Maybe so, if you were the Shepherd Duelist. Well at least that's what I thought." Alisha looked down. "Anyway I should go back to Ladylake to attend the Sacred Blade Festival. I really owe you and thank you so much Sorey."

"You gonna be okay by yourself?" Sorey asked in concern.

Alisha nodded, "Yes, my fellow knights Altair and Vega are always watching over me, right?"

Both Altair and Vega appeared alongside her as spirits.

"It's true, we take care of our princess." Altair said. "We cannot cause more trouble for you than we already have."

"If you wish to join her, then meet us at Ladylake." Vega added. "I promise you it was a really great place."

Altair reassured Alisha, "You'll be fine Princess, just follow the map and you'll pass through the forest with no problem."

"Alisha...I what you just told me was true, so I'm probably going to Ladylake too."

"Really?" Alisha gasped in delight, she grabbed Sorey's hands. "So much the better! Glad to hear it! At Ladylake, there a trial will be held based of the legend of the Shepherd Duelist's sword! A unique trial that you will be interested in!"

"Me?"

But Sorey knew he couldn't leave Elysia and the Seraphim due to the rules.

"I'll think a little, if you knew I wanted to leave."

Alisha turned her back with the bag of food provided and left with her two Tellarknights.

"Take your time to think, I have to go. Sorey, thank you for everything and for believing in me. Seraphim, thank you for hosting me for a while in Elysia."

Zenrus rested his shoulder on Sorey, just to comfort him a bit, knowing that Sorey cared a bit about Alisha as his friend.

"Sorey, you liked that girl. But it's always better that she leaves."

"I know, Gramps." He whispered.

"Come on my little Sorey I'll make some ice cream you like."

Later at night with a full moon, there was a Duel clash. It was between a bandit and an assassin from the Scattered Bones guild. The Bandit had only his one monster on the field while the Scattered Bones Assassin had none.

"Hahahahaha! You no longer have any monsters to protect you! Soon you'll just be a bad memory!" The bandit laughed with pride, "Alligator's Sword, attack!"

The anthropomorphic green and yellow reptile wielded the sword and directly attacked the mysterious assassin's Life Points.

(The Scattered Bones Assassin - LP: 2000 - 1500 = 500 - Cards in hand: 1)

The iron mask split open and fell to the ground, revealing her true face. She was a woman with red hair and sky blue eyes.

"Ooh you lost your mask my word!" He boasted, "It's a pity that I'm going to finish you off and that I damage your portrait!"

"Have you done messing around, you stupid lamy jerk! I can't wait to make your lizard a luxury handbag!" She got angry as she took her hood off, drawing a card from her deck and quickly placed the blade of her Scattered Bones Duel Disk. "Blackwing - Steam the Cloak, come to my aid!"

The Blackwing Tuner Monster emerged from the blue rift and flew to her side while croaking.

(Blackwing - Steam the Cloak - ATK: 800 - Level: 3)

"Ha! I don't see that could help you!" The bandit underestimated.

"Oh really, I have another feathered ally who just joined me." She held another card between her two fingers.

Another Blackwing Monster emerged from the blue rift and flew alongside Steam, croaking and arming with a twisted dagger.

"I summon another of my Blackwings, Kris the Crack of Dawn!"

(Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn - ATK: 1900 - Level: 4)

She glared at him, "This was your last Duel! Whoever discovered my true face as a member of the Scattered Bones... Will eventually suffer the wrath of my Blackwing Monsters!"

"No please, I want to go home!" The bandit became very scared, begged to spare.

"Sorry but the wicked are always punished in the name of justice!" The red-haired Duelist replied, then raised her hand in the air to announce, "Now my Monsters, switch to Synchro Summoning! Take flight Steam!"

First, the Blackwing Tuner Monster, Steam the Cloak took flight before his body dissipated, taking the form of the three Synchro Rings from his Level 3.

(Level: 3 + 4 = 7)

"I'll give you the wings so you can fly straight to the rainy sky!" 

These Synchro Rings then scan the other Blackwing Monster, Kris the Crack of Dawn, which first change into a glowing yellow outline of himself before turning into a number of 4 stars which correspond to his Level. A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon! Let's go my loyal winged warrior, Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling!"

The Assault Blackwing Synchro Monster appeared as he took flight, spreading black feathers around.

"When Steam leaves the field, he left me a Steam Token here."

(Steam Token - ATK: 100 - Level: 2)

"As for Chidori, he gains 300 extra Attack points for each Blackwing monster in my Graveyard! And that gives him a total of 1500 Attack Points since there were 5 in all!"

(Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling - ATK: 2600 + 1500 = ATK: 4100 - Level: 7)

"Chidori, destroy his Monster and end this Duel once and for all with your Lightning Slash!"

The Alligator's Sword groaned in pain as it was sliced in half and annihilated the bandit's remaining Life Points, thus ending their Duel.

(Bandit Duelist - 1000 LP - 2600 = 0 - Cards in hand: 3)

The bandit was thrown straight to the grassy ground by the attack of the female red-haired Duelist's Assault Blackwing Monster, the cards he was holding dispersed around him. She approached the unconscious man, bent down to pick up one of the cards, the Monster card was the "Ten Thousand Dragon". 

"That's the one..." She glared at him, "I'm going to retrieve and return the rarest card you stole from a wealthy young boy!"

The red-haired Duelist left quietly while putting the recovered card in the pocket.

"What do we do with this one?" Chidori, one of the red-haired Duelist's Ace monsters, asked.

"Do as you please, and have fun." She replied, her back turned.

"Rose, as always you keep your Dueling strategy very aggressive." The male voice said inside.

"What do you want from me, shark teeth!" Rose fumed, "And get out of my mind!"

The Wind Seraph emerged out from Rose and appeared before her.

"Hey not too close to me!" Rose got scared.

"My name is Dezel, and you've the nerve to call me a shark, that's not nice! To say that I gave you half of the Blackwing Monsters to make you easier in Duels so as not to arouse suspicion as an assassin of the Scattered Bones!"

"You shut up, shark teeth!" Rose jumping on Dezel and hanging from his shoulders, swinging around as he tried to throw her off. "I didn't ask you to enter anything in my body!"

"Get off me, you pixie!"

"No!"

Unbeknownst to Dezel and Rose, a dark-looking female figure stood in the cliff.

"I said let go of me Rose!"

"You don't have to embed yourself in my body if you don't want me to make you dress up as a shark!"

"Hmm that girl, could it be she possessed the Black Rose Dragon that Lord Heldalf was looking for?"

Chapter Text

It's been since yesterday that Alisha was gone, she missed Sorey a little bit, remembered doing a Deck Master Turbo Duel with her for the first time in his life in 17 years.

Mikleo put Sorey on the shoulder and showed him a lost dagger that seemed important to Alisha.

"What's this?"

"Gramps asked me to go out search the ruins and find some clues about Alisha."

"Is that Alisha's dagger?" Sorey asked.

"This crest is Hyland's." Mikleo replied.

"I know it's hard my little Sorey, it's always better this way." Zenrus' voice said from behind.

Suddenly, a monstrous roar sounded throughout Elysia's domain, which alerted them.

"A Hellion! There's a Hellion who broke into Elysia!" Zenrus exclaimed in full alert.

"A Hellion?" Sorey turned to him.

Sahasrara's spirit emerged out of Sorey's deck box.

"I sense a very evil presence, this guy apparently had a Match Winner card." He said in a deep voice.

"What'd you say?" Sorey asked in confusion.

"Alisha told us about these dangerous monsters who have been banished from the Spirit World because of their terrifying powers." Sahasrara informed him, "Anyone in the human world who possessed them will be tainted by Malevolence and may become Hellions themselves if they keep them any longer."

"We have to do something!" Sorey exclaimed, wanting to act as soon as possible before someone is in danger.

A scream of fear echoed throughout Elysia interrupting the brief conversation, forcing Sorey and Mikleo to rush off as Zenrus urgently called their fellow Seraphim.

"All Seraphim! There's an intruder in Elysia! We need to stop them before anyone else gets hurt!" He declared urgently.

All of them rush in, all armed with Duel Discs and cards.

"We have to go Sorey!" Mikleo urged. "To the forest!"

The two childhood friends leave quickly and inspect everything around Elysia.

As Sorey and Mikleo inspected the ruins, the scream and sounds of destruction echoed throughout the forest.

"He's danger!" Sorey exclaimed. "We must to come to his aid!"

They discover to their horror that one of the Seraphim was defeated by a mysterious man in a merciless Duel. They come too late to save him.

"That's awful! Mason!" Sorey exclaimed in shock.

"Nyi hihihihi, it's a shame that it's too easy. I was expecting the Duel to be much more exciting, but..."

The enemy turned towards the two with a vicious wide grin. His physical appearance look like as a fox. He had long pointy ears, amber eyes, and long light-brown hair with white tips tied in a ponytail. His mood changed to a strong aggressiveness, he grew mad and freaked out.

"Where's the girl who possessed the Stardust Dragon?! I want her dragon and I'll pay for it!!"

"This foxy guy has gone crazy or what?" Mikleo frowned as he unfurled his navy Duel Disc. "He needs to be tamed."

"How dare you lash out at Mason!" Sorey fumed as he deployed his Duel Disc as well.

"Tell me where's the girl?!" The fox-man persisted. "I want the Stardust Dragon card now!!"

"Go buy some pins instead!" Mikleo retorted.

"You don't belong here! Leave or you'll suffer the consequences!" Sorey added.

"As you guys wish, but better my next Duel full of rock and roll must be even more fun than the previous one!" The fox man shrugged, seemed accepted for the next challenge. "And my name is Lunarre!" He then showed a Link Monster card to them; Sanctity of Dragon. "But what you probably don't know is that I have the power you've never had, an overpowered monster card that I can destroy in less than two sec'."

Lunarre summoned Sanctity of Dragon and acted as his Deck Master. It was a fearsome golden dragon with scarlet red wings, red eyes and four black horns with gold rings on its head. It had a strange mark similar to red veins running across its chest. Sanctity of Dragon roared in fury, ready to destroy everything in its path.

"It's a Match Winner card!" Sorey exclaimed.

"Sorey, we have to release our Deck Masters!" Mikleo told his friend to do it.

"Understood!" He nodded as he pulled out his deck and quickly picked one of his monster cards.

The monsters that Sorey and Mikleo choosed are Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara and Poseidra the Atlantean Dragon. Both dragons roared in fury, determined to annihilate Lunarre's Deck Master as they feel the evil aura made from Malevolence.

"They were tainted with Malevolence, and obsessed with power as well." Poseidra scrunched up his red eyes.

"Most importantly stay on our toes. This foxy man wasn't just any Duelist." Sahasrara cautioned them. "He can call upon his Deck Master all he wants on his field. And if this dragon hits you, you automatically lose this Duel."

"It's wrong to use an illegal card as a your Deck Master! That's against the rules!" Sorey framed Lunarre for alleged cheating.

"So what I don't give a care about kiddy rules!" He scoffed, "I have the right to choose a Deck Master with any monster if I want! To win Duels, all means are good and all shots are allowed!"

"But that sooner or later, you couldn't laugh anymore! Because me and Mikleo are gonna make you pay for your inlay!" Sorey drew five cards from his deck.

"Prepare to meet you doom, you guys!" Lunarre shouted as he unfolded his own Duel Disk and drew five cards from his deck at once.

"It's time for Duel!!" Both Sorey and Mikleo shouted together.

"And it's time to rock and roll!!" Lunarre exclaimed, determined more than ever to defeat Sorey and Mikleo.

(Sorey - 4000 LP)

(Mikleo - 4000 LP)

(Lunarre - 4000 LP)

"I start, and I draw!" Lunarre announced first by drawing a card, smirked.

After looking at the cards in hand, Lunarre decided what to do; summon his monsters in a single turn.

"I hope you liked making rock and roll music!" He showed them a Field Spell card. "So here comes the P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session!"

Elysia's setting was changing into a kind of more futuristic and flashy vision.

"What is that?" Mikleo widened his purple eyes seeing the change.

"Welcome to my world of music and dance!" He said happily. "It will be a crazy show!"

Lunarre then slapped his monster card on the blade of his Duel Disc.

"Welcome to the stage, my Tuner monster! Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Sharakusai!"

The futuristic kabuki monster appeared and dancing.

(Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Sharakusai - ATK: 1200 - Level: 3)

"The show has only just begun, because you know my monster is going to do some dance tricks!"

(Lunarre: 4000 LP - 600 = 3600 - Cards in hand: 4)

"By paying my first 600 Life Points, I can merge Sharakusai with Gagaku-P.U.N.K. Wa Gon that I have in hand!" He held his other monster card between his two fingers.

As Sharakusai began to dance to make a spatial rift appear, Wa Gon flew up to the sky where he could merge with him.

"Fusion Dance!" He activating the effect of his Tuner monster, and then chanted to his Fusion Summoning. "The carp soared from the top of the waterfall and became a celestial legend! I Fusion Summon!"

The Fusion Monster emerged out of the space rift and landed on the ground of Lunarre's Field Spell Card. His appearance was similar to Sharakusai except he was accompanied by a neon transparant carp.

"Dance! My Level 8 Monster! Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Rising Carp!"

(Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Rising Carp - ATK: 1000 - Level: 8)

"Just for such a weak Fusion Monster, I wasn't surprised if he's so strong." Mikleo was unimpressed.

"With the power of my P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session Field Spell card as I control a Psychic monster, I can draw another card!" He said while drawing, "I really want to crush you guys, but I didn't have the right to attack on my first turn, it would be a big mess to get it over with quickly." Lunarre placed a card face down and ended his turn.

"Very well it's up to me!" Mikleo drew a card, then looked at Lunarre's face-down card. "I'd have to be extra careful. I'm sure he was planning a dirty trick." He showed his monster card. "I summon Mermail Abyssnerei in Defense mode!"

The platium blonde-haired Mermail monster appeared in front of Mikleo and positioned herself in defense. Her appearance was based on the Nereid or the Coelacanth.

(Mermail Abyssnerei - DEF: 2000 - Level: 3)

"I set a card face down and I end my turn." Mikleo announced as placed his face-down card in his field.

"Okay, it's my move!" Sorey drew a card and placed his monster card instantly on the blade of his Duel Disc. "I Special Summon Tenyi Spirit - Vishuda!"

The dark dragon spirit flew out of its card, materialized, and roared.

(Tenyi Spirit - Vishuda - ATK: 1500 - Level: 7)

"Time to attack!" Sorey went on the offensive, but was unaware to Lunarre's trap.

"Sorey, don't attack! That's what Lunarre was expecting from you!" Mikleo tried to warn him.

"Vishuda, attack Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Rising Carp!" He impulsively ordered his monster to attack and ignored him.

Vishuda flew straight to Rising Carp, prepared to crush him with its jaw.

"What a moron you are!" Lunarre smirked, he stretched out his right arm. "You triggered my Trap Card!"

The set card rose and revealed to be a Trap.

"Joruri-P.U.N.K. Nashiwari Surprise!" He declared. "If I control a "P.U.N.K." monster, so I can target one face-up card you control and destroy it!"

Vishuda got blocked by a magical barrier before reaching Lunarre's Fusion Monster, and therefore destroyed.

"And unfortunately for you, your monster is paying the price for your haste!"

"I told you that you shouldn't rush now!" Mikleo scolded him.

"We really have to reduce his life points to zero before he'll call on his Deck Master! If we lose, we're finished!" Sorey countered before putting his card in the slot from his Duel Disc. "I place one face-down card... And my turn is over!"

"That's perfect... I draw." Lunarre smirked as he drew a card, then glanced at his Spell card and showed it to them. "To start I use Pot of Greed! I can draw two other additional cards!" He then used his Spell Card, "I activate my Continuous Spell Card, Gagaku-P.U.N.K. Crash Beat!"

He placed it in the slot from his Duel Disc slot and make his Spell card appeared on his field.

"Go ahead, try to attack me to see if you have the courage!" Lunarre taunted his two opponents. "Are you scared because you wet your beds and cry behind your old man?"

"How dare you make fun of us! And I forbid you to ill talk like that to Gramps!" Sorey reacted to his teasing, annoyed.

"Sorey please, keep your cool down!" Sahasrara interjected in a deep voice.

"I know very well!" He shot back.

"And to make the Duel fun, I'm going to call on Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin!" He summoned his Tuner monster next to him.

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin - ATK: 600 - Level: 3)

"It doesn't stop there, I pay my 600 Life Points to activate my monster's special ability."

(Lunarre: 3400 LP - 600 = 2800 - Cards in hand: 4)

"And thanks to the P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session, I have the right to draw another card." Lunarre drew another card from his deck before continued. "So I'm going to invite my other P.U.N.K monster from my deck into my hand." He took the deck from his Duel Disc and chose the assigned card.

Sorey growled, glared at him as Lunarre tributed his Tuner monster to special summoned his Level 8 P.U.N.K monster from his hand.

"Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin, now you can dispose! Because our real star is going to take over!"

He placed his card on the blade of his Duel Disc. Smoke billowed across the stage from his Field Spell Card, P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session. The stage platform rose up, the figure appeared inside the smoke.

"Here comes the star who joins on stage... Please welcome Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune!"

The smoke cleared and revealed Lunarre's Ace Monster. Foxy Tune was a monster based on Fishing Fox in kyōgen, accompanied by an illusory fox with claws and a giant fox mask.

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune - ATK: 2300 - Level: 8)

"Thank you for attending Foxy Tune's coming on stage! She's going to put on a show full of rock and roll!"

Ze Amin's spirit appeared to activate the effect.

"As Ze Amin was sent to my Graveyard, I can target one of my "P.U.N.K." monsters I control and gain 600 attack points."

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune - ATK: 2300 + 600  = 2900)

"Thanks to my Field Spell Card, P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session, I can banish one card from my Graveyard for another Special Summon..."

Lunarre's Field Spell Card glowed to activate a second effect.

"That allows me to bring to my field, Noh-P.U.N.K. Ogre Dance!" He revealed his other Level 8 monster card and placed it on the blade of his Duel Disc.

The masked monster, accompanied by a dark red ogre with a mask-like face and giant claws, appeared alongside Foxy Tune.

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Ogre Dance - ATK: 2500 - Level: 8)

"Alright let's attack!" Lunarre pointed his finger declaring. "I start with Ogre Dance! Destroy the Water Seraph's monster!"

Noh-P.U.N.K. Ogre Dance rushed forward to attack Mermail Abyssnerei.

"I activate my Trap card! Poseidon Wave!" Mikleo exclaimed, revealing his face-down card from his field. "When your monster declares an attack, I can negate it, and inflict you 800 damage to your Life Points for each Fish, Sea Serpent or Aqua-Type monster I control!"

The tsunami wave arose behind Mikleo with the ocean god in charge which could splash Ogre Dance.

"It's useless! I can now activate my Spell card, Gagaku-P.U.N.K. Crash Beat!" Lunarre smirked, he knew that Mikleo activated his Trap which would turn the tables on him.

The Continuous Spell Card glowed on activation, destroying Mikleo's Trap Card and the tsunami wave disappeared.

"What the heck is that?!" Mikleo widened his purple eyes in shock.

"If you activate a card or effect that targets my P.U.N.K. monsters, I can destroy any your card!"

Ogre Dance could now eliminate Abyssnerei, the dark red illusory ogre who was controlled by the masked monster, crushed her with clawed hands. There was nothing Mikleo could do to save his monster in defense mode.

"Your monster is out of the spotlight!" Lunarre exclaimed arrogantly.

"Abyssnerei no!" Mikleo exclaimed.

"As you no longer have any monsters to protect you, Rising Carp can now attack you!"

Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Rising Carp sent the flying neon carp towards Mikleo, blasting him to the ground and lost 1000 Life Points.

(Mikleo: 4000 LP - 1000 = 3000 - Cards in hand: 4)

"No Mikleo!" Sorey yelled seeing his friend get thrown to the ground.

"Are you okay Lord Mikleo?" Poseidra asked worriedly.

"And I'm not done yet!" Lunarre continued. "Foxy Tune, attack Sorey and give me a good show!"

Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune attacked Sorey who had been left defenseless except for one face-down card on his field. His monster was surrounded by a spiritual aura to form a roaring giant fox.

"Illusory Fox Attack!" Lunarre cried out at Foxy Tune's specific attack.

Sorey was screaming, knocked down in turn and lost Life Points.

(Sorey: 4000 LP - 2900 = 1900 - Cards in hand: 4)

"There you go, my turn is over! Two more attacks, and you're both finished!" He declared with satisfaction, "I can't wait to track down the girl who holds the Stardust Dragon card!"

Sanctity of Dragon roared with impatience, wanted to finish this Deck Master Duel as soon as possible.

"Do you want to fight?" Lunarre told to his Deck Master, "There's no point getting you excited like that, will you. Just admire the humiliation that our two adversaries suffer and I'll send you to my field."

He putting his last card in the slot of his Duel Disk.

The two boys are struggling to straighten up after both of them have suffered the violent shocks.

"Sorey, are you okay?" Mikleo asked.

"Yes, everything is fine..." Sorey replied, straightening up.

"We really need to reduce Lunarre's Life Points to 0 before he will call on his Deck Master on his field!"

"Easy to tell!" Sorey retorted.

They stand up together and resume their Duel. As Lunarre finished his turn, it was Mikleo's turn to play.

"It's my turn and I draw!" Mikleo drew his next card, he had finally found a Trap that could reverse the situation to their advantage. "Torrential Tribute?! That's perfect! With my Trap, we could get rid of that foxman's monsters once and for all, but... Because of the Spell card, Gagaku-P.U.N.K. Crash Beat, he can destroy any card to use against his P.U.N.K monsters. So I need Sorey to get us out of this mess."

The Water Seraph turned to Sorey for strategy, but not before putting his card in the slot of his Duel Disc and end his turn.

"Sorey!" Mikleo called out to him.

"What's ya, Mikleo?"

"I have an idea that allows us to reverse the situation. You need to summon Tenyi Spirit - Adhara and I can activate Torrential Tribute to destroy all Lunarre's monsters. But you must destroy his Spell card that remained on the field. Got a Mystical Space Typhoon card in hand?"

Lunarre watching his two adversaries strategize.

Sorey checked his cards in hand, "I got it!"

"Perfect! With the Mystical Space Typhoon, we'll get rid of this!" Mikleo exclaimed in delight.

Since it was Sorey's turn, it was up to him to draw his next card. Lunarre started to grow impatient, he wanted to finish this Deck Master Duel as soon as possible.

"That's enough! You're seriously starting to annoy me! What are you up to?!" He snarled.

"We're not simmering at all!" Sorey retaliated, drawing. His Spell card appeared on the field upon activation. "I use Mystical Space Typhoon, this Spell card can destroy any Spell or Trap!"

The cyclone flew to Lunarre's Continuous Spell Card, Gagaku-P.U.N.K. Crash Beat, and destroy it.

"No! What have you been doing?!" Lunarre exclaimed in shock.

"Next, I'm going to Special Summon my Tuner Monster since I don't control any monsters with a special ability!" Sorey slapped his monster card on the blade of his Duel Disc, causing the earth dragon spirit to appear on his field. "So here comes my Tenyi Spirit - Adhara!"

(Tenyi Spirit - Adhara - ATK: 0; DEF: 0 - Level: 1)

"Perfect!" Mikleo was now able to activate his Trap card as intended. "I'm activating Torrential Tribute!"

His Trap card rose up, a wave of water even bigger than the previous one will not only engulf the whole field but also all the monsters around; those of Lunarre and Sorey.

"When a monster is summoned, the Torrential Tribute destroy all of them on the field!"

"Aaaarrhh!!" Lunarre cried out in shock, clutching his head. Furious and upsetted to have all his P.U.N.K monsters destroyed by Mikleo's Trap card.

"You no longer have any line of defense to protect yourself!" Sorey said, then specially summoned another of his monsters. "Come to my aid, Tenyi Spirit - Nahata!"

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - ATK: 800 - Level: 4)

"It's time for a Link Summon!" He declared as the Arrowhead portal appeared on his field to manifest it. Tenyi Spirit - Nahata was used for the summoning, it then enter the portal, activating the Bottom Link Arrow from within the portal.

"I bring the circuit!" Sorey called as the circuit appeared, "Link Arrows authorized! Summoning condition is 1 non-Link Tenyi! I Link Summon!"

The Tenyi fighter emerged out of the circuit portal and stepped on the Extra Monster Zone from Sorey's field.

"Link 1, Monk of the Tenyi!"

(Monk of the Tenyi - ATK: 1000 - Link 1)

"Besides, I still have another special summon! I can summon Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna!"

Sorey placed his other card on the blade of his Duel Disc, the light dragon spirit materializing on his field.

(Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna - ATK: 1600 - Level: 7)

"Wait a sec'! Since when do you allow yourself to summon one more monster?!" Lunarre exclaimed, his eyes widening.

"As long as I don't control any monsters with special abilities, I can Special Summon a Tenyi monster to the field!" Sorey explained to him, he held the last card in his hand. "I still have a finishing touch!"

The fire dragon spirit materialized and roared.

"I summon another Tenyi, Mapura!"

(Tenyi Spirit - Mapura - ATK: 600 - Level: 4)

"That's not true! He managed to summon four monsters in one turn, all for one Link Summon!" Lunarre exclaimed in observation.

"That's right, and it doesn't stop there! I gonna to summon my second Link Monster! I bring the circuit!"

The second Arrowhead portal appeared on Sorey's field.

"Link Arrows authorized!"

Mapura and Ashuna, were used for the summoning, they then enter the portal, activating the Botton-Left and Bottom-Right Link Arrows from within the portal.

"I Link Summon! Summoning condition are two Wyrm Monsters! Link 2, Shaman of the Tenyi!"

A hurricane erupted from the Arrowhead portal, appeared Sorey's second Tenyi Link Monster. She giggled when appeared.

(Shaman of the Tenyi - ATK: 1600 - Link 2)

"Go on the offensive!" Sorey exclaimed once the formation was complete. "And that's for Mason!"

Shaman of the Tenyi swung a cyclone of wind at Lunarre first, being vulnerable without their defensive line due to Mikleo's Torrential Tribute.

"Now, blast him Shaman of the Tenyi!"

The cyclone blew on him very hard, forced him to close his eyes.

(Lunarre: 2800 LP - 1600 = 1200 - Cards in hand: 2)

"I'm not done yet!! Monk of the Tenyi, attack!!" He shouted as his other Link Monster was about to strike Lunarre directly, and got his last remaining Life Points reduced to zero.

"Oh no! It shouldn't happen the way you think!" Lunarre retaliated and activated his Quick-Play Spell card from his field. "Roulette Spider!!"

The roulette board with the toy spider with a red arrow in its rear appeared, forced Sorey's Link Monster to stop attacking.

"Oh no what is that!" Sorey screamed when he saw the card.

"A risky card full of chance!" Lunarre explained to him, "Roulette Spider chooses one of the six possible choices while twirling itself around the roulette wheel and apply the result!"

Sorey gritted his teeth as Lunarre continued to explain on the Quick-Play Spell card.

"The first one is halved my Life Points. The second is make that attack a direct attack. The third, I choose one monster I control and change the attack target to it. The fourth, I choose one other monster you controls and change the attack target to it. The fifth I can negate the attack, and inflict damage to you equal to your monster's Attack points, and the last one is I destroy that your monster."

Sorey's heart jumped nervously.

"So what will the Roulette Spider choose..."

He snapped his fingers to launch the bet, the toy spider began to spin itself. Sorey grew nervous while Lunarre seemed more confident, being very sure that the toy spider made the right choice. The toy spider was gradually stopping and the tension rose. Unfortunately for the green-eyed boy, the Roulette Spider stopped in the square number 5; meaning that his attack has been negated and receive damage equal to the attack points of his Monk of the Tenyi.

"Perfect!" Lunarre exclaimed happily raising his fist, "I was hoping it landed on a number 6 square, but it's well worth it! Do you know what that means?

The Monk of the Tenyi's attack negated, and Sorey screamed while getting electrocuted when received the heavy damage of 1000 Life Points.

(Sorey: 1900 LP - 1000 = 900 - Cards in hand: 0)

"Sorey!" Sahasrara and Mikleo exclaim. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine..." Sorey growled and his turn was over.

"It's soon over for you, Sorey." Lunarre drew his next card, he placed two of them in his field, then turned to his Deck Master. "Sanctity of Dragon, it's up to you and give me a much more exciting show!"

The golden dragon roared with fury, ready to fight and destroy everything in its path. It flew into the Extra Monster Zone of Lunarre's field.

(Sanctity of Dragon - ATK: 3000 - Link: 5)

"His Deck Master has entered the field!" Poseidra exclaimed. "We must destroy it as quickly as possible!"

"Then I equip my Deck Master with the Mist Body card!" He activated the Equip Spell Card to Sanctity of Dragon. "Heheheheh! Hahahaha! I'm going to finish you two!" Lunarre exclaimed, "Starting with you, Sorey! Sanctity of Dragon, attack the Monk of the Tenyi and thus the rest of his Life Points!"

His Deck Master roared, flew towards the Monk of the Tenyi and prepared to destroy him.

"Golden Blast!!"

"I activate my Trap, Draining Shield!" Sorey interjected as his card rose up.

The spirit barrier not only protected his monster and blocked the attack as well.

"Not only was your attack negated, but also I gain my Life Points equal to you dragon's attack!"

(Sorey: 900 LP + 3000 = 3900 - Cards in hand: 0)

"What do I care, my dragon remained invincible as all! It was one of the Match Winners!" Lunarre remained very confident despite his failed attempt. "You are only postponing your impending defeat!"

"Really? You better listen carefully." Sahasrara pointed out and deduced. "Sanctity of Dragon was perhaps one of the most powerful monsters, however, as long it wasn't Extra Linked, you can't reduced our Life Points to 0, you win the Match!"

"What are you say?" Lunarre gasped, eyes widened.

"In other words, you didn't have enough Link Monsters to make it an Extra Link! This mistake will cost you so much!"  Sahasrara told him.

"I draw!" Mikleo drew his next card after Lunarre's turn was over. "I must first discard one other Water Atribute monster to my Graveyard!"

He sent his monster card, Mermail Abyssgunde to the Graveyard slot of his Duel Disk, then he showed his Level 7 monster card.

"It allows me to summon my Mermail Monster, Abyssteus!"

The anthropomorphic green Dunkleosteus armed with a red shell spear appeared, growling.

(Mermail Abyssteus - ATK: 1700 - Level: 7)

"If my Mermail Abyssgunde was sent to the Graveyard, I can return another of my Mermail monsters from the Graveyard to my field!"

The Mermail monster reappeared and repositioned herself in defense.

"Come back, Abyssnerei!"

(Mermail Abyssnerei - DEF: 2000 - Level: 3)

"By activating Abyssteus' special ability if he enters my field, I can add a level 4 or lower Mermail monster from my deck to my hand!"

The Sea angel girl appeared laughing after being Specially Summoned.

"Mermail Abyssdine!"

(Mermail Abyssdine - ATK: 1000 - Level: 3)

"If she was Special Summoned by an effect of a Mermail monster, I can bring my other Mermail to my side! Abyssgunde is back!"

The Clownfish girl came out of the Graveyard and materialized on Mikleo's field, laughing.

(Mermail Abyssgunde - ATK: 1400 - Level: 3)

"Now I can do an XYZ Summon so I Overlay three Level 3 monsters!!"

The three Level 3 monsters turned into blue orbs and entered the Overlay Network.

"Queen of the deepest oceans, please hear my call and protect our comrades with your supreme power!" Mikleo chanted on his XYZ Summoning.

The Overlay Network exploded with a thousand luminous lights.

"I XYZ Summon!! Get out of the ocean, Rank 3!! Mermail Abysstrite!!"

A large geyser of water emerged below the Overlay Network, bringing out the Dolphin Queen Mermail, armed with a golden spear. Three Overlay Units orbs of blue light orbiting around the body of the Mermail Xyz Monster. After being materialized on the field, she positioned herself in defense mode.

(Mermail Abysstrite - DEF: 2800 - Rank: 4 - Overlay Units: 3)

"It's not over yet, I have yet another aquatic ally who will soon join my side!" Mikleo declared as his turn wasn't over yet. He showed his two monster cards, Abysshilde and Abyssbalaen. "I'm sending my other two Mermails to my Graveyard to summon another!" Then send them to the Graveyard slot of his Duel Disk for another Special Summon.

"I Special Summon another Mermail monster, Abyssmegalo!"

The Megalodon-like monster growled after appearing on Mikleo's field and armed with a large sword made from shark cartilage teeth.

(Mermail Abyssmegalo - ATK: 2400 - Level: 7)

"When Abyssmegalo has been summoned this way, I am allowed to add a Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Mikleo took it from his deck and directly placed it on his field before continued. "Then, with Abyssilde has been sent to the Graveyard, I can summon another Mermail monster from my hand! Mermail Abyssleed!"

He Special Summoned his last Level 7 Mermail monster from his hand. The anthropomorphic Leedsichthys emerged from the water.

(Mermail Abyssleed - ATK: 2700 - Level: 7)

"Isn't it over soon with your one-turn quick summons?!" Lunarre snarled.

"No, not yet!" Mikleo replied, "Because I was going to Overlay my two Level 7 Mermails, Abyssteus and Abyssleed!!"

Two 7 Level Mermail Monsters turned into blue orbs and entered the Overlay Network as Mikleo chanted on his second XYZ Summoning.

"King of the deepest oceans, swallow up everything in your path and annihilate our enemies with your tidal wave!!"

The Overlay Network exploded with a thousand luminous lights.

"I XYZ Summon!! Emerge, Rank 7!! Mermail Abyssgaios!!" Mikleo cried out at his calling.

Below the Overlay Network, a whirlwind of water erupted, bringing Mikleo's second Mermail XYZ Monster on his field. He was a king with long hair and beard so half of his body was Poseidra's and he was armed with a golden trident. Two Overlay Units orbs of blue light orbiting around his body.

(Mermail Abyssgaios - ATK: 2800 - Rank: 7 - Overlay Units: 2)

There, now that my formation is complete, Abyssgaios has the power to prevent monsters above Level 5 from attacking as long as he has Overlay Units! Mikleo continued.

"Unfortunately for you, since my Deck Master was a Link Monster that didn't have any Level, I can still attack for reduce your Life Points to zero and destroy all your defense line in my next turn!" Lunarre interjected, not being worried for all that.

"Sorey, it's time to finish his Deck Master as soon as possible!" Mikleo concluded his turn and passed to Sorey.

"Exactly!" Sorey drew a card before turning to his Deck Master, "Sahasrara, I guess it's up to you!"

His Deck Master flew to one of the Main Monster Zones where he could be Co-linked with the Top-Right Link Arrow at the Monk of the Tenyi.

(Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara - ATK: 3000 - Link: 4)

"With Sahasrara entering the field, if I control a monster that didn't have the special ability, yours cannot target others effect monsters for attacks, and you can't target them on the field with any Trap, Spell or Monster cards! Including Mikleo's!" Sorey revealed to Lunarre about the effect of his Deck Master. "My Monk, he didn't have any power unlike other Tenyi monsters!"

"No! That means I can't wipe out your whole bunch!" He yelled in shock.

"By banishing Nahata from my Graveyard, I can weaken your Sanctity of Dragon by 1500 attack points until the end of this turn!" Sorey continued to tell him as the wind dragon spirit appeared to activate its effect and hurling blades of wind at Lunarre's Deck Master.

(Sanctity of Dragon - ATK: 3000 - 1500 = 1500)

He then went on the offensive in order to destoying the Match Winner monster for good.

"Now that your Deck Master has been weakened, I can destroy you! Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara, attack Sanctity of Dragon!! Spiritual Breath!!"

The Tenyi Link Monster blast it with a breath of aura and finaly reduced Lunarre's Life Points.

However, something was wrong on the field as Lunarre laughed manically, causing Sorey to be confused.

"Well done, but you forgot one thing..."

It was revealed that Sanctity of Dragon was not wiped out as he thought. After the destroyed body dissipated into mist by the attack, the mist gathered to reform. As a result, Sanctity of Dragon was not completely destroyed. Also, Lunarre's Life Points were not dropped to zero by Sahasrara's attack.

(Lunarre - 1200 LP - Cards in hand: 0)

"No... it's impossible." Sorey widened his eyes. "His Life Points were supposed to drop to zero with a single attack!"

"It wasn't destroyed?!" Sahasrara narrowed his eyes.

It was revealed that Lunarre had activated a Trap card, Defense Draw, which he had set on his previous turn, allowing him not only to keep his Life Points intact but also to be able to draw another card.

"The Defense Draw card reduced the battle damage to zero and I can draw a card!" Lunarre told him as he drew one card. "Sorry to disappoint you, but as long as my monster is equipped with the Mist Body card, you can't destroy it!"

"I have to finish my turn." Sorey told him, glaring.

"I knew you were going to say that!" He exclaimed, drawing a card, he then activate the effect. "By banishing Sharakusai from my Graveyard with my Field Spell, I can Special Summon Noh-P.U.N.K. Deer Note from my hand!"

Another female P.U.N.K monster along with a green oni mask and being armed with a green katana surrounded by a neon green dragon, appeared in his field.

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Deer Note - ATK: 2100 - Level: 5)

"And now Deer Note, attack!" He ordered as his P.U.N.K monster rushed to go on the offensive.

However, Deer Note was stopped by one of Mermail Abyssgaios' effects using a water wall that prevented her from attacking.

"Sorry but Abyssgaios prevents higer Level 5 monsters from attacking while he has Overlay Units!" Mikleo told him.

"Do you think I'm that dumb?" Lunarre smirked, he showed his Quick-Play Spell Card. "I activate Star Changer! Which allows me to choose any monster on the field to either increase the Level or reduce the Level! So I will choose to reduce Deer Note's Level by 1!"

(Noh-P.U.N.K Deer Note: Level 5 - 1 = 4)

Since Lunarre's monster was now Level 4, she can break through the water wall and attack again.

Lunarre ordered once again, "Now that my monster can attack again, she gonna to destroy Monk of the Tenyi! Rebellious Saber!!"

The female P.U.N.K monster was about to attack again when Sorey announced the effect of one of his monsters.

"I activate my Shaman's effect! When an attack is declared involving my Monk, I target your Deer Note and destroy her!"

The Shaman of the Tenyi swung a spiritual gust in order to destroy Noh-P.U.N.K. Deer Note.

"Celestial Gale!" Sorey yelled at the effect of his Link Monster.

"Sorry for you! But I activate my Trap!" Lunarre countered him by revealing his set card from the field, "Joruri-P.U.N.K. Dangerous Gabu!"

Upon activation of the Lunarre's Trap card, the gust sent by the Shaman of the Tenyi was dispelled before reaching his monster.

"What was that?!" He became shocked upon the Shaman's effect negated.

"This card negates the special ability of your monster you control until the end of this turn!" Lunarre told him as Deer Note slashing Sorey's monster. "As for the Monk, he gets thrown off the stage!"

(Sorey: 3900 LP - 1100 = 2800 - Cards in hand: 1)

"And furthermore, if I've a "P.U.N.K." monster here, I gain Life Points equal to your targeted monster's original attack points!"

(Lunarre - 1200 LP + 1000 = 2200 - Cards in hand: 0)

"Sanctity of Dragon attack the Shaman of the Tenyi!" He then ordered.

As a result, she was destroyed by the blast attack of Sanctity of Dragon.

(Sorey: 2800 LP - 1400 = 1400 - Cards in hand: 1)

"Here you go! With your two monsters destroyed, I'll be able to get rid of them from your Deck Master on my next turn, Sorey!" He declared, satisfied to have gotten rid of the two troublesome obstacles. "My turn is over now!"

"It's time to end this!" Mikleo drew a card, he quickly peeked in. "Abyss-strom?! That's exactly the card I need! With this, I'll get rid of all the Spell and Trap cards and send them to the Graveyard! However, I need a card which is necessary to be able to activate it, because without that, this Duel will never end!"

The Deck Master Duel continued as Lunarre took the lead on the field for now. How Sorey and Mikleo will be able to react? Does Mikleo's drawn Trap card allow them to turn the tables, or will they end up losing to Lunarre?

Chapter Text

Previously after the Sanctity of Dragon survived due to the Equip Spell card, Mist Body, from Sorey's attack, Lunarre managed to wipe out Sorey's two Tenyi Link monsters which are the main assets. Currently, it was still Mikleo's turn to play after he had drawn a card that could fix the situation for them and hoped to end their Duel against Lunarre.

(Sorey - 1400 LP - Cards in hand: 1)

(Mikleo - 3000 LP - Cards in hand: 1)

(Lunarre - 2200 LP - Cards in hand: 0)

He turned to Sorey, "There's this card that could save us."

"Which?" He asked.

"My Abyss-strom Trap card allows us to send any Spell and Trap from the field to the Graveyard."

"So we can get rid of all Lunarre's cards with this?" Sorey deduced from this.

"Yes, with that we can eliminate the Sanctity of Dragon and end this Duel. However, I need a specific Field Spell card to fulfill the requirements, otherwise I couldn't activate Abyss-strom." Mikleo nodded, he then placed his Trap card on his field. "I set my card face down... And that's it for now!"

"It's up to me!" Sorey said as he drew and put the Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyi card in his hand. "That card wouldn't help. I don't know what I can do to stop this guy's next attack? The only monster I have is my Deck Master by my side."

As Sorey was forced to end his turn, it was Lunarre's turn to play.

"Looks like you're having no luck drawing a good card!" Lunarre said sarcastically, "It's my turn to draw!"

As his Deck Master roared fircely, Lunarre continued to told them.

"I regret to announce that I gonna to attack! Starting with Mikleo!"

A golden energy was charged the mouth of the Sanctity of Dragon and blast to one of Mikleo's monsters.

"Sanctity of Dragon, destroy Abyssgaios with your Golden Blast!"

Mikleo interjected while holding up his palm. "I activate the power of Mermail Abysstrite!"

One of the three blue orbs disappeared upon entering the body of his XYZ Mermail Monster as he continued to told.

"By detaching an Overlay Unit, she will be the target of an attack, Spell or Trap that originally targets one of my Mermail monsters!"

The dolphin Mermail queen interposed in front of him in order to protect him even if it meant being destroyed in his place.

"Abysstrite, protect Abyssgaios from attack!" Mikleo shouted upon of her effect ability, "Maternal Protection!"

A navy blue aura manifested within her, getting hit by the blast and being destroyed as a result. But since Abysstrite was in a defensive position, his Life Points remain intact.

"You're lucky on that one!" Lunarre gritted his teeth.

"When my monster has been destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can bring another of my aquatic ally back to my field!" Mikleo announced over another effect of his XYZ Mermail Monster.

The Clownfish girl materialized on the field once again after emerged out from the blue rift.

(Mermail Abyssgunde - ATK: 1400 - Level: 3)

"I'll make them grilled fish!" Lunarre grew annoyed.

As Lunarre's turn was over, Mikleo's next turn depended on the next card he drew. If he drew the specific Field Spell card which allowed him to activate Abyss-strom, and get rid of all the Spell and Trap cards present on the field. But if he failed, his turn will probably be over and Lunarre's next attack could be fatal for both of them; unless there was an alternative solution that could help them.

"Fine, it's all going to be decided on my next card. If I draw the correct matching card so I need it, I could activate my Trap and finish off this foxman's Deck Master." Mikleo thought to himself as he looked at his deck in the Duel Disk holder. "But if I draw the bad one, Sorey and I will end up losing this Duel."

Having faith in the hearts of his cards, Mikleo drew the Field Spell card corresponding to the activation of Abyss-strom, making his purple eyes widened with hope and determination.

"Perfect!! Here's my Field Spell!! Lemuria, the Forgotten City!!" He yelled putting it in the Duel Disk's front end slot, activating his Field Spell.

At the appearance of the card, that of Lunarre started to crack all over to the shock of the latter.

"But what's going on?" He wondered in confusion.

Lunarre's Field Spell Card, P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session, shattered into a thousand pieces. A new decor had just replaced the old one. In Lemuria, it was an ancient forgotten city in ruins almost submerged by the ocean.

"Welcome to the isolated city that only my Mermails know about!" Mikleo exclaimed in delight. "It's a pity that it didn't last long... Because I'm going to activate one of my face-down cards!" One of his Trap cards rise up from his field, "Abyss-strom!"

"And what effect does this card have?" Lunarre asked, looking strained.

"If I send Lemuria, the Forgotten City I control to the Graveyard; so all Spell and Trap cards will send from the field to the Graveyard!" He explained to him.

The ocean began to submerge, swallowing up all the Spell and Trap cards on the field, including Mikleo's.

"There you go, without the Mist Body card, your Deck Master will be vulnerable again!"

Lunarre mockingly told him, "You made a big mistake placing your own card face down! You don't have any cards in your hand! Next turn, I'll be able to knock you out!"

He laughed hysterically before realizing that what Mikleo was waiting for his plan to work by sending his own face-down card was then sent from the field to the Graveyard by the effect of Abyss-strom.

"No wait, you're not going anyway to-"

"That's exactly what I did!" Mikleo told him.

At this moment where pale pink tentacles tied around the body of the terrifying Sanctity of Dragon, making it roar in panic.

"Nooo please you have to free yourself, my monster!" Lunarre desperately begged.

The more the tentacles gradually stretched downward, the deeper the golden dragon sank into the raging ocean. It struggled to free itself but to no avail.

"Your Deck Master cannot escape once Abyss-scorn activated! If this card is sent to the Graveyard while it is still set in the field, your monster will eventually be dragged into the deep sea!" Mikleo explained to him in the final turn.

As Sanctity of Dragon continued to desperately roared, the pale pink tentacles finally dragged it deep into the oceans of Lemuria and disappeared. As a result of the destruction of his Deck Master, Lunarre automatically lost in a Duel against Sorey and Mikleo despite still having his 2200 Life Points. The field of Lemuria disappeared with the ocean, and returned to the usual landscape of Elysia. After the Deck Master Duel was over, the physical form of the Sanctity of Dragon reverted into its card form, flew away at Sorey's feet.

"You lost, Lunarre!" Mikleo shouted. "Then go away!"

Although Lunarre grew frustrated at his own defeat, he nevertheless chuckled at their confusion.

"You may have defeated me, but you will never see your fellow Seraph again... You know why, he's gone to the Netherworld! We'll meet again for a revenge where you suffer the same fate as him!" He told them before disappearing before their eyes.

Shortly after Lunarre's escape, Zenrus and the Seraphim came after Sorey and Mikleo.

"We're sorry, Gramps. We arrived too late." Mikleo told them with his head down, slightly downhearted. "If we would stop that foxy-guy, Mason still be here with us."

Sorey picked up the Match Winner card from the grassy ground and glanced at it for a moment. "We got the Sanctity of Dragon card after we defeated Lunarre. Make sure it doesn't fall into their wrong hands again." He gave Zenrus the card.

"This card must be sealed forever where no one else must use it whether we are Duelist or not."

"And why don't we have to tear it up?" Sorey asked logically.

"Yes, we could tear some up. But these aren't just any ordinary cards, it's like they're tough as iron." Zenrus replied, "There are other Match Winner cards all over Glenwood where they can also fall into the hands of ill-intentioned humans. Sorey, Mikleo, I'm counting on you to collect all these Match Winner cards and seal them in a secret place."

"Gramps, that foxy-man was that really a Hellion?" Mikleo then asked to him.

"Yes. That's how a human who has become a Hellion once become corrupted."

Sorey shuddered, "That was it? If humans become Hellions, it's because of those dangerous Duel Monsters."

"Now it's time to rest once we get home." Zernrus said. "You have done a great job today."

Meanwhile in Aroundight Forest, Alisha accompanied by the spirits of Altair and Vega have taken the path that could lead them to Lakehaven Heights.

"Finally we are almost out of the forest. Honestly this trip had exhausted me." Alisha commented.

"Well, how about a little 10 minute break?" Vega suggested.

"Yeah, well that's a good idea." Alisha agreed to one of her Duel Monster spirit's offer.

Suddenly, rustling and crow-like croaking sounded through the Aroundight Forest alerting the trio.

"Could it be an ambush?" Alisha gasped.

Feathers shoot straight for Alisha who narrowly avoided them before she was hit.

"Feathers?" She had her bright green eyes widened upon seeing them.

The swarm of Winged-Beast type Monsters showed up to them.

"Duel Monsters!" Alisha pointed out.

"Cheeky birds! What do you want with our princess?" Altair asked aggressively.

"We want the Stardust Dragon card!" Chidori, one of the Assault Blackwing monsters ordered. "Give us one of the Signer Dragons! These are the orders of the leader of the Scattered Bones and the Wind Seraph! Deliver us and we'll leave you alone!"

"Go away, or we'll tear your feathers out!" Altair threatened them.

"Give us the Stardust Dragon!" Chidori insisted persistently, "If you refuse, you will incur the wrath of the Blackwing Tribe!"

"But what are you talking about?! And why do you seek to obtain this so-called Monster when it has been missing for more than 10 years?" Alisha snarled, "Besides, I don't remember what happened at Ladylake! But I do know that dragon had nearly destroyed the entire city!"

"By gathering all 6 Signer Dragons scattered around the world, we will be able to bring the Crimson Dragon back to life. The one that disappeared during the event of the Scarlet Night more 1000 years ago." Chidori told them.

"If it's to do evil deeds like dominating the world or even grabbing Match Winner cards... You'll end up becoming Hellions! Aren't you our fellow Duel Monsters?" Altair frowned, and then shouted at them. "Once again I order you to leave!"

"So in that case we seized the Stardust Dragon card by force!" One of the fellow Blackwing Monster, Simoon croaking, and flying towards Alisha after his patience ran out.

Altair however hit Simoon and grabbed by the neck blocking with his own arms like a professional wrestler.

"Don't move!" Altair warned them, "You take another step, I'll pluck your comrade's feathers!"

"That's enough!" The female voice ordered, drawing the attention of the Blackwing monsters to the two figures.

"Please release our feathered acolyte, it is up to us to punish him for his disobedience." Dezel asked to them.

Altair released Simoon from his grip. The humanoid black vulture flew up to Dezel and bowed to him.

"Simoon, did you attack the Princess of Hyland without giving permission from the Scattered Bones leader?" Dezel scolded him sternly, "Do you know what will happen if you break the rules of our assassin guild again?"

"Please forgive me Dezel and I won't do it again!" Simon apologized.

"Be quiet!" Dezel kicked at his birdy face, "You disobeyed me again besides breaking the rules! We have a strong sense of honor! We consider it our job to punish evil and never eliminate those whom they cannot reason as such! Immediate justice before unreachable ideals! That's what Brad always said!"

"And to be able to prove to you that it is you who possess the Stardust Dragon, it is necessary to fight a Duel." Rose added, demanding a settling of scores through a card game. She armed with her left arm, and her Scattered Bones Duel Disk unfolded. "You Blackwing Monsters, return to your respective card forms!"

At her request, all the spirits of the Blackwing Monsters dematerialized and resumed their card forms as each of them chose the necessary cards for their upcoming Duel. Alisha for her part, the spirits of Altair and Vega return to their card forms so that she put them on top of her deck. A few minutes later, it was up to Rose to address Alisha first with a lingering question.

"Alisha Diphda, Princess of the Kingdom of Hyland... Do you remember how you became the vessel of the Stardust Dragon?" Rose set out to make her recall these events.

"What are you talking about?" Alisha narrowed her eyes, denying her question.

"Try to remember that!" She repeated persistently, "Remember the night that dragon was sealed inside your body 10 years ago!"

Under her insistence, Alisha remembered according to herself the events when this Signer Dragon who apparently was tainted by Malevolence, had almost devastated Ladylake entire. But didn't remember what happened next if she would have been involved with the dragon.

"I don't understand anything you say, but stop sprout any nonsense! All I know is that this dragon was long gone! So don't stand in my way or I'll get really mad!" Alisha yelled after vaguely reminiscing.

"You think?" Rose mockingly said as she clutched a rope she held, "So I bring 'em to you, Princess Alisha."

Rose pulled the rope towards them, and forcibly threw the two girls to the ground, hurting them; which caught the eye of the Princess of Hyland.

"Ian! Shiller!" Alisha exclaimed in shock as she saw them being captured.

"Princess?" Ian's head turned towards her.

"We are so sorry for what happened to us." Shiller lamented.

"It's not our fault Shiller!" She replied, "It's just that I'm going to tell you that we were humiliated by this weird girl who brought out all these weird birds in one go! She's not-"

Rose, however, stomped on Ian's head to silence her.

"Come on, don't say words that go beyond your thought." She glared at them. "Keep quiet or you'll end up being served as a meal for our feathered allies."

"What are you doing to my fellow buddies?!" Alisha angrily asked to Rose.

"Nothing, I may have thought to myself that I am bringing your friends as guest-spectators in our Duel, and to see you ridiculed in front of their eyes of course." She replied in a humorous tone, shrugged.

"You don't have the right to do that, it's disloyal to take them hostage!" Alisha howled furiously for such a habitual act.

"Did you prefer to run away from a Duel? It's the kind of people we despise the most. In Duel games, there was no place for wimps like you." Rose scoffed, blackmailing Alisha into changing her mind. "If you choose to flee, your people will learn that you are a coward who had abandoned her own allies just because she didn't want to take up my challenge. Now face us or you'll always be a mommy's baby girl?"

"Very well, I accept your challenge... But leave my friends out of this!" Alisha reluctantly agreed after a little while, if it was to save Ian and Shiller from being taken hostage. "I warn you that you are going to regret!"

"So the little princess chose to Duel me to save her own allies. A typical story worthy of a fairy tale."

She turned to Dezel.

"Dezel, prepare your Duel Disk and your deck!"

"Understood." He said as he unfolded his own wing-like gold and green Duel Disk.

"Most importantly, be sure to summon the Dark-Winged Dragon you possess to see if the Stardust Dragon manifests inside Alisha!" Rose gave him the instructions.

"Duel Disk, Set!" Alisha's Duel Disk was unfolded, the projection of Solid Vision made of mana, lighting up, and ready to be activated.

Each of the three opponents draw from their respective decks up to five cards in hand.

"Let's Duel!!" They shouted together, the standard Duel can now begin.

(Rose - 4000 LP)

(Dezel - 4000 LP)

(Alisha Diphda - 4000 LP) 

"Well, I'll start!" Rose drew a card first, glanced at it briefly, and putting it with another of her cards in the two slots of her Scattered Bones Duel Disk. "To start, I play my two Black Whirlwind cards in hand!"

Upon activation, her two copies of Black Whirlwind cards are appeared on her field before she continued.

"Rule number one for us Scattered Bones assassins in Duel is to complete the formation of Monsters in a single turn before attacking! That's why I'm bringing Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn, to my formation line!"

Kris flew out of the blue rift and croaked ferociously, striking an offensive pose.

(Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn - ATK: 1900 - Level: 4)

"With my two Black Whirlwind cards in play, I add two more Blackwing monsters from my Deck to my hand with less attack points than Kris'!"

She chose two Blackwing monster cards; Steam the Cloak and Tornado the Reverse Wind, and added them to her hand. After that, Rose revealed her Spell card and activated it in the field.

"I then play Double Summon... Which allows me to summon another additional monster I have in my hand!" She showing another Blackwing Monster card, "Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame! Take flight!"

A ring of blue flames loomed across the field, bringing out the blue-feathered humanoid bird. Shura spread his black wings and croaked.

(Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame -  ATK: 1800 - Level: 4)

"Thanks to another normal summon, I can summon two other Blackwing Monsters as reinforcements by the effect of my Black Whirlwinds!" She then revealed her two other Blackwing Monster cards. "Gale the Whirlwind and Harmattan the Dust!"

Both other Blackwing Monsters emerged out of the blue rift and appeared in Rose's field.

(Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind - ATK: 1300 - Level: 3)

(Blackwing - Harmattan the Dust - ATK: 800 - Level: 2)

"When Harmattan is summoned on my field, I have the right to choose one of my Blackwing monsters I control! So it increase Harmattan's Level 2 by that from Shura's Level 4!" Rose told to Alisha on Harmattan's effet ability.

The close-eyed dark brown bird flapping its wings while croaking.

"Level Rising!" She activating Harmattan's effect.

Two dark auras enveloped both Shura and Harmattan; the two initial stars rose above Harmattan, and pass its Level 2 to Level 6.

(Blackwing - Harmattan the Dust - Level: 2 + 4 = 6)

"And to complete my first front line, I'm calling for my little carrier birdy, a Tuner monster named Blackwing - Oroshi the Squall!" Rose slapped her card to Special Summon her fifth Monster in her field.

(Blackwing - Oroshi the Squall - ATK: 400 - Level: 1)

"Five summons in one single turn, so fast?!" Alisha exclaimed as Rose managed to summon 5 Monsters in a single turn.

"Rule number 2: in order to ensure the safety of all of us, other allies will come as reinforcements! We never leave our teammates alone in danger! The Scattered Bones like the Blackwings depend on each other after the others, like a family! This is the swarming method of the Blackwing Tribe!" Rose quoted.

"Be careful, Princess!" Ian warned, "These Monsters can be swarmed easily for the sole purpose of Synchro Summoning them! That was how we lost to her!"

"A Synchro Summon you say?" Alisha asked after hearing.

"Get ready my precious birdies, switch to Synchro Summoning!" Rose announced, "I'm starting with Oroshi and Harmattan for a Level 7 Synchro Summon!"

First, Oroshi took flight before its body dissipated, taking the form of one Synchro Ring from its Level 1.

(Level: 1 + 6 = 7)

The Synchro Ring then scan Harmattan, which first change into a glowing yellow outline of itself before turning into a number of 6 stars which correspond to its Level.

"Warrior come from the storms, sharpen your electrifying blade and destroy the enemies with your lightning!" Rose chanted to her first Synchro Summoning.

A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the ring.

"I Synchro Summon! Come to me, Level 7, Assault Blackwing - Raikiri the Rain Shower!"

Blue lightning fell on the field so bright that Alisha and her two captive friends were forced to close their eyes, and causing Raikiri to appear. Raikiri flew alongside Rose and unsheathed his sword charged with electricity.

(Assault Blackwing - Raikiri the Rain Shower - ATK: 2600 - Level: 7)

"Then I do a second Synchro Summon, but this time Level 7!" She continued as her other Blackwing Tuner monster flew off to begin the proceedings, "I combine Gale the Whirlwind with Kris the Crack of Dawn!"

Gale taking the form of the three Synchro Rings from its Level 3.

(Level: 3 + 4 = 7)

"I'll give you the wings so you can fly straight to the rainy sky!" 

Three Synchro Rings then scan Kris, which first change into a glowing yellow outline of himself before turning into a number of 4 stars which correspond to his Level. A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon! Let's go my loyal winged warrior, Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling!"

The Assault Blackwing Synchro Monster appeared as he took flight, spreading black feathers around.

(Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling - ATK: 2600 - Level: 7)

"As for Chidori, he gains 300 Attack Points for each Blackwing monster in my Graveyard! There were four in total, so that's 1200 Attack Points!"

(Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling - ATK: 2600 + 1200 = 3800)

"Chidori is way too strong now!" Alisha exclaimed in surprise.

"Good, now my formation is complete, I let Dezel take the lead!" Rose completed her first turn.

"Exactly, aah!" Dezel declared, drawing a card. Looking at the cards in hand, he knew what he had to do. "Since I control no monsters on my field, I can banish my Blackwing - Decay the Ill Wind from my hand!"

Decay's spirit flew with the corresponding card to the sky and vanished in an instant, a sign that he was banished.

"Which lets me put the Black Whirlwind card from my deck onto my field!" He continued as his face up Continuous Spell Card was placed in the one of the Spell & Trap Zones. "I can thus normally summon Blackwing - Simoon the Poison Wind without tributing!"

After Dezel had placed his Monster card on the blade of his Duel Disk, a dark mist engulfed the entire field.

"Where's your monster? I can't see it!" Alisha's bright green eyes surveying the two corners of the area engulfed in dark mist.

"Simoon has a habit of making his silent entrances at an opportune moment." Dezel said, "Let's say he's a naughty prankster who likes to hide in the shadows before appearing and getting my opponents irritate."

In a brief moment, Simoon appeared near Alisha like a ghost, materialized and croaking loudly that a small breeze of breath blew in her face. He flyed back to his controller, and chuckled mockingly.

(Blackwing - Simoon the Poison Wind - ATK: 1600 - Level: 6)

"That's great! I can't wait to see your face!" He exclaimed sarcastically. "Hahahaha!"

"Come on he's the ugliest monster I've seen in my entire Duelist career!" Alisha fumed in annoyance, a small vein of anger showing on her cheek. "He better brush his beak with some toothpaste!"

"With the effect of the Black Whirlwind, I take another Blackwing monster from my deck to my hand with lower Attack Points than Simoon's." Dezel took his deck from his Duel Disk holder and choose a card to add before quickly slapped his added monster card on the blade. "Blackwing - Breeze the Zephyr, join me!"

The humanish-faced orange bird flew to the field alongside Simoon.

"If Breeze is added from my Deck to my hand, I can Special Summon it!" He said.

(Blackwing - Breeze the Zephyr - ATK: 1100 - Level: 3)

"Since I control a Blackwing Monster, I summon two more birdies on my field! Vata the Emblem of Wandering and Bora the Spear, in Attack Mode!" He showed two other monster cards and made them appear on his field.

(Blackwing - Vata the Emblem of Wandering - ATK: 800 - Level: 2)

(Blackwing - Bora the Spear - ATK: 1700 - Level: 4)

The first was a small anthropomorphic bird with a blue crest, wearing a red shirt, a white jacket that serves as a cape, white pants with a belt and a pair of geta. The second was a humanoid bird with a pale red head with long pale yellow feathers for hair. Bora had navy blue wings and tail, slender arms and legs, and was armed with a black spiral spear.

Since Ian and Shiller couldn't see or hear the shark-toothed Wind Seraph due to the lack of high resonance, they think Rose cheated and broke the Dueling rules.

"Hey, you can't summon more than 5 Monsters! You finished your turn before!" Shiller accused her.

"You're just a filthy cheater!" Ian cried, "When our princess is done with you, she'll put you in a solitary confinment for the rest of your life!"

Rose turned to the two captive girls, "That's it, I'm being accused of cheating, while I have an ally playing by my side. It's a shame that unlike me and Alisha, you are unable to to see and hear the Seraphim. Now shut up or I'll put your heads in."

"Let's move on to the Synchro Summoning!" Dezel declared to the next procedure as Breeze took flight to becoming the three Synchro Rings from its Level 3. "Prepare to fly away, fellow birds!"

(Level: 3 + 4 = 7)

"The superior armored bird will be born in the dark night, and unleashed a storm made of black feathers!" Dezel chanted to his first Synchro Summoning.

Three Synchro Rings then scan Bora, which change into a glowing yellow outline of himself and turning into a number of 4 stars which correspond to his Level. A tornado of black feathers instead of an usual beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon! Take flight, Blackwing Armor Master!"

Armor Master spread its black armored wings.

(Blackwing Armor Master - ATK: 2500 - Level: 7)

"Then I'm going to do a second one, but in a very special way!" He continued to pursue the Synchro Summoning procedure. "Unlike Blackwing Tuner Monsters, Vata has a rather unique special ability using an Alternate Synchro method!"

"Yes, this one was also a Dragon Signer like the Stardust Dragon!" Rose added, "How will you react when the Black-Winged Dragon is summoned?"

As Zonda's spirit soared from Dezel's deck into the air, Vata took flight with him. Vata was turning into the two black Synchro Rings from his Level 2.

"So I send Blackwing - Vata the Emblem of Wandering to the field and Blackwing - Zonda the Dusk from my deck in the Graveyard whose total Levels exactly equal 8!"

Two black Synchro Rings then scan Zonda, which change into a glowing yellow outline of himself and turning into a number of 6 stars of his Level.

(Level: 2 + 6 = 8)

"Dark dragon with a noble heart, soar through a night sky towards the full moon!" Dezel chanted to his second Synchro Summoning.

Vata's red emblem appeared between the two black Synchro Rings. A dark and purple tornado of black feathers then enveloped the stars and the emblem, passing through the black rings.

"I Synchro Summon!! Level 8!! Protect us with your darkness, Black-Winged Dragon!!" Dezel shouted.

A huge dark seal appeared on the ground of the field, such a phenomenal force blew all around. Then the Signer Dragon gracefully through the air, dropping his black feathers. Black-Winged Dragon spread his feathered wings and roared.

"What you see is one of the Signer Dragons, the one that had appeared since the Scarlet Night! One of the six offsprings of the Crimson Dragon! Alisha, you will witness the destructive power of the Black-Winged Dragon!" Dezel exclaimed as Alisha became surprised upon seeing that shadowy dragon.

Black-Winged Dragon was an amphiptere-like dragon whose only limbs are wings. He had a strong bird or crow-like motif, with feathers covering most of his body and wings, and a yellow-scaled head that resembles a bird's beak. Orange eyes are in the crook of the scales; red spots in his feathers mimic eyes, giving the illusion of a bird-like head. He had an armored chestplate with a charcoal strip running down his neck and belly, the rest of the armor and shoulder pads are black. The dragon had Y-shaped wings with several long white feathers and black feathers. Instead of limbs, Black-Winged Dragon had six talon-like blades along his torso. The tail fans out into black feathers, with three long grey feathers extending from the bunched feathers.

(Black-Winged Dragon - ATK: 2800 - Level: 8)

"So it's him, Black-Winged Dragon." Alisha whispered, still in shock. "I've never had to deal with such a scary creature like this."

Suddenly, Alisha was caught in a fit of pain in her mind after receiving a spark in her brain. She clutched her head screaming, thereby collapsing to the ground, alerting Ian and Shiller.

"Princess!" Shiller yelled.

"Princess, what's wrong with you?!" Ian yelled in concern.

While Alisha screamed in pain, Dezel suggested that she too had a Dragon Signer residing within her.

"Hmm, could it be that her reaction was due to my dragon's presence." Dezel lowered his black hat before turning to his partner, "Right, Rose?"

The leader of the Scattered Bones felt a pain in her head, grabbed her firmly with one hand.

"Aargh, not that damn pain again!" Rose grunted. "It hurts too much!"

As she continued to scream in pain, the Princess of Hyland had visions of the six Signer Dragons along with the Crimson Dragon that devastated nearly the entire world during the Scarlet Night. The only person who was in front of these Duel Monsters was Artorius Collbrande. For unknown reasons, the Crimson Dragon was roaring in pain as it began to disappear.

"Get up, I said get up!" The male voice ordered in Alisha's mind.

"That voice again!" She retorted. "What you want?!"

"End this Duel quickly before it escalates to disaster!" He asked.

Alisha stood up slowly, "No need to say what I'm dealing with!" Her bright green eyes, however, turned pale yellow before returning to normal. She groaned and breathed harshly.

"Are you okay Rose?" Dezel asked her.

"I still have a vision in my head! But it's okay!" Rose reassured him. "There's only one more thing left: to capture the Stardust Dragon!"

"Well let's resume. Since Zonda was in my Graveyard this turn, I can banish him and summon a Level 5 or higher Blackwing from my deck then take damage equal to its ATK." He said as his Monster's spirit flew from the Graveyard slot and vanished, "I chose Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn and in Attack Mode!"

A powerful humanoid-like Blackwing flew up alongside Armor Master and Black-Winged Dragon.

(Blackwing - Sirocco the Dawn - ATK: 2000 - Level: 5)

Luckily for him, Black-Winged Dragon was there to protect him from the damage he was about to receive due of Zonda's effect. 

"Fortunately, I summoned my Black-Winged Dragon for a very obvious reason. In exchange for losing his 700 Attack Points, he absorbed the damage that would have been intended for me and get a Black Feather Counter instead. That's how we could ease and share the burden we carry together." Dezel told on his dragon's effect. "Damage Drain!"

After absorbing effect damage and losing 700 Attack Points, his first white portions turn red and black.

(Black-Winged Dragon - ATK: 2800 - 700 = 2100)

"I set a card face down, and..." Dezel placed one card on his field, "As soon as I end my turn, I send my Black Whirlwind card placed by Simoon's special ability to the Graveyard; therefore I take 1000 damage. And of course, Black-Winged Dragon takes the damage for me!"

As the Black Whirlwind card disappeared from his field, his dragon protected him from the damage he should have received once again. His other white portions turn red and black as he got a Black Feather Counter.

(Black-Winged Dragon - ATK: 2100 - 700 = 1400)

Dezel's turn was over and it was Alisha to play.

"Now I draw!" She declared, drawing a card from her deck and glanced it. "Stellarnova Alpha, this is the card I need..." Then she carefully observed each of the Monsters on the opposing field, "I don't know what power the Blackwings have, but I really need to get rid all of them as soon as possible before it turns into a disaster... Chidori is considered too threatening to my fellow Monsters in terms of power. As long as the Black-Winged Dragon remains present on the field, this dragon can negate effect damage on this Seraph. On the other hand, if I weaken his Attack Points enough, I can annihilate him in such a short time. I have to bet everything for everything, if not nothing!"

Alisha set three face-down cards onto her field,

"I set down three of my cards, and..."

She then slapped a Monster card on the third setting stage of her Duel Disk in vertical.

"I'll summon my fellow Monster, Satellarknight Alsahm!"

The Sagitta archer warrior emerged out of the blue rift in Attack position.

(Satellarknight Alsahm - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

"Since Satellarknight Alsahm is summoned on my battlefield, I'll be able to inflict 1000 points of damage!" Alisha declared, "The one I was aiming for is the Seraph who summoned the Black-Winged Dragon!"

Alsahm aimed the arrow at Dezel and pulled the string of his bow.

"Go ahead, Alpha Shoot!" She activated her monster's effect.

A third time, the Black-Winged Dragon intervened to protect Dezel from an arrow sent by Alsahm and absorbed the effect damage in return for losing 700 Attack Points and got a Black Feather Counter. The other white portions turn red and black and there were only four left.

(Black-Winged Dragon - ATK: 1400 - 700 = 700)

"She's stupid, that young girl knew full well that by trying to target me to inflict direct damage, my dragon's protecting me..." Dezel observed carefully, "Unless she's so keen on weakening the Black-Winged Dragon and destroying him. But what she doesn't know is that my monster has another special ability that could possibly cause to her own loss."

"I then activate my Satellarknight Skybridge Spell card!" She continued as she pointing the finger to designate her targeted monster, "I choose one Tellarknight Monster on my field which will be replaced by another fellow Monster from my Deck!" The Lyra knight emerged out of the blue rift and moved into her Defense position, "Satellarknight Vega, join me on frontline!"

(Satellarknight Vega - DEF: 1600 - Level: 4)

"As for you Alsahm, you can retire now that Vega takes your place!" Her other Tellarknight monster returned as a card to her hand. She then placed her designated Monster card on top of the Deck, which shuffled on its own. "I then shuffle my targeted monster into it!" Alisha then showed her monster card in hand, "When she's been summoned to my field, I can summon another of my comrades in hand!" She slapped it into the blade of her Duel Disk, "Satellarknight Deneb, join us as reinforcements!"

The female-looking Cygnus knight emerged from the blue rift, materialized alongside Vega.

(Satellarknight Deneb - DEF: 1000 - Level: 4)

"With Deneb backing up by my side, I can take a card from my deck to my hand for later!" Alisha took it from the deck to her hand. "Well, I guess my turn is over."

"Good, over to me!" Rose declared, drawing a card. "I'm going to bring in my Blackwing - Tornado the Reverse Wind in Defense Mode!"

The purple humanoid bird flew like a tornado from which its name came and went into Defense mode.

(Blackwing - Tornado the Reverse Wind - DEF: 1200 - Level 4)

"When summoned, if you control a monster that was Special Summoned, I can make Gale the Whirlwind return in exchange for its special ability being negated!" Rose said as the Blackwing Tuner Monster respawned in her field.

(Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind - DEF: 400 - Level 3)

"Those pesky birds keep swarming in the field! I need to send 'em straight back to a hen house!" Alisha gritted her teeth.

"I then take my two Blackwing Monsters as reinforcements thanks to my Black Whirlwinds!" Rose took the two designated cards from the deck to her hand which she revealed to Alisha; Blackwing - Hillen the Tengu-wind and Blackwing - Gofu the Vague Shadow. "And to top it off... I'm going to play the sinister Black Garden!" Rose revealed her Field Spell card to Alisha.

The front end of her Scattered Bones Duel Disk opened, and she placed in it.

"A quiet place for our tea party for three!" She continued.

Once the slot closed, the Black Garden card rose up on the field. Upon the Black Garden's activation, black brambles decorated with black roses have sprung up to form a barrier around the border of the field between the Duelists and their Monsters.

"Oh! What the heck is this?!" Alisha exclaimed as black brambles rose up around her, blocking all escape routes.

"Aaah but what is this place?" Shiller slightly panicked, looking around.

"What is it, you expected a prince to come to your rescue? But not today! And today is the Stardust Dragon that will be ours!" Rose exclaimed sarcastically, she then turned to Dezel for another strategy tip. "Dezel, we mustn't summon other monsters in the presence of my Black Garden to better ensure our defense. Focus on using our Spells and Traps to better topple Princess Alisha."

She turned to Alisha to prepare, Raikiri held his sword, charged with blue lightning.

"I have terrible news to announce Princess, Raikiri has his special ability to destroy all Spell, Trap and Monster cards on your field based on the number of Blackwing monsters I control! In other words, I have four so I can destroy your four cards!" She told to her and activate the effect, "Get ready to get showered with lightning falling on your head! Electric Discharge!"

The Assault Blackwing Synchro monster raised his saber in the air, blue lightning falling everywhere that Alisha risked losing four of her five cards on the field if she didn't react quickly. Worse still, Shiller and Ian cry out in panic as they will end up being electrocuted since they are involved in their Duel.

"Here is my Counter Trap card! Stellarnova Alpha!" Alisha interjected, one of her face-down cards rose up. "When any card effect has been activated, I send Deneb from my field to the Graveyard to negate Raikiri's activation and destroy him!"

Deneb's body lit up, she transformed into a swan of light and flew towards Raikiri in order to sacrifice herself to destroy him.

"Then I draw another card!" She declared, drawing it from the deck thanks to the effect of Stellarnova Alpha.

The remaining blue lightning make a swing for both Ian and Shiller, but fortunately Alisha raced out in front of her fellow allies, blocked it with her own body much to their surprise.

"Aah the princess saved us!" Ian exclaimed.

Alisha grunted after receiving an electric shock while shielding them, she was paralyzed for now.

"Hang in on, your Highness! I know you can do it!" Shiller encouraged her.

"Don't worry you girls, I'm fine." Alisha answered them with a forced smile despite the electrifying pain received.

"How touching, you are ready to protect your precious comrades." Rose commented, "But you couldn't stop Chidori who is ready to take you down." She ordered him to attack and destroy Alisha's remaining Monster. "Now take this! Vega will come under attack from my monster!"

"I activate Negate Attack!" She declared, revealing her other face-down card. Thanks to this, Vega was protected by a magic barrier, negated Chidori's attack and forced Rose to end her Battle Phase.

"Oh my, I've to end my turn because of your Negate Attack card." Rose sighed,

It was up to Dezel to draw a card, the card he drew was Blackwing - Elphin the Raven, he could have summoned it without having tributed since he controlled a Blackwing Monster on his field. But as Rose said, he wouldn't allow himself to summon Elphin in the presence of the Black Garden card. But with three Monsters at his side, Dezel had no trouble attacking Alisha.

"Well, since you only have one monster with you, then I can pluck you out without any problem. We'll see if the Stardust Dragon will manifest inside you." He stated calmly, "Go there Armor Master, it's up to you! Destroy Alisha's monster with your Black Hurricaine!"

Dezel's Blackwing Synchro Monster charged up a swirl of black feathers around itself, shattered Vega head-on. Being in the Defense position Alisha's Life Points remained intact, but she was now vulnerable to the next two attacks launched by Dezel.

Alisha growled seeing her only knight get smashed to pieces.

"That sucks, it's the only monster our Princess has!" Ian exclaimed.

"Sirocco the Dawn, rip her feathers out! Dark Wing Slash!" Dezel launched his second attack.

He threw dark blades with his own wings at the vulnerable opponent, knocking her against a tree and screamed in pain.

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 4000 - 2000 = 2000 - Cards in hand: 1)

"Your Highness!!" Ian and Shiller shout in horror.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm not done with you yet!"  Dezel continued, "Attack, Simoon! It's up to fly!"

Simoon croaked in fury, flew straight to Alisha.

"I reveal my Trap card! Back to the Front!" She interjected, "With this card, I can bring one of my monsters back to my field from my Graveyard! Satellarknight Vega, come back here!"

Vega reappeared in front of Alisha just after being destroyed in a previous attack, forced Simoon to retreat and call off his attack.

(Satellarknight Vega - DEF: 1600 - Level 4)

"I can so call Satellarknight Altair from my hand now that she's back!" She showed her only remaining card in hand, Altair flew out of the blue rift and joined alongside Vega.

(Satellarknight Altair - ATK: 1700 - Level: 4)

"Then I can bring back from my Graveyard, Satellarknight Deneb!"

After Special Summoning Altair, Deneb returned to the field in Defense position.

(Satellarknight Deneb - DEF: 1000 - Level: 4)

"My fellow knights may disappear, but they always come back! They will only stop when we win our battle!" She said after took one Tellarknight Monster card into her hand thanks to Deneb's effect.

Suddenly, the whip-like briers grab and suspend the three Tellarknight Monsters.

(Satellarknight Altair - ATK: 1700 - 850 = 850)

(Satellarknight Vega - ATK: 1200 - 600 = 600)

(Satellarknight Deneb - ATK: 1500 - 750 = 750)

"What have you done to my fellow Monsters?!" Alisha stared in shock of what was happening to them.

"What's going on!" Altair exclaimed in shock.

"I'm losing my energy!" Vega exclaimed, she struggled in vain with these thorny creepers.

"Each time you summon your Monsters to your field, the power of my Black Garden absorbs half of the Attack Points!" Rose told to Alisha, then two Rose Tokens bloom on her own field and one for Dezel's side. "Look at all those pretty Rose Tokens growing on our field!"

(X3 Rose Tokens - ATK: 800 - Level: 2)

"These Rose Tokens are at first glance nothing threatening with only 800 Attack and Defense points. However, they can still attack you and are very pretty but has thorns." Rose said.

"It's your last turn." Dezel declared after ending his own turn.

"Princess, the best thing is to give up and run. You aren't up to defeating these two opponents." The male voice came up in Alisha's mind.

"Stay out of this, I can still handle the situation!" Alisha stubbornly persisted, then stared at the deck holder for a moment. "What should I do, I need to get rid of all the Blackwings and the Black-Winged Dragon as quickly as possible."

She drew a card slowly, trembling in fear.

"If I summon my Stellarknight Constellar Diamond, the Black Garden will split its attack in half, but if I don't I'll end up losing. I won't let happened, Ian and Shiller are counting on me."

Glancing at the drawn card, Alisha used it right away.

"I activate Pot of Greed! Which allows me to draw two new cards!" She drew two cards from her deck and added them to the hand. "Now I use Tellarknight Genesis! I can destroy Spells and Traps on the field equal to the number of other Tellarknight cards I control! So I have three in all, more than enough to destroy everything on your field!"

Her Quick-Play Spell Card glowed upon activation, destroying the Black Garden and thus both Black Whirlwind cards from Rose's field. The briars of the Black Garden began to wither, the ground shook and crumbled all over the field.

"Here we finally getting rid of your garden!" Alisha exclaimed, "And you won't be able to use your Black Whirlwinds anymore to bring in your birdies as reinforcements!" She quickly slapped a Monster card in Defense Position. "Forward march dearest comrade Satellarknight Capella!"

The Auriga knight rose out of the blue rift and joined alongside the other fellow Tellarknights.

(Satellarknight Capella - DEF: 2000 - Level: 4)

"When summoned, Capella can change the level of each of my Tellarknight Monsters and treat them as Level 5 when Xyz Summoning using 3 or more monsters as Overlay Units!" She continued while activating her Monster's effect.

(Satellarknight Capella - Level: 5)

(Satellarknight Altair - Level: 5)

(Satellarknight Vega - Level: 5)

(Satellarknight Deneb - Level: 5)

"Let's go!" Alisha howled full of determination, "I Overlay my four Level 5 fellow Tellarknights for a Rank 5 XYZ Summon!!"

The four Level 5 monsters turned into shooting star-like yellow orbs and entered the Overlay Network.

"Shine your wings and soar to the farthest reaches of the starry unknown galaxy!" Alisha chanted on her XYZ Summoning.

The Overlay Network exploded with a thousand luminous lights.

"I XYZ Summon!! Take flight beyond infinity my Rank 5 XYZ Monster!!" She cried with her eyes filled with determination and seriousness. "Stellarknight Constellar Diamond!!"

An astal ray emerged, bringing out a beautiful amored dragon with galactic wings took flight before landing on the ground and roared. Four Overlay Units orbs of yellow light orbiting around the body of Constellar Diamond.

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond - ATK: 2700 - Rank: 5 - Overlay Units: 4)

"Your monster may only have 2700 Attack Points, but even if you destroy my Rose Token, I have enough Life Points to hold on to it and defeat you on my next turn!" Rose told to Alisha.

"Who told you I was going to attack a Rose Token?" She however smirked, which confused Rose.

"Eh?"

"The one who posed such a threat so I must destroy, is Chidori the Rain Sprinkling!" She pointed her finger at the specific target she intended from the start.

"Alisha, you must destroy the Seraph's Black-Winged Dragon! You didn't know that this dragon has a hidden power that could bring you down!" The male voice warned her, but she ignored him.

"Are you kidding?! Chidori is far too powerful to be defeated!" Rose protsted.

"That's why I use the Spell Card, Back-Up Rider!" Alisha then revealed her remaining card in hand as her XYZ Monster roared in gaining power.

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond - ATK: 2700 + 1500 = 4200 - Overlay Units: 4)

"When targeting Constellar Diamond on the field; it gains 1500 ATK until the end of my turn!"

She slammed her clenched fist into the front, ready to attack.

"Stellarknight Constellar Diamond, attack Chidori once and for all!!"

Constellar Diamond's galactic wings grew and turning into northern lights, flew towards Chidori and destroyed it permanently, dropping Rose's Life Points.

(Rose - LP: 4000 - 400 = 3600 - Cards in hand: 3)

A gust of wind and dust was propelled back at Rose.

"Well done, but when Chidori was destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can bring only one of my Winged-Beast-type Synchro Monsters back to my field from the Graveyard! Raikiri the Rain Shower, come back to my side!"

The purple humanoid bird reappeared on the field.

"And thank you for getting rid of my Black Garden which would have given us more disadvantages than usefulness!"

(Assault Blackwing - Raikiri the Rain Shower - ATK: 2600 - Level: 7)

"With Raikiri's back to the field, I'll end up combing my hair again after taking an electrified shower!" Alisha groaned, forced to end her turn since she had no more cards in her hand except for her powerful Tellarknight XYZ Monster in her field.

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond - ATK: 4200 - 1500 = 2700 - Overlay Units: 4)

"Looks like it's over for you Alisha. You know Raikiri can now to-" Rose drew a card before Dezel cut her word off.

"Rose, wait!"

"So what Dezel?" She turned to the shark-toothed Wind Seraph.

"Why shouldn't you let me demonstrate? It would be a shame to waste a wonderful moment when the Black-Winged Dragon couldn't unfold his full potential if you ended this Duel personally." Dezel asked her for a request. "Please let me take charge of this girl and give her a crushing defeat."

"As you wish, but don't you dare screw it up." Rose agreed and finished her turn in an instant.

He drew a card and ordered to his dragon to do, "Here we go! Black-Winged Dragon, show the Princess of Hyland your second and true power!"

The Signer Dragon roared, took flight in the air.

"How could you order the dragon to attack when he's too weak compared to my monster?" Alisha exclaimed in shock.

"It's very simple, by removing all Black Feather Counters on my Black-Winged Dragon, your monster will lose 700 Attack Points for each counter I removed! As a result, you'll suffer so much damage equal to the points lost by his special ability!" Dezel stated, "Black Orb Blast!"

Black-Winged Dragon created an orb charged with dark energy using his talon-like blades, the black orb grew in size and turned scarlet red. But before that happened, Alisha activated the effect of Stellarknight Constellar Diamond.

"Nice try, but when a Dark attribute monster activate its special ability, I detach one Overlay Units from my Constellar Diamond to negate the activation and destroy your monster!"

The Wyrm-type XYZ Monster devoured one of the four orbs of yellow light to activate its effect.

"Sorry, but it's going to be different!" Dezel interjected, then sent one of his cards in hand into the Graveyard slot to activate the effect. "By discarding my Blackwing - Chinook the Snow Blast I have in my hand at the Graveyard, I can target your monster to cause it to lose 700 Attack Points and negate its special ability until the end of this turn!"

Nothung's spirit appeared briefly before entering in the Graveyard slot with the corresponding card.

"But in return, I send Blackwing - Nothung the Starlight from my Extra Deck to the Graveyard!"

"What?!" Alisha gasped in shock on her doomed plan.

Then Chinook's spirit appeared in front of Constellar Diamond to negated its effect.

"Snowy Powder!" Dezel howled at Chinook's effect.

The little Blackwing monster sent an icy wind at Constellar Diamond to nearly freeze it in place.

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond - ATK: 2700 - 700 = 2000)

"No, not that!" She screamed in dismay.

"By choosing to destroy one of Rose's monsters without even caring about the consequences of your every move, you allowed my dragon to inflict you to your own doom!" Dezel told to her.

The procedure for activating the Black-Winged Dragon's effect can continue without problems and Alisha could do nothing more to prevent it. He then engulfed Stellarknight Constellar Diamond and Alisha as well in darkness, sent an electric shock at it, making it roar in pain.

(Stellarknight Constellar Diamond - ATK: 2000 - 2100 = 0)

Alisha screamed with so much pain from the effect of the Black-Winged Dragon. The electric shock was propelled back at her against to a tree.

(Alisha - LP: 2000 - 2100 = 0 - Cards in hands: 0)

"Your Highness nooo!!" Ian and Shiller exclaim in shock and horror.

"In the field of work, we never failing to eliminate our target! To be able to carry out our mission well, we must exploit each other's vast weaknesses and investigate and locate targets like a hunter!" Rose quoted for a third and last time.

The Duel ended with a crushing defeat on Alisha, and their respective monsters disappeared from the field. Rose approached Alisha who's hurt by the Black-Winged Dragon's attack, she grabbed her by the neck and pinned her to the nearby tree.

"Now give me the Stardust Dragon! Admit it's you have one of the Signer Dragons!" Rose ordered.

"Ughh... Gimme break..." She clenched her teeth, glaring.

While Rose got distracted during her confrontation, Ian and Shiller took the time to cut the rope that tied them.

"We must act quickly!" She said.

"I know Shiller!"

Rose eagerly continued strangling Alisha with one hand, making her moan in pain until she was choked.

"For the last time give me the Stardust Dragon or else...!" She insisted firmly.

Fortunately, a flash of light blinded Rose's eyes, forcing her to release Alisha from her grasp.

"But what's going on?! My eyes, I can't see anything!"

Light engulfed the entire pass of the Aroundight Forest.

"Take our princess as soon as possible!" Ian's voice cried. "We must leave the forest while there is still time!"

Once the flash of light disappeared, she discovered that Alisha and the two allies had disappeared.

"What?!" Rose exclaimed in shock, her sky blue eyes widening. "They ran away?!"

"Forget it, we've done enough for today." Dezel lowered his hat, sighed. "What's the use of struggling if the Stardust Dragon doesn't manifest under such conditions. But sooner or later, the Princess of Hyland will know the truth about the existence of this dragon."

"Yeah, you might be right." She agreed, then taking off her iron mask of the Scattered Bones. "The goal is to collect all the Signer Dragons in order to bring the Crimson Dragon back to life. We already have two of them; Black-Winged Dragon, and Black Rose Dragon."

Somewhere in the sky of the Lakehaven Heights after fleeing together, Ian, Shiller and their princess rest on the palm of the blue and gold mechanical dragon called Drytron Meteonis Draconids, accompanied by a polar bear robot, Ursarctic Polari.

"Thanks for helping us Polari!" Ian expressed gratitude to her Ursarctic Synchro Monster.

The polar bear robot responded with a computer-like robotic noise while dancing.

"Thank you girls. I owe you a big debt." Alisha whispered, she taken the time to breathe after nearly being strangled to death.

"Your Highness, you have defended well as best you can." Shiller complimented her, then snarled. "But what is beyond us is that this girl had summoned more than six Monsters without respecting the summoning limits even after completing her turns; and summoning several Monsters in a single turn, I swear..."

She clenched her fist,

"As soon as the three of us take revenge, we kick her butt straight away."

"We have almost arrived at the city of Ladylake, we are taking you to your mansion where you can rest." Ian informed them, "Tomorrow is the Sacred Blade Festival, it's important."

The Dryton Ritual Monster flew away straight to their isolated location in Lakehaven Heights.

Later in the middle of the night at Elysia's home, Sorey packed up his own things along with Alisha's Royal Knife. Then, he put his own Duel Disc on his left arm, put his deck of cards in the deck box. Once he finished getting ready, he left the house, his place where he had lived with Mikleo for 17 years. Sorey headed for the exit of Elysia where he never looked back.

"I'm so sorry, everyone. I have to leave Elysia, because this is my own destiny." He said to himself. "Thank you for taking care of me for so many years, so goodbye."

Sorey moved further and further away from the place of his childhood, he crossed face to face with Mikleo and Zenrus; they know Sorey was going to leave, but not before having a family chat one last time.

"But what? Mikleo?" He wondered, "And Gramps? But what are you doing here?"

"I knew you were going to leave with Mikleo, if that is your destiny to become a great Duelist." Zenrus confessed.

"I'm really curious about the concept of Duel varieties that Alisha mentioned." Mikleo crossed his arms, his desire to go on an adventure and to know more Duel got the better of him. "As we travel on the backs of our monsters, we talk more about Duels. As far as Lunarre is concerned, if he was inlaying in Elysia, it was because he was running after Alisha."

Sorey grabbed Mikleo's hands, and expressed his joy, "I'm so glad you'd be leaving together with me! Not just as Duelists, but as lifelong friends!"

"I couldn't let you navigate the world of humans alone. Not as guileless as you are." Mikleo smiled.

They both clashed their arms in friendship.

"Sorey, before you leave for the human world, I'd like to hand you this." Zenrus handed him his own deck of cards.

Sorey took them and saw directly that all this belonged to Zenrus; the Yang Zing deck.

"But, they're yours. But I can't accept them."

"I'm way too old to Duel it, Malevolence keeps spreading not just across our world but also in the Spirit World where the Duel Monsters live." Zenrus shook his head and smiled. "Please Sorey, accept them. Having only the Tenyis is not always enough to face many opponents in Duels. Someday when I'm gone, you'll take care of the Yang Zing Monsters as if they were your own."

"... Thank you, Gramps. I'll make sure to put it to good use, while respecting each of the spirits of Duel Monsters." Sorey nodded.

"Sorey, once we leave Elysia, we will live with humans for the rest of our lives." Mikleo said.

Zenrus spoke to them one last time, "Before I let you go, I must tell you what is most important as a Duelist. Walk the path you believe in and live your life to the fullest, and I know you will not go astray."

Sorey hugged the deck Zenrus gave to his chest, being very grateful to him.

"Let's go, Mikleo!" He exclaimed.

He summoned Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara to take flight into the night sky on his back, leaving Zenrus alone watching them fly away.

"Good luck, Sorey and Mikleo, you will become powerful Duelists."

As they leave Elysia for the human world, the fog lifts. At the admiring sight of the two boys, the light of dawn rose.

"Whoa, that's so gorgeous." Mikleo widened his gaze, amazed.

'Humans and Duel Monsters are such fragile ones. It has been over 1000 years since the Crimson Dragon disappeared after the events of Scarlet Night. Yet, for some unknown reason, the Signer Dragons suddenly reappeared nearly 10 years ago. In time of calamity, they pray for a Shepherd Duelist to save them.'

"It's so beautiful! You saw that, it was our world! A world where Duels rule!" Sorey expressed his joy at having seen for the first time in 17 years, the beauty of this world.

Sahasrara flew straight towards the sun that continued to rise, and a new adventure begin.

'This is where the story begins of a boy named Sorey becoming the new Shepherd Duelist.'

Chapter Text

In the bedroom from Alisha's manor, Ian and Shiller watched over their beloved, sleeping princess who had been bedridden for a long time after bringing her back to safety. That was where Alisha had been put to convalesce.

"Will she be okay?" Shiller asked first.

"Our Princess will recover from the fight she had with this masked woman." She replied confidently.

"That's good to know. Our Princess will be up any moment soon as usual." Ian said.

Alisha then slowly awoke feeling somewhat disoriented. 

"She woke up!" Ian exclaimed in relief.

The room Alisha was in was clearly her bedroom from the manor.

"Where am I?" She wondered.

Alisha tried to sit up, but her body wouldn't let her fully.

"Ugh..." She growled.

She clutched her chest with one hand.

"Hey, don't force yourself too much Princess!" Shiller forced her back into bed gently. "You were injured in your last Duel against the female Duelist!"

She remembered that the Black-Winged Dragon had activated his second effect which had led to her own defeat during her previous Duel against Rose and Dezel.

"Don't you remember that?" Ian reminded her how it happened in the Aroundight Forest. "This woman was able to summon monsters multiple times in a single turn and even defeated you with the help of this bird-like dragon."

She remembered as well how the Black-Winged Dragon roared as he took flight in the air. He created an orb charged with dark energy using the talon-like blades, the black orb grew in size and turned scarlet red, then engulfed both Alisha and her Stellarknight Constellar Diamond in darkness, sent an electric shock at it both them. She screamed so much that she was propelled back against to a tree.

"In truth, she wasn't the only one to face me in a Duel." Alisha told to her. "There was a Seraph beside her, the one who possessed the Black-Winged Dragon. I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth."

"You're delusional, Princess." Shiller frowned.

"That's normal, you don't have the ability to see and hear Seraphim."

"Anyway, rest. It's important." Ian said before leaving with Sirel from Alisha's bedroom. "But don't be late to the Sacred Blade Festival."

The Princess-Knight of Hyland sighed deeply, resting her hand over her left eye.

"I was wondering who this guy is with this so-called Signer Dragon? And how did he get to this? Tell me who are you really?"

Somewhere in the skies of Lakehaven Heights, Sahasrara continued to fly since their journey began. Sorey and Mikleo are still riding the Tenyi Link Monster.

"It's been a while since we left Elysia." Sorey said after taking a good look at the morning sky.

A flock of Winged-Beast Monsters past Sahasrara.

"These are Winged-Beast type Monsters, they come from the Spirit World." Mikleo said. "Their world also start descending into chaos."

"It's true, their environment has started to deteriorate. These Monsters have also been affected by Malevolence." Sahasrara agreed.

"There, I saw a city surrounded by water." Sorey noticed.

"It was Ladylake. The city where the princess spoke to us." He told him.

The golden dragon flew down to drop them on the ground of the Lakehaven Heights.

"We are there, the bridge that leads to the entrance to Ladylake is over there." He told them.

"Thank you very much Sahasrara." Sorey thanked him, his Monster's spirit reverting back to his card form.

The two young boys move towards the waiting line.

"Did you see that, Mikleo?" He wondered in surprise. "There was such a big crowd! There were carts too!"

"Well, that's so impressive." Mikleo commented.

"Don't forget about security checkpoint!" The female voice said, drawing the attention of the two young boys.

Rose walked over to the two boys. She was an 18 year old young woman with dark red hair, sky blue eyes wearing a casual outfit consisting of black pants with a leather harness, a blue-green tunic and a pale beige bolero.

"Looks like you're new in town. If I remember correctly, you're here for the Sacred Blade Festival to get the mighty Signer Dragon known as the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, right?" Rose suggested, "Best to hurry. Because they're closing general admission soon."

"But how to hurry?" Sorey's expression became widened.

"You have the pass at least to have access to the entrance to Ladylake?" Rose asking him again.

"But what's the pass?" He understood nothing.

"You need the pass to get in quickly." She repeated.

"But how should I do it?"

Rose racked her brains to get it to work, and had found a way to fix the problem. "... I have a much better idea!"

Almost a few minutes later, Sorey and the Sparrowfeathers made their way to the gate blocked by the guards.

"We're a caravan of merchants protected by a free of trade treaty." Rose then showing her own pass to the guards, "We're the guild of the Sparrowfeathers. With our pass, we can enter any city freely."

Thanks to Rose, the guards can now let them enter the city of Ladylake.

"Well, that's well-timed for the Sacred Blade Festival. Welcome to Ladylake!" A guard from Ladylake greeted him.

"Thank you sir." Sorey said.

Once back inside the city, Sorey and Mikleo admired beauty for their first time in 18 years since leaving Elysia. For the Sparrowfeathers it was not new, because they have always known the city better. All that Sorey and Mikleo saw around are various Duelists who compete against each other with their various Duel Monsters for fun as well as to prove their strength to them. They even use their favorite Monster cards to make them their Deck Masters.

"Look at all those awesome Duels!" Sorey yelled in admiration. "There were plenty of them everywhere!"

"Come to the marketplace in front of the shrine." Rose motioned for them to come.

"Okay." Sorey nodded.

Once arrived at the marketplace as Rose requested, a place where her guild sold merchandise, she demanded payment from Sorey now that she had let them in.

"Here, we can now freely wander around Ladyake." She held out her hand to him to pay her, "In exchange, you owe me something to give me. Because nothing is free."

Sorey chuckled at Rose's confusion.

"What are you laughing at, mister the tourist?" She asked.

"Hihihi, you have a bird on your head." He pointed his finger.

"Hm..." She found that one of her Blackwing monsters, Harmattan, resting on her head like a nest for a moment, yawned. "Harmattan! What are you doing on my head?! It's not a nest!"

She attempted to pound Harmattan to drive it away, but only hit on the trailing white feint of her own head after it flew away.

"Oww..."

The little comedy made both Sorey and Mikleo laugh to Rose's displeasure.

"Stop making fun of me!" She cried, the veins of anger on her head. Then discovered in horror her hand covered in white feint. "Hey what is that! So gross!"

Sorey, Mikleo and even Eguille squeal with even more laughter on this scene. The other members of the Sparrowfeathers laugh at their boss as well.

"No kidding I just had a bath this morning!" Rose fidgeting like a frustrated child in shame and disgust. "And why are you staring at me like that, for Maotelus' sake?!"

A couple of minutes after Rose had just finished washing her dark red hair, she was having a conversation with Sorey and Mikleo.

"Fed up of my birdy babies climbing on my head like a bird's nest!" She towel-dried her hair. "And thank you for sending me water to wash my hair!"

"Excuse me, what bird are you talking about?" Sorey asked, puzzled.

"Do you mean Harmattan? It was one of my Duel Monster companions, it has the tendency to rest on my head. My other birdy babies often fight to be able to ride on my head."

"So you are able to see the spirits of monsters?" Sorey suggested.

"Yes, since I was very little, I have, like you, the ability to see the spirits of monsters and Seraphim."

She turned to Mikleo,

"I see there was a Seraph by your side. Nice to meet you, my name is Rose."

"Yeah, nice to know you Rose." Mikleo answered her back. "He's Sorey, my friend."

"Hello to you, and thank you for your help." He greeted to her.

Sorey saw among the rarest and most expensive card display, there was a small box that contained the fabulous Red-Eyes Black Dragon card. He walked over to inspect it.

"Rose what is this rare card?" Sorey's face filled with curiosity.

"Ah, that's the Red-Eyes Black Dragon card, isn't it cool?" Rose told to him, full of joy.

"It looked so fierce, but not that special." He took the card with a look full of curiosity.

"Aaah!" Rose snatched back the rare card from Sorey's hand. "Hey watch out you moron! It's such a rare and hard-to-find card that it was worth great value and it's not for exchange either!"

"What?! So expensive and untradable?!" He exclaimed in astonishment.

The calm Water Seraph suddenly screamed just after getting acquainted.

"What's up Mikleo?" Sorey asked in confusion.

"Sorey! There's a dog here!" He cried, shaking in fear as a white dog came up to him.

"Oh, hi, doggy! Aww, he's so cute!" Sorey stroked the white dog, made it bark in welcome. "Hey, Mikleo why you don't pet him?"

"Animal like this one can sense us, and it gives me the willies."

"Hahahaha!" Sorey burst out laughing.

"It's not funny! Everyone has things they're affraid off!" Mikleo got annoyed.

Rose then resumed back to her deal with Sorey for payment. "Alright let's get back to it. If you don't have the money to pay me, you should at least have something of great value."

"Uh, that is..." Sorey didn't know what to say, and he didn't have the money to pay her.

"You have at least one valuable item in your bag." Rose searched the bag without even asking to check.

"Hey wait!" He exclaimed.

"That's it, I've got it!" Rose got the dagger that belonged to Alisha, raising her arms in the air.

She glanced briefly at the Diphda crest at the pommel, her usually cheerful expression becoming impassive.

"Um please I have to return the dagger that belongs to someone." He protested in a low voice.

"Alright, I'll give it back to you." Rose agreed, but offered him to make a deal. "I want you to face a Deck Master Turbo Duel with me! At the Turbo Arena in the Noble's District!"

"Eeeh! A Duel against you?! So fast?!" He cried.

"Well yes, an agreement is an agreement!" She declared. "If you win, I'll leave you alone, but if I win, you should work for me to pay off your debts to me!"

"If it's for a Duel it's okay so I accept."  Sorey seemsly agreed.

Mikleo protested, "Sorey wait! You won't dare challenge her to a Duel just for one bargain!"

"No way!" Rose replied, "It's a give and take! If your friend accepts, he won't refuse a single Duel regardless of the opponent he meets!"

"Don't worry about me Mikleo!" Sorey uttered. "If it can help me become a good Duelist, I won't refuse her challenge!"

"Yeah, but you often lost in Duels against me! And remember we have the Sacred Blade Festival to attend in the sanctuary!"

"But it's fine for me! I'm sure it's going to be fine! Icing on the cake!" He insisted.

"See, Sorey can accept the Duel just as easily!" Rose nodded, then Harmattan rested on her head again, irritated her once more. "Get down from my head!"

In the Noble's District where the Turbo Arena is located, Rose took Sorey with her in order to register to participate in a Deck Master Turbo Duel match. The trio are at the registration desk and were about to split up to take the opposite lane paths.

"Good, we'll meet at the arena circuit!" Rose announced, and she left for the left hallway.

"You've really lost your mind, Sorey! To face her in a Duel without even thinking!" Mikleo raised his voice. "You forget that the Sacred Blade Festival is even more important than just Duel!"

"No need to yell, Mikleo. Remember to have fun." Sorey replied carelessly. "It won't take more than thirty minutes, we'll be there in time for the festival."

"But if ever there should be a big problem?"

"It's my way of intervening immediately, and I will take responsibility for it." He remained optimistic, didn't see the slightest stake in it for the moment. Then he went to the right lane which will lead him into the circuit of the arena.

"This guy is seriously kidding..." Mikleo frowned. "Why should he accept her challenge just for a simple deal?"

In the Turbo Arena circuit, Chancellor Bartlow who was serving as an announcer and referee walked to the center of the circuit.

"Thank you for coming out in such large numbers to witness a friendly Duel in the Turbo Arena taking place in Ladylake!" Bartlow greeted them warmly.

Rose coming out of the hallway and entering the Turbo Duel circuit first as Bartlow continued to announce.

"First, let's welcomeour beloved happy-to-go traveling merchant known to be part of the Sparrowfeathers Guild! Roosse!!"

The audience cheerily yelled at Rose's welcome. A few encourage it on her behalf.

"Go for it, Rose!"

"Then we have a very young tourist who has just entered Ladylake! His name is Sorey!!"

The audience cheerily yelled at his welcome as well.

The two friends come face to face in the center of the circuit.

"I was already an excellent Turbo Duelist during my road trips, while you haven't left your nest since you're still just a chick!" Rose teased.

"I'm not a chick, I'm a man, and I have hair instead of feathers." Sorey replied.

"Just joking, my little Sorey." She stuck her tongue out and winked.

"Good, now choose a monster as a Deck Master that is suitable for riding on curcuit!" Bartlow commanded both of them.

Each of the two opponents check their own respective decks in order to choose which monster card to choose from.

"Obviously I chose this..." Sorey said after taking the designated card from his deck.

The Tenyi Link Monster materialized after being chosen.

"My Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara would be my Deck Master!"

"Your Deck Master looks great! I've never seen that before!" Rose exclaimed, then showed her own designated card. "Mine that I have chosen will be the Black Rose Dragon!"

A huge sigil appeared behind Rose, a rose petal tornado with moving black thorn vines emerged, bringing out the elegant dragon that served her as her Deck Master. The Black Rose Dragon roared upon its appearance amazed the entire audience.

"But it's so amazing!" A man cried. "It's the most magnificent monster I've ever seen!"

It is a black-skinned wyvern with magenta claws and plate edges. Its tail and neck are covered in overlapping plates of petal-shaped armor, and its body is surrounded a large rose with magenta petals. It large wings are made up of overlapping folded petals. Black Rose Dragon has a triangular head with large pink eyes and long, needle-like teeth. Three petal-covered strands extend from the back of its head, and it has four black, thorn-lined vines extending from its hips.

"What are you think that? That's a real beauty!" She asked while Sorey was speechless and stunned.

"Well, that promises to be quite thrilling!" Bartlow exclaimed enthusiastically.

Both opponents ride on the backs of their respective Deck Masters and stand in the starting case.

Bartlow then explained the rules of the Duel. "The rules are simple in this arena; the first player to arrive in the golden circle can start their turn! When a golden cloud appeared in this circuit, the Duelist must either draw a card from his deck normally or take the assigned card; on the other hand, it is strictly forbidden to use the banned cards under penalty of being automatically disqualified from this friendly Duel!"

"Get ready my pretty." Rose patted her dragon's head. "We're going to have fun."

"Ready, set, go!!" Bartlow screamed.

"Come on, it's time for Deck Master Turbo Duel!!" Rose and Sorey shout together.

The Deck Master Turbo Duel race begin. It was the Black Rose Dragon accelerating all the way around the circuit and reached the golden circle, leaving Sorey and Sahasrara behind.

"Amazing! She's the known charming redhead who reaches the golden circle first!" Bartlow exclaimed. "So she's leading the first turn!"

"Looks like I'm the one who made the flower bloom first! I'm the one going first!" She declared, drawing a card from her deck.

(Rose - 4000 LP)

(Sorey - 4000 LP)

Rose looked her first six cards in hand; what she have are the White Rose Dragon, Roxrose Dragon, Dark Rose Fairy, Rose Princess, Rose Bell of Revelation and Rose Tentacles.

"Here's a good hand to lead the game. I will soon transform this circuit into a marvelous but sinister garden." She smirked, "I'll hatch a half-dragon, half-rose monster in my garden! White Rose Dragon!" She declared as her first monster emerged from the blue rift.

(White Rose Dragon - ATK: 1200 - Level: 4)

"When summoned, I can spawn another monster from my hand on my garden! Roxrose Dragon!" She said, and slapped her Monster card onto her Duel Disk to special summon it.

Another Dragon-Type Monster emerged and joined its fellow one near to it.

(Roxrose Dragon - ATK: 1600 - Level: 3)

"As with my White Rose Dragon, I can add a card from my deck to my hand!" Rose said after took one from her deck; the card she chosen was a Quick-Play Spell, Basal Rose Shoot. "I then Special Summon my Dark Rose Fairy!"

An adorable tiny fairy with tea green hair in a black rose dress, holding a lantern containing small roses, emerged from the blue rift, innocently chuckled.

(Dark Rose Fairy - DEF: 1000 - Level 2)

"I can do a Synchro Summon now that my Level 3 Tuner, Roxrose Dragon, and my Level 2 Dark Rose Fairy are on the field!" Rose declared, and the procedure begin.

"A Synchro Summon!" Sorey's expression widened.

"That's it! A Synchro Summon!" She said as her Roxrose Dragon first took flight, its body dissipated into three green rings. Dark Rose Fairy flew towards them, her small body turning translucent and becoming into two stars.

(Level: 3 + 2 = 5)

"Maiden from the depths of the garden, show me all your inner beauty!" Rose chanted confidently while keeping balance on her Deck Master's back.

The green rings and stars turned into a pillar of light.

"Synchro Summon! Level 5! Garden Rose Maiden!" Her Level 5 Synchro Monster emerged from the light, positioned herself in defense mode while floating in the air.

(Garden Rose Maiden - DEF: 2400 - Level 5)

"It's really incredible! From the first turn where the Deck Master Turbo Duel started, Rose quickly brought in a Synchro Monster onto her own field!" Bartlow cried in amazement.

"With my damsel on my side, I add the specific Field Spell card to my hand!" She told him as she took one card from her deck, revealed the Black Garden card to Sorey, and ended her first turn. "I invite you very soon to my garden, but be careful not to have thorns on your butt!"

"It's nice to invite me, but my friend and I the festival to attend!" Sorey replied, drawing.

The cards Sorey have in hand are Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna, Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing, Tenyi Spirit - Nahata, Draining Shield, Yang Zing Brutality and Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing.

"Hmm, Ashuna in hand from the first turn, not bad. If I control no Effect Monsters, I can Special Summon it so that I summon a Tuner for a Synchro Summon. I have to quickly summon enough powerful monsters before Rose can activate her Black Garden card next turn."

"My Black Garden will sprout rose-scented grass once when I complete my line of Monsters. The more he admired the beauty of my roses, the more dangerously he approached the terrifying thorns." Rose watched carefully from the field as Sorey was working out. "Sorey, you have to beware of the beauty of my charming Monsters, just like me of course. As they say, outer beauty, inner monstrosity."

Among the spectators in the bleachers, Dezel carefully observed the Deck Master Turbo Duel between Rose and Sorey.

"That foolish redhead! Since when she allows herself to have fun when we have an important mission to do?" Dezel growled, crossed his arms.

"As I have non-effect Monsters, I summon Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna in Defense Position!"

The light dragon spirit emerged from the blue rift and positioned itself in defense.

(Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna - DEF: 2600 - Level: 7)

"And that's not all, I'm also going to play a Tuner Monster!" He revealed his next Monster card and placed it on his Duel Disk immediately. "It's Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing!"

The white carp-like Wyrm Monster materialized on the field, flew up alongside Ashuna.

(Chiwen, Light of the Yang Zing - ATK: 0 - Level: 1)

"He intends to spawn a Synchro Monster. I can't wait to see how that plays out."

"As for you, I can pass a Synchro Summon!" He stated as Chiwen flew away, and transformed into a single green ring while Ashuna scanned crossing the ring.

(Level: 1 + 7 = 8)

"Being of shining light, purifies the tainted soul!" Sorey chanted.

Ashuna's transparent body dissipated into 7 stars in line within the one ring, enveloped the stars passing through the green ring. A pillar of light fell on the circuit.

"Synchro Summon! Level 8! Create a Benevolent Path of Light! Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing!!"

(Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing - ATK: 2300 - Level: 8)

"Seriously, he used a Yang Zing Synchro from Gramps!" Mikleo wondered slightly.

"Very nice your strategic move but your monsters aren't powerful enough to weed out my Garden Rose Maiden from the field!" Rose told to him.

"I set two cards face down, and that's it." Sorey placed them on the field and ended his turn.

"It's amazing how these two opponents were able to Synchro Summon superpowered Monsters!" Bartlow raised his voice full of enthusiasm. "Now it's Rose's turn to play! She's going to have to find a way to break this young man's defensive line!"

"Hey, there's a bird lying on Rose's head!" Sorey noticed, he couldn't help but laugh in amusement.

"Eh?"

She was shocked to discover that the same Blackwing, Harmattan, had been resting on her head for a while as she was about to play her second turn.

"Harmattaaannan!!" She yelled in annoyance, "I already told you not to get on my head, you stubbornly disobedient chicken!"

She tried to force Harmattan out of her hair, but it persisted and refused to leave.

"Let go of my hair, I've done the work to do my hair again!"

Sorey couldn't help but laugh at such embarrassment that Rose undergoes.

"Enough Harmattan, let Rose do her Duel." The Black Rose Dragon spoke in a feminine voice.

The red Signer Dragon grabbed the bird with her thorn-lined vines and removed it from Rose's head, let it fly away.

"Thank you, Black Rose." Rose scrunched her hair before continuing, she then draw a card from their deck. "Alright, let's resume."

She quickly slapped her Monster card to summon,

"I welcome my lovely Rose Princess in Attack Mode!"

The elegant and beautiful princess with a red dress, a rose-like hairstyle and innocent and attractive blue eyes, rose from the blue rift.

(Rose Princess - ATK: 1200 - Level: 3)

"If I summon her this way as you control a monster in your field, she becomes a Tuner Monster!" Rose then showed her Spell card that she had in her hand from her previous turn, "I activate Rose Bell of Revelation!" Her card appeared onto her field upon activation. "This Spell card allow me to take my seed with 2400 Attack Points or more from my deck!" She took one to add in her hand and revealed to Sorey.

The Rose Princess glowed as if transforming. Her dress was getting long, the wings grow on her back, and the hair was growing long.

"The pretty princess is going to become a splendid queen ready to flourish known as the Queen Angel of Roses!"

Her transformation was completed the Rose Princess became into the new Plant-type Monster.

(Queen Angel of Roses - ATK: 2400 - Level: 7)

"I activate the Basal Rose Shoot card that I picked up from my deck the previous turn!" Her Quick-Play Spell card appeared in her field. "I can take back a Rose Dragon from my Graveyard and place it in Defense Mode!" 

The Tuner Rose Dragon emerged from the blue rift again and set itself into Defense Position.

(Roxrose Dragon - DEF: 1200 - Level: 3)

"Now I Tribute my Roxrose Dragon... To summon a dangerous monster that give you whiplashes, Rose Tentacles!" Just after slapped her next Monster card onto a slot of her Duel Disk's blade, Roxrose Dragon vanished, making way for another Plant Monster on the field. Then it emerged on the circuit in the initial form of the bud, the sprawling vines swaying and the stem growing. The rose flower bloomed and revealed the Plant Monster's eyes.

(Rose Tentacles - ATK: 2200 - Level: 6)

Rose now had three Plant Monsters on her own field, only the finishing touches left to wrap up her turn.

"It's amazing! The charming merchant and leader of the Sparrowfeathers has managed to summon the most powerful monsters on the circuit field!" Bartlow howled with enthusiasm as the crowd in the stands roared in applause.

(Garden Rose Maiden - DEF: 2400 - Level 5)

(Queen Angel of Roses - ATK: 2400 - Level: 7)

(Rose Tentacles - ATK: 2200 - Level: 6)

"I have grown my roses enough and are ready to plant their thorns! I can now activate the Black Garden card as planned!" Rose then showed her Field Spell card. The front end opened, she can placed it and the slot closed. "Sorey, you're my guest of honor!"

The black brambles decorated with black roses rose up to form a barrier around the border of the field circuit, the spectators gasp in astonishment.

"Wow! Terrible brambles have just invaded the entire turbo circuit! The pretty rose obviously has thorns that shouldn't be picked!" Bartlow yelled in astonishment.

"For a Field Spell card in a friendly Duel, it's far too sinister." Sorey felt uncomfortable upon Rose's garden.

"Before I attack your Monster, I'm talking to you about my Queen Angel of Roses' special ability!" Rose explained to Sorey.

"What you talking about?" He became confused.

"If you summon a Monster that has less than 2500 Attack Points than my Queen Angel of Roses, she can bury them deep in the garden alive! So think carefully before you summon yours while she's around on my field!"

Sorey blinked in slight shock, the rose petals surrounded the angelic monster's sword and about attaking Baxia.

"Queen Angel of Roses strikes! Rose Trimmer!"

"Nice try, but you triggered my Trap! Draining Shield!" Sorey revealed his face-down card.

Rose's Monster attack was blocked by the magic barrier and absorbed the energy.

(Sorey - LP: 4000 + 2400 = 6400 - Cards in hand: 2)

"My Trap can stop your attack and earn me Life Points!"

"You were lucky on that one." Rose said as she finished her turn.

"Alright it's my turn!" Sorey drew a card, he then placed one of his Monster cards onto his Duel Disk, caused his Yang Zing monster to emerged from the blue rift. "I summon Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing!"

The tiger-hybrid dragon roared fiercely upon its appearance.

(Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing - DEF: 0 - Level: 3)

However, the black bramble vines from Rose's Field Spell card grab Bi'an, causing it to roar in pain.

"What happened to my monster?" Sorey asked in alert.

"I forgot to tell you that my Field Spell, the Black Garden absorbs Attack Points from all Monsters entering it!" Rose explained to him. "Because you recklessly summoned a monster to your field, a Rose Token appears on my side of the field!"

As Bi'an growled in pain, a Rose Token blossomed on Rose's field, it twitching as if it were alive; a kind of consciousness. The thorny vines untie themselves from Bi'an's body, leaving it almost completely weakened.

(Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1600 - 800 = 800)

(Rose Token - ATK: 800 - Level: 2)

"Aah look at this sinister garden around us capable of generating a living rose." She commented. "As terrifying as it is even with 800 Attack and Defense Points, they were endowed with a consciousness capable of either attacking or defending themselves. Imagine if a Rose Token also has eyes, a nose and a mouth, a face!"

The Rose Token shifted energetically slightly, made Sorey even more uncomfortable.

"Don't forget my little Sorey, you have the choice between attacking or defending yourself. As long my Queen Angel of Roses remains present on the field, she bury your Monsters with Attack Points lower than hers." Rose winking.

Sorey pondered making the right offensive strategy decision. "If I attack her Rose Tentacles, the Queen Angel of Roses will activate her effect to destroy Baxia before attacking my other Monster. But if I attack her Queen Angel of Roses instead, it's her Rose Tentacles who will give me a whiplash once I lose my only defensive line."

He rethought his Trap card placed during his previous turn,

"If I activate Yang Zing Brutality by attacking with Baxia, its ATK and DEF will be doubled, but it will be automatically destroyed after battling. But if I don't attack now, it's me who pays the price. It's all for everything or nothing!"

Sorey then glanced at his Synchro Monster to give an order,

"Baxia! We must attack!"

The gold Wyrm Monster roaring, flew to the Queen Angel of Roses.

"Have you lost your mind?! My Queen Angel of Roses is far more stronger than yours!" Rose exclaimed.

"Now I activate Yang Zing Brutality!" He revealed his face-down card from his field. "When a Yang Zing attacks, the Attack and Defense Points will be doubled compared to its Origin Points! In return, it will be destroyed after having fought!"

(Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing - ATK: 2300 + 2300 = 4600; DEF: 2600 + 2600 = 5200)

"Oh no! It got stronger!" Rose exclaimed in surprise.

"Attack, Baxia!" Sorey ordered as his Synchro Monster launched the Astral Light Blast at one of Rose's Monsters, disintegrating her from the field.

(Rose - LP: 4000 - 2800 = 1200 - Cards in hand: 1)

Just after annihilating the Queen Angel of Roses, Baxia was shattered into a thousand pieces by the effect of Yang Zing Brutality. Sorey ended his turn, now it was Rose's turn to draw a card. The two cards Rose had in her hand were the Spell, Fragrance Storm, and the Monster, Rose Shaman.

"These are the cards that should do for me."

Rose placed her Monster card on her Duel Disk as the first part of her strategy plan.

"I play Rose Shaman!"

A pretty long black-haired warrior emerged from the blue rift and joined her side. Since the Field Spell card, Black Garden, was still present, the thorny vines tied her, made her moan slightly and weaken. A living Rose Token bloomed at Sorey's side, made him even more uncomfortable.

(Rose Shaman - ATK: 1700 - 850 = 850 - Level 4)

"My Black Garden will also split her attack in half! So you have a Rose Token on your field!" She told to him before using her Spell card as the second part of her plan, "I then use Fragrance Storm! It can destroy any Plant Monster on the field! I could then draw a card; if it's a Plant Monster, I'll draw another!"

"You intend to destroy the Rose Token you just spawned on my field?!" Sorey figure out what she meant.

"Exactly! You have a good spirit of deduction!" Rose complimented as the wind of perfume destroyed the Rose Token from Sorey's side. "Then I draw a card from my deck!"

The card Rose drew from it was a Plant Monster, "Bird of Roses" and revealed it directly.

"Eh eh, I drew a Plant-Type Monster!"

She drew another card and revealed it, but this time an Trap card; Synchro Barrier. She looked at it briefly, gave her a faint but mischievous smile.

"Did you draw a Trap card, Rose?" Black Rose Dragon suggested.

"Yes Black Rose, here's the card so I needed it for later." Rose said to her Deck Master, and then set the second card drawn on her field. "I place my card face down... I then Tribute my Rose Shaman to be able to draw another card."

She disappeared from the field, allowing Rose to draw another card thanks to the effect of the Rose Shaman.

"So next I'm going to reveal my Deck Master's true power so you'll quickly surprise!"

"Seriously! She's really going to use her Deck Master's special ability?!" Sorey wondered in shock.

Rose patted the back of her Black Rose Dragon's neck. "It's up to you, sweetie! Show that guy how terrifying the rose is behind the outward beauty!"

The Black Rose Dragon roared, the wind composed of rose petals blew across the entire turbo circuit. While Rose continued to tell him, the spirit of the Rose Princess got devoured by the Black Rose Dragon under Sorey's shocking eyes.

"In order to activate Black Rose's power, I have to banish a Plant Monster from my Graveyard to force your Monster to switch from Defense to Attack, and reduce the Attack Points to zero!"

The Black Rose Dragon's thorny vines glowed into dark pink, tied up Sorey's Yang Zing Monster, forced it to switch from Defense to Attack, made it growl in pain.

"Black Binding Bloom!" She cried out at her Deck Master's special ability.

(Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing - DEF: 0 to ATK: 800 - 800 = 0)

"This is sadism!" He shouted.

"Not even sadism! I call that more as submission!" Rose replied before going on the offensive. "My Rose Tentacles gonna now smack your Monster!"

The giant rose Monster violently whipped the now vulnerable Bi'an and shattered it into a thousand pieces; the bursts of holograms propelled back to Sorey.

(Sorey - LP: 6400 - 2200 = 4200 - Cards in hand: 2)

"By destroying Bi'an and sending to the Graveyard, another Yang Zing will take its place on the Field in Defense Mode!" Sorey shouted as an aqua blue turtle-like Wyrm emerged from the Turbo circuit in its defensive stance.

(Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing - DEF: 2000 - Level: 2)

The bramble vines of the Black Garden bound Sorey's Monster, but Bixi had only 0 Attack Points; a second Rose Token flourished on Rose's Field.

"You defend yourself quite well my little Sorey. But you can't stop the devastating power of my Deck Master, as long as she doesn't enter the Field, and of course I don't take the risk of losing in this Duel." Rose smirked.

Rose then moved on to Main Phase 2,

"Before I end my turn, I banish my Rose Shaman from my Graveyard to reclaim my Queen Angel of Roses."

It is shown that the Rose Shaman card got vanished from Rose's Graveyard, leaving the Queen Angel of Roses card in her hands.

"By adding a Plant Monster whose original Level is greater than 7 to my hand, I send my Fallen Angel of Roses from my deck to the Graveyard."

The designated Monster card, Fallen Angel of Roses, was automatically sent from the deck into the Graveyard slot of her Duel Disk.

"There you go, you can do now." She finished her turn.

"She's much more dangerous than I thought. Sorey need to uproot her Black Garden so he can get his Monsters onto the field to safety. But the biggest problem is this Black Rose Dragon; she is able to switch the opponent's Monsters from Defense to Attack and reduce them to 0." Mikleo watched carefully on the Duel between Sorey and Rose. "Sorey couldn't defend continuously if he stays at this rate."

"I only have one defensive line on my field, and I mustn't to summoning another one at the risk of having its Attack and Defense Points lowered... I need to weed her Rose Tentacles before it slams me down in next turn."

Sorey then drew a card from his deck, glanced at it, and placed it directly into one of the slots on his Duel Disk.

"I set one card face-down and that's all."

"And that's it? You have nothing else to offer me. It would have been great if you really went on the attack... My turn." Rose said, drawing a card. "I'm switching my Garden Rose Maiden to Attack Mode!"

The white robed-maiden got up.

(Garden Rose Maiden - ATK: 1600)

"I then summon Bird of Roses!" She quickly placed the Monster card on the blade of her disk, making the hybrid plant bird appear out of the blue rift.

The bramble vines bound it and weakened the Attack and Defense Points due to the effect of the Black Garden; a Rose Token appeared alongside Sorey.

(Bird of Roses - ATK: 1800 - 900 = 900 - Level: 4)

"Now I activate my Frozen Rose card!" Rose showed a Quick-Play Spell, causing the targeted Monster to disappear from the field. "I send my Bird of Roses from my field to the Graveyard! Since it was a Plant Monster, at the end of my turn I draw 2 cards from it and discard one!"

"You purposely summoned your bird just to send it to the Graveyard in order to activate your Deck Master's special ability!" Sorey inferred from Rose's intended strategy.

"Just right, my little Sorey!" Rose exclaimed confidently, the spirit of the Bird of Roses got eaten by Black Rose Dragon in order to activate her effect. The bramble tentacles bind to Bixi, forcing its to switch his position. "Even your poor turtle couldn't do anything to protect you!"

(Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing - DEF: 2000 to ATK: 0)

"No, let it go!" He protested.

"Sorry but there was nothing you could do to stop the power of my Black Rose Dragon! As long as I have Plant Monsters in my Graveyard, I can feed them to my dragon and torture your Monsters before being destroyed!"

The Rose Tentacles swayed its thorny green vines and were about to hit the now vulnerable Bixi.

"By the way my Monster can attack as many times depending on the Plant Monsters at your field!"

However, the tentacle found itself blocked before it reached Bixi and was automatically destroyed at the shock of her.

"What's going on! My Rose Tentacles failed to destroy your Monster?!"

Rose then gasped upon realization the trap set by Sorey,

"Sakuretsu Armor... I set a Trap for you at the right time and get rid of your mutant rose." Sorey smirked. "And yes, you ordered your Rose Tentacles to attack and it was destroyed by the Sakuretsu Armor."

"You're doing pretty well for a first-time tourist. But I've got a rose-scented surprise in store for you." Rose smiled back. "I leave it to you, Garden Rose Maiden."

The white-dressed maiden sent a blizzard of black rose petals at Bixi, freezing it under the crystal and shattering.

(Sorey - LP: 4200 - 1600 = 2600 - Cards in hand: 2)

"Well, there's more than to get rid of a Rose Token with one of mine!" She declared, a Rose Token swung seeds against another, the two Tokens destroying each other due to the equality of the Attack Points. "And another Rose Token that's going to give you some seeds!"

The other one strafe seeds on Sorey.

(Sorey - LP: 2600 - 800 = 1800 - Cards in hand: 2)

"Ok my turn is over." Rose drew two cards by the effect of the Frozen Rose she used during her turn, and discarding the Revival Rose card in the Graveyard slot. "Good thing I bury one seed in my Graveyard. Because on my next turn, none of your Monsters can defend you. It's up to you now."

"I don't have any cards in my hand capable of destroying Rose's Black Garden. The only Monsters I have are Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing and Tenyi Spirit - Nahata." Sorey looked at his two cards in hand, "Even placing them in Defense Mode, they might become vulnerable to her Deck Master posing such a threat."

(Garden Rose Maiden - ATK: 1600 - Level: 5)

"Suanni may be much more powerful than her Garden Rose Maiden; but because of her Black Garden on the field, it divides its Attack and Defense Points and Rose get another Rose Token."

Sorey drew a card, and glanced it.

"Yang Zing Path. This card should do it."

He activate his Spell card,

"I use Yang Zing Path! I choose three Yang Zing Monsters from my Graveyard and put them back in my deck!"

The three Yang Zings cards that Sorey had chosen are Bixi, Bi'an and Chiwen and shuffled them automatically.

"Then I draw two more cards!" He drew both from his deck in a flash and glanced them. "Monster Reborn and Riryoku, at least it saves me time." He showed his Monster card in hand, "To begin with, since I don't have a Non-Effect Monster on the field, I Special Summon my Tenyi Spirit - Nahata!"

The wind dragon spirit rose out of the blue rift and positioned itself in Defense.

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - DEF: 1000 - Level: 4)

"I then summon Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing!" Sorey continued as showing his other Monster card, the red lion-like Wrym was emerging out of the blue rift and materializing.

(Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1900 - Level: 4)

"I'm using my Monster Reborn card!" Sorey showed his next Spell Card, reappeared his Yang Zing Synchro Monster, and materialized again.

(Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing - ATK: 2300 - Level: 8)

The bramble vines of the Black Garden have bound all of his Monsters, absorb their energy without exception.

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - DEF: 1000 - 500 = 500)

(Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1900 - 950 = 950)

(Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing - ATK: 2300 - 1150 = 1150)

Then three more Rose Tokens flourish alongside Rose.

(X3 Rose Token - ATK: 800 - Level: 2)

"Thank you again for growing three more Rose Tokens on my side of the field!" Rose complimented him. "And don't forget that my Black Garden weakens each of your summoned Monsters as long as it remains on the field! What a pity, none of your Monsters can defeat my Garden Rose Maiden!"

"I have a card that could give me an edge! This is Riryoku!" Sorey showing a Spell card.

"Eh!" Rose's gaze widened.

"The first is to halve the Attack Points of your Garden Rose Maiden! While Baxia can absorb your Monster's lost Attack Points until the end of my turn!"

Through the effect of Riryoku, Baxia seized the Attack power of the Garden Rose Maiden.

(Garden Rose Maiden - ATK: 1600 - 800 = 800)

(Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1150 + 800 = 1950)

"And now Baxia, attack the Garden Rose Maiden!" Sorey ordered.

The Wrym Synchro Monster sent a breath of spiritual light towards the maiden.

"Rose!" The Black Rose Dragon recalled her.

"I know!" She replied to her Deck Master before revealing her own set card from the field. "Now, Synchro Barrier!"

The white-robed maiden stepped in front of her and her Deck Master and transformed into a synchronizing green barrier.

"Since my maiden is a Synchro Monster, I Tribute her in order to protect me from any damage until the end of the next turn!"

(Rose - LP: 1200 - Cards in hand: 3)

"I then send Suanni to destroy one of your Rose Tokens to weaken your defensive line!" Sorey launched a second attack, his other Monster burned one of the four Rose Tokens, but Rose took no damage from the Synchro Barrier effect. "Now you only have three Tokens left before you can reduce your remaining Life Points to zero!"

(Baxia, Brightness of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1950 - 800 = 1150)

"What an incredible performance! Rose used a Trap card at the last moment when this young tourist had knocked her out! With the Black Garden on the circuit, Rose dominated the Deck Master Turbo Duel!" Bartlow yelled enthusiastically as the audience roared in encouragement.

"It's up to me!" Rose drew a card, she have 4 in hand now. "I guess it's time to switch to another plan..."

Rose's words puzzled Sorey's mind.

"Sorey... I can't stay on the defensive anymore, so i'm going to have to destroy my precious Black Garden." She announced, which caused the Field Spell along with her remaining three Rose Tokens to wither all around the circuit, everything shook and crumbled.

"What?! You intend to destroy your Field Spell that is your means of defense though?!" Sorey became shocked.

"Oh what's happen?! The Black Garden is withering!" Bartlow exclaimed at the sudden change.

"I know it's a pain, but I'm forced to give up my Black Garden and my Rose Tokens... If it allows me to bring back my Monster that I previously sent from the Graveyard."

"What do you mean?" Sorey asked in confusion.

"With the equal to the 2400 Attack Points by combining the 800 Attack Points of my three Rose Tokens, I going finally to bring my Fallen Angel of Roses from the Graveyard back to the field!"

The assigned Monster card came out of the Graveyard slot of her Duel Disk, Rose took it and showing to him.

"So behold Fallen Angel of Roses! A dangerous ally as prickly as the rose itself!"

She slapped the card onto the blade of her Duel Disk, caused the female darker version of the Queen Angel of Roses to emerge out of the blue rift and materialize on the field.

(Fallen Angel of Roses - ATK: 2400 - Level: 7)

"However she doesn't stay for long, for by Tributing her, I can Special Summon my Queen Angel of Roses again!"

The Fallen Angel of Roses got vanished from the field was replaced by Queen Angel of Roses.

(Queen Angel of Roses - ATK: 2400 - Level: 7)

"Sorey, know that I have a Monster even more powerful than my two precious angels. But its Special Summon requires the banishing of the two Level 7 Plant Monsters; one on the field and the other in the Graveyard. A card that will lead you to your downfall."

She revealed a Monster card to him and placed it on a slot on the Duel Disk, replacing the Queen Angel of Roses card. The female angel vanished from the field. A tornado of red and purple rose petals fell on the Turbo Circuit while the wind blew towards Sorey and his Deck Master, revealing the majestic white figure with four wings composed of cross-shaped rose petals under his bewildered eyes.

(Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel - ATK: 2900 - Level: 8)

"What you see is Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel!" Rose announced, looking confident. "Silence the land! Fallow Winter!"

A cold storm partially froze Sorey's three Monsters.

"My powerful Monster will negate the effects of all other cards on the field, until the end of this turn!"

Sorey gasped in shock.

"So I could attack without problem because they were easy prey! Go Rosaria! Valhalla Harvest!"

Rosaria fired a burst of rose petal light at Baxia and destroyed it, causing Sorey's Life Points to drop.

(Sorey - LP: 1800 - 1750 = 50 - Cards in hand: 0)

"Sorey no!" Mikleo shouted.

Before ending her turn, Rose moved on to Main Phase 2.

"I will then be able to banish my Garden Rose Maiden from my Graveyard to activate her special ability! I can thus bring one of my Rose Dragons or a Synchro Dragon back to my field! Come back, White Rose Dragon!"

As the maiden's spirit vanished from Rose's Graveyard, one of her Monsters appeared again onto the field in Defense Mode.

(White Rose Dragon - DEF: 1000 - Level 4)

"There you go, for once I'm kind to give you one last ride before I'm going to give you a fatal blow!" She said with a touch of charity.

Sorey now only had 50 Life Points, it was his last turn. If he drew the right card, he could turn the situation around to his advantage. But if he drew the wrong one he will end up losing to Rose. Who will win in the Deck Master Turbo Duel, Sorey or Rose?

Chapter Text

As Rose managed to activate the Trap card, Synchro Barrier, at the last moment, Sorey now found himself with only 50 Life Points along with having no cards in his hand. With the Black Rose Dragon as her Deck Master, the Sparrowfeathers Merchant has a big advantage. With Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel and White Rose Dragon alongside Rose, the Duel might be overhelming for Sorey. For now, their Deck Masters continue their race within the Turbo Arena in Ladylake.

"Well then my Sorey-boy, it's your one and last turn now. Do you want to give up the Duel?" Rose asked as her Black Rose Dragon accelerated, leaving them nearly behind.

A golden cloud appeared on the circuit during Sorey's turn.

"Here it is! I have to get some in there!" Sorey exclaimed.

"Sorry Sorey, but won't let you pick one up!" She interjected, Black Rose Dragon rushed straight to the golden cloud where Rose picked up the assigned card and appropriated it. "Hey hey, I got the card that would be a big help to me!"

The card Rose grabbed was the Thorn of Malice, Sorey couldn't do anything to get it like he got one in his first Duel with Alisha.

"Damn it, I can't do anything about it." He grumbled.

"Who is it? Don't tell me you're going to give up? If you lose to me in this Duel, you should work to pay my debts, you know." She gave a smug look. "Sorey, I will make you an official member of my Sparrowfeathers Guild!"

"She's showing off too much, this boastful redhead!" Mikleo growled in jealousy and annoyance, clutching his crossed arms.

"Rose is really too strong to defeat. With her overpowered Monster of 2900 Attack Points along with the White Rose Dragon and her Black Rose Dragon with a dangerous special ability, I'm sure I'm really going to suffer on." Sorey grew desperate before his Deck Master's voice snapping out of his thoughts.

"You have one more chance Sorey! Place me on the field! I am able to resist the power of the Black Rose Dragon!"

"Are you sure Sahasrara?" He asked.

"Yes. We still have a chance to defeat Rose's Monsters." Sahasrara replied.

"Very well, if you insist. After all, you are powerful enough to defeat them." Sorey said, then he looked at his deck pack carried in a holder of his Duel Disk. "He's right, I still have a chance to defeat Rose. I'm sure that with a card that I was going to draw, I could turn the situation to my advantage."

During this time within the sanctuary of Ladylake, without the knowledge of the people the crowned sword planted in a base shone slightly.

"That sword that sealed the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend... Seems it to have a reaction to some presence for the first time in 10 years." The silver haired Fire Seraph pointed out. "Was it a person who would become the next Shepherd Duelist?"

Back to the Turbo Arena as he believing in his cards, Sorey drew one; the one he got was the Tenyi Spirit - Adhara.

"Finally I have it!"

Rose widened her sky blue eyes slightly, sensing that he drawn the key card.

"The card I drew is the Tenyi Spirit - Adhara!" He showed his card and placed it on his Disk blade, materializing the earth dragon spirit.

(Tenyi Spirit - Adhara - ATK: 0 - Level: 1)

"You're kidding me it only has 0 Attack Points..." Rose frowned before to widen her eyes upon realizing his intention, "Wait, you wouldn't dare to do that!"

"You finally come to understand that I intend to make a new Synchro Summon thanks to Adhara who is a Tuner Monster!" Sorey told her as the process started. "I tune Adhara with my other Tenyi Spirit - Nahata and Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing for a new Synchro Summon!"

Adhara flew into the air and transformed into a green ring. Nahata and Suanni take flight as their bodies scan through the green ring and become transparent, dissipating into 8 stars.

"Elegant-looking creature, take flight to a sky filled with pure light!" Sorey chanted.

(Level 1 + 8 = 9)

The green ring and stars turned into a pillar of light.

"Synchro Summon! It's time to say hello to Chaofeng, Phantom of the Yang Zing of Level 9!" He shouted as his new Yang Zing Monster emerged from the pillar of light and flew away with a cry that was both draconic and phoenic.

It was a very beautiful creature with a hybrid appearance of a phoenix and an oriental dragon endowed with a serpentine body with jade green scales and a red belly. It had four wings on its back and bird claws. Chaofeng had a blue and red colored bird's head with teeth and barbels.

(Chaofeng, Phantom of the Yang Zing - ATK: 2800 Level: 9)

"It's amazing! Sorey managed to draw the card for a Synchro Summon at the last moment! Will he be able to defeat the fearsome Duelist Rose?!" Bartlow exclaimed in amazement.

"Sahasrara, stand on the Extra Monster Zone." Sorey requested.

"Understood." He accepted and entered the field on the assigned area.

"So you decided to introduce your Deck Master for one last battle?" Rose guessed.

"It's my last gambit after all!" Sorey said. "It's time to prove to you that I'm going to win Rose! When Chaofeng was just Synchro Summoned using a Yang Zing Monster as a material, you could never activate your Monsters' special ability!"

"That is..." Rose asked worriedly.

"Suanni is a Yang Zing with a Fire Attribute! So in other words, you can't activate your Black Rose Dragon's special ability!" Sorey continued to explain, made her gasp in shock. "About of Sahasrara, while I control a non-Effect Monster, yours cannot target them for attacks and with any Spell, Trap or Monster effects!"

Rose growled upon hearing that.

"I'm activating a second special ability of my Deck Master!" Sorey said. "I target Rosaria, the Stately Fallen Angel you control to Special Summon a Tenyi Spirit Token whose original Attack Points were 2900!"

A Token appeared onto Sorey's field.

(Tenyi Spirit Token - ATK: 2900 - Level: 4)

"I start with Chaofeng!" He stormed to destroy Rose's Monster army. "Attack Rose's White Rose Dragon! Sonic Voice!"

Chaofeng emitted an overpowering vocal wave on Rose's small dragon, shattering it.

"Then I send my Token to annihilate Rosaria for good!"

The Tenyi Spirit Token destroyed Rosaria but disappeared at the same time since they have the same Attack Points.

"Bravo Sorey! Get the Rose stem cut from the garden like a weed!" Mikleo yelled in delight.

"Now you are defenseless, I give you the finishing blow with Sahasrara and the victory is mine!"

"Revival Rose, protect me!" Rose retaliated under pressure and out of fear.

"ATTTAAAAKKK!!" Sorey ordered, Sahasrara launched a large holy beam of light at Rose and her Deck Master, causing a large explosion on the Turbo Arena partially.

"Gosh!! Sorey managed to land a fatal blow after wiping out the last defensive line of Monsters of Rose!" Bartlow cried out in shock at such an onslaught of Duel. "It means that this young man has..."

However, behind the smoke from the explosion, it was revealed that Rose survived Sorey's final blow and her Life Points were found to be intact; it was the Revival Rose that narrowly saved her and vanished. Rose finally smirk, looking more confident. The Black Rose Dragon continued her racing through the circuit.

"Wait, she really survived such an impact!!" Bartlow got surprised.

Both Sorey and Mikleo were even more shocked than before seeing this, as for the spectators, they were even more amazed than before.

"That can't be!! How did you survive such a blow?!" Sorey started in horror.

"The answer is quite obvious my little Sorey-boy." Rose winked.

"And she keeps calling him that!" Mikleo bristled like a cat in irritation.

Then the Monster card showed from the field, "My Revival Rose saved me when your dragon attacked; as you destroyed Rosaria before, I bring my pretty rose from my Graveyard back to the field. So of course, my Plant Monster had to must be over Level 5 to trigger the Revival Rose's special ability and place it in Defense Mode to protect me from your last attack."

Sorey's face twisted in dismay after believing he had won a Duel against her.

"You fought well better than you could, but it's not enough to overcome my Rose deck. That's why I'm not called Rose for nothing; I'm very beautiful like the red rose, but I got thorns from anyone who got too close to me."

"My turn, is done..." He muttered dejectedly.

As Sorey unfortunately completed his last turn after dueling his best, it was Rose's turn to play.

"How unfortunate. Decidedly you are finished." Rose shrugged. "As I got the card from a golden cloud on your previous turn, I can't draw a card because that's the rule in a Deck Master Turbo Duel. But who cares, I already have the card that it will lead to my own victory reeked of rose water perfume. So I'm going to place my Black Rose Dragon on the field.

Her Deck Master entered the field under her request.

(Black Rose Dragon - ATK: 2400 - Level 7)

She then showed the Equip Spell card she had obtained and activated it right away. "Now I'm going to use the card I took from you; Thorn of Malice!"

The card showed up to the field while equipping her Black Rose Dragon; the thorns on her tail and vines become longer, and it sprouts bladed whips from her throat.

(Black Rose Dragon - ATK: 2400 + 600 = 3000)

"That's it, the charming Rose has equipped her Black Rose Dragon with the card she got from a golden cloud! Sorey has no way to defend himself this time and it's the end for him!" Bartlow exclaimed.

"Do something Sorey!" Mikleo called out to him.

"With the Thorn of Malice card, Black Rose gains 600 Attacks! Which makes her powerful enough to smack your last remaining 50 Life Points! You fought valiantly, but you don't have enough strength to surpass me! You can never escape my dragon's whiplash!" Rose said to him, she then activated her other Equip Spell card from her hand. "I then use with the Mark of the Rose card which allows me to seize Chaofeng from you and take it under my control at the cost of banishment to one of my Plant Monsters in my Graveyard!"

Right after banishing Rosaria from Rose's Graveyard, a black rose sigil appeared on Chaofeng's forehead, causing its eyes to glow red. It turned on its allies and joined alongside Rose and her Deck Master as if hypnotized.

"Hey! Give it back to me!" Sorey protested.

"What is she doing? Rose should take control of this man's Deck Master instead who should have won the Duel." Dezel seemed at odds.

"There you go, now you only have your Deck Master on the field, it's time for me to be done. Thanks to the Thorn of Malice card, even your Monsters in Defense Mode can't resist the piercing damage; my dragon could not be destroyed in battle as well." Rose told him.

"I activate the special ability of my Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara! Targeting my own Monster that you have taken control of, I special summon a Tenyi Spirit Token onto my field!" Sorey interjected as another Token appeared. "Of course, Sahasrara is immune to your attacks if I control a non-effect Monster!"

(Tenyi Spirit Token - ATK: 2800 - Level: 4)

"If you say that your dragon supposedly protects... Then I'm going to weed out your stupid equally annoying Token!" Rose frowned while smirked, punched her fist in the air. Chaofeng and the Tenyi Spirit Token kill each other due to their identical Attack Points, both of them being shattered into a thousand hologram pieces while the Mark of the Rose card shattered as well. "And now, Black Rose... Give him a series of whippings!!"

Black Rose Dragon sending a series of briers at both Sahasrara and Sorey, gave them lashing marks and growl in pain. The more he received lashing, the more his clothes partially tore.

"That hurts you! It's now your own Deck Master who will pay the costs!" Rose declared as Sahasrara's skin ripped, lowering his Attack Points and roaring in pain. "The next attack will be fatal to you!"

(Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara - ATK: 3000 - 600 = 2200)

"Sorey has no defense left to counter the Black Rose Dragon's next attack! If he doesn't react at this rate, he'done for!" Mikleo exclaimed in desperation.

After Rose finished her turn, it was Sorey's turn to play. He have no more cards in his hand and no longer having any escape route or cards to protect himself from Rose's fatal next attack.

"You could never defeat my dragon, ever!" Rose cried, "When you lost the Duel against me, you worked for me! In the Sparrowfeathers guild, the rule is the rule; we work to pay off their debts!"

Sorey started to doubt himself as he saw Sahasrara was suffering from the attack of the Black Rose Dragon. "What am I supposed to do? Sahasrara has now become weak against her Black Rose Dragon, next attack is game over for me. There is not a single card that can save me or even defeat Rose. How could I become Shepherd Duelist if I'm not strong enough to defeat an opponent of a higher level than mine?"

"...It's already over for him." Dezel whispered, lowering his hat.

"Get a hold of yourself, dude! You can't let yourself down now! That doesn't look like you!" Mikleo called to pull him together. "You promised Gramps, Alisha and our fellow Seraphim to become a Shepherd Duelist and defeat the evil of the world there!"

He casted water magic to Sorey in order to snap him out of his doubt.

"Mikleo!" He gasped in surprise.

"If your strength or your cunning are not enough, then use your faith in the hearts of the cards!" Mikleo encouraged him.

"The Hearts of the Cards, of course! I still have a chance to defeat Rose and her dragon!" He regained hope.

"Are you sure you're alright, Sorey?" Rose asked, intrigued.

"I'm really alright Rose!" He replied after regaining his confidence. "If you say I'm going to lose, you're going to lose instead! Because I'm going to be the next Shepherd Duelist!! I'm going to cleanse the world of humans and the world of Duel Monster spirits from malevolence!!"

At the same time within the Great Sanctuary, the Sacred Sword at the base glowed brighter and brighter as the silver-haired Fire Seraph pointed out again.

"The sword, it shines even more." She whispered in a slightly raised tone. "The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend is manifesting."

Back to the Turbo Arena circuit, Rose protested after reacting to Sorey's statement.

"Me! Losing myself to you!! But you only have 50 Life Points left!! And your Monster is too weak to defeat my Black Rose Dragon!!"

"I'm going to prove you wrong!! I'm going to defeat you Rose, here and now!!" He said with equal determination.

Unbeknownst to the spectators at the edge of the arena, a mysterious dark-looking girl sensed a strange presence.

"The Signer Dragon will break the seal that binds it inside this sword."

Suddenly, a scarlet flame ignited at the level of Sorey's heart, making him groan slightly in pain. He gripped his chest tightly as he felt a burning sensation, touching the inner flame his hand reached down and grabbed something inside him.

Sorey roared with fury as his eyes glowed flame red while drawing an object out from his body. The crimson flame dissipated and revealed itself to be a new Tuner Monster card never before seen; Crimson Resonator.

"Here is my new secret weapon, Crimson Resonator!!" Sorey placed his new card on the blade of the Duel Disk, forced the little fiend out of the fire rift and materialized for the first time.

(Crimson Resonator - ATK- 800 - Level: 2)

"Next I activate the effect of Sahasrara; when targeting your Black Rose Dragon, I specially summon a Tenyi Spirit Token!" Sorey declared, and another Token appeared.

(Tenyi Spirit Token - ATK: 2400 - Level 4)

"I could do a Synchro Summon again with my Crimson Resonator and my Tenyi Spirit Token! Once again!"

"Again?!" Rose exclaimed.

The small fiend laughed mischievously as his body transformed into two green rings, the Token's body scanned through the two green rings and dissipated into four stars.

(Level 2 + 4 = 6)

"From deepest underworld, the offspring will be born from infernal fire!!" Sorey chanted for his new Synchro Summoning.

A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon!! Rise from the flames, Level 6!! Red Rising Dragon!!" Sorey cried as the scarlet flame unveiled a brand new dragon composed almost entirely of flame except for a red scaled belly and a small portion of the upper knees in brown and red. The new blazing dragon roared.

(Red Rising Dragon - ATK: 2100 - Level: 6)

Rose became dumbfounded upon seeing the dragon's sudden appearance. "What's going on?! Sorey has never such cards before?! How come?!"

Inside the Great Sanctuary, the Sacred Sword shone more than brighter. Back to the Turbo Arena, the Red Rising Dragon roared ferociously that most spectators are surprised at the unexpected arrival of Sorey's dragon.

"It's amazing, I've never seen this before!" A young man exclaimed.

"This kid still has resources!" Another man added.

"You're kidding me! Your dragon only has 2100 Attack Points! You can never beat me like that!" Rose objected.

"This is just a basic form!" He cut her off furiously, surprised her. "My dragon's true appearance is just behind the flame shroud! I then activate my Red Rising Dragon's special ability! I resurrect my Crimson Resonator, to do another Synchro Summon!"

The Crimson Resonator came back to his field once again for another procedure.

"Another Synchro Summon?!" Rose got shocked.

"Yes! Another Synchro Summon! And I'm going to do it now!" He replied, his eyes filled with fiery rage.

One more time, the Crimson Resonator's body dissipated, taking the form of the two flaming Synchro Rings from its Level 2.

(Level 2 + 6 = 8)

"King of the deepest of the underworlds, release from your infernal flames and reveal to me your true supreme form!" Sorey chanted to his new summon.

The flaming Synchro Rings then scan the Red Rising Dragon, which change into a glowing yellow outline of itself before turning into 6 stars. A beam of scarlet flame then enveloped the stars, passing through the flaming rings.

The Sacred Sword of the Great Sanctuary released a scarlet beam of flame, a searing wind propelled back to the silver-haired Fire Seraph; she uttered a slight cry. Once the searing wind die down, she noticed that the sword stopped shining.

"The sword, it stopped shining... But then that means the..." She whispered.

The flame beam fell on Sorey's raised hand, revealing the new Synchro Monster card.

"I Synchro Summon! Level 8!! Destroy everything in your flame path, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!!!" Sorey exclaimed, slapping the new card onto the Duel Disk blade that lit up. The Dragon Synchro Monster took flight from the flames while roaring and revealed its true form, spreading purple flames around the circuit, scaring the spectators in the stands.

(Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend - ATK: 3000 - Level: 8)

It was a dragon with orange markings similar to scars wearing some kind of armor, dark purple wings with flame patterns. Its broken right horn and one of its wrists seemingly bound in a ribcage-esque cast.

"But what's going on?" A woman asked.

"Am I dreaming or is it really the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend who just appeared before our eyes?!" The middle-aged man cried.

"But how is that possible?!" Another woman asked in shock.

"It's really the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend so is everyone talking about it?" Sahasrara murmured, noted by the presence of this dragon. "Sorey has to unleash the power of the Signer Dragon?"

While both Signer Dragons roar in fury at the confrontation, Sorey's head began to throb; not only him, but also that of Rose and Dezel. Elsewhere in Ladylake, Alisha's head started throbbing too, alerting Maltran, her master.

"Alisha, what's wrong with you?" She asked in concern.

"My head! It hurts... It hurts!" Alisha answered in agony.

Somewhere in Rayfalke Spiritcrest, the Power Tool Dragon's red eyes gleamed, felt such presence from a distance.

"What's the matter, Power Tool Dragon?" The small blonde-haired Earth Seraph asked impassively. "Did you feel anything there?"

The mechanical dragon responded with only a mechanical cry.

"Are the Crimson Dragon's offsprings showing up for the first time in 10 years?" She thought.

Back to the Turbo Arena, while their Deck Masters continue their flying race, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and Black Rose Dragon continue to roar at each other.

"Did you release one of the Crimson Dragon's offsprings?! The one I've been waiting for all this time!" Rose started as her head continued to throbbing; unconsciously, her sky blue eyes turned golden with red sclera and her behavior changed drastically. "Sorey! I won't let you take my victory!! I'm going to win at all costs and so to the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend who will rightfully be mine!!"

"So bring in on Rose!!" Sorey called back, filled with fury. "That I will win this Duel!!"

Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend roared even more than before across the entire arena and into Ladylake.

"You never destroy my Black Rose Dragon!! Never, never!!" Rose stated, "While equipped with the Thorn of Malice card, she's indestructible!!"

"That's what we're going to see!!" Sorey replied, "Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, unleash your true strength and whip out everything in your way!!"

The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend ignited its right arm to unleash its full destructive power. Flew straight towards the Black Rose Dragon.

"Ruthless Inferno!!!" Sorey exclaimed from the second effect of his dragon.

"Black Rose Flaaarrre!!!" Rose ordered to fight back.

The Black Rose Dragon launched a powerful dark flame composed of black rose petals, collided with the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. The heatwave wind blew through the circuit. Both Sorey and Rose scream in fury and determination to find out which one of them won.

"The power is getting too destructive!" Dezel exclaimed while holding his hat. "The arena might be devastated if no one stops them!"

The two Duelists continue to howl until the two dragons self-destruct, causing them to get thrown around while the circuit was partially blowing up much to the panic of spectators while the mysterious girl struggled to the searing wind in calm.

"Soreeeeyyy!!" Mikleo screamed.

Following the destructive explosion, the arena was left with heavy smoke, then hanging in silence for a short while.

"*couch* It was such a devastating Duel! We can't tell who won it after the clash of the two superpowered dragons!" Bartlow coughed. "How could it have come to this?!"

Once the heavy smoke cleared and it was revealed that Sorey found himself unconscious and lying on the ground.

"Gosh! The young man lost consciousness following an explosion caused by their two dragons!" Bartlow yelled in realization.

However, another was also unconscious after such a fall.

"Wait! There was also Rose who ended up unconscious as well!" He exclaimed in shock, "That means the Duel ends in a DRAW!!"

Spectators weary speechless, being shocked by the clash in a Deck Master Turbo Duel between Sorey and Rose.

"Rooose!!" Dezel yelled urgently, jumping out of the bleachers.

"Sorreey!!" Mikleo also jumped down from the bleachers to rescue his friend.

The Water Seraph lifted him slightly.

"Sorey. Sorey can you hear me?" He call him.

Sorey slowly opened his eyes and regained consciousness.

"Is that you Mikleo?" He asked faintly.

"You gave me one of those scares!" Mikleo hugged him in relief.

"Rose? Are you alright? Get a hold of yourself." Dezel tried to call her, but she didn't wake up unlike Sorey. "... She really passed out after taking a fall."

"You are a Seraph aren't you? But who exactly are you?" Mikleo asked him.

Dezel ignored him, stood up carrying Rose in his arms and turned his back.

"Hey! I'm asking you who you are? At least answer." He repeated.

"It's Dezel." He replied, not turning his head.

"I want to know what are you doing here?" Mikleo questioned him.

"I just came to get Rose, nothing more." He replied without saying anything about other details about him, and he left, taking Rose with him. "You have to go to the Great Sanctuary, or you'll miss the Sacred Sword Festival."

Mikleo was speechless after they left.

"In the end, it would have been much more sublime in a Duel. But, it's still entertaining. This kid is definitely not just anyone. When the time comes, I'll be able to recover the Signer Dragons and bring them to my Lord Heldalf." The dark-looking girl commented, before vanished.

Meanwhile at the Great Sanctuary, the silver-haired Seraph realized that the seal that held the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend prisoner had been broken.

"The seal, it's been broken. That means the new Shepherd Duelist is around in Ladylake." She whispered.

She noticed the presence of Princess Alisha walking towards the small stairs.

"The wielder of the Stardust Dragon is come."

The Fire Seraph felt the slight flow of Malevolence within the Great Sanctuary with a heavy heart.

"The Malevolence weighed inside the sanctuary. Over the years, people have gradually lost faith in us Seraphim. At this rate they will begin to turn into Hellions if no one reacts; the Duelist Shepherd must come."

A few minutes later in the isolated street of Ladylake, Sorey and Mikleo are now alone to carry on a conversation.

"So? Tell me what's going on Sorey?" Mikleo started.

"... I had a strange burning sensation in my body... But after what happened in that Duel between Rose and me, I couldn't remember what happened next." He confessed after a brief moment of silence, his eyes downcast.

"What I saw is that you deployed all your potential with the rage to win taking over you." Mikleo affirmed, remembered what he saw during the Deck Master Turbo Duel. "Earlier, you grabbed a flame that pulled out of your body, and you got a card never seen before."

He held out his hand,

"Give me your deck to check if you really got those unknown cards."

"Right away." Sorey lent him his deck.

Mikleo was checking the deck, but apparently there was nothing in it that he thought.

"There was nothing in your deck. It's not what I expected." He said, disappointed. Then he returned the deck to him.

"Actually I'm thinking about it. What happens to Rose after the Duel is over?" Sorey then asked.

"You should forget about her. She doesn't inspire confidence in me." Mikleo frowned.

"And why is that? Rose is nice with us when meeting her in first time, she's a good friend." He replied.

"I don't know what's on her mind, but I have a strange feeling she's in pursuit after the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. See what I just said?"

"I don't remember that." Sorey denied.

"You should beware of her. If anything, Rose is one of Alisha's pursuers. Do you remember what Alisha said before she left Elysia?"

The flashback showed Alisha about to leave Elysia, explaining to them the situation she was getting involved in.

"With chaos still reigning, the Malevolence keeps rising in the hearts of people and monster spirits. Worse still, there was a weird guy running after me."

"Eh?" Curiosity flared in Sorey after hearing her confession.

"Yes he wanted to take the Stardust Dragon card from me, but I don't remember owning it."

"And what happened next?"

"He chased me into the forest, I had no choice but to face him in a Duel. Fortunately I managed to escape and take refuge in a temple." Alisha was explaining to him what happened before she passed out after her fall into the ruins.

"That was it?" Sorey suggested after remembering back.

"Probably," Mikleo theoretically affirmed. "It was said that the Signer Dragons reappeared 10 years ago for unknown reasons while the Crimson Dragon has long been extinct for over 1000 years. It is possible to me that the Spirit World in which these legendary dragons live is falling apart, what causes them to suddenly reappear in our world."

Suddenly they were interrupted by a familiar voice.

"I finally find you!!"

A familiar figure landed abruptly in front of Sorey and Mikleo.

"It's been a while brats! You missed me huh?" He smirked.

"But it's Lunarre!" Sorey recognized him instantly.

"What do you want from us?!" Mikleo got angry.

"I want my revenge! Here and now!" He replied, unfolding his Duel Disk.

"Leave us alone!" Mikleo persisted, unfolding his Duel Disk as well.

"Let me help you!" Sorey wanted to help out despite the weakening.

"No Sorey, you can't dueling in your current state!" Mikleo interjected.

"I need it, Mikleo!" He insisted.

"Save your strength for the Sacred Sword Festival! How could you purify malevolence in your conditions like that?"

"I will hold out until the end." Sorey was out of breath.

"No way! I don't bother you wasting our time with that jerk!" Mikleo replied as he drew five cards at once. "I will manage this Duel in my own way and end it as soon as possible before the start of the festival!"

"Very well, then I'm counting on you my friend. And make him swallow a mouthful of water when swimming." Sorey agreed.

"Thanks." Mikleo nodded, then glared at Lunarre. "We two, Lunarre! It's time to settle our scores!"

"It's time to rock and roll guys!" Lunarre declared, drawing five cards from his deck.

The Duel between Lunarre and Mikleo is about to begin.

Chapter Text

After Lunarre just found them to get his revenge, Mikleo challenged himself to a hand-to-hand Duel.

"I have a revenge rock-and-roll show against you!" Lunarre said.

Unbeknownst to them, Symonne was secretly observing the Duel between Lunarre and Mikleo. She was standing on the roof of a building.

"You're definitely not wasting your time entertaining me with your sneaky cheats." Symonne's mischievous smile displayed from her face.

Then she just stared at the weak Monster card; Fusion Parasite.

"Aah, my beloved little parasites did well to sneak into the brains of this shark-toothed Seraph and his charming redhead."

A flashback showed that just after Dezel and Rose stop bickering, Symonne stood on the cliff watching them in night time. She showed two Fusion Parasite cards to make them materialize in a small size form onto the shoulders of Dezel and Rose. The two parasites sneak discreetly into their respective ears without being noticed.

"I managed to successfully implant my Fusion Parasites into the brains of Dezel and Rose so that I can control them at will regardless of their code of honor or respect in Duels."

Another flashback showed Symonne discreetly observing a Duel between Dezel, Rose and Alisha in the Aroundight Forest.

"Princess Alisha Diphda was rumored to have been in possession of one of the Signer Dragons since their sudden reappearance 10 years ago. Dezel has the Black-Winged Dragon while Rose has the Black Rose Dragon."

The last scene where just after Sorey summoned the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, they were clashed with both Rose and her Black Rose Dragon.

"And now it's this young kid who managed to free the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend during his Duel against Rose which ended in a magnificent draw."

End of the flashback.

"But there are still some to find the Ancient Fairy Dragon and Life Stream Dragon, they were somewhere in Glenwood so I could collect them all to bring to my Lord Heldalf to carry out the resurrection of the Crimson Dragon... To be able to overwhelm both worlds in doom and chaos."

Back to the Duel about to begin, Mikleo frowned towards Lunarre.

"Gladly you definitely want to take your swimming lessons with me."

"No! That would be a music lesson packed with dynamism!" Lunarre smirked. "I'll make you pay for snatching my Match Winner card from me!"

"Like I'm going to lose to a cheater like you, you looser!" Mikleo provoked him.

"Cheater! Are you calling me a cheater?!" Lunarre bristled in irritation. "I'm really going to blast your eardrums with some loud rock!"

"I think you talk way too much for a foxy-man." Mikleo said as he drew a card, starting his first turn. "It gives me a valid reason to rip out your cacophonous vocal cords."

(Mikleo - 4000 LP)

(Lunarre - 4000 LP) 

"I set three cards face down, then..." Three face-down cards appeared onto Mikleo's field before showing one Monster card, "I summon Mermail Abysspike!"

A male blonde-haired pike-like merman rose out of the blue rift and materialized on the field.

(Mermail Abysspike - ATK: 1600 - Level 4)

"When summoned, I can discard any Water Attribute Monster in the Graveyard and choose one from my deck!"

Mikleo sent the Mermail Abyssgunde card onto the Graveyard slot in order to resolve the activation of Abysspike's effect. Then he revealed the other Mermail card he added from his deck.

"By the effect of my Mermail Abyssdine adding her to my hand, I Special Summon her."

The young pink-haired Mermail appeared out of the blue rift, chuckled.

(Mermail Abyssdine - ATK: 1000 - Level: 3)

"There you go, my turn is over." Mikleo declared, leaving Lunarre to take his turn. "With three Trap cards set on my field, I will activate the Torrential Tribute to drown all the Monsters present on the field. With the Drowning Mirror Force, I send back all of my opponent's Monsters from the field to save me time. As for the Abyss-squall, I will bring back my three Mermails from my Graveyard; I will then take the opportunity to summon my ultimate creature, Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon. With my Supreme Monster at my side, I can use my Aqua Jet Spell card to give him 1000 ATK and finish this guy off quickly."

Lunarre hid a card he drew from his deck, then discreetly sneaking his hand on the pocket of his pants. "You fool, do you think I was going to be fooled a second time? With some cards I have in my pocket, I'll be able to get it over with as soon as possible and get my revenge for all the humiliation you and Sorey inflicted on me."

The hand discreetly took the Spell card from the back pocket of the black pants.

"Ha ha! I pocketed a card within my reach!" He stated haughtily, he showed her his Spell card, "I'm activating Pot of Greed! I can draw two more cards!"

He took two cards from his deck, making Mikleo glared at him; felt something wrong. Under the eyes of the Water Seraph, Lunarre made him believe that he had 8 cards in hand. But in truth, he had 9 in hand.

"Remember my stage show? Of course I'm talking about the P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session!" Lunarre showed his favorite Field Spell card and activated it.

Just like in Elysia during their previous Duel, the Ladylake's setting was changing into a more futuristic and flashy vision. For Mikleo, it wouldn't surprise him because he and Sorey have already experienced this in the first place.

"Oh come on give us break with your rock and roll show, and be a little original in a real Duel you show off." Mikleo frowned.

"You are very insolent on my way of playing. In the world of P.U.N.K, art movement is notable for its usage of shock value and courage." Lunarre snarled. "Allow me to introduce Joruri-P.U.N.K. Lady Spider!"

The female P.U.N.K Monster with the black kabuki appear out of the blue rift and materialize on the field.

(Joruri-P.U.N.K. Madame Spider - ATK: 900 - Level: 3)

"I will then be able to summon Noh-P.U.N.K. Ogre Dance if I Tribute a P.U.N.K Monster from the field!" He then showed his overpowered Monster card and placed it directly on one of the slots of his Duel Disc, made it appear out of the blue rift and materialize on his field.

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Ogre Dance - ATK: 2500 - Level: 8)

"By the effect of P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session, I banish Madame Spider from my Graveyard so I can Special Summon my Tuner, Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin!" He continued the procedure as the spirit of Madame Spider was vanished away from the Graveyard slot and sucked into a black vortex. Then Ze Amin emerged out of the blue rift and materialized on the field.

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin - ATK: 600 - Level: 3)

"When activating Ze Amin's special ability, I pay 600 of my Life Points to take another P.U.N.K from my deck to my hand!" He declared.

(Lunarre: 4000 LP - 600 = 3200 - Cards in hand: 6)

"Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune, my favorite star joins us on stage!" After Ze Amin vanished from the field, Lunarre's Ace Monster materialized out of the blue rift right after taking the card from his deck.

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune - ATK: 2300 - Level: 8)

"I can thus increase 600 Attack Points in Foxy Tune after Ze Amin is sent to the Graveyard!"

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune - ATK: 2300 + 600  = 2900)

"I thus draw an additional card thanks to my Field Spell if a Psychic Monster I control paid my Life Points to activate its effect!" He declared, drawing from his deck.

"I know about your way of summoning your overpowered Monsters, but it doesn't matter to you the fact that you're going to lose." Mikleo replied stoically.

"What do you think about that, you looser?" Lunarre boasted. "You would never step past my two Dueling Stars to me! And I dare you to attack me immediately!"

"He must to shutting up his mouth, that foxy jerk!" Sorey got excited furiously.

Mikleo smirked at him however, "I knew, you were going to summon your two super-powered Monsters in addition to resorting to cheating... I saw it absolutely everything."

"Eh?" Lunarre twiched his eyes.

"So you even used the card you took from your pocket just to activate it and draw two more cards as much as you wanted. On top of that, the Pot of Greed is a Spell card that is strictly forbidden during official tournaments. Mikleo deduced the treacherous strategy.

Lunarre became shocked at his opponent's deduction. "Oh, no! You knew that all along!"

"Your little speedboats you talk about, will quickly submerge in a surging sea that was in one of my Trap cards that I placed on my field."

Then the face-down card rose, revealing the Torrential Tribute.

"I'm activating Torrential Tribute!"

"Not that! This card has the power to destroy all Monsters on the field!" Lunarre yelled, his eyes wide with shock; it wasn't the first time he had dealt with this Trap card.

A huge wave of surging water engulfed the entire field, washing away all the Monsters of Lunarre and Mikleo. After the engulfing wave disappeared, the field was now empty without the presence of Monsters with only Mikleo's two remaining face-down cards.

"Here you go. There you are now without any Monster army on the field to make short work of me." Mikleo told him.

"How dare you thwart my offensive plan!" Lunarre exclaimed, then activated an Equip Spell card from his hand out of rage. "I'm going to make you regret for what you did!"

The card appeared on his field upon activation.

"Behold the Premature Burial card! In exchange for paying my 800 Life Points, I bring one of my Monsters from my Graveyard back to the show field! Foxy Tune, come back!"

(Lunarre: 3200 LP - 800 = 2400 - Cards in hand: 5)

Foxy Tune reappeared on Lunarre's field.

"It's another banned card." Mikleo noticed.

"I set two face-down cards onto my field and, I then equip Foxy Tune with the Mist Body and the Sword of Deep-Seated cards!" Lunarre's two face-down cards onto his field while his two others Equip Spells appeared upon activation; Foxy Tune now have the deep purple sword in hand along with the mist around of her body. "My Monster is now invincible!"

(Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune - ATK: 2300 + 500 = 2800)

"You no longer have any Monsters to defend you! You yourself suppressed your army of fish in the deep abyss!" He declared without realizing the ruse setted by Mikleo since the beginning of the Duel. "It's up to you to play Foxy Tune, send this presumptuous little waltz to the bottom!"

While Foxy Tune was about to attack with the Sword of Deep-Seated, Mikleo smirked; he was waiting for his placed cunning strategy to work well at the time of the attack launched by his opponent.

"But what? Are you smiling?" Lunarre pointed out.

"I knew you were going to rush headlong, without realizing the Trap that I have placed since the start of the game. It is this error that you have made will cost you dearly." He told him, then revealing his other Trap card from his field. "Here is my second Trap that will make you swallow a mouthful of water when swimming; Drowning Mirror Force!"

"Oh no!" Lunarre's eyes widened in shock upon seeing his second Trap.

"Oh yes!" He declared, looking confident but still serious. "My Drowning Mirror Force is able to return all Attack Mode Monsters in your deck if an opponent declares a direct attack! Watch what happens next and let me know!"

A water barrier was created to not only counter Foxy Tune's direct attack and protect Mikleo but also to send her back from the field into Lunarre's deck. As for the Equip Spell cards, they were all sent to Lunarre's Graveyard, the Sword of Deep-Seated was automatically placed on top of the deck.

"NOOO!! You messed up my show plans again!!" Lunarre screamed hysterically and in frustration, he clutched his dirty blonde hair in horror and shook his head. "Aaaarrrgh!!"

"Next time, I'll throw you in a pool of salty seawater." Mikleo glared at him.

While the fox Hellion continued to scream hysterically in frustration, Symonne narrowed her eyes in disappointment, couldn't stand the horrifying screams of him.

"You really are just a good-for-nothing guy, Lunarre. Honestly you're ridiculous with such a crude offensive strategy."

"Go ahead Mikleo! Finish him straight!" Sorey encouraged his best friend.

"Understood!" Mikleo replied.

Right after drawing a card from Lunarre, he couldn't do anything about it except give up his turn, Mikleo summon Mermail Abyssocea onto his field.

"I summon Mermail Abyssocea!"

(Mermail Abyssocea - ATK: 1100 - Level: 3)

He then reveal his third Trap from his field,

"Then I activate Abyss-squall! So I bring my other three Mermails back from my Graveyard to my side of the field! But on the other hand, they won't attack and their special abilities are negated and they will be destroyed at the end of my turn!"

Three of the chosen Mermails reemerge from the blue rift and position themselves in Defense Position onto the field.

(Mermail Abyssdine - DEF: 200 - Level: 3)

(Mermail Abysspike - DEF: 800 - Level 4)

(Mermail Abyssgunde - DEF: 800 - Level: 3)

"I will thus summon the most powerful of my Monsters from the deep oceans! Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon!!" Mikleo showed him his Ace Monster card and slapped onto his Duel Disk blade by Tributing his Level 3 Mermail Monsters, causing the almighty Blue Sea Dragon to appear on the field.

Poseidra roared in fury as he appeared, unleashing his own surging wave of water onto the field.

(Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon - ATK: 2800 - Level: 7)

"Glad to call on me, Lord Mikleo." Poseidra said in a baritone tone, then roared with fury. "So, how about we get down to it?"

"So awesome! Mikleo summoned his favorite Monster!" Sorey cheered with joy.

"By Tributing 3 of my Level 3 Water Monsters; all Spell and Trap cards on the field are returned to the hand... This means that if 3 or more cards are returned to the hand, all Monsters you currently controls lose 300 Attack Points for each." He announced on Poseidra's special ability. "But that's not important since you don't have a Monster on your field, I'm still going to end the Duel anyway."

"Not so fast! I activate Joruri-P.U.N.K. Dangerous Gabu!" Lunarre interjected, revealing his Trap card from his field.

A Ningyō Jōruri puppet appeared in front of Poseidra to negated his effect.

"I'll stop Poseidra from activating his effect!"

"If you think of preventing Poiseidra from activating his special ability... In that case, I will boost my friend with the Aqua Jet of 1000 more Attack Points!" Mikleo showed his Spell card and increased Poseidra's power.

Poseidra equipped himself with the Aqua Jet on his back.

(Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon - ATK: 2800 + 1000 = 3800)

"It's time to end this, Poseidra!" Mikleo ordered.

"All right! It's time to wipe out all his Life Points!" Poseidra answered.

But before he was going to attack directly, Lunarre revealed his card face down.

"I'm not going to let myself be ridiculed again!! I'm activating Roulette Spider!!"

The roulette board with the toy spider in the center appeared.

"What?!" Mikleo exclaimed in shock.

"This is the card Lunarre used against me in our previous Duel!" Sorey exclamed familiarly.

"Exactly!" He said, "I'm going to bet my whole gambit with my Roulette Spider! If the spider points on the number 6, your Monster is finished!"

"Hey don't get carried away so fast! Remember the Roulette Spider is a game of chance!" Mikleo retorted, "Do you know what will happen if the spider stops on square number 1?"

"Then it's time to get it over with! Go ahead, Roulette Spider!" He declared and the toy spider began to spin itself.

Sorey grew nervous as he had faced the Roulette Spider once in their previous Duel against Lunarre.

"Mikleo!"

"Calm down Sorey, the Roulette Spider is just a matter of chance." Mikleo remained calm despite the imposed tension. "If luck is with me, nothing terrible can happen to me like you went through."

"Come on stop, stop, stop, stop, stop, stop..." Lunarre whispered as the toy spider continued to spin itself.

While Mikleo kept his cool hoping it didn't stop on square number 5 or worse on 6, the toy spider was gradually stopping and the tension rose.

"Please..." Sorey begged in a whisper, praying that luck was with his lifelong friend.

When the spider toy was going to square number 6, it finally fell on square number 1, to the delight of the two boys and on the contrary the big disappointment of Lunarre.

"Luck is finally on my side!!" Mikleo yelled, "The square number 1 means your Life Points will be halved!!!"

(Lunarre - 2400 LP - 1200 = 1200 - Cards in hand: 0)

"It's over for you!" Poseidra roared.

"No, no please! I promise you I'll never cheat again! Please!" Lunarre pleaded unsuccessfully.

"You're over, Lunarre! Finished! Poseidra, attack!!" Mikleo screamed.

Poseidra fired a spiraling burst of water, sending Lunarre flying towards the dead end wall from afar.

"Spiral Stream!!"

"Aaarrrrhh!!" Lunarre screamed.

(Lunarre - 1200 LP - 3800 = 0 - Cards in hand: 0)

With the Duel ending on a high, the Field Spell, P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session dissipated and returned to normal.

"Well done Mikleo you got him!" Sorey cheered with joy.

Symonne frowned, disappointed that Lunarre couldn't live up to her expectations because of his loss to Mikleo. "You're really too lame Mr. Fox, it's not what I expected of you. Say I even gave you a Match Winner card to make you superior, but maybe I was wrong. Next time it will be different when we get back to each other."

She disappeared from the area without leaving a trace.

"Finally, he had his own reckoning." Sorey said, "When we dueling him back in Elysia, he was humiliated for the first time."

"No way to lose against you!!" Lunarre screamed as he stood up and banged his fist against the wall.

"What?" Mikleo frowned.

"This rabid fox can't give up so easily." Sorey growled.

"You're going to pay for it! It's the second time you ridiculed me! The second time!" Lunarre exclaimed, refusing to acknowledge his own defeat.

The two blue flames ignite in his two hands, he was about to burn them.

"Take that!"

Luckily, Poseidra's spirit materialized and shielded both Sorey and Mikleo from the blue flames.

"It's Poseidra! He saved us!" Mikleo cried.

"Ooh! Oh no! How is that possible!" He exclaimed.

"Sorry but won't let you take it out on my master ou young Sorey." Poseidra glared at him.

Then he gripped Lunarre tightly, about to devour him.

"Aah! Let me go! Let me go!" Lunarre tried unsuccessfully to struggle from Poseidra's grasp. "You smell like rotten fish!"

"Poseidra is about to absorb him?!" Mikleo asked in surprise.

But just as Poseidra was about to devour Lunarre, Foxy Tune fired a gust at him, rescuing her master from his grasp.

"Oh! It's Lunarre's Monster! She saved him!" Sorey exclaimed in surprise.

As Foxy Tune glared at them, Lunarre laughed with delight.

"I knew I could always rely on you, Foxy Tune!"

He then addressed to Sorey and Mikleo,

"You wasted the opportune moment to get rid of me! This is your last chance though!"

He pointed at them,

"Remember what I told you, one day or another we will see each other again! Because it is I who will take revenge!"

Eventually, a dagger stuck on the ground in front of them.

"Lunarre? Have you broken the honor codes of the Scattered Bones again?" The female voice scolded.

The leader of the Scattered Bones jumped in front of Sorey as if to protect him.

"B-Boss! Is that you?!" Lunarre asked in panic as two other assassins stopped him with their daggers. "But Boss, I swear I-"

"I don't want your apologies!" She cut him off. "You know what's going to happen to anyone disobeying me!"

"And no second chances for you, understood!" One of the Scattered Bones assassins threatened him.

"Who are you?" Sorey asked.

"Can you please to be silent?" One of the Scattered Bones assassins was demanding.

However, Foxy Tune managed to repel the two assassins and took Lunarre with her, thus disappearing from circulation.

"Dang it! He's gone!" The leader growled.

"Tell me who you are? And why?" Sorey asked again.

"Anyway you should go to the Great Sanctuary where the Sacred Sword Festival is still held and tell them that you have already freed the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend from it." She answered him differently before disappearing with his two other minions.

"Are you alright you both?" Poseidra asked.

"Looks like we were saved by you and an assassins' guild. But that foxy guy run away thanks to his own Monster." Sorey explained, "But anyway, we'll have to meet Alisha in the sanctuary, I'm sure she's waiting for us there."

Inside of the Great Sanctuary, many of the crowd gossip about what happened at the Turbo Circuit from the Noble's District.

"Did you see what happened in the Turbo Arena?" A woman asked.

"Yes, the kid released the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. It is said that only a wielder of supernatural power is able to release the true form of this terrifying dragon." Another woman answered.

"It's still incredible that! No one has managed to master them until now since then!"

Sorey and Mikleo enter the Great Sanctuary. 

"The pedestal is over there." Sorey indicated. "Well I say, we have a lot of people in the sanctuary."

Then Mikleo took a left direction, "Fortunately though as a Seraph, being invisible to ordinary people is an advantage... There, Princess Alisha is here."

"Finally there you are!" A female voice exclamed.

"Hi Alisha, we finally meet again."

"Glad to see you." She said with joy.

"Who is this young man?" Maltran asked, the princess's master.

Alisha introduced her friend to Maltran, "It's Sorey, he came to Ladylake to attend the Sacred Blade Festival. I have to tell you he's a good Duelist I'm up against."

"Ah, so you're the Duelist who rescued the princess from the ruins." Maltran introduced herself, "Nice to meet you, my name is Maltran. I'm the one who has been appointed as the committee leader for the festival this year."

"It's a pleasure to know you Maltran." Sorey replied pleasantly.

"The people of Ladylake called me the Blue Valkyrie, because I'm known to have played with the Valkyrie deck as an experienced Duelist. Besides, I raised Alisha from a very young age, and I was the one who taught her how to Duel."

"Is it possible to talk about it in private you and me?" Alisha requested.

"Of course." Sorey accepted.

Meanwhile in the office room within the Rountabel Palace, Rose and Eguille in their Scattered Bones outfits, have a talk with Chancellor Bartlow.

"Is all this you say is true?" Eguille started.

"Yes Princess Alisha has lost her mind... The enemy is within their reach and what is she doing? She's waiting to be attacked to get out of those Duel Disks and playing cards."

"What are your wishes?" He inquired.

"I wanted her to act. But she does not want to listen to me and refuses to take the offensive. A rumor has been circulating in the city recently that the princess may have secret relations with the Rolanese empire."

"Maybe she must have her reasons for acting this way." Eguille said.

"Anyway, we have come to Ladylake to make sure we take out Princess Alisha Diphda, if you feel like keeping the people from being attacked in unnecessary conflict." Rose added, "It's the job of the Scattered Bones to protect the citizens after all."

"So I confirm it to you, make sure to give small wounds and bandages to the little spoiled child princess to ensure the survival of Ladylake." Bartlow turned to the two assassins, "With the power of the city doomed and reputation tainted, she must be ejected with a kick in her butt. If we vegetate like carrots, the citizens will soon be ruined for her ideal."

"That jerkbutt. Bartlow is unworthy of being a monarch." Rose snarled silently behind her iron mask.

"So what did you think?" Bartlow waited for their response.

"It's decided, we'll deal with the princess's case, and we won't fail." Rose accepted the deal.

"Perfect, and above all bring me some tea when you come back." Bartlow answered with a humorous tone.

Once their negotiation is over, Rose and Eguille leave the office room.

"Yes that's it, I'll bring you something to drink to make you pee in your pants." She muttered.

Back to the Great Sanctuary, Sorey, Maltran and Alisha move behind the private hallway where they can chat in confidence.

"Perfect let's go back, Sorey, did you come here to attempt the Trial of the Blade?" Alisha started.

"Yes," Sorey nodded.

Unbeknownst to them, Rose was secretly listening to the conversation between Sorey and Alisha by hiding in a corner where no one noticed.

"Are you aware that the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend has literally freed itself from the seal that holds it within the sword?"

"Free you say?"

Sorey remembered that during the Deck Master Turbo Duel he faced against Rose, a scarlet flame ignited at the level of Sorey's heart. He then let his hand grabbed the inner flame inside him as his eyes glowed flame red while drawing a card out from his body. The crimson flame dissipated and revealed itself to be the Crimson Resonator card. Just after the little fiend out of the fire rift and being Synchro Summoned, the Red Rising Dragon appeared from the flammes. Then the flaming Synchro Rings from the Crimson Resonator then scan the Red Rising Dragon, which change into a glowing yellow outline of itself before turning into 6 stars. A beam of scarlet flame then enveloped the stars, passing through the flaming rings, evolved into the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend.

"You mean, I unknowingly released the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend while dueling against Rose?" Sorey answered her after remembering what happened.

"Huh, did you really summon that dragon?" Alisha widened her bright green eyes.

"I don't know what happened next after I lost consciousness." Sorey explained the situation, "When Mikleo asked me to check, that dragon wasn't in my deck."

"Oh, I see." She muttered.

"When I summoned the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, I got a strange feeling that was pounding inside my head."

"I had a pain in my head too." Alisha confessed of the similar situation.

"Really?"

"At the Aroundight Forest, I went up against some sort of leader of an assassin guild with a Seraph. They thought I had the Stardust Dragon when I didn't remember having it... But yet, I had heard that an inner voice echoed in my mind."

"And then?"

"The Black-Clothed Seraph, when he summoned the Black-Winged Dragon, I was in horrible pain, and I had strange visions in my mind. It's possible it was one of the Signer Dragons of forgotten legend." She explain to him. "That's how I lost to these guys."

"Alisha, did you read the Celestial Record about the Crimson Dragon or the Signer Dragons?" Sorey asked with another question.

"Yes, I read the first and only page that mentions the Crimson Dragon with the 6 Signer Dragons." She said. "But, if they really disappeared for over 1000 years, then how come the Signer Dragons suddenly reappeared in our world? But one thing I know is that unlike them who disappeared just after the Scarlet Night event, only the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend remained present in the human world."

"And why that?" Sorey perplexed.

"Unlike the Crimson Dragon's offsprings, the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend is the embodiment of destruction within humanity and Duel Monsters."

An image from the past showed the figure of a red-haired Duelist having the Blazing Soul inside her heart in which she grabbed it, she was escorted with the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend.

"The first person to possess a supernatural power called Blazing Soul who inherited from Velvet Crowe is Eleanor Hume, the first and true Shepherd Duelist. At the end of her life, Eleanor had the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend sealed inside the Sacred Sword as seen in the pedestal of the sanctuary, so that it would not fall into the wrong hands of ill-intentioned people."

Sorey gasped in wonder upon this revelation.

"Since then, the Blazing Soul was passed down through her successors. However, those who possess this power bring more misfortune than good deeds; the majority of them have failed to master it and will end up being consumed."

"Which is why the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend has been re-sealed over subsequent generations if the wielders of the Blazing Soul fail?" Sorey suggested.

Alisha nodded, "... Several of them fail to control this power and this dragon..."

A flashback showed that how Eleanor had managed to control the Blazing Soul, stood right in front of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and had it reduced to its downgraded form inside the scarlet flame, the Red Rising Dragon and ultimately in card form.

"Eleanor, she was one of the few Duelists able to control them. That's why it's been decided that the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend should be downgraded to its basic form so that Shepherd Duelists can summon it without issue."

"The Blazing Soul to summon the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend that's it?" Rose whispered.

Surprisingly, one of the Blackwing Monsters, Sharnga the Waning Moon, rested on her head. Rose took Sharnga from it and comically covered the bird's beak tightly.

"Hey Sharnga, you're not here to sleep on my head like a bird's nest. We're going to get spotted." She muttered in annoyance along with a red vein of anger from her head.

"What about the previous Shepherd Duelists, those who don't have the Blazing Soul can still summon this dragon?" He asked another question.

"I guess not, only Blazing Soul wielders can summon it and unlock the true appearance of this Signer Dragon." Alisha answered, "They can still become Shepherd Duelists if they possess high resonance so they still able to see, cleanse Malevolence and associate with Seraphim. However, Shepherd Duelists who don't possess the Blazing Soul mustn't be aware of the existence of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend to prevent them from taking the wrong path that would lead to destruction."

"Was that all explained?" Sorey was puzzled after knowing all the details of these secrets.

"Soon the finale of the festival, the Flames of Purification will begin."

Back in the great hall, while a man tried to remove the Sacred Sword from the pedestal, Lailah looked around.

"Rahh come on!" A man growled. "Would you mind removing from the pedestal?"

"Over there at the foot of the pedestal if no one else sees her, she's a Seraph?" Sorey noticed.

"You can't remove the sword unless you talk to her," Mikleo said. "That means no ordinary person can do it."

"Whoever freed the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, he must be there... Around here." Lailah whispered.

"Forget it, it's all rubbish anyway."

After the man failed to remove the Sacred Sword, he leaving empty-handed.

"That's great! The legends are so true!" Sorey was overjoyed.

"Don't forget to ask her, it looks like she's waiting for someone." Mikleo reminded him.

"... 'Kay," Sorey nodded.

Then, Alisha and Maltran appear before the entire crowd in front of the pedestal.

"Ladies and gentlemen of Ladylake! As you know today is the last day of the festival!" Maltran announced with a great welcome. "For the past several years, we have abstained from our festival in light of the general state of the world of Glenwood! But this year, thanks of the grace and assistance of our Lady Alisha, the Sacred Sword Festival can be held once more, in the hope of bringing forth the future Shepherd Duelist!"

"I know how we are living at the time of a great unprecedented crisis. Violent weather has devastated our crops. Geopolitical tension continues to escalate. All the misfortunes continue to worsen on our villages." Alisha then gave a speech, "However, we can still maintain and preserve our cultural traditions, our era of Dueling, and the most vital celebrations! That's why as a Duelist, you must fight with honor not to lead the conflict to war but to keep the peace in the world of Glenwood!"

Unbeknownst to them, Rose sneaked into a very discreet corner, a pillar with a platform, to observe the event while waiting for the well-chosen moment to be appropriate.

"Bluh bluh bluhbluh bluh bluh nice speech my little princess. Do you think they will regain the past glory?"

The crowd applauded the speech of their princess.

"O wondrous Lady of the Lake! Show us your power!" Maltran quoted a prayer, and lit the bonfire with the torch she was holding.

Then Alisha picked up a small canvas bag meant to grant a prayer wish that a soldier brought, she was heading towards the bonfire. Lailah just stared at Alisha at what she was doing.

"O merciful Lady of the Lake, hear our wishes, clease us of our evil deeds with your flames of purifications!" She lifted her arms holding the small canvas bag.

She tossed the small canvas bag and the fire intensified. Then turned to the entire crowd for another speech.

"Well, it's time to let our knights try to pull the sword out of the pedestal!" Maltran announced and the crowd cheered.

The first knight of the guard tried to pull the sword from the pedestal with all his might, but to no avail. Then he gave up as the crowd cheered on his brave attempt.

Lailah saw a large stream of dirty color invisible to the naked eye of ordinary humans, "The Malevolence intensifies within the heart of the sanctuary... Please future Shepherd Duelist, only you can cleanse humans and spirits of Malevolence."

"If we remove the Sacred Sword, we become a Shepherd Duelist?" Sorey inquired.

"Yes. It is the necessary condition to be recognized by the Lady of the Lake, it's a guarantee of legitimacy." Mikleo answered. "And since you freed the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend from the seal in the sword, you could remove it with no problem."

A few minutes later after the last knight passed his attempt, Alisha gave another speech.

"Dear citizens of Ladylake! Please applaud our 10 knights and all those who tried to withdraw the sword! Unfortunately none of us managed to pull the sword out! However, there is a Duelist who managed to free the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend that remained sealed inside the sword... This means that the holder of this Signer Dragon will become the new Shepherd Duelist!"

The crowd commented about between the Signer Dragon and everything that happened at Turbo Arena.

According to ancient legend, the Shepherd Duelist is supposed to use the power of the Searphim, and the spirits of the Duel Monsters that appear as playing cards to come to our aid! To purify our world of this filth!" Alisha continued. "As you know, we the people of Hyland are going through a period of crisis with the people of Rolance which has lasted for 10 years since the sudden reappearance of the Signer Dragons in the human world!"

Sorey frowned with a serious stare while the spirit of Sahasrara manifested by his side.

"Master Sorey, I feel a flow of Malevolence among the disgruntled crowd."

"Some think the festival is just a stage before the outbreak of the Dueling War! But I tell you that was not my goal! Ancient legend says that where there was no war but only peaceful cohabitation between humans and Seraphim, just like Duels where everyone is having fun! This is not a message of war, on the contrary, it is proof that everyone can live in peace! My dearest wish is to bring peace to Hyland and Rolance!"

The more the flow of Malevolence intensified, the more Mikleo suffered, alerting Sorey.

"What's up Mikleo?"

"The Malevolence, I don't feel well." He replied in agony.

"I know how much the situation between the kingdoms keeps getting worse! So even if the Rolance Empire declares Dueling War on us, we must not at the first offensive! We must keep the peace!" Alisha declared.

However, one of the citizens got angry.

"Who do you take us for?" A man raised his threatening fist. "You're kidding us, yes!"

"This man, he's becoming a Hellion!" Sahasrara's spirit averted both Sorey and Mikleo.

Then the remaining crowd exploded in anger as Malevolence continued to intensify.

"The council already sized the crops and Dueling trades for the state! They might as declare war and get it over it!"

"They don't hesitate to put their backs on us!"

"If you want us to kiss your boots, go find someone!"

"Stop, fellow citizens! Stop your madness right away!" Alisha ordered. "I understand what you've been through, but if you persist in holding your grudge it will only escalate!"

"Are you going to shut up right now?!" The citizens scream.

"All your pretty speeches are useless to us!"

"It's probably the work of Chancellor Bartlow, he manipulated them to turn against us." Alisha growled in realization.

"I beg you! Stop! You mustn't give in to hostility! Otherwise you will be tainted by Malevolence and becoming Hellions!" Lailah pleaded, but none of the ordinary humans could see or hear her.

Suddenly, blue flames made of Malevolence burn the curtain banners within the shrine, causing the crowd to panic. Then the enraged man grabbed his head in such pain that he transformed into a werewolf Hellion that no one can see in that form. A blue rift opened, causing the large Dragon-type Duel Monsters, tainted by Malevolence to emerge and wreak havoc within.

"He became a Hellion!" Sorey caught sight of his transformation.

"There are Monsters appearing from the human world! They were tainted by Malevolence!" Sahasrara's spirit exclaimed in arlert.

"Yes, the negative emotions in their hearts rise to Malevolence that turned them into Hellions." Mikleo said in a calm tone. "As a Water Seraph, I'm able to extinguish the fire. For the other blue flames are the work of the Hellion itself... Sorey, go come to the Lady of the Lake for our help. This is the only way to purify the entire sanctuary and all those who were tainted."

Sorey nodded, "Yeah right."

As he made his way towards Lailah at the foot of the pedestal, Alisha found herself confronted of a smoke bomb launched by Rose. Then jumped off the platform to rush towards the princess. Alisha blocked one of Rose's assassin daggers with her own Duel Disc.

"Alisha!" Sorey called.

"Don't mind me!" Alisha replied while defending herself into the smoke, "Go save everyone before it turns to disaster!"

The princess fended off the Scattered Bones assassin, Rose held herself upright and unfolded her own Scattered Bones-model Duel Disk.

"So you're the leader of the Scattered Bones with the Seraph?" Alisha remembered her.

"Exactly! I came to claim the Stardust Dragon within you!" Rose glared at her.

"Are you still getting over those canards?!" She gritted.

"Still in denial? In that case, I'll make you food for my birdy buddies!" Rose drew five cards at once, then drew an additional once; she slapped two cards onto the Duel Disk blade. "I summon my Blackwings, Gale the Whirlwind and Kris the Crack of Dawn!!"

The blue rift appeared, causing her two favorite Blackwing Monsters to emerge and stand in Attack Position.

(Blackwing - Gale the Whirlwind - ATK: 1300 - Level: 3)

(Blackwing - Kris the Crack of Dawn - ATK: 1900 - Level: 4)

"Let's go for get him out of the birdy nest!" She declared as her Blackwing Tuner monster flew off to begin the proceedings, "As you already know, I combine Gale with Kris!"

Gale taking the form of the three Synchro Rings from its Level 3.

(Level 3 + 4 = 7)

"I'll give you the wings so you can fly straight to the rainy sky!" 

Three Synchro Rings then scan Kris, which first change into a glowing yellow outline of himself before turning into a number of 4 stars which correspond to his Level. A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon! Level 7! Let's go my loyal winged warrior, Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling!"

The Assault Blackwing Synchro Monster appeared as he took flight, spreading black feathers around.

(Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling - ATK: 2600 - Level: 7)

"You don't miss a chance to call your birdman on the first turn!" Alisha frowned how familiar this scene was from her previous Duel against her.

(Assault Blackwing - Chidori the Rain Sprinkling - ATK: 2600 + 600 = 3200)

"I set four others cards and I'm done!" She declared after setting her four cards onto her field and ended her first turn.

"My turn!" Alisha drew a card, then revealed it directly from her hand, "I activate Time-Tearing Morganite! For the rest of the Duel, I activate three effects at once! In return for not activating my Monsters' special abilities from my hand, I can draw 2 extra cards each turn, and I can also summon two more Monsters instead of just one each turn!"

"So what then?" Rose asked, didn't seem so surprised at her opponent's tactics.

"I'm going to be able to bring my three fellow knights so you remember when we faced off before!" Alisha showed her first two Monster cards, "My loyal Satellarknights, Altair and Vega!"

Both Altair and Vega emerge from the blue rift and materialize onto Alisha's field in Attack Position.

(Satellarknight Vega - ATK: 1200 - Level: 4)

(Satellarknight Altair - ATK: 1700 - Level: 4)

"Still summoning your little servant-knights and waiting for your princess orders." Rose mocked sarcastically.

"Don't criticize my troop of knights! I will then summon my third Satellarknight from my hand thanks to Vega if she is summoned on my field!"

Alisha placed her third card directly on the Duel Disc blade and summoned it, "Satellarknight Deneb, come to my aid!"

Deneb emerged from the blue rift and completed the trio by joining Altair and Vega.

(Satellarknight Deneb - ATK: 1500 - Level: 4)

Alisha showed her Quick-Play Spell, "I then using Tellarknight Genesis! As I had three Tellarknights by my side, I will destroy your cards on the field!"

Thus three of Rose's four set cards were destroyed from the field.

The blue flames burn everything on this passage, blocking the only exit access, panicking more to the citizens. The tainted Monsters roared while ravaged the entire passage, causing the parts of the sanctuary to crumble.

"We have to stop this Duel now!" Alisha ordered. "Do you not understand citizens are in danger?!"

"You can see me?" Lailah asked after being noticed.

"My name is Sorey! Please, Lady of the Lake, help us purify the entire sanctuary and save the people within!"

"I would ask you one thing. Did you release the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend that is inside the Sacred Sword?"

"Indeed," Sorey nodded.

"Do you have this supernatural power called the Blazing Soul? This power allows the possessor to control the almighty Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend only on the condition of mastering it correctly to be able to summon it."

"... Yes, it's true that I confess that I don't understand anything but, what is certain that I really have this power." He confessed the truth.

"... Finally, I have finally found you... You are the one who will become the new Shepherd Duelist." Lailah said with a serious look. "However on one question, why would you want to become a Shepherd Duelist?"

"To be able to save both the human and spirit world from Malevolence." He answered with candor and honesty. "But to be able to carry out such a project, I needed to visit the ancient remnants of these two worlds in order to restore peace between the humans and the Seraphim. Because as a Duelist, it is my duty to become strong to protect them, but while still having fun doing Duels. Whatever our motives or reasons, Dueling is not made for war. It's done to bring happiness to everyone."

"Well, in that case you know what's left for you; in that case, remove the Sacred Sword from the pedestal and fulfill your destiny." She let out a smile, "My name is Lailah, I am the one who watched over the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend inside this sword for over many centuries."

Mikleo for his part, put out the blue flames using his water magic as best he could. Alisha continued her Duel against Rose.

"I've been waiting so long for a Duelist since Eleanor Hume who can master the Blazing Soul and unlock the true form of this Signer Dragon where the majority of their predecessors failed."

As Sorey grabbed the sword, a light shone. Where time stopped!

"Sorey, withdrawing the sword make you my vessel. This is the first step as a Shepherd Duelist." Lailah's voice informed. "Do you accept this heavy burden you carry? By becoming one, you could purify Malevolence everywhere and fight Hellions using Duel Monster cards. People will run away from you and you'll have no one but us the Seraphim and the Monsters by your side. You have to know how to make decisions that are quite difficult to make."

"... Yes, I would. Because it's my destiny to becoming the Shepherd Duelist, and I will set out to save everyone in danger and restore peace." Sorey nodded and removed the Sacred Sword from the pedestal.

That's when the sword light shone. Time resumed and the Hellions like the tainted Duel Monsters began to unsettle.

"All ahead, Lailah! Fethmus Mioma!" Sorey exclaimed as he already gave her an ancient name and the transformation procedure began.

It was then that a whirlwind of flame enveloped Sorey, merging with Lailah to make him a Fire Armatus for the first time, the Sacred Sword then transformed into an Armatized Broadsword. The Fire Armatus Sorey flew straight into the stride of tainted monsters and sliced with flame. Then he successfully purified the werewolf Hellion, made the man return to normal form.

"Now it's time to burn it down! Use your Blazing Soul to summon the Red Rising Dragon and unlock the true appearance of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!" Lailah's voice told him.

"Yes!" He nodded, then a scarlet flame ignited at the level of Sorey's heart. He then grabbed the inner flame inside him. Sorey roared with fury as his eyes glowed flame red while drawing the two cards out from his body. The crimson flame dissipated and revealed the Crimson Resonator and Red Rising Dragon cards.

"Red Rising Dragon!! Come to me!!" Sorey placed his first card on his new model flamme-like Duel Disc blade, emerged the all-flaming dragon out of the fire rift and materialized.

The crowd of citizens gasped out in surprise and shock upon seeing the appearance of this base form of the Signer Dragon.

"What was that?"

"Is it a dragon?"

"Next I call my Crimson Resonator!!" Sorey declared, and the small fiend appeared out of the blazing rift. "Let's get to Synchro Summoning now! Tainted creatures, I will purify your hearts!"

The small fiend laughed mischievously as his body transformed into two flaming rings, the Red Rising Dragon's body scanned through the two flaming rings and dissipated into six stars.

"I will unveil the true appearance of the Red Rising Dragon!! And purify this place of Malevolence!!" Sorey declared.

A beam of scarlet flame then enveloped the stars, passing through the flaming rings.

"I Synchro Summon the powerful, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!!!" Sorey exclaimed, slapping the card onto the Duel Disk blade that lit up. Just after the beam of scarlet flame went out, the Signer Dragon's flaming body dissipated, revealed its true form.

The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend's roar shook within the Great Sanctuary.

The entire crowd, Maltran, Mikleo, Rose, and Alisha are witnessed to the appearance of the terrifying Signer Dragon.

"The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend... It's here. It's appeared for real." Alisha whispered in surprise.

Its terrifying roar propelled among the entire people and the tainted Monsters.

Chapter Text

While the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend's terrifying roar propelled within the Great Sanctuary, most of the people were both surprised and shocked by its presence.

"The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend! Is it here?!!" A middle-aged man started.

"So he's the Shepherd Duelist!" A young man exclaimed.

"You finally show up, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend..." Rose's sky blue eyes started at the scene. "Because sooner or later, you will soon be mine."

"Please for the last time, stop our pointless Duel!" Alisha snapping her out of her distraction and tried to reason her as people inside of the sanctuary continued to panic with the fire continued to spread. "Don't you understand that citizens are in danger?"

"What do I care! As long as I can capture your dragon and Sorey's!" She persisted, not caring about the crisis of the situation.

"Please save these people first!" She continued.

"Listen to me when discord begins to reign, it's the perfect time to take a perfect opportunity to carry out our personal goals." She told her. "That's how we the Scattered Bones like the Blackwings do it in our code of honor."

"Don't make me use force. That's not what I want as Crown Princess of Hyland!" Alisha glared at her opponent.

"Do you think you're going to soften me up with your pretty peaceful speeches?" Rose tilted her head to the right sarcastically.

"You leave me no choice!" She declared and about to performed an XYZ Summon, "I Overlay three Level 4 monsters!"

The three Level 4 monsters turned into shooting star-like yellow orbs and entered the Overlay Network. Within, the armor of a celestial warrior shone as the starry wings unfold. He picked up the broadsword and pointed it upward.

"Three of the brightest stars form the Southern Triangle constellation in the depths of the southern hemisphere! Let the orange crystals shine with summer light!" Alisha chanted.

The Overlay Network exploded with a thousand luminous lights.

"I XYZ Summon!! Appear Rank 4... Stellarknight Delteros!!" Her eyes filled with determination and seriousness.

Below the Overlay Network, the three stars form a constellation of the Southern Triangle. An astal ray emerged, bringing out a knight from the stars carrying a shield and a sword with him. Tree Overlay Units orbs of yellow light orbiting around the body of the Tellarknight Xyz Monster. Delteros pointed his sword straight ahead, ready to fight alongside.

(Stellarknight Delteros - ATK: 2500 - Rank: 4 - Overlay Units: 3)

"I am strengthening my fellow knight with the Back-Up Rider card!" She activate her favorite Spell from her hand, "His Attack Points gains with 1500, gives him a total of 4000! Which makes my fellow Monster strong enough to defeat you!"

"4000 Attack Points?" Rose frowned.

(Stellarknight Delteros - ATK: 2500 + 1500 = 4000 - Overlay Units: 3)

"Yes, but you're not at the end of the surprises I have in store for you."

Back to Sorey's side and his Signer Dragon, the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend was taunting the tainted Dragon-type Monsters into battle. The dragons began to fight fiercely, the Signer Dragon boldly pushed back at one of the tainted Monsters, then struck the other from behind. The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend ignited its right arm and body, prepared to unleash its full destructive power.

"Tainted creatures, I'll purify you all and return you to where you came from!" Sorey declared before ordered to his Ace Monster to defeat them. "Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, defeat 'em!"

It fired hellfire at the entire tainted Duel Monsters troop while Sorey purified the werewolf Hellion without killing him, restored him to normal and lost consciousness. The Hellion's flames automatically extinguish from the curtains along with everything else in the sanctuary.

"That's it, you have purified the whole sanctuary." Lailah's voice congratulated him with renewed hope.

With such an accomplished Shepherd Duelist feat, Sorey de-armatized from Lailah. The other citizens are very surprised and admire his success, meaning that they have now found new hope in this young Sorey, who is now a new Shepherd Duelist.

"I'm now the Shepherd Duelist." He said.

Back to the Duel between Rose and Alisha, one of three orbs of yellow light disappeared when Stellarknight Delteros' effect was activated, armed himself with his triangular shield which he held.

"Using an Overlay Unit, I can get rid of Chidori from the field!" Alisha said. "Delta Destruction!!"

Delteros sent a burst of super-powered light, destroying Chidori.

"No! Chidori!" Rose cried at the destruction of her Monster. "How could you?! How dare you touch my beloved birdy buddy!"

"I'm going to end the Duel quickly!" Alisha declared, "Delteros, attack!!"

Her XYZ Monster brandishing his sword towards Rose,

"This time your score is over!"

But Rose hadn't forgotten the last card she set on her field on her previous turn, and was determined to activate it before she was hit by the single attack that would beat her.

"You left me only one hidden card and it is this mistake that will cost you dearly!" Rose interjected and revealed her Trap card, "This is Ring of Destruction!"

The metal ring with red explosive bombs flew off, attached to the Stellarknight Delteros by the waist.

"Our Duel may end in a draw, but I least leave your life spared for a short time!"

"Not that! The Ring of Destruction can explode at the slightest touch of a targeted Monster!!" Alisha yelled in shock.

Rose told to her as the ring exploded along with Alisha's XYZ Monster, the smoke from the explosion propelled towards both Rose and Alisha, "When the Ring of Destruction explodes... KABOOM!!"

With the destruction of Stellarknight Delteros, their Life Points drop totally to zero.

(Rose - LP: 4000 - 4000 = 0 - Cards in hand: 0)

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 4000 - 4000 = 0 - Cards in hand: 0)

Then just after the Duel was over, Rose sped off. Alisha eyed the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend in mild amazement before it reverted to its card form that fell into Sorey as if to plunge into a sleep inside the possessor.

"You were great, Sorey." She smiled.

Suddenly, a short moment of exploit was quickly interrupted by the arrival of Chancellor Bartlow and his imperial guard.

"What's going on here with all this racket?" He started.

"Chancellor Bartlow." Alisha noticed.

"Lady Alisha, we received a word from a civil distrubance among the commoners."

"Indeed, Chancellor Bartlow. But the Great Sanctuary was saved from ruin by a young man named Sorey." Alisha confessed. "Sorey's the Shepherd Duelist."

"So he's the Shepherd Duelist." He frowned along with a smirk with satisfaction. "Citizens of Ladylake. I announce that this year the Sacred Blade Festival has to come to close with the arrival of a new Shepherd Duelist that we have been waiting for!"

The whole crowd cheered with joy with the new arrival of a chosen one in addition to an incredible achievement.

"Lady Alisha, I ask you to come to the Rountabel Palace with Lady Maltran about what is going on in the Great Sanctuary." Bartlow demanded.

They heard a dull sound of a collapse of a person; it was Sorey.

"Sorey!" Mikleo cried out in alarm. "Wake up my friend!"

Alisha rushed to their friend passed out on the ground, knelt in front and tried to call him. She examined him quickly and realized that he suddenly had a fever.

"Sorey, are you okay? Answer me!"

All they saw Sorey in this state was his face reddened by the sudden fever of Lailah who had entered his body since he had become her vessel. As Sorey was an human boy, his body reacting to the presence of unknown powers inside him. Those who make a pact with a Seraph usually wind up bedridden for a time.

"Let's take him to his bedside immediately! And call the doctor!" Alisha ordered.

When all went to black, the vision of a past dream surfaced. It was a ruined city as the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend roared. Below the dragon, Eleanor Hume who had armed herself with only her Duel Disk, but only then her eyes which are usually green had turned red as if out of control and full of unstoppable rage. The scarlet flame had been igniting on the left chest for a while, meaning the Blazing Soul was still active.

Eleanor couldn't listen anymore and roared in rage as the Scarlight Red Dragon Archefied ravaged everything on that passage.

Magilou and Rokurou tried to stop them with their respective Monsters.

"Get a hold of yourself Eleanor! Don't let your rage take over!" Rokurou cried.

His Six Samurais tried to attack the Scarlight Red Dragon but failed.

"Begone!!" She screamed while her dragon destroyed all of Rokurou's Monsters, and so of Magilou's.

"No!" Magilou cried.

"Destroy 'em! Destroy 'em all!! Get out of my way!! Get out of my way!!" Eleanor yelled, enraged.

All of this continued until a shrill voice of a little girl called out.

"Eleanor! Eleanor stop!"

She saw the little girl standing in front of her along with Medissa and Dyle.

"Kamoana no, get away from Eleanor! She's lost control of herself!" Rokurou demanded.

"Eleanor! You have to stop!" She pleaded while rushed to stop her.

The Scarlight Red Dragon however grabbed the young kid.

"Kamoana!" Medissa called out. "Let her go now!"

"You're rampaging because you're scared, are you?!"

The dragon squeezed her so hard that she almost to crying in pain.

"Let her go!" Medissa shouted.

"That's not like you at all! The one I knew was a good, caring person who took care of me when I was a big whiner back then!" She shouted in a shrill tone. "You even taught me to be a brave child who faced so many difficulties that make me a real Duelist I are! But, the girl in front of me has nothing to do with the real Eleanor!!"

With a few drops of Kamoana's tears fell on Eleanor's enraged face. Suddenly, the enraged red eyes turn back to the usual green ones; Eleanor was back to normal. Gasping in horror, she realized she nearly killed the one she had taken care of since Mahina, Kamoana's mother, died at the Abbey. She took the Blazing Soul from her left chest and turned her Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend back into its card form, dropping Kamoana at the same time that Magilou caught her. While the card fell as it entered Eleanor's body, she dropped her jaw in a shocking state after what she had done in her berserk state, ashamed of her loss of control of herself during her Duel against an enemy as an opponent. She collapsed on her knees, overwhelmed.

"Eleanor? Are you there?" Kamoana's innocent voice asked.

She remained silent while both Rokurou and Magilou just only watched her friend to be in shocking state. But her concern for Eleanor was so important that Kamoana decided to approach her and comfort her.

"Eleanor? Are you back to being yourself?"

"But look what I almost did a horrible thing to you!" She told to Kamoana, grabbed her head with both hands. "I never meant to hurt anyone, I'm supposed to protect the townspeople from a bandit who wants to harm them, and instead I'm the one who ravaged almost the entire city... If I never should have called on the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend."

The green-haired tanned kid hugged Eleanor's head against her small chest. "It's okay. There are no more villains now, it's over. You go out of your way to protect us children..."

After the dream vision was over, Sorey began to slowly open his eyes. He awoke feeling somewhat disoriented. The room Sorey was in was clearly a bedroom.

"Oh man, what's this weird dream I have?" He mumbled.

He sat down and a small towel placed on his forehead fell, Sorey picked it up realizing that someone had taken care of him for more than three days.

"You're finally awake, Sorey." Lailah's voice said with relief.

"How do you feel? Sorey?" Mikleo asked.

"Much better, thank you." Sorey answered.

"You've been bedridden for three days. Alisha has been tending to your bedside the whole time." Mikleo was explaining to him.

"I remembered nothing after everything that happened." Sorey confessed. "But I had a weird dream before I woke up worthy of a rooster."

"A strange dream? You mean you have a fiery dream?" Lailah asked, puzzled.

"I wouldn't say it's fiery, but I would say it's more of a infernal dream." He said with a pun, before snapping out of his lost thoughts. "Ah! And Alisha, then?! Where is she? Is she all right?"

Alisha entered the room with a large jug of water in her arms, "Sorey, you're finally awake!"

"Alisha! Here you are at last! What a relief that you are okay!" He glad his friend was safe.

She put the jug of water on the small table and walked over to Sorey.

"I'm so thrilled! You were amazing Sorey!" She displayed a happy expression. "When I saw you summon that mighty Signer Dragon, you were awesome!"

Suddenly, Sorey's stomach growled heavily; he hadn't eaten for more than three days after being passed out during his incredible feat. Alisha laughed in amusement.

"My poor Sorey, you should be so hungry!"

Her stomach growled in turn,

"Anyway, playing nurse makes my hungry stomach rumble. But at least I'm glad you're healthy."

A few minutes in a small room, Sorey was eating full of small cakes and sweets that Alisha's servants had prepared.

"If you've eaten it all, that proves you're healed." She said.

"Thank you for these sweets, so delicious!" Sorey felt gratitude. "You've been staying by my bedside all this time."

Alisha shook her head, "It's me to thank you."

She remembered when Sorey had removed the Sacred Sword from the pedestal, he merged with Lailah to become the Fire Armatus. The newly Shepherd Duelist managed to summon the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend to defeat the tainted Monsters and purified the Great Sanctuary.

"I never forget the day you became the Shepherd Duelist, and how you saved the sanctuary and thus the people. You are extraordinary."

Sorey scratched behind his head.

"And then I'm going to give you something to thank you for... A cape to prove to you that you're recognized as the Shepherd Duelist."

In a small room, Alisha brought a letter, a leather bag, his red Duel Disc with gold accents, his deck of cards and so the Shepherd's cape.

"A good timing to get you changed. You kinda smell like scorched." Mikleo said.

"So it's time to change." Sorey said.

Once Sorey finished changing, he came out from the princess's mansion wearing a cape with blue accents, fashioned after the style of past Shepherds. Sorey rested his hands on his hips.

"Those clothes look great on you." Alisha complimented him.

Sorey flashed a broad, beaming smile.

Meanwhile somewhere, Symonne approached a large Hellion in the guise of a lion man who happened to be the Lord of Calamity. Heldalf had been asleep for a while.

"My Lord," She addressed him.

Heldalf slowly opened his golden eyes, "... It's been a long time, Symonne. Any new interesting information?"

"Yes my Lord, there was a human child who managed to free the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. His name is Sorey if I remember correctly. On top of that, he became the Shepherd Duelist."

"And what else?"

"I had the Fusion Parasites implanted into the brains of a red-haired Duelist and a Seraph so that I could capture the Stardust Dragon possessed by the Princess of Ladylake..."

"And?"

"My two guinea pigs also possess the two respective Signer Dragons; the Black-Winged Dragon and Black Rose Dragon... For the moment, I continued to pursue my research on the Lifestream Dragon and Ancient Fairy Dragon."

"Very well," Heldalf said with satisfaction. "I rely on you to capture them all in order to perform the ceremonial ritual to resurrect the Crimson Dragon. Where Artorius Collbrande failed in the past."

Symonne smiled before leaving him, "I will do what I can to bring them all to you, My Lord."

Heldalf chuckled maliciously slow.

"Soon both worlds will descend into utter chaos..."

Back to the garden of Alisha's manor.

"These clothes look great on you! Worthy of a hero!" Lailah exclaimed with joy, clapping her hands.

"Go to put some lipstick on a pig."

"Don't be jealous, Mikleo. Boasting is a bad thing." Sorey frowned while smirked.

"Oh liar." Mikleo turned his head haughtily.

Alisha noticed at Lailah, the female silver-haired Fire Seraph.

"Oh, it's you Lailah. How are you?"

"Yes I'm fine thank you for your welcome." She answered with pleasure.

"You can have it?" Sorey asked to the princess.

"As I told you, I have the ability to see Seraphim and Duel Monster spirits for 10 years since the incident at Ladylake." She replied.

"Alisha used to see me once in a while at the Great Sanctuary for some advice on being a good Duelist." Lailah told to him.

"Lailah is a burn damage effect specialist. Most of her cards are literally fire based so she's a Fire Seraph." Alishia explained to them. "Since the inhabitants of this city cannot see her unlike me, Lailah took me to Lakehaven Heights to practice Duels."

"Tah-Dah, here are my lovely and adorable Flamvell Babies!" Lailah had the cards transform into three spirits of the little Fire Monsters on her hands, presented them to Alisha.

The two Flamvell Babies playfully ride on the princess' shoulders grab onto her head, making her giggle in amusement.

"Oh how cute they are."

The thrid ride on Sorey's gloved hand, "He's so small!"

"Sorey, when we leave Ladylake, I'll be mentoring you in Duel practice to fire you up. When do you think?" Lailah offered him. "It allows you to gain experience as a Shepherd Duelist."

"If I put in the effort as a Shepherd Duelist, I'll be able to make the Seraphim hear! That would be great!" Sorey exclaimed with enthusiasm.

Lailah shook her head, "Unfortunately not all of us can see the Seraphim. And Alisha has predispositions."

"Too bad, not as simple as I thought." He lowered his head in disappointment. "So how come the Duel Monsters we play as cards become real?"

"Our Duel Disks have a holographic system made of mana that makes them real, Sorey. This allows Duelists to interact with their Monsters." Alisha explained to him.

Lailah tell to Alisha her message, "Alisha, as Seraphim, we have the power to read your mind. So please do not neglect our people. Otherwise your heart will blacken and there will be a flood of calamity."

"I will do my best as a princess and as a Duelist." She nodded.

"Alisha, how about becoming a fellow traveler with us?" Lailah proposed her. "The Human World and the Spirit World are descending into the chaos of Malevolence."

"Am I really going to come with you?" Her bright green eyes widened slightly.

"It's your choice. Only you as a Duelist can make a decision. Alisha, you have a unique power that you don't know that only the Diphda royal family has capable of creating beautiful miracles."

After a brief silent moment, she accepted.

"... Yes, I will come and join you by your side. I work to protect my people and put an end to the conflict that hovered in Hyland and Rolance."

"I'm glad to hear from you, Alisha. Once we leave Ladylake, we begin our new adventure across the world." Lailah smiled.

Alisha smiled back.

"Sorey, I have to tell you a little secret." She whispered to him.

"I'm listening." Sorey nodded.

"While by your bedside, I found this in Alisha's room." Lailah showed a Sonic Chick plushie that made Alisha's body bristle with embarrassment.

"Aaaah give it back to me now! It's my cuddly toy!" She snatched back from Lailah's hands, her face flushed.

"It's rather cute that an apparently serious and diligent princess was actually concealing her little child's heart." She giggled with fun.

"But stop that, I don't want the others to see that!" She shot back while hugging her Sonic Chick plushie that made squeak like a rubber duck.

When suddenly, a door knock sounded, one of Alisha's servants bowed.

"Please forgive me. Princess Alisha, it's time to get going." She informed her.

"Good, get the carriage ready, I'm going right away." Alisha told to her servant, before turning to Sorey. "I'm sorry, but I have to go to the royal palace as I have a meeting with the council."

"When do you think Sorey? Let's just enjoy getting into the carriage and taking a little walk around town." Lailah proposed.

In the Ladylake district, the carriage carrying Sorey, Alisha and the Seraphim was cruising along the road where the Roundtabel Palace will lead in a few minutes. Sorey opened the small window of the carriage where he saw the banners bearing the emblematic symbol of a Shepherd Duelist.

"It is the mark of the Shepherd Duelist."

"The news has spread all over Ladylake, the citizens have taken out these banners to show you respect. However, some have sometimes expressed fear that you now have the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and the Blazing Soul." Alisha was telling. "But deep down, they were hoping for a Shepherd Duelist to make a new appearance and bring them new hope."

Under Sorey's verdant green eyes, she vaguely glimpsed a stream of Malevolence within the city, until Alisha snapped him from his thoughts.

"Are you alright Sorey? Are you a little nervous, it seems?"

"Yes I'm a little nervous to have pressure on me." Sorey admitted.

"Normal, all the hopes placed by the inhabitants rest on you. That's what high-level Duelists sometimes get." Mikleo giggled.

"Ooh please stop." Sorey muttered.

Once they arrived in front of the entrance to the palace a few kilometers into the march, Alisha said one last time to them before separating from the group.

"You're welcome Sorey, we'll see you later when my meeting is over."

And the carriage drove away, leaving Sorey and the two Seraphim behind.

While Sorey felt nausea due to a flow of Malevolence, Sahasrara's spirit appeared.

"I sense something, in a certain corner." He whispered, his eyes narrowed. "Master Sorey, are you okay?"

"Not really well right now." Sorey replied.

"We will have to go to a sealed door, where located in the Vivia Subterranean Aqueduct." Sahasrara's spirit was telling.

"How do you know about that?" Sorey wondered.

"It's been a while since I felt this flow in a very specific corner." He told him.

Guided by the Tenyi Spirit, they stop at the sealed engraved door.

"Here we are to the Vivia Subterranean Aqueduct." He told to them.

"This will be a perfect opportunity to cleanse everything underground of Malevolence! Right, Sorey?" Lailah exclaimed.

"Yes, once the problem is solved, we find Alisha and prepare for our departure from Ladylake." Sorey nodded.

Meanwhile in the meeting room, Alisha was talking to Chancellor Bartlow and the other politicians around a long table.

"Your Highness. We would like you to hand over this boy who became a Shepherd Duelist. We are taking care of him." Bartlow requested.

"You take care of him? But what do you want? Are you going to use him for your political interests? Are you using him to lead the Dueling War?" Alisha was suspicious about this proposal.

"That's right, we need his power. It's our advice to decide so… So let's bring this boy." Bartlow required.

"It is absolutely out of the question that I hand Sorey over to you for your own interests." Alisha objected.

"So you oppose us, Princess Alisha?" Bartlow frowned.

"Yes I oppose it!" She answered in a serious tone. "And never will I hand you the Shepherd Duelist!"

Back to the gate entrance, Sorey opened the door and stepped inside the Vivia Subterranean Aqueduct. The trio descended up the stairs. When suddenly, a man's cry ring out, alerting the three.

"I heard someone scream!" Sorey exclaimed, "We have to help him!"

They rush to a place where a slime Hellion was devouring a man so he doesn't have the ability to see Hellions or Malevolence.

"Over there, we have to help him!"

"Sorey, don't forget that he couldn't see the Hellions or the Searphim! Otherwise, it will be impossible for him to take your word for it!" Mikleo reminded her.

"Use cards to be able to purify a Hellion! That's the job of a Shepherd Duelist!" Lailah advised him.

"Understood!" Sorey replied, he was drawing a Monster card and summoning it directly by placing it on his Duel Disc. "Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna, come to my rescue!"

The spirit of the dragon of light was materializing. It flew to the slime Hellion and purified it without killing the man in distress.

"Yeah great! We got it! Looks like it's too easy!" Sorey cried out in victory.

"No need to brag Sorey. This is only the beginning after all." Mikleo added.

Sorey knelt before the rescued man, "Are you okay, sir?"

"Thank you for rescuing me. What happened?" He said after coming to his senses. "I wonder what's going on?"

"It's nothing, you were drowned. So the important thing is that you're okay." Sorey reassured him, knew that the man couldn't believe it despite the truth.

The man stood up, "Thank you again for helping me. Without you I would be lost. I'm leaving."

He went away. Then Sorey and his Seraphim continued the road in order to find the cause of the origin of the Malevolence.

"Well let's move on, and we found the cause of all this trouble."

For a few minutes at the investment of the underground, they stop towards the sealed engraved door.

"Is there a possibility to open it?" Lailah asked.

"It's a door with no keyhole, just with the crest of the Kingdom of Hyland." Sorey replied inspecting the gate.

"Perhaps with the Royal Knife bearing the emblem of the Diphda royal family, we can open this door." Mikleo suggested, sparking his friend's mind.

"The knife? Of course!" Sorey took out it from his pocket, "Mikleo you're a genius!"

"Thanks bro."

"The door has a seal of the royal family! We'll open it with the Royal Knife!" Sorey exclaimed.

"You did well to keep it." Mikleo nodded, arms crossed.

"Authorities have found the artifacts and relics, they deem them politically unsuitable for the recent regime. The same goes for the cards so they deem them illegal, even banned for some they consider dangerous." Sorey told to Lailah.

"Oh I see." She whispered.

That's how they brand them as "forbidden" and seal them away from eyes."

He posed his hand to it,

"In summary, the seal of the royal family is located on this door."

Lailah clampsed her hands happily, "You and Mikleo would make excellent archaeologists."

"Exploring ruins has been our favorite pastime since we were kids."  Mikleo told her. "And we have a lot of Duels too."

"Come on, let's unlock it. Oh ho, I hope we'll find Ali Baba's cave and pocket such a nice forgotten treasure! It's going to be great!" Sorey exclaimed enthusiastically.

"Don't exaggerate Sorey, we're here to solve our problem!" Mikleo frowned.

"Yeah, you're right we're here to purify this underground!"

Sorey showed the royal seal in front of the door, it opened with success.

"There you go, the trick is done!" He smiled.

"To say that this key is in fact a simple knife to open the door." Lailah commented.

Sorey suddenly grabbed Mikleo's shoulders, was about to vomit if he didn't hold on any longer.

"Uh, I feel even worse..." He complained in a muffled voice. "Ugh..."

"Hey don't Sorey!" Mikleo wiggled his arms comically, "If you puke on me I'll drown you in it...! No! No, swallow it! Aaah but not on my clothes you're really disgusting uugh! I'll drown you in my water!"

Upon seeing this funny scene, Lailah chuckled in amusement.

"Oh my you guys are so funny, you look like two brothers. How funny."

Both boys turned to Lailah in bewilderment.

"Come on boys, the sooner we solve the underground problem, the sooner we go." She reminded them of what they should do.

Sahasrara's spirit manifested and alerted the trio.

"Here they are! There's a bunch of Hellions over there!"

The three rush to a specific location and find in horror the terrifying Hellions located at an altar of the Sacred Sword.

"Here they are!" Sorey exclaimed. "They are quite a dozen!"

He summoned two of his Tenyi Monsters, the Monk and the Shaman.

"Come help me my Monsters!" He cried urgently, and the two fought some Hellions.

"Poseidra, come to me!" Mikleo raised his card to summon him.

His Ace Monster fired a spiraling burst of water to other Hellions.

"Yeah! We got them!" Sorey exclaimed with joy.

"Now let's purify this place!" Lailah declared sending her paper cards, unleashing a storm of purifying flames and the flow of Malevolence along with the remaining Hellions dissipating.

Now that a herd of Hellions have defeated each other, they revert back to Monster card forms.

"Monster cards?" Sorey noticed.

"Yes. These are the Duel Monsters that have been affected by Malevolence." Lailah said.

They pick up the scattered cards and collect them all. Lailah and Mikleo give Sorey the remaining cards.

"Well, these are weak monster cards." Sorey commented as he inspected each of theirs.

"Apparently someone infused them with Malevolence to turn them into Hellions." Lailah informed him. "Not just humans or animals... But also Monsters. In general, Malevolence can only be generated by the negative emotions of all living beings. But it could be that an evil being could be able to infuse evil into them."

"I'll give these to the Sparrowfeathers Guild, so they can take care of them." He said.

"That's settled. That's the job of a Shepherd Duelist where we'll have to cleanse of all Malevolence and the Hellions. But also be able to bind to Monsters." Lailah said with a smile.

She then noticed a monument,

"It's an altar to the Sacred Blade. It was built in the Era of Asgard." She said.

Suddenly, a gust of wind flew to Sorey. This tornado was meant to trap him and hold him prisoner.

"Watch out!"

Lailah pushed Sorey away, and got trapped inside the gust surrounded by magical force, where neither Sorey nor Mikleo could see or hear her inside.

"Lailah!" He shouted.

He tried to rush to rescue her, only to be forcibly caught by Mikleo.

"Don't go Sorey!" He cried.

"But Lailah was in there! We'll have to rescue her!" He replied.

"It's too dangerous!" Mikleo protested.

"Then we have to call on our Monsters!"

"It's impossible! The gust has been protected by some magical force!" He shook his head.

"What?! We're going to stand like veg without even trying?!" Sorey fired back.

Unbeknownst to them, somewhere in a specific corner where no one noticed, Symonne was secretly watching them, waiting for the Duel to begin.

Symonne chuckled with a smirk.

"Let's see how they react to a Seraph they don't know is under the control of my Parasite Fusion? To say that I wanted to target Sorey so I could capture the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend using Dezel."

Inside the tornado, Lailah found that she couldn't undo it so easily.

"This tornado, my magic can't undo it this way."

Then she saw a figure in black clothes with a hat.

"Too bad, that tornado I created that I was aiming for was meant for that kid." Dezel shrugged.

Lailah gasped, "That's impossible! Aren't you a Seraph? What are you doing here?"

"For the Signer Dragon that I have to recover that's all."

"You've lost your mind?! Yet you are one of us!" She cried.

"Oh no, I feel so good. I'm a Seraph, and I have the right to be very very very mean." He replied sarcastically. "I'll sweep you away like a tree that gets carried away by the storm... In fact, it seems to me that you have a connection with the Ancient Fairy Dragon, don't you?"

Lailah armed herself with her own Duel Disk and drew five cards. "Are you aware of the existence of this dragon?"

"By facing you in a Duel, I will at least have information about this missing dragon and obtain it." Dezel was holding his hat.

"Never will I tell you where the Ancient Fairy Dragon is!" She protested.

"You insist on keeping secrets to yourself."

He unfolded his own Duel Disk and drew five cards.

"Since you left me no choice, I'm going to do it to myself." He smiled viciously.

Chapter Text

Dezel unfolded his own Duel Disk and drew five cards.

"Since you left me no choice, I'm going to do it to myself." He smiled viciously.

"LET'S DUEL!!" Both Seraphim shouted.

(Lailah - 4000 LP)

(Dezel - 4000 LP)

"Can I afford to start setting fires on charcoal!" She said while drawing a card while placing three of her cards onto her field, "I set three face-down cards and... I bring in Flamvell Dragnov in Defense Mode!"

A blue rift emerged a fire dragon whose mouth have flame while roaring.

(Flamvell Dragnov - DEF: 200 - Level: 2)

"My turn is already over!" She declared.

"What's all? That's all you have to offer me." Dezel mumbled in disappointment, he was expecting this Duel to be entertaining for him.

Then he drew a card,

"I have something to blow your mind on."

He glanced over each of the cards he had in his hand; Black Whirlwind, Blackwing - Chinook the Snow Blast, Blackwing - Sudri the Phantom Glimmer, Blackwing - Damascus the Polar Night, Blackwing - Elphin the Raven and Lost Wind.

"To start, I activate Black Whirlwind!" His Continuous Spell card showed in the field, "Each time I summon a Blackwing Monster this way, I take another one with an Attack equal to or less than the one I summoned on the field!"

Dezel showed his Monster card,

"I summon Blackwing - Damascus the Polar Night!"

A blue rift opened, bringing a yellow-eyed black humanoid bird with a dagger.

(Blackwing - Damascus the Polar Night - ATK 1300 - Level: 3)

"I know how you bring your birds to your battlefield. But me as a veteran Duelist, I've had quite a few Duels where I set them on fire." Lailah scrunched her gaze as she observed the way Dezel was playing with a deck that was familiar to her.

"In the presence of the Black Whirlwind, I step up my game by taking a Blackwing in my hand..." He then summon it onto his field.

(Blackwing - Breeze the Zephyr - ATK: 1100 - Level: 3)

"Breeze the Zephyr can only be Special Summoned if it was added from the deck. You're planning to Synchro Summon a Level 6 Monster, aren't you?" Lailah continued to analyze.

"Now I Synchronize Breeze the Zephyr with Damascus the Polar Night!" Dezel continued and the process began.

Breeze took flight to becoming the three Synchro Rings from its Level 3.

(Level: 3 + 3 = 6)

"The hunter birdman is ready to arm himself and hunt that even prey cannot escape!" Dezel chanted for his Synchro Summon.

Three Synchro Rings then scan Damascus, which change into a glowing yellow outline of itself and turning into a number of 3 stars which correspond to its Level. A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"Synchro Summon! Blackwing Armed Wing of Level 6 is ready to hunt you!"

Armed Wing took flight and charged with a blue and orange crossbow.

(Blackwing Armed Wing - ATK: 2300 - Level 6)

Lailah anticipated the arrival of Dezel's Blackwing Synchro Monster.

"I knew you were going to bring in Armed Wing for the purpose of inflicting damage on me that even though my Flamvell Dragnov remained in Defense Mode..." She recalled the image of her Trap card in mind, "Nice performance, but sorry your move will eventually fail when it gets scorched by my Blazing Mirror Force Trap."

"You will suffer the piercing power of my Armed Wing! Even your Monster will not be able to protect you!" He told to her while smirked.

Armed Wing pointed his colored crossbow to Dragnov.

(Blackwing Armed Wing - ATK: 2300 + 500 = 2800)

"Attack the Flamvell Dragnov! Black Charge!"

As his Monster strafed with bullets with a spacial laser-like sound, a magic barrier of flames appeared protecting Lailah's Monster, returning towards Armed Wing and got burned, caused it to be vanished from the field.

"Impossible! My attack was repelled by a flame barrier?!" Dezel cried out in shock.

"You should understand that sometimes you have to fight fire with fire. Even if your wind could blow to put out the fire, know that the fire always ignited to keep burning until they were in ashes." Lailah told him philosophically.

The blaze first propelled back at Lailah, inflicting her effect damage by the Blazing Mirror Force.

(Lailah - LP: 4000 - 1150 = 2850 - Cards in hand: 2)

"Your carelessness costs your own Life Points!" She said as the flames propelled back at Dezel as well.

(Dezel - LP: 4000 - 1150 = 2850 - Cards in hand: 4)

"You're lucky on that vicious shot..." Dezel growled, he then set one card onto his field and ended his turn, "But how are you going to react to my face-down card blowing on you?"

Symonne on her side, just watched the tornado where the two Seraphim are trapped inside.

"It's a pretty fun show for entertainment. You might yell at him, but Dezel will remain under the control of my parasite in his brain."

She chuckled evilly. Inside Dezel's brain where the Fusion Parasite was housed, the little insect eyes light up.

"Come on, we have to stop this Duel! We are Seraphim, aren't we?" Lailah tried once again to stop him.

"Sorry, but Rose and I are only quitting if our dearest dream comes true!" Dezel refused.

"How's that a dream? I don't get it!" She blinked.

"The world as we know it is deteriorating every day because of these rotten humans who have tarnished our planet! That's why me and Rose were fighting for our ideal! I hate evil, and I love justice!" He explained.

The scenario imagined once all of the 6 Signer Dragons gathered, the Crimson Dragon formed upon its future resurrection. And then the world of Glenwood plunged into utter chaos.

"But to do that, we needed to gather all 6 Signer Dragons around the world since their reappearance 10 years ago. Once we capture them all, we can bring the Crimson Dragon back to life, and we can create the world we dream of... Even if it means turning to absolute evil."

"You are completely crazy!" She widened her eyes.

"It's the truth!" He replied, "Even if you don't approve of our actions... As long as you don't oppose us, we will do us no harm! I ask you to wait a little longer... The world we all dream of will soon be born. We'll have to transform this old rotten and perverted world into a new one... Where there are no more lowest ones. Imagine if one moment we can create a future free of pain and suffering."

Lailah remained silent during his dialogue.

"But of course it would have been necessary to sow chaos and destruction in the name of our ideal."

"To create a world through destruction?" She whispered tensely before shouting out in opposition. "Don't do this!! You chose the wrong side!! If you fight out of pure hate, you'll end up turning into a Hellion!!"

"What do I care?"

"Wake up! You have been manipulated by evil!" Lailah tried to open his eyes.

"So what?" Dezel denied, "You're laughing at our beliefs! Now tell me where is the Ancient Fairy Dragon?"

Lailah growled,

"Listen to me! If you wanted to create an ideal world that you dream of, you should switch sides and join Sorey to fight evil!"

"Hurry up and draw a card!" He urged her to play her turn.

Lailah drew her next card, "As you want!"

A blue rift bringing another Flamvell Monster onto Lailah's field.

"I summon Flamvell Magician!" She announced.

(Flamvell Magician - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

"Like you, I too summon a Synchro Monster ready to ignite the inner fire!" She declared while her Flamvell Tuner Monster got turned into four light rings and scaned her other Monster.

(Level: 4 + 2 = 6)

"Ignite the fire in your fists and char all who stand in the way!" Lailah chanted to her Synchro Summoning.

Dragnov turning into a number of 2 stars which correspond to its Level. A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon a Level 6 Monster... Flamvell Uruquizas!!"

A fire fighter materialized and freed himself from the flames.

(Flamvell Uruquizas - ATK: 2100 - Level: 6)

"You're not the only one with a good asset!" Dezel revealed his Trap from his field, "I activate Lost Wind!"

A dark wind blew towards Uruquizas, leaving him windswept and blackened.

"As you specially summoned your Monster, the Lost Wind not only half its Attack but also nullified its special ability!"

(Flamvell Uruquizas - ATK: 2100 - 1050 = 1050)

"Maybe, but you're still vulnerable to a direct attack! Uruquizas, hit him!" She declared, then Uruquizas ingnited his fists to strike down Dezel.

(Dezel - LP: 2850 - 1050 = 1700 - Cards in hand: 3)

On the boys' side, Sorey tried to convince his friend.

"Do you think we should do something to help Lailah?" He inquired.

"Nothing now, but I know Lailah can pull it off. I'm sure she'll get there." He answered.

Symonne frowned, "If this Seraph continues to drop his Life Points, Dezel will never make it through these conditions."

She was pulling out a Fusion Parasite card in an effort to plan a plot against Lailah.

"If I implant my parasite in the brain of this one, I could manipulate her in order to make her give up and thus ally herself with me and betray her companions."

Her card glowed upon activation, then a tiny size of that parasite fell on her right shoulder in an attempt to enter Lailah's brain through her ear. But very quickly, she caught the parasite before it entered her ear and crushed it. She glanced up as the tiny Fusion Parasite vanished from her hand.

"What was that awful bug?"

She end up deducing that her opponent was perhaps manipulated by one of Symonne's Fusion Parasites.

Lailah gasped, "Did that critter control him?"

Symonne growled at her failed attempt to manipulate Lailah.

"I understand now, it's this horrible thing that has taken the Seraph under control. It must be the work of an enemy who uses these parasites to achieve evil ends." She looked at Dezel as a dark aura manifested in him.

"Well, are you already finished? So I draw!"

Picking up the next card from his deck, Dezel glanced quickly.

"Perfect, he's the one I need to fly to victory."

He slapped his card onto his Duel Disk blade,

"Blackwing - Sudri the Phantom Glimmer! Come to me!"

The masked humanoid purple bird armed with two black zig-zag striped pistols, emerged from the blue rift and materialized.

(Blackwing - Sudri the Phantom Glimmer - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

"When Sudri is summoned to my field, I take a card to escalate my game." He took one card from his deck. "And even better, I get quite a surprise when I specially summon Blackwing - Vata the Emblem of Wandering!"

The small Blackwing Tuner came out from the blue rift and materialized.

(Blackwing - Vata the Emblem of Wandering - ATK: 800 - Level: 2)

"I've never seen this bird before. This one was unfamiliar to me." Lailah widened her eyes, not expecting her opponent's new strategy. "Impossible, don't tell me he will-"

"By activating Vata's special ability, I send a Blackwing Monster from my deck that gives all equal 8!" He declared.

The spirit of the Blackwing - Zonda the Dusk soared from Dezel's deck into the air, Vata took flight with him. Vata was turning into the two black Synchro Rings from his Level 2 along with the red emblem. Two black Synchro Rings then scan Zonda, which change into a glowing yellow outline of himself and turning into a number of 6 stars of his Level.

(Level: 2 + 6 = 8)

"Dark dragon with a noble heart, soar through a night sky towards the full moon!" Dezel chanted to his Synchro Summoning.

Vata's red emblem flew between the two black Synchro Rings. A dark and purple tornado of black feathers then enveloped the stars and the emblem, passing through the black rings.

"I Synchro Summon!! Level 8!! Protect us with your darkness, Black-Winged Dragon!!" Dezel shouted.

A huge dark seal appeared on the ground of the field, such a phenomenal force blew all around. Then the Signer Dragon gracefully through the air, dropping his black feathers. Black-Winged Dragon spread his feathered wings and roared.

(Black-Winged Dragon - ATK: 2800 - Level: 8)

"It can't be..." The sight of this Signer Dragon seemed familiar to her.

Being more than 1000 years old Seraph, Lailah was well aware of the existence of the Signer Dragons thus being aware of their reappearance 10 years ago.

"And yes, you remember my dear Black-Winged Dragon better than anyone." Dezel said. Then the Monster card disintegrated into the black vortex. "And that's not all, by banishing my Blackwing - Zonda the Dusk from my Graveyard, I can bring my other Blackwing over Level 5 in exchange for receiving damage equal to Attack Points."

He showed his other Monster card,

"So I bring Blackwing - Elphin the Raven to my field!"

The blue rift emerged Elphin and materialized.

(Blackwing - Elphin the Raven - ATK: 2200 - Level: 6)

Then the Black-Winged Dragon shielded Dezel from a falling energy stream that was about to fall on him. But in exchange, a portion of his feathers turn black-red and lose 700 Attack Points.

(Black-Winged Dragon - ATK: 2800 - 700 = 2100)

"I have my three birds ready to rip your wings off where you won't fly anymore!" He declared to go on his offensive. "Sudri the Phantom Glimmer, shoot Flamvell Uruquizas with your Phantom Bullets!"

"Now I ignite my Trap that get you burned in return! Backfire!" Lailah interjected as she lifted her card from her field. "I told you never to play with fire! Because that would cost your 500 Life Points!"

Lailah's unveiled ruse had him growled. This didn't stop Sudri from destroying Lailah's Flamvell Monster due to his order to attack already being executed, even at the cost of losing her 350 Life Points but it was well worth it.

(Lailah - LP: 2850 - 350 = 2500 - Cards in hand: 2)

Then a storm of flame blew towards Dezel by the effect of Backfire. But luckily for him, his Black-Winged Dragon protected him from burn effect damage in return for losing 700 Attack Points and getting a second Black Feather Counter as the other portion of feathers turn black. That didn't stop Dezel from continuing to attack since he always had two other Monsters with him.

(Black-Winged Dragon - ATK: 2100 - 700 = 1400)

"Yes but my dragon is always to protect me from the damage that is intended for me." Dezel reminded her. "Looks like your flame is going out! My Monsters will now sweep you away!"

First, Elphin flew towards Lailah generating his own black feathered spiral drill.

"Blackwing - Elphin the Raven, attack! Raven Spiral Rush!"

However, Lailah smirked like she had already planned out what was going to happen.

"Sorry but, once again your offensive plan is getting itself swept away."

She then unveiled her other face-down card from the field.

"I activate my Trap which burns you if you get too close! Firewall!"

The flame spirit of Uruquizas appeared in front of Lailah to protect her, neutralizing Elphin's attack while the card got banished as being sucked into a black vortex.

"By banishing Uruquizas from my Graveyard which was a Pyro Monster, I neutralize your attack!"

The flame spirit of Uruquizas vanished after accomplishing.

"At least I can minimize the damage on his next attack, means I can hold on for one last turn before I lose to him..."

The Black-Winged Dragon launched a burst of dark red spiral.

"Black-Winged Dragon attack her with your Shadow Squall Blast!" He ordered to his Ace Monster to attack.

(Lailah - LP: 2500 - 1400 = 1100 - Cards in hand: 2)

Lailah was thrown to the ground by the attack while screaming. Out of the tornado, Sorey had a bad feeling.

"Who is it Sorey?" Mikleo asked.

"I feel Lailah is at her wit's end."

Then he uttered a desperate cry of appeal,

"Lailah!! Can you hear me?! LAILAAAH!!"

Back inside the storm, despite the low intensity of the call, Lailah who was unconscious for a short time, seemed to hear Sorey's voice.

"LAILAAAH!!!"

She then recalled a flashback to over 1000 years in the past before the final battle against Artorius and the Innominat in which Lailah did not participate. Lailah was in the company of Laphicet and his friend and Ace Monster, the Ancient Fairy Dragon to carry on a conversation.

"Before we face off in one last battle, I ask you to promise me one thing, Lailah..." Laphicet expressed his last wish, "I want you to watch over the Ancient Fairy Dragon when the Signer Dragons return to the human world 1000 years in the future."

Lailah glanced at Ancient Fairy Dragon before glanced back at him.

"Don't let her fall into the wrong hands of ill-intentioned people. Only you who watched over my dragon."

"Do I really have to keep my promise to you Laphicet?" She inquired.

"I'm sorry to ask you. It would seem selfish to you, but she was very pure of all Crimson Dragon's offsprings." He admitted.

"Lailah, I know I can trust you. For you were the purest Seraph of all. You are capable of keeping your promise to Laphicet." The Ancient Fairy Dragon said with a wise tone.

She nodded, "I swear to protect you when the day comes."

'It's true, I haven't forgotten the promise that I was protecting you at any cost.'

The following flashback 10 years ago showed when the Signer Dragons reappeared in the human world, the Ancient Fairy Dragon returned to Lailah and have a good time together as friends; like soaring through the air on the back of the Ancient Fairy Dragon, diving into water and sleeping together on a tree. But later when the Ancient Fairy Dragon was tainted by Malevolence under unknown circumstances, Lailah had her sealed away in order to slow her progress towards becoming a Hellion.

'But when you were affected by the Malevolence, I sealed you in a temple where when the time came when I finally found the Shepherd Duelist capable of purifying you.'

Lailah snapped out of her past memories in order to focus on her Duel against Dezel, she stood up and again armed herself with her own Duel Disk.

"You still won't give up? Or even tell me where the Ancient Fairy Dragon is?" He said, was slightly surprised at the will of his opponent. "Unless you're looking to get carried away by my storm?"

Lailah looked at her two remaining cards in her hand; the two cards are D.D. Dynamite and Soul of Fire. "...These two cards can't help me. Because of his Black-Winged Dragon, he protects him from effect burn damage, but it weakens his attack." She looked at her deck carried from her own Duel Disk, "There is only one card that can defeat his dragon. It all depends on my last draw that I draw."

The card she drew is the one she needed the most; Flamvell Grunika. Dezel suspected something in Lailah's drawn card.

"Looks like the chips are down." She told him more confidently than ever.

"What are you talking about?" Dezel gritted.

"I'm of course talking about the last card that will burn to ashes your victory that you thought you got!" She showing her Monster card to him.

A blue rift opened, bringing Lailah's Flamvell Monster. It is a blue-violet dragon with orange scales. He has two big blue wings. He wears brown pants and sandals. He holds a flame in his left hand.

"The one who is able to defeat your Black-Winged Dragon is... Flamvell Grunika!"

(Flamvell Grunika - ATK: 1700 - Level: 4)

"What?! You're going to use such a weak Monster to destroy my dragon?! Are you kidding!" Dezel exclaimed in shock.

"You have finally understood that I have the firm intention of destroying your Black-Winged Dragon which has been sufficiently weakened by protecting you against burning damage!" Lailah told him, "Which allows Grunika to burn your remaining Life Points to ashes!"

Dezel growled as Lailah had managed to orchestrate her entire strategy with the aim of annihilating his Black-Winged Dragon.

"Your dragon is Level 8... So that means you'll take 1400 burn!"

Then Grunika's flame in his hand grew larger, preparing for the final attack.

"It's over now!" Lailah ordered her Monster to attack, "Flamvell Grunika, destroy the Black-Winged Dragon! Dragonic Flame!"

Grunika sent his dragon-like flame energy towards the Black-Winged Dragon and burned him with pain.

"Black-Winged Dragon no!" Dezel cried at his Ace Monster's destruction.

The Black-Winged Dragon's body had been reduced to ashes.

(Dezel - LP: 1700 - 300 = 1400 - Cards in hand: 1)

"When Grunika destroys a Monster, you also take the flaming damage! Therefore, you lost the Duel against me!" She told at her Monster's effect.

Flamvell Grunika threw a fireball at Dezel that made him groan in pain as he shielded himself.

(Dezel - LP: 1400 - 1400 = 0 - Cards in hand: 1)

"You lost the Duel! Now I can free you from the grip of this evil inside you!" She declared.

But before Lailah can do, Dezel used his card, Lost Wind, which he had previously used against the Flamvell Uruquizas.

"You may have defeated me, but next time it's different where we meet again!" He told her before activated it to disappear himself with his two remaining Blackwings.

The tornado dissipated, leaving Lailah behind. Which relieved both Mikleo and Sorey to see her safe and sound.

Sorey gasped in relief, "Lailah!"

Both boys rushed to her.

"Lailah are you okay?!"

"Yes." She answered him. "But, except that he left without a trace..."

The only thing left in a specific location are the tornado marks on the ground.

Later at the exit of the Vivia Subterranean Aqueduct, Sorey found with the gentleman he had saved from a Hellion.

"Thank you for saving me young Shepherd Duelist." The man was very grateful to him.

"Oh it's nothing, the important thing that you are safe and sound sir." Sorey replied kindly.

"We are very grateful to you for rescuing our friend. Thanks again for everything." One of his friends was grateful to Sorey.

"Come on, I'm leaving and take care of yourself." Sorey left.

"Whoah say he's the one who pulled the sword in addition to freeing the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!" One of the men commented admirably.

"I admit that I almost had fear since that moment." Another man confessed.

At nightfall in the Shaorune Inn to spend a night, Mikleo was alone in the terrace when Sorey approached him to talk about it.

"Uh Mikleo, how is everything okay?" Sorey started.

"Watching you since today, I have come to realize that you have fully accepted your duty as a Shepherd Duelist." He confessed. "Now that you've become one, I don't know what to do to make you useful. I feel like I'm just going to become a drag on you."

"What are you talking about?! You've never been a burden to me!" Sorey replied.

Then he recalled a memory where they faced Lunarre in a Duel with the Match Winner card, Sanctity of Dragon.

"When we faced Lunarre in a Duel, it was still thanks to you that we got away unscathed! And it was you who defeated the Sanctity of Dragon thanks to your strategy!"

"You're right, we were a great team you and I... But now you've become the Shepherd Duelist, the only thing I should do is help you... But for that I have to go in my own search."

"What?! You're going to leave me?!" Sorey wondered in shock.

"Since you merged with Lailah becoming an Armatus for the first time becoming a Shepherd Duelist, I feel like I wouldn't be up to it to help you, as a friend and partner. The only thing I should do is walk away."

"But you don't have to-" Sorey protested before being cut off.

"Listen Sorey, I want to get stronger if I want to help with our plan to save the world. For that I have to go to the Galahad Ruins to find the artifact and come back to you... Don't forget that I'm a Duelist like you."

Then Mikleo left without Sorey chasing or stopping him.

"Wait Mikleo!" Sorey held out his hand slightly.

"Take good care of yourself Sorey. I don't know how soon I'll be gone but I swear I'll be back very soon... I promise you that no matter what, I won't let you down." He said one last time. "If you need advice, Lailah and Alisha can help you."

Mikleo closed the bedroom door and left while Sorey remained silent at his departure. As Mikleo departed from Ladylake, he advanced a long way without even returning. Then he summoned his Ace Monster, Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon to talk about it on his personal quest.

"Lord Mikleo, did you leaving Sorey your other friends?" He inquired in a baritone voice.

"Yes. I need to go on my own research." Mikleo nodded.

"Is it that Seraph who told you about the Galahad Ruins where the artifact is?" He asked.

"Yes. I wanted to help him at all costs only on the condition that I must become stronger on my side, Sorey is my friend."

"The ruins are much further away, you need my assistance to be able to access it quickly." Poseidra informed him.

"Then I'm going to give you a hand." Mikleo equipped his Monster with the Aqua Jet card. Then he climbed on his back. "Well, time to rush straight ahead like a boat through the air... And rush!"

The Aqua Jet propelled itself at incredible speed, allowing Poseidra to soar through the air like a rocket.

In a small corner in Ladylake, Lailah contented herself with staring into the starry sky.

"I not forget the promise to watch over you after Laphicet leaves. Whatever happens, I will save you from Malevolence by any means thanks to the help of the Shepherd Duelist I have found."

She thought back to the promise she had made to watch over the Ancient Fairy Dragon when she returned to the Human World 10 years ago. The Fire Seraph and the Ancient Fairy Dragon look at each other in a flower field in a valley.

"You remember your promise you made to both of us," The Ancient Fairy Dragon make a pinky swear to Lailah. "You and I will be together forever. Do you promise?"

"... Yes, I do it Ancient Fairy." She crossed a little finger to her in return.

Flower petals blow away in the gentle spring wind.

Chapter Text

The next day after Mikleo left Ladylake, at the entrance to the mansion in an effort to find Alisha, Sorey found her carrying on a conversation with Maltran.

"I'm sorry Princess Alisha, we won't be able to make a full recovery." Maltran shook her head.

"It's alright," Alisha made a brave smile even though it didn't reach her eyes. "You're doing as much as you can."

"What I did was wrong. If you want someone else to make amends…" She let the statement hang in the air between them meaningfully.

"This is enough, I appreciate your efforts." Alisha shook her head and set a hand on her shoulder before squeezing it briefly.

"And will you feel ready?" She asked.

"For what?" The woman tilted her head slightly, sensing something beneath the immediate question.

"As soon as you do, please come and tell me... Please." Alisha's head bowed and a small smile came to her face.

"I greatly admire your chivalrous spirit, but you tend to drive the chancellors up the wall; don't push yourself too hard, Princess. I'll let you know if that happens to you."

Alisha then noticed at her friend's presence.

"Ah, it's you Sorey," She called out.

"Good to see you, Alisha," He replied, waving his arm in greeting.

"Thank you for saving the festival from disaster, Shepherd Duelist Sorey," Maltran expressed her gratitude. "Please make sure to protect and help Alisha; she would be a great asset to your cause."

"Yes. I will do what I can to help her," Sorey nodded.

"Thank you," Maltran smiled before she left them alone.

"As you can see, Maltran was an excellent teacher and a veteran Duelist. One day I want to be like her," Alisha commented admiringly before continuing. "Let's go chat around a table in the garden."

"... 'Kay."

Once they all sat down around the table for a tea party, they began to talk.

"Here is your Royal Knife," Sorey said as he handed it to Alisha.

"It's mine, thank you." She took it from him. "I lost it in the ruins near Elysia."

"The symbol on here proves that it belongs to you," He explained.

"Alisha, can I speak with you about our mission?" Lailah then asked her.

"Yes, go ahead."

"Right now, we are seeking out allies who will help us defeat an entire wave of Malevolence coming from both the Human World and the Spirit World."

"Tell me more," Alisha encouraged her.

"In ancient times following the emergence of Duel Monsters, Seraphim and humans work together to protect their world from Malevolence."

Sorey became intrigued at this news. "Humans and Seraphim worked together?"

Lailah explained to them, "If a vessel possesses a pure heart and bears no stream of Malevolence, we the Seraphim become Lords of the Land. This is how they gain their ability to repel the influence of Malevolence. The sanctuairies were built to honor the Lords of the Land and keep the area safe from Malevolence. But, the sanctuary at Ladylake has neither a Lord of the Land nor a vessel."

"Is there a way to fix this?" Alisha asked.

"Yes. Even if the Shepherd Duelist purifies the Malevolence, it is impossible to maintain the protection of the area without the blessings of a Lord of the Land."

"So I volunteered to find a suitable vessel to search for the Lord of the Land." Alisha said. "As soon as we find one, we take it back to our sanctuary in Ladylake to protect against any trace of Malevolence."

"That's it." Lailah nodded.

"My country have lost all sense of gratitude towards the Seraphim. Moreover, they take pleasure in obtaining the cards to satisfy any desire for power. Recently, they go in search of the Match Winner cards to serve them in the Dueling War which would shortly take place between the countries of Hyland and Rolance." Alisha confessed the truth.

"So we also have to find the Match Winner cards and get them to a place where we can seal them away." Sorey said, referring to his experience. "Mikleo and I have already faced against an opponent who uses a Match Winner card during our Duel."

"Now we have to go to the Great Sanctuary to learn more." Alisha then requested.

Upon arriving at the Great Sanctuary, the place where Sorey released the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and became a Shepherd Duelist, Alisha provided them with further explanation.

"Do you have any clue about the vessel?" Sorey started.

"The vessel must to be free from Malevolence." Alisha explained to them. "In the Galahad Ruins, there's a pure and clean waterfall where the Kings of Hyland traditionally bathe in the water before their coronation ceremonies."

"Water with such purity... It must be a vessel of a Seraph." Lailah suggested.

"The beasts have taken resistance in the ruins even the soldiers cannot hunt them."

"Hmm I believe it may be with the Hellions, right?" Sorey thinking.

"Yes." Lailah nodded. "If we don't hurry the waterfall could be compromised by Malevolence and we would have no chance of enshrine and worpship it. Right now, Malevolence is quite intense in Ladylake. The water is very delicate and can easily be corrupted by Malevolence."

"Is there a possible way to purify Ladylake from Malevolence?" Sorey asked.

"Yes. We will need the cooperation of a Seraph of Water. As a Fire Seraph, I'm afraid I am whooly mismatched."

"About Mikleo, I haven't seen him in a while. Where is he?" Alisha asked in his absence.

"Uh it's a long story we'll talk about it after it's quickly settled." Sorey replied without even giving her any information about him.

"Oh, maybe he'll be back any moment." Alisha suggested.

"Then it's time to go to the Galahad Ruins to fire the Hellions directly!" He declared.

Just then, Ian and Shiller barged in the sanctuary.

"What's up, Ian and Shiller?" Alisha asked them.

"Chancellor Bartlow want Sorey to come to the Roundtabel Palace." Shiller informed her. "He needs to talk to Sorey one-on-one."

"The same guy who was a commentator at the Turbo Arena?" Sorey guessed correctly.

"He desires an individual discussion with you," Ian informed him.

"If it's that important, I guess I have no choice but to go." He accepted without delay.

"Wait Sorey, be wary of Chancellor Bartlow, he might have something up his sleeve." Alisha tried holding him back as she warned him.

"Don't worry," Sorey said with a smile. "Lailah will watch over me."

"It is true. You should take extra care as he must be scheming something," Lailah concurred.

Meanwhile on their way where Mikleo had been riding on Poseidra's back, they inspect various places in order to find the Galahad Ruins they are looking for.

"There I found the ruins you seek." Poseidra indicated.

"Perfect, let's go inspect in there!" Mikleo said.

Poseidra flew down to the Galahad Ruins using the Aqua Jet equipped on his back.

A little later, the blue carriage pulled up to the entrance of the Roundtabel Palace. One of Chancellor Bartlow's advisers was there to greet Sorey as he stepped out of the vehicle.

"Welcome back, Shepherd Duelist Sorey." The counselor said before motioning for Alisha not to get down. "Your Highness, you must stay in the carriage on order of the Chancellor. The tea party is only open to the Shepherd Duellist."

"Ah, right," Alisha acknowledged, recalling what Ian and Shiller had told her about this requirement.

"It looks like they're trying to separate you two by making him go alone," Lailah commented skeptically. "If you ask me, they're up to something nasty."

"I'll be fine... Just do as I said," Alisha encouraged him with a smile before closing the door and the carriage drove away.

"If you'd kindly follow me," The adviser asked Sorey, "The Chancellor is expecting you in his chamber."

Navigating their way through the Galahad Ruins, Mikleo and Poseidra observe the environment with great care.

"The artifact must be nearby," Poseidra observed.

Mikleo took a moment to look at some wall carvings. "Look here, these are Duelists battling with their Duel Monsters over the centuries."

"Indeed," Poseidra nodded. "Since we Monsters landed on Earth during the Scarlet Night, people have taken them in as cards and became Duelists."

"We're nearly there. I just need to find the artifact then I can head back to Sorey," Mikleo declared.

In the dining room of the Roundtabel Palace, a magnificent feast was spread out on the long table.

"Thank you for coming, Shepherd Duelist Sorey," Bartlow said with admiration in his voice. "Your performance in that Deck Master Turbo Duel against Rose from the Sparrowfeathers Guild was particularly skillful."

"Thank you for the kind words," Sorey responded. "I must tell you that this Duel was pretty heated at the last moment; I almost lost it there."

"I was just going to talk about all this, and so about the Match Winner cards that the people of Hyland and Rolance are looking for." Bartlow said as he reached for his cup. "But first, let's enjoy a glass of orange juice."

As Sorey took his, Lailah's hand stopped him. Of course Bartlow can't see or hear her since he was an ordinary human.

"Wait a sec'. We have to check if he didn't admit sleeping pills in the glass of orange juice." She warned him, "He may be planning to make you sleep and then take you somewhere weird."

"What's wrong with you? Orange juice don't you like?" Bartlow asked.

"No no it's nothing." Sorey waving both his hands in deny, "I'm just hesitant to drink this."

"Don't worry the orange juice is of good quality. You can drink without any worries." Bartlow reassured him.

"Well, if you insist."

Sorey drank his glass of juice without hesitation in three seconds and put it down.

"So what do you think? It's the best quality that we produce in the country of Hyland. But alas this year, the harvests have greatly deteriorated and our foodstuffs are becoming scarcer." He explained.

"If I came at your request, why was it?" Sorey asked.

"I have three questions to ask you so you had to answer honestly."

"I'm listening."

"Are you aware of the existence of Match Winner cards?" Bartlow asked the first question.

"Yes," Sorey replied.

"The Match Winners are a series of monsters that allow the player to win the entire Duel with one sinlgle direct attack. But their summoning conditions are largely difficult to perform." Bartlow explained to him. "Now, they were all over our world so the Duelists are looking for them; our goal is to seize them all and lead us to the Dueling War against the people of Rolance."

"I believe I had to deal with an opponent who used a Match Winner, and I defeated him." Sorey confessed.

"Ooh, that's awesome you defeated at Match Winner. Honestly you have what it takes to be a good Duelist." Bartlow was flattering.

"That's nice of you." He replied naively.

"Regarding your Duel against Rose, how were you able to free the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend from the seal that held it inside the Sacred Sword?" Bartlow asked a second question.

"Although I hardly remember it, I had a strange flame that ignited at the level of my left chest. I therefore released this dragon before revealing its true appearance." Sorey confessed frankly.

"Hmm, an inner flame that's all?" Bartlow grew puzzled.

"That's all I can tell you." He concluded the second one.

"You better get away. I'm sure that fat pig is up to some bad luck." Lailah warned him, having been suspicious of Bartlow for a while.

"I have a favor to ask of you...Would you like to join me and work for me? We can appropriate the Match Winners and use them against the people of Rolance and conquer the entire neighboring country. And in exchange I offer you a lot of rewards like playing cards that improve your Dueling skills. What do you think about it?" Bartlow offered him a deal.

"... Sorry... But I can't join you. And I have other plans to do as a Shepherd Duelist." Sorey declined his deal proposal. "It is my duty to save the world from ruin and doom."

"Really?" Bartlow frowned.

"Besides, if you're using me to carry out a war project, it's no way to join you." Sorey rose from the chair and was about to leave the dining room. "I have one last question to ask you... Do you intend to kick Alisha out of the kingdom and use me to fulfill your tyrant desires?"

"...That's why I hate muleheads like you." Bartlow twisted his lips in disgust. "Get him."

A single command from Bartlow was enough to suddenly capture Sorey before he got away with his troop of soldiers.

"But what is that?!" Sorey rose his cry.

"Sorey!" Lailah exclaimed.

"Sorry, but I wouldn't let you go like that. If you want to leave as you please, we're going to have to Duel." Bartlow revealed his true intention.

"What, a Duel?!" Sorey's verdant eyes blinked.

Bartlow and his guard of soldiers took Sorey to a specific room.

"Where are you taking me?" Sorey asked.

"Come on boy, we're in my Dueling arena."

Bartlow snapped his fingers, causing the floor platform to split in two, resulting in the Duel specific floor platform emerging. Then the lights of the projectors illuminate all around the room.

"A Dueling arena." Lailah wondered slightly. "So is that it?"

"Now we will face each other under the rules of the Deck Master Dueling that I have established." Bartlow told him.

Bartlow's adviser brought his Duel Disc on a red pillow.

"If you win the Duel against me, I'll let you go..." He picked up his Duel Disc and fitted it to his left arm. "But, if you lose you have to join my own cause. Do you understand?"

"I accept the deal!" Sorey put his on his left arm; his Duel Disc unfolded and lit up with Solid Vision.

"Well, all that remains is to choose your Deck Master." He informed.

"I know what I'm going to choose!" Sorey declared while showing his Link card, causing his Deck Master to be materialized. "My Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara will be my Deck Master!"

"Ooh that's quite a wise choice on your part. Your Deck Master is quite the powerful kind. As for me..." Bartlow commented, and he revealed his Match Winner card to him. "I chose Iron Knight of Revolution as my Deck Master."

The revelation shocked Sorey and Lailah. It wasn't the first time Sorey had dealt with a Match Winner; he remembered that he had faced one of theirs during his Duel against Lunarre.

Upon its appearance, the Iron Knight of Revolution is a Machine Monster with two heads of a dragon-horse so the long body is seemed like an iron train. While the body of an iron knight armed itself with a spear and a shield.

"A Match Winner!" Sahasrara yelled in shock at its presence.

"But how could you? How could you get such a card?!" Sorey asked him in shock.

"I managed to obtain it and appropriate it by all my possible means!" Bartlow explained. "Honestly, I'm proud to have one! But it would be cooler to have them all together, and then it's up to me to conquer!"

"Sorey, we have to defeat this guy and get that Match Winner card from him!" Lailah said to him.

"Yeah!" He nodded.

Bartlow's Duel Disk unfolded and lit up and drew five cards once.

It's time for Duel!!" Both men shouted, and their Duel begins.

(Bartlow - 4000 LP)

(Sorey - 4000 LP)

"Here we go, old grandpas must start in the first turn!" Bartlow drew a card. "I set three cards face-down."

Three of his cards appeared onto his field face-down.

"And then I activate Insect Barrier!"

He placed it into the slot of his Duel Disk, causing the Continuous Spell card to appear.

"I place my Monster face down."

His other face-down card in Defense Position appeared onto the field.

"There, I completed my first turn." Bartlow declared, then a snarky expression appeared from his face. "You will know very soon the fate I have in store for you."

"Master Sorey, we must be careful... All this is saying nothing worthwhile." Sahasrara warning him.

"Good, my turn!" Sorey drew a card. "Since I don't have any Non-Effect Monsters on the field, I specially summon Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna!"

Just after Sorey placed his card onto his Duel Disk blade slot, Ashuna emerged from the blue rift and materialized onto his field.

(Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna - ATK: 1600 - Level: 7)

"I then summon Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing!" He showed his Yang Zing card, causing his Monster to emerged from the blue rift.

(Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1900 - Level: 4)

"Now Ashuna! Attack Bartlow's face-down Monster!" Sorey ordered, pointed his finger.

Ashuna flew to Bartlow's face-down card. But upon attacking, the Monster card revealed itself and grabbed Ashuna's head like a quick lightning bolt. Bartlow smirked as his first plan strategy had worked. It was revealed that his Monster turned out to be Kiseitai; a kind of white worm with one eye and four small wings on its head.

"Eww! What is that horrible thing is?!" Lailah exclaimed in shock and disgust.

"Hin hin hin hin, this is Kisetai. An ideal ally to trap you in the front line." Bartlow evilly chuckled. "My leech is able to nab the attacker first. And on each of your turns, my Monster absorbs half of your Monster's Attack Points. And don't forget that I have two others at my disposal to trap you."

"You forget that there is Suanni who directly attack your Life Points!" Sorey interjected as his Fire Yang Zing spat a ball of flame at Bartlow.

(Bartlow - LP: 4000 - 1900 = 2100 - Cards in hand: 2)

"Yes that's right, enjoy while there's still time! But sooner or later, my real plan has already begun!" He scoffed arrogantly.

Then he drew a card after Sorey's turn had already ended without him having to say.

"I place another Monster face down and my turn is already over!" Bartlow placed his already drawned face-down card onto the Duel Disk blade.

"Another face-down Monster?" Sorey eyed to the field. "I'm sure this is another Kisetai to trick me."

When he drew a card, the effect of the Kisetai activated. It absorbed Ashuna's energy that making it roared in pain, and Bartlow's Life Points increased of 800.

(Bartlow - LP: 2100 + 800 = 2900 - Cards in hand: 2)

"Thank you for the 800 Life Points, but next time you bring a much more powerful Monster so I can increase more Life Points!" Bartlow sneered sarcastically. "I still have some of my insect staff to train so I can squash you like the fly you are!"

"Sorey, you should to get rid of that horrible critter!" Lailah advised him.

"I Summon Tenyi Spirit - Nahata!" His wind dragon spirit emerged out from the blue rift and materealized.

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - ATK: 800 - Level: 4)

"Now it's time for a Link Summon!" He declared.

The two Arrowhead portals appeared on Sorey's field. The Tenyi Spitits, Nahata and Ashuna, and the Yang Zing, Suanni, were used for the summonings, it then enter the portal, activating the respective Link Arrows from within the portals.

"I bring the circuit that builds the path that leads to a new adventure!" Sorey called as the circuit appeared.

First, the monk appeared in the Extra Monster Zone from Sorey's field. Then, the shaman appeared in the zone behind the monk.

"Link Summon! Link 1, Monk of the Tenyi! Link 2, Shaman of the Tenyi!"

(Monk of the Tenyi - ATK: 1000 - Link 1)

(Shaman of the Tenyi - ATK: 1600 - Link: 2)

"I set a card and I finished my turn." One of Sorey's cards appeared face down onto the field. "Right now, I can't risk sending one of my Monsters into battle. I should be extra careful if I don't want to fall into this same kind of crude trap."

However, Bartlow sarcastically chuckled that making Sorey confused.

"But what makes you laugh, Bartlow?" He frowned.

"I knew you couldn't risk attacking me!" He confessed, "You were afraid of falling into the trap again! But, what you see in front was not another Kisetai that I placed in the previous turn... But another insect that I intend to use against you! Your reluctance will cost you dear!"

Sorey gasped after realizing that his strategic choice due to hesitation was a big mistake.

"That's pretty good actually," Bartlow smirked as he finally found the card he needed. "I have drawn the card that will excite the insects to the pleasant song of the whistle that is inside your deck!" Bartlow then flipped his face-down card. "But before that, I will reveal my Insect Monster that will infect your own Monsters once sneaking into your deck!"

(Parasite Paracide - ATK: 500 - Level: 2)

Just as the parasite had just appeared on the field, it quickly snuck into Sorey's deck, shuffled it.

"Then as a second part of my sneaky plan, I use with the Jade Insect Whistle!" Bartlow placed his Spell card into the slot of his Duel Disk. "It allows me to attract the card called the Parasite Paracide directly on the top of your deck!"

In Sorey's Duel Disc, deck glowed, the Paracid Parasite card appeared face-up on top.

"Oh! No! This card got into my deck!" Sorey blinked in shock. "If I draw this card next turn, my Monk and my Shaman will end up serving themselves as foul insect food!"

"You're only delaying the inevitable Sorey. None of your cards will be able to save you, and your poor Monsters will end up getting wormed."  Bartlow smirked maliciously, he then raised up his Trap from the field. "To show me generosity, I activate The Gift of Greed."

"In other words, do I have to draw two cards?" Sorey deduced.

"And yes, you have to draw two more cards counting my parasite that I introduced to your deck; I already told you that you can't escape the inevitable. It's your fault if you chose not to attack on your previous turn, and yes." Bartlow told him.

When Bartlow's card was activated, the two cards from Sorey's deck were automatically drawn. As a result, the Parasite Paracide materialized on Sorey's field after emerging from the blue rift.

(Parasite Paracide - DEF: 300 - Level: 2)

Then, the Duel Disc sent an electric shock on Sorey due to the effect of the parasite, causing him to scream in pain.

(Sorey - LP: 4000 - 1000 = 3000 - Cards in hand: 4)

Worse afterwards, the Parasite Paracide's tentacles leech onto both the Shaman and the Monk painfully to much Sahasrara's horror.

"Warning the worst is to come after you lost your 1000 Life Points!" Bartlow told him. "My parasite will be able to infect your poor Monsters! And as long as it stays on the field, all your remaining Monsters will be infected too!"

"The Shaman and the Monk get infected!" Sahasrara shouted. "That's horrible!"

"Yuck that's really disgusting! That's why I don't like bugs!" Lailah almost feels like throwing up as she watched Sorey's Monsters become infected with the Parasite Paracide introduced by Bartlow.

"Curse you! You parasitized my Monk and my Shaman!" Sorey growled in disgust.

"It's your fault anyway Sorey!" Bartlow replied, not being wrong about his opinion. "If you've been attacking my Parasite Paracide since a while ago, nothing bad happened to your Monsters. You are responsible for them you know. If you send your Deck Master to your field, he will be infected too."

"You seem to be forgetting an important point! I can use my Monsters to count your disgusting parasite as material for a Link Summon!" Sorey fired back.

"Oh really?" Bartlow's face flashed mischievously, as if he knew what his opponent was planning to do. "I activate Pinpoint Dash!"

The Trap card lifted and activated directly from the field. The two cards from each player's Extra Deck flew face down.

"Each of us must reveal a Monster from the Extra Deck. Therefore yours will end up in the Graveyard: when I can swarming my Monster onto the field." He mentioned to the effect of his Trap, Sorey grumbled.

Both cards flipped over, and both turned out to be Link Monsters. The first was Greatfly and the second, the Berserker of the Tenyi. Sorey's card was automatically sent to his Graveyard.

"You're lucky Sorey. You only have Wyrm Monsters," Bartlow said. "My Greatfly is Wind Attribute and an Insect, so mine will also go to the Graveyard. Which means your Link Monster will join on your field."

"Aaah, that's great." Sorey breathed in relief before appearing confident. "So I'm going to bring him back to my side of the field!"

A blue rift brining back the Berserker of the Tenyi in his field.

"Berserker of the Tenyi, come back!"

(Berserker of the Tenyi - ATK: 3000 - Link: 3)

Unfortunately for him, the Parasite Paracide also infected the Berserker, turning him into an Insect type as well. A parasitized part popped out of the Berserker's body.

"Looks like you didn't get that my parasite is still there to turn them into Insects!" Bartlow recalled him.

Then, Bartlow inspected his two cards in hand,

"If in the event that the young kid managed to get rid of my parasite, the DNA Surgery card could serve me as a back-up plan, thus blocking all his attacks thanks to my Insect Barrier."

He placed his card face down onto his field.

"I set one card..." He declared, "I introduce my Iron Knight of Revolution on my side of the field."

His Deck Master stepped forward alongside the other Monster.

"That's it Bartlow decided to bring his Deck Master; which means that if we destroy it, this big bag despot would automatically lose the Duel." Sahasrara said.

"You might as well turn my Monsters into Insects, but I wouldn't mind the fact that I still attack you!" Sorey shouted.

"You are wrong again. You should watch carefully on the Sorey field." He recalled again, "Each of your Monsters were infected by my Parasite Paracide, became useless while my Insect Barrier is active!"

"No!" Sorey blinked.

"Also, I have the DNA Surgery card which allows me to change them to Insects if in case you get rid of my parasite from the field. In other words, there's nothing you can do to beat me! Hahahahaha!"

"The Chancellor is a lot smarter than I thought; with the parasite on top of a Match Winner, he gives me a lot of trouble... But I'm never going to let myself be defeated that way!"

With his three Tenyi Monsters infected with Chancellor Bartlow's Parasite Paracide in addition to the Insect Barrier, Sorey will have a hard time fighting against the latter's devious strategy. Will Sorey be able to foil Bartlow's plans and defeat the Insect deck?

Chapter Text

With the three Tenyi Monsters being infected by Chancellor Bartlow's Parasite Paracide, Sorey found himself in a sticky situation. Also with the presence of the Insect Barrier, all of Sorey's attacks will be blocked.

"Do you see Shepherd Duelist, all these attacks are totally useless!" Bartlow said.

"He's right. To do that, you have to start by getting rid of the Parasite Paracide." Lailah advised him.

Looking at the five cards in his hand after drawing one another in his Draw Phase, there existed none to destroy Bartlow's parasitic card. His cards are Draining Shield, Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyi, Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing, Monster Reborn and Shield & Sword.

"The problem I have none of them who could get rid of this horrible bug." Sorey replied in disappointment. "The only thing I can do about it is set my Monsters in Defense Mode face down so I can get them out of Bartlow's Parasite for a bit and the Trap card in hand is the Draining Shield."

"Don't forget his Deck Master is on the field, so better be extra careful. Additionally, they are Link Monsters and cannot enter Defense Mode." She recalled him. "If you want to defeat Bartlow by destroying his Deck Master, you have to start by destroying the two cards that potentially bugging to your Monsters."

"You're right." He nodded, and drawing up his defensive strategy plan. "I set one card face-down and I set a Monster in Defense Mode to protect me, and that's all."

"And that's all, what a pity..." Bartlow scoffed at him, "Yes, you're right to defend yourself because none of your Monsters that even the most powerful can do anything to stop my Iron Knight of Revolution."

Just after drawing one card, he then revealed his third Trap that he placed on the field from his first turn.

"TA-DAH, and here is DNA Surgery! I may not be a surgeon, but with this card everything is possible! As expected, I declare all Monsters present on the field as Insects!"

By the effect of DNA Surgery since all of Sorey's Monsters were changed to this type by Bartlow's parasite, only the Iron Knight of Revolution who was a Machine Monster, turned into an Insect.

"That means your Iron Knight couldn't attack because of your Insect Barrier!" Sorey shouted.

"You've got it all wrong. Only your Monsters infected with my parasite can't attack, while mine can." Bartlow replied, then activated his only card in hand. "And your next defense card that could defend you longer!"

"A Stop Defense card!" His verdant eyes widened.

"Let's see what you've been hiding."

Sorey's face-down Monster switched its Defense Position to Attack Position and revealed itself to be Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing.

(Jiaotu, Darkness of the Yang Zing - ATK: 0 - Level: 2)

"Wow, a wicked tortoise in darkish appearance but harmless in truth..." Bartlow scoffed in a snarky way. "No worries for my knight, and it is ready to break its shell to make a hunting trophy."

Just after, his Parasite Paracide's tentacles sneaked Jiaotu's body and turned it into a parasitized insect.

"And once again my parasite infects your creature."

"We have to do something Sorey! If Bartlow destroys Jiaotu, you will take great damage!" Lailah shouted.

"It's going to hurt you, you little bum! Iron Knight of Revolution, attack Sorey's Monster!" Bartlow ordered.

"I activate Draining Shield!" He revealed his Trap card from the field, "When an opponent's Monster attacks, it absorbs the entire attack and adds it to my Life Points!"

The magic shield blocked Bartlow's attack and protected Jiaotu from destruction.

(Sorey - LP: 3000 + 2400 = 5400 - Cards in hand: 3)

"You may have delayed my attack, but how long will you hold out against my sneaky strategy?" Bartlow calmly said, ended his turn.

"We'll see!" Sorey drew a card, and placed it directly on his Duel Disc. "I summon Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing in Attack Mode!"

The tiger hybrid Wrym emerged from the blue rift and materialized in Sorey's field, roaring.

(Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1600 - Level: 3)

"Sorey, if you're willing to do a Synchro Summon, then use Bartlow's Parasite Paracide as as one of the materials. Counting your two Yang Zings, this allows you to summon a Level 7 Monster." Lailah advised him.

"You knew that Bi'an had the special ability that I haven't used before..." Sorey explained to her, "On Bartlow's next turn, I can activate it to do a Synchro Summon; and if I do so, it will not be destroyed in battle."

"It's true but Bi'an's effect only works with the Yang Zings as Synchro Materials; Bartlow's Parasite Paracide isn't one, even if you wanted to use its effect." Sahasrara told him otherwise. "Better do it now, there is a card that can break Bartlow's Deck Master."

"You're right, old man. I mustn't waste the opportunity if I am to have a chance of defeating Bartlow." Sorey admitted before continued. "I'm doing a Synchro Summon using Jiaotu as a Tuner, my other Level 3 Monster and your parasite so you gave it to me!"

"I knew you were planning to get rid of my parasite for a Synchro Summon. But I'm not worried since the DNA Surgery and Insect Barrier cards were still active." Bartlow remained calm, aware of Sorey's intention to proceed.

"Here we go, Jiaotu!" He continued as his Tuner's body turned into two green Synchro rings, scanned both Bartlow's Parasite Paracide and Bi'an.

(2 + 2 + 3 = 7)

Their transparent bodies dissipated into two and three light orbs, gathering into 5 stars in line within the rings, enveloped the stars passing through them.

"May the full force of the shadows radiate! The dragon with evil and terrifying powers is ready to annihilate you!" Sorey chanted.

Then a pillar of dark light fell with shadow electricity on the arena.

"Level 7 Synchro Summon! Arise from the dark abyss, Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing!" Sorey shouted as his dark version of the Yang Zing Synchro Monster emerged from the dark light.

(Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing - ATK: 2600 - Level: 7)

Yazi uttered a monstrous roar, but that doesn't worry Bartlow despite the presence of the Wrym Monster. Because despite the disappearance of his Parasite Paracide, the DNA Surgery effect remained active so Yazi in turn transformed into an Insect-type.

"Your new Monster may be strong, but it still turned into an Insect due to my DNA Surgery. The Insect Barrier thus prevents it from attacking me." Bartlow recalled him, then laughed maniacally. "Hahahaha! Not a single card could fail my insect strategy! Not one! And soon you belong to me!"

"I'm sorry to tell you, but..." Sorey smirked however, "The Duel is already over."

"B-But but but this Duel is note over! There's nothing you can do to defeat me!" He protested stuttering.

"Alas, but you will end up being disappointed, I have a card in my hand that will lead you to your own downfall; the only mistake you made was not to introduce your Deck Master on the field, because if it is destroyed you automatically lose. He told him confidently.

He showed his Spell card,

"Now I use the Monster Reborn to relive my Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing!"

Suanni emerged back from the blue rift.

"Next, I reveal Yazi's special ability!"

The dark-winged Yang Zing flapped its wings, sending a dark electric blast at Suanni as if to absorb the energy and destroy it.

"By destroying Suanni who is a Yang Zing Monster, I will annihilate your Iron Knight of Revolution for good!"

"NOOO!!" Bartlow yelled in dismay.

"Oh yes! Thing promised, thing is done, as they say!"

Yazi was generating a burst of dark electrical energy from its own mouth.

"Yazi, Evil of the Yang Zing! Use your special ability! Evil Power Blast!"

It sends the blast to destroy the Iron Knight of Revolution, causing it to explode into a thousand pieces of iron armor that scatter all over the field. As a result of the Deck Master's destruction, Bartlow automatically lost the Duel to Sorey.

"Clearly, you're a lot smarter than I thought." Lailah complimented him.

"Thanks." He answered.

Distraught and dismayed, the chancellor knelt on the ground. The Iron Knight of Revolution card fell to the ground in front of him.

"You did really well to destroy this Match Winner. You are so amazing Sorey." Lailah said.

Then Sorey approached and picked up the Match Winner card without Bartlow being able to react.

"I'll take the Match Winner card with me. You can never get your hands on it again." He told him indifferently. "It's time for me to go."

The Shepherd Duelist left the manor, leaving Chancellor Bartlow alone and dejected.

"It's not fair, my plan is yet infallible." He sobbed miserably.

Later within the Great Sanctuary, Alisha was alone. Then she heard the door open, it was Sorey coming towards her.

"It's you Sorey." She noticed by his presence.

"Yo Alisha." He greeted.

"So how are you going with your visit to the Chancellor? I hope he doesn't cause trouble with you." Alisha asked for now.

"It's precisely that Bartlow, he tempted me to join him in order to wage a war against Rolance. When I refused him, he challenged me to a Duel and... I managed to recover a Match Winner card from him." He confessed while showed it to Alisha.

"... Sorey, I have to show you what I have that you will be surprised to see." She said, and then showed her 12 cards. "Look at them."

The Shepherd Duelist shivered in surprise and shock upon seeing the 12 Match Winner cards Alisha possessed.

"Oh gosh, these are Match Winners!"

"Yes." Alisha nodded. I captured them in more than 6 months thanks to the help of my precious comrades."

She then showed her expression of sadness,

"But on the last expedition that went wrong while hunting for another Match Winner, my comrades were fallen, and I couldn't do anything to save them. I was the only one with Ian and Shiller to have survived the disaster."

"It must be hard for you after everything that's happened." Sorey nodded in sadness.

"Yes. Despite the disaster, Lady Maltran continued to keep me on the straight and narrow and not give up hope. I'm sure that if I can bring peace to the world, my friends will be able to live in peace in the afterlife."

"Honestly, I admire you a lot that you continued to move forward despite the difficulties you faced." Sorey said with admiration in his voice.

"Sorey, please let me accompany in your quest." She seriously requested.

"It takes the power to defeat the Hellions." He replied.

"Don't forget that I'm a Duelist, I'm not going to become a burden for you."

"The Prime Lord can have Sub Lords, so there can be a Squire to the Shepherd Duelist." Lailah's voice said inside Sorey.

"Squire?" She became intrigued by the term.

Lailah emerged out from Sorey's body and materialized, "When Alisha becomes your Squire, she can fight against the Hellions using her playing cards as she within the domain."

"Most sanctuaries in Hyland have always been like this since I was a kid. My country overrun with Malevolence is the only one I've known." She continued before requesting once more, "Please Sorey, take me as your Squire! We must to freed my homeland from Malevolence! You are the person I trust! You could do lots of Duel practice with me! I might even help you achieve your dream of world peace! Please I want to go with you!"

"Just like you'd always dreamed of. So I'll take you on my quest, as my travel partner." Sorey said and accepted.

He held out his hand,

"Welcome to my party, Alisha."

She took his and in turn.

Lailah informed to Sorey for the pact to be fulfilled, "During my incantation, you give unto Alisha a true name in the ancient tongue."

"A real name for Alisha... A real name for Alisha..." Sorey was working his brain out to found one for her.

Lailah took each from their respective hands and began to make the pact.

"A new bud forms on the holy branch. Its flower bring fruit. Its fruit begets seed. The circle of destiny turns once more!" Lailah closed her eyes and chanted as an orange flow enveloped them.

A circle of seal formed and scanned Alisha.

"Give life unto to the will of the Shepherd Duelist, and let it the proof of their bond. The true name as a Squire shall be:"

"Melphis Amekia!" Sorey declared a true name for Alisha. "It meaning the Smiling Alisha!"

The pact is now complete, now Alisha becomes a Squire.

"Happy to be my partner, and be your Squire!" Alisha beamingly smiling.

"Nice to have you as a travel buddy, Alisha!" Sorey smiled back.

"Well, it's time to prepare our cards and Duel Disks and we leave Ladylake for a beautiful adventure that awaits us!" Lailah exclaimed with joy.

Meanwhile at the Galahad Ruins, Mikleo and Poseidra stride down a single hallway.

"We're getting closer to the artifact gradually." Mikleo said.

"Indeed." Poseidra nodded.

"Patience my friend, I'll be back very soon."

The closer they approach, the more they spot a shining point.

"Over there, that must be the artifact we're looking for." Mikleo said.

Eventually, they found the artifact that looked like a wide white bow with navy blue and gold accents that matched to the water element.

"Here it is. Did you see that, Poseidra?" He smiled with satisfaction. "With that, I could become a Sub Lord to Sorey so he can amatize with me."

"I don't think so." A dark female voice interrupted, making him alerted.

It was Symonne along with her Ace Monster, Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair, who appeared before them.

"Hey, aren't you a friend of this human kid? That's good as expected, you fell straight into my trap that I set for you."

"Who are you really?" Mikleo asked, looking wary.

"Once I defeat you, I can serve as your pawn against your friend when I implant my Fusion Parasite in your brain." She announced ominously as she stepped forward with her dark-colored Duel Disk was unfolding, placed her deck into the holder and drew five cards at a time. "You know I'd make you a great guinea pig. An orca like you is quickly trained once caught in a fishing net."

Forced to face her in a Duel, Mikleo slammed his own Duel Disk onto his arm in order to escape with the artefact.

"As you already have your Deck Master with you, I have already chosen Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair as my own Deck Master. Good for starters, I'm activating the Dark Sanctuary." Symonne was the first to draw a card used directly. "The nightmare can finally begin."

The scenery of the ruins changed to an atmosphere much darker and more terrifying than the ruins themselves. The dark red skies are covered with horrifying eyes and mouthes. The castle was behind the user with her Deck Master.

"Be careful, Lord Mikleo. She is surely much more dangerous than you think!" Poseidra warned him.

She showed her Spell, and revealed her three Dark Attribute Monsters, "To begin with I activate The Cheerful Coffin; I bury my 3 Monster cards I've in my hand to the Graveyard."

She send them into her Graveyard slot of her Duel Disk.

"She's sending three Monsters to the Graveyard... Was this a Special Summon she was going to do?" Mikleo watched intently.

"If I send the three to the Graveyard, it's to summon my favorite Monster, much more terrifying like my Deck Master. Because without the required conditions, I couldn't summon it." Symonne explained, then revealed her only Monster card in her hand. "So here is my strongest Monster, Dark Armed Dragon."

An all dark dragon emerged from the blue rift and materialized onto her field, roaring fiercely.

(Dark Armed Dragon - ATK: 2800 - Level: 7)

"She summoned such a Monster in the first turn!" Mikleo yelled.

"So what are you going to do?" Symonne asked mockingly.

At nightfall, Sorey and Alisha must spend a night at the inn to sleep before leaving Ladylake for the Galahad Ruins. Alisha cleaning her Duel Disk made out of left arm armor while her two Tellarknight spirits, Altair and Vega are cleaning their master's arm et leg armors. Sorey, him checked his own cards one by one.

"You mostly have Wyrm Monsters." Lailah commented.

"My grandfather gave me a Yang Zing deck when I left Elysia. They were very compatible with the Tenyis." He explain her.

"It is true that two archetypes are composed only of Wyrm Monsters; the Yang Zings are focused on Synchro Summoning while the Tenyis are focused on Link Summoning." Lailah admitted, before continuing. "At Marlind, the trader was selling good quality cards that you should find some. Will you show some more cards, Sorey?"

He showed her some other cards he had, letting her take a look.

"So let's see what you have... Shield & Sword, Draining Shield, Monster Reborn, Waterfall of Dragon Souls, Foolish Burial..."

She nodded,

"Hmm, you have good cards in your deck, but it's not enough to defeat your future opponents. So you need more cards to strengthen you."

"In Ladylake, they sell cards that are quite rare to find, but they are quite expensive. Only wealthy high-ranking nobles can get them." Alisha added.

"I preferred to keep my own cards, they were a part of me. I don't want to part with them." Sorey said.

"That's a good choice. Each card is unique so some have never been released and they are only one copy." Lailah nodded.

"Lailah, speaking of which, I'd like to know about your Duel at the Vivia Subterranean Aqueduct." Sorey asked her.

"When I faced a Seraph, I realized he was under the influence of a Fusion Parasite. One of those buggers was trying to sneak into my brain through my ear. But I quickly got rid of it."

Both Sorey and Alisha gasped.

"I was convinced that someone used him against us in order to take the Signer Dragons from us. Besides, he is aware that I had a connection with one of them."

"Who's this?" Alisha asked.

"...The Ancient Fairy Dragon, was the one I bonded with when she returned to the human world 10 years ago." Lailah explained. "But she was tainted by Malevolence that I had no choice but to seal her."

"Is there a possibility to purify?" Sorey asked.

"Probably." Lailah replied. "That's why I need your help in saving the Ancient Fairy Dragon."

"You can always count on me! It is my duty as a Shepherd Duelist to save everyone and purify all Malevolence!" Sorey replied with an optimizing smile. "We'll save your friend if we have to!"

"I'm so glad to hear that! You're the one I trust! It's been a long time since I've known someone as caring as you, Sorey!" Lailah smiled, holding Sorey's hands. "If we find the other Signer Dragons, we can find a way to cleanse everything from the human world and the monster spirit world."

She let go of Sorey's hands before continued.

"Gotta give you both something, reach out your hands."

Alisha and Sorey do as she asked.

"These are talismans designed to protect against evil influences." She gave them special charm amulets.

"Talismans?" Alisha asked.

"Keep them carefully because they protect us against Fusion Parasites. It was me who made them with the help of the Normins."

"Okay." Both Sorey and Alisha nodded.

"The white is for you, and the pink is for Alisha." Lailah crossed her fingers cheerfully.

"Anyway, the talisman is pretty." Alisha commented in admiration.

"Princess, we're done cleaning up." Vega announced, giving her back her arm and leg armor.

Alisha took them back, "Thank you very much, I'm going to put them on my legs and arms tomorrow at dawn."

"Don't sleep too late Princess, it's not good for your health on your trip." She advised her.

"In five minutes I'll be going to bed."

"And also I brought some extra stuff for our trip tomorrow." Lailah continued, presenting them first with a Kuribon dress pajamas and a Quillbot Hedgehog nightcap.

"Don't ya think that's a little too ridiculous for us?" Alisha replied in embarrassment. "I prefer to sleep dressed as I used to outside of my mansion."

"If you need to sleep under the lucky stars, I have a sleeping bag with a hundred eyes that look like the Hundred Eyes Dragon." She then presented them to a sleeping bag.

"A sleeping bag like this is far too creepy!" Alisha screaming in embarrassment. "It'll scare my friends if I sleep in it!"

"If you're having nightmares, I have this to comfort you." Lailah presented them with a Sonic Chick plushie.

"Hey that's my stuffed Sonic Chick!" Her face flushed with embarrassment. "Put back where it came from! People will laugh at me if they sees me like this!"

Sorey chuckled in amusement.

Meanwhile at the manor, Bartlow was with his adviser in the room, carrying on a conversation.

"Are you sure we're letting the Shepherd Duelist go?" His adviser asked.

"Yeah, at least when he gets to Marlind... He's going to face a very recent crisis for how long is he going to deal with such unforeseen situations that only he could solve?"

"You mean the epidemic just invaded the village?"

"Yes. It allows us to take advantage of our situation during the crisis in Marlind and to benefit our war project with a good effect." Bartlow smirked, resting his face above the palm of his hand.

"Yes but without the Match Winner card that you lost against this kid, you will have a hard time conquering Rolance's troop."

"That's not the main thing, there are still quite a few around the world to find. I know Princess Alisha, she has captured 12 of them. We can take them from her and use them as weapons for our Dueling War."

Back at the Duel in the Galahad Ruins, Symonne managed to gain an advantage over Mikleo thanks to the first three letters of Spirit Message along with the Destiny Board card consisting of "F" "I" "N" and "A". But that doesn't mean he's going to give up despite the heavy difficulties he's been facing since the beginning of the Duel. The only Monster Mikleo had on the field was Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon while Symonne's was the Dark Army Dragon. If Mikleo doesn't react quickly, it was Symonne who won the Duel by automatically setting the last letter of the Spirit Message on the field. Symonne had never sent her Deck Master, Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair on the field for a strategic reason that she had used from the start.

"Who is it? Is fate beyond your control?" She started mockingly.

(Mikleo - LP: 1000 - Cards in hand: 2)

(Symonne - LP: 1000 - Cards in hand: 3)

"You pretend to be a high level Duelist, but you are quickly overtaken by my terrifying strategy that lead you to your doom."

"Enough of your sleazy little game!" He shot back while drawing one card from his deck. "I'm going to put an end to it immediately!"

He quickly showed her his Spell card,

"I activate Aqua Jet! I increase my Deck Master, Poseidra by 1000 Attack Points!"

Poseidra equipped himself with the Aqua Jet on his back.

(Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon - ATK: 2800 + 1000 = 3800) 

"Then I use Tribute to The Doomed! By discarding a card in my hand, I can destroy your Dark Army Dragon!" He declared with his Spell appeared in the field.

Discarding his last remaining card in hand, the Spell Card's bandages coiled Symonne's only Monster tightly and shattered it into a thousand pieces.

"And I know that even though your so-called Destiny Board and Spirit Messages are untouchable, they can't stop me from attacking you directly!" He pointed out about her occult strategy.

She slightly narrowed her dark gaze, "This is bad. He found out how despite my Spirit Message letters being invulnerable to attacks and effects, they can't stop him from attacking me directly. And without my dragon, I am at his greatest mercy..."

Then she started in surprise as she witnessed the Fusion Parasite crawling into Mikleo's ear.

"Is that my parasite sneaking past the Seraph's ear?" The watching dark Seraph gasped that her favorite insect was getting inside Mikleo's head. "If it happens, I can at least take advantage of my best opportunity and make him an excellent puppet."

"Time to attack, Poseidra!" Mikleo ordered before a throb hit in his mind. He felt something as the Parasite Monster reached his brain and digged in its forelegs. The orbs on its jointed glow, causing Mikleo to collapse to the floor.

"What's going on, Lord Mikleo?!" Poseidra asked in alert. "Lord Mikleo!"

Since he'd passed out just as he was about to win the Duel if he could order his Deck Master to attack, she took the opportunity to take her turn, drew a card.

"Now I have the last Spirit Message appearing on the field, that means I won!" Symonne declared in a creepy tone.

With the "L" letter appeared, the word "Final" was finally complete.

"The hour of your doom has finally come!" She announced with great terrifying rejoicing.

The letters change into ghostly spirits, fly straight towards Mikleo and make Poseidra disappear without being able to do it. The poor Duelist found himself engulfed by evil spirits, screaming horribly in agony, and Symonne automatically won the Duel.

"Now that you are under my control, I may be able to use you as I please to lure them into my trap. You are much more docile as a guinea pig thanks to my parasite." She giggled demonically, showing her Fusion Parasite card.

Somewhere in the Volgran Forest, Rose rested her back against the Black Rose Dragon. She lost herself in thought for a while.

"Who is it? You looked lost right now." Black Rose Dragon asked in a female voice.

"I wondered how Sorey got to own the Blazing Soul." She confessed, remaining intrigued. "When I think back to my Duel against him."

She remembered the day Sorey accessed Blazing Soul to spectacularly summon the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and clashed against her and Black Rose Dragon where they got caught in an explosion, ending their Duel in a draw.

"If I could take this dragon and Alisha's, I could take my revenge against Prince Konan, the one who ruined my life and that of the Windriders."

"If you stay focused on your own hate, you're no better than him." The Black Rose Dragon told her.

Rose fell silent, pretending not to listen to her.

The next day at dawn in Ladylake, Sorey and Lailah have finished packing their things for the next trip to Marlind.

"Good, it's time to leave Ladylake. We'll have to meet Mikleo at the ruins as planned." Sorey started, carrying a bag on his back.

"Sorey! Lailah!" A voice called.

Alisha joined them, carrying a leather backpack with her.

"So ready to go to Marlind?" Lailah asked cheerfully.

"Yes, here I am ready for our long journey to Marlind." Alisha answered with a smile.

"So let's go!" He declared, impatient to be able to embark on a new adventure with his new travel companion.

The Shepherd Duelist, his female Squire and their Seraph rushed out of Ladylake without even returning, and took the path from Lakehaven Heights. Now their first priority is to find Mikleo in the Galahad Ruins.

Chapter Text

In the Lakehaven Heights far from Ladylake since their departure for the Galahad Ruins, Lailah began speaking first during their journey on foot.

"The road to the Galahad Ruins is closer than it is now. In 10 minutes, we enter it." She informed them.

"I hope Mikleo is doing well." Sorey said thinking of him.

"You worry a little too much for him, he's a man, isn't he?"

"We'll have to take a little snack break. We've been walking quite a bit for over 2 hours." Alisha requested.

"I should have called on Sahasrara, but my grandfather had always told me that walking for long minutes is very good for your health rather than sitting in carriages." He thought otherwise.

"You mean sleeping in a stroller while I walk around with it like I'm a mommy?" Lailah asked humorously.

"No if I say that it's for the well-being of my health and my body." Sorey shook his head with a smile.

"You're absolutely right." Alisha nodded, then she pulled out a small notebook.

"It's a survival manual, it says you can eat berries, mushrooms and edible seeds that you find everywhere in the forests."

"Did you buy a squirrel book?" Sorey asked without paying attention to the details of the notebook's contents.

Alisha pinched his cheek and pull it, "You think I'm a mouse? That I was gonna store them in my cheeks like a hamster?"

"This manual would be quite useful, it's well thought out." Lailah commented. "Let's get food and wood for the fire."

A few minutes later, the trio each bring food and equipment to prepare a campfire. Once Alisha put some cut wood down, Lailah lit the flame on the pile.

"Just eating good roast boar with mushrooms we found." Alisha commented while eating a skewer of mushrooms.

"It has to be said that eating out is quite pleasant." Sorey aggred.

"Sorey, we need to talk about your Duel at Ladylake. It's about your Blazing Soul and the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend." Lailah then asked him, started a conversation.

"Yeah I'm listening to you." Sorey turned his attention to her.

"As I told you when we were still at Ladylake, I will serve as your mentor for Duel training at the Lakehaven Heights. This is your first training with me." She told him.

"Yeah that's right you told me." Sorey acknowledged.

"If you want to see Mikleo again, you have to be a man first..." She teasing him, "By letting your mustache grow!"

"I'm not old enough to have one." He put on a slightly exaggerated expression.

"Come on, I'm just saying that to joke with you."

Both him and Alisha chuckled.

"You always have the knack of taking the word out of it for fun." Sorey said.

"From what Mikleo told me, when you were about to lose, you unknowingly activated the Blazing Soul. This caused the release of the Signer Dragon in the form of the Red Rising Dragon before revealing its true appearance."

"I remember freeing that dragon," Sorey admitted.

"However, you had lost control of yourself. If Mikleo's memories turned out to be accurate, you were confronted by another Signer Dragon that ended in a large explosion that cost the Duel." Lailah continued. The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend only appears when the Duel's situation becomes critical, when you're about to losing."

She then asking Sorey for a question,

"I ask you a question if I allow it; are you afraid of losing even when the stakes aren't very high or we're just having fun instead?"

Sorey answered her honestly after a silent moment, "... Let's just say... it's frustrating to lose in a Duel so it's not important for me to win or lose. If I get a new Spell, Trap and Monster card then as much to do it with. If it is to use them to Duel me, then I could save the Human World and the Spirit World by purifying Malevolence it's more important than anything else."

"But that's not enough." Lailah however told him. "You need the trust of your allies and Monster spirits for you to be able to carry out your beliefs."

"Trusting allies?" Sorey blinked.

"Remember that the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend is the embodiment of destruction that poses a danger to humanity. If you call on this dragon too often even in the most crucial moments, you will cause so much harm to them... And you will eventually succumb to Malevolence like all the former Shepherd Duelists." Lailah took a break after telling, before continued, challenged him. "That's why, I want you to face me in a Duel, to see if you can master the powers of the Blazing Soul and the Scarlight Red Dragon Archefiend! But I wouldn't let you resort to them so easily!"

After the trio have finished their campfire and lunch, Sorey and Lailah prepare for their Duel practice.

"Get ready, Sorey! Time to spice up the Duel!" Lailah said cheerfully. "Your first fire lesson has begun!"

"I leave you Sorey." Alisha walked away.

"Well, let's start our practice with a standard Duel!" Lailah declared, choosing the Duel rule.

"It's fine with me." Sorey agreed.

"Duel Disk, Set!" They both shout together as their Duel Disks unfold together. "It's time for Duel!!"

(Sorey - 4000 LP)

(Lailah - 4000 LP)

"Ready to set you on fire? Now it's my turn to ignite first!" Lailah declared, drawing a card and then activating it from her hand directly. "I burn my soul with my Soul of Fire card! You must draw one card, Sorey!"

He drew a card by the effect of Lailah's Spell,

"As for me, I banish a Pyro Monster from my deck and char your Life Points to half its Attack Points!"

The chosen card, Flamvell Commando, got banished as being sucked into a black vortex. 

"However, I can't battle when Soul of Fire activates!" She continued.

The fire soul form of the Flamvell Commando flew towards Sorey and burned him.

"Aaaah it's hot!" He cried out in pain.

(Sorey - LP: 4000 - 1100 = 2900 - Cards in hand: 6)

"It starts as soon as she activates her fire cards." Alisha commented.

"I set three cards and I summon Flamvell Dragnov in the field!" Lailah placed three of them onto her field and a blue rift emerged her dragon Monster.

(Flamvell Dragnov - DEF: 200 - Level: 2)

"Here we go, I finish my first turn! Yours, Sorey!" She declared.

"You gotta stay on your guard, Sorey!" Alisha warned him. "Lailah can set your bottom on fire! That's always where I got burned in my Duel workouts with her!"

"I know that well Alisha!" He replied.

"If you don't want to have your hair on fire, you have to start by neutralizing burn damage using your cards capable of countering it!" Lailah was advising him as the first word of the lesson before continued. "As for me, I finish my turn!"

Sorey drew a card, "I draw!"

First, a blue rift emerged from the fire dragon spirit and materialized.

"I Special Summon my Tenyi Spirit - Mapura since I don't control any Effect Monsters on the field!"

(Tenyi Spirit - Mapura - ATK: 600 - Level: 4)

The Arrowhead portal then appeared on Sorey's field. Tenyi Spirit - Mapura was used for the summoning, it then enter the portal, activating the Bottom Link Arrow from within the portal.

"I bring the circuit that builds the path that leads to a new adventure!" Sorey called as the circuit appeared, his first Tenyi Link Monster appeared in the Extra Monster Zone from Sorey's field, ready to fight.

"Link Summon! Link 1, Monk of the Tenyi!"

(Monk of the Tenyi - ATK: 1000 - Link 1)

He showed his Spell card in hand, "I then activate the Vessel for the Dragon Cycle! By sending Ashuna from the deck to the Graveyard, I can take another Tenyi and add it to my hand if I control my Monk of the Tenyi since he doesn't have a special ability!"

He send the chosen card into the Graveyard slot by the Spell effect. Then he specially summoned another Tenyi to the field since he added a deck to his hand.

"Join me, Tenyi Spirit - Nahata!"

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - ATK: 800 - Level: 4)

"I then summon Tenyi Spirit - Adhara!" The blue rift brought the earth spirit dragon and materialized.

(Tenyi Spirit - Adhara - ATK: 0 - Level: 1)

"Now I make summon another Link Monster!" He continued as the second Arrowhead portal appeared on his field. Both Adhara and Nahata, were used for the summoning, they enter the portal, activating the Botton-Left and Bottom-Right Link Arrows from within the portal.

"I Link Summon! Link 2, Shaman of the Tenyi!"

A hurricane erupted from the Arrowhead portal, revealing her and materialized onto his field.

(Shaman of the Tenyi - ATK: 1600 - Link: 2)

"I bring the circuit!" He announced again as the thrid Arrowhead portal appeared on his field.

"I set my Monk and my Shaman, in the Link Arrows! Link the Circuit!"

They entered the portal, activating the Top, Top-Right and Bottom-Right Link Arrows from within the portal.

"Gather all the spiritual energy of the spirit dragons to become the enraged master warrior!" He chanted, "I Link Summon!"

The portal then glowed white and energy converged to form the Link monster and the Link Arrows around it.

"Link 3, Berserker of the Tenyi!!" Sorey called, and the Tenyi Link Monster then emerged out from the Arrowhead portal, he roared in full rage.

(Berserker of the Tenyi - ATK: 3000 - Link: 3)

"Looks like you can do a Link Summon very quickly." Lailah was analyzing Sorey's strategy. "And since the Berserker of the Tenyi does not have his own special ability, you probably banish the Tenyi Spirits from your Graveyard only if you control a Non-Effect Monster, and thus activate their powers."

She glanced at her three face-down cards in the field. They're the Blazing Mirror Force, Sealing Ceremony of Katon and Backfire.

"On the other hand, I have already planned to place my three Trap cards capable of countering you just as easily if you decide to take the offensive. Let's see how you do it Sorey."

"Since my Berserker has no special ability, I can banish my Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna from my Graveyard and summon another Tenyi Spirit from the deck!" He continued as Ashuna was sucked into the black vortex to activate its effect.

"Come to help me, Tenyi Spirit - Shthana!"

The water dragon spirit materialized onto his field.

(Tenyi Spirit - Shthana - ATK: 200 - Level: 4)

"Crunch in on, Shthana!"

Sorey ordered at the same time Lailah activated one of the set cards.

"I reveal my Trap which only leads you to a backfire! Backfire!"

"What?!" Sorey blinked out in shock.

"When a Fire Monster I control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, your 500 Life Points will eventually be burned out on the spot!" Lailah told him, "Also if you destroy my Flamvell Dragnov, it also inflicts 500 Life Points on you!"

Shthana flew up and crushed Lailah's Flamvell Dragnov. As a result of the effects of Lailah's Monster and her Continuous Trap, Sorey got his Life Points burn with 1000 damage.

(Sorey - LP: 2900 - 1000 = 1900 - Cards in hand: 3)

"Oh no Sorey!" Alisha called out, sounding concerned how her fellow friend suffered burn damage in such a short time.

"I then activate the Sealing Ceremony of Katon card!" She revealed her other Trap of the field, "By banishing a Fire Monster from my Graveyard, I can make one of your cards disappear from your Graveyard!"

By the effect of Lailah's card, both Mapura and Dragnov disintegrate under the flames and banish permanently from their respective Graveyards.

"The one I choose to banish along with my Flamvell Dragnov is your Tenyi Spirit - Mapura!"

"No!" Sorey blinked.

"Was I right?" She repeated, "If I banish Mapura from your Graveyard it is because it has a potential that would have been a fiery threat to my strategy."

Sorey felt slightly discouraged after Lailah thwarted his plan to activate Mapura's effect by banishing it as long as he had his normal Link Monster on the field.

"Lailah looked smarter than I thought... Like she expected what I was planning to do. She's not only an experienced Seraph, she's also a high-level Duelist beyond me."

Alisha felt worried for him, "Poor Sorey, despite his talent as a Duelist, he couldn't do anything against Lailah's burning strategy, not a single card could backfire on her. If only he could summon the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend."

The silver-haired Fire Seraph slightly smirked, "It's been over 1000 years since I Dueled with a deck of weak Monsters."

She remembered her memories of her previous defeats until her victories and evolution over the millennium.

"By dint of suffering defeats, which brought me up to my current level, and my burn damage strategy evolved. This is why I became a mentor to previous Shepherd Duelists before you."

"You may have countered my strategic plan, but you are now wide-open against my next attack from my Berserker of the Tenyi!" He snapped out of his despondency. "Attack, Berserker!"

"Wait, you're serious!" Alisha gasped. "You're not going to attack in such a rush anyway?!"

Ignoring Alisha's cries, he ordered his Berserker to attack Lailah directly without realizing she had set her Trap before.

"You're way too impulsive Sorey like fire, that's the second moral lesson you should learn!" Lailah chimed in. "That's why I activate my Trap, Blazing Mirror Force!"

When the Berserker of the Tenyi was about to hit Lailah straight ahead with his Fierce Fist, the flame barrier formed to block his attack.

"What!" Sorey gasped.

"The moment your Berserker attacks... My Blazing Mirror Force burns all your Monsters to ashes! As a result, you and I lose our Life Points at half the ATK of your Monsters!" She continued.

The Blazing Mirror Force exploded, causing both his Attack Position Monsters to char while roaring in pain, shattered them into thousand pieces of holograms. Then the flames propelled back to both Lailah and Sorey, caused their Life Points were dropping.

(Lailah - LP: 4000 - 1600 = 3400 - Cards in hand: 1)

(Sorey - LP: 1900 - 1600 = 300 - Cards in hand: 3)

"Sorey!" Alisha called. "Only 300 Life Points left!"

As Sorey was speechless ending his turn after taking such burn damage, Lailah drew a card.

"How do you want to beat me like this, if you don't know how to neutralize the opposing strategies?! That's always how Alisha lost to me multiple times!" Lailah scolded him.

Then she glanced at her two cards in her hand; two Traps that could lead her to fiery victory. D.D. Dynamite and Big Burn.

"I set two cards face-down and I finished." She declared after setting them onto her field.

But even after letting him take his turn, Sorey seemed a bit downcast since Lailah had taken advantage of him since the start of the Duel.

"Do you see Sorey." Lailah told him philosophically. "To be able to put out such a big fire, you have to fight with water! But, if there's not enough water, you couldn't defeat the fire and come back stronger!"

Hearing the Fire Seraph's philosophy, he thought back to the image of his friend Mikleo, and so has his departure since at Ladylake that night. "... Mikleo... I have to fight and get strong. If I didn't get stronger, how would I show up to him?"

"... Lailah..." Alisha muttered before noticed something to Sorey's eyes.

His green eyes blazed red, a scarlet flame ignited at the Shepherd Duelist's heart.

"Sorey, your eyes are red!" She remarked.

Instead of drawing the card from his deck normally, he unknowingly drew the flame from his chest and revealed it to be the Crimson Resonator card, alerting Lailah.

"Is that Sorey activating the Blazing Soul?!" Tension gripped Lailah despite her calm temper.

"I use the Monster Reborn card to bring back my Berserker of the Tenyi." He declared in a serious tone, rage seizing him.

When the Spell was activated from the hand, the Berserker returned to Sorey's field.

"If Sorey brought back his Berserker, it's probably to activate the effect of the Tenyi Spirits by banishing them from the Graveyard!" Alisha guessed.

"I banish my Tenyi Spirit - Adhara to bring another banished Wyrm to my hand." He continued as his Tuner got sucked by a black vortex while the chosen card returned to his hand, "Mapura, come back!"

The fire dragon spirit materialized again. Sorey's usual demeanor changed drastically as the power of the Blazing Soul took over him.

"Now I can call on the Crimson Resonator right away!" He shouted out of rage, slammed his card, causing his small Tuner Fiend to emerged out of the fire rift.

(Crimson Resonator - ATK- 800 - Level: 2)

"Sorey, don't! You don't have to let your rage get the better of you! Get over yourself!" Lailah pleaded.

He ignored her as he started his procedure, "Now I Tune my resonator with Mapura for a Synchro Summon! Now!"

The small fiend laughed mischievously as his body transformed into two green rings, Mapura's body scanned through the two green rings and dissipated into four stars.

(Level 2 + 4 = 6)

"From deepest underworld, the offspring will be born from infernal fire!!" Sorey chanted, the rage in his voice.

A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon!! Rise from the flames, Level 6!! Red Rising Dragon!!"

The scarlet flame unveiled his Signer Dragon's limited form. The Red Rising Dragon roared.

(Red Rising Dragon - ATK: 2100 - Level: 6)

"Looks like you're coming to that big flaming lizard anyway... But I know this dragon's weak point though!" She said seriously.

"Sorey has summoned his Red Rising Dragon!" Alisha exclaimed upon seeing. "But, he lost control of himself! And Lailah has no Monsters on her field!"

"RAAAAHHHH!! I'm going to burn you all!!" Sorey yelled in rage along with his Red Rising Dragon.

"Even after summoning the Red Rising Dragon, Sorey still lost control of the Blazing Soul. Yet it is the limited form of this dragon..." Lailah continued to watch carefully, being aware of Sorey's intention. "I have to stop him from releasing the monster's true form before it turns into a fiery disaster."

"When my dragon appears on my field, I can bring back my Crimson Resonator-" He declared before she cut him off.

"Sorry Sorey, but... I can't let you do that!" Lailah revealed her Trap from her field, "I'm activating the Big Burn card!! It's only activatable if an opponent targets a Monster in the Graveyard, all of our Monsters will burn out of the Graveyard and get banished!"

The ground at their feet shook and cracked. All Monsters in their respective Graveyards burn with pain before dissipating.

"Without your Crimson Resonator which is the key to the Synchro method transformation, your dragon cannot unleash its true form!"  She continued.

"Yes, but that doesn't stop Sorey from attacking you directly!" Alisha called back before realizing, "Unless you have another card that can stop him!"

"AAARARGGH!! How dare you have me thwart the release of my dragon's power?!" He screamed hysterically even more than now as his Blazing Soul intensified within his left chest. "I'll throw flames from my Monster!!"

Just as he ordered his Red Rising Dragon to attack directly, Lailah counter-attacked with her only remaining face-down card from her field.

"Lailah!!" Alisha called.

"You're so blinded by anger influenced by the power of your Blazing Soul, that didn't pay attention to my last Trap card!" She declared.

"Oh no!" He widened in shock.

"Here's my D.D. Dynamite!" She revealed her Trap, "For each of our banished cards per 300 damage effet, you lose as many Life Points as you have left!"

In other words there were 8 Banished Monsters which gave the total of 2400, damage by the effect of the D.D. Dynamite. But that was more than enough to bring down Sorey's last 300 Life Points and end the Duel. Multi-explosions from every place in the field occur around Sorey and his Monsters, making him scream. His fiery red eyes turn green again and his demeanor returns to normal, with little memory of what was happening, but figured out that he summoned his Red Rising Dragon during his training with Lailah which almost went wrong.

(Sorey - LP: 300 - 300 = 0 - Cards in hand: 2)

"You must seal your dragon now!" Lailah ordered.

Sorey did as she ordered; he grabbed scarlet flame that located in his chest and used to seal the Red Rising Dragon, made it reverted in card form. The card fell to the ground and Lailah picked it up.

"It was so close..." Alisha felt relieved, but remained confused. "But I don't understand how Sorey lost all control of it even after summoning the limited form of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend."

"I'm so sorry, I thought summoning the Red Rising Dragon by serving myself with the power of Blazing Soul would have been easy. But that's the complete opposite of what I thought." Sorey apologized to them.

Lailah returned the Red Rising Dragon card to him.

"Sorey, even pure-hearted Duelists have a hard time mastering them at first," She reassured him. "It's just that you're scared of losing in a Duel there's not an important stake."

"You did this for the purpose of testing me?" He guessed.

"Yes, to see if you can beat me without relying on your Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, and relying more on your own Monsters instead." She answered, nodded. "But, you ain't good enough to counter my burn damage ability. You had to train even more with me if you want to be able to call on your dragon."

"Lailah, if you're very good at inflicting effect damage on opponents, have you ever lost a single Duel before?" Sorey then asking.

"In truth, I lost then in my first Duels. I am not as strong as you believe me so far."

She confessed, leaving them amazed before continued.

"I'll teach you how frustrating and painful defeat can be for every Duelist we're in. Believe in my experience as a veteran Duelist, the object of the game is to do your best and surpass yourself. It is with my defeats that taught me to trust myself, thanks to those I have faced in the past."

She recalled her experiences as a Duelist over her past defeats against opponents (therefore Eleanor Hume, Magilou) she knew before she had leveled up and evolved her strategy over the millennium.

"But also to persevere despite the difficulties. You can believe me that I have my share of difficulty, but I never give up. I must admit that it frustrates me to lose in Duels every time, but my defeats have made me stronger than ever."

A flashback from over 1000 years ago showed Eleanor launching an attack on Lailah, winning the Duel against her.

"Attack my Exosister Mikailis!"

Her Ace Monster launched a water bullet to her, caused an explosion of water.

(Lailah - LP: 1000 - 1000 = 0 - Cards in hand: 2)

The silver-haired Duelist knelt down in exhaustion.

"Geez I lost." She whispered disappointedly.

Eleanor approached and knelt before her kindly.

"You know, you shouldn't be ashamed of losing in a Duel, it's the game after all," She said with a soft smile. "As long as there are no important stakes, there is no reason to be afraid of losing."

Then she gave her two cards that might match Lailah.

"Soul of Fire and D.D. Dynamite. For me?" She asked, seeing these two cards piqued her curiosity.

"These two will be ideal weapons for your fire deck since you have relatively weak Monsters." Eleanor told her, "I would like you to use it if in case you get into trouble."

"Am I really going to take them?" Lailah asked.

"Sure," Eleanor nodded.

Lailah take them, a smile on her face.

Eleanor stood up, her head towards the sky. "A Duelist must be brave in the difficulties we faced even after being defeated..." She turned to Lailah, "Isn't that true?"

End of the flashback.

"It's so amazing that you've grown so strong after every Duel that leaves you with a taste of defeat. You are truly amazing Lailah." Sorey enthused after hearing the fire Seraph's story as a Duelist.

"Sorey, you too will become the best Duelists like me. As you travel the world, you become stronger than before. I'm sure Mikleo would be very proud of you when he returns." Lailah gave him a word of encouragement.

"Thank you, Lailah, my little genie from Aladdin's lamp." Sorey let out a beaming smile.

When suddenly, Symonne appeared out of nowhere in front of the trio.

"Who are you?" Sorey demanded, threatened by her sudden presence.

Without Symonne answering him, she went to the precise place she wanted them to follow her without discussing.

"Come back!" He cried, chased her.

Alisha and Lailah followed him. Then, they spot a colony of Fusion Parasites crawling around the way.

"Where did all these parasites come from?" Sorey asked.

"Eww that's so gross!" Alisha exclaimed in utter disgust.

"She runs fast, that creepy doll girl!" He continued on his way.

"Above all, don't lose sight of her!" Lailah informed.

And there, they arrive at the entrance of the Galahad Ruins hoping to be able to catch up with Symonne, and probably find Mikleo to make sure he's okay.

BONUS ARTWORK

Chapter Text

Somewhere in a sky above the village of Marlind, a tainted Hellion with serpentine-draconic body soared, the heart filled with rage and despair. The smoke that caused the disease had continued to spread for several days.

Meanwhile, Sorey, Lailah, and Alisha chase after Symonne. They enter the Galahad Ruins. The dark-looking Seraph was flying so far and fast like a rabbit that they couldn't catch her.

"Come back here!" Sorey yelled.

The trio stop in a room made up of two different corridors.

"That's just done it!" He exclaimed in frustration. "How can we catch her?!"

"Lailah and I are taking the one on the left! You'll go to the right!" Alisha suggested.

"You're right Alisha! At least we can find Mikleo one of us sees him!" Sorey agreed.

The three separate to take the two different paths hoping to be able to find Symonne or Mikleo. Sorey on his side, took the right corridor of the ruins.

"Where are you! Show yourself! The game of hide and seek is over!" He yelled out loud.

On the side of the girls, they take their opposite path hoping that they find one of them, they continue to run without stopping.

"If we find Mikleo, we'll bring him back to Sorey!" Alisha said.

"Sure!" Lailah nodded before perceiving a lurking danger. "Alisha watch out!"

A thick dark smoke engulfed the princess and the Fire Seraph. They find themselves in the terrifying dark bloody red decor equipped with eyes and mouth around with a horrifying looking castle.

"But what is that?! They look like evil eyes!" Alisha cried horrified at the sight.

A female evil chuckling resounded within the Field Spell. The female figure approached the two female teammates while shuffling her own deck.

"Welcome to the Dark Sanctuary." Symonne greeted them darkly with an evil smile. "It's an ideal place for our Duel, much darker than the Shadow Game itself."

"So you're the girl to be chased like a rabbit!" Alisha snarled, unfolding her own Duel Disk. "Tell me where is Mikleo?!"

"Oh don't worry about that boy, he'll take care of that human boy personally..." Symonne smirked, "He's under my control and serving him against Sorey."

The terrifying revelation was enough to ignite rage in the princess of Hyland.

"Curse you! Curse you!" Alisha shouted while drawing five cards from her deck. "So that's why you lured us to the ruins using Mikleo as a puppet?!"

"That's right," She confessed. "I thought to myself that I could use your friend as a bait, it allows me at least to try my luck to seize your Stardust Dragon which was located in you."

"I don't own the Stardust Dragon!!" She denied insistently.

"Of course you do, if you don't, I can refresh your memory if need be. We know that the Signer Dragons reappeared in the Human World 10 years ago." She repeated persistently. Then she put her deck in the holder of her Duel Disk, and unfolded it, lit up. "If you want to drop by and find your friends, then face me in a Duel."

"Lailah, just fought alongside me!" She asked.

"Okay, Alisha!" She agreed.

Back then after minutes, the Shepherd Duelist paused in his tracks to catch his breath.

"Come on big guy, you need to find Mikleo or that girl." He whispered to himself.

Suddenly, he accidentally stomped on a slab under his left foot, triggering something suspicious within the hallway.

"Ah! My foot! What did I press on!" Sorey startled.

Then a faint rolling noise sounded from behind.

"What's that noise from over there?" He suspected, "I believe I pressed a switch or something."

The more the noise rose gradually, the more the tension rose in him.

"Something getting louder...I believe it's approaching on the way."

It was a big rolling boulder heading straight for him.

"IT'S A BOULDER!!" He yelled in panic, the body bristled with fear.

Sorey with an exaggerated expression, started to run away as the boulder continued to roll.

"Waaaah ruuuunnnn!!!"

He was running as much as he could, because otherwise he will end up getting run over if he can't escape.

"I have to keep running! Otherwise I'll get squashed like a pancake!"

Sorey found another room and narrowly escaped. But the boulder blocked the access to the path he took.

"Man, it was close." Sorey sighed in partial relief, "But now that the rock is blocking the way, I have to find a way out and find the girls."

He saw the unconscious body lying on the ground; Mikleo's.

"Mikleo!" He cried upon seeing. He rushed to help him.

He gently hugged him, checking to see if he was okay.

"Mikleo, are you okay? Mikleo." He called him.

The water Seraph opened his eyes and regained consciousness.

"Sorey, is that you?"

"Mikleo!" Sorey sighed with happiness to see him fine, hugging him. "Ooh Mikleo! You're alright pal! I'm glad I found ya!"

He then broke his hug, seeing his friend's lovely face.

"What happened to you, Mikleo?" He then asking for.

"When I found the divine artifact, a Seraph named Symonne challenged me to a Duel." Mikleo explained to him.

"What happened next?"

"She beat me with such a deck, totally creepy."

"I saw Symonne in the road to the Lakehaven Heights, and we have just been pursuing him. Which leads us into the Galahad Ruins." Sorey told him about her.

"Where are Alisha and Lailah?" Mikleo asked.

"I separated on the way in order to find you. In my opinion, the girls are after this girl." He answered.

As Mikleo regained some strength, he can get up.

"Thank you for being here to help me." He swept dirt from his clothes, then he presented him with his divine artifact in the shape of a giant bow. "Here it is, I finally found what I wanted. It's nice, isn't it?"

"Really very cool!" Sorey exclaimed enthusiastically. "Does that mean you'll merge with me and I'll become a Water Armatus?"

"That's right now. I'm now a Sub-Lord, you can be proud of me Sorey." Mikleo replied.

Unbeknownst to the two lifelong childhood friends, Symonne observed them carefully when the time came.

"I feel like it's going to be fun, that friends are forced to Duel each other." She said with a grin, showing her favorite Fusion Parasite card and glowing, "It makes me laugh to manipulate people freely. Now Mikleo, show your true colors to him."

Then, Mikleo's face suddenly twisted, to a usually benevolent in an evil one. He brutally shooting a water arrow with his bow at Sorey now that he was manipulated into Symonne's way against his own will.

"Hey Mikleo! What's gotten into you?!" Sorey reacted in shock at his friend's sudden change.

"Duel me now!" He demanded in a now creepy tone. He fired more arrows as Sorey dodged them.

"What's wrong with you? Have you gone nuts?" He repeated, tension aroused in him.

"Be a real guy and face me between buddies." Mikleo insisted with an evil smile. "What are you scared of, my friend?"

Sorey grunted as he continued to persisted.

"What's wrong? Are you gonna to get your pants wet and ask me to do the laundry afterwards?"

"Don't laugh at me!" Sorey snapped, clenched his fists in frustration. "It's not like you to behave this way! You wanted to become a great ally for me! So why are you lashing out over me?"

"You became the Shepherd Duelist, and you dumped me as a friend because I'm just a drag in your eyes." Mikleo claimed.

"That's wrong! I never meant to do such a thing to you!" Sorey affirmed.

"All nonsense!" He flippantly dismissed the statement. "You do this to play the show off heroes! So let's see if you can still show off, because sooner or later you'll laugh less!"

By snapping his fingers, two columns of water make appear two glass capsules where Alisha and Lailah are enclosed inside, much to Sorey's utter horror.

"Alisha! Lailah!" He gasped.

"I'm sorry, Sorey! She captured us!" Alisha yelled.

"What have you done with them?!" Sorey shouted at Mikleo.

"Nothin'. Maybe I thought it would be fun." Mikleo smirked mockingly, the confessed in a darker tone. "You want me to tell you; it was I who captured them and locked them in glass shells... For the sole purpose of luring you into my trap!"

Mikleo's confession almost angered Sorey.

"How dare you do such a thing? They were our friends!"

"Sorey listen to me! You have to beat Mikleo in a Duel, it's the only way to save him!" Lailah told him to do.

His attention was turned to her,

"Can't you see he's been under the control of a Fusion Parasite from Symonne!"

"What, is he under the influence of a parasite?" He gasped upon hearing.

Symonne remained discreet while continuing to observe and hold her Parasite Fusion card. "It's absolutely useless to undo my parasite from that Seraph's brain. You see, my critter is just as stubborn as you are. If you want to get rid of it, you have to beat me."

"Open your eyes, Mikleo! You've been brainwashed!" Sore tried to reason with him.

"Sorey, you must face Mikleo in a Duel! Please do it!" Lailah repeated.

"She's right, there's no use to make me listen to you." He reached up to activate his water magic, "And watch what happens..."

The water began to fill slowly within these two glass capsules that neither Alisha nor Lailah escaped. Panic took over both of them.

"The capsules have started to fill with water!" Lailah exclaimed.

"Let the girls go!" Sorey yelled.

"Sorey! Help me, Sorey! Help me please!" Alisha pleaded desperately, banging her clenched fists against the unbreakable glass capsule.

"Alisha! Lailah!" Sorey yelled.

"If you want to free them from these capsules, you have to beat me." Mikleo told him, "But if you refuse, then those two will end up drowning!"

He then smirked mockingly at the girls,

"I hope you have at least taken your bathing suits for the upcoming dive! Hahahahaha!"

"Sorey, get me out of here! Please, help me Sorey!" Alisha cried again, knocked against the glass capsule.

"Mikleo, let them go now!" He repeated.

"They're just fine buddy. For now. But their adventure ends here and now." Mikleo replied otherwise while ignored the princess' cries bedind him. "Unless you'd rather let them end up in an aquarium. The choice is yours, Sorey!"

"Help me Sorey! Help Sorey please! Mikleo, please stop this now!"

Sorey watched in fear as the glass capsules continued to fill with water. Forced to face his best friend forever, he had no other choice to accept the Duel. Mikleo's cold eyes, as he was controlled by someone. Sorey must bring back the real Mikleo with this Duel.

"I have no choice anymore." Sorey mutters before making his decision, "Since you're holding on so hard, Mikleo, I'm going to Duel you! But, I'm going to save you, and the girls!"

"That's what I was expecting from you, Sorey!" Mikleo smirked.

"Duel Disk, Set!" Sorey's Duel Disk was unfolded, the projection of Solid Vision made of mana, lighting up and ready to be activated.

"Duel Disk, Set!" Mikleo's Duel Disk was unfolded, lighting up and ready to be activated.

Both opponents draw from their decks up to five cards in hand.

"Let's Duel!!" They shouted together, the standard Duel can now begin.

(Sorey - 4000 LP)

(Mikleo - 4000 LP)

"Can I afford to play first?" Mikleo drew a card, "Thank you!"

He first started sending a Water Monster card into the Graveyard slot.

"By discarding one of my Water Monsters to my Graveyard, I can summon my ally Mermail Abyssteus!"

The green anthopomorphic, armored Dunkleosteus emerged out of the blue rift and materialized onto Mikleo's field, armed itself with red shell spear.

(Mermail Abyssteus - ATK: 1700 - Level: 7)

"When summoned, I can add a Mermail from my deck to my hand for later!"

He took one added card in his hand, before continued his first turn.

"Also when I send Mermail Abysshilde to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon another Mermail to my field!" He continued as he showed another card in hand and materialized onto his field. "Mermail Abyssleed, come to me!"

(Mermail Abyssleed - ATK: 2700 - Level: 7)

"By discarding two more Water Monsters, allowing me to summon Mermail Abyssmegalo immediately!" He send two cards into the Graveyard slot and make his thrid Mermail emerged out of the blue rift onto the field.

(Mermail Abyssmegalo - ATK: 2400 - Level: 7)

"When Abyssmegalo is summoned this way, I can add any Abyss Spell or Trap from my deck!" He took his card from his deck and set quickly in the field. "And to top it off, when my Mermail Abyssgunde is in my Graveyard, I can bring my Mermail back to the field!"

The anthopomorphic blue whale armed with a giant hammer emerged from the blue rift on the field.

(Mermail Abyssbalaen - ATK: 2500 - Level: 7)

"Oh no!" Alisha wondered in shock, widening her bright green eyes. "Mikleo managed to summon four Monsters in a single turn! How is Sorey going to react to such big, imposing fishes!?"

"And to make my army of fish untouchable, I call for my last fish; Mermail Abysslung!" He slammed his card onto his Duel Disk blade, bringing the lungfish merman in Defense Position.

(Mermail Abysslung - ATK: 1200 - Level: 4)

"In the presence of Abysslung, all Water Monsters gain 300 Attack Points!" Mikleo told him.

(Mermail Abyssteus - ATK: 1700 + 300 = 2000)

(Mermail Abyssleed - ATK: 2700 + 300 = 3000)

(Mermail Abyssmegalo - ATK: 2400 + 300 = 2700)

(Mermail Abyssbalaen - ATK: 2500 + 300 = 2800)

(Mermail Abysslung - ATK: 1200 + 300 = 1500)

He set his last card in hand in his field, "Okay, that's all for now. So what are you going to do Sorey?" He announced, leaving him to take his turn.

"I can't believe Mikleo is able to create such a large army of Water Monsters!" Lailah commented.

"It's not the first time I've dealt with Abysslung, it's been several years since I faced a Duel against him." Sorey observed Mikleo's field, remembered his previous Duel experiences. "Each time Mikleo summons Abysslung along with his other Mermails, he does everything to protect his own Monsters before dealing me often dangerous blows. But I know how to get rid of this fish quickly!"

Sorey drew a card,

"I bring my Tenyi Spirit - Mapura to the field!" He called as a blue rift emerged the fire dragon spirit.

(Tenyi Spirit - Mapura - ATK: 600 - Level: 4) 

"Then I can perform a Link Summon!"

The Arrowhead portal appeared on Sorey's field with Mapura was used for the summoning, it then enter the portal, activating the Bottom Link Arrow from within the portal.

"I bring the circuit that builds the path that leads to a new adventure!" Sorey chanted, "Link Summon! Link 1, Monk of the Tenyi!"

(Monk of the Tenyi - ATK: 1000 - Link 1)

"As my Monk is not an Effect Monster, I invite my Tenyi Spirit - Vishuda!" He placed his other Monster card onto his Duel Disk blade, causing his dark dragon spirit to appeared across the blue rift and materialized.

(Tenyi Spirit - Vishuda - ATK: 1500 - Level: 7)

"I summon my third Monster, Tenyi Spirit - Nahata!" The wind dragon spirit emerged out of the blue rift and materialized.

(Tenyi Spirit - Nahata - ATK: 800 - Level: 4)

Then another Arrowhead portal manifested while both the Tenyi Spirits enter the portal and activating the Link Arrows.

"With my two Monsters by my side, I can do another Link Summon! Link Summon! Link 2, Shaman of the Tenyi!"

A hurricane erupted from the Arrowhead portal, revealing a pretty girl in a traditional purple outfit armed with two fans made of peacock feathers.

(Shaman of the Tenyi - ATK: 1600 - Link: 2)

"If Sorey uses his own Tenyis for his Link Summons, it's probably to make them activate their special abilities by banishment." Alisha figured out.

"Your way of playing hasn't changed, Sorey!" Mikleo spoke in a mocking tone.

"Perhaps! But with the presence of my Monk since he is not an Effect Monster, I can therefore banish Vishuda from my Graveyard to activate its special ability!" He announced as it flew into the black vortex and vanished. "The Monster I should return to the aquarium it came from is Mermail Abysslung!"

As a result of Vishuda's banishment, Abysslung got send back from the field at Mikleo's hand.

(Mermail Abyssteus - ATK: 2000 - 300 = 1700)

(Mermail Abyssleed - ATK: 3000 - 300 = 2700)

(Mermail Abyssmegalo - ATK: 2700 - 300 = 2400)

(Mermail Abyssbalaen - ATK: 2800 - 300 = 2500)

"At least that's all I could do to save time..." Sorey thought for a short moment, before acting on the second part of his strategy. "I can then play this useful card! It's Vessel for the Dragon Cycle!" Sorey showed his Spell and activated it, "I can send a Wyrm from my deck to the Graveyard!"

The sent card was the Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna and being sucked into a black hole.

"Also I banish my Tenyi Spirit - Ashuna to activate its effect! I which allows me to summon from the deck, Tenyi Spirit - Shthana!" Just after Ashuna flew to a black vortex, a blue rift bringing another Tenyi to the field.

(Tenyi Spirit - Shthana - DEF: 2000 - Level: 4)

"Let's move on to a new Link Summon!"

Sorey shot forward a burst of energy which created an Arrowhead portal in the sky with a silver color version. Him and his Tenyi Link Monsters flew through.

"Summoning condition are two Wyrm Link Monsters! I'll put both Monk of the Tenyi and Shaman of the Tenyi in the Link Arrows, Circuit Combine!"

The Monk and the Shaman then transformed into red and white streaks of energy that entered the appropriate Link Arrows (Bottom-Left, Bottom and Bottom-Right), causing them to turn red. 

"I'll open the circuit that leads us beyond the uncharted sky! I Link Summon!"

The portal then glowed gold and energy converged to form the new one single monster and the Link Arrows around them.

"Link 3, Draco Masters of the Tenyi!!" Sorey called.

The united Link Monster and Sorey then emerged from the Arrowhead portal.

(Draco Masters of the Tenyi - ATK: 2600 - Link: 3)

"Draco Masters of the Tenyi! This is the card Sorey summoned in the Duel against me!" Alisha exclaimed.

"If there are no other Monsters besides the Draco Masters of the Tenyi, I can activate the effect! I have one in my Graveyard!" He announced, "Divine Cleansing!"

The Draco Masters of the Tenyi activating their effect and created a golden blast made of aura to destroy one target: Mermail Abyssleed. Its body shattered and exploded into a million pieces. Mikleo only had 3 towering Mermails left.

"That's very well done! If Sorey manages to eliminate Mikleo's entire army of Mermails, he could end the Duel and free us on the spot!" Lailah exclaimed hopefully.

"You may have defeated my fishes, but know that my other Monsters are still there. And along with my Traps; Abyss-scorn and Poseidon Wave." Mikleo glared.

"Perfect! It's time to summon my Ace Monster, the one who is the leader of the Tenyi Spirits!" Sorey announced confidently.

Then the Arrowhead portal appeared on the field while Sorey chanted. "The golden dragon spirit that arise from the luminous sky! Purifies all the evil within the heart of the people!"

The Draco Masters and Shthana were entered the portal, activating the Top-Center, Top-Right, Bottom-Right, Bottom-Center from within the portal. "I Link Summon!"

The portal then glowed white and energy converged to form the Link monster and the Link Arrows around it.

"Wake up, ultimate leader of the spirits! Link 4, Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara!!" Sorey called.

The ultimate Tenyi Link Monster then emerged out from the Arrowhead portal.

(Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara - ATK: 3000 - Link: 4)

"Sahasrara, welcome to the game!" Sorey said.

"It's Sahasrara! He's here alongside Sorey!" Alisha exclaimed.

"Thank you for summon me, Master Sorey..." Sahasrara said, before roared fiercely. "So, and if we got started!"

"But what is he doing? I want his Signer Dragon!" Symonne grew impatient.

Sorey then showed his favorite Spell, "I resurrect The Draco Masters of the Tenyi with the Monster Reborn card!"

The united Link Monster brought back to his field.

"Awesome! He has a solid team! With such an army, he will be able to surpass Mikleo's Mermails!" Lailah cried with joy.

"As you can see the true potential of my Ultimate Monster, Sahasrara can generate a Tenyi Token based on the Attack Points of my opponent's target Monster!" He told him, "I'm targeting your Mermail Abyssbalaen! So the Tenyi Token has 2500 Attack Points!"

A Tenyi Token appeared onto his field upon Sahasrara's effect activation.

(Tenyi Token - ATK: 2500 - DEF: 0 - Level: 4)

"Yes thanks to his Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara, he is able to reproduce Tokens endlessly! Mikleo will have a hard time defeating Sorey's Monsters!" Alisha noticed.

"I will be able to attack! My Token Tenyi will attack your Mermail Abyssbalaen," He declared.

The Token flew to Mermail Abyssbalaen. But before that happen, Mikleo unveiled his Trap.

"Do you think I'm going to sit around, Sorey?! I activate Abyss-scorn!! I give Abyssbalaen 1000 Attack Points and crush your Token!"

"I knew you were going to do the trick against me! By banishing Mapura from the Graveyard, I negate your Trap and destroy it!" Sorey interjected as Mapura flew to Mikleo's Trap, burned to ashes. "Which means you can forget about your big whale!"

"Master Sorey wait! Mikleo has a second Trap!" Sahasrara warned him.

Before the Tenyi Token was once again attacked the same target, Mikleo revealed his second trap.

"That's what you think?!" He said, "I splash you with the Poseidon Wave card! I can stop your attack before it reaches my Monster and make you lose 800 life points for each Fish, Sea Serpent and Aqua Monsters I control!"

"Mikleo has planned this from the start if one of his Traps fails!" Sahasrara shouted.

A water god figure arised his trident, poured out a great wave of water, splashed the Tenyi Token and so towards Sorey. Mikleo had three Mermails on his field, so Sorey took 2400 damage.

(Sorey - LP: 4000 - 2400 = 2600 - Cards in hand: 1)

"You only have 5 minutes in the Duel, no more! If in 5 minutes there isn't a single winner after, it's game over for the two girls!" Mikleo warned him.

Sorey became shocked upon hearing this as water continued to fill in the glass capsule where Alisha was held prisoner.

"Help! Sorey!" She yelled terrified, panic rising within her. Hands against the capsule and had her eyes shutted down. "Save us please, heeellp!!"

"Sorey, make me get me out of this narrow aquarium! I'm a Fire Seraph and I can't swim! Immediately call a plumber!" Lailah begged in panic, tapping against the glass capsule with one hand as the water continued to fill.

"The water keeps filling up! The girls are in danger!"  Sahasrara shouted.

Under pressure, Sorey must at all costs defeat Mikleo and save the two girls.

"You have no more Trap cards to defend yourself with now!" He declared, "Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara! Attack!"

His Ace Monster arose in the air, sucked pure spiritual air to turn it into a burst of light before blowing violently towards the Mermail Abyssbalaen, shattered into a thousand pieces of hologram.

"Luminous Breath!"

(Mikleo - LP: 4000 - 500 = 3500 - Cards in hand: 1)

"Draco Masters of the Tenyi, destroy his Mermail Abyssteus now!"

They make a cross-like dashing attack on Abyssteus, shattered it into a thousand pieces of hologram. Leaving Mikleo with only his Mermail Abyssmegalo onto his field.

(Mikleo - LP: 3500 - 900 = 2600 - Cards in hand: 1)

"My turn is now done!" He declared. "Damn, I have to save my friends at all costs before it's too late! But, with only 5 minutes, I couldn't release Alisha and Lailah so soon after the Duel. What am I supposed to do?"

He then tired to rememeber him, and regain his true self.

"Mikleo! Please stop this senseless Duel right now! Stop hurting our friends!"

However, Mikleo snickered, then laughed devilishly, raising the confusion and tension in Sorey.

"So what? What did I do? I have the right to hurt my enemies, right?" He replied mockingly, not caring his pleas. He point to his head with a sneer. "The parasite that made me so much more than vicious is in my brain! You can live your last moments in Duel! You will know the end of your Duelist career!!"

Horrified by his statement, the glass capsule continued to fill; Alisha was in danger of drowning first.

"So really, if the princess gets the cup drunk. How could I capture the Stardust Dragon like this?" Symonne snarled with her arms folded. "Unless the Stardust Dragon decides to show up to save his pampered little princess."

Mikleo was drawing a card since it was his turn, placed it directly onto his field before slapping his Monster card in the Duel Disk blade, making his Level 4 Mermail materialized again.

"I set one card, and I summon again Mermail Abysslung!"

(Mermail Abysslung - DEF: 1800 - Level: 4 - ATK: 1200 + 300 = 1500)

(Mermail Abyssmegalo - ATK: 2400 + 300 = 2700)

"Her time's up now! Alisha drank from the cup first!" Mikleo told him without even a shadow of remorse about the princess' doomed fate.

"Sorey help! Save me! Hel-!" She screamed desperately as she banged her fists against the glass capsule as the meager time ticked away.

Unfortunately after a few seconds, the water eventually filled the entire glass capsule, and Alisha lost all the air left in her lungs and ended up drowning for good. To much the Shepherd Duelist's horror, she seemed "dead".

"A... ALISHAAAAAAAA!!!" He screamed in terror, his verdant eyes wide open. He couldn't do anything about it except to see the pure but now oblivious face of the princess. "NOOOOOOOOO!!!"

Chapter Text

Being overwhelmed by Alisha's apparent "death" and Mikleo's remorseless action, rage caught in Sorey.

"Princess Alisha, she's submerged in water!" Sahasrara shouted in horror.

"ALISHAAAAA!!!" Lailah yelled in horrifying shock as she put her hands on the glass capsule. "NOOO!! Please wake up!! Open your eyes!! Alishaaa!!!"

Unfortunately, the drowned princess neither answered nor opened her eyes nor even heard the desperate cries of the silver-haired Fire Seraph.

"How? How could you do such a horrible thing?! Alisha is our friend! Why did you do that?!" Sorey started in despair and anger.

"Why? You asked me, why did I do that?" Mikleo dismissed his statement, "I find it rather amusing... Serving the hostages just to torment you. Just seeing you torture and suffer would make me happier."

"You're so cruel!" Sorey gritted his teeth before shouted out as memories are surfacing in the mind. "Mikleo! You forgot everything that we were friends since we were children! We were raised by our Gramps! We explore together! We had a lot of Duels! And we went to explore the ruins while we still stayed in Elysia! Don't you remember, Mikleo?!"

"The more you talk too much about this useless chatter, the more time passes unless you were going to abandon Lailah to her sad fate. Hurry to draw, unless you prefer to give in." Mikleo however urged him to play, ignore his feelings he had for him.

"Never!" He exclaimed, drawing a card which placed it directly in the slot. "I set one card face-down!" Then summoned his tiger-hybrid Yang Zing to his field. "I summon Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing!"

"No! Not this card, Master Sorey!" Sahasrara shouted. "Mikleo has set another Trap!"

(Bi'an, Earth of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1600 - Level: 3)

Mikleo smirked however as if planning on Sorey's intent, "That's perfect! You just triggered my Trap!" His face-down card revealed and activated, "Torrential Tribute!"

"NO!" Sorey blinked in dismay.

"It's exactly what was needed even if I lose my own Monsters! The Torrential Tribute card took away all the Monsters on the field!"

"I warned you, you fool! If you'd listened to me before, it would have been less disastrous!" Sahasrara reprimanded him.

A violent wave of water engulfed the field all the Monsters of Sorey and Mikleo and destroyed them.

"By destroying Bi'an which is a Yang Zing, I can summon another Yang Zing from my deck in Defense Mode!" Sorey declared its effect, brought out his other Monster through the blue rift and materialized.

(Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing - DEF: 2000 - Level: 2)

As his Monster was in Defense Position, Sorey was forced to end his turn, while water continued to fill in the glass capsule where Lailah was held.

"Please Mikleo! Stop this Duel now!" Lailah begged as the water kept filling up inside, but he ignored her.

"Why you do this, Mikleo! You annihilated my Monsters even at the cost of yours without any remorse! Yet you have a lot of respect for your own Monsters!" He shouted with must dismay.

"Because I can! When the chips are down, we must sacrifice to allies without any ounce of consideration to allow us to go further!" Mikleo replied with indifference and self-joy, then displayed to a more vicious and twisted expression. "The only thing that matters is victory! That's what Duelists have been doing forever! You and me, we are the same! We abandon our once useless Monsters in favor of more powerful ones and crush anyone who opposes us!"

"It's really awful to say that!! You're not the kind of guy to act that way!!" Sorey snapped out, "It's not me you have to fight! It's that disgusting parasite that's lodged in your innocent brain!!"

Mikleo fired back, "The Fusion Parasite made me smarter than that! Your ridiculous speeches won't change my mind!!"

"I've had enough of your nonsense!! I'm going to free you from this evil control on the spot!!" He cried in determination.

"You couldn't stop me and my Mermails!!" He yelled as he drew a card and activated it, his Monster emerged back from the blue rift to the field. "I use my Monster Reborn card! I bring back Mermail Abyssmegalo from my Grave!"

"Dang it. The parasite that lodged in the brain drove him insane by dint of being manipulated like a puppet. That cursed Symonne girl is going to regret it." Her jade eyes widened in fear.

"Ho ho ho, how it's so good. Two friends tearing each other apart, their friendship is being shaken. I can't wait for how it ends between these two." Symonne chuckled in amusement at the well creepy sight. "My adorable parasite has taken on its role of pushing Mikleo to hate his own friend and even forget the memories of what he has most precious.

"Shreds Sorey's Monster's turtle shell to smithereens!"Ancient Abyssal Fang!" He shouted to his Monster to attacking.

Mermail Abyssmegalo wielded its curved saber made of thick shark teeth, generated water flow and shattered Bixi, Water of the Yang Zing into a thousand hologram pieces.

As Sorey's Monster was in Defense Position, his Life Points are spared for now.

"Every time a Yang Zing is destroyed, another one of them takes over to the field from my deck!" He declared, and his red-brown lion-like Yang Zing emerged out of the blue rift. "Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing!"

(Suanni, Fire of the Yang Zing - ATK: 1900 - Level: 4)

The longer the water continued to fill, the more Lailah will be in danger of drowning if time ran out. She struggled desperately to free herself from the glass capsule but nothing helped, and at least not being able to save Alisha.

"Now Sorey, you have only one choice of the two to take!" He declared as he finished his turn, giving him a chance to make a worst decision he will take.

"What!" Sorey gasped by this sudden proposition.

"Be you lose, and Lailah's life will be saved... But if you win, then say goodbye to her! Lailah will suffer the same fate as poor Alisha who ended up in a glass aquarium!"

Sorey continued to growling in anger by a dilemma imposed by the latter.

"But, if you hesitate being torn by this cruel dilemma of stake, the water continued to fill in the capsule and Lailah will be doomed anyway! As they say, the fire can only be extinguished by water!"

"Don't listen to him Sorey! You have to win this Duel and save Mikleo! No matter what happens to me! Save him! Please!" Lailah pleaded with water that continued to rise almost to the shoulders.

"Come on Sorey!" Mikleo demanded, "You have to choose between me or your own friends! Unless you're going to lose us and save no one else?"

He was laughing devilishly that it made Sorey more angry.

"You have no right to do that!! This is cruel insanity!!" He snapped that make him retaliated in return.

"What you say?!"

"Don't you realize what you're doing with committing such disloyal acts?! What do you think if Gramps sees you acting like this?!"

"That's enough! You shut your stupid mouth!" Mikleo screamed in rage.

"I have to do something. I have to save Alisha at all costs, or else..." Lailah gritted, then came up with a solution. "But of course I have to call on my Monsters to be able to break the glass capsules."

She took out two Monster cards to summon and materialize them,

"Ancient Flamvell Deity and Flamvell Uruquizas, come help me!"

Her two Flamvell Synchro Monsters materialized and tried to break off both glass capsules in order to free Alisha and Lailah.

"Hang in there, we'll get you out of here!" She cried to her fellow, unconscious friend. "Alisha! You gotta fight! Be strong! Don't let it get you down!"

"It's useless! The capsules are unbreakable! Besides, none of your creatures could free you! Alisha is doomed already!" Mikleo told Lailah.

"Shut up!" She shot back, and the water finally filled. Lailah covered her mouth in an attempt to hold her remaining breath.

"Lailah!" Sorey cried.

"There is no need to persist, your fate is already decided! You will suffer the same as Alisha!"

He sent his Mermail Abyssmegalo to eliminate Lailah's Flamvells in order to prevent them from breaking the glass capsules, shattering any chance of saving them both.

"Time is up! You didn't choose Alisha and Lailah, or me! Therefore, you will lose everything! The Duel's fate is sealed!" He turned back to Sorey with an evil smile and without any remorse.

With the last seconds gone, she lost her last remaining breath in her lungs and drowned. Lailah was doomed! Under the horrified gaze of the Shepherd Duelist, his last straw of humility got snapped and his verdant eyes turned blazing red.

"A... AHH..." Sorey shut his eyes down and let out a cry of terrifying rage. "WAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGHHHHHHHH!!!!"

The Blazing Soul ignited intensely in Sorey's chest. The fiery figure of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend manifested growling behind him, Mikleo began to tremble, recoiled in fear.

"What's happening?!" He stuttered nervously to see him overcome with such rage, "He's going to berserk!"

"That's it. Sorey has finally let his rage take over. He will no doubt summon the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. That's exactly what happened when he faced Rose in a Duel." Symonne smiled with satisfaction. Then she took her Fusion Parasite card. "My Fusion Parasite, it's time to get out of my guinea pig's head. When Mikleo forgets everything that happened during the Duel, he will quickly be overwhelmed by Sorey's outburst of violence and will fear him."

Instead of drawing normally since it was his turn, Sorey pulled out the Crimson Resonator card from his own body.

"You will pay me!! You will pay me, Mikleo!!" He yelled with his dramatically changed demeanor. "I summon the Crimson Resonator!!"

Sorey slammed his Tuner card onto the Duel Disk blade, caused the small fiend to emerged out of the fire rift and materialized in the field.

(Crimson Resonator - ATK- 800 - Level: 2)

"With the presence of my Tuner, I can do a Synchro Summon!!" He announced as his small fiend's body transformed into two green rings, Suanni's body scanned through the two green rings and dissipated into four stars.

(Level 2 + 4 = 6)

"From deepest underworld, the offspring will be born from infernal fire!!" Sorey chanted.

A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon!! Rise from the flames, Level 6!! Red Rising Dragon!!" Sorey cried as the scarlet flame unveiled a dragon composed almost entirely of flame except for a red scaled belly and a small portion of the upper knees in brown and red. The blazing dragon roared.

(Red Rising Dragon - ATK: 2100 - Level: 6)

Unbeknownst to them, the Fusion Parasite was coming out of Mikleo's ear, releasing all of Symonne's control.

"Huh? What happened? What am I doing here?" Mikleo blinked, regained control of himself and forget everything that happened, but only to come face to face with the limited form of Sorey's Signer Dragon. "It's Sorey's Red Rising Dragon! But what is it doing there?"

"Once summoned, my dragon brings back a Level 2 Tuner to reveal its true form through a second Synchro Summon!!" Sorey continued as the rage kept to plague him.

Again, the Crimson Resonator's body dissipated, taking the form of the two flaming Synchro Rings from its Level 2.

(Level 2 + 6 = 8)

"King of the deepest of the underworlds, release from your infernal flames and reveal to me your true supreme form!" Sorey chanted again.

The flaming Synchro Rings then scan the Red Rising Dragon, which change into a glowing yellow outline of itself before turning into 6 stars. A beam of scarlet flame then enveloped the stars, passing through the flaming rings.

"I Synchro Summon! Level 8!! Destroy everything in your flame path, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!!!" Sorey roared, slapping his card onto the Duel Disk blade that lit up. The Dragon Synchro Monster took flight from the flames while roaring and revealed its true form, spreading flames around.

(Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend - ATK: 3000 - Level: 8)

"Sorey what are you doing?! Why did you summon the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend this way?!" Mikleo asked being scared, but he wasn't listening.

"I annihilate until there is nothing left of you!!!" He shouted as his Signer Dragon roared fiercely.

Mikleo realized he was in a Duel with his own friend as he remembered nothing but being rescued by him before being taken over by Symonne's parasite again. All he saw around were the glass capsules completely filled with water where Alisha and Lailah were, being drowned before his shocked eyes.

"Oh no what I'm done?"

"You're finish Mikleo!! You are now at my mercy!!" Sorey shouted with his blazing red eyes wide open. "Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, destroy all who stand in the way!! With its special ability, I can destroy as many Monsters on the field as possible with ATK less than or equal to my Monster!! As a result, you will suffer 500 damage for each your Monsters destroyed!!"

The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend ignited its right arm to unleash its full destructive power. Flew straight towards Mikleo's only Mermail Monster.

"Ruthless Inferno!!!" Sorey roared at his dragon's effect.

Mermail Abyssmegalo charred in the flames as Mikleo watched desperately.

(Mikleo - LP: 2600 - 500 = 2100 - Cards in hand: 0)

"Abyssmegalo no!!" He cried seeing his Mermail destroyed. "What's happen to you!! Sorey!!"

"It's so wonderful, I expected this Shepherd Duelist to unleash the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend's full potential. If only my Lord Heldalf could see it all." Symonne commented with satisfaction.

"This is over for you!!" Sorey shouted out in rage, his Ace Monster's mouth generated a spiral of fire while reared its head.

"No Sorey please!! Stop it!! Please stop it!!" Mikleo pleaded.

The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend unleashing it and blasting violently to Mikleo.

"Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, attack Mikleo's remaining Life Points!! Molten Crimson Flare!!!"

The Water Seraph screamed in such pain and being crushed to the ground, leaving him unconscious.

(Mikleo - LP: 2600 - 3000 = 0 - Cards in hand: 0)

Sorey therefore won the Duel, but at the cost of failing to save Lailah and Alisha in addition to seriously injuring Mikleo out of rage.

"That's an intensive show." Symonne contemplated with such intensity.

However, despite the Duel being abruptly ended, the infernal rage was not over in Sorey; he was even more out of control than he was now. The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend's roar shook within the Galahad Ruins along with flames with flames intensify further. If no one could stop them then it was going to be such a downfall.

"Once the Blazing Soul drove him completely out of control, he couldn't tell each individual anymore; he has no friend or foe and he's utterly alone." Symonne said, continued to watch, waiting for something she expected to happen. "He would suffer the same fate as the previous Shepherd Duelists if he lets himself be consumed by the flames."

Inside the water capsule, an inner voice echoes within Alisha, who has since drowned unconscious.

"Princess... Princess Alisha. Wake up, your friend needs help."

In her subconscious both bright as stardust and dark as shadow, Alisha had been lying and passed out on the ground. A luminous dragon figure with only glowing bright yellow eyes appeared in front of the princess.

"You need to wake up, Princess. This young man is in trouble, he got lost." He told her in a masculine tone.

"I no longer have the strength to get up. I'm not a very good Duelist, I didn't help anyone, not even my friends." She replied telepathically, dejected.

"You are wrong, you still have a chance to be able to save your traveling companion. What you don't know is what you have unique potential that others don't; but you chose to put it down in favor of your usual Dueling talent."

"You're going to make me do it again so I never wanted to." She denied.

"Are you still running away from your own reality? Even after 10 years on the day of the incident at Ladylake of what happened to your mother?" The luminous figure squinted. "You claim you didn't remember the incident. But the truth is, you didn't accept the fact that your mother sacrificed herself, sealing me in your own body after you got into an argument with her... That you had such regrets afterwards."

The figure illuminated up while grabbing the passed out princess. The stardust light engulfed the entire subconscious.

"I have to take over. I have to take over your body, I can't let you put your life in danger."

Back to reality, Alisha's bright green eyes turned now to pale yellow widened open, her body glowed brightly with a luminous aura.

The activation of Alisha's awakening power was depicted by the opening of her pale yellow eye, followed by the figure of the Stardust Dragon.

The glass capsule shattered into a thousand pieces, freeing Alisha. Then she smashed the other capsule with all her might with one fist and freed Lailah.

"Seriously? The princess has managed to break free and escape her doom!" Symonne widen her eyes, "And now she's saved that Seraph girl!"

Being taken over by the Signer Dragon, Alisha's demeanor became much more stoic and calmer than before unlike Sorey's being influenced by the Blazing Soul. She speaking no more than necessary. Additionally, her voice remained the same pitch, though it becomes rougher, and she was constantly surrounded by a light aura.

"You and your dragon need to be tamed." She said a more rougher tone.

Alisha approached with such boldness and composure towards Sorey and his Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend as both roared furiously.

"How sad you look so desperate that you asked for help." She said, feeling bad for him.

"RAAAAAHHH!! I want an opponent to challenge me!!" Sorey roared with rage, couldn't recognize her even after being survived in a near-death experience. "... WAAAAAAARRRGH!!"

"My poor Sorey, you can't recognize me anymore." Alisha felt sadness towards her friend, a small tear dripped from her right eye.

She unfolded her own Duel Disk, placing her deck into the holder, and prepared to face him in a Duel in order to stop Sorey from his mad rage. She drew five cards at a time.

(Alisha Diphda - 4000 LP)

"As Crown Princess of the Diphda Royal Family, it is my duty to bring people back to the right path."

She then drew one card,

"What is this strange force? It's the first time I've seen one." Curiosity aroused in Symonne. "Is it possible that the princess awakened the power of the Clear Mind?"

"I summon my precious fellow Monster. Satellarknight Alsahm." Alisha placed her card onto the Duel Disk blade, causing her archer-like Monster to emerged out of the blue rift and materialized.

(Satellarknight Alsahm - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

"When my brave knight come to me, he can shoot you and make you lose 1000 Life Points." She told him stoically.

Alsahm pulled his bowstring, sent the arrow at lightning speed directly at Sorey, caused an explosion.

(Sorey - LP: 2600 - 1000 = 1600 - Cards in hand: 1)

This further annoyed Sorey with the damage effect taken.

"How dare you throw with a shot at me?! It's not a fair game!!" He yelled.

"All shots are allowed thanks to my fellow knight." She replied, then revealed her new, never-before-seen Monster card. "Here is a brand new Monster who is not part of the Tellarknights, but who will be a very valuable ally to help me."

By the effect of her new card from Alisha's hand, her Tellarknight got Tributed and vanished from the field.

"I can Special Summon it only if my Monster is either in my hand or in my Graveyard by Tributing my Monster. But when it leaves the field, it will be banished." She explained.

She placed onto the other slot of the Duel Disk blade, causing her new Tuner to emerged out from the blue rift and materialized in her field for the first time. This a mechanized version of the Stardust Dragon, except from having a Planetary Particle inside this Monster's chest.

"A Tuner by the name of Stardust Synchron."

(Stardust Synchron - ATK: 1500 - Level: 4)

"Where did you get that kid's toy from your deck?!" Sorey asked, much to his shock. "You've never had it before!"

"This is no ordinary toy," Alisha frowned, "It's Stardust Synchron and it's a Machine Monster that will soon surprise you that I've done an unprecedented Synchro Summon."

She took one card from her deck, then placed two of them into the two slots from her Duel Disk. Two face-down cards appeared onto her field.

"Additionally, I can take a card from my deck when Stardust Synchron is summoned."

She showed him another new Monster card that isn't a Tellarknight, spawned her out of the blue rift, and materialized. She was a very beautiful dragon-woman with long burgundy hair with two horns and wearing clothing similar to the Stardust Dragon. She had a burgundy colored tail like her long hair.

"There's another surprise I have in store for you, another fellow Monster will come to my aid. Come here, Stardust Trail."

(Stardust Trail - ATK: 500 - Level: 4)

"Like my Stardust Synchron, I can summon Stardust Trail from my hand or Graveyard, except that if I Tribute one of my Monsters, she will also be banished if she leaves the field." She continued.

"You're probably going to do a Synchro Summon like I do?!" Sorey quickly pointed out a Alisha's strategic intent.

"That's right." She answered seriously, "With the invaluable help of my Stardust Monsters, I can spawn an even more powerful creature than you have ever seen. The one that has sleeped inside my body for 10 years. It's time to free him."

Alisha gestured by statement,

"I Sync my Stardust Synchron with my Stardust Trail to create a Synchro Monster!"

First, the Stardust Synchron flew away by spinning the three gears located inside its purple chest, dissipating into four Synchro rings made of silver stardust that corresponded to its Level.

"Bring me luminous stardust, and assemble to create a milky way path that will lead me to a new light! Let's rev it up!" Alisha chanted for a very new Synchro Summoning, she seized a light located in her heart.

The four silver rings then scan the Stardust Trail and become transparent, dissipating into 4 stars.

(Level 4 + 4 = 8)

The silver rings and stars turned into a pillar of stardust light.

"I Synchro Summon my true own heart, Stardust Dragon from Level 8!!" She cried, her eyes filled with determination. She pulled out a card from her own body between her fingers, the light dissipated and revealed itself to be the Stardust Dragon.

A luminous dragon figure loomed out of the pillar of stardust light. The veil of light unfolded and revealed his true form for the first time in 10 years since his reappearance in the Human World! Stardust Dragon spread his wings and roared majestically, finally freed from Princess Alisha Diphda's body for the first time.

(Stardust Dragon - ATK: 2500 - Level: 8)

Stardust Dragon was a lanky dragon with a humanoid body plan. He had a predominantly white-skinned head that was unusually proportioned, with short jaws in comparison to his large crest and long neck. The crest and neck both have blue, ribbed sections of skin. The crest on Stardust's head wass four-pointed, with a fork-like trio of points extending from the back, and a single shorter point running down his nose. Stardust had yellow eyes and a pointed, purple tongue. His torso was largely light blue, with translucent purple pectorals and shoulder armor, and with a white-skinned tail that is patterned like its neck. His tail was tipped with four small, axe-like blades arranged in a cross. His wings have claws and ribbed sections of blue skin protruding along the ridge of the wing finger, which extended far father than the other fingers. The membranes are folded and crinkled in appearance, and there are two sets of wing fingers; one set closer to the body, and one closer to the end. Stardust's limbs are all white until the second-lowest joints (the elbow and the ankle), where the skin became light blue. The toes have ribbed blue sections near the base, while the fingers have purple knuckles before the claws.

"I was right! It's the Stardust Dragon I've always been looking for! The princess has indeed possessed this dragon!" Symonne wondered with greatness.

Both Signer Dragons roared in fury at each other within the Galahad Ruins.

At the same time somewhere in the Volgran Forest, the Black Rose Dragon roared; felt a distant presence from afar, catching Rose's attention.

"Who is it, Black Rose?" Rose asked as her dragon continued roaring, "You looked upset."

Black-Winged Dragon roared as well.

"My dragon had the same reaction as yours, Rose." Dezel said by the same conclusion while holding his black hat. "I believe another Signer Dragon has emerged."

Somewhere in the Rayfalke Spiritcrest, Power Tool Dragon's red eyes lit up, as if upset by the sudden presence from afar.

"You sounded pretty excited, old buddy toy." Edna commented, her attention caught. "This is yet another of the Crimson Dragon's spawns breaking free?"

Back inside the ruins, Sorey was in shock at the sudden presence of Alisha's Signer Dragon during their Duel.

"It's not possible, did you really summon that dragon?" He muttered frightened while his Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend roared in fury.

"You haven't changed, even after over 1000 years you're still so aggressive, Scarlight." Stardust Dragon said in a male baritone voice. "I understand why this human child could no longer control you during your rodeo."

Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend rushed straight at Stardust Dragon as if to attack, being offended.

"As Princess Alisha used to say, you need to be trained to be a pet lizard." The Stardust Dragon commented, grabbing the dragon's horns before pushing it away. "You have to know to take the bull by the horns, since you are the bull of our gang."

"I use my Spell card, Back-Up Rider. I give my dragon of 1500 ATK." She showed her favorite card and activated it.

(Stardust Dragon - ATK: 2500 + 1500 = 4000)

"Which makes it far more powerful than your own dragon and to annihilate it." She continued.

Stardust Dragon roared by the rising power.

"Go on the attack Stardust. We need to calm them down." Alisha then told to her Signer Dragon.

Stardust Dragon nodded,

"Attack my Stardust Dragon! Wipe out Sorey's Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!!" She shouted as Stardust Dragon reared his head, before unleashing a stream of silver starry energy, destroying Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. "Cosmic Flare!!"

(Sorey - LP: 1600 - 1000 = 600 - Cards in hand: 1)

Stardust smoke propelled back at Sorey as he stood to keep from being propelled. 

"My turn is end now." She declared stoically.

While Alisha thought she had settled the score with his Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, she discovered with slight shock that a red cocoon with a demonic eye took the place of this dragon on the field. The red coccon throbbed like a beating heart.

"What is that?" She asked. "What is that thing doing here?"

Sorey's Trap card flipped from the field.

"Sorry but I won't let my dragon be destroyed so easily!" He declared in an enraged tone. "That's why I activate the Red Cocoon card when you attack! By equipping my Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, it will return from my Graveyard that you sent it!"

Alisha growled as Sorey continued his dialogue.

"Compared to your Stardust Dragon, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend is much more powerful! My next attack will cost you dearly!"

The beating Red Cocoon exploded, causing the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend to emerge in the field again. It roared furiously after being destroyed the first time, causing the screen to tremble.

"Seriously, I thought I got rid of it!" Alisha exclaimed.

"We must defeat this dragon and save this boy!" Stardust Dragon said.

"It's so wonderful, so wonderful. My Lord would be very happy to hear it. Two dragons and two friends clashing with each other. I can't wait how it ends like this." Symonne contemplated, amazed. "Once the Clear Mind activated, the princess emptied out all negative emotions to make herself more clear and pure. While the Shepherd Duelist, in other words, let rage hang over him once activating the full power of the Blazing Soul."

"I'll make you pay no matter what!" Sorey declared, drawing a card.

Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend ignited its right arm to unleash its full destructive power. But before Sorey could attacked as Alisha's Stardust Dragon had 2500 Attack Points, she flipped her card face down from the field.

"I activate my Trap; Assault Mode Activate! I give the Stardust Dragon unbreakable armor and switch him to Assault Mode!"

Her Trap card glowing and turned as some part of the armor and equip Stardust Dragon. He became an Assault Mode Monster.

(Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode - ATK: 3000 - Level: 10)

"Ha! Do you think you're going to stop me?!" Sorey snarled with a vicious smile, "You forgot my Monster has a special ability that will burn your dragon to ashes!"

His dragon flew straight towards Alisha's dragon as the effect activated.

"We can say that the armor you gave your lizard is still breakable!"

"Sorry, but it would be otherwise. Compare to your dragon so power is destructive, my dragon has the power to protect." She announced, her tone serious. "I'm activating the Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode special ability! Victim Sanctuary!"

His body illuminated, blocking the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend's assault by squeezing the entire body. The body exploded into luminous starlight, the two dragons disintegrated into stardust and vanished from the field, to much Sorey's shock.

"Nooo!! My Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!!" He screamed in dismay, "What did you do!"

"When you have activated the effect of a Spell, Trap or Monster card, I can negate and destroy it by Tributing my dragon." Alisha told him. She then flipped her other card face-down. "Also, in the presence of my Stardust Flash card, I bring it directly back to my field without waiting for a next turn. Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode, come back!"

Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode emerged again to her field. As Sorey does not have time to declare the end of his turn, Alisha took advantage of playing her final turn to conclude her Duel against Sorey, and draw a card.

"I equip my Monster with a very dangerous but powerful weapon called, Double-Edged Sword!"

A large sword appeared in which Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode picked it up and armed himself.

"He gains 2000 Attack Points! As the name of my Equip indicates, it's a double-edged weapon that both of us take battle damage involving the equipped Monster!"

(Stardust Dragon/Assault Mode - ATK: 3000 + 2000 = 5000)

"It's time to get this over with! We'll have to get Sorey back on the right track and to his senses!" She declared.

"You're right, Princess." Stardust nodded, "But with that weapon you gave me, neither you nor Sorey win the Duel. But at least it allows your friend to be restored to normal if I attack him directly."

Alisha gestured as her dragon brandished the Double-Edged Sword in the air, "Now Stardust, end this Duel and save my fiend!!" Then hit Sorey head-on, causing a burst of wind to put out the flames around. The wind propelled back to Alisha who stood upright to resist the blowing.

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 4000 - 4000 = 0 - Cards in hand: 1)

(Sorey - LP: 600 - 600 = 0 - Cards in hand: 2)

Sorey propelled himself violently screaming through the attack and crashed to the ground, knocking him unconscious. The Duel between Alisha and Sorey ending in a draw!!

The luminous aura within the Princess of Hyland was fading, and collapsing with exhaustion. Luckily Stardust caught her before her now unconscious body crashed to the ground.

"You did a good job, Princess." Stardust complimented her.

Symonne smiled with a very satisfying conclusion. "This Duel ended in perfect beauty. Mikleo no longer has any use now that he has played the role of a guinea pig perfectly."

Then she disappeared into darkness without a trace.

A few minutes after the titanic Duel ended, Alisha's voice called out.

"Sorey? Sorey you okay? Sorey, wake up."

He opened his eyes and revealed to be back to normal.

"Is that you, Alisha." He asked.

He lifted his body slowly after suffering a very violent shock.

"You should be in pain after this Duel." Alisha felt concerned for her friend's well-being.

"I didn't remember what happened." His head ached.

Alisha hugged him in relief,

"Sorey, you're finally back to normal! I was so scared! Oh Sorey how glad I am that you're okay after all the terrible Duel that happened! You let rage get the better of you!"

"Alisha I'm fine thanks to you." He answered her, before asking otherwise. "And what about Lailah and Mikleo?"

"Ah, it's true, I forgot those two!" She remembered while broke her hug from him, got up to rush.

"Mikleo!" He cried, rushing.

She knelt down to them and checked to see if they were okay.

"Lailah! Mikleo! You're okay you both?!"

She checked Lailah first, having been unconscious since being drowned in a water capsule.

"She has water in her lungs, CPR should make her cough up water."  She said, then massaged over the chest with some effort.

The technique was a success; Lailah coughed up water and could finally breathe.

"Yes! I succeeded!" She cried hopefully before asking again. "Are you okay now?"

Lailah opened her pretty green eyes and regained consciousness.

"What happened?" She asking weakly.

"You were drowned in a capsule during the Duel between Sorey and Mikleo. I think Sorey won, but lost control of himself under Blazing Soul when the same thing happened to you. That's why I stepped in to save him." Alisha explained.

"Mikleo? Mikleo talk to me." Sorey called him. "Mikleo!"

The Water Seraph regained consciousness, he opened his lavender eyes. His vision was still blurry but he recognized the figure as Sorey as he kept calling him. When his vision returned to normal and much clearer, he had a somewhat frightened strong reaction to seeing his friend Sorey.

"No don't touch me!" Mikleo pushed Sorey away violently, to much the girls' sudden surprise.

Mikleo rose up, breathed in stress upon seeing Sorey, no doubt from being scarred by the terrifying Duel when the latter had summoned the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend when entered into the Blazing Soul.

"What's gotten into you, Mikleo?" Sorey started nervously. "It's me, Sorey! Don't you recognize me?"

"You, you completely lost your way! You rescued me earlier, and you attacked me savagely with the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!" Mikleo accusing him in fear.

"But why! I don't understand you, why you're freaking out like this?!" Sorey tried to reason him. "I fully intended to save you!"
 
"You didn't realize what you did! You almost knocked me out of my head! And I who believed that you are a good guy!" He blamed him with much anger, "But... You are... You drive like a real freaky monster!!"

Sorey and the girls were quickly shocked after Mikleo horribly declared.

He tried to come up to him, "But Mikleo."

"Stay back from me!!" He yelled angrily, pushing Sorey away violently as the two girls caught up with him.

Seeing his frightened face, Mikleo ran away from afar without anyone catching him.

"Mikleo, don't go!" Sorey called him, but to no avail. "Mikleo!"

Sadly, he left without even returning. Realizing what he had done during the Duel against him, Sorey felt dejected after being accused of his brutal conduct in addition to nearly killing his own childhood best friend.

He buried his face with both hands and sobbed, "Oh no what did I do? What did I do? Why did it happen like this? Tell me why?"

"Oh Sorey." Alisha felt sad for him.

Sorey lowered his hands, revealing his sweet, innocent face in tears of grief. "Why? Why did things go so wrong? Say I was going to be happy to find you Mikleo. *sob sob sob sob*"

He buried his tearful face again, heartbroken.

Meanwhile somewhere in probably Marlind, the serpentine-draconic Hellion seemed to be holding a resentment with someone who seemed to have betrayed her.

"Why? Why did you leave me, Lailah? You broke your promise to me. Why Lailah?" A female voice asking in despair, her orange eyes filled with sadness and betrayal.

Chapter Text

It all started with a flashback 10 years ago, Maltran bowing to Princess Alisha at the age of 7, holding her Sonic Chick plushie in her arms.

"I have always been haunted by this memory of the day my mother disappeared during the tragic incident at Ladylake, so I want to forget it. The only thing I remembered was calling my mother a liar about the existence of the Stardust Dragon."

"You must be little Alisha, right? I'm sorry for what happened to your mother." She introduced herself, "My name is Maltran, it is from today that I will educate you and learn about Dueling."

The little princess then burst into tears and was crying.

"So I started to shut myself up like an oyster. So I pretended I had no memory of the incident and the Stardust Dragon, but those terrible memories always come back to me."

Maltran hugged the crying little princess, "I'll take care of you until you grow up."

Another flashback shown behind little Alisha, a dragon-figure shadow formed as if binding her. Other members of her family and even children her age looked askance and shunned her.

"My mother is of commoner origin, so I was never the favorite among my family. The only being that was still lurking in my shadow was the Stardust Dragon."

"Is it the little un-favorite girl who owned that terrifying Signer Dragon?" One of the nobles of her family whispered.

"Seems she was responsible for what her mother might have happened." Another noble said.

"Is that why she had that dragon for selfish purpose?"

"That's wrong..." She muttered in protest before shouting with all her heart, "I have nothing to do with that dragon!"

"Get out of there!" A nobleman shouted.

"We don't want you here!"

"Admit that you are responsible for the incident at Ladylake!" Another noble accused her.

The following flashback showed a child seemingly injured from beatings and rolled in mud.

"Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Mommy!" The child ran to call.

By the way, the child's father noticed.

"Hey, but that's my guy!" She exclaimed, noticing.

"Mommy! Mommy!" The little bully pleaded for help, sobbing.

"Who did this?!" The bully's father asked.

"It's the princess, and she hit me!" He said while sobbed.

"But it's awful." The father got annoyed.

"Mommy! Mommy!" The bully screamed, crying next to his mother who was hugging him.

"My child, what's wrong with you?" She asked anxiously.

"It's that spoiled rotten princess again! It's that Alisha thug again!" The angry father cried.

People around see what happened and make negative comments to each other.

"But look at me how he is martyred."

"It's clear that it's always the King of Hyland who will pay for Princess Alisha's lack of education. After all, he's responsible for her."

"Well if you're interested, I'll tell you all! And you can repeat! This girl, she's a real spoiled brat! A thug and a savage! I'll go complain to the king, and she goes straight for multiple spoonfuls of cod liver oil!" The bully's father screamed at them.

Five minutes later, Alisha standing in front of her own father and the bully's parents, all seemed not good for little princess Alisha.

"I'm sorry for your daughter's behavior." Maltran bowed to him.

"But Father, he was the one who started it and he accused me of being the source of misfortune." Alisha was trying to explain to him but he doesn't want to know.

"I can't hear you anymore, okay? Go to your room." He dismissed indifferently.

After suffering unfair accusations from the bully's parents, Alisha got locked in the room by her own father forcibly for an indefinite period.

"No one really accepted me into my family, I was always the one they ashamed. I am always alone, without the fact that there are people by my side."

The little princess sat in a small corner in a fetal position, clutching her legs as she sobbed.

"No one except the spirits of Duel Monsters by my side who were therefore my only friends. That's the reason why it was very close to them... Until I met Sorey, I was very withdrawn following another incident so I am responsible for the fate of Clemm and my other comrades of the guard."

Two of the Satellarknights, Altair and Vega keep their little princess company.

Back to the present in the Galahad Ruins, Alisha just watched Sorey being saddened by Mikleo's harsh rejection after the horrible incident he caused in a terrifying Duel.

"Is everything alright Sorey? Shouldn't we catch up with Mikleo?" Alisha started as she asking.

Sorey continued to sob with his face onto his hands.

"When I saw Mikleo pushing Sorey away after all the harm he unwittingly caused... It reminds me of where I rejected Clemm when she wanted to help me get over my mother's disappearance."

At the same time somewhere in Glaivend Basin, Mikleo continued to run without having returned to the Galahad Ruins, horrified by the Duel he had fought against Sorey under the influence of Symonne's Fusion Parasite.

"Alisha? What did I do to deserve this?" Sorey asked desperately. "Why did I inflict such atrocity on Mikleo? I still intend to save him while he was under the control of that horrible parasite."

"Maybe it's because, that we were involved in a dangerous game to put pressure on you." She guessed, "It took a really bad turn while you were Dueling him."

"If Mikleo shouldn't have left of his own, things were different. Mikleo should never have turned against us!" He snarled, saddened. "And I wouldn't have to subject him to the attack of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and having lost control of my Blazing Soul!"

"Sorey! You're not the only one responsible for this!" Alisha interjected, "Lailah and I are equally responsible for what happened this way!"

Sorey turned to the two fellow friends.

"I made the wrong decision to take the left path! If Lailah and I should have taken the same path you are taking, we should have saved Mikleo and managed in this Duel without you resorting to Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!" She admitted her mistakes. "But you are different! You can still do something I couldn't do; I want you to reconcile with him!"

"It's true, if Alisha and I were to be extra careful during the Duel match against Symonne, it would save us from being locked in these glass shells." Lailah agreed, "And that we won't end up getting drunk in it. And again, we're sorry you got dragged into this."

"You're wrong, Lailah. What I did is my fault! I am the Shepherd Duelist, and, I couldn't even be able to protect my own friends that you are!" Sorey shook his head, still gnawed at by guilt.

"Sorey, we need to find Mikleo. I'm sure he's ready to forgive you for what he said to you!" Alisha was talking to him.

"But how do you expect him to forgive me after all the hurt I've caused?" He asked hopelessly.

"We need to get after him ASAP! I'll make sure to get him to talk to you!"

Meanwhile at Mount Killaraus, Heldalf sat on a throne as usual waiting for his sidekick to return.

"My Lord... My Lord Heldalf, it's me Symonne. I have great news about what you may love." She told him as she came closer.

"You finally came Symonne." Did he say in a baritone voice, "So which one?"

"Princess Alisha Diphda, I confirm to you that she does indeed have the Stardust Dragon, she really has it hidden in her own body." She announced.

"Another Signer Dragon you say?"

"It's just, that's the dragon we're looking for to complete our project to resurrect the Crimson Dragon." She answered, "When the Shepherd Duelist, Sorey, lost control of himself to the power of the Blazing Soul, the Stardust Dragon freed himself from the body of the Princess of Hyland."

"What's about of the two other ones?" Heldalf then asked.

"Apparently the Ancient Fairy Dragon is wreaking havoc within the village of Marlind as she became a Hellion to spread the plague. It will be difficult to capture her under these conditions." Symonne was explaining the current situation to him. "The Lifestream Dragon is located at the Rayfalke Spiritcrest. But what I saw is nothing but a ridiculous toy, and it's not the one we're looking for... Should I capture them all now?"

"It's way too soon to catch them. I know you wanted to carry out our plan to bring the Crimson Dragon back to life, but you would only do it when I ordered you to capture them all." Heldalf told to Symonne, "If you feel like having fun, go ahead. But don't push the envelope too far or we may say goodbye to our Resurrection Ceremony."

"Yes, My Lord." Symonne bowed.

"You should continue with what's going on at the Rayfalke Spiritcrest though, I'm sure there's a secret well hidden from the Duel Monster that belonged to the Earth Seraph."

Back to the Glaivend Basin, Mikleo continued to run... Until a cry resounded.

"Someone! Please!"

The Water Seraph halted after hearing. It was a black Normin who was chased by a Hellion. Atakk was a black Normin wearing a golden, winged helmet.

"A Normin?" Mikleo noticed before seeing that a Hellion chasing him.

When the Hellion tried to devour him, Mikleo cried out to flee.

"Don't stand there! Save yourself!"

Atakk dodged a Hellion's jaws by throwing himself while Mikleo picked him up, he casted a Water Arte at the Hellion.

"Quick Poseidra, come and help us!!" Mikleo summoned his Monster, made him emerge from the whirlpool and materialize.

Then Mikleo equipped his Monster with the Aqua Jet card and placed it on his back. They ride on Poseidra's back to narrowly avoid the Hellion's attack by flying away with the help of the Aqua Jet.

"Is this a Hellion?" Poseidra asking to his master.

"Yes, this one has one. We need to get rid of it as soon as possible." He answered.

"Indeed, the Hellion is lower level. It would be easy to defeat it." Poseidra said to him.

"I'll help you!" Atakk said.

The black Normin boosted Poseidra's power using his Normin power. Poseidra flew towards the Hellion which was about to attack again. Poseidra launched his mighty Spiral Stream empowered by Atakk's booster towards the Hellion's mouth, tearing it to pieces.

After eliminating the Hellion, Mikleo, Poseidra and Atakk rest for a while.

"Thanks for the helping hand, little Normin." Poseidra thanked him first, before asking him. "I ask you who you are exactly?"

"My name is Atakk, I am the leader of all the Normins all over the world." He declared, "For I wear a golden helmet to prove my status to you."

"I wonder what you were wandering around Glaivend Basin?"

"One of mine and I were attacked by a terrifying Hellion that looked like a cobra." Atakk explained to them, "I ran away but the other one got caught by this Hellion. I was running at full speed from another Hellion chasing me."

"A Hellion cobra you say?" Mikleo thought.

"Yes, it is very dangerous that one thinks,"Atakk nodded. "That's why I was desperately looking for help. I also heard that a Seraph suddenly disappeared from the city of Ladylake."

"So is it the Hellion who is actually a Seraph that was transformed like this? I think we'll have to confront him and save him." Mikleo gussed.

"Wait Lord Mikleo." Poseidra interjected, "You need Sorey to be able to purify the Hellion that Atakk mentioned! But, I don't understand how you ran away from him when he came looking for you after you retrieved the divine artifact!"

"What? That I should lean on him?!" He protested in fear, "Surely not! Are you forgetting what Sorey did to me at Galahad Ruins?"

"Listen, Lord Mikleo. I understand you're terrified after everything that happened with Sorey." Poseidra told him in a deeper voice. "But don't you think you should go back to Sorey and forgive him for what he did to you. It wasn't his intention to hurt you."

"Me apologize to such a guy? Surely not, don't mess around!" Mikleo refused, "What I've seen is nothing more than a freak of madness! There's no better way for me to go see him after all the harm he's done to me!"

Poseidra grabbed his master with his own jawbone.

"Hey what are you doing, stop!" Mikleo struggled in protest.

"We must go back to Sorey and forgive him." He said.

"No way I was going back!!" He persisted, he used the blank card to dematerialize Poseidra.

"No wait-" Poseidra exclaimed before fully reverting to his own card while the Aqua Jet reverting into its card form as well in which Mikleo took it.

"Mikleo, aren't you going back to your friend?" Atakk asking him in confusion.

"No, I prefer otherwise. Know that I can manage without him. Then I will defeat the Hellion without Sorey." He replied.

"Be reasonable. You need the Shepherd Duelist to be able to purify the Hellion and restore it to normal." Atakk tried to persuade him.

Mikleo refused to listen to him and chose to act in his own way. The rain began to fall.

"Tell me where the Hellion." He then asking.

"I won't tell you if you refuse to go back to the Shepherd Duelist. Because without him you won't stand a chance against this Hellion." Atakk shook his head.

Angry, Mikleo grabbed the leading Normin, and pressed him firmly if he refused to tell him about the whereabouts of the Hellion.

"Tell me where the Hellion is! And I won't tell you again if you refuse!" He repeated firmly.

"I won't tell you where the Hellion is..." He stubbornly persisted.

"Answer me!"

"No!"

"Tell me or I'll make you my teddy bear!" Mikleo threatened him, glaring.

"First of all, I'm not a teddy bear...! Arrgh... The Hellion... is... Near the..." Atakk finally confessed, his voice almost muffled by the grip.

"Near what?" Mikleo grew impatient.

"Griflet Bridge... The Hellion is... near Griflet Bridge..." Atakk was close to being suffocated and lost consciousness.

"Griflet Bridge?" Mikleo blinked.

"Yes... Near Griflet Bridge..."

The confession was enough to convince Mikleo to let go, Atakk coughed as he caught his breath. He saw very quickly that the bridge was near the river whose water stream was far too violent. Mikleo advanced while ignoring Atakk's warnings.

"No! Don't come near the bridge! Don't you realize how reckless that will be?!" Atakk tried to warn him.

"Sorry, but I'm not listening. I'll beat the Hellion my way and get the Seraph back to normal." Mikleo refused to listen to him.

"Mikleo don't go!! You going to-"

Suddenly, a whirlpool made of mud water arose under Mikleo's sudden eyes, emanating a Hellion that looked like a cobra with dark scales. It breaking the bridge with its imposing tail. The other ordinary civilians and a soldier from the army of Hyland have seen it but cannot see the Hellion or even a Seraph.

"What's going on?! The bridge was destroyed!" cried an army soldier.

"Is it because of the current of water which has become violent?" A middle-aged man asked.

"What is that?! Could it be a Hellion?" He cried, alerted.

It was revealed that the Hellion cobra held a small blue Normin between the jaws.

"Oh no! He's a Normin! He's about falling into that abomination's stomach!"

"It's my friend!" Atakk cried.

"Help Atakk! Please save me!" The blue Normin cried out in distress, begging for help, before the Hellion swallowed him whole.

"This little guy has to be saved!" Mikleo exclaimed, unfolding his own Duel Disk.

"No stop! You can't fight that way!" Atakk begged him not to.

Meanwhile in the still rainy sky after leaving the Galahad Ruins, Sorey, Alisha and Lailah ride on the back of the Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara, in order to find Mikleo's tracks. Sorey still felt crestfallen under the weight of his guiltiness. The golden dragon was flying straight.

"I sensed the presence of an evil entity there." Sahasrara said.

"Sahasrara, do you think this is a Hellion?" Alisha guessed.

"Possible. In any case, it's possible that there would be a stream of Malevolence located right in a specific location in Glaivend Basin." He answered.

"That means Mikleo is in trouble." Lailah's green eyes widened slightly. "We really need to help him!"

"So buckle up you buddies." Sahasrara smirked.

He accelerate at full speed but less faster than Poseidra being equipped with the Aqua Jet. Back at the confrontation at Griflet Bridge, Mikleo stared into the eyes of this abomination and was about to face off. 

The Hellion's roar was so powerful that even heaven heard while ordinary people could not hear or see.

"That roar just now was close by!!!" Sorey exclaimed.

"Yes, this one was indeed a Hellion!" Sahasrara confirmed as he kept accelerating.

The cobra-like Hellion's blood red eyes staring at Mikleo as Atakk trembled in fear. It swung a violent tail swipe in which Mikleo dodged.

"I beg you you have to go!!" Atakk begged to flee.

"No I'm not going anywhere!!" He refused to listen to her and preferred to face her rather than run away. Then he showed his card. "Come to my aid, Abyssgaios!"

The great Mermail king emerged out of the water from the river, and ready to armed with his trident.

"I'll give him a boost with the Aqua Jet!" Mikleo activate his favorite Spell, and equipped him with this. "With this Abyssgaios become strong enough to bring down this horror!"

"Please, you can't fight like that! You have to run!" He repeated.

"I said shut up!! Understood!!" Mikleo raised his voice to silence him.

"But I..." Atakk lowered his head.

"To strengthen my reinforcement, I bring in my other Mermails! Abyssbalaen, Abyssteus, Abyssleed, Abyssmegalo!!"

The other four towering Mermails rise out of the muddy river.

"Go on the attack my fishes!" He ordered, and they began to attack the Hellion.

The Mermails and their leader rush to the Hellion cobra. Abyssgaios sliced through the Hellion with his trident, and got hit head-on with a violent swipe of its tail. 

Abyssmegalo slashed the enemy with its curved saber fitted with cartilage teeth. Abyssteus, Abyssleed hit the Hellion from behind. Abyssbalaen hit the Hellion's head with the giant hammer it was holding, it collapsed at the edge of the river.

"Perfect. All that remains is to defeat it and it's quickly done well done!" Mikleo watched.

However, the cobra Hellion managed to fend off all of Mikleo's Mermails. The Hellion managed to eliminate Abyssteus by piercing with its own tail, shattered into a thousand pieces of holograms. Then inflicted a violent bite on Abyssleed and made it disappear. The Hellion coiled Abyssmegalo tightly and shattered it into hologram pieces. Abyssbalaen attempted to hit the Hellion with the giant hammer, but was blocked by the tail before inflicting a hard bite, resulting in its destruction. The only Mermail that Mikleo remained was Abyssgaios.

The Hellion then attacked Mikleo, much to Atakk's panic. Mikleo dodged the jaw blow. It tried to attack him, Mikleo blocked its jaw by grabbing the snake hooks.

"What's that? Looks like the fangs are soaked in poison!" He remarked upon seeing a purple drop dripped from one of the fangs.

The Hellion shook its head to get Mikleo to let go and then slapped him hard with its tail. Abyssgaios struck the Hellion, but it released poisonous gas to paralyze him.

"Oh no! It's a disaster!" Atakk exclaimed.

As Mikleo stood up, Atakk rushed towards him.

"Mikleo, you have to go and find the Shepherd Duelist!" He begged.

"No never!" He yelled in denial.

"Even if I can boost your power, know that the Hellion is too powerful! It's hopeless without the Shepherd Duelist!" He told him.

Unfortunately, Atakk got caught and held him between the Hellion's jaws.

"Aaaaaahh!! Help!!" He screamed in panic, and was gobbled up all over.

"Atakk!!" Mikleo exclaimed upon seeing.

Mikleo wanted to get up, but couldn't move because of the violent shock he received.

"No, I can't move. I must at all costs defeat this Hellion!"

The cobra Hellion was approaching Mikleo so close, about to devour him.

"No not that..." Mikleo was shaking slightly as he saw.

Suddenly, the familiar voice rang in the ears of the Water Seraph.

"Mikleeeeooooo!!"

"But what the... Sorey?!" He blinked.

Sahasrara sucked pure spiritual air to turn it into a burst of light before blowing towards the cobra Hellion.

Sorey climbed down from Sahasrara's back to rescue his friend. "Mikleooo!!"

He reached out for the Water Seraph,

"Mikleo are you okay?"

But he slapped Sorey's hand away and dismissed him coldly.

"What are you doing?! I don't want your help!!"

"Hey! Sorey is worried about you!! We're here to save you!!" Alisha interjected as she came down from the dragon's back.

"And why would I do that?" Mikleo frowned.

"I always wanted to see you! I don't want this to happen to you!" Sorey told him before the Hellion was about to strike both them.

Lailah sent her flame to the Hellion, burning it.

"Flame has no effect on that big dark earthworm!" She told them. "You two need to armatize to defeat it!"

"What?! That I'm going to merge with this jerk?!" Mikleo yelped.

"And you don't talk like that with my Sorey!" Alisha fumed with an anime-like facial expression with a red anger vein onto her head and smoke popped out of her head, rising with a clenched fist.

"I'm sincerely sorry for what I did to you earlier!" Sorey apologized honestly to him. "But for now we have to fight together to defeat this Hellion!"

"I can do just fine without your help!" Mikleo stubbornly ignored him, turned his back and fired the water arrows with his bow-shaped divine artifact.

Although it worked, it made the Hellion more enraged.

"The Hellion we see is an Oroboros, it is known to be a poisonous creature. It resists flames perfectly. It is the most vicious of all species." Lailah informed them.

"Abyssgaios, launch the attack!” Mikleo ordered and fired the water arrows at the Oroboros as Abyssgaios generated the spiral water energy in his trident before throwing.

The Oroboros charged towards Mikleo to hit him head-on with a tail swipe, happily, Sorey rescued and held him in his arms.

"I told you you should merge me into a new form of an Armatus! You can't beat that way!" Sorey told him.

"Shut up, will you!" He yelled before blushing, then pushed his face away violently with one hand. "And don't touch me, you sucker!!"

"But we have to do what Lailah tells us!!" He insisted.

"Sorey! Mikleo!" Lailah shouted, make them do. "You need to armatize yourself to be able to defeat the Oroboros! It's the only way!"

"Over my doomed body than being armatizated with him!" Mikleo refused stubbornly.

The Oroboros roll up both Mikleo and Sorey, hugging them tightly.

"Aaaah Sahasrara help!!" Sorey called for help, shutting his eyes in pain and distress.

"If I do that I'll end up hurting you both!" Sahasrara didn't want to hurt them as they were being held captive by the creature.

"Please Mikleo, we really need to armatized ourselves! Please!!" Sorey shouted and begged.

Sorey, you have to give Mikleo a real name to be able to do Armatization!" Lailah shouted.

Under duress, Mikleo reluctantly agreed to merge with Sorey. For that he stretched out his hand towards Sorey's but didn't have the strength to catch it because of the Oroboros' embrace. Fortunately, Lailah came to hemp and took each from their respective hands in order to make the pact.

"A new bud forms on the holy branch. Its flower bring fruit. Its fruit begets seed. The circle of destiny turns once more!" Lailah closed her eyes and chanted as an orange flow enveloped them.

A circle of seal formed and scanned Mikleo.

"Give life unto to the will of the Shepherd Duelist, and let it the proof of their bond. The true name shall be:"

"Luzrov Rulay!" Sorey declared a true name for him. "It meaning Mikleo the Enforcer!"

The pact is now complete, Mikleo can now merges with Sorey.

"Luzrov Rulay!" Sorey managed to armatized with Mikleo in the first time and became the Water Armatus, free themselves from the grip of the Oroboros.

"Pierce the skies! Arrow Squall!"

He shoot arrows into sky that then rain down onto their enemy, making the Oroboros screaming. Then, Armatus Sorey launched water arrows at the Oroboros, and it worked well. The Oroboros's neck swelled with two big bumps, brutally spat out the two Normins that it swallowed.

"Aaaah so awful! Never again will I see inside the belly of this horror!" Atakk complained, being covered in stomach fluid.

He perceived the divine figure with astonishment, understood that it was he who saved them.

"Gosh, he's an Armatus? So he's the one who freed us?"

"Yes, they did! They're one now they become an Armatus!" Alisha yelled, elated at the success.

"Sahasrara, Abyssgaios it's time to defeat the Hellion!" Sorey said.

Sahasrara and Abyssgaios generate natural energy and swing their attacks towards the Oroboros, Sorey aimed his bow horizontally at their enemy, a large, ornamental, and blue glyph around the arrowhead.

"Pierce all... Let fly the Azure Assault!"

He then released twelve spiraling water arrows at the Oroboros. The assault was a real success and the enemy was defeated, found itself on the ground. Sorey de-armatized from Mikleo.

"Saved, we are saved." Atakk said with relief, before seeing someone familiar. "Lailah!"

The silver-haired Fire Seraph turned to him in slight surprise.

"Hey, Atakk what are you doing there in a place like that?"

"If you only knew how glad I am to see you Lailah!" He cried happily, rushing towards her.

"No thanks no hug!"

But since Lailah didn't seem to appreciate Atakk's advances, she protected herself by serving Alisha as a shield to avoid being hugged. Alisha quickly caught him with her own hands. Looking at the leader of the Normins, she hugged him affectionately like a child hugging her own stuffed animal.

"Kyaaaaah! How cute are you! He's an adorable kitten!" She screamed like a girl following her idol. She smelled the disgusting smell though, and pulled her arms away as she held the Normin in disgust. "Eww what a bad stink you have!"

Atakk freed himself from Alisha's hands and landed on the grassy ground.

"Hey I'm not a kitten! I'm Atakk and I'm the leader of the Normins!" He exclaimed in annoyance. "And thank you again for freeing us from the stomach of this Hellion!"

"You mean the Oroboros?" Lailah said as she turned to the unconscious Hellion.

The dark aura enveloped the Oroboros, and dissipated leaving the body in normal form. It was revealed to be a Seraph while the rain stopped at the same time.

"But is it a Seraph?" Mikleo asked in surprise.

"Yes, sometimes Seraphim can transform into Hellion only if the negative emotions are high enough to become one." Lailah informed them.

"What? A Seraph could be turned into a Hellion?" Sorey got surprised in which Lailah nodded.

"Seraphim who reach this stage become dragons." She said, "It also may be that the Duel Monster spirits can also be tainted to become Hellions."

Sorey gasped at her revelation, he remembered that in the Great Sanctuary in Ladylake the Duel Monsters emerged from the blue rift while wreaking havoc after the civilians launched hostilities against the guard of Hyland and Alisha.

As Mikleo was about to leaving, Sorey stopped him.

"Mikleo, where are you going?" Sorey intervened.

He coldly ignored him.

"I'm so sorry for what I put you through in the Galahad Ruins!" He sincerely forgave."I didn't think it took a very bad turn this way! I never wanted it to happen! All I wanted to do was save you from the evil influence! It was always my intention to save you! I really wanted-"

"I don't want to hear your absurdity anymore." Mikleo coldly dismissed him, his eyes veiled in shadow. "Did you understand me correctly? You're no longer my friend!"

Sorey became disheartened upon hearing the cruel rejection of his valued lifelong friend... Just as Alisha intervened.

"Mikleo wait!" She confronted herself in front of Mikleo. "Don't you see Sorey was being quite honest with you! His forgiveness is very sincere! Sorey really means to save you! He never wanted to do such a thing when he lost control of himself! It's definitely not his fault!"

She pointed out to him Sorey's dejected state.

"Look at Sorey after what you said! You really need to accept his forgiveness too! You're his friend!"

"... I forbid you to come near me or speak to me again!!" Mikleo shouted back angrily. "Sorey's nothing but a monster hungry for destruction!!"

Eventually, he rode on Abyssgaios's back and flew across the river using the Aqua Jet gear the Mermail was carrying on his back.

"Mikleo!! Come back here!! Coomme baack!!" Alisha yelled, her bright green eyes widening as he fled away from them. She calmed down afterwards, "I can't believe it! He's really gone!"

For now, Mikleo remained aloof and wary of the Shepherd Duelist, still scarred by the blow inflicted by the latter's Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. As for Sorey, he was so dejected and heartbroken after Mikleo left him that he started to sob so the tears are flowing from his green eyes. Sorey wept bitterly so his desperate cry rang out, catching the attention of the Princess of Hyland. She approached the poor brown-haired teenager, and hugged him tenderly to comfort him.

"I feel so bad for him," Alisha couldn't help but shed a single tear from the bright green eye as Sorey kept crying loudly. "When I saw him in this state, I felt like I was reliving the unfortunate memories that I went through like he did...I really want to help them. I want them to be friends again like always."

Back at the Great Sanctuary from Ladylake after Sahasrara have them back since he was like an air transport, the purified Water Seraph was brought here. Lailah explained to him that it was Sorey who armatized himself with Mikleo who managed to purify him despite the strong tension between the two boys. But Mikleo left after the argument between them. Regarding the city of Ladylake, it has been invaded by the flow of Malevolence for several months and the blessing and protection required the presence of a Water Seraph for purifing the city.

"I'm sorry for breaking the bridge." Uno apologized, his head nodding in dismay. "If you don't purify me in time, you have what's really going to happen."

"It's alright now Uno, now that there's the blue Normin with you, Ladylake will now be blessed by you. The people of the city will start to do the Seraphim again." Lailah reassured him.

"Yes, I am deeply grateful to you, and the Shepherd Duelist." Uno smiled.

Lailah was purifying the sacred water from the silver cup. Uno transformed into an orb of blue light, entering the silvery cup and a gentle purifying wave blew Ladylake whole.

"There, the blessing has returned to Ladylake. This is now Uno's domain." Lailah smiled.

Uno rematerialized into his Seraph form, they were told. "To be able to maintain the blessing well, it requires the cooperation of the people and wishes to be granted."

"Offerings can also work to maintain the blessing." Lailah added.

"Actually Atakk, I wonder what you were doing at Glaivend Basin?" Lailah then asking the Normin leader.

"I wanted to go to Marlind. But apparently the epidemic has recently spread and several people have fallen ill." Atakk explained to her.

"In Marlind, that's the village we're supposed to go to." Lailah blinked, her back bent as she looked at him.

"Yes, but there's a kind of big flying snake that wanted to hurt. And what's more, this one has a female voice and was angry with someone." He however informed her.

"A big flying snake with a female voice..." She guessed before gasping in shock, "That's impossible... Is this the Ancient Fairy Dragon you're talking about?"

Somewhere in Marlind, the flying snake-like Hellion soared across the sky while continuing to spread more misfortune and epidemic. She roared furiously since her heart was filled with resentment towards the person who apparently betrayed her.

The tear ran to the left eye of the Normin with the golden helmet, he buried under his small paws.

"This is terrible. I couldn't bear to see this anymore. *sob sob sob*"

As Atakk began sobbing, Alisha consoled to reassure him.

"Please don't cry. We'll bring you back to Marlind and we'll fix the problem and even purify this Hellion, of course you'll come with us."

"Thank you." Atakk expressed his gratitude after wiping away the tears. "It's been a long time since I met someone equally caring and nice to me after Lailah."

"It's nothing. The main thing is to be able to be useful to those who need." Alisha giggled.

"To be able to reach Marlind, you must first go to the Rayfalke Spiritcrest. The Earth Seraph knows where it is and she will guide you." He informed them for the next location.

Both Lailah and Alisha nodded after having information from him.

"Perfect, with Atakk accompanying us, he will lead us to Marlind. Huh Sorey?"

Alisha turned to him with good news announced, only he was left speechless from Mikleo's bitter departure, still being discouraged ever since.

"Poor guy, he's still heartbroken since Mikleo left." Sadness seized Alisha's eyes.

At the Rayfalke Spiritcrest, Edna was with Zaveid and Power Tool Dragon.

"The wind tells me that the Shepherd Duelist is coming to these mountains soon." Zaveid was saying stoically. "But as it stands, I'm not sure he's in the condition to face you in a Duel, Edna."

"Yeah yeah yeah yeah. I'm not surprised by this guy, he's just a human like all the others." Edna didn't care, didn't feel concerned.

"Don't underestimate him, he managed to get the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend... I think this Duel will probably be interesting."

The blonde-haired Seraph remained silent, her eyes filled with stoicism.

"... You talk way too much for some bulky-man, Zaveid."

Chapter Text

After they manage to bring Uno back to the Great Sanctuary and bless the entire city of Ladylake, Sorey, Alisha, and Lailah resume their journey to Glaivend Basin under Atakk's guidance. They stop halfway to spend the night under the stars, and make a campfire and prepare food; the trio with the golden-helmed black Normin sit in front of the campfire. It had been hours since Sorey had been in a dejected state since Mikleo left after he coldly rejected him.

"To be able to go to Rayfalke, we have to leave the Falkewin Hillside by the south to reach. It is there to a certain Seraph bearing the affinity of the earth." Atakk started.

"Who it was?" Alisha asked.

"It's Edna, the Earth Seraph who lives in Rayfalke." Lailah told them, "I had known her well for many centuries before you were born."

A vision showed in Lailah's mind in which Edna was accompanied by a shadowy figure of a Signer Dragon.

"Edna was known as an experienced Duelist ever since Duel Monsters first appeared a millennium ago. It was because her older brother Eizen taught her all about dueling."

Atakk and Alisha continued to listen intently to Lailah's telling.

"Well, her deck looks very mysterious at first sight, but it turns out that their powers are much more terrifying than you could imagine... That even me who is a veteran Duelist really has a hard time with her."

"She must be a formidable Duelist. No matter how many cards you have, you'll have a hard time beating Edna that easily." Atakk nodded, agreed with Lailah.

"10 years ago, when the Signer Dragons suddenly returned to the Human World, Edna managed to track down the one who referred to it as Eizen's treasured memory. And ever since, she refuses to part with that dragon." Lailah kept telling them.

"Who is this dragon about?" Alisha asked.

"It's the Life Stream Dragon." She revealed, "This is no ordinary dragon among the six of them."

In the meantime, Sorey still hadn't spoken since, Alisha worried.

"Sorey, you haven't eaten all day. You need your strength to get back on the road." She spoke to him in a worrying tone.

"What's the point?" He whispered discouraged.

"I promise you we'll find Mikleo, and I'll make him talk to you. You can't mope like that, it's useless." Alisha reassured him as best she could. "It hurts to see you so unhappy."

"How do you want me to keep moving forward without Mikleo?" Sorey replied hoarsely.

"Look I'm sure Mikleo isn't far somewhere if we keep going and find him."

However, Sorey isolated himself away from the campfire and needed to be alone.

"Looks like he's out of sorts." Atakk lowered his head.

The verdant-eyed Shepherd Duelist lay down in a grassy ground without eating anything while he thought of his longtime friend.

"Mikleo... Why did you leave me?"

He remembered near the Griflet Bridge, Mikleo had coldly dismissed him despite his very sincere apologies to him for all the harm he had caused at the Galahad Ruins.

"I don't want to hear your absurdity anymore. Did you understand me correctly? You're no longer my friend!"

Another remembrance.

"... I forbid you to come near me or speak to me again!! Sorey's nothing but a monster hungry for destruction!!"

Sorey ended up falling asleep from exhaustion, a tear falling in his sleeping eye. Alisha wiped away the tear with one finger.

"Sorey... I really want to help you reconcile with Mikleo. And no matter what, I won't give up until I find him for you." Sadness showed in Alisha's bright green eyes.

To comfort him, she lay down next to Sorey, hugging him tenderly in the hope of cheering him up.

The next day towards the south of Falkewin Hillside guided by Atakk, they halt their steps.

"Here's what's in Rayfalke, here be dragons." Atakk informed them, "It's on top of the mountains where the Earth Seraph was."

"So far at this point? Then we'll have to climb over the mountains." Alisha gussed. "Or call on my Stellarknight Constellar Diamond, it could serve as a mount to take us to the top."

"You're right, it can make our transportation easier." Atakk agreed before perceiving and hearing what happened behind his eyes. "Uh Alisha... T-There a... Behind you all...!"

"What's happening?" Alisha asked in confusion.

"A d-dra...! A dra...! There a dragon...!" He stammered nervously and in fear.

"A dragon?" She blinked before could hear that hoarse growl.

She and Lailah turn to the towering creature... A terrifying dragon!

It was a dragon so the imposing body with scales are rocky so the crimson red veins are marked on each shoulder, the belly was dark beige and dark amber eyes.

"It was... A dragon! A real one showed up!" Alisha gasped at the horrified sight.

The dragon roared in fury and began attacking the group. He raised his paw, Alisha, Lailah and Atakk ran screaming in panic before they got run over.

"It really is a dragon!! Run away!!" Atakk cried urgently.

The two girls and the golden-helmed Normin take the stone path in order to escape. Alisha realized that someone else hadn't fled, she turned and saw Sorey who hadn't moved; not because he's scared but he was still deep in depression. He didn't realize that he too was involved in the danger. Alisha got her bright green eyes widened, gasping out in shock upon seeing him being in danger.

"Don't stand there Sorey!!"

Just as the dragon was about to eat him alive, Alisha narrowly rescued him. She held him firmly by the wrist and dragged him away to save their own lives.

"Sorey! We have to run away! Don't let fear get the better of you!!" She cried, but knew her friend was still depressed. "Please pull yourself together!! We really need you because you're our Shepherd Duelist!!"

"Aaaah help I don't want to be eaten by a dragon!!" Atakk yelled in panic as he ran to save himself.

"Step aside, Alisha and Sorey!!" Lailah cried as she sent her flames at the dragon to slow him down. "We have to find shelter if we don't want to use meat for the dragon!"

"Over there! There's a cave!" Atakk indicated them.

They rush straight to the cave located at the foot of the mountains. However, the dragon flew to pass above the flames sent by Lailah, and landed in front of the group. The dragon hit Sorey and Alisha with a violent swipe of his tail, making them scream.

"Sorey!! Alisha!!" Atakk screamed.

The Princess of Hyland groaned in pain after being knocked to the ground, she saw Sorey lying on the ground too.

"So... Sorey, please run now..." She begged to save himself.

The paw crushed the rocky ground in front of Alisha, she saw the dragon about to devour her alive.

"Oh no. This time it's over." She trembled in fear for her own life.

As the dragon was about to open his own jaws, a spiral of wind shot towards him, making him roar in pain, saving Alisha.

"A gust of wind. I know who it could be." Lailah wondered at a sense of familiarity.

She saw a male figure with long hair located at the top of the cliff.

"It's Zaveid! But what is he doing there!" Lailah exclaimed, looking surprised at his sudden appearance.

Zaveid has long white hair that changes to green at the tips, orange eyes, and a tanned complexion. He has a muscular build and does not wear a shirt, revealing white tattoos across his arms and torso, as well as an necklace made of beads, silver rings, and what appears to be strips of leather. He wears black pants decorated with simple stripes similar to his tattoos and two silver gun holsters on his belt.

"It's been a long time, baby!" Zaveid smirked to her.

"This guy always has to play womanizer even in the most dangerous situations!" She slammed her hands onto her face in embarrassment.

"Who is that? Is he a Seraph?" Alisha questioned as she struggled to get up.

As the dragon shook his head while growling and roaring after receiving that wind shot, Zaveid descended from the cliff.

"You need a big sleep Eizen! You've played cat and mouse enough!" Zaveid smirked cockily, pointing his finger at him and fired a gust of wind.

Eizen roared after taking a headshot while Zaveid grined. Eizen was in so much pain that he ended up running away for quite a while.

"There, that's a nice pet dragon!" He commented sarcastically, winked.

Then he saw Alisha still lying on the ground as she crouched down from her elbows, Zaveid approached her and held out his hand.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes, thank you thanks to you." Alisha answered him.

"Sorey are you okay?" Lailah helped him onto her elbows.

"I'm 'kay," He replied. "But who is this muscular guy?"

"It's Zaveid, he's a Wind Seraph and a veteran Duelist like me." Lailah explained to him, "I have to tell you that he is ruthless in Duels like eliminating the Hellions without the slightest mercy."

He was about to say some other comment when Alisha's beautiful sight caught his eyes. Zaveid's dark orange eyes widened at the sight of her.

"But..." He stammered before jumping in excitement in a perverted way, "Whoaaaah she's a pretty one!!"

The princess' body shuddered at Zaveid's sudden reaction. He then behaved like a so-called seductive gentleman, taking Alisha's right hand.

"You're so beautiful. Where are you from? Are you lost my pretty princess?" He asked in a seductive manner. "I can help get you back to where you want to go."

He kissed Alisha's armored hand.

"HUH?" Alisha blinked in shocking confusion and her face flushed entirely.

"On the other hand I must tell you that he is a show-off womanizer." She continued with an almost embarrassing expression and an unimpressed smirk.

"He is unlucky in love?" Sorey blinked in curiosity.

"I guess so," She nodded.

"To show you my appreciation, I offer you a very pretty bouquet of flowers." Zaveid showed her a bouquet made up of white lilies that no doubt recall the flower that Alisha wore on the right side of her hair.

"Oh no not again!" Lailah complained about Zaveid's behavior.

"But why? He always behaves like that with girls?" Sorey questioned her.

"As soon as he crosses paths with a pretty woman able to see him, it always has to be Zaveid who overplays the Don Juan with her." She explain him, "... But, I can't help but feel sorry for him because it's his way of dealing with his own sadness."

Alisha's nose began to quiver as if her nostrils were pricked from the inside by pollen from the bouquet to Zaveid's confusion.

"A... aaah... aaaaahh..."

She inhaled her lungs and sneezed violently at the bouquet and Zaveid's face.

"AAAAAHH... TCAAAAHHH!!"

Zaveid discovered that he had snot on his face and so the bouquet of flowers had literally been swept away by the violent sneeze.

"Oh oh, I think it failed for him." Lailah said with a slight smirk and an unimpressed expression.

He partially wiped the snot from his face with his fingertips and discovered it in horror. The older Wind Seraph screamed in comical horror.

"It's snot!! How awful!!" He fidgeted like a frustrated child. "How could I meet such an ill-mannered woman like you?!"

"A WHAT?!" Alisha gasped out in shock hearing the insult.

"Yeah! You really are an ill-mannered woman!!" He glaring at her with an anger red vein pounding on the side of his head. "I'm nice to you, I saved you when Eizen was going to eat you!! And you, you rejected me!"

"What is it?!" Alisha tried to explain to him about this misunderstanding. "But wait, I didn't do it on purpose! It's an accident! I sneezed by accident!"

"You just humiliated me!" Zaveid retorted rudely, then he pointed his finger at her. "You pay me for your arrogance!"

He fired a spiraling gust of wind at Alisha much to the shocking surprise of Lailah, Atakk and Sorey. Luckily, a silver force field shielded Alisha from a windblast.

"It's a force field!" Lailah gasped in surprise.

"What's going on? I feel like I'm being protected." Alisha wondered.

"You're looking for a fight, that's it!" Zaveid said determinedly, "So I challenge you to a Duel! But in another way in terms of the rule!"

He lifted the Monster card of a much higher Level compared to other Duel Monsters, to make it materialize. It was a large red humanoid dragon so the wings are dark gold and red. Small golden wings on each side of the hip. Gram also had flames on its head, thighs and elbows. Gram also had a green gem encrusted on its stomach.

"You faced me across the sky on the back of a dragon!"

"What?! Are you serious!" She cried out of the unexpected demand. "Please calm down!"

Gram bent its back so Zaveid could climb by jumping onto the top.

"Here is my Deck Master who serves as my mount, the strongest of them all: Dragunity Arma Gram!" He pointed his finger to Alisha, "I'll teach you manners!"

"But wait, I'm a well-mannered person! And it's not my fault if...!" Alisha tried to got him understand.

"You really are an ill-mannered princess! Duel me in the sky!" He dimissed and pressured her instead. "And, I want you to choose your own Deck Master! But if you don't..."

He shooted a gust of wind through the tips of his fingers.

"You will forfeit automatically and I could quickly humiliate you!"

"Hey you don't have to do that Zaveid!" Lailah shouted.

"It's a settling of scores between this spoiled princess and me, the handsome boy!" Zaveid interjected before turned to Alisha. "Hurry up to choose your Deck Master!"

"Ooh don't get mad! I'll do it to myself, your challenge by air!" She fronwed, took out her deck of cards.

Alisha then looked at her cards, wondering which card she should choose.

"A dragon, what he wants, eh? I only have my Stellarknight Constellar Diamond as my only aerial mount. But at least it would do for me like this guy demands."

Suddenly, a baritone male voice echoed telepathically in the princess's mind.

"Princess."

"Eh?" Alisha blinked.

Then a small silvery-white light lit up at the level of the heart, causing the card shape to come out to form the figure of the majestic dragon.

"What is that?" Sorey shouted upon seeing him being appeared before realized. "Hold on? Since when did Alisha have this dragon?"

A flashback in his mind made him realize that the Signer Dragon that Alisha had faced against himself in the Galahad Ruins was the one he saw in the vision.

"It's not possible... It's this dragon? That... That's him? He's... that dragon?" He stammered when he saw the presence of Alisha's dragon.

"Is something wrong, Sorey?" Lailah noticed the anxiety in the boy.

"That dragon Alisha has? Is it the Stardust Dragon?"

"Yes, it is indeed one of the 6 Signer Dragons of the forgotten legend." Lailah confessed, "Stardust Dragon is known as the embodiment of benevolence for all and a protector of humanity and the Duel Monsters unlike the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend."

Sorey couldn't take his eyes off the majestic figure so the body became permeated with stardust.

"Hey, that's a very interesting choice." Zaveid grinded his smile.

"No wait!" She protested, "I didn't choose that old lizard!"

"Oh come on, don't be so upset Princess." Stardust Dragon nuzzled his head against Alisha's face to her annoyance with a red anger vein punctured onto her head.

"Let go of me will you?" She growled.

"Sorry, but the rule states that once the Deck Master is chosen, it cannot be changed." Zaveid told her rigidly.

"Oh great." Alisha frowed, rebuffed Stardust Dragon from her face. "Just back off!"

Stardust Dragon glared at her, "Hey! I your partner Princess! That’s not nice!"

"And so what do I care? I never asked you to team up with me as my Deck Master!" She looked down at him, crossed her arms and turned her head slightly, acting like a Tsundere towards him.

"Remember that you let me join when you fought in a Duel against the Shepherd Duelist without any problem. So let me become your Deck Master, Princess."

"Will you shut up, old geezer lizard! I don't need you!"

Annoyed by Alisha's behavior, Stardust Dragon grabbed her like a small insect at her small size.

"Let me go! Let me go, I tell you!" She screamed in protest as she tried to struggle.

"A princess is supposed to respect her own monsters." He told her, glaring.

"Just because you’re interfering with me doesn’t mean you have the absolute nerve to contradict me!" Alisha shot back angrily, her face in an anime-shonen way.

"Sounds like a human-monster partner argument between them." Zaveid commented, seemed to be looking forward to it. "But I feel like it’s going to be a lot of fun."

"There’s absolutely no way I’m using you as my Deck Master!" She cried demandingly, "Will you please release me now!"

"That’s enough, will you?! You’ll stop making fun of me!" Stardust Dragon roared.

"Here you are at last, Stardust Dragon. You have finally returned to the Human World a thousand years after you left with the other Signer Dragons after the final battle against Artorius." Zaveid observed them during their human-partner argument, "I will have the pleasure of being able to face you again now you are finally free from your own sleep in the body of this human girl."

"Eh? I don't understand why Alisha refuses to take Stardust Dragon as her Deck Master. There's definitely an advantage since it's not an XYZ Monster." Sorey questioned in confusion.

"It was because the Stardust Dragon was involved in the tragic incident that took place in Ladylake when Alisha was just a child." Lailah told him.

"How is that?" he asked, intrigued by her explanation.

"Alisha has a form of grudge against this dragon being responsible for the near destruction of the city. Her mother disappeared from view when she sealed him in her own daughter's body and put him into a deep sleep for 10 years."

"Huh? I thought Alisha had no memory of the incident or that dragon. That's what she told me when I was in Elysia." Sorey blinked in confusion.

"It's just because Alisha didn't want to accept her own reality. She didn't want to remember the horrible tragedy that continued to haunt her." Lailah said.

"Come on, enough wasting time! It's time for some outdoor action!" He hurried, becoming impatient.

Sorey then looked at Alisha with worry and confusion, "I don't understand why Alisha hid it from me all this time."

"Okay, it’s time to settle our scores in the air!" Zaveid declared, becoming impatient and wanting to take further action. "Challenge me, or you will forfeit, so that I can humiliate you as you did to me!"

As Zaveid was already riding on Gram's back, Stardust Dragon in other words took the princess against her will.

"Let me go! Let me go!" She ordered as the Signer Dragon placed on the back.

"The Duel has begun, you should take up the challenge as the Seraph demands!" Stardust Dragon replied.

"Damn, it’s not fair! It always has to come at the wrong time!" She complained, panting in annoyance.

"You're going to pay me for the insult I suffered!" Zaveid shouted angrily, "I'm going to make you regret this!!"

"Duel Disk, Set!" Alisha shout as her Duel Disk unfold, the projection of Solid Vision made of mana, lighting up, and ready to be activated.

"Duel Disk, Set!" Zaveid shout as he threw his Duel Disk in the air, connected to his left arm and two folds popped out.

(Zaveid - 4000 LP)

(Alisha Diphda - 4000 LP)

"It's time for Deck Master Turbo Duel!!" They exclaim together.

The two dragons took flight to the skies above the mountains while each player drew until they have 5 cards in hand. The shirtless tanned-skinned Wind Seraph, on Gram's back, accelerated at high speed to the annoyance of the Crown Princess of Hyland.

"Hey hey, it was me who played the game on the first turn!" Zaveid boasted out of excitement, "Why? Thanks to the wind that allows me to accelerate on the back of my dragon!"

"Couldn't you speed up any faster, old geezer lizard!!" Alisha demanded of her Deck Master, kicked behind the long neck.

"You shouldn't hit your iron foot on my neck!" Stardust Dragon countered.

"Prepare to have a storm blowing over you!" He declared as he drew a card on the first turn.

Zaveid's cards he held in his hand are Dragunity Brandistock, Dragunity Oubliette, Dimensional Barrier, Dragunity Pilum, Dragunity Militum, Dragunity Legion.

"That should put the little princess in her place. Alisha is going to be treated to a very humiliating lesson that she will start crying about."

"Sorey, we have to follow them in a Duel in the air. Don't you think so?" Lailah said to him.

"I guess so." He agreed.

The verdant green-eyed boy summoned Tenyi Spirit - Sahasrara in order to mount his back and take flight to be able to witness the Deck Master Turbo Duel between Alisha and Zaveid.

"Let’s follow them." Sorey said.

"I start summoning a Tuner Monster, Dragunity Pilum in Attack Mode!" He said as a blue rift opened bringing a in a spear-like dragon in black armor to the field.

(Dragunity Pilum - ATK: 1400 - Level: 3)

"Once summoned to the front line, I can bring in a Dragunity Winged Beast on the spot!" He continued before another monster with a feminine appearance with the features of a falcon emerged from the blue rift, "Come this way, Dragunity Militum!"

(Dragunity Militum - ATK: 1700 - Level: 4)

Then, Pilum changed into a spear and equipped Militum due to its Monster's effect.

"Due to my Monster's effect, it equips itself with another Dragunity!" He continued, "About Militum's special ability, if one of my Dragunities was in the Spell and Trap zone as equipment, I can unequip it back to my airfield!"

Pilum freed itself from Militum's hands and returned to its original form.

"This guy intends to Synchro Summon, it's off to a good start, Princess." Stardust Dragon informed her.

"I know all that!" Alisha exclaimed.

Sahasrara managed to join them in the air and continued to follow them and watch the Duel attentively.

"Lailah, do you know your fellow Seraph’s deck?" Sorey then asking her.

"Dragunities are known for their power by uniting with their fellow allies among them. Dragons can equip themselves with Winged Beasts. Some can even Synchronize to bring in Synchro Monsters." She explained to him, "Zaveid's method is unusual and unique among his Dragunity deck. Since I know the way Zaveid plays very well, Alisha should be extra careful so she doesn't fall for it."

Zaveid thrust his hand up as he prepared a Synchro Summon. "I tune Pilum with Militum by my method I called 'Synchro Climbing'!"

Militum climbed onto Pilum's back as it flew away, then its body dissipated into two green Synchro rings, then scanned Militum so the body transformed into four orbs of light that corresponded to her Level 4.

"Prepare to get blasted by a violent storm! Because I'm summoning a Level 7 Synchro Monster!"

The green rings and stars turned into a pillar of light and emerged a powerful Dragunity Monster.

"Dragunity Knight - Gormfaobhar!!"

It was a green dragon so the muzzle had a black horn wearing emerald armor with an inlaid green gem on the chest. Gormfaobhar was ridden by another Winged Beast Dragunity Monster.

(Dragunity Knight - Gormfaobhar - ATK: 2600 - Level: 7)

"Once Gormfaobhar gets Synchro Summoned, I take a Tuner from my Grave and equip it with it!"

Pilum came back to the field and equip with the bird-like rider from Gormfaobhar as a spear-javelin form.

"I set three cards face-down and I finish my turn!" Zaveid placed them onto his field and taunted slangly. "The wind rustled the leaves in the trees!"

"But there are no trees or leaves! We are above the mountains!" Alisha replied.

"Whatever, as long as I'm flying in the air!"

A strong and sudden rush of air blew both the Duellists and their dragons.

"The storm unleashed a powerful blast of wind!"

"Keep that nonsense to yourself!" Alisha replied and drew one and glanced her cards in hand. Among them, there was the Trap card that she didn't expect when she drew it. "Stardust Flash? But since when did I have this card that I don't remember having it?"

"Princess, you should place this card on the field. It would be very useful to you if in the case of both of us we find ourselves in deep trouble." Stardust Dragon advised.

"Certainly not! I can manage just fine without your help, you old wreck!" She insisted.

"Yet you agreed to summon me the first time when we were at the Galahad Ruins, and without my help you could not save your friend Sorey." He recalled her while crossing in a cloud and that Lailah and Sorey followed them on the back of Sahasrara.

"I have no memory of what happened!" She snarled.

"Still running away from your own reality? No wonder royal princesses are always so demanding and narrow-minded." He told her before asking once again, "Go place the Stardust Flash card on the field, even if I leave the field I can return in a single moment to prevent you from automatically losing the Duel, don't you think?"

"Do as your Deck Master says!" Sorey encouraged her to do it, catching Alisha's attention. "Heard you very well! Set this card on your field! The Stardust Dragon is undoubtedly the key to your victory against him!"

"Look, I can always count on my own Monsters rather than my Deck Master! I got through it pretty well thanks to them! I can still do it even at the risk of my life!" She exclaimed, stubbornly not wanting to do what they say. "There's no way I'm relying on the Stardust Dragon!"

"I don't care if you called your dragon an old wreck, but it's not okay to not trust or judge him! You need him unless you choose to be made a fool of by this Zaveid guy!"

"I don't need a Daddy Sorey like you! You're not even the Team Dad either!" She retorted to him in annoyance.

"Okay I won't say anything more, if I do this it's to help you, and I thought you were mature and responsible." Sorey sighed. "But in fact you still have the brain of a spoiled brat in the body of a woman."

"You better shut up! Or I'll throw you into a tailspin!!" She threatened him, making Sorey gulped in fear.

"Come on, don't be so upset, Alisha. You should trust the Stardust Dragon, he's your Deck Master after all." Lailah calmly encouraged her with a simple, serene smile. "Do what he says, or it's a 48-hour hot workout."

As the Princess of Hyland frowned with reluctance, she agreed to place the Trap card and another one onto the field. "I set two cards..." She looked her four remaining cards in hand. "Satellarknight Alsahm, he's the one I need. I can inflict 1000 points of damage on him. On top of that, if I use the Satellarknight Skybridge card, I can summon Satellarknight Deneb from my deck so I can bring back Alsahm in one instant."

Then looked at the side of the field through her bright green eyes,

"Zaveid set three cards, if I act rashly now it could cost me dearly. Looks like he expected me to play this way. Maybe if I put one of my fellow Satellarknights in Attack Mode, Zaveid will probably attack it to weaken my defensive line. With Satellarknight Altair, I can bring another one from my Graveyard to do an XYZ Summon as planned. I think I should force him to activate his face-down cards so I can act in free lane."

Alisha placed a card onto the Duel Disk blade, emerging the female Satellarknight from the blue rift in her field.

"I summon Satellarknight Vega in Defense Mode!"

(Satellarknight Vega - DEF: 1600 - Level: 4)

"Once I summoned her to my battlefield, I can strengthen my offensive line by summoning another from the hand!" She declared, holding another card in hand and placing it directly, causing the second Monster to appear out of the blue rift.

(Satellarknight Alsahm - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

"When Alsahm joins my side of the field, he can inflict 1000 Points of damage on you!"

The archer knight pulled the bowstring and sent the arrow straight in front of Zaveid, causing an explosion of smoke.

(Zaveid - LP: 4000 - 1000 = 3000 - Cards in hand: 1)

Alisha then showing her Quick-Play Spell, "I then using Satellarknight Skybridge! By returning Satellarknight Alsahm to the deck, I can replace it with another Satellarknight on the field!"

However, Zaveid smirked as if he knew Alisha was going to do it, he raised one of his face-down cards from the field. "You walked right into my trap! Dragunity Oubliette!"

"Oh no!" Sorey shouted in disbelief. "Alisha’s strategy going to be undone!"

"By activating Dragunity Oubliette, I can negate your Spell and banish it!" Zaveid continued to explain as the force field trapped Alisha's Spell card and carried it into a dark blue black hole.

"But why did Alisha activate her Satellarknight Skybridge card in a hurry?!" Sorey screamed in dismay, "It's not like her to act that way!"

"Wait, Sorey!" Lailah chimed in, "I believe that was her intention to activate her Spell!"

"Eh?" He turned his attention to her.

"In truth, she wants to force Zaveid to activate his Trap which should have been an essential element for him. Even it means to tickling the dragon’s tail Alisha's doing." Lailah told him in important detail, "In my opinion, Alisha certainly holds a Spell card which has a very major role capable of neutralizing the power of Dragunities!"

"What do you mean by that?" He asking, being confusing.

"I think she has already found the main weak point of Zaveid's deck!" She pointed out.

"I would be surprised if Alisha would defeat this guy so easily. This is the first time she would have faced an archetype like this." Atakk didn't seem convinced by Lailah's analistic point of view.

"Alisha really needs Satellarknight Alsahm who has a key role capable of weakening Zaveid's Life Points... With the aim of pushing him to integrate his Deck Master on the field in case of last resort. However, Alisha also needs to be extra careful with Zaveid's Dragunity Arma Gram, as the special ability risks harming her own Monsters."

"Princess, why did you use your Satellarknight Skybridge too early?!" Stardust Dragon berated her while flying majestically flapping his wings. "That's what this guy intends to do to counter your strategy, and prevent you from taking Satellarknight Deneb from your deck and taking back Satellarknight Alsahm in a single instant!"

"There is an important detail regarding the Dragunity Oubliette Trap card; if Zaveid used it correctly, he would have needed to have a Level 10 Dragunity on the field and raise one of their own by 100 Attack Points. This is a rather difficult Counter-Trap to master if he don't use it correctly." Alisha told to her Deck Master.

"You should have saved that card for later."

"To be able to appropriate the best opportune moment, I must know how to anticipate each different action of an opponent, and to properly manipulate their moves. Sometimes it was necessary to sacrifice a few weapons that are generally essential to our strategic role to defeat an opponent with an even more ruthless weapon. If it doesn't usually work, we need to change it with a new one." Alisha said calmly.

"Remember that the slightest mistake can cost you a lot. You can take my word for it." Stardust Dragon recalled her.

"I finished my turn." She said without doing anything more.

"It’s not too soon!" Zaveid declared as he drew a card and glanced at it. "Come here, Dragunity Senatus!"

The humanoid black bird wearing a white, black and burgundy robe flying out of the blue rift and materialized in the field.

(Dragunity Senatus - ATK: 1800 - Level: 4)

"With Senatus on the field, I can discard one Dragunity Monster; allowing me to equip with a Tuner from my deck!" He said while sending the weak Monster card, Dragunity Brandistock to the Graveyard slot.

Then, the Dragunity Darkspear emerged rightly after due the effect from Senatus and equipped itself in an instant as a black spear.

"Also, if one of their number is expected to be destroyed by battle or card effect, then a Dragunity weapon will be sacrificed instead to protect them from destruction!"

He then lifted his other card from the field,

"Then I can activate my handy Trap, Dragunity Legion! This card has two effects that I can only choose one at a time each turn! The first is that I can unequip a Dragunity weapon and bring them to my field! The second effect I can also bring back one of my Dragunities from my Graveyard and equip another of theirs!"

Another blue rift opened, bringing the weak Dragunity Tuner and turned into a short-type of pole weapon before equipping with Dragunity Knight - Gormfaobhar so the bird-like rider could holding Brandistock.

"With Gormfaobhar being equipped both weapons, it become more effective and get you pecked on it! If Brandistock become equipped with one of them, that Monster can make a second attack during battle! Also with Pilum as a weapon form, that make my Monster attacking you directly but the damage inflicted is halved!"

"You intend to attack me instead to my fellow knights?" Alisha pointed out.

"Wait, don't tell me you plan on exploiting your Satellarknight Alsahm's special ability if I drop it in the Graveyard, right!" Zaveid deduced, making Alisha gasped in dismay. "That's what I said and I'm not fooled by it! This is why I did well to equip my Synchro Dragunity with Brandistock and Pilum to make you suffer two direct attacks in a single turn!"

"Man, I have to move on to the second plan. And I was hoping to have enough Tellarknights to destroy all of this muscleman's Dragunity weapons! But it looks like I have no choice!" Alisha gritted her teeth.

As Gormfaobhar's rider threw the two spears towards Alisha to pierce her, she quickly flipped one of her face-down cards.

"I activate my Tellarknight Genesis! Depending on my Tellarkngihts I control, I destroy two of your Spell and Trap cards from your field!!"

"You can’t do that!!" Zaveid yelled in shock.

"Oh yes, I will!" Alisha smiled confidently. "I intend to get rid of the two Dragunity weapons you have equipped with your Dragunity Knight - Gormfaobhar! At least you won't have any other way than to attack my fellow Tellarknights!"

As the Quick-Play Spell was glowing, both Brandistock and Pilum as weapon forms were shattered into a thousand pieces of holograms, protecting her from harm, gently scatter towards the princess's face.

"It's pretty clever but, as long as the Dragunity Legion is still active, Zaveid can always use it in times of need that could give Alisha a hard time again." Atakk said with slight worry.

Lailah reassured him however, "Don't worry, the Dragunity Legion can use one of these effects every of his turns. So we have to hope that Alisha could come out of it better."

"I'm sick of this! Dragunity Senatus, go destroy that cocky princess' Satellarknight Vega!" Zaveid ordered out of pressure and impatience.

Senatus pierced with the form of Darkspear's spear, Vega's armor shattered into thousands of pieces and reduced to hologram particles, but Alisha's Life Points remained intact.

"This guy has no intention of attacking Alsahm, since he is aware of my Monster's special ability capable of inflicting 1000 more points of damage."

"You think a mediocre Duelist like you is capable of defeating my Dragunities so easily?!"

Zaveid told her as Gram turned to the two partners,

"I have been an experienced Duelist for over 1000 years since the Duel Monsters appeared in the Scarlet Night event! I have never lost a single Duel, neither Lailah or Eizen managed to defeat me!"

His Deck Master along with the remaining Dragunities proudly fly towards the right side of the sky while Stardust Dragon and the Tellarknights follow them.

At the top of the Rayfalke Spiritcrest mountain, Edna carefully observed the Duel set against the gray sky.

"Zaveid, you should not underestimate this human. Your boasting could cost you dearly. She has a power you ignore, and she has one of the Signer Dragons with her." She said stoically.

Unbeknownst to her and behind Edna, Symonne was standing at the edge of the cliff, preparing a much more malicious plot.

"You're quite an interesting test subject, blondie. I can implant you in your little brain as a nest for my Fusion Parasite." She smirked evily, and showed her favorite card, causing the little parasite to materialize, creeping up discreetly over her shoulder and entering Edna's ear. "That way, My Lord won't have to be bored to sit in his throne and watch a good entertainment movie."

Then, glanced at the heart device so the gem core was blue she was holding with a vicious smile.

"And with this precious gadget that I have in hand, this Duel will be very funny that even My Lord will appreciate this worthy spectacle."

As Zaveid just finished his turn, it was Alisha's turn to play.

"This muscular guy shows off too much when his flying lizards fly away leaving us behind!" Stardust Dragon commented.

"You shut up, old geezer lizard!" Alisha yelled at him, then kicked him behind the dragon's neck. "And speed up faster!"

"Will you please stop hitting me on the back of the head!" Stardust Dragon countered.

"Something is in the air?" Zaveid asking her.

"I can see clearly in the air!" She shouted as she drew a card and the Stardust Dragon caught up with them. The card she drew was the Double-Edged Sword. "This card can really help me despite the risks I run."

Then she showed her remaining Monster card,

"I call on my Satellitelarknight Vega!"

The blue rift emerged the eagle knight and materialized in the field.

(Satellarknight Altair - DEF: 1300 - Level: 4)

"When he came to the field, I can bring another one of my fellow Tellarknights from my Graveyard." She continued as Vega came back to materialized again in Defense Mode.

(Satellarknight Vega - DEF: 1600 - Level: 4)

"She probably did an XYZ summon! Alisha is going to impress!" Sorey noticed Alisha's intended move.

"Wait it's a trap! This is what Zaveid expected Alisha to do!" Lailah chimed in, felt something was wrong, catching Sorey's attention.

"Heh heh. With three fellow Tellarknights at my side, I can call on a-" Alisha confidently grinded before Zaveid cut in.

"Sorry but I activate my Dimensional Barrier!" He declared, lifting his second face-down card from the field.

"Oh no, I just know this card can cause Alisha some trouble!" Lailah blinked out in shock.

"What is it about?" Sorey asked her.

"The Dimensional Barrier card is a very practical thing to prevent from summoning Monsters and negate all of that type they'are on the field from the Extra Deck depending on the type that Zaveid designates!"

"Which means?"

"Basically, Alisha won't be able to summon the XYZ Monsters she has in her deck. Zaveid, who only has Synchro Monsters, can summon them there without problem." Lailah continued to explain, "However, the Dimensional Barrier only lasts for one turn. I also fear that Zaveid will summon another Synchro Monster next turn and Alisha may have even more problems."

"If I remember correctly you have XYZ Monsters..." Zaveid grinded, making Alisha blinked and gritted her teeth in dismay. "So, I choose type XYZ!! As a result, you will not only be able to summon your XYZ Monsters for this turn, you airhead!!"

"Yikes! I wish I could make it work! But seems it dosen't work now!" She growled in frustration.

"Princess, you should have me integrated into the field!" Stardust Dragon recommended her. "I believe he intends to prevent you from summoning your XYZ Monsters forever when his next turn comes!"

"No way!! I would never want help from an old wreck like you!" Alisha objected. "If my squad's usual strategy no longer works, then I can resort to Spell or Trap cards to get through this unscathed!!"

"But that's not enough to defeat Zaveid's Dragunity Monsters! You have the Double-Edged Sword card which can make a powerful Monster capable of defeating any Monster even at costing your Life Points during battle!"

"I don’t care about your words!" Alisha demissed before ending her turn. "My turn is over!"

"What are you doing?!" He asked in disagreement.

"What, is it already over? So I'll draw!" He boasted as he drew and glanced sharply, "As luck would have it I came across a very devastating card, but it was worth it."

As the Trap card was glowing, Dragunity Darkspear disequipped from Senatus' hands and returned to its original form.

"Through the effect of my Dragunity Legion card, I can unequip my Dragunity Darkspear and bring it back to my field!"

He pointed his finger in the air, declaring another procedure.

"Since I have another Tuner on the field, I can Synchro Summon it again!"

Senatus riding on Darkspear's back and took flight together to becoming the three Synchro Rings from its Level 3. Zaveid remained balancing above the back while Gram turned its back as the celestial wind accelerated at full speed across the sky.

"Prepare to fly in the sky my Monsters!"

(Level: 3 + 4 = 7)

"Blue embodiment of bravery, forge yourself a three-pronged spear and pierce three enemies with a single blow!" Zaveid chanted with his second Synchro Summoning as he balanced like a surfer on an aerial wave.

Three Synchro Rings then scan around Senatus, which change into a glowing yellow outline of itself and turning into a number of 4 stars which correspond to its Level. A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon! Take flight, Dragunity Knight - Trident of Level 7!"

It was a blue armored dragon wearing a green gem inlaid on the chest, being ridden by a rider who also wore some blue armor. Trident had two silver horns and the lower jaw was as hard as steel.

(Dragunity Knight - Trident - ATK: 2400 - Level: 7)

"Oh not that dragon so the power can cause quite a bit of trouble!" Lailah was alerted at the sight of the Dragunity Knight - Trident.

"It’s that dragon so you speak Lailah?" Sorey asked.

"Yes," She said. "When Dragunity Knight - Trident has just been summoned to the field, Zaveid can send up to three cards he controls to the Graveyard, not only allowing him to look at his opponent's Extra Deck and sending them to the Graveyard."

"So Alisha will never be able to her XYZ Monsters again?!" Sorey said in dismay.

"I'm afraid so, and the only Monster Alisha has left is the Stardust Dragon. She has no choice but to trust her Deck Master, if she doesn't want to get blasted and to be ridiculed." Lailah confirmed.

"I'm glad you remember it even after a very long millennium my beautiful Lailah since we became veteran Duelists." Zaveid smirked, pleased with the remembrance of his fellow Seraph. "With Trident by my side, I can send my three cards that I control to my Graveyard! You know what that means..."

By the effect of Dragunity Knight - Trident, both of his Monsters (included Trident itself) and the Dragunity Legion vanished from Zaveid's. Alisha's three XYZ cards, Stellarknight Constellar Diamond, Stellarknight Delteros and Stellarknight Triverr, surface on the field before their eyes, to her shock.

"My Monsters, what are you going to do with them?!" She cried.

"Hahahaha!! You have the right to say good bye-bye to your XYZ Monsters!! They will fly away forever so that you will never see them again!!" Zaveid burst into cruel laughter.

Three of her XYZ Monster cards shatter into thousands of hologram pieces, much to Alisha's dismay.

"My fellow Monsters... Not them, no!" She cried, her eyes filled with despair.

"And the worst is yet to come... Only for you!" He continued as he showed his only remaining Spell card. "Here is your celestial nightmare; the Spell card, Dark Hole!"

A gigantic black hole appeared beneath them in the dark sky.

"Your line of your precious squad of knights will all without exception be sucked into this gigantic black hole and you will never see them again either!!"

All of the Tellarknights are all sucked in one after the other and vanished in front of Alisha's eyes.

"No don’t leave!!" Alisha begged desperately.

With the final disappearance of Alisha's only line of Monsters, she was now more vulnerable than ever and only had the Stardust Dragon with her, still not being introduced into the field.

"Alisha no longer has any Monsters on the field! She's wide-open now!!" Atakk exclaimed.

"That’s settled!" He exclaimed with satisfaction. "And now all that's left to do is introduce to my field my Deck Master, Dragunity Arma Gram!"

Gram moved to a location in the field and, ready to fight, armed itself with its great sword.

"My Dragunity Arma Gram has a special ability that only it has among my Dragunities!" Zeveid then revealed to them, "Not only can it negate an opposing Monster, they can also lose 1000 Attack Points for each Equipment I control! Your end is near! Sooner or later, you will have no choice but to bring the Stardust Dragon onto the field!"

"Alisha you need to do something!" Sorey yelled.

"Prepare yourself to experience the terrifying power of Gram!!" Zaveid declared on the offensive, "My Dragunity Arma Gram, attack directly her Life Points!!"

Gram's body flames intensified as the dragon brandished the great sword in the air which in turn burst into flames.

"Salamander Sword!!"

Gram sent a fire dragon towards Alisha, causing her to fly off the Stardust Dragon's back and scream in pain.

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 4000 - 2900 = 1100 - Cards in hand: 1)

"Princess!!" Stardust Dragon shouted seeing her falling into a free fall that could be fatal if he didn't manage to save her in time. Fortunately, Alisha was caught thanks to Sahasrara who had remained flying in the air since the start of the Duel.

"It's you Sahasrara? Thank goodness you saved me!" She exclaimed in surprise.

"You're okay Alisha?" Sahasrara asked.

"I'm all right thanks to you!" She nodded.

"Princess Alisha!" Stardust Dragon flew towards them, taking her back from Sahasrara's hand.

"You, I almost got crushed when falling! You're really slow for an old wreck like you!!" Alisha reprimanded her Deck Master, the red anger veins pronturing onto her head.

"You shouldn't call me an old wreck! I'm doing what I could to protect you from falling when this Seraph attacks you!" He replied, placed Alisha onto his head.

Stardust Dragon regained altitude by flapping his wings and resumed the Duel in the air. Lailah, Atakk and Sorey, still on Sahasrara's back and head followed them. 

After they reach straight towards the position where Zaveid was still on Gram's back, they continue their Deck Master Turbo Duel. As he concluded his turn after inflicting a powerful attack, it was Alisha's turn to play.

"So, I congratulate you that you have survived until now after having thrown a terrible attack at you from my Deck Master!" He said, watching them. "There's nothing left for you to do but put the Stardust Dragon on the field!"

"Princess, I really need to get on the field. We will have to defeat Zaveid and his Deck Master, it's the only solution we can do." Stardust Dragon told to her.

Alisha didn't want to admit it, but her dragon was right since she found herself in such a bind since the disappearance of her Tellarknights and her XYZ Monsters; and the only card she had in her hand was the Double-Edged Sword.

"As you wish... I'll take my Deck Master to the field! The ultimate clash has begun!" She declared reluctantly, Stardust Dragon was entering the field in Defense Position. Then she drew one card and showed it, "I activate the Card of Demise! I draw until I have three cards at most!"

She drew two from her own deck, the cards she got were the Spirit Barrier and Back-Up Rider.

"I set all of them face-down and I'm done!" He declared as three more card appeared onto her field.

"What, is that all? You can't offer me anything better!" He said with slight disappointment, drawing a card. "But at least I can humiliate you for sneezing on me on the verge of your crushing defeat!"

"Now it's all going to come down to the Stardust Dragon now that he's entered the field." Lailah said, "If Alisha unfortunately made such a mistake by misusing her face-down cards, it could cost her dearly."

He glanced at the drawn card, then at the Stardust Dragon.

"The little princess has nothing left but to place her Deck Master in Defense Mode, but what a mistake I swear. If I destroy her only remaining Monster, she will automatically lose the Duel with the destruction of her Deck Master."

Zaveid then showed his Equip Spell, and the card appeared onto his field upon activation.

"I equip Gram with the Fairy Meteor Crush! From now on you will never be able to protect your Life Points even in Defense Mode!!"

Alisha growled as he continued to yelled and was about to attacking.

"This time you no longer have any escape!!"

Once again, Gram's body flames intensified as the dragon brandished the great sword in the air which in turn burst into flames. Stardust Dragon shielded Alisha with his both hand in order to keeping her from the next falling to the attack.

"Salamander Sword!!"

Gram sent a fire dragon towards them, causing a large flaming explosion of smoke.

"Alishaaaa!!!" Sorey screamed for her.

However, much to Sorey's surprise and Zaveid's shock when the smoke cleared, it was revealed that the Trap card, Stardust Flash, had risen from the field at the time of Dragunity Arma Gram's fatal attack. Stardust Dragon therefore survived the attack even at the time of destruction thanks to this card setting by Alisha during her previous turn.

"WHAT?! This is impossible!! You survived my attack, but you're supposed to have lost to me?!" Zaveid screamed in shock and dismay to the point of in a fit of complete insanity.

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 1100 - 900 = 200 - Cards in hand: 0)

"The Stardust Flash card allowed my dragon to return when he was destroyed by an attack!" Alisha told him, with a serious look. "Although he is my Deck Master that normally I would have lost at the time of destruction, the Stardust Flash would have allowed him to be saved and continue this Duel!"

A golden cloud appeared before their eyes, the Stardust Dragon sank straight in front of which Alisha quickly grabbed it and obtained the unrevealed card after emerging out from the golden cloud.

"It looks like there is a conclusion to this Duel between us..."

She then switched the card from her Duel Disk blade to vertical, switching her Stardust Dragon from Defense Mode to Attack Mode.

"I'm switching my dragon to Attack Mode!"

(Stardust Dragon - DEF: 2000 to ATK: 2500)

She flipped two of her face-down cards from the field.

"Then I increase the power of the Stardust Dragon using my cards, Back-Up Rider and Double-Edged Sword, giving him a total of 3500 ATK!!"

The great sword appeared in the sky as the Stardust Dragon took it and swung forward, becoming much stronger than even Gram would eventually surpass.

(Stardust Dragon - ATK: 2500 + 3500 = 6000)

"Now it's time to finish off Stardust Dragon!!" Alisha declared determinedly, thrusting her hand in the air. "Swing your sword and destroy Gram!!"

"You can't tickling the dragon’s tail, Alisha!!" Sorey yelled, his verdant-eyes widened. "If you do this you will lose too!!"

"The Double-Edged Sword is a pretty dangerous Equip card!! You're rushing into the forbidden zone!!" Zaveid yelled, Gram burst into flames one last time as its greatsword ignited for the final assault.

As the Stardust Dragon brandished the Double-Edged Sword in the air with such force, Gram clashed its own flaming sword against his. In the process, Gram's sword cracked and shattered into a thousand pieces and ended up slicing through its body and blowing Zaveid's body away from his own Deck Master, much to his shock.

"It's not possible! How did I be the only one to win when she's supposed to lose too in a Duel that only ends in a draw?"

He saw the last Trap card revealed, Spirit Barrier. Understood that Alisha's Life Points were intact at the time of the final assault launched by the latter in their Duel, sparing from the double-edged effect of the Double-Edged Sword.

"Is the Spirit Barrier! This human girl has truly done to preserve her Life Points and lead her to her own victory!"

Zaveid saw Alisha's serious and determined face.

"I who remained undefeated and who never suffered a single defeat for 1000 years in my life as a Duelist... How am I defeated by a simple human girl with one of the most powerful of all Signer Dragons with her?!"

(Zaveid - LP: 3000 - 3000 = 0 - Cards in hand: 0)

Zaveid disappeared in a whirlwind of wind that he himself generated. With him being defeated, Alisha won the Duel with the help of her Stardust Dragon, much to the joy of her companions.

"Alisha... Did you really win? Did you really beat Zaveid?" Sorey gasped in joy along with shocking surprise.

"Yes, I did it." Alisha confirmed to him.

Sorey screamed with joy to savor his friend's victory. Then he rushed towards Alisha to hug her in joy.

"Well done, you're really the best Alisha! I still can't believe you did such a crazy attack! I would have thought you would have lost!" He ruffled the sandy hair, to the annoyance of the princess.

"Stop, you're going to undo my hair, it took me all my time to take care of it!! Sorey!!" She screamed in protest.

"I can breathe easy now. Alisha did something incredible." Atakk breathed in relief.

"You've progressed really well, Alisha. By relying on the Stardust Dragon, you've accomplished an incredible feat. But you still lacked the trust that should be established with this dragon." Lailah looked at Sorey having fun with her.

Minutes later, the Stardust Dragon and Sahasrara deposited them near the foot of the mountain.

"Thank you so much for dropping us off here." Sorey expressed gratitude.

"I have no reason to thank this old geezer lizard. He's the one who insisted on it." Alisha denied, acted like a Tsundere. "Never again will I resort to or even trust this dragon!"

"Except that when you're in a bind, you always have to call on the Stardust Dragon to get you out of much more perilous situations." Lailah added, before noticing something's wrong about the Signer Dragon. "What's wrong? You look upset."

"I sense that one of my fellow ones is on top of this same mountain of the Rayfalke Spiritcrest. A very dark aura resides within him, along with this young Seraph." Stardust Dragon confessed how he felt.

"What are you saying?" She asked him.

The Signer Dragon returned in the form of a card and entered the body of the Princess of Hyland without giving further information about a bad omen to come.

"I wonder what’s going on with him right now." Sorey became perplexed. "But we should go to that peak now, you never know when it’s coming."

"You're right, Sorey. We'll have to find Edna and have her join our party." Atakk said as they began to walking onto their way.

At the top of the mountain, the Earth Seraph waited patiently for their future arrival, but was thinking of other things.

"You really are an idiot, Zaveid. I warned you that you shouldn't underestimate this human girl. I can't even believe that you lost for the first time in your 1000-year career as a Duelist. " Edna commented with disappointment.

Chapter Text

It all started with a flashback from 10 years ago to the sudden return of the Signer Dragons to the Human World. The five shooting stars of different colors fall from the night sky. One night in the Rayfalke Spiritcrest, Edna sensed an omen somewhere. She was heading towards a place located in a cliff. Edna saw her own older brother in the form of a dragon that he had become over 190 years ago during the final confrontation of the Lord of Calamity from the Doom Age after the former Shepherd Duelist falling in battle, with Zaveid as a witness.

"But, he's my brother Eizen!" Edna was surprised when she saw Eizen fighting against a Duel Monster, another Dragon-Type. "But what is he doing there? What was another dragon doing there at Rayfalke? Was it the Life Stream Dragon? What for? Why is he here so suddenly?"

The Signer Dragon tried to pierce with his drill from his left arm, but was only broken by the carapace of unbreakable rock-hard scales. Eizen roared in fury as he slashed at him with a claw, causing the Signer Dragon to roaring in pain.

"Big Brother don't!! Stop it!!" Edna begged.

But Eizen dosen't listen to her, the large black-scaled dragon flincked a large fire ball to the dark orange Signer Dragon, causing him to fall in the ground. Forced Edna to step in front of him to protect the Lifestream Dragon.

"Eizen, stop!! Please stop!! He's our friend, don't you remember that?!!"

Unfortunately, as Eizen had lost his humanity and human consciousness for over two centuries, he could no longer recognize his little sister nor the Signer Dragon whom they had been friends with for a thousand years. Eizen flicked a big ball of fire towards Edna as if she was an enemy and not his little sister that he had loved so much. The Lifestream Dragon shielded her with his own wounded, bruised body from the fire ball and gotten blasted, throwing them far into another corner of Rayfalke Mountain. As for Eizen, he flew somewhere in another corner of Rayfalke Spiritcrest.

After a few minutes being projected away in the corners of the mountains, the Earth Seraph regained consciousness and quickly realized that the Life Stream Dragon who had protected her from the large fireball was seriously injured during his clash with Eizen.

Edna released herself from the hold and lightly shook the Signer Dragon's body in the hope that he was still alive, "Please talk to me. Wake up, buddy."

Life Stream Dragon opened his red eyes as Edna called despite the blurred vision but gradually becoming clearer.

"You're alive!" Edna exclaimed in relief to seeing the Signer Dragon being alive.

"Who are you... really?" He asked in a late teenager voice, seemingly not having recognized her after such a long millennium since the departure of the other Signer Dragons from the Human World.

"You don't recognize me? It's me Edna, Eizen's little sister." Her blue eyes showed worry.

"Edna?" Life Stream Dragon said a low voice before asking what's happening, "But, what about Eizen?"

"I'm sorry buddy... Eizen, became a dragon." She admitted the sad truth, her blue eyes filled with sadness. "It was disgusting humans who changed him into a dragon during the Doom Age more than 190 years ago before you returned to the Human World."

"Eizen, but why him?" Life Stream Dragon muttered in dismay.

"Since he became a dragon, he doesn't even recognize me or anyone else." Tears fall down Edna's face, "Zaveid even considered ending his suffering against my will! I really want to save him and bring him back to his normal form!"

She sobbed even more as she burried her tearful face.

"I don’t want to lose him, he’s my only brother I have! I don’t want to lose you because you’re our family friend!"

While Edna sobbed, Life Stream Dragon just looked at her with sadness after all this millennium of separation. He rubbed his muzzle against Edna's blonde hair so he could comfort her as best he could.

Back in the present, Sorey, Alisha and Lailah take the road to the foot of the mountain under the guidance of Normin leader Atakk.

"The top of the mountain is not very far, we only have 20 minutes of walking." Atakk indicated.

"I wonder why we can't ride our dragons again to reach the top so easily." Sorey wondered.

"I believe the Duel Monster spirits felt a high flow of Malevolence. That's why they returned to their card forms." Lailah explained to him, looking slightly nauseated.

"Are you okay Lailah?" Sorey asked concerned, "You don't look good right now."

"We are approaching a flow of Malevolence located at the peak." Lailah said, "I feel worse and worse. I feel two presences there."

Meanwhile, Zaveid was fuming with frustration and disgust following a crushing defeat to Alisha in a Deck Master Turbo Duel.

"Man that makes me angry!! There's no way it could have happened like that!!" He yelled furiously while smashing the rocky walls around him on the way. "How could I lose to a simple human girl for the first time in 1000 years in my career as a Duelist?! She will regret having humiliated me and having defeated me so unfairly!"

He shattered a stone wall of the mountain with a single punch.

"I can't believe that princess is having one of the most powerful offsprings of the Crimson Dragon!"

"You getting clobbered by some enemy in that last match?" A male voice said to him from behind. "I didn't expect this to be new to you, Zaveid."

"Dezel?! But since when have you been here while I'm losing my temper?!" He turned to his fellow black-clothed Seraph.

"Well you shouldn't lash out at a little human girl who had one of the Signer Dragons we're looking for." Dezel simply shuffled his deck of cards, folded and flicked gently with two thumbs. "The big mistake on your part is that you shouldn't attack Princess Alisha Diphda simply for disproportionate retribution."

"Are you spying on me this whole time?!" Zaveid suspected him.

"It's your fault after all. You did that every time you met a pretty girl and it always fell through." Dezel replied while continuing to shuffle his deck. "It was only a single moment that we saw everything, that the princess did indeed possess the Stardust Dragon that we were looking for."

"But why are you so keen to hunt down all the Signer Dragons?" Zaveid questioned him, "It's been 1000 years since the Crimson Dragon ceased to exist. That's how Artorius failed in his attempt to resurrect it!"

"What are you talking about? You want our world to be destroyed forever?" Dezel held his black hat.

"But our world is falling apart. So of course not, we wouldn't let it." Zaveid replied. "But, my priority is to save Eizen from suffering since he became a dragon over 200 years ago."

"As you wish, it’s up to you." Dezel turned his back before letting out a grinning smile. "But if no one intervenes, there could be some very funny and terrifying games."

"But what do you mean by that?" Zaveid asked when he heard the insinuation from his fellow Wind Seraph.

As the party moved towards the mountain's peak point, they felt more and more Malevolence.

"We're getting dangerously close at the peak." Atakk told them, being nauseous. "I feel like I’m in for a ride."

"Even our cards felt Malevolence as well." Alisha said, checking each of her Monster cards. "But I wonder what exactly the Stardust Dragon wanted to tell us."

"Maybe if we get into that, we might get an answer." Lailah suggested.

"You're right." Alisha agreed, "We'll have to sort this out and find the Seraph at the same time and get her to our cause."

Then, the scenery and the sky become dark burgundy; a sign that Malevolence was much more superior in this area. The whole party became more nauseous and felt unwell.

"We have entered this domain full of Malevolence!" Sorey exclaimed.

"That's what I thought! I even feel a presence here!" Lailah said.

They notice that Alisha felt nothing nauseous and remained in great shape.

"Alisha?" Sorey blinked, became perplexed. "But how come you don't feel anything from the Malevolence?"

She noticed on herself regarding her condition. "It's true, it seems that I don't feel the negative effects of Malevolence. That's strange."

"I think it was due to a hidden power that allowed you to protect yourself against the negative effects of Malevolence." Atakk pointed out.

"Oh so, do I really have this?" Alisha turned to the small black Normin.

"Quite clearly." He answered, nodding.

"Yes, but unless the Malevolence becomes too intense, we have to leave." Lailah said, felt more insecure.

"But..." Sorey said, hesitating to want to leave. "We'll really have to do something to clean this place up. What if we have entered the domain of the lord of the land?"

"Hey, it seems that there are presences in this place so I won't allow you to attack Eizen." A feminine but mature voice sounded, attracting everyone's ears.

Lailah then turned towards the Earth Seraph, Edna.

"Edna?" She exclaimed, "Edna, it’s really you!"

The Fire Seraph rushed joyfuly towards Edna, but only stopped when she held up her hand in a "stop" gesture in front of Lailah.

"Let’s calm down, we’re not in a playground." Edna told her in a hoarse voice.

"Sorry." Lailah apologized.

"I wonder why did you come so suddenly? A Duel to kill your boredom?" Edna asked before noticing the other presences so she was wary of them. "And what are these two humans doing here? You know I don't like these stupid humans."

"These two friends are not like other Duelists." Lailah explained, "They want you so bad that you join us."

"Hello my name is Sorey, I am the new Shepherd Duelist!" He introduced himself, before introducing her too. "And she’s my friend Alisha Diphda, Crown Princess of Hyland!"

"Seraph Edna, we need you!" She declared, "At this very recent time, Marlind's village is plagued by an epidemic caused by a Hellion, and many of people were fallen ill! We need another Seraph as an ally so your help will be valuable! We want you to be by our side! Together we can put an end to the chaos and destruction in our world!"

Curiously, despite her distrust of the two humans, Edna approached Sorey and Alisha silently. Unbeknownst to them, Symonne was spying on them, plotting when she was standing at the edge of the cliff.

"It's your turn to play my adorable parasite... Or should I say Eizen's little sister." Symonne smirked evily, showing her favorite Fusion Parasite card which glowing lightly.

"So this human's name is Sorey?" She stared at him.

"Yes it's me." He nodded.

"You look like you're rather stupid, you're actually a weakling kid." Edna smirked.

"Eh?" He became confused by her snide comment.

"Do you know who you're talking to, blondie?" Alisha glared at Edna, being angry.

Alert wariness rose in the silver-haired Fire Seraph, her warning bellowed.

"Get away from Edna right now! She's-" Lailah tried to warn them, but Edna stomped on the ground, raised a pillar of rock, and sent both Sorey and Alisha flying and crush them to the ground, making Lailah gasping in sudden shock.

"Oops, sorry. I missed that." Edna scratched behind her blond hair, falsely apologizing like a child who had accidentally done something stupid. Then a mischievous and vicious face appeared. "My foot stomped on it. Hehe."

"You... Bottled blondie towhead!" Alisha grunted out in rage. She then unfolded her silver armored left arm Duel Disk. "You're going... to pay me for it!"

"So? It looks like you're in the mood to Duel me?" Edna smirked, took the pleasure of provoking as she stared at an angry Alisha. "Did I make your pretty fighting princess clothes dirty? Did I insult your boybuddy?"

"You’re provoking me, aren’t you?!" Alisha grunted.

Sorey held her tightly while she struggled, "Keep your cool down Alisha! Can't you see she's provoking you! Stop!"

"She's provoking me?! Oh yeah?! This blonde girl is going to pay me for it!!" She angrily shouted.

"Calm down, it’s no use!" He insisted desperately.

"Well then, are you trying to negotiate with me without resorting to force?" Edna continued to tell them, "You are so keen to have me join you, the humans who are responsible for the fate of my brother Eizen? There's no way I'm allying with these rotten humans. The Shepherd Duelists are no better than them, most of them fail in their past missions and they only think of themselves."

She stomped around creating a circle of rocky wall around Edna, Sorey and Alisha, separating them from Lailah and Atakk where no one was disturbing.

"Sorey! Alisha!" Lailah shouted, rushing with Atakk towards her fellow travelers.

"Lailah!" Alisha yelled, turning around.

But too late, the rocky walls blocked Lailah and Atakk, they are unable to rescue them before the end of the challenge imposed by Edna.

"It's not true! She separated us from them!" Atakk exclaimed.

"Sorey! Alisha!" Lailah hit the rocky wall repeatedly. "Oh no, it’s blocked!! Edna, let them go! Edna!"

Unfortunately, Edna didn't hear her that way.

"Sorey, look at this!" Alisha pointed out, revealing that behind them there were stone spikes for each of the rocky walls.

"But what is this!? She wants to skewer us and end us with a barbecue!?" Sorey screamed terrifyingly.

"I added a personal touch to make our Duel even more fun than entertainment." Edna told to them, smirked. "Be careful not to get your butt poked on it."

Both the Shepherd Duelist and his Squire grunted while turned back to the Earth blonde-haired Seraph.

"I still couldn't believe how two subhumans managed to get two of the Signer Dragons so two of them are opposite stars?"

Edna then stared at Alisha mockingly,

"You there, the little princess. I was wondering how you were able to defeat the pile of muscle Zaveid? You may have cheated at the last moment when it was he who would have won, because he is an undefeated guy in his life of a Duelist."

Edna's comment made Alisha even angrier,

"Honestly, you really disappoint me."

"That’s enough, I’m going to swallow your Duel Disk!" Alisha cursed her, arming herself with her own Duel Disk.

"If you want me to join your cause, you should defeat me in a Duel..." Edna said with an amused chuckle, rolling her blue eyes.

"Not so much that I add a touch to make this Duel even more captivating and attractive..."

The dark female voice rang out, drawing Alisha and Sorey's attention. Then, three devices clamp onto the chests of Sorey, Alisha and Edna.

"But? But what is this thing?" She asked herself, seeing stuck at her heart.

"They were stuck to our chests!" He cried out in fear.

They struggle to pull off the devices but they're stuck, while Edna seemed not to care what happened even with this device attached to her own chest too.

"It won't come out! It's stuck!" She screamed.

"What could have possibly been up to all this?" He wondered.

The two suddenly scream in pain from an electric shock caused by the heart devices.

Back with Zaveid wanted to know about the response from Dezel.

"What does that mean, Dezel?" He demanded about the situation.

"How far will the Shepherd Duelist and the Princess of Hyland be able to resist this crazy game... that Symonne hatched her vicious plot?" Dezel revealed to him.

Zaveid became horrified upon hearing this, suggesting that they were in danger.

"You're be in league... With that girl Symonne?" He inquired.

Back with the upcoming Duel between Sorey, Alisha and Edna.

"We can’t take them off!" Sorey concluded, "Someone could have done something like that!"

They heard the dark female chuckling, the Dark Seraph emerged out of the shadow rift.

"So, were you surprised? I prepared a real, darkest surprise especially for you." Symonne declared, rolling her dark purple eyes.

"What are you doing here in a place like this?" Sorey cursed her, anger awoke in him.

"What do you want from us, you creepy doll?! Alisha glared.

"In your opinion? I came up with something to make the Duel much more than fun with good stakes that I developed myself." Symonne explained, with a serene but devilish smile.

"Get these things off our chests right now!" Sorey ordered.

"Sorry, but the only way out of this is to face Edna in a Duel, which I used as a puppet and ideal guinea pig to accomplish my current plot... If you don't want to end up as dragon meat." Symonne refused, shook her head.

"Curse you, Symonne!" Alisha cursed, furious at her. "So you’re the one who’s been behind this all along?!"

"Oh yes. I used my Fusion Parasite to have it implanted in the brain so that I could manipulate Eizen's little sister as I wished and force you to fight in a Duel." Symonne confessed merrily, shrugged her shoulders.

"Symooonnnne!!" Sorey screamed with rage, losing his temper.

"If you want to save Edna, all you have to do is defeat her in a Duel. That way at least I won't be bored."

The Dark Seraph then turned to Edna for the next move,

"You know what remains to be done if you want to take revenge on humans for what they did to your brother."

Without having to ask any questions or worry about the situation, Edna obeyed Symonne. She connected her Duel Disk to her left arm, two folds unfolded out and the projection of Solid Vision lit up. Edna drew five cards at once from her deck. The Duel Disk was beige in color so the edge of the blade was covered in white lace. The small key ring of an orange Normin has been attached to the left end of the blade.

"Sorey, look! Edna's deck is infused with Malevolence!" Alisha noticed a dark aura affected in the deck.

"Oh no... She's going to turn into a Hellion... Or worse, a dragon?" Sorey muttered in utter horror before shouting urgently. "But then we really have to save Edna!! It's much more than urgent now!!"

He threw his Duel Disk in the air, connected to his left arm and two folds popped out, the projection of Solid Vision lit up.

"Stand close, Alisha! We'll have to win this Duel to save Edna!"

"Got it, Sorey!" Alisha nodded, her look determined.

"That’s it, the game can finally start." Symonne smirked.

(Edna -  4000 LP)

(Sorey - 4000 LP)

(Alisha Diphda - 4000 LP)

"Let's Duel!!" They shouting together and the deadly Duel begin.

"Very well, I'm the first to play the game." Edna declared, drawing her first card from her deck, then she glanced at her first six. The cards are The Hidden City, Double Tool C&D, Dragon Shield, Arms Regeneration, Subterror Behemoth Speleogeist and Revolution Synchron. "Uh oh, looks like it's starting the first turn with good cards that I need it... As for Revolution Synchron, I should use it for later when the right time comes."

She thought of the image of a silouette of a Subterror Behemoth that she had in her hand in her mind,

"For that I would have to do a very nasty trick... When they discover the nature of my Subterror Monsters."

Edna then showed her Field Spell between two fingers,

"To begin, I invite you to a very mysterious and well-hidden kingdom... The Hidden City."

The front end of her Duel Disk opened so she can placed it into the slot which closed directly. The setting transformed into an underground so the color of the ground and the light was jade green. There was even a castle that looked both fantasy and science fiction, surrounded by a green spiral hoop all the way to the tip of the castle.

However, they remain stuck inside the rocky walls.

"Oh no, the Duel has already started! We'll have to do something!" Atakk uttered.

"Once The Hidden City is activated, I can take a Subterror Monster from my deck and add it to my hand." Edna said as she took one from her deck by the effect from her Field Spell.

She then set her two cards face-down onto her field.

"I then set two cards face-down."

And finally, she slammed her only Monster card face-down onto the Duel Disk blade.

"I place my Monster without returning or even revealing to you who it was..." Edna said, giving her turn to Sorey. "Now it's your turn. Let's see how you do."

"I'll take the lead!" Sorey declared as he drew a card.

"Be careful, Sorey. We don't know what Monster Edna has set." Alisha advised him to be careful.

Among the cards Sorey had in hand were Tenyis and Yang Zings. "Among them, I have Pulao, Wind of the Yang Zing, Waterfall of Dragon Souls, Tenyi Spirit - Shthana, Tenyi Spirit - Mapura, Fists of the Unrivaled Tenyi and Vessel for the Dragon Cycle. For now I have to focus on defense, so I'm going to place Pulao in Defense Mode and keep the Tenyis in case things turn sour."

He slammed his Monster card face-down horizontally onto his Duel Disk blade, and set his other card face-down onto his field.

"I set a Monster in Defense Mode, then placed my other card-face down, and I'm done my turn!" He declared, handing over to his Squire.

"Okay, it's my turn!" Alisha declared as she drew a card. The cards she held in her hand are Satellarknight Alsahm, Stardust Synchron, Divine Wrath, Half or Nothing, Back to the Front and Stellarnova Alpha. "But, I don't remember having this card in my hand among them. How come I have Stardust Synchron in my hand?"

Bright green eyes turn pale yellow; sign that the Stardust Dragon wanted to communicate her through telepathy.

"Princess, do you remember the Stardust Synchron that you first summoned during your Duel against Sorey?"

"You, again?" Alisha frowned in annoyance.

"I created these cards that were specified to me so that you could free me the first time by Synchro Summoning with the help of Stardust Synchron as a Tuner." Stardust Dragon's voice told to her.

"No, there is no way I could summon you even if you wanted to." She denied, "I can only trust with my fellow Tellarknights."

"You should call me, it's important," He insisted. "We don't know what deck the Seraph is playing against us."

"I have my Satellarknight Alsahm in hand which I can inflict damage on Edna. I don't need your help!" As the pale yellow eyes returned into normal, she then placed three of her cards in the under slots of her Duel Disk blade and she slammed the Monster card to materialized her knight after emerged out of the blue rift. "I set three cards, and I summon my fellow Satellarknight Alsahm in Attack Mode!"

(Satellarknight Alsahm - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

"Once summoned, I can throw an arrow at you with 1000 points of damage!" Alisha thrusted her left hand forward. "Go, Alpha Shoot!!"

The arrow flew straight towards Edna who braced herself to protect herself, causing a large explosion of smoke.

(Edna - LP: 4000 - 1000 = 3000 - Cards in hand: 3)

However, once the effect damage was done, Edna suffered an electric shock from the heart device, causing her a short amount of immense pain as she screamed much to both Sorey and Alisha in utter horror, and Symonne on the contrary to her amusement. Even Lailah and Atakk heard the horrifying scream of the Earth Seraph behind the rocky walls.

"Oh no, is that Edna screaming?! What's going on?!" Lailah cried out, horrified.

Edna knelt, clutching her frail body and grunted in pain.

"Oh no Edna!" Alisha screamed, horrified by the attack she inflicted on her.

"Symonne, what did you do to her?!" Sorey accused her.

"I don’t do anything..." Symonne smirked and revealed to them. "But your little princess should never have subjected Edna to such an atrocity. In other words, each time the Life Points drop with each attack, you also lose your energy that you will end up passing out."

Both Sorey and Alisha gasping out in shock upon Symonne's revelation.

"The devices that I have implanted in each of your bodies are real time bombs... In other words, a great energy-absorbing gadget so I can sneak some to My Lord."

"Is there any way to remove them?" Sorey exclaimed in panic.

Sorey and Alisha attempt to forcibly remove the heart devices from their chests, but are only electrocuted, causing them to scream in pain.

"It's impossible! We can't take them off!" Alisha screamed in dismay.

"If you try to take them off your chest or run away, you're all roasted like chickens." Symonne threatened them, "The only way to escape unscathed is to defeat Edna in a Duel. But if you both win, it is Edna who will pay the high price. Otherwise, if you losing against her so you will never again hold cards in your hands or even arm yourself with your Duel Disks."

Both Sorey and Alisha were very shocked upon this.

"Oh no that's horrible..." Sorey shuddered with fear.

"There’s no way we’re going to get out of this alive?" Alisha widened her bright green eyes.

"Oh yes, you either choose to come out a winner or you choose to come out a loser. Victory, defeat or game over for you all?" Symonne smirked without taking into consideration the well-being of the three Duelists.

In Artorius' Throne, the Lord of Calamity, sat quietly on his throne watching a vision through a large crystal ball. Heldalf had the lion's head resting on his fist and his elbow resting on the right side of the throne.

"Oh, why did Symonne have to go overboard when it came to making trouble from so far away?" Heldalf grunched, "I’d rather lounge on my throne than see my pretty plan ruined because of your stupidity. The existence of these Duelists seems important to me in my plans that I wanted it to take place."

Back to their deadly Duel, Edna continued to grunt in pain from the damage caused by the heart device attached to her fragile chest.

"Get up now blondie." Symonne ordered, "The horror show has only just begun."

She opened her eyes and saw Symonne appear behind her.

"Come on Edna, it's your time for revenge against those loathsome humans who are responsible for the fate of your brother Eizen." Symonne whispered into the Earth Seraph's ear from behind. "And remember that you are under the control of my Fusion Parasite..."

"Yes, they are these disgusting humans... The ones who are responsible for turning my beloved brother into a dragon over 200 years ago... It's them, it's them who took Eizen away from me! It's them!" She mutter shuddered as if she were under the enemy's control. Edna blaming them for this.

"Take advantage of the time you have left to take revenge. If you want to accomplish it you should start getting rid of these two scumbags to ensure your survival." She continued to manipulated her.

"Yes, I will eliminate all of these humans for the sake of my beloved brother." Edna got up and cursed so much that she let herself be consumed by her own hatred without knowing it, accumulating Malevolence.

"Yes, that's it. Let your own hatred consume you, and release all your power of Malevolence towards the rotten humans in your path." Symonne purring, "You are a perfect puppet of mine."

Symonne manipulated Edna so much that it left Sorey to rage against her.

"Cursing of you, Symonne!!" He lashing out to her. "You enjoy manipulating Edna for your own pleasure and making the Duel a doomly game!!"

Alisha became hesitant with such a forcefully imposed stake, and seemed unwilling to take the attack.

"I couldn't take such a big risk if the stakes are too high! We have to have another way to save all three of us and win the Duel at the same time!"

"So, are you scared, little princess?" Symonne smirked, and incited her to do it. "Come on, this is just the beginning. All you have to do is attack the blonde's face-down Monster."

The inner voices and breaking sounds ring out which catch the ears of Heldalf's servant.

"We must stop this grotesque Duel now before they getting hurt!" Atakk yelled urgently. "I need to put an end to this immediately before it gets worse!"

"What a bunch of bothersome rats..." She rolled her dark purple eyes, annoyed by their intrusive presence. "They will spoil the wonderful game."

She enveloped in the dark flow and disappeared in front of them.

At the very moment when Atakk generated and sent his energy ball in order to destroy the rocky walls, they were quickly interrupted by a dark energy which avoided them.

"You nuisances really have the nerve to disturb us at the start of our horror show." Symonne glared when appearing in front of both Lailah and Atakk.

"You're the nuisance one!" Lailah shot back, "You manipulate Edna to your own will and force Sorey and Alisha to fight in a crazy Duel!"

"I find it really amusing to see friends tearing each other apart to come out on top, and to see you lose them one after the other." She openly mocked before realizing what she had in mind was something else on her other part of evil plan to make it even more entertaining. "Wait a minute, what if I could use you as a way to pressure your friends into continuing the Duel."

"You’re going to pay us for it!!" Atakk rushed to attack her.

"Get away, squeaky teddy." She glared, pushed back from afar, violently with her hand generated dark energy and injured the Normin leader.

"Atakk!" Lailah shouted.

She cast a powerful amout of flame to Symonne and tried attacking from behind, but was quickly repelled by a violent tail swipe from the Darkest Diabolos, Lord of the Lair, throwing her to the ground. Darkest Diabolos pinned Lailah to prevent her from struggling and escaping.

"How disappointing you are still so weak even in the last Duel against me." Symonne approached Lailah and knelt in front of her. "I can invite you to spend your last moments with your friends in this Duel with Edna."

Lailah growled in rage and hatred towards the Dark Seraph.

She then confessed about what happened at the Galahad Ruins, "Let me tell you something... I am the one who tore the bonds of friendship between the Shepherd Duelist and the Water Seraph, it was me who was behind all this pretty darky scheme I'd developed. I even implanted the Fusion Parasite in the brain of dear Mikleo when he lost against me, in order to turn against Sorey. And I even managed to make the real one undergo the destructive power of Sorey's Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and have him scarred in his heart."

"So you're the one who brainwashed Edna by implanting that disgusting parasite?!" Lailah growled furiously.

"Just to entertain the Lord of Calamity, I'm willing to commit plenty of malicious misdeeds!"

"How dare you do that, you monster!!" She yelled angrily before her head getting pressed to the ground by the Darkest Diabolos' grip.

Symonne then confessed who offended her more, "The rest promises to please you quickly... I also freed the Ancient Fairy Dragon from the prison in which you had locked her for 10 years by accumulating enough Malevolence and have her transformed into a very hideous Hellion to spread terror in Marlind."

Lailah's jade green eyes widened in utter horror upon learn Symonne's confession. A flashback revealed how she managed to accumulate Malevolence in the Ancient Fairy Dragon to transform her into a Hellion and thus free her from the prison that Lailah had sealed her for 10 years.

"Well, you follow me kindly." Symonne said in a soft voice. "You won't get another chance to see them one last time."

Back to the deadly Duel between Sorey, Alisha and Edna, the pressure and tension are running high from the start. The more time passed, the more Alisha hesitated to want to continue her turn at the risk of dropping their opponent's Life Points in danger of death.

"You, I don't want to wait and waste my time." Edna began to get impatient. "Either you continue your turn, or I play!"

"What are we supposed to do with such a twisted and inhumane issue?!" Sorey exclaimed under high tension. "It’s definitely abuse!"

"Oh, you didn’t even bring forward this horror show?" Symonne commented sarcastically when she reappeared with Lailah as a hostage being chained in her grasp, "Luckily I brought a guest so you already knew her."

"Let her go!" Sorey shouted.

"Oh oh oh! Looks like I did the right thing by taking that Seraph hostage to put pressure on you all!" Symonne laughed.

"You have no right to make such a twisted thing about it!" Sorey yelled.

"Symonne, let Lailah go right now!!" Alisha ordered firmly.

"Hey, what right do you have to give me orders, you miserable worms?" She didn't care.

"Don't listen to what she says! Save Edna now!" Lailah urged what does it matter about her own fate that awaited her. "She's my friend!"

"You have the choice between these two or your dear blonde friend!" Symonne blackmailed Lailah with much tension and pression.

"None!! I don't want any of them to suffer under such twisted scheme!!" She screamed with her eyes closed, "I still prefer it to be myself than Edna and my two fellow buddies!!"

"Oh no, I want you to see them tear each other apart and see you shed tears of despair!" Symonne refused.

Symonne threw Lailah to the ground like a mess, then raised the Spell card she hold, Raigeki, into the air.

"To make the game more attractive, all I have to do is toyed you in order to force them to advance in their Duel and to keep me entertained!"

Causing lightning to strike straight at Lailah and making her scream in pain from the lightning shock received in front of the horrified eyes of Sorey and Alisha.

Once the lightning disappeared, Lailah lay on the ground after suffering a strong electric shock.

"So? What do you decide. End your turn or attack?" Symonne gave Alisha a choice. "Unless you expected the Seraph's fate to end here!"

Under Symonne's twisted blackmail, Alisha ultimately chose to go on the offensive, whatever the consequences this would entail.

"This time we no longer have a choice! Satellitearknight Alsahm, attack Edna's face-down Monster!!" She ordered as the knight archer pulled the bowstring, sending the arrow like lightning towards the face-down card.

"You fool! I activate the power of The Hidden City!" Edna interjected as her Field Spell glowed upon activation. "As long as my card is present on the field, I can reveal a Subterror and change any position at the time of your attack!"

Then, her face-down Monster flipped from Defense Position to Attack Position, revealed to be the Subterror Guru. When materialized, he was an ancient humanoid dragon with pairs of purple and black wings, hair is white, a tail so the crystal tip was purple, and wearing clothing that of a fantasy warrior. Subterror Guru was also armed with a great sword.

(Subterror Guru - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

Due the effect from Edna's Field Spell, Alisha's attack got negated as Subterror Guru neutralized and cut the arrow in two with his own sword sent by Satellarknight Alsahm.

"What?! My attack isn't working!" Alisha exclaimed in shock at her failed attempt.

"When my Monster is flipped over, I can take a Subterror card from my hand to strengthen myself!" Edna continued as she took a card from her deck and added it to her hand. "Moreover, The Hidden City allows me to stop any attack of yours and protect my Monsters!"

"You have to be careful! The power of Edna's Subterrors are absolutely very vicious and nasty who can cause you a lot of trouble!" Lailah warned them.

"You should be more careful as Lailah said." Edna smirked, similar to how Symonne did the same way. "As long as my Subterrors can hide each time I summon them and make them appear in front of you, they can deal far crueler blows than even you can escape."

"How are we going to fight if we can't see what Monster that Edna was continually hiding from?"

As Alisha could no longer do anything to launch another attack, she was forced to end her turn. Leaving Edna to make her next move in next turn.

"It's already over?" She said sarcastically as she drew the next card, "Then I draw!"

"The first main advantage of my Subterror Monsters is hiding in front of you every time I summon them regardless of their Higher Level! On the condition that my Monsters remain hidden until the right moment comes!"

She flipped her Monster card face-down on the horizontal.

"For this, my Guru has to hide again!"

He hid underground by his own effect that the Subterror possessed.

"I can Special Summon Subterror Behemoth Phospheroglacier from my hand and have it hidden in the depths of my Hidden City!"

A blue rift emerged a giant, titanic icy dragon so the body is made up of blue and black ice crystals, the eyes are glowing red and had the glowing green core encrusted on the torso.

(Subterror Behemoth Phospheroglacier - DEF: 2500 - Level: 8)

Phospheroglacier then hiding in the depths of the Field Spell by its own effect in Defense Position face-down.

"Then I special summon my Subterror Behemoth Umastryx so that it can sneak into the depths of the field in Defense Mode!" Edna then showed another card, which opened the blue rift to materialized another Subterror onto her field before hiding the depths.

(Subterror Behemoth Umastryx - DEF: 2700 - Level: 7)

"And since Umastryx has also been hiding in the depths underground, I can summon the Subterror Behemoth Speleogeist." She continued as another Monster emerged from the blue rift in Defense Mode and materialized.

(Subterror Behemoth Speleogeist - DEF: 1400 - Level: 11)

"But since when did Edna continue to summon each of her Monsters in a single turn?" Sorey cried in shock.

"You don't understand, Sorey! Every time a Subterror hides underground, another one of their kind emerges!" Alisha told him.

"You should know what your little princess has to say." Edna said, then embark on the next part of her strategic plan; flipping one of her face-down Monsters. "I'll switch my Subterror Guru back to Attack Mode and activate his effect!"

The sword-handed dragon switched to his Attack Position again.

(Subterror Guru - ATK: 1400 - Level: 4)

"Once again, I can take another of my Subterrors from my deck." Edna stated as she added another card and added it to her hand.

She then flipped back to the card into face-down so Subterror Guru could hide underground again.

"I'll then switch him back to face-down Defense Mode!"

"I'll bring another one of my Monsters next! You can say hello to my Subterror Behemoth Stygokraken!"

Edna showed another Monster card, causing the Sea Serpent to emerge out of the blue rift and materialized in Defense Mode before hiding in the depths of the Hidden City.

(Subterror Behemoth Stygokraken - DEF: 2600 - Level: 5)

"Now I have completed an entire army of my Monsters, I can bring them out of their lair and prepare you to undergo their special ability that you will tell some very nasty news!" Edna flipped her other face-down card to passed it vertically, making her other Subterror emerged out from the depths of the Hidden City. "Come out of hiding, Phospheroglacier!"

(Subterror Behemoth Phospheroglacier - ATK: 2600 - Level: 8)

Once again, Edna flipped another card to vertically, causing the titanic Fiend Subterror to emerge from the depths of the Hidden City. "Come out of hiding, Speleogeist! And activate your special ability!"

(Subterror Behemoth Speleogeist - ATK: 3000 - Level: 11)

"Phantasmal Anthem!" She shouted to Speleogeist's effect. The Fiend Subterror emitted a murky song worthy of the wails of the spirits of the deceased, forcing both Alisha and Sorey to cover their ears while Symonne enjoyed it.

"What is this horrifying singing?!" Sorey exclaimed with a terrified expression. "So scary!"

"My Monster has the power to force any Monster to switch from Defense to Attack! And as a result, your Monster's Attack Points are reduced to 0!" Edna explained.

"No that!" He gasped in shock.

"Speleogeist was one of the most terrifying Subterrors that Edna has! If the Defending Monster ends up in Attack and reduced to 0, Sorey is going to take one of a vicious hit is no one can stop it!" Lailah yelled, as she knew Edna's Monster well.

Alisha interjected as she flipped her Trap card from her field, "I activate the Divine Wrath! By sending a card in my hand to the Graveyard, I can neutralize the activation and destroy your Subterror Behemoth Speleogeist!" She discarding her Stardust Synchron card into her Graveyard slot.

A lightning strike struck Speleogeist which caused it to interrupt its effect and destroy it into a thousand pieces of holograms.

"Alisha!" Sorey was surprised at her action of wanting to protect him.

"Oh yeah! We'll see, I still have more of my Subterrors!" Edna shouted furiously, flipped another face-down card vertically, causing Umastryx to emerge out of the dephts.

(Subterror Behemoth Umastryx - ATK: 2000 - Level: 7)

"My Subterror Behemoth Umastryx will be able to banish one of your Monsters that you control, and you will be more vulnerable once being wide open!"

Just as the Reptile Subterror activated its effect, Alisha once again flipped another of her face-down cards to counter.

"I'll stop you with the help of Stellarnova Alpha! If a Spell, Trap or Monster activates the special ability, I send a Tellarknight from my field to the Graveyard to negate the activation and destroy it!"

Upon the activation of Alisha's Counter Trap, Satellarknight Alsahm transformed into a stream of stellar light energy, flew towards Umastryx and destroyed it.

"You're going to pay me for this! I would never lose to you miserable humans!" Edna shouted in frustration.

"I activate the Back to the Front card!" She declared while revealing her other Trap, and emerged her Stardust Tuner out from the blue rift and materialized onto her field. "I bring back a Monster from my Graveyard in Defense!! So I bring back my Stardust Synchron!"

(Stardust Synchron - DEF: 1000 - Level: 4)

"So? Looks like Alisha is refusing to deal Edna another portion of effect damage if she brings back her Satellarknight Alsahm." Symonne noted, "But will she continue to resist Edna's assaults for how long?"

"I can take a card that mentions the Stardust Dragon if in case it becomes more crucial!" Alisha took one card from her deck.

As Edna's turn continued, the Field Spell glowing in activation.

"Through the power of The Hidden City, I can change the position of one of my Subterrors and place it in Attack!"

Once again, Subterror Guru re-emerged in Attack Position. She then flipped her face-down card in order to changed it to the vertical, causing the Sea Serpent to emerged once again.

"It's time to make Subterror Behemoth Stygokraken out from its sea lair!"

(Subterror Behemoth Stygokraken - ATK: 1400 - Level: 5)

"Stygokraken's special ability allows me to destroy face-down cards based on the number of my Subterrors that I control on the field! So I'm going to destroy three of your cards!" Edna explained, and then shouted to her Monster's effect. "Abyssal Cutting!"

The two long pink fangs located on both sides of the jaw generated spirals of water and sending water blades, destroying two face-down cards of Sorey and one of Alisha.

"By destroying Pulao, another of the Yang Zings took over to protect me! Here's Taotie, Shadow of the Yang Zing!" Sorey declared as another Yang Zing took Pulao's place and placed itself in Attack Position.

(Taotie, Shadow of the Yang Zing - ATK: 2200 - Level: 5)

"No matter how many Monsters you brought out, it would make no difference to me as I can wipe out your entire army in a single instant!"

Edna then revealed to her opponents her Tuner Machine Monster card in hand.

"It's time to bring back the only memory that my brother Eizen left me! For this let me introduce you to this wonderful toy called the Revolution Synchron!! This one is unique, because I can serve my Tuner as material from my hand!!"

"From the hand? But that's impossible!" Sorey blinked septically, looking surprised.

"And that’s possible?!" Edna persuaded him as her chibified version Tuner dragon materialized to the field. "Because I'm going to combine with my Subterror Guru for a Synchro Summon!"

Both the Duellists gasped out in shock at the start of the procedure while the flow of Malevolence gradually manifested to the point that Edna's blue eyes slit resembled reptilian eyes. Her nails lengthen to form small claws and thus the teeth lengthen slightly to resemble fangs.

"Be careful! Edna is going to summon the Power Tool Dragon!" Alisha's bright green eyes turned pale yellow as the Stardust Dragon's voice warned. "I also feel a flow of Malevolence within her!"

The Earth Seraph slammed her fist towards the sky while the Revolution Synchron jumped into the air so the body dissipated into three yellow rings instead usual green. The Subterror Guru's body scanned through the rings and became transparent.

"Seize your revolutionary spirit and become my ultimate weapon to dominate anyone who stands before me!!" Edna chanted.

The Guru's transparent body turned into four light orbs and turned into a pillar of yellow light.

"Synchro Summon!! This is the one that will crush you! I present to you, Level 7, Power Tool Dragon!!" She shouted as she glared with her reptilian blue eyes.

The yellow seal appeared onto the field, emerging Power Tool Dragon under the stunned gaze of Lailah, Sorey and Alisha.

(Power Tool Dragon - ATK: 2300 - Level: 7)

The armored shell of Power Tool Dragon was a brighter orange in color, with steel, ribbed sections covering the brown portions of the body. The wings are covered by plane-like wing sections, and the drill by a mechanical one. The right hand was a large blue shovel. The head was mouth-less, with glowed red eyes.

"Now you will bear witness to the supreme power of my dragon, you miserable humans!" Edna told with such pride.

The dark aura of Malevolence enveloped her and her Power Tool Dragon, they turn more and more to corruption and evil.

"This isn't the Signer Dragon I was looking for. Just a pile of junk from a dump." Symonne thought, almost disappointed, "What if this ridiculous toy hides a very valuable detail behind the metal shell?"

"The Malevolence, it kept building up on both of us... Please, Sorey and Alisha, we have to save them." Lailah felt fear for her fellow Seraph.

Edna then revealed her face-down card, "I reveal my Equip Spell: Double Tool C&D!! I can give my old buddy toy an extra boost with 1000 Attack Points!"

Power Tool Dragon's mechanical drill and the right blue shovel were replaced by respectively a green drill and a red circular saw.

(Power Tool Dragon - ATK: 2300 + 1000 = 3300)

"My old buddy toy has the power to protect himself from destruction as long as he has plenty of equipment on him! And so send one to the Graveyard instead!" Edna revealed to them.

"Does that mean we can't defeat Edna's Monster?!" Alisha's breath caught in shock.

"About the Equip Spell, Double Tool C&D, if my Power Tool Dragon attacks, the targeted opposing Monster cannot do anything to activate its special ability!! Edna told to them with pride and confidence, "Moreover, whatever my opponents' turn, my other Monsters are safe from your attacks as long as my old buddy toy is equipped with the Double Tool C&D!"

Alisha and Sorey shivered by such revealation as Edna continued to brag.

"You'll never beat my Power Tool Dragon! Hahahahahaha!"

"Not only is Edna's Power Tool Dragon far too powerful to destroy! But with the Subterrors on our tail, we're going to be taken over quickly!" Alisha thought in fear at the terrifying power of Edna's army of Monsters.

"You are finally going to pay for all the harm you did to my beloved brother! All right! Let's start with this human boy!!" She then went on the offensive, "Now now Power Tool Dragon, attack Taotie, Shadow of the Yang Zing, and break its shell!!"

Power Tool Dragon flew straight towards Taotie, Shadow of the Yang Zing to attack. The left arm reared back as the drill began to spin.

"Crafty Break!!!" Edna shouted of her Ace Monster's signature attack.

Power Tool Dragon before piercing into the dark Wyrm's torso, shattering it into a thousand pixel pieces. Sorey bracing himself to stand against the wind while gritting his teeth, before getting projected on the ground while screaming as the heart device electrocuted him with the considerable drop of half of his Life Points.

(Sorey - LP: 4000 - 1100 = 2900 - Cards in hand: 4)

"Soreeeyyy!!" Alisha yelled in utter horror as he found himself pinned to the ground for a short moment of pain.

"And this is for Eizen!!" Edna exclaimed with such pride of her own revenge on her own opponents, before attacking Alisha's Monster. "Now the little human princess, your time has come!!"

The Sea Serpent Monster flew away as if swimming in the sea and crushed Alisha's Stardust Synchron with its jaws, much to her dismay now that she became vulnerable and defenseless.

"Subterror Behemoth Stygokraken, crush this princess's junk toy in two!!"

"This is the only Monster Alisha has!!" Lailah cried out in fear, "If she deals damage from an attack, she will lose a lot of her Life Points, and worse, suffer real physical damage!!"

"Go Phospheroglacier, give Alisha some freezing punishment and make the land covered in snowy ice!" Edna ordered for one last attack before she could finish her turn. "Cocytus Breath!!"

Phospheroglacier generated icy energy in its own body thanks to the green core, then violently spat out a gust of blizzard when the degrees were absolute zero. The blizzard gust was heading straight towards Alisha who no longer had the means to defend herself or negate the attack. 

Alisha screamed in pain as the blizzard blast took on a strong impact along with the heart device electrocuted her. The destructive power was so violent that the bruised body of the princess of Hyland was projected backwards to the wall of spikes in front of Lailah's horrified eyes.

(Alisha Diphda - LP: 4000 - 2600 = 1400 - Cards in hand: 1)

Sorey, upon regaining consciousness, saw his partner flying towards the spikes which would be fatal if she collided against them.

"A... ALISHAAAAAAA!!!" He screamed, rushing to save her before she reached the spikes and would be pierced to death if he didn't manage to catch her in time. He desperately reached out his hand to his Squire.

By hitting the wall of rocky spikes, a snowy explosion occurred within the Hidden City. Will Alisha survive a violent shock against the spikes from the walls created by Edna?

As for Edna, she was on the verge of transforming into a terrifying dragon, the same fate that her older brother Eizen had suffered. As long as she was still under the control of Symonne's Parasite Fusion, and being influenced by Malevolence.

Chapter Text

A snowy explosion occurred within the Hidden City due to Alisha being blown away from the blizzard blast from the Subterror Behemoth Phospheroglacier. Lailah was so horrified to see this horrifying spectacle as both of them suffered from Edna's violent assault, while Symonne seemed to rejoice in seeing them suffer and torture in a deadly Duel. Edna, being very proud of having dealt two very inflicting blows on Sorey and Alisha.

"Oh oh oh, the field becomes so chilled. If you are cold to the bone then ask Lailah to warm you up with her flame." Symonne purred.

More than half of the ground in the field was covered in ice and snow, and the smoke of powdery snow cleared, revealing Alisha's badly bruised body, but which was protected by a silvery-white aura. Without this protection, Alisha would probably already have died pierced by the rocky spikes of the walls. Sorey, who hugged Alisha's body, was also protected by the aura. The silvery-white aura dissipated after performing protection against fatal impact, however, he didn't realize anything.

Sorey begged as he still holding her, "Alisha?! Alisha?! Alisha answer me! Alisha!!"

But she neither responded nor reacted after all the violent, inflicting and real impact and injury she suffered since the half of her Life Points was greatly dropped.

"No Alishaaaaa!!!" He screamed in utter horror.

"Get up right away." Edna coldly reminded, "The Duel is not over, unless you wished to suffer the same fate like with your poor little princess."

Rising to his feet, Sorey shouted angrily with clenched fists as his verdant green eyes turned flame red unconsciously. "Edna, curse you!! How could you dare to inflict her! I swear you'll pay me for it!"

Symonne noted, "It looks like rage has gotten the better of him because Edna seriously injured Alisha. How cute is."

She demissed indifferently, "Enough, miserable human. She deserves real punishment for being too pitiful in the way she played against me."

"You need to stop this now! You don't think we’re in this together! The enemies aren't me and Alisha but Symonne is!"

Edna said, "But I absolutely refuse to lose to you loathsome humans. After all, you were responsible for what you did to my dragon-turned brother."

"Look, we have absolutely nothing to do with what happened with your brother! We weren't even born yet over 200 years ago, Edna!" Sorey shot back.

"What does it matter to me, you humans are the same!" She demissed him, "They get what they deserve! Look closely, the world we live in is becoming a very arid desert, ravaged and soon empty of all traces of life! The Seraphim, do they have anything to be grateful for after all the trouble they have given to lousy humans? Absolutely nothing! Humans have abandoned everything for power and glory within Glenwood!"

She then showed her brown leather glove,

"Look closely, the glove, the boots, and the Power Tool Dragon... These all belong to Eizen! You understand what that means! Eizen, he had sacrificed himself for the sake of a bunch of ungrateful people! But humans have no gratitude towards him, including even us Seraphim!"

"I'm really sorry about Eizen, but..." Sorey lowered his eyes in desolation, before raising his voice to justify himself and staring at her, "We really have nothing to do with it! All we want is to bring peace and cleanse the world of evil! And we might even find a way to get your brother back to normal!"

"So humans must disappear from this world!" Edna rebuffed in rage, didn't care what might happen to her as the final transformation into a dragon progressed. "Your fine speech of beliefs will change nothing for me!"

"In this case I will prove to you that I am capable of ending the Duel immediately, without having to send you to the sentencing house!" He made an oath.

Then an evil chuckling echoed, drawing attention to Sorey.

"Really? Do you really think you can do anything like save someone without having to pay the price?" Symonne commented. "It's give and take as they say."

"Enough of your crude little game! You've caused enough trouble!" He rebuffed her cynical sarcasm.

"But the horror show has only just begun. The Duel cannot end unless there is a winner." She repeated, then staring at the unconscious princess. "As for this girl, if she doesn't get up while she still has Life Points remaining, maybe she has an automatic game over."

An evil smile was formed from Symonne's ghostly pale face.

"... And what if I could give her an electroshock to see? Just to make me happy to see you suffer from seeing your friend in agony?"

She so activated her Spell card, Raigeki, she held in hand. Causing the lightning bolt to fall on Alisha, causing her to scream in pain from electrocution.

"So, you won’t wake up?" She merrily asked, didn't care about her fate.

"Stop it Symonne! Just leave Alisha alone!" Lailah yelled.

She ignored as she repeated the same thunderous blow over Alisha's body, causing her to scream five times in a row to the greatest amusement of her. Under his horrified flame red eyes, Sorey grabbed his head with both hands while screaming in agony. Unconsciously, the scarlet flame ignited his heart located at the level of his chest much to Lailah's horror.

"Sorey! Sorey no!" Lailah gasped in alert. "Don't let the Blazing Soul get the best of you!"

"I won't let you hurt Alisha! You'll regret that!" Sorey exploded with rage as the flame intensified from his chest.

Sorey cast his flame spell on Symonne in which she protected herself with a self-generated dark shield, stopping her electrocuting torture on Alisha.

"The flames started to flare up again in Sorey... Every time when a friend gets involved in danger, he loses control. And I like to see him unleash." She observed Sorey's angry behavior.

She imagined in a scenario that when Edna was destroyed by the flames, including everyone else involved, Sorey realized with horror and guilt, he began to scream in despair.

"When he discovers his own rampage after the Duel, the human boy will eventually succumb to his own despair and will be tainted by Malevolence to become a Hellion himself."

As Sorey continued to yell wildly, Lailah begged to stop.

"Sorey!! Please, stop!! Sorey!!"

But he could neither listen nor hear her and continued to lash out as he pleased. Sorey grabbed the flame and drew the card out of his chest, revealing the Tuner Monster, Crimson Resonator. He then slammed his card onto the Duel Disk blade, causing his small Tuner Fiend to emerged out of the fire rift.

(Crimson Resonator - ATK- 800 - Level: 2)

"Now that I have my Tuner by my side since I don't control any Monsters at the time I Special Summon it, I bring my Tenyi Spirit - Mapura and set it on fire!" He shouted as he showed his Tenyi Monster card, causing it to emerged out of the blue rift and materialized in the field.

(Tenyi Spirit - Mapura - ATK: 600 - Level: 4)

"No! It won't happen again!" Lailah freaked out, "We need to stop your destructive insanity, Sorey!"

Sorey ignored Lailah as he started his procedure, "I will destroy everything! I will destroy you all! I Tune my resonator with Mapura for a Synchro Summon!!"

The small fiend laughed mischievously as his body transformed into two green rings, Mapura's body scanned through the two green rings and dissipated into four stars.

(Level 2 + 4 = 6)

"From deepest underworld, the offspring will be born from infernal fire!!" Sorey chanted, the rage in his voice.

A beam of light then enveloped the stars, passing through the rings.

"I Synchro Summon!! Rise from the flames, Level 6!! Red Rising Dragon!!"

The scarlet flame unveiled his Signer Dragon's limited form. The Red Rising Dragon roared while flapping its flaming wings.

(Red Rising Dragon - ATK: 2100 - Level: 6)

Sorey laughed maniacally and evilly as a result of summoning of his Red Rising Dragon.

"You won't be able to escape the wrath of my dragon! As soon as I unleash the true form of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, you and your handy Monsters are all done for!"

He then activated his dragon's effect,

"By summoning my Red Rising Dragon, I can return my Crimson Resonator from my Graveyard!!" Sorey continued as the Tuner Fiend emerged once again onto his field. Then, the Crimson Resonator's body dissipated, taking the form of the two flaming Synchro Rings from its Level 2.

(Level 2 + 6 = 8)

"King of the deepest of the underworlds, release from your infernal flames and reveal to me your true supreme form!" Sorey chanted again.

The flaming Synchro Rings then scan the Red Rising Dragon, which change into a glowing yellow outline of itself before turning into 6 stars. A beam of scarlet flame then enveloped the stars, passing through the flaming rings.

"I Synchro Summon! Level 8!! Destroy everything in your flame path, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!!!" Sorey roared, slapping his card onto the Duel Disk blade that lit up. The Dragon Synchro Monster took flight from the flames while roaring and revealed its true form, spreading flames around.

(Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend - ATK: 3000 - Level: 8)

"Sorey! Sorey don't!!" Lailah pleaded again.

"Finally, Sorey's Signer Dragon is here, unleashed." Symonne smiled in satisfaction.

The Power Tool Dragon's mechanical red eyes glowing, a sign of rival anger towards Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend as it roared fiercely in return.

"It's the Scarlight Red Archfiend that this human summoned, there's no doubt about it..." Edna shivered with fear even though she was usually stoic. Then she gasped when she saw Sorey's face replaced by a certain Eleanor Hume whom she had known many centuries before, the appearance which had greatly marked Edna at the sight of the latter.

Then a horrible, traumatic memory centuries ago resurfaced. Scarlet flames spread around the two Duelists and their respective Monsters. Edna and Eizen dueling against Eleanor who only controlled her Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend under the Blazing Soul state so there were scarlet flames manifesting over her two flaming red eyes. The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend ignited its right arm to unleash its full destructive power, destroying all of the siblings' Monsters, included the Life Stream Dragon.

"Eizen!!" She yelled as the blond Seraph screamed when he was violently thrown into the attack inflicted by the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend.

Edna received a violent blow from her tail that she screamed, crashing to the ground. Uncontrollable, Eleanor and her dragon approached Edna.

"Stay back!! Stay baaaack!!" Edna yelled in much fear.

The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend grabbing the poor Edna and possible to ignite her between the grip that making her screamed even more.

Back to present, Edna roared both in fury and fear. Her roar causing the ground was shaking throughout the area, some part of the ground cracked while some of the spiky walls getting collapsed. The dragonstone scales gradually spread to Edna's skin while the flow of Malevolence escalated.

"I just know it!! I just know it!!" She getting her mind lost while glaring at Sorey, pointing in rage. "You probably get the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend to throw me off to the Netherworld!! Of all my 1000 years of career as a Duelist, you're no different from that redhead Eleanor girl!!"

"What are you saying?!" He jolted upon hearing this as he burst into flames.

"Look at you! You're no better than the others around you! You're even failing of protecting your Duel partner! Those scarlet flames, your fiery red eyes... You're simply blinded by the anger due to your desire to win at any cost, even at the cost of endangering the life of someone very close to you!" Edna made her point. "This isn't the first time this has happened, right?!"

"You're wrong!!" He shouted back.

"No, it’s the truth! You even hurt and scar the heart of a very dear friend with such trauma because of your rage which got the best of you!"

Enraged, Sorey threw scarlet flame to silence her. Edna erected a stone wall to protect herself.

"That's not true! I have absolutely nothing to do with them like you say! And I'm not... I'm not-" He grunted as he was about to to activating the effect of his Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend before Alisha's voice interrupted him.

"Sorey don't!"

She firmly cupping Sorey's head with both hands and looking rightly at her bright green eyes.

"If you let your rage take over, you could cause so much chaos around the field! And Edna will be doomed if you did it!"

"How is it possible?" Symonne muttered in disbelief, didn't expect another sudden turn of events.

"Look at me! Open your eyes, Sorey! You don't realize that you were going to recreate the same horror of what happened during your Duel against Mikleo in your state!" Alisha yelled at his face, "What do you think the people around you would think if they saw you acting like this?! See you destroy everything in your path?! To spread terror to them everywhere?! And even make you fear and reject like the monster they thought they saw?! So what about Edna?! We're supposed to save her, are we!"

Sorey was speechless just looking at Alisha's bright green eyes.

"I ask you one thing that you must always remember!! Don't become the monster you don't want to be or let the others see yourself what you are inside you would have become!!"

The flaming red eyes return to normal while the flame was extinguished from his heart, leaving him confused for quite a while after what happened.

"But what’s happening?" He whispered.

Realizing that he had already summoned the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend while in his Blazing Soul state, Sorey shook in dismay since he was scarred by the Duel against Mikleo.

"Is it really me... who did this...?"

Then suddenly as he shut his eyes, horrible flashbacks of his Duel against Mikleo when he summoned the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and then inflicted terrifying power on Mikleo resurfaced in Sorey's mind, before breaking into a thousand pieces like shards of glass. Sorey clutched his head and screamed in anguish and horror that everything was resounding throughout The Hidden City.

"What have I done!? What have I done!?" Sorey knelt down in shame and pain, shaken by the situation that was about to be catastrophic.

Alisha knelt on one knee to the ground, grabbed Sorey's shoulder to try to get him back together. "Sorey! Get a grip, Sorey!!"

"No... I don't want to. I don't want it to happen again." He whined.

"Please! We must stop this Duel and save Edna, Sorey!" She pleaded as she shaking him softly, only to him sobbed.

"Sorey was no doubt scared and shaken by such a bad turn of events." Lailah muttered.

"Oh, how unfortunate." Symonne purred without worrying about his fate, "The boy will be entitled to a game over."

"I’m really going to want to shut you up!" Alisha threatened, "If you make Sorey cry again, I'll smash your face in with my own skull!"

"Come on, these aren't some lame threats that would freak me out considering I'm a horror movie doll myself as the main star." Symonne smirkely denied.

Exasperated by her insensitivity, Alisha smashed Symonne's nose and face with her own head, making her groaned in pain by the strike.

"You'll pay me for it!" Symonne exclaimed.

Wanting revenge for the insult, Symonne activated her Spell card, Raigeki, as retaliation. The lightning electrocuted Lailah and made her scream.

"Lailah!!" Alisha shouted upon seeing her being struck by lightning.

"That'll teach you to damage my face! What's the matter, attack me if you want!" She smirked sadistically. "At least it's poor Lailah who's going to pay the price for your actions against me! And yes, she's the one who's going to be punished! Hahahahaha!"

"You don't have the right to be so cruel! Let her go!" Alisha glared.

"Continue the Duel, or leave yourselves to your sad fates?" She was putting pressure on them.

Under duress, Alisha had no choice but to continue the Duel at the risk of costing the lives of either Edna, Sorey and herself. But Sorey was still blocked by the bad turn so it was still his turn, he would then have to make a choice between continuing his turn or giving in to Alisha.

"What are you waiting for? Are you scared?" Symonne urged Sorey to do it. "This is the only opportunity to annihilate all of Edna's Monsters with the effect of your Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend capable of destroying them without the slightest effort!"

But Sorey remain paralyzed by the horror he was going to commit and the possible cause of Edna's loss.

With the Power Tool Dragon that Edna managed to summon on the field, Sorey and Alisha now have a tough time with only more than half of the Life Points lost by the attacks suffered by the Subterror Monsters with the Power Tool Dragon. The Shepherd Duelist and his Squire were so hesitant to choose between their victory which meant survival or that of Edna. But with Symonne holding Lailah hostage in order to increase the pressure on them, everything was going for the worst. Futhermore, the flow of Malevolence continued to rise in Edna and her Ace Monster. The more time passed, the more Edna will gradually transform into a dragon and will suffer the same fate as her brother Eizen once human consciousness was completely faded away.

"Sorey, I need to take over if you couldn't!" Alisha declared, making Sorey snapping his lost thoughts.

But the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, could no longer linger and wait too long. It began ignited its right arm in order to unleash its full destructive power.

"No! Please don't do it!! NO!!!" Sorey pleaded desperately.

The destructive Signer Dragon threw its flame at the area, destroying all of Edna's Subterror Monsters, included the Power Tool Dragon.

(Edna - LP: 3000 - 1000 = 2000 - Cards in hand: 1)

As a result of the drop in Life Points, Edna was electrocuted by the device attached to her chest and screaming in pain.

"No Edna!!" Sorey yelled in utter horror. He grabbed the head and knelt down again. "Noo, stop! Please stop it! I don't want to go through that again!"

"How come the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend disobeyed Sorey's orders?!" Alisha screamed in disbelief before seeing something else.

It turned out, however, that the Power Tool Dragon wasn't destroyed by the effect of Sorey's Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. Only, the Equipment Spell, Double Tool C&D, mostly vanished instead.

"How is this possible?! Edna's Power Tool Dragon is supposed to be destroyed along with the other Subterrors?!" She cried in dismay.

"My old buddy toy's special ability allowed him to protect himself from destruction while equipped with an Equip Spell!" Edna explained, "Anyone who attacks my Monster will cost you dearly!"

"The Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend will lose control of itself if Sorey doesn't end his turn while he still had an opportunity to attack Edna's Monster!" Lailah became more alerted. "Sorey, you have to stop your dragon before it escalates into disaster!"

Sorey turned to Lailah, ears drawn to the alert warning.

"You must to stop your Monster now!!" She repeated.

However, the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend no longer obeys its summoner. It was as if the destructive Signer Dragon had a strong will of its own. It once again ignited its right arm in order to unleash its full destructive power.

"No Scarlight!! Don't!!" Sorey pleaded.

"Sorey, you must end your turn immediately!!" Alisha shouted.

"I’m finishing my turn!! I’m finishing my turn!!" He cried desperately.

Unfortunately despite his declaration to put an end to it in turn, the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend rebelled and flew straight towards the Power Tool Dragon, completely annihilating him with the help of the destructive flame from its right bone arm. As a result, Edna was violently hit by a fiery attack and fell to the ground, screaming.

(Edna - LP: 2000 - 700 = 1300 - Cards in hand: 1)

"EDNAAAAA!!" Lailah yelled in utter horror.

Symonne cruelly laughed at the awful destructive spectacle, no doubt Sorey's dragon rebelled in order to destroy Edna's Ace Monster and make her suffer pain. The blonde-haired Seraph found herself badly damaged or almost dying because of the device attached to her chest which was the result of having largely lost her Life Points, pinned to the ground.

"Oh yes, yes! You gave me such a wonderful show!" Symonne declared, couldn't get enough. "I can’t wait to see what happens next!"

Sorey trembled in horror after failing to willingly stop his Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend's attack on Edna's Power Tool Dragon. The destructive Signer Dragon roared with satisfaction and pride to his dismay.

"I want more! More again!"

Sorey knelt in shame and despair and clutched his head in horror while wailed.

"How could a Duel Monster attack without even obeying its summoner?!" Lailah cried in disbelief, "It seems like the dragon has a will of its own!"

"Yes Lailah, all Duel Monsters each have a conscience, even a soul." Symonne said, "So of course, not all ordinary humans are able to see spirits and Seraphim. But this dragon is much more destructive than any other, and can only stop when it destroys everything in its path."

She looked at the boy shaken by the atrocity of the Duel.

"Sorey, if you decide to abandon the Duel, you will pay a high price for yourself you know. And that can happen, so it's not going to be fun at all, and My Lord is going to yell at me for the odious waste you see."

"Screw you!" Alisha glared at her, "You're really enjoying tormenting him like a puppet! I swear you'll regret it!"

"I'm saying this so that he can continue to pursue this so that he can survive this high stake." Symonne told her, "But since he has already finished his turn, then play your next card to entertain me."

"Is there any other way to save Edna from the doom sentence? Edna finds herself in a bad state after suffering a cruel attack from Sorey. She may be wide open, but I don't want to send her to being in a slaughterhouse." Alisha drew her next card and glanced it for a short moment, "I only have one Monster in hand, at least I was hoping to save time."

She set her face-down Monster card onto the field and end quickly her turn.

"What, is that all?" Symonne muttered disappointedly, "I was expecting a little more action from the moment the little blonde head was badly beaten up. It would have been great."

Suddenly, a spiraling gust of wind shot straight toward Symonne. But before she was reached, Symonne protected herself by generating a dark barrier. She therefore saw Zaveid along with Atakk riding onto his left shoulder above the rocky walls.

"Who's there? Who has the nerve to interfere?" She asked dissatisfaction.

"Zaveid!" Lailah cried happily upon seeing him.

While Sorey remained inert, Alisha turned to the ancient Wind Seraph.

"Zaveid? What is he doing there?" She inquired as she had her bright green eyes slightly widened.

"You really disgust me, Symonne." Zaveid coldly glared, "I'm sick and tired of you having fun torturing 'my precious friends' with your evil, vicious scheme while putting their lives at stake. And I know it was you who manipulated Dezel to lead to your twisted plans."

"How da-" Symonne growled before he cutting her off.

"You put your dirty paw on her again, and it’s the Big Bad Wolf who will blow you away like that happened in the story of the Three Little Pigs." Zaveid threatened.

"You can always throw petty insults at me, but you won't be able to stop the Duel in progress." Symonne grinded, "If you spoil the party, it's up to them to get roasted like roast chickens."

Once again, Zaveid pointed his two fingers and fired a spiraling gust of wind. Symonne protected herself with a dark barrier.

"Release Lailah and the others at once." Zaveid demanded firmly.

"Sorry but the haunted party continues until there is a winner of this game." Symonne refused.

"Look at this, all you succeeded in doing was making a Duel into a nightmare. And Edna, I bet it’s you who leaded her to change into a dragon!"

"And so what? It's because I find it very funny... Taking them hostage, using them to increase the pressure. Even including tormenting their quick minds." She smirked.

"For the last time, release them right away!" He repeated.

"Your girl Lailah's fate is in my hands, you see." Symonne pulled the chain held by the Fire Seraph towards herself, then her left hand formed into a dark spear towards Lailah's chest. "And now I risk doing another stupid thing if you go too far."

"It's already done..." He grew angrier, "Taking someone hostage to blackmail is much worse than a crime! So let her go or I’ll get mad!"

"Well, go ahead, muscle guy! You know what you have to do... Blow me and Lailah will be the one to get blown." She grinded, then persuaded him.

"I'm going to get angry! I'm going to blow you like a dandelion, you twisted sicko!"

"It's a shame, if you blow on me, I'll take Lailah with me in the storm."

Against all odds, Lailah could no longer remain without reacting, she opened her large jaw so that her teeth ignited like a molten flame and harshly chewed Symonne's left arm.

"AAAARGH!! Damn she bit me!! She bit me like a dog!!" The Dark Seraph screamed in so much pain from the fiery bite that she forcibly threw Lailah to the ground, much to Alisha's surprise.

Furious, Symonne was preparing to kill her with the dark spear since her hand had been forming for an instant. But fortunately, Zaveid narrowly stopped her by shooting her with a spiral of wind and an energy ball generated by Atakk, knocking Symonne to the ground unconsciously for a time. Zaveid was coming to Lailah to free her from the chains that hold her with just simple magic. Lailah was too weak to stand up due to the damage she suffered from Symonne being taken hostage.

"Are you okay, nothing broken?" He asked as he held Lailah.

"I think Lailah suffered some injuries. It's best to treat her." Atakk said.

"You're right." Zaveid nodded and performed an healing Arte on her.

Edna, after being somewhat stunned by the attack inflicted, had regained consciousness and gradually got up.

"Edna got up?" Alisha gasped.

The little Earth Seraph, having no memory of what happened during their deadly Duel, she looked at everything around her; The Hidden City, no Monsters at her side, and only her two opponents and thus those who are witnesses.

"But where is that? What is that? No... Don't say that it was me who did this to you?" She whispered, looking at herself and seeing that her body had gradually changed into a dragon; more than half of the skin changed into rocky scales. She briefly touched the two rocky horns already grown from her head. "No, it's not possible... I'm...?"

"But then? Does that mean that the Edna we see is still there?" Lailah whispered as she saw.

"I knew it. It's a nightmare so I can't wake up. Somewhere deep inside I knew... I knew it was happening and yet." Edna shook in horror. "However, I didn't feel like I had the strength to stop. Part of my conscience is still within me and then..."

"Then what...?" Alisha asked.

"You must defeat me and save yourselves." Edna begged, to everyone's shock. "If I don't stop I'm going to doom you all to sad, unfair fates you don't deserve."

"No! I can't do that!" Alisha shook her head.

"Defeat me, before it's too late please!" Tears flow down Edna's desperate face. "You must defeat me and win this insane Duel! I can't contain this disgusting parasite in my brain for much longer! I'm going to be taken under its control again if you hesitate to do what I ask of you!"

"Are you nuts?! If I do this, you'll be the one paying the price!" Alisha protested, "What do you think? What would Eizen think would see you sacrificing yourself for us like that?!"

"What does it matter to me what happens to me, but I don’t want you to suffer because of me!" Edna shook her head. "I have to end my-"

But before ending quickly her next turn, an electric shock generated by the Fusion Parasite inside her brain went off, making her screamed.

"Edna!" Alisha yelled before glaring at the Dark Seraph. "What have you done, Symonne?!"

"Hahahahaha! Nothing special..." Symonne explained as she got up struggly, and then revealed to them her parasite card. "Only, the little blonde is still under my influence, as long as I still have my Fusion Parasite card in hand. I already told you that the party continues! Everyone who was under my control will always remain loyal to me regardless of the numerous defeats they suffer unless it is me who decides when they are no longer of any use to me!"

Once again, Edna was once again under Symonne's control. Edna's eyes snapped open but this time bloody red, to everyone's horror. From now on, she didn't care about anything at all, not even her own brother Eizen or her friends. Worse yet, a dragon's wings sprout from her back, and a tail partially tears the back of her white robe.

"Come on, Edna, continue the Duel, because your turn isn’t over yet!" She ordered.

"I gonna all you taking down!! Now!!" She declared with even more terrifying rage, she drew a card and activated it directly. "I'm using the Spell card, Shuffle Reborn!"

The Spell appeared onto her field,

"If I don't control any Monsters, I bring my Power Tool Dragon back to life in exchange for having his special ability negated, and having it banished at the end of my turn!"

The mechanical Signer Dragon emerged out of the rift and materialized once again onto Edna's field. He was surrounded by an evil aura of Malevolence.

(Power Tool Dragon - ATK: 2300 - Level: 7)

"If he returned to the field it's not for nothing!" She continued as she send the top card from her deck into the Graveyard slot, making the small robotic Synchron jumping out from the blue rift before landed onto her field. "Because by controlling a Synchro of more than Level 7, I send the top card from my deck to the Grave! Come back, Revolution Synchron!!"

(Revolution Synchron - ATK: 900 - Level: 3 - 2 = 1)

"Be careful! Edna will release her dragon's true form!" The Stardust Dragon's voice warned as Alisha's bright green eyes turned pale yellow.

While jumping to the air along with the Power Tool Dragon, the Revolution Synchron's body dissipated, taking the form of one orange Synchro Ring from its Level 1.

(Level 1 + 7 = 8)

The orange Synchro Ring then scan the Power Tool Dragon, which change into a glowing yellow outline of himself before turning into 7 stars.

"Seize your true revolutionary strength and become my ultimate power! Break your steel shell, and reveal your true form!!" Edna chanted.

An orange beam then enveloped the stars, passing through the orange ring.

"I Synchro Summon!!" Edna shouted with equal revolutionary determination. "I release you, Life Stream Dragon of Level 8!!"

The shiny orange shell parts of the Mechanical Signer Dragon gradually broke apart one each other, and exploded, releasing in his true form.

Life Stream Dragon is a largely orange, brown, and tan-skinned dragon. His head, forearms, shoulders, chest and most of its legs are covered in thick orange skin. His belly and membranes are tan; the rest of his skin is brown. The claws on Life Stream Dragon's right hand are thick, cylindrical, and red. On his left arm, he has a large drill-like claw protruding from a large red section larger than his forelimb. Life Stream Dragon has a serpentine torso, with bulky limbs, and two wings that split into four a quarter of the way along the bone.

(Life Stream Dragon - ATK: 2900 - Level: 8)

"Oh no... Edna has succeeded in releasing the true appearance of her Signer Dragon!" Alisha noticed in fear.

However, when the Earth-Attribute Signer Dragon arrived, he suddenly roared in pain. His thick orange and tan skin turned a dark black and purple and the eyes became even redder than ever. Sharper teeth. His large drill-like claw turned to more demoniac and darker. The dragon's appearance becomes even more hideous; he's a Hellion!

"Look what happened to your dragon! He was consumed by Malevolence!" Alisha shouted is dismay.

"Yes indeed. My dragon has become much stronger and more vicious than ever before!" Edna smirked evily, "He's ready to take revenge on you!"

The Life Stream Dragon's four wings lit up in a rainbow color, small flakes fall on Edna and raise her Life Points to 4000.

"Once he arrive on my field by Synchro, my Life Points go up to 4000! Illuminate Healing!"

(Edna - LP: 1300 + 2700 = 4000 - Cards in hand: 1)

"After everything Sorey and Alisha have done... They're going to have to start all over again. But, they have almost half their Life Points left." Lailah said in disbelief.

"Also, I will be well safe from damage effects and you try to destroy him, an Equip Spell will be banished through my Graveyard instead!" Edna continued.

"We absolutely must purify Edna's Life Stream Dragon! The corruption is becoming too strong!" Lailah shouted, "If no one stops, Edna will end up turning into a dragon!"

Both Scarlight and Life Stream roared furiously each other.

"It was an opportunity to get revenge for all the suffering that the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend put us through! And at least for Eizen's sake!" Edna declared, more determined than ever.

Life Stream Dragon took flight to attack while Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend ignited its right arm to defend itself since it was much more powerful with only 3000 Attack Points.

"Go Life Stream Dragon! Attack the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend! Beautiful Life!!" Edna shouted as Life Stream Dragon reared his head before unleashing a stream of golden flame energy that the other blocked with one arm.  Then showed her only remaining card in hand. "I then activate my Quick-Play Spell, Arms Regeneration!! I increase the power of my dragon by 800 until the end of my turn!!"

(Life Stream Dragon - ATK: 2900 + 800 = 3700)

As a result, the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend was annihilated by the augmenting power of the Life Stream Dragon. Sorey at the same time received the pain of the attack inflicted by Edna's dragon and screamed while the heart device electrocuted his body.

(Sorey - LP: 2900 - 700 = 2200 - Cards in hand: 3)

"This! It's for Eizen!" Edna declared with pride and ended her turn.

(Life Stream Dragon - ATK: 3700 - 800 = 2900)

With the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend gone, Sorey was once again vulnerable and wide open. Now it's his turn to play. But with the psychological state in which Sorey found himself, will he continue his turn of the Duel to the death?

"Sorey, get a grip!" Alisha pleaded.

He got up struggling and drew his next card. The card drawn turned out to be the Monster Reborn; a unique opportunity to be able to bring the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend back to his territory, a hoped-for chance to be able to destroy Edna and her Ace Monster. But does he have the courage to do it?

"Oh no, please, not this card. If I bring the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend back to my field, I can cause another disaster again." Sorey trembled with hesitation.

He remembered in horrible flashbacks when he was under the power of his Blazing Soul, he crushed on his opponents with his Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend. Sorey was so scared that he grabbed his head, causing him dropped his cards from his hand including the Monster Reborn.

"No, I don't! I don't want to!!" He yelled, still shaken.

"What are you waiting for?! Use the Monster Reborn and defeat Edna if you want to survive this vicious game!" Symonne put pressure on him.

Sorey whimpered in fear even more.

"What are you waiting for, cowardly! Go for it! You know what will happen to you if you give up!" She insisted before getting shot by Zaveid's spiraling gust of wind.

"We're fed up with your antics, Symonne! Stop your noisy shout immediately!" He shouted while glaring.

Alisha could do nothing but watch as he trembled with fear and trauma. "Oh no, he's no longer able to continue. Sorey is completely paralyzed."

Her bright green eyes once again turned to pale yellow.

"Princess, we will have to end this Duel." The Stardust Dragon's voice communicated.

"What about Edna?"

"There is no other solution, it's the only way to save Edna and her Life Stream Dragon. Sorey is no longer able to duel."

As time passed, Edna and her dragon suffered more from the flow of Malevolence and were on the verge of transforming into creatures far more horrible than any Hellion.

"Okay, he’ll pass and I’ll take over!" She declared.

"Who told you to have permission to decide for him?" Symonne got angry in protest.

"And you should be ashamed of tormenting his mind!" Alisha countered. "When I catch you, I'm going to make you sorry for making Sorey cry!"

When she drew a card, she suddenly summoned a Monster to her field.

"I summon Satellarknight Procyon!" She shouted as the Satellarknight emerged out the blue rift and materialized.

(Satellarknight Procyon - ATK: 1300 - Level: 4)

"I then switch Satellarknight Capella from Defense Mode to Attack Mode!" She flipped her other Monster card face-down to face-up, making her other knight materialized.

(Satellarknight Capella - DEF: 2000 - Level: 4)

"About my Stardust Synchron, if it is in my Graveyard I can Tribute one of my fellow Monsters to summon it again, but will be banished once it leaves my field!" Alisha continued as Procyon vanished from her field in order to summon her main Tuner again. "Furthermore, I only have the right to summon Synchro Monsters for the rest of my turn!"

(Stardust Synchron - ATK: 1500 - Level: 4)

Alisha gestured by statement by rising her hand up to the air, and her body glowed brightly with a luminous silvery-white aura without knowing it that she activated the power of the Clear Mind.

"I Sync my Stardust Synchron with Satellarknight Capella to create a Synchro Monster!"

First, the Stardust Synchron flew away by spinning the three gears located inside its purple chest, dissipating into four Synchro rings made of silver stardust that corresponded to its Level.

"Bring me luminous stardust, and assemble to create a milky way path that will lead me to a new light! Let's rev it up!" Alisha chanted for her Synchro Summoning as she seized a light located in her heart.

The four silver rings then scan the Satellarknight Capella and become transparent, dissipating into 4 stars.

(Level 4 + 4 = 8)

The silver rings and stars turned into a pillar of stardust light.

"I Synchro Summon my true own heart, Stardust Dragon from Level 8!!" She cried, her eyes filled with determination. She pulled out a card from her own body between her fingers, the light dissipated and revealed itself to be the Stardust Dragon.

A luminous dragon figure loomed out of the pillar of stardust light. The veil of light unfolded and Stardust Dragon spread his wings and roared majestically.

(Stardust Dragon - ATK: 2500 - Level: 8)

"It's been a long time, Life Stream. You should have been adrift with so much corruption from Malevolence. But it's soon over, for you and Edna will be appeased by your own anger." Stardust Dragon stared to his fellow Signer Dragon as he roared along with tears flowed from his bloody red eyes. He then stared at his princess. "Do you have a card that allows us to hijack Life Stream's special ability and make him unable to return to the field?"

Alisha watched her remaining only card and acknowledged. "Yes, I think he's the one we need to put an end to all of this... Including purifying Edna's dragon."

"So let's go!" He said as he took flight to prepare for the attack.

"Now I activate my Cosmic Flare card! When my dragon battles an opponent's Monster, I send back yours into your Deck! Which means you won't be able to bring him back in his true form as Life Stream Dragon!" She then showed her only Quick-Play Spell card.

Stardust Dragon reared his head before unleashing a stream of silver energy to the Hellionized Life Stream Dragon while Edna braced herself in order to resist from a violent gale.

"What is she doing?! Her dragon is less powerful than Edna's!" Atakk disbelieve, wondered.

"Alisha has this card in her hand which is the main weakness of the Life Stream Dragon." Lailah pointed out, "The problem of being able to purify a Hellion only the Shepherd Duelist is able to do to assist his Squire."

Life Stream Dragon desperately struggling from the blast. Unexpectedly, a hand wearing a white glove bearing the emblem thrusted in order to boost the force of purification, a seal of power appeared.

"Sorey?" Alisha blinked in surprise, saw him helping her.

The Cosmic Flare expanded greatly and the Life Stream Dragon was engulfed while howling. The dark skin of the dragon purified into an orange-tanned one again, the large drill returned normal. The flow of Malevolence completely disappeared in him.

"Thank you... Thank you for saving me..." He murmured in gratitude, shedding a single tear before vanishing in appeasement.

Symonne was also hit by the Stardust Dragon's burst, causing her to drop her Fusion Parasite card in the air.

"The card!" Atakk shouted, noticing.

"I’m going!" Lailah snapped her fingers to light the fire, causing the Fusion Parasite card to burn to ashes.

As a result, the creepy parasite inside Edna's brain burned and disappeared. Edna had finally freed herself from Symonne's influence, however her half-transformed appearance was still preserved and was towards the last transformative stage into a dragon.

Frustrated by the brink of failure of her vicious plan, Symonne shrouded herself in a dark sphere.

"I won't forget you the way you interfered with everything and ruined my party! You may have freed Edna under my influence, but she will soon become a dragon for good and will suffer the same fate as Eizen! She's doomed sooner or later anyway!"

The Dark Seraph disappeared from within and the dark sphere dissipated.

With the definitive disappearance of Edna's Ace Monster by returning it to the Extra Deck by the effect of Alisha's Quick-Play Spell card, the two partners had the final opportunity to defeat Edna and definitively end the deadly Duel; even if it could cost Edna's life. However with Alisha having just finished her turn, it was up to Edna to decide the rest of her probably last turn before giving in. But since Sorey was no longer in a dueling state because of what happened with the control of the Blazing Soul and the summoning of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, Alisha will be the only one who can deal with it.

"At least the dragon was appeased from his rage." Alisha said, relieved to have saved Life Stream Dragon from Malevolence.

"... Thank you..."

The faint voice attracted the attention of everyone around.

"Thank you for calming the heart of my Life Stream Dragon from despair..." Edna whispered in gratitude, but knew her fate awaited her. "But me... I'm already doomed to become a dragon anyway."

"But we still have the chance to save you Edna!" Alisha replied.

"Even if I could return to my normal form, knowing that this heart device still attached to my chest could have been fatal to me, once you reduce my Life Points to nothing." Edna shook slowly her head, "... We have to end this... Defeat me!"

As Alisha became hesitant at her request, Lailah rushed to hug, pleaded her.

"Alisha you can't do that! She's my friend and I don't want to lose her! There should be another way!"

"No Lailah! Leave it to Alisha!" Edna replied. "There's no other solution!"

"Lailah's right! You're not going to give her a final blow to end it!" Sorey got involved. "Alisha!"

The Crown Princess of Hyland faced the cruel dilemma between their own lives or that of Edna; Sorey and Lailah begged her not to do it while Edna wanted her to give her a finishing blow before she became a dragon.

"Please, I don't want to become a dragon!" Edna clutched the device to her chest, shedding desperate tears. She was on the verge of fully becoming a dragon as her face was covered in rocky scales and gradually elongated to form that of a reptile. "All I want is to see Eizen again!"

"Edna!! Please resist! Don't let yourself turn into a dragon!" Lailah shouted.

"I'm sorry..." Alisha reluctantly agreed, however, much to Lailah and Sorey's dismay. "The only way to save Edna is to defeat her at all costs... Even if that means paying a high price. That's all we can do for her... Sorey, use your power of purification."

She gently moved her two companions aside and took charge of playing her final turn while Edna tearfully nodded.

"I increase the power of my Stardust Dragon by 1500 Attack Points with my Back-Up Rider card!" Alisha drew the card from her deck and used it in a single instant.

(Stardust Dragon - ATK: 2500 + 1500 = 4000)

"Go! End the Duel, Stardust Dragon! Cosmic Flare!!" Alisha ordered as she slammed her fist into the void while Sorey thrusted his hand to boost the force of purification and a seal of power appeared.

Stardust Dragon reared his head before unleashing a stream of silver energy to Edna and make her engulfed by the light.

(Edna - LP: 4000 - 4000 = 0 - Cards in hand: 0)

"EDNAAAAAAAA!!!" Lailah yelled crying.

The body flew away by the powerful blast from Stardust Dragon in peace. The rocky scales crumbled, leaving human skin being normal again. Then the tail and the wings disappear. The horns and dragon face crack revealing Edna's true face as if she had never been transformed into a dragon. The Malevolence had completely disappeared in Edna. As for the heart device, it was broken into a thousand pieces since she lost all her Life Points and consequently sacrificed her own life for the sake of Alisha and Sorey.

Edna's face was perfectly peaceful with her eyes closed.

"When you see my brother Eizen, tell him how much I love him even being a dragon and that I will never forget him." Edna telepathically tell them.

The body was propelled to the ground while the Field Spell, The Hidden City, disappeared at the end of the Duel with Alisha and Sorey winning their own but bitter victory.

The scenery once again became that of the Rayfalke Spiritcrest mountains with a gray sky, the flow of Malevolence had completely disappeared. The other two heart devices automatically detach themselves from the chests of Sorey and Alisha since they are the winners of the Duel. No one celebrated their victory, as they were all saddened by Edna's sacrifice.

"There we go, that’s all we could do for Edna." Sorey said sadly.

Lailah slowly approached with much sadness the limp body of her friend Edna.

"Lailah..." Alisha muttered.

She gently hugged Edna's limp body. Lailah could do nothing but stare sadly into the lifeless face of her long-time friend, and a few tears begin to flow from her jade green eyes.

"Please wake up, Edna. You're finally back to normal. This vicious nightmare is finally over, so please open your eyes Edna..." But the Earth Seraph did not respond and reacted nothing at all as being lifeless, only Lailah's pure tears fall one after another on her gentle face. "We have been close friends for over a thousand years! We had Duels and we even exchanged cards!"

Lailah sobbed more as more tears fell onto Edna's lifeless body.

"Why? Why did Edna sacrifice her own life for us but why?!" She grinded her teeth in pain, "It can't end like that! Edna, please don't leave me!! COME BACK!! COME BAAAAACKKK!!"

Zaveid, Atakk, Alisha and Sorey just look at their female Seraph friend with sorrow and sadness.

"It's so unfair... Edna..." She muttered while sobbed.

Chapter Text

Somewhere in the road not far from the village of Marlind a few miles away, Mikleo was walking a few steps away, probably sensing the presence of the epidemic. He really wanted to forget the incident during his Duel against Sorey at the Galahad Ruins, but couldn't because the mental scar was still fresh. The terrifying image of the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend was indelible from his mind.

"It must be Marlind's village. The epidemic is getting worse." Mikleo thought.

But will he really face the Hellion that caused the epidemic in Marlind alone? Where to see Sorey again for help with purification while he was still frightened by this incident?

"No, there's no way I'm going back to that guy after all the harm he inflicted on me at the Galahad Ruins." He shook his head to focus on himself. "I was getting by without him!"

He continued on his way without even turning around or even thinking about Sorey and the company since he had left the Griflet Bridge following a heated argument.

At the peak of the Rayfalke Spiritcrest, Lailah continued to mourn Edna's 'apparent death' since she sacrificed her own life to allow Sorey and Alisha to survive and win in a Duel to the death ploted by the vicious Symonne.

Lailah cried, "It's unfair! Edna doesn't deserve to suffer this!"

"If I find that Symonne girl," Zaveid growled in slight rage while feeling bad for Lailah while hearing her sobbing. "I'm going to eat her ridiculous Duel Disk!"

"If we knew it happened that way... If we could have stopped Symonne from plotting everything to make us duel each other for a matter of survival... Edna might still be with us." Alisha blamed herself.

The Fire Seraph continue to mourn with her tears fell onto Edna's face.

In a subconscious similar to a celestial paradise composed only of clouds as ground and a blue sky along with mist, Edna stood alone. She understood that she would have to leave this world, because the time had come to say goodbye to her older brother Eizen; to say that she hoped to be able to restore him to his normal form for more than 200 years. But things turn out differently by the force of fate, if Symonne had not come to fester.

"Where am I? Maybe my time has finally come?" She wondered.

She saw an imposing figure who revealed himself to be Eizen.

"Big Brother... So, you came to say goodbye to me, didn't you?"

Then her blue eyes turned to sadness,

"I'm sorry for not being able to keep my promise, to find a possible way to return you to your normal form... I ask you for forgiveness, for leaving this world and leaving you all alone."

Eizen continued to listen silently.

"But I know that one day, you will join me in the afterlife when Zaveid puts an end to your draconic suffering. I never wanted this to happen, but we can't help it... I sacrificed my own life to allow the two humans to survive and win this Duel, they do not deserve such an unfair fate."

Eizen then came to address her. "Edna, you have only just begun your new journey."

Edna blinked in confusion, "Eh?"

"This is not an end, but a true beginning of a new beginning."

"But what is?"

Suddenly, the misty wind began to blow slowly but gradually as Edna moved away from Eizen.

"You have yet another destiny to fulfill as a Seraph, and a Sub-Lord to this human Sorey. And as a Duelist, it is your duty to watch over our Signer Dragon, until the end of our next journey."

"Eizen! Eizen!" Edna exclaimed, reaching out to him to catch up, but no avail.

"Don't stop! It's not time to say goodbye! We'll see each other again one day, Edna!" He encouraged her.

The cloudy ground opened and Edna fell into the void.

"I still have something else to tell you from centuries ago! Let me tell you a little more! EIZEEEENNNN!!"

Back to reality much everyone's surprise, Edna opened her blue eyes unexpectedly as if everything she saw before was a simple dream.

"Eizen... But, where am!? Is everything I saw just a dream?" Edna whispered.

"Edna?!" Lailah gasped with relief to see her actually alive even after sacrificing her own life, "It's a true miracle! You're really alive! You're really alive!!"

"It's amazing... How did Edna survive?!" Alisha widened her bright green eyes.

"Incredible. How did Edna manage to survive even in a Duel with such doomly stakes?" Zaveid couldn't believe what happened.

"Will you lemme go of me, Lailah? I don’t want to take a shower with your baby tears." An anger vein protrude above on Edna's blonde head.

The silver-haired Fire Seraph broke her hug, Edna stood up.

"If I have allowed the two humans to win the Duel against me at the cost of my life. How is it possible that I am still alive?" Edna wondered about her sudden survival.

"I had to transfer part of my life energy to save your life." The male dragon voice sounded.

It turned out to be that it was the Life Stream Dragon that saved Edna's life at the end of the climax of their deadly Duel.

"Just when they were going to deliver the final blow to you when you chose to sacrifice your own life for them."

"How? Did you give a part of yourself to keep me alive?" Edna was slightly surprised when she heard this.

"I don't want to let you sacrifice your own life for their survival. I have never forgotten the promise I made to your brother more than a millennium ago." Life Stream Dragon explained, "However, the plight of my life is only hanging by a fragile thread."

"What do you mean your own energy? You mean you..." She whispered.

"When I sacrificed all of my life energy from my body, such as transferring it to someone else... I will disappear forever, and never be able to bring myself back to life."

Everyone getting shocked upon hearing this.

"Giving you your life force will mean you're doomed to disappear?" Alisha asking out in concern.

"That is why I should use my power only in the most absolute cases and for good reason." Life Stream Dragon said. "In the past, when Eizen found himself in an impasse during the Duels that would have been fatal to him, I had to transfer my life energy to him in order to keep him alive."

"Is this why you downgraded yourself into the guise of the Power Tool Dragon in order to limit your true power and preserve your own existence?" Edna inquired.

"Yes, it was the Crimson Dragon who gave me this current form to allow me to limit my strength." He told to her, "That's why, I ask you not to use me in my true form as a Life Stream Dragon except in the most extreme conditions..."

"No way..." Edna whispered in dismay, then raised her voice out in concern for her Signer Dragon. "But why did you do that?! You don't have to transfer your energy or make yourself suffer for me!"

Inside of Artorius' Throne, Heldalf sat quietly on his throne watching a vision through a large crystal ball; being aware of the weakness of Edna's Signer Dragon.

"That's very annoying..." Heldalf ruffled his lion's beard.

Symonne appeared by teleportation with her dark energy in front of Heldalf.

"Symonne, that’s precisely why I want to talk to you about your mischief." He grunted, "I now ask you one thing and that is to stop making a big deal out of it when it comes to creating your misdeeds either to entertain me or for your pleasure."

"Why are you asking me that?" She asked shuggerly, "Didn’t you like my naughty tricks anymore?"

"The existence of these Signer Dragons is more important to me than anything. So I ask you not to go too far." He told to her.

"What if the heroes ever screw up your plans? We can say goodbye to our conquest of the world." Symonne said jokingly.

"That's not happening. They will never be able to defeat me like this or even stop us from resurrecting the Crimson Dragon." Heldalf reassured.

"If you say so. I can always trust you My Lord." Symonne shrugged merrily.

"And again, I want more of the Malevolence coming from the negative emotions of humans. So do as you please if it will break the boredom..." He said, then asking something else. "Nevertheless, you will seize the Signer Dragons from theirs only when I give you the order. For you must first let the Shepherd Duelist purify the Ancient Fairy Dragon."

"Okay, if that’s what you want..." Symonne seemly agreed. "But don't hold me back when I want to cause trouble as I wish."

Back to Sorey's party at the Rayfalke Spiritcrest.

"Even though I would have normally lost in a doomly Duel with such high stakes, I should have survived this way anyway!" Edna exclaimed.

"Even though you are superior compared to humans, know that even a Seraph will not be able to resist such a violent shock and suffer from it." He replied to her.

"Isn't there an alternative to transferring the energy instead to coming from you?!" Edna raised her voice, feeling herself having the Signer Dragon's energy within her.

"I'm afraid not... It's the best thing I can do, if it's to keep you alive." Life Stream Dragon shook his head sadly, "I don't want to lose you. Eizen will be very sad if you choose to leave this world. Don't forget that you wanted at all costs to get him back to his original form."

The blonde Earth Seraph became distraught upon being told. The Singer Dragon's life was hanging by a thread tied to Edna. Edna vowed not to release the true appearance of her Signer Dragon in the future in the next Duels in which she would be involved; at the risk of seeing him lose his life for her benefit even if it is to allow her to stay alive.

"Where are you going?" Lailah asking as Zaveid was about to leave the party.

"It's time for me to leave..." He said when stopping his tracks.

"Don’t you want to join our party?" Alisha offered it to him. "You've been a great help to us, Zaveid."

"I don't want to join your bunch." Zaveid mildly dismissed. He then stared at the Princess of Hyland.

"But are you serious when you say that?"

She insisted, only to have her offer being rejected.

"In Marlind, the epidemic crisis keeps to get worse. You should join us and help us solve this problem!"

"Remember what I said, one day you will regret it. Because it is I who will defeat you personally. Prepare yourself when we meet again, Alisha!" Zaveid declared, and finally he vanished like a storm arrow.

"What a weird lone wolf guy." She commented, letting out a sigh.

"That's his type after all. Zaveid is someone who likes to live in complete freedom." Lailah said with a reassuring smile, "Deep down, he likes human presence. I know that one day Zaveid will return to us when the situation requires in case of concern."

"All this, thanks to you Sorey! You chased the curse of Malevolence from their hearts! You are doing well, and you have acquired your experience as a Shepherd Duelist! Right, Sorey!" Alisha spoke before her expression changed as Sorey's however not cheering. "Something wrong? Hey, this is planet Earth, can you hear me?"

"Yeah I'm here, but I don't want to get involved in Duels anymore." He replied downhearted.

"Sorey?" She blinked.

"Everything we've been through... I couldn't take any more after everything that happened." He looked away from Alisha.

"What are you talking about?" Alisha exclaimed in disbelief. "We came out very unscathed! We could never save the Life Stream Dragon and Edna without your help!"

"To see friends being taken hostage, to see them tortured before my eyes. Let the Blazing Soul take control of me and even summon the Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend that I would even destroy everything in my path. Never again will I engage in Duels, if only to cause misfortunes around me and to involve all of you in it." Sorey declared dejectedly.

"You're wrong, you still have to-" Alisha tried to respond, only to be cut off.

"I gotta tell you I could never be the hero everyone's been waiting for!" He shouted angrily.

Alisha gasped out in shock, appalled by the comments.

"I've done nothing but cause trouble since the beginning of our journey. Mikleo was right to consider me a monster since I inflicted such injury on him." Sorey took a step back, being disgusted by the actions he committed.

The princess of Hyland felt downhearted to see him dejected after going through a traumatic ordeal during their doomly Duel against Edna ploted by Symonne.

"Hey, human boy." Edna's voice interjected.

Heard by the call, Sorey saw his foot stomped by hers, causing him screaming comically while Alisha, Atakk and Lailah to gasped out surprised.

"What the earth is wrong with you!" He got angry, grabbing his foot.

"Come on, we have a village to save!" Edna exclaimed, "Is it you wanted me to join your gang?"

"Is that a reason to stub my foot?" Sorey gritted his teeth with small tears coming out of his green eyes.

"Boys aren't supposed to cry like little babies." Edna replied sarcastically. "Unless you need to change diapers and give yourself a baby bottle until you're old enough to cope?"

"Hey, I'm not a baby!" Sorey protested.

"Say sorry to your girlbuddy!" She told to him.

Alisha jolting, her face blushed. "For what?! He's not a boyfriend of me!"

"Say sorry to her, boy." Edna insisted, "You upset her earlier."

"Uh no no, it’s nothing Edna." Alisha fidgeted her hands nervously and shook her head.

"Glad you're back to your old self, Edna." Lailah couldn't help but giggle. "Welcome to our group, my forever friend."

"I may not want to help humans, but I will make an effort to help Sorey complete his journey, including even finding a way to return my brother to his normal form." Edna said, turned to Lailah.

"Glad you agree to join us!" She exclaimed, greatly open to her presence.

Suddenly, the terrifying cry of a dragon echoed throughout the mountain.

"There’s a dragon around!" Lailah exclaimed.

"It's signed by Eizen. Better to get away with it on the backs of our dragons." Edna said.

The Stardust Dragon appeared and materialized.

"Speaking of dragons, it's a ride in the air that takes you to Marlind." Stardust Dragon teased.

He took both Sorey and Alisha and placed them onto his back.

"Come this way." Life Stream Dragon leaned down to allow Lailah, Atakk and Edna to mount each other on the hand.

The two fellow Signer Dragons take flight to escape the dragon Eizen as soon as he arrives. The further they move away from Rayfalke, the more they will not see the sight of the place again.

"It’s time for me to go, Big Brother." Edna just looked at the figure of the mountain and so the dragon as they moved away in the sky far from there. "I will miss you so much. I will always think of you. But we will see you again in the future, when the Shepherd Duelist finds a way to purify you and restore you to your original form."

Somewhere in another corner of Rayfalke, Dezel and Rose, have been observing greatly all this time without even intervening.

"They're off to Marlind." Rose said stoically. "It confirms what I thought; Princess Alisha has the Stardust Dragon in her possession."

"And we have another Signer Dragon before our eyes." Dezel added.

"Except you have no eyes." She rolled her blue eyes at the black-clothed Wind Seraph.

"I'm blind, I'm telling you Rose." He replied.

"Let's wait until the gang purifies the village of Marlind so we can capture their Signer Dragons." She informed him of the next plan to be developed. "But only in a week unless they hurry to leave."

"Like taking a loved one hostage to lure them into our upcoming Duel?" Dezel suggested.

"That's it." She nodded.

Under Simoon's weight when he tried to sit on her head, Rose got crashed to the ground.

"Hey! You're crushing me with your butt! Go somewhere else, you ugly bird!" Rose got angry with an angry mark prontured on her temple.

"Ooooh it's not nice to call me that!" Simoon exclaimed childishly.

"Having me sit on my head like a bird’s nest, I don’t like that!" Rose exclaimed, annoyed. "You're too big to ride me!"

"So we're really going to have a big Monster hunting party?" He asked.

"Screw you!" She yelled.

"Nah!" Simoon refused.

"I said stand up!" She ordered.

"Then tell me about your plan."

Back to the sky, both the Signer Dragons continued their flight and were a few kilometers from Marlind. But the landscape was so gloomy since the start of the spread of the epidemic.

"Here we are, it's the village of Marlind. The place where the Big Tree is located." Lailah announced.

"The atmosphere is very murky, we can clearly feel the flow of Malevolence." The Life Stream Dragon observed.

"It's strange. I had an uncomfortable feeling gripping my heart." Lailah felt anxious.

Sorey was anxious from the moment, because he knew that Hellion must be nearby.

"I'm sure that Hellion must be there somewhere."

The two Signer Dragons head down, and once there, they drop off at the foot of the village entrance and fade away.

"It's really terrible. The epidemic keeps getting worse." Alisha said stoically. "Do you think the Life Stream Dragon could heal the locals using his power?"

"I'm afraid not. Even with that, it wouldn't ease the suffering of the people of Marlind." Edna shook her head.

"One thing we know is that this Hellion is indeed responsible for the chaos spread within this village." Atakk told them.

A female voice called,

"Princess! Princess! Here you are finally! We've been waiting for you!"

They were Alisha's two beloved soldiers, Ian and Shiller. They rush towards their beloved princess.

"Ian, Shiller, you're finally here. So what's the recent news?" She asked.

"The bad news has continued to pile up since the outbreak began in Marlind." Ian announced it not very reassuringly. "We did everything we could to treat them with the medicine we provided from Ladylake, but nothing worked despite the known effectiveness!"

"I suspected that... Even the medicines provided don't do anything for them." Alisha narrowed her gaze in worry, "Their condition is only getting worse and there is nothing we can do to make them better."

"So there is no other solution than to let them suffer?" Shiller felt like she was losing hope.

"If there is a possible way to solve everything; to find the true cause of the epidemic." She reassured her, "With the help of the Shepherd Duelist, we could save Marlind from endless disaster."

The two female soldiers took Alisha and Sorey inside the sanctuary where everything was transformed into an infirmary with many people falling seriously ill. Several are lying on the ground and have been coughing for a long time.

And this is what they become." Ian indicated.

"It’s horrible, total despair." Alisha said in slight distraught.

"Yes. Even the best healers can't do anything to save them. At this rate, Marlind should soon be wiped off the map if we don't do anything else to stop the disaster." Ian informed.

Alisha and Sorey can do nothing but watch in horror at the critical condition of the suffering patients. She shook with anxiety at this terrible scene.

Meanwhile at the peak of the Rayfalke Spiritcrest, Dezel and Rose are walking together.

"Are you sure your hunting plan will work?" He asked.

"I'm really sure it gonna to be worked." Rose convinced herself.

Her stomach loudly growling.

"When we talk about hunting, it’s my stomach that cries like a crow." Rose placed both hands on top, her head slightly lowered.

"All we have to do is prepare some nice roast chicken for dinner tonight." Dezel said.

"Aren't you going to dare to cook the Blackwings?" The dark red-haired assassin frowned, only to have her stomach growling more louder.

"If it's to fill your stomach, I can make it from the kitchen." He teased.

A spiraling gust of wind shot straight towards the duo. Only to be blocked and neutralized by Dezel with a simple push of the hand which created a wind barrier.

"That’s enough, I’m asking you to show us." Dezel demanded, the wind instinct had never deceived him.

Zaveid instantly appeared like a storm.

"Hey, what a funny coincidence. What are you doing here?" He said merrily as he shuffling his own deck.

"I'd like to know, why did you join Symonne?" Zaveid asked very demandingly, waiting for an answer from them.

"Oh you should be a little warmer Zaveid. Remember I'm over 500 years your junior." He teased as he kept shuffling.

"I tell you again, why did you join Symonne?!" He glared, "She's an evil person!"

"So what? What do I care." Dezel dismissed, "The only thing that matters to me and Rose is capturing all the Signer Dragons scattered around the world!"

"Wake up! You were being manipulated by these creepy crawlies!" Zaveid tried to reason.

"Ridiculous!" Dezel openly laughed at this, "Symonne's parasites are quite comfortable in our brains as a nest. Soon they will lay adorable little babies and I'll give you one in your brain."

"No thanks with your insect horrors!" He refused in disgust, "One Duel is more than enough for me!"

"It's more of a waste of time. I really want to pounce." Dezel stretched his shoulders.

Zaveid then grabbed Rose from behind and grabbed her with just one arm.

"Oh yeah? If you refuse I'll take your chick with me." He attempted to blackmail him.

Rose punched the older Wind Seraph in the nose and knocked him to the ground.

"Didn’t you listen to what Dezel told you? Get out of there!" Rose glared at Zaveid, "You're starting to go senile, old man!"

Dezel however told to her, "Come on, Rose, let me make a big deal of this warm-up."

"Wait! Are you sure dueling him is a good idea?" She seemly objected with a doubt.

"If it's to better prepare myself, a Duel against this pile of muscle would do the trick for me!" Dezel replied with self-confidence.

"I knew you were going to agree to duel me!" Zaveid grinded as he stood up.

"Let me duel by your side!" Rose tried to tag with Dezel.

"Rose, this is a settling of scores between Seraphim. So just watch us in this Duel." Dezel refused as he shook his head.

"Was it really you who always lost to that guy for over 500 years, Dezel?" She inquired.

"I'll show you that I can now surpass Zaveid as master and student!" Dezel reassured her. "If Zaveid was defeated by that human girl... Then I'll prove to you that I can defeat him too!"

"Tell me why you chose the wrong side?" Zaveid repeated.

"As I already told you, it is to save our world even if it means eliminating humanity and causing total chaos!" Dezel answered. "In exchange of course for joining Symonne and recovering all the other Signer Dragons from Sorey's party so that the Lord of Calamity can resurrect the Crimson Dragon!"

"Open your eyes! Symonne's parasites have turned you into evil minions!" He shouted.

"As Rose said, you've gone senile!" Dezel replied.

"I know better when it comes to good versus evil!" Zaveid frowned.

The both Wind Seraphim threw their Duel Disks in the air, connected to their left arms and unfolded their Duel Disks, lit up the Solid Vision. They insert their respective decks and each drew five cards at once.

Rose knew what Dezel was planning to do since she only watched carefully; she remembered that Dezel managed to create a new power and method that was quite unique, so she was the first to see it.

"Dezel, you and that human girl, I'll bring you to your senses!" Zaveid declared with strong determination in the hope of saving them under the influence of the Fusion Parasites.

"I'm going to show you how much I've changed. My birds of prey have proven to you that they are now pitiless." Dezel grinded, "I must warn you that I have managed to develop a new supreme form of my Black-Winged Dragon! A unique method that no one else can do!"

In the library room, the party is distraught and yet they are thinking about finding a solution as the only way to eradicate the epidemic and save Marlind and its inhabitants.

"In Marlind, there was the Lord of the Land called Rohan, and he watched over the Big Tree." Atakk started since then he was standing on a table.

"Could we meet him?" Alisha asked.

"But lately, he had disappeared at the start of the epidemic." Atakk told her.

"Really?"

"I can’t find Rohan." The Normin leader explained, "And with that Hellion on my heels, I'm forced to leave to find help. And that's how I managed to find you."

"Good, we're looking for Rohan around this village. That way, we find the Hellion at the same time, including Mikleo."

Mentioning Mikleo's name increased Sorey's worry and anxiety. He had never forgotten the day Mikleo had coldly rejected him at the Galahad Ruins after their fierce Duel.

"Sorey, I promise we'll find Mikleo and get him to talk to you." Alisha made a promise to her fellow traveler.

"...Why should I see again when Mikleo didn't want me anymore?" He dismissed however, shocking them around.

"What's wrong with you? You and Mikleo have always been very close!" Alisha slammed her both hands onto the table while getting up.

"I no longer expect anything from him." Sorey retorted.

"You're wrong! I'm sure Mikleo regrets that he hurt you verbally!" She argued, "He's even ready to forgive you when we see him again in a very short time!"

"It’s better to forget about him this way." Sorey bowed his head, "If Mikleo wants to make his own way, I won't hold him back."

"Sorey, aren't you going to give him up anyway?" Lailah raised her voice slightly. "Listen to what Alisha says."

"Stay out of it Lailah." He coldly dismissed her. "This business with Mikleo is just about me."

"Hey! Try to stay calm! Think about the fate of the villagers in Marlind!" Atakk tried to ease the tension between the party, only to be ignored.

"Between Mikleo and me, our friendship is over! There, I said it!" He got up from the chair, made a gesture. "I will do my duty as a Shepherd Duelist without him!"

"Do you think you can get by on your own and play the show-off hero?!" Alisha argued again.

"Quit talking and hit him." Edna interjected. "You humans truly disgust me."

"Then I’ll grab Mikleo and bring him back to you!" Alisha narrowed her cold gaze at Sorey. "I won't let you go until you reconnect your lifelong friendship with Mikleo!"

"In your army of soldiers, they have nothing to do but obey your orders as a crown princess! But with the commoners, you have nothing to complain about!" Sorey told her.

"You really disappoint me, Sorey!" Alisha yelled angrily, "I can’t stand likes who mess with me too much! And you’re such an idiot!"

"Please, Sorey and Alisha. Now is not the time to argue." Lailah stood up and tried to reduce the tension between the two 17-year-old teens.

"You shut up, Lailah!" Sorey yelled, "You're not our mother!"

"Take this away from Lailah immediately!" Alisha demanded him firmly. "Apologize to her now!"

"You never have any friends!" Sorey insulting impulsively, resulting in hurting the princess' feelings. "You’re such a loser, Alisha!"

"... Didn't your Gramps teach you to never say that to me in a mean way...?" Alisha's face morphed into one of sadness.

Outside, a gut-wrenching roared echoed and began to destroy everything in its path. Causing the princess' bright green eyes turned to pale yellow, thus interrupting the heated argument between the party.

"A bad omen is coming!" The Stardust Dragon's male voice alerted.

"What are you saying?!" Atakk jolted.

"It's a Hellion!" He said.

"A Hellion?" Lailah thought, "Don't tell me it's the Ancient Fairy Dragon she's showing up around?!"

"Let's not waste time!" The Stardust Dragon said. "Let’s hurry and purify this public danger and quickly!"

"Alright!" Lailah nodded.

Everyone are leaving the library in complete urgency, except Alisha, still hurt by Sorey's insulting remarks. A younger form of a dragon mostly known as a drake, ransacked everything in its path. The terrifying roar shook the entire screen.

"Princess, go join the others now! Now is not the time to be cranky!" The Stardust Dragon's voice reminded her, which snapping her funk.

"Oh, right! Old geezer lizard!"Alisha left the library as well.

Back with the drake, Mikleo landed on a large branch of a tree, seeing it.

"What was that?" He exclaimed with shock. "Is that a dragon?!"

The Water Seraph showing his favorite cards, causing Poseidra, the Atlantean Dragon to be appeared and materialized, and then equipped with the Aqua Jet.

"Attack Poseidra!" He ordered.

The sea dragon fired a spiraling burst of water, sending the drake flying from afar.

Then, Mikleo summoning Mermail Abyssgaios.

"Now, Mermail Abyssgaios! Run this dragon through!" He ordered, causing the XYZ Mermail to stabbing the dragon with his large trident into the body (whose the stabbing was obscured by a few light as a censorship). "Yes, you got it!"

The drake let out a long roar that Abyssgaios repelled from afar.

"With the Abyss-scorn card, I can immobilize this monster!" Mikleo activated the Trap card, causing the long pink tentacles to tie up the drake and pinned it in the ground.

Abyssgaios thrust his trident deeper into the drake's body for a moment while Poseidra biting the neck harshly, causing it to raoring more painfully and collapsed.

"There you go, that’s it." Mikleo said with satisfaction.

Poseidra examined the drake's battered body. "Actually, it's a younger form of a dragon, mostly known as a drake."

"A drake." He repeated.

"I have to tell you that when a Seraph accumulates Malevolence from negative emotions, they take the form of a drake. If the intestity continues, it definitely becomes a dragon and can no longer be purified."

"What are you implying Poseidra? Don't tell me you were going to take me back to Sorey?" Mikleo interpreted it as distrust.

"It's better that you go back to him. I know it's hard for you after everything that happened. But you have to forgive him." The sea dragon told him.

Everything changed when the flow of Malevolence intensified in this drake, thus releasing and propelling both Mikleo's Monsters, including the trident from its body. The drake stood up, the body regenerated thanks to Malevolence. The drake roared even more than before.

"This monster doesn’t seem pleased to see us!" Mikleo exclaimed.

The drake hit the ground head on but Mikleo narrowly escaped when Poseidra took him quickly before getting crushed.

"Let’s get out of here!" Poseidra screamed.

Abyssgaios tried once again to stabbed it, only the trident getting destroyed and consequently being dematerialized by the dark flames. The drake then took flight and chased Poseidra and Mikleo.

"We really need to find the Shepherd Duelist to purify this drake! It's the only solution to stop everything!" Poseidra told him without any other alternative.

"What! There's no way!" Mikleo persisted stubbornly.

"If we do nothing, it will reach the final stage and will never be able to purify itself again!"

Unfortunately for them, the drake caught up with them and hit them with a violent blow of its arm, breaking the Aqua Jet equipement from the sea dragon's back. Poseidra was knocked to the ground from afar while Mikleo crashed into the Great Tree and fell at the foot.

"Darn it..." Mikleo struggled to stand up but couldn't. "The drake is far too strong."

The drake landed on the ground in front of the Water Seraph, the gaze terrifying as Mikleo growled. He could no longer escape.

"Lord Mikleo!! Run!!" Poseidra shouted as he couldn't get up.

Suddenly, a burst of silver energy made from stardust fired at the drake and caused an explosion of smoke. The drake however took off to flee as it roared in pain.

"Mikleo!!" The familiar voice called, "Mikleo I finally found you!!"

"Alisha is that you?" He asked with his purple eyes widen, didn't expect their sudden rescue.

It was revealed that it was the attack of the Stardust Dragon who had protected Mikleo at the last minute; without him and the hero party Mikleo would be killed or eaten alive.

Alisha jumped off the back of her Signer Dragon and landed in front of him, and held out her hand.

"Thank you goodness you’re okay now!" She smiled, only to have her hand coldly slapped by Mikleo.

"What do you want from me! Let me go!" He yelled with strong rejection. "Besides, I’ve never asked for your help!"

"You really need to have a heart to heart discussion with Sorey!" She frowned. "This is an order from the princess I am! Old man, drop Sorey off in front of Mikleo!"

"Alright Princess." Stardust Dragon bent down to place Sorey in front of her and Mikleo.

The verdant-eyed Shepherd Duelist didn't have the heart to argue with Mikleo and hesitated to voiced. Mikleo was trembling with fear when he saw his lifelong friend; still being traumatized by the Duel incident at the Galahad Ruins.

"Why? Why are you here Sorey?" He asking with fear upon seeing him, "You shouldn't be here! You fierce heartless monster!"

Chapter Text

(Zaveid - 4000 LP)

(Dezel - 4000 LP)

"It's time for Duel!!" Both Wind Seraphim shouted together.

At Artorius' Throne, as usual, Heldalf sat quietly on his throne watching a vision from a large crystal ball.

"Another meaningless Duel that gives me no interest, especially this guy who doesn't have one of the Crimson Dragon's offsprings..." He commented in boredom, as his lion head resting on his fist and his elbow resting on the right side of the throne.

"My Lord. My black hat slave will undoubtedly surpass his elder." His servant Seraph said, "Additionally, one of the Signer Dragons, the Black-Winged Dragon, was slowly consumed by Malevolence due to the catastrophe in the Spirit World 10 years ago. So, no need to implant one of my parasites in his brain."

Heldalf could see the flow of Malevolence from Dezel's Signer Dragon. "It's true. The Black-Winged Dragon allowed himself to be consumed by Malevolence. Now he is driven by hatred and needs to destroy everything in his path. Soon, he will become a Hellion sooner or later."

"Did you want to see Dezel suffer a much more brutal defeat to this Zaveid guy?" Symonne asked.

"Naturally." Heldalf nodded with a smile. "Even the younger brother can surpass his elder brother and claim the superior title that would be his rightful possession."

Back to the Duel between the Wind Seraphim.

"Now let the senior make his move first!" Zaveid declared as he drew a card first. The front end of his black Duel Disk opened, allowed him to placed his Field card in it. "Here's my Field Spell, Dragon Ravine!! You know this familiar place, right shark teeth?!"

Once the slot closed, the scenery of the Rayfalke Spiritcrest was replaced by a ravine whose twilight sky was a golden-orange hue.

"Oh yes I know it!" He replied.

"I discard a card in my Graveyard!" Zaveid sent a card into the Graveyard slot, "So I can add a Dragunity Monster from the deck!"

Then a blue rift opened, which emerged a humanoid green bird to be materialized onto Zaveid's field.

"As I control Dragon Ravine I can Special Summon this card from my hand! Dragunity Legatus!"

(Dragunity Legatus - ATK: 1800 - Level: 4)

"This is the Monster that Zaveid usually summons to activate Legatus' special ability..." Dezel observed carefully. "Every time Legatus is equipped with another Dragunity, he automatically destroys a Trap or Spell on the field."

"I then set a card face-down!" He then placed it onto his field.

"Obviously... This is Zaveid's typical method in terms of strategy."

"I then summon Dragunity Legionnaire!" He declared, his humanoid green bird emerged out from the blue rift.

(Dragunity Legionnaire - ATK: 1200 - Level: 3)

"Once Legionnaire is summoned I target a Dragon-type Dragunity in my Graveyard and equip him." Zaveid continued as Dezel continued observed.

The card Zaveid sent to the Graveyard was Dragunity Phalanx, thus equipping Legionnaire through a card effect. Phalanx turned itself as a weapon, allowing Legionnaire to be equipped.

"However, my feathered allies won't be around for long!" Zaveid said, "Because I already have in hand, my two most powerful Monsters within my aerial army, ready to blow you away!"

As he revealed to them both his Dragunity Arma cards, Rose seemed shocked despite her stoicism.

"To start, I ban Legionnaire from my field who has been equipped with another Dragunity!"

He said as his Equipped Monster got vanished into a black vortex, leading the orange feathered humanoid dragon, armed with a great sword.

"Dragunity Arma Leyvaten! Appear!"

(Dragunity Arma Leyvaten - ATK: 2600 - Level: 8)

"I'm sending my other Monster from the field to the Graveyard so that my second ally can take his place!" He continued as Legatus got vanished from the field, leading the yellow humanoid dragon armed with a fine long sword to be emerged from the blue rift and materialized. "Come here, Dragunity Arma Mystletainn!"

(Dragunity Arma Mystletainn - ATK: 2100 - Level: 6)

"There you go! My first turn is over with my two dragonic allies already ready to slash you!" Zaveid concluded.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Zaveid could beat Dezel with his dragon army in an instant." Rose observed skeptically. "Let's see if shark-toothed Dezel can sweep them away with his new strategic method."

"Haa that's good!" Dezel drew a card and showed it. "Since I haven't had any Monster at my side yet, I've already got my hands on my Blackwing - Simoon the Poison Wind!"

One of his Blackwings got sucked in a black vortex and vanished due of Simoon's effect.

"By banishing Blackwing - Zephyros the Elite from hand, I can place the Black Whirlwind card from my deck in my field!"

The Continuous Spell appeared onto Dezel's field,

"So I can summon Simoon without Tributing!" He placed his Monster card on his Duel Disk blade, a dark mist engulfed the entire field. Simoon emerged out of the blue rift, materialized and croaking loudly that a small breeze.

(Blackwing - Simoon the Poison Wind - ATK: 1600 - Level: 6)

"It’s a party time today!" Simoon commented confidently, "It's like Dezel to summon me to the front lines because I'm his favorite pet!"

"Will you stop showing off, Simoon? You're really annoying every time I call on you!" Dezel reminded him.

"Hey you dotty old guy!" The Blackwing vulture then taunt Zaveid, making him irratable. "Are your muscles actually inflatable?! And can I take your pants from you and wear them?"

"I'll pluck your feathers, you bird of doom!" He yelled back for insulting his physical pride. But only, Simoon laughed in mockery to see him get angry in response.