DISCLAIMER: I do not own Yu-Gi-Oh! All rights belong to Konami. Any relations to places or persons, living or dead, are purely coincidental.

The pendulum.

A fixed weight that swings back and forth, driven by momentum. Often, it is served to act as a representation of one extreme going towards another. In some cases, the pendulum may even be used as a piece of a clock, marking the passage through time.

However, like the wings of a butterfly that can create hurricanes from the other side of the world, the weight of the pendulum swings back and forth between destruction and creation.

Time is not constant. It is ever expanding and ever changing, growing like a tree. Each branch is but a mere representation of the paths chosen by those who follow the march of time.

This is but one of the many branches, one whose fate will be determined by the pendulum.

Where will the pendulum swing? Will it reach destruction, or will it reach creation?

Only four young boys, sharing a singular soul, can answer that question…

Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V: Pendulum of Ruin

PARADISE GRAND CUP (I):
Ladies and Gentlemen! The fun has just begun!

Paradise City.

A grand city that lies on the eastern coast of Japan; one of the many industrial-influenced areas that propagate and ever-expands the popular global phenomenon card game known as Duel Monsters. Previously, the city was of little worth and wasn't as popular as it is now, on account of greedy corporations and poor business choices and failing constructions making it the least-likely spot for Dueling of any kind to prosper. If dueling was to be found in this place, it was only casual and underground dueling events, such as the Underground Duel Circuit, where duelists would engage in a vicious battle against each other, the stakes much higher than they would be in an official match or tournament.

However, one ambitious man by the name of Leo Akaba had arrived, seemingly out of nowhere. He had developed the widely acclaimed Solid Vision System, implementing mass into the system and allowing for surprising realism that no one had ever seen before. Before long, he had started his own company and began revolutionizing the gaming industry, forming a partnership with Illusion Industries and Kaiba Corp, eventually becoming the third greatest Duel Monsters business juggernaut, with Paradise City as its base of operations. Under Leo's leadership, many businesses were either absorbed into the company or driven out of town, and construction projects were led more smoothly.

In less than a decade, Paradise City had become one of the biggest hot spots of Duel Monsters. Especially now more than ever, for a major competition was currently being held in Paradise City; the local event and main attraction that brought duelists from all over the world to prove their skills and abilities, the Paradise Grand Cup.

Paradise City was home to many schools that taught Duel Monsters. While none of the schools could compare to the prestigious Duel Monsters Academy, they still offered the best support they could to their students while also teaching their own unique styles of dueling, due to the rise of a brand new dueling profession.

Entertainment Dueling. Conceptualized with the implementation of the Solid Vision System, Duelists and their Duel Monsters fought together on the battlefield, creating a grand spectacle that no ordinary duel could ever hope to replicate. As a result, Duelists began creating their own unique styles and flare to spice up their duels. One example would be the Gongenzaka Dojo, which practiced a unique brand of dueling known as "Steadfast Dueling."

The Steadfast Dueling style taught discipline and physical fortitude, for a duelist who used such a style would duel and stood in a single spot, never moving and withstanding the heavy blows rained upon them by their enemies. Of course, this also meant that they would not search or grab Action Cards – powerful cards that could change the tide of the duel – whatsoever during their duel.

Today was the first round of the Paradise Grand Cup, and the stadium was packed. Well over two thousand people were gathered, all eagerly awaiting the first match of the day to begin.

Of course, while everyone was waiting patiently for the festivities to begin, the duelist meant to participate in today's match was running like a bat straight out of hell.

"Crap crap craaap! I'm so dead! Yuzu's gonna have my head if I don't get there on time!"

Running through the streets was a young teen between fourteen to fifteen years of age with a wild mess of green-and-red hair, a single strand atop his head forming into a cowlick. His eyes were crimson, matching the highlights of his hair while sweat poured down his face as he ran at top speed towards the stadium. He wore a white-and-red jacket with short sleeves over a orange shirt with a high-collar, the trims of the shirt colored white. Around his neck was a black choker. He also wore dark pants with sneakers, the tops colored red with yellow trimmings. Atop his head was a pair of goggles, neatly snuggled over his mane.

Today was not his day. He knew full well what today was and couldn't get a wink of sleep, too excited by what was to come. As a result, he woke up later than he intended and was desperate to make it, lest he arrive late and make his school look bad.

In particular, he was not looking forward to being whacked by that dreadful paper fan. He doubted it was a paper-fan in the first place, considering how much it hurt to get smacked by the damned thing. What part of it was paper at all?! It felt more like he was being whacked by a thin plate of steel!

The terrifying thought planted in his head, the duelist continued to charge forward and bolstered his attempts. Now, he ran like a man possessed and sped down the streets, leaving behind a trail of dust and smoke in his wake.

In his mad dash, he charged straight past a young woman sweeping the sidewalk in front of a modest shop, a mere coffee house that she had been running for years. Noticing the young man, she called out to him. "Yuya! What's the rush? If you run like that, you'll trip and break your neck!"

"Breaking my neck is preferable to Yuzu's paper fan, Mrs. Satou!" The boy halted his charge, but his knees pumped up and down as he stopped, ready to resume his run after he was finished talking. "I overslept! If I don't hurry, I'll be late!"

"Just run more safely." The woman smiled as she shook her head, watching the now-named Yuya continue his run. "That boy, I swear…"

"Oh? Was that little Yusho-chan I heard rushing past just now?" an elderly man inquired as he poked his head out. He was well into his ancient years, skin full of wrinkles and nary a hair of frost-white strands atop his dome. "What has him so riled up?"

The woman giggled. "Grandfather, that was Yuya. His father passed away years ago, don't you remember?"

"Oh, that's right. I remember now. Ah, such a shame. Yuya-chan's grown into a fine youngster. So, what's got him so riled up that he's sprinting like the devil's after him?"

"Today's the first day of the Grand Cup. And knowing that boy, he's just dying to make his father proud by giving it his all."

My name is Yuya Sakaki. I'm fifteen years old, and a proud student at You Show Duel School!

I started learning how to play Duel Monsters when I was seven. At the time, I didn't know that my father, Paradise City's own master magician, Yusho Sakaki, was an Entertainment Duelist, much less the reigning champion.

My father believed that dueling was meant to bring smiles to not just the audience, but also to his opponents. In other words, he created a style of dueling that was meant to bring joy to everyone. He wanted to teach this to not just me, but also to the younger generation. Together with his lifelong friend, Shuzo Hiiragi, they founded You Show Duel School.

I admired my father and everything he stood for. I wanted to practice the same dueling he did, but…

"Yuya. Wanting to bring smiles is fine and all, but don't try imitation. Mimicking someone else's tricks won't help you grow. Instead, create your own Entertainment Dueling. Make a duel style that embodies your deepest passion."

I never understood what he meant by that, nor would I ever learn the answer.

Five years ago, on the day my father was meant to defend his title from Strong Ishijima, his challenger, an explosion destroyed a portion of the stadium. No one knows what caused the explosion, except for the fact that several people were killed.

…including my father.

To this day, I still wonder why my father had to die along with so many people, as well as why that explosion occurred in the first place.

But, more than that, I want to show my father that I haven't given up hope.

One day, I will bring smiles to everyone. One day, I'll give everyone a performance that they'll never forget!

And today, I take the first step towards that goal!

(Paradise City - Stadium Entrance)

After ten minutes of sprinting for dear life, Yuya had finally reached his destination. He skidded to a stop, heels digging into the ground before halting completely. He gasped for air, head raised to the sky. 'My lungs are burning! Holy crap! I thought I built up endurance for Action Duels, but I feel like I just ran in the Olympics!'

"You're late, Yuya!"

Yuya coughed blood as a heavy weight slammed atop his head. A paper fan struck him, but the blow felt like an anvil. Looking up, he found a girl standing in front of him, bearing dark pink hair done in pig-tails with a few strands of her hair being a much lighter shade. She had large, bright blue eyes. Her attire was a simple sleeveless shirt – white in the center with pale blue next to it. Completing the look was a red skirt with knee-high black socks and pink loafers.

"H-Hi, Yuzu..." Yuya greeted his childhood friend lamely, only to wilt beneath her imposing glare.

"Don't Hi me! Do you realize what time it is!" Yuzu Hiiragi growled. "It's almost time for the first match! You were supposed to get here ten minutes earlier so we could go over your deck!"

"I-I'm sorry! I overslept! I just felt so excited since I get to star in the first match and-"

"No. Excuses." Yuya gulped, now realizing he was in the dog house. Whenever Yuzu got this angry, it never ended well for the person involved. On a scale from one to ten, she exceeded the scale and was ready to go to war! "Honestly...!"

Yuya shut his eyes and waited for the next blow to come, followed by the barrage of blows that would surely leave behind scars. But nothing came. After a minute, Yuya slowly opened his eyes and found Yuzu shaking her head in exasperation, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Y-Yuzu...?" What sort of oddity was this? Was her still asleep?

"Still, I guess I can't fault you for oversleeping or getting excited." Yuzu muttered before she looked back at him, folding her arms. "Did you at least prepare your deck?" He nodded strongly and proudly produced it before her. It was the first thing he did when he woke up, besides scrambling to take a shower and toss on some clothes. Seeing this, she smiled. "Well, if you can take on your opponent for this round, then I guess you're all set. Just remember not to embarrass yourself out there!"

Embarrass himself? What was she talking about? Yuya Sakaki always embarrasses himself! It was part of his charm! It was how he dueled! Thinking that, Yuya sported a fearless grin. Realizing she was wasting her breath, Yuzu shook her head again, but smiled back. The two then entered the stadium together.

(Paradise City - Arena)

After Yuya was directed towards the waiting area, the tournament finally began in earnest, signalling its beginning with a bang. Quite literally, in fact, as fireworks were launched into the air, exploding into giant colorful puffs of smoke. Immediately, the crowd began to cheer once the Master of Ceremonies this year took to the stage, standing in the middle of the platform where the duels would take place.

"Welcome, citizens of Paradise City and everyone who traveled across the globe, spectator and duelist alike!" the Master of Ceremony exclaimed loudly with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, dressed in a pinstripe suit that was quite loud, even by a comedian's standard, colored yellow and orange with a polka-dot bowtie tied around the collar of his shirt, black hair slicked back with a thin square-shaped mustache atop his upper lip. "I am your host, Nico Smiley, and welcome, all of you...to the Paradise Grand Cup!"

Another set of cheers exploded.

"This is the tenth tournament we've held in our proud history, and it is a great honor to be presenting to you the duels that will take place! Today, Paradise City's Duel Schools offer us their best! They will clash with each other, battling in grand fashion alongside their monsters, all for one purpose! To win fame, wealth and glory! But, is monetary value and a trophy enough for a duelist?!" The loud rejection of the crowd was his answer. Nico smirked. "Of course not! What duelists crave more than anything...is a chance at true victory! To beat the very best! With that in mind, please direct your attention to below the megamonitor!"

At Nico's suggestion, everyone turned and looked below the giant screen. There stood a throne, with stairs leading down to the floor of the arena. There, on the throne, was a towering man clad in leather, his face painted up like a kabuki. He would have looked like a clown, were it not for the cold-eyes he bore as he stared down any and all future opponents, shoulders broad and body built like a wrestler.

"Whoever surpasses their opponents and remains as the last duelist standing has the choice of walking away with a trophy..." Nico adjusted his glasses. "...or take on the reigning Paradise City Champion, Gourou "Strong" Ishijima!" The crowd released another excited round of cheers. Everyone knew what they wanted to see: exciting duels and duelists being pushed to their limits. Whether someone walked away with a trophy and garnered prestige or challenged the reigning champion, everyone knew that they were going to see something amazing. "With that in mind, let's get this party started and begin the fesitivities with the first round of the Paradise Grand Cup!"

The lights in the stadium dimmed, showing that the match was about to begin. Spotlights lit up one of the entrances into the arena. "Here is one of our two opening performers! He's tall and tough, and he's sporting a haircut that'd make the King of Rock jealous! A proud student of the Gongenzaka Steadfast dueling style, put your hands together for Noboru Gongenzaka, proud heir of the Gongenzaka dojo!"

Appearing through the entrance was a young man bearing a huge frame, easily equivalent in height to some adults despite being in his teenage years. While he has a fairly round face, he had a stockily built and rather muscular. He had a black hair styled into a large pompadour, restrained by a red band, and his nose somewhat redder than the rest of his face. There was a constant blush on his cheeks. He wore a red and gold vest over a buttoned white coat that had a golden trim, as well as white pants.

At his appearance, many people in the crowd recognized him almost immediately. While Gongenzaka was not an amateur in the pro scene, the dueling style of the Gongenzaka Dojo was well-known. Many people had witnessed his "Steadfast" dueling before, and had participated enough for many to become quick fan of his. The students of the dojo were also among the attendees, all dressed in dark brown giis and looking on warily. In particular, a wrinkled man with long frost-white hair was watching in anticipating, wondering who Gongenzaka would be facing.

"As for his opponent, who better to help kick off the beginning of the tournament than the son of a master showman?! He's been honing his chops for his day, and no doubt we'll be given the pleasure to see his masterful acrobatics in action! Please welcome the star of You Show Duel School, Yuya Sakaki!"

The spotlights fell on the entrance. Not long afterwards, Yuya emerged, a confidant smile plastered across his face and his eyes focused.

'Hoooly crap, this is nerve wracking. I can barely keep my hands from shaking!' Yuya cried internally. He put on his best poker face as he walked forward, reciprocating the loud deafening cheers around him with a smile and a wave. All the while, he kept his hands balled to stop the shaking. Compared to the previous important matches he participated in to qualify, the number of people in attendance boggled his mind. He felt terrified. 'Sheesh, and dad faced down this many people like it was nothing! The road to being a pro is a long and dangerous one indeed. Still, to think my first opponent would be Gon...'

He and Gongenzaka had been friends since they were children. At first, it was a child-like rivalry, both boys being the heirs to their respective duel schools. But, over time, they grew fond of each other's company to the point where Gongenzaka would spend his time at You Show, and Yuya would come to visit him at the Gongenzaka Dojo. After Yusho's unexpected passing, however, Gongenzaka had dropped any and all pretenses of being a rival and became one of his major pillars of support alongside Yuzu. Before long, the three of them had become inseparable.

In a way, this brought forth a wave of nostalgia. How long had it been since he and Gongenzaka played Duel Monsters seriously? Not as friends, but as rivals?

The thought made Yuya tremble. Not in fear, but in excitement. Soon, his anxiety facing the crowd vanished. In fact, as he approached Gongenzaka in the middle of the arena, he found his hands becoming unfurled. It was just these two young boys, ready to duel one another and prove which one was better.

"It's been a long time since the two of us dueled like this." Gongenzaka said, his deep voice matching his burly appearance. "I, the man Gongenzaka, didn't expect to face you in the first round." His eyes turned steely as he raised his arm up, revealing the Duel Disk strapped to his wrist. "However, simply because you are my dearest friend does not mean I have any intention of holding back!"

Yuya smirked. "Funny. I was gonna say the same thing to you, Gon!" He raised his own Duel Disk, his deck already removed from his holster. "Let's get this party started!"

"It seems both duelists are ready and roaring to go!" Nico saw the two with their Duel Disks already primed and ready. He wasn't about to let them or the crowd wait any longer. It was finally time to begin the festivities in earnest! "Start up the Solid Vision System and set up that Action Field, techies! The opening match of the Paradise Grand Cup is about to begin!"

The arena floor was engulfed in light. Concrete and metal were replaced by a shimmering light that swallowed the whole area, making it look as if the two were about to duke it out atop a field of bright light. However, the light began to extend and take on a new shape. Yuya and Gongenzaka stood atop a wooden bridge, their surroundings looking radically different. It looked like they were going to duel in a recreation of feudal Japan, with large wooden gates surrounding traditional-styled buildings. Trees with vibrant pink sakura petals lined the paths leading up to the bridge.

"For a fresh reminder for our regular guests, and a brief explanation to those who are seeing an Action Duel for the first time, let's give you all the rundown!" Nico explained. "Action Duels differ from Master Duels by way of a Field Spell! Together with the Solid Vision System, this turns the extroardinary scenery you see before you into an actual battleground, taking dueling to new realistic heights! Furthermore, there are special cards scattered about the field that can be activated at any time during a player's turn! These Action Card can help turn the tide, but be careful! If you aren't lucky, you'll find yourself suffering from the effect of an Action Trap, which activates the second you pick it up!"

The Master of Ceremony raised his hand high up into the air. "But enough with the explanations! Let's have these fine young men demonstrate it to you! Let the show begin! ACTION-!"

"-DUEL! ! !"

PARADISE GRAND CUP: Round 1

Participants: Yuya Sakaki & Noboru Gongenzaka

LP 4000

"I'll start the show!" Yuya exclaimed. "And to kick off my performance, I activate the Magic Card Double Summon, which lets me do two Normal Summons instead of one! Everyone, please welcome the first of our wonderful performers, Entermate Corn (LIGHT/Level 3/Beast-Warrior/Effect/ATK600/DEF1000) and Entermate Changeraffe (EARTH/Level 1/Beast/Effect/ATK100/DEF500)!" Two dazzling lights appeared before Yuya, taking on a solid shape. To his left was a feminine figure with light-blue hair clad in a tight suit with a horn in the middle of her forehead, and to his right was a giraffe with a star-shaped tattoo below its eye and a hoop lined with spheres around its neck. "Once per turn, when Entermate Corn is Normal or Special Summoned during my Main Phase, I switch her and another "Entermate" monster with 1000 ATK or lower on my field to Defense Position, then add an "Odd-Eyes" monster from my deck to my hand!"

Gongenzaka furrowed his brow. "I see... Are you bringing out your ace monster already?"

Yuya chuckled and winked. "Oh, hardly. My partner's debut is reserved for when you start our second act, so for now, let's continue with our opening performance! Changeraffe!" The monster gave a nod and let him hop on top of it as it sped off the bridge, leaping up to one of the walls. "Since I summoned an "Entermate" monster, I summon Entermate Helpprincess (DARK/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK1200/DEF1200) from my hand in Defense Position!" A girl clad in a purple dress appeared beside Yuya, wielding a staff with a large gloved hand atop it. "I set a card face-down and end my turn!"

After having completed his move, Yuya and his monster disappeared behind the wall of wood and stone. Despite knowing that Yuya was going after an Action Card, Gongenzaka did not move an inch from his position and instead remained firmly planted where he stood, bracing himself for any unknown situation that would come his way.

"Yuya-chan's set up an impressive line-up of defense and is already searching for an Action Card, but his opponent hasn't moved at all!" Nico commentated. "While this might seem like a disastrous choice, the Steadfast Dueling style of the Gongenzaka Dojo teaches its students to remain stationary at all times, all the while bracing and facing the attacks of their opponents head-on! In other words, like a steel wall! Now, how will Noboru-kun respond?!"

Gongenzaka let out a grunt. "It is my turn! Draw!" The large man tore a card out from the top of his deck, creating a powerful gale of wind from how strongly he drew the card. As a result, he kicked several sakura petals into the air, drawing a few "aahs" from the crowd. "I summon Superheavy Samurai Kagebo-C (EARTH/Level 3/Machine/Effect/ATK500/DEF1000)!" Appearing at Gongenzaka's side was a purple machine, tubes protruding out from its many joints while a steel basket sat atop its head. "However, Kagebo-C shall not be staying! Instead, I activate its effect and tribute it to summon Superheavy Samurai Big Ben-K (EARTH/Level 8/Machine/Effect/ATK1000/DEF3500) from my hand in Defense Position!" A light swallowed the purple machine whole. In its place stood a towering monster, clad in orange-plated armor while wielding a two-pronged spear in hand.

In the middle of his searching, Yuya smiled in appraisal. 'He already brought out one of his strongest monsters. Heh, Gon's not holding back. But that's what I was expecting!'

"As he is now, Big Ben-K is not yet prepared to engage you in battle, Yuya." Gongenzaka said. "Therefore, I will give him the necessary equipment! I activate the effects of Superheavy Samurai Soul Great Wall (EARTH/Level 3/Machine/Effect/ATK1200/DEF1200), Soul Iwatooshi (EARTH/Level 4/Machine/Effect/ATK1200/DEF0) and Soul Shine Claw (EARTH/Level 2/Machine/Effect/ATK500/DEF500)! All three can be equipped to a "Superheavy Samurai" monster on my field from my hand, and each armament offers Big Ben-K greater strength! Soul Great Wall raises Big Ben-K's DEF by 1200 (DEF3500~4700), Soul Iwatooshi allows Big Ben-K to inflict piercing damage and Soul Shine Claw raises Big Ben-K's ATK and DEF by 500 (ATK1000~1500/DEF4700~5200)! Furthermore, so long as Soul Shine Claw is equipped to Big Ben-K, it cannot be destroyed by battle!"

"Noboru-kun's raises his monster's power by a great amount and looks ready to engage Yuya-chan!" Nico chuckled. "And his Superheavy Samurai band of warriors is no joke, either, since these mechanical samurai can attack, even while they're defending! Better yet, their DEF becomes their ATK instead!"

Gongenzaka threw a fist forward. "Prepare yourself, Yuya! Big Ben-K! Destroy his Entermate Helpprincess!"

At that moment, Yuya emerged, still riding atop his Changeraffe and leaping over the wall and landing back into the roads. "Bringing out one of your aces and beefing it up like that...I gotta say, you sure know how to start the second act, Gon!" Yuya praised his friend. "But you'll have to wait a while longer! I activate the Action Magic Evasion and negate Big Ben-K's attack!"

The mechanical warrior thrusted his spear forward, intending to run the staff-wielding monster through. However, it nimbly dodged out of the way and used its head as a springboard, returning to Yuya's side and eliciting a few laughs from the crowd as Big Ben-K rubbed its head, wondering what just happened. Gongenzaka grunted. "Impressive. In that case, I shall end my turn!"

Yuya's Changeraffe skidded to a stop, letting him hop off. "Alright, it's my turn! Draw!" The red-eyed teen gave a large grin as he spread his arms wide. "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time to introduce the star of the show! I release Entermate Helpprincess and Entermate Corn and bring out my beloved partner!" At this, the two aforementioned monsters dispersed into light and joined together, allowing for a new monster to appear. "Dragon of the lustrous dichromatic eyes of mystery! Appear! Odd-Eyes Dragon (DARK/Level 7/Dragon/Effect/ATK2500/DEF2000)!" Emerging from the light was a dragon, clad in red scales with two orbs in its chest, its eyes bearing different colors; one blue and the other red.

"There it is! Odd-Eyes Dragon!" a spectator in the crowd gushed. "That card packs a hell of a punch!"

"It's only the second turn, and already I'm getting goosebumps!"

"Go! Gongenzaka! Sakaki!"

Yuya smiled widely. "Looks like we've got the crowd hyped up." he noted. "But my dragon can't take on Big Ben-K just yet, so let's see if we can't do a little sabotage? I activate the Magic Card Entermate Cup Switch! By tributing an "Entermate" monster on my field, I can make one of your monster's ATK and DEF become the same as the monster I tributed! I tribute Entermate Changeraffe and make Big Ben-K's ATK and DEF become the same as Changeraffe's (ATK1500~100/DEF5200~500) until the end of this turn!" The giraffe let out a whine as its body became a spear of light, slamming into Big Ben-K and forcing it down to its knee in the process. Seeing this, Gongenzaka furrowed his brow. "Here comes the fun part! Odd-Eyes, attack Superheavy Samurai Big Ben-K! Since your Soul Shine Claw won't let me destroy your monster, I'll settle for some big damage instead and activate the Action Magic Battering Ram! With this, Odd-Eyes Dragon inflicts piercing damage!"

"What? You had two Action Cards?! When could you have-" Gongenzaka's eyes widened. "I see... You grabbed the first Action Card during your turn and grabbed the second while you were hidden from my sight while it was my turn. Impressive, Yuya! However, do you think that will be enough to take me down?!"

Yuya grinned. "Of course not! But I'm definitely sure it'll put a dent in your armor! Let'r'rip Odd-Eyes! Spiral Strike Burst!" The dragon let out a screech as it grounded its feet further into the ground before it opened its maw, red-and-black energy seeping out from within its mouth before setting the energy loose on the downed Big Ben-K, who raised Soul Shine Claw in defense. The ensuing clash forced the mechanical samurai to skid back, but was otherwise unscathed. The same could be said for Gongenzaka, who remained firmly where he was, albeit slightly covered in tears from being in the center of the blast.

Noboru Gongenzaka - LP 4000 ~ 2000

"I end my turn with that! Changeraffe's effect also ends, so Big Ben-Ks ATK and DEF are returned to normal (ATK100~1500/DEF500~5200)"

"And Yuya-chan scores first blood by wiping out half of Noboru-kun's Life Points! That burly samurai should consider himself lucky for Soul Shine Claw's effect, because if Yuya-chan's Odd-Eyes Dragon destroys a monster and sends it to the Graveyard, his opponent takes their monster's ATK as effect damage!"

Gongenzaka brushed off the bits of demolished wood and dirt from his person. "A splendid first attack... But it won't be enough to take me down, Yuya! My turn! Draw!" With another powerful draw, Gongenzaka kicked up another powerful gust of wind. Yuya's eyes twinkled when he saw an Action Card flutter into the air and immediately hopped on top of Odd-Eyes Dragon, the two quickly moving to grab it. "I summon Superheavy Samurai Sword-999 (EARTH/Level 3/Machine/Effect/ATK1000/DEF1800)!" A black-and-red machine appeared beside Gongenzaka's massive monster, wielding a naginata. "Then I equip Big Ben-K with the card I drew, Superheavy Samurai Soul Double Horn (EARTH/Level 1/Machine/Effect/ATK0/DEF300)! While Soul Double Horn is equipped to Big Ben-K, it can make a second attack!"

Yuya's eyes widened at that. "Wait, what?!"

"Big Ben-K! Destroy Odd-Eyes Dragon!"

"Oh no you don't! It's way too early for our star performer to bow out! I activate the Trap Card Entermate Ad-Lib! When you attack an "Entermate" or "Odd-Eyes" monster on my field with a Level lower than your attacking monster, I can an "Entermate" Magic Card, Hippo Carnival or Super Hippo Carnival from my deck! I activate Hippo Carnival!" Yuya had just grabbed the action card that had fallen atop the torii gate when three colored hippos appeared in front of him, all dressed like belly dancers and moving in provocative motions. "Hippo Carnival summons three Hippo Tokens (EARTH/Level 1/Beast/Token/ATK0/DEF0)! While these tokens are on my field, you can't attack any of my monsters!"

Gongenzaka grunted. "Then I will simply destroy your tokens! I trust you haven't forgotten about the effect of Soul Shine Claw?! Big Ben-K! Destroy his Hippo Token!" With a low mechanical whirl, the large machine lunged forward, raising its spear. "I believe the correct term for this is, it's curtains for you, Yuya!"

"Oh, no!" Nico cried. "Noboru-kun's going in for the kill! If even one of those attacks lands, Yuya-chan's Life Points will be wiped out! Can he escape that samurai's assault?!"

The boy smiled. "But of course! With my Action Magic Shrink Ray!" The card in his hand glowed before it sent a beam of light straight at Gongenzaka's monster, causing it to become much smaller than its actual size. "This halves the ATK and DEF of one monster on the field (ATK1500~750/DEF5200~2600)!" The spear struck Yuya's monster dead on and destroyed it in an instant. Yuya himself nearly fell off of Odd-Eyes, but remained firmly seated on his dragon.

Yuya Sakaki - LP 4000 ~ 1400

'If that hits me again, forget reaching the finals!' Yuya internally panicked while keeping a brave face on as Odd-Eyes bounced into movement and searched for another Action Card. 'I'll lose before I've even started!'

"Even with Shrink Ray's effect still in play, the second blow will be more than enough to end this!" Gongenzaka declared and aimed a finger at his friend. "Finish this, Big Ben-K!"

Odd-Eyes lashed its tail and bounced up to another wall encircling a house. Yuya's eyes sparkled as he jumped off of his partner's back and onto the house's roof. "And yoink~! I activate the Action Magic Choice of Miracle and use the second effect, halving the battle damage!"

The second Hippo Token was destroyed, though thankfully Yuya was nowhere near the center of the destruction and wasn't affected by the resulting blow.

Yuya Sakaki - LP 1400 ~ 100

"How teeth-clenching! Yuya-chan was on the ropes, but just managed to save himself in time with a few Action Cards! As I've said before, these babies can come in handy when in a pinch, but at the end of the day, it all comes down to luck!" Nico reminded the audience. "Still, talk about the skin of your teeth! Yuya-chan has barely any Life Points left! Is it even possible for him to turn this whole thing around?!"

'I have no doubt about that.' Gongenzaka thought resolutely. 'I can see it in Yuya's eyes... The fire in them hasn't faded in the least.' He smiled at that. That was good. It would be a shame for his friend to lose his competitive spirit, especially so early on. This tournament was a chance for him to fulfill his dream of becoming an Entertainment Duelist like his father. And more importantly, a chance to finish what his father had started so many years ago. That said, he wasn't about to let Yuya win so easily. He needed to push his friend to the limit, so he could become stronger. "Superheavy Samurai Sword-999! Finish off the last Hippo Token!" The monster obeyed his command and cut down the final token before returning to his side. "I end my Turn with this!"

(Paradise City - Stadium Stands)

Meanwhile, in the audience section, a group of children looked on with nervousness and anxiety. "I hope Yuya-onii-chan will be okay..." a small red-haired girl said pitifully. "Gon-chan isn't holding back at all."

"Yeah..." a blue-haired boy nodded in agreement. "But, that's to be expected. Gon-chan's never really held back against Yuya-onii-chan. He's always wanted to push him to do his best, and there's a lot riding on this."

"Still, though... Hey, Futoshi-kun. Who do you think will win?"

The pudgy boy, Futoshi, shook his head. "I can't tell." he confessed to the other two before looking over his shoulder. Behind them and watching over them was a beautiful young woman with blonde hair, wearing a soft green shirt with jeans. "Sakaki-san, do you think Yuya-onii-chan will win?"

Yoko Sakaki smiled. "I don't have any doubt." she told them, surprising the children. "Take a look at Yuya's face." They did as she suggested. To their surprise, the boy was still smiling fearlessly. "Whenever that boy grins like that, he has a trick up his sleeve. He got that from his father, wouldn't you know it. He may act like a clown at times, but that kid's smarter than people give him credit for. Just when you think he's down and out, he'll pull of an amazing comeback."

'Just another thing he got from Yusho.' Yoko recalled fondly. 'Now, let's see what kind of trick you can come up with to save your hide, kiddo...'

(Paradise City - Arena)

"Looks like it's my turn again, huh?" Yuya chuckled. "Alright! Draw!" He looked at the card in his hand, and his eyes widened before his smile grew in size. 'This is...! Alright, if I play my cards right, then that big metal lug is gonna go down fast and hard!'

His heart swelled. He could faintly hear a dragon's cry echo in the back of his mind. He already knew what the source was and grinned, promising it would have its chance very soon. But first things first, he needed to set the stage! "Ladies and gentlemen, it's time for the grand finale!" Yuya declared, shocking the audience and Gongenzaka in the process.

Nico leaned forward. "O-ho! What a bold declaration! Just what in the world does Yuya-chan have in mind to settle this?!"

"Bold words, Yuya!" Gongenzaka called. "But do you have the means to back them up?!"

"You bet I do!" Yuya promised. "But first, some preparations are in order! I banish Entermate Corn and Changeraffe to activate Corn's effect and increase my Life Points by 500! Then, I activate the Spell Card Odd-Eyes Foreseight! I can only activate it if I have an "Odd-Eyes" monster on my field, and I just so happen to have my partner, the wonderful Odd-Eyes Dragon! Odd-Eyes Foresight has me pay 500 Life Points so I can add a new "Odd-Eyes" card to my hand." A card popped out from Yuya's deck. At that same time, Odd-Eyes Dragon's eyes began to glow.

The red-eyed duelist smirked. "I hope you're ready, Gongenzaka...because the fun has just begun! I tribute Odd-Eyes Dragon to bring his older brother, who's just as tough as he is!" Gongenzaka's eyes widened at this, having never heard of Yuya possessing such a card before. Odd-Eyes Dragon released an earth-shaking roar before its body was engulfed in dazzling blue-and-green light. When it faded, a towering dragon stood behind Yuya, clad in red scales with a long lashing tail and large wings with golden talons atop its claws, curved tusks on either side of its fangs. "Elder dragon of the lustrous and mysterious dichromatic eyes, descend and lay waste to all you see! Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon (DARK/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK3000/DEF2500)!"

The crowd roared in excitement. Many of Yuya's fans, having seen him duel previously, had never seen him with this monster before. Their excitement grew when Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon released a powerful cry as it announced its arrival. "Kuh...! To think you have a beast like this in your arsenal." Gongenzaka sweated profusely. "It seems you have improved since the last time we dueled..."

"Of course I have!" Yuya nodded strongly. "I have something to prove here! And together with my monsters, we're going straight to the top! Now, let's bring down the curtain! First, I activate Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon's effect! When it's Tribute Summoned, I can destroy a monster on your field and inflict damage to you, equal to that monster's original ATK! Naturally, I choose Big Ben-K! Spiral Burst Flare!" Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon's eyes glowed before it shot out a burning blast of red energy from its mouth, sending it straight at Gongenzaka's monster and obliterating it faster than anyone could see.

Gongenzaka, being near the center of the blast, found himself being forced back. Not willing to retreat, he grounded his feet into the floor below him, tearing up the wooden planks of the bridge in the process to slow his retreat. When he stopped, he lowered his arms and grimaced. "Since Soul Iwatooshi was equipped to Big Ben-K, and therefore sent to the Graveyard, I add a "Superheavy Samurai" card to my hand from my deck."

Noboru Gongenzaka - LP 2000 ~ 1000

"And now, the main event!" Yuya jumped back over to the wall, then back down to ground level while Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon set its sights on Gongenzaka's remaining monster. "Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon, send his Superheavy Samurai Sword-999 to the scrap heap!" Its eyes glowed before it opened its maw again, ready to release another blast while Yuya looked around for an Action Card.

Gongenzaka, however, wasn't about to let Yuya win so easily. "I think not! By sending the Superheavy Samurai Soulbuster Gauntlet (EARTH/Level 1/Machine/Effect/ATK0/DEF400) and double the original DEF of the monster being targeted for battle (DEF1800~3600)!" A multi-colored barrier was erected before his monster, defending it from the incoming blast. Before Gongenzaka could challenge Yuya to try and overcome this hurdle, he saw him charging straight at him, running in a full sprint. 'What in the-?! He's coming straight at me?!' Unsure what he was plotting, he readied himself for an attack.

Instead of attacking him, Yuya instead jumped up and used his head as a springboard. "What in the-Yuya!"

"Gotcha!" Yuya cheered, a cheeky a grin plastered across his face as he latched on to the arch of a particularly large gate before swinging himself up and grabbing the Action Card lying right on top of it. "I activate the Action Magic Encore! I either destroy it or activate an Action Magic in my Graveyard! And I'm choosing Shrink Ray to reduce Sword-999's ATK and DEF (ATK1000~500/DEF3600~1800)!"

The barrier shattered. Gongenzaka's monster was reduced to pieces in seconds. The man furrowed his brow. "So, this is..."

"Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon's effect!" Yuya called out. "When it destroys a monster by battle, I can summon a monster whose Level is 5 or higher from my Graveyard! Welcome back, Odd-Eyes Dragon!" The larger dragon let out a cry, beckoning its sibling back to the field. As it stood proudly beside its fellow dragon, Yuya smiled at Gongenzaka, who in turn smiled back. "You know what's coming, right? Odd-Eyes Dragon! Attack Gongenzaka directly with Spiral Strike Burst!"

A stream of crimson red flame poured out from its mouth. Gongenzaka stood his ground and raised his arms, meeting the blow head-on and coming out with a few scorch marks to his uniform.

Noboru Gongenzaka - LP 1000 ~ 0

Round 1, Over

WINNER: Yuya Sakaki

The Action Field dissipated and faded into golden light, reverting the scene back to the standard arena the two duelists met on. The crowd cheered wildly in excitement, having enjoyed the duel regardless of who won. Many fans had found Yuya Sakaki's clever tactic to be quite impressive, especially seeing as how he had first started out when he began to duel professionally. Others praised Noboru Gongenzaka for his stalwart defenses and defensive plays. The Gongenzaka dojo, while disappointed with the loss of their representative, was nonetheless proud that Gongenzaka had held his ground well against his opponent, especially since it was his friend he was dueling out there. His father in particular felt proud that he was giving it his all, all the while trying to push Yuya Sakaki to duel even better.

Futoshi, Tatsuya and Ayu, the three children who had been watching the duel unfold, cheered loudly at Yuya's victory, happy that he had won. They would have run down to the arena to go congratulate him, but spectactors weren't allowed to enter the arena, so they instead settled by screaming his name as loud as they could. Yoko merely smiled, proud to see how far Yuya had come.

Not too long ago, he was a bumbling kid who was struggling to win matches. The death of his father was still weighing on him, and he was doing his very best to try and become a duelist on par with Yusho. It was a daunting task, but Yoko wouldn't discourage him. Instead, she offered him her full support and always told him to give it his very best. It was the duty of any parent, after all, to watch over their children's progress. And it was showing. With each passing day, Yuya was steadily, but surely, becoming even stronger.

'But...' Yoko frowned slightly. 'When will he overcome that one flaw in his dueling...?'

"Not bad, Yuya..." Gongenzaka wiped off the dirt and bits of soot from his clothes before he approached Yuya, offering his red-eyed friend a small smile. "I, the manly Gongenzaka, haven't felt such passion from you in a long while. You've become stronger than before!"

"Glad to hear you say so, Gon!" Yuya rubbed the back of his head bashfully, cheeks rosy red. "You don't make it easy for me, though. You've gotten a lot tougher since we last dueled. Or...wait, have you been holding out on me man?!"

"Of course not! I, the manly Gongenzaka, would never hold back!"

As the two exchanged praises with one another, Nico Smiley continued on with his own commentary. "What an amazing turnabout! With barely any Life Points to spare, Yuya Sakaki-chan has won the first round of the Paradise Grand Cup! Now that's what I'd like to call an opening move!" He turned to Strong Ishijima, who stared at Yuya intensely. "What did you think about this duel, Ishijima-san?!"

"...it was impressive." Ishijima replied stoically. "The Gongenzaka representative displayed a magnificent defensive play while maintaining a strong offense. There aren't very many who can use the Superheavy Samurai archetype to such an impressive degree. Yuya Sakaki was no slouch himself, either. He never once let up the pressure and continued to push back. However, if I were to offer any criticism, it would be that Yuya Sakaki relies too heavily on Action Cards. While it is true that they can help turn the tide of battle, his playstyle is too reliant. As for Noboru Gongenzaka, while his Steadfast Dueling is impressive, even the most solid defense has a weakness."

He paused, then chuckled. "That, and if I must confess, I am disappointed. I was hoping to see Yuya Sakaki summon his strongest monster, but it seems I will have to wait just a bit longer."

'That is, assuming you survive long enough to reach me.' Ishijima added in his thoughts. Yuya finished speaking with Gongenzaka and turned to leave the Arena, only to stop and see Ishijima looking at him. The two locked eyes and glared at each other. 'Though I doubt you can reach me. So long as you duel the way you do now, you will never defeat me, much less reach the heights of Yusho Sakaki.'

'I swear...' Yuya raised a hand towards Ishijima and clenched it into a fist. 'I will win the right to duel you, Ishijima! And when I do, I'll know for certain if I've reached the same level as my father!'

Unbeknownst to Yuya, however, a soft blue light began to glow beneath his shirt before it faded, just as quickly as it had appeared.

(Unknown Location)

Slowly, a pair of golden eyes opened and stared up at the starry sky above them. "So...the pendulum has finally begun to swing..."

PREVIEW!

The Paradise Grand Cup has begun, and the first round is well underway! Representatives of Duel Schools from all around the world have come to participate, but only one will have the right to challenge the reigning Paradise City Champion!

The second duel has already begun! A confidant young man walks to the stage, unaware that he is about to face an incarnate of violence!

Next Time: The Magnificence of Shingo Sawatari! The Monarch versus the Fire Fist!

Yuya: Let's go, everyone! It's time to swing into action!

Entermate Cup Switch / Spell / Normal / Tribute 1 "Entermate" monster you control to target 1 monster your opponent controls; That target's ATK and DEF become equal to the respective ATK and DEF of the "Entermate" monster tributed for this effect until the end of this turn.

Odd-Eyes Foresight / Spell / Normal / Activate only if you control an "Odd-Eyes" monster: Pay 500 LP; Add 1 "Odd-Eyes" card (except "Odd-Eyes Foresight") from your deck or GY to your hand. You can only activate this effect of "Odd-Eyes Foresight" once per turn.

Battering Ram / Spell / Action / Target 1 monster: That monster can inflict piercing damage this turn.

Shrink Ray / Spell / Action / Halve the ATK and DEF of 1 monster on the field until the end of this turn.

Performapal Ad-Lib / Trap / Counter / If your opponent declares an attack against a "Performapal" or "Odd-Eyes" monster you control whose Level is lower than the attacking monster; You can activate 1 "Performapal" Spell Card, "Hippo Carnival", or "Super Hippo Carnival" from your deck.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Special thanks go to Donjusticia and Starlight's Poet. The former for their contribution to this duel, plus card creation. I only created up to the first turn. Starlight's Poet, however, has little involvement in this story outside of some creative aspects.

Speaking of, Donjusticia and I are working on a special project. I can't say what it is or when we can show it to you, but I hope you will all enjoy it!

As for this story, as you can see, it is an alternate retelling of the events of Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V, albeit with my own unique twist. First and foremost is that Yuya is a bit smarter and more confidant, and that he gets to show off his pre-Pendulum dueling skills a bit more before going up against Strong Ishijima. I should also mention that this story will be a fusion between the story of the anime and the manga.

Yuya's deck is also slightly different here as well, as both before and after he receives Pendulum, he has a few cards that aren't of the Entermate archetype. Ishijima gives a hint to this, but nothing concrete as of yet.

Just a heads up, but I will have to return to work very soon, so my time on fanfiction will be limited. Especially since school resumed for me not too long ago. So please don't panic if I don't update for long periods of time. Also, please don't selfishly make requests and demand I update certain stories. I am a human being, not a robot.