Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's - The Neo-Domino Purge

Path Two. Originally an RPG after the airing of Episode 6. With the Signers united, dark counterparts are also gathering, plotting to escalate the ongoing war by overthrowing the living world with Earthbound Gods sealed for 5000 years. Yusei and the Signers have yet to face their demons and stand united against the enemy. Contains violence, language, character death.

From a deck of cards, five rise up, lining up underneath a banner with the symbols to spell out "Card of the Week". Rua and Ruka spring up with raised fists, landing on their tiny feet and shift their weight from one to the other, arms rigid and stretched out to the side. Together they chime.

"What will it be? What will it be?" Together they twirl from the five cards, opening an arm to the selected. "This is what we have for this week".

The five cards turn over revealing Dark Sprocketer, Generation Gap, Corrupt King Maou, Soul Bounce and Pleasantries of the Court. The central card - Corrupt King Maou - is enlarged to signify its status as the Key Card. Rua and Ruka gaze at it with astonishment.

"Ah, looks scary," Rua yelps. "It can take control of an opponent's monster".

"The monster taken can't attack, but half of its attack power gets added to this card," Ruka states. "And it can take another monster with each turn".

-Neo-Domino: Tops-

The air in the luxurious apartment at the peak of the Tops tower was thick with tension radiating from Rua, who watched Jeager hatefully. The clown-faced Vice-Director brushed off the look with an amused smirk; the boy's rage only fed any Birthmark within him, pushing him closer to unveiling the truth had the Crimson Dragon bestowed him with the same power as his sister. Jeager pulled a card from his hand, keeping his attention on the boy.

"If you're willing to fight with everything on the line, then let's just see how you do when that's the case," he chuckled. "I summon Jester Confit [ATK 0]".

A portal opened in front of Jeager, spitting a white and red-striped ball through. Atop the sphere, a wide clown clothed in purple and black balanced itself on top, its large hat matching the rest of its attire. On its hands were white gloves, its feet curled shoes of black and yellow rings around the ends of its sleeves and collar. A white face grinned inanely, sporting a purple nose and red make-up encircling the eyes and lips. Rua eyed the monster with disgust, seeing it as little more than another jab at his resolve; the man was taunting him, treating him like a child.

"With another monster on the field, Jester Lord's attack is reduced to nothing," Jeager stated collectedly. "A shame really, but I'll end my turn there".

'Why would he do that?' Rua wondered. 'He had a strong monsters on the field and completely surrendered its power. He's messing with me; that has to be it'.

"I believe it's you turn now, boy," Jeager said, opening his hand towards his opponent.

"You won't be so cocky when I tear your field apart and get Ruka back," Rua snapped, tearing the top card of his deck out. "It's my turn!"

FOURTH TURN – RUA

Rua brought the card back into his field of vision, eyes shifting briefly towards it and then back to the battlefield with a fierce glimmer. Jeager chuckled and arched his back whilst pressing down on a key glowing from the ring of his Duel Disk, resulting in the face-down card in front of him shooting up.

"I activate Late Penalty," he announced. "Because you've no monsters and I have two Level 2 or lower monsters, the Battle Phase of this turn is skipped".

"Tsk, so that's why he was willing to weaken Jester Lord," Rua growled. "I summon Deformer Mobaphon [ATK 100]"

An enlarged yellow mobile spun from nowhere, the upper half made mostly of the screen splitting in two and folded into inactive wings behind the transforming lower half. The device grew arms, legs and a small head, six keys making the front of its chest, though showing few other features of its original form.

"Mobaphon's monster effect," Rua barked. The keys around the yellow machine's chest began to glow in a randomised order, flickering to life and settling in less than a second each. "It's the equivalent to rolling a die; whatever number comes up is the number of cards I can draw. If there's a Deformer amongst those cards, I can Special Summon it".

Jeager showed no sign for concern; his Trap prevented attacks for the turn, his monsters were safe regardless of how many Deformers the boy collected. The flashing lights slowed in pace, stretching out how long it appeared on each key until coming to a complete stop underneath the 3.

"Right," Rua uttered sharply.

His fingers touched the top card of the deck and with a flick, slipped it from the rest, repeating the draw twice in order to collect the three cards offered to him. His eyes scanned the ensemble, bypassing the Gadget Trailer he saw and pulling out another monsters.

"I summon Deformer Radion, [ATK 1000]" he called.

A rectangular radio appeared in the same spinning fashion as Mobaphon's default form. Arms and legs erupted from the curved edges, all made of the same grey as the radio's body, the legs connected by a thin waist. The plastic casing of the radio broke apart, leaving the elbows of the monster exposed. The olive green screen that survived flashed rhythmically while the head rotated, revealing itself in the form of the radio's dial, the antenna standing straight.

Jeager smirked at the appearance of the machine monsters, scoffing confidently opposite his opponent's rapidly growing field. "Toys won't win this duel" he commented. "It doesn't matter how many you gather while Traps like Late Penalty rule the field; it's impossible for you to attack".

"But I don't plan on attacking," Rua protested. "I'm just setting my field up in preparation for when I can. Deformer Radion's ability increases the attack points of every Deformer on the field by 800 - including itself".

Jeager lifted an eyebrow, observing the white glow surrounding the taller of the Deformers and its rigid body. A low moan came from the monster throughout the injection of power [ATK 1800]. Once the process was complete, a stream from the aura leapt from the origin to Mobaphon, causing the smaller creature to squeal excitedly from the burst of energy seeping into it [ATK 900].

"You can try to clear the field as many times as you like, but my Deformers will just keep coming back and helping one another," Rua growled. "Just like how I will help Ruka. Don't make any plans that involve keeping her; she belongs here".

Chapter 30 – Life in the Balance! The Two Guardians

[Baransu no Inochi! Futatsu no Hogosha]

KEY CARD – Corrupt King Maou

-Neo-Domino: Maintenance Public Security Bureau-

Kinomiya smirked at Jack, amused by his comparison between people and decks, masking his disappointment over the opportunity to end the duel quickly with a sense of entertainment from the analogy. Jack, on the other hand, remained as stoic as ever, shooting the profiler a sharp glare. His hand dropped to the deck, swiftly removing the top card.

"It's my turn," he barked.

FOURTH TURN – JACK

A smirk flashed across Jack's face, vanishing as quickly as it appeared. "I activate Card of Destruction; we both lose the cards in our hands and replace them with cards drawn from our decks".

Jack laid his Mad Demon and Big Piece Golem in the mouth of the Graveyard, the slot greedily sucking them up almost immediately. Following the first stage, he lifted two cards from his deck to replace the tossed cards, eyeing them closely. Kinomiya copied the procedure, locking his attention onto the blonde suspiciously. Jack removed a card from his hand and laid it onto the Duel Disk.

"I summon Dark Sprocketer, [ATK 400]" he barked.

A vortex opened quickly, releasing the spinning black monster laced with jagged steel rings, a tail of links resembling a chain hanging from the monster's narrow base. Blue eyes flashed, facing the battlefield ahead once the gyrating entrance slowed to a halt.

"A Tuner…" Kinomiya muttered coolly.

"Next I activate my face-down card: D. Tribe," Jack added, "This Trap converts all the monsters on my field to Dragon-Types".

"What?" the profiler exhaled sharply, lifting his eyebrows.

"Now everything I need is on the field," Jack growled. "I tune Dark Sprocketer with Vice Dragon and Battlefader".

The black and silver monster began to spin wildly once more, swinging its iron tail around, resulting in its growing size. The chain encircled the remaining monsters on Jack's field and tightened quickly, binding them against one another. The central ring began to glow green to represent the opening gate and brought out the combined six stars lurking within the pair. Exposed, the glimmers quickly lined themselves, beginning the expansion of the growing connection between them.

"Ouja no sakebi ga kodama suru! Shouri no tettsui yo! Daichi wo kudake! Shinkuro Shoukan, Habatake! Ekusupurōda Winggu Doragon! [ATK 2400]" [1]

Purple-boned wings tore through the light, batting away the blinding brightness to unveil the grotesque purple dragon's form, pulling back its arms and arching its upper half whilst emitting a low grumbling roar. Kinomiya eyed the monster with disappointment; despite the shocking message he had sent to his opponent, he had managed to quickly pick himself up and work towards constructing a decent strategy in retaliation. Clearly, Jack Atlus wasn't so easily broken, he'd have to do more to chip away at the fighting spirit of the Duel King.

"Dark Sprocketer's effect; due to its part in the Synchro Summon, I can destroy Astral Barrier," Jack called, pointing towards the named Trap card.

The target suddenly exploded, scattering Kinomiya's field with shards, the man groaned and lifted his right arm in front of his face. Once the shower had passed, his glare settled on where the card had been.

'So, this is the power of the Real Gears…' he thought. 'Now Director Godwin's haste in having them produced is becoming clearer'.

Jack raised his clenched fist in front of him. "The fallen don't rise again; they stay in the gutter feeling sorry for themselves. I'm not like that, I'll die before I sink to that state!" he growled passionately, throwing the fist forward. "Explode Wing Dragon, attack Fallen King Daou. King Storm!"

The deformed dragon growled and lowered its bottom jaw, sucking in the air and quickly converting its breaths into flames, causing the inside of its mouth to glow orange. Kinomiya scowled at the oncoming attack once it had grown large enough for the dragon the throw its head forward and release the flaming ball.

"Explode Wing Dragon's effect will destroy Fallen King Daou without activating its effect," Jack snapped. "Your monster is powerless, as are you. Because when Daou is destroyed, Explode Wing Dragon's effect will deal damage to you equal to your monster's attack".

The sphere rushed forward and crashed into the ghostly body of the opposing monster. The remnant howled mournfully and raised a skeletal hand in feeble defence, evaporating much quicker than it could move to protest the attack, leaving Kinomiya's field emptied.

JACK - KINOMIYA
1900 -LP- 2500

Jack lowered his hand and relaxed the muscles in his arms. "With that, I'll end my turn" he declared.

"My, I underestimated you," Kinomiya commented with a subtle smirk. "While you may no longer really hold the title 'King', your skills haven't diminished; so it seems you did have what you needed behind that façade to support yourself".

Jack's eyes tapered sharply, glaring towards the suited profiler standing confidently opposite, though he said nothing. He would only invite more baseless accusations about his relationship with the City's public, further claims about Carly and Yusei; all to rile him up and lure him into defeat and disaster. Despite the silence, Kinomiya smirked cockily whilst drawing from his deck.

FIFTH TURN – KINOMIYA

"Draw," he uttered. His eyes scanned the card briefly, then laid it into one of the Duel Disk's lower compartments. "I activate Magic Planter. Using this, I can remove Turn Away from the field in exchange for two cards from my deck".

The surviving Trap card vanished, completely erasing everything that had been on the profiler's field. Jack watched suspiciously while Kinomiya drew his two cards, smirking with confidence despite the risk he was taking. His eyes moved quickly to the cards he'd received, retaining his smug expression.

"Well, it seems we'll really see what's in store for you," he chuckled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jack growled.

"As you are, you're seen as a fallen individual; you no longer represent pride and the pinnacle of skill in the world of duellists," Kinomiya stated, casually shrugging his shoulders. "You can deny it as many times as you wish, but the truth is, that's what's happening. You're a damned figure, you'll never recover from the reputation stuck to your name. So, the fallen have to become something, don't they? Don't they fight against their fate as figures of hatred?"

"What are you trying to say?" Jack asked bitterly, sharpening his eyes.

"I'm saying that when you left Satellite, you surrendered everything you had. You killed the Jack Atlus who had lived on that grimy island and became anew," the profiler argued. "You became King Jack Atlus, but even that couldn't last forever. Now you've been ousted as a combination of the two; you've mutated from the remains of two Jack Atluses combining. Now you're seeking the path that you've been left with, you'll walk along it in hopes of finding more than just hatred directed towards you by everyone who has ever known or met you".

Jack's jaws appeared from behind the snarling lips, with his frustration peaking, his right hand curled itself into a fist and rose, pumping with his boredom and annoyance spawning from the lecture.

"What the hell are you talking about?" he roared furiously. "You don't know anything, you just believe that you do just because some case file told you about where I came from. You're no shrink, nor some all-seeing eye. You're an ordinary human with flaws of your own, so don't talk as though you're a perfect human casting judgment on me".

"It seems that it's still a sensitive subject to you: the truth," Kinomiya muttered, the slight adjustment to his head's angle inviting a ray of light to blaze across his spectacles. "Then I guess I'll just have to open unhealed wounds and show you what I mean; I activate the Continuous Magic - The Price for Glory". [*]

"The Price for Glory…" Jack hissed.

"Yes, just as you gave up everything, this card enforces payment for certain monsters," Kinomiya responded whilst maintaining his devious smirk. "When a Level 8 or higher monster deals damage to you, this card will destroy it. In exchange for losing my monster, I get to draw a card".

"You don't have any monsters on your field," Jack scoffed. "How can you expect to get a Level 8 onto the field before I wipe out the rest of your lifepoints, especially with a monster like Explode Wing Dragon on my side?"

"It's simple; you brought about the means of achieving such a feat," Kinomiya commented.

"What?" Jack exhaled sharply.

"By simply removing Fallen King Daou from the Graveyard and out of the game, I can Special Summon another monster," the profiler explained, picking up the card once it emerged from the Graveyard. "The fallen can become more than neglected and empty. They can grow, feed off despair and hatred; become the very things that flood their lives. They can allow themselves to become corrupted, just like this. Corrupt King Maou! [ATK 0]" [*]

A black twister of power erupted from the concrete, crackling with ominous power. Jack's eyes widened in astonishment at the display, uneasy about exactly what it was that the profiler was unleashing. The winds dispersed, shedding the choking air across the field, though Jack remained paralysed, his enlarged eyes fixated on the monster that had emerged from the black storm. Where the twister had been, the figure was largely a replica of the ghostly Fallen King, clothed in the same crimson robes decorated with gold and blue. However, one large difference had appeared across the creature's body; flaky green patches of skin that stretched over the greyed bones on display. From the left side of its skull, a horn had erupted, cracking the plain head, a crown dangling down the side of its head, supported against gravity solely in the form of the thick horn. The monster lifted its head from the foetal position it had emerged it, revealing the hollow eye sockets blazing with red.

"What… is that?" Jack breathed in astonishment, his voice quiet as a result of the choking air that had rushed by.

"This is what you will become if you can't accept that you aren't what you think you are, Jack Atlus," Kinomiya uttered slyly. "Through your lies, you are corrupting yourself, trying to become something you're not. You are changing, Jack Atlus. You're becoming corrupted in one way or another, but eventually, this is your inevitable fate; you won't be able to recognise yourself or go back. You'll die alone and there won't be a single person who would shed a tear for you".

"So you're a fortune-teller now?" Jack scoffed, regaining his sceptic demeanour.

"Perhaps you could say that; after all, it's called karma," Kinomiya commented lightly. "History will repeat itself, as you will learn with the bitterest taste. You'll soon learn how it feels for a dear friend to turn on you. I'll give you a taste of that to prepare yourself for the heartache; Corrupt King Maou's effect. Once per turn, I can target a monster on your side of the field and attach it to Maou, granting it half the attack power of all the monsters siding with it".

"What? You can't mean-" Jack blurted.

"I can," Kinomiya answered slyly. "Explode Wing Dragon will join my field; it will betray you in favour of someone else. Ironic that the side it picks is your future".

Jack gasped once the statement was complete, watching in horror as his purple-scaled dragon vanished, leaving his front line empty. The dragon reappeared on Kinomiya's side of the field, settling in behind Corrupt King Maou and bowing its head submissively. Jack continued gazing with widened eyes of disbelief, powerless against the corruption of his monster and its defect. Kinomiya tapped the bridge of his glasses, grinning darkly towards his stunned opponent.

"Can you see it? The friends whom you left behind?" he asked. "The betrayal that still clings to you? You were corrupted by temptation long ago".

-Neo-Domino: Arcadia Movement-

Divine had been silent throughout the journey to the conference room that he had summoned Aki to. The young woman felt on edge, as though something wasn't right; Divine would normally offer conversation to ease her anxieties, but this time was different and he had grown peculiarly quiet. The Signer rubbed the top of her left arm uncomfortably; was there a reason behind Divine's transformation? Was he disappointed in her for some reason? There would be no reply and Aki had not the courage to inquire. Before long, though the silence made the journey feel much longer, the pair was standing in front of the oaken doors that led to the conference room where the higher figures in the Movement would discuss plans. Aki swallowed the lump that built in her throat while Divine advanced forward, pressing his gloved hands against the doors and moved them aside, opening up the passage to the large chamber. Aki timidly followed; it wasn't like her to feel uncomfortable in her own home, but on this occasion, there were various factors that aided the unusual feelings.

Once she passed through, however, she paused and her anxieties were gone. But a council of young Arcadia Psychics were gathered before her, all eyes on the woman who had appeared as an idol within the Movement. The first was a young man sporting dark brown hair that curled around the edges of his face, an unkempt style with tips flicking up again around the back of his skull and several strands standing up at the peak of the style, bearing hazel eyes that matched those of Fudo Yusei. Beside him were a duo; the first another brunette, albeit possessing a lighter shade, whose hair largely swayed to the right, though small spikes hung around the back of his neck. A lone group of hairs cross his forehead in the opposite direction to the general style of his hair, sporting cold eyes of forest-green. His companion was much shorter, with blue hair hanging around his head in a curled style, wearing squared glasses over his bright blue eyes. The tallest of the group had black hair styled with three spikes curving up on either side, the peaks an unusual mixture of magenta and dark red, while one length hung down his right shoulder, not unlike Jack's, possessing piercing rosewood eyes. While the fifth member of the group possessed white hair hanging down to his shoulders, thick bangs placed over his brow with their tips waving in front of his sharp azure eyes. The final member was much younger than his companions and, as a result, much shorter than them; sporting blonde hair kept in a neat style around his temple with tuffs hanging around the back of his neck, also possessing young blue eyes. Also in the company of the six were Naoko and Julian. All the attendants were clothed in the uniform of the Arcadia Movement, all subordinates of Divine's.

"What's going on?" Aki asked cautiously, stepping deeper into the room.

"Aki, these are a squad of Psychic Duellists I have gathered to work with you ahead of any future incidents," Divine answered. He raised a hand, presenting the eight-man squad to the young woman who gazed in astonishment, not sure what to say. "These are Arcadia's most promising students and I'm putting them in your care. Because I believe that they can one day attain the same kind of power that you possess. You are already familiar with Naoko and Julian, but you may not be as knowing about the remainder".

"I see," Aki murmured, turning her attention back to the group.

The dark-brown-haired man was first to step forward, presenting himself with squared shoulders and his body rigid. "My name is Tweed," he reported, bowing his head quickly afterwards. "I will do all in my power to serve you, Izayoi-san".

The duo to his right was next to present themselves. "I am Wear," the paler-brunette spoke with a deep, calm tone.

Beside him, however, the short blue-haired member appeared anxious, his arms straightened in front of him, meeting only at the wrists in front of his waist, a faint blush and downcast eyes revealed the extent of his shyness. "A- And I'm Tyne".

The tallest followed suit, raising his dark red eyes to the woman watching the display with his default glare. "Blyth," he stated blandly.

"My name's Tees," the white-haired Psychic added.

"And I'm Eliot," the blonde youngster chirped.

Aki was awestruck by the collection of Psychics before her; they were disciplined well and respectful, but she was still curious as to why such a group had been formed. If Security had broken in once and taken Divine, why would he require the group now that the storm had passed and they had been left in peace? Aki turned to the man, who smiled warmly back at her.

"Divine, I'm grateful that you could put together such a fine group," the young woman shakily spoke. "But I don't understand the purpose of us being together like this. What do you intend for them to do?"

"They will protect you and you will guide them as the successor of the Arcadia Movement," Divine stated happily. "Should something happen like what took place here nights ago, then you will be the one to take charge of this place and all the Psychics living under the roof of Arcadia. But we also plan to fight back".

"Fight back?" Aki repeated.

"Yes, for it seems that the public have chosen to blame us alongside those in Satellite for the break-in that occurred at the Security tower," Divine grumbled. "So, I considered it a challenge. There is no doubt that a new wave of duellists is being brought together ahead of another charge into Satellite. So I believe now would be the ideal time to launch an attack of our own".

"But… wouldn't that only enforce the image the people out there have of us?" Aki asked discreetly.

"That may be the case, but we must prove ourselves innocent," Divine answered. "If we can gain control of the City, we can spread our message across to the people and wake them up. If anyone is a threat, it's Security. Why else would they launch an attack on Satellite out of the blue? There's long between tensions between the two sides, but nothing has come of it, why start now?"

"Divine, I…" Aki breathed.

"There's another matter I would also like to deal with at Security," Divine added. "And this time, it involves you".

Aki raised her head, sounding her confusion over what the man could be referring to. Could it be that the attack would truly have some relation to the break-in? Had she been captured on camera sneaking through the building with Ruka in search of Divine and Rua? The young woman's heart raced, forcing her to raise a hand and gently lay it onto her chest to soothe its frantic pace. Divine signalled to Julian to approach the pair, which the black-haired man complied with and paced across the gap between them. He presented Divine with a metallic rod like those used for communication and stepped back once the device left his hand. Divine twisted, presenting the item to Aki.

"What is this?" the female inquired.

"It's the truth," Divine murmured. "About your time at Duel Academy".

"Duel Academy?" Aki repeated. She swiftly grasped her arms, hugging herself and tearing her eyes from the sight of the object before her. "No, I don't want to be reminded of the painful loneliness I experienced there. I don't want to go back to those wretched days".

"I apologize, Aki. I do not wish to cause you any distress," Divine responded. "But this is something you must see".

Aki averted her sight back to Divine, eyeing him with fascination and then dropping her eyes back to the item. She raised her arm slowly, hand inching towards the rod, but retracted her fingers a number of times, twitching whilst reaching out for the supposed truth she was to learn. Eventually, she steeled herself and snatched the item from Divine's grasp, pressing down on the glowing key at the top of the rod, which opened a holographic window. Julian kept a close watch of the screen and Aki's expression whilst the face of Senator Wilhelmina Magenta flashed, columns of text beside her image following swiftly. Aki read through the text swiftly, her eyes growing wide whilst delving deeper into the information.

"It can't be…" she whispered.

"I'm sorry, Aki," Divine sighed, folding his arms behind him. "I was checking with insiders at Security and they discovered those files. They considered it best to hand them over and I believed that you had a right to learn what had been written in them".

"Is everything alright?" Naoko asked, leaning forward. "Izayoi-san?"

"This… This claims that Magenta was the reason I was expelled from Duel Academy," Aki read with a chilled tone. The group responded with gasps and widened eyes, all in disbelief that a senator would force out their idol merely because of her Psychic powers, long before the arrival of the Black Rose Witch. "This report has evidence – including message from Magenta to others – about wanting to get rid of me because of my powers. Because Duel Academy was one of her business acquisitions and she didn't want to risk it being tarnished by a freak like me".

"A freak?" Wear growled, clenching his fists.

"That's not true," Tyne protested weakly. "You're not a freak, Izayoi-san".

"It just shows what lengths some will go to for the sake of money and reputation," Tweed sighed, closing his eyes in disappointment. "Then again, we shouldn't expect any better from the government of this City".

"Aki, I only showed you because you deserved to know," Divine repeated. "And I believe it will be your motivation for aiding me in an attack on Security in retaliation for the false accusations leveed against us. We shall clear ourselves of such shame and expose the wretched nature of the politicians. After all, your father is on the same committee as Wilhelmina Magenta, even to this day, in spite of what miseries she put you through".

Aki's eyes widened; that was true – her father had always been away on business trips and at conferences; he had never been able to spend much time with her. It had always been the political position he had chosen over the daughter he should have loved. Magenta over her. The young Signer's blood began to boil, her teeth clenched tightly and body shuddering from the old rage building up once more, tearing open old wounds that had never healed properly. The response spread concern throughout the room among the younger members of the force, Tyne and Eliot exchanging equally fearful looks. But Aki went no further – she forced herself to stop and taken deeper breaths, gradually calming herself to a safe level, when she raised her head, eyes blazing with resolve and passion – the desire to wreak revenge against the woman who had made her life at Duel Academy hell.

"Alright," she spoke firmly. "I'll do all I can. You will always have my by your side, Divine. Even if it's to dive back into that place and deal with the people who made us outcasts".

-Neo-Domino: Tops-

Rua retained his stern glare directed at the Vice-Director standing opposite, pulling another card from his hand and sliding it into the Duel Disk.

"I place a card face-down," he stated.

"And I'm sure at this point, you would have attacked," Jeager chortled. "It's a shame you don't have the luxury of fighting".

"Maybe not through my monsters, but I'll keep fighting no matter what obstacles you put in my way," Rua barked, raising a tightly-clenched fist. "I'll break through everything you set up for her sake".

"Tenacious little thing, aren't we?" Jeager commented. "Late Penalty's effect skips the Battle Phase and I assume you've nothing further to carry out this turn".

"I don't. My turn ends," Rua growled.

"Then Jester Confit's effect activates," Jeager laughed. "It returns to my hand, but similarly, it'll drag Deformer Radion back to your hand".

"Damn…" Rua hissed.

The two monsters vanished, leaving Jester Lord and Deformer Mobaphon alone on each side of the field. A red aura surrounded the yellow machine figure, contrasting the generous light that had embraced it before [ATK 100].

"Your monster is nothing more than a weak target," Jeager chuckled darkly.

"Even so, it's stronger than Jester Lord," Rua protested angrily. "You won't break my Deformers, my deck, my resolve and my promise to Ruka".

"We'll see how long you last," Jeager mumbled. "It won't be long before the harsh reality of battle wears you down and your power is drained away. You're nothing more than a helpless child and, eventually, you'll come to realise and accept that".

Rua growled, sharpening his glare towards the man; each taunt piled onto his aggravation and pushed him closer to boiling point, holding back on his urge to charge at the man and demand to know about his sister's condition and location.

FIFTH TURN – JEAGER

"Draw," Jeager said, raising the top card of his deck. "I activate Summon Restriction - Power Filter. This card seals off any Special Summon of a monster with less than 1000 attack points".

"What?" Rua barked. "Damn, that makes Mobaphon's effect more difficult to succeed; most of my Deformers do less than 1000 attack points…"

"Well then, you're not going to last very long," Jeager commented smugly. "I activate another card: Excused from the Court [*]. This removes a monster on your field from the game for the duration of your turn. It will only come back during your End Phase".

"No way," Rua gasped.

Mobaphon began to glow, although the light was very different in comparison to those that had signalled changes in its power. The creature's entire form shone, leading the brightness to grow much stronger than Rua's eyes could manage, the boy groaned and lifted his arm, squeezing his eyes shut. A groan escaped his clenched teeth throughout the illuminated moment, opening gradually once the brightness, along with Mobaphon, had vanished. Rua's eyebrows curved, completing a disappointed look.

"Mobaphon…" he sighed.

"It's nothing to get upset about," Jeager commented with a smirk. "After all, with your Deformer gone, Jester Lord is the only monster remaining on the field, which means one thing. Its attack power increases for each Magic and Trap card on the field, granting it 4000 attack points".

Rua's mouth fell open in horror. "That's too much".

"You're right, but it never hurts to make sure the enemy is finished once and for all," Jeager laughed. "Now you should prepare to say farewell to your sister. Jester Lord, direct attack!"

The balls circling the monsters torso burst into flames, completing cycles at a much quicker rate. Once all four were alight, the frequency of their cycles increased further still, creating a ring of fire in front of the monster. Droplets of sweat slid down Rua's face and joined enlarged eyes watching the scene. The monster grinned sinisterly and grabbed the balls, leaving the completed blazing circle. The ring rushed forward, diving towards Rua, the boy tensing the developing muscles in his arms and legs, strengthening his stance against the incoming attack.

"Reverse card open: Generation Gap! [*]" he yelled, leaning back and throwing the card open. "This negates a direct attack and allows me to draw a card from my deck. If it's a Deformer, I can keep it, otherwise, it goes straight to the Graveyard".

"Huh, although you're safe from the attack regardless, you're resorting to taking such a risk?" Jeager inquired smugly.

"It'll be worth it just to fight a little longer," Rua growled.

The fire crashed into the card raised in front of the boy, flames streaming past, though unable to reach the target when a rose-tinted transparent barrier flashed to signal its protection of the boy. Rua's eyes didn't divert to the twin streams around him, but stayed firmly locked onto Jeager. He quickly tore the chosen card from the slot and twisted his wrist. The flames evaporated in seconds, sparing the blossoming plants around the battlefield. A bitter wind raced by, ruffling Rua's hair and the tail of Jeager's long coat, but the locked stares didn't change at all. Rua thrust his right arm forward, spinning the card to unveil its identity.

"I draw Deformer Magnen-U," he yelled.

"Well then, I suppose my Battle Phase is at an end," Jeager sighed hollowly. He quickly snatched a card from his hand and laid it into the Duel Disk. "I activate the Continuous Magic: Imperial Etiquette [*]. Once per turn, should my opponent activate an effect, this card will destroy it once that effect is complete".

'His plan is reducing the effectiveness of my Deformers,' Rua thought.

"Furthermore, I shall summon Jester Confit back to the field," Jeager declared.

The white-faced figure balanced atop the striped ball rolled back onto the field, giggling as though nothing had happened since the beginning of the Vice-Director's turn with the exception of the extinction of Rua's monsters.

"What's the matter, boy? Aren't you going to shout out angrily and swear your undying loyalty to your sister?" Jeager asked tauntingly. "Oh well, I'll end your fruitless campaign. Starting with this; I equip Jester Confit with Pleasantries of the Court [*]. This switches Jester Confit into defence mode and makes it impervious to attacks".

The jester monster fell from the ball and crashed onto the patio, rushing its head quickly and scurrying behind the ball once the blue aura had descended [DEF 0]. Rua growled, tucking his head in between his shoulders as irritation grew; regardless of what he did, what strategy he took, Jeager was constantly turning his hopes on their heads, undermining every play he made with a swift counter of his own. He couldn't simply catch a break.

"However, you get off easily for now," Jeager reported. "For you see, my turn is at an end and the effect of Excused from the Court expires".

To Rua's relief, the same golden light that spirited his Mobaphon away began to shine once more, expanding to resemble the Deformer's body and bring the creature back to the field. For the first time since the duel began, Rua beamed with relief at the return of his beloved monster. His demeanour quickly shifted back to the adopted fierce nature and swiftly drew from his deck.

SIXTH TURN – RUA

"It's my turn," he barked.

Rua's eyes jumped to the card he had drawn, smiling briefly; parts of a new strategy were drawing themselves together. The only flaw was a missing component, and he'd have to risk the entire plan for just a chance of pulling it off. His head rotated back to the field sharply.

"I activate Deformer Mobaphon's effect," he called. "Dial On!"

The keys across Mobaphon's chest began to shine in a rapid and random sequence. Jeager's grin widened massively, bordering on a sinister look that Rua worked hard to shrug off. The boy directed his eyes towards the monster in front of him.

"So, you're gambling your sister's life on luck once more," Jeager laughed. "I'm sure she'd love to hear that".

"Shut up," Rua snapped. "Ruka would trust me no matter what. I'm fighting for her, you won't break us apart".

The flashing keys slowed, coming gradually to a halt with the light beaming underneath the 4 key. Rua drew the cards, drops of sweat slipping down his forehead, his heart quickening with each card he pulled, eyes running over the four he had chosen; Gadget Trailer, Respect Synchron, Pain to Power and Deformer Chakkan. Rua's eyes lit up when he found Chakkan at the end of collection and tore it from the others, throwing it onto the field.

"While I'll lose Mobaphon through Pleasantries of the Court's effect, I'll gain Deformer Chakkan, [ATK 1200]" he shouted. "And because of its attack strength, it'll survive Imperial Etiquette's effect".

Mobaphon exploded into a shower of golden shards, raining down towards the ground, but never making it. The glimmering fragments rushed back to one another and began to rebuild, creating a rectangular shape. When the glowing faded, the new Deformer was shown as the orange lighter-based device, arms and legs exploding from the smooth edges, a head lifting the cap up, wearing it as a helm.

"You sacrificed one Deformer for a slightly stronger one, but it makes no difference," Jeager commented smugly.

"We'll see about that," Rua barked. "I summon Deformer Remocon [ATK 300]".

Beside Chakkan, a smaller cream rectangle materialised, sporting a white circle in the centre and a black screen with two green eyes blinking to life. Jeager's eyes widened upon recognising the Deformer.

"A Tuner," he uttered. "Is he going to…?"

"Now, I activate Synchro Boost; this increases Chakkan's attack power by 500 points. On top of that it increases his level by 1," Rua called, holding the card up. He plucked the two monsters' cards from his Duel Disk and clenched them firmly between his fingers. "I tune Level 3 Remocon to Level 4 Chakkan".

"A Level 7..." Jeager gasped.

Remocon vanished and left behind three stars, each encircling Chakkan. The four stars hiding inside it were revealed and drawn out, lining themselves in preparation for the arrival of the new monster.

"Sekai no heiwa o mamoru tame, yuuki to chikara o dokkingu! Shinkuro Shoukan! Ai to seigi no shisha, Pawā Tsūru Doragon! [ATK 2300]" [2]

A metallic shriek preceded the dragon's appearance on the field, resulting Jeager's gaping stare. The silver and yellow dragon emerged from the light, lifting its arms to receive its tools; the left in the form of a large green-handled screwdriver and the right resembling a blue scoop. Its shovel tail flicked around behind its body and its eyes glowed red; all signs that the dragon was ready to fulfil its duty in Rua's fight for his sister. Rua smiled up at the dragon briefly and then directed his attention back to the field.

"I use Power Tool's effect; I select an Equip Magic card from my deck and add it to my hand," the boy announced, picking the first of his dormant Equip Magic cards. "I'll choose and then activate Break Draw. When Power Tool destroys a monster, I can draw a card. And since Imperial Etiquette already destroyed Mobaphon, Power Tool won't be effected by it this turn. But so long as it has a Magic card equipped to it, Power Tool can't be destroyed and the other card is sent to the Graveyard instead".

'What an impressive being,' Jeager thought, eyeing the shining dragon with delight. 'It's powers certainly makes it worthy of being a Signer Dragon. Looks like it's making up for the lost time after the last battle'.

"Power Tool Dragon, attack Jester Lord," Rua yelled, thrusting his fist forward. "Crafty Break!"

The dragon roared once more and thrust its left arm forward, taking with it the rest of its body. The screwdriver gleamed whilst dashing across the field and sank into Jester Lord, the monster squirmed and moaned, fruitless in its efforts to pry the weapon from its abdomen and exploded. Jeager's face showed no disappointment, he continued to smirk regardless; after all, he had all the data he needed, all he had come for was to see the Signer Dragon candidate.

RUA - JEAGER
2000 -LP- 4000

"Break Draw's effect activates," Rua stated, pulling another card from his deck. "Then I place a card face-down. Turn end".

"As it's the End Phase, Jester Confit returns to my hand," Jeager hollered excitedly. "And with it goes your Power Tool Dragon".

"Not quite," Rua snapped, tearing a card from his hand and showing it to the man. "Quick Delay [*] prevents your monster's effect from activating. Jester Confit will stay on the field, as will Power Tool".

Jeager scoffed, pleased that Rua had managed to counter his tactic easily, allowing him to observe the dragon for longer. At the same time, he was becoming irritated by the boy's temporary counters and sounded that displeasure in order to keep his front up.

Inside the apartment, the elevator doors opened up and Ruka was greeted by the empty home and opened glass doors on the opposite side of her home.

"Rua?" she called.

"Ruka," Rua gasped. His eyes widened and turned to find his sister pacing cautiously across the room; his face brightened and a smile discarded the vengeful face he had been wearing. "Ruka!"

"Rua, what are you doing out there?" Ruka asked, looking to her brother.

Rua turned his sights to Jeager. "This guy said he'd taken you while you were gone, I was fighting to get you back. But the fact that you're here now means I can win this duel without any worries about what he's got hiding in his deck".

"What are you talking about?" Ruka sighed.

"I agree with you; there's no harm in continuing with the duel," Jeager commented lightly. "However, it seems I have an appointment to get to".

The man darted across the garden before Rua could even comprehend what was happening and yelled out to the escapee, giving chase. Ruka appeared between the glass sheets, watching while her brother pursued the short man she failed to recognise from a distance. Her attention was lured at the same time by the appearance of Power Tool hovering in front of her.

"Get back here, you've got nowhere to run anyway," Rua demanded.

"Like I said, I have an appointment to get to," Jeager shouted back. "You've got your sister; that's what you wanted. Safe and sound".

"You're dirty, you know that," Rua barked. "Running from a duel like this. I know who you are, and Ruka will never fight for you if you're going to pull off these kinds of stunts. Get back here and finish the duel".

Jeager vanished behind one of the trees, Rua jumped behind it, but pursued no further. His eyes scanned the area about in search of the elusive man. The search quickly came to an end upon hearing the man's irritating cackle from above, Rua tilted his head back and found Jeager hovering over the edge of the tower, hanging from a large yellow balloon wearing a face matching his own. Rua clenched his fist and jaws, shivering with frustration.

"Why you…" he hissed.

"If you insist on being a Signer, boy, you should hurry and prove yourself worthy," Jeager hollered from the boy, grinning the entire time. "I'm sure that, regardless of what you say, your sister will come to work with us. If she doesn't, then the world will end. It's simple as that. You can't protect her from destiny".

Rua threw his fist down and turned his back on the escaping silhouette, hanging his head for a moment. Doubt was settling; what if it was true? Was his useless in shielding Ruka from her fate?

"Rua," the girl's voice echoed.

Rua's head shot up and he stormed through the trees, jumping back onto the patio close to the wide pool. Ruka was standing in front of Power Tool, her hands together in front of her chest anxiously. Rua removed the cards from his Duel Disk, resulting in the holograms fading into nothing. He paced across the garden and towards Ruka, laying his hands on her shoulders and gazing into her eyes.

"Ruka, are you okay now?" he asked.

"Yes, of course," Ruka answered meekly, concerned over his state. "Why… why wouldn't I be?"

"That man was Godwin's right-hand man, he told me they'd taken you and would only let you come home if I won that duel," Rua reported. "But you escaped, just like you thought I had".

"Rua…" Ruka breathed. A gentle smile brightened her face. "I was never captured. I came back here straight from the Arcadia Movement".

A blush of embarrassment glowed across Rua's face, the boy quickly withdrew one of his hands and scratched the back of his head, smiling meekly.

"Well… uh…" he uttered shakily. "How did things go with Izayoi-san?"

A sorrowful sheen coated Ruka's eyes. "I don't think she's going to team up with us any time soon," she sighed, maintaining her smile. "But that's not what matters, I'm just thankful that you'd fight so hard for me".

"Of course, Ruka, you're my sister," Rua protested lightly. "Don't you worry, no matter what anyone says, I'll stay by your side. I'll fight for you and alongside you".

"Thank you, Rua," Ruka whispered, eyes shining hopefully.

-Neo-Domino: Maintenance Public Security Bureau-

Jack scowled, his violet eyes narrow whilst examining the field that Kinomiya had gathered, claiming it to be a prediction of his inevitable fate. Jack was never one to believe that the course of life would be decided by higher powers, much less that a Profiler seeking revenge would be capable of accurately predicting what lied ahead using two decks of Duel Monsters cards. Nevertheless, Explode Wing Dragon had changed side and loomed over his empty front line. The blonde Signer sneered at Kinomiya's forces – their attack power was easily enough to wipe him out. Satisfied with having converted the Synchro Dragon to his side of the field, Kinomiya's grin grew wide and he snatched a card from his hand, presenting it to the field.

"Now let's see just what will push you to this state" he called. "The Magic card – Isolated Ignorance [*]. Fits well, doesn't it?"

"You bastard…" Jack hissed.

"By equipping this card to Maou, it will be unaffected by any other effects from the cards I have active on the field," the profiler announced. "It really resembles you, doesn't it?"

"There is nothing that monster and I share," Jack barked in protest. "That's just a card without any past or future, no will of its own. It's just a trading card with the picture of a monster on it – it doesn't have any kind of likeness to me at all".

"But I believe you'll find it does," Kinomiya answered slyly. "You're afraid of the future you see before you; denial is an expected response. You and Maou are indeed monsters; you are kings; fallen and abandoned, rotting and alone, brought down to this state by ignorance and cutting yourselves from those who try to aid you. Why is it that you wish to be alone? You were alone after shaking off Fudo Yusei and any other friends you had in Satellite. You were alone at the top of Neo-Domino. You're not someone who can live among ordinary people – you're stained by sin and that forces you into solitude, even if you believe that's your own doing. Face it, Jack Atlus, you're not human".

Jack's eyes widened at the implications put forward by the profiler's claims. Matching the settling of his shock, Kinomiya grinned, a sheet of light sliding over the lenses of his spectacles, pleased with the result of his speech. The blonde man was paralyzed by astonishment, gazing with a paling face, struggling to comprehend the idea that his future could be that of disgrace. He had given up everything to reach Neo-Domino, going as far as to lure Yusei after him – always having had an underlying feeling that Yusei belonged in Neo-Domino; they had been born there, after all. But for it to all be for naught almost terrified him; to have surrendered so much and only end with misery.

"It seems you're a little tired, you're not playing to the best of your ability," Kinomiya stated smugly. "Allow me to grant you a rest. Maou, direct attack. Crown of Hell! [ATK 1200]"

Jack glared whilst hearing the creaking of the monster's brittle arms raising gradually, swinging them in a circle at a steady pace. The movements appeared pointless, until a belated realization came in the form of a black ring, bursting into flames. Jack's violet eyes grew wide upon witnessing the sudden display, examining the eerie flames crackling in front of the monster claimed to represent his future. The ring shot forward, barely giving Jack enough time to raise his Duel Disk before it slammed into the machine, knocking him back and onto the ground. Jack grunted, pushing his back away from the ground whilst discoloured embers dropped to the flooring around him, disintegrating before touching the smooth flooring, but the heat remained, bringing with it, drops of sweat that clung to Jack's uncomfortable body.

JACK - KINOMIYA
700 -LP- 2500

Kinomiya grinned proudly; he was standing over the Duel King whose reign of the City had come to a crushing end outside the world that he ruled. Jack pushed himself onto one knee, but his delayed and sagged movements suggested more was wrong with him than the connection of a simple attack and his Duel Disk. Kinomiya's smile darkened; it led him quickly to one conclusion.

"Your body agrees with my concerns, you should just cooperate and make things much easier on yourself," the profiler chuckled. "If not, the poison will only eat away at you further. You'll become a decaying corpse laying somewhere abandoned, just as Maou".

"I'm not… not going to die," Jack huffed haggardly, climbing onto his feet unsteadily.

"We shall see how long you resist and allow the poison to work before we come to any conclusions like that," Kinomiya responded. "It's now that The Price For Glory activates – ordinarily, it would destroy Maou after inflicting battle damage, but Isolated Ignorance will protect it from that effect. However, I retain the chance to draw from my deck".

The profiler's hand touched onto the top layer of the stack, removing the card and adding it to his hand with a satisfied smirk. His sight flickered back to Jack, standing opposite with his hand lingering between his shoulders, still struggling to catch his breath. The sight was enough to bring another clear grin to Kinomiya's face; a smug display of confidence and assurance that Jack's time was done, his fight would be brief and his remaining options would force him to choose swiftly. He was falling further. The profiler slid two cards into the machine attached to his arm, creating holograms of the duo in front of him.

"I shall set two cards face-down," he declared. "That's all the damage I'll do for now".

Jack growled, his chest rising and falling more deeply than usual; more physiological signs of his struggle, despite the fight to keep them hidden. The façade of the iron King was cracking, exposing his default, human vulnerability. The blonde clenched his jaws, feeling the horrid urge to vomit rising quickly through his burning chest and pushed himself up, wobbling once on his feet. The blonde shook his head briefly, trying to gather himself and strengthen his stand against the profiler opposite, slamming his fingers against the deck and drawing viciously.

"it's my turn".

SIXTH TURN – JACK

Kinomiya's arm was quick to rise, removing Turn Away and throwing it into the Graveyard before stretching towards the left card resting in front of him. "Trap open. Protection Upon the Throne, [*]" he barked, resulting in the Trap jumping up to unveil itself. "I suppose this could be the Godwin to your forces; the man who would protect you regardless of the ideals of his City and the people. Regardless of the fact that you were from Satellite, he took you in with the plan to use you as one of the Signers Yliaster had been searching for".

"What? You know about all that?" Jack growled.

"But of course," Kinomiya chuckled. "I am a member of Yliaster myself, after all. I was employed by Godwin to aid in the hunt for the remaining Signers. I had been brought to Neo-Domino in order into partake in the Fortune Cup tournament that was planned prior to the attack on Satellite. Another of Godwin's plans that had fell through after he decided upon the more violent route of action".

"So you're out of a job now that the Fortune Cup's not happening," Jack spat.

"On the contrary, I still have a position among Yliaster's forces stationed in Neo-Domino. That's why I was sent to work on the case in the Detention Centre," Kinomiya replied, shrugging his shoulders lightly either side of a pleased smile. "The Signers are all supposedly gathered here – between Neo—Domino and Satellite, the five destined to fight in the second wave of the Crimson Dragon's forces against the Earthbound Gods are here. Why would I leave and miss such an event?"

Jack scowled, his eyes narrowing further. Regardless of his argument, the profiler would keep finding a way to slip a reason behind his staying in the City. No matter what he could think of, he would easily counter and simply work to twist the knife lodged into him deeper. The room slipped out of focus briefly, tilting to one side, causing Jack to snap back to regaining a hold of his senses, shaking his head briefly with his eyes squeezed closed. Once he opened up again, the room had been restored, but that didn't mean he was out of the woods. If he couldn't overcome Maou and Kinomiya's premonitions that the creature represented his future, he was going to perish before long as a result of the poison. He grabbed the central card of his hand and threw it down onto the field.

"I summon Twin Breaker, [ATK 1600]" he barked.

A vortex opened directly in front of the struggling blonde, where the warrior leapt out, its triple-bladed hands folded in front of its chest. The arms stretched once well onto the battlefield, shedding the coat of light wrapped around its newly restored form, grunting readily. Jack launched his right arm forward, aiming for the grim field ahead.

"Twin Breaker, attack Hate Agent," he yelled.

The swordsman lunged forward, raising its arms with the six blades aimed at the target. Kinomiya did nothing but stand and smirk behind the destination of the creature. There was no resistance, no hissing; no sign of disappointment or irritation. As though the attack were in accordance with his plan. But that wasn't enough to deter the blonde or his monster, whose blades sank into the body of the worm-like monster, causing it to wiggle shortly before exploding. Kinomiya was still, he didn't move swiftly to shield himself from the shards of light tumbling over him, the remains of his monster; instead, he retained his confident smirk and relaxed demeanour.

"Twin Breaker's effect will deal Piercing Damage," Jack roared+.

"Protection Upon the Throne reduces all damage I take by 800 so long as the strongest monster is on my side of the field," the profiler claimed.

"What?" Jack cried.

JACK - KINOMIYA
700 -LP- 1700

The warrior trespassing on Kinomiya's side of the field remained despite the usual retreat to safe land. Instead, the creature rose, stretching its arms either side, blades glinting under the lights planted in the ceiling.

"Twin Breaker's other ability allows it to attack again if it destroys a monster," Jack declared. "Go, Double Assault!"

The warrior leapt forward once more, crossing the arms in front of its chest, preparing to separate them once Maou was in range. A sheet of light raced across Kinomiya's glasses as the man swiftly arched back, raising an arm to the remaining face-down card before his forces.

"Trap card open – Shift," the profiler hollered. "When you declared an attack, this card can allow me to redirect the attack to another monster on my side of the field. But there seems to be only one… and it was yours".

"Bastard…" Jack hissed.

"Twin Breaker's attack will now target Explode Wing Dragon," Kinomiya declared. The warrior's boots hit the ground, placing it inches from Maou and bouncing to the side, darting through the air diagonally in the direction of the deformed dragon. Jack's eyes narrowed sharply, while Kinomiya's grew wide with excitement. "But that's no good, huh? Explode Wing's effect will automatically destroy Twin Breaker. Look on the bright side, at least it'll save the 600 lifepoints you would have otherwise lost".

Jack scowled; if Twin Breaker were to be destroyed, there would be no monsters left on his field to protect himself, leaving him vulnerable to an attack from any monster the profiler would summon, much less those already present. A scarlet aura began to burn around Explode Wing Dragon, signalling the activation of its ability and the demise of Twin Breaker. Seeing no other option, Jack snapped his right arm forward, towards the hidden card that lingered on his field.

"I activate the Quick-Play Magic card," he barked. "Soul Bounce [*]".

"Oh?" Kinomiya sounded, raising a curious eyebrow.

"By releasing a monster on my side of the field, Explode Wing Dragon's effect will be negated and it'll be destroyed as a result," the blonde announced. "And as Soul Bounce's effect resolves faster than Explode Wing's, it means that Twin Breaker will be available to sacrifice before you can get rid of it".

"Ah, I see," Kinomiya mused. "So you're backed so deep into a corner that you're forced to sacrifice a monster already on the chopping block".

Jack brushed off the comment and reached forward, towards Twin Breaker, who converted into a sphere of white energy. The orb bounced forward, crashing into Explode Wing Dragon and sinking into its bulging chest. The dragon roared and wailed, trying to claw at the energy before it seeped in completely, but failed to prevent the absorption. What followed was a panicked display whilst the dragon's innards burned, helpless to prevent the destruction of its body from the inside-out. It was a difficult scene for Jack to witness; although the monster had defected to Kinomiya's side, it was still his monster – regardless of the profiler's claims, he did have a heart, and it ached whilst watching the scene. It was almost a relief when the monster exploded, shrouding Kinomiya's side of the field in thick smoke and winds that swept around the grey-suited man.

But, in spite of having freed his monster, Jack showed no pleasure in destroying the dragon; his eyes were narrow, glaring scornfully through the clouds that loomed towards the growing silhouette of the profiler in the process of re-emerging. The dark hairs of his fringe hung over his eyes, shielded further by the reflection of the lights overhead; his face showing no clear sign of emotion, making it difficult to read exactly what was going through the man's mind and leaving Jack unsettled.

"There it is," came from the Yliaster recruit. "That's what I've been saying all along".

"What was that?" Jack questioned bitterly. "What are you talking about?"

"Deceit, betrayal; it's the path you began to mark out two years ago in Satellite," Kinomiya laughed. His head rose, allowing his eyes to become visible, their gleam sending a chill racing through Jack's body. "You wouldn't even hesitate to give up your friends or destroy your allies. You're a dangerous person, Jack Atlus; that's why Security are after you. It's not just the case of Ushio Tetsu, but the cover you built yourself and how many you've endangered in the past. The City has realized it's been betrayed and everyone is out for your blood as a payment for your time here. Ushio's death was merely a trigger to justify the hunt beginning – there is no-one left who cares about you. No-one who will stand on your side; you've turned your backs on everyone and stand alone in this cruel world that you built for yourself".

"Stop bullshitting," Jack barked. "If that's the case, then why wasn't I executed at Security? Yusei and the others were there to get me out of there. You've said it yourself, Godwin is behind me. As a Duel King and a Signer, I'm fighting whatever gets in my way . Ushio was unlucky and persistent; I didn't choose to duel him, I didn't choose to bury him. But there's much more riding on the line in the future. If I die now, the entire world is going to perish".

"And what does that matter to you?" Kinomiya asked coyly. "You've lived only for yourself; no-one else has mattered to you before, so long as you're shielded. You're not unlike Izayoi Aki, the Black Rose Witch. You're both heralds of destruction, hiding behind the power of a political figure in charge of an organization. You lament about how difficult things are for you when you don't even consider the toll that your existence takes on your victims".

"That's not true," Jack snapped. "I wouldn't betray Yusei carelessly like that. I knew he would come after me; he's not one to give up. My flight to Neo-Domino was just as much his as it was mine".

"You really believe that?" Kinomiya chuckled. "You've deluded yourself enough to actually believe your leaving Satellite was paving the way for Fudo Yusei to follow?"

"Why else would Godwin have requested I bring along Stardust Dragon?" Jack growled. "That was Yusei's card and a Signer Dragon. He must have known that Yusei was also a Signer and that if I left, he would follow".

"So you were just following orders, you didn't compile that plan on your own," Kinomiya mused.

"I was aware that would be the result whilst considering the offer," Jack protested. "I know Yusei well enough to know that even if Godwin hadn't have played a role or known about Yusei, he would have followed regardless. He's as stubborn as I am; neither of us will bend just because there's some obstacle in the way".

His mind's eye viewed the scenes from the Highway once more; recalling the destructive rise of Ccapac Apu and its attack on Yusei, almost eliminating the Tail Signer there and then. Seeing him lying on the Highway sent a pang of guilt and remorse through his body, forced to sit back and watch as another man rescued the unconscious Signer, even if he had offered to risk his own life to go back and recover the body before the Highway collapsed.

There was no doubt that Yusei would struggle with the idea of Kiryu having converted to become a Dark Signer, nor would he deal with the Earthbound God and his near-death experience as well as he would let on. Nevertheless, he would pick himself up and fight whatever the conditions. It was the same for Jack himself; after all, there were others, such as Carly and Rally, who had put their lives on the line to aid the Security infiltration. There were people who would care, even if he were to succumb to the fate Kinomiya predicted; those who would fight to bring him back to his senses. But… would that be the case if he weren't a Signer? His sight fell to the arm in which the Birthmark was engraved, troubled over what fate could have been left to him had he not been chosen as one of the Crimson Dragon's soldiers.

Kinomiya grinned, detecting the hesitation and reached for his deck. "You really have deluded yourself," he laughed. "But don't you worry, we'll get that head of yours cleared up when we talk again. So I'll prepare the final stage of the false Duel King. Draw".

SEVENTH TURN – KINOMIYA

The profiler turned the card he had drawn, disappointed that there hadn't been a monster in his arsenal to use. Jack was close to defeat, his field empty, but there was nothing he could do in order to increase the damage; there wasn't anything for Maou to feed upon. Nevertheless, he was confident that victory was inevitable and presented the new card to the battlefield.

"I activate the Magic card, Regal Loneliness, [*]" he announced, sliding a card from his hand to the mouth of the opening in the centre of his Duel Disk. "As I control a Level 7 or higher monster, by discarding a card, I can revive a Level 4 or lower monster from my Graveyard. Return, Hate Agent".

The darkness eagerly swallowed the card, sucking it into the cemetery mercilessly. Seconds later, a light began to radiate from the dark opening, ejecting the rescued card in the space where its sacrifice had been laid. Kinomiya picked up the card and threw it onto the field beside Maou. The worm-like creature climbed out of the portal opening across the floor, slinking out and taking its place alongside Maou once more, resting in the shadow of its superior, the small tentacles around the mouth of the creature wiggling venomously [DEF 0].

The appearance of the monster set Jack on edge, expecting the profiler to call out another grotesque monster to join his high-Level army and serve Maou. That, however, wasn't the case, as he'd quickly learn. Kinomiya's eyes scanned the cards in his hand once more, there was nothing more he planned to do. He was taking a risk by leaving Maou and Hate Agent alone on the field, however, his collection of Trap cards would protect himself greatly – Jack would require a monster with at least 2500 attack points in order to win. But with the defences around his monsters set, that was unlikely to transpire; he would allow Jack to summon another monster, only to snatch it from him during the next turn and end the match.

The profiler smirked confidently; although it was possible Jack would read the field in the same way, there was nothing that he could do to overcome his current predicament. He was going to be forced to accept that Kinomiya had read his future correctly and submit, especially if he planned to live. The poison was no doubt working diligently through his body, aided by the stress and exertion the blonde was enduring. Confident in the circumstances, he shrugged his shoulders and lowered the hand clutching his cards, surprising Jack whilst declaring the end.

"That's all I'll do for now," he reported. "But that won't be the case next turn. I'm sorry to break it to you, but this is where it all ends. During my next turn, you won't be able to escape your fate nor the power of the City. Your games will end and the people will finally be safe. The demonic Duel King will finally be dragged from his throne and the people will rejoice".

Jack's glare grew stronger with the frustration pulsing across his body; he had long grown tired of Kinomiya's taunts and claims that he was doomed to resemble the rotting monarch on display. He reached for his deck, droplets of sweat – both from the intensity of the duel and the physical strain it was putting on him – clung to his face, struggling to keep his thoughts on what mattered. The faces of the people he was fighting to aid, the friends whom had saved him from the jaws on death just a matter of days before. Still, there was the niggling doubt that he would have even been acknowledged had it not been for the Birthmark; regardless of his duelling talent, he would have been overlooked. He inwardly shook his head, throwing off such thoughts and steeling himself; he wasn't about to be held as a scapegoat for the war nor for Ushio's accidental death. His throat tightened, fingers pressing harder against the deck, almost bending the upper cards out of its solid flat state.

"It's my turn!" he yelled.

EIGHTH TURN – JACK

The card raced away from the deck, leaving a glimmer of light along the path marked out whilst Jack stood with the chosen one at the end of his arm. His eyes moved towards the card at the end of the lengthy limb, catching sight of a valued monster that could grant him another chance, his eyes flickering wider briefly.

"I summon Requiem Harmonizer, [*]" he declared, throwing the card onto the field with a horizontal flick of the arm.

A vortex opened in front of the blonde, giving rise to a small ghostly figure vaguely resembling a small human, faint legs merged into one small trail underneath its form. In its tiny hands, the creature held the instrument that it inherited its name from, the silver surfaces reflecting the room around, but not the spirit itself. The small creature's eyes opened slowly, gradually revealing its eyes matched Jack's in colour and let out a small childish giggle [ATK 0].

"Is this your accepting the future that lies ahead?" Kinomiya asked cockily.

"Quite the opposite," Jack growled. "Requiem Harmonizer's effect allows a Synchro Summon by using monsters in the Graveyard if it's the only card on the field and I hold no cards in my hand".

"A Synchro Summon with monsters from the Graveyard?" Kinomiya repeated, finally showing a flicker of astonishment. "And with such narrow conditions… you actually managed to get them?"

"I'll remove Explode Wing Dragon from the Graveyard and tune it with Requiem Harmonizer," Jack continued fiercely.

The small spectre raised the harmonica to its mouth, blowing a handful of notes into the instrument; producing a melancholic tune. From the Graveyard, Explode Wing Dragon's card slipped out, the spirit of the creature rising onto the field alongside the tiny Tuner. Kinomiya watched in disbelief while the ghostly Tuner vanished, its instrument transforming into a green ring that descended over the transparent dragon.

"Ouja no kodou, ima kokoni retsu wo nasu! Tenchi meidou no chikara wo mirugaii!" Jack chanted, stretching his arm vertically. "Shinkuro Shoukan! Waga tamashii, Reddo Dēmonzu Doragon! [ATK 3000]" [3]

A pillar of light slammed into the field ahead of Jack, kicking fierce gales across the field that threw the strands of hair hanging over his shoulders back behind them. The light transformed into flames wherein the silhouette of the muscular dragon could be made out, growing clearer with each second that passed until the creature burst onto the scene, scattering embers across the field. Kinomiya gazed up at the dragon with wide eyes, struggling to comprehend how Jack had managed to summon the beast whilst backed into such a narrow corner. Jack, meanwhile, looked much more confident; his cold glare towards the profiler growing harsher. He threw his arm to the side, leaning forward with his sights locked firmly onto the decaying monarch opposite his dragon.

"This is all I need to prove that future is nothing more than a delusion you yourself cooked up," he barked. "Red Demons Dragon, attack Corrupted King Maou. Absolute Power Force!"

"No way. This can't be happening," Kinomiya gasped. "With that much power, regardless of Protection Upon the Throne, Red Demons has enough to end this".

The dragon's tremendous claws were suddenly ablaze, throwing them forward with the weight of its large body behind them, wings opening up. Kinomiya fell back a step in the face of the blazing dragon's dive; although he had been in control throughout much of the duel, his mind games burying deep into Jack's head and his cards dominating the field, the Signer had managed to turn everything around with the appearance of just one card. Kinomiya's demeanour had just as quickly shifted, losing complete control of the situation in one swift blow; Jack Atlus was going to escape and he would fail in his self-appointed mission to drag the truth from the accused man. Red Demons' claw slammed into Maou, who howled in anguish; the current easily obliterating the illusion future; the damaged king's body falling apart amidst the storm of flames and vanished altogether. The wave continued onwards, surrounding Kinomiya and burned mercilessly, causing the profiler to yell out.

JACK - KINOMIYA
700 -LP- 0

DUEL END

Kinomiya's body fell back, crashing against the floor, which showed little sign of damage despite the flames that had seared the toppled man. The dragon vanished, leaving Jack standing alone triumphantly over the profiler. He strode forward, not once taking his eyes from the collapsed man and paused once his shadow fell over his sprawled form.

"We had a deal," he stated. "Where's the antidote?"

Kinomiya grunted, pushing his upper half away from the floor and snatching a vile from inside his jacket, tossing it up. Without showing any sign of surprise or panic, Jack snatched the vile from the air and clutched it tightly. He moved to the tossed case where the syringes had originally been and picked another, unused needle. Kinomiya did nothing to prevent the procedure of sticking it into his arm, injecting the fluid, only hissing as the needle pierced through his skin and sank into the limb. Once the injection was complete, Jack laid the syringe onto the table, casting another icy glare in Kinomiya's direction. The man was up onto one knee, clutching the edge of the table in his bid to climb back onto his feet after the brutal beating. He showed no venom back, but watched Jack cross the room with little evident emotion.

The blonde strode to the doorway, not stopping until he was through the threshold, when he peered over his shoulder back to the profiler.

"I'm done here, there's nothing for us to discuss," he grunted. "I told you I had no intention of killing Ushio, that's all you need. Now if you'll excuse me".

He pressed on, moving down the corridor, resetting the hat that Carly had given him over the spiky blonde hair and fixing the sunglasses over his eyes in order to resume his travels through the City. Kinomiya's faint frown reverted into a sinister grin, likening his dishevelled state to that of a madman.

"That's right," he muttered. "Continue down the path that you've marked out. The road that you can't escape. You're still a corrupted soul, Jack Atlus. But by the time you realize that what you've just taken is a placebo, it'll be far too late. You're going to die the same lonely man that Maou warned you of, but once more, you ignored the advice of others. And you're going to pay for such ignorance".

Jack had little problem making it back onto the street; any encounters with Security officers were brushed off with simple claims that he was done with Kinomiya's interview as a witness to an unrelated crime taking place inside of the City – nothing to do with the attack on Satellite nor the Security infiltration.

He was eventually escorted by one of the officers who was on the way out already, landing on the staircase leading to the glass doorway after a short travel. The officer carried on, leaving Jack standing outside the tower, gazing in the direction of the hospital. As eager as he was to visit Yusei, he had wasted too much time with Kinomiya's interrogation and duel – dusk had taken the sun and night had fallen over the City. The best option left was to return to Carly's apartment and consider his next move; with Kinomiya onto him, it was best to lose him before returning to the young woman's home, lest he risk inviting his enemy in and putting her in harm's way. The blonde drove his hands into the pockets of the trousers and turned his back on the heart of the City, moving back in the direction of the apartment whilst keeping a wary eye on his surroundings. The sooner he could catch up with Carly, the better.

-Neo-Domino: Saiga's Garage-

The Daimon Area had been unusually peaceful, according to Saiga. It was likely that many of the regular duellists could have joined the City's forces and invaded Satellite in anticipation for countless duels against opponents they had a greater chance of defeating. That meant the areas usually alive with criminals and scoundrels had grown silent and empty, bringing a rare peace to the honest people who lived in the area, bound by financial difficulty or an incident taking place in the past that their family had yet to be forgiven for. Yusei stood at the edge of Saiga's property, watching the night settle through the row of windows. His mind was still troubled by the existence of the Earthbound Gods, much less the fact that they had appeared in Neo-Domino. What made the reality of the situation worse was the fact that Kiryu – a friend from Satellite, someone whom he trusted – had taken the mantle as a Dark Signer. He had chosen to become a sworn enemy of the Signers. He would have known who he was facing, as he had shown no sign of having just discovered that Yusei was a Signer. He had been preparing to take him on, waiting for revenge in response to a crime that he couldn't remember committing.

There was a melancholic light to Yusei's eyes whilst watching the still streets below; something that Saiga had picked up on from his reflection. The brunette frowned, averting his eyes towards Uryu, whom hadn't said anything since the duel with Frank. His presence made the brunette uncomfortable, but he was aware that he had been sent as a friend of the others in Satellite, he needed looking after. Saiga's sight moved back to Yusei; he had two downcast and disturbed adolescents in his care. He sighed, shoulders sinking and strode towards the Signer standing at the edge of the room.

"Oi, oi," he sounded lightly. "You better not just sit around and stare into space like Uryu over there".

Yusei showed little in terms of a reaction to being spoken to. He lifted his hand, laying it against the window, watching as skin and reflection met, then moved back to the mirrored face, displaying small scratches that had endured the days. Saiga drew closer, laying a hand onto the Signer's shoulder, luring his head around to the flesh man.

"Hey, it'll be alright. Jack, Crow, that D-Wheel of yours," he said gently. "What you need to focus on is getting yourself better. You can't push yourself too soon, don't start stressing yourself out".

Yusei was slow to respond, looking up at Saiga guiltily, eyes half-opened. "You said before that you worried that Yuuji hated you for what happened between you. That you feared he would only hate you forever…" he murmured.

"Yeah, but that's not the case," Saiga replied, patting the Signer's shoulder. The tale of betrayal and cowardice that had torn apart Saiga's tag-team partnership with the orange-haired Yuuji had been one that he had relayed whilst Yusei was still resting in the hospital. The pair had discussed it, coming to a very different conclusion to Saiga's original. "But when I thought about it; you, Jack, Crow, the others. I could see what you meant when you argued against that kind of outcome in the hospital. I'm planning on calling him after this whole thing is over".

"But… it's not so simple with Kiryu," Yusei sighed, his eyes falling sorrowfully.

"Hey. Now don't you get any ideas of blaming yourself for whatever happened to him," Saiga insisted. "Kiryu and Yuuji aren't the same; I'm sure that Kiryu will come around when you two get a moment to try and patch things up".

Yusei wanted to argue that such an idea was crazy; Kiryu had become a Dark Signer, wielding an Earthbound God and deadest on ending his life. How would there be an occasion for them to talk over what had gone wrong and resolve the problem? But he held his tongue; Saiga was only trying to help, even if what he was saying made little sense. He turned his head around to the window, peering past their reflections and back to the strangely tranquil area.

"I suppose," he breathed heavily. "But it's not that easy with Kiryu. I'm worried about how much more pain must be inflicted before the end is in sight. There are so many that have been damaged by the war so far already; people who aren't even supposed to be involved; like Uryu and Rally. Is there really a way to repair all the damage done?"

Saiga sighed, moving his eyes away from the mirrored faces, struggling to keep observing the Signer's defeatist expression. He chewed his bottom lip briefly, considering how he was supposed to response to the spoken wonder. A moment of silence passed before he dared to speak.

"Who knows?" he uttered. "We'll just have to get to that stage in order to find out".

-Neo-Domino: Maintenance Public Security Bureau-

The news reports about Ccapac Apu's appearance in the City still dominated the news despite the passage of time. No matter how many times he watched the footage over, it still chilled Godwin to consider that his enemies had invaded the City already, sending their demonic deities into the heart of his land and bring an end to the lives of thousands; many residents around the area who would have been sleeping or preparing themselves for the day ahead. Countless calls had been made to Security about the missing, forcing a statement to be made and a hotline set up to manage the calls so as not to flood the forces with distressed pleas for help locating a loved one.

The report moved on, continuing to the updated bulletin that further duellists were gathering ahead of another wave charging into Satellite. According to eyewitness reports and interviews with ordinary people left in the City, the blame had largely settled with Satellite – they had been the ones suspected of launching the attack on Security and, by extension, they had been targeted as scapegoats in relation to the Earthbound God's rising. The Director was seated at his desk, hiding the grim frown behind his hands bridged against his lips, masking his discomfort in the helpless position at the top – forced to merely watch as his people came under fire and thousands were sacrificed in order to revive a monster sealed away 5000 years ago. His eyes slid closed; the stress of the job was getting to him; perhaps forgoing the Fortune Cup had been a mistake; but had the attack been how Ccapac Apu crossed into the City? Would there have been a similar attack otherwise? A heavy sigh left the Direction, resisting the urge to lean back and massage his crinkled forehead should someone wander in and catch him, witnessing the degree of pressure he was under and the great toll it was taking on him.

There would be nothing he could do in the wake of another attack – the City's senators had voted in favour of another attack merely days before, he was outnumbered and the people's rage would push them into further reckless action. Reason would be lost. In front of him, a string grew, dropping a small spider onto his desk, catching his eye a moment after its arrival. The Director glared at the arachnid though showed no emotion otherwise and quickly crushed it with his left hand clenched into a fist. Its remains clinging to his glove, he waved the hand to shake it off, leaving the white fabric almost clear. Though his sight didn't depart from the corpse and eyed it whilst laying on the ground, crumpled. It had appeared for a reason – it was a sign. A message and a challenge from the Dark Signers.

PREVIEW

Carly: The only way I can get enough evidence on the Arcadia Movement to help Jack is to go in there and get it myself.

Aki: Who are you?

Misty: A shredded soul; a survivor on the edge of your destructive trail. I cling onto the memory of a loved one lost to your wretched existence.

Aki: What are you talking about? I haven't killed anyone! Next time: "Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's: The Neo-Domino Purge; Path Two, Chapter 31 – Into the Heart of the Mystery! Confessions at Arcadia".

Carly: Huh? There's no-one there…

NEXT KEY CARD – Psychic Commander

[1] "The ruler's shouts echo throughout! Hammer of victory, shatter the very earth! Synchro Summon! Flap your wings, Explode Wing Dragon!"

[2] "Docking strength with courage to protect world peace! Synchro Summon! Envoy of love and justice, Power Tool Dragon!"

[3] "The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here! Take witness to its creation-shaking power! Synchro Summon! My very soul, Red Demons Dragon!"

[*] Cards made for The Neo-Domino Purge

I apologize for how long it's taken to get this finished; a portion of it was done shortly after the last chapter was uploaded. Among other obstacles, I really lacked confidence in being able to accurately describe Tyne, Wear, Tweed, Tees and Blyth. There will be sketches posted to act as a visual aid. When that's the case, I will provide a link for anyone who is curious or simply struggles to envision them.

- CuteYami, 7th September 2012