Chapter 20

"Nash's power is greater than we thought," a mysterious voice said to Vector watching over the duel. "To think, he can even affect the other Barian Emperors on top of that."

"Is that Don Thousand?" (ZEXAL) Durbe thought. When Yuma and Nash dueled, they had been fighting in the aftermath of a battle against a man known as Don Thousand. When Durbe heard that name, he felt something and this mysterious figure behind Vector gave him the same kind of feeling.

Seeing IV on the other side of him, Nash remembers when he left Earth and returned to the Barian World. His sister cried over the fact that their war as humans had led to their souls being judged and sent to the Barian World.

If Astral World is meant to be Heaven then Barian World is naturally Hell.

Yet, for the Barians this Hell is their home.

To protect his home, Nash will do anything possible even bury his friends!

Silent Honor DARK uses its monster effect and Giant Hunter is transformed into one of Silent Honor DARK's XYZ materials.

Since IV controlled no monsters, Silent Honor DARK declares a direct attack sending him flying. As the smoke clears away though, IV can be seen standing once again.

"You may see your destiny and accept it," IV says. "But I will smash it apart."

Standing in front of IV is the level {8} monster Gimmick Puppet Shadow Feeler that he discarded. When Nash attacked IV directly, Shadow Feeler revived itself to take the attack and avoided being destroyed by battle.

Shadow Feeler: [1000 ATK]

IV: [100 LP]

Seeing how tenacious IV was, Nash commended the champion who once cheated a win out of a match with him.

Cheated?

In the myriad worlds, dueling is sacred and cheating is a very despicable act.

With how valiant Nash is in their eyes, IV's reputation sunk even farther.

That does not mention the people in the ZEXAL world who originally held high praise for IV only to now learn that the champion had cheated away that championship.

IV on the other hand is ready to forgo their troubled history in order to fix his bond with Nash.

Nash doesn't want to win against his friend though, he wants to face IV as an enemy. To do that, he must make IV mad so he trashes the bond that has kept IV fighting as long as he has.

IV activates the equip spell card Overlay Satellite to equip it to Shadow Feeler. When performing an Xyz summon, Overlay Satellite is treated as another XYZ material.

Overlay Level {8} Shadow Feeler {=} and the equip spell {8} Overlay Satellite.

Xyz Summon! Rank 8 Number 40 Gimmick Puppet of Strings

Gimmick Puppet of Strings: [3000 ATK]

Since Gimmick Puppet of Strings was Xyz summoned using Overlay Satellite, it cannot attack this turn. IV uses Gimmick Puppet of String's monster effect and detaches an XYZ material to place one string counter on Silent Honor DARK.

If the counter remains on Silent Honor DARK during Nash's end phase, DARK will be destroyed and its ATK will be inflicted on Nash as damage.

Since Shadow Feeler was sent to the graveyard as a cost for Gimmick Puppet of String's effect, it is removed from the game. Since Shadow Feeler is removed from the game, IV activates the quickplay spell card Banish Reactor to add the Rank-Up-Magic Argent Force in his graveyard to his hand.

"This is the card my brother handed to me," IV says holding up the Rank-Up-Magic. "This is a card filled with the feelings of people I believe in! Feelings you should have that have been with you all this time."

"Those words don't fit you at all," Nash solemnly states.

"Sure," IV admits. "But they were both yours and Yuma's and they have changed me into someone who can say those words. So I will use them and this duel to change you back!"

A somber feeling hangs in the air as the myriad worlds viewers know that this is a futile dream.

Nash dies fighting for the Barians and died fighting his closest friend, Yuma. This is something that no amount of bonds was able to overcome.

"IV," (ZEXAL) Nash gritted his teeth. Before the screen, IV was the man he hated most in the world. Now though, it seems like he will be one of the people who believe in Nash the most.

"Nash," (ZEXAL) IV muttered. He couldn't believe the lengths his other self was willing to go through for him. What had he experienced? Right now, the present-day IV may never know but maybe he should put his faith in what his other self believes in. Except, Nash's fate seems to be written in stone if nothing can be done about the Barian and Astral Worlds.

IV activates Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force once again, ignoring the strain it puts on his body.

Rank-Up! Chaos XYZ Change!

Xyz Summon! Rank 9 Number C40 Gimmick Puppet of Dark Strings

Dark Strings: [3300 ATK]

Dark Strings' new monster effect allows it to detach an XYZ material to destroy Nash's monsters with string counters on them and inflict damage equal to the total ATK of the monsters destroyed.

Silent Honor DARK is destroyed amidst IV's passionate cries as Nash is tossed into the flames. The Barian transformation comes undone as Nash, no, Shark realizes the intensity of IV's feelings.

Nash: [200 LP]

Since Dark Strings destroyed a monster, its effect allows IV to draw a card. Since Silent Honor DARK was destroyed while it had XYZ material though, it revives itself and Nash gains LP equal to its ATK.

Nash: [3000 LP]

Dark Strings attacks Silent Honor DARK hoping to destroy it once and for all. Nash activates the trap card Overlay Connection to attach itself to Silent Honor DARK as XYZ material since Silent Honor DARK has none.

Nash: [2500 LP]

IV draws a card since Dark Strings destroyed Silent Honor DARK again. With Overlay Connection attached to Silent Honor DARK as an XYZ material, Silent Honor DARK revives itself.

Nash: [5300 LP]

"As long as I am the guardian of Barian," Nash motions. "The unsatisfied souls will lend me their strength. No matter how you struggle, it will not move my heart."

Behind Nash, the silhouettes of the Barians can be seen staring down at IV with bloodlust in their eyes.

No matter what IV says, this is the Barian's war and it cannot end until either they or the Astral World end up victorious. The lone Earth is simply an innocent victim of their struggle.

"I won't give up," IV argues. "Your appearance is Shark's so that means you are still Shark deep down inside."

IV sets a card and ends his turn.

In his turn, Nash turns Dark Strings into Silent Honor DARK's XYZ material. IV activates the trap card Panic Shuffle to switch Silent Honor DARK to defense mode and make it unable to change battle position for the turn. IV then shuffles all spells and trap cards in both of their graveyards back into their decks. Nash sets a card and ends his turn.

Nash stares down at IV, not wanting to reveal the face that IV's efforts are bearing fruit. He still feels their bond and for the people of the Barian World, he cannot allow that bond to stop him.

In the (ZEXAL) Barian World, the Barians are moved once again at the sight of their emperor stifling his feelings for their people. He truly deserves to be the one they are loyal to.

In an attempt to extinguish their bond, Nash pulls up several screens showcasing Earth's duelists in battle with the Barian Emperors. Earth's defenders weren't giving up but they were at the end of their ropes.

They would give it all up for Yuma's sake but the screen shows that Yuma just hopes they stay safe.

Unfortunately, that wish is fated not to be.

Each of the Barian Emperors defeated their opponents, reducing them to stardust. All that is left is their last regrets filling the air.

"No," (ZEXAL) Yuma mumbled as he falls to his knees. Everyone fought for his sake and died for that.

Nash ended the transmission seeing the duels come to an end. Yuma's friends weren't able to stop the Barian Emperors and IV is meant to follow them. IV tightened his fist hearing Nash urging him to take his turn.

An intense hatred filled IV as he realized how low his companion had fallen to be one of the Barian Emperors. Nash welcomed it gladly as he resumed his Barian form. Now, IV has truly given up on saving his old friend.

An exhausted IV draws his card and his eyes widen. He activates the spell card Triangle Gimmick Box to remove from play his Gimmick Puppets Giant Grinder, Giant Hunter, and Strings from his graveyard to special summon an XYZ monster from his extra deck.

Number 88 Gimmick Puppet of Leo!

Gimmick Puppet of Leo: [3200 ATK]

Ordinarily, Gimmick Puppet of Leo could use its XYZ materials to countdown to an instant game victory but without any materials it is helpless. To rectify that, IV activates the spell card Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force that he drew.

Rank-Up! Chaos XYZ Change!

Xyz Summon! Rank 9 Number C88 Gimmick Puppet Disaster Leo!

Disaster Leo: [3500 ATK]

All three of IV's Numbers have been played now as well as Ranked-Up. If IV cannot find a way to win now, then there is no other way.

IV activates the effect of Disaster Leo to detach an XYZ material and inflict 4000 points of effect damage.

4000?!

Nash: [1300 LP]

If Nash hadn't revived Silent Honor DARK so many times, this sort of effect would've wiped him out instantly. Unfortunately, Nash still has LP...

Or so he thought.

Disaster Leo is a monster with a special win condition like Gimmick Puppet of Leo. During the turn it uses its monster effect, if Disaster Leo has no materials left during the end phase then IV will win the duel!

How can Nash survive that?

IV moves to end his turn but Nash used the trap card Overlay Reward to attach Silent Honor DARK's XYZ material to Disaster Leo, preventing his loss. With IV's turn about to end, he warns Nash that he currently has no way to defeat Disaster Leo because his Disaster Leo is immune to monster effects. Without turning Disaster Leo into an XYZ material, Nash is unable to get rid of Disaster Leo and IV is free to use its effect on his next turn and win the game.

Nash still has the belief he will win though and activates the spell card Cross Draw of Destiny. Both players draw a card and special summons it to the opponent's field if it is a monster card. The owner of the monster will then gain LP equal to the summoned monster's ATK.

Nash sets his hand over this deck, ready to separate himself from his life as Shark once and for all.

"Draw!" both exclaim.

IV fails to draw a monster but Nash managed to draw the card that will allow him to win.

"Now take a good look, IV!" Nash exclaims. "This is the card that will settle this duel and let me say goodbye to my human heart!"

"Goodbye to your human heart?" IV questioned before various scenes from throughout the duel play out in his mind. He knows now what Nash has done in this duel.

Nash special summons to IV's field the monster card Silent Wobbly.

Nash: [2300 LP]

Nash uses the monster effect of Silent Honor DARK to turn Silent Wobbly into Silent Honor DARK's XYZ material. Nash switches Silent Honor DARK into attack mode and attacks Disaster Leo.

Nash: [1600 LP]

Using its monster effect, Silent Honor DARK revives and refreshes Nash's LP.

Nash: [4400 LP]

Nash then activates the quickplay spell card Power Stream, attaching it to Silent Honor DARK as XYZ material. Theoretically, using this XYZ material Nash can prevent IV from winning the duel by using Overlay Reward to once again transfer an XYZ material to Disaster Leo.

However, IV drew from Cross Draw of Destiny the quickplay spell card Gimmick Vengeance. Activating it, he can inflict Disaster Leo's ATK to Nash as damage.

Nash: [900 LP]

"Next turn," IV pants. "I can win next turn for sure."

"No," Nash intones. "There is no next turn for you."

Since Nash attached Power Stream to Silent Honor DARK as an XYZ material, when Silent Honor DARK declares its next attack it will have 1000 additional ATK.

Silent Honor DARK: [3800 ATK]

"I see..." IV says in awe. "At that time with Cross Draw of Destiny, you already..."

"Farewell, IV," Nash says, not turning to look his friend in the eyes as he says farewell.

Nash then turns around determinedly and commands Silent Honor DARK to attack. Disaster Leo blows up and sends IV flying.

IV: [0 LP]

The darkness sets in as Nash walks up to the battered IV lying on the ground.

"You've got some nerve," IV says. "Forcing yourself into a destiny you cannot escape from. As well as using me to do it."

"You noticed?" Nash solemnly asks.

"In the end, I couldn't change your destiny. Will you truly fight Yuma and the others?" IV questioned.

"It is my destiny," Nash answers.

"Your destiny thing huh," IV mutters. "In the end, I'm glad I could do this one last thing for you."

The sound of Nash's bones crackling can be heard as he tightens his fist. For all intents and purposes, IV was his friend.

"I'll be going first. I'll be waiting for you on the other side, my friend." IV says as he closes his eyes one last time. A current of violet stardust that was once IV can be seen floating into the dark clouds up ahead.

"(ZEXAL World): Barian Emperor Nash Vs IV. The winner is Nash."