33 Chapter 28
The (5DS) Signers were pretty awkward around each other following Akiza vs Yusei. Who can blame them with all of the complicated emotions in the air?
Except, why is the atmosphere so damn pink?!
For all of the intense emotions in the duel, the myriad worlds' viewer base now had a gossipy air to it. In their eyes, if Akiza and Yusei didn't become a couple in the future then they'd eat their own shoes.
Oh Yusei and your Stardust Dragon, when will you come and sweep Akiza and her Black Rose Dragon off their feet?
While the melon eaters are off gossiping, the (ZEXAL) Barian Emperors have located Vector's hiding place. As one of the longest-living tricksters in the Barian World, Vector was able to hide from his fellow Barian Emperors for the past couple of weeks since Don Thousand was blown.
With Nash being the subject of the past couple of entries for the ZEXAL world, (ZEXAL) Vector would be foolish to believe that his plans wouldn't come to light. If only things hadn't happened so fast, then Don Thousand would've been able to lend him more power.
(ZEXAL) Nash is coming closer to Vector's hiding place when the screen's next entry has arrived.
"Next duel. (ZEXAL World): Vector vs Merag & Durbe."
"Vector!" (ZEXAL) Nash snarled.
The screen opens up to Nash being trapped in a dark energy sphere. Having been tricked, he has been caught by Vector and bound.
A screen opens up in front of Nash on the screen, in it can be seen the figures of Nash's sister and friend confronting Vector in a large throne room.
Vector wants to use the power of the Barian Emperors to get stronger and revive the Barian God Don Thousand who is now living in his body. Merag and Durbe cannot believe what Vector is selling but a burst of power makes them acknowledge Don Thousand's power.
Durbe thought he should buy time for Merag to get help but Vector has already used Don Thousand's power to manipulate Girag and Alito. The idea infuriated the (ZEXAL) two Barian Emperors watching the screen alongside Nash.
With Merag and Durbe on their own, a two-on-one duel occurs. Merag and Durbe don their Barian forms as the duel begins.
[4000 LP] [4000 LP] [4000 LP]
Vector starts the duel by drawing a card he's been wanting to play, the continuous spell card Don Thousand's Throne. Using it, he connects his body to the throne's chords in the form of armor. Vector then uses the monster effect of the level {2} Umbral Horror Ghost in his hand, special summoning two copies of itself from his hand.
Vector then normal summons Umbral Horror Will o' the Wisp and uses its monster effect to copy Umbral Horror Ghost's level {2}.
Overlay level {2} Umbral Horror Ghost x2 {=} and level {2} Umbral Horror Will o' the Wisp.
Xyz Summon! Rank 2 Number 96 Dark Mist
Dark Mist: [100 ATK]
A strange being comes into shape on Vector's field before turning into a dark puppet version of Astral. As a Number comparable to Astral, the two once fought and "destroyed" each other. Number 96 was then absorbed by Vector before turning into his puppet.
"He was your Ally," Merag argued.
"Now, he's my faithful puppet!" Vector countered.
(ZEXAL) Number 96's spirit frowned as it thought to itself never to ally with Vector.
Vector tells the two that a similar fate is lying in wait for them before setting a card and ending his turn.
Merag normal summons the level {4} Blizzard Thunderbird. She then activates the spell card Blizzard Vision, turning it into a monster card with the same stats as her water-attribute Blizzard Thunderbird but with 0 ATK.
Overlay level {4} Blizzard Thunderbird {=} and level {4} Blizzard Vision.
Xyz Summon! Rank 4 Number 103 Rangazero.
Ragnazero: [2400 ATK]
Merag sets a card and passes the turn to Durbe.
Durbe normal summons the level {4} Star Seraph Scout and uses its monster effect when normal summoned to special summon from his hand the level {4} Star Seraph Sage. Using the effect of Sage, Durbe discards a spell card Celestial Rage to special summon the level {4} Star Seraph Sword.
Overlay level {4} Star Seraph Sword {=} and level {4} Star Seraph Scout {=} and level {4} Star Seraph Sage.
Xyz Summon! Rank 4 Number 102 Star Seraph Sentry.
Sentry: [2500 ATK]
Using the monster effect of Sentry, Durbe detaches one of its XYZ materials to negate the effects of Dark Mist and reduce its ATK by half.
Dark Mist: [50 ATK]
Since Dark Mist's ATK was changed, Ragnazero's monster effect triggers. Merag detaches one of Ragnazero's XYZ materials to destroy Dark Mist since its ATK changed. Durbe then uses the spell card Star Seraph Starscream to inflict 1000 points of damage to Vector since he lost a monster.
Vector: [3000 LP]
Durbe sets a card and asks Vector how he liked their teamwork. Merag draws a card since Ragnazero destroyed a monster using its monster effect. Durbe moves to end his turn but Vector activates the trap card Nightmare Xyz to Xyz summon a DARK monster using the destroyed fiend-type monsters in his graveyard.
The two Umbral Horror Ghosts and Umbral Horror Will o' the Wisp are special summoned and changed to level {2} before being used to overlay with each other.
Xyz Summon! Rank 2 Number 43 Manipulator of Souls.
Manipulator of Souls: [0 ATK]
When summoned, Manipulator of Souls equips the Dark Mist in Vector's graveyard to itself. Vector then activates the continuous effect of the continuous spell card Don Thousand's Throne to restore his LP by the damage he took this turn.
Elsewhere, Nash screams in pain as his prison drains his energy. The taken energy is then absorbed by Vector to keep fighting.
Vector: [4000 LP]
The righteous individuals in the audience are outraged. Nash is already their favorite duelist on the list and his energy is now being used to fight against his fellow Barian Emperors.
Manipulator of Souls' monster effect activates since Vector gained LP. It gains ATK equal to the amount gained and inflicts the same amount. The target of Manipulator of Souls' damage is Merag.
Manipulator of Souls: [1000 ATK]
Merag: [3000 LP]
A cry of pain rings out as Merag flies through the air by Manipulator of Souls' thorny whip. Nash grits his teeth as he becomes an unwilling pawn in Vector's game.
Vector's turn starts and he attacks Star Seraph Sentry with Manipulator of Souls. Star Seraph Sentry's attack blows back Manipulator of Souls and Vector in the process.
Vector: [2500 LP]
Vector gets up from his crater and reveals that Manipulator of Souls cannot be destroyed as long as it's equipped with a "Number" monster. He then activates the spell card Card of Endurance to take 1000 points of damage since he lost LP this turn in order to draw a card.
Vector: [1500 LP]
Vector sets two cards and moves to his end phase. Don Thousand's Throne activates its continuous effect, restoring Vector's LP while draining Nash's energy.
Vector: [4000 LP]
Manipulator of Souls' monster effect activates, gaining ATK equal to the amount of LP gained and inflicting the same amount to Merag.
Manipulator of Souls: [3500 ATK]
Merag: [500 LP]
"Merag!" Nash screams at the sight of his sister's battered body being flung into the air. Durbe helps Merag up from the ground as Vector laughs at the sight of her.
"That's it," Vector marvels. "That's the look I want. All that contempt and anger. Just a little more and I'll kill you for sure this time."
"This time?" Merag questioned.
"Don't you remember?" Vector wondered. "Then, I'll help remind you. Let me now present the shocking truth. Tadaa! The one who killed both you and Nash in the Barian World was yours truly!"
What?! Everyone was shocked at this announcement. Then some people remembered that Nash once had a background as a human being. Before living on Earth, Merag and Nash were reborn in the Barian World.
Vector tried to kill both of them by sending them into a destructive vortex. The two's souls managed to arrive on Earth before being given new vessels by Nash's loyal servant Abyss. While on Earth, their memories will be held by Abyss until their eventual return.
Merag's memories rush back to the time when she and Nash escaped their fated deaths. Durbe wondered why Vector would try and kill the two but Vector gave some convoluted excuse about how Nash would constantly irritate him to the point his little "point system" reached a million earning Nash the kill in Vector's opinion.
Merag's body shook as she remembers the pain Nash felt when he remembered his duties as a Barian Emperor and how it tore him apart having to turn against his friends. Radiant energy flooded Merag's body as she called out to her brother's power.
"No, don't do it!" (ARC-V) Alexis cries out.
"That's what Vector wants!" (GX) Aster yells.
"You're falling into his plan!" (DM) Yugi shouts.
Merag draws and activates the spell card Rank-Up-Magic The Seventh One.
Rank-Up! Chaos Xyz Change!
Xyz Summon! Rank 5 Number C103 Ragnafinity!
Ragnafinity: [2800 ATK]
"Vector! This time it will be you who'll disappear. I'll bury you in ice!" Merag threatens.
Vector laughs, saying he will enjoy killing Merag again. Durbe is frustrated that one of the Barian Emperors is betraying them but Merag consoles him that Vector will fall because that is her final wish.
Durbe is taken aback at Merag's choice of words but Merag activates the spell card Distortion Crystal before he can ask for more. Since Merag controls a water-attribute monster, all ATK changes to Vector's monsters are doubled. She then activates the spell card Zero Blade, reducing Manipulator of Souls' ATK by an increased 2000 and letting Ragnafinity attack twice.
Manipulator of Souls: [1500 ATK]
Ragnafinity's monster effect is then activated, detaching one of its XYZ materials to inflict damage to Vector equal to the change in Manipulator of Souls' ATK.
Vector: [2000 LP]
Ragnafinity's first attack hits Manipulator of Souls and sends Vector flying.
Vector: [700 LP]
With her second attack, Merag moves to end Vector's LP. Vector activates the continuous trap card Damage Pot and uses its effect to reduce all battle damage to 0.
With the end phase coming up, Vector regains LP thanks to the effect of Don Thousand's Throne. Nash's screams are heard on the screen.
Vector: [4000 LP]
Since Vector gained 3300 LP, he is given the choice to use the Manipulator of Souls' monster effect. At this moment, Don Thousand's voice is heard warning Vector that Distortion Crytal's effect is still active so if Vector recklessly increases the ATK of Manipulator of Souls, Ragnafinity will be able to reduce his LP to 0.
Vector tries to argue that Merag's LP will fall to 0 if he activates the Manipulator of Souls' monster effect but Merag reminds him that she is willing to accept that outcome if he dies with her. Vector begrudgingly ends his turn with his combo having been broken this turn.
Annoyed at Merag's condescending attitude, Vector finally decides to show the truth to Merag and Durbe. A screen appears behind the two as Nash's beaten state is revealed to them. The circumstances behind it all being Don Thousand's Throne restoring Vector's damage!
"Such a creep!" (DM) Tea spits out.
"Shark!" (ZEXAL) Yuma cries out.
"How are they going to win with Nash being captive?" (5DS) Luna asks.
Merag and Durbe are heartbroken to see Nash being hurt because of Vector's scheme. Durbe draws and activates the spell card Rank-Up-Magic The Seventh One.
Rank-Up! Chaos Xyz Change!
Xyz Summon! Rank Number C102 Archfiend Seraph!
Archfiend Seraph: [2900 ATK]
Believing victory will save his friend, Durbe uses the effect of his spell card Celestial Rage to remove it from the game from his graveyard in order to increase Archfiend Seraph's ATK by 2000.
Archfiend Seraph: [4900 ATK]
Durbe uses the monster effect of Archfiend Seraph to detach one of its XYZ materials to negate the monster effect of Manipulator of Souls and reduce its ATK to 0. With this Durbe will reduce Vector's LP to 0 but he will take the same amount of damage due to the spell effect of Celestial Rage.
Another double-ko?! All of these Barian Emperors want to stop at nothing to kill each other!
Some viewers started to remember Nash's speech in his duel against Yuma about how Barian World held all of the scraps of humanity after death. They are "Chaos" and Nash chose to enter that hell with them. No better example than the Barian Emperors who will stop at nothing to achieve their wishes even at the cost of themselves.
Archfiend Seraph attacks Manipulator of Souls, taking on the form of demonic spirits. Don Thousand shouts for Vector to activate his set card. Vector uses the effect of the set continuous trap card Evil 1 to negate his monster's destruction and to make it so that his LP cannot drop under 1.
Vector: [1 LP]
Durbe: [1 LP]
A cloud of dust enshrouds the field as both duelists escape death. Durbe sorrowfully ends his turn as Don Thousand's Throne activates its continuous effect. Merag and Durbe look up at Nash's painful cries as the Throne takes his energy.
Vector: [4000 LP]
Vector sends his continuous trap card Evil 1 to the graveyard to use its effect. In exchange for giving up his battle phase, Vector gets to destroy a card on the field. His target is his own continuous trap card Damage Pot!
When Damage Pot is destroyed by a card effect, everyone takes damage equal to the amount it prevented. The total is 1300!
The pot counts down to its imminent destruction. Durbe looks over at Merag and activates the trap card Damage Shield to negate the effect damage inflicted by a trap card. The same amount of damage negated is then added to Ragnafinity's ATK. So Ragnafinity gains 3900 ATK.
Ragnafinity: [6700 ATK]
During the end phase of the turn the trap card Damage Shield is activated, Durbe then loses LP equal to the amount prevented.
Durbe looks over at Merag and reminisces on his life as both a Barian and a human when he stood by Merag and Nash's sides. He will forever be grateful for being their friend...
Vector ends his turn and the damage flies back at Durbe, knocking him out of his Barian form. His body turns into red stardust as he says his farewells.
"Merag. Nash." Durbe speaks aloud. "I'm really glad I was able to meet you."
"Durbe!" Nash screams tearfully from his prison, his long-time friend now gone.
Tears collect in the eyes of the myriad worlds' viewers as they too feel the pain Nash feels when seeing his friend go.
Merag tearfully raises her hand trying to reach for Durbe's essence. The collected stardust nestles in Merag's arms before she furiously turns to Vector.
It's now Merag's turn and Ragnafinity has 6700 ATK, so she is ready to take out her pain on Vector and end this duel!
A menacingly Merag commands her monster to attack Manipulator of Souls, spewing out a dust cloud. Merag thinks she has ended the duel but Vector's mocking laughter sounds out from the dust.
Since Merag attacked Vector's XYZ monster with an XYZ monster that is capable of reducing his LP to 0, the effect of Don Thousand's Throne activates. By sending itself to the graveyard, Vector negated Merag's attack and ended the turn.
It then takes Vector's Manipulator of Souls and uses it as XYZ material for an Xyz Summon of a higher rank XYZ monster.
What?!
Rank-Up! Chaos XYZ Change!
Xyz Summon! Number C43 High Manipulator of Chaos!
High Manipulator of Chaos: [0 ATK]
Vector activates the continuous spell card Cursed Chaos, forcing Merag to pay 500 LP to activate her monster effects. Since she doesn't have the LP to spare, she cannot use the monster effect of Ragnafinity!
Vector detaches an XYZ material from the High Manipulator of Chaos to special summon a token using its monster effect. The token's ATK is equal to Merag's LP.
Red strings shoot out of the puppet master as they ensnare Merag's energy, forming a puppet similar in looks to Merag. The token gains a number of attacks equal to High Manipulator of Souls' XYZ materials.
The token puppet attacks Ragnafinity, escaping destruction and inflicting to Vector no battle damage due to the High Manipulator of Chaos's monster effect. The damage that would be taken though is added to High Manipulator of Chaos's ATK.
High Manipulator of Chaos: [6200 ATK]
Merag shudders in dread as she realizes she has lost. Vector's little puppet attacks Ragnafinity, increasing the High Manipulator of Chaos's ATK.
High Manipulator of Chaos: [12,400 ATK]
"Stop it, Vector..." Nash pleads. "I'll give you my life so please... stop it!"
Screams can be heard in the audience as many of the viewers do not want to continue watching this sick show Vector is putting on.
The final puppet attack occurs and the High Manipulator of Chaos's ATK reaches its peak.
High Manipulator of Chaos: [18,600 ATK]
High Manipulator of Chaos attacks Ragnafinity, destroying it and sending Merag into the air. With her Barian form fading away, she sends her final thoughts to her brother.
She may be leaving but she is glad to have been with him all this time. Sending her final wishes for him to be well in the future, Merag reminds Nash that he isn't alone.
"Goodbye, brother," she says before the two are separated. Nash's cries for her are heard in the distance as he hopelessly stretches out his arm to her spirit.
Merag: [0 LP]
"This is the end of my destiny..." Merag remarks as her life now fade away. Her mind flashes back to her home as a child when she and her brother were children looking at the flowers. "Nash, I wanted to be... just a little longer with you."
The screen fades away as Merag and Durbe's orbital spirits circle around each other.
"(ZEXAL World): Vector vs Merag & Durbe. The winner is Vector."
