Chapter 19

There are two kinds of people: those who cry and those who don't when confronted with a tragic story.

After seeing the ending of Carly Vs Jack, the line between the two was more easily distinguished.

(DM) Maximillion Pegasus has already lived his fair share of tragedy so when the following day came around, he kickstarted the Duelist Kingdom final tournament. Events following the original history occurred with Yugi taking the prize but unlike the original history of events, there was no duel with Pegasus. Since Pegasus is never injured from dueling Atem, the Millenium Ring's evil spirit could only call it quits and leave on the first boat out.

With the (DM) Duelist Kingdom tournament over, the time draws closer to the events preluding to the Battle City tournament. Unfortunately, Battle City was originally held to aid Seto Kaiba in obtaining the Egyptian God cards after receiving one from Ishizu Ishtar. After seeing how dangerous the tournament was though and losing the ability to see the future with her Millenium Necklace courtesy of the screen, Ishizu decided it was best to use the knowledge on the screen to convince Marik not to continue his ambitions.

Good thing (DM) Marik had already learned his lesson thanks to Odion and was ready to put aside his hatred for the Pharoah. Not that he was going to let Atem off easy though, Atem will have to win the Egyptian God cards for himself.

The (ARC-V) Lancer's war in the XYZ Dimension was over in a matter of seconds with the Synchro Dimsonsion's Jack Atlas personally leading the frontlines. Seeing the loss of a loved one brought an intense fire to his eyes and he had resolved to finish the war as soon as possible in order to return to the Synchro Dimension. He needs to know if his world has a Carly Carmine as well.

Hearing of his son's exploits, (ARC-V) Leo Akaba decided to discuss things with his son upon his arrival in the Fusion Dimension. Based on the scenes on the screen, he has an assumption his son may be more willing to partake in some friendly conversation.

Things in the VRAINS world were going in a non-productive manner as (VRAINS) Lightning and Windy attempted to capture the people at the negotiation table but was captured instead. Now, the topic has shifted from negotiations between humans and Ignis to punishment. Likewise, due to some intentional information being leaked it looks like that will be the least of their issues in the near future...

As the (5DS) Signers were heading to their battle with the Dark Signers who have been totally taken over by their Earthbound Diety, it soon became time for the next duel to play on the screen.

"Next duel. (ZEXAL World): Barian Emperor Nash Vs IV."

In the (ZEXAL) Barian World, the Barian Emperors looked at Nash who had finally regained his memories. Nash wore a terrible expression on his face as he still remembered what IV did to his sister. Luckily, the screen's stimulation has been effective in bringing Rio out of her present condition.

(ZEXAL) IV gritted his teeth as he looked at his family. He is aware of what he did to Shark and his sister, now with Shark becoming a Barian Emperor, it is likely that he won't survive the duel in the video.

What neither expected though was that the prelude to the duel had nothing to do with their personal vendetta. By the time the duel occurred in the original history, Shark and IV have long fought their grudge match and were now supposed to be friends. If Nash hadn't regained his memories, the two might've even remained friends.

The screen opened up to showcase a deserted city. A vehicle was making its way through before being stopped by a very familiar Barian Emperor.

"I will take it from here," IV said seeing his old ally. When he moved to go duel Nash, however, he is stopped by his older brother who wanted to know whether IV was capable of fighting his friend. "Someone has to do it and since Yuma is currently passed out, the only one who can move him is me."

(ZEXAL) Nash tightened his fists unable to believe what he was hearing. There is no way someone like IV would make him give up on fighting for his people.

Seeing he couldn't convince IV not to duel, V gave him a secret weapon designed to fight the Barians: a custom Rank-Up-Magic spell card.

The determined IV took the card and walked up to Nash, ready to remind him of their bonds through a duel.

"You and I live in different worlds," Nash stated. "Even if we dueled ten thousand times you still would have no way idea what I fight for."

"Maybe," IV admitted. "But didn't I feel the same way not long ago and now we are friends."

Connecting the dots from the Yuma Vs Nash duel with this one, it became clear to some that Yuma wasn't the only one to try and end the war with the Barian World through peaceful negotiations.

Nash is a charismatic and loyal emperor. It isn't hard to imagine him having many friends on Earth that he personally discarded for the sake of the Barian World. Yuma is one of them.

While the Barians rally around Nash, the Earthlings rally around Yuma.

Since Yuma wants to keep the bond with Nash, his friends are willing to go through life and death to help remind Nash of that bond. This was Earth's role in the Barian war.

"Duel!"

[4000 LP] [4000 LP]

On a building overlooking Nash's duel with IV, a Barian can be seen watching Nash's duel with sinister intent. He wants to know how strong the greatest threat to his plan is.

"Vector!" (ZEXAL) Nash snarled seeing his old foe still up to his old tricks despite being a Barian.

IV starts his turn and normal summons the level {4} Gimmick Puppet Humpty Dumpty. Using its monster effect, he special summons from his hand the level {1} monster card Gear Changer. IV then activated the spell card Level Doubler to discard Gimmick Puppet Shadow Feeler from his hand to add levels to Humpty Dumpty equal to its current level.

Humpty Dumpty: Level {4} - {8}

Gear Changer's monster effect is then used to change its level to the level of Humpty Dumpty's.

Gear Changer: Level {1} - {8}

Overlay Level {8} Humpty Dumpty {=} and Level {8} Gear Changer.

Xyz Summon! Rank 8 Number 15 Gimmick Puppet Giant Grinder

Giant Grinder: [1500 ATK]

IV then equips Giant Grinder with the equip spell card Gimmick Shield, switching its ATK and DEF. Gimmick Shield then inflicts 300 points of damage to Nash for each of Giant Grinder's XYZ materials.

Nash: [3400 LP]

Nash starts his turn and normal summons the level {4} Saber Shark. Since it is a Water attribute monster, Nash is able to special summon the level {4} Silent Angler from his hand using its monster effect.

Overlay Level {4} Saber Shark {=} and level {4} Silent Angler

Xyz Summon! Rank 4 Number 101 Silent Honor ARK

Silent Honor ARK: [2100 ATK]

During the Yuma Vs Nash duel, Silent Honor ARK only made a quick cameo before being used to Rank up to Silent Honor DARK. Now though, it is time to see Nash's ace monster in action.

Nash uses the monster effect of Silent Honor Ark to detach an XYZ material and attach IV's Giant Grinder to Silent Honor ARK as XYZ material.

On the screen, viewers got a good look at Silent Honor ARK capturing Giant Grinder before loading it up and ejecting it in a blue star stream circling its body.

In front of Number 101, all monsters your opponent controls are nothing more than food.

With Giant Grinder gone, Silent Honor ARK is free to attack directly.

IV: [1900 LP]

IV's body skidded on the ground as Nash sets a card and ends his turn.

"I see," IV says while standing back up. "Your determination as a Barian is real but so too is my determination."

IV starts his turn and activates the spell card Overlay Dark Reincarnation to randomly send one of Silent Honor ARK's XYZ materials to the graveyard and activate one of the corresponding effects.

If the sent material is a Dark attribute monster, it is special summoned to IV's field and IV draws a card.

If the material sent is not a Dark attribute monster, IV loses half of his LP.

IV is betting on his own Giant Grinder!

One of Silent Honor ARK's XYZ materials falls from the sky into a swirling vortex on the ground before coming up as a card. The card revealed is Number 15 Gimmick Puppet Giant Grinder!

Giant Grinder is now special summoned and IV draws the card he was given by V. This card is the culmination of the Arclight's efforts to help mankind keep fighting.

Activate! Rank-Up-Magic Argent Chaos Force!

Rank-Up! Chaos XYZ Change!

Xyz Summon! Rank 9 Number C15 Gimmick Puppet Giant Hunter

Giant Hunter: [2500 ATK]

IV's face twists as he forcibly activates the Rank-Up-Magic. Seeing his golden monster on the field, he then uses its monster effect to detach the XYZ material Giant Grinder and destroy Silent Honor ARK. When Giant Hunter destroys a monster using this effect, IV will then inflict damage equal to the destroyed monster's ATK.

What IV didn't expect was that Silent Honor ARK can protect itself from destruction by detaching an XYZ material.

Number 101 is simply a war machine, some viewers thought to themselves.

Since IV wasn't able to destroy Silent Honor ARK using Giant Hunter's monster effect but he can do so using battle. Giant Hunter attacks and blows up Silent Honor ARK.

Nash: [3000 LP]

Seeing IV get ahead of himself, Nash is ready to teach him a valuable lesson on the power of the Barians. A violet light radiates from his hand, infecting the other Barian Emperors in the middle of their own duels.

"This... this power!" Vector cries out in surprise.

"Everyone let's go. Barian's Chaos Draw!" Nash commands as violent pillars of light erupt from the Barian Emperors doing battle on Earth. "This is the true power of Chaos, I activate the spell card Rank-Up-Magic The Seventh One!"

Using the effects of Rank-Up-Magic The Seventh One, Nash can Rank-Up a "Number 10X" XYZ monster using a monster on his field, his graveyard, or in his extra deck!

That's one strong card! The Barian Emperor's signature card is nothing to laugh about as it can by itself summon a powerful XYZ monster just by activating it. No need for combos, just play a card and get an equally powerful monster for the price of nothing.

Using The Seventh One, Nash revives his destroyed Silent Honor ARK and uses it as XYZ material for an Xyz Summon.

Rank-Up! Chaos XYZ Change!

Xyz Summon! Rank 5 Silent Honor DARK

Silent Honor DARK: [2800 ATK]

"This is the Abyss of Chaos that Humans cannot hope to reach," Nash states.