Chapter 40

With how long the duel against Z-Arc has become, the sun begins to set on the screen.

Leo beats himself up for not being able to stop Z-Arc but Reiji still believes there is hope. Yuya is inside of Z-Arc so he will pull him out. With that, Shingo tosses Reiji the pendulum necklace and Reiji prepares to face Z-Arc.

Reiji reminds Yuya that he founded Pendulum summoning and introduced a new element of dueling to the world. In order to become the best duelist, Reiji spent time studying Yuya and his Pendulum cards before eventually creating his own.

Reiji sets the Scale {2} DD Savant Schrodinger and the Scale {8} DD Savant Dirac in his Pendulum Zones. Now, he is capable of Pendulum summoning monsters ranging in levels {3} to {7}.

Pendulum Summon! Level {3} tuner DD Nighthowl, level {7} DD Vice Typhon, and level {6} DD Savant Nikolas x2.

DD Nighthowl: [600 ATK]

DD Savant Nikolas: [2300 ATK]

DD Vice Typhon: [2300 ATK]

Reiji's DD deck is meant to oversee all of the summoning methods possible. With Pendulum monsters, it reached a new horizon.

Level {6} DD Savant Nikolas {=} and level {6} DD Savant Nikolas {=} overlay.

Xyz Summon! Rank 6 DDD Wave High King Caesar.

DDD Wave High King Caesar: [2800 ATK]

Level {3} DD Nighthowl {+} and level {7} DD Vice Typhon {=} tuning.

Synchro Summon! Level 10 DDD Gust High King Alexander.

DDD Gust High King Alexander: [3000 ATK]

XYZ and Synchro! Not to mention, Reiji is not finished just yet.

Activating the monster effect of the DD Vice Typhon in his graveyard, since it was sent there this turn he can remove it and another "DD" monster in his graveyard. The two are then treated as fusion materials for a fusion summon.

Using DD Vice Typhon and DD Nighthowl, Reiji fusion summons.

Fusion Summon! Level 8 DDD Flame High King Genghis.

DDD Flame High King Genghis: [2800 ATK]

In one turn, Reiji has performed all of the summoning methods available for the ARC-V world! Not to mention, according to the original history of events these are the evolved forms of the DDD Kings that Yuya faced in their first duel.

"Man, this is getting intense!" (DM) Joey exclaims.

"Now, this is a duel!" (GX) Jaden screams.

"Reiji deserves to be one of the prospective top duelists in the ARC-V world," (VRAINS) Ai applauds.

Not just anyone can perform four different types of summoning methods in one turn as Reiji can. His show of skill earns him the admiration of the audience in the myriad worlds.

Since there are two or more other "DD" monsters on the field, DDD Gust High King Alexander's ATK doubles and it gains an additional 3000 ATK.

DDD Gust High King Alexander: [6000 ATK]

Reiji has a powerful field now but Z-Arc is a near-invincible entity at this point. Nothing can remove Supreme King Z-Arc from his field and his Supreme King Gates render all damage dealt as a net negative for Z-Arc's opponents.

Reiji activates the monster effect of DDD Flame High King Genghis, negating the effects of face-up spell cards on the field until his next standby phase. The number of which corresponds to how many "DDD" monsters Reiji controls.

This gets past Z-Arc's protection! Supreme King Gate Zero and Supreme King Gate Infinity now have their effects negated.

Z-Arc activates the monster effect of Supreme King Dragon Odd-Eyes and attempts to return it back to his extra deck in order to summon his two Supreme King Darwurms once again. Reiji then activates the monster effect of DDD Wave High King Caesar and detaches an XYZ material to negate the special summon of a monster while gaining the total ATK of a monster whose summon was negated. Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm's ATK was 1800 so DDD Wave High King Caesar gains 1800 ATK.

DDD Wave High King Caesar: [4600 ATK]

Reiji then detaches DDD Wave High King Caesar's second XYZ material in order to give DDD Flame High King Genghis the same amount of ATK that was gained by negating Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm's special summon.

DDD Flame High King Genghis: [4600 ATK]

"Now, Reiji has three monsters who can defeat Supreme King Z-Arc!" (5DS) Jack yells.

"Even if Z-Arc cannot be destroyed this turn, the damage will still be dealt to its owner," (ZEXAL) Alito nods.

"Reiji is the greatest," (ARC-V) Shingo cheers.

DDD Flame High King Genghis attacks Supreme King Z-Arc and deals the first points of damage for the turn.

Z-Arc: [5400 LP]

Everyone gets behind Reiji as he attacks with DDD Wave High King Caesar.

Z-Arc: [4600 LP]

DDD Gust High King Alexander makes the final attack for the turn, hoping to reach Yuya inside of Z-Arc.

Z-Arc: [2800 LP]

Z-Arc's screams of pain rang out as the building next to him is cut in two. The wind bellows behind Reiji as his turn ends and his two DDD High Kings lose the ATK increase from negating the special summon of Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm.

"Reiji is so cool," (ZEXAL) Yuma shouts in admiration.

"If only it was a one-on-one duel, then Z-Arc would've been defeated by that kind of opening turn," (GX) Syrus laments.

"Don't expect too much, now it's Z-Arc's time to launch a counter-attack," the (DM) Evil Spirit of the Millenium Ring sneers.

Z-Arc laughs at Reiji for thinking that Yuya is the creator of Pendulum summoning. The reality is that Z-Arc is the true creator of Pendulum Summoning!

What?!

In the ARC-V world, (ARC-V) Yuya strains against his confines in disbelief. He hasn't experienced too many ups-and-downs so far so his mentality is much more fragile than his counterpart from the Yuya vs Yuri duel. He is still relying on his identity as the creator of Pendulum summoning, now he is learning that it was a false title?

On the screen, the other Yuya is trembling inside of Z-Arc's spiritual realm. His mentality was in disarray, fearfully covering his ears.

Z-Arc's words constantly batter against Yuya's ears, taking credit for Pendulum summoning.

If he was the way he was before, he would've lost to Ray again as a result of the four cards created by Leo. That is because the four cards are made to reflect the world as they formerly knew it and Z-Arc's dragons perfectly matched that balance.

By using the balance of the world to split the make-up of Z-Arc's dragons, Ray was able to defeat Z-Arc. Yet, what if Z-Arc had something new.

That is why he used Odd-Eyes and Yuya as a catalyst to create a new type of monster, a new summoning method: Pendulum.

Z-Arc activates the trap card Supreme Rage since he was inflicted 2000 or more points of damage during this turn. During the end phase, he special summons each of his Supreme King Dragons from his deck and extra deck.

The audience watches in fear as the former ace monsters of Z-Arc's counterparts come back to the field as the Supreme King's servants.

Supreme King Dragon Odd-Eyes: [2500 ATK]

Supreme King Dragon Dark Rebellion: [2500 ATK]

Supreme King Dragon Clear Wing: [2500 ATK]

Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom: [2800 ATK]

Since Supreme King Dragon Dark Rebellion was special summoned thanks to Supreme Rage, Z-Arc is able to attach the two Supreme King Dragon Darkwurms to it as XYZ materials.

Z-Arc's turn begins and he attacks DDD Gust High King Alexander with Supreme King Dragon Clear Wing. Z-Arc activates the monster effect of Supreme King Dragon Clear Wing, negating the monster effect of DDD Gust High King Alexander and negating the battle. DDD Gust High King Alexander is then destroyed and Reiji takes damage equal to its ATK.

Reiji uses the Pendulum effect of DD Savant Dirac and negates the effect damage dealt to Reiji's LP by special summoning itself in defense mode.

DD Savant Dirac: [1800 DEF]

Z-Arc attacks DDD Wave High King Caesar with Supreme King Dragon Dark Rebellion and uses its monster effect. By detaching its XYZ material, DDD Wave High King Caesar loses all of its ATK and Supreme King Dragon Dark Rebellion gains that amount back.

DDD Wave High King Caesar: [0 ATK]

Supreme King Dragon Dark Rebellion: [5300 ATK]

An explosion occurs and Reiji uses the Pendulum effect of DD Savant Shrodinger to negate the battle damage taken before special summoning itself in defense mode.

DD Savant Shrodinger: [2300 DEF]

Z-Arc gets irritated by Reiji's antics and uses the monster effect of Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom to gain the monster effect of Reiji's DDD Gust High King Alexander in his graveyard. Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom's ATK doubles since Reiji controls two "DD" monsters now.

Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom: [5600 ATK]

Z-Arc attacks DDD Flame High King Genghis with Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom.

Reiji uses the monster effect of DD Savant Shrodinger and negates the battle damage once per turn.

Z-Arc activates the monster effect of Supreme King Dragon Starving Venom and gives his "Supreme King" monsters the ability to inflict piercing damage. Supreme King Dragon Odd-Eyes attacks DD Savant Dirac, inflicting double the damage.

Reiji: [200 LP]

Reiji is flung back from the explosion as everyone trembles in fear as they do not know how they can stop Z-Arc from destroying their world. Supreme King Z-Arc attacks DD Savant Shrodinger and depletes Reiji's LP.

At the final moment though, Reira runs up and joins the duel.

"Intrusion penalty: 2000 LP," the duel disk sounds.

Reira: [2000 LP]

Reiji: [0 LP]

When the smoke clears, the audience finds a mysterious ninja having rescued the Akaba family from Z-Arc's attack. Recently revived from being carded.

Reira stands up to Z-Arc and reveals that Ray is now in control of their body, Reira having come to Ray in hopes of letting her take over.

Now, the duel that split the world is taking place once again!

Ray activates the spell card Life Transformation and sends her entire hand to the graveyard. She then sets the spell cards En Birds, En Flowers, En Winds, and En Mood onto the field from the graveyard.

Ray then activates the continuous spell card En Flowers and flowers begin to bloom around the integrated dimension.

Since three or more XYZ monsters exist in the graveyard, Ray then activates the continuous spell card En Birds in order to negate the monster effects of XYZ monsters and treat them as normal monsters. This continuous effect works on monsters that are on the field, in the graveyard or are removed from the game.

Z-Arc has lost the protection of the XYZ dimension!

The myriad worlds are stunned as no one could've predicted that this is the method to defeat Z-Arc. Removing what made him special.

Next, Ray activates the Synchro equivalent: En Winds.

All Synchro cards are turned into normal monsters!

Ray then activates the continuous spell card En Moon and turns all Fusion monsters into normal monsters.

Since Z-Arc's monsters now have their effects negated, the continuous effect of En Flowers activates. All monsters with their effects negated are destroyed and their owner takes 600 points of damage for each.

Flowers swirl around Supreme King Z-Arc as four different bracelets materialize on Ray's outstretched arm. These bracelets once belonged to the bracelet girls and symbolize the split dimensions.

With their return, Z-Arc's monsters are removed from the field and he is left kneeling on the ground.

Z-Arc: [1000 LP]

Yuya's friends call out to him but Z-Arc denies that he is still Yuya. What he doesn't expect though is that his soul is in flux, much like a pendulum. Reiji shows Yuya's pendulum necklace to Z-Arc, reminding him that as a pendulum swings to one end it will eventually swing back to the other.

Ray calls out to Z-Arc reminding him that for malice to exist, so must there be good. That is Yuya's existence for Z-Arc. The part of Ray who is Yuzu calls for Yuya to wake up from his prison.

"You're not a demon! You're a person who gives happiness and smiles to people around the world!" Yuzu reminds Yuya inside of Z-Arc's soul.

Z-Arc denies it, that he only gives fear but Yuya keeps denying that.

For Z-Arc and Ray, they were two opposing forces that went head to head. Yet, for Yuya and Yuzu, it is the other's existence that gave the other hope. No matter what separated them, they would be constantly looking for the other.

With Yuzu's words, Yuya reclaims control of his body and receives his pendulum necklace from Reiji.

The audience cheers as it seems like the malevolence of Z-Arc has been defeated. Yuya's deck glows as he draws his card. The silhouettes of Yuto, Yuri, and Yugo flash by as they all take their turn.

Yuya activates the spell card Smile Universe and special summons all of the Pendulum monsters from his extra deck while treating them as normal monsters.

Supreme King Z-Arc: [4000 ATK]

Supreme King Dragon Odd-Eyes: [2500 ATK]

What's going on? Isn't that Yuya?

Z-Arc struggles to wrestle away control, stating that Pendulum monsters are immortal and can return again and again. Yet, Yuya is still fighting for control. Since he revived monsters from the extra deck using Smile Universe, Ray gains LP equal to the total ATK of the monsters he summoned.

Ray: [8500 LP]

"What are you doing? Stop it!" Z-Arc cries.

"I've decided, I will not be a demon anymore. Do it!" Yuya cries.

The continuous effect of the continuous spell En Flowers activates and destroys Yuya's monsters, inflicting 600 points of damage for each.

Yuya: [0 LP]

The destructive force sends shockwaves as Supreme King Z-Arc is split apart.

"(ARC-V World): Z-Arc vs Lancers. The winner of the duel is the Lancers."

(AN: Nobody likes the ending to ARC-V according to what I've heard. Myself included. So, for this story, I'm rewriting it in this universe that the universe isn't split because Yuya was able to reclaim control at the last moment we get a similar moment to Marik vs Atem where Z-Arc's soul has split apart and his consciousness is destroyed by En Flowers. If you find it confusing when I try and make a more "modern" version for the present timeline please let me know. I'm just informing you ahead of time that this will be a fan-based version of events influenced by public opinion.)