Chapter 37 (short)

What happened at the end has been one of the worst endings they've seen yet.

Vector killing Girag makes the whole duel meaningless, much like the Yuya vs Yuri duel.

In both cases, something outside of the duelists' power decided their fates.

Without making a difference, what is the point of a duel?

In the ARC-V world, (ARC-V) Yuya has been taken in after being too exhausted to keep on running. Thus, the leaders of the four dimensions are currently in a meeting in order to judge their next course of action.

{ARC-V) Leo Akaba still has to face charges for his attempts on the other dimensions. He is still under the belief though that this is something he needs to do. He is only willing to step back at the moment because there is no method they can think of to properly address all of the issues at the moment by reuniting the dimensions.

(ARC-V) Reiji's suggestion is to view the list for as long as possible to find better alternatives. Their turn is almost here after all.

While that works for higher-ups in the four (ARC-V) dimensions, it doesn't do enough to alleviate the worries of the citizens who are still on edge after seeing Yuya vs Yuri. As the debate continued, it eventually became time for the next duel to air.

"Next duel. (ARC-V World) Z-Arc vs Lancers."

A stunned look flashes across (ARC-V) Reiji's face. This is the continuation of the Yuya vs Yuri duel but by the looks of it, the dangers of Z-Arc are far more than that of a simple duelist. The Lancers are an organization and if Z-Arc is facing them all in a duel, then they must be extremely outclassed for it to be on the list.

The other worlds are also weary as they've seen what happened when Z-Arc was revived.

On the screen, a gigantic dragon was running amok as Z-Arc was calling the four dimensions to take responsibility for his creation. He continuously blasts the cities in his sight as he seeks out any who would challenge him.

Seeing the scene, Sora and Aster make to take him on. Since a challenger has appeared, Z-Arc retracts his dragon and appears in front of them. A distorted Yuya stands in front of the two, pieces of his destructive dragon distorting his human shape into that of a monster's.

The myriad worlds cannot believe what they are seeing. Yuya was a human being but Z-Arc has twisted him into a monstrous entity.

"Where is Yuya?" Sora questions.

"This is my original form," Z-Arc answers. "Yuya was just an alter ego of mine. He no longer exists."

"What?" (ARC-V) Sora gasps.

"That's horrible," (DM) Tea cries.

"So now that Z-Arc is revived, Yuya no longer exists?" (GX) Syrus ponders.

A two-on-one duel begins with Z-Arc taking the first move.

[4000 LP] [4000 LP] [4000 LP]

Z-Arc sets the scale {0} Supreme King Gate Zero and the scale {13} Supreme King Gate Infinity in his Pendulum zones. Two symbols light up on Z-Arc's side of the field as blue columns come into being. Now, Z-Arc can Pendulum summon any monster with a level between 1 and 12.

Pendulum Summon! Level {4} Supreme King Dragon Darkwurm x2.

Darkwurm: [1800 ATK]

Seeing the Pendulum Summon, Aster and Sora believe that Yuya is still inside of Z-Arc. Aster activates the spell card Polymerization and uses the Destiny Hero Drilldark and Destiny Hero Decider in his hand as fusion materials for a fusion summon.

Fusion Summon! Destiny Hero Dystopia!

Dystopia: [2800 ATK]

A flashy-colored hero appears on Aster's side of the field. Dystopia's monster effect then activates when it is fusion summoned to inflict damage equal to the ATK of one of its fusion materials. Aster inflicts damage equal to Decider's 1600 ATK.

Z-Arc activates the Pendulum effect of Supreme King Gate Zero to reduce all damage he would take to 0 since he controls a "Supreme King" monster on the field.

Aster calls out to Yuya inside of Z-Arc but Z-Arc doesn't react at all. The Pendulum effect of Supreme King Gate Infinity activates since Z-Arc reduced damage to 0, increasing his LP by the same amount.

Z-Arc: [5600 LP]

Dystopia attacks Darkwum but Z-Arc activates the monster effect of Darkwurm, negating the attack since he controls another "Supreme King" monster on the field.

Aster activates the spell card D-Soul Burst and uses its effect to reduce Dystopia's ATK by half and inflict that same amount of damage to both duelists.

"But Z-Arc won't take any damage because of his Supreme King Gates," (GX) Alexis calls.

"Why would Aster do something like that?" (VRAINS) Aoi wonders.

"Could it be the monster effect of Dystopia?" (ZEXAL) Merag speculates.

Aster: [2600 LP]

Z-Arc activates the Pendulum effects of his Supreme King Gates and changes the effect damage into LP gain.

Z-Arc: [7000 LP]

Aster laments that Yuya isn't responding to his calls and activates the monster effect of Dystopia. Since Dystopia's ATK was changed, he gets to destroy a card on the field. Dystopia raises its hand and sucks in one of Z-Arc's Darkwurms. Aster sets a card and ends his turn.

Sora begins his turn and ponders what Yuya would do to wake himself up in this situation.

Sora activates the continuous spell card Frightfur Sanctuary, discarding Edge Imp Frightfuloid from his hand and the Frightfur Bear and Frightfur Tiger in his extra deck for the cost. Sora then activates the spell card Frightfur Fusion, treating the "Frightfur" monsters in his graveyard as fusion materials for a fusion summon.

Sora removes from play Frightfur Tiger, Frightfur Bear, and Edge Imp Frightfuloid in his graveyard and uses them as fusion materials.

Fusion Summon! Frightfur Chimera!

Frightfur Chimera: [2800 ATK]

A familiar frightful monster is summoned to Sora's side of the field. Sora calls out to Yuya as Frightfur Chimera attacks Darkwurm. Darkwurm explodes as Z-Arc activates the Pendulum effects of his Supreme King Gates once again.

Z-Arc: [8000 LP]

Sora attempts to steal Darkwurm using Frightfur Chimera's monster effect but Pendulum monsters are sent to the extra deck when they are destroyed. A fact Sora reminds Z-Arc was taught to him by Yuya in their first duel.

Sora raises the pendulum necklace that Yuya lost when he became Z-Arc.

"Teacher!" Sora cries.

Unfortunately, Z-Arc just stands there and snickers at Sora's feeble attempt at reaching Yuya. Sora faces the ground as a tear starts to trickle down his face. He wipes it away and sets a card.

Using the Scales {0} and {13} Supreme King Gates in his Pendulum Zones, Z-Arc Pendulum summons from his extra deck.

Pendulum Summon! Level {4} Supreme King Darkwurm.

Darkwurm: [1800 ATK]

Since Z-Arc special summoned monsters while Aster controls a "Destiny Hero" monster he can activate the trap card, D-Hyper Nova. All of Z-Arc's special summoned monsters are then destroyed. Sora chains this effect with the trap card Frightfur Mad Parade since he controls a "Frightfur" monster, making it so an effect that would destroy any card on Z-Arc's side of the field becomes an effect that destroys all of the cards he controls and inflicts 500 points of damage for each one.

"Excellent teamwork!" (GX) Bastion compliments.

"This is what happens when you work as a team," (5DS) Yusei praises.

"Show Z-Arc the power of friendship!" (DM) Joey exclaims.

Z-Arcs cards turn into dust by the two's show of teamwork. Since Z-Arc lost his Supreme King Gates, he is unable to negate the damage.

Z-Arc: [6000 LP]

Sora and Aster compliment each other on their teamwork but what they didn't know is that they gave Z-Arc the keys to his ace monster.

Since Z-Arc's cards were destroyed by a card effect, the monster effect of Astrograph Magician activates in his hand. Astrograph Magician is special summoned to Z-Arc's side of the field.

Astrograph Magician: [2500 ATK]

"That monster is..." Aster calls out.

"The monster that turned Yuya into Z-Arc!" Sora cries.

The blue star-decorated magician comes to Z-Arc's side of the field to the suspense of the audience.

Astrograph Magician's monster effect activates when it is special summoned by its monster effect, returning Z-Arc's field to what it was prior to being destroyed.

Z-Arc then activated the second monster effect of Astrograph Magician, removing from the game the Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon in his deck and the Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon, Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, and the Clear Wing Synchro Dragon in his extra deck in order to special summon Z-Arc's ace monster.

A surge of miasma erupts into the sky as the symbols of Z-Arc's alter egos are discarded.

Integration Summon! Supreme King Z-Arc!

Supreme King Z-Arc: [4000 LP]

Integration Summon?! A monster possessing all four types of Pendulum, Synchro, Fusion, and XYZ appears on Z-Arc's duel disk as a large dragon appears in the space connecting dimensions. On its head is Z-Arc, having fused with his monster much like Marik did.

Sora and Aster stare up at Z-Arc as a mechanical voice sounds out to them.

"Activate field spell Crossover," the voice chimes.

A digital field spreads out as Shun and Kite arrive next to them. The intrusion penalty activates as the two duelists have forcibly broken into an ongoing duel, reducing their starting LP by 2000.

Shun & Kite: [2000 LP]

Intrusion penalty? Before seeing this, the myriad worlds didn't know this mechanic existed or that it can allow other duelists to enter an ongoing duel. Now, they know the meaning of the duel title when it referred to Z-Arc's opponent being the Lancers.

The monster effect of Supreme King Z-Arc activates when it is special summoned, destroying Sora and Aster's monsters before inflicting damage equal to the total ATK of the monsters destroyed.

[2800 ATK] + [1400 ATK] = [4200 points of damage]

Red lighting coils around Sora and Aster before striking them down and sending them flying.

Sora & Aster: [0 LP]

"Be sure... to return... Yuya to normal," Sora whimpers as he passes on Yuya's pendulum necklace to Shun. Two former enemies join hands in hopes of rescuing their friend.