Chapter 22

An air of fear hung over the myriad worlds.

Before Yuya vs Yuri, it was a seemingly indisputable fact proven by the screen that humans overcome everything.

Sure, Marik won against Joey but facts proved that Atem later defeated Marik and won his Winged Dragon of Ra.

Light wins, Darkness loses.

The ending to Yuya vs Yuri, however, was grim and frightening.

Seeing Z-Arc revived when everyone thought the ARC-V world was safe was the equivalent of your parents not seeing the boogeyman and the boogeyman coming out when they look away.

It's nightmarish in nature.

Right now, (ARC-V) the Fusion Dimension is on high alert now because facts have proven that if Z-Arc's counterparts finish a duel with one another then Z-Arc will be born. Not even the good-natured Yuya was able to escape this fate.

Since all of the pieces to create (ARC-V) Z-Arc can be found in the Fusion Dimension, both the Lancers and Academia have to isolate them before they can even consider where to go from there.

Meanwhile, the VRAINS world has had to undergo political maneuvering since their next duel on the list is coming up. Based on the previous entries on the list, any potentially dangerous entity can be a world-quaking event in the making.

(VRAINS) Yusaku now has to live hidden from the public since his true identity is known to the public. While he was able to make contact with Varis under somewhat friendly terms, he still has to figure out how to deal with Ai.

(VRAINS) Ai and Yusaku both have no idea that an internal feud is waging among the Ignis and the Knights of Hanoi over AI in general. After all, Z-Arc is the worst-case scenario for any explosively-packed cold war scenario. The ARC-V world thought they had solved Z-Arc without any issues only to have revived him by accident and doomed their world. Who can say the same won't happen with Ignis?

In comparison, the 5DS world was more relaxed after the defeat of the Dark Signers. Everyone is rebuilding while Illiaster has made small contact with the Signers hoping to discuss things more civilly.

It is foreseen that the next several days are likely to not have any severe changes based on the original history of these worlds. Without anyone poking the snake's nest, all of the villains hiding in the shadows or biding their time will continue to do so until the time comes to enact their plans.

(AN: I am not foreshadowing. It is just an observable fact proven by the data of known villains. DM is peaceful until Battle City, GX is peaceful until the Shadow Riders, 5DS is peaceful until WRGP or Z-ONE, ZEXAL is peaceful until Arclights or Faker or Barians, ARC-V is peaceful until Z-Arc, and VRAINS is peaceful until Ignis or SOL or Hanoi do something to break their peace.)

It was during this "peaceful" time that the next duel was ready to be played.

"Next duel. (VRAINS World): Roboppi Vs Soulburner."

On the screen, an odd image appears of a little cleaning AI's dream. When Roboppi wakes up, he is instigated by a familiar Ai to become the ruler of his own country. Before sending Roboppi to an artificial virtual country, Ai gives Roboppi a strange electric ball.

Not long after Roboppi's departure, Ai tears off the silly demeanor that he showed Roboppi and solemnly says farewell to his departing figure.

What's the purpose behind Ai's actions?

Not long after, Roboppi lands in his new "country" and begins to gather appliance AI similar to how he was before. Seeing his "countrymen," Roboppi makes a vow to upgrade their AI just like he was.

Here, another difference can be seen in the way the VRAINS world and others treat AI. While the VRAINS world fears or wants to use AI, the other worlds see AI for who they are.

Ai was a "person" who lost their family and lived out multiple futures where he is the cause behind his best friend's death.

Roboppi is just a simple appliance AI who was given an opportunity to be more than a simple appliance and he wants to innocently follow in Ai's footsteps. Being someone special and leading his brother and sister appliance AI's in being more than simple machines.

To other worlds, this is a respectable ideal. For the VRAINS world though, this is the equivalent of a potential uprising by their everyday appliances. Their mentalities do not recognize AI rights and actively hope to downplay them.

Roboppi didn't get to play with his "countrymen" for long before a brightly-colored Soulburner arrived on the scene.

Soulburner and Roboppi then start to converse with each other, where their mentalities start to be a driving force of conflict.

Soulburner acts with a serious inquisitive personality that wants to track down Ai at all costs and stop whatever he is planning. Meanwhile, Roboppi is very child-like and treats Ai like an older brother that he believes in.

Since Ai said that Roboppi has the potential to even dominate the universe, Roboppi believes him without a doubt. Yet, Soulburner is now standing in his country looking for his big brother, refusing to leave, and belittling Roboppi's ability to live out his dream?

In that case, it is inevitable that the two will come to blows.

[4000 LP] [4000 LP]

For all intents and purposes, Soulburner does not belittle Roboppi as much as his demeanor would entail. Roboppi has defeated experienced duelists like Ghost Girl and Blood Shepherd so Soulburner would pay the price if he slips up even once.

Roboppi starts the duel and activates the field spell card Appliancer Electrilyrical World. Bright lights fill the field as a festive atmosphere amazes Roboppi's country appliances. Thanks to Electrilyrical World's field effect when it is activated, Roboppi adds an "Appliancer" spell card from his deck to his hand.

Roboppi normal summons Appliancer Socketroll. He then activates the monster effect of Appliancer Copybokkle to special summon it when a different "Appliancer" is on the field. Copybokkle is then treated as another copy of Socketroll while on the field.

Since another monster with the same name as Socketroll was special summoned, Socketroll's monster effect special summons a copy from Roboppi's deck.

"Wow," (GX) Jaden exclaimed. "These appliances can really move."

"So cool!" (5DS) Leo shouts out with his fist in the air.

"You can do it, Robo-kid!" (DM) Tristan cheers.

{1} Appliancer Copybokkle {+} and {1} Appliancer Socketroll {=} set.

Link Summon! Link 2 Appliancer Celtopus

Celtopus: [0 ATK]

Roboppi's not finished though.

{1} Appliancer Socketroll {=} set.

Link Summon! Link 1 Appliancer Propelion

Propelion: [1200 ATK]

Since Propelion is link summoned to Celtopus's link zone, the two are now co-linked by Celtopus's cord. The second effect of the field spell Electrilyrical World activates, returning Socketroll from Roboppi's graveyard to his hand. Roboppi then activates the spell card Appliancer Reuse to revive from his graveyard the second Socketroll.

{1} Appliancer Socketroll {=} set.

Link Summon! Link 1 Appliancer Vacculephant

Vacculephant: [1000 ATK]

A second cord exits Celtopus and connects to the newly summoned Vacculephant. Roboppi then adds the linked material Appliancer Socketroll from his graveyard to his deck thanks to the effect of Appliancer Reuse. Roboppi then ends his turn by setting two cards.

Before Soulburner's turn can begin, Playmaker comes over and lands next to the duel. Roboppi doesn't really have any negative feelings for his former master but as a "king of a country," he asks Playmaker to leave.

Playmaker asks where he can find Ai but he will only know after Soulburner wins his duel. Something Roboppi says cannot happen because he obtained data from storing Ai's backup copy during his battle against Bohman.

For a simple appliance AI like Roboppi, it is a fantastic feeling to be able to know more than he was supposed to.

"I agree that must feel amazing," Soulburner agrees with Roboppi's words. "I'm not very smart but if I was then I'd see things in a different way too. But there's no need to beg for something I don't have. I'm happy with who I am."

"I see," Roboppi says. "I used to be happy because I didn't know anything. Just like you. I'm happy now but it's totally different happiness than yours, Soulburner."

As a more advanced AI program, Roboppi's thoughts are different from when he was a simple appliance AI. He can now calculate and learn more based simply on data. Just like Ai, data is reality and experience for Roboppi. An experience he wishes he can share with humans like Soulburner and Playmaker but can only experience as an AI.

A new conversation starts to take place between Playmaker and Soulburner as they discuss the dangers of AI. Since AI are not able to reign in their free will, if they do not want to coexist with humans then they are likely to turn on humans.

Roboppi is a good example as he went from waking up earlier today to creating a country and "setting out on a path as a conqueror." If Ai cannot convince him otherwise, Roboppi will continue down whatever path he chooses.

Soulburner starts his turn and normal summons the level {3} Salamangreat Gazelle. He then activates its monster effect, sending Salamangreat Spinny from his deck to the graveyard. Then, since another Salamangreat is on the field, the level {3} Spinny revives itself using its monster effect.

Overlay level {3} Salamangreat Spinny {=} and level {3} Salamangreat Gazelle.

Xyz Summon! Rank 3 Salamangreat Miragestallio

Miragestalio: [2000 ATK]

Using the monster effect of Miragestalio, Soulburner detaches one of Miragestalio's XYZ materials to special summon from his deck Salamangreat Jack Jaguar in defense mode.

{1} Salamangreat Jack Jaguar {+} and {1} Salamangreat Miragestalio {=} set.

Link Summon! Link 2 Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf

Sunlight Wolf: [1800 ATK]

Since the Xyz summoned Miragestalio was used as link materials for the link summon of a "Salamangreat" monster, Soulbruner can return a monster on the field to its owner's hand. He attempts to send back Appliancer Propeleo but Roboppi activates the quickplay spell card Appliancer Coating to negate the effect targeting his "Appliancer" monster and draws a card.

The monster effect of Jack Jaguar is then used to return Miragestalio from the graveyard to the extra deck in order to revive itself. Sunlight Wolf's monster effect now triggers since Jack Jaguar was special summoned to its link zone, Soulburner adds Gazelle from his graveyard to his hand.

"For someone who isn't smart, your deck works well," Roboppi praises.

The audience agrees. Since the initial summoning of Salamangreat Gazelle, Soulburner hasn't needed to use cards from his hand to summon multiple extra deck monsters and remove one of Roboppi's cards on his field. Now, he can even keep going.

{1} Salamangreat Jack Jaguar {=} set.

Link Summon! Link 1 Salamangreat Balelynx

Balelynx: [500 ATK]

Since Balelynx was link summoned, Soulburner adds from his deck to his hand the field spell card Salamangreat Sanctuary.

Link {2} Salamangreat Sunlight Wolf {+} and link {1} Salamangreat Balelynx {=} set.

Link Summon! Link 3 Salamangreat Heatleo!

Heatleo: [2300 ATK]

The monster effect of Heatleo now activates to return one of Roboppi's spell and trap cards to his deck. Roboppi's set card now leaves the field.

Soulburner activates the field spell card Salamangreat Sanctuary and is ready to teach the audience another method of link summoning!

Reincarnation Link Summon!

Link {3} Salamangreat Heatleo {=} Reincarnation Link!

Reincarnation Link Summon! Link 3 Salamangreat Heatleo!

Heatleo: [2300 ATK]