As Akari dashed at the halls of the underground finding Rentaro, but instead it was the opposite. He tapped her shoulder and laugh.

"Gotcha, you're it now."

(OPENING HERE)

Akari sighed, annoyed at the fact that he was acting childish.

"Where's Kizari?" She went straight to the point narrowing her eyes at him.

"Dunno." He shrugged his shoulders and that shot confusion all over Akari's face.

"What do you mean you don't know?" She argued crossing her arms getting impatient. "You're lying!"

"If you want her back, you have to earn it."

"Earn it? How?"

"You know how it goes." Rentaro took out his FICA. "Fight for it, only this time you don't have to shoot me." He joked smirking. "Unless.. you play dirty then I can to." His eyes leaked with yellow energy fuelled by cruelty.

"Bring it on." She said simply walking up to the table provided in the middle.

"Wonderful~"

"Are you sure you wanna fight this psycho?" Haruka whispered to Akari

"Not to mention he looked like he didn't really cared after his ally died." Kyouya added.

"I don't even know, as much as I don't like Kizari. She has to be saved."

"Why?" Usui interrupted.

"Because, remember the person I met who gave me Dragphantom, Luard?"

"What about that?"

"I noticed some features resembling Kizari. Same blonde hair, eye colour, a unique scar she has in her hand. Made me suspect that she has something to do with this." Akari muttered out before turning to the red haired male.

"Let's get this over with." She set up her field.

"Finally~" Rentaro drew his five cards.

"Stand Up (The) Vanguard!" Rentaro and Akari both exclaimed.

"Involution Star-Vader, Carbon!" Rentaro's circle expanded bright maroon.

"Dragwizard Vicreau!" Akari's circle expanded to cyan.

"I'm going first whether you like it or not." Akari drew a card.

"You'll still lose either way~" he hummed.

"Dragraptor, Mauthe ride! (7000) moving Vicreau to the back, I'll end my turn."

Akari
Hand: 5
Soul: 0
Damage: 0
OXO
OXO

Rentaro
Hand: 5
Soul: 0
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Draw, I ride Star-Vader, Heliopause Dragon! (7000) moving Carbon to the back. Heliopause attacks Mauthe. (7000 > 12000)"

"I don't guard."

"Drive trigger. (Fierce Attack Star-Vader, Dubnium)"

"Damage check. (Dragsaver, Esras)" She sighed throwing the card to the damage zone.

"Turn end." He snickered.

Akari
Hand: 5
Soul: 0
Damage: 1
OXO
OXO

Rentaro
Hand: 6
Soul: 0
Damage: 0
OXO
OXO

"I ride Dragfencer, Dagda! (9000) Fuamnach's skill, discard herself and rest Vicreau. I draw. Dagda attacks! (9000)"

"I don't guard that."

"Drive trigger check (Emancipating Revenger, Allyl) heal trigger, all effects to Dagda! (9000 > 14000) recovering one."

"Damage check (Beloved Child of Superstring Theory) a draw trigger I give it all to Heliopause.

Akari
Hand: 6
Soul: 1
Damage: 0
Ritual: 2
OXO
OXO

Rentaro
Hand: 7
Soul: 0
Damage: 1
OXO
OXO

"Stand and draw, I ride Star-Vader, Strange Dragon (9000) attack! (9000 > 14000)"

"No guard."

"Check! (Turmoil Star-Vader, Zinc)"

"Damage! (Dragphantom, Luard)"

"Hm, so that's the new card you got from Kizari." Rentaro look at the new Luard before back to Akari.

"So I was right. Makes me want to win even more." Akari smugged full of confidence.

Akari
Hand: 6
Soul: 1
Damage: 1
Ritual: 2
OXO
OXO

Rentaro
Hand: 8
Soul: 1
Damage: 1
OXO
OXO

"I draw, Leave the evil behind with your torn conviction, and let the best of us rise from the fall! I ride Dragphantom, Luard! (11000)"

"I can see it, you felt the presence of Luard in Cray." Rentaro look at Akari utilising his psyqualia to transport himself to Cray as Strange Dragon.

Akari glance to herself to see her with two dragon arms, a wizard hat, Luard's usual wizard attire but with more of a black and blue colour scheme and with a pair of dragon wings at the back.

Back at Earth Akari continued her turn.

"I call Dragwizard, Gaunan (9000) his ability, I'll counterblast and drop a grade 1 to draw 2. Gaunan attacks Strange Dragon! (9000)"

"(Star-Vader, Chaos Breaker Crisis)"

"Luard to your vanguard! (16000)"

"Letting that through." He yawned.

"Twin drive! (Dragfencer Dagda. Abyssal Owl)"

"Damage check! (Companion Star Star-vader, Photon)"

"I'll end my turn."

Akari
Hand: 8
Soul: 2
Damage: 1
Ritual: 3
OXX
OXO

Rentaro
Hand: 8
Soul: 1
Damage: 3
OXO
OXO

"Stand and draw, Curse my opponent with your red scythe, bring destruction and chaos to this battlefield! I ride! Star-Vader Chaos Breaker Close! (11000)" Rentaro's vanguard circle expanded to a bright red colour as his Strange Dragon became Chaos Breaker who was swinging his sycthe across himself. "Generation stride! Death Star-Vader Chaos Breaker Alththani! (26000) stride skill! I discard one card from my hand, soulcharge (Star-Vader, Penrose Gate) locking Vicreau."

He pointed at the unit behind Akari's vanguard that turned upside down resembling a locked unit.

"Next Althtani's skill I'll flip a copy of itself and soulblast (Penrose Gate). Since you can't lock two cards I get to draw 2 cards, I can give Althtani and Carbon 2000 power! (28000) (7000). I call Fierce Attack Star-Vader, Dubnium (9000) using Carbon's skill I put it into the soul. Searching my deck for Star-Vader Heliopause Dragon to call! (7000) his ability, I'll pay a soulblast (Inovolution Star-Vader, Carbon) to Omega lock Vicreau. He won't be unlocked until the next of your end phase. Giving Heliopause an extra 3000. Althtani attacks! (28000)"

"Go ahead."

"Triple Drive! (Iron Wall Star-Vader, Thorium. Turmoil Star-Vader, Zinc.) I see you~ (Star-Vader, Paradigm Shift Dragon) critical trigger, I'll give the power to Dubnium (14000) and the critical to Althtani! (28000/2★) The Joker's Judgement!"

Althtani raise his arm to send a red-black ash to Akari as Luard, who back away slightly but it turn to a lock ring crushing their body.

"Damage check (Dragwizard Gaunan. Dragphantom Luard)"

"Dubnium attacks! (24000) his skill I counterblast, put a card from your hand as a lock you can choose not to, but I get to add 10000 to Dubnium and draw."

"I won't do it."

"Fine by me (34000)." He drew an extra card.

"Generation guard! Dragwiser, Bonarch! (26000) her skill I reveal the top five cards of my deck (Draglancer, Daellad. Cursed Eye Raven. Dragfencer Dagda. Dragwizard Fuamnach) adding Daellad and Fuamnach to the shield! (36000)"

Dubnium crossed his blades against each other as he charge towards Luard with a loud battle roar, but was blocked by Bonarch, Fuamnach and Daellad leaving Dubnium scoffing and going back to his position as Bonarch, Fuamnach and Daellad dissapear to dust.

"Sad, Heliopause to the soul and end my turn there."

Akari
Hand: 7
Soul: 2
Damage: 3
Ritual: 5
OX--
O--O

Rentaro
Hand: 13
Soul: 2
Damage: 3
XXO
OOO

"Stand and draw, Luard's ritual X, I can select a circle and put all cards from that to the bottom of the deck, choosing Gaunan's then I put back a card (Emancipating Revenger, Allyl), to stride without a cost. Rise from the depths of the abyss, unleash your darkness to the world! Generation stride! Dragabyss Luard! (26000)" The Luard once everyone knew turned into a dragon with pitch black wings roaring. "Stride skill, counterblast, I call Belial from the deck (4000) since it has ritual I get to draw. Dragabyss's ability, soulblast I'll flip another copy of Dragabyss and retire Belial, I search my deck for two cards calling Iucharba and Daellad! (7000) Daellad's skill soulblast and draw, Belial's skill since it's retired I draw. I call Morfessa and Dagda to the field (9000). Luard's Generation Break 3! Add 10000 to my front row! (19000) (36000) (19000) Boosted by Iucharba, Morfessa attacks, Ritual 3! Add 5000! (24000) Iucharba's skill when boosting he gets 3000 power (34000)"

"No guard (Turmoil Star-Vader, Zinc)"

"Dagda attacks! (26000)"

"No guard (Star-Vader, Magallenic Stream) heal trigger, the power obviously goes to my vanguard and I recover one."

"Luard attacks! (36000) Shadow Storm!"

"Thorium protect me!"

"Triple drive! (Dragwizard, Gaunan. Mage of the Rogue Eye, Arsur.) stand trigger, standing Dagda adding the power to him. (Belial Owl) a critical all effects to Dagda. Dagda attacks! (29000/2★) his skill counterblast I retire Iucharba and Morfessa, calling Slaptail (9000 > 19000) and Fuamnach (7000) Fuam's ritual, she gets resist and 7000 (14000) Slaptail's ritual since another grade 1 was called he gains 3000 (22000)"

"Generation Guard! Large Wheel of Cosmos, Cosmo Wreath! (26000) counterblast! I lock Fuamnach! Shield adds 5000! (31000)"

"Slaptail! (22000)"

Slaptail hissed as he swung his tail towards Chaos Breaker.

"Paradigm Shift! (26000)"

"Tsk, That ends my turn. Belial to the bottom."

Akari
Hand: 13
Soul: 0
Damage: 3
Ritual: 7
--XX
X--X

Rentaro
Hand: 9
Soul: 2
Damage: 4
OXO
OOO

"You're not as bad as I thought you are, my sister was right I guess."

"Sister..? Who's she?"

"Oh? She didn't tell you? I can't be bothered to go to details, but Lucine is or was, my sister, but she became a simple pawn to bait you."

"You'd do that to you're own sibling?You're sick."

"And you're a murderer."

"It was self-defense. She was trying to kill us!"

"It wasn't her decision, it was mine."

"What did you do to her to make her do those things..?" Akari was in disgust reaching down to her back pocket.

"It's part of my little ability I have~" he hummed as his Psy qualia responded by glowing before turning off.

With that Akari grabbed her pistol that she used to kill Lucine and aim it at Rentaro's head, but at the same time he responded with his own pistol as the two guns crossed each other.

"Remember I can play dirty too." He smiled cruely.

"Whatever, just continue." She sighed putting down the pistol.

"Thank you." He did the same before continuing his turn. "Spiraling in red rings reincarnate into a death itself! Generation stride! Death Star-Vader, Chaos Breaker Deluge! (26000) stride skill, discarding a card to soulcharge, I lock Slaptail. Deluge's skill, soulblast, flipping a Glueball Dragon and I discard one call two cards from your hand as a lock!"

Akari sigh as she retired Dagda and Daellad before placing down two cards as a lock.

"Since you have less than 4 damage put a lock card to your damage zone face down."

Akari's eyes squinted and put one of her lock units to the damage zone, specifically the right to from the vanguard.

"And now I call Dubnium (9000), Zinc (7000), Heliopause (7000) Strange Dragon (9000) and another Strange Dragon. (9000) Heliopause's skill, soulblast! Omega lock Fuamnach! Heliopause gets 3000 (10000). Boosted by Zinc, Swing your red halberd, Deluge! (32000)" Rentaro smiled cruely ultilising his psy qualia once more.

Chaos Breaker Deluge raise his halberd before swinging it down to Luard.

"Saving my life a million times, she never let me down. Come! Dragsaver, Esras!" She discarded an Abyssal Owl.

"Triple drive! (Star-Vader Paradigm shift Dragon.) A critical trigger all effects to Dubnium. (Star-Vader, Sparkdoll) another critical, all to Strange Dragon! (Beloved Child of Superstring Theory) draw trigger! All to Dubnium and I draw."

As Chaos Breaker was about to hit Luard, Esras came into the rescue using her barrier to protect Luard from the attack.

"Heliopause boosts, Dubnium! (29000/2★) His skill counterblast! You know the drill."

"I place a lock card onto the empty circle. I guard! Belial Owl, Arsur! (31000)"

"Strange Dragon by Strange Dragon! Both of their skills are triggered, since you can't lock they get 5000 power each! (33000)"

"Damage check (Cursed Eye Raven) a stand trigger power to Luard (16000)"

"I'll end my turn. Next turn I'm sure to finish you off."

Akari
Hand: 6
Soul: 0
Damage: 5
Ritual: 9
--X--
-------

Rentaro
Hand: 8
Soul: 2
Damage: 4
XXX
XXX

Akari started to look uneasy as she drew the top card of her deck. "Luard's stride skill I'll bottom deck Fuamnach from my field and return another Fuam from the drop zon-"

"Look around you, surrounded by nothing but my mere locks." He cut her off with a cackle as both their imaginations transported to Cray.

Akari as Luard began looking around her allies, he was right, they were locked just like that.

"It doesn't matter, as long as I could defeat you. I have one thing that you don't have."

"and that is?" Rentaro as Chaos Breaker spun his sycthe slowly.

"Friends, who had stuck by my side on this fuckfest of a journey."

Meanwhile with Kizari, she was locked up near the cardfight so she could hear what was going on. Letting out a small chuckle she sigh in relief. "She finally learned, I guess you were right all along."

He kept quiet until finally speaking. "I don't need them."

"You don't because you only care for yourself."

"Weren't you like that too? A cold, cynical bastard. Your regrets will still hang you. I can't wait to see you felt helpless."

"I'll admit it, you're right even now I still am to other people except these people who I happily consider them as friends, a family I want, but didn't got. One taught me that being calm and rational could solve problems easier." She took a look at Usui then to Haruka. "Another taught that supremacy with a kind heart always have the most power." After Haruka she looked towards Kyouya. "The last one taught that you don't have to give a crap on what to some people say. Now I've taught myself to give my everything in every situation and not give up! You heard me loud and clear, Rentaro! I will defeat you!" She pointed her index finger at him.

He just narrowed down his eyes crossing his arms.

"I know my regrets will be my shadows of the past, like how I have to kill my own friend for survival of not just me but my other friends! Although they won't hold me back. I will feel helpless again, such as the day you burnt my old deck, but I found a new clan, even if the Shibaru clan was destroyed they're still in my spirit and memory!"

"Why you little..." Rentaro's right eye twitch getting annoyed at Akari as he turned on his psy qualia.

"Rise from the burning ashes with the cherished legacy of your former self! Reveal to the world who you truly are! Generation Stride, True Dragphantom, Katsumi! (26000)" Akari's vanguard circle expanded into bright cyan.

Everyone in the room including Kizari widen their eyes with a shock expression. The once lost avatar returned as a card from the Shadow Paladin clan.

At Planet Cray, Luard transformed into a crimson haired female wearing a wizard hat trademark from the Dragshifters in a blue and black scheme, a wizard attire and two dragonarms just like Dragphantom, Luard.

"Katsumi's ability, Katsumi’s ability, I counterblast and put all cards on my rear-guard circle to my drop zone! !(Slaptail, Dragwizard Vicreau, Dragphantom Luard, Morfessa) Then, I’ll call grade 1 or less cards from my deck equal to the number of face up cards in my G Zone, +1! I call, two Slaptail (9000), two Belial Owl (4000) and Dragwizard, Fuamnach (7000) they gain 3000 for every grade one in my drop zone. That'll be an extra 30000 to all of them. (9000 > 39000) (9000 > 39000) (4000 > 34000) (4000 > 34000) (7000 > 37000) Slaptail's skills when a grade 1 was placed add 3000 to himself and that unit, since it's Fuamnach add 3000 to her and Slaptail (42000) (40000) since I have two Slaptails add another 3000 (42000) (43000) Fuamnach's own ritual, add 7000 and resist (50000)."

Rentaro's eyes squint at the amount of power. Now he's the one who started feeling uneasy.

"That's not all! Katsumi's ritual 7! Add 15000 and a critical to the front row! (57000/2★) (41000/2★) (57000/2★) I'll start off with Slaptail boosted by Fuamnach! (107000/2★)"

"Thorium!"

"The next Slaptail! (91000/2★)"

"I don't guard." He smirked trying to keep his confidence. "Damage check! (Star-Vader Chaos Breaker Close. Star-Vader Magallenic Stream) heal trigger! Recover one and power to Chaos Breaker! (16000)"

"ACK HE SURVIVED-" Kyouya screeched.

"She has her vanguard it's not over yet." Usui said calmly.

"This is the end of your line, Katsumi him! (78000/2★) Phantom's Blaze!"

Katumi opened her book of magic as her dragon arm evolved into a bigger one. She jumped up to Chaos Breaker clawing his face screaming her heart out.

With that final blow, Chaos Breaker fell to his knees using his sycthe for something to hold onto.

Akari's spirit walk over to the Cyber Dragon whose presence was fading away from the surface of Cray. Now only Rentaro's spirit was standing in front of Akari. He kept quiet as she began the conversation.

"Why do you do this?"

"This place used to be my home before some gang break in turning it into an underground cardfight arena."

"Are you happy doing that?"

"Maybe." He looked shock but answered. His spirits started to fade away from the Planet Cray.

Katsumi approached from behind Akari putting a hand on her shoulder smiling slightly.

"Did you learn something, Vanguard?"

"I suppose so I did."

"I am relieved."

"Although, how? How are you still alive after the incident?" Akari turn over to Katsumi who just chuckled.

"Everything will be explained by my previous Vanguard who was like you, but for now you must.." She look up to the now blue sky before mouthing a couple of words.
---

Props to the wonderful art: 8mefox
Next: ➳ 12: Truth Beneath Lies