A tall, lanky man leaned over a ridge, adorned in a sand brown cloak that covered his torso and the majority of his legs. A hood folded over his head, shadowing his masked face. The mask looked almost demonic, with it's fiery red colour and imposing bulk from the nose sticking out and textured scales etched on top of it. Oval shaped holes were cut in the centre of the mask, and glowing inside them were two fierce orange orbs. The man looked out to the Great Wall of China, and moved his gloved hand behind his hood, and gently tapped against his ear, which held something plastic inside.

A masked woman sat cross legged on a metal bench inside an airport terminal, quietly scouring the area, and watching everyone come and go. She had the same sand brown cloak flowing down her hourglass shaped torso, and long legs. Like the man, the woman used her left hand to tap on the plastic embedded in her ear. It was a small, compact earpiece that allowed the two of communicate. Under her mask, various wires were attached to a microphone put near her mouth. Taking a deep breath, the woman steadied herself, and spoke.

"Target acquired."

"Good job. What are they doing?"

"They have split into four groups."

"Four groups? What are they?"

"The first group that left has Ikuo Payic, Ichinose Maverick and Nagito Max. The second group that has left is Aksan Riku, Jomko Ryu, Mato Trio. The third group is Blaze Inu, Mikushicha Wyvon, Kanock Rino. The final group is Mikazuchi Ryuzaki, Shinsei Yozora and Nomura Chiharu."

"Where are they headed?"

"The first group went to Nanxun. The second group went to Shanghai. The third group went to Beijing. The last group went to Hong Kong."

"Hm... all three Maganicalla users split up. Two of them use Granblue."

"Correct."

"Magus. Pick a number, 1 or 3."

"One."

"I'm heading to Nanxun then."

"Affirmative."

"Where will you be headed?"

"Choose a number. 2 or 4."

"Two."

"I suppose you severely underestimate my skill."

"No, not at all. We should avoid the anomaly."

"I see. If that is the case, I shall go after 3 once I am done with 1."

"Then I'll deal with 4 if I get the chance."

"Affirmative."

"We'll meet up in the Mao Loyalty Bridge. Let's give them a good scare."

"Affirmative. However, if we do acquire the Zeroth Dragon, for whatever reason— immediately give it to the Overlord."

"Don't worry. I got that part loud and clear."

"Affirmative."

"They have no clue what will strike them..."

(Opening here)

"I'm beginning to think we should've brought the one person who knows how to speak Chinese with us." Ryuzaki said nonchalant, while rubbing the back of his head.

Yozora and Chiharu were behind him, intaking the sights of Wan Chai, and its beautiful collection of red and brown shops all lined against one another. Each shop had a large sign coming out of them, which hung over everyone who passed. Ryuzaki looked around at the people in the area, as some went into shops, and some went out of them. Others went the same direction they did, or the opposite direction. The peculiar and memorable smells looming in the area were distinct, and left a strong impression on Yozora, who had to cover his mouth and nose.

"I'm sure Payic is doing fine." Chiharu smiled. "So, are we going to head to the beach? If we're looking for the Maganicalla Zeroth Dragon, we should go near water! And the beach is perfect for that!"

"You just want to tease Yozora in that swimsuit of yours." Ryuzaki laughed, tilting a green and white striped hat on his head forward.

"Huuuuh? I would not do something like that!" Chiharu huffed, crossing her arms and puffing her cheeks.

"I think you would..." Yozora said quietly, going red at the thought. Chiharu giggled and slapped his back playfully.

"I would do it because I like seeing you flustered, sweetie." She planted a small kiss on his left cheek.

"The mere mention of swimsuits and you gets my face red..." Yozora said.

"Hehe, exactly." Chiharu grinned, holding his hand tightly.

"Okay, can you two stop being so lovey dovey? You both know the reason why I agreed to this..." Ryuzaki muttered.

"Because we needed four equal groups of three, and the C4 had to split up for some reason about Max and Wyvon needing to stay far away from each other... or something..." Chiharu hummed.

"Close enough." Ryuzaki said, before turning to the two of them. "No, but the real reason why I agreed to let you two tag along... is so you two can have a romantic week in China!"

"Wait, we don't need to find a Zeroth Dragon?" Chiharu blinked.

"Yes." Ryuzaki said bluntly. He took out his wallet, and handed the couple a smaller wallet inside that wallet. "Inside there is a credit card, emergency phone numbers, some places Payic recommended, your hotel info, my super duper awesome translator - which yes, is better than Google Translate - and condom packets for you know why."

"But condoms can break inside wallets..." Yozora said, taking the wallet and feeling it's weight.

"Teen pregnancy is not a problem at all! Just get an abortion!" Ryuzaki laughed, as Yozora stared at him unamused.

"Yeah... no. I'll just stay away from sex. We're not even legally old enough to have it..."

"That hasn't stopped any minors having it." Ryuzaki said. "Look, if you don't trust my condoms, pick some up at a store or something. Just, be prepared."

"I'll be prepared by not having it..." Yozora sighed, putting the wallet into his jacket's inner pocket. "But thanks, Ryuzu."

"No problemo!" Ryuzaki gave a thumbs up, and put a hand each on Yozora's and Chiharu's shoulders. "Enjoy your time here. I'll come to check on you, but for now... I'm off to find a Zeroth Dragon before some cloaked bitch steals it."

"Good luck, Ryuzaki!" Chiharu chirped. "Thanks for the vacation!"

"Anything for best boy Yozora. Toodles!" Ryuzaki waved, and ran off.

"Hmph. You're my best boy." Chiharu hugged Yozora possessively, squeezing his torso. Yozora wrapped his arms around her, and kissed the top of her head.

"And you're my best girl. Where should we go to first?"

"Let's eat the famous dim sum of China! And then after, we can get some Chinese gyoza and egg tarts! And after that, we can visit a bakery and get those char siu and gali ji baos! And then, we can go sightseeing, or check out the harbours! Then we can head to the beach so I can tease you, and finally we go to the hotel and sleep a lot. In the same bed, of course." Chiharu giggled.

"You really like food..." Yozora said, cheeks tinted in red.

"Whenever you're in a new country, trying out the authentic cuisine is a must." Chiharu explained, closing her eyes and resting her head on his chest. "So, when do you want to go to the beach?"

"I'm not a p-pervert... I can control myself." Yozora muttered, looking away.

"Closet pervert." Chiharu cooed. Yozora pouted and flicked her forehead gently.

"I'm not a closet perv..."

"Aww, don't you want to see me in a swimsuit?"

"I'm perfectly fine with you in your normal clothes, darling. I love you for your personality and charms. The beautiful face and perfect body is just a bonus." Yozora smirked. Chiharu giggled as her cheeks went pink.

"My, my, Yozocchi! Since when were you so smooth~?" Chiharu kissed his cheek.

"I... I don't know where I got that from..." Yozora relaxed his shoulders, and laughed. He kissed Chiharu's nose.

"And you also being a handsome idol is just a bonus for me then." Chiharu smiled.

"H-Handsome? N-no, impossible..." Yozora said.

"You can't deny what's obvious." Chiharu puffed her cheeks.

"A-anyways!" Yozora coughed. "We're here for a week. Let's take our time and enjoy it all. We can go to all of these places whenever we want."

"Lead the way then, Prince Naito." Chiharu giggled.

Hiking up The Great Wall of China, Inu, Wyvon and Rino began their steep adventure in Mutianyu, a section close to Beijing, where they were sent originally. The wall itself was greyscale, which made it look worn out and old. However, it was also rustic and ancient; made out of old stones, bricks, and other materials. People scattered up and down the wall, many of which were tourists like Inu, Wyvon and Rino. The lush, green wildlife from the hazy summer served as an easy looking backdrop for the famous wall, while the faint autumn breeze cooled them off as they stood under the bright sun.

"Even if we don't find the Zeroth Dragon, I'll be glad I joined along." Wyvon said, walking up the wall with a large smile.

"Really?" Inu raised a brow, lagging at the back of the trio.

"Yeah! The Great Wall is amazing!" Wyvon exclaimed, running his hand on the ledge.

"It's kind of nice." Rino said, playing with the ends of his tied up hair. "I don't like all the walking..."

"Let's take a break!" Wyvon suggested.

"Sure, I could sit down." Inu said, crouching.

"You look stupid." Rino said, brushed the back of his trousers, before sitting on the step.

"Is that even allowed?" Inu asked.

"Well... I've seen people do it." Rino said.

"If so, imma join in." Inu stood up, and repositioned himself to sit down under Rino. Wyvon placed himself beside his friend, and let out a loud yelp.

"The floor is so bumpy..."

"I'm surprised Ryuzaki let you guys stay after losing to him. The guy is usually a man of his words... what made him change his mind?"

"I don't know or really care." Wyvon said in a serious voice. "I assume you're curious."

"Well... Yeah." Inu said, looking over his shoulder at Wyvon. "I wasn't there, and I'm not really full on the situation you and Max were in. It seems so... weird that you guys were put so close to each other."

"Even if he booted us out, I wouldn't mind." Wyvon said. "I don't like Max. I'd prefer to stay away from him, rather than be near him."

"Yeah, I get that." Inu said.

"It must seem contradictory since earlier I said I was glad I joined." Wyvon said.

"You can read minds?"

"Your face just gives it away."

"Oh..." Inu laughed nervously.

"Even if it's contradictory, I'm not lying. Sure, I hate Max, and sure, a lot of stuff happened... but I think for what it's worth, I got to experience something I probably couldn't ever before, and at least I'm with some good buddies, right?" Wyvon said. "Honestly, I don't like Ryuzaki. He doesn't sit well with me."

"That came out of nowhere..." Inu mumbled.

"Sorry... I just needed to get that out of my system." Wyvon said.

"Nah, I get it. He can be a dick, but he doesn't mean harm... I think what he was trying to do is fix a broken bridge. But instead of fixing it, he broke it even more like a dummy." Inu said.

"Sounds about right." Rino said.

"Oh my God, Rino! You were so quiet, I forgot you existed!" Inu shouted.

"I just don't have much to say..." Rino said, hugging his lower legs. "China is beautiful..."

"Group photo?" Wyvon nudged Rino, who shook his head no.

"Too embarrassing."

"C'mon, just to have a souvenir." Wyvon said, taking out his phone.

"Would it be better if it was just you and Wyvon?" Inu asked.

"...yeah..." Rino said quietly.

"Wyvon, pass me your phone." Inu said. "I'll take the pic."

"Ah, thanks man." Wyvon said, standing up. He lent a hand to Rino, who took it and stood up next to him. Rino put his hands behind his head and untied his hair, letting his long, blonde locks flow over his shoulder and back, giving him a "maiden" like look. Moving his arms in front of his body, he clasped his hands together. Wyvon put an arm around Rino's shoulder, and threw two fingers up as a peace sign. Inu took a step back, and smiled.

"Say cheese!" He exclaimed.

"Cheese!!" Wyvon and Rino shouted.

A maglev train of Shanghai ran down a magnetic track, zipping in a straight line. The sleek look of the train resembled a rocket, with a cone like front and almost cylindrical body. Painted in a glossy white, a line of tinted windows went down the middle of the train, while a dark blue stripe followed it underneath. Inside the train, amber lights created a warm and cosy atmosphere, while comfy blue seats lined up at the sides, in rows of two, creating a corridor down the middle. Falling somewhere down the middle of the train, Trio and Ryu sat next to each other, with Riku sitting behind them by herself. She was on her phone, while Ryu was sound fast asleep. Trio had earbuds in, and was listening to music on his device.

"Yu Garden?" Riku said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yes, the Yu Garden in Shanghai!" Payic exclaimed, showing Riku a picture of the garden on her tablet.

"Ooh! It's so beautiful!" Riku said, staring at awe.

The picture of the garden Payic showed Riku was a small part of the attraction. Traditional red and black buildings were built atop light coloured wooden bridges and bases, while large, light grey rocks were scattered around and filled the blank spaces. Large, bright green trees surrounded the towers, and gave shade to the garden. Underneath the busy structures, a bed of warm water ran underneath, with leaves and flowers floating in the stream.

The garden was divided up into six general areas, with each one holding it's own unique buildings, wildlife and attractions. Sansui Hall was one of these areas, featuring cliffs, caves and gorges. The other areas included: Wanhua Chamber, Dianchun Hall, Huijing Hall, Yuhua Hall, and the Inner Garden. These places were all separated by "dragon walls"; walls made from grey tiled ridges, each terminating in a dragon's head.

"My dad brought me there once while I was in Shanghai. I really love the place." Payic said.

"It'd be funny if the Zeroth Dragon was there." Riku said, laughing.

"Well, the thing is..." Payic stifled her laugh. "If you look there, it's a body of water."

"Oh... ohhh! I get what you're saying." Riku smirked. "A Zeroth Dragon is in there?"

"Potentially. You should check it out if your group goes to Shanghai." Payic said.

As the train came to a slow halt, the announcement that they had arrived at the station rang throughout the train. Riku took her black leather handbag, and placed it on her lap. She pulled the gold zip from one end to another, opening it. Placing her phone inside, she quickly zipped it back up, and slung it over her shoulder. Standing up, she walked into the aisle, and leaned over to Ryu's row. She used her index finger to flick Ryu's forehead.

"Ow..." Ryu groaned, slowly opening his eyes.

"Wake up, we're at the garden." Riku said.

"Already? Damn, that was quick." Ryu rose to his feet, and took his rucksack on the floor with him.

"You were asleep for most of it though." Trio laughed.

"C'mon, let's hurry!" Riku exclaimed, running to the exit.

"Coming, coming!" Trio shouted, following her.

"Don't leave me behind!" Ryu yelled.

Payic, Maverick and Max wandered around Nanxun, an ancient water town in China. The cross shaped town had two waterways that intersect: the Shihe River from north to south, and the ancient Grand Canal from east to west. The town was built completely around these rivers, with the waterway becoming streets and houses. The style and features of the traditional streets were well-preserved, along with traditional houses and carved-brick arches. These relics of the town made it culturally rich and one of the most interesting villages in China. The group was sticking near the water, hoping they'd catch the Zeroth Dragon inside the waves.

"We've seen a lot of strange stuff, yet this feels the most strange..." Maverick said.

"So trying to find a card that could potentially destroy the universe isn't stranger than a town built on water?" Payic asked.

"Yes." Maverick said.

"Your head is fried after drinking so many protein shakes..." Payic sighed.

"The only way you can fry is head is covering it in batter and dipping it in oil!" Maverick shouted.

"Y'know, since those bracelets have that safety feature which can prevent death... I'm pretty sure we could do that."

"Even without the bracelet, my head is hard as a rock!"

"Is it harder than Tsubasa's head from Your Villain High School?" Max asked, his head tilted down.

"Oh, do you mean the windy hype boy who hates Dotoroki and his mother Ndeavour?" Payic asked.

"Yeah, him. Every time I watch him slam his head to the ground, it leaves me with shivers." Max said.

"Watch this then!" Maverick exclaimed, lifting his head up, and then throwing it at the stone hard ground.

A loud smack echoed through the small area, as Maverick's forehead connected with the floor. Lifting his face, a comical amount of blood gushed out of Maverick's head. Max stared at him unamused, while Payic began laughing uncontrollably. It didn't last, as the sound of thunder cut through, silencing the trio. Payic and Max slowly reared their heads to see what had appeared behind them, while Maverick narrowed his eyes in anger.

"You...!"

"I have a name."

"Who is he?" Max asked.

"He's... a cloaked figure." Payic replied.

"It's a new one... I haven't seen one with a dragon mask." Maverick said.

"Oh, you're aware of our existence? I wished I could've riled up a better reaction."

"What's your name?!" Maverick exclaimed.

"Hyakurai."

"Cardfight me!" Maverick shouted, taking out his FICA.

"A challenge? I'll gladly accept!" Hyakurai exclaimed, taking out his FICA from inside his cloak.

"Wait..." Max said, putting an arm in front of Maverick.

"What is it?" Maverick asked.

"I'll be the one to fight him." Max said, slowly raising his tilted head.

"What?! I won't allow it!"

"I will." Hyakurai said. "Max Nagito, I want to see your strength!"

"Please... let me fight him. I need to... I need to do something useful at least once." Max said, his whole body shaking.

"Let him." Payic said, looking at Maverick with honest eyes.

"Fine..." Maverick exhaled a deep breath. "He's all yours."

"Thanks..." Max said, taking out his FICA. "You won't regret it."

Raising his FICA into the air, Max threw it on the floor, and it opened up into half of a fight-table. Hyakurai tossed his FICA just next to Max's. It opened up into the other half of the fight-table. Maverick and Payic stood behind Max as he shuffled his deck.

"You guys go look for the Zeroth Dragon." Max said, drawing five cards. "I don't want to hold you back."

"I'll stay here with you." Maverick said. "Payic, you go."

"Are you sure about this?" Payic raised a brow. "I don't like the idea of splitting up, especially after what happened in England."

"It's risky, but if we find the Zeroth Dragon, it'll be worth it..." Maverick said quietly. "If you find it, flee the area and message us."

"Alright..." Payic nodded. "Good luck, Max."

"Thanks." Max replied, placing two fingers on his starting vanguard.

"I'll see you guys." Payic began walking away from the group, as Hyakurai smirked under his mask.

"See ya." Maverick waved, and then crossed his arms.

"Are you ready?" Hyakurai asked.

"Yeah... I think I am." Max said.

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Hardrod Dracokid!" Hyakurai exclaimed, the vanguard circle expanding orange.

"Peter the Ghostie!" Max exclaimed, the vanguard circle expanding blue.

(Ending here)

Next Time on Z World:

#28: Snow

Hyakurai: It's time for my fight in Z World! I'm going up against Max's Granblue deck, while I'm using Narukami! I think the winner of this match is clear as day!

Max: Hey, Maverick, is it too late to tag out...?

Maverick: Well, the power of trigger sack compels you.

Max: Wow thx

Hyakurai: My name means Hundred Thunder, how could you not figure it out sooner? Anyways, next chapter is the Volume finale! Don't miss it!

================================

A/N

Okay, I really need to stop leaving things last minute. Massive sorry for not publishing at my usual time, I'm just a lazy asshole... haha

After pumping out this chapter in about 2 days, I really have no more energy to make a legit author note, so here's your goof of the week:

And big thank you for reading!

Oh, before I go, one thing!

What should I do for the Halloween Special?

That's all, Fox out!