"SENSEIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Kuromu yelled out in grief, falling to his knees, as they all cried aloud for the passing of their teacher, Daitokuji, formerly the Seven Star Amanael.
"No… Sensei…" Rika sobbed as she cling onto Asuka, who was also crying.
"DAMMMIIIIITTTT!" Rex roared in anger at the heavens.
"Daitokuji-sensei…" Judai muttered as he looked towards where the late Osiris Red headmaster laid. He then let out a loud scream of both anger and sorrow. The Duel that would end this madness, had also ended his teacher's life. And Judai dealt the final blow. He had killed the man he had respected and looked up to for so long.
It was also at this moment that the Spirit Keys all returned to the original holders, indicating their victory.
"Yo."
Kuromu, Judai, and Rex went from sorrowful to vengeful as they and the others ratcheted their heads towards Oogumo, smugly looking upon them. It was then that Kuromu let out a furious roar.
"OOGUMOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!"
Almost immediately, the three summoned their ace monsters. Flame Wingman, Gyzarus, and W rushed at the eyeless cyclops. However, Oogumo merely waved his hand and a crescent wave of dark energy flew across, striking all three ace monsters, sending them flying, before shattering into pixels.
"Damn you, you monster!" Judai shouted.
"Did you really think your silly cardboard images could save you?" the eyeless cyclops laughed.
"Leave us alone!" Rika shouted. "Haven't you done enough already?! How much longer are you going to keep harassing us?!"
"Either you go, or I'll tear that eyeball right out your head!" Rex roared before his eyes began to flicker in between normal and pink glow.
"Oh, your rage is quite potent. I like that." the eyeless cyclops complimented the mutt, "But not as much as your heroic friend over there. I'm especially delighted in his despair."
*BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!*
Several gunshots rang out, as Tsukasa shot Oogumo several times from his RideBooker, sparking flying off the latter's body. "You need to leave… now."
"Very well. It seems I overstayed my welcome." the eyeless cyclops chuckled, "But know this Kururugi Kuromu, Yuki Judai. In every heart, the seed of darkness abides. The makings of a lord when watered well… With hate. Sweet hate. She springs eternal. Sings… all-tempting draught."
With that, he vanished, with his parting words being, "We'll drink of her again."
"Gh…" Kuromu gritted his teeth, clenching his fist.
"Hey," Tsukasa placed a hand on Kuromu's shoulder, snapping him out of it. "You're okay."
"…" Kuromu remained silent, looking downward.
The gem on the Emerald Tablet then shattered, revealing the last red stone fragment, being absorbed into the Shadow Charm Pendant.
*BA DUMP!*
"Kuromu?" Asuka gasped as the Rider Duelist clutched his heart.
"Ergh… argh! ARRRRRRRGH!" Kuromu cried out, before his eyes widened. He felt his head throbbing in pain prompting him to hold onto his head tightly. "RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!"
Within the Rider Duelist's mind, images were flickering in and out at such speeds that he could barely keep up. It was the same vision he had when he first picked up the Shadow Charm Pendant. Everything was blurry, the scenery was dark and dank, as if he were in some cave. He saw a silhouette of a human figure. This human saw a group of other silhouetted monsters rushing towards the former, and this lone human seemed to be fighting these monsters off.
However, that cave seemed to have brightened up, and the figure was now visible. This figure wore something similar to that of a karate gi, but… there was something on his waist, which revealed to be… the Arcle?!
This man then did the various movements that Yusuke would do, before shouting, "Henshin!" and transformed… into Kuuga!
But this Kuuga looked nothing like Yusuke's Kuuga. It looked more organic.
Kuromu finally collapsed to his knees as he began breathing rapidly.
"KURO!" Asuka gasped, holding him close. "Are you okay?! What's wrong?!"
"I… I…" Kuromu panted heavily. "I saw… a vision…"
"A vision? Of what?" Koji asked.
"That vision I saw… when I… haaaaa… haaaa… first picked up the pendant… it was… more clear now… haaaaaa… haaaaaa…"
"What happened?" Judai asked.
"I… saw… I saw…" Kuromu gasped. "I… I saw the person fighting those monsters… transform into Kuuga!"
"Nani?" Tsukasa gasped, definitely caught off-guard.
"Oh my…" Woz muttered in complete shock.
"Kuuga?!" Yusuke asked, as he suddenly appeared. "You're sure of this?!"
"At least… I think that was Kuuga." Kuromu admitted, "He looked like Kuuga but at the same time, didn't…"
Everyone looked at each other with confusion and worry. Tsukasa, Woz, and Yusuke were definitely disturbed by what they had heard. How was it possible that a version of Kuuga existed in the World of Duel Monsters? It didn't make any sense. Granted, it was the multiverse, but there were no records indicating a Rider existing anywhere from the present day to the ancient past.
"Let's… head back for now." Tsukasa suggested. "All of you need rest and need to gather your bearings."
"We might also need to inform the other Osiris Red students of his passing as well." Woz added, "It is the best we can do to lessen the pain."
"And what about… what we just heard?" Hotaro asked.
"I'll talk to Hongo-san about this. He needs to know." Tsukasa said.
Soon, the others soon solemnly went towards the Osiris Red dorm with their heads hung low. Sho, Misawa, Ryo, Junko, Momoe, and Annette all saw that everyone was fine… apart from the lack of the alchemic professor.
When they heard about the fate of Daitokuji, they joined in mourning his death. The thief, while not knowing the alchemic professor that well, shared her condolences with the grieving Duelists.
"…I see." Samejima lowered his head as he gave a moment of silence for the fallen professor, Daitokuji's letter of resignation in hand.
Tsukasa and Woz had arrived at the Principal's office and told Samejima of the events that took place. To say he was shocked that the last Seven Star was Daitokuji had been an understatement. How could he have not seen this? It made his attacks on Rex, Jun, Koji, and Rika make so much sense. He knew who the real Spirit Key holders were because he was there when they were chosen.
"This is all my fault…" Samejima said, with his head down. "To think that Daitokuji-san was a spy for the Seven Stars… right under our noses."
"None of us had any idea he was with them." Tsukasa reassured the principal. "He hid it well, sure, but Daitokuji had his reasons. One of them being that he was preparing everyone for the real danger ahead."
"I see… How are the Osiris Red students handling his passing?" Samejima asked.
"They're still processing it." Woz answered. "They've been holding somewhat of a vigil, having a makeshift funeral for the man. We made sure to gather his ashes to put in an urn before we left the Abandoned Dorm."
"Judai, Sho, Rex, and Jun though… they're taking it the hardest." Tsukasa added, "Judai especially…"
"I can imagine why, given his position." the principal guessed. "And Kururugi?"
"Yeah… about that…" Tsukasa went from sad to nervous, as he began to tell what happened.
Kuromu was in his room, trying to process everything that had transpired, Pharaoh curled up in his lap. From Daitokuji's death, his last words and will, and the revelation of Kuuga existing in his world. That was what bothered him the most.
Never mind Oogumo's threats. Forget the warning of the imminent danger that will come in the near future. How did a version of Kuuga exist? What's also strange, was that he didn't seem to look like Kuuga either.
His skin was black as iron, with red beetle-like armor on his chest and shoulders, accented with golden bone-like collar and armbands, his belt having fused with his body and leaving behind a red gem at the center, and finally he had red gems on his knees and golden anklets protecting his new bestial feet. His head also resembled that of a ground beetle with golden horns, a silver mouth guard, and red segmented eyes.
'I just don't get it…' Kuromu shook his head.
"Kuromu?" Yusuke said as he appeared. "Are you alright?"
"Yusuke-san…" Kuromu muttered, before looking outside his window, while sitting in his chair. "No… I'm not. There's just… too much going on. My brain can't handle everything."
"I can imagine. I remember hearing about a world where I became Kuuga much later but… I didn't think this version of me also existed here too." The first Heisei Rider posited.
"How did Kuuga in your world come to be?" Kuromu inquired.
After trying his best to recall it, Yusuke gave the story of the first Kuuga.
"Many years ago, there lived a tribe of humans known as the Linto. At first, they prospered in peace. That was until another tribe known as the Grongi had obtained the power to transform into monsters by an unknown meteorite: The Amadam Stone. Desperate for a savior, the Linto turned to their shamans for answers. They would soon find one in a man simply known as Riku, a humble man. Using the Amadam Stone, the very one used to turn the Grongi Tribes into monsters, the Arcle was forged. And that man would become the first Kuuga."
"So there were Kamen Riders before Hongo?" Kuromu asked.
"Very much. In terms of the timeline, Agito and Saber come after me." Yusuke explained.
"I see…" Kuromu muttered.
*KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK*
The Kamen Rider duelist carried Pharaoh to put him on the bed, and went to his door and opened it, revealing the first Kamen Rider. "Hongo-san." He gasped in surprise.
"I see that you're troubled, shonen." The first Rider observed.
"W-When did you-"
"Just now. May I?"
"H-Hai," Kuromu said, letting the man inside. Closing the door behind him, Kuromu sat on the edge of the bed next to Pharaoh. "I'm going to assume that Kadoya-sensei filled you in on what's been happening."
"He did." Takeshi nodded. "And he told me of your vision. To think that Kuuga would exist in your world… meaning that the Cross of Fire has already been set ablaze in this world."
Kuromu nodded, as he petted the tabby cat, giving him ear scratches. "Hongo-san… have you ever been scared of your own power? Fearing what would happen if you ended up being tempted to embrace something darker?"
"Many times…" Takeshi answered, sitting next to him. "After all, the monsters that S.H.O.C.K E.R create are modified to be stronger than the average human in every aspect. Yet who they used to be had long been snuffed out. I would have been the same had Midorikawa-sensei not saved me."
"Who was that?"
"He was a scientist, much like your mother, who was forced to work for S.H.O.C.K.E.R." Takeshi said. "In fact, he was the one that, unwillingly, recommended me to partake in the experiment that would eventually make me a Kamen Rider."
"What?" Kuromu gasped, "Why did he help you escape?"
"He couldn't bear his remorse." Takeshi answered. "He had also planned to reveal S.H.O.C.K.E.R to the public, but was killed before he could. And his daughter initially blamed me for his death before learning the truth days after." He then turned to Kuromu, "Shonen, know this. Power doesn't corrupt, it only reveals. What you do with that power, ultimately, is all up to you. Will you be a savior, or a destroyer?"
Kuromu could tell what that question meant to him.
"With great power comes great responsibility." he quoted, looking towards the pendant, clenching it. "All I wanted is to be a Duelist who could make everyone smile while having fun. Yet… time and time again, I have to put aside my goal for the sake of protecting our world, for protecting those I love… I'm not saying that I don't want to do that, but…"
"There is a way to achieve both." Takeshi said, "You just have to seek it out."
"Really? Is such a thing possible?" Kuromu asked.
"Mm. After all, endless possibilities present themselves before you at your age." The first Rider posited. "When an opportunity of realizing your dreams arise, don't be afraid to take it. It only takes one step."
Kuromu nodded before looking towards his Extra Deck. Ever since the pendant gained the last of the Amadam Stone fragments, his Extra Deck seemed to stop glowing and changing. Now it was a simple Fusion Deck. Kuromu wondered if that weird change stopped now that the stone was complete, or if an additional trigger was needed. Either way, he would need to start searching for those answers.
*DONK!*
At the private onsen, the sound of streaming water echoed in the Girls' Bath. Currently occupying it were Asuka, Rika, Junko, Momoe, and Annette (who was out of her disguise). Everything had been stressful ever since the passing of Daitokuji. While they managed to get over their tears, the sadness still lingered in their hearts.
Asuka figured to offset the current gloom, she decided to have a girl's night out to help keep everyone in good spirits. Now normally, the private onsen is exclusive to only her and Kuromu. But… given the current situation, Asuka was sure that Kuromu would understand. They would want to at least have some sort of privacy of healing in their own way.
Besides, the moment she told him "Girl's Night", he understood immediately.
"Wow, this place feels nice…" Annette sighed in relief.
"Yeah, and Asuka gets to use it with Kuromu for some alone time." Junko smirked. "Makes me kinda jealous."
"H-Hey! We don't do that!" Asuka stammered.
"Are you sure?" Momoe smirked with half-lidded eyes.
"Need I remind you two that you always end up leaving me restless any time you sneak Koji into your room?" Rika grumbled. Junko and Momoe flinched before laughing sheepishly.
"Sérieusement?" Annette asked in surprise. "The two of you are dating him at the same time?"
"Trust us, we make it work." Junko chuckled, "Still, it's so romantic that Jun helped you out of your shell."
"Even if it gave Kuromu and Rex hell in the process…" Asuka giggled, still remembering the mad chase the two had with the ace.
"I do apologize for that." Annette said to Asuka. "I had no idea that Jun-kun was doing that to you."
"And it's likely Jun had no idea either. I had no idea he could be so loyal." Asuka added, recalling how attentive the ace had become of his fiancée.
"Makes me wish I had a gi-I mean, guy like that." Rika muttered.
"Hm? What was that?" Annette tilted her head.
"It's nothing!" Rika stammered, before submerging the bottom half of her face into the warm water, blowing bubbles.
"Come now, mon ami. No need to be shy." Annette smiled. "I didn't forget how red you looked when you first laid eyes on me."
Rika sank a bit deeper, refusing to let the girls see her blush.
"Rika, you're going to overheat if you do that." Junko said.
Asuka merely rolled her eyes before letting out a sigh. She just hoped that a certain HERO could also get his spirits back up.
Meanwhile, at the Osiris Red dorm, Judai was simply sitting out on the beach; watching the waves crash by as the image of Daitokuji crumbling before him repeated endlessly in his mind.
"You mind some company?"
He looked up and saw Sho and Rex were standing there, both looking worried for the Elemental HERO Duelist.
"Y-Yeah, I guess so." Judai muttered.
The two then sat by his side and the trio sat in silence for a few moments, unsure of what to say or do. The mutt looked towards Judai and could see just how broken he was. Out of their little friend group, Rex knew how Judai was feeling.
"It's not easy, is it?" the mutt muttered, getting Judai's attention. "You keep wishing there could have been another way, that maybe if you did something different then maybe things could change."
The Elemental HERO Duelist let out a chuckle, "Nothing seems to get past you, can it?"
He then looked to Sho who was just as sad about the affair, "I'm sorry, aniki…"
"For what? Neither of you did anything wrong, I did." Judai affirmed, placing a hand to his heart. "I killed Daitokuji-sensei."
"What happened with the professor wasn't your fault, and I'm sure that if he were here right now, he'd likely tell you the same thing." Rex stated, "He knew the consequences, and likely accepted that he was going to die either way." The mutt then placed a hand on the Elemental HERO Duelist's shoulder, "Look dude. There's no changing what could have happened. That's something we'll have to accept. So let's live on, and make sure that no one ends up like him ever again."
The mutt soon offered a fist bump to Judai, which surprised him.
"Come on. Don't leave me hanging." Rex said, "All for one…"
Judai smiled as he and Sho soon shared a three-way fist bump, "And one for all." The trio soon let out a chuckle before the Elemental HERO Duelist quickly remembered something, "Oh right! I think I still got something for you guys."
After digging into his pocket, he quickly pulled out two deck boxes.
"What are these?" Sho asked.
"Open it." Judai insisted.
Confused, the two quickly opened up the deck boxes and were surprised. Judai watched as his friends' eyes widened at the sight of these.
"Dude, these are-" Rex gawked as the two took out a pair of new decks.
The Elemental HERO Duelist nodded as he quickly began to explain as he took out three cards from Rex's new second deck, which were brand new versions of Gazelle, Baphomet, and Chimera, "It took me a while, but I was able to create a brand new deck based on your old one. There's even a new Monster type I asked Kyoshiro-san to make based on your old ace. I call it the Illusion type."
"Woah…" the mutt muttered
"And Sho, I wanted to grab some brand new Vehicroids for you so I went and sifted through as many of the spare cards that Asuka-san turned in when she was searching for her new Cyber Angel cards. This includes two new boss monsters too."
"I… but aniki…" the Roid Duelist muttered as he looked upon his new second deck.
"Bro, you didn't have to do this." Rex said as he looked at the three key cards in his new deck.
Judai shook his head, "I thought that since you two did a lot to help my deck grow, I'd try and do the same." he chuckled. He then looked at his own Elemental HERO deck. "You know, technically Featherman, Burst Lady, Sparkman, Clayman, and Bubbleman, aren't technically my monsters."
This surprised the two.
"They're… not?" Sho asked with incredulity.
"But you use them all the time!" Rex pointed out. "How is that not your Deck?"
"It's… it's a long story." Judai said as he let out a sigh, "There's actually someone I look up to a lot. And no, it's not Yugi-san."
"Now there's a surprise." the mutt muttered.
"Ever heard of the name Hibiki Koyo?" Judai asked.
That made the Roid Duelist and mutt do a double-take, "Wait, what?!"
"You mean the three-time Duel World Champion?!" Sho gasped.
Judai nodded, "I remember meeting the guy like it was yesterday. I had just broken my leg as a kid and I was kind of struggling. But then, when I fell, I ended up meeting the guy since he was also in the hospital for something. We ended up talking a lot about Duel Monsters and stuff." He smiled, "It was through Koyo that I got to hear about Yugi."
"Dude must have had quite the impact on you, didn't he?" Rex asked.
"Yeah, and I'd always go visit him after I was out of the hospital, always Dueling with him." Judai affirmed, "Yet, for whatever reason, Koyo-san always stayed in the hospital."
The mutt kept silent, as he recalled that Koyo Hibiki was afflicted with some kind of unknown affliction that kept him weak. It was then that Judai looked down, "He promised me he would recover and show me what a Pro Duelist would really look like…"
Flashback
"Crap! I overslept!" a kid Judai gasped as he rushed towards the large arena, 'And on such an important day too!'
The future Duel Prince soon heard the chatter of the arena staff as he tried to make his way towards the arena entrance.
"Hey, I heard a pro collapsed."
"The ambulance is here!"
"Quick! Get him on!"
However, as he stopped in his tracks, the young boy's heart sank as he looked and saw a young man with brown hair, on the gurney whilst his sister, a woman with long brown hair, was by his side.
"K-Koyo-san!" he gasped before making a break for the ambulance.
"Hey kid! Back away!" A guard said, trying to hold Judai back.
"Koyo-san! Midori-san!" he called out.
The young woman, Midori Hibiki, looked to see Judai who gasped, but the door to the ambulance closed right then and there. The ambulance then revved the engine and had left.
Later that night at the hospital, the woman saw Judai arrive.
"I see, you're here too." she muttered.
"It was my fault…" Judai cried, "It was my fault Koyo-san collapsed…"
She shook her head, "You've got it all wrong, Judai. It's not your fault."
However the boy begged to differ, "But… it's because I wanted to see him in the tournament. So he pushed himself too far!"
Judai soon tried to pep the two back up, "Don't worry, he woke up soon after but… he had to retire as a Pro Duelist due to the doctors finding him medically unfit to continue competing."
"Shit…" Rex muttered.
"So how did you end up getting his Deck?" Sho asked.
"Well, Midori-san ended up gifting me a Duel Disk after I drafted up a deck of my own, and I ended up dueling Koyo!" Judai revealed, "We went back and forth until Koyo-san ended up finishing the Duel by playing Flame Wingman with only 450 Life Points to spare."
Sho was amazed, "You got Hibiki-san down to 450 Life Points?!"
"Dude, that is sick man!" Rex cheered.
"It was nothing, really." Judai played it off.
"That's nothing to snuff at! You almost beat a Pro Duelist with only 450 LP to go! Do you know how unprecedented that is?!" The mutt shouted, "You must have had a wicked good deck to stand up to him!"
Judai's smile briefly wavered at that, but he didn't want to let his friends see that.
"Here I come, Judai! This is the end!" Koyo declared, "Battle! Elemental HERO Flame Wingman attacks your monster! Flame Shoot!"
Just like that, the little Judai was defeated as he ended up on the receiving end of what would soon be his favorite HERO's signature attack.
Judai: 0
Koyo: 450
"I… I lost… but it was so awesome!" Judai cheered.
He then looked towards Koyo, who was looking to the sky, "Yeah. it was a fun Duel, huh Judai?"
As the boy got up, the future Hero King soon made his declaration, "I've decided! I'm eventually going to be a Duelist just like you, Koyo-san!" He shook his head, "No, even better! I'm going to become the next Duel King!"
"Is that so?" Koyo chuckled as he removed his jacket and adjusted his glasses.
He then approached the young boy with his Deck in hand and jacket on his arm, "Judai, I'm entrusting this Deck to you."
Judai was left shocked, "Huh? W-Why? You can't do that. This is yours."
"It's okay." the Duel World Champion reassured him, "Today, I'm stepping down as a Duelist."
He then placed his jacket onto the little Judai's shoulders, "Judai, no matter who you go up against… be a Duelist that enjoys Dueling. Do your best, Judai!"
"After that, he fell into a coma not long after I left." Judai sadly finished his story, "That's why I want to become Duel King; to help keep Koyo-san's legacy alive. To show that there's more to life than just winning no matter what."
Sho and Rex couldn't help but smile at this as Judai looked towards his deck.
"And now, with Ossan's deck and my own monsters in this, I feel like I'm carrying not just Koyo's legacy, but also Ossan's crushed dream, and my own hope."
"That's good on ya man." Rex gave a thumbs-up.
Judai then smiled, "Sho? Rex? Thanks for looking out for me."
"Hey, that's what friends are for?" the mutt pointed out.
Oogumo walked through the halls of his base, on his way towards the chamber where David and Reggie were being held. However, one more person of interest is also being held there. Before Amanael, or rather Daitokuji, went off to take the Spirit Keys, they had managed to transport the leader of the Seven Stars to the facility.
When the eyeless cyclops had heard of Daitokuji's demise and the Spirit Keys' reclamation, he decided to go ahead with the plan as scheduled. This was regardless of the outcome. Whoever lost, Oogumo won anyway… to an extent. After all, he has a plan for multiversal conquest, and this little detour is just the first of many steps towards that goal.
"Tell me, has the process been completed?" He asked the facility's computer.
"Information: The fusion of Subject Tragedy and Shadow is at 65%. Estimation of process completion: Seven days."
"Heh, fitting." The eyeless cyclops chuckled, "Continue the process."
"Affirmative."
Oogumo soon reached the chamber and the doors slid open. It revealed a large computer screen with controls, buttons, and keyboards that littered the control pads. There were several connected desks, littered with laptops and wires that littered the floor.
But the main attraction was what was in front of the supercomputer. It was a large glass tube sealed from top to bottom, both hooked up by numerous cables, tubes, and everything else. But inside was an extremely elderly fragile man with sharp facial features, a top bald head and thick white hair and beard flowing down past his shoulders. He was wearing an oxygen mask over his face while floating inside this clear liquid, his body had wires all over him as well.
Of course, what was disturbing was the fact that Tragoedia, the Duel Spirit that was captured, was attached to this old man, infused into the latter's body in a very disturbing way, as various parts of the Duel Spirit's body stuck out of the old man's body.
'Phase 1 of my plan will soon be complete. And then, all worlds will fall to the might of S.H.O.C.K.E.R.' He thought to himself.
"You're certain this plan of yours will work?" A voice asked, as Oogumo turned to see Narutaki standing there.
"I am very certain, good man." Oogumo affirmed. "Though I must admit, why ally yourself with me again despite your prior hatred for my organization? Even during your time as Colonel Zol and Doctor G, you-."
"Do not be mistaken." Narutaki said, curtly. "This is merely a temporary alliance, a means to an end. While I may be an ally to the other Riders, Decade will always be my archnemesis. As long as he exists, I will do whatever it takes to stop him."
"Very well." Oogumo sighed before the pair looked towards the man in the tube with a smirk.
A week has passed by since the last Seven Star was defeated. There had been no activity whatsoever, other than wrapping up the remainder of the year, as well as putting Daitokuji's urn in a designated grave at the front of the Osiris Red dorm. The third-years were finally going to graduate soon and hopefully go pro, Ryo being no exception. As for the missing students of the Abandoned Dorm, Fubuki included, they were going to have their long-awaited graduation day alongside the current third-years.
"I still can't believe that I'm finally gonna go pro." Fubuki told Ryo.
"You've long earned it." The Kaiser affirmed, "We both earned it."
Fubuki nodded before looking towards his ace, the legendary Red-Eyes. "I just wonder if I'll be able to wield the Red-Eyes as well as Jounouchi still does."
"I'm sure you will." Ryo assured him. "Although…"
"Hm?"
"What are you going to do, when it comes to Reggie?" The Kaiser inquired. "Oogumo still has her prisoner."
This made the young man's fists curl up, "I'll try my best to find her; and free both her and her brother." He stated. "I may not have my Legendary Planet monster anymore, but that doesn't mean I can't fight in a Duel."
"I see…" Ryo nodded.
It was at that moment the eyeless cyclops' laugh began to echo all throughout the island.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"What the-!" Judai got out, looking up in the sky and around, as did the others.
"What's going on?" Sho asked, surprised.
"And who's laughing their ass off?" Jun added.
"I don't know, but I don't think it's any good…" Rex muttered.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Okay, who's laughing the Thriller laugh?!" Koji demanded, looking up at the sky.
"Kuromu, you don't think…" Misawa said, turning towards the Rider Duelist and the first Kamen Rider.
"Oogumo…" Kuromu growled.
"Mm… there's no doubt about it." Takeshi frowned. "He's calling us out."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
"Kya!" Junko and Momoe screamed as they held each other once they heard the laugh.
"Who's laughing?" Annette wondered.
"Asuka-chan…" Rika looked at the Obelisk Queen with worry.
"C'mon, let's meet up with the others." Asuka suggested.
Soon, everyone gathered at the school entrance, all packing their Duel Disks in case of a Duel. No doubt that the laughter was from Oogumo. It all made sense as to why there was no activity for that whole week. It was all for this day.
"Okay, his laughing is starting to piss me off." Rex grumbled, covering his ears.
"What the heck is he planning this time?" Rika snapped. It was then that the sky turned dark, making the group even more confused.
"That's not a good thing…" Sho whimpered.
"Guys! Look! Our Spirit Keys!" Judai cried out.
It's then that the others looked and saw the keys were reacting to this oncoming storm. That was when a green light suddenly shot out from behind the school as the whole island shook, almost losing their footing.
"Earthquake!" Misawa shouted.
"Kids!" Samejima called out as he and Instructor Chronos, Ryotaro, Tsukasa, and Woz ran towards them.
It was then that the keys began to glow and fly up, shooting towards the sky… after being ripped away from the thin lanyards.
"After them!" Kuromu shouted.
The group then ran through the woods, and soon arrived at what looked to be a monument composed of seven obelisk pillars, all arranged in a circle, surrounding the ground that had collapsed in a circle.
"Those pillars… are those…" Ryo began.
"The Spirit Gates." Takeshi answered.
"But how? We stopped the Seven Stars!" Jun gasped.
The Spirit Keys then floated towards the pillars who then absorbed said keys.
"Oh no, the keys!" Sho panicked.
"Everyone!" Samejima gasped as he, Instructor Chronos, as well as Tsukasa, Ryotaro, and Woz arrived on the scene. "What happened?"
"The Spirit Keys got absorbed into the Spirit Gates," Asuka answered. "Principal, I thought we'd win after the last Seven Star was defeated and the cards would stay locked. How is this possible?"
"Perhaps the Duels must have supercharged the Keys with enough Duel Energy to activate them." Woz guessed. "In other words…"
"We were screwed either way!" Rex snarled in realization. "They played us right from the start! You gotta be fucking kidding me!"
Soon, there was another rumbling and the source came from the center of the circle. The dust and dirt billowed as a black hexagonal pedestal rose from the ground. The surface of this pedestal had a pair of doors that opened themselves up and a smaller pedestal rose out, revealing three cards.
"Those are…" Rika gasped.
"The Three Phantom Demons." Tsukasa said.
"Yes, and you will not go anywhere near them." a new voice shouted via loudspeaker.
The group looked up and saw some kind of plane in the sky. The cargo door of this plane opened up revealing a large container, which then slid and dropped from the plane, free falling until-
*BOOOOOOOM!*
When the dust settled, the container opened itself up revealing a large spider mecha with four, curved legs on the corners, what looked like a huge battery on the back, and in the front… was a very large tube. Inside, there lay the old man from before, only now his lower half was a six-legged insect-like thorax, his left hand now being replaced with a claw, and several spikes ran down his back. When he opened his eyes, they were pure yellow with no iris.
"What is that monster?" Samejima asked before the creature laughed.
"Principal Samejima, have you forgotten my voice?"
"No… it can't be…! It's Chairman Kagemaru!"
"WHAT?!" Everyone shouted.
"What has happened to you?" Samejima asked.
"I have been… enhanced with the power of an ancient demon." Kagemaru declared with a wicked grin. "While it is not an ideal youthful body, this will most certainly do."
"Have you gone mad?!" Samejima snapped. "Why would you resort to-"
"You two…" He turned towards Jun and Judai, ignoring the Principal. "I sense power within you both."
"KURI! KURI!" Winged Kuriboh shouted.
"GRRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOAAAAAGH!" Light and Darkness Dragon roared with anger.
"Winged Kuriboh/Light and Darkness Dragon?" Judai and Jun looked surprised and confused. Why were they angry at Kagemaru?
"Tsk, those blasted spirits. We meet again." he snarled before turning to Rex, and seeing Alexander and Vespasius before him, "And my ka are here too."
"The hell are you on about?!" Rex snapped.
"It is a long story, young one." The leviathan gladiator told him.
"We were lap dogs, forced to keep only one man protected while he created his monsters." The lion gladiator snarled, "I see that you have found a new host, Tragoedia."
"HUH?!" Now this caught everyone who could see Duel Spirits off guard.
"Tragoedia?! As in that Tragoedia?! The one that Daitokuji-sensei told us about?!" Judai gawked.
"As well as the creator of not only the Three Phantom Demons, but the Planetary monsters." Kagemaru… or rather Tragoedia revealed. "Though you banished the others to the heavens, only Terra Firma remains in this mortal realm."
"Damn it, how did you escape!?" Vespasius snarled.
"I merely transferred to this body thanks to a certain… benefactor, if he could be even called that."
Kuromu snarled, he had a feeling that Oogumo was behind this if his island-wide laughing fit was anything to go by.
"So what happened to-" Ryo got out.
"In a coma. My benefactor still finds him useful enough to keep alive and sedated." The demon posited.
"Niisan, who are you talking about?" Sho nervously asked.
"Reggie's father…" Fubuki gritted, answering for Ryo. "The Principal of West Academia…"
"Oh… oh shit…" the mutt realized.
"As for the body of Kagemaru… Well, he and I shared some interests and as such, we melded our minds into one. But enough rambling on." Tragoedia mouthed off, "The time has come. Here and now, I shall conduct the ritual to revive the three Phantasms and finally exact my vengeance."
"Still mad about what happened all those years ago, are you?" Judai got into a defensive position as did the others.
"KURI! KURI!/GRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAOGH!" Winged Kuriboh and Light and Darkness Dragon shouted.
"Tsk. Begone, foul vermin!" Tragoedia snapped as he swung his arm. A forceful wind imbued with dark energy rushed towards the group, hitting them fast and hard.
Seeing Annette fly towards a tree alongside Sho and the others, Jun, Rex, Fubuki and Ryo thought fast.
"Go, Light and Darkness Dragon/Bestrouli/Red-Eyes/Cyber Dragon!" They called out. They summoned their monsters to block the trees, cushioning the crowd to prevent them from being heavily injured. Strangely enough, only Judai, Kuromu, and Asuka were left standing their ground as, when Jun went to go back to the three, a strange mystical barrier prevented anyone else from entering the area.
"W-What?" The Obelisk queen asked before the three noticed three minor lights appearing before herself, the Rider Duelist, and the Elemental HERO Duelist.
"What in-" Kuromu got out.
"What… what's this?" Judai finished.
The lights themselves were that of a black and white, yellow, and blue that kept them safe from the demonic superintendent.
"So… you three are the ones left standing. I'm to assume that this is the best Duel Academia has to offer?"
"Why? Why did the Spirit Gate open on its own?" Kuromu demanded, snapping out of the confusion of seeing that red light protect him.
"Because I have it set up from the beginning." Tragoedia answered, "It was I who sealed the three Phantasm cards here, it was I who created their very spirits, and it was I who entrusted those keys to Samejima."
"Mm…" Samejima glared harshly at the possessed chairman.
"The battles between you and the Seven Stars were merely tools I employed to fill this island with enough Dueling energy. I was surprised that the process was sped up by the usage of such futuristic summoning techniques." Tragoedia mused.
"No thanks to Oogumo introducing them…" Kuromu grunted. "He had no business screwing with the timeline!"
"The ends justify the means. Regardless, when I came upon these cards, I realized I needed to harness enough power to revive the Phantasms. I needed an environment that could be saturated with Dueling energy." the possessed chairman declared, "That is why I built this school and raised Duelists who could create an appropriate environment for the Phantasm's revival. With that goal completed, it is time I reawaken these phantasms and finally achieve eternal life and world domination."
Rex snarled at that, he was more on the money than he thought.
"Stop feeding us that nonsense!" Asuka called out. "You mean to tell us that you were using us from the beginning?!"
"She's right! Don't talk so selfishly!" Sho added.
"We're the ones who forged our own paths! Not you!" the mutt snapped.
"If you're so confident, have your friends prove it. Showcase to me that power, Yuki Judai, Kururugi Kuromu, Tenjoin Asuka." he challenged them.
"Us?" Judai asked.
"Indeed. The Duel will serve no purpose if it is not with you three. He who has the strongest will over the Spirits, he who is at the cusp of awakening a new power, and she whose light shines above all else."
Suddenly a large blue electric ring formed between the obelisks.
"If you three refuse my challenge, you will all be trapped here whilst I sink you and everyone on this island." he threatened them.
"Once Kaiba hears about this, you are so fired!" Rex growled.
Tragoedia then snapped his fingers as the three Phantasm cards flew to him
"The cards!" Rika gasped.
Tragoedia then decided to break free of his tube prison, smashing the glass as the water came rushing out of the pod. Once he was free, one part of the machine opened up, revealing a Duel Disk and Deck. After catching the Phantasm cards and grabbing the rest of his equipment off the machine, he lifted up said machine with incredible strength, much to their shock, and threw it as hard as he could. The machine flew into the electricity current surrounding the area, exploding on contact afterwards.
"Show that jive-turkey who's boss, Kuro!" Koji added.
"Yeah, give him a good wallop!" Rika shouted.
"Everyone…" Kuromu got out, before nodding. "Got it. Kadoya-sensei, Ryotaro-san, ikuzo!"
"Ah!" They nodded.
"Let's kick his ass!" Momotaros said, as he possessed Ryotaro. Ryotaro-Red and Tsukasa then turned into Duel Spirits who then flew into his Deck.
That was when Judai noticed something in his pocket, what looked to be a Spell Card of some sort.
'Daitokuji-sensei, do you want me to use this card?' he thought. He then quickly read the effects. 'Alright, I'll believe in the power of the card you left behind.' He then inserted it into his Deck and shuffled it.
"Good luck, young ones." Takeshi said.
"So, shall we begin this Game of Darkness?" The possessed chairman asked them.
"We're ready when you are!" Kuromu affirmed.
"So, what's the game plan?" Asuka asked.
"We'll likely be facing the same situation as PaniK." Judai guessed. "Each of us have our own field, and Kagemaru/Tragoedia will have triple the amount of Life Points we start with. The only question is…"
"You three shall have 8000 while I start with 24000. And for safety reasons, none of us are allowed to attack until we have each had our first turns."
'Well, here we go.' Kuromu thought.
"Good luck, young ones." Takeshi said.
"Alright, bring it on bug man!" Judai declared, before the players activated their Duel Disks and drew their starting hands.
"DUEL!"