"Stuck in hell for something that not even you know what happened. Here's a simple question, Yozora. What's your real name?"

"Real... name... WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU ON ABOUT?"

"Don't shout like that dearest... If you continue acting like such a brat, I won't be able to help you sweetheart."

"MY REAL NAME IS YOZORA! IT'S ALWAYS YOZORA! YOZORA SHINSEI! IT'S ONLY YOZORA SHINSEI! SHINSEI! SHINSEI YOZORA! YOZORA! ΨΩZΩSΣI! SHIΠRΔ! ΨΩSHIRΔ! SHIZΩΠ! SΣIΨΩZΩ! RΔZΩΨΩ! ΨΩRΔZΩ! SΣIΠSHI! RΩSHIΠ!⑂✺ℨ✺ṧℏ!! ṧℏ!Իᾰℵ! ⑂✺Իᾰṧḙ!! ℨ✺⑂✺Իᾰ! ṧℏ!Իᾰℨ✺! ṧℏ!ℵ⑂✺ℨ✺ṧḙ!Իᾰ! ṧḙ!Իᾰ⑂✺ℨ✺ṧℏ!ℵ! ᖱᾰՊℵ ♭!Tḉℏ, ṧℏṳt tℏḙ ḟṳḉк ṳ℘! ℐᏆ'Ѕ ᎽᎾℤᎾℛᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯᎯℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛℛᏆЅ S̸O̸ M̸U̸C̸H̸ W̸H̸E̸N̸ I̸ T̸H̸I̸N̸K̸ A̸B̸O̸U̸T̸ I̸T̸ M̸Y̸ B̸R̸A̸I̸N̸ I̸S̸ L̸I̸K̸E̸ A̸ S̸O̸F̸T̸ J̸E̸L̸L̸Y̸ A̸N̸D̸ I̸T̸S̸ D̸E̸L̸I̸C̸I̸O̸U̸S̸ I̸ D̸O̸ L̸I̸K̸E̸ I̸T̸ L̸I̸K̸E̸ Y̸O̸U̸ I̸ L̸O̸V̸E̸ Y̸O̸U̸ 🅨🅞🅤 🅐🅡🅔 🅜🅨 🅞🅝🅛🅨 🅞🅝🅔 🅗🅔🅛🅟 🅜🅔 🅕🅡🅞🅜 🅗🅔🅛🅛 🅘 🅣🅗🅞🅤🅖🅗🅣 🅣🅗🅘🅢 🅦🅐🅢 🅗🅔🅐🅥🅔🅝 🅐🅜 🅘 🅓🅔🅐🅓?"

It felt like he was being stabbed. He wanted a peek into his past life, but not like this. He was being tortured by his own cryptic past.

"Some people would never understand what I go through. And that's okay."

"Some people would never understand what I go through. But they don't need to understand."

"I'm fine by myself."

"I'm fine with him."

"She torments me each day."

"I love him."

"We are the two sides of every coin."

"We are stuck together."

(Opening here)

Marie:
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
OXO
OXO

Sin:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
XXO
OXO

(Play song in media here)

"I ride, Alter Ego Neo Messiah! Alter Ego, attack the vanguard! (11000 > 16000) Divine Cosmos!"

"No guard." Sin replied.

During their heated fight, Kotaro was leading Payic and Serena over to Trafalgar Square, and Yozora, Maverick and Ryuzaki were headed over to Westminster on an underground train. Yozora sat across Maverick and Ryuzaki, with Ryuzaki falling asleep in the speedy train ride. Looking out of the windows, Yozora thought about what happened at the airport. With teary eyes, he closed them shut as not to cry.

"Everyone is almost the same in my eyes. Their lives are so perfect and ideal... yet, mine is a nightmare. I don't get this."

"Twin Drive!! (Awaking Messiah, Prayer Child of Steady State Cosmo)"

"Damage check! (Remove Deletor, Igalga)"

"Turn end."

"It was as if God sabotaged me from the start. What kind of event did I go through to lose all of my memories of what I did for those sixteen years... sixteen years of my life, gone before I know it! God himself... gave up on me completely. Or maybe, he beckoned me and said, "You can restart your life, for the cost of having none of your memories.". Would... would even the old me would be that stupid? To say yes to such a deal... how terrible was my life before?"

Marie:
Hand: 8
Damage: 2
OXO
OXO

Sin:
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
XXO
OXO

"Stand and draw. ∂єℓєтє ιт αℓℓ. єνєяу ℓαѕт σиє σf тнєѕє ѕ¢υмѕ, тнιикιиg тнєу ¢αи ℓινє ωιтн тнєιя ѕιиѕ! ι яι∂є му αναтαя, нα¢к ∂єℓєтσя, gяєιgιιℓ!" The vanguard circle expanded blood red. "ѕкιℓℓ σf gяєιgιιℓ, ι ѕσυℓвℓαѕт тωσ ∂єℓєтσяѕ. нє gєтѕ 5000 ρσωєя, (11000 > 16000) αи∂ ι'ℓℓ D̥̝̮͙͈͂̐̇ͮ̏̔̀̚ͅE̮̟͈̣̖̰̩̹͈̾ͨ̑͑L͕͖͉̭̰ͬ̍ͤ͆̊ͨE̮̟͈̣̖̰̩̹͈̾ͨ̑͑T̘̟̼̉̈́͐͋͌̊E̮̟͈̣̖̰̩̹͈̾ͨ̑͑T̘̟̼̉̈́͐͋͌̊H͚̖̜̍̃͐E̮̟͈̣̖̰̩̹͈̾ͨ̑͑V̪̩̜̜̙̜ͨ̽̄A̘̫͈̭͌͛͌̇̇̍N͉̠̙͉̗̺̋̔ͧ̊G͎͚̥͎͔͕ͥ̿U̟͎̲͕̼̲ͮͫͭ̋ͭ͛ͣ̈A̘̫͈̭͌͛͌̇̇̍R̼̯̤̗̲̞̥̈ͭ̃ͨ̆D̥̝̮͙͈͂̐̇ͮ̏̔̀̚ͅ!"

"Well, I expected this much after seeing Given. Give me your best shot, Sin." Marie replied with a calm face, flipping her card face down. (11000 > 0)

"Even he knew that God had given up on him. The man tried burying his own sins by "deleting" them. However, in his blind-sighted rage, he pointed his sins at God itself - the Messiah of Cray."

"ι ¢αℓℓ, gινєи, єfαмєѕ, zυιιʝє, αи∂ gαєℓє. вσσѕтє∂ ву zυιιʝє, gαєℓє αттα¢кѕ уσυ! (9000 > 14000)"

"No guard! (Dunamis Messiah)"

"вσσѕтє∂ ву zυιιʝє, gяєιgιιℓ! (16000 > 21000)"

"I've always been interested in fantasy stories, even now. Maybe my past self liked them too. Literature holds a special place in my heart, as I get to explore another world which isn't my own. Experience a plot which seems so fantastical it's not real. Yet..."

"Generation Guard! Large Wheel of the Cosmos, Cosmo Wreath!" Marie yelled, slamming the card on the guardian circle. "Skill, counterblast one! Lock one of your back row rear-guards!"

"How I perceive reality as it is... seems like those worlds I used to keep myself busy in. My real life has warped into a world which I used to dream about, like a kid."

"...ι яєαℓℓу ∂ι∂ мιѕ¢αℓ¢υℓαтє..." Sin bellowed a laugh. "How brilliant, Miss Ainsworth. I lock Zuiije."

"For someone who uses Link Joker, I'm surprised you forgot this existed. Cosmo Wreath gets 5000 Shield! (15000 > 20000) I'll add Paradigm Shift! (20000 > 30000)"

"Two to pass?"

"Yes it is."

"And now I'm risking a lot. I bet they are too. Everyone else who was pulled into this plot."

"Twin Drive!! (Clipping Deletor, Evo, Flutter Deletor, Zuiije) Boosted by Gatario, Given attacks! (9000 > 16000)"

"No guard! (Metallia Messiah)"

"Turn end." Sin said.

Marie:
Hand: 6
Damage: 4
O--O
OXO

Sin:
Hand: 4
Damage: 2
XXX
XXX

"Stand and draw!"

"We're leaving the train now. Ryuzaki is currently phoning Payic to go to Big Ben. They must be in a frantic hurry..."

"Liberating the Generation Zone! Creator of the world, salvation of evil and harbinger of good, bring hope as God! Generation Stride, Genesis Dragon, Integral Messiah!" The vanguard circle expanded white. "I call, Lady Fencer of Matter Transmission, two Dunamis Messiah and Metallica Messiah! Lady Fencer's skill, adding 2000 power! (9000 > 11000) Boosted by Dunamis, Lady Fencer will attack! (11000 > 18000) Her skill, I Counterblast and she soulcharges 1, (Destiny Dealer) she gets 5000 power! (18000 > 23000)"

"No guard! (Hire Deletor, Farwon)"

"Lady Fencer locks herself. However, it won't be for long! Dunamis Messiah's skill, I soulblast 1 and unlock Lady Fencer! Then, he locks himself and gives Metallia 4000 power! (9000 > 13000) In addition, Metallia's skill activates! A card was locked, unlocked and locked! Adding 9000 power! (13000 > 22000) Next, Lady Fencer's skill! When unlocked, add 2000 power! (9000 > 11000) Now, Lady Fencer attacks again! (11000) Her skill! Counterblast, soulcharge (Myga Messiah) and gain 5000 power! (11000 > 16000)"

"Zuiije! (11000 > 21000)"

"Lady Fencer locks herself. Skill of Metallia! (22000 > 25000) Boosted by Neon Messiah, Integral attacks! (26000 > 31000) His skill, counterblast and G Blast! When he's attacking I unlock my locked cards - come out once more, Lady Fencer, Dunamis! Not only that, Metallia's and Lady Fencer's skills! (25000 > 31000) (9000 > 11000) I may not get the bonus effects, but the pressure Metallia is leading is quite exciting!"

"I'll no guard." Sin admitted bitterly.

"Triple drive!! (Prayer Child of Steady State Cosmo, Blink Messiah) Critical, critical to vanguard and power to Metallia! (31000 > 36000)(1★ > 2★) (Dunamis Messiah)"

"Damage checks! (Lie-down Deletor, Given, Cramping Deletor, Edy) Stand, all effects to vanguard! (11000 > 16000)"

"Boosted by Dunamis, Lady Fencer! Once more! (11000 > 18000 > 23000) (Alter Ego Neo Messiah)"

"Guard with Oloron! (16000 > 26000)"

"Lady Fencer locks. Dunamis' skill! Soulblast, unlock Lady Fencer and lock himself! 4000 to Metallia and Metallia and Lady Fencer activate! (36000 > 40000 > 49000) (9000 > 11000)"

"You've exhausted all your counter blast. What now?" Sin asked.

"I'm gonna punch your face in with this! Boosted by Dunamis, Metallia Messiah attacks you! (49000 > 56000) Atomic Slash!"

"No guard! (Hack Deletor, Greigiil) You win."

"Hell yeah I fucking won," Marie laughed. "Honestly, not seeing Cosmo Wreath from a mile away... things would've played different if you didn't let me go first, y'know."

"Then it is my mistake. My sin," Sin replied. "However, it is imperative of you to know that while I've been busy stalling you in this pointless match, my associates have retrieved the Zeroth Dragon."

"What..." Marie raised a brow, furious. She grabbed Sin by the flaps of his cloak, as he simply laughed at her face.

"Sometimes what we see seems so unrealistic we think it's a mere dream."

Raising a hand and slapping Sin across the face, his mask made a loud clicking noise. The top half fell down his face, and then fell on the floor. Unlike Inferno, who covered his face in an extra layer, Sin had his face exposed to Marie. His pale skin, long, red hair cut above his eyes, and irises of a similar deep colour pierced her face with shock. Marie's face fell into pieces as she gazed upon the unmasked Sin.

"No..."

"Did you really want to take a peek?" Sin asked.

Even his voice was familiar imposed against the face. Marie was shaking while looking at Sin.

"You... you're..."

"I'm Sin. And the worst sin you've committed is taking apart my face."

Sin pried off Marie's sweaty palms without force, and picked up his mask. Clipping it in place, he began collecting his cards and FICA, before looking at Marie one last time. The girl couldn't believe it herself - the man behind the mask was a famous figure she recognised back when she was in Japan - for him to be here, it'd be mere lie. As Sin began walking away from her, Marie screamed from the top of her lungs in desperation.

"How are you alive...?! ANSWER ME!!" Marie breathlessly glared at the man who was getting away. Taking her belongings, she began chasing after him.

"It's how I felt today, when I came face to face with another hooded figure. We were hurrying towards Big Ben, but instead we ran into him..."

Yozora, Maverick and Ryuzaki stood their ground as they were on the Westminster Bridge. It seemed like an ironic battle field, with a body of water right underneath them. As the currents passed and people did too, Spectre slowly crept towards the three, showing off his FICA.

"Hey."

"Who the hell are you and what do you want?" Ryuzaki exclaimed, taking the initiative. His anger had swelled into determination and a sense of invincibility to anything.

"Me? Spectre. What I want? A Cardfight." Spectre laughed.

"Spectre... so, you're the one who beat Zeon and has information on Yza!" Ryuzaki smirked. "Whether fate loves screwing with me, it seems like I get to seize double the opportunity after failing to keep Dust."

"Zeon? I have no clue who he is." Spectre said. "And yes, while I have information on Yza, my lips are tightly sealed. What I really want to do... is sink my teeth into an intense fight with Yozora."

"...h-how do you know my name?" Yozora said.

"A little bit of searching on the dark web got me my answers, Yozora... or should I say, Naito?" Spectre replied. Yozora stepped back behind Maverick, shaking.

"So you're not only a tree hugger, but an idol stalker?" Ryuzaki chuckled. "You are pathetic! Now, if you want to Cardfight someone, you're gonna have to Cardfight me or my friend here first. No touching Yozora, you creep!"

"Tree hugger... is that a reference to the wrong card game? Besides, I'm no idol stalker. I heard a rumour about the Stardust Knights being passed onto an idol, so I did some digging. Had to pay a pretty penny, but I got my info."

"Cram it with the unneeded info and let's fight!" Ryuzaki roared.

"No." Sin walked past Ryuzaki. Maverick grabbed Sin by the shoulders to stop him.

"Now, now. Let's not be hasty." Maverick said.

"Try me, old man." Spectre said.

"I guess you lack respect too!"

Maverick rammed Spectre against the ledge of the bridge.

"Hahaha..."

At that moment, Maverick froze before Spectre. His body was seemingly stunned; unable to move. His overwhelming strength was gone in a matter of seconds. Spectre simply pushed the large man away and approached Yozora. Ryuzaki charged at Spectre with super speed, before freezing at the sight of him as well. He couldn't move, at all. Yozora wasn't affected - instead his quivering eyes and legs prevented himself from running. The sight of Spectre made him tremble to his core.

"He was like no other opponent... unlike against Inferno, who I bravely attacked... Spectre had a different vibe. His menacing powers, knowledge on me and Yza, and the fact he beat Zeon not only scared me... it made me feel weak and useless."

"But you aren't weak, nor useless. I will be there to be your strength, and to be used by you."

"Why won't you leave me alone..."

"Because I love you."

"So. Let's fight, Yozora."

"You love me? That's a lie."

"Ah... did I hurt another sensitive spot? I'm sorry, sweetheart..."

"Go back to Cray. I've got this bastard to deal with."

"Wow... where did all this fire come from?!"

"It came from..."

"Me? Me? Me?"

"...NO. IT WOULDN'T BE YOU."

"Bingo. It's me that's set a fire. A fire to win. Go fight him, Yozora. Beat that man... and I'll give you a reward if you do."

"I don't need your stupid rewards. Me and Myo-kurenai... are just fine together!!"

"You say that yet... do you know what you did to me?"

"No, and I don't care. He's a better Vanguard than you'll ever be."

"You're foolish."

"I know."

"But I love that foolishness."

"I know."

"That foolishness... is why you're like this."

"I hate you to my core!"

"Hate is an expression of love, dearest."

"I've lost myself in you, haven't I?"

"You lost everything when you talked to me."

"YOZORA, DON'T DO IT! RUN! RUN LIKE YOU'RE BEING CHASED BY HOARDS OF GIRLS! RUN LIKE THE FUCKING WIND, AND SAVE YOUR SORRY ASS!" Ryuzaki exclaimed, trying to break out of Spectre's terrifying stun. "LEG IT! DO SOMETHING OTHER THAN STAND AROUND!"

"...oh." Yozora felt the pieces click in.

Standing face to face with Spectre, Yozora took out his FICA. Spectre grinned, and took out his own FICA as well.

"Yozora... WHY ARE YOU AGREEING?!" Ryuzaki shouted. Yozora slammed his deck down on the fight table with an innocent smile. Flinching, Ryuzaki looked at Yozora with a weakened smile.

"Sorry, Ryuzu. But running isn't my strong point. My strong point is playing Vanguard."

"I... see..." Ryuzaki replied.

"Stand up, the vanguard!"

"Dragwizard, Vicreau!"

"Guard of Star Demon Series, Mezu!"

"I feel... stronger."

"My love is his ultimate strength."

(Ending here)

Next time on Z World:

#21: Ultima

"The cost is putting a card from my drop zone to the bottom of my deck! I'll put my future on the line to win the fight! If I don't win, all the cards in my Generation Zone will disappear! Devour my future and manifest! United Sanctuary's Zeroth Dragon, Ultimate Stride! Zeroth Dragon of Zenith Peak, Ultima!" The vanguard circle exploded in a black-yellow colour.

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

Wow! We're nearly at the end of Volume 3!

Yozora: That's awesome!

Oh, I see you've joined me...

Yozora: Hehe, yep.

The more you guys do this, the more used I am to it.

Yozora: That's good! After all, interacting with us is one of the great features of being a fanfiction on a writing app!

Well, you're not wrong there.

Yozora: I hope you'll support me in my fight against Spectre!

And I hope you'll enjoy the final chapter of volume 3! Stay tuned for a Q n A too!

That's all, Fox out!