It was inside the Yu Garden where the group of Riku, Ryu and Trio found the Zeroth Dragon. As they stood across the exquisite jade rock, an eleven metre high centrepiece in the Yu Garden. It was notable for it's fossil like appearance and tower like structure, with the Zeroth Dragon of Maganicalla nestled on the top of the rock. A stream of water ran from the top, and fell over the rock like a veil. As the water flowed through the holes, it created mini-waterfalls inside the rock.

"We did it...!" Riku gasped, putting her hands together excitedly.

"I'll grab it... look out for me!" Ryu exclaimed.

The Yu Garden was, unexpectedly, packed with tourists and visitors wanting to view the botanical garden in Shanghai. This caused a few problems for the group, such as the small space they had, and getting lost within the crowds. It was like a maze, with everyone else as an obstacle. Ryu cracked his knuckles and ran to the rock, and began climbing up it like a wild man. People began watching Ryu perform the reckless stunt, and employees at the garden began shouting at him to get down. Grabbing the card, he tossed it down to Trio, who caught it with ease.

"C'mon, let's get outta here!" Trio exclaimed, as Riku nodded. Ryu leapt from the rock and landed on his feet flawlessly, before the trio began running away from the scene.

"How ballsy..." Riku giggled, running alongside the two. "I like that."

"Hey, I've done dumb shit before. Getting in trouble isn't a first for me!" Ryu exclaimed, looking behind him every so often.

"I don't think they'll mind." Trio said in a positive fashion.

"You're not the one who climbed up the thing..."

"I know! But check Megiddo out!" Trio exclaimed, handing the card to Riku.

Taking the card, Riku began reading it, slowing down in front of the Yuhua Hall, which caused the boys to stop. Ryu looked at the traditional building, and entered it, making Trio and Riku follow him.

(Opening here)

The Yuhua Hall was a small, clean space with various chairs and tables made out of dark coloured wood. The design of the chairs looked like something out of the past, and the black tiled roof blocked off any light from entering, creating a dark but peaceful atmosphere. A strip of empty space went around the hall, and inside were red lines, creating a beautiful pattern around the hall, and makeshift windows to let fresh air and the sunlight inside.

"Let's rest here." Ryu said, moving a seat next to the table. He sat down, and slumped on the clean study desk.

"Are we even allowed to..?" Trio asked, standing next to him, perching over a chair. Ryu shrugged in response.

"Hey, Trio." Riku said, handing the card back to him. "Take out your Commander Thavas, then add Megiddo and a Flood Hazard to your deck."

"Uh... Alright then..." Trio replied, giving in and taking a seat at the table. "Do you have a Flood Hazard on you? I don't."

"You're lucky I run one in my current build." Riku said smugly, and sat across him, taking her deck out.

"Flood Hazard in Thavas? What the actual fuck?" Ryu asked.

"It's for the turns you can't do stuff. Free quaddrive Vanguard is surprisingly useful." Riku explained, looking through her G Zone for her "Blue Wave Marshal Dragon, Flood Hazard Dragon". Taking it out of its sleeve, she put the card in front of Trio.

"Right..." Ryu said, watching Trio fumble with his cards. "So... why are entrusting the Zeroth Dragon to him? No offence."

"I might be bad at the game, but I'm not that bad..." Trio said, taking out his two copies of "Storm Dominator, Commander Thavas" from their sleeves, and handing them to Riku.

"Your deck was terrible though. Running Magnum Assault in 2018?" Riku laughed, putting a copy of the Commander Thavas into a sleeve.

"Magnum Assault is good! I think..." Trio said, putting Megiddo into a sleeve first.

"It was good. Keyword; was. Maybe you would've seen it see play a year ago." Riku hummed, and then looked at Ryu. "But... Megiddo is extremely powerful. It'd benefit Trio more than me."

"Even if Trio is ultra ass at Vanguard?"

"I mean, if a card that makes you go plus 5 and let you attack like six times doesn't win you the game, I don't know what will." Riku said.

"You know... we should probably inform them we got the Zeroth Dragon..." Trio said, getting annoyed by being slandered for his skills in Vanguard.

"Oh, yeah! Totally!" Riku exclaimed, taking out her phone. Opening it, she stared at the top right corner, before letting out a long groan. "I.. I have no bars..."

"Omega rip." Ryu said, taking out his phone. Turning it on, he looked at his connection. "Well, shit. I got nothing either. How about you, Trio?"

"I got nothing either." Trio said, looking at his phone depressingly. "Let's head outside where there's actually signal."

"Sure." Riku said, standing up.

"Change of plans..." Ryu said suddenly, standing up. "Riku, come over to our side..."

"Eh? Why?" Riku asked.

"Hooded Figure behind you!" Ryu shouted, causing the figure to slowly approach them.

"W-what?" Riku stuttered, turning around to see the figure. With a mask coloured in half gold, half white, it was none other than Magus who appeared.

"No way... they're here as well?!" Trio exclaimed, kicking his chair away and staggering to his feet.

"They're after the Zeroth Dragon... TRIO, RUN! LEG IT!" Ryu shouted, before jumping over the table and charging at the figure. "RIKU, ME AND YOU WILL FEND THEM OFF!"

"W-what?! Don't! We don't know what they can do!" Riku exclaimed, as Trio began running away.

"I'M NOT GONNA LET MYSELF BECOME USELESS AGAIN! I'M GONNA-" Ryu exclaimed, before choking up. As his body froze, it began to shake as the figure approached him slowly. "N-no..."

"Jomko Ryu." Magus muttered under her breath, approaching him. "Why do you waver?"

"It... can't... be... possible..." Ryu said, reaching his hand towards her. "You're... kidding... right...?"

"Ryu?!" Riku exclaimed, backing away. "RYU! LISTEN TO ME!"

"What you see is what you get." Magus replied, before putting a hand on Ryu's shoulder. "Do not worry. Our paths will cross again. I will promise that."

Ryu let out a whimper, before falling to his knees and hands, grovelling.

"What... what did you do to him?!" Riku exclaimed, backing away from Magus.

"I did nothing," She replied, using her size to pressure Riku back into a wall. "Aksan Riku."

"H-how do you know my name...?" Riku squeaked, slowly dropping to the floor.

"I know more than you realise." Magus replied, towering above Riku.

"You're... terrifying..." Riku said, covering her face. "Stay away... stay away!"

"As you wish." Magus said, turning herself in the opposite direction. Walking away from the crying Riku, and past the defeated Ryu, she exited the building, and phased through a portal. On the other end, she appeared in front of Trio, who was huffing and panting in front of the exquisite jade rock. As he tilted his head up, he saw Magus, and let out a loud scream.

"How... how did you catch up so fast?!" He exclaimed, tumbling to the floor.

"Fight me, Mato Trio." She commanded, taking out her FICA. "That's all I want."

"Just a fight, right...? Nothing else...?" Trio stood up, and looked at Magus weakly.

"I have no interest in taking your Zeroth Dragon. I use the Pale Moon clan. I want to just see it in action."

"I mean... if you're reasonings that... it's not bad..." Trio said, playing with his thumbs behind his back. He looked away from her, and sighed. "O-okay... Fine..."

"Good." Magus said, putting down her FICA on the floor. It expanded into half of a fight table.

"Good luck, have fun..." Trio said, taking out his FICA and putting it on the floor. It expanded into half of a fight table, connecting it with Magus' half. "This is way too much pressure... Ryu is right... I'm no good at this game... how will I ever win against her...?! Frick me..."

"Are you ready?" Magus asked.

"Yeah..." Trio gulped.

"Stand up Vanguard!"

"Bubble Edge Dracokid!" Trio shouted, the vanguard circle expanding aqua blue.

"Happiness Collector." Magus exclaimed, the vanguard circle expanding pale lilac.

"Who should go first?" Trio asked.

"I will. Stand and draw. I ride, Purple Trapezist, move Happiness back and end."

Magus:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OXO

Trio:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride Battle Siren, Melania! Boosted by Dracokid, Melania attacks! (7000 > 12000)"

"No guard."

"Drive check! (Kelpie Rider, Petros) Yosh! A critical straight off the bat! All to vanguard! (12000 > 17000/1★ > 2★)"

"Damage checks. (Darkside Princess, Moonlight Melody Tamer, Betty)"

"Turn end." Trio smirked.

Magus:
Hand: 5
Damage: 2
OXO
OXO

Trio:
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
OXO
OXO

"Stand and draw! I ride, Flying Peryton and call Dancing Princess of the Night Sky. Her skill, I counterblast and put Miss Direction from my deck to my soul. Shuffle. Now, Princess attacks! (8000)"

"Petros! (17000)"

"Boosted by Happiness, Peryton! (9000 > 14000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check. (Masked Phantom, Harri)"

"Damage check! (Ocean Keeper, Plato) Crap, a PG..."

"Turn end."

Magus:
Hand: 5
Damage: 2
XXO
OXO

Trio:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
OXO
OXO

"My turn, stand and draw!" He announced, looking through his hand. "Okay... just remember what Riku taught you..." Picking a card, he slammed it on the vanguard circle. "Ride, Battle Siren, Cipla! Call, Tidal Assault!"

"Oh man... Trio, your deck..." Riku shook her head, looking through the cards. "You run so many old cards..."

"They're old but good!" Trio exclaimed.

"They used to be good. For example, you don't even run Alexandros! That card is amazing!" Riku exclaimed. "You need a playset immediately! And three Tidal Assault?! It should be four! Tidal Assault is your go to self-restander! Plus, your grade 1 line up looks strange... you'll need Orthia for a booster that can stand cards, and... running Alekbors... no. 7 crit 5 draw! Crits will help you push for game! Draw is... well, for drawing into your pieces."

"I see... but Tidal Assault seems bad at 4 though. He restands, but becomes a 4k afterwards. I don't want to see him every game."

"You haven't figured it out yet, huh..." Riku took Tidal Assault and Nikki from his deck, and set them into a column. "Let's say you're on grade 2. You've called these two cards, and your opponent is on a 9k base as well. You'll start the wave by attacking with just Tidal, unboosted for 9k. They'll probably drop a 5k Shield to guard. After, you restand Tidal as a 4k. You have two choices. You can either boost with Nikki and have Tidal attack for 11k, or swing with the vanguard first. I generally like to swing with rear-guard first, but I'm just more vary about damage triggers. If you swing with vanguard first, you may hit a trigger and bump the attack to 16k, which will force out a 10k shield instead of 5k."

"Huh... that's cool!" Trio exclaimed.

"Yep! It's a matter of preference really." Riku laughed.

"Can you teach me?" Trio asked. "I want to be good at Aqua Force!"

"Of course I will! But... a price must be paid." Riku said smugly.

"I call Orthia behind Tidal! Tidal Assault, attack! (9000)"

"Dancing Princess intercepts. (14000)"

"Okay now I'll use Tidal Assault's skill! At the end of the battle he attacked, he stands and gets -5k! (9000 > 4000)" Trio gritted his teeth, and looked at the board. "A matter of preference huh..." His hand moved towards the rear-guard circle, but then switched to the vanguard circle. "Cipla, attack! (9000)"

"No guard."

"Drive check! (Saberflow Sailor)"

"Damage check. (Hopping Balloon) Heal trigger, all effects to vanguard and healing a damage. (9000 > 14000)"

"Okay, now boosted by Orthia, Tidal! (4000 > 11000)"

"The attack won't hit, so I won't guard."

"Oh... crud.. end..." Trio muttered. "Right... Riku said she swung with Tidal first because of damage triggers... I see why now.."

Magus:
Hand: 5
Damage: 3
OXO
OXO

Trio:
Hand: 4
Damage: 1
XXO
XXO

"Stand and draw. A special show for one night only... let the star of our masquerade shine and dazzle everyone here today. I ride, Masked Phantom, Harri!" Magus exclaimed, the vanguard circle expanding dark lilac. "His on ride skill, checking the top two cards of deck, and putting Peryton to soul. The other goes to bottom of deck. Boosted by Happiness, Harri attacks! (11000 > 16000)"

"No guard!"

"Twin Drive!! (Darkside Princess, Moonight Melody Tamer, Betty)"

"Damage check! (Battle Siren, Adelaide)"

"Turn end."

Magus:
Hand: 7
Damage: 3
OXO
OXO

Trio:
Hand: 4
Damage: 2
XXO
XXO

"Stand and draw! Battles are just raging tides against you! Hero, overcome your fate with your allies! I ride, Supreme Ruler of the Storm, Thavas!" The vanguard circle expanded blue. "Now... Liberating the Generation Zone!"

(Ending here)

Next time on Z World:

#30: Megiddo

"The cost is a card with the same name as my vanguard! I'll put my future on the line to win this fight! If I don't win, all the cards in my Generation Zone will disappear! Become my future and manifest! Maganicalla's Zeroth Dragon, Ultimate Stride! Zeroth Dragon of Distant Sea, Megiddo!" The vanguard circle exploded in a black-blue colour.

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

A/N

Well... welcome to Volume 5!

Trio: Feels good to be here!

Ryu: How does relevancy feel?

Trio: Pressuring

Taira: *kicks open the door* MMMM FUCK YEAH, THE FIGHT I'VE BEEN WANTING TO SEE! MY SWEET BABY AQUA FORCE GOING AGAINST THE ULTRA INFERIOR PALE MOON (AQUA LIFE BABY)

Fubuki: SHADOW PALADIN WILL FOREVER BE BETTER THAN AQUA FORCE

Taira: REEEEE OLD MAN WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE

Fubuki: WE TOLD THE VIEWERS ABOUT... THE ANSEI FAMILY!

Taira: OMFG IT'S HAPPENING?!

Fubuki: FUCK YEAAAAAAAAAH!

Taira: OH SHIIIIIT, DAD WE'RE BECOMING RELEVANT!

Fubuki: WHY AM I, A THUNDEROUS REBELLION CHARACTER, AND YOU, A SPIRAL TERRA CHARACTER, SOMEHOW GETTING OUR SPIN OFF IN A Z WORLD CHAPTER?

Nozomi: Because life works that way. Also, I'm home

Fubuki: DARLING HEY!

Nozomi: Fubukun, use your indoor voice

Fubuki: Hai...

Taira: Hey mom

Nozomi: Hello Taira *ruffles his hair and hangs up her coat*

Taira: Mom, can we have spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner?

Nozomi: You'll have to ask your dad sweetie *kisses his head*

Taira: But dad was being a meanie to me earlier T_T

(Ryuzaki: Holy shit they're a normal family...)

Nozomi: ...he what?

Taira: He was bullying me over me using Aqua Force and shouting Shadow Paladin was superior and told me I'd be grounded and not allowed to visit Hisano if I didn't agree *fake crying*

Nozomi: ...FUBUKI ITACHI ANSEI!

Fubuki: *gulps* Taira, what did you tell your mother...?

Taira: *smirks* About how you were bullying me...

Fubuki: NOZOMI-SAMA, I CAN EXPLAIN! *drops to his knees*

Nozomi: I SAID USE YOUR INDOOR VOICE. *slams heel next to his head*

Fubuki: *squeaks* H-hai..

Nozomi: That "hai"... *slams her heel again, getting closer to his head* should be "yes ma'am".

(Ryuzaki: Holy shit their mom is a maniac...)

Fubuki: Y-yes ma'am...

Nozomi: Good job. Now, go apologise to Taira this instant, or else I'll be grounding you.

Fubuki: *shivers* Yes ma'am... *stands up and waddles to Taira*

Taira: So Dad... *smug*

Fubuki: ...I'm sorry for bullying you... Shadow Paladin is less superior than Aqua Force... Aqua Force is better than Pale Moon... we can have spaghetti and garlic bread for dinner... ALSO, I NEVER GROUNDED YOU OR SAID YOU COULDN'T VISIT HISANO! YOU BIG LIAR! NOZOMI-SAMA, HE WAS LYING!

Nozomi: HE WHAT?!

Taira: UHHHHHH

Nozomi: FUBUKUN! *hugs him and kisses his cheek* I'm so sorry! Now, young man... *cracks her knuckles*

Taira: ...*drops his knees and begging for forgiveness*

Nozomi: Didn't I ever teach you to never, ever lie to your mother? *crouched to his level to grab his ear and pulls it*

Taira: MOM, THAT HURTS!

Nozomi: You'll be addressing me as Mistress Ansei young man.

Taira: MISTRESS ANSEI, THAT HURTS!

Nozomi: Use your indoor voice.

Taira: Mistress Ansei, that hurts...!

Nozomi: *lets go* Instead of making you apologise, I'm going to turn that lie to a reality. Taira Tatami Tetsu Tooru Teru Takami Teka Sono Chi no Sadame Ansei, you are grounded and can no longer visit Hisano.

(Ryuzaki: Holy shit his full name surpasses mine)

Taira: *sniffs in defeat*

Fubuki: So... I still make spaghetti and garlic bread?

Nozomi: Sure *hugs him*

Fubuki: Alright *hugs her*

Taira: I'm going to my room...

Fubuki: Dinner will be ready in an hour or so

Taira: Okay...

The end

Ryuzaki: ...what the fuck did I just watch

That's all, Fox out!