A man with bleach white hair and blood red eyes looked over his left shoulder, smiling at the man behind him.

A man with pitch black hair and a scar on his left cheek looked over his right shoulder, frowning at the man behind him.

The white haired man's world was sunk in pure darkness. The black haired man's world was coveted in pure light.

Where the two colours met merged into an inky grey. The increasingly blurred line that separated them was fractured, bleeding light and darkness into each other.

Ryuusei stood on the edge of death. Yza stood on the edge of life.

Yet it was Ryuusei's face that was full of life. In contrast, Yza's face was full of death.

"You...!"

Turning around to face each other for the first time, Yza instinctively called out the familiar stranger before him.

"It's been a long time since we've last talked, Yza. I suppose a thank you is necessary, as you've made my job so much easier. With this new vessel, I can finally destroy the universe like I've always wanted to!"

Matching his counterpart's aggression, Ryuusei declared his harrowing intentions with a coprophagous grin. Yza didn't take the provocation lightly, and began grilling him for answers.

"Ha, you're welcome. It just means I can kick your ass a second time!" Yza raised his fists with a scowl. "How the hell did you enter my body?! When the fuck did you become a personality?! What are you doing inside my head?! Answer me, you bastard!"

"Aren't you a cheeky one." Ryuusei scoffed, pushing him away. "It's simple. Before that menace Crystal Edge could erase me, I slipped a small part of myself into the closest living being, which just so happened to be you. However, since that fragment of me was too small to ever take control of your body as my new vessel, I had to wait until one of your personalities sunk into despair."

As if pieces of the puzzle were falling into place, a look of realisation flashed across Yza's face.

"...you used Yozora!"

"That's right. That poor bastard... nah, more like that lucky bastard. Ayaza, who I manipulated into doing all this for me, managed to draw out enough darkness from Yozora to the point I could feed off of it and grow into a size sufficient enough to consume your body. There was one problem though."

Ryuusei sighed, ruffling the back of his hair and smiling thinly.

"There were three other distinct personalities all competing for this vessel. You, the sad original, Yozora, the idol trash, and Kinjuzo, the pea for brains. I had to get rid of the competition, you know?"

"What did you do... what did you do to them?!"

"I formed a body using your other personalities. Or to be more specific... I ate them. It was a simple process, really. All I had to do was show the already breaking Yozora even more despair. Once I broke his mind, I could easily slip into his body and form a new personality inside your head. Say hello to your fourth, and soon to be main, personality..."

Ryuusei's eyes started glowing bright red.

"Ryuusei Kirukiru."

"...you piece of shit!"

Yza ran forward and raised his fist, before Ryuusei stuck his hand out and stopped Yza in place without even touching him.

"Your violent side is leaking out."

"I don't care! Just give me back my personalities!"

"Your personalities? They were never yours to begin with. In fact, calling them "yours" says a lot about you, doesn't it? It's more of an insult to them than anything. After all, they're their own people, aren't they?"

Ryuusei pushed his palm forward, sending Yza flying back.

"So don't patronise me about eating them, when you never even saw them as people in the first place either, you hypocrite!"

Landing with a thunk, Yza forced himself back up.

"H-how did you...?"

"We share the same mind, so figure it out yourself, dumbass. Though, there's a really simple explanation for why I can control this place a lot better than you can. Wanna take a guess?"

"You're an otherworldly entity while I'm just a mere human...?"

"Not the answer I was expecting. I was hoping you'd say something more grand or heroic but... this response is pathetic. If you're really okay with acting subservient to me, just let me take your body already."

"Just because I know my place compared to you... doesn't mean I'll yield to you or your shitty plans!"

Ryuusei closed his fist and Yza plummeted to the floor, clutching his stomach.

"Gah!"

"If you know your place, then stay in it. A little bit of pressure should hold you down like a good dog. Look at how beautiful my control is. Even in your own head, you can't do things like this! Aren't you jealous?"

"Why would I be jealous... of using an underhanded tactic... like this...!"

"Naive... you're so god damn naive. Morality doesn't exist in this world. While you were having your shit-stained nappy being changed by your precious mummy, I worked my ass off trying to destroy this shitty world. I jumped from head-space to head-space in order to achieve my goals. It didn't matter what it took to achieve them. You want to know why?"

"Enlighten me then... show me how twisted your morales are so I won't feel bad beating you to a pulp later!"

Yza wheezed, getting winded as Ryuusei closed his fist again. Stomping on Yza's back, Ryuusei looked down on him like a demon.

"Nothing in this world is fair. To get what you want, you have to be willing to sacrifice anything and everything. It doesn't matter who gets hurt in the process or what gets destroyed in your path. This world is built upon eat or be eaten. You as an individual are more important than the collective. Everyone else can go to hell. If they truly want to survive this cutthroat world, they need to learn to put themselves before others too. And that's why I hate you and everything you stand for."

Ryuusei dug his heel on Yza's back deeply.

"Saving the world for someone else... not even for your own sake. How little do you value your life compared to others? You were willing to throw away your life to save all the robbers, murderers, rapists, pedophiles, and corrupted scum of this world... for one single fucking girl. This world needs genocide. Both of our worlds. Cray is a shit-show of constant war that goes nowhere. Units die for no good reason. In comparison, Earth's population is made up of bumbling idiots that are carried on the backs of exceptional geniuses. All these stupid, useless people that idle their time away and commit sin after sin... I'm disgusted you all can live with yourselves like this! Don't you ever stop to think that humanity was a mistake? Because I sure fucking think that everyday! Humans are garbage! They don't deserve any of what they have now! And worst of all... your people perpetuate the unnecessary wars that occur on Cray. That's why the solution to these problems are simple... to destroy everything and restart this world from ground zero. But this time, I'll be the one in charge... that's right, I'll become the God of a new world! I'll make things right... I'll remake this world into a utopia!"

Yza huffed, clutching his chest as he listened to Ryuusei's venom. As each passionate imbued word reached his heart, Yza found it more difficult to breathe - not because of Ryuusei's heavy foot - but because of how much he agreed with this detestable speech.

"This world... it is horrid."

"If you understand that much, then let's join hand in hand. Crushing you would be a waste, really. As the one who wields Stardust Knight, I know you'll be useful in the future. Let's destroy this Z World and recreate it... into a New World."

As if he was being drawn in against his will, Yza raised his hand reluctantly.

"That's right... there's no need to deny what I said. You know I'm right. If you accept my ideals now, then it just means we were the same all along. We didn't have to fight. We could've gotten along. In fact, you should've been my vessel from the very start. Not that worrywart Backlion... but the charming and heroic Yza."

Ryuusei reached out, ready to grab Yza's hand. However, before he could, Yza slapped it away as a voice whispered into his right ear.

"Yza... save... me..."

As if waking up from a nightmare, the colour in Yza's cheeks drained.

"Stop him... stop the Void..." A second voice whispered into his left ear.

"Yozora...?! Ju...?! Is that you guys?! Where are you?! Are you two still alive?!"

Ryuusei clicked his tongue, removing his foot from Yza and murmuring to himself.

"Damn you two... even after I devoured your souls, you still want to resist me?"

"I won't... let you take him..." Kinjuzo internally communicated to Ryuusei.

"Your foot... was the perfect channel... to reach him..." Yozora replied to Ryuusei.

"I'll make you two regret this..."

Shoving his hand down his throat, Ryuusei pulled out a shining dark blue orb from inside his stomach. Grabbing Yza by the hair and pulling him up, Ryuusei shoved it in front of Yza.

"He's right here."

Yozora's soul, trapped inside of the orb, began to frantically plea with the limited time he had outside of Ryuusei's body.

"Yza... is that you...?"

"It's me, Yozora! It's me, Yza! I swear, I'll save you!"

"It's dark inside... I'm scared... I don't want to disappear... I beg you, please let me..."

Ryuusei took a bite out of Yozora's orb before he could finish. With a ravenous gulp, Ryuusei's thin smile grew as Yza's expression turned from furious to livid.

"Did you just... eat him?"

With a twisted smile, Ryuusei stuck out his tongue, and balancing on it was the broken chunk of Yozora's soul.

"Let him out..."

"Huh? I can't hear you, I'm too busy enjoying this delicious meal."

Ryuusei taunted Yza by taking another bite out of Yozora's soul. Yozora wailed in agony as another piece of him was ripped off.

Chomping on the chunks, a soul similar to glass shattering echoed from Ryuusei's mouth. With an exaggerated, audible swallow, he opened his mouth wide enough for Yza to see it was empty.

"Ah, fresh souls taste so sweet... especially ones riddled with despair."

Yza, pushed to the brink and shaking with fury, screamed at Ryuusei.

"I SAID, LET HIM OUT!"

Ryuusei was blown back by Yza's new found strength. Crashing into the floor, he started to laugh maniacally.

"There's no use! Yozora's gone forever! His soul is part of me now!"

Popping the final piece of Yozora's soul into his mouth, Ryuusei swallowed it whole, sticking out his tongue as proof of consumption.

"BASTARD!"

Yza cried as he ran up to Ryuusei and launched another punch to his face, but Ryuusei stopped him again by pushing his palm forward. However, Yza countered by standing his ground and swinging his fist forward, creating a ripple effect that knocked Ryuusei back further.

"Damn... you're getting used to how this world works now..."

Muttering to himself, Ryuusei looked up through his bangs to see the enraged Yza storm towards him.

"I guess I don't have much time... in that case..."

Getting back up, Ryuusei also charged towards Yza. The two collided, grappling each other.

"I won't let you have this body, Void..."

"Oh no, I'm so scared, you're threatening me!"

"I said... I won't let you have this body!!"

Yza pushed forward, making Ryuusei step back.

"Do you honestly think you stand a chance against me?"

"Of course I do! I beat you once, and I can do it again!"

"Wrong! You never beat me. You simply drew the match."

Yza tensed as Ryuusei mentioned this fact. In that moment, Ryuusei pushed Yza back and created distance between them.

"You never got rid of me. If you defeated me back then, none of this would be happening right now. Simply put, this is all your fault."

"Y-You're wrong! This time, I'll get rid of you for sure!"

"You missed your chance when you fought that weakling Ayato. Now that I've imbued the powers of Yozora and Kinjuzo into this vessel, I'll finally have access to the strongest clan in this war that I've been fighting for millenniums."

Ryuusei's crooked smile widened as he drew a card from the air.

"I'll crush you... with your own clan!"

Yza's expression twisted for a split-second, before smirking arrogantly.

"That only gives me the advantage! I know the Stardust Knight clan like the back of my hand! There's no way you'll win against me now!"

"You'd think that, but..." Ryuusei flipped the card around. Showing it to Yza, he smirked. "Have you ever seen this card before?"

"T-that... can't be..."

"Your eyes aren't deceiving you. It's a new Star Demon Series. You've never seen it before, have you?"

"I... haven't..."

"Of course. This is the True Element Star Demon Series, Kirin. His skill is a single line."

Ryuusei sent the card forward. As Yza read it, his eyes widened.

"Generation Break 16...?!"

"That's right. When placed, if I have no cards in my drop zone and no face up cards in my damage zone... I win the game!"

Yza hiccuped in place, making Ryuusei howl with laughter.

"Since you won't submit to me peacefully, I have no choice but to take you by force! If you can't defeat me before then, I'll win with this card! It's as easy as that! No cop out draws for you this time! And once I win, I'll take this last personality, and make your body mine!"

Shaking his head, Yza slapped Ryuusei's card away from him.

"I'll beat you... no, this time, I'll thoroughly destroy you before you can activate that cheat card. Even if you have Generation Break 16, if I can deny either of your conditions... you can't win!"

"Can you even draw out the match to that long? My deck was designed to never deck out. Your deck was designed to leech off others, exactly like you. If you want to deny me of turning my damage face down, go ahead. After all... your deck revolves around me having face down damage. If I don't have face down damage, you won't be able to use your effects!"

"T-then... then, I'll go all out! I'll attack you with everything I've got, from the very beginning!"

"Then I'll match that tenacity with an even greater early game! My deck has been over-tuned with the strongest cards so that you will never win!"

"Even if the odds are against me... I'll pull through with a miracle only I can make! Fight me, Void!"

"I've already told you, that isn't my name anymore. I am Ryuusei, the meteor sent to destroy the shooting star of hope— you!"

Yza narrowed his eyes and pulled out his deck. Ryuusei's sadistic grin widened as he pulled out his deck.

"The name doesn't matter! You could be named Rukia for all I care and I'd still hate you because you're the Void!"

"Aren't you a cruel one? So even if I inserted myself into your precious girlfriend and became her, you'd still hate me?"

"OF COURSE I'D HATE YOU!"

At this point, Yza lost all his calm and slammed his deck on to the glass table that had formed between them.

"If you ever tried to get close to Rukia in any way... I'd kill you!"

"It's weird that you care so much about a bitch like her. That was your shallow reason for saving the world too... so that Rukia could live. I really hate that part of you, you know? It's pathetic that you'd sacrifice yourself to stop me, just so your little girlfriend could live. You never considered the consequences of that, have you?"

"I made the right choice. If either of us were going to die, I'd put my life on the line first so she would live. In a world without me... I know Rukia would be strong enough to continue living. But if she wasn't there for me... then I wouldn't be able to live properly ever again."

"Let's see how well that paid off then, shall we?"

Ryuusei put his deck down on the table and reached his hand out to Yza. Touching his forehead, a flash of visions came to Yza instantaneously.

"Keep your hands to yourself—"

Before Yza could rebuke Ryuusei, all colour drained from his face.

"You see it, don't you?"

Yza's eyes widened as he stared emptily at what was being played in front of his eyes.

It was Rukia together with Zeon.

"She's..."

"In a world without you, this is what she resorted to. To fill the gap that's in her heart, she replaced it with another man. She never really cared about you, Yza."

"Why is she with..."

"Rukia and Zeon have always been close. They were basically partners in crime while they worked for me when I was that loser Backlion. You could say he's the person most closest to her. Yes, Zeon surpasses even you. Compared to him, you're nothing more than a second fiddle in her eyes."

Yza snapped back to reality. His eyes lingered with light. Gripping the side of the table, he weakly smirked.

"...for a moment there, I lost my composure."

"Huh?"

"It's a nice trick... but you won't dissuade me that easily. Just like when you went off on that speech... you were lying to me, weren't you? You were trying to manipulate me, just like you did with those false images you implanted into my head! You really will do whatever you can to get what you want, huh? Well, it won't work on me anymore. I've seen past your moves. No matter what you do to drag me into despair, I'll never let myself submit to you without a fight!"

"Oh, he found out. Must be nice having a special power saving your ass all the time."

"I'm not special at all. I was simply at the right place at the right time."

Ryuusei sharpened his glare at Yza.

"You're irritating. If if weren't for you, I'd achieve my goal by now..."

"Oh, in that grand speech of yours, I did manage to draw out some truth of yours. After all, a good lie is based in the truth. Your performance was convincing, but you gave away too much. Your goal was never to destroy Kristy like you told me those many months ago. Your true goal was to collapse this world... the Z World!"

"That's right. I am the Void, the planet eater. My reason for being is to destroy universes and all the worlds that encompass it! In this universe, this is the last world I've yet to conquer. In order to complete my collection, I need to eat this one. I've already wiped out worlds A to Y... but when it came to this world, Z, I was foiled at each and every step. It was like the Messiah himself was intervening against my every move!"

"It must be really sad... the mighty planet eater, the Void, reduced to nothing but a fake personality, all thanks to a high school boy."

"I'm used to getting my hands dirty like this. Your snarky remarks mean nothing to me. After all, I'll have my revenge once you die."

"Unlucky for you, I don't plan on doing that."

"We'll see."

Yza trembled as the image of the Void's true form flashed before his eyes.

"I wasn't scared of him before, but... that really changes my perspective on things. I'm going to war with a God..."

"Stand up, the, Vanguard!"

"Keeper of the Stars, Iko!" Yza exclaimed, his vanguard circle expanding white.

"White Tiger Star Demon Series, Byakko!" Ryuusei exclaimed, his vanguard circle expanding black.

"Stand and draw! I ride, Starkatana Shooter! Iko's skill, I draw a card and move him back!"

"Oh, you've changed your deck, huh?"

"My deck hasn't changed... it's simply grown stronger! Turn end!"

Yza:
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
OXO
OXO

Ryuusei:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
Drop: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride, Vermillion Star Demon Series, Suzaku! Suzaku's skill, I check the top 7 cards of my deck and either a Genbu or Seiryuu to my hand. I add, Black Tortoise Star Demon Series, Genbu! Byakko's skill, I draw a card and move him back!"

"Hang on, those units are...!"

"That's right... these are the four symbols that appear among the Chinese constellations. The Four Auspicious Beasts!"

"When did you get them?! I've never seen them before!"

"You've never seen them before they were too strong for you to ever handle. A mere human could never simply control these Gods. That's why Myo-kurenai, the bastard who started the Star Demon Series project, sealed them away so Yozora could never use them. If he did, he probably would've died... just like when he used Fusillade or Black Hole Dragon. However, if it's me, a fellow God, then of course I'd have the strength to tame these wild beasts. When I got ahold of this personality, the first thing I did was go deep into the card pool and unleash all the sealed units from the project for my deck. In my hand are all of the strongest units that Yozora couldn't handle! My deck is stacked compared to yours! Now, boosted by Byakko, Suzaku attacks! (7000 > 12000)"

"Damn it... no guard!"

"Drive check! (Gift Star Demon Series, Kokakuchou)" Ryuusei's eyes glimmered a blood red. "Critical trigger! All effects to vanguard! (12000 > 17000/1★ > 2★)"

"Damage check... (Prism Star Break, Shimada, Genius Brother, Eric)"

"No heal trigger, huh?"

"Nope..."

"Figures. Of course someone as "righteous" as you would refuse to use a power you've been blessed with."

"I don't find PSYQualia a blessing at all."

"Oh? So you acknowledge that you have it. That's a start."

"Unlike you... I don't have to resort to a fake power like that to win!"

"You can continue to play by the rules all you want... but up against an opponent who cheats and doesn't play fair, you won't ever win. Turn end."

Yza gritted his teeth and lowered his head.

"I get it... that people who live honestly never win in life."

Yza:
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
OXO
OXO

Ryuusei:
Hand: 8
Damage: 0
Drop: 0
OXO
OXO

"Stand and draw! I ride, Velocity Dust Dragon! If there's no face down damage, he can't attack."

"Well, thanks for the free turn."

"That's not all though. I use his skill! I counterblast and reveal a card with enforce from my hand! I search my deck for one card with 7k power and call it to rear-guard! I call, Rushing Starstriker to rear-guard! And since my vanguard has enforce, I draw a card and Velocity Dust gets 3k! (10000 > 13000) Starstriker's skill, since my vanguard has enforce, he gets 3k, boost, and resist! (7000 > 10000) I call, Fearless Sister, Julia! Her skill, I reveal Shooting Star from my hand! Starstriker attacks! (10000)"

"I guard with Shidaidaka! (7000 > 12000)"

"Julia attacks! (10000)"

"No guard! (River Shell Star Demon Series, Kappa)"

"Boosted by Iko, Velocity Dust attacks! (13000 > 18000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Stardust Nurse) Alright! Heal trigger! I heal a damage and give all effects to vanguard! (18000 > 23000)"

"Tch. Damage check! (Vermillion Star Demon Series, Suzaku)"

"Just as promised, I said I'd beat you down early. Turn end!"

Yza:
Hand: 8
Damage: 1
XXX
OXO

Ryuusei:
Hand: 7
Damage: 2
Drop: 1
OXO
OXO

"Stand and draw! And just like I promised... I said I'd surpass that early game with something even greater. You're about to witness the strongest turn 2 ever conceived! I ride, River Shell Star Demon Series, Kappa! His skill, I counterblast and soulblast! Until end of turn, his base power becomes 11000 and both of our vanguards get grade +1! (G2 > G3) (G2 > G3)"

"What... a card like that... exists?!"

"Of course. After all, Myo-kurenai's experiments... created complete and utter monsters. It's shameful that the heroic and glorious Stardust Knight that drove the Void invasion off Cray has a dark underbelly of inhuman experiments that destroyed the lives of countless units. Kappa is one of these victims. But, unlike Myo-kurenai, I'm not afraid of showing the world the insane beings he created! I'll embrace their despair and use all of their power! After all, that's what they were created for! To be used in order to find Shooting Star Dragon after he mysteriously vanished! All I'm doing... is giving them a new purpose in life!"

Ryuusei slammed a card from his hand into the drop zone.

"Generation Zone, release! Oni King Star Demon Series, Shuten Doji!" Ryuusei's vanguard circle expanded black.

"S-Shuten Doji?! One of the three most evil yokai of Japan?!"

"Oh, does that name strike fear into you? Good. I'm thankful Myo-kurenai was such greedy man. That fool really thought he could also take hold of these legendary three... but as expected, they went berserk and he had to seal them off too. If Yozora ever dared to use any of them, he'd die instantly without question. Even now, using this card... I can feel the toll it's taking on this fragile human body, despite it being imbued with my strength."

"Guess that means you weren't all that strong to begin with..."

"You fancy yourself a comedian now, eh? Laugh while you still can, because I'll wipe that impertinent grin off your face when I kill everyone you care about! Now, Shuten Doji's skill! I counterblast and G Blast White Star Demon Series, Hakuja no Myojin! Hakuja's skill, when turned face up, I can discard two cards to turn another card from my G zone face up! Continuing Shuten Doji's skill, I look at nine cards from the top of my deck and call cards equal to the number of face up G units in my G zone! I call Kyonshi and Bakeneko to rear-guard! The rest go to my drop zone. Bakeneko's skill, I bind him face up and call a Suzaku from my deck and give him a new skill! I call Genbu from my hand. Boosted by Suzaku, Genbu attacks! (9000 > 16000) Genbu's skill, he gets 6k and you need to call 2 or more cards from hand to guard! (16000 > 22000)"

"No guard! (Twinkick Startactician) Critical trigger! All to vanguard! (10000 > 15000)"

"Genbu's skill, I put him into soul, draw a card and countercharge! Suzaku's skill, I put him into soul, draw a card, and return two cards from my drop zone to my deck! Suzaku's skill given by Bakeneko! I return another two cards from my drop zone to my deck and call Bakeneko back to rear-guard from drop zone! Now, Stellar 4 is active! Kyonshi's stellar 3, she gets +15k and a crit! (9000 > 24000/1★ > 2★) Byakko's stellar 3, he gets +10k! (5000 > 15000) Shuten Doji's Generation Break 3 Stellar 4 skill! All of my units get +15k power! Violent Rally! (26000 > 41000) (15000 > 30000) (24000 > 39000/2★) (7000 > 22000) Boosted by Byakko, Shuten Doji attacks! (41000 > 71000) Star Demon Series Special Function: Drunken Disposition — Awakening Organ!"

"No guard!"

"Risky move, considering I'm not afraid of using my PSYQualia!" Ryuusei's eyes glimmered blood red.

"Triple crit me! I dare you!"

"Why would I ever satisfy your desire to feel like a hero? Triple drive! (Invisible Star Demon Series, Nurikabe) We all know that once heroes are pushed to the brink, they always make a giant comeback. You're the exact same as them! (Curing Star Demon Series, Amabie) You enjoy being pushed to the very edge and making a huge comeback, you damn faker! (River Shell Star Demon Series, Kappa) Instead of giving you what you want, I'll draw out this fight until the bitter end and watch you break down in despair as I activate Kirin and restart the world!"

"Damage check... (Rushing Starstriker)"

"Cat got your tongue, huh? If you're so weak-willed that you can't even retaliate against my words, this match is a waste of time. Hand your personality over to me!"

"I don't have any obligations to respond to bullshit, thank you very much. You can drone on and on about how much you want to break me to pieces like a sadistic creep, but in the end, those words are meaningless if you can never achieve that goal. If you want to deny me the feeling of being a hero, then I'll deny you the chance of seeing me fall through your manipulative words. You can pretend to be as strong as you want... but I know that I'm stronger than you'll ever be!"

"Insolent brat... I'll make you regret challenging me with that condescending attitude!" A haze of purple energy exploded from Ryuusei, encompassing him in a smog of pure evil. "Boosted by Bakeneko... Kyonshi attacks! (39000/2★ > 61000/2★)"

"Generation Guard! Starscutum of Impuse Dust! (15000 > 30000) His skill, he gets +10k for each sentinel in drop zone and face up copy of him in the G zone! (30000 > 40000) I add Starlight Angel and Blasting Starcat to guard! (40000 > 55000 > 65000)"

"You've done well defending the first assault... however, I can already see the outcome of this fight. In three turns, you'll lose. I swear on that. Turn end!"

Yza:
Hand: 5
Damage: 3
XXX
OXO

Ryuusei:
Hand: 8
Damage: 2
Drop: 8
OXX
OXX

"It was my second turn, yet I've farmed so much more advantage compared to you! You must be feeling pretty pathetic, being proved wrong like this, huh? And on your grade 3 turn, you won't even be able to Stride, while I can do it again on my turn! If you try to grade 2 game me, you've seen my triple drive. I've got another copy of Kappa that can be used! You can't do anything!"

"Well... I've got GB1, which means I can do this much. Stand and draw! Chivalrous dragon that shines on this world! Step forth into the light where the darkness meets it's end! I ride my avatar, Prism Balance Breaker, Shooting Star Dragon!" Yza's vanguard circle expanded a bright rainbow colour.

"You think GB1 is going to be enough to salvage your pathetic turn? Hurry up and get on with it. Stalling out the inevitable bores me to tears."

"Man you are arrogant... Shooting Star Dragon's skill! You have to turn a card from your damage zone face down until end of turn!"

"Wow, you temporarily counterblasted a card, I'm so scared!"

"You can keep up the tough guy act all you want, but I know deep down you're a cowardly bastard. I move Starstriker back and call Velocity Dust to rear-guard! His skill, I counterblast and reveal a card with enforce from my hand to superior call from the deck, Starkatana Shooter! Starkatana's skill, since I have a Shooting Star vanguard, he gets 1k and resist! (7000 > 8000) Velocity gets 3k and I draw! (10000 > 13000) And since the card I counterblasted was Shimada, I can use his skill to soulblast and draw a card!"

"Yes, because that 1k power will make all the difference for a lack of Stride this turn. Keep digging your own grave Yza, keep digging it."

"Earlier, you asked me what GB1 could do to make up the difference in our turns, right? Right now, I'll show you what I can do in this situation! Iko's skill, counterblast, he gets +5k and a new skill! (5000 > 10000) This brings me to Enforce 5! Julia, Velocity Dust, Starstriker, Starkatana, Iko and Shooting Star Dragon all become enforced! Their skills activate! Julia gets 2k for each face down card! (10000 > 20000) Starstriker's GB1, he gets 5k for every two face down cards! (10000 > 20000) Starkatana's GB1, he gives my front row +5k! (13000 > 18000) (11000 > 16000) (20000 > 25000) It might not be much, but with GB1, I've accessed a wealth of new power that I originally wouldn't have had!"

"Bwa ha ha ha! This is hilarious! You think gaining a bit of power will close the gap between us?! Do you even realise the situation you're in, Yza?! Compared to my Stride turn where I reached GB3, returned 4 cards to my deck, called a field and bulked up my hand, all you've done is called a few puny units and proudly declare that their minuscule power ups are enough to catch up to me! You should've given up while you still can. It's obvious you're not fit for the battlefield at all!"

"Boosted by Iko, Shooting Star Dragon attacks! (16000 > 26000) Iko's GB1 skill, when he's enforced, during the battle he boosted, you can't call cards with shield greater than 5000 to guard! Transcend, Balance Breaker: Aurora Borealis!"

"A sad attempt at guard restrict, but unluckily for you, I always planned to no guard this attack!"

"Twin drive!! (Enemy Starmecha, Infinifire, Prism Star Break, Shimada)"

"Damage check! (Shape-shifting Star Demon Series, Bakeneko)"

"Boosted by Starkatana, Julia attacks! (25000 > 33000)"

"No guard! (Tidal Star Demon Series, Mouryou) Critical trigger, all to vanguard! (9000 > 19000)"

"Boosted by Starstriker, Velocity Dust attacks! (18000 > 38000)"

"Guard with Wanyudo and Kokakuchou! (19000 > 39000)"

"You've chatted a lot of shit, but here you are, pushed to four damage from my supposedly "futile" turn. You even had to give yourself a damage trigger to survive. Turn end."

"I'll say it again, since you didn't understand it the first time. I will make you regret this, Yza."

"My life is already full of regrets. What's one more gonna do?"

Yza:
Hand: 8
Damage: 3
XXX
XXX

Ryuusei:
Hand: 6
Damage: 4
Drop: 10
OXX
OXX

"Stand and draw! If only Yozora was here to witness this... ah well, I've already cucked him enough. He's not even here anymore, so I don't have to feel bad about riding his precious avatar, bwa ha ha! I ride, Swift Feather Star Demon Series, Ubume!"

Emerging from behind Ryuusei was Ubume, hung up, chained, and drained of all colour. With a lifeless expression, she was forced to lift her head. Against her own will, Ryuusei controlled Ubume like a puppet.

"Forgive me... Yozora..."

Wisps of the Void surrounded her, leaking out from her eyes like tears. She choked out an empty apology as pitch black despair consumed her to the very bottom of her heart.

"I couldn't fight against him..."

Slowly, she morphed. As the Void took control, Ubume lost her sense of humanity.

"I wish..."

But from the very beginning, she knew that she had lost it long ago.

"...I got to see more of the world..."

As she sunk deeper into the corrupted abyss, darkness clung onto her like ink pooling into paper.

"...with you."

Her entire body was submerged into the ground, rooted deep like an overgrown weed.

While being mercilessly consumed, she reached her feathered hand out to the night sky, praying for a saviour.

Without thinking, Yza ran forward on instinct, reaching his hand out to the desperate Star Demon.

"Ubume!"

As his fingers grazed the tip of her feathers, she sank completely.

"I couldn't... save her..."

Even though he had never met her, a part of Yza felt like he knew Ubume his entire life. A deep pain cut through his heart as he lost her.

Ryuusei burst into cackling laughter as two wings sprouted from his back, their design an exact replica of Ubume's wings.

"What the fuck... what the fuck did you do her?!" Yza demanded.

"I killed her. I put Ubume out of her miserable existence."

An uncontrollable feeling overwhelmed Yza.

His fist crashed into Ryuusei's face for the first time.

Yza didn't, or rather couldn't, understand why this made him so angry.

Grabbing Yza's wrist, Ryuusei pulled him up into the air and tossed him back to his side.

With a loud crash, Yza was blown roughly 100 metres away from the battlefield.

Ryuusei's own strength was leaking out too.

Teleporting from the fight table to Yza, Ryuusei silently picked him up and threw him back.

Without any time to react, Yza crashed on his side of the table, rolling to the floor and gripping his stomach tightly.

Instantly appearing above him, Ryuusei stared down at Yza's pitiful existence.

No lights shone on them.

The only remnants of light were in Ryuusei's blood red eyes that were leaking a violent aura.

He was completely cloaked in a miasma of hatred and followed by a trail of purple haze.

Ryuusei had become the embodiment of death.

"And you're next."