It was chaos right now in the Link Vrains: a gang of individuals known as The Knights of Hanoi had been targeting other duelists and taking them out from the Link Vrains in an attempt to find and eradicated everything related to the Cyberse World. 

There were a few individuals who were fighting them off: such as the mysterious duelist known as Playmaker; but not many outside of Playmaker succeed when battling them. Other duelists in the Vrains try to avoid Hanoi, and instead try to help keep duelists entertained with their own unique dueling style. These individuals are called "Charisma Duelists", and the most popular ones are Blue Angel and The Gore.

However, there is one duelist whose motives and goals are completely unknown. A duelist seen by few and known by even less. A duelist who was even more of a mysterious figure compared to Playmaker that some wonder if it's only a myth about his existence. His name is Shadow Breaker!

?. Personal Observation:

As I laid down on the sofa of my apartment, looking up absentmindedly at the roof, I couldn't help but wonder what my purpose was, besides dealing with those bullies that were The Knights of Hanoi. 

It wasn't as if I was alone, not entirely anyway: I had a sister who checked up on me regularly, but that was about it. The only person I ever considered a friend hasn't seen me in a long time, and that was because of her brother being as busy as he was. Don't get me wrong: family comes first, I know that as much as the next person, but it doesn't mean that it doesn't hurt when your only friend is taken from you. 

"Jack! You there little bro?" I heard alongside a knock on the door, causing me to get up and walk over towards the door and open it, revealing Emma, my sister. Granted, it wasn't by blood as I'm adopted, but she was my sister all the same. 

"Hey Emma." I said simply, giving her a side hug briefly. She smiled at me coyly as she handed me a drink (nothing alcoholic), and came into my place as I closed the door. "Soooo, how's my little brother doing? Found a girl yet?" she teased, and I crossed my arms as best as I could and gave her a look that said 'Are you serious?', which only made her giggle a bit. 

"I'm only teasing you Jack, don't be so serious!" she said as she sat down on the sofa, having a drink she got for herself. I rolled my eyes as I sat on the sofa as well, not looking at her as I had some of my drink. "So...how's the job...?" I asked her slowly, since anything involving SOL Technologies was a touchy subject for me.

She sighed a bit and laid her head on my shoulder. "Dull. Zaizen is such a mood killer! But at least he keeps me on my toes." she stated simply, and I nodded slowly. "I'll just assume that there wasn't a double meaning to that..." I said simply, getting a giggle out of her. "Oh please! I'm not that kind of person!" she protested, even if she had a less than serious smile on her face.

"Anyway...how's...your 'job'?" she asked me, and I knew immediately what she meant. I sighed a bit and brushed a hand across my spiked hair, or at least the parts that weren't covering the right side of my face. "It's...draining, to say the least." I replied, and it was clearly not the right answer as she only got worried at that. "Then why do you do it?" 

"Because somebody has to...besides, sooner or later they'll just come after us all in one way or another...and if they got you...." I wasn't able to finish that sentence as I heard my duel disk sending out an alert at me. "Great, more trouble..." I said as I got up and placed the duel disk on my arm. Emma quickly got up to stop me.

"Jack, if they get you again...!" she began, bringing up memories that I wished she hadn't, even if it was unintentional. "I have to, Emma...and they won't get me this time, I promise..." I got my deck out and placed it into my duel disks deck slot. My duel disk was an older molder from the times of Seto Kaiba and Yugi Moto, but I preferred it that way.

As I moved to enter the next room of my place, I felt Emma hug my waist from behind, whispering to me "Be careful, Jack...I can't lose my little brother..." I managed to turn my body around in her grip and hug her back briefly, before we both parted and I entered the next room...which was like a hackers mini-treasure trove: computers all linked into the Link Vrains, or into whatever else where I could grab information...and at the far end of the room was a device to help me reach the Link Vrains.

I entered the device as I put on my visor...and soon, I was transported into the Link Vrains World! 

End of pov.

As The Knights of Hanoi began their rampage on Link Vrains in search of the AI, and Playmaker was busy dealing with the one of the Knights that was after him and the AI: a few of the Knights began to target both The Gore and Blue Angel, or more specifically the dumber ones who didn't believe in Playmaker's claims of having the AI.

Soon, Blue Angel was cornered by 3 of them, all who just laughed. "Playmaker's not here to save you now! Time to erase you!" One of them said as they prepared to take her out...until suddenly 2 of them were shocked by electricity and began to vanish in seconds, causing the third one and Blue Angel to look around in shock at this...until they saw him standing on a duel board above, glaring a hole through them...Shadow Breaker!

Shadow Breaker's Personal Observation:

I glared down at the remaining Knight of Hanoi, hating the fact that he targeted a duelist that had nothing to do with the AI. Stupid Knights of Hanoi! I briefly glanced at the duelist he had targeted: a Charisma Duelist known as Blue Angel. 

I hated Charisma Duelists, always did and always will do, but I actually thought Blue Angel was okay...plus it didn't hurt that I already knew who she was...

"Who the hell are you!?!" The remaining Knight asked me, drawing my attention back to the thug. He might not be able to tell from my mask, but I was still glaring at him. I soon raised my right arm out and launched a Duel Anchor at him, which latched onto his arm. "H-HEY!?!" he complained, but all I did was tug it and cause him to stumble.

"That won't go away until we've duelled...and the loser of the duel gets erased from Link Vrains!" was all I said. He just glared at me before smirking briefly. "You must really have a death wish if you willingly challenged a Knight of Hanoi!" I simply stood there, not rising to the pre-school jab of threats. 

He jumped up and landed on his Duel Board, I glanced over to Blue Angel and simply said to her: "Do yourself a favour: stay back!" And I flew towards the data stream because she could respond, as I went to battle the Knight of Hanoi. 

As soon as we were near, I activated my duel disk and drew my starting 4 cards from my deck: since in a Speed Duel we can only start with 4 cards in our hand, and we can only use 3 monster zones, spell and trap zones, and a field spell zone each. Bit stupid and restrictive, but I've managed with worse.

"Hah! You should have gotten a better duel disk! That one's ancient!" the idiot mocked, but I simply ignored him before we both shouted "SPEED DUEL!!!" 

Shadow Breaker 4000 Knight of Hanoi 4000

TURN 1: Knight of Hanoi 4000

"I'll start this duel off!" the Knight declared all self-righteously, as if he was all that mattered. Self-absorbed prick...He couldn't draw a 5th card from his deck due to the some stupid rules that prevented it. Why couldn't we just have the originally rules like from the times of Yugi Moto through to Yuma Tsukamo? Those were simpler times then...well, sort of...

"Since you don't control any monsters on your field: I get to special summon my "Hack Worm" from my hand to the field in defence mode (400/0/1)!" Soon, some strange mechanical worm appeared on his field from a digital portal. I just stood silently and watched his play...not that I didn't know what he would do, because let's face it: Knights of Hanoi are predictable as hell.

"Next, I'm playing the "Machine Duplication" spell card from my hand!" the Knight said, as a spell card depicting a number of duplicate machines on a conveyor belt appeared on his field. 

"With this spell card, by targeting a Machine-type monster with 500 or fewer ATK points on my field: I get to summon out 2 more with the same name to join the first one! You've heard the saying: "two heads are better than one"? Well, how about 3 "Hack Worms" are better than one (400/0/1 x2)!"

Soon 2 more "Hack Worms" appeared on his field next to the first 1, filling up his monster card zones...but lets be honest: I've heard some bad lines and jokes before, but '3 "Hack Worms" are better than one' pretty much ranks up there. 2 of them began to vanish and was replaced by something else entirely...the Knights's favourite weapon...

"Now I'm ditching the 2 "Hack Worms" I just summoned in order to advance summon my strongest beast! "CRACKING DRAGON" (3000/0/8)!!!" 

I looked up at this "Cracking Dragon", and to be honest I did like it. Sure, "it" can be a pain, but when used against others: "Cracking Dragon" is a forced to be reckoned with. Especially with "its" effects and the right defences.

"I end my turn, so you might as well give up now! Because as soon as I'm done with you you'll be as good as dead!" he chuckled manically. Which is probably why he was surprised by what I said next. "Is that all you've got?"

"What did you say!?" he asked, looking pissed off, and I began my turn as I drew my next card.

TURN 2: Shadow Breaker 4000

"It's always the same with you Knights: you talk a big game, you bring out that monster or something else that you powered up, and you brag that you have the so-called "advantage" without even bothering to set up some kind of defence for it...and yet every time you get creamed by both Playmaker and myself!" I explained as I placed my newly drawn card in my hand.

He was either speechless or seething in hate, either way I continued on with my turn without a care, looking at the cards in my hand. "I'll start with the spell card, "Pot of Greed", from my hand: with it I draw another 2 cards from my deck..." I said as the classic spell card from times past appeared briefly before I drew my 2 new cards.

"Now, I play the "Boot Sector Launch" field spell card." I continued as I played the mentioned card, placing it in my field spell card zone, showing what looks like the inside of a barrel gun being loaded up. A very modernized version of a guns barrel.

"Wait what!?! But only one person is supposed to have that card!?!" the Knight said, but I payed no attention to him. "This card has 2 effect, and I'll use 1 of them right now: with it I can special summon up to 2 monsters from my hand with different names, but that have "Rokket" in their names in defence mode. So appear now: "Autorokket Dragon" (1600/1000/3) and "Metalrokket Dragon" (1700/1400/4)!"

Soon 2 small dragons that looked like a combination of dragons, gun bullets and machine parts appeared to my field in defence mode. "Due to "Boot Sector Launch's" additional effect: all my "Rokket" monsters gain 300 ATK and DEF points. So power up!" Both dragons roared as they felt a minor power surge, courtesy of my field spell card (1600/1000 - 1900/1300, 1700/1400 - 2000/1700)! The Knight laughed though, as if he thought something was going right for him.

"You idiot! Do you not know what "Cracking Dragon" does!?! Whenever you summon a monster whilst "Cracking Dragon" is on my field: your monsters lose 200 ATK points equal times their levels, and you'll take what they lost as damage! You're only damaging yourself AND your monsters! Go "CRACK FALL!!!"" To his surprise though, and my slight amusement: nothing happened.

"Hey!?! Why isn't my monsters effect activating!?!" He complained. "Amateur..." I said aloud, explaining what mistake he just made. "You really are an idiot aren't you? It's true your "Cracking Dragon" does lower my monsters ATK points and deals me damage when summoned...but "Cracking Dragons" effects can only work when I've summoned exactly 1 monster to my field, not more than 1!"

That seemed to shocked the idiot, only confirming to me that he clearly didn't know how to use his deck properly, or that these Knights of Hanoi were more overrated than others give them credit for. "But, since you're eager to use your monsters effect so much: I send a monster in my hand to the graveyard, so that I can bring out my "Defrag Dragon" from my hand in attack mode (1000/600/3)!"

As soon as I summoned my new dragon though, "Cracking Dragon's" effect was triggered this time...no pain no gain I guess..."Well, you've triggered "Cracking Dragon's" effect now! So your "Defrag Dragon" loses 200 ATK points for every level "it" has, and you take whatever "it" lost as damage! Go "CRACK FALL!!!"" 

Soon his monster let out a fierce gust of wind, though it wasn't as strong as it would have been if "it" was in the hands of a stronger duelist: still, "Defrag Dragon" was hampered by the wind stream, losing 600 ATK points as "she" was a level 3 monster (1000 - 400), causing me to lose 600 LP as well in the process.

[Shadow Breaker 4000 - 3400]

"If that's the best you can do in terms of an impact, then I'm sadly disappointed!" I said, before raising my hand in front of me. "Let me show you what TRUE dueling is about! Appear my circuit!" As soon as I said that: a portal appeared above me, shocking the Knight. "Wait, you can link summon!?!" 

"In order to build this circuit: I have to set 2 Level 4 or below non-Token Dragon-type monsters into the Link Markers..." I said, completely ignoring him. "So I set my level 4 "Metalrokket Dragon" and level 3 "Defrag Dragon" into the Link Markers! Go, Circuit Combine!" Soon both dragons transformed into energy and were absorbed into 2 of the numerous Link Marker Arrows on the circuit portal: Middle Right, Bottom Center.

As soon as the arrows lit up, the portal began to vanish in a blinding light, and a new dragon began to appear. "LINK SUMMON!!! APPEAR, LINK-2..."TWIN TRIANGLE DRAGON" (1200/↓→)!!!" 

"I activate "Twin Triangle Dragons" effect: as I just link summoned "him", by giving up 500 of my life points; I can target and special summon any monster that's level 5 or above in my graveyard and summon it to my field, as long as I negate its effects and prevent it from attacking this turn!" I said as I continued on with my turn, but then the Knight of Hanoi began to object.

"But you don't have any monsters in your graveyard that fit that category! You've just wasted an affect!" he said, and I rolled my eyes behind the mask at how non-observant he was, even if he couldn't see it.

"Check again idiot...or did you forget that I sent a monster to the grave to summon "Defrag Dragon" not too long ago!" That seemed to put the pieces together in his thick skull, and soon the dragon in particular began to come from the grave. "So I'll pay 500 LP in order to bring back my level 5 "Background Dragon" from my grave to my field in defence mode (1600/1800/5)!"

[Shadow Breaker 3400 - 2900]

As soon as my bulky dragon appeared, and I mean that in a good way not a bad way, "Cracking Dragons" effect trigger again: causing my newly summoned "Background Dragon" to lose 1000 ATK points and for me to lose the same amount of LP...but it was worth it...(1600 - 600)!

[Shadow Breaker 2900 - 1900]

"You seem to love shaving off your own life points and your monsters ATK points! You must really want to lose!" the idiot tried to mock, but I payed no attention to him, taking the last card in my hand and playing it: the picture showing what looked like a couple of skeleton hands both holding and drawing from a deck of cards.

"Now I play the spell card, "Akashic Record", from my hand: this lets me draw another cards, but then I have to reveal them; and then if any of them have been used during this duel, then I have to banish the ones that have been used from the game..."

With that I drew another 2 cards, briefly glanced at them, and then, without any emotion, showed them to my opponent...and neither of the 2 cards I drew were ones I'd used during this duel! "Neither of these cards have been used in this duel: so I can keep these two! Not that they will stay there long, because I play the quick-spell "Quick Launch" from my hand!

"With this card, I can special summon another "Rokket" monster from my deck to the field: however the summoned monster cannot attack during this turn, and it's destroyed when the turn ends!" I explained, and before my foe could argue on my mind set, I simply brought out the new monster. "So I'll summon out my "Anesthrokket Dragon" in defence mode (0/2200/1)!"

Whilst "Anesthrokket Dragon did get a power-up from "Boot Sector Launch's" effect (0/2200 - 300/2500), the it was a short-lived power up: because "Cracking Dragons" effect kicked in again and...well, you get the drill now right? (300 - 100).

[Shadow Breaker 1900 - 1700]

"So what!? You can't summon a Link-5 or Link-6 monster! They don't exist anyway!!!" The Knight complained as soon as he looked at my line up of dragons...but there was something he had woefully over-looked when he spoke of Link monsters just then...

"Appear, now, once more my circuit!" I commanded as another portal appeared, surprising my opponent. And boy, was he in for another shock! "The summon conditions for this next summon is 3 monsters, but they all must have different names! So I'm setting my "Autorokket Dragon", "Background Dragon" and my "Anesthrokket Dragon" into the Link Markers! Go Circuit Combine!"

This time, my 3 remaining dragons transformed themselves into energy before being absorbed into the following 3 Link Arrow Markers: Top Center, Bottom Left, Bottom Right! "Soldier of Chaos! Awaken from your slumber and protect the innocent!" As soon as I had finished my chant: the portal vanished in a blinding light...and this time, instead of another dragon appearing from within the light...a new Warrior appeared from within it instead!

"LINK SUMMON!!! COME ON, LINK-3..."BLACK LUSTER SOLDIER - SOLDIER OF CHAOS" (3000/↙↑↘)!!!

As soon as my new monster appeared to my side: I saw "him" staring at the Knight with a look that would no doubt have killed him if looks could indeed kill. "S-So what!?!" the Knight began to protest, "Your new monster has the same ATK points as my "Cracking Dragon"! So if you have them fight, they'll both die!" I simply shut him up by showing the remaining card in my hand: "Riryoku".

"With the power of my "Roryoku" spell card, which I'm using right now: your "Cracking Dragon" is about to have "its" ATK points cut in half, and my "Black Luster Soldier" will gain what your monster lost for this turn..." When the spell appeared on the field: 2 different coloured aura's appeared around both "Black Luster Soldier" and "Cracking Dragon": draining the latter whilst powering-up the former (3000 - 1500, 3000 - 4500).

"4-4500!?!" the fool shouted in shock, and to be honest that was just music to my hears at hearing the bad guys squirm! "First, lets deal with that eyesore of a monster that you thought I'd forgotten about!" I said as I pointed towards his "Hack Worm". ""Twin Triangle Dragon", take out "Hack Worm" with "TRIANGLE BURST!!!"" 

"Triangle Dragon" began to charge up purple pulse energy in "his" jaw, moving "his" arms in front of "himself as the triangles attached to "his" arms began sparkling in purple lightning: before launching the burst of energy and lightning at the literally defenceless "Hack Worm", destroying it instantly!

"Now to deal with that "Dragon" of yours!" I said with venom in my voice. ""Black Luster Soldier - Soldier of Chaos"! Slay that mechanical dragon with "CHAOS SWORD SLASH!!!"" As soon as the command left my mouth: "Black Luster Soldier" leaped into the air, twirled around in a full 360, before slashing "Cracking Dragon" straight down the middle, cutting "it" in two before causing "it" to explode! And the sight of the explosion was beautiful!

[Knight of Hanoi 4000 - 1000]

"N-No! My "Cracking Dragon"! How dare you!!!" the Knight of Hanoi complained, but I wasn't paying any attention. "Since my "Soldier of Chaos" destroyed a monster in battle, I get to use 1 of "his" 3 effects." I continued as I held up my fingers to explain each effects...for no other reason than to make him concerned...

"1. I can raise "his" ATK points by 1500, 2. "He" can attack twice during my next turns Battle Phase, or 3. 1 card on the field gets banished." I don't often smile, in fact it's fair to say the chances of seeing me smiling are 1 in a billion unless your my sister, but on this occasion I allowed myself a rare small smirk. 

"Obviously I have no intention of using the third effect, since only I have cards on my field right now: but I will use effect #2! Meaning next turn...your dead!" I said with my thumb pointing downwards. Even though I sincerely doubt anyone can sweat in the Vrains, seeing him squirm and metaphorically sweat was all the more sweeter to see. 

"Turn end. This is your last chance to get out of this mess..." I said as I ended my turn, and the effect of my "Riryoku" spell began to wear off: returning my "Black Luster Soldiers" ATK points to normal (4500 - 3000).

TURN 3: Knight of Hanoi 1000

As I saw him draw, I could see the panic in his eyes...well, eye, since the Knights always seem to have one covered up for some reason...then again I can't talk on that subject...

"Tick, tock. Tick...tock..." I taunted, but he just grew frustrated. "T-Turn end...!" was all he said, passing his turn. I rolled my eyes at that. "Like I've said before: you Knights of Hanoi are Amateurs..." I said as I drew my next card. 

TURN 4: Shadow Breaker 1700

""Black Luster Soldier - Soldier of Chaos"! Finish him! "CHAOS SWORD SLASH!!!"" I commanded as "he" charged straight at the Knight, slashing him across the chest and causing him to fall off of his Duel Board and down towards the abyss below...though he's fortunate that his account was erased before he could get anywhere near the ground...

[Knight of Hanoi 1000 - 0]

I watched as he vanished, though instead of feeling a sense of pride or joy like most people probably would have, with the exception of that Playmaker guy...all I felt was disappointment and contempt. No challenge at all. "One down...hundreds to go..." I said without emotion, before sensing something, or someone, watching behind me...someone that I'd surprisingly not even noticed...

"Enjoy the show, Blue Angel...?" I asked, not even turning to look as I already knew who it was. Like a gut feeling. 

"Who are you!?" she asked me, only confirming it for me that it was Blue Angel. I briefly glanced over my left shoulder and looked to her. As much as a part of me wanted to tell her...I couldn't...not even for her...

"That's for me to know, and you to find out...if you're lucky..." was all I said as I prepared to leave the network, barely catching her saying "Wait! Duel me! I need answers!" I glanced over and simply said "No." before logging myself out of the network...but we would meet again one day...

End of pov.

What Shadow Breaker hadn't realised was that Blue Angel was not the only one who had been watching him duel the now erased Knight of Hanoi. The leader of the Knights of Hanoi had also been watching, but had been left with more questions than answers.

"Hmm...who is this man?" he said, before leaving to talk to his more competent followers on other matters. The Knights of Hanoi though weren't the only organization interested in Shadow Breaker: Akira Zaizen of SOL Technologies was as well. The only difference was that Zaizen though that Shadow Breaker seemed familiar, he just couldn't place his finger at why.

"Just who is this mystery duelist? And what does he want?" Zaizen said, not knowing what to think or believe in this situation...though he would find out sooner or later...

Jack Shadow's Personal Observation:

As I exited out of the Link Vrains network, my computers erased all traces of where I had logged in and out from, and any traces of my Avatar's existence. An needless but necessary measure. I rubbed my left eye a bit out of tiredness, and placed my duel disk down before exiting the room, locking it as I did so. 

As I entered my living room, I noticed that Emma wasn't here, no was she in the spare bedroom when I checked in there. Honestly though, I couldn't blame her for leaving. She shouldn't have to get involved in whatever it is I'm doing. I told her though that she doesn't need to lie if asked about me, but, being the stubborn person she is, she said that she still would anyway. 

I sat down on the sofa again, as I had done before I had left, and stared absentmindedly at the wall, pondering. "She'll figure it out sooner or later...not that it will matter...but, there is someone that might...be able...to help me." I said aloud, more to myself as I got up and walked into my computer room again, locking the door as I did so. 

As I sat down by the many computers, I began to look through numerous files I had..."acquired"...before soon coming across a single name. Yusaku Fujiki. Or should I say "Playmaker"? 

"Hmm...perhaps "Shadow Breaker" should give Playmaker a helping hand..." I said to myself, soon printing out some files and sending a cryptic message to Yusaku, one that was sure to grab his interest, if only briefly. 

"I know who you are. I have something that might help you against the Knights of Hanoi. Meet my contact in the middle of town tomorrow after school, and he will hand the data to you. Do not trust anyone."

Needless to say, even though I never knew it at first...things were about to get a whole lot interesting...