Author's Side-Note: Play the song above whenever you wish during the duel, it more-or-less reflects Jack Shadow/Shadow Breaker's mindset most of the time, especially during duels. Also, there will be a lot of pov's, because most of the time it's easier for me to write stories that way, so you have been warned.

School: quite frankly the worst thing in the world by Jack's own opinion. He never had liked it and was quite adamant that he never will do either. And to be fair to him: his opinion had never been proven wrong at any point. 

The only things he was glad about the school was these 3 things: 1. He didn't have to do PE/Gym classes (whatever you call it) due to what he hid underneath his hair, 2. This was his final year at the school due to him being 18, and 3. Computers, so he could use them if needed to do some research whenever he got bored. Apart from that, nothing interested him, and he pretty much kept to himself, as he preferred it.

He never interacted with any of the students or the teachers, even if he did the work, he sat at the far side of the classroom, and the only time he ever duelled anyone was when he had to due to a test, and even then he won without using his full strength.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking or are curious about: "what about the bullies or tough kids?" Well, surprisingly, they never bothered Jack because he scared them to death, and with good reason. The first time people tried to intimidate or bully him when he first arrived at the school: he shrugged them off and broke their arms in self defence with a simple action when they tried to put up a fight.

Also, whenever bullies went after others: he always appeared and either beat them to a pulp, or defeated them in duels so badly that they the bullies labelled him the most scariest kid in class. Something he never tried to change.

So yeah, Jack didn't exactly have the most positive reputation among others. But, as was said, he neither minded or cared about it. The opinions of others that he didn't care about meant very little to him. 

Currently though: Jack was sitting at the back of the classroom in the middle of a break, his head leaning against the wall with his eyes closed, trying his best to ignore any and all talk about what was going on in the Link Vrains by other students, and trying to ignore the whispers from newer students aimed at his direction. 

Jack's Personal Observation:

'F***ing idiots...if they only really knew what was happening...' I thought to myself, and yes I did sensor my own thoughts and was harsh, but sadly it's the truth. But I do have to admit that not everyone is like that. There are some who watch that aren't even duelists, who watch because they enjoy what a duel or just enjoy watching their favourite duelists. 

Then there's the people who can't duel but love watching them, and this could be for multiple reasons. I don't fault any of those people, and I don't fault the ones are too young to fully understand. But the ones who do understand, or think they do, and think that this is all a game? Those people among others I can't stand...speaking of one...

"Hey dude! Have you seen what's going on in Link Vrains!?!" The voice belong to this guy who I REALLY can't stand, despite him only being here a month. Calls himself Naoki I think, I don't pay attention nor do I actually care to learn.

I simply opened up my eyes, even if he could only see one, and I gave him a glare that said 'What the fuck are you doing?', not that he actually payed any attention...annoyingly...

"No...buzz off..." I simply said, closing my eyes again, but the guy kept on poking and annoying me in an attempt to get my attention...but he was getting too close to my face with his poking...

"Hey! That ain't nice! And why don't you pay any...!?" I grabbed his finger and bent it back a bit harshly when he got too near my face with the pokes, not enough to break it or cause damage but enough to cause him pain and to get him to stop.

"Touch me again, and you'll lose your hands..." I said as I opened my eyes and glared a hole into him. "Go.AWAY!" I said to him. He just looked like he was about to steam up, which to some extent was amusing when the annoying ones do that, before he began to protest "HEY!!! I THOUGHT YOU WERE MEANT TO BE NICE TO THE GOOD PEOPLE!?!" 

So he had heard about me, or somewhat heard about me. Doesn't matter though, because he's starting to draw unwanted attention. I sat up and looked him straight in the eyes, glaring at him before saying in a deathly tone. "You're just an annoying kid who seeks attention and who couldn't duel to save his own life! Now...Get.AWAY!!!" 

It seems to have done the trick, as he ends up running away in fear, and the attention seems to die down. But I knew that the idiot would just cause me more trouble later on...either that or give me a bigger headache than before...

End of pov.:

As the day progressed: Naoki avoided Jack like a scared kid avoiding a feral and blood-thirsty beast, even if Jack wasn't a blood-thirsty beast...just a vengeful duelist...but what Jack didn't know until an hour before the end of school was that Naoki had managed to get a duel sanctioned between himself and Jack after school for the whole school to see.

That would only seem to aggravate and annoy Jack more, especially since he didn't like dueling in front of people or being within a crowd of people even at the best of times, and not just because of him being Shadow Breaker. 

Nether-the-less, he reluctantly accepted the duel, if anything just to shut Naoki up...but he was determined to make sure that Naoki would never bother him again...

Skye's Personal Observation:

 There seems to be a lot of fuss going on today, more so than usual. I've only had to go off from rumors about what could be happening, since I don't really talk to anyone...but from what I could make out: some snobbish kid who thinks he's the best and obsesses with Playmaker and the Link Vrains named Naoki ticked off the wrong person, and now he has challenged this mystery guy to a duel after school.

Problem is, nobody seems to know...well, anything about Naoki's opponent. Apparently he doesn't talk to anyone, teachers included, he doesn't spend time with anyone, he doesn't partake in sports classes, although I've heard he has a medical reason for why that this, and he both doesn't have friends and vanishes to and from places like a gust of wind when school or classes end.

There's one person I think I can safely say does not fit the profile of this person named Yusaku, but I wouldn't be surprised if people made the comparrison. Actually, Yusaku kind of reminds me of Playmaker, even from a glance, though I can't quite put my finger on why that is...

I asked my brother, Akira, if I could watch the duel via a text, since it wasn't involved with the Link Vrains in anyway, and it's kind of rare nowadays to see a person duel outside of the Link Vrains. Weirdly, he said yes. I would have thought he'd say no, and now I can't help but wonder why my brother would allow it. Knowing him, he probably has a reason behind it...he often does...

When school ended, I noticed that there was a big crowd of students gathering to watch the duelists fight. I wasn't good in crowds, so I thought I would watch from a distance...that was until I noticed 2 people in particular watching as well, and they were the two people I least expected to be here watching a duel between students: Emma Bessho, aka Ghost Gal, and big brother!

Not knowing why they were here, I ran over to them to figure it out. Emma was the first to see me and smiled sweetly whilst waving her hand. "Oh hey Skye! It's been a while!" she said to me in an overly cheerful manner. My brother merely rolled his eyes at Emma's antics in a way that made me wonder if there was something going on between the two of them that they weren't telling me...

"Hey Emma...Why are you and my brother here...?" I asked a little timidly, and not because of Emma because I actually like her. Hell, she's probably one of the few people that actually does care about me.

"Oh my brother said some idiot kid annoyed him and challenged him to a duel in a cowardly way. And since I rarely get to see him duel, I thought I'd come and watch." That surprised me. I knew that Emma said she had a younger brother who went to the same school as me, even if she never said who his name was, but I didn't think he was dueling. 

I looked to my brother for his answer, and he simply responded with: "I'm following up on a lead, and figured that it wouldn't hurt to look here. Besides...Emma is annoyingly impossible to get rid of..." I couldn't tell if he meant that or not, but Emma seemingly just laughed it off as if it was nothing, which to her it probably was.

Naoki was already waiting and complaining about his opponent not coming...but he soon came out...but when I saw the duel disk attached to his arm, which he was doing a good job in hiding, my mind began to race as to where I'd seen that before...and then it came clear where I had seen it before: the duelist in the Link Vrains that I'd seen yesterday!

And then when I looked to the person as he stopped a good distance away from his opponent, and as he raised his head to look at Naoki, I almost immediately recognised who it was, almost like a gut feeling...or like something in my brain and heart immediately recognising a loved one from times passed, as cliche and overly romantic as it sounds.

"Wait, isn't that...Jack!?!" I heard Akira saying next to me, and my eyes immediately bugged out as the pieces fell together...with Emma nodding her head to confirm it with a knowing look. I couldn't believe it...Jack, my best friends from years ago...he's here! And, even more of a scary thought...he's this mystery duelist that saved me yesterday from the Knights of Hanoi! "Jack...!"

Jack's Personal Observation:

As I walked out of the school, taking my own time in doing so, I was immediately given the sight of something that only sent me into a further state of annoyance: a sea of students who had come to watch the duel between me and the idiot.

I only hope that they weren't expecting this duel to be "fun", because that's not what I'm about when it comes to duels, and I doubt Naoki will be able to provide me with much of a challenge.

I simply ignored the whispers, stares and mutterings from everyone in the area, and focused on the duel I had. The sooner I'm done with this, the sooner "Shadow Breaker's informant" can deliver what was promised to Playmaker. If anything, he was a man of his words when it came to data delivery.

"So you finally showed up then! I thought you were going to run scared at my awesomeness!" Naoki bragged, which only served to raise my ire at him. Yusaku had a point when he said that his bragging was to over-compensate for his lack of dueling skills (albeit not in those exact words, but I read between the lines when I do listen).

I simply placed my secondary deck into the deck slot of my duel disk and placed the virtual reality ear-piece visor over my left ear and eye, if anything to help me read his strategies since I could see my field and the holograms just fine without it. He seemed to laugh at my duel disk.

"What's with that old disk!? You need one of Sol Tech's newer duel disks!" He said, proudly showing off the duel disks that practically everyone minus myself and Playmaker use. I glared more and drew my starting hand. 

"I have my reasons why I would never and will never use those...things. And besides, you don't see Playmaker using those things..." I simply responded. He simply ignored my comment, and the duel began. "DUEL!!!" 

Jack Shadow 4000 vs. Naoki Shima 4000

TURN 1: Naoki 4000

"I'll start off this turn by bringing out my "Scrap Kong" in attack mode (2000/1000/4)!" Naoki said as he took the first turn...but as soon as the gorilla made of scrap appeared, I began to question what little sanity he has, if he has any at all, because as soon as his monster was summoned: "it" imploded in on "itself".

I could tell that the others were very confused by this, even without looking, but soon a portal appeared on the ground where "Scrap Kong" had briefly been standing before "its" destruction...and then a giant looking green baboon wielding a tree trunk-like club and covered in armor that was made from either rocks, boulders and/or other trees began to appear from the portal. Naoki laughed as this occurred.

"Ha, ha! You see what I did there!?! I intentionally summoned "Scrap Kong" so I could bring out one of my strongest cards! Because whenever a Beast-type monster bites the dust: I can bring out my "Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest" from either my hand or graveyard to the field (2600/1800/7)!"

He seemed too cheerful at that...but his mood would soon change, because as soon as his "Green Baboon" appeared on Naoki's field fully: "he" swung his club and smacked Naoki in the face with it, draining his LP, and I knew why...though I do admit the whole thing was mildly humorous...

[Naoki Shima 4000 - 3000]

"Wha!?! What the hell happened!?! Why did my own monster attack me!?!" the idiot began to question. I remained neutral as I explained his obvious failure to grasp his monsters drawbacks. 

"That's the price you have to pay when summoning "Green Baboon" through "his" own effect...in order to summon "Green Baboon" the way you did: you had to pay 1000 life points to do so. Something you obviously over-looked..."

He tried to play it off cool, or play it off as if he was acting dumb when that happened, but I think he failed to convince anyone with it. "U-Uh, of course I knew that! It-It's all part of my plan!" He tried to defend, before playing another card from his hand. "I-I play the spell card, "Double Summon", from my hand: with this I get to normal summon once again!" 

The spell card appeared briefly, before another "Scrap Kong" appeared out of the card and onto Naoki's field (2000/1000/4)...but, just like the first "Scrap Kong", this "Scrap Kong" exploded as soon as "it" landed on the field. And then the process repeated once again as a second "Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest" began to appear in "Scrap Kong's" place (2600/1800/7)...and then "he" smacked the idiot over the back of his head with "his" club similar to the the first "Green Baboon", it was a dismal thing to see, even if it was slightly funny...

[Naoki Shima 3000 - 2000]

Skye's Personal Observation:

Honestly the site of seeing Naoki getting hit over the head by his own monsters just to show off his monsters was honestly quite sad to see, and not in a sympathy kind of sad, more of a disappointing kind of sad, and it was clear from Emma's and Akira's unimpressed expressions that they felt the same way.

"The kid's just trying to show off. He doesn't have any kind of strategy at all. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out." Emma said in a rare show of brutal honesty and annoyance. "Agreed. I dare say that even a three year old could beat him if this is all he can do." my brother followed up in agreement. 

I nodded quietly in agreement, but my gaze fell onto the guy I believe is Jack to see how he responded on his next turn...but my thoughts then went onto thinking 'If it is Jack...will he use that monster?'

Jack's Personal Observation:

This is a joke right? It has to be? Even a dueling monkey could do a better job on his first turn. Hell, I dare say even the Knights of Hanoi are better strategists than this Naoki kid, and trust me that's saying something if I give the Knights, of all people, a compliment!

"How do you like that, huh!? I end my turn! You may as well give up now at the sight of my awesomeness!" he began to brag, but I draw my card to start my turn. 

TURN 2: Jack Shadow 4000

"If that's the best you can do...then allow me to show you how your attempts at showing off will come back to bite you in the ass!" I explained, before showing the card I drew: a spell card showing a grave stone, and a hand holding a shovel appearing out of the ground in front of it. 

"I play the spell card, "Foolish Burial", from my hand: with this I send one of my monsters from the deck to the graveyard..." I explained, confusing the people around me...but at least I had a plan with my moves compared to Naoki as I scanned through my deck via a holographic screen that appeared...soon, I picked my choice...

"With this effect...I send this monster card to the graveyard..." I showed the monster as the card came out of my deck and I took it, before the duel disk automatically shuffled the deck for me...and the card itself was..."Yubel"!

Before Naoki could make a comment, I showed a familiar classic spell card from my hand. "Now I play the spell card, "Monster Reborn"! With this I can bring back any monster from any of our graves to my field! And the one I choose is the very monster I just sent to the grave..."YUBEL" (0/0/10)!!!" 

Soon "she" appeared from the great beyond to my field, and by the looks of it, "she" scared a few of the people in the area. Naoki just laughed, which only angered me. "I can see why you put that monster in defence mode! It hasn't got any points!"

"Points aren't everything idiot..." I said, looking to "Yubel", who nodded in understanding before I made my next move, playing a spell card with "Millenium Shield" being crushed by a green beam of energy. 

"I play the spell "Shield Crush" from my hand: with it, I destroy a monster on the field in defence mode...so I destroy "Yubel"!" As soon as I said that, my spell card blasted "her" with the same beam of energy shown on the card, destroying "her" instantly...but as the dust began to settle seconds later...something new began to ascend from the ground below behind me...and "she" did not look friendly!

"Wh-What...is that...!?!" I heard Naoki and others say, before what looked like a two-headed demon or dragon appeared on the field with a very violent roar, causing the ground to shake!

"Whenever "Yubel" is destroyed by an effect that's not "her" own: I can evolve "her" and special summon "Yubel's" second stage from either my hand, deck or graveyard...So say hello...to "Yubel - Terror Incarnate" (0/0/11)!!!"

"But I'm not done yet! Because now I discard 1 card...in order to play the spell card, "Tribute to the Doomed", from my hand as well!" As soon as I had sent a card in my hand to the grave, which was "Necro Fusion" for those curious, a spell card appeared on my field: showing a mummy wrapping up a possible victim up in bandages in a mummification-like process. 

"Now that I've discarded a card to play this: I can target a monster on the field and destroy it!" I explained, and everyone seemed to get what I was implying with this. "Y-You don't mean...!?!" Naoki began, but I didn't confirm nor deny his assumptions.

Soon, an Egyptian mummy appeared from within the earth itself, and began to drag "Yubel - Terror Incarnate" down with it into the earth...but "Terror Incarnate" wasn't scared at all...in fact..."she" welcomed it...because as soon as "she" was fully dragged down: an explosion appeared, larger than the size of "Terror Incarnate"...and something else was appearing from the flames!

"Similarly to "Yubel": whenever "Yubel - Terror Incarnate" leaves the field, I get to special summon "her" final form from either my hand, deck or graveyard in "Terror Incarnates" place!" 

This time, from within the flames: two eyes appeared, then four, then six...in fact 10 eyes in total appeared in multiple areas, as a soul-chilling roar could be heard from within the flames that sounded like the thing of nightmares...which in this case was very accurate...

"Appear, level 12..."YUBEL - THE ULTIMATE NIGHTMARE" (0/0/12)!!!" 

Skye's Personal Observation:

As soon as I heard that name and saw the monster, I immediately knew that this was indeed Jack, because he would always say that "Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare" was one of his favourite cards when he was younger, and back then he would always try to bring "her" out regardless of how badly the strategy or timing was...

But as I looked at Jack, it was clear he was different to the boy who always managed to make me smile and laugh years ago...and in fact, even his "Yubel" cards seemed a lot more violent than before, as weird as that may sound. Back then, he always seemed to have a lightness to him, an aura that just drew you in, despite how he was back then...now...I can't describe it...

"What happened to you, Jack...?" 

Jack's Personal Observation:

I stood emotionless as I saw Naoki's reaction to my new monster: and quite literally he was freaking out in every way possible. Good, at least he's learning...

"Time's up..." I said before pointing at 1 of the "Green Baboon's" on Naoki's field. ""Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare", attack 1 of those "Green Baboon, Defender of the Forest's" with "NIGHTMARE FLUX BURST!"" There was a lot of confused looks from most people, but "Yubel" and I enjoyed their confused looks.

"Yubel" soon charged up a nightmarish purple and sinister blue flame in each of her dragon-like jaws and began to launch it towards one of the "Green Baboon's". "W-Wait a minute!?! Your monster doesn't have any ATK points! You attack you only kill your monster and hurt yourself!!!" Naoki began to protest. I just rolled my eyes at his lack of knowledge.

"There is something called "card text" that you could read you know...or ask that stupid duel disk's AI system of yours: then you'd know that you're the only one that's going to get hurt..." I explained as his duel disk's AI began to clarify.

"When "Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare" is in a battle: the owner takes no damage from the attack and it will not be destroyed in the battle. But the owner of the monster it battles takes damage equal to the ATK points it has and then the monster will be destroyed."

"Wait what!?!" Naoki began to panic, but by then it was already too late! The "Green Baboon" that was being attacked managed to deflect the flames from one of "Yubel - The Ultimate Nightmare's" jaws with "its" club...but the second set of flames hit "Green Baboon's" unprotected areas and incinerated "it" to nothing but ashes, and Naoki received the brunt of the flames as well, as he ended up taking "Green Baboon's" 2600 ATK points as damage.

[Naoki Shima 2000 - 0]

Jack Shadow wins!

As the holograms of our monsters began to vanish, I began to walk away without even checking on him as I put my cards and duel disk away. "Word of advice: leave me the hell alone next time...otherwise next time I won't hold back..." 

That last part earned a lot of gasps from the crowd of people, and to be fair it was a warranted thing to gasp out because I hadn't been lying either. I had been holding back. If I had wanted to be serious, he wouldn't be getting up. I held back so he wouldn't be hospitalised...and besides, it wasn't as if I needed to do much to win...

As soon as I began to walk out of the crowd of people to speak to Emma, because I knew my sister had come to watch, I got a shock when I saw who was standing next to her...and unfortunately, I didn't hide it well this time...

"Hello Jack..."

End of pov.:

Jack stood where he was like he'd seen a ghost, and Skye looked to Jack like she was seeing a long lost friend...which in fairness she was..."Hello Jack..." she said, slowly moving to stand in front of him, surprising Akira a bit by the name she'd used.

"You know him, Skye?" he asked his little sister, and she slowly nodded. "Yes...He's the friend I had to leave behind years ago...Jack Shadow..." she replied, and the pieces clicked together in her brother's head, leaving him a little speechless. 

Emma was the only one who was smiling at this and enjoying it, but then again it was related to her little brother and a person she considered a friend.

"Hey Skye..." Jack eventually said, and for a brief moment: the ghost of a smile appeared on both Jack's and Skye's faces...and then Skye did something completely unexpected: she ran into Jack and hugged him tightly, not letting him go.

Jack was taken aback by this, as was Akira, but slowly Jack wrapped an arm around Skye and hugged his old friend back...of course Emma ended up slightly ruining the moment by taking a picture of them hugging, because why not?

Eventually the two friends parted from their hug, and Skye had so many questions in her head to ask. Jack, sensing what she had in mind soon slowly spoke. "I have somewhere I need to be...but...if you want to talk, I'll text you the address of my place if you want to meet there and ask me all your questions."

He then slowly looked to Akira, already guessing what might be going through his head. "And if your brother is worried it's a trap: he can go with you if he must, or he can have my sister take you there. Emma knows the way and knows me better than most anyway..." 

Akira eventually nodded, albeit a bit reluctantly. Skye thought on his offer for a bit, but slowly nodded with a smile. "Okay. Sure." she said, before giving him her contact details. She was surprised when she saw him using a phone instead of other methods of communication, but soon Jack uploaded her contact details into his phone, and sent his via a text...but a text that simply said 'Thank you...Blue Angel'

She was surprised by that, but hid it. He looked to Emma and soon said. "I'll be at my place in a couple of hours if you want to bring something there sis." Emma nodded with a teasing smile and got on her bike. "Okay. I'll bring your favourite then. Have fun!" she then raced off on her bike, which caused Jack to roll his eyes a bit.

Skye hugged Jack again briefly, before whispering to him in the hug. "See you soon, Jack..." She then walked over to Akira and was about to enter the car...but after a brief pause, she walked back over to Jack and surprised him by kissing his cheek briefly before running into the car, leaving a now speechless Jack on his own with a crimson blush on his face as the car drove off.

"Well...that happened." 

Yusaku's Personal Observation:

I arrived at the area that the cryptic message told me to meet the night prior, but I was still going over a few things in my head at the time. And by a few, I mean three.

1. This Jack Shadow that was dueling Naoki earlier: he was clearly holding back against him, but he carried himself with almost a cold confidence, and a harshness that almost mirrored myself in a way...but yet also seemingly surpassed it too.

2. Whoever this Shadow Breaker was that sent the message last night: he knew a lot more about me than I feared, especially considering I try to keep myself out of the public eye and out of away from the fans. There really isn't any point or worth to being popular amongst the eyes of others, so I don't try. Yet this person knows me without having met me.

3. This Shadow Breaker is a complete unknown: so I could be walking into a trap by meeting one of his informants, and the information could be bogus. Especially if he wants the Ignis too.

"So you showed huh...?" I heard behind me, pulling me out of my thoughts...but I was surprised a little to see that the one I was meeting was the same person that defeated Naoki with ease not too long ago: Jack Shadow.

"You're Shadow Breaker's contact?" I asked cautiously, and he simply nodded at first in response. "You can relax, Shadow Breaker is a man of his words...albeit cryptic at times..." he said, before leaning against a railing as he handed me some files and a data chip. 

"What are these for?" I asked, which he looked over slowly to clarify. "The data you were promised. Files from SOL Technologies you might find helpful in your own searches, as well as a list of the top heavy hitters of the Knights of Hanoi...and not those idiot grunts you and my boss keeps dealing with..."

I took everything and placed it in my bag, before asking slowly. "Why are you helping me out?" He looked me dead in the eye with a serious look, a look that admittedly made me a little fearful, even if I hid it.

"Because you're not the only one who has a problem with Hanoi...and you're not the only one who had to deal with what you did 10 years ago...Shadow Breaker wants to stop Hanoi and SOL Technologies both, and we both know you want to stop the Knights as much as him..."

He began to stand slowly, looking away but continuing to speak. "Oh, and by the way: It wasn't as hard as you think it is to figure out who you really were...Playmaker...but don't worry, I doubt anyone else has figured it out..." He then looked at me again, but this time he had a fierce look on his face: one of a protector. 

"One thing though: leave Skye Zaizen alone! Whilst I have no doubt her brother, Akira Zaizen, may be involved in what's going on in some capacity...she's an innocent in this. Shadow Breaker found that out early on. So if you go after her...well, let's just say that the Knights will be the least of your problems..."

I nodded in understanding. Something tells me that the threat is genuine, and the last thing I want is to make an enemy out of someone I know next to nothing about. The contact began to walk off...but surprised me when he said. 

"Oh, and you can tell your AI friend to stop trying to look through my files...he won't find anything worth reading in there, and they are designed to repel intruders..."

With that he left, leaving me a little surprised, and wondering more into who this Shadow Breaker might be...little did I suspect though was how much of an impact he would have in the coming battles....