"Ah... I can't help but feel a little bad for you, ku ku."

Sitting on a desk with her leg up, Kuyou laughed as Tsukioka stood across from her, hands clasped together in front of her.

"And why is that?"

"You're a perfect bat average going up against the strongest fighter here. This is a cruel match up, even for me."

"True. My chances of winning against you are very low, but as long as it's no zero, it can go either way."

"So you're betting on luck sacking your way into this?"

"I'm thinking of out-skilling you, Kuyou-san."

"Ku ku! Ku ku ku!"

Kuyou leaned forward, showing off a toothy grin.

"I'll hold you to those words, Tsukioka."

Tsukioka nodded, narrowing her eyes.

A blue card each descended in front of them, with Kuyou letting hers float into her palm and Tsukioka pulling her card back. A burst of special effects ignited the cards, realising their decks.

A red crest of nine fox tails appeared over Kuyou's deck, while a silver crest of a crescent moon appeared over Tsukioka's deck.

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Envoy of the Moon, Repsold!"

"Nine-tailed Fox Spirit, Tamayura!"

The system decided Tsukioka would go first.

"Stand and draw! I discard to ride Follower of the Moon, Fresnel! I get the Energy Generator! Fresnel's skill! I reveal Veissrugr in my ride deck and set a Moon Gate from my deck! Turn end!"

"Even your deck is perfectly mid... are you trying to strike 50% on purpose?"

"Veissrugr is fine, good even."

"Sounds like a whole lotta potential man to me."

Tsukioka:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
Energy: 0
OXO
OOO

Kuyou:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw. I discard to ride In the Calm Sunlight, Tamayura! I draw and get the Energy Generator! Tamayura's skill, I scry 7 and add a G2 Rarami to hand! I play Memories of Snowfall! It goes to soul, I scry 7, and add Kawasohime to hand! I call Kawasohime and use her skill! Energyblast 3 to scry 7 and call G2 Ririmi! Ririmi attacks! (10000)"

"Star Aggression guards! (23000)"

"Boosted by Kawasohime, Tamayura attacks! (8000 > 16000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (It's Show Time! Ririmi)"

"Damage check! (Crowring Mythisch, Ravnorowg)"

"Ku ku, since that snake ended up crap, how many copies of that deck filler junk you're running?"

"I use 10 copies."

"Huh, so you're using both? I think you would've been better off keeping the snake out. Turn end!"

Tsukioka:
Hand: 4
Damage: 1
Energy: 0
OXO
OOO

Kuyou:
Hand: 7
Damage: 0
Energy: 0
XXO
OXO

"Thank you for the advice, but it was unsolicited. I will play this deck my own way. Stand, draw, and charge! I discard to ride Vassal of the Moon, Ramsden! Ramsden's skill! I scry 7 to put a Mythisch each into hand and order zone! I add Garzorums to hand and put Ravnorowg in order zone! Now, I open the Moon Gate! I energyblast 3 and rest it to scry 7 and call a Mythisch from among them! I call The First Mythisch, "Wolfszahn" Roztnir! I call Ravnorowg and Bobalmine! Ravnorowg attacks! (10000)"

"She says "play it her own way" yet defaults to the most basic, barebones pattern? G1 Rarami guards! (13000)"

"If it's not broken, don't fix it. Ramsden attacks! (10000)"

"Futakuchiyo guards! (23000) She goes to soul!"

"Drive check! (Keeper of the Moon Gate, Veissrugr) Boosted by Bobalmine, Roztnir attacks! (10000 > 18000) Roztnir's skill, since I have the Moon Gate, he gets +5k, and I counterblast to draw! (18000 > 23000)"

"No guard! (Blaze Maiden, Rona) Tch, dead heal."

"Bobalmine goes to soul and I countercharge! Turn end!"

Tsukioka:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
Energy: 0
XXX
OOO

Kuyou:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
Energy: 0
XXO
OXO

"Stand, draw, and charge. I discard to ride Festival of Burning, Tamayura! Her skill, I add G2 Rarami from drop to hand! I call G2 Rarami and use her skill, soulblast 2 to draw! I play Broken Toys! I scry 7, put a G1 Ririmi and G1 Rarami to soul, and since I have both in there, I draw! Ririmi attacks! (10000)"

"Garzorums guards! (15000)"

"Rarami attacks! (10000)"

"Connector guards! (15000)"

"Boosted by Kawasohime, Tamayura! (10000 > 18000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Blaze Maiden, Zonne) Ku ku, critical trigger! All to vanguard! (18000 > 28000/1 > 2)"

"Damage checks! (Violate Dragon, Aurora Battle Princess, Treuse Green) Heal trigger! I recover a damage!"

"Ku ku, how fortunate. Turn end!"

Tsukioka:
Hand: 3
Damage: 2
Energy: 0
XXX
OOO

Kuyou:
Hand: 7
Damage: 1
Energy: 3
XXX
OXO

"Stand, draw, and charge! In the dark of the night, orbiting the frail world is the shapeshifter of weaving light. As it wanes and waxes, unveil the trial that leads us out of ruin and destruction, and undertake it! I ride my avatar, Keeper of the Moon Gate, Veissrugr!"

"They should've stuck to Gatekeeper."

"I think Keeper is just fine. Opening the Moon Gate! I energyblast 3 and rest it to scry 7 to call a Mythisch— but since my vanguard is Veissrugr, I now get to choose up to three Mythisch, call one, and put the rest to order zone! I call Roztnir and put two Ravnorowg! Roztnir's skill! Since I have a Veissrugr vanguard, during his attack, he'll be swinging at both your vanguard and Rarami! Veissrugr's skill! I soulblast 2 to activate my Moon Gate's ability once more! Opening the Moon Gate! I scry 7, call Ravnorowg, and put in Garzorums and Roztnir! I call Bobalmine! Ravnorowg's skill, since I have a Veissrugr vanguard, he gets Boost! Boosted by Ravnorowg, Roztnir attacks your vanguard and Rarami! His skill, +5k, and counterblast to draw! (10000 > 15000 > 25000)"

"No guard to both! (Twin Direful Dolls, Ririmi)"

"Boosted by Bobalmine, Veissrugr attacks! (13000 > 21000) Veissrugr's skill! I counterblast to call two Mythisch from my order zone to the same column, then my front row gets +5k! I call Roztnir and Ravnorowg! (10000 > 15000) (21000 > 26000) (10000 > 15000) Roztnir's skill, he'll attack both your vanguard and Ririmi during his battle! Radiant Eclipse!"

"Ririmi intercepts, Kawasohime and Parama guards! She gets +5k! (40000) Two to pass, Ririmi goes to soul!"

"Twin Drive!! (Patrol Robo, Dekarcop) Critical trigger! All to Roztnir! (15000 > 25000/1 > 2) (Ameliorate Connector) Draw trigger! I draw and give power to my other Roztnir! (15000 > 25000) Bobalmine's skill, he goes to soul and I countercharge! Boosted by Ravnorowg, my non-critical Roztnir attacks! His skill, +5k, and counterblast to draw! (15000 > 20000 > 30000)"

"No guard! (Blaze Maiden, Zonne) Critical trigger! All to vanguard! (10000 > 20000)"

"Boosted by Ravnorowg, my critical Roztnir attacks! His skill, +5k! (15000 > 20000 > 30000/2)"

"Rona guards! (35000)"

"Turn end!"

Tsukioka:
Hand: 7
Damage: 2
Energy: 0
XXX
XOX

Kuyou:
Hand: 5
Damage: 3
Energy: 3
OXO
OXO

"Stand, draw, and charge. I ride Deepening Night, Tamayura! Kawasohime's skill! I put her into soul to superior ride from my deck my avatar! The blue moon above shall burn up under the ascending sunlight that signals a new dawn. The mystic nine tails that stock hidden power, unleash everything stored in a blaze of purification! I ride Will-o-wisp Daybreak, Tamayura! I don't get Persona Ride, but I do add Scarlet of Fluttering Evanescent Life! Then, I play it! I soulblast 2 to revive G2 Ririmi and G2 Rarami! G2 Rarami's skill, soulblast 2 to draw! G1 Rarami and Ririmi's skills, I counterblast 2 to call them both back out! Allow me to indulge you in the Ace's authority!"

The red circuits faintly visible throughout Kuyou's body started turning gold as it flowed and pulsed like golden blood in her veins, racing towards the heart of her torso to form a Roman numeral.

XVI.

"Tower ability, activate."

"Hellfire Aria! With this prayer, all your units get -10k!"

"I'm surprised to see you use it so early. (10000 > 0) (13000 > 3000) (10000 > 0) (10000 > 0) (10000 > 0)"

"You're sitting pretty at two, so I need to push you to higher damage. Boosted by Rarami, Ririmi attacks! (10000 > 18000)"

"Roztnir intercepts! Veissrugr's skill! When my Mythisch guards, I can botdeck another Mythisch to give it +5k shield! Connector guards, he gets +5k shield! (3000 > 13000 > 23000)"

"Rarami's skill, both go to soul, and Tamayura gets +5k! (13000 > 18000) Boosted by Ririmi, Rarami attacks! (10000 > 18000)"

"Roztnir intercepts, getting +5k shield from Veissrugr's skill! Dekarcop guards! (3000 > 13000 > 28000)"

"Ririmi's skill, both go to soul, and I soulblast to countercharge! Tamayura attacks! (18000) Her skill, I bind a Deepening Night from my soul to superior call G2 Ririmi and Rarami with +5k! (10000 > 15000) (10000 > 15000) Rarami's skill, soulblast 2 to draw! G1 Ririmi and Rarami's skills, I counterblast 2 to call them back out! Go, Relight Fireworks!"

"No guard!"

"Twin Drive!! (Memories of Snowfall, Blaze Maiden, Parama) Ku ku, front trigger! (15000 > 25000) (18000 > 28000) (15000 > 25000)"

"Damage check! (Fire Regalis)"

"Boosted by Rarami, Ririmi attacks! (25000 > 33000)"

"No guard! (Star Aggression Dragon) Critical trigger! All to vanguard! (3000 > 13000)"

"Rarami's skill, they both go to soul, and Rarami gets +5k! (25000 > 30000) Boosted by Ririmi, Rarami attacks! (30000 > 38000)"

"No guard! (Elementaria Sanctitude)"

"Nice. Ririmi's skill, they both go to soul! Turn end!"

Tsukioka:
Hand: 5
Damage: 5
Energy: 0
OXO
XOX

Kuyou:
Hand: 9
Damage: 3
Energy: 6
OXO
OOO

"Stand, draw, and charge! In the dark of the night, orbiting the frail world is the shapeshifter of weaving light. As it wanes and waxes, unveil the trial that leads us out of ruin and destruction, and undertake it! Persona ride my avatar, Keeper of the Moon Gate, Veissrugr! (13000 > 23000) Opening the Moon Gate! I energyblast 3 and rest it to scry 7 and call The Second Mythisch, "Midgarsormr" Garzorums! (10000 > 20000) Then I put another copy into the order zone! Veissrugr's skill, I soulblast 2 to open the Moon Gate once more! I scry 7, call Roztnir, (10000 > 20000) and put a Roztnir and Ravnorowg into my order zone! I call Bobalmine and play Eilift Gullmani! Since I have a Veissrugr vanguard, I counterblast to give all my Mythisch rear-guards +5k! But if they were called by card ability this turn, they get +10k instead! (20000 > 30000) (20000 > 30000) (10000 > 15000) (10000 > 15000) Garzorums's skill, since I played a normal order this turn, he gets +15k! (30000 > 45000) Boosted by Ravnorowg, Roztnir attacks! His skill, +5k, and I counterblast to draw! (30000 > 35000 > 50000)"

"Parama, Futakuchiyo, and Rarami guard! Parama gets +5k shield! (13000 > 33000 > 48000 > 53000) Futakuchiyo and Rarami go to soul!"

"Boosted by Bobalmine, Veissrugr attacks! Veissrugr's skill, I counterblast to call Roztnir and Garzorums from my order zone! (10000 > 20000) They get +10k from Gullmani, and Veissrugr gives my front row +5k! (20000 > 30000 > 35000) (23000 > 28000) (45000 > 50000) (10000 > 20000) Garzorums's skill! He gets +15k, and since I called him during battle phase, I counterblast to prevent him from being chosen and give him the ability to attack from back row! (20000 > 35000) And finally, I'm opening up my Arcana!"

Tsukioka's body lit up with silvery blue circuits, before concentrating into her chest and back, where it surged up and through into her right shoulder, causing a Roman numeral to appear on the side of her upper right arm.

XVIII.

"Moon ability, activate."

"Ragnarok Rebellion! My vanguard goes critical, then you may choose to discard 2 cards from hand! If 2 cards were not discarded, during this battle, you can't call cards from hand to guardian circle! (28000 > 36000/1 > 2) Radiant Eclipse!"

"Ku ku... what a cheeky Arcana."

Kuyou looked at her hand composing of six cards and narrowed her eyes.

"Let's see here... I count ten triggers in your deck, assuming you've drawn none of them, and your oT's still I'm rotation. Even though I'm on three, chances of you sacking me out of the game are incredibly high because of all your deck thinning, and having to waste up to four cards just to stop one attack when you have three more swings lined up isn't something I wanna particularly do either... ah, what a pinch to be in."

She sighed, rubbing her temples.

"Things aren't gonna end well for me either way. Time to take a calculated gamble... screw your Arcana! I'm not discarding shit, Tsukioka! No guard, ku ku!"

"You really are one arrogant man. Twin Drive!! (Patrol Robo, Dekarcop) Critical trigger! Power to my back row Garzorums, critical to Veissrugr! (35000 > 45000) (36000/2 > 3) (Patrol Robo, Dekarcop) Critical trigger! Power to my back row Garzorums, critical to Veissrugr! (45000 > 55000) (36000/3 > 4) And with that, things are ascertained!"

"Ku ku, talk about overkill... I just need to check two heals, easy enough. Quadruple damage check! (Twin Buckler Dragon, Fleeting Shine That Lights Life, Will-o-wisp Daybreak, Tamayura) Not even one trigger... damn."

Kuyou sighed, seeing six cards line up her damage zone. She shook her head and extended a hand to Tsukioka.

"Good game. You got me."

Tsukioka took Kuyou's hand and shook it with a light smile.

"Good game. It was an honour to fight a Category Ace like you."

As they exited the digital world, Kuyou slicked back her bangs and went to sit on the sidelines, muttering to herself.

"An Ace like me, huh...?"

She smacked the seat she sat on, gritting her teeth.

"How washed have I become, losing to a deck like that...?! I'm supposed to be stronger than that, aren't I...?"

Kuyou took a deep breath.

"If I keep losing like this, then I really will... fall to that man's demand."

***

In Amaterasu, at Ourokudou Academy.

"Huh?"

Inside a fancy office made of mahogany wood, the warm sunset filtered through the windows, as a young man with white hair sat on a leather swivel chair, his slender legs crossed and gold eyes narrowed as he talked on the phone.

"A delay? A delay, you say? No, no, let's not be hasty. Let's not be ridiculous. Let's not jump to such nonsense."

Tapping his fingers, he uncrossed his legs, leaning forward.

"Listen here. Don't you dare insult my intelligence with such an absurd notion! Do you even understand the weight what you're saying? Do you even comprehend the sheer audacity of bringing that proposal to me? Do you even realise how much of a burden it is on me to hear all of that? Because to be blunt, I find it quite offensive— no, even more than offensive! This is an attack on my character. This is an encroachment on my liberty. This is a violation. A violation of my human rights! A fundamental violation of my rights as a human being!"

He slammed the table, leaning back in his seat with a vicious scowl.

"My rights - which, may I remind you, father - are not some trivial matter to be ignored with or taken lightly! Treating my rights as second priority to anything else is the equivalent of tossing them away like yesterday's scraps! Don't tell me I'm worth that little to you? Of course not! After having so many useless daughters, you finally had me, a strong and capable son! And as such, my human rights are absolute! They are inviolable! They are unquestionable! But even so... here you go again, telling me— Kyoujou Eiji, the little prince of the Kyoujou conglomerate— that my marriage, my future, my rightful claim to what is mine, has been delayed yet again? That my special day of pure happiness has been delayed once more? And by your foolish hands, no less?"

Kyoujou's scowl turned into an unbelievable smile.

"How utterly incompetent... how utterly despicable... how utterly cowardly of you... no, how dare you come back to me drivelling with yet another weak excuse for why my marriage has been delayed! Making such an important decision without consulting me, were you even considering my feelings on the matter? So what if her school won on a technicality? Listen now, she lost in the semi-finals! We all watched her lose! Everyone in Japan watched her lose! Everyone in the world watched her lose! And yet that flimsy reasoning was enough for you to approve another delay? How presumptuous of you to squander with my time! How arrogant of you to treat my patience like some infinite resource for you to play with! Where is your sense of urgency? Don't you want to make your one and only son happy? Don't you want to see your grandkids before you succumb to that incurable disease?"

Kyoujou stood, throwing his head back with a manic cackle as he covered his face with his hand.

"Tell me, father... do you believe yourself to be above equality? To be above fairness? To be above justice? Because that is what you are implying by imploring me— pleading me— begging me— to accept this absurdly idiotic and frankly indignant outcome like a simpleton. Did you truly expect me to nod along like some obedient fool to your ridiculous notion, while my rights— my inviolable human rights— are being trampled underfoot by your mismanagement and incompetence?"

Picking up a pen on the table, Kyoujou snapped it in half in his hand, his gaze growing cold and hollow.

"I think not. I will not take this lying down. I will not stand by idly and weakly come to terms with this. I will not be complacent with this stupid decision of yours. I refuse to be robbed of what is mine. Those are my rights. My human rights. So, no— I refuse. I refuse everything you've told me. I reject everything about this outright. I will not be subjected to such blatant disregard towards my dignity, towards my rights. My marriage to Yasaka is not something you can rearrange at your own convenience, nor something you can delay on a whim. This marriage is a certainty, a necessity, an inevitability. It is a sacred ceremony that will happen, regardless of other people's rights. Because only my rights matter. And I will have what is mine. I will have what I deserve. I will have what I've been waiting for since the day I watched that pretty little shrine maiden dance for me out in the boonies. Because anything less would be a violation."

Kyoujou's cocky smile returned.

"A violation of my human rights. A violation of my happiness. A violation of my destiny. And I will not tolerate an insult on my very being, my very existence, like that. Not from you. Not from anyone. And especially not from Yasaka."

He ended the call and smashed his phone to the ground, watching it shatter to pieces.

"How pathetic!"

He stomped on the broken phone, crushing the metal into dust under his boot.

"How indignant!"

Kyoujou swept the objects on his desk to the floor, watching it all shatter and break before his gold eyes.

"How outrageous!"

Gritting his teeth, he burst out laughing.

"She should be mine by now... we should be happily married by now... I should have impregnated her with our lovely child by now... Yasaka has violated my human rights by delaying our marriage!"

Kyoujou punched a mirror on the wall.

Peering into it's reflection, he stared at half of himself and half of Kuyou.

And within the crack that separated him from her emerged Minoru.

His gold eyes widened, like they had a revelation.

"Ah... I know what I must do. I won't let this unfair outcome remain. I won't let anyone spit on my face like that and get away with it."

Taking another phone out of his pocket, Kyoujou grinned and phoned a certain man.

"Ibiza-san. Listen here. I need to ask a favour of you. If you refuse, it's a violation of my human rights."