Meanwhile, in the Iceberg Zone...
The air was sharp with cold, the kind of chill that seeped into your lungs. Dennis MacField crouched behind a jagged wall of frost, watching the unfolding duel from a safe vantage. He said nothing, his breath barely visible in the icy air, but his mind was running at full speed.
Sora informed Dennis about Ryuki, but not Satoru, which made Satoru and anomaly—and Dennis loved anomalies. They made for the best shows.
Yuri: 4000 | Hand: 5
Satoru: 4000 | Hand: 5
Turn 1 – Yuri
"Boku no turn... Draw!" Yuri's voice cut through the frosty silence, his smirk curling wider as he slid the card from his deck.
Without hesitation, he placed it onto his duel disk. "I summon Predator Plants Cephalotusnail!"
The ground beneath him cracked with sprouting vines as a grotesque plant-like creature emerged. Its pale white body contrasted with the enormous red, lip-shaped maw bristling with jagged teeth. The monster's petals quivered, as if eager to clamp down on prey.
Predator Plants Cephalotusnail
Level 4 / DARK / Plant / Effect
ATK: 1300 / DEF: 1200
Yuri let the moment linger, his gaze sliding toward Satoru with an almost playful challenge.
"That's all for now. I'll end my turn there." His smirk deepened. "Come at me. I want to see exactly what you've got."
Yuri: 4000 | Hand: 5
Satoru: 4000 | Hand: 5
Turn 2 – Satoru
Satoru's eyes lingered on Yuri's grotesque, lip-mouthed plant.
Predator Plants... just like she said. As promised, I'll take him to you—one way or another.
His fingers brushed the top of his deck. The moment his fingertips touched the card, his voice cut through the icy wind.
"Draw."
The card slid free, the stiff snap of cardboard crisp in the frozen air.
"If I control no monsters, I can special summon this." His tone was low, deliberate, like an executioner announcing the charge. "Appear—Edge in the Darkness."
The change was immediate. The pale Iceberg Zone sky dimmed, sunlight collapsing into an oppressive, midnight shroud. From the sudden black came a figure clad in a full gothic battle suit—black coat trailing in the wind, eyes hidden in shadow, a massive demonic blade resting easily in one hand.
Edge in the Darkness
Level 4 / DARK / Demon / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 1500 / DEF: 900
"When Edge in the Darkness is summoned, I can special summon one 'Darkness' monster from my hand with the same Level."
"'Darkness,' huh?" Yuri tilted his head, his smile curling at the edges. "Could you be someone like Ryuki?"
"You could say that." Satoru's reply was calm but edged with certainty. "Ryuki and I... are comrades."
That was all it took—Yuri's entire expression lit up, not with the predatory, sadistic grin he so often wore, but with the gleam of a man who had just been handed the perfect toy.
"Marvelous! Now this duel is going to be exhilarating!"
Satoru didn't indulge the reaction. He simply pressed forward.
"With Edge's skill, I special summon—Whitefang Wielder."
From the darkness stepped a tall man dressed in immaculate white gothic finery, face partially hidden by a smooth white mask that concealed his eyes. In his hand glinted a coiled chain whip, each link etched with tiny runes.
Whitefang Wielder
Level 4 / DARK / Spellcaster / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 1600 / DEF: 1900
"Whitefang Wielder's skill: I add one Darkness monster from my deck to my hand."
Satoru's deck split open vertically, the cards fanning upward like the pages of an ancient grimoire. One card slid free and shot into his waiting hand. He held it briefly for Yuri to glimpse the artwork.
"I add Succubus of Avarice."
The deck realigned with a smooth shuffle as his next effect triggered.
"When a Darkness monster is special summoned, I can also special summon Sweetie Thirteen from my deck."
A faint laugh, almost childlike, echoed from nowhere. Then, stepping into view, came a lithe woman with ash-white hair, dressed in a dark violet bodysuit that hugged her frame like a shadow clinging to skin. Her eyes glimmered with a predatory amusement.
Sweetie Thirteen
Level 4 / DARK / Warrior / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 1000 / DEF: 1000
"Now..." Satoru extended his arm toward the sky, his voice deepening. "I overlay my Level 4 Edge in the Darkness, Whitefang Wielder, and Sweetie Thirteen. I build the Overlay Network!"
The three monsters dissolved into streaks of dark violet light, swirling upward before plunging into a spinning black vortex. Shadows warped unnaturally, pulling toward the singularity.
"From the shadows that bleed into oblivion...
I call upon the crimson vortex of collected sins!
Souls bound in darkness... unite at my command!
Xyz Summon!
Rise, Rank 4—One Who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot!"
From the black emerged a figure of terrible elegance—a vampire with finely chiseled features, hair the color of fresh-spilled blood spiking backward in wild locks. Four skeletal wings jutted from his back, each wing holding a stained-glass orb that shimmered with eerie, unholy light. His full-body suit of black and dark gold gleamed under the dim glow of the false night.
One Who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot
Rank 4 / DARK / Vampire / Xyz / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2000 | OU: 3
Yuri gave an approving whistle. "So, you're an Xyz user. Well, that does make things entertaining." His eyes narrowed slightly, taking in the monster's form. "...Although I can't help but notice—Scharhrot's got no Overlay Units?"
"When Scharhrot is Xyz Summoned, I can add one card from my deck and attach it to him as an Overlay Unit." Satoru slid his fingers through his deck until they paused, plucking out a card. "Soulcharge." He placed it beneath Scharhrot's card, the vampire's wings pulsing faintly in response.
One Who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot
OU: 3 → 4
"And now," Satoru continued, "I activate the field spell—Castle of the Dark Lord."
The world shifted instantly. The icy plains dissolved into black mist, the frostbitten wind replaced by the heavy, stagnant air of ancient stone. A towering black castle rose behind Satoru, its jagged spires silhouetted against the false moon. Between him and Yuri stretched a wide moat of dark, sluggish water that reflected no light.
"With Castle of the Dark Lord on the field, all Darkness Xyz Monsters I control gain 500 ATK."
One Who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot
ATK: 2500 → 3000
"Battle!" Satoru's voice rang against the stone walls. "Scharhrot—scatter the sins! Attack Predator Plants Cephalotusnail!"
The vampire's crimson eyes flared. He snapped his fingers, and from the stained-glass orbs on his wings burst a swarm of dark violet butterflies, each wing-beat dripping with malignant energy. The swarm descended on Cephalotusnail in a flurry of razor-edged wings.
Yuri's monster weathered the assault without collapsing, but the recoil struck Yuri himself like a physical blow. His duel disk sparked faintly as his LP counter dropped.
Yuri: 4000 → 3150
Yuri smirked despite the impact. "Impressive. But my Cephalotusnail has a little trick—while it's in Attack Position, it can't be destroyed by battle, and any damage I take is cut in half."
Satoru didn't reply. His gaze was locked, steady and unblinking, as though weighing every micro-expression Yuri offered.
"I set one card face-down," Satoru concluded, a single motion placing it on his duel disk. "I end my turn."
The field shimmered under the oppressive aura of the castle, both duelists framed against its looming towers. In the shadows near the far wall, Dennis MacField narrowed his eyes, his grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. Whatever this Satoru was... he wasn't ordinary Academia stock. And Yuri's smile—that bright, unguarded excitement—told him that this duel was only just beginning.
Satoru: 4000 | Hand: 4
Yuri: 3150 | Hand: 5
Turn 3 – Yuri
"Boku no turn... Draw!" Yuri's fingers hovered above his deck with a leisurely grace, a faint smirk already curling at his lips.
As the card slid into his hand, Yuri noticed something unsettling: Satoru wasn't just watching him—he was studying him. The man's gaze was sharp, intense, and unblinking, as though trying to peel away layers of him with sheer willpower.
"This might be rude, but... you're staring at me quite intensely. It's gross." Yuri's nose wrinkled in distaste.
Satoru blinked, caught off guard, then straightened slightly. "My apologies... But your appearance reminds me of someone."
Yuri tilted his head, curiosity flickering in his eyes. "Really now? Who's the lucky person who gets to share my gorgeous looks?"
Satoru's voice was calm but carried weight. "Kusakabe Asuna."
The name struck Yuri like a lightning bolt. Without warning, a sharp pain lanced through his skull. He staggered, clutching his head, and in that moment the world blurred—
A memory burst into being. A younger version of himself, smiling brightly, running toward a woman. Her long, flowing violet hair caught the sunlight, swaying like a silken banner. She knelt to embrace him, her smile warm, familiar... achingly so.
The vision shattered. Yuri's breath came heavier now. His eyes snapped back to Satoru.
"What... did you just do to me?" His voice was low, but the undercurrent of agitation was unmistakable.
Satoru's expression remained measured, but in his mind, he knew—this reaction wasn't ordinary.
"If you want the truth," he said evenly, "you'll have to beat me."
A spark of delight replaced the frustration in Yuri's gaze, his lips curling back into a smile—not his usual sadistic sneer, but the gleeful anticipation of a predator spotting worthy prey.
"Well, why didn't you say so? This'll be easy for me."
With a flourish, Yuri slapped a card onto his Duel Disk.
"From my hand, I activate Polymerization! I fuse Predator Plants Cephalotusnail on my field with Predator Plants Easter Lily Lizard from my hand!"
The plant-like Cephalotusnail dissolved into motes of light alongside the green, reptilian Easter Lily Lizard—its five whip-like tails, each tipped with a glowing violet orb, curling inward as both were drawn into a swirling vortex.
"Two beautiful plants with an insect's alluring fragrance... now become one and bring forth the blossom of pure horror!" Yuri's voice lifted with theatrical flair. "Fusion Summon! Appear—Level 7! Predator Plants Chimeraflessia!"
The vortex exploded outward, and a monstrous rafflesia plant emerged, its massive petals opening to reveal rows of jagged teeth within. A foul, sweet scent wafted through the air as the creature roared.
Predator Plants Chimeraflessia
Level 7 / DARK / Plant / Fusion / Effect
ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2000
Satoru's eyes narrowed, and his Duel Disk flared. "Continuous Trap—Chains of the Abyss!"
Violet spectral chains erupted from the shadows, coiling around Chimeraflessia's vines and limbs, their barbed links siphoning away its energy.
"With this card," Satoru explained, "your monsters lose 100 ATK for each Overlay Unit attached to my Xyz Monsters."
Predator Plants Chimeraflessia
ATK: 2500 → 2100
"Tch... doesn't matter." Yuri's smirk didn't falter. He pointed forward. "Battle! Chimeraflessia, attack Scharhrot!"
Chimeraflessia's vines lashed outward, the flytrap-shaped ends snapping hungrily toward the vampire Xyz.
"At this moment," Yuri announced, "Chimeraflessia's effect activates! When it battles, it gains 1000 ATK, and your monster loses 1000!"
Predeator Plants Chimeraflessia
ATK: 2100 → 3100
One who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot
ATK: 3000 → 2000
The vines struck true. Satoru winced as the impact reverberated—not just through his Duel Disk, but through his body itself.
Satoru: 4000 → 3450
Yuri's eyes narrowed. "Hm? That's barely a scratch to your Life Points. And your monster's still standing. Care to explain, or should I just keep pounding away until I find out?"
Satoru raised a card from beneath Scharhrot's frame—Edge in the Darkness. "When Edge in the Darkness is used as an Overlay Unit for a Darkness Xyz Monster, all damage I take is halved. And as for your second question... This is the power of Darkness. As long as my Xyz Monsters have more Overlay Units than they normally require, they cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects. However—" His tone sharpened, "—every time they're attacked, I take an additional 500 damage."
Satoru: 3450 → 2950
"Interesting," Yuri purred. "So you're on a timer, then. I—"
He froze mid-sentence, eyes widening. Another flash tore through his mind.
He saw himself again—smaller, younger—cornered by a group of jeering children. Their mocking voices rang in his ears: "Gross!" "Why would you use that deck?" "Plants are creepy!" Tears stung the boy's eyes as he clutched his cards tighter.
The scene shifted. He was home, greeted by the warm embrace of his mother—the same violet-haired woman from before. She knelt, gently wiping his tears away. Her voice was gentle but firm. "Yuri... people shouldn't judge what deck a duelist uses. As long as you stay true to your cards, they'll stay true to you. Even a garden of demonic plants can bloom beautifully in the right hands."
The boy sniffled, his sorrow melting into a small but genuine smile.
The memory snapped away. Yuri staggered slightly, his hand gripping the side of his head. His breathing quickened; these were not idle hallucinations—they felt real.
"Another one... and it's different from the last." His gaze shot toward Satoru, suspicion and agitation swirling in his eyes.
He slammed a card face-down. "I set one card and end my turn. All monsters return to their original ATK."
Predator Plants Chimeraflessia
ATK: 3100 → 2100
One who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot
ATK: 2000 → 3000
The air between them thickened, charged with unspoken tension. Satoru's expression remained unreadable, but inside, his thoughts were racing—each of Yuri's reactions pulling at threads he'd only begun to unravel.
Yuri: 3150 | Hand: 3
Satoru: 2950 | Hand: 4
Turn 4 – Satoru
"Looks like he's getting episodes of his past... and Academia must have sealed his memories somehow." Satoru thought, his gaze sharpening on Yuri. "I just need to give him one more push... and I'll do it this turn."
"Draw," Satoru said evenly, swiping the top card of his deck. The moment his eyes met the card, they narrowed slightly — as though the universe had dealt him exactly what he needed.
"I activate the Spell card — Rank-Up-Magic: Darkness Ascension! With this, I target my 'One who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot' and perform an Xyz Summon of a monster one Rank higher!"
Yuri's eyes widened. "Rank-Up?! And you're not even from the Xyz Dimension... This is getting exciting! Show me your power, Enishi Satoru!" His grin spread from ear to ear, like a child about to unwrap a mountain of candy.
While Yuri's enthusiasm bubbled over, Satoru remained focused. Scharhrot dissolved into a streak of deep violet light, four smaller motes — its Overlay Units — trailing after it. All five streaks were pulled into a swirling black vortex above the field.
Satoru raised his hand toward the dark spiral.
"Darkness stirs... but even the deepest night must yield to dawn.
Souls enshrouded in sin, answer my call.
Through the song of sorrow, embrace the light of your soul... and let the shadows retreat!
Rank-Up Xyz Change! Descend — Rank 5! One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot!"
From the void emerged a new form of Scharhrot — hair longer, body adorned with golden plates that caught the pale moonlight. The skeletal wings were sleeker now, but their edges radiated a lethal sharpness. His eyes burned like embers breaking through the night.
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
Rank 5 / DARK / Vampire / Xyz / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 3000 / DEF: 2500 | OU: 5
"When Scharhrot is Xyz Summoned, I draw two cards," Satoru explained, his voice calm but brimming with control. "I add one to my hand, and the other becomes an Overlay Unit. Soulcharge."
He drew with a fluid motion, slipping one card into his hand while sliding the other beneath Scharhrot's card.
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
OU: 5 → 6
"Next, I activate Three-in the Dark's skill. By detaching one Overlay Unit from any Xyz Monster I control, I can Special Summon her directly from my Deck. Come forth — Three-in the Dark!"
The shadows parted to reveal a lithe, alluring woman clad in an obsidian bodysuit, her long black hair flowing like liquid night. Between her fingers she twirled three darts, each glinting with poison-tipped malice.
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
OU: 6 → 5
Three-in the Dark
Level 6 / DARK / Elf / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 2400 / DEF: 1200
"When summoned this way, her Level is reduced by two and she cannot attack this turn. Then I draw three cards... and place two of them beneath Scharhrot as Overlay Units."
Satoru's draws were precise and deliberate — one card to hand, two sliding into place beneath Scharhrot.
Three-in the Dark
Level: 6 → 4
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
OU: 5 → 7
"And now — Demonted Executioner answers the call. When a Darkness monster's effect activates, I can Special Summon him from my hand!"
The field shook as a towering demon clad in skeletal dragon armor appeared, twin demonic swords in hand, their blades etched with runes that pulsed ominously.
Demonted Executioner
Level 6 / DARK / Demon / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 2300 / DEF: 2000
"Executioner's Darkness effect — I check the top seven cards of my deck, and one becomes an Overlay Unit for an Xyz Monster I control. Soulcharge."
Seven cards floated before him. Satoru plucked one without hesitation, sliding it beneath Scharhrot.
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
OU: 7 → 8
"Whoa," Yuri muttered, his smirk faltering slightly. "Isn't that overkill? Eight Overlay Units on one monster?"
"My Xyz Monsters thrive the more Overlay Units they have," Satoru replied coolly. "If I were you, I'd start running."
Something in Satoru's tone made Yuri's instincts flare — and they told him, in no uncertain terms, that standing still would be a very bad idea. He caught sight of an Action Card teetering near the edge of the moat's cliffside and sprinted toward it.
"Due to Castle of the Dark Lord's effect," Satoru continued, "Scharhrot gains 500 ATK and another Overlay Unit whenever I summon a Darkness monster."
The air shimmered as another card slipped under Scharhrot, its aura darkening further.
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
ATK: 3000 → 3500 | OU: 8 → 9
"Battle!" Satoru's voice cracked like a whip. "Scharhrot — attack Chimeraflessia! And when he attacks, his skill activates: he gains 200 ATK for every Overlay Unit he possesses. Nine units means 1800 ATK! And due to Chains of the Abyss, your monster loses 600 ATK."
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
ATK: 3500 → 5300
Predator Plants Chimeraflessia
ATK: 2100 → 1500
Scharhrot's eyes flared open, gathering a roiling sphere of violet-black energy in his clawed hands. He hurled it forward like a collapsing star.
But just before the blast connected, Yuri snatched the Action Card from the cliffside and slapped it onto his Duel Disk.
"Action Magic: Lunar Blessing! I gain LP equal to the original ATK of a DARK monster I control!"
Yuri's life points surged.
Yuri: 3150 → 5650
The reprieve was brief. The blast tore through Chimeraflessia, and Yuri had to chain into a series of agile flips to soften the blow.
Yuri: 5650 → 1850
"As Chimeraflessia is destroyed," Yuri declared, "I retrieve a Fusion Spell from my Graveyard — Polymerization returns to my hand."
"Executioner — finish him." Satoru's tone was absolute. "When this card attacks, if a Darkness Xyz Monster I control has eight or more Overlay Units, Executioner gains 1000 ATK."
Demonted Executioner
ATK: 2300 → 3300
But just as Executioner closed the distance, Yuri's eyes caught another glimmer — an Action Card resting at his feet. He slammed it onto his Duel Disk.
"Action Magic: Phantom's Embrace! When a DARK monster attacks, that attack is negated!"
A cloak of shadow swirled around Yuri, halting Executioner's strike inches from his chest.
"Hmph... it seems luck is on your side," Satoru said quietly, before muttering something under his breath — a name Yuri couldn't catch.
Satoru set a card facedown. "I end my turn. At this time, Scharhrot's Darkness activates — I detach one Overlay Unit to my hand, then place a card from my hand beneath him. And their ATK returns to normal."
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
ATK: 5300 → 3500
Demonted Executioner
ATK: 3300 → 2300
Satoru: 2950 | Hand: 4
Yuri: 1850 | Hand: 4
Turn 5 – Yuri
The wind howled faintly across the ruined battlefield, carrying the scent of dust and ozone from their previous exchanges.
Yuri's breathing was steady, but his grin had softened into something almost uncharacteristic—pure excitement.
"At first..." he began, his voice low, "I thought it was Ryuki who'd give me this feeling. That sharp thrill... that perfect high that only a true duel can bring." His eyes glimmered as they locked onto Satoru. "But no... you're one of those people too. Forget the mission!"
From a vantage point deep within the forest, Dennis froze. He had been following orders from afar, keeping an eye on Yuri, but now his eyes widened in disbelief. He's... abandoning the mission?
Yuri didn't even glance in his direction. "I want to duel you, Ryuki, anyone connected to him—everyone! The thrill, the joy, the adrenaline... I want it all!" His declaration carried the same fervor as a war cry.
Satoru's lips curled upward, his eyes narrowing in measured satisfaction. "So... you've decided to throw it all away, just for the game?" His tone wasn't mocking—if anything, there was a quiet respect in it.
"Boku no turn!" Yuri snapped, drawing with a flourish—only to freeze mid-motion, his fingers tightening around the card as pain stabbed through his skull.
Another flashback surged forward like a flood breaking a dam.
Yuri's younger self appeared again—older than in the last vision, yet still years away from his current form. He stood in a small arena, the remains of a duel scattered around him. Across from him, an older boy looked pale and humiliated, his mocking words from earlier silenced.
The crowd whispered in disbelief, and then... applause. Yuri's gaze turned to the stands where his mother—Kusakabe Asuna—stood. She wore no grand finery, no duel disk. Just a warm smile and open arms.
He ran to her, breathless, and she caught him in a hug that was all comfort and safety. No judgment. No expectations. Only pride.
The vision dissolved, replaced by the present—the ruins, the cracked stones underfoot, the faint scent of charred energy.
Yuri blinked, then scanned the field, his eyes settling on Satoru. "Another... one of those flashbacks."
Satoru's voice cut in, calm yet edged with intent. "You've been getting them often now, haven't you?"
Yuri's eyes narrowed. "You... know what's happening to me? Who's that woman I keep seeing?"
Satoru shut his eyes briefly. "She is Kusakabe Asuna. Your mother."
The words hit like a lightning strike. Yuri's pupils dilated. "...My mother? That's impossible. She's dead. I saw it happen—I... I..." His voice cracked, confusion stealing his usual confident poise.
"It seems you don't remember what truly happened," Satoru replied evenly. "Your mother is still alive. But if you want the truth, you'll have to remember it yourself."
Yuri's jaw tightened. "...What truly happened?"
Satoru met his gaze without blinking. "Continue this duel... and perhaps you'll unlock another piece."
The tension between them thickened, not from malice, but from something far more dangerous—truth dangling just out of reach.
"...Draw!" Yuri snapped, slashing his card from the top of his deck. His focus sharpened, the duel instinct taking hold again. "From my hand—I activate the Spell card Predator Wave! I target a 'Predator Plants' Fusion Monster in my Graveyard. Then I Special Summon the materials used for its summon from the grave!"
"Show me," Satoru murmured.
"I target Chimeraflessia! Come back—Predator Plants Cephalotusnail! Predator Plants Easter Lily Lizard!"
Vines erupted from dark portals, depositing the two plant monsters beside Yuri, their petals shimmering with predatory intent.
Predator Plants Cephalotusnail
Level 4 / DARK / Plant / Effect
ATK: 1300 / DEF: 1200
Predator Plants Easter Lily Lizard
Level 3 / DARK / Plant / Effect
ATK: 1200 / DEF: 1200
"Now," Yuri's grin began to return, "I activate Polymerization!"
A swirling, multicolored vortex tore open, its edges flickering with green and violet light. The two plants were consumed by it, their forms twisting and merging.
"Two beautiful plants with insect-luring fragrance—now entwine, and from the hell beneath your petals, give birth to a new terror! Fusion Summon!"
The vortex burst apart, and with a roar that shook the field, a massive dragon emerged—violet scales gleaming, a long green tail whipping behind it, red and yellow orbs pulsing like malevolent hearts along its body.
"Come forth, Level 8—Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!"
Starve Venom Fusion Dragon
Level 8 / DARK / Dragon / Effect
ATK: 2800 / DEF: 2300
Satoru's eyes narrowed slightly. "...Starve Venom." The name left his lips like an echo from another life. He remembered Asuna speaking of Yuri's ace long ago—her voice tinged with both admiration and sadness.
"Since you summoned your monster, Chains of Abyss activates! Your dragon loses 900 ATK!"
Once again, several spectral chains wrapped Starve Venom's limbs as the dragon's power were getting drained.
Starve Venom Fusion Dragon
ATK: 2800 → 1900
"When I used only monsters on my field to summon him," Yuri continued, "Starve Venom gains the ATK of all Special Summoned monsters on your field!"
The dragon's body pulsed violently, absorbing Scharhrot's and Executioner's power, its muscles bulging as violet flames licked along its wings.
Starve Venom Fusion Dragon
ATK: 1900 → 9100
Satoru's brow furrowed. "...9100."
Yuri's smile turned cold. "If only your ace weren't an Xyz monster, I'd activate his other effect too. No matter. This will still tear through you. Battle! Starve Venom—attack Scharhrot! Venomous Root Burst!"
Starve Venom let out an ear-splitting roar as crimson roots sprouted from its back, lashing into the air before channeling a massive beam of violet energy directly at Satoru's ace.
But Satoru's voice cut through the chaos, calm and decisive. "When you declare an attack, I can Special Summon this card from my hand—Closet Balloon!"
A man with messy black hair, clad in a black bodysuit traced with red, landed between Satoru and the oncoming blast, a large shield strapped to his back.
Closet Balloon
Level 4 / DARK / Fiend / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 0 / DEF: 2000
"And," Satoru added, "if I control a Darkness Xyz Monster, your Battle Phase ends. However, I take damage equal to 200 times the Level of your attacking monster. Starve Venom is Level 8—so I take 1600."
The shield flared black, absorbing the dragon's blast before shattering into shadow.
Satoru: 2950 → 1350
"I also activate Closet Balloon's skill," Satoru continued. "If it's Special Summoned while my Xyz monster has more than six Overlay Units, I draw one card." He drew without hesitation, eyes flicking to the new card briefly before sliding it into his hand.
"Tch..." Yuri clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Pulled a trick like that, huh? Impressive... I'll give you that. But it won't save you forever."
He slid two cards onto his duel disk. "I set two face-downs. Turn end." As Yuri's turn ends, his dragon's power waned down.
Starve Venom Fusion Dragon
ATK: 9100 → 1900
The air between them seemed charged—two duelists not only fighting for victory, but for pieces of a buried truth neither fully grasped.
Yuri: 1850 | Hand: 1
Satoru: 1350 | Hand: 4
Turn 6 – Satoru
"Draw."
Satoru's voice was quiet, his hand steady as he drew the next card from his deck. The duel field's lights reflected in his eyes, but his focus drifted—not on Yuri, not on the battle, but on a memory. A promise.
Two years earlier, after the Stride Gate incident, Satoru had found himself in a place that few had expected: a hospital under FIVA's sponsorship. His body, frail and often failing him, had been pushed to its limits. The countless check-ups, the medications, the regimented treatments—all of it finally bore fruit. For the first time in years, Satoru had been declared healthy. The announcement should have filled him with nothing but joy. And it did, for a time. But that joy quickly became tempered by the feeling that there was something more he needed to do.
That was the day he met her.
As he walked through the polished halls of the hospital, Satoru had noticed a girl struggling with her wheelchair. She was trying, with sheer stubbornness, to stand—but her legs would not obey. He stopped in his tracks, quietly observing the desperate attempt until his gaze fell to the truth: her legs were crippled.
Satoru hesitated. He had never been good at these things—at approaching strangers, at inserting himself into their pain. But in that moment, perhaps driven by his own guilt, he stepped forward. "Do you need help?" he asked softly.
Her eyes lifted toward him, full of frustration but also relief. She accepted. That was how he came to know Asuna.
Over time, a bond formed. Despite their age difference, they grew close. Satoru would visit often, even when duties as Branch Chief weighed on him. He brought news, quiet companionship, and the kind of gentle persistence that made the sterile hospital days more bearable. And in return, Asuna shared pieces of her past—stories that at first seemed strange, even unbelievable.
She spoke of her son, Yuri, and every time his name passed her lips, her expression shifted—sadness, regret, and a love so strong it seemed to choke her. She confessed, haltingly at first, that she was not of this reality. Satoru nearly dismissed it. But the more he looked at her, the more he remembered his own sins—aligning himself once with Myoujin Ryuzu, a man who sought to manipulate the boundaries of worlds themselves. Knowing that, how could he doubt her?
Still, he sought proof. Quietly, he resigned his post as Branch Chief, cutting the last ties of a chapter he no longer wished to carry. Using his old contacts, he dug into her past. What he found was telling: there was no data, no trace, no record of Asuna before her arrival. She was a blank slate in this world.
When he told her this, she didn't smile. Instead, she opened a box and revealed something that caught him off guard: a card. Not a Vanguard unit, but something else entirely. A Duel Monsters card.
"This is from my world," Asuna said, her fingers trembling as she held it out to him. "Back there, Duel Monsters isn't just a game—it's the game. Everyone plays it. Children, adults... everyone. It brought people together."
Her eyes glimmered with something almost wistful as she pulled out an old deck, worn but carefully kept. She let him flip through it, explaining rules, stories, moments of joy. For a little while, she looked happy. For a little while, the weight of her broken body and exiled heart seemed lighter.
But then the light faded.
Her voice grew heavy as she recounted the fall. A man—cold, merciless—rose to power and ruled her world with an iron fist. Soldiers enforced his reign, and when Asuna resisted, they punished her. Her son, Yuri, was torn from her arms. They beat her, exiled her, and cast her into the void between worlds. That was how she ended here—crippled, alone, forever separated from her child.
Satoru could still remember the way her voice cracked when she admitted it. "My only regret... is that Yuri will never know I loved him. That he'll never see me again."
He clenched his fists at that. No child should be stolen from their mother. No parent should live with such despair. So he did the only thing he could. He promised.
"One day," he had told her, "I'll bring him to you. Whatever it takes, Asuna, I'll find a way."
Her eyes widened, tears threatening to fall. Then she smiled—a fragile, grateful smile—and whispered, "Thank you. Even if it's just a dream... thank you."
That moment had seared itself into Satoru's heart. It was no longer a promise made in passing. It was a vow, binding and absolute.
Now, as his flashback dissolved, Satoru's gaze returned to the present. The duel field stretched before him, Yuri standing opposite. The irony of it all weighed heavily—this boy, torn from his mother, now stood as his opponent.
Satoru's grip tightened around his newly drawn card. His eyes narrowed with quiet resolve. This was more than a duel. This was the first step toward fulfilling the vow he had sworn to Asuna.
"No mother," he whispered under his breath, "should be kept from her child."
And with that conviction burning inside him, Satoru lifted his card, ready to play.
"Yuri..." Satoru's voice trembled, but not with fear—with conviction. His hand tightened on his card, his gaze blazing with unyielding resolve. "In this duel, you will remember."
The words struck like a vow. His eyes shone, and then—suddenly—they burned with a deep violet glow. A chilling aura rolled off him, dark yet commanding.
Yuri flinched as he felt the oppressive energy press down upon the field.
At that moment, Satoru had awakened his PSYqualia.
Raising a card, his voice rang out like a solemn incantation:
"From my hand, I activate Rank-Up Magic: Scharhrot's Curse of Dawn!"
The castle looming behind Satoru groaned as its massive iron doors creaked open. A violent surge of malevolent energy poured forth like a flood, the walls trembling as shadows coiled outward. The wave of darkness gripped the battlefield, chains snapping into existence and lashing toward Scharhrot.
"With this card, I target One Who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot! I rebuild the Overlay Network!"
The vampiric monarch shrieked as heavy chains wrapped around his form, dragging him into the castle's abyssal maw. The doors slammed shut with a thunderous boom, sealing him inside. Then, silence.
The castle pulsed, glowing with an unholy radiance as if preparing to unveil a new horror.
Satoru thrust his hand forward, his voice echoing with ritualistic grandeur.
"From the abyss where light dares not tread, I summon the sin-forged monarch! Let every soul surrender, let every heart know despair! Darkness Xyz Change! Awaken—nightmare incarnate, Rank 12—One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot!"
A violet beam of demonic energy erupted skyward, splitting the heavens as the silhouette of a monstrous figure descended against the moonlit sky. His hair flowed longer than before, wild and untamed. His claws lengthened into wicked blades, skeletal wings stretching across the night like a deathly shroud. A regal mantle of black and crimson wrapped his form, the markings of a high noble. His golden eyes gleamed with malevolent majesty.
The battlefield itself quaked under his arrival.
One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot
Rank 12 / DARK / Vampire / Xyz / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 4000 / DEF: 3000 | OU: 10
"And with Scharhrot's Curse of Dawn, I place two cards from my hand beneath him as Overlay Units! Soulcharge!"
Overlay Units surged like glimmering violet flames beneath the vampire monarch.
One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot
Overlay Units: 10 → 12
"Castle of the Dark Lord's effect! Since I summoned a Darkness monster, I Soulcharge again! And Scharhrot gains 500 ATK!"
One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot
ATK: 4000 → 4500 | OU: 12 → 13
Satoru's voice deepened with momentum, each play made with sharp precision.
"I activate the spell, Abyssal Draw! I draw two cards, and since I control a Darkness Xyz monster, one of them becomes an Overlay Unit! Soulcharge!"
One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot
Overlay Units: 13 → 14
"Next—Demonted Executioner's Darkness! I reveal the top seven cards of my deck, add one to Scharhrot as an Overlay Unit, and return the rest. Soulcharge!"
Seven cards fanned across his hand like a magician's trick. Without hesitation, he chose one and slid it beneath Scharhrot.
One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot
Overlay Units: 14 → 15
"Now, Scharhrot's skill activates! Once per turn, if he has six or more Overlay Units, all spells and traps are negated!"
The glow on Yuri's face-down cards dimmed, their energy extinguished. He gritted his teeth.
"No..." he whispered. His defenses were gone.
Satoru's voice thundered across the field.
"Battle! When Scharhrot attacks, his Darkness activates! All other monsters I control become his Overlay Units!"
The battlefield trembled as Demonted Executioner, Three-in the Dark, and Closet Balloon dissolved into glowing spheres, consumed by Scharhrot's abyssal power.
One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot
Overlay Units: 15 → 18
"And for every Overlay Unit Scharhrot has, he gains 300 ATK!" Satoru raised the towering stack of cards beneath his monster, his resolve unwavering. "With 18 Overlay Units, that's an additional 5400 power!"
One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot
ATK: 4500 → 9900
Yuri's eyes widened in disbelief.
"And I'm still not finished! If Scharhrot has more than ten Overlay Units, all your monsters are destroyed! And with more than fifteen—all card effects are negated!"
The vampire lord spread his skeletal wings wide, a storm of shadows tearing across the field. Yuri's lone monster was ripped apart in an instant, leaving him bare before the towering monarch.
Now, only silence remained. Silence... and judgment.
Satoru lowered his hand, his voice soft but commanding.
"One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot... direct attack. Darkus Moon Nova!"
The vampire noble rose higher, eclipsing the moon. Stained-glass orbs embedded in his wings glowed with terrible light, reflecting crimson, violet, and obsidian hues. Then—like a dying star—the energy converged into a multicolored beam of darkness, crashing down upon Yuri with apocalyptic force.
The attack struck, but at the very instant it did—Yuri's world shattered.
A memory resurfaced, searing and raw.
He was younger. Smiling. Sitting at a table with his mother, Asuna. The two were laughing as they carefully built his deck together, each card chosen with thought and excitement. It was a moment of warmth, of family, of peace.
Then—the door crashed open.
A squad of soldiers stormed in, clad in blue uniforms, their skull-like helmets adorned with gleaming crystals. Behind them strode a man in regal violet military garb.
Leo Akaba.
Yuri froze as Leo's cold gaze fell upon him.
"He's the one," Leo declared with chilling finality. "Take him."
The Obelisk Force surged forward, rough hands seizing Yuri. He cried out, kicking and thrashing. "No! Let me go!"
His mother lunged from her chair, desperation twisting her features. "What are you doing to my child?!"
Leo turned his back with disdain. "Do what you want with her."
Asuna's scream echoed as the soldiers descended upon her. They struck mercilessly, their armored fists slamming against her frail body. She fell, bloodied but still fighting to reach her son.
"Mother!" Yuri's voice cracked as he struggled in their grasp. His small hands reached for her, trembling.
Leo's eyes flickered with cold annoyance. "Silence." With a signal, one soldier pressed a device against Yuri. Electricity coursed through him, agony ripping a cry from his throat. His vision blurred.
As his body went limp, his last sight was of his mother—her form crumpled, soldiers still striking her down. Her eyes, full of pain and love, locked with his.
And from his lips, barely audible through the haze, came a broken whisper:
"Mo...ther..."
Darkness swallowed him.
The memory shattered, and Yuri's body jolted violently. The duel's energy washed over him, flinging him backward as the scoreboard lit with the final result.
Yuri: 1850 → 0
Winner: Enishi Satoru
The castle fell into stunned silence.
Satoru's chest heaved as he lowered his hand, violet glow still burning faintly in his eyes. The monstrous figure of Scharhrot dissolved into nothingness, the oppressive aura fading. Slowly, his gaze drifted to Yuri, lying stunned on the ground.
He remembered Asuna's voice, her tears, her plea. He had promised her.
And now, as Yuri's memories stirred, as the truth clawed its way back into his heart—Satoru knew this duel was not just a victory. It was the first step toward healing a wound carved by cruelty and time.
He exhaled, closing his eyes. "...Asuna-san. I kept my word."
-----
As the obsidian walls of the Castle of the Dark Lord finally dissolved into mist, silence fell across the frozen battlefield. Satoru exhaled sharply, exhaustion in every fiber of his body, before turning toward Yuri, who lay motionless on the glacier's surface. The duelist's chest still rose and fell, shallow and unsteady, and Satoru's expression softened as he knelt beside him.
Before he could gather his thoughts, the sharp crack of an explosion tore through the icy air. Satoru's head whipped around just in time to see two figures emerging from the haze—Gongenzaka and Christopher, their duel against the Obelisk Force now concluded. The glacier beneath their boots shimmered with fragments of broken constructs, proof of the battle they had endured.
The two approached, their breaths heavy but triumphant, and quickly noticed Satoru's position beside Yuri.
"So, I take it you've finished your quest?" Christopher asked, still catching his breath.
Satoru shook his head grimly. "Not yet. We're still not out of the water."
Almost as if summoned by his words, six figures in obsidian armor materialized around them, their duel disks activating in eerie unison. The six Obelisk Black Ops moved forward—not toward Satoru, Gongenzaka, or Christopher, but forming a lethal circle around Yuri.
The unconscious duelist stirred, eyes fluttering open. His hazy gaze met the cold steel of their visors.
"Yuri," the leader intoned in a voice devoid of all humanity. "You have failed your mission. As such, by the Professor's command, you are to be eliminated."
The words fell like a hammer, and the shock that rippled through the group was palpable. Even Satoru's composure faltered. For all the ruthlessness Academia was known for, none had expected Akaba Leo to cast Yuri aside like disposable trash.
Yuri's pupils dilated. His body froze as the declaration sank in. For the first time, the duelist—so feared and hated—looked genuinely terrified. His mind fractured, memories crashing into him like shards of glass. He saw his mother's face as she was torn from him, the cold hands that dragged him away, the endless torture disguised as training, the duels fought not for glory but survival. Every battle, every opponent reduced to nothing more than steps in a nightmare he could never wake from.
His breaths quickened, shallow and frantic. "N-no... not me... I did everything... everything they wanted..." He clutched his chest as if the memories themselves were suffocating him.
The Obelisk Black Ops advanced, their steps mechanical, unrelenting.
Satoru rose to his feet instantly, Christopher and Gongenzaka following suit, ready to fight once more despite their fatigue. But before a single move could be made, a deafening roar echoed overhead. The shadows split apart as a colossal mechanical dragon descended from the clouds, its metallic frame glinting in the light.
"Hop in, everyone!" a familiar voice called.
Kenji, standing atop the towering form of Dimensional Robo, Daidragon, reached down with a hand extended in urgency. Without hesitation, Satoru lifted Yuri into his arms and vaulted onto the mech. Gongenzaka and Christopher followed in quick succession. Daidragon's massive wings ignited with thrusters, propelling them skyward just as the Obelisk Black Ops lunged forward, their hands outstretched in futile pursuit.
From a distance, Dennis watched everything unfold. His mask of confidence cracked, replaced with disbelief. Of all the secrets Academia held, this was one he had never expected: that the Professor had ordered Yuri's execution.
His throat tightened, bile rising in his chest. Discarded... like nothing. If they can do this to Yuri... then...
A memory stabbed into him, sharp and unforgiving—the face of someone dear, trapped within Academia's grip. His heart sank like a stone.
Dennis clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, forcing himself to turn away from the scene. If he stayed too long, his hesitation would betray him.
"I know what I'm doing is hypocritical," he muttered under his breath, bitterness lacing his tone. "But I have no choice. I have to play the ally's role. I have to survive. Because if I don't... Layla's life is at stake."
He bit his lip hard enough to draw blood before disappearing into the ranks of the remaining duelists, his decision made but his soul fractured.
Unseen by him, a blur of motion landed silently nearby. Tsuchikage crouched low, his keen eyes fixed on Dennis's retreating figure. He had heard everything.
"So Dennis was the one who hijacked the entire operation..." Tsuchikage murmured. His voice carried no anger, only the heavy weight of realization. "And from his words, it seems Academia holds someone precious to him as a hostage. That changes much."
Straightening, the shinobi's form blurred once more. "I must report this to Ryuki-dono immediately."
And with that, he vanished into the shadows, leaving the frozen battlefield behind.
To be continued...
Cards used in the duel:
Super Dimensional Robo, Daiyusha
Level 8 / EARTH / Battleroid / Fusion / Effect / Limit Break
ATK: 3000 / DEF: 3000
2+ Dimensional Robo Monsters
When this card is Fusion Summoned, this card gains 500 ATK for every 'Dimensional Robo' Monster used to summon this card.
Once per turn: When this card attacks, switch any number of monsters in your field to defense position and this card gains 1000 ATK for every card switched to defense position. If 2 or more monster are in defense position, your opponent cannot activate card effects when this card attacks.
Limit Break: If this card's ATK is higher than 6000, this card can attack all monsters in the field, and draw 1 card for every monster destroyed.
Ultimate Dimensional Robo, Great Daiyusha
Level 12 / LIGHT / Battleroid / Fusion / Effect / Limit Break / Mate
ATK: ? / DEF: ?
Super Dimensional Robo, Daiyusha + 1+ Dimensional Robo Monsters
When this card is Fusion Summoned and 'Super Dimensional Robo, Daiyusha' is in the GY, this card gains 3000 ATK and DEF. For every 'Dimensional Robo' Monster used to Fusion Summon this card, this card gains 500 ATK and DEF.
Mate: If this card is Special Summoned by the effects of 'True Ultimate Dimensional Robo, Great Daikaiser', this card gains 4000 ATK.
Once per turn: When this card attacked first, switch this card to defense position and all your non-Fusion Dimensional Robo Monsters ATK is doubled.
Limit Break: If you have 2 or more 'Dimensional Robo' Monsters whose ATK is higher than 3000 and this card is in defense position, switch this card to attack position and this card can attack again and this card gains 3000 ATK. If this card's ATK is higher than 9000, this card can attack all monsters in the field and all card effects in the field are negated.
Dimensional Robo, Goyusha
Level 4 / LIGHT / Battleroid / Effect
ATK: 1500 / DEF: 1500
If you have no monsters in the field, Special Summon this card from your hand. For every 'Dimensional Robo' in the field, all 'Dimensional Robo' Non-Fusion Monsters gain 300 ATK.
If this card is used as a Fusion Material for a 'Super Dimensional Robo, Daiyusha' or 'Ultimate Dimensional Robo, Great Daiyusha' Fusion Monster, you can Fusion Summon without using a Fusion card. If this card is in the GY, banish this card to Fusion Summon a 'Daiyusha' Fusion Monster using the materials in your field or hand without using a Fusion card.
Dimensional Robo, Daimagnum
Level 4 / EARTH / Battleroid / Effect
ATK: 1400 / DEF: 1200
If a Dimensional Robo Monster is Fusion Summoned, Special Summon this card from the GY and this card gains 1000 ATK.
When this card is Special Summoned, inflict damage to your opponents equal to half of this cards ATK.
If this card is used as a Fusion Material, draw 2 cards and discard 1 card.
Dimensional Robo, Daimariner
Level 4 / WATER / Battleroid / Effect
ATK: 1800 / DEF: 1400
When this card is used as a Fusion Material for a 'Dimensional Robo' Fusion Monster, that monster gains 500 ATK.
If this card is in the GY, look at the top card in your deck. If it's a Dimensional Robo Monster, Special Summon it and that card gains 500 ATK. If it's a spell/trap, add it to your hand.
When this card attacks, this card gains 200 ATK for every Dimensional Robo Non-Fusion Monster in your field.
Dimensional Robo, Dailander
Level 4 / EARTH / Battleroid / Effect
ATK: 1700 / DEF: 1500
When this card is used as a Fusion Material for a Dimensional Robo Monster, that monster gains 500 ATK and add 1 Spell Card from your deck to your hand.
When this card is Summoned, this card gains 800 ATK.
Once per turn: Target 1 monster in your field and that card gains 1000 ATK, but that card cannot attack next turn.
Dimensional Robo, Daitiger
Level 4 / EARTH / Battleroid / Effect
ATK: 2000 / DEF: 1000
When this card is used as a Fusion Material for a 'Dimensional Robo' Monster, that card gains 400 ATK.
If this card is in the GY and your opponent activates a card effect, return this card to the deck and negate that effect and draw 1 card.
When this card attacks and you have a 'Dimensional Robo' Fusion Monster, this card gains 1000 ATK.
Dimensional Robo, Daidragon
Level 4 / FIRE / Battleroid / Effect
ATK: 2200 / DEF: 700
If this card is used as a Fusion Material for a 'Dimensional Robo' Fusion Monster, that monster gains 500 ATK.
When a Dimensional Robo Fusion Monster activates a card effect, Special Summon this card from the GY and this card gains 1000 ATK.
Dimensional Robo, Daisupporter
Level 3 / EARTH / Battleroid / Effect
ATK: 1000 / DEF: 1800
If you Fusion Summon without the use of a Fusion card and this card is used as a Fusion Material for a Dimensional Robo Fusion Monster, add 2 Dimensional Robo Monsters from your deck to your hand and the Fusion Monster summoned using this card as material gains 500 ATK.
If the Fusion Monster summoned using this card as material is destroyed, banish this card and negate the cards destruction.
Dimensional Robo, Daibattles
Level 2 / EARTH / Battleroid / Effect
ATK: 200 / DEF: 800
If your opponent activates a card effect, discard this card and negate that damage. Then draw 1 card.
If this card is used as a Fusion Material for a Daiyusha Fusion Monster, that card gains 500 ATK.
Authority of a Hero (Continuous Trap)
If you have a face-up Daiyusha or Daikaiser Fusion Monster in the field, all face-up monsters whose levels are lower than your monster cannot activate their effects.
Daiyusha Victory Formation (Normal Spell)
Return 5 cards in your hand to the deck and add 5 Dimensional Robo Monsters from your deck to your hand. This card can only be used once per duel.
Hall of Heroes (Field Spell)
Once per turn: You can reveal 1 'Dimensional Robo' monster in your hand; Special Summon 1 'Dimensional Robo' monster from your Deck with the same Level.
All Dimensional Robo Monsters in your field gains 200 ATK equal to their level.
Your Fusion Summons cannot be negated.
One who Proceeds Towards Daybreak, Scharhrot
Rank 5 / DARK / Vampire / Xyz / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 3000 / DEF: 2500
3 Level 5 'Darkness' Monsters
You can also Xyz Summon this card by using a 'Scharhrot' Xyz Monster you control as material. (Transfer its overlay units to this card.)
When this card is Xyz Summoned, draw 2 cards. Add 1 card to your hand and the other card turns into its Overlay Unit.
Once per turn: When this card attacks, for every Overlay Unit this card has, this card gains 200 ATK. If this card has more than 8 Overlay Units, your opponent cannot activate monster effects.
Darkness: At the End Phase, add 1 card from your hand into this cards Overlay Unit and target 1 card in your opponent's field and destroy it.
One who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot
Rank 4 / DARK / Vampire / Xyz / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 2500 / DEF: 2000
3 Level 4 DARK Monsters
When this card is Xyz Summoned, send 1 card from your deck and turn it into this cards Overlay unit.
Once per turn: If this card has more than 5 Overlay Units, and your opponent activates a card effect, negate that effect and turn that card into this cards Overlay Unit.
Darkness: When this card attacks and this card has more than 5 Overlay Units, this card gain 1000 ATK and your opponent cannot activate card effects.
One Stepped in Sin, Scharhrot
Rank 12 / DARK / Vampire / Xyz / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 4000 / DEF: 3000
3 Level 12 'Darkness' Monsters
You can also Xyz Summon this card by using a 'Scharhrot' Xyz Monster you control as material. (Transfer its overlay units to this card.)
When this card is Xyz Summoned using 'One who Scatters Sin, Scharhrot', add 3 cards from your deck and turn it into this card's Overlay units.
Once per turn: If this card has more than 6 Overlay Units, negate all spells and traps in the field.
Darkness: When this card attacks, send all monsters in your field and turn it into this card's Overlay Units. This card gains 300 ATK for every Overlay Unit this card has. If this card has more than 10 Overlay Units, destroy all monsters in the field. If this card has more than 15 Overlay Units, your opponent cannot activate any card effects.
Closet Baloon
Level 4 / DARK / Fiend / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 0 / DEF: 2000
When a monster declares an attack, Special Summon this card in defense position. If your field has a 'Darkness' Xyz Monster, your opponent ends their Battle Phase and you lose 200 LP for every level or rank of the monster that attacked.
If the number of Overlay Units your Xyz Monster has is 6 or more, draw 1 card.
Darkness: Instead of sending this card to the GY, turn this card into an Overlay Unit to an Xyz Monster and that monster gains 500 ATK until the end of your next turn.
Edge in the Darkness
Level 4 / DARK / Demon / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 1500 / DEF: 900
Special Summon this card from your hand if you have no monsters in your field and Special Summon a 'Darkness' Monster with the same Level as this card from your hand or deck.
If this card is an Overlay Unit for an Xyz Monster and your opponent declares an attack, you receive half the damage once per turn.
Darkness: If your Xyz Monster has 6 or more Overlay Units, and this card is an Overlay Unit for that Xyz Monster, that Xyz Monster gains 600 ATK.
Sweetie Thirteen
Level 4 / DARK / Warrior / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 1000 / DEF: 1000
If a 'Darkness' Monster is summoned, Special Summon this card from your deck or hand, if you have an Xyz Monster, add 1 card from the GY and that card will become an Overlay Unit to one of your Xyz Monsters.
When this card attacks, this card gains 100 ATK for every Overlay Unit your Xyz Monsters have.
Darkness: At the end of the Battle Phase, when your Xyz Monster has more than 8 Overlay Units, return this card to the deck and draw 2 cards.
Whitefang Wielder
Level 4 / DARK / Spellcaster / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 1600 / DEF: 1900
When this card is Summoned, add 1 'Darkness' Monster from your deck to your hand.
Darkness: When a 'Darkness' Xyz Monster attacks, destroy this card and return all monsters that were used as Overlay Units to the deck and all 'Darkness' Monsters gain 300 ATK for every card returned.
Demonted Executioner
Level 6 / DARK / Demon / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 2300 / DEF: 2000
If a 'Darkness' Monster activates an effect, Special Summon this card from your hand or GY.
When this card attacks and one of your 'Darkness' Xyz Monsters have more than 6 Overlay Units, this card gains 500 ATK. If your 'Darkness' Xyz Monster has more than 8 Overlay Units, this card gains 1000 ATK instead.
Darkness: Search the top 7 cards in your deck and add 1 'Darkness' Monster from among them, and that card turns into an Overlay Unit.
Three-in the Dark
Level 6 / DARK / Elf / Effect / Darkness
ATK: 2400 / DEF: 1200
This card can be Special Summoned from the deck by detaching 1 Overlay Unit, but this cards level is reduced by 2. When this card is Summoned, draw 3 cards from your deck, Add 1 to your hand and 2 will turn into Overlay Units, but it cannot attack when summoned this way.
Darkness: When this card attacks and your 'Darkness' Xyz Monster has more than 8 Overlay Units, when this card destroys a Monster, inflict 200 damage equal to the destroyed monsters Rank or Level.
Abyssal Draw (Normal Spell)
Draw 2 cards. Then, if you control a "Darkness" Xyz Monster, you can attach 1 card from your hand or field to it as an Overlay Unit.
Castle of the Dark Lord (Field Spell)
All "Darkness" Xyz Monsters gain 500 ATK. Once per turn: When a "Darkness" Xyz Monster is Summoned, attach 1 card from your Deck as an Overlay Unit.
Chains of the Abyss (Continuous Trap)
All monsters your opponent controls lose 100 ATK for each Overlay Unit among your "Darkness" Xyz Monsters.
Rank-Up-Magic: Darkness Ascension (Normal Spell)
Target 1 "Darkness" Xyz Monster you control; Special Summon from your Extra Deck 1 "Darkness" Xyz Monster that is 1 Rank higher than that target by using it as material. (Transfer its Overlay Units to the Summoned monster.)
Rank-Up-Magic: Scharhrot's Curse of Dawn (Normal Spell)
Target 1 "Scharhrot" Xyz Monster you control; Xyz Summon 1 "Scharhrot" Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck regardless of its Rank, using it as material (transfer its Overlay Units). Then, attach up to 2 DARK monsters from your hand, field, or GY as Overlay Units.
If the Summoned monster is One Steeped in Sin, Scharhrot, your opponent cannot activate card effects for the rest of the turn.