Changes

Tears in his eyes, [[Yuma Tsukumo|Yuma]] wails, scarcely believing that [[Trey]] and [[Quinton]] are gone. His voice cracks and he bemoans the fact that they sacrificed themselves to give Yuma and [[Kite Tenjo|Kite]] more time. He wails in anguish, but has no time to mourn. A red light streams towards the [[Different Dimension Airship]], passing over the deck before circling back. [[Tori Meadows|Tori]] tells Yuma something is coming after them. Within the red light is [[Alito]]. "[[Number C105: Battlin' Boxer Comet Cestus]]" materializes and punches the front of the airship, knocking Yuma and Tori overboard, with [[Astral]] following. Sometime later, they regain consciousness and find themselves on a stretch of highway. Around them, other remnants of roads peek up from the landscape. Yuma asks where they are and Astral speculates that they are between dimensions somewhere. The red light returns and crashes into the ground. Alito materializes from it and asks if Yuma really intended to leave him behind, as they still have a score to settle. Yuma insists he will not fight him.  <div style="float:right;">[[File:AlitoKnocksOuttheAxeman.png|right|200px|thumb|[[Alito]] defeats his opponent with one punch.]]</div> Alito asks when Yuma changed enough that he would refuse to fight the enemy of his friends and adds that "that big oaf" must be spinning in his grave right now. Yuma realizes he's referring to [[Nistro]]. Alito says he was quite a passionate person, unlike Yuma's current state. Yuma tells him that Nistro was the hope of many children. <div style="float:right;">[[File:AlitoKnocksOuttheAxeman.png|right|200px|thumb|[[Alito]] defeats his opponent with one punch.]]</div> Alito responds that he did say a bunch of stupid things like that during their Duel. As Nistro stared down "Comet Cestus", Alito had asked if he really wanted to continue. Nistro yelled that he had to, as the hopes of children across the world were on his shoulders. Alito tells Yuma he crushed their hopes to tiny pieces. Yuma asks what has happened to Alito - he never used to be this kind of person. Alito seems confused, insisting he's always been like this. Astral tells him he used to be like Nistro - a man who carried the hopes and dreams of children on his back. Alito queries if Astral was referring to the legends of the [[Number ruins|ruins]]. Astral confirms this and Alito thinks back, remembering his fight against an axe-wielding opponent at the colosseum. The children in the audience cheered him on as he dodged the man's attacks and defeated him with one punch to the face. Astral tells him those memories are his true ones from his life as a human being - where he gave hope to children just as Nistro did.

Alito seems shaken by this, prompting [[Don Thousand]] to communicate with him. Thousand tells him not to be tricked - his past was a wretched and terrible one. He urges him to recall the hatred he felt when he was executed. [[Don Thousand's Emblem]] appears in Alito's eye briefly and he declares that he was reborn as a [[Barian]] because of his wretched past life. As his [[Baria Lapis]] appears on his arm, he tells Yuma this is the real him. He engages in [[Barian Battlemorph]] and urges Yuma to come at him. Yuma insists he won't Duel, prompting Alito's hand to glow red with energy. A bubble of energy appears below Tori before spiked vines materialize from the ground, lifting her high into the air and wrapping around her, rendering her trapped. Alito asks if he's willing to fight now. Yuma questions how he became so cold-hearted, but Astral tells him talking is no use now - they have to Duel him. Yuma reluctantly agrees and sets his [[Duel Gazer]] and [[D-Pad]] as Alito's D-Pad appears on his arm.  Yuma takes the first [[turn]], [[Normal Summon]]ing "[[Gagaga Magician]]" and [[Special Summon]]ing "[[Gagaga Child]]" as he [[control]]s another "[[Gagaga]]" [[Monster Card|monster]]. Astral explains that the [[Level]] of "Child" changes to the Level of "Magician" via the other [[card effect|effect]] of "Child". Yuma [[Xyz Material|overlay]]s his two Level 4 monsters to [[Xyz Summon]] "[[Number 39: Utopia]]" in [[Attack Position]]. Yuma [[Set]]s a card to end his turn. Alito comments that "Utopia" showed up quite quickly, but adds that he is different this time around. Don Thousand's Emblem glows and Alito is surrounded in a dark aura. Waves of darkness emanate out and Astral asks Yuma if he feels that. Yuma says he does and that it feels like some sort of monster or demon. Alito tells Yuma to get ready for his "jet-black fist stained by his accursed past", as it will open Yuma's path to misery. His fist glows with dark energy as he [[draw a card|draws]]. He claims he'll smash them to pieces with this card and [[activate]]s it - "[[Rank-Up-Magic - The Seventh One]]". Astral recalls that card and Alito calls it the power of the [[Seven Barian Emperors]], explaining it will let him Summon his "[[Number 10X|Over-Hundred Number]]". The card glows as he Special Summons "[[Number 105: Battlin' Boxer Star Cestus]]" from his [[Extra Deck]].

Yuma is surprised to see it so soon, but Alito tells him not to get excited yet, as "The Seventh One" also allows him to instantly [[Rank-Up|Rank it Up]]. He does so, performing a [[Xyz Evolution#Chaos Xyz Evolution|Chaos Xyz Evolution]] to Summon "Comet Cestus" in Attack Position. Astral says this is impossible - he's already filled it with [[Chaos (power)|Chaos]]. Alito laughs and Astral finally realizes something. He couldn't feel it earlier, but now that [[Earth (planet)|Earth]] and the [[Barian World]] have begun to merge, he can feel it clearly - that card was created with the power of Don Thousand. Astral calls for Thousand to stop hiding. Alito's eyes glow red briefly and the dark aura around him expands out to a huge size. Tori asks what's going on as Thousand comments that Astral finally noticed. He tells Astral its been a long time as his form materializes fully and determines that the other one before him must be Yuma Tsukumo. Yuma is angry that Thousand has manipulated Alito. Thousand reveals that Alito's soul is one of the seven he revived in order to regain his own strength. Yuma asks what he means and Thousand tells him he should blame Astral if he must blame someone - this [[Interdimensional War|war]] was started because the [[Astral World]] decided to cast out Chaos. Astral insists that the Astral World just aspires to achieve greater heights.  [[File:DonThousandCosmosandChaos.png|left|200px|thumb|[[Don Thousand]] finally emerges.]] Thousand calls that a stupid idea and adds that the cosmos and Chaos are simply two halves of the same coin. In his hands he holds a sphere of light and a sphere of darkness. Astral says the Astral World overcame its own Chaos. [[File:DonThousandCosmosandChaos.png|left|200px|thumb|[[Don Thousand]] finally emerges.]] Thousand claims he is grateful for that, as his Chaos was too cramped in the Astral World anyway as the spheres vanish. He reveals that it was them that let him loose in the first place. He specifies that the reason the seven [[Legendary Number|Legendary "Numbers"]] were so strong is because they were the seals on his power. With the "Numbers" removed from the ruins, the seal was broken and Thousand's powers returned without him needing the "Numbers" themselves. Yuma is shocked that he used them to revive himself. Thousand compares it to letting Chaos out of [[wikipedia:Pandora's_Box|Pandora's Box]] - they caused the other worlds to be swamped in Chaos. Thousand finally urges Yuma and Astral to stop him if they're capable of it, before fading away, laughing. Thousand's eye becomes energy, which hits Alito's chest. Yuma says it looks like they'll be fighting Don Thousand sooner than they thought. Astral specifies that that was only one piece of him - that energy was nothing like that of his real body.

Alito tells the two of them to get ready now as he activates the effect of "Comet Cestus" - he can [[detach]] an [[Xyz Material|Overlay Unit]] to [[destroy]] one monster they control and inflict its [[ATK]] to them as [[effect damage|damage]]. Each of the wings of "Comet Cestus" launch a red energy blast, which converge and obliterate "Utopia". Yuma and Astral are blasted back a great distance, [[Life Points]] falling to 1500. Tori yells both of their names, but Alito says he's not done and declares a [[direct attack]] - "[[attack name|Comet Explosion]]". Yuma yells that this won't settle it and activates the effect of the "[[Gagaga Gardna]]" in his [[hand]], Special Summoning it in Attack Position as his opponent declared a direct attack. Alito says it changes nothing - when "Comet Cestus" destroys a monster, its ATK is inflicted to Yuma as damage. Yuma reveals that by [[discard]]ing a card, he can prevent the destruction of "Gardna" [[destroyed by battle|by battle]]. He discards "[[Dimension U-Turn]]" as the attack hits. He is still reduced to only 200 Life Points by the strike, and Astral starts fading in and out as a result. Alito sighs in disappointment and Sets a card.  Yuma asks if Astral is alright. He says he is, but remarks that Alito was never one to try a [[One Turn Kill]] like that. Yuma says he was prepared for that - when Alito is his opponent, he must be prepared for anything. Astral asks in surprise if Yuma is enjoying this. Yuma responds that it is only enjoyable if its difficult, but adds that he's not happy with this Duel. Alito is just Thousand's puppet right now - he's not really Alito. He vows to bring Alito back to his former self through this Duel. Yuma says if they can destroy the part of Thousand in Alito, they may save him. Astral comments that Thousand's curses aren't an easy thing to break. Yuma insists they must try, prompting Astral to say he believes in Yuma's ability to believe in others.

Thinking that if he doesn't try, the sacrifices of his friends will be for nothing, Yuma determines he has to find a way to break Thousand's spell. As he thinks back to all of his friends, he remembers Nistro. He further recalls [[Dextra]]'s attempts to get Nistro back to normal at the ruins. He believes they can try something like that with Alito this time. If it worked then, maybe it will work now - they'll have to knock sense back into Alito. Astral believes Yuma is right - he will sense the feelings they send through the Duel. Yuma tells Alito get ready and draws his card. He Normal Summons "[[Tasuke Knight]]" and overlays his two Level 4 [[Warrior]]-[[Type]] monsters, chanting "Descend, sheathed in light, the lord that cuts through the darkness". He Xyz Summons "[[Heroic Champion - Excalibur]]" in Attack Position. Yuma urges Alito to remember their friendship and how they enjoyed their previous Duels as friends. Alito claims he doesn't remember, while Yuma specifies that "Excalibur" can only attack when he has 500 or fewer Life Points. "Excalibur" attacks "Comet Cestus", with Yuma activating the effect of "Excalibur", detaching both Overlay Units to double its own ATK until the end of the [[Battle Phase]] and declaring "[[attack name|Deadly Divine Sword]]".  "Excalibur" appears to cleave "Comet Cestus" in two as Yuma asks if Alito remembers his hot-blooded soul yet. At the dust clears, Alito laughs and a figure disengages its shields. He reveals he activated the effect of the "[[Battlin' Boxer Veil]]" in his hand, Special Summoning it from his hand and reducing the Battle Damage to 0. He adds that "Excalibur" isn't a "[[Number]]" anyway, so it cannot destroy "Comet Cestus". [[File:RhapsodyinBerserkFissure.png|right|200px|thumb|"[[Number 80: Rhapsody in Berserk|Rhapsody in Berserk]]" strikes Yuma's [[Graveyard]].]] He claims Yuma's whole attack was in vain. Yuma is distraught that he was unable to reach Alito and Sets a card to end his turn as the ATK of "Excalibur" returns to 2000. Alito's eyes glow red again and he claims he'll settle things this turn. Yuma says they have only 200 Life Points remaining, but Astral reminds him that "Tasuke Knight" is in their Graveyard now - so they can Special Summon it to end the Battle Phase if they have no cards in their hand - which they don't. Alito draws and proceeds to Normal Summon "[[Battlin' Boxer Headgeared]]".  [[File:RhapsodyinBerserkFissure.png|right|200px|thumb|"[[Number 80: Rhapsody in Berserk|Rhapsody in Berserk]]" strikes Yuma's [[Graveyard]].]] Thousand's aura intensifies and he appears behind Alito, his eyes glowing. Astral feels Thousand's presence again as Alito overlays his two Level 4 monsters. He chants "O' berserk soul, clinging to accursed armor!" and Xyz Summons "[[Number 80: Rhapsody in Berserk]]" in Attack Position. Yuma comments it has 0 ATK, while Astral says "there's no way". Alito claims "there is every way" and activates the effect of "Rhapsody in Berserk", detaching an Overlay Unit to declare a card type (Monster, [[Spell Card|Spell]] or [[Trap Card|Trap]]) and [[banish]] every card of that type in his opponent's Graveyard. He chooses monster and "Rhapsody in Berserk" punches the ground, creating a deep fissure, from which fly all the monsters in their Graveyard. Alito asks if they really thought he had forgotten about "Tasuke Knight" as "Rhapsody" leaps forward and punches the cards, banishing them.

Astral questions how he sensed what they would do. Alito declares they have nothing left to protect them now, but reveals another effect of "Rhapsody". He can [[equip]] it to another monster he controls to increase that monster's ATK by 1200. "Rhapsody" fades into green light, which wraps "Comet Cestus", giving it a new set of armor. Don Thousand's Emblem emanates out as "Comet Cestus" roars and Astral tells Yuma he can feel Thousand's power coming from that "Number". Yuma says Thousand's power has made "Comet Cestus" even stronger, then. Thousand laughs and tells Astral to feel his power. Alito orders "Comet Cestus" to attack "Excalibur". Tori screams Yuma's name as "Comet Cestus" leaps towards Yuma. Yuma activates his [[face-down]] "[[Xyz Piece]]", which lets [[negate]] an attack against his Xyz Monster. The fist of "Comet Cestus" rebounds off of a green energy shield.  Yuma reveals that "Xyz Piece" also [[Tribute]]s the Xyz Monster and Special Summons two Level 1 monsters from his [[Main Deck|Deck]]. "Excalibur" vanishes and Yuma's Deck glows as he Special Summons "[[Darklon]]" and "[[Kurivolt]]". Alito angrily calls Yuma stubborn and ends his turn. Astral tells Yuma that that "Number" has made the curse even stronger, but Yuma still resolves to free Alito. He insists that their friendship is stronger than Thosuand's spell. Astral suggests that they may be a card that could awaken his true memories. Yuma realizes which one he means and Astral says "[[Number 54: Lion Heart|Lion Heart]]". He warns Yuma that "Lion Heart" is very risky to use though . He adds that it has Alito's true memories in it, while "Comet Cestus" holds the curse of Don Thousand. Yuma isn't sure if it will work, but Astral tells him he's figured it out.