Hana and Roman were deeply engrossed in conversation when one of the flames on the large candelabra extinguished with a hiss. Roman's expression darkened.
"One of our Dark Signers has failed us," he said grimly. "Devack has been extinguished."
Roman took the candelabra and rose from his seat. "Where one falls, another shall rise," he declared as he strode purposefully into the shadows of an adjoining room.
Hana watched him disappear, unease creeping into her heart. She wondered what Roman was planning. After several tense minutes, he returned with another man in tow. This man had long, dark hair spilling over his broad shoulders and mocha-colored skin. Hana recognized him as Greiger, the turbo duelist who dueled Yusei at the Fortune Cup.
"Seek out Yusei Fudo," Roman commanded the man. "Challenge him as a Dark Signer and defeat him."
Greiger nodded silently, his eyes burning with vengeful purpose. Without another word, he turned and left the candlelit room.
Hana felt a chill go down her spine as she watched the ominous exchange. Roman reclaimed his seat at the table next to her, his expression unreadable in the flickering light.
An uneasy silence fell between Hana and Roman. Finally, Hana spoke up timidly. "What was Greiger doing here?" she asked.
Roman's expression was distant. "I observed him during the Fortune Cup," he explained. "He was consumed by a desire for vengeance against Rex Goodwin for the destruction of his village. I knew he would make a powerful Dark Signer."
Hana absorbed this grimly. She remembered witnessing Greiger's duel against Yusei and his rage when he lost.
"So I had him brought here and turned into a Dark Signer," Roman continued. "Now he will get the revenge he craves by defeating Yusei."
Hana felt a chill at Roman's words. She hoped desperately that Yusei would be able to overcome this new threat. Greiger's fury had been terrifying to watch. But she did not dare voice her concerns to Roman.
Instead, she simply nodded and changed the subject, steering their talk to lighter matters.
An hour later, they watched as another candle flame suddenly went out.
"Kalin's flame has been extinguished," Roman said grimly. He suddenly clenched his fist and grimaced in pain, his other hand grasping at the spider mark on his right arm. Purple bruise-like marks were creeping up from the mark, marring his skin.
"What's happening? Is it your mark?" Hana asked worriedly, placing her hand gently on his shoulder.
Roman took a labored breath. "The darkness in me is growing," he said through gritted teeth. "Before it's too late, I must face Yusei and fulfill my destiny."
Hana's eyes widened with fear at his words. "There must be another way." she pleaded, her voice cracking. "I can't lose you..." She squeezed his shoulder, desperate to comfort him.
Before Roman could reply, the large double doors of the room suddenly burst open with a crash. Rex Goodwin strode into the room, accompanied by eight stern-faced guards wielding large guns.
Roman and Hana turned to face the intruders. Hana instinctively moved closer to Roman, ready to defend him no matter what. She didn't know what Rex wanted, but she would protect Roman at any cost.
"I was starting to think you weren't going to show, Rex," Roman said, his voice edged with bitterness. "But this is a private party. Why did you bring these pitiful specimens with you?" He gestured with disdain at the armed guards.
"These pitiful specimens are my personal escort, Roman," Rex replied coolly.
"I see. Well, we have very important matters to discuss, so unfortunately your toy soldiers will have to go," Roman said, his eyes narrowing.
One of Roman's spider embodiments suddenly appeared on the ceiling. The guards drew their guns swiftly and fired at the spider, but it shot strands of webbing from its mouth, binding the guards. They struggled helplessly against the sticky bindings.
Roman turned to Hana, his expression softening. "Hana, please give Rex and I some time alone to talk privately," he said.
Hana nodded reluctantly, not wanting to leave Roman's side. But she trusted his judgment. She stepped quietly out into the dark hallway, closing the heavy doors behind her. She pressed her ear to the wooden door, straining to hear the muffled conversation within.
"Hana? Is that you?"
She turned around swiftly at the sound of her name, her heart skipping a beat. Crow was walking down the long, dim hallway toward her, his bright orange hair unmistakable even in the low light.
"Crow! What are you doing here?" Hana asked, genuinely surprised to see her old friend from the orphanage after all these years.
Crow came closer until he was standing right in front of her. "I came to support Yusei and the others in the fight against Roman," he replied. His brow furrowed slightly as he asked "What about you? Why are you here?"
Hana hesitated, her mind racing. She didn't want to explain her relationship with Roman. "I...I'm here for Yusei too," she stammered, thinking quickly to come up with an excuse.
Crow looked at her for a moment before nodding, seeming to accept her words at face value. Hana felt a wave of relief wash over her, knowing her secret was still safe for the time being.
Crow and Hana talked in hushed voices in the dimly lit hallway, catching up on old times back at the orphanage. Hana felt comforted being near her old friend again after everything that had happened. After several long minutes of reminiscing, the heavy double doors suddenly creaked open. Rex emerged, his expression unreadable, his posture rigid.
"Woah, Rex Goodwin? What are you doing here?" Crow asked, his brows shooting up in surprise.
"I came to say goodbye to someone...to my brother," Rex said solemnly, his expression unreadable.
"Huh?" Crow responded in confusion, brows knitted together.
Rex looked off distantly as he began to explain. "When we were young, everyone knew my big brother was a genius. I was always very proud of him. But in addition to his genius, my brother was burdened with a great destiny..."
Hana listened quietly as Rex told the tragic story of how Roman became a Dark Signer.
When Rex finished the tale, Crow shook his head in disbelief. "So your brother started hearing voices, and then made the reactor spin and reverse? I guess with forces like that at work, it's no wonder the legendary man who tried to build the Daedalus Bridge wasn't successful."
"So I take it you believe that legendary man really existed?" Rex questioned, one eyebrow raised.
"Well, yeah. I mean the guy is kind of sort of my hero," Crow said fervently. "One day I'm gonna reunite Domino City and Satellite."
Rex gave a faint, cryptic smile. "Yes, of course, and then you're going to change society and stop crime and cure diseases." He paused for a moment. "You know, I might be able to make that dream a reality, but first I need you to pass along a message to Yusei. If he defeats my brother, tell him I'll be waiting."
Crow's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Hold up! What do you mean, waiting where?" he questioned.
But Rex simply turned on his heel and walked away. His polished shoes clicked sharply on the stone floor, the sound echoing through the hallway.
Crow shook his head. "Something weird is going on here. I gotta go find Yusei and the others." He turned back to Hana, his expression kind. "Hey, you gonna be okay here by yourself? Want me to walk you out of this creepy place?"
Hana managed a weak but grateful smile, touched by her old friend's concern. "I'll be alright, don't worry," she assured him. "You go on ahead and find Yusei. I'll catch up in a little bit."
After a reluctant goodbye, Crow hurried off down the hall to locate Yusei. Hana watched his retreating figure until he turned a corner and disappeared. Taking a deep, bracing breath, she slipped back into the room alone.
Roman had just finished fastening his dark, hooded cape around his shoulders, the flickering candles sending shadows dancing across his grim expression. He turned to face Hana as she closed the heavy door behind her.
"What happened with Rex? What did you two discuss privately?" she asked anxiously, her brows furrowed with concern.
"He has chosen to join the Dark Signers," Roman revealed somberly.
Hana's brown eyes went wide with surprise. "Rex is joining the Dark Signers? But why?"
Roman shook his head grimly. "He believes by wielding both a Signer and Dark Signer mark, he can become the ultimate God."
He then stepped forward and took Hana's delicate hands in his own. "But let us not dwell on Rex. My time grows short, and there is something I must show you before the end."
Guiding her by the hand, Roman led Hana down a shadowy hallway lit only by the soft glow of flickering candles settled in intricate metal sconces along the stone walls. At the very end of the corridor stood a wooden door. Roman pushed the door open to reveal a long bridge that stretched across a deep, cavernous chasm beyond.
Hana gasped softly. "What is this place?" she breathed.
"This is where my final duel against Yusei shall take place," Roman said grimly as they walked together to the middle of the bridge. He slowly lifted his metal arm, a panel sliding open to reveal a small, red activation button.
"No, wait!" Hana cried out in sudden alarm, but Roman had already pressed the button. There was a deep, resonating explosion from far below them, and the shadowy chasm began to fill with vibrant, colorful energy that swirled and crackled.
"Ener-D!" Hana exclaimed. "But why have you activated it?"
Roman stepped forward, the flickering rainbow light dancing across his features and reflecting in his eyes, accentuating his grim expression. "This is the doorway that shall lead to the Netherworld," he intoned.
He turned to look at Hana then, his eyes full of sadness. "How I wish we had more time together," he said wistfully. "But when Yusei arrives here, I must do what fate demands of me."
Hana grabbed his hands desperately, her voice pleading. "You don't have to do this! We can leave this all behind and start a new life, just the two of us!" she cried, tears beginning to fill her shimmering brown eyes.
Roman reached out and gently stroked her cheek, regarding her with sorrow. "How I wish that were possible, my sweet Hana. But this is the destiny I have been called to fulfill. My fate was sealed 17 years ago when I first heard the voices compel me. I cannot escape it."
"No!" Hana let out a heart-wrenching sob and threw her arms around Roman's neck, burying her face against his chest as she wept brokenly. Her body shook with the force of her anguished cries.
Roman wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly. He gently stroked her long chestnut hair and rubbed her back, trying to soothe her inconsolable tears as she soaked the front of his cloak.
Just then, the door on the other side of the bridge burst open and Yusei, Trudge, Crow and the young twins Leo and Luna rushed into the room. They all froze in their tracks, staring open-mouthed at the heartbreaking scene before them - Hana clinging desperately to Roman, her face buried against his chest as she bawled inconsolably.
"Please don't do this! I love you!" Hana choked out between anguished sobs.
Yusei and the wide-eyed twins looked on with sadness and empathy in their expressions, genuinely feeling her heartbreak.
Trudge's eyes widened in dismay as he took in the sight before him. Though he had known of Hana's relationship with Roman, he had hoped she would come to her senses. "Oh Hana," he murmured sorrowfully. "I wish you hadn't gotten tangled up in all this."
Crow reeled back in shock, completely blindsided by this revelation. "Whoa, hold up! Hana, you and him...?" He gestured wordlessly between her and Roman, unable to fully process this twist.
Roman met Yusei's intense gaze unflinchingly over Hana's shoulder as she wept into his chest, her fingers clutching his robe. An unspoken understanding seemed to pass between them - destiny demanded that they must duel, regardless of circumstances.
Yusei slowly approached Hana and placed a gentle, reassuring hand on her shoulder. "Roman chose his path...we have to duel. It's the only way we can free Martha and the others."
Hana just shook her head desperately, gripping Roman tighter as tears continued streaming down her flushed cheeks. "No, please don't do this! I can't lose him!" she pleaded brokenly between anguished sobs.
But Roman firmly took hold of her arms and pried her hands off of his chest. He then held her tear-stained face tenderly between his hands and looked intently into her eyes.
"Hana...listen to me. I must face my destiny here and now. And if I am fated to fall in this coming battle, I want you to know that I will always love you, in this life and the next," he told her gently.
Roman slowly leaned in, gently caressing her damp cheek. His lips met hers in a final, bittersweet kiss, one that expressed all the words left unsaid between them. Hana trembled, clutching his shoulders tightly as she hungrily returned the kiss, pouring her anguish and passion into it.
For a suspended moment, nothing else existed except their bittersweet embrace. Then Roman reluctantly pulled back, caressing her cheek one last time before turning to Yusei.
"The time has come, Yusei" he said grimly. "The Netherworld is waiting."
Yusei nodded, his expression stoic as he took his place on one end of the bridge.
As the two prepared for their duel, Crow walked over to the distraught Hana and gently took hold of her arm. "Come stand over here with us, Hana," he muttered softly, and began guiding the sobbing young woman away.
Hana struggled weakly, desperately reaching out a hand towards Roman and crying his name. But Roman had already turned his back to her. He strode purposefully to take his place on the other side of the bridge, ready to duel Yusei.
Crow led the overwhelmed Hana over to where Trudge, Luna, and Leo were standing. He kept a supportive arm wrapped gently around her shoulders as she wiped her tears.
The marks on Yusei and Roman's arms began to glow brightly as their duel disks activated with a mechanical whir. Hana watched anxiously, biting her lip, as they drew their opening hands.
"Be careful, Yusei!" Leo called out worriedly, his voice tense. Luna clasped her hands together tightly. "We believe in you," she added, her eyes fixed on Yusei.
Yusei nodded, his gaze intense and focused on Roman. Outside the crater, the enormous spider geoglyph materialized.
"The first move is mine!" Roman declared, his voice booming as he drew a card with a dramatic flourish. "You came here to challenge the power of the shadows. So let's find out who destiny favors. I place one card face down and end my turn."
The card appeared face down on his field.
Yusei thought the face down card was obviously a trap. Roman was either baiting him or trying to scare him out of attacking.
"First I send my Level Eater to the graveyard so I can summon Quick Draw Synchron!" Yusei declared as Quick Draw Synchron materialized on his side of the field.
"Next, I activate Level Eater's special ability from the graveyard. So by lowering Quick Draw Synchron's level by 1, I can summon Level Eater to the field."
Level Eater appeared in attack position.
"Next, Quick Draw Synchron can take aim and absorb the powers of one tuner monster. And it looks like he's targeting the abilities of...Junk Synchron! So now Quick Draw Synchron can give my Level Eater a well-deserved tune up. Junk Synchron! Let's rev it up!"
Junk Synchron materialized onto the field.
"Now attack directly!" Yusei commanded.
The monster rocketed across the field to strike Roman directly with a powerful blow. Roman's life points fell to 1700 as Junk Warrior retreated back to Yusei's field.
"Alright, way to go Yusei!" Trudge cheered, pumping his fist. Leo and Luna high-fived each other excitedly, grinning from ear to ear.
Hana gasped, her hand flying to her mouth as Roman's life points took a huge hit.
"Because of that attack, I can now activate my trap card, Wolf In Sheep's Clothing!" Roman declared, his eyes flashing menacingly. "Since I was hit with damage by Junk Warriors' direct attack, I can use the power of my Wolf In Sheep's Clothing to summon two Dark Spiders to my field for the price of one."
Two spiders materialized on Roman's field, both with 0 ATK and beady red eyes.
"That was quite the bargain basement maneuver, Roman!" Yusei said, setting a face down card.
"Those little spiders don't have any attack points. This bad guy has no idea what he's doing!" Leo said, giggling.
"No, you're wrong Leo," Hana interjected, her eyes fixed intensely on Roman. "He knows exactly what he's doing. He's just setting the stage for his Earthbound Immortal."
"I can feel it! Whatever happens next to you guys, don't leave my side!" Luna said anxiously, glancing around.
"What do you mean? You really freak me out when you talk like that!" Leo said, frowning at his sister.
"It's my turn now! From my hand, I activate the Spider Web field spell!" Roman declared, his voice booming as he slid the card into his field spell zone.
A giant web made of shimmering silver threads materialized, enclosing the entire field and trapping the players inside.
"What's going on?" Leo asked nervously, looking around with wide eyes.
"You're trapped. Trapped like a fly caught in the spider's web." Roman said with a sinister smile. "And now I'm releasing both of my Dark Spiders!"
The two spiders dissipated into particles as Roman continued. "Looks like fate is on my side, Yusei. Your story ends here. The powers of darkness are ready to rise! I'm now summoning Earthbound Immortal Uru!"
The massive immortal monster materialized on the field, its enormous form casting a looming 3000 ATK shadow over the field. Though protected by Luna's shield, Trudge and the others recoiled in fear from the terrifying presence of the giant Immortal.
"I hope your bubble protects us, Luna!" Trudge said anxiously.
"Thanks to the Spider Web field spell, Earthbound Immortal Uru gains the ability to attack you directly! Go, my Earthbound Immortal! Unleash your Web Of Destruction attack!" Roman commanded.
Uru reared back, shooting a web out of it's mouth.
"I activate Synchro Barrier!" Yusei said quickly, flipping his set card face up.
"How?" Roman asked, eyes widening.
"Oh! It was simple, Roman! All I needed to do was sacrifice my Junk Warrior in order to activate my trap and block your attack!" Yusei explained as Junk Warrior vanished from his field.
"You're only delaying the inevitable," Roman said through gritted teeth. "I now place two cards face down, but before I end my turn, I'm activating the Destiny Activator spell card!" He slid the card into his duel disk. "Now all I need to do is draw the top card from my deck and send it to my graveyard! From this point forward, if what you draw is the same type as this card, then your life points are cut in half! And the card that I have just sent to the graveyard is a monster card, so make your next move, Yusei, and hope against hope that you do not draw a monster from your deck!"
"Here goes!" Yusei said, drawing a card slowly and looking at it intently.
"It's a trap card! Looks like destiny is toying with you." Roman said with a scowl.
"That's good, but he can't relax yet. He's gotta figure out a way to beat that Earthbound Immortal or it's over." Trudge said, fists clenched.
"I summon Speed Warrior in attack mode!" Yusei declared. "On the turn it's summoned, its attack points get a power boost! Now do it, Speed Warrior! Attack Roman directly!"
Speed Warrior raced across the field toward Roman.
"Yeah, if this attack succeeds, then we're all going home!" Trudge said hopefully.
"No one's going anywhere! I activate my trap, War of the Earthbound!" Roman said. "This trap destroys your attacking monster, and then dishes out damage equal to half your warrior's attack points!"
Speed Warrior shattered and Yusei's life points dropped to 3100.
"I play a face down and end my turn!" Yusei said through gritted teeth, sliding a card into his spell/trap zone.
"It's my move then!" Roman said, drawing a card with a flourish. "So, how many more direct attacks from my Earthbound Immortal do you think you can avoid? Go, Uru! Unleash the full power of the shadows!"
Uru reared back as it prepared to attack.
"I activate my trap, Spirit Force! With this in play, I can avoid taking any damage by deflecting your attack! And after that, I can add a reinforcement to my hand for my graveyard!" Yusei said quickly.
"Actually, you won't be doing any of those things." Roman said with an evil grin.
"What?" Yusei said, eyes widening.
"I activate the Earthbound Wave trap card! With the mighty power of Earthbound Wave, I can negate the activation and effect of one of your trap cards!" Roman declared.
Yusei screamed in agony as the attack struck him at full force, leaving him with only 100 life points. Leo, Luna, Trudge and Crow watched on worriedly as Yusei fell to one knee, barely holding on.
"Yusei!" Leo and Luna cried out in unison.
Hana stood paralyzed, her heart racing as she was internally torn between the two duelists she cared for deeply.
"Stand up, kid! Stand up and retaliate! Fight back so that I can throw you to the shadows just like I did your father!" Roman said, pointing a finger dramatically at Yusei.
Yusei remained kneeling on the ground, breathing heavily.
"What are you waiting for? Are you too scared to draw?" Roman taunted. "It's understandable if you are, as I would be too if half my life points depended on what kind of card I picked."
"I'm not scared." Yusei said through gritted teeth. He slowly and painfully got to his feet, determination in his eyes. He drew his next card - Zero Gardna.
"Well, you should be since you just drew a monster card. Now because of that, the Destiny Activator spell activates once again." Roman said with a villainous cackle.
Yusei grimaced in pain as his life points fell to a mere 50. Leo, Luna, Crow, Hana and Trudge watched tensely, barely breathing.
"He's barely hanging on by a thread." Trudge muttered anxiously.
"The strings of destiny have you tightly in their grasp, Yusei. They are crushing the life from you." Roman said dramatically.
"He looks so weak. You don't think he's gonna give up, do you?" Leo asked, voice quivering.
"This duel is over. You have no hope left." Roman declared.
"It's not over till the last card is played." Yusei said through labored breaths, summoning his Zero Gardna in defense mode. He set a face down and ended his turn.
"Impressive. You have the will to fight on after all. I suppose you inherited that stubbornness from your father. How fascinating that after 17 years the Signer who comes stumbling down here hoping to defeat me is Professor Fudo's son. Roman mused. "And you think destiny not in control?"
"The only destiny is the one we make, Roman." Yusei said firmly.
"Strong words, Yusei. Especially for someone hanging on by a thread." Roman scoffed. "But you're up against a force with power you can't begin to comprehend. A force awoken by your father. It's time for you to learn the truth about the force your father's work awoke. Twenty years ago, during an experiment, your father, already an expert in quantum physics, discovered planetary particles."
"Planetary particles? What are those?" Leo asked, confusion in his voice.
"Let me explain this so you'll understand." Roman began. "These particles act like planetary gears, binding otherwise unrelated particles to one another. Kind of like how the mark of the Crimson Dragon has united you and your little friends, a planetary particle brings disparate particles together. Your father's team began conducting experiments using planetary particles to build and manipulate greater molecular structures, which led to the monumental discovery of revolutionary energy and the creation of the first energy reactor. Rex and I joined his team as research assistants. Everyone was excited about the possibilities the reactor was presenting, especially your father. He couldn't contain his enthusiasm. The research was proceeding smoothly until that fateful day..."
Roman proceeded to tell the same tragic tale he told Hana when he first brought her to his lair.
When Roman finished, Yusei confronted him. "You lied to me, Roman. You said my father was greedy and didn't care about safety."
"No Yusei, I said that because I wanted to upset you, to rattle you," Roman admitted. "In truth your father was blinded by fear in the end, just as you will be."
Roman ordered Uru to attack directly. But Yusei was ready - he activated his trap, deflecting the blow. Though he had survived, Yusei knew he couldn't keep deflecting attacks forever.
Roman laughed coldly. "So you managed to survive another attack. But how much longer can you keep this up, Yusei?"
"Well, if Roman keeps attacking, not very long," Leo said anxiously.
"Try to stay positive," Trudge encouraged, though his own voice held traces of doubt.
"I draw! And play two face downs!" Yusei declared as he hoped one of them could save him. "Looks like it's your move, Roman."
"He's putting everything on those two traps," Trudge murmured.
Roman drew, his lips curling in a sinister smile. "I've got your back against the wall. I'm closing in. And this trap will cross what little hope you had."
He activated Earthbound Whirlwind, threatening to wipe Yusei's face downs.
"I hoped you'd try this. I activate Starlight Road!" Yusei declared, deflecting the destruction. "Since two of my cards are about to be destroyed. My trap can deflect the spell. And now I can use my Starlight Road to pave the way for a summoning. I give you Stardust Dragon!"
In a burst of light, the magnificent form of Stardust Dragon appeared.
"He did it! And you guys are being all negative and stuff, but I knew he could do it." Leo cheered jubilantly.
Roman sneered. "So you managed to summon your lizard, too little too late."
We'll see about that. I trigger the Shooting Star Trap! With Stardust Dragon on the field, Shooting Star can destroy one of your cards. Let's see what you can do without your Spider Web field spell in play." Yusei declared.
But Roman smiled coldly. "Actually, let's not. I activate Anti-Emptiness! With this card in play, if I drop one of my monsters' attack points to zero, I can stop the effect of your trap. And with that, I end my turn. But not before my Earthbound Immortal gets all of its attack points back." Roman said.
Yusei grit his teeth. He wasn't done yet. "Not bad, Roman. But let's see if you can counter my Battle Waltz spell card because with this in play, I get a Waltz token which can duplicate my dragon."
A duplicate Stardust Dragon appeared on the field.
"You do know that you can't attack an Earthbound Immortal, don't you?" Roman reminded him smugly.
"Thanks, but I wasn't planning on it," Yusei shot back. "I'm attacking you. Go Cosmic Flair!"
One of the dragons raced towards Roman, but at the last moment, he yelled, "Did you forget that I have a trap card? I play Roar Of The Earthbound! And since your dragon's weaker than my own, not only does your beast get destroyed, but your life points get obliterated as well. This duel is over."
"Nothing is over until I say it is. I release my Stardust Dragon in order to keep my life points safe from the effect of your trap. Now it's time for dragon number two to attack!" Yusei declared as his second dragon prepared to attack.
Roman sneered. "Not just yet. I activate the trap, Brilliant Shrine Art! Now my Immortal can intercept your attack and destroy your duplicate dragon! My Earthbound Immortal is going to destroy your dragon, and then you!"
Uru attacked, obliterating Yusei's last monster in an explosive blast. Yusei shielded his face as the shock wave nearly knocked him off his feet.
"This is destiny's hour, Yusei," Roman crowed, his voice booming with arrogant confidence. "But don't be too discouraged. You've done what you were supposed to. You've played a very pivotal role in this incredible story."
Yusei stared him down, eyes blazing with defiance. "I know you thought it was over and that your big moment was coming, but unfortunately I don't take damage when my duplicate dragon is destroyed."
Roman staggered back in disbelief, his eyes wide. "What?!"
"And not only that, Roman, but your Earthbound Immortal's power is about to take a hit because of my token special ability." Yusei continued, pointing up at the weakened Uru.
"Roman, I've listened to you go on long enough. You do terrible things. Then you say it's all just destiny's will. Well, I've got some very bad news for you, Roman. There is no such thing as destiny. There's only what you do and what you don't do. But listen, I understand that life is a long series of chain reactions. If my father had never discovered those planetary particle things, then Zero Reverse never would have happened. Satellite would still be part of Domino City. My friends like Crow and Jack wouldn't have had to grow up alone on the streets. But my dad was my dad. He wasn't some cosmic chess piece and as for my friends and all the bad stuff they've had to go through, don't tell me that fate! Don't tell me everything happened because it was meant to!" Yusei argued.
"If only you knew how wrong you are." Roman scoffed.
"Don't listen to that wing nut, Yusei. It wasn't your dad's fault. There's no way he could have known Roman was going to do what he did. Look at it this way. If Zero Reverse had never happened, you and me and all the others might not have met up and become best friends. Good things lead to bad things leading to more good things. And that's just life. And at the end of the day, we all have choices. We are destined to make them. This guy's just using destiny as an excuse to be a jerk. Or who knows? Maybe it was my destiny to say that. But either way, finish this guy, would ya?" Crow called out in a hopeful tone.
Hana watched with a conflicted expression, her eyes flickering between Yusei and Roman, torn between the two sides.
"I reveal my last trap card, Stardust Flash! If I willingly released Stardust Dragon, I can use this trap card to summon it back from my graveyard." Yusei shouted.
Roman could only gape in shocked disbelief, staggering back. "You can bring that beast back again?"
"That's right, Roman. And now he's going to attack with Cosmic Flair!" Yusei yelled.
As Stardust Dragon attacked, Roman's life points plummeted to zero and he fell to his knees, utterly defeated.
"No!" Hana cried out, her voice anguished. She tried to run to Roman but Crow held her back. Tears streamed down her face as she struggled in vain against Crow's grip.
Despite his defeat, Roman began to laugh, a chilling mocking sound. "You really think it's over, don't you? Well, unless you seal all the towers by sunset, the King of the Netherworld will resurrect!"
Roman's body slowly disintegrated before their eyes, but his ominous laughter remained. "An ultimate god has already been unleashed!" he declared maniacally.
Shocked, Yusei could only watch as Roman detached his mechanical arm, exploding the bridge under Yusei's feet. The ground crumbled away and Yusei plummeted towards the glowing light below.
"Yusei, no!" Crow cried out in despair, reaching out helplessly as his friend fell. Hana covered her mouth to muffle a horrified scream, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. Trudge, Leo, and Luna could only stare down wordlessly, faces pale with fear and disbelief.
Though victorious in the duel, Yusei now faced his greatest peril yet. As the dust settled over the ruined bridge, his friends could only look down into the chasm below, terrified they had seen the last of the courageous Signer.
