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Hello everyone, and welcome to Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth! After several months of going onto Fanfiction, I decided to try my hand at writing a story. I chose Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS because I really liked the actual story and believed that it can become better with some tuning. Since this is my first story, any advice would be appreciated.

The story will follow Yuhiro Furutani, an OC-insert to VRAINS. He works as an agent on the black market in Link VRAINS. He lives with Roxanne Matsuo, or Roxy for short.

Now that you know some details about the story, I hope you enjoy the first chapter of Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS: Obscured Truth!

Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS, its characters, or any of its cards. I own any OC cards and characters that are put in the story.

Chapter 1: Raguel

"Cyberse, be gone!" A man declared, as two large black and green mechanical dragons flew and burned the land. One of the dragons immediately began circling a tower, with the intent of guarding the man.

Nearby the tower was an enormous red ring, with a heptagon in the middle. At each of its ends were medium sized dots, with a small, digital humanoid being held per dot inside, all different colors.

"How did the Knights of Hanoi find us?" A yellow, digital humanoid being emerged from the dot, despite being restrained. "He's going to wipe us out; we gotta do something!"

"Do what?" a brown, tall digital humanoid being said. "He's got us trapped!"

"But not me; because no one can catch this fella, and I mean NO ONE!" a new voice said, as a purple-tinted black, small digital humanoid being appeared, with its legs apart and arms on its hips. "And since you're all tied up at the moment, I mean, how embarrassing." Looking at the dragon, the being said, "Anyway, it's up to me to save the day!"

Immediately upon saying that, the dragon roared once it saw its prey.

"Eliminate that Ignis NOW!" the man ordered.

The dragon flew straight at the being, now identified as an Ignis.

"Watch out!" the female, Blue Ignis cried out.

With quick thinking, the Black Ignis stole vital information from the Cyberse and hid the information within himself, disconnecting it from the rest of the network.

The Red Ignis realized what his comrade was doing. "He's hiding our world to protect us."

"But won't that mean he can never come home again?" the Green Ignis asked.

By the time the Black Ignis finished with his task, the dragon arrived and ate the being in one, massive bite. With its body being nothing but code, all that remained was a single eyeball, drifting in the abyss of the network.

The man immediately returned to an unknown location in the network and said, "Find every fragment of that Ignis and DESTROY IT!"

Yuhiro Furutani woke up, drenched in sweat, in his bed. He was breathing heavily, as the dream he just had was still fresh in his head.

Damn, he thought. What is up with that dream? It felt like I was there myself.

He blinked. No, I can't let that dream bother me. Three. Think of three things. Three things to live. Three things to go home. Three things to defeat the enemy. By thinking, you can still live.

He closed his eyes to focus. One: I'm in my bedroom in Roxy's house in Den City. I'm not in that place, for I left there 10 years ago.

He opened his eyes and looked around his bedroom. It had a bed, a desk, and a cabinet for storing clothing and other materials. Two: Even if it takes a long time, I know these nightmares will eventually fade.

His breathing eventually became steady. Three: The job I do with Roxy, I don't just do for her. I do it for Miyu as well. Everything I do is so she can one day smile again.

He got out of bed and headed to the bathroom. After splashing water on his face, he looked at the reflection in the mirror. Staring at him was a 16-year-old teenager with cyan eyes and brushed down white hair wearing a white-ruby pendent. There were also bags under his eyes.

Yuhiro had been having these dreams for the past ten years. Sometimes, they were severe, but there were times when he would have dreams prior to the Incident, when he was a happy kid.

I could tell Roxy about the dreams, he thought. He then sighed. But who am I kidding? She'd recommend those sleeping pills again. He looked at the pendent he was wearing. A relic of the past. As long as I continue wearing this pendent, it will serve as a reminder to keep moving forward, to a day where I too can move on from my trauma.

Satisfied, Yuhiro turned off the lights in his bathroom and went back to his bedroom. He walked over to his desk and picked up the small clock that was there. At least he had some time to sleep before school in the morning. After all, it's better than going to school sleep deprived. Again.

The next day….

Yuhiro stared at his schoolwork, trying to focus. The teacher had just given the class their Statistics homework for the week and some time to get started on it. He found that focusing on the problem laid out in front of him helped direct his attention to something other than his other work. In addition, it also gave him an excuse to not interact with other people.

"Hey, you're a duelist, right?"

Unfortunately, there were still some people who wanted to talk to him. Yuhiro turned to his right and looked at the student who said that. It was a slightly overweight boy with tiny eyes, a large mouth, and green hair. Like Yuhiro, he wore the outfit of Den Academy. The other students were talking with each other and working together on the homework. However, Yuhiro didn't have any intention to work with the other students. He noticed that he wasn't the only one who felt this way, as a boy in the back row was taking a nap, with his head in his arms.

"I mean," the boy said, drawing Yuhiro's attention to him, "you are wearing a Duel Disk. Though looking at it, it's an older model. I guess that means you're an amateur".

Yuhiro looked at his Duel Disk on his left arm. It was circular in shape, with a white base and yellow top circling a black screen. A section on the side facing away from him was colored light grey.

"Who are you exactly?" he asked. While the boy was familiar, he had no idea who he was.

"Hey!" the boy said, annoyed. "It's been a month since school started! You still don't know your classmate's name?" He smirked and jabbed himself with his left thumb. "My name's Naoki Shima. You're Furutani, right? Based on where you're sitting, I'm guessing you don't have many friends," he guessed.

"Not really. But I am Furutani, if that's what you're asking," Yuhiro said. He would have returned to the problem he was working on, but Naoki shook his right shoulder.

"Oi! I wasn't finished talking with you yet," Naoki said. He gave a smug smile and lifted his left arm, which had a blue contraption attached to his wrist. "Anything you want to say to me?"

Yuhiro looked at him, then looked back at the problem. "Not really," he replied. This annoyed Naoki even more, who then shoved his arm close to Yuhiro's face and said, "What about this?

"Oh," Yuhiro commented, an uninterested expression on his face. "That's SOL Technologies' newest Duel Disk, correct?"

"You bet it is!" Naoki said, his smile bigger and tiny eyes shining. "Anyways, this Duel Disk has an AI installed that gives advice not just during duels, but in real life as well."

"Hello", the Duel Disk on his arm said.

"Hello", Yuhiro said back. He decided to put aside his Statistics homework and go on his tablet. Perhaps if he looked like he was busy doing something else, then Naoki would take the hint and leave him alone.

But no such luck, as Naoki sat down in the seat beside Yuhiro. "This AI is connected to SOL Technologies cloud. Thus, I can use cards in data form". He held up his right hand as he continued, "I also have access to the VR network, LINK VRAINS." He then showed Yuhiro several pictures of duelists in LINK VRAINS, the cyberspace dueling community, on his Duel Disk. "See? What do you think?"

"Interesting," Yuhiro said, deadpan. "Have you ever gone to LINK VRAINS to duel?"

"Don't be stupid!" Naoki suddenly shouted, attracting the attention of several students, as well as his AI, which said, "'Stupid' is a forbidden word."

"It's a special gathering place for expert duelists, as well as Charisma Duelists!" Naoki said, this time more softly.

"I see." Yuhiro was completely bored. He knew all about the so-called 'Charisma' Duelists: Duelists who put on a show for the crowd through dueling.

"But if I do go," Naoki continued, "maybe I'll meet the Charisma Duelists there. Maybe I'll even meet Playmaker himself!"

"Playmaker?" Yuhiro asked. The name was familiar, but he couldn't remember where from.

"He's the hottest duelist right now," Naoki explained. "He secretly fights the Knights of Hanoi, hackers who commit crimes in LINK VRAINS."

Stopping crimes in LINK VRAINS? Yuhiro thought. You may think that's what he does Shima, but I believe there's more to it than that…

He asked Naoki, "Do you have a picture of Playmaker?" While he didn't know where he knew the name from, perhaps a picture might help in ordering his thoughts around.

"Of course not," Naoki replied, not noticing Yuhiro's disappointment. "Apparently, no one knows who he is. But I intend to meet Playmaker and become a duelist of justice, just like him!" Unfortunately, that last statement was louder than the rest, which earned Naoki a reprimand from the teacher.

"Sorry, ma'am," he said, turning back to Yuhiro and talking quieter. "Though, if I can't meet Playmaker, I do want to meet Raguel."

"Raguel?" Yuhiro asked, raising an eyebrow. He pretended this got his attention. It worked, as Naoki noticed. "Is that someone else fighting against the Knights of Hanoi?"

"Oh, he does more than fighting! People say that, after he defeats an opponent, he obtains their equipment and gives it to the poor, like Robin Hood. Others say that he eliminates enemies, keeps LINK VRAINS' underworld in check, and assists those in trouble. If anything, he's just as big a hero as Playmaker! Sadly, no one knows who he is either." A thought immediately occurred to Naoki. "Say, would you like me to teach you how to duel? If you like, you can even join the Duel Club."

"Duel Club?" Yuhiro asked, not expecting that. "Is it some sort of club?"

"Yes. It's an extracurricular group where we discuss tactics and strategies," Naoki explained. "If not, then I can teach you how to duel."

"No, thank you," Yuhiro immediately replied, turning to his tablet again. "I'm not looking for extracurricular work as well."

"Don't think of it as work, think of it as making friends."

Friends, Yuhiro thought. His thoughts, however, were interrupted as Naoki said, "Everyone can use friends." He turned to the person behind them. "Zaizen, help me out here. I'm trying to get this guy to join the Duel Club, but he won't do it."

"Then leave him alone, Shima," the student said. Yuhiro glanced back. The speaker was a girl, with light brown hair in a bob-cut and yellow eyes, typing on her own tablet. "Not everyone wants to join the Duel Club."

"But the president said we need new members, and-."

"Shima." The girl scowled at Naoki, which silenced him. She sighed and turned from her tablet to Yuhiro. "I'm Aoi Zaizen," she said. "Do you want to join the Duel Club?"

"No," he said, not bothering to look at her. Zaizen? From what he heard, there was a well-known SOL Executive also named Zaizen. Could she be related to him?

"There you go, Shima," Aoi said to Naoki. "He's not interested." She turned back to her tablet. While Yuhiro wasn't sure who she is, he had to admit: She was straight to the point.

"Ugh. Am I the only one who takes the Duel Club seriously?" Naoki wondered. He turned to Yuhiro. "Look, you don't have to join. But could you at least consider it? I don't think being alone is healthy for a person."

Yuhiro was about to respond, but then remembered what Roxy told him. If you don't want to see the therapist, then at least consider interacting with others. If you do, you might be able to find some comfort after what happened. He wasn't sure how talking to people would help, but he trusted Roxy with his life.

"Alright Shima. I'll think about it," Yuhiro finally said. This was enough to satisfy Naoki, as he returned to his seat. Finally, he thought. I can at least focus on something else other than the Duel Club.

"Sorry about that." Yuhiro turned behind him. This time, it was Aoi who spoke to him, but her eyes were on her tablet. "While Shima means well, he can be very impulsive."

"I can tell he's a good person," Yuhiro said. "But I doubt in his ability to duel. I don't think I'd learn anything from joining the Duel Club as well."

Aoi looked from her tablet to Yuhiro. "What makes you think of those things?"

Yuhiro held up his hand. "There are three reasons that tell me Shima is a bad duelist. One," he held up one finger, "he bragged about his Duel Disk. The fact that he relies on an AI for dueling shows he doesn't care about his deck. Two," he held up another finger, "he's told me that he's not yet ready to compete in LINK VRAINS. It shows that he doesn't trust his abilities. Three," he held up a third finger, "he pre-judged me by the age of my Duel Disk, not by my skill or my cards. Thus, he isn't a good duelist."

Aoi raised an eyebrow at Yuhiro's reasons, but he continued talking. "However, there's three reasons I believe he's a good person at heart. One, even if it's about an object, he wants to talk about dueling because of his passion for Duel Monsters. Two, by acquiring the latest Duel Disk, he's well informed. Three, the fact he went to talk to a loner like myself shows he's willing to make friends. Therefore, while he's not a good duelist, he is a good person."

Aoi stared at Yuhiro, not expecting him to speak so much. "Why do you categorize things into groups of three?"

"It helps me think. Also, someone taught it to me a long time ago." Yuhiro turned back to his tablet. Unlike Naoki, Aoi took the hint and turned back to her own tablet.

LINK VRAINS: Unknown location…

A lone figure stood in an unlit room. This person was a tan-skinned man with yellow eyes without irises or pupils, and black hair with orange and red highlights. He wore a white sleeveless coat with a white jumpsuit under it, black and red boots, a black-colored Duel Disk, with red accents, and gold-bullet shaped earrings. He also had a visor shaped in the form of a mask covering his face.

Another person logged into the room. This person was a fair-skinned man with grey hair and light blue eyes. He wore a white suit with grey outlines and a black stripe on his chest, as well as white shoes.

The newly arrived man bowed to the other. "Master Revolver, the Ignis has finally reappeared. But if we've detected it, SOL Tech must have to, for they wish to find and revive the Cyberse."

The man, now identified as Revolver, replied, "Then we must simply capture it before they do, Specter. After all, the Cyberse needs to be destroyed, not revived."

"I don't doubt your abilities Revolver," the other man, Specter, said, "but what if this Playmaker dares interfere with us again? There's also rumors of another individual, called Raguel. Some call him a dark angel, who exists only to eliminate and destroy. Others call him the king of LINK VRAINS' underworld."

"Let Playmaker interfere if he must. He's nothing more than a nuisance. As for Raguel, if he gets in our way, we'll deal with him," Revolver said.

Specter spoke up. "May I suggest that Playmaker, as well as Raguel, are more formidable than you think. Our best hackers have failed to uncover either of their real-life identities. Not only do they block our trackers, they both purge their logging histories."

"Focus on the task at hand for now Spectre," Revolver said, dismissing him. "Hunt down that Ignis and bring it to me."

Elsewhere…

Café Matsuo. Yuhiro noticed an advertisement for it on his way back from school. It held significant meaning to his life, as it was one of two places that he found comfort in. He smelled something in the air. I wonder what Roxy's cooking, he thought. Because if it's good, then I can smell it all the way from here.

Yuhiro walked into Café Matsuo. It was mostly empty; the afternoon rush finished a while ago. Roxy was standing behind the counter, handing a man the burger and fries he purchased.

"Hope you enjoy the meal!" she said, with her southern accent. She then perked up upon seeing Yuhiro approaching the counter. "Hey there Yuhiro! You came at the right time!" Roxanne Matsuo was slightly taller than Yuhiro, with black, wavy, waist-length hair tied in a ponytail. She wore a hairband with black-trimmed glasses, with blue denim jeans and a dark yellow shirt with an apron on it. Her eyes were black and had light-tan skin, making her an attractive figure. "Why don't you come on in and get an apron."

"Loud and clear, boss," Yuhiro said, going behind the counter and putting on his apron. With him at the counter, Roxy could man the grill. Working at the Café with Roxy was his job. Or at the very least, one of his jobs.

When he got close to Roxy, he asked, "How's Miyu?"

Roxy looked despondent as she said, "Nothing's changed for her." The bell at the Café immediately rang. "That's your cue." After taking the customer's order and handing it to Roxy, Yuhiro changed the subject.

"Any updates from our friend?" he asked.

"Yup," Roxy said, her expression neutral and her voice low as she turned the grill on. "Lately, Den City's security network has been strengthened. I believe SOL Technologies is performing a scan of LINK VRAINS, to find something."

"What would SOL even want to find at this point in time? Don't they have everything?" Yuhiro said, raising an eyebrow.

"They do," Roxy said, as she was flipping the burger patty, "but they're looking for an AI program. And from the looks of the situation, it's fleeing from something."

Yuhiro thought about what she said for a full minute before speaking. "An AI running away? How ridiculous. They don't have free will." He realized something. "If SOL is doing a scan tonight during the event, there's going to be weaknesses in the network. And others that might exploit it."

"Like the Knights of Hanoi?" Roxy said, narrowing her eyes as she flipped the burger patty over. "They're a likely target. And our friend loves their tech, that's for sure."

"Yup. Best part is, not only do we get to keep some of the tech, we also get paid for each knight defeated." Noticing the burger was almost finished, Yuhiro went over and grabbed a Diet-Coke from the fridge. He then put it in a paper bag. "Besides, I can't just let them hurt people."

"You could leave it to Playmaker," Roxy suggested as she wrapped up the burger and put it in the paper bag. "He's just a pain in the ass for the Hanoi as you are. If they do appear, he'll hunt them down."

"As much as I want to trust Playmaker, I don't. And if SOL tries to stop them, they'll get trashed." Yuhiro went to the counter and handed the customer his order. He then went back to the grill. "Think of it like this: I stop the Knights, we get paid by our friend, any tech obtained from my jobs is used for the next one, and the money goes towards Miyu's treatment."

"She does need it," Roxy said, looking at Yuhiro. "But I worry about you, Yuhiro. As my granddaddy always said, no matter how skilled you are, you'll eventually face someone you can't beat." Yuhiro was about to get a water from the fridge when she added, "And they certainly don't help with the dreams you've been having, haven't they?"

Yuhiro stopped what he was doing and turned to face her. Roxy gave him a serious look.

"You had another one, didn't you?"

"They never go away, Roxy," Yuhiro said, grabbing a water from the fridge and drinking it. "It's been ten years and they still happen. The dream last night, however, was different."

"Really? How so?" Roxy asked as she cleaned her glasses. Yuhiro then explained what happened in that dream. She whistled once he was finished. "Wow. That's one weird dream."

"I feel like I was there though," Yuhiro said, as he ran his hands through his brushed down white hair. "Like perhaps this dream was meant to show that nothing will be the same anymore."

"Or you could be acting delusional." Roxy smirked as she walked past him to the front of the Café and turned on the 'CLOSED' sign.

"Roxy, I'm not acting delusional," Yuhiro said, getting her attention. "And before you ask, I've tried moving on. But the dreams never stop. Right now, I can just continue helping you with your jobs and earning money to help you and Miyu. It's the least I can do after everything you did for me."

Ever since the incident ten years ago, Yuhiro had been living with Roxy. Actually, before getting adopted by her, he was taken in by the Den City Shelter following the incident. Roxy put up with Yuhiro, helped pay for his therapy for a short period of time, and paid for Yuhiro's education at Den Academy. Working at her fast-food restaurant for free was one of the ways Yuhiro paid her back. And, after he learned that her cousin Miyu was also part of the incident, he worked with Roxy in undertaking missions as an agent in LINK VRAINS' black market. Once the mission was complete, their friend paid them in both money and technology, with the money going towards Miyu's treatment. The technology, on the other hand…

Yuhiro looked at his watch. It's time. "Say, Roxy. Have you finished the repairs on my gun and sword?"

"I finished the repairs this morning," Roxy said, taking her apron off and hanging it in the clothes hanger. "They're ready to go."

"Perfect." Yuhiro took off his apron and walked with her to the back room. "Cause I have a feeling that tonight is going to be a doozy."

A few minutes later…

"Everyone! Are you fired up?" In the central plaza of Den City, a large crowd had gathered, watching several television screens. "Tonight, many Charisma Duelists are about to duel in LINK VRAINS!" This was said by an MC wearing glasses and an orange suit holding a microphone.

"Dueling in Area #1 is LINK VRAINS #1 hooligan who uses the Gouki deck, Go Onizuka!" The screens shifted to show a well-built young man with dark hair, a chin beard, and a gold hat. He wore a large jacket that exposed his chest with dark pants and a golden belt, as well as large boots with gold plated knuckles and gold plates on his arms with black fingerless gloves. The screens showed Go standing in an area resembling Paris.

"Dueling in Area #2 is LINK VRAINS' poster girl who uses the Trickstar deck, Blue Angel!" The screens shifted again to show a teenage girl with long blue hair tied into two long strands of heart-shaped ribbons. Here eyes were also blue, and she wore a white sleeveless with a blue necktie over a blue and pink dress with wing-shaped frills, and dark blue thigh-high socks. Her most noticeable feature, however, was the pair of white wings on her back with pink hearts and lavender clovers on them. Blue Angel was standing on a rooftop facing her opponent, with the area resembling Florence, Italy.

"You know, of all convenient times, SOL picked the worst time to perform a scan," Yuhiro said. He and Roxy were sitting in the back room of the restaurant, typing on the computers. One monitor showed the LINK VRAINS event live. If Yuhiro was right about the Hanoi attacking, the live recording would show it first. "If Hanoi takes advantage of the opportunity, lots of people are going to get hurt tonight."

"Couldn't agree more," Roxy replied. "Honestly, if SOL's doing the scan now, it's either they're pressured, or they're arrogant in how strong their so-called 'security' is."

"There is something I need to know," Yuhiro said, turning from the monitor to Roxy. "Were you able to get any information on Playmaker?"

Playmaker appeared many months after Yuhiro started taking missions as an agent in LINK VRAINS' black market. Yuhiro assumed Playmaker was another agent just like him but was shortly proven wrong enough. He learned that Playmaker only battled against the Knights of Hanoi. Otherwise, he would've been given other jobs such as recruitment and retrieval. Although Yuhiro couldn't figure out why Playmaker would only fight with one enemy group, he believed that there was more to it other than simply protecting LINK VRAINS.

"Nothing. Zilch," Roxy said, shaking her head. "After he shows up, he simply deletes his activity logs. No trail and no eyewitnesses. It's like he's a ghost."

"So, he's not only a strong duelist, but a skilled hacker," Yuhiro concluded. "Interesting."

One of the monitors immediately started beeping. "SOL started the scan. Roxy, do you know which version it is?"

"It's the MCA Version 84493." Roxy narrowed her eyes at the monitor as she typed on the computers. "I guess they want that AI program bad."

LINK VRAINS: Unknown location…

Revolver was looking at the monitor with Specter when an alert popped up.

"Master Revolver," Specter said. "The city's firewall is down 23%. And dropping."

Revolver smirked. At last, an opportunity came. "This is our chance. Number 9. Number 10."

Immediately, two men wearing white-hooded coats appeared, bowing behind Revolver. Both of them wore grey and yellow masks covering their faces, with one red eye and one green eye.

"Yes, Master Revolver," one of the men said. This was Number 10. "How may we serve?"

"The Ignis will attempt to escape into LINK VRAINS." Revolver's face soon turned serious. "Capture it and bring it to me immediately."

"Affirmative," Number 9 said. "We will not fail." The two men logged out of the room soon after.

Café Matsuo's Backroom…

Suddenly, the screen showing the scan started beeping red. "Shit," Roxy said. The flashing color indicated that someone was breaking into LINK VRAINS. "Someone, or something, is breaching SOL's firewall."

"Can you identify who or what?" Yuhiro asked her. Before Roxy could answer him, the screen showing Blue Angel and Go started glitching. Both of them turned to watch the screen. There was suddenly a massive hole in Go's arena, through which two massive black and green mechanical dragons appeared. Each dragon was ridden by a man in a white coat with their hood up. Yuhiro knew the moment he saw them that they were members of the Knights of Hanoi.

"It's the Hanoi!" Roxy said. She turned to see Yuhiro getting up from his chair. "Where are you going?"

"They've broken into LINK VRAINS," Yuhiro answered, putting on his Duel Disk. "And I can't let them hurt the people that are there."

"Yuhiro, be careful," Roxy said, turning back to the screen. "And look out for that AI program. If we capture it, then we can auction it on the black market for the highest price."

Yuhiro headed to another room in the restaurant. This was a closed off space where he could enter LINK VRAINS quickly and quietly. He reached into his jacket and pulled out his deck. After the door closed, he placed his deck into his Duel Disk and said, "Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"

Yuhiro was surrounded by a sphere of blue light as he spread out his arms. His appearance changed to that of his digital avatar. He wore a long, dark blue coat with a red inner lining and a brown harness. Under the coat was a black jumpsuit with lines in the shape of an x on the center. The white-ruby pendent he was wearing earlier was also worn around his neck. A brown belt appeared around his waist, as well as brown boots going halfway up his shins. Yuhiro's hair changed so that the top grew upward instead of being brushed down, with the color changing to aquamarine. The last part to change was his eyes, changing from cyan to grey. He was propelled into LINK VRAINS, entering through a digital portal and landing in the ruins of Area #2. No longer was he Yuhiro Furutani. Now he was Raguel.

After landing, he noticed a familiar weight on his back and waist. My sword and double-barreled gun, he thought. Thank you, Roxy.

He ran around, looking for the Knights of Hanoi, when he found one. He was still riding the mechanical dragon, but he was chasing someone that Raguel recognized as Blue Angel.

"Vanish!" the Knight shouted. His dragon breathed fire at Blue Angel, but before Raguel could intervene, someone else grabbed Blue Angel and pulled her out of the way of the fire.

"Gee, I'm really back," someone said. Was it Blue Angel's savior? The figure had spiky yellow, pink, and orange hair and wore a black and dark green jumpsuit with a gold line running up his left arm.

"You dare interfere, punk?" the Knight asked the man.

"My name is Playmaker!" the man declared. Raguel, who was watching from the corner, raised an eyebrow. This was the Playmaker everyone was talking about? He had really good timing. "And I have what you're looking for." He held up his left arm, showing a red, white, and blue Duel Disk. "If you don't call off your attack, you'll regret it. Because I'll delete this AI right now."

"What what what!" Raguel realized the voice before was coming from Playmaker's Duel Disk. Was this the AI everyone wanted? "I've decided I don't like you very much."

Playmaker ignored this and continued, "I converted this program into a duel program. If you want it, then you have to defeat me in a duel."

So that's the AI SOL was scanning for, Raguel thought. It was like putting two and two together – Playmaker had possession of an AI program, and SOL was scanning for an AI program. Thus, this AI program was the one they'd been looking for. At the same time, Raguel concluded that the Hanoi was attacking because they too were looking for the AI program. Since Playmaker got the AI before SOL or Hanoi, he could use it as a bargaining chip to make Hanoi cease their attack. You're clever Playmaker. This might get interesting.

"Fine," the Knight said smirking. "You'll learn what happens when you oppose the Hanoi!" Unbeknownst to everyone else, the Knight opened a channel and called his partner. "I located the Ignis," he whispered. "Playmaker has it. Come to my location so we can overwhelm him with numbers!"

The Knight and Playmaker moved locations to the LINK VRAINS central city location. They stood opposite to each other, with Raguel eavesdropping on them around the corner. He was curious as to what kind of duelist Playmaker was, and what weapons the Hanoi use.

What happened next even surprised Raguel. Playmaker appeared to be talking to his Duel Disk when it released a purple light towards the sky.

"What's going on?" Raguel wondered, watching with surprise. The light opened a tunnel that released a stream of blue, purple, and white data. The next thing he knew, he felt a gust of wind.

"No way! A Data Storm?" Raguel said, his eyes wide. This was confirmed when a black and white board with blue fins suddenly appeared, which Playmaker jumped on to. The board landed on the data stream, and Raguel watched as Playmaker raced away. From what he knew, Data Storms haven't been seen in years, which meant…

He noticed Blue Angel and Go Onizuka following Playmaker. He couldn't miss this duel! Raguel pressed a button on his Duel Disk, releasing a small, black fly with a camera and orange eyes. "Ok E.M.S. Follow Playmaker and record his duel," he commanded it. The fly flew away, following the stream of data. If his suspicions were correct, Playmaker was about to have a Speed Duel with the Knight of Hanoi.

While Raguel wanted to follow Playmaker, he realized he had other problems. He heard a roar out in the distance. When Raguel turned his head as to what it was, he saw the other Knight of Hanoi racing towards the duel on his own dragon. He soon realized the scenario: The Knight will end up working with his ally to overwhelm Playmaker with numbers.

Like that's going to happen, Raguel thought. He launched a red cord towards the dragon, which wrapped around its tail. Raguel was yanked off the ground and into the air. He used the velocity to swing and land on top of the dragon.

"What the? Who goes there?" the Knight said, turning around. He soon realized that a trespasser was on top of his dragon!

"Sorry," Raguel said, as he unsheathed his sword, "but your dragon's toast!" Raguel lifted his sword and slammed it downwards into the dragon's body, causing it to roar in pain. He then twisted the sword's handle several times, making the dragon suffer even more pain, as well as the Knight losing control of it.

"Shit! I'm losing control!" The dragon immediately started to fall into the abyss, but Raguel unceremoniously grabbed the Knight and threw him to the rooftop of a nearby building, with Raguel landing on it shortly after.

The Knight growled as he stood up, shouting, "Who dares attack Hanoi?"

"I dare." The Knight turned and looked at the voice. It was Raguel. "Oh, and I'd check your left wrist if I were you." The Knight looked at his left wrist and saw a red cord wrapped around it. "This is a Duel Anchor," he told him. "It prevents both of us from logging out until we have a duel.

"Who are you?" the Knight demanded.

"I am Raguel," Raguel answered.

"You're Raguel? The same one who steals the losing duelist's equipment? The same one who is king of LINK VRAINS' underworld?" The Knight was surprised, even though his mask hid it. "What business do you have with Hanoi?"

"To answer your first question, yes, I'm Raguel. As for your second, yes, I steal the losing duelist's equipment and sell it on the black market. As for the third, I think you're a bit far-fetched if you ask me. Lastly, you're attacking LINK VRAINS, which is all the reason I need!" Raguel said. He activated his Duel Disk, revealing a blue and black blade with a white outline. "If you wish to leave, then you must defeat me!"

"Fine!" the Knight said, activating his own Duel Disk. It was a version of SOL's new Duel Disk, looking like a white wrist band with green lines and a blue sphere on top.

While it would be cool to have a Speed Duel with this punk, Raguel thought, Playmaker is currently occupying the people's attention. Less attention means more focus in getting this job done.

"Duel!" they both shouted.

Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP

Raguel: 4000 LP

"I'll take the first turn," the Knight said, as he waved his hand in front of him. Five cards materialized in front of him. Seeing what was in his hand, he smiled. With this hand, he thought, I can finish this duel and complete my task for Master Revolver!

"Since you control no monsters, I can Special Summon Hack Worm!" A mechanical brown worm with green lines running across its body appeared and roared at Raguel.

Hack Worm ATK: 400 DEF: 0 LVL: 1

"I now Special Summon another Hack Worm!" A second mechanical brown worm with green lines running across its body soon appeared on the field.

Hack Worm ATK: 400 DEF: 0 LVL: 1

"Two monsters," Raguel whispered. "He can still Normal Summon this turn." Speaking to the Knight, he said, "You're going to Tribute Summon, aren't you?"

"That's correct!" the Knight said, impressed by his enemy's deduction. This duelist was smarter than the others. "Now I use my two Hack Worm's to Tribute Summon! Come forth, Cracking Dragon!" The mechanical dragon he'd been riding on earlier appeared on his field. It was black and green, with six bladed wings attached by six glowing lights.

Cracking Dragon ATK: 3000 DEF: 0 LV: 8

"With this monster, you're finished Raguel!" the Knight declared. "I Set one card and end my turn."

"So that's his ace monster," Raguel muttered to himself, looking at the cards in his hand. 3000 attack points on the same turn. Now this is a challenge, he thought.

He placed his hand on his deck. "My turn," he declared. "I draw!" He drew and looked at his card. Perfect! This will do, he thought.

"From my hand, I summon Cyreath Banshee!" A pale, female ghost with long white hair and wearing a grey dress appeared on Raguel's left side.

Cyreath Banshee ATK: 1400 DEF: 700 LVL: 4

"So, you use the Cyberse type," the Knight said. "But it doesn't matter before Cracking Dragon! I activate Cracking Dragon's monster effect! If you Normal or Special Summon exactly one monster, its attack points are decreased by its level times 200. Also, you take damage equal to how much attack points your monster loses! Crack Fall!"

The orbs around Cracking Dragon glowed as a gust of wind hit Raguel and Cyreath Banshee, hurting both of them. Since Banshee's level was 4, Raguel took 800 points of damage.

Cyreath Banshee ATK: 1400 – 800 = 600

Raguel: 4000 – 800 = 3200 LP

"So that's the power of Cracking Dragon," Raguel said, narrowing his eyes at the monster. "In that case, I activate Cyreath Banshee's effect! Once per turn, I can change the battle position of one monster you control to Defense Position. While monsters I control can only attack the targeted monster this turn, any monster that attacks it can inflict piercing battle damage! Ghoulish Scream!"

Cyreath Banshee screamed loudly at Cracking Dragon, causing the dragon to brace itself as it changed from Attack to Defense Position.

"Now battle! Cyreath Banshee, attack Cracking Dragon! Transparent Invasion!" The banshee immediately went inside of Cracking Dragon and tore it to shreds, causing an explosion. The Knight's response to this was only a smirk.

Knight of Hanoi: 4000 – 600 = 3400 LP

"Do you really think that will destroy my Cracking Dragon?" the Knight said. And sure enough, Cracking Dragon was still on the field.

"How is your monster still on the field?" Raguel demanded. He also noticed something else: a face-down card was activated on the Knight's side of the field.

"Cracking Dragon cannot be destroyed by monsters whose level is lower than it," the Knight answered him. "And since my monster wasn't destroyed, I was able to activate my Trap Card, Crack Supply!" The card showed Cracking Dragon being outfitted with new power cores at its wings. "When a monster I control isn't destroyed by battle, I'm able to draw two cards from my deck. So, thank you, Raguel!"

Shit, Raguel thought. Cracking Dragon's level is 8, meaning I'll need either a Link monster or a monster whose level is higher than that of Cracking Dragon's. And because of my idiocy, he got to draw two cards!

"I Set two cards. And end my turn." Raguel said. "Since the turn ended, Cracking Dragon's effect ends, and Cyreath Banshee's attack points go back to normal."

Cyreath Banshee ATK: 600 + 800 = 1400

"My turn!" the Knight declared. "I draw!" He looked at the card he drew, then the cards in his hand. The Knight realized that he had the perfect combination of cards to win the duel.

"With these cards, you're finished, Raguel," the Knight shouted. "I activate the Spell Card: DDoS Attack! I target 1 monster I control and send any number of copies of DDos Attack from my deck to the Graveyard. You then take 100 points of damage for each card sent to the Graveyard times the level of a Machine monster I control!"

Uh-oh, Raguel thought. He also noted that if the Knight's Cracking Dragon attacked his Cyreath Banshee, he would most certainly lose the duel. Apparently, this Knight wasn't taking any risks.

"I send two copies of DDos Attack, and target Cracking Dragon! Therefore, you take 1600 points of damage!" A red laser blasted out of the card towards Raguel, but he was ready for it.

"Counter-Trap activate! Cyreath Intervention!" It showed a lightning strike from a mountain with a grand hall at the top. "By paying 1000 Life Points, I can negate the activation of a card effect, and then destroy it." A lightning bolt struck DDos attack, making it vanish into particles, while another lightning bolt hit Raguel, making him wince.

Raguel: 3200 – 1000 = 2200 LP

"All that to save 600 Life Points," the Knight mockingly said. "Rest assured Raguel. I got other cards to tear your field apart. Like this one! I activate my Spell Card: Crack Breaker!" The card showed Cracking Dragon firing a blast of electricity at a firewall. "When this card is activated, if I control Cracking Dragon, I can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card you control! And I choose the only one you have on your field!"

Cracking Dragon fired a burst of electricity at the face-down card, destroying it. However, the only reaction the Knight got from Raguel was a smirk.

"Sorry," Raguel said, "but the card you destroyed was the Spell Card Cyreath Salvation! And now that you destroyed it, I can use its second effect!" The card showed a scholar praying over the graves of warriors that have fallen. "Since Cyreath Salvation was destroyed by a card effect, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand, deck or Graveyard."

A card slid out from Raguel's deck. "And the monster I choose to Special Summon from my deck is Cyreath Legionnaire!" A muscular man in golden armor, shin pads, braces, and helmet with red feathers appeared on the field. He carried a small sword and massive shield.

Cyreath Legionnaire ATK: 1700 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4

"Have you forgot the effect of Cracking Dragon?" the Knight said. Thrusting his hand out, he shouted, "Crack Fall!" The orbs around Cracking Dragon glowed again as a gust of wind hit Raguel and Cyreath Legionnaire. To the Knight's surprise, the monster wasn't losing any attack points.

"How come your monster didn't lose any attack points?" the Knight said, annoyed at what happened.

"I forgot to mention," Raguel said, "that if I control a 'Cyreath' monster when Legionnaire is summoned, it is unaffected by card effects. That means I don't take effect damage."

"Tch. In that case, I change my Cracking Dragon to Attack Position!" the Knight declared. The monster roared as its position switched. "Now battle! Cracking Dragon, attack Cyreath Banshee! Traffic Blast!" Cracking Dragon sent out a stream of blue fire at Banshee, destroying it. The blue fire then hit Raguel and sent him flying backwards.

Raguel: 2200 – 1600 = 600 LP

"You may have survived," the Knight commented, "but the match is over! I end my turn."

"Wrong! The duel isn't over until the last card is played!" Raguel said, a determined look on his face.

The Knight simply laughed in response. "You don't understand, do you? Then you're a bigger fool than I thought you were!"

Raguel was about to say something to the Knight when he heard a loud noise. When he turned around to see what was causing it, his eyes widened in terror. A large tornado of data was heading their way, destroying everything in its path.

"It's lights out for you, Raguel! Goodbye!" the Knight sneered. He laughed as Raguel panicked.

Raguel was going to activate his Duel Anchor to latch onto a nearby building, when he noticed the Data Storm breaking in two.

"What?" the Knight and Raguel said simultaneously. They both saw a figure shooting out of the Data Storm. Raguel realized that the figure was Playmaker, holding a card.

Playmaker shot out of the Data Storm and landed on a nearby data stream, continuing his duel, not realizing that he saved Raguel from being crushed into particles.

Thanks, Playmaker, Raguel thought. Turning back to the Knight, he said, "Looks like you were wrong pal! I'm still alive!"

"That may be true," the Knight said, agreeing with him, "but you have only 1 monster and 600 Life Points. While I have Cracking Dragon on my field! So, if you summon a Level 3 or above monster, you lose!"

"Then let's see where this turn takes us," Raguel declared, his eyes narrowing. He placed a hand on the top card of his deck.

There are three reasons why I need to win this duel, Raguel thought. One: I can't let thugs like him hurt the people in LINK VRAINS. Two: Every job I take, every duel I go through, is to one day see Miyu and Roxy smile again. Three: I owe Playmaker for saving my ass!

"I draw!" Raguel drew the top card of his deck and gave a smile. He had everything needed to win now. "I activate Cyreath Treasure from my hand!" The card showed a Barbarian and an Archer opening a treasure chest full of gold. "This card lets me draw 2 cards. But in exchange, I must send 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand to the GY!" He drew the top 2 cards of his deck and smirked. He then sent a 'Cyreath' monster in his hand to the Graveyard.

"I activate the effect of Cyreath Wandering Soul from my Graveyard!" The card showed a man surrounded by mist. "By banishing it from my Graveyard, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field." A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.

Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1

"And since this monster has no attack points, not only will it not lose attack points, but I won't take damage as well!" Raguel said, causing the Knight to grit his teeth in anger.

"Next I summon Cyreath Gargoyle!" A small, blue gargoyle with large horns, stubby wings, and large hands with vicious claws joined the field.

Cyreath Gargoyle ATK: 500 DEF: 500 LVL: 1

"No matter what monster you summon," the Knight said, "Cracking Dragon's effect will reduce its attack points, and then inflict those points of damage to you!"

The wind hit Raguel and Gargoyle, reducing their Life Points and attack points.

Cyreath Gargoyle ATK: 500 – 200 = 300

Raguel 600 – 200 = 400 LP

"Besides, those monsters are nothing against Cracking Dragon!" the Knight told Raguel.

"Is that so? In that case, then it's time for me to call on my ace monster!" Raguel replied.

"Ace monster?" The Knight soon realized what Raguel was up to. "You don't mean-!"

"And now, appear!" Raguel shouted, pointing to the sky above him. "The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A bolt of lightning came out of his hand and hit the sky, creating a square portal with eight arrows around it.

"Arrowheads confirmed!" Raguel chanted. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I set Cyreath Legionnaire, Cyreath Wanderer, and Cyreath Gargoyle in the Link Markers!"

The three monsters he named flew up the portal, each heading towards one arrow. Legionnaire entered the arrow on the top left, turning it red. Wanderer entered the arrow on the top right, turning it red. Lastly, Gargoyle entered the arrow on the bottom, turning it red.

"Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Rise! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal. He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.

Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 ↖???↗?

"Any monster summoned from the Extra Deck is Special Summoned to the Extra Monster Zone!" Raguel told the Knight, which he already knew.

"No way. Your ace monster is a Link Monster?" the Knight said, surprised and in shock. First, it was Cyberse monsters, now it was a Cyberse Link Monster.

"Link Monsters don't have levels, nor can they exist in Defense Position! Which means your Cracking Dragon's effect won't work on it!" Raguel reminded the Knight.

Pointing to his field, he continued, "I activate the effect of Cyreath Legionnaire from my Graveyard! Since it was used to Link Summon, the Link Summoned Monster that used it as Link material can inflict piercing battle damage to you this turn!"

"What did you say?" the Knight said, surprised. "Regardless, my monster is in Attack Position, which means if you attack, you'll lose the duel!"

"Oh, I got a plan for that," Raguel replied. "I activate Cyreath Hercules' monster effect! Monsters this card points to loses 500 attack points! Nemean Roar!"

The Knight could do nothing but watch as his monster was hit by a shockwave caused by Cyreath Hercules.

Cracking Dragon ATK: 3000 – 500 = 2500

"Then I activate the Spell Card Block Attack! This card lets me change the battle position of one monster you control to Defense Position! I choose Cracking Dragon!" The mechanical dragon immediately changed its battle position.

"Battle!" Raguel declared. "Cyreath Hercules attacks Cracking Dragon! Nemean Strike!" Cyreath Hercules jumped into the air, pulled back its right arm, and punched Cracking Dragon downwards to the ground.

"But Cracking Dragon cannot be destroyed by battle against monsters whose levels are-," then it hit him. "L-Link Monsters don't possess levels!"

The impact of the punch ended up destroying it and sending the Knight flying.

"And remember," Raguel said, "thanks to Legionnaire, you take piercing battle damage this turn!"

Knight of Hanoi: 3400 – 2500 = 900 LP

The Knight stood up, even though it was evident that he was in pain. "I may have lost my best monster," he said, "but I'm-!"

"Cyreath Hercules has one more monster effect!" Raguel said, interrupting the Knight. "If it destroys a monster whose attack points are different from its original attack points, you take damage equal to half the destroyed monsters original attack points!"

"Oh no!" the Knight said, realizing that he lost.

"Go, Cyreath Hercules! Nemean Rage!" Cyreath Hercules charged forward towards the Knight, with the intent to finish him off.

Elsewhere, in LINK VRAINS…

"Yo hero!" Go shouted as he vaulted over the fence onto the roof Playmaker was standing on. "Tonight was supposed to be my night until you surfed right in and crashed the party!"

"Chill out Go! He saved my life!" This was said by Blue Angel who jumped onto the other side of the roof. "But still, who are you really?"

"And why would you expect me to answer you?" Playmaker said. Immediately, he ran forward and teleported onto his board which he rode on as he logged out.

Go placed his fist in his other hand and growled, "He fled." The next thing he knew, there was a massive explosion a few blocks away, causing him and Blue Angel to turn in surprise. "What was that?"

At Raguel's duel…

The Knight screamed as he was sent flying backwards by Cyreath Hercules' punch, causing him to hit the ground, only much harder.

Knight of Hanoi: 900 – 1500 = 0

"You know, for a thug, your skills weren't too bad," Raguel said, disengaging his Duel Disk and his monsters fading. "But you were still weak," he said, walking towards the Knight.

"Hey, you there!"

Raguel turned towards the source of the voice. It was Go Onizuka, who was standing on a rooftop and looking down at him. Blue Angel stood beside him.

"Who are you?" Go asked him. "Are you Playmaker's ally?"

"I'm not Playmaker's ally," he answered. "And my name is Raguel." Blue Angel gasped upon hearing that.

He turned back to the Knight, who was struggling to stand up. Raguel immediately pressed a button on his Duel Disk, which released a thin metallic cord that attached itself to the Knight's Duel Disk.

"What is this?" the Knight demanded, now scared of what Raguel was going to do to him.

"This cord is designed to obtain the equipment and programs of the losing duelist," Raguel explained, as the cord glowed blue. "The encryption's strong enough that once the transfer starts, it can't be stopped." He then noticed the transfer was finished. That was fast.

"Oh, and by the way," he said, grabbing his double-barreled gun and pointing it to the Knight with his right hand, "Bullseye." The Knight could do nothing but scream as Raguel shot him in the head, causing his avatar to disintegrate into data.

E.M.S., the small, black fly Raguel dispatched to follow Playmaker, returned soon after. It dissolved into his Duel Disk and showed him the result of Playmaker's duel. So Playmaker won. Good for him.

"You killed him," was all Blue Angel said, in response to Raguel shooting the Knight. Go said nothing but glared at him.

"No, Blue Angel," Raguel said, turning to her and Go, "I didn't kill him. All I did was delete his avatar. And if he were to log into LINK VRAINS under a new avatar, my tracer bullet will ensure he's caught by the authorities."

"Regardless, that doesn't give you the right to be judge, jury, and executioner," Go said, as he and Blue Angel both jumped down from the rooftop. He then pointed his right hand at Raguel. "And even if you're not Playmaker, I'm itching for a duel. Duel me so everyone can see the monster you really are!"

Suddenly, Go felt his ear being pulled by none other than Blue Angel. "You're not the only one who wants to duel him, you know." Blue Angel said. "Haven't you ever heard of 'Ladies First'?" The two of them immediately started arguing with each other. Unbeknownst to them, Raguel turned and walked away from them, logging out as he did so. By the time they finished arguing, they both realized he was gone.

"Damn him!" Go said. "Who does he think he is?"

"Raguel," Blue Angel said, drawing Go's attention. "From what I've heard, he's an agent in LINK VRAINS' black market. He acquires programs and equipment from the duelists he defeats and sells them on the black market. But if the mission calls for it, he can be ruthless."

"You know, for someone who named themselves after an angel of justice, they definitely don't act like one," Go said, with Blue Angel nodding her head in agreement.

Café Matsuo's Backroom…

Yuhiro opened his eyes. He was back in the sealed room in Café Matsuo. He leaned against the wall, the duel against the Knight having taken its toll. Damn, he thought. If I'm going to start officially fighting against the Hanoi, I probably should come up with faster ways to get rid of that dragon.

He walked out of the room and saw Roxy at the computers. "Is LINK VRAINS safe?" he asked her.

"The damage is being repaired as we speak," Roxy replied, not taking her eyes off the screen. "It should be finished by tomorrow. By the way, nice duel with that Knight. It definitely gave us information regarding how they duel."

"Still," Yuhiro said, taking the seat beside Roxy, "that was only one Knight. Who knows what other decks they might have?" He took his Duel Disk off and plugged it into a port. "Oh, and your E.M.S. program did a wonderful job as always. It recorded all of Playmaker's duel."

"Of course it did," Roxy said, turning to Yuhiro. "My little flies always succeed in getting the job done." She then turned back to the screen. "But nevertheless, it pisses off that Playmaker's Speed Duel against the Knight was broadcasted across the country. All that work, for nothing."

"Your inventions are badass Roxy," Yuhiro said, attempting to comfort her. She smirked at him in response.

"Moving on, everyone knows about him now, and that he has Cyberse monsters." Roxy said, changing the subject back to Playmaker.

"Cyberse monsters?" Yuhiro said, surprised by that fact. He'd thought he was the only one who had Cyberse cards. Guess he was wrong. "Whoever Playmaker is, he's one interesting person."

"That's what the Internet's saying," Roxy said, opening a few more windows on the screen. "Luckily, there isn't any attention towards us."

"Good," Yuhiro said. "The less attention towards us, the more we can focus on our work."

Roxy was about to answer when a call came in over one of their screens. "It's our friend," she said, answering the call. A window popped up, showing a man in his 50's, with no hair and black eyes. He wore a yellow shirt with bling's, and a black suit jacket.

"And how are my two favorite workers?" the man asked on the other end.

"We're doing perfectly well, Monty," Yuhiro answered.

"Good to hear. I assume you've heard the news, yes?"

"We sure did," Roxy said. "And Yuhiro's got some nice goodies for you Monty."

"Oh good! Wonderful! Send me what you got, if you please," Monty requested.

Yuhiro opened a file in his Duel Disk, containing the programs and equipment he stole from the Knight of Hanoi. He then sent them to Monty through the black market's secure channel. "It's sent. What do you think?"

"Now this is wonderful!" Monty said. "This information will sell well on the black market. Here's your usual amount, as well as a bonus for the trouble." Yuhiro's phone vibrated, confirming that Monty sent the money to him. "Now listen up you two. I have a new job. Operation: Retrieval. And this assignment will be worth twice your usual rate."

Yuhiro's eyes widened in surprise as he glanced at Roxy. Roxy shared his surprise, only her mouth had opened as well. Monty wouldn't offer this amount unless the situation was serious.

"Who or what am I retrieving for you Monty?" Yuhiro asked him.

"It's simple," Monty answered him. "Playmaker, the duelist everyone's been talking about, is in possession of an AI belonging to SOL Technologies. I would like for you to retrieve it from him."

Yuhiro frowned. He remembered when he first saw Playmaker, claiming that he captured an AI and converted it into a duel program. I guess that's the AI Monty's talking about, he thought. Which means that for him to retrieve it from Playmaker, he had to defeat him in a duel.

He smiled to himself, looking forward to the challenge. "Monty, send me everything you have on Playmaker," he said. "I'll find him and acquire that AI."

"Splendid! I wish you the best of luck!" Monty said, before ending the call.

Roxy turned to Yuhiro. "We're really doing this?"

"Yup," Yuhiro said, turning to Roxy. "I have a feeling this is going to be fun."

Card Gallery

Cyreath Banshee (LVL: 4/Cyberse/Wind/ATK: 1400/DEF: 700)

Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls; change its battle position. If you activate this effect, monsters you control can only attack that monster; also, if a monster you control attacks a defense position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.

Cyreath Legionnaire (LVL: 4/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 1700/DEF: 1000)

If you control a 'Cyreath' monster when this card is summoned, it is unaffected by card effects. If this card is used to Link Summon, the Link Monster that used this card as material can inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent this turn.

Cyreath Gargoyle (LVL: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)

This card can attack your opponent directly. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent, you can add 1 'Cyreath' Spell or Trap card from your deck to your hand.

Cyreath Wandering Soul (LVL: 1/Cyberse/Water/ATK: 0/DEF: 0)

You can banish this card from your GY: Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to your side of the field (LV: 1/Cyberse/Water/ATK: 0/DEF: 0). You can only activate this effect once per duel.

Cyreath Hercules (LR: 3/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 2500/↖???↗?)

2 or more 'Cyreath' Monsters. Monsters this card points to lose 500 ATK. If this card destroys a monster by battle whose ATK is different from its original ATK: You can inflict damage to your opponent equal to half of the destroyed monster's original ATK.

Crack Supply (Normal Trap Card)

If a monster you control isn't destroyed by battle: You can draw 2 cards from your deck.

Cyreath Intervention (Counter Trap Card)

Pay 1000 LP; negate the activation of a card effect, and if you do, destroy it.

Crack Breaker (Quick-Play Spell Card)

If you control Cracking Dragon: You can target 1 Spell or Trap card your opponent controls; destroy it.

Cyreath Treasure (Normal Spell Card)

Draw 2 cards, then send 1 'Cyreath' monster from your hand to the GY.

Cyreath Salvation (Quick-Play Spell Card)

If a 'Cyreath' monster you control would be destroyed by a card effect: It is not destroyed. If this card is destroyed by a card effect: You can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath' monster from your hand, deck, or GY.

Chapter Preview

Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 2: Duel in the Ring. Following his duel against the Knight of Hanoi, Yuhiro begins his newest and most promising assignment: to capture Playmaker's AI Program. When another Knight of Hanoi shows up in LINK VRAINS, he follows Playmaker, only to discover an unexpected lead…

Author's Notes

And so, the first chapter of Obscured Truth is complete. The OC here uses a 'Cyreath' deck, which is creatures and figures based on Greek Mythology. Since the archetype doesn't exist in the real game, all of them will be my own creations. Also, all cards that appear in this fanfic will have their anime effects.

As you see here in this chapter, I've decided to expand Miyu's role in Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS: Obscured Truth. This is because, while she was the main reason Aoi teamed up with Playmaker's faction in Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS, I felt that her character development can be developed further, which is why I've decided she is one of the reasons Yuhiro is helping Roxy as a black-market agent.

Please read and review my work, as feedback is important for my work going forward. I appreciate any constructive criticism you may have, as I seek to improve my writing.