(A/N: If I have one great fear this chapter it's that I hope it doesn't come across like I'm rushing through it to get to the next chapter. Admittedly, while having Gundham face his past like this sounded good on paper, in hindsight, I'm almost wishing I dragged Mako Tsunami back into the spotlight. I would've had to have swapped out one of the combatants in Match 9 Round 1 so that he didn't end up dueling Gundham and all my brackets stayed where they are, but it's too late now. Oh well, it's not like I won't ever use Mako again…probably.

Anyway, strap in ladies and gents. We're dealing with Gundham so things are going to get a little odd. In the words of Mario: Let's-a-go!)

The mug shots of Gundham and Takemaru overlapped and swapped back and forth rapidly until finally Gundham was revealed to be going first.

The pet owner cackled. "Tremble in fear, Outlier, for I shall seal your fate before you can even draw your first card! I summon to the field Twin-Headed Wolf, in attack mode!"

A wolf with green body fur, two heads, and pink head fur appeared on the battlefield, growling and snarling. It had 1,500 attack points and 1,000 defense points. "Next, I shall set one card face-down and conclude my turn."

Takemaru smiled. "I see you're as enthusiastic in your passions as ever. Very well, let's see." In a stark contrast to Gundham's over the top behavior, Takemaru very calmly drew the top card of his deck. "Yes, this will do. I summon Vorse Raider!"

A tall beast of a creature, carrying a serrated blade and decked out in black battle armor appeared.

Gundham's jaw dropped. "The rare beast-warrior the likes of which only the Tamer with Eyes of Blue has ever shown championing." He looked frustrated. "It is only the first turn and I have already overestimated your power."

"It's all right, Gundham. It's only the first turn," Takemaru said calmly. "However, I will not go easy on you. Vorse Raider, attack."

Gundham's frustration gave birth to a wide grin. "HA! If only! I activate my face-down card: Threatening Roar!"

The roaring behemoth depicted in the artwork unleashed a shockwave that halted Vorse Raider in its tracks.

Gundham chortled. "Keheheh. Did you honestly think I would be so shortsighted in my approach to battle? Foolish! I am never without a weapon, like the ninja concealing the kunai!"

"Well, if my attack has failed, I suppose I'll just slip two cards onto the battlefield, and end my turn," Takemaru said as the two holograms appeared in front of his legs.

My former senpai continues to act with a gentle hand and smile, Gundham thought as he drew the top card of his deck, But I shall pry open his lips of deceit. Gundham's eyes were teeming with life as he ripped a card from his hand. With this! "As I still have a monster on my side of the field, I shall sacrifice it to summon my magnificent Beast of Talwar!"

A tall demon carrying two swords with blue wings stood upon the battlefield bearing down on Vorse Raider with 2,400 meaty attack points.

Gundham crossed his arms over each other at odd angles. "Go, my wielder of the fiendish blade! Strike fear into the heart of this unworthy one! Shadow Blade Slash!"

With a low rumbling growl, Beast of Talwar raised one of its mighty blades and brought it down into Vorse Raider's face, destroying the monster and leaving it shattered into shards of light. A faint smile was seen on Takemaru's face as he didn't flinch at the destruction of his monster. His life points fell now to 3,500.

"Not bad," Takemaru said. "Will that be it?"

Gundham looked at his hand and nodded to himself. "For now. I pass the gauntlet to you, my opponent."

Takemaru nodded and drew the top card of his deck. Nodding, he simply stated, "One monster face-down."

The sideways hologram appeared.

"Giving up so soon?" Gundham chuckled.

"No, just making the best move I can. Game's not over until I'm out of life points," Takemaru said. He smiled gently. "There is always room for a counterattack."

"Keheheh," Gundham laughed. "You smile as if you have everything under control." He pulled the top card of his deck to his hand. "But you shall be vanquished!" Gundham grabbed the card in his hand and threw it onto the duel disk. "I shall peel apart your web of lies! Go, Des Wombat!"

A furry, very large wombat appeared on the field and used its back legs to scratch its ear.

"Awwww, cute."

"F-fluffy…" Peko said, heart throbbing.

Even Izuru tried to reach for it before Mahiru picked up the tiny baby, bouncing him in her arms.

"Easy there, little guy. You don't want to fall over."

"I bet it has fleas," Hiyoko said, looking grouchy.

Ibuki, Peko, Nekomaru and Fuyuhiko all gave her a look.

"What?" Hiyoko asked, still grouchy. However, as the stares continued, she started to feel more offended by the stares than surly and repeated in a different tone, "What?!"

Back on the battlefield, Gundham was beginning his next move. "I shall set two cards face-down," Gundham stated. "And now, Des Wombat attacks!"

Gundham's furry friend charged forward and slammed its face into Takemaru's face-down monster. Takemaru's monster was revealed to be a centaurion monster covered in sinister looking blue armor. More importantly, the monster had 1,900 defense points and was able to deflect Des Wombat's attack.

Gundham grinded his teeth as his careless move cost him 300 life points, leaving him with a total of 3,700.

"Impressive, but not quite enough. Sorry, Gundham," Takemaru said calmly. "Exarion Universe is just too defensive."

"You shall be the one who will be sorry, knave!" Gundham shouted. "Beast of Talwar! Annihilate that eyesore of a monster!"

Gundham's monster cleaved straight through Takemaru's monster, but at least his life points were safe for the turn.

"My draw," Takemaru said and drew the top card of his deck. He nodded and stated. "I shall summon this monster in attack mode. Leotaur!"

A strange leonine monster with 6 limbs, all ending in powerful claws, including its top two arms covered by armor, appeared on Takemaru's battlefield. It had 1,500 attack points and 1,600 defense points. It growled as it held a blade in one of its upper arms.

Gundham looked puzzled. "And just how do you plan to use such a creature effectively."

"Like this," Takemaru said, "Leotaur," He said with a stern look, "Attack and destroy Des Wombat."

Gundham chortled. "Surely you jest. The differences in their power is—"

However, as Leotaur charged, its attack power surged to 2,000.

"—clear…cut?"

Leotaur's blade sliced through Des Wombat, destroying it and leaving Gundham with 3,300 life points, putting Takemaru in the lead.

"Whenever Leotaur battles a monster with a special ability, be it offensively or defensively, it gains 500 attack points."

Gundham actually smiled. "I see, I see. So it appears this is your power, senpai. These Beast Warriors of yours are the fruits of your own caretaking and grooming. Though they were once mere demon beasts they have been transformed into fierce deities of unimaginable power!"

"If that's your way of saying you respect my strategy, I appreciate it," Takemaru said with a smile.

"Keheheh," Gundham chuckled. "It is indeed amusing. However! You have made a fatal mistake! Beast of Talwar has no special ability and now your life points shall feel the wrath of my sting!"

"Oh, by all means, do what you must," Takemaru said with a smile. "I'm having fun. And I'm ending my turn."

"Fool! Do not placate me for it shall be your undoing!" Gundham roared, though the smile on his face suggested he was enjoying this duel just as much as Takemaru. As he drew his card to his hand, his gaze met Takemaru's smile. That expression does not reach his eyes. He is plotting like a court jester wishing to usurp the throne. His true nature is starting to leak through. But just what trickery does he have up his sleeve.

Gundham chuckled. It matters not. He looked at his hand. He had three cards with which to utilize to their fullest.

"I summon to the field Desmanian Devil!" Gundham shouted, bringing another fuzzy monster to the field with 1,700 attack points. "And now, Beast of Talwar! I command you to do your master's bidding! Obliterate Leotaur!"

As Beast of Talwar was a normal monster, Leotaur did not gain any attack points and its solitary blade was completely outmatched by Beast of Talwar's twin blades. The monster was destroyed and Takemaru's life points fell to 2,600.

"Now! Desmanian Devil! Attack Takemaru's life points directly!"

"Sorry, Gundham, but I'm afraid it's finally time for me to take control of this duel. I activate Pinpoint Guard!"

Takemaru revealed one of his two face-down cards.

Gundham gasped at the reveal, watching as a stone hand pulled Exarion Universe out of the graveyard in defense position, causing Desmanian Devil to slam into it and bounce back, unable to overcome the monster's 1,900 defense points.

Gundham laughed as his life points fell to 3,100. "A clever ploy, Smiling Tamer, but your shortsightedness shall be your undoing!"

"Oh? Do tell," Takemaru asked in earnest.

"Your ploy cost you more points than it cost me, putting me safely ahead of this duel! Just what do you intend to do with such a monster!"

"Well, I plan to sacrifice it of course," Takemaru said with a gentle smile.

"What?" Gundham gasped.

"You didn't think Pinpoint Guard alone was my plan, did you? That kind of thinking will cost you. Allow me to show you strategy in motion," Takemaru said. "May I have my turn."

"Y-yes," Gundham stuttered.

"Then here I go," Takemaru said and drew the top card of his deck to his hand. "Ah, there we are. Let's start here. I begin by sacrificing Exarion Universe for one of the most powerful 6-star Beast-Warriors in the game: Manticore of Darkness!"

A muscular monster with wings of purple and blue appeared on Takemaru's side of the battlefield. It had 2,300 attack points and 1,000 defense points. With the head of a lion and the tail of a scorpion and glowing red eyes it looked quite dangerous.

"A valiant effort for such a little gain. Your monster doesn't have any chance at taking on my fanciful Beast of Talwar!"

"It doesn't have to," Takemaru said calmly.

"What?" Gundham asked puzzled.

"I shall be attacking with it against your Desmanian Devil, a much easier target to deal with," Takemaru stated.

Gundham looked on in aggravation as Manticore of Darkness sliced through Desmanian Devil with its powerful claws, dropping Gundham another 600 life points, leaving him with 2,500.

"And just like that, the advantage sits with me," Takemaru said with a smile. "Now, what was that you were saying about my plan being miscalculated."

Gundham chuckled. "I see. I see. You are clearly not an opponent I can afford to hold back against. Then I suppose I have no choice! Come before me, my Twelve Zodiac Generals!"

12 hamsters of various breeds and sizes emerged from various locations of Gundham's coat and scarf.

"Ah, so I see the Four Dark Devas of Destruction have passed on their legacy."

"Indeed they have," Gundham said. "And now my army is stronger for it than ever! Now, behold the power of the Evil Eye!" Gundham shouted. He drew the top card of his deck. He looked at his hand. Takemaru is plotting something fiendish. I cannot afford to lose my advantage, but at the same time I cannot allow him the upper hand again. In that case, he said, grabbing a wolf-like monster from his hand, I must plan for the future! "I summon Aloof Lupine, in attack mode!"

A wolf with fluffy, glossy fur appeared. It had 1,700 attack points and only 300 defense points.

"This monster of mine offers me quite a rare boon," Gundham stated. "I can now banish a monster from my hand in order to banish a monster of the same type from my deck!"

Gundham removed the appropriate monsters, leaving Yami and Takemaru puzzled.

Gundham laughed. "Did I confuse you, my fair opponent? And it seems the inner workings of my mind have confused even the King of Games himself." Gundham tugged on his scarf and pointed at Takemaru. "Then let it be known the wicked power I possess! I shall crush your Manticore of Darkness with the power of Beast of Talwar!"

Beast of Talwar struck forward and sliced down Manticore of Darkness. The monster was destroyed and Takemaru's life points became even with Gundham's. The score was now 2,500 life points per player. And the duel was, in Gundham's opinion, just getting started.

"Your foolish errand shall be your undoing!" Gundham shouted. "Aloof Lupine, attack Takemaru's life points directly!"

"Sorry, Gundham, but I'm afraid I shall be reducing the effectiveness of this attack. I activate the trap card Battle Instinct!"

Gundham saw the card flipped face-up of a Sabertooth Tiger caught between a horse and an ox.

"With this trap card, I can intercept your attack using a monster from my hand. And the monster I choose is this one: Guard Dog!"

A massive purple dog with a spiked harness on it appeared on Takemaru's side of the field.

"It seems someone has forgotten the animal pecking order! A wolf's howl shall always exceed that of a domesticated mongrel that has lost its proud instincts! Aloof Lupine, destroy his pathetic excuse for a defense with your savage instincts!"

Aloof Lupine and Guard Dog scratched and bit at each other, and while it was a valiant effort for Takemaru's dog, it was overwhelmed by Gundham's wolf.

"Fool! Do not underestimate my power! For it will engulf you long before it engulfs this world!" Gundham declared.

Takemaru smiled. "I really am glad I got to duel you, Gundham." As he said this, his life points fell to 2,300.

"Keheheh," Gundham chuckled. "Is that the inevitable acceptance of defeat I hear in your voice."

"Oh no. On the contrary, I plan to win," Takemaru stated.

"And just how do you play to accomplish that with no monsters of your own to defend yourself with?!" Gundham barked.

"Simple, with the special ability of my Manticore of Darkness."

"Do not play games!" Gundham roared. "That monster has been vanquished to its grave!"

"Perhaps," Takemaru said, holding up a card in his hand. "But sometimes a monster's soul can still resonate even when its body is destroyed."

Gundham blinked at this statement and then grinned. "A monster's soul can still resonate even when its body is destroyed. Heh, that's a good line," he mumbled to himself.

"I activate the effect of Manticore of Darkness!" Takemaru declared. "By discarding a beast-warrior monster from my hand, I can special summon it back to the field."

Manticore of Darkness re-emerged from the graveyard. It leaned backwards and thrust out its chest, letting out a loud, ferocious roar. Between the sound and the pose, the monster seemed like it was doing its best Dio Brando impression.

"And since this occurs at the end of your turn," Takemaru stated. "It is now mine. I draw."

Takemaru wasted no time making his move. "I now activate Monster Reborn, returning from the graveyard the monster I discarded using Manticore of Darkness' effect."

Gundham started to sweat. "So that was your strategy. You allowed your monster to be destroyed, knowing you had a resurrection spell in place. Once again, I've underestimated you!"

"It happens, Gundham. But that has always been the case since I started dueling," Takemaru explained. "You see, my calm demeanor makes my opponents think that I am easy to overcome, that I am only here to have fun. And while that last part is true, that doesn't make me inferior to them."

"Wait…so your serenity is…"

Takemaru bowed with an arm crossed over his stomach. "My heart is as gentle and kind as you remember." He stood up straight. "And it has served me well. By showing neither anger nor fear while playing this game, the psychological discord it creates in my opponent is mine to take advantage of. If I do not react to even the smallest of setbacks, my opponent thinks I have everything under control. Truth be told, I was almost certain you were going to activate one of your face-downs when I destroyed Desmanian Devil," Takemaru said, recalling the moment with perfect accuracy. "But as long as I maintain an air of calmness about myself, whether I win or lose," he smiled politely, "I have fun."

Gundham felt disarmed. His blood ran cold. "You use kindness…as a weapon? You fiend!"

"Is it a weapon if it is genuine kindness?" Takemaru asked. "I told you, didn't I? I played duel monsters in the hopes of dueling you one day, that you would not be able to turn away from me. I want us to be friends, Gundham." For once Takemaru's smile faded. "Or can you not trust me?"

Gundham folded his arms. "Years of anguish and deceit do not go away one their own. You would be only the fifth mortal being to have my unconditional trust."

"I would be honored if you would consider such a thing. I had fun running the animal club at Fazal," Takemaru stated. "You were the only other club member I thought truly cared for animals. Gundham, I'm going to university to learn how to be a veterinarian. If your aim is to breed animals, would you not want to have a good doctor on hand."

Gundham was silent.

Takemaru sighed. "Well, I have said my piece. Let us continue with the duel."

"Hold!" Gundham barked.

Takemaru paused.

Gundham was silent for a few seconds before speaking. "It is…true that trust does not come easy, but…I may show you some leniency." Gundham furrowed his brow and pointed declaratively at Takemaru. "If you claim your kindness is your true face, then prove it! Show me the power that slumbers inside you and awaken your soul! Hold nothing back and let the war we wage reach a conclusion! A fight fit for a demon!"

Takemaru smiled. "If that is what you wish, then I shall give you a duel you will not forget! Now then, as I was saying, I am summoning a monster I discarded of my own accord last turn! Come on out, Mystical Knight of Jackal!"

A tall, brown furred Jackal dressed in a pharaohs garb and dual wielding katars appeared on Takemaru's side of the field. It had 2,700 attack points and 1,200 defense points.

"Impossible…the pharaoh's mighty knight…is your thrall?" Gundham gaped, sweating.

Takemaru smiled. "I am not quite sure what you mean by that," he said as a competitive stare washed over his face, replacing his smile, "But I know that this monster shall clench the duel for me. Mystical Knight of Jackal, attack Beast of Talwar!"

Beast of Talwar, although larger in stature, was outmatched against the mighty Jackal. The green fiend swung down with its massive blade, but the blade was shattered by the Jackal's katars. Mystical Knight of Jacakal then thrust one of its katars into Beast of Talwar's stomach before pulling it out and delivering a swift uppercut with the other katar to Beast of Talwar's face. This caused the monster to be launched off its feet and slam to the ground on its back, destroying it.

Gundham now had 2,200 life points as he stared calmly, waiting for the inevitable.

"Since Mystical Knight of Jackal destroyed your monster, it is returned to the top of your deck."

With an unsteady hand, Gundham did precisely that, placing Beast of Talwar on top of his deck. He then waited for Takemaru's next attack.

"Manticore of Darkness, attack Aloof Lupine!" Takemaru declared.

The monster charged forward and, with a single claw swipe, knocked away Gundham's wolf and inflicted 600 points of damage.

Gundham stood patiently as his life points fell again to 1,600. However, from his serious stance, the Supreme Overlord of Ice began laughing.

"YOU FOOL!" Gundham cried, elated.

"Hmm?" Takemaru gazed at Gundham puzzled.

"You have played right into my hands! Though you have destroyed Aloof Lupine, that was exactly what I wanted you to do. It is as you say, a monster's soul can still resonate even when its body is destroyed! And that is exactly how I shall win this duel!" Gundham shouted. "With Aloof Lupine destroyed, I shall reclaim the monster I banished from my deck to mine hand!"

"Oh? You believe that that monster shall end the duel?" Takemaru asked.

"Keheheh," Gundham chuckled. "Takemaru, you are a fantastically wise guild master, but your astral level is significantly lacking compared to my power."

"Well then, I am intrigued. I've nothing else I can do this turn, so I pass my turn to you."

Gundham pulled Beast of Talwar to his hand and prepared his counterattack. "Takemaru, you may bear the brand of the Jackal, but you are lost! LOST I say! For you are not the only one able to unleash the fabled powers of Ancient Egypt! And though your knight of the nameless pharaoh is indeed powerful, it is nothing compared to overwhelming might of the Supreme Overlord of Ice! With the power of the Evil eye at my command, I activate my boldest trump card: Pyramid of Light!"

Gundham's trap card was revealed, unleashing a massive golden, sparkling Pyramid that began to erect around the Kaiba Dome. The prison-like pyramid blotted out the sun, but its golden light illuminated the arena.

Powerful dark energy coursed through Gundham as his red eye flashed.

Energy resonated from the Millennium Puzzle.

"I have a bad feeling about this," Yami thought, gripping the edges of his arm rests.

"I'm…sure Gundham has learned his lesson about messing with dark powers beyond his control," Yugi thought, but no less worried.

Inside the break room, Junko's Millennium Key resonated invisibly around her neck, creating an outline, but not quite manifesting. She smiled, holding up the invisible object. So, she thought, he decided to use it.

Back on the battlefield, Gundham cackled wildly. "For too long, I have searched high and low for demon beasts the likes of which unmatched by any in the known cosmos! And when word of my participation in this tournament reached the golden sands of Egypt's tombs, I received a gift from the Fell Dragon!"

"Fell Dragon…does he mean Marik?" Yugi gasped.

"In the package I received was a letter. In it, Marik explicitly detailed his will to make amends for his behavior in Battle City. And so, within the sent parcel, he included, as a gift, powerful demon beasts that now serve me without question!"

"Gundham!" Yami exclaimed. "Why did you not come to me right away about this?"

"Do not worry," Gundham said calmly. "As I bear no connection to the ancient past, nor am I in direct conflict with such a being, the true power of the shadows cannot be unleashed." Gundham then folded his arms and smiled. "But tis enough that I shall seize victory."

"Gundham," Yami said sternly, still concerned.

"Then how about a test, grand Pharaoh. If I am unworthy of this power, then you shall strike me down with the full force of your own golden majesty." He smiled wickedly, but that was par for the course for Gundham. "Is that not a worthy compromise."

"I…suppose," Yami said, closing his eyes.

"Let him have his fun," Takemaru said. "I've never seen Gundham so happy."

"Very well, but Gundham, I am warning you. Do not unleash power beyond your control."

"Fret not, bearer of the Millennium Puzzle, I have learned my lesson in making Faustian bargains with elder gods. I shall not unleash the wrath of the Deep Ones." He chuckled. "Not today. Now then, my former compatriot, are you prepared? With the power of the Pyramid of Light, I shall show you the might of ninety-percent of my power! And with this card!" Gundham said, hoisting the one above his head he recovered from his banished zone. "I shall unleash my fury upon thee!" Lightning sparked outward from the card. "At the cost of 500 points of my own life force," Gundham said as his life points decreased to 1,100. "I will unleash the power of a demon beast never before seen in Duel Monsters. Come forth to serve my bidding: Andro Sphinx!"

A massive brown-furred and golden maned lion beast emerged on Gundham's side of the field. It stood strongly upon the battlefield, dwarfing even Kotomi's massive monsters from the previous duel, but not quite as big as Aiko's kaijus.

However, this monster's stats spoke for themselves: 3,000 attack points and 2,500 defense points, the same stats as Blue-Eyes White Dragon.

"And I am not yet done, for I activate my other face-down card: Howl of the Wild!"

A blue bear was shown unleashing a powerful roar towards the fourth wall of the artwork. "With this card active, whenever I destroy a monster of yours, you take 300 points of damage for each beast-type monster I control."

"And that is not all!" Gundham bellowed. "For I also activate this continuous magic card: Poison Fangs, increasing any damage a beast-type monster of mine inflicts to your life points by 500 entire points."

"Go, my ancient minion, unleash your fury upon Mystical Knight of Jackal! Darkness Storm!"

Andro Sphinx crossed its arms over its body and sucked in a breath as it began to draw in a massive elemental breath attack. Then, leaning forward, its arms out behind it, it unleashed a breath of dark energy that overwhelmed Takemaru's monster and destroyed it, inflicting 300 points of battle damage.

The university student now had 2,000 life points.

"And since I inflicted damage to your life points with a beast-type monster, Poison Fangs and Howl of the Wild activate!" Gundham shouted. "This reduces your life points by another 800."

Takemaru's life points fell to 1,200.

"Keheheheheh," Gundham laughed. "Do you see now, the power that you contend with? Do you comprehend the unyielding ferocity of I, GUNDHAM TANAKA, the man that shall one day rule this world?!"

"Yes, very impressive, Gundham," Takemaru said with a smile. "I shall draw." Takemaru looked at the cards in his hand. Unfortunately, nothing he had could stand up to the might of Andro Sphinx. So, he took the cautious approach.

"I shall set one monster face-down," Takemaru stated. "And next I shall switch Manticore of Darkness into defense mode."

As long as I can keep reviving Manticore of Darkness, I am not out of options yet, Takemaru thought. And with another defense position monster, I can hold off for a little longer.

"Is that it?" Gundham asked. "I'm disappointed Takemaru."

"Hmm?"

"You underestimate my power! Behold the truth!"

Gundham drew the top card of his deck but did not bother looking at it, victory was already at hand.

"Andro Sphinx! Destroy Manticore of Darkness! End this farce!"

Huh? Takemaru was confused.

As Andro Spinix's attack barreled into Takemaru's monster and destroyed it, Howl of the Wild activated.

"Now you shall lose 300 life points due to my trap card's effects!" Gundham declared. "But you are about to lose so much more. For you see, when Andro Sphinix destroys a monster in defense position, it deals damage to my opponent equal to half of that monster's attack points. Combine that with the damage you will take from Howl of the Wild and this duel was over the moment you failed to destroy my monster!"

Takemaru smiled and stuck his hands in his pockets. "I see, so I had already lost. Good show, Gundham."

A palm blast burst forth from Andro Sphinx's hand and knocked Takemaru off his feet, causing him to collapse on his back and bring his life points down to 0.

A chibi Gundham Tanaka waved its arms up and down on screen with the word WINNER below it. The 7th match had concluded and Gundham had won.

Yami let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when he saw the Pyramid of Light vanish. Gunhdam remained true to his word.

And as Takemaru got up from off the ground, he was even more relieved.

"A good show, Gundham. I was soundly defeated."

"Keheheh. Of course you were. This is not the arena for you, Curer of Demonic Diseases. You belong in your hollow, invoking rituals to cleanse the impurities from the demon beasts across the world!"

"Perhaps you're right," Takemaru said. "Duel Monsters is fun, but its hardly my forte. I'm just glad all of my hard work paid off. Thank you for meeting me in battle, my friend."

Gundham turned his head. "Your true self is unmasked. You are not like the jester that plagues my class. I was wrong to judge you so hastily. Perhaps genuine human kindness does exist. …I still have a lot to learn."

"It'll get easier with time. You and Princess Nevermind seem quite attached to one another," Takemaru laughed.

Gundham pulled his scarf up over his nose to hide his blush. "Yes…well…The Dark Queen and I have been through a lot together."

"Perhaps you would tell me of your time at Hope's Peak after the tournament is over. You and I could go out for ramen or curry, just like old times."

Gundham laughed. "Tai Takemaru, you are a bold one indeed." He raised his head high and proclaimed loudly. "But I shall accept your invitation! And should we be bound for hell, I shall cross that boundary with you side by side!"

"Great, let's exchange contact information after the tournament. I'll be cheering for you from the stadium."

Gunndham laughed wickedly. "Indeed, my friend! Indeed! Now begone from the stage for your time in the spotlight has passed and my reign of terror is just beginning!"

"Yes, yes, of course," Takemaru said, headed towards the edge of the arena to jump off. "I'm glad to see you in good health, Gundham."

"You as well," Gundham said rather plainly, which was unusual for him. "Take care of yourself, Tai Takemaru."

With that, Takemaru gave a smile and a wave to his friend and walked his way down the aisles to find an open seat in the stands.

"Pharaoh," Gundham said, turning his head to face the break room so only one eye faced Yami. "I have long since learned my lesson about commanding forces of nature beyond my comprehension. However, I shall always be seeking that which I cannot obtain through normal means. Until this world is engulfed by my power, I shall not back down from seeking you as a challenge. For when the world is in peril…" Gundham spun to face Yami, a wide, excited grin on his face, "…I know you shall stand in its way. So, I shall temper my skills and when you and I do battle in the depths of hell, only when I emerge victorious will I know that I am ready to claim this world as my own!"

"Then I shall be sure not to lose," Yami said with a smile. "For I cannot allow any harm to come to this world."

Gundham smirked as all his hamsters crawled inside his jacket and scarf. "Spoken like a true, virtuous Pharaoh. Now then," Gundham said and turned to face the fans, "PEOPLE OF THIS HALLOWED SANCTUM! I shall return! Hear my name and tremble! For I am GUNDHAM TANAKA, and when the dust settles, it shall be I and the Pharaoh waging war beyond the likes of mortal comprehension! But until then..." Gundham then calmly walked away, "…I bid you adieu."

"Let's hear it for Gundham Tanaka, folks!"

While the whole stadium did not cheer, many of them just lost in Gundham's eccentricities, enough of them clapped and hollered that it brought a smile to Gundham's face as he stepped into the break room.

Immediately, the Ultimate Breeder was met with eager faces from his classmates.

"So?" Chiaki asked.

Gundham posed for his classmates. "Rejoice, fellow summoners! For I, GUNDHAM TANAKA, have advanced to the next round!"

"Marvelous!" Sonia exclaimed.

"Keheheh," Gundham chuckled. "Takemaru was a challenge, but I proved that his power at taming demonic beasts are nothing compared to my own. My Astral Level exceeds the mortal plane with a power level of 9,0001! I am unstoppable!"

"Don't get ahead of yourself," Hajime urged cautiously. "You won't know who your next opponent is until the next duel is decided."

"Let them come! It will not matter! I shall defeat all who stand in my way!" He looked at Chiaki. "Even were it to be you, Thoughtful One."

"If you and I were to face in battle, I absolutely would not hold back," Chiaki said with a smile. "I'd be honored to duel any of my classmates in this tournament. By the way, I brought a card and dice game with me for down time like this. Does anyone want to play?" Chiaki asked.

"Yeah, but what if you get called next?" Hajime asked.

"I don't think I'll be called next," Chiaki said. "…probably."

"And you base that on…?" Hajime asked, leading her on.

"Just a hunch," Chiaki said. "So come on, let me go get the game."

And with that, the members of Class 77-B went to go play a card and dice game.

It was while they were in the middle of their tabletop game that the next round was announced:

"Joey Wheeler and Eliza se Arc, please report to the dueling arena!" Kaiba declared.

"Hell yeah!" Joey exclaimed, rising from his seat, wolfing down a hot dog and polishing off a soda.

He ran towards the exit to the break room only to meet Eliza face to face. Her calm demeanor was now replaced with an intimidating stare that made Joey sweat nervously. "Jeez, you don't have to glare."

However, Eliza simply marched forward in her boots towards the stage.

From her table with her friends, Chiaki looked worried.

"Chiaki?" Hajime called her name in concerned.

"Gundham, your next opponent will either be Eliza or Joey…I don't know if you have what it takes to defeat either of them."

"You doubt my power?" Gundham asked, sounding offended. "The bearer of Red-Eyes will fall before my might!"

"The thing is…" Chiaki said, "I don't know if this is a duel Joey Wheeler can win."

"Chiaki, I defeated Eliza. He'll be fine."

"Hajime, even you'd be hard pressed to defeat Eliza now. It would require ever ounce of your cunning and strategy."

Sonia looked worried. "Chiaki, you're just trying to psyche us out, are you not?"

"When I was still pregnant with Izuru, Eliza told me something concerning. After Battle City, she rebuilt her strategy from the ground up. She said that with her new deck, she will 'open the gates of chaos'."

Hajime's stubborn cowlick stood straight up. "Wha—hold on a second, are you saying what I think you're saying?"

Chiaki nodded. "It's no wonder she'll be competing in the nationals later this year. Overcoming Eliza in this tournament would be one of the most difficult things to do for the majority of competitors here." Chiaki then smiled. "Of course, as long as the goal is to have fun. It really doesn't matter."

"…Huh?" Hajime was confused how quickly Chiaki changed her tune.

"Eliza's deck might be powerful, but I'd be happy to duel her again if it came down to it. It's been a while since I've had a new challenge ever since I did my "No Deaths" run for Dark Souls 3 on stream."

Gundham and Sonia blinked at Chiaki. "Are you a gamer or a goddess?" Gundham asked her.

Chiaki pulled her hood up over her head. "…I didn't think it was that difficult."

As Joey and Eliza stepped out onto the arena, Serenity cheered. "Big brother!" she shouted, standing up, waving her arms.

Joey waved to his little sis with a big goofy grin.

"You've got this, Joey!" Téa shouted.

"Come on, Joey! Bring on that big first W!" Tristan encouraged.

Wheeler… Kaiba thought, gazing down on him from his suite. Let's see if you really deserve to be in my tournament. Kaiba knew exactly what was in Eliza's deck. The way he saw it, there were only two ways Joey could win: by the skin of his teeth through improvement as a duelist since Battle City, or by cheating. Word of Eliza's accomplishments had reached even Kaiba's ears. He knew exactly what Chiaki knew.

As Eliza stood across from Joey, the wind blew at her skirt and competitive gazes could be seen on the faces of both duelists.

"You sense that, pal?" Yugi asked Yami.

"Indeed. It's almost suffocating. Just what sort of person is this Eliza se Arc?" Yami replied.

The two had heard all about Joey's weekend from the man himself. Their only real experience with Eliza were second hand stories from Hajime, Joey and Chiaki. Meeting her now, Yugi and Yami could only conclude that Eliza's mere presence was incredibly strong.

However, as Joey stood across from her, he didn't look the least bit intimidated. He was on a full stomach and ready to take on the Scarlet Haired Student Council President.

"Joseph Wheeler," Eliza spoke to Joey formally. "I spectated your duel with Hajime Hinata last spring." She pointed at Joey directly. "Unless your skill has improved significantly since then, you will be soundly defeated by me."

"Oh yeah? Well then, bring it on!" Joey exclaimed. "I don't care if you used to be Chiaki's rival or what, I'm gonna win every duel and face off against my pal Yugi again."

"Used to be? Careful with your words. I am and always shall be Chiaki Nanami's rival!" Eliza said and activated her duel disk.

"Chiaki's rival?" Kazuichi asked, scratching his head. "Anyone heard of her?"

"No, but she's super duper sexy. Just look at that gorgeous red hair. I wonder if the curtains match the carpet," Ibuki said, drooling a little.

"She's wearing a student council president badge," Mahiru said.

"Whoa," Akane gasped. "Authoritative and tough."

"How can you tell?" Fuyuhiko asked her.

Akane held up her arm into Fuyuhiko's vision. Her arm was shaking, surprising everyone.

Akane stared down at her chest. "My body…won't stop shaking. I can feel it from here. This Eliza chick is tough." She broke out into a manic grin. "Yeah! I wonder if she can fight outside of Duel Monsters! Thinkin' about it is gettin' me pumped up!"

Eliza's presence wasn't only felt by Class 77-B, but 78 as well.

Sakura gasped.

"What's wrong, Sakura?" Hina asked her.

"This…energy. It's…chaotic and yet…contained," Sakura stated.

"Eliza se arc…" Taka said, mulling the name over.

"Something on your mind, Taka?" Homura asked him.

Taka nodded. "I can tell just from observing her posture and her stature that she has built herself up from the ground just as I have. Look at the pristine condition of her uniform, the perfect angle at which her head is held. That, my fellow classmates, is what a resolute paragon looks like!"

"Paragon, huh?" Mondo asked, not buying it. "You sure you don't mean mad dog? She looks like she's ready to cut loose and kick the ass of the first person to get in her way."

"She's the same age as President Murasame," Sayaka stated. "Maybe her intimidating presence is why she was passed over as Hope's Peak's Student Council President?"

"Yeah, President Murasame is pretty approachable," Hina said.

"Well, don't forget he was given the title in favor of his original talent," Homura pointed out. "Ultimate Project Manager."

"How do you know that?" Chihiro asked her.

"You'd be surprised what kind of discussions go on in the teacher's lounge," Homura stated, drinking from a water bottle. She pulled the bottle away from her lips with a pleased, "Ahhhhhh. Anyway, Murasame is a natural born leader and always gets things done. This girl on the other hand…" Homura visibly and audibly shuddered forcibly, "She's got more iron than Kaiba on a bad day. Not exactly the person you'd want as an Ultimate Student Council President, if she had any Ultimate talents to begin with. Forceful stubbornness and intimidating can help keep idiots in line, but it's not going to universally be beneficial in all circumstances."

"I agree," Taka said. "Still…"

"Who the fuck cares if she's intimidating or not? The only question that matters is, can she duel? Cause I know Joey. He's a badass when it comes to Duel Monsters these days. And I ain't gonna just assume that some scary red head chick has him beat before the duel's even started!"

"Got that right," Leon Kuwata said, grinning. "But man she's hot though. I wonder if she'd be my girlfriend."

"Likely not even if you were the last man on Earth," Toko, Homura and Hifumi said at the same time.

Leon sighed. "Come on. Where's the love?"

On the battlefield, Eliza and Joey continued to size each other up with their gazes. Tensions were riding so high, you could feel it in the air, like lightning could spontaneously spark.

"Guess we've gotta let the big screen determine turn order," Mokuba said. Since neither Joey nor Eliza were talking or offering to take the first move, or let the other go first, it was up to randomization.

Joey and Eliza's mug shot portraits flipped back and forth on the big screen until finally Eliza was shown as being allowed to go first. She grinned, widely.

"What are you smiling about?"

"Heh, with this, it's no longer even a duel," Eliza said. She held out her palm, fingers spread. "I shall crush you," she said, closing her palm into a fist almost too fast for Joey to react. Her strong fist was slowly pulled towards her duel disk as she began to draw her cards. "I shall crush you, Joey Wheeler, before you've even begun to blink."

"Tough talk," Joey said to her. "You're not the first high-tier girl duelist to try and take me on! I'm not gonna let you walk all over me!"

"You won't have a choice," Eliza said.

Joey activated his duel disk in tandem with hers. Hands were drawn. Life points were set to 4,000 each. The eighth match of the first round of the Kaiba Corp Grand Prix had officially begun.

Eliza smiled contently at her hand. Yes. This duel was going to be over swiftly in her eyes. "Wheeler," she said, pointing at him. "I hold nothing against you. I don't even have to win, but I shall do so anyway. Competition is in my blood. It is in my nature to overcome any obstacle. So know that when you lie defeated at my feet, it is not because I disrespect you, or hate you."

"Enough with the speeches, let's get it on with."

"Hmph, so eager to rush to your demise," Eliza said. She held up several cards in her hand. "I activate the spell card Advanced Ritual art!"

Yami gasped. "A ritual spell?"

"And next, I shall send two monsters each having a level of four directly to my graveyard, for a total…" she said as she gave Joey a piercing gaze with her resolute stare, "Of eight." The wind began to blow towards the audience as Eliza fully extended her right arm out in the same direction. "The forces of light and darkness intertwine!" She declared. "I open the gates of chaos!"

Two holographic swords slammed down in a cross pattern behind Eliza as a pair of pots emerged from the ground, spewing flames.

"Joey! Look out!" Yami called to him. This was bad. This was very, very, very bad for Joey. On the first turn…she's summoning…

Eliza raised a card to the sky as holographic storm clouds blew in overhead. "Bring forth: BLACK LUSTER SOLDIER!"

Lightning struck the battlefield as a gate opened in the heavens. Light descended below and a stalwart warrior stood up decked out in black and golden armor. With sword and shield in hand, the warrior stood with 3,000 attack points and 2,500 defense points on the very first turn of the duel.

"B-B-Black Luster Soldier?!" Joey exclaimed, freaking out.

"That's not good!" Téa exclaimed.

"You may as well give up now," Eliza said. "Ever since I perfected my Black Luster Soldier deck," she said pulling some hair away from her right eye and running her hand through the strands, "Not a duelist alive has been able to beat me. So, do you think you will be the first. Can you stand up to the might of the greatest warriors to walk the sands of Ancient Egypt? Do you have the courage?! Because I can assure you, Wheeler, if you make even one little slip up, I will not hesitate to capitalize it!"

Whatever Joey was expecting for his first duel in the Kaiba Corp Grand Prix, a first turn Black Luster Soldier was definitely not among his top 20 or even top 50 of expectations. Time seemed to freeze to a crawl. The way Eliza spoke it was as if she'd compiled her entire deck around one of the most powerful warriors in all of Duel Monsters. How the hell was his deck supposed to compete with that.

Worse, his doubts were amplified by the doubts of his friends, including Yami. If one listened closely, they could hear the sound of troubled heartbeats echoing in unison. A seemingly unbeatable sentinel now stood in Joey's path and his first task was mustering up the courage to see if he wanted to challenge it at all.

Into a downward spiral did Joey Wheeler's thoughts flood. Was he in over his head? Could he take on Eliza with his usual strategies? And even if he got past Eliza, what other terrifying duelists and strategies awaited him in this tournament. He didn't know.

He just…didn't know…

TO BE CONTINUED…

(A/N: Oh yeah! Full anime nostalgia in effect. I hope it doesn't feel like I'm overhyping Eliza. I was just trying to build to that "Oh shit" moment of everyone realizing she's running a Black Luster Soldier deck. Jeebus, Joey. How the hell are you going to get out of this one? XD

I actually contemplated switching the order of Eliza's duel with Joey with Gundham's and Takemaru's but ever since I got the idea to start their duel this way, I'm so glad I didn't, just so I could make all of you hang on the edge of this cliff.

Next time on Dueling Trigger Finger, the Intimidating Student Council President takes on the Ultimate Underdog. I'm excited to write this duel and I hope the hype I've built up in my head matches the expectations and hype you guys feel reading the end of this chapter.

I don't exactly know when I will have another chapter out, but I will try to have Joey vs Eliza out and done before May.

Also, I'm more than willing to answer questions about Gundham using the Pyramid of Light—as long as they're not spoilers—but I can say that I decided to give him the cards when I knew I wasn't going to do the movie.

But anyways, as always, from all of me, to all of you, let your hearts stay human and your wrath draconic. Ja ne!)