Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V: The Fifth Factor(slow updates)

Chapter 45: The Awakening Dragon

"Creepy-looking hallway, check. Inadequate lightning, check. A descending staircase that probably leads to some really nasty place, check. Well, I can safely say this fortress is finally starting to look like a den where the bad guys reside."

Yukio made such a snide remark as he slowly moved through a dimly-lit corridor, wary of hidden traps or ambushes. It had been some time since he split up from Amon, and so far, he hadn't encountered any Academia forces in his path. However, the sense of dread within him kept rising by the second. His instincts as a Duelist told him that a difficult and challenging fight was waiting for him ahead.

"Even so, there's no use dillydallying here." Yukio reasoned. "Better to get it done sooner rather than later and free Serena and the others as swiftly as possible."

Nodding to himself, Yukio stared going down the stairs, eventually arriving at a large chamber reminiscent of an arena. Empty audience stands surrounded a simple circular ring suspended over a seemingly bottomless pit, while several torches mounted around the perimeter provided illumination. And waiting for him at the center of the ring—

"You have arrived at last, Tachibana Yukio. Welcome to Hell's Core. Have you become stronger since the last time our paths crossed?"

"Kaiser Ryo..."

Yukio clenched his fists, barely suppressing the tremors running throughout his body at the sight of the black-clothed youth and the feeling of pressure he was exuding. Memories of his previous defeat at the Kaiser's hands and his inability to protect Serena rushed unbidden to his mind, causing beads of sweat to run down his back.

Come on, move. The silver-haired youth said to himself as he struggled to control his instinctive fear towards the Duelist who had crushed him in the past. I knew this was a rematch that would happen sooner or later. Kaiser is a huge obstacle in our goal to stop Academia, so he must be taken down. I'm stronger now, definitely not the same man that lost so miserably to him. This time...this time, I'll definitely defeat him!

Psyching himself up thus, Yukio exhaled and stepped inside the ring as well, his determination evident from his gaze, with Kaiser nodding approvingly.

"For a moment there, I was certain you would turn tail and try to run away like most opponents who managed to escape from me in the past, but were unlucky to encounter me once more. But it seems you have managed to control your fear as befitting of a skilled Duelist. Allow me to praise you for that."

"I'm honored to receive the infamous Kaiser's praise." Yukio mockingly bowed to him with sarcasm dripping from his voice. "So, why are you at this place when all the action is happening upstairs? I would have thought Academia's ace Duelist would have been at the thick of things, trying to suppress the Lancers."

"Normally, that would have been the case." Ryo admitted. "However, I have been assigned a special mission by the Professor. Since I neglected to finish you off last time, he has ordered me to dispose of you personally as a dangerous element. That's why I was tracking your movements as best as I could since our security system has gone somewhat haywire and arrived here shortly before you did once I figured out your path would take you to this Underground Arena."

"Dangerous element?" Yukio narrowed his eyes at Ryo. "You people keep saying that, but I've never received any explanation or reason about receiving such designation. Is that why I was also nearly dumped into an incinerator?"

"That last part was an action the Doktor took of his own accord." Ryo spoke with a hint of distaste in his voice. "That loathsome slime only understands his own twisted logic and nothing else. Dangerous or not, the least a warrior deserves is an honorable death on the battlefield, not a cold-blooded execution as a result of trickery."