03x14 - Forced Hand

[bunniefuu]

[heavy guitar music]

[heavy breathing]

- Soulburner.

You did it!

- [Soulburner] It's over.

- I can't believe it.

Varis is out of the picture,

which means Playmaker
must now face me.

And I do believe this
reunion deserves a party!

[vibrant electronic music]

- Mom, Dad, Flame.

I did it.

I won.

- So be it.

You won because you were finally

able to embrace your past,

instead of running as fast

as you could from it.

- You're right.

And I have you to thank.

You taught me that
my past is a gift,

not a burden.

- Stop that. You know that
I don't do sentimental.

Now savor this
victory, Soulburner,

because I vow you'll
never b*at me again.

- Okay, man, chill.

- Since I'm a man of my word,

I'll honor the
deal that we made.

I'll let Playmaker settle
things with the Dark Ignis,

but whatever friendship
you have with the program,

you should forget
because you're fighting

for the fate of humanity.

Good luck and farewell forever.

- Farewell forever?

- Wait, you're just gonna leave?

- That's right.

I won't trouble you again.

- Wait, stop!

You can't do that!

- [gasps]

- You can't just walk away!

This whole mess...

it's all because of you, Varis,

so you can't leave now
because that's like, like...

like baking a double layer cake

but then taking off with
all of the frosting.

- That is an
incomprehensible metaphor.

- Okay, maybe it is. But
what I'm trying to say

what I'm trying
to get across here

is that when this is all over,

there are some family
friends I want to see again.

And since you created this mess,

what with the Lost
Incident happening

and the Knights of the
Hanoi attacking Link VRAINS,

well, the very least
that you could do

is stick around to
make absolutely sure

that nothing like that
ever, ever happens again.

The thing is, I know
Playmaker and I will

work things out and make
everything cool again,

but afterwards, there's gonna
be thieves and criminals

and hackers who are gonna
try to stir up trouble.

And this is where
you step in, Varis,

to make sure all these
bozos aren't able

to cause any trouble.

- Compelling argument.

- R-Really?

- You've convinced me.

I'll be here when you need me.

- I'm glad.

I think you'll like
being a good guy.

- Don't go overboard.

But none of this will matter
unless you stop the Dark Ignis.

- Well, Playmaker, I
guess it's up to you now.

- Seems that way. Now to
bring an end to this conflict.

[hoverboard whooshes]

[electronic typing]

[emotional music]

- [Kolter] Well, Teddy,
thanks for all your help.

Your long journey's
finally over.

I'd say you've earned
some chill time.

- Yeah, if I can
remember how to chill.

Hey, by the way,
you seen Yusaku?

I haven't seen him
since he sped away.

- Yep. Just this afternoon.

- Yeah? Tell me, what
did you guys talk about?

- Um, let's see.

- So you're going?

- Yeah. Save me a taco
for when I get back.

- Hot dog.

- Really? That's it?

- We've already said everything
that needs to be said.

- I guess so.

Sure hope he's ready.

[dramatic music]

- Yusaku, please
save my brother.

[dramatic music swells]

[sudden whoosh]

- Roken.

- That card should prove useful.

[waves lapping]

[dramatic music]

[clicks]

[soft rousing music]

[camera whirring]

[soft footsteps approaching]

[fanfare flourishes]

- [gasps]

- Hey there, meatbag!
Long time, no see!

- Hello, Ai.

[lively music]

- So you dig the
decor, all done by moi?

Just for you, of
course, old pal.

I spruced up the
place because that

Zaizen was no
interior decorator.

Come on, I'll give you a tour.

- Is this the factory floor?

- Yep. This is where all
of the SOLtiS are built.

[snaps fingers]

But I made a few tweaks
to SOLtiS' design.

- They're all you!

- Exactly right, and
aren't they gorgeous?

Instead of SOLtiS,
I call 'em SoltaiS!

- You took over SOL Tech
to make copies of yourself?

- Yes, indeed, pal of mine.

I'm installing them with
programs based on my code,

kind of like a backup.

And like any backup, they
won't be perfect copies,

but they'll still have 99%
of my sparkling personality

for each and every
household to enjoy.

- You're creating an army?

- Oh come now, when
you say it like that

it sounds so, well,
so perfectly accurate,

if I'm being honest with you.

The SOLtiS are already a hit,

so my version is going
to fly off the shelves.

- No offense, but
don't you think

you're maybe
overestimating your appeal?

- Not at all.

Underestimating is more like it.

And when there's more of me
than there are of you humans,

that's when the fun
will really begin.

Well, maybe not so
much for your kind,

but definitely for mine.

Because once you
humans are outnumbered,

you'll be outmatched.

And when you're outmatched,
that's when we'll make our move.

With one clean sweep,
we'll dust you all up,

then the w*r's over.

Easy, peasy, cheesy, breezy!

So what do you say?
Can I count on you

making an order for
this exquisite product?

They make great gifts, too.

Maybe you should get a few.

- Do you really want to
be all alone in the world?

- But I won't be alone.

There'll be plenty of SOLtaiS.

And who can I get along
better with than myself?

- Stop it.

You know that's no way to live.

- Let's just agree to disagree.

- Listen to me, Ai.

I know there are those
who don't believe humans

and AIs can coexist,
but they're wrong.

We proved they were
by working together.

- I used to feel the same way.

That's why we fought
together, right?

But I passed the
point of no return.

I already made a
bunch of SOLtaiS.

And there's no refund on them,

can't let them go
to waste, now can I?

- Yes, that's exactly
what you can do, Ai.

So, how about you quit making
excuses and just do it?

- Not happening.

See, the assembly line
is fully automated,

SOLtaiS will just keep
coming and coming.

- So, you're saying
they can't be stopped?

Nothing can be done?

- Well, no, not exactly.

There is one way - a final
shutdown code I wrote,

but the thing is, there's
just one way to trigger it.

- Which is...

- Someone has to
b*at me in a duel

as the code is tied to me.

I lose, and my army

of SOLtaiS and I will shut down.

- And you? What do you mean,
Ai, that you'll be erased?

- Yeah, but I don't plan on
it because I like existing.

But if any meatbag
is going to stop me,

I want it to be you.

That's why I invited you here.

- Sorry to disappoint you,

but I have no interest
in dueling you.

We've been through
too much together.

- Hey, yeah,
completely understand.

So, guess that means the
end of humanity is certain.

- There's no other way?

- There isn't.

Either I survive or humans do.

That's it. That's all. That's
the chips on the table.

Now, what's your choice?

- Please, Ai, surely
there are other options

that we can explore together.

- You keep using
this word 'together',

but haven't you realized it yet?

That word simply no longer
applies to you and me.

Yes, there was a
time where you and I

worked well, as you
say, 'together',

but that's now behind us
and there it will stay.

Get it through
your head, Yusaku,

the band has broken up,
the cookie has crumbled,

the tree's gone, timber.

Your favorite pair of socks,

one's been lost in the wash.

Okay, maybe those last
four were a stretch.

But what isn't a
stretch is this:

everything humanity
has been in the past

and might be in the
future all rests

on your shoulders right now.

So, now I ask you one more time,
Yusaku, what's your choice?

- Put it that way, there
is no choice. I must duel.

- That's what I wanted to hear.

- So let's get on with it.

- Perfect.

- [Yusaku And Ai] It's time
for us to link into the VRAINS!

[heavy rock music]

Duel!

- I will go first.

I summon Garbage
Collector in att*ck Mode!

[electronic beeping]

Next, I activate the
spell, Cynet Optimization.

It lets me summon Flame Bufferlo

from my hand in att*ck Mode.

[electronic whirring]

Then, due to Garbage
Collector's ability,

I can return a Cyberse
monster that's on my field

back to my hand in order
to summon another Cyberse

from my deck that has
the exact same level

as the monster I retrieve.

So, Flame Bufferlo
returns to my hand,

and Sea Archiver
takes its place.

Next up, Flame Bufferlo's
ability activates.

Whenever it leaves the field,

I can discard one
Cyberse from my hand

to draw two cards from my deck.

Then, I'll use both my
monsters to Link Summon

Link-2, Splash Mage!

I use my Mage's special
ability to revive a

Cyberse from my Graveyard
in Defense Mode,

so now return to my
field, Sea Archiver!

This allows me to
link someone again!

Link-3, Decode Talker!

[loud whoosh]

I place one card face
down and end my turn.

- Decode Talker...

That's the first Link monster

that me and you summoned
back in the day.

- Yeah, it's pretty
hard to believe

that those were
the simpler times.

I remember...

back when Kolter and I
found a Cyberse deck,

we thought we were lucky.

But, now I know it
wasn't coincidence.

- It was all me.

I couldn't fight against
Varis and the Knights of Hanoi

because they were hunting
me down. But, I knew I could

manipulate you into
fighting them for me.

- So, you left a trail
of breadcrumbs in just

such a way that would
lead me straight

to the Cyberse deck, so
I'd have the perfect w*apon

to fight against
the Hanoi for you.

And fight against
them, I did, without

knowing you were behind
it the whole time.

But is that the whole story?

After the Lost Incident,
I was determined to

make the Hanoi pay, and
when I got the Cyberse deck,

I realized that I finally had
the power to stand up to them.

My existence was no
longer on the brink.

I had cards strong
enough to take

on the extreme dangers
I would be facing.

And none of that would
have been possible

had it not been for you, Ai.

- True.

- You claim you needed my
help to fight the Hanoi,

but I disagree
with all my heart.

You see, Ai,

I believe that the
opposite is true.

What I believe is this:

you wanted to help me fight
against the Knights of Hanoi.

- Help you?

- That's correct.

Now listen, I know you
want to paint yourself

as the master puppeteer in
all this, but I don't buy it.

- Bravo. For someone
not known for their

colorful imagination, this
is certainly a wondrous work

of fiction that you've
managed to come up with.

But, if you truly believe that
I didn't trick you into this,

then I guess gullible
is your middle name.

Of course, I suppose
that would make sense.

It would explain
why you made such an

excellent puppet
for this puppeteer.

- Spin it however you like.

- It's not a spin, Playmaker.

You're suggesting that
I wasn't watching you.

That, in fact, all of this
time I was watching over you?

- It's no suggestion,
Ai, because it's fact.

- You're wrong.

And I'll prove it

by securing victory right here!

Now, old friend, your
former partner will become

your worst enemy!

I summon Pikari @Ignister!

Thanks to Pikari's ability,

I can draw a spell from my
deck, Ignister A.I.Land!

And now I Link Summon
Link-1, Linkuriboh!

And I'll follow
that up with this:

The Field Spell Ignister
A.I.Land summons

Doyon Ignister from my hand.

[Doyon beeps]

Then I activate Doyon's
special ability -

it lets me retrieve
Pikari from my Graveyard.

Then I'll activate another
spell, CompromA.I.se!

Once per turn, I can
transform my @Ignister

into a spell card and move it

into my Spell and Trap Zone.

- This means your main
monster zone's empty again.

- And when it's empty, Ignister
A.I.Land summons Pikari

right back from my hand.

[beeps and trills]

And then I use its ability to

draw a second Ignister A.I.Land

from my deck, but
that's only half of it.

Summoning Pikari's triggered
CompromA.I.se's second effect.

Once per turn, it moves
an @Ignister that's

in my Spell and Trap Zone
back to my main monster zone.

So my Doyon is once
again a monster.

[mechanical beeping]

Now that I have three monsters,

I have all I need to lease some.

It's time to unleash
a monster forged

from the darkest
depths of the shadow,

striking fear into all who
witness its majestic might.

So here it is the one, the only,

the awesome LINK-3
Dark Templar @Ignister!

[roars]

I activate Ignister A.I.Land
to summon a Aichichi @Ignister

next to Dark Templar's Link.

And when a monster is
summoned next to its link,

Dark Templar can revive other
@Ignisters from my Graveyard

to fill up the
rest of its links.

[mechanical trills]

With these three, I will
now create my circuit.

From the inferno blaze that
gave birth to the universe,

comes a monster that scorches
all who cross its path.

Rise up Link-3 Fire
Phoenix @Ignister!

But that's not all.

To prove how badly I wanna win,

I'll play that which
destroyed the Cyberse.

Check it.

It's the Link Spell that's
no friend to me or you.

[loud boom]

From my quiver of cards,
I play Judgment Arrows!

- [grunts]

- Ready, Playmaker?
Time to battle!

- Are you sure you
want to do that?

Due to Cynet's effect, when
you battle my Decode Talker,

you can't use your effects
or any of your abilities.

That means your Judgment
Arrow is useless.

- Looks like you were already
prepared for my strategy,

so it won't be smart to att*ck.

But, oh well.

I'll att*ck anyway!

Go Fire Phoenix! att*ck!

- That att*ck won't work
because I have this:

my Trap Code Hack!

Once per turn, when my
Decode Talker battles,

this trap can activate.

It drops your
monster's att*ck points

to zero for the
remainder of this turn.

[mechanical beeping]

[lasers blasting]

Luckily for you, in exchange,
your monster can't be

destroyed from this battle,
and you take no damage.

- You may have stopped
one of my att*cks,

but luckily, I
still have another.

Dark Templar, put
your sword to use

and att*ck Decode Talker!

My Dark Templar and
your Decode Talker have

the same number
of att*ck points.

But Dark Templar
can't be destroyed

by a monster with
equal strength.

So only your monster's
role is getting cut.

[expl*si*n]

- Ah!

- And just like that, round
one is now coming to a close.

And since me and my
monsters are done attacking,

Code Hack's effect
now shuts down

and Phoenix's att*ck points rise

from the ashes back to 2300.

I place one card face down
and that ends my turn.

Let's recap, shall we?

We each had a turn, we
each played some cards,

but now I have two
monsters and you have none.

That does mean that you'd
better up your game,

or humanity is going down.

- Ai.