The duel between Crow and Kurosaki begins. Crow is determined to continue Shinji's work and believe in the bonds of the Commons, while Kurosaki is suspicious of more Academia infiltrators and is determined to discover the truth of Crow's intentions. Crow begins the duel by Synchro Summoning "Assault Blackwing - Sayo the Hidden Rain" and using an Equip Spell to power it up and deal effect damage to Kurosaki. Kurosaki responds by summoning three monsters and Xyz Summoning "Raid Raptors - Rise Falcon" and using its effect to power it up and attack and destroy Sayo. Crow responds by Synchro Summoning "Assault Blackwing - Sohaya the Early Summer Rain" and using it to revive Sayo, and then uses both of them to Synchro Summon his ace monster, "Assault Blackwing - Raikiri the Rain Shower". Kurosaki saves Rise Falcon from destruction, and on his next turn ranks it up into "Raid Raptors - Blaze Falcon," and uses its effects to destroy Raikiri and attack Crow directly. The score thus stands at a tight 2600-2700 advantage for Crow.
During the duel, Crow's kids friends take Yuzu up to watch the duel from a tower, and Sora evades Security as they search the Commons for him, unaware that Yuzu isn't where he left her.
Meanwhile, Yuya is brought into Jean-Michael Roget's office. Roget compliments him endlessly, praising his effort to entertain people in his duels instead of just seizing victory, and that he admires Yuya's dedication to his ideals. Roget, too, wishes to create an ideal society here in the City, and he believes Yuya is key to that. He desires Yuya to win the Friendship Cup and dethrone Jack, an unsuitable King for Roget's world, and take his place to help Roget create that world. He asks Yuya to work together with him for this. The episode ends as Yuya prepares to answer...
This episode contains examples of:
- Aesop Amnesia: This time Kurosaki outright says that the Lancers aren't his comrades and that all those other than comrades from Heartland are his enemies. He's proven once and for all he's completely and utterly forgotten the lesson he learned last season. A more justified example than most as he just learned that one of his new allies was not only part of the Academia but also destroyed Heartland and helped kidnap his sister. That kind of reveal would make anyone questionable to trust again.
- Cliffhanger: The final shot cuts to black just as Yuya is about to respond to Roget's proposal to work together.
- Cool Versus Awesome: Crow's Blackwings vs. Kurosaki's Raid Raptors. Both are decks reliant on Dark-attribute Winged Beast-types, but Crow's Blackwings use Synchro while Kurosaki's use Xyz.
- Did You Actually Believe...?: Roget asks this of Yuya's trust in Sora, saying that despite what he may believe, Sora is from Academia and as such would always be loyal to it despite any feelings he may have about it.
- First-Name Basis: Unlike his typical Full-Name Basis, Yuya calls Reiji by his first name when Roget shows Yuya that he has trapped Reiji and Reira in the Council's chambers.
- Freudian Excuse: What Crow's kids think of Kurosaki's backstory. They point out how they're similar, having started out with nothing and barely able to get by, but despite this, they never resorted to the Jerkass behavior he displays.
- Mirror Character: Crow's belief in the bonds of the Commons, and the miserable life he's lived among them, are similar to what Kurosaki's gone through. The difference, as the kids point out, is that Crow's had to put up with it his entire life, but he didn't turn out a Jerkass for it.
- Poor Communication Kills: Seriously, this duel would be a lot less hostile if Crow and Kurosaki weren't so stubborn. Kurosaki in particular, but Crow gets pretty hostile as well.
- They're both extremely belligerent even before the first turn.
Kurosaki: Academia has infiltrators everywhere. If you’re one of them, I won’t show any mercy!Crow: I don't have time for your nonsense!- At one point, Crow refers to all the talk about Acadamia as a "game," meaning that he thinks its all a ruse built by the Council. Remember how Sora, Dennis, and the Obelisk force all referred to the invasion of Heartland specifically as "hunting games"? Yeah, this isn't going to end well...
- We Can Rule Together: Roget to Yuya. He claims that he wants a world where everyone can duel with smiles just like Yuya and that in order to do that, he needs someone to beat Jack and take his place, but certain slips such as him claiming to have Yuya standing up with the Tops make it clear he doesn't really care about such a thing.
