Kids from all over town converge to play Vanguard, a card game that seems to be the biggest thing going around. A timid boy, Aichi Sendō, has a rare card, the Blaster Blade, which makes him a target for Katsumi Morikawa, a player who wants to use Aichi's card to get revenge on another player, Toshiki Kai. After school, Morikawa and his buddy Yūta Izaki steal Aichi's Blaster Blade from him. Aichi runs to a card shop called Card Capital to find that Morikawa lost it in a bet against Kai. It is then that Aichi and Kai meet and play a round of Vanguard with Blaster Blade as the prize. Before the match, Kai gives Aichi Blaster Blade in the hopes of him using it effectively against him. During the course of the match, Kai teaches Aichi the rules of playing Vanguard. As the fight goes on, Aichi reveals that he has met Kai before when summoning his ace, Blaster Blade, which Kai gave to him long ago, stating that it was because of him that he wants to learn more about Vanguard.

After Aichi plays Blaster Blade, he and Kai recall their first meeting. Back then, after seeing a young Aichi beaten up, the young Kai cheered him up by giving him Blaster Blade, and he told Aichi to imagine himself as a strong warrior like the card. With that in mind, Aichi got absorbed into Vanguard, creating his own deck in the hopes of playing against Kai, who had already moved away by then. Back to the game, Aichi deals a bit of damage to Kai, who retaliates with his ace card, Dragonic Overlord. It wipes out Aichi's units and greatly damages him. All seems lost until Aichi draws a "Heal Trigger", which allows Aichi to stay in the game for one last turn. Aichi launches a final attack with Blaster Blade, which breaks through Kai's defenses and deals one more point of damage to Kai, thus giving Aichi the win. A day later, Aichi revisits the card shop. Despite thinking that Kai would not show up after being defeated, Aichi is glad to see that Kai returns.

Aichi's little sister, Emi, is worried by Aichi's different behavior as of late. After school, Emi sees Aichi with Morikawa and Izaki, who want him to go with them to the Card Capital. However, Emi misinterprets the situation as Aichi hanging with the wrong crowd. Concerned for her brother, she secretly follows the trio to the Card Capital. There, Emi is astounded by all the people in the shop, icluding Aichi, Morikawa, and Izaki, playing Vanguard. It is then that the card shop's manager, Shin Nitta, appears and introduces Emi to the world of trading card games. Emi and Shin then observe a cardfight between Aichi and Morikawa. The battle ends with Aichi winning without taking any damage. Watching Aichi play, Emi sees how much her big brother has changed because of Vanguard. And so, she has become supportive of Aichi playing the game.

After taking a look at Aichi's deck, Shin decides to show him "something nice". So, Shin has Aichi battle Misaki, who, despite working at the card shop, has never actually participated in a Vanguard fight before. Nonetheless, after Shin gives Misaki a special deck, she and Aichi begin their cardfight. In the midst of the battle, Misaki shows that she knows more about the game than she lets on as she draws multiple cards and calls her ace card, the Grade 3 CEO Amaterasu. Using the "Twin Drive" ability that Grade 3 cards have, Misaki defeats Aichi. Through this loss, Aichi learns that he has much more to know about Vanguard if he ever wants to play against Kai again.

Aichi goes to the card shop to buy a booster pack in the hopes of getting a Grade 3 card. When he arrives, he sees a grade-school kid, Kamui Katsuragi, convincingly defeating Izaki in a cardfight. Aichi challenges Kamui, but he refuses, noticing that Aichi is not a strong player. Then, after Kamui beats Morikawa in a cardfight, Aichi tries to buy a booster pack. Suddenly, Emi appears, and Kamui immediately falls in love with her. Before Aichi could buy a pack, Emi drags him back home while Kamui looks on, thinking that the two are boyfriend and girlfriend. Later, Aichi buys a booster pack and is pleased to find that the pack contained a Grade 3 card, Solitary Knight, Gancelot. Just then, Kamui shows up and challenges Aichi, demanding to get Emi if he beats him. Although Aichi misunderstands Kamui's intentions, he and Kamui begin their Vanguard fight. Kamui uses powerful cards like Genocide Jack and King of Swords to quickly deal a ton of damage to Aichi, who strikes back by using his newly-acquired Solitary Knight, Gancelot. But in the end, Aichi loses to Kamui after he calls his ace card Asura Kaiser. Afterwards, Emi arrives and tries to get Aichi home, and it is then that Kamui learns that the two are actually siblings. Now, hoping to get closer to Emi, Kamui starts referring to Aichi as his "big brother", although Aichi is not exactly glad about it.

Aichi and his friends decide to go to a different card shop called PSY. There, they try out the shop's special Vanguard Fight Stage. It oddly reacts to Aichi, which leads to a woman, Kourin, challenging him to a cardfight. When the two begin the battle, Aichi is surprised that the stage brings the cards to life. Aichi and Kourin, who both use a Royal Paladin deck, continue their battle, until Aichi makes a bad decision in not guarding one of her Vanguard's attacks, ultimately leading to his defeat. Afterwards, another woman, Suiko, gives Aichi the card The King of Knights, Alfred as a special memento for visiting the card shop. Later, Aichi learns from Morikawa that the card shop they visited has disappeared.

Shin introduces the "Standing Fight Table (Name Subject To Change)" to enrich the experience of a Vanguard fight, with Morikawa and Kamui being the first to play on it. After Kamui once again beats Morikawa, Aichi and his friends return to their homes but then see Kai walking back to his home. Wanting to learn where Kai lives, Aichi, Kamui, and Miwa try to follow him, but Kai soon notices them tailing him. Aichi apologizes and tries to get Kai to battle him again, but he declines. However, Kamui challenges Kai, and he reluctantly accepts. The next day, the two commence their cardfight. Kai gains the upper hand by getting a Grade 3 card, Embodiment of Victory, Aleph, into play before Kamui, who counterattacks with his own Grade 3 unit Mr. Invincible. But Kai soon summons another Grade 3 unit Vortex Dragon, and he later activates its Soul Blast skill to destroy some of Kamui's units, leaving Kamui unable to defend himself from Kai's final attacks. Kai defeats Kamui and takes his leave, but not before Aichi tells him that he'll become a stronger and more worthy opponent for him.

The Card Capital Shop Tournament begins soon, but Aichi is hesitant to play in it, even after making a new deck. However, when he learns that Kai will be in the tournament, Aichi decides to enter as well. But when he submits his entry application form, another Vanguard player, Osamu Kishida, places his application at nearly the same time as Aichi. Both of them want to enter, but there is only one open spot left in the tournament. To resolve this issue, Shin recommends to have Aichi and Osamu play against each other to see who gets the last entry spot. Using his Megacolony units' effects, Osamu restricts Aichi's units from standing while scoffing at him for calling so many weak units. However, Aichi uses his new card The King of Knights, Alfred, whose power is increased by the number of other Royal Paladins in play. With Alfred, Aichi defeats Osamu and is therefore officially in the tournament.

The Card Capital Shop Tournament finally begins. In the first round, Aichi must play against Izaki while at the same time, Morikawa battles Misaki. Since this is his first time in a tournament, Aichi grows nervous. His tournament jitters get the better of him as he makes many amateur mistakes. But when he sees that Izaki is also just as nervous and makes similar mistakes, Aichi realizes that he's not alone, regains his composure, and remembers that Vanguard fights should be fun. When he tells Izaki that, he too calms down, and the two continue playing the game at their best. In the end, not only does Aichi win, but Misaki also advances to the next round.

Kamui and Kai advance to the second round of the tournament, along with Ninja Master M, an eccentric player who dresses and acts like a ninja. He meets Aichi, who deduces that he is actually his teacher Mark Whiting, but he denies that claim (even though it's true). The tournament progresses to the second round matches with Aichi facing off against Ninja Master M while Kai plays against the previous tournament's champion Kazuki Inaba. Ninja Master M uses his Nubatama ninja units' effects to deplete the cards in Aichi's hands. He drives Aichi to a corner when he rides his ace card Stealth Dragon Voidmaster and leaves only one card in Aichi's hand. While this is going on, Kai defeats Inaba in his match.

Aichi makes a comeback by calling more units from his deck to boost the power of The King of Knights, Alfred, forcing Ninja Master M to use most of his cards to guard against his attacks. As a result, M is left with no cards to defend himself from Aichi's last attack. Aichi wins and therefore advances to the semifinals. Ninja Master M disappears, and Mark soon arrives (with a bag containing his Ninja Master M attire). After Aichi's match, Kamui and Misaki play in their respective cardfights, and they both advance as well. Before the start of the semifinals, the tournament is put on hold for a lunch break. So, Aichi and Emi have lunch outside the card shop where Kamui tries to get Emi to feed him, but no such luck. After everyone returns to the shop, Aichi, Misaki, Kamui, and Kai all draw lots to determine who will be playing against who. Aichi is put up against Kamui while Kai must fight Misaki. With the matchups set, the semifinals begin.

It's the semifinals: Kai plays against Misaki, and Aichi once again battles Kamui. Both Aichi and Kamui want to win for their own reasons; Aichi wants to fight Kai again while Kamui hopes to gain Emi's affection upon winning the entire tournament. Aichi defends himself from Kamui's Genocide Jack's attacks better than he did in their first cardfight. Aichi makes a surprising move by calling Blaster Blade as a rear-guard and using its ability to destroy Genocide Jack. As the battle between Aichi and Kamui rages on, the cardfight between Kai and Misaki comes to a close with Kai as the victor.

Aichi and Kamui's match comes down to the wire, with Kamui slowly building up his Vanguard's Soul. Despite Aichi getting a Heal Trigger to allow him to stay in the game, Kamui then uses his Mr. Invincible's Soulblast, dubbed the "Tornado Stand Galactica", making all of his units stand up and ready to attack again. With this move, Kamui once again defeats Aichi. After he gets over this loss, the final battle between Kai and Kamui ensues. Even though Kamui uses Mr. Invincible and its Soulblast like in the previous match, Kai nonetheless successfully defends and survives the onslaught. In the end, Kai beats Kamui again and is therefore the champion of the entire tournament. After the tournament, Shin then makes a special announcement: the four finalists (Kai, Kamui, Misaki, and Aichi) of this tournament are to represent Card Capital and participate in the regional tournament, shocking Aichi.

Kamui takes Aichi to Card Shop Handsome, a pirate-themed store that Kamui used to visit. They meet the national-tournament-level and previous regional champions Team Handsome, which is led by Gouki Daimonji. Soon after, they also meet Gouki's little sister Nagisa. She has a huge crush on Kamui to the point that she wants to marry him despite their young age, but he does not feel the same way about her. When Kamui tries to explain that he's in love with Aichi's sister Emi, the situation is misinterpreted as Aichi trying to take away Kamui and hurting Nagisa's feelings. Wanting to make her little sister happy, Gouki challenges Aichi to a Cardfight with the winner getting Kamui. As the fight goes on, Aichi learns the horror of Gouki's Granblue deck as he constantly resurrects his undead pirates from the Drop Zone. The level of a Cardfighter who has played in a national tournament proves to be too much for Aichi; Gouki beats Aichi, learning the level of competition that he will face in the future. After the game, the misunderstanding is cleared, and Nagisa goes back to chasing after Kamui, much to his dismay.

As Emi continues coming to the Card Capital Card Shop, Shin convinces her to try the game out for herself. While approaching the game shop, Katsumi has his fortune told and he finds that he will have luck with his juniors today (however, Yuta corrects him and says that he'll have terrible luck today). When they arrive at the card shop, Aichi is surprised when Emi is preparing to play Vanguard. Emi is handed Misaki's deck as Shin wants both Aichi and Emi to battle together. However, Katsumi wishes to take Aichi's place and a battle between the new player Emi and the "Expert Naive Player" Katsumi begins, with Kamui bitter about how Katsumi is playing against her instead of himself. Despite only using "cute" cards, Emi defeats Katsumi with some beginner's luck.

The day for the regional tournament is here. Shin drives the team of Aichi, Kamui, and Kai to the tournament site. on the way there, while Aichi and Kamui make adjustments to Aichi's deck, Shin decides to name the team "Quadrifoglio" (Italian for "four-leaf-clover"; Q4 for short). They arrive and watch a promotional video of the pop idol group Ultra Rare, who are the three girls, Kourin, Rekka, and Suiko, who Aichi met at the card shop PSY. After a run-in with Team Handsome, it is then accounced that Team Q4 will play in the first round against Team Black Magic, three dark-robed men who all have "Kuro" (Japanese for "black") in their names. Because of Misaki's absence, Aichi will have to participate, and in the first match, too! Aichi's fight does not go well. His opponent, Kurosawa, appears to use the same clan as Kai, the Kagero, but with many new units. When he Superior Rides Demonic Dragon Berserker, Yaksha and uses several skills to retire all of Aichi's Rear-Guards, Aichi panics, realizing that even if he rides Alfred, he cannot use fully use its ability. In a desperate move, he uses all the cards in his hand, including the newly-added Knight of Truth, Gordon, to create an almost full field.

Aichi has difficulty pushing for victory, and his opponent gets a Critical Trigger on top, bringing him to five damage. Aichi desperately needs to block the next strike, but is unwilling to leave his hand empty. He guards with Wingal and Intercepts with his new unit Knight of Truth, Gordon. At first, it seems that Aichi has an insufficient amount of Shield, but he reveals that Gordon's skill, the Especial Intercept, allows its shield to rise by 5000 points during an Intercept. Aichi then proceeds to call Gigantech Charger, another new card whose skill is used to completely fill Aichi's side of the field, and finish the match with a Critical Trigger. Team Black Magic's next fighter, Kurosaki, appears, while on Team Q4's side, Kai steps up. They both use Kagero, and the announcer, MC Miya, and spectators seem to think it will be an exciting match. However, they are soon disillusioned - Kai annihilates his opponent without even breaking a sweat. Afterwards, everyone sees that underneath Team Black Magic's dark cloaks are actually three sparkling-bright young men. Kai's victory leads to Team Q4 advancing to the next round and Kamui becoming enraged that he was not given the chance to fight.

The regional tournament continues with Team Q4 easily plowing through their second and third opponents, Team Martial Arts and Team Chemistry Club, by defeating them both 2-0. Kamui's past relation to Gouki and Team Handsome is revealed, and Gouki and Kamui pledge to be the first to take the stage in the final match. During a break, Emi arrives with lunch, making Kamui happy to eat her food. But this moment is ruined when Nagisa charges in with her own prepared lunch and messes things up for Kamui. Incidentally, both lunches end up in Morikawa's stomach, who spews fire like a dragon from the spicyness of Nagisa's food, which Kamui does not appreciate. After a musical performance by Ultra Rare singing their opening hit song "Miracle Trigger", the tournament finals commence. Kamui, expecting to play against Gouki in the first game, is shocked when Nagisa steps up to be his opponent.

Surprisingly enough, Nagisa steps into the fray as the first fighter of Team Handsome, resulting in Kamui being in a desperate situation as she declares that Kamui has to marry her if she wins. Kamui answers back by declaring that if he wins, then Nagisa will leave him alone. Both parties agree to these terms and then start their Cardfight. Using a Nova Grappler deck like Kamui, Nagisa proves herself to be an excellent fighter, fighting toe-to-toe with him. Though it seems that the agonizing Kamui can make a reversal using Lion Heat, Nagisa is able to fully negate his attacks and finish him off using her own Lion Heat and Magician Girl, Kirara with a "Wedding Hold" during the next turn. After the match, as per agreement, Nagisa gets dressed in a wedding gown and is ready to marry Kamui, who tries to run for his life.

In spite of Nagisa winning and her getting to marry Kamui as a result, Kamui weasels out by saying that Team Q4 as a whole hasn't lost yet, so their agreement is still pending. With one loss in their record, Team Q4 has to win both the next matches in order to advance through the regional tournament. Though everyone is certain that Kai will win, Aichi becomes increasingly desperate, as his match will be the one to decide the fate of the team, going as far as to thinking of running away to have Misaki participate instead. As Kai walks up to play, he indirectly tells Aichi that people who run away are not worthy of fighting him. His opponent, Kaoru "Ka-boom!" Komatsubara, seems to be a formidable opponent who gloats how he's a national-tournament-level player, but Kai gains an early lead, pushing his enemy into a bad situation. Throughout the battle, Kai chooses to not defend against all except one of Kaoru's attacks, puzzling everyone about his decisions. Aichi believes that Kai is trying to tell him something through these actions; he deduces that Kai knows that he does not need to defend and will still be able to win. When both players are at five damage, Kaoru confidently declares that he will survive and claim victory, but Kai refutes that claim, loudly announcing Final Turn! He rides a new card, Blazing Flare Dragon, and uses a card skill to retire one opposing unit and increase its attack power. Kai relentlessly adds to the power by drawing two Critical Triggers in a row, thoroughly annihilating Kaoru. Seeing Kai's power, and remembering his own aspirations to reach his level, Aichi becomes motivated to win his fight!

Aichi's match against Gouki begins. Aichi remembers Gouki as a formidable opponent, and realizes that he cannot stay the same as before if he wishes to win. Using a combination of the skills of Barcgal and Knight of the Future Llew, he Rides Blaster Blade from the deck, surprising Gouki. With both sides getting a Heal Trigger and staying at nearly the same amount of damage, it becomes an intense fight. Gouki Superior Rides Spirit Exceed from the Drop Zone and prepares for a full frontal assault.

The fight between Aichi and Gouki continues. Aichi blocks Gouki's attack, and counterattacks with Alfred, bringing Gouki to five damage. However, Gouki replaces his Vanguard with King of the Demonic Seas, Basskirk, who uses eight cards from the Soul and five cards from the Damage Zone, to instantly revive as many Granblue units from the Drop Zone as possible! Though Aichi perfectly defends during that turn, he realizes that he must finish it immediately. A strange blue light emerges from his deck, which Kai notices. Aichi draws into one of the new cards that he had acquired, which he had put in his deck despite Kamui's advice. He rides Soul Saver Dragon, the powerful God of the Royal Paladin knights, and activates its skill to power up his rear-guard units. Though it seems like Gouki will make it past, Aichi Drive Checks a Stand Trigger, and finishes the game with a brutal attack. With Aichi's win over Gouki, Team Q4 wins the regional tournament and is therefore eligible to enter the national tournament. At the awards ceremony, Ultra Rare congratulates Q4 for their victory, and Suiko invites Aichi to visit PSY once more.

Aichi, Kamui and Misaki visit Card Shop PSY after Suiko's invitation. They meet an aloof red-haired stranger with a peculiar attitude. However, once the Ultra Rare group arrives, they learn that he is none other than Ren Suzugamori, the winner of the previous national tournament! Kourin and Ren engage in a Cardfight, both using the exact same deck structure, and Aichi, who had been beaten by Kourin before, watches in amazement as Ren easily controls the match. Strangely using the same speech patterns that Kai does during his matches, Ren uses a seemingly simple Grade 1 card called Blazer Idols to finish the game. However, what are these visions that Aichi has of the planet Cray, when Ren is about to make his move...?

To prepare for the national tournaments, worried about Cardfighters on Ren's level, Aichi and Misaki engage in a fight. However, memories of her tragic past surface in Misaki's mind, causing her to break down. Though she dominates the match by preventing Aichi's strategy from taking effect until it is too late, and finishing him off by means of a Critical Trigger, she abandons the team directly afterwards, claiming to be unable to fight any longer. Stunned, Aichi and Kamui try to discover what they have done wrong...

Emi visits Card Capital, worrying about the depressed Aichi. She encounters Misaki, who claims not to know anything - but the manager pushes the two into a cardfight using the new trial decks that just arrived. Going along for Emi's sake, Misaki uses the new Nova Grappler deck, whereas Emi uses the Oracle Think Tank one. Already having memorized all effects of the cards with her perfect memory, Misaki easily defeats Emi, but in doing so, she remembers the fun that Vanguard used to be for both her and her parents, and realizes that they would not want her to feel sad about the game. Receiving a key from her uncle to unlock the box with the deck her parents made for her, she rejoins Team Q4 to Aichi and Kamui's joy, who feel terrible about what had happened, and easily beats every regular customer of the shop.

Team Q4 arrives at the site of the national tournament grounds and meets Team Caesar, composed of Kenji "Koutei" Matsusada and the siblings Gai and Yuri Usui, who were the last national tournament's finalists and previous winners. Everything seems to be going well, but due to Kai's increasingly arrogant and insulting attitude, Kamui decides he can no longer work with him and abandons the team. Aichi attempts to go after him, but is reminded that if he also leaves, Team Q4 will be unable to participate in the tournament and will therefore be disqualified. With some advice from Kenji, Aichi decides to win the preliminary rounds and earn Q4 a spot in the finals, so Kamui can return.

The national tournament preliminary rounds begin! After an explanation of the tournament rules by Ultra Rare, Team Q4 discovers that they are put in the same block as Team Foo Fighter Apex Limited Four, Ren Suzugamori's team and previous winners. To his great surprise, Aichi discovers that Kai not only personally knows one of AL4's members, but is also acquainted with Ren. They are soon forced to forget about AL4, though, since the first round begins and pits them against Team Jurassic Army, a group of militaristic Cardfighters using the brutal Tachikaze clan. Aichi takes the first match against Gunji, and though he allows himself to take damage and use the skill of Blaster Blade effectively, he is cornered by the Tachikaze ace, Tyrant, Deathrex...

Gunji brutally corners Aichi with the speed and power of his Tachikaze deck, bringing the score to 5-3 in Gunji's favor. To make a reversal, Aichi rides his new ace card, Soul Saver Dragon. Managing to get a Critical trigger, it looks like the match has been decided, but luck favors Gunji, who gets a last-minute Heal Trigger and survives, winning on the next turn. The next match features Misaki who, despite cleverly using the attribute of Silent Tom to cripple her opponent's ability to guard, is also defeated in the exact same manner. With their first match ending in a brutal defeat, Team Q4 cannot afford to lose again.

Team Q4's second match against Team Muscle Brain begins. Team Muscle Brain believes that training the body will result in a better mind, and thus practices brutal fighting prowess. However, when Kai steps up to the first match, he is able to annihilate his opponent easily by Superior Riding Blazing Flare Dragon. Misaki takes the second match, using a new line of cards located in the deck that was given to her by her parents before their death. Though she can't seem to get a Grade 3 in hand, using the effects of her units she Superior Rides Goddess of the Full Moon Tsukuyomi. Using skills that allow her to draw, she increases her hand to the point where she comfortably blocks her opponent's desperate move, and finishes the game. There is no time to celebrate, though, as the next match is versus Team AL4, the strongest team.

Team Q4's final fight in the preliminary rounds, which they cannot afford to lose, begins. Kai takes the stage first, against AL4 member "Crusher" Kyou Yahagi, who potently uses a Spike Brothers deck. Kai rides Dragonic Overlord and activates its skill, but Kyou blocks it, pushing Kai on the defensive. However, Kai recovers his momentum with a Heal Trigger, allowing him to reclaim three unflipped damage. He uses Overlord's effect once more, annihilating Kyou's defense and claiming victory. An observing Ren claims the result was not unexpected and grins madly, while Kyou runs off in panic.

Though Kai won the first match of the team battle, Misaki is challenged by Asaka Narumi, known as the "Assassin". Asaka skillfully uses a Pale Moon deck, and though Misaki tries to fight by reading her opponent's moves, Asaka plans further ahead and cripples Misaki's strategy while preparing her field. Using an unavoidable three-pronged attack pattern coupled with a Draw Trigger, Asaka delivers the final blow to Misaki. This leaves both teams with a single match won, and it is up to Aichi to determine Q4's fate against Tetsu, the General of AL4. Tetsu, using a Dark Irregulars deck, deals 3 damage to Aichi in his very first turn - however, Aichi has a plan.

The match between Aichi and Tetsu continues while an anxious Kamui watches. Confronted by Nagisa, Gouki and Emi, who learned of the situation via Team Caesar, Kamui is motivated to support Aichi. Aichi begins to make a comeback by shutting down his opponent's offense and evening out the damage with a heal trigger, but Tetsu rides Demon World Marquis Amon, and with a Critical Trigger, pushes Aichi down to five damage. Aichi gains a vision of the Royal Paladin knights joined together, and draws and rides Soul Saver Dragon, whose effect is used to power up all his units. Regardless, Tetsu manages to block, and during his next turn rides Still Vampyr. That card has a deadly effect that replaces the opponent's Vanguard with another Rear-Guard, thus Aichi is forced to ride the Grade 0 Future Knight, Llew. In this weakened form, he is unable to withstand Tetsu's attack and suffers a terrible defeat. It seems as if all hope is not lost, as Jurassic Army loses to Muscle Brain and a 3-way tie is formed. Through a final judges' call based on overall performance, Ultra Rare announces that Jurassic Army is the team that progress. Ren meets up with Q4 and tries to get Kai to rejoin his team, but Kai refuses him, and Ren blames Aichi for Q4's failure.

Team Q4 gathers at Card Capital to watch the national tournament finals. Due to various delays, they only manage to catch the very last match, where Ren, leader of Foo Fighter AL4, faces of against Kenji, leader of Team Caesar. Even though Kenji appears to put up a good fight, Aichi sees right through Ren's power. Ren quickly decides to take the battle a little more seriously, and rides Blaster Dark, a black version of Blaster Blade. In a couple of turns, he completely annihilates Kenji, and AL4 are crowned the national champions. In an attempt to cheer Q4 up, Shin arranges for a beach trip, but Aichi is too demotivated for it. Miwa manages to convince Kai to speak to Aichi. Kai's words give Aichi the motivation to continue playing. Fired up, Q4 requests a special training session from Shin.

Q4 has gone to the beach in order to train at Vanguard - though a lot of its supporters, such as Katsumi, seem to have other priorities. The team meets up with Team Caesar, who set up the training camp, and they quickly engage in cardfights. Surprising everyone, Kai actually defeats Kenji, and the two engage in an elaborate discussion about strategies and tactics. In the meantime, Aichi loses to Yuri five times in a row. Yuri requests to see Aichi's deck, and once she does acknowledges that it's a good deck, but with a weak unifying victory strategy. Aichi thinks about her words as everyone prepares curry for dinner, and while everyone else sleeps, he begins working on his deck.

Aichi sleeps late and is thus the last to get up. Kai and Kenji have woken up before everyone else and are already engaged in Cardfighting. They have leftover curry for breakfast, while Aichi reports the unfortunate results of his deck editing session. They go to the beach, where Aichi, Katsumi and Yūta are put under a special training regimine by Kamui, which culminates in them imagining themselves as valiant Vanguards on Cray. Shin presents Q4 with a briefcase full of rare cards, which they used to build up their decks. Aichi's Royal Paladins speak to him in his mind, and he reconstructs his deck without realizing it. Yuri challenges Aichi to a rematch, and Aichi skillfully uses the effects of Hi-Dog Breeder Akane and Pongal to get Soul Saver Dragon in his hand, before Katsumi interrupts the match. The team finally leaves the training camp, satisfied with the experience they have gathered.

Miwa spys on Kai who has begun fighting in underground fights in order to find stronger opponents. Underground Cardfights usually result in the loss of cards, and players do not abide by the rules that ensure fair play in a Cardfight. When Miwa discovers that Kai is searching for Jun, the King of Underground Fights, he goes looking for him. He confronts Jun, and is captured. Jun and Kai then have a Cardfight with Miwa and Kai's freedom at stake. Jun uses a Dark Irregulars deck against Kai, and puts up a fierce fight by making use of his cards' abilities. At the end, he attempts to use his ace, Edel Rose, and her critical strike ability to finish off Kai, but is prevented by the complete defense of Kai's Wyvern Guard, Barri. Kai and Miwa leave, with Miwa figuring out that he had been used by Kai to draw Jun out.

A tournament is being held again at Card Capital, but it is now a team fight due to the large number of participants. Team Q4 fights and moves all the way up to the final round, with Kai not participating in the team fight. Q4 discovers their opponent to be Team Overthrow which consists of Miwa, Yūta, and Katsumi, who is dressed up as Ninja Master M, since the costume was donated to him by M, since he decided to not participate in tournaments anymore. In the first round, Katsumi faces Misaki and completely loses due to his deck being full of grade 3s. The second round features Kamui and Degozaru's secret weapon, Princess Maiden, who is actually Emi, who wanted to participate in the tournament. Because of Kamui being unwilling to give his all against Emi, she defeats him using her Bermuda Triangle/Oracle Think Tank deck. Now it is Aichi's turn, and his opponent is none other than Miwa!

The fight between Miwa and Aichi begins. Miwa, who surprisingly uses a Kagero deck like Kai, forces Aichi into a corner by using powerful retiring strategies, and even though Aichi manages a powerful attack using two Pongal and Young Pegasus Knight, and then Solitary Knight, Gancelot as well as Soul Saver Dragon, Miwa blocks his efforts, and calls Dragonic Overlord, activating its Eternal Flame. Though Miwa gloats with 'Final Turn', Aichi blocks his attack, and then places down Flash Shield, Iseult to neutralize Overlord's hit. He proceeds to win the game using Soul Saver Dragon - however, Kai is informed by Miwa that Aichi hears the call of card spirits, which greatly worries him.

The regionals commence once again, with Team Q4 and Team Handsome competing. Battles rage as Team Handsome advances to the next round. Team Q4's first opponent, though, is Team Fragrance, a dangerous group whose members claim to be able to sense their opponent's feelings by their scent. Aichi displays extraordinary positiveness by claiming the first spot for Q4, and proceeds to the fighting arena.

Aichi trusts the voice of his cards, riding Solitary Knight, Gancelot and calling King of Knights, Alfred to the Rear-Guard circle. His opponent uses an Oracle Think Tank deck. Though his first Counter Blast with Gancelot is thwarted by Chocolat, he tries again during the next turn, and scores an unexpected Critical trigger, winning the match. Misaki proceeds to win the second fight with a clever combination of Oracle Guardian Red-Eye and Goddess of the Full Moon Tsukuyomi. Team Q4 also advances, but Aichi seems exhausted from his previous fight and collapses, unable to continue. The next fights are conducted without his presence, and Kamui and Kai easily dominate their opponents, allowing Q4 to move once more to the very last round, where they hope to face Team Handsome. However, Gouki and the others are defeated by a mysterious team called Avengers, whose leader is revealed to be none other than "Crusher" Kyou Yahagi, seeking revenge against Kai...

Kyou is back for revenge against Team Q4 - specifically Kai. Kyou then proceeds to explain how things came to be this way - since he lost his match to Kai during the Nationals, he got banished from AL4. As a former member of AL4, Kyou had trouble finding a new team to join because no one wants to recruit a discarded AL4 member to prevent any conflicts. After multiple rejections, Kyou goes insane and swears vengeance against Team Q4. For the first match, Aichi decides to take the lead instead of letting Kai face Kyou again in hopes of earning more of Kai's acknowledgement. Under the influence of his new powers, Aichi becomes a completely different Cardfighter. Before the match, Aichi declares his victory and the card Young Pegasus Knight as the key card to win the match - something that Ren would do. During the match, Kyou slowly becomes intimidated by Aichi's resemblance to Ren. Kyou believed Aichi was simply bluffing after retiring his Young Pegasus Knight during his second turn. But at the end, Aichi reveals the second Young Pegasus Knight he had and declared his victory with the same attitude and aura as Ren.

After easily blocking Kyou's quadruple attack, Aichi declares 'Final Turn'. Though it seems his plan is going to be defeated, thanks to a Stand trigger, Aichi manages to deliver the finishing blow using Young Pegasus Knight. It is determined by Suiko that Aichi possesses the ability PSY Qualia, which they seek. Kyou has a vision of planet Cray, where he is slashed down by Pegasus Knight, and collapses, obliterated. Similarly, an exhausted Aichi falls in Kai's arms, and he is brought to the infirmary. The second match between Misaki and Team Avenger's second member begins. Aichi is visited by Emi, who claims Aichi looked scary during his fight, though Aichi doesn't notice anything different. Misaki wins her fight, though Suiko and the others decide she doesn't possess the ability PSY Qualia. Aichi is visited by Kai, and although he seeks his approval for becoming stronger, Kai calls him weak, and abandons him and Team Q4 after Aichi challenges him to a fight in order to prove his strength. Kyou continues seeking his revenge, until Team Brilliant Stars appears, ordering Kyou and the others to be arrested.

Kamui is concerned when Aichi stops coming to Card Capital after the tournament. Aichi continues to be haunted by Kai's words and finds himself unexpectedly at the door to the PSY Card Shop. Aichi enters the shop and is greeted by the members of Ultra Rare where he asks them if he was strong in the last tournament. Everyone is then surprised when Ren enters the shop. Confronting Aichi, Ren explains what has been happening to him lately and the nature of the power, PSY Qualia. Ren tells Aichi that Kai will only acknowledge strong fighters and that he must get stronger. Ren then gives Aichi a Shadow Paladin Deck, the dark opposite of his Royal Paladin Deck. Seeing through PSY Qualia, Aichi is nearly overwhelmed by the deck's power and believes this new deck makes him invincible. Kourin believes he's being arrogant and challenges him to a duel with her Royal Paladin Deck. In the match, Kourin is easily and soundly defeated by Aichi using Blaster Dark and his new Shadow Paladins, demonstrating the fearsome power of PSY Qualia. All the while, Ren watches from the shadows, smiling and encouraging Aichi to embrace his new dark power.

After losing to Aichi, Kourin goes to Card Capital, asking for Kai. Since Miwa is the only person who knows where Kai is, he rides with Kourin to the Underground cardfight area. They find Kai, who is beating all the underground fighters to relieve his frustrations. Kourin soon challenges him to a fight, where Miwa and Jun get to sit in the middle of the action. While Kourin uses her Royal Paladin deck, Kai reveals his newly modified Kagero deck, which focuses on Amber Dragons. As each of them are dealing damage to each other, Kourin confronts Kai about how it's his fault that Aichi has fallen into the power of Psy Qualia, saying that Aichi only sought the power because he wanted to become stronger for Kai's approval. Kai agrees, and also claims that he had seen the corrupted effects of Psy Qualia before, not knowing how to prevent it from happening. He then tells Kourin that it may have been one simple thing: to exceed that power. Kourin then asks Kai if he can stop Aichi before he falls completely under the influence of Psy Qualia, to which Kai says that he can. After losing to Kai, Kourin gives him Aichi's Royal Paladin deck, and hopes that he can succeed where she had failed. Meanwhile, Aichi spends the entire night in his room, mentally preparing himself for the National Tournament. When arriving at the tournament, Aichi tells Kamui to relax as he is sure that they will win, revealing his newly acquired Shadow Paladin deck, much to the shock of his teammates.

At the start of the tournament, Team Q4 is placed in the same block as Team Jurassic Army and Team Brilliant Stars, another faction of Foo Fighters. After having a brief conversation with Team Q4, Kiriya Bidou, leader of Brilliant Stars, is summoned by Ren, who tells him that if he can take care of Aichi, then he will be allowed into AL4. When Team Q4 is getting ready to face Jurassic Army, they are greeted by the members of Team Caesar, who wish them luck to meet in the finals. Aichi then claims that even without luck, they will be at the finals, since their victory is guaranteed, puzzling Team Caesar. As he steps onto the field, Aichi is once again faced off against Gunji, who asks if he has gotten stronger since their last match. Fed up with people asking how much stronger he has gotten, Aichi tells Gunji that it is best to just show much power he has, and warns him that he will soundly defeat him. Using his new Shadow Paladin deck, Aichi beats Gunji, despite drawing a heal trigger like last time. Although Gunji claims that Aichi has gotten stronger, it is not something that should be praised for. Soonafter, Ren claims that Aichi still has not released his true powers, as Aichi once again collapses from using Psy Qualia. As Aichi is resting in the infirmary, both Kamui and Misaki agree that till the finals, they would not let Aichi fight again, while Kourin returns, hoping that Kai will make it in time to help Aichi.

After defeating Jurassic Army, Team Q4 are now up against Team Spyder, and Kamui easily defeats his opponent using Stern Blaukruger, despite being tricked throughout his match. Misaki is up next, but her opponent uses data to attack and uses the skills of deadly cards like Elite Mutant, Giraffa and Ant Lion to choose units from Misaki's field to not stand next turn. Even with that, she drew Goddess of the Full Moon, Tsukuyomi and uses counterblast to replace all her rear-guard units. With that, they move on to face their last opponents in the C Block, FFBS (Foo Fighter Brilliant Stars).

Team Q4 proceed to fight Team FFBS and Kamui is up first, facing Hiromi from FFBS. Hiromi then used the skills of Young Pegasus Knight, Hi-Dog Breeder Akane, Great Sage Barron, Knight of God-speed Galahad and Margal to power up her units. Kamui skillfully defends and used the skill of Stern Blaukruger to stand Stern and the unit behind him to finish the fight. Hiromi congratulates Kamui about winning the first fight, but tells him that their victory as a team had vanished. Aichi then wakes up and manages to watch Misaki's fight, and found out that Misaki had lost the match due to Sealed Dragon Blockade, a vicious card that disables Misaki's rear-guards to intercept. After watching the fight, Aichi slowly makes his way to the fighting area to start the third fight. As he walks towards the Motion Figure System, Shin, Misaki and Kamui were shocked. Aichi tells Misaki and Kamui that he was disappointed in the two and gave them and confident, evil smile. His opponent, Kiriya Bidou told Aichi he was convinced that Aichi would run away and Aichi replied, saying that there was no need to be afraid of him. The fight begins!!

As the fight between Kiriya and Aichi begins, Kai is seen watching the match in another area. Emi runs to Team Q4, worried about Aichi playing in another fight, but finds both Misaki and Kamui visibly shaken from Aichi's words. While the fan girls for Brilliant Stars are cheering, Kiriya is still wondering if Aichi has really mastered the Shadow Paladin Deck, while deciding to prove his worth by beating him in front of Ren. With his Pale Moon Deck, Kiriya successfully deals damage to Aichi with his Juggler cards and calling cards from the Soul. Aichi simply takes a few damage and defends himself with a couple of cards, all while taunting Kiriya about Ren giving him the Shadow Paladin Deck because he is strong. After riding Dark Illusionist, Robert, Kiriya is able to deal three damage to Aichi, giving him almost complete control of the match. However, as Miwa states, Aichi is just playing around with Kiriya, as he rides Phantom Blaster Dragon, and calls Blaster Dark to the rear guard to help deal damage. Kiriya is able to defend himself, allowing only one damage as he eagerly calls "Final Turn" on Aichi. With Ren watching, Kiriya stands in shock as Aichi completely defends himself and takes no damage. Wondering if Kai is watching his fight, Aichi claims he will show how strong he is, calling his "Final Turn" on Kiriya. Calling two more Grade 3 units, Aichi soundly defeats Kiriya, while still muttering that he needs to be even stronger for Kai's recognition. As everyone in the stadium cheers Team Q4 for winning the elimination rounds, Ren congratulates Aichi for winning, while forgetting who Kiriya is. Meanwhile, Kai is seen walking away from watching the match, swearing to himself that he will stop Aichi.

Kai heads to the Underground area to await his fateful match with Aichi. Back at home, as Aichi reviews his Shadow Paladin deck, he receives a Psy Qualia induced summon from Ren who is waiting for him at Card Shop PSY. Aichi, led by Ren's Psy Qualia summon reaches as far as outside the Card Shop when Kourin suddenly rides up throws him a helmet & tells him to come with her. Back at the Underground area, Miwa shows up with Misaki & Kamui who both implore Kai to face Aichi in a Vanguard fight and help bring him back to normal. Just as Kai informs them that that is exactly why he is here, Kourin immediately arrives with Aichi. Miwa, Kourin, Misaki & Kamui clear the area to watch the fight from a distance. Kai upsets Aichi when tells him that he still thinks he is weak & Aichi vows to prove his strength to Kai as they get ready to begin their fierce battle. Aichi is startled when he realizes Kai is going to fight him with his former Royal Paladin deck. Kai vows to show Aichi the "true power" of the deck that he threw away which rattles Aichi even more. Aichi goes first & uses his units' skills to add Blaster Dark who he refers to as his avatar from his deck to his hand. Kai has a flashback of losing his parents 4 years ago & meeting Ren from his new school & later Tetsu (after he leaves town to live with his uncle). Tetsu loses to Kai in a Cardfight & he and Ren tell Kai of Foo Fighter. They recruit Kai & they have a love of fun until one day Ren's Psy Qualia powers awakened. He beat Tetsu repeatedly claiming that he was now the "strongest fighter" ever. Ren abandoned the idea of him, Tetsu & Kai being Team Foo Fighter & has construction begin for the new Foo Fighters Headquarters where only the best fighters would be selected. Kai realizes that Ren has become obsessed with power and refuses to go along with his new plan & quickly challenges him to a card fight. The match is fierce and as Ren announces his "Final Turn" he taunts Kai but before he can claim victory his overuse of his PSY Qualia power causes him to collapse. Kai catches him in time but Ren is still fixated on how much stronger he's become. Kai quits the team & moves back home peeved about how powerless he was to stop Ren. He reminisces on how refreshing after all of this it was to meet Aichi again and of how much fun Aichi made him remember Vanguard fights to be. He also remembers how fixated Aichi had become on "getting stronger". He vows to himself that while he couldn't stop Ren, this time will be different. With stern determination to accomplish this, Kai draws & uses his units' skills to add Blaster Blade from his deck to his hand. Kai reminds Aichi that then & now his avatar is not Blaster Dark as he claims but will always be Blaster Blade. Kai faces Aichi thinking that this time he's going to teach him what true strength is & declares that he is going to stop him!

Kai rides King of Knights, Alfred to give Aichi some damage. However, on the next turn, Aichi declares "Final Turn", attacking with Phantom Blaster Dragon and Blaster Dark attacks but Kai successfully guards against both of them. Failing his Final Turn, Aichi is shocked and forced to end his turn, giving Kai the chance to show Aichi what true strength is. Kai declares "Final Turn" as he rides Alfred Early, a more powerful form of King of Knights, Alfred. Through Alfred Early's skill, Blaster Blade is Superior Called from the soul. Blaster Blade makes Aichi realize that relying on PSY Qualia isn't real power and how Aichi always wanted to have a Cardfight with Kai. The fight is called off, and Kai gives back Aichi's Royal Paladin deck.

Card Capital is holding a casual shop tournament, and Aichi, Kamui, and Morikawa enter in the senior division, while Emi competes in the junior division. Unfortunately, Morikawa has left his super-strong deck at home. Shin lends Morikawa an unmodified trial deck to use, but to his dismay it contains only one Grade 3. Can Golden Rutile go the distance?

The shop tournament continues, with Morikawa having a seemingly unstoppable series of victories and Emi's Bermuda Triangle deck dominating the junior division. Though he doesn't win, Aichi realizes that he plays Vanguard because it's fun.

The tournament finals begin and Ren delivers an egotistical speech at the beginning that angers the other teams. Team Q4 battles through the first two rounds, but coming up next is their "rivals", Team Caesar.

In the first battle of the semi-finals, Kamui faces off against Gai Usui, the "Gladiator" of Team Caesar.

The second match is between Misaki and Yuri, two female fighters with completely different playstyles. While Misaki makes her decisions based on highest probabilities and most logical outcomes, Yuri relies on her intuition to take high risks for greater rewards. The latter strategy holds true as Misaki makes a grave misplay by not going for said high risks which could have won her the match. Showing the reason why she is called the Empress, Yuri uses her instincts to draw a Stand Trigger as if she commanded her deck to allow her to do so, thus giving her enough power to defeat Misaki and take the second game. With the score tied 1-1, the last match between Kenji and Aichi will decide who will go on to the finals. As both players deal damage to each other, Aichi sets up to play Soul Saver Dragon in his next turn. However, Kenji sees through Aichi's plan and intends to put a dent in it.

Aichi battles Kenji the Emperor for the right to face Team AL4 in the finals. Can Aichi defeat his strongest opponent yet without relying on his PSY Qualia?

Although happy that Aichi woke up, Kai thought of the time when he was still young. He wanted to get Ren out of his Pysqualia self, but then Ren's image was so bad that Kai left him defeated. Now that Kai changed, he vowed to rescue Ren from his PSY Qualia addiction and is bent on winning!

Determined to turn Ren back to his former self, Kai crossrides Dragonic Overlord The End and performed Persona Blast to get Ren out of his PSY Qualia self. It didn't get Ren out of the box but got him to also crossride his own trump card (which is given by Suiko)Phantom Blaster Overlord. The period was to prepare for the worse as Phantom Blaster Overlord had the same ability as The End and could also do Persona Blast which destroyed The End. Because of this failed battle, it left Kai devastated with no hope.

The final match begins, with Kamui against Tetsu.

Although Kamui tries his hardest, Tetsu is victorious, putting Team AL4 up one game to none.

Misaki draws upon her memory power as she battles Asaka in this second-round revenge match.

Having ordered the positions of her last 16 cards thanks to the abiltys of her cards, Misaki defeats Asaka.

The final battle between Ren and Aichi begins, with Ren initially using his PSYQualia to overpower Aichi.

Ren taunts Aichi throughout their battle, trying to get him to use his PSY Qualia. Feeling angry, Aichi does and summons Blaster Dark to the surprise of everyone. However, this causes him to change his personality back into what he was before when he first uses PSY Qualia. Meanwhile, a mysterious entity possesses Rekka temporarily, informing Kourin and Suiko of an impending doom about to happen on the planet Cray and a war between the many clans which will be decided based on the outcome of Aichi and Ren's battle. The mysterious being also explains the truth of PSY Qualia. Back to the match, Kai reminds Aichi that this was not his true self which causes Aichi to overcome his dark self. As he is confused over his two selves, Ren declares 'Final Turn' and crossride Phantom Blaster Overlord and utilizing its Persona Blast.

After calling out 'Final Turn', Ren fails to defeat Aichi as Aichi miraculously draws a Heal Trigger. Aichi then realizes his true self as he summons Majesty Lord Blaster to get Ren out of his PSY Qualia addiction. Majesty Lord Blaster's skill shocked Ren as Majesty Lord Blaster could get an extra 10000 points and an extra critical by adding both Blaster Blade and Blaster Dark in the Soul. In the end, a good ending started with Phantom Blaster Overlord defeated.

A few weeks have passed since Team Q4 won the national tournament. One day, Aichi goes to Card Capital and meets a young boy who wants Aichi to teach him how to play Vanguard. Aichi agrees and teaches the boy about Vanguard through playing a game, much like how Kai taught him. The boy, using a Gold Paladin deck, eventually drops the newbie facade. When he rides Great Silver Wolf, Garmore, he draws Aichi into a vision of the Royal Paladin's Blaster Blade, Shadow Paladin's Blaster Dark, and Kagero's Dragonic Overlord being captured by a mysterious force on the planet Cray. He then tells Aichi that a new power that can go past the boundaries must be attained in order to combat this force. After the vision, the boy disappears and Aichi discovers that his Royal Paladin deck has changed to a Gold Paladin deck. What's more is that everyone else's memories have been rewritten to think that Aichi has always used Gold Paladins, not even noticing the change.

Depressed about losing his Royal Paladin deck, Aichi meets Kai. He learns that not only has Kai's deck been changed to a Narukami deck, but also that Kai has no memory of using a Kagero deck or of Aichi using Royal Paladins. To find some answers, the two have a cardfight. As Aichi struggles to get comfortable with his new Gold Paladin deck, Kai slowly realizes that something is off. Getting his memory back, Kai nonetheless chooses to continue using his current deck, but Aichi is conflicted about using his. Kai tells Aichi that he is bound by his own limits by not wanting to use Gold Paladins and that he needs to break through them. To prove his point, Kai rides Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion, declares "Final Turn", and performs Limit Break, an ability that activates when a player has 4 or more damage. With Vermillion's Limit Break, Kai attacks all of Aichi's front-row units in one strike and wins as a result.

After receiving the invitation to the VF Circuit, Aichi wants to enter with all of the original members of Team Q4 (minus Kai). He convinces Misaki to rejoin with no problem, but then Aichi learns that Kamui has joined Team Handsome. So, he goes to Card Shop Handsome to recruit him back. When Aichi tells him about the invitation, Kamui becomes torn between his own feelings of wanting to participate in the Circuit and his promise to Team Handsome to go with them to the upcoming national tournament. It is ultimately decided to settle things with a cardfight between Aichi and Kamui. If Aichi wins, then Kamui will return to Q4 and enter the VF Circuit. If Kamui wins, then he stays with Handsome. And so, Aichi and Kamui's cardfight ensues. As Aichi tries to get used to his Gold Paladin deck, Kamui puts on the pressure with his slightly-improved Nova Grappler deck, driving Aichi to 5 damage.

With Team Q4 reunited, Aichi, Kamui, and Misaki go shopping in preparation for the VF Circuit. After they finish their shopping, they visit Card Shop PSY so that Aichi can talk to Suiko about the mystery behind the replacement of his Royal Paladin deck. Once there, they find out that the Ultra Rare girls will also be going overseas. Noticing the large amount of shopping bags that Team Q4 has, Rekka questions the team's motive for participating in the VF Circuit. When Misaki says that she's going because she was asked to, Rekka insults her for treating their ticket to the VF Circuit as a free vacation and having no intention to win. To prove her wrong, Misaki challenges Rekka to a cardfight. While using the new Angel Feather clan to use cards in her damage zone to her advantage, Rekka criticizes Misaki's deck for being good but still lacking. Rekka then shows Misaki what that missing attribute is when she rides Circular Saw, Kiriel and utilizes its Limit Break to defeat her.

Q4 arrives in Singapore. While sight-seeing, they run into their friendly rivals, Team Caesar. Kenji and his friends take them to a local university, SIT (Singapore Institute of Technical Studies), where students learn about specific studies in Vanguard and where Kenji hopes to attend when he graduates from high school. They then meet three young boys, Christopher Lo, Ali Pajeel, and Lee Shenlon, who are students of the university despite being the same age as Kamui. The SIT boys get into a heated discussion about how they got an early start in attending SIT and how there's little to no hope for those who attend later than they have. After leaving the university, Aichi sees Takuto and follows him trying to get an answer. Kourin arrives and lets him know the only way to meet with Takuto is to win the VF Circuit. Before leaving, Kourin gives Aichi a card, Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel.

Kamui has won his match, so now it's up to either Aichi, Misaki or both to best their ninja opponents, who are much more worldly than Team Q4.

Team Q4 battles Team Divination in the 2nd round. All 3 members supposedly have psychic powers that allow them to see the future, and they each play with Oracle Think Tank decks, the same deck Misaki uses. The familiarity with the deck gives Team Q4 the advantage as they sweep Team Divination while exposing them as phony prophets. After the battle, Team Q4 runs into Team SIT Genius on the street. Kamui vows never to lose to fighters the same age as he is, and Misaki wonders how she can avoid facing off against an opponent with the power of Limit Break.

Team Q4's 3rd round match begins; their opponents are revealed to be against Chris, Ali, and Lee - Team SIT Genius. Lee Shenlon is shown having great pride, and he declares he is the only one who can defeat Chris. Meanwhile, Ali promises to defeat Kamui and steal Emi from his heart forever. Ali seems to have the advantage as Kamui is given a quick 5 damage to Ali's 3. Misaki gives Lee 3 damage and then attacks the rearguard, fearing Lee might have the power of Limit Break. That move is made void though as Lee plays a card that will give him one additional damage for a full turn, thus giving him the power to gain Limit Break.

Kamui vs. Ali and Misaki vs. Lee Shenlon finish their matches. The results will be a 1-1 draw. As the scene shifts to Aichi vs. Chris, Takuto Tatsunagi calls out to both of them with his spirit on Cray. Aichi's Psyqualia is returned, but Chris also gains the power of Psyqualia and slowly begins to go mad. Takuto states this is the only time he can interfere in a match, and in order for Aichi to gain any additional knowledge about Cray and the Royal Paladins, he will have to win the tournament.

The battle between Aichi and Chris continues, but this time both amp it up by using Psyqualia. Chris declares he will defeat Aichi with a triple slash from his School Hunter, Leo-pald, but the experience against Ren's Psyqualia could give Aichi the advantage in this match.

Q4 returns home to rest and recover for the next leg of the Circuit. Aichi learns that Kai hasn't appeared at Card Capital and hasn't been seen in the city since they left. As Aichi wonders about his missing friend, the scene shifts and reveals Kai is traveling the world getting stronger. Currently, he is in a snowy mountain region where he battles a rumored abominable snowman. It is soon revealed that the snowman is actually Kyou Yahagi in disguise, still aiming to get his revenge on Kai. Kyou has gained new cards, one of them being Demonic Lord, Dudley Emperor which has the power to Limit Break.

While Team Q4 trains at Card Shop Handsome to get ready for the next round of the VF Circuit, the group is informed that Tetsu has arrived to Card Capital, assuming that he is causing trouble. However, their assumptions are disproven when they return and see Tetsu helping out Emi and the other kids at the shop. Kamui asks Tetsu what his real intention for coming is, to which Tetsu answers by telling Q4 how weak the team is due to losing at the VF Circuit's Singapore Stage. Enraged, Kamui challenges Tetsu to prove him wrong. Tetsu accepts the challenge, and the two start their cardfight. With support from the latest expansion set, Tetsu uses new Dark Irregulars to soulcharge, and then he utilizes the Limit Break of Dark Lord of Abyss to overwhelm and defeat Kamui once again. Tetsu leaves, warning Q4 of stronger teams awaiting them in the VF Circuit.

The Seoul Stage of the VF Circuit begins with Team Q4 coming across Team Movie Stars, the local favorite favored to win the Seoul Stage. The teams head into the cardfight area where they learn special rules will be applied in this stage. Team Q4 faces off with Team Seven Seas, who are all pirates who use Granblue decks like Team Handsome. Aichi's special rule is to have a drive check for rear-guards, Misaki's rule is all turns must be completed within 30 seconds, and Kamui's rule is you can't see what you attack. Aichi trails 4 damage to 2 when he summons Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel and places 2 grade 3 units in the rear-guard zone. This means he gets a minimum of 6 drive checks. His opponent guards twice, but thanks to 2 stand triggers, Aichi manages to pile up the damage and wins 6-4. Misaki memorizes her opponent's hand and makes it where he can't guard with a timely bind allowing her to win 6-2.

Team Q4 confronts Kai to learn why he joined the VF Circuit, and the match between Team Q4 and Team New AL4 begins. Ren battles Aichi, Kamui must try to defeat Kai, whom he has never defeated before, and the tiebreaker between Asaka and Misaki all begin. The special rule is each player starts with 2 damage and they play until 8 damage has been made, meaning that a player can activate Counterblast skills immediately and use Limit Break more quickly. Kai overwhelms Kamui with 2 Limit Breaks from Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion and defeats him 8-6. Misaki holds a slim lead on Asaka 6-5. Ren and Aichi are contacted by Takuto who gives back to Ren the power of Psyqualia and asks them what they see to lead them to victory.

The matches between Misaki vs. Asaka and Aichi vs. Ren continue. Asaka rides a new card, Silver Thorn Dragon Tamer, Luquier, and uses its Limit Break to superior call 3 units from her soul. She launches powerful attacks that Misaki cannot guard against and ultimately wins. Asaka walks away victorious while being disappointed in Misaki's performance. Meanwhile, Ren rides Spectral Duke Dragon and later attacks Aichi's Blond Ezel with it. Aichi guards against it, but then Ren utilizes the Limit Break of Spectral Duke Dragon to have it stand up and attack again. Aichi is unable to block this attack, giving Ren the victory, just as he predicted with Psyqualia. This 3-0 sweep means that Team New AL4 moves on to the next round, with Team Q4 learning how much Team New AL4 has changed.

Team Q4 watches the final round of the Seoul Stage, which pits Team New AL4 against Team Caesar. The special rule for all of the fights in this round is that only 3 rear-guard units are allowed to stand at the beginning of each turn, thus limiting overall attacking power. The matchups are Kai vs. Gai, Asaka vs. Yuri, and Ren vs. Kenji, with Ren deciding to borrow Tetsu's Dark Irregulars deck for his match. Ren and Kenji exhibit world-class play as Ren builds up his soul to power up both his vanguard Blade Wing Reijy and rear-guard units. Ren tries to attack Kenji's rear-guards to hinder his upcoming strategy, but Kenji successfully protects them. Kenji then declares "Final Turn", moves his Dimensional Robo rear-guards to the soul, and superior crossrides his new key card, Ultimate Dimensional Robo, Great Daiyusha.

After returning home from Seoul, Team Q4 runs some errands to help Aichi relax after the team's loss. Then, in front of Card Shop PSY, they meet a young blonde-haired and mysterious man named Leon Souryu, who is able to feel the "wind". The Ultra Rare trio returns, and they discover that their supposedly-closed shop is unlocked. The entire group enters, and they are surprised to find that the legendary cardfighter Daigo is there. It was believed that Daigo had gone missing for months, to which Daigo explains in a private conversation with Ultra Rare that he had been randomly teleporting from place to place. Suiko believes it is because of Daigo's deck, which is composed of Royal Paladins, one of the clans that were removed from the world, and therefore considered legendary by everyone except Aichi. Afterwards, Daigo offers up a challenge to anyone willing to cardfight with him. Before Aichi can accept, Leon steps up to be Daigo's opponent.

Team Q4 and friends travel to a distant southern deserted island with an invitation from the VF Circuit, but when they arrive, they learn that Team New AL4 has also been invited. While Team Q4 is fixated on training to get stronger, everyone else is looking for some rest and relaxation. Later that night, after dinner, Ren gathers everyone together and gets them to agree to be in a test of courage, with some having the job of scaring people and the others being put to the test. Shenanigans ensue such as the supposedly-stoic pair of Misaki and Asaka easily getting scared to the point of fainting and Kamui failing to scare Tetsu for being paired with Emi. Aichi and Kai are teamed together to go through the course, but instead of doing so, Kai takes Aichi off on his own and gives him some words of encouragement, which are topped off by a fireworks display.

Q4 and New AL4 continue their vacation on the southern island, with each member of Q4 having their own story to tell. Kamui gets depressed when he loses to Tetsu again, and his friends Reiji and Eiji cheer him up. The three then undergo a rigorous training regimine, which gives Kamui inspiration to make a new deck revolving around the Raizer series. But once again, in spite of this new deck, Kamui is defeated by Tetsu. After getting coaxed into playing beach volleyball with Ren and Asaka, Misaki cardfights with Ren, with both of them borrowing others' decks. Ren reveals the reason as to why he fights with other people's decks is to not only try and find a more suitable clan for him to use, but to also gain a better understanding of his own deck. With that in mind, Misaki constructs a new Witch-themed Oracle Think Tank deck and defeats Ren, this time borrowing Emi's Bermuda Triangle deck. Aichi turns his focus toward developing a new deck.

Q4 returns to Japan with new strategies for winning being devised. Aichi and Kamui test them in the final round of a tournament held at Card Shop Handsome. Unbeknownst to them, Kenji Mitsusada arrives, looking for Aichi. Gouki tells him that Aichi is currently in a cardfight with Kamui. Feeling anxious and being short on time, Kenji decides to leave until Gouki challenges him. It's the first-ever match between the two. Although Gouki gets a bad starting hand with no grade 2 or 3 units, he manages to smoothly superior ride with cards he sent to the drop zone, including his new ace card, Ice Prison Necromancer, Cocytus. Kenji is impressed by Gouki's determination to overcome the odds stacked against him, to which Gouki expresses his disappointment in Kenji the "Emperor" for saying such a thing to begin with. Remembering the feeling of never giving up, Kenji continues to play at his best, crossriding Ultimate Dimensional Robo, Great Daiyusha and winning the match.

Team Q4 and friends head to the Hong Kong Stage of the VF Circuit, hoping to advance to meet with Takuto. While in front of the stadium, before the fights start, they have a short run-in with three males, one big, one normal-sized, and one small. Shin vaguely remembers seeing them before, and it is then that two identical girls appear. They tell him off by saying how that group is actually a powerful team before taking their leave. The Hong Kong Stage officially begins. The unique attribute of this stage is that each cardfight will be 2-on-2 tag-battle style; the first team to deal 9 points of damage instead of the usual 6 to the opposing team is the victor. However, Kamui cannot comprehend the numerous difficult rules, leaving Aichi and Misaki to pair up and take on Team Lao (the group of three men who they met earlier) in the first round.

The tag fight between Q4's Aichi and Misaki versus Lao's Terence and Felix continues. After Misaki's attack on Felix, he strikes back with Tyrant, Deathrex to put Team Lao in the lead. Then, wanting to make up for Misaki, Aichi rides a new ace card, White Hare in the Moon's Shadow, Pellinore. With its Limit Break, getting two drive triggers, and multiple superior calls from his deck, Aichi tries to finish the game with powered-up attacks. However, Terence manages to survive with support from Felix's tag guard. On Terence's turn, he also activates Limit Break, retiring his own units to increase the attack power of Military Dragon, Raptor Colonel while also superior calling more units from his deck. Aichi defends with all of the cards in his hand, and Misaki uses the extra cards drawn from her previous turn to tag guard with him. She anticipates Terence getting a drive trigger, which he does but her tag guards nonetheless successfully block his attacks.

Q4 makes it to the semifinals of the Hong Kong Stage with Aichi and Misaki doing all of the cardfighting. After diligently studying the tag fight rules, Kamui offers to participate in the next fight. So, it is decided that Kamui and Misaki will pair up for their fight against Team Battle Weeds, a group of three kids who greatly admire the tenacity of weeds. True to their namesake, the members of Battle Weeds use Neo Nectar decks. Withstanding the Limit Break of Battle Weeds' ace card, White Lily Musketeer, Cecilia, Kamui proceeds to ride his new key card, Perfect Raizer. Its skill increases its power to exponential heights, and managing to pull a critical trigger, Kamui wins the match for Q4, thus advancing the team to the finals. However, Q4's next opponent is Team Dreadnought, with its members consisting of the two previously-encountered twin sisters, Jillian and Sharlene, and their leader, Leon Souryu.

Q4's Aichi and Kamui face off against Leon and Sharlene of Dreadnought in the finals of the Hong Kong Stage. Remembering Leon's fight with Daigo, Aichi and Kamui do their best to minimize the damage taken from Dreadnought's multi-attacking Aqua Force units. Although Aichi deals damage to Leon, he is unaffected by his attacks. Then, Aichi asks Leon what he means whenever he refers to the "wind". It is then revealed that Leon's "wind" is actually the power of Psyqualia. In a Psyqualia-induced vision, Leon tells Aichi a tale from long ago about a conflict between the many clans on the planet Cray. This war was eventually resolved by the appearance of the dominating Aqua Force armada. In the human world, the Souryu family had control over the Aqua Force which was used to hold power over the seven seas. However, for unknown reasons, the Aqua Force clan disappeared, and so did the Souryu family's power.

Aichi uses Psyqualia to gain a winning image. Although things seem to go just as he envisioned, his attacks are foiled by Leon's perfect defense and Sharlene's tag guard. On the next turn, Sharlene again uses the Limit Break of Navalgazer Dragon and forces both Kamui and Aichi to use a lot of their cards to defend against its attack. Then, Kamui says that his turn will be the last as he rides another Perfect Raizer, bringing its power up to full potential. However, the usually-mellow Sharlene easily blocks Kamui's attacks and grows angry with his indirect "Final Turn" declaration. On Leon's turn, he follows his "wind" and calls another Blue Storm Dragon, Maelstrom as a rear-guard, now having two Maelstroms as Aichi had seen through Psyqualia. Leon attacks him with his vanguard Maelstrom powered up via its Limit Break, and Kamui tries to tag guard for Aichi.

Aichi is feeling desperate by the fact that he and Q4 must win the Japan Stage of the VF Circuit. To better prepare the team, Shin recommends for Aichi, Kamui, and Misaki to battle against other stronger, non-Q4-affiliated cardfighters. Aichi takes a look at his Blond Ezel card and is reminded about Kourin, the person who gave it to him. So, Q4 goes to Card Shop PSY and requests for the Ultra Rare girls to cardfight with them for training purposes. They accept, and thus the battles ensue. The first match-up is between Aichi and Kourin, who now uses an Angel Feather deck. Aichi gains the upper hand when he superior rides Pellinore, but Kourin uses her Angel Feathers' skills to swap cards from her damage zone and then calling them. As the fight continues, Kourin antagonistically puts down Aichi by telling him to give up and how he's reached his limits. He proves her wrong and shows his determination when he rides Blond Ezel and activates its Limit Break to defeat her.

Kamui and Suiko's cardfight continues. Suiko uses Shamsiel's Limit Break and the Angel Feather stategy of switching cards from her hand with ones from the damage zone, thereby increasing her units' attack strength and acquiring the cards she wants. She also tells Kamui that power alone is not enough to win. Despite her words, Kamui manages to win through the sheer force of Perfect Raizer. Then, the rematch between Misaki and Rekka begins. Although Misaki gets the first turn, Rekka gets a grade 3 in play first by superior riding her new ace card, Crimson Impact, Metatron. With its Limit Break, Rekka superior calls more Angel Feathers from her damage zone and pressures Misaki to use a lot of her cards to block against her attacks. The two then have a conversation about how it was Rekka who motivated Misaki to change her deck. Misaki further elaborates that she was hesitant on changing her deck because she thought it would also mean changing the memories associated with her first deck.

The Japan Stage of the VF Circuit is drawing near, and many teams, including the victors of the previous stages, will appear there. As Team Dreadnought's plane lands in Japan, it is directed to and locked in a hangar with a jungle environment inside. It is really a trap set by Kyou Yahagi and his Team Avengers (all dressed as bugs), who plan to take Dreadnought's spot in the VF Circuit. Although Jillian and Sharlene handily take care of Kyou's teammates, he nonetheless challenges Leon to a cardfight. Now using a Megacolony deck after witnessing the strength of insects from his experience in the jungle, Kyou prevents some of Leon's units from standing and retires others. Thus, he seals the Aqua Force strategy of launching multiple attacks and Blue Storm Dragon, Maelstrom's Limit Break.

It's time for the last leg of the VF Circuit, the Japan Stage. Taking place in an amusement park, many familiar teams have gathered. The aspect for this stage is that each team member will individually fight others in three separate stadiums. Each victory that a cardfighter gets will earn his/her team 1 point; the team with the most points by the end is the winner of the entire Japan Stage and will go on to face the previous stages' winners at the Final Stage. What's more is that "special reserve" cardfighters like Team Unknown (composed of the masked trio of King Z, Queen Y, and Joker X) will participate and act as obstacles for all of the teams. With the rules fully explained, Aichi and Q4 resolve themselves to win the Japan Stage. And so, the fights begin. Misaki and Kamui win their respective matches. On the other hand, Aichi is in a close fight in a rematch with Team Jurassic Army's Gunji Ryudo.

After Nagisa appears in a horse-ridden carriage led by Team Handsome, she greatly exaggerates about being married to Kamui, which causes the audience to misunderstand the situation and embarrasses him in the process. Nonetheless, the two kids begin their cardfight, which is being treated as a wedding ceremony by Team Handsome. Nagisa's Death Army units battle Kamui's Beast Deity units in this Nova Grappler mirror match (with the latter forced to wear a groom's tuxedo). After protecting himself from the Limit Break of Nagisa's new ace, Infinite Corrosion Form, Death Army Cosmo Lord, Kamui crossrides his new key card which he received after Q4's time at Card Shop PSY: Ultra Beast Deity, Illuminal Dragon. With multi-pronged attacks, Kamui defeats Nagisa, who decides to leave him alone (for now, at least). Elsewhere, Aichi and Misaki win more matches for Q4. Shortly after, Q4's next opponent, Team Unknown, approaches each member. It will be Aichi vs. King Z, Misaki vs.

It's Team Q4 against Team Unknown in the last round of the Japan Stage. Aichi's opponent, King Z, is revealed to be Jun Mutsuki, the King of Underground Fights, although Aichi does not immediately recognize him. Meanwhile, Misaki battles Queen Y and sees through her disguise. Queen Y is actually Yuri Usui from the defunct Team Caesar, and Yuri now uses the deck she originally had before joining Caesar: Oracle Think Tank. As for Kamui, he has not realized who Joker X is. As they battle, Joker X's voice and style of play with Dark Irregulars slowly remind Kamui of a certain someone. Aichi and Jun conduct their cardfight. Jun's "dark hero" Dimension Police units decrease the power of Aichi's vanguard. Because of this, he is forced to either take damage or use a lot of shields to guard. Even though Aichi loses Blond Ezel, he remembers his reasons for fighting and stays resolved. Using Psyqualia to gain an image of victory, Aichi superior rides Pellinore for a comeback.

Yuri's Battle Sisters deal major damage to Misaki, giving her the lead 1-5. Misaki strikes back by riding her new ace card, Goddess of the Sun, Amaterasu. Yuri tries to guard her attack, putting Misaki in the same situation as the last time they fought each other. Misaki decides to take a chance, which pays off when she drive checks a critical and heal trigger, and evens out the damage 4-4. Thanks to Amaterasu and its Limit Break, Misaki ultimately wins. Meanwhile, Kamui continues his battle with Joker X, who rides No Life King, Death Anchor. Kamui defends himself against its terrifying skill with a lot of his cards. On the following turn, Kamui crossrides Illuminal Dragon and activates its Limit Break to stand his remaining units, thus forcing X to not guard against his attack. Kamui defeats Joker X without ever learning his true identity. Winning every match they had, Q4 is crowned the victor of the Japan Stage.

As Team Dreadnought stops everyone from moving forward, Leon reveals that his true purpose for entering the VF Circuit was to thwart Takuto's plan of freeing Cray from the enigmatic enemy. Leon also says he was the one who let the Royal Paladin, Shadow Paladin, and Kagero clans be sealed away by the enemy. His reasons for doing so are to set the Aqua Force clan free (which was also captured by the same foe), restore the Souryu family to its former glory, and then rule the world. Leon's Psyqualia is amplified by the dark powers of the enemy and blows everyone away. Later, after being knocked unconscious, Q4 awakens and speaks with an injured Takuto, who gives more revelations. He discloses the name of the mysterious enemy: Void, an evil power of emptiness that is currently encompassing the majority of Cray and will make its way to Earth if not stopped.

Aichi once again battles Chris, who uses Psyqualia to foresee his victory. Similar to their last match, Chris predicts that he will win when his new ace card Battler of the Twin Brush, Polaris strikes Aichi's Blond Ezel three times in one turn. While Chris' Psyqualia prophecies initially seem to be going the way he said they would, Aichi knows that Psyqualia is not 100% accurate nor is it just a dark power. On the turn Chris declares his victory, Aichi blocks the last two attacks from Polaris, therefore throwing off his winning Psyqualia image. Then, Aichi crossrides his new key card gained from his experience at Card Shop PSY: Blazing Lion, Platina Ezel. With its Ultimate Break, Aichi increases the power of all his rear-guards, thus overwhelming and defeating Chris. Now knowing what Psyqualia really is, Chris learns the error of his ways and is forgiven by his friends Lee and Ali.

While Jillian and Sharlene take on Ren and Asaka in a tag fight, Kai begins his battle with Leon. As the two fighters clash, Leon reveals his past. As it turns out, the legend of a child who would call forth the "wind" and lead the second coming for both the Souryu family and Aqua Force clan was just a fairy tale made up by the Souryu chief only meant to provide (false) hope to the young Leon, Jillian, and Sharlene. Eventually, the Souryu and Aqua Force would be forgotten and die out. Desperate to find power to save both, Leon met Void, who offered him Psyqualia. He accepted the power, and thus Leon became that prophesied Souryu child, turning that fairy tale into a reality. Back to the cardfight, Kai, who is furious at Leon's selfish actions of betraying the 3 clans, rides Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion and announces that he will defeat him.

Kai and Leon continue their cardfight with each side using their respective vanguards' Limit Break abilities. After he insults Leon by calling him a pawn to Void, Kai crossrides his new trump card: Dragonic Kaiser Vermillion "THE BLOOD". He activates its Ultimate Break to give it extra critical value and power, forcing Leon to use his few remaining cards to defend. Kai manages to deal 2 more points of damage, presumably ensuring his victory, but Leon gets a heal trigger to stay in the game. On the following turn, Leon also crossrides his new ace card: Blue Storm Supreme Dragon, Glory Maelstrom. Its Ultimate Break also makes Kai use the last of his cards to hopefully block its attack. However, Leon drive checks a critical trigger, thus plowing through Kai's guardians and winning the match. After Glory Maelstrom's attack, the dust settles and reveals Leon standing over the fallen Kai. Just arriving to the scene, Aichi runs towards Kai and picks him up.

The final battle between Aichi and Leon begins, with the latter predicting via Psyqualia that he will win when his Glory Maelstrom attacks Aichi's Blond Ezel. Signs show of the nothingness that is Void slowly destroying the dimension and creeping its way to Aichi. The darkness eventually affects Aichi as he falls unconscious and loses the will to fight. However, he remembers his loved ones and then hears a familiar voice, both of which help Aichi to stand up and continue the battle. He activates the Limit Break of Blond Ezel to superior call an astral form of his original avatar card: Blaster Blade Spirit. But even with that, Leon withstands Aichi's attacks and then crossrides Glory Maelstrom...

The fight between Aichi and Leon reaches its climax. After Leon uses the Ultimate Break of Glory Maelstrom to increase its power and prevent Aichi from guarding with grade 1 or higher units, Aichi attempts to guard with two grade 0 units. However, Leon drive checks a heal trigger, which gives Glory Maelstrom enough power to penetrate Aichi's defense. Aichi survives the attack thanks to his own heal trigger. Leon slowly grows weakened after absorbing Void's power as Aichi crossrides Platina Ezel and activates its Ultimate Break to overpower and finally defeat Leon. Void leaves Leon's body, and Takuto opens the path to the planet Cray, declaring that Aichi's Gold Paladin clan is the rightful leader of Cray. Aichi holds up his deck, and with a reformed Leon's help, the Gold Paladins and Aqua Force units dispel Void's darkness from Cray and free the sealed Royal Paladin, Shadow Paladin, and Kagero clans.

Months after the conclusion of the VF Circuit, Aichi enters high school as a freshman at Miyaji Academy. However, he has trouble adjusting to his new school life due to the academy's heavy emphasis on studies. After school, Aichi goes to Card Capital while being tailed by a classmate, Naoki Ishida. There, he sees the many customers playing Vanguard, which Naoki has no knowledge about. He spots Aichi conversing with Team SIT Genius in the back of the shop. Curious by how different Aichi's behavior is in the card shop compared to how he acts at school because of a card game, Naoki becomes intrigued to Vanguard. And so, Aichi teaches Naoki about Vanguard through playing an actual match, with the latter being lent a new Narukami trial deck to use from Shin. As they cardfight, Naoki slowly gets immersed into the game. After Aichi eventually wins, Naoki buys the trial deck and hastily leaves in a frustrated manner, which worries Aichi.

The news of Kourin transferring into Aichi's class becomes a hot topic, especially when the male classmates start talking to Aichi to get closer to her once they learn that the two know each other. Then, Aichi gets an idea on how to promote Vanguard at his school. Because there is no Cardfight Club, Aichi decides to make one himself. The next day, he tries to recruit enough members to officially start the club (needing a minimum of five people, including himself) by handing out leaflets in front of the school. His pleas fall on deaf ears until Kourin agrees to be a member. Her enlistment is followed by several other boys who want to join (only to be with Kourin), but she proposes that anybody who wants to become club members will have to defeat either her and Aichi in cardfights before they can enter. The two easily beat all of the challengers, but then Naoki steps up to play against Kourin with honest feelings of wanting to join the club.

Aichi's Cardfight Club is attracting attention all around the school as male classmates (who are mostly interested in being with Kourin) have him teach them the rules of Vanguard and again attempt to play against Kourin in order to be inducted to the club but to no avail. Additionally, the female students gossip about a rumor that claims Aichi only started the club to get close to Kourin, which makes Misaki worry. Aichi tries to ask Misaki to join the club, but she declines because of her job at Card Capital. Kourin gets an unsettling feeling that there is someone watching her, with Naoki suspecting that it could be a stalker. Naoki eventually confronts the stalker who turns out to be a classmate, Shingo Komoi. Naoki threatens to beat him up, but Shingo suggests to settle things with a cardfight instead. Despite modifying his Narukami deck, Naoki's inexperience at Vanguard causes him to struggle against Shingo's Murakumo deck.

The student council president of the Miyaji Academy High School Division deems Aichi's Cardfight Club to be unnecessary for the school and orders the vice president, Suwabe, to devise on how to abolish it. Elsewhere, the Cardfight Club finds an empty classroom to serve its official headquarters. Then, the school's American football team, the Miyaji Vipers, barges in and takes the club outside to the academy's sub-ground where the Vipers' quarterback/captain, Ikki "the Catapult" Kongou, challenges Aichi to a cardfight, with the former appropriately using a Spike Brothers deck. This is an elaborate plan set up by Suwabe to have Ikki defeat Aichi and thereby crush the Cardfight Club members' spirits into not wanting to continue the club. Ikki uses strong Limit Break effects of the latest Spike Brothers to push for victory, but Aichi successfully defends and makes it to his next turn.

After Aichi tells his friends at Card Capital about how his school's student council is causing problems for the Cardfight Club, he repeatedly requests for Misaki to join as the fifth member. However, she still turns him down, having mixed feelings on the matter and being insulted by Kourin for not being serious on becoming a member. Then, to quickly shut down of the Cardfight Club, the student council creates a deadline for all potential clubs with at least five members to report to the council, or else they will not be officially recognized by the school. At the last second, Misaki declares herself as the Cardfight Club's fifth member after resolving her feelings of earnestly wanting to join the club. As an initiation test and to prove herself to Kourin, Misaki cardfights Aichi.

Miyaji Academy's unofficial Cardfight Club is set up to have an intramural match against Hitsue High School's Vanguard Club, in which Kai, Miwa, Morikawa, and Izaki are members. The two teams play in a best-of-5 match, and opponents are randomly selected. Under the conditions that the Miyaji Academy student council president created, if the Cardfight Club loses this match, then it will be dissolved. In the first game, Naoki fights Kai, with both using Eradicator-themed Narukami decks. Naoki combines both the Break Ride of Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon and the Limit Break of Eradicator, Gauntlet Buster Dragon to retire Kai's units and gain more critical value and power, but Kai manages to survive the assault. Then, Kai uses a similar devastating combo with Vowing Sword and Eradicator, Dragonic Descendant. Although Naoki blocks his first attempt, Kai activates Descendant's Limit Break to have it stand up, gain another critical, and attack again.

Kourin defeats Izaki, which ties the score 1-1. The third game pits Misaki against Hitsue Vanguard Club's ringer and old Q4 teammate, Kamui Katsuragi. Although Kamui gets an early lead, Misaki mounts a comeback with Battle Deity of the Night, Artemis. Kamui then combines the Break Ride of Beast Deity, Ethics Buster and the Limit Break of Ultra Beast Deity, Illuminal Dragon to stand four of his rear-guards to launch multiple attacks in one turn. However, Misaki protects herself, only taking one point of damage from Kamui's five attacks. In what seems to be a hopeless situation, Misaki rides Eternal Goddess, Iwanagahime and uses its Limit Break to retire Kamui's front-row units. Weakening Kamui's defenses, Misaki wins and puts Miyaji Academy up 2-1. In the fourth game, Shingo is selected to fight against Miwa. Before the fight, Shingo underestimates Miwa, which ends up being his undoing when Miwa demolishes him and evens the score 2-2. So, it's Aichi vs.

Aichi faces Morikawa in the last fight of this intramural match. Although initially mad with using Kai's Kagero deck and not his own, Morikawa nonetheless puts a great amount of pressure on Aichi. All the while, Kai watches the fight as an opportunity to see if his Kagero deck is strong enough against the current Aichi, who strikes back with the Break Ride of Solitary Liberator, Gancelot to empower itself and his rear-guards. Morikawa defends and makes it to his next turn, in which he rides Dragonic Overlord the End. Pairing its Personablast with the Break Ride effect of Dauntless Drive Dragon, Morikawa attacks Aichi with the End three times in a row. Determined to win for the sake of the Cardfight Club, Aichi withstands the onslaught and then uses Gancelot's Break Ride again on the following turn to land a final blow. Aichi emerges victorious over Morikawa, meaning that the Miyaji Academy Cardfight Club wins the intramural match.

Now that the Cardfight Club has become official, the new faculty advisor Nakamurabashi makes the club decide on a captain and vice-captain for the club by order of the student council president. Since Aichi was the person who started the club, he reluctantly accepts the position of captain. As for who should be the vice-captain, Shingo is the only person who honestly wants the job while the others are apathetic on the matter. Not wanting to make a hasty decision, Nakamurabashi recommends to hold off until tomorrow on who to elect for vice-captain. After school, Misaki is convinced by her friend Akari to try out for vice-captain. The same happens with Kourin being persuaded by Takuto. The club meets the next day, and when Nakamurabashi asks again for who wants to be the vice-captain, Shingo, Naoki, Misaki, and Kourin all raise their hands. To finally settle things, the four cardfight each other with the overall winner becoming the vice-captain.

Shingo tells Naoki about a Cardfight Circle formed in the middle school division of Miyaji Academy. Shingo suggests that the two of them should pay a visit to the circle and build a relationship between it and the Cardfight Club. Naoki agrees, but he is unaware of Shingo's scheme; he plans to use this as his chance to impress the underclassmen and take them under his wing, thereby raising his status over Naoki. The two go to the Cardfight Circle's clubroom where they meet Emi and Mai, who are two of the three members of the circle. Naoki and Mai play a friendly match, in which Naoki shockingly loses to Mai's Bermuda Triangle deck. After the game, he asks her for advice in a somewhat intimidating fashion. But this earns him to be reprimanded by Misaki, who later enters with Aichi. Not knowing that Aichi and Emi are siblings, Shingo gets offended when he hears Emi talking to Aichi in a casual manner, which causes her to get mad with Shingo.

Rekka, the third member of Miyaji middle school's Cardfight Circle, enters the clubroom and is followed by Kourin. After Shingo informs Naoki on who Rekka is, she then challenges Aichi to a Vanguard fight. As the two battle, Rekka shows off her charm as an idol, which infatuates Shingo into becoming her fan. Rekka uses the various effects of her Celestial-themed Angel Feather deck to move cards in and out of her damage zone to her advantage. She gets a copy of Solidify Celestial, Zerachiel into her damage zone which, via the Limit Break of her vanguard Zerachiel, empowers all of her Celestial Angel Feather units. However, Aichi withstands Rekka's assault and uses his Gancelot/Alfred Limit Break Ride combo while also superior calling Blaster Blade Liberator from the soul to finish the game and defeat her. Afterwards, the two clubs give their thanks to each other before Shingo offers to become a member of Rekka's fan club.

The Cardfight Club receives an invitation to and then registers for the upcoming Vanguard Fight High School Championship, a tournament that will feature high school Vanguard teams from all over Japan. Naoki suggests to check out some of the competition, which leads to the club visiting Fukuhara High, an elite private high school that is associated with Team Asteroid. The club is greeted by Tetsu Shinjou, who leads everyone into the school where they watch a cardfight between Asaka Narumi and Leon Soryu, much to Aichi's surprise. Asaka tries to end the game by using Starlight Melody Tamer, Farah's Personablast and the Pale Moon strategy of superior calling units from the soul during the battle phase for additional attacks. Despite the multi-pronged assault, Leon defends himself and then rides Last Card, Revonn on top of Blue Flight Dragon, Trans-core Dragon. This activates the latter's Break Ride effect, forcing Asaka to discard a card from her hand.

After Naoki makes another offhand comment towards Suiko, the two start their cardfight. Suiko criticizes Naoki for being a good but uninteresting fighter. He tries to prove her wrong when he activates the Limit Break of his new ace card: Armor Break Dragon. At the cost of discarding three cards from his hand, Naoki not only eliminates Suiko's front-row rear-guard units, but he also increases Armor Break Dragon's power and critical value to unbelievable heights. Despite this, Suiko defends against Naoki's attacks with almost all of the cards in her hand. On the following turn, Suiko wins the game with Chief Nurse, Shamsiel by moving cards to and from her damage zone thus increasing most of her units' power. Afterwards, Naoki apologizes to his friends for his loss and realizes how weak he actually is. Shingo cheers him up (although with some harsh choice of words) and says that he'll train Naoki to become stronger.

The Cardfight Club is forced by the Miyaji student council to take the main stage on the day of the academy's upcoming School Festival. The student council hopes to use this chance to embarass the club and tarnish its reputation. Despite the daunting task, the club decides to do a stage play using one of Shingo's prewritten scripts and with costume help from Emi and Mai. The script is loosely based on The Tale of the Bamboo Cutter but with Vanguard units; Aichi is given the role of the bamboo cutter (Little Sage, Marron), Misaki is the heroine (CEO Amaterasu), Naoki is the villain (Eradicator, Vowing Sword Dragon), and Kourin is the hero (King of Knights, Alfred). Although Kourin is seemingly busy with her job as an idol, Misaki notices that she is in fact preparing for the play. However, on the day of rehearsal, Kourin does not show up, which leads the club (except Misaki) to think that she is not serious about the play and that Aichi should take the role of Alfred.

The sudden appearance of Daigo surprises everyone and also attracts more students to watch the Cardfight Club's play unfold. Posing as the "real" villain of the play, Daigo is challenged by the hero Kourin to a cardfight for Misaki's freedom. Although Kourin applies a lot of pressure to him shortly into the fight, Daigo eventually gets a heal trigger and deals 5 damage to her, putting her in a tough situation. However, she is cheered on by Misaki and subsequently the audience to not give up. Kourin regains her composure and tries to end the game with the Limit Break of Leading Jewel Knight, Salome. Unfortunately, she does not do so. Daigo then uses White Dragon Knight, Pendragon's Limit Break to superior ride his new ace: Sanctuary Guard Dragon. He activates its Limit Break to overpower and defeat Kourin. Although the hero Kourin loses, Misaki, Aichi, Naoki, and Shingo all step up to challenge Daigo for their fallen friend.

The Vanguard Fight High School Championship finally begins with the Miyaji Cardfight Club having to attend the Kanto regional qualifiers. In the waiting room, the club sees Fukuhara's and Hitsue's Vanguard teams. In particular, Hitsue's team has a surprisingly strong look of determination to win the entire tournament. The first round pits Miyaji Academy against Hitsue High in a best-of-3 match. In the first game, Kai defeats Shingo, which puts Hitsue up 1-0. The second game features Miwa vs. Misaki. For the sake of his teammates, the typically-carefree Miwa goes all out with the Limit Break of Hellfire Seal Dragon, Blockade Inferno to retire all of Misaki's grade 2 rear-guards and gain a significant amount of power. Misaki completely defends herself, but she is left with a weakened battle formation. Nonetheless, on her next turn, Misaki rides Goddess of Good Luck, Fortuna and reassembles her forces.

The decisive fight between Aichi and Izaki ensues. Although Izaki is underestimated by the majority of the people watching, he nonetheless is serious about wanting to catch up to Aichi's level of strength. Aichi notices his fighting spirit and the two continue to play to the best of their abilities. Despite the large amount of pressure from Izaki's Ancient Dragon units, Aichi pulls off a comeback victory. Izaki sheds tears of frustration over this loss, but his effort is rewarded with applause from the crowd. The regional qualifier progresses to the final round, in which the Miyaji Cardfight Club will face off against the Vanguard Club of Fukuhara High.

The members of the Miyaji Cardfight Club draw lots to decide who will play against the Fukuhara Vanguard Club in the final round of the Kanto regional qualifier. Naoki is selected to be first, Kourin is second, and Aichi is third. After some pre-fight conversations between Miyaji and Fukuhara, the two teams send their fighters for the first game. Naoki once again fights against Suiko. Unlike what happened in their previous encounter, Naoki chooses to not preemptively use the Limit Break of Armor Break Dragon in order to maintain the cards in his hand. He survives Suiko's Break Ride combo attack, but he is left in a tough situation and begins to question himself. With some encouragement from Aichi, Naoki trusts his instincts and activates Armor Break Dragon's Limit Break, climactically winning the game and putting Miyaji up 1-0. For the second game, Miyaji's Kourin will face Fukuhara's Asaka.

Kourin and Asaka fight each other in the second game of the final round with both of them having their own reasons to win. Kourin hopes to win for the sake of her teammates while Asaka fights for Ren. The cardfight is a seesaw battle until Kourin deals 5 damage to Asaka. However, this allows Asaka to use a Limit Break Ride combination move with Miracle Pop, Ava and Nightmare Doll, Chelsea. She superior calls more of her units to the field to launch multiple attacks, which gives her the win over Kourin. Although frustrated by this loss, Kourin is comforted by her teammates that they will win in the end. The last fight is coincidentally a rematch between Aichi and Ren, who reverts back to his Shadow Paladin deck but themed around the Revenger archetype.

Aichi and Ren face off in the third and last game of the Kanto regional qualifier. As the fight unfolds, Kai watches and is concerned about them. Despite Aichi's best efforts to land a final attack with Blaster Blade Liberator, Ren survives and finishes the battle with a final blow from his reborn avatar: Blaster Dark Revenger. With that, Fukuhara High wins the regional tournament and therefore moves on to the VF High School Championship. Aichi apologizes to his teammates, but they are not upset by his loss and instead cheer him up. During the awards ceremony, Kai leaves after coming to the conclusion that both Aichi and Ren have become too strong for him. As the Kanto regional qualifier comes to a close, the Miyaji Cardfight Club looks forward to more cardfighting in the future. However, unbeknownst to the club, the Miyaji student council continues to scheme for the club's abolishment...

After reporting to the student council president about the Cardfight Club's loss at the Kanto regional tournament, Suwabe moves on to his next plan of terminating the club. He gets the Paranormal Power Research Society, a group of delinquent-looking students who are interested in supernatural forces, to challenge the club to a cardfight on the rooftop of the school. However, instead of the Cardfight Club, Leon and Team Dreadnought appear and accept the challenge. Nonetheless, Eru Nakagami, the leader of the Research Society, engages in a Vanguard fight with Leon. Nakagami uses his Dark Irregulars deck and also unleashes his sealed paranormal powers to push for victory. Regardless, Leon defeats Nakagami by putting him in a no-win situation with Last Card, Revonn. All the while, the Cardfight Club enjoys lunch along with Takuto.

Aichi has an ominous nightmare in which Misaki, Kourin, Naoki, and Shingo all leave him. Worried about the dream, he then goes to school and is relieved to see his friends are there, except for Kourin. After school, Aichi arranges for the Cardfight Club to meet at Card Capital. Naoki goes back into the classroom to retrieve his bag and then decides to follow the student council's secretary. He is eventually led into a strange hidden room where he sees the secretary talking with an unknown person about monitoring the Cardfight Club. At Card Capital, Aichi expresses his worry to his friends over Kourin's absence. Naoki enters the shop, but he is acting like a completely different person. As if possessed by a dark force, Naoki challenges Aichi to a cardfight, which he accepts. The fight reaches a turning point when Naoki declares "Final Turn" and does a Crossbreak Ride with Eradicator, Vowing Saber Dragon "Reverse".

Kai meets with Takuto and tells him about the incident with Naoki. Takuto explains that it is the work of Reverse, a phenomenon created by the evil Void in its quest to envelop everything in darkness. He further elucidates that those who are Reversed will lose their souls and become engulfed with Void's energy if they lose to a Reversed fighter. It is then revealed that Takuto has been Reversed and is now an agent for Void. The two engage in a cardfight, and Kai is surprised to see Takuto's deck representing Link Joker, a never-before-seen clan that acts as the harbinger of Void. As the fight progresses, Kai is shocked by the terrifying Lock effect of Link Joker; his units are sealed away from being used until the end of his turn.

The fight between Toshiki Kai and Takuto Tatsunagi continues. Takuto repeatedly taunts Kai and tries to tempt him with the power of Link Joker. Kai manages to work around his units being locked, but Takuto is able to defend against Kai's attacks. Ultimately, Takuto succeeds in brainwashing Kai using Reverse. Kai appears unexpectedly at Fukuhara High School.

Possessed by the power of Link Joker, Kai goes to fight Tetsu, a person he deems worthy of passing it on.

All Ren wanted to do was check on Asaka and Tetsu, whom he swore to protect, but he'll have to defeat the Reversed Suiko first...

Ren and a Reversal-recovered Suiko finally find Asaka, but it's too late: she's been Reversed, too! Asaka throws down the gauntlet to Ren, and if he loses this match, he'll be made into her mindless marionette.

The battle between Ren and a Reversed Asaka reaches a fever pitch! If he loses, he'll become a mindless slave (according to her).

As Ren fights his Reversed best friend, Tetsu, we go back several years to see how they first met, when Ren was a wide-eyed freshman and Tetsu was a juvenile delinquent brawler who wanted to have nothing to do with him.

Mitsusada returns from Singapore, only to be confronted at the airport by a strong Reversed fighter! In the meantime... Chris of Team Genius has been possessed by an unearthly power before.

Reversed Rekka wants to beat Kamui; Kamui wants to save Emi and Mai; and Reiji and Eiji have to beat an army of Reversed Rekka groupies! Can they do it?!

Kamui continues his battle against the Reversed Rekka, who reiterates how she has no friends despite Emi and Mai being there for her ever since she transferred into Miyaji Academy. After both fighters perform Crossbreak Rides and stop each other's attacks, Kamui points out a flaw in Rekka's logic of using Emi and Mai as hostages when it would have been easier to Reverse them. This is proof of how Rekka does not actually want to Reverse Emi and Mai and that despite her earlier claims, she deeply cares about them as friends. While Rekka reels from this exposure, Kamui launches multi-pronged attacks to win the fight and dispel her of Reverse. Along with Emi, Mai, and Team Handsome, Kamui and Rekka then battle and defeat Reiji, Eiji, and the Rekka Corps, lifting the spell of Reverse from them. Emi expresses her thanks to Kamui, which causes him to run off in embarassment. At the front of the school, he runs into Maki and Kourin who have just arrived from the camping trip. Kourin gives a troubling look towards Kamui as an airplane flies overhead.

Kamui quickly realizes that Kourin is Reversed and resolves himself to defeat her in a cardfight to lift the spell from her. He quickly deals 5 damage to Kourin, who responds by using the card that she could not bring herself to use against Aichi during the camping trip: Broken Heart Jewel Knight, Ashley "Reverse". She uses its devastating Limit Break to retire Kamui's units while increasing her own forces to eventually overpower and defeat Kamui. Meanwhile, Kai returns to Japan and is escorted by Takuto's assistant until he sees Miwa. Aichi and his classmates finally return to Miyaji Academy where Aichi sees Kamui reeling from his loss to Kourin and about to become Reversed. While Aichi and his friends try to understand the situation, Takuto appears in a live worldwide broadcast in which he announces the beginning of the world's destruction.

Continuing his broadcast which is only visible to cardfighters, Takuto reveals everything about Reverse and the black rings in the sky scattered around the world. He explains that those are gates which grow with each fighter becoming Reversed, eventually enveloping the entire world in darkness. At the end of the broadcast, as Aichi and his friends come to grips with this revelation, Kamui finally succumbs to Reverse and challenges Aichi. Soon becoming overwhelmed by an increased number of Reversed fighters, Aichi and his friends escape along with Gouki, Nagisa, Emi, Mai, and Rekka thanks to the timely arrival of Shin. Elsewhere, Miwa fights Kai using the latter's Kagero deck in an attempt to open his eyes. However, his efforts end in vain as Kai defeats him with Star-vader, Chaos Breaker Dragon while also telling Miwa that he became Reversed of his own volition to become as strong as Aichi and Ren. At Card Capital, Aichi and his friends decide to confront Takuto for information. Suddenly, Miwa, now Reversed, appears and tells them that they will have to fight Kai before getting to Takuto. He also tells Aichi that he and Ren are what drove Kai to becoming Reversed in the first place. After Miwa takes his leave, everyone resolves themselves to press onward, but Aichi is showing signs of hesitation after what Miwa said...

While everyone is still coming to grips with this entire situation, Leon appears before Aichi and his friends. He not only tells them the solution to returning Reversed fighters to normal is defeating them in cardfights, but he also informs them that he plans on going to fight Kai and wants Aichi to join him. He agrees, but then Leon proposes to have a fight instead. Shortly into the battle, Leon calls the fight off, noting that Aichi's heart is locked by the thought of having to fight Kai. Leon leaves after further deeming Aichi as being unable to achieve victory in his current state and unworthy of fighting alongside him. While Aichi looks inside himself for answers, Naoki follows Leon outside and says that he wants to go with him in Aichi's place. Leon decides to test Naoki's skills in a cardfight with Shingo observing them. Meanwhile, Jun Mutsuki gathers his fellow underground fighters in an effort to counterattack the Reversed fighters until Miwa appears before him. Quickly realizing Miwa's Reversed state, Jun cardfights him. Although he drives Miwa to the brink of defeat, Jun is unable to deal the final blow to him. Miwa wins using Dauntless Dominate Dragon "Reverse", leaving the now-Reversed Jun to take on the other underground fighters. After beating Naoki several times, Leon finally decides to leave until Shingo intervenes. Before departing, Leon recommends for Naoki and Shingo to take care of Aichi. So, the two decide to train in preparation for the big confrontation.

After much training, Naoki finally constructs a suitable deck with help from Shingo. The two then decide to go and reclaim Miyaji Academy from the Reversed fighters inhabiting it. They encounter Maki, who summons all of the Reversed fighters (except Kamui and Kourin). Together, Naoki and Shingo take on all of the fighters, defeating them one by one. However, unbeknownst to Naoki as he continues fighting, Shingo loses to Maki. After beating the last of the Reversed fighters, Naoki searches for Shingo but then comes across Naitou and Suwabe. Soon after, Naoki finds Shingo but is shocked to discover that the latter is Reversed. Determined to bring his friend back, Naoki engages the Reversed Shingo in a cardfight. Naoki gains an early advantage, but Shingo strikes back with Covert Demonic Dragon, Hyakki Vogue "Reverse" and its Limit Break. With the Reversed Shingo denouncing all sense of friendship he had with the Cardfight Club, Naoki begins to lose the will to fight until he hears the real Shingo's voice, motivating him to continue the battle...

Naoki uses Eradicator, Tempest Bolt Dragon to defeat Shingo, thereby freeing him of Reverse. Naoki, Naito, and Suwabe then take Shingo inside the school where he regains his senses. Meanwhile, Aichi thinks about what Leon said to him as he walks to Card Capital. Once there, he wonders where Naoki and Shingo are, and Misaki deduces that the two have gone off on their own to take on any Reversed fighters. Back at Miyaji Academy, Naoki remembers the secret room where he previously followed Maki to, and it is there that Naoki engages her in a cardfight while Shingo, Naito, and Suwabe watch. As the two wage battle, Maki reveals she knows about how Naoki was previously a loner like herself and further exclaims that he should embrace the darkness of Link Joker like she has. As Naoki gets caught up in Maki's image, Shingo reminds Naoki that he is not alone. Those words snap Naoki out of the image; he then goes on to beat Maki with Tempest Bolt Dragon. Her loss means that the last of Miyaji Academy's Reversed fighters have been dealt with, resulting in the gate floating above the school dissipating. Afterwards, Maki, no longer Reversed, regains consciousness under the care of Naito and Suwabe, both of whom discovering a new appreciation for Vanguard. Aichi and Misaki arrive and meet up with Shingo and Naoki, who collapses from exhaustion. When Shingo tells them about Naoki's reasons for doing all of this, Aichi finds the resolve to confront his other Reversed friends and starts heading towards Takuto's place.

Aichi, Misaki, Naoki, and Shingo walk to Takuto's headquarters but are stopped by the appearance of the Reversed Kamui. Aichi feels that he must fight him and proceeds to do so. In the midst of the battle, Kamui expresses his frustration over how Aichi became stronger than him despite both of them being together for so long. He then Crossbreak Rides Deadliest Beast Deity, Ethics Buster "Яeverse" and launches 8 attacks in a single turn, but Aichi manages to survive. Aichi responds by saying that he not only admires Kamui but also that he became stronger because Kamui, Kai, and Misaki were there with him from the beginning. Then, Aichi Crossbreak Rides Liberator of Bonds, Gancelot Zenith and uses its Limit Break to superior call Blaster Blade Liberator to land a final blow on Kamui, thus winning the fight and freeing him of Reverse. With Kamui back to his normal self albeit fatigued, Aichi and his friends continue to travel to Takuto's headquarters. Once there, they are confronted by the Reversed pair of Miwa and Kai.

In front of Tatsunagi Corporation HQ, Miwa wants to cardfight Aichi, but Misaki insists on being Miwa's opponent instead. Steadfast on returning Miwa to his former self, Misaki recalls how Miwa is really a caring person underneath his usual carefree demeanor. After repelling Miwa's Crossbreak Ride combo with Dauntless Dominate Dragon "Яeverse", Misaki performs her own Crossbreak Ride with Omniscience Regalia, Minerva and defeats Miwa, thus lifting the spell of Reverse from him. After everyone gathers around Miwa as he regains himself, Aichi makes a direct challenge to Kai.

With Takuto monitoring them from afar, Aichi and Kai finally confront each other. When Aichi questions Kai on his actions, he explains his reasoning as to why he chose to be Reversed despite the consequences. Wanting to save Kai like he did when Aichi was under the negative influence of Psyqualia, Aichi engages him in an intense cardfight. Aichi is put in a seemingly hopeless situation, and although he stays determined to win, Kai thinks otherwise...

Aichi tries to end the match with Liberator of Bonds, Gancelot Zenith, but Kai completely defends himself. Kai then uses Star-vader, Chaos Breaker Dragon to finish off Aichi and walks back into the Tatsunagi HQ building, leaving Aichi to be Reversed. However, Team Dreadnought shortly appears, and Leon tells Aichi to use Psyqualia. With help from the real Takuto in a spiritual form, Aichi prevents himself from being Reversed but is left exhausted. Then, Leon informs everyone about how he rescued the real Takuto and their plans to infiltrate Tatsunagi HQ to defeat Link Joker. Aichi wants to join them, but Leon and Takuto tell him that Aichi's Reverse process was only temporarily stopped. They also say that if Aichi fights again in his current state, it could be fatal. So, leaving Jillian and Sharlene to take care of Aichi and his friends, Leon and Takuto prepare to go inside Tatsunagi HQ.

Leon and Takuto enter Tatsunagi HQ and confront Reversed Takuto, who sends Leon away and traps Takuto in black rings. Leon is transported to another room where he encounters his Reversed future self. The two Leons then fight each other, and the Reversed Leon eventually uses Blue Storm Karma Dragon, Maelstrom "Яeverse". Along with its powerful Limit Break, Reversed Leon puts an enormous amount of pressure on Leon while also retiring his rear-guards, leaving him with almost nothing. Against all odds, Leon uses Tetra-drive Dragon to defeat his Reversed self, who disappears after the long battle. Leon is left fatigued and is transported back to the original room where Takuto, freed from his bindings, challenges his Reversed self to a cardfight.

Takuto faces off against his Reversed self while outside, Aichi is being protected by his friends when they get surrounded by other Reversed fighters. Takuto uses Salvation Lion, Grand Ezel Scissors to unlock his rear-guards from Reversed Takuto's lock effects, but he responds with Star-vader, "Omega" Glendios. Reversed Takuto uses its Limit Break to permanently lock all of Takuto's rear-guards one by one while also preventing him from using Ezel Scissors's skill to unlock them. After locking all of Takuto's rear-guards, Reversed Takuto activates the Ultimate Break of "Omega" Glendios to automatically win the fight and then absorbs Takuto into his body. Soon after, Aichi appears before Reversed Takuto.

Aichi challenges Reversed Takuto, who arranges for the Reversed Kourin to be Aichi's opponent and leaves. Misaki makes her way up to where Aichi and Kourin are having a high-stakes cardfight. It is revealed that Kourin (along with Rekka and Suiko) has no memories of her past because of Takuto, and she fears of losing her current memories if she is defeated. Through sheer spirit, Aichi stays strong and wins by using a card that was given to him by the real Takuto: Liberator, Monarch Sanctuary Alfred. Kourin is freed from the spell of Reverse and then faints. Intending to go face Reversed Takuto, Aichi asks Misaki to take care of Kourin, but they are all soon confronted by more Reversed fighters.

Just as Aichi and his friends are surrounded by more Reversed fighters, Teams Asteroid and Avengers appear. They fend off the Reversed fighters while Aichi and Ren go together to face Reversed Takuto, who has revealed himself as being the emissary of Link Joker. They meet on the rooftop of Tatsunagi HQ, where Reversed Takuto states that he has completely absorbed the original Takuto and has gotten stronger from doing so. He further explains that the world will end once the gate floating above them fully opens. Then, Kai appears and challenges Ren. And so, the two wage battle as Aichi and Reversed Takuto observe, with Kai returning to his Kagero deck. As the cardfight ensues, Ren expresses his enlightenment in fighting against Kai while showing signs of his former sadistic self when he was possessed by Psyqualia. Kai responds by forewarning Ren's defeat once his true power is unleashed...

The battle between Ren and Kai draws near the end as Ren declares "Final Turn". He Crossbreak Rides Revenger, Dragruler Phantom and activates its Limit Break to automatically deal 1 damage to Kai, bringing him closer to defeat. Despite that, Kai protects himself from Ren's assault and responds with his own "Final Turn" announcement. He Crossbreak Rides Dragonic Overlord "The Яe-birth", locks all of his own rear-guards, and launches a triple attack on Ren with it. Exhausted of all of his heal triggers, Ren loses and faints while in the process of being Reversed. Aichi is left as the only person who can take on Reversed Takuto and Kai. Reversed Takuto orders Kai to fight Aichi, but he refuses because he already beat Aichi and no longer deems him as a worthy opponent. So, Reversed Takuto takes it upon himself to cardfight Aichi.

The cardfight between Aichi and Reversed Takuto begins. Although Aichi inflicts 5 damage, this allows Reversed Takuto to start setting up his "World End" strategy with "Omega" Glendios by locking almost all of Aichi's rear-guards. Reversed Takuto also tries to make Aichi falter by making Aichi the villain. Moreover, Reversed Takuto mentions that if Aichi defeats him, then Kourin will also be badly affected. After Aichi takes another hit from Reversed Takuto's Glendios, the gate above Tatsunagi HQ opens, and Link Joker units emerge from it and start their invasion on Earth.

While the Link Joker units have begun attacking Aichi's friends, Aichi is still wavering after hearing Reversed Takuto's words. Just as Aichi loses hope, he hears the many cries from his friends who are still fighting, which motivates Aichi to continue the battle. Aichi rides Liberator, Monarch Sanctuary Alfred to return his locked units to the deck and superior call them back to the field, thus countering Reversed Takuto's "World End" strategy. Aichi defeats him, which causes the many gates over the world to disappear along with the invading Link Joker units and all of the Reversed fighters returning to normal. However, about to also disappear, Reversed Takuto tries to take Aichi down with him in a last ditch effort, but he is stopped by the appearance of the original Takuto. Apologizing to Kourin, Rekka and Suiko, Takuto sacrifices himself and dissipates along with his Reversed self. Although the long battle against Link Joker seems to be over, the gate above Aichi is not completely gone, and he is soon confronted by Kai, who is still Reversed...

The gate above Tatsunagi HQ slowly crumbles, which prompts everyone to evacuate the building while Aichi and Kai are still on the rooftop. Much to Aichi's shock, Kai reveals that he never was completely Reversed and was consciously Reversing others despite knowing the consequences of his actions, all for the sake of becoming the strongest. He also wants to fight Aichi again before he returns to normal in order to see who is the strongest between the two of them and whose path was right all along: his or Aichi's. And so, Aichi and Kai cardfight each other while everyone else watches from below. Thinking that he will only hurt Aichi and his friends again, Kai intends for this to be the last fight he will have against him and will be gone once it is over. However, Aichi tries to convince Kai that he is not alone and further exclaims it was because of him that Aichi is the person he is now. Despite Aichi's cries to bring him to his senses, Kai continues the fight by riding Dragonic Overlord "The Яe-birth"...

The last fight between Aichi and Kai is reaching its climax. Despite the overwhelming Limit Break of Kai's Dragonic Overlord "The Яe-birth", Aichi nullifies most of its attacks. Kai insists on ridding himself from the world because of the sins he committed, but Aichi finally gets him to realize that he has and always will be there for him. Upon understanding that, Kai's Reverse is dispelled as well as the effects of Reverse that were still inside Aichi. They both continue the fight to the best of their abilities. In the end, Aichi defeats Kai with a final attack from Blaster Blade Liberator, the card that connects the two. Aichi and Kai then descend the Tatsunagi building and reunite with their friends as the gate above fully disappears. Some time later, life returns to normal as Kai walks to Card Capital, where he will play against Aichi, who he now recognizes as the strongest fighter and his best friend.

After dreaming about meeting Blaster Blade, Kai rushes off to cardfight with Aichi. However, he's in for a big surprise...

Even Misaki who has better memory retention lost the memory of Aichi. Kai and Misaki enter into a cardfight, and Misaki gets a glimpse of her first cardfight but her opponent is covered by a shadow. She is wondering why her usually vivid memory is so blurry.

At the secret moon base, the Quatre Knights send a butler called Morres Pennyworth to break Aichi's friends. Shingo lost his memory of Cardfight Club started by Aichi. In front of Naoki confronting Shingo about it, a mysterious butler who throws out a hint of Aichi's existence appears.

Kai continues to seek the existence of Aichi. To tell Kai the warning told by a mysterious butler, when Naoki and Misaki arrives at Hitsue high school, Kai is facing Miwa.

Kamui, who is on Team Handsome with Gouki spending his free time fighting. Although he has busy days, he has an empty feeling for some reason. Naoki fights Kamui to help him remember Aichi.

Toshiki Kai visits Card Shop PSY where Aichi has been before to find a clue about Aichi, where he encounters Olivier Gaillard the first Quatre Knight who challenges him to a fight!

When Naoki and Misaki are walking in the park, they meet a big man surrounded by many cats, and one of them is sub-manager. The man recognizes Naoki and Misaki, and then gives them his name - Philip Neve. And he cautions against them not to seek Sendou Aichi anymore.

Kai knew his mates also are in danger to seek Aichi. The next day, Kai said, "I’ll seek Aichi alone from now on." to Misaki, Kamui and others, then leaves. But Kamui stands up against Kai who tries to go alone.

Misaki and Kamui heard the leader of "Team Caesar", "Koutei". Kenji is coming back temporarily to Japan, so they go to the airport. Misaki and Kamui arrived at the airport and meet a young girl named Rati who is looking for Serra. In the process, Rati gets stuck in a trash can. Kamui and Misaki help her out, only to find that she is too interested in the doughnut store to pay any attention to them.

Having encountered the illusive Rati at the airport, Misaki challenges her to a Cardfight. However, Rati reveals the true power hiding behind her innocent smile with the Shadow Paladin clan...

Raul Serra has the ability as the South American Champion of Vanguard. Serra launches attacks to Kamui with a cold smile that makes him feel icy.

In order to find out more about Aichi, Kai visits Ren once again. Upon arrival, the two start a fight in order to understand each other's feelings.

Kai and the others arrive at the place indicated by Ren, see a strange-shaped megalithic site. When they step closer to it, the light floods in from the megalithic site, and Olivier Gaillard appears?!

The battle between Naoki and Gaillard has ended. Naoki, who lost, faced his judgment. Then, Kai challenges Gaillard but Kourin appears and challenges Kai to a cardfight.

Kai and the others visit Leon to undergo special training in order to strengthen themselves before they can face Quatre Knights again.

Kai and others visit Leon’s home “Island of Souryu”. While Naoki and Kamui are training hard with Leon, Kai and Misaki are still stuck in the shocks about Aichi and Kourin.

Naoki Ishida sees Morris Pennyworth, a butler of the Quatre Knights, who Naoki fought off before. Naoki spies on him and finds the door that leads to where the Quatre Knights and Aichi are. Upon arriving, he and the others encounter Raul Serra. Naoki challenges Serra and the fight begins.

The fight between Naoki Ishida and Raul Serra who is one of the Quatre Knights continues.

Neve of the Quatre Knights blocks the path. Miwa finds himself overwhelmed by Neve's power. But in Neve's hidden past lies...

Trying to avoid her previous loss, Misaki once again challenges Rati. However, in addition to winning, Misaki also aims to teach Rati the meaning of "friendship". Will Misaki's wish be granted?

Kamui challenges Gaillard, who is protecting Aichi's seal. Kamui, who turns his friendship with Aichi into his own power, launches a fierce assault on Gaillard, who finds himself fazed. The bonds between mates, or Gaillard's loyalty; who will win?

Gaillard, who had pledged his absolute loyalty to Aichi after saving many lives including Gaillard's friends, reveals the reason why he became one of Aichi's faithful Quatre Knights.

Based on their own beliefs, Kai, his friends and the Quatre Knights had been engaged in a fierce battle with each other. Only 2 of the seals are left, but out of nowhere Raul Serra returns to lift Aichi's seal.

Link Joker has control over Aichi. Serra's intentions are revealed and he manipulates his fellow Quatre Knight Neve to fight Aichi. To undo the spell on Aichi, a fierce fight between Neve and Aichi happened.

Raul Serra, who betrayed Aichi, approaches Rati Curti in order to break the final seal on Link Joker. In order to stop Raul Serra's ambition and protect both Aichi and the Planet Cray, she challenges him to a fight!!

Raul Serra is a man with a burning obsession to make himself the strongest he can be. And then, in order to make his ambition come true, Serra proceeds to challenge Aichi.

Raul Serra has obtained the overwhelming power of Link Joker, and it proved to be too tough for Olivier Gaillard. But, despite how desperate things are, a blue flame ignites inside Gaillard's heart and shines on the darkness of despair.

Kourin stands in the way of Kai and his mates on their way towards Aichi. Naoki, who sees this, asks Kai to let him fight her on behalf of the bonds they shared as club members.

Kai is trying to rescue Aichi, and Gaillard is trying to protect Aichi. While both of them have different beliefs, the two of them share a connected fate.

The decisive battle between Aichi and Kai has started. In the middle of the fierce fight, Aichi showed Kai his new completely changed Blaster Blade, as proof of the bonds they currently share.

Aichi's Blaster and Kai's Dragonic Overlord face off against each other in the Sanctuary. However, Kai finds himself forced into a corner by the overwhelming strength that Aichi possesses.

Time has passed since the battle on the Sanctuary and the graduation ceremony for Kai, Misaki and Miwa is fast approaching. Aichi finds himself working tirelessly to complete the farewell script for the ceremony, but Kai isn't ready to see him yet.

After the graduation ceremony is over, Aichi and his friends participate in a tournament held at Card Capital. There, Aichi found a lot of his friends and rivals have gathered.

One day, when Chrono Shindou arrives at his secondary school, he finds a map and a deck of cards that he doesn't know in his shoe locker. To learn about these cards, he goes to the location noted on the map. Over there is the second shop of Card Capital, and he plays Cardfight!! Vanguard with the clerk Kamui Katsuragi.

Chrono returns to Card Capital 2 to learn more about Vanguard from Kamui Katsuragi. Instead, both of them go on a quest to help a child retrieve his lost card. Misaki scolds Kamui for leaving Card Capital 2 at the end of the episode.

In response to a quest to recruit an opponent, Chrono heads to the meeting place which is at the shopping mall. However, due to some sudden errands, the client is unable to come, and instead Kouji Ibuki appears on the client's behalf. At a previous prompt from Kouji, the "Grand Image Reality System" (GIRS) for 3-D form of images produced by fighters is prepared...

Chrono and Shion participate in a quest to retrieve a card a little boy left at his grandmother's house.

At school, Chrono, who gave Kumi her dropped bun is mistakenly accused by Tokoha of bullying. Kumi then told her the true story, clearing his name. Back at home, Tokoha is told by her brother about the new clan Gear Chronicle, and supposedly the fighter who play it lives in the neighbourhood.

Kamui met Chrono while on his way to the Dragon Empire branch, and the former asks the latter to join him. At there, Chrono was told that a vanguard competition is being held, in which a lucky person would fight Mamoru Anjou, the Kagero clan leader. As Chrono registered, he encountered the mascot of Vanguard Association, Vangoro, who after know that he uses Gear Chronicle, keeps demand a cardfight from him.

During a cleaning session, Tokoha tells both Chrono and Shion about the Vanguard Quiz Tournament organized by the Dragon Empire Branch, in which both of them enter the tournament, with the intention to beat each other.

When Chrono arrives Card Capital 2, he saw a beautiful girl he has never met before. She acts elegantly, and talks to Chrono warmly even though this is the first time they meet.

Since Tokoha was young, she has admired a girl called Akane whom Tokoha treated like a real elder sister. Akane is a competent staff working in Dragon Empire Periphery. Akane feels lonely because both Tokoha and her are so busy that they have fewer chances to chat relaxedly like before. On the other side, Tokoha feels surprised for the content of Akane's quest.

Chrono receives a quest from a foreigner, asking "guide me so I can learn more of Japan's Vanguard". When he arrives the spot of meeting, he meets an especially excited guy who calls himself Jaime Alcaraz.

The Euro League representative Jaime Alcaraz and the Kagero clan leader Anjou Mamoru's fight will begin. Audience are watching the breathtaking view of the intense battle. Chrono can also feel the heat from the fight while he clenched his fist.

Chrono had the great opportunity to challenge a fighter of a much higher level than himself, Jaime. During the fight, Jaime saw Chrono and his passion, and understood those feelings from Chrono.

Kamui proposes to hold a party in Card Capital 2 for Chrono, after he underwent a fierce fight, so that he can relax. As Chrono, in his life, never experienced a party held for him, he cannot hide his confusion about this event.

With the Vanguard National Convention regionals getting closer, Chrono sets his target at it by qualifying. At that time, in front of Chrono, an eccentric individual appears: Takeru Baba, who has been travelling far and wide to become strong.

A story about Masked Ghost started spreading among cardfighters. He is said to challenge many players and rob their avatar cards when he wins. At the same time, Shion is scouted by the National Fencing Association to be a professional.

The episode begins with Tokoha buying two croquette breads from Nishi Bakery for her brother Mamoru, and the two reminisce on how they used to eat croquettes while fighting.

At Card Capital, a boy named Ogawa cardfights against a girl who he falls in love with at first sight. However, the fight has barely begun when the girl runs off, accidentally leaving a card on the table: Battle Cupid, Nociel. With a burning desire to see the girl again and to return the card, Ogawa creates quest to help track the girl down.

Kamui and then Shin gives Chrono and Tokoha each a DVD movie starring Team Caesar for them to watch.

Chrono, Shion, and Tokoha finally got a chance to team up and ready for a team tournament. But first they struggled a very difficult problem in which is their team work...

The prerequisite of participating in the Regional Preliminaries of the National Vanguard Championship is being "Grade 3". For this, Chrono, accompanied by Tokoha and Shion, joined the mini-championship held at the headquarters of United Sanctuary.

Disheartened at the loss of his points that he related to his happy memories, Chrono decides to give up Vanguard for good, leaving his deck with Kamui at Card Capital 2. Due to his conscience, he remembers that Vanguard is what changed his life to a better future so he returns to reclaim his deck. However, when his nemesis Kouji Ibuki shows up to claim it, Chrono fights the former for a future he will create for himself, with his Gear Chronicles as the stakes...

A king of demonic realm resides in the fortress of darkness located in Dragon Empire region. It is said that those who pass through the three gates prepared by the king can be granted mighty power of darkness. To overcome the challenges of the demonic king, now, Chrono enters the fortress...

Chrono scrambles to gain enough points needed to meet the entry deadline for the qualifiers. Elsewhere, Mamoru fulfils his objective as a member of branch staff to assist fighters who are aiming to qualify for the tournament.

In a survival challenge where the future of the team is in danger, Chrono and his team will try to qualify into the regional tournament, after overcoming several obstacles, what awaits them there is the Trinity Dragon team.

Chrono visits Card Capital 2. There, he is asked by the shop manager to teach a novice boy about vanguard.

The Regionals qualifier for Vanguard National Tournament is just only 1 week away. With various feelings in their heart, everyday, Chrono, Tokoha and Shion spend their day together. And then, the long-awaited time to raise the curtain arrives.

The next opponent for Team Try3 to face is Team Wanderer. Leading the team is Takeru Baba, someone Chrono once met through a quest and had a heated fight with!

The preliminary round of the tournament has concluded, and Try3 have reached the Best 16. Their next opponent is Team Demise, a team from the United Sanctuary branch who are favourites to win the tournament!

Tokoha's opponent is Rin Hashima, a fighter from Team Demise with both outstanding beauty and strength. Rin is aware that Tokoha is Mamoru's younger sister but...

The story starts after Tokoha's loss, in which Team Trinity Dragon (plus Kumi) comforts her, dragging Chrono into the scene as well, before realizes that Shion is missing.

Chrono invites a miserable Tokoha and Shion to the seaside. However, despite his attempts to entertain the two, he is hit by accident after accident.

Shion decides to quit Vanguard to complete his mission alone as the heir to the Kiba estate. However, Chrono and Tokoha's words do not reach Shion, and Chrono finds himself frustrated at Shion as a result.

The popular Vanguard idol, Saya Yatomi, is visiting the Dragon Empire's branch events! Feeling energetic, the super-positive professional soul gets involved in the staff's hectic proceedings!

Chrono Shindou vs Shin Nitta.

Chrono Shindou reaches the finals of the United Sanctuary Branch and he will be fighting Taiyou Asukawa for his final match. Although, there is something fishy about Taiyou while fighting Chrono.

Though Chrono's team managed to sneak into the United Sanctuary Branch Headquarter, they are separated. Waiting in the room where Shion passed was his old friend of fate, Yuya Karasumori...!

TRY3 witnessed the current situation of the United Sanctuary Branch, and they were enraged. However, as if to taunt the trio, they were challenged by Yuichirou Kanzaki, the United Sanctuary Branch Chief.

The debut of Chronodragon Nextage.

The United Sanctuary branch's special match begins. Tokoha enthusiastically seeks revenge, attacking the princess-like presence of Team Demise's Hashima Rin.

Game 2 of the special match. Shinonome Shouma toys with Shion with the words "People see their own futures." Can Shion show the future for himself that he believes in!?

Kanzaki Yuuichirou reigns over the United Sanctuary branch with absolute power. Hidden in his heart is a grand ambition. Chrono and his friends will face that ambition head-on!

Standing before Chrono is the Taiyou that coldly pursued victory and became like a machine. Can Chrono's burning ideal reach him, and take back the old Taiyou!?

The fight between Chrono and Kanzaki finally commences! Encouraged by all his friends, Chrono challenges Kanzaki with his entire soul! However, Kanzaki's trump card "Damned" appears! The climatic fight which Kanzaki desired with the Gear Chronicle clan has finally reached its end. The waiting has come to an end. Who will win? Justice or Darkness?

Against Kanzaki's fierce power, Chrono hasn't seen a chance for victory for so much as a minute. Chrono doesn't give up, choosing to confront Kanzaki. At that time, Chrono and Chronojet...?!

A few days after the fierce battle with Kanzaki, the chaotic United Sanctuary branch calmed down and began moving towards rebuilding. During this, Chrono receives a call from Ibuki...

Ibuki and Chrono - The two show their feelings to each other in the fight through strategies. With the thriving bonds he has made with Gear Chronicle up until now, Chrono shows off a new future!

Team TRY3, (Chrono, Shion and Tokoha) met an outgoing and elegant little girl named Luna Yumizuki who wanted to learn Vanguard so they taught her how. After the teaching fight, a mysterious G Quest appeared organized by the Vanguard Association in search for the next clan leaders. The big quest commences!

Kouji leads an elite team, including TRY3, on a mission to infiltrate Ryuzu's lab to retrieve both his Depend Cards and the units that he had summoned from Cray. There, the group is separated due to the efforts of Ryuzu's security robots led by a young boy named Hiroki Moriyama, a member of the "Company". Chrono and Kouji are furthered separated from Kamui, Tokoha, and Shion; those three wind up in battles against the other Company members, which consists of the enigmatic Sousuke Wakamizu, the Dark Zone branch chief Satoru Enishi, and Shouma. Meanwhile, Chrono and Kouji come face-to-face with Ryuzu. He reveals his ambition to gather specific units called the Zodiac Time Beasts to open the Stride Gate, which he believes will perfect the world. Ultimately, the Company successfully stalls for enough time to transport the Time Beasts to another location and escape. However, due to the accumulative side effects from summoning the Time Beasts, Ryuzu dies but not before giving his last words: "For though a righteous man falls seven times, he rises again."

Some time has passed after Ryuzu's death. While on his way to meet with Taiyou, Chrono meets a peculiar boy who has a Gear Chronicle deck and decides to have a cardfight with him. Much to Chrono's shock, the boy reveals himself as Ryuzu Myoujin reincarnated. As the fight goes on, Ryuzu expresses more of his ideals of making the world perfect through Vanguard. After Ryuzu defeats Chrono, he tells him that his father Rive Shindou is alive and that Kouji knew it all along. Before leaving the distraught Chrono, Ryuzu suggests he should join with him.

Chrono meets with Kouji to ascertain that Rive is still alive. Kouji also explains his reasons for keeping this information secret. Meanwhile, the United Sanctuary Branch is invaded by the Company's Hiroki Moriyama, a young boy who believes he is a hero of justice while all who oppose him are evil. Since Team AL4 is currently out, Taiyou takes it upon himself to defend the branch by cardfighting Hiroki. As the battle continues, Hiroki spouts more of his ideals of how justice always wins, evil always loses, and evil must be punished. This reminds Taiyou of the old elitist philosophy of the branch and gives him more reason to defeat Hiroki. Unfortunately, not only does Taiyou lose, but Am (as Ace) summons one of the Zodiac Time Beasts and uses its power to destroy the branch. While there were no casualties, Taiyou is nonetheless disheartened that he could not defend the branch.

Chrono and Taiyou seek Kanzaki, who is training in a secluded mountain range. They tell him about the situation with Ryuzu, and in exchange, Kanzaki tells them more about Depend Cards; they are contracts between a fighter and a summoned unit from Cray, but summoning units require a large amount of Stride Force. Kanzaki also reminds Chrono of their fight when Chrono had truly summoned Chronojet Dragon, which surprises Chrono of his own untapped power. Meanwhile, Shouma approaches Ibuki and warns him of certain punishment. After spending the night at Kanzaki's hut, Chrono and Taiyou return to the city and confront Hiroki, following Kanzaki's hunches. Having rebuilt his deck, Taiyou challenges Hiroki to a rematch.

Taiyou starts his rematch against Hiroki. Realizing how lonely Hiroki truly is and how he clings to his twisted sense of justice, Taiyou defeats Hiroki, who escapes with help from Wakamizu. Meanwhile, Am tells both Tokoha and Luna her reason for working with Ryuzu: to revive her comatose parents. She also tells them her role as Peacemaker, the one who will eventually open the Stride Gate. Although Am cuts off her ties of friendship with the two, Luna nonetheless wishes to stay by her side. Later that day, Chrono learns that Mikuru also knew that Rive was still alive but kept that secret from him. Appalled, he storms out of his home, and standing next to him is Ryuzu...

After having an odd dream about Rive, Chrono and Ryuzu talk more about the latter's goal to perfect the world into one without strife or war. Chrono says Ryuzu's methods to do so are contradictory, but he replies that sacrifices are necessary. Ryuzu also tells Chrono that he is the singularity, as in the first person to create a link between Earth and Cray, which causes sudden images to appear in Chrono's head. Meanwhile, Enishi, Am/Ace, and Luna appear at the Dragon Empire Branch. To defend the branch, Mamoru cardfights and defeats Enishi. Then, when Am fights Kouji, Luna shockingly summons one of the Zodiac Time Beasts, Chronobeat Buffalo, and has it attack and destroy the branch. In the midst of the attack, Mamoru protects Tokoha but gets injured in the process. Before the Buffalo's rampage could continue, Enishi knocks Luna unconscious, which causes the beast to disappear. With the destruction of the branch, Enishi, Am, and Luna retreat.

The attack on the Dragon Empire Branch left many people hospitalized, including Mamoru and Kouji. Tokoha blames herself by thinking if she had stopped Am and Luna, then this incident would not have happened. Tokoha is then approached by Rin Hashima, who challenges her to a cardfight. Tokoha is too sad to fully focus on the battle, but when Rin defeats her, she snaps out of her depression and is glad to see that all of the patients are recovering. Later, Chrono confronts Ryuzu again and challenges him...

Transported to a secluded ruined area, Chrono cardfights Ryuzu. While battling, bits of Chrono's lost memories regarding his father slowly pop into his mind until he finally recalls the incident involving himself, Rive, and Ryuzu. As it turns out, Rive and Ryuzu were friends who were working on creating a link between Earth and the planet Cray. One day, Chrono was brought over to a laboratory and watched an experiment in which Rive was used to open a portal to Cray. However, Rive later learned how Ryuzu wanted to sacrifice Cray for Earth's benefit. While Rive argued with him, Chrono heard a voice calling him from the Cray side of the portal. That voice belonged to Chrono Dran, and Chrono had summoned the dragon to Earth. When Ryuzu wanted to capture Chrono Dran, Rive knew at that moment what he had to do. He overloaded the system, caused the portal to explode, and destroyed the lab while protecting Chrono and Chrono Dran. While carrying the two away, Rive told Chrono to forget everything. Back in the present time, with all of his memories retained, Chrono is more appalled with Ryuzu, who knocks him unconscious with a taser.

Chrono discovers that he has been taken to a private villa where he and Ryuzu continue from where their cardfight left off. Meanwhile, Kouji, Kamui, Shion, and Tokoha track down Chrono's location but are impeded by the Company. During the scuffle, Enishi tells Tokoha that Luna has become the new Peacemaker and has lost her sense of self as a result. Back at the villa, Ryuzu comes to realize that no matter what he says, Chrono will not join his cause. Just as Ryuzu lands the potential finishing blow, he summons his Chronofang Tiger to the real world and attacks Chrono with it. But it is at that moment when Chrono's 3 remaining Depend Cards awaken and are summoned to aid him. Chrono also summons Chrono Dran, and his four units fend off Tiger and knock out Ryuzu. This causes him to drop his other Depend Cards, which Chrono takes and tries to awaken all of them. However, doing so not only drains Chrono's energy and make him faint, but also unbeknownst to him, it worked in Ryuzu's favor. Later, after having an ominous dream about the Zodiac Time Beasts trapped with Luna, Chrono wakes up and finds himself back home safe with his friends and family.

To help with the reconstruction of the Dragon Empire Branch, Saya Yatomi returns to hold a special event, the "Happy Vanguard Festival", along with fellow idols Lisa Ferris and Remy Altena. Drawing many attendees, the festival moves on to the main event: a stage performance in which Saya, Lisa, and Remy try to show the evil "Black Vangua-rou" the fun of Vanguard. However, during the show, rain falls and causes one of the stage props to malfunction. Just when Saya thinks the show is ruined, Team TRY3 appears as Card Warriors Vanguamen. Thanks to them getting the audience involved, the show is saved, and the festival is an overall success.

Jaime takes TRY3, Kamui, Misaki, and Taiyou to a deserted island reserved for training. After said training, Jaime devises a plan to give TRY3 some alone time; he has the team search for the lunch preparations which were "accidentally misplaced" in the mountains. As they hike the mountain, the three let out their feelings about everything, thus increasing their bond. After TRY3 returns with the food, they train more and discuss their plans for the future.

Shin tells Chrono about his past with Rive. Back then, Shin was part of Team Nippon along with Mark Whiting and Rive, who was also the team's mentor. Together, they won the national Vanguard tournament and were invited to the world championship. Around the same time, Rive was also spending time with Ryuzu, which Shin did not like because it was taking time away from training. One day, Shin met Ryuzu and had a cardfight with him; if Shin won, then Ryuzu would not be allowed to see Rive. Although Shin won, Rive still kept meeting with Ryuzu. Eventually, Shin realized the likely reason why Rive kept seeing Ryuzu: they both agreed on and pursued the idea that Vanguard can be used to make the world a better place. Rive tells Shin about the existence of the Gear Chronicle clan and said that it was the key to change the world, which was the last memory Shin had of him.

Kouji learns from Kai that the Zodiac Time Beasts are somewhere in outer space and relays this info to Chrono and his friends. Later, Chrono decides to cardfight Kouji to test his modified deck which no longer has Chronojet Dragon in it. During the battle, Kouji apologizes to Chrono for withholding information about Rive's condition. He also tells Chrono the reason he treated him so harshly in the past was to toughen him for the battle against Ryuzu. After the fight, Chrono tells Kouji that he is prepared to let Kouji use his power however he wants, even if it may cost Chrono his life.

Team Trinity Dragon stumbles upon a secret facility run by Wakamizu, and they challenge him. If any members of Trinity Dragon beat Wakamizu, then he will tell them his scheme. However, if Wakamizu defeats all of Trinity Dragon, then they will become guinea pigs for his experiments. Both Karl and Tsuneto lose, but Kei gathers information from their fights to finally defeat Wakamizu. As promised, he tells them that he has been using this facility to gather Stride Force to summon the last Zodiac Time Beast and open the Stride Gate. Wakamizu escapes by activating the facility's self-destruct mechanism. Team Trinity Dragon also escapes before the facility is destroyed, and the group tells Kamui what they have learned. After praising them, Kamui informs them about everything that has happened.

To prevent Luna from being sacrificed for the Company's project, Am cardfights Enishi. She resolves herself to save Luna even if it means losing the chance to revive her parents. On the other hand, Enishi reveals his past in which he and a female friend suffered from a disease. He swore to protect her, but the girl eventually died while Enishi lived, which he thinks her life was given to save his. Believing that Luna's sacrifice is necessary for the sake of a better future, Enishi defeats Am and banishes her from the Company.

With things going smoothly for the Company, Wakamizu proceeds to summon the last Zodiac Time Beast. However, Shouma wants to make his own "adjustment" to the process and cardfights Wakamizu to do so. Meanwhile, Am requests Team TRY3 to help her save Luna, but Shion refuses to forgive Am for her actions and walks away. On the other hand, Tokoha tells Am that she still considers her as a friend and accepts her request. Back at the Company's headquarters, in spite of Wakamizu's calculations, Shouma defeats him. After having Wakamizu forcibly removed, Shouma makes a slight adjustment to the summoning process.

After Shion agrees to help Am save Luna, Chrono and the gang are called out by Ryuzu. He pulls Chrono into an image that details how he was able to summon the Zodiac Time Beasts after Rive's betrayal. Then, with the power of all the Zodiac Time Beasts in possession, Ryuzu opens the Stride Gate, creating a Tower of Light. Sacrificing the Planet Cray and converting it into energy through the gate, Ryuzu's image of a "perfect future" is born; everyone falls into a deep slumber and will dream blissfully about their own perfect futures forever. But Chrono, Shion, Tokoha, Am, and Taiyou awake from their dreams because they have been chosen as arbiters who will fight Ryuzu and the Company. The outcome of their battles will decide the future once and for all.

Because of the "adjustment" that Shouma made to the summoning process, Kouji is unaffected by Ryuzu's image and goes into the Tower of Light to face Ryuzu. Chrono and the gang soon enter the tower, become separated, and each prepare to fight against the members of the Company (except Chrono). For the last time, Taiyou battles Hiroki, defeats him, and offers to be his friend despite everything that happened.

U20 has ended and Noa Hoshizaki appears before Chrono and demands a cardfight.

Dumjid pays Kouji Ibuki a surprise visit at his branch office. Ibuki stands against Dumjid, with his new Messiah.

Shion Kiba encounters Valeos, who seeks to obtain or destroy the sacred sword Fides. To ensure his goal, Valeos summons the forbidden Zeroth Dragon.

Chrono Shindou and Tsuneto encounter Gastille while trapped in Relics. Meanwhile, on Earth, Valeos challenges Taiyou Asukawa, using the power of his Zeroth Dragon.

Kazuma Shouji and Kazumi Onimaru try to figure out a way to bring Chrono Shindou and his friends back to Earth. Dumjid, however, seeks revenge, and tries to stop Kazuma.

Toshiki Kai, Arata Nishizawa, and Makoto Asada meet up with Kamui Katsuragi and Misaki Tokura, who plan on invading the Apostle's secret laboratory. Awaiting them was the diffrided Sousuke Wakamizu.

An illusion obstructs the fighters, who are fighting to destroy the Relics Generators around the world in order to save Chrono Shindou and the others that were taken. And the shocking scene that Chrono saw while fighting in Relics is...?

The scheming Dumjid aims for the recuperating Chrono. To protect Chrono and his friends, Tokoha Anjou stands up to the threat of the Zeroth Dragons with the card entrusted by Miguel's illusion.

Arata Nishizawa and Makoto Asada have reunited with Noa Hoshizaki, who was released from Chaos Breaker. However, the trio is ambushed by Gredora and Darkface, who were chasing Chaos Breaker.

Kamui Katsuragi and Misaki Tokura reach Arata Nishizawa and Makoto Asada. Kamui, pushed by his fighting spirit and manly feelings, faces off against Gredora, the strongest enemy. Will Kamui be strong enough to defy the power of a Zeroth Dragon?!

Chrono Shindou and the others hold a Christmas Party for Arata Nishizawa and Makoto Asada after they return home to Japan. Meanwhile, Kouji Ibuki and Gastille face off in a dramatic showdown.

Kouji Ibuki lays on the verge of death, then hands his Deck and Fight over to Chrono Shindou. Will Chrono be able to defeat Gastille with Ibuki’s Deck?

The ones who target Chrono Shindou, the strongest candidate for becoming "Gyze's Vessel", are the three Apostles. Kazuma Shouji and Taiyou Asukawa fight to defend Chrono from the Zeroth Dragon of Star Gate, which is under the command of Chaos Breaker.

Chrono Shindou, who reached to the place where Taiyou Asukawa and Kazuma Shouji fought, witnessed a spectacular scene. At the same time, the fight where Chrono definitely can't lose open its curtains.

Units who have been at his side, and then Kazuma Shouji... Chrono Shindou was tormented by the loss of many precious things, and Kazumi Onimaru challenges him to a card fight. And the future that the two wished for at the end of the fight is――

In front of Shion Kiba who infiltrated the Apostles' headquarters, stands Valeos. In order to settle all pasts, Shion challenges Valeos again.

TRY3 heads toward the "Land of Descent", the place where the Sword Saint Fides supposedly landed at once upon a time. There, the one waiting for those three is Chrono Shindou's father.

In order to completely revive Gyze, Apostles enter the North America Branch Association. Darkface, who seeks the destruction of the facility, is met by one of the members of the defense team, Misaki Tokura. Can Darkface be defeated for sure this time!?

Aimed by Aichi Sendou and Toshiki Kai, Chaos Breaker shows itself-- In order to take back Noa Hoshizaki, what Arata Nishizawa and Makoto Asada arrived at is......!?! Aichi and Kai tags, challenging the titan that wields despair!!

A decisive battle with reverse position from before begins!! In order to rescue Kazuma Shouji, Kazumi Onimaru challenges Gyze with all of his might. Alongside Shiranui with new powers, can Kazumi catch up to Gyze......!?

The world swallowed by "Void" and returns into nothingness, the ones who fight to prevent the world from being eroded by "Void" are vanguards, and their allies from all over the world......! The final battle of TRY3 vs Gyze begins!!

Units that claim "apostles" from Planet Clay descended to the earth. "Ryujin gauze of destruction" to destroy everything. "Apostles" who plan their resurrection invade the earth using the power of the six dragons "Zero Dragon"! Vanguard fighters, now stand up. Beyond fate, grasp the future under a bond that connects each other!

Confronting Gyze with TRY3's thoughts and futures on the line. Their thoughts finally awaken the power of the Dimensional Overstride!

Following the fight with Gyze, everyone has regained their peaceful daily lifes. The Quest System has been revived anew, as the adults throw a party and go to the barbecue. And then Chrono Shindou, aiming to become an astronaut, is seen at a study group.