Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL - Episode 020

"The Pitch-Black Number: Dark Yuma vs Tetsuo" is the twentieth episode of the Yu-Gi-Oh! ZEXAL anime. It first aired in Japan on August 22, 2011.

Summary
At the top of a building, Yuma and Astral are dueling a man, while Kotori and Tetsuo are watching. Yuma controls Number 39: Utopia, and his opponent 3 Giant Germs. The man overlays his 3 Giant Germs to Xyz Summon his Numbers; Number 96: Black Mist. However, it only has 100 Attack Points, surprising all of them. Yuma gets excited, thinking it is an easy win now, and declares battle between Utopia and Black Mist. Tetsuo and Astral both warn Yuma, but he still declares battle. Utopia succeeds in destroying Black Mist, and wipes out his opponent's last remaining 1000 Life Points, winning the Duel. Yuma is happy to win, and Kotori smiles, but Tetsuo looks unhappy, most likely because of Yuma's reckless attack.

Astral absorbs Number 96, and the memory regained is shown. In a view from space, cracks open on the Earth, and it explodes. Yuma and Kotori celebrate the victory, with Tetsuo watching in the back.

While going home, Yuma boasts about his victory and obtaining another Numbers. Kotori tells him to pipe down, and Tetsuo asks him about the recklessness of Utopia's attack. Yuma tells him it was fine, but Tetsuo heavily replies it wasn't. Yuma reacts saying he shouldn't worry, but Tetsuo grabs him. Yuma breaks loose and starts pinching Tetsuo, and Kotori yells, telling them to stop.

The next day, Yuma and Tetsuo ignore each other on various instances.

Inside the Emperor's Key, Astral presents Number 96 to a gear from his hand, inside the huge structure inside of the Key. He recalls the vision he saw when obtaining Number 96, and wonders what it means.

Later, while lying on the school's roof, Yuma flashes back to the past, when a younger Yuma explains his ambition to his class. A young Tetsuo makes a comment about it, making the whole class laugh. Tetsuo also flashs back to those days, to the many duels he and Yuma had, and Yuma's unbreakable spirit. However, despite them arguing during those duels, they had a friendly rivalry, which Kotori bore witness of.

Later, in the present, Kotori questions the reason for his argument with Tetsuo, and Astral asks if he really means what he said. Yuma says he did, however, Tetsuo was in fact right in front of him. Yuma goes after him when he walks away, but when he grabs Tetsuo's shoulder, Tetsuo swings his arm, knocking the Emperor's Key of its rope. Almost immediately, black slime drools from Yuma's deck case, streaming up, and enveloping Astral, who becomes visible to Kotori and Tetsuo. However, the light parts of Astral's body became dark and black, and shocks start appearing on Astral. The black streams continue to pump the black sludge into Astral from multiple angles. Tetsuo sees where the Emperor's Key landed after the blow, and picks it up. Astral, while still getting shocked and the dark sludge is still being pumped into him, seems to talk to someone, saying they're Number 96. A voice from somewhere appears, and Astral's arms are being tilted up, with the sludge still being pumped into him. Astral screams out, and in a purple space, in Numbers-style, the number 96 appears. Out of Astral's body, purple tentacles appear, grabbing Yuma.

The darkened Astral gives them a malicious look, but the real Astral tells Yuma to entrust Tetsuo with Number 39: Utopia. Yuma asks why, but Astral tells him to just do it. Yuma manages to pull Utopia's card out of his Deck, and throws it towards Tetsuo, who catches it, looks at it, and is surprised he threw him Utopia. Astral appears to be completely swallowed by Number 96, who declares himself the strongest Numbers, and extends Astral's arm to grab Utopia back from Tetsuo. This, however, is prevented by the Emperor's Key, which creates some a shield around Tetsuo. Kotori asks if he is okay, which he confirms, but is worried about Yuma. Number 96 looks at Tetsuo angrily. The latter thinks about a way to save Yuma and Astral from Number 96. Tetsuo tells him that if he wants Utopia, he should duel him. Number 96 agrees, and lets Yuma free, deciding he'll use him as a puppet.

Controlling Yuma's actions, the duel starts, and Number 96 uses Yuma's deck.

During the Duel, Number 96 quickly summons his own card, Number 96: Black Mist. However, it looks differently than in Yuma's duel against it's original holder. 96 explains that this is Number 96's, his own, true form. Black Mist actually uses its effects during the duel, revealing it willingly manipulated its Holder into losing in order to get to more Number cards. Tetsuo is able to summon Utopia in a reaction to Black Mist. The will-enforcing effect of the Numbers appears to take over Tetsuo, but he seems to be able to shake it off.

Using the effects of Yuma's deck after he enhanced with cards from the Duel Lodge's secret deck and some extra anti-Xyz cards, Number 96 obtains an edge over some of Tetsuo's moves. During the duel, Astral manages to get in contact with Yuma. In a mysterious space, Astral is hanging, with his body slowly fading away.

After Tetsuo finishes his turn, Yuma suddenly collapses, getting back up. He stands in a zombie-like stance, and Number 96 laughs, saying he now controls Yuma too. Number 96 ends up destroying Hope relatively easy, and Black Mist now has 3100 attack points.

The Number 96-controlled Yuma explains to 96 that he should be careful of Tetsuo's face-down card, as its most likely the card Clockwork Explosive, which, if used, could win Tetsuo the duel at the moment. Not happy to hear it, Numbers 96 responds to this by activating the Quick-Play Spell Card Xyz Cyclone, to destroy Clockwork Explosive. Tetsuo seems devastated by Yuma being under 96's control, but flashes back to Yuma yelling he will never give up. He then continues the duel with a combo between Automated Clockwork Machine, Clockwork Shikigami, Clockwork Catapult and a Monster Reborn-revived Utopia. Before Tetsuo defeats Number 96 Yuma starts snickering, and tells Tetsuo he did great. Number 96 is shocked to see that Yuma wasn't under his control at all, and Yuma explains it was a trick to make sure Tetsuo would still have his Catapult and Automated Machine.

Tetsuo, while declaring that he has 'kattobingu,' destroys Black Mist with Utopia. He then tosses the Emperor's Key to Yuma, which releases Astral from the prison created by Number 96. Astral appears in the sky, and re-absorbs Number 96.

Yuma and Tetsuo happily run to each other. Tetsuo gives Yuma his Number 39: Utopia back, while asking how he came up with the idea of tricking Number 96. Judging from his reaction, Tetsuo figures it was Astral's plan, and the two get in an argument over it. Above them, Astral says Yuma and Tetsuo saved him. Looking at Number 96's card, he figures there is something with it.

Yuma Tsukumo vs. Number 96's holder
Duel is shown from an unspecified turn.

Yuma controls "Number 39: Utopia" in Attack Position, while the Number 96's holder controls three "Giant Germs" (1000/100) and has 1000 Life Points.

Number 96's holder turn

Number 96's holder overlays his three "Giants Germs" to Xyz Summon "Number 96: Black Mist" (100/1000) in Attack Position.

Yuma's turn

"Utopia" attacks and destroys "Black Mist" (Number 96's holder 1000 → 0).

Tetsuo Takeda vs. Number 96: Black Mist
Tetsuo's turn

Tetsuo Normal Summons "Iron Eye" (1600/1800). He equips it with "Spring Punch". Whenever "Iron Eye" gains ATK, half of its ATK will be inflicted to the opponent as damage and that turn's Battle Phase will be skipped. Tetsuo activates the effect of "Iron Eye", increasing its ATK by 400 and preventing it from attacking this turn. "Spring Punch" inflicts 1000 damage as the ATK of "Iron Eye" was increased (Number 96 4000 → 3000). Tetsuo activates the "Clockwork Catapult" Continuous Spell Card. During each of his Standby Phases, it will gain a Clockwork Counter. Tetsuo can remove a Clockwork Counter to increase the ATK of a monster by 500.

Number 96's turn

Number 96 discards "Growing Pinecone" via the effect of "Fallen Cone", Special Summoning the latter monster (200/400). The effect of "Growing Pinecone" Special Summons itself from the Graveyard (400/200). Number 96 Normal Summons "Darklon" (100/100). Its effect activates, increasing the Level of all of his monsters by 1 and changing their attributes to DARK. Number 96 overlays his three Level 2 DARK monsters to Xyz Summon "Number 96: Black Mist" (100/1000) in Attack Position. "Black Mist" attacks "Iron Eye", activating its effect. He detaches an Overlay Unit to halve the ATK of "Iron Eye" and add it to that of "Black Mist". Their ATKs become 1100 and 1000, respectively. "Iron Eye" is destroyed (Tetsuo 4000 → 3900). Number 96 Sets two cards.

Tetsuo's turn

During the Standby Phase, "Clockwork Catapult" gains a Clockwork Counter. Tetsuo Normal Summons "Tin Goldfish" (800/2000) and activates "Iron Call", Special Summoning the Machine-Type "Iron Eye" from his Graveyard in Defense Position. Tetsuo activates "Iron Draw", drawing two cards as he controls two face-up Machine-Type monsters. Tetsuo overlays his two Level 4 monsters to Xyz Summon "Number 39: Utopia" (2500/2000) in Attack Position. Tetsuo activates the effect of "Clockwork Catapult", removing a Clockwork Counter to increase the ATK of "Utopia" by 500, to 3000. "Utopia" attacks "Black Mist", but Number 96 activates the effect of "Black Mist", detaching an Overlay Unit to halve the ATK of "Utopia" and add it to its own. Their ATKs become 2600 and 1500, respectively. Tetsuo activates the effect of "Utopia", detaching an Overlay Unit to negate his own attack. As an attack between two Attack Position monsters was negated, Number 96 activates his face-down "Resilience", inflicting damage to Tetsuo equal to the difference between the ATKs of the monsters (Tetsuo 3900 → 2800). Tetsuo activates the "Automated Clockwork Machine" Continuous Spell Card. It gains two Clockwork Counters and will gain another during each of Tetsuo's Standby Phases. He may send it to the Graveyard to move its Clockwork Counters to another card that can use them. Tetsuo Sets a card. The ATK boost from "Clockwork Catapult" ends, and the ATK of "Utopia" is reduced to 1000.

Number 96's turn

Number 96 attacks "Utopia" with "Black Mist". He activates the effect of "Black Mist", detaching an Overlay Unit to halve the ATK of "Utopia" and add it to "Black Mist". Their ATKs become 3100 and 500, respectively. Tetsuo activates the effect of "Utopia", detaching an Overlay Unit to negate the attack, but Number 96 activates his face-down "Overlay Banish", negating the effect. The attack continues and "Utopia" is destroyed (Tetsuo 2800 → 200). At this moment, Number 96 plans on destroying "Clockwork Catapult" to prevent Tetsuo from increasing his monster's ATK, but Yuma says that's not his plan and reveals that Tetsuo's face-down is "Clockwork Explosive" and explains its effect. Number 96 activates "Xyz Cyclone", destroying Tetsuo's face-down "Clockwork Explosive" Trap Card as a monster he controls destroyed an Xyz Monster.

Tetsuo's turn

During the Standby Phase, "Clockwork Catapult" and "Automated Clockwork Machine" each gain a Clockwork Counter. Tetsuo removes three Clockwork Counters from the latter card to Special Summon "Clockwork Shikigami" (100/100) from his hand in Attack Position via its own effect. Tetsuo activates the effect of "Clockwork Shikigami", decreasing the ATK of "Black Mist" to 0 until the End Phase. Tetsuo plays "Monster Reborn", Special Summoning "Utopia" (2500/2000) from his Graveyard in Attack Position. He activates the effect of "Clockwork Catapult", removing a Clockwork Counter to increase the ATK of "Utopia" by 500, to 3000. "Utopia" attacks and destroys "Black Mist" (Number 96 3000 → 0).

Featured cards
The following cards appeared in this episode. Cards in italics debuted here.