Collapse of the Dragon Empire Branch
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.
More from G: Stride Gate
Episode 1
Storm Ryuzu's Lab!
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."
Episode 2
Ryuzu Myoujin
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.
Episode 3
Hiroki Moriyama
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.
Episode 4
Reunion with Kanzaki
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.
Episode 5
Taiyou vs. Hiroki
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...
Episode 7
An Ill-Tempered Visitor
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...
