Lancers

The Lancers (ランサーズ Ransāzu) is an elite group of Duelists in the Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V anime formed by Reiji Akaba to defend the Standard Dimension from the Fusion Dimension in an effort to save it from the same tragedy that had fallen the Xyz Dimension.

Battle Royal
Reiji used a database of Duelists called the Lancers Selection to narrow down his candidates for inclusion in the group. The Maiami Championship then became a proving ground for the formation of the group. When the top eight Duelists in the tournament's Youth Division were determined, Reiji inducted them into the Lancers. Knowing an attack from the Fusion Dimension was coming, Reiji dispatched those eight Duelists to confront the Obelisk Force when they arrived to capture Serena and interfere in the Battle Royal of the Junior Youth Division. Six members of the Obelisk Force were confronted by these eight Duelists, led by Yū Sakuragi. However, all of them were swiftly taken down except for Yū, who was saved by Yūgo. According to Reiji, the current Lancers lack the strength to combat Academia. Since the discovery of Pendulum Summoning, Dueling evolved to a new era, which Reiji dubs "Yūya Sakaki's generation". He plans for this new generation to master Pendulum Summoning to combat the invaders more efficiently.

After  Shingo Sawatari  demanded to see Yūya Duel during the invasion, Reiji decided to make Shingo the first of his new Lancer team and sent him to aide the remaining Duelists against the  Obelisk Force.

When the Battle Royal ended, Reiji appeared before the survivors and explained his plan and the overall situation. This enraged Yūya, who refused to join the Lancers and attempted to attack Reiji. Reiji suggested they settle it with a Duel instead. Reiji won the Duel, and concluded that Yūya was too naive. He maintained his hopes for Yūya, however, and declared that the Lancers would soon travel across Dimensions.

Aftermath
Later, Reiji and Himika cancelled the Maiami Championship to reveal the Lancers' existence to the world as well as their recent victory against the Invaders. The Lancers were acclaimed as heroes by the world, and Reiji declared that LDS would switch all of its efforts to training Duelists to become potential Lancers.

Departure
After Yūya's Duel with his mother, he and Gongenzaka were called by Leo Corporation. When they arrived, they saw the other Lancers gathered inside. Reiji announced that they were having a new member, Reira. Shingo and Shun were both skeptical about Reira being be a threat to their plans, since he was a child and must always be protected. Reiji responded that Reira's ability was almost "equivalent" to the Lancers. Then, after learning that Yuzu was in the Synchro Dimension, Dennis expressed surprise that she survived. Reiji also announced that they were going to the Synchro Dimension to make an alliance with it, as that dimension has never been into wars. Reiji said that the Lancers' Duel Disks were now modified to be able to travel between dimensions and activate Action Field Magic Cards and Action Cards, which were the strongest weapons against the invaders. The Lancers then left the Standard Dimension with their "Dimension Mover" cards and traveled to the Synchro Dimension. Somewhere before their departure to the Synchro Dimension, Reiji created and distributed Pendulum Monsters to the Lancers that fitted their specific Decks. These were at least distributed to Dennis, Serena and Gongenzaka, who didn't own deck-specific Pendulum cards before.

Duel Against Securities
Upon arriving at the Synchro Dimension the Lancers were split. Yūya, Serena, Shingo, and Reira were ambushed and almost arrested by Security because they mistook Yūya and Serena for Yūgo and Yuzu, respectively. Serena and Shingo immediately joined the Duels the Security forced them into, despite Yūya's protests that they just got to the Synchro Dimension and that they should run. Shingo lost and was held in custody by the officers, while Serena won her Duel. In his Duel, Yūya indirectly tipped the Security officers to the use of Action Cards, which frustrated Shingo, who then clarified the mechanic to them. Before Yūya's Duel could continue, Crow Hogan and a group of Riding Duelists rescued the Lancers from the Security's clutches.

Underground Riding Duel
Gongenzaka and Dennis attempted to find the others until they ended up Dueling each other and were approached by Gallager. Gallager took them to an underground area where they found Shun Dueling and subsequently defeating Mukuro Enjō. Shun told his fellow Lancers that he was doing underground Duels so he could recruit more Lancers. Gallager was surprised that Shun knew both Dennis and Gongenzaka, so he decided to pair Shun and Dennis up for a Duel, as he had a good feeling about the latter. As Shun was the current champion, he was given a 1000 LP handicap, while Dennis was given the default 4000. Both of them avoided game-ending damage with "Necro Raptors" and "Pinch Breaker", respectively. Meanwhile, Serena grew impatient with Crow's lack of news about Yuzu and Yūgo and left the hideout to search for the former, ignoring Yūya's and Crow's warnings. Shingo decided to accompany her.

Before Shun and Dennis could continue their Duel, their D-Wheels were shut down by Security, causing them to tumble to the ground and be arrested by the Security officers. Gongenzaka and the non-Tops residents were arrested as well. Elsewhere, Serena Dueled and defeated eight Duelists. Shingo questioned her actions because searching for Reiji and Yuzu was their priority, and she clarified that she was doing this to recruit more Lancers. They returned to Crow's hideout, where they witnessed Yūya and Crow Dueling each other because of a childish argument involving making Reira happy; Yūya believed that Reira simply had to smile, while Crow believed that Reira having food to eat was enough. Unknown to Shingo and Serena, Security had followed them to the hideout. Officers sprang out and arrested the Lancers and Crow. Tsukikage arrived at the hideout to rescue Reira, not before making eye contact with Serena.

Friendship Cup, Day 1
After the captured Lancers were sent to the Facility and escaped, they were again captured by Security and brought before the Executive Council. There Yūya and Shingo declared the Lancers goals and were defended by Reiji who had been with the council with Reira and Tsukikage. The head of the Security, Jean-Michel Roger, decided to have them take part in the Friendship Cup to test the Lancers strength and to have Yūya face off against Jack Atlas in an exhibition match to which the Lancers agreed to. After Yūya's loss, he and the other Lancers faced off in the Friendship cup with Gongenzaka and Tsukikage losing their Duels and Serena winning hers in the first day. The next day Yūya faced off and mercilessly defeated Duel Chaser 227 after envying Berserk Mode. Shingo then faced off against Yūgo and nearly defeated him but was defeated after Yūya's mind Synced with Yūgo's which allowed him to survive with an Action Card and defeat Shingo. The last match featured Shun vs Dennis where Shun manage to expose Dennis's true nature and allegiance to Academia. After Dennis revealed he helped the Fusion Dimension invade the Xyz Dimension and capture Ruri Kurosaki, Shun mercilessly defeated Dennis while an angry Yūya, Yūto, Yūgo, Crow, Shinji, and Serena watched in discontent at Dennis's betrayal and Shun's anger.

Friendship Cup, Day 2
After Dennis and Shun's Duel, Roger overthrew the Executive Council, sealing their authority by perfecting his control over the Security officers using mind-controlling chips implanted in them. The Lancers no longer had to prove themselves to the Council and became part of Roger's schemes in expanding his influence over the City. Roger gained an interest in both Yūya and Serena. Serena would become an idol for the Tops and Commons alike, while Yūya would serve the same role as Sergey Volkov; defeating Jack Atlas and vesting a King that served Roger, a role Roger went on to force Yūya into the same way he did with Sergey. Sealing the Council away effectively sealed Reiji and Reira Akaba, who were with the Council during the Cup, preventing Reiji from exerting any leadership over the Lancers via Tsukikage.

In the second day Duel, Yūya was able to defeat Shinji, but Roger's approach after his victory misled Shinji and the Commons to think that Yūya cheated and was in league with Roger and Tops. Yūya escaped from the Duel Palace to meet with Sora, who had revealed his presence to Yūya during his match against Shinji. Both tried to convince each other to do what they said, but none was willing to do. The Security that Roger had sent captured Yūya who protected Sora, while the latter escaped to protect Yuzu who was also being targeted. The next match pitted Shun against Crow, leading to Shun's lost. Meanwhile, Roger tried to win over Yūya to his side, but Yūya refused and was thrown into solitary prison.

The next match was Serena vs Yūgo. Despite Roger's interference with the courses to ensure Serena's victory, Yūgo won the match thanks to his synchronisation with Yūya increased his Duelling skill. This left Yūya as the only member of Lancers in Friendship Cup. When Roger's Security officers were distracted watching the conclusion of Yūgo and Serena's Duel, Reiji seized the opportunity and challenged and defeated the Security officers holding him, Reira and the Council. Reira hurried to the Underground's entrance and saved Serena from Security before she could be taken and then they escaped with Tsukikage's help. This infuriated Roger, who saw his schemes being destabilized and his hatred for the Lancers deepened.