The Duel Monster Wars: Episode 3

by DonRoyale

What happens when a Satellite renegade is hired to collect the ultimate cards of light? He'd like to take the cards for himself, but with the lives of his friends at stake, what choice does Iago Yusuke have? Set prior to the actual storyline.

I suppose I'm long overdue on updating my Yu-Gi-Oh! stories. So, let me inform you of why I've been a bit...uninspired to continue them for the past few months.

See, I consider myself a bit of a...strategist in the actual card game. I came into the game a bit ignorant, void of any knowledge of how to construct a deck that was truly...powerful. Initially, my strategy was to take the best of all strategies and make them into a deck that I thought was really good. Thing was...my deck was about 60 cards. My first of many mistakes.

So after I started showing up at small local tournaments and getting my head so justly served to me on a silver platter, I took some time off, re-grouped my strategy, and learned, as I always do. I returned to the game with a better understanding of how to play, construct a deck, and implement a strategy.

However, one thing stood in my way: My rather...unimpressive collection. See, I'm not one made of money. I don't have a job even at 18, and having to blow all my birthday and Christmas money on a children's card game seems...pointless. There are much better things I can spend my money on.

So, I decided to invest in the realm of online trading. Over time, I turned my unimpressive collection into...a moderately impressive one. However, as luck would have it, some new, bigger challengers began swarming the local tournaments.

Whether it be to scrounge up what little prizes were available, or to simply prove their mark on the local circuit despite their already revered reputation on national circuits (which begs the question: Why waste time on small fries like us?), they decided to start sticking their noses in where they don't belong, and engaging in; how do I say this? ...Dick hat wars. And not with us, no. What were we but struggling duelists attempting to attain the reputation that they already had? No, instead, they decided to enter our local tournaments, attaining what to them must be the most miniscule of prizes, but at the same time taking the fun completely out of the game for people who simply wish to play the game for the sake of getting somewhere.

It was a wall I was simply unable to break through. So, I took some very strong advice my father gave me so long ago:

"If you're not having fun, why play the game?"

I decided to retire once again, this time, permanently. I was fed up with taking the strategy I had the most fun with to a local tournament to lose to a perfectly constructed, high-rarity (such as, PSV Premature/Call, MFC Breaker, etc...non-common cookie-cutter staples) decks from people who have attained far greater a reputation than any duelist of my calibre could possibly obtain. I came into these tournaments to escape the dredge of such minimalist strategies, these...boring, overused decks. However, I couldn't escape. Someone had to ruin the fun.

However, after making new friends at school recently, I was dragged back into the game. This time, I had attained the success I hadn't achieved in 7 years of playing the game: 1st place. However, I had only attained roughly 3 gold "trophies" (if you could call a penny-saving small local tournament's victory trophy-worthy) before I was once again brought up against the very wall that I couldn't break through, no matter how hard I tried.

I retired, for the upteenth time. I had become fed up with the same old, same old. At this point, Gladiator Beasts and Lightsworn had been destroying the metagame, and I was fed up with it. (However, I've yet to be on the recieving end of a Judgement Dragon's attack. It was more...Gyzarus that annoyed me.) I told myself, "Until I can be in a dueling environment without the use of those damned overused decks and Regional whores, I refuse to play this game." I wasn't at their level; it is a pointless fight to go to the frying pan expecting a cookout, and to go out of the frying pan and into the fire.

It wasn't my lack of skill. In fact, often times, I would even have to remind the Regional whores of their mistakes when implementing card effects. (Such sly little worms...they would always try and sneak costs and conditions past the ignorant, inexperienced ones. I wasn't having any of that.) The more...respectful ones, as well as the owners of the card shop that threw the tournaments in the first place (who, despite being level...2, I think, judges, I still had moments of superior knowledge to), recommended I attempt a level 1 judge test. I joked about it, but what held me back was my uncertainty. I never thought myself...attached to the game like some were. Perhaps that was my weakness, but I felt like I had wasted enough money playing a children's card game.

Perhaps...it was that my heart wasn't in it. That's what could have held me back.

Regardless of my dedication to the game, I resurfaced my love for it quite recently, when I fell very ill a couple weeks back. I had the worst sickness of my life; it was a giant bug, spreading around my local area. Many of my peers had caught it already, and it seemed that it was my turn to be bit by the bug. I was afflicted with a cough, cold, fever, congestion in the head, nose and chest, sore throat, inability to eat, dizziness, fatigue--needless to say, it wasn't pretty. I was a mess.

To help cope, I decided to do what I do best when bored; mindlessly surf YouTube. I don't know what it was that got me to catch up on old animes I never watched; perhaps it was this same situation that got me back into Pokemon after watching the anime, but regardless, I decided to catch up on the original Yu-Gi-Oh! anime. I watched from the last episode I saw--the one right before the duel between Yugi, Kaiba and Dartz--to the very last episode of the series. I then caught up on Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, slightly, watching the final episodes of both the second and third seasons (Whatever happened to GX? They stopped at 155, lmfao.), and then crawled my way into 5D's, which is why I'm here. Not to write a tl;dr speech about how terrible my 8-year career in the trading card game has progressed and how I've wound up back into the game again, but to do what I do best; create interesting card strategies to keep you on your toes.

So, I've watched the first 26 episodes of 5D's, and I have to say but one thing: That little computerized voice that explains card effects is a great logical addition to Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfics.

So, let's begin. I apologize for getting too into the story of my own career and not focusing enough on what I'm actually here to write. I also apologize for being inactive on my Yu-Gi-Oh! stories for too long.

---

"Welcome, all, to the KaibaDome's greatest tournament yet!"

The roar of the crowd. It's funny to me; the irony of the term, "greatest tournament yet". Tournaments like Battle City were legendary. Years after they took place, we still talk about them.

But regardless, that could be the logic in my brain talking. I'm Iago Yusuke. I'm a would-be professional duelist from New Domino City. I'm participating in the tournament being thrown at the KaibaDome today; the KC Ante Cup. The winner of the Ante Cup wins the super-rare Ether Force Dragon card.

A computer voice-over spoke up. "Ether Force Dragon is a level 8 LIGHT-attribute Synchro monster with 2500 attack points and 2500 defense points."

Indeed, Ether Force Dragon is a powerful card, but I want it for much more than just its power. I have some friends in the Sattelite I'm indebted to...

"And the first round will now begin!" I was so busy being lost in thought that I couldn't even hear the announcer talking. "The first match...Garrison Hatcher versus Fantina Odon!"

I watched intently as a man in light blue and a woman in light purple took to either side of the dueling field.

They both readied their Duel Disks. See, most duels in New Domino City are Turbo Duels. However, few who haven't yet reached the Pro League have the Duel Runners required to partake in Turbo Duels. I certainly don't.

"Duel!"

Garrison: 4000 L.P.
Fantina: 4000 L.P.

"Ladies first!" Fantina said, drawing a sixth card. "I summon the lovely Serpent Sentry in Attack Mode!" A long black serpent appeared on the field.

ATK: 1200

The computer voice-over spoke up again. "If the opponent destroys Serpent Sentry in battle, Serpent Sentry's controller can search his or her deck for a Reptile-Type monster, and add it to their hand."

"I think I'll lay one card face-down and call it a turn, my dear." she said as a face-down card appeared behind her serpent.

"I draw!" Garrison said. "I summon Stealth Sentinel in Attack Mode!" A strange drone-like machine stormed the field.

ATK: 1400

"Now, for my Sentinel's special ability!" Garrison declared. "My Sentinel can take a peek at your face-down card. Do your thing, Stealth Sentinel!" The robot slowly made its way towards Fantina's face-down; it was revealed to be Viper Strike.

The computer voice-over explained, "When an opponent's monster attacks a Reptile-Type monster, Viper Strike weakens the attacking monster equal to twice the difference between the attack strength of the monsters battling. If the opponent's monster is destroyed as a result of that battle, the opposing player must send cards from the top of their deck to their Graveyard equal to the Level of the monster destroyed."

"So, you were planning to destroy my Sentinel and perhaps get a couple of cards off me...too bad." Garrison declared. "I now activate the Field Spell Card, Sentinel Sanctuary!" As he placed the card in his opened Field Spell slot in his Duel Disk, the field became a strange temple. Inside the temple were many outlets and doors where many small flying drone robots were buzzing about.

The computer voice-over explained the card's effect. "Sentinel Sanctuary forces both players to play their first Spell or Trap Card played in a turn face-down. Both players can pay 300 Life Points to guess the type of card an opponent's face-down card is. If called correctly, the card is destroyed. If called incorrectly, they send the top card of their deck to the Graveyard."

"Now for my Sanctuary's special power!" Garrison said. "For the mere cost of 300 Life Points, I can guess what type of card your face-down card is. If I can correctly guess it, it's destroyed." Fantina growled. "But if I don't guess it right, I have to send the top card of my Deck to my Graveyard." He then pointed to Fantina's Viper Strike. "I think I'll guess that your face-down card's a Trap Card."

Garrison: 3700 L.P.
Fantina: 4000 L.P.

Fantina growled. The small drones floating around the temple all darted their attention to Fantina's card, firing small lasers at it and destroying it.

"Now, Sentinel, skin that snake!" Garrison declared, pointing to Fantina's Serpent Sentry. "Attack!"

Garrison's sentinel fired a laser beam at Fantina's serpent, wiping it clean off the field.

Garrison: 3700 L.P.
Fantina: 3800 L.P.

"Forget Serpent Sentry's special ability, darling?" Fantina said. "When it's cut down in battle, I get to take a Reptile-Type monster from my deck and add it to my hand! Isn't that wonderful?" She revealed Gecko Diviner, adding it to her hand.

"I think I'll end my turn by letting you guess what this is." he said as he put a card face-down.

Garrison: Sentinel Sanctuary active, one spell/trap face-down, Stealth Sentinel; face-up Attack Position (1400 ATK). 3 cards in hand.
Fantina: no cards on the field. 5 cards in hand.

"I draw!" Fantina said. "Since your hideous Field Spell allows me to try guessing your face-downs as well, I'll use common sense and declare your face-down a Trap Card."

Garrison: 3700 L.P.
Fantina: 3500 L.P.

"Targeting my card activates it!" Garrison said. "Go, Stasis Strike!" The card was revealed as the voice-over declared its card effect.

"If Stasis Strike is targeted by a card effect while face-down, the opponent must discard 1 card. If the discarded card is a Monster Card, the opponent takes damage equal to its Level times 100 points. After that, Stasis Strike is then flipped face-down."

As the airborne drones zeroed in on Garrison's card, the lasers they fired were absorbed by the cannon as it fired a laser of its own at Fantina's hand. She discarded a Trap Card from her hand.

"Now, since your Field Spell also prevents me from playing the first Spell or Trap Card I play in a turn face-up, I'll have to set one card face-down before I play this amazing card; Shed Skin!"

The computer voice-over spoke up again. "Shed Skin allows its controller to discard one Reptile-Type monster with 4 or less level stars from their Deck, then Special Summon a Reptile-Type from their hand who is one level star higher."

"So, by sending my Venom Phantasm, a level 4 monster, from my Deck to my Graveyard, I'm able to Special Summon a level 5 Reptile-Type monster from my hand! Meet my Lizard Princess!" A strange gecko-like creature brandishing a whip stormed the field.

ATK: 1900

"Now, to join her, I think I'll summon the monster that I brought to my hand with the effect of my Serpentine Sentry; the Tuner monster, Gecko Diviner!" A strange floating lizard holding a crystal ball took to the field.

ATK: 1200

"Now, to bring out my pet!" Fantina declared. "I tune my Gecko Diviner and my Lizard Princess to Synchro Summon my Sapphire Basilisk!" Gecko Diviner faded, becoming three small spheres of light. Those spheres became large green circles that surrounded Lizard Princess. She faded, becoming five small spheres of light as a large beam of light shone through the field. A gigantic snake covered in sapphire crystals stormed the field.

ATK: 2600

Quite a powerful monster she has there...let's see what it's capable of.

"Sapphire Basilisk! Rid the field of that appaling Stealth Sentinel!" Fantina declared.

Sapphire Basilisk ravenously charged in. However, Stealth Sentinel disappeared, appearing in front of Fantina. It fired a laser at her before Sapphire Basilisk's tail struck it, destroying it.

Garrison: 2500 L.P.
Fantina: 3000 L.P.

"What happened?" Fantina asked. "What did your Sentinel do to me?"

"When it's attacked by an opponent's monster, Stealth Sentinel inflicts 500 points of damage to my opponent." Garrison declared.

"Well, I have no cards left in my hand," Fantina declared, "so there's not much I can do but end my turn."

Garrison: Sentinel Sanctuary active, Stasis Strike face-down, 3 cards in hand.
Fantina: Sapphire Basilisk; face-up Attack Mode (2600 ATK), 1 Spell/Trap face-down, no cards in hand

"My turn, I guess." Garrison said. "I'll activate my Graceful Charity card. I get to draw 3 cards, but then I have to discard 2 cards." He drew three cards from his deck. He then sent 2 cards from his hand to the Graveyard. "Now, I'll remove the two copies of Basic Battle Sentinel I discarded, and Special Summon 2 copies of Advanced Battle Sentinel!" Two golden floating drones stormed the field.

ATK: 2300

"Oh, darling, I'm afraid my Basilisk still outranks your tin cans." Fantina said smugly.

"I'm not done yet." Garrison stated. "Now, I'll activate the ability of my Advanced Battle Sentinel! By paying 500 Life Points, I can instantly destroy a face-down card on your side of the field!"

"Oh no!" Fantina said as her face-down card shattered.

Garrison: 2000 L.P.
Fantina: 3000 L.P.

"Now I'm going to show you that you're not the only one who knows how to Synchro Summon. I call to the field my Synchro Sentinel!" A small repair droid took to the field.

ATK: 800

The computer voice-over spoke up to explain its effect. "When Synchro Sentinel is used in a Synchro Summon of a Machine-Type Synchro monster while Sentinel Sanctuary is active, you can draw 1 card for each non-Tuner used as a Synchro Material monster."

"Now, I tune my Synchro Sentinel with my Advance Battle Sentinel!" Garrison stated as his monsters became stars of light. A large beam of light erupted from the deepest part of the sanctuary. "I Synchro Summon Ancient Overseer Sentinel!" A large robot appeared from the chasm of the sanctuary, making quite the entrance as it took an offensive stance.

ATK: 2500

"That's nice, dear, but sadly, your unappealing little toy can't defeat my Sapphire Basilisk." Fantina stated. However, she wasn't aware of the Sentinel's special ability

The computer voice-over spoke up. "If Ancient Overseer Sentinel is Synchro Summoned when Sentinel Sanctuary is active, it gains 1000 attack points."

ATK: 3500 (2500 + 1000)

Fantina gasped.

"Now, Sentinel, destroy her Sapphire Basilisk. Photon Missile Barrage!" Garrison declared.

The Ancient Overseer Sentinel launched a giant stream of energy missiles that blew up on contact with Fantina's Basilisk.

Garrison: 2000 L.P.
Fantina: 2100 L.P.

"Now, Advanced Battle Sentinel, end this duel!" Garrison said. Advanced Battle Sentinel shot a large red laser at Fantina. It struck her dead-on. The duel was over.

Garrison: 2000 L.P.
Fantina: 0 L.P.

"I...lost..." Fantina said, taken aback.

"You fought a great duel, Fantina." Garrison said.

"You fought a better one." Fantina said cheerily, shaking his hand. "Congratulations on defeating me."

The two then walked off the field as the crowd roared.

"The next match will be...Iago Yusuke versus Goza Evos!" the announcer said.

So...it seemed I was going to be duelling next. Interesting...

---

I hope you like! Be sure to review!

Card effects:

Serpent Sentry
EARTH
Level 3
ATK/1200
DEF/700
Reptile/Effect
When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard, add 1 Reptile-Type monster from your Deck to your hand.

Stealth Sentinel
LIGHT
Level 4
ATK/1400
DEF/1400
Machine/Effect
Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can look at 1 face-down card your opponent controls, then return it to its original position. When this card is attacked by an opponent's monster, your opponent takes 500 damage.

Viper Strike
Trap/Normal
Activate when your opponent declares an attack. The attacking monsters loses ATK equal to twice the difference between its ATK and the ATK of the monster it is attacking. If the opponent's monster is destroyed by battle, your opponent discards cards from the top of his/her Deck equal to the Level of the destroyed monster.

Sentinel Sanctuary
Spell/Field
Both players must play the first Spell or Trap Card they use during their turn face-down. Once per turn, during their respective Main Phases, both players can pay 300 Life Points to select one face-down Spell or Trap Card their opponent controls and guess whether it is a Spell or Trap Card. If you guess correctly, the card is destroyed. If you guess incorrectly, you must send the top card of your Deck to your Graveyard. When a "Sentinel" monster you control with 2000 or more ATK destroys an opponent's monster by battle, Special Summon 1 "Sentinel Token" (LIGHT, 3 Stars, Machine, ATK/1000, DEF/1000).

Stasis Strike
Trap/Continuous
If this face-down card is targeted by a card effect, flip it face-up. Your opponent discards 1 card from their hand. If the discarded card is a Monster Card, they take damage equal to the Level of the discarded monster x100 points. Flip this card face-down after its effect has resolved.

Shed Skin
Spell/Quick-Play
By sending 1 Level 4 or lower Reptile-Type monster from your Deck to your Graveyard, Special Summon 1 Reptile-Type monster from your hand who is 1 Level higher than the monster sent to the Graveyard by this card's effect.

Lizard Princess
EARTH
Level 5
Reptile/Effect
ATK/1900
DEF/1200
Once per turn, by discarding 1 card, you can Special Summon 1 Reptile-Type monster from your Graveyard. If you activate this effect, this card cannot declare an attack this turn.

Gecko Diviner
LIGHT
Level 3
Reptile/Tuner
ATK/1200
DEF/900
When this card Special Summoned successfully, you can look at the top 3 cards of your Deck. If there is a Reptile-Type monster(s) among them, you can send this card, any monster(s) you control, and any of those cards to the Graveyard, and Special Summon the appropriate Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is considered a Synchro Summon.)

Sapphire Basilisk
LIGHT
Level 8
Reptile/Synchro/Effect
ATK/2600
DEF/2400
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
If your opponent activates a card that includes the effect(s) of destroying a monster(s) on the field, by paying 1000 Life Points, you can destroy that card, then destroy 1 card your opponent controls. Your opponent cannot select a Reptile-Type monster(s) you control as an attack target while you control this face-up card.

Advanced Battle Sentinel
LIGHT
Level 5
Machine/Effect
ATK/2300
DEF/1300
You can Special Summon this card from your hand by removing 1 "Basic Battle Sentinel" in your Graveyard from play. By paying 500 Life Points, you can destroy 1 face-down card your opponent controls.

Synchro Sentinel
LIGHT
Level 3
Machine/Tuner
ATK/800
DEF/1400
If you use this card as a Synchro Material monster to Synchro Summon 1 Machine-Type Synchro Monster, draw 1 card for each non-Tuner Synchro Material Monster.

Ancient Overseer Sentinel
LIGHT
Level 8
Machine/Synchro/Effect
ATK/2500
DEF/2000
1 Tuner + 1 or more non Tuner "Sentinel" monsters
If you control a face-up "Sentinel Sanctuary", this card gains 1000 ATK, and once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can force the activation of a face-down card your opponent controls. If the timing is incorrect, destroy the card and your opponent takes 1000 damage. If the timing of the card is correct, you take 1000 damage. If all the Spell and Trap Cards your opponent controls are face-down, this card can attack your opponent directly. If this card would be destroyed by battle, by having this card lose 1000 DEF, it is not destroyed.