Arc V: Inverse Pendulum

by zcdragon64

(Rewrite of New Beginnings) With Pendulum summoning introduced, it seemed nothing short of amazing. However, a new duelist has arrived that will show another side of it. A more destructive side of it. Who is this duelist, where did he receive Pendulum cards, and how did he obtain this sort of dark power that not even Yuya could possess?

2. Chapter 2

Yugioh Arc V: Dark Side of the Pendulum

(I'm back. Work has been moving at a pretty slow pace for a while now, so I could get this done a bit faster than usual. Still wishing I had gotten it done faster, but oh well. Can't have everything I want, so I'll work with what I do have. Let's get back to the duel, shall we?)

At the You Show Duel School, Yuya and Kiba were in the middle of a duel. However, Kiba unexpectedly utilized his own Pendulum Scale and immediately turned the tides back in his favor. Now Yuya can't help but feel nervous as to what may come next.

"Since there's nothing more I can do this turn, I'll end it here. But please, at least give me a fight this time." Kiba said, maintaining the dark smile on his face at the moment.

"M-my turn! Draw! Performapal Cheermole's effect! Once per turn, when a monster on the field has more attack than it's original value, it gains an additional 1000!" Yuya said. Odd-eyes powered up once again. Kiba didn't even flinch.

Odd-eyes: 5400 attack

"Battle! Odd-eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Amorphage Envy!" Yuya commanded while jumping onto Odd-eyes back again. When Odd-eyes started running, he grabbed an Action Card and tried to use it right away. "Action Spell: Wonder Chance!" Before Yuya could go any further, Kiba stopped him.

"Naive and useless! Amorphage Lechery's Pendulum effect!" Kiba started.

"What?!" Yuya said in shock.

"As long as I control an 'Amorphage' monster, only 'Amorphage' Spell Cards can be activated!" Kiba explained.

"Are you serious?!" Sora said.

"It has an effect like that?!" Tatsuya asked.

"Which means your Action Cards are now nothing!" Kiba said as the card Yuya grabbed was placed back into his hand. Odd-eyes destroyed Amorphage Envy, but it did nothing to affect Kiba in the slightest.

"Damn…" Yuya said, getting frustrated.

"You thought you could get by my defenses that easily? Heh. All you did was help me once again. Amorphage Infection's effect! I now add 3 more 'Amorphage' cards from my deck to me hand! I add Amorphage Gluttony, Wrath, and Pride to my hand!" Kiba said.

"This is bad! Kiba's Pendulum Scale has sealed away all Action Cards!" Ayu said in worry.

"This is giving me shivers, and not in a good way!" Futoshi said while still trembling.

"It looks like Yuya is stuck in a corner! Every time he destroys a monster, Kiba gets any card he wants! Is he gonna be able to get out of this?!" Tatsuya asked. Yuzu couldn't say anything. She was still frozen in fear of Kiba's apparent capabilities. She was worried Yuya might not get out of this unscathed.

"…I set 1 card face-down and end my turn." Yuya said reluctantly.

"My turn! Draw! Now the Pendulum effects of my Amorphage monsters activate!" Kiba said.

"Huh?! Another effect?!" Yuya asked, barely comprehending the situation he was in.

"Due to the Pendulum effects of my monsters, I must tribute 1 monster in order to keep them on my field, or they will be destroyed. I tribute both of my Envies to keep my Pendulum Scale intact this turn!" Kiba explained as his monsters disappeared in a short moment.

"Yes! He doesn't have any more monsters on his field now!" Ayu said, looking at Yuya's slight hope.

"Which means he can now activate Actions Cards again!" Tatsuya said.

"Shivers!" Futoshi said.

"I wonder about that…" Sora said. Everyone, save for the 2 Duelists on the field, looked at him them.

"What do you mean?" Yuzu asked, finally regaining movement.

"His Amorphage monsters are Pendulum monsters, right? Won't they just come back in a second? And since his Infection's effects also activate when his monsters are tributed, doesn't that mean he gets 3 more cards again?" Sora explained to them. With the realization that Yuya didn't have any hope of winning now, everyone turned back to the match and watched in sadness and pity.

"Amorphous Persona's additional effect! Twice per turn, when a monster I control is tributed, I can draw 1 card! Since I tributed both my monsters, I draw 2 cards! Next, Amorphage Infection's effect once more! I add Amorphage Mutation Fusion, Repulsive Syncro, and Evolution from my deck to my hand!" Kiba said, ready to finish this duel. Everyone was shocked once again upon hearing Fusion and Syncro among the cards now in his hand.

"Fusion?! Syncro?!" Yuya asked in his shock. No one else said a single work.

"And Xyz as well. And you will see just what I can do right here and now! Brace yourself, Sakaki Yuya, because ready or not, here I COME! Pendulum summon! Revive, my loyal beasts! 3 Amorphage Envies, Amorphage Pride, and Amorphage Wrath!" Kiba said. As his monsters appeared on the field with a flash of light, and presented themselves with a loud roar, Kiba's smile was replaced with a smirk. This seemed even darker than his smile.

"A full field…" Yuya said in shock.

"I activate the Quick-Play Spell: Amorphage Mutation Fusion! With this, I can use 2 or more 'Amorphage' monsters on my field as material for a Fusion summon! If both cards in my Pendulum zones are 'Amorphage' cards, I can activate this during the battle phase as well! I fuse together my Amorphage Pride and 1 of my Envies!" Kiba announced. His 2 monsters began to swirl in a multicolored vortex.

"Here it comes… Kiba's fusion…" Sora muttered.

"Hellish dragon that embodies the darkness of pride! Cursed dragon that embodies the darkness of envy! Become one, create a new darkness, and sow terror in the hearts of all who oppose you! Fusion summon! Come forth, level 6! Amorphage Fear!" Kiba shouted. A new monster came from the vortex. It seemed to be a mixture of a cobra and a dragon. It landed flat on the ground before it started using its 4 claws to move around. It slithered and crawled simultaneously all around Kiba's side of the field before it leaned up and showed its face. The head of a dragon, the fins of the cobra, 2 long fangs of a snake extended beyond its mouth, 4 bone thin arms on its long slender body as it leaned up on its tail. It let out a screech that was a mixture of a fierce roar and a threatening hiss, showing off the rest of its jagged, uneven, teeth.

Amorphage Fear: Dragon/Fusion/Pendulum/Effect

Level: 6

Attribute: Earth

Attack: 2550

Defense: 0

Pendulum Scale: 1

Pendulum Effect: As long as you control on 'Amorphage' monster, no player takes battle damage except from a direct attack. During your standby phase, tribute 1 monster or destroy this card.

Monster Effect: As long as this card is on the field, all 'Amorphage' monsters you control can inflict piercing damage. No one can summon monsters from the extra deck except 'Amorphage' monsters. If this card is destroyed, you can place this card in your Pendulum zone. If there is already a card in the Pendulum zone, you can destroy it to place this card in that Pendulum zone.

"Next, I normal summon Amorphage Gluttony!" Kiba said, not giving Yuya and the audience a moment to recover from the terrifying sight before them. "I now activate the Quick-Play Spell: Amorphage Repulsive Syncro! With this cards effect, I target 1 'Amorphage' monster on my field, and it becomes a Tuner until the end of the turn! However, if not used for a Syncro summon on the turn this was activated, the targeted monster is banished during the end phase! I can activate this during the battle phase if both cards in my Pendulum zones are 'Amorphage' cards! If activated during the battle phase, I can perform a Syncro summon during said battle phase as well! I choose the Gluttony I just summoned as the target, and tune it to my level 4 Amorphage Wrath!" His Gluttony became 2 rings and his Wrath turned into 4 stars upon passing through the rings.

"Now it's Syncro…" Sora muttered.

"Hellish dragon which represents the endless pit of sorrow! Heed my call and descend once more! Destroy everything! Syncro summon! Come forth, level 6! Amorphage Sorrow!" Kiba continued. Another new monster appeared in the flash a light that ensued. This monster was a mixture of a dragon and a bat. It stood on its 2 hind legs at first, before flapping its wings and hovering above the ground. Its bat-like ears almost constantly twitching, its long tail swinging from side to side as it hovered, its sharp jagged teeth bared, and ready to kill. It let out a cry that sounded like a roar and a screech at the same time.

Amorphage Sorrow: Dragon/Syncro/Pendulum/Effect

Level: 6

Attribute: Earth

Attack: 2450

Defense: 0

Pendulum Scale: 7

Pendulum Effect: As long as you control an 'Amorphage' monster, no player can draw additional cards except through the effect of another 'Amorphage' card. During your standby phase, tribute 1 monster or destroy this card.

Monster Effect: As long as this card is on the field, all 'Amorphage' monsters you control can attack twice per battle phase. No one can summon monsters from the extra deck except 'Amorphage' monsters. If this card is destroyed, you can place this card in your Pendulum zone. If there is already a card in the Pendulum zone, you can destroy it to place this card in that Pendulum zone.

"And finally, I take my 2 remaining level 4 Amorphage Envies and overlay them!" Kiba shouted. His 2 Envies became streams of energy that were nearly black in color, and flew around him a couple of times before the portal appeared in front of him. Then, the 2 streams of energy flew into it, and a pillar of light came out from the center soon afterwards.

"And here comes Xyz… Yuya is finished." Sora said.

"Hellish dragon that embodies potent rage! Rise up once again, obey my command, and break the spirits of all those who oppose you! Xyz summon! Come forth, rank 4! Amorphage Rage!" Kiba chanted as his last monster took to the field. This last one was a mixture of a dragon and a bull. Armored scales covered most of its body unevenly, claws from its front legs gripped the ground tightly, hoofs from its back legs dug into the ground harshly, 2 twisted jagged horns on the sides of its head pointed almost straight up, teeth like the previous 2 barred, spikes jutting out from between the scales, and a furious look on its face. It howled loudly enough to shake the Action Field a bit.

Amorphage Rage: Dragon/Xyz/Pendulum/Effect

Rank: 4

Attribute: Earth

Attack: 2650

Defense: 0

Pendulum Scale: 3

Pendulum Effect: As long as you control an 'Amorphage' monster, Spell cards you control cannot be destroyed by cards or effects. During your standby phase, tribute 1 monster or destroy this card.

Monster Effect: As long as this card is on the field, all 'Amorphage' Pendulum monsters sent to the graveyard(including as overlay units) are placed into the Extra Deck face-up instead. Once per turn, use 1 overlay unit. Then, you can destroy cards on the field equal to the number of 'Amorphage' monsters you control. No one can summon monsters from the extra deck except 'Amorphage' monsters. If this card is destroyed, you can place this card in your Pendulum zone. If there is already a card in the Pendulum zone, you can destroy it to place this card in that Pendulum zone.

"Pendulum, Fusion, Syncro, Xyz…" Yuya muttered, nervous and afraid of who he was up against and what cards he was using.

"Amorphage Infection's effect! Since I now control 9 'Amorphage' cards, all my monsters gain 900 attack multiplied by 3, plus 300 thanks to Amorphous Persona's effect!" Kiba said. Yuya could only stand and watch as Kiba's monsters gained more power.

Amorphage Fear: 5550 attack

Amorphage Sorrow: 5450 attack

Amorphage Rage: 5650 attack

"And now, I can finish this. This wasn't as satisfying as I had hoped. This was another rather boring match. I should've known you were just another weak little clown, but I thought the founder of Pendulum would offer more than just a sad display. Oh well." Kiba said in a bland tone of voice, truly disappointed in what he had seen.

"What?! Weak little clown?!" Ayu said in outrage.

"How dare you say that about Yuya!" Tatsuya said.

"That's going too far!" Futoshi added.

"You can yell at him all you want, but it's not going to change the fact Yuya could do almost nothing. If he had grabbed Wonder Chance the first time he attacked, he might have been able to finish the duel before it ended up this way. But now, Yuya can't rely on Action Cards at all, and I don't think his face-down card is going to do any good either. After all, we still don't know what Amorphage Greed's Pendulum effect is." Sora explained.

"Trap activate! Performapal Show Down!" Yuya said, but was introduced to another error from his duel disk.

"Useless! Amorphage Greed's Pendulum effect! No trap cards can be activated while I control an 'Amorphage' monster!" Kiba said.

"What?… So that means…" Yuya couldn't finish.

"You are well and truly out of options. Amorphage Rage's effect! By using 1 overlay unit, I can destroy cards on the field equal to the number of 'Amorphage' monsters I control! Since I control 3, I'll destroy your 2 Pendulum Cards and your Odd-eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Kiba commanded. Rage then rose up on its hind legs, and slammed its claws onto the ground. Cracks formed from there all the way towards the targeted cards, stopping just below them. Afterwards, large spikes made from the earth itself shot out and impaled the 3 targeted cards. Yuya, still riding Odd-eyes at the time, was luckily just thrown off his monster. The 3 cards all let out cries of pain before they were destroyed.

"Odd-eyes!" Yuya shouted in concern. The audience gasped when they saw this.

"Battle! Go Amorphage Rage! Attack Performapal Drumming Kong! Amorphage Fear's effect! While it's on the field, all 'Amorphage' monsters I control deal piercing damage!" Kiba said. Rage shot straight at Drumming Kong. It waved it arms and cried out, supposedly begging for mercy, but Rage wasn't listening and never slowed down for even a moment. Its horns impaled Drumming Kong and the force of the impact sent Yuya flying into a pillar with a shout.

Yuya: 0 LP

Kiba: Win

Soon after Kiba's victory was confirmed, the Action Field and all the monsters disappeared. Yuya was on the ground, his hair casting a shadow over his eyes, and slight shivering could be seen. Yuya was trying not to cry at the moment. Trying to avoid looking weak after such a loss, but he failed. Tears fell from his eyes, and that got everyone to rush out there to check on him. Yuzu was the first to reach him, and held him close to her. Yuya cried on her shoulder, and clung to her while doing so. Kiba, however, wasn't done just yet. He started walking across the area towards Yuya.

"You're supposed to be the son of Sakaki Yuusho? Pathetic. You're just another joke, exactly like that coward of a champion your dad used to be. I way overestimated you and what your dad taught you. You are no champion, and you will never be one." Kiba said in a low voice. His words hurt Yuya far worse than any monster attack could have. Everyone gasped when they heard Kiba talk to him that way. The 3 kids glared at him, but he didn't even glance at them. Yuzu was about ready to cry herself from seeing Yuya in such a way. Shuzo wanted to throw Kiba out, but after getting a black eye from him, he wouldn't press his luck anytime soon. Kiba just stared at Yuya with an uncaring look for a bit, then he turned away and started walking towards the exit.

At the same time at LDS, moments after Kiba's duel with Yuya ended, the workers there had detected the powerful summoning methods, and even managed to get footage of the duel itself. Just before Akaba Reiji was about to leave, one of the employees called for him.

"Mr. President!" He called.

"Hmm?" Reiji let out.

"We've just detected a duel that seems to have come to an end. However, during the duel, Pendulum summoning was used by someone other than Sakaki Yuya!" He informed Reiji.

"Oh? Interesting… Who was it?" Reiji asked.

"In a moment, I'll have footage of the duel on screen! However, I'm not sure your going to like it." He added, albeit reluctantly. Reiji raised his brow at this, but decided to wait and see before he made any judgment. Once the duel was on the screen, Reiji almost immediately recognized Kiba.

"Freeze that image." Reiji calmly ordered. The picture froze seconds after it began. Kiba was reaching for his 2 Pendulum Cards. Reiji studied him for a moment to make certain he was correct. "Enhance the image. Focus on the boy across from Sakaki Yuya." Reiji added.

"Yes, President!" The employees said. Once Reiji got a closer look at Kiba, he knew then he didn't make a mistake.

"Fumeo Kiba… I remember seeing you duel once 2 years ago." Reiji began to reminisce. "It seemed as though you would be a valuable asset in my plans. Even now, that remains true. More so now that I know you possess Pendulum Cards. You've grown stronger, judging by your current duel record." He finished, thinking about how Kiba was before compared to how he was now.

"Sir? Pendulum wasn't the only summoning method used in that duel!" The employee added.

"Oh? What other methods were used then?" Reiji asked, genuinely curious.

"Fusion, Syncro, and Xyz summoning methods all confirmed in a single duel! Replaying footage!" The employee continued. Reiji looked back on the screen, and watched the duel unfold as it did just a moment earlier. Upon seeing Amorphage Fear, Sorrow, and Rage, Reiji was somewhat surprised, but still hid it behind an impassive look.

"So Kiba has learned all of the summoning methods? He's come a long way in a short amount of time. Analyze the cards he used, and save all data retrieved until I return." Reiji ordered.

"Yes, President!" His employees said again.

"If I hurry, I might be able to duel Kiba instead of Yuya." Reiji muttered while he was leaving.

Meanwhile, Yuya hadn't moved from his spot after his defeat. Normally, Yuya wouldn't have reacted like this. However, learning that Pendulum was no longer his was a hard blow to him. To add to that, Kiba used it against him, and did so in a way that was beyond Yuya's capabilities. To make this defeat even worse, Kiba used Fusion, Syncro, and Xyz in a single turn with Pendulum fueling said summoning methods, and Yuya couldn't do anything but watch as his defeat was handed to him. To add insult to injury, he destroyed Odd-eyes as if it was nothing, and insulted him and his father. Kiba's words cut into Yuya very deeply. As much as he wanted to prove Kiba wrong, he knew there was nothing he could do as he was now.

Yuzu was still holding him close, letting him cry on her shoulder. She was disgusted with how Kiba spoke to Yuya and wanted to smack him across the face a few times for it, but she couldn't leave Yuya as he was. Besides, she had a feeling that if she tried anything against Kiba, she'd end up the same as her father.

Shuzo started using his duel disk to look up information on Kiba and the deck he used at the moment. If Kiba was able to defeat Yuya that easily, he must have shown up in some news story sooner or later. When he found something on Kiba, his eyes widened in shock, and he let out a gasp.

"What is it?" Tatsuya asked, hearing Shuzo gasp. The others turned to face him, except for Yuya at the moment.

"…No wonder Yuya was beaten like that…" Shuzo let slip out. Everyone's eyes widened at that. Yuya finally moved, wiped some tears off his face, and looked directly Shuzo.

"What do you mean?" Yuya asked. Shuzo just turned his duel disk around so everyone else could see. Upon seeing what was on the screen, everyone was even more shocked.

"Kiba was…" Yuzu couldn't finish. Shuzo just nodded at the unspoken question, and started to read the news story he found.

"Almost 2 years ago, Kiba seemed like he was just another average Duelist. However, his opponent, thinking he had won the duel, was proven he couldn't have been anymore wrong. The next moment, Kiba's opponent was brutally defeated, and hospitalized shortly after the duel. Since then, Kiba hadn't been seen again. But the memories of the monsters he used and the cruelty he exhibited earned him the nickname, 'Hell's Dragon Duelist'." Shuzo told them, looking at the news report from back then.

"Hell's Dragon Duelist?!" Yuzu shouted in surprise. Yuya's eyes widened after that.

"I've heard about him…" Yuya finally said. "… From my dad before he…" Yuya said, still very upset, but slowly getting better.

"What did you hear?" Shuzo asked him.

"Dad told me that this Duelist was at every single match he was in. But… Despite the size of the crowd, Dad always saw him in there. He never once smiled while watching my dad duel… I never realized that Kiba was…" Yuya told them.

"Wait, Kiba saw all of your dad's duels, but never smiled?" Shuzo asked in shock. Yuya managed to straighten himself out and nodded. Yuzu, seeing that Yuya was doing better, let go of him, but still stayed close.

"That's what I was told." Yuya confirmed. Shuzo was about to speak, but was interrupted.

"You gotta be kidding me?" They heard Kiba say. "Why should I give a damn about it? And if that's really the case, I say 'good riddance' to that little pest."

"Disgraceful! How can you say such a thing about a fellow Duelist?!" They heard a second voice.

"That's Gongenzaka!" Yuya said after hearing that. Everyone rushed outside to see what was going on. When they reached the doors, they saw Kiba leaning on the wall with his arms crossed, eyes closed, and a slight frown on his face while Gongenzaka was about to start shouting at him again. Close to them, the same 3 LDS students from last night were watching, but keeping a fair distance between themselves and Kiba with slight fear in their eyes.

"What's all the fuss about?" Shuzo asked upon seeing this.

"Oh, Principal! I, the man, Gongenzaka, was in the midst run for my leg training, I noticed right next to the You Show Duel School 4 suspicious male figures speaking with each other. When I questioned them, 3 of them said Yuya ambushed someone last night. Unforgivable! And the last one here dared to say that the man who was ambushed deserved such a fate!" Gongenzaka explained.

"Ambushed?!" Shuzo shouted in shock

"I did?!" Yuya said, having trouble believing that.

"That's right, and we won't let you say you forgot!" The red haired LDS student started.

"We were there and saw you with our very own eyes!" The tan haired LDS student continued.

"There were 5, no 6 witnesses present!" The green haired LDS student finished.

"6?" Gongenzaka asked, his attention no longer on Kiba at the moment.

"Sawatari-san, us, and… Those 2!" The green haired student said, pointing at Kiba and Yuzu. Everyone looked at them, hoping it wasn't true.

"Isn't that right, Hiiragi Yuzu-chan?!" All 3 students said with smug looks on their faces.

"So what?" Kiba suddenly said. Everyone was looking purely at him again. "Sawatari got what was coming to him. In my opinion, you should be there alongside him. So unless you want me to remedy that, I suggest you get lost." Kiba threatened. The 3 student immediately started backing away when Kiba reached for his duel disk.

"They should be where? What happened to Sawatari?" Shuzo asked.

"They said he's currently in the hospital." Kiba said, keeping it short and blunt.

"The hospital?!" Yuya asked in shock.

"No way!" Yuzu shouted.

"They also said his very life could be at risk. As far as I'm concerned, I'd say that was a blessing." Kiba finished with a wave of his hand, and a blank look on his face. That showed everyone he truly didn't care.

"If something happens to Sawatari-san, how are you going to take responsibility?!" The red haired student said to Yuya, trying not to even look in Kiba's direction.

"Take responsibility… But-I?" Yuya stammered.

"That's it. I'm at my limit." Kiba said, activating his duel disk.

"Eh?! Why is he-is he going to duel them?!" Yuzu asked. Gongenzaka got in front of Kiba.

"Stop! I, the man, Gongenzaka, will not allow you to-" Gongenzaka started, but Kiba shoved him out of the way. Gongenzaka landed roughly on his side.

"Gongenzaka!" Yuya shouted in clear concern for his friend.

"I can't listen to another word from you idiots! I'll make this quick and painful!" Kiba said, taking 2 cards into his hand.

"There's no need for this to turn to violence." I calm voice said. A limousine had driven up to the school, and the door opened. Akaba Himeka stepped out from said limousine and walked up to the group with confidence. Kiba stopped before he could place his 2 cards down.

"Damn… You lucked out this time. I can't hurt you while a superior like her is watching." Kiba muttered in anger. He deactivated his duel disk and shuffled the cards back into his deck. "Now are you going to get lost, or do I have to throw you all out?" The 3 students didn't need any more incentive than that, and ran for their lives.

"Shall we take this matter inside? I'd rather not draw any unwanted attention. You understand." Himeka said to Shuzo. He agreed, and everyone, Kiba included, walked back into the school. Once everyone found a seat, and introductions were handled, they went back to the matter at hand.

"Everything they said is the truth. The fact that one of our LDS students, Sawatari Shingo, was attacked, as well as his statement that the culprit is Sakaki Yuya, who is currently enrolled as a student of this Duel School." Himeka told Shuzo, looking him directly in the eye.

"Well Yuya? Did you really-" Shuzo asked, but was interrupted.

"I didn't! I would never do something like that!" Yuya said.

"Well no wonder you're so weak." Kiba threw out there.

"What?! What did you just say?!" Gongenzaka said, outraged.

"I'm just saying that if he isn't even remotely willing to do this, he's even weaker than I thought when I beat him." Kiba said, a smirk forming at the last 3 words. Gongenzaka growled and gnashed his teeth in anger, Yuya started to look downcast again, and Yuzu shot him a glare before moving to comfort Yuya again.

"I, the man, Gongenzaka, believes in his friend Yuya!" Gongenzaka declared without hesitation. "It's all the same for you isn't it?" He then directed at the kids.

"Of course!" Futoshi said, speaking for all of them. Kiba decided to walk back to the dueling area, knowing he was only going to make things worse.

"Crap… I was so close to ending those fools. Then she had to show up. Ugh! At this rate, I'm never going to duel someone from LDS, or anyone who might be able to put up a real fight! This is so frustrating!" Kiba thought aloud. When he finally walked to the observation area, he saw 3 more LDS student waiting there. Kiba assumed that they came either with Himeka or after she arrived, since he didn't see them right away. Those 3 students were Hokuto of the Xyz course, Yaiba of the Syncro course, and Masumi of the Fusion course.

"Hey! Who's the new guy?" Yaiba asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know, airbag?" Kiba said with venom lacing his voice.

"What?!" Yaiba let out, getting riled up rather easily.

"Not off to a good start or a good standing with LDS are you?" Hokuto asked in a cocky tone.

"Not like I've seen anyone worth respecting just yet, so keep your mouth shut before I decide to rip your throat out." Kiba threatened. Hokuto was about to say something, but quickly kept it back. He had a feeling Kiba wasn't bluffing in the slightest.

"Sorry about them. They're idiots." Masumi said, trying to get off on the right foot.

"Often true about arrogant punching bags. Confidence is 1 thing, but cockiness is unbearable." Kiba said.

"Thank you." She said.

"Anytime. So what's your name?" Kiba asked her.

"I'm Kotsu Masumi. I'm currently the best student from the LDS Fusion summoning course." She introduced herself. Kiba was about to brush her off, but when he heard her say 'currently', he decided against it.

"My name is Fumeo Kiba. A pleasure to meet you." He said formally, and shook her hand with a firm yet still gentle grip.

"Same to you." She told him.

"You're not like the others I've seen. You're confident in your skill, but not outright arrogant or cocky. You take pride in what you've learned. I can respect that." Kiba told her. Masumi felt her face heat up, and a slight blush showed on her face after he told her that. Yaiba and Hokuto couldn't believe what they were seeing, because this was a first for them.

"Th-thank you. This is Yaiba from the LDS Syncro summoning course, and Hokuto from the LDS Xyz summoning course." Masumi said, pointing and introducing the other 2 to Kiba.

"And I should care about these 2 why? I can tell all they're going to do is annoy me." Kiba told her.

"HEY!" They shouted at him.

"You don't even know just how strong we are!" Hokuto tried to defend himself, but Kiba didn't even glance in his direction.

"You think you're all that just cause Sawatari's goons are running scared? Big deal! They're always like that when we show up!" Yaiba boasted. This annoyed Kiba somewhat.

"So? It's not like any of you know how strong I am either, so that's up for debate. And besides, why would I give even a moment of my time to arrogant people who only serve as cannon fodder and annoyances to me? If you shitty Duelists think you can prove me wrong, then I'd like to see you try it." Kiba said with confidence, intentionally angering them.

"Why you-" Hokuto started.

"You won't be so smug once we beat you in an all-out duel!" Yaiba said. Kiba smirked again.

"Heh. Fine by me. At least this way I can finally see what LDS is truly capable of." Kiba told them, ready to activate his duel disk. Before any of them could get started though, Himeka, Shuzo, and all the others walked in. Kiba saw her, and immediately lowered his duel disk again while gritting his teeth in frustration.

"3 vs 3. The first who gets 2 wins is the victor. Is that good with you? So then, who will go first?" Himeka asked.

"Me!" Sora shouted in excitement.

"No, I will!" Yuya stepped up.

"Of course. After all, those other 2 don't seem reliable. If you'd want to finish this up as soon as possible, then no other choice ma-" Himeka said, but Sora interrupted.

"Hold it! What're you talking about old lady?! You don't even now how strong I am!" Sora said, throwing a slight fit like the kid he still was.

"That's enough out of you." Yuzu said, patting him on the head and calming him down a bit.

"But it's in your best interest if you don't think you'll win that easily. They're all Junior Youth Class Duelists like yourself, Yuya. But they are the aces of each LDS's courses! And the one who will be your opponent among them is…" Himeka added.

"LDS Xyz course member, Shijima Hokuto!" He introduced himself to Yuya and the others. The kids started looking up Hokuto, and were surprised at what they saw.

"His record this year is… 58 matches with 53 wins?! His winning percentage is over 90%" Tatsuya said in shock.

"He's got over top scores in the Junior Class Rank Testings!" Futoshi added.

"Forget test scores! I hear he's said to be favored to win the championship!" Ayu added as well. All of these statements got Kiba somewhat interested in Hokuto now.

"Whether he's an ace or a potential champion is nothing to be afraid of! Show him your abilities, Yuya! They're burning and hot-blooded!" Shuzo said, trying to help Yuya a little. However, if he paid closer attention, he would have seen Yuya look downcast again after hearing 'champion' in that sentence. It made him think about what Kiba said to him earlier when their duel was over. He quickly pushed those thoughts into the back of his mind and regained a determined look on his face.

"Ok, what's happening here? Why is everyone dueling now?" Kiba asked, getting irritated.

"A proposal was made. If You Show wins, we'll forget the case concerning Sawatari. However, if we win, You Show Duel School will become a part of LDS, along with Pendulum summoning." Himeka explained, keeping it brief.

"Interesting. A high stakes game this time around, huh? I'm guessing a best out of 3 considering you brought 3 students with you?" Kiba asked. Himeka nodded. Kiba decided to stand close to the LDS group while watching the duels unfold.

As Yuya and Hokuto dueled, it became clear that Yuya may not have been ready for this. Hokuto had a strong start, and prevented Yuya from getting any Action Cards at first. Additionally, every time Yuya was countered, he hesitated to make his next move. He couldn't stop thinking about his earlier loss to Kiba, and everything Kiba said to him. Despite trying to stay strong, he was obviously still in a fragile state at the time. Despite this though, Yuya managed to pull through at the very end. Kiba immediately lost any and all interest in Hokuto then.

The next duel was between Masumi and Yuzu. Yuzu had a strong start this time around, but Masumi quickly turned it around when she started to Fusion summon. Yuzu's clouded mind allowed her to miss the Action Card she needed to stay in the duel. Fooled by a mirror image, she went in the opposite direction and ended up further away from the Action Card, ensuring her defeat. Kiba gained interest in Masumi and some more respect for her as well with the conclusion of that duel. Yuzu collapsed into Yuya's arms after he went out there to check on her. She was ready to cry into his chest, but some teasing from both Masumi and Kiba made her shove Yuya away in embarrassment instead, making the situation a bit worse for herself. Kiba and Masumi nodded to each other with smiles after seeing that.

Finally, Gongenzaka dueled against Yaiba. For some reason, Sora didn't feel like dueling the Syncro Duelist at all, and let Gongenzaka have his chance. Yaiba had a very powerful start, but Gongenzaka managed to hold out for quite a while. In the end, Gongenzaka was forced to end the duel in a draw to prevent any further losses. Kiba was honestly surprised when Gongenzaka didn't move for a single Action Card, but quickly understood when he saw the effects of the monsters he used against Yaiba. Overall, the match between the 2 schools was a draw.

"Well, at least I know who's strong and who's weak now. Looks like the only one here worth my time is Masumi. I'd like to duel you myself when this little fiasco is over." Kiba said to her. Masumi earned another slight blush on her face, but nodded in agreement.

"I'll be looking forward to it." She told him. Kiba chuckled a little thinking a bit about how Masumi made Hokuto sulk by taunting him about his loss. He found himself liking Masumi already.

"Chairwoman Akaba, you said you would take this Duel School if you won the best of 3. But since the result was a draw, I kindly ask you to leave now." Shuzo said as politely as he could. Himeka wasn't in the best mood right now though.

"What do you think you're saying? This was a duel to settle everything. There can be no draws!" Himeka said in irritation.

"Uh, yes but, the duel actually did end in a draw though." Shuzo said, trying to calmly end it. Himeka would have none of it.

"A tie-breaker! We will duel with our 2 Duelists that have 1 victory. That's fine with you, isn't it?" Himeka asked. It sounded closer to a statement than an actual question. She wasn't leaving any room for arguments.

"You can't just-" Shuzo started, but stopped himself when he saw Yuya. He had his goggles over his eyes, and a serious expression on his face. He seemed like another person entirely. It began to worry Yuzu.

"Yuya…" She managed to let out. She wanted to help him, but she didn't know what to say.

"It seems that you're up for it. Well then, we shall-" Himeka continued as Masumi nodded, both of them ready to see this through. She was interrupted though, and a newcomer walked in unexpectedly.

"Wait!" The newcomer said. Everyone turned to see who it was. "I'll put an end to this." He added. Kiba was shocked to see him here.

"Akaba Reiji…? What the…?" Kiba let out with his eyes as wide as possible. He couldn't believe Akaba Reiji of all people was here.

"Ah… I was hoping to see you here, Fumeo Kiba." Reiji addressed him directly when he heard him.

"Me? Why?" Kiba asked.

"Can you blame me for being interested in the strength of the infamous 'Hell's Dragon Duelist' planning on entering the upcoming tournament?" Reiji answered in a completely even tone of voice. This caught all the LDS students by surprise.

"What?! This guy is 'Hell's Dragon Duelist'?!" Yaiba shouted.

"No way!" Hokuto added.

"Is he really… How strong is he then…?" Masumi said rather quietly, but she was just as shocked as the other 2. Gongenzaka was caught off guard as well, but didn't say anything as he was still taking a moment to recover from his duel.

"I learned you are in possession of Pendulum Cards, Kiba. Is this true?" Reiji asked. Although he already knew the answer, he wanted to see how Kiba would react.

"Yeah. Is that the reason you're interested in me?" Kiba asked.

"Partially. There is also the incident from 2 years ago that I'm curious about. Every move you made in that duel was countered, and your life points whittled down to almost nothing. Then, you somehow managed to emerge victorious after drawing what seemed to be your last card, and hospitalized your opponent. Afterwards, you disappeared from the city. I've been wanting to see your strength firsthand ever since." Reiji explained. Kiba frowned after hearing that.

"Figures you knew about that. I'll gladly duel you, but that will have to wait. Since we're in the middle of a best of 3 right now, we'll duel once it's over." Kiba said.

"Then I'll make a deal with you. Duel me here and now, and I will personally overlook the incident with Sawatari, regardless of the result. If you win the duel, I will answer any 1 question you may have for me, no matter how private or personal it may be. If you lose however, you will come to LDS with us and have your Pendulum Cards analyzed, so we can work towards creating our own." Reiji proposed. Kiba took a moment to think about this offer. He really wouldn't mind seeing other Pendulum users show up in the world of dueling. It would give him a new challenge to face. Additionally, if he won, Kiba could get the answer to a question he's had since he came to Miami City.

"I accept! I've been waiting to duel someone from LDS for a while now! The opportunity to duel the president of LDS himself? Like I'm going to let this chance go!" Kiba said, excited about how this duel may turn out. With that, they both walked out onto the field. They stood across from each other at the moment, staring and analyzing each other. Reiji was thinking about the possible monsters he would have to face against if Kiba was allowed to build up. Kiba was curious as to the way Reiji carried himself. He seemed calm, level-headed, and in complete control of the situation. Kiba had to respect that and admire it somewhat.

"We're really going to see the dreaded 'Hell's Dragon Duelist' duel right here and now?" Hokuto asked, still unable to believe it was truly Kiba.

"Sure looks that way. If I could take back what I said earlier…" Yaiba muttered. Masumi stayed silent, and watched with her full attention.

"That boy is in over his head. He has no idea just how strong my Reiji is." Himeka said with confidence in her son, Reiji.

"What field should we pick?" Kiba asked.

"You're free to pick." Reiji said.

"Hmm… Well, I don't really have a preference either, so I guess we'll go random." Kiba said loudly enough for Shuzo to hear him.

"Action Field on! Field Spell, Dimensional Alter, activate!" Shuzo shouted. The Action Field around them formed. It was mostly dark everywhere, with pillars scattered across the entire area. In the center of the field was a large stone pedestal that served at the alter. Torches could be seen on every pillar, illuminating the field, but also adding a level of suspense, and horror. There was no ceiling, the fires on the torches varied in color, and the sky above seemed as though it was made of glass. The partially transparent lines could be seen, and the stars seemed to be moving around on their own.

"These powerful Duelists have gathered together in this arena of battle!" Yuzu started.

"They'll kick up dirt alongside their monsters and soar through the air!" Tatsuya continued.

"And they'll ride the field!" Futoshi added.

"Take a look at the latest advancement of dueling!" Ayu said.

"Action-" Everyone shouted at the same time.

"Duel!" Reiji and Kiba said rather calmly.

(Ok. Sorry this took so long. Surprisingly, work picked back up and wore me out pretty badly. Seems like the rewrite is starting off better than its predecessor if the reviews are anything to go by. As an unspoken effect for the extra deck Amorphage monsters, you can only control 1 of each. Anyway, next chapter with have Reiji and Kiba duel it out. Yes, I realize that I may have made the Amorphage cards seem OP with this, but they still need a couple turns to build up regardless. This just allows a slightly faster paced Amorphage deck. As for you, allcreation103, some of the cards you sent me will be used for sure here. Thank you very much for what you sent me. As for Yuya's reaction to his loss this chapter, think about it like this. Kiba didn't just beat him, he showed him up and crushed him in more ways than one. Put yourseelf in his shoes. Would you have reacted any better? As for the OCxMasumi, i guess i had the possibility stuck on my brain at the time. You want to go back to Serena or see a different pairing?)