Dan winced and took a step backwards. "Uh oh..." he muttered.
"What is it?" James asked, not taking his eyes away from the confrontation in front of him.
"Let's just say that Makoto should've chosen his words more carefully." Dan whispered. "Just watch. You'll see."
"Excuse me, but who the hell do you think you are?" Leah shouted at him, causing him to take a step back. "Who are you to say that you're better than me? You've never even met me!"
"I already know enough about you to know that I'm stronger than you," Makoto retorted.
"Oh really," she shouted. "Like what?"
"Well firstly that you're a woman..." Makoto grinned. "That's pretty much it."
Leah stood there with her fists clenched, doing her best not to lose her temper – she had to give this guy the benefit of the doubt. It could very well be the Number making him say things that he would never normally say. Even so, so wasn't about to let him off easy. "Listen you sexist, elitist pig," she growled, "there are no female duelists. Got that?"
Makoto dropped his grin stared at her uncomprehendingly. "Eh? What was that?"
"I said that female duelists don't exist," Leah repeated.
Now Makoto scratched his head. "Sorry, but I ain't got a clue what you mean, girlie."
Leah grinned. "How about this? Duel me, I'll explain to you exactly what I mean. But I'll warn you now, if you duel me, I'll defeat and embarrass you and your precious Deck in front of all these people." She gestured around the square, where a few groups of people were watching the surrounding duels.
This goading action was more effective. Makoto's smile widened into a grotesque sneer, and he said, "So you're absolutely determined to duel me, are you? Well that's fine, I could use a little cool down after that last duel." Once again, Leah struggled not to shout at him. It was ok. She could take her frustration out on him during the duel.
"Duel disk, set!" Makoto was still wearing his, so he waited for Leah to fit hers, then they activated them together. "D-Gazer, set!" Both duelists fitted their D-Gazers and linked them. Behind Leah, the other Deltas also linked their D-Gazers into the duel. The green-tinted augmented reality rose up to surround them.
"AR Vision – link established."
"DUEL!"
Makoto LP: 4000
Leah LP: 4000
"I know it's the sign of a true gentleman to allow a lady to go first," Makoto sneered, "but since according to you lady duelists don't exist, I'm sure you won't mind if I go first."
Leah gritted her teeth. She wondered just now much of this she could take before she lost it. "Fine. Go ahead."
"My turn then, I draw! I activate the Spell Card, Future Fusion!" The Spell Card appeared, and a swirling vortex appeared behind Makoto, which seemed to lead into a wormhole to nowhere. "With this card, I fuse monsters from my Deck to make a Fusion Monster, which I can Fusion Summon two turns after I activate this card. I select Chimeratech Overdragon!" The ghostly image of the card appeared behind him. "That means I need one Cyber Dragon plus at least one other Machine-type monster."
"What's the point in choosing that?" James wondered aloud. "When it's Summoned, it destroys all other cards on its controller's field, which includes Future Fusion. And when Future Fusion is destroyed, so is the monster it Summoned. So in two turns he'll wipe his field clean for nothing. I don't get it."
"I don't think the point is to actually Summon Chimeratech, James," Matt said, not taking his eyes off the duel. "I think the point is sending the Fusion Material Monsters. Just watch."
"With the effect of Future Fusion, I send Cyber Dragon, three Jinzos and three Jinzo - Returners to the Graveyard." He sent all seven cards in his Graveyard, one at a time.
Future Fusion: Turn 0
"Next, I'll activate the effect of all three Jinzo - Returners! When they're sent to the Graveyard, they can each Summon one copy of Jinzo from my Graveyard! And as you might recall, I just sent three of them to the Graveyard as well!" Three purple revival circles opened up on Makoto's field. "Appear, all three Jinzos!" Three of the same humanoid-like monster rose out of them, each wearing a crude gas mask. The creatures had no skull - their brains were clearly visible.
Jinzo: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2400/DEF 1500
Jinzo: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2400/DEF 1500
Jinzo: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2400/DEF 1500
"Whoa, three Level six monsters with one card." Dan said in awe. "Maybe this guy's better than we gave him credit for."
"Of course, these monsters can only stay on the field for one turn while face-up," Makoto was explaining. "Fortunately, I have a way around that! I activate the Spell Card, Book of Eclipse! This Spell Card flips all monsters on the field face-down!" The three Jinzo's all clutched their heads, then dissipated into particles of light. The glowing dust then reformed itself on the ground into three face-down Defence Position cards. "Just one more thing to make sure of before I finish. I Summon Zero Gardna." The monster that appeared was a strange, tiny plane figure, which was carrying a much larger rectangular structure.
Zero Gardna: Warrior-Type/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 0/DEF 0
"That ends my turn." Makoto grinned. "So how's that for a little taste of my power?"
Leah refused to be drawn in. "My turn, draw. I Summon Yaksha!" The blue-skinned spirit appeared, carrying a curved sword and wearing a white scarf,
Yaksha: Fairy-Type/Spirit/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1900/DEF 1500
At that point, Leah stopped to consider her next move. 'I'm pretty much stuck. Those Jinzos are weak in Defence Position, but if I attack them, he'll just use Zero Gardna's effect to protect them.' Then the light bulb lit up. 'I have an idea.' She grinned to herself. "Yaksha, attack Zero Gardna!" The spirit started tramping towards the tiny monster.
"You're too naïve, girl!" Makoto cried. "I activate Zero Gardna's effect. By banishing it, I can prevent my monsters from being destroyed by battle, and negate any Battle Damage I receive during this turn." The little warrior disappeared with a flash, evading Yaksha's sword by mere inches. Makoto grinned widely. "Go ahead, girl. Declare a replay, attack one of the Jinzos. It won't do you a scrap of-"
"I activate the Spell Card, Dance of the Northern Lights!" Makoto was startled out of his rant by Leah's Spell activation. "With this card, by returning one WATER Spirit monster I control to my hand, I can banish two cards you control. So I return Yaksha to banish two of your face-down Jinzos!" Yaksha faded away into mist. Then, the Spell let off a burst of spectral lights that surrounded two of Makoto's face-down cards, annihilating both.
He glared at her. "Impossible! Two of my Jinzo's brought low by you? I won't stand for it! I won't let you beat me! I possess the strongest Deck in the world, the Psycho-style Deck! I won't let a low-life like you make a mockery of it!"
Leah grinned cheekily. "Bit late for that, don't you think? Now I activate the Spell Card Double Summon, which gives me an extra Normal Summon or Set during this turn. So I'll set one monster and one other card. Turn end." Her face-down's appeared one above the other.
"My turn, draw!" Makoto drew quickly, keen on making her pay.
Future Fusion: Turn 0 → 1
"I Flip Summon my remaining Jinzo!" The third face-down card shattered, and the android rose up again.
Jinzo: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 6/ATK 2400/DEF 1500
"Next I'll send Jinzo to the Graveyard to Special Summon my ultimate monster: Jinzo - Lord!" Jinzo glowed purple and morphed into a bigger, more threatening android. This one had three eyes instead of two, and was surrounded by several belt-like structures that seemed to move independently.
Jinzo - Lord: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2600/DEF 1600
Leah gritted her teeth at the sight of it. 'He actually Summoned it… this is going to be tricky.'
"I activate Jinzo Lord's effect! Once per turn, I can check one card in your Spell & Trap Card Zone or one card in your hand, and if the card I check is a Trap Card, it is destroyed and you lose 300 life points. I'll choose to look at… your set card!" The face-down flipped over so its front was now pointing at the sky. It was Mirror Force. Makoto sneered at her. "Looks like I got it in one. Jinzo Lord, get rid of it!" The android's eyes lit up bright red and a thin laser shot from one of them, slicing though the Trap Card, which instantly disappeared, then straight over Leah herself. She gasped in pain and stepped backwards, clutching her shoulder.
Leah LP: 4000 → 3700
"Oh don't be such a baby!" Makoto said with contempt. "There's plenty more of that to endure yet. I Normal Summon Jinzo - Sparker!" The monster that leapt onto the field looked like mini version of Jinzo, and was even smaller than Jinzo - Returner. It had a single eye on the top of its forehead, and had two large frayed wires instead of hands.
Jinzo - Sparker: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 1/ATK 300/DEF 500
"Then I'll use its effect! When its Normal Summoned while you have at least one Trap Card in your Graveyard, I can Special Summon any other copies of Jinzo - Sparker in my hand." He picked a single card out of his hand. "And it just so happens that I have one right here. Appear, my second Jinzo - Sparker!" A second mini-Jinzo appeared to join the first.
Jinzo - Sparker: Machine-Type/DARK/Level 1/ATK 300/DEF 500
"Now then, both Level one Jinzo - Sparkers, Overlay!" Both androids morphed into purple amorphous masses and shot upwards. Where they had stood, a galaxy-style portal appeared. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" The two Material Monsters flew into the portal, causing it to explode. "Appear, Number 52: Blast Android!"
The electric-green number fifty-two flashed into Makoto's hand. Out of the portal rose a giant green test tube, with a short creature inside, draped in wires. The creature's eyes glowed red and it began to thrash around, snapping wire after wire as it struggled to free itself. Eventually it paused for a moment, then put its hands to its head and seemed to be concentrating. Quite suddenly, the entire test tube exploded showering water and glass onto the field, and out of the remnants leapt a short android. It had green skin, and was dressed in a green coat with pink highlights. Like the Jinzos, its brain was perfectly visible, but was protected by a glass helmet. Its two red Overlay Units surrounded it, and it settled onto one knee to signify Defence Position.
Number 52: Blast Android: Psychic-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 1/ATK 900/DEF 800 – 2 OLU
"So that's the Number?" James said. "To be honest… it's not really as threatening as the other's we've seen."
Makoto had heard him, and he snarled in annoyance. "What, you think you've seen better? You can't get any stronger than my Deck! And that includes my Number as well!"
"This guy..." Dan put a hand to his head. "Hey Leah, would you mind taking him down? Like, soon?"
"Nothing would make me happier," she chuckled.
"Whatever!" Makoto snapped at her. "I activate Blast Android's effect! By detaching one of its Overlay Units, I can change its Battle Position." One of the red orbs spiralled into the androids brain cavity, and it stood up into Attack Position, forming a ball of strange purple fire in each hand.
Number 52: Blast Android: 2 → 1 OLU
"Wait wait wait," Leah said, confused. "Why would you waste an Overlay Unit to change its position? If you wanted it in Attack Position, why didn't you just Summon it that way?"
"Hmph, as a female duelist I don't expect you to understand." Makoto said nastily. "So I'll explain. When Jinzo - Sparker is detached from a monster, you take 300 damage!" That same Overlay Unit, now glowing purple instead of red, shot out of his Graveyard and struck Leah's duel disk with a resounding crack.
Leah LP: 3700 → 3400
Knowing that the Numbers manifested as real monsters and could launch real attacks, Leah quickly examined her duel disk for any sign of damage. Finding none, she looked back at Jinzo - Lord, waiting for its attack…
Author-made cards:
Jinzo - Sparker
Machine-Type/DARK/Level 1/ATK 300/DEF 500
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can Special Summon up to 2 "Jinzo - Sparkers" from your hand. Your opponent must have a Trap Card(s) in their Graveyard for you to activate and resolve this effect. When this card is detached from an Xyz Monster and sent to the Graveyard: Inflict 300 damage to your opponent.
Number 52: Blast Android
Psychic-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 1/ATK 900/DEF 800
2 Level 1 monsters
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. This card can attack your opponent directly. This card is unaffected by Trap effects. You can detach 1 Overlay Unit from this card; change this card's Battle Position.
Dance of the Northern Lights
Quick-Play Spell Card
Return 1 WATER Spirit monster you control to the hand, then target 2 cards your opponent controls; banish those targets.
Fun Fact #5: Remember Jinzo, everyone? Remember how unreasonably awesome it was? Well so do we. Hence, mass Jinzo screentime.
Fun Fact #6: That thing Leah said about there being no such thing as female duelists, remember that. She'll elaborate on that next chapter, and when she does, we want all of the readers to take it to heart.