Turn 1 - Hoseki (LP: 4000 | Hand: 5 )
Shio had never seen such advanced technology before. He could no longer hear the shouts from the audience- it appeared to him as if a magic veil had just descended from the ceiling and removed them from the plane of reality. His arms dropped for a moment as he looked around in disbelief. There was nothing but cavern wall on every side of him, with a neon green grid running along the floor. So this is what Hoseki meant by "virtual reality", he realized. No sooner had Shio's mouth fallen open than had Hoseki shouted from across the holographic cave.
"You really are oblivious to the world of dueling, aren't you?" Shio's head snapped upwards to face his accoster. He could tell it was a harmless taunt, but his heart filled with a new determination to show off his potential. I may not win, but I want to show him that I can learn!
"Nothing to it!" Shio yelled back. I'm not gonna let him get to me. It's on my honor as a Mizumuran to give any competition everything I've got!
"If you say so!"
Shio centered his attention on the duel. Five cards each, second player gets to draw one more. Shio recounted all the rules he had studied rigorously the night before. One summon per turn- Nothing Hoseki does is gonna give me reason to worry. I'm gonna be fine.
"Alright then, mate," Hoseki laughed, "let's get started!" He picked up one card in his free hand without looking at it and held it up for Shio to see. Yellow, a Normal monster.
"I Normal Summon Luster Dragon!" Hoseki exclaimed as he placed the card into an empty slot on his Duel Disk. As the card locked into place, a strange light shone from the ground in front of Shio's opponent, out of a section of the grid. Shio shielded his eyes with the Disk on his arm, until the light finally dissipated, revealing a sapphire-colored dragon that towered over both young duelists. It stood with its legs bent in a crouching position, as if preparing to pounce, with one of its massive claws on the ground like a racer on the starting block and the other remaining close to its abdomen, like a butler acknowledging his master. Although it had protrusions from its back, the beast did not appear to be capable of flight, as its wings were nothing more than scaley bones, hanging like a willow tree, devoid of the membrane necessary to harness the wind. As Shio's petrified gaze scanned to the top of the monster, he noticed its head was cocked to one side with empty glaring eyes, staring deeply into his own.
(Level: 4 | ATK: 1900 | DEF: 1600)
No way… Shio had suspected something like this might happen after he saw his surroundings change, but he had no idea the monsters would be so large. Hoseki's smug grin returned.
"Well, what do you think? You still want to be a duelist? It's not too late to quit!" he taunted as he positioned his head to imitate his monster.
I've heard stories of gigantic fish, but this… This has to be on a whole other level! Shio stood frozen in front of the dragon, its unmoving eyes fixated on the petrified child, breathing only heavily enough to indicate it was truly alive. No, it's not real. There's no reason to be scared, he reconciled as he shook the cowardice from his head. Besides, he's wrong! I've made my choice now! There's no going back!
Shio's stance tightened as he leaned forward with renewed motivation. Now convinced he was prepared to face anything this guy threw at him, he flung his arm into the air and pointed dramatically at Hoseki in a show of manufactured confidence.
"I want you to show me everything!"
"Very well then!" Hoseki continued, "I activate the Continuous Spell Card, Gem Dragon's Luster!" Hoseki yelled as he placed another card into his Disk. A large image of a green-bordered card with a close-up of a sparkling blue dragon eye materialized like a phantom in front of him in the same color as the monster on the field. "That does it for my turn!"
Continuous Spells, thought Shio. Those stay on the field as long as they aren't removed. He activated that card but didn't do anything- he must be planning to do something with it on my turn.
"You think you can trick me with that Spell Card?" Shio proudly shouted at his opponent.
"Probably!" Hoseki teased. Shio winced at the insult... but made a quick recovery.
"We'll just have to see then. My turn! Draw!"
Turn 2 - Shio (LP: 4000 | Hand: 6)
Shio looked down at the cards in his hand, trying to remember what each of them did. Each turn had a time limit displayed by a slowly-descending bar on the scoreboard, so he had no time to read them carefully. I have to trust my memory from the briefing, he thought. I just have to act! I'm through with second guessing myself! I'm gonna show Hoseki how great of a duelist I can be! He played his first card, excitedly slamming it onto the Duel Disk.
"I Normal Summon Fairy Tail - Snow!" In the same flash of blinding light that he had witnessed the previous turn, Shio's first monster servant had appeared before him. An adorable white rabbit arose from the ground a few feet in front of Shio. Her puffy, blue dress complemented by a golden seam popped out, accentuated by a blood-red cape which concealed the creature's back but allowed her long, bushy tail to be seen curling up behind her, raised far enough to proudly display the crimson bowtie on its end above the matching one that adorned her head. She squeaked gleefully as she hopped up and down, eager to play with new opponents.
(Level: 4 | ATK: 1850 | DEF: 1000)
So this is what it feels like to summon a monster. I feel so... powerful. Shio spent a moment reveling in the euphoria, but knew he could not let his inexperience show. He spoke confidently once more.
"But that's not all! Even though my Snow can't destroy your dragon now, it won't stay that way for long!" Yes! I have him! That Spell Card doesn't give him any extra defense points! "When she's summoned, I get to flip one of your monsters face-down, and you know what I'm gonna pick!"
"Of course," obliged Hoseki, as the stunning blue shimmer of his monster disappeared, replaced by the holographic image of a sideways, brown-backed card. Shio laughed at how pathetic the monster that had terrified him before now appeared. The nerves inside him had calmed, but his placidity faded as he made a realization.
Something's wrong, he thought. Hoseki's not worried… No, he's trying to bluff me. He might have experience with dueling, but I didn't spend all night studying for nothing.
"Fairy Tail - Snow," Shio commanded, "Attack the face-down Luster Dragon!" The rabbit obeyed Shio's command, hopping towards the face-down card, tail and both bowties bouncing with each gleeful step, before springboarding herself high into the air and delivering a surprisingly-heavy drop kick to the hologram. The dragon reappeared briefly, hunkered down with arms crossed in a guard stance before the card beneath shattered under the weight of the lapine paw, taking the form of the sapphire giant with it. The rabbit landed gracefully where Luster Dragon once stood, gave Hoseki a wide smile and sharp wink, and in one fierce leap, she had returned to her original position in front of her master. Shio threw his arms up triumphantly and cheered.
"Not as weak as you thought, am I?"
"You haven't impressed me yet," responded Hoseki with a condescending smirk.
Shio was shocked. He had just defeated Hoseki's dragon, but he didn't seem at all fazed. "But your field is empty!" he argued. Shio stared at his opponent's smile for a few seconds before realizing what had happened. His eyes widened. Oh no, I forgot about-
"By sending Luster Dragon to my Graveyard, you've triggered the effect of the Spell I activated earlier!" Hoseki raised his hand into the air as the image of the Dragon's Eye shone brightly, as if the boy was invoking some sort of ancient magic. The once-deep-blue scales around the eye turned a brilliant crimson, and the card rose higher into the air. More scales filled in past the borders of the image, completely covering the hologram with the physical form of a new threat. No sooner had Shio's anger with himself subsided than the red scales had consummated into the body of a great ruby dragon, which now stood in the place of the deep sapphire runt that had just been destroyed.
How could I have been so short-sighted? Shio berated himself, forehead-in-palm. I could have played so much better, but all I cared about was destroying his monster! His thoughts were cut short by his opponent's voice.
"Welcome, Luster Dragon Number 3!" Hoseki called with confident eyes and a grin that stretched from ear to ear. The dragon responded to its master with an ear-splitting roar as a pair of gargantuan red wings stretched across the back wall of the cave.
(Level: 8 | ATK: 2900 | DEF: 1200)
Springing alert, Shio still hardly noticed the sound- the sheer size of the monster sent a cold shock through his entire body and made him completely forget about his mistake. I've never seen anything so massive! This has to be at least five times the size of the other one! His renewed timidity must have manifested itself as quivering limbs, as the dragon's master immediately launched another taunt his way.
"Are you ready to call it quits and go be a fisherman?"
This was enough to snap Shio out of his trance. "Of course not!" he shouted. There's no way I'm letting him get to me again. If this is going to be my life, then I have to get used to being around monsters like these! I can't afford to be scared! He looked up at the scoreboard- he had wasted most of his turn beating himself up over his mistake. He turned his gaze back down to his hand- nothing else he could do without another Normal Summon.
"I end my turn," Shio said calmly, hoping Hoseki had no way of ending the duel yet.
"Alright then," Hoseki noted. "You're not that bad for a first-timer." Shio scowled at him. "But I'm afraid you really don't stand a chance. Aww, Don't feel bad, I am one of the best duelists among the Recruiters after all," he shrugged and shook his head, but realizing the failure of his continued taunting, disappointedly returned to the realm of seriousness. "Draw!"
Turn 3 - Hoseki (LP: 4000 | Hand: 4)
Hoseki grabbed the card on the top of his deck and whipped his hand far behind him. He looked back as he turned his wrist, not caring if he bled to his opponent. He grinned at Shio again, as he placed the new card into one of the back slots of his Duel Disk.
"I activate Foolish Burial to send one Monster Card from my deck to my Graveyard!"
A green-bordered hologram materialized on the field, as a floating shovel began to dig into the ground in front of the stone cross that had also just appeared. Shio could barely make out the image of a yellow card falling into the newly-dug hole before the holograms vanished. He sent another Luster Dragon, but why? Shio pondered. He glanced up at Hoseki, who was silently smiling, waiting for Shio to figure it out. Of course! That Spell Card never left the field! He's gonna summon another dragon!
"So you're gonna use the effect of Gem Dragon's Luster again?" Shio asked.
"You catch on quickly!" Hoseki confirmed as the image of a blue dragon's eye appeared once more, and again scales began to sculpt a beautiful red dragon. Shio knew exactly what was happening this time, and now feared for his Life Points instead of his life.
"I summon a second Luster Dragon Number 3!" Hoseki shouted at Shio's face of intense worry.
(Level: 8 | ATK: 2900 | DEF: 1200)
"Now!" Hoseki wasted no time, "The first of my dragons attacks your Fairy Tail - Snow! Dazzling Ruby Inferno!" The great red dragon's neck undulated like the body of a snake as its malicious eyes locked onto the rabbit. Its head tilted back briefly as its belly filled with air, before opening its mouth to launch a barrage of searing flames straight towards the poor woodland creature. She bent down and covered her head with her front paws, shaking rapidly as the fire approached. The hologram mercilessly shattered into pieces, as Shio watched his Life Point count drop on the scoreboard through the billowing smoke.
(ATK: 2900 - ATK: 1850 | Shio LP: 4000 → 2950)
Under normal circumstances, he would have trouble breathing, but this smoke was purely visual, so Shio's lungs remained unharmed, much to his surprise. It felt truly bizarre to be standing in the thickest gray cloud he had ever seen, breathing undisturbed. Despite this, he could not stop thinking about how overpowering Hoseki's strategy felt. Nothing in his hand stood a chance of defeating the endless barrage of dragons he was facing. How do I beat this? He had hardly finished his thought before Hoseki continued his assault on Shio's Life Points.
"Now, my second dragon, attack Shio directly!"
As the second inferno made its way towards him, Shio's entire body tensed. He pulled his arms in to shield his grimacing face, his leg muscles tightened, and his toes dug into the ground.
"Aaaaaaagh!" he let out an anguished cry despite the fact that he felt no pain- it was more of a reflex than a reaction. At least that doesn't hurt, he consoled himself.
(ATK: 2900 | Shio LP: 2950 → 50)
He watched his Life Points drop once again, the number 50 appearing in an emboldened red to indicate the peril of the situation. I wonder what the crowd is thinking right now. No doubt they're disappointed with how one-sided this duel is. Shio's face dropped, and he looked down at his feet, still planted where he received the attack. Maybe I'm just not cut out for competition, at least not yet. With the pathetic show I've put on, what could any trainer possibly see in me? It's just… I won't get another opportunity. He picked himself back up. No! It has to be now! If I can't impress them with flashy plays, I'll just have to win outright! But how…?
Suddenly, Shio remembered an irritatingly-persistent story his father once told him that must have stowed away in his long-term memory, despite his best efforts to forget.
Mr. Furo was out on the open, endless sea, aboard a boisterously-large vessel with other members of the Mizumura Fishing Union on a long-term voyage. That time of the year, they always went out in search of larger and more exotic fish that could command higher market prices farther inland- they always claimed they didn't need the outside world, but who were they kidding? The crew hadn't had much luck with their expedition- they had a few mediocre catches, but nothing that would help the island beyond giving them a little bit of food. They needed a miracle if they wanted please the market-goers of the Mainland.
When all hope of finding something great seemed lost, the crew heard a huge splash and rushed to the edge of the boat, hoping that they had discovered the answer to their prayers. The men searched until they spotted it: a fish so large, a couple of them initially mistook it for a whale. There was no time for celebration, instead they readied the means to catch the behemoth! Dispatching a single whaleboat of five men, they tracked the fish for miles, until the main ship was out of sight. Unwilling to return empty-handed, the small crew- which included Mr. Furo- decided they had no option other than to risk an early attack.
With no protest or hesitation, each fisherman assumed his station at the rope as Mr. Furo gave the spear a throw so powerful that it would have broken the back of a lesser man. The shocking display of strength paid off when all five men heard the satisfying THUD of a pointed end embedding itself into the slippery body of its target. The line-holders tightened their grip on the rope in anticipation of the fight that... was already upon them! A portion of line came loose from their hands when the motion of the giant caught them off-guard.
"The line, Ryoshi!" one of the crew members shouted at Mr. Furo. Muscles bulged and veins popped from the man's arms as he dove for the line to prevent the monster from pulling them into the depths. The miracle fish dragged the dinky dinghy along like a demented horse and carriage before he thought of a plan. He called for his men to tighten their grips as he reached into the cloth pouch that rest tied on his hip. He stood up in the bouncing boat as his hand fumbled around inside, until he pulled out the cherry bomb he had been saving for the homecoming celebration. He cupped it in his hand with his thumb lining the fuse while his men stared, confused. "Hunker down!" he commanded, as he bent down and pulled his thumb across the wooden edge of the boat, igniting the wick. He burned and splintered himself in the process, but that mattered about as much as giving his son a comfortable place to sleep. He let the explosive cook in his hand for a second or two before launching it directly into the path of the fish. The firework detonated just as it hit the water, sending more than just a hardy ocean spray back at the men on the boat. Before they had time to react, however, the rope, and the boat, lurched suddenly in the opposite direction as the startled sea-beast turned around.
That day, Ryoshi Furo sailed his crew to safety in tow of a giant fish.
Shio finished recounting the story only to meet Hoseki's impatient gaze. So that's what I have to do, huh? Hoseki is the giant fish, and I have to get him to pull me to victory. Shio briefly eyed the scoreboard, until he jerked his head back down. Did I really just take advice from one of Dad's stupid fishing tales? He shook the thought out of his head and looked at his hand- nothing that could use the two ruby dragons' power against them. Then I just have to hope he gives me the chance. Come on Hoseki, ending it this way would be boring, and you know it. With that thought, he paused. He had an idea.
"So that's it?" Shio asked. Hoseki looked at him, puzzled.
"What?" he responded with a confused expression.
"You're just going to sit there with two of the same monster and attack me three times? What kind of entertainment is that? I bet the crowd out there is pretty bored!" The dragon master's vexed look changed to one of annoyance and disgust. He knew Shio was right.
Fine, Hoseki thought before shouting back, "I didn't want to make things any more complicated than necessary for your first duel, but- I can't let you taunt me like this in front of an audience!"
Hoseki put on his best fake smile, which resembled the look of a possessed child trying to feign harmlessness, and declared his second Main Phase before turning to where the judges would be seated if they were visible. "Do you want to see something... exhilarating?" He allowed time for the people to cheer, approximating the duration since they weren't currently audible, before answering their supposed demands. "Alright then!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands in the air to excite the crowd further. He was enjoying this.
Smiling back at Shio, this time with sincerity, he spoke. "Shio, my dear friend. I know you have only recently studied the rules, but do you remember what happens when you have two monsters of the same Level?"
Shio searched his memory for the answer, but his father was right; it is harder to focus when you stay up all night. "Sorry, I can't remember." Where is he going with this exactly?
"Well allow me to remind you, as well as everybody watching!" He cheated his body towards one particular side of the audience and announced, "Using my two Level 8 Luster Dragon Number 3s, I build the Overlay Network!"
Wait! I think I remember this, Shio realized. I don't like where this is going.
Hoseki raised his hand into the air once again, and a gigantic swirling black vortex appeared on the grid beneath his feet. It looked as if a portal to the vacuum of space had opened, with unmoving stars decorating the other world as it turned along the ground. Shio watched as the two dragons that had inspired so much fear transformed into nothing more than purple orbs of pure energy, glowing dimly as they made an arc straight into the center of the void.
"Dulled dragon of gem's creation!" Hoseki chanted solemnly, as the starry vortex began to reflect a deep orange color. Something was approaching from the vast emptiness of space and emerging right where the two Luster Dragon #3s previously resided!
"Take form from the fiery depths!" continued Hoseki with building enthusiasm, while the image of a humongous boulder, easily twice the size of the dragons, rose from the portal, cracking and crumbling as it made its way through the ground.
"And exact your revenge on the fools who sullied your brilliance!" Pure anger echoed through the cave, and a bright red shone through the cracks, as glowing magma oozed from inside. The hellish crag trembled, violently projecting burst after burst of molten rock, until no longer did it glow, giving a momentary reprieve of calmness before the outer shell completely exploded without warning, sending shards of fake shrapnel flying in all directions, passing harmlessly through Shio, although he still blinked and covered his eyes.
"Xyz Summon! Rank 8! Faded Topaz Dragon!"
When Shio looked back at Hoseki's field, it was now occupied by the largest- anything- he had ever seen. This new dragon looked nothing like the others: aside from its sheer size, its matte bronze scales did not shimmer like a gem, instead suggesting its colors were dulled by the layer of soot that coated its entire body. From its hardy core sprouted powerful arms whose spikes coalesced into massive stalagmites on each elbow, approximately twice the length of the menacing claws that embellished each of the beast's fingers. Similar spines traveled all the way from its neck, down the back and along the tail, which was at least two meters thick at the base. The wings- full and capable this time- filled nearly the entire width of the arena with their imposing presence, casting a shadow over the field. What stood out the most on this titanic dragon, however- above its sharp mouth lined with razor-like teeth and scythe-shaped spikes that adorned its face like mandibles on an insect, beneath its heavily-armored forehead fortified by a thick set of frills resembling those of a triceratops, shone two entrancing yellow eyes.
(Rank: 8 | ATK: 3500 | DEF: 2800)
Shio knew now not to fear these holograms, but the tremendous stature of the monstrosity that had just burst from a hunk of molten rock that appeared from a space vortex still intimidated the novice duelist. His mild hesitance turned into admiration, however, when he saw Hoseki's face. Instead of the self-satisfied smirk that he usually wore, Hoseki smiled just as truthfully as before he summoned that dragon. He is actually having fun now, thought Shio.
"I'm gonna be honest with you, Hoseki," Shio called from across the room, "I have no idea what either of us is about to do, but I can promise you one thing!"
"What's that, mate?" Hoseki inquired lightly.
"It's gonna be a blast!" Shio smiled at Hoseki. Hoseki smiled and nodded in return. "So don't hold anything back!"
"I wouldn't dream of it!" Hoseki glanced down at his Disk for a moment as both boys refocused on the duel. "So let's go!" He raised his hand into the air one more time, shouting excitedly, "I detach one Overlay Unit from my Faded Topaz Dragon to activate its effect!"
Only at this point did Shio notice that the purple balls of light from earlier- the former Luster Dragon #3s- were now orbiting Hoseki's new servant. That's right, when you Xyz Summon, the monsters you use for the summon become Overlay Units that you detach to use effects. Perhaps his late night had not totally deprived him of his memory after all. One of the orbs stopped moving, then with a pop, it was gone in an instant.
"When I use the effect of my dragon, I discard one card and make you banish one from your hand!" Hoseki slipped one card from his hand into the Graveyard slot on his Duel Disk, then pointed at the cards Shio grasped in his left hand. "What're you gonna choose?
"So you're going after my hand, huh? That's a dirty move!" complained Shio, although he was not truly angry.
"I don't trust that facade for a second! You got something up your sleeve?" he poked back.
"With these cards? I wish I did!" he retorted as he placed a card from his hand into the Banish slot.
Hoseki opened his mouth, ready to declare the end of his turn but was cut short by something on his Duel Disk. When he saw it, his eyed widened, and he looked up at Shio, mouth agape. The other boy stared back at him, head cocked and half-smiling.
"The card I banished from my hand is called Necroface," Shio explained to both Hoseki and the invisible audience. Looks like I haven't let them down after all. Thanks for the second chance, Hoseki. "When it gets banished, both players have to banish the top five cards of their deck!"
"You really had me going there! I thought you'd just up and quit!" he commented, face still frozen smiling in disbelief.
"Well we wanted to make this more interesting, didn't we?" he responded. "So let's keep going!"
Necroface, never did Shio imagine a monster so disturbing in appearance would be the one that offered him a second chance. Beneath a blue, cracking, decrepit mask that resembled the face of a newborn child, floated a mass of bulging pink tissue, like the cancerous musculature of a horrible experiment gone dangerously awry. From all around- the brain, the ears, beneath the chin- pink fleshy tentacles wriggled and writhed. This floating monstrosity was briefly projected onto the field before its nightmarish form swirled out of existence, like water down a drain.
Both boys banished the top five cards of their decks. Shio paid no attention to Hoseki's cards, but he did want to make sure his own strategy was not foiled by the effect. Allure of Darkness, Gren Maju Da Eiza, Drowning Mirror Force, Gold Sarcophagus, Red Resonator. Good, I can win this… I hope.
Hoseki chimed in just as Shio had finished his thought, "You better hope you can win on your next turn, because you're gonna have a bloody tough time making it through mine! I set two cards face-down and pass it over to you." The holograms of two card backs fizzled into existence behind the towering dragon.
"Well with any luck, I won't have to!"
Hoseki nodded as if to say, "We'll see," as Shio placed his hand on his deck, clutching the card on top. It felt inexplicably warm. I hope that's a good sign. His first duel ever, and his life's purpose, would be decided here.
"Draw!"
Turn 4 - Shio (LP: 50 | Hand: 4)
Time slowed down as Shio looked at the card he had just received. His mouth stood open for a few seconds while Hoseki leaned forward, anxiously waiting to see if this reaction was good or bad for him.
Pot of Desires, Shio read. This is exactly the chance I needed. When he brought his eyes back level with his opponent's, both of them knew the answer to Hoseki's question.
"I activate Pot of Desires!" Shio exclaimed. "By banishing the top ten cards of my deck face-down, I get to draw two more cards!"
No way, thought Hoseki, he actually did it, the madman!
Shio thumbed his way along the now-uncomfortably-thin deck of cards in his Duel Disk, settling below the second from the top. He picked up both and read the first name. Mystical Space Typhoon. That might help me out if something else goes wrong. I can play this from my hand at any time on my turn. He looked at the second card. Soul Absorption. Life Points when cards get banished? That would have been nice about ten seconds ago, but it's useless to me now. Neither card was particularly game-changing at the moment, but the cards he drew were not what mattered to him. He looked straight into Hoseki's eyes.
"That's quite a big monster you have there," he joked, referencing the Faded Topaz Dragon on the other side of the field, "It's such a shame it won't be here for long."
"What're you on about?" protested Hoseki, but he knew exactly what Shio was planning, and it bode very ill for his monster.
"By discarding Soul Absorption from my hand, I activate the Equip Spell, D.D.R. - Different Dimension Reincarnation to Special Summon my banished Gren Maju Da Eiza!" A blue grid phased into existence, hanging horizontally in the air, reality rippling and swirling like water as a grotesque red claw reached into the duel from another world.
Hoseki interrupted, raising his hand. "I don't think so. I activate my set Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy your DDR. You won't summon that thing that easily!"
From Hoseki's card, a violent cyclone emerged, engulfing that which Shio had played, closing off the monster's dimensional door around the arm that had already come through. As the monster's appendage fell to the ground shattering, Shio stood perfectly still. His strategy, his father's advice, everything had been ruined with one simple card. The duel was over, and with it, Shio lost his chance at a life of adventure and competition.
Hoseki noticed Shio's astonished expression and knew the other boy was out of options. "It's okay, mate," he began to console, "You can always come back next year!"
But next year he'd have missed his chance. Next year, he would already be a fisherman with no time for dueling. Next year, Mizumura would already depend on his work for its very survival. Next year might as well not exist.
No… he stopped, fists clenched. I still have a chance. Shio took one more look at his hand, trying to figure out what move he could make to save himself from the life he left behind. It was kind of hard to read the text on the cards with the shadow cast on the field by Hoseki's Xyz dragon. Wait! That's it! Shio wasn't done yet!
Hoseki looked worried now. He could see Shio's mouth curling into a smile. "What?" he gasped. "Are you not giving up?"
"You think you're the only one here with an Extra Deck?" Shio asked proudly. "I didn't spend all night studying the rules for nothing! It may have taken me awhile to remember, but if there's one thing I've learned from my father, it's that the ocean always rewards patience!"
"Uhhh," Hoseki stuttered, noticeably confused by the fishing metaphor, but also attempting to hide his nervousness. "What, did you remember how to surrender?" he timidly guessed.
"Not even close," Shio replied. "So Hoseki, tell me something."
"Tell you what?"
"If you know all the moves I can make with this deck, what's gonna happen when I activate this?" Shio picked a card out of his hand and held it high into the air before slamming it into his Duel Disk. As the hologram displayed the card, Hoseki could no longer hide his shock.
"Resonator Call?! No way!"
"That's right! I add Red Resonator from my deck to my hand! But he won't be staying there for long! I Normal Summon, Red Resonator!"
A red floating ember materialized on the field, its mischievous crimson eyes the only facial features not shrouded by the metal helmet that sat atop its purple sash. In one hand, it held a stick with a red orb on the end, and in the other, a thin yellow tuning fork.
(Level: 2 | ATK: 600 | DEF: 200 | TUNER)
Hoseki knew what was coming next.
"Now, I activate the effect of my monster! When Red Resonator is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon one Level four or lower monster from my hand!"
Within a cloud of fog, the figure of a stick-thin woman rose from the ground, covered in black rigid armor. Her helmet obscured her eyes, leaving only the lower half of her face exposed, the only place on her body that revealed her pale blue skin. From the back of the helmet extended a flowing stream of cerulean hair.
"Say hello to Elemental HERO - Shadow Mist!"
(Level: 4 | ATK: 1000 | DEF: 1500)
"You're going to Synchro Summon?" Hoseki commented skeptically.
"Well," Shio replied, "First, I'm going to use Shadow Mist's effect to add a Mask Change to my hand!" A card ejected from his deck into his waiting grasp. "And n-!"
"Now!" Hoseki interrupted with an evil smile, "I activate my Continuous Trap Card: Avaricious Retribution!" The pink card that appeared displayed an enraged Luster Dragon #3 incinerating a group of villagers with its mighty attack.
"What!?" Shio clenched his fists.
"I send 1 Luster Dragon monster from my deck to the Graveyard!" He placed a Normal Monster into his Graveyard. "But that's not all! As long as it remains face-up on the field, I get to destroy one of your monsters every time one of my Dragons enters the afterlife!"
Oh no, Shio panicked. I can get around this effect if he doesn't make the right decision, but won't he also get to summon another monster from the Spell Card?
"Oh," Hoseki laughed, pretending he had only just remembered, "And I also activate the effect of Gem Dragon's Luster! The power of my Dragons is utterly unmatched! I'm sorry Shio, but it looks like you cannot outshine a Gem Dragon, even one that's covered in ash." The eye on the card began to glow a deep green once again.
At this point, Shio was beginning to doubt the sincerity of his opponent's previous attitude. Could Hoseki really have just been feigning his change of heart as an act? But now was not the time for questioning his motivations, now was the time for beating him and impressing all the people watching. He looked at his hand. And I think I might know just what I need to do.
"I'm not just going to sit here and let you take this away from me!" Shio shouted confidently. "From my hand, I activate a card you might remember! Mystical Space Typhoon!"
Hoseki's eyes widened again. Oh no, he's going to prevent me from destroying his monster.
"And I use it on Gem Dragon's Luster!" With a very serious look on his face, staring directly into Hoseki's eyes, he pointed at the glowing Spell Card.
Hoseki was silent. He was completely flustered by the fact that Shio, with only two weak monsters on the field, would allow one to be destroyed in favor of preventing his opponent from summoning one. Now he wouldn't be able to Synchro Summon. Even as the potent gust erased the hologram of the Dragon's eye, Hoseki's face remained unmoving.
"Okay then," he finally regained himself, "I guess I'll destroy Shadow Mist!"
But for some reason, Shio was grinning now. Did he have a way out of this situation? Immediately, Hoseki realized his mistake. In his confusion and overconfidence, he had impulsively chosen to destroy the wrong monster.
"I'd like to thank you for the duel, Hoseki," Shio said with a confidence, the likes of which he had never expressed before. "It's been an exhilarating experience, and I can't wait to do it again… in the League!" He held up his index finger. "But before you introduce me to the crew, I'd like you to say hello to an old friend of mine!" he said as he tapped the screen on his Duel Disk and began emptying his entire hand and Graveyard into the Banish slot, save one card.
"By banishing seven cards from my hand, field, or Graveyard, I can revive my Fairy Tail - Snow!" The card that had been destroyed at the beginning of the duel was eagerly inserted into the monster slot, and the lovely white rabbit hopped up and down triumphantly upon her return.
(Level: 4 | ATK: 1850 | DEF: 1000)
"And now, I tune the Level 4 Fairy Tail - Snow with the Level 2 Red Resonator!" Both monsters disintegrated immediately. What was once a bright ember became two large rings floating in the air, while the rabbit's energy split into four green spheres. As the balls of light traversed through the rings, Shio began to chant, somehow knowing exactly what to say.
"Riding healer of legend! Return to your master and unleash the power of the forgotten demon heroes!"
A blinding light filled the entire room, but Shio continued.
"Synchro Summon! Level Six! Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Horse Prince!"
The light faded, and on the field stood a majestic steed of pure blue fire whose glow banished the shadows of the behemoth Dragon. The flames that flickered off the limbs and head of this creature did not, however, disturb the armored equestrian upon its back. His ornate helmet even emitted the same flames, indistinguishable from his flowing hair. Grand pauldrons protected his broad shoulders, while the reflection of the horse's light danced on his glistening iron chestplate. Faulds of the same orange-trimmed design as the rest of the outfit spread outward in the same way the warrior's thighs straddled the horse, appearing to be supported by an undercurrent of wind. Perhaps it was just from the red-hot flaming aura that engulfed the duo.
(Level: 6 | ATK: 2200 | DEF: 2200)
Hoseki's face told that he knew the unimpressive Attack and Defense points of this monster did not matter. He knew exactly why Shio had summoned it.
"When Horse Prince is Synchro Summoned, I can Special Summon one Level 3 FIRE monster from my deck!" The warrior lifted his arm and reached backwards, pulling something from within Shio's deck. A transparent, tear-shaped mass of red energy came from within his Duel Disk while the monster guided it onto the field with his hand. The spirit sunk into the ground, and in its place emerged a terrifying demon. Green and muscular underneath, this creature seemed to protect itself with a lobster-like exoskeleton, but only sparsely- its innards showed through gaps in its ribcage and arm plating. Atop its stocky torso rested a head with no discernible facial features, only two sets of horns jutting out of the side like thorns protecting a cactus. Pointed scarlet wings, filled in with magenta membrane, kept the creature suspended in the air to make up for its lack of legs, as only a long, snakelike tail comprised the lower half of its body. Most notably, however, the blood-soaked claws from before looked even more menacing with the rest of the monster behind them.
"I summon: Gren Maju Da Eiza!"
(ATK: ? | DEF: ? | Level: 3)
Hoseki knew that this time, there was nothing he could do unless Shio had miscounted his cards.
"You know what this monster does, don't you? That's why you were so eager to stop me from summoning him before!"
"Yes," Hoseki conceded, voice shaking, "It gains 400 Attack and Defense Points for each of your banished cards..."
"That's right! So let's count them up!" Shio turned to where the judges were hidden and began to enumerate his banished resources. "Necroface- that's one! Plus five from its effect! Ten from Pot of Desires! And seven from Fairy Tail - Snow! That makes twenty-three banished cards! Since my monster gains 400 for each, it now has a grand total of ninety-two hundred Attack Points!"
(ATK: 9200 | DEF 9200 | Level: 3)
He could practically hear the bewildered spectators' roaring cheers from seeing such a large amount of Attack Points.
"No way..." Hoseki mumbled in disbelief. He was actually about to be beaten by a first-time duelist...
"Now, let's end this duel! Gren Maju Da Eiza! Attack Faded Topaz Dragon!" The monster's wings pointed straight up as its arms drooped downwards. With a single flap, it was speeding like a bullet, straight towards the head of Hoseki's servant. Topaz roared loudly as the lobster devil approached its face, but it was hideously outmatched. In a single swipe of its claw, Shio's monster annihilated the Dragon, and the entirety of Hoseki's Life Points.
(ATK: 9200 - ATK: 3500 = 5700 DAMAGE | Hoseki LP: 4000 → 0)
WINNER: SHIO
Author's note:
All original cards can be downloaded for use in YGOPro (Links beta) from my profile.