Kodoku LP: 3000
Spell & Trap Card Zone: Aquabot Emergency Rituals, Call of the Haunted
Matt LP: 4000
Spell & Trap Card Zone: 2 set cards
"Arise, Number 90: Shiki Summoner!"
A black number ninety blazed trails across Kodoku's face, etching itself into his forehead. From out of the deceptively tranquil portal arose a great blob of... something. It was some sort of gelatinous substance, but it had no colour of its own. Instead, it seemed to be emanating a faint glow, both from inside its core and from its rippling surface, as though it was producing internal light and reflecting external light at the same time. Then, with deliberate slowness, the ball of goo began to change shape- no, it seemed to be uncurling, as though some huge gelatinous creature had wrapped itself into a tight ball. The seconds dragged on, and with them, the monster slowly became more pronounced, gaining limbs and a bulbous head, completely devoid of any sort of facial features. Slowly, strenuously, the humanoid creature completely uncurled from its tight foetal position, and sleepily stretched its arms wide. It vaguely resembled a tall and thin – almost stick-like – woman, with long flowing hair, strange occult symbols etched onto its body, and a staff that stood almost as big as her, made from the same slimy substance that she was. Her face was perfectly smooth and featureless, lacking in anything resembling eyes or mouth. The three bright blue Overlay Units were the only things to provide a splash of colour to the creature, and all three were floating in orbit around the very top of the staff.
Number 90: Shiki Summoner: Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2800 – 3 OLU
Number 90: Shiki Summoner: ATK 2400 → 2800/DEF 2800 → 3200
There was no time to be scared. Matt couldn't afford it. He couldn't risk being drawn into that trap again. So rather than watching it appear with horror, the moment the Number hit the field he began making assessments about it. 'Well, it just gained a boost from Kodoku's Field Spell,' he thought. 'So that must mean it contains the word 'Ritual' in its card text. Which means it supports Ritual Summoning in one way or another…'
"I activate the Spell Card, Magician's Archive." Matt thoughts were suddenly interrupted by Kodoku's continuing turn. "With this, I can add any Spell Card from my Deck to my hand. I choose the Ritual Spell Card, Aquabot Liquid Armour, which I'll then activate immediately." As the Ritual Spell was activated, a blue ritualistic circle, with runes around the side and a centre that seemed to ripple like the surface of a pond, appeared on his field. "This card lets me perform a Ritual Summon for any Aquabot monster in my hand," he explained, albeit unnecessarily – they'd all seen the card before. This time, however, the Summoning took a surprise twist. "Now I apply the effect of Shiki Summoner. When resolving the effect of a Ritual Spell Card, I can use one Overlay Unit attached to Shiki Summoner as the entire Tribute required for the Ritual Monster."
"You what?" Matt said, aghast.
Kodoku patiently repeated himself. "Using this effect," he added once he'd finished, "I'll detach Manju to complete the Ritual Summon." Raising her staff, Shiki Summoner tapped the shimmering ritual circle ever so gently with the base, and one of the Overlay Units fell out of orbit like a drop of water. It evaporated the moment it made contact with the rippling ritual circle.
Number 90: Shiki Summoner: 3 → 2 OLU
"Using this effect, I Ritual Summon Aquabot Dimension." With a flash of blue light and the sound of rushing water, a new Ritual Monster emerged from the circle. Aquabot Dimension had the appearance of a giant, ceiling-high mirror, but the edges of the mirror were made from a strange blue gelatinous fluid, and the front of the mirror didn't reflect anything, but was instead a swirling blue whirlpool that resembled a blue version of the Numbers' Xyz Summoning portal. It had small spindly legs holding it upright, and two large green eyes staring out of the top of the frame. Printed just underneath these eyes was a strange line of text, CODE: [).[). (0/7201132.
Aquabot Dimension: Machine-Type/Ritual/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1500/DEF 1500
Aquabot Dimension: ATK 1500 → 1900/DEF 1500 → 1900
"Then I'll activate Aquabot Dimension's effect. When this monster is Ritual Summoned, I can shuffle one card on the field back into the owner's Deck. I'll target your left face-down card." Silver chains shot from the swirling gateway and wrapped around one of Matt's face-downs.
Matt responded with characteristic decisiveness. "In response, I activate the Trap Card, Fiendish Chain!" The targeted Trap Card activated, even as it was being pulled towards the mirror. "With this card, I can target one face-up Effect Monster on the field. Then, that target can't attack or apply its effects." The chains around the Trap Card shattered. Then, with a flash of light, the Trap responded by firing chains of its own, which ensnared the giant mirror and held it down.
Kodoku barely reacted. "Battle. Number 90: Shiki Summoner, direct attack." The Number lifted its staff up high, then brought it down to the ground with a thunderous crash. From where it struck, a crackling blue shock-wave radiated out. The wave of energy didn't leave so much as a scorch mark on the lab's pristine floor, but Matt was smashed off his feet by the force of it. He landed on his back hard, gasping for breath.
Matt LP: 4000 → 1200
"I end my turn there," Kodoku said in a monotone.
Matt struggled to his feet again, feeling torn. He wasn't just scared for himself – he was really starting to worry about this kid. Since the duel had started, he hadn't shown so much as a scrap of emotion, whether in his voice or his expression or his actions. He didn't even sound bored. He sounded... like...
It was no use. Matt couldn't even think of a word. Kodoku didn't sound like... well... anything. It didn't even feel like he was the one dueling – Matt felt like he was just facing Kodoku's duel disk, devoid of any sort of owner with feelings and a soul. And he didn't like it one bit.
'Damnit all…' he thought, clenching his fist in frustration. 'How am I supposed to save someone like this? There's nothing to save. There's nothing in there.' The metal collar popped into his mind, and he briefly considered running over and ripping the thing off of Kodoku's neck. Maybe that would restore him.
Then his thoughts turned to what had happened to Katie, and he shook his head. 'Not a hope,' he mused. 'Kodoku's armed, and he wouldn't let me get close. But there's still Lithon… maybe I can- no, he's probably just as well defended… gah! What the hell am I supposed to do? How can I-"
"Matt!"
Startled out of his thoughts, Matt turned back to his team to work out who had called. Katie was now sitting up and feeling almost better, Dan was on his knees tending to her, and Leah was on her feet next to them. He only discovered that it was Leah when she shouted again. "Matt, stop it! Don't you dare put the life of one of Lithon's henchmen ahead of your own." She glanced at the boy with sad eyes. "I want to save him too, and if we get the chance, that's exactly what we'll do. But the fact remains that he's the enemy, and you can't prioritise the enemy over your own life, or the lives of your friends. Understood?"
Matt nodded, feeling pleased – more pleased, perhaps, that the situation gave him any right to be. That outburst had shown him that Leah wasn't dwelling on things like she had been the past few days. It also proved that she, at least, was looking out for him, and that she really cared about his safety. At the very least, it meant she was thinking logically, which was more than he could say for himself.
"Come on, focus..." he muttered, trying to pull himself together. He needed to tackle each thing as it came, rather than getting completely tangled in the things he couldn't change.
At least, for the moment.
"It's my turn, I draw," Matt began, filled with new determination. "I Special Summon Dododo Buster!" A thickly muscled warrior, coated in gold and brown armour and carrying a spiked mace, appeared on his field.
Dododo Buster: Warrior-Type/EARTH/Level 6/ATK 1900/DEF 800
"I can Special Summon this card from my hand if you control a monster and I don't," Matt explained. "But if I do, then its Level is reduced from six to four." A series of small cracks ran across the surface of the mace.
Dododo Buster: Level 6 → 4
"Then I Normal Summon Gladiator of Eoseuleum – Ronkaku!" A black-armoured monster appeared. It was even more muscular than Dododo Buster, and was carrying a hefty-looking spear in both hands. The Eoseuleum's crest – an orange streak that resembled the flickering flame of a candle – was emblazoned onto the tip of the spear.
Gladiator of Eoseuleum – Ronkaku: Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1200
"Level four Dododo Buster and Ronkaku, Overlay!" The two muscular warriors turned fully orange and purple respectively, then shot up onto the air. Beneath them, another galaxy-shaped portal opened. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon!" Both monsters sailed down into the portal, which erupted with light. "Rise up! Number 44: Vták Ohnivák!"
A yellow number forty-four flashed across the back of his hand, as a wave of flames spilled out of the portal. The gushing flames gently rose higher, carrying with them a cream-coloured egg, with bright orange and red symbols etched onto the shell. A sudden crack rent the shell in two, and from within came a warbling screech. With a series of violent thrashes, the creature quickly shattered the rest of the shell surrounding it, and screeched again, this time in triumph, as it spread its wings wide. It was a phoenix – of that there could be no doubt. Its feathers were all of a shade of red or orange, but some of its feathers - on the back of its neck, the remiges at the bottom of its wings, and the tip of each of its three tail feathers – were dancing and flickering like flames. Maybe they were actual flames... it was impossible to tell where feather ended and fire began. Two red Overlay Units orbited it.
Number 44: Vták Ohnivák: Winged Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1800 – 2 OLU
Lithon grinned the moment he saw the bird appear. "Hmm, now that's a fine looking Number," he muttered. "And now that I've seen it, I can capture it!" He glanced at Matt, who was now cloaked in a red glow emanating from his new monster. "Foolish boy... he must have forgotten. Or perhaps he's getting desperate."
"Battle!" Matt declared. "Vták Ohnivák, attack Aquabot Dimension!" The flames covering its body flared even brighter as the phoenix began its attack.
"No..." Katie said weakly, having finally found her voice. Matt didn't even hear her, but the other two did, and Leah immediately dropped down beside her. "That's not right..."
"What's not right?" Dan asked.
"That..." Katie wearily pointed at the attacking Number. "It won't work. If Aquabot Dimension ends up in Kodoku's Graveyard, he can just banish it to return the Ritual Spell Card to his Deck."
"I know," Leah muttered, then turned to look at the duel. "But this is Matt. He's not one to make mistakes like that."
"He's a good duelist," Dan agreed. "He must have a reason."
The 'good duelist', meanwhile, was continuing down the apparently suicidal road. The phoenix-esque Number beat its wings three times, each time spraying the floor of the lab with embers. On the third flap, the bird sent a maelström of wind and fire straight at Kodoku's Ritual Monster. The monster, being made entirely of liquid, evaporated in an instant, and Kodoku was knocked back by the intense heat.
Kodoku LP: 3000 → 2700
It wasn't a lot of damage, but it was still damage from a Number. As the boy staggered back, he tripped over his own feet and fell backwards, banging his head on the sun-baked dirt disguised as the floor of the lab. The impact jolted his entire body.
And the metal collar around his neck came loose.
Matt didn't even notice – he was still focussed on his move. "I activate Vták Ohnivák's effect! If this card destroys a monster by battle, I can apply one of its two effects. I'll apply the first effect, which attaches the destroyed monster to this card as an Overlay Unit, instead of sending it to the Graveyard." The cloud of steam that had once been the Ritual Monster condensed into a single glowing red sphere, which darted across the field and settled into orbit around the Number.
Number 44: Vták Ohnivák: 2 → 3 OLU
"So that's it!" Leah grinned. "If it's not in the Graveyard, then it can't be banished as the cost for that Ritual Spell."
"Yep," Matt agreed. "But it's the second effect that I'm most interested in. Obviously I can't use that effect this time, since I've already chosen the first effect. But next turn, you can rest assured that I'll use it."
"And that effect would be?" Lithon asked in a worried tone. Kodoku was still lying on his back – his lack of movement concerned him.
"If it destroys a monster by battle," Matt explained. "I can detach three Overlay Units from it to destroy every card on the field!"
"You what?" Lithon gasped.
Matt nodded. "Yep, and now I have three Overlay Units ready to use, so Kodoku really needs to make his next turn count." Unbeknownst to everyone else, Matt was also formulating a second plan, in the form of the Rising Energy card in his hand. 'I don't need to attack him,' he thought. 'I just need to wait for desperation to get the better of him, and he'll attack me. Then I can set off my Number's effect during his turn!' He nodded, confident that he'd prepared for all the variables, and took the card from his hand. "I place one card face-down. Turn end."
Author-made cards:
Gladiator of Eoseuleum - Ronkaku
Warrior-Type/DARK/Level 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1200
This card inflicts Piercing Damage. If a Spell Card is activated, destroy this card.
Aquabot Dimension (credit to Superjad)
Machine-Type/Ritual/WATER/Level 4/ATK 1500/DEF 1500
Can be Normal Summoned (from your hand). You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card. When this card is Normal Summoned: Target 1 of your banished "Aquabot" cards; add that target to your hand. If this card is Ritual Summoned: Target 1 card on the field; shuffle it into the Deck. A monster that is Ritual Summoned using this card is unaffected by effects that do not target it.
Number 90: Shiki Summoner (credit to Superjad)
Aqua-Type/Xyz/WATER/Rank 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2800
3 Level 4 monsters
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. Once per turn, when the effect of a Ritual Spell Card that you activated resolves, you can use 1 Overlay Unit attached to this card as the entire Tribute (it is treated as a face-up monster you control).
Number 44: Vták Ohnivák
Winged Beast-Type/Xyz/FIRE/Rank 4/ATK 2200/DEF 1800
2 Level 4 monsters
This card cannot be destroyed by battle, except by a "Number" monster. During the next Standby Phase after this card was destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. If this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle: You can activate 1 of these effects. ●Attach the destroyed monster to this card as an Overlay Unit, instead of sending it to the Graveyard. ●Detach 3 Overlay Units from this card; destroy all cards on the field.
Aquabot Emergency Rituals (credit to Superjad)
Field Spell Card
Face-up monsters with the words "Ritual Monster", "Ritual Spell Card" and/or "Ritual Summon" in their card text gain 400 ATK and DEF. Once per turn: You can choose 1 "Aquabot" Ritual Monster in your hand, Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal the Level of the chosen monster, and Special Summon the chosen monster from your hand (this Special Summon is treated as a Ritual Summon with an "Aquabot" Ritual Spell Card). Your maximum number of Normal Summons/Sets each turn is 0. You can discard any number of Ritual Spell Cards; your maximum number of Normal Summons this turn is equal to the number of cards discarded. You cannot Normal Summon non-"Aquabot" monsters.
Aquabot Liquid Armour (credit to Superjad)
Ritual Spell Card
Ritual Summon 1 "Aquabot" Ritual Monster from your hand. You must also Tribute monsters from your hand and/or field whose total Levels equal the Level of that Ritual Monster. If this card is in your Graveyard: You can banish 1 "Aquabot" card (except this card) from your Graveyard; shuffle this card from your Graveyard into the Deck.
Fun Fact #12: Number 44 is making a guest appearance from its debut in the latest filler episode. Please make it feel welcome.
Fun Fact #13: Magician's Archive (the card Kodoku played straight after Summoning his Number) is a Normal Spell Card that first appeared in the GX manga, and its effect is "Add 1 Spell Card from your Deck to your hand." Yes, you did read that correctly. No, we didn't make it up. This is quite possibly the most broken card Konami has ever created. Ever. Seriously, instant access to cards like Monster Reborn, Dark Hole, Heavy Storm, Pot of Avarice, plus the themed Spell Cards of any given Deck, with no sort of cost or restriction, is just a tad ridiculous. Thank goodness it stayed in the manga, where it belongs.
Fun Fact #14: So, after reading through a few of the name changes that Konami made to Cosmo Blazer (something that invariably annoys all of us), we found out that Sacred Knight Joan's name had been changed to Noble Knight Joan, which means that the anime-exclusive Sacred Knights and the TCG-exclusive Noble Knights were actually the same archetype all along. That's genuinely the best plot twist I've ever seen from Konami! And it wasn't even in the anime. It was so good that I'm actually willing to overlook the rest of Konami's awful name changes (like Brushfire Knight, the Fire Fists, and the Hazy Flames) just this once.
Fun Fact #15: Would you like to know which word FanFictionDotNet's spell-checker is flagging up this time? Fanfics. Fanfics! Of all the words you could go for, on this site in particular, you tell us that one is incorrect?!
Fun Fact #16: Oh, and remiges. Apparently those don't exist either. For the record, that's the name given to the 'flight feathers' on the wing of a bird - on the tail they're called retrices. Which, incidentally, is also classed as a spelling error! Come on, FanFictionDotNet, this is starting to get annoying.
Fun Fact #17: Those codes on the Aquabot monsters do still mean something. Someone will have to figure it out eventually.
