Gold, my duelist of earth, was quite a big fellow. A bit of a softy when it came to came to kids.
I had to give him a bit of personality overhaul to make him aggressive enough to have a chance against Ishizu, and even then he lost twice.
Still, I do not regret my decision to hire him…
If I'd hired the other guy, I'd have a few more teenage hormones to deal with.
Let me tell you, those can be a bit of a headache…
Guard Penalty
Needlez waved one hand in front of himself, watching as the Rock Spirit projected in front of him. The stony monster huffed a bit, as though hating to be bothered, and glanced away from Needlez toward the duel in the background.
"Now then, we'll have none of that." Needlez warned, holding up his watch as the stone set in it glistened, "Are ye almost done?"
"Almost." Rock Spirit responded, watching as the final blow landed, "One duel left."
"Glad to hear it. Get on with it, I shall be watching." Needlez ordered.
Rock Spirit nodded his head and strode toward the center of the cavern.
--------------------------------------------------------------
The cavern for the Earth Tournament hadn't needed much adjusting. All Rock Spirit had done was turn the walls and floor into sandstone, with small stalagmites forcing their way out of the ground around the ring. The walls receded on either side, forming a set of rough bleachers that the eliminated duelists were currently occupying.
The center of the ring for the duels was currently occupied by a boy, roughly thirteen-years-old, with auburn hair tied back in a ponytail, currently wearing faded jeans, a blue shirt, and a green vest over it. His grey eyes were scanning over the defeated players, and he laughed.
"Losers!" He taunted, "Isn't there someone that can stand up to me?"
Rock Spirit huffed again as he stepped into the arena.
"Finals will begin now." He stated simply.
"There's no one left for me to duel!" The boy protested.
"Duel shall be Andrew Hoffman against Julius Gold." Rock Spirit continued, ignoring the boy.
Out of the bleachers stepped Gold, who was adjusting the straps on his duel disk.
"Darn thing wasn't designed for my arms…" He grunted, the straps digging into his skin even after he had let them out all the way.
Gold stepped over the small protrusions around the ring, and smiled at his opponent. Andrew sneered in response.
"Okay Gramps, you're all that's between me and my prize." Andrew growled.
"Gramps? You talk to your teachers like that?" Gold asked, shuffling his cards.
"Why, you a teacher?" Andrew challenged as he held up his own cards.
Gold just loaded his deck into place, as did Andrew. Both disks turned on, and Rock Spirit stepped aside.
"Begin." He ordered.
Gold: 8000
Andrew: 8000
"What's a guy your age doing playing Duel Monsters anyway?" Andrew asked, drawing five cards.
"You want to know? It's for the money, that's all." Gold said as he drew his own cards, "But don't get me wrong, I've met some good people playing this game. It's fun, really."
"Whatever, just take the first move." Andrew sighed.
Gold drew a sixth card, turning his arm slightly to give more slack to the straps. He set one card onto his tray, watching as it appeared in front of him.
"Man, what can't technology do?…" Gold said, casually swinging one leg through the holographic card, "Sorry, I end my turn with this facedown monster."
"That's all?" Scoffed his opponent as he drew, "This will be a cakewalk. I summon Amazoness Fighter!"
In front of Andrew burst a muscular woman wearing a bikini made of blue fur. Most of her hair was in a ponytail, but the rest was wild on top of her head. She smiled and cracked her knuckles.
"Hello there, good looking." Andrew smiled.
Fighter turned around to look at her controller. Upon seeing him, she scowled as he gave her a wink.
"My girls just love me." Andrew smirked, "Now then, attack his facedown monster with fist of the amazons (1500/1300)!"
Fighter charged forward, a scowl still on her face as she pulled back her fist. Gold just watched as his facedown monster turned over to reveal a statue made of green rock that looked like nothing more than a large block with human features. Fighter's fist slammed into this target, which shuddered but stayed where it was.
"That would be my Stone Statue of the Aztecs (300/2000)." Gold explained as Fighter stepped back, "When he's in defense mode, you lose double the life points you should when you attack him."
"Oh yeah? Well when Fighter battles I don't get any battle damage at all." Andrew explained, "And since two times zero is still zero, guess I'm still in the running, eh gramps?"
"Don't call me gramps." Gold requested.
"Whatever." Andrew said, sliding another card into play, "I'll set this facedown and end my turn."
The card appeared behind Fighter, who gave it a casual glance. Gold drew another card, and looked over his hand.
"Eh…One more facedown monster." Gold declared, a card appearing next to his statue, "That's all."
"That's pathetic." Andrew said, drawing again, "Let me show you a real move. I summon the second hottest monster in my deck: Amazoness Paladin (1700/300)!"
Another woman walked out onto the field, wearing a white mini-skirt, bikini-top, cowl combination. She carried a slim sword in one hand, which she was currently tapping against the palm of her free hand as she glared at her controller.
"Those monsters don't seem to like ya." Gold pointed out.
"Oh like they really care. At least I'm giving them more of a chance to play than my sister." Andrew stated, "She heard about this tournament and said it wasn't worth the time…"
"Wait, are you saying that you stole your sister's cards to come here?" Gold asked, frowning deeply.
"More like borrowed without permission when she was on a date." Andrew smiled, "But I'll give 'em back once I'm done here. She always clobbers me when we duel because of these stupid broads, but I'll show her she's nothing special. If I can win with her deck, anybody can."
Gold closed his eyes and took a deep breath. Andrew looked confused.
"You okay old timer?" He asked.
"Fine…Just thinking about what you'll look like if your sister ever gets her hands on ya." Gold grinned, "'Course, she'll have to wait, I've got you here right now. So let's give you a little lesson in manners."
Andrew frowned now, but shook his head.
"You don't scare me! Since I summoned Paladin, she gets an extra 100 attack points for every Amazoness on my field, herself included." Andrew declared.
Paladin and Fighter looked to each other and nodded, Paladin's attack score rising to (1900/300).
"Fighter, attack his facedown monster!" Andrew shouted.
Fighter lunged forward again, pulling back her fist to deliver a punch. As she did, the facedown monster turned over to reveal an ugly green bug, with a mouthful of sharp teeth.
"Man-Eater Bug (450/600) destroys a monster when it's flipped." Gold warned as he pointed toward Andrew's field, "So let's get rid of Amazoness Paladin this time."
The was sent flying into the air by a powerful uppercut from the Fighter. It landed with a squelch on top of Amazonness Paladin, who screamed as both she and the bug shattered into pixels. Andrew growled as Fighter returned.
"Aghh! You idiot, watch what you're hitting!" He scolded the monster.
"Lesson one, you shouldn't talk to women like that. Especially ones that look like they can take your head off." Gold cautioned.
Fighter smiled at Gold, then cracked her knuckles as she looked back at Andrew. He growled in response.
"She's just a dumb card. What's she gonna do?" Andrew challenged.
"With these holograms, hard to say." Gold shrugged, "But chances are, you wouldn't like it."
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"Hm…Amazon versus…What the hell kind of deck is that Gold fellow using?" Wondered Needlez.
"Heavy defense." Rock Spirit said in a low voice.
"And he got this far just defending?" Needlez wondered, "Unbelievable, no one builds a deck without at least one attacker."
"Has spell." Rock Spirit stated.
"Oh, a spell card, what kind of spell card?" Needlez scowled.
Upon hearing the answer, the megalomaniac stopped sneering.
"Oh, that's interesting." He stated, "Maybe this Gold has something going for him."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gold drew his card, and smiled when he saw it.
"Alright, I just drew what the card I needed." He said, sliding the card into place, "I activate…Final Countdown!"
A clap of thunder shook the ceiling as clouds gathered overhead. From the clouds lowered twenty small fires, each of which alighted on top of one of the stalagmites around the ring. Andrew looked around at these flames, and then turned back to Gold.
"So what does that spell of yours do?" He asked, looking worried.
"Time for a lesson in patience." Gold grinned, "I can be a patient guy, ww
ich is good for my deck. Now, if the duel isn't over in twenty turns, I'll automatically win. And it only costs 2000 life points."
Gold: 6000
Andrew: 8000
20 turns left
Andrew's eyes went wide at this announcement. Gold smiled as he took another card from his hand and set it onto his disk. It appeared facedown, next to his Stone Statue of the Aztecs.
"We start the countdown now." Gold said, turning a thumb down as one of the flames went out, "Turn one, is over."
Andrew drew his card, breathing a sigh of relief as he saw it.
"And now it doesn't matter." He smiled as he held up the monster he had drawn, "I just drew the one monster that will take you down way before my time runs out. The absolute hottest Amazon ever: Amazoness Swords Woman (1500/1600)!"
Yet another woman stepped onto the field, this one dressed in a bikini that barely held back her ample bosom. She hefted a large sword that seemed to be at least the length of her body and carved from the fang of a wild beast. Her red hair was wild behind her, and she had an angered glare in her eyes, directed at the boy that summoned her.
"Don't give me that look, you know you love me." Andrew smiled.
The response was Amazoness Swords Woman hefting her blade to Andrew, who raised one hand in protest.
"Hey, you're on my field so you'll do what I want." Andrew stated, "Now attack his Stone Statue of the Aztecs!"
Swords Woman growled, but sprang forward and smashed her sword against the green rock. The weapon struck with a clang, and almost vibrated out of her hand as she stumbled backward.
"You gone nuts or something? You just lost 1000 life points." Gold asked.
"Oh did I?" Andrew challenged, "Check the score."
Gold looked at his own disk, and did a double-take as he saw his score go down.
"What the heck in a hamster ball just happened?" Gold shouted.
"That's Swords Woman's special ability." Andrew smiled, "She takes all the damage from the battles she's in and gives it to you instead of me. So you lost 1000 points."
"Julius Gold, you might have a problem now." Gold told himself.
"Your move." Andrew smiled, his Amazons looking less pleased.
Gold: 5000
Andrew: 8000
18 turns left
Gold drew his card with a grim look. He set into his disk, the card appearing behind his facedown monster.
"Your move kid." He said simply.
"'Bout time." Andrew said as he drew, "Let's see, I could chip away at you with Swords Woman, but that won't be fast enough if you boost your score somehow."
He held up the monster he had drawn with a grin.
"So I summon my Amazoness Tiger (1100/1200) in attack mode!" Andrew called out.
The call was answered by a roar, and from behind him leapt a massive tiger, wearing a gold collar and golden bracers around its ankles. Its right eye was scarred, and it was turning a glare from its good eye between Gold and Andrew.
"I'm more of a dog person, to be honest, but Tiger here has…" Andrew started.
"Let me guess: A special ability." Gold interrupted.
"Right! The Amazon's pet here gets an extra 400 attack points for every Amazoness on the field, herself included." Andrew smiled, "That gives her a score of 2300!"
Tiger (2300/1200) growled, and turned to Andrew with a hungry look in her good eye.
"I'm not your food today!" Andrew scolded.
"Those things act that way with your sister?" Gold asked.
"No one asked you, gramps!" Andrew shouted, "Swords Woman, attack his statue again!"
The furious female cast another disapproving glare at Andrew as she reluctantly lifted her weapon and charged. Gold tapped on his disk, and smiled as a silver shell burst into being in front of him.
"I activate Draining Shield, stopping the attack and adding your monster's attack to my life points." Gold called out.
"Why, my tiger is stronger?" Andrew asked.
"But she doesn't bounce damage." Gold pointed out as Swords Woman struck the shield with a loud ring.
Green light poured from the shield and covered Gold, boosting his score. Andrew ground his teeth together and pointed at the facedown monster.
"Fighter, attack his hidden monster!" Andrew ordered.
The Fighter dashed forward, preparing another punch, only for a large humanoid figure made of solid granite to emerge from the monster card. It held up a stone hand, and Fighter turned around and stomped back to her own field in anger.
"Giant Soldier of Stone (1300/2000) has a defense just like my Stone Statue." Gold pointed out with a smile.
"Ergh…Tiger, you attack it!" Andrew shouted, "Maul of the great cat!"
The Tiger growled and jumped forward, baring her claws and fangs which slashed into gold's granite soldier with a crunch of crushing rock. The Soldier of Stone fell over, landing with a crash and vanishing as Tiger pawed through the rubble, looking for something to eat out of the mess.
"My turn is over." Andrew stated, another of the flames around the arena extinguishing itself.
Gold: 6500
Andrew: 8000
16 turns left
Gold drew his new card with a frown. The only monster in his hand was Millennium Shield, and would hurt more than help. The other cards in his hand didn't look promising at all.
"Eh…I pass this turn." Gold said with a shrug, "Go ahead."
Andrew seemed confused, but he did as he was told and drew his card. Looking at it, he shuddered a bit.
"This creepy hag…Why'd they make this card?" Andrew thought, "All the others are smoking hot, why do the Amazons even keep this bag of bones around? Wait a minute…I think I got an idea."
"I activate…ugh…Amazoness Spellcaster!" Andrew called out, holding up the card he had drawn.
From the spell emerged an old woman in a purple robe. She wore a headdress adorned with bones, and was chanting under her breath as she appeared next to Andrew. Upon seeing him, she frowned and smacked over the head with a gnarled fist.
"Ouch! Watch it granny!" Andrew scolded as all of his monsters chuckled.
"Hey, I like this card." Gold said, laughing a bit.
"Yeah, wellI think you'll particularly hate this next part." Andrew smiled, "Now I can trade the attack of one Amazoness on the field with the attack of one of your monsters. So I switch Swords Woman's and Stone Statue of the Aztecs!"
The crone looked confused but, having no choice but to obey, began chanting again. Swords Woman cried out as she fell to her knees, her strength fading to (300/1600). Stone Statue glowed with a strange light, almost like it had been given a fresh coat of paint as its stats jumped to (1500/2000).
"Why did you…Uh oh." Gold realized a second too late.
"Yeah, you get it now don't you?" Andrew grinned, "Swords Woman, attack his monster with blade of the Amazons!"
The weakened warrior lifted her sword and managed to hurl it at her target. It struck the statue with a crash, and flipped into the air with a loud whistle.
"Of course, you still take the damage, doubled because of your monster's effect!" Andrew called out.
Gold raised one arm as the sword came down on him. He let out a cry of pain as it missed his arm and pierced into his stomach before fading away.
"Now Tiger, destroy his monster!" Andrew shouted.
"Stop shouting, I'm right here." Gold scolded.
Tiger jumped forward once more, smashing Stone Statue of the Aztecs with a mighty pounce. It fell into pebbles which faded away, while Fighter cracked her knuckles again.
"Fighter, attack." Andrew ordered, his voice quieter this time.
Fighter dashed forward once again, and cocked back her fist. She threw her punch, only for it to be intercepted on one of Gold's massive hands. Fighter seemed impressed, and pulled back. She gave Gold a nod, and walked back to her side of the field.
Behind his back, Gold clenched his hand and winced at the pain.
"These holograms sure are realistic." He thought.
"That's all for my turn." Andrew declared, yet another flame going out, "I don't think I'll miss my deadline."
Gold: 1600
Andrew: 8000
14 turns left
Gold drew his card now, still wincing a bit at the pain in his hand. Amazoness Swords Woman breathed a sigh of relief as her attack score went back to (1500/1600).
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Hm…I wonder if I should let Andrew be my earth duelist when he stole those cards." Needlez wondered, "He's good with them, that's for sure, and it's not like I care that he stole them…What was my point again?"
Needlez mused over the dilemma for a moment, then shrugged.
"Eh, so what if they're stolen? If he can use 'em well, then he's in." Needlez smiled.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Gold looked at the spell in his hand, and nodded.
"I play Reload, letting me shuffled hand back to my deck and draw a new one." Gold said as he played the spell.
On the field appeared an ornate pistol, which clicked once. Gold took his deck and shuffled his hand back in, giving the whole thing a few good passes before putting it back. The pistol clicked again and vanished, letting Gold draw five new cards.
"That's better." Gold smiled, "I'll set two cards facedown, and one monster in defense mode."
Two cards appeared in front of Gold, and in front of them appeared another facedown monster. Andrew yawned and stretched as he saw this.
"Sheesh, are you actually going to use your turns?" He asked.
"I'm done now." Gold stated.
Andrew drew, and shrugged as he looked over his cards.
"Not like I need anything more to win. Swords Woman, attack." Andrew ordered.
Swords Woman sighed and lifted her weapon once more. She began to run at her new target…
"Negate Attack, go!" Gold declared, the first of his facedown cards lifting.
Swords Woman let out a shout as an invisible barrier stopped her in her tracks. She wandered back to her original spot, while Andrew seethed a bit.
"Now none of your monsters can hurt me this turn." Gold smiled, "Anything else?"
"Just move." Andrew growled.
"Fine, but first I'm activating my other facedown card." Gold said, tapping his disk again, "Pyro Clock of Destiny, which causes one more turn to pass right now."
Andrew watched as the trap lifted, and a gust of wind blew from it. It blew out one of the flames, and another went out on its own. He looked a bit worried as Gold drew his next card.
"Well hi there buddy." Gold thought as he saw the new monster, "Ready to go?"
"I play Swords of Concealing Light." Gold announced.
A cage of black swords fell from the ceiling, and crashed around Andrew's three monsters. All three females trembled a bit as shadows began to crawl over the field, and in three bursts of light they had all turned into facedown cards.
"What the hell did you do?" Andrew shouted.
"Relax kid, my spell here turns your monsters facedown when I play it. Then you can't change their battle position until my spell goes away in two turns." Gold explained, "Till then, I tribute my facedown Gear Golem the Moving Fortress…"
A squat machine made of bronze appeared on the field for a brief moment. It then faded away, and in its place rose a giant, at least as tall as Gold, wearing solid gold armor with massive fists and leering grin.
"…To summon my favorite card: Granmarg the Rock Monarch (2400/1000)." Gold called out, "And now that he's here, his special effect goes off: I destroy one facedown card on your field right now. Granmarg, get his facedown Swords Woman!"
Granmarg lifted both his arms, a huge boulder coming down from above. Swords Woman appeared on her card, crouching down in fear as the boulder fell from above and smashed into her. She screamed as she vanished in a flurry of dust.
"And now, he'll attack your facedown Tiger with rock smash!" Gold continued.
Granmarg pulled back a fist, and Andrew looked at his facedown card with disdain.
"Eleanor's stupid deck…Ooooh…This Amazoness Archers is useless when all of my monsters are facedown!" He shouted in his head.
Granmarg's fist made contact with the Tiger, even as she leapt from card in fear, trying to avoid being smashed. The big cat fell to the ground with a whimper and shattered apart.
"That's it for me." Gold said with a smile, "Ten turns left."
Andrew drew his card, and smiled as he saw it
"Sakuretsu Armor? Well, Eleanor does have some useful cards in here." Andrew thought.
"I set one monster facedown, and add another facedown card to be safe." Andrew declared, the two cards appearing before him, "That's all I can do for now."
Gold drew his card, and cast a gaze at the two cards his opponent was hiding. He took one card from his hand, and set it onto his disk, a facedown monster appearing next to Granmarg as he did so.
"I'll set a monster facedown, and end my turn." Gold declared, only eight flames left around the field.
Andrew drew his card, looking worried as he saw it.
"I…I…Oh!" Andrew growled, sliding another card onto his disk, "I defend with another monster!"
A third facedown monster appeared, and Gold nodded his head.
"Hey, I thought games were supposed to be fun." Gold said, "Why not calm down a little?"
"I am calm!" Andrew shouted, looking quite agitated, "Just move!"
Gold shrugged as he drew another card, bringing his hand up to two cards. As he did, the black swords that had fallen before faded away, and Gold took another card from his hand.
"I play Heavy Storm, destroying all our spells and traps." Gold announced, a powerful wind engulfing the field, "'Course, I don't have any spells or traps…"
The winds picked up Andrew's Sakuretsu Armor and his Amazoness Archers and dashed them to pieces against the wall. Andrew gasped, and drew back as Gold pointed at him.
"Granmarg, attack the monster in the middle!" Gold ordered.
Granmarg swung his fist out, and from the card emerged a girl wearing a green bikini and carrying a blowpipe. She screamed as she was smashed flat by the giant, and vanished from underneath his fist.
"Amazoness Blowpiper (800/1500) was one of my weakest anyway." Andrew declared, "I'll take out your giant on my next turn!"
Gold just shrugged, and waved one arm. At this signal, another flame went out leaving six on the field. Andrew drew his card, and smiled as he saw it.
"Oh yeah, time to take you apart." Andrew smiled, "I flip my Amazoness Fighter (1500/1300) and Amazoness Chain Master (1500/1300) into attack mode."
The two facedown cards lifted, and from them emerged two monsters. The first was Fighter, looking miffed as she stood up again. The second had gray hair, a blue bikini, and carried a length of chain ending with a sharp hook in her hand. She sneered at Andrew, who didn't seem to care as he put down another card.
"Next, I summon another Amazoness Paladin (1700/300)!" He declared.
Another of the white-clad women stepped out, casting her glare at Andrew as she readied her blade (2000/300). Andrew just smiled at her and gave her a wink as he held up another card.
"And next, I'll play Premature Burial, giving up 800 life points to revive Amazoness Tiger (1100/1200)." Andrew continued.
A red light appeared on his field, and from it emerged the Tiger, her fur caked with dirt and her claws broken. She growled as the other three Amazons brushed off some of the dirt, and her attack boosted to (2700/1200). Amazoness Paladin seemed more confident now that the Tiger was present, and her attack jumped to (2100/300)
Gold: 1600
Andrew: 7200
6 turns left
"Now, attack Granmarg my Tiger, with maul of the great cat!" Andrew commanded.
Gold watched as his favorite monster was pounced upon by the angered feline, which proceeded to rip his armor to shred with her teeth. Gold closed his eyes and breathed heavily as his life points dipped.
"And now my Paladin will take out your facedown monster!" Andrew ordered.
"Guess again." Gold said as his facedown monster turned over.
Amazoness Paladin had jumped forward to attack, only to be turned aside as a tiger made of blue fire appeared before her. She sheathed her weapon and stepped back, Amazoness Tiger looking confused at the sight of the new monster.
"Soul Tiger (0/2100) is just as strong as your monster, so it's another tie." Gold explained, "Unless the other ladies would like to attack."
Fighter and Chain Master both glared at Andrew, daring him to give the order. He just shook his head and glared at Gold.
"You won't last, my girls will rip you to shreds." Andrew threatened.
"If they don't decide to rip you up first." Gold warned.
"Just move." Andrew commanded.
Gold drew, and sighed upon seeing his draw. He set it into his disk, and it appeared behind Soul Tiger. He then waved one hand, ending his turn as Andrew drew.
"I've got you now old-timer." Andrew said, sliding a card into play, "I summon my second Amazoness Swords Woman (1500/1600)."
Another of the wild red-heads hefting her massive sword strode onto the field. Andrew smirked as he slapped her across the behind, and she whipped around with a glare of death in her eyes. Andrew held up his duel disk and, upon seeing it, Swords Woman turned back around with an angry look on her face. Amazoness Paladin (2200/300) and Amazoness Tiger (3100/1200) both moved closer to the Swords Woman to comfort her.
"Now my Tiger will turn yours into kitty litter." Andrew declared, "Attack now Amazoness Tiger!"
The Tiger lunged forward and Gold watched as it swatted his Soul Tiger, scattering its insubstantial form into the air. Gold tapped his disk, causing his facedown card to lift up and reveal a trio of robed priestesses standing behind a shimmering barrier.
"I activate Hallowed Life Barrier." Gold announced, dropping his last card from his hand, "Now I discard one card, and you can't hurt my life points for this turn."
A blue shield flew appeared over Gold's field, and the Amazons all stood outside of it with confused looks. Andrew ground his teeth together, and pointed at Gold.
"You don't have any cards left in your hand. Next turn, you've had it!" He shouted, "Now go!"
Yet another flame went out, leaving three on the field. Gold drew his card, shrugged and set it into his disk.
"One card facedown, and that's all." He said, another flame dying out and leaving two burning.
"Good, now get ready." Andrew said as he drew, "Since you've been humiliating me at every turn with those traps, I'm gonna take you down with the most powerful combo this deck has. I equip my Amazoness Tiger with United We Stand!"
A glowing aura appeared around the Tiger, which stood up tall and proud as the other four Amazons stroked her fur. She growled in appreciation as her attack strength rocketed to (7100/5200). Gold's eyes went wide at the sight of this.
"Surprised? This spell grants one monster an extra 800 attack and defense points for every monster I have face up." Andrew explained, "Now attack, my Tiger, maul of the great cat!"
The Tiger roared, and lunged forward. Gold just grinned as he pointed to his facedown card.
"And I thought this wouldn't help." He smiled, "Go Draining Shield!"
Andrew's jaw fell slack as a silver barrier burst before Gold and the Tiger slammed against it.
"How? You already used that card!" Andrew protested.
"Who says I can only have one?" Gold asked with a grin, "That's 7100 life points to me."
The green light didn't glow around Gold so much as it blazed, boosting his score higher and higher…
"Everyone else attack!" Andrew shouted frantically.
The other four Amazons jumped forward, driving their fists and blades into Gold. He just gave them an apologetic look, and threw his arms, sending the four women falling backward onto their rears.
"Sorry ladies, don't know my own strength." Gold apologized.
The Amazons all stood up, and nodded to Gold as if to say 'No hard feelings.' Andrew's eye was twitching as Gold's score finished adjusting.
Gold: 2000
Andrew: 7200
2 turns left
"You done yet?" Gold asked.
Andrew gritted his teeth together so hard it was a wonder that none of them cracked. He let out a defeated sigh, and waved one hand, the second-last-fire going out as he did.
Gold drew his card, and then tapped his disk.
"I end my turn, Final Countdown is finished." Gold announced, the last flame going out, "And while I could just blow you up with it, I think the Amazons have something better in mind…"
Andrew looked up to see the five monsters on his field turn toward him with hatred on their faces. Tiger growled as her masters readied their weapons…
"Ladies…" Andrew began.
He was cut off as all five of the monsters attacked together.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
"Oh my…That can't be…I'm sure that's not supposed to bend like that…Oh that's very interesting, pity it looks so painful." Needlez commented as Andrew received what was sure to be the most vicious beating of his life, "Well, just goes to show that cheaters never prosper."
Needlez looked at Gold, who was shuffling his deck again and sliding it into his pocket.
"Congratulations Mr. Gold, I'll be seeing ye shortly." Needlez grinned.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
In the arena, Rock Spirit stepped up as the last of the Amazons faded away. Andrew got up, moaning in pain, and limped toward the exit.
"Man, Eleanor is gonna kill me…" He moaned under his breath.
"Julius Gold wins." Announced Rock Spirit, a polite applause sounding from the audience, "Mr. Gold, please go through the door behind me to receive your prize. All others, thank you for coming today."
Gold turned to the door, and shrugged as he headed through it. He heard it shut behind him, but paid no mind.
"Okay, guess the Fighting Mountain still has some fight in him." Gold smiled, "Let's see about that prize."
And now ye know, the rest of the story.
Or do ye?
Have ye ever wondered just what gave Brian the idea he could beat a professional duelist?
Other than all the help I gave him of course.
Maybe it had a wee bit to do with his opponent from the Dark Tournament…
One of Yugi's old sparring partners steps up for Mr. Hokage to try and knock down.
I call it
Sorcerer of Dark Magic
Come, come and see the darkness before the dawn.