Chapter 4: The Paths of Destiny
Yusei's Duel Runner burst from the dark shadows of the maintenance hatch and into the moonlit vista of New Domino City. Its rider applied the brakes and the crimson steed screamed to a halt, Yusei flicking up his visor to appreciate the view of the city.
A few hundred metres away, shrouded in shadow and hidden by his dark clothes, Julian sat astride his Duel Runner and looked out towards his old friend. He prepared to move forwards, but a sudden calling voice froze him in place as his head snapped towards the speaker.
"Hello, Yusei." Yusei's head turned up towards the speaker, who was standing a few dozen metres higher up from him on a raised highway, clad in a pure white riding suit. His hair was compacted by long hours within a helmet, blonde in colour with extensions hanging down the sides of his face wrapped in violet ribbons or something similar. His piercing violet eyes glared down at Yusei with an air of haughty superiority as his mouth curved into a deep smirk.
"Jack," Yusei acknowledged, his cobalt eyes meeting his rival's violet gaze. Jack's smirk grew.
"I thought you'd be here," he said with amusement plain in his tone "it was the moon. Something about it told me you'd get past that simpleton Trudge." Yusei glanced towards the moon, which was full. The same phase it had been in the day Jack had run away, taking hope away with him.
"Where's Stardust Dragon?" he asked quietly, returning his gaze to Jack.
"What's your hurry?" Jack asked "do you want to know about your Runner as well?" Yusei remained silent. "Well, it's broken. Couldn't handle the pressure of pro dueling, so I got this beauty instead." He moved slightly, revealing a Duel Runner behind him. This one was the same pure white as his jumpsuit, shaped like a wheel with a seat inside for the rider. It was indeed a marvel of engineering and one very advanced Duel Runner, suitable for a true champion.
"I don't need my Runner back," Yusei replied. Jack smirked.
"So it's just Stardust Dragon then?" he asked "I'd have thought you'd moved on." Yusei held his gaze, but remained silent. "After all, you seem to have moved on from your Runner already. How's the new one?"
"I've got no complaints," Yusei replied.
"Good for you," Jack laughed "but about Stardust… you never could let anything go, I suppose." Yusei clenched a fist, he was worried. What if his prized card, the hope of his friends, had shared the fate of his original Duel Runner, broken and tossed aside by this uncaring former friend?
"Where's Stardust Dragon?" he asked, raising his voice.
"You mean this old thing?" Jack laughed, calmly holding up a card. Julian's breath caught as the moonlight flashed from the card, while Yusei stared in silent joy at the form of the card he had treasured, the pure form of Stardust Dragon resplendent upon the white Synchro Monster card. "Does it look the same?" Jack said.
"Why?" Yusei said "why'd you do it, Jack?" Jack laughed.
"Stardust was calling to be saved," he said "it was wasting away with you in the Satellite, and it deserved a better master, one who could use it in the battlefields it deserved to grace. I couldn't bear to watch it wasting away with a loser like you."
"How could you take it away?" Yusei said "it was our hope of escaping the Satellite, the only hope our friends had!" He remembered the first time he had summoned Stardust Dragon, riding his first white Duel Runner into the street and playing the card, watching the celestial monster burst into existence above him with stardust scattering off its wings…
"Well, it certainly helped me," Jack laughed "and to show my thanks…" he suddenly raised his arm and flicked it outwards in a swift motion, sending Stardust Dragon flying towards Yusei, who neatly caught it "you can have your precious dragon back. Take it, I don't need it anymore." Yusei looked down at the card gripped gently between his fingers, gazing at the white dragon pictured on it…
"What's up?" Jack asked "having second thoughts?" Suddenly, Yusei tossed the card back in exactly the same motion Jack had used to throw it to him. The white-clad duelist caught Stardust Dragon with a brief look of surprise.
"No," Yusei replied "I want Stardust Dragon back, but I want to make you pay for what you did more. When I beat you, that's when I'll take Stardust Dragon back and put it where it belongs." Jack smirked.
"You really are a dreamer," he laughed "I'm the Master of Faster, the King of New Domino City. You think you can beat me, Yusei? I thought you were smarter than that?"
"He knows he can win," Julian called, dismounting his Runner and stepping from the shadows, pulling off his helmet. Both Yusei and Jack looked at him, their expressions surprised as they beheld an old friend stepping towards them.
"Julian?" Yusei said in clear surprise.
"Hey, Yusei," Julian replied softly "hello, Jack." His voice was notably bitterer as he addressed Jack, who smirked.
"Well, look who came skulking back after two years," Jack chuckled "dear little Julian Mikuro. How have you been?"
"I've been fine," Julian said sharply "but believe me, Yusei can beat you."
"He'll just fail miserably, like you did," Jack laughed "or have you forgotten how our last duel turned out?" Julian's face twisted into a dark mask of rage and pain.
"Shut up, Jack," he snarled. Yusei stared at him, shocked by this response. Even Jack seemed caught off guard slightly.
"Fine then," the King of New Domino eventually said "I'll duel Yusei. Let's just see how this match turns out." With that, he turned to his Duel Runner and pulled on his helmet, mounting his ride and starting its engine with a practised motion on the console. The engine roared into life, but Jack waited for Julian and Yusei to mount their own Runners and start their engines before he drove off…
04
The three of them drove along the highways of New Domino, Jack ahead of both Yusei and Julian, who were riding side-by-side, both focused upon the Turbo Duelist ahead of them.
"Welcome to New Domino City, Yusei!" Jack called back.
"Where are you taking us?" Yusei asked.
"Stop worrying and enjoy the view already!" Jack laughed "but Julian should remember the venue for our little face-off." Julian gave a slight grimace. He had a very good idea where Jack was taking them.
"Yeah, trust Jack," he muttered.
"So anyway, Yusei, what do you think of New Domino?" Jack asked "it's certainly a step up from the Satellite, isn't it? But don't worry; there are plenty of trash bins if you get homesick."
"You're from the Satellite too," Julian replied sharply. Jack laughed.
"Oh, but I've settled in nicely to city life. New Domino City is one wonderful place, you have to admit that. Oh, I forgot, this is the city that cost you everything!" Julian's eyes sparked with ferocious rage as he glared daggers at Jack, and Yusei noticed.
"That's enough, Jack," he called "this is between you and I so leave Julian in peace." Jack laughed again.
"Yes, I'll leave the outsider out of our affairs, shall I, Yusei?"
"Look, are we going to duel or are you going to play tour guide all night?" Yusei asked.
"I thought since you worked so hard to get here, you'd appreciate a view of the sights before you got shipped back to the Satellite," Jack said mockingly.
"We'll see about that," Yusei replied.
"Yes, we will," Jack said as the three of them took a sharp turning "but now we're here. Welcome… to the Kaiba Dome!" He gestured towards the immense stadium ahead, with its dull grey walls and great entrance.
Julian looked away in sorrow, and both Jack and Yusei noticed his reaction.
"Julian?" Yusei asked "what is it?"
"That's where it happened, Yusei," Julian whispered "that's where Kelsey died." Yusei's eyes flashed with brief anger and he glanced up at Jack again.
"Jack…" he said sharply.
"What?" Jack replied just as sharply "I am the challenged, thus I choose the arena, Yusei. Where is more fitting than the stadium where I became King?!"
"This is the place where Julian lost Kelsey!" Yusei shouted over the Duel Runners "don't you even care how it affects him to be here?!" Jack gave a non-committal shrug and a glance back.
"No one's forcing him to be here," he replied. Yusei grimaced and glanced at Julian, whose eyes were deep with pain and sorrow.
"I can take it," Julian murmured "it just… hurts so much to be back here…"
"It'll be okay," Yusei said softly. Julian nodded as they drove through the entrance and into the great Kaiba Dome.
As they entered the great stadium, everything flooded back into Julian's mind, the Legacy of Champions, his duel against Jack and its aftermath… despite all the repairs and changes, Julian could still picture that terrible aftermath, the scorch marks and tears in the track, Savior Demon Dragon and Flamvell Nidhogg clashing in a battle to the death… and himself, kneeling and screaming to the heavens with Kelsey's lifeless body in his arms.
Jack brought his Duel Runner to a stop on the starting line and Yusei pulled up beside him.
"You'd better get into the stands, Mikuro!" Jack called "you don't want to miss your view of the greatest Duel in this city's history!"
04
Several miles away, within a great tower housing Sector Security headquarters, a room of very tired executives were seated watching a very strange display.
A man in a white lab coat, with brown hair pulled into a bizarre style like an axe blade was spinning around in the centre of the room, shouting out as he did so.
"Can you see?!" he shouted, still spinning. One of the executives yawned.
"See what, an excuse to get dizzy?" he asked sleepily.
"No! An incredible breakthrough!" the scientist laughed "our Enerdy generator has gone into overdrive!" He continued to spin "what are you thinking, is this a new dance craze or what?!"
"Well, it isn't!" he laughed, still spinning but somehow striking poses "this Enerdy generator powers lights, cars and… whoa, Turbo Duels! It controls the city and everything we do!"
A tall, dignified man with long silver hair and deep blue eyes watched this with clear irritation, dressed in a silver-grey suit over a white shirt. His name was Rex Goodwin, and he was possibly the most important and powerful man in New Domino City. His control over it was without limits.
"We know all that, professor," he interrupted "but what we're wondering is exactly why you called us to this meeting at half-past midnight! Stop dancing and get to the point, or should I be looking for a new director of engineering?!" The scientist stopped spinning.
"Watch the big screen, Mr. Goodwin!" the scientist laughed, as said screen appeared in mid air, projected from somewhere "it seems that the Enerdy generator is producing more energy than we even thought it could! It's like a perpetual motion machine, the more it spins the more powerful it becomes!" He started spinning again "if it keeps going round and round and round, we will be the masters of the universe!" He caught himself "I mean, Mr. Goodwin will be the master of the universe!"
As the scientist started to speak again, a door to Goodwin's right opened and a pretty young woman entered, with shoulder-length blue hair, dressed in a pale grey-blue jacket over a white blouse and skirt, her eyes a deep amber colour.
Goodwin turned his attention to this welcome distraction from the scientist's antics.
"What is it, Mina?" he asked.
"Mr. Atlas is missing," Mina said softly, so the others in the room couldn't hear. Rex turned his gaze back to the scientist, masking his apparent concern.
"Zigzix, I'm afraid another matter has come to my attention," he said "however, this is very intriguing. I would like you to find out exactly what this Enerdy generator is capable of, although perhaps you could save the meetings until the morning next time." With that he stood, and turned to leave.
"Yes sir!" Zigzix, the scientist, called.
Goodwin didn't hear as the door closed behind him and Mina.
"So you're saying Jack just vanished?" he demanded as they walked along the corridor outside "I appointed you to be Jack's personal handler. Should anything happen to him, then I will hold you responsible."
"Mr. Goodwin... I…" she began, but he turned and viciously grabbed her by the chin.
"I don't need your excuses!" he retorted sharply, letting go. Mina backed away in fear. "Do bear that in mind," he said, turning to keep walking.
"I-I'm sorry sir," she said fearfully, but he just kept going regardless. Mina followed after him.
They turned into another doorway and entered a room filled with technicians sitting at desks and typing on computers. Overlooking the orderly action was a purple-haired man wearing a crimson jacket with a black collar and golden trim, his face marked with make-up.
"Lazar," Goodwin said, addressing this man, who turned.
"Ah, dear Mr. Goodwin," Lazar replied, suddenly catching sight of Mina "you brought the troublemaker, I see." His eyes narrowed as he glared at her, then he turned back to the technicians and the three strode through the ranks of desks to a large screen. An image came up on the screen.
"Luckily for her," Lazar commented "we found Mr. Atlas, though we're not sure who's with him…" On screen, the image displayed Jack and Yusei at the starting line within the Kaiba Dome.
"It's the Satellite duelist," Goodwin noted "Yusei Fudo… how interesting…"
"Isn't it highly illegal to duel anyone from the Satellite?" Lazar commented with a slight chuckle.
"That is why this information does not leave this room," Goodwin replied sharply "I would like to see how Jack handles himself. Keep Sector Security on standby outside the arena just in case." Lazar nodded.
04
At the Kaiba Dome, Jack and Yusei were arrayed at the starting line, while Julian was sitting in the stands, with his Duel Runner hidden beside a maintenance hatch of some sort. He didn't rule out the chances of Sector Security entering to break up the duel by force, so he was sure he could escape if necessary.
"Isn't the Kaiba Dome impressive?" Jack said "television just doesn't do it justice." He glanced around "just imagine it filled with thousands of fans all chanting your name… but that's something you'll never experience, Yusei. The only people cheering you on after tonight'll be your loser friends in the Satellite… that is, if they are still your friends when you come back without Stardust Dragon." The lights snapped on and he held up a card. It was Stardust Dragon.
"I wish I could be there to see their faces when you tell them you had Stardust, but you got greedy and risked it all for a shot at vengeance… and failed. You'll regret ever challenging me, Yusei." He slotted Stardust Dragon into the Extra Deck slot on his Duel Disk, which was attached to the console in front of him. "I'll defeat you with the very card you came to save."
Both of them activated their Duel Runners with a quick touch of the console and Speed World flashed up on their screens.
Duel Mode engaged… Autopilot standing by… Speed World activated…
Speed World expanded outwards from the Runners and engulfed the stadium in purple aura. The consoles changed to display the dueling field as the Duel Runners entered Duel Mode. A countdown flashed up before them in the form of a panel of ten lights. The lights quickly flashed out before all ten went dark…
Ready… Set… Begin Turbo Duel!
"Let's ride!" Jack and Yusei yelled as their Runners sped forwards from the starting line, shattering the holographic light panel countdown.
Yusei 8000LP 0SPC/Jack 8000LP 0SPC
"I'll start!" Yusei called, drawing "and here's to history! I lay one monster face-down and set a card!" Both face-downs appeared before vanishing from sight.
"I'll end with that!"
Yusei 8000LP 0SPC/Jack 8000LP 0SPC
"I draw!" Jack yelled, doing so. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 8000LP 1SPC) (Jack 8000LP 1SPC).
Suddenly Jack swerved his Duel Runner to the side of the track and up onto the transparent barrier designed to protect the audience from a Duel Runner crash, spinning to face Yusei. He slid a card into place on his Runner's card panel.
"I summon Mad Archfiend!" he called. A glowing blue portal opened beside him and a demonic man with wild maroon hair, dressed only in baggy yellow trousers, his abdomen divided by a pair of jaws with a skull between them appeared from it, his body emaciated, ox skulls cresting his shoulders and his face shrouded in shadow, only his glaring emerald eyes visible (ATK: 1800).
"Here's your mistake, thinking that a defensive monster could defend you from my Deck!" he laughed "my Mad Archfiend inflicts Piercing Damage, so Mad Archfiend, shred that face-down with Bone Splash!" Mad Archfiend cackled and his abdominal jaws chewed up the skull, spitting out a hail of bone fragments that tore through the air as Yusei's face-down card lifted up to reveal a granite-skinned being ten foot tall, with four bulky legs and four arms holding a helipad in place on his back, his eyes a molten glowing orange (DEF: 1200). The Bone Splash hit, but simply bounced off.
"What?!" Jack said.
"My Fortress Warrior has two special abilities," Yusei explained "first of all, any battle damage to me from a battle involving Fortress Warrior is negated, and secondly, once per turn Fortress Warrior can't be destroyed by battle. I knew you'd take the bait of a defensive card, you hate defence!"
"Defence is pathetic!" Jack replied "to be a true duelist, you have to take all your monsters and spells and traps and you have to attack! Attack is the truest form of dueling, Yusei, but I guess you never could learn a lesson like that."
"You talk too much," Yusei replied, earning a scowl from Jack, who simply threw a card into place.
"I set a card to end my turn," he said sharply. The card appeared beside his Duel Runner.
Yusei 8000LP 1SPC/Jack 8000LP 1SPC
"I draw!" Yusei called, smiling slightly as he saw the card. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 8000LP 2SPC) (Jack 8000LP 2SPC).
"And I summon the Tuner Monster Junk Synchron!" A blue portal opened beside him and the orange-armoured mechanical warrior Tuner appeared from it (ATK: 1300). "Now Junk Synchron's going to give my Fortress Warrior a tune-up!"
Junk Synchron pulled his ripcord and his engine roared into life, sending him soaring into the heavens as a sphere of orange aura which descended as three glowing rings as Yusei mounted the crash barrier to turn a sharp corner and accelerate into a new straight as the rings encircled Fortress Warrior, reducing it to a framework that released two glowing stars. The stars aligned and connected as a lance of dark aura that filled the Synchro Summon…
"Clustering stars will call upon a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Warrior!" Yusei chanted, revving his Duel Runner's engine as he shot down the straight after Jack.
Junk Warrior burst from the Synchro Summon with a mighty cry, gliding beside his master (ATK: 2300). Jack gave a laugh.
"Still using the same old monster, Yusei?" he laughed "well, if that's all you've got, you're in trouble."
"The only ones in trouble are your Mad Archfiend and your Life Points!" Yusei said "Junk Warrior, attack Mad Archfiend with Scrap Fist!" Junk Warrior ignited his thrusters and charged, but as he drew back his fist Mad Archfiend crouched down, crossed its arms across its chest and turned dark blue (DEF: 0). A second later, Junk Warrior's punch shattered it into pixels.
"When Mad Archfiend in attack position gets attacked, he switches into defence mode!" Jack called.
"Hard to see why they call him Mad Archfiend then," Julian muttered "going defensive isn't very mad, well, except for his non-existent defence points."
Junk Warrior soared back to Yusei's side, gliding alongside the crimson Duel Runner. Suddenly, Yusei noticed a field change. Jack had activated his face-down card at some point during the attack.
"Spacegate…" he murmured "I've never heard of that Trap before…"
"You'll soon see it in action!" Jack laughed.
"I end my turn," the Star of Satellite said.
Yusei 8000LP 2SPC/Jack 8000LP 2SPC
"I draw!" Jack called, doing so. He smirked as their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 8000LP 3SPC) (Jack 8000LP 3SPC).
"I Special Summon Vice Dragon from my hand using its effect!" Jack yelled "but to do so, its original attack and defence points are halved!" A glowing blue portal opened over his Duel Runner as he spun back to face the track ahead and moved back onto the tarmac, a jet-black dragon covered in bone spikes soaring from the portal on immense dark green wings, its eyes blazing gold (ATK: 2000 - 1000).
"Why would he summon a weaker monster?" Yusei wondered.
"No… I've seen this combo before…" Julian murmured "Yusei, watch out!"
"I summon the Tuner monster Dark Tinker!" Jack yelled. Another portal opened beside him and a pitch-black spider with the pale green face of a hideous hag crawled from it on four legs, the other four limbs arms clutching numerous tools and blades (ATK: 1000). "And I Tune Dark Tinker to Vice Dragon to Synchro Summon…!"
Dark Tinker rose into the air as a sphere of aura and descended down as two glowing rings that encircled Vice Dragon, reducing it to a framework that broke down into five glowing stars that aligned within the rings. The stars exploded with black aura that filled the Synchro Summon…
"The ruler's shouts echo throughout! Hammer of Victory, shatter the very earth! Synchro Summon! Flap your wings, Exploder Dragonwing!" Jack chanted fiercely. With a great roar, a fifteen foot long pitch-dark dragon burst from the Synchro Summon, spreading midnight-black wings above the field as its barbed claws clenched into dark fists, its thick tail thrashing and its fierce ugly head crested by a ruff of orange membrane. Exploder Dragonwing gave a ferocious roar to the shining stars above (ATK: 2400).
"Now since Dark Tinker was sent to my Graveyard, I look at the top card of my Deck and decide whether to toss it to the bottom or keep it at the top," Jack said, looking at the card in question and placing it at the bottom of his Deck without another thought "now, Exploder Dragonwing, attack his Junk Warrior! King Storm!"
Yusei readied himself to activate his Defence Draw Trap…
Exploder Dragonwing lunged for Junk Warrior with a roar, as Jack yelled "when Exploder Dragonwing battles a monster with equal or less attack, it can immediately destroy that monster without applying damage and deal you effect damage equal to that monster's attack!" Exploder Dragonwing unleashed a burst of flame from its maw, consuming Junk Warrior and going onwards to strike Yusei, who cried out in pain.
(Yusei 5700LP 1SPC)
"Damn it," Julian muttered "first blood to Jack."
"Why don't you give it up now?!" Jack laughed as Exploder Dragonwing soared over him again with a roar "you'll save yourself the embarrassment of losing!"
"I'm not giving this Duel up, Jack!" Yusei called back. Jack gave a laugh.
"So be it!" he replied "I end my turn!"
Yusei 5700LP 1SPC/Jack 8000LP 3SPC
"I draw!" Yusei shouted, pulling the next card from his Deck. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 5700LP 2SPC) (Jack 8000LP 4SPC).
"I lay one monster face-down in defence mode and set a card," he said, as his cards appeared "and I'll end with that." The cards vanished.
Yusei 5700LP 2SPC/Jack 8000LP 4SPC
"Is that the best you've got?" Jack laughed, drawing as their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 5700LP 3SPC) (Jack 8000LP 5SPC). "I guess you've lost your touch after all, Yusei."
"I haven't lost anything," Yusei replied.
"We'll see about that," Jack replied, calmly looking over his hand "Exploder Dragonwing, roast that monster!" Exploder Dragonwing struck at the monster with a jet of flame, but it rose into the image of a pink-feathered chick wearing big red boots and a collar around its neck, its big green eyes sparkling with happiness as it hopped over the flame jet (DEF: 300).
"My Sonic Chick can't be destroyed in battle by a monster with 1900 or more attack points," Yusei said. Jack laughed.
"Still hanging out with chickens, Yusei?!" he scoffed "just like in school? Just like in Team Satisfaction with Crow and Kalin?"
"This chicken isn't going to run away in the night!" Yusei shouted "Sonic Chick's staying around for the long battle!" Jack scowled.
"I end my turn," he said.
Yusei 5700LP 3SPC/Jack 8000LP 5SPC
"I draw!" Yusei called, smiling as he saw the card. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 5700LP 4SPC) (Jack 8000LP 6SPC).
"I activate the Trap Card Descending Lost Star, bringing back a Synchro Monster from my Graveyard in defence mode with no defence and one Level lower!" he called "and I summon Junk Warrior!" Junk Warrior reappeared in a flash of light as Descending Lost Star lifted up, crouching down and turning dark blue (DEF: 0/Level 4). "Now I summon my Tuner monster, Turbo Synchron!"
A blue portal opened and a strange Machine shaped like a Formula 1 car appeared, with a spherical head perched on this body, two stubby arms and blocky feet growing from the car body (ATK: 100). "And I Tune Turbo Synchron to Junk Warrior and Sonic Chick to Synchro Summon…!"
Turbo Synchron rose into the air, dissolving into a sphere of aura and descending as a single glowing ring that encircled Junk Warrior and Sonic Chick, reducing them to frameworks that released five glowing stars. The stars aligned within the ring and connected as one lance of emerald light that filled the Synchro Summon in radiance…
"Clustering bonds weave a greater force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Roar engines, Turbo Warrior!" Yusei chanted.
The Synchro Summon faded to reveal a crimson and black armoured warrior themed after Optimus Prime of Transformers, with the same general mixture of a robot and truck mixed together. However, Turbo Warrior's fingers were sharp metal claws and its head was crowned by something meant to resemble some form of hairstyle, while its mechanical appearance just seemed rather like armour. Despite all this, it still looked impressive as it glided beside Yusei (ATK: 2500).
"Turbo Warrior can halve the attack points of any Level 6 or higher Synchro Monster it battles…" Julian thought "but Jack still has that Spacegate Trap of his… Yusei might be walking into a trap if he attacks with Turbo Warrior…"
"I activate my Speed Spell – Summon Speeder!" Yusei called "and I use it to Special Summon my Max Warrior!" The image of Speed Spell – Summon Speeder flashed into being beside his Duel Runner, before a towering eight foot tall warrior clad in a dark green trench coat, a dark leather chestplate and bracers burst from the card image. His shoulders were covered by dark steel plates and he hefted a large metal staff in his right hand (ATK: 1800). The Speed Spell – Summon Speeder vanished.
"So you got out another monster," Jack smirked "you still can't beat me so easily."
"Really?" Yusei asked "Turbo Warrior, attack Exploder Dragonwing with Accel Slash!" Turbo Warrior shot forwards, becoming a blur as he drew back his arm…
"And when Turbo Warrior attacks a Level 6 or greater Synchro Monster, that monster's points are halved!" Exploder Dragonwing growled (ATK: 1200) a second before Turbo Warrior's claws tore through it, shattering its form into pixels. Jack snarled as the claws raked his chest.
(Jack 6700LP 5SPC)
Suddenly a glowing white sphere flew from the Spacegate card and circled Jack's Duel Runner, quickly accompanied by another. On Yusei's console, a message flashed up Gate Counter x2.
"Gate Counter?" Yusei questioned.
"Every time a monster you have attacks or is attacked, my Spacegate gains a Gate Counter!" Jack laughed "as for what they do, you'll see that show soon, Yusei!"
"Wonderful," Yusei thought "if I don't know what these Gate Counters do, then how do I know what he's planning? Well… I have to push ahead if I want to get my Stardust Dragon back…"
"Max Warrior, attack Jack directly with your Swift Thrash!" Max Warrior charged at Jack and bludgeoned him with his staff, earning a growl of pain from the King's lips.
(Jack 4900LP 4SPC)
"I'll end my turn with that," Yusei said. Another Gate Counter appeared on Spacegate.
Yusei 5700LP 4SPC/Jack 4900LP 4SPC
"I draw!" Jack yelled, pulling the card from his Deck violently. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 5700LP 5SPC) (Jack 4900LP 5SPC).
"I activate my Speed Spell – Speed Fusion and fuse together the Big Piece Golem and Medium Piece Golem in my hand…!" Instantly a large craggy grey golem with short stubby limbs and a more humanoid golem coloured a gold-brown colour and shaped like a Roman legionary appeared, before they both rose into the purple void of the Speed Fusion…
"I Fusion Summon…!" Jack called "Multiple Piece Golem!" With a roar, a towering fourteen foot tall humanoid crafted from various types of stone fell from the vortex to land heavily beside his Duel Runner, raising immense spherical hands tipped by brick-like fingers. Its face was little more than a slit carved into the surrounding blocks of rock forming its head, the same blocks composing its chest and upper legs, its lower legs like immense pillars (ATK: 2600).
"Oh crud," Julian muttered. He had seen Jack this particular monster on several occasions in the Satellite, though he had never suffered its attacks personally.
"Multiple Piece Golem!" Jack yelled "attack Turbo Warrior!" Multiple Piece Golem drew back a mighty fist before hurling it forwards and smashing Turbo Warrior down into the ground, shattering it.
Yusei groaned as the impact force struck him.
(Yusei 5600LP 5SPC)
"Now I end my Battle Phase," Jack said as another Gate Counter appeared on his Spacegate "and I activate the effect of Multiple Piece Golem, allowing me to return it to the Extra Deck and Special Summon its Material Monsters from the Graveyard since it attacked this turn!" Multiple Piece Golem dissolved into twin spheres of light that coalesced into Big Piece Golem (ATK: 2100) and Medium Piece Golem (ATK: 1600).
"Oh no," Julian murmured, realising what was coming.
"Now since I summoned a Medium Piece Golem while Big Piece Golem was on the field, I get a Small Piece Golem from my Deck!" Jack laughed. Medium Piece Golem and Big Piece Golem linked arms and a glowing sphere of light appeared before them, becoming a dark brown golem with a cylindrical body , medium-length limbs and blue eyes glaring out from a slit in what was meant to be a head (ATK: 1100).
"That's quite the rock collection," Yusei said.
"You should know I've always believed the more the merrier!" Jack called "but if you think my field's crowded now…" He played a monster "just wait for this monster! I summon the Tuner Monster Dark Resonator!" With a cackle, a jester-like monster holding a tuning fork and drumstick appeared from a blue portal, its mouth filled with spiky teeth and a foolscap thrown carelessly on its head (ATK: 1300).
"No…" Julian spoke "three plus five… he's going to summon it…"
"Now I Tune Dark Resonator with my Big Piece Golem to Synchro Summon…!" Jack shouted. Dark Resonator struck its tuning fork and vibrated, dissolving into a sphere of aura that split into three glowing rings. The rings encircled Big Piece Golem, reducing it to a framework that split into five glowing stars. The stars aligned within the rings before connecting as one burst of dark purple aura that engulfed the Synchro Summon…
"The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here! Take witness to its creation-shaking power! Synchro Summon! My very soul… RED DRAGON ARCHFIEND!" Jack roared.
The Synchro Summon was ripped apart by ivory talons as a hellish roar filled the air. Pitch-dark wings exploded into the heavens, blacking out the stars behind their great expanse as the beast roared again. The dragon emerged from the Synchro Summon, its form black as night and armoured in bloody crimson plate. A great tail lashed at the air behind its great form as it raised its demonic head, eyes blazing gold rimmed by crimson. Spines adorned its great form and lines of blood red were etched upon its hellish majestic form, its great wings shrouding the shining stars above from view (ATK: 3000).
Julian looked upon the monster representing Jack and felt a pang of sorrow as he remembered the rage he had felt towards it in his last Duel against the King, a rage that had lead to Kelsey's death…
"Red Dragon Archfiend… your most prized possession," Yusei said.
"You got that right," Jack laughed "I only use Red Dragon Archfiend on special occasions, and no occasion could be more special than this! I wanted to beat you with my Archfiend, but then I thought of a far more fitting victory!"
"Wha…?" Julian began, before he took in Jack's field "he wouldn't dare… no, he would dare. That's Jack, always daring to push things."
"By sending Spacegate to the Graveyard," Jack said as the card vanished and the four Gate Counters around him melded together "I can Special Summon any monster from my hand with a Level equal to or less than the number of Gate Counters on it. I summon my Tuner monster Sinister Sprocket!" The clustering Gate Counters formed into a pitch-black reel wrapped with chains, the reel topped by a cog with two sinister dark blue eyes painted onto the top of it (ATK: 400).
"Level one Sinister Sprocket," Julian said "Level three Small Piece Golem and Level four Medium Piece Golem. That adds up to eight… it's definitely coming now…"
"Sinister Sprocket may be small," Jack said as the chain began to unwind from the named monster "but he has some big friends." The chain wrapped around Medium Piece Golem and Small Piece Golem and they became orange frameworks as Sinister Sprocket's body became a star that formed into a glowing ring. "I Tune Sinister Sprocket to Medium Piece Golem and Small Piece Golem to bring out tonight's special guest of honour…"
Small Piece Golem separated into three stars as Sinister Sprocket's ring encircled it, Medium Piece Golem becoming four stars. The seven total stars aligned and connected as a lance of emerald light that filled the Synchro Summon…
"Behold the wings guided by the great winds!" Jack chanted "Synchro Summon! Reverberate, Stardust Dragon!"
"No!" Julian cried.
A celestial roar sounded as the Synchro Summon faded and two shining white wings spread out into the oncoming wind. Stardust Dragon was beautiful and majestic; it's shining white scales coated on chest, thighs, forearms and shoulders by pale blue armour that contrasted the armour of Red Dragon Archfiend. Orbs of dark purple fluid crowned its shoulder plates and chest armour, and its great head extended out to a blade-like point at the end of its skull, just over its maw. A row of blade-like spines ran down its neck, and its long tail ended in more blades. Golden eyes flashing, Stardust Dragon roared again, gliding nobly above Jack (ATK: 2500).
"Stardust…" Yusei whispered, seemingly entranced by his dragon's presence. Stardust Dragon's eyes flashed as it looked down at Yusei, some deep emotion stirring in its eyes before its gaze turned to Julian, and as it beheld him it seemed to convey a sense of bitterness towards the one who had failed to save it from Jack's mastery.
"I'm sorry," Julian whispered to the dragon "I tried my best… I tried to save you, Stardust Dragon." The dragon just averted its gaze, roaring in unison with Red Dragon Archfiend at Yusei. Julian looked away in shame.
Jack was laughing "you wanted Stardust Dragon so badly? Well, here it is! It's like they always say, be careful what you wish for! You should have just taken Stardust and scurried back to the Satellite when you had the chance, but no, you just had to prove you could hold your own against the Master of Faster!"
"I'll do more than hold my own," Yusei said.
"Well, prove it then!" Jack laughed "I end my turn!"
Yusei 5600LP 5SPC/Jack 4700LP 5SPC
"It's my turn!" Yusei called, drawing once. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 5600LP 6SPC) (Jack 4700LP 6SPC).
"I switch Max Warrior into defence mode and set a monster," he said. Max Warrior knelt and turned blue, crossing his staff over his torso (DEF: 800) as the face-down monster appeared beside him "and I'll end my turn with a face-down." The card appeared.
Yusei 5600LP 6SPC/Jack 4700LP 6SPC
"You're leaving your monsters in defence mode!" Jack scoffed "you need to get aggressive to win, Yusei! Oh, I forgot, you never were much of a fighter! But you can't just cower and hide and hope to survive!" His Runner rounded a corner as he drew and their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 5600LP 7SPC) (Jack 4700LP 7SPC).
"Come on Yusei," Julian murmured "I've seen you turn worse tides than this. Prove to him that you can fight back and surpass what he thinks of you."
As if he'd heard Julian's words, Yusei glanced up towards his friend before looking at Jack again.
"Did you ever learn back in the schoolyard?" Jack asked "remember those bullies would come and threaten you for your lunch money? What did not fighting back then get you except a black eye and an empty stomach?! If you came to get even, why are you acting like that scared kid?!"
"It's called strategy," Yusei thought.
"Now, Red Dragon Archfiend!" Jack yelled "attack his Max Warrior with Scorching Crimson Flare!" Red Dragon Archfiend roared as it unleashed a torrent of flame from its maw, engulfing Max Warrior, who was reduced to ashes.
"Here it comes," Julian muttered.
"When Red Dragon Archfiend attacks, after damage calculation all defensive monsters on your field are destroyed!" Jack yelled "so much for that plan then Yusei! Red Dragon Archfiend, Absolute Power Force!" A sphere of molten flame formed around Red Dragon Archfiend's hand and it lashed out, smashing the face-down monster of Yusei's to pieces. However, the Star of Satellite gave a smile as he placed it into his Graveyard.
"Jack must have just played into his hands…" Julian realised as he saw the smile.
"With no monsters left on your field, now Stardust Dragon can swoop in for a direct attack!" Jack laughed "see what defence gets you now?! Stardust Dragon, attack directly with Cosmic Flare!" Stardust Dragon roared and opened its maw, unleashing a vibrant jet of shimmering white fire that shot towards Yusei…
"I activate the Defence Draw Trap Card!" Yusei called out as the card appeared and lifted up "this reduces all the damage to zero and allows me to draw one card!" A glowing green shield appeared and blocked Stardust's attack as Yusei drew once.
"I end with a face-down card," Jack said with a scowl. The card appeared beside his Duel Runner.
Yusei 5600LP 7SPC/Jack 4700LP 7SPC
The two Runners went round the course twice and Jack rapidly grew frustrated as Yusei failed to do anything.
"What're you waiting for?!" the King finally snapped "do you know it's your turn? You haven't moved for two laps, or have you given up?!"
"Not a chance!" Yusei replied, drawing as their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 5600LP 8SPC) (Jack 4700LP 8SPC).
"I activate the Speed Spell – Shift Down!" Yusei called "with this, I reduce my Speed Counters by six to draw two more cards!" His Speed Counters decreased and his Runner slowed down as he drew (Yusei 5600LP 2SPC). "Now I set a card!" The face-down Trap appeared. "And I activate the Continuous Trap Card Graceful Revival, allowing me to return one Level 2 or below monster from my Graveyard to my field, like my Shield Wing!" The Graceful Revival card lifted up in a blaze of white light that created a dark grey-green monster that looked something like a pterodactyl, with feather-like patterns on its white wings, a long whip-like tail, raptor-like legs and piercing crimson eyes. It crossed its wings across its chest and faded to dark blue (DEF: 900).
"What, another pathetic monster?" Jack scoffed "is your entire Deck this pathetic? Oh wait; I took away your best monster, didn't I?" Yusei didn't reply, instead picking out another Speed Spell and playing it. The image of Speed Spell – Angel Baton appeared and Yusei drew twice before discarding a card from his hand.
"What's he planning?" Julian wondered "all he's doing is drawing more cards…"
"I set another card to end," Yusei said. The card appeared beside his Runner and vanished.
Yusei 5600LP 2SPC/Jack 4700LP 8SPC
"I draw," Jack said, doing so. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 5600LP 3SPC) (Jack 4700LP 9SPC).
"I activate my Speed Spell – Sonic Buster!" he called "since I have four or more Speed Counters, this Speed Spell can deal you damage equal to half the attack points of a monster I control! I choose my Red Dragon Archfiend!" Energy pulsed around Red Dragon Archfiend and exploded onwards as a jet of power that rent the air and exploded against Yusei's Duel Runner. Yusei cried out as the impact force struck him.
(Yusei 4100LP 2SPC)
'Now, Red Dragon Archfiend, attack that Shield Wing! Scorching Crimson Flare!" Red Dragon Archfiend launched its attack, but one of Yusei's face-downs lifted up.
"I activate the Trap Card Scrap-Iron Scarecrow to negate your attack!" he called. A scarecrow of steel girders, barbed wire and other junk burst from the card and blocked the jet of flames before vanishing as its card flipped face-down again "after Scrap-Iron Scarecrow is used, it is set face-down again."
"So you can use it over and over," Julian said with a slight smile "clever move, Yusei."
"Stardust Dragon, you attack it with Cosmic Flare!" Jack snarled. Stardust Dragon breathed its vibrant jet of white flame, but Shield Wing remained intact.
"Up to twice per turn my Shield Wing can't be destroyed in battle," Yusei explained "so your dragons won't be destroying it any time soon."
"Cowering behind your pathetic monsters, as usual," Jack scoffed "are you ever going to fight back, or am I just wasting my time with a pitiful opponent?"
Yusei's eyes blazed with determination as these words sunk in.
"I end my turn," Jack said.
Yusei 4100LP 2SPC/Jack 4700LP 9SPC
Yusei drew his next card silently and gave a slight smile as he saw it. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 4100LP 3SPC) (Jack 4700LP 10SPC).
"I Summon Ghost Gardna and end my turn," he said. The white-clad guardian appeared (ATK: 0).
Yusei 4100LP 3SPC/Jack 4700LP 10SPC
"I draw!" Jack called, doing so. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 4100LP 4SPC) (Jack 4700LP 11SPC).
"Yusei," he said "how do you think this little duel is going to end? Let's kid ourselves and say you actually win. Then what will you do?" Yusei stared ahead at him, wondering that exact same question.
"You clearly haven't thought this little revenge fantasy through, have you?" Jack laughed.
"Come on Yusei," Julian muttered "don't let him get to you… don't make the same mistake I did…"
"Well, I'll tell you what's going to happen," Jack said "you're going to lose and I'm going to press a button on my Duel Runner and a squad of Security will arrest you. Then you get shipped to the Facility for good. So much for revenge!"
"You're wrong!" Julian yelled "Yusei can win this!"
"I hope…" he thought bitterly.
"I activate my Speed Spell – Ruler's Burst," Jack said "with this Speed Spell, I can destroy a single card you control while my Speed Counters are over four. I think I'll take that petty Scrap-Iron Scarecrow out!" The face-down burst into flame and shattered into pixels. Yusei smiled, he hadn't intended to use Scrap-Iron Scarecrow at any rate. This time, he had everything in place.
"Now, Red Dragon Archfiend, attack his pathetic monster with Scorching Crimson Flare!" Red Dragon Archfiend launched flames at Shield Wing again, and once more the pterodactyl survived.
"Here we go…" Julian muttered "pull through, Yusei…"
"Red Dragon Archfiend, Absolute Power Force!" Jack yelled. Flames engulfed his monster's talons and it lashed out, but the crushing force rebounded from a barrier. "What?!" Then he saw Yusei's activated Trap Card.
"I activate the Trap Card Miracle Guardian!" Yusei called "this effect means that when monsters I control would be destroyed by a card effect, I can stop that effect and then destroy a number of your monsters equal to the number of my monsters that would have been destroyed! Since that effect would have destroyed a monster, I can destroy one of your monsters, and I choose to destroy Red Dragon Archfiend!" The shining white barrier of Miracle Guardian suddenly pulsed and energy burst from it in a torrent of aura that threatened to obliterate the dragon…
"I activate the effect of Stardust Dragon and Release it to negate your effect!" Jack yelled "Stardust Dragon, Victim Sanctuary!" Stardust Dragon flew into the maelstrom of energy and dissolved into silver dust that blocked the effect from striking Red Dragon Archfiend. The slightest hint of a smile grew on Yusei's lips at this result.
"He's got him now," Julian said with a smile of his own.
"I move to my End Phase, so Stardust returns to the field due to its effect!" Jack called. Stardust Dragon began to reform… but Yusei's next Trap Card lifted up.
"I activate the Trap Card Harmonia Mirror!" he called "since you summoned a Synchro Monster other than by a Synchro Summon, I can bring that Synchro Monster to my field!" A beautiful woman in a light pink robe, seated beside a mirror appeared beside Yusei and angled the mirror to catch Stardust Dragon's reflection. Stardust Dragon vanished, then it began to emerge from Harmonia Mirror in a flash of light…
"Take flight, Stardust Dragon!" Yusei chanted as Stardust emerged fully, spreading its wings with a joyful roar (ATK: 2500). Jack looked mortified as he beheld Stardust Dragon on the side of his enemy.
Julian gazed down at Stardust with a smile on his face "I failed you, Stardust Dragon, but now Yusei has you back on his side. All that remains is to make Jack pay for taking you in the first place… so it's time to push this to the max."
As if sensing his thoughts, Stardust Dragon glanced at Julian and gave a roar, which was answered by the vengeful Red Dragon Archfiend. The two dragons faced off, mirroring each other in their stances.
"Not bad, Yusei," Jack said grudgingly "maybe you have learned a thing or two. Now it's Stardust Dragon against Red Dragon Archfiend in a fight to the finish. I end my turn with a face-down." The card appeared.
Yusei 4100LP 4SPC/Jack 4700LP 11SPC
"I draw!" Yusei called, doing so with a smile. Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 4100LP 5SPC) (Jack 4700LP 12SPC).
"I activate my Speed Spell – Silver Contrails, allowing me to raise the power of a Wind Attribute monster by 1000 since I have five Speed Counters! And that bonus is going right to Stardust Dragon!" A tornado burst into being around Stardust Dragon as Yusei played the card, the celestial dragon giving a roar of pride and power as it glowed with green aura (ATK: 3500). "Now, Stardust Dragon, ice his Red Dragon Archfiend with your Cosmic Flare!"
Stardust Dragon roared as the tornado shattered, unleashing the jet of brilliant white fire from its maw towards Red Dragon Archfiend. Yusei suddenly gasped in shock as a pulse ran through his right forearm painfully.
"Wha… what was that?" he gasped. Jack showed a similar reaction. The Cosmic Flare struck Red Dragon Archfiend, but Jack's dragon just took the attack. A second later, Shield Wing shattered into pixels.
"What happened?" Julian wondered.
"I activated my Synchro Deflector Trap, saving my Archfiend and vaporizing a monster on your field!" Jack called, gesturing to the activated Trap Card just before it faded away. Julian gritted his teeth at Jack's escape.
"Your luck won't last out against Yusei, Jack Atlas," he muttered.
"I lay two cards face-down and switch Ghost Gardna to defence mode," Yusei said. The Gardna knelt and turned dark blue (DEF: 1900) as the face-down cards appeared.
Yusei 4100LP 5SPC/Jack 4700LP 12SPC
"I draw!" Jack yelled. Only Yusei's Speed Counters increased this time, since his own were maxed out (Yusei 4100LP 6SPC).
"It's time to end this! I activate Speed Spell – Acceleration Draw to draw twice since I have twelve Speed Counters!" He drew two cards and smiled as he saw one.
"Now, Red Dragon Archfiend, attack Stardust Dragon with Scorching Crimson… Arghh!" Jack yelled, his arm suddenly throbbing painfully "Scorching Crimson Flare!" Red Dragon Archfiend unleashed a jet of crimson flame at Red Dragon Archfiend, but Ghost Gardna suddenly moved in the way "what? Hey, Gardna, get down in front!"
"Ghost Gardna's effect allows me to redirect an attack to him!" Yusei called "so Red Dragon Archfiend will be battling it, not my Dragon!" Ghost Gardna was promptly incinerated by the Scorching Crimson Flare, but a white glow surrounded Red Dragon Archfiend and it groaned as Ghost Gardna's effect activated (ATK: 2000).
"Yes… now just play that Trap…" Julian breathed.
"I activate the Trap Card Counterattack Beacon!" Yusei called "did you see this one coming, Jack?! When your monster attacks and destroys my monster in battle, I can activate Counterattack Beacon to empower one of my monsters with an extra 500 points, and then your attacking monster is forced to battle with my strengthened monster!" Stardust Dragon glowed with energy (ATK: 3000).
"Stardust Dragon, attack… Arghh!" Yusei cried as his arm throbbed again. Jack cried out as well. "Stardust Dragon, attack with Cosmic Flare!" Stardust Dragon roared and unleashed its Cosmic Flare, but Jack's Trap Card lifted up.
"I activate the Trap Card Prideful Roar!" Jack yelled "with this, I can pay Life Points equal to the difference between our monsters' attack points to have my Archfiend become 300 points stronger!" He glowed with red aura (Jack 3700LP 12SPC) and Red Dragon Archfiend roared (ATK: 3300). "Red Dragon Archfiend, strike back with Scorching Crimson Flare!" The great demonic dragon roared as it unleashed its attack and both duelists cried out in pain as the attacks met, their arms burning with almost unbearable pain as the flames tore at themselves…
Clouds of red aura formed around the arena, noticed only by Julian, who gave a gasp of amazement.
"Can this be… have they actually brought it here…?" he whispered in awe…
Suddenly the Scorching Crimson Flare tore at Stardust Dragon, but Yusei's dragon remained intact.
"What?!" Jack cried "your dragon should be gone!" Then he noticed the warrior crouched beside Stardust Dragon, with a black shield clutched in one hand and a spear in the other, a samurai-style helm on his head. "Shield Warrior? But you discarded him for your Angel Baton Speed Spell!"
"By removing Shield Warrior in my Graveyard from play, I can stop one of my monsters being destroyed in battle!" Yusei shouted "so Stardust Dragon is safe, although I still take damage." His Life Points decreased (Yusei 3800LP 6SPC).
"Now Prideful Roar and Counterattack Beacon wear off," Julian murmured, still focused on the clouds. True to form, both Stardust Dragon (ATK: 2500) and Red Dragon Archfiend (ATK: 3000) returned to their original points scores.
"I end my turn!" Jack snarled "by throwing down this face-down!" The card appeared.
Yusei 3800LP 6SPC/Jack 3700LP 12SPC
"I draw!" Yusei yelled, doing so. His Speed Counters increased (Yusei 3800LP 7SPC).
"I activate my Speed Spell – Speed Energy, raising Stardust Dragon's points by my Speed Counters times 200!" Stardust Dragon glowed with shining white aura (ATK: 3900). "Stardust Dragon… ARGHH!" He gave an almighty cry of pain as his arm throbbed once again, incredibly violently this time. "Stardust Dragon, attack Red Dragon Archfiend with Cosmic Flare!" Stardust Dragon breathed its white flame jet again, but Jack's Trap Card lifted up.
"I activate Archfiend's Contract!" he yelled "with this, the attack is negated and we both take damage equal to my monster's points!" Energy exploded from Red Dragon Archfiend and struck them both, tearing cries of pain from their lips.
(Yusei 800LP 3SPC)
(Jack 700LP 9SPC)
"I end my turn with two face-down cards!" Yusei called. The cards appeared behind Stardust Dragon.
Yusei 800LP 3SPC/Jack 700LP 9SPC
"I draw!" Jack yelled "this is the end, Yusei!" Their Speed Counters increased (Yusei 800LP 4SPC) (Jack 700LP 9SPC).
"Yes it is!" Yusei yelled "one way or another!"
Suddenly, their arms pulsed violently and they both cried out in pain, their dragons roaring in unison as the crimson clouds flowed together, forming a red stream that encircled the arena, a golden eye becoming visible in it as great wings expanded from the stream and it gave a roar, curling inwards above the Turbo Duelists. Julian gave a gasp of shock.
"The Crimson Dragon…" he breathed "I'm really seeing it…"
Yusei and Jack's eyes both began to glow red and shining crimson marks flashed into being on their arms, wings on Jack's arm, what seemed to be a tail on Yusei's. Julian stared in amazement down at them, sheer disbelief apparent.
"They're both Signers!" he gasped in shock.
"Whose dragon is that?!" Jack yelled, glaring up at the immense Crimson Dragon "I'll teach you to play tricks on me Yusei! I play my Speed Spell – The End of Storm!" The Spell appeared.
"We have to stop this!" Yusei shouted.
"There's no other way to end this!" Jack yelled "if this Duel takes us into Hell I won't end it until one of us wins!"
"Alright, but we'll regret this!" Yusei yelled "I Tribute Stardust Dragon to negate your End of Storm Speed… ARGHH!"
White energy exploded into being accompanied by the howling wind and both duelists were thrown aside. All around the lights shut out, but Julian just stood in amazement and beheld the Crimson Dragon. The great star-god roared and soared upwards, breaking through Speed World and spreading its wings, tearing apart the clouds in its flight as it ascended before dissolving into great crimson dust that rained down.
Julian remained spellbound for a moment before concern turned his gaze down to the track. However, the sound of sirens approaching forced him to his Duel Runner and escape.
"Sorry Yusei…" he thought "but I promise you, as soon as I can help, I will…"
04
Both Duel Runners were lying on their sides, steam venting from their engines. Yusei and Jack had been thrown from their rides by the force of the gale and both were lying motionless on the tarmac.
Yusei groaned and slowly stood, clutching his burning right forearm.
"What… what is this?" he groaned, pulling up his sleeve and removing his glove to bear the crimson mark on his arm, which slowly stopped burning and faded away. Jack stared at him in pure amazement.
"Do you know what this is, Jack?" Yusei asked. Jack remained silent. "Say something! What happened, Jack?!"
Suddenly, bright floodlights exploded into being as uniformed figures ran into view, sprinting towards Yusei.
"Yusei Fudo!" an officer yelled over a loudspeaker "you are in violation of Code 36B stating that no resident of the Satellite may enter New Domino City! You are under arrest! Put your hands in the air and do not attempt to resist! We have you surrounded!"
Yusei numbly obeyed, his eyes fixed on Jack even as the officers grabbed him and forced his arms behind his back, even as the cold steel handcuffs closed around his wrists. He let them take him away, his mind fiercely at work behind his blank face…
04
From a side street, Julian watched them take Yusei into custody, piling him into the back of a van. He bowed his head in shame as he watched the doors close, because for a second he swore Yusei was looking right at him.
"I'm sorry," he said "but I can't do this alone. It's time to get some help from an old friend…"
04
Card Stats:
55555
Monsters:
55555
Shield Wing
WIND/ Winged-Beast/Effect /Level 2/ATK: 0/DEF: 900
Twice per turn, if this card would be destroyed by battle, it is not destroyed. (Damage calculation is applied normally).
(Shield Wing is a promotional card released in the sets Duel Disk – Yusei Version, Jump Festa 2009 Special Card Pack and V-Jump Card Festa Promotional Cards in Japan. A TCG release for it is currently unknown.)
55555
Spells:
55555
Speed Spell – Shift Down
Normal Spell Card
Image: This card's image was not shown.
Remove 6 of your Speed Counters. Draw 2 cards.
(Speed Spell – Shift Down was first used by Yusei Fudo against Hunter Pace/Mukuro Enjo in Episode 17 of 5D's. Creative credit goes to the writers of 5D's.)
55555
Speed Spell – Sonic Buster
Normal Spell Card
Image: A man in the foreground being bombarded by sound waves. The monster releasing the sound waves cannot be identified.
Activate only while you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 monster you control and inflict damage to your opponent equal to half its ATK. (This effect does not resolve if this card's effect reduces your opponent's Life Points to 0.)
(Speed Spell – Sonic Buster was first used by Trudge/Tetsu Ushio against Yusei Fudo in Episode 3 of 5D's. Creative credit goes to the writers of 5D's.)
55555
Speed Spell – Ruler's Burst
Normal Spell Card
Image: Imprisoned Queen Archfiend launching a blast of crimson energy from her hand.
Activate only while you have 4 or more Speed Counters. Select one card your opponent controls and destroy it.
(Speed Spell – Ruler's Burst is my own invention and creative credit for it goes to me.)
55555
Speed Spell – Silver Contrails
Normal Spell Card
Image: A fighter pilot outside a hanger, staring up at three jets in the sky.
Activate only while you have 5 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 WIND monster you control. The selected monster gains 1000 ATK during the Battle Phase this turn.
(Speed Spell – Silver Contrails was first used by Yusei Fudo against Jack Atlas in Episode 5 of 5D's. Creative credit goes to the writers of 5D's.)
55555
Speed Spell – The End of Storm
Normal Spell Card
Image: Nightshroud in his true form hovering in mid-air, with a ring of orange energy around him.
Activate only while you have 10 or more Speed Counters. Destroy all monsters on the field and inflict 300 damage to each player for each monster they controlled that was destroyed.
(Speed Spell – The End of Storm was technically first used by Jack Atlas against Yusei Fudo in Episode 5 of 5D's. Creative credit goes to the writers of 5D's.)
55555
Traps:
55555
Miracle Guardian
Normal Trap Card
Image: Guardian Eatos blocking a Burst Stream of Destruction with the Celestial Sword – Eatos.
Activate only when a monster(s) you control would be destroyed by your opponent's card effect. Negate the activation and effect of that card, then you can destroy a number of monsters your opponent controls equal to the number of monsters that would have been destroyed by that effect.
*
Archfiend's Contract
Normal Trap Card
Image: Shadowknight Archfiend standing beside Terrorking Archfiend, who is using his claws to carve writing into a piece of stone. Opposite them are Goldd, Wu-Lord of Dark World and Reign-Beaux, Overlord of Dark World.
Activate only when an 'Archfiend' monster you control is selected as an attack target. Negate that attack and deal damage equal to that monster's ATK to both players.
(The above two cards are my own inventions and creative credit for them goes to me.)
55555
Harmonia Mirror
Normal Trap Card
Image: A beautiful woman in a pink robe sat beside a mirror rimmed by a carved black serpent.
Activate only when your opponent Special Summons a Synchro Monster except by Synchro Summon. Take control of that monster.
(Harmonia Mirror was first used by Yusei Fudo against Jack Atlas in Episode 5 of 5D's. Creative credit goes to the writers of 5D's.)
04
Digidramon: Well, this is officially the longest chapter I have ever written, coming out at around 24 pages on Microsoft Word using Arial Size 10. But it was worth it for that epic Duel between Yusei and Jack, right?!
Julian: That was one incredible Duel. I have to say that.
Digidramon: Thanks for that, Julian. I appreciate that.
Akiza: Digidramon does not own Yu-Gi-Oh.
Blake: That was one epic Duel between Jack and Yusei. I loved every second.
Digidramon: Thanks Blake. I actually used quite a few lines from the dub, mixed with stuff from the original, like I kept Rex grabbing Mina by the chin. That's the fun of this. I get to take stuff from the original and mix it with the dub to make my own unique view on the show. I especially like using the Synchro Chants. Anyway, Crow, Featured Card please.
Crow: Today's Cards are Stardust Dragon, Red Dragon Archfiend, Speed Spell – Silver Contrails, Speed Spell – The End of Storm and Harmonia Mirror!
Julian: I choose Stardust Dragon as Today's Featured Card! It has a very useful ability, and as we all know, is Digidramon's favourite of the Five Dragons.
Digidramon: True indeed. Next time on Seven Spirits, Julian goes to someone you may remember from Seven Spirits for help, but this person wants a Duel from Julian to prove that he is fully determined to help Yusei out! Can Julian best an old friend, even if this friend's Deck is different this time around? Just who is Julian asking for hope? And how will it turn out?
To find out, read chapter 5 of Spirit Legends, known as E-Emergency Call!
