CHAPTER 4
Zombies are among the first types to be released in the game. From the humble Skull Servant, to state of the art cards like Archfiend Zombie-Skull, this type of monsters have been a strong presence in the competitive scene.
Their strength lies in their ability to regenerate from the graveyard. With monsters like Vampire Genesis, Zombie Master, Il Blud, Mezuki, as well as cards like Book of Life they can provide you with a steady stream of monsters to hammer at the opponent's life points. Being the only type to have a searcher that can summon a monster based on the DEF rather than the ATK, Pyramid Turtle can fetch vastly superior monster to those that can be summoned by other monsters. The effect of Gobblin Zombie also lets you add monsters to your hand, giving you vast options.
With the benefit of two incredibly strong field spells, they have all the sides covered. Infernalvenia can destroy all monsters on the field, while Zombie World shuts down tribute summons for anything that isn't a Zombie. Anyone attempting to duel someone who plays a variant of a Zombie Deck must keep in mind that the deck's main weakness is the removal of cards from the game. Shut down the graveyard, and the tide will slowly begin to turn. Cards like Dimesional Fissure can become game changing devices, offering you the upper hand.
The lights went back up, and professor Aldein lowered the screen. Most of the students were rubbing their eyes, adjusting to the sudden burst of light. The video presentation was interesting, at least to two Slifer Red students who Jason knew were playing some variant of zombie decks, while others simply listened to gain information against payers who played this sort of deck.
"Now remember students, knowing how the most popular decks work is an important step in entering the major leagues. Today we covered a general overview on zombies, and starting with next week we'll cover specific strategies used by this type. But before we do that, can you tell me a few ways to negate some of the disadvantages zombies may have to face?"
Several hands were raised. Andora was one of them, and Jason wasn't surprised. Most of her deck was Anti-Meta, so she knew more than anyone about counter strategies. One of the students got up and answered.
"We have cards like Imperial Iron Wall. It can be used to keep cards from being removed from play."
"Good, very good. But what if the deck runs cards like Dark Armed Dragon or The Dark Creator. Can we find a short term solution?"
"Cursed Seal of The Forbidden Spell" shouted another students. "It cancels the spell and it prevents the opponent from using another copy of it."
"Or we can use it to our advantage. Let the opponent remove some of our monsters and turn the duel around with Return from the Different Dimension" said another.
"Well, it seems we have quite a large variety of options" laughed Hannah, closing her laptop. "So we'll see each other next week, and until then, make sure to finish the chapter on cards that target the graveyard".
"Man, this place sure has a tough program" said Oliver as he went back to the dorm. "We just can't seem to catch a break"
"Well, this is what we wanted. We work, we eat, we become pros" said Jason. Speaking of which, let's go. They're serving rice and Shangai chicken for lunch".
0 0 0 0 0 0
"One more bowl of rice" shouted Oliver, as he made his way to the cook's counter.
"Take it easy, that's the second one you had today" laughed Jason.
"So what, there's plenty of room for more".
The Slifer Red lunch room was large enough to fit all the students. It was noisy, crowded, but there were plenty of opportunities to mingle. A large TV screen was set up, several were watching the outcome of what appeared to be a duel.
"Hey, check it out, that's professor Rossler", shouted a few voices.
Several students made their way to the screen, eager to see what the story was about. From their position, Jason and Oliver could see the screen, but only slightly. It was indeed Rossler. He wasn't wearing his usual uniform, but rather a light blue suit, with a matching duel disk. Several reporters were around him, desperate to ask questions. Oliver couldn't help but feel a bit nauseous.
"Sir, how do you feel about your fifth consecutive win in the pro league this year?"
"Is it true that you might leave the academy to pursue a professional career even further?" asked another.
Rossler smiled, and tightened his collar, before facing the cameras.
"One at a time please. Yes, I often consider leaving the academy to pursue the dueling career further, but I then think of my students. Without me, well, they'll be in the dark forever."|
"Is this guy for real" puffed Jason, crossing his arms. "He gaved me a F for not knowing the name of some dead guy buried thousands of years ago".
"Lucky you, I had to read four extra chapters on ancient burial rights. And trust me, I don't need to go to sleep with pictures of half embalmed bodies in my brain."
They turned their attention to the screen, where Rossler began again to endulge in statements of self glorification.
"As for me, winning is not a big deal. I'm like a man riding along in a caravan. A dog barking on the side of the road doesn't post much of a problem to me. When I duel, I do it to win. If you imagine you can gain something by loosing, think again."
"Can I ask you something about an article published a few weeks ago?" asked a young reporter. "Some allege that you use magic to win some duels. How do you comment on that?"
"Ridiculous" laughed Rossler. "Just because I teach a subject that is, lets just say, a but unorthodox, does that make me some voodoo priest? No. I win on skills, nothing more. If you want to believe that, go right ahead."
Jason and Oliver looked at the screen, puzzled and amused.
"And he teaches us huh?"
"Well, I do have to admit that I'm a bit jealous" said Oliver, moving his food trough his plate lazily. "I mean, I kinda wish I had some magical powers to make duels easier".
"You serious? You just won a great duel a few days ago, and you did it on your own terms".
"True, but I did doubt myself. And you know what, I'm going to try it"
"What?"
"See if magic can improve my game. Heck, if anything, it's going to help me get past the next test on Dueling Mathematics…I hope".
"Look, you better not join some cult and…"
He didn't have time to finish the sentence, and Oliver had finished the food on his plate, and he was packing his pack.
"Sorry, gotta go. I need to get some books"
He made his way trough the rows of students, and left the cafeteria in a hurry. Jason looked, puzzled and amused at the same time.
0 0 0 0 0 0
A few hours later, after several studies in the library, Jason entered his room, and was meet by the smell of burning insence. He went in, and was met by the most strange sight he had ever seen. Three posters had been hung on the wal opposite to the window, each showing the 3 Egyptian Gods. The floor was strewn with cards, books, and pieces of cloth. An altar of some sorts was set up, holding a glass, a few pictures, and sticks of insence. Oliver himself looked even stranger. He was dressed in his bath robe, with a bandana around his forehead, decorated with kanji symbols.
"Okay, what cult did you join?" chuckled Jason.
"Oh, this? It's just my new start in taping into the supernatural. See, it says right here: if you meditate and believe strongly, you can conjure up the spirits of duel monsters. Look, they even have a case recorded right here. In the time of Jaden Yuki, a bunch of students held a séance and summoned Jinzo. Okay, he did tried to kill them, but that's besides the point. "
"So, you want to summon the ghost of dueling past or something? Come on, this is silly. And I hope you don't plan on burning that stuff here all night" said Jason, whipping the smell from his nose.
"Almost done. All I need now to make my new good duel altar to work is to get this stone charged up". He held a small piece of quartz, making Jason raise an eyebrow.
"Charge it where?"
"You know I told you about the abandoned dorm, right? Well, I did some checking around campus, and I found that it's the perfect place to go if you want to tap into the other side. So I'm going there tonight, to see if it really works".
"I really don't think you should?"
"O yes I am. And you're going to come with me."
"You're kidding, right?"
"Come on Jason, think of it like a field trip. Besides, that crackpot Rossler always wants to get us into this sort of stuff. Maybe we can do a project on the topic. Duel haunting in the academy. How's that sound?"
"I think it's stupid. But I can't have you walking in the woods alone, so I'll come."
Oliver jumped up, and gaved him a hug.
"Thanks a million. We go at midnight."
He turned back to the altar and began chanting from a book he was holding in his lap.
0 0 0 0 0 0
Hannah had just finished locking the door to her class, when Rossler passed by. He didn't bother to answer, but then again, neither did Hannah. The cold teacher rarely answered greetings, from students or fellow teachers.
"That was quite an impressive duel" said the woman. "If you keep this up, you might just get a deal in the pro leagues, and leave".
"As would you, if you spend more time dueling than investing into these students" replied Rossler with a wicked grin. "What you see in them is beyond me".
"You'd understand if you would actually get attached to some of your students".
"Thanks, but no. Anybody wants anything with me?"
"Yea, the chancellor wants to see you. Something about the coming tournament".
"Fine, I'll go to see him this afternoon. Thanks for the tip".
He left the trophy on his desk, and left, not bothering to say goodbye.
******
Gould and Rossler sat down at the office, each with a clip board in front of them. The chancellor checked the name on the list, then looked at the dark haired teacher.
"Is this your final choice?"
"For the blue dorm, yes. My best choice is miss Summerside, though I think that Koji Ikumi would be a great choice for a reserve. He's a genius, and has a deck that's pretty impressive. I'm not sure about the Red Dorm."
"They didn't choose one" said Gould.
"Why am I not surprised. Lloyd never was one to make a quick decision. Why do we keep him here anyways?"
"Because he's funny. And lest I forget, he beat you in the entrance exam."
Rossler ignored the remark, though a small red tinge could be seen in his cheeks.
"What about the Yellows?"
"They don't have a representative either. Van Dunkan said he wants to use Marie Wallsworth, though she might not be the best choice. She has stage fright, and won't stand the strain of dueling in front of 20000 people. Not the best situation".
"Might I suggest dropping the other dorms, and just picking the remaining three from the Blue Dorm? They are after all, the best."
"And break such a honorable academy tradition? No. and besides, we still have nearly four months. Still enough time."
"If you say so sir".
The chancellor got up, and walked to the window. The sun was ready to set, bright and red.
"Rossler, I want you to lead the team in the coming tournament".
The dark haired man got up, not sure on how to answer. Part of him was in doubt, yet he still hoped that it might be true.
"I thought that Jade was your choice sir".
"Well, it never was determined. And I can choose who I want. Are you up for the challenge?"
"I'm always ready".
"Good. Then all you need to do is select the team you want, and start training them"
"Anything else?"
"No. Just do what you do best."
"Which is winning."
"No. Keep people of guard with your charm".
Rossler smiled, then left the room. Though apparently surprised, Gould could notice the dark look in his eyes. Still, he chose to ignore it. I'll give him enough time. Anyone can change with enough time.
0 0 0 0 0 0
Night had fallen, and most of the lights in the Red Dorm were out. Still, one more first floor window was lit. In their room, Oliver had packed a small bag with several items, including flashlights, two books, and a map.
"There, that should be all".
"Good. Now let's get this over with. My eyes are ready to fall off".
"Come on, it's all in the name of science. And besides, how many can say they had the courage to go to a haunted place in the middle of the night to talk to duel monster spirits".
"Still sounds stupid to me. But just in case, I'll take these along".
He took his duel disk and deck, and threw them in his backpack. The two boys left the room, walking quietly along the halls. The dorm was quiet, all the rooms having the lights shut of. They left the room trough the cafeteria, and went by the main academy building. The night was clear, under the many stars and silvery crescent of the Moon.
"So where the hell is this dorm?"
"About a mile from here. At least that's what they told me".
The two boys walked to the edge of the paved road, and searched for their flashlights.
"Well, here we go" said Oliver, turning his light on.
"Okay, let…"
The sound of footsteps coming towards them made them jump up in fright. Oliver quickly turned of the light, and both jumped into the bushes. Peeking trough the leaves, they managed to see a person walking along the road, carefully looking around. Jason narrowed his eyes, and made out who it was. Rossler.
"I told you this was a bad idea"
"Okay, my bad. Look, let's just stay here. He's bound to leave. Eventually…"
The man looked around, then walked into the woods. The two raised up their heads, whipping the leaves from their clothes.
"That was close"
"Who cares, he's gone now. Question is, what was he doing out so late?"
"Clearly not taking a walk. And he was going in the direction of the abandoned dorm. What do you think he's doing there?"
"Who cares, let's get out of here" said Oliver.
"Come on, where's your spirit of adventure? Let's follow him."
"Are you crazy?"
"No. Okay, maybe. But first I need to see someone."
Both of them quickly ran back, managing to find their way around the buildings, until they reached the Obelisk Blue Girls Dorm. Jason picked up a hand of small pebbles, and looked to a window on the second floor. He picked up the first pebble and threw it.
"Jason, this is a bad idea."
"Look, I know what I'm doing" he replied, throwing two more pebbles.
"Famous last words" groaned Oliver.
The light was turned on in the room, and a girl came to the window. She was wearing a nightgown, with her hair tied in a bun. She looked down angrily.
"What the hell are you doing here?"
"S…sorry. Is Andora in?"
"Are you crazy? It's one in the morning. Get out of here you freak!"
"Look, I need to talk to her."
"Wait for daylight Romeo"
"Jason, is that you" asked a sleepy voice.
Andora walked to the window, rubbing her eyes. The other girl looked down, then back at her.
"You know these two?"
"Yes, Jesse. Now go back to bed."
"And you complain about my friends" grumbled the other girl, as she turned around, and covering herself with the blanket.
Andora looked down, covering her chest with her arms to protect herself from the cold of the night.
"Jason, what are you doing here?"
"Look, you need to come. We just saw Rossler going into the woods. He sure looked suspicious. If you hurry, we might just catch him."
"Suspicious how?"
"Well he was going to the abandoned dorm, and…"
Andora narrowed her eyes, making Oliver feel even smaller.
"Oliver, you're into this as well? Okay, I don't even want to know who started this, or why. But if you're going to get a detention, I might as well come. That way, I can get you off with only washing dishes for a week".
She closed the window, and turned of the lights. A few minutes later, she was down, dressed and ready. The three of them ran to the same spot where they first met Rossler, and got of the main lane. The forest was thick, and the tree cover made the light of the moon and stars hard to reach.
"I think we should use the flashlights" suggested Oliver.
"No, he might see us".
"I can't see a thing here."
After about ten minutes, they reached the former dorm. It was a 3 story building, much like the regular Slifer Red dorm. Most of the windows were either broken, or nailed with pieces of wood. The door was opened, sreeking in the wind.
"I guess that makes our job that much easier" said Jason, pushing the door slowly.
The inside was in no better shape. Much of the wallpaper had been striped, revealing the bare wood. Dust and spider webs filled the ceiling, and a rotten smell filled the air.
"I feel like I'm in a Scooby Doo show" whispered Oliver.
"Yeah, let's just hope there's no ghosts around here".
They continued along the corridor. Still, there was no sign of Rossler. Finally they entered into what appeared to be a lobby. Much of the furniture had been removed, except for a few chairs and a couch.
"So now what, he's not here" asked Andora.
"He couldn't just disappeared. He must be here somewhere".
"Maybe there's a secret passage" suggested Oliver. "Let's start looking".
"They spend the next ten minutes turning every chair, paper, and touching each wall. Still, there was nothing. By the end, all three were dusty, and frustrated.
"And to think I could be in bed by now" shouted Andora, kicking an empty tin can.
The can hit one of the walls, then reverberated, hitting one of the holes in the opposite wall. Before either of the boys could say anything, the wall vibrated, and slid aside, revealing an old staircase.
"What can I say, I've got a natural charm for these things" smiled the girl.
It was too dark to see anything, so Jason turned on his flashlight. The rest followed. The whole place seemed to be a cellar, with the walls made of uncut stones. There were several lanterns hung on the ceiling, so there was enough light to see. Jason turned of the flashlight, and walked slowly, checking the corner. There could be heard noises, and as they got closer, it became obvious that it was two people talking.
"I hear voices" said Andora. "Someone else is here".
"Let's see who" said Jason, as he peeked trough the slightly opened door.
Andora and Oliver too looked trough one of the holes in the wood, and were simply stunned. In the next room, sitting next to a table, was Rossler, and next to him, another person. He wore a black robe, with the hood covering much of his face. Oliver wanted to whisper something to Jason, but Andora covered his mouth quickly. The two men seemed to be in a heated debate.
"Are you sure about that?"
"As far as I can tell, yes. The chancellor wants me to lead the team in the tournament. That means we'll be spending more time in company."
"And it makes my job that much harder. The less people see us together, the better. You have a nasty habit of getting into situations whose only purpose is to gratify you."
"And you find that wrong?"
"Usually no. but I do have a problem when it comes against my own plans."
Rossler took out a small piece of paper from his pocket and handed it to the hooded man. He looked over it, and placed it in the folds of his clothes.
"Are these the possible candidates?"
"Most likely yes. Though I'm not sure about the last two."
"What do you think they're talking about" whispered Oliver.
"I don't know. Something about candidates."
Jason looked into the room, as far as the opening in the door allowed him. The two men exchanged some words, then the hooded person got up.
"Listen, how many people are going to die in this thing?" asked Rossler.
"All of them" answered the other. "I still have some business in Germany. Once that's been taken care of, the whole world will burn."
In the dim light, Rossler appeared unmoved. Yet something in his eyes could tell the fear that was rising in him. He got up, and pushed the chair back in his place.
"I was hoping it wouldn't come to that."
"Would you prefer I left you out?"
"No." he answered quietly.
"What's he saying?" asked Andora.
"Guys, I think we need to get out of here" said Jason in a panic.
"I'm with you. I've had enough of this place."
They pulled back from the door slowly, carefully not to touch or knock anything to make noise. They staggered up the stairs, and ran down the hall.
"Jason, what did that guy say?" asked Andora panting.
"Tell you later. Just keep running!"
Back in the cellar, the hooded man lifted his arm, and a black duel disk appeared on it, equipped with a deck.
"What are you doing?"
"We had some uninvited guests at our meeting" he answered, grinning.
"Hurry up, the door is right ahead" said Oliver.
They ran, but suddenly, the door slammed shut. Jason hit it with his shoulder, pulled on the handles, but to no avail.
"Jason, we need to get out of here" shouted Oliver.
"I'm trying, it's not budging. Give me a hand."
Both hit the door at the same time, but were just knocked back. Then they heard footsteps behind them. Andora gulped, and moved closer to Jason, as the hooded man approached them.
"What do you want?" asked the girl.
"To know how much you heard."
"Look, we don't know anything. We don't even have a clue who you are. We won't tell anyone" pleaded Oliver.
"Why should I ? You're mine to deal as I wish".
"Then let them go" said Jason. "I heard your little talk, not them".
"Strong words boy, but can you back them up?"
"What do you mean?"
"Duel me. And if you can win, you can go. If not…"
He reached in the folds of the clothes and pulled out a long sharp dagger, then pushed it back in it's scabbard. He raised his disk, and activated it.
"Time to duel. But to make things more interesting…"
He thrust his hand forward, and an unearthly roar was heard. The whole building shook, and the objects in the room flew all over the place. A circle of dark fire erupted from the floor, encircling Jason and the hooded man, knocking Andora and Oliver into the wall.
"What did you do, what is this?!" shouted Jason.
"This is my version of holo-duels. Only in here, if you get hurt, you get hurt for real.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"You'll see soon enough. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll take my first turn".
??? 8000 – Jason 8000
"I begin with a defense monster, and one face-down. Make your move boy."
Okay, he's trying to keep me guessing. But I can't afford to play his game now. I have to win quick.
"To begin, I discard my Level Eater, to special summon Quickdraw Synchron".
A strange mechanized cowboy appeared, wearing a Mexican poncho (700/1400). Five cards appeared in front of it, and they began to spin. The machine shot at random, shattering it, but not before it was revealed to be Junk Synchron.
"Thanks to my monster's effect, I can substitute this guy for any Synchron monster I want. And as you can see, I choose Junk Synchron. And now, I'll reduce it's level by 1 to special summon Level Eater from my graveyard".
A red and yellow beatle appeared, having a bright star on it's back (600/0). Both monsters dissolved into five green stars. From the beam of light, a new monster emerged. It wore a blue armor and white scarf around it's neck, and a long, metallic wing on each shoulder pad (2300/1300).
"My Junk Warrior should be enough to take down whatever you have there. Now attack!"
The warrior struck the face-down with his fist, but was knocked back. A black robed skeletal figure rose, wielding a scythe (300/200). Jason clenched his fist.
"Spirit Reaper right?"
"Yes. And he's enough to keep you of for now".
"I place two face-downs and end my turn" said Jason.
??? 8000 – Jason 8000
"My move then. And since you now have a monster on the field, my strategy can enter into effect. For now I can special summon the monster known as Hellfire Spearsman - Ghost Lancer, in attack mode. Then I switch my Reaper to attack mode".
A pillar of fire erupted , and Jason had to keep himself from screaming. The creature was somewhat human, but it's skin was bright red. It wore a Chinese soldier uniform, and was armed with a long spear (2000/0).
"What the hell is that?" shouted Oliver.
"It's only the beginning" answered the man "My army from hell will win this duel. and once it does, you'll all fall into darkness."
"Your monster won't win anything with 2000 ATK" replied Jason.
"It will, once I play my Shrink card"
Junk warrior began to glow, and shrunk in size, until it looked like a dwarf in comparison to the zombie (1150/1300).
"Hellfire Spearsman, attack Junk Warrior" commanded the man.
The creature raised it's spear, and a fireball shot out, and hit the warrior, turning it to ashes. At the same time, the fire hit Jason. The boy felt the heat. Not only that, he felt the force of the impact. He felt the fire burning his flesh.
"What's going on?"
"I said you'll get hurt for real, didn't I ? Here, the pain is real. And so will be your end."
"I don't get it" said Oliver.
"It's a shadow game" said Andora slowly.
"Jason, watch out, you're in more danger than you think".
"Thanks, I think I saw that. But I can still do this: activate my trap: Spirit Force" shouted Jason. "Thanks to it, I take no battle damage. But since I don't have a Warrior-type Tuner in my graveyard, I can't use the second effect".
"I end my turn" answered the man.
Jason drew, and checked his cards. Okay, I need to make a choice. His Spirit Reaper is in attack mode, and if I attack it, I can deal some damage. But the problem is his Hellfire Spearsman. It has an effect, but I have no idea what. And worst, I don't have a card in my hand that can destroy it yet.
"I summon Field Commander Rahz, in attack mode. And thanks to it's effect, I can add 1 level 4 Warrior-type monster from my deck to the top of my deck".
A warrior dressed in a silvery battered armor appeared (1600/1200), and Jason took a card from his deck and placed it on the top of his deck.
"Next, I play the spell card Tuning. With it, I can take a Synchron monster from my deck to my hand, as long as I send cards from the top of my deck to the graveyard for each of it's levels. And my choice is Drill Synchron".
"Attack his Spirit Reaper" shouted Jason.
The warrior rushed forward, but the man just reached his duel disk.
"Activate trap: Red Ghost Moon. At the cost of a Zombie from my hand, I can end your Battle Phase, and gain life points equal to the ATK of one of your monsters".
"I place a face-down and end my turn" said Jason quietly.
??? 9600 – Jason 7150
"You're way over your head kid. But you'll see that soon enough"
"Just go" snarled Jason. "You're not winning, not as long as I'm dueling with their fate on the line".
"How noble, and yet how foolish".
"I summon another of my creatures from hell: Hellfire Winged Lizard - Ghost Wyvern"
Another pillar of fire appeared, and from it a dragon-like creature emerged. It's wings were covered in smoking fire, and the rest of the body was slender, covered in black scales (1700/0).
"No, not another one of those things" gasped Jason.
"And I'm afraid you're in even deeper trouble. I play the spell card Circle of Terror. With this in play, neither one of us can summon monsters, unless we discard a monster".
This is bad. This is very bad.
"Now it's time to cut some more of your life points. Ghost Wyvern, attack his warrior.
The dragon shot a ball of fire that engulfed the warrior. The warrior struck the fire with his sword, and managed to deflect it into the walls of the building.
"What happened?!" shouted the hooded man.
"My monster's not going anywhere. Not as long as I have Shield Warrior in my graveyard. All I have to remove it from the game, and my monster can't be destroyed by battle this turn."
"Perhaps, but you do take damage".
Another stream of fire hit Jason, making him scream in pain. He got up slowly, only to be hit by the attack of the second monster. It knocked him back, hitting against the wall of darkness.
"I play a face-down and end my turn" said the man.
Jason got up, whipping his sweat. Okay, I need to get Drill Warrior on the field. Problem is I don't have the right levels to do it. And worst, it's going to cost me a monster extra to do it. He drew, and looked at the card. Now we're talking.
"I start by discarding 1 card to satisfy the effect of your spell card, and summon Drill Synchron"
A machine appeared, looking like a round head on tracts, with drills on each of it's two arms (800/300).
"And I'm not done. Since the monster I discarded was Micro Leveler, I can reduce the level of my tuner by 1. And that's enough to summon my Drill Warrior".
Much like Junk Warrior, this warrior had a white scarf around it's neck, and wore a blue armor. It's right arm was in the shape of a drill (2400/2000). The hooded man took a step back.
"Your monsters are going down. All of them. Thanks to my Micro Leveler, if I use a Synchron monster in a synchro summon, that monster can attack two monsters this turn".
"It what?"
"Maybe this will clear your confusion. Attack his monsters now!"
Drill Warrior struck the dragon first, making it burst into flames. It then turned to the lancer, and pierced it with it's drill, shattering it. The man screamed in rage, as the shockwave hit him, pressing him against the wall of darkness.
"Is that all you've got?"
"Not really. I can still play this: my own Shrink card. And last I checked, if Spririt reaper is targeted by an effect, he's destroyed"
The scythe wielding zombie shrieked and exploded.
"I end my turn" said Jason.
??? 8500 – Jason 6650
"My move then. And I play the spell card Hand Destruction. We each have to discard two cards, and then we draw two new ones"
"Lovely, just lovely" he smiled widely. "First, I activate the trap card Haunted Shrine. Since I have no monsters on the field, I can special summon a Zombie from my graveyard. And that would include Hellfire Spearsman".
The flaming demon reappeared, pointing it's spear menacingly.
"But hey, why stop here. I play the spell card Ghostly Reinforcements. At the cost of a mere 1000 lp, I can summon up to two level 4 or lower Zombies from my graveyard. And my choice is Hellfire Winged Lizard, and a third monster from hell, called Hellfire Sleeping Princess - Ghost Sleeper"
The new monster resembled the other two monsters. It's skin was red rotting, and it's dress resembled that wore by a schoolgirl (1300/0).
"Neither are strong enough to take down my warrior" retorted Jason.
"I can see that. So I place a face-down and end my turn".
Good. All I need is a Polymerisation, and I can summon my ultimate beast. And my trap should buy me one more turn.
Jason made his draw, emboldened by the turn of events. He looked at his card. Yes, another good card.
"I play my Mystical Space Typhoon. So much for your Circle of Terror".
The strong wind made the spell shatter, and the man clenched his fist.
"I'll have to keep destroying your monsters time and time again. Drill Warrior, attack his Hellfire Spearsman".
"Activate trap: Amorphous Barrier. Since I have 3 monsters on the field, your Battle Phase comes to an end".
Damn it, this just isn't my day thought Jason angrily.
"I end my turn' said the boy.
??? 7500 – Jason 6650
"My draw then. And I play the spell card Treasure of the Buried Spells. By removing from the game 3 Spells in my graveyard, I can make two draws".
He grabbed two cards, and grinned widely.
"I play Polymerisation. Now I can fuse my monsters, to summon my ultimate creature: Underworld Dragon Dragonecro.
The three monsters burst into flames, and merged into one single pillar of fire. The result was horrendous. The creature looked more or less like a dragon, it's wings being skeletal and rotting. Massive horns grew from his forehead, and fire and smoke shrouded it's body (3000/0).
"Oh my God" gasped Andora.
"No god can save you now. Feel the power of my creature".
The dragon shot a ball of fire, striking the warrior. When the smoke cleared, the warrior was still there, though the armor was badly burned. Jason was bewildered.
"Let me explain a few things. My monster cannot destroy a monster by battle, nor can he inflict battle damage. But in exchange of that, it inflicts 600 damage each time it battles. And don't think your monster gets away scot-free. It's ATK becomes zero, and I get a Hellfire Token, with the same ATK as the ATK of your monster".
A new bonfire erupted, revealing a token practically identical to the dragon itself (ATK 2400). Jason took a step back.
"Hey, look at the bright side. This token can't destroy monsters in battle either. Your life points however, are another matter"
The clone dragon shot a stream of black fire, engulfing the warrior, and Jason as well. The boy's scream filled the hall, as he collapsed on one side.
"I set a card, and let you take your turn. If you can take it, that is."
"Get up Jason" shouted Andora.
"Come on pal, you can't quit now!"
Quit? Quit on what? He looked at the two monsters facing him, then he tried to focus on the voices of his friends. His whole body hurt. Yet he knew he couldn't quit at this point. He needed to get them out. I dragged them here, I need to get them out.
He looked at his deck, and reached his hand to it. Please, if my life means anything, let this be the card I need.
"This is the end" grinned the man.
"In your dreams. I draw" Yes, I'm safe.
"I summon Nitro Synchron, in attack mode" The gas tube shaped tuner appeared, blowing steam (300/200).
"And with him in play, I can tune him with my Drill Warrior, to summon my best monster: Colossal Fighter"
The massive futuristic warrior appeared, standing protectively before Jason (2800/1000 3400/1000).
"Also, thanks to Nitro Synchron, I can draw 1 card". Perfect.
"I play the spell card Synchro Blast Wave. Since I have a synchro monster in play, I can destroy any face-up card I want. And you dragon from hell is my target".
An energy wave shot out, shattering the huge dragon, making the man shield himself with his cape.
"You'll pay for that!"
"Not before you. I still have this card to play: Assault Armor. Since I only control one monster, and it happens to be a Warrior, I can give it 300 ATK points. But why stop there. I offer my Assault Armor, and my monster can attack twice this turn".
"Colossal Fighter, attack"
The warrior struck the dragon token, making it explode in a gust of fire and smoke. He then turn to the masked man, and hit him with his fist. The man's body contorted with pain, and he collapsed on all four, gasping for breath.
"You can dish it out, but you can't take it, can't you?"
"You know nothing of me. Nor of my power."
"Then make your turn. If you won't let my fiends out, I'll get them out any way I can".
??? 4100 – Jason 3650
"Don't get your hopes up kid. This is my fight. And you're not going to get the best of me".
"We'll see about that!"
"We shall indeed. And by the looks of things, we'll see right now. I play my Book of Life. First, I can special summon a Zombie from my graveyard, so I think you can guess whose coming back. And just to be sure, I use my card's other effect to remove Level Eater from your graveyard"
The flaming dragon appeared, roaring in rage at the sight of the warrior. Windows shattered and objects in the room began to fly all over the place. One of the chairs flew towards Andora and Oliver.
"Watch out" shouted the blonde duelist, pushing the girl to the ground, just in time to avoid the collision.
"Try summoning something original for a change". shouted Jason.
"Why bother. When I have something so powerful at my disposal, why change it for something weaker. And this time I won't limit myself to just pain. Your monster sickens me, so I'll dispose of it once and for all. I equip my monster with Saber of Malice. Now, if my monster battles a monster in defense mode, that monster is destroyed instantly".
"Too bad my monster isn't in defense mode"
"He'll be soon enough. I play Enemy Controller to change that"
Colossal Fighter knelled, shielding himself with his arms.
"No, that's Jason's best monster. He can't loose that!" exclaimed Oliver.
"He'll lose it, and so will he loose his life. Now my monster, attack".
The dragon raised his sword, which began to glow bright red. It shot a beam of fire, heading right to the warrior. This is going to hurt. But I have no choice. I have to, if I want to win.
"I activate my trap: Astral Shift. This changes your attack into a direct attack, and it let's me draw 1 card as well"
"You're either crazy, or delusional kid. That will cost you nearly all of your life points. But if you want that, go right ahead and feel the pain"
The black fire struck Jason, but unlike the previous times, something else happened. The boy just stood, untouched by pain. Much to Oliver and Andora's surprise, five bright points of light appeared, one on Jason's forehead, one on each palm, and one on each foot. The fire died down slowly, and the light also vanished.
"What was that?" asked Oliver.
"I don't know. I just don't know." replied Andora.
The man was also surprised. What's going on here? Who is this boy?
Jason made his draw, more filled with energy than he had ever felt before. His very presence made the room pulse with power, radiating and surging.
"The duel ends here. I draw. First, I play the spell card Battle Waltz. Since I have a Synchro monster in play, this card gives me a token with the same stats as that monster"
Colossal Fighter glowed, and a pale image split from it, looking identical to the original one (2800/1000).
"Colossal Token, attack his monster".
"You really must be desperate".
The dragon shot a ball of fire, striking the token. At the same time, the token struck the dragon, forcing it to it's knees. Another copy of the dark dragon appeared, burning (2800/1000). The dragon however growled, and it's ATK plummeted (200/0). The man went pale.
"W…what…"
"I take no battle damage from my token's attack" explained Jason. "Your monster however, does loose something. Attack points equal to the ATK of my monster".
"You're done. Colossal Fighter, attack!"
The warrior struck the ground with it's fist, sending a shockwave to the zombified dragon. The creature let out a roar of pain, before exploding into flaming shards.
"I activate my trap: Synchro Destructor. Since one of my synchro monsters destroyed your monster, you take damage equal to your monster's ATK.
The man screamed, as the wall of energy struck him, crushing him to the floor. The wall of dark energy dissolved, and Jason sank to his knees, exausted.
??? 0 – Jason 1150
Andora and Oliver walked to him, and helped him up.
"Are you okay pal?"
"I…I guess."
"Jason, we need to get out of here. We don't need Rossler catching us here"
"Sure, give me a second. Where's..."
He looked for his former dueling opponent, but he was gone. The room itself was almost entirely destroyed, burns and scars filling the walls and floor. Again, he felt weak. The duel had drained him of much of his strength.
"Can you get up?" asked Andora.
"I think so"
He tried, but sank back on one knee after a few seconds.
"Here, let me help"
She helped him up gently, and they walked out of the door, moving quickly trough the silent forest.
0 0 0 0 0 0
Jason collapsed on his bed, exausted and drained. What happened to me? I've never felt like that during a duel. and who was that man? He closed his eyes, and slowly let the soothing relief of sleep take over him. It was enough already.
On the opposite bed, Oliver was still awake. Desperate to get the dark images of the last duel out of his mind, he hoped he would forget what had happened. Yet he felt that he would never forget.
0 0 0 0 0 0
Phoenix, Arizona,
16:45 PM
A grey car stopped in front of a large, metal and glass building. A large sign on top read Seer Academy. At twelve stories tall, it was the largest building in the district. All people, and especially duelists knew of the place. It was part of the local lore. Duelist that were admitted were envied, and for some reason, many duelists were reluctant to enter the complex. It was mainly due to the stories related about the place.
A man dressed in a formal suit got out, a long bandage running across his right cheek. He entered the building, and went for the first elevator, and pressed the eight floor button. After a minute, the door let out a melodious cling, and the man left. There were several people around, some in lab coats, others in normal outfits. Across the hall, hurried steps were heard, and a group of medics came, carrying a stretcher with a fifteen year old boy on it. His body was badly bruised.
"That's the third one this day" said a female voice. "They just keep bringing them in, yet they don't even bother to check if they have the potential to handle this sort of power".
The man turned, and smiled coldly.
"Hello Irene. You know we don't take them by force. Anyone who comes here comes from his own will"
"Maybe so, but if we keep this up, we'll get unwanted publicity. Take this boy. He collapsed after the third turn. You can't just bring them in here like that"
She gave him a worried look, then saw the bandage on his cheek.
"What happened to you James?"
"Nothing, just a little experiment of my own".
The walked along a large corridor, with several doors on each side. They reached the door labeled testing arena and entered.
"And how is our champion doing so far?"
"See for yourself" she answered.
The woman pointed to a large glass panel. Trough it could be seen a large arena below, divided into several sections. Only one was occupied. The two opponents were a man in his thirties, and a young girl, no more than eighteen. Her eyes were black, as was her medium length hair. She wore a knee long skirt, and a tube top, covered by a black tuxedo-like coat, reaching the knee. A circle of dark fire surrounded them. The man's field was empty, his life points at 2000. The girl had a massive winged creature, colored green and silver (ATK 2700), and her life points were at 6000. Panic and despair could be seen on the man's face. He looked to the glass panel.
"Help, please help. I surrender, okay? I surrender. Please, end the duel. Please!!!"
James paid no heed, and grinned. The girl raised her hand, pointing to her opponent.
"Finish him" she commanded coldly.
The creature shot a beam of energy, striking the man in full force. His cream filled the arena, falling on his back, gasping for air. James looked down satisfied.
"Her powers grow daily" said Irene. The problem are her emotions. She's so filled with rage when she duels, the powers of the game itself go out of control. If she doesn't learn to control that anger, then I think we should just find someone else for the tournament. She's a danger to everyone".
The girl looked up, and narrowed her eyes. The glass panel began to shake, and fine cracks appeared on it. Also, the lights in the were turning on and of. The whole thing lasted no more than ten seconds, until the girl left the arena.
"See, this is what I mean" said Irene. James, please think this trough.
"I have" he said slowly. "And she will duel".
FEATURED CARD REVIEW
Drill Warrior
Level 6 / EARTH / Synchro / Warrior / ATK 2400 / 2000
"Drill Synchron" + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters.
Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can halve the ATK of this card. If you do, then this card can attack your opponent directly during this turn. Also, once during your Main Phase, you can discard 1 card from your hand and remove this card from play. During your next Standby Phase after this card has been removed from play by its own effect, Special Summon this card to your side of the field, and then add 1 Monster Card from your Graveyard to your hand.
Drill Warrior is powerful, yet tricky to use. It does require a specific tuner to summon, but if you get past that, you have nothing but advantages. 2400 ATK for a level 6 is decent, concidering the first effect of the card. It's earth attirbute gives it a 500 ATK bonus from cards like Gaia Power, and the fact that it is a Synchro monster gives it multiple bonuses from other support cards.
The fist effect is good. Being able to attack directly, even if you deal half the damage, gives you a creature that can inflict 1200 damage each turn, if unstopped.
The second effect is the most tricky to use. At the cost of a card from your hand, you can remove this card from play, then you get a monster back from the graveyard. If you have nothing to stop your opponent from attacking, and if the monster you recover isn't game changing, you'd better not use this effect.
Rating:
2 / 5 traditional
2.5 / 5 advanced
4 / 5 Art
NON TCG CARDS USED
Hellfire Spearsman - Ghost Lancer
Level 5 / DARK / Zombie / ATK 2000 / DEF 0
If your opponent controls a monster, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. During battle between this attacking card and a Defense Position monster whose DEF is lower than the ATK of this card, inflict the difference as Battle Damage to your opponent.
Hellfire Sleeping Princess - Ghost Sleeper
Level 3 / DARK / Zombie / ATK1300 / DEF 0
Effect:---
Hellfire Winged Lizard - Ghost Wyvern
Level 4 / DARK / Zombie / ATK 1700 / DEF 0
Effect:---
Underworld Dragon Dragonecro
Level 8 / Fusion / DARK / Zombie / ATK 3000 / DEF 0
"Hellfire Sleeping Princess - Ghost Sleeper" + "Hellfire Winged Lizard - Ghost Wyvern"
This card cannot destroy an opponent's monster by battle. After Damage Calculation, reduce the ATK of a monster this card battles to 0 and Special Summon 1 "Underworld Token." The ATK of the "Underworld Token" is equal to the original ATK of the monster this card battled, and it cannot destroy monsters by battle. If this card attacks but does not inflict battle damage to your opponent's Life Points, inflict 600 damage to the controller of this card.
Used Skeleton knight in chapter 3 of the Yugioh 5ds Manga by
Amorphous Barrier
Trap / Normal
Activate when your opponent declares an attack while you control 3 or more monsters. End the Battle Phase.
Used by Bastion Misawa in episode 12 of Yugioh GX
Haunted Shrine
Trap / normal
Activate only when you control no monsters. Special Summon 1 Zombie-Type monster from your Graveyard.
Ghostly Reinforcements
Spell / Normal
Pay 1000 lp. to special summon up to 2 level 4 or lower Zombie-type monsters from your graveyard.
Saber of Malice
Spell / Equip
Equip only to a Zombie-Type monster. If the equipped monster attacks a Defense Position monster, destroy the monster with this card's effect without applying damage calculation.
Used by Bastion Misawa during the Yugioh GX manga.
Treasure of the Buried Spells
Spell / Normal
Remove 3 Spell Cards from your Graveyard from play to Draw 2 cards from your Deck.
Used by Lotten during episode 92 of Yugioh 5ds
Battle Waltz
Spell / Normal
Activate by selecting 1 Synchro Monster you control. Special Summon 1 "Waltz Token" (its Attribute, Type, Level, ATK, and DEF are the same as the selected monster's). Any Battle Damage either player takes as a result of this token battling becomes 0. Until the End Phase of this turn, an opponent's monster that destroys this token by battle loses ATK equal to this token's ATK.
Used by Yusei Fudo during episode 57 of Yugioh 5ds
Micro Leveler
Level 2 / Machine / EARTH / ATK 600 / DEF 300
If you control a Synchron Tuner monster and this card is send to the graveyard, you can increase or decrease the level of that card by 1. During the battle phase of the turn this card is send to the graveyard, a Synchro monster that was synchro summoned with a Synchron monster can attack two monsters that turn.
This card is my own creation. All credit goes to me.