I do not own Cardfight! Vanguard, I'm pretty sure Bushiroad owns that.
Some names of the cards end up being earlier translations or something, such as Fencing Master, Night Storm which is really Master Swordsman Nightstorm in English. Also with Divine Beast actually being Beast Deity in English. To keep with consistency, I'll be using the names I prefer. I call Brutal Jack, Genocide Jack for Pete's Sake (mainly because, that's his real name in Japan). If there's a name that you would like to see instead of what I prefer, just mention it and I'll get on it. For this chapter, starting now, I'll start calling Fencing Master Night Storm, Master Swordsman Nightstorm because I kind of like to write that instead of the former.
Also, this story doesn't pertain to real life so rarities of certain cards in this game are stated for plot reason. Also cards don't come in the same box sets in this story like they do in real life, just throwing that out there.
Fight Recap:
Starters Just Stood . . .
"Captain Nightkid (Granblue, Grade 0, Power 5000)!" Lee announced his starter Vanguard.
"Amber Dragon Dawn (Grade 0, Power 5000)!" Ryu announced.
The area around transformed into a giant pirate ship out at sea. A little red haired kid dressed like a pirate captain appeared on Lee's side of the field while a red small dragon appeared on Ryu's side of the field.
"I'll begin!" Ryu drew a card.
Ryu's Hand: 6-Field: 1
Ryu moved a finger to the card that he wanted to use. "Ride, Amber Dragon Daylight (Grade 1, Power 6000)!" Ryu slammed the new card over Amber Dragon Dawn.
Dawn roared and in a flaming tempest evolved into an older version of itself.
Ryu tapped Daylight. "Daylight's skill activates, when Amber Dragon Dawn is in the soul, Daylight gains 2000 power." (Total Power: 8000) Then Ryu pulled out Dawn from the soul, "Now, Dawn's skill activates. Unlike most starters, I can't pull it out, however, it has a skill when Daylight rides over it." Ryu then took his deck and spread it apart to find a card that he needed to get from Dawn's skill, "When Daylight is ridden on top of Dawn, I can search my deck for Amber Dragon Dusk (Grade 2, Power 9000)." Ryu grabbed the card from the deck and showed Lee the card, "And I add Dusk to my hand." Ryu placed the card into his hand and then shuffled his deck. "That ends my turn."
Ryu's Ending Hand: 6-Field: 1
Lee's Hand: 5-Field: 1- Damage: None
Shiroi noticed something odd about the units that Ryu just played compared to the Vermillion that Ryu was using earlier. "Wait a minute . . ." But then Yume shushed Shiroi.
Lee didn't seem to notice and just kept going with his turn. "Here I go!" Lee drew a card from his deck.
Lee's Hand: 6
Lee grabbed a certain card from his hand, "Ride, SAMURAI SPIRIT! (Granblue, Grade 1, Power 7000)"
A swirling whirlpool appeared in front of Nightkid, then a spirit wearing magenta samurai armor appeared in front of Nightkid.
"Nightkid's skill, he moves to the back." Lee pulled Nightkid from the soul and placed Nightkid behind Samurai Spirit. "Now, I call Dandy Guy Romario! (Granblue, Grade 1, Power 8000)" A zombie in a white tuxedo appeared to the right of Samurai Spirit. "Now, battle!" Lee rested Romario, "Romario attacks your Vanguard!"
"No guard." Ryu said coldly.
Romario sniffed its red rose and pointed the rose at Daylight. The rose fired a red beam that trapped Daylight in a giant rose. The rose imploded with Daylight within it.
"Damage check." Ryu said and flipped the top card of his deck. (Dragon Knight Nehalem) "No Trigger."
Now it was obvious that there was something strange about Ryu's deck, and yet Lee still didn't notice.
"Now, With a boost from Nightkid, Samurai Spirit attacks your Vanguard!" Lee rested Nightkid and Samurai Spirit.
"No Guard." Ryu said coldly once again.
"TRIGGER CHECK!" Lee grabbed the top card of his deck, and smiled. "Get, Critical Trigger!" The card glowed yellow. (Rough Seas Banshee, Grade 0, Power 4000, Trigger: Critical) "All effects to Samurai Spirit!"
Samurai Spirit glowed yellow to indicate that it got all the effects of the critical trigger. Samurai Spirit swung its sword and slashed Daylight.
"YIKES!" Shiroi yelped, "Three damage already!"
"Check the Damage Trigger." Ryu said and threw out the first card. The card glowed red "Get, Dragon Dancer Monica." Ryu said as he activated his Draw Trigger. Ryu drew a card from his deck and added power to Daylight. "Second Check." Ryu said taking the top card of his deck for his second damage of the attack. Ryu flipped the card as the card glowed green, "Get, Dragon Mage, Genjo." Ryu said as he activated the heal trigger to give power to Daylight and to take Monica from the damage zone into the drop zone.
Shiroi sighed a sign of relief. "Oh wow, that was a close one. Wouldn't want to have three damage so early."
"Adding the power to your Vanguard at this moment is useless since I have no more units to attack with anyway." Lee pointed out. "My turn ends."
Lee's Ending Hand: 4-Field: 3
Ryu's Hand: 6- Field: 1-Damage: 2
Ryu stood his units, "Stand and draw!" Ryu drew a card from his deck.
Ryu's Hand: 7
Ryu then grabbed the Dusk that he searched for earlier, "Ride, Amber Dragon Dusk!" After Ryu slammed Daylight with Dusk, Daylight folded up its wings then transformed into a fiercer and darker version of itself in a flaming vortex. "When Amber Dragon Daylight is in the soul, Dusk gains 1000 power!" (Total Power: 10000) Ryu then grabbed two cards from his hand, "Now, call! Embodiment of Armor Bahr and Burning Horn Dragon (Grade 2, Power 9000)!" Bahr appeared behind Dusk while a horned dragon appeared to the right of Dusk.
It was at this point that Lee started to notice something weird. "Wait a minute . . ." Lee took a glance at Ryu's cards.
"Is there a problem?" Ryu asked coldly.
Lee then pointed at Dusk, "I just noticed . . . you've been playing Kagero cards so far."
"And?"
Lee tilted his head in confusion. "Aren't you . . . using Narukamis now?"
"Hm?" Ryu crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently as if Lee was asking a stupid question. "Why would you be asking that?"
"Well . . ." Lee pointed at all of Ryu's units' clan box.
(Amber Dragon Dawn, Daylight, Dusk, Burning Horn Dragon: Kagero)
"Aren't the cards you're using Kagero cards?" Lee asked. Ryu nodded. "So is that a mixed deck with Kagero and Narukami cards?" Ryu shook his head. "So . . ."
"It's a pure Kagero deck." Ryu said coldly, then flashed a huge smile. "It's who I really am after all you know." Ryu said with huge enthusiasm.
Lee blinked his eyes in confusion. "EH!" Then the parrot that was on Lee's shoulder back winged Lee's face. "Where did this bird come from?" The parrot punched Lee and went HWOO! Then the parrot tackled Lee's gut and flew off. "The hell . . ."
Fight on Standby
The girls of Q4 smiled and Yume even giggled at Lee.
"Wait a minute . . . does that mean you haven't gone evil with a Narukami deck in tow?" Lee asked.
"Oh come on, this isn't an anime you know." Ryu teased. "I was and forever will be a Kagero player you know." This caused a lot of people around to go Eh. Mainly the ones Ryu beat with the Vermillion deck he was using earlier.
"So what's up with the way you were acting and that Narukami deck then?" Lee asked, now confused to no end.
"Role playing." Ryu said. "It's called Role Playing."
"Eh . . ."
"I needed to imagine what it would be like in Rai's shoes." Ryu asked. "So I wanted to create a similar deck and even act like him." Ryu chuckled. "However . . ." Ryu began to frown. "I was really selfish wasn't I?"
"What?" Lee asked.
"Yesterday, I kept trying to get Rai to have fun with the game, but I didn't even consider why he would act the way he did." Ryu scratched his head. "I kind of forgot he had two siblings that he needed to take care of."
"So how did you remember?" Lee asked.
"Ryn told me." Ryu said nodding and pointing at Ryn.
"Ryu somehow forgot a lot of facts about Rai." Ryn mentioned with a sweat drop. "It's as if it was fated for him to forget."
Ryu sighed, "Well anyway, last night I figured that what I was doing was completely selfish of me and quite frankly . . ." Ryu began to remember Rai and Ryou's teary face. "I never realized how hard many pro players had it."
"Wait, so if you figured it out last night, why were you still acting like an evil version of yourself, which according to yourself is how Rai acts?" Lee asked.
Ryu paused for a moment, "It's fun to be evil!" Ryu said with a huge grin, causing nearly everyone around, except for the girls of Q4, to just fall to the ground in shame. "Besides, the Narukamis seem like the perfect clan for me to use if I wanted to use an evil version of my current deck, almost like Royal Paladin and Shadow Paladins!"
"That's completely different Manager . . ." Miku said with a sweat drop.
"So everything I said before just made me look like an idiot then?" Lee asked.
"Pretty much." Karen pointed out. "But you were still dramatic so you prove you can do drama."
Lee hung his head in shame, "Then I have no real reason to fight you now!" Lee shouted.
"But hey, once a fight starts it can't be stopped." Yume commented.
"Hai." Lee nodded sadly.
"Come on Lee, don't be such a sourpuss." Ryu said with a grin, "Let's have fun!"
Lee sighed, then smiled, "Yeah . . . you're right." Lee said.
Shiroi then raised a finger, "Just in case anyone wondered, I was not at all in the know of this." He mentioned. He did think that Ryu had gone mad. Way to waste my concern for Hino-san . . .
Reason of Fight Changed
"Hey something I just wonder, how did you get your hands on a copy of Vermillion anyway?" Lee asked.
"I'm a card shop owner and my dad, who is an ex-card shop owner, takes care of the shop when I can't, so isn't what you're asking kind of a stupid question anyway?" Ryu asked.
Lee gasped, "Yeah . . . you're right." Lee hung his head in shame again. "Where is your Narukami deck anyway?"
"Right here." Ryu said taking out a black deck box and slamming it on the table. "If you had paid attention, I took out the deck I'm using right now from this box." Ryu slammed a red deck box onto the table.
"I somehow didn't notice at all." Shiroi sweat dropped.
"Funny thing." Ryu nodded his head, "I was about to tech in Vermillion into my current Kagero deck," Ryu took out Vermillion from the black deck box, "Until I took a look at its effect." Ryu pointed at Vermillion's second skill. If there is a non-Narukami unit anywhere on the side in which Vermillion resides on, Vermillion loses 2000 power. "WHAT KIND OF OVERLORD CLONE HAS THIS EFFECT?" Ryu shouted. Overlord is the different version of this effect, if there isn't another Kagero unit on the same field of the current Overlord, Overlord loses 2000 power.
Ryn sweat dropped, "Ryu, Vermillion isn't an Overlord clone."
"Well it's obviously designed similar to Overlord, and it's appeal is the fact that it's similar to Overlord so why is it so hard to combine the two!" Ryu pointed at the sky, "I swear, Vermillion is Overlord's evil twin brother ready to usurp Overlord! Now that I have said it, it must be canon!"
"That's not the lore at all . . ." Lee said with a sweat drop coming down his face.
"Well if there are no more questions, let's continue this fight!" Ryu shouted. Many people who got bored by all the talking got their interest back into the fight, ready to see Captain Lee kick some ass.
Fight Resumes!
"Imagine it, we are Astral Bodies on the planet Cray." Ryu said. "We the Vanguards are fighting to see who will be the victor in the battle between Pirates and Dragons!"
"There's the Ryu I know and love!" Lee shouted.
"The battle between the Vanguards have reached the point where the Kagero must fight back!" Ryu rested Burning Horn Dragon. "Burning Horn attacks Samurai Spirit!" Ryu announced.
Burning Horn Dragon roared and charged at Samurai Spirit with flaming horns. Burning Horn rammed into Samurai Spirit.
"Damage Trigger Check." Lee flipped the top card of his deck. (Samurai Spirit) "No Trigger."
"Now, Amber Dragon Dusk attacks with a boost from Bahr!" Ryu rested Dusk and Bahr. "Dusk's skill activates, when he attacks the Vanguard he gets a plus 2000, and since he's being boosted by Bahr and with his innate 1000 from Daylight in the soul, Dusk is attacking for a total of 20000!"
"WOW!" Lee yelped after hearing the huge number. In Vanguard, the average unit would have a power of 10000. To break through, the essential numbers are noted in increments of 5000. To be able to hit for 20000 means the unit is attacking for a very hard hitting attack since it hits pass two 5000s. "No Guard." Lee said since the attack was so high.
"Check the Drive Trigger!" Ryu flipped the top card which glowed yellow, "Get! Embodiment of Spear Tahr! Power and Critical to Dusk!"
Dusk flew at Samurai Spirit and swung its claws. The claws burned Samurai Spirit for two damage.
"Wow, talk about payback." Lee said and flipped the top card of his deck. (Knight Spirit, Grade 0, Power 5000, Trigger: Critical) "Critical Trigger, effects to Samurai Spirit." Lee flipped over the next card for his second damage check. (Hook Arm Zombie, Grade 0, Power 5000, Trigger: Draw) "Get Draw Trigger!" Lee announced. Lee drew a card from his deck and gave the power to Samurai Spirit.
"Unfortunately even with the double trigger, the power given to Samurai Spirit is pointless since I have no more attacks left." Ryu said.
"Meh, who cares." Lee said, "It's the thrill of the fight that matters isn't it?"
Ryu grinned, "That is true, TURN END!"
"Somehow both of them got double damage triggers from a critical . . ." Shiroi said. "It feels so scripted . . ." Then Shiroi looked at Yume and asked, "This isn't a scripted battle is it?"
"This would have to be a story if it were scripted." Yume said with a grin.
Shiroi looked at Yume, and then noted, "You know, I can see why you and Ryu are siblings, you two have the exact same goofy grin."
"GOOFY?" Yume yelped and jumped backwards in shock.
Ryu's Ending Hand: 5-Field: 3
Lee's Hand: 5-Field: 3-Damage: 3
"Wow." One of the spectators said.
"The vibe that guy (Ryu) is giving is so much different from before."
"It's like he's a whole other person!"
That's because I kind of was . . . Ryu thought while rolling his eyes.
"Meh!" One of the spectators shouted, "There's no way Captain Lee can lose to this guy!"
"YEAH! Take him Captain Lee!"
"My name is Br-" Lee was about to say but then Ryu stopped Lee.
"Hey Lee, I could've sworn you used to be a Swabby." Ryu interrupted Lee.
"Hai?" Lee asked.
"It just feels so weird hearing people call you Captain you know." Ryu mentioned. "It's like you're not the same Lee I know anymore."
"Well hey I'm still the same." Lee said standing his units and drawing from his deck.
Lee's Hand: 6
"I haven't really changed much." Lee said. "You still beat me up. And come on, Nightstorm is still in my deck. I ride Captain Nightmist (Granblue, Grade 2, Power 8000)." Lee placed the card on top of Samurai Spirit. Samurai Spirit transformed into a captain with an eye on his hat.
"And you still call it your Avatar." Ryu said about Nightstorm. "Better than Rai changing his Avatar . . ."
"Activate Nightkid's Counterblast." Lee flipped over Samurai Spirit in his Damage Zone. "Nightkid moves to the soul and I check the top ten cards of my deck and I get to drop a card from this stack to the drop zone." Lee picked up a card. "And the card I choose to drop will be Captain Nightmist." Lee shuffled the rest of the cards into his deck.
"Why did he do that?" Shiroi wondered.
"Granblue's specialty comes from the drop zone." Karen explained to Shiroi. "Many of the most dangerous techniques of the Granblue has something to do with the drop zone so it's best to get cards into that zone so they can be used. On top of that, Nightmist as a Vanguard gets a plus 3000 to his power when he attacks if there is another Nightmist in the drop zone."
"Makes sense." Shiroi shrugged.
Ryu chuckled, "Doesn't this remind you of the old times?"
"Yeah." Lee nodded as he placed a card named Ruin Shade (Granblue, Grade 2, Power 9000) next to Nightmist. A feminine with literal black skinned ghost pirate appeared next to Nightmist. Lee also placed a unit behind Captain Nightmist (Dragon Spirit, Granblue, Grade 1, Power 6000), and a spirit in the shape of a dragon appeared behind Nightmist.
"Too bad a lot has changed." Ryu mentioned.
"Come on, not much has changed you know." Lee said resting Ruin Shade. "Ruin Shade's skill activates, I drop two cards from the top of my deck to increase Ruin Shade's power by 2000." The two top cards that Lee dropped were Commodore Blueblood (Granblue, Grade 2, Power 10000) and Master Swordsman, Nightstorm.
"Flame of Hope Aermo to guard (Kagero, Grade 1, Power 6000, Guard Power 5000)." Ryu placed down a card to guard.
A flame sprite that looked like a younger version of Flame of Promise Aermo appeared in front to block Dusk. Ruin Shade slashed Aermo. Aermo disappeared but Ruin Shade grunted as it didn't have enough power to reach Dusk.
"Then why is it seem that my friends don't seem to be the same people I've known a long time ago?" Ryu asked Lee. "I feel like that I don't even know Rai anymore. Even in the end I couldn't get the same feeling as I usually do when I fight him."
Lee sighed, "Being a pro is hard man." Lee rested Nightmist and Dragon Spirit. "Nightmist skill gives him a plus 3000 for a total of 11000 and with a boost from Dragon Spirit, Nightmist has a total of 17000."
"No guard." Ryu announced and Nightmist slashed Dusk.
"Trigger Check." Lee flipped the top card of his deck. The card glowed green (Doctor Rouge, Granblue, Grade 0, Power 5000, Trigger: Heal) "Get, Heal Trigger." Lee gave power to Romario and took the flipped Samurai Spirit from his Damage Zone to the drop zone. "You know not a lot of pro players even get their careers going." Lee continued his explanation. "I had to work for this Captain title before I even had a chance to be popular."
Ryu flipped the top card of his deck. Dragon Dancer Monica glowed Red to indicate that he got a draw trigger. Ryu gave the power to Dusk and drew a card.
"Wasn't Captain Lee popular during the time when he was Swabby Lee?" Shiroi asked Karen.
"Well . . . he was popular because parrots kept doing Kung Fu around him." Karen said. "Some Pros only get popular because of their antics and Lee was actually one of these people. But nowadays since he's become Captain, everyone has been talking about his deck and skills as a fighter."
"That is true . . ." Shiroi nodded.
Lee rested Romario for an attack on Burning Horn since Dusk had too much power (15000) for Romario with a boost to hit (13000). Ryu used Tahr to guard Burning Horn. "Rai had it hard you know." Lee said ending his turn.
Lee's Ending Hand: 4-Field: 4-Damage: 2
Ryu's Hand: 4-Field: 3-Damage: 3
"I wanted to help him you know." Lee said, "But I had a show to do and I just didn't have the time to help him out." Lee sighed, "He's always talked to me about how he wanted you to help . . . but you know."
"Yeah." Ryu nodded. The time that Rai really needed Ryu the most, Ryu had fallen into a Coma. Ryu could remember why.
Ryou stared at Ryu with bright purple eyes that weren't natural.
"Many players in the pro circuit have crappy lives." Lee said as Ryu stood his own units. "It can't be help, what with the way how players get fans. I've known a few players who aren't even with us anymore because of how hard life as a pro has been."
Somehow, a lot of the spectators and Shiroi started to feel somewhat guilty. It was true, a Pro Player's success was reliant on how many fans that the player could get, so the lives of a Pro Player rests in the hand of the spectators.
Ryu drew his card.
Ryu's Hand: 5
"I've always feared that Rai was going to do something he would regret." Lee said. "But there just wasn't anything I could do." Lee shook his head. "I was afraid that I would lose him one day . . . that was until Vermillion showed up." Lee looked at Ryu, "You have to understand, Rai's only where he is today because of that card. It may just be a card but it's the key to Rai's life now and even you can't deny that."
Ryu nodded and remembered all the hardships he had to see from the Pro Circuit's doing.
"I can't have fun with Vanguard anymore . . ."
"YOU KNOW NOTHING!"
Ryu sighed. "To think, I used to respect the Pro Circuit for what it was doing." Ryu took one card from his hand, "If that's the case, then I'll do everything in my power to change the circuit!"
This got a lot of gasps from everyone around.
"If being a pro means having to lose the very essence of Vanguard, then I swear, I'll tear down the system with my bare hands!" Ryu shouted.
"Hey, my career depends on the circuit." Lee shouted, but he smiled. He could see the fire in Ryu's eyes and as a Card Fighter, Lee couldn't help but admire the spirit.
"I won't get rid of it, but I'll make sure to change it!" Ryu shouted. "Arise my Avatar!" Ryu held the card he was holding up high. The card flashed white. "I'll change the system with this card!" Ryu slammed the card over Dusk, "I'll blaze through the darkness that the circuit brings! RIDE THE VANGUARD! DRAGONIC OVERLORD!" Dusk roared and in a flaming vortex, transformed into Dragonic Overlord, Ryu's true Avatar. "I'll change the system and I'll beat down anyone who gets in my way!"
"Aw LAME!" Someone shouted. "I thought he was going to play Amber Dragon Eclipse! The chain is ruined because of Overlord!"
Yume grabbed a rock and threw the rock at the guy who dare diss Overlord. Yume stuck her tongue out playfully after the rock landed on the guy.
Shiroi looked at Ryu's damage and noticed that Ryu had enough to do Eternal Flame. Question was, would Ryu do it?
"Call, Bahr behind Burning Horn." Bahr appeared behind Burning Horn Dragon. "And now, call!" Ryu slammed a card on the front row spot next to Overlord. "RISE UP! My Avatar! Appear as my loyal servant, DRAGONIC OVERLORD!" Another Dragonic Overlord, this one colored slightly redder that the default color, appeared next to the Vanguard Overlord. Ryu rested the rearguard Overlord, "Overlord attacks Captain Nightmist!"
"GUARD!" Lee placed down a Hook Arm Zombie (Guard Power: 5000) card to the Guardian Circle.
Hook Arm Zombie appeared to guard Captain Nightmist, however Overlord simply slashed Hook Arm Zombie in half and flew past Nightmist back to its spot.
"Now, Burning Horn attacks with a boost from Bahr!" Ryu announced. Lee got ready to guard, but then Ryu declared Burning Horn Dragon's skill, "When there is a Vanguard with Overlord in its name, Burning Horn gains a plus power of 3000. On top of his 9000, he is now hitting for 12000 on his own. Add in Bahr's power, Burning Horn is attacking Nightmist for a total of 20000!"
"WOW!" Lee yelped when it turned out that Burning Horn's power was extremely high. Lee looked at his Vanguard and realized since Nightmist's power was 8000, he would need two cards to guard no matter what. Lee would rather keep his hand. "No Guard."
Burning Horn rammed Nightmist with fiery horns.
Lee flipped the top card of his deck (Dragon Undead Skull Dragon, Granblue, Grade 3, Power 10000) and did not get a trigger.
"Now, with support from Bahr, my Vanguard Overlord attacks your Vanguard!" Ryu pointed at Captain Nightmist.
Normally, you'd want to keep damage low so you'd guard an attack if you can, however . . . "No Guard." Lee said coldly while also smirking.
Ryu noticed Lee smirking, "I don't like that smirk, and I'll make sure my Twin Drive wipes that smirk off your face!" Ryu flipped the first card for Overlord's Twin Drive, "GET!" Ryu announced as his card, Lizard Soldier Ganlu glowed blue. "STAND TRIGGER!" Ryu did wipe Lee's smirk off and Lee yelped in horror. "I stand the rearguard Overlord and give the power to that Overlord!" The rearguard Overlord stood up from its rest and in a blue glow gained power. At the same time, the flames on that Overlord's wings blazed up violently.
"OH NOES!" Lee yelped in horror in a high pitched voice, but then he realized something, "Oh wait, you didn't activate Eternal Flame for that Overlord did you?" Ryu nodded his head. "Phew . . ."
"What's Captain Lee talking about?" A spectator asked.
Shiroi then explained, "You see, Overlord's skill is to power itself up and stand after a successful attack on a rearguard. With this skill, Overlord can attack the whole entire front row in three separate attacks. It's a risky move to use since it eliminates your Twin Drive. However unlike most Grade 3 skills, this skill is both a Vanguard and Rearguard skill so the loss of the Twin Drive can be mitigated if the Overlord that uses this skill is a rearguard since rearguards don't Twin Drive anyway. If a rearguard Overlord is combined with a Drive check that reveals a stand trigger, and you got a rearguard that can still attack and possibly stand using its own skill for more attacks."
"Wait a minute, doesn't that mean this skill is much more dangerous than that Vermillion card he was using earlier?" The spectator asked Shiroi.
"You know there's a reason Vermillion's skill is a limit break and Overlord's isn't." Shiroi said with as sweat drop. "Vermillion may be a Vanguard only skill but unlike Overlord, Vermillion attacks the whole entire front row at the same exact time. With Overlord, the attack can be stopped before it even starts, meaning the counterblast to activate the skill would've been useless if it happens. Nonetheless you can't underestimate Overlord. When used skillfully, it'll be a powerful enemy to defend against."
"Second check." Ryu said taking the top card of his deck. "No Trigger." (Dragonic Overlord)
"Wait a minute, I thought Dragonic Overlord can't do a Twin Drive." Another spectator wondered.
Shiroi sighed. "I just said, it's Overlord's Eternal Flame skill that makes him lose his Twin Drive. An Overlord without Eternal Flame on is just another grade 3 with Twin Drive."
"You sure do know a lot about Dragonic Overlord." Ryn remarked to Shiroi. "It's like you studied Overlord quite a bit."
Shiroi blushed, "Well I do want to be a pro player, and one of the best ways to do that is to study up on every card I can think of." Shiroi chuckled, "And Overlord is the first Grade 3 that was made that has a skill. It's not that bad of a skill either so I don't think it's a bad thing to analyze Dragonic Overlord."
"You sound like such a geek!" Ryn teased Shiroi and patted him on the back. Shiroi's face became even more red. "You almost sound just like Ryu you know."
"Huh?" Shiroi looked at Ryu while Lee did a Damage Check (Evil Shade, Granblue, Grade 1, Power 6000) "Like Ryu?"
"Now my stood Overlord attacks your Vanguard!" Ryu announced and rested the Overlord that just stood.
"I won't be having a fifth card in my damage zone, four's enough, Guard!" Lee announced and placed Doctor Rouge (Guard Power: 10000) into the Guardian Circle.
The skimpy dressed Doctor Rouge appeared in front of Nightmist. Doctor Rouge threw a few syringes at Overlord. Overlord blocked the syringes with its sword and flew back to its spot. Doctor Rouge winked at Overlord while Overlord growled furiously as it was frustrated for having its attack fail.
"Turn End." Ryu announced.
Ryu's Ending Hand: 5-Field: 5
Lee's Hand: 2-Field: 4-Damage: 4
Lee let out a breath after looking at his damage. "Well, looks like it's all or nothing." Lee smirked. "Stand and draw!" Lee drew his card.
Lee's Hand: 3
Lee looked at his hand to make sure he got his game plan thought out, and he did. "Pirates can revive whenever the hell they want!" He announced.
The spectators that were watching and Shiroi all yelled out in awe. "Here it comes, Captain Lee's special technique!" Shiroi shouted, "His Grand Revival!"
"It's a common skill of the Granblues anyway." Lee said with a sweat drop. Then Lee held out a card. "I haven't changed much Ryu, but you must know, that doesn't mean that I haven't changed at all."
"What?" Ryu wondered what Lee was talking about.
Lee closed his eyes and held the card he was holding to his forehead. "Mage of the Abyss, break through the prison of the underworld."
Ryu's eyes widened in shock. "I've never heard that incantation before!" Ryu shouted as he realized that wasn't the incantation for Master Swordsman Nightstorm.
"RIDE, Ice Prison Necromancer Cocytus! (Granblue, Grade 3, Power 10000)" Lee slammed his Grade 3 card on top of Nightmist.
Ryu looked at the card, and noticed the Limit Break symbol on the card, "Limit Break again!" Ryu shouted in shock.
Nightmist chuckled and a vortex surrounded Nightmist. The vortex dissipated and in his place was a skeleton mage wearing blue robes. Cocytus has arrived.
"Counterblast!" Lee flipped over two cards in his damage zone. "Cocytus's skill activates! COCYTUS SERVANT!" Lee then reached into his drop zone and took out Nightstorm, "Arise as my loyal servant, Call my Avatar! Master Swordsman Nightstorm!" Lee placed Nightstorm on the empty back row rearguard spot behind Romario.
A block of ice pierced the floor of the ship on the very spot that Nightstorm was supposed to appear in. The ice then broke apart and a royally dressed pirate jumped out. Nightstorm has made his appearance on the battlefield. "En garde!" Nightstorm announced.
Ryu stared at Nightstorm, and couldn't help but be awed a little. "The very first card I gave you." He chuckled a little.
"I'm grateful for you for giving this to me." Lee said, remembering all the good times he had with Ryu and friends. "Nightstorm and his trusty sidekick Dandy Guy Romario now switch spots!" Lee switched the spots in which Romario and Nightstorm were in so now Nightstorm was in the front and Romario was in the back.
"You know I always wondered why he calls Romario Nightstorm's sidekick." Shiroi wondered.
"It's because Nightstorm's skill to gain 2000 power when it attacks the Vanguard works best with Romario." Karen replied. "When combined together, Nightstorm is attacking for 20000 and that's a very high number. Because Lee usually combines both Nightstorm and Romario, he likes to call Romario Nightstorm's sidekick."
"I guess that makes sense." Shiroi nodded.
Lee also remembered all the times that Ryu got beaten up whenever bullies came along to bully Lee, but only because Ryu and Lee became friends through Vanguard, and that all started with Nightstorm. "Now, I'll show you just how strong I've become with my Avatar by my side!" Lee then placed a card in his hand to the rearguard spot behind Ruin Shade, "Call, Rough Seas Banshee!" The Banshee appeared behind Nightstorm. "Banshee's skill activates." Lee placed Banshee into the soul of Cocytus. "I draw a card." Lee drew his top card. When he got the card, Lee smirked. "Call Ripple Banshee! (Granblue, Grade 1, Power 6000)" A banshee with an accordion appeared behind Ruin Shade. "Banshee's skill activates, I give 2000 power to a Granblue unit and the unit I choose will be Nightstorm!" Lee tapped Nightstorm epically.
Banshee let out a scream that somehow became music as she played the accordion. Nightstorm chuckled as the music powered him up in a white glow.
Ryu grunted as he realized why Lee would do that. In order to break through Dragonic Overlord's 11000, a unit would need to hit 11000 or higher. If Nightstorm is boosted by Romario, the full attack would be 20000 and a guard of 10000 from a grade 0 would power Overlord up to 21000, enough to block 20000. The extra 2000 to Nightstorm will ensure that Ryu will have to use two or more cards to block Overlord no matter what.
"From the drop zone, Samurai Spirit's Counterblast." Lee flipped over one unflipped damage in his Damage Zone. "I replace Ripple Banshee with Samurai Spirit!" Lee grabbed the Samurai Spirit that he had healed a few turns ago and retired Ripple Bansee. Then Lee placed Samurai Spirit in the place where Ripple Banshee was. Ripple Banshee disappeared and Samurai Spirit took her place. "Now with support from Samurai Spirit, Ruin Shade attacks Overlord! (Total Power: 16000)"
Samurai Spirit boosted Ruin Shade and Ruin Shade jumped over the table at Overlord.
"Guard with Ganlu." Ryu said and placed Lizard Soldier Ganlu to the Guardian Circle. (Guard Power: 10000) Ganlu appeared in front of Overlord and fired a blast from its cannon to shoot Ruin Shade away.
"Now, Cocytus attacks." Lee smirked as he rested Cocytus and Dragon Spirit. "Dragon Spirit's skill activates. Soul blast." Lee extracted Captain Nightmist from the soul and dropped Nightmist to the drop zone. "When Dragon Spirit boosts Cocytus, Cocytus gains 5000 power."
"So a total of 21000." Ryu growled.
"I'm not done yet." Lee said, then shouted, "Break the limit, LIMIT BREAK!" The Cocytus card's LB symbol flashed blue.
"What the!" Ryu yelped as there was no cost to activate this limit break like Vermillion.
"When I have four or more damage in my damage zone limit break activates." Lee said. "So Cocytus gains 5000 power since it is attacking your Vanguard!" (Total Power: 26000) "Just try to guard this!"
"Guard." Ryu said calmly and placed down Wyvern Guard Barri.
Lee's eyes widened in shock when he noticed the card that Ryu played down was a Perfect Defense card. "No way . . ."
"I'm not going to make the same mistake I made yesterday again." Ryu said. "I won't be broken by Limit Break." Ryu was standing his ground against Limit Break, and Barri was his answer to it. "By dropping Dragonic Overlord from my hand, your attack is nullified, PERSONA PERFECT GUARD!" Ryu said as he was dropping a copy of his Vanguard to perfect guard Lee's attack.
"It's just a regular Perfect Guard." Shiroi muttered.
Cocytus with the flames from Dragon Spirit fired out an icy fireball at Overlord. However Barri quickly flew over and fired its machine guns at the fireball, shooting the fireball down and blew the flames back at Cocytus.
"Twin drive." Lee said doing his drive check, "First Check." The card glowed red. "Hook Arm Zombie, Draw Trigger." Lee pointed at Nightstorm, "Nightstorm gets the power." Nightstorm frowned and gained the power in a red glow while Lee drew, as if Nightstorm wasn't happy the card being used to give him power was not a female card. "Second Check." Lee then did his second check. The card glowed yellow (Knight Spirit, Granblue, Grade 0, Power 5000, Trigger: Critical) "Get! Critical Trigger. Since my attack is nullified anyway, I'll have to give all effects to my Avatar Nightstorm!" Nightstorm glowed yellow and frowned again as if he wasn't happy that the card giving him power wasn't a female card. Ryu dropped Barri to the drop zone after the guard was done. Lee rested Romario and Nightstorm. "No point in letting this trigger go to waste. Nightstorm attacks your Vanguard, BLUE CUT!" (Total Power: 32000)
Ryu's eyes were hidden by his bangs, then he coldly said, "No guard."
Everyone gasped as Ryu said so. "He's taking a critical of two!" Miku yelped.
"Why doesn't he guard!" Karen yelped.
Yume took a glance to see what was in Ryu's hand, then noticed. "He can't guard." Yume said.
"What?" Ryn said.
"Ryu doesn't have a choice but to take this attack." Yume said. "He just doesn't have the cards to guard with."
Shiroi however noticed that Ryu still had two cards in hand. "Two cards and can't guard? But that would mean . . ." Something terrible, a hand full of grade 3s.
Romario glowed red and threw his rose at Nightstorm. As the stem poked Nightstorm's back, red wings appeared behind Nightstorm. Nightstorm took flight and flew at Overlord. "SEIYAH!" Nightstorm shouted and slashed Overlord.
Ryu took two cards as damage. The first card was Burning Horn Dragon. The second card glowed red (Dragon Dancer Monica). "Get, Draw Trigger." Ryu said. "Power to Overlord and I draw."
Nightstorm landed, then grunted as he saw a red glowing Overlord still standing. Overlord growled at Nightstorm's face. Nightstorm growled as the attack did not finish Overlord off. Nightstorm jumped back to his original spot.
"Well that ends my turn." Lee said and was at least a little happy that he managed to get Ryu's damage to five. I can guard. Lee thought looking at his hand. What he had in hand was Knight Spirit (Guard Power: 10000), Hook Arm Zombie, and Dandy Guy Romario (Guard Power: 5000). There was one card in his hand he couldn't use to guard since it was a Grade 3 and that was another copy of Cocytus. On the field he also had Ruin Shade to intercept (Guard Power: 5000). On top of that, Lee still had one more damage he could take without trouble. Lee was confident he would survive the next turn.
Lee's Ending Hand: 4-Field: 6
Ryu's Hand: 3-Field: 5-Damage: 5
Ryu closed his eyes, "Lee, I'm glad."
"Huh?" Lee wondered what Ryu was talking about.
"I'm glad that you haven't really changed much at all." Ryu chuckled. "Some things may be different." Ryu said opening his eyes to look at Cocytus. "But some things haven't changed." Ryu said looking at Nightstorm. "However, FINAL TURN!"
Lee was pushed back by the force of the voice. "You . . . you're going for it!" Lee yelped with a smile. Lee got ready to take everything that Ryu would throw at him.
Ryu stood his units and drew.
Ryu's Hand: 4
Ryu looked at the card he just drew, and stared at the card coldly. "Lee, do you think I'm outdated?"
Lee didn't understand why Ryu would ask. "Well . . . to be honest, I have to say yeah." Lee pointed at Cocytus. "After all, with the new gimmick, players are supposed to break past their limit. Your deck really isn't that much different from before so in a technical sense, it is outdated."
Ryu stayed silent, then said, "well, if that's the case . . ." Ryu held the card he just drew up high, "If I can't break the limit, then I'll exceed it!" Ryu shouted. The card glowed red. "Imagine it," Ryu said calmly, "the battle between the Kagero and Granblue has reached the breaking point. It is time for the Vanguard to show his true strength." Ryu began to chant, "At the journey's end you reach your final evolution. Reveal your true self and reach the end!"
Lee widened his eyes in shock when he realized what card Ryu was holding, "It can't be!"
"CROSS RIDE!" Ryu announced. The card's effect box had the name 'Dragonic Overlord' stated within it. In fact, when Ryu announced Cross Ride, the words 'Dragonic Overlord' began to glow gold in the card that he was currently holding. "Evolve the Vanguard!" Ryu slammed the card on top of Dragonic Overlord, a card with the exact same stats as Overlord (Kagero, Grade 3, Power 11000). "DRAGONIC OVERLORD: THE END!"
Dragonic Overlord folded its wings and flames engulfed him. The flames scattered and Dragonic Overlord unfolded its wings, this time with a completely different look. Dragonic Overlord now looked more regal and had two additional hands on his shoulder that held guns. In his usual hands, Overlord held two flaming swords. Dragonic Overlord has changed and reached evolution. Dragonic Overlord is now, Dragonic Overlord THE END!
At the same time that Overlord evolved into The End, Ryu's coat's trims became gold. Golden lines formed all over Ryu's red coat and became so bright that it was like flaming wings were on his back. "HOLY F-K THAT IS F-ING AWSOME!" Lee couldn't help but shout.
Everyone widened their eyes in shock, "How can that guy have The End?" Someone asked.
"There's only a few copies of that card in this world!" Someone else said.
"But . . . The End is right there!" Someone else yelped. "This man has it!"
"Does no one noticed the evolving coat?" Lee wondered.
"Dragonic Overlord The End." Shiroi said to himself. "A card so powerful that this card and another card with similar statistics only have a few number of cards in existence in order to limit its usage. But Hino-san has one!"
"The End's skill." Ryu tapped Overlord The End, "As long as Dragonic Overlord is in the soul, The End gains a plus 2000 for the rest of the game."
"So a total of 13000!" Lee shouted. Lee looked at his hand. "No matter, I'll just guard everything!"
"Let's see you try!" Ryu shouted "Call, Flame of Promise Aermo!" Aermo appeared behind Dragonic Overlord, then Ryu rested Dragonic Overlord and Aermo, "Soul Blast, Aermo's skill gives Overlord a plus 4000!" Ryu took out Amber Dragon Dawn from the soul to the drop zone.
Lee looked at his hand once more, and was considering to guard, but he figured, "I'll need these to guard The End, No Guard!" Dragonic Overlord burning slashed Cocytus and Lee took a Ruin Shade card as damage. "Damn, no trigger." Since there was no trigger, Lee didn't have it easy guarding The End.
Ryu rested The End and the Bahr behind it. "With a boost from Bahr, The End attacks!"
"I'll guard with everything I've got!" Lee growled.
"Ruin Shade, you're my target!" Ryu pointed at Ruin Shade.
"Huh?" Lee was shocked to see a Vanguard attacking a rearguard, when he realized why Ryu was doing it. "DAMN!" Lee looked at his hand. He could guard Ruin Shade, but in doing so, he would limit his own defense and would be unable to block the rest of Ryu's attacks. Lee decided the best thing to do was let Ruin Shade go and defend the rest with what he could. "No Guard."
"With a total power of 21000, Ruin Shade leaves the field!" Ryu announced and The End slashed Ruin Shade.
"That's kind of a waste right?" A spectator asked. "Why would he use so much power to just destroy a Rearguard?"
"You really don't know about The End do you?" Yume asked. The spectator shook his head. "Well, just watch."
"Twin Drive, first check." Ryu said and flipped over the top card of his deck. (Bellicosity Dragon) "No Trigger. Second check." Ryu flipped over his next card and the card glowed blue, "Get, STAND TRIGGER!" (Lizard Soldier Ganlu)
"NO!" Lee's plans were ruined because of this trigger.
"Power to The End, and I'll stand the Bahr behind The End!" Ryu announced.
"What's going on?" Another spectator asked. "Why give the power to the Vanguard when the attack was going to hit anyway?"
"Does not many people in this world know what The End does?" Yume wondered.
Ruin Shade got cut by a The End that glowed blue. Ruin Shade screamed and disintegrated.
"Now, since the attack hit . . ." Ryu said, then flipped over two cards in his damage zone, "PERSONA BLAST!" Ryu announced. A persona blast is when a cost involves dropping a copy of the card that is using the skill in order to pay the cost to activate the skill. "By dropping his reflection," Ryu said revealing that he had another The End in his hand, "Dragonic Overlord The End stands once more!" Ryu discarded the Dragonic Overlord The End in his hand. When the card reached the drop zone, the card glowed red and the Vanguard The End also glowed red. "Stand up, THE END! Eternal Apocalypse!" The End roared and stood up as flames surrounded him. "Now, with a boost from Bahr and Ganlu's trigger, The End attacks . . . COCYTUS!" (Total Power: 26000)
Lee couldn't take another attack no matter what. He only had enough to guard Cocytus for 30000 and that would block The End, but it wouldn't block Burning Horn. "No Guard." Lee sighed.
The End roared then slashed Cocytus.
"Twin Drive." Ryu said and did a first check for a Dragonic Overlord, then a second check for an Amber Dragon Dusk.
Lee sighed and took the top card from his deck for a sixth damage. "Damage check." Lee flipped the card over and the card glowed green. Lee's eyes widened in surprise, "GET!" Lee shouted excitedly as he held Doctor Rouge to Ryu's face, "Heal Trigger! I heal one damage." Lee said taking the Skull Dragon card that he had flipped and placed Doctor Rouge to the damage zone. "And I give power to Cocytus!" Cocytus glowed green as it got the power. "Looks like I survived your Final Turn! I can guard your Burning Horn so looks like I'll won't lose and I can win next turn."
Ryu's eyes were hidden in his bangs again, and then he said, "like I said, FINAL TURN!" Ryu then flipped over two cards in his damage zone.
Everyone gasped in surprise, "NO WAY!" Lee yelped.
"That is why Ryu couldn't guard last turn," Yume said. Last turn, Ryu actually had a few Dragonic Overlord the End's in his hand. Meaning? Ryu had the potential to use The End's skill more than once way before this turn even started.
"PERSONA BLAST!" Ryu announced and dropped one more The End from his hand. "With his reflection The End stands up once more!"
The End's eyes glowed red and then stood up and roared.
"Now, The End attacks!" Ryu rested The End with a total power of 18000.
Lee growled, "Guard!" Lee placed down Knight Spirit. With Doctor Rouge's heal, Lee's Cocytus had enough power to block both Burning Horn and The End. The question is, will Ryu pull a trigger? If Ryu does, then Lee can't block Burning Horn anymore.
Knight Spirit appeared in front of Cocytus but the guns that The End held in the hands stuck on his shoulder blasted Knight Spirit away right when Knight Spirit materialized.
"First Check." Ryu said flipping the top card of his deck. "Amber Dragon Daylight. No trigger."
The End slashed Cocytus but Cocytus parried with its staff.
"Second Check." Ryu took the last card of his trigger check.
"No trigger please . . ." Lee whispered. Just one trigger and Lee was finished.
Ryu flipped the blue glowing card. "Get, Lizard Soldier Ganlu." Ryu smirked.
"NO!" Lee shouted.
"Overlord stands, and gets power!" Ryu shouted. Dragonic Overlord, Ryu's Avatar, stood up and roared as its wings blazed up from the power boost it got from Ganlu.
The End roared as it flew back to its spot. "Now for the finish!" Ryu shouted and rested Dragonic Overlord, "Go my Avatar, finish this!"
Lee looked at his hand. He could guard with either Hook Arm Zombie or Romario, but the thing is, Ryu still had Burning Horn to attack with. If Lee used one guard, then he can't guard Burning Horn since Burning Horn would attack for a total of 20000. Using one of the cards in his hand right now would give Cocytus a total of 20000 and that can't block that number. There was no point in guarding since he was going to lose anyway. "No Guard." Lee said, then huffed and stood straight while puffing up his chest. "I'll leave my fate to that which is known as a damage trigger!"
Dragonic Overlord's wings blazed out and rocketed him towards Cocytus. Overlord slashed Cocytus with a fiery cut. "The End." Ryu said quietly and Overlord's blazing wings returned to normal.
Lee flipped over the top card of his deck which turned out to be another copy of Nightstorm. "I lose." Lee said with a smile. "Looks like you win."
Lee's Damage 6
Ending Result: Ryu Wins
Cocytus disintegrated. Dragonic Overlord and The End roared in victory then everything on the field dematerialized, but not before Nightstorm gave a smile to Lee, as if reassuring to Lee that next time, they'll get Ryu.
"The battle of the Vanguards are over." Ryu said. "We are now astral bodies again in the land of cray." Lee opened his eyes and could've sworn he saw an astral projection of Ryu and himself. "Our battle as the Vanguards is over, until the next time we meet for battle in Cray." Lee shook his head as if to clear his eyes and once again saw the physical world. Were Ryu's words really that descriptive that he created an image?
Ryu took his cards back into a stack and placed the deck back into his red deck box. "Good game Lee." Ryu said then he smiled. "To think you cornered me to the point where I had to evolve my Vanguard."
"Really surprising." Lee nodded. "I never expected you to use that card ever again."
Ryu chuckled while the crowd scattered after being awed with the appearance of The End. Some spectators were about to move over to Ryu as if they were about to ask Ryu something about The End, but Ryu quickly walked away from the park. Then Ryu thought back to the night before.
Ryu was staring at the Vermillion card that he placed into his just built Narukami Deck. Ryu kept staring at the deck.
"How is it?" Ryuuji asked his son.
Ryu shook his head. "I can't call this my deck." Ryu said placing the deck down. "I could use it for a Role Play but I can't call it my deck." Ryu sighed.
"So in the end, who you really are is represented by the Kagero huh?" Ryuuji chuckled.
Ryu stayed silent for a bit, "Hey dad, I remember. There were a set of cards I decided I didn't want to use."
"Oh, you mean that card." Ryuuji nodded.
"I think I'm ready dad." Ryu said. "Give me the key."
Ryuuji stared at Ryu with stern eyes, then Ryuuji smiled a smile that looked a lot like a smile Ryu would make. "I thought you would never ask." Ryuuji gave Ryu a small key. Ryu took the key and inserted the key into a locked red deck box. The box opened, and the card in front was Dragonic Overlord The End.
A long time ago, Ryu's copy of The End made him a constant target by many people who wanted to buy The End off of him. Ryu did not want to lose The End as the card was really precious to him, and eventually, in the junior tournaments, tournaments that were structured like the Pro Circuit but were meant for young people who were interested in becoming pros, The End began to become the card that would represent Ryu, and Ryu did not want that to happen to him. It got to the point where Ryu decided he would no longer use The End again, until he felt he needed the card again, so Ryu sealed the card and its copies in a round red deck box with a lock on it.
"Wow!" Shiroi shouted excitedly as he walked with Ryu, Yume, Ryn, Miku, Karen, and Lee. "I never thought I would actually see a physical copy of Dragonic Overlord The End ever!" Then Shiroi ran in front of Ryu while also walking backwards, "I also can't believe you managed to pull off the effect more than once in one turn! It's been reported that anyone in the world who even has The End in their deck has only two copies of it and the record for The End's effect being used is once per game! I can't believe you actually have three copies!"
"I have four." Ryu said holding out four fingers.
Shiroi stopped in shock while everyone walked past him. Then Shiroi ran back in front of Ryu and continued to walk backwards. "EH!" Shiroi yelped. "REALLY?"
Ryu held out four copies of The End in a fan pattern, "See? Four copies." Ryu said with a goofy grin.
Shiroi stared at the copies, then at Ryu. "HOLY SHIT!" Shiroi yelped and jumped in surprise. "How did you manage to even get four copies!"
Ryu opened his mouth, was about to answer, then said, "I forgot." Shiroi fell as he got spiritual damage from Ryu's words being an anticlimactic answer.
Shiroi's Spirit's Damage 6
Ending Result: Ryu has committed Spiritual Murder to a teenager
At the same time Ryu said those words, the four girls of Q4 all frowned and looked down in despair. Lee noticed and sweat dropped.
"How can you forget!" Shiroi shouted. "Those are some of the most rarest cards in the world, and you managed to get a full play set, and you don't remember how you got them!"
"Hey I can't help it." Ryu retorted, "I got amnesia and apparently I somehow can't remember the reason how I even got four copies. I remembered everything else though."
How did Ryu get those cards?
"Really . . ." Ryn sighed. She was the one who gave Ryu his first copy, a mark of her love confession to him.
"I can't believe he would ever forget." Karen sighed with Ryn. She gave Ryu his second copy of The End, again like Ryn, a mark of a love confession.
"Manager really is an idiot." Miku growled. She gave Ryu his third copy of The End, and just like the other two, a mark of a love confession.
"Onii-chan really knows how to break a girl's heart." Yume said with comical tears. She gave Ryu his final copy as a love confession like the other three. Just kidding. She was actually approached by the three girls on three separate occasions on advice on how to confess to Ryu. She suggested to give Ryu a card that he really wanted, and apparently he really wanted at least a copy of The End. Somehow the three girls before Yume managed to get a copy of a The End and decided to give them to Ryu. Not together at least, but on three separate times. In fact, they didn't even know they did the same thing until a long time later after giving Ryu the cards. Yume, not wanting to be outdone, decided to show her love for her brother by giving him his last copy so he could have a play set.
"All I know is that these cards are really precious to me." Ryu said. "They may not be my Avatar card, but no matter what I'll never hand them willingly to anyone." Then Ryu glared at Shiroi, "Not even you no matter what price you offer for them." Ryu growled.
"I DON'T WANT ONE!" Shiroi yelped.
Lee chuckled, "Don't take Ryu seriously, his bark is worst than his bite you know."
"Not denying it." Ryu said coming up to his store and realizing that it was open, "Why is my store open and without anyone to watch?"
Lee gulped. After he had opened the store, he ran out the store because he thought Ryu had gone mad with a Narukami deck. He subsequently left the kids that had come into the store alone.
Ryu went inside and found a bunch of kids hanging around playing cards while there wasn't an adult in sight. "GAH, Lee!" Ryu shouted as he figured that since Lee was the last person in the store, it was his fault there wasn't an adult around. "If anyone blabs about this to anyone, I can get a lawsuit for leaving kids alone without supervision if any of these kids ever tell anyone!"
"WE DON'T CARE." The kids said in response but Ryu ignored them.
"LEE HOW COULD YOU!" Ryu shouted and began slapping Lee silly. "WATA WAH HOWA!"
Shiroi sweat dropped. "I think his bite is also pretty bad." Then he noticed the girls were all looking down in despair. "What happened to you four?"
"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" The four girls shouted.
Shiroi jumped back in shock. "Geez, I was just asking. It's like your hearts have all been broken by a guy or something." Then Shiroi noticed the girls all beginning to tear at the eyes. Shiroi jumped up in surprise, "Did I actually get that right?"
As Ryu held Lee in a chokehold, Lee noticed that Ryu's coat was still shining with the gold that it got when Overlord evolved. "Hey Ryu, what's up with your coat? Why did it change color when you played The End?"
"Oh that?" Ryu said looking at his coat. "I customized these gloves so that they would recognize me playing The End." Ryu said holding his personal Fight Gloves. "The gloves are linked to my coat so whenever The End is played down, the lights I have installed into my coat will begin to shine brightly like so." Ryu said with a goofy smile.
"That has got be the most geeky and awesome thing I've ever heard." Lee said with a nod. "And that sure explains why you all of a sudden have your own set of personal gloves to use despite not being a pro."
Ryu said. "Though, I really need to figure out how to get my coat back." Ryu said taking the coat off. "The lights are supposed to turn off when the fight ends and they're friggen hot!" Ryu shouted while taking a heavy breath after hanging his coat. "You do not want to be wearing that coat long when it evolves, nuh uh, no way."
"Then why even do it?" Shiroi asked as he overheard the conversation.
"Don't eavesdrop boy." Ryu said pointing at Shiroi. "Besides, if I use something like The End, I must give him the proper epic entrance he needs!" Ryu shouted epically while pointing to the ceiling, "The cards are after all the embodiment of love! They may as well call these four cards the Embodiment of Love, Dragonic Overlord The End because all of them represent love!"
The girls' ears perked up and then looked at Ryu with hopeful eyes.
"So you remember who gave them to you huh?" Lee asked with a chuckle.
"Actually I don't." Ryu said and Shiroi, the girls, and Lee all fell to the floor as Ryu's words did damage to their souls.
Yume Ryn Karen Miku Shiroi Lee's Soul Damage 1 each equals 6
Ending Result: Ryu has committed Soul Murder
"I just remember that the four cards were given to me with love." Ryu said. "I don't remember how though. For all I know, a gay guy may have given it to me."
The hearts of Yume, Ryn, Karen, and Miku were spiritually pierced by a sword because somehow Ryu linked their love to a gay man's love.
"Well I wouldn't be surprise if you knew any men like that." Lee said. "After all you own a few dresses which I now know were for your role playing as a girl huh?" Lee asked.
"He owns dresses?" Shiroi was surprised to know that and was a little crept out but if it was for role playing, then that's a little different.
Ryu was silent, then said, "Actually I just like to cross dress." Ryu said with a goofy smile and then also spiritually pierced Lee and Shiroi's hearts with swords. Lee and Shiroi began to crawl away from Ryu. "But being a man is best because it just means that I can be straight straightforwardly."
I don't even know if he's really straight anymore. Shiroi thought.
Ryu got to the counter and got ready to get to work, when a kid ran up to Ryu, "Manager, a woman came here earlier a few seconds after Lee ran out of the shop." Ryu threw a pen at Lee aggressively because a kid said Lee left the kids alone. "Anyway, the woman left me with this letter to give to you and she left something outside the store for you."
"Ok Hiroshi-kun." Ryu said as this was a kid that he knew since the kid always came to the shop.
Hiroshi nodded, handed Ryu a letter, then ran back to his (Hiroshi) friends. Ryu read the letter, then yelled out excitedly, "it's here!"
"What is?" Yume, finally getting over her depression after so many spiritual murders from Ryu, asked.
Ryu jumped over the counter and ran out the door to find a box nearby. "How the heck did I miss this coming in?" Ryu said dragging the box near the door.
Lee, Yume, Ryn, Miku, Karen, and Shiroi ran out the door in that order. "What is it Ryu?" Ryn asked.
Ryu took out a red pocket knife from his pocket then slashed the tape off the box. Ryu quickly broke the box apart, revealing a red motorcycle with a dragon design all over it to the point where the front of the bike was a dragon head with white teeth. The six that came out after Ryu stared at the bike and all looked in shock. Ryu squealed and rubbed his face on the bike.
"An Overlord bike?" Miku asked.
Ryu then glared at Miku, "It is not an Overlord bike!" Ryu shouted, then looked at the dragon head of the bike. "Huh, it does resemble Dragonic Overlord now that I think about it." Ryu examined the bike, then said, "Oh wow, Snowbell probably thought I would like this since I always talked about my Avatar being Dragonic Overlord."
"Who is Snowbell?" Karen asked.
"He's the guy I talk to all the time online." Ryu said holding the letter. "I don't know him, he doesn't know me, but we've kept in contact and the guy is awesome with technology. In fact, he helped me create these gloves." Ryu said holding out his hand to show off his fight gloves. "He gave me the specs and I made them myself!" Ryu handed the letter to the girls for them to see.
They noticed one thing about the letter. The letter had a girl's hand writing and all the I's were dotted with hearts. It's kind of obvious Snowbell is a girl, unless he's a really girly man. The girls gasped and shivered in shock while Lee asked Ryu, "How can you be so sure that Snowbell is a guy?"
"Because all men online are creepy men who live in their mother's basements." Ryu said with a creepy smile.
Shiroi looked away and whispered, "He's not even helping the case . . ." Shiroi said as Ryu just perfectly described himself with those words, except for the part about living in their mother's basement but other then that, those words described Ryu to the tee.
"Anyway Snowbell made this for me because I had a huge idea and I intend to use this device to revolutionize Card Fighting!"
"So card games on motorcycles?" Lee said with a smile.
Ryu stared at Lee as if Lee was an idiot. "No you idiot." Ryu said then pointed at his arm. "The last time I pitched the idea of card games on motorcycles, I got a scar on here!"
Lee gulped, "I wasn't even serious, I didn't even know he even tried to do card games on motorcycles."
Shiroi looked at Ryu's arm. "That's a small scar." One can barely see it.
"Anyway, never ever going to do Card Fights on motorcycles ever again." Ryu said then pondered, "thought I might try again once I work on the kinks in the system, but anyway!" Ryu pushed a button on the motorcycle. "You may want to step back." Ryu said jumping away from the bike.
The bike then shifted around to hide the dragon face. The wheels disappeared and the bike stood straight up and became a card game table.
"HOLY SHIT!" Lee and Shiroi yelped in surprise. The girls stared in awe.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you, the portable Fight Table." Ryu said tapping the table. "Using the latest technology in Virtual Motion Figure System, this table is designed to be both a table and a motorcycle for mobility reasons. Now whenever a fight is needed, one can just use their own motorcycle as a fight table! That way the fights will be even more enjoyable and it can be practical!"
"Ooh, how much are you selling one?" Lee asked.
"This is so far the only one in existence." Ryu said, causing Lee to fall in embarrassment. "I'm still working out the bugs on this thing you know." Then Ryu hugged the table, "But I can't believe Snowbell decided to give me it! He must want me to work on this thing on my own now because it was my idea after all!"
"Or she just likes him a lot." Shiroi said to himself, causing him to get glares from the four girls. "What did I say?"
"Now to test this thing out." Ryu said turning the table on. "Motion Figure System on." Ryu said, holding out his gloves. "Open, the path to Cray. Units come and join me in battle, the battle of the Vanguards!" The table began to shine.
"What's with the chanting?" Shiroi asked.
"Something I wanted to say before I used this." Ryu said with a grin. The table turned on and the Vanguard mat appeared on the table. "Ok, now to begin!" Ryu was about to slam down a deck of cards he was holding, but then Saito and Takuto ran over.
"Man Shiroi, where were you man?" Takuto asked, "We were looking for you at home but your mom said you left already."
"Sorry." Shiroi said sticking his tongue out. "I was just too excited to stay at home today."
"Anyway, Mayu-Talk is on!" Saito ran inside the shop.
"OI!" Ryu shouted. "This isn't your house, go watch at your own home!"
Saito didn't listen and turned on the TV, and right away Ryu saw Ryou on screen.
Ryu froze in surprise. "RYOU'S ON TV AGAIN?" Ryu then bolted inside.
"Man, he really cares about his brother doesn't he?" Shiroi remarked.
"Well they are brothers after all, and what with the way Ryu treats me, his sister, I'm pretty sure you can see how much he cares for Ryou." Yume said.
Then Shiroi pointed at Yume threateningly, "SIBLINGS SHOULDN'T BE AS CLOSE AS THE WAY YOU TWO ARE!" Yume screamed after Shiroi yelled.
"So what is this thing anyway?" Takuto asked looking at Ryu's portable fight table.
"A portable fight table." Shiroi answered Takuto.
"What's so portable about this?" Takuto asked while walking around the table. "It just looks like a big table."
Lee walked over to the table and Takuto walked back. Lee pushed a button. The table changed back into a bike.
Takuto stared at the table in bewilderment. "THAT IS F-KING AWESOME!" He shouted. "What is that? A motorcycle? A table? What is it?"
"I answered you already." Shiroi sighed.
Lee got on the bike, and chuckled. "Man this looks so awesome." He said. "I wonder if Ryu will get mad at me for taking this for a drive."
"I think he'll murder you." Karen said to Lee.
"I think you're right." Lee nodded, but then continued playing with the bike. "So many buttons on this console." Lee then pushed a button, and a bladed horn popped out from the top of the head of the motorcycle. Everyone stood speechless when the horn appeared. "Now it really does look like Overlord . . ." Lee said with a sweat drop. The horn resembled the bladed horn on Overlord's head, so this horn appearing made the bike look even more like Overlord.
"Lee, I think it's best if you get off the bike now before someone gets hurt." Miku remarked.
"Oh come on, when has motorcycles ever hurt anyway?" Lee asked pushing another button.
"Accidents?" Ryn said rhetorically.
In an instant, the engine on the motorcycle roared and drove off, causing Lee to fall off the bike. "HOLY!" Lee yelped when he got up. Even without Lee at the handles, the bike was moving on its own. "That thing can move on its own!"
"Snowbell probably programmed an auto pilot feature." Yume commented.
The bike moved forward then skid to a stop. The bike then turned back at Lee.
"Eh?" Lee said as the bike moved forward. "EH!" The bladed horn that popped out earlier was now charging straight for Lee. "IYAH!" Lee ran in a circle and accidentally swept Shiroi and Takuto with him. The girls jumped back so the bike missed them.
"WHY US!" Shiroi and Takuto screamed as they ran with Lee, who was constantly running from the bike's horn. The boys ran in a circle and the bike kept following them for some reason.
"STAY AWAY!" Lee shouted using Shiroi as a human shield.
"OI! Don't use me as a shield!" Shiroi shouted and Takuto kept bashing Lee for dare using his (Takuto) friend as a meat shield.
Ryn sighed, "Boys are idiots aren't they?" The other girls nodded.
"To be fair, if Ryu wasn't an idiot, we wouldn't actually like him right?" Yume said, then the other girls stared at Yume weirdly. "What?"
"Well technically true, why is his sister the one saying it?" Karen asked. Yume shrugged.
The four then watched as Lee, Shiroi, and Takuto kept running in circles while the bike followed them.
"Want to just go back in?" Miku asked.
"I'm game." Ryn nodded. The four girls ignored the plight of the men and just walked inside.
Ryu was sitting down on a chair while everyone else sat on the floor. Ryou sure has a lot of fans, to the point where his brother is joining the bandwagon.
"Aw sorry for bringing you back here." Mayu said with a tongue sticking out playfully, "But the higher ups didn't like the fact that I took the time from the last show to challenge you to a fight so I have to make up for it today."
"It's all right." Ryou said. "It's not like I mind."
"Well let's start with a question that's been on everyone's mind." Mayu said. "You get a lot of challengers right?"
"Well my status as King does attract a lot of opponents." Ryou replied. "Honestly it's a little frustrating at times but what can I do? I got to defend the title after all."
"Well anyway, there is one thing in everyone's mind: Do you think you can take Raiju?"
Ryou sat silently as if pondering, "Who?"
Everyone in the shop gasped. "Blasphemy, I can't believe Ryou doesn't know who Raiju is!" Saito said.
Of course Ryu doesn't know who Raiju is either since he's been in a coma for a long time. He looked behind him to find Yume, "Hey Yume."
Yume ran up to her brother and hugged him from behind, "Yes Onii-chan?" She said playfully.
"Who is this Raiju guy?" Ryu asked.
Yume frowned since she didn't think Ryu would be asking about another man. "Why do you want to know?"
"Because Ryou doesn't know him either and I don't know him, yet apparently everyone wants to know if Ryou thinks if he can take this Raiju guy?"
Yume sighed because she wanted Ryu's attention, not help him give attention to some guy he doesn't know. "Raiju is an up and coming Pro Player." She replied. "He's new but he's already getting a huge cult of fans. Basically everyone is putting up bets on who would win in a Card Fight, him or Ryou-Nii."
"Of course." Miku then came up to Ryu. "There are these rumors about Raiju."
"Like what?" Ryu asked.
"Like he has some sort of underground connections." Karen replied.
"Big deal, I used to be the King of the Underground Fights. Heck I might still be." Ryu said crossing his legs while also getting a surprised look from Saito, as if Saito didn't believe Ryu was serious.
"Actually, the rumors about his underground connections is a whole lot worst than what you did." Ryn said. "It's said that there's a cult following him going around and beating other players to steal and sell the cards that have been stolen."
"Then why does he even have fans anyway?" Ryu asked. "I don't remember getting fans being the King of the Underground Fights." Again, a weird stare from Saito as if he could not believe Ryu was serious.
"Because there is no proof." Karen replied. "To the general public, he's just a really strong Card Fighter. Everything about Raiju are just rumors that don't have much backing. But he is scary, I can tell you that."
"How so?" Ryu asked.
"I can't believe the great Ryou has no idea who Raiju is." Mayu said in shock while the audience themselves all gasped.
"Sorry, I'm not really sociable you know." Ryou said rubbing his head.
Mayu squealed, "I can't help it, you're so cute when you talk like that!"
"I'm taken." Ryou reminded Mayu.
Mayu cleared her throat. "Well anyway, Raiju is . . ." Then the TV screen became all static.
"HEY!" The kids in the shop shouted.
"What's wrong with the TV?"
"I bet Manager Ryu did something to it." The kids and Saito glared at Ryu.
Ryu shrugged, "Don't look at me, I didn't touch anything."
Mayu's voice still got through the static, "What's going on?"
All of a sudden, a maniacal laugh sounded from the TV. Everyone gasped and the girls screamed and quickly hugged Ryu. Ryu blushed and began to drool in pleasure, but then noticed something from the TV screen. Silver eyes began to appear.
"I had a feeling you wouldn't know who I was, Ryou Hino." The voice said.
"Who are you?" Ryou's voice sounded.
"You can call me . . . Raiju." The screen then cleared up to reveal a man with messy hair. The man wore a black jacket that he had over a white suit.
"IT'S RAIJU!" The kids all shouted.
Ryu stared speechless. "That's . . . Raiju?" Surely Raiju did look like a scary man. Raiju was both handsome and creepy at the same time, but Ryu didn't care about that. There was something about Raiju's eyes. They were an unnatural silver, very much like . . .
. . . the unnatural purple eyes that stared at Ryu . . .
Ryu thought, those eyes are just like Ryou's!
"Let me show you, what I'm made of." Raiju chuckled.
At the studio were Mayu-Talk was being filmed, the TV screens that were all over the studio were filled with Raiju's face. The screens then changed to a perspective that showed Raiju card fighting a Gold Paladin player in a stadium with a full audience. A pro fight was in session, and this Gold Paladin player was Raiju's victim. The Gold Paladin player was shivering in fear as he kept playing against Raiju. It was as if Raiju had a strong hold over this player, and the player had no way to escape.
"What's going on here?" Mayu asked her cameraman. "How is this guy broadcasting over our show?"
"He's hijacked our broadcasting signal." The cameraman replied.
"Well fix it!" Mayu shouted.
"We tried but we can't!" The cameraman shouted. "The jamming is too strong. It's almost as if there's someone in the audience jamming the signal."
"Then find the guy!" Mayu shouted.
"I was being hypothethical, I don't even know if there's someone in the audience doing that."
"Watch me Ryou." Raiju chuckled maniacally, "Watch the power that will surpass you."
Ryou was breathing heavily. He could tell there was something up with Raiju's eyes. Because they're just like mine . . . Ryou held onto his sunglasses, as if trying to keep them from falling.
"Ride . . ." Raiju laughed maniacally and played down a card on his Vanguard spot, "STIL VAMPIR (Dark Irregulars, Grade 3, Power 10000)!"
The unit that was Raiju's Vanguard became a white Japanese fuedal robe wearing Vampire. The Vampire bared its fangs.
"Soul Charge." Raiju took the top card of his deck and placed the card under Stil Vampir's soul. Stil Vampir gained 2000 power. "MEGABLAST!" Raiju announced and flipped over five cards in his damage zone while taking eight cards from the soul to the drop zone. "I now choose one unit on your side of the field, and that card shall become your Vanguard!" Raiju pointed at a Grade 0 Unit. "Little Fighter Cron (Gold Paladin, Grade 0, Power 4000), YOU'RE THE VANGUARD!" Still Vampir swung its sword, then grinned and bared its teeth. Stil Vampir fired out a mist that grabbed the white wearing Cron, and dragged Cron away from its rearguard spot. Cron disintegrated into mist. The mist then surrounded the buff Vanguard.
"NO WAY!" The Gold Paladin player said in horror as he watched his current muscular Vanguard (Gigantech Crusher, Gold Paladin, Grade 3, Power 10000) become the little fighter known as Little Fighter Cron.
Raiju chuckled maniacally as he rested Stil Vampir. "Now, you'll know true despair!"
"Halo Shield Mark! (Gold Paladin, Grade 1, Power 6000, Guard Power: 0)" The Gold Paladin player attempted to use his Perfect Guard.
Raiju however, chuckled, "You can't." Raiju said. "Your Vanguard is Grade 0, you're not allowed to use any card with a higher grade to guard!"
The Gold Paladin player noticed too late. Stil Vampir slashed Cron, and the player screamed and felt the pain as he took the sixth card as damage, as if staring at Raiju's eyes made that possible.
Raiju chuckled to the sky then stared at the camera. "I'll be sure you get a good taste of my power, Ryou Hino." Raiju chuckled. "I'll defeat you, and I'll humiliate you. I can see it, your defeat, against me!"
Ryu inside the shop let out a gag as he watched Raiju's silver eyes. Ryu gripped his chest. Those eyes, those silver eyes reminded Ryu of what happened before he fell in a coma a few months ago. Ryu got up. "Yume, watch the shop for me." Ryu said. "I'm not feeling good."
"Onii-chan?" Yume said and watched as Ryu walked upstairs to the living quarters of the shop (The shop doubles as both a house and a shop for Ryu and the girls of Q4).
"I hope he's all right." Ryn said.
Back at Mayu-Talk's studio, Ryou sat speechless as broadcasting for Mayu-Talk was back on. "So . . ." Mayu said nervously, "How do you feel Ryou?"
Ryou shook his head. "I don't have any comment." Raiju was scary, and those eyes. Does he have the same curse as me?
Ryu fell on his bed and let out a huge gasp. Those eyes, those silver eyes. Even if Ryu didn't physically see the eyes up close, he still felt the effects from those eyes. "First Ryou, now this guy? What is up with those eyes?" Ryu asked himself. He covered his own eyes, as if to block out the image of Raiju. "What is going on?"
Outside the shop downstairs, Lee, Shiroi, and Takuto were still running from their lives from the bike. "HELP!" Lee shouted.
Takuto ran out of the circle to catch his breath. At the same time, Shiroi noticed that he could very well do what Takuto did, except Takuto decided to run back to the circle. "Takuto."
"What?" Takuto asked.
"You're an idiot." Shiroi said jumping out of the circle. Now he was safe.
Takuto noticed, then jumped out. "Man Shiroi, you're a genius!" He said tapping Shiroi.
Shiroi sighed. "So says the idiot who jumped out first."
"Eh?"
"HELP!" Lee however was too stupid to jump out of the circle. Or rather, it was as if the bike was following him only.
"Come on, let's Card Fight." Shiroi said to Takuto and both went inside.
Ryu opened the window from his room to see Lee running from the Overlord bike. "Yo Lee, keep it down, I'm trying to rest here."
"You say that when you're down here while you're running for your life!" Lee bellowed.
"Just turn the bike into a table like I did." Ryu said closing the window.
Lee whimpered, but then realized that it wasn't hard to turn the bike to a table since Ryu just pushed one button to do it. Lee stopped then charged at the bike, dodged the horn, and pushed the button that transforms the bike. The bike turned back into a table. "Score!" Lee shouted in triumph, right before a parrot came to tackle Lee in the gut. "IS THAT EVEN POSSIBLE?"