Yu-Gi-Oh! Ark Cradle Rewrite
Chapter 6: "The Paradox"
[b]Note: Yes, I changed the title of the chapter despite having a different title in the preview. This chapter went a bit differently than originally planned, so I felt this title works a lot better.[/b]
As Paradox followed the mysterious masked boy calling himself Tron, he took a moment to carefully observe his surroundings. From the moment he had arrived in this desolate world, he could barely make out his own two hands out in front of his face due to the severe sand storms that dominated the region. As they approached a rather large castle in the distance, Paradox noticed the sand storms beginning to dissipate, which allowed him a clearer view of the area. Unfortunately for him, though, actually seeing the world he was trapped in only drowned his spirit even further with despair. What surrounded him was literally nothing. For as far as his eyes allowed him to see, there was nothing but sand drier than bone and a dark sky so red one would think it to be painted in blood. After following Tron in complete silence for the past 30 minutes, Paradox finally cracked his dry lips to speak. "Tell me, boy," he started, swallowing hard due to his dried throat, "what exactly is this place?
Tron stopped in his tracks, pausing briefly before turning to face the older android. "Not 'where', but 'when'," Tron responded, his lips curling up into a devious smirk. "All I know is that this world is called the Barian World, a void that exists between the fabrics of reality." Tron's grin faded as he took on a darker disposition. "Not only that, but if you stay here for an extended period of time, you are slowly eaten away." Tron raised his hand to his eyes as he spoke, his eyes reflecting a subtle sadness that Paradox picked up on. Paradox decided it would be best not to delve too deeply into the boy's past or what he experienced. After all, it made little difference to either Tron or him how they arrived in this world. All that mattered was finding a way to escape.
"This person we're going to see…" Paradox's voice trailed off briefly as he turned his gaze up toward the distant castle. "What can you tell me about this man?" Tron sighed, turning his back to the scientist once again. "I've only heard rumors, but I do know the man has existed here even before I arrived here. It's difficult to tell time in a timeless world, but I'd say I've been here about four years or so now. It's safe to assume the man we're going to see has been here far longer." Tron started to walk again, prompting Paradox to follow as well. "I'm sure the answers we're both searching for will lie within that castle…"
Paradox lowered his eyes to the sandy ground below his tattered shoes. His mind began to wander once again as the two travelers fell into silence yet again. After all, what was there to talk about? Neither of them felt like talking about their pasts, nor did they intend on becoming friends. Paradox released a soft sigh as he thought about his own past. After suffering in the ruined future along with his friends, he was the first of the group to die of old age. When he came to again, he had taken on the form he currently possessed now, his mind reawakened within the android body Z-one built. Soon after, Z-one sent Paradox into the present world to dispose of the Duel Monsters card game. To accomplish this, his task was to kill Pegasus J. Crawford, the creator of Duel Monsters, and alter the past. His mission failed when he was defeated by Yugi Mutou, Judai Yuki, and Yusei Fudo. After suffering such humiliation, he managed to save himself from destruction by jumping into a time warp. Because of his hasty response, he did not have enough time to test the time warp before entering, and thus ended up trapped in this Barian World as a result. The question he had now was…how. Even as intelligent a scientist he was, he could not fathom how such a thing could happen.
As Paradox contemplated several possible theories in his head, he quickly snapped out of it when he realized he was standing at the foot of the castle alongside Tron. The masked boy gave a soft chuckle before motioning for him to follow closely. Paradox watched the boy carefully as he navigated their way through the front of the castle and the various traps that were laid out for them. Paradox quickly realized that whoever the man was residing within this castle, he obviously had a sick sense of humor. Even stranger was the fact that Tron seemed to know where all of the traps were set and was able to deactivate them with ease. Had he been there for the first time, there was no way he would have known where all of the secret switches were kept. Paradox simply shrugged it off, though, realizing he was basically choosing between the hell of the desert or being deceived by this young boy. Should the time arrive where he had to defend himself, after all, he would need to recuperate his strength. Narrowing his eyes coldly, Paradox resolved himself to go along with whatever awaited him up ahead until the time was right.
Another 30 minutes were spent deactivating traps before Tron finally led Paradox to an inner chamber deep within the castle. It was then that Paradox met the mysterious man for the first time. To be honest, it could hardly be described as a man. What Paradox witnessed was a mass of energy defying gravity before his very eyes. This energy was a deep black, lined with a green so intense that it was difficult for Paradox's unadjusted eyes to glance at. Squinting through his fingers, Paradox noticed the energy appeared to be trying to take on a human form, coming together as something that vaguely resembled a human face. Paradox mustered up his strength and engaged the cloud of black energy in conversation. "Who are you? Is it true you can help me escape this world?"
The energy hissed a laugh in response, overlooking Paradox and turning to look over toward Tron. "Excellent work, Tron," the blob screeched, its voice something akin to a mix of an ordinary man's mixed with that of a lion's roar. The creature's voice was incredibly high-pitched, so much so that Paradox found it hard to refrain from covering his ears with his dried out hands. Tron heaved a laugh in response to the energy's comment, while at the same time walking over to Paradox so he could place his hand on his shoulder. "You were right. This man is quite interesting! To think he could survive the desert for so long without giving into the thirst and hunger, not to mention the heat." Tron's eyes lit up wickedly as he continued. "Maybe he really is chosen just as I was."
"What are you talking about?" Paradox finally cut in, pushing Tron's hand away. "I knew you were planning to betray me, but I had no idea you'd reveal your true colors the moment we arrived here. What exactly do you want with me?"
"You seem to have misunderstood," the energy cloud hissed. "Tron didn't bring you here to betray you. Getting all worked up is terrible for your health, you know. Then again, speaking of health in this world is so utterly trivial." The creature gave a chuckle before continuing. "You were chosen by the Barian World, and that is the reason you are here today." Paradox noticed a flash of red that almost looked like a pair of beady eyes before they vanished again. Paradox scoffed, closing his eyes in annoyance. "Chosen? What a joke. The reason I survived so long in the desert is because my body is infused with that of a metallic form. I do not require food or water to survive, but I do still feel the pain of thirst and hunger. In other words, I only suffer in ways no ordinary human could comprehend." The energy gave another chuckle, its gas-like body winding around Paradox like a snake. "I know all about you, Paradox," the distorted voice said in a near whisper. Paradox's expression shifted slightly, his eyes widening. "How did you know my name?" he asked, viewing Tron from the corner of his eye. The boy had not spoken his name, and the two just met two hours earlier.
"I know all about you," the energy responded, its face-like features floating right before Paradox's own face. "I also know Z-one, Antinomy, and Aporia as well. I know all about the future you've come from and the present you just came from as well." The creature flashed its red eyes briefly again as it spoke, and the green areas of its form glowed intensely as its voice grew more energetic. "Oh, Paradox, if only you knew the, uh…events you are yet to even experience. But there's no need to worry, my dear friend, for we are going to send you back so you can experience these events for yourself."
"What the hell are you going on about?" Paradox attempted to brush the gas being away, but his hand merely passed right through. The gas being gave a sadistic, distorted laugh as Paradox made contact with it. "Now that you've touched my form, I can share with you these events that are yet to come. By the time this vision finishes, you'll gladly put your life on the line for our cause." Paradox felt a strange sensation, one so bizarre that no word could possibly describe it. It was almost as if raw data and images were being jammed into his head. Paradox was unable to utter a sound as countless scenes played instantaneously through his mind. He stood frozen in place, his hand still within the gas body, and his eyelids flickering unnaturally.
Beside the immobilized scientist, Tron gave a wicked chuckle. "So I take it we're ready to put the plan into motion, eh? How much longer do we have?" The energy, still making contact with Paradox, stretched its body so it was closer to the boy. "I can't be absolutely certain, but there is a man on the other side currently relaying information to me. It is only a matter of time before the door to the Astral World is opened. Once that happens…"
"…the Numbers will be released into the human world, right?" Tron finished, a gleam flashing in his eyes. "So, Faker should be making his move right about now as well. Are you going to pay him a visit?"
The spiritual being laughed before responding. "Once I get out of here, he will be my first visit. As we planned, you'll visit the old perverted geezer. I hear he escaped Barian on his own a little while ago in the most disgusting way possible. A method suitable for someone like him, I might say." Tron's grin widened as he watched Paradox's shifting features. "Just you wait, Dr. Faker," the boy said in a hushed voice. "Paradox will be the key to my revenge against you. A being that transcends time itself, the one man who will connect these three crucial time periods into one. I can hardly stand the wait!"
Paradox could barely make out Tron's words accompanied with a long-winded laugh, but he was in no position to ask what the two were talking about. Frozen as he was, all he could do was let the scenes play out until their end. And what vile scenes they were. If Paradox could gag at this point, he most certainly would. To think someone who witnessed the end of Earth could be so disturbed by some of the events he was witnessing…
BREAK
Present Day – Neo Domino City – Ark Cradle
Yusei and Ruka listened to Paradox's experience with wide, horrified expressions. Paradox finally looked back up to glare into their eyes as he took a pause from his story. "What I witnessed that day far transcended the future I experienced or even the pending devastation that will befall this city."
"To think such a world exists…" Ruka looked away from the man with sad eyes, feeling sorry for his suffering despite him being an enemy. Yusei noticed this and placed his hand on her shoulder, still locking eye contact with his opponent. "If what you're saying is true, then you should be fighting against Z-one, not alongside him! What exactly did you see?!"
Paradox lowered his gaze briefly, grasping his right arm with his free left hand. "Explaining all of these events to you would take far too much time. Though I'm still not sure how, I received decades worth of events in the course of ten minutes. What I can tell you," Paradox continued, his expression hardening and his voice darkening, "is that a future is coming decades from now that far surpasses anything we are experiencing now. These events will be more devastating then all of this. And the trigger of those events are you Signers and Z-one!"
Yusei and Ruka shared a collective gasp. "Z-one is as well? Aren't you fighting for him?" Yusei asked, sweat now visible on the side of his cheek. Paradox shook his head, his eyes growing colder with each word he muttered. "My first task is to eliminate you Signers from this world and seal that power within myself! Once that is accomplished, I will personally dispose of Z-one for the sake of the future using the power acquired from all of you!" Paradox raised his arm so he could point at the two speechless Signers. "Such power is too dangerous to rest in the hands of fools who can't appreciate the danger of the coming future and the Momentum they worship! Using the power of the Signers, I will kill Z-one and acquire his position as the head of Yliaster! Once I do, I will finally have enough power to become a Number Hunter!"
"Number…Hunter?" Ruka repeated, unsure of what he was talking about. "What is that? And how will you become one by killing us and Z-one?" Paradox dropped his arm and raised his Duel Disk, signaling that the time for talk was over. "I have no obligation to explain myself to a couple of fools who are about to disappear! Let's continue your funeral as the last remaining Signers!" Paradox raised his forearm to reveal the Signer birthmarks of Crow, Aki, and Jack. Yusei and Ruka were, as expected, rendered shocked by this sight. "That's impossible!" Yusei shouted. "How could you have absorbed the Signer birthmarks?!"
"Like I said," Paradox replied with a smirk. "I have no obligation to explain myself to the likes of you! Hurry and get back to your positions so I can finish killing you!"
Yusei gritted his teeth, realizing they had no choice but to continue Dueling for now. He turned to Ruka, who was visibly shaking from the stress of it all. "Ruka," Yusei said quietly, grabbing her attention. "I know how kind-hearted you are, but this man is our enemy. You have to push aside your feelings of hesitation and fight alongside me to save our friends, your brother, and this entire city." Ruka slowly looked up at the older teen with worried eyes as he spoke. "While we're wasting time here, the Ark Cradle is plummeting. There are still three Planetary Gears remaining, and none of them are in this room. Which means…" Yusei trailed off momentarily as he returned his gaze to Paradox. "…regardless of what this man says, he's not an enemy we can afford to waste too much time against." Ruka nodded slowly, regaining perspective. "I understand. Let's work together to defeat him so we can move on, Yusei."
Paradox watched the two Signers get back into position in front of their holographic Monsters on the field. A wide grin came to his face as he listened to them conversing, which soon broke into sadistic laughter. "I'm an enemy you can't afford to waste too much time against? I should be the one saying that to you, Yusei Fudo!" Paradox's face twisted psychotically as he went on. "Compared to Z-one, you and your friends are nothing but wiggling maggots! I'll show you just how meaningless you really are in front of me!" Paradox raised his arm and snapped his fingers. Yusei and Ruka froze, expecting something to happen, but were taken aback when nothing did. "What did you just do?" Yusei asked, growing a bit uncomfortable with the sudden silence. "Just wait a moment," the mad scientist said, an evil gleam shining in his eyes. "It's coming…now!"
Within the very same second Paradox finished his sentence, an object shot out of one of the walls, accompanied by two others traveling toward different destinations. Before Yusei and Ruka could process what was happening, they felt a sharp pain enter through their legs that knocked the wind out of them. Over on Paradox's end, he suffered the same sudden impact despite not looking too fazed by it.
"What…did you just do to us?" Yusei grunted, now on one knee. Beside him, Ruka was just barely getting back to her feet. Paradox gave another laugh despite being hit by the same object. "What I just injected you with is a powerful poison made from the venom of over 20 of the world's most poisonous animals! But it's too early to be frightened," Paradox said twistedly as he observed the frightened expressions on his opponent's faces. "Because if you don't defeat me within the next 30 minutes, this poison will completely paralyze your body and eat away your organs from the inside out! Only the last Duelist standing will get access to the antidote while the others die a slow, painful death!" Paradox tilted his head back, enjoying maniacal laughter as he lifted both of his arms. "And after absorbing your Signer powers, there's no way you'll ever defeat me!"
Yusei looked over at Ruka, who naturally looked terrified by this. Yusei cursed under his breath, knowing Ruka's body was especially fragile. He knew they had to end this quick. Never mind 30 minutes. He wasn't sure if her body would even hold out that long. Even so, he knew he would need to work together with her in order to accomplish this task. "Stay with me, Ruka!" he pleaded, calling out to her in a concerned voice. "No matter what tricks he pulls, we have to stay strong and defeat him!" Ruka knew what he said was right, but she couldn't stop her arm from shaking.
BREAK
Yusei felt a wave of anger wash over him as he watched Ruka's frightened trembling, but he knew now was not the time or the place for such emotions. Suppressing his rage, Yusei placed his hand over his deck as he turned his gaze over to Paradox. "My turn! Draw!"
[Yusei's LP: 4000]
Yusei swiped a card off the top of his deck, briefly looked at it, and added it to his starting hand which now held six cards. "I Summon the Tuner Monster, Blue Expense Falcon, in Attack Mode!" Yusei declared as he slapped the Monster Card down onto his Duel Disk's Monster Zone slots. Appearing in front of Yusei on his field was a rather large winged creature that held a human form while maintaining a pair of blue-feathered wings. With a high-pitched screech, the blue bird-man was ready for action.
[Blue Expense Falcon: LV2/800/800]
"When this Monster is Summoned successfully," Yusei started to explain, "I can Special Summon one Level Four or lower Dragon-Type Monster from my hand!" As he spoke, Yusei removed another card from his hand and slapped it onto his Duel Disk. "I Special Summon Star Bright Dragon in Attack Mode!" Yusei's second dragon lit up like a star in the sky, illuminating the dark corners of the room behind Yusei and Ruka. Giving a mighty flap of its wings, the new dragon flashed its teeth.
[Star Bright Dragon: LV4/1900/1000]
"With Star Bright Dragon on the field, I can target a Monster on the field other than this card and increase its level by two until the turn's End Phase! The Monster I select is Blue Expense Falcon! Blue Expense Falcon changes from a Level Two to a Level Four!"
[Blue Expense Falcon's LV: 2 - 4]
Paradox's smirk did not fade as he anticipated Yusei's next move. As if he was answering his anticipation, Yusei raised his arm in the air as he declared his next move. "I'm Tuning my now Level Four Blue Expense Falcon with my Level Four Star Bright Dragon!" The field around Yusei came to life with a green energy that surrounded the two Monsters.
(4+4=8)
"Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon!" With a triumphant cry, Stardust Dragon's white-glowing body emerged from the light, accompanied by a threatening screech.
[Stardust Dragon: LV8/2500/2000]
Paradox's expression remained unraveled as he eyed the mystical Signer Dragon. "To think you'd be so foolish as to actually play Stardust despite knowing full well what I'm capable of," he finally said in an arrogant tone.
"Paradox!" Yusei countered with a point of his finger. "We won't cower in fear of you! We'll defeat you and stop the Ark Cradle, no matter what tricks you throw our way!" Ruka watched Yusei, a look of admiration in her eyes. How could he maintain his cool even under circumstances like this? If only she could muster even half of his courage…
"Go, Stardust!" Yusei continued, nodding to his dragon. "Attack Sin Elemental Hero Wingman! Shooting Sonic!"
[Sin Elemental Hero Wingman's ATK: 2100]
Paradox could only stand in silence as Stardust's beam of white energy shattered his Fusion Monster knockoff, the blast colliding into his chest. Despite the pain, Paradox maintained his cool even as he was forced a couple of feet back.
[Paradox's LP: 4000 - 3600]
"Not too bad," the scientist grunted, hand clasped over chest. "But your attack just triggered my Trap Card! Sin Tune!" Paradox gave a flick of his wrist as he brought his face-down card into full view. "When a Sin Monster on my field is destroyed, I can draw two cards!" Yusei scowled as his enemy used his assault to his own advantage, drawing the two cards from the top of his deck and adding them to his hand. "I set three cards face-down!" Yusei then called out, attempting to fortify his own position in power over the field. Ruka continued to watch Yusei in both awe and depression, still attempting to calm her nerves despite the danger of their situation. Just as Yusei let his arm drop to his side, he felt a sudden dizzy spell creep out of nowhere that nearly caused him to lose his balance. Grasping the side of his skull with his free hand, Yusei blinked rapidly as he attempted to realign his now doubled vision. Ruka noticed Yusei's sudden change in demeanor and attempted to come to his aid when she too became dizzy and unstable. The petite girl lost her footing and fell onto the ground.
"What's wrong?" Paradox snickered, his eyes flashing like a snake. "Don't tell me you two are feeling the effects of my poison already. Surely you Singers can't be this weak!" Paradox placed his hand on his hip as he chuckled at his own comment.
BREAK
Yusei rubbed his temple, which succeeded in slowing down the dizziness. He cursed under his breath, realizing Paradox wasn't bluffing as he had hoped. Whatever he and Ruka were injected with must have been very potent for it to start affecting them this quickly. As Yusei straightened his posture, he turned to view Ruka, who was lying face-first against the dusty floor. "Ruka! Stay with me!" he called. Unfortunately for Yusei, attempting to rush to her aid only hastened his dizziness. Yusei knew this needed to end quickly not for him, but for Ruka's sake. She had always had a weaker body since birth, so whatever Yusei was feeling now was probably far worse for the young girl. "Ruka…!" Yusei stopped when he saw the girl's small hand rising above her collapsed body. "I'm okay…Yusei. Just give me a minute to regain my strength. Just focus on the…Duel." Yusei balled his hand into a fist, his anger growing by the second as he turned to Paradox. "How could you do something like this?! Your grudge should be against me, right?! Why did you need to drag Ruka into this as well?!"
"What an absurd thing to ask," Paradox quickly answered, his smirk fading into a frown. "Is this girl not your friend? Is she not a fellow Singer who chose to oppose Yliaster?" Yusei narrowed his eyes, a dark glare dominating his expression. "Of course she is! That's all the more reason! How can I just stand here and watch her suffer like this?!" Yusei's glare softened a bit, his voice taking on a more pleading tone. "Just give Ruka the antidote! There's no reason for her to have to experience this!" Ruka lifted her head just enough so she could see the concern in Yusei's eyes. "Yusei…"
"How noble," Paradox said with a shrug. "But I'm afraid I can't do that. After all, this is a Duel meant to show you and your friends the true meaning of helplessness." Paradox's eyes grew as cold as ice as he uttered those chilling words. "Just as I wandered the Barian World, desperately clinging to life, the two of you will experience the sensation of standing before Death's door." Yusei could only grip his arm in absolute rage at this statement, his fingernails digging into his flesh and scratching his skin in the process. "It all begins now, Yusei Fudo!" Paradox said, placing his hand over his deck. "My turn! Draw!"
[Paradox's LP: 3600]
"I activate the Magic Card, Sin Selection, from my hand!" As Paradox inserted the card into his Duel Disk, the space around Paradox's field lit up a navy blue. "Sin Selection, as long as I have a Sin Monster on my field, allows me to destroy one Magic or Trap Card on the field! Naturally, I destroy Sealing Swords of Light!" Paradox pointed toward Ruka's field, the navy blue light entering into Ruka's Duel Disk and deactivating the spell she had casted on the field during her first turn. The shining swords above Paradox shattered into nothingness, freeing his Monster. "Did you think such a pathetic spell would bind me for three whole turns?" Paradox's chilling glare moved toward Ruka's glazy eyes. The girl, still sprawled out on the floor, could muster up no response.
"Then," Paradox continued, slapping a card onto his Duel Disk, "I Special Summon Sin Blue-Eyes White Dragon by sending Blue-Eyes White Dragon from my deck to the Graveyard! Attack Mode!" The mighty dragon, once under the command of the famous Seto Kaiba, now wore a black and white mask that covered its head and its wings.
[Sin Blue-Eyes White Dragon: LV8/3000/2500]
The dragon unleashed a roar that almost sounded sad in nature. Paradox couldn't help but smirk at the dragon's resistance. "Thanks to the unusual time flow of the Barian World, I have somehow been able to keep the Monsters I collected throughout the various ages. Using my powerful servants, I will dispose of you two Signers right here and become a Number Hunter!" Paradox brought his arm up to his chest as he ordered his new dragon. "Go, Sin Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Attack Sunlight Unicorn!"
[Sunlight Unicorn's ATK: 2500]
"Don't!" Yusei protested, but his voice fell on deaf ears. "Let this be your first lesson!" Paradox cried. "Burst Stream of Destruction!" Sin Blue-Eyes unleashed a mighty beam of white lightning that crashed down onto Ruka's field. Just as Yusei thought her unicorn was a goner, the girl opened her mouth and managed to speak. "Trap Card, open…! Horn of the Phantom Beast!" Both Paradox and Yusei stopped in their tracks as Sunlight Unicorn's horn shined a valiant crimson red. "Horn of the Phantom Beast increases the Attack Power of a Beast-Type or Beast-Warrior-Type Monster by 800 points! I selected Sunlight Unicorn!" Ruka's comeback move caught Paradox off guard, and the scientist quickly realized that it was too late to stop Blue-Eyes' attack.
[Sunlight Unicorn's ATK: 2500 - 3300]
Ruka's unicorn counterattacked, sending a beam of red light that dispersed the Burst Stream. Sin Blue-Eyes was shot down in the counter, disappearing in a series of black flames that rained down on Paradox's field. He could only click his tongue in annoyance at the scene. "To think you still had some fight left in you, girl…!"
[Paradox's LP: 3600 - 3300]
"Ruka!" Yusei called over to her as the girl managed to get back to her feet. "Are you sure you're okay?" Ruka took a deep breath before she finally managed a response. "Don't worry about me, Yusei! Just as Paradox said, I'm your friend and a fellow Signer. I won't let myself hold you back." Ruka forced a smile despite her pain, and Yusei was able to tell that she was only bluffing. "Just don't force yourself…" Ruka's smile softened as she mentally thanked Yusei for caring. She quickly regained her serious composure as she continued with her counterstrike. "When a Monster equipped with Horn of the Phantom Beast destroys a Monster in battle, I can draw one card from my deck." As Ruka drew her card, she thought of her brother and her other fallen friends. "Rua… Everyone…" she thought to herself. "No matter what happens, we'll defeat Paradox and save you all!"
Paradox knew he lost the advantage here. With Ruka's powered up Sunlight Unicorn now dominating the field with its 3300 Attack Points, that left Yusei's Stardust Dragon and Paradox's Sin Guardian Eatos. Both Monsters held 2500 Attack Points and were equal in strength. It would be pointless to send the two to destroy each other. Moreover, Paradox had other plans for Stardust and defeating it in battle would not suffice. "I set a card face-down and end my turn." As Paradox's set card appeared on the field, Yusei was beginning to notice something about the android that seemed out of place given their current situation. Was it just his imagination?
"It's my turn!" Ruka called as she drew a new card.
[Ruka's LP: 4000]
"I activate Sunlight Unicorn's effect! Once per turn, I can reveal the top card of my deck. If it's an Equip Magic, I can add it to my hand. If it's not, it goes to the bottom of my deck." Ruka revealed the top card of her deck, an Equip Spell called Mage Power. "Because it is an Equip Spell, I can add it to my hand." After doing just that, Ruka continued on with her turn. "I Summon the Tuner Monster, Sunny Pixie, in Defense Mode!" A tiny fairy no bigger than Ruka's already small hand appeared above her, entering into a defensive stance.
[Sunny Pixie: LV1/300/400]
"Go, Sunlight Unicorn!" Ruka declared with a raise of her arm. "Attack Sin Guardian Eatos!" Sunlight Unicorn gave a neigh as it galloped toward the defending Guardian Monster, once belonging to Raphael of the Doma trio.
[Sin Guardian Eatos' ATK: 2500]
[Sunlight Unicorn's ATK: 3300]
As it unleashed a red beam from its horn, a card on Paradox's field suddenly flipped face-up. "Trap Card, activate!" Paradox countered. "Sin Divine! When my opponent's Monster attacks a Sin Monster on my field, this card activates and becomes an Equip Card! The attacked Monster cannot be destroyed in battle as long as this card remains face-up on the field! Nice try, little girl, but you won't best me twice in a row!" Despite Ruka's dismay, Sunlight Unicorn continued charging toward its enemy. "Even so," Ruka protested through weakened pants, "you still take 800 points of damage!"
"Don't be so sure of that," Paradox shot back with a grin. "I activate the effect of Sin Guardian Eatos! By sending one Equip Spell equipped to this Monster to the Graveyard, I can Banish up to three Monsters from my opponent's Graveyard! By doing so, Eatos gains 500 Attack Points for each until the End Phase! The reason I activated Sin Divine wasn't to defend, but to attack, for it is treated as an Equip Spell as per its effect!" Yusei's jaw dropped when he heard this effect, and rightfully so. "Banish your opponent's Monsters to increase its Attack Power?!" Ruka, looking defeated, let her arm sink back by her side. "No way…"
"I Banish Blue Expense Falcon and Star Bright Dragon from Yusei's Graveyard to increase Sin Guardian Eatos' Attack Power by 1000 points! Soul of the Sacred Sword!" As Paradox announced the name of the technique, Eatos' sword lit up a vibrant white. The souls of Yusei's two Monsters entered the sword and increased its power.
[Sin Guardian Eatos' ATK: 2500 - 3500]
Paradox gave a lengthy cackle as Sunlight Unicorn approached Eatos. "Little girl! Now your Monster will be destroyed instead because you were too much of a fool to not activate Mage Power! Had you done so, Sunlight Unicorn would have gained 500 Attack and Defense Points for each Spell and Trap you control!" Ruka realized he was right. If she had done so, Sunlight Unicorn would have gained 1500 Attack Points due to her controlling Mage Power, Horn of the Unicorn, and Horn of the Phantom Beast. That would have brought its Attack Power all the way up to 4800. In the heat of the moment, she was only thinking of gaining the advantage and was saving her Mage Power for Ancient Fairy Dragon. She was about to pay the price for her mistake. Paradox continued laughing as Ruka closed her eyes, waiting for the destruction of her unicorn.
The field fell silent suddenly, and Paradox looked around him in confusion. "What the…?" When he saw Sunlight Unicorn had stopped its attack, his eyes widened. "What is the meaning of this?!" Paradox shot his gaze over to Yusei's field where, to his shock, two of his face-downs were now activated. "You were so busy trying to bully Ruka," Yusei started in a low-pitched voice, "that you failed to even pay attention to the cards on my field." Paradox began to sweat as he recognized the cards on Yusei's field and instantly figured out what was going on.
"That's right," Yusei said with a smirk. "The first card I activated is a Trap called Reinforce Truth. This card allows me to Special Summon one Level Two or lower Warrior-Type Monster from my deck. I used this card to Special Summon Speed Warrior onto Ruka's field!" Paradox suddenly noticed Speed Warrior standing off to the side of Ruka's field. Both he and Ruka were too focused on Sunlight Unicorn to notice.
[Speed Warrior: LV2/900/400]
"Then," Yusei continued, "I activated Urgent Tuning, allowing me to Synchro Summon during the Battle Phase. By selecting Sunlight Unicorn as the target, the battle was stopped before it could be destroyed."
Yusei turned to a dumbfounded Ruka and gave her an approving nod. "Ruka, go ahead and call Ancient Fairy!" Ruka slowly nodded, realizing Yusei had just saved her. "Sorry! Here I go! I'm Tuning my Level One Sunny Pixie with Yusei's Level Two Speed Warrior and my Level Four Sunlight Unicorn!" Ruka's field lit up green as the three Monsters were encased in circles.
(1+2+4=7)
"The sacred guardian's light crosses paths now and becomes eternal life! Synchro Summon! Be born, Ancient Fairy Dragon!" Ruka's Singer Dragon, a fairy with blue skin and pink fairy-like wings, hovered above the child on the field. Her green hair fluttered about as the female spirit looked down at Ruka with concern in her eyes. "I sense your life is in great peril, Ruka. Are you okay?" Ruka nodded, wiping the sweat from her forehead. "I'm fine. Don't worry about me. We have to focus on defeating the enemy standing before us!" Ancient Fairy slowly nodded, turning her gaze to a growling Paradox standing several feet away.
"When Sunny Pixie is sent to the Graveyard for the Synchro Summon of a Light-Attribute Synchro Monster," Ruka explained, I gain 1000 Life Points!" Warm fairy dust surrounded the girl, making her feel slightly better despite her decreasing health.
[Ruka's LP: 4000 - 5000]
Ruka looked over to Yusei and gave him a weakened nod before she continued with her turn. Yusie noticed that there were dark bags forming under her eyes, making it obvious that the poison was already taking its toll her on her body.
"I set a card face-down," Ruka continued, "and I activate the Equip Spell, Mage Power, from my hand and equip it with Ancient Fairy Dragon! This card increases the Attack Power of Ancient Fairy Dragon by 500 points for each Magic and Trap Card I control. I currently control my set card and Mage Power, raising Ancient Fairy's Attack Power by 1000 points!" Ancoent Fairy let out a screech as her body absorbed the energy from Ruka's field.
[Ancient Fairy Dragon's ATK: 2100 - 3100]
"Next, I activate Ancient Fairy Dragon's effect! Once per turn, I can Special Summon one Level Four or lower Monster from my hand! I Special Summon Illusion Fairy in Defense Mode!" A naked blue fairy with red hair and red wings appeared beside Ancient Fairy on the field, kneeling down in a defensive position.
[Illusion Fairy: LV2/300/200]
"Also," Ruka continued with a raise of her hand, "Ancient Fairy Dragon can destroy one Field Spell once per turn! I'll destroy Sin World!" Yusei smiled at Ruka's move, knowing full well this would give them the advantage. With Sin World out of the picture, there was no way Paradox would be able to defeat them with non-Sin cards. "Plain Back!" As Ruka announced the name of the technique, Ancient Fairy Dragon emitted a black light from her body that targeted Paradox's field. Just as Ruka was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the wide smirk on Paradox's face shattered her illusions of victory. "Did you think I would challenge you Signers without knowing the effects of your dragons? After some modifications, I made it so that Sin World is unable to be destroyed by Card Effects! What a pointless move that was!" Ruka felt her dizziness return as she lost her adrenaline, and she closed her eyes in defeat. "Turn end…"
"So you've fallen to cheating now…?" Yusei grumbled in annoyance, glancing over at Ruka yet again to see her increasingly weakened state becoming far more obvious. "I'm going to end this, Paradox! My turn! Draw!"
[Yusei's LP: 4000]
Swiping a card off his deck, Yusei's eyes met with Paradox in a stare down that seemed to last for eternity. Paradox's lips shriveled into a scowl as he returned the gaze, flashing his sharp, white teeth in the process. "I activate the Magic Card, Junk Tool Box, from my hand!" Yusei continued, activating the card he had kept in reserve up until this point. "By discarding one Junk Monster from my hand, I can draw cards equal to its level!" Yusei selected the card he just drew, the last card in his hand, and slid it into the Graveyard Slot. "I discard the Level Five Junk Collector! This lets me draw five cards!" Yusei held the cards up out in front of his face as he analyzed them. "I then discard the same number of cards! In other words, I discard the five cards I just drew!" Ruka placed her finger on her now-pale lips, not following what Yusei's purpose was. Paradox held a similar expression, and he scoffed arrogantly. "What a ridiculously pointless move. Has the poison eaten away your brain cells as well, Yusei Fudo? What good will drawing new cards do you if you toss them away into the Graveyard the second you get them?!"
"Oh, they'll help me more than you think," Yusei said in response, forcing a smile to his strained face. "Thanks to the Trap Card on my field, Power of Fellowship!" Paradox raised an eyebrow, obviously not sure of the card's effect. "I've never even heard of such a card. You seem awfully confident in it, so enlighten me on what it does." Yusei's smirk widened slightly before he opened his mouth to speak again. "Power of Fellowship can only be activated when I control a Synchro Monster on the field. It allows me to Banish any number of Tuner Monsters from either player's Graveyard whose total levels equal that of the targeted Synchro Monster on my field. I can then inflict damage to my opponent equal to the combined level of the Banished Tuners and increase the Attack Power of the targeted Synchro Monster by the same amount!"
Paradox's expression was obviously distraught by the time Yusei finished his explanation of the card. "Then…the reason you played Junk Tool Box…" Yusei nodded, his brows lowering and his expression hardening. "That's right! I Banish the two Tuner Monsters I just discarded to the Graveyard, the Level Three Junk Synchron and the Level Five Quick Synchron, whose total levels equal the Level Eight Stardust Dragon! By doing so, Paradox, you take damage equal to their combined eight levels times 200! That's 1600 points!" Paradox gasped as a blast of energy manifested from the card and rammed him straight in the chest. The force from the assault sent the android sliding several feet away from the field and screaming in agony all the way there.
[Paradox's LP: 3300 - 1700]
"In addition to that, Stardust's Attack Power increases by 1600 points!" Stardust let out a screeching roar as the same energy that blasted Paradox entered into its body.
[Stardust Dragon's ATK: 2500 - 4100]
Paradox gritted his teeth, sweat now visibly appearing on his tightened face overcome by shock. "4100 Attack Points with a mere Card Effect?!" Yusei wasted no time ordering his dragon into combat as he lifted both of his arms. "Go, Stardust Dragon! Attack Sin Guardian Eatos! Shooting Sonic!"
[Sin Guardian Eatos' ATK: 2500]
"Don't think you'll defeat me that easily, Yusei Fudo!" Paradox raged, countering Yusei's fierce expression with a pair of beady, blood shot eyes. "I activate the effect of Sin Guardian Eatos! I Banish Sunlight Unicorn and Sunny Pixie from the girl's Graveyard as well as your Speed Warrior to increase the Attack Power of Guardian Eatos by 1500 points!" Both Ruka and Yusei felt their Duel Disks being forced into the air as the spirits of their Monsters were absorbed by the masked angel's sword. "Forbidden Gospel!"
[Sin Guardian Eatos' ATK: 2500 - 4000]
"It still isn't enough!" Yusei shouted, pressing on despite his effort. "Strike the guardian down, Stardust!" In response to its master's order, Stardust increased its power and blasted a hole right through Eatos and her sword, striking Paradox down in the process. The scientist grunted in pain as the blast hit him dead on, his eyes bulging and his teeth clenched hard against each other.
[Paradox's LP: 1700 - 1600]
"Turn end!" Yusei cried, finally allowing his arms to rest at his side. He appeared pleased with his efforts, but it still wasn't enough. Yusei felt another wave of dizziness, his body obviously breaking down due to the poison, but he did his best to maintain fierce and in control. No matter what, he would not allow Paradox to see him struggling. More importantly, he had to stay strong for Ruka's sake, who was now breathing heavy and showing signs of severe fatigue. Her eyes were droopy and glazed over. Despite all of this, she flashed Yusei a very fragile smile as he looked over in her direction that made him feel guilty all over again.
"Not yet…" Paradox's strained voice cut in, grabbing the two's attention. "You can't defeat me with your cheap tricks, Yusei Fudo…" Paradox walked back over to his position in his now empty field, holding a venomous, warped expression on his face. Ruka felt as if Paradox was a snake cornering two rabbits at this point, and it made her shudder. "During the End Phase in which Sin Guardian Eatos is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon Guardian Deathscythe from my hand or deck in Defense Position!" Yusei and Ruka watched as a demented being formed in front of them on the field. Its long, unkempt, straw-like hair covered its empty, red eyes.
[Guardian Deathscythe: LV7/2500/2000]
"What you are witnessing is the darkness of one man's heart trapped within the form of a card. During my travels through the various dimensions, I stole both of these cards from a man with the abilities to communicate with Duel Monsters spirits like that girl Signer over there." Paradox pointed to Ruka as he spoke. "Needless to say, the effects of this card aren't quite the same out of the hands of its master. Under normal circumstances, this creature seizes control of the field, preventing its controller from Summoning any Monsters. But in this case, this being has become my loyal servant and won't dare to lay a finger against me." Paradox's wicked grin intensified as he explained this.
"A man with the ability to see the spirits of Duel Monsters?" Yusei asked out loud, turning to look over at Ruka. "I had heard that there were others like Ruka and Judai-san in our history…" Paradox gave a chuckle at Yusei's comment, looking fiercer and more intense with each passing second. Yusei lost his train of thought as he felt another wave of the poison messing around with his insides. Though he made good progress this turn, he was also frustrated that it was taking so long to defeat this person…or android. As much as he hated to admit it, it took the help of Judai and Yugi to beat him the last time, and as much as he respected and liked her, Ruka was no comparison to those two in terms of her Dueling prowess. In fact, even Yusei himself may not have been in the same league as those two legends. As Yusei's thoughts swirled around in his head, he continued to fixate on one point in particular; the same thought that crossed his mind earlier.
"Why are you not being affected by the poison…?" Yusei muttered, feeling his own voice slipping away from him. He had adrenaline on his side earlier, but even that was beginning to fail him at this point. He knew that if his older body was giving out on him this badly, poor Ruka must be suffering three times worse at this point. In contrast to the two beings slowly decaying from the inside out, Paradox looked perfectly fine. No, Yusei would even swear that he looked better than before the match began.
"How amusing that you would even ask me such a thing," Paradox finally replied with a wicked tongue. "Did you feel reassured earlier when I injected myself?" Paradox started to burst out in laughter as he shrugged his shoulders. "How naïve! What kind of idiot would poison themselves with a poison they weren't immune to?!" Paradox continued to laugh as both Singers managed to glare back at him, slowly but surely losing all of their stamina. "In fact," Paradox continued, his smirk ear to ear, "thanks to these birthmarks I absorbed from your friends, I'm feeling better than ever right now."
"Damn you…" Yusei muttered through his now blue lips. "You set this up from the very beginning so we never had a chance…" Paradox gave another cackle before responding in his eerie voice, "I like to think of it as battle strategy to ensure I get exactly what I want." Paradox turned to look at the far opposite end of the room where Yusei and Ruka noticed a wide video monitor cropped against the wall. "What…the?" Ruka squeaked in a barely audible voice. "Was that monitor here the entire time?" Through his triple vision, Yusei made out the figure of a small, masked boy on the video monitor watching him with glassy eyes. "There's a person on the screen?! What's going on here, Paradox?!"
"Oh! It seems we've been discovered!" Tron, who was apparently watching the entire time from the video monitor on the other side of the dark room, was accompanied by the same mass of energy Paradox met earlier. "And here we were being so quiet, too…" the spiritual energy complained with a sigh. "Oh well. You can't win 'em all, you know? You may as well explain to our…guests here what exactly is going on, Paradox." The shadows of the room covered the screen, but Yusei could make out the lining of Tron's face as well as the glowing mass floating behind him.
Paradox's grin widened, if it was even possible to stretch any further at this point. "I wouldn't want to take away so much of their precious time," Paradox said sarcastically, "but I suppose I'll offer a quick explanation." Paradox turned back so he was facing the dying Signers. "You see, the two of you are going to serve as a final trial of sorts for me. Once those two witness my strength, they'll have no choice but to make me a Number Hunter! Once I obtain the power of the Numbers, I'll be able to change this world in a way Z-one could never even dream of!"
"So he boasts," Tron giggled, "but he's getting knocked around quite a bit, isn't he? Wow! He hasn't even landed a single blow, has he?! Not even on the little girl!" Tron burst out into obnoxious laughter, rolling back in his chair. The spirit mass beside him scoffed arrogantly as well. "I sure hope you've got more to offer than this, Paradox. I had such high hopes for you, so don't disappoint me."
"Just you two keep watching!" Paradox cried, waving them off with his arm. "I haven't even gotten serious yet!" Paradox's eyes flashed a murderous shine as he placed his hand over his deck.
"What are these Numbers they keep talking about…" Yusei wondered out loud. He then stopped himself, reminding himself that this wasn't the time for such things. Not only his life, but Ruka's prioritized, Yusei needed to end this match as soon as possible. The girl was unable to speak at this point, barely standing. She must have been standing on willpower alone at this point. Yusei wanted to stare daggers into Paradox, but he couldn't muster the strength to do so.
BREAK
"My turn!" Paradox finally announced, swiping a card from his deck. "Draw!"
[Paradox's LP: 1600]
"I activate the Magic Card, Sinful Greed, from my hand!" Paradox inserted the card, whicn manifested a masked green jar in front of him. "By Banishing a Sin Monster from my Graveyard, I can draw two cards from my deck! I Banish Sin Elemental Hero Wingman from my Graveyard!" the Elemental Hero's spirit faded from the Graveyard, becoming sealed within the masked pot. As the pot opened, Paradox was given authority from his Duel Disk to draw his two cards. Once he viewed his new cards, his grin stretched to inhuman proportions. "This farce ends now! It's time for those Singer Dragons to meet the same end as your friends!" Yusei and Ruka looked disturbed by his words, but were too weak to offer any resistance at this point.
"I activate the Magic Card, Sinful Seal!" Once activated, two black strands scurried across the field and latched onto both Stardust Dragon and Ancient Fairy Dragon respectively. "Wh-What's happening…?" Ruka muttered softly, her eyes widening. Yusei had a brief flash of the previous incident his Stardust was stolen when Paradox first appeared in Neo Domino City. This naturally invoked panic within his gut, and he forced his vocal cords enough to address Paradox. "Don't tell me you plan to…!"
"That's right!" Paradox answered immediately, his voice sounding arrogant and dominating. "This card allows me to Banish two Synchro Monsters on my opponent's side of the field and add two equivalent Sin Monsters from my deck to my hand! Now that I've absorbed your Signer Dragons, I've been able to create the Sin Cards within my deck! I had two blank cards waiting among the deck for this occasion!" Paradox cackled profusely as both Stardust and Ancient Fairy were absorbed within the card he held in his hand. At the same time, two black cards manifested in his hand.
"Ancient Fairy…!" Ruka squeaked, attempting to raise her voice but failing miserably. She reached her hand forward sadly as her beloved dragon disappeared into Paradox's seal. "How could you…?!" Near her, Yusei balled his hand into a fist. Though he was weak, clear anger emitted from his eyes as he stared Paradox down. "Do you really think you'll get away with this, Paradox?!"
"I already have!" Paradox shot back as his voice doubled in volume. "But I have something else to play at the moment! I Special Summon Sin Armed Dragon by Banishing Armed Dragon LV7 from my deck!" Upon his command, a new masked dragon clad in iron armor stampeded the field with a roar.
[Sin Armed Dragon: LV7/2800/1000]
"I then activate Sin Armed Dragon's effect!" Paradox continued. "By discarding a Sin Monster from my hand, I can destroy all the Monsters on my opponent's side of the field with Attack Power equal to or less than the Attack Power of the discarded Sin Monster!" Paradox turned his sight to the weak fairy kneeling in front of Ruka. "Little girl, you'll feel the sting of your own beloved dragon! Engrave in your mind the feeling of betrayal!" Ruka's glazy eyes went wide as Paradox showed her the Sin Ancient Fairy Dragon he held in his hand, slowly sliding it into his Graveyard slot. "I discard Sin Ancient Fairy Dragon to destroy the Illusion Fairy on your field, whose weak Attack Points hardly match up to the Fairy Dragon's 2100! Now perish!" Sin Armed Dragon sent a sound wave that shattered Ruka's last line of defense into nothingness. Ruka felt the pressure from the blast and nearly lost her balance.
"But I'm not done yet!" Paradox continued. "I switch Guardian Deathscythe into Attack Mode! Go, Deathscythe! Attack Yusei Fudo directly! Forbidden Requiem!" Deathscythe gave a demonic shriek as it lunged toward Yusei with its scythe. Yusei braced himself for the impact, but stopped when the attack was repelled by an invisible light wall. "What?!" Paradox raised an eyebrow as he realized his attack had failed.
"I activated a Trap Card…!" Ruka cut in, doing her best to stay with the flow of the situation. "Twinkle Wall! This card lets me negate an attack during the opponent's Battle Phase. In exchange, I take damage equal to half the total Attack Power of the attacking Monster…" Yusei gasped as Ruka was blasted by her own card, bringing her to her knees. Ruka, now short of breath, stared down at the dark floor in pain as she felt dizziness incomparable with all the others overtake her.
[Ruka's LP: 5000 - 3750]
"Ruka!" Yusei called out to her, obvious concern flashing in his eyes. "You didn't have to do that!" Ruka raised her hand to silence her older friend, turning slowly to offer him a weak smile. "It's okay, Yusei… I won't let you die like Sherry said you would." Ruka turned her eyes away to stare down at her shaking hands. "To be honest, I don't think I'll be able to make it through the rest of this Duel. I'm only going to slow you down at this rate. At the very least… I want you to win so you can save Rua and the others…"
"Don't talk like that!" Yusei cried, running over to the girl to pull her back up on her feet by the sleeve of her pink hoodie. "No matter what, we're going to survive this! You can go see Rua yourself!" Ruka stared into Yusei's eyes for several seconds before starting to tear up. "I'm sorry," she muttered softly, her tears dripping down her cheeks. Yusei patted the girl's head, then smiled to himself as he walked back to his side of the field. "I know you're scared, Ruka. I swore I'd protect you no matter what, didn't I? Just be strong for me and hang in there until I get the antidote!" Ruka nodded as she forced herself back onto her feet. "It won't be easy, but I'll manage somehow... I won't let you fight him alone."
"Such pointless struggle," Paradox grumbled while Deathscythe returned in front of him. "Because of Twinkle Wall, I can't activate any Magic or Trap Cards for the rest of my turn, so I end my turn without doing anything else." Paradox's smirk returned despite his annoyance as he looked both of his enemies right in the eyes. "You talk big, but let's see if you can really turn this situation around as quickly as you say."
On the video monitor, Tron gave an amused laugh as he watched the situation unfold. "This Yusei character reminds me an awful lot of Kazuma, always going on and on about friends." Beside him, the black mist chuckled to himself as he fixated on the two Signers. "The Singers never change, not in the past, the present, or the future. Acting as if having a friend by your side is enough to alter your fate." Tron turned to his smoky companion with a curious expression. "You sound like you've met the Signers before. Is that true?" The spiritual residue merely scoffed his comment off. "That hardly makes a difference, boy. Mind your manners and focus on the Duel."
"My turn," Ruka announced as she drew her card. To her utmost dismay, the card she drew was Horn of the Unicorn. She nearly forgot this during the commotion, but the card automatically returned to the top of her deck when it was sent to the Graveyard during the Synchro Summoning of Ancient Fairy Dragon. If Ancient Fairy were still present, this would be most fortunate for her. Without the dragon, however, the card was a hindrance and prevented her from drawing a card that could actually defend herself. Ruka cursed her words mentally, talking about helping Yusei when she couldn't even do anything. "I set one card face-down. Turn…end."
"Couldn't even do a thing despite all that talk?" Paradox spoke Ruka's thoughts as her card manifested, adding salt in her mental wounds. "How pathetic!"
"Don't listen to him, Ruka," Yusei cut in, offering her a smile. "I believe in you." Ruka silently nodded as Yusei inserted the card he just drew into his Duel Disk. "I set a card face-down and end my turn!" It pained Yusei to admit it, but they were going to have to survive through another of Paradox's turns before they could turn the tables. Between both of their set cards, Yusei had confidence that they could pull it off.
"My turn!" Paradox erupted in diabolical laughter after looking at the card he just drew. "You're probably betting everything on those two set cards of yours, but allow me to shatter your foolish delusions right here and now! Stare into the face of true reality!" Paradox inserted his card into his Duel Disk as he spoke. "I activate the Magic Card, Sin Switch! This card allows me to Banish a Sin Monster on my field and Special Summon a Sin Monster from my deck with a level equal to or less than the Banished Monster!" Paradox raised both his arms, motioning toward a stream of black energy rising in front of him. "I Banish Sin Armed Dragon in order to Special Summon the Level Seven Sin Black Rose Dragon from my deck in Attack Mode!"
"Wh-What did you say?!" Yusei croaked with his dry throat. Beside him, Ruka narrowed her hazy eyes. "So you really did steal Aki-san's Black Rose…"
"Behold the form of betrayal as the loyal servant of your friend shatters the last hope you had left!" Sin Black Rose Dragon, a masked red dragon with wings in the appearance of flower petals, emitted a massive roar that targeted every other card on the field.
[Sin Black Rose Dragon: LV7/2400/1800]
"When Sin Black Rose Dragon is Special Summoned, it can destroy every card on the field, including itself! Let's have a look at the last of your hope, shall we?!" Yusei's card was revealed to be the Trap Card, Stardust Rebirth, a Trap Card that would have negated an attack and Special Summoned Stardust from the Banished Pile. Similarly, Ruka's Trap Card was Spiritual Sacrifice, a card that would have allowed Ruka to negate an attack by Banishing a Plant-Type or Fairy-Type Monster from her Graveyard and then draw one card. "As I thought, but your cards are now meaningless!" As Paradox clenched his fist tightly, both cards were shattered into digital dust, leaving both Duelists staring in horror at their current situation. Black Rose Dragon self-destructed after using this effect, and Sin World was unaffected due to its immunity to destruction.
"Then," Paradox continued, "I Special Summon Sin Red Demon's Dragon by Banishing Red Demon's Dragon from my Extra Deck!" Jack's Ace Monster appeared in front of Paradox, a white and black mask concealing its face.
[Sin Red Demon's Dragon: LV8/3000/2000]
"So you're going to sit by and let our friends' Monsters do all the work...?" Yusei asked through gritted teeth. "You're a coward, Paradox!" The mad scientist merely snorted at Yusei's remark, waving him off nonchalantly. "You're the cowards who couldn't find the courage to let go of your Synchro Monsters, so I don't want to hear that from you!" Paradox's eyes flashed excitedly as he continued speaking. "Besides, it's not like I'm not willing to fight with my own two hands! Behold the extension of my arms and legs, the dragon holding the same name! I Summon Sin Parallel Gear in Attack Mode!" Yusei gasped as a creature holding the appearance of a gear appeared out on the field. "That's…" Yusei began to sweat as some unpleasant memories of his previous encounter with Paradox came flooding back into his head. He jolted his head over to Ruka's now empty field, fear suddenly plaguing his face.
[Sin Parallel Gear: LV2/0/0]
"I've made some modifications since our last Duel," Paradox said with a cruel grin. "The new Sin Parallel Gear allows me to Synchro Summon a Sin Monster using one Sin Monster from my hand! I'll be putting the Stardust I stole from you to good use!" Paradox taunted Yusei by flashing the Sin Stardust card. "A Level Ten Monster?" Ruka asked nervously, showing obvious signs of her terrified state. "That's right!" Paradox confirmed in his twisted tone. "I'm Tuning the Level Two Sin Parallel with the Level Eight Sin Stardust Dragon! Stardust, become fodder for the lord of time-space!"
(2+8=10)
"O Darkness born from the dimensional rifts, pull the curtain of ruin on this stage beyond time and space! Synchro Summon! Sin Paradox Dragon!" The massive dragon was three times as big as even Red Demon's, its mighty shadow engulfing all three players easily. Ruka's eyes went dark as she stared into the demonic eyes of the dragon with virtually nothing protecting her from it. Yusei knew there was nothing to be done here. With 4000 Attack Power, this dragon could blow either of them away with one breath.
[Sin Paradox Dragon: LV10/4000/4000]
"Not too bad, Paradox," Tron said over from the video monitor. "I like your ferocity and your manipulation of time. Now show us what you're capable of!"
"Of course," Paradox replied, his lips curling into a devilish smirk. "I'll end this immediately and claim their birthmarks! And I'll start with…" Paradox raised his arm toward Ruka, showing her no mercy in his stone cold eyes. "…the girl! You'll perish before Yusei Fudo and make him suffer the same agony we did!" Yusei's eyes widened as the reality of the situation weighed in. "I told you to leave Ruka out of this! This is between you and me!"
"No, this involves all of you Singers! I will not discriminate against age or gender! I'll drag all of you down without a moment's hesitation!" Paradox's eyes went bloodshot as he continued his boastful rant. "Once you've suffered, I'll send you to join her and the rest of your friends! Go, Paradox Dragon! Spatial Stream Burst!"
Ruka felt her mind go blank as the massive stream of energy headed toward her. Was everything going to end for her right there? Would she and her friends fail to stop the Ark Cradle from destroying the lives of countless citizens down below? These questions echoed in the back of the young girl's mind, but she felt herself unable to answer them. Closing her eyes, she mentally apologized to her brother, her other friends, and Yusei…
Ruka waited for the decisive moment, but it never came. Her eyes still shut, she could still hear the sound of the coming attack, but she felt nothing. As she slowly opened her eyelids, a look of horror took over her face as she saw the back of Yusei shielding her. His back was unscathed, but his arms and the side of his face she could just barely make out were charred black from the enormous amount of energy currently clashing against his body. "Yusei…!" the girl mumbled, unable to get the words out completely. Yusei stood, his eyes shadowed and his skin raw and bleeding, shielding the young girl and accepting the blast of energy being emitted from Paradox Dragon head-on.
[Yusei's LP: 4000 - 0]
"Tch," Paradox grumbled with a click of his tongue. "So you want to be the first to die, do you? Very well!" Paradox's eyes went crazed and veiny as he lifted both his arms out in front of him. "Forget the poison! Blast Yusei Fudo straight off the edge of this Ark Cradle!" Paradox Dragon increased the force of its attack, slamming Yusei's now limp body past Ruka and toward the corner of the room. Ruka forced her poisoned body to run after him, but the light of the energy stream revealed an area of the room with no floor. Yusei's body was sent falling through this gap, into the depths of the darkness below.
"I don't know where the pit leads, but I suspect you'll be falling for a long time!" Paradox tilted his head back and laughed it up. "Use that time to regret your foolishness before you enter the afterlife!"
Ruka clasped her hands over her mouth, her eyes filling with fresh tears. "Yusei! No!" Ruka, her back still facing Paradox, felt the poison paralyze her movements as she reached out in futility.
"You die if you come to the Ark Cradle," Sherry's ominous words filled Ruka's ears, her tears tripling in volume. "Because of me?!" As the massive dragon took its place by Paradox's side, a shiver crept down Ruka's spine as she heard Paradox call out to her. "Don't think you're off the hook either, girl! Even if you can't move! I still have an attack left! Go, Red Demon's! Burn a hole right through the child's back! Blazing Crimson Hell Flare!" Before Ruka had time to react, she felt a stream of fire enter through her back, blasting her lifeless body right to the edge of the ledge that just swallowed Yusei up.
[Ruka's LP: 3750 - 750]
"Feel the burning sensation of despair, child! Will you give in to the poison first or die by my hand?! Either way, you have no future!"
Ruka toppled over in pain, her entire surroundings fading from her now empty eyes. Did the poison paralyze her, or was her entire body in shock? Either way, the young girl could not move a muscle in her body, no matter how much she screamed in her mind. Just as Ruka abandoned all hope, something happened that words could not describe. Within the deepest corridors of her subconscious, she felt a warmth like nothing she had ever felt before awaken inside of her. The feeling was akin to a flame being smothered out by the wind, only to restore itself. It was in this moment, crossing the threshold between death and life, when Ruka heard the voice.
"Are you willing to let it end like this?"
The voice was feint, softer than the lowest whisper. Yet it was also loud and booming at the same time. Ruka could barely make out the meaning behind the words, yet she somehow knew what the voice was saying.
"Who are you?" Ruka asked in her mind, not hearing an answer. In that split second, Ruka felt her consciousness fade into white.
Paradox laughed away as he watched his forearm containing the other Singer marks in anticipation. "It's only a matter of time before the final two Singer birthmarks are mine. When that happens…" Paradox's voice trailed off when he looked back over at Ruka. His eyes widened and his jaw hung wide open when he saw the once motionless Ruka now facing toward him on her feet. Something was far different about her, though, and Paradox was able to sense this immediately. The girl's body was emitting a powerful aura like nothing he had ever felt before. Her eyes were rolled back in her head, and her face was expressionless. "Im…Impossible…" Paradox muttered through clenched teeth. "There's no way you can be standing… What the hell is the meaning of this?!"
Tron joined Paradox in his confusion, rubbing his chin curiously at the sight he was witnessing. "Well, well, what a surprise. What could she be up to?" Behind Tron, the floating energy cloud chuckled to itself. "So this is when it first activated, huh? That's pretty interesting…" Tron looked up at the energy mass with questioning eyes. "What exactly do you mean by that?"
Paradox took several steps back as Ruka, still lost in her own little world, began chanting something inaudible underneath her breath. As she did, Paradox noticed the ground beneath her shoes transforming into grass. At the same time, Paradox felt grass emerge beneath his own feet. "What the hell is this?!" Spinning around him, Paradox gasped in horror at the sight of towering trees and other various plants emerging from seemingly out of nowhere. Paradox noticed Yusei's unconscious body behind Ruka, which only added to his confusion. "That can't be…! There's no way Yusei Fudo could still be here!"
"Evil one," Ruka muttered in a very low-key voice that held traces of her own, but also contained several other voices as well, "you will now be judged by the Spirit World."
OOooooOOOOoooooooOOOOOOOOOOo oooooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOO
What is this strange phenomenon?!
To be continued in Chapter 7: "Awakening"
List of cards used (in order of appearance):
Blue Expense Falcon
WIND
Level 2
Winged Beast/Tuner/Effect
800/800
When this card is Summoned, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Dragon-Type monster from your hand. This card cannot be used as a Synchro Material Monster, except for the Synchro Summon of a WIND monster.
Star Bright Dragon (TCG: Bright Star Dragon)
LIGHT
Level 4
Dragon/Effect
1900/1000
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 face-up monster on the field, except this card; increase that target's Level by 2 until the End Phase.
Stardust Dragon
WIND
Level 8
Dragon/Synchro/Effect
2500/2000
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
When a Spell, Trap, Spell/Trap effect, or Effect Monster's effect is activated that destroys a card(s) on the field: You can Tribute this card; negate the activation and destroy it. During the End Phase, if this card negated an effect this way during this turn: You can Special Summon this card from your Graveyard.
Sin Elemental Hero Flame Wingman
DARK
Level 6
Warrior/Effect
2100/1200
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by sending 1 "Elemental Flame Wingman" from your Extra Deck to your Graveyard. When this card destroys a monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of the destroyed monster. If "Sin World" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card.
Sin Tune (OCG: Malefic Tune)
Trap
If a face-up "Sin" monster you control is destroyed: Draw 2 cards.
Sin Selection
Spell
Activate only when you control a Sin Monster on your field. Select one Spell or Trap card on the field and destroy it.
Sealing Swords of Light (TCG: Swords of Revealing Light)
Spell
Flip all monsters your opponent controls face-up. This card remains on the field for 3 of your opponent's turns. While this card is face-up on the field, monsters your opponent controls cannot declare an attack.
Sin Blue-Eyes White Dragon (TCG: Malefic Blue-Eyes White Dragon)
DARK
Level 8
Dragon/Effect
3000/2500
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card cannot be Special Summoned except by sending "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" from your Deck to your Graveyard. If "Sin World" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card.
Sin Guardian Eatos
DARK
Level 8
Fairy/Effect
2500/2000
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by Banishing 1 "Guardian Eatos" from your Deck. You can send 1 Equip Spell Card equipped to this card to the Graveyard to remove from play cards from the top of your opponent's Graveyard until you reveal a non-Monster Card. This card gains ATK equal to the total ATK of the monsters removed by this effect, until the End Phase. When this card is destroyed by battle, you can Special Summon one Guardian Deathscythe from your Deck in Defense Position to your field. You can then equip one Reaper Scythe - Deathscythe from your Deck to it. If "Sin World" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card.
Sunlight Unicorn
LIGHT
Level 4
Beast/Effect
1800/1000
Once per turn, during your Main Phase, you can reveal the top card of your Deck. If it is an Equip Spell Card, add it to your hand. If it is not, place it on the bottom of your Deck.
Horn of the Unicorn
Equip Spell
The equipped monster gains 700 ATK and DEF. When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: Return it to the top of the Deck.
Sunny Pixie
LIGHT
Level 1
Spellcaster/Tuner/Effect
If this card is sent to the Graveyard for the Synchro Summon of a LIGHT Synchro Monster, gain 1000 Life Points.
Sin Divine
Permanent Trap
Activate only when your opponent's Monster attacks a Sin Monster on your field. Equip this card to the targeted Sin Monster; the target cannot be destroyed by battle as long as this card remains face-up on the field. This card is treated as an Equip Spell.
Mage Power
Equip Spell
The equipped monster gains 500 ATK and DEF for each Spell and Trap Card you control.
Reinforce Truth
Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower Warrior-Type monster from your Deck. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase the turn you activate this card.
Speed Warrior
WIND
Level 2
Warrior/Effect
900/400
During the Battle Phase of the turn you Normal Summon this card, you can double its original ATK until the end of the Battle Phase.
Urgent Tuning
Trap
Activate only during the Battle Phase. Synchro Summon 1 Synchro Monster. (Send the appropriate Synchro Material Monsters to the Graveyard.)
Ancient Fairy Dragon
LIGHT
Level 7
Dragon/Synchro/Effect
2100/3000
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, you can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower monster from your hand. You cannot conduct your Battle Phase the turn you activate this effect. Once per turn, you can destroy a Field Spell Card. If you do, gain 1000 Life Points, and you can add 1 Field Spell Card from your Deck to your hand.
Illusion Fairy (TCG: Dreamsprite)
LIGHT
Level 2
Plant/Effect
300/200
When attacked by your opponent's monster, select another 1 of your Monster Cards and designate it as the attack's target, then calculate damage.
Junk Tool Box
Spell
Discard 1 "Junk" monster. Draw a number of cards equal to its total level. Then discard an equal number of cards from your hand.
Power of Fellowship
Trap
Activate only when there is a face-up Synchro Monster on your side of the field. Select a number of Tuner Monsters in either player's Graveyard whose combined level(s) equals the level of the targeted Synchro Monster and Banish them. Then inflict damage to your opponent equal to the combined level of the Tuner Monster(s) removed by this effect x200 and increase the ATK of the targeted Synchro Monster by the amount of damage inflicted to your opponent.
Guardian Deathscythe
EARTH
Level 7
Zombie/Effect
2500/2000
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned from your hand or Deck in Defense Position when "Guardian Eatos" is destroyed. When Special Summoned by this effect, you can equip this card with 1 "Reaper Scythe - Dreadscythe" from your hand or Deck. You cannot Summon or Set monsters. If this card would be destroyed (either by battle or by card effect), you must discard 1 card instead.
Sinful Greed
Spell
Banish one "Sin" Monster from your Graveyard. Draw two cards from your Deck.
Sinful Seal
Spell
Select up to two Synchro Monsters on your opponent's side of the field. Banish the selected targets to add two equivalent "Sin" monsters from your Deck into your hand.
Sin Armed Dragon
DARK
Level 7
Dragon/Effect
2800/1000
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by Banishing 1 "Armed Dragon LV7" from your Deck to your Graveyard. Discard 1 "Sin" monster from your hand to send all monsters your opponent controls whose ATK is less than or equal to the ATK of the discarded "Sin" monster's to the Graveyard. This effect can only be used once per turn. If "Sin World" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card.
Sin Switch
Spell
Banish one "Sin" monster you control. Special Summon 1 "Sin" monster from your Deck with a level equal to or less than the Banished monster and ignore the summoning conditions.
Sin Black Rose Dragon
DARK
Level 7
Dragon/Effect
2400/1800
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by Banishing 1 "Black Rose Dragon" from your Extra Deck. When this card is Special Summoned, you can destroy all cards on the field. Once per turn, you can remove from play 1 "Sin" monster from your Graveyard to change 1 Defense Position monster your opponent controls to face-up Attack Position, and reduce its ATK to 0 until the End Phase. If "Sin World" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card.
Sin Red Demon's Dragon
DARK
Level 8
Dragon/Effect
3000/2000
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by Banishing 1 "Red Demon's Dragon" from your Extra Deck. After damage calculation, when this card attacks a Defense Position monster your opponent controls: Destroy all Defense Position monsters your opponent controls. During your End Phase: Destroy all other monsters you control that did not declare an attack this turn. This card must remain face-up on the field to activate and to resolve this effect. If "Sin World" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card.
Sin Parallel Gear (TCG: Malefic Parallel Gear)
DARK
Level 2
Machine/Tuner/Effect
When using this card as a Synchro Material Monster, the other Synchro Material Monster is 1 "Sin" monster in your hand.
Sin Paradox Dragon
DARK
Level 10
Dragon/Synchro/Effect
4000/4000
1 "Sin" Tuner + 1 non-Tuner "Sin" monster
When this card is Synchro Summoned, you can select 1 Synchro Monster in your Graveyard, and Special Summon it, ignoring the Summoning conditions. All face-up monsters your opponent controls lose ATK equal to the total ATK of all face-up Synchro Monsters you control, except this card. If "Sin World" is not face-up on the field, destroy this card.
Stardust Rebirth
Trap
Activate only when your opponent attacks with a monster. You can select one Stardust Dragon that is Banished or in either player's Graveyard and Special Summon it in face-up Attack Mode. Your opponent must designate Stardust Dragon as the attack target.
CREDITS
Story: GoldenUmi (Based off of the Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's anime plotline)
Writing: GoldenUmi
Duel Planning: GoldenUmi/sith50