Welcome back, everybody!
QUICK NOTE: the reason why there's a missing chapter is that I deleted the chapter with the Opening and Ending. The reason for this is because I made some changes to them, and keeping that chapter would be useless because in every new chapter I put the Opening with new modifications.
Also, have any of you heard of the season 2 information!? I can't wait for season 2 XD! I'M DECLARING IT NOW! Soulburner (I can't remember his real name at the moment) is one of the six kids and his Ignis is the Fire Ignis, because, well, both of them are related to fire. Also, the GO 2.0 (I can't remember his name either) is GO's brother, OR, one of the kids and his Ignis is the Orange Ignis.
Thanks for all your reviews for the last chapters, and in response to ThePLOThand's review:
- Thanks for doing the music-themes for this story as well XD! Also, yeah, I should've made Playmaker use Storm Access in the first chapter, but I didn't really have an idea for a Monster... anyway, it wasn't that big of a deal since I had that Equip Spell ready to be used.
In response to HunterHQ's review:
- My reviews on the canon episodes are at the chapter's end, and I always do them.
In response to Lindia Fullmoon's review:
- I was already thinking of doing that, but I didn't know how and when to have that happen. However, to have the encounter happen for a brief moment never crossed my mind, so thanks for pointing that out!
Disclaimer: I don't own Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS, its characters, or any of its cards, except my OCs and fan-made cards.
Opening:
The sun rose in Link VRAINS, illuminating its streets. The light arrived at the tallest building, where Playmaker, Bloody Talker, and Revolver had their backs against the sun. Playmaker had his arms crossed over his chest, Bloody Talker is dangling his feet over the edge, while Revolver had a hand placed on his waist.
Playmaker and Revolver narrowed their eyes, while Bloody Talker smirked wide as the camera turned to see what the three teens are looking at: the Tower of Hanoi in the distance, sucking data into it.
Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS Overdrive!
(Fly away, far away, over your own walls!)
Fujiki Yusaku appeared on the screen, with a hotdog in one hand, and his school bag in the other. He was staring at Den City's plaza screens. 'Yusaku' was written behind him in blue and pink, the 'A' in his name replaced with a star.
Ai dashed across the screen, winking at the viewers.
The screen now showed Playmaker with a serious expression, holding his cards in his hands. 'Playmaker' was written under him in yellow and red, the 'A' in his name replaced with stars. Decode Talker and Encode Talker stood behind him, with Firewall Dragon roaring between the two other monsters.
(Don't just have dreams, achieve them. Even if you're covered with wounds,)
The screen changed to Ketsueki Kioku sitting in class while looking at his table. 'Kioku' was written behind him in green and brown, the 'O' in his name replaced with a star.
Protron dashed across the screen, winking at the viewers, followed Altergeist Pixiel.
The screen now showed Bloody Talker with a hunting smirk on his face, his arms spread wide. 'Bloody Talker' was written under him in blue and red, the 'O' and 'A' in his name replaced with stars. Hex Welchia Dragon and Hex Gardnium Dragon roared behind him, with Crying Child of Solitude - Fanatic Nightingale flying between the two, its hands united in a praying manner.
(Don't give up. Go down the path you believe, the world you want, Dash!)
The screen changed to a person looking over Starlight Road. The person wore casual clothes, his hair was died white with purple-blue highlights, his eyes shadowed by the sun's light. Instead of a name, several question marks were behind the person.
Both Ai and Protron dashed across the screen, winking at the viewers again.
The screen now showed Revolver striking different poses. 'Revolver' was written under him in white and red, the 'O' in his name replaced with a star. Topologic Trisbaena, Topologic Bomber Dragon, and Varrelload Dragon roared behind him.
(Go forward! Dash!)
The screen moved upwards, revealing Dr. Kogami looking to the side, and the Tower of Hanoi behind him in the distance.
(My Life and My Way, day to day seem like an adventure.)
The screen changed to Cynthia and Ghost Girl, smiling and winking respectively at the viewers. 'Cynthia' and 'Ghost Girl' was written above them in black and red, purple and gray respectively, the 'O' and 'A' in their names replaced with stars. Under their feet, 'Cyndy' and 'Ema' were written in the same colors.
Cyber End Dragon and Altergeist Prime Banshee stood behind their respective owners.
(There is no right or wrong, yeah, it's all up to me. Let's make a special and original miracle happen.)
The screen changed to Zaizen Aoi and Akira, holding hands and smiling at each other. 'Aoi' and 'Akira' was written under them in blue and light blue, the 'O' and 'A' in their names replaced with stars. Tindangle Angel and Tindangle Hound stood behind Aoi and Akira respectively.
Ai and Protron jumped down, waving their hands and antennas to the viewers before the two flew away, escaping from Yusaku and Kioku and Altergeist Pixiel who chased them.
The screen now showed Blue Angel, smirking to the viewers. She blew a kiss before her name, 'Blue Angel', appeared under her feet, the 'A' in her name replaced with stars. Trickstar Holly Angel, Trickstar Lycoris, and Trickstar Candina flew above her.
(Stand up, again and again, no matter what.)
Go Onizuka appeared next, smirking triumphally at the viewers. 'GO Onizuka' was written behind him in yellow, the 'O' and 'A' in his name replaced with stars. Gouki The Great Ogre, Gouki The Thunder Ogre, and Gouki The Master Ogre stood behind him.
(Spreading VRAINS, believing in yourself.)
The screen changed to Topologic Trisbaena and Topologic Bomber Dragon unleashed rays of light from their eyes, aiming at an enemy.
(Continuing VRAINS, the circuit that draws out the future.)
The rays were blocked by Hex Welchia Dragon and Hex Gardnium Dragon's wings. Crying Child of Solitude - Fanatic Nightingale flew out from behind the two, spreading its wings wide as it released a shower of rainbow feathers.
(Let's grab it with these hands of ours, Yeah)
The attack was blocked by Firewall Dragon's wings. Encode and Excode Talker jumped out from behind the dragon, swinging their swords down, which were blocked by Varrelload Dragon's hands.
(Go Our Way! To get that bright future!)
Spectre, Baira, Faust, Genome, Deirdre, Andal, and Orion appeared on the screen, their names written under them. Millions of soldiers from the Knights of Hanoi stood behind them, 'Knights of Hanoi' written above them.
(No matter how deep the darkness, I'll shine a light through it with this hand!)
The screen now showed Playmaker, Bloody Talker, GO, Blue Angel, Cynthia, Akira, and Ghost Girl standing next to each other in a line. The group nodded to one and other, and they started forward.
(Leap forth, into a world you've never seen!)
The screen changed to a smirking Dr. Genome Dueling against Dark GO Onizuka. The screen then revealed Baira fighting against Blue Angel, and Faust against Playmaker.
(I won't regret it, I'll make it through!)
The screen turned to show Bloody Talker together with Protron facing off different Knights of Hanoi. The camera moved forward, revealing Deirdre Dueling Ghost Girl, and Andal fighting against a shadowed figure.
(No matter the new time, nothing is impossible.)
The screen now showed a shadowed person looking down at Revolver who had his usual stoic expression. The two seemed to be in a dark room, Varrelload Dragon roaring behind Revolver, while a giant shadowed monster stood behind the other person.
(Aiming at a Hope beyond this, ride the wind and go!)
The screen now showed our heroes being at Café Nagi. Kusanagi Shoichi and GO were in the food truck cooking hotdogs.
Taki Kyoko and Aso were sitting at a table, the person with white hair and purple-blue highlights placed a plate with three hotdogs on the table as he joined the two.
Cyndy, Ema, and Akira were sitting at another table. Ema was laughing at a joke she made about Cyndy's breast size. Cyndy seemed to have an angered expression as she raised her hot coffee, wanting to drop it on Ema. Akira had a very shocked expression as he quickly grabbed Cyndy's arm before she could do anything else.
Yusaku, Aoi, and Kioku were sitting at the table next to theirs. Yusaku and Aoi were eating their hotdogs, while Kioku seemed to be choking on his drink from laughter as he saw what was happening at Akira's table.
Yusaku stopped eating. He turned around to look at the plaza's screens, seeing this fanfic's name written on every screen.
Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS Overdrive!
Turn 7:
Bedeviling of Feelings
In Link VRAINS: City Area...
Even after GO Onizuka's display of power against Dr. Genome from the two days ago, Knights were roaming the virtual world. In fact, the Knights have doubled in number, only a few VR Avatars who were brave enough stayed.
"Bravery... are these people staying here because of bravery?" Bloody Talker though as he looked at different Duelists fighting Hanoi's Knights from the top of a high building.
"...Foolishness."
Bloody Talker's eyes burnt with rage, but his grin showed glee.
"They should leave Link VR and let the true Duelists take care of this peril. Too bad...with my new little program, the flow of this war will change."
"My comrade Monsters," he started saying, raising his hands into the air. "Hunt them down. Your targets are the Knights of Hanoi, everybody else is free to live. Show them no hesitation, no fear, no sympathy."
A snap of fingers resonated in the silence, Bloody Talker's words giving a command.
"Do it."
[Directive Acquired. Initiating New Directive.]
Three large shadowed emerged from the back of the building, launching down towards the ground like wolfs bouncing on their prey.
"This is too easy!"
A Knight of Hanoi soldier with a green mask laughed he pointed forward.
"Direct Attack!"
Hearing its command, Jack Wyvern screeched as it released rays of electricity from its orbs, each striking a Duelist. Said person cried out in pain.
Duelist: LP 400 - 1800 = 0
The Duelist dissolved in grey data, turning into Another.
"You sure took your sweet time to defeat him," another Knight with an orange mask snapped.
"Oi, what's your problem!" the green masked one asked. "He was playing a stall deck!"
"You two were lucky," the third Knight with a yellow mask told. "Mine was playing a burn deck! What an annoying brat to run into."
[Targets Acquired.]
The three Knights looked up, seeing a large object blocking the sun's rays. Upon looking at it closely...
"That's... one of Bloody Talker's Monsters, Jack Creeper of the Crimson Sky!" the yellow masked Knight realized.
[Targets Analyzed: Knight of Hanoi. Amount: Three. Threat Level: Minimum.]
"Huh, I'll show you minimum!" the green masked one shouted as a neon-pink colored card formed between his fingers. He threw the card at Crimson Sky, the card exploding upon contact.
[Unit Number 2 has been damaged.] the robotic voice told. [2,76% of the body has been damaged. Initiating Immediate Recovery.]
Crimson Sky's single eye flashed green, the spot where it was hit glowing green as well as it returned to normal.
"It can recover!?" the orange masked one exclaimed.
[Activating Erasion Stream.] the eye started glowing purple upon said words. [Fire.]
A stream of purple light enveloped the three Knights, erasing their avatars.
[The Three Targets have been eliminated. Returning to original Directive.]
"I will beat you! I'll make you pay back many times over!"
Blue Angel loudly vowed as she pointed at Baira. To think the person right in front of her was the one to create that Virus program... Blue Angel will beat the living crap out of her!
"Okay," said Baira unfazed as she looked to the side. "I'll take responsibility for what I did."
Unknown to Blue Angel, Baira actually meant what she said. It was her fault Blue Angel had to go through such a Hellish experience, but there was no other way. Baira will accept this Duel with all her heart.
Suddenly, a large object appeared above the group, shadowing them. Jack Creeper of the Blooming Flame was flying above them, talking with a feminine voice.
[Targets Acquired.]
"AHHHHH!" Pigeon and Frog jumped.
[Target Analyzed: Blue Angel. A comrade. Free to go.]
"Is this one of Bloody Talker's program?" Blue Angel asked no-one.
[Target Analyzed: Pigeon and Frog. Comrades. Free to go.]
The duo sighed in relief as the Jack Creeper ignored them, turning its head at Baira.
[Targets Analyzed: Knight of Hanoi. Amount: One.]
[Baira! Run!] the voice of Faust shouted through her Duel Disk. [It's going to erase you! Log Out!]
Baira quickly tapped her Duel Disk, wanting to Log Out, however, the Jack Creeper had a thing to say about that.
[Target has tried to Log Out. Activating Lock In.]
The word 'ERROR' flashed red on Baira's Duel Disk, much to her shock.
[Analyzing Threat Level of Target... Lieutenant. Target has surpassed Danger Limit!]
Blooming Flame's single eye started flashing red, confusing Blue Angel and Baira.
[Contacting Creator for new Directive.]
"Creator?" the four inquired.
"Ora ora, what is this?" a familiar voice chuckled. "Here I was thinking Hanoi was trying to flee from my hunters, yet a Lieutenant remained? What a nice surprise!"
"Bloody Talker-sama!" Pigeon and Frog cried out in happiness as the hacker materialized on the roof.
"This behavior of your Monster... is it a program of yours?" Baira narrowed her eyes.
"Of course! Isn't she adorable?" Bloody Talker asked. "I must thank you, Hanoi, after all, I used your Cracking Dragon's program to create my hunters."
"Nani!? Cracking Dragon!?" Baira widens her eyes. "When did... ah, of course. You stole one of our base's data, and that program must have been among it, right?"
"From a Hanoi base!?" Blue Angel gasped. "Damn, Kioku is more straightforward than I thought! Attacking a Hanoi base... he's amazing!"
"Bingo!" the hacker snapped his fingers. "What do you think?"
"This is quite unexpected..." Baira let out a sly smile as sweat ran down her cheek. "To think our own program would be turned against us... you're an opponent wordy of its name, Bloody Talker."
"I try my best," the hacker made a slight bow. "Countering poison with poison is very enjoyable... is what Revolver would say, huh?"
"Yeah..." Baira muttered.
"Oi, oi, OI!" Blue Angel suddenly exclaimed. "Your opponent is me, Hanoi! What are you doing, looking away from me!"
She then turned to glare at Bloody Talker. "She's my opponent, Bloody Talker! Or you back off, or I'm going to beat the crap out of you as well!"
"Oh, my," Bloody Talker took a step back. "It must be that moment of the month. Very well, Blue Angel. She's all yours."
The idol nodded as she returned to glare at Baira.
"My two little business partners! How are you doing!?" Bloody Talker inquired as he stepped behind Frog and Pigeon, placing his hands on both avatars' shoulders. "Would you mind going with Blue Angel and film her Duel? It would make me really happy."
"O-Of course, Bloody Talker-sama!" the two gulped with a nod. The two flew away, following Blue Angel and Baira who started their Duel.
[Awating New Directive.] the hacker's Monster spoke up.
"Let's pursue Blue Angel together, shall we, sweetheart?"
[Directive Acquired. Initiating New Directive.]
Bloody Talker jumped onto Blooming Flame's back, the two also flying away from the scene and going after the Duelists.
The Duel started with Blue Angel going first executing her standard opening move, Link Summoning Trickstar Holly Angel and inflicting some effect damage. Baira, however, made some research on Blue Angel's plays and easily countered her moves, even summoning her Ace, Dark Mummy Surgical Cooper.
Blue Angel tried to raise her defense, but Baira's Surgical Cooper and Virus Trap Cards were getting the better of her until she was forced to activate her Skill and hope wouldn't draw a Trap Card or she'll lose due to Surgical Cooper's effect damage.
Blue Angel's risk paid off, interrupting Baira's formation and dealing the finishing blow with her Link 4 Monster, Trickstar Bella Madonna.
As the Duel ended, the two girls stopped on a rooftop, Bloody Talker joining them.
"Blue Angel, you're back." said Baira, seeming unfazed by her loss. "By defeating me, you've regained your fame as a Duel Idol."
"No." Blue Angel sternly said. "All I did was defeat you to take my revenge. I don't care about fame, I only fought for myself. Blue Angel was back only for today."
"Hmph. Blue Angel..." Baira smiled as she removed her mask. "Look at the sky."
Blue Angel turned her gaze towards the sky as little light spheres rained down like snow does during winter. Several screens appeared next, showing Another victims waking up in the Den City's hospital.
"The removal program? But...why?" Bloody Talker asked confused, a sentiment shared by Blue Angel.
"Your Dueling changed my heart," Baira explained, glancing at Blue Angel. "You may have Dueled for yourself, but that can change those around you. If you carry the hopes of others, you're fighting for everyone."
Blue Angel's eyes widen for a second as she glanced at Bloody Talker. She then turned around, looking over the snowing Den City.
"Dueling for myself... can change those around me?" she thought. "Maybe... just maybe... could I even change Kioku with my Dueling...?"
"Are you not scared of death?" Bloody Talker abruptly asked Baira, moving away from Blue Angel so she wouldn't hear them. "When a Hanoi loses, they're purged."
"Scared of death?" Baira parroted in a low tone. "Huh, who knows... maybe a little, however, I have no regrets. I did what I think was right, my sense of justice doesn't wager."
She stepped a little closer to Bloody Talker.
"I know this sounds strange coming from a Knight of Hanoi member, but... I want you to save Revolver."
"Eh?"
Baira explained herself better. "I can't do anything else anymore because I'm going to get erased like you said. That's why..."
An expression of sorrow came across Baira's face. "Please... save Revolver from this mess. If the Hanoi's plans succeed, then Revolver will commit a historical crime. I... as a person who was beside Revolver from his childhood, I don't want him to feel guilty..."
Baira's body slowly dissolved into yellow particles of data, Bloody Talker hearing one last sentence from her.
"Do as you like. Just... defeat Revolver."
The last piece of data vanished, where once stood Baira now was nothing.
"What did she tell you?" Blue Angel asked confused.
"Nothing..." Bloody Talker shook his head. "A Hanoi member just asked me to defeat their leader... damn, this got stranger than I thought it could get. Save Revolver from this mess... why would Baira ask me this?"
"Are you sure she told you 'nothing'?" Blue Angel argued, seeing her comrade's state of thought.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure." Bloody Talker said with a wave of his hand. He'll think of Baira's request later. "Anywho, what are you doing here, Blue Angel?"
"I had to vent." Blue Angel explained. "I was feeling very angry and this is the first thing that crossed my mind. However, I guess it did pay off. The Anothers have been released and I had my revenge."
"I understand. And what now?"
"Eh?"
"What are you going to do now, Blue Angel?" Bloody Talker repeated his question. "Will you continue to fight alongside us, or was this a one-time thing?"
"I... have to think about it." Blue Angel told.
"Haaaa, you're very frivolous today." Bloody Talker chuckled. He turned around, seeing Frog and Pigeon hiding behind a wall on the roof. "I have some things to do back home, but I guess I can remain for an hour maximum. Maybe you two can come with me so you stay safe."
"T-Thanks you!" Frog and Pigeon exclaimed.
"You intend on taking on Knights of Hanoi." Blue Angel assumed.
"Of course!" Bloody Talker clapped his hand in a praising manner. "I could-"
[The Signal from Unit Number 1, Dusking Heights, was suddenly lost. Motive: Unknown.]
The hacker's face went pale as his Monster spoke up.
"E-Eh...?" Bloody Talker stuttered.
[The Signal from Unit Number 2, Crimson Sky, has also been lost.] Blooming Flame told. [Motive: Unknown.]
"Even... Unit number 2... you say..."
Bloody Talker felt his heart sink down an abyss of confusion and shock.
"Impossible... each Unit is designed to contact me or the other Units for immediate help when the Danger Limit is surpassed... so why?"
That's when Blue Angel realized Bloody Talker's hands started shaking, much to her shock.
"Calm down!" she quickly took her comrade's hands into hers. "Let's try and discover what happened to the other Units."
"Oh, there's no need for that, Blue Angel-san..."
Blue Angel's blood started boiling as she realized who the newly arrived person was. That mocking and annoying voice... the idol could never forget such a voice! It was-
"ORION!" the idol roared as she spun around, seeing, in fact, Orion standing on a nearby building with his usual smile.
"I'm so happy you remember me, Blue Angel-san!" Orion laughed. "I'm honored."
"Drop that act before you piss me off even more!" Blue Angel warned. "Seeing you already makes me angry, so don't play with my nerves!"
"OWWW, my heart!" Orion cried out as he clenched his chest. "I was only trying to be nice, but the angel is insulting me! Have mercy!"
Orion soon started laughing at his own fiasco. "Hahahahaha, just kidding! Sorry, after the battle I had to do before arriving here, I needed some laughter."
"Battle...?" Blue Angel echoed, glancing at Bloody Talker who suddenly gritted his teeth. For some reason, Blue Angel didn't want Orion to explain himself better.
Oh, but not like she has a choice in the matter.
"Yes!" Orion chuckled, his smile growing wider. "There were some pests trying to attack the Knights of Hanoi. Obviously, I had to exterminate these pests."
Blue Angel noticed Orion was intoning the word 'pests' and 'exterminate', seeing how it angered Bloody Talker even more, much to the Hanoi assassin's amusement.
"Why don't I show you my new collection?"
"Oh, no..." Blue Angel thought as she gulped hard.
Clustar Heracles M92 emerged from behind Orion, throwing two large objects in front of the two heroes. Blue Angel's heart skipped a beat as she realized both objects were the bodies of Bloody Talker's fallen Monsters.
"Two down, one to go." Orion chuckled as he snapped his fingers. "Fire."
Blue Angel gasped as she looked up, seeing a massive starship above them, its cannons pointed at the two heroes. Clustar Bengt Wd1 fired all its cannons, ready to annihilate its targets.
Master!
Blue Angel suddenly felt herself being picked up, flying into the air and away from Bengt Wd1's furry. As she finally understood what's going on, half of the side of the building where Blue Angel and Bloody Talker were standing was gone, destroyed by the starship. The thing to rescue the two heroes was none other than Bloody Talker's Link Monster, Crying Child of Solitude - Fanatic Nightingale.
"Oops! It seems I've messed two of my targets." Orion shook his head. "At least, I got rid of the last pest."
Three cards materialized between Bloody Talker's hands, them being his fallen Monsters' cards. "To think my Monsters... would be defeated this easily..." he whispered.
Master, please, contain your anger.
Fanatic Nightingale addressed its owner, knowing Bloody Talker could hear her through his Link Sense.
The enemy is trying to lure you into attacking. This is clearly a trap.
"Now, I know I could defeat you in a Duel..." Orion chuckled as he extended his arm forward, a dagger made of data materializing in his hand. "I think I'm going to skip that part and directly kill you both."
"Very well."
Bloody Talker said as he jumped down from Fanatic Nightingale's hold, landing on the building under them, which was smaller than the one Orion was on, so the hacker had to raise his head to glare at the Hanoi assassin.
A pitch-black scythe with red glowing blades materialized on Bloody Talker's hands. The hacker swung the scythe into the roof, creating several cracks in the building.
"Hoooh, what a cool beauty you got there!" Orion whistled. "However, a scythe is a weapon that can slow down its user due to its -!"
The next words of Orion were interrupted as Bloody Talker, without any warnings, jumped forward at great speed, the building crumbling into little pieces of data. The scythe was aimed at Orion's neck, however, the Hanoi assassin quickly placed his dagger there, making the two weapons to skim and send Orion flying against to the side against a building.
"What... speed..." Orion muttered as he stood up, his entire back glitching in pain. "It seems I have to get serious..." a gun materialized in his free hand as Orion stood up.
"Is he nuts!?" Blue Angel cried out. "If that sword or a bullet pierces his body, Bloody Talker will die for sure!"
Blue Angel felt herself being deposited next to Frog and Pigeon by the Duel Monster, which rushed in aid of its user. However, Fanatic Nightingale's path was blocked by Heracles M92.
Out of my way!
Fanatic Nightingale shouted as she spread her wings wide, releasing a shower of fathers against Heracles M92 which easily avoided them by flying upwards, the feathers crashing against a building which crumbled in data.
As she looked upwards, Fanatic Nightingale's eyes widen as she saw Bengt Wd1's cannons pointing at her.
However, before the cannons could fire, a mass of energy shaped like a bullet blasted through the starship's body, causing it to explode in the air.
"Nani!?" Orion gasped as he turned his head to see his starship get destroyed.
"You've got nerves to turn your gaze away from me!" Bloody Talker growled as he swung his scythe at the distracted Orion, who barely avoided the strike by jumping backwards.
"This battle will have to wait for another day."
Everybody gasped at the new voice. From the explosion created by Bengt Wd1's destruction, Revolver emerged standing on the head of his Ace, Varrelload Dragon, with his arms crossed.
"Revolver!?" Blue Angel, Frog, and Pigeon gasped in unison as the Hanoi's leader descended from the sky. Revolver jumped down between Bloody Talker and Orion, while Varrelload Dragon made sure Fanatic Nightingale won't be able to interfere.
"Orion!" Revolver growled as he turned to the assassin. "I don't remember giving you any orders of attacking Bloody Talker. He is MY target, not yours!"
"Oops! Sorry, sir." Orion bowed with a sly grin. "I thought I could make you happy by taking care of him instead of yourself."
"Well, you were wrong." Revolver frowned. "Although, I guess now you understand the difference between your and Bloody Talker's sheer strength."
"Yes..." Orion hissed in pain, his back still hurting from the impact of the building. "I'm going to leave everything to you, sir." And with that said, he Logged Out.
"It seems you have to keep a better eye out for your dogs." Bloody Talker commented as the scythe in his hands vanished, along with Fanatic Nightingale.
"I'll take that into consideration." Revolver scoffed as his Ace dragon also vanished. "But, seeing that Orion dragged me out all the way here, I guess I'm going to accomplish my main objective: Duel you."
"Bloody Talker!" Blue Angel shouted in concern as she jumped behind the hacker, but Bloody Talker just winked at her.
"It's okay." he assured the idol. "Log Out. Link VRAINS... is about to become a war zone."
"But if you lose, you'll be -!"
"I know." Bloody Talker cut her off. "However, if I win, this war is going to end. Also, I still hold my grudge against Hanoi, so I'm doing this for two reasons."
Blue Angel seemed unsure for a second, but she nodded.
"I understand. I can't change your mind, so I'm going to root for you in the real world."
With that said, she Logged Out, not wanting to hold Bloody Talker back.
"W-We'll remain and film your Duel, Bloody Talker-sama!" Frog shouted confidently.
"Everything is set..." Bloody Talker chuckled.
"...Let the game begin." Revolver finished with his own smirk.
[NOT SO FAST, YOU LITTLE CRIMINALS!]
The two Duelists cursed as somebody interrupted them.
A tall, featureless, humanoid robot with broad shoulders, a visor over its head from which two orange eyes glowed, materialized some feet away from the two. Its body was colored in a dark-blue, with some light-blue glowing lights running across its body.
[This is SOL Technology's Security Manager, Kitamura talking!] the same voice told through the robot. [Both of you, surrender before me!]
"What were we doing?" Bloody Talker addressed Revolver, ignoring Kitamura.
"We were about to Duel." the Hanoi leader reminded.
"Ah, of course. I think we can start." the hacker told.
[OI OI OI OI!] Kitamura shouted in anger. [Don't you ignore me! I'm dead serious over here! If you try to cause any more havoc, I'll send you both to jail for life!]
"And what makes you think we even need to think about that?" Revolver asked in an annoyed tone. He finally got the perfect excuse to come out of his tavern and Duel Bloody Talker, but some jerk is interrupting them! Oh, the anger!
[Don't be so cocky, Hanoi!] Kitamura sneered. [This isn't your normal A.I. Duelist, this is the PERFECT A.I. Duelist! After hours of continuous development, SOL Technology managed to create the most suitable A.I. Duelist to defeat anybody! It has all the decks of history and strategies of Bloody Talker, Playmaker, all of you Hanoi scumbags, and even the top ten Charisma Duelists' data is inside its brain!]
"Okay, but, can it wait?" Bloody Talker asked. "We were about to do something important before you arrived."
[You little... I guess I'll have to show you how serious I am!] Kitamura shouted as the A.I. pointed its hand at Revolver, a glowing grapple hook shooting out of its palm and attaching itself around the leader's Duel Disk.
[Forced Duel initiated.]
"Are you serious?" Revolver literally growled like a feral animal after he heard his Duel Disk's words.
[Dead serious!] Kitamura smugly said. [Now you have no choice but to Duel and lose against SOL Technology's power!]
"AAAAAHHHHH!" Revolver roared like one of his dragon Monsters, causing everybody to flinch. "You wanna Duel!? You really wanna Duel!? WELL FINE! I'M GOING TO ENJOY SEEING MY DRAGONS DEVOUR THE HECK OUT OF YOUR STUPID A.I. SOL TECH!"
"Damn..." Bloody Talker whispered. "And I thought I had rage problems..."
"What are we waiting for!?" Revolver shouted as he leaped into the air, his D-Board materializing under his feet.
"If Revolver isn't defeated, all of you are FIRED!" Kitamura yelled at the workers at the H.Q., who rolled their eyes.
"Activating D-Board!"
"Activating Speed Duel program!"
"Everything ready!"
Following the workers' words, the A.I. soldier jumped into the air as its D-Board appeared. It was blue and black horseshoe crab-shaped body with red markings and tails. It has six green gems at the edges of the board.
Revolver extracted a Data Gale card from his pocket, throwing it towards the sky. The card vanished as the winds became much stronger, the two Duelists riding away into the distance, leaving Bloody Talker, Frog, and Pigeon to themselves.
"Well, that happened." Bloody Talker commented. "I guess I'll follow them and Duel Revolver afterwards."
"Before that, you and I can have a chit-chat..."
With Revolver and A.I.
"You got some nerves to anger me, SOL Tech..." Revolver told irritated. "Right now when I have little time at my disposal and I finally got to Duel Bloody Talker, you appear and ruin everything."
[Those should be my words!] Kitamura shouted. [Do you think I was happy when you Hanoi started turning Link VRAINS into a chaos town and destroyed my precious A.I. army!? I almost lost my position! But now, by defeating you, the leader of the Knights of Hanoi, I'll surely be promoted! Get ready to be defeated!]
"HA! As if!" Revolver scoffed.
[Commencing Duel.] a robotic voice said through the A.I. as its eyes flashed orange.
"Speed Duel!"
Revolver - LP 4000
VS
SOL's A.I. - LP 4000
(The Duel is conducted as a Speed Duel.)
"I'll be taking the first turn!" Revolver declared as four cards materialized in front of him. He tapped one of them, making the rest vanish. "I normal summon Sniffing Dragon (Dark/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 800/LV: 2) from my hand!"
A bipedal dragon with red and vanilla scales, wearing some armor pieces, emerged from a blue portal with a roar in Revolver's Middle Monster Zone.
"Sniffing Dragon's effect activates upon summon!" Revolver stated. "I add another Sniffing Dragon from my deck to my hand! Next, since I control a Dragon-Type Monster, I can Special Summon this Monster from my hand! Come forth, Hammer Dragon (Dark/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 1000/DEF: 600/LV: 3)!"
A dragon, the same size as Sniffing Dragon, appeared on Revolver's Left Monster Zone. Its scales were black, wearing dark-blue armor, and having a hammer-shaped object attached to its head and the end of its tail, reminding a viewer of a firearm's hammer.
Revolver's yellow eyes narrowed as he threw his arm forward. "Arawarero, waga michi o terasu mirai kairo!" a ray of light shot out his hand as a Link Portal opened before him. "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two Dragon-Type Monsters. I set Sniffing Dragon and Hammer Dragon in the Link Markers!"
Said monsters roared as they turned into golden bullets and entered the Bottom and Right Link Markers, making them glow red. "Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Appear, Link 2! Cannon Buster Dragon (Dark/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 1800/Link 2: Bottom, Right)!"
A four-legged dragon with sand-colored scales, several dark-green armor plates attached to its legs, back, and head, emerged from the Link Portal with a roar. It pointed the giant cannon on its back at SOL's A.I., ready to punish them for making its user angry.
"I set a card face-down and end my turn!" Revolver concluded. "Now, hurry up! I have more important matters to attend to."
[My turn.] the A.I emotionlessly declared. [Draw.]
In the real world...
"WHA-WHA-WHAT IS THIS!?" the MC shouted with a smile at Den City's square, several people walking by stopped to see the screens filming Revolver and Bloody Talker. "After Blue Angel successful victory against Baira from the Knights of Hanoi, Revolver, their leader, has appeared in person and was forced to engage in a Duel against SOL's newest A.I.!"
"Revolver is Dueling against SOL!?" Shoichi gasped from inside his van as he saw the large screens. "What is Revolver doing in the open...?"
"Excuse me, can I say my order?"
"O-Of course!" Shoichi smiled at a customer who stopped to eat something while watching the Duels. "I have to contact Yusaku, but with this hungry crowd, I'm not sure I can even catch my breath!"
Back with Revolver...
[By paying 1000 Life Points, Tentacluster Canadia can be Special Summoned from the hand. Summoning it in attack position (Dark/Machine/Effect/ATK: 200/DEF: 600/LV: 3).]
Following SOL's A.I. statement, a Monster resembling a Canadia covered in dark-green armor and having wires attached to its body as legs appeared on its Middle Monster Zone.
SOL's A.I.: LP 4000 - 1000 = 3000
[When Special Summoned with this effect, two more Canadias are Special Summoned from the deck.] A.I. stated as two more Canadias appeared on its field. [However, the turn this effect is used, only "Tentacluster" Monsters can be summoned.]
"You gathered three Monsters in one go." Revolver scoffed as he slightly turned his head to glance at his enemy. "Not bad, garbage of data."
[Sākitto ōpun!] the A.I. declared as a Link Portal opened above it. [Arrowheads confirmed. The summoning conditions are three "Tentacluster" Monsters. I set my three Tentacluster Canadias in the Link Markers!]
Said Monsters turned into dark-blue twisters as they entered all Bottom Link Markers, making them glow red. [Circuit Combine. Link Summon: Tentacluster Opabinia (Dark/Machine/Effect/ATK: 2000/Link 3: Bottom-Left, Bottom, Bottom-Right)!]
A Monster resembling an Opabinia regalis covered in light-green armor, with a stretched out mouth in red armor and several razor teeth, emerged from the portal with a screech, positioning itself on the Extra Monster Zone.
[Normal Summoning Tentacluster Leanchoilia (Dark/Machine/Effect/ATK: 400/DEF: 400/LV: 4) from the hand.] the A.I. stated as a Monster resembling Leanchoilia with very long wires attached to its mouth and body appeared. [Activating Opabinia's Monster Effect. Once per turn, it can destroy a "Tentacluster" in a zone it points to and have it gain 800 Attack Points. The Monster to be destroyed is Tentacluster Leanchoilia.]
Opabinia used its razors to cut Leanchoilia into pieces before devouring it and gained power (ATK: 2000 = 2800).
[At this moment, the effect of Tentacluster Leanchoilia activates.] the A.I. stated. [When this card in Attack position was destroyed by a "Tentacluster" Monster's effect, the top three cards of the opponent's deck are banished face-down.]
"I see." Revolver calmly replied as three cards ejected from his Duel Disk before dissolving. "Your aim is Deck Destruction."
"That's right!" Kitamura chuckled from behind his desk. "After seeing the Duels of Playmaker and Blue Angel and Hanoi Knights against my Prototypes, I realized Tentacluster Nautilus was useless, its zero Attack causing the Prototypes to take too much damage. Also, Tentacluster Blastsucker is too slow, while Drillworm can sometimes help the opponent set up their plays, thus, I had SOL Tech develop these new Monsters which will assure my victory! By banishing all the cards in your deck face-down, your loss is 100% assured!"
[Activating the effect of Leanchoilia in the Graveyard. By banishing this card while there's a "Tentacluster" Link Monster on the field, the top three cards of the opponent's deck are banished face-down. Setting three cards face-down. Entering Battle Phase!] the A.I. told as its eyes flashed orange. [Tentacluster Opabinia attacks Cannon Buster Dragon.]
"Cannon Buster Dragon's effect activates!" Revolver abruptly stated. "When this card engages in battle with an enemy Monster, it gains 800 Attack Points until the end of that battle! Artillery Charge (ATK: 1800 = 2600)!"
[Even with that effect, Opabinia has more Attack than Cannon Buster Dragon.] the A.I. pointed out.
The Tentacluster Link Monster stabbed the dragon in its chest by using its mouth, causing it to roar in pain and it was destroyed. Revolver didn't even flinch as he took the damage.
Revolver: LP 4000 - 200 = 3800
[Turn End.] SOL's A.I. concluded. [Remaning cards in the opponent's deck: 29. Calculating in how many turns the target's deck will hit zero... answer: four turns from now.]
"Hoh? Aren't you confident, garbage of data." Revolver smirked. "Well, sorry, but I don't intend on loosing to you or SOL Tech. During your End Phase, I activate my set card, Link Revive! Thanks to its effect, I revive my Link Monster, Cannon Buster Dragon from the Graveyard (ATK: 1800)!"
The tank-dragon reappeared on Revolver's field with a loud roar, this time on the Main Monster Zone, the Middle one.
[It seems Revolver won't go down without a fight!] the MC shouted. [After taking a hit, he immediately revived his Monster, ready to make a counterattack! Oh, what's this! Bloody Talker is also Dueling against a new enemy!?]
"Enemy?" Revolver wondered aloud. "Did Orion return even if I told him not? Either way, I have a Duel to focus on. Watashi no turn! Draw! During my Standby Phase, the other effect of Hammer Dragon activates in the Graveyard! If I control a Dragon-Type Link Monster, this Monster can be Special Summoned at the cost of banishing it the next time it's sent to the Graveyard. Revive, my dragon!"
The hammer-dragon emerged from a GY portal as it roared, being on Revolver's Left Monster Zone.
"Then, I normal summon the Sniffing Dragon in my hand, activating its effect to add the last one from my deck to my hand!" the second Sniffing Dragon appeared on Revolver's Right Monster Zone.
"Arawarero, waga michi o terasu mirai kairo!"
A new Link Portal opened in front of Revolver who narrowed his eyes as he threw his arm to the side. "Arrowheads confirmed. The summoning conditions are three or more Effect Monsters! I set Sniffing Dragon, Hammer Dragon, and the Link 2 Cannon Buster Dragon in the Link Markers!"
The three dragons roared as they turned into four golden bullets and entered the Left, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right, and Right Link Markers, lighting them up. "Circuit Combine! Link Summon!"
A red and black armored dragon materialized out of data. Its torso had a similar appearance to a cylinder of a revolver handgun. The dragon had neon green highlights on its body along with giant wings attached to its back. The Link Monster roared as its eyes glowed green.
"My wind that pierces through the closed world! The Link 4, VARRELLOAD DRAGON (Dark/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 3000/Link 4: Left, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right, and Right)!"
[Target has summoned its Ace Monster as calculated.] the A.I. spoke as its eyes flashed orange. [Activating countermeasures. Trap Card activated. Pitfall of Naraka! When the opponent summons a Monster with 1500 Attack or more, that Monster is destroyed and banished.]
"You were ready for my Ace Monster so that Kitamura guy was actually telling the truth about knowing all our strategies." Revolver smirked. "However, that won't be enough to defeat me! I was already saving this Trap for the exact moment! I activate my Counter Trap Paralyzing Bullet! This negates the activation of your Trap Card and banishes it!"
"Damn that Hanoi guy..." Kitamura grumbled. "To think he was already thinking of a way to counter our countermeasures..."
"Battle!" Revolver cried out as he rode on the wing upwards to the sky, looking down at SOL's A.I. "Varrelload Dragon attacks Tentacluster Opabinia! At this moment, I activate my dragon's effect! When it attacks an opponent's Monster, at the start of Damage Step, I gain control of that Monster and summon it to a zone Varrelload Dragon points to! Strange Trigger!"
[Chaining the activation of set card. Dimensional Prison!] the A.I. abruptly stated. [The attacking Monster is banished.]
"That would be the case if it wasn't for Cannon Buster Dragon's other effect!" Revolver shouted. "When this Link Monster is used as Link Material for the summon of a Dark Link Monster, that Monster gains the following effect: once while it's face-up on the field, when it attacks and the opponent activates a Spell or Trap Card's effect, that effect is negated and banished! So your Trap is useless and the attack continues unhindered!"
The dragon unleashed a bullet from its mouth which struck Opabinia, however, instead of destroying it, Opabinia started glitching until it vanished from the field and appeared under Varrelload Dragon's Bottom-Left Marker.
"Get a good taste of your own venom, you garbage of data!" said Revolver. "Opabinia attacks you directly!"
[Activating last set card. Quick-Play Spell Card Tentacluster Extinction!] the A.I. stated. [By destroying a "Tentacluster" Monster face-up on the field, I can draw a card and gain 1000 Life Points. Destroying Opabinia to activate this effect.]
SOL's A.I.: LP 3000 + 1000 = 4000
"Hmph. I end my turn." Revolver concluded. It seems this Duel will go on for match longer than he wanted. How annoying.
[Both Revolver and Bloody Talker have made a comeback!] the voice of the MC caught Revolver's attention. [Will their enemy be able to defeat them!?]
"Huh, expected nothing less from him." Revolver thought amused. "No matter who the opponent, Bloody Talker is only allowed to lose to me, and me alone. The same goes for Playmaker. Both of them are skillful Duelists, worthy of the name rivals."
[My turn. Draw.] SOL's A.I. emotionlessly told. [Calculating loss potential taking into consideration the current position this Unit is in... answer: loss potential is 87%. Activating Skill to increase winning chances. Skill, Triple Draw, activated. I can draw three cards!]
"Tsk, leave it to SOL to develop such dirty tricks to defeat the opponent..." Revolver frowned in anger.
[Calculating new potential of winning... answer: winning potential is 97%. Activating Continous Spell Card Flexible Tentacluster. Through its effect, the banished Tentacluster Leanchoilia is Special Summoned in attack position (ATK: 400/LV: 4). Activating Spell Card Resurrection of the Dead. Through its effect, I Special Summon Tentacluster Opabinia from the Graveyard.]
Leanchoilia and Opabinia reappeared on the field, filling the A.I.'s Middle and Left Monster Zones respectively.
"So you're going to Link Summon again." Revolver assumed.
[Sākitto ōpun!] the A.I. declared, just as Revolver expected. [Arrowheads confirmed. The summoning condition is one "Tentacluster" Monster. I set Tentacluster Opabinia in the Link Markers!]
Said Monster turned into a light-green twister as it entered the Bottom Link Marker, making it glow red. [Circuit Combine. Link Summon: Tentacluster Gracilens (Dark/Machine/Effect/ATK: 1000/Link 1: Bottom)!]
A Monster resembling a Pikaia gracilens covered in dark-purple armor, with little wires attached to its body, emerged from the portal with a screech, positioning itself on the Extra Monster Zone.
[Next, activating Spell Card Machine Duplication, targeting Leanchoilia which has 500 or less Attack Points, to Special Summon two more copies of it from the deck.] the A.I. explained as two more of the said Monster appeared, filling its Main Monster Zones. [Activating Gracilens' effect. Once per turn, by declaring the name of a "Tentacluster" Monster, all Monsters on the field with that name are destroyed. I declare Tentacluster Leanchoilia, consequently, all the three Leanchoilias I control are destroyed.]
Gracilens used its long serpentine body to constrict the three other Tentaclusters, squeezing them to death before they exploded in light particles.
[Then, Gracilens gains 1000 Attack Points for every Monster destroyed by this effect. This boost remains until my next Standby Phase.] the A.I. added (ATK: 1000 = 4000).
"What? It surpassed Varrelload Dragon's Attack so easily?" Revolver asked in surprise.
[Activating the effect of the three Tentacluster Leanchoilias which were just destroyed, banishing the top nine cards of your deck in total. Then, by banishing these three Monsters from the Graveyard, I activate their other effects, banishing again the top nine cards of your deck face-down.]
"That's the way, hehehe..." Kitamura smirked widely. "Even the leader of the Knights of Hanoi can't stop this kind of firepower!"
[Activating Spell Card Virus Tentacluster.] the A.I. went on. [By banishing up to three "Tentacluster" Monsters from my Graveyard, the opponent banishes the same amount of cards from the top of their deck and they are inflicted 200 damage for each. I banish the three Tentacluster Canadias from my Graveyard, consequently, you banish the top six cards of your deck and you take 1200 damage.]
Revolver gritted his teeth as a beam of light enveloped him and even more of his cards vanished from his deck.
Revolver: LP 3800 - 1200 = 2600
[Both Revolver and Bloody Talker are in a great pinch!] the MC yelled. [Will they lose!?]
[Setting one card face-down. Entering the Battle Phase! Tentacluster Gracilens attacks Varrelload Dragon.]
"I activate Varrelload's Quick Effect!" Revolver abruptly stated. "I target your Gracilens and reduce its Attack Points by 500! Take this, Anti-Enemy Vullet (Gracilens: ATK 4000 = 3500)!"
[Even with that effect, Gracilens has more Attack than Cannon Buster Dragon.] the A.I. pointed out.
The Tentacluster Link Monster swiftly launched at the dragon's neck, strangling it and defeating it with ease.
Revolver: LP 2600 - 500 = 2100
[Activating the other effect of Virus Tentacluster in the Graveyard.] the A.I. stated. [By banishing this card when a "Tentacluster" Monster destroys a Monster by battle, the opponent takes damage equal to half the destroyed Monster's original Attack.]
Revolver: LP 2100 - 1500 = 600
"I have 600 Life Points remaining..." Revolver muttered as he narrowed his eyes.
[Turn End.] SOL's A.I. concluded. [Remaning cards in the opponent's deck: 3. Everything proceeding as calculated. The opponent's deck will hit zero within two turns, during this Unit's third turn.]
"Your Life Points will vanish before that could happen, garbage of data!" Revolver frowned. "Like Hell I'm going to lose to an A.I. of SOL Tech!"
[However, taking in consideration your current position, there's no other choice but to admit your defeat, Revolver!] the voice of Kitamura shouted through the A.I. soldier.
"A Duel isn't over until every card is played!" Revolver shouted. "This is the most notable difference between a stupid A.I. and human beings! An A.I. doesn't believe he can win but calculates his way through the Duel, so once it sees it can't win, it surrenders. Human beings, on the other hand, believe in their possibilities and don't give up no matter what, and I'm one of those people! You can never calculate what will happen in a Duel!"
[Pretty nice words from somebody who's loosing!] Kitamura scoffed. [You only have three cards in your deck along with a mere 500 Life Points! You have no Monsters on your field, while the A.I. has a Monster with 3500 Attack and Flexible Tentacluster! Just give up already!]
"Well look who's talking: the bright-head who doesn't have the balls to Logg into Link VRAINS and do something himself!" Revolver remarked, causing Kitamura to grit his teeth and several workers chuckled in a low tone. "Shut up and watch the Duel unfold. Not like there's anything else you can do. I hope you aren't going to scream too much after I'm done with your stupid A.I., Kitamura!"
That was a pretty bald winning declaration, Revolver.
The Hanoi leader's eyes shot open as he heard Bloody Talker's voice echo in his ear. He spun around, seeing nothing else but darkness in front of him, the faint image of Bloody Talker standing in front of him, the hacker's lips curved into his usual mocking smile.
There's nothing else a dead man can do once they discover their loss in a fight.
The one to speak next was Playmaker, who appeared out of nowhere behind Bloody Talker, his arms crossed over his chest and his face having its usual stoic expression.
"What was that?" Revolver growled. "I dare you to repeat what you just said!"
Come on, Playmaker! Don't tease him too much now. He's already a scared, cornered, lone wolf.
"Scared? I'm not scared." Revolver told in a dismissive tone. "A stupid A.I. doesn't scare me!"
I wasn't talking about the A.I., Revolver. I meant you're scared of defeat.
"Nani?" Revolver asked.
Don't lie. We know. You're scared of losing against an opponent which isn't me or Bloody Talker. That's the reason why you won't leave your tavern, right? It isn't only because your father doesn't let you do so, but you're also scared of losing before you can Duel either one of us.
"That's... that's not true!" Revolver shouted at Playmaker's calm words. He? Scared? As if! Revolver isn't scared of anything!
Is it? Your fear has grown so deep, that whenever you see me or Playmaker Duel, you can't keep calm and start pacing back and forth. You aren't only scared of losing a Duel, but you're scared of seeing the two of us lose to somebody else!
Look at what this fear made you do, Revolver. You started a worldwide Internet war, dragging innocent lives in it. Dr. Genome and Baira already lost and you purged them both. Are you happy now?
Revolver clenched his fists in anger after Bloody Talker and Playmaker's words. "Shut up..."
Hoh, are you ashamed? Is the truth too cruel to accept? You're trying to burry away your fear and emotions, but hearing them does hurt, right? Your fear is unavoidable, Revolver. You're angry at yourself for everything you did, right? Giving the Rate-Up Emergency Force card which your father developed himself for you before dying due to SOL's virus, was very remorseful, right? You never told your father about this, so when he discovers, what are you going to do? Tell the truth? Lie? Lies produce more lies, just like you said a lie to Bloody Talker about inventing the card when your father was the one to do so.
"I said shut up..." Revolver growled, but Bloody Talker went on.
You try to play the big bad guy in this game, when you only want to be a little scared boy, crying in the corner of a dark room. You hate being a leader. You hate being Revolver, you hate being Kogami Ryoken. You hate everything in this world, right? You only want to Duel me and Playmaker, but you can't! You're scared of doing anything that can cause any of us to lose their life before a stupid Duel you desire!
"I SAID SHUT THE HELL UP!" Revolver finally snapped, throwing a punch against Bloody Talker, who's body dissolved like mist after being hit, along with Playmaker.
"Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes! You're right about everything, dammit!" Revolver shouted at no-one. "I... I... don't want to lose! Who cares about Hanoi, about being a leader, about this war, about this false world!? I only want to complete my father's goals, but I also want to Duel Bloody Talker and Playmaker! I can't die before accomplishing any of these..."
Then stand up.
The darkness around Revolver disappeared, enveloping him in white light. In front of him, a large silhouette of a shadowed dragon stood, staring down at him with green eyes.
Humans are such insolent towards their own emotions. They never want to accept anything that isn't to their liking. However, you have accepted your emotions, Kogami Ryoken, and now you can walk forward with your head high. I shall grant you my powers. Using them, accomplish your goals, finish what your father couldn't, Duel both Bloody Talker and Playmaker, and win. Move towards the future you desire.
As he felt the dragon's hand touch his head, Revolver blinked twice as he found himself once more on his D-Board, Dueling SOL's A.I., as if the last two minutes of talking didn't happen.
"N-Nani...? What was... that?" he thought confused. "Did I... hallucinate?"
[Oi, hurry up!] Kitamura shouted. [We don't have all day!]
"What did it meant by using 'its powers'?" Revolver ignored his opponent. "Its powers... did it mean... there's one way to understand what it meant: Storm Access!"
"Watashi no turn! DRAW!" Revolver roared as he drew his card, determined to win no matter what, fear nowhere in sight. "I activate the other effect of Link Revive in the Graveyard! By banishing this card, I can Special Summon a Link Monster from my Graveyard!"
"It's useless." Kitamura thought smugly at the H.Q. "Tentacluster Extinction has another effect in the Graveyard. By banishing this card when a "Tentacluster" Monster leaves the field by the opponent, 1000 damage is inflicted to them. Even if you plan on reviving Varrelload Dragon to steal Gracilens, you'll lose!"
"The Link Monster I revive is... Cannon Buster Dragon (ATK: 1800/Link 2)!" Revolver declared, confusing Kitamura. The dragon equipped with cannons reappeared on its user's field with a roar on the Middle Monster Zone.
"Then, I normal summon Sniffing Dragon (ATK: 800/LV: 2) from my hand!"
The Monster Zones of Revolver was quickly filled with his new dragon. Revolver extended his hand forward as it started to glow. The Data Storm started gathering in one spot in the sky. The Hanoi leader drove his D-Board into the globe of wind, steadying himself in the middle of the Data Storm.
"Skill activated!" Revolver cried out as a card started forming in his hand. "Storm Access!"
"Dammit..." Kitamura cursed. "I forgot about that wretched Skill..."
Revolver gritted his teeth as he held the card in his hand. "What... power..." he muttered. "Come to me... give me your power!"
The card between Revolver's hand sucked all the Data Storm inside it. It gained its text and Revolver started falling downwards on his D-Board.
"My new power, become the source of my victory! Kengen seyo, waga michi o terasu mirai kairo!"
A Link Portal materialized under Revolver as his Monsters morphed into three bullets and entered the portal, causing the Bottom, Right, and Top Markers to glow red. "The summoning conditions are two or more non-Token Monsters. I set Sniffing Dragon and the Link 2 Cannon Buster Dragon in the Link Markers! Circuit Combine! Come forth, Link 3! Topologic Amygdala Dragon (Dark/Cyberse/Effect/ATK: 2500/Link 3: Bottom, Right, Top)!"
A new bipedal dragon materialized out of data. It had a slim body that looked like it was made of dark-red 3-strand braids. Attached to its back were two large gull airplane-wings, and on each of its legs were attached three rocket exhausts. Its chest had the form of a Seifert surface in the center of which a sphere of light was, pulsing like a heart. Its head was covered by neon green glowing rectangular eyes, and the dragon roared as it exited the portal and followed Revolver.
"A new "Topologic" dragon!?" Kitamura exclaimed. "B-But it's too late! Victory is already decided!"
"Amygdala, huh...?" Revolver whispered as he stared at the dragon. "So it was you after all."
The dragon slowly opened its mouth and let out a growl, nodding.
"Then watch, Cyberse, as I walk towards my desired future!" Revolver told. "I activate the other effect of Paralyzing Bullet in my Graveyard! By banishing this card, I can destroy a face-up Spell or Trap Card you control! My choice, obviously, is Flexible Tentacluster!"
"This isn't happening, this isn't happening, this isn't happening," Kitamura continued to repeat in shock.
Revolver continued. "I activate the Spell Card Resurrection of the Dead to revive my Varrelload Dragon from the Graveyard under Topologic Amygdala's Bottom Link Marker! Then, since a Monster was Normal or Special Summoned to a zone Topologic Amygdala point to, its effect activates, banishing all cards from both player's Graveyards! Go! Dreams Corrosion!"
The wings on Topologic Amygdala opened into two as a dark mist was left out. Two GY portals opened before the Duelists, the mist entering the portals and banishing all the cards in there.
"THIS CAN'T BE REAL!" Kitamura cried out.
"Well, well, garbage of data." Revolver chuckled as he addressed the A.I. "Mind telling me your winning potential now?"
[Calculating... answer: 0%.]
"Damn right!" Revolver laughed. "Now, I hope you remember what I told before the Duel, right? If not, let me jog your memory: I'm going to enjoy seeing my dragons devour the heck out of your stupid A.I., SOL Tech. AND THAT TIME HAS FINALLY COME! Battle! Topologic Amygdala Dragon attacks Tentacluster Gracilens! At this moment, I activate my dragon's other effect! When Topologic Amygdala attacks, it gains 100 Attack for every banished card!"
Kitamura's eyes rolled into the back of his head as he passed out, the workers sighing in relief, finally getting to work without having an annoying boss shout in their ears.
"There are a total of 52 banished cards, thus, my dragon gains 5200 Attack (ATK: 2500 = 7700)!" Revolver stated. "Your own strategy was turned against you! Now, vanish! Daunting Nightmare Cryptogram!"
The wings on the back of Topologic Amygdala started transforming into long blades which attached themselves to the dragon's hands. The three rocket exhausts on its legs went off, rocketing the dragon forward at great speed and allowing it to cut Gracilens' body into two, causing it to explode and send the A.I. catapulting into the sky.
SOL's A.I.: LP 4000 - 4200 = 0
Winner: Revolver!
Before the A.I. could vanish, Topologic Amygdala dashed past it, slashing it into two by its waist. Varrelload Dragon came next, grabbing the two parts into its hand and eating them whole. The A.I. never stood a chance and it never returned to SOL's H.Q., all the hours put into creating it went to waste.
"Finally it's over." Revolver sighed as his dragons vanished from existence.
[Return to the H.Q., Revolver.] the voice of his father, Dr. Kogami, spoke up from his Duel Disk. [We don't want to give any more chances for SOL to attack you, or Playmaker for that matter. Bloody Talker is still Dueling, so take this time to flee.]
"Understood, Dr. Kogami." Revolver nodded.
Honestly, the Hanoi leader wasn't angry. Before this Duel, Revolver would snap if somebody would interrupt his chance to Duel Bloody Talker or Playmaker, but now... after Amygdala forced Revolver to listen to his own feelings, he doesn't mind.
He'll flee with all his heart, and wait for the right time to face his rivals.
Several minutes back, with Bloody Talker...
"Well, that happened." Bloody Talker commented as Revolver and the A.I. left. "I guess I'll follow them and Duel Revolver afterwads."
"Before that, you and I can have a chit-chat..."
The one to talk was a young, tall man with grey hair who materialized some feet away. He wore a black bodysuit with silver highlights and a blue high-collared overcoat. Two belts crossed at his waist, forming an 'X'. The person wore a mask over half his face, leaving only his mouth exposed.
"A Knight of Hanoi!?" Frog gulped.
"I'm not a Hanoi member." the mysterious person told. "However, I'm not a comrade as well. My name is Siegfried. It's a pleasure to finally encounter you, the infamous Bloody Talker who's attempting to stop the Knights of Hanoi's schemes."
"And why are you here?" Bloody Talker asked. "You aren't a Hanoi member but you said you aren't a comrade. That means there's something you want with me."
"That's correct." Siegfried nodded. "I was ordered to Duel you, so please, don't get angry at me. It's nothing personal."
"Ordered? By who?"
"I'm afraid I cannot answer that." Siegfried smiled at his target's question.
"Then what if I refuse to Duel you?" Bloody Talker asked again.
"I have a Duel Anchor installed in my Duel Disk." Siegfried simply answered. "You don't have a choice in the matter, I'm afraid."
"I see." Bloody Talker sighed. "Let's begin then. Better finish you off quickly so I can Duel Revolver."
The two Duelists leaped into the air, their D-Boards materializing under their feet. Siegfried's model was similar to a Hanoi's standard D-Board, however, two Forward-swept wings were attached to its back and it was colored black with neon blue highlights.
"Don't mind if I ask, but I noticed you don't have a Duel Disk." Bloody Talker pointed out. "How do you intend in Dueling me, or using your Duel Anchor in the first place?"
"Duel Disk?" chuckled Siegfried as if he heard a joke. "I don't use your old-fashioned Duel Disks, but this."
The mysterious Duelist extended his left arm forward as the sleeve disappeared. A Duel Disk which was similar to Playmaker's but it had a crystal shaped grey body with blue accents materialized. The Deck Zone is on the side of the wrist facing away from the Duelist, rather than on the top.
"This is a special kind of Duel Disk created by my boss," Siegfried explained. "Although, I did make some modifications to it. Anyway, now that I have a Duel Disk, I think we can start the Duel, don't you think?"
"Speed Duel!" the two youths shouted in unison.
Bloody Talker - LP 4000
VS
Siegfried - LP 4000
(The Duel is conducted as a Speed Duel.)
"I'll be taking the first turn if you don't mind!" Siegfried shouted. "From my hand, I activate the Spell Card Dragon Shrine. Through its effect, I send the Dragon-Type Flamvell Guard from my deck to my Graveyard, and since I sent a Normal Monster, I can also send Keeper of the Shrine to the Graveyard."
"Kioku... you can do this!" Aoi thought as she watched the Duel from her tablet in the real world. "Siegfried... whoever sent him to Duel Kioku, surely isn't somebody who wants Bloody Talker around."
"Next, I activate the effect of Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks in my hand, sending it and Maiden of the Shrine (Light/Dragon/Tuner/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 1) from my hand to the Graveyard, to Special Summon Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos (Fire/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 2800/DEF: 1800/LV: 7) from my deck! Come forth, the mighty beast of infernos!"
Following Siegfried's words, a red scaled dragon with magma rocks on its back appeared with a roar, positioning itself on the Middle Monster Zone.
"I set a card face-down and end my turn!" Siegfried concluded.
"A Monster with 2800 Attack on his first turn!?" Pigeon exclaimed in shock.
"A Level 7 Monster from the deck just like that... something tells me this opponent won't be a pushover." Aoi commented.
"I find it ironic how you use dragons when the Siegfried from the German stories actually killed one to obtain its blood." the hacker suddenly commented. "Or you didn't name your avatar after him?"
"Oh, I did." Siegfried assured Bloody Talker. "I read that story in school, and I quickly became interested in it. Der Ring des Nibelungen, what a beautiful name for a story, don't you think? I chose to name my avatar after the hero of these stories, Siegfried, which is composed of the Germanic elements "sig", victory, and "frithu", protection or peace. I chose to use a Dragon-themed deck because in the story Siegfried killed a dragon and bathed himself in its blood, becoming invulnerable except for a spot on his back where a leaf adhered to his skin. As the dragon blood gave Siegfried power, my Dragon Monsters shall do the same, giving me the strength to defeat my opponents!"
"While your story-telling is interesting, I have to stop you there. After all, we have a Duel to finish!" Bloody Talker said. "Watashi no turn! Draw! First, I activate the Field Spell Creeping Seeds on the Star Relics, using its effect when activated, Special Summoning Creeper Spinete-X from my deck and increasing its power with my Field Spell's second effect (DEF: 2050 = 2300/LV: 3)!"
Bloody Talker's Monster appeared from a blue portal with a screech, positioning itself on the Left Monster Zone.
"Next, I normal summon Creeper Recepier-V (ATK: 950 = 1200/LV: 2)!" the hacker went on as another Creeper appeared, this time on the Main Monster Zone. "Now, took a look on a new Monster I've got! Arawarero, watashi no aite o korosu sākitto!"
A Link Portal opened in front of Bloody Talker after his words. "Arrowheads confirmed. The summoning condition is one "Creeper" Monster! I set Creeper Spinete-X in the Link Marker!"
Said Monster screeched as it morphed into a purple twister and entered the portal, causing the Bottom Marker to lit up. "Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Come to me, Creeper Quaropsis (Dark/Cyberse/Effect/ATK: 50 = 300/Link 1: Bottom)!"
The Monster that emerged from the portal had a very long body with several wires acting as legs, three sets of insect wings attached to it, and instead of a head, a sphere of glass with a human heart, dripping venom was glued to its front, while the creature's eye was attached to the end of its tail.
"A new "Creeper" Link Monster!" Frog gasped.
"I activate Quaropsis' effect when Link Summoned!" Bloody Talker stated. "I can resurrect a "Creeper" Monster from my Graveyard and summon it under Quaropsis' Bottom Link Marker by negating its effects! Revive, Creeper Spinete-X! System Reboot!"
The Link Monster screeched as Spinete-X revived in the Left Monster Zone, under Quaropsis' Bottom Marker.
"Arawarero, watashi no aite o korosu sākitto! Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two "Creeper" Monsters. I set Creeper Recepier-V and Creeper Quaropsis in the Link Markers! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Manifest yourself, Jack Creeper of the Crimson Sky (ATK: 2150 = 2300/Link 2: Bottom, Right)!"
The hacker's corrupted knight emerged from the portal with an ear-piercing battle cry.
"I see. Your Creeper Quaropsis acts a support-type "Creeper" Link Monster which allows you to easily Link Summon your Link 2 "Creepers". Not a bad addition to your deck, but that won't be enough to defeat me." Siegfried spoke up.
"What a bald declaration!" Bloody Talker grinned. "I activate Crimson Sky's effect, destroying Spinete-X under its Marker so I can draw a card! At this moment, Spinete-X's own effect activates, destroying a Monster you control! You and your dragon are going to bite the dust, Siegfried!"
"Look at who's making bald declarations now!" Siegfried chuckled. "I chain to your card's effect my Trap Card, Dragoessence! If I control a "Dragon Ruler" Monster, I can draw until I hold five cards in my hand! Since I have zero at the moment, I get a brand new hand to use my next turn!"
The corrupted knight raised its sword, swinging it at the other "Creeper" Monster, destroying it. It then raised its axe, slashing the dragon into two, destroying it.
"At this moment, I activate the effect of Keeper of the Shrine in my Graveyard!" Siegfried stated. "When a Dragon-Type Monster I control is sent to the Graveyard by a card effect, or is destroyed by battle, I can Special Summon him! Appear, in defense mode (Dark/Dragon/Effect/DEF: 2100/LV: 4)!"
An old human with a grey beard and having dragon-features appeared on his Middle Monster Zone in a cross-legged position.
"I also activate the effect of Maiden of the Shrine in my Graveyard!" Siegfried stated. "When a Dragon-Type Monster on my side of the field is destroyed by the opponent, only once while Maiden is in the Graveyard, I'm allowed to draw one card!"
"His dragon's destruction didn't even faze him." Aoi muttered. "Now he has six cards in his hand and a Monster to protect his Life Points. Not bad, Siegfried..."
"The other effect of my Field Spell activates!" Bloody Talker shouted. "Since a "Creeper" Monster was destroyed by a card effect, your Keeper loses 1000 Attack and Defense (DEF: 2100 = 1100). I set three cards face-down and Battle! Crimson Sky attack Keeper of the Shine if you may! Scarlet Axe and Blue Sword Slash!"
The knight used both its weapons to destroy Keeper, leaving the enemy's field empty.
"I end my turn with this!" Bloody Talker concluded. "At this moment, the effect of Spinete-X in my Graveyard activates, summoning itself to my field in defense mode (DEF: 2050 = 2300/LV: 3)."
"Bloody Talker-sama wasn't able to deal any damage!" Pigeon pointed out.
"This Siegfried sure knows how to use his cards well." Frog commented. "Last turn, he set his field up for Bloody Talker's next turn. It's like he knew what moves his opponent will make!"
[It seems Revolver won't go down without a fight!] the MC shouted. [After taking a hit, he immediately revived his Monster, ready to make a counterattack! Oh, what's this! Bloody Talker is also Dueling against a new enemy!?]
"Revolver... I better finish this Duel if I want to Duel him." Bloody Talker thought. "Yet, I don't think I can do that. Siegfried isn't that easy to defeat. However, I'm going to defeat him no matter what! Revolver... I'm going to be the one to defeat you!"
"Boku no turn! Draw!" Siegfried announced as he drew his seventh card. "During my Standby Phase, if I control no Monsters on my field, I can activate Maiden of the Shrine's last effect, Special Summoning her to my field, however, the next time she'll leave the field, she's banished! Appear, in defense mode (Tuner/DEF: 0/LV: 1)!"
A young woman with blond hair tied up in a 3-strand braid and having dragon-features appeared on his Middle Monster Zone, her hands united in a praying manner.
"Now, I activate the effect of Blaster in my Graveyard!" Siegfried stated. "By banishing two Fire-Attribute and/or Dragon-Type Monsters from my hand or Graveyard, I can Special Summon my mighty beast from the hand or Graveyard. The ones I banish are Dragon-Types Burner and Flamvell Guard from the Graveyard. Revive, Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos (ATK: 2800/LV: 7)!"
A GY portal opened before Siegfried as his dragon reappeared with a roar, narrowing its slits at the sight of Bloody Talker.
"Tch... how troublesome." the hacker commented.
"Does that mean as long as he has Monsters to banish from his hand or Graveyard, that dragon is immortal!?" Pigeon asked shocked.
"That's not the worst part," Frog said. "He built up a solid formation without using any of the cards in his hand! If he can do this every turn, Bloody Talker-sama is in trouble!"
"Is he going to Link Summon?" Aoi wondered.
"Next, bare witness to true strength! I tune my Level 1 Maiden of the Shrine to the Level 7 Blaster!" Siegfried cried out as the maiden became a green right which surrounded Blaster, causing its body to become transparent and show seven starts in its body. "Rend the obsidian darkness! Scorch Heaven and Earth! Glare at all creation and display your ferocious might! Synchro Summon! Behold, Red Daemon's Dragon Scarlight (Dark/Dragon/Synchro/Effect/ATK: 3000/LV: 8)!"
A bright ray of light shot through the ring, from which a crimson and black scaled demonic dragon emerged with a roar, following Siegfried on the Data Storm on his Extra Monster Zone.
"Nani!? A Synchro Summon!?" Pigeon, Frog, and Aoi gasped.
"Just like Cynthia, you use old Summoning Methods." Bloody Talker noted.
"That's true. I think people are boosting Link Monsters too much, not taking into consideration how older Monsters can be far deadlier." Siegfried explained. "But don't take my word for it, let my dragon prove my point! I activate Red Daemon's Dragon Scarlight's effect! Once per turn, all Monsters which have lower Attack than it are destroyed and the opponent takes 500 damage for each destroyed Monster! Absolute Powerflame!"
"What an effect!" Aoi exclaimed as she widen her eyes. "All of Kioku's Monsters have low Attack, making them easy prey for Scarlight!"
The dragon's right arm started burning as it roared, unleashing a spiral of flames from the said arm which melt both Bloody Talker's Monsters, destroying them.
Bloody Talker: LP 4000 - 1000 = 3000
"I activate my Field Spell's effect!" Bloody Talker quickly stated. "Since a "Creeper" was destroyed by a card effect, your dragon loses 1000 of its Attack and Defense!"
"That won't be happening because I chain the Quick-Play Spell Typhoon!" Siegfried shouted. "I destroy your Field Spell, thus, its effect won't resolve!"
"This is bad!" Pigeon exclaimed. "If Scarlight attacks now, Bloody Talker-sama's Life Points will hit zero!"
"I activate the effect of Reactan, Dragon Ruler of Pebbles in my hand, sending it and Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms from my hand to the Graveyard, to Special Summon Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders (Earth/Dragon/Effect/DEF: 3000/LV: 7) from my deck! Come forth, the mighty beast of boulders!"
Following Siegfried's words, a bulky dragon covered in wood and stone appeared with a roar, positioning itself on the Left Monster Zone, under its owner's Extra Monster Zone.
"Then I also activate Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms from my Graveyard!" Siegfried went on. "Its effect is the same as Blaster's, however, I need to banish Wind-Attribute Monsters instead of Fire. I banish Blaster and Reactan which are both Dragon-Types from the Graveyard to resurrect the mighty beast of storms from the Graveyard (Wind/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 2400/LV: 7)!"
A dragon with a body made of raging winds appeared next, roaring as it took the Middle Monster Zone.
"The other effect of Blaster activates when it's banished, letting me add any Fire Dragon Monster, except itself, from the deck to my hand!" Siegfried explained. "I add Flamvell Dragoon (Fire/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 800/DEF: 200/LV: 3) to my hand!"
"Why isn't he attacking?" Pigeon wondered. "He can end the match by simply attacking with Scarlight!"
"He's cautious of Kioku's three set cards." Aoi narrowed her eyes.
"I set three cards myself and enter my Battle Phase!" Siegfried shouted. "Battle! Red Daemon's Dragon Scarlight is going to attack you directly! Scorching Crimson Hell Burning!"
"Counter Trap open! Link Reboot!" Bloody Talker cried out as a transparent barrier protected him from Scarlight's flames. "This makes the battle damage I would take zero, and as a bonus, I can revive one Link Monster from my Graveyard! Come back, Crimson Sky (ATK: 2150/Link 2: Bottom, Right) in my Middle Monster Zone!"
"Not bad, but I expected you to do so." Siegfried chuckled. "That's why I summoned my Tempest for! Battle! The mighty beast of storms will attack your Crimson Sky! Winds of Ruin!"
"I activate the Continous Trap Reborn Creepers Under the Star Relics!" Bloody Talker cried out. "When activated, I can revive one "Creeper" Monster from the Graveyard. I choose Creeper Recepier-V in defense mode (DEF: 1150/LV: 2)! However, the true reason why I activated this card was to use its second effect! The destruction of Crimson Sky is negated and I negate the damage through this Trap's third effect!"
"Nicely dodged, Bloody Talker." Siegfried praised his opponent. "I end my turn here."
"At this moment, the effect of Spinete-X activates in the Graveyard!" Bloody Talker stated. "Since you destroyed a "Creeper" Monster through a card effect, this Monster can be Special Summoned during the End Phase (DEF: 2050/LV: 3)!"
"As expected from Bloody Talker-sama!" Frog cheered. "Not only he defended himself from the enemy's attacks, but he rebuilt his formation!"
[Both Revolver and Bloody Talker have made a comeback!] the voice of the MC caught Bloody Talker's attention. [Will their enemy be able to defeat them!?]
"It seems I have to step up my game if I want to be on the same level as Revolver." Bloody Talker grinned. "Watashi no turn! Draw!"
"A Link 3 or 4 is on its way." Aoi said as she analyzed Kioku's field.
"Continous Trap activated!" Siegfried abruptly stated. "Closed Circuit! As long as this card is face-up on the field, both players can't perform Link Summons!"
"Nani!?" Frog and Pigeon gasped.
"This is bad!" Aoi's eyes widen. "The main factor of Kioku's deck is Link Summons! If he can't summon his Link Monsters, how is he supposed to make a comeback!?"
"With this, you can't use your legs nor your arms to fight, Bloody Talker." Siegfried said. "You lose!"
"I lose... you say?" Bloody Talker calmly asked. He soon started laughing, confusing everyone. "Don't underestimate me, Siegfried! I activate Crimson Sky's effect, destroying Spinete-X which is next to its Right Marker, letting me draw a card! Then, Spinete-X's own effect activates, destroying your Scarlight!"
The demonic dragon was easily slain by Crimson Sky's sword, giving one last roar of pain before vanishing.
"Yosh! That's the way, Bloody Talker-sama!" Pigeon shouted.
"Now, better keep your eyes open for this next trick! I activate the effect of Corrupted Relic - "Creeper Lance" (Dark/Cyberse/Effect/ATK: 2750/DEF: 250/LV: 8) in my hand!" Bloody Talker stated. "By destroying Creeper Recepier-V I control, I can Special Summon Creeper Lance from my hand!"
Recepier-V screeched as its body glowed a bright purple, its form morphing into a giant spear-shaped Monster. Creeper Lance had a glowing red eye on its blade, along with purple accents glowing all over it. The giant relic towered over the Duelists and their Monsters and hovered in the air emotionlessly on the Left Monster Zone.
"An Attack of 2750... amazing." Aoi said. "Seeing his Link Monsters are sealed off, he rushed to change his play, using a never-seen Monster..."
"How nostalgic," Siegfried started talking. "Your Dueling is the same as his. No matter the circumstances, you're able to go beyond one's expectations and make a comeback. IGNF1 Duels just like you, Bloody Talker."
"IGNF1... what is that?" Frog asked confused.
"Who... or what are you talking about?" Bloody Talker asked. "You said 'him', but IGNF1 seems like an ID given to a thing, not a person."
"Let's make a deal." Siegfried proposed. "If you manage to lower my Life Points to... any amount which is lower then 3000, I'll give you the answer. So... what will it be?"
"I refuse." Bloody Talker sternly told. "It's obvious you're trying to lure me into a trap, so sorry, but I won't take the bait. Continuing with my turn, I set a card face-down and enter my Battle Phase! Battle! Crimson Sky will attack your Redox! At this moment, I activate Creeper Lance's effect! When it or another "Creeper" Monster attacks an opponent's Monster, the enemy loses 2000 Attack and Defense! Armor Corrosion!"
"I chain the Quick-Play Spell Burial from a Different Dimension!" Siegfried shouted. "I return the banished Maiden of the Shrine, Reactan, and Flamvell Guard to the Graveyard!"
A dark aura erupted from the lance, enveloping Redox and causing it to roar in pain as its DEF fell to 1000. Crimson Sky slashed the dragon into pieces with its axe and sword, destroying it.
"At this moment, both the effects of Maiden and Keeper of the Shrine activate in the Graveyard!" Siegfried stated. "With Maiden, I draw a card, and with Keeper, I special Summon him in defense mode (DEF: 2100/LV: 4)!"
"He didn't only draw a card, but by returning those three Monsters to the Graveyard, he can use them as costs to revive the Dragon Rulers." Aoi muttered. "If Kioku attacks Keeper, Tempest will return to Siegfried's hand during this End Phase, thus, he'll control no Monsters during his Standby Phase so he can resurrect Maiden through its effect. The best option is to attack Tempest."
"Battle!" Bloody Talker cried out. "Creeper Lance attacks your Tempest! Despair of Hopes!"
Just as Aoi thought, her friend chose to attack the Dragon Ruler. The lance used its body to slash the dragon into two, destroying it.
"I activate the effect of Flamvell Dragoon in my hand!" Siegfried stated. "By discarding this card and returning a banished Fire Monster with 200 Defense to my Graveyard, that being Burner, I can negate one instance of battle or effect damage! It seems you weren't able to accomplish anything in this turn too."
"I end my turn." Bloody Talker ignored him. "At this moment, the effect of Spinete-X activates, Special Summoning itself to my field in defense mode (DEF: 2050/LV: 3) in my Right Monster Zone."
"Bloody Talker-sama wasn't able to deal damage even this turn!" Pigeon told.
"This is bad!" Frog gasped. "Go, go, Bloody Talker-sama! You can do it! We're rooting for you!"
"Boku no turn!" Siegfried declared. "Draw! I think it's about time I play serious, don't you think? I activate the other effect of Closed Circuit, sending it to the Graveyard and draw a card for every Link Monster on the field. There's Crimson Sky on the field, so I draw one card!"
"Why would he do that!?" Frog asked confused. "As long as he had that card, Bloody Talker-sama couldn't do anything amazing!"
"He plans on ending the Duel this turn..." Aoi whispered. "Kioku..."
[Both Revolver and Bloody Talker are in a great pinch!] the MC yelled. [Will they lose!?]
"I activate the other effect of Dragoessence in my Graveyard, banishing this card to return a banished "Dragon Ruler" to my hand. I choose to return Blaster to my hand." Siegfried stated. "Next, by banishing Flamvell Dragoon and Guard from my Graveyard, I call forth the mighty beast of tides, Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls (Water/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 2600/LV: 7) from my hand!"
A dragon with a body made of ice and water appeared, roaring loudly on the Left Monster Zone, next to Keeper which was on the Middle Monster Zone.
"Now, by banishing Burner and Reactan from the Graveyard, I Special Summon Tempest from the Graveyard (ATK: 2400/LV: 7)!" Siegfried said as another Dragon Ruler appeared on the Right Monster Zone.
"Arawarero! Sukui ni tsunagaru sākitto!"
Following Siegfried's words, a Link Portal opened before him. "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two Level 7 Dragon-Type Monsters. I set Tidal and Blaster in the Link Markers!" Said dragons turned into blue and red twisters and entered the portal. "Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Behold, Catastrophe, Dragon Ruler of Cataclysm (Dark/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 2400/Link 2: Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right)!"
A dragon with a body made of lava, rocks, and water, and having two wings made of winds, emerged from the portal with a roar, causing the whole VRAINS to shake.
"What power -!" Bloody Talker grunted as he tried to keep control of his D-Board. "And it was only its summon! Who knows what else it has in store... but why do I -"
"Why do you feel a pulse of life coming from Catastrophe?" Siegfried finished the hacker's question. "That's because my Duel Disk has a program installed in it which gives all cards I use the ability to deal massive physical damage, also, they gain what you'd call emotions."
"Emotions?" Aoi narrowed her eyes. "Whoever created such a program must be a super program creator..."
Bloody Talker gritted his teeth slightly. "That's why I felt a heartbeat from every Monster he used... to think a program like that existed... I would love to have one myself! Oi, what's your secret!?"
"Did Kioku just... is he serious!?" Aoi shouted confused.
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you that." Siegfried shook his head. "However... I can give it to you on one condition."
"Let's hear it."
"If you chose to surrender and come with me to my boss, I'll kindly hand it over to you." Siegfried said. "Is that enough?"
"Hmmmm, I don't know..." Bloody Talker rubbed his chin. "I'm very sorry, but I have to decline."
"Eh? Why?" Siegfried tilted his head to the side.
"I have people who are counting on me," Bloody Talker explained. "For example, one of them is Blue Angel-chan. Then, there's Frog-kun and Pigeon-kun, and many others. Not to mention all my comrade Monsters."
"Bloody Talker-sama..." Frog and Pigeon sobbed. "Thank you for nominating us!"
"Kioku..." Aoi smiled.
"I honestly don't understand." Siegfried said. "Your behavior is what I meant. You always act like a psychopathic, sadist, but sometimes your attitude takes a full turn, especially when you start talking about comrades and bonds. Why? If you like to be such a big sadist, why be nice to your comrades?"
"When I was a kid, I once read a story called 'The Knight of the Clear Sky'." Bloody Talker explained. "The book was very popular, and still is. In that book, the protagonist of the story said a phrase that really clung to my heart: 'You can be the richest person in the land, but if you don't have friends... you're poor. The true treasure is your dear friends who are there for you in the darkest hours!'"
"I also read that book!" Siegfried nodded. "That's what the protagonist says before the final battle between good and evil, the hero and the evil crimson dragon which threatened to destroy everything and rule supreme! Ah, I love that phrase as well! It was beautiful! So that's why you love your friends so much?"
"Exactly." Bloody Talker nodded.
This is how Kioku thinks of Aoi... does Aoi think of Kioku the same way? Will Aoi be there for Kioku in his darkest hours? Her fingers grip on her tablet as her expression softens.
"Kioku..." Aoi thought. "We're friends now. I never knew this feeling, you were the first to ever show me how it felt to have friends... if that's how you think of me as a friend... I'll do the same for you!"
"Ah, but if you love this phrase so much, how come you have an evil side?" Siegfried asked.
"You said you read the book, right? That means you know how the story ends too."
"Oh, yes. The hero, together with his friends, manages to slay the evil dragon, and they live happily ever after. A basic finish for a children's story."
Bloody Talker nodded. "You know what was my first opinion after finishing that book? I literally threw the book out of the window. I wasn't satisfied! However, I wasn't able to understand the reason: was it the ending? The death of a minor character? Was the ending to bright and colorful? Was it something the hero did or said during the story? I didn't know! But, after rereading that story ten times straight, I finally understood! When I arrived at the part where the evil dragon is defeated, the heroes should've died, and the dragon should've roared in victory! The evil dragon planned his whole plan to rule over the lands for eternities, he gathered the strongest fiends of the world, just to be defeated by a little nobody who didn't want the dragon to kill innocent people!"
"That's when I realized I wanted to see the people in the book suffer, scream, beg for mercy under the dragon's powers!" Bloody Talker continued as his eyes almost glowed with glee. "Ah, that would've been truly beautiful! I loved the idea of reading such cruelty, however, whenever I thought of hurting the people who I consider friends, I hang my head low. Yes... I'm a sadist who can't bring himself to hurt his friends and seeing my friends being hurt by somebody else... I cannot stand that! That's why I fight against the Knights of Hanoi! I WON'T LET THEM HURT MY FRIENDS ANYMORE!"
Aoi stared in silence at Bloody Talker's warm words which seemed hard to believe since his face was showing evident malice. Yet... she felt like Kioku was talking with his heart. Kioku was being himself.
"I understand." Siegfried smiled. "You're just like IGNF1. He doesn't want to see his friends being placed in danger as well, and he'd do everything he could to protect them. Even if you two's behavior is different, your causes are the same."
"Again with this IGNF1. What the heck is that?" Bloody Talker raised an eyebrow.
"I'll give you a simple answer." Siegfried grinned. "IGN... stays for Ignis."
Everybody present widen their eyes to dinner plates upon hearing said words.
"I...gnis... you say...?" the hacker stuttered confused and shocked. "What do you mean!?"
"Catastrophe's effect!" Siegfried stated, ignoring the question. "As long as this card is in my Extra Monster Zone, all the costs to activate other "Dragon Ruler" Monsters' effects are reduced by one! Which means I now have to banish only one Monster to revive my dragons, or I don't have to discard other Monsters to use their additional effects in my hand! I activate Blaster's effect in my hand, discarding it to destroy a card on the field, and I choose your Reborn Creepers on the Star Relics!"
A pillar of fire erupted under said card, destroying it.
"Next, I activate Catastrophe's other effect!" Siegfried stated. "By destroying all other Monsters I control, I can Special Summon one "Dragon Ruler" Monster from my Graveyard for every destroyed Monster plus one! I destroy Keeper of the Shrine to revive Blaster and Tidal from my Graveyard in defense mode!"
Catastrophe roared again as Keeper vanished, being replaced by Blaster and Tidal who emerged from a portal of flames and water respectively.
"Now, I overlay my Level seven Blaster and Tidal!" Siegfried shouted as his two dragons entered a galaxy-like portal. "O mighty beast of the skies, descend here and now with your artificial power given to you by humanity! Xyz Summon! Behold, the Rank 7, Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack (Wind/Machine/Xyz/Effect/DEF: 2200/RK: 7) in defense mode!"
A dragon with a body made of a white airplane emerged from the portal with a roar under Catastrophe's Bottom-Left Link Marker.
"Synchro, Link, and even Xyz Summon!?" Aoi gasped. "Amazing..."
"I activate Dracossack's effect, detaching Tidal which became an Overlay Unit to Special Summon two Mecha Phantom Beast Tokens to my field (Wind/Machine/DEF: 1000/LV: 3)!" Siegfried stated as his Monster Zones were filled. "Then, by tributing one of these Tokens, I can destroy one card on the field! I tribute the Token on my Right Middle Zone to destroy your Creeper Lance!"
One of the Token slammed its body into the giant lance, destroying it.
"I equip Catastrophe with the Equip Spell PinPoint Marker!" Siegfried went on. "This card can only be equipped to a Link Monster, and when I do, I can change the position where a Link Marker Points to on the equipped monster. I choose to move the Bottom-Right Marker to the Bottom Position! Now, I activate my last set card, Dragomerging. Through its effect, I shuffle into the deck "Dragon Ruler" Monsters in the Graveyard or which are banished in order to perform a Fusion Summon!"
"He can even use Fusion Summon!?" Frog and Pigeon cried out.
"I shuffle Burner and Reactan which are banished, along with Tidal, Tempest, and Redox from the Graveyard, to Fusion Summon!" Siegfried declared as said dragons merged in a fusion vortex. "Mighty beasts, the time has come to merge your five heads, and become an entity which rivals the Gods! Fusion Summon! Behold, the Level 12, Five-Headed God Dragon (Dark/Dragon/Fusion/Effect/ATK: 5000/DEF: 5000/LV: 12)!"
A massive dragon with five heads made of water, fire, a dark mist, metal, and wind, emerged from the vortex with a giant roar under Catastrophe's new Bottom Link Marker.
"A Monster which has an original Attack and Defense of 5000!?" Aoi's eyes widen.
"He used all Extra Deck summoning methods..." Bloody Talker muttered. "What an interesting opponent chose to challenge me today."
"Dragomerging deals 500 damage to the opponent for every Monster used as Fusion Material!" Siegfried explained. "Take 2500 damage, Bloody Talker!"
A beam of light shot out the Trap, washing over the hacker and making him bit his lip to not let a hiss of pain escape.
Bloody Talker: LP 3000 - 2500 = 500
"Bloody Talker-sama!" Frog and Pigeon gasped.
"Dammit... he wasn't kidding when he said the damage is increased..." the hacker grunted. "I activate one of my set cards, Cynet Cure! With this Quick-Play Spell Card, whenever I take 2000 or more damage by battle or a card effect, I gain Life Points equal to the Attack or Defense of a Monster controlled by my opponent! I choose your Fusion Monster!"
Bloody Talker: LP 500 + 5000 = 5500
"Not bad, but my turn isn't over yet!" Siegfried grinned. "Battle! Catastrophe attacks your Creeper Spinete-X first! Ultimate Disaster!"
The dragon unleashed a wave of destruction on Spinete-X, destroying it easily.
"Battle! Five-Headed God Dragon attacks Crimson Sky! Five Streams of Supremacy!"
Each head of the dragon fired a beam of a different element, destroying the Link Monster and causing Bloody Talker to fall off his D-Board by the shockwaves.
Bloody Talker: LP 5500 - 2850 = 2650
"Kioku!" Aoi shouted as she watched her friend fall towards the ground.
"Tsk, how annoying." Bloody Talker gritted his teeth as he started buttoning with his Duel Disk. His D-Board vanished as it reappeared under Bloody Talker, who flipped around to land on it and soar back into the sky unharmed.
"At this moment, I activate my Skill!" Siegfried cried out as the silver highlights on his suit started glowing. "Dragon's Brutality! When a Dragon-Type Monster destroyed an opponent's Monster by battle, that dragon can attack yet again! You lose, Bloody Talker!"
"Bloody Talker-sama!" Frog and Pigeon sobbed as Five-Headed God Dragon unleashed another set of five beams towards the hacker.
"Counter Trap open! Instant Save Coating!" Bloody Talker shouted as a barrier protected him from the attack. "Since my Life Points would drop to zero by this attack, the battle damage I would take is negated! Then, I can Special Summon from my Graveyard a Cyberse Monster which has the same or lower amount of Attack than the damage I negated and end the Battle Phase. Since I was about to take 5000 damage, I revive Crimson Sky!"
"You're a very persistent fellow, but I'm glad you are." Siegfried grinned. "I would speak ill if I defeated such a weak opponent! I activate Five-Headed God Dragon's effect! At the end of the Battle Phase, I can target a face-up Fire, Water, Wind, Earth, or Dark Monster you control, and banish it. My choice is the only Monster you control, Jack Creeper of the Crimson Sky which is a Dark Monster! Elements Miasma!"
The head made of dark mist released a beam of darkness from its mouth, hitting Crimson Sky and banishing it.
"After I activate Elements Miasma, the opponent can't summon any Monsters of the same Attribute until their Standby Phase, so you won't be able to revive Spinete-X during the End Phase." Siegfried pointed out. "I end my turn. Bloody Talker, don't you see it's useless? I admit you're powerful, being able to dodge my attacks one after the other with such ease was a surprise to me, but you're done for. You have no cards on your field and only two cards in your hand, but can those save you from defeat? I don't believe so. My field is absolute."
"Sorry, but I like to defy logic and go above and beyond mere statements." Bloody Talker grinned. "Watashi no turn!" as the next card of his deck materialized, the hacker took hold of it by placing his index finger on top and his middle finger on the bottom. "DRAW!"
As Bloody Talker looked at the card, his grin widen. "You arrived at a good time, partner."
Protron!
"Yeah, let's defeat this guy!" Bloody Talker nodded. "From my hand, I normal summon the one and only Protron (ATK: 100/LV: 1)!"
The hacker's partner appeared on his field with a cheerful 'Pro-Pro-Pro!'.
"A non-"Creeper" card?" Aoi wondered.
"What good will that Monster do to you, may I ask?" Siegfried spoke up. "It has low Attack, and it isn't a "Creeper" Monster, so you can't use it for a Link Summon."
"However, my true intent isn't to Link Summon a "Creeper" Link Monster, but this!" Bloody Talker shouted. "Arawarero, watashi no aite o korosu sākitto! Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is one Protron! I set Protron in the Link Marker! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Bow down before her, The Altergeist in Love - Pixiel (Wind/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK: 100/Link 1: Bottom)!"
The Monster that emerged from the portal was very similar to the old Pixiel, however, her wings were longer and now glowed with web-like red accents. Pixiel giggled as she followed its new owner along the Data Storm.
"Another non-"Creeper" card?" Frog said.
"Altergeist?" Aoi asked confused. "Isn't that... the archetype Ghost Girl uses? Does Kioku know her?"
Ghost Girl, who was watching the Duel unfold from the top of a nearby building, chuckled upon her old Monsters appearance. "'In love' you say? My, my, Bloody Talker really knows how to surprise me."
"I activate Pixiel's effect upon Link Summon, letting me Special Summon Protron form the Graveyard next to her Bottom Link Marker!" Bloody Talker stated as his partner was on the field once more. "Pixiel is also treated as a Cyberse Monster while on the field! Next, I activate Cynet Cure's other effect from my Graveyard, paying Life Points equal to the Attack of a face-up Monster you control to destroy one card on the field. I choose your Catastrophe, so I pay 2400 Life Points to destroy your Fusion Monster!"
Bloody Talker: LP 2650 - 2400 = 250
"Yosh! Now that giant dragon is gone!" Pigeon cheered.
"That's not all!" Frog shouted. "Now he has 250 Life Points! He can use his Skill!"
Bloody Talker started surfing upwards were large twisters of black wind were emerging from the strange globe created by the Data Gale. As he entered a twister, the lines on his avatar started glowing.
"Skill activated!" Bloody Talker cried out as a card started forming in his hand. "Storm Access!"
"It seems my job is done." Siegfried sighed. "You were a formidable opponent, Bloody Talker. However, even if I know I'll be defeated, I want to see it... Cyberse's power..."
Bloody Talker gritted his teeth as he held the card in his hand. "Come to me... Cyberse!"
The card between the hacker's hand sucked all the Data Storm inside it. It gained its text and Bloody Talker rejoined Siegfried on the track.
"It is time you behold my power, Siegfried! Kengen seyo, watashi no aite o korosu sākitto! The summoning condition is one Cyberse Monster! I set Pixiel in the Link Marker! Circuit Combine! Come forth, Link 1! Hex Scan Protokid (Dark/Cyberse/Effect/ATK: 100/Link 1: Bottom-Left)!"
A humanoid Monster with long red hair, wearing a black bodysuit and having random metallic-pieces across its body which were similar to dragon-features, emerged from the portal on the Extra Monster Zone where Pixiel was seconds ago. Protokid roared, although, his roar wasn't like Siegfried's dragons, but was low pitched, causing him to get embarrassed and regret roaring.
"Awww, how cute!" Ghost Girl giggled.
"I activate Protokid's effect upon Link Summon!" Bloody Talker stated. "If my Life Points are 1000 or lower, I can Special Summon a Link 1 Monster from my Graveyard next to Protokid's Bottom-Left Link Marker! Revive, Pixiel (ATK: 100/Link 1: Bottom)!"
"He has three Monsters... Fanatic Nightingale or Hex Gardnium Dragon are the ones he can summon with this field." Aoi thought. "However, none of them is enough to defeat Siegfried who has 4000 Life Points... Kioku..."
"Kengen seyo, watashi no aite o korosu sākitto!" Another Link Portal opened before the hacker as he spoke. "The summoning conditions are three or more Effect Monsters! At this moment, the other effect of Pixiel activates! When using this card together with Protron to perform a Link Summon, the Monster I'm about to summon gains a brand new effect in the Extra Deck!"
"What did you say!?" Siegfried gasped, shocked for the first time this Duel. "Giving a new effect to a Monster in the Extra Deck!?"
"I'm planning on summoning Hex Welchia Dragon, so said dragon gains the effect to be Link Summoned with one less material!" Bloody Talker explained. "As such, I set Protron, Pixiel, and Protokid in the Link Markers! Circuit Combine! Link Summon! Hex Welchia Dragon (ATK 3000/Link 4: Top-Left, Top-Right, Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right)!"
Bloody Talker's Link 4 dragon soared out the portal with a challenging roar, which was answered by Catastrophe and Dracossack on the other field.
"My dragon gained another effect from Pixiel!" Bloody Talker revealed as he snapped his fingers. "After it's Link Summoned, Hex Welchia can revive Protron from my Graveyard under the condition of not being able to be used as a material. Arise, my partner!"
Protron reappeared on the field under Hex Welchia's Bottom-Left Marker.
"I also activate Hex Scan Protokid's other effect!" Bloody Talker stated. "If this Monster is used as Link Material for the summon of a "Hex" Monster, I can choose to apply one of three effects. I choose the first one, enabling Hex Welchia to attack Monsters twice this turn! Next, I activate my dragon's own effect, destroying Protron next to its Link Marker to have it gain 1000 Attack and be able to deal piercing damage this turn! Code Devouring (ATK: 3000 = 4000)!"
"Yosh! Now he can take down Siegfried's dragons!" Frog cheered.
"Now I activate Protection Coat from my hand, targeting Hex Welchia for its effect, making him gain 500 Attack (ATK: 4000 = 4500)!" Bloody Talker grinned like he always does. "Which means this is the end of the line for you, Siegfried! Hex Welchia Dragon attacks Catastrophe! Data Annihilation!"
The Cyberse dragon unleashed a stream of energy from its mouth which destroyed the enemy dragon and caused Siegfried to grit his teeth as he took damage for the first time in this Duel.
Siegfried: LP 4000 - 2100 = 1900
"Now, vanish!" Bloody Talker cried out. "Hex Welchia Dragon attacks Dracossack next! Data Annihilation!"
Thanks to its effect to deal piercing damage, Siegfried lost as another stream pierced Dracossack's body, causing an explosion which sent Siegfried flying into the air and off his D-Board.
"Not bad, Bloody Talker..." Siegfried thought as he smiled.
Siegfried: LP 1900 - 2300 = 0
Winner: Bloody Talker!
[IT'S FINALLY OVER!] the MC yelled. [After an amazing Duel from Revolver and Bloody Talker, both of them rose victorious! It would've been exciting to see these two Duel, but Revolver has left the battlefield, so we'll have to wait for a Revolver VS Bloody Talker! But when that time comes, it will surely be the best Duel of history!]
Siegfried made a backflip in the air before crashing into a building's side, landing on the wall on his feet and staying there. Thanks to a special program, his boots were able to glue him to the wall.
"Thanks for the Duel!" Siegfried said as he looked at Bloody Talker, placing his hands into his coat's pockets as his Duel Disk vanished. "I hope we'll have another Duel like this in the future, Bloody Talker."
"The same to you, Siegfried." the hacker nodded as he stopped his D-Board in the air some feet away from his opponent. "You were quite the opponent, using all Extra Deck summoning methods. However, before you depart, I'd like to know something: what did you mean when you said my Dueling was the same as Ignis's? Playmaker's A.I. doesn't Duel for all I know."
"I wasn't talking about that Ignis." Siegfried shook his head. "Bloody Talker, there are more than one Ignis existing in this world, and one of them, namely IGNF1, is very similar to you. Why? Well, I think you're going to discover that later on as you fight against Hanoi. For now, I'll leave you with this little information."
And with that, Siegfried Logged Out.
"More than one Ignis...?" Bloody Talker rubbed his chin. "Does he mean... an Ignis in the Cyberse World which is kept hidden by the Ignis Playmaker has? Either way, IGN stays for Ignis, but what about F1 at the end? F1... maybe... Playmaker's Ignis knows about it. Well, I know what to do next: find Playmaker and interrogate his A.I.!"
I really went above and beyond my own expectations with this chapter, and I'm really satisfied.
Sorry for those who really wanted Revolver VS Bloody Talker, but that has to wait for another day. The two Duelists have to grow before they actually fight.
Something I really didn't understand in the canon his why Revolver (being the leader of Hanoi) never was like: "You know what? I'm the leader! Who gives a s**t! I'll do what I want in this house!" and go into VRAINS to challenge Playmaker, who will 100% accept the challenge. So I decided to give Revolver this reason of 'fear' and his new Topologic helping him out with the problem.
I mean, think about it for a second: you want to do something (or even more than one thing at once) so badly that you start to get scared at everything that could prevent you from doing them. It can happen, right?
The second Duel was to showcase why Bloody Talker is a sadist, and Siegfried who... well, I don't want to spoiler anything. However, I will say one thing: Siegfried is a character, who among others, will play a HUGE role later on.
Now, turning our attention to the canon.
GO Onizuka lost, it was expected. I knew from the beginning he will lose (I mean, his opponent was Revolver, the main villain of the story!) but I liked how they made him go down with a bang (just like with Blue Angel). I'm also happy how they didn't show the kids GO's death because that would've been really sad!
The Speed Duel between Playmaker and Revolver was cool, and when Revolver's dad died, I was like: "My poor Revolver! sob sob!"
I mean, you just saw your dad's heart pulse drop to zero, and you still have the energy not to shed a tear and continue a Duel? Damn, that's something.
In these episodes, we also learned a lot about Hanoi and the Ignis in general, something which I already added to this chapter (namely the Ignis's ID names).
I find it really funny how Yusaku, who is always calm, gave 'birth' to something like Ai. Like, their behavior is totally the opposite! (something which Kioku and his Ignis will have too.)
Learning Ryoken (damn, such a cool name for the main villain!) was the one to contact the police... that was a shock. Also, did anybody see how COOL Ryoken's eyes were!? I mean, for 42 episodes we never knew it, and we discover they are light-blue colored like the ocean! Damn, Ryoken is badass and cute!
Also, a quick note. I honestly don't think Ryoken was one of the kids who went through the incident. I mean, he was able to call the police, he, obviously, wasn't in that tiny white box if he was able to do that! So what I'm doing is going back to all my Ryoken-moments and making sure he I didn't make him one of the kids.
Now, the only question I have left is this: why exactly those six kids have been kidnapped? Was it dumb fate, or there was actually a logical explanation behind that?
BY THE WAY, did anybody see Protron in the canon! Even if it was for a second, when I saw him I was like: "Hey, that's Protron - PROTRON!" my Kioku's little partner appeared in the canon!
Well, that's all for today, hope you guys liked the chapter. Don't forget to review!
Fan-made Cards:
Ryoken (Revolver):
- Hammer Dragon (Dark/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 1000/DEF: 600/LV: 3)
If you control a Dragon Monster, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). During your Standby Phase, if you control a Dragon Link Monster, you can Special Summon this card (from your GY), but banish it the next time it would be sent to the GY. You can only use each effect of "Hammer Dragon" once per turn.
- Cannon Buster Dragon (Dark/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 1800/Link 2: Bottom, Right)
2 Dragon Monsters
When this card battles with an opponent's Monster, you can have this card gain 800 ATK until the end of that battle. When this card is used as Link Material to summon a DARK Link Monster, that Monster gains this effect:
[Once while this card is face-up on the field, when it attacks, if your opponent activates the effect of a Spell or Trap Card, you can: Negate that effect and banish that card.]
- Paralyzing Bullet
Counter Trap
When your opponent activates a Trap Card's effect, negate it and banish it. Banish this card from your GY: Target 1 face-up Spell or Trap Card controlled by the opponent; Destroy it.
- Topologic Amygdala Dragon (Dark/Cyberse/Effect/ATK: 2500/Link 3: Bottom, Right, Top)
2+ Non-Token Monsters
If a Monster(s) is Normal or Special Summoned to a zone this card points to: Banish all cards from both player's GYs. When this card attacks, it gains 100 ATK for every banished card until the end of that battle. If this card is co-linked, this card and that co-linked Monster can't be destroyed by card effects.
- Trivia: This card derives its name from Amygdala, which performs a primary role in the processing of memory, decision-making, and emotional responses.
SOL's AI:
- Tentacluster Canadia (Dark/Machine/Effect/ATK: 200/DEF: 600/LV: 3)
Pay 1000 LP: Special Summon this card (from your hand) in Attack Position, and if you do, Special Summon up to two "Tentacluster Canadia(s)" from your deck. The turn you activate this effect, you can only summon "Tentacluster" Monsters.
- Trivia: This card derives its name from Canadia, a genus of extinct Cambrian animal found as fossils in the Burgess Shale Formation in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, Canada.
- Tentacluster Opabinia (Dark/Machine/Effect/ATK: 2000/Link 3: Bottom-Left, Bottom, Bottom-Right)
3 "Tentacluster" Monsters
Once per turn, you can destroy 1 "Tentacluster" in a zone this card points to and have it gain 800 ATK. If there is a "Tentacluster" Link Monster in a zone this card points to, this card can't be destroyed by battle or card effects.
- Trivia: This card derives its name from Opabinia, a genus of extinct Cambrian animal found as fossils in the Burgess Shale Formation in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, Canada.
- Tentacluster Leanchoilia (Dark/Machine/Effect/ATK: 400/DEF: 400/LV: 4)
When this card in Attack Position is destroyed by a "Tentacluster" Monster's effect, your opponent banishes the top 3 cards of their deck face-down. Banish this card from the GY while you control a "Tentacluster" Link Monster: Your opponent banishes the top 3 cards of their deck face-down.
- Trivia: This card derives its name from Leanchoilia, a genus of extinct Cambrian animal found as fossils in the Burgess Shale Formation in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, Canada.
- Tentacluster Extinction
Quick-Play Spell
Destroy 1 "Tentacluster" face-up on the field: Draw 1 card and gain 1000 LP. When a "Tentacluster" Monster you control leaves the field because of the opponent, banish this card from your GY: Inflict 1000 damage to them.
- Tentacluster Gracilens (Dark/Machine/Effect/ATK: 1000/Link 1: Bottom)
1 "Tentacluster" Monster
Once per turn, you can declare the name of a "Tentacluster" Monster: All Monsters on the field with that name are destroyed, then, this card gains 1000 ATK for every Monster destroyed by this effect. This boost lasts until the next Standby Phase.
- Trivia: This card derives its name from Pikaia gracilens, a genus of extinct Cambrian animal found as fossils in the Burgess Shale Formation in the Canadian Rockies of British Columbia, Canada.
- Virus Tentacluster
Spell Card
Banish up to 3 "Tentacluster" Monsters in your GY: Your opponent banishes the top 2 cards of their deck for every banished Monster and they take 200 damage for every card they banished. When a "Tentacluster" Monster destroys an opponent's Monster by battle, banish this card from your GY: Your opponent takes damage equal to half the original ATK of the banished Monster.
Siegfried:
- Dragon's Brutality
Skill
A Dragon Monster which destroyed an opponent's Monster by battle can attack again during this turn's Battle Phase.
- Maiden of the Shrine (Light/Dragon/Tuner/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 1)
If a Dragon Monster you control is destroyed by the opponent, if this card is in your GY, you can draw 1 card. This effect can be only used once while this card is in the GY. During your Standby Phase, if this card is in your GY and you control no Monsters, you can: Special Summon this card, but banish it the next time it would be sent to the GY.
- Dragoessence
Normal Trap
If you control a "Dragon Ruler" Monster, you can draw cards from your deck until you hold 5. Banish this card from your GY: Target 1 banished "Dragon Ruler"; Add it to your hand. You can only use both this card's effects once per turn.
- Flamvell Dragoon (Fire/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 800/DEF: 200/LV: 3)
Discard this card from your hand and return a banished FIRE Monster with 200 DEF to the GY, to negate one instance of battle or effect damage.
- Closed Circuit
Continous Trap
Both players can't Link Summon. You can send this card from face-up on your field to the GY to draw 1 card for every Link Monster on the field.
- Catastrophe, Dragon Ruler of Cataclysm (Dark/Dragon/Effect/ATK: 2400/Link 2: Bottom-Left, Bottom-Right)
2 Level 7 Dragon Monsters
As long as this card is face-up in the Extra Monster Zone, all costs to activate the other effects of "Dragon Ruler" Monsters are reduced by 1. Once per turn, you can destroy all other Monsters you control: Special Summon from your GY or Banish Zone a number of "Dragon Ruler" Monsters equal to the number of destroyed Monsters +1.
- PinPoint Marker
Equip Spell
Equip only to a Link Monster. When equipped, you can change the zone where a Link Marker of the equipped monster points to. The equipped Monster gains 500 ATK for every Monster co-linked with it.
- Dragomerging
Normal Trap
Fusion Summon from your Extra Deck 1 Fusion Monster by shuffling into your deck "Dragon Ruler" Monsters from the GY or which are banished. Then, deal 500 damage to the opponent for every Monster used as Fusion Material.
- Five-Headed God Dragon (Dark/Dragon/Fusion/Effect/ATK: 5000/DEF: 5000/LV: 12)
5 Dragon Monster with an original Level of 6 or higher
This card can't be destroyed by battle with a, or by the effect of a, FIRE, WATER, WIND, EARTH, or DARK Monster. At the end of your Battle Phase, you can target 1 face-up FIRE, WATER, WIND, EARTH, or DARK Monster on your opponent's field and banish it. Your opponent can't summon Monsters of the same Attribute as the banished Monster until their Standby Phase.
Kioku (Bloody Talker):
- Creeper Quaropsis (Dark/Cyberse/Link 1/Effect/ATK: 50/Bottom)
1 "Creeper" Monster
When this card is Link Summoned: Target 1 "Creeper" Monster in your GY; Special Summon it to a zone this card points to but negate its effects. This effect can only be used once per turn. When you Link Summon a Link 2 or higher DARK Cyberse-Type Link Monster, if this card is in your GY: Pay 1000 LP to Special Summon this card, but banish it the next time it would be sent to the GY.
- Trivia: this card is the corrupted and merged form of "Excrawler Synapsis", "Excrawler Qualiark", and "Excrawler Neurogos".
- Corrupted Relic - "Creeper Lance" (Dark/Cyberse/Effect/ATK: 2750/DEF: 250/LV: 8)
Destroy 1 "Creeper" Monster you control: Special Summon this card (from your hand). When this card or another "Creeper" Monster you control attacks an opponent's Monster, you can have the opponent's Monster lose 3000 ATK and DEF. This effect can only be used once per turn. As long as this card is face-up on your side of the field, your opponent can't target other "Creeper" monsters for attacks except this one. During your Standby Phase, if this card is in the GY and was sent there as material for the summon of a "Creeper" Link Monster: Pay 1000 LP; Special Summon this card.
- Trivia: this card is the corrupted version of "Star Relic - "Star Lance"".
- Cynet Cure
Quick-Play Spell
When you take 2000 or more damage by battle or a card effect, you can target 1 face-up Monster your opponent controls: You gain LP equal to its ATK or DEF (your choice). Banish this card from your GY and target 1 face-up Monster your opponent controls: Pay LP equal to its ATK, and if you do, destroy 1 card on the field.
- The Altergeist in Love - Pixiel (Wind/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK: 100/Link 1: Bottom)
1 "Protron"
(This card is also treated as a Cyberse-Type Monster while on the field.)
When this card is Link Summoned: Special Summon 1 "Protron" from your hand, deck, or GY to a zone this card points to. When using this card as Link Material, and the other material is "Protron", that Link Monster gains this effect (in the Extra Deck):
[This card can be Link Summoned with 1 less material. When this card is Link Summoned: Special Summon 1 "Protron" from your GY. This turn, that Monster can't be used as material for any summons. These effects can be only used once per Duel.]
All of this card's effect can only be used once per Duel.
- Hex Scan Protokid (Dark/Cyberse/Effect/ATK: 100/Link 1: Bottom-Left)
1 Cyberse Monster
When this card is Link Summoned, if you have 1000 or lower LP, you can: Target 1 Link 1 Monster in your GY; Special Summon that target to a zone this card points to. If you used this card to Link Summon a "Hex" Link Monster, you can choose an effect to apply:
[That Monster can attack Monsters twice during this turn's Battle Phase.]
[That Monster gains 2000 ATK until the End Phase of this turn.]
[That Monster can deal double piercing damage during this turn.]
All of this card's effects can only be used once per turn.
- Trivia: This Monster, unlike the other "Hex" Monsters, isn't named after an Anti-worm. However, its Card Name is based on "scan", a model that Anti-worms use. Also, the "Protokid" which forms this card's name is derived from "proto", which means original or primitive, and "kid", which resembles this card's childish appearance. This could also mean how this Monster is the other "Hex" family's youngest member (being a Link 1 Monster).
