In a dark alleyway, a tall dark figure stands leaning against the wall with his hands in his pockets. He pulls a hand out of his pocket and stares at the card he is holding. He then looks out into the street and watches the people walk by before turning back to the card and grinning and chuckling sinisterly.
TURN 7 – Yusuke Katsunori
At Card Capital Z, Chrono walks into the store and he is greeted by a familiar voice saying, "Hey Chrono." He looks to see who it is and he sees Yuji waving at him while sweeping the floor.
"Hey Yuji." Chrono says and Yuji returns to sweeping, but Chrono notices he's looking a bit gloomy. "Is everything okay?" he asks him.
"Yeah, I'm fine," Yuji replies, "I've just… had a lot on my mind lately." Chrono wonders what he means by that, but he simply shrugs and heads over to the Quest Board. As soon as he clicks on his district on the map, a ton of available quests pop up.
"Wow, its busy today…" he says.
"Yeah, quests have been popping up like crazy over the last few weeks." Yuji tells him, "Some of them are even just plain stupid… I saw one that asked for someone to help them have cooler rides."
"That doesn't sound very useful…" Chrono remarks. He then continues to sift through the quests until he finds one that catches his eye. "I want to test out a deck but I don't have anyone to play against." He reads it aloud, "This sounds simple, I'll take it." He then places his FICA on the panel and accepts the quest, but Yuji turns to him.
"Hey you sure about that one?" he asks, "You don't even know what kind of deck you're going to face."
"That doesn't matter," Chrono replies, "it's just a simple deck test, it doesn't matter if I win or lose."
"I guess you have a point there…" Yuji says scratching his cheek.
"See you later!" Chrono says cheerfully and leaves the shop.
He later arrives at a massive stadium like place where he's supposed to meet the quest giver, but there are so many people there. "How am I supposed to find someone in this mess?" Chrono asks himself. He heads inside the stadium and starts searching even more.
Meanwhile, a tall man with messy white and blue hair and blue eyes watches him from a nearby staircase. The man steps off the staircase and makes his way to Chrono. "You must be the person who took my quest." He says and Chrono turns to him.
"You're the quest giver?" Chrono asks him in confusion, "I was expecting a kid…"
"Actually it's my little brother's deck, but he couldn't be here today so he wanted me to test his deck for him." The man tells him. "I'm Yusuke Katsunori, what's your name?"
"Chrono Shindou." Chrono replies.
"Chrono huh?" Yusuke replies cracking a slight sinister smile. "I like that name." He then turns around and looks back at Chrono. "Follow me; you're going to love what this place has to offer." He says and the two of them start walking toward the back of the room. They come to a set of double doors guarded by to guards. Yusuke pulls a credit card out of his wallet and hands it to the guard who then swipes it in a machine and hands it back to him. They then open the doors leading them into a large dome-like room lined with while walls and two small pedestal at both ends of the room.
"WHOA!" Chrono exclaims in awe. "What is this place?"
"Go on; put your deck on the pedestal." Yusuke tells him.
"Alright…" Chrono replies and takes out his deck and puts it on the pedestal. When he does, a light emanates from it.
"Once it has your card list, we can begin." Yusuke tells him having walked to the other side of the room and placed his deck on his pedestal. A holographic screen then appears in front of him and the whole room changes to a volcano setting. Chrono looks at his feet and sees he's standing on the edge of a lava rock and backs up thinking he'll fall in. Yusuke swipes to the left of the screen and the scenery changes to a snowy mountain field. Chrono can't help but stand there in awe. "Is there a field you prefer?" Yusuke asks him.
"Uh, I'll let you decide." Chrono tells him.
"Alright then." Yusuke then continues to swipe through the fields and finally settles on a night time grass field where a heavy rain and thunder storm is going on. "Now let us begin." He tells Chrono and their pedestals take in their decks and holographic projections of the decks appear where they were.
"Whoa that so cool!" Chrono exclaims, "Our cards are digital!"
"It gets even better when you ride." Yusuke tells him, "You ready to begin?"
"Yeah." Chrono replies and the two of them set their starting Vanguards and draw their five digital cards that float in their hands and declare, "STAND UP, VANGUARD!"
Chrono's body is then engulfed in a bright red light and he transforms into Gunnergear Dracokid (G0/5000). "Whoa! What the…?!" he says in utter shock.
"Pretty cool huh?" he hears Yusuke say and looks up to him seeing that he's transformed into Enigmatic Assassin (G0/5000). Unlike Chrono, Yusuke retains his human features; just he's dressed up like the unit. "This is a Grand Image Reality System, or GIRS." He explains, "This is actually a newer version where it actually turns you into whatever your Vanguard is."
"For real?!" Chrono exclaims.
"But don't worry you're not stuck like that." Yusuke tells him, "If the GIRS were to shut down, you'd return to normal." He then takes a card from his hand and holds it to his side, "Now let's continue the fight. Ride! Edge in the Darkness (G1/8000)!" Yusuke then breaks out of his former unit with his body, aside from his head, covered by a white light before turning into his new Vanguard. "Enigmatic Assassin moves with Forerunner." The holographic card then slides out from underneath Yusuke's Vanguard all by itself and the unit appears behind him. "I end my turn."
Chrono then takes a card from his hand and places it on his on his Vanguard circle, "Ride! Mazergear Dragon (G1/8000)!" Chrono then breaks out of Gunnergear with his body, aside from his head, covered by a red light before turning into Mazergear. "Gunnergear moves with Forerunner." He says and Gunnergear appears behind Chrono. "Now boosted by Dracokid, Mazergear attacks the Vanguard (G1/8000-13000)!" Chrono stands there but nothing happens.
"You have to actually act out the attack." Yusuke tells him and Chrono starts trying to attack like he think Mazergear would attack and ends up firing a laser out of his chest which hits Yusuke square on causing him to loses his balance, but he quickly recovers, "Damage Check (Draw). Draw Trigger, I draw 1 card (Yusuke: [])"
"That was awesome!" Chrono exclaims.
"Using the GIRS is really no different from a normal fight, you just have to act out the Vanguard attacks. Now that you're starting to get the hang of this, let's start getting serious. Ride! Demonted Executioner (G2/10000)!" Yusuke transforms into the unit, "I call Squallmaker Vampir (G2/9000)! Boosted by Assassin, I attack the Vanguard (10000-15000)!" he then leaps high into the air and prepares to dive bomb Chrono. "HAAAAAAAAAA!" he screams as he lands the attack dealing one damage (Chrono: []). He then leaps back into his spot, "Squallmaker now attacks the Vanguard!"
"I guard (Shield: 5000)!" Chrono declares.
"I end my turn." Yusuke tells him.
"Ride! Smokegear Dragon (G2/10000)! I attack the Vanguard (10000-15000)!" Chrono, as Smokegear, runs at Yusuke and swipes at him with his claws as he groans in pain (Yusuke: [] []).
"Heh heh, not bad… but…" Yusuke tells him taking a card from his hand and preparing to ride. "Ride! Demon the swallows everything! Scharhrot Vampir (G3/13000)!" he then transforms into the demon "Imaginary Gift: Protect! I add 1 Protect card to my hand. I attack the Vanguard (13000-18000)!" Yusuke flies up into the air with his Vanguard's wings and prepares to fire dark energy at Chrono.
"No guard." Chrono declares.
"Twin Drive (none/SCritical)! Super Critical Trigger! Power to Squallmaker (9000-24000), Critical to Scharhrot (18000/Crit: 1-2)!" The attack hits Chrono causing him to scream in pain (Chrono: [] [] []). "Squallmaker attacks the Vanguard!" Squallmaker's attack hits Chrono making him scream again (Chrono: [] [] [] []). "I end my turn, now show me what you've got…" Yusuke tells him cracking a sinister smile.
Chrono struggles to stand and prepares to ride, "Open up the world! Guide me to the Future! Ride! Chronojet Dragon (G3/13000)!" Chrono transforms into Chronojet whose faceplate opens up to reveal Chrono's face. "Imaginary Gift: Force! Apply it to the Vanguard (13000-23000)! Liberating the Generation Zone!" Chrono then breaks out of Chronojet's body as he flies through the starry vortex of the Stride, "Now show it to me! The future I truly desire! Generation STRIDE!" Chrono is then engulfed in the bright red light of his Vanguard circle. Standing where he was is his G Unit as he floats above it with his body, except the head covered by red light. "Interdimensional Dragon, Faterider Dragon (G4/38000)! Imaginary Gift: Force! Apply it to the front right Rear Guard circle! I call Steam Maiden Elul (G3/12000), Mazergear Dragon (G1/8000), and Paradigm Dragon (G2/10000-20000)! Using Elul's skill (X [] [] []) (Soul 2-1). Send Squallmaker to the bottom of the deck, and I call Steam Maiden Millia from my deck (G1/7000)!
Board State
(G3/12000) – (G4/38000) – (G2/20000)
(G1/8000) – (G0/5000) – (G1/7000)
"Let's go guys!" Chrono says to his units and they all look up at him and nod. "Boosted by Mazer, Elul attacks the Vanguard (12000-20000)!"
"No guard." Yusuke declares and Elul slashes her sword at him ([] [] []).
"Boosted by Gunnergear, Faterider attacks (38000-43000)!"
"Complete Guard with the Protect Gift!"
Chrono clicks his teeth "Triple Drive (none/none/SCritical). Got it! Super Critical Trigger! All effects to Paradigm (20000-35000/Crit: 1-2)! Boosted by Millia, Paradigm Dragon attacks the Vanguard (35000-42000)!"
"No guard." (Yusuke: [] [] [] [] []).
"Alright, I can win it here! Using Paradigm's skill (X X [] [])! Since it hit your Vanguard, I can stand it and add 7000 Power (42000-49000). Next Millia's skill (X X X [])! Since the attack of a unit she boosted hit the Vanguard, she stands and gains 3000 Power (7000-10000)!"
"Hmmm…" Yusuke observes Chrono's strategy.
"Once again, boosted by Millia, Paradigm attacks your Vanguard (49000-59000)!" Paradigm leaps into the air and pounces on Yusuke, and smoke fills the arena. "Alright! That's six damage! Huh?" Chrono's excitement is quickly subdued when the smoke clears and he sees Yusuke standing, untouched, behind a sentinel.
"Complete Guard." He says and the sentinel vanishes. Faterider then disappears and Chrono turns back into Chronojet.
"I end my turn…" Chrono says in concern that he wasn't able to win it with that turn.
"Stand and Draw." Yusuke says as she sets up his board. He looks at the card he drew and smiles before looking back at Chrono. "Chrono, let me ask you something." He tells him. "What's your outlook on the world?"
"Huh?" Chrono questions, "Well, I use to be kind of a shut in person until I discovered Vanguard. I think the world is a pretty nice place, I've gotten to know some good people thanks to Vanguard."
"But how do you know they're good people?" Yusuke asks him and Chrono looks up in question. "Generation Stride." Yusuke declares breaking the conversation. "Abominable One, Gilles de Rais (G4/28000)! Imaginary Gift: Protect, add 1 Protect Gift to my hand." Yusuke appears floating above his G Unit with his body covered in a white light. "Your friends may say they're your friends, but everyone has a small seed of darkness inside them. Even the purest of people and all it takes is one small opportunity of greed to make that seed bloom and shroud their entire heart in darkness. Your friends are no different."
"What are you saying?" Chrono asks him.
"Your friends are simply ordinary people, and when they see an opportunity to benefit them, the seed of darkness in their heart will begin to bloom and cause to betray you to benefit themselves."
"What? That's not true!" Chrono denies him. "My friends are good people! I know that! I know they wouldn't betray me."
"You have no idea Chrono…" Yusuke tells him and continues his turn, "I call two Flying Liberians (G2/9000). Using their skills (X X [] [] []) Soul Charge 2 each (Soul: 2-4-6). Using the skill of one, since my soul is 6 or more, draw 1 card. During those Soul Charges, three Dimension Creepers were put into the soul, so I use their skills (Soul: 6-3)! Soul Charge 2 each (Soul: 3-5-7-9)! I call Alluring Succubus (G1/7000) Soul Charge 1 (Soul 9-10). Lastly, I call Succubus of Deadly Lust (G1/4000). Using her skill (G Zone 0-1) ( []) Soul Charge 3 (Soul 10-13)."
"Thirteen cards in the soul?!" Chrono exclaims.
"I'm not done, if my soul ends up being 12 or more, I can Counter Charge 1 (X X X [] []) and use her skill again, which I do (G Zone 1-2) ( X)! Soul Charge 3 again (Soul 13-16)!
Board State
(G2/9000) – (G4/28000) – (G2/9000)
(Soul: 16)
(G1/4000) – (G0/5000) – (G1/7000)
"This world is cruel Chrono…" Yusuke says starting to sound a little crazy, "people will do anything to benefit themselves and get ahead of you, so they can fulfil their own selfish desires!" Chrono can't even speak at what is happening right now. "You're clueless Chrono!" Yusuke tells him starting to sound even more psychotic, "This world is just waiting to turn its back on you! And when the opportunity presents itself, your friends will betray you!"
"I… I…" Chrono is stunning with fear.
"My Flying Liberians attack the Vanguard!"
"Guard!" Chrono declares blocking their attacks, but using up a lot in his hand.
"Heh heh heh heh heh… time to end this. Boosted by Enigmatic Assassin, Gilles de Rais attacks the Vanguard (28000-33000)! Using his skill (G Zone 2-3), if the number of cards in my soul is 10 or more, add 10000 Power (33000-43000)! And if the cards in my soul is 15 or more, you can't guard with Grade 1 or higher units!"
"Huh?!" Chrono shouts and looks at his hand and all of the cards are Grade 1 or higher.
"Plus, if I have 2 or more face up cards in my G Zone, add 1 Critical (Crit 1-2)!"
"Adding Critical without a Critical Trigger?!" Chrono questions in concern.
"This is the end Chrono! Gilles de Rais attacks the Vanguard!"
"N-No guard…"
"Triple Drive (SCritical/SCritical/SCritical)!" Chrono sees the results and flinches back in horror.
"Triple Super Critical?!"
Yusuke smiles wickedly and gives Chrono a malicious gaze "All effects to Gilles de Rais (43000-58000-73000-88000/Crit 2-3-4-5)!" Gilles de Rais fires his energy spears at Chrono causing massive explosions and making Chrono cry out in agonizing pain. (Chrono: X X X [] [] []).
After the fight, the holograms disappear and Yusuke and Chrono return to their normal forms. "Looks like I win." Yusuke says with a normal face.
Chrono lies on the ground on his knees and struggles to lift his head to Yusuke, "Who… are you?" he him.
"Hmph, we'll meet again Chrono." He tells him and leaves the room with his hands in his pockets and all Chrono can do is snarl at him as he walks away.
Next Time:
Chrono tells Yuji about his fight the other day and Yuji reveals a horrible truth.
TURN 8 – Yuji Kyouto
