Chapter 9- The honourable Gladiator Part 3

"Duel!"

Ryuga: 4000

Ayame: 4000

"Say, Ayame," spoke Ryuga suddenly "How would you like to make the first move? Ladies first" he said politely. After hearing this, a slight dark aura came over the girl, to which Ryuga took quick notice and suddenly grew nervous. "Is just cause I'm a girl?" she asked almost menacingly as she reached out to the container on her back, pulling out a wooden sword!

"Gah!" Ryuga gasped as she suddenly pointed it directly at his face! "Listen up you! Don't you even THINK for a second that I'm some scared, helpless little damsel who doesn't know what she's doing!" she yelled angrily, "I've been through my fair share of battles and can hold my own just fine!"

"Uhh..S..Sorry! I was just being nice that's all! I swear!" Ryuga was in a slight panic as he didn't know how easily offended she was just because he wanted to be nice. "I'm sure you're good, just wanted you to go first! Nothing more!"

At that moment, Ayame began to cheer up, "Ha ha, relax! I was only joking. I know you didn't mean anything like that." she said as she began putting it back in. "Phew" Ryuga breathed a sigh of relief, "I almost thought she would take off my head with that wooden blade…" She suddenly pulled it out again with a serious face, "But seriously, don't for even a second, go soft on me because I'm a girl. Got it!" she said sternly, "For a long while many opponents I've faced went all easy on me for the same reason and therefore practically let me win. It's basically insulting! If you do so as much as pass a turn without trying anything, I promise to make your defeat quick and painful!" she complained. "Y..Yes ma'am, I'll give this duel my all!" he answered back flustered.

"Now this is a sight that only happens once in a blue moon guys, Ryuga the stoic dragon duelist acting all vulnerable and nervous over a duel haha!" laughed Red eyes as she encouraged his 2 friends to watch, "I suggest we treasure it while it lasts." "Hee hee, indeed." giggled blue eyes, she couldn't really take what was happening seriously in the slightest. Bahamut on the other hand could, as he only observed and paid no heed to the other 2.

"Still, I appreciate the thought. Well then here goes, my draw!" she yelled pulled a card from her deck. "Not bad," she thought as she saw what she held. First I set 3 cards facedown, she said as 3 cards materialised in front of her. "3?" thought Ryuga suspiciously, "She must be planning something or trying to bluff me.."

"Now I summon Gladiator beast Andal from my hand in attack mode!" as she spoke a large bipedal black bear with a scar over one eye, clad in battle armour appeared with a menacing growl!

Whoah!" gasped Ryuga in shock, definitely not expecting a cute girl like her to be wielding such a menacing monster "With that I end my turn," she calmly spoke, "Well then, you're next, let's see what you've got."

"N..no problem," he said nervously, "1900 atk off the bat? That's something.." he was slightly nervous as he didn't have a monster in his hand that could match that (Gemini lancer, tuned magician). "My draw!" as he looked at his card he smiled, something Ayame quickly noticed and bracers herself for what would happen.

"Alright Ayame! You wanted a serious duel! Well you've got it!" Ryuga called, "I now activate the continuous spell Herculean Power!" as he spoke the spell featuring Evocator Chevalier encloaked in flames, "Once per turn, if my opponent controls monsters while I don't, I'm allowed to summon a level 4 or lower gemini monster from my hand!"

"Gemini?" thought Ayame curiously

"Now I'll summon the monster I just drew! Blazewing butterfly!" the fiery butterfly appeared and began fluttering about the battlefield happily. Ayame began to look a bit annoyed and disappointed, "Seriously? You expect me to go soft just cause you brought out a butterfly? That thing can't possibly compare to my Andal!" she yelled, feeling offended. Ryuga however smirked, "Hehe, this 'butterfly' has a certain 'sting' you ought to be aware of Ayame."

"Say what?" she spoke surprised.

"I now normal summon my blaze wing butterfly! In order to activate it's special ability!" upon command the butterfly was engulfed in light and suddenly its wings and flames were burning much brighter and hotter. Ayame was puzzled at the sight, "You normal summoned your butterfly? I don't see any new monster out?" she said confused while carefully observing the field. "Actually, my gemini monster, blaze wing butterfly is my new monster!" answered Ryuga with confidence. "Huh!"

"Now that a gemini monster is normal summoned while ton the field, it's ability has now been unlocked! To which I'll use right now!" he yelled as butterfly began wrapping itself in a flaming cocoon!

Ayame was caught off guard and surprised, "Wh..what's happening?!"

"I simply activated Blazewing's effect! By tributing her, I can now summon a gemini monster from my deck with it's ability activated!" he proclaimed as he searched his deck and picked out the one most ideal, "I choose my chthonian emperor dragon!" out of the flame cocoon emerged a the mighty dragon with a blazing 2400 atk!

"Th..That's incredible…" Ayame spoke with awe.

Ryuga took the compliment, "Thanks, we're honoured by your praise, but you shouldn't be admiring my monster just yet, just wait till he attacks! Go chthonian flame stream!" The dragon launched a fire stream which engulfed the bear which growled in pain before exploding

Ayame:4000-3500

"Urg!" she groaned as she shielded her face from the hot cinders.

I wouldn't relax yet, because now that his gemini effect is activated, my emperor dragon can attack twice in a row in each battle phase!" "Say what! 2 attacks!" she yelled in shock.

"Afraid so," answered Ryuga as his dragon split itself into 2, "You wanted me to get serious, well now you've got it!" As he spoke chthonian launched another fire breath at the seemingly defenceless duelist!

Ayame however just smirked at the attack attempt, "Sorry to disappoint, but you'll have to play harder than that to get me!" she called as she revealed one facedown, "I activate battle instinct!" showing a trap with a cougar on its frontage, "When I find myself the target of a direct attack, this trap instantly allows me to summon a level 4 or lower beast monster from my hand to take it!"

"No way!" exclaimed Ryuga caught off guard, "Yes way!" answered Ayame back, her face brimming with confidence. "I now summon gladiator beast Dimacari!" a purple buffalo warrior appeared before the fire stream.

"Even if you avoided the direct hit, your monster won't survive!" said Ryuga, only to be answered with another smirk from his opponent, "I've planned ahead for this! I play my impenetrable attack trap card!" showing her second facedown.

"This trap gives me 2 options when an opponent attacks my monster, but I choose to negate my monster's destruction!" the trap created a barrier around Dimacari which shielded it from the fire, "But you'll still take damage!"

"Argh!" grunted Ayame as the flames bounced of the shield and around her.

Ayame :3500-2700

The dragon duelist was surprised at his opponent's efforts at holding her own against one of his favourite combos, especially the fact she defended her own monster with her own points, "She did all that just to save a monster weaker than mine.." he thought, "What's she up to?"

At that point Dimacari began to glow and suddenly vanished right into Ayame's deck! "Huh!? What gives!? You can't just take a monster off the field like that!" Ryuga gasped. "Actually, it's because my fearsome gladiator has managed to survive an attack at the end of the battle phase, I am able to activate the special talent of gladiator beasts!" boasted Ayame full of pride.

"Special talent?" asked Ryuga puzzled.

"Like how your gemini monsters have powerful sealed abilities requiring extra effects or turns to activate, my gladiator beasts possess a trait called tagging out!"

"Tagging out?"

"How about I show you rather than explain, maybe you'll understand better," Ayame spoke as Dimacari returned to her deck. "When Dimacari returns to my deck upon tagging out, I am allowed to summon a different gladiator beast from my deck," she added a different one to her hand and laid it out, "The one I choose is gladiator beast Hoplomus!" a large rhino appeared in place of the buffalo in defence mode. "Since Hoplomus was summoned from my deck due to the tagging out of another gladiator beast, his defence increases by 300 points!" The rhino's battle armour then gained a few extra layers and grew to 2400 def

"Whoah! That was actually quite impressive.." spoke Ryuga with awe, as he never once encountered another duelist with such duelling passion, he himself a duelist connected with his card spirits knew such a duelist when he sees him/her. His dragons were also getting a smiler vibe of astonishment, especially Bahamut. "Ryuga better not drop his guard around this one, something's different about her compared to our past opponents." "How so?" asked the other 2 dragons curiously, 'I think we'll find out soon."

"Why thank you, you're not too bad yourself." replied Ayame back.

"I'll set a card and end my turn."

"Come on, take the bait.."

"Ryuga seems really nervous.." thought Red eyes.

"First time in a long while since he's been outmanoeuvred! That girl really is special, she's like a completely different person out on the field of battle!" spoke Blue eyes astonished.

"My draw!" said Ayame as she immediately activated it, "I play pot of greed which lets me draw 2 additional cards from my deck." After drawing she once again smiled at her find.

"Since I control a gladiator beast, I'm allowed to special summon my test tiger!" a small tiger encased in armour jumped through the portal and gave a low growl as it landed near the hunkering rhino. "Now I activate my tiger's ability! By tributing him, I'm allowed to send one gladiator beast I control back to my deck and then summon a new one in its place! Then, I can treat it as if it was summoned by the effect of a gladiator beast!" Ayame called as Test tiger transformed into a pillar of light which enveloped Hoplomus and sent it back inside.

"This time I'll be going on the offensive! Come out Gladiator Beast Augustus!" upon command, the rhino switched out with a large dragon-like bird wielding a sword, with a staggering 2600 points to back it up.

"Did NOT see that coming…" thought Ryuga to himself who was stunned at such a skilled manoeuvre. "Alright Augustus, slay his dragon with Icarus blade!" The bird let loose a loud screech before charging at and slicing off emperor's head!

"Grah!" cried Ryuga as his monster exploded.

Ryuga:4000-3800

He however smirked himself, "Wh..what's so funny?" asked Ayame uneasily. "You just triggered one of my favourite facedowns! Gemini Trap Hole!" he revealed his facedown. "Since you destroyed a gemini monster with its unsealed ability, this trap allows me to destroy all monsters you have out!" A big fissure began to open towards Augustus who began bracing itself, Ayame however didn't faze," Is that all?" she answered boredly, as if she anticipated it herself!

"What do you mean?"

"I reveal my third facedown, Parry! Since you activated a trap, by sending a gladiator beast from my hand to my deck, I negate and destroy that trap! I send my Lanista from my hand to my deck!"

"No way!" Ryuga exclaimed in disbelief as Augustus flew up high and Ayame's trap launched a beam that destroyed Ryuga's! "Since it's the end of the battle phase, Augustus' special ability lets me return him to my deck in order to summon a new comrade! Welcome back Hoplomus!" as she spoke, Augustus soon tagged out with the battle rhino. "Since he was summoned by one of his fellow brothers in arms, his defence becomes 2400!" The armour gained a new layer and the DEF increased!

"Great…Now she's got an iron wall of defence now, I don't have a monster that can break through.." he thought worriedly.

"What's the matter? Losing your edge already?" spoke Ayame with a proud look on her face, as if she were to see his worry, taunting him to fight back and satisfy her at least.

"Tch! Of course not, just surprised. Ok maybe a little nervous but I can't let that stop me now!" he replied back to show no weakness. "Hehe glad you've still got spark in your eyes despite the bleakish situation, that's actually good! But for how long though... Anyways I'll set a card and end my turn."

"Then I draw!" looking at his hand Ryuga began to ponder. "Seems those gladiator beasts of hers can activate abilities need the end of the battle phase if they attack or are attacked, also by tagging out, seems they can use other nasty tricks too.." "!"

"Hey wait, doesn't Augustus have an effect upon being tagged in?" Ryuga asked suddenly. Surprised by his observation, Ayame gladly answered, "Wow! It seems you're learning fast not bad!" she complimented. "Th..thanks I guess.." he replied sheepishly despite being on the losing end.

"Augustus allows me to summon a gladiator beast from my hand in defence mode, which is then returned to my deck during the end phase. However my Lanista was the only gladiator best I had in my hand at the time, but with the parry trap card I drew along with test tiger using pot of greed, I decided to keep it in my hand as a little insurance." she answered. "Impressed that I'm able to think that far ahead?" she asked while smiling.

"Impressed? I'm bewildered…" clearly hadn't been outmanoeuvred so easily before, yet somehow didn't feel bad at all… "Hey kid, how long are you gonna stand there going all gaga over her huh?" snickered Red eyes suddenly. He then suddenly snapped back to reality and looked to his hand.

"Just a moment before you make your move, I activate Battle Mania!" Ayame suddenly spoke.

"A trap! Now!?" once again shocked by something he didn't anticipate. "With this all monsters you have out are forced into attack mode and must battle!" she smirked knowing Ryuga's options would play in her favour no matter what he decided to do, he himself knew, and began to sweat and grit his teeth in frustration!

It was a very difficult situation as he couldn't risk being attacked himself but feared having to risk his monsters out to the effects of tagging out, not to mention he will receive damage from the 2400 DEF Hoplomus! "Uh..Urr… With Herculean power I special summon my Gemini Lancer!" The lance wielding warrior appeared with 1800 atk, "N..Now I attack Hoplomus!" he ordered with regret.

The Lancer charged with spears forward, which shattered the moment they came into contact with the armour!

"Grrr" he grunted

Ryuga: 3800-3200

"This can't be good..Now she'll tag out and those monsters of hers have effects the moment one of their companions switches with them!" spoke Ryuga worried, "Now that Hoplomus has emerge unscathed I now switch him for a more suitable gladiator for this task, Gladiator Beast Spartacus!" as she called, a big brown dinosaur with a battle axe emerged with a loud roar in atk mode!

"Spartacus allows me to add a gladiator beast equip spell from my deck to my hand the moment he's tagged in, I choose Gladiator Beast Battle Gladius!" Spartacus slammed his axe into the ground creating a crack, the equip spell emerged from it and flew into Ayame's hand.

"I'll just play a facedown and hope for the best then." (I can't risk another monster, just will have to endure this turn…)

"That's all? Have to say I'm kinda underwhelmed…" she spoke disappointed hoping for more, "Oh well, you can't have everything go the way you want, I draw!"

"This will do nicely," she said as she looked, "I activate card of demise!" the menacing spell appeared showing a card guillotine, "This lets me draw till I hold 5 cards, and in 5 turns, I discard my entire hand!" she began to pick up 4 cards.

"5! That's almost like my card of sanctity!" thought Ryuga, "This is gonna me big!"

"I now set 3 facedowns and summon my gladiator beast secutor!" a small armoured lizard with boosters on its back hopped out onto the field. "Now I equip secutor with my battle gladius!" it soon grabbed the knife and increased to 700 atk

"Only 700 atk?"

"You'll see them in full action now! Spartacus, show lancer who the true warrior here is! Spartan Slash!" The armoured dinosaur roared and clashed together with lancer in an epic battle of lance against axe. Initially even, soon Spartacus overpowered Lancer!

Ryuga:3200-2800

Now sector attack directly!

As the lizard jumped up with its boosters to strike down, "Not so fast, defence draw!" A barrier absorbed the sword strike and the lizard bounced back. Now I draw due to it's effect. "!" went Ryuga surprised at what he drew "This can work!" he thought.

Noticing his glimmer of hope in his eyes Ayame couldn't help but feel a little pleased with what she saw, "Nice that your spirit's on fire again! Hope to see your passion burn even more when I make this move with Secutor!

"Tagging out for stronger monster?" assumed Ryuga.

"Not just one, Secutor's ability lets me call forth 2!"

"What did you say!?" this time Ryuga was in full on shock as he was about to face 2 new power houses soon.

"I choose my Augustus and another Andal!" the familiar bird and bear monsters took the place of the small lizard. "Also since Battle Gladius was sent to the graveyard due to the effect of a tagging out Gladiator Beast, I'm allowed to return it to my hand!" she spoke as the card returned from the graveyard.

'Those equip spells can be recovered as easily as that too, just who is she? Seems she knows her deck like her own hand, as if they're connected somehow through heart, not just skill..Almost like…me…" thought Ryuga to himself as he was completely overwhelmed by such passion through the duel. As he was thinking he was suddenly interrupted by a voice, "Hehehe! What's the matter kid? She stole your heart or something?! Just admit it!" chuckled Red eyes. "Gah! N..no! Don't be ridiculous! That's just completely out of the question! J..Just stay no more I need to concentrate!" RYuag spoke flustered due to black dragon's teasing, "Whatever you say Romeo, haha!"

"What am I ever going to do with you?" Ryuga spoke back sweat dropping.

"Ummm, Are you ok? You were just talking to your deck?" asked Ayame curiously with one of those 'looks'. "Gah! Not again…" Ryuga thought to himself as his inner conversations were overheared again...

"Ummm What I meant to say was…." thinking carefully what words to use, "You're really great Ayame, I've been travelling for a long time and seen all sorts of duels and duelists, but thanks to this duel, I've learnt that none of them showed such determination as you. And thank you for this thrilling moment!" Ryuga spoke.

Upon hearing the compliments, Ayame was caught off guard, surprised that her opponent would be showing her such respect and even thanking her for being driven into a corner, also forgetting about his previous moment "I…am honoured to hear that.." she spoke while trying her best to hide a small blush, "But don't think flattery will bring any mercy! This is still a serious duel remember, so make your move now!" (Wh…why am I feeling so uneasy now, this boy, he's been pushed back and countered at every move, yet he's actually enjoying himself! Is this what it means by duelling for fun or to communicate though cards? Most would just surrender and throw in the towel by now, but not him. Ryuga Shirogane, just who are you?)

"You're right Ayame, this is still a match and I wouldn't have any other way!" he answered back with spark, "Now get ready because I'm about to turn this duel around! I draw!"

"He's confident I'll give him that," thought the gold haired duelist seeing her opponent brimming with spirit, "Now to see if he can back up his words."

"I activate my own pot of greed, now I draw 2 cards." spoke Ryuga as he concentrated his mind on his deck, "Come on, guide me to victory my cards," drawing, he then visualised a combo, as if the very soul of his deck was guiding him.

"Using scale 3 dragon horn hunter and scale 7 Lancephorynchus, I now set the pendulum scale!" shouted Ryuga as he held out 2 new pendulum cards! "Pendulum?!" gasped Ayame in shock.

The warrior lady and spear pterosaur soon rose in pillars of light with the numbers 3 and 7 beneath them.

"With the scale, I'm allowed to summon monsters between levels 4-6, Mighty power filled with infinite potential, carve me the path of hope that shall lead to victory! Pendulum Summon! Now come forth my loyal monster comrades!" Ryuga called as 2 monsters emerged, "Knight day grepher and tune magician!" Both level 4 monsters appeared by his side, squaring off against the opposing gladiator beasts. "Pendulum summoning, the technique which involves summoning multiple monsters at once…." thought Ayame bewildered at the sight, "I thought the only one capable was Yuya Sakaki, hehe, he really is full of surprises this one." she thought while smiling.

Ryuga took notice of her face quickly as she activated her facedown, "Thanks for the monsters Ryuga, now I activate gift of the mystical elf! This trap allows me to gain 300 life points for every monster on the field!"

"But there are 5 monsters out now, which means…"

"1500 life point bonus for me!" added Ayame as the mystical elf from the trap began chanting a healing prayer amnd blessing her with strength.

Ayame: 2700-4200

"You wanted me to summon didn't you!" spoke Ryuga frustrated, "Hehe you catch on very quick, I admit you caught me off guard with that pendulum summon, but calling 2 monsters out was way better!"

"She's able to take advantage of almost any situation..She's way better than I thought…" Ryuga was beginning to sweat under pressure but soon regained his focus, "No! I can't lose concentration now, I have to proceed!" he then took another card from his hand, "I now play gemini spark, by sacrificing one level 4 or lower gemini on my field, I'm allowed to destroy a card on the field! Now I tribute my grepher," His knight transformed into an energy beam which began charging the spell with electrical energy.

"So you'll destroy spartacus then?" she questioned, "Not quite, my target will be one of your facedowns!" Ryuga answered back, "Tch!" she grunted as the spell destroyed her facedown, revealing it to be waboku.

"Waboku..Now I get it!" thought Ryuga as he finally managed to piece together everything he knew till now from the start of the duel.

"Not bad, but you've still left your magician alone to an attack from spartacus!"

"No worries, she won't be staying alone for long, I play silent doom, which lets me resurrect a normal monster from my graveyard in defence mode, I choose my gemini lancer!" The sea serpent reappeared with its lances crossed like a shield. "Now I unseal my tune magician's ability by normal summoning her!" the light of gemini summoning enveloped the magician as she now gained a large ring around her waist, similar to that of a synchro summon ring. "Now she's treat as a tuner monster!"

"Tuner!" once again Ayame gasped in shock by another move she didn't see coming, "Don't tell me you're going to.."

Ryuga smiled back in victory, "You got it! I tune my level 4 tune magician with level 4 lancer!" Both monsters pet into the air, magician then spun around before she exploded into 4 stars which changed into 4 rings fro lancer to pass through. "Power once sealed, be released in full strength in the form of the jet black destroyer! I synchro summon! Level 8 Black Brutdrago!" the huge black dragon emerged with a loud roar which made the opposing gladiators brace from the waves emitted!

"Rrgh! What power!" Ayame could feel the strength emitted from the new monster. "Pendulum summon, straight into a synchro summon!? Seems I underestimated you…Heh, that's probably a good thing, exceeding my expectations." she said with a small unnoticeable smile.

"Time to fight! Black Brutdrago incinerate Gladiator Beast Andal with Black Blaze!" upon command, the dragon spewed black flames at the bear, like the previous Andal, this one too cried in pain before being burnt to dust.

Ayame:4200-3100

"With that i end my turn." Ryuga concluded, only to see Ayame was being silent, a shade covering her eyes in the sunset. She then began to chuckle before bursting into loud laughter, "Hehehe Hahahaha!"

"H..Hey what's so funny!?" he gasped surprised at her sudden change in behaviour.

"Hahaha nothing! It's just that this duel has gone so much more exciting! I haven't had this much of a challenge in a long while since coming to this city! All this time I've faced nothing but pushovers, but you? You've really surpassed my expectations!" she said recovering from her joyous laughter.

Ryuga was speechless, despite having first met, he had learnt so much about Ayame in just this one duel, in fact like her, he hadn't had a clash of spirits between 2 duelists for sometime too. She also seemed to value her cards as they were part of her soul and was respectable herself too, almost like he himself.

"Hehe can't believe I'm saying, but I might actually have to start trying now!" she called as she drew. "START trying?!" Ryuga was taken aback by this as he was struggling earlier and now she was just getting serious?!

"I place a facedown, and now Ryuga, prepare yourself for my secret weapon! Gladiator Beasts Spartacus and Augustus I fuse you both together! Contact Fusion!" she called as the 2 monsters leapt into the air!

"Contact Fusion?! What's that!?"

"You're about to see," she said as she slid her 2 monster cards back into her deck and the monsters began to fuse, "Fusion summon without a spell! I can't believe it…" he stared blankly.

LDS Headquarters

"President Reiji! We've detected extremely high levels of fusion summon energy in sector 8B!" spoke one of the operators to Reiji, who was currently in the same room having a conversation with Nakajima and another boy, who was tall and had yellow green eyes. He also wore a red scarf around his neck and a bluish trench coat with tattered ends, as well as brown shoes and grey jeans. Upon hearing the sudden news, his eyes widened with immediate rage and he was the first to run up to the monitor, displaying the spiking fusion summon levels. Reiji followed behind and hardened his gaze at the results, which were also right next to the readings of gemini and synchro summon energy!

"There's more of those fusion scum here?!" yelled the boy angrily, apparently holding a kind of grudge toward them for some reason. "I'll destroy them all if it's the last thing I do!" he shouted as he prepared to leave, before being stopped by nakajima. "Calm down Shun Kurosaki, remember your agreement with us." he spoke in a respecting manner. "You expect me to just sit here and do nothing!? That fusioner may as well have carded another innocent in this duel by now! Also this may be an opportunity for me to save my sister Ruri!" he shouted back taking no heed to the man. As he tried to walk pass the man in glasses grabbed his arm tightly and suddenly, "You aren't going anywhere,"

"And just how do you plan on stopping me?" he glared back, with the eyes of a battle scarred warrior, "You simply have to observe," said Reiji calmly, "Make no mistake, even if we have another possible fusion dimension duelist here, don't take the opponent to be someone who will go down easily." he spoke as the nearest camera in the vicinity was only able to catch a blurry image of the duel.

Alleyway

Spartacus and Augustus jumped in synch and united into the portal as a fusion began, "Oh mighty warriors of the prehistoric land and untamed skies, may your strengths merge to form an undefeated champion! I fusion summon! Level 7 Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz!" from the fusion emerged a tall muscular humanoid dinosaur clad in black and yellow armour, wielding a large battle axe which commanded much respect and power! The fusion monster gave a battle roar as a challenge to which was answered back by the synchro dragon as they both began to square off against each other.

"H..How? Just who are you being able to fusion summon like that?" asked Ryuga in shock. "Ryuga!" called a sudden voice which caught Ryuga's attention, "Huh! Bahamut? Is that you?" he asked as he peered at his deck, "Get ready, the strength she and that monster are giving off are exactly the same as the energy aI sensed last night!" Bahamut warned. "Are you serious?!" he gasped as the duelist they tracked down happened to be the girl standing before him!

"You're doing it again.." she spoke, "Ah! Um I'm just listening to my cards that's all! (Hope she'll buy that…)" Ryuga answered back in a hurry while sweating like a kid in an exam. "Okay…" she thought.

"Anyways, regarding your earlier question, I come from a very 'special' top notch duel school! One that takes pride in the use of fusion summoning and in duelling! In fact it almost outclasses LDS!"

"LDS!" Ryuga gasped in shock that another duel school existed that rivalled the performance of the top duel school in the world,"How come I've never heard of it!?" he questioned.

"Whoops! Seems I gave a little too much," said Ayame (There I go again being too caught up in the moment…) Tell you what I'll explain everything later if you manage to win, so now back to our duel!" she then held out a spell "I now equip Gaiodiaz with the battle glades I received from the grave earlier!" the small dagger appeared in the empty hand of the dinosaur, raising its power to 2900. "That's still not strong enough!" called Ryuga to Ayame.

"True, if I actually was targeting your dragon that is," she answered with a cunning smile. "Huh? But I don't have any other monsters out for you to attack?"

"Well now you do! I play my foolish revival trap card! Which allows me to special summon another monster from your graveyard onto your field in defence mode!"

"Wait..My graveyard and my field?!" Ryuga thought surprised, as the monster of her choosing, tuned magician, reappeared with 1600 defence. "But why? I mean even if you attack I won't take any battle damage, and there's no point of you tagging out your Gaiodiaz after the battle phase…" he began thinking for a moment before suddenly becoming horrified, "Unless…."

She then smiled again, seeing how he was able to catch on quickly once again, "Unless my Gaiodiaz has another effect? How right you are! Go my fearsome champion! Attack his magician with gladiatorial assault!" The dinosaur roared loudly before charging straight at the magician and slicing her in half with the axe! "Now Gaiodiaz's ability activates! When he destroys a monster in battle he automatically deals damage equal to the defence points of that monster!" she spoke.

"Tuned magician has 1600 Defence!" he gasped as Gaiodiaz readied his axe.

"Go Battle Axe Boomerang!" with the command from his mistress, the dinosaur gladiator threw his axe like a boomerang which began flying straight towards the defenceless Ryuga. "Gaaah!" he screamed as he tried to outrun the spinning blade, to which crashed behind him, sending him flying into a wall due to the impact! "AAAAAAHHH!" he screamed as he fell down!

Ryuga: 2800-1200

"H..Hey are you alright!" Ayame screamed in shock, as she planned to hurry to his aid Ryuga struggled to his feet. "Urrrgh.." he grunted as he staggered, desperately trying to stay upright. "I..I'm sorry! If you want we can call off the match?" she offered out of kindness. "No! Wait!" he called out though weak. "If I stop now, I'd be disgracing myself as a duelist by giving up before the match is over!" he yelled as if defying an almost certain defeat. Ayame was simply stunned at his resolve. "Like you said, you've never fought an opponent with such passion in a long while, guess what it's the same for me!" he called, "If we end now we'd be disappointing the both of us right? Come on we'll see it through!"

"Humph!" she went as she gained relief, "It's your funeral I guess," before smiling out of respect, "Still I admire your determination, let's see if you can back it up. I end my turn."

Ok then," he then reached down on his deck Thoughts of doubt began filling his mind( Drat! With only 1200 points left against 3100 this next draw could decide things! But what if I don't get what I need…Can I possibly win, she might outsmart me and this may be my last turn..What should I..Huh!) He suddenly felt himself carried off!

Well there's chapter 9, Sorry it took so long since my last upload, been busy. Anyways hope you are enjoying this story so far and will try to keep uploads regularly. I am touched by the received reviews lately and look forward to hearing more soon after. What do you think has happened to our young dragon emperor now? Will he make it back from this dimensional transport? Will he win?! Find out next time!