10. Legacy Hunter.
You might remember me as Simon Croco.
I am a member of a specific guilt, a guilt of people who can see Duel Spirits, I also hunt rare cards.
When I ran into that Mallow character last time I took his Duel Spirits, he couldn't even see them, and now he is back.
The Hunter, that is what they call me at the guilt, and as a proud member I shall not lose.
One day earlier.
The mayor of Moleville was sitting in his office, he leaved through some papers.
'What a mess, the mine collapsed, lucky nobody got hurt, but the damage is great.' The mayor muttered, a knock on his door startled him.
'Come in.' He muttered and the door opened.
'O hi Melissa.' The Mayor muttered when he saw his daughter.
'Something wrong dad?' The girl asked.
'Its about that mine and...' Suddenly there was a loud explosion.
A hooded man came crashing into the office a minute later.
'Hello mayor!' The man shouted. 'The name is Punchinello, guess that explosion did a real number on your precious mine.'
'What do you want?' The mayor asked. 'Well your daughter of course, heh the people lost faith in you, a high secured mine, destroyed by some unknown... thing?'
Punchinello scratched his chin, doesn't sound rather convincing.'
'What do you mean?' The mayor now sounded irritated.
'Mayor stopped because of a mine destroyed by a weird thing.' Punchinello said. 'I rather say mayor stopped because of his daughter die in an unfortunate accident, sounds more convincing.' Punchinello laughed.
He lunged forward punching the mayor in the face then he grabbed his daughter and ran off, the guards were all laying out cold on the floor.
Present day, Rose Town.
Mario, Mallow and Frogfucius returned to Rose Town when they got there it was like nothing had changed, clearly the people weren't aware of Bowyer.
'I'll go to the Inn.' Frogfucius said.
'Why don't you come with us?' Mallow asked.
'That is too dangerous for me, and it seems that Geno doesn't approve my company.'
'About that.' Mallow started.
'You want to ask what happened between the two of us?' Frogfucius asked. Mallow nodded.
'Let's say that I beat him good a few times in the past, don't worry about it, just go and save your friend.'
Mario and Mallow wandered off to Moleville.
'What do you think?' Mallow asked.
'What?' Mario replied.
'About Geno, what did my grandpa mean by beating him good a few times in the past?'
'I don't know, but I won't worry about that too much, if Geno want to join out cause the better it is for us right?' Mario said
'I guess you're right.' Mallow sighted.
'Look one mile to Moleville.' Mario said.
When they approached Moleville they heard a loud explosion they ran to the side of the explosion, smoke rose from the village.
'Simon what was that?' They heard a female voice.
'Mallow duck.' Mario whispered, and they took cover in some bushes.
'That's...' Mallow hissed.
'The one who took your Deck, yes but don't storm in Mallow, we don't know what he is up to.'
'Simon where are you?' It was the female voice again, this time a woman approached Simon.
'There you are.' She said.
The young woman around the nineteen years old had shoulder length white hair, she wore a white skin-tight leotard with a white leather sleeveless jacket with red trims over it, she wore the jacket open, she also wore shoulder length red gloves and white boots with red socks.
'Ruby now what did I told you before?' Simon asked he sounded irritated.
'You said that the Harpie Lady Duel Spirits became restless.' Ruby answered, Simon sighted.
'No the part about the jewels I mean.' Simon said.
'Ah yes something about a great treasure, hidden in the mines.'
'That is why you are the treasure hunter of the guilt.' Simon said he grinned.
'Well the mine here collapsed right?' Ruby asked.
'Yes it did.' Simon replied. 'They just blew him open.' Simon continued.
'What if we borrow some of these explosives and start a hunt for that treasure ourselves.' Ruby was talking more to herself then to Simon.
'Ruby I don't think that is a good idea.' Simon started.
'And why not?' The girl asked.
'Well it is dangerous, and the explosives are probably well guarded.'
'Then we let them open a path for us, now we only have to think of plan how to do that.' Ruby was now completely in thought.
'They are just bickering, and they are bickering about the Star Piece although they don't know it's a Star Piece.' Mario whispered.
'I'm going in, I can take Simon I just know it.' Mallow whispered back.
'This is your fight, let me take that Ruby character if she butts in.' Mario said Mallow nodded.
'Simon Croco!' Mallow shouted jumping out of the bushes, Simon jumped because he was surprised.
'Ah dang not you again, how did you found me anyway?'
'Simon who is that?' Ruby asked.
'That is the one I took these Harpies from.'
'That is right Simon and I have a new Deck, now you and I Duel!'
Simon scratched his head. 'No chance punk, I have no business with you.'
'No but I have business with you Simon.' Mallow was clearly angry.
'If you Duel and win I throw in Dark Magician and Dark magician Girl as a price for you.' Simon turned around and saw Geno, he held these cards up.
'Show them.' Simon said and Geno approached Simon he showed him the cards. 'These are real, I don't know where you got them but you're on.' Simon said.
'You really gonna do it Simon, if you win this you will be my right hand man, and the second in command of the guilt.'
Simon softly laughed.
'Rule the guilt at your side, I will do that.' Simon said and he activated his oddly shaped Duel Disk, the device behind his ear appeared in front of his eye.
(Mallow: 8000) - (Simon Croco: 8000)
'Beating your ass again, and get Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl as an added bonus.' Simon started to laugh.
'I'll start...' Mallow shouted drawing his first card. '...with Double Summon!' Mallow shouted and he played the Spell card. 'Now I summon Queen's Knight and King's Knight!' Mallow shouted and first the female warrior clad in red armor appeared. (1500 ATK)
Next to her the man in golden armor appeared. (1600 ATK)
'Now they are out, from my Deck I special summon Jack's Knight!' Mallow shouted and the man in blue armor appeared. (1900 ATK)
'Mallow managed to summon three monsters in one turn, he might have what it takes.' Geno mumbled, Ruby looked bored while Simon had a look of terror on his face.
'You are lucky that I don't have Polymerization in my hand, so I end my turn with a facedown card.' Mallow said and a reversed card appeared.
Simon slowly made his draw. 'Pot of Greed.' He stated and he drew two new cards.
Seems that fate smiles upon me once more, I shall crush Mallow again and take those Magicians with me as well.
'I activate Cost Down.' Simon said playing the Spell card.
'Now I discard one card.' Simon stated and he discarded Jinzo.
'Now all monsters in my hand are downgraded by two Levels.'
Mallow gulped, Geno who had a good view on the cards in Simon's hand, saw his tactic.
Mallow you're in for it now. Geno thought.
'I normal summon from my hand Horus the Black Flame Dragon Level 6!' Simon shouted and a huge dragon clad in metal armor appeared on the field. (2300 ATK)
'Next I use Monster Reborn to special summon the monster I just discarded.' Simon said and he played the Spell card.
'Arise Jinzo!' He shouted and the huge android appeared on the field. (2400 ATK)
'Next I Equip my Jinzo with Amplifier!' Simon shouted and a weird helmet appeared on Jinzo's head it was pierced by needles.
'Horus destroy his King's Knight!' Simon shouted and the dragon unleashed a huge fire-ball incinerating King's Knight.
'Now Jinzo take down his Jack's Knight!' Jinzo fired his Cyber Energy Shock destroying Jack's Knight.
(Mallow: 6800) - (Simon Croco: 8000)
'Now I activate another Spell card.' Simon said. 'The Dark Door, now we can only attack with one monster.'
Mallow gulped. 'I set a facedown card and end my turn.' Simon said and a reversed card appeared.
'And since my Horus destroyed one of your monsters he now evolves to Level Eight!' Simon shouted and Horus started to grow he now looked more fierce. (3000 ATK)
O no Mallow is in trouble. Mario thought.
'I draw!' Mallow shouted, he was nervous.
I won't let Geno down, I won't if I lose he loses his Magicians, he might not be our friend, but that doesn't mean he has to lose all he has.
'I summon Copycat!' Mallow shouted and a female Spellcaster appeared she held a mirror in front of her face. (0 ATK)
'Now she copies the attack of one of your monsters.' Mallow said and she turned to Horus, the reflection of the monster was visible in the mirror. (3000 ATK)
'Now Copycat destroy Jinzo!'
Simon started to laugh. 'I activate my facedown card!' He shouted.
'Go Scrap Iron Scarecrow!' A scarecrow made of pots and other old junk appeared he blocked the attack. 'Now he returns to his facedown position.' Simon said and the card reappeared.
Damn, he got me, I can only attack with one monster and he blocks that one attack, now thanks to his Horus and Jinzo I cannot use Spell or Trap cards, only monster effects.
'I change Queen's Knight to defense mode and that is all.' Mallow said, Queen's Knight crouched down. (1600 DEF)
Simon drew his card.
Malice Doll of Demise I can better keep this card in my hand.
Simon thought. 'Horus destroy his Queen's Knight!' Simon commanded and the huge dragon fired a beam of darkness Queen's Knight exploded.
'I end my turn there.' Simon said.
'I just set a monster and that is all I can do.' Mallow said and a concealed monster appeared.
In the meantime Ruby had turned her attention to Geno, she saw the Millennium Key hanging around his neck.
'What is your name?' Ruby asked Geno looked dumbfounded.
'Geno.' He replied.
'Well then Geno just give me that key thing you have around your neck.' Ruby said.
'I don't think so.' Geno replied. 'This Key belongs to me, and me alone.'
Ruby shook her head. 'Then I am forced to use violence on you to get it.' She said.
Geno suddenly felt a huge power erupting from Ruby.
'You know my guilt has not that many members, but the once we have are good.'
'How many are there?' Geno asked.
'I am their leader, then there is Simon Croco the one Mallow is Dueling and three others, I won't give you their names.' Ruby smiled.
'Then you want to Duel me?' Geno asked.
'No I take that key from your dead body.' Ruby said and she picked a strange object from out of her jacked and attached it on her wrist.
It was a golden Disk, shaped like a wing, the center had the Eye of Wdjat on it, Ruby activated the thing and two more wings appeared from under the first one a yellow line appeared under the Eye of Wdjat.
'But that is...' Geno gasped he was dumbfounded.
'This is my DiaDhank, it is like the one they used in ancient Egypt, only this one is created using a secret technology, dark magic and a Hologram Projector, the monsters this thing summons are real, so I warn you give me that Key or face my army.'
Simon had taken note of what Ruby was doing.
'Ruby could you wait until I finished this Duel?' Ruby looked at Simon.
'You scared that I crush you?' Ruby sneered.
'Anyway Mallow we have to hurry, I activate the Continuous Spell card Infected Mail!' Simon shouted and the card appeared.
'Now any four or lower Level monster can attack directly but is destroyed at the end of my turn, and now I summon Malice Doll of Demise!'
A fiendish doll appeared on the field it held a huge axe in his hands. (1600 ATK)
'Attack!' Simon shouted and the Malice charged in slamming Mallow with his axe.
(Mallow: 5200) - (Simon Croco: 8000)
'I now end my turn.' Simon said and Malice simply exploded.
'Draw!' Mallow shouted and he drew his card.
'I set another monster.' He said and his monster appeared.
'That would be all.'
'You know my Malice has one special ability that activates from out of the Graveyard, when he is destroyed by the effect of a Continuous Spell card I can special summon him.'
The ground broke open and Malice crawled out of the hole. (1600 ATK)
'He likes to be buried and then jump out again, Malice attack directly!' Simon commanded and Malice charged in again.
(Mallow: 3600) - (Simon Croco: 8000)
'I set one card and I end my turn.' Simon said the reversed card appeared on the field and Demise exploded once again.
'Simon your strategy is amazing really it is almost perfect, except for one thing I can use Effect monsters, so I sacrifice my facedown Winged Kuriboh, Marshmallon and my face up Copycat!' Mallow shouted and the three monsters disappeared.
'I summon Gilford the Lightning!' A muscular warrior appeared on the field he wore armor and he held a huge lightning charged sword in his hand. (2800 ATK)
'Now that he is summoned with three sacrifices I now destroy all your monsters with his effect!'
'That won't happen! I activate my facedown card By Order of the Emperor!' Simon shouted and his Trap card spun around.
'This cancels the effect of your monster.'
'I know.' Mallow said. 'But I can draw a card.' Mallow made his draw.
'Two cards facedown, end of turn.' Mallow said and the two reversed cards appeared.
'Then I go.' Simon said drawing a card and Malice crawled out of the ground once more. (1600 ATK)
'I make him stronger with Rush Recklessly!' Simon shouted and Malice's attack points rose to 2300.
'Attack!' Simon shouted and for the third time Mallow was smashed by the axe.
(Mallow: 1300) - (Simon Croco: 8000)
'I end my turn.' Simon said and once again Malice exploded.
'It is over Mallow, you cannot win in just one round.'
Simon said. 'I can.' Mallow whispered.
Suddenly he heard Mario shouting Geno's name he looked around and saw Lava Golem attacking Geno. What the hell is going on? No I must focus. Mallow thought. Only one card that can save me now I must draw it. Mallow closed his eyes and he drew.
'I summon Freed the Brave Wanderer!' Mallow shouted and the young warrior appeared on the field. (1700 ATK)
'Now I remove from play Winged Kuriboh and Marshmallon!' Mallow shouted and the souls of the monsters appeared and were absorbed by Freed's sword.
'Now I strike down Jinzo!' Mallow shouted and Freed sliced Jinzo in half with his sword.
'Now that he is gone I activate my facedown card Raigeki Break!' Mallow shouted. 'I discard my Honest and destroy your Horus!' Lightning struck the huge dragon causing it to explode.
'Now he is also gone I play Mystical Space Typhoon!' Mallow shouted and The Dark Door Spell card was destroyed.
'Next I activate my Soul Fusion Trap card!' Mallow shouted his Life Points decreased by 1000. 'Now I Fusion Summon Arcana Knight Joker!' Mallow shouted and the warrior appeared on the field. (3800 ATK)
'And finally I use Graverobber!' Mallow shouted and his Trap card spun around. 'Now I can summon every monster I want negating any summon condition and I summon your Horus Level Eight!' The huge dragon appeared on Mallow's field. (3000 ATK)
'No way...' Simon gasped.
'Freed, Horus, Joker and Gilford finish him!' Mallow shouted the four monsters charged in Scrap iron scarecrow was activated but completely trampled Simon was launched and landed on his back.
(Mallow: 300) - (Simon Croco: 0)
Geno started to sweat. 'You won't give me what I want? Then face my army.' Ruby threatened.
'I am not afraid of them.' Geno said.
'You are still sweating, and that will become much worse, arise from the heat of hell itself! Lava Golem!'
A huge fire erupted on the field and a creature completely made of lava appeared, lava was dripping on the ground, Ruby had crossed her arms.
'Swat him Lava Golem!' She shouted and the huge monster moved his hands so that he could crush Geno but Geno evaded the attack.
'It scares me to see these things are real, I have to think of something fast.
'Lava Golem just spew Lava at him!' Ruby shouted and Lava Golem spewed his Lava Geno managed to evade it.
'If you tell me you give up I call back my monster.' Ruby said.
Mario saw what was happening. 'Geno!' He shouted.
'Mario the Star Pieces give them to me now!' Geno shouted Mario didn't hesitate and threw them at Geno who caught them while evading Lava Golem.
'I use the power of the Stars combined with the power of the Millennium Key, come forth Dark magician and Dark magician Girl!' Geno shouted and the two Spellcasters appeared, they both looked at Geno then at the Lava Golem.
'Geno, I promised that I would fight in a Duel, but this isn't a Duel.'
'Not really that thing is trying to fry me.' Geno said.
'We'll deal with it.' Dark magician Girl said.
'Wonderful it seems you have this gift as well, I have to turn up the phase, two against one won't do at all.' Ruby mumbled.
'Arise from the deep spaces of mind Thought Ruler Archfiend!' This time a huge monster appeared it was mostly green with an armor made of bones.
'Archfiend help Lava Golem and crush this puny insect!' Ruby shouted and the huge monster charged in.
'Dark magician can you fire a Dark magic Attack at that Archfiend?' Geno asked while he ran away to safer ground.
'I can.' Dark magician said. 'Then I have a plan.' Geno stopped he grabbed the Millennium Key and pointed it at the two approaching monsters.
'Hope this works.' Geno mumbled and he started to chant a blinding flash filled the area Lava Golem and Archfiend stopped short.
'This won't hold for long!' Geno shouted.
'Dark magic Attack!' Dark magician shouted and the blast of dark magic struck Archfiend he stumbled backwards.
'Now I move.' Geno shouted and he ran up to the Archfiend. 'Millennium Key give me the power!' Geno shouted and his hand started to glow.
He punched Archfiend against his head the huge monster screamed and fell onto Lava Golem which burned Archfiend.
'Dark magician Girl finish it!' Geno shouted and Dark magician Girl aimed her staff. 'Dark Burning Attack!' She shouted Geno caught the attack with his Key and send it at the two monsters three times stronger a huge explosion followed and both monsters were gone.
Ruby saw it all happening she looked at her DiaDhank and saw that her life force was almost depleted.
'I guess you got lucky, but my next monster slices your head off clean.'
Then they heard sirens in the distance.
'Looks like the police came out to play, I let you go this time Geno.' Ruby said and she ran away.
Simon still laid on his back he groaned.
'Give me back my Deck.' Mallow said.
'Take your stinking Deck.' Simon groaned and he threw it at Mallow, the tied up Harpies appeared next to Mallow their bonds broke.
'They are real...' Mallow mumbled, the Harpies looked angry then they charged in Simon screamed when he was beat up by the ferocious monsters.
Two minutes later the police arrived they took Simon Croco in giving Mallow a huge reward.
'Don't forget my face Mallow! I'll hunt you down I promise! I shall hunt you down!' Mallow ignored Simon.
'Mallow, Mario.' Geno said.
'I saw what you can do and I have decided to join you, and I need to protect you from the members of that guilt I don't know what they want but they're planning something.' Mallow and Mario looked at each other, then they both shook Geno's hand.
Next time:
Geno: Now that we are friends we have to save the people trapped in the mine in Moleville.
Mallow: Yes and take that Star Piece while we're at it.
Punchinello: I am trapped in this mine, man this sucks...
Mario: What a weirdo...
Punchinello: Hey kid watch it!
Card details:
There are no card details this time, so here is some explanation about the DiaDhank.
DiaDhank in this time line are made by Kaiba Corp technology (they are not made by Kaiba Corp only their technology is used, something they don't even know,) and a rare metal that can hardly be found it can only be found deep in some ancient Egyptian tombs, Kaiba Corp technology is placed in a frame made of that metal.
Then the DiaDhanks are enchanted with dark magic so that the monsters they summon are real.
Only a few who can see Duel Spirits can use a DiaDhank, but they can only summon monsters they can see as Duel Spirits, real talented people, who can communicate with Duel Spirits can summon all kind of monsters the only one with that gift was the Signer Luna.
There are some other things that can be used instead of a DiaDhank, but then you must possess a Millennium Item, the Ring and Puzzle are the only ones able to do that, and the Star Pieces possesses the power to make Duel Spirits real.
If a battle with DiaDhanks occurs your own Life Force will be depleted when your monster battles, the more you lose the weaker you become, very low Life Force can result in losing consciousness, and when all Life Force is gone that will result in death.