Disclaimer: The following piece is in no way a claim to ownership of the depicted characters. Yu-Gi-Oh, Yu-Gi-Oh R, Yu-Gi-Oh GX and Yu-Gi-Oh 5D's are owned by TV Tokyo, Konami Corporation and Kazuki Takahashi. This story as presented is strictly for entertainment purposes, both for its owner and readers.
Author's Note: Second last chapter of Best/Worst left. I apologize completely for how long this chapter has taken to create; it's been difficult to get what I wanted to happen straight. As my series draws to a close, I think of what will happen when I complete my saga. With my next project, I should top even this one, which has been put on over 30 Favourite Stories Lists. When you read this, go ahead with your Reviews; because you're running out of time.
Also, with only 2 chapters left, I upped the language level to M. Consider yourselves warned.
Chapter 11 – Destiny Covered in Blackness! Dark Synchro Summon, Darkness Neolith
Judai, Johan and Jack stood in the alley in front of Rua and Ruca, who looked like they had begun to stir. However, despite their relative happiness about that, they held dark looks over what had become of Judai's 2 friends.
"Why, Darkness?" Judai said under his breath. "You only want revenge for what's been done to your world by me. So why…" His tone became darker, and his eyes turned an evil golden tone before he looked up at the sky and shouted. "Why would you drag my friends into this?! Why?! Why you fucking bastard?!"
Judai's shouting resulted in a series of sharp thorny vines rising out of the ground and spiraling around him so that they scraped at his skin. He continued to yell out, not in pain but in anger, until the vines stopped spiraling and wrapped around his limbs to restrain him. The others could only look out in shock at the whole ordeal; especially Johan, who had never seen his friend so upset.
Sensing the presence of his spirit behind him, Judai looked back over his shoulder and sharply hissed, "Let go of me Yubel…"
Staring back sternly Yubel replied, "No until you can control your anger."
"I won't be treated like this while one of my friends is in danger!" Judai's anger at Yubel actually startled her, even before he added on, "Now quit being such a bitch and get me out of these fucking vines!"
"Hey, what's with all the damn yelling?" A voice issued from the shadows. Turning around, the members of the crew saw a figure about Yusei's height with orange hair, a headband, and earrings made from old bolts.
"It's about time you showed up Crow," Jack said coldly. As they heard the name Johan and Judai recognized him.
"Sorry I'm late," Crow said as he scratched his head. "I had a meeting-up with two of your friends, Judai; Manjyoume-San and Asuka-Chan."
"They're in Neo Domino?" Judai said as he broke free from the vines, his eyes still golden.
"That we are," Manjyoume's voice rang out as he and Asuka stepped out from the same shadows as Crow had. "You look like shit Judai."
"Just like you did every day I knew you," Judai said coldly. Asuka looked at this in a shocked manner, and Johan started to get nervous about his friend
"Hey hey," Crow said, breaking the tension. "We can't afford to fight right now. Instead we need to go after Yusei." Once everyone nodded, Crow snapped his fingers and revealed a black D-Wheel with wing-like attachments and a large trailer hooked to the back. "Blackbird can take us after him.
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"It's my turn (Yusei: 1 SPC/Darkness: 1 SPC)," Yusei declared as he pulled his card, "and I activate Speed Spell – Angel Baton. With my SPC at 2, I can draw 2 cards and then discard one." Pulling his two cards, Yusei studied his new hand carefully before placing a monster card within his Cemetery slot. "Next I summon Junk Synchron (ATK: 1300)."
In front of Yusei formed a short, rounded orange warrior with a mechanical body and a pull chord on its side. "And since I've Summoned my Junk Synchron, I can Special Summon my Speed Warrior in Defense Position (DEF: 400)." In addition to the orange figure appeared a brown and grey warrior in a fighter pilot's mask wearing roller blades.
"And Junk Synchron is a Tuner monster, is it not?" Darkness asked rhetorically. "Then that can have only one conclusion."
"You're right," Yusei replied. "I tune my Junk Synchron to my Massive Warrior!" The orange figure pulled his chord, which started a motor on his back that turned him into three orbs of white energy. These orbs formed three green rings that surrounded the stone figure, turning it into two orbs of energy.
"Clustering stars will call upon a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Warrior (ATK: 2300)!" The orbs and rings changed into a single beam of energy that spawned a tall purple warrior with a brass knuckled right fist and jets attacked to its winged shoulder pads.
"And so your ace monster appears, Fudo Yusei," Darkness chided. "But your fate remains the same."
"You talk too much," Yusei replied nonchalantly. "Thanks to my Junk Warrior's effect, he absorbs the ATK of my Speed Warrior, which is 900 (ATK: 3200). Now, attack Darkness Serpent!" The jets on the warrior started up and he shot, fists-first, toward the gigantic snake.
"A decent effort Fudo Yusei, but your effect will fail. Permanent Trap: Darkness Vision. I equip this Trap Card onto a monster on my field to make it indestructible by battle." A huge, glowing red eye opened up vertically along the serpent's face, and when the warrior's fist collided with the eyes the snake was not destroyed. However, the shockwave made its way to Darkness all the same.
Yusei: LP 4000
Darkness: LP 2700
'Even so," Yusei said with his steely gaze, "You still take Battle Damage, and thus you lose a Speed Counter (Yusei: 2 SPC/Darkness: 1 SPC)." Yusei took this chance to shoot forward and pass Darkness, who growled angrily. "Now I end my turn."
"Then it is my turn," Darkness declared, materializing his card. (Yusei: 3 SPC/Darkness: 2 SPC). "From my Hand I activate the Speed Spell – Spell Shot, allowing me to remove a Speed Spell from your Cemetery to use as my own, provided of course my SPC is high enough. Since Angel Baton is the only Speed Spell in your Cemetery, I will activate it." The card shot out of Yusei's D-Wheel Cemetery slot as Darkness materialized 2 new cards before disintegrating one.
"Next I will change Darkness Serpent to Defense Position (DEF: 0); and from my hand I Summon Darkness Spectre (DEF: 0)." As the serpent crouched down in a shorter pose, it was joined by the flowing black spirit from his duel with Misty. "Finally, I set 2 cards. Turn Concluded."
"I draw!" Yusei shouted (Yusei: 4 SPC/Darkness: 3 SPC). "I activate Speed Spell – Summon Speeder and Special Summon Shield Warrior in Defense Position (DEF: 1600)." In front of Yusei appeared his tall thin warrior holding the giant shield and long Spear. "And next I summon Nitro Synchron (ATK: 300)." Joining Yusei's monsters was a canister-like figure with a pressure read above its head and mechanical limbs.
"And next I tune my Nitro Synchron to my Shield Warrior and Speed Warrior!" The canister's pressure valve read MAXIMUM EXCEEDED before its body changed into two green rings that surrounded the two other figures, changing them into five orbs of light that combined into a green beam of light. "Clustering minds will now become a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Blaze on, Nitro Warrior (ATK: 2800)!"
The light released a huge, well-muscled green figure with jets extending along its whole back and at the tops of its lower arms, and a pair of huge bull's horns on its head.
"Next I play my Synchro Draw Trap Card!" The trap card appeared and spun around, revealing its art to contain Yusei's two current monsters in the foreground and his Stardust Dragon in the background. "When I control two Synchro Monsters that have both been Synchro Summoned, I can draw 3 cards, but I must discard any Monsters I draw." Pulling his three cards, he saw two Trap Cards and his Heal Waver, which he quickly discarded. "Now I attack Darkness Spectre by my Nitro Warrior. Dynamite Knuckles!"
Firing up rockets on his back, the green figure shot forward through the air and launched its forearms toward the ghastly figure, causing it to be spread apart like mist. The warrior then regained its arms and returned to Yusei's side.
"Thank you Fudo Yusei," Darkness chided, "Because now I can Summon 1 Darkness monster of 2000 DEF or fewer from my deck. Rise up, Dark Tuner – Darkness Worm (DEF: 0)." The fog from the creature condensed into a single eye that then exploded and formed a huge serpentine creature covered in random eyes and tentacles.
"A Dark Tuner Monster!" Yusei was surprised within his head at what he saw. "I won't let that creature survive! With Nitro Warrior's effect, I change Darkness Worm to attack position and attack it with my Warrior!"
"I am afraid not Yusei. By the effect of Darkness Vision, only the equipped monster may be targeted for effects and attacks. Therefore, your target is my Darkness Serpent (ATK: 1900)." The serpent changed into a standing offensive pose before the green warrior shot forward and struck its giant eye.
Yusei: LP 4000
Darkness: LP 1800
"Then I attack your Serpent by my Junk Warrior as well!" Yusei declared as his purple warrior shot forward, its fist also striking the serpent's giant eye.
Yusei: LP 4000
Darkness: LP 500
"Your move makes no difference Yusei," Darkness declared (Yusei: 4 SPC/Darkness: 2 SPC). "Trap Card activate: Summon Strike. I can only activate this Trap if you attack me and deal me damage. From my hand or Cemetery I summon a monster whose ATK is equal or less than that damage. From my Graveyard I Special Summon he Darkness Seed I discarded with Angel Baton (ATK: 1000)."
A series of vines covered in thorns shot out of Darkness' D-Wheel and wound together in front of him. They formed a plant with a multi-eyes bulbous mouth and a thorny body that hissed at Yusei angrily.
"I end my turn."
"Not quite Yusei," Darkness sneered. "During my End Phase, if my Life Points are fewer than 4000 they return to 4000 instantly." Smiling darkly as Yusei took in further annoyance, Darkness glowed red as his power increased.
Yusei: LP 4000
Darkness: LP 4000
"Draw," Darkness declared right away (Yusei: 5 SPC/Darkness: 3 SPC). And I activate my Darkness Leveler Trap Card!" The serpent's red eye produced a black stream of fog that circled the gigantic worm creature for awhile before the serpent itself exploded.
"Darkness Leveler allows me to release 1 Darkness Monster to increase the Level of another monster of that value. I add the 4 stars of my serpent to Darkness Worm (LV: 12). And next, I'll Dark Tune my Darkness Worm to my Darkness Seed." The worm's body changed into 12 glowing white orbs that floated over and shot into the plant's body. The plant then became transparent, and within its body 2 of the stars that had hit it mixed with 2 of the plant's own stars and exploded. The plant then also destructed and 10 black orbs emerged, spinning around in a ring with black electricity at the centre.
"Dark Synchro! Come forth, Darkness Neolith (ATK: 4000)." The orbs then fused and formed a vertical column of fog that produced a gigantic figure. The creature had two huge wings, a grey-armoured body, and several eyes over its body that made it look like a demonic version of Judai's Rainbow Neos.
"4000 ATK?" Yusei said in a stunned tone.
"Indeed Yusei. And now my Neolith sets 5 Trap Cards from my deck." Behind the figure appeared 5 set cards that all faded out. "Battle!" The Creature's eyes all produced dark beams of light that shot at the green warrior on Yusei's field, shattering it. The beams then hit Yusei, and made him howl out as though a truck had fallen on his legs before his D-Wheel spun out for a couple seconds.
Yusei: LP 2800
Darkness: LP 4000
"Now Yusei (Yusei: 4 SPC/Darkness: 3 SPC)," Darkness sneered darkly, "It's your turn."
"F… fine," Yusei stammered, feeling weakness and pain in his chest, "I draw (Yusei: 5 SPC/Darkness: 4 SPC). I change Junk Warrior to Defence Position (DEF: 1300), and I summon Max Warrior (DEF: 800). Turn… end." Beside the purple warrior now taking up a knee appeared a warrior with a huge staff adorned in green and brown armour.
"Draw (Yusei: 6 SPC/Darkness: 5 SPC)," Darkness declared, "And I reveal the Trap Cards Zero and Infinity!" The Trap Cards appeared on the far left and the second right. "Due to the effect of Darkness Neolith, I treat my field as though the Field Magic Darkness is in play. Now I reveal the cards between them, and based on which Trap Card comes first an effect is set in motion."
Yusei sighed weakly as Darkness' 2 cards in between appeared: Darkness 3 and Darkness 1. "Since Darkness 3 appears first, the effect of Darkness 1 becomes that of it. And the effect of Darkness 3 inflicts 1000 damage to the opponent. Thus, you receive 2000 damage!" A series of electrical sparks shot out from the card and flew at Yusei, zapping him horribly and making him scream weakly at the force of it. His D-Wheel began to move erratically and sway, before it spun out even worse and started to ride along the edge.
Yusei: LP 800
Darkness: LP 4000
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Crow's D-Wheel, Blackbird, and Jack's D-Wheel both sped along underneath the dark energy track on the streets; Crow's towing a trailer with Judai, Johan, Asuka and Manjyoume while Jack let the twins ride along in a rear seat. Yusei and Darkness were still out of sight, but both vehicles were at top speed and they were making ground.
Inside the wagon, Asuka tapped on Judai's shoulder, and he spun around. His lack of speech since they started riding, coupled with his evil golden eyes gave him a very eerie feel, and his dark expression when he turned around further added to this.
"Judai…" she said softly, "I'm… I'm sorry about Kaiser… about Jim and Kenzan… and…"
"Why?" Judai cut her off coldly, turning back forward. "You had nothing to do with it. And Hell Kaiser made his choice."
"How dare you say something like that?" Asuka gasped, a tear starting to come to her eye. She slapped Judai on the left side of his face, which he did not react to but Johan and Manjyoume did. "He was a good man… he… he…" she started to sob. "…He was your friend!"
Acting indifferent, Judai simply said, "That doesn't matter anymore."
"Judai," Johan finally spoke up, quite angered by what he had heard. "What's gotten into you all of a sudden?"
" Judai snarled back, "I'm tired of always being one step behind with the enemy. Saiou, Yubel, Darkness… I won't stand for it any longer! Even of I must become a devil, I won't lose anything else to him."
"Hey," Crow said, cutting the tension. "Before you two break down, you should look up." Pointing up above, Crow indicated the presence of 2 D-Wheels riding along on the track, Darkness' out in front and Yusei's dangerously close to the edge.
"Yusei!" Rua and Ruca shouted up to him as Jack began to look very concerned.
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Yusei barely stirred upon his D-Wheel upon hearing the sound of voices below. Looking up at Darkness, he growled quickly before moving himself further inward onto the track. "Darkness…" Yusei bit out sourly, "I won't be broken so easily."
"I didn't think you would," Darkness replied indifferently. "But, that won't help you. Due to the effect of Speed World, you lose 2 SPC for your damage (Yusei: 4 SPC/Darkness: 5 SPC). Darkness Neolith, destroy Junk Warrior!" The chest eye on the huge creature opened and produced a beam of light that shot through and exploded the purple warrior.
"End Phase, Darkness Neolith resets and randomly replaces my Trap Cards." The card images disappeared and new set images formed in all 5 Zones before disappearing. "Turn concluded."
"My… turn (Yusei: 5 SPC/Darkness: 6 SPC)," Yusei said, feeling weak. "I summon Roadrunner in Defence Position (DEF: 300)." Beside the standing warrior appeared a pink bird wearing boots and a neckband with a small bell. "I set 1 card and end my turn."
"Draw (Yusei: 6 SPC/Darkness: 7 SPC). Come forth, Darkness Mosquito (ATK: 0)." Darkness called forth a huge insect-like creature with skeletal legs and a huge spear-like mouth. "And next I reveal Zero and Infinity." The two cards appeared at the middle and far right positions, followed by the one card in between them. "And by Darkness 1, I target and destroy Roadrunner."
"Trap Card Open!" Yusei declared while his card appeared. "Trigger of Tragedy lets me select a card you control to be destroyed by your effect. I target Darkness Neolith."
"Darkness Mosquito's monster effect activates. When the opponent triggers a Trap Card, I release this card and Special Summon 3 Mosquito Tokens (ATK: 0) (ATK: 0) (ATK: 0)." The bug creature vanished and3 smaller versions appeared in a swarm around him. Then, the Darkness 1 trap launched Black electricity that hit and exploded the huge figure beside it.
"Why bother with an effect giving you 3 worthless Tokens? Unless…" Yusei's face then revealed the shock and understanding that flooded in.
"By releasing 3 cards I control, I resurrect Darkness Neolith by its effect (ATK: 4000)." The three creatures that surrounded Darkness each turned into a black orb, and soon the three converged together to respawn the giant monster.
"Darkness Neolith, once it has been Special Summoned, lets me rearrange my cards. I see no point at this time," Darkness chided. "Darkness Neolith, attack Max Warrior." Once again the creature's eye fired a bolt of power that shot through the warrior.
This time though, it struck Yusei and caused him to spin out again, wiping out on the energy below him. His arm dislodged from its brace and he slid from the vehicle toward the edge. Screaming along the way, he fell over the edge and began to plummet to the ground below.
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"Yusei!" Jack, Crow, and all the others yelled as they saw their friend falling from the track.
"Yubel," Judai said in his mind to his spirit partner.
"I'm on it," she replied as she left his body and took flight. Diving up into the sky, she made it up to where Yusei was falling and caught him in her arms. But as she lowered him to the ground, she felt no consciousness within his mind.
Crow and Jack cut the motors to their D-Wheels and got off when Yubel lowered to the ground. Judai and Manjyoume both jumped out from the wagon and also went over to him, by which point he stirred slightly.
"J…Jack…Crow…Rua, Ruca, I…" Yusei's words were slurred by the presence of blood in his throat and an apparent concussion; but he also had a broken collarbone and lacerations on all limbs.
"Don't try to talk," Jack said, clearly trying to restrain his emotion.
"No… it's okay," Yusei replied, trying to act calm. Despite his tough act, blood poured from his head and limbs as his breath became raspy and shallow.
"The hell it is," Judai said angrily while his golden irises began to glow. "I'll make Darkness pay for this, or my soul will be joining you."
"You won't fail…" Yusei said peacefully while more blood poured onto the road. "Make him pay… and say hi to my friends in Satellite." With that Yusei closed his eyes and collapsed, having lost a fatal amount of blood, and his pulse dropped to zero. His breathing stopped, and then he simply lay there quietly and tranquilly.
"Yusei…" Jack stammered, no longer to hold back tears. His face went from sadness to frustration immediately. The twins broke down and started crying heavily, and Asuka shed at least her share of tears over the ordeal.
Crow was no better off. "Yusei… no, you can't… God damn it!" he yelled up towards Darkness, who had stopped his D-Wheel to watch Yusei's death throes.
"You fucking bastard…" Judai muttered under his breath before turning to Darkness and giving him a deathly stare. "You have toyed with your last life…" His eyes flash over with black irises for a second before returning to just glowing gold, before he pulled Yusei's deck gauntlet and strapping it on himself. "I'll finish this duel and send you somewhere far worse than the world of Darkness!"
"Judai, wait…" Jack said as he, Crow and Johan approached the angered young man.
Each of them handed him two cards each before Johan said, "A little bit of us to help you beat him."
"Now go kick his fucking ass," Crow said smugly.
"Thanks," Judai said thankfully but looking indifferent as he slid them into the deck and shuffled. Turning back around, he glowed orange and levitated upwards toward the energy track above, looking more evil than the villain before him.
"Are you sure you want to go through with this Judai?" Darkness chided.
"Of course I am!" Judai snapped. "I kicked your ass the last time we fought."
"But last time I didn't have 3 Earthbound Gods," the God corrected. "Now all that's left to do is finish what I started."
"You're on," Judai said, his eyes once again flashed over with black irises for a split second. Both figures walked to their respective D-Wheels and got on, restarting them and shooting forward.
"Now then," Darkness said, "It was still my turn, but fortunate for you I no longer need to play anything. End Phase, my cards reshuffle and reset again. Turn concluded."
"Draw (Yusei Judai: 7 SPC/Darkness: 8 SPC)!" Judai declared, pulling a card from his new deck. "I haven't used most of these cards before, but I know enough to duel with them effectively." "I set 2 cards and summon Shield Wing (DEF: 900)." Beside the pink bird formed a green pterodactyl-like creature that covered its body with its wings. "I end my turn."
"You won't beat me playing like that Judai," Darkness said as he drew (Yusei Judai: 8 SPC/Darkness: 9 SPC), "but you will have made a mockery of your friend."
"Shut the hell up!"
"What's wrong Judai? Can't face the truth of your powerlessness? The powerlessness of humans?"
"The only one powerless what who should be afraid is you, because my power will not waver."
"Trap Card open: Zero and Infinity!" Zero appeared on the far right and Infinity on the second left, followed by Darkness 3 and Darkness 2. "And now, by the effect of Darkness 3, you take 2000 damage."
"I won't be defeated so easily. Not on my friends' watch," Judai hissed.
"Too late." The card produced energy that shot over at Judai and struck him, obscuring him in smoke.
Card of the Week – Darkness
Darkness Neolith (Ankoku no Kami – Dakuensu Neolith/God of Darkness – Darkness Neolith)
あんこく かみ ネオリス
暗黒の紙-ダクネスNeolith
Level: -10
Attribute: DARK
Type(s): [Fiend/Dark Synchro/Effect]
Effect: 1 [Darkness] non-Tuner monster – 1 Dark Tuner Monster
In order to summon this card, you must subtract the Level of the Dark Tuner Monster from the Level of the non-Tuner Monster to equal this card's Level. When this card is Special Summoned, destroy all other cards you control and randomly set 1 each of [Zero], [Infinity], [Darkness 1], [Darkness 2], and [Darkness 3] from your deck. You cannot check those cards' positions this turn. During each End Phase, reset and randomly rearrange all Magic & Trap Cards you control. While this card is face-up on the field, it is treated as though [Darkness] is on the field. When this card is destroyed, you can send 3 cards you control to the Cemetery to Special Summon this card from your Cemetery and rearrange the set cards you control.
ATK: 4000
DEF: 4000
*** A pretty dark chapter if I say so myself. R&R if you so wish. ***