Chapter 21: Battling a Bully

Yuya walked into the stadium. Grizzlepike stood in the center waiting for him.

"Funny, I thought you would run away like your father. I suppose I can commend you for being braver than him, but it won't do you much good in the long run."

"My father is no coward, nor am I."

"Keep telling yourself that, loser."

After shuffling their decks, the two competitors walked to their corners as Nico Smiley began his introductions.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Junior Youth Division's final match of the first day of the tournament. In the red corer from You Show Duel School, we have Yuya Sakaki!"

"Hey, that's the kid who one shoted The Sledgehammer."

"No way, really?"

"That other kid doesn't stand a chance."

"Yuya! Yuya! Yuya!"

Yuya waved to the crowd, enthusiastically.

"The crowd is already riled up and I haven't even begun the main event. That's a good sign."

"And in the green corner, entering as an independent duelist, Grizzlepike Jones!"

Although it was less enthusiastic, the crowd gave the bully a good amount of applause.

"Its time to kick off this battle. I activate the field spell Haunted Demon Den!"

The field became a field made up of rocky terrain. Strange features were embedded into the rocks that looked like faces.

"Duelists locked in battle…"

"They kick across the Earth and dance in the air alongside their monsters!"

"They storm through this field!"

"Behold! This is the newest and greatest evolution of dueling!"

"Action…"

Duel!

Yuya: 4000

Grizzlepike: 4000

"Grizzlepike Jones shall make the first move."

"With pleasure. To kick things off, I activate the spell card known as Meteor of Destruction! Since you have at least 3000 life points, this card deals you 1000 points of damage!"

A burning meteor flew at Yuya, who barely ducked out of the way in time.

Yuya: 3000

"That was a low blow."

"Anything goes in an action duel. Next, I summon Eidos the Underworld Squire (800/1000) in attack mode."

A knight dressed in black spiked armor with a demonic face on the breast plate appeared.

"Since he was summoned, I can perform a tribute summon in addition to my normal summon or set, so I sacrifice him to Tribute summon Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch (2400/1000) in attack mode! And when he's tribute summoned, I can make you discard one card in your hand. I choose the far right."

Thestalos unleashed a burst of flame, burning away Yuya's card, Performapal Dag Daggerman, and singing Yuya's hand.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!"

"It gets worse. Because that was a monster card, you lose life points equal to its level X100. Dag Daggerman was level 5, so you lose 500 life points!"

Thestalos sent out a larger flame, pushing Yuya back.

Yuya: 2500

"Incredible! In a single turn, Grizzlepike has reduced Yuya to nearly half his starting life points, and Yuya hasn't even played a card yet."

"Come on, Yuya! Beat that meanie!"

"I'll finish off my turn with two cards face down. Your go."

"Don't mind if I do. I draw! I'll start by using the scale 2 Draconcaller Magician and the scale 8 Odd Eyes Mirage Dragon to set the pendulum scale! I'm taking control of this duel, starting now! My monsters are ready, to swing into action! Come forth, Performapal Elephammer (2600/1800), Performapal King Bear (2200/1000) and Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"

Yuya's three monsters appeared on the field.

"And Yuya counters Grizzlepike's strong opening with his signature Pendulum Summoning!"

"So what? You think I'm afraid of Dumbo and a kitty playing dress up?"

Yuya's monsters were outraged by his remarks.

"Maybe so, but now I activate Cards of Sanctity, allowing us to start fresh with some extra cards. Now attack his Thestalos, Odd Eyes!"

As Yuya's monster prepared its attack, Grizzlepike smirked."

"I was hoping you'd do that. I activate my face down card, The Monarchs Stormforth! Now I can use one of your monsters for a tribute summon, even though I don't control it."

"What?"

"I sacrifice your Elephammer to Tribute Summon Caius the Shadow Monarch!"

A huge tornado appeared a swooped up Yuya's monster before returning to Grizzlepike's field. When it dissipated, a large demon wearing a tattered cloak and armor appeared. Its red eyes glowered at Yuya as it lowered its horns.

"And before you get any ideas about changing your attack, I use Caius's ability to Banish your Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Exile to the Forbidden Realms!"

The demon created a black hole in its hands before throwing it at Odd Eyes, sucking the dragon into it.

"And since the target was a dark monster, you lose 1000 life points."

The sphere unleashed a burst of energy, heading towards Yuya. Fortunately, Yuya managed to grab an action card just in time.

"I activate the Action Card Acceleration! This reduces the damage I would've taken to zero."

Grizzlepike growled before picking up an action card of his own.

"Well, I activate an Action Card as well: Haunted Missile, dealing you 1000 points of damage."

A missile struck at Yuya's feet, throwing him to the ground.

"Yuya: 1500

"I set two cards and end my turn. Your move, Grizzlepike."

"Gee, thanks, I never would've guessed. I draw! Excellent. I tribute Thestalos the Firestorm Monarch to Tribute summon his evolved form, Thestalos the Mega Monarch (2800/1000)!"

In a burst of flame, Thestalos began to change shape. He grew larger, spikes appearing on his armor and his flames began to grow larger and brighter.

"Thanks to his effect, I can look at your hand and make you discard 1 card. Now show me!"

Yuya reluctantly turned over his hand. Grizzlepike sneered.

"Such pathetic cards. I'll practically be doing them a favor by destroying them. I choose Performapal Whip Snake."

Yuya grunted as he sent it to the graveyard.

"And just like before, my Mega Monarch does you damage based on the monster's level, only this time its 200 per level, meaning you take 800 points of damage. Imperial Furry!"

Thestalos sent out a flurry of four fireballs, each hitting Yuya for 200 points each

Yuya: 700

"And here's the icing on the cake. Since I sacrificed a fire monster to summon Thestalos, you now take an additional 1000 points of damage.

"Oh no! If this attack hits, Yuya will lose!"

"This is the end, Yuya!"

As Thestalos began to charge up a massive fireball (A/N: Think of Goku's Spirit Bomb from the Dragon Ball franchise), Yuya searched for an action card.

"Now, Thestalos!"

Thestalos sent the giant fireball hurling at Yuya. With a massive explosion, Yuya was hit.

"Yuya!"

"Looks like I win. I knew his wing against The Sledgehammer was just a fluke."

"Don't count your chickens before they hatch, Sledgehammer."

"What?"

When the smoke cleared, Yuya stood, singed but triumphant. The area around the two, however, was scorched to a crisp.

"How did you survive? That attack should've wiped you out."

"I activated my face down known as Performapal Illusion. This card not only negates the damage I would've taken, but it also redirects it back at you.

"What?"

Another fireball appeared and hit Grizzlepike, knocking him back.

Grizzlepike: 3000

Grizzlepike stood up glaring.

"That's it, you're about to be in a world of pain. Thestalos, take out his bear!"

A wave of fire hit King Bear, destroying it.

Yuya: 100

"End this, Caius!"

"I activate my face down, Call of the Haunted! I use it to bring back Elephammer!"

Yuya's hammer wielding elephant reappeared.

"I call of the attack and end my turn. Your move."

"I draw! Well, it's been fun, but not its time I bring and end to the show."

"Giving up? You're smarter than you look."

"On the contrary, I'm about to win. I activate the spell card known as Pendulum Fusion! Now I can fusion summon a monster from my extra deck, using monster in my hand or on my field. But if I have 2 monsters in my pendulum zone, I can use them as well."

"What? Fusion summoning with monsters in the pendulum zone?"

"That's right, so I'll fuse Odd eyes Mirage Dragon with Performapal Elephammer to Fusion Summon!"

Wonderful Elephant who brings smiles to all,

Become one with the dragon with deceitful eyes to become

A force like no other!
"I Fusion Summon! Come forth, Beast Eyes Pendulum Dragon (3000/2000)!"

A dragon resembling Odd Eyes appeared, except this one was feral and much more menacing. Its armor was spikier, with fur sprouting from it.

"I'm not scared of that."

"You will be. I attack Caius the Shadow Monarch!"

Yuya's new fusion monster released a burst of fire from its mouth, destroying the King of Shadows

Grizzlepike: 2400

"I still have life points left."

"Not for long. When Beast Eyes destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to the original attack of the Beast that was used to fusion summon it."

"What?"

"Elephammer had 2600 attack, so you lose 2600 attack points. That's a wrap!"

Beast Eyes let out another burst, knocking Grizzlepike down.

Grizzlepike: 0000

Yuya wins!

As the field around the two vanished, the crowd went wild as Yuya waved to them.

"Yuya!"

Yuya turned to see Grizzlepike stomping towards him, fist raised.

"I won't accept this. I cannot lose to the son of a coward. I will-"

Before Grizzlepike could attack or finish his sentence, security carried him off. Yuya sweat dropped before making his way back to his friends.

"Way to go, Yuya!"

"You showed him."

"That duel gave me the shivers!"

"With that, both the Junior and Junior Youth Divisions are finished for the day. Tommorow's matchups will be posted on the website tonight. As for those competing tomorrow, insert your ID card into your duel disk to find out when, where, and who you are dueling."

Sora, Frederick, and Ally did as instructed.

"I'll be dueling first thing tomorrow."

"I'll be dueling right after that. Someone named Riley, no last name given."

"What about you, Sora?"

Sora turned to his friends.

"I'll be dueling Julia tomorrow. Looks like she'll get a rematch after all."

"You beat her once, and you can beat her again."

"Yeah, we believe in you, Sora!"

"Thanks guys!"