Cardfight! Vanguard! Goals!
Chapter 25 – Same Goal, Different Paths
Eve and Caroline are sitting down at the Cardfight Shop exchanging cards with each other. Eve begins talking in a worried voice "You know you shouldn't be throwing away the cards that you think are useless and nobody wants, especially like the Grade 2s with 8000 Power. You might not want them, but I think they'd be helpful for me."
"Huh?" Caroline looks at Eve.
"You're following our teacher's ideas way too blindly, you don't even choose which teachings would be useful and which ones aren't useful. Don't just do whatever he tells you to." Eve continues to talk about her worry for Caroline's blind devotion.
"If I don't follow the teacher, whose teachings do I follow? I need this to get stronger… I want to go back and fight them. Show them how much I've improved." Caroline looks down at her deck with half of her face covered by her hair only leaving her mouth frowning.
"Look, please just make your own decisions and improve on your own will. Don't let someone else tell you to do something just because you think you can get stronger with their methods."
Caroline stands up with her head still down and then a sudden change goes over her personality "I can't rely on myself… I'm too weak to do it."
"If you're weak, then what am I?" Eve stands up angered that her friend won't listen to her continuous worries. "John even said that you had skills in using your cards! He said that next turn you would've defeated me with your attacks. So does that mean I'm not just weak? But also horrible!"
"No… just… I CAN'T DO IT! I need someone to help me… I need to get there faster." Caroline sits back down crying.
"This game isn't about being the same as someone else. You don't just take another person's values as your own. Everyone has their own styles and their own ideas on how their strategy works. Mr. Calvin may have his, but that doesn't mean he should be forcing it on you!" Eve moves over to Caroline touching her shoulder. "You need to get stronger by yourself. Relying on others won't help you."
"I can get stronger how I want can't I?" Caroline stands up throwing Eve's arm off her shoulder.
"Yes, but it's just not right to be fol-" Eve gets cut off.
"Then leave me alone…" Caroline leaves "Try and prove that it's better to follow my own path and not the path of the teacher. The teacher is wiser and he knows how to cardfight. Is there any proof that I shouldn't be taking the route that works?"
"He made everyone in the class throw away so many cards‼‼‼ Their stand triggers, grade 2s with 8000 Power or less and then almost made you throw away your break ride when he found out there was another break ride that he thought was better!" Eve begins yelling "He made you throw away nearly half your deck! It was only Brayden that managed to save all the Empty Heart cards from being thrown away!" Eve stares at the trash can where cards from many different clans were thrown away from Great Nature to Narukami all with either Grade 2 and 8000 Power or a Stand Trigger icon at the top right. If not they were from Megacolony, Great Nature, Neo Nectar, Granblue, Spike Brothers and Murakumo.
"Then prove it" Caroline holds her deck on her shoulder. "Fight me. Can you really get stronger by relying on yourself?"
"Then let's go!" Eve grabs her deck out of her pocket "I'll show you how much stronger you can get by relying on yourself!"
When they arrive at a Cardfight Table and apply their student cards, as well as their deck to the table. "Stand Up, Vanguard. Lost Half Angel! [Grade 0, 4000 Power, 10000 Shield]"
"Save them from drowning in despair! Ocean Boy, Noelani! [Grade 0, 4000 Power, 10000 Shield]" Eve calls upon her starting vanguard. "You can go first."
"I draw, I ride Voided Dragon [Grade 1, 8000 Power, 5000 Shield] and call Lost Half Angel to the back row."
Caroline's Field:
Hand: 5
Front Row: None/Voided Dragon/None
Back Row: None/Lost Half Angel/None
Damage: None
"I draw, ride! Ocean Boy, Rin [Grade 1, 8000 Power, 5000 Shield] I call Noelani to the rear-guard with his skill and call another Ocean Boy, Rin! [Grade 1, 8000 Power, 5000 Shield]. My rear-guard Rin attacks your vanguard. [Ocean Boy, Rin (8000 Power) → Voided Dragon (8000 Power)]"
Damage Check: Dark Sniper [Critical Trigger] "All effects go to my vanguard."
"My vanguard attacks your vanguard." [Ocean Boy, Rin (8000 Power) → Voided Dragon (8000 + 5000 = 13000 Power)]
"No guard. You'll need one trigger to pass."
Drive Check: Sea Girl, Marina [Draw Trigger] "I draw a card, the power goes to my vanguard."
Damage Check: Witch of Emptiness [No Trigger]
Eve's Field:
Hand: 6
Front Row: None/Ocean Boy, Rin/Ocean Boy, Rin
Back Row: None/Ocean Boy, Noelani/None
Damage: None
"I draw, ride Darkness Paladin [Grade 2, 9000 Power, 5000 Shield] and call Reawakened Knight. [Grade 2, 9000 Power, 5000 Shield]. Darkness Paladin attacks your vanguard boosted by Lost Half Angel."
"No guard…" [Darkness Paladin (9000 Power) + Lost Half Angel (4000 Power) = 13000 Power → Ocean Boy, Rin (8000 Power)]
Drive Check: Immobilizing Succubus [No Trigger]
Damage Check: Ocean Striker [Critical Trigger] "All effects go to my vanguard." Eve looks at her hand "That's good, I don't have to guard the next attack…"
"I activate the skill of Darkness Paladin! When he hits a vanguard, I can counterblast 1 to search my deck for one «Empty Heart» and then call it to the rear-guard." Caroline deadpans.
"Then the unit called loses 10000 Power. Meaning it will have either 1000 Power or less, not enough to attack or boost." Eve continues the skill "So what are you going to do? It's still not enough to make Reawakened Knight hit my vanguard."
"I superior call Witch of Emptiness. [Grade 1, 7000 Power, 5000 Shield] Her skill, she loses 5000 Power and I can give another Empty Heart unit 6000 Power."
"WHAT?!" Eve looks at Caroline's interesting and smart move "There's definitely no way that she could've been taught that by Mr. Calvin, she must've learnt it herself. Why can't she see that she can improve herself by herself?"
"Reawakened Knight attacks your vanguard." [Reawawkened Knight (9000 + 6000 = 15000 Power) → Ocean Boy, Rin (8000 + 5000 = 13000 Power)]
"I guard that with Sea Girl, Marina. I won't let you unflip your damage zone!" [+5000 Shield = 18000 Power]
Caroline's Field:
Hand: 5
Front Row: None/Darkness Paladin/Reawakened Knight
Back Row: None/Lost Half Angel/Witch of Emptiness
Damage: Dark Sniper (D), Witch of Emptiness (U)
"I stand and draw, and ride! Water-Storm Knight! [Grade 2, 10000 Power, 5000 Shield] I call The Ocean Tamer [Grade 2, 8000 Power, 5000 Shield] and Rin and Ocean Tamer exchange positions. Water-Storm Knight attacks your vanguard."
"No guard." [Water-Storm Knight (10000 Power) + Ocean Boy, Noelani (4000 Power) = 14000 Power → Darkness Paladin (9000 Power)]
"Drive Check, Ocean Boy, Rin [No Trigger]."
Damage Check: Void Sorcerer [Draw Trigger] "Power goes to my vanguard and I draw a card."
"Ocean Tamer attacks our rear-guard Reawakened Knight with a boost from Rin!" [The Ocean Tamer (8000 Power) + Ocean Boy, Rin (8000 Power) = 16000 Power → Reawakened Knight (9000 Power)]
"No guard… Reawakened Knight retires."
Eve's Field:
Hand: 5
Front Row: None/Water-Storm Knight/The Ocean Tamer
Back Row: None/Ocean Boy, Noelani/Ocean Boy, Rin
Damage: Ocean Striker (U)
"I stand and draw, ride. Reawakened Dragon [Grade 3, 11000 Power]. I move Witch of Emptiness to the front row. Reawakened Dragon attacks your vanguard boosted by Lost Half Angel, when Reawakened Dragon attacks a vanguard he gets 2000 Power." Caroline again shows no emotion when choosing her move.
"I don't guard." [Reawakened Dragon (11000 + 2000 Power) + Lost Half Angel (4000 Power) = 17000 Power → Water-Storm Knight (10000 Power)]
Drive Check: Darkness Paladin [No Trigger], Black Fairy [Heal Trigger] "Power goes to my rear-guard Witch and I heal a card from my damage zone."
Damage Check: Water-Storm Knight [No Trigger]
"Lost Half Angel's skill, I draw card. Witch attacks your vanguard."
"I guard that with Ocean Boy, Rin [Witch of Emptiness (7000 + 5000 = 12000 Power) → Water-Storm Knight (10000 Power) + Ocean Boy, Rin (5000 Shield) = 15000 Power]
Caroline's Field:
Hand: 9
Front Row: None/Reawakened Dragon/Witch of Emptiness
Back Row: None/None/None
Damage: Witch of Emptiness (U), Void's Sorcerer (U)
"I stand and… draw, PERFECT! I ride! Hydrous Mermaid, Fairy! [Grade 3, 11000 Power] I attack your vanguard with a boost from Ocean Boy, Noelani. When Fairy attacks a vanguard she gets 2000 Power." [Hydrous Mermaid, Fairy (11000 + 2000 Power) + Ocean Boy, Noelani (4000 Power) = 17000 Power → Reawakened Dragon (11000 Power)]
"No guard."
"Twin Drive. First check, Ocean Dragoman [Critical Trigger] Power goes to my rear-guard Ocean Tamer and the critical goes to my vanguard. Second check, Guardian Wolf [No Trigger]."
Damage Check: Lack of Will, Almana [No Trigger], Knight of Void [Critical Trigger]
"I activate the skill of Noelani and send him to the soul. I draw a card." A sweat drops from Eve's face "Even though I've improved my deck, and Caroline is using cards that don't fit her style, she is still extremely strong. If only she knew what she had to do by herself not with another's…"
"Are you going to continue? I'm waiting…" Caroline continues to deadpan
"She's not normally like this… I wonder what's wrong?" Eve continues "I attack your vanguard with The Ocean Tamer boosted by Ocean Boy, Rin. The Ocean Tamer gets 3000 Power when I have an Ocean Route with Limit Break" [The Ocean Tamer (8000 + 5000 + 3000 Power) + Ocean Boy, Rin (8000 Power) = 24000 Power → Reawakened Dragon (11000 + 5000 = 16000 Power)]
"I guard that with Black Fairy." [+10000 Shield = 26000 Power]
"I end my turn…"
Eve's Field:
Hand: 7
Front Row: None/Hydrous Mermaid, Fairy/The Ocean Tamer
Back Row: None/Ocean Boy, Noelani/Ocean Boy, Rin
Damage: Ocean Striker (U), Water-Storm Knight (U)
"I stand and draw. The great power of this clan flows throughout you, and you will destroy our enemies with ease." Caroline looks at her hand and grabs the card she is about to ride.
Eve quickly recalls Caroline's fight with Mr. Calvin "That's right! Her Void's Angel, Perdita this powerful skill gives her a great power boost. I better get ready!"
"BREAK RIDE! Black Pride, Ashmit. [Grade 3, 10000 Power]" Caroline calls out.
"Oh yeah… that's right… you threw away Perdita… He was annoyed at it… for giving you a comeback." Eve laments on the scene at school the day after Caroline had fought Mr. Calvin.
"Hey, Caroline! You should get rid of that Void's Angel, Perdita. I was surfing online and found out that many people called the types of cards that are like Perdita weak." Mr. Calvin smiles.
"Really?" Caroline looks shocked at him "She got me out of many tough situations. However, I guess if you say so… you're the teacher." Caroline looks at the card in her hand and then begins walking to the bin.
Eve is there in the corner listening to the conversation and crying that Caroline is listening to such a despicable teacher. Brayden appears grabbing Caroline's arm "If you want to get rid of it, I'll take it. I'll take it instead of you throwing it in the bin."
"But… the teacher said no one would want it?" Caroline looks up at Brayden.
While the many girls behind Brayden are freaking out, Brayden begins tightening his grip on Caroline's arm. "If you don't want it, give it to me. I'll take it."
Caroline's arm begins hurting "Ok… ok… you can have it. Just stop squeezing my arm." Caroline hands the card over to Brayden who then begins walking away. The girls behind Brayden calm down. Eve still sitting at her desk sighs.
"The skill of the break ride, I choose one of my «Empty Heart» rear-guards and it loses 4000 Power. I'll have my only rear-guard Witch of Emptiness lose 4000 Power. My vanguard then gets 10000 Power and a new skill. I call Black Mane Stallion [Grade 1, 6000 Power, 5000 Shield], I call Darkness Paladin and Demon Angel, Void [Grade 1, 6000 Power, 5000 Shield]. Darkness Paladin and Witch of Emptiness swap places. Demon Angel, Void gets 3000 Power. Black Pride, Ashmit attacks your vanguard boosted by Black Mane Stallion. Limit Break." Caroline rests the two units with her face suddenly enraged. "My vanguard gets +5000 Power."
"No guard…" Eve places her hands down on the table facing the ground. [Black Pride, Ashmit (10000 + 10000 + 4000 + 5000 Power) + Black Mane Stallion (6000 Power) = 35000 Power → Hydrous Mermaid, Fairy (11000 Power)]
"Twin Drive, Reawakened Knight [No Trigger], Dark Sniper [Critical Trigger], I give all the effects of the Critical Trigger to my vanguard."
Damage Check: Sea Girl, Misty [Heal Trigger – No HEAL] "I give the power to my vanguard… Second Check, Cold Boy, Yuki [No Trigger]."
"I activate the skill of the break ride. When my vanguard hit the opponent's vanguard, I can choose two cards from my hand and discard them! I discard two Void Sorcerers! My vanguard now gets to [Stand] up again! My vanguard attacks your vanguard! My vanguard uses its Limit Break again!" [Black Pride, Ashmit (10000 + 10000 + 5000 + 5000 = 30000 Power) → Hydrous Mermaid, Fairy (11000 + 5000 = 16000 Power)]
"I guard that with Ocean Dragoman and another Ocean Dragoman!" [+Ocean Dragoman (10000 Shield) + Ocean Dragoman (10000 Shield) = +20000 Shield = 36000 Power]
"Twin Drive check, Demon Angel, Void [No Trigger], Witch of Emptiness [No Trigger]. I attack your rear-guard Ocean Tamer with Demon Angel, Void."
"She retires…" Eve sighs a breath of relief knowing Caroline can't attack with her last lane.
"I end my turn."
Caroline's Field:
Hand: 7
Front Row: Demon Angel, Void/Black Pride, Ashmit/Darkness Paladin
Back Row: None/Black Mane Stallion/Witch of Emptiness
Damage: Witch of Emptiness (U), Void's Sorcerer (U), Lack of Will, Almana (U), Knight of Void (U)
"I stand and draw, show them the path to redemption! Demonstrate your great strength! BREAK RIDE! My vanguard gets +10000 Power and then I choose two cards from my hand and then show them to you. Water Girl, Nerine and Underwater Horse! My vanguard gets those abilities now! I call Water Girl, Nerine [Grade 2, 9000 Power, 5000 Shield], Guardian Wolf [Grade 1, 6000 Power, 5000 Shield], Controller of Tides and another Guardian Wolf! I activate my vanguard's LIMIT BREAK! I target a skill in my drop zone and my vanguard and my vanguard gets that unit's abilities. The Ocean Tamer! Lend your strength to my vanguard!" Eve takes The Ocean Tamer from her drop zone and shows it to Caroline. Eve's damage zone has Cold Boy, Yuki flipped instead of the first card in her damage zone.
"The move she used against Brayden, she would've won if Brayden didn't have 3 damage. So what can I do?" Caroline looks at her hand and sees Immobilizing Succubus from her first drive check.
"Alright, let's begin!" Eve readies herself for the attack. "Water Girl, Nerine attacks your vanguard!"
"I guard that with Knight of Void." [Water Girl, Nerine (9000 Power) + Ocean Boy, Rin (8000 Power) = 17000 Power → Black Pride, Ashmit (10000 Power) + Knight of Void (10000 Shield) = 20000 Power]
"My vanguard attacks your vanguard boosted by Guardian Wolf! Soul Blast! Fairy moves to the drop zone. Next up is the LIMIT BREAK of Underwater Horse gained during the Break Ride. My vanguard gets 5000 Power! Then if I have an Ocean Route vanguard or rear-guard with Limit Break 4 I get 3000 Power, since my vanguard herself has limit break. She gets 3000 Power!"
"I guard that with Immobilizing Succubus! I discard Witch of Emptiness from my hand." [Controller of Tides (11000 + 10000 + 5000 + 5000 + 3000 Power) + Guardian Wolf (6000 Power) = 40000 Power → Black Pride, Ashmit (10000 Power) + Immobilizing Succubus (Cannot be Hit) = Cannot be hit]
"Damn it, I forgot she had a Perfect Guard." Eve flips the top card of her deck "Twin Drive. First Check, Sea Girl, Marina [Draw Trigger] Draw Trigger! I give all the effects to my rear-guard Controller of Tides and draw a card. Second Check, The Ocean Tamer [No Trigger]. I'll have Controller of Tides attack your vanguard boosted by Guardian Wolf!" [Controller of Tides (11000 + 5000 + 5000 Power) + Guardian Wolf (6000 Power) = 27000 Power → Black Pride, Ashmit (10000 Power)]
Damage Check: Black Mane Stallion [No Trigger]
Eve's Field:
Hand: 4
Front Row: Controller of Tides/Controller of Tides/Water-Girl, Nerine
Back Row: Controller of Tides/Guardian Wolf/Ocean Boy, Rin
Damage: Ocean Striker (U), Water-Storm Knight (U), Sea Girl, Misty (U), Cold Boy, Yuki (D)
"I stand and draw, I move Demon Angel, Void to the back row and call Reawakened Knight." Caroline readies her onslaught of attacks "You'll lose here and now! My vanguard attacks your vanguard boosted by Black Mane Stallion!" [Black Pride, Ashmit (10000 + 5000 Power) + Black Mane Stallion (6000 Power) = 21000 Power → Controller of Tides (11000 Power)]
"No guard…" Eve looks at her hand and field.
"Twin Drive, Demon Angel, Void [No Trigger], Knight of Void [Critical Trigger]. Power goes to Darkness Paladin and the critical goes to my vanguard."
Damage Check: Sea Girl, Eisa [No Trigger], Controller of Tides [No Trigger]
Caroline's Field:
Hand: 7
Front Row: Demon Angel, Void/Black Pride, Ashmit/Darkness Paladin
Back Row: None/Black Mane Stallion/Witch of Emptiness
Damage: Witch of Emptiness (U), Void's Sorcerer (U), Lack of Will, Almana (U), Knight of Void (U)
Eve sighs and then looks to Caroline who is walking away. "Wait! Caroline!"
"Hope you know now… that you're wrong. Don't interfere with my affairs ever again." Caroline walks away again with her hair covering most of her face; a tear is seen dropping down her cheek. "Goodbye… I need to get stronger this way. If you don't let me and pull me down… I guess you're not my friend." The last part of the thought slips out and Eve hears it.
"Very well…" Eve picks up her cards and walks the other way. "I'll just have to get stronger to show you which way you should be going. From now on… we're enemies fighting to prove to the other which path is the right path… We'll meet again in combat." After packing up her cards she walks to a trading table and places both her hands on the table and then her face falls on the table and she begins crying.
Featured Character:
Name: Eve Targett
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Clan: Ocean Route
Avatar: Controller of Tides
Deck – [Control the Tides]:
Grade 0 (17):
Ocean Boy, Noelani x1 (Starting Vanguard)
Ocean Dragoman x4 (Crit)
Ocean Striker x4 (Crit)
Sea Girl, Marina x4 (Draw)
Sea Girl, Misty x4 (Heal)
Grade 1 (14):
Guardian Wolf x3
Hydrous Supporter x1
Ocean Chimera x2 (Perfect Guard)
Ocean Boy, Rin x4
Sea Girl, Maya x2
Sea Girl, Eisa x2
Grade 2 (11):
Water-Storm Knight x4
Water Girl, Nerine x2
The Ocean Tamer x3
Cold Boy, Yuki x2
Grade 3 (8):
Hydrous Mermaid, Fairy x1
Undine of Magic x1
Controller of Tides x3
Underwater Horse x3
Featured Card:
Name: Controller of Tides
Grade: 3 (Twin Drive)
(Ocean Route/Aquaroid)
Flavour: She is powerful but way too proud.
Abilities: [ACT](VC) Limit Break 4 (This ability is active if you have four or more damage):[Counter Blast (1)] Choose one of the abilities from the «Ocean Route» in your drop zone and this unit gets that ability, until end of turn.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)
Redemption and Oceans – BT00/016 RR
Card Lores:
A sorcerer of the Ocean Route clan, she is a proud water user. However, she is very proud and as such dislikes others commanding her from above. This caused her to rebel against the Prince's forces during the Liberation War, limiting their forces. As such the Ocean Route lacked participation during the Liberation War.
Cardfight Tips:
Thinking ahead of your opponent is very useful, think of ways to counter your opponent and their strategy, think about the different paths possible for the opponent to take and ways to counter it. Due to this, thinking ahead too much will take a lot of time, so take the time your opponent gives you (specifically during their stand, draw, ride and main phases [Note: If you don't trust your opponent to follow the rules, the main phase is out of the question]) to think up a strategy for your next turn.
In general, just become Misaki consider the probabilities of what might happen, but don't let the small chances of something bad happening for your opponent fool you. Always prepare for the worst and always prepare to take chances. Thinking of a strategy that not only helps you in multiple situations is the way to go due to the unpredictability of this game.
Eve had luckily enough damage to save her from the Break Ride Critical; this was her from guarding early. So even if she didn't get the perfect guard she could block the attack at some point.