Author's Note: And now, ladies and gentlemen, the conclusion to the first season of Rising Star to Heaven. Let's see just how Mizuki's duel with Vlad turns out!
Chapter Twenty-Nine: VS Strongman; Burning Conclusion!
The Strongman's eyes widened as that energy lanced out from her three card lay-out and struck his key monster head on. Strongman gasped in pain as his body began to shrink, shriveling up until his muscles were gone and his body was wrinkled and old. "What have you done to Strongman?"
Mizuki smirked and opened her eyes, a ball of blue light floating away from Strongman and hovering above her duel disk. "In duel terms my Rune Lay-Out let me select one monster in play which has dealt me at least a thousand points of damage which has more than two thousand attack. I reduce its attack to zero and then gain those attack points as life points!"
She pushed the orb of light into her duel disk and instantly her life points shot up, even as Strongman's attack points fell to nothing. "Thanks for the life points Vlad; you've given me plenty to work with!" (MLP: 15900)
Vlad blinked in surprise, barely able to believe that his monster had been stripped of its brutal power. "How ridiculous! You attacked me to drain your life points all in order to reduce Strongman's attack points and make him stronger so that your life gain would be greater?"
"That's right, and that's the way to defeat the Strongman of Duelist Academy and his key monster! I figured it out thanks to a comment from another duelist, and by taking a page out of a friend of mine. The way to beat you is by making ridiculous plays that are self-risking but have an ultimate gain but make them seem foolish while preparing. The duel style of a prankster!" She flashed a grin up at the stands, specifically looking at Shiro.
Shiro grinned right back and gave her a thumbs up. Then he turned to look at Sanzo and stuck his tongue out. "See, I told you it was my style. I am a prankster after all."
Mizuki held up one finger, looking utterly confident. "By playing somewhat recklessly but still defending a player can push Strongman into a position of ludicrous strength which can be exploited. And since you can rarely have more than one Strongman in play all I have to do is prevent a direct attack and I remain safe. Strongman's weakness is that ridiculous power of his!"
She reached for her duel disk and flipped up her set monster. "And I'm going to continue to capitalize on that opening caused by using its strength as a weakness. Rune Ninja (1700/1200) appears and attacks!"
A man in a white ninja outfit appeared and then zipped across the field. He struck Strongman in the head with a roundhouse, tossing him backwards. But because of Invulnerable Physique he wasn't destroyed. (VLP: 2300)
Mizuki then snapped her fingers. "Rune Ninja can attack twice during each battle phase, so here he comes again!"
Rune Ninja didn't stop there; he planted his hands on the ground and then swung his other leg up, catching Strongman in the chin. The once mighty monster stumbled backwards again, but didn't fall. "He's not so tough anymore is he Vlad?" (VLP: 600)
Without skipping a beat she picked up her monster off of her duel disk and placed a new one down. "I tribute Rune Ninja to summon Rune Blader (2300/2300) in attack mode."
A more mature and hardened version of Rune Soldier appeared, this one holding one sword in each hand. "I place two cards face down and end my turn! You see Vlad; I told you I had figured you out. That power you've got is your weakness, and I'll exploit it until the end!"
Vlad placed two fingers on his top card, smiling despite the fact that he was losing by a fair margin. The entire audience watched with great anticipation, hoping to see some sort of incredible move by their mighty Strongman. "You've certainly improved Mizuki and I must say that I'm enjoying this duel fully. But if you believe I'll give up when a duel has gotten this exciting then you've got something else coming. I can feel your heart burning in this duel, so let me show you my burning strength!"
He snapped a card off his deck and his eyes narrowed. "From this turn onwards I stop holding back. Prepare yourself Mizuki!"
Mizuki gestured towards her body with her hand, beckoning him on. "That's exactly what I want Vlad. Bring it on and I'll throw that strength of yours back in your face!"
Vlad fanned out the three cards in his hand and watched as his Strongman's muscles rippled. "Ultimate Trainer once more grants Strongman three hundred attack points, though at this point that's hardly meaningful."
He snapped around the drawn card and the weak Strongman held up his fist which was engulfed in flame. "Although Strongman himself may not have much attack power at the moment he is far from defenseless. I play Strong-arm Strike!"
Strongman jumped into the air and then came crashing down, his fist striking Rune Blader in the jaw. The monster stumbled backwards and then exploded as if hit by a missile. "This magic card destroys a monster on your field and then inflicts you damage equal to its level times three hundred. You should know that, since I beat you with this card before." (MLP: 14100)
Mizuki shook off the damage and then pointed at her right face down card. "I'm not going down just because one monster fell. Rune Curse-Degradation now destroys the top six cards of your deck!"
Vlad picked up six cards and looked through them all. Then he pushed them into his graveyard. "Very well little one. Strongman, attack directly!"
She didn't even flinch when the severely weakened monster punched her lightly in the shoulders, his weak muscles barely holding up after that. "At this point three hundred damage is nothing to me." (MLP: 13800)
He shook his head and then held up another of his cards. "That was far from the only reason for that. You see, I wanted Rune Blader in the grave first before activating this card. Battle Training Ground!"
Mizuki's eyes widened as five straw dummies appeared on her field, their stats rising up to only minimal levels. "What is this?"
"Battle Training Ground fills your available monster zones with Training Dummy Tokens (600/600) whose level is equal to the highest level monster in your grave. They have one hundred attack and defense points per level. Also, they cannot be sacrificed." Mizuki frowned, realizing she now had a packed field full of nearly useless monsters. And it wouldn't be long before Strongman was more powerful than they were.
Finally Vlad took the last card in his hand and slipped it into his duel disk. "Turn End!"
She drew; feeling only mildly surprised at how much Vlad had managed to do with his turn. 'Despite my advantage of field, hand, and life points he turned the situation somewhat to his own advantage that quickly. He's really just as strong as ever, and that's just perfect!'
"I have one of my Training Dummy Tokens attack Strongman!" One of the Straw Dummies stretched its arm out and fired off a barrage of straw needles, which flew towards the weakened Strongman.
Vlad pointed to his first face down card and it flipped up. "Reverse card open, Strongman Body Curl! This switches Strongman to defense mode and increases his defense strength by the defense of the attacking monster!"
Strongman curled himself into a ball and the straw needles bounced off harmlessly as his defense rose to eighteen hundred. "Damn…" (MLP: 12600)
"That's not all! I activate my set trap card, Strong-arm Destruction Punch! When an attacking monster attacks a monster with superior defense it is destroyed as if in battle. Damage calculation still applies!" The dummy token shattered, spraying needles all over Mizuki.
"Strongman is considered to have defeated that monster in battle, so now he gains six hundred attack points thanks to the level of the defeated foe!" Strongman's attack also rose, this time to a fairly mediocre nine hundred attack points.
Mizuki paused to collect herself and then selected two cards from her hand. "I set one monster and one card face down. End turn."
Vlad top-decked, looking perfectly confident despite the fact that his Strongman was weak. "Ultimate Trainer boosts him up to twelve hundred attack points. And now he attacks a Training Dummy Token!"
She pressed a button on her antiquated duel disk and her newest set card flipped up. "Rune Symbol-Hagalaz has a reverse effect that destroys all magic and trap cards on the field! And when Invulnerable Physique goes to the cemetery so does Strongman!"
He frowned as Strongman and his two attached cards were pricked like bubbles, leaving him with nothing but his Ultimate Trainer in play. "You also lost a card."
"True, but that's not the issue here. Your problem is now that all you've got is your weak trainer, and then that's all." Vlad tapped a finger against his chin, then grinned and slid his newest card into his disk.
"Oh well, I switch Ultimate Trainer into defense mode and end." Mizuki frowned and drew, pumping her hand up to four cards. Something about Vlad's confidence didn't sit well with her.
Mizuki reached down for her set monster and flipped it over. "I flip summon Rune Researcher (400/400) whose flip effect lets me add two cards with 'rune' in their title back to my hand from the grave!"
She held up her two chosen cards and then plugged one of them into her duel disk. "Rune Symbol-Hagalaz's standard effect destroys one magic or trap card on the field, so I target that lone face down card on your field!"
Vlad quickly reacted, activating his set card. "Go, Mega Body Slam! By removing the Strongman in my cemetery from the game I can destroy all monsters on your field whose base attack is lower than the last known attack points of that Strongman!"
Mizuki flinched when a heavy blast of wind struck her five monsters, blowing them into tiny pieces. "That's just fine with me! Rune Lancer (1600/1200) in attack mode!"
Her new blonde monster wore the same robes as the other, but held a lance in his hands which had glowing runic symbols on it. "Rune Lancer attack and destroy Ultimate Trainer!"
With a simple stab of its lance the rune monster destroyed Ultimate Trainer, leaving Vlad's field completely and utterly barren. "I set up one card and end my turn!"
Vlad drew and Mizuki's eyes immediately widened as she realized her mistake. 'Oh no…I forgot!'
"Since I have no monsters on my field or in my hand I add Strongman from my deck to my hand. And now I normal summon him. Strongman (1900/1200) returns!" The original muscular form of Vlad's ultimate and virtually only monster jumped out onto the field, flexing like never before.
"Strongman attacks Rune Lancer!" She winced when he decked her lancer, destroying him. Though the damage was minimal, Strongman still gained attack points and was back again. (MLP: 12300)
"Open trap card, Rune Curse-Degradation! You just destroyed a four star monster so there go four more cards from your deck!" Vlad nodded and without complaint discarded an additional four cards off of his deck.
"Since I have just this one card in my hand I'll set it face down. End." The crowd whispered amongst itself, all of them impressed at seeing how Vlad had taken control of the duel back for himself despite Mizuki's original advantage.
'Stay calm Mizuki. He's got control right now but in his deck its almost impossible to direct attack. So it'll take him a while to drain my life points even if he retains Strongman. And he still has that weakness of his strength.' Taking a deep breath to reaffirm her determination she drew.
She looked over her four card hand, and made her decisions. 'Good, now I've got a monster besides Fencer, and I need that ability to attack. His face down card is worrying me though.'
Finally she was ready with her plan and slapped down her chosen monster. "Rune Fencer (1700/1500) is a monster you should definitely recognize Vlad!"
"Indeed I do recognize your fencer; it caused me quite a bit of trouble during our first duel with its unique ability." The white clothed fencer swished his rapier, preparing to attack. He pulled his mask down as a sign of readiness.
"Good, because here he comes! Fencer, attack!" The fencer poked his sword into Strongman's chest, doing absolutely no damage.
"When Fencer attacks a monster that monster loses five hundred points from its active stat. So now Strongman falls to eighteen hundred attack points!" Strongman shuddered as his attack points fell. Although it wasn't to a terribly small amount it wasn't as great as it might have been.
With one last glance down at her hand Mizuki took a deep breath and set one of those cards onto the field. "I end my turn there."
Again Vlad top-decked, but he seemed confident now that he had control. "Strongman, attack and destroy Rune Fencer!"
Mizuki's hand hovered right next to her waiting set card, but she did nothing as Strongman's fist crashed through her Rune Fencer's head, finishing him off. "When Rune Fencer is destroyed in battle I take no life point damage."
"Yes, I remember quite well little one. However, in chain to your monster's destruction I play Strongman Shadow Strike, which activates after Strongman defeats a monster in battle." Strongman made some swift jabs at the air, and almost as if he were standing right in front of Mizuki she took a hit to the chest and toppled over. (MLP: 11300)
She rubbed her jaw as she stood back up, looking irritated at having taken that punch. "So when Strongman destroys a monster in battle Strongman Shadow Strike deals the opponent a thousand points of damage?"
"You guess correctly, and now he gains four hundred attack points, nearly undoing the damage your Fencer had done." Strongman rubbed his right bicep, grinning as it pumped up in size, raising his attack points to twenty-two hundred.
Suddenly Mizuki pressed the button on her disk to activate her set card. "You may have killed my fencer but you fell for the trap. Rune Curse-Weakening now drains your monster of the attack points of Rune Fencer!"
Strongman's muscles shrunk just as they had when she used her Rune Lay-Out on him. Only instead of falling to zero attack points he only fell to five hundred. "Ah, I see. You wanted me to think you were just trying for Fencer's effect to reduce my Strongman's attack. Clever of you little one."
"Clever is my middle name Vlad and I'll be using every bit of cleverness I have to win this duel!" She winked at Vlad, looking just as confident as she had earlier in the duel. Yet Vlad could see the difference.
"Yes…but I can see it now in your eyes and from your heart. Now is a time of cleverness where your wits and instincts are applied to this duel, rather than pre-planning. Your strategy is evolving just as you have evolved this past year. A duel with just superficial cleverness is something nobody wants to see, me least of all!" Mizuki's grin dropped and her eyes glazed over.
She stared at the two cards in her hand and frowned, deep in thought. 'Vlad…he's right. Just as before he's got a lesson to teach me.'
Standing at the front of audience and leaning against the railing as he always did was Harrison, and he was watching the duel intently. "Mizuki, if you're going to win this duel then you're going to have play by your own style. Dueling in the way you think is best to defeat Vlad through pre-planning is as much cowardice as what Tobias did. That's not how you duel, is it?"
Mizuki's eyes drifted closed as she pictured her toughest duels this year. Facing Vlad, facing Ensui, against Harrison, and against Tobias. In each duel she had fought with everything she had, going into the duel without knowledge ahead of time about her opponent's style and she had figured out how to fight them on her own skills and knowledge. 'My strategy is clever and the way to beat Strongman, but I've already used that trick. In other words, it has to evolve through my own skill and not just be determined by others.'
'Win, win, win. I've been thinking of winning this whole time as if it were the most important thing in the world. I was going to prove to Vlad that I had grown strong enough to beat him, but that's not the point of this duel is it? Victory or defeat isn't the way that Vlad duels, and this duel is for him, not for me!' Her breathing slowed as she calmed herself down, and the audience began to whisper amongst themselves, now thoroughly confused.
'Victory or defeat is just the outcomes of a duel, and not what the duel is about! The duel is about the duel, it's about two people's hearts clashing together as strongly as they can, opposing each other with all their might!' Vlad smiled warmly as she snapped her cards together and began to thread them through her hands as her eyes slowly opened.
At the same time Harrison, Vlad, Shiro, and Sanzo all smiled when they saw her eyes. At the same time they thought the same thing. 'Her eyes are just as they normally are. She's back to herself and prepared to duel like she wants to.'
"Vlad, all that superficial cleverness is gone! I'm going to duel you by combining my talents of analysis and my own gut instinct, just like you wanted. And then I'm going to give you everything I have in this duel, to make it worthy of your graduation!" She fanned her cards out in one slick motion and drew with her other hand, beginning her turn.
She took a different card from her hand and slapped it down onto the duel disk. "Whether my life points hit zero first or yours do that's not what's important. What does matter is that we both put our all into this duel and show our strength to each other! Let everyone here see that we're duelists first and foremost!"
Her field shimmered and a familiar blonde in white robes appeared, runic symbols flowing across gauntlets on his fists. "Rune Fighter (1650/1200) is my choice to strike! Attack and defeat Strongman!"
Vlad laughed and put his left hand out over his set card. "Your determination is wonderful little one, and I'll answer it with the beating of my own duelist's heart and the determination to not back down! Strongman Uppercut increases Strongman's attack by eight hundred for the turn!"
Mizuki grinned and leaned in, excited as her Rune Fighter decked Strongman. "Good to see that you don't go down from just one hit, but the duel's getting closer to the end and I've got way more life points than you!" (VLP: 250)
"Ho-ho, that's exactly what makes this duel so very interesting little one! If we both must struggle, you to oppose my strength and me to overcome your life points then we have a goal in it. And that makes the duel exciting and pushes us both!" Seeing his huge grin Mizuki's grin grew wider as she enjoyed the feeling of a fun and challenging duel.
"Vlad, you're an amazing opponent. You don't play like your perfect, but you're the most amazingly strong duelist I've ever faced. It's like no matter how strong your opposition is all you have to do is strive harder and you'll defeat them. That's why you're an inspiration to every duelist in this school, and that's why I'm going to give you my all in this duel!" She slammed one of her cards into her duel disk and then gave Vlad a two-fingered salute, motioning to him that her turn was over.
He drew and his deck whirred as it spat a card out to him. "Using his effect I add Strongman to my hand and then summon him. Meet the third and final Strongman (1900/1200)!"
Mizuki watched as the wrestler took to the field, prepared to attack her with his full strength. 'This is it; if I can defeat the final Strongman then I've won the duel. This is my last hurdle in this duel. One last foe to defeat!'
"Strongman go and defeat her Fighter!" Mizuki didn't flinch when her Rune Fighter took a flying elbow to the chest and literally exploded. She did raise an eyebrow in surprise at the sight of the explosion, but blamed it on odd Solid Vision programming.
"When Fighter is destroyed all life point damage to me for the turn is reduced to zero." Vlad nodded, already aware of her monster's effect. He wasn't worried about that, since Strongman had still won and gained four hundred attack points.
"I set one card face down and end."
Mizuki reached for her deck and drew, then smirked. "I activate Rune Symbol-Nauthiz which adds a monster from my cemetery to my hand. And I'll use it to summon Rune Mystic (1500/1300)!"
Her runic priest was summoned to the field and immediately began chanting, rune symbols floating in the air around him. "Rune Mystic, attack Strongman!"
To the crowd's surprise her Mystic plowed into Strongman and was immediately smacked down to the ground. It let out a cry of surprise and then shattered into a million pieces. "You really are determined aren't you little one, costing yourself life points to defeat Strongman." (MLP: 10500)
"You bet I'm determined! When Rune Mystic is destroyed I can either draw two cards or destroy one card on your field. I choose to destroy Strongman, eliminating the final one once and for all!" Strongman grunted and then burst like a bubble, leaving only Vlad's face down card left on his field.
In fact, now all both of them had on the field was a face down card. "With the last Strongman gone, the final challenge of this duel has been met. My turn is over, and so is this duel!"
Everyone in the audience was silent, unable to believe that all three of Vlad's Strongmen had been defeated. Yet the Strongman of Duelist Academy was still smiling. "You're a powerful girl Mizuki, and I love facing you like this. That's why I'll meet you with a last burst of my strength just to see what I'm capable of!"
He drew and Mizuki felt his strength through his eyes and through the force of his draw. 'Little one…I apologize for what is going to happen to you now that your strength has been seen. But this duel must now end!'
With one flick of his thick wrist he brought up the card he had drawn, letting the entire audience see it. "Coins From Heaven activates, letting each player draw until they hold six cards!"
They drew at the same time, Mizuki taking four and Vlad taking six. Vlad looked down at his cards and then up at her, his eyes burning with something that Mizuki couldn't pinpoint. 'I can feel his strength, but I can't tell what he's thinking.'
"Mizuki, this is the end! I have had a wonderful duel, but this turn marks the last. To begin with I play Strongman's Farewell Dive Bomb, which activates when I have no Strongman on my hand, in my deck, or on my field. All cards on your field are destroyed!" Mizuki threw up a hand in self-defense as her face down card was blown apart.
"During this turn no cards may be activated from hand or from deck in chain to the attack of a Strongman! And now, I activate Strongman's Ultimate Comeback, which activates only when I have at least one Strongman in my cemetery or out of play pile!" His field started to glow, one spot after another until there was a trio of spaces on his field glowing fiercely.
"In order to activate this card I must pay an entrance fee of half of my life points, but once that is fulfilled I may special summon all Strongmen from my cemetery or out of play pile to the field!" Mizuki's eyes widened when the glows faded and formed into three identical Strongmen, each with their original attack points. (VLP: 125)
With a look of pure determination in his eyes he held up a magic card from his hand picturing Strongman's fists in a flurry, his body burning with energy as he pounded a Master of Oz into the ground. "Strongman's Ultimate 128-Hit Combo is my final card!"
All at once the three Strongmen slammed their fists together and cracked their knuckles, preparing to make their attacks. Vlad raised his right arm and aimed it, palm open, at Mizuki. "All Strongmen in play have their attack strengths quintupled for the turn!"
Strongman (9500/1200 X 3)
Mizuki smiled slowly at the sight of the enormously powerful trio of monsters staring at her. Vlad didn't look quite as happy. "During my end phase, if my opponent's life points are not zero, I lose the duel. Thank you Mizuki for such a wonderful duel where both duelist's hearts beat contently in the struggle against each other."
"It was fun for me as well Vlad, I'm glad I got this one last chance to duel you before you left to make your way in the dueling world. Now come on Strongman, end it with a bang!" Vlad's smile returned and he squeezed his outstretched hand tight.
"Strongman one and two, attack her directly, but don't hurt her." Mizuki closed her eyes as the two Strongmen blurred into motion, appearing in front of her with a flurry of fists far too fast for the human eye to follow. Then at the same time they performed a back-flip away from her, letting her drift to her knees in exhaustion. (MLP: 0)
The holograms faded and the entire audience burst into applause, standing on their feet and clapping furiously. Vlad walked over to Mizuki and reached out with one hand, pulling her to her feet. "Mizuki, you've proven to me that you have enormous potential to be strong, stronger than any duelist I've ever faced. But though that's a blessing, it is also a curse."
Mizuki frowned up at him, not quite following. Vlad stared over her head at a student wearing an Obelisk Blue uniform and standing right by the hallway, his jade eyes staring at Mizuki's back. Then the Obelisk Blue turned and walked away. 'So the point has been proven has it?'
With complete seriousness Vlad clapped a hand onto Mizuki's right shoulder and looked down at her. "Beware the beautiful saint, for beauty will lead you astray."
"I don't understand." Vlad smiled at last and suddenly picked her up and set her onto his shoulders, so that both could raise their hands into the air to accept the cheers of the crowd.
"You will. Now, enjoy the praise. You've earned their respect, every last one's respect."
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The year had at last come to an end and Mizuki found herself on the boat headed home. Her friends had all taken separate boats, but even though she wouldn't see them for three months she wasn't upset. She would just look forward to seeing them again when the new school year started.
Duelist Academy looked beautiful in the setting sun as they departed, and she gazed out at it feeling at peace. It had been an interesting and exciting year with many challenges and many trials and tribulations. But she had enjoyed it all and was glad she had chosen to come.
"Did you hear? The Saint Corporation just cut a deal with Duelist Academy. Apparently the head of the company has a thing for sponsoring duelists and wants to use Duelist Academy privately to pick out the cream of the crop. Which means he'll be coming to the school for the whole next year to scout duelists for the Pro League!" Mizuki instantly registered the conversation when she heard the word 'saint' and leaned in, listening to two students she didn't recognize talking just a handful of feet away.
The other student looked excited by the news, and also nervous. "That's great, now even I've got a chance at getting sponsored. You know that he's the sponsor for seven high-ranked duelists in the Pro League? They say that if Saint Beatrix sponsors you then you're guaranteed success!"
"Beware the beautiful saint, for beauty will lead you astray."
"Is that what he meant? I wonder...who is Saint Beatrix?"
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Author's Note: The first year has come to an end, marking the conclusion to season one of Rising Star to Heaven. But fear not, for the story still has two more seasons to go, two more years at Duelist Academy. Get ready, because next season we'll see new characters and new decks, along with more plot and a villain unlike any you've ever seen!
Next Time: The second year begins with a heated clash as Mizuki learns something amazing, and Shiro discovers that his new roommate might just be more dangerous than his old one. Yet Mizuki's new roommate has yet to appear, and Aya seems nervous. What new and exciting developments can come with this new year?
See it all in, Explosive New Beginnings!
