Cardfight! Vanguard! Goals!

Chapter 53 – Return to Cardfight Nation Part 1

Caroline walks into Cardfight Nation, Moriko welcomes Caroline back. Caroline simply ignores her and walks away, Moriko is surprised by Caroline's reaction but remains sitting there at the counter.

Leah and Sachiko welcome Caroline back from Cardfight Highschool walking up to her. Caroline continues walking "Unless you want to fight me. Leave me alone." Caroline continues walking. The both of them look at Caroline confused. Jadyn just sits there, wondering what's going on.

William is stands up at a cardfight table after having fought another player. "Hey, Caroline!"

"Did you want to fight? If not, just leave me alone. I don't need any of you." Caroline looks away from William. She then looks at the cardfight tables where all of them are full, except for the one that William was just sitting at.

"Sure, I'll fight you. If that's what you want?" William sits back down.

Caroline sits down and takes out her deck placing her starting vanguard on the vanguard circle. William places his starting vanguard on the vanguard circle and his deck in the deck zone. "Stand Up, Vanguard! Floating Dracokid! [Grade 0, 4000 Power, 10000 Shield]" William flips over his starting vanguard.

"Defend yourself! Keep those who threaten you away! Sacrificed Child! [Grade 0, 4000 Power, 10000 Shield]" Caroline looks at her hand.

"A customized starting phrase. That's nice, did you get it from the boarding school?" William asks interested by this change.

"Just shut up, and play. You take the first turn." Caroline says in an annoyed voice.

"Wow? Did something happen there as well? What made you like this?" William looks at his hand. "Ride! Mermaid Hydrous! [Grade 1, 7000 Power, 5000 Shield] I move Floating Dracokid to the rear-guard. I end my turn."

William's Field:
Hand: 5
Front Row: None/Mermaid Hydrous/None
Back Row: None/None/Floating Dracokid
Damage: None

"I stand and draw, I ride Witch of Zero, Hisilia. [Grade 1, 4000 Power, 5000 Shield] I call Sacrificed Child behind Void. Void attacks boosted by Sacrificed Child."

"No guard." [Witch of Zero, Hisilia (4000 Power) + Sacrificed Child (4000 Power) = 8000 Power → Mermaid Hydrous (7000 Power)]

Drive Check: Witch of Zero, Hisilia [No Trigger]

Damage Check: Shark Boy, Murray [No Trigger]

Caroline's Field:
Hand: 6
Front Row: None/Witch of Zero, Hisilia/None
Back Row: None/Sacrificed Child/None
Damage: None

"I draw, ride! Cold Boy, Yuki! [Grade 2, 9000 Power, 5000 Shield]" William wanting to ask his friend more about her experience over there continues to bother Caroline about the details. "So did you find any friends there?"

"Just shut up and play." Caroline continues to act annoyed by her opponent's questions.

"Umm… I'm just asking. Did you find any friends there?" William continues to ask.

"None, now can we get on with the game?" Caroline looks away from her opponent.

"Umm… ok. I attack your vanguard with Nerine." William rests his vanguard, and then looks at Caroline. "Is something wrong with Caroline?" [Cold Boy, Yuki (9000 Power) → Witch of Zero, Hisilia (6000 Power)]

Caroline looks at her hand and wondering if she should guard. She decides not to." Caroline calls out 'No guard.'

Drive Check: Sea Girl, Eisa [No Trigger]

Damage Check: Immobilizing Succubus [No Trigger]

"I end my turn." William continues to ask questions of his friend. "So is anything wrong? If something is, tell me. I'll listen."

William's Field:
Hand: 6
Front Row: None/Cold Boy, Yuki/None
Back Row: None/None/Floating Dracokid
Damage: Shark Boy, Murray (U)

"Yes, there is something wrong. You're talking too much, now shut up and play the game. I stand and draw, ride! Darkness Paladin! [Grade 2, 9000 Power, 5000 Shield] I attack your vanguard with Darkness Paladin boosted by Sacrificed Child."

"No guard…" William unable to guard this attack as well. "I like what you've done to your deck. Darkness Paladin seems extremely helpful. What do you think about it?" [Darkness Paladin (9000 Power) + Sacrificed Child (4000 Power) = 13000 Power → Cold Boy, Yuki (9000 Power)]

Drive Check: Witch with no Name [No Trigger]

Damage Check: Ocean Chimera [No Trigger]

"The skill of Darkness Paladin, counterblast. I superior call Reawakened Half Angel. [Grade 1, 6000 Power, 5000 Shield] Reawaken Half Angel loses 10000 Power." Caroline shuffles her deck and places it back in the deck zone.

"You could fill up your back row to save hand, and since Empty Heart needs rear-guards to take power from. I think it would work well." William analysing the situation. "And with the Reawaken Half Angel you just called, there's a combo which you could use but don't have enough rear-guards to use it for at the moment. Did you notice any of this?"

"Yeah, now just stop talking. I use that combo a lot and don't need you to point how to use my deck." Caroline getting continuously bothered by the questions being asked.

Caroline's Field:
Hand: 7
Front Row: None/Darkness Paladin/None
Back Row: None/Sacrificed Child/Reawaken Half Angel
Damage: Immobilizing Succubus (D)

William sighs and puts his hand down, then leans over the table and grabs Caroline by the shoulders. Caroline surprised by this action. William begins shaking Caroline. "Alright! If there's a problem you have, just tell me. I'll listen, I'm your friend. I'll listen to you, I can't let you go through something that's bothering you forever or until it's too late." William leans back.

"I don't need friends… and it's already too late." Caroline looks away.

William continues starting at Caroline, and not moving. "Tell me what's going on. Now! If you're going to continue acting like this. I will make sure you tell me one way or another."

"Look, let's just get on with the cardfight." Caroline still staring away from William. She then moves her eyes downwards towards the chair she is sitting on.

"I won't be moving until you tell me what's wrong. I can see that something is wrong." William crosses his arms.

"If that's the case, then I'll just leave." Caroline stands up and puts down her hand of cards down and then is about to pick up her deck, but William grabs Caroline's arm.

"You'll tell me what's going on, or you will stay here and not move for as long as it takes. If you leave, I'll continue to but you about it." William glares at Caroline. "Did something happen at the school?"

Caroline sits back down. She tries not to remember Eve on the last day of school, but fails to get Eve out of her head. She quickly puts her head down and covers her face with her hair to avoid anyone seeing her drop a tear.

"Knew it, something happened. Just tell me what happened now." William sits back with his arms crossed, but still ready to pull Caroline back if she's going to move.

"Just leave me alone… Leave me alone… you'll only get hurt when you befriend me." Caroline's eyes continue drop tears. "This is for your own sake…"

"Tell me what happened." William sits there leaning forward. "I'm your friend."

"Whenever I befriend someone, I'll just end up hurting them. I hurt you by leaving you didn't I?" Caroline looks back up revealing a stream of tears to William.

"Just tell me what happened." William sighs.

"A really nice girl, Eve, wanted to become my friend. She wanted to help me get stronger… but I ignored her, and then I threw her away." Caroline continues crying, she wipes away some of the tears with her arm but they continue to flow down. "I tried to stop myself from gaining anymore friends and hurting others, but it only hurt Eve more…"

William sighs, he stands Nerine and draws, then rides Sea Prince, Poseidon. [Grade 3, 10000 Power] "Well, that's not what you did for me." William rests his vanguard. "You didn't hurt me, you helped me. You drove me out. You are my friend, and I will help you resolve this issue then."

"DON'T YOU GET IT‼‼ YOU'LL ONLY GET HURT IF YOU'RE MY FRIEND!" Caroline begins yelling at William in her annoyance.

"Again, that's not what our past says about you." William changes his look to being determined.

"I guard that with Death Howler…" Caroline places the card on the guardian circle. [Sea Prince, Poseidon (10000 Power) → Darkness Paladin (9000 Power) + Death Howler (10000 Shield) = 19000 Power]

Drive Check: Water Magician [No Trigger], Shark Boy, Murray [No Trigger]

William's Field:
Hand: 8
Front Row: None/Sea Prince, Poseidon/None
Back Row: None/None/Floating Dracokid
Damage: Shark Boy, Murray (U), Ocean Chimera (U)

"I stand and draw, I ride! Lack of Will, Almana! [Grade 3, 10000 Power] Just ignore me, I'll only hurt you in the end. I attack your vanguard boosted by Sacrificed Child." Caroline continues to cry over the situation. [Lack of Will, Almana (10000 + 3000 Power) + Sacrificed Child (4000 Power) = 17000 Power]

Drive Check: Demonic Sorcerer [No Trigger], Reawakened Knight [No Trigger]

Damage Check: Cold Boy, Yuki [No Trigger]

Caroline's Field:
Hand: 8
Front Row: None/Lack of Will, Almana/None
Back Row: None/Sacrificed Child/Reawaken Half Angel
Damage: Immobilizing Succubus (D)

"I stand and draw, I call Ocean Empress, Amphitrite. [Grade 1, 4000 Power, 5000 Shield] I call Shark Boy, Murray. [Grade 2, 8000 Power, 5000 Shield] I call another Sea Prince, Poseidon. I attack your vanguard with my rear-guard Poseidon."

"I guard that with Void Sorcerer." [Sea Prince, Poseidon (10000 Power) → Lack of Will, Almana (10000 Power)]

"My vanguard attacks your vanguard boosted by Ocean Empress, Amphitrite. The skill of my vanguard when it is boosted, it gets 3000 Power." William looks at his hand.

"No guard." Caroline looks back down. [Sea Prince, Poseidon (10000 + 3000 Power) + Ocean Empress, Amphitrite (4000 Power) = 17000 Power → Lack of Will, Almana (10000 Power)]

"Twin Drive Check. First Check, Water Magician [No Trigger], Shark Boy, Murray [No Trigger]."

Damage Check: Darkness Paladin [No Trigger]

"Shark Boy, Murray attacks boosted by Floating Dracokid."

"I guard that with Witch with no Name." [Shark Boy, Murray (8000 Power) + Floating Dracokid (4000 Power) = 12000 Power → Lack of Will, Almana (10000 Power) + Witch with no Name (5000 Shield) = 15000 Power]

"When I started school at where you used to go. I had no friends, nobody and this continued on for more than a year. I was silent, had no emotion. I didn't want to socialize or do anything or even talk to the other students. It took a year before you arrived." William looks at Caroline in the eye, who has stopped crying.

William's Field:
Hand: 8
Front Row: Sea Prince, Poseidon/Sea Prince, Poseidon/Shark Boy, Murray
Back Row: None/Ocean Empress, Amphitrite/Floating Dracokid
Damage: Shark Boy, Murray (U), Ocean Chimera (U), Cold Boy, Yuki (U)

"And then I left, leaving you hurt." Caroline looks away. "I stand and draw, I call Demon Sorceress, I activate the skill of Sacrificed Child! Counterblast, I look at the top five cards of my deck. I add Emptiness Lord, Almana to my hand." Caroline then calls a large number of cards to the rear-guard. "I call Witch of Zero, Hisilia, Reawakened Knight [Grade 2, 9000 Power, 5000 Shield], Demon Sorceress [Grade 2, 8000 Power, 5000 Shield] and Witch with no Name [Grade 1, 7000 Power, 5000 Shield]"

"I'm not done yet." William continues on his story. "You came to the school, I was the first person you approached. You were silent as well, but you decided to talk to me out of all people. The first person you talked to was the one who nobody even notices at school. Not to mention you introduced me to Vanguard. Before you came, I didn't even exist, there were times where the teacher would miss me on the roster and nobody would call them out on it. When people just bump into me and leave as if I never existed."

"So, what? Now you have friends. That doesn't mean anything… If I were to have friends I'd only end up hurting them." Caroline begins shaking.

"When you got me into Vanguard, not only did you introduce me to a whole new world. But I was introduced to new friends because of that. Jadyn, Tyler, Moriko, Sachiko, Leah and the guys at eCard Games. The other regulars here, you gave me something I could never even imagine. Friends." William then points to someone from across the store on another cardfight table. "Do you remember those two?"

Caroline looks over to where William is pointing. "Are they… Are they? Our classmates?" Caroline continues to shake, however she begins shaking more intensely hearing William's story. Trying to hold herself in.

"Yes, remember when you said that you hurt me when you left? That was my initial reaction. However, I made new friends as well. After you left, I did feel lonely at school, so I hung out in the library even more often. Sometimes I stared at my cards." When Caroline turns around William looks her even more intensely in the eye. "They saw me looking at the cards and asked me what game it was. I introduced them to it. Just like how you introduced it to me."

Caroline begins shaking more and more: trying to hold her tears in. She has trouble resting her column with Reawakened Knight.

William throws down Ocean Striker on the guardian circle. "They enjoyed the game, and we began playing it regularly at school. I taught them what I learnt and they taught me what they learnt. Then, besides what I learnt from eCard Games. I learnt a lot from them on other things like not focusing on one specific strategy but have multiple strategies that you can branch out to if one fails."

Caroline rests her vanguard lane, having composed herself. "Almana attacks boosted by Hisilia. Hisilia's skill, when it boosts a unit with 'Almana' in its card name the boosted unit gets 6000 Power."

"No guard." William calls out. [Lack of Will, Almana (10000 + 3000 + 6000 Power) + Witch of Zero, Hisilia (4000 Power) = 23000 Power → Sea Prince, Poseidon (10000 Power)]

Drive Check: Death Howler [Stand Trigger] "All effects go to Reawakened Knight. Second Check.", Reawakened Knight [No Trigger]

Damage Check: Ocean Boy, Vapour [Stand Trigger] "I give all the effects to my vanguard."

"Reawakened Knight attacks Shark Boy, Murray." Caroline rests the card and William places Murray into the drop zone. [Reawakened Knight (9000 + 5000 = 14000 Power) → Shark Boy, Murray (8000 Power)]

"Demon Sorceress attacks your rear-guard Sea Prince, Poseidon boosted by Reawaken Half Angel." Caroline rests the column and William places Water Magician on the guardian circle in response. [Demon Sorceress (8000 Power) + Reawaken Half Angel (6000 Power) = 14000 Power → Sea Prince, Poseidon (10000 Power) + Water Magician (5000 Shield) = 15000 Power]

Caroline's Field:
Hand: 6
Front Row: Reawakened Knight/Lack of Will, Almana/Demon Sorceress
Back Row: Witch with no Name/Witch of Zero, Hisilia/Reawaken Half Angel
Damage: Immobilizing Succubus (D), Darkness Paladin (D)

"I stand and draw, I call Shark Boy, Murray. I activate the skill of Floating Dracokid! Counterblast, I put it into my soul. I add Ocean Emperor, Poseidon to my hand from the top five cards of my deck." William then points to the Trading Table. "After I calmed down from the event at eCard Games. We introduced the game to other people. They were impressed by this game. More people began joining and others also began joining. Before you knew it, it became an after-school event to come here if we didn't have anything else to do. There were others who went to eCard Games as well."

"I call Sea Girl, Eisa. Eisa's skill, I give my rear-guard Poseidon's skill to my vanguard. I activate the Limit Break of my vanguard. Soul Blast 2." William Soul Blasts 2 cards. "I take the ability of my rear-guard Poseidon again. Yes, that's right. Due to an errata, I can now choose a card from my side as well as yours, and keep it permanently, but I still can't use clan specific effects." William rests his rear-guard Poseidon. "I attack your vanguard." [Sea Prince, Poseidon (10000 Power) → Lack of Will, Almana (10000 Power)]

Damage Check: Reawakened Knight [No Trigger]

"My vanguard attacks your vanguard boosted by Amphitrite!" William doesn't soul blast for Amphitrite's skill.

"No guard." Caroline looks at her damage zone. [Sea Prince, Poseidon (10000 + 3000 + 3000 + 3000 Power) + Ocean Empress, Amphitrite (4000 Power) = 23000 Power → Lack of Will, Almana (10000 Power)]

"Twin Drive Check. First Check, Ocean Empress, Amphitrite [No Trigger], Sea Girl, Misty [Heal Trigger]. I give the power to Shark Boy, Murray and I heal a card from my damage zone." William looks at his opponent's vanguard.

Damage Check: Demonic Sorcerer, Damon [No Trigger]

William rests his other rear-guard column.

"I guard that with Dark Sniper and intercept with Demon Sorceress." Caroline looks at her opponent's hand. [Shark Boy, Murray (8000 + 5000 Power) + Sea Girl, Eisa (7000 Power) = 20000 Power → Lack of Will, Almana (10000 Power) + Dark Sniper (10000 Shield) + Demon Sorceress (5000 Shield) = 25000 Power]

William talks to Caroline again. "What I'm saying is, that you never hurt me. You helped me, you were a nice person always to me. You never hurt me ever."

"That doesn't mean anything… I still hurt Eve." Caroline covers her face with her cards.

William's Field:
Hand: 8
Front Row: Sea Prince, Poseidon/Sea Prince, Poseidon/Shark Boy, Murray
Back Row: None/Ocean Empress, Amphitrite/Sea Girl, Eisa
Damage: Ocean Chimera (D), Cold Boy, Yuki (U), Water Boy, Vapour (U)

"I stand and draw! WARRIOR OF THE WASTELAND! SACRIFICES MUST BE MADE TO PROTECT OTHERS! SACRIFICE PART OF YOURSELF NOW! CROSSRIDE!" Caroline slams her crossride card onto the vanguard circle.


Featured Character:

Name: Caroline Jiang
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Clan: Empty Heart
Avatar: Lack of Will, Almana

Deck – [The Knight's Sacrifice]:

Grade 0 (17):

Sacrificed Child x1
Dark Sniper x4 (Crit)
Death Howler x4 (Stand)
Void Sorcerer x4 (Draw)
Black Fairy x4 (Heal)

Grade 1 (14):

Immobilizing Succubus x4
Witch with no Name x4
Witch of Zero, Hisilia x3
Reawaken Half Angel x3

Grade 2 (12):

Reawakened Knight x4
Demonic Sorcerer, Damon x3
Demon Sorceress x3
Darkness Paladin x2

Grade 3 (7):

Lack of Will, Almana x4
Emptiness Lord, Almana x3

Featured Card:

Name: Emptiness Lord, Almana
Grade: 3 (Twin Drive)

(Empty Heart/Warbeast)

Flavour: (RRR): No more hiding! Today we fight!
(SP): You can't stay enclosed forever, that's why we'll attack!

Abilities: [ACT](VC) Limit Break 5 (This ability is active if you have five or more damage):: [Counter Blast (2) & Choose two of your «Empty Heart» that unit gets [Power]-4000, until end of turn] Choose up to three of your grade 2 or greater «Empty Heart» get [Power]+10000, until end of turn and if you have three or more «Empty Heart» rear-guards with [Power] lower than its original [Power], this unit gets [Critical]+1 until end of turn.
[CONT](VC): If you have a card named "Lack of Will, Almana" in your soul, this unit gets [Power]+2000.
[CONT](VC/RC): Lord (If you have a unit that doesn't belong to the same clan as this unit, this unit cannot attack)

Hydrous Reawakening - MS01/01 RRR - MS01/01 SP

Card Lores:

The knight of no will, having realized that running from the United Sanctuary would continue to cause problems, goes away to try and tame the power of the Abyss Dragon inside her. Having returned with the power to defeat the Masked Knight and proclaim the freedom of her clan. However, it seems that another force has her in their sights…