Cipher 054: Honor amongst Thieves
Masked Raiders LP: 8000 Ruby's LP: 700
Andre's LP: 6200 Korose's LP: 8000
The Raider continued the duel with a spell card. "Armor Blast! I destroy one Inzektor equipment along with two other cards on the field!" The Earwig armor equipped to Centipede(4/2600/1200) overloaded on energy, and was ripped to shreds. "If you hope to destroy my Number, your hope is in vain." Morbis activated a monsters effect in his hand. "I discard Gimmick Puppet - Scarecrow, I can send it to the grave to protect my puppets." The scarecrow prevented the Puppet of Strings(8/3000/2000) from being targeted. "Then if I can not destroy the doomsinger, I will destroy the victims of its music!" Armor Blast blew up Coach Captain Bearman and Flame Tiger before the String counters placed on them could do it. But Ruby would still take 1000 points of damage when the two other monsters with string counters would die. "Do not worry, miss Irant, I have a plan! First, as Centipede lost its equipment, I may take an Inzektor card from my deck." The Masked Raider chose to add an Inzektor Hornet. "And when Earwig was sent to the graveyard, he allowed an Inzektor to keep its 1000 attackpoints for one strike!" The Raider entered the battle phase with a still powered up Centipede. "I attack!"
Gimmick Puppet - Scarecrow, 4/800/2000 Dark/Machine
During your or your opponents turn, you can send this card from your hand to the graveyard to target 1 face-up "Gimmick Puppet" monster you control; that monster can not be targeted by your opponents card effect.
"I activate 'A Hero Emerges'." With the attack declared Korose flipped his trap. "I have four cards in my hand, you must choose one of them. If you select a monster, it will be summoned." Two out of four cards in Korose's hands were monsters. "Then I shall choose that one." The masked one pointed at Korose's leftmost card, which turned out to be a bad choice. "I thank you. I summon another Heroic Challenger Spartan to my field." His first Spartan warrior was joined by a second(4/1600/1200). "I can have Spartan, when attacked, join another warrior on the field, to take its attackpoints." The two Spartans assumed a two-man phalanx formation, they would double each others attackpower if they were attacked. "Who said Centipede would attack your warriors?" Instead the Insect hero attacked and defeated Ruby's Coach Soldier Wolfbark(4/1900/1200), who was still in defense mode.
"Oh, that would do it." Ruby said. Now the only string counter on her field belonged to Dragon(4/1900/400) from the Fire Fist Brotherhood. The Raider then completed his turn, and Number 40 claimed its only victim. The dragons beastwarrior died and inflicting damage to his master. One of Korose's Spartans had a counter as well, but the Spartan could not be destroyed by card effects as it controlled the Noble Arms of Destiny.
Ruby's LP: 200
"Still so close to the edge. She is yours to end, agent K." Morbis trusted his partner would wrap things up. "I summon Heroic Challenger Double Lance." The two Spartans stepped aside to let the dual lancer(4/1700/900) through. "I shall use him and one Spartan as materials for the Heroic Champion." The two warriors were converted, and a xyz monster was created. "I xyz-summon Excalibur!" The crimson knight of legends(4/2000/2000) made his grand entrance. "Excalibur?" Morbis sounded surprised. "I detach his materials, to double his attackpoints until my opponents next endphase!" Korose's monster(4000/4000) had his sword double in size. "I have it attack Inzektor Centipede!" Now powered down to his base stats, Centipede(1600/1200) was cut down by Excalibur without any hint of a struggle. "I also have Spartan attack directly!" The remaining Heroic warrior threw his spear towards the Masked Raider. "You could have done more damage, K." Morbis wondered the same thing. "Why did you not summon your Number? And why did you not attack the Tiger King?"
Masked Raiders LP: 4000
"Maybe he has good instincts?" Ruby chimed in. Though she regretted that her partner now had about as much lifepoints as she did. "I don't hear him disagree." Ruby saw Korose place a trap card down and pass the turn to her. "I activate another Fire Formation, Tensen!" She flipped a continuous trap card. "Tensen gives all beastwarriors 300 attackpoints each, and one specific beastwarrior gains 700 attackpoints for one turn!" She also activated another Fire Formation Tensu. That spell, Tensen and the still active Tenken amplified the attackpoints of her xyz monster(3100/1800). "Tiger Kings uses his last xyz material to negate your monsters effects!" The Tiger King cancelled out the invulnerability of Number 40 and also the attackboost of Excalibur(2000/2000). "Now who to attack?" She normal summoned the fire weasel, Fencing Fire Ferret(4/1700/600) to her side. "Why not the one who disappointed me the most!" Tiger King roared and attacked the String Puppet with fire, until it was mere charcoal. After that, Andre could not stop a direct strike from the Fire Ferreti.
Andre's LP: 3000
"Disappointed? I was not aware that I had to live up to your expectations." The agent said, still acting as if the damage did not bother him at all. "This was never about an honorable battle. This is about my destiny and yours. You are merely a stepping stone I chose to traverse." He continued to talk while Ruby set a trap on her field. "What are you even saying? What destiny?" She asked as she passed the turn to him. And Tiger King(2900/1800) lost some of the power it gained from Tensen. "The Numbers, their destiny is with me. I asked you to summon yours, and yet you still deny yourself. In fact you deny your Numbers gift at every turn, in every way. You can not win if you do not listen to it, Ruby Irant!" He activated a spell card. "Neither can your ally! I activate Junk Puppet, to summon a Gimmick Puppet in my graveyard!" The spell rebuilt the Gimmick Puppet of Strings(8/3000/2000) completely. "Goodbye Ruby Irant!" It was about to attack Fencing Fire Ferret.
"No, goodbye Ferret! I activate Kurenai, the Spiritial Fire Art!" Ruby's flipped trap sacrificed her fiery beast before it could be killed. "I inflict damage to your lifepoints equal to a tributed fire monsters attackpoints!" The weasel exploded and its fiery spirit took one last swing at Morbis. "The struggles of the damned. In this case I will let you share the misery. Direct attack!" And the Number doll swung his sword to Ruby's left, where the Masked Raider stood. "Hey, what about my monster?!" She thought Tiger King needed to be destroyed first.
Andre's LP: 1300 Masked Raiders LP: 1000
"No. I expected this." The masked man got up quickly. "It is alright, Miss Irant. This is not a real tagteam duel. You can not defend me with your monsters." He had figured out the loophole in duels that were set up this way. "You should heed your comrade's words, Ruby Irant.. Nevertheless whoever he is, he will give me whatever Numbers you have taken in your own name." His turn came to an end. "I will not do so willingly, Agent!" The Raider drew a card. "Inzektor Dragonfly, it is your show now! Choose your weapon!" He normal summoned four-winged insect gunner(3/1000/1800), who equipped the Inzektor Hornet in the Raiders hand to himself. "You chose Hornet, so use his power!" Hornet was then sent to the grave, to trigger its ability. "Destroy Number 30!" It could destroy one card, and it decided for the Gimmick Puppet of Strings to receive its lethal venom. Number 40 was dismantled again.
"Then Dragonfly uses his ability!" Because an equipped Inzekt had gone to the graveyard, Dragonfly was allowed to summon an Inzektor from the deck. "He special summons Gigamantis!" The green armored scythe combatant(2400/0) was chosen. "Gigamantis can revive a fallen Inzektor comrade!" The Mantis slashed the soil open, to let Inzektor Earwig(4/1000/1000) return to the surface. This time Earwig uses its ability to equip Inzektor Centipede. "You asked for this, Agent, so I shall make the field ready." He activated a spell card, Insect Imitation. "I tribute Dragonfly, to summon an Insect from my deck which has 1 more level than the tributed insect." Dragonfly was reduced to a mere shell, from which a horned beetle(4/1600/900) was born. "I summon Beetron, so that I may use his skill." Beetrons could sacrifice spell or trap cards to special summon insects from the graveyard. In this case Centipede was taken from Earwig, just so that it(3/1600/1200) could be put on the field as a monster card. "I take Earwig and Beetron." Two level 4 insects were chosen for an xyz-summoning process.
"So this is the Number that 'unlocks' objects." Morbis began to smile as he witnessed this monsters sealed form; a golden key shaped like a question mark. "Number 66." It transformed into a gold-shelled spear nosed insect(4/2500/800). "Number 66: Master Key Beetle locks on to one card on the field, and that card may not be destroyed while he lives. I select Inzektor Centipede." The smaller insect warrior jumped on the back of the golden beetle. "Korose. I have not forgotten you. And you are a mystery to me." The Raider finally began his battle phase. "I did not feel wickedness in you, and yet you help this agency. I do not know why!" The Key Beetle flew towards Excalibur. "But it can not continue!"
"I apologize, for my orders are absolute. Trap Card: Heroic Retribution Sword." Excaliburs sword began to glow red. "I share the damage I take from a fight with my opponent, and destroy the attacking monster!" Korose's Heroic Champion and Number 66 exchanged fatal blows and their masters took 500 points of damage. But only Excalibur actually died. "Master Lock Beetle can be saved by destroying the card it had targeted for protection!" The Raider explained, before he sacrificed Inzektor Centipede. "I see you fight well, Masked Raider." Korose sounded genuinely impressed. "As do you, Korose." The Raider then sent his other monster, Gigamantis. Without another warrior to draw strength from, the Spartan perished quickly. "Then why do you resort to foul play? I do not understand." The Raider placed a trap card down and ended his turn.
Korose's LP: 6600 Masked Raiders LP: 500
"I regret that. Yet while you have the right intentions and right amount of strength, you lack the proper methods." Korose took his turn. "Enough. Summon your Number, Korose." By now Agent M had lost his patience. "I see no other path, anymore." And Agent K complied. "Goblindbergh." He normal summoned a goblin(4/1400/0) flying a plane. "I can special summon a level 4 monster from my hand, by switching Goblindbergh to defense position." The plane flew up into the sky and dropped its cargo, the heavenly warrior Justice Bringer(4/1700/1000). "I XYZ-summon the Heroic Champion - Caladbolg!" The two became one: a cloaked green knight(4/2900/1000), wielding a massive two-handed sword; this was his Number. "I will defeat both of you, this turn." Korose activated the equip spell, Assault Armor. "By sacrificing this equipment, a warrior may attack twice in a turn." Caladbolg changed the armor into a second sword to strike with. "I can let Caladbolg inflict damage equal to a monsters attackpoints, after the battle phase!" With its first sword, it cleaved through the Fire Fist Brotherhoods Tiger King. Though their attackpoints were equal, only one was a Number monster. The other perished. "And then, Inzektor Gigamantis!"
Korose's LP: 6600
Number 78: Heroic Champion - Caladbolg, 4/2900/1000 Light/Warrior/Xyz
2 Level 4 Warrior-type Monsters
Cannot be destroyed by battle except with "Number" monsters.
Once per turn you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; banish a monster from the graveyard that was destroyed as a result of battle with this card.
If you do, inflict damage to your opponent equal to the ATK of that monster. This card can not attack defense-position monsters or attack directly.
Korose planned to reduce Ruby's life to zero with effect damage, and the Raider he would defeat with battle damage. "This duel is not yet through, the Masked Raider fights til the last breath!" That had been a mistake. "I activate the trap Zekt Conversion! My attacked Inzektor will equip itself to its attacker!" The raiders trap 'converted' Gigamantis to a husk, a green suit of armor that was fastened to Caladbolg. "And I will take control of the equipped monster. I will carry your Number too, Korose!" And the newly suited Heroic Champion, jumped over to the masked duelists side of the field. Of course now, Korose could not use Caladbolgs effects anymore. "Tsk. How persistent can clowns in a costume be?" Morbis cursed.
Ruby once again could take charge. "Okay. You know what? Maybe I will end it! Because Tiger King was destroyed, I may tribute three fire formation cards on my field!" Tensen, Tenken and Tensu were all consumed into one great pyre. "And I may summon two same-named members of the Brotherhood from my deck, I choose Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Boar!" She called out two cloaked warriors(4/1100/1400) wielding the flames of the boar spirit. "And I normal summon Master of the Flaming Dragonswords!" The flaming swordsmith(4/1800/1200) joined the boar warriors. "I don't believe in destiny, Andre." Ruby overlayed the three fire monsters. "I xyz-summon Number 57: TriHead Dust Dragon!" And she called out the dragon of smoke(4/100/2600), as the mark of 57 burned through her sash on her neck. "It targets Caladbolg!" The Champions attackpoints were added to the dragon(3000/2600). "Here you go, the Number you wanted to test yourself against. It will cap off your long journey'!" She was this close to ending Agent M. He had other ideas...
"No. This is not my fate!" Andre Morbis activated his trap card. "XYZ Reversal! I switch the control of 2 xyz monsters on two sides of the field!" Ruby was given control of Caladbolg, while Andre took the threeheaded dragon. "A card like that exists?" She gasped. "Silence. No more of this charade." Andre knew she could do nothing else, Caladbolg could not kill TriHead Dust Dragon. "It is my turn! I can tribute an XYZ-monster to special summon Gimmick Puppet - Nightmare!" A massive web of mannequins(8/1000/2000), joined together by their waists, limbs and mouths, crawled its way into the room. "When Nightmare is summoned this way, it can revive a copy of itself." Another Nightmare(8/1000/2000) appeared. This one had been discarded many turns ago thanks to his spell, Trade In. "Hold on, you can not be.." Ruby was experiencing a severe case of deja vu. "You did not think, that I would only have one of my own Numbers?" Andre spread his arms. "I will shatter that hope! I xyz-summon Number 15: Gimmick Puppet - Giant Grinder!" The two Nightmares connected and constructed a new puppet, a hulking titan(8/15000/2500) seated on a throne. It was another Gimmick Puppet Number.
The 15th mark burned where once Andre's 40th mark rested. "I am blessed; two Numbers came to me. This is why their marks glow when I summon them, because I am their true master!" Morbis detached both materials from the Giant puppet. "Its power is much like mine. We consume Numbers, integrate their powers into our being. My gift is limitless. I could copy Zombiesteins bodyreading ability, your numbers power to unlock objects. Or Number 57's ability to detect rising energy!" Strings from the Puppet attached themselves to Master Key Beetle and Caladbolg. "You knew about my Numbers ability all this time?" Ruby was shocked. "Naturally! Number 40, my second Number, allows me to decipher the powers of all other Numbers. Irant, your Number was born out of fear and curiosity, born from the past. My Number is born from destiny, from faith in the future!" A compartment in Giant Killers chest opened. "Your Numbers belong to me! Giant Killer can destroys a special summoned monster twice a turn" The golden beetle and earth knight were swallowed by the grinders inside Giant Killer. "And it inflicts damage equal to the destroyed monsters attackpoints, if they were xyz monsters!" A Cannon protruded from the Puppets chest.
"It can not be, evil can not win!" Giant Killer fired a shot, delivering 2500 effect damage to the Masked Raider. "No!" And 1700 points of damage were sent Ruby's way. "This was your fate the moment you were given your Number; yesterday always falls for tomorrow!"
Masked Raiders LP: 0 Ruby's LP: 0
..
Shins LP: 8000
"What is it?" Shin wondered why Dusk stopped moving. They had been doing well healing their lifepoints so far. "Numbers were used, floors below us." Azar could sense the duel as it ended. "Whoever won, his energy felt unlike any other agents." Was it Andre he sensed? "Then let's get them!" Shin raced down the stairs. "Wait. There is someone else, someone closer!" Azars senses also alerted him to other Number users. Whoever was coming, he had a Number with him. "Then I will duel that guy first, whoever it is!" Shin entered the room on the eight floor. And once again he was stunned by.. his presence.. "You..?"
It was Subito...
(To be Continued in Cipher 055: Brother)
New Cards used by Ruby Irant
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist - Boar
-
Spiritual Fire Art - Kurenai
New Cards used by Masked Raider
Inzektor Earwig
Beetron
Number 66: Master Key Beetle
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Armor Blast
Insect Imitation
-
Zekt Conversion
New Cards used by Andre Morbis
Gimmick Puppet - Scarecrow (+)
Gimmick Puppet - Nightmare
Number 15: Gimmick Puppet - Giant Grinder
-
Trade In
Junk Puppet
-
XYZ Reversal
(+ Based on the Cards used by IV/Quattro in Yugioh Zexal)
New Cards used by Korose
Goblindbergh
Justice Bringer
Number 78: Heroic Champion - Caladbolg
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Assault Armor
A Hero Emerges
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Heroic Retribution Sword
