Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Over the Nexus
Fan Fiction by: Spirit Reader
Yu-Gi-Oh! (Including GX, 5D's, and Zexal) original creator: Kazuki Takahashi
Special Thanks: Serpentdragon, DeadlyThunder195, JJun
Chapter 50: New Strength – Part 1
It's been 5 days since the sudden arrival of Zora's granddaughter, Misaki Himura, to Poppo Time and, for the most part, it has had an effect on the others.
Upon seeing her for the first time, Toru was instantly attracted to the emotionless girl and attempted to impress her whenever he had the opportunity to do so. He usually tries to show her some of the tournament trophies that he won or the number cards that he'd obtained. However, Misaki wasn't really impressed with all of that and simply said that those who brag about what they earned are nothing more than little children. Despite her harsh remark, Toru still remains determined on one day winning Misaki's heart.
As for, Lilly and Crow, the two of them were highly impressed by Misaki's skills as a mechanic. The two of them learned, while watching her work on her own Duel Runner, that Misaki's uncle was a highly accomplished mechanic. Before he passed away, he happened to teach Misaki everything he knew and she was able to bring that to an even greater level. Because of that, both Lilly and Crow attempted to learn as much as they could from their new roommate. This is especially true for Lilly, as she was having trouble with her new engine design and hoped that working with Misaki will turn things around in the right direction.
Akiza's relationship with Misaki is relatively good since the two of them go to the same school and have almost the same number of classes together. Both girls are generally at the top of each of their classes, causing some of the students to think that they're competing with one another in order to determine who the best is. However, both girls didn't really care who, out of the both of them, was the best as it really didn't mean anything to them. All they cared about was improving their Dueling skills to their absolute best. Also, since they were considered the best in their class, both Akiza and Misaki generally tend to learn from each other and improve at what their lacking in by watching the other's strength.
The only person who Misaki hadn't had any real development with is Takashi, but it wasn't because the two don't get along. Truth be told, both of them have a lot in common and share the same love for Duel Monsters and Turbo Dueling. Their awkward relationship mostly stems from their different personalities. Takashi is a generally outgoing person who's always wants to make new friends and help other people whenever possible. Misaki is generally very quiet and speaks only when the situation requires her too. She also not very fond of helping people that she doesn't know, believing that she's not kind enough of a person to do something like that. Still despite the awkwardness between them, everyone believed that Takashi's and Misaki's relationship will improve as time goes by.
One day, on an early Saturday morning, everyone in Poppo Time was still sleeping as the sun was beginning the rise over the horizon. Everyone except Takashi, who spent most of the night putting the finishing touches on his deck. The young man was so close to completing it that he could practically taste it and he didn't want to stop until he was done. Soon, as the clock was about to hit 6:30, Takashi only had one more card to place and that was his Stardust Dragon. Upon placing his Ace Monster on the top of his new deck, Takashi felt a huge weight leave his shoulders and suddenly dropped to his knees. He then held his deck in his hands and started to cry a little.
"Its…IT'S DONE!"
Takashi's loud scream woke the others up from their nice slumber, causing all of them to rush downstairs in order to see what was wrong. When all of them noticed Takashi on his knees, crying to himself, they all wondered what happened. However, before anyone could ask, Takashi started to explain the reason why he was crying.
"Guys," He started off. "It's been a long 2 months in the waiting, but I've finally done it. I've finally completed my new deck!"
Lilly was annoyed by the young man's answer while the others had unresponsive looks on their faces. Eventually, her annoyance transformed to anger and Lilly responded by grabbing a wrench and knocking Takashi out with it. As he lied on the floor with blood coming out of his head, Lilly stood over him and attempted to strike him again. Luckily, both Crow and Toru managed to hold her down before she could get the chance.
"You Dumbass!" She said to her unconscious friend. "Waking me up over something like this? You're lucky they're holding me back, otherwise I'd kill you!"
While Lilly broke free from the others embrace and made her way back into her room, the other helped Takashi from off the floor and gently placed him on the couch. Akiza grabbed a first-aid kit and gently began wrapping Takashi's wound. As she did that, Misaki was busy looking on at the scene while Toru and Crow were talking to one another.
"I don't know about Lilly, but I'm really looking forward on seeing Takashi's new deck," Toru said.
"Yeah, I feel the same way," Crow replied. "In fact, I wouldn't mind facing off against it myself. It's been nearly 4 years since I actually faced Takashi in a real Duel."
As the two of them continued to agree with one another, Akiza was putting the finishing touches on Takashi's head injury and looked down at him as his head was placed on her knees. She then looked over and saw him clinching his new deck in his sleep, a scene that caused her to smile a little.
"Okay, let's do this," Crow said as he continued talking to Toru. "Once Takashi recovers, and Lilly stops being her usual self, we'll head over to the practice field and give this new deck its first test."
"That's fine with me," Toru said as he nodded his head in approval. "I was planning to go there anyway. With this, I now have a good excuse to go."
With that said, both boys went back upstairs in order get some more sleep. Misaki was about to go up and do the same thing, but stopped after noticing that Akiza was still with the sleeping Takashi.
"…Aren't you going back to bed?" She asked.
"No," Akiza replied as he turned her attention to her. "I already got plenty of sleep so I'll be fine."
Misaki accepted Akiza's answer and promptly went upstairs, back into her room. Now alone, Akiza looked back down at Takashi and started blushing to herself. She then smiled a little and gently kissed the young man's forehead.
"Get some rest Takashi," She silently said to him. "You have a big day today."
Meanwhile, on the far outskirts of New Domino City, a young man with spiky black hair and green eyes was putting the finishing touches on his black and green Duel Runner. He had a pretty muscular build to him and was around 6'1" in height. He also had a very unique birthmark on his back, which looked like a large broadsword that had two serpentine dragons wrapping their bodies around it.
Once he was finished working on his Runner, the young man walked over to a desk and placed a silver dragon claw pendant around his neck. He then put on a black shirt and jacket before covering his face with a helmet of the same color. Once he placed the visor over his entire face, he walked back to his Duel Runner and proceeded to start it up.
"It's time," He said quietly to himself.
With those words, the young man's back started to glow a bright green color and it revealed his birthmark. After a few seconds, the glow faded way and he promptly rode away towards a destination that only he knew about.
Later in the afternoon, around 3:00, everyone finally made their way to the practice field and noticed that more people were there than usual. This sight didn't really surprise them as they knew that everyone wanted to be noticed by the Fortune Cup Committee and receive an invitation for the event. Takashi believed that the large number of people worked in his favor as it not only allowed him the chance to test out his new deck, but it also gave him the opportunity to check out the competition.
Upon parking his Duel Runner, the young man started looking around for an opponent for him to face. As he did that, the others were simply hanging out with one another.
"…This really must be a big deal for him," Misaki said.
"Of course," Toru replied. "Ever since he was little, it's been Takashi's dream on one day becoming the best Duelist in the entire world. Winning the Fortune Cup and becoming the Duel King of Japan would be the first real step in accomplishing this dream. As a matter of fact…"
As Toru went on with his explanation, Misaki already got the jest of it from his first sentence and completely ignored the rest. She then went on her way with the others and looked as Takashi continued searching for an opponent to face.
Eventually, as he was searching for one, two Duel Runners appeared before him and his friends. Of the two Duel Runners, one of them had a side-car attached to it and a young woman was in it. When she, and the other two riders got off the vehicles, they proceeded to take off their helmets as they walked over towards the others. When they did everyone, with the exception of Misaki and Lilly, were both shocked and happy at whom they were.
"Tem Uraki!" Takashi, Akiza, and Toru said in unison.
"Miri Miyagi and Madas Elvin!" Crow followed.
As everyone was excited to see one another, Lilly and Misaki wanted an explanation on who these people were. Toru went on to explained on who Tem was and how both Takashi and Akiza met him when the Fortune Cup was first announced. Crow would then go on to explain on how Miri was the one who gave him his new engine and Madas was the Duelist who defeated him a couple of weeks ago.
During the conversation between all of them, Tem went on to explain on how he met both Miri and Madas while he was practicing for the tournament. During that meeting, the two boys decided to have a friendly Turbo Duel that eventually ended in Madas' victory. Despite the loss, Tem wasn't too upset as it meant he still needed to improve on some areas. Fortunately for him though, a member of the Fortune Cup Committee noticed the Duel between the two boys and was highly impressed with them. After some thinking, the judge promptly gave both Tem and Madas their respective invitation for the Fortune Cup and wished them luck before leaving to search for more Duelists.
"That's amazing," Toru said in astonishment. "It's so cool that both of you are going to be competing."
"It sure is," Tem replied. "I can't wait for the tournament to finally get underway."
"Yeah," Madas followed. "Now don't forget Crow. Now you need to get your invitation so that we can have our rematch."
Crow nodded his head as both he and Toru were giving a competitive glare to both Tem and Madas, who responded with glares of their own. As that was happening, both Lilly and Misaki were having a conversation with Miri.
"So you're the one who made Crow's new engine," Lilly said. "I was impressed on how intricate the design was."
"…Same here," Misaki followed. "…I check it out and noticed you combined old and new engine models."
"Thank you," Miri replied with a small smile. "I tend to combine both designs in order to create something new. Even though it's a failure half of the time, the engine that I gave to Crow was my greatest creation and I'm happy on how the results turned out."
As everyone was talking to their friends, both Takashi and Akiza were looking on with smiles on their faces. It was good to see everyone having such a good time as Fortune Cup drew ever closer. As they continued looking on, both of them felt someone grab the both of them. When they turned around, the two of them smiled and saw that it was their good friend Aiku Gato.
"Sup guys," He said with a smile on his face. "What brings you here?"
"What the hell do you think?" Takashi replied as he turned around and shook Aiku's hand. "I'm preparing for the Fortune Cup. I'm going to assume that you're doing the same thing."
"Yeah," Aiku nodded. "My father told me that I need to test my skills against other opponents. This is especially true since I just got my invitation earlier this week."
"That's amazing Aiku," Akiza said with a smile on her face. "I'm glad you're going to be competing."
Aiku smiled as he gladly accepted Akiza's nice words. Eventually, everyone else noticed the young man's arrival and discovered about his Fortune Cup qualification. Like Takashi and Akiza, the others were extremely happy for him and were more than eager to face him when the competition day arrives. Everyone, with the exception of Lilly, Akiza, and Misaki, decided to have a friendly Duel in order to test everyone skills. However, before they could decide who faces who, Takashi noticed something interesting in the distance and walked over towards it.
"Hey Takashi," Toru called. "Where are you going?"
"I'll be back." He replied as he continued on his way. "You all Duel without me."
As Takashi continued on his way, Aiku walked over to Toru and gently placed his arm around him. When Toru looked at his good friend, Aiku proceeded to point his hand towards a female Turbo Duelist. When he saw her, the Scrap Duelist's eyes widen and his mouth dropped.
"Is that Kagura?!" He asked.
"Yup," Aiku replied. "Rumors say that Kagura Toyoshima was the first one to qualify for the Fortune Cup. You better step it up because I learned that she kicked your ass the last time the two of you Dueled."
Toru gently nodded his head as he watched Kagura work on her Duel Runner. He knew that with Kagura in the tournament, things were going to get rough. However, a part of him was excited as it meant that things were only going to get interesting from here on out.
Meanwhile, as he continued walking, Takashi noticed that was a group of Duelists surrounding a young boy who was about 14 or 15-years-old. He also noticed that the Duelists were teasing the boy as he was able to hear someone of things that they said.
"Who the hell do you think you are, Jay Slade?" One of them said in a very insulting manner. "There's no way that someone like you has what it takes to become a Turbo Duelist!"
"That's right," Another one followed. "You're just a spoiled little rich kid who had everything presented to you. You don't have what it takes to become an actual Turbo Duelist."
Duelists continued bully Jay with barrage of insults which slowly caused the young boy to lose his confidence. Having overheard everything, Takashi reflected back to his past and remembered how people in Crash Town use to berate him for wanting to become a Turbo Duelist because he was so poor. However, though sheer perseverance and encouragement from his friends, Takashi was able to prove his doubters wrong and was able to become an actual Turbo Duelist.
Realizing that Jay needed that same type of encouragement, Takashi walked up and stepped in between him and his bullies. Once he did that, he then created space between them so that they wouldn't be crowding anybody.
"Who the hell are you?!" One Duelist asked.
"Who I am doesn't really matter," Takashi answered. "All I'm here for is to stop you from pushing around this kid. You don't have any right to say that he can't become a Turbo Duelist just because he's rich. That's just like saying that poor people can't get ahead in life because their poor. Anybody can do anything if they set their mind to it."
The Duelists were annoyed, both by Takashi's words and by his intervention. Wanting him to leave as soon as possible, they attempted to jump him all at the same time. Unfortunately for them, that tactic didn't work as Takashi was able to maneuver both Jay and himself from them. Once he made sure that the young boy was safe, Takashi then went over towards the group of bullies and retaliated with a barrage of punches of kicks. The force of the blows sent them flying in several directions, amazing Jay in the process.
Once he felt that he was finished, Takashi slapped his hands together and proceeded to make his way back over to Jay. However, before he could reach him, he failed to notice two of the bullies getting back up. When they got back to their feet, they attempted to attack Takashi from behind. It was at this moment that a young woman with spiky midnight blue hair and emerald green eyes appeared and stopped them in their tracks. She had a slightly tanned skin tone, an athletic build, and was around 5'7 tall. The girl proceeded to attack the bullies in a far harsher matter than Takashi, actually breaking a few of their limbs. Eventually, they were force to tell after realizing that she would kill them if they didn't.
With all the bullies gone, Takashi nodded his head a little before checking up on Jay again. Once he saw that he was okay, the young man smiled before getting up and walking over towards the girl.
"Well…that was interesting," He said. "Thanks for the assist. My name is Takashi Nakamura."
"Don't mention it," The girl replied. "I tend to get annoyed with bullies attempt to jump other people from behind. It just shows how weak and pathetic they are. My name is Eleanor Morris, but my friends just call me Ellie."
As Takashi and Ellie continued to greet each other, both of them started to hear someone crying. When they turned around, they saw that it was Jay and proceeded to walk over towards him in order to see what was wrong.
"Hey…what's wrong?" Takashi asked.
"…They're right about me," Jay said as he attempted to wipe away his tears. "Turbo Duelists are they toughest people around. Yet here I am, getting rescue by people I don't even know. How can I become a champion Turbo Duelist if I lack the mental and physical strength to become one?"
"That's simple," Ellie responded. "You have to train to overcome your doubts. If you continue to whine and moan like a little bitch then that's all you're going to become. A true Turbo Duelist is able to overcome all the doubts that she or he might have, work around them, and become stronger from it."
Takashi nodded his head in approval as he agreed with everything that Ellie just said. Every person who inspired to become a Turbo Duelist had to go through all the doubts that Jay is going through right now, how one must be able to overcome that if they truly wish to become great. He's done it, his friends have done it, Ellie was able to do it, and Takashi was sure that Jay would be able to do it too.
Still, despite the encouraging words that he was hearing, Jay was still slightly depressed by what have just transpired. Upon seeing that, Takashi thought to himself for a moment until he finally got himself an idea. With that in mind, the young man gently placed his hand on Jay's shoulder.
"Hey, your name is Jay right?" He asked.
"…Yeah," Jay answered. "My name is Jay Slade."
"Well Jay, how about watching a Duel?" Takashi suggested to him. "I always feel better whenever I see a good Duel."
Jay thought about the prospect of watching a Duel and liked the idea a lot. Not only would it probably get his mind off the doubts that he's feeling, but it would probably improve his overall self confidence. He soon smiled a little and proceeded to nod his head in approval of Takashi's suggestion. This caused Takashi to smile himself as he turned himself around and looked at Eleanor.
"So how about it Ellie," He said. "Feel like facing me in a Duel?"
"It's fine with me," She responded. "However, I would prefer it being a Turbo Duel. I need to prepare myself for the Fortune Cup."
Takashi nodded his head at her suggestion and the two of them left so that they could grab their Duel Runners. However, before he could get his, Takashi proceeded to introduce Jay to his friends and him sit with them so that he's not watching the Duel by himself. Once that was settle, the young man walked over towards his Duel Runner and got it ready for his upcoming Duel.
As that was happening, the people all around the practice field noticed that a Turbo Duel was getting ready to begin. Being considerate, they quickly made their way off of the track so that the two Duelists could have enough room to Duel. One of those individuals, Kagura Toyoshima, noticed that Takashi was one of Duelists and recognized him being one of Toru's friends. With that in mind, the Twilight Duelist decided to pay close attention as she remember hearing that Takashi was a pretty good Duelist in his own right.
Eventually, both Takashi and Ellie were ready to begin their Duel and promptly made their way over the starting line. As Takashi rode his blue and white Duel Runner, he noticed that Ellie's had a pink and silver design to it. She was also wearing a helmet that had the same color scheme as her Duel Runner. Once they reached the starting line, both Turbo Duelists looked at one another for a moment and gently nodded their heads. After that, both of them turned their attention back towards the track.
"Speed World 2 – Set On!"
Both Duelists activated their Speed World 2 Field Spell's, causing the entire practice field to be covered in a holographic glow. Once that happened, the two of them revved up their Runners and promptly left the starting line. They then raced towards the first corner, hoping to reach it first and earn the right to make the first move. It was a back and forth competition, but Ellie eventually passed the corner a few seconds before Takashi.
"DUEL!"
Takashi: 4000 LP
Eleanor: 4000 LP
"It's my turn," Ellie said as she placed her hand on her deck. "Draw!"
Takashi: SPC – 1
Eleanor: SPC – 1
As she drew her first card of the Duel, Ellie took a quick glance at it and smiled silently to herself. She then proceeded to place the card into her hand before grabbing another one and placing it onto her Monster Card Zone.
"I Summon: Atlantean Pikeman!"
Atlantean Pikeman: ATK 1400 DEF 0 LVL 2
A bright flash of light shined next to Ellie as a green Fish-Man appeared beside her. It was wearing golden armor on the prominent portions of its body and was holding a golden long spear. Once Pikeman was out onto the field, Ellie grabbed the card that she drew this turn and inserted it into her Spell/Trap Zone. The card materialized face-down beside the young woman for a few moments before finally disappearing.
"I set one card face-down and end my turn."
Takashi nodded his head and gently placed his hand on his deck in response. He then took a glance at his deck and remembered all the time he spent constructing it. All the long days and sleepless nights were all for this moment. It was here that Takashi will finally see whether or not he obtained the new strength that he had long craved for.
"It's my turn," He proclaimed. "Draw!"
Takashi: SPC – 2
Eleanor: SPC – 2
Upon drawing a card and placing it into his hand, Takashi looked over all of his cards and liked what he saw. He then proceeded to grab one of those cards and place it onto his Monster Card Zone.
"I Summon: Speed Warrior!"
Speed Warrior: ATK 900 DEF 400 LVL 2
As everyone looked on at the Duel, a warrior who had his body completely covered in armor appeared beside Takashi. He had an oxygen mask that covered his mouth and was riding on a pair of skates, which he used to ride next to his master. The sight of Speed Warrior surprised Takashi's friends, as they never expect him to play it even with a new deck.
"What the heck is Takashi going to do with a monster that weak?" Toru questioned. "If Speed Warrior attacks Atlantean Pikeman, then it's the one going to be destroyed."
"Have patience," Lilly replied.
"Yeah," Akiza followed. "Takashi is a very intelligent Duelist. He wouldn't make a move whether thinking about what could happen. I'm certain that Speed Warrior has an ability that will work in his favor."
Akiza was right in her assumption as Speed Warrior did have an ability that would work in Takashi's favor. An ability that the young man would proceeded to activate.
"I activate Speed Warrior's Special Ability!" He declared. "During that Battle Phase in which he was successfully summoned, Speed Warrior's Attack Points are doubled!"
Speed Warrior: ATK 1800
Ellie looked on in shocked as she watched Speed Warrior's Attack Points increased to the point that it surpassed Atlantean Pikeman's. She then looked on as Speed Warrior made his way over Pikeman, ready to do battle.
"Speed Warrior, attack Atlantean Pikeman…Sonic Edge!"
The Warrior-Type monster complied with Takashi's demand and proceeded to spin around. As it did, Speed Warrior swiftly sliced off Atlantean Pikeman's head with one power kick.
Eleanor: 3600 LP
With his target now taken care of, Speed Warrior made his way back towards Takashi and once again started riding beside him. Also, with the Battle Phase now over, Warrior's Attack Points returned to their original point value.
Speed Warrior: ATK 900
"See," Akiza pointed out. "What did I tell you? I knew Takashi wouldn't summon a monster without thinking about it first."
"I admit," Tem said. "That move was impressive. However, he left him vulnerable to Ellie's next move."
"He's right," Aiku followed. "Eleanor is known for her well thought out strategies. She usually lets her opponents get the upper hand just to figure out the strategies. After that, she formulates her own plan and uses it dominate her foe. If Takashi wants to win this Duel, then he's going to have to think even farther than her."
As the Duel continued, Takashi continued on with his turn by taking two cards from his hands and inserting them into his Spell/Trap Zone. The cards materialized beside him for a few short moments before disappearing.
"I set 2 cards face-down and end my turn," He said.
"Then it's my turn again," Ellie replied. "Draw!"
Takashi: SPC – 3
Eleanor: SPC – 3
Upon drawing a card from her deck and placing it into her hand, Ellie pulled out Atlantean Pikeman's card from out of her Graveyard and put in away. After that, the young woman took a card from her hand and placed it firmly upon her Monster Card Zone.
"By removing my Atlantean Pikeman from play, I can Special Summon: Aqua Spirit!"
Aqua Spirit: ATK 1600 DEF 1200 LVL 4
A small ball of water appeared beside Ellie as the young woman continued on with her turn. The ball soon began to change shape and it quickly transformed into a young woman with blue hair and green skin. She also head fish-like ears and was wearing a blue night gown. Once Aqua Spirit was out on the field, Ellie then grabbed another card from her hand and also placed it onto her Monster Card Zone.
"Next, I Normal Summon the Tuner Monster: Dewdark of the Ice Barrier!"
Dewdark of the Ice Barrier: ATK 1200 DEF 800 LVL 2
A small blizzard covered Ellie's side of the field as a ninja with blonde hair appeared onto the field. He was wearing dark purple robes and was holding ice-shaped kunai knives in each of his hands.
"I now Tune my Level 4 Aqua Spirit with my Level 2 Dewdark of the Ice Barrier!" Ellie proclaimed. "Synchro Summon! Appear now, Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier!"
Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier: ATK 2000 DEF 1400 LVL 6
Both of Ellie's monsters jumped into the air and quickly performed the Synchro Summoning ritual. When they finished, a giant blue tiger appeared onto field and started running beside her. It was wearing blue and yellow armor and had icicles on several of its limbs.
"Dewloren, attack Takashi's Speed Warrior…Icicle Crash!"
Dewloren complied with Ellie's order and proceeded to make its way over towards Speed Warrior. The Tiger King soon jumped up and pounced on top of its target. As it prepared to attack, Takashi swiftly activated one of his face-down cards.
"I activate the Trap Card: Defense Draw!" He declared. "This Trap reduces the Battle Damage of this attack to 0 and allows me to draw 1 card from my deck!"
As the young man drew a card, Dewloren proceeded to kill Speed Warrior by using its various ice claws. When that happened, several icicles popped out of the Tiger King's back and made their way over to Takashi. Fortunately for him though, a white shield surrounded him thus protecting him from the attack.
Ellie wasn't too impressed by Takashi's defensive play as it only meant that he wouldn't be able to use that Trap Card again. The young woman would continue on with her turn by grabbing a card from her hand and inserting it into her Spell/Trap Zone. The card appeared right beside her in face-down position and quickly disappeared after a few seconds.
"I set one more card face-down and end my turn," She said.
"It's my turn," Takashi said to himself. "Draw!"
Takashi: SPC – 4
Eleanor: SPC – 4
Upon drawing his next card, Takashi took a glance at it and saw that it was pretty good card. He then smiled to himself as he inserting the card into his Spell/Trap Zone.
"I activate the Speed Spell: Angel Baton!" He said. "When I have 2 or more Speed Counter, I can draw 2 cards from my deck and then discard 1 card from my hand."
Takashi placed his hand back onto his deck and swiftly drew two more cards. After he placed them into his hand, he then took a card from that hand and placed it into his Graveyard. With that settled, Takashi then took one of the cards that he just drew and placed it onto his Monster Card Zone.
"Next, I Summon the Tuner Monster: Junk Synchron!"
Junk Synchron: ATK 1300 DEF 500 LVL 3
As Junk Synchron made its appearance back onto the field, Takashi went back to his Graveyard and proceeded to pull out two cards. Once he did that, the young man then placed one of the cards horizontally onto his Monster Card Zone.
"When Junk Synchron is successfully summoned, I can Special Summon a Level 2 or lower monster from my Graveyard. Be revived, Speed Warrior!"
In a bright flash of light, Speed Warrior returned onto the field and took a defensive position right beside Junk Synchron. Once that happened, Takashi then took the other card that he got from his Graveyard and also placed it on his Monster Card Zone.
"I now activate the effect of my Quillbolt Hedgehog! When there's a Tuner Monster on my side of the field, I can Special Summon it from my Graveyard!"
Quillbolt Hedgehog: ATK 800 DEF 800 LVL 2
When Quillbolt arrived onto the field, the others had a pretty good idea on what Takashi was planning to do next.
"I Tune my Level 2 Quillbolt Hedgehog with my Level 3 Junk Synchron!"
As Quillbolt and Junk Synchron jumped into the air and prepared the Synchro ritual, Takashi proceeded to grab a card from his Extra Deck. Once he got the card that he wanted, Takashi began chanting to himself.
"Gathering stars will call upon a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Show yourself, Junk Warrior!"
Junk Warrior: ATK 2300 DEF 1300 LVL 5
When the ritual ended, a blue and white robotic like monster appeared onto Takashi's side of the field. It had red eyes, jet-like shoulders, and had long white cloth around its neck. The sight of the monster surprised some of Takashi's friends as they never seen him summon it before.
"So this is one of Takashi's new Synchro Monsters," Crow said as he looked on at the Duel. "Junk Warrior…"
"New Synchro Monsters?" Aiku questioned. "What do you mean, did Takashi change up his cards or something?"
"Ever since the battle against Sasuke, Takashi has spent the last couple of months constructing a new Deck," Akiza explained. "He said he wanted to focus on fast Synchro Summonings, so I guess Junk Warrior is a result of that."
"I see," Aiku was intrigued by this recent discovery as this was the first time that he's actually seen Takashi in a Duel. He hadn't realized that he changed his cards in order to suit a new style of Dueling. "That's interesting. However…, why did he choose to summon Junk Warrior? He still had Speed Warrior out on the field so he could have used it to Synchro Summon a Level 7 monster instead."
"I guess we'll find out soon enough," Lilly replied.
Back at the Duel, Ellie was wondering the same thing that Aiku was. Why did Takashi summon Junk Warrior instead of something more powerful? Sure it was stronger than her Dewloren, but it could only deal 300 points of damage at the most. As she continued to ponder this question, Takashi could tell what she was thinking and decided to answer it for her.
"I activate Junk Warrior's Special Ability!" He said. "When it's successfully Synchro Summoned, it gains Attack Points equal to the total Attack Points of all Level 2 or lower monsters on my side of the field!"
Ellie's eyes widen from shock as she watched Speed Warrior, a Level 2 monster, transfer its energy into Junk Warrior. The added power boost increased the Warrior-Type monster's overall strength by 900 points.
Junk Warrior: ATK 3200
"Junk Warrior, attack Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier…Scrap Fist!"
Once Junk Warrior finished powering up, the power Synchro Monster made its way over towards Dewloren and prepared itself to punch the beast. As that was happening, a purple warrior surrounded its arm thus giving it more power. When Junk Warrior finally connected with Dewloren, everyone watched as the Ice Barrier exploded on contact.
Eleanor: 2400 LP
As the smoke from the explosion impaired her vision, Ellie failed to notice that Takashi took advantage and quickly drove pass her. When the smoke finally faded way, the young woman noticed this and attempted to catch up with her opponent. All the while, she proceeded to activate one of her face-down cards.
"I activate the Trap: Miracle's Wake!" She said. "When a monster I control is destroyed through battle, this card Special Summons it back onto the field!"
A bright flash of light appeared beside Ellie has her Dewloren returned to the field and started running next to her again. Takashi was able to keep his cool upon seeing this development and promptly looked at his hand in order to see if he had any moves to counter with. When he didn't, he sighed quietly to himself.
"I end my turn," He said.
Despite the fact that he wasn't able to keep Dewloren off of the field, everyone else was very impressed by Takashi's recent moves. Not only did he deal Ellie 1200 points of damage, but he also has a monster with over 3000 Attack Points out on his field as well. It was clear to almost everybody that Takashi clearly had to advantage in this Duel.
"If this keeps up then this Duel is in the bag for Takashi," Toru said with look of approval on his face.
"I agree on that," Crow followed. "With Junk Warrior out, Eleanor can't make any reckless moves unless she wants to lose more of her Life Points."
As some of the others agreed, Aiku and Madas still weren't completely convinced. Ellie was simply too good a Duelist to be defeated that easily and was sure that she'll turn things around soon. Their points were soon validated when a certain individual appeared before them.
"Eleanor is about to summon it," A female voice said.
When everyone turned around, they saw that it was Kagura. The young woman became more interested in the Duel and wanted to have a closer look. As she watched, Kagura was indeed impressed with Takashi's moves, but she knew that it was still Ellie's match to lose.
"The fact that she kept Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier on the field only means that she plans to summon it very shortly," She continued. "The only question is when?"
"What monster does she plan to summon?" Misaki asked.
Kagura looked down at the young woman and looked her straight in the eyes. After a few moments, she turned her attention back towards the Duel and watched as Ellie was beginning her next turn.
"Her Ace Monster,"
"It's my turn," Ellie said as she placed her hand on her deck. "Draw!"
Takashi: SPC – 5
Eleanor: SPC – 5
As she drew a card from her deck, Ellie was disappointed that it wasn't the card she was hoping for. However she believed that it would at least be a card that would help her get trough Takashi's next turn. To that end, the young woman inserted the card into her Spell/Trap Zone and watched as it materialized for a few moments before finally disappearing. She then took Dewloren's card and turned it horizontally.
"I set one card face-down," She said. "I then switch Dewloren into Defense Mode before ending my turn."
Dewloren got in front of Ellie, preparing to protect her if things become bad. Once that happened, Takashi prepared himself to begin his turn.
"It's my turn," He said. "Draw!"
Takashi: SPC – 6
Eleanor: SPC – 6
Upon drawing his next card, Takashi didn't really respond to it and proceeded to simply place it into his hand it into his hand. Once he did that, Takashi then took Speed Warrior's card and turned it vertically.
"To begin, I switch Speed Warrior back into Attack Mode!" He declared.
Speed Warrior responded to his master's actions and stopped defending. He then rode next to Junk Warrior, waiting for his next command.
"Now Junk Warrior, destroy Dewloren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier…Scrap Fist!"
Junk Warrior complied with Takashi's request and prepared itself to attack Dewloren. It was at this moment that Ellie activated her recently set face-down card.
"I activate the Trap: Negate Attack!" She said. "This card negates your Junk Warrior's attack and automatically ends your Battle Phase!"
A small barrier appeared around Dewloren as Junk Warrior prepared to strike with its power filled punch. However, the barrier not only protected Ellie's monster, but it also sent a shockwave that kept Takashi from making any more attacks this turn. With his plan foiled, the young man grabbed another card from his hand and inserted it into his Spell/Trap Zone. The card appeared behind Speed Warrior before disappearing.
"I set one card face-down and end my turn," He said.
"It's my turn," Ellie replied. "Draw!"
Takashi: SPC – 7
Eleanor: SPC – 7
Ellie placed all of her hopes on the card she just drew, hoping it was the one needed to initiate he secret strategy. When she looked at it and saw that it was, she smiled to herself and proceeded to speed up towards Takashi. Upon reaching him, Ellie placed the card onto her Monster Card Zone.
"I Summon the Tuner Monster: Effect Veiler!"
Effect Veiler: ATK 0 DEF 0 LVL 1
A small flash of light appeared in front of Ellie as Effect Veiler made her appearance into the Duel. With the arrival of the Tuner Monster, Takashi pretty much had feeling on what was going to happen next and prepared himself for what was to come.
"I Tune my Level 6 Dewolren, Tiger King of the Ice Barrier with my Level 1 Effect Veiler!"
As the two monsters responded to their master's words and began the Synchro ritual, Ellie went on to grab a card from her Extra Deck. When she placed it onto her Monster Card Zone, the young woman closed her eyes and started chanting to herself.
"May the icy waters sprout into a new aggressive force! Synchro Summon! Awaken form the depths, Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier!"
Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier: ATK 2500 DEF 1700 LVL 7
When the Synchro ritual ended, a large blizzard appeared around both Duelists as a giant dragon with blue and red scales arrived onto the field. It had red eyes, a large wingspan, and its body was completely made up of ice.
"It's here," Kagura said in a cold tone of voice.
Besides her and the just as quiet Misaki, everyone was amazed by the appearance of Gungnir. It was a very impressive dragon who seemed very powerful. However, despite the strength it had, the others remembered that Junk Warrior was still the strongest monster on the field. Even if Ellie had Gungnir destroy Speed Warrior, Takashi would simply counter by having Junk Warrior destroy it.
Ellie also realized this fact, but the young woman knew what she was doing when she summoned her prized Ace Monster. She continued on with her turn by taking 2 cards from her hand and placing them into her Graveyard.
"I activate Gungnir's Special Ability!" She declared. "By discarding 2 cards to the Graveyard, Gungnir can destroy the same number of cards on my opponent's side of the field!"
Takashi's eyes widen as he watched both his Speed Warrior and Junk Warrior slowly become encased in ice. Once they were completely frozen, Gungnir promptly grabbed both monsters with each of its claws and shattered them completely. With no monsters left on the field to protect his Life Points, Takashi could only look on hopelessly as Gungnir stared him down.
"Go Gungnir!" Ellie said. "Attack his Life Points directly…Sheer Cold!"
Gungnir responded to Ellie's demand and proceeded to gather energy into its mouth. As it did, its body turned into a midnight blue color as the energy it was gather was changing its body temperature to subzero levels. Once it gathered enough, the Dragon-Type monster struck Takashi with a blast of frozen energy.
Takashi: 1500 LP
As the attack caused Takashi to spin out of control, Ellie took advantage of the situation and proceeded to drive past him. However, even though she was done with her attack, Ellie still wasn't finished with her turn and was still intent on dealing her opponent more damage.
"I now activate the effect of Speed World 2!" She said. "By removing 4 Speed Counters, I can deal you 800 Points of damage for every Speed Spell that's in my hand. I currently have 1 Speed Spell, so you're being dealt a solid 800 Points of damage!"
Eleanor: SPC – 3
Ellie's Duel Runner shot out a white laser beam at Takashi, which not only caused him more problems, but also caused him to lose more of Life Points as well.
Takashi: 700 LP
"Takashi!" Akiza yelled out of concern.
"I knew that it was too easy," Aiku said. "Eleanor was setting things up just to summon Gungnir. Now that it's out, Takashi will have to summon a monster with over 2500 Attack Points if he wants to defeat it."
"That's not all," Miri followed. "That last move caused him to go past the safety line. If Takashi cannot defeat Ellie on his next turn, then Ellie will have over 4 Speed Counters again. With that, all she needs to do is activate Speed World 2's effect and deal him another 800 points of damage, thus winning the Duel."
As everyone talked about what was going to happen, Jay was simply concerned about what Takashi was going to do. If what Miri said was true, then this Duel is practically over on Ellie's next turn. Then young boy didn't know what was going to happen next, but he didn't want the Duel to end like that. So Jay silently hoped that Takashi would somehow regain the momentum and take advantage of his current predicament.
Back at the Duel, Ellie was still a good distance away from Takashi as the young man finally regained control over his Duel Runner. She felt good about the currently stage of things as she not only as her Ace Monster out on the field, but also dealt her opponent 3300 Points of damage in just one turn. Even though he still had 2 face-down cards on the field, the young woman wasn't too concerned about them and swore to get rid of them once her turn came around again.
"I end my turn," She said in a confident tone of voice.
With his opponent now just ending her turn, Takashi looked over all of the cards that were in his hand and on his field and questioned on what he was going to do. With no immediate answered, the young man closed her eyes and imagined a flow chart of all the cards that he had and the cards that Ellie had played this turn. Slowly, electricity began flowing into the charts in several directions, each on revealing a strategy that he could use to help turn situation around. Eventually, Takashi saw a strategy that could work and promptly opened his eyes as a result. He then looked over his hand and saw that he was missing two key pieces.
"This is it," He thought to himself. "This is the true test of this deck. If I truly obtained the new strength that longed for then I can't afford to have any doubts. I must believe in my cards just like my friends believe in me."
As Takashi placed his hand upon his deck, the young man drove past his friends in the stands and heard him cheering them on. Toru and Crow were giving the regular cheers of encouragement while Lilly was simply telling him not to give up. Misaki silently nodded her head in approval while Akiza silently wished for his victory. With all of them, and everyone else watching and cheering him on, a small smile appeared on Takashi's face as he got ready to begin his turn.
"It's my turn," He said with confidence. "Draw!"
Takashi: SPC – 8
Eleanor: SPC – 4
As he drew a card from his deck, Takashi took a quick glance at it and saw that was one of the cards that he was searching for. However, with still one more piece missing, the young knew that he was still in a lot of trouble. Fortunately, he still had a means to draw another card.
"I activate the effect of Speed World 2!" He declared. "By removing 7 Speed Counters, I can draw 1 card from my deck."
Takashi: SPC – 1
After drawing his second card, Takashi slowly flipped it over so that he could see what it was and was elated that it was card he was searching more. With his preparations now complete, he revved his Duel Runner and quickly began to close the distance between him and Ellie. Once he was close enough, the young man grabbed another card from his hand and placed it into his Graveyard before placing the card that he just drew onto his Monster Card Zone.
"By discarding a monster from my hand to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon the Tuner Monster: Quickdraw Synchron!"
Quickdraw Synchron: ATK 700 DEF 1400 LVL 5
A bright flash of light shined across Takashi's side of the field as a small robot, that had the appearance of cowboy, appeared. It had a large hat with a white feather in the cap, a red cape that covered its mouth and extended to its back, and had two guns in holsters that were on the side of its body.
The sight of the monster surprised a lot of people, especial Jay as he never seen a monster like Quickdraw Synchron before. Seeing the confusion in his eyes, Madas decided to explain who Quickdraw was.
"Quickdraw Synchron is a unique Tuner Monster who can be substituted for any other Synchron Tuner Monster," He explained.
"Substituted?" Jay questioned. "What do you mean by that?"
"Monsters of the Warrior-Archetype, which is the Archetype I believe that Takashi is using, can only be Synchro Summoned by using a specific Synchron Tuner Monster," Tem followed. "However, Quickdraw Synchron's Special Ability allows it to be substituted anyone of those monsters. This allows Takashi to practically summon any Warrior he wants, without the need of searching for the corresponding Tuner Monster."
Jay nodded his head, now understanding the abilities of Quickdraw, and proceeded to turn his attention back towards the Duel. He then wondered what monster Takashi would intend to Synchro Summon with it. As he was pondering that, Takashi continued on with his turn by activating one of his face-down cards.
"Next, I activate the Trap Card: Call of the Haunted!" He said. "With it, I can Special Summon the Speed Warrior that you just destroyed!"
Once again, Speed Warrior returned from the Graveyard and started skating next to his master. As that was happening, Takashi pulled out another card from his hand placed it onto his Monster Card Zone.
"However, I'll release my Speed Warrior in order to Advance Summon: Salvage Warrior!"
Salvage Warrior: ATK 1900 DEF 1600 LVL 5
As Speed Warrior disappeared from the field, a blue monster wearing yellow and green clothes appeared onto the field. On its back, Salvage Warrior had a large machine that carried a chain from each of its ends.
"When Salvage Warrior is successfully Advanced Summoned," Takashi continued. "I can Special Summon a Tuner Monster from either my hand or Graveyard. So return, Junk Synchron!"
Salvage Warrior threw the chain that was to its left into a small portal that beside it. After a few seconds, it pulled onto the chain and Junk Synchron appeared on the other end of it. Once that happened, Takashi proceeded to activate his final face-down card.
"I now activate the Continuous Trap Card: Graceful Revival! With it, I can Special Summon a Level 2 or lower monster from my Graveyard. I choose to Special Summon: Sonic Chick, which I discarded via the effect of Quickdraw Synchron!"
Sonic Chick: ATK 300 DEF 300 LVL 1
When Sonic appeared onto the field and started running next to Takashi and his other monsters, everyone in the stands were amazed at what just transpired. In just one turn, Takashi had summoned 4 monsters and set things up to Synchro Summon at least twice this turn.
"That's just like Takashi!" Toru said in an excited tone. "You can never count him out until the very end!"
Akiza, Lilly, and Crow all nodded their heads in approval as they continued watching the Duel. All three of them have faced Takashi in a Duel and they all believed that he was the toughest opponent that they've ever faced. Even Lilly, the only one out of the three to actual defeat him, admitted that if things turned out differently then she would've lost that Duel.
"I Tune my Level 1 Sonic Chick with my Level 5 Quickdraw Synchron!" Takashi declared.
As both Sonic Chick and Quickdraw Synchron jumped into the sky and prepared to perform a Synchro Summoning, Takashi swiftly pulled out another card from his Extra Deck. Once he did that, he placed the card onto his Monster Card Zone as he began chanting to himself.
"Gathering bonds weave a new force! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Roar, Turbo Warrior!"
Turbo Warrior: ATK 2500 DEF 1500 LVL 6
When the Synchro ritual ended, a giant red robot appeared onto Takashi's side of the field. It had steel claws, rocket shaped boots, and had a car engine connected to its body. Once Turbo Warrior was out, Takashi continued on with his turn by performing his second consecutive Synchro Summoning.
"Next, I Tune my Level 5 Salvage Warrior with my Level 3 Junk Synchron!"
Both monsters complied with Takashi's order and prepared themselves to perform their Synchro Summoning. As before, Takashi proceeded to pull out another card from his Extra Deck. However, before he placed it onto his Monster Card Zone, the young man closed his eyes and placed the card next to his heart.
"Gathering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon!"
Stardust Dragon: ATK 2500 DEF 2000 LVL 8
Upon placing the card onto his Monster Card Zone, a collection of stars appeared on Takashi's side of the field. The stars soon gathered together and transformed themselves into Stardust Dragon, much to the amazement of everyone watching the Duel.
"So that…is what Stardust Dragon looks like," Aiku said, trying to come up with the right words to say. "It's even more amazing than I thought."
Madas, Tem, and Miri all felt the same way as Aiku and they were at a loss for words as watched the beautiful dragon take the field. Misaki and Kagura just as equally amazed. Even though they tried their best not to show it, the two girls simply couldn't hold it back and were at awe over Stardust Dragon.
Ellie was also amazed by the appearance of Stardust, but wouldn't let its appearance stop her from winning the Duel. She then looked at all of the monsters that were on the field and saw that all 3 of them had the same number of Attack Points; 2500. It was at that moment that Ellie discovered that Takashi intended to have one of his monster's sacrifice itself in order destroy Gungnir before having the other attack her Life Points directly. Not wanting that to happen, the young woman went on to activate her face-down card.
"I activate the Continuous Trap Card: Ice Shield!" She declared. "When an Ice Barrier monster attacks or is attacked by a monster with the same Attack Points, then it survives the confrontation!"
Another layer of ice covered Gungnir, thus protecting the beast from attacks against monsters of the same Attack Power. However, Takashi wasn't worried about this development and simply conducted his Battle Phase.
"Turbo Warrior, attack Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier…Accel Slash!"
Turbo Warrior complied with Takashi's orders and proceeded to make its way over to Gungnir. Ellie was shocked by this move as she knew that her monster would survive the battle while Turbo Warrior would not. She would soon find out that her assumption wasn't the case.
"I activate Turbo Warrior's Special Ability!" Takashi declared. "When it attacks a Level 6 or higher Synchro Monster, that monster loses half of its Attack Points until the end of the Damage Step!"
Gungnir, Dragon of the Ice Barrier: ATK 1250
Ellie looked on in disbelief as she watched Gungnir quickly lose half of its strength. It was at that moment that Turbo Warrior's right claw glowed a crimson red color and proceeded to strike down Gungnir with it, causing a massive explosion.
Eleanor: 1150 LP
Once her Ace Monster gone, Ellie could only just watch as Stardust Dragon prepared itself to attack.
"Stardust Dragon," Takashi called. "Attack Ellie's Life Points directly…Cosmic Flare!"
Stardust roared after hearing its master's order and began gathering cosmic energy into its mouth. Once it finished, the powerful dragon fired a blast of the same cosmic energy towards Ellie, causing her to lose the remaining of her Life Points.
Eleanor: 0 LP
Once the holograms faded away, both Turbo Duelists returned to the starting line and made their way off of their Duel Runners. They then took off their helmets and shook each other's hand.
"That was a nice Duel," Ellie said, slightly disappointed that she lost. "But I'll get you back the nice time we fight."
"I look forward to it," Takashi smiled.
As the two of them continued to complement the other's strength, everyone started cheering for the two of them as they enjoyed the amazing Duel. Akiza and the others made their way towards them, all of them congratulating both for the other's skills. Eventually, Takashi walked over towards Jay and saw that he was feeling much better.
"That Duel was awesome!" He said in a cheerful tone. "Just seeing the two of you Duel made feel a whole lot better."
Takashi was happy over this news and he gently placed his hand on the young boy's head. As he did that, the mysterious figure was looking down at them. He had watched the Duel between Takashi and Eleanor with great interest and simply nodded his head upon its conclusion.
"He's good," He said to himself. "But he's not good enough."
With that said, the individual placed a card onto his Duel Runner's Monster Card Zone. When he did, a giant green fireball appeared and struck the practice field. The attack caused an explosion that frightened nearly everyone present, forcing them to run for their lives. The only ones who remained were Takashi and the other's, who tried to figure out where the attack came from.
"What the hell was that?!" Madas asked.
"I don't know!" Miri replied.
As everyone tried to figure out what was going on, Takashi started to feel a burning sensation coming from his right arm. Akiza, Lilly, and Crow all felt the same sensation as well and proceeded to look down at their arms. When the 4 of them did, they saw that their respective Dragon Marks were glowing. It was here that the mysterious individual appeared before all of them and pointed his finger towards Takashi.
"Duel me," He said. "Duel me, Takashi Nakamura…Signer of the Dragon's Head."
Next Chapter Preview
Just who is the mysterious person and why does he want to Duel Takashi? Many questions runs through our hero's mind, but Takashi accepts the challenge anyway. However, does he really stand a chance against this opponent…especially when his identity is revealed?
Next Time on Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's: Over the Nexus. Chapter 51: New Strength – Part 2
