Chapter 13: The Secret Trick
Erica, Yuma, Astral, and Kite are in the jungles of Sector Sierra 27 to get to the Atrona City shield generator.
"Please tell me we're getting close," Yuma said.
Astral appears beside Yuma. "We're not very far. I hope Joey and the others have the Zenovian Army occupied."
"Don't worry about Joey, he has our backs," Kite spoke. "But even so, they won't be able to hold off their forces forever. We need to keep moving."
"Okay, then. This way, guys." Erica motioned them to continue. Their path is blocked by a medium-sized lake.
"Uh, why did we stop?" Yuma asked.
"Do you not see the rather large lake ahead of you?" Astral spoke up.
"And me without my swim trunks." Yuma groans. "How are going to cross this thing?"
Kite notices a large branch hanging above the other side of the lake. "I have an idea." He grabs a vine and ties it to a hook. He throws the hook at the branch and it catches onto the branch. He swings over the lake with ease. "You ready, Erica?" He tosses the vine to Erica. She tugs it and once she's sure that it can hold, she swings right over the lake.
"Not bad." Kite complimented.
"Let's see you do better, Yuma!" Erica called out to Yuma, who swallows heavily. She tosses the vine to him.
"Do not be afraid. Remember: all you have to do is high five the sky and you'll get across." Astral reminded Yuma as he disappears into his Key.
"You're right, Astral." Yuma agreed. "Get ready, because I'm gonna high five the sky!" He yells as he swings across. Just as he reaches the other side, the vine snaps and he falls to the ground.
"Made it." Yuma groans.
"The more things change, the more they stay the same." Kite smirks.
Above the skies of Sector Sierra 27, Fritz's ship flies overhead, where inside, Fritz and Primo glance at the battlefield.
"Okay, Primo, Shade resurrected you so you can prove your worth. And there are no second chances, got it?" Fritz asks.
"Oh, I understand. Once we take down those other duelists, I'm going after Yusei to settle an age-old score."
"That's what I like about you, Primo. You don't hold grudges until after your mission is done." Fritz complimented.
Back in the sector, the breakaway team continues through the jungles. "Keep your eyes peeled for the Man-Eating Plants here."
"Man-Eating Plants?" Yuma asks. His answer came when a giant green carnivorous plant chomps on him.
"They tend to chomp on anyone they consider a threat." Erica pointed out. Two more Man-Eating Plants emerge and Kite kicks one about to chomp on Erica.
"There's no way some overgrown weed will have me for lunch!" Yuma struggles to break free. "Uh, Kite?"
"Time for us to bail!" Kite suggests.
"Yeah!" Erica agrees. Yuma manages to break free and make a run for it along with Kite and Erica. They were able to escape the Man-Eating Plants and rest at a clearing.
"Next time, do me a favor and warn me before I step on something that might eat me alive." Yuma sighs.
"What for? You handled that pretty well. Heck, I could give you extra points for style." Erica said.
"Yeah, I hear you," Yuma smirks.
"The shield generator should be over that ridge over there," Astral reported.
"The sooner we get out of this jungle, the better," Yuma said. Their efforts were thwarted when a large shadow looms over them, followed by a strong wind. "Now what!?"
"Zenovians! They found us!" Kite reported as they see Fritz's ship. Fritz and Primo teleport to their position.
Fritz chuckles menacingly. "We sure did."
"It's Fritz!" Erica said.
"And I can guess that other guy's Primo!" Yuma added.
"Stay calm. They don't know why we're out here." Kite reminded them.
"I can guess Yusei told me about you," Primo spoke up.
"Our comrades on the front line suspected your forces might be some kind of decoy," Fritz commented. "And wouldn't you know it, they were right. So the real question is: what are you really doing out here?"
"Tell us – why are you out here in the middle of this dense jungle?" Primo interrogated.
"This bites. We were so close." Yuma sneers.
"Relax. We still have one more trick left." Erica reminded him. "Time for Operation: Breakout."
"This is all you, Kite." Yuma offers a friendly handshake. "Leave these two to us."
Kite gazes into Yuma's calm and collected eyes. "Fight as hard as you can." Kite accepts the handshake. He then uses his portable wing-pack to jet off towards the jungle.
"He's getting away!" Primo told Fritz.
"So what? These two are more than enough for us to handle." Fritz said. "If he wants to run, let him. He'll have his allies to deal with after we defeat them. Of course, you still haven't answered our question. Tell us the real reason you're out here in the Zenovian jungle."
"Oh, we were just looking for some Zenovian cockroaches to stomp." Yuma taunted.
"My, my, for someone so small, you've got a big mouth." Fritz glared.
Yuma sneers. "That's it! Get ready to duel!"
"Not alone you won't, Yuma," Erica spoke up. "My deck is itching for a fight."
"Ooh, this is getting interesting," Fritz said. His Duel Disk has an anchor-like shape and the flukes on both sides form the blade. "Shall we begin?"
"I couldn't agree more." Erica's Duel Disk is a futuristic model and it creates a dark blue blade.
"Let's Duel!" All four competitors call out to begin.
Yuma Tsukumo & Erica Shaw: 4000 LP
VS.
Fritz & Primo: 4000 LP
Turn 1: Erica (4000)
"I'll go first." Erica takes a card from her hand. "I activate the Spell Molten Conduction Field!" Her Spell card is revealed. "This lets me send two Laval monsters in my deck to the graveyard. I choose to send two Laval monsters in my deck to the Graveyard. I choose to get rid of Laval Lancelord and Laval Volcano Handmaiden." She slips the two cards into her Graveyard.
"Why would you send a powerful monster and a weakling to the Graveyard?" Primo asks.
"You'll find out when I activate my Handmaiden's special ability! When she's sent to the Graveyard and there's another Laval monster with a different name in my Graveyard, then I get to send a Laval monster in my deck to the Graveyard." She slips another Volcano Handmaiden in the Graveyard. "Now my second Handmaiden's ability activates, letting me send another Laval monster to the Graveyard." Her third Volcano Handmaiden enters the Graveyard. "And now my third Handmaiden's ability lets me send Laval Magma Cannoneer to the Graveyard." Her Magma Cannoneer is sent to the Graveyard.
"All those good monsters and you're throwing them away." Fritz comments. "You're making this duel much easier for us."
"Don't be so sure, Captain." Erica corrected, making Fritz gasp in shock. "You're probably wondering why I sent five monsters to the Graveyard. Well, it's part of my red-hot strategy. And this card will set the field ablaze! I activate the Spell Rekindling! It lets me summon as many Fire monsters from my Graveyard, as long as their Defense Points are 200." The card shoots five fireballs onto the field. "Emerging from the fiery depths is Laval Lancelord!" The first of her monsters inside one of the fireballs is a rock golem with a flame crest on its belt armed with a spear formed from lava. (Level 6/ATK: 2100/DEF: 200).
"Next is my Laval Volcano Handmaiden!" A woman with long flaming hair garbed in a scaly blue metal dress emerges from one of the fireballs. "But why stop at one when I can play all three of them?" Two more women with flaming hair appear from two fireballs. Their dresses are green and red-orange. (Level 1/ATK: 100/DEF: 200 each)
"And last but not least is my Laval Magma Cannoneer!" Emerging from the last fireball is a purple stone golem with two rock cannons mounted on its back. (Level 4/ATK: 1700/DEF: 200)
"So that's your plan. Ditch all those monsters and swarm the field with them." Primo noted. "But it won't help you win. As soon as your turn's over, the monsters summoned with Rekindling are banished."
"I know that, which is why I'll do this! Level 1 Volcano Handmaiden, tune with Level 4 Magma Cannoneer!" The green-dressed Handmaiden turns into a mote of light. "Let this be proof that when you play with fire, you are sure to get burned!" The mote transforms into a green ring that surrounds Magma Cannoneer, turning it into four motes of light. A pillar of light shines behind Erica. "I Synchro Summon! Laval Dual Slasher!" A rock warrior with flaming twin blades on its gauntlets emerges from a ball of flames. The crest is seen on its chest. (Level 5/ATK: 2400/DEF: 200)
"So you're able to Synchro Summon."
"That's right, and I'm not finished yet. My second Handmaiden will now tune my Laval Lancelord!" The red-orange dressed turns into a green ring that surrounds Lancelord, turning it into six motes of light. Another pillar of light shines above. "I Synchro Summon Laval Stennon!" The monster appears to be a blue rock golem with white and gold armor (Level 7/ATK: 2700/DEF: 1800)
"Two Synchro monsters!?" Fritz gasps.
"That's right, and when Stennon is Synchro Summoned, I'll have to get rid of a card in my hand." She discards a card. "But that's fine with me. I activate Circle of the Fire Kings! By destroying a Fire monster on my field, I can summon one in my Graveyard. So I'll snuff my Handmaiden to summon Laval Judgment Lord!" Her most powerful monster emerges as its flames ignite (Level 7/ATK: 2700/DEF: 1800)
"That's a lot of monsters you get from just four cards," Fritz said.
"I'll end my turn with a face-down." A face-down materializes in front of Erica.
"You seem to know what you are doing, Miss Shaw," Primo commented. "But I'm afraid it won't be enough to help you."
"And do you have anything that can snuff out my flaming fighters?" Erica challenges the Noble.
Turn 2: Primo (4000)
"We'll!" Primo draws his card." He sees some cards that can help him. "I summon Wise Core in Attack Mode!" Primo summons a metal egg with red lines and a glowing red eye inside. (Level 1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0)
"Why would you summon a monster with 0 Attack Points in Attack Mode?" Erica asks.
"Save the questions until after the duel. Not that you'll find out. I activate Acid Rain!" Primo plays his Spell Card.
A dark cloud envelops and it starts to rain. "This storm corrodes all Machine monsters and destroys them!" Wise Core starts to corrode and explodes in a burst of pixels.
"You do know that just left you wide open, right?" Yuma asks Primo as the storm clears.
"Actually, Yuma, quite the opposite. Whenever Wise Core is destroyed by an effect, its special ability allows me to summon Meklord Emperor Wisel Infinity, Wisel Top, Wisel Attack, Wisel Guard, and Wisel Carrier!" Primo then plays five separate cards that form one monster, starting with a globe-like core with an infinity symbol. (Level 1/ATK: 0/DEF: 0) Next was a slug-like section. (Level 1/ATK: 500/DEF: 0) Next is an ovular object with a blade protruding from it. (Level 1/ATK: 1200/DEF: 0) Next is a type of saucer with circular marks. (Level 1/ATK: 0/DEF: 1200) Finally, a set of twin teardrops connected to a core. (Level 1/ATK: 800/DEF: 600)
"Whoa! Five monsters at once!?" Yuma gasps.
"Correct! And now they combine to form Meklord Emperor Wisel!" Primo chants as the five monsters combine. The teardrops form a set of legs, the oval and saucer sprouted hands and bars, slotting onto the body. The legs join with the core and after the slug-like part joins with the top of the core, it opens and reveals red lines that form its eyes. Fully formed, Wisel swings its bladed arm and takes position behind Primo.
"That's right! And it gets worse; Wisel Infinity's Attack and Defense Points are equal to the total Attack Points of all its other components!" Primo explains as Wisel glows red. (ATK: 0→2500/DEF: 0→2500)
"So what? Your model robot stands no chance against my red-hot fighters!" Erica taunted. "Especially when Stennon's special ability lets me banish a Laval monster in my Graveyard and negate any card effects used against it."
"This is no ordinary robot, Erica." Primo corrected. Erica gained a puzzled. "Where I come from, Synchro Monsters are the cause of my future's desolation!"
"What? That can't be true!" Yuma said.
"Oh, but it is. While your future is nothing but sunshine and happiness, mine is the complete opposite!" Primo barked with an angry scowl. "And the cause of that future? Synchro Monsters. In my time, as the world evolved, so did the humans, but what those humans didn't know is that the more they Synchro Summoned, the faster the system spun. Eventually, it spun so fast, the Ener-D changed direction and sparked a Zero Reverse that devastated the world!"
Erica and Yuma gasp in total shock. "Around that same time, the Meklord Emperors, much like the one you see now, started attacking. The invasion left total annihilation. My parents, my best friend, the Meklords spared nothing. Once the invasion was over, only I was left."
"Oh man. That must be harsh for you." Yuma commented.
"Harsh is a bit of an understatement, Yuma," Primo said. "The experience haunted my dreams day and night. The more I wandered the desolate land that once was my home, the more I thought of how much devastation Synchro Monsters left. But then, I soon discovered that I was not alone. There were three others who shared my pain, my anguish. With the four of us, we formed Iliaster and sought to create a better future, one void of Synchro Monsters!"
"You think that Synchro Monsters were what turned your future into a complete wasteland!?"
"That's exactly what I'm implying, Yuma." Primo notified Yuma and glanced at his Meklord Emperor. He chuckled lowly. "How ironic. The Meklord Emperors destroyed my future and now here I am, using their power to save it!"
"You really think that those genocidal robots can help you save your future?" Erica questioned.
"See for yourself! I activate Wisel's special ability! Once per turn, it can absorb a Synchro Monster. Question is: which one?" Primo pondered. "I know that Stennon can negate special abilities used against it, so I'll take the next best thing – your precious Dual Slasher!"
Energy beams shoot out of Wisel's core and snare Dual Slasher. Dual Slasher begins to struggle, but couldn't escape as he is sucked into the machine. "Thanks for your Dual Slasher, Shaw! Now Wisel gains your Slasher's Attack Points." The blade on Wisel's left arm ignites in orange flames. (ATK: 2500→4900)
"It's got 4900 Attack Points!" Yuma yelped.
"That's right, and I think I'll use them! Meklord Emperor Wisel, reduce that Laval Stennon to rubble!" Wisel uses its bladed arm to slice Laval Stennon to pieces. Erica shielded herself from the shock of the attack. (Erica's LP: 4000→1800)
"That's what you get for depending on Synchro Monsters to obtain victory." Primo said as he places two face-down cards on his field. "And when I'm done, you'll wish you've never met me!"
"This guy's good." Yuma commented as Erica stands up.
"Yeah. With his Meklord Emperor out, it'll be a pain having to beat him and Fritz." Erica noted.
"Luckily, I have something that can help us." Yuma said as his turn starts.
Turn 3: Yuma Tsukumo (4000)
"It's my turn now! I draw!" Yuma draws his Gagaga Magician. He sees some other cards he's familiar with. "I summon Gagaga Magician!" The black and orange-robed Spellcaster appeared with its signature chains hanging out. (Level 4/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1000)
"Gagaga Magician. He reminds me a little of Dark Magician." Erica commented.
"Then you'll really like his magic trick. Gagaga Magician's special ability lets it change its Level between 1 and 8." Yuma declares. "I think I'll make him Level 7." Seven of the eight dots on Gagaga Magician's belt light up, changing its Level. (Level 4→7)
"Erica, mind if I use your monster?"
"What's mine is yours, Yuma." She nods in approval. "In fact, I'll help you out by activating Laval Judgment Lord's ability!" Laval Magma Cannoneer vanishes into a deep rift. "By banishing a Laval monster in my Graveyard, you take 1000 points of damage. Go, Fearful Flame!" Judgment Lord lunges a fire lance at Primo. He flinches as it makes contact. (Primo's LP: 4000→3000)
"That was just a warm-up. I overlay Level 7 Gagaga Magician and Laval Judgment Lord!" Yuma chants as the Spellcaster turns into a purple streak of energy and the Warrior became a red streak of energy. They both shoot into the air. "With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network!" Both energy streaks enter a swirling galaxy in the ground. "I Xyz Summon Number 28: Titanic Moth!" A red "28" flashes in the sky. Emerging is a gigantic humanoid moth with green and white wings with pink highlights. It also has red feather-like antennae. Its abdomen has white and orange stripes with the red "28" on the left half. (Rank 7/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1900)
"So that must be one of the Numbers I was told of," Fritz noted.
"I'm not afraid of an overgrown bug." Primo scoffs.
"Then you should be afraid of his special ability! When he deals damage from a direct attack, I can use an Overlay Unit to deal 500 points of damage for each card in your hand." Yuma explains.
"But how will you do that? You'll have to get past my Meklord Emperor to get to me."
"I don't need to get rid of your Emperor. I activate Stealth Strike!" Yuma activates his Spell as Titanic Moth turns intangible. "By cutting its Attack Points in half, Titanic Moth can fly right past your machine and attack you directly."
"No way!" Primo gasps as Titanic Moth glows green for a moment. (ATK: 2400→1200)
"Oh, yes way! Titanic Moth, attack Primo directly! Fire Tornado!" Yuma commands his Number to attack. Titanic Moth creates a flaming tornado that flies right at Primo.
"A good move, Yuma, yet completely pointless! I activate the Trap Labyrinth of Kline!" Primo springs his Trap. "Not only is your monster's original Attack and Defense points swapped until the end of the next turn, but your moth's attack is negated!" A blue barrier envelops around Primo, deflecting the Number's attack. (ATK: 1400→950/DEF: 1900→2400)
"Rats! This guy's three steps ahead of me." Yuma sneers. "But that's fine with me because only a Number can be destroyed by another Number." As his turn ended with two face-down cards, Titanic Moth's Attack Points retuned. (ATK: 950→1900)
"If you think my Meklord Emperor is powerful enough, you haven't seen anything yet!" Primo challenged.
With Kite, he climbs a small mountain. He looks back to where the duel took place from the top. "I need to keep moving. There's no time for me to waste."
To be continued…