Roxy's Reports 16: Stregone (Updated), Lord Kazuma (Updated), and Infearno (Updated)
At Café Matsuo, in the nighttime, at the kitchen, following the events of Chapter 38...
"This is Herald, the White Ignis..." Herald said, talking to himself. Right now, he was in the kitchen in front of Roxy's laptop. After Yuhiro and Roxy visited Miyu, they called it a night, tiredness evident on their faces. "As my partner and his ally are asleep from everything that's happened, they assigned me to start recording the profiles of all the duelists that were involved during the Tower of Hanoi incident." And man, there's a lot we'll have to record over the next few days, he thought.
Herald shook his head, knowing that stalling around will do nothing. "Anyways, we'll start with Lord Kazuma and Infearno before going on to Stregone and calling it a night." The document showing Lord Kazuma's profile then came up. "First things first. Lord Kazuma, or should I say Takeya Naegi. We learned a lot about this guy over the past few hours. For instance, he got the Dark Magician deck from his mentor Kazuma Saromi, who stole it from the Den City Museum." New words then appeared on Lord Kazuma's profile, which indicated that it was being updated.
"What else, what else?" Herald put a hand to his chin. "Oh yeah. His backstory. Basically, his life got screwed over because of a poorly thought-out joke. That, combined with parents not being around, caused him to run away from society and nearly kill himself until he was adopted by Kazuma Saromi." A webpage then popped up. "From what I can gather on this Kazuma Saromi, he was a Duel Assassin on the Black Market known as The Cobra. It says here that he died while on assignment. How, I'm not sure. But before he passed, he taught Lord Kazuma local barista skills and how to duel." No wonder Lord Kazuma named himself after Kazuma Saromi, Herald thought. That man must have made a major impact on his life prior to the Hanoi. His eyes then perked up, as if he remembered something.
"Oh, yes." Herald said. "Six years after Saromi's death, Lord Kazuma was recruited by the Knights of Hanoi to join them as their Secretary. Ever since, he's been a major pain in our asses." His eyes scowled as he recalled the memories of their encounters against him. "Not only did he defeat SengokuQueen and Rosetta, he also pushed Yuhiro to the brink of defeat." New words appeared in the specific sections as Herald continued speaking.
"Lord Kazuma still uses his Dark Magician deck, which is the deck the King of Games, Yugi Muto had. It focuses on controlling the field to the owner's advantage by bringing out his ace monster, Dark Magician. Once he's on the field, he can access Spell and Trap cards that let him do a variety of things, such as resurrecting him back over and over again, banish cards on the field, etc." Herald sighed. "Overall, not much has changed for his deck, aside for a few things. First, he's incorporated Xyz Summoning into his deck, which has helped him defeat SengokuQueen. Second, he's added a special card called The Eye of Timaeus, which lets him Fusion Summon using that card and one Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl. I did some research on that card, and there appears to be three in existence. One called Timaeus, one called Critias, and one called Hermos." If we were to obtain Critias or Hermos, Herald thought, could it help us in the future?
"Obtaining The Eye of Timaeus has given Lord Kazuma a strong ace monster called Dark Magician the Dragon Knight." Herald added. "Not only does it boost an impressive 3000 attack and 2500 defense points, it also prevents Spells and Trap cards from being targeted or destroyed. It's name is also 'Dark Magician', meaning Lord Kazuma can resurrect it to restart his combos. It's due to this monster that Rosetta lost, and it nearly defeated Yuhiro as well."
Herald watched as new words appeared in the Ace Monster section on Lord Kazuma's profile. "During our duel against Lord Kazuma, he and Specter worked with Infearno to trap Numera and Akira in inescapable prisons." He frowned to himself. "Playmaker and Yuhiro would have lost had it not been for the interference of an azure-overcoated man, who proceeded to destroy both the traps and the prisoners with his sword. I tried to find out who this man was, but couldn't find a thing." We must keep an eye on that man, Herald thought, for he warned Yuhiro that they'll meet again in the future. I sure hope we don't have any more enemies after this.
He then crossed his arms as if he made a final decision. "Based on this information, I'm having Lord Kazuma retain his Duel Grade of A for Apocalyptic. He not only defeated SengokuQueen and Rosetta, but was close to nearly defeating Yuhiro as well. His upgraded deck, combined with The Eye of Timaeus, proves he's getting serious." The words on Lord Kazuma's Duel Grade was then updated, and once that was done, Lord Kazuma's updated Duel Profile looked like this:
Name: Takeya Naegi
VRAINS ID: Lord Kazuma
Other aliases: Hanoi's Secretary (turns out they needed one from the get-go), Master of Magicians (again, total BS), Mad Man (he really proved that this time around, especially with what he did during his second bout against Yuhiro).
Gender: Male
Age: 18 (best guess)
Residence: Unknown (likely to be with the other Hanoi at this point)
Job: Hanoi's Secretary, Duel Assassin (formerly), Barista (formerly, although the Hanoi did like his Barista skills)
Deck: Dark Magician (from what Yuhiro and I learned, it was the deck the King of Games, Yugi Muto used). The 'Dark Magician' deck focuses on controlling the field to the owner's advantage by bringing out his ace monster, Dark Magician. Once he's on the field, he can access Spell and Trap cards that let him do a variety of things, such as resurrecting him back over and over again, banish cards on the field, etc. Kazuma also has access to monster support, such as Apprentice Illusion Magician, which can add Dark Magician to his hand and boost his attack and defense points by 2000 during battle. In addition, Magician's Rod can add a Spell or Trap card listing Dark Magician upon Normal Summon.
Ace Monster(s): Dark Magician the Dragon Knight (a Fusion Monster that can be Fusion Summoned using Dark Magician and The Eye of Timaeus. Not only prevents Spells and Trap cards from being targeted or destroyed, its name is also 'Dark Magician' as well, meaning Lord Kazuma can bring it back again and again and again. Rosetta lost against this monster, and it nearly defeated Yuhiro as well), The Dark Magicians (a strong Fusion Monster both offensively and defensively. Based on duel footage from the sewers, it can allow Lord Kazuma to Special Summon a Dark Magician and Dark Magician Girl from his hand, deck, and/or Graveyard, thus letting him replenish his field. In addition, he can Set AND activate Quick-Play Spells and Trap cards once per turn, but only if he activates an effect AND the card drawn is a Quick-Play Spell or Trap card)
Skill: Unknown (we still don't know what it is!)
LINK VRAINS' History: A kid who had a hard past because of one poorly thought out joke. If anything, he defined his life was a joke until he was taken in by Kazuma, who he named himself after.
His deck is confirmed to be the original one stolen from the Den City Museum. If the champion Yugi were still around, I bet he'd be disgusted for what his prized deck was used for. Would need to get it back so he can rest peacefully.
Recruited by the Hanoi sometime after the disappearance of his adoptive father. Ever since, he's been a real pain in the ass. Examples include defeating SengokuQueen and Rosetta, as well as pushing Yuhiro to his limits.
Duel Grade: A (Apocalyptic) (There was definitely more to his deck than meets the eye. Not only did he defeat SengokuQueen and Rosetta, he was also able to push Yuhiro to the brink of defeat. He obtained a unique card called The Eye of Timaeus, which helped him in his victory against Rosetta, as well as used an Xyz Monster called Ebon High Magician to defeat SengokuQueen. Proves he's getting serious).
Notes: The 'Dark Magician' deck focuses on controlling the field to the owner's advantage by bringing out his ace monster, Dark Magician. Once he's on the field, he can access Spell and Trap cards that let him do a variety of things, such as resurrecting him back over and over again, banish cards on the field, etc. Kazuma also has access to monster support, such as Apprentice Illusion Magician, which can add Dark Magician to his hand and boost his attack and defense points by 2000 during battle. In addition, Magician's Rod can add a Spell or Trap card listing Dark Magician upon Normal Summon.
Lord Kazuma not only has access to Fusion and Xyz Summoning, but also has a unique card called The Eye of Timaeus, which lets him Fusion Summon using that card and one Dark Magician or Dark Magician Girl. I did some research on that card, and there appears to be three in existence. One called Timaeus, one called Critias, and one called Hermos. If we were to obtain Critias or Hermos, could it help us in the future?
During the Tower of Hanoi event, he and Specter worked with Infearno to trap Numera and Akira in almost inescapable prisons. Playmaker and Yuhiro would have lost had it not been for the unexpected appearance of the azure over-coated man, who proceeded to destroy the traps and the prisoners in the process. Must keep an eye on that man, for he warned Yuhiro that they'll meet again in the future.
Satisfied with the newly completed profile, Herald closed it before opening up Infearno's profile, which really needed an update. "Next is the other Knight of Hanoi we'll be talking about tonight: Infearno. To start off, we finally know his real-life identity. Emon Uchida, the founder of Uchida Industries. Frankly, I'm surprised the public doesn't know about this yet." Deep down, Herald knew that the public would never find out as long as the Knights of Hanoi were around.
"Prior to our last duel, we learned some interesting info about this guy." Herald said. "After the Lost Incident was brought to light, those involved were forced to run away for their safety. Playmaker sent a text to me that Ryoken Kogami, aka Revolver, was responsible for this. Why he did it, we'll have to ask." He shook his head, getting off topic. "Anyway, Infearno eventually settled down, started Uchida Industries, and married a woman named Beatrice. Based on info online, they were going to have twin baby boys before they were murdered. From there, Infearno went to an actual occult to try and bring her back, only for it to backfire via a horrific scar and near possession by demons. Fortunately or unfortunately, Dr. Kogami was able to save his life, and the demons became his deck, which we know as 'Burning Abyss'." New words appeared on the LINK VRAINS' history section of Infearno's profile.
"Nothing much has changed for Infearno's Burning Abyss deck, with the deck focusing on sending 'Burning Abyss' monsters in his Graveyard to activate their unique abilities. If Infearno controls a non 'Burning Abyss' monster alongside a 'Burning Abyss' monster, it's destroyed unless he negates their abilities. However, he's recently acquired new cards to correct that flaw further, as well as more 'Burning Abyss' Link monsters that are devastating to deal with." Herald then put a hand on his chin as he tried to recall those monsters.
"First is Phlegyas, Guardian of the Burning Abyss." Herald said. "A Link 3 monster with 3000 attack points that can basically destroy cards equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters used to Link Summon it. If needed, Infearno can tribute one of his 'Burning Abyss' monsters Phlegyas points to so Phlegyas can gain more attack points until the End Phase." The words on the Ace Monster section began to update. "Next is another Link 3 monster with 3000 attack points called Cerberus, Hound of the Burning Abyss. But instead of destroying cards, it gains effects equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters used as Link material. And one of those effects prevented Stregone from activating Spell and Trap cards." Soon, more words appeared on the Ace Monster section. "Lastly, there's Lucifer, Condemner of the Burning Abyss, a Link 4 monster with 3000 attack points. Not only can it not be destroyed by battle, it can banish a card upon being Link Summoned, as well as weaken all our monsters attack points by the attack points of one monster he's pointing to. He can even use it on either turn too!" The section then finished updating.
"A couple of lasting notes before I get to the Duel Grade. First, like before, he can utilize Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Summoning to give him other options to use during his turn. If he acquired Pendulum cards, that would be scary. Second, Infearno's monsters are sentient because they're actual demons. That's why you never dabble in spiritual affairs, people!" Herald soon heard Roxy speaking in her sleep, causing him to lower his voice just in case.
"Last thing, after Yuhiro defeated Yuhiro," he whispered, "he admitted defeat and gave World Gears back. While it proves he's a good sport, it raises a good question: Why give it back after stealing it? Is it out of acknowledgement that Yuhiro's stronger than him? Or is there something else?" Herald watched as the profile updated itself.
"So based on our analysis, I believe Infearno deserves to retain his Duel Grade of SS, or Sick Skills. The fact he managed to defeat Yuhiro in our second Master Duel against him, as well as Stregone prior to our final Master Duel shows that his dueling skill's improved. He's also proven to be tactical, a major example being using hostages to try and force Yuhiro and Playmaker's defeats." The profile updated itself for a final time, and once it was finished, Infearno's newly updated profile looked like this:
Name: Emon Uchida
VRAINS ID: Infearno
Other aliases: Demonic Priest (his attire looks almost like a priest's, only without the headdress)
Gender: Male
Age: mid-40's (rough estimate)
Residence: Unknown (likely with the other Hanoi at this point)
Job: Head of Uchida Industries (Unsure what will happen to the company now), Hanoi Commander (currently)
Deck: Burning Abyss (or in other words, an army of demons at Infearno's disposal. All because he went to the occult for the purposes of reviving his wife. Sheesh). Infearno's Burning Abyss deck focuses on having a supply of 'Burning Abyss' monsters in his Graveyard to activate their unique abilities. If Infearno controls a non 'Burning Abyss' monster alongside a 'Burning Abyss' monster, it's destroyed unless he negates their abilities. He therefore summons Malacoda first through Ritual Summoning to correct that flaw. However, he's found other ways to correct that flaw as well. The deck also has rapid fire-attacking force and power.
Ace Monster(s): Malacoda, Netherlord of the Burning Abyss, (a tricky Ritual monster to deal with. During either of our turns, Infearno can send a 'Burning Abyss' monster from his hand to the Graveyard to decrease the attack and defense points of one of our monsters until the End Phase. And even if we do destroy it, Infearno can use its other effect to take one card down with it) Phlegyas, Guardian of the Burning Abyss, (a Link 3 monster with 3000 attack points. When successfully Link Summoned, Infearno can destroy cards on our field equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters used as Link material. If needed, Infearno can tribute one of his 'Burning Abyss' monsters Phlegyas points to so Phlegyas can gain more attack points until the End Phase) Cerberus, Hound of the Burning Abyss, (another Link 3 monster with 3000 attack points. But instead of destroying cards, it gains effects equal to the number of 'Burning Abyss' monsters used as Link material. And one of those effects prevents the activation of Spells and Trap cards) Lucifer, Condemner of the Burning Abyss (a Link 4 monster with 3000 attack points. Not only can it not be destroyed by battle, it can also banish a card upon being Link Summoned, as well as weaken all our monsters attack points by the attack points of one monster he's pointing to. He can even use it on either turn!).
Skill: Condemned Punishment (Once per duel, Infearno can send one 'Burning Abyss' monster from his deck to his Graveyard to inflict damage to his opponent equal to that monster's attack points)
LINK VRAINS' History: Went on the run from SOL Technologies after the Hanoi got busted by the authorities, which was now revealed to have been by Ryoken Kogami, aka Revolver. Settled down and started Uchida Industries, as well as married a woman named Beatrice. If only she knew the kind of man he was going to become. Based on research, they were about to have a pair of twin boys till they were murdered. From there, he tried to revive her with the occult but got possessed literally. That's why it's never a good idea to dabble in voodoo, people. Fortunately or unfortunately Dr. Kogami was there to help him, and the demons became his deck.
Since then, he aided Dr. Kogami loyally. He was involved in attacks in LINK VRAINS such as Blue Angel's virus and in the Another incident. Also attacked SOL and stole World Gears, set up a trap for Numera and Akira, and defeated Stregone in front of Yuhiro just to make him suffer mentally. However, what's bizarre was that after our last duel, he admitted defeat and gave World Gears back. While it proves he's a good sport, it raises a good question: Why give it back after stealing it? Is it out of acknowledgement that Yuhiro's stronger than him? Or is there something else?
Duel Grade: SS (Sick Skills) (Managed to defeat Stregone, the #3 Charisma Duelist in LINK VRAINS, as well as defeat Raguel in their second Master Duel match. Not only has his dueling skills improved, he's also proved to be tactical, an example being using hostages to try and force Yuhiro and Playmaker's defeats. Also able to wield almost all of the summoning methods. If he got his hands on Pendulum cards, that would be scary.)
Notes: Infearno's Burning Abyss deck focuses on having a supply of 'Burning Abyss' monsters in his Graveyard to activate their unique abilities. If Infearno controls a non 'Burning Abyss' monster alongside a 'Burning Abyss' monster, it's destroyed unless he negates their abilities. He therefore summons Malacoda first through Ritual Summoning to correct that flaw. However, he's found other ways to correct that flaw as well. The deck also has rapid fire-attacking force and power.
He is also able to Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz summon as well, giving him access to additional disruptive and offensive monsters.
We learned that Infearno's monsters are sentient because they were actual demons given real life, becoming sentient in the process. It makes me wonder if angels can be made into real cards as well, but that would be dabbling in spiritual affairs, thus putting the person in big trouble.
Satisfied with the newly updated profile, Herald closed it before opening up Stregone's profile. "Last but not least for tonight is the duelist I actually wanted to get to: Stregone. Here's a fun fact about his name: It's actually Italian for Sorcerer. No wonder people call him the 'Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS'." He chuckled to himself briefly.
"His deck hasn't changed much, although he did focus more on Pendulum Summoning, especially using a card that allowed him to Pendulum Summon from the Extra Deck during his opponents turn." Herald thought for a few moments before continuing. "By focusing on three strategies, Stregone aims to defeat the opponent in a dazzling manner. That is, Pendulum Summon, draw new cards, and generate Spell counters." Unfortunately, something was wrong with the computer, causing Herald to hit Ctrl, Alt, and Delete all at once to refresh it, annoying him in the process.
"Man," he said. "I really should get Roxy to update this laptop in the morning." He then rubbed his hands together. "Okay, so here's some new info we learned. Right before Stregone dueled Infearno, he said that he knew about the Lost Incident, surprising both us and his opponent. Following the duel, he even told Yuhiro that he knew his identity as Raguel. These are questions we'll have to ask him once we get the chance." New words appeared in the Notes section of Stregone's profile.
"Recently, he added the strongest Fusion Spellcaster monster to his deck called Quintet Magician. A Level 12 monster with 4500 attack and defense points, this guy is one of the most powerful duel monsters I've ever seen in my life. If you successfully Fusion Summon Quintet Magician using five Spellcaster monsters with different names, you get to nuke the opponent's field, leaving them wide open for a game-ending attack." And it would have worked if it weren't for Infearno's Haunted Statue of the Burning Abyss, Herald thought, as the Ace Monster section of Stregone's profile was updated in the process.
"Before I go to giving Stregone his Duel Grade, I just want to say he can be a source of inspiration to those who watch his duels. If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have created the first Cyberse Pendulum cards. I have to thank him in person when I get the chance. Note to self: Must do research on possible ideas for more Cyberse Pendulum cards." After updating the Notes section for a second time, he scrolled to the Duel Grade section.
"Based on events that occurred, I think it would be wise to give Stregone an A for Apocalyptic." Herald decided. "He put up a valiant fight against Infearno, to the point where he forced him to bring out one of his stronger Link monsters. But unfortunately, he lost not only because of Cerberus, but because he was discouraged upon learning that Mirror Force was used against his friend, Go Onizuka." The Duel Grade and LINK VRAINS' history sections were both updated at the same time. Once they were finished, Stregone's updated profile looked like this:
Name: Quinton Monell
VRAINS ID: Stregone (in Italian, it means Sorcerer. No wonder people call him by his alias)
Other aliases: Sorcerer of LINK VRAINS
Gender: Male
Age: 35
Residence: Den City Shelter (he runs the place).
Job: Charisma Duelist (and #3 at that. Just behind Blue Angel and Go. Way to go, Stregone!), Head of the Den City Shelter
Deck: Endymion/Mythical Beast (a very strong and unique deck. Since the new Master Rules, Pendulum monsters became rare to use. However, this guy managed to catch people off guard using Pendulum Summoning, which has helped him earn his spot among the Charisma Duelists). The Endymion/Mystical Beast deck focuses on three core strategies. One: Generating Spell counters to use later on as a cost for his monster's abilities. Two: Unleashing Pendulum Summons to swarm the field and summon stronger monsters from the Extra Deck. Three: Using Spell and Trap cards to not only draw cards, but to add cards from the deck to his hand.
Ace Monster(s): Arcanite Magician (it may look weak, but combined with other cards, it's deadly.), Arcanite Magician/Assault Mode (the evolution of Arcanite Magician, with a small attack boost. However, as I was saying with Arcanite Magician, it comes with a nasty effect. This guy can destroy everything the opponent controls, leaving them open for a direct attack.), Supreme Arcanite Magician (okay, this is Arcanite Magician's 'other' evolution. Anyhow, in exchange for the effect being used once per turn, Stregone can remove a Spell counter from anywhere on his field to target and destroy a card on the field, or draw a card. While it is restrictive, with two Spell counters, Supreme Arcanite Magician does bear an impressive 3400 attack points), Quintet Magician (the strongest Fusion monster in Stregone's deck. Upon being Fusion Summoned using five Spellcaster monsters with different names, it destroys all cards the opponent controls. Simple as that. And with 4500 attack and defense points, Stregone can finish the duel on that same turn).
Skill: Pendulum Manipulation (Stregone can target cards the opponent controls up to the number of Pendulum cards on his field, and then return them to the bottom of the opponent's deck).
LINK VRAINS' History: First appeared among the Charisma Duelists and rose to become the #3 Charisma Duelist. He's held that record for a very long time, and if he got serious, he could rise to the #2 spot.
During the events of the Tower of Hanoi, he dueled against Infearno but lost against him in the end. He was also discouraged upon learning that Mirror Force was used against Go, which led to his defeat.
Duel Grade: A (Apocalyptic) (Stregone put up a strong fight against Infearno, to the point of forcing him to bring out one of his stronger Link monsters. Unfortunately, he lost against him because of Cerberus. Perhaps Stregone will use this opportunity to upgrade his deck, and if he does, he may be able to climb back to an A+ again).
Notes: Stregone's Endymion/Mystical Beast deck focuses on three core strategies. One: Generating Spell counters to use later on as a cost for his monster's abilities. Two: Unleashing Pendulum Summons to swarm the field and summon stronger monsters from the Extra Deck. Three: Using Spell and Trap cards to not only draw cards, but to add cards from the deck to his hand.
He's in possession of the card Assault Mode Activate, which can bring out an 'Assault Mode' version of a Synchro Monster (and the evolution of Arcanite Magician can really dish out pain!). In his duels against Jeanne and Infearno, Stregone can also use a 'Fusion' Spell card called Miracle Synchro Fusion, which lets him Fusion Summon a Fusion monster with 'specific' Fusion requirements by letting him banish them from his field or Graveyard. Didn't know a 'Fusion' Spell card like that existed.
As Pendulum Summoning disappeared following the appearance of Link Summoning, Stregone utilizes it to catch his opponents off guard and swarm his field for summons from the Extra Deck.
He's responsible for teaching Yuhiro how to play Duel Monsters (in other words, he saved his life).
He's also really good friends with Go, who visits the Den City Shelter every now and then, and vice versa.
Stregone is definitely someone we can trust, in and out of LINK VRAINS. Not only does he know that Yuhiro is Raguel, he also knows that Yuhiro was part of the Lost Incident. These are questions we'll have to ask him once we get the chance.
I'll have to thank him personally for inspiring me to create Cyberse Pendulum cards. They really helped in our last duel against Infearno (who knows? I might be inspired to make more).
Herald saved the document before closing the document and turning the laptop off, satisfied with the updates he made. Three people down, a lot more to go, he thought, as he retreated into Yuhiro's Duel Disk and went to sleep.
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Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS Obscured Truth: Roxy's Reports 17: Revolver (Updated) and Specter
Author's Notes
Hi, everyone! I hope you enjoyed the updated profiles for Lord Kazuma, Infearno, and Stregone. After Chapter 39, which is Azrael's duel debut, will be the profiles for Revolver and Specter. Stay tuned!