"Ride..! DeVoid aRK!" Stryk declared, as the blind man composed of dark matter appeared.
[POWER - 10000]
Just in case, I shouldn't put out too many rear guards. Ray decided, before resting N/A and his vanguard. "aRK attacks your Vanguard..!" Ray declared, as the two monsters blasted out dark matter towards Rod's vanguard.
[POWER - 15000]
"Behold, the fabulous..." Tod declared, tossing a card. "Tag Guard!"
[GUARD - Sharp Nail Scorpio - 15000]
[TOTAL - 23000]
"That's not going to work on us a second time! Drive Check!" Ray declared, as the top card appeared and took a shine, as the two looked shocked.
[DRIVE CHECK - DeVoid HoPE [G0 - Draw Trigger]]
"Draw trigger..! I give the power to aRK, and draw one card!" He said, as the blast broke through the guard.
"Crap, he broke through!" Rod said, as the top card flew into their damage zone.
[DAMAGE CHECK - Larva Mutant, Lavadraft [G0 - Draw Trigger]
"Lucky days! Draw trigger!" Rod said, drawing a card, Ray clenching his fists.
This doesn't feel like 'good luck'...This feels way too convenient. They're from the underground, so... Ray started thinking.
"Oi, oi, end your turn already!" Rod told Ray.
"Fine. I end my turn." Ray said.
[Ray/Gaea] - [Rodney/Todney]
[Hand - 7/6 (plus 'Quick Shield')] - [Hand - 6/5]
[Soul - 1/0] - [Soul - 2/1]
[Damage - 1/0 - 1] - [Damage - 1/0 - 1]
[CB - 0/0] - [CB - 0/0]
[Drop Zone - 2/0] - [Drop Zone - 2/1]
[FIELD - Ray/Rodney]
[R] [DeVoid aRK [G2 - 10000]] [R] - [R] [Giant Salute Mutant, Towerhorn [G1 - 8000]] [R]
[R] [DeVoid N/A [G0 - 5000]] [R] - [R] [R] [R]
[FIELD - Gaea/Todney]
[R] [Red Heart [G1 - 8000]] [R] - [R] [Giant Salute Mutant, Towerhorn [G1 - 8000]] [R]
[R] [Phantasm Heart, Trickstar [G0 - 5000]] [R] - [R] [R] [R]
"Go for it, Tod! Show that little brat her own place!" Rod said, Gaea flinching at that, as Tod tossed a card.
"Ride! Machining Mantis! I use Rod's damage zone to pay the cost for their counterblast!" Tod declared, Rod turning the damage zone card down. "From the top 6 cards of the deck, I add this card to my hand! Machining Meteobullet!" Tod said, showing the card, Ray and Gaea's eyes slightly widening.
So their goal is a different Grade 3 for each of them... Ray realized.
"Mantis also gains 6000 power! Attack!" Tod declared, as the Mantis rushed forward.
[POWER - 15000]
If this is what I think it is... Ray thought to himself, as Gaea started to speak up.
"N-No guar-..." Gaea started, before Ray tossed a card to the guardian circle, surprising her.
"I won't let you!" Ray said, surprising Rod and Tod, as a young maiden with dark matter surrounding her got in the way.
[GUARD - DeVoid Maiden - 20000]
[TOTAL - 28000]
"Tch..! Drive check..!" Tod said, revealing the card.
[DRIVE CHECK - Scissor-shot Mutant, Bombscissor [G0 - Critical Trigger]
There it is again..! That critical sentinel..! Ray realized. The exact same pattern for their decks with both of them..? This can't be coincidence. He thought to himself.
"Ray..." Gaea started, before noticing the look in his eyes.
H-He must be worried...No wonder he guarded all of a sudden...Wait a minute, the order of things... Gaea thought to herself, realizing.
"Fine. I end my turn." Tod said.
[Ray/Gaea] - [Rodney/Todney]
[Hand - 6/6 (plus 'Quick Shield')] - [Hand - 6/7]
[Soul - 1/0] - [Soul - 2/1]
[Damage - 1/0 - 1] - [Damage - 1/0 - 1]
[CB - 0/0] - [CB - 1/0]
[Drop Zone - 3/0] - [Drop Zone - 2/1]
[FIELD - Ray/Rodney]
[R] [DeVoid aRK [G2 - 10000]] [R] - [R] [Giant Salute Mutant, Towerhorn [G1 - 8000]] [R]
[R] [DeVoid N/A [G0 - 5000]] [R] - [R] [R] [R]
[FIELD - Gaea/Todney]
[R] [Red Heart [G1 - 8000]] [R] - [R] [Machining Mantis [G2 - 9000]] [R]
[R] [Phantasm Heart, Trickstar [G0 - 5000]] [R] - [R] [R] [R]
"My turn..!" Gaea said, drawing, before noticing what card she drew. If that's what Ray was worrying about...M-Maybe this can help him out..! She thought to herself, before holding a card out. "Ride..! Blue Heart..!" Gaea said, as a blue-haired slightly older girl appeared, winking. "T-Then...Order, activate..! Reset Buffer..! A-All fighters put a card from their hand back into their deck..!" Gaea started, putting a card from her hand back into the deck, Ray doing the same, as Rod and Tod shrugged and did the same as well. "T-Then...All fighters must shuffle their deck..!" Gaea declared, Rod and Tod's eyes widening in shock, as the decks all shuffled automatically. "Then...all fighters draw 1 card..." Gaea said, drawing.
"S-Shuffled..?!" Rod asked, as Ray couldn't contain his grin.
"Nice thinking, Gaea!" He told her, as she shyly looked away from him, Ray returning his focus to the two. If those two cheating bastards really stacked their deck, It won't matter if the system autoshuffles it! Ray thought to himself, drawing his new card, as Rod and Tod drew their own with evident worry.
"T-Then...Trickstar boosts Blue Heart to attack your Vanguard..!" Gaea said, as the two units rushed forward.
[POWER - 14000]
"Fine, no guard." Tod said, as Gaea revealed the top card of her deck.
[Phantasm Heart Feline, Kit-Kit [G0 - Draw Trigger]]
"Draw trigger...I give the power to my Vanguard, and draw one card..." Gaea said, drawing.
"Tch. Damage check." Tod said, tossing the top card into his damage zone.
[DAMAGE - Machining Hornet [G1]]
"Trickstar's boosted attack hit her mark, s-so her own ability activates..." Gaea added, looking at Ray, who nodded and turned his damage zone card facedown, as Gaea moved Trickstar to the soul. "From the top 5 cards of the deck...I place Blue Heart in my hand, Green Heart into the soul, and I bind Yellow Heart...The remaining cards go to the bottom of the deck." Gaea said. "I end my turn there..." She said.
[Ray/Gaea] - [Rodney/Todney]
[Hand - 6/7 (plus 'Quick Shield')] - [Hand - 6/7]
[Soul - 1/3] - [Soul - 2/1]
[Damage - 1/0 - 1] - [Damage - 1/1 - 2]
[CB - 1/0] - [CB - 1/0]
[BIND - 0/1] - [BIND - 0/0]
[Drop Zone - 3/1] - [Drop Zone - 2/1]
[FIELD - Ray/Rodney]
[R] [DeVoid aRK [G2 - 10000]] [R] - [R] [Giant Salute Mutant, Towerhorn [G1 - 8000]] [R]
[R] [DeVoid N/A [G0 - 5000]] [R] - [R] [R] [R]
[FIELD - Gaea/Todney]
[R] [Blue Heart [G2 - 9000]] [R] - [R] [Machining Mantis [G2 - 9000]] [R]
[R] [R] [R] - [R] [R] [R]
"In that case, I'll go!" Rod declared, drawing. "Ride! Hitting Mutant, Horde Jewel!" He declared, as a large bug manifested.
[POWER - 12000]
"In addition, call! Hateable Spot! Shivering Bumble!" Rod added, as the two bugs filled up the left column. "Shivering Bumble boosts, and Hateable Spot attacks your Vanguard!" he declared.
[POWER - 19000]
"No guard." Ray declared, as the dark matter being was slashed by the bug.
[DAMAGE CHECK - DeVoid aRK [G2]]
"Horde Jewel, you're next!" Rod declared, as the bug rushed forward.
[POWER - 12000]
I could guard this, but... Ray thought, before pointing forward.
"No guard. After all, if the system shuffles your deck for you...You have no way of predicting your top card anymore, right?" He asked with an 'innocent' grin, as Rod flinched.
"O-Oi..! Watch the accusations, you punk! I'm just really lucky, I'll show you! Come, trigger!" They declared, flipping the top card and revealing it, before paling.
[DRIVE CHECK - Machining Centipede [G3]]
"Oh? Where's that trigger?" Ray asked innocently, using his hands as a 'telescope'. "Oh, wait, of course! You didn't get one, because you can't rig your deck anymore!" He taunted.
"S-Shut up! The attack will still go through!" Rod declared, as the bug slashed aRK.
"In that case...I'll take a page from your book, but with genuine luck...I'd like a normal unit, please. Not much good getting a trigger when this is your final attack, and I don't want to waste a heal or sentinel on this one." Ray said, mocking their voice, before tossing the card into the damage zone.
[DAMAGE CHECK - DeVoid HeART [G3]]
"Oh? Lucky me!" Ray said, smiling with 'innocence' that clearly made Rod angrier.
"R-Ray..." Gaea started, before flinching at Rod speaking up.
"I said SHUDDUP! I end my turn!" Rod said, crossing his arms in anger.
[Ray/Gaea] - [Rodney/Todney]
[Hand - 6/7 (plus 'Quick Shield')] - [Hand - 5/7]
[Soul - 1/3] - [Soul - 3/1]
[Damage - 3/0 - 3] - [Damage - 1/1 - 2]
[CB - 1/0] - [CB - 1/0]
[BIND - 0/1] - [BIND - 0/0]
[Drop Zone - 3/1] - [Drop Zone - 2/1]
[FIELD - Ray/Rodney]
[R] [DeVoid aRK [G2 - 10000]] [R] - [Hateable Spot [G2 - 12000]] [Hitting Mutant, Horde Jewel [G2 - 12000]] [R]
[R] [DeVoid N/A [G0 - 5000]] [R] - [Shivering Bumble [G1 - 7000]] [R] [R]
[FIELD - Gaea/Todney]
[R] [Blue Heart [G2 - 9000]] [R] - [R] [Machining Mantis [G2 - 9000]] [R]
[R] [R] [R] - [R] [R] [R]
"Oh? In that case..." Ray said, before his 'innocent' grin became a rather concerning one. "...I guess it's my turn." he said, drawing, and holding up a card, as his Psyqualia appeared to flare up, before closing his eyes, as it vanished. "...You aren't even worth it. There is no such thing as 'pure light' or 'pure darkness'. Manifest, and show the light within your darkness! Ride!" Ray declared, tossing a card, as the dark matter enigmatic being rose up. "DeVoid, Enigma!"
"Ray..?" Gaea started, concerned, as Ray looked over at her and smiled.
"Don't worry. These cheaters are just going to get exactly what's coming to them." He said, with concerning amounts of calmness, before returning his attention to the unit he rode.
[POWER - 13000]
"Imaginary Gift: Force 2." Ray added, putting the marker on his Vanguard circle. "DeVoid N/A's effect. When a Grade 3 or greater unit with the Manipulate ability is placed on the Vanguard circle, I move up to rear guards to a different circle." Ray declared, counterblasting and moving N/A to the soul. "Hateable spot, move behind your vanguard." Ray said with a grin, Rod's eyes slightly widening, as Enigma forcefully opened a vortex that threw the insect behind the other insect.
"Crap..! I can't intercept, and unless I call over..." Rod started realizing.
"Oh? Looks like your big strong attacker is useless in the one spot you don't want it in. Call." Ray declared, tossing two cards to fill his own left column. "DeVoid NaZO, DeVoid InVOKER." He declared, as the two dark matter humanoids appeared. "Enigma." Ray declared, as Enigma rushed forward and blasted with dark energy.
[POWER - 13000] [CRITICAL - 2]
"T-That's a two critical strike..! Taking that would be dangerous!" Rod realized, before tossing a card. "Guard..! Scissor-shot Mutant, Bombscissors!" he declared, as the unit got in the way.
[GUARD - Scissor-shot Mutant, Bombscissors - 30000]
[TOTAL - 42000]
"T-There's no way Enigma can break through that..!" Gaea realized, as Ray simply held his hand forward.
"In that case, I'll believe in my luck. Twin drive." Ray declared, revealing the first card.
[DRIVE CHECK - DeVoid BreaK [G0 - Critical Trigger]]
"Critical Trigger. I give all of the effects to NaZO." Ray declared, and held out the next card, as Rod and Tod's eyes widened.
[DRIVE CHECK - DeVoid HoPE [G0 - Draw Trigger]]
"Draw trigger. I give the power to NaZO, and draw one card." Ray declared, drawing.
"Double...trigger..." Gaea realized.
"With a boost from InVOKER, NaZO attacks your Vanguard." Ray declared, as the humanoids blasted at the insect.
[POWER - 38000] [CRITICAL - 2]
"N-No guard..!" Rod declared, taking the damage.
[DAMAGE CHECK - Medical Battler, Ranpli [G0 - Heal Trigger]]
"Alright..! Heal Trigger!" Rod cheered.
"Oh? What a waste. After all, You only have 1 card in your damage zone, while I have 3 in mine..." Ray reminded, Rod flinching.
"F-Fine, then I'll just try the next one!" Rod said, revealing the next one, as it went into the damage zone.
[DAMAGE CHECK - Machining Ornamental [G3]]
"Oh, my. It seems like without that stacked deck, your luck has gone dry." Ray said.
"H-How do we know YOU aren't cheating, purple punk?!" Rod asked.
"R-Ray wouldn't..!" Gaea started, Ray just silently putting a hand in front of her to stop her.
"Simple. The system shuffled all of our decks. The difference between you and me is that unlike you, I genuinely have luck, it seems." Ray said.
"You punk...I don't need luck for Tod and I to win this fight!" Rod said.
"Well, if you insist...I end my turn." Ray said.
[Ray/Gaea] - [Rodney/Todney]
[Hand - 7/7 (plus 'Quick Shield')] - [Hand - 4/7]
[Soul - 3/3] - [Soul - 3/1]
[Damage - 3/0 - 3] - [Damage - 3/1 - 4]
[CB - 2/0] - [CB - 1/0]
[BIND - 0/1] - [BIND - 0/0]
[Drop Zone - 3/1] - [Drop Zone - 3/1]
[FIELD - Ray/Rodney]
[R] [DeVoid Enigma [G3 - 13000] [FORCE 2]] [R] - [R] [Hitting Mutant, Horde Jewel [G2 - 12000]] [R]
[R] [DeVoid N/A [G0 - 5000]] [R] - [Shivering Bumble [G1 - 7000]] [Hateable Spot [G2 - 12000]] [R]
[FIELD - Gaea/Todney]
[R] [Blue Heart [G2 - 9000]] [R] - [R] [Machining Mantis [G2 - 9000]] [R]
[R] [R] [R] - [R] [R] [R]
"I'll just take the girl, then!" Tod declared, drawing. "Ride! Machining Meteobullet! Imaginary Gift: Protect 2!" Tod declared, tossing the marker onto his front row left R spot, before calling two more cards. "Water Gang! Machining Hornet! I'll just do what you did to my partner to YOUR partner, kid! Meteobullet attacks your Vanguard!" Tod declared, resting his Vanguard, as it rushed forward, Gaea looking over at Ray, who nodded to her.
"N-No guard..!" Gaea said.
"Then come, my triggers!" Tod declared, as the two cards appeared.
[DRIVE CHECK - Water Gang [G2]]
[DRIVE CHECK - Machining Centipede [G3]]
"What..?!" Tod asked, shocked, as the attack still struck true.
[DAMAGE CHECK - Phantom Heart Caregiver [G3]]
"T-Then I boost Water Gang with Hornet to attack your Vanguard..! Protect 2 grants it power!" Tod declared, resting the units.
[POWER - 22000]
"I guard with Gold Heart..." Gaea said, tossing the card, as a golden-haired girl got in the way.
[GUARD - Gold Heart [G0 - 15000]]
[TOTAL - 24000]
"Agh..! I end my turn, then!" Tod said, huffing.
[Ray/Gaea] - [Rodney/Todney]
[Hand - 7/6 (plus 'Quick Shield')] - [Hand - 4/7]
[Soul - 3/3] - [Soul - 3/2]
[Damage - 3/1 - 4] - [Damage - 3/1 - 4]
[CB - 2/0] - [CB - 1/0]
[BIND - 0/1] - [BIND - 0/0]
[Drop Zone - 3/2] - [Drop Zone - 3/1]
[FIELD - Ray/Rodney]
[R] [DeVoid Enigma [G3 - 13000] [FORCE 2]] [R] - [R] [Hitting Mutant, Horde Jewel [G2 - 12000]] [R]
[R] [DeVoid N/A [G0 - 5000]] [R] - [Shivering Bumble [G1 - 7000]] [Hateable Spot [G2 - 12000]] [R]
[FIELD - Gaea/Todney]
[R] [Blue Heart [G2 - 9000]] [R] - [Water Gang [G2 - 9000] {PROTECT 2}] [Machining Meteobullet [G3 - 12000]] [R]
[R] [R] [R] - [Machining Hornet [G1 - 8000]] [R] [R]
Looks like Gaea's up next, and with Tod...ney...Not getting over that name...having a Grade 3 Vanguard, she'll get the first stride. Time to verify if I was going blind or not, because I swear I saw... Ray started, as Gaea held the card up, as it engulfed in light.
"Loving dragon, protect those who desperately need salvation with your soul of kindness..! Ride..!" Gaea said, putting the card down, as a light green dragon appeared, with a similar stature to Cross Dragon Overtaker, except was evidently female. "Green-Heart Dragon..! Imaginary Gift...Protect 1..!" Gaea said, as the marker went into her hand, Ray's eyes slightly widening.
So I didn't see it wrong...Green-Heart Dragon has a Protect maker...but from what I'd heard, Cross Dragon Overtaker had a Force marker...What's going on with that clan? Ray wondered, but knew the rest of his answers would have to wait...