A Path that Leads Home
Elizabeth's POV
What. The. Hell. Happened?!
I felt my body getting cold just from the sight of, some huge black sphere that suddenly appeared in front of us. Though I had a feeling that it had something to do with Oni's pendant since it appeared right after my siblings, Aki and the other girl disappeared along with Levant and his new friends.
"This doesn't look good!" Ventus shouted.
"Greyson!" Koharu shouted, probably to me, since I was the only Greyson there. "Release us!"
"Y-yeah!" I nodded and ran toward her and Ventus.
"Don't!" Xeni jumped on my back, knocking me on the ground, as a black tendril shot out of the sphere and whipped through the empty space that my head used to be a moment ago.
"O-Okay, what was THAT?!" I cried out loud as more of those tendrils began coming out of the black sphere, and also growing longer.
"A security system to keep you from freeing the prisoners." Xeni shrugged. "If those tendrils hit you, your body will be torn across dimensions."
"I had no idea that Oni's pendant had this type of power," I said.
"Yeah? There's a lot that you don't know. But if you don't want to die, it's best to wait and hope that my parents and the other girls can win."
So I can't do anything until Evan and Avice win? Then why was I ever here if I couldn't even save a couple of people without having to depend on my siblings?
3rd POV
Aki looked around the endless roads around the small floating island that she had her opponent was standing on. She couldn't tell if this place was just some holographic illusion or reality, though it certainly had some sort of ominous feeling to it. She turned toward her opponent, who didn't seem to share any of her worries, though she could notice him taking curious glances around the place, suggesting that he didn't know where exactly they were either.
"Quite the unexpected turn of events, I must say," Levant commented before turning back to face Aki. "Also what's with my luck today? Getting to face the Black Rose Witch of all people."
"You know who I'm?" Aki narrowed her eyes. She usually wore a mask to hide her true identity from the outside world, only her parents and the Arcadia Movement were supposed to know who the Black Rose Witch was under the mask.
"I know a lot about you, and about this world." Levant shrugged. "You should have noticed by now that the people you have decided to fight beside know a lot about your past too, wasn't that at least a little suspicious?"
"What are you trying to suggest?" Aki narrowed her eyes. She was being cautious, not knowing exactly what Levant was trying to get out of this conversation.
"You recognized the twins, even though you shouldn't have met them in this world!" Levant exclaimed, pointing at Aki like he was accusing her of some sort of crime. "You are starting to get them back don't you? The memories of your previous life?"
"My… previous life?" Aki put a hand over her chest. She still wasn't sure what exactly that vision she saw was supposed to mean, why was she standing side by side with Jack Atlas, those twins, and other people who she had never met, yet felt a strange pull towards? "Why is that of interest for you? Yes, I did see things, I saw the world getting destroyed! But that has nothing to do with the present!"
"It has more to do with the present than you may imagine." The boy stated. "Why do you think you got revived? There's no Crimson Dragon, you're no Signer, you're nothing, insignificant in the grand scheme of things, so why exactly are you here? And more importantly, why out of all the people on the world that tried to help you, you decided to go with the one that's just manipulating you to get what he wants?"
"I'm done listening!" Aki shouted back at Levant. "We were brought here to duel! So let's duel!"
"Fine then!" Levant activated his Duel Disk. "I'm going to force the truth down your thick skull one way or another!"
"DUEL!"
『Aki LP: 4000 Hand: 5 (VS) Levant LP: 4000 Hand: 5』
"I'll start this duel off!" Levant exclaimed as he took four cards from his hand. "I'll set five cards, and with that, I'm going to end my turn!"
This… wasn't what Aki had expected. A full back row without a single monster to defend him from attacks? She wasn't as naïve of a duelist as to not recognize when she's being baited into a trap. But unfortunately for Levant, she had a way to deal with that sort of strategy.
"That's going to be a short duel then." Aki narrowed her eyes. "My turn!"
『Turn 2 [Aki] LP: 4000, Hand: 6』
"I Normal Summon Witch of the Blood Rose (Lv. 1, ATK: 800)!" A little girl with red hair wearing a red and white dress appeared on Aki's field and smiled. "I release Witch of the Blood Rose to activate her effect! I add Witch of the Black Rose to my hand and put Rose Fairy on the top of my deck. Then, I Normal Summon Witch of the Black Rose (Lv. 4, ATK: 1700) through Blood Rose's effect. And Witch of the Black Rose's effect! I check the top card of my deck, if it's a Plant, it's added to my hand."
"Since you already placed Rose Fairy on the top of your deck, it has a hundred percent success rate, huh?" Levant muttered, surprised by how well this Aki's deck was working. Still, he knew exactly what monster she was trying to summon with all of this.
"Exactly, so Rose Fairy's effect activates when she's added to my hand by a card's effect, Special Summoning herself to my field!" A tiny pink fairy monster with large red hair appeared in front of Aki. "And next-"
"Sorry, but I'm going to have to stop you right there!" Levant exclaimed, flipping up one of his set cards while he still had the chance. "I activate the Trap Card, Artifact Sanctum! With this card, I get to Special Summon an Artifact monster directly from my deck!"
"Sorry, but it appears that you're the one who's underestimating me!" Aki exclaimed as she took a card from her hand. "I activate Rose Archer's effect from my hand! When you activate a Trap Card while I control a Plant monster, such as my Rose Fairy, I can discard Rose Archer to negate your trap!"
The spirit of a black-haired girl with a bow made of thorns appeared behind Aki, firing a golden arrow into Levant's trap card, destroying it before it had the chance to resolve. The Tracer gritted his teeth; for Aki to actually run a card that negates traps in her deck was certainly a step up from the version of her he had heard about. It meant that he was going to have to pay more attention to what she was doing in their duel.
"And now, I tune the Level Three Rose Fairy to the Level Four Witch of the Black Rose!" Aki raised her hand as her monsters flew up, and a beam of light burst forth from the sky, hitting the ground behind her as she started chanting.
"Empress of blossoming new life, descend from your throne of crimson roses and cast your judgment upon this world! Synchro Summon! Level Seven! Periallis, Empress of Blossom (Lv. 7, ATK: 1600)!"
A woman with long green hair and elf ears appeared before Aki wearing a beautifully decorated dress resembling a flower, with the skirt covering her legs resembling grass. She had strange orange and red decorations around her waist resembling flower petals. Above her waist, her dress was primarily red, with black sleeves and golden outlines. A black and red crown on her head finished her outfit.
"A Level Seven, but it has only sixteen hundred attack points?" Levant chuckled, knowing that this couldn't be all.
"I activate Periallis' effect!" Aki exclaimed, taking a card from her hand and showing it to her opponent; it was a monster. "Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Level Five or higher Plant monster from my hand or grave! I choose Rose Hound!"
A large beast whose body was made from thorn-covered vines wrapped around one another appeared on Aki's field. The monster's back was covered in red rose petals that appeared like fur. Its tail ended in a long curved thorn that resembled a blade, and in place of eyes, it had two glowing yellow dots.
Rose Hound
Level: 5/Attribute: FIRE/Type: Plant/Tuner/Effect
ATK: 2000/DEF: 600
Effect: You can target 1 "Rose" Dragon-Type Synchro Monster or Plant-Type Synchro Monster in your Graveyard: Tribute 2 Plant-Type Monsters you control, including this card, whose total Levels equal the targeted monster's Level; Special Summon that target from your Graveyard. If a Plant-Type monster you control attacks, your opponent cannot activate Trap Cards until the end of the Damage Step.
"Periallis' second effect! For every Plant-Type monster on my field other than herself, she gains four hundred attack points!" Aki added, as her Synchro Monster turned to the large hound and patted it on the head, a golden aura surrounding Periallis as she did.
Periallis, Empress of Blossom, ATK: 1600 + 400 → 2000
"Battle!" Aki pointed toward her opponent. "Periallis attacks your directly! And when she declares an attack, Rose Hound's effect activates! You cannot activate Trap Cards in response to my Plant monsters declaring their attacks!"
'How thoughtful of her.' Levant thought as he glanced at one of his set cards, which unbeknown to Aki was Malevolent Catastrophe, a trap card that would have destroyed all of his set cards and allowed him to do his normal plays with the Artifacts, but it couldn't be activated anymore because of Aki's Rose Hound. If he didn't have a backup plan prepared, the entire duel was going to end right then and there.
"Too bad your Hound can't negate Spell Cards!" Levant exclaimed, activating another one of his set cards. "I activate Artifact Ignition! Since I have an Artifact monster in my Deck, I can destroy a single Spell or Trap Card on the field!"
"But I don't have any Spell or Trap cards on my field," Aki pointed out, which almost made Levant burst into laughter.
"Haven't played against an Artifact deck before, have you? The one I'm destroying is my own card!" Levant pointed at the card on his left, which turned around, showing it to actually be a monster card, with its artwork showing a red spirit holding a huge sword, before the card shattered. "From my deck, I'll set Artifact Moralltach. And now, the true terror of my Artifact deck can begin! Since Artifact Beagalltach was destroyed while in the Spell or Trap Zone, it Special Summons itself!"
A crimson light burst forth, stopping Periallis' attack as the red humanoid spirit rose from the light and knelt in front of Levant, holding its blade in a defensive stance with 2100 Defense
"When Beagalltach gets Special Summoned by its own effect, I can destroy two more set cards! I choose Artifact Moralltach (Lv. 5, ATK: 2100) and Artifact Caduceus (Lv. 5, DEF: 2400)! And now, both of their effects let them Special Summon themselves!" Another two beams of light shot out of the ground, as an orange spirit carrying a staff and a blue spirit carrying a blade identical to Beagalltach's appeared on Levant's field.
"And now, for their effects!" Levant laughed. "Caduceus's lets me draw a card for every Artifact I Special Summoned that turn, which is currently one. Moralltach on the other hand lets me destroy one face-up card you control! I choose Rose Hound!"
The blue spirit raised its blade and fired a powerful beam that tore through Aki's Level Five Tuner monster, destroying it in an instant. The Rose Duelist bit her lower lip as she glanced at Periallis, whose attack had returned back to its original 1600 since there no longer was a Plant-Type monster on the field to give it a power-up.
"You foresaw what I was going to do?" Aki's eyes widened.
"Not exactly," Levant shrugged. "I had no idea you had any of these monsters in your deck. I simply decided to play it safe, and as you can see, being careful had paid out for me in the end. If only you had something to stop my spells from working as well… But oh well, it's still your Battle Phase. Will you attack with that weak empress of yours?"
"No, but I'm going to activate a Quick-Play, Frozen Rose! By releasing Periallis, Empress of Blossom, during my End Phase, I can draw two cards, then discard one!" Periallis put her hands together in front of her chest and closed her eyes, as her entire body began to glow, and was absorbed into Aki's Duel Disk. "With that, I'm going to set a card and then go to my End Phase, and use Frozen Rose's effect!"
'Now she's the one to leave her field wide open for a direct attack, huh?' Levant narrowed his eyes. 'Let's see if luck's on her side or not.'
『Turn 3 [Levant] LP: 4000, Hand: 2』
"At the start of your Main Phase, I'll activate my set card! Scattered Petals!" Aki exclaimed. "Since you control more monsters than me, I can Special Summon a Level Four or lower monster from my hand! I pick Blue Rose Dragon (Lv. 4, ATK: 1600)!"
Scattered Petals (Trap) Normal
If your opponent controls at least 2 more monsters than you do: You can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower monster from your hand. You cannot Special Summon monsters for the rest of this turn, except for Plant-Type monsters.
"You think that this is going to scare me? I overlay my Level Five Artifact Caduceusand Artifact Beagalltach to build the Overlay Network! Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon (RANK: 5, ATK: 2600)!" A galaxy-shaped portal appeared above Levant and a dark fairy with glowing red glasses and a dagger formed inside of it.
"Xyz…" Aki muttered. Just like Divine's Fusion Monster, Levant was using a monster type that she hasn't heard of before. "What are those orbs around its body?"
"Let me show you, by activating Adreus' effect! I detach one Xyz Material from it to destroy one face-up card you control!" The black fairy absorbed one of the purple orbs and then swung its dagger at Aki's monster, cutting its head off.
"When Blue Rose Dragon is destroyed, I can Special Summon a Plant from my Graveyard!" Aki exclaimed, taking a card from her Duel Disk and placing it on her energy blade. "Return to my side, Periallis, Empress of Blossoms (Lv. 7, DEF: 2400)!"
"Thanks to the goddess of luck, you're going to survive this turn," Levant remarked, throwing his fist forward. "But you're still going to take a huge amount of damage! Using the RANK Five, Adreus, Keeper of Armageddon, I build the Overlay Network once more! Rank-Up Xyz Summon! Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger (RANK: 7, ATK: 2600)!"
A robotic knight wearing red armor appeared. His lower body was merged with the back of a robotic red dragon, which made it appear like he was riding the large beast while simultaneously holding a green lance in each hand.
"Battle! Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger attack Periallis, Empress of Blossoms! And when Gaia fights a Defense Position monster, it inflicts piercing damage!" The crimson knight dove into the field and buried one of his lances deep into the plant queen's chest.
『Aki, LP: 4000 - 200 → 3800, Hand: 1』
"And now Artifact Moralltach will attack you directly!" The blue spirit monster slammed his blade into the ground, releasing a wave of energy, which tore through the ground, sending bits of rock flying in all directions as the energy wave itself collided with Aki, knocking the girl on her back.
『Aki, LP: 3800 - 2100 → 1700, Hand: 1』
"I place two cards face-down," Levant said. "What a pitiful role you have been reduced to. From a legendary duelist to a cute little red-head doll."
Aki narrowed her eyes and stood back up. He was trying to provoke her, but insulting her like this wasn't going to get him anywhere. She had dealt with far worse in her previous life; he could call her a puppet as much as he wanted, but the strings that were binding her to Divine have been cut off already.
"Why do you hate the Greysons so much?" But of course, Levant wasn't calling her Divine's doll, he was referring to somebody else. He couldn't hide it, that hate that was burning inside his eyes while he was staring at her; it was different from other opponents she had faced, all of whom have their hatred directed at the person standing right in front of them.
"You think I've been referring to them?" Levant chuckled. "They too are puppets controlled by somebody. The difference is that unlike them, we have souls to keep us standing once we cut out strings."
"Then who are you referring to?" Aki narrowed her eyes.
"Why of course, the people that brought THEM here!" Levant shouted. "The same people who brought you back to live, who created those Yuma and Yusei knock-offs and had them replace the real deals!"
"Just… what are you?" Aki lowered her Duel Disk. "You know about my past memories, about the past world, even about Yusei! You are a Tracer, yes? What does that even mean?"
"So, mentioning Yusei finally got you interested in what I had to say?" Levant chuckled to himself. "How sweet. But to your question, what's a Tracer? It's far simpler than you might think, since you're a First Generation Tracer!"
"You're talking nonsense." Aki frowned.
"As I told you, there's much that you don't know yet," Levant said. "Like it or not, it's the truth, you're a Tracer, though only a First Generation one, a reincarnation of a legendary Duelist from the previous world created for the single purpose of aiding the Greyson Generation Tracer in their quest to reassemble the Pendulum of Faith, and later, the Pendulum of Fate. That's the reason why you're with them, Aki. Your mind has been manipulated from the start to make you think that they are good people! Koharu, and that other girl that was with you, they have also been manipulated."
"And I should just believe that?" Even with everything that had happened in the last two days, it was hard to accept that her heart was being manipulated without her realizing it.
"It's not necessary, but it lifts a great weight off my chest to share this information with you," Levant told her. "It now allows me to completely and utterly destroy you without feeling down about having to fight an innocent victim of our conflict. A conflict that I believed neither of us wanted to be dragged into!"
"I'm not feeling sorry about what I'm about to do either!" Aki exclaimed. "My turn! I draw!"
『Turn 4 [Aki] LP: 1700, Hand: 2』
"I Normal Summon Lonefire Blossom (Lv. 3, ATK: 500), and activate its effect! I release Lonefire Blossom to Special Summon Fairy Archer Ingunar (Lv. 6, ATK: 2400)!" A female monster with greenish-blue hair and dress, holding a bow made of plants appeared on Aki's field. "I activate Ingunar's effect! Since she was Special Summoned by the effect of a Plant monster, I can Special Summon one Level six or higher Plant monster from my Graveyard in Defense Position! Blossom once more - Periallis, Empress of Blossoms (Lv. 7, DEF: 2400)!"
Periallis materialized on Aki's field for the third time.
"Periallis' effect lets me Special Summon a Level Five or higher Plant monster from my Graveyard in Defense Position! I pick Rose Hound (Lv. 5, DEF: 600)!" The large crimson beast appeared on Aki's field once more, howling. "Next I activate the effect of Rose Cleric from my hand! If I control a Level Seven or higher Plant Synchro Monster, I can return one Rose Monster from my Graveyard to the hand, in order to Special Summon Rose Cleric! I return Rose Girl!"
A young girl with green eyes and long red hair appeared on the field dressed in long white robes covered in golden rose insignias. She bowed, holding a long wand that resembled a rose, close to her chest.
Rose Cleric
Level: 2/Attribute: WATER/Type: Plant/Tuner/Effect
ATK: 200/DEF: 700
Effect: If you have a Level 7 or higher "Rose" Dragon-Type Synchro Monster or Plant-Type Synchro Monster on your field: You can reveal this card from your hand, then target 1 Level 4 or lower "Rose" Monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon this card from your hand in Defense Position, and if you do, add that target from your Graveyard to your hand.
"And now, I tune the Level Six Fairy Archer Ingunar, Level Two Rose Cleric!" Fairy Archer Ingunar turned into six stars and Rose Cleric transformed into two rings surrounding them. "The whispers of the past shall be heard once again. In the black garden, a rose of pure white shines. Synchro Summon! Level Eight! Snow Rose Paladin (Lv. 8, ATK: 2800)!"
Levant bit his lower lip at the sight of Aki's new monster. It wasn't supposed to be there! Her strongest monster was supposed to be Black Rose Dragon's counterpart, not this Paladin.
"I activate Snow Rose Paladin's effect!" Aki exclaimed, pointing at Levant's Xyz Monster. "I reduce your Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger's attack points to zero, and add the subtracted amount of Snow Rose Paladin's!"
Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger, ATK: 2600 → 0
Snow Rose Paladin, ATK: 2800 + 2600 → 5400
"Such a shame," Levant sighed. "I was hoping to avoid having to use this so soon, but you forced me. I activate Artifact Sanctum! With this Trap Card's effect, I can Special Summon a second Artifact Moralltach (Lv. 5, ATK: 2100)! And its effect destroys your Snow Rose Paladin!"
The blue spirit raised its blade and fired a powerful beam that pierced Snow Rose Paladin's chest. The female monster screamed, as blue flames spread out of the wound and engulfed her entire body, burning her to ash.
"But since a face-up Plant monster was sent to the Graveyard, I can now Special Summon Rose Girl (Lv. 3, DEF: 600)!" A young girl dressed in a green and red dress that resembled a rose appeared on Aki's field. "And now, I activate Rose Hound's effect! I release both Rose Hound and Rose Girl to Special Summon a Plant Synchro Monster from my Graveyard, whose Level equals the Tributed Monsters! Serve me once more, Snow Rose Paladin (Lv. 8, ATK: 2800)!"
"You don't know when to cut it, do you?" Levant growled. "Quick-Play Spell activate – Artifacts Unleashed! With this card's effect, I use my two Level FiveArtifact Moralltach to build the Overlay Network! Xyz Summon! Rank Five! Artifact Durendal (RANK: 5, ATK: 2400)!"
"I activate Snow Rose Paladin's effect! I target Artifact Durendal and reduce its attack points!" Aki's monster pointed it spear at Levant's Xyz Monster, but the latter quickly pressed a button on his Duel Disk.
"I chain Artifact Durendal's effect!" Levant exclaimed. "By using one Xyz Material, I change your monster's effect to instead destroy one Spell or Trap Card I control!"
Snow Rose Paladin fired a blast of white flames from her spear's tip and the bluish-red spirit raised his blade, absorbing one of the two orbs floating around it into the sword. Its weapon generated a blue-red energy shield, blocking the fire attack and redirecting it toward Levant's set Malevolent Catastrophe instead, destroying the card.
"Then, I'm going to attack Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger with Snow Rose Paladin! White Rose Requiem!" Snow Rose Paladin and Gaia Dragon, the Thunder Charger collided with each other. The Xyz Monster thrust its lance toward the Synchro's chest, but Aki's monster blocked the attack with her spear and then swung her weapon down, slicing the robotic champion clean in two before it exploded, with the ensuing shockwave sending him flying back.
『Levant, LP: 4000 - 2800 → 1200, Hand: 0』
"With this, my turn is over," Aki said.
"Then I guess…" Levant stood back up, a golden aura covering his entire body before exploding outward, unleashing a powerful wave of energy that made Aki step back with a horrified expression on her face. "I'll have to use my full power! My turn, draw!"
『Turn 5 [Levant] LP: 1200, Hand: 1』
The card Levant drew unleashed a blinding light so intense that both of Aki's Synchro Monsters collapsed on their knees, submitting to the power of the Tracer's card before he even had a chance to play it.
"Divine-Rank-Up-Magic Destruction Force!" Levant shouted as he played the card he had drawn, transforming Artifact Durendal into a stream of golden energy which flew into an oversized galaxy-shaped portal.
Divine-Rank-Up-Magic Destruction Force (Spell) Quick-Play
During the Main Phase: You can target 1 Rank 4 or 5 LIGHT Xyz Monster you control or that's in your Graveyard and was sent there from your field this turn; immediately after this effect resolves, Special Summon 1 LIGHT Fairy Xyz Monster from your Extra Deck whose Rank is equal to double the targeted monster's Rank (This Special Summon is treated as an Xyz Summon. Xyz Materials attached to that target also becomes Xyz Materials on the Summoned monster.) A monster Special Summoned by this card's effect is unaffected by your opponent's cards and effects until the end of the next turn.
"The gates of Heaven have open for this world's final judgment! The ancient machine of war, serving under the Angel of Destruction, cast Adriela's judgment upon this sinister world! Divine Rank Up Xyz Summon! Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel!"
The galaxy portal exploded and a gigantic humanoid monster descended from the sky to Levant's side of the field. Its body was covered in white armor plating that was made to resemble a cloak with various golden lines running up and down the cloak, forming various shapes and symbols. It had a blank white robotic face that lacked a mouth or any other features, excluding six blue eyes. A golden halo was rotating around the monster's forehead and it had six white wings, each of which was twice the monster's length, with a huge golden ring attached to them in such a way that the wings were going through the ring and coming out of the other side. The monster didn't appear to have any legs, simply floating over the ground, holding a huge golden Warhammer in front of its chest with four long skeletal arms.
Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel
RANK: 10/Attribute: LIGHT/Type: Fairy/Xyz/Effect
ATK: 3800/DEF: 3800
3 Level 10 LIGHT Monsters
Effect: Once per turn, during either player's turn, you can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card to target 1 face-up card you control, except "Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel", and if you do, it gains this card's 2nd, 3rd, and 4th effects. "Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel" cannot be removed from the field, except by being destroyed by battle. You can only have 1 face-up card with the same effects as "Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel", except "Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel". During either player's Battle Phase: You can activate this effect, both players must banish all cards on their field, except for this card and "Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel", but the cards banished by this effect are returned to the field in the same position they were when they were banished, during the next Standby Phase. Once while this card is face-up on the field: If "Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel" is targeted by an opponent's monster effect, you can negate that effect, then, if this effect wasn't activated by "Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel", you can attach this card to "Destruction Angel Commander – Sealtiel".
"W-what is it?" Aki stumbled back at the sight of this monster. It had a strange aura of authority around it that made even Aki feel fear just by looking at it.
"A small gift." Levant pressed a hidden button on the side of his Duel Disk, and it opened up to show a small container on the top of his Duel Disk housing a pendulum fragment. "You recognize it, don't you? Your Paladin was created by one of those, wasn't it?"
"It's too dangerous!" Aki shouted back. "It will corrupt your mind!"
"Don't talk nonsense! Those who drown in its power were power-hungry, to begin with!" Levant snorted. "The fragments can grant their wielder a miracle, give them a new power that best suits them, showing the true state of their heart, but Destruction Angel isn't my creation! This is the purest form of the power trapped inside the shard; the predecessors of the Astral Angels - the Destruction Angels!"
"I…" Aki didn't know what else to say, she just kept her eyes on the new Xyz Monster, which, despite its attack points, seemed to be able to end the duel in one move.
"Let's battle Aki!" Levant declared, entering his Battle Phase. "And I mean directly, because Sealtiel's effect activates, forcing us to banish all of our cards, except for Sealtiel himself! Path of Judgment!"
Sealtiel's wings unfolded completely and released a bright, pure white field that covered the entire field, draining away all other colors, turning everything around the two duelists, including their monsters and the rocky field they were standing on into a snow-white color. Aki's Synchro Monsters both collapsed on the white ground, disappearing through it as a large golden sphere formed in front of Sealtiel's Warhammer.
"Pure Purgatory!" Levant screamed and Sealtiel fired a golden beam of pure energy that enveloped Aki. The girl simply closed her eyes, accepting her defeat as the golden energy washed over her body, like a warm breeze as her vision faded.
『Aki, LP: 1700 - 3800 → 0, Hand: 0』
『Winner: Levant』
"What a strange place." Ren looked at the strange floating rock islands that surrounded them. "I guess a Turbo Duel wouldn't have been possible here."
"So it would seem." Fujiko frowned. "Let's not waste time with chit-chatting."
"I agree." Ren nodded, activating his Duel Disk.
"Duel!"
『Fujiko LP: 4000 Hand: 5 (VS) Ren LP: 4000 Hand: 5』
"I'll take the first turn," Ren said, taking a card from his hand and immediately sending it to his Graveyard. "I discard White Salmon to Special Summon White Stingray (Lv. 4, ATK: 1400), then I activate White Mirror to revive White Salmon and add another copy of it from my Deck to my hand!" Two monsters, which were, as their names stated, just a white Stingray and a white salmon appeared on Ren's field.
White Salmon
Level: 3/Attribute: WATER/Type: Fish/Effect
ATK: 1000/DEF: 800
Effect: If this card is Normal Summoned, you can target 1 Level 4 or lower "White" monster in your GY; add 1 monster with the same name as that target from your Deck to your hand. If this card is Special Summoned from the GY: You can treat it as a Tuner this turn.
"If one of my White monsters is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, it's treated as a Tuner for the rest of that turn," Ren explained to the girl. "So, I tune the Level Four White Stingray to the Level Three White Salmon! Ancient beast sleeping in the abyss, raise and pierce the sun with your mighty horn! Synchro Summon! Level Seven! White Aura Monoceros (Lv. 7, ATK: 2500)!"
A large fish-like monster that had the appearance of a white whale with a large horn in the center of its face appeared in front of Ren and cried out.
"Monoceros' effect!" Ren exclaimed. "When this card is Synchro Summon, I revive one Fish monster from my Graveyard! Come back from the abyss, White Stingray (Lv. 4, ATK: 1400)!"
Fujiko bit her lips. Because of the White monsters' ability to be treated as Tuner monsters on the turn, they were revived from the Graveyard, her opponent had just secured himself a Level Four Tuner monster, which he could use to either go into a Level Eleven Synchro Monster using White Aura Monoceros or use his Normal Summon to get another material and summon a second Synchro Monster.
"I Normal Summon White Moray (Lv. 2, ATK: 600) and tune it to the Level Four Stingray!" The stingray flew forward and transformed into four rings that White Moray moved through, turning into two white orbs. "Dolphin of white who lives between the humans and the abyss, give me your powers! Synchro Summon! Level Six! White Aura Dolphin (Lv. 6, ATK: 2400)!"
"That's quite the interesting strategy you use." Fujiko narrowed her eyes. "It's a complicated way to get two Synchro Monsters. You must be quite skilled as a Duelist if you weren't confident you wouldn't have told me about your monsters' ability to turn into Tuners."
"I just told you what you should have been able to figure out on your own, after seeing me use the same ability with two different monsters," Ren told her. "I set a card, your move."
"Summoning two high-Level Synchro Monsters in one turn isn't easy," Fujiko told him. "It requires a lot of dueling experience and knowledge of one's deck, but I have that too! My turn!"
『Turn 2 [Fujiko] LP: 4000, Hand: 6』
"First off, since only you control a monster, I can Special Summon Junk Forward (Lv. 3, ATK: 900), and then, since you control a Level Five or higher monster, I can also Special Summon Junk Giant (Lv. 6, ATK: 2000)!" Two monsters appeared on Fujiko's field one after another. The first was a female robot-like monster with white armor and a rifle on her back, while the second was a giant blue robot with a pair of arms ending with drills attached on his back, over his normal arms.
"Next, I activate the effect of Junk Converter! I discard both it, and Junk Anchor to add Junk Synchron to my hand, and then I Normal Summon it!" a tiny humanoid monster wearing orange clothes appeared between the rest of Fujiko's monsters. "Junk Synchro's effect now activates, reviving Junk Converter (Lv. 2, DEF: 200) from my Graveyard! Now, I tune the Level Three Junk Forward and the Level Two Junk Converter to the Level Three Junk Synchron!"
Junk Synchron pulled the cable on the side of its stomach, and turned into three rings, surrounding the rest of the aforementioned monsters, each of which turned into a number of orbs, equal to its own level. Five orbs in total lined up together inside the rings as a beam of light shoot through them.
"Behold as shards of razor-sharp steel and scraps of iron-clad alloy are forged together to create a powerful new force! I Synchro Summon, Junk Destroyer (Lv. 8, ATK: 2600)!"
A huge warrior-like monster covered from head to toe in black armor with four arms, and four large blades attached to its back slammed its fists into the ground and roared as it appeared out of the beam of light.
"I activate Junk Destroyer's effect! For every monster used as material, except for Junk Synchro, I can destroy one card you control! Tidal Sweep!" The large warrior slammed his fists together, creating two balls of blue fire which it threw at Ren's Synchro monsters, destroying both of them in a glorious explosion of blue flames.
"I have expected so much," Ren stated as two polls of water appeared on his field, where his monsters once stood. "My White Aura Synchro Monsters all share an ability similar to that of the Main Deck monsters. By banishing a Water monster from my Graveyard, I can revive my destroyed Synchro Monsters! I choose to banish White Moray and White Salmon respectively to revive White Aura Monoceros (Lv. 7, ATK: 2500), and White Aura Dolphin (Lv. 6, ATK: 2400)!"
Out of the two pools of water, the Synchro Monsters that Fujiko had just destroyed returned back to the field, which made the Junk Duelist frown in slight disappointment.
"Good thing that I'm not done either," Fujiko muttered to herself. "I activate the effect of Junk Converter! When it's sent to the Graveyard as a Synchro Material, I can revive one Tuner Monster from my Graveyard, and I choose Junk Anchor (Lv. 2, ATK: 0)!" A small white and red robot appeared on Fujiko's field. "Now, I tune the Level Six Junk Giant to the Level Two Junk Anchor!"
Junk Giant grabbed the smaller robot with both hands and raised it over his head. Junk Anchor instantly transformed into two rings that flew around the giant robot, turning him into six glowing orbs.
"Clustering wishes will become a new shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Soar, Stardust Dragon (Lv. 8, ATK: 2500)!"
The legendary dragon spread out its wings and flew into the sky with a vicious roar as it watched over its owner from above.
"Let's battle!" Fujiko exclaimed. "Junk Destroyer, attack and destroy White Aura Monoceros! Fists of Ferocity!"
"I can't allow that to happen," Ren stated. "I activate my Trap Card, Tuner's Barrier! Until the end of the next turn, one Tuner monster on my field cannot be destroyed, and I choose White Aura Monoceros itself!"
A barrier formed in front of Ren's Synchro Monster and Fujiko's Junk Destroyer slammed its fists against it, creating a wave of blue flames, which bounced off the barrier and landed next to Ren, who stumbled slightly from the impact.
『Ren, LP: 4000 - 100 → 3900, Hand: 1』
"And next. Stardust Dragon will destroy White Aura Dolphin! Shooting Sonic!" The dragon opened its jaws and unleashed a powerful beam of white energy, which tore through White Aura Dolphin's head. A moment later, the Level 6 Synchro's body inflated and exploded.
『Ren, LP: 3900 - 100 → 3800, Hand: 1』
'That Tuner's Barrier would have been useless if he hadn't expected me to destroy his Synchro Monsters for their revival ability to activate.' Fujiko thought to herself. 'As expected, he must have foreseen that I would be able to destroy them, turning them into Tuners. But out of the two monsters, White Aura Dolphin would have been more useful if he was planning to use them to attack me, so he must be planning to use White Aura Monoceros as a Synchro Material. Something big is going to come next turn, I should prepare my defenses as much as I can.'
"I set a card and end my turn," Fujiko stated.
"I'm going to go all out now," Ren told the girl. "I hope you won't disappoint me! My turn, I draw!"
『Turn 3 [Ren] LP: 3800, Hand: 2』
"I Normal Summon White Salmon (Lv. 3, ATK: 1000), and activate its effect! By targeting White Stingray in my Graveyard, I can add another copy of Stingray from my Deck to the hand." Ren took the card then glanced at his field, or at least Fujiko thought that he did that; hard to tell with the mask. "I tune the Level Three White Salmon to the Level Seven White Aura Monoceros! Reclining dragon that sleeps at the pinnacle of Creation! You in whom an all-knowing, all-powerful mind dwells! Awake! Synchro Summon! Come forth, Level Ten! White Aura Bihamut (Lv. 10, ATK: 3300)!"
A giant white dragon-like beast appeared on Ren's field with a mighty roar that made both Junk Destroyer and Stardust Dragon move back.
"So that's your ace monster?" Fujiko smirked.
"Bihamut's effect!" Ren declared. "Once per turn, if there's no token on my field, I can Special Summon a Divine Dragon Token (Lv. 10, DEF: 3000)!" A second head appeared on Bihamut's body, and both of them roared toward Fujiko's Synchros.
'That should be enough to deal some serious damage.' Fujiko thought about Ren's monster. 'But he doesn't strike me like the type of Duelist that would be satisfied with just so much.'
"I activate White Deeps! By banishing White Mirror from my Graveyard, I can add another copy of it from my Deck to the hand!" Ren stated as another copy of his Spell Card popped out of his deck.
White Deeps (Spell) Normal
Target 1 "White" Normal Spell or Normal Trap Card in your Graveyard, except "White Deeps"; banish that target, and if you do, add 1 card with the same name from your Deck to the hand.
"I activate White Mirror again to revive White Stingray (Lv. 4, ATK: 1400), which is treated as a Tuner monster by its own effect, then I add another copy of White Stingray to my hand." Ren showed the card that he had added to Fujiko and then placed it into his Graveyard. "I discard one copy of White Stingray to Special Summon my last White Stingray (Lv. 4, ATK: 1400) from my hand!" Two copies of the Level Four monsters appeared on the masked man's side of the field.
"I tune the Level Four White Stingray to the Level Four Stingray!" The two identical monsters flew up, one turning into four rings, while the other turned into four orbs inside them. "Great whale slumbering in the abyss, awaken in the deep between life and death! Synchro Summons! Come forth! Level Eight! White Aura Whale (Lv. 8, ATK: 2800)!"
"Yep, that's what I had expected." Fujiko sighed.
"White Aura Whale's on summon effect! All attack position monsters you control are destroyed!" the large white beast roared, unleashing a blast of water from its mouth.
"I activate Stardust Dragon's effect!" The dragon moved in front of Junk Destroyer and used its wings as shields from the water blast. "By releasing Stardust Dragon, I negate a destruction effect and then destroy your card! Victim Sanctuary!" Stardust Dragon opened its mouth and fired a white blast that tore a hole in-between White Aura Whale's eyes, as both Level 8 Synchro Monsters fell and disappeared from the field.
"A worthless sacrifice," Ren stated. "By banishing White Salmon, I can revive White Aura Whale (Lv. 8, ATK: 2800)." The huge white whale appeared on Ren's field and cried out.
"Stardust's sacrifice hasn't been for nothing," Fujiko told her opponent. "When one star falls from the sky, it's the turn of another to shine! I activate the effect of Stardust Aurora Dragon from my Extra Deck! When Stardust Dragon leaves the field because of Victim Sanctuary, Aurora Dragon can take its place!"
Small sparks appeared in the space between the two duelists. Those sparks began to quickly connect with one another, growing into a larger form that resembled the silhouette of a dragon. The body made of sparks emitted a blinding light as it started becoming solid. The beast opened its yellow eyes which glowed. Two golden lines stared from underneath the eyes and moved down the dragon's body, reaching the chest where they turned into a white chestplate with a blue orb in the center of it. From each circle came another two lines, one of which moved through its entire arm and ended with a star emblem on the back of its wrists while the other went down its legs, creating golden knee pads in the shape of five-pointed stars. The Dragon's wings were large and glowing, with sparks raining from them. The Dragon then lowered itself to Fujiko's field holding its arms crossed over its chest and its head looking down as the golden lines faded away.
Stardust Aurora Dragon
Level: 8/Attribute: WIND/Type: Dragon/Synchro/Tuner/Effect
ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000
1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Effect: If a "Stardust Dragon" is sent to the Graveyard by its own effect: You can Special Summon this card from your Extra Deck. (This Special Summon is treated as a Synchro Summon.) Once per turn, during either player's turn, when a card or effect is activated that would destroy a card(s) on the field if there is a "Stardust Dragon" is in your Graveyard: You can negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. Then inflict 1250 damage to your opponent. Cannot be used as a Synchro Material, except for the Synchro Summon of a Dragon-Type Synchro Monster. If this card is used as a Synchro Material Monster, all other Synchro Material Monsters are treated as Level 2 monsters. You can only control 1 "Stardust Aurora Dragon".
"Useless," Ren muttered. "White Aura Whale can attack twice and it's stronger than either of your monsters! Go, destroy that dragon of hers!" The Whale moved in front of Fujiko's monster and fired another water blast.
"That won't work!" Fujiko shouted back. "I activate my Trap Card – Warrior's Sacrifice!" A card showing a knight taking a powerful magic blast to the chest while protecting a group of small monsters appeared on Fujiko's field. "By releasing Junk Destroyer, for the rest of this turn my Level Eight or lower attack position monsters cannot be destroyed by battle!"
Junk Destroyer's body burst into small sparks before reforming into a spirit that flew in front of Stardust Aurora Dragon and bodied the water blast.
Warrior's Sacrifice (Trap) Normal
Tribute 1 Synchro Monster you control; for the rest of this turn, Attack Position monsters you control whose Level is less than or equal to the Tributed monster's cannot be destroyed by battle.
Fujiko winched as she felt the attack strike Stardust Aurora Dragon, even though Junk Destroyer's spirit was protecting it from getting destroyed.
『Fujiko, LP: 4000 - 300 → 3700, Hand: 1』
"The second attack!" White Aura Whale pulled its head back and opened its jaws wide, firing another powerful water blast that made contact with Fujiko's ace, knocking it off the skies.
『Fujiko, LP: 3700 - 300 → 3400, Hand: 1』
"White Aura Bihamut attack Stardust Aurora Dragon!" The right one of Bihamut's heads raised and each of them fired a powerful blast of hot white plasma, which collided with Stardust Aurora Dragon. Fujiko's monster roared in pain as both it and Fujiko herself were sent flying from the attack and slammed into several large rocks.
『Fujiko, LP: 3400 - 800 → 2600, Hand: 1』
"My Battle Phase is over." Ren finished.
"A…Amazing…" Fujiko muttered as she slowly got back onto her feet. Her body was covered in bruises from the attack, as was Stardust Aurora's, the dragon was resting on its chest behind the girl, growling as it tried to force itself back up. "That's a great formation. If I hadn't used Warrior's Sacrifice to defend one of my monsters, I would have lost this turn."
"During the End Phase of this turn, your original Stardust Dragon will return to the field," Ren commented. "You will have two Stardust monsters on your field, but will that be enough to defeat me?"
"It's hard to tell." Fujiko shook her head. "But this Deck, and specifically Stardust, have been entrusted to me by a dear friend. So, as long as Stardust's presence lingers on this field, your victory will not be secure!"
At Fujiko's words, a bright light flashed behind her and the original Stardust Dragon rose from the ground behind her with its arms crossed in front of its chest. Stardust Aurora Dragon raised next to the original and both Stardust Dragons roared in synch.
"My turn, draw!" Fujiko exclaimed.
『Turn 4 [Fujiko] LP: 2600, Hand: 2』
Fujiko looked at the cards in her hand, then at the two dragons standing on her field, and finally, at the monsters, she was facing against. Stardust Dragon and Stardust Aurora Dragon were too weak to battle against any of Ren's Synchro Monsters, however, Aurora Dragon was a Tuner Monster. Using her two monsters, she would be able to call forth her ultimate monster, but its attack power was tied with that of Bihamut, so even if she could clear the opponent's field from monsters, she would lose her most powerful card in the process.
"I Normal Summon Junk Changer (Lv. 3, ATK: 1500)!" She would have to wait for a better opportunity to summon it. "When Junk Charger is summoned, I can increase or reduce the Level of one Junk monster by one! I choose to reduce Changer's Level!"
Junk Changer, Lv. 3 – 1 → 2
"Since I control a Junk monster, I can Special Summon Junk Servant (Lv. 4, ATK: 1500), and I tune it to the Level Two Junk Changer!" A pillar of light raised behind Fujiko, as her two Synchro Materials disappeared, and the silhouette of a human warrior appeared inside the light.
"Gathering stars will become a new shining star! Become the path that lights the path we must take! Synchro Summon! Level Six! Stardust Charge Warrior (Lv. 6, ATK: 2000)!"
A warrior wearing white and blue armor that resembled Stardust Dragon appeared between Fujiko's two dragons, and immediately, a golden aura surrounded its body as its effect activated.
"When Stardust Charge Warrior is Synchro Summoned, I get to draw a card!" Fujiko declared before putting her fingers on the top card of her deck. If Ren attacked her with all the monsters that he had next turn, she would lose. She needed a good card, right now, or this duel would be over!
Fujiko gulped and drew her card. She turned it around slowly and… "That will work too, I guess. I set a card, turn end."
The card that she drew wasn't what she was hoping for, but it was still going to buy her some time to come up with a strategy that would win her the duel.
"In the end, you choose to gamble on the outcome of this duel," Ren sighed. "But it won't pay off! I draw!"
『Turn 5 [Ren] LP: 3800, Hand: 1』
"At this moment, I activate the Continuous Trap - Monster Chain!" Fujiko exclaimed, activating a card that caused green rings to appear around all the monsters on the field, trapping them inside. "For every monster on my field, I place one Chain Counter on this card, and while Monster Chain is on my field, none of our monsters can declare an attack!"
Monster Chain (Trap) Continuous
When you activate this card, place Chain Counters on it equal to the number of monsters you control. During each of your opponent's End Phases, remove 1 Chain Counter from this card. When there are no Chain Counters on this card, destroy it. While this card is face-up on the field, neither player can declare an attack.
"I see," Ren muttered. "I can't just destroy Monster Chain because you have two Stardust Dragon monsters protecting it. But you're simply postponing the inevitable! I activate Synchro Creed! While there are three or more Synchro Monsters on the field, this card lets me draw two cards!"
Synchro Creed (Spell) Normal
While there are three or more Synchro Monsters on the field: Draw 2 cards.
"I activate the Continuous Spell Whitefish Salvage! With its effect, I add White Stingray from my Graveyard to the hand, and then I Normal Summon it." Ren's Level 4 monster appeared on the field for the billionth time. "And now, I tune the Level Four White Stingray to the Level Eight White Aura Whale!"
Eight rings, four orbs inside of them, as the beam of light shot through the rings Fujiko realized that she was about to face her monster's most powerful monster. Something stronger than even White Aura Bihamut!
"Rise from your deep stumble, the ancient one that towers above Gods and Creation! Synchro Summon! Level Twelve! White Aura Carbonemys!"
A giant white leg appeared out of the light and stomped on the ground, creating a powerful earthquake that caused Fujiko to drop on the ground. A second leg appeared on the other side, followed by the head of a giant turtle. As the monster's head appeared, the light that was covering its body started to fade away, revealing a huge castle made of white rocks and stones on its back.
White Aura Carbonemys
Level: 12/Attribute: WATER/Type: Fish/Synchro/Effect
ATK: 3800/DEF: 4000
1 Synchro Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner "White' monsters
Effect: If this card is Synchro Summoned: You can change all monsters your opponent currently controls to Defense Position, also their DEF becomes 0, and their effects are negated. Your opponent cannot change the monsters affected by this effect to Attack Position. If this face-up card you control is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon this card. You can only use this effect of "White Aura Carbonemys" once per turn. If this card destroys an opponent monster by battle: You can Special Summon 1 WATER Fish-Type Synchro Monster from your Graveyard whose Level is less than or equal to the destroyed monster's, and if you do, this card can make an additional attack this turn.
"White Aura Carbonemys' effect!" Ren declared. "When its Synchro Summoned, all monsters you control are changed to Defense Position, their Defense Points are reduced to zero, and their effects are negated!"
"What?" Fujiko's eyes shot wide open, and she turned back to her monsters, all of which collapsed on their knees and raised their arms in front of their bodies.
Stardust Dragon, DEF: 2000 → 0
Stardust Aurora Dragon, DEF: 2000 → 0
Stardust Charge Warrior, DEF: 1300 → 0
"Finally, I'll set a card and change my Divine Dragon Token to attack position." Bihamut's second head raised as well prepared to launch an attack.
"During the end of your turn, Monster Chain loses one Chain Counter," Fujiko stated as a hologram appeared over her Trap Card, showing that it had only 2 counters remaining. "It's my turn then. I draw!"
『Turn 6 [Fujiko] LP: 2600, Hand: 1』
"I activate Advanced Draw!" Fujiko showed her card to the opponent. "By releasing one Level Eight or higher monster, I can draw two cards! I release Stardust Aurora Dragon!" A black portal opened under Aurora Dragon's legs and the creature flew through it as the Junk Duelist drew her cards.
"I Normal Summon Satellite Synchron (Lv. 2, ATK: 700) and activate its effect! Since there's a Stardust monster still on my field, I can make it a Level Four monster!" A blue aura surrounded Fujiko's monster as its level increased. "Next, I tune the Level Six Stardust Charge Warrior to the Level Four Satellite Synchron!"
"Gathering stars will become the watchful eye that watches after us! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Be born, Satellite Warrior (Lv. 10, ATK: 2500)!"
The tall warrior in golden and white armor appeared from the light and immediately pushed his fists forward, releasing blue fireballs from them that headed toward Ren's monsters.
"Satellite Warrior's effect! For every Synchro Monster in my Graveyard, I destroy one card you control! I choose to destroy all three of your monsters!"
"I won't allow it!" Ren exclaimed, pressing a card on his Duel Disk. "I activate White Serenity! While I control a White Synchro Monster, I can negate the effects of all Special Summoned monsters you control, and the effects of all face-up Spell and Trap Cards on your field!"
"What?!" Fujiko cried out in shock and looked back at her monsters, specifically at Satellite Warrior, whose glowing eyes turned black, and his golden armor turned dark grey.
White Serenity (Trap) Normal
Activate this card if you control a "White" Synchro Monster(s). Negate the effects of all Special Summoned monsters your opponent controls whose Level is less than or equal to the Level of the "White" Synchro Monster you control with the highest level, then negate the effects of all face-up Spell/Trap Cards they control. For every card whose effects are negated, your opponent's monsters lose 400 ATK.
"In addition, for every card whose effects were negated, Serenity takes four hundred of your monsters' attack points!" Ren added, pointing straight at Fujiko. "Your monsters' attack points drop by twelve hundred!"
Stardust Dragon, ATK: 2500 – 1200 → 1300
Satellite Warrior, ATK: 2500 – 1200 → 1300
"You lose!" Ren declared.
Fujiko gritted her teeth and looked down. The card that she was using to stop Ren from attacking was negated, but more importantly, Stardust Dragon was weakened. Her friend's most important card that he entrusted to her, along with his dream to see a City where Tops and Commoners could exist as equals. Like their dream, it was beaten down, battered, weakened, and barely able to stand on its legs. But still…
"I'm not going to give up!" Fujiko declared. "Satellite Warrior! Attack White Aura Carbonemys!"
"You attack my strongest monster!?" Ren shouted as the warrior leaped into the air and slammed his fist against the giant turtle's face. A moment later, his fist cracked and several cannons showed all over the castle on the turtle's back, which opened fire on Satellite Warrior, which exploded and sent Fujiko flying back.
『Fujiko, LP: 2600 - 2500 → 100, Hand: 1』
"Foolish! When White Aura Carbonemys destroys an opponent's monster by battle, I can Special Summon a monster with a lower Level from my Graveyard!" Ren declared, as his White Aura Whale appeared on his field once more, holding 2800 ATK.
"But because he got destroyed…" Fujiko got back up. "Its effect activates, reviving two Stardust monsters from my Graveyard!"
The ground behind Fujiko exploded and both Stardust Aurora Dragon and Stardust Charge Warrior flew out, landing on each side of the weakened Stardust Dragon. Aurora looked at Ren and let out a vicious roar.
"Even if you bring back your Stardust Tuner now, it's too late! Your Battle Phase is used, and you have only a hundred Life Points." Ren told her.
"You're wrong! My Battle Phase isn't over yet! I can still fight on, with this – The Quick-Play Spell, Unstable Synchro! This card allows me to Synchro Summon during my Battle Phase, but the monster summoned by its effect will return to the Extra Deck during the End Phase!"
Unstable Synchro (Spell) Quick-Play
During either player's Battle Phase: You can Synchro Summon using monsters on your side of the field as Synchro Materials, but the monster Synchro Summoned by this effect is returned to the Extra Deck during the End Phase. If you control a Synchro Monster, you can banish this card from your Graveyard: Target 1 monsters you control; Tribute that target, and if you do, all Synchro Monsters you currently control gain half of the Tributed monster's ATK until the end of the turn.
"A Battle Phase Synchro Summon?" Ren said. "So that was what you were betting on?"
"Yep!" Fujiko replied. "I tune Stardust Dragon to Stardust Aurora Dragon! And before you start about their levels, when Aurora Dragon is used as Synchro Material, all other monsters are treated as Level Two monsters!"
Stardust Aurora Dragon roared as its body started to glow before transforming into eight golden rings, which flew around Stardust Dragon, whose body turned into two bright stars.
"Stars that grace the heavens of antiquity, open the door to a new evolution! Become the sacred path the light of purity shines upon! Accel Synchro Summon! Level Ten! The dragon burning bright as a star, Shooting Comet Dragon!"
A huge white start appeared over Fujiko, and then it started to transform and change shape. A pair of large white legs formed first, which were bent backward and had a blue orb inside each of its knees. Next formed its chest, which was covered in white armor-like scales, with a star-shaped bluish-white chestplate in the center of its chest, housing another large orb. Long white arms formed next, with a long black blade growing out of his elbows. A pair of huge white wings appeared on its back along with a long tail that ended with a white trident-like shape. As the first started to fade a long blue neck appeared with an almost mechanical white head that had a sharp nose, and a pair of small black horns on the sides of its head, which were bent backward.
The monster's pitch-black eyes shined yellow and a pair of golden lines burned over its body, starting from its eyes, going down its body and disappearing under the bluish-white chest, before reappearing on its shoulders and the sides of its waist, traveling down to its knees, and to its elbow blades. A single golden line appeared in the middle of its tail, as the tips of its trident-like tail became the same color.
Shooting Comet Dragon
Level: 10/Attribute: WIND/Type: Dragon/Synchro/Effect
ATK: 3300/DEF: 2500
1 Synchro Tuner + 1 non-Tuner "Stardust" Synchro Monster
Effect: If this card battled an opponent monster: You can send 1 Tuner Monster whose Level is different from the Levels of monsters sent to the Graveyard to use this effect during this turn, from your Deck to the Graveyard, this card can declare an attack against an opponent monster again. During either player's turn: If a card or effect is activated that would destroy a card(s) on the field; you can banish this card (until the End Phase), and if you do, negate the effect, and if you do that, destroy that card. If this card was banished by its own effect, your opponent cannot declare a direct attack for the rest of this turn.
"Impressive," Ren noted. "But your dragon can't take down my monsters!"
"Not without help, but if there's one thing my monsters are good at, it would be lending each other a hand!" Fujiko said. "I activate Unstable Synchro's other effect! By banishing it from my Graveyard and Tributing Stardust Charge Warrior, Shooting Comet Dragon gains half of Stardust Charge Warrior's attack points!" Stardust Charge Dragon burst into white flames, which flew into the orb in the center of Shooting Comet Dragon's chest and the dragon roared as white flames burst from the tips of its wings.
Shooting Comet Dragon, ATK: 3300 + 1000 → 4300
"I see…" Ren said.
"Battle!" Fujiko pushed her fist forward. "Shooting Comet Dragon attack White Aura Bihamut! Miracle Star!"
The pure white flames covering Shooting Comet Dragon's wings grew larger and soon engulfed its entire body as the dragon dived toward Ren's monster. White Aura Bihamut raised its right head and opened its mouth to fire, but the burning dragon flew through it, incinerating White Aura Bihamut's right head, which made the monster roared in pain.
『Ren, LP: 3800 - 1000 → 2800, Hand: 0』
"And now, I activate Shooting Comet Dragon's effect!" Fujiko exclaimed. "By sending a Tuner from my Deck to the Graveyard, Shooting Comet Dragon can attack again! I send the Level One Jet Synchron to allow my Shooting Comet Dragon to attack the Divine Dragon Token!"
Shooting Comet Dragon turned around and slammed itself into the Token's back. Divine Dragon roared as the burning Shooting Comet Dragon tore through its body and came out of its chest, leaving a trail of white flames, which engulfed the Divine Dragon's wound and after a few moments, the monster exploded, dealing even more damage to its owner.
『Ren, LP: 2800 - 1000 → 1800, Hand: 0』
"I send the Level Two Nitro Synchron to the Graveyard!" Fujiko shouted. "Shooting Comet Dragon attack White Aura Whale!" The white burning star roared as it flew through White Aura Whale's chest, unleashing a wave of white flames, which bisected the huge monster clear in half, and knocked Ren backward.
『Ren, LP: 1800 - 1500 → 300, Hand: 0』
Ren gritted his teeth as he looked at the burning dragon over Fujiko's head. Though he could have used White Aura Whale's Graveyard effect to bring it back, what was the point of doing so at that point? He wouldn't be able to stop her from attacking.
"You were pretty good," Fujiko told him. "Dueling you was pretty fun."
"If the rest of your friends are as powerful as you, you might actually be able to defeat the rest of the Tracers," Ren told her.
"Wait, you want us to win?" Fujiko raised an eyebrow.
"Many have been forced in this conflict against their own will, dragged away from their homes and loved ones," Ren said. "I simply wanted to test how powerful you are."
"I see," Fujiko smiled; no other words needed to be said about it, she understood what Ren meant. "Let's finish this! I send the Level Three Drill Synchron to the Graveyard. Shooting Comet Dragon, destroy White Aura Carbonemys!"
All of the flames covering Shooting Comet Dragon's body moved into the blue orb in the center of its chest, which started to glow as the dragon brought its arms together in front of it. White Aura Carbonemys turned its cannons and opened fire onto Shooting Comet Dragon, but a white aura appeared in front of it, vaporizing the incoming projectiles. Shooting Comet Dragon's eyes flashed and it threw its arms to the side, unleashing an inferno of white and blue flames, which pierced through the castle on top of White Aura Carbonemys' back like an arrow. The monster roared as cracks started appearing all over its body with white flames coming out of them when finally, it exploded.
『Ren, LP: 300 - 500 → 0, Hand: 0』
Previews
Chapter 64: White Demon and Fallen Angel
Summary: Evan and Avice find themselves fighting against Lucky and Zenith respectively. Through an intense back and forth, Lucky's extreme luck and Zenith's Dark Synchro slowly began to overwhelm their opponents, when suddenly the siblings' awaken once more and…
A/N: First off I want to confess, Satellite Warrior is one of my favorite Yusei-based Synchro Monsters, so you can expect it to appear a lot more in Fujiko's duels.
That having been said, I would like to note a small change I decided on; though it's just experimental for me at the moment and that's putting anime-only cards' effects out here, along with my own OC-cards. The reason is that while I'm not expecting people reading this to have memorized every real card and its damn effect, I believe that real cards are easier to check than cards exclusive to the anime and manga, especially since the actual effects on some of those are different from what's really written on the card.
I'm not planning to post the effects of the anime versions of real cards since, for the most part with Arc-V, the anime versions are just the real version but with fewer effects or restrictions.
Now about Stardust Aurora Dragon and Shooting Comet Dragon. First, about Stardust Aurora Dragon - it's just Stardust Starlit Dragon from Arc-Twins. The only difference really is the name since I really liked the name Stardust Aurora Dragon better, and it seems to suit it more considering its effect. And yes, Shooting Comet Dragon is just Shooting Star Dragon on steroids, but that's pretty much how monster retrains work so... Ta-da!
So, some future announcements... Ah yes! I'm currently thinking of songs to use for the new Opening and Ending that will be in Chapter 65, and on that note, I'm thinking to once again have the OP and ED be in every chapter, instead of how I did it until now, since my chapter updates aren't that frequent, despite how cringy it feels. With Chapter 65 I guess you could say that the second half of the Synchro Arc begins. It should be about the same time that the Friendship Cup started in the anime, though as I said the Friendship Cup won't play much of a role in this story.
And I'm already planning for a "Special Chapter" at the end of the Synchro Arc, which isn't going to be too far, I promise. Unlike the last Special Chapter, which was me reviewing the Standard Arc of my story, this one will have more plot significance, as it's a sort of prequel set about 15-14 years before the main story, following Solar, a character that appeared in Chapters 28-29 and that will also play a significant role in the second half of the Synchro Arc.
So yeah, it seems I'm finally starting to pick up the speed with this story.
Thanks to mrwarstar1 and Allerch for favoriting this story.
And now to the reviews.
Benny Farr: I mean Levant was never really on their side, to begin with, and it's kinda justified considering his current situation...
BlaiseCandell: Lucky hasn't been touched on much yet, he only appeared for a little bit in Chapter 61, kidnapping Lua and Ruka. On the question about favorite Signer, maybe Aki? I'm really just 'Meh' about 5D's and the characters, don't have them but also don't love them. Yusei and Aki's duels were always the only interesting ones to me, which is why I picked Aki to be the one accompanying the Greysons. Though of course with the Fake Jack from the last chapter, Jack will get some spotlight as well.
I hope that I delivered on the duels. Aki vs Levant was a little tricky to write (I had spent an entire page on how Aki Summons Blood Rose Dragon, only to have to scrap it all since Fairy Archer Ingunar says only Plant-Type for the rest of the turn, so my soul's hurting right now). Also, I should probably stop making Ren take the first turn in a duel.
Thanks to everyone for reading this chapter!
Diabolic Tracer out!