"He's late," the man grumbled. He took what felt like the thirtieth look at his cheap watch. "So very late."

"Are you really surprised, Peter?" Veronica asked, before taking a sip of her drink. "He said so himself." The duo had seated themselves in a hole-in-the-wall coffee shop near campus, run by a jovial couple who barely spoke a word of English. Her brother had called for a team meeting to discuss their upcoming schedule- namely, balancing the upcoming tournament and their studies.

"He said he'd be 'running a little behind.' When people say that, they mean several minutes at most. At this point, he's nearly twenty minutes late." He checked again, for the thirty-first time. "Twenty-one, now. I don't know why we bother."

"Because he's the only one on campus good enough to be our middle player."

"We can always find someone else."

"Not mid-season, we can't. Besides," she leaned in, smiling slyly, "you have a soft spot for him."

"Yeah, yeah," Peter admitted. "Wouldn't let you date you if I didn't."

"Oh, you 'let' him? Am I not in charge of who I see?"

"You know that's not what I mean."

"Should I get written permission next time? Is there a form?"

"V…"

"Relax, I'm joking."

"I know. You're just not good at it."

"There you guys are!" They heard Tyler's deep but affable voice shove it's way through the shop. His frame came barging in, backpack smacking against his back with each urgent step. "This place really blends in, huh? Had a hard time finding this place."

"Buongiorno!" said the clerk. It may have been a habit at this point, but he never lost his enthusiasm. "You want coffee?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah, large one. Nothing in it."

"You're late," spat Peter. "What on Earth were you doing all this time?"

"I, uh, had to see a friend. Thought I could wrap it up quickly, but he put up a stiffer fight than I expected."

"Fight? You got into a fight?" Peter's demeanor pivoted on a dime, going from disappointed anger to concern.

Veronica chuckled. "I think he means a cardfight. Tutoring your number one student again, Ty?"

Tyler took a seat, grinning. "Lucas is making huge strides. He's still overcommitting, but in a few months, he'll be a pro."

Veronica smiled. Tyler always had a huge place in his heart for kids, especially if they were troubled in some way. Lucas had caught his attention after getting into tons of fights with the local bullies. It was thanks to Tyler's intervention that the seventh grader turned from a scrapper to merely cocky. Teaching them to play Vanguard was icing on the cake. That level of care was perhaps his best trait, right behind his boundless optimism and sense of humor.

"Right," Peter faltered. "Uh, anyway, we've got Summer Fest coming up. As of now, there are three shop events we could sign up for."

"Not a problem," Tyler shrugged. "We're like the best customers for High Roll. I'm sure they'll have a spot for us." The clerk placed a tall paper cup next to him, and sped back behind the counter. "Thanks. Anyway, I don't see why we're bringing this up."

"Because High Roll isn't one of the three."

"...What?"

"Applications were gone quickly. Apparently, they got a huge publicity boost after an Image Fighter declared it an 'underrated local store.' They had all spots filled in a half hour."

"Really? Well, shoot." Tyler looked down thoughtfully. "Good for them, I guess. But now we're off home turf."

"We're going to a qualifier, Ty," Veronica chuckled, "not challenging someone to a gang war."

"Every advantage counts, V. It adds up pretty quick."

"The good news," Peter continued, "is that the shops have plenty of open spots. We've got a couple of days to decide."

"What are our options?"

"There's a shop way south of here, practically on the city limits. It's called Thunder Dragon, pretty lowkey."

"Cool name, but a bit of a schlep. Especially since you two are up north, yeah?"

"True," Veronica said. "Might be too out of the way."

"Thought so," Peter said, "just bringing it up as an option. For what it's worth, the other two are up north. First up is Snake Eyes-"

"Ick, no. That place has, like, no lighting. It's like a bad photo room."

"...Alright, that's one 'no' vote. Any thoughts, Tyler?"

Tyler took a sip of his coffee. "This is some primo stuff. Anyway, that's a no from me too. If V doesn't feel comfortable, I'm not going either."

"Thought so. That just leaves Lucky Draw."

Veronica leaned back. "I don't know that one."

"I've been there," offered Tyler. "Very nice place. Not too far from your front door, if I remember right."

"Can you vouch for that, Pete?"

"I did a little snooping. It's cute, and has quite a bit of space to it. I can show you some pictures."

"Don't worry. If we already have two 'yes' votes, then I can just tag along."

"Says the point-girl," Tyler joked.

"It's settled then," Peter nodded. "I'll sign Team Miracle up for a spot."

"Awesome! Let's knock those suckers flat!"

Veronica leaned forward, surveying the largely empty store. That meeting had been roughly four years ago, back when all three were still sophomores. The shop tournament was won with relative ease, but the shop itself had left such an impression on the trio that they became regulars, despite the odd location. Team Miracle had soon become something of the store's de facto team, able to dominate any tournament and often launching themselves to high places at regionals. It proved itself to be a great sanctuary for the three, serving as a safe harbor from monotonous classes and preposterous tests. She had become such a figure around the store that soon after graduation, she was offered a job. It didn't pay much, but to even be working in one of her favorite places was a blessing.

At first, things went quite well. Lucky Draw was indeed a wonderful place to work, allowing her to spread her love of games, and watch a new set of players rise to the rank of accomplished regular. There was a group from Fremont that frequented the store frequently, allowing her to become a pseudo-mentor to the gang. The skill levels varied greatly, ranging from amateur at best to completely dominating. Lately, they had added a new girl to their roster, who despite some early reservations, recently came out in full force.

Around the second year after graduation, however, things started to sour at a slow but sure pace. Communications with Peter had gradually become less frequent, and despite numerous attempts to rekindle them, she eventually stopped hearing from him altogether. Last she heard, he was working on some big project for some tech company undergoing explosive growth, but she had no idea what they did or what his role was. Things with Tyler also got much worse. While still the jolly man she grew to admire, he lacked ambition, planning, and most disappointing of all, general emotional intelligence. Even with her patience, she couldn't continue to do the heavy lifting in the relationship, and had to break it off.

"Quickest I've ever seen a grown man cry," she recalled morosely. She took another look around the largely empty store. Beside the usual group from Fremont, there was barely anyone here. "Then again, I feel like crying myself with a crowd like this," she mumbled.

The cherry on top of the disaster sundae was that Lucky Draw had become a sinking ship. The transformation from a local powerhouse to a storefront hemorrhaging money was quick and sudden, but sadly not surprising. The storefront had come under siege by some sickly-looking Japanese businessman and a small gaggle of lackeys, representing some chain called "Card Shark." To his credit, her manager remained adamant about not selling the store. But eventually, that was revealed to be a massive mistake. One day, they came in for a "live demonstration" on a piece of hardware exclusive to their chain. After that spectacular display, even their more loyal customers began jumping ship.

She sighed again. This was their slowest day yet. Usually they'd get at least a few stragglers or browsers, but this was just pathetic. Not even Yuri had showed up, and when your best customer doesn't come, you know you're toast.

"Chujitsuna Zanzo attacks Gorias to end the game."

"Aw, again? That card is way too strong…"

At least Anita was there and enjoying herself, but that was a small comfort. The girl had grown on her with a quickness, but she was still only one customer. They'd need fleets of people in order to bring the shop back up.

"Veronica?" she heard her boss call. "If you're not busy, I need a word with you." She looked back to see Mr. Felix, a pensive smile fixed on his face. She reminded him a lot of an elementary school teacher- spectacled, always kind and patient, never getting angry but having weaponized disappointment to an effective degree. There was something off about his posture and expression- that smile didn't feel genuine after months of struggle- but at the moment, Veronica couldn't place it. "In my office, if it's not too much trouble."

"Shouldn't be," she thought to herself. "This place is a ghost town." She nodded, and followed Mr. Felix back to his office- a neatly arranged but surprisingly sparse room that seemed to disappear into the wall.

"I," he said heavily, "have some bad news. Because of the shop's...lack of business, the time has come for Lucky Draw to fold."

Veronica stared straight ahead, completely stricken. She knew this day was coming, but to be so soon, so sudden was being hit by a cement truck. The most she could muster was a weak, "I see."

"We did our best," Mr. Felix comforted, "but we just haven't been doing enough business to stay afloat, much less compete with other shops. So-" He bit his lip, then swallowed a pocket of air and pride. "So I'm selling the store to Card Shark." Veronica said nothing, and he continued solemnly. "I placed the call to Mr. Hosokawa this morning, and they called back a half-hour ago. They're willing to maintain their initial offer, which is...generous."

"Is there a catch?"

"Two. For one, there'll be new management. Entirely new management, from their own offices."

"They're replacing you? Fired, just like that?"

"It's not like that. Their severance packages are quite robust."

"With all due respect, that's still a raw deal, sir."

He nodded in agreement. "Hosokawa said something to the effect of, 'Mr. Keller forgives, but never forgets.' Now that the store is his, I assume they want someone more...agreeable."

"A toady, then." she thought. "What was the second catch?"

There was a pause, pregnant but not particularly long. "They want you to stay on."

"Why?" Her tone was confused and a bit indignant.

"You know the area customers quite well. They think keeping you on will help the locals ease into the new shop." He read her expression quickly. "I hope you at least consider it. Their hourly pay is more than I could offer, even at our highwater marks."

Veronica wanted to spit something about having morals, about not needing the money, but she knew neither was true. Lucky Draw had been undermined by a direct competitor and starved into submission, but in a business sense, that was nothing outright wrong. She also, absolutely, needed the money- her passion project was stalling, and it was either rent or kick starting it. A bit more in her pocket and she wouldn't have to choose.

"I know you're unhappy, Veronica. Believe me, after years of running this place, to be kicked out like this is…" He swallowed again, unable to finish the sentence. "But you also need to be able to look after yourself. Please, do what's best for you. I'll be fine."

Veronica was silent, not even looking at her boss. She wasn't angry at him for surrendering- she'd probably do the same- but she was definitely disappointed. Not necessarily in him or herself; she couldn't really pin what was the cause. If she expected this, why did it sting at all, much less hurt as much as it did?

"If it helps, you can take the rest of the day off. You should be getting a call from Card Shark yourself in a couple of days. Trust me, I can handle the rest of the day myself if it's this slow."

All Veronica could do was nod and leave slowly.

Veronica carefully shuffled her deck, her memories ebbing and flowing as she did so. Her career as a Car Shark clerk was short lived; she couldn't stand anything about the store. The atmosphere was stifling, the players were thoroughly unpleasant, and the new management actively encouraged competition between the clerks with a cutthroat commission model. To their credit, it certainly maintained a consistent flow of customers, but the culture shock was so fierce that she had no problem simply quitting. The last straw was when Anita and Yuri both threw in the towel- without her previous best customers, she had no reason to stick around.

Card Shark had robbed her of a lot, but her spirit remained intact. After getting back on her feet, she felt an odd sensation creeping into her everyday thoughts. It was a feeling formerly foreign to her, and while it was never very potent, it never left. It took a while, but she was soon able to identify it- desire for revenge. How she would achieve such a goal against an expanding and successful chain was unknown, or if it was even possible, but she needed some form of closure against the group that robbed her of Lucky Draw. Some sort of avenging action was needed.

It took a while to form a plan, but the solution she found was simple. At the moment, there was only one Card Shark outlet in Golden Hills- her old place of employment. Given how overly competitive the atmosphere was, defeating their representative in a tournament would be quite the blow. It wouldn't take down the store or anything, but seeing them lose would bring some form of closure to this sad episode. Yuri and Anita quickly joined her cause, and together they had formed the new Team Miracle, fighting to uphold the gone but not forgotten Lucky Draw. Until now, they had a fairly easy run of things, able to ace both their first and second round opponents. Being forced into a third game was something she hadn't expected yet, much less through Anita's loss.

"This series has had two amazing games back-to-back, but all good things must come to an end. For the deciding match-up, we have both captains coming out to push their teams to the finals. From Team Villager, we have multi attacking maestro, Lucas Robertson!"

"You better win this, Robertson!" cried a voice over the applause. "I'm revoking our rivalry if you can't!"

Veronica got a closer look at her younger opponent. If her memory served, Lucas was one of the kids Tyler "adopted" years ago. She had only really heard stories about the boy, but given his energetic demeanor, it had to be the same kid.

"From Team Miracle, we have a true master of the damage zone, Veronica Lang! She managed to suffocate her opponent's in the tournament so far, but how she'll fare against a much more aggressive deck remains to be seen."

"This is setting up to be a true clash between an unstoppable force and an immovable object. Let's see if Robertson can overwhelm Lang before she sets up, or if Lang's defenses will stop him cold."

Sal glanced at Tyler. "You seem nervous. What, worried your ex might win this?"

"Not exactly," he responded. "I'm more worried about Kiki. Haven't heard from her or Sean in a while. You think they're doing alright?"

"Don't really have a reason to think they aren't. If you're really worried, you can always go check on them yourselves."

Tyler tapped his foot a couple of times in contemplation. "You sure you'll be fine by yourself."

"It's a waiting bench, Ty, not a lookout. It's not like I'll be ambushed."

"Hey guys," greeted Sean. Kiki shuffled beside him, trailing a foot or two behind. "Sorry we're late."

"Uh, nevermind."

Tyler gave a smile that was somehow both mustered and warm. "Good to see you two again. Everything alright?"

Kiki nodded. "It still hurts a little bit, but I think I'll be fine for the rest of the day."

"We had a long talk," Sean explained. "As someone with a history of losing, I told her it wasn't as big a deal as she thought it was. We're not here to win, just have fun."

"Well said,'' Sal smiled. "Yeah, we don't really have a dog in this race. Winning would be nice, but I think we got what we came for." She took another look at the play area. "You guys might want to take a seat. The game looks like it's about to get started."

Veronica looked out at her opponent again. She knew the game would start any moment, and she wanted to get at least some feel for who she was fighting besides some first looks. "Doing alright?"

Lucas grinned. "Doing more than alright. I'm about to fight someone who actually knows what she's doing. Doing all great." He reached for his starting vanguard. "Win or lose, I'm looking forward to a great fight."

"Then don't hold back. I may be here to win, but I wouldn't want you throwing it for me."

"Wouldn't dream of it."

"Both teams are about to give all they got to clinch their spot in the finals. If both players are ready, let's play Vanguard!"

"Now stand up, Vanguard!"

With a brief croak and lengthy roar, the Megalo-Engine etched out another battlefield fit for a clash on Cray. It seemed to be a deck of a flying fortress, similar to an aircraft carrier. The strip-like battlefield was flanked by rows of towers, each topped with a powerful gunpowder cannon and turreted walls. Towards Veronica's end of the playing field was the command bridge, accompanied by a pair of monstrous engines. Whatever they were on, the home field advantage was implied to be on Veronica's side.

"I ride! Optic Beam Buster!"

Optic Beam Buster- Grade 0/5000 Power/10000 Shield

"I ride!" Veronica answered. A shower of glistening light heralded the arrival of the battlebot's opponent. Flapping in on snow-white wings, the figure was literally angelic, dressed in gray leather robes and carrying a bag filled with papery parchment. Youthful with straw-colored hair, it reached into his robes and pulled out a dagger-sized quill, etching a magic circle with the tip. "Ivory-Wing Messenger, Jibrail!"

Jibrail- Grade 0/6000 Power/10000 Shield

"She's still using Angel Feather," murmured Tyler. "Guess things don't change that much after all…"

"Tyler?" asked Kiki.

"It's nothing," he reassured. "She's just...really good with that clan."

"Much as it pains me to say this," joked Lucas, "I'm up first. I draw, and ride...Gatling Fist Buster." His starting battlebot was blanketed in a green aura, it's figure bulking up and churning until it was an entirely new one. The light scattered, revealing a new robot, brass colored and covered in bullet casings.

Gatling Fist Buster- Grade 1/8000 Power/10000 Shield

"With Optic's skill, I draw an extra card. And that's it, you're up."

End of Turn 1

Hand Count- Lucas 6, Veronica 5

Damage Count- Lucas 0, Veronica 0

"I draw," Veronica started. "I ride Ivory-Wing Decurion, Pravuil." Jibrail fluttered upward, slowly being encircled and enveloped by a radiant light. When his entire person was covered, his figure morphed into a larger angel, scattering the light with a wave of his hand. Another angelic figure, wearing the same colored cloak accompanied with heavier leather armor. Red-haired and lean in figure, he carried a riding crop in one hand and a tall oval shield in the other. Touching down shield-first, he glared at his opponent through a pair of thick riding goggles.

Pravuil- Grade 1/8000 Power/10000 Shield

"Thanks to Jibrail, I can draw a card, and add a Quick Shield to my hand. Next, I call Ivory-Wing Mallet Beater, Nuriel." Behind Pravuil, another figure dove on in. This one was a bit taller, but much more muscular, dressed in tight leather armor sans his right arm. With a wild mane of fiery red hair, he held a lengthy and heavy warhammer in his hands. It was odd to see a larger figure as support, but Sean was more worried about what it could do if she felt the need to call it so soon.

Nuriel- Grade 1/8000 Power/10000 Shield

"With Nuriel's support, Pravuil takes aim at your vanguard." Pravuil crouched in an attacking position, riding crop held aloft like it was a longsword.

Strength- 16000

"You certainly don't waste any time," Lucas smiled. "Coming out swinging with Angel Feather...you've got style. Well, I'm not guarding that."

"Well thank you. Drive check...no trigger." Pravuil reared back and swung his crop downward, sending a ripple of plasma-like energy his opponent's way. It cut past Gatling Fist without much trouble, but didn't seem to leave much lasting damage either.

"Damage check...no trigger here."

"When Nuriel boosts a successful attack, I can move him to my soul to draw a card. I'll end my turn there."

End of Turn 2

Hand Count- Lucas 6, Veronica 8 (7 cards, 1 Quick Shield)

Damage Count- Lucas 1, Veronica 0

"That's not good," murmured Sean. "It was only her first turn, but she's already got a huge hand."

"She kinda needs it," Sal said. "Lucas's deck can crank out attacks like nobody's business. If she's not drawing into her defensive cards, she'll get overwhelmed. And it's not like he can kill her on grade 2 or anything."

"He better be able to put up a ton of pressure," Tyler said, scratching his beard. "He needs to find a way to force her to shred her cards, or he'll be in an uphill battle. Veronica's good at pivoting between defense and offense on a dime, and the less cards she has to work with, the better."

"How do you know that?"

"Not important."

"This again? Man…"

"Starting my turn with my draw," Lucas said. "I ride Rocket Tonfa Buster." Gatling Fist lurched upright, quickly subsumed by a lime-green beam of light from the heavens. Replacing him was the broad-shouldered, crimson battlebot wielding his creative namesake. With a flourish, it was clear he was ready for battle.

Rocket Tonfa Buster- Grade 2/9000 Power/5000 Shield

"Hope you're ready. Using my vanguard's on-place skill, I put a card from my hand into my soul to send the top card of my deck to my damage zone." Like in fights past, Rocket Tonfa opened a door on his chestplate, and jerked out a fistful of wires, causing his whole chassis to erupt into a storm of surging electricity and sparks. "Limiter removed! Next up, I call Piston Pummel Buster and Drill Joust Buster!" A pair of the same lime-green lights beamed down another pair of battlebots- the centaur and the centipede, ready for combat.

Piston Pummel Buster- Grade 2/9000 Power/5000 Shield

Drill Joust Buster- Grade 2/9000 Power/5000 Shield

"Nice!" smiled Adam. "With a board like that, her hand's gonna get torn apart!"

"It better," Nat grumbled. "He only has three cards left in his hand. That's a massive gap."

"It's like him to be this reckless," agreed Midori. "But with only those three units, he'll be able to mount quite the counterattack."

"To kick things off," Lucas began, "I'm having Piston Pummel attack Pravuil." The azure battlebot reared back, cocking his weapons before scurrying his way towards his target.

Strength- 9000

Veronica counted in her head. She may have had eight in hand, but that was against five attacks to deal with. She could easily shut down most of them, but she had to carefully consider what was worth blocking. Better to start now, and let the potentially more powerful attacks through. "I'm using my Quick Shield to guard." Piston Pummel smashed suddenly into a translucent barrier. Pivoting quickly, he managed to discharge his weapons into the shield, easily shattering it. However, the move left him with nothing to attack with, and he scuttled back into position.

Defense- 13000

"Drill Joust is next." The teal robot revved his weapon, scraping against the deck with one of his forelegs. Without warning, he galloped forward in an aggressive gait, lance pointed forward.

Strength- 9000

Another poke, Veronica noted. Easy to block. "I guard with Air Lift Pegasus." A seafoam colored creature darted downwards, planting itself firmly between the charging Drill Joust and Pravuil. A clear look made it clear it was a pegasus pony, pack saddle loaded with medical supplies. It crashed head-first into the lance, using enough force to cause the battlebot to nearly fall over. Having lost all momentum, Drill Joust wheeled back.

Air Lift Pegasus- Grade 0/5000 Power/5000 Shield/Draw Trigger

Defense- 13000

"No biggie. Since he attacked a vanguard, I can counter blast and soul blast one to restand one of my rearguards and give it a 3k buff. Piston Pummel is back at it. Next up, I'm having Rocket Tonfa attack, and I'm using his battle skill- one counter blast to restand a rearguard. I'm restanding, who else, Drill Joust." It was Rocket Tonfa's turn to prepare his weapons. As he steadied his namesakes, one could hear multiple rockets being loaded into each chamber.

Strength- 9000

"Five attacks just like that," Erica noticed. "Already putting up a lot of pressure."

"And it's only going to get more intense," Carlos added. "Once Andromedus hits the field, we're going to see eight-attack turns."

Veronica looked at what she had left in hand. "I'm letting that through."

"Gotcha," Lucas acknowledged. "Drive check...nuts, no trigger." Rocket Tonfa swung his weapons in a gracefully flowing combo, each move sending a rocket Pravuil's way. While each produced a blossoming explosion, none scored a direct hit, and as such, Pravuil was more singed than hurt.

"Damage check...nothing for me either."

"Coming back for revenge, here comes Drill Joust!" Eager for redemption, the centaur robot charged again, revving his weapon with reckless abandon.

Strength- 9000

"Ivory-Wing Retractor Spearman, Armoniel will guard against that." Another figure dive bombed in to interrupt the robotic onslaught- this one, a tall angel in grayish longcoat and light leather armor, wielding a polearm with an uncanny resemblance to a surgical retractor. A sweep of the spear deflected the charge, which combined with the robot's own shock, caused the battlebot to stumble and fall. His job done, the lancer faded into particles of light.

Armoniel- Grade 2/9000 Power/5000 Shield

Defense- 13000

"Nuts, again. Well, since his attack was unsuccessful, I have to retire Drill Joust. But thanks to Piston Pummel, whenever a Buster is retired during my turn, I can draw a card to replace it. Speaking of, he's going to cap this off with attack number five. Since he restood during my battle phase, I'm adding 5k to this attack, and if you're guarding from hand, you'll need at least two cards." Piston Pummel reared back again, unperturbed by his previous failed attack, and readied for another shot at Pravuil.

Strength- 17000

With an attack like that, and with so little actually on the line, it was time to lower the shields. "I don't guard." Screeching to a stop, Piston Pummel fired away at Pravuil, showering the angel with hooks and haymakers. Unlike the last attack, Pravuil could actually feel some form of lasting injury. "Damage check...Dolly Roll Aidroid, a critical trigger. Probably the worst time to get it."

"I'm leaving it there for now. Since it's the end of my turn, I move one card from my damage zone to the bottom of my deck thanks to Rocket Tonfa. Over to you."

End of Turn 3

Hand Count- Lucas 5, Veronica 5

Damage Count- Lucas 1, Veronica 2

"Robertson certainly isn't wasting any time putting up the dukes, launching five attacks on only his second turn! Can't wait to see what he has in store for us later."

"I'm more curious to see what Lang has in store for us. She still has plenty to work with hand-wise, and I'm not sure her opponent has the cards to stop a strong push back."

"I stand and draw." Veronica looked at what was left in her hand. The kid was good, that was certain. She'd have to be careful to balance offense and defense this turn, making up ground and keeping the right cards in hand to defend for his own big push. Each move would have to be carefully considered. "First, I ride Ivory-Wing Officer, Serathiel." Pravuil crouched down, then took a rocketing leap upwards, disappearing into the skies above. Shortly afterwards, a new angel came hurtling down. Dressed in silver robes and chain mail, the chestnut-haired warrior held a syringe-like dueling pistol in one hand and a scalpel-like saber in the other. His wings were ornamented with gilded feathers, shimmering in the harsh sunlight.

Serathiel- Grade 2/9000 Power/5000 Shield

"Pravuil has a skill that activates when he's rode upon. I can draw a card, then exchange a card from my hand with a card from my damage zone. The exchanged card is placed face-down, but it's a worthwhile exchange. It also activates Jibrail's skill from the soul- when a new card is added to my damage zone this turn, I can move him to the drop zone and discard a card to add two Ivory-Wing units from my deck to my hand. I'm adding Armoniel and Awakened Ivory-Wing Exalt, Jerahmeel."

"That's an amazing combo play," Kiki awed. "She's not that far from where she started a turn ago."

"She definitely knows her way around her clan," Sal admitted. "Lucas better be careful."

"Next," Veronica continued, "I'm using Serathiel's once-per-turn. By sending a card from my hand to my soul, I can add a card from my damage zone to my hand and replace it with the top card of my deck."

"She's still swapping?" marveled Nat. "How much setup does she need?"

"Given how many attacks Lucas can dish out?" Adam shrugged. "As much as she can."

"I call Pravuil, Rescue Ray Pegasus, and Protector of Innocence, Aglibol," Veronica continued. A triad of light showers spread across the deck, summoning a new set of allies for Serathiel. On his right flank was an impressive white pegasus stallion, each wing mounted with some sort of tractor beam. On his left was a bronze skinned winged warrior in resplendent golden armor, shining brightly like a small sun, carrying a broadsword and solar-themed shield in his hands.

Rescue Ray Pegasus- Grade 2/9000 Power/5000 Shield

Aglibol- Grade 2/9000 Power/5000 Shield

"When Rescue Ray is placed, I can counter blast one to add a face-up card in my damage zone to my hand, then move the top card of my deck to my damage zone. And as a bonus, he gets plus 4k until the end of turn. That also triggers Aglibol's skill- when a new card is added to my damage zone, he gains 3k Power and 5k Shield."

"Shield too?" Lucas wondered aloud. "Guess that'll be important later."

"Combo after combo! Lang certainly knows how to make the most out of her angelic aces!"

"She's managed to maintain a healthy hand size on top of all that, too. Her and that clan looks like a match made in heaven...pardon the, uh, pun."

"On top of all that," Veronica continued, "Serathiel's passive gives my front row an extra 1k for each card in either player's damage zones. Since there are three total, right now that's a 3k boost." She smiled. "You brought your best, so I'm bringing mine. Aglibol will start us off, aiming straight for Rocket Tonfa." The knightly angel banged his blade against this shield a couple of times before spreading his wings. With a forceful flap, he soared upwards, vanishing into the sunlight.

Strength- 15000

"Well, it's good to see you know what you're doing," Lucas admitted. "Doesn't mean I'll roll over, though. I'm guarding with Frost Shuriken Buster." Aglibol spiraled downward for a diving strike, only for his path to be blocked by a ninja-like robot. It was dispatched quickly enough with a single sword swing, but when he pivoted to slash at Rocket Tonfa, his weapon was blocked by the robot's namesake. With his free arm, Rocket Tonfa swung his blunt weapon at the attacker, a blow that was easily blocked by Aglibol's shield. It was a bonafide stalemate, and Aglibol had little reason not to retreat.

Frost Shuriken Buster- Grade 1/8000 Power/10000 Shield

Defense- 19000

"Not bad. Next, I'll have Pravuil boost Serathiel for another shot at Rocket Tonfa. If I added a new card to my damage zone this turn, Pravuil adds an extra 5k to his boost." The angelic officer brandishes his saber as it glowed with a stellar fury.

Strength- 25000

"That's...big for a grade 2 vanguard swing. I don't guard."

"Drive check...Angel of Divine Protection, Gabriel! A critical trigger!"

"Crap!" Nat cried. "So soon?"

"I'm giving the critical effect to Serathiel, and the extra 10k to Rescue Ray." Serathiel fired a shot from his pistol, firmly embedding a mercury bullet in Rocket Tonfa's chest. As the battlebot staggered backwards, the angel flashed forward, delivering an acrobatic series of slashes against his opponent.

"Damage checks," said Lucas, surprisingly unbothered. "First...Hook Launcher Buster, a draw trigger! Pumping up my vanguard by 10k, and drawing an extra card. Second...no trigger."

"It's going to take a lot more than that. Rescue Ray fires away, targeting Rocket Tonfa yet again." The pegasus whinnies, stamping its front hooves as its weapons began to charge up.

Strength- 27000

Lucas combed through his hand. He could block this attack without much issue, but that'd cut into his explosive offensive turn. Besides, between the damage from this attack and the self-damage from his own skills, he'd have a full set of counter blasts to play with. "Not guarding that either." Rescue Ray fired both weapons, enclosing Rocket Tonfa with a bubble of forest-green energy. As the pegasus flapped upwards, Rocket Tonfa followed unwillingly, floating higher and higher. Suddenly, Rescue Ray shut off the energy, causing the battlebot to hurtle downwards like a clumsy comet. He cratered into the deck, groaning mechanically as new dents and frays began to sprout on his chassis. "Damage check...nothing."

Veronica folded her hands in satisfaction. "Well, why don't we stop there for now? Your turn."

End of Turn 4

Hand Count- Lucas 5, Veronica 6

Damage Count- Lucas 4, Veronica 2