Nasim had to learn a lot of facts of life the hard way, and rarely by choice. True, his parents adored him, but precious few people outside his house did. In fact, anything outside the home's immediate area proved itself to be quite hostile. He was overfed, developing more slowly than other boys his age, and had a speech impediment that only compounded under stress- in other words, the easiest of easy targets. He found himself either ignored or targeted for easy points. Even with numerous interventions from his teachers, the surroundings got to be so noxious and unbearable that he was forced to change schools.

There, he picked up on an art that helped him survive for years to come: sucking up.

It didn't matter how overweight or short he was, or how much he stuttered- as long as he flattered and cloyed to anyone who deemed themselves "better," he'd escape scorn. He wasn't genuinely liked by many, true, but at least he wasn't hated. Plus, under a less antagonistic atmosphere, he could finally blossom as an academic, quickly establishing himself as the smart kid in class.

Everything seemed like it'd work out until he encountered a problem he'd never considered- he was lonely. He may have avoided being the class kicking can, but now he had no true friends, and no one was really interested in approaching him. He was a teacher's pet, they thought, boring at best and annoying at worst. He tried finding solace and comfort in the other loners in the school, but they weren't terribly interested either. They simply had too little in common to be friends. He could've tried joining in on some recess games, but his physique made it near impossible to actually play.

Nasim had to find some small comfort in his old retreats. During recess, he'd stake out a secluded spot near enough to the field to avoid getting into trouble, sat down, pulled out his sketch pad, and drew the day away. Anything would do- inspiration was everywhere, from his blossoming imagination to the admittedly nice scenery, he'd pour all he could into each piece of art. He was in the middle of a piece when his life changed forever.

"Yo, that's killer!" said a voice from behind him. "You're good!"

Nasim nearly jumped out of his skin. He cautiously turned his face towards the source of jubilant energy. It was another boy his age, but he didn't recognize him. The short brown hair didn't ring any bells, nor did his fit frame.

The boy didn't skip a single beat and grinned ear to ear. "Nice to meet ya. Name's Becker."

Nasim gaped uncomfortably for a second or two. "Nasim."

"'Sup, man? Gotta say, I thought all the guys were playing kickball."

"I don't really play kickball," Nasim explained, trying not to sound crestfallen.

"Same here! At least, not today." Becker invited himself to a seat beside Nasim. "They said I was too new or some crap. I told 'em that if I was going to be picked last, they shouldn't bother picking me at all." He smiled. "I'm actually really good at kickball. Those idiots don't know what they're missing."

"Uh huh," Nasim nodded in a nervous, polite shake. He was still processing this complete stranger popping out of nowhere. "You said you were new?"

"Yep. First day and everything. Folks here are nice enough, I guess. Not enough to let me play with them, but whatever." He leaned over to see what Nasim had on his pad. "That's real good," he repeated.

"Thanks." The boy was somehow disarming, despite being the one invading his personal space. "It's supposed to be a robot."

"I can tell," Becker grinned. "It kicks some serious butt. I'd love to see it in action."

Nasim felt a genuine sense of accomplishment flush over him. "I don't know what to call him yet," he admitted without prompting.

Becker's expression turned pensive. "Well, uh, he's holding a sword, right?"

"Uh huh."

"What else does it got?"

"I don't know yet. Maybe a cannon or something?"

"Ooh, maybe Magnus! That sounds cool." He smiled with self-satisfaction. "Magnus…"

Nasim nodded. It did sound like a good name for a battlebot. Soon, however, the only sound they heard was the whistle calling them in.

"Time to head in," Nasim noted.

"Nuts." Becker's smile only faded for a second before it came snapping back. "Aw well, we'll finish this later. See you later, Nasim!"

"Sure." Nasim waved lamely as the other boy sped off to rejoin his class. It was perhaps the most surreal experience of his young life- a young whirlwind embracing him and expecting more. He gathered his things- despite not having processed it fully yet, part of him hoped this wasn't a one-off experience.

In a stroke of great fortune, Becker proved to be as persistent as he was incorrigible. As often he could, Becker sought him out just to hang out. At first, it was simply about the art, but as they meet more and more often, the pool of topics grew wider and deeper. Soon it was Nasim who sought out Becker when he could, and the two became genuine friends. Becker may have appeared in Nasim's life like a bolt from the blue, but for the first time in a very long stretch, Nasim didn't feel alone.

The fact they were friends at all baffled some. Becker was dynamic, impulsive, athletic, and opinionated. Nasim was quiet, thoughtful, artistic, and often reclusive. When the two were together, however, there was no stopping their conversations. They had far more in common than their personalities suggested- a love of games, "cool" things, and common disdain for what they considered injustice. Even going into seventh grade, despite having nearly no classes in common, they always found their way back to each other, often for a grand old time.

It was that fateful year that roped Nasim into the game that would dominate his world from then on.

"Vanguard?" he read the card in front of him. Becker had brought piles upon piles of cards with him, surrounding the boys like a stonehenge of cardboard.

"Yep," Becker beamed. "Bro says it's played all over the world. I'd figure we'd give it a shot."

"Is it like Yu-Gi-Oh?" Nasim flipped over the top card on a nearby pile, revealing a sort of mechanical dragon. The art was really good, far better than he was expecting.

"Nah, it's a lot easier to learn than that. Bro managed to teach me all the rules in a few turns."

"Doesn't look simple. What do half of these symbols mean? Weird." Nasim flipped a card from a different pile over- this one was a wizard in ghastly garb. "See, this one has the same junk on it. I can barely read these things."

"Ah, you're making a mountain out of a molehill. Cards are really easy to read after playing."

"I doubt it." Nasim looked around the room. "Where'd you get all this stuff, anyway?"

"Bro's moving out, and he's getting rid of some of his old stuff. He's all the Vanguard stuff to me."

"Jackson is just giving these away? I don't buy it."

Becker grinned. "Can't sneak anything past you. Sure, I did some favors for the big guy. You gotta do what you gotta do to get all this gold."

"It's paper, Becker." Nasim flipped a third card, revealing a majestic beast with flowing white fur and threads of silver. "Pretty paper, but still."

"Yeah, the art is epic. I love those Link Joker things- creepy and cool all in one tight package. Come on, Nasim, give it a go. I have a few decks ready for you to give them a whirl, just say the word."

Nasim looked up. Becker had that spark again- the type of energy and enthusiasm that came whenever he discovered a new fascination. It happened whenever there was a new game or sport that caught his fancy. Knowing him, this'd last a month at most before moving onto the next thing. Still, it wasn't really worth fighting about. "What kind of decks?"

Becker grinned wider than ever. "Knew you'd come around. What are you in the mood for- giant robots or knights?"

Nasim wanted to smile; those were the days. They were both dreadful when they started. Even for beginners, their play was sloppy and deck synergies minimal. But in an odd sense, those were when they had the most fun with the game, constantly learning new strategies as they flopped around from loss to loss. They rarely won, but it didn't matter because of the fun they were having regardless. Eventually they became actually competent, then skilled fighters, easily earning the respect of anyone they beat. Becker- no, Buzz, he went by Buzz these days- improved faster, but even these days, the record between the two was remarkably even.

But something changed in Buzz. As he got better, he grew more arrogant, more vicious, more insufferable. At first Nasim assumed it was just some surging confidence, as he was always outspoken but never the most secure person. But in the past few years, he had transformed from a boy with bravado to a bully. His transformation was as much physical- the hair dye, the new clothing, the new tastes- every part of him became rancid.

Nasim had thought several times about just leaving, but could never bring himself to follow through. There were still good times to be had with Buzz, just less frequent. Besides, he was still his friend, no matter what. He owed every chance he could. At least, that was his thought process a few weeks ago. Even his patience was wearing thin with how hypercompetitive Buzz had become. He wanted to give one last, gracious chance, but-

"If you lose this fight, don't even bother talking to me, or coming back to the shop."

Nasim shuddered. Buzz had threatened with that snarling phrase just as he was walking out to start the final round. Everything was on the line here- Card Shark and Buzz was all he really had left in terms of a social life. Rebuilding after an exile and a known friendship with someone as reviled as Buzz would be next to impossible. On the other hand, winning a game and putting Juggernaut up 1-0 may mend the frayed relationship. The choice was clear- win or split.

"Alright folks, we're about to kick off today's main event. From Team Villager, we got the scrapper with his army of fighting machines, Lucas Robertson! And from Team Juggernaut, we got the Gear Chronicle prodigy, Nasim Patil!"

"Despite some struggles last round, they've wowed the crowds here with some truly excellent combo plays. I don't see how this will be anything but a fight to remember."

Nasim sighed as he shuffled his deck. The cheers and commentary wasn't appreciated at the moment. The stakes were simply too high to even humor them. He took a quick glance at his opponent, the loudmouth blonde boy from that morning's scuffle. He must've noticed, as he fired away with a prepared quip.

"No offense, but I'd rather be fighting your captain.'" The last word was drenched in a verbal venom Nasim had only been reserved for the truly heinous.

"I don't care," Nasim mumbled. "You're fighting me."

"I know, I have eyes. But you're just a lackey. It'd be a lot more fun to put your boss in his place."

"You're the one who needs to be put 'in his place.' For a guy who lucksacked his way to the finals, you're full of it."

"Feisty!" Lucas grinned. "I thought you'd just mumble your way through this. Glad to see some life in you."

Nasim let out a restrained huff. The guy was just trying to rile him up. He needed full concentration to keep the upper hand here.

"If both players are ready to start, we can kick off this clash of titans!"

This was it, the moment of truth. "Let's get this over with," Nasim grumbled.

"Sure, I'll make it quick," Lucas shot back. "I'll send you packing back to your 'friends' real fast."

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen, let match one of the big showdown start! Let's play Vanguard!"

"Now stand up, Vanguard!"

The battlefield etched by the Megalo-Engine this time was far more abstract than the ones before it. Previous spaces had been fantastical and spectacular, but this felt like the ground between realms. Multiple pieces of intricate machinery were suspended weightlessly around an octagonal ring made of otherworldly metals; a soldered together mass of celestial bronze, stygian steel, jade, crimson ore, and mythrils. It looked more like a floating junkyard than the meeting point of two forces. Occasionally, Sean could spot flickers of warping lights dancing across small stretches of sky, but other than that, it was eerily still.

"I ride! Optic Beam Buster!"

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

"I ride!" A haze seeped up from the ground, allowing the space around it to warp into a vaguely humanoid shape. Wrapped in brown leather hunter's garb, the blue skinned imp held a luminous orb-shaped lantern in left hand and a red throwing disc in his right. His eyes were obscured by thick goggles, but his sly smile was clearly visible. "Anomaly Hunter, Rudra Chakrin!"

Rudra Chakrin- Grade 0/5000 Power/10000 Shield

"They're both using more aggressive starters," Midori noticed. "I predict we'll see less defensive play than usual."

"Well, the Anomaly Hunters are good for trading blows," Carlos remarked. "They're pretty aggro for Gear Chronicle."

"Can't be as aggro as freaking Novas," Adam chuckled.

"That's a high bar," Erica said. "Any higher and you might get a nosebleed."

"First again," Lucas said, slightly disappointed. "Not my day. I draw, and ride Gatling Fist Buster."

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

"Optic Beam isn't coming out, but I still get to draw a card off that ride. Over to you."

End of Turn 1

Hand Count- Lucas 6, Nasim 5

Damage Count- Lucas 0, Nasim 0

"I draw," Nasim said sedately. The lunkhead may not have gotten to call out his starter, but he would hit grade 3 first, and given how explosive Andromedus was, he had to avoid overextending himself so soon. "I ride Anomaly Hunter, Sonorous Mahabala." Rudra Chakrin waved goodbye as he vanished into an inky black wormhole. Swapping places with the imp was a much taller figure, crimson-skinned and wearing the light clothing of a skirmisher. His only weapon was a shield the size of a gong, surrounded by serrated metal blades.

Sonorous Mahabala- Grade 1/8000 Power/10000 Shield

"When I ride on Rudra Chakrin, I can draw a card, and since your vanguard is grade 1, call him from soul to an open RC." The air rippled again, and as soon as he left, Rudra Chakrin was back, his smile now ballooning to a mischievous grin. "And with his support, Mahabala takes aim at Gatling Fist." The new warrior entered a readied stance as the imp behind him raised his lantern, imbuing his superior with an indescribable energy that seemed to make the air vibrate.

Strength- 13000

"Sure, why not?" Lucas shrugged. "Not gonna guard."

"Drive check...no trigger." In a single quick action, Mahabala slammed his shield into the ground, sending a sonic shockwave rushing across the metal ground. The surge collided with Gatling Fist intensely, rending the space around the battlebot. The rippling lasted for full seconds, even when it was clear little lasting damage had been dealt.

"Damage check...nothing."

"Since Mahabala's attack was successful, I can drop a card from my hand to bind the top three cards of my deck, then return one card from my bind zone to my hand. I'm bouncing...Anomaly Hunter, Victorious Maheshvara."

"A critical trigger," Nat observed. "Good thinking- he'll need all the Shield he can get for the next few turns."

"And two cards bound for future utility," Midori added. "An excellent setup for only his first assault."

"I end my turn," Nasim said. An uneventful start, but hand conservation took precedent at the moment.

End of Turn 2

Hand Count- Lucas 6, Nasim 7

Damage Count- Lucas 1, Nasim 0

Lucas scoffed. "Thought you'd go harder than that. Whatever, I draw." He looked at his fresh card, then grinned. "This is perfect. I ride Rocket Tonfa Buster." Lucas's brass battlebot glowed with an alien green, mechanical parts shifting as it changed shape. Soon it formed a new machine- the towering crimson martial artist that Sean grew to fear in his practice. With a flamboyant spin kick, it made its presence and intentions known.

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

"And this is where the fun starts. You probably thought you were being smart, not feeding a Nova player counter blasts. But that's where Rocket Tonfa's skill comes in- my moving a card from my hand to my soul, I can put the top card of my deck into my damage zone." Like before, the battlebot opened a small door on it's chest, then wrenched out it's limiter. It surged with painful voltage for a few seconds before settling down, ready to punish. "That's two counter blasts to work with, and since I sent a Buster to the damage zone, Rocket gets 5k for the turn!"

If Nasim was worried at all, his face didn't betray it. "What else?"

"I call Piston Pummel Buster, Coil Flail Buster, and Drill Joust Buster!" A shower of beams struck the battlefield, causing a reliable trio of battlebots to materialize. With some quick mental math, Sean deduced Lucas had five attacks primed to punish his opponent.

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

Coil Flail Buster- Grade 1/8000 Power/10000 Shield

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

"Lucas built a great offensive formation," Sean observed. "He's all-in early."

"All-in is right," Sal said. "He barely has anything left in his hand. If this turn whiffs, he won't have much of a grade 3 turn."

"He's already set up a great recovery play, though," Kiki said. "Coil Flail can be retired if one of his rearguards attacks twice this turn to draw two cards."

"And since he's retired, it triggers Piston Pummel's skill to draw again," Sean concluded. "That plus the drive check means he'll start next turn with six in hand."

"Not bad," chuckled Sal. "Don't usually get this level of stuff outside of Midori or Carlos. Ever thought of being pro commentators?"

Sean just smiled as Kiki cleared her throat, flushing.

"Let's get this party started!" Lucas grinned. "Piston Pummel opens things up!" The azure centipede robot bolted forward, weaving across the battlefield while preparing its weapons one at a time. The speed made it clear this was a quick blow to soften the opponent rather than a haymaker meant to topple.

Strength- 9000

Nasim reacted accordingly. "Guarding with Anomaly Hunter, Thousandth Bhadra." A bronze-skinned huntress warped into being, dressed in fresh furs and other wild accessories, none of which felt of this world. She rapidly notched a single arrow and fired away, hitting the charging machine squarely in the head. The knock was jarring enough to knock it off course, and it eventually retreated when the huntress readied a second arrow. As quickly as she came, Bhadra was swallowed by an influx of warping space.

Thousandth Bhadra- Grade 0/5000 Power/5000 Shield/Draw Trigger

Defense- 13000

"Drill Joust is up next!" The centaur robot prepared its weapon as soon as Piston Pummel returned. It made haste, not even revving its namesake- the blow would be a jab at best, meant to weaken, not maim. It began it's full gallop across the arena, leveling itself for a wheeling thrust.

Strength- 9000

"I don't guard." The swift charge gave way to a forceful lunge, Drill Joust's lance easily denting Mahabala's resplendent shield. Nonetheless, even as the robot wheeled, the warrior was more shocked and unbalanced than actually hurt. "Damage check...no trigger."

"Too bad, you really needed one! Activating Drill Joust's after battle skill- with a counter blast and soul blast, I restand Piston Pummel with an extra 3k! Next, Coil Flail is boosting Rocket Tonfa for another swing! Rocket Tonfa's battle skill lets me counter blast one to restand one of my rearguards- Drill Joust is back at it!" Entire frame crackling with rampant electricity, Rocket Tonfa let out a metallic roar before delivering a storm of kicks and wild swings. Each produced a fresh missile, ready to incinerate.

Strength- 22000

"Robertson's already got his whole front row back up," Nat marveled begrudgingly.

"He's good at that, isn't he?" Erica said. "I've seen him pull that trick every game."

"Yeah, he's a menace," Adam grinned. "If this keeps up, we won't get to see the other guy's grade 3 ace."

That thought seemed the farthest thing from Nasim's mind. He sniffed indifferently. "I don't guard."

"Checking my drive trigger," Lucas said, a wicked smile quickly spreading as he revealed his top card. "Spike Salvo Buster, a draw trigger! I take an extra card, and pump up Drill Joust by a beefy 10k!" The hailstorm of rockets made contact, and while most whizzed past unheeding, the two or so direct hits stung far more than Drill Joust's previous poke.

"Damage check...no trigger."

"Oh, it's only gonna get worse for you! Drill Joust attacks again, and since he restood this turn, I can retire one of your rearguards! Rudra Chakrin is outta here!" The imp's smug smile dissipated quickly as Drill Joust revved his weapon. In a flash, his entire body warped and churned, disappearing piece by piece into nothingness. The centaur battlebot didn't seem to notice or care, as his reckless charge began before the process had completed.

Strength- 19000

"Guarding that with Anomaly Hunter, Victorious Maheshvara." A twirling tangle of spacetime distortions coughed up a defender- a bizarre, tall pile of blue limbs and golden armaments. Whirling like a martial twister, he slammed into Drill Joust, blowing back the battlebot with a boisterous burst of energy.

Victorious Maheshvara- Grade 0/5000 Power/15000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 23000

Lucas's grin twisted into a grimace. "Crap. Well, since his attack was blocked, Drill Joust has to be retired." As the battlebot struggled to its feet, a brief crackle danced around its chassis before it bloomed into a full, catastrophic explosion.

Nasim smirked slightly. "Oh really? That's too bad. Definitely didn't know that."

Lucas tried to shrug off the comment, but couldn't. With a jab like that, he might know more than he let on at first. "That still triggers Piston Pummel's skill- when a Buster is retired during my turn, I draw a card." He started to regain spirits. "I still got Piston Pummel to attack with, and his battle skill is a doozy! When he attacks after restanding, he gains 5k, and if you want to guard from hand, you'll need two or more!" Rearing back, the azure battlebot cocked all it's namesakes at once- this was the haymaker it'd been waiting to deliver. Like a malevolent eel, it snaked its way across the battlefield again, waiting to dig in.

Strength- 17000

Nasim didn't flinch. "No point in guarding this." With a heavy downward slam, Piston Pummel fired away rapidly at Mahabala, delivering crushing blow after crushing blow. "Damage check… Anomaly Hunter, Cherished Pundarika! That's a heal trigger! Recovering one." He snickered. "You might as well not have attacked at all."

Lucas grimaced again. The jackass had a point, but he still had skills to resolve. "Since one of my rearguards attacked a vanguard twice this turn, I can retire Coil Flail to draw two. That also triggers Piston Pummel again, adding a third. Finally, Rocket Tonfa's effect winds down, meaning one of my damage goes to the bottom of my deck. You're up."

End of Turn 3

Damage Count- Lucas 1, Nasim 2

Hand Count- Lucas 8, Nasim 5

"Just like we expected, Lucas is going all out! Five attacks, and coming back with an eight card hand!"

"It's impressive, but he had to burn through two rearguards to get there. He's going to have to spend each card carefully if he wants to build a good formation next turn."

"Nasim better bounce back big from this," Buzz snarled. "Getting kicked around this early is sorry."

"Geez, at least wait until he's grade 2," Trish grumbled. "Getting mad at him not stopping a Nova assault is dumb."

"Shut up."

"I stand and draw," Nasim said. He tried his best to contain his happiness at what he just drew- this would make Andromedus's onslaught much more bearable. Still, he had to get there while maintaining a decent amount of pressure. "I'll start by riding Anomaly Hunter, Broad Blader Shripaala." Mahabala's body faded away in a ripple of spacetime, his figure morphing into a more heroic visage. Replacing him was a red-skinned, dragonic warrior with a long coat cloaking a set of light, gilded armor. He carried a shining broadsword as long as his torso in his hands, the blade itself like a giant cleaver. He was missing an eye, the wound obscured by a beautiful piece of blue cloth.

Broad Blader Shripaala- Grade 2/10000 Power/5000 Shield

"When he's placed, I can bind a card from my hand to bind the top two cards of my deck, then return a bound card to my hand. I'm bouncing Anomaly Hunter, Annihilating Suryakirti. And since Shirpaala was placed on VC, I can counter blast one to draw another card, and return one of your rearguards to the bottom of your deck." Shripaala raised his sword without effort, thrusting it in Piston Pummel's direction. "And since you only have the one, well…" By simply turning the blade, Shripaala summoned a miniature vortex under the battlebot, sucking it into nothingness.

"Well that sucks," Adam said. "That thing was Lucas's MVP."

"I have serious doubts it would have remained on the field anyway," Midori responded. "Given its importance, it would have been targeted for attacks."

"It's not that big a setback either," Erica reasoned. "Guy has eight cards, I think he can call at least one guy next turn."

"I call," Nasim continued. "Anomaly Hunters; Iron Chain Aja, Jovial Vishnugupta, and Rallying Shashiprabha." A trio of portals tore open around Shripaala, coughing out three more warriors. One was a devilish-looking creature with lilac-colored skin, his body racked and hampered with locks and labyrinthine coils of chains. The second was a princely looking spearman, with a pachydermic appearance, orange-skinned and wielding a golden trident. The third was a woman in resplendent battle armor, her eyes hiding behind a red visor, clutching a silver conch trumpet in her hands.

Iron Chain Aja- Grade 2/10000 Power/5000 Shield

Jovial Vishnugupta- Grade 1/7000 Power/10000 Shield

Rallying Shashiprabha- Grade 1/7000 Power/10000 Shield

"Activating Shashiprabha's skill- I soul blast one and bind a card from hand to add two other Anomaly Hunter units from deck to hand. Adding, lesse...a Vishnugupta and Cannonade Tejasvin."

"All that for such a meh field," Sal shrugged. "I'm not sure this is a match worthy of the finals."

"It looks like he's still biding his time," Kiki said. "Given what he just added, he must be planning to deal one devastating blow when he hits grade 3."

"He'd better. Getting a win like this feels like kicking a kitten."

"To start," Nasim continued, "I'll have Aja attack Rocket Tonfa." The demon lurched back, standing at attention and straining to muster sufficient energy. With intense concentration, a coil of china unwrapped itself of his body, soon flying towards the mechanical target. The encroaching attack sounded like a hissing, clattering arrow.

Strength- 10000

"You can do better than that," chided Lucas. "I guard with Spike Salvo." The fired chain ran headlong into a battlebot, but not the intended one. Burrowing from under the ground came a diminutive war machine, curled up and covered with metallic spikes. The clash easily destroyed the intruder, but the explosion disrupted Aja's concentration, forcing him to withdraw his chain.

Spike Salvo Buster- Grade 0/5000 Power/5000 Shield/Draw Trigger

Defense- 14000

"Shripaala attacks next." Preparing his blade, the enemy vanguard dissipated into a mist of warping spacetime. Rocket Tonfa entered a defensive crouch, ready at any moment for the swordsman to warp out an attempt at a swift strike.

Strength- 10000

"Guarding that too- Laser Halberd Buster!" A tear in space finally ripped open behind Rocket Tonfa. Shripaala tore out, ready to deliver an avenging overhead cut, only to find his path blocked. This time, the defender was a pawn-like pikeman, wielding a polearm with an energy blade at the tip. Rocket Tonfa relaxed a bit from his crouch, knowing the defense behind him would hold.

Laser Halberd Buster- Grade 0/5000 Power/15000 Shield/Critical Trigger

Defense- 24000

"Checking for a drive trigger...and I got one! Anomaly Hunter, Subduing Vikranta, a critical trigger! All effects go straight to Vishnugupta." Shripaala, sensing further struggle would be pointless, hopped back into a fresh portal, reappearing besides his forces without betraying resentment. "And with a boost from Shashiprabha, he comes attacking last." Smiling with an infectious determination, the spearman gave his weapon a couple of twirls before launching it full force towards his opponent. It tore through the air like a peregrine falcon, shining like a shooting star.

Strength- 24000/2 Critical

Lucas looked at his hand. "Well, I usually hate taking a crit, but...sure, I don't guard." The trident cut into Rocket Tonfa with great ferocity, sending the robot tumbling down. The polearm stuck upward like a fork in a tough bit of meat for a second. With a spirited flick of his wrist, Vishugupta caused a shining aura to cover the weapon, causing it to disappear and reappear in his hands in a manner of seconds. "Damage checks...first...second...nothing here."

Nasim sniffed again. Not a lot of offensive headway was made, but his hand was perfect for making offenses sizzle. "I end my turn."

End of Turn 4

Hand Count- Lucas 6, Nasim 5

Damage Count- Lucas 3, Nasim 2