Disclaimer: I do not own the properties of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise or the work of the cards; I only own the OCs that could or may be involved in this series. I own nothing of the real OCG cards, just the formal OC character.
Arc League Championship – Chapter 53: Pendulum Indignation; Yasuko Yukihana vs. Yuya Sakaki Part 1
The Battle Royal was the turning point, not only for the duelists who survived against Academia but for the entire world. Yuya was struck. He didn't expect Declan and the Leo Corporation to reveal to the public, if not the whole world, about the Dimension War from the moment he returned to the LDS stadium. It was a total shock. Everyone was confused, but watching the recorded video of duelists being turned into cards right before their very eyes is horrifying. The video recordings of the battle between the so-called Lancers and Academia were all a part of Declan's doing. He seems to be using the videos he obtained as propaganda to start recruiting the world into fighting Academia. He was highly disappointed. The times of peace have come to pass. The war has begun.
He had thought of what Yasuko said about not being a part of the war and severing all their ties. The Dimensions War seems like it's a lot bigger than what she can handle. He couldn't agree with her more, but if he wants to go over to the other dimension and save Zuzu Hiiragi, he needs to get everyone aboard, including Yasuko.
He respects her wishes, but there was no way that he cannot just sit back and then wait until the war is over. And that is why he is still at the door, knocking loudly for the caretaker of Yasuko to answer. It's already been three days since Declan revealed the truth of the Dimensions War, and Yasuko has not made any response to his calls or even bother answering the door for him. She hasn't been at You Show, and she hasn't been seen over the past three days. He has to talk to her.
His fists bang on the door loudly, making another attempt to get her. "Yasuko!" he called. "Yasuko, please! It's me, Yuya! Let me in! I need to talk to you!" No matter how many times he's knocked on the door, the only person who answered was the caretaker, Diana. She unlocks the door wide enough to take a full view of him.
"Yuya," said Diana, sounding concerned. "What is it now?"
"Please, Diana," Yuya pleaded. "I need to talk to her. It's urgent."
Diana gives a heavy sigh, indicating it won't be easy for him. "I tried to get her to talk to you, but she's not even answering to me," she informed. "She only comes down to eat, but she mostly stays up in her room for a reason."
Yuya does not believe Yasuko would just hide without getting to talk to someone. He cannot wait for Yasuko to come out. So, he pushes past Diana and rushes up to Yasuko's room, ignoring Diana's call. After coming to the front of the door, Yuya bangs on the door, letting Yasuko know that he wants to see her now.
"Yasuko, please open up." His voice pleads to let the girl open the door and see the boy. "We need to talk about this." As he bangs the door, he heard the knob unlocking itself. Yuya steps back and then watches the door opening wide for the girl to come out but in an unexpected turn.
Yasuko had her backpack, her travel bag, and her gym bag all zipped up. There was the same annoyed expression she gets every time something disturbs her. "What?" she inquired. "Can't you see I'm busy?"
Yuya couldn't believe his eyes. When he saw the three bags on her, he had to assume what Yasuko is doing. "You're leaving?" he asked, frightened of what Yasuko is thinking of doing.
"I'm moving back to my mother's grandparents in Tokyo," Yasuko revealed, not sounding remorse. "I've had it with this city." She scoots herself past Yuya and then descends downstairs. She can hear Yuya's footsteps following behind her.
"What?" She can practically hear how much Yuya is outraged by her decision. "You mean you're just gonna leave and never come back?" Yuya interrogated.
"Ever since I met you, everything started to fall apart," said Yasuko. "All I wanted was a fresh start, and now you're telling me I should join Declan and his band of idiots who can't even take on a team of blue force Academia? Screw that; I'm done. I'll let Principal Shuzo know that I am quitting You-Show by next morning." She drags her bags down and all the way to the kitchen.
Yuya must be shaking his head in disbelief by now. After everything they went through, he could not find it hard to believe that Yasuko is quitting on him, on Zuzu, and on everyone else turned into cards.
"Seriously? This is it? You're just gonna leave while the whole world goes to war?" Yuya asked. "Is this what you wanted?"
Yasuko throws her bags down and then turns around, facing Yuya to show him her furious glare. "I didn't sign up for this bullshit," she snapped. "I didn't sign up in the Arc League to get drafted into being a soldier fighting against an army following some lunatic professor." She opens the refrigerator and grabs some of the water bottles that are stored in there. Yasuko unzips her bags and stuffs the water and the packaged sandwiches into her backpack. "It's friggin' stupid and insane." She seals her bag and heads back to the living room, where Diana steps right in front of her and crosses her arms, scowling at the girl like she's in trouble.
"Yasuko," Diana called sharply. "Can you at least talk to Yuya about this whole thing?" She has a hand on her hip, showing how she is disappointed with Yasuko's decision. "I mean, I get what you are going." Even Yasuko refuses to listen to her caretaker talk as she marches past right through, strapping her bags to her side. "You think it's insane and that fighting against those…those monsters are not what you expected, but the least you can do is listen to your friend."
There was no way Yasuko would even consider talking to Yuya. Not ever. She thought Yuya might have some common sense, but the boy has no clue what he's getting into. Doesn't he know that Pendulum Summon is what saved him against Academia in the first place?
"What's to talk about?" Yasuko inquired. "All I know is you probably want me to come with Yuya, jump over across space and time, and we might end up being in a warzone." She can't imagine what will happen if she gets herself involved with fighting against Academia. She is not cut out for being a soldier. Why can't Yuya see it? She isn't trained to fight using Dueling. She only uses Dueling to solve her problems and duels because she duels. "I appreciate what you are trying to do, Yuya," she said. "But like I said, I am done." She adjusts her backpack and heads to the door.
"Then what about Zuzu?!" Yuya exclaimed.
The girl paused, halting right in front of the door before her. She did not face back, but Yuya continued on, pressing the issue about Zuzu. "You're just gonna leave while Zuzu is still out there? Isn't she your friend too?" he queried. "You, turning your back on Zuzu, doesn't even help yourself!" The more Yuya talks, the tighter Yasuko grips the straps of her bags. "Zuzu helped me become stronger, and you made me become a better duelist," he ranted. "You taught me to Fusion Summon because of her, wasn't it?" The muted response of Yasuko makes Yuya understand a bit about her lessons. "It was because of Zuzu that made you taught me Fusion Summon in the first place, and yet you're telling me you don't want anything to do it." He can't help but feel angry at Yasuko's decision. "You're a coward. Thinking running away from this will solve your problem." Yuya flinches back when Yasuko snaps around, facing him with a frown.
The girl has been through many times, and now she dares Yuya to question her decision to run. "I am not a friggin' coward," she hissed. "I'm realistic here." She places a hand on her hip to prove her point of what makes sense for Yuya to understand. "Let's say I do join; the odds are I will get my ass kicked by their sheer strength in numbers and then be turned into a card." She keeps her eyes on Yuya and said, "Our probability of losing a match against Academia is a 50/50, so there is no friggin' way, in hell, am I going to another dimension to beat some old man who thinks uniting the dimensions is a good idea." She then grips the door handle and opens it, only to find herself face to face with the one woman she is surprised to see. She and Yuya find themselves surprised to see someone standing at the door, ready to knock.
The woman seems to be in her late twenties with short dark hair that barely touches the shoulders and a flower hairpin on her left side of the bang. She also has a camera strap around her neck below her gray scarf. She looked surprised as well, taking in the sight of Yasuko and Yuya.
"Mom?" Yasuko inquired.
Yuya recalls Yasuko mentioning her mother once and then realizes that the woman at the door is Yasuko's adoptive mother and a photographer. "So, this is her mother?" Yuya murmured.
Diana comes to the door and saw her old high school friend. "Chloe? When did you get here?" she asked.
"Just now," Chloe answered. "When you phoned me about Yasuko being unconscious for two days, I had to cancel my photo trip in Tazmania and then came over as fast as I could." She scratched the back of her head. "It was a heretic. I had to travel to three separate countries because my ticket was eaten by a groundhog." She steps inside and then turns to Yasuko. At first, she didn't know what to do, knowing her own adoptive daughter has her bags on her. But then, she pats Yasuko's head like she's a puppy. "My God, you sure did have to be such a drama queen again, didn't you sweet chicks?" She sounds so nonchalant as if she does not have a care in the world.
Yasuo makes a small blush and lightly takes her mother's hand to stop patting on her hair. "Mom, I don't understand," she said. "What are you doing here?"
Chloe makes a snap, getting on to what her reason is. "Oh, that's right," she answered. "Why I'm here." She then places a hand on Yasuko's head and then leans her forehead to be touching Yasuko's. "Let's talk."
Everyone settles in the kitchen, sitting on the table with a teacup for each one. Chloe seems to be sitting across from both the kids with Diana by her side. There are times when Chloe is serious, and Yasuko knows what Chloe might want to talk about. It was probably with the Dimensions War that was being broadcasted throughout the world. There was so much confusion around the globe. She can understand the emotions running in the world. Confused. Skeptical. Angry. Sad. Terrified. All these might be what Chloe is feeling.
Yuya and Yasuko take turns explaining everything about the recent events from the moment Yasuko moved to the city until the present. Yasuko even mentions Yuto as being Yuya's twin brother a couple of times despite his protests. Everything including their recent encounter with Declan and his formation of the Lancers.
"So, we need to talk about this Dimensions War thing going on," said Chloe, getting straight to the point. "You kids were both in the Arc League, didn't you not?"
"Yeah," Yuya responded. "Me and Yasuko were both in the Arc League Championships before all of this happened."
Chloe places her chin on her hands. "And how did you feel? Fighting those scumbags they talked about?" she asked out of curiosity.
Yuya has no idea how to respond to that question. He can guess that it felt better than sitting around and doing nothing while the other duelists turned into cards. However, at the same time, it felt that it's a burden, risking everything that he might lose, including his friends and family. "It was…not what I had in mind about dueling," he emphasized.
"I know what that's like," Chloe agreed. "I've seen tons of crap in this world that makes me want to turn away." She sympathizes with Yuya's opinion. "But Yuya, you must understand something…." She paused and then takes a deep breath before explaining, "Yasuko knows what she can control, and she can't control. She has limits, and she does not like the Dimensions War just as much as you do." She takes one peek at Yasuko crossing her arms and making a suspicious look.
"I understand that if she wants to go, then that's fine," Chloe affirmed. "I'll leave it like that." Before Yuya could protest, Chloe then makes another statement. "But also, she is wrong too." Much to Yasuko's surprise, Chloe also disagrees with her decision to leave. "If this is war, then it will catch up to you. No matter how hard you may try to get away, you will all have to fight eventually."
Yasuko hates it, but Chloe may be right. The world is at war now, and she's the more likely candidate to go toe-to-toe with a single elite member of Academia. She can bet her deck that many duelists in the world aren't qualified to take on Academia and its elite army of Fusion Summoners. It's a mistake. A terrible mistake.
"Mom, I'm only fifteen," Yasuko responded. "Do you think I am ready to fight in a war?" She gestures between both Yuya and herself, clarifying her point. "We're just kids. What can we do against an army?"
Chloe brings her hand to her chin to think about Yasuko's statement. All of these facts prove her point, but she comes to realize something else. "But you do have Pendulum, don't you?" she questioned. "I've heard this story from home saying that two kids have used Pendulum Summon." She eyed Yasuko and asked, "Tell me that wasn't your doing."
Yasuko gives Chloe an unconvinced look. "Uh, it's me. Who else?"
Chloe makes a small humming sound as if she is intrigued. "I knew it had to be you," she said. "I always knew it had to be you somehow." She straightens her back. "But I must know, do you want to leave, Yasuko?" She asked a reasonable question.
There were no words to answer what Yasuko wants to reply. Apart from her conscience telling her to just leave and never come back to the city, there is an unconscious feeling that she must be a part of the war. She does not know what to do.
"I don't know," said Yasuko, uncertain of her response. "It's just…I've had enough on my plate." She stands up, knocking the chair back. "Mom, I had too much to take. All I want is just go." She walks around the table to get her things. "I just can't take this." As she exits out of the kitchen, Yuya stands up, almost immediately knocking the chair back.
"Wait, Yasuko," Yuya called. "If Declan said he has found a way to transport all of us to the other dimension, then we can save Zuzu."
Yasuko blows some bangs from her hair and then turns around. "Hey, I said I'm done, end of story," she said.
Her decision wasn't well supported by everyone in the room, including Chloe. Yasuko's mother was shaking her head with disappointment. "My my, I've never seen you like this before," said Chloe, catching the girl's attention. "That is the look of trauma." Her words shook the girl by the slightest, maybe a flinch. The mother has the stern gaze that would've made Yasuko cower from one glance at her eyes. "What's the matter?" Chloe paused. "Have you gone…soft?"
The girl was frozen in shock, couldn't believe how her mother treats her. Yasuko knows what is soft and what is hard for her. How dare her mother telling her that she is soft? She could be scowling at anyone who called her soft, but for Chloe, rather a look of betrayal.
"Soft?" Yasuko asked Chloe, "Wha…I am not soft." She was stammering in her sentences.
"Mhmm, sounds like it," Chloe chimed. "Admit it. You've gone soft since you came here." She does not care if Yasuko is forming a glare. "Face it, sweet cheeks, you've become softer than before. I mean, what is there to run away from? Is Dueling supposed to clear your head, or you just want to find something in dueling? Either way, you are just soft," she teased.
The girl has no intentions to yell at her mother, but she does not want to submit defeat. Her fuming anger seems to get the best of her, and she screamed, "I am not soft!" Her outburst surprises Yuya, Chloe, and Diana.
There were some regrets to be yelling at her mother, but she wants to make a point. "I'm sorry, mom," Yasuko apologized. "I'm sorry for yelling like that. It's just…." She takes the chair back up and sits. "It's just too much right now. I am not a soldier. I don't even know the first thing of fighting in a war." She crosses her arms and then scowls at Yuya. "Why can't you see that? We are not soldiers. We're just a couple of kids." She can only hope Yuya might understand what they are getting into. However, the boy has many opinions.
Yuya does have to agree with being so young in the middle of a war that fights against Academia and maybe Sora, but at the same time, he thought of Shun and Yuto. Both the boys are also young, and they were probably his age when the invasion began. He can't imagine how two young teens like him have to go face against an enemy powerful enough to conquer the entire dimension.
"I…We have to do this," said Yuya. "We have to do this, Yasuko. Together, please. I need you." If looks could kill when Yasuko scowls at Yuya. The boy does not back off from her glare. He was remaining firm. "Yasuko, please." The only response that Yuya received was a glare.
"No," Yasuko answered. "How many times do I need to say this? I am not joining the Lancers, and there is nothing you or anyone else in this kitchen can do to change my mind." She gets up to start heading out, but then Yuya got up on his feet and then grips her wrist to force her to turn around, confronting him with a stern gaze.
Yuya wanted to be frustrated, but he knows there is nothing he can do to convince her to stay and help him find Zuzu. There is only one card that he can play to show her his resolve. "Yasuko, duel me," he declared.
"What?" Yasuko asked, raising an eyebrow.
Yuya does not have a choice. If Yasuko will never be convinced of staying, it would have to be in a language they can understand. He lets go of Yasuko's wrist, giving the serious demeanor. "I said, duel me," he repeated. "Yasuko, remember when I promised to make you smile? I am asking you to duel me. I want you to duel me because you were right." He acts like he's confessing what he feels regarding the Dimensions War. "I was soft. I was soft because I was scared of losing Zuzu. You told me that I cannot pity my friends when I need to earn my spot at the Arc League. I can't let everything I've worked so hard from you go to waste." He raises a hand to make an offer. "So, I want you to duel me, and I can show you my progress," he offered. "I want to use everything you taught me to make everyone smile. I will make you and everyone here smile."
The girl has nothing to say to the boy. Yasuko comes to understand what Yuya has learned after his defeat from Declan. He was soft in the duel, so she wonders if he's still soft now or is Chloe right about herself. Has she gone soft too? She needs to get rid of that sentiment.
"Fine," Yasuko agreed. "But if I win, then I leave, and you never talk to me." She paused for another thought. "But if you win…." She has no clue of what else to bargain. Come join the Lancers and travel across the dimensions is very far-fetched. But regardless, she has to duel Yuya. "Then I'll consider what the Lancers have to offer."
Yuya didn't smile or beam from her proposal. He was expecting Yasuko to be conflicted with the decision of becoming a Lancer. He had that kind of conflict too, but he will do everything in his deck to show Yasuko the strength that she has given her.
Yasuko and Yuya came back to the area where they were training. The sunset was already turning the sky orange. It brings back some memories of how hard Yuya's training is. He respects Yasuko's teachings, but he has no respect for her running away to fight Academia. Yasuko had her own Pendulum cards to start with since the beginning, and now, he wonders how much she has improved since she entered the Arc League. Based on seeing her previous duels, he comes to know something.
Whenever Yasuko duels, she has remotely unknown sets of skills she may have or obtained during her duels. It makes her predictable that she has to be using a deck that relies on Spell Cards, but he does not how much she can adapt to any situation. He's been doing practice duels with Yasuko many times before, and after entering the Arc League, so he should know what deck he's about to face. The only real question is the dragons she possesses. They are the new class of Extra Deck monsters. Will she be using them in her duel against him?
Yuya takes out his duel disk from his cargo pocket, and Yasuko responds by pulling her duel disk from her drop-leg holster and attaching it to her arms. The lights of yellow and sky blue emit from the device to glow under the orange sky.
Both duelists are prepared to face each other. Pendulum to Pendulum. Master and Student. Friends and Rivals. They may be a part of the You-Show, but they are rivals from the start. Nothing deters them from confronting each other in this one single duel.
"Let's do this," said Yasuko. "Don't ever hold me back."
"I won't," Yuya vowed.
The cool breeze of the wind blows their hairs, swaying over the calm before their most intense storm between themselves. With the duel disk activated, they can begin the duel.
"DUEL!"
DUEL:
Yasuko Yukihana
VS
Yuya Sakaki
The orange sky was disappearing on the horizon and then transforms the sky into a navy blue. Despite being dark, the duelists have enough light to use from the light post in the park. Observing the two duelists are the two women: Diana and Chloe.
"Are you show you want to let Yasuko do this?" Diana asked.
"Alone, my girl has no idea how to come to a conclusion, but in dueling, Yasuko finds her answers easy," Chloe explained. "I've been seeing her duel since she first found my cards." She nudges Diana's arm. "Eh? Remember when we were young?"
Diana makes a pouty face and then turns away from Chloe's mischievous glance. "Don't talk about it, the score was about a tie, and you know it," she murmured.
Turn 1: Yasuko (5x cards)
"I'll go first," Yasuko announced. She takes out one card from her hand to show Yuya her new combo set. "I'll Set the Pendulum Scale with my Scale 2 Servant of Endymion!" she declared. "I'm gonna show you how I control the duel right now!" Yasuko activates the Servant of Endymion (Scale 2). The endymion servant rose from the left Pendulum Zone and into the air with her respective Pendulum Scale number beneath her.
In all of their practice duels, Yuya knows what Yasuko is going to do. Because Pendulum monsters are activated as spells, she's trying to gain more counters o she can continue her play. "And then, I Set the Scale 8 Magister of Endymion!" Yasuko activates the Magister of Endymion (Scale 8) to her right side of the Pendulum Zone, forming the rainbow "Pendulum" word on her blue blade. The magister endymion rose in the air with his respective Pendulum Scale number underneath the monster.
"Each time we activate a Spell, Servant and Magister gains a spell counter, and since Magister was activated, that means my Servant of Endymion's Pendulum effect allows her to gain a spell counter," Yasuko explained.
The servant endymion glows in bright yellow aura to gain a counter for herself.
(Servant of Endymion: Spell Counter 0 → 1)
She takes out another card from her hand and then activates the Spell Card: Spell Power Grasp. "I activate Spell Power Grasp," she declared. "I target Servant of Endymion to gain a spell counter and then add one "Spell Power Grasp" to my hand which will activate Servant and Magister's Pendulum effect." Since a spell card was activated, both the endymion servant and the magister endymion gain spell counters.
(Servant of Endymion: Spell Counter 1 → 3)
(Magister of Endymion: Spell Counter 0 → 1)
Her deck ejects one card to allow Yasuko to add a second copy of Spell Power Grasp. "Now, I activate Servant of Endymion's pendulum effect to remove three spell counters to Special Summon itself from the Pendulum Zone and one monster from my deck that I can plate a Spell Counter on," she said. "I remove three spell counters from Servant of Endymion to Special Summon Servant from the Pendulum Zone and Mythical Beast Jackal from my deck!" Once her decision was confirmed, the servant endymion pays three counters to activate its pendulum effect.
(Servant of Endymion: Spell Counter 3 → 0)
The endymion servant disappears from the Pendulum Zone before reappearing in on the field with a mythical jackal, allowing Yasuko to Special Summon Servant of Endymion (ATK 900/DEF 1500) from the Pendulum Zone and Mythical Beast Jackal (ATK 100/DEF 100) from her Main Deck in Defense Position. In addition, both monsters gain a spell counter.
(Servant of Endymion: Spell Counter 0 → 1)
(Mythical Beast Jackal: Spell Counter 0 → 1)
Yasuko then takes out one more card from her hand and then activates Magical Abductor (Scale 3) to the Pendulum Zone the endymion servant used to be. "Next, I reset the Pendulum Scale with the Scale 3 Magical Abductor!" she exclaimed.
The abductor mage rose in the air and then stop with her respective Pendulum Scale number underneath the monster. "And because I activated Magical Abductor, Magister gains a spell counter."
(Magister of Endymion: Spell Counter 1 → 2)
Both women are impressed with the improvements that Yasuko has demonstrated. Chloe was intrigued by how Yasuko has incorporated Pendulum into her deck despite being known for a month.
"That's my sweet cheeks," said Chloe. "Not only has she changed a lot since coming to the city, but she's definitely using Pendulum like she owns it."
"This might likely be the toughest matchup for Yuya," Diana replied. "Do you think he has a chance to be on her equal?"
Chloe chimes a noise from her mouth, indicating otherwise. "Who knows, I am here to observe and then see what they have to do."
Yasuko proceeds with her next move. "Now, I activate Spell Power Mastery!" She plays the Spell Card: Spell Power Mastery. "This card allows me to add one "Endymion" card from my deck and then place spell counters on all my face-up cards that can hold a spell counter equal to the number of "Spell Power Grasp" and "Spell Power Mastery" that are in the graveyard or I control." A second card pops out of the deck, allowing Yasuko to add Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic to her hand. "I add Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic to my hand and then place two spell counters on all the cards that I control." Once the spell card resolves, all the cards she has on her field that can hold a spell counter gained some.
(Magister of Endymion: Spell Counter 2 → 5)
(Servant of Endymion: Spell Counter 1 → 3)
(Mythical Beast Jackal: Spell Counter 1 → 4)
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 0 → 3)
Yuya has to be terrified of what Yasuko can do. The amount of spell counters she has means Yasuko is building something. She is not holding out against him. Yasuko is putting everything she has against him. "She's got so many counters on her cards," he said. "She's getting real."
The girl then raises her hand over to the abductor mage. "I remove three spell counters from Magical Abductor to activate its Pendulum effect and add one Pendulum monster to my hand," said Yasuko. The abductor mage glows in bright orange to pay the cost of activation.
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 3 → 0)
A third card pops out of her deck, allowing Yasuko to add the tuner monster: Magicalibra. "I add this, the Tuner monster! Magicalibra!" she announced. "And now, with the Scale 3 Magicial Abductor and Scale 8 Magister of Endymion, I can Pendulum Summon monsters between levels 4 and 7 simultaneously!" The sky glows around Yasuko, allowing her to make her first Pendulum Summon. "Hear my soul roaring upon thy! I call forth upon the energy of my heart to unleash the flames of solemnity from within! I Pendulum Summon! Appear, my monsters!" Yasuko Pendulum Summons Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic (ATK 2800/DEF 1700)and Magicalibra (ATK 1000/DEF 1000) from her hand in Attack Position. "Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic, and the tuner monster, Magicalibra!" The scales of justice with pink eyes and the endymion master appear on the field.
Yuya knows what's coming. "A tuner monster," he said. "That means she's going to Synchro Summon."
Yasuko throws her hand over to the two monsters that she has on the field. "Level 4 Magicalibra tunes with the Level 3 Servant of Endymion!" The magical justice scales rose upward, turning itself into four green rings, and scan the servant endymion. It removed all the solid mass until it was nothing but three glowing white orbs in the center.
(4 + 3 = 7)
"Wonderous white dragon, spread those beautiful circuit wings to soar into the sky as fast as the winds can take you! I Synchro Summon! Arise! Level 7! Clear Wing Fast Dragon!" Yasuko tunes the level 4 Magicalibra with the level 3 Servant of Endymion and then Synchro Summons Clear Wing Fast Dragon (ATK 2500/DEF 2000) in Attack Position.
Clear Wing Fast emerges from the white beam of light with its crystal panel wings glaring off the reflection of light and then flew up in the air before hovering behind Yasuko.
The sight of Clear Wing Fast makes Yuya step back from anxiety. The dragon has some sort of a strong resemblance to the monster that Yugo had. Clear Wing Synchro Dragon. It's like looking at the Yugo's dragon but under the possession of his "teacher." It's making his back sweat, worried about how far Yasuko will go.
"Clear Wing Fast Dragon," Yuya uttered.
Unnoticed to the duelists, the pendants on Yasuko's keychain and Yuya's necklace started to chime in response to the summon of Clear Wing Fast. The response was a low gleam.
"I activate Mythical Beast Jackal's monster effect!" Yasuko declared. "By removing three Spell Counters, I can tribute this card, and Special Summon one "Mythical Beast" effect monster from my deck." The jackal glows in bright yellow to activate its special ability. "I tribute Jackal to Special Summon Mythical Beast Jackal King!"
(Mythical Beast Jackal: Spell Counter 4 → 1)
The jackal glows in blue astral energy before it reconfigures itself into becoming the jackal king. Now that there are three monsters on Yasuko's side of the field, Yasuko makes the finishing touches. "Now, I activate Magister's Pendulum effect! I remove three Spell Counters to Special Summon Magister of Endymion from my Pendulum Zone and Servant of Endymion from my Extra Deck!"
(Magister of Endymion: Spell Counter 5 → 2)
When Yasuko Special Summons Magister of Endymion (ATK 1500/DEF 900) from the hand and Servant of Endymion from the Extra Deck in Defense Position, the magister endymion disappears from the Pendulum Zone and then reappears on the field with the endymion servant as each one gains a spell counter.
(Magister of Endymion: Spell Counter 0 → 1)
(Servant of Endymion: Spell Counter 0 → 1)
"I end my turn," Yasuko concluded.
Turn 2: Yuya (5x cards)
Yuya had to be out of breath, seeing Yasuko summoning all five monsters on her first turn. She has set up a nearly impenetrable board that he will have a hard time getting through. "Yasuko's not joking around," he said. "She's definitely going to crush me."
Yasuko makes a hand gesture telling Yuya to come and hit her with his best shot. "Now, it's your turn," she said. "I hope you prove yourself to be my equal, but I have also made improvements when we split."
The boy has to be careful of what cards he plays from now on. When it comes to Yasuko, she is deadly serious in taking him down. Fast and very quick. Brutally strong and merciful. Her strength can only be on par with Declan. The only real question is does he have the power to take her head on.
"My turn," he said. "I draw!" Yuya draws a card from his deck. He has drawn the Field Spell Card: Sky Iris. "I activate the Field Spell, Sky Iris!" Once Yuya activates it, the light beams up from the center and expands to light up the park, turning the night into day. "While this card is activated, all my "Odd-Eyes", "Magician" and "Performapal" cards in my Pendulum Zones cannot be targeted by my opponent's card effects." The only response from Yasuko was nothing, which means she is not surprised Yuya has found a way to protect his Pendulum Zones.
"And remember, each time we activate a spell, my monsters gain a spell counter," Yasuko reminded. The jackal king and the abductor mage gains spell counters.
(Mythical Beast Jackal King: Spell Counter 0 → 2)
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 0 → 1)
The boy has some sweat building in his palm. Anytime he places a spell, her cards gain more spell counters, which could be a hinderance. Yuya takes out two cards from his hand. "I Set the Pendulum Scale with my Scale 4 Performapal Trump Witch and Scale 6 Performapal Monkeyboard!" Yuya activates both his Performapal Trump Witch (Scale 4) and Performapal Monkeyboard (Scale 6) at the Pendulum Zones, forming his own rainbow "Pendulum" word on his board.
The trump witch and the circus monkey with piano keyboard teeth rose up in the Pendulum Zones with their respective Pendulum Scale number below them. In addition to the activation of his Pendulum monsters, Yuya intentionally gave Yasuko more spell counter.
(Mythical Beast Jackal King: Spell Counter 2 → 6)
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 1 → 3)
"Now, I activate Performapal Monkeyboard's Pendulum effect!" Yuya declared. "When a Performapal monster is activated in the Pendulum Zone, I can add one Level 4 or lower Performapal monster from my deck to my hand." Yuya selects one card from his deck and adds Performapal Skullcrobat Joker. "I add Skullcrobat Joker to my hand." Once Yuya has added his card, he takes out another one and activates the Spell Card: Spiral Flame Strike. "Next, I activate the spell, Spiral Flame Strike," he said. "This card allows me to add one level 7 "Odd-Eyes" from my deck to my hand."
Yasuko wasn't going to allow Yuya get his best monster, so she will do everything she can to prevent him from taking out Odd-Eyes Pendulum. "I activate Endymion's monster effect!" she declared. "When a spell, trap, or effect is activated, I can return one card that has a spell counter on my field back to my hand to negate and destroy it, and Endymion gains that same amount of counters it had!"
The endymion master raises its staff in the air and zaps the monster: Servant of Endymion to return to her hand. "I return Servant of Endymion to negate and destroy your spell card!" The endymion master, jackal king, and the abductor mage gain a spell counter to negate the spell's activation.
(Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic: Spell Counter 0 → 1)
(Mythical Beast Jackal King: Spell Counter 6 → 8)
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 3 → 4)
Yuya cannot let Yasuko stop him. "I summon Performapal Skullcrobate Joker!" Yuya Normal Summons Performapal Skullcorbat Joker (ATK 1800/DEF 100). The performing jester with purple stripes and a makeshift magician's hat appear on the field. "When Skullcrobat Joker is Normal Summoned, its monster effect allows me to add one "Performapal", "Magician" or "Odd-Eyes" Pendulum monster from my deck to my hand."
Yasuko has another counter for that move. "I remove two spell counters from my field to activate Mythical Beast Jackal King's special effect to negate the activation of a monster effect and destroy it!" Two more spell counters from her field are removed to negate the skullcrobat joker's special effect.
(Mythical Beast Jackal King: Spell Counter 8 → 6)
The jackal king opens its mouth and fires a blue flame to incinerate the skullcrobat joker and destroy it. Yuya covers his face with his arm from the heat of the flames.
Diana was impressed by how many negations Yasuko had set up to keep Yuya at bay. "Wow, the girl knows when to strike," she said. "Looks like Yuya's going to be in a heck of trouble if she continues to keep him in his place."
"Mmm, true," Chloe replied. "But Yasuko taught Yuya herself, so if there is one thing she did teach him is how to be more consistent with his deck."
As Chloe proves, the boy has learned a thing or two when he continues his next move. "I active Sky Iris' effect to destroy my Monkeyboard and then add one "Odd-Eyes" card from my deck to my hand!" he declared.
The circus monkey blows up like dust, allowing Yuya to add Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon from his deck to his hand. "I add Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon to my hand!" Now that Yuya has his ace dragon in possession, he takes out another card. "I Set the Pendulum Scale with Scale 6 Performapal Lizardraw!" Yuya activates the Performapal Lizardraw (Scale 6) in the Pendulum Zone, reforming the "Pendulum" word on his board.
The red-orange lizard with four cards cowl wearing a performer dress with red suit jacket and yellow pants holding a walking stick and a magician hat appears in the Pendulum Zone. The more Yuya actives a Pendulum monster in his Pendulum Zones, the more spell counters Yasuko's monster gets.
(Mythical Beast Jackal King: Spell Counter 6 → 8)
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 4 → 5)
"I activate Lizardraw's pendulum effect to destroy itself and then draw one card if I control a Performapal monster in my Pendulum Zone!" The cowl-carded lizard disappears from the Pendulum Zone, allowing Yuya to draw one card, and it was a Spell Card: Pendulum Halt. "Now, I activate Pendulum Halt!" he declared. "This card lets me draw two cards if I have three or more Pendulum monsters with different names in my Extra Deck!" Yuya draws two cards, and one of them is a pendulum monster: Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn. "Yes," he said.
(Mythical Beast Jackal King: Spell Counter 8 → 10)
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 5 → 6)
Yuya then activates Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn (Scale 8). "I reset the Pendulum Scale with Scale 8 Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn!" he said, enabling Yasuko to get more spell counters.
(Mythical Beast Jackal King: Spell Counter 10 → 12)
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 6 → 7)
Once Yuya has the green unicorn with red and green eyes up in the Pendulum Zone, the boy can begin his Pendulum Summon. "I can now Pendulum Summon monsters between levels 5 and 7 simultaneously!" he said. "Swing, my soul's Pendulum! Draw the arc of light in the sky! I Pendulum Summon! Come out, my monsters! It's time to swing into action!" Yuya Pendulum Summons Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (ATK 2500/DEF 2000) from his hand in Attack Position and Performapal Monkeyboard (ATK 1000/DEF 2300) from his Extra Deck in Defense Position.
The essences of both monsters fall from the sky, where a giant holographic pendant was rotating around the portal. The circus monkey and Odd-Eyes Pendulum appear on the field with the dragon roaring loud in the night.
The yellow eyes of Clear Wing Fast glow like fire, turning toward Odd-Eyes Pendulum. The dragons roar to start the hostility again like before. The sound of both dragons' roar is irritating both Yuya and Yasuko. It's probably one of the reasons why Yasuko tried to stop Yuya from bringing Odd-Eyes Pendulum to the playing field. Every time Yuya brings out Odd-Eyes Pendulum whenever she has her own dragons, they act like very territorial animals ready to duke it out.
"I activate Magister's monster effect!" Yasuko declared. "By removing three spell counters on my field, I can Special Summon one monster from my deck that I can place a spell counter on!"
(Mythical Beast Jackal King: Spell Counter 12 → 9)
"I remove three spell counters to Special Summon Mythical Beast Master Cerberus!" Since Yasuko pays the activation cost, she was able to Special Summon Mythical Beast Master Cerberus (ATK 2800/DEF 2800) in Defense Position. The ground rips open, and a giant anthropomorphic werewolf holding a large scepter staff wearing a big purple cape around its neck appears on Yasuko's side of the field.
"Battle!" Yuya declared. "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Clear Wing Fast Dragon!" Odd-Eyes Pendulum charges directly at Clear Wing Fast with its feet stomping the dirt.
"You do realize they'll destroy each other," Yasuko noted.
"Which is why I'm activating Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn's Pendulum effect!" Yuya announced. "When an Odd-Eyes monster declares an attack, I can target one Performapal monster I control, and that attacking monster gains the original ATK of one Performapal monster I control!" As demonstrated, the circus monkey tapes three notes on the key in its mouth, sending a wave of musical notes that powers up Odd-Eyes Pendulum.
(Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon: ATK 2500 → 3500)
"Spiral Flame Strike!" Odd-Eyes Pendulum unleashes a spiraling red laser beam that strikes Clear Wing Fast. It then explodes, sending a wave of flames right to burn Yasuko's life points. "When Odd-Eyes battles a level 5 or higher monster, the battle damage is doubled! Take this! Reaction Force!"
(Yasuko: LP 4000 → 2000)
The damage was enough to bring Yasuko covering her face from the flames, but the girl remains standing as if she's taking in all that Yuya can throw at her.
"During the Main or Battle Phase, I activate Performapal Trump Witch's Pendulum effect!" Yuya declared. "I can Fusion Summon one monster from my Extra Deck using materials that I control!" The trump witch raises her staff and then spells out a flood of card symbols all over the circus monkey and Odd-Eyes Pendulum. "I fuse Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Monkeyboard!" The circus monkeyboard and Odd-Eyes Pendulum rose in the air before being consumed by a swirling vortex of red and blue.
"I Fusion Summon! Appear, the ferocious dragon of beastly eyes! Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuya fuses both Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and Performapal Monkeyboard to Fusion Summons Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (ATK 3000/DEF 2500) in Attack Position. When Odd-Eyes Pendulum and the circus monkeyboard are fused, the Beast-Eyes dragon appeared on the field with its bone armor covering its fur skin.
Chloe and Diana have got to be impressed with the results Yuya is showing.
"Wow, so you're telling me Yasuko taught Yuya to Fusion Summon, and he managed to Fusion Summon during the Battle Phase?" Chloe asked. "That's got to be some training right there."
"Yeah," Diana agreed. "I guess your girl's done her work too well."
Yuya throws his hand over to the jackal king. "Battle! Beast-Eyes attacks Jackal King!" Beast-Eyes' jaws are wide open, and then a beast-like flaming entity emerges from the mouth to incinerate the jackal king.
(Yasuko: LP 2000 → 1400)
"When Beast-Eyes destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to the ATK of the Beast monster that was used to Fusion Summon!" The flaming beast entity rushes through Yasuko, who takes in the full damage.
(Yasuko: LP 1400 → 400)
The girl ignores the winds blowing her bangs on her face and then simply removes them away from her eyes. Despite taking so much damage, Yasuko looked like she barely takes a scratch. She was bold and full of confidence.
Yuya can only narrow his eyes. "Are you holding back against me?" he asked.
"Hell no," Yasuko responded. "If I was holding back, I wouldn't be making this setup in the first place." She takes a stance. "You should know by now; I never hold back."
Yuya has second thoughts otherwise. When it comes to dueling, she has no problems going out against any opponents, even if they are rookies. He should've known that during his practice duels with her. "Right," he said. "You never were the one to pull punches." He takes out two remaining cards from his hand and then Sets them on his field. "I Set two cards face-down and end my turn," he concluded.
Turn 3: Yasuko (2x cards)
Yasuko places two fingers on top of her deck. "I thought I taught you to be more resilient when facing your opponents," she said. "All you've been trying to do is showing off such combos like this." She draws a card. "My turn!" She then raises to her abductor mage. "And then I remove three Spell Counters from Magical Abductor to add one Pendulum monster from my deck to my hand."
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 7 → 4)
Yasuko chooses to add Odd-Eyes Mirage Dragon from her deck to hand. "And the card that I add is Odd-Eyes Mirage Dragon!" Once she has the card, she then activates Odd-Eyes Mirage Dragon (Scale 8). "I reset the Pendulum Scale with Scale 8 Odd-Eyes Mirage Dragon!" The mirage dragon with green scales and red and green eyes floats in the Pendulum Zone. With a second pendulum monster being activated in the Pendulum Zone, more of Yasuko's monsters gains spell counters.
(Mythical Beast Master Cerberus: Spell Counter 0 → 2)
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 4 → 5)
"Now, I can Pendulum Summon monsters between levels 4 and 7 all at the same time!" She points in the air. "I Pendulum Summon! Appear, my monsters!" The sky rips open the portal above to let Yasuko Pendulum Summon Magicalibra and Clear Wing Fast Dragon from her Extra Deck in Attack Position. "Revive! Clear Wing Fast Dragon and the tuner monster, Magicalibra!" The magical scales and Clear Wing Fast reappears on the field.
From the spectator side, they two women observing the duel is astonished of a Synchro monster being also a Pendulum monster like all the other ones Yasuko has in her possession.
"A Synchro-Pendulum monster?" Chloe gasped. "This is too real."
Diana nodded. "I was surprised there is even one," she said.
Yuya makes a mental note of what Yasuko's capable of. "To think Pendulum could expand even towards the Extra Deck," he thought. "Yasuko is truly a fearsome opponent. Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Pendulum. Aside from Declan, she has truly mastered Pendulum that I never thought she can do possible." He understands what Yasuko has accomplished since the beginning of the Arc League Championship.
"I activate Master Cerberus' monster effect!" Yasuko declared. "By removing four spell counters, I can target one monster you control, and banish it!"
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 5 → 3)
(Mythical Beast Master Cerberus: Spell Counter 2 → 0)
"I target your Beast-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and banish it!" The master Cerberus brings up one claw and then conjures a volley of lightning bolts that zaps Beast-Eyes to oblivion, rendering Yuay vulnerable to the attack.
"Shit," Yuya cursed.
"And Master Cerberus gains ATK equal to the monster it banished until the end of the turn," Yasuko added. The jewel orb on the master cerberus' staff vaccums all of the particles that were once Beast-Eyes, increasing its power by ten fold.
(Mythical Beast Master Cerberus: ATK 2800 → 5800)
"I tune the level 4 Magicalibra with my level 3 Magister of Endymion!" Once Yasuko decides, the magical scales turn into four green rings that scan the magister endymion until the monster is nothing but three lights. As the orbs align, the rings shoot a white beam of light.
(4 + 3 = 7)
"I Synchro Summon! The magician of arcana! Arcanite Magician!" Yasuko Synchro Summons Arcanite Magician (ATK 400/DEF 1600) in Attack Position.
From the white light comes a magician with white hooded robes and dark red pants holding a green scepter with a yellow-green orb encased on the tip. "When Arcanite Magician is Synchro Summoned, it gains two spell counters, and its ATK points are increased by 1000 for every spell counter it has." The arcanite sorcerer lifts its scepter high to absorb some energy to develop counters, increasing its attack power.
(Arcanite Magician: Spell Counter 0 → 2)
(Arcanite Magician: ATK 400 → 2400)
"I activate Arcanite Magician's monster effect!" Yasuko announced. "By removing one spell counter from my field, I can target one card you control and destroy it!"
(Magical Abductor: Spell Counter 3 → 2)
"I target your Sky Iris field spell!" The arcanite sorcerer shot a thunderbolt over to the sky, creating a series of lightning storms that strikes down to the ground.
Yuya had prepared a counter against Yasuko. "I activate my trap! Performapal Show Down!" Yuya flips up his face-down Trap Card: Performapal Show Down. "It allows me to target any number of cards you control equal to the number of face-up spell and traps I control, and then flip them all face-down!"
The girl has a response to the trap. "I activate Endymion's monster effect to return Magical Abductor to my hand and negate your trap!" she countered. Once Yasuko returns Magical Abductor back to her hand, the abductor mage disappears from the Pendulum Zone and then giving the endymion master all the spell counters she had.
(Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic: Spell Counter 1 → 3)
The lightning strikes hit the ground, effectively destroying the field spell that Yuya has.
"Damn it," said Yuya. "I'm wide open."
Yasuko has the look of revulsion from how much effort Yuya did in his last turn. "I am disgusted," she admitted. "I taught you better than this." She shakes her head as if Yuya is just another failure of her teachings. "You are still soft even in this duel; I am ending this here." When she opens her eyes, the fire inside of Yasuko blazes to end the duel right here and now.
"Battle!" She points at Yuya. "Endymion, attack Yuya directly!" The endymion master points the scepter forward and then shot three lightning bolts over to Yuya.
The boy has more tricks in his sleeve by flipping up his Trap Card: Wall of Disruption. "When a monster declares a attack, I can activate the Wall of Disruption," Yuya called. "All Attack-positioned monsters you control loses 800 ATK for each one!" The trap card flips up, which seemingly blocks the lightning attack before the card shot four red beams to weaken all of Yasuko's monsters.
(Clear Wing Fast Dragon: ATK 2500 → 0)
(Endymion, the Mighty Master of Magic: ATK 2800 → 0)
(Arcanite Magician: ATK 2400 → 0)
(Mythical Beast Master Cerberus: ATK 5800 → 2600)
Yasuko makes a low growl. "Master Cerberus, attack Yuya!" On her command, the master cerberus unleashed its own lightning bolts from the claws and then struck the boy.
(Yuya: LP 4000 → 1400)
Yasuko has nothing more to do other than take a card from her hand and activates Magical Abductor (Scale 3) back to her Pendulum Zone. "I Set my Pendulum Scale back with Magical Abductor," she said. The abductor mage floats back up in the Pendulum Zone. "Each time we activate a spell, Master Cerberus gains 2 spell counters."
(Mythical Beast Master Cerberus: Spell Counter 0 → 2)
Yasuko takes out another card and Sets it. "I Set one card face-down, and I end my turn," she concluded. "And that means Master Cerberus loses its own ATK because of its effect." With the end of the turn, the master cerberus has nothing left to defend itself.
(Mythical Beast Master Cerberus: ATK 2600 → 0)
Chloe and Diana exchange glances at each other, surprised at how much the kids put their energy into beating one another.
"This might turn very ugly for the both of them," said Diana.
"You could say that again," Chloe commented. "I guess Yasuko taught him too well."
Yuya can feel his back giving the chills. He has seen Yasuko duel many times before and during the Arc League, but the girl has got him on the ropes. "Are you saying I failed you because of what happened in my last duel with Declan?" he questioned.
"No, you failed me because you refuse to be serious on your duels," Yasuko responded differently. "When you said you were going to bring Declan to his knees, I thought you meant it, but you just let him stomp over you." Her eyes narrowed as she continued. "What makes you think you can be serious about this duel right now?"
"I am," Yuya affirmed. "And you were right. I am soft." He looks down at the deck that he has carried since childhood. "I duel with the deck that my father entrusted to me because of the teachings he taught me, but now…." He glances back at the girl. "Now, you are the one who taught me to understand what it means to take on a duel very seriously." He prepares himself to be the duelist that Yasuko trained him to be. "And I will use everything you taught me into my dueling, and I will make you smile, Yasuko."
Yuya readies himself to prepare for the most difficult challenge yet. It will come down to the outcome of the match.
Okay, let me just say…
This one is my most friggin' pain-in-the-ass, heartstopping, tremendously overtime working, and yet boldest and exciting duel that I am working on. If there is one thing I do love about Yu-Gi-Oh, is that how many times a rival and protagonist duke it out. So, I was supposed to originally update this earlier, but there were delays and I have to sort everything out to make sure that this duel is perfectly beneficial for all readers to read this.
Wonder who will win? Who knows. Maybe, another time or another book. Don't let your hopes down yet. Place your bets readers, and stay tuned for the next chapter. I can't wait to see what you think of this story.
So we are coming to the conclusion of this story one, and the next one will be on hiatus as I am also working on other story projects in the near future, so if you like what this story has got for you, then don't forget to leave down a comment to post what your thoughts are, what needs to improve, and what needs to be addressed, so until then. Happy 4th of July, and have a very awesome day.