Hey, guys! It's me, your awesome, handsome, and just the coolest FanFiction Author of all time! So, if you don't remember the last chapter, our heroes, Yuya and Zuzu, decided to help out their counterparts by volunteering at the shelter Jin went to when he was younger and learn about his experiences dealing with the Lost Incident. Meanwhile, Declan is visited by an old rival named Kurai Okabe, who demands a rematch. After defeating him, he becomes the new member of the Lancers as they deported for the Link Dimension. It's the moment you all been waiting for, The Lancers Arrival, but enough with me blabbering on. Let's get into Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-VRAINS, The Circuit Of Smiles!
The next morning, at Kolter's apartment...
Yuya and Zuzu yawned as they exited from their bedrooms and headed towards the kitchen.
"Man. Those kids sure were a handful," Yuya said.
"Tell me about it," Zuzu said. "Right after dessert, they went into a sugar rush, which made it very difficult to keep up with them."
"We're not as quick like we used to be."
"True dat."
The two teens entered the kitchen as they saw Kolter and Jin already cooking breakfast for the four of them.
"Morning, Kolter and Jin," Yuya and Zuzu said.
"Morning, Yuya and Zuzu," Jin replied.
"Surprise to see you two up," Kolter said. "After last night, I thought you guys would've slept till noon.
"Normally we would, but if you recall, we have school today," Zuzu informed him.
"That's right. I forgot it was Monday."
"No sweat Kolter," Yuya said. "Anything can slip your mind if you had night exhausting like the one we had."
"Guess so."
The four then sat at the table and started eating breakfast.
"So, did you guys enjoy yourselves?" Jin asked. "I mean once the kids calmed down."
"Yes," Zuzu answered. "Any longer, and we would've passed out."
"Luckily, Mrs. Kierra was there to help handle it," Yuya mentioned. "She sure knows how to deal with kids."
"Yes, she does," Kolter agreed. "Ever since she meant Jin, she's worked twice as hard to form a strong bond between her and the kids, so that way she can help them recuperate faster than normal."
"Speaking of Jin Kolter, we heard he was involved in some sort of experiment when he was younger?" Zuzu stated.
Kolter and Jin suddenly stopped eating as the room became silent.
"Uh, you guys okay? Yuya asked in concern.
"Sorry if it was rude for me to bring it up, I was just curious on the matter and thought-"
"No, it's okay, Zuzu. There's no need to apologize," Kolter said, interrupting her.
"Kolter's right," Jin said. "Normally, I don't like to talk about it, but Kolter's grown fond of you two, and I have as well, so I'm okay sharing my past with you."
"That's great to hear," Zuzu said.
"So, exactly how did all of this happened?" Yuya asked.
"Well, about over a decade ago, Jin and I just minded ourselves, playing ball with each other outside our house," Kolter explained. "I kicked the ball too hard that it went into the woods nearby."
"Kolter wanted to go and get, but I decided to go instead," Jin continued the story. "After I found the ball, I was then kidnapped and taken by a group of strangers."
"After a while of waiting, I then proceeded to look for Jin but couldn't find him," Kolter continued. "Our parents and our close friends spent months looking for Jin and clues that could lead to his whereabouts, but sadly, we'd always end up short."
"After six months of torture, someone alerted the police about the Lost Incident and its whereabouts, and they finally rescued us, but we were still severely traumatized in the end," Jin stated.
"And as you two already know and learned, Jin had trouble interacting with the other kids when he arrived at the shelter and had difficulty recovering until Mrs. Kierra taught him how to play Duel Monsters, which helped his social skills a bit before he got transferred to the hospital when he got older," Kolter stated.
"And as time went on. I eventually got better and more social, and was finally able to reunite with my brother after years of being distant," Jin added.
"It's around that time you started working at the hospital, right?" Zuzu asked.
"Correct," Jin answered. "I wanted to give back to the place that helped me by helping others who've gone through tragic and traumatizing events in their lives as well."
"Well, even though I've never seen you in action, I know you're doing an amazing job," Yuya stated.
"Thanks, Yuya. That means a lot," Jin said. "And thanks, Zuzu, for caring about my wellbeing."
"Sure thing," The two teens said as they then took a sip of their juice.
"I have to say, I'm surprised you two didn't know much more about the Lost Incident before meeting Mrs. Kierra, given that you dueled Soulburner," Kolter noted.
After hearing him, Yuya and Zuzu did a spit-take as their faces now had a shocked look.
"What do you mean. Kolter? I never dueled Soulburner," Yuya said.
"Relax, Yuya. Jin knows you're Ringmaster and that Zuzu's Maestra."
"Really? How?" Zuzu asked.
"Back at the resort hotel, a duel between The Gore and Ringmaster was broadcast in the lobby that caught everyone's attention," Jin explained. "I was memorized on how the both of them went back and forth against each other, pulling new move after new move."
Flashback: Four days ago, at the Tipton Hotel…
"Wow! I thought Gore was amazing, but this Ringmaster guy is magnificent!" Jin exclaimed.
"Well, you can thank me, little bro," Kolter said. "I'm the one who helped the guy create his avatar."
"Are you serious?"
"Yep. Ringmaster's real-life name is Yuya Sakaki."
"Sakaki? Isn't he the one who helped you out at the truck while you were waiting for Yuji and Ena to show up?"
"The one and only."
Flashback End: Present Day…
"So my duel against Gore was broadcasted even outside Den City?" Yuya questioned.
"Yep," Kolter answered.
"Wait. Does that mean my duel against Blue Maiden was also broadcast outside of Den City?" Zuzu asked.
"It sure was," Jin answered.
Flashback: Three days ago, at the Tipton Hotel…
"And there you have it, folks! The winner of this duel between LINK VRAINS's top idols is none other than Maestra!" The MC on the screen announced, causing everyone in the lobby to cheer.
"I can't believe that Blue Maiden lost. Even with Cyberse cards at her disposal," Jin said.
"Well, just like Ringmaster, you have me to thank for that," Kolter said.
"Are you telling me that you helped created the avatar for Maestra, and she's that girl who helped you along with Yuya?"
"Bingo! But promise me that you won't bring it up around them, especially around Yuji and Ena."
"Eh? Why not?"
"Because the four of them are all a part of the Top 10, and neither of them knows their true identities."
"Well, if that's the case, then my lips are sealed."
Flashback End: Present Day…
"And there you have it," Kolter said.
"Well, I guess our secrets out," Yuya said. "But knowing you, Jin, I'm sure we can trust you."
"You sure can," Jin stated.
"Suddenly, Kolter's phone vibrated as he pulled it out from his pocket and saw he got a text. "I got a message from Yuji and Ena stating that they're on their way."
"Is that so?" Zuzu said. "We should hurry up and get dress then, Yuya."
"Alright. Kolter, you mind packing up the rest of my breakfast?" Yuya asked.
"Sure thing, Yuya."
Yuya and Zuzu left the table to get dressed while Kolter packed up and sealed Yuya's breakfast, and Jin collected the rest of the dishes to clean.
On the way to Kolter's apartment...
Yuji and Ena were walking down the street on their way to Kolter's to meet up with Yuya and Zuzu, so they walked to school together. Ena was studying for a test for her Environmental Science Class, while Yuji was busy eating donuts from his favorite donut shop, Do-nuts.
"Did we have to stop for donuts, Yuji?" Ena asked.
"If we have to wake up early just because Yuya and Zuzu were too exhausted to do so because they were tired out from playing with the kids, causing me to miss breakfast, then yes, we're stopping for donuts," Yuji answered. "How's your studying going?"
"Great," Ena answered. "You know you have the same class too. Shouldn't you be studying as well?"
"I don't have Environmental Science until 9th period, so I have plenty of time to study," Yuji replied.
"You said that the last time and you end up failing it," Ena pointed out.
"That was then. And this is now," Yuji rebutted.
"Even so, you should study now, so you already have it out of the wa-"
BONG!
Ena was too distracted talking to Yuji that she didn't notice someone in front of her and bumped into them as they fell and the books and papers they held.
"I'm sorry!" The girl Ena bumped into immediately apologized as she got up. She sounded like she was around Ena and Yuji's age. She then quickly helped Ena up as well.
"Oh, I'm sorry! I wasn't looking alright!" Ena apologized. "Here, let me help you."
Ena helped the girl gather their stuff from off the ground. She dusted off a few pebbles from her book before she stood up and saw that the stranger had finished picking up some of her items. They were a bespectacled young girl of medium height with medium-length black hair and brown eyes. She was also the Den City High School Uniform.
"Here…" The girl offered Ena some papers she dropped. She took them as she then placed them back insider her bag.
"Are you okay?" Ena asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine. But thank you for your concern." The young girl replied as she then left.
"Are you okay, Ena? I saw you fell to the ground," Yuji said with a worried tone.
"I'm fine," Ena answered. "I bumped into a classmate."
"Really? Who?"
"I'm not sure. She had black hair, brown eyes, and wore glasses. Know anyone of that description?"
"Sadly know. And I know everybody."
"Don't worry about it. It'll probably come to us later today."
"Hey, you guys!"
Yuji and Ena turned around to see the two nearby voices belonging to Yuya and Zuzu.
"Good morning, Yuya and Zuzu!" Ena said as the two teens approached them.
"I'm surprised you two to be here," Yuji said. "I figured you two will sleep in today after last night."
"That's what Kolter said," Yuya said.
"But we're not going to let a few energetic kids keep us from attending school," Zuzu stated. "So, what's on the agenda for today?"
"Well, I have a test in my Environmental Science class today," Ena informed her.
"Oh yeah. Yuji and I have that as well during 9th period," Yuya pointed out.
"Speaking of, did you study for it?" Zuzu asked.
"I don't have to take it until the end of the day," Yuya replied. I have enough time."
"That's what I said," Yuji said.
"Even if it's the last test you two will ever take, during lunch period, you guys are studying for that test," Ena stated.
"Fine," Yuya and Yuji said as they and the girls started their walk towards the school.
"Anything else we need to know?" Zuzu asked.
"Only that Ena bumped into someone," Yuji answered, causing Ena's face to turn red.
"Yuji!" Ena shouted.
"What's the big deal? Zuzu bumped into Skye when you guys went to visit her, and she didn't get embarrassed about it when she shared it with us."
"He's got you there, Ena," Yuya said. "Anyone we might know?"
"Sadly, even with her description, Yuji and I couldn't figure out who she was.
"Maybe she's possibly a new student?" Zuzu said.
"Could be," Yuji said. "But let's focus on that later and focus more on the test for Environmental Science."
"Yeah!' The others said as they continued walking towards Den City High.
A few minutes later...
Ena sat in her seat for her Environmental Science class as she then took out her textbook and began studying for the quiz. Even with the test on her mind, she couldn't get the image of the girl she bumped into out of her mind. She feels that she's seen that girl from somewhere before but couldn't put her finger on where.
"Good morning, class." Ena looked up from her textbook at the teacher, who was speaking. "As you all know, we have a test today. So I hope all of you study real hard."
The students then closed their textbooks and put them back in their bags as the teacher then handed them their tests as they began.
At the end of Environmental Science class…
"And that concludes our lesson for today!" The teacher said. "Tonight, all of you must write a 500-word research paper about the environment. If you like, you can choose to work with a partner. There's a bowl on my desk with each of your names, and whoever you pick, they'll be your partner. Please make sure you do actual research, plagiarize, and forget about the extra credit listed! See you tomorrow!"
The students got up from their seats as some of them left the room while others went to the desk to get a partner for the assignment. One of them was Ena.
"Normally, I'd work with Yuji, but sadly it has to be someone from this class," Ena said. "So let's see who's the lucky winner.
Ena put her hand in the bowl and grabbed a piece of paper to read the person's name. "Lilian Gardener."
"That would be me."
Ena turned around to see the voice belonging to the same girl she bumped into earlier.
"It's you."
"Nice to meet you," The girl said. "Even though we've met already, we never fully introduced ourselves. My name is Lilian Gardener, but I go by Lily."
"Nice to meet you. My name is Ena Yamashiro," Ena said as she offered a handshake, to which Lily accepted.
"Guess we're partners," Lily said. "I look forward to working with you."
"Me too," Ena said. "So, what should we do in the meantime?"
"Well, I was going to go to the library and work on some algebra," Lily answered. You're free to join me if you like."
"Sounds good to me."
The two girls left the classroom and headed straight to the library.
At Den City High School's library…
"Excuse me, Lily? There's a problem I need your help with," Ena said.
"Sure thing. What problem are you stuck on?" Lily asked Ena.
"Problem #36," Ena replied, pointing to it. "Can you help me solve this problem using the three different methods?"
She looked at Question #36, then at her notes. She has already finished solving the problem, so that it would be good practice for her.
Before she got started, Ena spoke up. "Once again, I'm very sorry about bumping into you on the sidewalk earlier today."
Lily glanced at her before speaking. "I'm the one who should be sorry," she said, surprising Ena. "I was in a rush to get to school early so I can enough time to study for the test."
"I completely understand," Ena said. "Anyway, I think I know a great place where we can do our research paper."
"Really? Where?"
"My family owns a flower shop, so it's the perfect place to gather data on since flowers are a part of the environment."
"All right," Lily said. "I have an appointment with one of my teachers later. But I should be able to come."
"Great." Ena took out a slip of paper and scribbled down an address before giving it to Lily. "This is where we're going to meet before we go.
After Lily looked at the slip of paper, she nodded. "Okay. Thanks for letting me know."
The bell rang, catching the two girl's attention as they left the library and went to their next class.
At the end of the school day…
The school day finally ended, and Yuya and Zuzu, and Yuji exited the school as they walked towards the plaza downtown.
"So, how did the test go for your guys?" Zuzu asked.
"We passed," Yuya answered.
"And it was thanks to all that studying you had us do during lunch," Yuji said. "Also, do you where Ena was?"
"She texted me about her doing her math homework with a classmate who's also the girl she bumped into and that she was going to her family's shop to write a paper with them," Zuzu answered.
"Is that so?" Yuya asked. "Did she get her name by any chance?"
"Yep. The girl's name is Lilian Gardener, but she says that she likes to be called Lily."
"Sounds like a nice girl," Yuji said. "But jokes on Ena, though. That means more hot dogs and fries for the three of us.
"Aw yeah!" Yuya shouted.
"Well, I think it's great Ena's interacting with other people besides us," Zuzu said. "But you're not wrong about more food for us. We should probably head down there fast before the lunch to dinner rush starts."
The three teens sped up as they ran down the street towards Den City's Central Plaza.
Meanwhile, at Cafe Yamashiro…
"Here we are," Ena said as she opened the door to her family's shop, and she and Lily entered it.
Lily's face lit up after seeing all the flowers inside. "Wow. It looks so beautiful in here."
"Thank you. You can thank my family for all of this," Ena stated.
"I will. Are they here by any chance?" Lily asked.
"Sadly o," Ena replied. "They're currently in American doing the Grand Opening of this exact store."
"Your parents are entrepreneurs?"
"They weren't at first, but down the road, they decided it was the best to support your education."
"While I see the good behind it, it must be upsetting if they're not here."
"It does get lonesome sometimes, but luckily I got really good friends. But enough about me, tell me some things about you, Lily.
"Not much. I like to read, take walks in the park, and try new things."
"Like what?"
"You know how I was standing to pick a partner for the assignment? That was me trying something new."
"I don't understand," Ena said.
"I mean that I'm usually shy and distant and feel comfortable doing things on my own," Lily answered. "I decided to mix things up by having a partner."
"I see. Well, I'm glad you did because I'm getting to know an amazing person," Ena said. "So, how about we get started on our paper?"
"Let's do it."
The two girls then walked up to a couple of flowers and started writing down facts about each one of them. They suddenly approached a basket of roses.
"Know anything about roses?" Ena asked
"Nothing much, except that there are over 35,000 species of roses cultivated across the world with new varieties being developed continuously," Lily replied, shocking Ena.
"Impressive, Lily. Where did you learn about that?"
"My parents are both botanists, meaning they study plants, and sometimes I watch them work and pick up a few facts about certain flowers they're researching."
"Well, once again, I say that's impressive. Know anything about these Daffodils over here?"
"I remember my parents saying that the sap of the Daffodil contains sharp crystals that protect the flower from grazing animals."
"Fascinating. Keep this up, and we're to get a good grade."
"Well, let's continue."
Ena and Lily continued looking at every flower in the shop and writing facts on them as they eventually got down to the last one; a Dandelion.
The dandelion is the only flower representing the three celestial bodies of the sun, moon, and stars – the yellow flower resembles the sun, the puffball the moon, and the dispersing seeds, the stars!" Lily stated.
"And I believe that was the last one," Ena said. "Looks like we're finished with our paper."
"Perfect," Lily said. "How about we celebrate by getting a bite to eat? I know a great place."
"Sounds good. Lead the way," Ena said.
The two of them left the shop as they headed downtown.
Elsewhere, in Den City…
The girls then entered a dark, suspicious alley as they stood outside a sushi bar.
Ena didn't look too comfortable and said, "Um, Lily, are you sure this is the right place?"
"It is. It's a little secret place I found," Lily said with a smile as she opened the door.
Inside the sushi bar, it was a normal, traditional Japanese sushi bar, with a counter for customers to sit and a regular tatami mat with a table. However, nobody was inside, specifically customers.
"It looks like nobody is here," Ena noticed. "So, I think it's best if we leave this spooky, I mean, fine sushi bar and go somewhere else!"
Ena turned around and headed straight towards the door before being stopped by a man taller than her. He had a shaggy, rough beard in white sushi garment that most sushi chef wears. Also, to note that his teeth were very sharp looking, like a shark.
"Kyyyaaaahhh!" Ena screamed.
"Oh!" They then heard a voice from the kitchen. A young woman in an apron and big belly came out of the kitchen. "Are you ladies alright?"
"Welcome to the Sharks' Den Sushi Bar!" The man stated before he turned to Lily and gasped. "Hey, it's you, Lily!"
"Nice to meet you, Mr. Same," Lily greeted. "How are you doing, Mrs. Same?"
"I'm fine. Thanks for asking," Mrs. Same said.
The girls sat at the tatami table a little later, eating sushi dishes from the plates.
"I didn't know you know the owner of this sushi bar, Lily," Ena said, with a bag of ice over her head. "But I admit that their sushi tastes good."
"Thank you for the compliment, young lady!" Mr. Same bubbled. "It is made by the finest sushi chef around! Any friend of Robbin is a friend of mine. Eat as many as you want!"
"Thank you, sir," Robbin replied.
"Let me refill your water," Mrs. Sama stated.
Ena noticed the big belly she had.
"Umm, excuse Miss, but are you happened to be…?" She questioned.
"Oh! Yes. I'm about in 7 and half months now," she admitted.
"That's very nice to hear, maim, and congratulations even though it's a little over seven months now, like you said," Ena said.
"Thank you," she replied with a smile. "It will get busier here once this little guy comes out, but I am looking forward to it. Especially my husband."
"Did you say something, dear?" Mr. Sharks asked.
"No, dear. Not at all," Mrs. Sama responded as she went back to work.
"They seem to be a very happy couple," Ena remarked.
"They are. Their sushi is really good. It's just that they don't get many customers because of location and other things. Yet, they somehow manage to keep this place open," Lily explained.
"You know, after spending time with you, Lily, working on our assignment, you kind of remind me of someone," Ena said.
"Really? Who?" Lily asked.
"Roselyn," Ena answered.
"B-Roselyn? Why her?"
"I saw recordings of her duels in the LINK VRAINS Masters Tournament and saw she uses a Plant-based Deck, meaning she has a strong connection with your plants, like your knowledge of flowers," Ena explained.
"I see. Well, to be honest, you kind of remind me of Sanctum?"
"I do? What relations do I have with her?"
"She's strong and confident and doesn't let anything bring her down nor let anyone stand in her way," Lily answered. "There are times where I can be as brave as her."
"Well, I believe that you're already brave," Ena stated.
"I don't think so," Lily rebutted. "I told you that struggle with being social and that I had to work up the courage to do something new by picking a partner. That doesn't scream confidence."
"Just because you don't show confidence doesn't mean you don't have it," Ena pointed out. "Back when I was a kid, I learned that my friend Yuji used to be shy and distant like you, but once we met and hanged out with each other, he started to become more social and outgoing. All of that wouldn't have happened if it weren't for that fateful meaning because just by meeting that right person, they can help you break through your shell."
After hearing Ena's words, Lily suddenly became motivated. Your right, Ena! I've been putting myself down throughout my whole life just because I felt like I was different from everyone else. But, from now, that's all going to change."
"That's the spirit, Lily!" Ena shouted.
Lily's phone started to ring as she then saw who was calling. "Oops. It's my parents. They're probably wondering where I'm at.
"Well, I won't keep you or your parents waiting," Ena said. "See you at school tomorrow!"
Ena left some money for her sushi platter as she got up from her seat ad headed towards the exit.
"Wait!" Lily stopped her, grabbing her by the wrist.
"Yes?" Ena asked, turning back with a slightly confused look on her face.
"Can we please exchange numbers? I would like for us to hang out again sometime. And if you like, you can bring your friends as well," Lily told her.
Ena nodded. "Okay then, here you go!"
Ena pulled her phone from her pocket and holding it out to Lily. She quickly copied the number on display and saved it on her phone. They then repeated the process vice versa, Lily giving her her number as well.
"Thank you. I'll make sure to notify you when I'm free," Lily assured her.
"I look forward to it!" Ena said with a smile. "Now then, see you tomorrow!" She called out to Lily as she turned away from her, raising her hand to say her farewell.
"See you tomorrow!" Lily repeated as she exited the sushi bar.
A few minutes later…
After finishing her assignment and early dinner with Ena, Lily went straight home. As she entered the house, her parents greeted her as they sat down and had dinner, which was a rare event since her parents were very busy. Both her mother and father ran a company that studied and helped save plant life worldwide. She also has an older brother, but he worked late as one of the security staff members at SOL Tech. They lived at a manor, a street down from a blue sphere surrounded herYuya, Zuzu, Kolter, and Jin lived. Any closer, and they were practically neighbors!
"I heard from your teacher that you got a 100% on your test today in class. Good job, sweetie," said Lily's father. "Make sure to keep up with your studies."
Lily's father, Victor Gardener, was a tall man with a good build for his body. He had a brown beard and short brown hair. He was in his mid-30's.
"Thank you, father. And I will," Lily replied. Her dad had a high expectation of her.
"Now, now, Hun. Don't make our daughter nervous," said Lily's mother. "Of course, you doing well in your classes, right, dear?"
Her mother, Hannah Gardener, was a pretty woman who looked two to three years younger than her spouse in her thirty. She had long, dark brown hair, which was where Lily's hair color came from. Her eyes were bright yellow, and her light skin looked silky and beautiful, making her look younger than she appeared to be. Some people may mistake her for being 18 years old.
"Yes, mother. I'm doing well in my classes," Lily replied.
"Of course, she is! She's our daughter after all and the next heir to the family business!" exclaimed Mr. Gardener. "Of course, once Lily succeeds us, she will be the first daughter in our family heritage to be the President of the Gardener Enterprise."
Mrs. Gardener giggled. "Ho, ho, ho! Oh, honey, don't get too excited. Of course, our daughter will succeed you. Maybe even better."
Mr. Gardener chuckled back. "Ha, ha! Indeed, but I'm still running the company and well alive, so praise me a bit, will you?"
They joked and laughed together, enjoying tonight's dinner. Just then, Lily looked over to the clock on the wall. It was 7:45 pm, and she needed to leave.
"Mother, father." They turned their attention to her. "May I excuse from the table? I…I must go and sleep early."
"Well, certainly, my little flower," Mr. Gardener accepted. "You should rest early and be well for tomorrow."
"Thank you, father, and goodnight," she said as she bowed to him and her mother. "Goodnight to you, too, mother."
"Goodnight, dear," she replied as she smiled lightly back.
Lily exited the kitchen as the butlers opened the door for her. She walked upstairs to the second floor and straight to her bedroom.
Time to take matters into my own hands," She said to herself as the maids stopped and bowed to her while she passed by them.
Once she entered her room, she put a "Do Not Disturb" sign on her doorknob. Then, she took out a small key and used it to open one of her cabinets under her desk. Inside it, a pinkish-red modern Duel Disk was presented.
She took it out and strapped it around her left arm near the wrist.
"It's time to link into the VRAINS!"
Data swirled around her as a blue sphere surrounded her. Her outfit changed to a sleeveless white mini dress with purple outlines, and the right arm has a long baggy sleeve with purple ruffles at the ends. The dress trails at the back into two tails down to her ankles. She also wore white stockings and heels and a necklace with a red charm hanging from it. Her eyes were now bright ruby color.
She logged in to DA125NW, which stands for "Duel Arena," the same place where Blue Maiden and Maestra dueled.
"Now that I'm here, time for me to move on with the next step of my plan," Roselyn said.
Meanwhile, in Den City's Central Plaza…
"That was delicious!" Yuya said with a smile on his face.
"No kidding, Yuya," Yuji said. "Thank god, we got down here in time, or else Kolter wouldn't save us the good food."
"No joke," Zuzu said. "Such a shame, Ena wasn't here to join us, but on the plus side, she probably ended up making a new friend."
"And we can all agree that making a new friend is great," Yuya noted.
"Right!" The others said in agreement.
Suddenly, Yuji's phone started going off.
"Looks like you got a message, Yuji,"Zuzu stated.
"Who's it from?" Yuya asked.
"Let me check," Yuji replied as he opened the message. "It's from Ena, and it says here, she wants me to stop by her family's shop."
"Really? For what?" Zuzu asked.
"It doesn't say, but I know if I don't show up, she'll be breathing down my neck for a week," Yuji said.
"Well then, you better get a move on or else that thought well become real," Yuya suggested.
"Way ahead of you," Yuji said as he left.
"You have any ideas on why Ena called Yuji?" Zuzu asked.
"No clue, but who to says we can't follow them to find out?" Yuya said.
"I would be against that, but I want to know what's going on," Zuzu said.
The two teens then secretly followed Yuji.
A few minutes later...
Yuji arrived at Cafe Yamashiro as he entered the shop and saw Ena standing at the counter. I'm here, Ena. What's up?"
"I just received a message from Roselyn, and it says that she wants to meet Sanctum in LINK VRAINS for a Duel."
"Roselyn? Isn't she the Top 9th Charisma Duelist in LINK VRAINS?" Yuji asked.
"The only one," Ena answered. "I don't know why she wants to challenge me this late at night, but I never turn down a duel."
"I know you don't," Yuji said. "Want me to join you?"
"Nah. I'll be fine. But I'll keep you posted just in case," Ena replied.
"All right, then. You better get ready."
"Already on it."
Yuji and Ena went to the store's backroom while Yuya and Zuzu were staring through the window.
"Any ideas on what's happening?" Zuzu asked.
"I guess that they have a room that lets them log into LINK VRAINS, and they're planning on using it," Yuya answered.
"Well, let's head inside and see where they on planning logging into."
"Sounds good to me."
Yuya and Zuzu entered the shop as they went into the backroom where Yuji and Ena were at. They then saw Yuji sitting at a monitor as Ena strapped on her Duel Disk.
"I'm entering the coordinates she sent into your Duel Disk," Yuji said.
"Thanks," Ena said. "If things start to go south, I'll notify you to log in."
"Glad to hear it. Now go duel your heart out!'
Ena nodded as she entered the closed space and inserted her Deck into her Duel Disk.
"It's time to link into the Vrains!"
In LINK VRAINS...
Sanctum appeared inside the Coliseum, where she saw Roselyn standing across from her.
"Sanctum! You came!" Roselyn exclaimed.
"What's up Roselyn," Sanctum greeted. "How are you doing?"
"Sanctum, I challenge you to a duel!"
"Woah! She's already fired up! Alright. Let's duel then!"
"Hold up a second!" They were then interrupted with two familiar faces.
"Please wait for a moment until we have our camera ready," Frog stated.
"It won't take long...hopefully," Pigeon said.
"Frog and Pigeon? What are they doing here?" Sanctum asked.
"I hired them to record our duel for everyone to see," Roselyn answered. "If Blue Maiden's and Maestra's duel was broadcast, why shouldn't ours be?"
"Very well. It will make the duel much more entertaining," Sanctum said.
"We're done!" Frog ad Pigeon finally set up the camera and turned it on, making all other TV monitors in LINK VRAINS, and the real world changed to their channel.
"Hello, everyone! It's Frog here!" Frog started.
"And I, Pigeon, is also at present," Pigeon added.
"We bring you breaking news!" Frog exclaimed. "We will now be broadcasting a special duel that we thought we'd never expect to see! It is a challenge duel between the Floracious Floral, Roselyn, and the Superior Star, Sanctum!"
"That's right!" Pigeon agreed.
Everyone was watching the show., Jin and Kolter watched the duel from their TV living room. Skye and Akira were watching from their kitchen TV, and Shima watched the duel from his tablet. At the same time, Mr. and Mrs. Gardener were also watching the duel.
"A duel between two Charisma this late at night?" Mr. Gardener said. "I hope my daughter's sleep isn't getting interrupted."
"Don't worry about it, honey," said. "Our daughter is solely focused on her education and not some silly duel."
Meanwhile, Yuya, Zuzu, and Yuji were also watching the duel from the real world.
"Looks like Ena's dueling a fellow Charisma Duelist, just like us," Yuya stated. "Want to log in and see it in person?"
"Why not?" Zuzu said. "We know the coordinates thanks to Yuji, and we have a spare key to Kolter's truck which is five minutes away, plus it's much better than seeing it here and risk getting caught."
"Then let's get a move on."
Yuya and Zuzu snuck out of the shop and headed towards the Cafe Nom food truck as they entered it and put on their Duel Disks and inserted their Decks into them as they entered the closed place.
"It's time to link into the VRAINS!" They both shouted.
In LINK VRAINS...
Yuya and Zuzu, now Ringmaster and Maestra, were inside the Coliseum, standing in the top row.
"Seeing on how Roselyn is the 9th best duelist in LINK VRAINS and Sanctum is the 7th best, you think their rank will change if either of them loses?" Ringmaster asked.
"Probably not," Maestra replied. "Our rankings nor Gore, Blue Maiden's or Soulburner's rankings changed when we dueled since we didn't bet it, so I assume it won't happen to them."
"Makes sense," Ringmaster said. "No matter who wins or loses, I know this will be a great duel."
"No doubt about that," Maestra said. "And if I know Skye, she's going to go all out in this duel."
"Are both duelists ready?" Frog asked them, receiving nods of confirmation from each duelist. "Then begin!"
"Duel!" Both Roselyn and Sanctum shouted.
Sanctum: 4000 LP
Roselyn: 4000 LP
"Since I challenged you, you get to go first," Roselyn stated.
"No, no. You can go first." Sanctum replied. I want to see what you're made of.
"Very well. "I'll start by activating the Field Spell Card: White Rose Cloister!"
Roselyn placed the card in the Field Zone slot. Soon the Coliseum transformed into an outdoor garden with a smooth stone pathway and beautiful white roses in bloom. Maestra looked at a white rose blooming by her side and plucked it, placing it in her hair.
"Pretty!" Ringmaster said. It was like seeing all those roses in the parks he and Maestra used to go to with their parents when they were kids, where people could see them bloom.
"Next, I summon Twilight Rose Knight!"
A female knight with short blue hair and yellow eyes, a long white cape, and dark, rosy armor on the upper portion of her body appeared on Roselyn's field. On her head was a large, dark rosy tiara. In her left hand, she carried a sword.
Twilight Rose Knight ATK 1000 DEF 1000 LV: 3
"Twilight Rose Knight's effect activates! When she's Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Plant monster from my hand! Come, Botanical Girl!"
A teenage girl wearing plant-like clothing all over her body appeared on Roselyn's field. Her hair consisted of large rose petals at the front, while a large bulb was at the back.
Botanical Girl ATK 1300 DEF 1000 LV: 3
"I now tune the Level 3 Twilight Rose Knight with the Level 3 Botanical Girl!" Roselyn declared as a bolt of green lightning struck her. Soon, the world greyed out, causing both monsters to disappear. Two pink rings appeared before turning blue and merging. Six blue rings stacked in a tower then appeared, a screen displaying "3 + 3" in front of them. The screen changed to a "6" as light surged through the rings.
"Queen of the hidden castle, let the forces of mother nature course through you!" Roselyn chanted. "I Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 6! Queen of Thorns!"
A woman in a green and red dress covered in leaves and vines appeared on Roselyn's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.
Queen of Thorns ATK 2200 DEF 1800 LV: 6
"Roselyn has pulled off an amazing Synchro Summon!" Frog exclaimed. "How will Sanctum react to this?!"
"I'm sure she'll find a way to deal with it," Pigeon added.
"As long as Queen of Thorns is on the field, we must pay 1000 life points to Normal or Special Summon a monster from our hands, except if it's a Plant monster," Roselyn explained.
Sanctum frowned as she looked at Queen of Thorns. She must be planning on locking me down before ending the duel quickly, she theorized. Good thing I'm two steps ahead!
"In addition, I'll activate Botanical Girl's effect! Since she was sent to the Graveyard, I get to add a Plant monster with 1000 or fewer defense points from my Deck to my hand."
A card then popped out of Roselyn's Deck, which she took and added to her hand.
"Finally, I place two cards face-down and end my turn."
Sanctum smiled in response. "Not a bad start. But allow me to show the limitless possibility of my Deck! My turn! I draw!" Sanctum smirked upon looking at it the card she drew. "First, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card: Forbidden Chalice! This Spell rewards your monster with 400 extra attack points but robs it of its special abilities!"
A wave of sparkling water washed over Queen of Thorns, giving and taking power.
Queen of Thorns ATK 2200→2600
"Now Sanctum won't have to worry about losing any Life Points," Ringmaster said.
"That was a smart move there," Maestra added.
"Next, I Special Summon Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse!"
A silver machine with a circle around its body and blue crystals embedded in its armor appeared, summoned in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse ATK 2400 DEF 2400 LVL: 8
"What?" Roselyn said, surprised. "How did you summon a Level 8 monster without Tributing any monsters?"
"Indigo Eclipse's monster effect," Sanctum explained. "If there are two or more cards in the same column, I can Special Summon it to that column."
Roselyn looked at her Duel Disk. She noticed she'd placed one of her set cards in the same column as Queen of Thorns, so Sanctum had summoned his monster to that column.
"Indigo Eclipse's additional effect! Once per turn, I can move one 'Mekk-Knight' monster I control to another Main Monster Zone. I move it to the column to its left!"
Indigo Eclipse moved, leaving room for another monster.
"I now Special Summon Mekk-Knight Blue Sky to Queen of Thorn's and your middle set card's column!"
A mechanical warrior in gold and blue armor, wearing a blue cape and wielding two curved silver swords, appeared in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Blue Sky ATK 2000 DEF 2500 LVL: 5
"Blue Sky's monster effect! If it is Summoned from the hand, I can add different "Mekk-Knight" monsters from my Deck to my hand, equal to the number of cards you have in its column. Since you have two, that means I gain two more "Mekk-Knight" monsters!"
As Sanctum took the cards from her Deck, Roselyn muttered to herself, "The rest of her Mekk-Knight monsters probably all have the same Special Summon effect. This is going to make things very tricky."
"I activate the Continuous Spell Card: Senet Switch!" Sanctum continued. "Once per turn, I can move a monster I control to an adjacent Main Monster Zone. I move Blue Sky to the column to its right. And now I Special Summon Mekk-Knight Red Moon via its effect!"
A red and silver machine carrying a large ax appeared in Attack Position in the same column Blue Sky had vacated.
Mekk-Knight Red Moon ATK 2300 DEF 2600 LVL: 7
"Huh. You summoned three strong monsters on your first turn. But Queen of Thorns has 2600 attack points. You'll have to do better than that," Roselyn taunted Sanctum.
"With pleasure," Sanctum said as she played another card. "I activate the Spell Card: Trade-In! I discard a Level 8 monster to draw two cards. I discard Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall." Sanctum discarded, drew, then gestured to her field. "I activate Red Moon's effect! By banishing a "Mekk-Knight" monster from my Graveyard, I can destroy a face-up monster in Red Moon's column!"
"What!?" Roselyn gasped.
"I banish Purple Nightfall to destroy Queen Of Thorns!"
Red Moon's ax glowed before it drove it into the ground, creating and releasing a blast of energy towards Roselyn's Synchro Monster.
"Oh no! Roselyn's monster will be destroyed!" Shima exclaimed.
"I activate the Trap Card: Synchro Out!" Roselyn declared. "By returning one Synchro Monster I control to my Extra Deck, I can bring back the monsters used to summon it!"
Queen of Thorns disappeared into a beam of light, and taking its place was Twilight Rose Knight and Botanical Girl.
Twilight Rose Knight ATK 1000 DEF 1000 LV: 3
Botanical Girl ATK 1300 DEF 1000 LV: 3
"You'll have to try harder than that to win."
"Is that so?" Sanctum muttered before she took a card from her hand. "I activate the Continuous Spell Card: World Legacy Key! This card lets me add one banished "Mekk-Knight" monster or "World Legacy" card to my hand. I return the banished Purple Nightfall to my hand."
After doing so, Sanctum gestured to her field. "Battle! Red Moon, attack her Botanical Girl!"
Red Moon charged at Botanical Girl and swung its ax, but Roselyn only smirked.
"You'll have to try harder!" she declared. "I activate the Trap Card: Wall of Thorns! If you attack a Plant-type monster, then all your monsters in Attack Position are destroyed."
A giant wall of thorns sprung up from the ground and extended towards Red Moon, but Sanctum wasn't worried.
"World Legacy Key's effect!" he announced. "If you activate the effect of a Trap Card in the same column as a "Mekk-Knight" monster, that effect is negated!"
"What!?" Roselyn said, surprised.
"Wall of Thorns is in the same column as Indigo Eclipse!" Sanctum reminded Roselyn. "So its effect is negated!"
The vines struck a barrier around Red Moon, followed by the card it came from shattering.
"The attack continues!" Sanctum reminded her opponent. "Red Moon, destroy Botanical Girl!"
Red Moon brought its ax down and cut Botanical Girl in half, destroying her in an explosion.
"Since Botanical Girl was sent from the field to the Graveyard, I get to choose one Plant monster with a 1000 or less Defense Points from my Deck and add it to my hand. I choose Evil Thorn!" Roselyn said, grabbing the card and showing it to Sanctum.
"The Battle Phase is not over! Blue Sky, attack Twilight Rose Knight!"
Blue Sky swung one of its swords and sliced Rose Knight in half, destroying her in an explosion.
"Finally, Indigo Eclipse attacks you directly!"
Indigo Eclipse fired a blue energy stream from its chest at Roselyn, but she wasn't worried.
"From my hand, I activate Rose Gardna's effect! When I'm about to take battle damage, that damage is cut in half!"
A blizzard of flowers emerged out of nowhere towards Indigo Eclipse, weakening the force from its attack as Roselyn winced in pain.
Roselyn: 4000→2800 LP
"Then, I can summon Rose Gardna to the field with its original attack and defense equal to half of the damage I'd take!"
A red-armored female knight with a long shield shaped like a rose appeared on Roselyn's field.
Rose Gardna ATK 0→1200 DEF 0→1200 LVL: 4
Sanctum narrowed her eyes. Not bad. I set one card and end my turn."
Roselyn narrowed her eyes. "Your reputation as the 7th best duelist in LINK VRAINS isn't exaggerated, I see. I'd hoped you would lose more Life Points to Queen of Thorns' effect, but you managed to outsmart me." She smiled. "It seems I can't hold back in this duel. My turn! Draw! I activate the Spell Card: Graceful Charity! It allows me to draw three cards, at the cost of discarding two."
She drew her three cards, then discarded Card of Compensation and an unknown Spell Card.
"Card of Compensation's effect activates! As I sent it from my hand to the Graveyard, I get to draw two cards." Roselyn drew her two cards, then said, "I summon Evil Thorn!"
A plant with a spiked seed attached to it appeared.
Evil Thorn ATK 100 DEF 300 LVL: 1
"Evil Thorn's effect activates! By Tributing it, I can inflict 300 points of damage to you!"
"What?" Sanctum gasped and then winced as Evil Thorn exploded and shot needles at her.
Sanctum: 4000→3700 LP
"And then, Evil Thorn's effect lets me Special Summon up to two Evil Thorns from my Deck."
Two more copies of Evil Thorn sprouted onto Roselyn's field.
Evil Thorn ATK 100 DEF 300 LVL: 1 x 2
"The Evil Thorn Special Summoned by this effect cannot activate its effects this turn," Roselyn continued. "But I have other moves like this! I activate the Spell Card: Release Change! By Tributing one monster on my field, I can special summon one monster with the same Level from my Deck! I Tribute the Level 4 Rose Gardna to Special Summon the Level 4 Witch of the Black Rose!"
Rose Gardna burst into particles as a short girl with long purple hair wearing a black, purple, and white dress and wielding a staff appeared.
Witch of the Black Rose ATK 1700 DEF 1200 LVL: 4
"I now tune Level 4 Witch of the Black Rose with both the Level 1 Evil Thorns!"
The world grayed out as green energy gathered around Roselyn before blasting upwards into the sky. Witch of the Black Rose and the two Evil Thorns disintegrated into data that reformed into three rings, one purple, and two green. The rings turned blue and merged before reforming into seven blue rings in a tower. "4 + 1 + 1" before shifting to "6". A beam of light shot through the rings.
Hunter of splendid thorns hidden in the sacred forest come forth now with your whip of punishment in hand! I Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 6! Splendid Rose!"
A blonde man wearing a two-tone green tunic with plant whips on either side of him emerged from the light in Attack Position.
Splendid Rose ATK 2200 DEF 2000 LVL: 6
Sanctum's eyes widened. "A new Synchro Monster?" Then her eyes narrowed. "Impressive. But Splendid Rose's attack points only outnumber my Blue Sky's."
"Then allow me to change that," Roselyn said. "I activate Splendid Rose's effect! By banishing a Plant monster from my Graveyard, one of your monster's attack points is halved until the end of the turn!"
"What?"
"I banish Evil Thorn to halve Indigo Eclipse's attack points!"
Splendid Rose's tentacles ensnared the silver machine.
Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse ATK 2400→1200
"Next, I activate the Spell Card: Synchro Blast Wave! Since I control a Synchro Monster, I get to destroy one monster on your field. Goodbye, Red Moon!"
The Spell unleashed a beam of green energy that struck Red Moon in the chest and exploded.
"Nice. Getting rid of my Red Moon means I can no longer destroy your monsters," Sanctum said.
"Exactly," Roselyn replied. " I now activate the Spell Card: Emergency Recharge! Normally, it lets me draw two cards, but when my hand is empty, I'm allowed to draw four!"
Roselyn drew and smiled at her cards. "I activate the Equip Spell Card: Cursed Thorns!" The card showed Fallen Angel of Roses surrounded by a dark aura as her whip grew longer. "I equip it onto Splendid Rose!" Now, when he destroys a monster in battle, you take damage equal to half the destroyed monster's ATK, and then he gains attack points equal to the damage you took!"
"What!?" Sanctum gasped as Roselyn's monster was enveloped in a dark aura while the vines on his back extended outwards.
"Battle!" Roselyn declared. "Splendid Rose attacks Blue Sky! Hunter's Whip!"
The blonde man created a thorn-covered whip in his right hand and struck Blue Sky with it, destroying it and making Sanctum wince.
Sanctum: 3700→3500 LP
"Cursed Thorn's effect activates! Since Blue Sky had 2000 ATK, you take 1000 points of damage, and Splendid Rose gains 1000 attack points!"
A dark aura formed around Splendid Rose as it unleashed its whip at Sanctum, making her wince.
Sanctum: 3500→2500 LP
Rose Tentacles ATK 2200→3200
"Splendid Rose's additional effect activates! If it attacked during the Battle Phase, by banishing a Plant monster from the Graveyard to halve its attack points and allow it to attack again! I banish my 2nd Evil Thorn!"
Splendid Rose ATK 3200→1600
"Battle! Splendid Rose attacks your Indigo Eclipse!"
The blonde man leaped into the air and dived at Indigo Eclipse as it lased one of its vine whips at it, destroying it and making Sanctum wince again.
Sanctum: 2500→2200 LP
"You now take damage from Cursed Thorn's effect!"
Splendid Rose once again slammed its whip into Sanctum's side as she fell to the ground.
Sanctum: 2300→1600 LP
Splendid Rose ATK 1600→2300
"Now, this is an exciting duel!" Frog exulted. "I don't know who to cheer for."
"Me neither, boss," Pigeon said.
Back at Cafe Yamashiro…
"I didn't know Roselyn was that good," Yuji said. "I know she said only to come if there's trouble, but I just can't sit here."
Yuji got up from his chair and grabbed his Duel Disk as he entered the closed space.
"It's time to link into the VRAINS!"
In LINK VRAINS…
Storm Rider logged into LINK VRAINS and appeared inside the Coliseum as he saw Sanctum lying on the ground. "Come on, Ena, you're better than this. Don't quit now."
Storm Rider then turned his head and saw Ringmaster and Maestra standing on the other side.
"Ringmaster and Maestra? What are they doing here?" He wondered as he walked over towards them.
"Boy. It looks like Sanctu had the advantage, but Roselyn managed to turn things around," Ringmaster said.
"But you and I both know that she isn't down for the count," Maestra pointed out.
"I hope you're right."
"Yo! Ringmaster and Maestra!"
The two duelists turned around to see Storm Rider calling them.
"Storm Rider? What's he doing here?" Maestra asked.
"He must have logged in after seeing Ena suffer a brutal attack," Ringmaster answered. "Let's go over and join him."
Maestra nodded in response as she and Ringmaster walked over towards Storm Rider.
"Long time no see," Storm Rider said. "What are you guys doing here?"
"We saw the duel being broadcast at our home and decided it'd be better to see it in person than on screen," Ringmaster replied. "What about you?"
"As you know, Sanctum and I are close friends, and even though she told me not to interfere, I just couldn't stand by and watch her struggle," Storm Rider explained.
"We understand," Maestra said. "But believe me when I say that Sanctum's going to bounce back."
"Hey, Sanctum!" Roselyn shouted. "Are you alright? I thought my last attack was a bit rough, so I got a little worried."
She got back up and said, "Don't worry. I am fine."
"Thank god," Roselyn said with relief.
Sanctum's eyes narrowed. "You're better than I imagined. To deal me extra damage and power up your monster at the same time… I'll have to stay on guard throughout the rest of this duel."
"You're pretty good, Ms. Izayoi." Andre donned a confident smirk. "But I think it's time I put an end to this! My turn! Draw!
"You sure will. I set three cards face-down and end my turn," Roselyn concluded. "Since it's now the Ena Phase, Splendid Rose regains the 1600 attack points."
Splendid Rose ATK 2300→3900
"Before I start my turn, I activate the Continuous Trap Card: World Legacy's Secret!" Sanctum declared. "This card lets me Special Summon a Level 5 or higher monster from my Graveyard. Resurrect, Indigo Eclipse!"
The blue machine surrounded by a circle appeared in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse ATK 2400 DEF 2400 LVL: 8
"My turn! Draw!" Sanctum looked at her card, then chose a different one. "As Splendid Rose and Cursed Thorns are in the same column, I can Special Summon Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall from my hand to their column!"
A mechanical warrior carrying a spear and wearing a purple cape appeared in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall ATK 2500 DEF 2000 LVL: 8
"Next, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card World Legacy's Memory! This card lets me Special Summon a "Mekk-Knight" monster from my hand or Deck in Defense Position. From my Deck, I Special Summon Mekk-Knight Orange Sunset!"
A silver, black, and orange warrior with two shields appeared on Sanctum's field.
Mekk-Knight Orange Sunset ATK 800 DEF 3000 LVL: 6
"Heh. Impressive lineup. But Splendid Rose has more attack points than all of them," Roselyn pointed out.
"Are you sure about that?" Sanctum asked Roselyn. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card: Gravity Lash! This card targets one monster on the field, and it loses ATK points equal to its DEF points!" She points at Splendid Rose. "And since Splendid Rose has 2000 DEF points, that's going to backfire on him!"
The Spell Card popped up and shot a bolt of lightning over to zap Splendid Rose, powering him down.
Splendid Rose ATK 3900→1900
"Battle!" Sanctum declared. "Purple Nightfall, attack Splendid Rose!"
His monster charged Splendid Rose and jabbed its spear at the monster, destroying it and making Roselyn wince.
Roselyn: 2800→2200 LP
"Battle! Indigo Eclipse attacks you directly!"
The silver machine released a blue energy wave at Roselyn, who gestured to her field.
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card: Burial from a Different Dimension! It lets me return up to three banished monsters to the Graveyard. I return my two Evil Thorns and Witch of the Black Rose to my Graveyard. Then, I activate the Trap Card: Synchro Spirits! This Trap Card banishes a Synchro Monster from my Graveyard. And then, if all the monsters that I used for its Synchro Summon are in the Graveyard, I can Special Summon them. I banish Queen of Thorns and Special Summon Witch of the Black Rose and two copies of Evil Thorn!"
The short girl with purple hair and the spiky seeded plants appeared in Defense Position.
Witch of the Black Rose ATK 1700 DEF 1200 LVL: 4
Evil Thorn ATK 100 DEF 300 LVL: 1 x 2
"You solid up your defenses," Sanctum said. "Respect. Blue Sky, attack and destroy Witch of the Black Rose!"
The monster swung its swords at Witch of the Black Rose, destroying it.
"Finally, Orange Sunset attacks one of your Evil Thorns!"
Orange Sunset charged towards Evil Thorn and slammed it with one of its shields, destroying it.
Sanctum then gestured to her field. "I activate Purple Nightfall's effect! Once per turn, during either of our turns, I can banish a "Mekk-Knight" monster until my next Standby Phase and add a new "Mekk-Knight" monster from my Deck to my hand. I banish Indigo Eclipse to add Mekk-Knight Green Horizon to my hand." Said monster disintegrated as Sanctum took a card from her Deck. "I set a card and my turn."
My turn! Draw!" Looking at her card, Roselyn immediately played it. "I activate the Spell Card: Spellbook Inside the Pot, which lets the both of us have to draw three cards!"
Roselyn and Sanctum both drew their cards and added them to their hands.
Roselyn looked at her current cards and grabbed one of them, "I activate the Spell Card: Fragrance Storm! By destroying a Plant monster I control, I can draw a card. And if that card is a Plant monster, I can then reveal it to draw another card. I destroy Evil Thorn!"
Her monster shattered as Roselyn drew.
"The card I drew is Dark Verger, a Plant monster! So I draw another card!"
Roselyn drew again, then gestured to her field. "I activate White Rose Cloister's effect! Since I have no monsters on my field, I can Special Summon a Plant monster or a "Rose Dragon" from my hand. I Special Summon Lilac Rose Dragon!"
With a small breeze, some flower petals were carried across the field and created a small tornado. The small dragon with black and small purple scales around his paws back and grey eyes appear from the petals.
Lilac Rose Dragon ATK 1400 DEF 1000 LVL: 3
"Oh, it's the cute little dragon!" Maestra cooed.
"I wouldn't be fooled by its cuteness Maestra," Ringmaster said.
"He's right," Storm Raider agreed. "My gut tells me that something big is coming."
"Now, since I summoned a Tuner Monster, I'm allowed to summon Dark Rose Fairy from my hand!''
A green-haired fairy wearing a rose-like dress appeared before raising a lantern to the air.
Dark Rose Fairy ATK 800 DEF 1000 LVL: 2
Lastly, I summon out Dark Verger!"
A dark green plant with two eyes on its leaves appeared in Attack Position.
Dark Verger ATK 0 DEF 1000 LVL: 2
"I now tune Level 3 Lilac Rose Dragon with the Level 2 Dark Rose Fairy and Dark Verger!"
The world grayed out as green energy gathered around Roselyn before blasting upwards into the sky. Lilac Rose Dragon, Dark Rose Fairy, and Dark Verger disintegrated into data that reformed into three rings. One red, one purple, and one green. The rings turned blue and merged before reforming into seven blue rings in a tower. "3 + 2 + 2" before shifting to "7". A beam of light shot through the rings.
"The cold flame engulfs the entire world!" Roselyn chanted. "Pitch-black flower, bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear, Level 7! Black Rose Dragon!"
A massive, black-skinned dragon, whose entire body was covered in roses, spread out her wings and let out a shriveling roar as she was summoned to the Right Extra Monster Zone on Roselyn's field. She had a long, slender neck covered in roses at the back and three mandibles made of roses on her head. She also had clawed draconic feet. In addition, the dragon had a long, thorned tail, along with thinner thorned tails. Black Rose Dragon's orange eyes glowed as she glared at Sanctum.
Black Rose Dragon ATK 2400 DEF 1800 LV: 7
"Black Rose Dragon's effect activates!" Roselyn said. "When it's Synchro Summoned, every card on the field is destroyed!"
"Every card?!" Sanctum repeated.
"That's right!" Roselyn confirmed. "And I summoned her in the Right Extra Monster Zone, you can't use your Trap's effect to negate it. Go, Black Rose Gale!"
Black Rose Dragon let out a roar as she flapped her wings in front of her, unleashing a tornado at Sanctum's monster and her Spells and Traps. However...
"I don't think so!" Sanctum said. "I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card: Mystik Wok! This card Tributes a monster and gain Life Points equal to either its attack or defense points. I Tribute Purple Nightfall and gain Life Points equal to its attack points."
Purple Nightfall burst into particles as they showered Sanctum as a golden aura formed around her while Black Rose Dragon immediately destroyed her other cards.
Sanctum: 1600→4100 LP
"That was a close one," Ringmaster said, wiping the sweat off his forehead using his right arm.
"And her ace monster destroyed itself too," Maestra added.
"So Sanctum still has a chance to win this duel," Storm Rider stated.
"I activate the second effect of the Trap Card: Forced Rebirth from my Graveyard!" Roselyn said. Soon, a silhouette of a card appeared, showing Crass Crown clawing its way out of the Graveyard as it transformed into Clown Zombie. "When a card effect destroys this card, I can Special Summon a monster straight from my Graveyard. Return, Black Rose Dragon!"
Black Rose Dragon reappeared on her field, only this time in the Main Monster Zone.
Black Rose Dragon ATK 2400 DEF 1800 LV: 7
"I should've known that the dragon wouldn't be gone too long," Sanctum muttered.
"Battle!" Roselyn declared. "Black Rose Dragon attacks you directly! Black Rose Flare!"
Black Rose Dragon gathered energy inside her maw before firing it at Sanctum, causing her to fly back and fall to the ground.
Sanctum: 4100→1700 LP
"I set one card face-down and end my turn." As soon as she did that, she heard Sanctum laughing. "What's so funny?"
"This duel! That's what!" Sanctum answered. "I'm having a blast here. Arent you?"
"Of course I am," Roselyn replied. "You made me used my ace monster against you. Which means you're an opponent worth dueling."
"Thank you. "Guess it's time for me to go all out. My turn! Draw!" Sanctum looked at her card, then gestured to her field. "As it is my Standby Phase, the effect of Purple Nightfall activates, and I Special Summon Indigo Eclipse!"
Said monster reappeared in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Indigo Eclipse ATK 2400 DEF 2400 LVL: 8
"Next, since both Black Rose Dragon and your set card are in the same column, I'm allowed to Special Summon Mekk-Knight Green Horizon from my hand to their column!"
A green armored monster wielding a staff appeared on Sanctum's field in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Green Horizon ATK 2100 DEF 1600 LVL: 6
Looking at the field, Sanctum realized what to do next. "Appear, the circuit of illumination!"
Her hand shot a bolt of lightning into the air that created a Link portal.
"What?" Roselyn said, surprised. "Link Summoning?"
"Link Arrows authorized!" Sanctum chanted. "The summoning conditions are two monsters, including at least one "Mekk-Knight" monster. I set Indigo Eclipse and Green Horizon in the Link Arrows!"
Her monsters shot into the portal and another world before turning into red energy and entered the bottom-left and bottom-right arrows, turning them red.
"Link the Circuit! I Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star!"
A large new bipedal machine appeared on Sanctum's field. Its armor was grey, with blue lines running across its skin. Instead of hands, it had two electrodes, one of which created a blade of yellow fire. Despite having no mouth, Morning Star roared from the Right Extra Monster Zone.
Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star ATK 2000 LINK-2 ↙↘
"Marvelous!" Frog commentated. "Sanctum brought out a Link Moster to go head to head with Roselyn's Synchro Monster!"
"Looks like Sanctum's finally decided to go all out," Storm Rider said.
"Hope it's enough to help her win," Ringmaster added.
"Well, knowing her, it is," Maestra noted.
"While summoning a Link Monster is nice and all, it's still isn't strong enough to take out my dragon," Roselyn stated.
"I've got plenty more moves to make, and one of them is activating Morning Star's effect!" Sanctum continued. "When it is Link Summoned, by discarding a "Mekk-Knight" monster or "World Legacy" card, I get to add a "World Legacy card from my deck to my hand."
She discarded Legacy's Whispers to add World Legacy Clash to her hand.
"I activate the Spell Card: World Legacy Succession! This card Special Summons a monster from my Graveyard to a Link Monster's Link Marker. I Special Summon Mekk-Knight to Morning Star's Link Arrow!"
The purple armored mechanical monster reappeared at Morning Star's bottom-left Link Arrow in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall ATK 2500 DEF 2000 LVL: 8
"Next, I activate the Field Spell: World Legacy Scars!" The card appeared in her Field Spell Zone, and it showed two warriors looking down on a massive shield. "Now, all "Mekk-Knight" monsters gain 300 attack and defense points!"
Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall ATK 2500→2800 DEF 2000→2300 LVL: 8
Mekk-Knight of Morning Star ATK 2000→2300 LINK-2 ↙↘
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card: World Legacy Clash! By banishing my monster until the End Phase, one of yours loses attack and defense points equal to the banished monster's!"
"What!?" Roselyn gasped.
"I banish Morning Star and lower Black Rose Dragon's attack points!" Morning Star disintegrated as Black Rose Dragon glowed red.
Black Rose Dragon ATK 2400→100 DEF 1800→0
"Battle!" Sanctum declared. "Purple Nightfall, attack Black Rose Dragon!"
Her monster charged Ixchel and jabbed its spear at the monster, but Roselyn didn't seem worried.
"I activate my Trap Card: Ground Capture!" Roselyn declared. "Since your monster declared an attack, the battle damage is halved!"
Soon, a giant stone hand erupted from the ground and temporarily stopped Purple Nightfall's attack. Unfortunately, it destroyed Black Rose Dragon, causing Roselyn to flinch from the shockwave.
Roselyn: 2200→850 LP
"Then, since I took 1000 or more points of damage from your attack, I can draw a card!"
"Once again, you've impressed me with your quick thinking," Sanctum said as she then gestured to her field. "I use Purple Nightfall's effect to banish it until my next Standby Phase!" Said monster disappeared into light. "And now I add Mekk-Knight Yellow Star from my Deck to my hand. Finally, I end my turn with a face-down. And during the End Phase, the effect of World Legacy Clash activates and Special Summons Morning Star to my field."
The grey bipedal machine with a blade of fire reappeared in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight of Morning Star ATK 2000→2300 LINK-2 ↙↘
"My turn! I draw!" Roselyn drew her card and looked at it before looking back at Sanctum. "This duel has been lots of fun, but I'm sorry to say that this will be the last turn."
"What makes you say that?" Sanctum asked.
"This. I activate the Spell Card: Card of Variation!" Roselyn declared. "This card lets me draw two cards, but I must send one card from my hand to the Graveyard at the end of my turn. Otherwise, I take 3000 points of damage." She proceeded to draw two cards.
"Next, I activate the Spell Card: Monster Reborn! With this, I'll Special Summon a monster from either of our Graveyards. Return to me, Black Rose Dragon!"
At Roselyn's command, Black Rose Dragon reappeared on her field and roared at Sanctum.
Black Rose Dragon ATK 2400 DEF 1800 LV: 7
"Even if she brought back her ace monster, it still isn't strong enough to beat Sanctum," Ringmaster pointed out.
"Not only that, but she can't use her dragon's effect to lower her monster's attack points since Link Monsters can't be placed in Defense Position," Storm Rider added.
"While that may be true, didn't you guys hear what Roselyn said? This will be the last turn of the duel," Maestra reminded them.
"You may have brought back your dragon, but I'm sad to say that it isn't going to help you win this turn like you said," Sanctum stated.
"Well, I hate to tell you that you're going to end up regret saying those words," Roselyn replied. "I activate the second effect of the Quick-Play Spell Card: Assault Mode Zero from my Graveyard! By banishing it, I'm allowed to set Assault Mode Activate directly from my Deck!"
A card ejected from Roselyn's Duel Disk as she then set it onto her field.
"Did you say Assault Mode?" Sanctum repeated, with her eyes widened.
"I'm also allowed to activate it the same turn I set it," Roselyn continued. "I activate the Trap Card: Assault Mode Activate! "By Tributing a Synchro Monster, I can Special Summon an "/Assault Mode" monster whose name includes the Tributed monster's name from my Deck in Attack Position. I Tribute Black Rose Dragon!"
Pink flames enveloped Roselyn's dragon as the two lightning bolts shot past it. Flames in the shape of petals peeled off the dragon before they dispersed, revealing the monster beneath.
"Come forth! My trusted partner! Black Rose Dragon/Assault Mode!"
The dragon was the same in that it had two legs, a head, and two wings, but there were differences. Its chest was now covered in magenta-colored armor shaped like flower petals. Its pink rose petal wings emerged from either side of its body, and its black legs were covered by pink armor. The top half of its black tail was covered by ridged pink armor, while the bottom half was covered in thorns. Its neck consisted of ridged black plates lined with pink, and four trails of crimson roses fell behind its head. Its yellow and red eyes gleamed as it roared in Attack Position.
Black Rose Dragon/Assault Mode ATK 2900 DEF 2300 LVL: 9
"Oh!" Frog cried out in shock alongside everyone watching. "Roselyn's summoned an even more powerful dragon!"
"And I believe that it's ready to give Sanctum some trouble," Pigeon added.
"But how did she even get that card in the Graveyard?" Maestra asked.
"That's what I was thinking," Ringmaster added.
"Remember when used Graceful Charity? That probably was the other card she discarded along with Card of Compensation," Storm Rider answered.
"Assault Mode?" Jin blinked.
"What kind of monster is that?" Kolter wondered.
"She has one of those?" Skye said in surprise.
"Unbelievable. I thought those cards were extremely rare," Akira said.
Back at the Gardener house, Both Mr. and Mrs. Gardener stared at the TV.
"The heck is that?" Sanctum wondered. "Assault Mode?"
Roselyn smirked. "This is my dragon's evolution. Not only are its attack and defense points higher, but its effects are more powerful as well. Black Rose Dragon/Assault Mode's effect activates! When it is Special Summoned, all other cards on the field are destroyed!"
"What!?"
"Go! Extreme Rose Gale!"
A whirlwind of wind and rose petals stormed across the field.
"I won't allow that!" Sanctum declared. "I activate the Continuous Trap Card: Invalidate! Thanks to its effect, cards on the field cannot be destroyed by effects during this turn!"
A red barrier formed around Sanctum's field, shielding her cards from being destroyed.
"As if it would be that simple…." Roselyn sighed. "Then, I'll use my dragon's other effect. Once per turn, by banishing a Plant monster from my Graveyard, one of your monsters' attack points becomes 0 until the end of the turn!"
Storm Rider's eyes widened. "That's a powerful effect…."
"I banish Dark Verger to change Morning Star's attack points to 0! Rose Bind!"
The two vines on the dragon's underside lashed out and ensnared Morning Star, draining it of its power.
Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star ATK 2300→0
"Battle! Black Rose Dragon/Assault Mode attacks Mekk-Knight of the Morning Star! Assault Rose Flare!"
"I activate Invalidate's second effect!" Sanctum abruptly stated. "By sending this card to Graveyard, all battle damage I take from this attack is cut in half!"
Following Sanctum's words, Black Rose Dragon/Assault Mode opened its mouth, and violet and pink flames gathered in its maw as it blasted Morning Star, causing Sanctum tumbling backwards.
Sanctum: 1700→250 LP
"Sanctum!" Ringmaster, Maestra, and Storm Rider all yelled.
"Sanctum managed to hang on by a thread! But now she has no monsters on her field!" Frog announced.
"And no face-downs either," Pigeon added. "Everything will be decided with the next draw!"
Roselyn adopted a small smile. "I'm glad you survived. I wasn't ready for this duel to end. I place one card face-down and end my turn. As it's the End Phase, I'll discard Wall of Ivy from my hand to avoid taking 3000 points of damage from Card of Variation."
Just in case Sanctum manages to bring out a stronger monster, I have my Half Counter Trap Card, which will reward my dragon half of the attacking monster's attack points.
Sanctum got back up and smirked. "This is what a duel's all about! Not straightforward or easy to win! But with twists and turns, the ones that depend on the luck of the draw! Those are the duels that entertain the most, that ignite the passion within the hearts of duelists!" Sanctum narrowed her eyes at Roselyn. "Roselyn! This will be my final draw!"
"Go ahead!" Roselyn challenged with a glance back. "Show it to me!"
"My turn! Draw!" Sanctum looked at her card and smiled before gesturing to her field. "As it is my Standby Phase, the effect of Purple Nightfall activates, returning it to my field!"
Said monster reappeared in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall ATK 2500→2800 DEF 2000→2300 LVL: 8
"Since there are two cards in the same column, in this Black Rose Dragon/Assault Mode and your set card, I Special Summon Mekk-Knight Yellow Star to the same column!"
This monster was a silver metal warrior with blue indents and a silver circle around it.
A machine with silver and yellow mechanical wings appeared in Attack Position.
Mekk-Knight Yellow Star ATK 2200→2500 DEF 2800→3100 LVL: 7
"Next, I activate the Spell Card: Altar of Restoration! By banishing the top two cards of my Deck, I'm allowed to add World Legacy's Memory to my hand, which I'll then use to Special Summon Mekk-Knight Avram from my Deck!"
A warrior in gold armor carrying two curved swords appeared in Defense Position.
Mekk-Knight Avram ATK 2000→2300 DEF 0→300 LVL: 4
Roselyn narrowed her eyes towards Sanctum's field. "Three monsters," she muttered. "Is she-?"
"Appear, the circuit of illumination!" Lightning shot from Sanctum's hand and created a Link portal. "Link Arrows Authorized! The summoning conditions are two or more "Mekk-Knight" monsters. I set Avram, Purple Nightfall, and Yellow Star in the Link Arrows!"
"Link the Circuit! I Link Summon! Emerge and display the colors of the rainbow! Link-3! Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme!"
A monster that appeared to be an amalgamation of all the Mekk-Knight monsters' weapons emerged from the portal, summoned to the same Extra Monster Zone that Morning Star vacated before.
Mekk-Knight Spectrum Supreme ATK 3000→3300 LINK 3 ↙↓↘
Ringmaster and Maestra's eyes widened as Storm Rider's narrowed.
"Oi!" Ringmastersaid.
"Isn't that's-!" Maestra continued
"A Cyberse monster," Storm Rider finished. "Ironically, she bought it on eBay."
"A-A 3000 attack point Link-3 monster?" Roselyn said, his eyes wide. "I've never faced a monster like this before…." But even so, you'll only be able to deal me 100 points of damage." She said, hoping to bait Sanctum to still attack.
"You're wrong," Sanctum said as she gestured to her field. "Spectrum Supreme's additional effect! When there are no other cards in its column, it can attack directly!"
"WHAT!?"
"Go! Ultimate Rainbow Burst!"
Seven lights gathered around Spectrum Supreme's body before being launched at Roselyn, causing an explosion sending her tumbling to the ground.
Roselyn: 850→0 LP
"And the duel is over!" Frog shouted at the top of his lungs.
"The winner is Sanctum! With a spectacular comeback, too, I might add!" Pigeon added.
"Well done, Sanctum," Yuhiro muttered as he smiled to himself. "What do you guys think of the duel?"
"It was amazing!" Ringmaster replied.
"It sure was," Maestra added. "She's someone the Arbiters should be scared of facing."
Sanctum walked over to Roselyn and offered her a hand.
"Thank you, Roselyn, for the duel. It was tough, but also fun! Let's do it again sometimes," she said, helping Roselyn up.
"Of course," Roselyn said as she and Sanctum shook hands.
The spectators and people watching from the real world applauded the two duelists. It seemed like everyone enjoyed it, even though it was late at night. The two of them then logged out along with Ringmaster, Maestra, and Sanctum.
At Gardener's Residence...
Lily sighed as the blue sphere around her faded away. "Well, even though I didn't win, that duel was still a lot of fun," she said as she got up from her bed.
She went to the bathroom and splashed water on her face, tired from the duel against Sanctum before returning to her room and going to sleep.
At Café Yamashiro's backroom...
Even though Ena was tired from her duel against Roselyn, she was surprised that her body didn't ache. She walked out of the room, although a bit slow, just in case. Yuji was there, waiting for her.
"Glad to see you're in one piece."
"Yeah. I'm lucky to even be in one piece in the first place after facing that dragon," Ena replied as she sat down in the chair next to Yuji. "Also, I think I know who Roselyn is."
"Really? Who?" Yuji asked.
"Lily Gardener from my school," Ena answered.
"Are you serious? How did you figure that out?"
"Simple. Lily's parents are both botanists, and she's knowledgable about plants and uses a Plant Deck, so if you add all those things together, it ends up with that result."
"I see. Are you going to confront her about it?"
"No. But I do believe that after our duel, she's feeling a bit more confident now, meaning she'll help us in the war against the Arbiters."
"Hope your right. Anyway, it's getting late, so you mind if I stay here for the night?"
Sure thing."
Yuji and Ena left the backroom as Ena then headed upstairs, and Yuji headed to the guestroom.
And that is Chapter 18. Bold are OC's. Forced Rebirth is an OC created by DivadX from his fanfic Yugioh Vrains Obscured Truth. Also, I changed Lily's avatar name to Roselyn since I kept saying Black Rose in my head and reading it, and it didn't sound right. I am proud of this chapter because I posted it earlier than normal, which might be from now on since I'm done with school. Also for those who don't know or have read yet, I altered the last turn in Chapter 17. I got a review from someone named KingKing who thought Declan was going to Link Summon and that was my original idea, but I decided it was better to include it later. But the review got in my head and convinced me to do it. So you can thank KingKing for doing so and I agree that it was the better option. As always, follow, favorite, and review. Also, the next chapters will now be three-parters instead of two-parters and will include multiple duels in the first two.
Preview: Arbiter Assault Part 1, 2, and 3
Part 1 Duels: Ena vs Nyx/Shaddoll User and Yuji vs Drakon/Dragunity User
Part 2 Duels: Gore vs. Brawler/Former Charisma Duelist who used a Tenyi Deck now uses Gore's old Dinowrestler Deck. And Zuzu vs. Zekt Rematch
Part 3 Duels: Yuya vs. Serpah Rematch
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