Enko was once more feasting on the banquet, eating as much as he could. The two adults went to talk to him, but Arata stormed right into the hall again. "Enomoto you sloth! Don't leave me without food."
"Aniki is not my fault you left!" Said Enko pushing Arata.
"It's YOUR fault you eat like a pig!" Replied Arata pushing Enko back. "Oi that lobster is mine!"
"No way! You had it last time!" Said Enko grabbing it.
"Exactly! Because is mine!" Replied Arata grabbing it too.
"ehem Messieurs please may we have a minute of your time?" Said Grisolle interrupting the fight for food.
"Shut up you twat!" Screamed Arata. "Enomoto I'm gonna kick you to the moon if you don't leave my lobster!"
"STOP!" Screamed Moonson, making both idiots stop immediately. "Stop embarassing yourself for a damn minute and listen to us."
"Huh? You want me to beat your ass again?" Said Arata. "I thought that flawless victory was enough to calm you down."
Before Moonson got angrier, Grisolle separate them and handed the black envelope to Enomoto. "If Sleed-san wants to come it's not a problem, but Monsieur Keiko, it's best you come alone."
"Come to where?" Said Enko still trying to secure that lobster.
"It's all explained in the letter. No pressure though, we are very busy at the moment so you can come whenever you feel like it." Grisolle left to the headquarters again, leaving Moonson alone to try to talk to Arata. The pair never stopped eating until their part of the table was completely clean, not even crumbs were left.
"So burp what do you want now?" Said Arata leaning on the chair.
"I know for a fact you cheated!" Said Moonson.
"You know for a fact?" Said Arata. "If you're so sure about it why do you come to me?"
"I want your confirmation of such heinous acts!" Said Moonson standing more and more upright.
"You want my honest word?" Replied Arata.
"Yes!" Said Moonson starting to sweat a bit.
"You had a shit hand, that's not on me. Stop whinning and let me enjoy my dessert." Arata stopped leaning back and started eating some ice cream, ignoring Moonson's complains.
"We all have a bad day every once in a while, it's okay." Said Enko eating ice cream too. "Also Aniki is the coolest no wonder you lost, hehe."
"Enomoto, don't get cocky." Said Arata standing up. "If you want a rematch I'll gladly give you one, but it's getting late now and I want to sleep, haven't done that in forever."
"Once the tournament is over I'll demolish you infront of millions of people!" Said Moonson storming out of the hall into the dorms. The rest of the group finished eating their food and went to their rooms, sleeping soundly.
Halfway into midnight, Oki was awoken by some noises coming from the next room, like something was tumbling all over the place, knocking things. She tried to sleep again until the sound of a shelf falling hard on the ground wake up everyone else in the room, Athena and Kazuki.
"Athena stop farting please." Said Kazuki whispering.
"It's not Athena this time." Replied Oki whispering too. "It's coming from the next room."
"What the hell do you mean by this time?" Said Athena screaming. "Let's see what's going on." The three girls peeked into the corridor, it was pitch dark. They were looking left and right until they saw two red glows approaching, scaring them shitless.
"What. The. Heck." Said Kazuki whispering. "This place is haunted."
"We're gonna die!" Screamed Athena.
"Hush you two." Said Oki whispering. "Let me peek again." She peeked again into the corridor, seeing the two glows infront of the next room, slowly staring at her. "YOU'LL NEVER POSSESS ME DEMON!" Screamed Oki pointing her phone flashlight directly into the glows, blinding Arata.
"Ugh what the fuck! I'm blind!" Screamed Arata hitting his head on the door. "Who was that!?" One of the rooms opened too, and Enko came from it running.
"Aniki! What happened!?" Screamed Enko, waking up Tsutsumi.
"Is anyone hurt?" Asked Tsutsumi. "I can't really see so-" Tsutsumi tripped on Arata, falling on top of Enko.
"My ribs!" Screamed Arata. "Why!?"
"Sorry!" Said Tsutsumi trying to stand up, kneeing Enko in the balls on the process, making him scream like a storm siren.
"I can't breathe..." Said Enko contorting into a fetal position.
Oki, Athena and Kazuki decided to slowly go back to their room, just before Masaki came, turning on the lights and looking at the mess in utter disappointment, arms crossed.
"After you buffoons are done doing whatever is that, I would like to get some sleep."
"Sorry buddy, I was trying to know what that sound is." Said Arata standing up. He stumbled a bit due to the rib pain but Enko was infront of him, he needed to pretend. "I don't know what is going on there but it needs to stop."
The door opened slowly, leaving everyone intrigue. From it came the hooded guy Enko has been seeing. "I guess you are here for the sounds, excuse me, it won't happen again."
"It better not, I don't care how cool that party is or whatever, keep it down." Said Masaki slamming his door closed.
"Man fuck you got going on there?" Asked Arata as his red glow died down. "Sounds wild."
The hooded guy backed off a bit, gasping quietly. "Yub- No." He said whispering. "It's nothing really, just an accident."
"Do you want some help?" Said Tsutsumi.
"No! Don't enter!" The hooded guy slammed the door closed, returning the corridor to silence for a few seconds.
"What a weirdo." Said Enko yawning. "I mean he looked off but he's a bit scary."
"Whatever, I'm going back to sleep." Said Arata.
"He looked like he knew you Arata, like it was scary to see you." Said Tsutsumi.
"Have you seen me? I look scary to anyone. Now hush and go to sleep." Both of them nodded and went to their rooms, sleeping the rest of the night. Arata sat on his bed for a minute, thinking about that. "Yub... Yub... Sounds familiar but I can't put my finger on it, does that guy know me or something? All of this is giving me a headache..."
The next morning everyone had time to relax a bit, today the duel wasn't related to them, so they hang around together waiting to watch it. Arata had a more serious look on his face, between the rib pain getting worse and the encounter from last night he had a lot of in his mind, distracting himself with another cigarette. "Does anyone know who is dueling this morning?"
"Not really, but I heard some guy talking about dueling when I woke up." Said Oki. "Don't really know them but their voice."
"The hooded fuck probably is dueling today." Said Arata. "Why else do you make so much noise at night all by yourself?"
"The duels have been quite intense until now, let's see if this one is enjoyable as well." Said Masaki. "Block B is full of novices, but hey Keiko surprised us."
"Well that's because I'm amazing." Said Enko smugly. "But in all seriousness I'm intrigued to see hoodboy go at it."
/WELCOME EVERYONE WATCHING AT HOME, IT'S ME GARDIUS! I HAVE VERY SPECIAL NEWS FOR ALL OF YOU! HERE AT INDUSTRIAL ILLUSIONS HAVE FINALLY DEVELOPED THE LASTEST TECHNOLOGY IN DUELS, TRULY A STEP FORWARD INTO BRINGING THEM TO LIFE! INSTEAD OF THAT TACKY VR SETUPS, WE INTRODUCE TO YOU HOLOGRAPHIC REALITY!/
The new stadium lit up, instead of a vr machine like the other one, this was an interior garden with a stadium in the middle, the size of a tenis court. both sides of the stadium were flooded with sits, covered by blossoming Sakura trees from the intense lights from the ceiling. Both entrances to the stadium were adorned by Toriis, three on each side like a sacred hallway to the duels, as well as various golden adorns across the borders of the stadium. The ceiling was about 160 feet tall so the echo of the footsteps was clearly audible, showing the colossal size of the Silver Tower. It not only had the intense floodlights but it was filled with the same reflective hexagons panels from the other one, blue electric waves surging across the surface. The duelists were already in the stadium. A girl dressed in a gothic dress and black hair and bangs covering her forehead, adorned with expensive jewels. The other one, a dark skin boy with white hair and 4 red strands on it, wearing an extravagant but tattered attire. The two of them however were both wearing a tiny headpiece in their left side of the head, the girl's one had blue lights flashing on it but the boy's one didn't.
/SINCE THIS IS OUR FIRST OFFICIAL TIME USING THIS WE HAVE DECIDED TO NOT HAVE ANY LIVE AUDIENCE, BUT WE ASSURE YOU THAT THIS TECHNOLOGY IS COMPLETELY SAFE AND HARMLESS. FOR TODAY, OUR TO VOLUNTEERS ARE XIAN, DAUGHTER OF ONE OF THE RICHEST FAMILIES IN JAPAN AND ALUBER, AN AMBASSADOR FROM AFAR THAT HAS HELPED US DEVELOP THE HR TECHNOLOGY!/
Arata's eyes flashed red after hearing that name, without him noticing. "Another rich one? It's getting kinda lame."
"Xian, haven't seen her since preschool." Said Masaki. "Never liked her but our families are really close, that necklace is from our collection."
"You snobs boreeeee me." Said Athena yawning. "Let's get to the duel!"
"Shut up it's starting now!" Said Oki turning the volume of the TV up, sitting close to Enko due to the couch being a bit crammed.
/starting duel/
The ceiling activated, turning the black and white from the floodlights into an infinite open blue sky. "Draw." Said Xian in a calming voice. "Golden ladybug, bring me life." The gold insect appeared on her shoulder, shaking and covering her in a dim golden aura.
/Xian's Current Life Points: 4500/
"Now, your destiny has been sealed, I activate Dark Snake syndrome." Both Duelists were marked in the neck with a black tattoo of a snake biting them. "While you rot away in the illness I'll have my ladybug give me inmortality." Said Xian.
"Yeah I can see why you don't like her." Said Athena to Masaki.
"Come to me, my beautiful healer, Neo-spacian Air Humming bird." The monster appeared on the field from the sky, flying around and landing in a super hero pose. "For each card in your hand Hummingbird gives me 500 LP more."
/Xian's Current Life Points: 7000/
"Ugh now I remember her." Said Oki. "I had her on the store for an hour because her opponent couldn't empty their LP in time, nobody likes a staller."
"Your turn, mortal." Said Xian smiling with an inmense ego pouring from every part of her body.
"The Augurs were right, human are truly hopeless." Said Aluber to himself. With flick of the fingers his 6 cards appeared on his hand, it was hard to tell if they were holographic or not. "The stage is ready to relive the past, Branded Opening." With some hand movements he made one card disappeared, and a rhombus shaped portal appeared on the ground, letting in a monster with long sharp nails and an eye shaped mask covering his face. "Ad Libitum of Despia is on the stage ready to defend his reputation so everyone applaud to the Jester." Aluber normal summoned a monster, and from the long red scarf of Ad Libitum the Jester of Despia appeared, wearing an adorned mask and clothes similar to Aluber's although completely new instead of tattered and old. "The Jester has a few tricks up his sleeve, or should I say mine?" A new card appeared on his hand, another spell card.
"Despia?" Said Oki confused. "Never heard of that archetype."
"Y-yeah, me neither." Said Enko super embarassed of having Oki that close.
"Ad Libitum, please motivate our actors like only you know how to do it!" Said Aluber putting his arms on the air. (Those foolish humans are really trying to merge, I'll show them why the dimensions should stay far way from eachother.)
/Jester Of Despia current ATK: 2200/
/Neo-spacian air Hummingbird current ATK: 1100/
"Jester, show them one of your many tricks!" Exclaimed Aluber as the Jester started dancing. It was like nothing on earth, a trance of growls and spastic movements that hypnotized Hummingbird. As Hummingbird got closer and closer, two strands of those rhombus shaped portals appeared from the Jester's mask, forming horns on it. Once Hummingbird was face to face to it, a much bigger strand grabbed Hummingbird's whole body, suffocating it and eventually absorbing it, just to be spat back at Xian, shattering.
/Xian's remaining Life Points: 5900/
"Ugh..." Said Xian on the floor.
"She looks hurt." Said Kazuki worried.
"This are just holograms, no matter how realistic." Reassured Masaki.
"No big deal." Said Xian standing up and shaking the dust of her dress. "Ladybug heal me once more." The snake tattoo glowed red for a bit, hurting both duelists for 200 Life Points. "Now, I activate foolish burial to send my skull-marked Ladybug and gain another 1000 Life Points, good as new."
"An empty stage is no fun at all!" said Aluber.
"Who said it was empty? I activate cards of sanctity." Said Xian being showered with golden coins, as well as Aluber.
"As I draw my bountiful deck I reveal another ladybug." Said Xian glowing again.
/Xian's remaining Life Points: 7200/
"Now it's time to show you the benefits of immortality, I pay 3000 LP to special summon The Ascended of Thunder!" The sky turned grey, and with a loud thunder, the old sage summoned made appareance, zapping Jester Of Despia with a movement of his scepter.
/Aluber's remaining Life Points: 3300/
"Oh boy Xian's got this." Said Enko.
"Yeah sure, don't talk too quickly Enko." Said Oki.
"The ascended of Thunder... Huh, never thought I'd see you in one of my performances." Said Aluber.
"Is he... Is he talking to the card?" Said Athena with a confused look on her face.
"Too bad you're the prop I'll be using. I welcome you all to Despia, Theater of The Branded!" The whole stadium changed to a monstrously huge building, floating above a city made of what looked like clay. Both duelists were hovering above it all in a platform, part of the hologram. "A shame I can take you inside milady, but I hope you enjoy your personal performance." Aluber's sinister smile was uncanny to say the least. "Oh to rejoice in the Stigmatika again..." Aluber closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. "Here in Despia our best show is the branding, and thanks to the theater Jester is dying to show you his." Two cards in Aluber's hand turned into the rhombus portals, merging into a bigger one that landed on the floor. Around it, flames bright enough to saturate the image from the TV appeared, and Jester transformed into a dragon, red and black, with a face similar to the Jester's mask. "Masquerade welcome back! This girl right here likes to rejoice in inmortality, but let's show her why everything must return to ashes one day, not alone of course." From Behind Aluber came a white knight, weilding a claymore with just one hand, and a small shield on the other. "Well this is just too much fun..." Aluber started being engulfed in flames. "Let me join after so long won't you?" He discarded a spell card from his hand, being completely burned in the process. From the growing pyre a Dragon appeared, black as the night with two big red horns and glowing orange wing membranes.
"Woaaaah impressive." Said Enko.
"Yeah looks so real." Added Arata trying to hold back the pain.
"It's been so long since I was Albion... AD LIBITUM, PREPARE THE FINALE!" Screamed the dragon. "I'm glad you aren't scared milady, so bad you craved to live forever you don't see impending doom when you have it infront of you."
"Good to see my mom's money not to waste, this HR things looks so cool." Said Xian looking at Albion. Ad libitum started dancing the same way Jester did, but his was even more unhinged.
/The Ascended of Thunder current ATK: 3400/
/Albion the Shrouded Dragon current ATK: 3300/
/Masquerade the Blazing Dragon current ATK: 3300/
/Dogmatika Fleurdelis, The Knighted current ATK: 3300/
Fleurdelis charged at XIan's monster, casting a miracle on her sword, making it glow intensly.
/Dogmatika Fleurdelis current ATK: 3800/
"Whoah, that's a strong card! When can I get one?" Enko looked at the rest, besides Arata, everyone had a concerning look on their faces.
The shockwave from such powerful swing cut a bit of XIan's dress, scaring the soul out of here. "What the-" Masquerade eyes glowed, sending her into a pain trip from nowhere.
"If you want to do something it will cost ya'."Said Masquerade. "And with blood shall your deeds be payed."
"What dee-e-eds?" Said Xian scared. The ascended of thunder effect activated again, giving her 5000 LP more, stopping the pain. "WHAT KIND OF BULLSHIT IS THIS? THIS HOLOGRAMS ARE DANGEROUS, I-"
The transmission stopped, turning the TV channel into static. Back at the stadium, Gardius was getting just what he wanted.
"Holograms?" Said Albion. "Maybe the rest isn't, but milady I'm very real." The dragon laughed maniacally, sending Xian into a frenzy.
After a long while, the connection came back, showing the company logo and Gardius' voice.
/It seems the technology isn't working as intended and has interfiered with our broadcasting equipment, we are sorry for that. We will have the problems solved by tomorrow and we will work in making sure this problems doesn't happen again. Thank you and tune tomorrow for the next duel!/
"I mean it was clear who was gonna win." Said Arata.
"So that's why he was acting all weird." Said Enko. "He works with them and it was planning this whole thing!"
"Yeah that was so cool!" Said Tsutsumi. "Imagine dueling like that!"
"That explains why someone like Xian was in the Block B, impressive marketing to say the least, I wouldn't be surprised if the "interfierence" was on purpose too." Said Masaki standing up. "I will talk to her later if I get the chance, maybe he can explain to me a bit more of what happened."
Inside the headquarters the story was a bit different, Grisolle, Aluber and Gardius were all in his office, talking. "What do you want me to do with her Wakui-san? She looks like a wax statue, instant Rigor Mortis." Said Grisolle droppin Xian's body on the ground, frozen in a horrific expression.
"Dispose of her, and her family too."Said Gardius leaning back. "So, Aluber, did you think a life would be enough to send me a message?"
"Human affairs are not on my interests, nor are their lives." Replied Aluber. "Consider that a menace."
"Oooh Aluber, were all despians as cold as you?" Said Gardius smiling. "My mind is not a stranger to your world; turn into Albion all you want, you won't change my mind. It's only a matter of time before I completely merge your world and mine, just like Bruno wanted."
"You're out of your mind if you think the Augurs will allow it." Said Aluber standing up.
"Oh yeah you work with them now. Taken care by the ones who rob you of all, I know two that are a lot like you." Said Gardius laughing. "Well then we will see if your Augurs can stop me once I complete my collection."
"Och has been lost for eons, no human invention or resource can possibly find it." Said Aluber.
"Keep giving me questions and I'll keep giving you answers! YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND DO YOU? MY GOAL IS UNSTOPPABLE." Screamed Gardius. "Once I merge them I can finally let my dragons fly free in MY skies, and your Augurs coming is just gonna make things better. Who would it be? Seraphim, Marduk, Aklamates? Doesn't matter, their presence is just what I need."
"Foolish human, you don't realize the consequences." Aluber disappeared, leaving Gardius to rejoice with some whiskey. "GRISOLLE, ONCE YOU ARE DONE WITH THOSE PESTS IT'S TIME TO START THE NEXT STEP!"