Chapter Six
Time flew by fast the days before the tournament started. Yuito spent most of his day at the agency, first day for a medical checkup, then for some duel practice and eventually just being educated in the do's and don't's of tournament etiquette. Mr. Sonjun even suggested giving him access to some of the spare cards he had at the agency, but except for a few Yuito declined changing his fathers deck.
In fact he never even received it from his father. He had left it home when he went to work for the last time, and it was among the few things that Yuito took with him when he left, holding it dear ever since.
Yuito even received a rundown on his tournament opponents.
There were two other players he had to face. One was a girl named Hatsuko, who was in a similar position than himself; Rather new, only played a few duels so far, waiting for her 'big break' as Alessia put it. According to their news, she played a Psychic deck that focused on Xyz monsters.
But she wasn't the mayor problem, that was his second opponent, as far as Yuito could believe his manager. Saburo apparently wielded six different decks, which he switched according to the intel he got about his opponents. All of them carried a Fusion theme however, but it was nearly impossible to tell what he was going to play, as it wasn't even set that he didn't exchange those six decks with even more others.
His first match however was this day, against Hatsuko.
The taxi drive from his apartment building to Dynasty Hall didn't take that long, so he arrived pretty early alongside Alessia and Keiji. It looked unspectacular from the outside but according to Mr. Sonjun it was a rather small scale venue, but that made it only more likely to be packed today.
From the looks of it, it was still pretty much a ghost town. Maybe two or three dozen people were out and in the building as far as Yuito could tell, about half of them seeming like duelists and agents.
"Looks pretty deserted," Keiji eventually said out loud what Yuito had been thinking.
"It's a small scale tournament with lots of new names. People won't be here until the quarter finale," Alessia answered, "it's not like any of the contestants already got huge fan groups, so the people only care for the best."
"I gave one autograph already," Yuito threw in.
"Maybe then you'll have one spectator on your first duel," Alessia replied, "don't let this whole thing get to you. Nobody is born running."
"Yes, I know," Yuito said, "I cannot expect to immediately play in front of a huge crowd for once."
"Baby steps," Keiji threw in.
"You name it," Alessia and Yuito threw in simultanously.
Yuito was in the third group and was playing the first match of that one, but this was still about an hour away, maybe longer depending on how long it took the players of the first two groups to finish their duels. Then it would run though the other groups and eventually come around to his again.
"We got out seats in the duelists lounge, so we can watch the first two duels," Alessia suggested.
"Can I get something to drink anywhere here?" Yuito asked.
"Great idea," Keiji threw in, but Yuito immediately intervened:
"Water. Or Lemonade. Or Juice."
"There's a bar near the entrance," Alessia explained, "he should give you a drink for free, you're a contender."
"Wow, I really made it far in life."
Yuito went off to find the bar, only to hear Keiji shouting, "Get me one too," after him.
Interestingly, the barkeeper didn't even ask for Yuitos name, seeing his Duel Disk and checking a list he had at him was sufficient for getting two bottles of apple juice for free.
"You're Yuito, right?" he heard a female voice ask besides him, when he was just about to go back to Keiji and Alessia, "I'm Hatsuko."
As Yuito turned his head, he saw his first opponent standing next to him. The apparent Xyz User Hatsuko, a girl who was his age or maybe even younger, slightly shorter than him with her hair dyed blue and green. She wore a pink hoodie and jeans, with a wool scarf to cover up her neck.
"Hello Hatsuko," Yuito replied, and in lack of things to say he just went with: "You're my first opponent right?"
"I'd rather say, you're my first opponent," she said, "I've seen your video, you seem pretty cool."
"Thank you. I'd say something in return but to be honest, there's nothing I've seen of you so far. So tell me, is there anything I should watch?"
Hatsuko just chuckled, before saying: "No, nothing really awesome so far. Thing is, I went to a scouting, was a little bit awesome in front of people and I got a contract, mainly because my mom is the hairdresser of my now-manager."
"Hey, that sounds pretty awesome from my perspective."
"It's like one of those cheesy movies where everything's awesome and the sun always shines, but that presets that I actually get somewhere. This is actually my first big tournament ever."
"Same here. I've never dueled in front of an audience that much."
"Well, too bad I'm going to crush your dreams on our first match, then beat Saburo and after that I'll fail miserably and bring shame onto the both of you."
"Our third wheel? Do you know him?"
"We went to school together. Wish I could say we're friends, but he's actually kind of a dick."
"Is he good?"
"Oh, yeah. Better than the both of us, prolly. Was a real bummer when I got added to his group, its gotta be an early out for me then."
"I don't think you should give up that easily."
"It's not about giving up, its about being realistic," she gave Yuito a pat on his cheek, "but I'm calling dibs on spot two in our group. See you out in a few."
Yuito turned only to see Hatsuko depart, eager to see how good of a duelist she really was.
As it turned out, Keiji was already dying of thirst when Yuito returned to their seats in the stadium, and was less than enthusiastic to learn that Yuito brought him apple juice but he eventually went with it.
Watching the two duels before his one was in fact kinda interesting for Yuito as he tried to memorize some strategies and what the respective players played, yet after the second one started he had already forgot about most of what happened during the first one so he eventually gave up on it. He'd just take everything as it came to him, it had been working ever since. Too much planning ruined intuitive playing.
When it was his time to get on the field, Yuito was actually nervous. Even though the audience ranks were still nearly empty, it was something new for him to play for an actual cause.
He wouldn't admit that he expected applause when he entered the field, but he at least expected the people to stop chitchatting, when he and Hatsuko took the field for their duel.
"Good luck," he said to his opponent, who returned a "You too man."
Hatsuko: 4000 LP
Yuito: 4000 LP
"Ladies and gentleman!" the master of ceremonies shouted, doing his regular introduction Yuito had already heard twice this morning, "to the first duel of the third group! We have Hatsuko and Yuito here, two rising stars competing for your favor."
Even though the ranks were empty, the MC was almost as enthusiastic as when the stadium was full.
"So now, we shall see who goes first! Let's spin the wheel!"
The wheel, in this case, was rather the animation of a roulette wheel on the large screen of the arena. It had equal red and blue fields and was used to determine who went first in a duel.
"If the wheel lands on red, Yuito goes first, if its blue, then its Hatsuko!" the MC continued, as the wheel already spun. And when it landed on blue after a few seconds, Hatsuko wasted no time.
"I activate the Spell Card Emergency Teleport! With it, I can Special Summon a Level 3 or lower Psychic monster from my deck." A small green portal opened up on Hatsukos side of the field, out of which a jester-like monster that was juggling several cubes emerged.
Krebons: DARK / Psychic-Type / Effect / Tuner / Level 2 / 1200 ATK / 400 DEF
Yuito was a little surprised to see a Tuner monster on her field, as he has been told she used Xyz Monsters, and not Synchro Monsters.
"Next I Normal Summon Psydame Daniela, in Attack Position." Her second monster was a female girl with pink skin in an elaborate dancing dress. Four yellow rings of energy manifested around her as she pirouetted in front of Hatsuko.
Psydame Daniela: LIGHT / Psychic-Type / Effect / Level 4 / 1900 ATK / 0 DEF
"I use the effect of Daniela, whenever it is Normal Summoned, I can change the Level of another Psychic monster I control to four!" The four rings glowed in green light, before Krebons was enveloped by similar ones.
Krebons: Level 2 → Level 4
"Level 4 Krebons and Psydame Daniela, overlady!" Her two monsters turned purple and yellow, respectively, and spiraled into a galaxy-like portal that opened on the field. "Xyz Summon! This magical girl will dance me towards victory! Rank 4, Psydame Angelique!" After the portal combusted, Hatsukos Xyz monster revealed itself as yet another dancing dirl, this one having blue skin and a golden dress. Whenever she moved, she created faint afterimages of her body. Two yellow Overlay Units cycled it.
Psydame Angelique: LIGHT / Psychic-Type / Xyz / Effect / Rank 4 / 2100 ATK / 2000 DEF / 2 Xyz Materials
"It's good, isn't it? Having access to an Extra Deck?" Hatsuko joked when Yuito was observing her monster taking the field.
"Speak for yourself. I would've expected a Synchro Monster after you got a Tuner involved."
"Wouldn't have been quite as fitting," she continued, "from my hand I equip Angelique with my Psycharm Ruby Bracelet." The Equip Spell appeared on her side of the field before a red bracelet wrapped itself around the Xyz monsters arm, which eyes it curiously.
"Now, let's go onto what it can do while equipped. Namely, that is inflicting 500 damage to you during my turn." The bracelet glowed with energy, before the monster shot a red light bullet onto Yuito.
Yuito: 4000 LP → 3500 LP
"And here we have Hatsuko, damaging her opponent on the first turn of the duel! Isn't this amazing?" the MC tried to rally the crowd, but to little to no avail.
"Yes, preeetty amazing," Yuito remarked sarcastically, but Hatsuko just brushed it off.
"Each to how they deserve it. I Set one card face-down and end my turn."
"It's my turn then," Yuito said as he drew his card, "From my hand I activate the Spell Card Scribestone Unearthing."
Yuito inserted the Spell Card into his Duel Disk before he pulled another card from his hand. "I need to discard one card to activate it, like my Runecross Guru, then I can place a Stone Crypt Force Sorcerer monster from my deck in my Spell and Trap Card Zone, where it will be able to be substituted as the entire tribute for a Ritual Summon." Behind Yuito, a stele rose from the ground, an imprinted image of Yuitos Sorcerer on it.
"You're going full blue right of the bat, are you?" Hatsuko asked.
"You betcha. I activate Rosetta Scribestone from my hand and tribute the Force Sorcerer that I have in my Spell and Trap Zone as the entire requirement!" A larger stele appeared behind the first one, absorbing it.
"Ritual Summon! To unravel humanities last mysteries, use your magic and cast a light upon the darkness! Level 7, Runecross Wizard!" The monster that calmly stepped out of the stele was a human sorcerer dressed in dark blue garb, with brown letters and golden ornaments running all over it. It wore a hood shrouding all of his face other than its eyes, which were showing flashes of the same letters than it donned on its cloth. In one of his hands it held a wand that was as big as itself, with a simple, grey stone put on top of it.
Runecross Wizard: EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Ritual / Level 7 / 2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
"Wow," Hatsuko commented, "must've been a pretty awesome hand to pull of a Ritual Summon on your first turn."
"Are you serious or sarcastic?"
"Fifty-Fifty."
"Here's one for hundred percent. If my Force Sorcerer is used as a tribute for a Ritual Summon, my monster can destroy card you control per turn. And for starters, I choose Angelique!"
The wizards staff charged up with energy, before unleashing a blast onto the dancing monster.
When it struck, it tore it into thousand little pieces… or that's what it looked like. Instead, The thing that was shattered was just an afterimage, as Angelique just pirouetted away from the blast.
Psydame Angelique: 2 Xyz Materials → 1 Xyz Material
"Quite the surprise, isn't it?" Hatsuko relied snarky, "My Xyz monster can detach one material in order to prevent itself from one instance of destruction."
"I figured that much," Yuito replied, "I hope it works in battle too, so I can thwart the attempt with my Wizards effect."
"I invite you to come and try. And yes it does."
"Well then, Runecross Wizard. Do you deed, Runemagic Blast!" The wizard unleashed a pulsating wave of letters onto the opposing monster, determined to destroy it once and for all.
"When my Wizard attacks a monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck, that monsters effect will be negated and mine will gain 700 ATK."
"I said I'd invite you to try, not to actually do it," Hatsuko threw in, "I use my face-down card Psycharm Gold Chains."
Her Set Trap flipped up, causing golden chains to ensnare Wizard.
"It becomes an Equip Card and negates your monsters effects while it is still face-up on the field."
"You had that the entire time?" Yuito asked speechless, "and you didn't negate my destruction effect? So that means..."
"It was a trap," Hatsuko finished the sentence, "quite literally."
As she spoke, the attack continued and the blast struck the dancer, only for her to evade her destruction once more.
Hatsuko: 4000 LP → 3600 LP
Psydame Angelique: 1 Xyz Material → 0 Xyz Materials
"And this is where the fun stuff begins," Hatsuko continued, "when my monster detaches its last material, its second effect triggers, allowing me to destroy one card you control and inflict 1000 damage to you."
The afterimage that had just been torn apart reassembled, charging towards Runecross Wizard at breakneck speed, who was struggling to move in its chains. Unable to move, it was struck by the image, with the following shock wave blasting Yuito off his feet.
Yuito: 3500 LP → 2500 LP
"That's quite the nasty effect," Yuito said in disbelief as he had just lost his ace monster, "thank god its Overlay Units are gone."
"You wish," Hatsuko said, "the second effect of my Ruby Bracelet immediately attaches itself to the equipped Xyz monster once it runs out of Overlay Units."
The bracelet transformed itself into a yellow ball of energy and started cycling Psydame Angelique.
Psydame Angelique: 0 Xyz Materials → 1 Xyz Material
"Shit."
"Literally," Hatsuko said, "Come on, its still your turn."
"I activate my Spell Card Stele of Necromancy!" Yuito continued, "It revives an EARTH Spellcaster from my grave, but I cannot Summon monsters from my Extra Deck for the rest of the turn!"
"My, my. That sure hinders your next plays."
"I revive my Runecross Wizard," A stele with a purple glow rose from the ground, Yuitos Wizard emerged from it once again.
Runecross Wizard: EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Ritual / Level 7 / 2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
"I end my turn after this," Yuito concluded.
"My turn then, sweetheart," Hatsuko said as she drew, "I activate my Spell Card Offerings to the Doomed. It destroys one monster on the field, but prevents me from conducting my next Draw Phase. But that won't be necessary."
"Even if you destroy my Wizard, your monster doesn't have enough ATK to wipe out my remaining Life Points."
"Who said anything about your Wizard?"
It took a few seconds for Yuito to catch the hint, but he did when bandages rose from the ground and wrapped in Angelique. It once again produced an afterimage that took the blow for itself, and once again the yellow orb orbiting it vanished.
Psydame Angelique: 1 Xyz Material → 0 Xyz Materials
"You know the drill," Hatsuko continued, "My monster detached the last material, so you'll see what happens."
The afterimage freed itself from the bandages, before once more charging into Runecross Wizard, dashing it into pieces.
Yuito: 2500 LP → 1500 LP
Thunderstruck, Yuito fell to one knee, seeing that his LP weren't enough to take one more direct hit from Angelique.
"Ah, you caught on. Maths is really your strong side. You wanna know your main problem?"
"Your Angelique has more ATK than my remaining Life Points. I'll lose."
"You would," Hatsuko continued, "if I could attack directly with Angelique in the turn I use her effect."
"You… cannot?"
"It's not really a strong Xyz Monster. But hey, it was cheap for all I care. I'm saving money for a second, hope it'll be a little stronger."
"Angelique is your only Xyz Monster?"
"If this duel continues for more than my next turn, what I doubt, you'd see how hardcore my deck focuses on her. Much like this," Hatsuko said, as she exited a card from her grave. "The effect of Psycharm Gold Chain can attach itself to a Psydame I control as material."
Psydame Angelique: 0 Xyz Materials → 1 Xyz Materials
"I see what you mean now."
"Thankies, but I'm not finished. I activate the Spell Card Back to Back. It allows me to revive one monster from your graveyard to your side of the field, but its effects will be negated." Yuito watched as Runecross Wizard once more returned to the field.
Runecross Wizard: EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Ritual / Level 7 / 2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
"You've got to be kidding me."
"Angelique, attack Wizard, Spin Kick!" Angelique jumped onto Runecross Wizard, but the other monster simply brushed it off and fired a magic blast onto it.
Hatsuko: 3600 LP → 3200 LP
Psydame Angelique: 1 Xyz Material → 0 Xyz Materials
"I use Angeliques second effect, I once again destroy Runecross Wizard." The afterimage that emerged from the attacking monster charged into Runecross Wizard scattering it into pieces.
Yuito: 1500 LP → 500 LP
"You're a really good duelist," Yuito said, "Too bad I'll have to defeat you to keep going."
"Where does the sudden confidence come from?"
"The fact that you didn't kill me this turn. And the fact that you used up your Psycharms attaching effects for now."
"That's a joke, right? I activate my Spell Card Instant Overlay. It becomes an Xyz Material to a monster with none that I control." The Spell Card turned yellow and shrunk in size, before starting to orbit Angelique.
Psydame Angelique: 0 Xyz Materials → 1 Xyz Material
"How many of those cards do you have?"
"Plenty," Hatsuko replied, "but for now I'll end my turn."
Yuito didn't immediately draw, but took a moment to contemplate his turn. The last card in his hand was Rising Blue, a card that doubled the ATK of a Ritual Monster he controlled, his field was empty and his Grave contained a live Rosetta Scribestone. If he drew a Ritual Monster he could Summon it and boost it. But it needed to be a clear hit to 0 for him. If it wasn't, Angeliques second effect would wipe out the rest of his LP.
So with these feelings at the back of his head, he drew his card.
And what a lucky draw that was.
"I activate Damietta Scribestone!" Yuito yelled as he slotted the card in his Duel Disk. "It's a Ritual Spell Card that allows me to Ritual Summon a monster from my Grave, by banishing other Ritual Monsters from my Grave as tributes!"
"Bringing back your Wizard once more? No, your Levels don't add up to that."
"Right. I banish my Runecross Wizard as tribute instead! Ritual Summon!" A graveyard portal opened on Yuitos side of the field and a stele arose from it. "Traveller whose eyes have seen mysteries beyond human understanding, bring the calm that will win me this battle! Level 6, 'Runecross Guru!" Yuitos newly Summoned monster was a humanoid figure floating in the air with its legs crossed, as if meditating. A hood covered its face aside from its eyes, with various glyphs dancing in them. It had then round orbs orbiting around it, each one engraved with a different glyph.
Runecross Guru: EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Ritual / Level 6 / 2100 ATK / 2500 DEF
"That's new. Interesting how it cannot beat my Angelique."
"Maybe not like this. But using its orb of weakness it can," Yuito explained, "once per turn, my Guru can choose one monster on the field. If it is mine, all Battle Damage I take from it is halved. If it is yours, all Battle Damage you take from it is doubled." One of the orbs floating around Guru dispatched and started cycling around Angelique.
"Maybe math isn't your strength after all. Double zero is still zero."
"I activate my Spell Card Rising Blue. It will double the ATK of all Ritual Monsters I control until the End Phase."
Runecross Guru: 2100 ATK → 4200 ATK
Hatsuko blinked twice as she realized that now, in fact, the damage Yuito had piled up for this one hit was indeed enough to defeat her.
"Talk about maths now," Yuito said, "Runecross Guru, Orb Distress!" The remaining orbs around Guru started to cycle, before they spun towards Angelique and crashed into the dancing monster.
Psydame Angelique: 1 Xyz Material → 0 Xyz Materials
Hatsuko: 3200 LP → 0 LP
"Aaaaaaaand we have a winner in this spectacular match, Ladies and Gentleman!" The MC once again rallied the non-existent crowd.
"That was unexpected but fun," Yuito turned his face away from the MC to see Hatsuko standing right in front of him offering him a handshake.
He took her hand before saying: "Yes it was. It was a great game."
"Yeah, you're good, but I'll still beat Saburo and go to the next round, so get your hopes up since you'll lose to him."
"Ever so confident."
"Don't be sad. After I've made the next round I'll buy you dinner, if you buy me dinner if you make next round," Hatsuko proposed, "but I can bring a friend."
"Deal. If I can bring a friend too."
"No, that's a ladies benefit."
Yuito just laughed at this and so did Hatsuko.
"I wish you good luck for the remainder of the tournament," Yuito said, "no matter how long that's gonna be."
"Longer than for you, but same," she replied, before leaving the field, leaving Yuito alone with his first official duel win.
Author-made cards:
Stone Crypt Force Sorcerer / EARTH / Spellcaster / Level 4 / 1900 ATK / 0 DEF
If this card is the only monster you control, it can make up to 3 attacks on monsters per turn. A Ritual Monster that was Ritual Summoned using this card as a tribute gains the following effect: ● Once per turn, during either players turn: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; Destroy it.
Psydame Daniela / LIGHT / Psychic-Type / Effect / Level 4 / 1900 ATK / 0 DEF
Once per turn: You can target 1 face-up Psychic monster you control that has a Level; Its Level becomes 4. If you control a face-up Xyz Monster that has no materials: You can attach this face-up card to that monster as material.
Runecross Wizard / EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Ritual / Level 7 / 2500 ATK / 2000 DEF
You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Scribestone" Ritual Spell Card. If this card battles a face-up monster that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck: Negate that monsters effects, if any, also, this card gains 700 ATK until the end of the Battle Phase.
Runecross Guru / EARTH / Spellcaster-Type / Ritual / Level 6 / 2100 ATK / 2500 DEF
You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Scribestone" Ritual Spell Card. If a monster your opponent controls is destroyed: Inflict 500 Damage to your opponent. Once per turn (Quick Effect): You can target 1 face-up monster; Apply one of the following effects depending on its controller. ● You: Halve all Battle Damage you take from battles involving it. ● Your opponent: Double all Battle Damage your opponent takes from battles involving it.
Psydame Angelique / LIGHT / Psychic-Type / Xyz / Effect / Rank 4 / 2100 ATK / 2000 DEF
2 Level 4 Psychic Monsters
If this card would be destroyed (by battle or by a card effect): You can detach 1 Xyz Material from it instead. If this card detached its last Xyz Material: You can target 1 card your opponent controls; Destroy it and if you do, inflict 1000 LP Damage to your opponent. This card cannot attack directly during the turn you activate this effect.
Scribestone Unearthing / Normal Spell Card
Discard 1 card and choose 1 "Stone Crypt" monster from your Deck; Place it face-up in your Spell/Trap Zone as a Continuous Spell Card with the following effect: ● If you would Ritual Summon (exactly) 1 Ritual Monster with a card effect that requires use of monsters, you can tribute this card as the entire requirement.
Rosetta Scribestone / Ritual Spell Card
You can use this card to Ritual Summon any "Runecross" Ritual Monsters. You must also tribute monsters from your hand or side of the field whose combined Level(s) equal or exceed the Level of the monster you are attempting to Ritual Summon. If this card is in your GY: You can banish 2 EARTH Monsters from your GY; Special Summon 1 EARTH Ritual Monster from your hand, but it cannot attack during this turn. (This Special Summon is treated as a Ritual Summon.) You can only use this effect of "Rosetta Scribestone" once per duel.
Damietta Scribestone / Ritual Spell Card
You can use this card to Ritual Summon any "Runecross" Ritual Monsters from your GY. You must also banish Ritual Monsters from your GY whose total Level(s) equal or exceed the Level of the monster you are attempting to Ritual Summon. [...]
Stele of Necromancy / Normal Spell Card
Target 1 EARTH Spellcaster-Type Monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon it. You cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck for the rest of the turn.
Rising Blue / Quick-Play Spell Card
Double the ATK of all face-up Ritual Monsters you control. During the End Phase: The ATK of all Ritual Monsters you control becomes 0.
Psycharm Ruby Bracelet / Equip Spell Card
Equip only to a "Psydame" monster. Once per turn: You can inflict 500 damage to your opponent. If this card is equipped to an Xyz Monster and that monsters last material is detached: Attach this card to that monster as material.
Psycharm Gold Chain / Continuous Trap Card
Target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; Equip this card to it. Negate the effects of the equipped monster. If the equipped monster is destroyed, destroy this card. If this card is in your GY: You can target 1 "Psydame" Xyz Monster that has no materials you control: Attach this card to that monster as material. You can only use this effect of "Psycharm Gold Chain" once per turn.