Chapter 5: All Out Assault
Lennox couldn't believe his eyes when he saw Shark standing above him. why was he here? He had been missing for a few days and had decided to show up now?
"What are you doing here Shark?" Lennox finally managed to choke out.
"Saving your sorry ass, that's what" Shark simply replied as he stood in front of Lennox. Lennox only stared as Shark got out his D-Pad. "Hey!" Shark called out to the Duel Blood. "I'm taking over for this guy alright! If you win, you get my Numbers too!" The Duel Blood looked intrigued and Lennox raised an eyebrow.
"Shark has Numbers?" He thought.
"Accepted" the Duel Blood agreed. Shark grinned as he then tossed up his D-Pad that began to change into a duel disk. It attached to his wrist and he placed on his D-Gazer with a determined smile.
Current Status of Duel:
Shark: 800
Hand: 5
VS
Duel Blood: 6700
Hand: 2
Shark Field:
No monsters
No active or set spell or traps
Duel Blood Field:
DB – Hellhound: Rank 3/DARK/Aqua/Xyz/1400 ATK/1200 DEF/Overlay Units: 2
Solemn Wishes, Forbidden Monster Seal and Spell Absorption
"Turn end," the Duel Blood said. It had just finished its battle phase and appeared to have nothing else to play.
Duel Blood: 6700
Hand: 2
"My turn! Draw!" Shark roared as he drew. This was good as Shark had a fresh and a better strategy.
TURN: 10
Shark: 800
Hand: 6
"First I play Twin Twisters! Now by discarding a card, I can destroy two spell or traps!" Shark yelled. "I discard Big Jaws!" He declared, slipping the card into the graveyard. Lennox was confused by this.
"Why would he get rid of Big Jaws? It's one of his strongest monsters."
Duel Blood: 6700 + 500 = 7200
Shark grunted when he saw the Duel Bloods Life points increase.
"Choose," the Duel Blood said.
"That should be obvious" Shark sweat dropped. Two tornados then shot out of the card and crushed both Spell Absorption and Solemn Wishes.
"Now you can't gain any more life points" Shark stated proudly. This was exactly what Lennox needed when he fought the Duel Blood. "Now I summon Hammer Shark!" A vortex of water soon appeared on the field and out swam a hammerhead shark with a hammer literally for a head. It banged the hammer once on the ground as it took the field.
Hammer Shark: Level 4/WATER/Fish/1700 ATK/1500 DEF
"Now for its effect!" Announced Shark. "I lower its level by one to summon a level three or below water monster from my hand." He picked out another card. "I summon Bomber Angler!" The monster that appeared was a large dark blue angler fish that had a gruesome expression. Instead of a light dangling from it, it had a circular black bomb that was just waiting to be detonated.
Bomber Angler: Level 3/WATER/Fish/800 ATK/1400 DEF
"Shark's got two level three monsters" Ruby noted. Lennox then realised this too.
"I overlay Bomber Angler and Hammer Shark!" Both monsters turned into blue streams of energy and shot into the air. "With These two monsters, I build the overlay network!" Shark announced as a red spiral portal opened at his feet and the two monsters flew in. "Xyz summon! Come forth! Savage Shark!" Out of the portal shot a column of water. In the water appeared to be something swimming in it. The water then dispersed at the creature's roar and it was then revealed. This Shark was huge. It was dark blue with a yellow underbelly and red eyes. Along with that, it had a pair of small spikes on each petrol fin and cuts and cuts and marks all over its body. It let out a roar so ferocious that it even frightened DB – Hellhound.
Savage Shark: Rank 3/WATER/Fish/Xyz/2000 ATK/1800 DEF/Overlay Units: 2
"I now use Savage Shark's effect!" Declared Shark as the creature absorbed one of its overlay units.
Savage Shark Overlay Units: 1
"Now by banishing one water attribute monster from my graveyard, Savage Shark can drain its attack points!"
"So that's why he ditched Big Jaws!" Lennox thought suddenly.
The graveyard portal opened and out rose Sharks signature steel-mouthed monster: Big Jaws. No sooner had the portal closed, Savage Shark attacked Big Jaws. The monster began tearing its prey to pieces. It was so gruesome that Lennox and Ruby had to look away. Once it was all over and Savage Shark was satisfied, a blue aura glowed around it which displayed its massive power gain.
Savage Shark ATK: 2000 + 1800 = 3800
"Now for Bomber Angler's effect!" Shark yelled as the monster in question rose out of the graveyard portal in front of the Duel Blood. "When it's sent to the graveyard it hits you for 800 points." The bomb attached to the deep-sea fish suddenly exploded, knocking the Duel Blood back.
Duel Blood: 7200 – 800 = 6400
"Savage Shark! Attack DB – Hellhound!" Shark ordered. Savage Shark then set its sight on its new prey and shot forward at Hellhound. It opened its mouth to reveal the dozens of razor-sharp teeth used for tearing away at flesh. With one single bit, Hellhound was no more.
Duel Blood: 6400 – 2400 = 4000
Shark smiled as the Duel Blood recovered. He had done more damage to it in one turn that Lennox could probably deal in the entire duel. Lennox and Ruby stared in amazement. Ruby now could defiantly say that Shark lived up to his name. For Lennox, this was surprising as he had seen Shark duel before but never had known he was this good.
"I set one card and end my turn" Shark finished as the card appeared on the field.
Shark: 800
Hand: 1
"End phase. Effect of DB – Hellhound activates. Revives itself" the Duel Blood explained as the demonic hound rose up onto the field once more.
"How annoying" Shark commented. Lennox stared at him. Shark was so calm in this ordeal. He thought ahead and attacked so aggressively and securing himself a field advantage, something which Lennox failed to do.
"Turn. Draw" the Duel Blood started.
TURN: 11
Duel Blood: 4000
Hand: 3
"During standby phase, pay cost for Forbidden Monster Seal." The dark trap once again sapped away the Duel Blood life. At this point, it had become dead weight.
Duel Blood: 4000 – 1000 = 3000
"Activate Overlay Regen. Card becomes overlay unit for monster." The spell soon turned into a purple overlay unit that began to orbit around Hellhound.
Hellhound Overlay Unit: 1
"Activate Hellhound effect! Detach overlay unit to attack directly!" The hound chomped down on the overlay unit and prepared itself to attack.
Hellhound Overlay Unit: 0
"DB – Hellhound attacks directly!" The Duel Blood ordered. Hellhound then ran at Shark before leaping into the air, opening its jaws.
"Oh no! If this goes through, then Shark will lose!" Ruby cried out. Shark just smiled.
"Nice job ignoring my set card!" He taunted as the card flipped face up. "I activate my trap! Poseidon Wave!" A silhouetted figure holding a gold staff with green gem in the middle rose onto the field. The figure pointed its staff forward and wave of water soon rose up and slammed into Hellhound, knocking it back.
"Poseidon Wave negates you attack and that's not all" Shark began to explain to the Duel Blood. "…it inflicts 800 points of damage to you for every Fish, Sea Serpent and Aqua monster I control. Since I have Savage Shark, that's 800 points." The water soon slammed into the Duel Blood and knocked it back a bit further.
Duel Blood: 3000 – 800 = 2200
"Turn end" was all it said.
Duel Blood: 2200
Hand: 2
Shark drew his card silently while Lennox and Ruby looked on in admiration.
TURN: 12
Shark: 800
Hand: 2
"First, Savage Sharks attack power will return to normal" Shark said. The blue aura around the shark disappeared.
Savage Shark ATK: 3800 – 1800 = 2000
"Now I use Savage Shark's effect again!" Shark yelled as the shark absorbed another overlay unit.
Savage Shark Overlay Units: 0
"This time I banish Hammer Shark!" The graveyard portal opened once again, but this time the hammer headed shark rose out, only become Savage Shark's prey. After the shark had finished feasting once again, the blue aura returned along with Savage Shark's power.
Savage Shark ATK: 2000 + 1700 = 3700
"Time to end this. Savage Shark! Attack Hellhound!" Savage Shark wasted no time in gorging into Hellhound once again. The hound disappeared once again in an explosion of gold particles which sent the Duel Blood flying, wiping it out of existence.
Duel Blood: 2200 – 2300 = 0
Duel Blood: LOSE
The holograms disappeared and Shark took off his D-Gazer and duel disk. He walked over to where the Duel Blood had once been, seeing DB – Hunter and DB Angel on the floor. All of a sudden, the two cards turned into red goo and oozed off, with Shark giving the same reaction Lennox had given when it had happened to him. Shark then turned back and walked over to Lennox who was still on the floor.
"You were having trouble with that thing?" He asked. Lennox slowly got on his feet. "That was by far the most pathetic thing I ever crushed," Shark said, boasting slightly. "I thought you were better than that." And with that, he went to walk off.
"Shark! You don't understand! Those things play for keeps" Lennox protested.
"Excuses!" Shark yelled, suddenly whipping around. "That should only mean you fight harder! But all you do is stand there and mope when you start to lose! Weak!" Anger then began to well up inside Lennox.
"Where the hell do you think you get off!" He yelled. "You act like a complete ass to us and then fuck off, leaving us to worry! Now you come back and help me, only to then start hurling insults at me!" He was livid now. he had had enough of it all. "I have been through enough stress already and do not need you making it worse!" Shark looked hurt slightly.
"At least I'm doing something! All you're doing is moping once the tide turns in your opponent's favour! That isn't the Lennox I know!" He yelled. This hit Lennox like a brick wall. It was true. He hated it. Most of the time he was fine when he was winning. When he was losing like recently, he acted as a sore loser, getting upset over it. His mind brought him back a few years ago.
Flashback
"Ha! There's no way you can beat me now Rio!" A younger Lennox yelled. On his field, stood Kaus and Algiedi. Rio only had Aurora Wing.
"Really now? let's just see!" She replied. Kyoya and Shark watched on, smiling. Two turns later and Lennox had won. Blizzard Falcon and been the key to Rio's victory but Lennox had shut that down.
"Looks like I was right! You should have just given up!" Lennox called. Rio walked over to him.
"So? I could have gotten a better card and won" she answered.
"But you didn't" Lennox replied.
"So? I have to at least try" Rio spoke. "There's no point in giving up as that would only show how weak you are. Kazuma said that a true duelist never gives up until the very end, remember?" Lennox then recalled the words of Yuma's father, Kazuma. He was the one that inspired them in the first place.
"Maybe you're right…" He trailed off.
Flashback End
That was years ago, however, his anger subsided.
"When I lost to Yuma I didn't mope about. I picked myself up, dusted myself off and decided what I would do next" Shark went on. "You need to do the same."
Lennox looked at him. Shark then turned and walked off. "Do as you wish, I don't really care."
"Wait Shark! At least answer this: Where have you
been?" Lennox said. Shark stopped.
"Burying my past," he said without turning around and then continued on.
"Well then…is it true you have a Number?" Lennox then asked. Shark then stopped again.
"No, it was bait to get that thing to accept my challenge. I saw it wanted your Numbers so I decided to use that. As for this whole Number thing, that is your problem. Not. Mine." He told Lennox and then walked off. Lennox only watched.
Ruby soon walked up to him.
"Lennox, are you okay?" She asked innocently.
"I don't know Ruby" he sighed and began to walk in the opposite direction of Shark. Ruby paused briefly and looked at where the Duel Blood had once been. She then took off after Lennox.
Lennox was soon walking down the street with Ruby. The two walked in absolute silence until Ruby finally spoke.
"He's right you know." Lennox stopped and looked at her.
"There is really no point giving up before the end result. I thought that would be one of the first things you taught me" she said. Lennox said nothing.
"Well come on!" Ruby yelled at him. "What are you gonna do?!"
"I don't know!" Lennox suddenly yelled, causing Ruby to recoil.
"I just don't know," he said. He then looked at Ruby.
"I'm just so confused. You're like two people. One minute you're fine. The next you seem like you want to bawl your eyes out" Ruby told him. "Please just tell me what's wrong."
This was the breaking point that pushed Lennox over the edge. He fell to his knees.
"Ok! I'm scared! Ok?!" He yelled. Ruby looked at him.
"Scared?" She quizzed.
"Yes! Ever since I lost mum I've been afraid. I'm scared of losing dad and Amy to that illness. This whole Numbers thing makes it worse. I'm scared one of you guys will get possessed or hurt. What if I can't save you?" He finally admitted.
"But we'll be fine!" Ruby protested. "Yuma beat Shark! I'm sure that proves his safety enough. And Kyoya is amazingly strong! He's fine. The others aren't dumb. They know how to look after themselves" Ruby said trying to calm Lennox.
It didn't work.
"YOU DON'T GET IT!" He suddenly yelled, tears rolling down his eyes. "Why could she have been saved then! This is why I do this! So no one I care about will ever get hurt again!" It finally dawned on Ruby. Lennox's mother's death had affected him more than she or anyone had realised. Lennox then got up and ran down the street.
"Lennox! Wait!" Ruby called out and tried to run after him. this was all in vain as Lennox was too far gone.
"Oh Lennox," she said.
Lennox tore through the streets, not caring who he bumped into or where he was going. He just hated it all.
"Master, where are you going?" Dawn Sword asked in his head.
"Shut up! Shut up! Just leave me alone!" Lennox yelled in his mind. He didn't know why he was there, but it felt the most comfortable place to be. He soon sat down on a bench at the park he always went to with his mum. He could feel the tears were coming back. He tried to push the pain away but it kept coming back. He hated it. Hit hurt him too much. He began to cry silently, not wanting to show his pain.
"Lennox?" A voice asked. Lennox looked up to see Tetsuo looking at him with a concerned expression.
"Tetsuo? What are you doing here?" Lennox asked.
"I was just at the doughnut shop with Yuma and the others when I needed to quickly get something from a shop across the park. I then found you here" Tetsuo explained. He looked at Lennox kindly.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"It's nothing" replied Lennox. Tetsuo then sat down next to him.
"Come on. Something is obviously wrong. Just tell me, we're friends" Tetsuo told him. Lennox took in a deep breath and began.
"I almost lost a duel" he simply said.
"And?" Tetsuo asked. "There's got to be more than that."
"I-I had to win…at all costs. If I didn't then this thing I fought could have hurt you guys. I didn't want to see that happen" Lennox explained.
"Wait? What thing? And why would it hurt us?" Tetsuo quizzed. He was so confused. He could see the struggle on Lennox's face. He really didn't want to tell him.
"This thing I fought is dangerous. It can hurt people really badly, I've seen it" Lennox told Tetsuo, remembering how it went to attack Ruby. "When it duelled me, I was really scared that I wouldn't be able to protect you guys. I just don't want to see anyone I care about get hurt."
Tetsuo then hugged him, surprising Lennox.
"You idiot, why would you ever think that," Tetsuo told him. "We're all friends that look after each other and look out for one another. We don't fight battles alone, we fight them together." Lennox hugged back and then laughed.
"Heh, you must think I'm a huge idiot now," Lennox said. Tetsuo gave a small laugh.
"Far from it. You were just being a true friend and trying to help, but next time if you need help, then don't be afraid to admit it."
"Sure" Lennox replied as Tetsuo got up.
"I'm heading back to the doughnut shop, want to come?" He asked. Lennox waved his hand dismissingly.
"Nah, I'm just going to head home," he said. "Don't tell the others please." Tetsuo smiled at him.
"I won't. but if you need help then just tell us and we'll jump right in. you don't have to fight alone. See ya!" And with that, Tetsuo was off. Lennox smiled as he remained there on the bench.
The next day, Lennox left the house feeling a bit better. He had apologised to Dawn Sword the night before who had accepted his apology and decided to move on. He just had one more person to apologise to. He soon met Ruby at the cross roads who was waiting for the others. Thankfully, she was alone.
"Ruby," he said as he walked up to her. She turned to him. "I'm sorry about-" he began but was stopped by a slap in the face.
"You idiot! I was worried sick!" She yelled, tears beginning to form in her eyes. Lennox rubbed his cheek.
"I had no idea where you went yesterday and couldn't find you!" Lennox stared at her. "Like it or not, we're all involved in this and you're just going to have to deal with that! So stop pushing us out!" Lennox couldn't bring the words to come out of his mouth. He was frozen.
He then hugged her.
"I'm sorry. I just can't take it when people I know get hurt, I just hate it" he told her. He then broke off the hug. "I won't keep you guys out anymore." Ruby smiled at him.
"Thank you," she said as she wiped her eyes. Just then, the others arrived. Lennox put on a smile as they all headed off to school.
The rest of the day went on better than Lennox had expected. True to his word, Tetsuo had kept quiet throughout the whole day and often would see if Lennox was ok. Lennox assured him that he was fine. The day was finally done as Lennox was now walking home with Ruby.
"Today went better than I thought," he said quietly.
"Yeah" Ruby replied. "You seem better than you were yesterday." Lennox nodded. Just then, the pair heard some frantic yelling. The two looked over to see Shark chasing a man onto one of the upper levels. Lennox then realised something.
"Shark knows something about the Numbers! He obviously knew when he mentioned them yesterday. I think I'd rather ask him than Yuma since Yuma wants mine and Shark doesn't" Lennox thought.
"Come on!" He said to Ruby as he began to run.
"Hey! Wait!" Ruby called before sighing. "Why must we run everywhere?"
The two managed to catch up to Shark and watched him dash into an alleyway. By the time they reached the alleyway Shark already had the man on the ground in an arm lock.
"Ok! Talk!" Shark roared.
"You ain't getting shit outta me Shark!" The man spat.
"Wrong answer!" Shark yelled and tightened the lock, causing the man to yelp in pain.
"Shark! What are you doing?!" Yelled Lennox.
"Getting information!" Shark yelled back.
"Wait…is this what you meant by burying your past?" Lennox asked.
"Yes! Now buzz off!" Shark answered and turned back to the man. "Talk! Where is he!"
"Fuck off!" The man replied. Shark tightened the lock once more.
"Stop! You're hurting him!" Ruby yelled.
"That's the whole point," Shark said. "You can't get information without a bit of pain. He tightened the lock slightly. Lennox was about to come over and get Shark off when the man finally spoke.
"Dock seven! He's at dockyard seven!" He yelled. Shark released him. The man ran off down the alleyway, clutching his injured arm. Shark turned and began to walk back.
"Shark, that was uncalled for!" Lennox scolded.
"I got what I came for, that's all" Shark answered back. The two glared at each other. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have some unfinished business," Shark said and walked off.
"Oh no you don't," Lennox said as he grabbed Shark's shoulder. "I have some business with you. You know something about the Numbers and I want to know what" he said. Shark shifted his shoulder forward, knocking Lennox's hand off.
"Fine. But I need to do something first" Shek said and walked off.
"Then I'm coming too," Lennox said as he began to follow. Ruby just groaned.
"Why do I have a bad feeling about this," she said as she followed them.
None of them, however, saw the blank card that blew in the wind after them.
Author made cards
Forbidden Monster Seal
Continuous Trap
Effect: Active by declaring one monster name. Send all face-up cards with that name to the graveyard. As long as this card remains face up, both players cannot play cards with the same name and all cards with the same name cannot activate their effects and their effects are negated. During your standby phase, pay 1000 life points or destroy this card. You can only control one face up Forbidden Monster Seal.
DB – Hellhound: Rank 3/DARK/Aqua/Xyz/1400 ATK/1200 DEF
Effect: 2 level 3 monsters
Once per turn, you can detach one Xyz Material from this card, this card can attack your opponent directly this turn. During the end phase, if this card was destroyed by battle this turn, you can special summon this card from your graveyard. You can only use this effect of 'DB – Hellhound' once per turn.
Bomber Angler: Level 3/WATER/Fish/800 ATK/1400 DEF
Effect: When this card is sent to the Graveyard; inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent.
Savage Shark: Rank 3/WATER/Fish/Xyz/2000 ATK/1800 DEF
Effect: 2 level 3 monsters
Once per turn, you can detach one Xyz Material from this card and banish one water-attribute monster from your graveyard. Until your next standby phase, this card gains ATK equal to that banished monsters ATK. When this card is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, add one of your banished water-attribute monsters to your hand.
Phew! I managed to get this out, quickly didn't I? I already had the chapter planned out as for what was going to happen but felt like too much to put into 1 chapter so I split it up into two parts. Now we're getting onto the part which I really want to get to and we got some sweet character development while on the way. I know it seems early for Lennox's character development but I wanted to explore his reasonings for Number hunting and his feelings towards his mother's death more. I also wanted to put in a little bit more about Lennox's relationship with Shark which will be seen in the next few chapters (Along with Yuma too!). Also! One thing I forgot to mention in the last chapters is about the Numbers used. I know there are real life Numbers to the ones I have in the story like 89, but these Numbers do play a key role for their respective characters, however. That's pretty much why I have them and I can't wait to divulge deeper into the story. Aside from that, If you enjoyed this chapter then leave a review why and I'll see you in the next update!
Bye!