Yumi meets Kazuhiko on a day off from training. Despite the rocky start from the previous encounter, the two become fast friends, but a new arrival puts their afternoon in jeopardy. What kind of trouble does this person bring with them, and can Kazuhiko defend his hair's honor all on his own?
Yumi's training had been going on for what felt like three decades, but it was really only eight days so far. Every morning at 8:00, she had to be at the park to prepare for whatever grueling drills Sakuya had come up with the night before. Sometimes it was rapidly listing off cards and effects, other times it was forcing her to fight her way out of an impossible situation, and still others it was facing several opponents all at once with no buff. It was starting to become exhausting.
For the first time since the start of the summer, she was glad to take a day away from dueling, since Sakuya was preoccupied for the day doing something with her father. Probably some big yacht trip, or something. "Don't forget to study up on popular decks while I'm away, and rehearse your plays like I taught you, and practice shuffling so you don't fling your cards everywhere, and stop picking your nose, that's disgusting!" So many orders even for a day off.
Naturally, the best place to get away from card games was to go to a card shop. She couldn't buy anything, of course, but she could still loo at everything they had on display and read some of the manga they had out on magazine racks. Maybe she could even say this was "training" at the end of the day. That was for later, though, since marveling over how shiny and rare all their singles were came first.
As she fogged the glass on a case of Ritual Monsters, a stranger approached from behind. Except, he really wasn't a stranger, just Kazuhiko creeping about and trying not to draw attention to himself as he crab scuttled past her. Unfortunately for him, Yumi happened to keep a portion of the case unfogged enough to notice his reflection.
"Kazuhiko?" she said bewildered, turning to face the boy frozen behind her with his legs spread wide and arms in the air. He stood in silence, unable to keep himself from locking eyes with the girl no matter how hard he tried not to. Finally, Yumi broke and started laughing. "What are you doing?"
He looked side to side nervously. "Stretches," he finally said, squatting up and down and placing his hands on his hips. "It's important to stay limber at all times. That's a lesson I learned the hard way during gym class three years ago."
"Just because I'm young doesn't mean I don't understand things. You don't have to be ashamed of losing to me. Everyone loses sometimes. We can still be friends." She pointed her finger at his nose after that. "And I do stretches every morning, so check your facts."
He scoffed. "I feel no shame in my loss. Only the desire to grow stronger and take my revenge." His confidence didn't exactly seem to match up with his escape attempt.
"Why not just be friends, though?" Kazuhiko was perplexed by this notion of "firnedship". "I think you're really strong and I want ot be able to duel you again without all the pressure. Just because we fought before doesn't mean we can't get along now. When me and Sakuya first met, she didn't like met at all. She even took my favorite card."
"I can see why you'd want to be friends," he replied sarcastically.
"She gave it back and said sorry afterwards. I know she seems mean sometimes, but she's really nice when we're alone. Don't tell anyone, though. I'm not supposed to let people know that."
"I knew it," Kazuhiko said with satisfaction.
"Please don't tell anyone," Yumi pleaded, starting to worry. Sakuya trusted her to keep that a secret. They built their friendship on it. She'd never trust her again if she found out about this.
Kazuhiko turned his back, crossing both arms in dramatic fashion and hoping someone would open the door to let in a stray wind current to blow his coat back. "I have no interest in attacking her reputation. I'll defeat Ishikawa honorably as a duelist. Whatever her reasons are for keeping secrets like that are none of my business."
Yumi breathed a sigh of relief. "I knew you were nice, too," she said, grabbing the ends of his coat and waving it for him. "Did you come here to buy cards?" she asked, letting go as he shooed her off him.
"I'm considering what to get. A duelist has to think critically about the most advantageous purchases to maximize their potential for optimal pulls while minimizing wasted capitals." Sparks were practically shooting from Yumi's head as his wall of words bashed her brain in with a metal chair. "I don't know what to get yet," he simplified. "Which booster packs do you usually pick?"
She laughed. "I never come in here to bu stuff. I don't have any money, so I just like to look and read the stuff on the rack."
"So that was true, then? You actually made your deck out of trash cards on purpose?"
"I found some of them in the trash if that's what you're asking." She started frowning, crossing her arms. "That's so mean. I don't know why anyone would throw away their cards. Even if they don't want them, I'm sure someone would be happy to take them."
The girl's plight was breaking even Kazuhiko's hardened and mutated heart. With a look of frustration, he pulled out his signature sheep wallet and retrieved some coins. "Go get us two packs," he told Yumi, handing her the money. "I'll bet my luck on your choice, and you can keep the other for yourself."
She looked at it in shock. "I can't take that from you," she said plainly with a shake of her head. "That's your money, not mine."
"Just take it," he urged. "Pretend it's a video game, or something. You beat me before and this is what you earned for it."
Slowly, Yumi took the money, almost like she was expecting it to bite her. "Are you sure it's okay?" she asked once more, looking over the shimmering coins and the numbers printed on them. He shooed her again to do as he'd told. Excitedly, she ran to the counter, looking at the store's large collection of packs. Eventually, she decided on two green ones, since it was her favorite color for the moment, and asked the owner to get the off the shelf for her. He put down his manga and did so with slight irritation; not for lack of business sense or to be an asshole but because he'd just gotten to a really important chapter and didn't want to stop.
"Got it," she said, returning with a smile and holding out two packs to Kazuhiko. "Here's your change, too." It was only a 50 yen piece, but she was still compelled to return it.
"Keep it" he told her, grabing one of the packs and tearing off the top of the plastic. Sorting through the cards, he grinned and held up a Trap. "Divided Wall," he declared. "Our duel taught me that I can't focus only on power. Without a proper defense, I lost, so I've been looking for a card like this." As he moved through his deck to replace a card with his new one, he looked over to Yumi who'd started to focus on one of her own. "What did you get?"
"I don't know. Is this any good? It's shiny." She held up a Trap of her own for Kazuhiko to take a look at.
"God's Providence!" he read aloud. "That's a super rare card!"
Yumi looked back at it in amazement, then started to feel guilty. "Here, you can have it." she held it out for him. "It was your money, so it's only right you get the best card."
He shook his head. "What kind of man would I be if I stole cards from a kid? I told you before that you can have whatever you pick, so take them and become stronger." He turned around again, having the fortune for someone to enter the shop and cause his acket to blow in the wind. He smiled at Yumi's amazement.
Quickly, though, their attention was drawn to the person entering the shop. They were hunched slightly a gray hoodie pulled up over their head despite the sun beating down on everything right outside the door. The light always managed to catch their glasses in just the right way to make a complete shine across the lenses, too; no one was sure how that was possible. "Weird," Kazuhiko said a little too loudly.
Yumi tried to shush him despite the fact she, too, was observing the stranger while partially hidden behind a shelf. They didn't seem to notice either way, though. Or, if they did, they chose to ignore it. Reaching the counter, they took out their cellphone and typed a message for the clerk. He read it and nodded, reaching up to take down two boxes worth of booster packs. Paying promptly, the stranger took both and shoved them inside the black messenger bag they wore on their hip.
As they went to leave, Yumi pushed Kazuhiko forward. He grumbled, but accepted her instructions. "Yo," he called out to the stranger. "Sorry about saying that before. I guess it was mean. I'm sure you're plenty cool." They only stared at Kazuhiko, who was having difficulty keeping eye contact. It bothered him normally, but not even being able to see this person's eyes was even more worrying.
To try and break the tension, Yumi emerged from behind him and waved. My name's Yumi, and he's Kazuhiko. What's your named?" Their gaze shifted slightly to Yumi, boring holes into her, though she didn't seem to notice. Slowly, they began typing on their phone, still not breaking eye contact. They held it out for Yumi to read. "Hideo," she recited. It was easy to read in hiragana without any kanji to decipher. "That's a nice name," she complimented.
"Hey, what's the deal here? Why aren't they talking to me? Why do you get all the attention?" Hideo began to type again, holding their phone out to Kazuhiko. "There we go," he said with a pleased smile, only for his expression to drop when he read the statement saying how they don't typically enjoy associating with delinquents with terrible hair. "What the hell did you say about my hair?" he yelled, raising a fist.
"My hair is cool and arranged perfectly, and most of all manly! Insulting my hair is insulting me as a person! I can't accept something so blatantly wrong and ignorant!"
Before he could continue, the shop owner cut in. "Hey! If you're going to fight, do it outside. I'm not about that in my store."
He blinked. "What? No. We settle this like duelists – with a card game!" He poked Hideo in the chest. "I'll be in the park in twenty minutes. We'll decide this there. And if I win, you have to apologize and say how cool my hair looks." He marched out of the store as Yumi groaned.
"This got out of hand," she said, Hideo brushing off the spot where they'd been touched. "You don't have to show up if you don't want to. He'll just stomp around making a speech until he gets tired." They showed her their phone with a message explaining that dueling him was the intention in the hopes of being able to test their new deck. "If you want to, I guess. He's kind of sensitive about his hair, though, so you might still want to apologize."
They nodded slightly, then sat down behind a shelf to open up the boxes they'd bought before. "Do you want help?" Yumi asked. She was talking more quietly than normal and she wasn't entirely sure why. It was like Hideo had some sort of aura about them that brought out a sense of calm to everything in the area, like a capybara. Except Kazuhiko, since nothing ever seemed to make him calm. Despite only knowing him for two days now, she could say that with complete certainty.
They broke the plastic seal around the boxes and began to open them. Yumi tried to reach in for a booster pack, but Hideo placed a hand over it. They opened the first one and sorted its contents into Monster, Magic, and Trap Cards. "Okay," she said in confirmation. The stacks grew quickly with both of them sorting cards. Yumi kept anything she had to say short, since Hideo didn't seem like they'd be much for typing while in the moment.
"My friend Sakuya's doing stuff with her dad today, so that's how I got here. She's training me to be in the prefectural tournament." Hideo glanced over at her for a moment before returning to unpacking. "She's the strongest duelist I've ever met, so if anyone can help me get good enough to stand a chance it's her. Do you ever enter tournaments?"
They shook their head. "I bet you're pretty strong, too. Is it because you don't like talking?" They nodded matter-of-factly. "That's okay. Is there a reason you don't want to?" She immediately tried to take it back. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be rude."
They shrugged, picking up their phone to type, "Non-verbal, too hard."
"Okay. Sorry for being rude." It didn't bother them either way. As long as they weren't having someone trying to force them to speak, it didn't really matter whether someone wanted to know their reasons or not. Some people were even a bit more understanding if they told of all the mockery and difficulty that came with trying to be verbal, though you could only expect so much from allistics (though they were fairly convinced both these new people were on the spectrum themselves).
Placing the last card into its respective pile, Hideo stacked up all three in their proper order and felt around the edge of the enormous collection. The soft, cool texture of the cards was a comforting sensation, the tiny ridges snagging along their fingers as they did.
They placed them into one of the boxes and packed up all their things, tossing out the trash into a bin as the two walked out the door. "Do you need me to show you where he is?" Yumi asked, receiving a nod. "Okay, then. It's this way. I finally learned it was called Chiba Park a couple weeks ago."
They were only a few minutes away. Kazuhiko was already standing, running a comb through his hair as he normally did. "So, you actually showed up." He lifted his arm into the air above him to activate his duel disk. Let's not waste time on introductions! Get ready to compliment my hair!"
"Don't take him too lightly just because he's a goof," Yumi said. "He's strong, so make sure you do your best. I want to see what your deck is like, too." Running over to the side of the hill, she took a seat to watch the action.
Hideo set down their bag and rummaged through it, removing a specialized duel disk sized for their right arm. It was a shiny black with gold trim around the edge of the blade highlighting an enlarged touch screen in the center. Shuffling, they placed their deck into the holder and tapped a few buttons.
"Duel Mode on," a speaker in the front of the device said. "Turn randomize." An arrow spun on the screen, shifting between its controller and the opponent standing across from them. It gradually slowed, pointing decidedly at one of them. "Opponent's turn."
"So cool..." Kazuhiko blurted out. "I mean, pretty impressive having your own kind of duel disk and all. A bunch of fancy gadgets won't save you from my New Super Mutant Deck, though!" He drew his hand. "I'll start my turn by summoning Mutant Venom Cobra!" A large snake appeared on the field, what looked to be a white, feathery wing protruding from its back and a dim glow coming from its mouth as it hissed. "I set two cards and end my turn. Let's see what you can do now!"
"Turn start. Draw card." Hideo drew from their deck, looking over the hand they'd been dealt to start the game. Permanent Magic, Great Sea of Tree, activate." The machine was reading the plays made by its owner. The ground around their play area erupted with life, mossy trees forming a canopy above Hideo's field. "Monster set. Equip Magic, Meteor Strike, activate. Target: Mutant Venom Cobra."
"What? How can you equip your cards to my monster?"
"Oh! I know about this!" Yumi raised her hand like she was in a classroom. "As long as the target is face-up on the field, it doesn't matter which side it's on, you can equip any appropriate card to any monster." Hideo gave a thumbs up, approving of this explanation. "Being an Equip Magic expert, you kind of get to knowing these things."
Kazuhiko scoffed. "Fine, then. I don't know what powering up my monster is going to do, but please continue."
"End Phase. Pass turn."
"That was a lot of nothing. My turn, draw!" He smiled, look at his new card. "During my Standby Phase, Mutant Venom Cobra achieves its next form through mutation!" The snake's skin began to bubble, a second wing bursting out of its back. "My monster is now Level 4 with 1500 ATK. Attack, Cobra! Destroy that set monster!"
The monster raised its head, shooting its venom at the card across from it. Materializing before them was a large, blue grasshopper making a wailing noise. It melted upon being hit with the attack, Kazuhiko's Life Points reducing to 3800. "What?" he griped. "I destroyed it!"
He turned to Yumi for explanation. "Well, Meteor Strike belongs to Hideo, so even though it's equipped to your monster, the effect still applies like it's on their field, so any piercing damage is still inflicted to you."
Hideo gave her another thumbs up. Kazuhiko grit his teeth and growled. "Using cheap tricks like that won't beat me!"
"Great Sea of Trees, effect activate. Howling Insect, effect activate." Hideo opened their deck and picked through it. "Howling Insect: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 Insect-Type monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck. Danipon, Special Summon in Defense Position." A hairy, yellow bug bounced onto the field wearing a green handkerchief for a cape.
"Great Sea of Trees: When a face-up Insect-Type monster is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, its controller can add 1 Insect-Type monster with the same Level as the destroyed monster from their Deck to their hand. Adding Howling Insect to hand." Hideo shuffled their deck and placed it back in its holder.
"So this was all just to search for cards?" Kazuhiko questioned, receiving a very nonchalant shrug in response. "Wasted effort! I'll run your cards over in no time! I summon Mutant Saw Ant and set one card! Turn end!" A grotesquely large red ant appeared on the field, half its head engulfed in fire with two rotating saw blades for pincers.
Hideo began their turn once more. "Permanent Magic, Burden of the Mighty, activate." A green-bordered card appeared on Hideo's field beside the card representation of Great Sea of Trees. "Each face-up monster your opponent controls loses 100 ATK x its own Level." Cobra's ATK fell to 1100, while Ant's became a tiny 650.
"Crap, that card's unfair!" Kazuhiko complained. "All my monsters Levels keep growing, too. It's going to punish me for using my main strategy!" Silently, Yumi was a bit thankful she wasn't going to have to duel Hideo. Even though her Xyz Monsters weren't affected by having Ranks, all her other monsters were, and their ATK was low enough as it was. Her guess had been right; they were really strong.
"Banish Howling Insect to Special Summon Giant Worm in Attack Position." An image of the Howling Insect card resting in Hideo's Graveyard vanished into a flash of light. From underneath where it once stood, the ground began to crack as an enormous worm creature burst upwards, boasting a formidable 1900 ATK.
"Howling Insect, Normal Summon in Attack Position." A second grasshopper appeared, howling like its fallen companion. "Battle Phase. Giant Worm attacks Mutant Saw Ant." The worm roared, then dove into the ground, clearly digging underneath the field for a surprise attack on its target.
Kazuhiko appeared panicked. "This isn't good," he said with a worried looking, only to quickly shift into a sly smile. "Or, it wouldn't be without my set card!" Trap activate, Mutation Change!" His card flipped up, portraying a pale human looking down at a pair of eyes and a mouth growing onto their right forearm from a tumor. "By releasing a Mutant on my field, I can take control of one of your monsters!"
Kazuhiko burst from the ground, grabbing the ant in its jaws. It burst apart, but not by the card's attack. The worm struggled against the creature's innards, which were melting into the monster's own body. It was futile, though, as growth began to appear on its surface as the monster traded sides. "As an added bonus, any monster I take with Mutation Change is treated as a Mutant as long as it's face-up on the field."
Hideo was unfazed, only sighing at the shift of their monster. "Howling Insect attacks Mutant Venom Cobra." The bug began to howl, sending shockwaves towards the snake. "Looks like this is an unlucky day for you. Trap activate, Evolution Accelerator!" His Trap went to work, increasing Venom Cobra's Level to 5 and ATK 1400, dropping it to 1300 after Burden of the Mighty's effect applied. "This card treats all my Mutants like they've been on the field for another of my Standby Phases, meaning my Cobra's ATK is 100 points higher than your bug!"
In response to Howling Insect's attack, Venom Cobra's wings grew in size, the light emitting from its mouth growing brighter. It shot a burst of that light back at its opponent, blasting through it and lowering Hideo's Life Points to 3900. Kazuhiko chuckled. "How's that? Do you see your mistake in offending my hair now?"
"Great Sea of Trees, effect activate. Howling Insect, effect activate." Just as before, Hideo summoned a second Danipon and added the third Howling Insect to their hand. "Setting one card. End Phase. Pass turn."
"My Mutants will enjoy the snack you're setting out for them. Draw!" Venom Cobra began mutating again, this time shedding its snake form entirely to become a glowing, muscular humanoid posing in the air with its arms spread wide and one leg raised to hip level. It's Level raised to 6, with its ATK settling at 1500. "I summon Mutant Zero Rat in Attack Mode!" The tiny monster appeared on the field, quickly jumping into the air. "Now I tune my Level 1 Tuner monster, Mutant Zero Rate, to my Level 6 non-Tuner monster, Mutant Venom Cobra!"
An arc of light flashed above their heads. "Synchro Sumon, Level 7! Descend, Super Mutant Butcher!" A reptilian monster landed on the field, screeching and ready for battle. Its base 2000 ATK dropped to 1300 but it was more than enough to satisfy the turn's needs. "Giant Worm, Butcher, attack! Destroy both those monsters!" The bugs screamed in terror as the Mutants descended, blasting them apart in an instant.
"Great Sea of Trees, effect activate. Danipon, effect activate."
"Ah, crap. I forgot about that stuff."
"Danipon: When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can add 1 Insect-Type monster with 1000 DEF or less from your deck to your hand." Hideo looked through their cards, picking out three instead of four. "Great Sea of Trees activates once. Only one target." Adding the cards to their hand, the machine read out the list. "Cards added: Danipon, Giant Worm, Ultimate Insect LV1."
"Ultimate Insect...?" Kazuhiko wondered. "What's the ultimate form of a weak little bug supposed to do?" He laughed to himself. "I'll end my turn. Give my monsters something else to chew on next turn!"
Hideo began their turn, drawing and sorting through their hand to decide what to play first. "Banish Danipon to Special Summon Giant Worm in Attack Position." A second worm burst from the ground after the disappearance of a Danipon card. "Battle Phase. Giant Worm attacks Super Mutant Butcher." The worm moved underground, grappling the Butcher as it burst from underneath it. Kazuhiko's irritated look indicated there was no counter this time, watching helplessly as his Synchro was devoured and his Life Points reduced to 3200.
"Giant Worm, effect activate. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: Send the top card of their Deck to the Graveyard." Kazuhiko scowled but complied, taking his top card and tossing it into the discard slot. His luck having turned, it was the Virus card.
"Main Phase 2. Normal Summon Ultimate Insect LV1 in Attack Position." A small, blue grub writhed on the field, its abdomen a pulsing red. Kazuhiko observed the monster's 0 ATK and DEF. What could it be hiding? Based on his own deck, he knew all too well what underestimating a monster that seemed weak could do, regardless of his bravado.
"Permanent Magic, Divine Protection of the Neglected." A bamboo cage appeared around the Ultimate Insect as its card manifested. "End Phase. Pass Turn."
Kazuhiko drew his card, trying to think of what the best move would be. He had one set card and a stolen Giant Worm with 1500 ATK; not a lot to go on. "I'll set a monster and another card, then attack Ultimate Insect with Giant Worm!" Kazuhiko's Mutant Worm charged forward to grab the larva in its jaws.
"Divine Protection of the Neglected, effect activate." The worm smacked its head into the cage surrounding the monster, its attack unsuccessful. "When your opponent's monster declares an attack, you can remove from play 1 Insect-Type monster from your Graveyard to negate the attack. Banishing Danipon."
"Damn it," he cursed. Kazuhiko was in a bad situation now. The next turn, Hideo's Giant Worm would be able to run his over, and there was no telling what Ultimate Insect would end up doing. "Turn end," he declared with a frown.
"Turn start. Draw card." Hideo pressed a button after performing the draw. "Standby Phase. Ultimate Insect LV1, effect activate." The grub began to glow, exploding in size to become twice as large and gaining a more purple coloration. "During your Standby Phase, by sending this face-up card to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 'Ultimate Insect LV3' from your hand or Deck."
Kazuhiko's Giant Worm's ATK dropped to 1200. "What the hell?" he exclaimed.
"Ultimate Insect LV3: If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Ultimate Insect LV1", while it remains on the field all of your opponent's monsters lose 300 ATK." They placed another monster on the board. "Normal Summon, Cross-Sword Hunter in Attack Position." A brown bettel creature with a set of four golden pincers appeared on the field. "Battle Phase. Cross-Sword Hunter attacks Giant Worm."
The bug launched itself forward, locking heads with mutated worm. They pushed back and forth, struggling to gain control and destroy the other. "Trap Card, activate! Divided Wall!" Kazuhiko's new card appeared on the field, Yumi pointing and smiling. "When you declare an attack, all your monsters lose 800 ATK for each monster you control, making 2400 in total!"
All of Hideo's monsters dropped to 0 ATK. Giant Worm pushed Cross-Sword Hunter back, lurching forward to slash through its abdomen and split it in two. Hideo's Life dropped to 2700, marking the first major damage of the duel and a potential reversal for Kazuhiko. "Now, I'll use Giant Worm's effect to make you discard the top card of your deck." They complied, sending the card to the Graveyard.
"Main Phase 2. Shifting Giant Worm to Defense Position. End Phase. Pass turn."
"This is where the duel really starts! Draw!" Immediately, he played the card he'd just drawn. "I activate Resurrection of the Dead! This lets me choose a monster in either Graveyard and summon it to my field. I choose Super Mutant Butcher!" The reptilian rejoined the fight, its ATK at 1000. "Battle! Super Mutant Butcher, destroy Giant Worm! Psychic Cleaver!" The Mutant charged a ball of pink energy between its hands, firing it out as a thin beam that bisected Hideo's defending Giant Worm.
"Great Sea of Trees, effect activate. Adding Cross-Sword Hunter to hand."
"It won't help! Giant Worm, attack Ultimate Insect LV3!"
"Divine Protection of the Neglected, effect activate. Banishing Howling Insect." The cage appeared again, blocking Giant Worm's attack.
Kazuhiko smiled. "Struggle all you want. Next turn, you'll start running you out of monsters to banish. Then, you'll be wide open! Turn end!"
Hideo added a card to their hand. "Standby Phase. Ultimate Insect LV3 effect: During your Standby Phase, by sending this face-up card to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 "Ultimate Insect LV5" from your hand or Deck." Kazuhiko swore under his breath, forgetting in all the excitement that a Level 3 monster probably wasn't the end of a series. The insect evolved again, standing on hind pincers and developing spikes over a new, silver body. "If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Ultimate Insect LV3", while it remains on the field all of your opponent's monsters lose 500 ATK." Kazuhiko's monsters dropped another 200 points, leaving them at 1000 and 800.
"Battle Phase. Ultimate Insect LV5 attacks Giant Worm." Whether out of desire to remove their own monster from the opponent's clutches or to get rid of a potentially annoying effect, Hideo went for the monster with more ATK, inflicting 1300 damage to Kazuhiko and dropping his Life Points to 1900.
He held up his arms to block as an explosion erupted following Giant Worm's defeat – being slashed to pieces by Ultimate Insect's pincers. "Pass turn," the duel disk declared.
"Draw!" Kazuhiko's hand was non-existent. The card he'd just drawn – Dark Burst – wouldn't be of any use right now. "I switch Butcher to Defense Mode and end my turn." Despite its mutation, it was only at 1500 ATK following the extra 100 drop with its increased Level. This debuff deck was his worst match up to date, and it was really getting him pumped up.
Hideo began their turn by drawing. "Standby Phase. Ultimate Insect LV5 effect: During your Standby Phase, by sending this face-up card to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 "Ultimate Insect LV7" from your hand or Deck." The ground shook, leaves falling from the trees of the Permanent Magic. The LV5 monster spun itself a cocoon. It hardened into a silvery barrier around the bug, small cracks forming on its surface moments later. Chunks of it began to break off, pieces of what hid within appearing to the players.
Wings began to buzz from inside. The monster was anxious to make its appearance. With a few more cracks, it broke free, a gigantic moth-like insect flying into the air. Its body was divided between a blue head and limbs with a red abdomen and thorax. Floating above its master, Kazuhiko's monsters lost more strength. "Ultimate Insect LV7 effect: If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Ultimate Insect LV5", while it remains on the field all your opponent's monsters lose 700 ATK and DEF." His cards were no longer safe even in Defense Position.
Butcher's stats dropped to 1300 and 0, the latter sending a shiver of terror through its owner's body. He could feel something bad was about to happen. Slowly, Hideo typed out a message onto their duel disk for it to read. Their finger stopped, hitting the send button. "This is your last turn," it said simply.
"Cross-Sword Hunter, Normal Summon in Attack Position." This was it. "Cross-Sword Hunter effect: While you control an Insect-Type monster (other than this card), if an Insect-Type monster you control attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent." For good measure, Hideo activated another card. "Equip Magic, Firearms-Attached Insect Armor, activate. Target Ultimate Insect LV7." The moth landed, folding its wings onto its back as spiked armor appeared on top of it. A cannon rested between its shoulders, prepped to fire.
Yumi looked on in shock. Hideo was really this good? In their duel, Kazuhiko had nearly defeated her numerous times, but now he was being tossed around like it was nothing. Could even Sakuya defeat someone like this?
"Battle Phase. Armored Ultimate Insect LV7 attacks Super Mutant Butcher." The moth set its feet into the ground, the laser cannon charging. Then, it fired, sending the full force of its 3300 ATK straight into Kazuhiko's Life Points.
His set card, Flash of Darkness, could do nothing. He no longer met the conditions to use it with the new Insect's debuff ability. With piercing damage, Butcher's 0 DEF would hold up about as well as a singly ply sheet of toilet paper against a typhoon. He accepted defeat, being blasted back from the residual attack, screaming as he was tossed to the ground.
"Kazuhiko!" Yumi called as she ran to help him up. With a groan, he was pulled back to his feet. He rubbed his head as Hideo approached the two of them. "Please don't start fighting again," Yumi pleaded to him, really hoping he could accept this defeat as well as he accepted the one against her. To her surprise, Kazuhiko instead fell to his knees.
His head bowed, he began another speech. "Please forgive my insolence. You've proven yourself stronger than I am. You've insulted my hair, but I hold no grudge against you. My defeat was absolute and there is no point in me trying to fight back at my current level." Yumi and Hideo were slightly embarrassed by his dramatics.
Not sure how to respond, Hideo looked around the park and into the air. Eventually, they settled on a shrug. "You'll grant me mercy?" Kazuhiko asked, only furthering the confusion. Hideo began to nod apprehensively, looking around more, then finally shrugging. "Thank you. You're generous in victory."
"Kazuhiko, are you okay?" Yumi asked in concern. Even in the short time she'd known him, she could already tell this stern and serious (and, most of all, quiet) demeanor wasn't normal. Had this loss demoralized him completely?
"Thank you for your concern, Miss Yumi. I just need to think." Kazuhiko walked to the top of the hill leading up from the park, leaving her to wonder why he felt the need to add the honorific to her name.
Kazuhiko was a gracious loser. Even with his bombastic personality, he never felt any ill will towards those who defeated him in a fair duel. This was different, though. Hideo's LV monsters were so similar to his own Mutants. He'd been beaten at his own game, so to speak. It had made him start to wonder whether or not he was capable of bringing out the full power of his cards, after all. Did he deserve them after such a crushing loss?
His doubts were interrupted by a black cellphone in front of his face. It was Hideo's, with a message. "Your hair is okay," it said plainly. Unsure at first, Kazuhiko decided to take it as an attempt to mend bridges. He started laughing; slowly and quietly at first, then louder. Finally, his hearty and somewhat sinister laugh returned to normal.
"I've decided," he said after he finished, Yumi having arrived to see what had changed in their situation. "Hideo..." He paused. "Wait I don't know your surname. What is it?"
Hideo held up their phone, explaining that it was fine without one. "Okay, then. Hideo! From this day forward, you are my official rival! We'll fight from daybreak to sunset, high tide to low tide, from creation to infinity, improving our skills with the sole desire of defeating each other! What do you say?"
Hideo blinked twice, then shrugged. It seemed okay. He was pretty loud, but Kazuhiko was undeniably a powerful duelist, just as Yumi had said. He'd make a decent enough rival. Secretly, they'd always wondered what something like that would be like. Yumi was pretty okay, too, so hanging around with these two would make for a more interesting summer than most.
"Perfect! We'll start now with a rematch!" Hideo shrugged again. They felt up to one or two more games before they'd have to go home and rest. Yumi slid down the hill as they took their positions once more to begin another duel. She cheered for both of them, Kazuhiko promising to deliver "real hell" upon his bugs this time with most powerful Synchro Monster, bringing back his threats from his duel with Yumi.
At the entrance to the park, Sakuya watched the three of them enjoy the day. For a moment, she considered joining them, since her previous engagement had ended earlier than expected. That idea was quickly abandoned, though. Her acting would just ruin everyone's fun.
With as insincere a smile as she could make, she took one last look at the group, seeing how happy Yumi seemed to be without her there to act mean at every turn. How much longer could she kep this up before she ruined the best friendship she'd ever had over something as worthless as a reputation among strangers?
She left the park to return home, hoping no one had noticed her there. She wouldn't be there to make Yumi sad today. At least that was good, right?
Card Used in Order of Appearance
Divided Wall (Wall of Disruption)
Normal Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: All Attack Position monsters your opponent controls lose 800 ATK points for each monster they control.
God's Providence (Ultimate Providence)
Counter Trap Card
When a Spell/Trap Card, or monster effect, is activated: Discard the same type of card (Monster, Spell, or Trap); negate the activation, and if you do, destroy that card.
Mutant Venom Cobra
DARK
Level 3
Fairy/Effect
1200 ATK/800 DEF
During your Standby Phase: Increase this card's ATK by 300 and Level by 1. If this effect is activated three times while this card remains face-up on the field: When this card inflicts battle damage; inflict 300 damage to your opponent.
Great Sea of Trees (Verdant Sanctuary)
Continuous Spell Card
When a face-up Insect-Type monster is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, its controller can add 1 Insect-Type monster with the same Level as the destroyed monster from their Deck to their hand.
Meteor Strike (Fairy Meteor Crush)
Equip Spell Card
If the equipped monster attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.
Howling Insect
EARTH
Level 3
Insect/Effect
1200 ATK/1300 DEF
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 Insect-Type monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck.
Danipon
EARTH
Level 2
Insect/Effect
600 ATK/600 DEF
When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can add 1 Insect-Type monster with 1000 DEF or less from your deck to your hand.
Mutant Saw Ant
DARK
Level 2
Pyro/Effect
850 ATK/400 DEF
During your Standby Phase: Increase this card's ATK by 200 and Level by 1. If this effect is activated three times while this card remains face-up on the field: You can tribute this card and target 1 monster on your opponent's side of the field; that target loses ATK and DEF equal to this card's ATK on the field, until the End Phase.
Burden of the Mighty
Continuous Spell Card
Each face-up monster your opponent controls loses 100 ATK x its own Level.
Giant Worm (Aztekipede, the Worm Warrior)
EARTH
Level 4
Insect/Effect
1900 ATK/400 DEF
Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned by banishing 1 Insect-Type monster from your Graveyard, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: Send the top card of their Deck to the Graveyard.
Mutation Change
Normal Trap
Tribute 1 "Mutant"monster on your side of the field and target 1 monster your opponent controls; take control of that monster. That monster is treated as a "Mutant" monster while face-up on the field.
Evolution Accelerator
Normal Trap
All "Mutant" monsters on the field are treated as if they have been on the field for an additional Standby Phase of this card's controller.
Mutant Zero Rat
DARK
Level 1
Warrior/Tuner/Effect
500 ATK/0 DEF
During your Standby Phase: Increase this card's ATK by 100 and Level by 1. If this effect is activated three times while this card remains face-up on the field: Select a number between 1 and 12 (inclusive); this card's Level becomes that number.
Super Mutant Butcher
DARK
Level 7
Psychic/Synchro/Effect
2000 ATK/500 DEF
1 "Mutant" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner "Mutant" monsters
During your Standby Phase: Increase this card's ATK by 800 and Level by 1. If this effect is activated four times while this card remains face-up on the field: You can tribute this face-up card at the end of your Battle Phase after this card destroys another monster by battle; Special Summon 1 "Mutant" Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck that has a higher Level than this card. The monster summoned by this effect can activate its second effect.
Ultimate Insect LV1
WIND
Level 1
Insect/Effect
0 ATK/0 DEF
While this card is on the field, it is unaffected by the effects of Spell Cards. During your Standby Phase, by sending this face-up card to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 "Ultimate Insect LV3" from your hand or Deck. (You cannot activate this effect the turn this card is Normal Summoned, Special Summoned, or flipped face-up.)
Divine Protection of the Neglected (Insect Neglect)
Continuous Magic Card
When your opponent's monster declares an attack, you can remove from play 1 Insect-Type monster from your Graveyard to negate the attack.
Ultimate Insect LV3
WIND
Level 3
Insect/Effect
1400 ATK/900 DEF
If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Ultimate Insect LV1", while it remains on the field all of your opponent's monsters lose 300 ATK. During your Standby Phase, by sending this face-up card to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 "Ultimate Insect LV5" from your hand or Deck. (You cannot activate this effect the turn this card is Normal Summoned, Special Summoned, or flipped face-up.)
Cross-Sword Hunter (Cross-Sword Beetle)
WIND
Level 4
Insect/Effect
1800 ATK/1200 DEF
While you control an Insect-Type monster (other than this card), if an Insect-Type monster you control attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage to your opponent.
Resurrection of the Dead (Monster Reborn)
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 monster in either player's Graveyard; Special Summon it.
Ultimate Insect LV5
WIND
Level 5
Insect/Effect
2300 ATK/900 DEF
If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Ultimate Insect LV3", while it remains on the field all of your opponent's monsters lose 500 ATK. During your Standby Phase, by sending this face-up card to the Graveyard, Special Summon 1 "Ultimate Insect LV7" from your hand or Deck. (You cannot activate this effect the turn this card is Normal Summoned, Special Summoned, or flipped face-up.)
Dark Burst (Dark Eruption)
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 DARK monster with 1500 or less ATK in your Graveyard; add that target to your hand.
Ultimate Insect LV7
WIND
Level 7
Insect/Effect
2600 ATK/1200 DEF
If this card was Special Summoned by the effect of "Ultimate Insect LV5", while it remains on the field all your opponent's monsters lose 700 ATK and DEF.
Firearms-Attached Insect Armor (Insect Armor with Laser Cannon)
Equip Spell Card
Equip only to an Insect-Type monster. It gains 700 ATK.
Flash of Darkness (Darklight)
Normal Trap Card
Tribute 1 DARK monster with 1500 or more ATK; destroy all monsters that were Special Summoned this turn.
This one came out a little late, but still on Wednesday like promised. Got kind of side tracked with some other stuff going on in life, so I needed some extra time to finish the edits on this chapter before putting it up. Probably won't happen again. Probably.
You all thought it was a joke when I said there'd be an Ultimate Insect deck in this story. You all laughed. But who's laughing now? Probably still you all, since it's ridiculous and fun.
Going to preempt some stuff now that Hideo's entered the fray. For those who don't get it, Hideo is autistic (as are the other protagonists) and nonverbal, meaning they don't really have the ability to talk. It's possible, but extremely difficult, which is why they communicate through text and their duel disk.
In addition, Hideo is nonbinary and uses the non-traditional personal pronoun "maro-san" in Japanese, which I represent through the use of "they/them" pronouns in English. Slightly related, but I thought I'd use this chance to talk about everyone else's pronouns, too, since that always fascinates me. Yumi generally uses "boku" but sometimes lapses into "watashi" when she's forced to be polite and respectful; Sakuya always uses "watashi" because she's always so formal; and Kazuhiko alternates between "ore" and "ore-sama" depending on whether he's making a dramatic speech or not.
Nothing much else to say this time. Thanks for reading, as always, and tell your friends. I crave attention and validation on the internet to make up for my lack of genuine connections in real life. Come back in two weeks for another chapter that's going to be more on time.