Old grudges come back to haunt Yumi as Rio's plan finally comes to fruition. With her friends and her ability as a duelist threatened, can she hope to overcome her strongest opponent yet without Sakuya's help?
It was set to be another lazy day at the park training for the tournament. Sakuya would be running late again (she told Yumi this time after the worry it caused previously), but the rest of the day would be pretty typical. Kazuhiko was here, too, so she wouldn't be forced to sit in silence for the time being, either.
"And I told my mom to quit butting into my business," he said, passionately regaling Yumi with a story from his personal life. "I'll eat hamburgers for dinner if I want to! She can't control where I go when I'm done with school!"
Yumi laughed at his overreaction. "I'm sure she's just worried about your health."
"Yeah," he agreed. "She's a pretty great lady." Despite their differences and how often they seemed to argue, Kazuhiko had nothing but love and respect for his mother. She'd raised him and his sister on her own for the majority of his entire life and he was well aware of the challenge in that.
"You should totally let me come over sometime so I can look at your cards," Yumi added. "I won't complain about any food your mom makes for us."
He scoffed. "Like I'd invite a little kid over to my house. How uncool do you think I am?"
"Uncool enough to sit in the park all morning talking to a little kid," she added, bringing him to silence. "Is next week good, then? I'll bring some stuff to trade with you."
He scratched the back of his head, still a bit embarrassed. "I don't know. I'll talk to my mom about it later." His attention quickly turned to the sidewalk, watching a sharply dressed young man in an argyle scarf and glasses cross the street. There even seemed to be a sparkling aura surrounding his face. "Damn, he's hot. Wish he was over here so I could get a better look."
Yumi was surprised at this. "I didn't know you liked boys," she said.
Kazuhiko shrugged. "Boys, girls, anything else; doesn't really matter to me as long as they're hot." He continued to peer at the boy until he was completely out of sight.
"What about me?" she said with a laugh in a clearly obtuse manner.
"Like I'd ever be interested in a little kid. You're not attractive at all. That's probably against the law, even."
Yumi was genuinely upset by this, even if she was joking. "Jerk," she mumbled with a pout.
Kazuhiko rolled his eye. "Fine. You're okay for a kid. And your hair is pretty great. I'm saying that, so you know it's true." Her smile returned immediately, grabbing him in a hug. "Quit that. It'd be really uncool if someone saw me hugging a kid."
"Because it's okay to hang out with one all the time like this, right? That's different?" He went silent again. One of these days, he'd have to face just how much of a nerd he actually was. Today wouldn't be that day, though.
"Hey, are you old enough to be into anyone yet?" he asked, shifting the conversation from his infinite uncoolness back to crushes.
"I don't know," she answered. "I think I might like girls." She thought for a moment, eventually nodding with determination after images of Kyoko flooded her brain. "Yeah. Girls are really pretty and nice. I think I like girls."
"Yeah, they are," he agreed. "Does that mean you and Ishikawa...?"
For a second, Yumi didn't understand the question. Then, realization began to set in around the same time as a massive blush. She laughed nervously, waving her hands around in disagreement. "N-no! Of course not! We're just friends! Besides, I don't even think Sakuya likes girls! And she probably has a boyfriend already, since she's so perfect and amazing! And even if she didn't, she could get one whenever she wanted! A girlfriend, too! And even if all of that wasn't true, it's not like she'd ever want to go out with me, or anything! She could find someone way better without even trying!" She ended her rant with another bout of extremely loud and nervous laughter.
Completely unconvinced at this gay little girl's denial, he resigned not to push it further. It didn't affect him, anyway. She could do whatever she wanted, even if it was painfully obvious how much they liked each other. For all he knew, it was just a little summer crush, and they'd both go back to their lives once school started up again. "Whatever," he replied, leaning back on the grass, catching himself putting far too much thought into someone else's love life.
"It's true!" Yumi insisted, prepared to keep arguing until she could make him agree with her. "I could never like her like that! She's way too good for me, and it just wouldn't work! No matter how smart and nice and cool and strong she is."
"Fine," he said, relenting. "You're definitely not into her." All the complaining was starting to become annoying and wasn't doing anything to genuinely convince him. "Any other girls you actually do like, then?"
Relief spread over her now that Kazuhiko was thoroughly convinced she wasn't secretly pining for her best friend. The next question threw her for a bit of a loop, though. "Kyoko's nice," she said with a giggle. "I don't think she likes me that way, though. The only other girl I really met recently was Rio. She was okay. She's really cute, but more in a, 'Let me pinch your cheeks,' kind of way. Does that make sense?"
"Yeah, I think I get it." Slowly, he raised an eyebrow. "Wait, Rio who? Mabuchi Rio, the pro duelist?" Yumi nodded with a smile. "Holy crap! How'd you manage that?"
"We dueled, actually." His shock was far more satisfying than she would have thought it could be. "Sakuya and I showed up at a greeting she did at the library recently, and she picked me to duel with. I lost, but it was still a lot of fun."
Kazuhiko laughed in the deep, boastful, full-bodied way only he could. "You never cease to amaze me, Miss Yumi."
"Why do you always call me that?" she asked. "You don't have to be so uptight around me. You never do it with anyone else."
He only shrugged. "It just feels right, you know?"
"Personally, I think it's nice to see kids being so respectful of each other these days," a voice from behind them said in formal Japanese. They both turned their heads sharply at the eavesdropper, greeted by the smiling, bespectacled face of a dark haired man waving to them from a wheelchair on the sidewalk. "Sorry to butt in like that," he said, folding his hands into his lap. "I just wasn't sure how best to let you know I was here. My name is Rafael Oliveira, and-"
"Wait, are you that Rafael Oliveira?" Kazuhiko interrupted rudely, his head starting to spin from the realization that he'd befriended some kind of magnet for famous people. "The genius card professor from Brazil who's won the regional tournament there three years in a row and taken the national title before?"
Yumi was both awed and annoyed. "Why am I always the last to hear about these people?" she whined. Immediately turning her focus back to the duelist, she asked, "Does that mean you're here to duel people?" without even a hint of modesty. "You can duel me if you want! I've been training, so I've gotten really strong, too!"
"Jeez, calm down!" Kazuhiko scolded, deciding to be the rational party for a change. "You can't just ask a big time pro duelist like that for a duel. Besides, I call dibs if that's really what he wants."
Rafael laughed, amused by how forward the two kids were. "Well..." he began. "That actually is why I came here. You're Takano Yumi, correct?" She nodded enthusiastically, hopping up and down and flapping her hands with excitement. Hadn't even gone to the tournament yet and people were coming from across the world to duel her. "Then I definitely came to duel you."
She squealed, grabbing her duel disk from the backpack she'd brought along. Kazuhiko watched, seething with jealousy. "I have to tell you a few things first, though." He stood up slowly, walking his chair over the border between pavement and grass before taking a seat once he'd reached even ground.
"You can walk?" Yumi asked in confusion.
"Well, yes," he said with a small laugh. "Some people in wheelchairs can walk."
Kazuhiko nodded. "It's true. A lot of people who use mobility aids and stuff can walk without them. It's just a lot easier." His knowledge as a fully able-bodied person surprised the both of them "What? I can't be supportive and informed?"
"Sorry for assuming!" Yumi apologized, feeling ashamed at the insensitivity.
Rafael waved it off, having accepted it as commonplace many years ago. "It's alright. Most people don't know." He wheeled himself forward, turning back to face them with a more somber, almost pained expression. "I'm sorry if you assumed otherwise, but I didn't come here because of your reputation." Despite how obvious this statement should have been, Yumi was genuinely disappointed. "I've been hired to duel you under the condition that, should you lose, you'll relinquish your deck and swear on your honor never to duel again."
The otherwise cheerful meeting immediately turned sour. "Why the hell would she do that?" Kazuhiko shouted, quickly losing patience with the once-venerated duelist.
With a heavy sigh, Rafael answered. "Because your friend, Ishikawa Sakuya, is in danger. If you refuse to duel me...I don't actually know what will happen to her, but I know it's nothing good."
Yumi froze in terror. Someone was threatening Sakuya? This couldn't be real. This was just supposed to be a normal day. "Bastard!" Kazuhiko yelled, grabbing the forest colored shirt Rafael wore at the collar and picking him up. "What did you do to Ishikawa? Talk!"
"Take it easy," he said, holding up his hands. "Please, just listen." With a scowl, he dropped Rafael again, Yumi shaking as she listened to what he had to say. "As long as you agree to duel me, your friend will be perfectly safe. I'm sure you can agree that a few cards is well worth that."
Kazuhiko tried to protest more, but Yumi put a hand to his arm. Sliding her goggles down, she looked to the man with fire in her eyes and a determination to win she'd never felt before. "Fine," she answered simply, activating her duel disk. "Let's settle this, then."
"You sure about this?" Kazuhiko asked, still scowling. "I'll take your place if you don't feel like you can handle it."
She shook her head. "No. I'll do it. I'll protect Sakuya no matter what." She'd made up her mind and nothing he said could sway her.
"Right," he said in affirmation. Taking his place on the sidelines, Kazuhiko gave her a supportive thumbs up. "Kick his ass, Miss Yumi." Even with the stakes this high, he had no doubt she could pull off a win. He'd experienced her strength firsthand and knew just how skilled this girl was. National Champion or not, she could definitely do this.
Rafael flipped a table across his lap from the side his chair, taking out a deck from the right breast pocket on his shirt. He shuffled it quickly, then placed it down, the table glowing and a lighted duel mat pattern appearing across its surface. "Duel!" they announced in unison to begin the game.
"I'll begin, if you don't mind," Rafael announced, taking his hand from the top of his deck. "I set one monster in Defense Mode. Turn end." A very mundane start to a duel against one of the strongest players in the world. Obviously, there was something more to his strategy soon to come.
"Draw!" Yumi declared, all pretense of fun and games vanishing as she took her turn.
"Don't get reckless," Kazuhiko chided in a very uncharacteristic manner. "He's got something hidden there. Keep calm and think before you rush in." He might be loud and over dramatic, but no one could argue Kazuhiko wasn't a strategist when it counted, or that he couldn't spot a trap like that from a mile away.
"I am calm," she said to him in an unconvincing monotone. Her expression may have been stoic, but she was burning with anger just beneath the surface. "I summon Rusty Swordsman! Equip Magic, Rusty Sword!" As soon as it appeared on the field, the little knight was given the much larger weapon from its equipment, its ATK raising to 2500. "Rusty Slice!"
Her monster charged forward, cutting through the face-down card with little effort. Before its destruction, a brown frog appeared, screeching before it disappeared with its card. "I set three cards and end my turn," Yumi said.
"My turn. Draw!" After adding a card to his hand, a glowing circle appeared on Rafael's field. "During my Standby Phase, if Yomigaeru is in my Graveyard and I have no cards in my Magic and Trap zones, I can summon it back to my field. Be reborn!" The frog from earlier ascended from the underworld, lifted up by two angelic wings. Despite the fanfare, its unimpressive 100 ATK and Def wouldn't do much against Rusty Swordsman.
He played another monster after that. "I summon Guiding Hand of Nephthys in Attack Mode!" A dark skinned woman dressed in gold and scarlet robes appeared on the field, her eyes shadowed by an ornate, golden headpiece with an avian-looking part at the top, a feather sticking out from it. "I'll activate her effect next. Ceremony of the God Phoenix!"
The woman conjured two flames into her hands, the revived frog floating above her and burning to cinders as a sacrifice. "I Release her and another monster on my field to bring forth my Ace Monster from my deck!" With a yell, the woman became fire herself, floating into the air and becoming a spiraling ball of flames not unlike the sun itself.
"Grace this duel with your presence, my burning god of the dead! Sister to Osiris and Isis, appear now as your avatar that will cleanse the world in flame! Phoenix God of Nephthys, summon!" Yumi and Kazuhiko shielded their eyes from explosion as the ball of fire reached its peak brightness. A golden, metal ball was revealed inside. Slowly, it began to unfold, contorting into the shape of a giant bird. Its scarlet eyes gleamed as it shrieked into the sky, fire spewing from the ends of its wings and from the top of its head to replicate feathers.
"That card won't do anything," Yumi declared, unconcerned with the appearance of what Rafael dubbed his best card. "It only has 2400 ATK, but Rusty Swordsman has 2500. Not only that, I can pay Life Points to increase it even further if you try to attack me. Your monster can't touch me!"
Rafael let out a small chuckle. "It's very true that your monster overpowers my god, but Nephthys' true strength isn't in her ATK, but in her effect." Leaving the cryptic warning of things to come, he laid down another card. "Magic Card, Black Hole!" A swirling vortex of gravity appeared between the duelists, their monster struggling futilely to escape its pull. "This destroys all monsters we have on the field."
"Why would you go to all the trouble of summoning your Ace Monster just to destroy it?" Kazuhiko asked incredulously. Was this guy really a pro if he played this carelessly?
"You'll discover why on my next turn. I set one card face-down and end my turn." More cryptic messages. Things would probably move much faster in this game if people just explained their cards straight up.
Yumi began her turn now. "I summon Spirit of the Books – Hawk Bishop!" A tall, bipedal bird man in robes appeared on the field, lazily reading a book it clutched between its talons. "Hawk Bishop, direct attack!" The monster reared up, sending a flurry of razor feathers flying into Rafael. His set card seemed to be of no use as his Life Points fell to 2600. "Turn end," she declared.
Despite the direct hit, he seemed unfazed by the attack. Without even registering it, he started his turn. "Standby Phase. The effect of Phoenix God of Nephthys activates!" A pair of enormous, flaming wings appeared behind Rafael as the monster returned to the field. "During my Standby Phase after Nephthys has been destroyed by a card effect, I can revive her to my field and simultaneously destroy all Magic and Trap Cards on the field!"
Yumi's eyes widened at the realization, glancing down to her duel disk and the three cards set to her field. "God's Fire!" Rafael declared, Nephthys spreading her wings and engulf the sky with her holy fire. It rained down onto the field, obliterating both Yumi's and his own backrow.
Twister, Magic Capture, and Mirror Force were all destroyed. Three of her best cards were gone in an instant. It was unreal. Whatever consolation there was in Rafael's miscalculation in destroying his own card was dwarfed by the problems that would come from losing her own utility.
"Now, my Trap activates! Cursed Coffin!" A portal to the underworld opened on the ground, Rafael's previously destroyed card coming back to the field. "When this card is destroyed while set on my field, I can force you to choose between discarding a random card from your hand or destroying a monster on your field. Choose which one you would prefer."
Yumi looked to the single card in her hand: Restraint Release Wave. It wasn't doing her any good right now, given that she was without an Equip Magic on the field. Not only that, destroying Rafael's set cards could prove dangerous in this duel if Cursed Coffin was any indication of what he had in store for her. Keeping Spirit of the Books to reduce the damage she'd take seemed like the best choice right now, as it would mean waiting a minimum of two turns before she could even potentially use her Magic Card with the field the way it was now.
"I'll discard my hand," she decided, placing the Magic Card in her Graveyard with a nod from her opponent.
"It's still my Standby Phase, so now that I have no Magic or Trap Cards on my field, I can summon Yomigaeru. Revive once more!" The frog returned to the field, looking as lethargic as ever. "Nephthys, attack! Burning God Wing Strike!" The phoenix reared up, flapping its mechanical wings and sending a torrent of flames at the much smaller bird. Though it tried to shield itself, it was easily blown away by the fire, along with 1000 of Yumi's Life Points. "I'll set one card and end my turn."
This was the epitome of a bad situation. Her field was completely empty, as was her hand, and she was staring down a powerful monster with a set card that could ruin whatever she managed to get on her next turn. Another attack from Nephthys would nearly obliterate her Life Points, and if Rafael could draw another monster, she'd lose completely. Her next draw needed to be something good, or she might as well surrender.
"Draw!" she declared. It certainly wasn't good, but it would do. "I set one monster and end my turn," Yumi said with a frown. She couldn't beat Nephthys this turn, but at least she could hold it off for now. As good as the extra turn to draw was, it still brought up the fear of leading her into a card she just couldn't use. Nothing good could come of waiting.
"I start my turn, draw!" Luckily for Yumi, Rafael's newest card would be of no use for the moment. "Nephthys, attack! Burning God Wing Strike!" Flames spread over the field as Wallrus appeared from its card only to be obliterated within seconds. "I'll end my turn," he stated afterwards.
Yumi held her breath as she drew her next card, relief washing over her at picking the exact right card for this situation. "I activate Treasure Cards from the Heavens!" she announced, a large projection of a card featuring two armor-clad warriors trying to collect a rain of gold coins in their upturned helmets appearing on the field. "This lets us both draw until we have six cards in our hands."
It was a reset, and that was the best thing she could hope for at this time. It only seemed appropriate that Sakuya had given her this card now that she was fighting to save her friend. With six new cards in her hand, she had options once more.
"I summon Magnum Lily in Attack Mode!" she declared, an unassuming orange flower appearing on her field. "Attack Yomigaeru!" A muzzle slid from between its petals, the sound of a gun cocking as it did. Quickly after, it fired several bullets into the frog, destroying it. With his face-down card, Rafael wouldn't be able to summon it back during his next turn. "I set two cards and end my turn."
Now it was time to pay for her draw power. Rafael's turn started with seven cards in hand and a powerful monster on the field. It was sub-optimal, to say the least. "I summon Prominence Knight," he said, a knight appearing on his field with flowing red cape behind him.
"Prominence Knight, attack Magnum Lily!" The knight's foil caught flame as he readied for a lunge, dashing towards the plant with shield raised.
"Trap Card, activate!" Yumi interrupted. "Justi-Break!" Her card flipped up, bolts of white lightning shooting from its picture. "When you attack a Normal Monster, this card destroys every monster on the field that isn't a Normal Monster in Attack Mode!" Her explanation was punctuated by Prominence Knight and Nephthys being destroyed as the electricity connected with them.
Rafael was unconcerned. "All you've done is activated my Nephthys' effect for next turn," he told her, disappointed at her lack of planning. "For now, I use Prominence Knight's own effect. When it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can send a FIRE attribute monster from my deck to the Graveyard."
To everyone's shock, the card he selected was another copy of Phoenix God of Nephthys. "You have another?" Kazuhiko shouted from the sidelines.
"I'll tell you now, just so we're clear: I have three copies of Nephthys in my deck. Defeating one won't be enough to win you this duel." He shuffled his deck and returned it to its position on the table. "I'll prove that now," he told her, placing a card onto the field. "Resurrection of the Dead!"
"I'll revive the Nephthys I just sent to the Graveyard," he declared, the phoenix rising once more to the field. Not only would he have two of them by the time his turn started, its effect would destroy whatever cards Yumi had in her backrow again. "I set one card and end my turn. Let me see what you can do, Takano Yumi!"
It was odd. Despite the stakes of this duel, Rafael genuinely seemed to want a challenge. His actions lacked the malice or murderous intent someone in his position should typically hold, almost like he was hoping for Yumi to be able to defeat him. It was probably just her imagination, though.
"Draw!" she said, beginning her turn. "I'll play Dark Factory of Mass Production, which lets me add two Normal Monsters to my hand from my Graveyard." She selected Rusty Swordsman and Spirit of the Books to return to her, sending the spent card to where they once rested.
"Now, I Release Magnum Lily to Advance Summon Majesty Magician!" The spellcaster appeared on the field with a flourished bow, ready to fight the monster flying above it. "Attack Nephthys! Majesty Burst!"
The magician twirled his cane, holding it by the curve of its handle and firing a zigzagging beam at the phoenix. "Trap Card, activate! Destruct Potion!" The set card he'd been hiding for so long revealed itself. "I can destroy a monster on my field to gain Life Points equal to its ATK! I choose Nephthys!" The bird screeched as red electricity began to shock its body, culminating in its destruction and an increase in Rafael's Life Points by 2400.
"Then I'll make it a direct attack!" Yumi declared, Majesty Magician's beam redirecting to hit Rafael himself. With his Trap's effect, the net loss was only 100 points, bringing him down to 2500. He'd also managed to dodge destruction by battle, meaning both Nephthys would be on the field come next turn. Seeing no other plays to make, she ended her turn.
"Draw!" Rafael declared. "During my Standby Phase, both my Nephthys will be revived!" Both monsters returned to the air above him, raining fire and destroying the set cards on both sides of the field, one of which being Yumi's Intrigue Shield.
"My destroyed card was Cursed Coffin, so choose which effect you'd like." It was an easy decision, Yumi shuffling her hand and picking one card at random to discard. Her selection was Arms Hole, which she dropped into her Graveyard. "With my Trap Card gone, I'll also summon Yomigaeru back to my field." The unkillable frog was raised up in Defense Position once more.
While Yumi's monster outclassed both of the Nephthys in terms of ATK points, it would be foolish to count Rafael out while he still had cards in his hand. "I set two cards and end my turn." It would be dangerous to attack with those sets cards on the field. It almost seemed wiser to intentionally trigger a Nephthys right now.
Yumi began her turn, drawing a card and adding it to her hand. "I set a monster and end my turn," Yumi said, unwilling to charge in without a way to destroy the obvious traps set out for her. She'd have to wait and rely on her next few draws to gain the upper hand.
Rafael drew to begin his turn, then turned over one of his set cards. "I activate Chain-Attached Dynamite!" A bundle of dynamite attached to a chain wrapped itself around one of the Nephthys' necks. "This card equips to a monster on my field and boosts its ATK by 500 points. Nephthys, attack! Burning God Wing Strike!"
With a scowl, Yumi could only watch as her favorite card was blown away, her Life Points falling to 2600. Immediately following that, her face-down monster was destroyed, as well. "I activate my monster's effect, Critter!" Yumi took her deck and sorted through it. "When it's sent to the Graveyard from my field, I can add a monster with 1500 or less ATK to my hand from my deck." It didn't take her long to find the card she needed. "I add Komboriboh to my hand."
He ended his turn after that with no other cards to play. The good news, Yumi thought while drawing her card, was that there was only one set card left for her to discover. The bad news was that there was one set card left that could potentially be anything, and that her field was now empty.
"I activate Pot of Greed, which lets me draw two cards from my deck!" It was a powerful, complicated card she'd used to get out of many tight situations before, and this would hopefully be no different. "I play Tribute to the Devil and select your Nephthys with the Equip Card to activate it!" The grotesque homunculus appeared on Yumi's field, grabbing the phoenix between its hands and crushing it as it struggled to free itself. A small explosion went off between its clasped palms.
Rafael was irritated by this. Chain-Attached Dynamite's effect would activate if it was destroyed while equipped, but only by a card effect. If it was destroyed like this it would be circumvented entirely. "Since Tribute to the Devil sends a monster to the Graveyard without destroying it, your Nephthys won't be able to revive next turn, either." The monster turned back to Yumi, opening its hands to reveal a green orb of light. "Now I can summon Spirit of the Books – Hawk Bishop from my hand!"
"I'll equip Hawk Bishop with Golden Fiddle from my hand, and activate Komboriboh when I do." She discarded the little ball of fur as the stoic bird spirit started to play beautiful music on its new instrument. "When I play an Equip Magic, I can take another Equip Magic in my Graveyard that could target the monster I'm selecting and add it to my hand. I pick Rusty Sword." Yumi added back her earliest Equip Card from this duel as the Spirit's ATK raised to 2200.
Her Normal Summon was still available, and she was prepared to take full advantage of it. "Now, I'll summon Rusty Swordsman in Attack Mode and equip it with Rusty Sword again!" Just like on her first turn, the tiny knight was given a much bigger weapon and was ready to fight. "Rusty Slice!" Yumi shouted, sending her monster to attack. With 2500 ATK, it was 100 points higher than Nephthys. Just enough to beat it.
"Trap activate, Glaymore Dud!" Rafael's final set card opened, revealing itself as another Trap. "This card targets two Attack Position monsters on the field, and if something happens to remove one of them, this card is destroyed. When that happens, the other is destroyed with it! My targets are Phoenix God of Nephthys and Rusty Swordsman!"
Though it wasn't his intended strategy when he first played the card, Rafael could still use it. His Life Points fell to 2400 as Nephthys was cut to pieces. At the same time, the claymore pictured in his Trap's artwork appeared from its card, detonating under the unsuspecting Rusty Swordsman and destroying them both.
"Spirit of the Books, destroy Yomigaeru!" The monster began to play more sporadically, waves of sound resonating through the frog's body until it exploded. "I set one card and end my turn," Yumi declared. With both Nephthys neutralized, it was safe for her to play a backrow once more. Now all that was left was the third one still lurking in his deck.
"I draw!" Rafael declared. "I activate Onslaught of the Fire Kings." Whatever that card did, it must be powerful to pass up reviving his frog again. "If you control a monster and I do not, this card lets me summon a FIRE attribute Beast, Beast-Warrior, or Winged Beast-Type monster from my deck with its effects negated, and have it be destroyed during my End Phase."
Fire began to spew from the card's projection on Rafael's field. "I call forth my third and final Phoenix God of Nephthys!" The phoenix appeared on his field once more. "Burning God Wing Strike!" Fire rained towards Spirit of the Books, though it guarded against the attack with its violin.
"When a monster equipped with Golden Fiddle is attacked, it can shift to Defense Mode," Yumi explained. "Then, its DEF is increased by 300 points for each of its Levels, putting Hawk Bishop's DEF at 2400."
Attacking was no good, so Rafael tried a different approach. "I banish Prominence Knight from my Graveyard to Special Summon Inferno from my hand in Defense Mode!" A monster that was nothing more than a roaring fire face with a mouth full of skulls appeared on the field. "Next, I Special Summon Hellfire, the Soul of Malice!"
A cast iron pot appeared on the field, fire spewing from the opening at its top until a distinct face could be seen within the flames. "I can summon this card when I have a FIRE monster on my field. Then, I have to pick one to destroy. I'll choose Nephthys." Hellfire's body consumed Nephthys, starting the cycle of rebirth once again. "I'll end my turn with that."
Yumi began her turn, hoping to make the most of her turn before Nephthys appeared once again and wrecked everything. "I switch Hawk Bishop to Attack Mode. Now, attack Hellfire!" Both monsters had 2200 ATK, clashing in the middle of the field and destroying one another. During her next turn, Golden Fiddle would have been eliminated, leaving her to take damage from Nephthy's attack should Hawk Bishop stay on the field. At least by doing this, she was removing one of Rafael's monsters and stopping whatever effect it might have from activating on his turn.
"I set a monster and end my turn," she concluded. With her hand gone, she had only her two set cards left to protect her. Attack Nullification (her Trap) would be destroyed instantly come Rafael's Standby Phase. All that was left was her monster.
"Standby Phase," Rafael declared after drawing. "I revive both my Yomigaeru and Phoenix God of Nephthys, and destroy all Magic and Trap Cards on the field!" Just as she'd predicted, Attack Nullification was burned to cinders upon the summoning of Nephthys. "Inferno, attack!"
The flame monster blasted parts of its own body at the face-down target, awakening the insect. "Man-Eater Bug, Reverse Effect activate!" The monster lunged at Nephthys, biting into its neck and causing it to screech. "This card destroys one monster on your field when you reverse it. It may be destroyed, but it can take Nephthys with it!" Both monsters exploded, Yumi's luck allowing her to survive for another turn.
"Inferno's effect activates when it destroys a monster and sends it to the Graveyard, inflicting 1500 damage to your Life Points." Yumi was engulfed in the fire that made up the monster's form, shrieking as her Life dwindled to 1100. "I set one card end my turn."
"Miss Yumi!" Kazuhiko called with concern. He went to help her up, as she'd fallen to one knee, but she stood on her own, panting and placing her fingers on top of her deck to draw. As much as he hated to doubt Yumi, he wasn't sure how she could win. She'd exhausted all her best cards and was down to one last draw before Nephthys returned. He had a set card, too, meaning any summoning or attacks she could pull off might be completely for naught.
Even so, he wouldn't give up, and one look at her face told him she wouldn't ether. As long as Yumi was willing to keep fighting, he'd support her. "You can win!" he cheered. Whether or not it would matter would be decided on this next draw.
Yumi pulled the card from the top of her deck, holding it in her hand for a few moments before turning it towards her face. To both Rafael and Kazuhiko's surprise, she started to smile. "This is the card that decides my future!" she declared, heart beating out of her chest as she slapped it into place on her duel disk. "Crane Crane, summon!"
Any second now, she expected to meet a Trap Card that would ruin everything. "Effect, activate!" It could come at any time and for any reason. On summon, on effect, on resolution, during battle; nothing she did was safe as long as that set card remained. Despite her outward composure, Yumi was entirely sure she was about to have a heart attack.
"When Crane Crane is Normal Summoned, it allows me to summon another Level 3 monster from my Graveyard! Return, Magnum Lily!" The mechanical bird dipped its head forward, dropping a line into a mystical circle leading below the field. It rose up, dragging Magnum Lily back to the field as instructed.
"With my monsters, I'll open a path to victory! I overlay my Level 3 Crane Crane with my Level 3 Magnum Lily!" Both her monsters transformed into orbs of orange light, flying into the galaxy formed during the summoning. "Xyz Summon! Show yourself! Rank 3, Illusion King Robbins!" A lanky magician dressed in all black appeared from the portal, flourishing its long coat and tipping its porkpie hat as it arrived on the field.
"Illusion King Robbins is a gentleman thief," Yumi explained, the monster adjusting a small domino mask across its eyes. "By detaching two Overlay Units from it, I can activate its effect to call a member of the audience on stage!" As both cards used to summon it were dispensed into the Graveyard, the two orbiting units made their way into the red gem joining either side of the monster's bowtie.
"When that happens, I can equip a monster from your Graveyard to Robbins and increase its ATK points by half of the equipped monster!" Phoenix God of Nephthys was pulled from Rafael's Graveyard by a line of tied together handkerchiefs in a rainbow of colors, eventually being tugged over to Yumi's field and condensed back into its card form, which the thief tucked into its coat pocket.
With Rafael's chain broken, he was defeated. His set card was nothing more than another Cursed Coffin, ready to eliminate whatever monster Yumi might play for defense or destroy the last card in her hand before the final attack. Illusion King Robbins' ATK grew from 2300 to 3500, giving it exactly enough to overcome the last of his Life Points.
"Illusion King Robbins, attack Inferno! Sleight of Hand!" With two gloved hands and a flick of each wrist, Yumi's monster materialized two purple energy balls, sending them hurtling into Rafael's monster and reducing his Life Points to 0 as Kazuhiko cheered.
Slowly, Rafael sighed. He was conflicted – both disappointed in his loss yet relieved not to have to hurt a child with as much promise and fire as Yumi. Before he could say anything, he was grabbed at the collar once more and lifted up. "Yumi won, so tell us where you took Ishikawa!"
"I told you before," he said, grabbing at the boy's wrist. "I was only hired to deliver the message and duel. I have no idea where your friend is or what's happening to her. I'm sorry."
"Kazuhiko, put him down." Yumi remained stoic despite her spectacular victory. "Is that the truth?" she asked Rafael after he was seated once more.
He nodded. "I swear to you on my honor as a duelist that I have no clue where your friend is. Like I said before, you agreed to duel me, so she should be safe."
"If that's correct," Yumi said, "then leave, and never speak to me or threaten my friends again."
"It is," he reiterated, truly hoping his employer had kept her word. They locked eyes, sharing an intense gaze for a few moments before he turned in his chair to leave. "For what it's worth," he began, not facing either of them. "You're one of the strongest opponents I've ever faced. You're a much more worthy champion than I am." She said nothing as he left the park.
"Honor as a duelist," he thought, turning the words over inside his brain. What honor did he have left? He was threatening a child and trying to steal from another, and for what? Money, of course. It was always money. He had no other choice, despite how morally repugnant this entire situation was. It made him sick.
"That's correct," he said over the phone in a defeated tone. "She beat me. The girl is safe like you said she'd be, right?"
There was a laugh from the other end of the line. "What do you care, you failure?" Rio said. "Go back to your own country like the loser dog you are. I don't have anymore time to waste on you, and neither does my family's company. Enjoy rotting in the gutter."
"Miss, if I could just speak to your parents. Please, let me explain the situation." She'd hung up before he even finished talking. He stopped on the sidewalk, holding in his anguish as hard as he could. That's all he could do now; go home and face his family. His mother, father, all his siblings. They'd know how he tried to extort a little girl for her right to play this game, threatening another with violence to do so. How he lost the sponsorship of Critical Games and was now blacklisted from the professional dueling world. How his earnings from the last tournament were all they had left after today.
A few seconds after Rafael was out of sight, Yumi collapsed on the ground in a heap. "Miss Yumi, are you okay?" Kazuhiko cried out, rushing to her side.
"Yeah," she replied quietly. "I'm just really, really tired." Kazuhiko sighed, taking her backpack off the ground and putting it under her head to use as a pillow. In seconds, she'd already fallen asleep, snoring loudly with a snot bubble inflating and deflating against her nose. It was amazing how easily she could pass out after everything that had just happened.
Several minutes passed as Kazuhiko watched over her, worrying over Sakuya's safety and contemplating calling the police, combing through his pompadour repetitively to keep himself occupied. It proved pointless, though, as a familiar blue beret appeared within his line of sight approaching the park. As if an alarm blared inside her head, Yumi's eyes sprung open as her body jolted upwards, causing Kazuhiko to fall over in surprise.
"Sakuya!" she squealed, running towards her friend and jumping forward to tackle her into a hug, only to lose energy halfway to her goal and face plant into the ground.
"Ishikawa!" Kazuhiko called, having composed himself. "You won't believe what just happened! Rafael Oliveira, the former Brazilian National Champion, appeared before us and dueled Miss Yumi! He threatened your safety and said if she lost, she could never pick up a card again, but she still prevailed for your sake and sent him home in shame!"
Sakuya blinked, keeping a bored expression the entire time. "You're right, I don't believe that."
"It's true!" Yumi protested, face still stuck to the grass. "I dueled him and I won so you'd be safe." The three of them reconvened at the side of the hill, recounting the battle and everything they knew about Rafael's motives, having to assure Sakuya five separate times that this wasn't an elaborate prank.
"An employer," she said, touching a finger to her lips to think as Yumi hugged ever tighter against her side. "Did either of you try to find out who it is before he left?" Both of them were suddenly overcome by their own negligence, having not even considered that in the entirety of their encounter. Sakuya sighed slowly. "Well, it's okay. Neither of you was really thinking of collecting evidence in the middle of all of that."
"But it's all okay now because you're here and you're safe," Yumi added, rubbing her face against Sakuya.
"Enough of that," she said sternly, trying to cover up the fact she was blushing intensely by speaking harshly. "I don't think I was any danger," she continued, Yumi releasing her with a pout. "I was running errands with my father all morning and nothing suspicious was happening around us."
"I still think we should tell some adults just be safe," Kazuhiko interjected, continuing his responsible streak from before.
"I suppose, but I doubt anyone would believe us, or even care. 'Help! Help! Some mysterious person is hiring a bunch of people to play card games with us!' We might be on our own for now."
Kazuhiko nodded reluctantly. Saying it out loud sort of revealed how ridiculous this entire scenario seemed. "I'm going to tell Hideo. At the very least, they'll be willing to help us."
Sakuya nodded. "Then we'll have to be alert in case anything else happens. We can't know if any of us are in real danger right now, but if worst comes to worst, at least we have each other." Suddenly, Sakuya's demeanor changed to be much less friendly, the realization dawning upon her that Kazuhiko wasn't privy to her true nature. "Assuming none of you hold me back, that is."
Kazuhiko scoffed. "Don't act like we can't hold our own, Ishikawa. And you don't need to pretend to be someone you're not here. Miss Yumi's already told me just how soft you are in private." She turned to Yumi with a glare, who smiled back sheepishly and pressed her index fingers together. Then, she kicked Kazuhiko in the shin. "Damn it! That hurt!" He grabbed at his leg, hopping up and down.
"How soft was that?" she asked, arms folded and scowling.
"That's enough!" he declared while still holding his leg. "I've suffered this disrespect long enough! Ishikawa, it's time for us to settle our differences in a duel!"
"You're still 100 years too early to try and challenge me again," she replied, turning her nose up dismissively.
"I'm older than you!" he screamed, Yumi bursting into laughter beside them. Regardless of what happened earlier or what may come in the future, things were back to normal for the time being. That's all any of them could ask for.
Inside the penthouse floor of the Critical Games skyscraper, Rio sat in her chair, hands folded in her lap as she spoke to Fukuro the butler. "We have an understanding, then?" she asked.
"Yes, Miss Rio," he replied, not allowing his sadness to show through in his voice. This wasn't new. She'd been doing things like this for years, but usually not to this extreme. For whatever reason, this new girl had infuriated Rio so much that she was putting her family's company at risk now. The worst part, though, was that despite how much he objected to all of this, he knew he was at least partially culpable for whatever would end up happening.
"Good. I hope you found one that's slightly more competent this time. If you let me down again, I'm going to be mad."
"I assure you," he said, "she will be more than capable of dealing with your problem." For everyone's sake, he hoped that was true.
Cards Used in Order of Appearance
Rusty Swordsman
EARTH
Level 4
Warrior
1500 ATK/1000 DEF
Rusty Sword
Equip Spell Card
You can only equip this card to a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster with 1500 or less ATK and DEF. The equipped monster gains these effects: This card's original ATK increases equal to its DEF. When this card attacks, during the Damage Step: You can pay Life Points in multiples of 100 (maximum 500); this card gains ATK equal to that amount.
Yomigaeru (Treeborn Frog)
WATER
Level 1
Aqua/Effect
100 ATK/100 DEF
During your Standby Phase, if this card is in your Graveyard and you do not control a "Treeborn Frog": You can Special Summon this card. You must control no Spell/Trap Cards to activate and to resolve this effect.
Guiding Hand of Nephthys (Hand of Nephthys)
WIND
Level 2
Spellcaster/Effect
600 ATK/600 DEF
You can Tribute this card and 1 other monster; Special Summon 1 "Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys" from your hand or Deck.
Phoenix God of Nephthys (Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys)
FIRE
Level 8
Winged Beast/Effect
2400 ATK/1600 DEF
During your next Standby Phase after this card was destroyed by a card effect and sent to the Graveyard: Special Summon this card from the Graveyard. When you do: Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field.
Black Hole (Dark Hole)
Normal Spell Card
Destroy all monsters on the field.
Spirit of the Books – Hawk Bishop (Spirit of the Books)
WIND
Level 4
Winged Beast
1400 ATK/1200 DEF
Twister
Quick-Play Spell Card
Pay 500 LP, then target 1 face-up Spell/Trap Card on the field; destroy that target.
Magic Capture (Spell Reclamation)
Normal Trap Card
Discard 1 card and chain this card to a Spell Card you activated. Whenever that Spell Card is sent to the Graveyard, return it to its owner's hand.
Holy Barrier – Mirror Force (Mirror Force)
Normal Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls.
Cursed Coffin (Dark Coffin)
Normal Trap Card
When this face-down card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, your opponent selects and executes 1 of the following effects: 1. Discard 1 random card in their hand. 2. Select 1 monster on their side of the field and destroy it.
Restraint Release Wave (Release Restraint Wave)
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 face-up Equip Spell Card you control; destroy the Equip Spell Card and all face-down Spell and Trap Cards your opponent controls.
Wallrus
WATER
Level 2
Beast
400 ATK/800 DEF
Treasure Cards from the Heavens (Card of Sanctity)
Normal Spell Card
Each player draws until they have 6 cards in their hand.
Magnum Lily (Barrel Lily)
EARTH
Level 3
Plant
1100 ATK/600 DEF
Prominence Knight (Brushfire Knight)
FIRE
Level 4
Warrior/Effect
1400 ATK/1200 DEF
When a FIRE monster is destroyed and sent to your Graveyard: Send 1 FIRE monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard: Send 1 FIRE monster from your Deck to the Graveyard. You can only use 1 "Brushfire Knight" effect per turn, and only once that turn.
Justi-Break
Normal Trap Card
Activate only when your opponent declares an attack against a face-up Normal Monster you control. Destroy all monsters on the field, except face-up Attack Position Normal Monsters.
Resurrection of the Dead (Monster Reborn)
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 monster in either player's Graveyard; Special Summon it.
Dark Factory of Mass Production
Normal Spell Card
Target 2 Normal Monsters in your Graveyard; add those targets to your hand.
Majesty Magician
DARK
Level 8
Spellcaster/Effect
2500 ATK/2000 DEF
You can Tribute Summon this card by tributing 1 monster that was originally a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster with 1500 or less ATK and DEF. This card is treated as a Level 4 Normal Monster with 1500 ATK and DEF when targeted by card effects while face-up on the field or in the Graveyard (its Level and ATK/DEF do not change).
Destruct Potion
Normal Trap Card
Select 1 monster you control. Destroy it, and gain Life Points equal to its ATK.
Intrigue Shield
Normal Trap Card
Target 1 face-up monster you control; equip this card to that target. Once per turn, while the equipped monster is in Attack Position, it cannot be destroyed by battle. You take no battle damage from attacks involving it.
Arms Hole (Hidden Armory)
Normal Spell Card
Send the top card of your Deck to the Graveyard; add 1 Equip Spell Card from your Deck or Graveyard to your hand. You cannot Normal Summon/Set during the turn you activate this card.
Chain-Attached Dynamite (Blast with Chain)
Normal Trap Card
Target 1 face-up monster you control; equip this card to that target. It gains 500 ATK. If this card is destroyed by a card effect while equipped: Target 1 card on the field; destroy that target.
Critter (Sangan)
DARK
Level 3
Fiend/Effect
1000 ATK/ 600 DEF
When this card is sent from the field to the Graveyard: Add 1 monster with 1500 or less ATK from your Deck to your hand.
Komboriboh
DARK
Level 1
Fiend/Effect
300 ATK/ 200 DEF
When a monster is targeted by an Equip Spell Card: You can discard this card and target 1 Equip Spell Card in your Graveyard that could be equipped to an appropriate monster on the field; add that target to your hand. When a monster you control is targeted for an attack while it it equipped with an Equip Spell Card: You can banish this card from your Graveyard to target that monster; this turn, that target cannot be destroyed by battle and you take no battle damage from attacks involving that target.
Pot of Greed
Normal Spell Card
Draw 2 cards.
Tribute to the Devil (Faustian Bargain)
Normal Spell Card
Send 1 Special Summoned monster on either side of the field to the Graveyard and Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower Normal Monster from your hand.
Golden Fiddle
Equip Spell Card
You can only equip this card to a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster with 1500 or less ATK and DEF. The equipped monster gains these effects: This card gains ATK equal to its Level x 200 while in Attack Position and DEF equal to its Level x 300 while in Defense Position. If this card is selected as an attack target while in Attack Position: You can switch this card to Defense Position.
Glaymore Dud (Widespread Dud)
Continuous Trap Card
Select 2 face-up Attack Position monsters on the field. When any of the selected monsters are removed from the field, destroy this card. When this card is destroyed, destroy the selected monster(s).
Onslaught of the Fire Kings
Normal Spell Card
If your opponent controls a monster and you control no monsters: Special Summon 1 FIRE Beast, Beast-Warrior, or Winged Beast-Type monster from your Deck. Its effects are negated and it is destroyed during the End Phase. You can only activate 1 "Onslaught of the Fire Kings" per turn.
Inferno
FIRE
Level 4
Pyro/Effect
1100 ATK/1900 DEF
This card cannot be Normal Summoned or Set. This card can only be Special Summoned by removing 1 FIRE monster in your Graveyard from play. When this card destroys your opponent's monster and sends it to the Graveyard as a result of battle, inflict 1500 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.
Hellfire, the Soul of Malice
FIRE
Level 6
Zombie/Effect
2200 ATK/1900 DEF
If you control a FIRE monster, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). When you do: Target 1 FIRE monster you control; destroy that target. During each of your Standby Phases: Special Summon 1 "Fireball Token" (Pyro-Type/FIRE/Level 1/ATK 100/DEF 100) in Defense Position. You can Tribute 1 other FIRE monster; this card gains 500 ATK until the End Phase.
Attack Nullification (Negate Attack)
Counter Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Target the attacking monster; negate the attack, then end the Battle Phase.
Man-Eater Bug
EARTH
Level 2
Insect/Flip/Effect
450 ATK/600 DEF
FLIP: Target 1 monster on the field; destroy that target.
Crane Crane
EARTH
Level 3
Winged Beast/Effect
300 ATK/900 DEF
When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 Level 3 monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target, but its effects are negated. You can only use this effect of "Crane Crane" once per turn.
Illusion King Robbins
LIGHT
Rank 3
Spellcaster/Xyz/Effect
2300 ATK/1500 DEF
2 Level 3 monsters
Once per turn: You can detach 2 Xyz Material from this card and target 1 monster in your opponent's Graveyard; equip that target to this card. When a monster is equipped to this card by its own effect, it gains ATK equal to half the ATK of the equipped monster. While this card is equipped with an opponent's monster: You can Tribute this card; Special Summon 1 monster from your hand, Deck, or Graveyard with ATK equal to or less than this card's ATK on the field.
I decided I'd post this one early since it took so long to get the last chapter finished and posted. No one's reading this, but I still fear there was some sad bastard out there on the edge of their seat the entire time desperately waiting to see what happened. I feel you, sad bastard. I'll try to make sure you don't suffer like that again, friend.
But here's some plot. Rio's still pissed, for one. If anyone needs a breakdown of what Rafael's exact title is at the moment, it works like: He's won the Regional Championship where he lives a bunch of times and has currently held the title three years running as of the present, and was once the National Champion of all of Brazil maybe six years ago. I went back and forth on whether he should be Regional or National a lot, so settled on the compromise. It seemed like it made more sense, too, considering his biggest sponsor and the one who keeps him afloat could string him along like this if he's not currently a nationally recognized icon, and it's a more realistic challenge for Yumi. She's strong, but I don't know if she's on the level of nats just yet. Her power level's not high enough.
And now that I've introduced the concept of power levels, I expect at least one comment asking how many Yumis it would take to beat Broly. I'm counting on you.
Here's the confirmation people were probably hoping for. Yumi's a lesbian and ace, Kazuhiko's pansexual, Sakuya's got to figure stuff out but is leaning towards ending up bi as we saw last time, and Hideo's as aroace as Jughead as a bonus. There's never just one. We group together like queer penguins in a cold and icy straight tundra. If you're wondering about Kyoko, ask Haru for details.
If I wasn't poor as a dirty asshole, I'd probably hire someone to do music for the next two chapters (pretend that is also foreshadowing). Thanks for reading this one. Remember to brush up on your flower symbolism.