Yumi's made it to the finals! How will she stack up against the other competitors? Can she handle the threat of her opponent's unusual Story Duel?
After two more rounds had passed, the finals were about to commence. Kazuhiko pouted from the stands near the front row, disappointed in himself for losing the last match and disqualifying himself from standing on stage with the others. "You'll be up there next year, I'm sure of it," Yumi's grandmother told him.
"Maybe. Just kind of feels like all the training was a waste if I couldn't even make it this far." His mood lifted slightly after two reassuring pats on the shoulder by Hideo. He was still upset about losing, but after some time thinking on it, he'd start to see it as a learning experience and figure out how to further improve himself as a duelist. Plus, it was pretty fun to compete with new people for a change.
Absent from the group of five was Yumi herself, having defeated her last two opponents and claimed a spot on stage with the other finalists. They walked as a group to the center of the stadium, a road of light leading them towards an illuminated middle ground. She was stiff as a board, heart pounding faster than she'd ever felt it before outside of a genuine panic attack. Seeing a real crowd like this was more intimidating than she bargained for after all.
To calm herself, she thought of her parents. They made it through stuff like this all the time without even a worry. Thinking of them confidently marching into the light helped her to relax. She glanced around the seating, thinking she managed to see Sakuya and the others sitting somewhere in the darkness. It might have just been shadows playing tricks on her, but knowing they were all watching helped her confidence immensely. She had to put a good show no matter what.
Having built herself up, she managed to take the last few steps into the spotlight without even a hint of her previous anxiety. She stood proudly with head held high and a bright smile spread across her face. "Hey, everybody!" the announcer called in English. "Get up! Get loud! Get excited! It's time for the amazing main event!" He was a bit of a local phenomenon given his boisterous public persona and passion for the job, plus his curly mustache.
"There were over a hundred duelists here today to test their metal, but only a handful could make it to the top! Show them your amazing support while I introduce the eight finalists!" The crowd exploded into cheers on command, Hideo having preemptively placed headphones over their ears to block out some of the noise and generally having a very unfun time now that the loud crowd stuff had begun.
"Our first finalist was last year's champion, making a big return after making it to the Regional Championship! Akinari Kyo!" The crowd cheered even louder, signifying the flamboyantly dressed man in the cape was definitely an audience favorite.
"But he's not the only veteran today. Give it up for last year's runner up, Matsuyama Shigeo!" Another round of cheers as a tired looking man waved to the crowd, lazily brushing a mess of brown hair out of his eyes.
Kazuhiko stood up and pointed accusingly. "That's the guy who beat me!" he declared for seemingly no reason. "Avenge me, Miss Yumi!" She obviously wouldn't hear him over the roaring of the crowd, but his spirit would carry forward nonetheless.
"You ended up losing?" said a familiar voice coming in from the side. Kyoko pushed by various audience members to steal a seat next to her friends. "Looks like our girl made it, though," she said with a smile, plopping down next to a glaring Sakuya.
Kazuhiko only sighed, explaining that he wasn't so much annoyed at the loss as the fact he forgot to warm their friend about this opponent. "I was so wrapped up with the other person who beat me that I totally forgot to warn her about this guy's deck. It's bizarre."
Their conversation would have to wait, though, as the next player was announced. "Nagamatsu Shoji!" the MC shouted, drowning out the group's talk. "Next up, the lady who's been making a name for herself in the local circuit, Amisaki Kaori!" A young blonde haired woman blew kisses at the crowd, getting an exceptionally large response comparable to the first two.
"Up next, one of the youngest finalists we've ever had! Give her some amazing applause, okay? Takano Yumi!" She waved nervously towards the cheering crowd before building up her confidence enough to strike a pose with two V signs, trying not to feel any embarrassment for the whole time she was on stage.
"But we've got someone even younger here with us today, too! Not only that, she managed to win her way through the preliminaries with a perfect 7-0 score! Show her what you think of that, fans! Kasuga Yuu!" It was obvious she was the one to beat this year, as all the other competitors turned their heads to glance at the motionless child standing beside them in the row. Some plotted revenge for a loss suffered earlier while others simply looked on in curiosity.
He introduced another duelist, Matsubara Tadao, before making it to the final competitor. "Another veteran of the Prefectural Tournament taking another crack at the title this year, Taniguchi Hiroshi!" Yumi felt a bit of a chill run down her spine now that she was aware her third round opponent had made it this far, too. Silently, they both wished for opposites with regards to pairings, Yumi wanting nothing to do with him while Taniguchi hoped to duel her once again for another "easy win".
"Okay, okay!" the MC said to quiet the crowd. "Now that we know who's competing, let's get started see what the pairings look like!" The massive video screen that had previously displayed a closeup of each duelist as their name was called switched to an image of a bracket, pairing the eight against each other. "Nice! Looks like our first match is between Tadao and Hiroshi! The excitement is building now! There'll be a five minute break before the start of the match, so don't go anywhere!"
The contestants headed backstage to a waiting area stocked with snacks and drinks, Yumi and Kaori in particular immediately tucking into as much as they could get their hands on to both their amusement. They were on near opposite ends of the bracket, so they could afford to act friendly for the time being, even wishing each other luck as they went about their business preparing for their matches.
Unbeknownst to Yumi, however, Kazuhiko was currently in distress over her pairing. "Why'd it have to be that guy?" he moaned, scratching at the sides of his head in desperation. "His deck is so weird! How's she going to be able to handle it?"
"We'll just trust she'll find a way," Sakuya said astutely despite her own fears. Kyoko nodded in turn. "Yumi won't accept a loss in the first round of the finals, I know that much. She'll find a way to win no matter what."
The round commenced, with both duelists taking their place within the arena. The other competitors stayed backstage, allowed to do as they pleased until it was their turn with the option to watch the duels in progress on several TVs hung within the small room.
Despite her seeming preoccupation with food, Yumi had her own fears she was trying hard not to think about. Taniguchi had completely destroyed her in the preliminaries. If he won this duel, it would mean they'd have to have a rematch. She didn't want that despite her normal enthusiasm for the game, hoping Tadao would pull through no matter what he might have in store for her in turn.
From the corner of her eye, she spotted Yuu standing in a corner nursing a bottle of water. Though she didn't have much basis to assume, it almost seemed like she was hungry. Why she couldn't just grab any of the numerous food items on the table across from her was anyone's guess, but Yumi took it upon herself to try and coax her in case there was some component of anxiety involved. She didn't exactly seem like the most extroverted person in the room.
Slowly, she made her way towards the other child, extending a takoyaki on a skewer when near enough. It seemed to take her by surprise. "You look hungry," Yumi said without hesitation. "You can eat if you want. It's really good."
With no response beyond a blank, confused stare, Yumi simply placed the stick between Yuu's fingers on her right hand with a smile. "I don't know if we'll get a chance to duel each other, so good luck. You beat my friend pretty badly, so I want to see what you can do if I can." With a wave, she grabbed a few more handfuls of food from the table before heading back to her seat, leaving Yuu alone once more.
She simply stared down at the octopus ball in her hand, unsure of what to do with it. Soon, though, she began to detect its scent wafting up to her nose. Her hand beginning to shake, she slowly moved it closer to her face, mouth opening slightly before suddenly devouring the entire thing in a single bite. It was, without a doubt, the best thing she had ever eaten.
Yumi smiled watching Yuu overtake the table for herself, shoveling food into her starving gullet to the shock of the other contestants. Approaching her again, Yumi couldn't help but laugh when seeing the other kid's face covered in all different kinds of sauces mixed with the expression of a deer in the headlights. "Told you it was good," she said, receiving a quick nod response.
"My name's Yumi, but I guess you heard that before when we were all getting introduced. And you're Yuu." Another nod as she pushed another takoyaki into her cheek like a squirrel. "We're about the same age, right? But you're younger. I'm twelve, so how old are you?"
Even after swallowing the massive amount of food inside her mouth, Yuu remained silent. "Eleven? Ten?" She nodded on the second answer. "That's really cool! You must be way stronger than I was when I was your age!" Yumi reached out and patted her on the head. "Guess I'll have to set a good example as your elder. That feels weird to say since most of my friends are older than me."
Despite an initial recoil, Yuu quickly adjusted to the contact. It felt...good? She wasn't used to that. There wasn't any force or malicious intent behind it like she was used to and the rubbing motion felt nice. She wanted to indulge in it for longer, but Yumi suddenly stopped. Something on the television had alarmed her.
Tadao had lost, meaning she'd be facing Taniguchi in the next round should she beat her own opponent. "Well, guess I should go get ready," she said, her smile slightly more forced than last time. "See you when I get back," she told Yuu, waving before returning to her seat to do one last look at her deck before she'd be called up to take the stage.
She wasn't sure what looking at her cards would accomplish, but she decide to do it nonetheless. It was too late to be swapping things out, so all she was really doing was confirming the contents of her deck, which she was already aware of. Despite how completely pointless the action was, it still made her feel a bit more confident. Even seeing the bizarre blank card again was strangely uplifting, like a testament to her potential that wouldn't be stopped here.
She looked across the room towards another seat, finally spotting her opponent napping in the corner. Apparently the tiredness wasn't just some kind of gimmick he did for the audience. Had he stayed up the whole night before preparing? Cynical as it was, she though maybe his exhaustion would give her some sort of advantage, though that thought quickly perished with the reality that he'd already made it to the finals in this state. If being tired really impacted his performance that badly, he probably wouldn't have made it here in the first place.
Yumi couldn't afford to stay lost in her own head any longer, though, as a man in a black suit came to collect her. He said she'd be entering from the opposite side as when they all took the stage, leading her around the inner chambers of the stadium. "Don't be nervous, kid. You already made it this far."
"I'm not nervous," she lied, fiddling with a spot of rust on her duel disk to pass the time during the walk.
"Good attitude," he said, pushing up a pair of dark sunglasses. "This city's big, but it's rare for anyone but the usual suspects to make it this far. It's good to see some new blood hit the finals for a change. Win or lose, I bet some sponsor's going to snatch you up the moment the tournament ends." Supportive as his words were, she couldn't help but think they were meant as consolation prior to an expected loss. Maybe she was just imagining it, though.
They made it to the tunnel leading out to the arena, the noise of the crowd filling the dark corridor even while standing at the very end. The man looked at his phone. "Alright, you can start walking. Stop before you go out until you hear him say your name. Good luck."
With a quick inhale, she did as instructed, able to hear the MC talking her up over the audience. "Just 12 years old and already at the finals for the prefectural tournament! She didn't make the cut last year, but that time sure didn't go to waste! Show her what you think of her hard work! It's Takano Yumi!"
Remembering the feelings of courage from the last time she walked on stage, Yumi took the first few steps out of the tunnel with a smile. The crowd exploded into applause, seemingly having gained some fans since the initial introductions.
Once she reached her end of the marked out duel field, the announcer started the second introduction. "You all know who he is by now! He was the runner up last year and is aiming for first place this year! How far do you think he's come since we last saw him take the stage! Let's welcome him back, Matsuyama Shigeo!"
Looking as if he'd just been forced awake (and he likely had been), Shigeo emerged from the other end of the arena giving a lazy wave to the crowd. He pushed back his hair to get a clearer view of Yumi, sizing her up as he came closer. The dark circles under his eyes seemed to confirm her theory that he'd neglected sleeping for at least a few days prior to the tournament.
Other than the extremely flashy red and purple duel disk on his left arm, he was dressed rather plainly in a simple white t-shirt and jeans. He scratched at his shoulder after taking his place opposite Yumi, a judge instructing them both to shuffle their decks manually. After a few thorough mixings for each of them, they were directed to exchange decks to cut. Shigeo gave her a tired smile as they stood in front of each other, returning their cards to each other after cutting and walking back to their spots. At random, Yumi was chosen to take the first move. "It's time! Second round, start!"
Both drew their starting hands, shouting, "Duel!" at the same moment along with most of the crowd and the MC. It sent a shiver down her spine, but in a good way. The longer she stood there, the more the energy started to agree with her. She was quickly becoming acclimated to the crowd and the performance aspect of the game.
"I'll start things off!" Yumi declared, confidently placing a monster on the field. "I summon Sunlight Unicorn, then use its effect to excavate the top card of my deck." The unicorn materialized on stage, blue hair shimmering in the lights and giving an exceptionally loud whinny, almost as if it wanted to show off for the occasion. "If the card I pick up is an Equip Card, I'll add it to my hand. If it isn't, it'll go to the bottom of my deck."
She drew the top card of her deck with a dramatic flourish, holding it in front of her to confirm its identity to her opponent and the crowd. "Looks like Yumi's gamble paid off!" the announcer shouted. "It's Equip Magic, Fighting Spirits!" With a smile, she set two more cards before ending her turn.
Upon passing the turn, it was like a switch was flipped inside her opponent. No longer was Shigeo the sleepy, unmotivated lump falling asleep backstage. Even his hair had somehow lifted itself out of his eyes all by itself, seemingly to show off his newfound wild expression and gleam in his eyes. "Already taking risks for glory. Amazing."
Putting two fingers against his deck, he pulled off a card from the top. "Draw!" Examining the cards he had to work with, he chuckled quietly to himself. "Opponents like you are why I play this game," he said to Yumi. His fingers fluttered over his cards, settling on one and plucking it from the rest. "High risk, high reward. The passion that goes into what you do without a care for what's to come next. All in the pursuit of your dreams, just like me! Like you're questing for some long forgotten treasure or scaling the side of a castle. I can already tell you're different from the ones that came before. I feel it in my soul."
Yumi simply nodded in response, not really sure what this guy was talking about. "I summon True Treasure Hunter – Watchful Lookout!" An avian in brown robes and large spectacles appeared on the field, shining a lantern from side to side as if to survey its surroundings. "This monster is a loyal member of the True Treasure Hunters, a troupe of adventurers whose mission it is to track down their very truest desires."
"Amazing!" the MC cut in. "It's Shigeo's famous Story Duel! Watch as he weaves a fairy tale right before your eyes with the way he plays his cards! It's unbelievable!"
"Did he do all this when he played you?" Kyoko asked to a very surly Kazuhiko.
Gritting his teeth, he shook his head. "No, he just beat me quick. Which means..." He stood up, stomping his foot against the seat below him. "Kick his ass! He held back against me! Don't let him dishonor your friends like that, Miss Yumi!"
On the field, Shigeo had revealed a card in his hand to his opponent. "Watchful Lookout has the ability to spot treasure I'm holding. Now, this card might not seem like much right now, but they say the journey is always more important than just the destination." A giant version of his card, True Treasure – Eighth Wonder, appeared behind him, its name glowing gold before editing itself to spell out "True Treasure – Heart's Desire".
"With Watchful Lookout's effect, what started out as just another ordinary trinket becomes an irreplaceable memory. Until the end of this turn, this card's name now becomes True Treasure – Heart's Desire, and I can use it as such."
Yumi scratched her head. "I don't really get it, but I guess that's pretty cool. What's renaming a card going to do, though?"
"Don't get impatient!" he commanded a bit louder than he'd intended. "The story's just started. I'll set one card, then activate True Treasure – Heart's Desire!" The card formerly known as True Treasure – Eighth Wonder appeared on the field, showcasing a group of sword and sorcery-esque people marveling towards the viewer, seemingly taking in some unseen wonder.
He pointed dramatically towards Watchful Lookout who began to glow a pale gold. "This is an Equip Card that targets a True Treasure monster I control, allowing it to count as eight different monsters for the purpose of effects."
The crowd was understandably confused. A card that counted as eight different cards? Why did that exist, let alone what did it expect to accomplish? Yumi herself was no less baffled, not sure what purpose a card like that would serve, though remaining cautious nonetheless. She'd learned not to underestimate things that didn't seem to make sense.
"Now that I've activated True Treasure – Heart's Desire, Watchful Lookout's second effect can activate. By returning a card on my field to the hand, I can Normal Summon another True Treasure monster this turn." The choice was obvious, returning the card he'd set just moments before to enable that second summon.
He grasped a card from his hand, holding it close before intending to play it. "And with this, we can now welcome the troupe's leader to battle! True Treasure Hunter – Big-Hearted Captain, summon!" From the moment the monster appeared on the field, it definitely looked as if it had earned its name. Weathered and beaten, both its armor and flesh told stories of countless adventures with its companions. A gleaming sword embedded itself in the ground before it as it rested its hands there, awaiting commands from its owner to better direct its own men.
"Normally, I'd have to release a monster to summon the captain, but with the treasure this close at hand, he just can't wait any longer to head to the battlefield." The captain began to glow just as Watchful Lookout had before, letting out a yell. "And not only that, he's excited to show a worthy opponent what he can do."
Kazuhiko seethed in the stands as Yumi suddenly began to feel worried. "I can pay 1000 Life Points to choose any card in my hand and change its name to True Treasure – Heart's Desire until the end of this turn. I'll be picking the card I returned earlier, Cyclone, and activating it immediately!"
A miniature tornado whipped across the field from Shigeo's card, Yumi shielding herself as Justi-Break was blown to pieces next to her. Not a huge loss considering it couldn't be used at the moment, but it was still a bit annoying. "Good, now there's even less chance of my story being interrupted."
The captain wasn't finished yet, however, as it raised its sword high into the air as its aura intensified. "Since I just used True Treasure – Heart's Desire, Big-Hearted Captain can activate its true ability now. With it, I can pick up to five True Treasure monsters and give each of them a different boost."
Realization set in around the stadium, the crowd going wild. "Amazing! His expert use of True Treasure – Eighth Wonder earlier in the turn set him up for this unbelievable combo! What's Shigeo going to do next?"
"I assign all five effects to Watchful Lookout, letting it take the place of five monsters at once." Because of this, it could no longer be destroyed, nor could it be targeted by Yumi's effects until the End Phase of her turn. Not only that, it could both attack directly and attack twice during the Battle Phase. To top it all off, it gained a permanent 500 ATK and DEF boost, putting it at 2000 ATK. A one turn kill in the making.
"Guess we'll be closing the book on your story sooner than expected," he said, brushing a hand through his hair. "Battle! Watchful Lookout, direct attack! Alert Inferno!" The bird beast began to squawk, opening the front of its lantern to blast a stream of hot fire towards Yumi.
Fortunately for her, she had a plan. The smoke clearing, a trio of three women cloaked in blue stood before Yumi's field, chanting in unison as a small barrier protected her and her monster from damage. "I activate Emissaries of Reconciliation, meaning I won't take damage or have my monsters be destroyed for the rest of the turn. And it doesn't target."
Rather than be upset by this, Shigeo only laughed. "As expected from someone like you. No one will remember this story if you don't fight back even a little!" Despite this, he had no way around the Trap. "Since I can't damage you this turn, I'll just set a card and move to the End Phase. Because Watchful Lookout used its effects this turn, it returns to my hand."
He picked up the card, Eighth Wonder dropping off now that it was without a target. "When it's sent to the Graveyard, True Treasure – Eighth Wonder can let me banish an Equip Card in one of our Graveyards or the field, and in return, it'll come to my hand after eight more End Phases have gone by. I'll be removing it from the game for the time being, then." The card's image appeared for only a brief moment before sinking into a dark void. "It's your turn now."
Drawing her card, Yumi nearly starting to jump up in down with glee at what she'd just received. "I finally get to use this card!" she squealed. Shigeo's confusion turned to surprise when she placed the card into her duel disk. "I activate Common Fusion!" The name gave a general idea of what it would do, sending the Fusion lovers in the crowd into a frenzy.
"This lets me perform a Fusion Summoning a monster that doesn't have an effect using Normal Monsters from my hand, field, or deck." The intensity of the cheers grew further, praising Yumi for the unique aim of her card's effect. "I'm using Flame Viper and Trakodon from my deck as material. Combine!" She clasped her hands together above her head as she'd seen Sakuya do so many times before and, remembering all the rehearsal she'd done leading up to today to look as cool as possible, thrust them down as the two monsters merged as one.
"Fusion Summon! Level 5, Pragtical!" A less-than-friendly purple dinosaur appeared on her field, letting out a roar as its barbed tail swished back and forth. Despite the cheers or the fanfare of summoning it, though, the monster didn't seem capable of doing much with a paltry 1900 ATK.
Even so, Sakuya was completely at a loss for words in the stands. "Did you teach her that?" Kazuhiko asked with a dumbfounded expression.
"I...I didn't." She could only look on in a mixture of pride and fear at her friend's skill. Pride in the fact she seemingly taught herself the basics of Fusion Summoning just from observing her all summer, but a creeping sensation of fear that, if Yumi had become this skilled already, what did she need her as a teacher for anymore? It was a foolish concern, obviously, and even losing her position as teacher wouldn't mean they weren't friends, right?
Fear would have to take a backseat for now, though, as she was genuinely happy to see how far her friend had come. Sakuya couldn't help but start smiling, waiting in anticipation to see what Yumi would do from here.
After a short bit of basking in the crowd's approval, Yumi turned her focus back to the duel. "I'll equip Pragtical with Fighting Spirits, raising its ATK by 300 for every monster you have." The dinosaur roared once more, its ATK becoming a slightly more impressive 2200, though it still wouldn't be enough to take down Big-Hearted Captain.
"That was a pretty impressive move you pulled off," Shigeo began, "but it seems to me you're grasping at straws to try and overcome my monster. Or did you misplay and forget to summon it in Defense Mode?"
With a smirk, she replied, "Just watch. The next card I use is going to seal the deal." She pointed to Sunlight Unicorn, which neighed expectantly. "I'll activate Unicorn's effect to let me reveal a card and add it to my hand if it's an Equip Magic." Though he felt a bit uneasy at allowing the effect to go forward, Shigeo wasn't trigger happy enough to use his set card without care. Unfortunately for him, that caution didn't save him from the cruel reality of chance.
"Rusty Sword!" Yumi declared, revealing the card she'd excavated and adding it to her hand. Her lucky really was uncanny at times. "Now I summon Hat-Trick Magician." The cartoony wizard appeared on her field next to Pragtical, awaiting orders and possibly some equipment. "Battle!" Yumi declared, Pragtical rushing forward to bite at the captain.
Confusion set in among the spectators as well as her opponent. She had no set cards and her monster had no effects (considering that was the point of her Fusion card), so what did she intend to do now? Yumi's answer to this question made itself apparent as a seemingly readied Big-Hearted Captain fell to one knee seconds before Pragtical bit into its neck. "That shouldn't be happening!" Shigeo exclaimed, almost looking as if he wanted to say that it "wasn't in the story".
Yumi held up a single card – Common Fusion. "This card has another effect besides fusing my monsters," she said. "When the monster it summons attacks one of yours, I can banish it from my Graveyard to negate your monster's effect and any kind of boosts it has until the end of the Battle Phase." Pragtical made short work of the captain after that, lowering Shigeo's Life Points to 2800 as a result and its own ATK to 1900 once more.
As frustrated as he was, it was an exhilarating twist to his "story" that he didn't see coming. "Not bad. Once the captain shows up, that usually means we're close to the climax. But it seems like this story has a few more pages left than expected."
"And you might not like how it ends!" Yumi shot back, starting to get into the spirit of the duel. "Hat-Trick Magician, direct attack!" Shigeo braced for the attack, his Life lowering to 1600. "Now, Sunlight Unicorn, finish it!"
"I was hoping to save this, but it looks like I don't have any other options." Shigeo threw out his hand, the face-down card he'd kept hidden revealing itself to be a Trap. "Demon's Chain, stop the attack!" The unicorn was wrapped in dark chains, halting its charge and saving its owner from defeat. "Wish I could have used it on something bigger, but you don't use Effect Monsters to begin with." His only regret was not using it the first chance he had to stop his opponent from gaining another card.
Though her strategy failed to cinch the win this turn, Yumi was undeterred. Moving to her second Main Phase, she adapted expertly to the seeming shortcoming. "I overlay my Level 4 Sunlight Unicorn with my Level 4 Hat-Trick Magician!" she declared, the audience going wild all over again at the knowledge she was adept at two forms of Extra Deck summoning. "Xyz Summon, Rank 4! Kachi Kochi Dragon!"
The rigid dragon appeared on her field with a grumble, setting up next to Yumi's dinosaur and preparing to do battle the next chance it got. Though she hadn't planned this far ahead, Yumi was happy to know that her intention of drawing out whatever Shigeo's face-down was had worked. There was no way of knowing what it would do, let alone knowing it was Demon's Chain of all things, but she'd managed to play well enough to maximize all her resources while baiting it out. "I'll set one card and end my turn."
"Looks like this story's really heating up," he said with a smile, drawing his card. "But it wouldn't be any fun if the hero wasn't pushed into a corner every once in a while."
Yumi scoffed. "Um, I'm obviously the hero here."
"You think so?" he said, raising an eyebrow incredulously. "Last time I checked, heroes don't have a battalion of horrible monsters under their command. They lead a party of heroes and adventurers, like so."
"But I'm a plucky little girl setting out on an adventure," she said with a pout. "You're just some old guy standing in my way so I have an excuse to show off the results of my training."
"I'm only this old because I've already gone through a lot of tough situations, learning and growing every time!" He nodded to himself. "And experience wins out over youthful optimism every time. If anything, I'll win and pat you on the head telling you to get stronger and face me next time, and it'll inspire you to get better so we meet again somewhere down the road."
Dangerously meta conversation aside, they'd both started to enjoy this duel immensely. Yumi was finally getting into the grove of performance dueling, and Shigeo was glad to have an opponent willing to play along with the routine for a change. "Now I'll show you the results of my training when I summon True Treasure Hunter – Wise Navigator!"
It was a small, dwarf-looking monster with a pair of thick glasses and an exceptionally long, gray beard. Holding a map in both hands, it lowered to one knee after its summoning. "Wise Navigator switches to Defense Mode once its summoned. Not exactly fit for fighting. A balanced cast of heroes is more than just a bunch of brutes, after all."
He pointed towards the monster, declaring an activation. "Wise Navigator's effect lets me reveal a Field Magic in my hand to change its name to True Treasure – Heart's Desire, but it'll be returned to my deck during the End Phase." He flipped around one of the cards in his hand, revealing it to be True Treasure – Hidden Beauty. "Now I activate the Field Magic, True Treasure – Heart's Desire!"
A circle of golden light began to glow around Shigeo's feet, spreading out to encompass the entire field. Within the illumination, grass and flowers began to bloom to transform the stadium into a picturesque meadow. "Amazing! Shigeo's Field Card has turned the stadium into something out of a fairy tale! Gorgeous! Romantic! Amazing!" The MC paused to think after that, though, grumbling and making a few other non-word sounds. "Even so, this doesn't seem like the kind of place you'd do battle on. What's his strategy going to be now?"
"He's right," Shigeo said with a nod. "This is no place for fighting. I can't even attack while I have this card on the field. In exchange, though, I can draw a card if it's name is True Treasure – Heart's Desire when I activate it!" Since that was the case, he did just that, apparently pleased with what he got. "And now, since True Treasure – Heart's Desire was activated this turn, Wise Navigator can use its effect! I look at the top two cards of one of our decks, arrange them how I want, and then force the other person to send the top card of their deck to the Graveyard."
He tapped his chin to appear as if he was thinking over the matter, though it was clear he'd already made up his mind. "I'll look at my own cards, then force you to send one of your own." He picked up two cards off his deck, quickly placing them back on top in the same order, seemingly unconcerned with what they were. "Now your turn."
Yumi's luck seemed to be changing, as the card she was forced to get rid of was a rather unfortunate Komboriboh. "The fun doesn't stop there, though. Our story's just begun!" He raised his arms wide, the meadow beginning to glow all around them. "This field has special properties that allow pure-hearted warriors and their friends to prosper. This means, once per turn, I can add a True Treasure card from my deck to my hand on the condition it can't be activated unless its name is True Treasure – Heart's Desire, and I'll have to discard it at the End Phase if it isn't."
He made the selection quickly, adding a Magic Card called True Treasure – Kingdom for a Horse to his hand. "Don't assume I'm just thinning my deck," he warned with a smug smile. "I activate True Treasure – Campaign Start!" The card in question featured a group of adventurers standing around a map spread wide on a table looking as if they were about to set out on some sort of quest. "I can only use this when I control a True Treasure – Heart's Desire. Then, I can discard a card and make another card in my hand into True Treasure – Heart's Desire until the end of the turn."
For the cost, he discarded Watchful Lookout, leaving only Kingdom for a Horse in his hand to take on a new name. "Just like I said, this meadow allows the True Treasure Hunters to prosper. All I had to do was trust in the power of my cards!" He activated the newly christened Heart's Desire to exemplify that point. "When this card is used, it makes us choose a card in the other's Graveyard to return to the deck before anything else happens."
Shigeo quickly swiped through his options using his duel disk, selecting Flame Viper for Yumi. A few moments passed, Yumi tapping her foot with a serious expression. She began to hum to herself, seemingly deep in thought, with the noise growing louder as time went by. "Something wrong?" he asked finally.
With an embarrassed laugh, she was forced to admit, "I forgot what's in your Graveyard."
He raised a brow before noticing the look of his opponent's duel disk, realizing it was an older model that couldn't track that information. "Oh, sorry." He ejected his Graveyard and walked across the field, holding it out for Yumi who thanked him for understanding.
She looked over each, trying to think of what the best move would be. She wanted to take the time to read each card and see if there were any hidden effects, but she'd already wasted so much time. It was kind of becoming a hassle, and the audience would probably get mad at her if she took too long. Obviously, she was psyching herself out, but reality rarely stopped Takano Yumi from overthinking things.
"This one," she declared, hoping that returning Cyclone would be the better move. Though a card like that would normally be a bad option, she figured it was safer than allowing a True Treasure back into the deck. With any luck, it would be unplayable once he drew it again.
Shuffling their cards, Shigeo proceeded with the rest of the effect. "Now, I return every True Treasure card on my field to the deck, all except for True Treasure – Heart's Desire." The navigator left the field after a single brown horse appeared on the field, seemingly riding off into the "sunset" down the tunnel he'd come out from at the beginning of the duel. "In Wise Navigator's place, I can summon a new True Treasure Hunter with a Level equal to the number of cards sent back with this part of the effect. Come out, True Treasure Hunter – Regretful Thief!"
A slightly inebriated man in a black cloak and heavy stubble appeared on the field, pitiful ATK and DEF likely not an indicator of its overall power. This was only the beginning of his strategy, though, as the true danger of the True Treasure deck finally began to show itself. "The moment after the activation of True Treasure – Heart's Desire, its second effect activates. At the same time, I banish Campaign Start from my Graveyard."
The effects activated in sequence, with Campaign Start resolving first and vanishing into the abyss to sit next to Eighth Wonder. "When Heart's Desire resolves while Campaign Start is in the Graveyard, I can banish it to destroy a True Treasure – Heart's Desire on my field in return for summoning a True Treasure monster from my Graveyard." Yumi kicked herself (multiple times, in fact) for letting such an obvious trick slip by her. "Sorry if I did something for you to overlook this, but you know what they say – the show must go on! Welcome him back, Big-Hearted Captain!"
The captain made its triumphant return, the crowd cheering as it rose to full height after walking its way out of the Graveyard. Its ability to attack was restricted for the turn due to Campaign Start's resurrection, but its effects were intimidating enough on their own. "Now, on to the second step in the plan. When Kingdom for a Horse is sent to the Graveyard after it activates and its name happened to be True Treasure – Heart's Desire at that time, I can return it to the field as a monster all its own. Captain, your horse awaits!"
The same stallion from before returned to the field, rearing up and whinnying. Even after all this, though, Shigeo wasn't close to finished. "Because my Field Card was sent to the Graveyard, it allows me to summon a True Treasure – Heart's Desire Token to my field in Defense Mode, with its name always counting as True Treasure – Heart's Desire." Despite its impressive 10 stars and unnatural typing, the miniature golden heart statue gracing the field seemed like it could do little with no ATK or DEF.
Wiping his forehead in mock exhaustion, Shigeo let out a sigh. "Lots of plot points at once there. Sometimes I even impress myself with how strong my deck is. Don't worry, though, no more confusing stuff after this. It's a straight path to my victory now." He pointed a thumb at his chest at the end, Yumi refuting his statement almost immediately. "We'll see about that. True Treasure – Kingdom for a Horse activates its new effect, letting me equip it to Big-Hearted Captain and increase his ATK equal to his Level x 100."
The troupe's leader mounted his horse, ATK raising to 2500 despite the inability to attack this turn. "But that's not all. While equipped to a monster, Kingdom for a Horse allows it to use an effect that would require True Treasure – Heart's Desire to be activated or summoned as an activation condition once only. You know what's coming next."
The captain's devastating effect activated once more, raising its own ATK to 3000, allowing the token invincibility from destruction until the end of Yumi's turn, and letting the thief attack directly. "Battle! True Treasure Hunter – Regretful Thief, direct attack!" In a single moment, the thief dropped what seemed to be an act of drunkenness, launching forward in a flash and cutting through Yumi's midsection. Though it inflicted a minuscule amount of damage, it still lowered her Life Points to 3900 and set off the card's effect.
"When Regretful Thief inflicts damage, I get to add a True Treasure card from my deck to my hand, but I'm not allowed to use it this turn." He quickly searched his deck, knowing exactly what he wanted to select. "I pick True Treasure Trap – Lurker! to add to my hand." While she had no idea what that card did, Yumi could tell from name alone that it wouldn't be anything good. Almost like it was a trap, or something.
Shigeo set his newly searched card and ended his turn there, his thief seemingly left recklessly vulnerable to attack. To make matters worse for him, Yumi's Pragtical now had 2800 ATK due to Fighting Spirits. Frankly, the only way his intentions could be anymore obvious was if he tossed her the card himself and let her read the whole thing right then and there.
Trap or not, though, Yumi would have to move forward somehow. "I draw!" she declared to start her turn. "I activate Arms Hole, sending the top card of my deck to the Graveyard to add an Equip Magic from my deck or Graveyard to my hand." The card sent was Butter Fly. Not a huge loss, but still a bit irritating given its potential for combos.
"I pick Burning Slugger to add to my hand." With the monster in hand, she figured it would be a good choice for next turn. That captain wasn't immune to effects, so taking it out with an effect like this would be the best option. Now all that was left was that set card. Should she bait it out with an attack or just wait another turn?
Several tense moments of contemplation left her with metaphorical smoke pouring from her ears. Finally, she decided to throw caution to the wind and just go for it. You never got anywhere in life by standing still. Even if she did hesitate, all she'd accomplish would be the loss of at least one of her two monsters. "Kachi Kochi Dragon, attack Regretful Thief!" The dragon straightened itself, firing a blast if rock towards the enemy monster.
From the floor rose a gray manta-like creature, lunging forward and absorbing the attack. Despite its struggle, it quickly managed to subdue Kachi Kochi Dragon and affix itself to its body. "Trap activate!" Shigeo declared. Yumi's monster was rendered entirely defanged, stuck in Attack Position despite having 0 ATK and DEF at this point. To make matters worse, the Battle Phase immediately ended, too, meaning she couldn't even take advantage of the opening.
Calculated risk or not, it might prove to be her downfall depending on what happened next turn. At the very least, there probably wasn't much he could do with just a single card in hand even if she did end up losing Kachi Kochi Dragon. Damage big or small, she should be able to make it to her next turn.
"I draw!" he said. With a small chuckle, he looked towards Yumi. "Looks like this is the beginning of the end." Fear ran down her spine at those words, fate seemingly trying to do everything it could to make that tiny chance he had of obliterating her become real.
"We're reaching the climax of the story," he declared for the crowd. "It's been fun, but everything must come to an end." He activated Big-Hearted Captain's effect, draining his Life to 600, flipping the card in his hand around. "Using the captain's effect, I'll make True Treasure – Precious Time, Glory Days as True Treasure, Heart's Desire for this turn. Now, I'll activate it!"
A rather standard looking grandfather clock appeared behind Shigeo, the only thing to set it apart from others like it being the large golden heart in its center pinning the hands in place as they turned. Upon closer inspection, though, the face didn't tell time, but the phases of the turns. It was set to MP1 currently, corresponding to the phase they were in as it should.
Due to Heart's Desire being played, the captain's effects could go off once more. "I select for the Heart's Desire Token to be immune from your targeting, Regretful Thief to be immune from destruction, and Big-Hearted Captain to be able to attack twice." With that, he entered his Battle Phase.
"Captain, attack Pragtical!" Despite the monster's enthusiasm of riding forward to slash away with its sword, its weapon met only a collection of puffy little demons, cushioning the blow and making its attack useless.
"I banish Komboriboh from my Graveyard to prevent any damage or destruction to a monster with an Equip Card this turn." Yumi smiled, silently thanking her card for being sent to the Graveyard when it did.
"Not bad," he complimented. "In that case, I'll go ahead and attack Kachi Kochi Dragon with Regretful Thief." Though it did damage, lowering Yumi's Life Points to 3300, no one was sure why he'd attacked with that monster rather than the exceptionally more powerful Big-Hearted Captain. "I'll use Regretful Thief's effect to add a True Treasure card to my hand, and I choose True Treasure Hunter – Sea-Faring Vessel."
With seemingly no other choice, he ended his Battle Phase. Strangely, he didn't seem too upset by that, his confident smile still on his face. "I use my Magic Card's effect," he declared. "Once per turn, I can pick a card that, last turn, had the name True Treasure – Heart's Desire and return its name to that until the End Phase. My only option is True Treasure – Kingdom for a Horse."
The glass door covering the clock's inner mechanisms opened, a stream of translucent, rainbow energy snaking its way out to surround the horse. Was it just grandstanding for the sake of showing off, or was there something more to this move? "And now," he began, "it's time to show you what this card can really do."
He pointed upward, directing all eyes towards the clock. "The card originally known as True Treasure – Precious Time, Glory Days, is a commemoration of all the memories my monsters have had together over their many adventures. The good, the bad, and everything else. This clock is a reminder, but more than that...it's a way to go back."
The crowd grew entirely silent. "Only once, while this card's name is True Treasure – Heart's Desire, I can send it and any number of other True Treasure – Heart's Desire cards to the Graveyard. When that happens, my next turn begins immediately, but during the phase counting backwards from where we are now equal to every Heart's Desire sent to the Graveyard besides the clock itself."
He'd effectively given himself a second turn. It was unheard of. Not even the MC could think of what to comment in the face of this development. "As some of you might have noticed, there is no card with a name matching True Treasure – Heart's Desire. Not naturally, at least. That's because the treasure is itself is the people we meet and the memories we make together, and that can't be turned into one simple thing. And now I'll show you just how strong that treasure is."
Yumi's blood ran cold, the now uproarious crowd seeming distant and near-silent as Shigeo went about his strategy. The clock opened once more, absorbing the golden statue and the horse into it before the hands began to turn backwards. The same energy as before began to emit in waves out of the clock face, a new blast shooting out with every phase it turned back. It made one complete circle back to the Main Phase 2. Then the Battle Phase. Then the Main Phase 1.
"I release True Treasure Hunter – Regretful Thief to Advance Summon True Treasure Hunter – Sea-Faring Vessel!" An enormous boat appeared on the field, the captain hopping aboard to replace its steed. "And remember, Big-Hearted Captain's effects last until the end of your turn, and you haven't had a turn yet."
That was his way of saying his monster still had two attacks, which he demonstrated rather quickly in a double attack on Pragtical. The first attack was cushioned by Fighting Spirits, but the second went through with its full force. Her Life Points fell to 1700, only to deplete even more with a ramming blow from the ship itself. With just 200 left and no monsters strong enough to overcome Shigeo's cards, things looked hopeless for Yumi.
"You hung on longer than I planned for. You've really made this an interesting story. I'll activate Sea-Faring Vessel's effect, letting me declare a type of card and check the top of my deck. I either have to get rid of it if it doesn't match or add it to my hand if it does, and if it does, it'll be treated as True Treasure – Heart's Desire until the end of the turn."
He declared Trap, and as if a testament to the turning tides of luck and its incredibly fickleness, he not only guessed the type right but was allowed to add Holy Barrier – Mirror Force to his hand. For added protection, he set the card and ended his turn. "Amazing!" the MC cried. "Shigeo's turned the tide of battle in an instant with a double turn combo! It's amazing! Too amazing! Can Yumi recover from this, or has Shigeo won for sure this time?"
Despite Sakuya's fears that Yumi would collapse in panic or despair, her smile still shone brightly on her face. She was afraid – terrified, even – that she'd lose this duel, meaning all her training would have been for nothing this year. But even so, this duel was too fun to get upset over. She was having a blast with Shigeo, and the only way to end this duel right would be to keep giving her all until the very last second.
"No matter how bad it looks, I'll still keep trying!" She drew a card, her heart starting to pound faster and faster at seeing the first stroke of luck in ages. This was a sign for sure. She had to chance using her card now. "I activate Charity of the Ordinary! I draw two cards and banish a Normal Monster from my hand. If I can't, I have to discard everything."
It was already guaranteed she had a Normal Monster, but if that ended up being the only Normal Monster out of all six cards, she'd be ruined. Not much good all these Equip Cards would do without anything to equip to.
Holding her breath, she drew her cards, slowly peaking at them from the side after they were in her hand. Her pulse raced even faster at the realization that she could win this now. "I banish Wallrus!" she declared, hoping she didn't start screaming from the frenzy of emotions about to overtake.
Her hand shaking – not from fear this time, but pure excitement – she grabbed a single card with intent to play. It would all work. She saw the path to victory. She just had to follow it. A single misplay, though, and it would all be for nothing.
"I summon Big Bat Knight!" The baseball player appeared on the field, tossing its bat into the air to catch as it came down. "N-now, I equip Big Bat Knight with Burning Slugger!" There wasn't any increase in ATK from this card, but the effect itself would be devastating on its own. "I activate the effect, and I target Sea-Faring Vessel!"
Five cards were sent. Among them was her own Mirror Force, as well as Pot of Greed. Both valuable, but neither would be needed for this victory. The flaming ball smashed through the hull of the ship, causing it to collapse to the ground. Shigeo blocked the cloud of dust and smoke that blew over him, his Life Points reducing down to 100. Despite this, the captain remained unharmed.
"It's not enough," Sakuya said in near-monotone. In contrast to Yumi's mania, she looked as if she was about to burst into tears at any second. "She forgot its limitation. Big Bat Knight can't attack, no matter what she has. She wanted to show off and beat his ace monster, but it's not enough.
"You mean she picked the wrong one?" Kazuhiko said, joining everyone else in turning towards her.
"She can't win with just that. There's only two unknowns in her hand. Her opponent has a Trap that will stop any attack. None of the other cards in her deck I know of can inflict direct damage." With a shaky breath, she declared definitively, "She can't win."
They all remained silent, watching in horror as Yumi celebrated this minor victory. Kyoko covered her face, Hideo's fists clenched. Her grandmother's heart started to ache, understanding how much this loss was going to hurt once the adrenaline died down. Even Sachi had stopped playing with Kazuhiko's phone to take notice, not really understanding what was happening but knowing enough to sense the gravity of the situation.
"There has to be something!" Kazuhiko demanded. "She can't just lose after all this! There's a card you don't know about, or some plan! Miss Yumi...she can't just...she's not playing just on instinct. She can't be..." Unfortunately, he knew all too well from their countless duels that, when pushed far enough with her excitement at a fever pitch, Yumi's tendency to play without thinking would come out as if a switch was flipped. There was nothing they could do but watch and hope beyond hope they were wrong.
"Restraint Release Wave!" Yumi yelled. "I destroy my Equip Card and all your face-down Magic and Trap Cards!" Her words started to slur the further along her strategy made it. She hadn't felt this worked up in a duel since her second match with Rio. Though not in a literal sense this time, this duel felt just as life-or-death as that, with the reactions of the crowd and her opponent's enthusiasm only driving up her own excitement that much more.
Mirror Force was destroyed. The path was clear. It was almost time. She nearly slammed her card into her duel disk after that. "Resurrection of the Dead!" She wasted no time explaining it or calling out her selection, pulling Butter Fly onto the field as quickly as possible. With a few panicked breaths close to the level of hyperventilation, she shakily declared, "X-Xyz Summon!"
A new monster? An old one? "Rank 3, Illusion King Robbins!" The wizard appeared on the field with a tip of the hat, ready to play its role in its owner's victory. "Effect activate! I'm taking Sea-Faring Vessel!" As she called out to her monster, it complied, absorbing its two Overlay Units and roping up the ship's card form, taking it for itself and boosting its ATK to 3050.
"You're 50 short!" Sakuya yelled, pulling down on her hat with both hands. She couldn't tell exactly what she felt anymore. Hope? Fear? Anguish? Excitement? It all just blurred together the second that monster came out. None of them knew what to expect anymore. Was Yumi aiming to stick with that until the next turn, getting a win in two moves? Was there still more to this convoluted plan?
"Effect activate! Release!" Robbins became engulfed in white light, exploding with a loud bang and leaving a large puff of white smoke behind. What did she choose to summon? With 3050 ATK worth of choices from anywhere outside her Extra Deck, she wasn't short on options.
The dust cleared, Yumi shaking in anticipation.
Her loved ones in the stands held their collective breaths. With a bit of thought, they'd all be able to predict what was about to be revealed. But this wasn't really the time for thought.
Swiping a cane through the remaining cloud, Majesty Magician appeared on the field in all its glory. It bowed to Shigeo, completely at a loss for words from a mixture of disbelief and pure elation at the kind of show they were putting on.
"E-equip Magic, Rusty Sword!" Performing possibly the greatest account of sleight-of-hand ever recorded, the magician managed to swap its cane with the hulking sword, raising its ATK to 4500. "Finish it! Majesty Strike!"
Running across the ground in a serpentine pattern, Majesty Magician dragged its weapon close behind, metal screeching against the floor with every step. Shigeo couldn't hold in his reaction any longer, laughing as hard as he could. "Don't lose without a fight! Captain!"
Despite the futile effort, his monster obeyed out of both loyalty for its master and respect for a worth opponent. The captain lifted its sword, charging forward to meet in the center of the field. The combatants slashed at each other, blades colliding in a shower of sparks. They matched each other blow for blow, but it became instantly clear Big-Hearted Captain was outclassed this time.
One shot was all it took. Ducking beneath an upward strike, Majesty Magician slashed through the captain's side. Turning the blade over in its hand, it stabbed the weapon into the ground, the captain falling to one knee a moment later and then shattering to pieces. Shigeo's Life Points were reduced to 0 at the same moment.
The crowd hadn't stopped cheering for a single moment during Yumi's last turn, reaching a peak after victory was claimed. It would be hard to top Kazuhiko in terms of a single reaction, though, as his chin seemed to nearly deform in a grotesque fashion similar to his Mutant cards as he flexed in celebration. "Amazing! A true reversal! Takano Yumi is the winner of the second duel of the Chiba Prefecture Finals!"
Despite the immense pride she felt at having come this far, Yumi's head began to spin, nearly causing her to take a tumble straight to the ground. Shigeo placed a hand on her should before that could happen, though, holding her upright. "You can't just go to sleep now. You've got to keep standing until you beat the rest of them, too."
Brushing his hair from his eyes again, he yawned. "But that doesn't apply to me. Kind of feel like going home and taking a nap after all that excitement. Thanks for making this story a really memorable one." The dizziness in her head began to clear about halfway through what he said, causing her to smile and thank him for the great game in turn.
Leaving the field almost as friends, both duelists returned through their respective tunnels. Yumi collapsed into a chair and almost immediately began taking a nap, while Shigeo packed himself up and headed out of the stadium. As he exited through the front doors, he turned back for just a moment, pushing the hair from his eyes and giving a small chuckle. "Hope we get to tell another story some day," he said to himself before continuing on his way.
Cards Used in Order of Appearance
Sunlight Unicorn
LIGHT
Level 4
Beast/Effect
1800 ATK/1000 DEF
Once per turn: You can excavate the top card of your deck, and if it is an Equip Spell Card, add it to your hand. Otherwise, place it on the bottom of your Deck.
Fighting Spirits (Fighting Spirit)
Equip Spell Card
The equipped monster gains 300 ATK for each monster your opponent controls. If it would be destroyed in battle, you can destroy this card instead.
True Treasure Hunter - Watchful Lookout
WIND
Level 4
Winged Beast/Effect
1500 ATK/1000 DEF
You can only activate each effect of a card originally named "True Treasure Hunter - Watchful Lookout" once per turn and you cannot activate the effects of cards, except for "True Treasure" cards, the turn you activate this card's effects. Once per turn, you can reveal a card in your hand; its name becomes "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" until the End Phase of this turn, also return this card to the hand during the End Phase. (You cannot Normal Summon/Set "True Treasure Hunter – Watchful Lookout" until the End Phase of your next turn after activating this effect.) If you activate or summon "True Treasure - Heart's Desire": You can return a card you control to the hand, also you can Normal summon/Set one additional "True Treasure" monster this turn.
True Treasure - Eighth Wonder
Equip Spell Card
If this card's name isn't "True Treasure - Heart's Desire", pay one-eighth of your LP to activate this card. Equip this card to a "True Treasure" monster you control. The equipped monster counts as 8 different monsters for the purpose of card effects. When this card is sent to the Graveyard, banish an Equip Spell Card from the field or either player's Graveyard; add it to your hand after eight End Phases. You can only activate a card originally named "True Treasure - Eight Wonder" once per turn.
True Treasure Hunter - Big-Hearted Captain
EARTH
Level 5
Warrior/Effect
2000 ATK/1400 DEF
If you activated "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" this turn, you can Normal Summon this card without Tributing. You can only activate each effect of a card originally named "True Treasure Hunter - Big-Hearted Captain" once per turn and you cannot activate the effects of cards, except for "True Treasure" cards, the turn you activate this card's effects. Once per turn, you can pay 1000 LP and reveal a card in your hand; its name becomes "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" until the End Phase of this turn. If you activate or summon "True Treasure - Heart's Desire": You can select up to 5 different "True Treasure" monsters you control and give each a different effect:
This card gains 500 ATK and DEF.
This card can attack twice during each Battle Phase until the End Phase of your opponent's next turn.
This card cannot be destroyed until the End Phase of your opponent's next turn.
This card cannot be targeted by opponent's card effects until the End Phase of your opponent's next turn.
This card can attack directly until the End Phase of your opponent's next turn.
Cyclone (Mystical Space Typhoon)
Quick-Play Spell Card
Target 1 Spell/Trap Card on the field; destroy that target.
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.
Emissaries of Reconciliation (Waboku)
Normal Trap Card
You take no battle damage from your opponent's monsters this turn. Your monsters cannot be destroyed by battle this turn.
Common Fusion
Normal Spell Card
Fusion Summon 1 non-Effect Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using Normal Monsters from your hand, field, or Deck as Fusion Material. When the card Fusion Summoned by this effect battles an opponent's monster: You can banish this card in your Graveyard; negate that monster's effects and apply its original ATK and DEF when calculating damage until the end of the Battle Phase.
Flame Viper
EARTH
Level 2
Pyro
400 ATK/450 DEF
Trakodon
EARTH
Level 3
Dinosaur
1300 ATK/800 DEF
Pragtical
EARTH
Level 5
Dinosaur/Fusion
1900 ATK/1500 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.
Hat-Trick Magician
DARK
Level 4
Spellcaster
1200 ATK/1500 DEF
Demon's Chain (Fiendish Chain)
Continuous Trap Card
Activate this card by targeting 1 Effect Monster on the field; negate the effects of that face-up monster while it is on the field, also that face-up monster cannot attack. When it is destroyed, destroy this card.
Kachi Kochi Dragon
EARTH
Rank 4
Dragon/Xyz/Effect
2100 ATK/1300 DEF
2 Level 4 monsters
Once per turn, when this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; it can can make a second attack in a row.
True Treasure Hunter - Wise Navigator
LIGHT
Level 2
Psychic/Effect
0 ATK/2000 DEF
When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: Change it to Defense Position. You can only activate each effect of a card originally named "True Treasure Hunter - Wise Navigator" once per turn and you cannot activate the effects of cards, except for "True Treasure" cards, the turn you activate this card's effects. Once per turn, you can reveal a Field Spell card in your hand; its name becomes "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" until the End Phase of this turn, also shuffle it into the deck during the End Phase of this turn. If you activate or summon "True Treasure - Heart's Desire": You can look at the top two cards of either player's Deck and arrange them in any order, then send the top card of the other player's Deck to the Graveyard.
True Treasure - Hidden Beauty
Field Spell Card
You cannot attack while this card is face-up on the field. If this card's name is "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" when activated, draw a card. Once per turn: You can add 1 "True Treasure" card from your Deck to your hand. If that card's name is not "True Treasure - Heart's Desire", it cannot be activated or summoned this turn, also send it to the Graveyard at the end of the turn. If this card is sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon 1 "True Treasure - Heart's Desire Token" (Divine-Beast/DIVINE/Level 10/0 ATK/0 DEF) to your side of the field. Its name is always treated as "True Treasure - Heart's Desire ". You can only activate each effect of a card originally named "True Treasure - Hidden Beauty" once per turn.
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.
True Treasure - Kingdom for a Horse
Quick-Play Spell Card
You can only activate each effect of a card originally named "True Treasure - Kingdom For A Horse" once per turn. Each player shuffles 1 card from the other player's Graveyard into the Deck. Shuffle all other "True Treasure" cards on your side of the field into the Deck, except "True Treasure - Heart's Desire", then you can Special Summon "True Treasure" monsters from your Deck whose combined Levels are equal to or less than the number of cards shuffled into the Deck this way. After this effect resolves: If this card's name when it was activated was "True Treasure - Heart's Desire", you can Special Summon this card as an Effect Monster (Beast/EARTH/Level 4/1600 ATK/700 DEF), but banish it when it leaves the field. (This card is NOT treated as a Spell Card.)
During either player's turn: You can equip this card to a face-up "True Treasure" monster you control and make that monster gain ATK and DEF equal to its level x 100 (even if this card leaves the field), also it can activate an effect that would require the activation or summoning of "True Treasure – Heart's Desire" once.
True Treasure – Campaign Start
Normal Spell Card
Can only be activated if you control a face-up "True Treasure – Heart's Desire". Discard 1 card and reveal 1 other card in your hand; the revealed card's name becomes "True Treasure – Heart's Desire" until the End Phase of this turn. If you activate or summon "True Treasure – Heart's Desire" while this card is in your Graveyard: Immediately after that card resolves or is summoned successfully, you can banish this card to destroy 1 "True Treasure – Heart's Desire" you control; summon 1 "True Treasure Hunter" monster from your Graveyard, but it cannot attack this turn.
True Treasure Hunter - Regretful Thief
DARK
Level 1
Fiend/Effect
100 ATK/100 DEF
You cannot activate the effects of cards, except for "True Treasure" cards, the turn you activate this card's effects. You can discard 1 card; this card can attack directly this turn, also the discarded card's name becomes "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" until the End Phase of this turn. (You can only activate this effect of a card originally named "True Treasure Hunter - Regretful Thief" once per turn.) If this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: You can add one "True Treasure" card from your Deck to your hand, but it cannot be activated or summoned this turn.
True Treasure Trap – Lurker!
Normal Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack involve a "True Treasure" monster you control: Target that attacking monster, equip this card to it, and end the Battle Phase; that target cannot attack or change its battle position and its ATK and DEF become 0. When it leaves the field, destroy this card. If this card's name is "True Treasure – Heart's Desire" when it is sent to the Graveyard: Inflict 1000 damage to your opponent.
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.
Butter Fly
WIND
Level 3
Insect
900 ATK/700 DEF
Burning Slugger
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: Once per turn: You can target 1 monster your opponent controls, then send cards from the top of your Deck to the Graveyard equal to its Level/Rank; destroy it, and if you do, inflict damage equal to its Level/Rank x 100. This monster cannot attack the turn you activate this effect.
True Treasure - Precious Time, Glory Days
Continuous Spell Card
This card cannot be activated during Main Phase 1 if its name is not "True Treasure - Heart's Desire". Once per turn: You can select 1 card in your hand, field, or Graveyard whose name was "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" during your last turn; its name becomes "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" until the End Phase of this turn. If this card's name is "True Treasure - Heart's Desire", you can send it and any number of "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" from your hand or field to the Graveyard; for each "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" sent to the Graveyard in this way, excluding this card, immediately start your next turn from that many Phases ago. (You can only use this effect of a card originally named "True Treasure – Precious Time, Glory Days" once per Duel.) You can only activate a card originally named "True Treasure - Precious Time, Glory Days" once per turn.
True Treasure Hunter - Sea-Faring Vessel
WATER
Level 5
Aqua/Effect
1500 ATK/2400 DEF
You can only activate each effect of a card originally named "True Treasure Hunter - Sea-Faring Vessel" once per turn and you cannot activate the effects of cards, except for "True Treasure" cards, the turn you activate this card's effects. Once per turn: You can declare 1 card type (Monster, Spell, Trap) and excavate the top card of your Deck; if it is the declared type, add it to your hand. Its name becomes "True Treasure - Heart's Desire" until the End Phase of this turn. If it is not the declared type, send it to the Graveyard. This card cannot attack while the last card revealed in this way was not the correct type. If you activate or summon "True Treasure - Heart's Desire": You can special summon one "True Treasure" monster from your hand and increase its ATK and DEF by the number of "True Treasure" cards you control x 200, also it cannot attack this turn.
Holy Barrier – Mirror Force (Mirror Force)
Normal Trap
When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Destroy all Attack Position monsters your opponent controls.
Charity of the Ordinary (Common Charity)
Normal Trap Card
Draw 2 cards, then remove from play 1 Normal Monster Card from your hand. If you don't have any Normal Monster Cards in your hand to remove, send all cards in your hand to the Graveyard.
Wallrus
WATER
Level 2
Beast
400 ATK/800 DEF
Big Bat Knight
EARTH
Level 3
Warrior
1100 ATK/500 DEF
Pot of Greed
Normal Spell Card
Draw 2 cards.
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.
Resurrection of the Dead (Monster Reborn)
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 monster in either player's Graveyard; Special Summon it.
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.
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 an appropriate target for a card that specifically designates a Level 4 or lower Normal Monster with 1500 or less ATK and DEF while face-up on the field or in the Graveyard (its Level and ATK/DEF do not change).
Found a new chapter. This one's really long. Might be one of the longest of the whole series at this point.
As fun as it was writing this duel, it took a lot of brain power for someone who'd been up for nearly a full day by the end of it. Keeping everything straight with the TT cards was awful since they're so legitimately complex and obnoxious. Just like a real modern archetype. Got a little explanation heavy in the middle because of how hard they combo with each other, so I hope that wasn't too wordy and hard to read through.
I still really love them, though. They were a lot of fun to come up with, and you might see them again because of that even if they're hard to coordinate. I designed them with a friend this time, so if you liked them, go onto Tumblr and tell prayingmantisfolly you thought they were cool and that Giorno Giovanna is the best JoJo.
Catch that really obvious GX reference? Kind of hope you did, otherwise I question your devotion to this goofy ass show about card games. There's a more subtle JoJo's reference tucked in there, too, for fans of the greatest villain in anime (it's Kira).
It's fitting that the whipping boy of this series gets to do the creepy chin at least once. He's carrying on a proud legacy of men with extremely flexible faces.
I realized shortly after posting the last chapter that, despite saying Yuu inspired this story in a way, I never actually explained how in my sleep-deprived ramblings. Basically, she's a character who started in another thing I write and I had an idea for a Yu-Gi-Oh! AU type deal and made her cards, then the whole thing spiraled into what it is now. Other characters from that thing might show up at some point and I may or may not point it out for interested parties.
Speaking of references to stuff I've done before (not literally), I based Shigeo's playstyle off a conversation I had with a guy who contributes to the larger writing project Yuu came out of where he said he wanted to see a "Story Duel" where the moves play out a kind of D&D-like campaign. This only scratched the surface of that idea, though, and it's going to show up again in a more literal form in the near future. Look forward to that if you like goofy and bizarre archetypes and win conditions.
About all I've got to say this time. Been sitting on that Fusion reveal for a while and I'm glad it worked out pretty well. Every Flame Viper has its day. Thanks for reading. Always remember to fuck up your DM's shit as quick and as hard as possible when you start a new campaign so they're tempted to quit and burn everything to the ground in frustration.