Yumi and Rio's fated rematch pushes both duelists to their limits.
It didn't take long to find out who Yumi would be fighting in the next round. The duel only lasted around seven minutes, the outcome somewhat predictable to anyone familiar with the competitors. "Just as expected!" Miss Fukukado said with a nod.
The next round, Yumi would be having her third duel with Rio. Though they weren't exactly mortal enemies anymore, the prospect of going against her again still brought up a lot of negative feelings. These came hand in hand with at least some level of excitement since, just as she'd recognized during the party, their conflict was at least somewhat thrilling from a dueling perspective. As hard as it was to admit, it probably led to a lot of growth on Yumi's part, as well.
The final match of the second round seemed to be drawing to a close. Yumi grew anxious from the waiting, unsure of how to process everything she was feeling at the moment. "Excuse me," she asked after sorting through her cards the latest of around two dozen times (still unable to find what the third card was). "Will you be honest and tell me what you think my chances for winning here are?"
"Well, if you're asking if I have any insight into what Miss Rio's deck might be like now," Miss Fukukado began cheerfully, "I'm afraid I can't tell you that! It would be poor sportsmanship to reveal insider information of that sort, not that I have any!"
"No, I get that," she said. "I was talking more...well, what's she like now? This actually isn't the first time we've dueled. I'm just trying to know what to expect when I get out there."
Thinking for a moment, Miss Fukukado eventually replied, "I feel safe in saying that she's been practicing relentlessly for quite some time now! I can only imagine she's grown several times stronger since the last time you dueled each other!"
Yumi nodded, almost smiling. "I guess that's to be expected."
"I'd also like to remind you that, while I am an employee of Critical Games, it is still my job to support you as your trainer even in a situation like this! My assessment was based in fact and without bias!"
"Yeah, I thought so," she said. Spreading out her deck in front of her, she tapped her chin. There wasn't much time left, so she planned to use it to make sure she had everything in order. The next several minutes flew by as the two of them debated the merits of siding in different cards. Thankfully, they managed to settle on an appropriate 40 with around a minute to spare, Yumi able to take to the field without any regrets.
As the platform raised her up for the third time, Yumi pulled her goggles down over her eyes. She couldn't afford to take this duel lightly if she wanted to keep up her winning streak. Emerging to the thunderous applause and cheers of the crowd, she locked eyes with Rio.
She was all smiles as to be expected, waving to people as she came to the center of the arena. Even so, her gaze never left Yumi. In a way, both of them had been waiting for this moment for quiet some time now. Through this, they could finally settle the score and put that ugly past behind them. There was no telling how this would shake out or what it might mean going forward but it seemed necessary either way.
They shuffled and cut each other's cards without a word, walking to their respective sides of the field and preparing for battle. The full weight of the semi-finals was bearing down on them now, several tense seconds passing as the announcer further hyped up the crowd. Once he stopped talking, the two shouted a decisive, "Duel!" to begin the match.
Rio's public persona returned at this, drawing her hand to start things. "Let's give this crowd a show they'll never forget!" she called to Yumi, pulling a smile out of her. "I'm not going to go easy on you," she added, "so my cards are going to go all out right from the start."
She placed a card onto the field. "I activate the Ritual Magic, Girzerker Ascending Ceremony!" It should come as no surprise to anyone that Rio's opening would be strong. "I release the Girzerker Jump Puppy in my hand as a cost, using its effect to count as the entire thing instead of just two Levels."
Seven flames lit up around her, Rio grabbing another card in her hand. "Ritual Summon! Swarm, Girzerker Queen Bee!" The insectoid emerged from the card, buzzing in the air above both of the duelists. Its effect was strong, making attacks against it fairly difficult for anything with a Level.
"I'm not done just yet," she continued. "When Jump Puppy is in my Graveyard, I can pay 1000 Life Points to add another copy from my deck to my hand." Turn one and she was already at 3000, but that hardly seemed like an issue. Taking the extra card, she set two face-down before ending. "This won't be enough to stop you," she said, sure of her opponent's skills as much as she was sure of her own.
"That's right," Yumi agreed, drawing. "I'll wipe Queen Bee from the field in a single attack! Let's start with this!" The monster she played was Rescue Rabbit, hopping from the image of the card it came from and cleaning its face after landing. "And now-"
"I activate Iron Wall of the Royal Palace!" Rio declared, her card flipping up. "Neither of us is allowed to banish cards now." She smiled sweetly. "Sorry, but you won't be using that card. Or that card."
A pang of guilt hit Yumi as she realized what card Rio was referring to. Their last duel nearly ended with one or both of them dead thanks to that terrible thing she'd used. That said, while it was true that Iron Wall would definitely hinder THE WORLD, she no longer had the card.
That said, it was still particularly troublesome to have her ability to banish cut off even without it. Several of her cards, Rescue Rabbit included, needed to be able to do that to work. She had no choice but to play around it as best as she could and look for a way to get rid of that Trap.
"I'm starting to get tired of people doing stuff like that," she complained, opponent side decking proving to be a bit of a headache when everyone knew the cards she used. "In that case, I'll just have to activate Instant Fusion!"
Their Life Points now matched, an instant ramen cup nearly double her size appeared on the field. "Come on out, Rare Fish!" Bursting forth through the paper lid was the archaic Fusion Monster, taking a defensive stance next to Rescue Rabbit.
"I overlay my Level 4 Rescue Rabbit with my Level 4 Rare Fish," Yumi said. "Construct the Overlay Network!" Both her monsters were pulled into a swirling galaxy, their energy merging to create a new power. "Xyz Summon, Rank 4! Appear, Cairngorgon, Dark-Line Change-Warrior!"
Emerging from the vortex was Yumi's monster, slamming to the floor of the arena before rising up to full height as the announcer made a comment about her impressive recovery after her initial play was stopped. "Queen Bee won't be looking down on him for much longer," she said, pointing towards the monster as it hovered just above Cairngorgon's level. "Xyz Monsters don't have a Level, so my monster is immune from her effect. And because of that, I can declare an attack!"
Cairngorgon charged forward, smashing one of its bulbous weapons into Queen Bee and breaking it apart. Rio's Life Points fell again to 2750, though she seemed entirely unfazed by this. "I set a card and end my turn," Yumi said to finish things.
"Before my turn starts, I activate my Life Absorbing Machine Trap Card," Rio said, her second set card raising up. "From now on, I'll gain back half the Life Points I've paid for card effects on my previous turn."
It was an invaluable strategy for a deck that made such liberal use of Life Point costs. To start it off, Rio gained back 500 from what she'd used before, putting her at 3250. "I activate Pot of Greed," she said, revealing the card in her hand. "I draw two new cards from my deck and add them to my hand."
"Lucky," she said to herself with a smile. "I'll use Foolish Burial next, sending Girzerker Grumpy Dinosaur from my deck to my Graveyard." As soon as the card was disposed of, its effect activated. "When sent to the Graveyard, Grumpy Dinosaur wants to be helpful and let me take a Girzerker Ritual Monster and add it to my hand for only 800 Life Points."
Now down to 2450, she chose Girzerker Killer Crocodile. "It's too bad, though," she said, pretending to be upset. "I still can't summon it. But maybe..." She pressed the screen of her duel disk, ejecting a card. "If I use Ascending Ceremony's effect in my Graveyard, I can add it back to my deck and draw a new card!"
Dropping her Life Points to 1450, her cards were shuffled as the Ritual returned itself. She gave a small giggle after seeing what she'd drawn. "That solved my problem! I'll activate my card now, Earth Chant! I can Ritual Summon any EARTH monster I want using this, and I think you already know what I'm picking."
Once more, Jump Puppy served as the entire cost. This lit nine flames, the reptilian creature taking shape in the smoke before appearing in tangible form. It howled and spat into the air, ready for bloodshed.
"From the looks of things, my monster has more ATK than yours," she said with a satisfied smirk. "Rip it apart, Killer Crocodile!"
"Trap activate, Majesty Guard!" A yellow barrier formed in front of Yumi's monster, the crocodile's advance stopped as it fruitlessly clawed at its target while unable to reach. "My monster won't be destroyed and I get to halve the damage." This put her at a respectable 2725, still a ways ahead of Rio.
With a pout, Rio crossed her arms. "That's just no fun," she said, setting a card. "I guess I have no choice but to end my turn here. Still, I don't know what you expect to do against Killer Crocodile. Your monsters aren't strong enough to match him."
"We'll see about that," Yumi replied, drawing a card to start her turn. "You aren't the only one with luck," she said while checking her hand. "I equip Cairngorgon with Power of Unity, raising his ATK and DEF by 800 for every monster I have."
Smashing its fists together, Cairngorgon's power surged. At present, it was at 3250 ATK. "I won't let it end there," she continued. "I'll also summon Violentist from my hand." As the dapper monster took the field beside her Xyz Monster, its ATK rose again to 4050.
"Cairngorgon's surpassed Killer Crocodile now," she smiled. "Attack!"
"I can't believe it!" Rio shouted. "I really can't, because I use this! Last Surprise!" Cairngorgon crumpled to the floor mid-charge, its attack stopped decisively. "No more attacks for that one," she said, wagging her finger at the monster.
Without a clear path, Violentist couldn't do anything. Ending the Battle Phase, Yumi played another card. "Equip Magic, Expert Heart." While she would still be taking a large amount of damage next turn, this would at least ensure it had some purpose. "Turn end."
"Draw!" Rio said, her smile slipping to become a bit more devious than intended. "Looks like things are just going to get worse for you," she taunted, placing a card onto the field after a collective 900 Life Points brought her up to 2350. "I can revive my Queen Bee using this, Resurrection of the Dead!"
Yumi shook her head, revealing the final card in her hand. "Not this time. I activate Necro Maria, negating your card to summon itself to my field in Defense Mode." This had the added benefit of raising Cairngorgon's ATK to 4850 for whatever good that would do now.
Rio frowned as darkness overtook her card. "Even if you can stop that, you can't stop my attack. Killer Crocodile, tear into Violentist!"
"The effect Expert Heart gave my monster allows him to resist destruction by battle once per turn," Yumi said, bracing.
"But you'll still take all that damage!" Rio assessed, her monster raking its claws across the crossed arms of its enemy.
As her monster grunted and fell to one knee, Yumi's Life Points also shrunk to a measly 375. She wasn't ready to give up just yet, though. "Violentist isn't going to let that stop him," she explained, her monster already standing back up with a golden aura. "Every point of damage you just did only made him even stronger!"
Violentist's ATK grew to 3000 to match Killer Crocodile, an annoyance for her to be sure. "Then let's see what you can make of all that," Rio said, ending her turn.
"Plenty!" Yumi told her. While she initially felt as if she had to keep up the enthusiasm for the sake of the public, this was turning out to be a thoroughly fun duel. It was still an odd feeling to be able to enjoy a duel against Rio after what happened before. Even so, it was happening now and she couldn't really be bothered to worry over those doubts. It was time for action.
"Hat-Trick Magician, come out!" The diminutive wizard popped from its card, Necro Maria switching to an offensive stance. "Let's battle! Violentist, take out Killer Crocodile!" Rushing forward, the performer slipped beneath a clawed hand of the enemy and delivered a devastating punch to the ribs, blasting it to pieces. With Expert Heart, it could resist doing the same.
"Now, both of you attack Rio directly!" Both Necro Maria and Hat-Trick Magician fired beams of energy, striking Rio as she guarded herself. This brought her down to 650 Life Points, the score quickly evening out after that harsh attack from earlier.
"Not bad," she complimented. "I hope you realize the danger you've left yourself in with those cards, though."
Yumi laughed. "I'm not just going to leave them on the field," she said. "I'll fix this now by overlaying my Level 4 Necro Maria with my Level 4 Hat-Trick Magician!" Her monsters combined once more, the vortex exploding with energy moments later. "Xyz Summon, Rank 4! Come out, The One Who Lurks in the Abyss!" She ended her turn as her new monster gave a throaty roar.
Rio began her turn, immediately setting the card she'd drawn. After that, she spread her arms wide. "Turn end," she declared. "Come get me."
Yumi began her turn, almost shocked at how brazen a display of confidence this was. "Do you think that card is going to save you?" she asked, hoping to fish for an idea as to what it might be through banter.
"You'll have to find out," she replied, sensing Yumi's ploy and refusing to budge. "What you do is up to you, but I think the audience is expecting an attack. Isn't that right?" She gave a smile to the crowd, the stands shouting in agreement.
"Guess I can't disappoint them," Yumi shrugged. "I'll switch Cairngorgon to Defense Mode." Just for safety. "Battle!"
"I guess it wasn't so obvious after all," Rio said, her face transforming into a smug grin. "You've activated my Trap, Holy Barrier – Mirror Force!" The card began to shine, a mirrored reflection of both of Yumi's attacking cards smashing into them. Her Xyz Monster's effect also activated, sealing the Graveyard as a precaution.
Violentist and the sea serpent were both felled, her intuition to protect Cairngorgon seeming to pay off. Still, she couldn't help but second guess and think that maybe it would have been better to protect something else. At least Violentist could attack. "Turn end."
Rio began her turn, ending it just as quickly after setting another card. "That's all I need to do for now."
"Isn't that a little boring?" Yumi said with just the slightest hint of sass. "The crowd was probably expecting something more than that."
"Don't worry, you'll see something exciting soon," she replied. "Sorry, but I'm going to have to ask everyone to wait one more turn before I can win. Is that okay?" The response was enthusiastic, many hoping to see Rio make good on that boast.
Yumi began her turn, nodding at the card she'd drawn. "I activate Angel's Charity to draw three cards." Examining her hand, she grabbed both Golden Fiddle and Wallrus. "Then I discard these two." With a frown, she realized there wasn't much for her to do at the moment.
The card she kept was Heavy Storm. While it would likely be helpful to open her ability to banish again, that would come at the cost of lowering her monster's power. With Rio's cards, she could run right over it if that happened. "I switch Cairngorgon back to Attack, then end my turn."
"And after all that talk about how I didn't do anything," Rio said with a smirk. "Well, it doesn't matter. That just makes it easier for me to go on the attack." She took a card, then activated it. "I use Treasure Cards from the Heavens, letting us both draw until we have six cards."
For Rio, this meant a new hand of six cards. For Yumi, this was only an additional four. Still, it was nothing to scoff at – at least in the abstract. In practice, her hand wasn't looking great. Flame Viper, Komboriboh, and her own Mirror Force didn't seem to be of much use right now. That fourth card, though…
"I activate my set card, Psycho Charge!" Rio's Trap was sprung, returning Queen Bee, Killer Crocodile, and a copy of Jump Puppy to her deck to let her draw twice more. Now she held eight cards. With a smirk, she played one of them. "I use Upstart Goblin, letting me draw another card at the cost of giving you 1000 Life Points."
"You don't have enough cards yet?" Yumi mused, though it wasn't like she would complain about the extra Life Points. She was now at 1375.
"Just needed one more card before I could win." She activated it. "My Life Points are lower than yours now, so Supremacy Berry increases mine by 2000." This put her at 2650, but not for long.
"Now I have enough Life Points to use the effect of Jump Puppy in my Graveyard." Losing 1000 of what she'd just gained, Rio added back another copy of it. This seemed like the final piece to the puzzle. "I activate the Ritual Magic, Revealed Girzerker. By Discarding Girzerker Last Rights, I can Ritual Summon a Girzerker straight from my deck."
Jump Puppy served as the tribute, a total of 13 flames lighting around her to the shock and awe of everyone. Yumi could feel herself begin to shiver, old memories dredged up from this. It wasn't just her though, the entire arena shaking as the flames burned a deep black.
Rio spread her arms wide, leaning her head back as she recited, "Ethereal horror born from another universe, cross existence to erase my enemies! Ritual Summon, Level 13! Chaos Girzerker Antimatter!" The behemoth rose from the flames behind its master, a pulse of purple energy emitting from its body to negate the Magic and Trap Cards currently on the field.
Cairngorgon's ATK fell to its standard 2450, helpless to stand against such a powerful card. "You might be able to scrape by, but there's no chance of you making it past the next turn." Rio pointed forward. "Antimatter, attack! Omnicidal Rage!"
Yumi's monster was utterly obliterated, barely having time to let out a cry of pain as it was torn apart atom by atom. Yumi herself skidded back along the floor, barely keeping her footing as her Life Points dropped to 600. The only reason she didn't lose was that the negation of Iron Wall allowed her to banish Majesty Guard to protect herself and halve the damage, an outcome Rio had already predicted.
Antimatter was no less terrifying a second time, boring holes into the ground with its burning eyes as it towered over the field. There was no hope of defense against it, attack seeming just as slim. It was nearly invincible.
Rio set three cards before moving to the End Phase. Despite having opened up THE WORLD again by negating her own Trap, she didn't seem the least bit concerned. "Antimatter's effect," she said, a sinister chuckle making it past her mental filter. "Each End Phase, your Life Points are halved."
Blasted back once again, Yumi found herself at 300 Life Points. Taking a deep breath, she had no choice but to put her faith in her deck. "Draw!" she declared. "This is..." For a moment, she froze, a smile creeping its way across her lips right after. "This is it," she said. Looking to Rio, she nodded. "You were right about me not lasting past this turn."
"Don't tell me you're going to surrender," she said, eyes narrowing. "Don't." Her words had grown cold. She couldn't allow their rematch to end in such a way.
"Of course not," Yumi told her. "I just mean, I won't have to take another turn. Because I'm going to win now."
"How do you plan to do that?"
"First, with this!" She activated a card. "Heavy Storm blows away all of the Magic and Trap Cards on the field." Rio activated Psycho Healing in response to this, raising her Life Points to 2650 once more. Even so, both a Telepathic Power and another copy of Life Absorption Machine were destroyed along with the two Traps from before.
"That was just the start," she said. "Let's try this again. I summon Rescue Rabbit!" A second copy of the card appeared on the field, standing on its hind legs to squeak into the communicator around its neck. "Now that there's nothing stopping me, I banish it to summon a pair of Scaredy Lions from my deck."
As soon as the monsters were summoned, Yumi activated another card. "I equip one of them with Broken Wand." Her field was set now.
Yumi raised a hand into the air, some kind of energy overtaking her body as she did. "I overlay both my Level 4 Scaredy Lions with the Equip Magic Broken Wand!" There was only one card that had a summoning requirement like that.
"I tap into the world of chaos to create a new power!" she said, the field rumbling once more. "Lay waste to the world order and find form in the ashes! Xyz Summon, Rank 4! Chasm Queen – Telos!" The ground split open, the ethereal creature emerging once more.
With a single look, even the mighty Antimatter fell to one knee. Its effects had been negated, at least for now. "Impressive card," Rio complimented. "I don't know what you expect to do with it, but it's at least impressive."
"To be honest, nothing." This drew a look of confusion from her opponent. "Telos won't be doing anything else. Not one thing." A flash of light shot from Yumi's eyes, her hair beginning to sway despite the absence of any wind. "Because I activate this! Rank-Up-Magic Emerald Force!"
"Rank-Up?" Rio questioned. "You can even use that now?"
Yumi laughed. It was quiet at first, growing louder by the second as her monster began to glow. "This is everything. Everything I've learned, everything I've used to grow. This is the card that's going to make it real!"
Telos and the three Overlay Units disappeared in a flash of light. "I banish Angel's Charity to activate this card," Yumi explained. "With this, I can take an Xyz Monster and evolve it into one of the same type but one Rank higher."
Crossing her arms over her chest, a crackling aura surrounded Yumi's body. White and black popped and snapped around her as she said, "Forged in the deepest depths, a new power awakens! Taste true freedom as you soar above anyone who would hold you down! Chaos Xyz Change!"
A flash of blinding light lit up the entire arena. "Appear, Rank 5! Chasm Empress – Conatus!" Once the light subsided, a new monster was floating above Yumi's field. Similar in appearance to Telos, this humanoid wore similar shifting robes complete with a hood. These were long enough to touch the floor, long strings of fabrics attached to the back and sleeves flapping in the air as if they had a mind of their own. In its hand was a jagged black staff, dozens of golden rings equidistant from each other across its entire length.
With only a glance, the entire arena shifted into gray. The effect was convincing enough to make several people in attendance question whether this was truly Solid Vision, anything and everything being drained of its color. "Once summoned, Conatus seals away all our Magic and Trap Cards for the rest of the turn," Yumi explained, entirely composed despite having never seen this card before.
"With Emerald Force, my monster gains an effect," she continued. "When summoned, I draw cards equal to half the number of Overlay Units attached to it." That was two cards, though she wouldn't be needing them. "Conatus, attack!"
"You think you can take down Antimatter with just that?" Rio questioned, still holding out hope that there was a way to win. Despite her monster's superior stats, she knew Yumi wouldn't be attacking without reason and feared the worst.
"When Conatus battles, I can use this effect," she explained. "By detaching an Overlay Unit, your monster loses power for every Magic Card in my Graveyard times 400!" The gray from the surroundings was sucked away at that moment, the world's color returning. In exchange, the grayscale attached itself to Antimatter as it struggled.
"Instant Fusion, Power of Unity, Expert Heart, Golden Fiddle, Heavy Storm, Broken Wand, and Emerald Force. Seven cards. That means Antimatter loses 2800 ATK!" This left the giant with only 1200 ATK once the Damage Step began.
Rio reached for her hand only to freeze in place. Her out was Face Myself, a Trap she could use from the hand at the cost of half her Life Points. It was meant to be her secret weapon in the event THE WORLD reappeared, but this card had surpassed it. She was unable to use it with Conatus' silence, her arms falling limply to her sides.
"Conatus, finish this! The End of Order!" The monster spun its staff in the air, thrusting it forward and forcing Antimatter to spiral in on itself. After a few pained noises from the weakened monster, it mercifully exploded, raining down on Rio and taking out the remainder of her Life Points with its own effect.
The crowd also exploded though in a far less literal sense. Yumi herself seemed to ignore all of this, not fully recognizing what had happened until she took a deep inhale through her nose. After exhaling, she suddenly realized she had won the duel. Blinking a few times to orient herself, she looked to Rio.
She stood motionless on the other side of the field, apparently needing to adjust to the reality that she had actually lost. Slowly, she looked up, meeting Yumi's gaze once more. A small smile formed on her face, Rio giving a small nod to her former enemy in recognition of her skills.
A hard-fought and hard-won victory indeed, Yumi had only one challenge left – the finals.
Cards Used in Order of Appearance
Girzerker Ascending Ceremony
Ritual Spell Card
This card can be used to Ritual Summon any "Girzerker" Ritual Monster. You must also Tribute monsters from the field or your hand whose total Levels equal the Level of the Ritual Monster you Ritual Summon. You can also pay LP equal to any number of Levels x 500, in addition to any Tributes used to equal the Level of the Ritual Monster. While this card is in your Graveyard, except the turn it is sent there: Pay 1000 LP; shuffle this card into your Deck and draw 1 card.
Girzerker Jump Puppy
EARTH
Level 2
Psychic/Effect
500 ATK/300 DEF
When you Ritual Summon a "Girzerker" Ritual Monster using this card as a Tribute; this card can be used as the entire Tribute. While this card is in your Graveyard, you can pay 1000 LP; add 1 "Girzerker Jump Puppy" from your Deck to your hand.
Girzerker Queen Bee
EARTH
Level 7
Psychic/Ritual/Effect
2200 ATK/1100 DEF
You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Girzerker" Ritual Spell Card. All monsters on the field lose ATK and DEF equal to their Level, except Psychic-Type monsters. During your Standby Phase: Gain LP equal to half of any LP paid during your last turn.
Rescue Rabbit
EARTH
Level 4
Beast/Effect
300 ATK/100 DEF
Cannot be Special Summoned from the Deck. You can banish this face-up card you control; Special Summon 2 Level 4 or lower Normal Monsters with the same name from your Deck, but destroy them during the End Phase. You can only use this effect of "Rescue Rabbit" once per turn.
Iron Wall of the Royal Palace (Imperial Iron Wall)
Continuous Trap Card
Neither player can banish cards.
Instant Fusion
Normal Spell Card
Pay 1000 LP; Special Summon 1 Level 5 or lower Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, but it cannot attack, also it is destroyed during the End Phase. (This is treated as a Fusion Summon.) You can only activate 1 "Instant Fusion" per turn.
Rare Fish
WATER
Level 4
Fish/Fusion
1500 ATK/1200 DEF
"Fusionist" + "Enchanting Mermaid"
Cairngorgon, Dark-Line Change-Warrior (Cairngorgon, Antiluminescent Knight)
DARK
Rank 4
Rock/Xyz/Effect
2450 ATK/1950 DEF
2 Level 4 monsters
During either player's turn, when another card or effect is activated that targets exactly 1 card on the field (and no other cards): You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card, then target another card on the field that would be an appropriate target for that card/effect; that card/effect now targets the new target.
Life Absorbing Machine
Continuous Trap Card
During your Standby Phase, gain Life Points equal to half the Life Points you paid during your last turn.
Pot of Greed
Normal Spell Card
Draw 2 cards.
Foolish Burial
Normal Spell Card
Send 1 monster from your Deck to the GY.
Girzerker Grumpy Dinosaur
EARTH
Level 4
Psychic/Effect
1600 ATK/1000 DEF
When this card is sent to the Graveyard: Pay 800 LP to add 1 "Girzerker" Ritual Monster from your Deck to your hand. You can only use this effect of "Girzerker Grumpy Dinosaur" once per turn.
Girzerker Killer Crocodile
EARTH
Level 9
Psychic/Ritual/Effect
3000 ATK/3000 DEF
You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Girzerker" Ritual Spell Card. Once per turn, when this card is targeted by your opponent's card effect: You can pay 1000 LP; change the target to another appropriate card on the field. When this card destroys an opponent's monster by battle and sends it to the Graveyard: You can add 1 "Girzerker" monster from your Deck to your hand with ATK less than or equal to the destroyed monster's original ATK.
Earth Chant
Ritual Spell Card
This card can be used to Ritual Summon any EARTH Ritual Monster. You must also Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels exactly equal the Level of the Ritual Monster you Ritual Summon.
Majesty Guard
Normal Trap Card
Monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle this turn, also halve all damage you take this turn. During either player's turn, except the turn this card was sent to the Graveyard: You can banish this card from your Graveyard; halve the battle damage you take from one opponent's monster this turn.
Power of Unity (United We Stand)
Equip Spell Card
The equipped monster gains 800 ATK and DEF for each face-up monster you control.
Violentist
LIGHT
Level 3
Fiend
650 ATK/1300 DEF
Expert Heart
Equip Spell
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: Cannot be destroyed by battle once per turn. When you take damage from an attack involving this card: This card gains ATK and DEF equal to the damage you took.
Last Surprise
Normal Trap Card
When an opponent's monster with the highest ATK on the field declares an attack: Make the battle damage you take from this battle 0, and if you do, target that opponent's monster; it cannot attack. If your Life Points would become 0 from that attack: You can pay half your Life Points to activate this card from your deck.
Resurrection of the Dead (Monster Reborn)
Normal Spell Card
Target 1 monster in either player's Graveyard; Special Summon it.
Necro Maria
DARK
Level 4
Fairy/Tuner/Effect
500 ATK/0 DEF
When a card of effect activates that targets or would move a card(s) in the Graveyard to a different place (Quick Effect): Special Summon this card; negate that effect, and if you do, destroy that card.
Hat-Trick Magician
DARK
Level 4
Spellcaster
1200 ATK/1500 DEF
The One Who Lurks in the Abyss (Abyss Dweller)
WATER
Rank 4
Sea Serpent/Xyz/Effect
1700 ATK/1400 DEF
2 Level 4 monsters
While this card has an Xyz Material attached that was originally WATER, all WATER monsters you control gain 500 ATK. Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; any card effects that activate in your opponent's Graveyard cannot be activated 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.
Angel's Charity (Graceful Charity)
Normal Spell Card
Draw 3 cards, then discard 2.
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.
Wallrus
WATER
Level 2
Beast
400 ATK/800 DEF
Heavy Storm
Normal Spell Card
Destroy all Spell and Trap Cards on the field.
Treasure Cards from the Heavens (Card of Sanctity)
Normal Spell Card
Each player draws until they have 6 cards in their hand.
Flame Viper
EARTH
Level 2
Pyro
400 ATK/ 450 DEF
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.
Psycho Charge (Psychic Overload)
Normal Trap Card
Target 3 Psychic-Type monsters in your Graveyard; shuffle all 3 into the Deck, then draw 2 cards.
Upstart Goblin
Normal Spell Card
Draw 1 card, then your opponent gains 1000 Life Points.
Supremacy Berry
Normal Spell Card
If your Life Points were lower than your opponent's when this card was activated, gain 2000 Life Points. If your Life Points were higher than your opponent's, you take 1000 damage.
Revealed Girzerker
Ritual Spell Card
Discard 1 "Girzerker" Ritual Spell Card in your hand; you can Special Summon 1 "Girzerker" Ritual Monster from your Deck (this Special Summon is treated as a Ritual Summon). You must also Tribute monsters from the field or your hand whose total Levels equal the Level of the Ritual Monster you Ritual Summon.
Girzerker Last Rights
Ritual Spell Card
This card can be used to Ritual Summon any "Girzerker" Ritual Monster from your Graveyard. You must also banish monsters from your hand whose total Levels equal the Level of the Ritual Monster you Ritual Summon. Banish this card from your Graveyard; gain 2000 LP. This effect cannot be activated if you summoned a monster this turn, except by Ritual Summon.
Chaos Girzerker Antimatter
LIGHT
Level 13
Psychic/Ritual/Effect
4000 ATK/4000 DEF
You can Ritual Summon this card with any "Girzerker" Ritual Spell Card. Must be Ritual Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When Ritual Summoned, cards and effects cannot be activated, also negate the effects of all face-up Spell/Trap Cards on the field. If this card attacks, your opponent's Spell/Trap Cards and monster effects cannot be activated on the field until the end of the Damage Step. Cannot be destroyed by Spell/Trap effects that do not target this card. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict double piercing battle damage to your opponent. During each player's End Phase: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to half their Life Points. When this card is destroyed: Take damage equal to its combined ATK and DEF on the field.
Psycho Healing (Psychic Rejuvenation)
Normal Trap Card
Gain 1000 Life Points for each face-up Psychic-Type monster you control.
Telepathic Power
Normal Trap Card
When a Psychic-Type monster you control is destroyed by battle with an opponent's attacking monster: Target the opponent's monster; destroy that target, and if you do, gain LP equal to the destroyed monster's ATK on the field.
Scaredy Lion
EARTH
Level 4
Beast
1300 ATK/ 1000 DEF
Broken Wand
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 by 500. When this card attacks or is attacked by a monster with higher ATK: You can return this card to your hand and end the Battle Phase.
Chasm Queen – Telos
DARK
Rank 4
Spellcaster/Xyz/Effect
2800 ATK/2200 DEF
3 Level 4 monsters
You can Xyz Summon this card by using Equip Spell Cards equipped to monsters used as Xyz Material for this card's summon. When this card is Xyz Summoned: Negate the effect of all face-up monsters on the field besides this card until the End Phase. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster while it has an Equip Spell Card as Xyz Material, inflict piercing battle damage. When this card inflicts battle damage to your opponent: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; inflict 400 damage to your opponent x the number of Equip Spell Cards in both players' Graveyards.
Rank-Up-Magic Emerald Force
Normal Spell Card
Banish 1 Spell Card from your Graveyard, then target 1 face-up Xyz Monster you control; Special Summon from your Extra Deck, 1 Xyz Monster with the same Type as that monster you control but 1 Rank higher, by using it as the Xyz Material. (This Special Summon is treated as an Xyz Summon. Xyz Materials attached to it also become Xyz Materials on the Summoned monster.) It gains this effect.
● If it is Xyz Summoned: Draw cards equal to half the number of materials attached to this card (rounded up).
Chasm Empress – Conatus
DARK
Rank 5
Spellcaster/Xyz/Effect
3300/2700 DEF
4 Level 5 monsters
You can Xyz Summon this card by using Equip Spell Cards equipped to monsters used as Xyz Material for this card's summon. When this card is Xyz Summoned: Your opponent cannot activate Spell/Trap Cards for the rest of the turn. If this card battles an opponent's monster: You can detach 1 Xyz Material from this card; the opponent's monster loses 400 ATK and DEF for each Spell Card in your Graveyard during the Damage Step only. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster while it has an Equip Spell Card as Xyz Material, inflict double piercing battle damage.
Face Myself
Normal Trap Card
When an opponent's monster declares an attack on your face-up monster: Target both monsters; negate that attack, then inflict damage to each player equal to their monster's original Levels/Ranks x 100. You can pay half your Life Points to activate this card from your hand.
It was a hell of a time getting all this done. I didn't mean for this to take so long and I'm sorry it did. Writing's been hard lately.
But I do have something to show for it, in that someone drew actual fucking fanart of Yumi. If you haven't seen it already, it's on aphicelend's Tumblr and possibly some other places under that name or karuamaku. Technically it was commissioned by someone else without me knowing and I did go and tip the artist anyway, but I'll still count it. She's looks cute.
Probably fitting since Yumi just ranked herself up in this one. It was nearly as hard figuring out Conatus as it was Telos originally. Part of me wanted to use Telos again before this point but I figure the point where she ranks the card up is also a fitting place to have her really claim it as her own instead of constantly shying away from it after her experiences with THE WORLD. She's not holding back anymore.
I didn't really set out to imply Rio the 12 year old is a big fan of Persona, but I'm running with that. That was going to be her secret weapon against THE WORLD and end the duel with only 25 LP. She planned that out well. Too bad she planned against the wrong card.
That's about all we have now. Next is the end of the tournament and the second arc. Wonder how that's going to go.
Thanks for reading. Share if you're enjoying. Always remember to check which Rank-Up-Magic card Yumi is going to be using so you don't pointlessly plan around stuff that didn't need to be a factor.