I'm back everyone! Did you all miss me!? Admit it, you missed me. Actually, I had a few close friends worry that I'd died when I didn't respond to their PMs for a while. While it is technically true that I died, such things don't really affect Dark Signers all that much.
Yuu Hashimoto: You're welcome.
So I am just fine, everyone! (It was actually a pressing personal obligation I had to attend to, which is why I wasn't as active this past week). As promised, however, I have delivered the next SoR chapter!
This segment was originally intended to be the last half of the previous chapter. However, due to word length, I have decided to divide chapter 16 into three parts, lest this segment swell to the size of Mai Valentine's chest. Rest assured that the final part is following closely behind this segment, which I personally believe was well worth the wait. Enjoy.
(Updated last minute. Realized a mistake thanks to bladeWrtier3).
Part 1: Chapter 16 – Pawn of the Earthbound (Part 2)
Incarnations
"DUEL!" Selena and Barrett roared in unison as they both raced for the column of light ahead. Normally, Selena would not have minded going second. Her deck actually worked best if the opponent set up a field of monsters she could destroy. But with this duel format, things were different. She didn't have the same kind of spell cards she needed to quickly build up offensive power and OTK like she normally did. Besides, she knew Barrett's deck. His deck excelled if it got the first turn.
Unfortunately, knowing this and being able to prevent it were two completely different things.
Selena twisted the accelerator as hard as she could, leaning her body forward for maximum aerodynamics, but it didn't seem to matter. Even though the D-Wheel she had appropriated was good, Barrett's Academia-built vehicle was clearly superior. Purple flames exploded out the exhaust pipes, rocketing his bike forward and leaving Selena to gag from the plumes of dark black smoke as she struggled to catch up.
Slowly, she did manage to catch up to him, manually shifting the bike's gear with the bike's on-board computer so that she was neck-and-neck with Barrett, before a sudden turn caught her attention.
Reflexively, Selena flinched, adjusting her position and speed in order to avoid flying over the edge of the track.
Barrett, on the other hand, smoothly transitioned into the turn, effortlessly leaning his body so that his bike swung through the curve before twisting the accelerator for another burst of speed. Selena exited the turn, and tried to mimic Barrett, twisting her own accelerator, but just as she began to catch up yet again, Barrett's bike had already blasted through the checkpoint.
"You hesitated on the turn." Barrett called back at Selena, shaking his head in disapproval, "Disappointing, Selena-Sama. You're a better warrior than this. My deck excels at going first, and you knew that. You should have seized your objective rather than shrink from it."
Selena grimaced at this. She hated being criticized. It was one of the reasons she had wanted to leave Academia in the first place, so that nobody would call her a coward again for staying home in Academia while others fought in the war.
"Be quiet and duel!" she shouted back at Barrett. "I am not an Academia soldier anymore! You shouldn't be giving advice to your enemy!"
"As you wish, Selena-Sama." Barrett grunted. "Though I intend to bring you back to Academia soon enough! Construction Sentinel's monster effect!" he declared, holding up a card depicting a combination backhoe and crane, mounted on a large 4-wheeled platform, "If I control no monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand!"
To his field, the monster shown in the card appeared, a single red eye on the side of the crane controlling the structure while the 4-wheeled vehicle supporting the crane thundered alongside Barrett.
Construction Sentinel / DARK / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1400
"Construction Sentinel's effect activates when it is Special Summoned!" Barrett continued, staying ahead of Selena, "I reveal a copy of Beastborg Panther Predator in my Extra Deck and send the Speed Spell, Beastborg Fabricator, from my deck to the graveyard in order to Fusion Summon the revealed Panther Predator using Construction Sentinel and monsters in my hand or on my field as Material!"
Selena clenched her teeth. As she had expected, Barrett had perfectly adapted his deck to the Speed Duel format, making it so that he could fusion summon right off the bat without the need for a spell card. Plus, with Panther Predator coming out, she was guaranteed some early first turn damage.
In front of Selena, Construction Sentinel lowered the claw of its crane down onto Barrett's hand before removing a Panther Warrior from his hand. In the claws of the crane, Panther Warrior appeared before the two monsters swirled together in a Fusion Portal as Barrett began his summoning chant.
"Ferocious Black Panther, merge together with the body constructed from the immortal craftsman and raise a new war cry! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level six! Beastborg Panther Predator!"
Bursting from the fusion portal with its sword outstretched, Barrett's ace monster, a Panther Warrior cyborg, appeared to the field before roaring with a robotic auto-tuned panther snarl.
Beastborg Panther Predator / DARK / Level 6 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 1600 / DEF 2000
Barrett Speed Counters: 1
"When Construction Sentinel is used as a Fusion Material for the summon of a 'Beastborg' monster," Barrett explained, "the monster summoned by this effect can activate one "Beastborg" Trap Card from my deck, so long as its activation condition and timing is correct! I activate the trap card, Beastborg Barracks!"
In front of Barrett, a trap card depicting a large storage facility with rows upon rows of Beastborg monsters hanging from the rafters appeared to Barrett's field. Once it appeared, Barrett stretched his hand towards his Fusion Monster.
"Beastborg Panther Predator's effect!" Barrett declared, "I inflict damage to your Life Points equal to half its ATK! QUASAR BEAM!"
Selena flinched as Panther Predator fired a beam of red energy from its mechanical chest into her shoulder, causing her to grimace as she took the damage.
Selena: 3200 LP
"Quick-Play Speed Spell!" Barrett continued, not wasting a moment, "Overdrive Booster! If my opponent takes battle or effect damage, I can pay up to two Speed Counters in order to draw an equal number of cards! I pay my Speed Counter in order to draw one card!"
Barrett Speed Counters: 0
"Setting three cards face-down. Turn end." Barrett finished.
Barrett Speed Counters: 1
Selena Speed Counters: 1
Barrett turned his head so that he could regard Selena with his remaining right eye. "You are at an immense disadvantage, Selena-Sama."
"You know I am not going to surrender." Selena growled.
"Yes." Barret agreed, nodding his head, "Which is why I didn't offer you the option. I am merely curious to see if you can overcome my first obstacle."
"You're still talking like one of the instructors." Selena complained. "This isn't some kind of game, Barrett. I'm not here to play around or impress you."
"All of life is a game and war is the greatest game of all, one in which real lives are wagered and the true winners rise to the top." Barrett retorted. "That was one of your greatest strengths, Selena-Sama. No matter what, you played to win. Do you still play to win now?"
"I don't play to win." Selena snarled, placing her hand on top of her deck, "I play to dominate! Watashi no turn! DRAW!"
With just a glance at her cards, Selena almost instantaneously formulated a strategy. With her lack of spell cards, she could not Fusion Summon right off the bat, but she had other options. Besides, knowing Barrett, calling forth an Extra Deck monster would have been the last thing she would have wanted to do right then.
"You may know my strategy, but I also know yours!" Selena called to Barrett. "One of those face-down cards is Medal of the Iron Chain, and another one is Medal of the Crimson Chain."
Barrett remained silent, displaying a perfect poker face, seemingly unconcerned.
"I am not going to let you use those cards against me." Selena growled. "Moonlight Gold Lynx's effect!" she declared, "If I control no monsters or the only monsters I control are 'Moonlight' monsters, I can Special Summon Moonlight Gold Lynx from my hand or GY! Come forth!"
Appearing through a blue portal, a tall gentlemanly female lynx girl wearing a curvaceous gold tuxedo and a glittering gilded top-hat on top of her head appeared to Selena's field before spinning around once and raising a white lynx-paw gloved hand to her head to remove her top hat and bow to Barrett, the image of a moon eclipsing in the dead center appearing behind her. Holstered to her hip was a small saber and a golden crossbow with the bow decorated like a crescent moon and the golden head of a lynx ornamenting the front of the weapon.
Moonlight Gold Lynx / DARK / Level 6 / Beast-Warrior / ATK 1500 / DEF 1400
"The effect of Gold Lynx activates when she is summoned!" Selena declared, "I destroy one card on the field, and if I do, I can send one monster from my deck to the GY. I target one of your face-downs in order to destroy it! Moonlight Monster Hunt!"
Unholstering her crossbow with lightning-fast cat reflexes, Gold Lynx leveled her crossbow at one of Barret's face-down cards before firing a golden metal bolt into the card, flipping it face-up to reveal it as a copy of Beastborg Medal of the Iron Chain before destroying it.
Selena grit her teeth, disappointed that she had destroyed Barrett's more potent medal of the Crimson Chain, but she continued with her turn.
"When I successfully destroy a card with Gold Lynx's effect," Selena continued, "I must send one 'Moonlight' monster from my deck to the graveyard. I choose to send Moonlight Crimson Fox from my deck to the graveyard. And when Crimson Fox is sent to the graveyard by a card effect, I can target one monster you control in order to change its ATK to zero!"
Appearing to the field with a coy laugh, Crimson Fox smiled smugly at Barrett before leaping forward and bringing her claws down on Panther Predator, leaving deep gashes in the cyborg monster before she sank down into the black graveyard portal.
Beastborg Panther Predator: 1600 – 1600 = 0 ATK
"Battle!" Selena roared, "Moonlight Gold Lynx, attack and destroy Beastborg Panther Predator! Wolfsbane Blade!"
Charging forward, Moonlight Lynx unsheathed her saber before crossing blades with Panther Predator. Panther Predator attempted to use its robotic arm to smash through Lynx's defenses and bring the sword down on her, but before the hulking cyborg could uncross its sword from Lynx's saber, Gold Lynx had already unsheathed her crossbow with her other hand before firing it into the monster's chest, destroying Barrett's monster and causing Barrett's bike to spin out of control as Selena rocketed ahead of him.
Barrett: 2500 LP (0 Speed Counters)
"A mediocre counter-attack at best." Barrett grunted, sounding unimpressed. "Beastborg Panther Predator's effect activates since it was destroyed. In addition, I chain the activation of Beastborg Medal of the White Cross in response, since I took battle damage!"
In front of Barrett, a trap card flipped face-up before morphing into a stylized medal with a lion head affixed to the center of a white cross.
"Beastborg Medal of the White Cross gains one medal counter for every one-hundred points of damage I take." Barrett explained as three rows of five shining medals appeared on three branches of the cross. "As you will soon find out, these medal counters can be used for very useful purposes. But for now, I will proceed to Panther Predator's effect, Special Summoning Panther Warrior and Construction Sentinel to my field."
Panther Warrior / EARTH / Level 4 / Beast-Warrior / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 1600
Construction Sentinel / DARK / Level 4 / Machine / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1400
"You did not go all-out with your full strength." Barrett commented. "Were you so afraid of my face-downs that you decided to play it safe? Or could you just not Fusion Summon?"
"I said to be quiet!" Selena snapped. "I'm not an idiot, Barrett. I don't have just one play style. Sometimes, a warrior has to adapt to new battlefields."
"Spoken wisely." Barrett agreed with a nod of his head. "Still, I cannot feel the same passion from you now as I did when you first tasted battle in another dimension. Where has that spark gone?"
Selena was about to throw back a retort, but she paused. Could there be some truth to what Barrett was saying? Certainly, she had chosen to not be as aggressive once Yuzu had opened her eyes to the truth. But had she also grown weaker as a result? Barrett was fighting with his full strength, willing to even take great energy in order to fuel his war machine. How could she expect to beat a veteran like him if she didn't fight at her full strength?
Selena shook her head, remembering her first-hand witness of Sora's brutality as he slaughtered his opposition, and her later witness of Academia's horrors in its invasion of Synchro. She would not let herself become like that.
"I won't be the same mindless killing machine I was." Selena replied. "But I will still beat you! Setting three cards face-down! Turn end!"
Selena Speed Counters: 2
Barrett Speed Counters: 1
"Strange how a normally intelligent warrior like you can be so wrong now." Barrett rumbled, placing his hand on top of his deck, "Watashi no turn! DRAW!"
"Command Sentinel's effect!" Barrett declared, "If I control a face-up 'Beastborg' card, I can Special Summon this card from my hand! Come! Command Sentinel!"
Descending to Barrett's field was a large satellite-like machine with multiple staring robotic eyes and radio antennae. Attached to its back were a pair of rocket thrusters, which it used to fly alongside Barrett's bike.
Command Sentinel / DARK / Level 6 / Machine / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000
"If Command Sentinel is summoned this way," Barrett explained, as a card popped out of his deck, "I can add 1 DARK Machine-Type 'Sentinel' monster from my deck to my hand. I use this effect to add Messenger Sentinel from my deck to my hand."
"Next, I activate Messenger Sentinel's effect!" Barrett continued, revealing the card, which showed a small remote-controlled quadcopter drone with radio antenna on top and a package tied to its bottom. "By discarding this card, I can add one DARK Machine-Type 'Sentinel' or Beast-Warrior Type monster from my deck to my hand! I discard this card in order to add Akz the Pumer from my deck to my hand!"
"So now you have more Materials for another Fusion Summon." Selena surmised.
"Precisely." Barrett agreed. "But first, I activate the effect of Beastborg Medal of the White Cross! Once per turn, I can remove six Medal Counters from my card in order to Special Summon a 'Beastborg' monster from my graveyard. I choose to revive Panther Predator!"
Rising up from a black portal, Barrett's Cyborg Machine reappeared, as ready for battle as if it had never been destroyed.
Beastborg Panther Predator / DARK / Level 6 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 1600 / DEF 2000
White Cross: 9 Medal Counters
"Panther Predator's effect!" Barrett declared, "I inflict damage to your Life Points equal to half my monster's ATK! Quasar Beam!"
Gritting her teeth, Selena flinched as the attack slammed into her back, causing her bike to skid before she regained control of it.
Selena: 2400 LP
"My onslaught is only beginning! Prepare yourself, Selena-Sama! I activate the effect of Beastborg Barracks! Once per turn, I can banish Materials from my side of the field, hand, or GY in order to Fusion Summon one Beastborg Monster from my Extra Deck! I banish Command Sentinel on my field and Akz the Pumer from my hand in order to Fusion Summon!"
Rising into the air, Command Sentinel, and a tall proud armor-wearing puma-girl warrior, similar to Selena's Moonlight Monsters, appeared before swirling together as Barrett began his summoning chant.
"Axe-wielding puma of the imperial army, merge now with the commanding mechanical officer and blaze across the battlefield with the force of rolling thunder! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level eight! Beastborg Panzer Puma!"
Exploding from the Fusion Portal was an immense cyborg version of Akz the Pumer. Built like a tank, the new monster stood several feet taller than its original version, with thick bulky metal armor over its arms, legs, chest, and half its face, and a tank gun mounted over its left shoulder. The battle axe of Akz the Pumer was now fully fused with the monster's right arm, creating a mechanical axe-head prosthetic with glowing circuitry and whirring hydraulic ligaments.
Beastborg Panzer Puma / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 1500
Barrett Speed Counters: 2
"Beastborg Panzer Puma's effect activates when it is Fusion Summoned." Barrett declared, "I add one Beast-Warrior or Machine-Type monster from my deck to my hand. I use this effect now to add Beast King Barbaros to my hand. And now that that's done, I activate Panzer Puma's additional effect! Any number of times per turn, I can discard one Beast-Warrior or Machine-Type monster from my hand in order to destroy one card you control! I discard Beast King Barbaros in order to destroy Moonlight Gold Lynx! PANZER SCHLAG!"
Lowering its tank barrel towards Selena's monster, Panzer Puma prepared to obliterate Gold Lynx. However, Selena reacted to the attack, stretching her hand towards one of her face-downs.
"Counter Trap! Moonlight Ambush Dance!" Selena countered, "Since I control a "Moonlight" monster, I can discard Moonlight Kaleido Chick from my hand in order to negate the effect of Panzer Puma and destroy it!"
Panzer Puma fired an explosive shell of energy into the trackway, creating a crater in the track and just barely missing Gold Lynx as she rolled out of the way. Behind Panzer Puma, the spectral image of Kaleido Chick, a petit bird-girl wearing a duck hat over her head, appeared before the Moonlight Monster wrapped a multi-colored ribbon around the cyborg's head, causing the cyborg to flail about and blindly swipe at Kaleido Chick with its robotic arms. In front of Panzer Puma, Gold Lynx leveled her crossbow at the machine before firing, obliterating the new Fusion Monster.
"Excellent counter." Barrett called with a pleased smile on his face, "You have adapted well to the Speed Duel format and given your deck some strong trap cards. But you haven't managed to stop me yet! I activate my set Beastborg Recycler!"
Flipping face-up onto his field, Barrett's new trap, a card depicting several sentinel monsters being dumped into an incinerator, appeared before glowing with light.
"Once per turn, Beastborg Recycler enables me to Fusion Summon one 'Beastborg' from my Extra Deck or GY by returning banished materials to my GY!"
"A fusion summon from the GY!?" Selena exclaimed in surprise, unaware that Barrett's deck had that capability.
"You are not the only one who has adapted." Barrett smirked. "I return Command Sentinel and Akz the Pumer to my GY in order to Fusion Summon! Return now! Beastborg Panzer Puma!"
The spectral images of Command Sentinel and Akz the Pumer appeared to Barrett's field before swirling together in a black fusion portal, though which Panzer Puma reemerged with a robotic auto-tuned roar.
Beastborg Panzer Puma / DARK / Level 8 / Machine / Fusion / Effect / ATK 3000 / DEF 1500
"Panzer Puma's effect activates again!" Barrett declared. "I add Guardian Sentinel to my hand with its effect, and now, BATTLE PHASE! Even if you still have Gold Lynx to protect you, I have Panzer Puma, Panther Warrior with a Construction Sentinel available to tribute for its attack, and Panther Predator! With their combined ATK you don't have enough Life Points!"
"Don't underestimate my defenses!" Selena retorted, "Trap Activate! Moonlight Battle Dance! This card can only be activated during the Battle Phase. Once activated, until the end of this turn's battle phase, 'Moonlight' monsters I control are unaffected by your monster's effects and cannot be destroyed by battle!"
"So, you will survive this turn, but not by much!" Beastborg Panzer Puma, attack Moonlight Gold Lynx! AXT STREICHEN!"
Rearing back, Panzer Puma threw back its axe for a wide overhead swing, before leaping forward and bringing her axe down towards Gold Lynx, who raised her saber in defense.
"Moonlight Battle Dance's additional effect!" Selena declared, "I can banish this card from my graveyard in order to increase Gold Lynx's ATK by one-thousand until the end of this Battle-Phase!"
Moonlight Gold Lynx: 1500 + 1000 = 2500 ATK
The axe of Barrett's Panzer Puma connected with Gold Lynx's saber. Rather than cleave Selena's monster in two, however, Gold Lynx surged with energy, managing to throw Panzer Puma off herself. The blow, however, crashed into Selena's bike, causing her to spin out of control before Barrett took the lead.
Selena: 2400 – 500 = 1900 LP
"Well done." Barrett mused. "You managed to avoid attacks from my Panther Warrior and Panther Predator, as both those monsters don't have enough attack. However, you cannot expect to win with sheer defense. I'm still not convinced that your blade hasn't dulled."
"You were holding back as well." Selena accused. "You could have activated Panzer Puma's effect again and destroyed my Lynx Dancer."
"And fallen for the exact same trick as last time?" Barrett huffed. "You are not the only one who can guess her opponent's face-downs. Don't think I didn't notice that you still have one card in your hand. A perfect discard for a second Ambush Dance, eh Selena-Sama?"
"Unless I was bluffing." Selena replied with a smirk.
"Bah!" Barrett huffed with a scowl. "You are far from winning, Selena-Sama. In fact, by all accounts, you are losing this duel. And you WILL lose this duel! Mark my words! I will NOT fail in my mission! Since Panther Warrior and Panther Predator didn't attack, I switch both these monsters to defense position. Turn end!"
Panther Warrior: 1600 DEF
Panther Predator: 2000 DEF
Barrett Speed Counters: 3
Selena Speed Counters: 3
"I won't give up on this duel!" Selena declared. "Academia's war is wrong, and I will do everything in my power to end it!"
"Who filled your mind with this poison!?" Barrett spat, looking enraged. "Who turned you against your pride as a warrior!?"
"Barrett, you were one of my closest friends before I left home." Selena sighed, a sorrowful expression coming over her face, "But if I had followed you and Academia to the end…I never could have lived with myself. I won't be the professor's pawn in his sick game!"
"Name the person who told you this!" Barrett growled. "Was it Reiji? I swear, I will find him and crush him both for Academia's cause and for the sake of personal vengeance!"
"Reiji didn't change me." Selena countered, "I met knew people after you were forced to retreat. They were the ones who taught me a new way of dueling!"
"Name them!" Barrett demanded, growing enraged.
"Hiragi Yuzu and Sakaki Yuya!" Selena proclaimed.
…
Yuya vs. Aleisha
Current State of Duel
Yuya:
3600 LP
1 card in his hand
Has an active Spectrum Magician and an Active Monochrome Magician in his Pendulum Zones, controls Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon with 3100 ATK, Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, and Chameleon Magician,
Aleisha:
2900 LP
(Future Vision, Fortune Lady Wind, and an unknown card in her hand)
Controls a level -6 Fortune Lady Fate with 2400 ATK, a level 2 Fortune Lady Fire with 400 ATK, and a level 7 Fortune Lady Water with 2100 ATK
"MY TURN…DRAW!" Aleisha roared.
Yuya braced himself, sweat trickling down his head as Aleisha ripped a card from the top of her deck. Despite his recent exertion and the flames surrounding them, the temperature seemed to be dropping to Yuya. Yuto was doing even worse, clutching his chest and gasping in pain as his spirit struggled against whatever supernatural force Aleisha and her monsters were exuding.
"During the Standby Phase," Aleisha declared, stretching her hand towards her monsters, who began to glow with dark energy, "the effects of Fortune Lady Fire, Fate, Water, and Future activate! Fire and Water each gain one level, Fate's level decreases by one and returns my banished Fortune Lady Light to my field, and Fortune Lady Future returns to my field."
To the right of Fate, Fortune Lady Future reappeared to the field through a multi-colored dimensional tear, just as Fortune Lady Fate raised her own staff into the air, painting a glowing red glyph in the air through which Fortune Lady Light reappeared.
Fortune Lady Fire: Level 3 / 600 ATK / 600 DEF
Fortune Lady Fate: Level -7 / 2800 ATK / 2800 DEF
Fortune Lady Water: Level 8 / 2400 ATK / 2400 DEF
Fortune Lady Future / Level -8 / 4000 ATK / 4000 DEF
Fortune Lady Light / Level 1 / 200 ATK / 200 DEF
"Even after the last attack, she has so many monsters." Yuya whispered to Yuto.
"And they keep getting stronger the more time we take to beat her." Yuto agreed. "We have to hurry, Yuya, I don't know how much longer I can stand being in this place!"
"I promise to get us out of here." Yuya reassured his friend.
"You don't get to leave until you're dead and your souls are imprisoned where they can never reincarnate again!" Aleisha growled. "Fortune Lady Future's effect! I target my face-up Fortune Lady Light in order to add another copy of Fortune Lady Light from my deck to my hand before banishing Fortune Lady Light! Recurring Future!"
In the air above Aleisha, a spectral image of Fortune Lady Light appeared before dissolving into dust and coalescing into a card, which Aleisha added to her hand. Meanwhile, on the field, Fortune Lady Future raised her futuristic staff towards Fortune Lady Light, causing the fairy to vanish.
"Fortune Lady Light's effect!" Aleisha declared. "Since she was removed from the field by a card effect, I Special Summon Fortune Lady Water from my deck! Come forth!"
Fortune Lady Water / WATER / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1200
"Fortune Lady Water's effect activates!" Aleisha declared, "I draw two cards from my deck!"
She quickly added two new cards to her hand before stretching her hand towards Fortune Lady Fate.
"Fortune Lady Fate's effect!" Aleisha continued, "I target my banished Fortune Lady Light in order to return it to my hand before banishing Fortune Lady Fire, which will be Special Summoned during my next Standby Phase! Rewoven Fate!"
Using the same sticky red substance she had used before, Fortune Lady Fate drew a glyph on the forehead of Fortune Lady Light before muttering a spell and causing the young witch to vanish.
"Field Magic Activate, Future Visions!" Aleisha continued, slotting the reserve copy of her field spell she had been saving into her duel disk before enclosing the field once again in a starry cosmic nebula of stars and flickering images of possible future events. Above Yuya, multiple images of his body falling to the ground before soaking the floor in blood appeared, causing him to nervously step back.
"This is my chance." Aleisha breathed to herself, staring up at the images. "I CAN still change the future, and I know just the card to light my path! Fortune Lady Light shoukan!"
Twirling onto her field, another Fortune Lady Light appeared before Future Vision's effect activated, causing the witch to vanish before a new portal opened up where she had been.
"Fortune Lady Light's effect!" Aleisha declared, "I special Summon my final copy of Fortune Lady Water from my deck before activating her effect to draw two more cards!"
Through the portal, yet another copy of Fortune Lady Water appeared to the field before Aleisha added two more cards to her ever-growing hand.
Fortune Lady Water / WATER / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1200
"Magic card activate!" Aleisha continued, "Fortune's Future! I return my banished Fortune Lady Light to the graveyard in order to draw two more cards!"
"Even more cards!?" Yuya sputtered, staring at Aleisha's immense hand.
"She's got nine cards in her hand." Yuto gaped. "Even if only a handful of those cards are useful to her right now, she's bound to have drawn something she needed!"
"Astute observation, Destroyer." Aleisha sarcastically spat. "Remember your Performance Shuffle from last turn? Well, it seems like I've just found a quick fix of my own for your field! Magic Card, Dimensional Festival!"
The card she activated depicted D.D. Warrior, D.D. Warrior Lady, D.D. Assailant, D.D. Seeker, D.D. Survivor, and other duel monsters sitting down at a massive feast presided over by Different Dimension Master, and D.D. Guide. Once activated, a massive multi-colored dimensional tear appeared in the sky before a column of multicolored light poured out onto the ground.
"Dimensional Festival's effect enables me to target up to two cards I control before forcing you to target an equal number of cards you control. All cards targeted by this effect are then banished until the End Phase, during which time, they are shuffled back into the respective deck of their owner." Aleisha explained, a malevolent expression coming over her face. "I choose to banish both my copies of Fortune Lady Water. Now, what will you choose, Destroyer? Don't take too long. Your choice doesn't really matter."
"Wrong!" Yuto countered, his spirit leaping onto a nearby platform, "We don't have to play your game! Yuya! Here! An Action Card!"
Yuya dashed towards the platform Yuto had indicated before grabbing and activating the Action Card on top.
"Action Magic, Distortion!" Yuya declared, "This card negates the effects of all cards activated in this chain, meaning that your Dimensional Festival is-"
"Action Magic!" Aleisha angrily countered, leaping high into the air with superhuman strength and snagging an Action Card from one of the platforms, "No Action! I negate your Distortion!"
Yuya grimaced as his Action Card exploded into dust, leaving him with no way to counter Aleisha's play.
"No!" Yuto gasped, crestfallen that his plan had not worked.
"I told you," Aleisha growled, "you cannot escape the fate I have planned for you! Now fulfill that destiny! Make your choice!"
Yuya hung his head down before looking at Yuto, who looked equally distraught.
"She has overwhelming offensive power." Yuto grimaced. "If we give up any of our monsters, she could easily break through. Spectrum Magician and Monochrome Magician both have defensive effects, but those only work if we have both in our Pendulum Zones at the same time."
Yuya nodded his head, saddened that he had to make such a choice.
"Spectrum Magician can make it so that each of our Pendulum Monsters cannot be destroyed once per turn, while Monochrome Magician makes it so that we take no battle damage from battles involving our Pendulum Monsters. However, if we banish two of our Pendulum Monsters to keep Monochrome and Spectrum on the field, we'll only have one Pendulum Monster protecting our Life Points."
"Have you made your choice yet?" Aleisha asked, sounding impatient. "Because if you haven't…"
The flames surrounding the duel grew larger before closing in.
"…there is a time limit for our turns." Aleisha finished.
Yuya stepped forward, feeling sick but knowing what needed to be done.
"I choose to banish my Monochrome Magician and Spectrum Magician!" Yuya declared, stretching his hand towards the magicians in his Pendulum Zones. Nodding their heads, the two Magicians descended from their pillars of light before joining the two Fortune Lady Waters as they all entered the pillar of multi-colored light in the center of the field before rising up into the dimensional tear in the sky and disappearing.
"Finally." Aleisha sighed, closing her eyes with relief before opening them and regarding Yuya and Yuto with a confident expression. "Now that you've thrown away your shield, I can finally defeat you once and for all! Fortune Lady Prophecy's effect! If I control a face-up 'Fortune Lady' monster, I can Special Summon this card from my hand, and if I do, I can banish one other 'Fortune Lady' monster I control! Come forth! Fortune Lady Prophecy!"
Appearing to Aleisha's field was a new fortune lady with thick wooly grey hair twisted into two braids, which hung at the sides of her head and over her chest, a pair of blue ribbons holding them together. The dress and skirt over her bathing suit was a matching grey, while the eye symbol over her head looked like it was made of coalescing and expanding ashy-grey smoke. Her staff was tipped by a lit brazier belching dark grey smoke, which the witch shaped into symbols and images with her other hand.
Fortune Lady Prophecy / DARK / Level 1 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 100
"Fortune Lady Prophecy's effect!" Aleisha continued, "Since she was Special Summoned by her own effect, I banish my last copy of Fortune Lady Water!"
Blowing on a cloud of smoke, Fortune Lady Prophecy enclosed the last copy of Fortune Lady Water in the musty gas, before the cloud dissipated, leaving nothing behind.
"Next," Aleisha continued, "since I control a face-up 'Fortune Lady' monster, I Special Summon the dark tuner monster, Fortune Lady Time!"
Next to prophecy, a petit Fortune Lady with short orange hair styled up like the crown of a cockatoo appeared to the field. The blouse and skirt she wore over her bathing suit matched her hair in color and her staff held a large clock in the center of a shepherd's crook head.
Fortune Lady Time / LIGHT / Level 1 / Fairy / Dark Tuner / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ?
"Fortune Lady Time's ATK and DEF are each equal to her Level times two-hundred." Aleisha explained. "Furthermore, up to thrice per turn, I can use the effect of Fortune Lady Time to increase the Level of one 'Fortune Lady' I control by one. I use this effect now on Fortune Lady Time! Future Progression!"
Fortune Lady Time: 1 + 1 = Level 2 / 400 ATK / 400 DEF
"The time has come!" Aleisha proclaimed, "I Dark Tune my Level two Fortune Lady Time with my Level negative eight Fortune Lady Future in order to Dark Synchro Summon once more!"
Raising her clock staff into the air, Fortune Lady Time dissolved into a pair of white stars, which flew into the chest of Fortune Lady Future. Turning transparent, the two stars of Fortune Lady Time joined eight black stars within the body of Fortune Lady Future before they too became black. Exploding from the translucent monster, ten black stars began to orbit an empty area of space in a wide circle, dark electricity crackling between them as Aleisha began her summoning chant.
"From infinite possibilities come infinite calamities and miracles! Through the dark storm of branching timelines gather and synchronize all your alternate versions into a form of your desire! DARK SYNCHRO! Take control of the timeline! Level negative ten! Fortune Lady Infinity!"
From an explosive column of black energy, a legion of thousands of Fortune Ladies of different colors and ages flew into the air, knocking Yuya and Yuto back with the force of their entry. All of them looked somewhat similar in appearance, but with shades of difference between them, not unlike, Yuya realized, the difference between himself and his counterparts or Yuzu and her counterparts.
Raising their staffs into the air in unison, the Fortune Ladies suddenly merged into one before descending to the field, an aura of black shadow surrounding the new monster. Similar in appearance to Fortune Lady Future, Fortune Lady Infinity had pale white skin with black veins and a pair of large pitch-black angel wings on the sides of her head. Her long flowing hair was the color of liquid mercury and tied around a spikey crystalline tiara, which reflected light in dark rainbows. Her eyes were like mirrors, reflecting ever shifting images in their shadowed depths. Instead of the regular bathing suit, she wore skin-tight polished chrome armor underneath a shimmering silvery dress and skirt. Sprouting from the back of her under-armor were a pair of metallic silver wings, with pieces of the wings floating in the air, independent of gravity. In her hands, she wielded a long staff made of intertwined strands of metal, an immense translucent crystal with refracted images in each of its thousands of facets set on top of the staff.
Fortune Lady Infinity / LIGHT / Level -10 / Spellcaster / Dark Synchro / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ?
"Fortune Lady Infinity's ATK and DEF are each equal to its Level times negative five-hundred! Tremble before your doom, Destroyer!"
Fortune Lady Infinity / ATK 5000 / DEF 5000
"I'm not backing down!" Yuya called out, more sweat pouring from his brow as his exhaustion grew. Just looking at the new monster Aleisha had summoned was making him feel like his strength was being sponged from him.
"I don't need you to back down." Aleisha replied, removing another card from her hand, "I only need you to die! I set one card face-down before activating my Fortune Lady Prophecy's effect! By tributing her, I can target one set card on the field and immediately activate it! If, however, the activated card's activation conditions or timing are incorrect, that card is simply destroyed. Using this effect, I target my own face-down in order to activate it! Self-Fulfilling Prophecy!"
Raising her staff into the air, Fortune Lady Prophecy conjured a thick cloud of grey smoke, which enveloped the field before dissipating, leaving no evidence that Fortune Lady Prophecy had ever been there…
…save for the fact that Aleisha's field now had a face-up trap with the symbol of a stabbed heart in the upper right corner. The card's picture depicting Fortune Lady Fate examining a spool of thread while the silhouette of another Fortune Lady looked down at her from behind.
"Oh no!" Yuto groaned, spirit collapsing to the ground in pain, "Another Dark Rite Trap!"
"I activate the effects of Rite of Destiny!" Aleisha declared, "Using my Fortune Lady Fate as the base offering, I dark sacrifice a copy of Fortune Lady Dark from my hand in order to Dark Rite Summon!"
In the center of the field, an ethereal demonic-looking weaver's loom appeared, surrounded by a ring of fire before both Fortune Lady Fate and Fortune Lady Dark appeared before it and began examining a blood-red string and dark purple sting of thread respectively. In an instant, the two strings suddenly snapped, causing both Fate and Dark to collapse to their ground, their bodies liquifying to blood before the weaver's loom burst into flames. Clamping her hands together in prayer, Aleisha began chanting.
"All our fates are controlled by the whims of destiny's goddess! From the dark void of the goddess's realm, appear to the mortal realm and serve me that I may seize my own appointed path! DARK RITE! Fulfill the great cosmic will! Level negative seven! Fortune Lady Destiny!"
The instant Aleisha finished her summoning chant, the immense flames from the burning weaver's loom instantaneously died, plunging the whole field in total darkness. An eerie silence prevailed upon the field as the temperature dropped and the shadows deepened, the only faint sound reaching Yuya's ears coming from Yuto's spirit as it audibly trembled.
Then, a bright sphere of ghostly light illuminated the field.
Squinting, Yuya looked towards Aleisha's field to see her new monster standing over the ashes where the loom had once stood. Fortune Lady Destiny was an antlered bathing suit-less Fortune Lady like Fortune Lady Fate, but with long curly black hair with lengths of golden thread intertwined within the strands of her mane. Perched on her antlers was a cawing red-eyed albino raven, which pecked at the threads in Destiny's hair. Her eyes had pitch black sclera, with bright golden irises, and her tanned skin was decorated with glowing runes and jewel piercings. She wore an elegant shall and skirt of multi-colored threads over her privates, using bits of bone, jewels, and metal to button the ends of the cloth together. Glittering rings adorned the witch's slender fingers and bone-white witch staff, which bore a spool of glittering golden thread at its end.
Fortune Lady Destiny / DARK / Level -7 / Spellcaster / Dark Rite / Effect / ATK ? / DEF ?
Aleisha smiled, vermilion light steaming from her eyes like bloody smoke.
"I assume you are familiar with the power of the other Fortune Ladies by now." She said to Yuya, the holographic indicator next to Fortune Lady Destiny displaying her true ATK and DEF power.
Fortune Lady Destiny: (-400 X -7) = 2800 ATK / (-400 X -7) = 2800 DEF
"She's getting ready to finish us off now." Yuto groaned.
"I'm not going to let her!" Yuya growled, thinking of Yuzu and the other people he needed to protect.
"You'll fail miserably!" Aliesha spat. "Setting one card face-down, and now, Fortune Lady Infinity's effect! Up to twice per turn, I can target one card on the field in order to banish it until the controller's next Standby Phase! I target Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Timeline Manipulation!"
Rising into the air with her mechanical wings, Fortune Lady Infinity twirled her staff around before pointing the multi-faceted crystal at Odd-Eyes.
"Help me one more time, Yuto!" Yuya called to his companion as he leaped onto a platform.
Wordlessly, Yuto nodded before forcing himself onto a platform and searching for an Action Card with Yuya. Overhead, Fortune Lady Infinity fired a beam of light into Odd-Eyes, splitting the dragon into a fractured spectrum of itself before each separate image began to fade away, one by one. Just as the last image was about to disappear, Yuya suddenly heard Yuto's voice.
"Up above, Yuya!"
Looking up, Yuya spotted the Action Card before grabbing and activating it.
"Action Magic, Invisibility!" Yuya declared, "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon cannot be targeted by card effects and is unaffected by other card effects until the end of this turn!"
With a roar, Odd-Eyes suddenly materialized back to existence, body regaining substance before turning translucent as the Action Card applied its effects.
"Fortune Lady Infinity's effect again!" Aleisha angrily countered, "I target Skullcrobat Joker in order to banish it!"
Yuya and Yuto began searching for another action card again, but this time, they were unsuccessful. With a cry of horror, Skullcrobat Joker was split into dozens of mirror images of himself, before each version faded from existence.
"And now to destroy the symbol of your power!" Aleisha declared, "Fortune Lady Infinity attack and Destroy Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! INFINITY TIME STREAM!"
Racing forward, Fortune Lady Infinity charged Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, body suddenly glowing with energy before splitting into hundreds of mirror images of herself before each image pointed their staff at Odd-Eyes, the crystal at the tip charging with energy.
"YUYA!" Yuto called, managing to find another Action Card.
"Your resistance is pointless!" Aleisha proclaimed, "I have seen the possibilities and I know that the Destroyer will not win this duel!"
"I WILL NOT LOSE!" Yuya roared, feeling a sudden rush of feral rage as he tore the action card from the platform. He was about to activate it, when he suddenly realized that he couldn't activate the card he found.
Aleisha grinned.
With hundreds of blasts of dark energy, the Fortune Lady Infinities attacked Odd-Eyes, who roared in agony as his body began to rapidly age until he was nothing but the skeleton of a dragon, which quickly dissolved into dust. Raising their staffs into the air, the Fortune Lady Infinities merged back into one before front flipping through the air and landing on the same platform where Yuya and Yuto stood, metallic silver boots clinking against the platform as the witch towered over the two counterparts.
Before Yuya could even think to react, Fortune Lady Infinity swung her immense metallic staff into Yuya and Yuto, the magical weapon apparently not caring if its target was made of flesh or spirit. Yuya and Yuto screamed in pain as the rod crunched against their chests, blood flying from Yuya's mouth before he and Yuto were thrown backwards into the wall of dark flames.
Yuya: 3600 – 1900 = 1700 LP
Pain unlike anything Yuya had ever before experienced ripped at every nerve in his body as the flames consumed him. Faintly, Yuya could make out Yuto's own screams as the flames began to consume his spirit. Desperately, Yuya tried to claw his way out of the flames, but his body was thrashing too much, leaving him unable to control it.
From the roar of screams, a thought began to pound against his skull.
"You do not get to die! I will not allow it!"
"YUYA!" Yuto's spirit screamed. "The darkness! It's-!"
"Get back up, and WIN!"
Yuya began to sink, falling deeper and deeper into an abyss of pain and rage, burning, screaming, dying, raging, hating, growing, awakening!
"WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN!"
Yuya felt his lips moving, voice chanting in time with the voice pounding against the skull of his head.
"Win! Win! Win! Win!"
"WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN! WIN!"
"WIN!"
"WIN!"
"WIN!"
"WIN!"
"WIN!"
"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Yuya heard Yuto's voice scream.
Snapping out of the chant, Yuya suddenly felt a hand grab him, preventing him from falling further into the abyss.
"Yuya!" Yuto gasped. "We can't give in! Think of why we're fighting! Think of our comrades! We can't give into this darkness! Not now! You're duel for the sake of bringing smiles to others! Remember who you are!"
Yuya gasped in agony before gritting his teeth, straining against the pain of the flames and the fury of the darkness hammering against his mind. Straining, he forced himself to focus on thoughts of his father, mother, Shuzo, You Show Duel School, the Lancers, and…
"YUZU!" Yuya roared, pulling against Yuto's spiritual arm and wrenching himself from the flames before collapsing on the ground. Exhausted, Yuya lay panting on the ground, skin screaming with pain, though oddly only slightly reddened, blistered, and blackened in patches from the contact with the supernatural flames.
"So, you survived." Aleisha's voice sounded distantly above him, as if from across a tunnel. She sounded disappointed.
Yuya struggled to get back on his feet, but only managed to raise himself a few inches before collapsing back onto the ground.
"Hmph." Aleisha mused, "Though I suppose that won't last much longer. "I activate the effect of Fortune Lady Destiny! Each time a 'Fortune Lady' monster I control destroys an opponent's monster, I can draw one card!"
Across from Yuya, he just barely managed to make out Fortune Lady Destiny raising her staff, the golden spool of thread glowing with light, before Aleisha added a card from her deck to her hand.
"We have to get up, Yuya! We can't give up now!"
"You're too weak!" the voice rumbled inside Yuya, though more distantly. "Only my power can save us!"
Yuya ignored the second voice and pushed himself off the ground, muscles screaming with pain, before managing to come to a rest on all fours, head hanging down to the ground.
"I next activate the card I drew!" Aleisha declared, "Fortune's Favor! I target one Level one or higher 'Fortune Lady' monster in my graveyard in order to Special Summon it! Return now! Fortune Lady Dark!"
Fortune Lady Dark / DARK / Level 5 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000
"Just a little more, Yuya!" Yuto pleaded, "We still have an Action Card in our hand!"
Grabbing a nearby low platform, Yuya pulled himself back onto his feet, before leaning on the platform, completely drained. His arm holding the Action Card dangled to the side, unable to raise itself up to his duel disk.
"Fortune Lady Destiny!" Aleisha called, stretching her hand towards her monster. "Attack Chameleon Magician! Destiny's End!"
Unfurling a length of thread from the tip of her wand before nimbly tying it to the base of the scythe blade on the bottom, Fortune Lady Destiny fashioned her staff into a gleaming wooden long bow, a golden arrow materializing into existence as she drew back the bow. With a violent caw from the witch's raven familiar, Destiny loosed her bow, sending the arrow straight into Yuya's Chameleon Magician, obliterating it in a powerful magical explosion of golden light, sending Yuya flying backwards before falling on his back, though thankfully not falling back into the flames.
Yuya: 1700 – 1200 = 500 LP
Yuya groggily blinked at his duel disk, which showed his life points draining. No…that couldn't be right. Chameleon Magician was in defense position. Was he losing his mind?
"Fortune Lady Destiny inflicts piercing damage." Aleisha distantly called, "Furthermore, since another of your monsters was destroyed, I get to draw another card."
"Don't you dare black out!" Yuto angrily called, spiritual hands grabbing Yuya's shoulders. "I know you! You never give up! You always swing back, like a pendulum!"
"Pendulum…" Yuya rasped. He had never been in a duel like this. Plenty of his opponents had been ruthless and brutal, but none of them could have harmed him like this! He knew he had to get up! He wanted to! But his body wouldn't let him!
"Furthermore," Aleisha continued, "the effect of Dark activates! I Special Summon Fortune Lady Earth from my graveyard!"
Fortune Lady Earth / EARTH / Level 6 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 2400 / DEF 2400
The duel was spinning out of control, and there was nothing Yuya could do. His spirit was more than willing, but-…
An idea suddenly came to Yuya, an insane one, yet it somehow felt right.
"Yuto!" Yuya called to his companion, "Tag in!"
"What!?" Yuto called back, sounding confused.
"Fortune Lady Destiny can make up to two attacks per battle phase!" Aleisha called, "This ends now! FORTUNE LADY DESTINY, DIRECT ATTACK!"
"Do it now!" Yuya called, "Take control! I'll help you!"
Fortune Lady Destiny drew back her bow, a golden arrow materializing.
"NOW YUTO!" Yuya called as Yuto grabbed Yuya's hand.
There was a flash of intense light as an odd sensation flooded Yuya's senses. When the light faded, he suddenly didn't feel the least bit exhausted or in pain. In fact, he could barely feel anything! Looking off to his side, Yuya saw Yuto leap up from the same spot he had been lying only moments ago, before launching himself into the air like an arrow and facing Aleisha, a fierce expression on his face.
"Impossible!" Aleisha exclaimed, eyes wide as dinner plates. "You were on the brink of death, you couldn't have…"
Her voice trailed off as she glanced at Yuya, who was standing off to the side.
"The other counterpart!? What!?" she sputtered.
"Action Magic Card!" Yuto roared, "Reaction Barrier! If an opponent's monster declares a direct attack, I can Special Summon one Barrier Token with a defense equal to the ATK of the attacking monster!"
Barrier Token / LIGHT / Level 3 / Thunder / ATK 0 / DEF 2800
In front of Yuto, a spherical orb appeared before projecting a forcefield in front of the two conterparts, just as Fortune Lady Destiny loosed her arrow. Behind destiny, Aleisha leaped into the air, dashing across platforms before snagging an Action Card of her own.
"I WILL NOT FAIL HERE! ACTION MAGIC, POISON DARTS!" Aleisha roared, a set of venom tipped darts appearing in her hand, which she threw towards Yuya, Yuto, and their monster. "I reduce the ATK and DEF of one of your monsters by five-hundred while inflicting five-hundred damage to your Life Points! DIE, DESTROYER!"
"Entermate Rain Goat's effect!" Yuto countered, "If I would take damage, I can discard this card from my hand in order to negate the damage! Furthermore, if a defense position monster I control would be destroyed, I can banish Reaction Barrier from my graveyard instead!"
In front of Yuya and Yuto, Raingoat appeared, absorbing the blow from Aleisha's poison darts before vanishing in an explosion of gold dust. A few of the darts crashed into the metallic sphere of the barrier token, damaging it, but the forcefield managed to deflect the golden arrow of Fortune Lady Destiny, leaving them protected.
Barrier Token: 2800 – 500 = 2300 DEF
Aleisha, however, was not done.
"Fortune Lady Earth!" Aleisha roared, "Destroy the Barrier Token! CURSED SKEWER!"
Twirling her staff into the air, Fortune Lady Earth slammed her scythe blade into the ground, causing a wave of pointy stalagmites to erupt from the earth, heading straight towards the barrier token. Yuya was already reacting, feeling oddly energized as his spirit leapt from platform to platform, before spying an Action Card.
"Here! Yuto!" Yuya called, pointing to where he had found the card. In response, Yuto leapt into the air, dashing forward before snagging the card from the platform and activating it.
"Action Magic Card, Defensive Draw!" Yuto called. "If a monster I control would be destroyed by battle, I can change it to defense position if in face-up attack position, negate its destruction, and draw 1 card! I use this effect on my Barrier Token!"
The stalagmites of earth slammed into the forcefield, knocking the robotic sphere back, but not destroying it. Placing a hand on top of his deck, Yuto drew a card before bracing himself against the small shockwaves of the last attack, using his tattered cape as a wind break.
Aleisha gaped at them both, completely thunderstruck. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed a card in her hand.
"I set one card face-down and end my turn." Aleisha growled. "During this time, all of our cards that were banished by Dimensional Festival return to our decks."
Yuto held out his duel disk, two cards flying into the deck slot before the duel disk automatically shuffled the deck.
"I should have known you'd use some kind of trick to stay in the game." Aleisha growled. "I won't make the same mistake again!"
"You've threatened us with death and have refused to listen to anything we've said." Yuto said, glaring at Aleisha. "I'm giving you one last chance. Surrender, or I will crush you!"
Aleisha's mouth fell open.
"With what!?" she gaped. "Incarnation of the destroyer or not, you've got almost nothing on your field and only one card in your hand! Your lifepoints are hanging by a thread! How the hell do you expect to recover from this!?"
"I have faith in the bonds I share with my comrades and in the just cause we share." Yuto reverently replied. "With this, I know that we cannot lose! Ore no turn…DRAW!"
Ripping a card from his deck, Yuto gave a look at his hand before nodding. Walking over to stand beside his spiritual companion…no…now Yuya was the spiritual companion…that was going to take some getting used to…Yuya looked at the cards in their hand, surprised to see that neither of them had been cards he had put in his deck.
They were Phantom Knights cards!
"During the standby-phase," Yuto declared, throwing his hand off to the side, "Entermate Skullcrobat Joker returns to the field! Come back from the different dimension now!"
Above their heads, a multi-colored portal opened up into the sky before Skullcrobat Joker flipped back onto the field, a happy smile on his face as he took up position.
Entermate Skullcrobat Joker / DARK / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 1800 / DEF 100
Raising his hand into the air, Yuto revealed the cards in his hand, looking remarkably calm and focused for someone who had, effectively, just been resurrected from the dead.
"I, using my two scale five, The Phantom Knights of Divided Tapestry, set the Pendulum Scale!"
To either side of Yuto, a column of blue light appeared before a pair of hooded Phantom Knights rose into the air, a pair of the number "5" appearing beneath each of them. Yuto's duel disk did not flash with the word "PENDULUM" as the active scales of his cards did not allow for Pendulum Summoning, but this did not seem to worry Yuto in the least. Curious, Yuya looked down at the duel disk and noticed that, oddly enough, while the two cards were exactly the same in terms of name, stats, and effects, they were drawn with alternate artworks, each Phantom Knight holding one half of a ragged tapestry, which had been neatly sliced in two.
Above Yuya and Yuto's heads, the physical manifestations of the cards each unfurled one half of the tapestry depicted in their cards. The first half of the tapestry depicted a grand castle with a group of knights standing around a large stone table, raising their swords to a king, who sat upon a throne. A little to the right of that same half of the tapestry, the knights were charging into a battle happening just outside their grand castle, their king leading the way as he bravely charged at the head of the army. On the other half of the tapestry, the king and his knights had all fallen in battle, bloody bodies littering the ground and broken weapons and armor scattered across the battlefield, which became a massive cemetery surrounding a ruined castle. At the very end of each tapestry, where it had been cleaved in two, was the bisected image of Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, who was facing forward, claws outstretched on either side.
"Though the Phantom Knights may fall and be forgotten, their eternal vigil shall never end!" Yuto proclaimed, "The effect of each The Phantom Knights of Divided Tapestry activates when they are placed in the Pendulum Zones! I Special Summon a 'Phantom Knights' Trap Card that can Special Summon itself as a monster from my deck, treating it as if it were Special Summoned by its own effect! Using this effect, I Special Summon two copies of The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring!"
Raising their banners into the air, the Phantom Knights began chanting a deep ghostly Gregorian chant before the images on their tapestries lit up and twin streams of light poured from the cards, coalescing into a pair of ghosts, who each held up a large metal ring.
The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring / DARK / Level 2 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0
"Next," Yuto continued, "I activate the effect of each Wrong Magnetring! I send each copy of Wrong Magnetring and each copy of my Divided Tapestry to the graveyard in order to draw four cards!"
Aleisha grit her teeth, looking furious. Yuto, meanwhile, turned to Yuya.
"The outcome of this duel is riding on this draw!" Yuto called, holding out his hand, "Lend me your power, Yuya!"
Nodding, Yuya stepped forward, taking Yuto's hand before they placed their hands on top of their deck, preparing to draw.
"DRAW!" Yuya and Yuto declared in unison, an arc of bright light trailing from their hands as they added the four cards to their hand. In that instant, Yuya no longer felt like a disembodied ghost, but like a he was within his own body again, mind in perfect synch with Yuto's as they each looked at the cards in their hand.
Together, they knew what needed to be done.
Not wasting a moment, Yuya and Yuto leaped for a nearby platform before snagging an Action Card from its top.
"Magic Card, Pendulum Call, Hatsudo!" Yuya and Yuto declared in unison, discarding the action card they had grabbed for the card's cost. "We add two 'Magician' Pendulum cards from our deck to our hand! With this effect, we add Monochrome Magician and Spectrum Magician to our hand before activating them!"
To their right and left, the two magicians reappeared to the field multi-colored light from Spectrum splitting the shadows emanating from Aleisha's monsters while Monochrome Magician seemed to absorb the shadows into himself, leaving the overall darkness less intense.
Spectrum Magician: Scale 10
Monochrome Magician: Scale 0
"Magic Card, Entermate Band Hurricane!" Yuya and Yuto continued, "Since we control Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, we target Future Visions in order to return it to your hand!"
Aleisha grit her teeth, understanding the ramifications of her field spell leaving as Skullcrobat Joker morphed into a swirling tornado of wind, blowing away the cosmic ceiling above them.
"With Future Visions gone, we can now Normal Summon!" Yuya and Yuto declared, holding up the card they had been given by Sam for the Friendship Cup tournament. "Tuning Magician Shoukan!"
Flipping onto the field, the young pink-haired magician with a white magician outfit and tuning fork staff appeared to the field, laughing with excitement.
Tuning Magician / DARK / Level 1 / Spellcaster / Tuner / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 0
"Tuning Magician's effect!" Yuya and Yuto proclaimed, eyes glowing with light, "If it is summoned, our opponent gains four-hundred life points and we take four-hundred damage!"
"So, you're that desperate for a tuner." Aleisha mused, before her eyes widened, "Or do you plan on avoiding the damage with an Action Card?"
"No!" Yuya and Yuto replied in unison, standing still as Tuning Magician tapped her staff, sending a wave of sound into Yuya/Yuto and Aleisha. "Taking her effect is key to our strategy!"
"What strategy?" Aleisha scoffed, "Suicide?"
Yuya/Yuto: 500 – 400 = 100 LP
Aleisha: 2900 + 400 = 3300 LP
"The Phantom Knights of Divided Tapestry graveyard no kouka!" Yuya and Yuto declared, "If we take damage during our turn, we can banish The Phantom Knights of Divided Tapestry and one other The Phantom Knights of Divided Tapestry from our graveyard in order to draw one card for every one-thousand points of difference between our life points! Since your life points are over three-thousand points higher, we banish both copies of The Phantom Knights of Faded Tapestry from our graveyard to draw three cards! DRAW!"
Tearing the three cards from the top of their deck, Yuya and Yuto looked at the cards before nodding in unison.
"You can feel it too?" Yuya asked.
"Yes." Yuto agreed "A presence. Just like in your duel with Shinji. It's time we combined our powers to call forth the others!"
"We already have what we need to call the first." Yuya mused.
"And with this hand, the others will follow." Yuto agreed before the both of them stretched a hand towards their monsters.
"We tune our Level one Tuning Magician with our Level four Skullcrobat Joker and Level three Barrier Token in order to Synchro Summon!" They declared in unison.
Smiling, Tuning Magician rose into the air before morphing into a single green ring, which encompassed the other monsters in its light before Yuya and Yuto began their summoning chant.
"Hero's blade that sets forth unyielding light! Here and now, along with a flash, awaken! SYNCHRO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level 8! Enlightenment Paladin!"
Aleisha staggered backwards, hand covering her eyes as Enlightenment Paladin exploded onto the field with a mighty roar, blades unsheathed and ready for battle.
Enlightenment Paladin / DARK / Level 8 / Spellcaster / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000
"That Synchro Monster, is a mere shadow compared to my servants!" Aleisha roared, managing to recover from her initial shock.
"Enlightenment Paladin's effect!" Yuya and Yuto declared in unison, "If it was summoned using a 'Magician' monster, we can add one Magic Card from our graveyard to our hand! Using this effect, we add Comrade Bonds from our graveyard to our hand!"
Behind Enlightenment Paladin, a phantasmal clock appeared, hands spinning counterclockwise, causing time to reverse as the card in the graveyard flew upwards into Yuya and Yuto's outstretched hand.
"Using the active Pendulum Scale, we pendulum summon!" Yuya and Yuto declared together. "Swing once more, Pendulum of our entwined souls! Draw an arc of light across the aether! Come forth, our monster servants! Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, Wisdom-Eye Magician, Chameleon Magician, and the mysterious dragon with beautiful heterochromatic eyes, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
In a tornado of red, blue, green, and gold light, Yuya and Yuto's monsters reappeared to the field, one by one, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon appearing first with a roar before Joker and Wisdom-Eye appeared on top of his back, hands conjoined and lifted into the air so that they could catch Chameleon Magician, who landed on top on all fours, before all four of the monsters posed dramatically, like a trio of cheerleaders atop the dragon's back.
Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon / DARK / Level 7 / Dragon / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000
Entermate Skullcrobat Joker / DARK / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 1800 / DEF 100
Wisdom-Eye Magician / LIGHT / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1500
Chameleon Magician / DARK / Level 3 / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 800 / DEF 1600
"Summon as many monsters as you want!" Aleisha roared, leaping into the air, before snagging an Action Card, "I'll just get rid of them all again!
"Chameleon Magician's effect!" Yuya and Yuto countered. "Once per turn, we can target one monster we control in order to treat all monsters as that monster's type until the end phase! We target Wisdom-Eye Magician in order to also treat Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon as a Spellcaster-Type monster! Heterochroma Collage!"
Whipping out the tongues of her chameleon bracelets, Chameleon Magician whipped into the air before landing atop a higher platform on all fours. Once situated, she pointed her bracelets at Odd-Eyes and Wisdom-Eye Magician, tongues whipping out and wrapping around both monsters before she, Odd-Eyes, and Wisdom-Eye began changing colors, multi-colored spots appearing over all three of their bodies before all three of them sported a coat of red, green, yellow, and black spots.
Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon: Spellcaster-Type
"Spectrum Magician's Pendulum Effect!" Yuya and Yuto continued, "Once per turn, we can perform a Ritual, Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summon using only Pendulum Monnsters we control! Using our Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, Entermate Skullcrobat Joker, and Chameleon Magician, we Fusion Summon!"
Giggling, Spectrum Magician extended her staff, conjuring a multi-colored fusion portal, which sucked Odd-Eyes, Skullcrobat, and Chameleon Magician into its depths before the three blended together in a swirling rainbow of color as Yuya and Yuto began their summoning chant.
Artistic Magician of ever-changing colors, Macabre acrobatic Jester of death, Dragon with the mysterious eyes, coalesce your powers through the magical arts, and be re-forged as a blade that slashes through the predetermined future! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level 8! Magical Swordsman of Fate! Karma Paladin!
A single crimson talwar blade emerged from the upper center of the Fusion Portal before slashing downward, cleaving the swirling whirlpool in two to reveal the new monster in its depths. Karma Paladin was a tall blonde-haired magician, somewhat similar to Magician of Astromancy, but in resplendent purple warrior robes. A large white stone circle was affixed to Karma Paladin's back, and in each of his hands was a large crimson talwar blade.
Karma Paladin / DARK / Level 8 / Spellcaster / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000
"Karma Paladin's effect!" Yuya and Yuto continued, "If it was Fusion Summoned using at least one 'Magician' Pendulum Monster, we can add one Trap Card from our graveyard to our hand! Using this effect, we add Entermate Call from our graveyard to our hand!"
Raising his swords into the air, the circular stone on Karma Paladin's back glowed with light. In front of the magician, a tree sprouted, one of the branches extending towards the magician before bearing a single fruit, which the magician plucked before instantly transforming into a card with a flourish of his hand. Bowing to Yuya and Yuto, the magician presented the card to Yuya and Yuto before the two took it.
"Magic Card, Pendulum Swing-Back hasudo!" Yuya and Yuto continued, "We discard the action card we added to our hand in order to Special Summon one Pendulum Monster face-up from our Extra Deck! Return to the field, Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon / DARK / Level 7 / Dragon / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000
"Smile Magician's effect!" Yuya and Yuto declared, holding up a card in their hand, "If an 'Odd-Eyes', 'Entermate', or 'Magician' monster is Special Summoned, other than by Pendulum Summon, we can Special Summon this card from our hand! Come forth!"
In an explosion of multi-colored smiling flowers, suns, circles, and stars, Yuya and Yuto's new monster, a smiling seven-year-old witch wearing sunny robes decorated with the same smiling faces as those depicted on smile world, twirled onto the field, giggling with joy. Atop her curly pink hair, she wore an immense sapphire-blue witch hat, which constantly flopped over her bright turquoise eyes.
"Smile Magician's effect!" Yuya and Yuto declared, "If summoned this way, we can target one other monster we control in order to change the Level of Smile Magician to the Level of that monster. Using this effect, we change the Level of Smile Magician to the Level of Wisdom-Eye Magician! Smile Sharing!"
The activation of Smile Magician's effect consisted of the simple act of the little girl hopping onto Wisdom-Eye's back, affectionately hugging the older monster's neck and causing Wisdom-Eye to smile underneath its face mask.
Smile Magician: Level 4
"Using our Level four Smile Magician and Wisdom-Eye Magician, we construct the Overlay Network!"
At their command, the two magicians morphed into twin streams of golden light, which drained into a large Xyz Galaxy that appeared on the ground. Aleisha gasped in astonishment, eyes hanging open at the third Extra Deck summon as Yuya and Yuto commenced their summon chant.
"Born in the endless cycle of death and rebirth, raise your eternal blade from the void and awaken your power! XYZ SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Rank 4! Magical Swordsman of Eternity! Reincarnation Paladin!"
In an explosion of multi-colored light, the new monster, a large butterfly with stark black wings, flew onto the field before suddenly transforming in a flash of light. In place of the butterfly, a tall magician in glittering black robes stood onto the field, silvery white hair streaming down to his lower back in three elegant braids. In each of his hands he held a large silvery curved scimitar with decorative handles forged to look like black butterfly wings.
Reincarnation Paladin / DARK / Rank 4 / Spellcaster / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000
"Reincarnation Paladin's effect!" Yuya and Yuto declared. "If it was summoned using at least one Pendulum 'Magician' monster as a material, we can target one monster in our graveyard in order to add it to our hand! Using this effect, we return Entermate Rain Goat from our graveyard to our hand!"
Placing his swords together, Reincarnation Paladin conjured a bright red bhavacakra in the air. Through the symbol, the phantasmal image of Raingoat flew through the circle, morphing into a worm, butterfly, frog, fish, bird, and monkey, before finally morphing into a card and flying into Yuya and Yuto's hand.
Smiling confidently, Yuya and Yuto looked at Aleisha, who was glaring back at them, a slight nervous twitch in her left eye.
"The fun is just getting started! Magic Card, Comrade Bonds, hasudo!" Yuya and Yuto declared in unison, "We target Enlightenment Paladin in order to give it three-hundred ATK for every other monster we control!"
Enlightenment Paladin: 2500 ATK + (300 X3) = 3400 ATK
"Continuous Magic Card, Paladin's Vow!" Yuya and Yuto continued, "This card is destroyed unless we control at least one Spellcaster-Type Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz monster. While this card is active, at the end of the damage step, in which a Spellcaster-Type monster we control attacked, we can target that monster and one other Spellcaster-Type monster we control in order to give the second target ATK equal to the difference between the first targets current and original ATK until the End Phase!"
In front of Yuya and Yuto, a continuous spell card depicting Karma, Enlightenment, and Reincarnation Paladin crossing swords, appeared to the field before Yuya and Yuto's three Paladin monsters crossed their own blades, in imitation of the image depicted on the spell card.
"BATTLE!" Yuya and Yuto declared in unison. "Enlightenment Paladin attacks Fortune Lady Dark!"
"Trap activate!" Aleisha countered, "Slip of Fortune! I target your attacking Enlightenment Paladin in order to negate the attack and banish Fortune Lady Dark until my next Standby Phase!"
Enlightenment Paladin charged forward, ready to cleave Fortune Lady Dark in two with its blades, however, the second before its blades were about to connect, Fortune Lady Dark tapped her staff to the ground with a sly smile, conjuring a thick black cloud of dark smoke, which dissipated, leaving nothing but a confused Enlightenment Paladin behind.
"Paladin's Vow!" Yuya and Yuto countered, "Since Enlightenment Paladin still declared an attack, we can target Karma Paladin in order to change its ATK to the ATK of Enlightenment Paladin!"
Off to the side, Enlightenment Paladin passed by Karma before the two fist-bumped each other, light from Enlightenment Paladin flowing into Karma Paladin as his ATK rose.
Karma Paladin: 2500 + 900 = 3400 ATK
"Karma Paladin, attack Fortune Lady Destiny!" Yuya and Yuto commanded.
"Fortune Lady Infinity's effect!" Aleisha declared, "Since you declared an attack, I can banish my Fortune Lady Infinity in order to Special Summon Fortune Lady Future from my graveyard! Return now!"
Throwing her crystalline staff into the ground, Fortune Lady Infinity vanished before her staff burst into a circle of blue-white flames, through which Fortune Lady Future reappeared.
Fortune Lady Future / DARK / Level -8 / Spellcaster / Synchro / Effect / ATK 4000 / DEF 4000
"Karma Paladin, continue the attack!" Yuya and Yuto commanded as their monster charged forward. Raising his talwar into the air, preparing to defeat Destiny.
"Action Magic, Battle Change!" Aleisha countered, launching herself onto another platform and snagging an action card, "I change the attack to Fortune Lady Earth! Don't think I didn't know you planned to attack Earth with Odd-Eyes!"
Karma Paladin changed direction mid-air before cleaving Fortune Lady Earth in two, knocking Aleisha back with the shockwaves.
Aleisha: 3300 – 1000 = 2300 LP
"Karma Paladin's effect!" Yuya and Yuto declared, "Once per turn, if a monster is destroyed by battle or card effect, we can banish one card from our graveyard in order to either gain one-thousand life points or draw one card! We banish Reaction Barrier in order to gain one-thousand life points! Karma Blessing!"
Flower petals formed around Karma Paladin as it raised its talwar blades into the air. Closing their eyes, Yuya and Yuto accepted the life points, feeling some of the pain leave as their body healed.
Yuya/Yuto: 100 + 1000 = 1100 LP
"Paladin's Vow!" Yuya and Yuto continued, as Karma Paladin passed by Reincarnation Paladin before the two fist bumped, power transferring to Reincarnation Paladin, "We change Reincarnation Paladin's ATK to the ATK of Karma Paladin!"
Reincarnation Paladin: 3400 ATK
"Reincarnation Paladin, attack Fortune Lady Destiny!" Yuya and Yuto commanded.
"Fortune Lady Future's effect!" Aleisha countered, "I banish Future until the End Phase in order to Special Summon Fortune Lady Water from my deck in defense position!"
Fortune Lady Water / WATER / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 1200 / DEF 1200
"Fortune Lady Water's effect activates!" Aleisha declared, "Since she was Special Summoned, I draw two cards!"
"The battle will continue!" Yuya and Yuto countered, "Reincarnation Paladin, attack and destroy Fortune Lady Destiny!"
"Battle Change's effect continues to apply until the end of this turn!" Aleisha countered. "I change the attack to my defense position Fortune Lady Water! Furthermore, I activate Rite of Destiny's graveyard effect! If a 'Fortune Lady' I control would be destroyed, I can banish this card from my graveyard instead!"
As Reincarnation Paladin prepared to destroy Water, Destiny suddenly intercepted the attack, parrying the blow with her staff before kicking Reincarnation Paladin away.
Aleisha was panting with breath, teeth grit in anger.
"Go on…try attacking again with Odd-Eyes." She growled, "I'm sure you'll get exactly the Action Card you need."
Yuya and Yuto eyed her before stretching their hand towards Paladin's Vow.
"The second effect of Paladin's Vow." They declared, "During either player's turn, we can tribute this card in order to target one monster we control and increase its ATK by the total ATK gained by all Spellcaster-Type monsters we controlled this turn, until the End Phase of this turn!"
Clamping their hands together, all three of Yuya and Yuto's monsters began chanting before light streamed from their bodies, entering into Odd-Eyes, who roared with power.
Odd-Eyes: 2500 + (900 X 3) = 5200 ATK
"Battle!" Yuya and Yuto commanded, "Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, attack Fortune Lady Destiny!"
"Battle Change's effect!" Aleisha countered, "I change the attack to my defense position Fortune Lady Water!"
Anticipating this, Yuya and Yuto were already charging for another Action Card.
"Action Magic, Victory Topping!" they declared, "We increase Odd-Eyes's ATK by 600 and change Fortune Lady Water to face-up attack position!"
"Fortune Lady Foresight's effect!" Aleisha roared, revealing a card in her hand. "If my opponent activates a card from the hand or GY while I control a 'Fortune Lady' monster, I can discard this card and one other card from my hand in order to negate that effect and make it so that you cannot activate cards or effects of the same type until the End Phase of this turn!"
In front of Aleisha, the phantasmal image of a hooded Fortune Lady with hair, skirt, and blouse the color of teal, and a magical staff with a seer's stone at the end appeared, peering through the hole in her stone before firing a beam of light into Yuya's card, negating its effect. Odd-Eyes, meanwhile, charged up its attack, before firing into Aleisha's Fortune Lady Water and destroying it.
"We didn't manage to win." Yuto panted.
"She's strong." Yuya agreed. "But the show isn't over! We just need to keep fighting."
"Agreed." Yuto replied with a nod. "Setting two cards face-down. Turn end. At the end of the turn, the ATK gained by the effect of Paladin's Vow ends."
Karma Paladin: 2500 ATK
Reincarnation Paladin: 2500 ATK
Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon: 2500 ATK
Aleisha began to approach them, a victorious smile on her face.
"I knew you couldn't win! I foresaw it!" she proclaimed before placing her hand on top of her deck. "Prepare yourself, Destroyer, it's my turn to-…!"
"INTRUSION PENALTY! TWO-THOUSAND LIFE POINTS!"
?: 4000 – 2000 = 2000 LP
Yuya, Yuto, and Aleisha jumped in surprise, all three of them looking around the perimeter of flames.
There was nobody around.
Aleisha hastily attempted to draw a card from her deck, however, each time she did, an error message stopped her.
"Impossible!" Aleisha exclaimed in growing alarm. "I sealed off this duel! Nobody could intrude unless they were-!"
The sound of knocking just outside the flames silenced her, her face suddenly growing deathly pale. Yuya and Yuto felt their bodies freeze up, a foreboding tingle creeping up the back of their spines and into their necks.
A hand, enormous and mechanical, burst through the wall of fire, scattering flames as the entire perimeter faded away, revealing the immense tank-like man, Sergey Volkov, now twice as large and armored with thick metal augmentations, standing just behind.
"No!" Aleisha exclaimed, backing away in evident fear. "No! No! NO! This can't be happening! Not now of all times!"
Yuya felt himself quivering. This was the man who had knocked Yuzu off the trackway in their duel, the one who had killed her.
Without warning, he found himself grabbing Yuto's hand, his spirit switching places with Yuto so that he was in command of his body once again.
"You…" Yuya whispered, voice quivering with growing rage as he clenched his fists, all sense of his past exhaustion gone. "…you killed Yuzu! I will never forgive you!"
Sergey regarded Yuya, a bored expression on his face. Closing his eyes, Sergey seemed to concentrate before an immense multi-colored spiral mark blazed to life on his chest, despite the armor plating covering his skin.
Yuya backed away, recognizing the same mark as the one he had seen on Sergey's skin in the video Roger had shown him. Sergey opened his eyes, which now blazed with multi-colored light, before regarding Yuya and Yuto with an amused smile.
"So, these are the descendants of the great destroyer." Sergey mused in a cold condescending voice, completely different from his own. "Astonishing. You have managed to defy even my lowest of expectations."
Sergey trudged forward, heavy metal boots clanking against the floor, hydraulic motors whirring within the machinery. To the side, Aleisha backed away, mouth clamped shut, looking deathly afraid.
"Fusion, Synchro, Xyz, and Pendulum." Sergey continued in that strange voice he had never used. "A predictable combination of monsters, though I suppose it does show that their powers are, at least, stirring, if not truly awakening. I must apologize, Sergey. Crushing these two might not be as fun for you as I had hoped."
Yuya blinked at this. Was Sergey Volkov talking to himself?
Sergey seemed to notice this. He looked directly at Yuya, lips forming into a smug smirk.
"In your defense, you do seem to have retained the Destroyer's intelligence. Clearly, you are just as dense as your predecessor, Sakaki Yuya. Is that why your father left you?"
Yuya started at this, a renewed surge of rage washing away his confusion.
"How do you know about my father!?" Yuya demanded.
"Well, when most people want to know someone on a personal basis, they talk to them like we are doing now." Sergey replied, matter-of-factly. "Of course, that's not to say that this was the method I used to gather intel on you and your delightful parents. Charming father, Yusho. Your mother, Yoko, is just as charming. Has as much mastery of a motorcycle as your typical Synchro resident. Odd that. But I am wandering off on a tangent."
Yuya gaped at him, unsuccessfully attempting to come up with a response. Off to the side, Yuya felt Yuto grab his hand and take control again.
"Who are you!?" Yuto demanded. "You're obviously not Sergey!"
"And Oshiro Yuto. It's nice to see that you can state the obvious." Sergey replied with a wry smile, causing Yuto's eyes to widen in shock. Yuya looked at Yuto. Never, in all his time knowing him, had his companion ever even indicated that he had a surname.
"I knew your parents as well." Sergey, or whoever was speaking, continued, as if reading their minds. "That was regrettable, what happened to them. I believe that's when I finally came to the conclusion that I couldn't kill the incarnations as children."
"What?" Yuto gaped, in a very weak voice, looking as if all the color had been drained from him.
"Ah, apologies, incarnations." The speaker apologized. "You wanted to know who I was. Dark Signer Hashimoto Yuu. Just 'Yuu' or 'Hashimoto' will work just as well. I am indifferent to what I am called, just so long as you understand what I am."
Yuya gaped at the speaker, remembering something.
"You're a dark signer, just like the girl from the story!" Yuya exclaimed, taking control once again. "Aklla…whatever her name was."
"Akllasisa." Yuu corrected. "So, Roger shared that story with you, I take it?"
"He told us that the Dark Signers destroyed an entire civilization." Yuto growled, he and Yuya swapping back and forth.
"Yes. The legend of Akllasisa and Vitcos was something of a cautionary tale taught to the Signers." Yuu mused. "It's accurate enough for its purposes, though it conveniently ignores or outright revises certain historical facts."
"You're from back then!" Yuya exclaimed. "That's how you know the story!"
Yuu and Sergey chuckled in unison.
"From all the way back then?" Yuu snorted. "Certainly not. I am hardly that old. The gods I serve, however, are well aware of that history and much more history that far predates the first human records from any iteration of reality. Speaking of iterations of reality, that is exactly why I am here."
"What do you want?" Yuya growled, barely containing his growing rage as he took back control of his body, "Why did you kill Yuzu? Sergey's some kind of servant or vessel of yours, right? You're the one who actually killed her, not him!"
"Give Sergey credit, Yuya." Yuu smirked, "I think he'd be greatly offended if you thought he was incapable of killing people on his own time, though, yes, I did order Sergey to kill her. Sergey just came up with how to do it. Brilliant work, if I do say so myself."
Yuya felt his muscles tensing.
"WHY!?" Yuya roared. "She was innocent! She never did anything to you!"
"Debatable, as her predecessors and your own are largely responsible for the current state of reality, though, yes, I will concede that the demigod, Hiragi Yuzu, did nothing directly to me of her own will. Be rest assured that her death had nothing to do with petty vengeance. I'm a very spite-less person in that way."
"THEN WHY!?" Yuya roared.
"For the same reason I had to kill Rin and Ruri." Yuu sincerely replied. "And for the same reason I'll have to kill the two of you, Selena, Yugo, and Yuri. Now then…"
He raised his duel disk into the air, staring down at Yuya and Yuto with a calm and confident expression. To his side, Yuya felt Yuto trembling, before his companion reached out and grabbed his hand, taking control.
"What did you do to her!?" Yuto choked, tears streaming from his eyes.
"You will find out soon enough." Yuu promised before examining his opening hand with a frown.
"I suppose I have to give credit to Roger for attempting to create his own custom Earthbound Cards." He mused. "Even if it ultimately disgusts me. Poor foolish Jean-Michell Roger. Your kingdom is falling and nothing you do can stop it. Even if you had all the time and resources in this world, you could never replicate our power. These cards lack the soul of a true Earthbound Disciple.
He raised Sergey's hand into the air, eyes and mark brightening with light. Gasping, Yuya and Yuto suddenly backed away as a multi-colored spiral mark stretched out from Sergey's feet, bathing the field in a haunting heterochromatic light. From the insides of the mark, hulking seven-foot-tall phantasmal monsters with pitch-black humanoid bodies and immense savage claws on their hands lifted themselves from the ground and onto the field. The creatures faces and bodies were completely featureless, save for patterns of multi-colored spirals which adorned the surface of their matte skin, the largest of the spiral marks dominating the center of their heads, chest, and bellies. A few of the creature's heads opened up along the lines of the spiral like a blooming flower, revealing row upon row of razor sharp pitch-black teeth within. Gathering around the hulking body of Sergey, the creatures knelt down in unison, as if reverencing a god.
"Fallen warriors of the Earthbound!" Yuu chanted in a booming godly voice, "You failed in your discipleship in your first war and were justly punished! For millennia, you have suffered, stripped of your power and identity! This day, I offer you your redemption! Take upon yourselves the mantel of Earthbound Disciple once more, bind your souls to the phylacteries of my Harbinger, Sergey Volkov, and reclaim your glory!"
Howling and roaring, the creatures all rushed forward as if intending to trample Sergey int their mad haste. However, the second they were about to collide into the hulking man, the monsters leaped into the cards in Sergey's hand, deck, and extra deck, with a few more merging with the hand Sergey had placed on top of the deck, causing the hand to glow with dark energy.
"Kouboku no turn…" Yuu declared in a calm voice, reverently closing his eyes, "DARK DRAAAAAAAW!"
His calm voice suddenly intensified with the last two words, as if they were spoken by thousands of roaring demons. Shadow trailed from his hand as he tore the top card from his deck before adding it to his hand and beginning his turn.
"Earthbound Prisoner Dream Seer no kouka hasudo!" Yuu began, revealing a card in his hand. "Once per turn, I can discard this card from my hand in order to add one Field Spell Card from my deck to my hand! Using this effect, I add Earthbound Prison from my deck to my hand!"
Above Sergey's head, a small black demon shaped vaguely like a flaming octopus with a bulbous spherical head, odd branch-like tentacles twisted and chained together into the shape of a dream catcher, and indigo markings all over its body, appeared to the field before morphing into a card, which Yuu added to Sergey's hand.
"Earthbound?" Yuto whispered next to Yuya. "This isn't Sergey's original deck!"
"No…" Aleisha whispered off to the side, "…this was always Sergey's deck. Roger just changed it because he was too afraid of it."
Yuya nodded his head in understanding. The deck certainly felt terrifying. Worse, with Sergey's deck completely different from his duel against Yuzu, he had no idea what to expect.
Yuu turned Sergey's head slightly, briefly regarding Aleisha with a small smile before returning to his turn.
"Field Magic, Earthbound Prison, hasudo!" Yuu roared, slamming the card into the duel disk's field zone. Erupting from the ground and walls, a legion of ghostly hands rose up from the ground, surrounding the duelists on all sides as ghost like wisps of white light darted in between the fingers of the hands.
"Since an 'Earthbound' Field Spell Card was activated," Yuu continued, "The effect of Dream Seer activates from the graveyard, enabling me to Special Summon Dream Seer. Come forth!"
A new hand erupted from the ground, carrying the squirming spirit in its grasp.
Earthbound Prisoner Dream Seer / DARK / Level 4 / Fiend / Effect / ATK 0 / DEF 1900
"Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker, shoukan!" Sergey and Yuu continued, slamming down another card to summon a small black demon with orange markings and immense chained hands.
Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker / DARK / Level 3 / Fiend / Tuner / Effect / ATK 800 / DEF 1100
"Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker's new and improved effect activates when it is Normal Summoned." Yuu continued with a smile, "If Normal Summoned while there is an active 'Earthbound' Field Spell Card, I can draw one card."
He placed Sergey's hand back on top of his deck, the hand becoming enshrouded with a curtain of black shadow.
"DARK DRAAAAAAW!" Yuu roared, extracting a card from the deck before adding it to Sergey's hand without even really looking at it. Without pause, Yuu extended Sergey's hand towards Earthbound Dream Seer.
"Earthbound Prisoner Dream Seer's additional effect!" Yuu continued. "Once per turn, I can target one 'Earthbound' Tuner I control in order to change the Level of that Tuner to the Level of Dream Seer. Targeting my Line Walker, I change the Level of Line Walker to four!"
Squirming out of the grasp of the hand, Dream Seer swam through the air before hovering above Line Walker, marks on its body glowing with indigo light before Line Walker's level changed.
Earthbound Prisoner Line Walker: Level 4
"Here it comes." Yuya thought. "A synchro summon!"
With a smile, Yuu revealed the card he had just drawn moments ago.
"Magic Card," Yuu rumbled, god-like voice growing in strength and intensity, "Underworld Invastion – Synchro Fusion Overlay, hasudo!"
In front of Yuu, an immense image of the spell card, which depicted a synchro pillar of light surrounded by a single synchro ring in the middle, a swirling fusion portal on top, and a glittering black-and-gold Xyz Galaxy on the bottom appeared to the field before the ground around the duelists began to tremble. Hands from the field spell card retracted, fingers shying away as if frightened.
"With the effect of Underworld Invasion," Yuu calmly explained, "If there is a card in the Field Spell Card Zone, I can Fusion Summon one 'Earthbound' Fusion Monster, Synchro Summon one 'Earthbound' Synchro monster, and Xyz Summon one 'Earthbound' Xyz Monster from my Extra Deck using two monsters I control that can be used as Material for all three."
"What!?" Yuto exclaimed. "A Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz Summon, using just three cards!?"
"It is a mediocre power, I know." Yuu admitted with a shrug, "However, it will have to do for now."
In front of Yuu, Dream Seer and Line Walker suddenly split into three separate images of themselves, the images on the outside ends slightly more faded than the images in the center. The two most translucent images of Dream Seer and Line Walker on the outside edges rose into the air, a fusion portal forming behind them as Yuu began a summoning chant.
"Prisoner that dreams of pain, become one with the prisoner that walks the path of execution and become a gigantic beast that delivers out punishment! YUUGO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level eight! Jibaku Kairei Geo Kraken!"
Black tentacles writhing through the air while glowing with violet light, Geo Kraken, an immense demonic squid with a gaping fanged mouth and an armored sheath bolted directly into its inky-black flesh, burst from the ground, immense body filling up a quarter of the room while tentacles smashed through the walls of adjoining rooms to give itself more space.
Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Fusion / Effect / ATK 2800 / DEF 1200
As soon as the first monster had appeared, the next images of Dream Seer and Line Walker on the outer ends rose into the air, Line Walker morphing into a quartet of four rings which surrounded Dream Seer and transformed it into four white stars as Yuu began a second summoning chant.
"Revive from the depths of the earth. Gigantic beast with wings of punishment! SYNCHRO SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Level eight! Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon!"
Exploding from the ground, an immense demonic griffon with a pitch-black body, ghostly green markings over its body, chained limbs and wings, and a steel muzzle over its mouth, leapt onto the field, before extending its wings and rising into the air, heedless of obstacles as it smashed the surrounding walls, furniture, and ceiling, while crying through its muzzle with a demonic cry.
Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 1500
The last pair of Dream Seer and Line Walker rose into the air, transforming into twin streams of dark purple light before draining into a bright Xyz Galaxy as Yuu performed a final summon chant.
"Awaken from your tortured slumber to drag other souls into the earth for extreme and unrelenting punishment! XYZ SHOUKAN! Arawayo! Rank four! Jibaku Kairei Geo Ogre!"
The Xyz Galaxy exploded in a burst of multi-colored light, leaving a hole in the ground through which in immense humanoid giant with a pitch-black body, deep indigo markings over its body, and thick manacles and chains binding its elephantine legs, slowly rose up, lumpy head brushing the tall ceiling. The creature's head and left arm were bound by a broken stock, while its right arm had broken free of the stock to wield an immense steel truncheon with spikes on the end. Glowing indigo face markings twisted in pain and rage, the creature reared back its head before bellowing so loudly that the room shook.
Earthbound Disciple Geo Ogre / DARK / Rank 4 / Fiend / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000
Yuya and Yuto looked up at the three immense monsters Yuu had summoned all at once. Even in their last turn, they had had to use multiple cards, summons, and effects in order to bring out the army of monsters they controlled. This Dark Signer they faced, by contrast, had effortlessly summoned the army he controlled with only moderate effort and resources.
"Monochrome Magician and Spectrum Magician." Yuu mused, examining Yuya and Yuto's cards. "A very powerful combination while they remain together, utterly useless if any one of them is alone. Not unlike The Destroyer's bond with The Creator. Appropriate that their combined power should create a new universal essence to reflect their relationship, yet highly ironic that the bond should be destroyed so easily."
He stretched his hand towards his monsters.
"Jibaku Kairei Geo Ogre no kouka hasudo!" Yuu declared, "Once per turn, I can detach one Overlay Unit from my monster in order to target one card on the field and destroy it. I choose to destroy Monochrome Magician. Dark Skin Flailing!"
Geo Ogre absorbed one of its Overlay Units into its spiked truncheon before roaring and charging towards Yuya and Yuto's Monochrome Magician, immense legs thundering across the ground.
Reacting quickly, Yuya and Yuto leaped into the air, dashing across platforms before finding an Action Card.
"Action Magic, Runaway Effect!" Yuya and Yuto declared in unison, "We negate Geo Ogre's effects and inflict five-hundred damage to your life points!"
Sergey's body stood completely still, an amused smile on its face as Yuu smirked at them with Sergey's features.
"An Action Card to evade a negative effect. A Predictable counter, Sakaki Yuya and Oshiro Yuto." Yuu smugly replied, "Jibaku Kairei Geo Ogre's second effect! If my opponent activates a Magic or Trap Card during my turn, I can detach one Overlay Unit from Geo Ogre in order to destroy as many Magic and Trap Cards my opponent controls as possible while inflicting eight-hundred to their damage for every Magic and Trap Card destroyed with this effect. Rampaging Scourge!"
Roaring, Geo Ogre absorbed its last Overlay Unit into its truncheon before slamming the weapon into the ground, sending a wave of indigo energy into Yuya and Yuto's field.
"Counter Trap!" Yuto declared, taking control of Yuya's body. "The Phantom Knights of Forgotten Vows! If one or more Magic or Trap Cards we control would be destroyed by a card effect, we can Special Summon up to two 'Phantom Knights' monsters from our deck! Monsters summoned by this effect cannot be destroyed by battle or card effect this turn! Using this effect, I summon The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm from our deck! Come forth!"
From the image of the trap card, which depicted a circle of armored skeletons surrounding a shattered table of stone, broken swords and weapons sticking out of the stone, Yuto's monster, a ghost wearing a cracked helmet, rose up before settling down in front of Yuya and Yuto, gauntleted hands stretched out protectively.
The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm / DARK / Level 4 / Warrior / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 500
"An interesting response." Yuu mused, scratching Sergey's chin. "You've provided yourself a defensive monster for later, but have not managed to counter my Geo Ogre's effects. I wonder how you will evade the effect damage. Another Action Card, perhaps?"
The wall of indigo energy slammed into Yuya and Yuto's field, obliterating Monochrome Magician, Spectrum Magician, their face-down Entermate Call, and the face-up The Phantom Knights of Forgotten Vows, obliterating all of them.
Yuya took control this time, reacting just in time.
"Entermate Rain Goat's effect!" Yuya declared, "I discard it in order to negate the effect damage!"
The goat-shaped raincoat appeared in front of Yuya and Yuto again, absorbing most of the shock from the attack before Yuya and Yuto finally got knocked off their platform, unbalanced but undamaged. On the other side of the field, the effect of Yuya and Yuto's action card went through, zapping Geo Ogre and Sergey/Yuu with electricity and causing the giant to stumble back while Yuu held Sergey's body completely still, expression showing absolutely no concern or annoyance.
Yuu Hashimoto: 2000 – 500 = 1500 LP
"Battle." Yuu continued, stretching his hand towards his monsters. "Earthbound Disciple Geo Ogre, attack Karma Paladin."
Yuya and Yuto raised their eyebrows at this, wondering if Yuu was going to run for an Action Card to help his Geo Ogre overcome Karma Paladin's higher ATK. However, Yuu just had Sergey's body stand still. Obediently, Geo Ogre tromped forward, truncheon raised above its head as it prepared to smash Karma Paladin. Karma Paladin skillfully dodged the blow from the monster before leaping onto the creature's lowered arm and running up onto its shoulder and stabbing his blades into the creature's head, destroying it.
"Karma Paladin's effect!" Yuya declared, "Since a monster was destroyed, I banish Distortion from my graveyard in order to gain one-thousand life points.
Yuya: 1100 + 1000 = 2100 LP
The outcome of the battle was good for Yuya and Yuto, but it left Yuya completely confused. Yuu could have attacked with his Geo Kraken, but instead, he had wasted his Geo Ogre in a pointless battle, not even attempting to defend it with an Action Card.
"He hasn't taken any damage." Yuto whispered, pointing in the direction of Sergey, whose holographic indicator, sure enough, showed their life points at 1500.
"When Earthbound Prisoner Dream Seer is used as a material for the summon of an 'Earthbound' monster, I take no damage from battles involving that monster." Yuu calmly explained. "Of course, you're all probably still wondering why I would have needlessly sacrificed my Geo Ogre. The answer is, I didn't. Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon's effect! If an 'Earthbound' monster I control is destroyed, I can target one monster my opponent controls and destroy it! Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon, destroy Enlightenment Paladin!"
Yuya and Yuto ran for an Action Card, leaping onto a platform, however, Geo Gryphon swooped in too quickly, snake-like tail lashing against their body and knocking them aside before the immense gryphon tackled Enlightenment Paladin to the ground and sliced open the paladin's neck with one of its razor-sharp talons, causing the monster to groan before exploding in a cloud of dust.
"Reincarnation Paladin's effect!" Yuto declared, swapping places with Yuya. "If a monster we control is destroyed, we can detach one Overlay Unit from Reincarnation Paladin in order to Special Summon one monster from our deck with the same type, attribute, and level as the destroyed monster. Come forth! The Phantom Knights of Compassionate Necromancer!"
Crossing his scimitars together, Reincarnation Paladin absorbed an overly unit into the blades before stabbing them into the ground and withdrawing the blades, causing a black lotus flower to blossom from the hole he created. The lotus rapidly expanded in size before opening up, revealing Yuto's monster in the center. Unlike Yuto's other monsters, Compassionate Necromancer was a fully living woman draped in midnight-black robes with skull talismans adorning the shoulders, neckline, waist, and cuffs. An onyx-black hood and veil was draped over the woman's head, obscuring a bejeweled crown adorning her forehead. Heavy black makeup covered her lips and eyelids, contrasting with her deathly pale skin. In her hands, she held a cracked human skull, which she raised to her mouth, silently brushing its forehead with her lips.
The Phantom Knights of Compassionate Necromancer / DARK / Level 8 / Spellcaster / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2800
Yuya nodded his head in approval. In defense position, this new Phantom Knights monster had enough power to block even Geo Kraken.
Yuu, however, did not look impressed.
"Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon, attack Karma Paladin." He commanded, voice as cold as steel.
Yuya and Yuto instantly knew what Yuu was planning. Geo Gryphon and Karma Paladin both had equal ATK. If the attack succeeded, then not only would Yuu trade one of his monsters for one of their monsters, but Yuu would get to knock out another of their monsters with Geo Gryphon's effect. Wordlessly, Yuya and Yuto charged for another Action Card, this time, managing to snag the one they had seen earlier, before Geo Gryphon could reach their monster.
"Action Magic, High Dive!" Yuya and Yuto declared in unison, slamming down the Action Card, "Karma Paladin gains one-thousand ATK!"
Yuu audibly sighed, closing Sergey's glowing eyes in what looked like exasperation.
"Earthbound Prison's effect." Yuu replied, "Any effect that would change ATK is negated."
Mouths hanging open, Yuya and Yuto could only watch as their action card uselessly exploded into a cloud of dust before Geo Gryphon collided into Karma Paladin, actually bisecting the tall knightly magician with the force of its impact. Karma Paladin exploded in a burst of gold dust with a horrified scream, however, when Geo Gryphon landed on its feet, Yuya and Yuto could see that it had not escaped the battle unscathed. Both of Karma Paladin's Talwar were sticking out of its side, causing the demonic gryphon to scream through its muzzle in pain before it too exploded in a cloud of dust.
"Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon no kouka hasudo!" Yuu declared, raising his hand to point toward Reincarnation Paladin before the ghostly phantasmal form of Geo Gryphan materialized before charging forward with a shriek and tackling Reincarnation Paladin to the ground, destroying the last of Yuya and Yuto's paladins.
"Ekay! Jibaku Kairei Geo Kraken! Attack and destroy Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Yuu roared as the immense demonic squid whipped out outs tentacles, preparing to crush Odd-Eyes.
"NO!" Yuya roared, taking control, determined to not let Yuu destroy his ace monster. Together, he and Yuto charged towards another Action Card and grabbing it. However, when they looked at it, they suddenly froze.
Flight, an effect that could have saved Odd-Eyes, were it not for Earthbound Prison.
Off to the side, Odd-Eyes roared in fury, trying to keep the encroaching tentacles at bay.
"Did you find anything useful this time?" Yuu sarcastically inquired, noticing Yuya and Yuto's crestfallen expressions.
"No?" he asked, when they didn't respond. "Well then…" he continued with a shrug, casually strolling over to a nearby platform and snagging an Action Card from its top. The second he grabbed it, a thick black ooze suddenly leaked from the tips of Sergey's fingers, covering the card before dripping away, leaving the action card slightly blackened, "Why don't I show you how a true god duels?"
He held up the Action Card, looking pleased.
"Action Magic! Flight!" Yuya shouted, desperately activating the card just to get rid of it before he and Yuto began searching for another card.
"Earthbound Prison's effect." Yuu casually replied as his field spell negated the card's effects. "And while we're on the subject of action cards, Action Magic, Earthbound Punishment! If an Earthbound Monster I control attacks an opponent's monster, the effects of the monster it is battling are negated and any damage you take from that battle is tripled. Furthermore, cards and effects cannot be activated in response to this card if my life points are two-thousand or less!"
Immense ghostly tentacles slammed into Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, crushing flesh and shocking the dragon with electricity before the dragon exploded in a cloud of dust with a cry of pain. With a roar, Geo Kraken lashed out at Yuya and Yuto with another pair of tentacles, smashing them and shocking them before they fell to the ground with a groan.
Yuya/Yuto: 2100 – (300 X 3) = 1200 LP
"Jibaku Kairei Geo Kraken no kouka hasudo!" Yuu commanded, "Thanks to its renewed power, Geo Kraken now has the power to Special Summon a monster it destroys as a result of battle in face-up defense position. Revive! Dragon with the beautiful heterochromatic eyes and son of my enemy! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
Shocked, Yuya watched with confusion and growing unease as Geo Kraken created a circle with four of its tentacles, a blue portal forming in the center of them before it reached in with two more of its tentacles, pulling Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon back onto the field.
Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon / DARK / Level 7 / Dragon / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 2000
Odd-Eyes roared in rage, thrashing against the tentacles holding it fast against the ground.
"Don't be so indignant." Yuu whispered to the dragon, a look of contempt on Sergey's face. "Even if you can't remember everything, you should know about the horrors and destruction you unleashed in your past life. Consider this payment of punitive damages, and, coincidentally, the end of your masters. JIBAKU KAIREI GEO KRAKEN NO KOUKA HASUDO! During my turn, if a monster is Special Summoned to my opponent's field, Geo Kraken can destroy all monsters that were Special Summoned this turn and inflict eight-hundred damage to my opponent's life points for each monster destroyed!"
Crying out in shock, Yuya and Yuto didn't even have a chance to run for an Action Card before Geo Kraken launched out its tentacles, obliterating Yuto's Necromancer and Yuya's Odd-Eyes with a pulse of electrified tentacles before another pair of tentacles slammed into them, launching the two of them through a wall.
There was a crash on the other side.
Then…silence.
Yuu silently strode forward in Sergey's body, muttering to himself.
"No awakening." He mused. "Just like with the girls. I was hoping he would at least put up a greater fight. What on earth is it going to take to fully draw out those gods? The threat of death clearly isn't enough. Not even outright killing them is enough."
He used Sergey's immense arms to knock down the wall Yuya and Yuto had been thrown through before strolling into the room.
"But no matter. At this point, the only thing left to be done is…"
He paused mid-sentence.
Yuya/Yuto: 400 LP
The two incarnations were lying motionless on the ground in front of him, both of them barely conscious, not even able to move, much less duel.
"The destroyer did not awaken." Yuu muttered to himself. "And these two incarnations certainly didn't counter the effect. So how are they-…"
He trailed off, a scowl coming to his face before he slowly turned Sergey's immense body around.
"Right." He sighed, glaring down at Aleisha, who stared up at him, an indignant expression on her face, despite her slight trembling. "You're here. I'm assuming you decided to save them?"
"Before the damage went through…" Aleisha growled, voice somewhat tremulous. "…I activated the Action Card, Life Crystal, giving them eight-hundred life points."
Yuu closed his eyes, breathing in deeply through Sergey's nose before opening his eyes.
"I'm just a little confused, Aleisha." He said, voice rumbling slightly, despite his attempts to maintain a calm tone. "If I recall correctly, your master gave you specific instructions to remove the Destroyer. Isn't saving him a little counterproductive to your goals, hmmm?"
"Not if you were going to resurrect him as a Dark Signer!" Aleisha spat. "Besides, this was my mission! My duty! My promise to Carly! I will defeat the destroyer! Not you and not anyone else!"
Yuu stared down at her, folding Sergey's immense arms behind his back.
"I'll deal with you soon, Aleisha." He promised.
A groan escaped Yuya and Yuto's lips, catching Yuu's attention.
"Quit your whining." Yuu snarled, lashing out with Sergey's leg and kicking Yuya and Yuto's shared body into the air like a football, causing them to scream in agony before crashing into the wall on the other side.
He turned towards Aleisha, ignoring Yuya and Yuto's growing unified screams of agony.
"It's funny. I had planned to spare you, Aleisha." He told her, eyes burning with multi-colored light. "I did spare you, the last time we fought, even though I knew you'd cause me trouble down the line if Jack and I didn't completely wipe out Carly's cult. I guess some feelings just make humans defy all logic."
Aleisha backed away, eyes locked on Sergey's looming form, looking utterly terrified but not daring to look away or flee.
"But I don't think I'm even close to human now." He mused, "I can't feel anything for you. Strange. I was very hesitant, back when I first turned. Most Dark Signers are, I've noticed. But that's slowly changed. I suppose I really ought to thank you, Aleisha. You've proven to me that if destroying you can make me feel nothing, then perhaps there will be no hesitation from me when the time comes for even greater sacrifice."
He revealed a single card in his hand, as Aleisha backed away, a faint whimper escaping her lips.
"Magic Card, Earthbound Cycle, hasudo." Yuu declared, spiral mark on Sergey's chest exploding with light before the same multi-colored symbol, but much larger and more stylized, appeared behind him, spinning slowly in the air. "At the end of the Battle Phase of either player's turn, if I control an active 'Earthbound' Field Magic Card and have less than two-thousand life points, I can select one player that took Battle Damage this turn in order to halve that player's life points, and if I do, until the end of this turn, that player takes no damage. Naturally, I'm applying this effect to the incarnations."
A wave of multi-colored energy exploded out from Yuu, slamming into Yuya and Yuto's writhing body as their screams intensified.
Yuya/Yuto: 400 / 2 = 200 LP
"If this is done." Yuu continued, "I can Special Summon any number of my banished Earthbound Monsters before making it so that the turn player can conduct a second Battle Phase."
From the depths of the spiral mark, Geo Gryphon and Geo Ogre emerged before reentering the duel field just behind Yuu.
Earthbound Disciple Geo Gryphon / DARK / Level 8 / Fiend / Synchro / Effect / ATK 2500 / DEF 1500
Earthbound Disciple Geo Ogre / DARK / Rank 4 / Fiend / Xyz / Effect / ATK 2000 / DEF 2000
"Battle." Yuu coldly declared. "Earthbound Disciple Geo Kraken, attack Fortune Lady Destiny!"
Geo Kraken lashed out its tentacles, preparing to engage Fortune Lady Destiny, who drew her bow back, preparing to release a golden arrow against the demonic monster. Desperately, Aleisha dashed towards an action card, determined to save her monster, however, the second she was about to reach the Action Card, Yuu had launched Sergey's body forward with immense velocity, a pair of rocket jets beneath the man's calves propelling him, before knocking Aleisha away with an immense hand, grabbing the Action Card, transforming it, and activating it.
"Action Magic! Earthbound Rampage!" Yuu declared, "Until the end of this turn, attacking 'Earthbound' monsters I control are unaffected by and cannot be targeted by my opponent's card effects and cannot be destroyed by battle! Furthermore, if they attack a defense position monster, they inflict piercing damage!"
Fortune Lady Destiny loosed an arrow against Geo Kraken, but the golden projectile shattered against the demonic squid's body as if it were made of dust. Geo Kraken's tentacles wrapped around the squirming witch, before squeezing hard and pulsing with electricity, destroying her.
"Ekay! Jibaku Kairei Geo Ogre! Direct Attack!" Yuu roared, pointing at Aleisha's before the demonic giant rumbled forward with a guttural roar, swinging its truncheon over its head preparing to smash Aleisha.
"FORTUNE LADY FORESIGHT'S GRAVEYARD EFFECT!" Aleisha screamed, stretching her hand forward and conjuring a black graveyard portal. "Since I'm being attacked directly, I Special Summon Foresight from my graveyard by banishing Poison Darts!"
Fortune Lady Foresight leaped onto the field in front of Geo Ogre, arms protectively stretched outwards in front of Aleisha as she glared up at the giant, causing Geo Ogre to glare back with confusion.
Fortune Lady Foresight / LIGHT / Level 4 / Spellcaster / Effect / ATK 1500 / DEF 1500
"But your monster will be banished once removed from the field." Yuu sighed, pointing towards Aleisha's teal-haired witch before Geo Ogre grunted and slammed down its truncheon, obliterating foresight and knocking Aleisha through the air before she landed on her back with a shrill scream.
Aleisha: 2300 - 500 = 1800 LP
"Goodbye, Aleisha." Yuu coldly continued, stretching his hand towards his Gryphon. "Ekay! Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon! Direct Attack!"
Aleisha managed to raise her head from the floor, eyes wide with terror as the demonic gryphon charged forward with a demonic roar, corkscrewing through the air as it prepared to finish her off.
Then, the entire room exploded in pitch-black shadow.
Yuu raised one of Sergey's eyebrows, looking curious.
"ACTION MAGIC CARD!" A booming demonic voice roared, "SELECTION OF MIRACLE! THE DAMAGE IS HALVED!"
Acid green light flooded the room, revealing the body of Yuya and Yuto, but stronger and more powerful-looking, with all its previous wounds gone from it, standing in front of a struggling Geo Gryphon, who was pinned to the ground by one of the speaker's powerful hands. Deep black shadows emanated from the figure, rising up and forming into the silhouette of a green-eyed dragon, which stared down at the Earthbound monster and Yuu with pure hatred.
Aleisha Claire: 1800 – (2500 / 2) = 550 LP
A small grin crept along Sergey's lips as Yuu smiled.
"So, you did decide to awaken." Yuu mused, "Or at least…a shadow of you. What finally did it, I wonder? Was it the pain? Or could you have perhaps heard the damsel's cry for help and gallantly awakened to save her, Kamiya Zarc?"
"The life of this mortal means nothing to me." Zarc replied, eyes burning with yellow light behind the face of Yuya. "I disrupted your little victory lap for my own reasons. None but the Supreme King may kill the prey he has deigned to hunt and you both…" He continued, a whirlwind billowing out from the shadows oozing from him, shattering glass and causing cracks to appear in the walls and ceiling as he pointed towards both Yuu and Aleisha, "…have earned my ire! Be honored!" he roared, raising his duel disk into the air, "You face Zarc! The undisputed Supreme King of Existence and God of Destruction!"
"Took you long enough." Yuu smirked. "Let's see what you're capable of. Setting three cards face-down! Furthermore, during my End Phase, the new effect of Jibaku Kairei Geo Gryphon activates! Since a monster was destroyed by its own effect this turn, I can add one card from my deck to my hand!"
A card popped out of Yuu's deck before the Dark Signer added it to his hand, a confident smile on his face.
"I add Earthbound Warden Demon Flogger from my deck to my hand." Yuu declared. "Now our battle can continue in ernest! Turn end!"
I promise to do descriptions of OCs and Fan Cards in the next chapter! For now, just assume that most of the characters were ones I created and that the characters have been fairly accurate when it comes to describing their card effects. Now, on to your reviews from the last chapter.
Epsilon Tarantula chapter 33 . Jul 4
Let's do a play-by-play of our cast! Ichiro, please, comment!
Ichiro: Starting off this chapter is Yugo, who has defeated another pointless Duel Chaser on a hormonal rampage to find Rin! Except since she's dead, there ARE no more hormones! And now, in comes filler-character Bandit! An enormous distraction besides showing off Hamon Strike Teams and paying homage to Bandit Keith! The duel is POINTLESS!
(Realizes that he should probably get another announcer character based off of the other veteran SASUKE announcer, Keisuke Hatsuta, for Ichiro to bounce stuff off of. Hmm...Keisuke Furatachi...I think I could get away with such a name)
Ichiro: Next is Selena Fujiki!
Me: DON'T SPOIL BETA NEURONS!
Ichiro (Ignoring me): Selena is having trouble with the kitten! Oh! She's launching the kitten! And has used the kitten to defeat the Obelisk Force! And now, BARRETT is here! And Selena side-decks for more defensive options in the (Reads the review responses ahead) area where her archetype is solely lacking! The duel...is not commencing yet! But it is a RIDING DUEL!
Ichiro: Now we have Yuri Fujiki!
Me: ...You're just going to explain that...
Ichiro: He is taking a nap! Truly, he is a lazy oaf with sarcasm and biting wit! Far superior to that strange dorky counterpart in that alternate reality that sent Akato flying into TV Tropes!
Akato: HOW DID YOU KNOW ABOUT THAT?!
Ichiro: Now he is dueling a robot! And is defeating the robot with more than the Biting Wit! And his dragon is hungry! Just like the Starve Venom from our reality!
Kurose: HOW IS HE FIGURING OUT PLOT POINTS?!
Ichiro: His eyes apparently mirror a Dragon's because of Starve Venom! But he has not beaten the robot!
Ichiro: Next is Yuya Sakaki! He has managed to beat security! And the prisoner is revealed to be Aleisha Claire! ...Who is a Dark Disciple and is rather insane! She is using Fortune Ladies for reasons that are likely only found out in Phoenix Guard Origins! Yuya is on the ropes, and Aleisha knows of ZARC! Carly once predicted of the destruction that would follow! Yuya isn't collapsing though, he's fighting! FIGHT, FIGHT ON YUYA! Do not let the Jibakushin into your soul! Or Yuto's!
Me: Entertaining duel on that note...though I am now terrified of Carly. Thanks a lot, Don.
Ichiro: Finally, it is Sergey Volkov! He is giving an art critique of his duel and is therefore doing my job for me! His critique is splendid!
JAS: And has earned the favor of us Akmas. We shall see to it that Sergey is returned to his mind as he is one with a skin that is neither steel or flesh.
Ichiro: Roger's control is gone! The next part is coming!
...Why did I let the announcer from Omen handle the review for me? But yeah, those are my thoughts. And my comment on Akato was making sure that his presence is homogeneous across the realities of fanfiction. Can't have him be too different from each other. I can assure you as well, that Omen is filled with madmen and women with no easy backstory.
Theodore: Capitalism is bad!
Camellia: My sword needs blood, blood, and more blood.
Moetsu: KILL ZARC, KILL ZARC, KILL ZARC
Kurose: Power...need more...poison...
Houkotsu: We must create a new era of the strong!
Oliver: Curse...you...ALICE! STEPHAN!
...Or maybe not.
8.9/10. Keep it up Don!
WHAT!? AN 8.9 OUT OF 10!? THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! FOR THAT, YOUR AMAZING STORIES WILL GET NO RECOMMENDATIONS FROM ME!
Everyone! Listen up! Whatever you do, DO NOT read "Garage Kids" OR "Omen of Uncertainty" by Epsilon Tarantula! Do not let his clean and precise writing enthrall you! DON'T follow his stories for the intriguing original characters, novel settings, OR gripping plot! TAKE THAT, EPSILON! Maybe next time you'll think to give me the 11 of 10 I deserve!
On a side note, as this chapter has probably shown, Arc-V characters who had no last names DO have last names in this story. I'll let you all decide what this means, if anything, but, spoiler alert, Yuri's surname IS Fujiki. Not Selena's, however. They're not siblings.
Thank you for the review!
ThePLOThand chapter 1 . Jul 4
(can't read it yet due to my next to read list having around 20 fics before this one, but here's a mini pre-review or however you wanna call)
Will we get corruped Gemini's e.g. Dark Twin monsters?
And I am ALWAYS PC!
It means Personal Computer right?
Did I just confess I was a Computer?
DO NOT BE ROBOPHOBIC!
Hail Konrad Zuse!
PS: what about Epsilon Tarantula? He thinks Ibuki is awesome, so it must be the universal truth!
A preview review? A PREVIEW REVIEW!? What the heck is this! I'm not responding to this!
"Will we get Dark Twins?"
…probably? But "Dark Doppelganger" would sound more sinister.
Royal2 chapter 33 . Jul 4
I never said that, you know what I can't get this thought your thick head of yours good chapter man can't wait for the next one
I can't even remember what it was you said…or who I am…or what I'm doing here…
SQUIRREL!
bladeWriter3 chapter 33 . Jul 4
Hitotsu: Ah, I just love seeing my hard work put to good use. Those Duels are going to be epic. And now I'll share my thoughts based on each segement.
Yuugo Shoukan: Well here's hoping his quest to find Rin actually goes somewhere compared to the anime. I like Bandit's personality and how she gambles, but always makes sure she's gonna win. Yugo's Luck is gonna have to be ABSOLUTELY FLAWLESS to deal with the coin toss rigger over there.
Tsukineko-chan: First of all, Moonlight Kitten is quiznaking adorable! Seeing here face Academia is rather symbolic, as now, unlike the actual cannon, she's going up against people she knew, and will have to overcome them if she doesn't wanna be dragged back. Sort of interested in her connection that Obelisk Mook Evie, and hyped to see her crush her Cyclops Ex-Bodyguard. And as for your feelings regarding her skill... no comment.
Cabbage Patch: Oh the artificial humanity! Honestly, Yuri has the easy match here facing off against that walking ATM. Frankly, after seeing you use the parody, love happy Starve Venom, I was very creeped out by the whispering, that's gonna follow me for a while.
Tomato Egaoplant: Nice to see Yuto actually acting like the Spirit Partner instead of someone the Arc V writers couldn't care for. Aleisha using the Fortunate Ladies is actually heartwarming on two accounts. 1) Meta reasons, and 2) It shows how close she and Carly were, to the point that when Carly died, she trusted Aleisha with her Deck. The debut of Dark Rite Summoning was terrifying, and seeing Yuya work to try and overcome his opponent's claims with his Entertainment Dueling and VERY powerful Pendulums that are VERY balanced because of their restrictions.
YGO!Terminator: Well, Segery's perspective was terrifying and a well described way of how he sees the world. Specially the part when he seems so disgusted by Roger. I do hope at some point in the near future, someone turns Sergey's 'utsukushii' destruction against him And the part about him being destruction's lover...
Zarc: STOP RIGHT THERE! I may the omnicidal Anti-Christ here, but even I find him disgusting!
Futatsu: FINALLY! Everyone else gets screen time. Or page time? Doesn't matter they all get some focus. And I wonder who else will be appearing in part two...
No I'm not. I KNOW who's gonna rear his crazy head next time!
Mitsu: I have gotta stop doing my reviews Yusaku style, and I have forgotten what else I wanted to say so I'll end here.
Reward: One sadomasochistic Duel Cyborg.
Sergey: UTSUKUSHII!
Response to Yugo and Bandit's duel: Glad you like Bandit. She's one of my favorite OCs as well. In fact, Bango (Bandit X Yugo) is the official "SoR" ship!
Dark Signer Rin: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! *Destroys half the universe*
Response to Saving Private Barrett vs. Sailor Selena: GIVE ME SOME FAN ART OF MOONLIGHT KITTEN! I KNOW YOU CAN DO IT! I-I'VE SEEN YOU DO THE FAN ART OF YOUR OC BRACELET GIRLS! I-I I NEED THAT FAN ART! I WON'T STOP STUTTERING UNTIL YOU GIVE IT TO ME! I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I- I-I-I-!
Response to Yuri vs. Gurren Lame-an: Just wait. Starve Venom gets better. Also, did any of your REALLY think that I would use Starve Venom from "Venom's Quest" in this? That would be like me using Abridged Aoi in a serious Vrains Fanfic, which may or may not come out.
Aoi: Aoi would be fine with this.
Response to Yuya/Yuto vs. Aleisha: Yeah, Carly "entrusted" Aleisha with her deck.
After Jack and Carly's epic beyond epic battle.
Jack: *Holding Carly in his arms, tears in his eyes* You did it, Carly. You won.
Carly: *slowly shutting down as her animating magic fades* Thank you for saving me…Jack. I'm…I'm sorry I couldn't create our bright future.
Jack: Stay with me, Carly.
Carly: *holds Jack close*
Aleisha: *Watching from the sidelines* Sooooooooooooooo…does this mean I can loot your deck now?
Carly: Aleisha, we're having a moment!
Aleisha: I know…but…I'm just saying, since, well, you're technically not going to be able to use it…can I just…?
Jack: Get out of here!
Aleisha: Ok! Ok! *Withdraws a few paces* So…is she dead yet?
Carly: OH TAKE THE FREAKING DECK! JUST LEAVE US ALONE! *Chucks the deck at Aleisha*
AND THAT'S HOW IT HAPPENED!
Response to Mr. Sergey Man: Sergey's a very Sergey person.
LilUsagi chapter 33 . Jul 4
What? Part 1 is already at the end?! It felt way too short!
Anyway, really good work, I can't wait for the next part
Hope the update will be soon~
"Soon" is a relative term, like "time" or "update" or "Chapter." It could mean "Eventually" or "possibly" or, "in about one month like usual."
ScalchopWarrior chapter 33 . Jul 4
AY A NEW CHAPTER!
Before I get into this, I must say
HOW DARE YOU UPDATE THIS CHAPTER JUST AS I'M GETTING READY TO GO TO BED SO I CAN'T READ IT IMMEDIATELY BECAUSE I NEED SLEEP EVEN THOUGH SLEEP IS FOR THE WEAK, I AM WEAK SO I NEED SLEEP! THUS I HAD TO GO TO BED AND THE NEXT MORNING I WAS BUSY AND COULDN'T READY THIS RIGHT AWAY MY GOD HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?
Anyway, this was a very good chapter as always! More...card games and plot games. I suppose maybe hopefully probably likely I think?
TIME TO TALK ABOUT THE DUELS YAY
Yugo vs Duel Chaser 429 - HA JK I'M NOT GONNA EVEN SAY A WORD ABOUT THIS DUEL AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME SINCE I DON'T CARE ABOUT DUEL CHASE 429, UNPOPULAR OPINION, I KNOW
Yugo vs Bandit - Oh boy. Oh boy. OH BOY OH BOY OH BOY! This duel was…a duel. Okay, that made it sound like I didn't like the duel, which is COMPLETELY NOT NOT NOT TRUE! I actually enjoyed this duel. A lot. Yugo's doing his usual Speedroid shenanigans and Bandit has DESPACITO BARREL DRAGON and is from AMERICA. I need to ask though, did you post this specifically today because there was an American duelist in this chapter and today is the day America turned mentally 18 and left for collage?
Okay, to be serious now (a horrifying though, I know), it was a very good and entertaining duel (from what we've seen so far). Nice that Yugo isn't the only one getting those MAD GAINS from luck based cards (even though Bandit has to be SMART and play cards that will be beneficial (ugh, disgusting) and remove the random element from the card game.)
Serena vs Obelisk Force - Screw what everyone else says, I'ma calling her Serena! This duel also happened. My favorite part was that part when Serena summoned a big monster and hit things until they died. Also Lunalight (ha I'm a dirty dub watcher) Pendulums are awesome and I want Lunalight Kitten to be real so I can stroke it gently and be banned from existence
Barrett vs Serena - Well…it didn't happen yet. How am I supposed to give my opinion? What are you trying to do? Huh? Huh? HUH?
Yuri vs Gamma 626 - Oh boy Meklords. They're certainly…a deck. (You know, I do that whole "They're certainly…a(n) x" thing way too often. I should stop). And Predaplants are my jam (among other various jams and jellies in my card game pantry. I really should try and hire someone to fix my card game pantry, because the door is broken right now and I can only access half the contents and…what was I talking about?) Also extremely disappointed in Starve Venom, how dare he speak without being hilarious.
Yuya vs Arrest Corps - TREASON DISCHARGE! TREASON DISCHARGE!
Yuya vs Aleisha - WAIT YOU'RE USING FORTUNE LADIES YOU ABSOLUTE TRUCKING MADMAN? Anyway, new Dark technique which is…awesome honestly. I actually like Dark Rite more than the other techniques so far, so that's nice I guess. Yuya gets to Pendulum Shokan and have fun that is only beginning which is cool. Remember that time he got muzzled by Security? I don't. I never don't. *shudders so much that shutters shudder*
NOW I'MA GONNA REACT TO YOUR REACTIONS! THIS IS GETTING PRETTY META HUH?
I've never actually seen that viewpoint on Yugo and Serena, so that's nice. It makes a lot of sense and…I like Serena and she makes up 1/4 my waifu shelf so shaddup. And you should know…my waifu shelf is pretty darn big.
Dennis being a leprechaun is now my personal head-canon, and no one can ever take that away. Not even you. *gets close and whispers in ear* Not. Even. You. *lathers ear in ketchup*
You know, I WOULD submit an OC…but…I'm too…you know I'm just…you know?
Yeah, there's nothing stopping me and I might. But maybe probably definitely certainly never ever dever beaver swear-upon-my-other-waifu-Ruri almost certainly post an OC…at some point maybe.
I just have no faith in my skills as a creator lol XD I'ma silly author wooooooo
Honestly, I don't actually think you have too many OCs, especially considering that you requested OCs, so it's kinda expected. Plus, even then, you bring them to life so well that it's never been a problem to me when I watch…watch? What am I watching? I meant read…I MEANT READ
Deep Subconsious Thoughts that may or may not be an evil side from the Shadow Realm: She just wants Signs of Renewal the anime
YOU SHUT UP YOU SUBCONSCIOUS THOUGHTS! NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU ANYWAY!
THAT ISN'T FUNNY, DON! IT'S NEVER BEEN FUNNY!
WAIT DID YOU JUST SAY ZEXAL SHUN IS CANON!?
Oh my god, I've never known I needed something so bad that I didn't have until now.
DONJUSTICA THE AUTHOR-SENPAI IS STILL GONE HA! CLEAN THOUST EARS OF THY EARWAX FOOLISH THOUGHT WITH A U, G, and H!
Donnnnnnnnn! I need your sage advice. So if my subconscious voices/other personas are stealing my Ben and Jerry's, even though they promised not to, do I call all of the above, the police, Ghostbusters, my mother, all of the above or some other entity of insanity?
But regardless, in all seriousness (and you know how hard that is), great work! Always keep it up, and let nothing keep you down unless you explode, in which case you can feel down all you want.
Bai bai!
HA THAT WAS A VRAINS REFERENCE I'M SO COOL
*Dabs furiously at table with napkin*
See ya!
;D
First off, just because I am made of delicious goodness does not mean you get to dab me with ketchup. Second, I ALSO NEED MOONLIGHT KITTEN TO BE A REAL THING! WRITER! HOW IS THAT FAN ART COMING!?
I'm glad you enjoyed last chapter. Just remember, that a true lasting relationship with a waifu is based on trust, and trust means having the courage to tell your waifu that they well and truly suck at card games. Some may think my constant comedic bashing of Selena to be an indication that I have little respect for her…or am just trying to tweak my readers…but it's really because I truly care about her!
Selena: *Cracking knuckles* Yeah? Say that to my face.
Nox Descious chapter 33 . Jul 4
Blooper One:
Yugo: OH! You speak Japanese! That's a relief! My een-gar-ish is kinda broken!
Bandit: The only reason I learned Japanese is because American Educational System forces you to take a foreign language class, which is stupid because the only language that matters is AMERICAN! The name's bandit! First Lietenant of the Hamon Strike Teams! IN AMERICA!
Yugo: Wait... Bandit... Uh... Is your dad who I think he is? But you're from the Fusion Dimension and Bandit Keith isnt a GX Character!
Bandit: HE'S AN AMERICAN CHARACTER and that's all that matters! IN AMERICA!
Yugo: Oh well that's a relief becasue if it only matters in America, then it doesnt matter here because this is the Synchro Dimension, not America!
Bandit: THAT IS NOT HOW THIS WORKS! IN AMERICA! BY THE WAY I'M ALSO YOU'RE NUMBER ONE FAN! IN AMERICA! LET ME RUN MY FINGERS THROUGH YOUR HAIR AND MAKE OUT WITH YOU! IN AMERICA!
Yugo: Oh God... Oh sweet Lord Almighty! NOT A FAN GIRL! HELP! RIN! CLEAR WING! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP ME!
Bandit: RUNNING IS FUTILE! IN AMERICA!
Yugo: STAND BACK! BACK! BACK YOU FOUL CREATURE! *Holds up a knife along with a loaf of bread, a stuck of butter and a slice of ham and cheese*
Bandit: Uhhhhh... Okay the knife i understand, but what are you going to do with all that food? Just because America has an obesity problem doesn't mean bribing me with food will work! In America!
Yugo: No you don't understand! That voice in my head that talked to me the last time I went berserk taught me this really neat trick! He said, and i quote, "If a woman is ever threatening you, hold up a knife, some bread, and various foods of your choice! Her womanly instincts will kick in, and she will make you a sammich!" Now get cracking! I like the crust cut off and for my sammich to be cut into triangles if you don't mind! Chop Chop!
Bandit: ... Okay imma beat the snot out of you in a duel now and then imma use that knife to shank you, IN AMERICA!
Blooper Two:
Selena: MIHO! What a pleasant surprise! Congratulations on Graduating from Academia with a double major in captain obvious and being an idiot! Shame about those student loans though! They're a killer! You know what else is a killer? ME, When a whoop your sorry butt in this duel, now do you're thing White Rabbit! Use that fancy golf club mallet to return her card to her hand!
Miho: HEY WHITEY! I bet a hundred bucks you slice into the woods!
Lunalight White Rabbit: Gambling is illegal in the Synchro Dimension, and I never slice!
WHACK!
SLICE!
CRASH!
Old Man Jenkins: DAG NABBIT! YOU ROTTEN KIDS BROKE MY WINDOW AGAIN!
Rabbit: Ooooooooooookay! Time to take a mulligan! Second time's the charm!
WHACK!
SLICE!
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWW!
Barrett: SELENA! WHAT THE HECK! NOW I'VE LOST MY OTHER EYE!
Rabbit: MY BAD! Uhhhhh Okay don't panic! I've had off days before! This time I got this!
WHACK!
SLICE!
CRASH!
MY CABBAGES!
Selena: UHHHHHHH... Hey Rabbit, maybe I should just use Mystical Space Typhoon to get rid of Miho's card...
Rabbit: NO SELENA! GIMME ANOTHER CHANCE! THE SUN WAS IN MY EYES! I CAN DO THIS!
WHACK!
BOUNCE! BOUNCE! BOUNCE! CRASH!
*The ball ricochets all over the place dozens of times until it finally collides with something*
Rabbit: DID I GET IT!? DID I GET IT?!
Selena: Uhhh... you should have just quit before you did that. Look behind you!
*Rabbit looks behind her and sees that her golf ball hit Lunalight Kitten in the face, and the poor widdle ball of floof is about to cry*
Rabbit: Oh sweet Egyptian Gods above... What have i done?
Lunalight Panther Dancer: AWWW SWEET LAWD ALMIGHTY! MA BABY! WHA HAPPENED?!
Lunalight Kitty: dat bunny's a meanie! she gimme boo boo! WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
Lunalight Panther Dancer: AWWWW HAAAAAAAAAAYEELL NAW! AW NO YOU DIDN'T?! RABBIT, I OUGHTA CLAW YO SORRY BEHIND SO BAD YOU GONNA BE POOPIN SIDEWAYS FOR HURTIN MY BABY!
Rabbit: SELENA MADE ME DO IT! SHE TOLD ME TO USE MY EFFECT EVEN THOUGH I SUCKK AT GOLF! IT WAS HER! HER! HER HER! SHE MADE ME DO IT!
Miho: Does this happen alot?
Selena: More often than you think... Ugh... I hate my life...
Blooper Three:
Me: YURI WAIT EAT A SNICKERS! You get a little psycho when you're hungry!
*shoves a snickers bar in his mouth*
Me: Better?
Yuri: BETTER!
Selena: ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! YOU MEAN ALL I NEEDED TO DO TO REDEEM YURI WAS GIVE HIM SNICKERS? BUT THAT MEANS EVERYTHING I DID IN MOONLIGHT SORROW WAS COMPLETELY POINTLESS!
Me: Well the way to a man's heart IS through his stomach, OH and by the way Venom, would you kindly read the script!
Starve Venom: What do you mean? *reads the script* OHHHHHH Now i see the problem! My name is STARVING Venom Fusion Dragon NOT STUTTERING Venom Fusion Dragon! My bad!
Yugo: How the heck did your dragon forget his own name?!
Yuri: OH I DON'T KNOW! How did YOU forget what your girlfriend looks like?
Yugo: HEY! THAT WAS ONE TIME... plus a couple dozen other times... BUT THAT'S IRRELAVENT!
NOTE! SOR IS NOT SPONSORED BY SNICKERS! SOR IS SPONSORED BY DIET SUPER MOOK!
Blooper Four:
Aleisha: I am the Dark Disciple, Aleisha Claire, harbinger of the will of Dark Signer Carly Sempai, who became a Dark Signer so that her own sempai Jack Atlas to notice her, and now with the unholy satanic powers of ripping off my sempai's deck to defeat the Destroyer, CARLY SEMPAI WILL NOTICE ME! NOW DUEL ME, DESTROYER! FOR I CAN SEE YOUR FUTURE!
Yuto: Fortune Telling is Fake!
Aleisha: HOW DARE YOU! IT IS NOT FAKE! I WILL PROVE IT TO YOU! I activate the super duper OP spell card, Fortune Lady's Magic Eight Ball!
Yuya: You gotta be kidding me...
Aleisha: OH SACRED MAGIC EIGHT BALL! WILL I WIN THIS DUEL! *Shake Shake Shake*
Magic Eight Ball: Don't count on it
Aleisha: WHAT?! THIS EIGHT BALL IS DEFECTIVE! *Shakes it even harder*
Yuya: By the way when did Carly die? Did Donny just kill her off because he decided that bloating SOR with tons and tons of OCs is better than adding a few more canon legacy characters?
Aleisha: Uhhhh... no she's not actually dead. She faked her death so she could leave the Yugioh Franchise altogether because her agent managed to get her a role as the main character of this other show.
Yuya: REALLY?! What show is that?
Aleisha: Weeeeeeeeeeeeeell...
Meanwhile...
Carly: HEY HEY HEY! WHAT'S UP INTERNET! YOUR FAVORITE DARK SIGNERS ARE IN DA HOUSE!
Misty: I'M MISTY!
Carly: AND I'M CARLY! AND THIS IS ICARLY
Blooper 1 Response: Oh come on! Everyone knows Bandit aint even really American!
Bandit: *Waiving a Canadian flag* I have no idea what you're talking about! IN CANADA! I mean…IN AMERICA!
Blooper 2 Response: White Rabbit's inherent insanity makes me question why Konami would give her real-life card the ability to raise the dead AND giant trunade the opponent's field.
White Rabbit: THE POWER! THE ABSOLUTE POWER!
And I'm impressed! You got all the moonlight characters right…except one little error. Moonlight Kitten doesn't speak English. She speaks LOL Kitten.
Selena: *Coming home to find Moonlight Kitten's head poking out of a tiny shoebox.* How the heck did you even…?
Kitten: If I fits I sits!
Selena: Oh well, whatever. Come for dinner now!
Kitten: I can haz cheeseburger?
Selena: Kitten, this is Japanasia or whever we are. Say "I can haz riceballz."
Kitten: I can uze lolcolizations!
Blooper 3 Response: Yeah, it's a little hard to transcribe in writing what I imagine for Starve Venom's voice. Just imagine multiple voices filtered through a stuttered…I mean…staggered reverb effect.
Blooper 4 Response: …
…
…
…
…
I've spent eleven years trying to scrub my brain of ICarly, and you go and RUIN IT!
Thanks for traumatizing me with suppressed memories, Nox. Remind me to figure out a way to pay you back.
ThePLOThand chapter 33 . Jul 29
If this is filler, doesn't that mean that I could skip this and nothing of value would have been missed?
Yes, I'll read it anyway.
Sure, some People are Evil for simple, some for very complex reasons, considering the cast size it would be a waste not to show simple- and complexminded antagonists
Wait, Bandit is an actual name? I thought it was just a title Keith got because... well never mind
Funfact: (Self-Promotion incoming) in chapter 13 of Arc-VRAINS I also used randomization for the Action Cards!
HOW DARE YOU HAVE FUN BY BEING MORE JAPANESE THAN THE JAPANESE VERSION?! BEGONE FOUL WEEABOO!
Now, onto something 'serious'; When Bandit uses Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect for the first time, she did get 3 heads already, so why did she uses Trick coin to change one of them into heads?
Well, Yugo only summoned one single Monster in his first turn by accident, if I recall the duel correctly and he did use several Gambling Cards himself, so he can't be that much above Serena.
Girl Obelisks? I didn't know Academia was progressive. Or perhaps they just hate the other dimensions enough to let everyone take part in their destruction.
Now to the part where I tell you what to read because I am greedy for hilarious Reviews. (but can you blame me?)
Please read Dueling Trigger it will take until chapter 201 until the bruta Slaughter starts and you said you weren't gonna drop Parabellum Bullet until it Shows Content worthy of being M-rated.
Next up is Hidden Memories (bladewrite likes it), the Protagonist starts out very similar to Yusaku, but It's not to an annoying Degree and he manages to be his own thing as Bounty hunter for SOL! The only concern might be that he kinda likes the devil.
the last one is wrath of Mammon, it also has a Bounty hunter Protagonist... but he is fighting for Hanoi!
BGM:
start: Battle! Gym Leader (Johto Version) - Pokémon Heart Gold & Soul Silver Music Extended
for the Yugo fangirl: Strange People - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice Music Extended
for the duel: Battle! Champion Iris - Pokémon Black 2 & White 2 Music Extended
for Fusion's dicing: New Danganronpa V3 O.S.T. White - 30. DANVEGAS
for Serena: Battle! Gym Leader (Kanto Version) - Pokémon Heart Gold & Soul Silver Music Extended
after the duel: [Music] Danganronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc New World Order Extended
when Serena sees Barret: The Great Straying ~ Suspense (Version 2) - Dai Gyakuten Saiban: Naruhodō Ryūnosuke no Bōken Music E
for Yuri: Harvest December- Shinzen Mondou
for Yuri fighting the Robot: Pokémon Ultra Sun & Ultra Moon - Ultra Recon Squad Battle Theme Remix
for Yuya: Harvest December- Hito no Isakai
for him learning about Zarc: Ace Attorney Confess the Truth 2016 (Custom)
for the duel: UltraSun and UltraMoon Ultra Necrozma Battle Remix
for Dark Rite summoning: In The Final - Mario & Luigi: Bowser's Inside Story Music Extended
for their combined draw: Pursuit ~ Cornering Together - Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney: Spirit of Justice Music Extended
for the power of Entertainment: 09 Swing! Pendulum of Souls
for Sergey: Pursuit ~ Wanting to Find the Truth - Gyakuten Kenji 2 Music Extended
(The following is something more General about my whole BGM thing I will post upon the next few Reviews on different stories.)
If you wonder where I got this idea from, look no further than 'Yu-Gi-Oh Arc-VOC' chapter 33 the beginning author note, that one line (while I didn't do it immediately) was what inspired me to listen to Music while reading fanfiction, making many great Moments across them even greater.
So, if anyone reading this review has time, please look at his stories, especially Cross-VRAINS his Story for the newest YGO anime.
Also, you're always free to recommend themes to me and you can even do this BGM thing to! I don't Need this to be unique and would like to see it become a trend! But please don't just post lists, and still have something to say about the chapters, I did use to do that, but I'm doing my best to avoid it in the future (Even though there are still times where I really have nothing to say, I'll admit that
Bandit got TWO heads and ONE tail when she first used Desperado Barrel Dragon's effect. The reason she says "Looks like ALL THREE of them are heads!" is because, thanks to trick coin, she can change one of the results to a head, effectively making it so that it is three heads, even though the original result WASN'T three heads. Clear things up for you?
Ok, so you think I should do BGMs too? Alright then. Here is the official author thoughts on good background music for the various segments.
Opening: Yugo vs. the Duel chaser: Sound Duel 4, Yugo's Passionate Soul
When Bandit arrives: "Doki Doki Forever"
Yugo's comeback / resolve: "Make My Story" from "Boku no Hero Academia"
Selena's duel: "Strike Back" from "Fairy Tale"
Yuri/Starve Venom: "When Memories Break" Music Box version
Yuya/Yuto: "Make my Story" Boku no Hero Academia (I love their music so much!)
Aleisha: "I Can't Fix You." The Living Tombstone
Aliesha Summons the Dark Rite and Dark Synchro monsters: "Battle in the Warrens" from "Darkest Dungeon"
Sergey Volkov: "The music of Erich Zann" for Violin Solo 2009
Yuu Hashimoto: "Requiem for a Dream" Music Box Version
ThePLOThand chapter 8 . Jul 30
So I completely misunderstood what you said about Yuri and Sergeys backstories.
They are not going to be simple, but they probably aren't what the vast majority would prefer either, that's what you meant, right?
How do you keep spamming reviews?
Ok, here are the backstories.
Sergey's Back Story!
Yuu: So, Sergey, you wanna be evil?
Sergey: HECK YEAH!
Yuri's Back Story!
Leo Akaba: So, Yuri, you wanna be evil?
Yuri: Heck yeah!
Rich, complex, full of unexpected plot twists and gripping character development. These are just some of the words I like to say out loud for no reason whatsoever.
Thank you all once again for your continued support. The final part of this chapter, along with the next VRAINS Abridged chapter, are on their way. See you then.
