Yu-Gi-Oh! Convergence of Champions
Chapter 1: 'Rise of the Champion'
DISCLAIMER: Yu-Gi-Oh! was created by the late, great Kazuki Takahashi.
A little backstory concerning this story: like most YGO fans, I was stricken by the passing of Takahashi-sensei, and I wanted to find some way to express how much this world he created means to me. And this popped into my head. I played a lot of Yu-Gi-Oh! games when I was younger, including Reshef of Destruction and The Falsebound Kingdom, and wanted to make a world-spanning adventure in the vein of those games. I hope you all enjoy it!
Long ago, when the pyramids were still young, ancient Egyptian kings played games of great and terrible power. But these Shadow Games caused a war that threatened to destroy the entire world, until a brave young Pharaoh named Atem sealed the magic away within the seven mystical Millennium Items.
3000 years later, Yugi Muto solved the Millennium Puzzle and was infused with Atem's spirit. Together the two battled multiple threats, protecting the world from darkness until Atem went to his final rest after being defeated in a duel with Yugi.
However, the universe is full of champions like Yugi Muto.
And the time has come for one of them to step up…
The Realm of Lancaster.
The Tombs of The High Mages.
Light flickered as a torch flared to life. A tall sallow man, clad from head to toe in purple and gold robes, held the torch aloft as he stared at carvings in the wall. And judging from the sinister smile that crossed his face, those carvings held the answer to whatever he sought.
"As I thought…the Dark Being can be awakened if enough souls are fed to it. And there are plenty of worlds, with plenty of souls to feed him…but one world has what I need." He raised his other hand, which held a black scepter emblazoned with the Eye of Wadjat.
"Soon…soon the universe will lie at my fingertips! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"
Another World.
Avalon City.
Cole Yeager jerked awake, a cry of distress forming on his lips. He placed his face in his hands, feeling the sweat on his mahogany brown skin.
This was the third time he'd had this nightmare. Every time, he stood in a circle of flames and rubble as a massive gold titan rose into the sky. It turned its head, its cold, unblinking glare staring at him…and he screamed in pain as the flames rushed to envelop him.
"That's it. No more nachos before bedtime." He walked to the bathroom and splashed water on his face, staring at his reflection in the mirror. Deep brown eyes, tinged with worry, looked back at him. He picked up a comb and ran it through his short black hair, letting out a heavy sigh.
"Well since I'm up…might as well take a look at my deck."
Walking to his desk, Cole pulled open a drawer which contained a deck box. He picked it up, flipping open the lid and pulling out his own personal deck of Duel Monsters cards. One caught his eye and caused a smile to tug at the corners of his mouth. It depicted a warrior in blue and gold armor, wielding a massive sword. "With you by my side, there's no way I can lose a duel," he said, as much to the card as to himself.
Another man's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Cole! Breakfast!"
Cole snapped out of his reverie, shoving his deck back into its box. "Coming dad!"
Ten minutes later, Cole bounded down the steps in his blue jacket and jeans. A red T-shirt and blue and red shoes completed the look. Tied to his backpack was a duel disk. As he rounded the corner, he came face to face with a man that looked like an older version of him - although the other man sported a neatly trimmed beard and greying temples.
Robert Yeager set a plate in front of his son. "Eat up Cole…I know how big today is."
"Don't I know it!" Cole replied, taking a hearty bite out of a slice of French toast. "Today's the day to register for the Excelsior Cup! Man, I've been waiting for this tournament all year - and I'm definitely gonna clean house."
Robert could only smile and shake his head at his son's enthusiasm. "That's the spirit son. Now make sure you and your friends give it your all. And don't worry - your old man will be in the audience every step of the way."
As if on cue, there was a knock on the front door. Robert crossed to the door and opened it, revealing three figures Cole's age. One was a tall girl in a green sports jacket and shorts, her long brown hair pulled into a ponytail. The second was a boy who only came up to Robert's waist, identifiable by his dark green vest and horn-rimmed glasses. The third was a petite girl with bright pink hair, and a pink-and-white blouse and matching skirt.
Cole poked his head out and a smile crossed his face. "Eleanor! Eli! Hana! Y'all ready to do this?"
"Duh," Eleanor Weston replied, rolling her eyes. "You think we were gonna let you have all the fun dude?"
"Well keep in mind Eleanor, there are duelists flying in from around the world - and they have really great decks," her brother Eli responded, pushing up his glasses. "We could be in for some competition."
"There's no competition - Cole can totally win!" Hana Hikari replied, her eyes sparkling as much as the wing-shaped clips in her hair. "He has been practicing, right Mr. Yeager?"
"Every night - I wouldn't be the Ace of Cards if I didn't help my son to be the best he could, would I?" As Cole grabbed his backpack and went to meet his friends, Robert clapped him on the shoulder. "Just remember Cole…honor above all."
"Honor above all," Cole responded, placing his hand on his father's shoulder. He turned to Eleanor, Ell and Hana. "Let's kick it guys!"
The four headed toward Avalon Stadium, where registration for the Cup was taking place…
Meanwhile.
The Realm of Lancaster.
The doors to the Lancastrian palace burst open in a haze of smoke and fire, as the man with the bronze scepter strolled through. Armored guards rushed at him - but they may as well have been attempting to stop the rise of the tides. A mere flick of his scepter sent them flying, as he stopped at the foot of the throne room.
On said throne was a man in dark blue armor, and a black medallion which hung around his neck. His amber eyes were narrowed in fury. "What is the meaning of this assault, Heishin?"
A wicked smile crossed Heishin's face. "Simple, Lord Yasuke. I intend to reshape the universe in my image. And that image has no place for you…or those who follow you."
At Yasuke's side, a beautiful woman in flowing white robes stood up. "This is an outrage! How dare you speak to the king that way!"
"How dare I, Lady Isis? HOW DARE I?!" In fury, Heishin swung his scepter around - and a blast of golden energy flew towards the woman. Yasuke quickly darted to her side, drawing a sword with a golden blade, and deflecting the blast upwards.
"You were a fool to help Atem seal Reshef! You could have used the Dark Being's power to become a god - and you threw it away! I deserve that power! I've toiled under you for YEARS, you fool, and I deserve better. I WILL have better." Heishin raised his scepter, the eye crackling with energy. Yasuke held his sword in a defensive position.
"Don't do this," the armored warrior said quietly. "You know my Century Coin is a match for your Scepter."
"You're right. Two Century Items would result in a stalemate…"
Suddenly, golden beams of light raced toward Yasuke! He deflected one, then two…then yelled in pain as the others struck him, causing him to fall to the ground.
"Luckily, I have more than two," Heishin snickered as four other figures strolled up behind him. The first was a massively tall man clad in a sea blue robe, with golden armor resembling a lion's. Around his neck was a jet-black key. The second was a man in blood red robes, a mask covering his face and a collar made of spiked points to accentuate his angular chin. He held a black ring like artifact with five points. The third was a rotund man in bright green robes, who tittered with amusement as he held a black orb with the eye of Wadjat. And finally, a man in sand-colored robes, with a mask covering his face, clutched a pair of black scales.
"Secmeton! Atenza! Kepura! Marthis!" Yasuke shouted in anger. "How could you serve this dog?!"
Secmeton, the mage in blue, spoke in a deep voice that resounded across the castle. "Simple, 'my lord'. We saw the light."
Kepura, the mage in green, was the next to speak. "Lord Heishin promised that we would have a place in the new world…once Reshef awakens and tears this one down! Ohoho, what fun we'll have!"
Next was Atenza, the mage in red. "You always thought yourself better than us, Yasuke. Your travels to other worlds…your skill in magic…pride before the fall, my 'friend'."
And finally, Marthis - the masked mage - stood forward, holding his scales. "Let the Century Scales decide your fate," he said, his voice as scratchy as the sands of the desert.
But Yasuke's judgement never came.
For the king swung his sword upward, knocking Marthis' scales out of his hands! He then turned and held out his hands. Golden fire shot out, striking the other mages and forcing them to drop their Century Items. Before they could react, Yasuke grabbed the items and raced to Isis. Without a world, she took the ebony necklace around her throat and handed it to him.
"Yasuke…"
"I will return my love. As I was chosen as Champion of this realm, I will find a Champion to help us against Heishin." He pressed his lips to hers, and then slashed at the air with his sword. A rip opened up, revealing the vast expanse of space…and Yasuke sent the items flying. He then sheathed his sword and leapt into the gap.
"NO!" Heishin roared, firing another golden beam.
Too late.
The beam passed through empty air and struck a wall.
Incensed, Heshin strode to Isis. "Where is he?!" he snarled, hoping to intimidate her into giving up Yasuke's location. He was sorely mistaken.
"Beyond your reach," Isis said, staring down the mad mage.
In a fury, Heishin reached back and slapped her, sending her to the ground. He then turned to Atenza and Kepura. "Take her to the dungeons!" Next, he looked to Marthis and Secmeton. "Secmeton, Marthis, it's time for the second part of our plan."
"As you command, Lord Heishin," Secmeton bowed.
"Are you sure of this, my Lord?" Marthis asked. "This Earth…its Champion has a power unlike any I'd faced…"
"HAD, my dear Marthis. Had. Without it, he's merely a boy…and he cannot stand against me."
Meanwhile.
Avalon City.
Cole scribbled on a piece of paper. "Cole Yeager…19 years old…Duelist Level 5…and boom! There we go." He walked over to where his friends where standing: Eleanor leaned against the wall while Eli shuffled through his deck and Hana pulled out food for everyone.
"Yo, Cee, you all set?" Eleanor said, popping a stick of gum in her mouth.
"Yeah," Cole said. He pulled out his deck and looked at it. "This deck is going to take me to victory…and help me surpass my dad."
Hana couldn't help but smile as she handed Cole a sandwich. "You have a month to prepare for this tournament Cole. Your dad will be waiting for you."
Suddenly a shadow fell over the four, and they turned to see a boy standing across from Cole. He wore a long black trench coat over a white shirt, with jet black pants and white and black sneakers. Even his hair kept the same tone, as it was jet black with a shock of white in the front.
"What's up, dude?" Cole asked cautiously.
Suddenly, he felt an elbow in his knee. He looked down and glared at Eli. "What?!"
"Don't you know who that is? That's Simon Kaiser!"
"Kaiser…Kaiser…" Suddenly recognition dawned on Cole's face. "Isn't your dad the guy who sponsors the Excelsior Cup? And built our Duel Disk technology?"
"The same," Simon said in a low voice. "I've been looking for you, Cole Yeager…"
"Well, you found me. Did I win a million dollars? You want to hire me?"
"I want to duel you."
This threw Cole for a loop. "Um, why me?" he said cautiously.
"Your father is the Ace of Cards…the greatest duelist in the world. And I want to see if you have even a fraction of his strength." Simon leveled a finger at Cole. "Meet me in the stadium in ten minutes!" With that he strode off, his black coat billowing in the wind.
Cole stared forlornly at his sandwich. "But I wanted to get some lunch…"
"Tell you what," Hana interjected, taking the sandwich and putting it back in the bright pink cooler she'd brought. "We can eat lunch after you beat him. Sound fair?"
"Sounds more than fair." Cole gave her the thumbs up, and she blushed slightly.
Ten Minutes Later.
Avalon City Stadium.
News traveled fast, and soon nearly every duelist who registered for the Excelsior Cup had grabbed a seat to watch the son of tech magnate Will Kaiser face off against the son of the Ace of Cards. Hana and the Weston siblings sat in the front row, as Cole stood on the right side of the dueling field shuffling his deck.
"So, Eli, what exactly's the deal with this Kaiser kid?" Eleanor asked her brother. "I mean his dad's disgustingly rich…and he seems like a jerk…but kinda hot…"
"Elanor!" squeaked Eli. "Didn't need to hear that!"
"Ellie!" yelled Hana.
"Hey, I'm not blind."
Eli took a deep breath, shuddering before continuing. "Anyway…Simon has apparently been making the rounds on the pro duelist circuit. Nobody's ever been able to beat him."
"The boy is right," a gruff voice added.
The three friends whipped around to see a trio of figures sitting behind them. The first was a stout man wearing what looked like a form of modern Viking armor; his Duel Disk took the shape of a wolf's head. The second was a man dressed in an impeccably pressed three-piece suit, his eyes and hair the same cold black. The third was a girl around Cole and Hana's age, and she was gorgeous: a red vest and skirt covered a blue tube top and matching boots, all of it showing off her shapely figure.
The Viking continued, "That Simon boy…he kicked my arse in five turns. Didn't even get a chance to bust out my best cards."
"There's no doubt about it," the man in the suit said in a flat tone. "His deck is constructed to overpower any opponent. Your friend's chances of survival in this duel are…infestimental."
Eleanor spun around. "Hey, who asked you, Wall Street?"
"I am simply stating the facts."
"Oh, don't mind Wesley, he's too serious for his own good," the girl in red and blue said, tossing back her dark blue hair. "Oh! By the way I'm Britney Blaze. This is Lucas Alfson" - she pointed to the Viking - "and you've already met Wesley Steele."
"Charmed," Wesley said stiffly.
"Shall your friend win, we will partake of mead and mutton!" Lucas bellowed vigorously, hosting his arm aloft. "If not…we shall still partake of mead and mutton."
"You do realize we're the only ones old enough to drink," Wesley said.
"Hey!" another duelist yelled. "Simon Kaiser is here!"
Indeed, Simon walked into the arena, his trench coat billowing behind him. Immediately the stadium was overcome with talk.
"We're gonna get to see the Pro Circuit champ duel in person!"
"But he's fighting Robert Yeager's kid."
"The Ace of Cards? So, he's gotta be good as his dad right?"
"Bet the Yeager kid folds in five turns."
Cole's eye twitched. "Thanks for the support folks…"
"DON'T LISTEN TO THEM CEE!" Eleanor shouted. "KICK HIS ASS!"
"You can beat him!" Hana added. "We believe in you!"
"Good luck!" Eli called, flashing the "V for Victory" sign at his friend. "Like you told me…a real duelist takes on any challenge!"
Simon looked up at the trio, a small smirk crossing his face. "So, you have a fan club," he remarked. "Hope they won't take your loss too easily."
"I'm not going down that easily," Cole remarked. He triggered his Duel Disk into active position, and slapped his deck into the deck holder. Simon did the same.
"LET'S DUEL!"
Cole: 4000 LP / Simon: 4000 LP
"I'll go first," Simon said, drawing one card from his deck. "I summon Assault Wyvern in attack mode!" A blue and purple dragon appeared, with blades in place of wings. (Level 4/Dragon/Light/ATK: 1800/DEF: 1000) "Then I place one card facedown and end my turn."
"My turn!" Cole drew a card, and a slight smirk crossed his face. "First I place two cards face down on the field." As two facedown cards appeared in front of him, he selected another card and slapped it on his duel disk. "Since I have no monsters on my field, I can normal summon Giltia the D. Knight - Soul Spear!" A knight in green armor and blue robes appeared, carrying a long spear. (Level 5/Warrior/Light/ATK: 1850/DEF: 1600).
"Last I checked, Giltia is stronger than your Assault Wyvern," Cole said. "Giltia attack! Soul Spear!"
Giltia lifted his spear and flung it with immense force at the Assault Wyvern.
…until Simon shouted, "I don't think so! Reveal face down card - Tag Out!"
His trap lifted up. "This lets me take one monster on my field and replace it with a monster of the same level! And I choose…The Rare Metal Dragon!"
Assault Wyvern disappeared, and in its place rose a massive reptilian beast covered from head to toe in shining razor sharp armor. (Level 4/Dragon/Dark/ATK: 2400/DEF: 1200)
"Damn…" Cole grumbled as Giltia caught his spear. "OK, I'm activating Giltia's effect. By discarding one card from my hand to the graveyard, I can add a specific monster to my hand!" A card shot out of his deck, and he picked up it, as another left his hand to the graveyard. "My turn's done."
"And it's my turn once again," Simon said. He drew a new card, and smirked. "Time to take things to the next level. I re-summon Assault Wyvern!" Assault Wyvern reappeared, flexing its bladed wings. "Now Rare Metal Dragon, attack Giltia!"
"Not happening!" Cole shouted. "I activate Kuribolt's special effect!"
Out of his graveyard shot a bolt of lightning! It dashed all around the arena before taking the form of a fluffy gold ball, whose tufts of fur looked like miniature lightning bolts. "Kuri!" it squeaked, before hitting Rare Metal Dragon, causing it to stumble.
"The hell?!" Simon roared.
"Kuribolt's special ability! When I discarded it for my Giltia's effect, I can select an attacking monster and shift it to defense position. However, it's a one-time effect."
"You think your little puffball scares me?" Simon growled, plucking another card from his hand. "I activate Stamping Destruction! Now I get to destroy one spell or trap on your field and cause 500 points of damage to you since I have a dragon out!"
Assault Wyvern roared, with shockwaves blasting across the field and shattering one of Cole's cards into pieces. "I never get to use this card," he grumbled as he placed his Mirror Force in the graveyard.
Cole: 3500 LP/Simon: 4000 LP
"I end my turn." Simon glanced over at his hand, specifically the card on the far right. Just one more turn…and I'll show him how skilled of a duelist I really am.
"It's my move!" Cole drew. "Want to take things to the next level, Simon? I'm ready for you. I summon Marauding Captain in attack mode!" A new knight appeared on his field, this one having dual swords and dark blonde hair. "And due to his ability, I can summon another warrior! Come on out, Noble Knight Joan!"Another knight appeared, this one a female with shining armor and short red hair. (Level 4/Warrior/Light/ATK: 1900/ DEF: 1300)
"Now it's time to attack!" Cole shouted! "First up, Giltia, attack Rare Metal Dragon!" Once again, Giltia flung his spear, tearing through the metal dragon and shattering it to pieces. "Now Joan, attack Assault Wyvern!"
"Too bad your knight loses attack points when it attacks," Simon smirked. (ATK: 1900 - 1600)
"Yeah…that's why I have this." Cole said, as his other facedown card lifted up. "Ambush Shield! Now I sacrifice one monster, and its defense gets added to Joan's attack!"
The smirk left Simon's face. "What!?"
"And I chose Giltia!" Giltia glowed, transforming into a bright white light as Joan's sword glowed. (ATK: 1600 - 3200) She charged forward and cut Assault Wyvern in half, shattering it into pieces.
Cole: 3500 LP/Simon: 2600 LP
"This is incredible!" Eli gushed, hopping up and down. "Cole's giving Simon a run for his money!" Suddenly a massive hand slapped him on the back, pitching him forward and sending his glasses askew.
"Your friend is a true duelist!" Lucas bellowed. "Not many have given the King of Dragons a run for his money!"
"King of Dragons, huh? Explains his deck," Eleanor said.
"Indeed," Wesley said. "HIs deck is built around summoning high powered dragons, with spells and traps to clear his opponent's field. And he hasn't even summoned his best monster yet."
"Best monster?"
"It's a creature that has a reputation as one of the deadliest beings in Duel Monsters…and no one's ever been able to beat it."
So he has some skill, Simon thought as he drew his next card. No matter. This ends now. "I activate Card Destruction! This will force us to discard our entire hand and draw the same number of cards."
Cole growled as he slotted his hand in his graveyard, with both he and Simon drawing four new cards from their decks. "Next, I activate Offerings to the Doomed! By discarding one card from my hand, I'll destroy Joan!" Bandages wrapped around Joan, pulling her into darkness. "And finally, I summon Decoy Dragon in attack mode!" (Level 2/Dragon/FIRE/ATK: 300/DEF: 200)
A small bright blue dragon sat on Simon's side of the field, cooing happily. It burped a small stream of fire, then sat on its bottom.
Cole sweat dropped. "This…this isn't a joke, right?"
"All the powerful dragons in the game and he plays…that?" Eli muttered, then turned and saw Eleanor with a rather…starry eyed look on her face. He then turned to the others. "Guys?"
"Awww…" Britney cooed.
"It's so cute!" Hana squealed.
Eli sweat dropped. "Forget I asked."
Cole drew another card, staring at the Decoy Dragon. That's gotta have an effect…I'll make sure I have a backup plan. "I summon Giant Soldier of Stone in defense mode!" (Level 3/Rock/EARTH/ATK: 1300/DEF: 2000)" A massive golem made of rock appeared and knelt protectively in front of Cole. "Marauding Captain, attack Decoy Dragon!"
Marauding Captain drew his swords and charged at the small dragon…
…and a smirk crossed Simon's face. "That was a bad move, Cole. You just triggered Decoy Dragon's effect! Whenever it's attacked, I get to summon a Level 7 or higher Dragon-type from my graveyard to the field - and you HAVE to attack it."
Cole blanched. "Crap!"
A card flew out of Simon's graveyard, which he held aloft. "Behold, Cole Yeager, my greatest monster, and the key to my victory! Rise up, Typhon the Duke of Dragons!"
Shadows fell across the entire stadium, causing everyone to look up. Cole peered up, and his jaw dropped.
Hovering over him was a massive dragon, its jet-black wings extending over the dueling field. Its burning red eyes glared at the Marauding Captain, whose swords broke over its scales. The dragon reached down and grabbed the knight in one hand, squeezing until it shattered into pieces. (Level 8/Dragon/Dark/ATK: 3000/DEF: 2500)
Cole: 1700 LP/ Simon: 2600 LP
"That…" Eleanor began. "Is a very, very, VERY big dragon."
"But Cole can beat it right?" Hana said.
She was met with silence.
Lucas slowly spoke. "It's hard to tell…when I faced that beast, it blew me away in one move."
"Every time Kaiser has summoned this monster, it's won him the duel," Wesley added, folding his arms. "I calculate that Yeager has…a 0.01 percent chance of winning."
Hana turned back to the duel, worry etched into her face. "Cole…"
"Now I activate the effect of Typhon! For every dragon monster in my graveyard, I can make an additional attack!" Simon shouted. "So this duel is as good as over! Typhon! Titan's Inferno! Destroy his Stone Soldier!"
Typhon opened its mouth and unleashed a torrent of jet-black flames. The inferno slammed into the Stone Soldier, reducing it to ash. "Now Typhon, end this duel!"
Once again, Typhon unleashed a stream of flames that raced towards Cole…
…until the knight duelist shouted, "Activate my trap card! Waboku!"
Suddenly a group of ghostly priests surrounded him. One of them raised its arms and chanted a spell in a strange language, and the flames spread into a V formation, narrowly missing Cole.
"Waboku?!" Simon growled. "Damnit! Of all the cards to play, you played the one that reduces damage to 0!"
"Yeah, I did," Cole replied, folding his arms. "It's called strategy. So, unless you want to try and no-sell me again with that Final Fantasy reject…"
"This Cole guy…he's super skilled," Britney remarked, looking at the knight duelist in awe. "No one's ever given Simon this much trouble."
"HA!" shouted Eleanor, jumping up and pointing at Wesley. "Where's your math now? Cole pulled a miracle!"
"Perhaps I was wrong…I now recalculate his success…"
"That's what I'm talking about."
"...to 1 percent."
Eleanor toppled over. "Oh, come on!"
"I end my turn," Simon said, a dark smile crossing his face. "You might as well give up now. No one has ever beaten Typhon."
There was a deathly silence.
"Did you tell me to give up?" Cole asked quietly.
"I won't hold it against you -"
"My dad told me he had one rule as a duelist: Honor above all. That means I give every duel my all, I play fair, and I never give up. And I promised myself that I'd live up to his code…it's the only way I can surpass him as a Duelist. And if you're asking me to give up…you're not the great duelist everyone thinks you are."
Simon blanched. No one who had ever dueled him had ever spoken to him this way. And yet he couldn't deny the passion…the fire in Cole's words. Is this the Duelist who can truly rival me?
"And as for the big guy…every card has a weakness. And I'll tell you right now, the secret to beating your dragon is in my deck."
Gasps erupted among the audience.
"This kid is crazy!"
"Pressure got to him."
"Bet he's talking shit."
Hana's eyes sparkled. "Come on Cole…you can draw it!" she cheered.
Eleanor stared at her. "Draw what?"
"What kind of card could he have that would defeat that beast?" Lucas pondered.
Britney's eyes grew wide. He couldn't…she thought. He couldn't have that card in his deck, could he?
Cole drew. "My turn!" He stared at the card he held in his hand and smiled.
"Simon. I win."
Once more, gasps echoed across the stadium.
"Impossible," Simon scoffed.
"Impossible's my middle name bud…or at least it should be." Cole placed a card into his Duel Disk. "I activate Ancient Rules! This lets me special summon one Level 5 or higher monster without sacrificing, and I'm gonna summon my own ace card! The greatest swordsman in Duel Monsters!" He slapped another card on his disk, and a new monster rose.
It was a seven-foot-tall warrior, clad from head to toe in navy blue armor with golden accents. Strapped to its back was a massive, curved sword. Its red eyes glared at Typhon.
"Meet the BUSTER BLADER!" (Level 7/Warrior/Earth/ATK: 2600/DEF: 2300)
"THE BUSTER BLADER?!" Eli and Eleanor shrieked.
"Perfect!" roared Lucas. "The King of Dragons will be felled by a dragon slayer!"
Wesley slumped in his seat. "My calculations…how could they be wrong?"
"The Buster Blader?!" Simon gasped. The one card that could beat me…and HE HAS IT?!
"Buster Blader's effect kicks in! Now he gets 500 extra attack points for every Dragon-type monster on your field and in the graveyard! And last I checked, you have a lot of dragons…"
"Typhon…my Assault Wyvern, Decoy Dragon, and Rare Metal Dragon…plus the Shield Wing and Dragon Knight of Creation I discarded with Card Destruction…" Simon's face was nearly as white as the streaks in his hair. "That's 3000 extra attack points!" (ATK: 2600 - ATK: 5600)
"And more than enough to wipe you out!" Cole shouted triumphantly. "Buster Blader, attack Typhon! Destruction Sword Flash!"
Buster Blader drew his sword and leapt up into the air, charging at Typhon. There was a massive white flash of light, forcing everyone to cover their eyes. Soon, the dragon hunter landed in a kneeling position. Two seconds later, Typhon's head crashed to the ground. Its body plummeted to the ground and then shattered into pieces.
Cole: 1700 LP/ Simon: 0 LP
"I…I lost." Simon said, in a daze.
"I won," Cole said in awe. "I beat a freakin' pro circuit champ."
"He won!" shouted Hana, leaping to her feet. "Cole! Cole! Cole!"
Others in the audience picked up her chant.
"Cole! Cole! Cole! Cole!"
Cole deactivated his Duel Disk, walking over and offering a hand to Simon. "Hey, good game man. You gave me a run for my money."
Simon grasped his hand and shook it. "I underestimated you, Cole. You truly have what it takes to be as good…if not better…than your father." He fixed Cole with a steely glare. "But make no mistake. The next time we duel, I will win. So be prepared." He turned and strode out, his trench coat billowing behind him.
"Jeez that guy's intense," Cole muttered, rubbing his head. Then the chanting of his name drew his eyes to the stands, and a huge smile crossed his face. On impulse, he took an exaggerated bow, and cheers rang throughout the audience.
A blur of pink tackled him. "You won!" Hana shouted. "You won! You beat one of the best duelists in the world!"
"Hana. Ribs."
"Sorry."
A loud clearing of the throat caused Cole to turn around. Eleanor had her arms folded and was tapping her foot. "What?" he asked innocently.
"You had a Buster Blader?! And you didn't tell us?!" she shouted.
"You never asked," Eli pointed out, earning a glare from his sister.
"Yeah, it was the first card I pulled from a booster pack," Cole said, pulling the Buster Blader card from his deck. "I'd wanted that card for so long...That's why I built a knight deck."
"Splendid reasoning!" Lucas bellowed, walking over to the knight duelist. "A knight slaying a dragon…like the tales of old."
"Thanks, man, and you are-?"
"Lucas Alfson! The great Viking Duelist! I look forward to facing you one day."
"Wesley Steele," Wesley said, approaching. "Congratulations, Mr. Yeager. You are one of the few Duelists who's managed to impress me."
"He's not the only one."
Wesley strode toward the exit, as Britney walked up to Cole. "You're full of surprises aren't you?"
"Uh…yeah…" Cole stammered.
"Fun! I like a Duelist who's worth a challenge," Britney walked off toward another exit. Before she got there, she turned and winked at Cole. "See you at the Cup, hot stuff."
A blush spread through Cole's cheeks. "Oh…right…yeah, see you there!"
"Come, Cole, I promised you and your friends mutton!" Lucas said, shaking the knight duelist out of his reverie. He turned to the Viking. "Mutton huh?"
"Really? Thatcard? Thanks for the info, Tyson," Robert Yeager said. He hung up his cell phone, shaking his head in awe. "My son beat a pro circuit champion…"
Suddenly there was a flash of light, forcing Robert to cover his eyes. When he opened them, there was a strange ebony medallion on the kitchen table. "What the hell…?" he muttered, staring at it.
Another Earth.
Yasuke landed with a thud on the ground. He turned, looking at the flashes of light streaking across the sky. "He'll never find them…never awaken that abomination…" he muttered, feeling weak.
Dimly, he heard a bell ring and a gasp.
"Grandpa! Joey! Help me!"
Soon Yasuke felt himself being lifted up and placed on the couch. A cup was lifted to his lips, and he took in a rich broth. Not only was it tasty, but it invigorated him.
"Ya sure about this Yug?" a voice rang in his ears. "For all we know, this dude could be a serial killer or somethin'."
"I doubt a serial killer would pass out in front of the store."
Yasuke opened his eyes. He saw two figures standing about him, both clad in school uniforms. One had shaggy blonde hair and amber eyes. The other stood a good foot shorter than his companion but was identifiable by his star-shaped hair as well as its vibrant colors of red and gold.
"I…I assure you I don't seek your deaths," he croaked out.
The blonde nearly leaped a foot in the air. "Gah!"
"It's ok, Joey," the star-haired boy said, turning to Yasuke. "My name is Yugi Muto, and this is my friend Joey Wheeler. What…what brought you to my shop?"
"Yugi Muto…I seek a Champion. Someone who can help me save the universe."
TO BE CONTINUED…
Next Episode: 'Chaos On Two Earths"
Cole has no time to celebrate his victory against Simon Kaiser as Heishin invades his world - putting his father's life at risk. Meanwhile, Heishin's fellow mages resurrect old enemies to deal with Yugi and Joey, while Yasuke discovers a potential candidate for the Champion.
Please read and review!