"So, what's the plan? You gonna tell Cipher to-" Percy started when he was lead into an alleyway by Adrian.
"How are you somehow putting 2 and 2 together and then subtracting 1?" Adrian asked, before taking out his device. "Log in. We've got to investigate." he said, disappearing.
"Wait, 2 and 2 minus 1-? Oh...OH." Percy realized, before after looking a bit ashamed, logging in himself.
I should've known, myself... Nilam thought while peeking over the corner, before logging in herself.
Landing back in the Neo-Site, Percy looked at himself in surprise.
"Whoa! My Silver Battler is still active? I figured after that jerk ran off with the money, he'd have suspended the protection on it..." Percy commented.
"You're welcome." Adrian commented.
"Still, what's the plan? How do you even expect to find a group of hackers like that? They could take out the entire city's power supply as is." Percy said.
"First, we'll definitely need to find a lead-" Adrian started, before flinching at the sounds of attacks, before peeking through the alleyway, and his eyes slightly widened. "Pip, wake up, you need to see this, too." he said, as Pip went online, and yawned.
"What, why are we in the Neo-Site- What the hell?!" Pip squawked, surprised. "Everyone's attacking everyone!"
"What do you mean "everyone"?" Percy asked, peeking as well, to see users of all sorts fighting each other, almost animal-like with their units. "Oh, damn, you mean everyone everyone."
"What's going on? Some of these users seem more barbaric than usual..." Adrian commented. "But we don't have time to investigate, It's probably safe to assume the week's warning is part of this...But maybe if we go further into this chaos zone, we might find someone responsible for starting it." He said.
"...Good plan, Cipher." Nilam commented from behind the two, as Percy and Adrian both immediately looked over in shock. "You must've been so caught up in shock you didn't see me notice you two walking into that alleyway." Nilam remarked.
"Oh, you know this chick?" Percy asked.
"Still, I guess I shouldn't be too surprised, but it seems like you'll simply have to add me to that plan." Nilam commented.
"I could erase your account." Adrian retorted, narrowing his eyes.
"I know you can...but you won't." Nilam said with narrowed eyes as well.
...Geez, this is tense. Percy thought to himself, before noticing Adrian simply open his menu, as a motorbike seemed to appear next to him, as Adrian didn't break eye contact while getting on it.
"...For now, you're more useful not running your mouth in the real world, so get on. Silver, you have a vehicle as well, I'd assume." Adrian said.
"You bet." Percy said, before taking out Victor's card, and getting inside the suit.
"Close enough, I'd suppose..." Nilam said, getting on the motorbike behind Adrian, as the group started speeding off into the chaos.
"...So, you're a hacker too, aren't you? I can see your appearance program as is." Adrian said.
"Something of a freelance one. When you spend a lot of time around data, some people learn more about what to do with it...Still, these people..." Nilam started, looking at the people in the area still relentlessly attacking each other. "It's like they've lost their minds."
"Tell me about it. Usually people think a flying mech suit is awesome." Percy commented.
"That's not what she meant, Silver. Maybe we should get a closer-" Adrian started, before hearing Pip squawk with worry.
"LOOK OUT!" The bird called out, as Adrian looked slightly surprised to see one of the fighters rushing by on their own vehicle, as Adrian immediately slowed down to get out of the way, as the rider looked back at them.
"That's on you. I didn't say closer look." Percy said. "But hey, I can fight 'em off, if you want!" He offered.
"No, allow me." Nilam said.
"You? Aren't you just freeloading as is?" Pip asked.
"For an AI, you don't seem very bright..." Nilam commented. "Cipher, you get it, don't you?"
"Why does everyone keep saying that?!" Pip asked, annoyed.
"You're saying you want a chance to prove that us bringing you isn't just glorified babysitting. Fine, but I don't think they expect us to pull over." Adrian commented.
"That's fine, just watch the road so we don't crash." Nilam told him, as cards manifested to their side, as both starting vanguards appeared and kept moving ahead with the riders.
"Oh! A fight on a motor vehicle? I've heard people try that in real life! ...It doesn't really end as well as it does here, though." Percy commented.
"Stand up...Vanguard..!" The berserk rider called out, as a small lizard appeared. "Lizard Soldier, Conroe!" they declared.
"Stand up, my, Vanguard." Nilam declared, as a dragon composed of dark matter wielding a lance flew over the two. "Avenger Soul, Void Lancer Dragon."
"Tenebris..?" Adrian asked, slightly surprised.
"You aren't the only one who hides their real deck...This one would never be looked upon with approval, given what people expect me to be." Nilam said.
"In that case, go ahead and show Silver and me how you really fight, instead of that stuck up image you've shown in school." Adrian told her, as she seemed to grin.
"...With pleasure." Nilam answered, as the other rider drew.
"Ride..! Sabel Dragonewt!" They said. "Conroe moves back...My turn ends!"
"They sound so aggressive...It's a little creepy." Percy admitted.
"Then perhaps fighting them will get them out of it." Nilam said, drawing. "I discard one card to ride Avenger Soul, Mystery Demon from the ride deck." she declared, as a strange dark matter demon with a large eyeball in their chest manifested. "Void Lancer Dragon moves back, and I get a quick shield." She added, as the card appeared in her hand. "Mystery Demon's effect activates." She added, pointing upwards. "I superior call the top card of my deck." She declared, as another card appeared, before immediately disintegrating. "Then, that card is retired."
"You called a rear guard just to retire it?" Percy asked, before noticing Mystery Demon suddenly engulf in a dark purple aura, as well as Void Lancer Dragon, while both of the units let out a resonating howl as well. "What the..?"
"The Avenger Souls don't like when their allies are taken out. When a rear guard is retired by card effects, for the rest of the turn, units with the Vengeance ability are put in that state until the end of the turn." Nilam explained, before pointing forward. "Mystery Demon attacks your vanguard. While he's in vengeance, he gets 5000 Power." she added.
"No guard..!" The other rider said, as the top card flew up.
[DRIVE CHECK - Avenger Soul, Void Falcon [G1]]
[DAMAGE CHECK - Dragon Knight, Nehalem [G2]]
"My turn is over, and my units are no longer in Vengeance." Nilam said, as the auras faded.
[Berserk Fighter?] - [Nilam]
[Hand - 5] - [Hand - 6 (plus "Quick Shield")]
[Soul - 0] - [Soul - 0]
[Damage/CB - 1/0] - [Damage/CB - 0/0]
[Drop Zone - 1] - [Drop Zone - 2]
[FIELD]
[R] [Sabel Dragonewt [G1 - 8000]] [R]
[R] [Lizard Soldier, Conroe [G0 - 5000]] [R]
[R] [Avenger Soul, Mystery Demon [G1 - 8000]] [R]
[R] [Avenger Soul, Void Lancer Dragon [G0 - 5000]] [R]
"My turn..!" The fighter said, drawing. "Ride! Berserk Dragon!" they called out, as the dragon flew in, and roared. "Berserk Dragon's effect...Go away, Void Lancer!" they called out, as a stream of flames flew in, causing Adrian to steer out of its way, as the fighter drew a card.
"Naive." Nilam said, before holding her hand out. "Vengeance." she started, as her vanguard took on a purple glow. "Then, Void Lancer's effect. Once per turn, when they're retired, I can superior call them." she added, tossing it to another back row spot.
"So in other words, you'd have to get rid of void lancer twice to keep him in the drop zone...Not bad." Adrian commented.
"Wow, that's the nicest I've heard Cipher this whole time." Percy commented.
"Doesn't matter...ATTACK!" The fighter called out, as the dragon let out another blast of flame at the vanguard.
"No guard." Nilam declared.
[DRIVE CHECK - Dragon Knight, Jannat [G0 - Critical Trigger]]
"Critical Trigger..!" The fighter said, as the flames exploded, as Adrian seemed to keep control of the vehicle, fortunately.
[DAMAGE CHECK - Avenger Soul, Grave Kid [G1]]
[DAMAGE CHECK - Avenger Soul, Vampir Magician [G3]]
"...My turn is over..." The fighter then said.
"Yeesh. I can feel how badly they want to beat you to a pulp from here." Percy commented.
[Berserk Fighter?] - [Nilam]
[Hand - 7] - [Hand - 6 (plus "Quick Shield")]
[Soul - 0] - [Soul - 0]
[Damage/CB - 1/1] - [Damage/CB - 2/0]
[Drop Zone - 3] - [Drop Zone - 2]
[FIELD]
[R] [Berserk Dragon [G2 - 10000]] [R]
[R] [Lizard Soldier, Conroe [G0 - 5000]] [R]
[R] [Avenger Soul, Mystery Demon [G1 - 8000]] [R]
[R] [R] [Avenger Soul, Void Lancer Dragon [G0 - 5000]]
"Still...There's something strange about their fighting style, not just their behavior..." Nilam commented.
"So you noticed." Adrian commented. "He may have gotten a critical, but he didn't seem too pleased about it...He might have a plan, despite that corruption. Be careful."
"You don't have to tell me." Nilam said while drawing. "Ride." she added, discarding. "Avenger Soul, Undread Dragon. His effect when placed." she added, raising her hand up. "Void Lancer is retired, and with his skill, he revives behind the vanguard again." she added.
"Retiring a rear guard as a lone effect isn't much, but considering what this deck does..." Percy started.
"That's right. Vengeance." Nilam declared, as the dragon let out a roar. "And because he is, his vanguard effect activates." She added, counterblasting. "I draw two cards, and put a card from my hand into the soul."
"So you're strengthening your resources...Nice!" Percy said, grinning.
"Undread Dragon attacks your vanguard." Nilam declared.
"Guard..!" The fighter said, much to Nilam's surprise, as a card got in the way.
[GUARD - Perdition Dragon Dancer, Tara [G0 - 20000]]
[TOTAL - 30000]
"So this is an attack they don't want to let slide..." Nilam thought out loud, before drive checking.
[DRIVE CHECK - Avenger Soul, Bloody Apparition [G0 - Critical Trigger]]
And it was a Critical, too... Nilam thought to herself, as the attack was blocked out. "...My turn is over." She declared.
He chose now to guard...Is he anxious for her first stride? Adrian wondered.
[Berserk Fighter?] - [Nilam]
[Hand - 6] - [Hand - 8 (plus "Quick Shield")]
[Soul - 0] - [Soul - 2]
[Damage/CB - 1/1] - [Damage/CB - 2/1]
[Drop Zone - 4] - [Drop Zone - 3]
[FIELD]
[R] [Berserk Dragon [G2 - 10000]] [R]
[R] [Lizard Soldier, Conroe [G0 - 5000]] [R]
[R] [Avenger Soul, Undread Dragon [G2 - 10000]] [R]
[R] [R] [Avenger Soul, Void Lancer Dragon [G0 - 5000]]