NOTE: I'm really excited to get to Kourin as I have special things planned for her and Aichi both. Though, you won't see her for a while more as other characters still need to get their grove on.
Thank you for reading so far. Please enjoy and leave a review.
Chapter 9: Strength and Victory
"Toshiki Kai...you are the weakest little shit on the planet."
Kai's entire body stood still as if frozen in ice. Dragonic Overlord's words were poison to his very core, he wanted to scream at his avatar. Though, he didn't since he knew that his avatar was correct. Kai had betrayed every principle he stood for when taking the power of Link Joker and almost brought forth the end of the world.
He threw everything away for strength, but all he did was throw away his strength for emptiness.
"When I fought Aichi, he showed me what real strength is. The strength of your friends standing by you through every hardship is Aichi's strength. He defeated Link Joker with everyone else, while I stood alone and lost to him," Kai's eyes turned from the ground to stare at Dragonic Overlord. The large dragon stared right back without blinking.
"I failed you and all of Kagero. None of you have any right to forgive me or call me your vanguard," Kai spoke in a regretful tone. The Dragon didn't say anything in response, but kept his large eyes on Kai. The Kagero user slammed his hand on his chest and stepped toward Dragonic Overlord.
"But if there is any chance of me regaining the strength that I lost and righting the wrongs of my past! Then please! Give me another chance, Dragonic Overlord!" Kai pleaded in declaration to his avatar. The dragon smirked ferociously at Kai.
"Fine, boy. If you want the respect and trust of Kagero back, then you'll have to pass this trial and I'll lend you my power and more, but it's up to you to make that power explode into raw flames of power!" Dragonic Overlord lifted up his blade and slashed it downward in between him and Kai. Shielding himself from the sudden rush of wind, Kai opened his eyes to find himself standing in space.
"What am I doing in space? What's this trial have to do with space?" Kai asked into the void.
"You'll have to fight me, faker."
Kai turned around to see something shocking. Standing in front of him was...himself? The copy was dressed in grey pants, a black styled vest, and a baggy collared dark red shirt. But, what really grabbed Kai's attention were the red lines underneath the copy's eyes.
The copy was him back when he was under the effects of the reverse. A stain on his soul that would never leave him.
"So, this is what Dragonic Overlord meant by trial. To regain what I've lost, I have to defeat my mistake," Kai realized. The copy looked confused at his other's words.
"Mistake? You seem to be confused, faker. I am the real deal between the two of us. Link Joker is the greatest gift I could achieve. And no stupid speech about friendship and trust will change that," Kai(R) spoke, disgusted.
"Don't expect me to give you a speech about my friends. That was always more of Aichi's thing than anything. I'm going to correct a mistake that I never should've made," Kai pulled out his deck and Kai(R) did the same. Two red tables appeared in front of the two and they placed their decks down on them.
"STAND UP!"
"THE"
"VANGUARD!"
"Ride! Lizard Hero, Undeux(G0/5000)!" Kai(R) declared.
"Ride! Perdition Dragon Knight, Sahar(G0/4000)!" Kai declared.
"I'll take the first turn, faker. One step closer to proving you're the weakest. Draw! Ride the vanguard! Calamity Tower Wyvern(G1/5000) and move Undeux to the back row. I end my turn."
"The only one who's going to lose here is you, ghost. Draw! Ride the vanguard! Perdition Dragon Knight, Gia(G1/7000) and move Sahar to the back row. Then call, Perdition Wyvern, Zekar(G1/6000) to the back rearguard."
"Gia attacks your vanguard!"
"No guard," Kai(R) responded as Kai started his drive check and didn't see a trigger. Kai(R) checked the damage to not find a trigger either.
[Kai: Hand: 5/Damage: 0] [Kai(R): Hand: 5/Damage: 1]
"Draw! Ride the vanguard! Prowling Dragon, Striken(G2/10,000) and call! Dragon Knight Nehalem(G2/10,000) to the rear guard! Because of Striken's restrictions he cannot attack. I now activate Undeux skill and counter blast(1) to add him into the soul and search for a card with "Overlord" in its name," Kai(R) explained to his counterpart. Kai(R) searched through his deck and found Dragonic Overlord, showed it to Kai, and added it to his hand.
"Nehalem attacks your vanguard!"
"No guard," Kai responded as Nehalem stuck his vanguard.
"Damage check(Heal trigger)...tch," Kai clicked his tongue at the wasted heal sitting in his damage. Kai(R) ended his turn.
"Stand and Draw! Ride the vanguard! Perdition Dragon Knight, Llham(G2/9000)! Call! Perdition Dragon, Menace Laser Dragon(G2/9000)! Menace's skill activates! If I have a vanguard with "Perdition in its card name, then I can pay the cost(1) and retire the opponent's rear guard in the front row! Nehalem is gone!" The skill blasted Nehalem off the battlefield, much to Kai(R)'s chagrin.
"With a boost from Zekar, Menace attacks! Zekar's skill also activates! When he boosts a unit and my opponent doesn't have a rearguard in the same column, then he gains an extra +3000!" Kai informed his opponent.
"Tch, no guard," The attack blasted Kai(R)'s vanguard.
"Damage check(Draw trigger). The power goes to my vanguard."
"With a boost from Sahar, Llham attacks your vanguard!"
"Guard(20,000)!"
"Drive check(Draw trigger)!" Kai grimaced as the trigger wasn't enough to break through the shield of his opponent. He drew a card and ended his turn.
[Kai: Hand: 6/Damage: 1] [Kai(R): Hand: 4/Damage: 2]
Kai(R) grinned maliciously as he began his turn. "Time for the real party to begin. Stand and Draw! Burn everything in this world to ash with your apocalyptic fire! Ride the vanguard! Dragonic Overlord(G3/11,000) and with Striken's skill he gains an extra critical." Kai starts to sweat as his avatar glares down at him on the opposite side.
"Call! Blazing Horn Dragon(G2/9000) and Lizard General, Conroe(G1/7000)! Conroe's skill activates and I can search my deck for a G3 card with "Overlord" in its name. Though, I'll have to discard another card from my hand." Kai(R) reveals Dragonic Overlord "The Re-birth" to Kai. Kai glares at his counterpart in response.
"With the support of Conroe, Blazing Horn Dragon attacks your vanguard! Plus, when I have an overlord vanguard, Blazing Horn Dragon gains an extra +3000!"
"Guard(24,000)!" Kai stops the attack completely.
"Dragonic Overlord attacks your vanguard!"
"Guard(14,000)!"
"Twin drive check(No trigger/Critical trigger)! All effects to my vanguard!" Kai(R) grinned in satisfaction at what he got. Kai's frustrated look continued to please him.
"Damage check(No trigger/Critical trigger/Heal trigger)." Kai sighed in relief at the sight of the heal trigger. Kai(R) scowled at his failed attempt to push Kai to 4 damage.
Kai looked determined as he began his turn. "If you want to get serious, then I won't hold back either! Ride the Vanguard! Dragonic Overlord(G3/11,000)! Call! Perdition Dragon, Whirlwind Dragon(G2/9000) to the rear guard."
"With a boost from Zekar, Menace attacks!" Kai declared. He couldn't activate Zekar's skill since there was a rearguard in the same column.
"Guard(!6,000)!"
"With support from Sahar, Dragonic Overlord attacks!"
"No guard."
"Twin drive check(Critical trigger/Critical trigger)! The criticals go to Dragonic Overlord and the power goes to Whirlwind Dragon!" Kai stretched out his hand in an attacking motion as Dragonic Overlord launched a fire blast at its counterpart.
Kai(R) covered his face at the high winds that were a product from the attack. "Damage check(No trigger/Draw trigger/No trigger)."
[Kai: Hand: 3/Damage: 3] [Kai(R): Hand: 6/Damage: 5]
"Don't get cocky, faker! Link Joker is the ultimate power and I know you'll recognize this! Amid the flames of purgatory that reduce everything to ashes, rise from the dead again! Resurrection! Strongest flame dragon! Crossbreak ride! Dragonic Overlord THE RE-BIRTH!" Behind Kai(R) stood the mighty resurrection of Dragonic Overlord that was under the control of Link Joker. Kai's mind flashed back to his battle with Aichi on top of Tatsunagi Tower and Dragonic Overlord snarled disgusted at the larger dragon in front of him.
"My Dragonic Overlord will NEVER fall to anyone ever again. This power is the ultimate force of our bond with Link Joker! Call! Dragonic Burnout(G2/9000) and Calamity Tower Wyvern(G1/5000)!"
Kai(R) smirks, basking in his own ego. "I'll activate Dragonic Burnout's skill. When he's placed on the rearguard circle I can choose an overlord from my drop zone and place it to the bottom of my deck, then I can pay the cost(1) and retire one of your rear guards. I'll retire your Whirlwind Dragon." The Whirlwind Dragon was retired in a ball of flames. Kai(R) then proceeded to his attack phase.
"With the support of Conroe, Blazing Horn Dragon attacks your vanguard! Plus, when I have an overlord vanguard, Blazing Horn Dragon gains an extra +3000!"
"Tch...no guard!" Kai checked the damage to find a heal trigger, but with less damage the heal trigger was nulled.
"Wyvern boosts Dragonic Burnout to attack your vanguard!"
"Guard(21,000)!"
"Hmph, Dragonic Overlord "The Re-birth" attacks your vanguard! I'll pay the cost(1) to lock all of my rearguards and with each locked he gains +10,000!"
"Perfect guard!"
"Twin drive check(No trigger/No trigger). It was a futile effort to block it, faker. The Rebirth's skill allows him to restand by discarding two cards from my hand," Kai(R) smiled gleefully at Kai's pain stuckened face. It brought him so much joy to knock the faker down and reclaim his spot as the strongest.
"GO DRAGONIC OVERLORD! CRUSH THIS, FAKER!"
"As long as he doesn't get a critical trigger, I'll-" Kai couldn't finish his thought as he stared in horror at what his opponent drew in the drive check.
"Critical trigger! And with this, my place as the strongest is assured." Kai(R) held up the glowing critical trigger as "The Re-birth" blasted both Kai and his Dragonic Overlord relentlessly in a barrage of fire attacks.
"GAAAAHHHHHHH!" Kai and Dragonic Overlord screamed in pain as both were sent flying from the impact. Two cards were blown from the top of Kai's deck and slowly descended to the table. Kai(R) smiled in satisfaction at his expected victory.
"..."
"Huh? What the hell?" Kai(R) noticed that none of the units were disappearing and that he was still in space. He turned his attention to "The Re-birth" in anger. "Why isn't the battle over!? I won! Both of them are dead and gone!"
"You will never win again."
Kai(R) looked back to the direction of his opponents and gasped in horror at the sight of both Kai and his Dragonic Overlord standing as if nothing had just happened.
"What do you mean, I won't win!? Of course I'll win! I'm the real Toshiki Kai!" Kai(R) yelled in rage.
"No, you're a miserable memory that can't even realize the error in sealing off yourself to achieve strength. A memory that I plan to erase from existence! With my image of strength and victory!" Kai's entire board shone brightly as his damage zone revealed the last two cards to be a draw trigger and a heal trigger.
Kai's deck shone in a bright red color as Dragonic Overlord roared towards his enemies, ferociously. "Seems you're finally ready for the power, Toshiki Kai. Show this faker what a real image of victory looks like!"
"Stand and Draw! Ring the bell signaling the end of time, envoy from purgatory that will destroy the world! Ride the Vanguard! Perdition Imperial Dragon, Dragonic Overlord the Great(G3/11,000)!" Dragonic Overlord was encased in a giant wave of flames before bursting out of it and releasing a roar that shook space itself.
"Use this power to crush our enemies, Toshiki Kai! Show me that you can finally see your own victory!"
"SEEK THE MATE!"
A card flew out of Kai's deck encased in flames, his eyes glowed red as if a galaxy was swimming inside of them. "Your passionate heart bursts blindingly into flames. Appear, Dragonic Neoflame! LEGION!" Besides Dragonic Overlord a centipede like dragon slithered next to Dragonic Overlord and released a yell at the two copies.
Kai(R) stood in disbelief at the power he was feeling that was rolling off of his counterparts. He couldn't help but feel weak at the heat that was threatening to melt the skin off his bones. Even "The Re-Birth" was reeling back, sensing the incoming danger that loomed over it and its partner.
"With a boost from Zekar, Menace attacks!" Kai declared, as the units raced towards Kai(R).
"Guard + Intercept(21,000)!"
"Sahar boosts my Legion and they attack Dragonic Burnout!" The units launched forward in a giant blaze of heat towards their opponents.
"No guard." Kai(R) didn't understand why he would attack a rearguard instead of targeting his vanguard.
"Twin drive check(No trigger/Draw trigger)! All effects and power to my vanguard!" Kai draws a card as his legion destroys Dragonic Burnout.
"What was the point of that?" Kai(R) asked. Kai smirked at his counterpart and explained the Legion's ability.
"Hmph, when my Legion successfully attacks a rearguard I can pay the cost(1) and discard two cards in my hand to restand my Legion and attack again!" Kai explained as his Legion re-stood and roared once more.
"NOW LEGION ATTACK!"
"GUARD!" Kai(R) threw everything in his hand to try and stop the Legion from defeating him. He refused to lose to an inferior who didn't believe in true power.
"Twin drive check(Critical Trigger/Critical Trigger)! All effects to my Legion!" The entire space became filled with the flames of purgatory itself as the Legion became stronger than anything Kai(R) could've possibly imagined.
"N-No...I can't lose...now with Link Joker in my finger tips!"
"That's where you failed," Kai interrupted his counterpart's rant. Kai(R)'s head snapped towards Kai.
"You believe that using someone else's power is what will grant you victory while ignoring your own strength and your partner's strength. Link Joker is nothing, but a plaque to Vanguard fighters and must be purged from this universe. Starting with you, my weaker self." Kai spoke, in pitiful tone as a giant wave of fire raced towards the Reverse opponents.
Dragonic Overlord "The Re-birth" roared in pain as it was burnt away into ashes, and even the ashes were evaporated from existence. Kai(R)'s body slowly and painfully melted away as his fearful eyes bore into Kai's unforgiving ones. The last words Kai(R) heard from his counterparts would forever haunt him for the rest of existence.
"Stay in my memories, you pathetic faker."
Kai in an astral body stood on the planet Cray and Dragonic Overlord stood in front of him, grinning his head off. "You didn't disappoint me Toshiki Kai. That battle was both great and victorious. THAT is the kind of battle you need to strive for. Always remember that."
Kai returned his partner's grin with a proud smirk of his own. "Thank you for giving me the chance, Dragonic Overlord."
"Now we can get to the real business of why you're here."
"Huh? What are you talking about?" Kai asked.
"That trial was constructed to help you regain your senses for battle and for you to evolve into a version of you that will burn away everything in your path," Dragonic Overlord explained. Kai nodded his head in understanding.
"Both Earth and Cray are under threat of something even worse than Link Joker. "Deletors" is their name," Dragonic Overlord said.
"Deletors…" Kai mumbled.
"Aichi Sendou's little sister has already fallen at his hands." That got Kai's attention immediately. Someone was attacking his friends and their families without him there to help.
"I need to get home now!" Kai told his avatar.
"Of course, but you should know who their vanguard is," Dragonic Overlord opened his hand and an image appeared within it. He lowered his hand, so Kai could see it. The Kagero user wanted to know who dared to threaten his home and friends once again. Looking at the image Kai's heart stopped for a moment as he took in the person who was responsible.
"Ibuki…"
Chapter End