【08 - I Need to Upgrade: A Strategy for Power!】


In a shadowy, swirling pocket dimension a man in black uniform with white embroidery stepped across the room. The walls and ceiling were impossible to see, but the floor was so shiny and smooth he could see a blurry reflection in the black surface. General Urobach stepped around his throne, a high-elevated seat of black rock atop a crystalline pillar of onyx. It almost looked natural, like a giant onyx stalagmite someone had broken the tip off and chiseled into a chair. Behind his throne, before the smoky perimeter-limit of this pocket-dimension, was a long black mirror.

His reflection appeared when he was close enough, the scarred lines of a butchered face. Bright, monochromatic amber eyes. Dipping his head the general placed his palm against the glass, black fire burning under his fingers.

Lieutenant Dojo Iarumas… his thoughts rippled through the void, linking him to a subordinate. In his mind's eye he saw a cross-legged samurai whose face was hidden by a straw hat. A very long katana through a sash at his middle, almost as long as he was tall. The man raised his head somewhat, roused from his meditation.

General Urobach, Sir.

Lieutenant Urusai Torcan is unresponsive. I suspect she's been captured or is dead. Lieutenant Kaido Felgrass and her were supposed to capture the chosen fire duelist but they failed.

Does that mean… you're going to execute Lieutenant Kaido?

His fate does not concern you at the moment. The General's dark brows furrowed with annoyance.

Forgive me, Sir.

Now that we know who the last chosen duelist is we need to re-organize ourselves. Four of our lieutenants are dealing with the pesky water duelist. Three are trying to get to the light duelist. Two are watching the nature duelist currently. Then we have you and Magris trying to track the darkness duelist.

Magris has been hunting tirelessly, day in and day out, he is utterly obsessed. The Samurai answered. I've remained stealthy and investigated several towns in secrecy without finding anything yet…

I am indeed aware that Magris is obsessed with finding the darkness duelist. His single-minded drive is useful to us, for now. And yes, you are one of the lieutenants the DMA has not yet been able to identify. It's why I want you to assist me personally in retrieving the fire duelist instead, but the plan will take time. Be in the Hakano Shrine in twenty-four hours and I'll teleport you here. That is all.

The Samurai dipped his head and his reflection was wiped from the mirror. General Urobach turned away, there was more planning to be done.

"Oh god oh fuck."

"How strong was that creature?"

"Shock Trooper Mykee only has 1000 power…"

"Uh, chosen fire duelist?"

"She's waking up!"

Heidi opened her eyes painfully to see the silhouettes of several teenagers around her. Someone pushed through the crowd and then Timothy and Soroban were crouching either side of her.

"Heidi!" the older teen wrapped his arm around her shoulders, they both helped her to sit up.

"Did I win?" Heidi murmured, voice hoarse. They gave reproachful looks and laughter could be heard from across the field. That's right, it started coming back to her. Tsukumo had won with five shields. She'd never lost a duel so badly since she was a minor! Perhaps it really wasn't a fluke that he'd beat her last time.

"Come on, let's get her out of here." Iwate said from behind. They helped her to stand and Heidi had her walk of shame under the eyes of all the students.

"She's the chosen fire duelist?"

"The chosen fire duelist lost to Tsukumo?"

Her head was pounding as they climbed the stairs up and into the school building. Heidi was too weak to go on a tirade. In truth she was settling into a heavy despair. Two losses in under a week, both against the same guy. Her grandpa would be shaking his head in shame. They walked with her, two hands resting against her back when she was well enough to walk mostly unsupported. They went all the way to a far room, one of the empty study rooms. It was long with a couple of sofas, table and bookshelves lining the sides. A crystal chandelier, and Narciel reading a book – his eyes widened at the sight of her.

"What's happened?" he rushed over, they pulled out a chair and Heidi collapsed into it, drooping onto the table.

"She lost again… to Tsukumo." Timothy responded.

"Dammit!" Heidi punched the table and winced. Then she clutched her temples "can someone get me Panadol?"

Narciel nodded to Timothy and he left to fetch it for her. Then he sighed "Did you bring her bag? Good. Heidi, take out your cards. We're remaking your deck again, but this time we're going to include some semblance of a strategy."

"We just remade my deck?" she turned to him.

"And we're making it again. But this time you're going to let me have more input."

Sighing and wincing she took her bag as Iwate offered it, reached in and started fishing out her additional cards. The bearded man moved to sit on the seat opposite, professional and business-like. Timothy was soon back with the pills and a glass of water. Heidi popped them in and drained it. Narciel watched as she finished "Now, let's make a strategy."

"If strategies are so important why don't you just let Tsukumo duel these outer path guys…"

"While effect card combos are very effective in dueling, the future DM card effects can destroy monsters and change around the battlefield with ease." At his words Heidi recalled her duel against Urusai, folding in her bottom lip and nodding. "We need to combat these enemies with other future DM cards. And strategy."

Heidi sighed again and spread all her cards out around the table. The other three disciples leaned over curiously. She kept one hand on her throbbing temple.

Narciel ran his finger across her cards "There will be no more thoughtless beatdowns Heidi. There will be no holding onto cards for aesthetic or nostalgic value."

"A duelist is supposed to feel connected to her deck! It's what makes us want to win with it so passionately!"

"Even so, it is time to play more intelligently."

"I'm not getting rid of my humanoids or fire birds!" she felt very defensive.

"Well fortunately for your humanoids Supernova Mars Disaster can't evolve from Dreammates or Tyranno Drakes seeing as none of them exist in our dimension yet." He picked up her card and gazed at it. "As for your fire birds you need a proper power review so they all support the dragons you use."

"Okay fine! But it's not like fire can do anything other than beat-downs anyway, it's literally the civilization that rules creature power."

"Then why do you only play mono?"

"Cause I'm the phoenix duelist! And it's like a family tradition… I traded out all my other colours so I only have fire now anyway."

"There are test decks here we can pick apart."

"No way! I'm a fire duelist all the way!"

"Well anyway, fire does have other attributes." Narciel told her importantly, raising his head. "Speed, for instance. Tsukumo knows that well, his fire creatures are mostly all speed attackers if I'm not mistaken." He watched her scowl at the table. "Also, the ability to attack untapped creatures is something you need to capitalize on. Destroy your opponent's creatures before he can use them. It's not just power, fire civilization is about speed and combat too."

"Okay…" Heidi's headache was already dissipating, Timothy must have got her the fast-acting stuff. She started gathering her humanoids together. "Let's see what you can come up with."

The two of them worked together picking out her deck. Timothy, Soroban and Iwate made suggestions but Narciel shut them down. He was cruelly dismissive to several of Heidi's most trusted fire birds, axing them from the deck in favour of strategic abilities. Seeing them go was like losing pieces of her, but once the new deck was constructed there was a sense of happiness as well. She was bruised and beaten, but finally the loss started to fade from her mind as she gazed at the new completed deck of forty cards in front of her.

"Now all that's left to do is for you to test it out." Narciel said.

"Kettou da!" Iwate suddenly yelled, the dark-skinned aqua-haired boy pointing a finger "I want to verse the chosen fire duelist! I'm the only one of us who hasn't dueled her yet."

"When did Soroban duel Heidi?" Narciel raised an eyebrow, her and Timothy stiffened nervously.

"Uh never mind about that!" Heidi interrupted "Yoshi, I accept your challenge Iwate. Though I do still feel rattled after getting defeated again…"

"Tsukumo is the best in the school. You'll be fine," Iwate waved a hand.

"Alright." Narciel stood "We don't want her getting more injured but it's important Heidi grow as accustomed to Kaijudo duels as possible. Let's go outside."

"Do we have to?" the short girl blushed with shame at the thought of everyone seeing her again. Word would have spread to the entire school by now.

"Everyone's in class." Iwate said.

Narciel went to the door and then looked at her seriously "Never play a Kaijudo duel indoors, Heidi." He continued out and she blinked before hopping up, gathering the rejected cards together and bagging them, following the group of four out the room.

Down the marble corridors and a flight of stairs. The back exit led to gravel, their footsteps crunched along and they passed rows of naked white statues until they met grass, ahead Heidi could see a long hedge. They got closer and she realized…

"Hey, is that a maze?"

"Yes." Narciel answered.

"And at the centre… a hill? So you can find your way back out again after you get to the middle? That's so cool!"

"And a private place to duel." Narciel strode into the eight-foot tall hedge-maze without hesitation.

"We're not gonna get lost?"

"I've walked this maze many times now, I know it off by heart. I find it meditative."

They followed Narciel around the bends. He never slowed to think, he moved as calmly as if he could see the centre and then surely enough they were there. The ground inclining, Heidi and Iwate trekked upward to take their marks. She stood with her legs apart, stretching her sore muscles while her twenty-something year-old opponent also readied himself. Two Kaijudo flames lit up as they faced each other, Heidi's hand red and Iwate's the gloomy purple of the darkness civilization.

Two tables misted into view. The school building was far off, they were level with the windows of the second storey.

"Ikuzo!" Iwate drew his hand.

"Koi!" Heidi drew five cards also.

Narciel stood with his hands crossed, in his typical white robe. The other two casually-dressed disciples were gazing up with wonder. At the appearance of the ten shield panels Iwate began his turn.

"I charge nature mana and end!"

"I charge fire mana and end!"

Red and green glows while he drew another card "I charge darkness mana and summon Essence Elf!" The tree folk with butterfly webbing twisted out of the ground with 1000 power. It can make his spells cost less, Heidi thought as she drew. I better be careful, he uses darkness and that's the most dangerous civilization in the game.

"I charge and summon Brawler Zyler!" The fiery humanoid pushed up with its cannon-arm and roared.

"I charge and tap three to summon Stinger Worm!" A vile, rotting parasite with skinny legs crawled forth and hissed. It opened its jaw and started devouring the plant beside it. "I have to sacrifice another creature to summon him, but he has 5000 power!"

"Gross," Heidi commented as it finished with a burp. "Damn darkness cards… didn't realise you were so edgy, Iwate." He shrugged and she began her turn "I charge then summon Jiruba, Precision Shooter!" Her gun-armed new DM-13 creature lunged forth and she grinned "Now Brawler Zyler ike, break a shield!"

The zombie groaned and fired bullets through a glass panel, the passing wind stirring the pieces. Iwate drew and charged "I summon Coiling Vines!" Yet another plant sprang forth "Get ready to consume again Stinger Worm! Ike, devour her Brawler Zyler!"

The long slimy body extended so it could sink its legs and jaw into Heidi's soldier, rearing back and guzzling it down. She winced at the sight of it, like something out of a horror movie.

"You'll pay for that Iwate!" Heidi flashed out a card from her deck "Alright, time for another armored wyvern! I charge then tap three to summon Cutthroat Skyterror!" A winged reptile hunching under a huge cannon rose up.

"A speed attacker! Nice!" Iwate couldn't help complementing.

"It also has 5000 power so ike! Suicide with Stinger Worm! Jiruba, Precision Shooter break a shield, ike!" Her larger creature blurred before colliding with its writhing target, Jiruba sprinting along the grass before firing at a centre shield. Iwate jumped back as glass rained down on the table. Heidi cupped her mouth at the close call "Sorry!"

"Stay on your toes, Iwate." Narciel called.

"I'm fine." He replied to everyone, the glass was already gone so he drew and began his turn "I charge nature mana. Coiling Vines ike! Destroy Jiruba!" The red-brown nature wrapped around its victim, snapping his neck and back before releasing the fading creature.

"Damn…" Heidi drew, she had three cards in her hand. She charged one of them, then "I cast Crisis Boulder! You choose, destroy your mana or your creature!" The orange-metal boulder appeared and whirled across the field.

"I choose my creature." The plant was crushed. The card flicked off the table but landed in his mana zone due to its effect. Iwate started "Now I charge even more mana and summon Swamp Worm!" The grey, toothed parasite groaned as it slithered into play with 2000 power. There was no creature for it to destroy with its effect so Heidi drew and started.

"I charge more mana and cast Volcano Charger!" the ground opened up, lava aglow as the wriggling worm fell up then inside to its fiery death. That's all the cards in my hand gone, but I get extra mana now too. Heidi looked across the empty field, my shields haven't been touched yet but Iwate still has cards in his hand.

"Your deck really does focus on other things now, like gaining you mana and trying to destroy mine." Iwate praised as he drew "but now it's over… I tap seven and summon Death Cruzer, the Annihilator!" Heidi raised her head slowly at the appearance of his next gigantic darkness monster. "All my other creatures would've been destroyed to bring him out anyway… but he's a 13,000 triple breaker!"

"Damn," it was as impressive a sight as Wembley's Cliffcrush Giant, only this thing was more powerful. A demon command skeleton with multiple limbs of swords and blades. Its skull face loomed down on her, breathing sickeningly as its legs slowly flexed. Heidi nervously drew "Come on I need something good… alright! I tap all my mana and summon Astrocomet Dragon!" Her trademark red-armored dragon blazed forth, twisting its serpentine head. Flaming exhales as it stared across at the enemy. The two players narrowed their eyes at each other from beneath their mighty creatures "I feel better now with Astrocomet Dragon with me… but even when he attacks he only has 10,000 power and that's still not enough…"

"My turn! And I'm emptying my hand too! First I summon Tyrant Worm!" A saggy yellow parasite crawled up with a dry howl "And now I tap six to evolve him into Ultracide Worm!" A ghostly purple glow, the small parasite growing into another giant beast with bug-wings and two long heads. "A double breaker with 11,000 power, still stronger than Astrocomet! Death Cruzer the Annihilator ike, break three shields! Ultracide Worm ike, break the other two!"

The giants moved into action, three long blades crashing down one after the other. The third hitting the edge of Heidi's table, the point close to her face, scared expression reflected in the dull steel. Its bony arm retracted. Her three cards bounced up and as shitty luck would have it, no triggers. The worm swept its long head low, thousands of tiny teeth carving through the last two shields. At least the attack was so powerful it knocked the glass shards far off and away from her. Heidi raised fearful eyes at the two creatures towering above their surrounding labyrinth of hedges. He destroyed all five of her shields in one turn. A single shield trigger reformed and Heidi caught it. She looked at her hand, no phoenix or armored dragon there to save her, but she could use this…

"Okay shield trigger! Cyclone Panic! Each player shuffles their hand into their deck and draws the same number of cards. Although this doesn't apply to you, seeing as you have no cards…" Putting her four old shields back into her deck she shuffled then paused while Iwate waited. Her hand burst into red energy, burning fiery and bright "I'm not gonna lose!"

"Even staring down two of the darkness civilization's strongest creatures doesn't keep her confidence down…" Iwate noted admirably.

A whirlwind of orange superheated steam whizzed out as Heidi drew her four new cards. Yes! "First I'll tap two to summon Brawler Zyler!" Once again the cannon-armed zombie leapt up into play, but it looked like a toy compared to what was already on the field. "Now it's double spell time! First I cast Magma Gazer so now Astrocomet Dragon has 14,000 power when attacking!" Her monster roared as it became imbued with orange light.

"Drat… I guess this is the end for you, Death Cruzer."

"It's the end for both of them! I also cast Fists of Forever!"

"Not that card!" Iwate's mouth dropped as her dragon's claws burned red-hot.

"Okay go!" Heidi punched the air "Astrocomet Dragon ike! Take down Death Cruzer the Annihilator!" her winged beast launched through the air, clawing into the demon command and breathing a stream of fire. It swept back and Death Cruzer crash-landed, breaking apart in the fire. "Take out Ultracide Worm! Ike!" Windswept, the dragon arched its wings curving toward the giant worm. Scratching off one head and biting through the next. "Double break Iwate's shields! Ike!" As it flew back around a jet-stream of fire splintered one glass panel and then another.

"Woah…" Iwate looked up, Heidi was cloaked in clear red fire. "She's a chosen duelist alright. I shouldn't be surprised. However… shield trigger! Terror Pit!" Hundreds of shadowy hands reached for her once mighty dragon and pulled it to her graveyard. Its card flicked off the table.

"Grrr your move!"

Iwate drew and surveyed the two cards in his hand. As expected, nothing that could stand up to her. A now useless nature spell that'd boost a monster, Muscle Charger. At least he had a blocker.

"I summon Wandering Braineater!" The veiny, white-skinned living dead sauntered onto the field. With the giants now gone it was just the regular-sized monsters.

Heidi drew, her Brawler Zyler would make quick work of that "I summon Choya the Unheeding!" her spring-footed humanoid bounced on the spot. She still kept that other card in her hand. "Brawler Zyler ike!"

"Braineater block!" Iwate twisted his card and it glowed dull purple before flicking away. He drew and started his turn, but it was another dud. He sighed "I summon Essence Elf. Your move Heidi, finish me off."

"Not yet, there's something I need to try." She told him, confusing her opponent and everyone watching. The girl drew and her hoping was rewarded. "Alright! I tap two and summon Mini Titan Gett! Then I tap my last five cards to summon Supernova Mars Disaster!"

The ones watching stepped back in shock. Heidi's rollerskating kid zipped out before backflipping into a ball of light, Choya the Unheeding and Brawler Zyler were also pulled into it. The red light intensified, the card under Heidi's fingers burning as the three cards slid under it. An upward twirl of fire and an explosion of red, the white-eyed celestial phoenix arose once more. It flapped burning wings and swathed the area in red. From the sidelines the brown-haired Timothy glanced toward the school, wondering if anyone else would be looking out at the mighty sight. It was larger than any monster played before, not quite as big as a giant but a hundred times more glorious. It gave a loud songbird cry of fury.

"Uh… yeah that sure is cool Heidi… you're freaking me out…" Iwate spoke up.

"Just trust me for a bit, okay!?" she snapped at him. The power of her chosen card was flowing through her "…and duck. Okay Mars activate meteorburn!" It swept its wings and an invisible heatwave rippled outward, the tree folk ignited, burning away into cinders. "Break his last shield, ike!" It dived and Iwate ducked, the tabletop burned as did the sheer temperature. The last shield broke, as he expected it also couldn't help him.

"Okay, okay. I'm definitely out now, the duel's done Heidi."

"No, wait..." she was staring down at her card, dimly glowing red even though it wasn't her turn. "Go again."

"What?"

"Summon something. I promise I'm not going to attack you."

"Okay… cause I'll die if you do…" Iwate shook his head with confusion, drawing then playing the card. "I summon another Tyrant Worm!"

"Perfect!" Heidi exclaimed as the yellow saggy parasite squealed into view, instinctively shrinking away from the far mightier creature. Heidi drew.

"What are you doing?" Narciel demanded.

"My card… it's glowing!" she turned to shout. "I think each time I power it up or use meteorburn it charges up more and more, glows brighter and brighter, then it can send me more future cards!"

"What? Really?" Soroban spoke up.

"Hm interesting theory… alright." Narciel nodded his approval, increasing Iwate's exasperation.

"You dueled really well." She smiled at him, her burning passion returned with her victory. "Now… Supernova Mars Disaster use meteorburn again!" The card did burn brighter on the tabletop as she expected, Mini Titan Gett flying out and the god phoenix rearing up, unleashing another wave that melted Iwate's poor creature. With its planetary orbs beneath its wings, the white-eyed beast prepared for a final assault. That was when Heidi shuffled her cards together, the mighty bird siren-crying as it went out like an extinguished flame. The red light bathing the entire area faded out. Suddenly it was quiet once more.

She could've tried not attacking and letting Iwate have another turn, but she didn't want to test her phoenix's patience or risk her opponent's safety. Iwate sighed in relief at no longer being in the presence of such threatening power. He gathered up his own cards and the tables vanished. Heidi was staring with wide eyes at her Supernova Mars Disaster card. Its red light lingered, but then slowly faded until it was completely dim again.

"Hmph." She turned it over. "Guess it's going to take more than just two meteorburns to recharge it again, hmmm." She pocketed her deck.

"Good work, Heidi." Narciel said as he approached her, Timothy and Soroban were smiling. Iwate joined them from across the field.

Now she'd versed all three of them. Timothy's light-water deck with his cyber lords and draw strategies. Soroban's nature-light deck with her balloon mushrooms and light bringers. And Iwate's darkness-nature deck with mostly parasite worms and tree folk. Looking over at the Dawn of the Phoenix's middle-aged leader, Heidi wondered what sort of deck the grey-flecked man dueled with. She'd challenged him after first meeting him and the others had snickered. Would she ever get to have a Kaijudo duel against him one day? Would she be able to beat him?

"Let's head back into the school. They do have security around the fenced borders but I don't feel safe with us outside the fortress walls for too long. Make sure you familiarize yourself with that altered deck now, Heidi."

"Yeah." She smiled. "Let's go back."

Beyond the cottage house, beyond the fields of flowerbeds and the terrified mortal workers, there were untamed hills that rang with the sheer silence and mystical awe of a place never touched by humans. It was like magic, but the swirling portal of darkness was real magic. Pitch, outer darkness, folding like fabric as it twirled. The one seated delicately before it, legs together with knees bent to the side, was Gatekeeper Pluto.

He was barefoot, wearing a new kimono of shimmering gold, leaning forward into the darkness as the delicate onyx earrings swayed on their chains. He dipped his face into the black. Opened eyes to a long stone table where the other gatekeepers were seated. They were silhouetted, shadows mixed with red and purple flickering behind them.

"Gatekeeper Pluto," one of the figures turned their heads to him "Why have you taken on a human form?"

"To appease my boredom."

"Boredom?" a louder figure spoke up, he appeared more chaotic "If you're bored consume galaxies! Destruction is never boring!"

"Not for you, Gatekeeper Sedna." Pluto answered with a smile.

"Perhaps it would've been better you slumbered." A female voice spoke up, ringing with both sensuality and authority "Let a few eons pass and awake to new universes. It is better than reducing yourself in such a way."

"I've managed to enjoy myself so far, Gatekeeper Eris."

The heads of the several gatekeepers turned to him in disbelief, even the oldest of them at the far end of the table.

"Preposterous!" Sedna banged a fist on the table. "How could you, a god, a gatekeeper of the outer path, reduce yourself to a mere animal, a mere atom of yourself and find it enjoyable?"

"I find it a rather odd statement as well, Pluto." Eris agreed from the other side of the table.

Pluto reached up to tuck a strand of raven hair girlishly behind his ear, all the while his murderous energy never leaving his cadence "This little insignificant planet, I don't even remember what they call it, will fall and be conquered by one of my generals very soon."

"Conquering realities is such lowly work… why not leave it to your servants and do something more fitting?" Another voice questioned.

"It is better to CONSUME!" Sedna's fist throttled the table again.

"Oh I shall." Pluto answered with a porcelain grin "Call it folly, call it tedious, but I want to take my time and enjoy myself this time around."


AN: Yeeeees! Consuming galaxies is a lot of fun, OM NOM NOM. What have our heroes gotten themselves into? Thanks so much to acumashindorballomu and ShiningAzureEmporer for the reviews! They're so nice! I'm glad you're finding it entertaining. Don't forget to leave suggestions or requests, as they will all be considered. That goes for you too, unknown reader. I'm still unsure as to which arc or chosen I should reveal next. Next DM set is cross gears and won't that be exciting to get into if Heidi unlocks them soon? I learn as I write! My biggest dream for this fic would be for it to be the official fic of gradually teaching TCG players about the OCG, albeit slowly and frivolously ~