Chapter 6: Evil Conduit
Jounouchi looked warily at the structure as he could feel the Spirit also looking at it. As the Alligator's Sword seemed to be caught in its crimson ray, Norman softly laughed making sure Jounouchi heard it.
"Don't worry about that. It's just my Demonic Channeling Tower trap card."
"Demonic Channeling Tower?" Jounouchi questioned.
"It's one of the cards I created," Norman explained, "among my best in the set too. It's activated when my opponent declares an attack against either a demon (fiend) or magic user (spell caster) monster. The attack value of the monster that just attacked can be added to any of my magic user or demon-type monsters."
"Nani!"
"Since your Alligator's Sword attacked, 1500 attack points will be added to my Critter, brining it up to 2500."
"Great. I'll bet his whole deck is nothing but demons and magic users."
The Alligator's Sword was released from the beam, but another beam came from the tower and hit the three-eyed monster, making it grow bigger. Since the attack was still declared, Jounouchi's monster attempted battle, but the Critter struck back by firing three beams from its eyes. Jounouchi's monster was pushed back and broke up into pieces. His life points were now at 3000.
"Damn!" he said, "I will switch Beta to defense. End my turn."
"Poor, poor Jounouchi," Norman said drawing a card, "It's too bad. The Tower is a continuous trap, and as long as its effect stays on the field, the increase my monsters get from your attacks will also be continuous. Not to mention it cannot be destroyed by anything, and you cannot attack my life-points directly."
"What kind of card is that? It's way too powerful!" Jounouchi protested.
"Maybe, but if you want to get Yugi back, you will have to deal with it."
"Damn, he's right," Jounouchi thought, "And I can't get out because this stupid holding device."
"Critter," Norman commanded, "Attack Magnet Warrior Beta!"
The enlarged creature lunged at Beta and slashed it to pieces before it was destroyed.
"Now things are heating up," he said taking a card from his hand, "Summon Devil's Priest in attack mode. End my turn."
As the card was displayed, Jounouchi could see it was a magic user before it transformed into the monster itself. Also, its attack and defense were 1500 and 1800 respectively.
"He could have attacked with Critter and that fake card, but he summoned it after he attacked…"
"He's either very confident or my theory about him is correct. He must only know some aspects of the game. That could be an advantage."
"How?" Jounouchi asked, "That card will make all attacks against him harmful."
"Maybe, but if he does not know some aspects of the game, then he may have left vulnerabilities in his fake cards that he does not know about."
"For now, though, I need to prevent him from getting to my live points," Jounouchi thought as he drew a card.
"Big Shield Gardna in defense," he said, "and set one card face-down. End my turn."
"Trying to protect yourself, I see. My turn," he said reaching for his deck, "Draw card!"
Seto and Grandpa looked intensely at the computer screen as they saw menus open and close. Mokuba was still hacking his way into the hideout's network to find the door controls.
"Niisama," his voice said from Seto's pin, "It will take some time to find the proper commands."
"Keep trying," Seto said.
"I wish I could see what's going on in there," Grandpa said looking at the blast doors.
"Maybe I can do that," Mokuba replied, "It won't divert the computer's attention to see if there are working cameras in the other room."
"Good," Seto said, "Try doing that as well, Mokuba."
"Hai."
"I just hope Jounouchi keeps him from trying to get away until we can open the doors. For Yugi's sake, he better not get himself killed."
The situation was the same. Jounouchi only had one monster and one face-down card with 3000 life points, where as Norman had a power up monster on the field and a fake monster with only 2300 life points.
"Sacrifice the Devil's Priest to summon the Duke of Ghosts (Earl of Demise) ready to attack. Set one card, and that ends my turn."
"It's my turn," Jounouchi said drawing.
"Magic Cylinders!"
"And the Black Magician Girl is in hand. But we need time to safely pull this off."
"I'll take care of that."
"Activate magic card: Swords of Revealing Light."
The card flipped up and glowed. Several swords of light appeared above Norman and came down around him and his monsters, sealing any attacks.
"Sacrifice Big Shield Gardna to summon Black Magician Girl (Dark Magician Girl)," he stated as the shield monster disintegrated and replaced by the female mage, "Set one card on the field face down, and end my turn."
Norman drew a card and looked over to Jounouchi.
"Tell me, Jounouchi, how close are you to Yugi?"
"Why do you want to know?" he asked coldly.
"I just want to know how much despair I can expect from him when I show him your impaled, lifeless body to him."
"That's not going to happen."
"Oh yes it will. I can see it now."
"You really are a sick asshole."
"Watch it, kid," he said taking out his gun with his free hand, "I could just shot you and be done with it."
"So why do this elaborate scene?"
"Just my goal. I would rather save a plain shooting for someone like Kaiba."
"That's what I thought."
"What?" the other Yugi asked.
"He's crazy, but he won't use the gun. He wants to live out his sick fantasy."
"That's a dangerous game to play, Jounouchi. I hope your right."
"Niisama," Mokuba said, "I found a working camera in the next room."
"What's happening in there?" his big brother asked.
"Well, see for yourself."
The computer displayed a window showing the actions of the next room in clear detail. Both of them were surprised to see Jounouchi in the torso restraint and the fact he and Norman were dueling.
"Yugi!" Grandpa said as soon as he saw his grandson in the cage beside Norman.
"He's buying time," Seto said before something caught his attention, "Black Magician Girl!"
"What's that monster doing on Jounouchi's field?" Mokuba asked.
"He must be using Yugi's deck," Grandpa replied.
"Hm. He probably realized his own cards are too weak really win."
"Anyway," Norman said, "let's continue. I think I will get rid of those little obstacles."
Jounouchi prepared himself.
"First. I shall use this," he said inserting another card into the duel disk, "Tornado (Mystical Space Typhoon) and get rid of your Swords."
Jounouchi watched in shock as his major defense was whisked away by whirling winds around Norman.
"Next, I shall have Critter attack your only monster. Critter, attack the Black Magician Girl!"
The monster's eyes began to glow as they fired three beams at the mage girl.
"Activate it now, Jounouchi!"
"Activate trap: Magic Cylinders!"
Suddenly, two tubes appeared on both side of the Black Magician Girl. As the Critter's eye beams got closer to the mage girl, they were drawn into the left tube and reemerged out of the right one, firing them back towards the monster.
"Got it!"
Suddenly, the beams were drawn towards the Channeling Tower, shocking Jounouchi and the other Yugi. After being absorbed into it, a beam fired and hit the Critter, and its attack power rose to 5000.
"Idiot. Even my own attack can be channeled," Norman gloated, "Since I really can't attack, I'll end my turn."
Jounouchi looked at his deck and drew a card. Looking at it, he was surprised at first, but it quickly turned to joy. Norman wondered what was so good about the card his opponent just drew, but Jounouchi could see it. It was one that could turn the duel around: Android Psycho Shocker. Jounouchi looked at the card with glee as now he had a plan.
"Sacrifice Black Magician Girl for Android Psycho Shocker (Jinzo)!" he stated as the mage girl was replaced with the tall cyborg monster.
Norman was taken back by this action but quickly smiled.
"So what? That monster cannot match mine. I'll just have my 5000 attack powered Critter attack that."
"Who said your Critter is at 5000?" Jounouchi sarcastically asked smiling.
"What?"
"Your right, Spirit. He doesn't know much about the other aspects of the game."
"Great. Now use it to your advantage."
"Let me enlighten you," he told Norman, "Android Psycho Shocker's special effect is to destroy any trap cards on the field." (Anime-effect only)
"Big fucking deal. The Tower can't be destroyed."
"So," Jonouchi continued, "Shocker will do the next best thing. Negate it!"
Norman when bug eyed as he saw the Tower turned back into the holographic card image.
"What the hell!? What's going on? That card is invincible!"
"You designed these cards with limited knowledge of this game, so you could not have anticipated every vulnerability. For someone who make his living off of illegal trading of these cards, you sure don't have the sense to learn the game."
"Damn it!" Norman cursed.
"Now," Jounouchi commanded, "Android Psycho Shocker, attack the Critter!"
Android Psycho Shocker formed a ball of energy and fired it at the small monster.
"You idiot. The Critter is still at 5000 attack power."
"Look again."
Norman turned his attention to his monster and watched in horror as his powerful monster shrunk in size and attack power.
"No! How…?"
"You card says 'as long as the effects is active.' With it negated, you can no longer keep the power up."
Norman's monster finally reached its original state, and the Psycho Shocker's attack hit, causing the monster to fade out of existence. Norman looked at his duel disk and saw his life points drop.
"Impossible! My life points can't be affected…shit! The effect!"
"Good work, Jounouch-kun," the other Yugi said, "His life points are at 900, now."
"Norman," Jounouchi declared, "With Android Psycho Shocker, I will rescue Yugi. You should surrender now."
"Never! It's my turn now," Norman said drawing.
"Ok," he thought, "So this monster can nullify my Tower. Damn, I should have studied this game more carefully. I would have put a 'can't be negated' effect on it too."
He looked at his hand and quickly turned from doubtful to confident, and he could tell it surprised Jounouchi.