Regardless if it's been a while or recently, and as a welcome to anyone whose new to my stories, let me say hello to you all! I apologize that this isn't a new chapter, but this is important and I hope you take the time to read this update notice.
Also, to remove any worries to those familiar with the few I've made when my writing slump began? Know this update ONLY has good news this time.
Notice: This update will be deleted on 10/10 - READING IS ADVISED
To start things off, the primary part of this announcement is, as not everyone may have seen it on my profile... that I am officially out of my writing slump! Thanks to everyone whose been so supportive and understanding these last two years. However, while I am getting back to regularly updating, there are a few things that have changed since then that will affect my update rate.
First off, and this is only temporary, but my family and I will be making up for lost time with our extended family. The pandemic caused a lot of our family events (both annual and non-annual) to be canned. However, now that vaccines are able to cover nearly all ages, we're making up for it since we have our yearly Halloween Party on the way, alongside Thanksgiving and Christmas, which we all had to spend on our own since 2020 due to new family members.
I'll still try updating for the rest of 2022, but it might not be that much.
Second, which some may have noticed via the potential stories listed on my profile, I've become quite the fan of Genshin Impact and now play it regularly. On one hand this has cut into some of my writing time, but on the other, it's also helped give me new ideas because of the gorgeous landscapes and some lore I've found. The same is true with other Hoyoverse games that I don't play since their stories are all so interesting, and has helped my spark recover.
My only regret is that too much of Genshin Impact's story has yet to be released, making it too risky for me to start my fanfic idea for it because I want to avoid retconning anything if contradicted by the still unreleased content. That being said... if anyone can show me the Mondstat region story is too early in for too many retcons, then I might at least consider releasing that part.
Lastly, but most importantly, I've started restructuring how I organize my stories a little. This one's a little more complex, so I have story specific details I'll be sharing below to explain it. Though if it goes well? You can expect my updates rates to increase while also getting more to my stories than you did prior!
With all of that said, here's the story specific details:
Specific Details for Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V: United Dimensions
I have one thing I really need to say before we do anything else, and that is... *claps my hands and bows slightly* I apologize, like REALLY apologize to all of you! Though the apology isn't for the lack of any updates.
You see... I've had the next chapter written since this March.
Now, before any of you get ready to throw some fruits at me, let me explain myself! While I just said that it's already been written, that doesn't mean it's actually ready, per say. Because of the nature with the endgame duel against Zarc from canon... actually feeling confident enough to get the next chapter out has been harder than you might think, especially as when I finished writing it? I realized it was so big that it needed to be split in two, and there are a couple of scenes that I feel aren't ready yet.
So, please be patient with me a while longer, since I'm certain most of you would rather I take a while to give you a pair of quality chapters, rather than just throwing out two subpar ones that might have mistakes in the duel.
One thing I'd also like to bring up is that I'll be posting an AO3 exclusive related to this story which will basically be the portfolio for any cards either I make for the story or are existing cards that have their effects changed, which is part of why the next two chapters are taking a while. To justify a way for Ray to actually have a chance against Zarc, the said chapters have a ton.
And with that, here's a preview scene to thank you all for taking time to read this. Said scene will be for when the Dimensions have already split.
Yuya looked at his current hand.
'But... what can I do? The only thing in my hand are Monsters, and worse, half of them require a release. Even if I brought out Whip Viper and used its effect...' He thought.
The entire crowd seemed to feel this hopeless and said nothing. Even if he was fighting for his father, he was still facing the Champion, and his combo that would have halved Ishijima's life points had failed.
"Is this it really for you?" Sachi asked, squeezing her fists.
"Yuya..." Yuzu said sadly, holding her pendulum necklace.
Nico Smiley cleared his throat.
"Um... I apologize if I'm pressuring you Yuya Sakaki, but if you don't draw a card in the next minute? Then you will be considered to have forfeited the duel!" Nico warned.
Despite hearing that, Yuya still did nothing as he fell on his knees and looked at the ground with a defeated expression. This caused his friends, mother, and Yuzu's father to all look at him with concern.
'It was hopeless after all... how could I have ever hoped to take dad's place?' Yuya thought.
"Duels are like a pendulum."
His eyes widened as he heard that, remembering when he was a kid, when his father tried to cheer him up with his signature pendulum necklace.
"The more your opponent pushes you, the more things can swing your way again. If you're frozen in fear..." Yusho's voice continued encouraging.
Yuya stood up in response.
"You can't do anything. So, have the courage to step forward... if you want to win!" He shouted, his determination renewed.
If he couldn't win this duel? He would at least go down having played it to his very last card, and readied himself to draw it.
"My turn, draw!" Yuya exclaimed.
He drew his seventh card, and at that very moment? An unseen flash of light suddenly glowed from his pendulum, right as Yuzu's did the same. Before long, this light caught the attention of the entire crowd.
"What is this!?" Ishijima questioned.
Seconds later, multiple Duel Monster cards started to glow, including five of the seven cards that were currently in Yuya's hand.
"This is..." He breathed.
The glowing cards suddenly changed, having half of their frames turn the same color as a Spell card, and a second text box appeared over the bottom part of their pictures. To the left of the second text box was a blue crystal, and to the right of it was a red crystal, with both having a random number underneath. It was new Monster card type!
"What happened to my cards!?"
"Is all of this part of the event?"
No one knew what was going on, though as everyone tried to get some idea of what just happened, a strange sensation went through Yuya's body as he heard a soft voice.
"Play them, Yuya..."
At that moment, he knew what to do.
"I set the Pendulum Scale with my Scale 1 - Astromancy Magician, and my Scale 8 - Chronomancy Magician!" Yuya announced.
He placed them on each end of his Duel Disk.
This caused the word Pendulum to light up in a rainbow of letters, and his two Magicians manifested on the field by each one rising out from a pillar of light. The numbers on their card's new additions manifested beneath them. The next surprise followed shortly after, being a life-sized version of Yuya's pendulum that floated between both of them.
"That's...!" Sachi gasped in surprise.
The crowd all gave similar reactions.
"I can now Special Summon monsters whose Levels are between 2 and 7 all at the same time!" He declared.
Everyone's eyes went wide at those words, which is when the Champion's manager made an announcement.
"Attention, everyone! We're not exactly sure what's going on here, but... according to the Duel System, there are no errors with the move Yuya just did! This action is legal!" Nico Smiley revealed.
Hearing this was legal, but unheard of? The crowd began watching what Yuya would do next as the giant Pendulum started to swing back and forth.
"Swing! Light of my swaying soul, and carve the arc... of victory!" Yuya chanted, the large pendulum creating a work of art like a gateway above him.
"PENDULUM SUMMON!"
The center of that artwork truly became a gate as a red portal formed in the middle.
"Come forth, my faithful Monsters!" He shouted.
Five lights shot out, covering the colors of the rainbow from red to violet except for orange and indigo, and started to soar across the sky like shooting stars. After letting the audience witness them dancing above them for along enough, they all met in one spot and turned into a sphere of white light before they all came down as a rainbow cyclone.
"Entermate Whip Viper!"
The purple light gave rise to a snake-like performer wearing a top hot and having a pendulum for a tail tip.
"Entermate Sword Fish!"
The blue light gave rise to a swordfish without its signature nose, instead having Elvis hair and shades.
"Entermate Cheermole!"
The green light gave rise to a shy, pink mole with a ponytail, light blue pompoms, and a green cheerleader outfit.
"Entermate Drago Remora!"
The yellow light gave rise to a yellow-green Eastern Dragon with a blue collar, a red bowtie with white polka dots, and a giant gold coin on its head with a blue five-pointed star right in the center of it.
However, once it was time for the monster coming from the red light? Everyone simply saw a silhouette of what was clearly Odd-Eyes Dragon as it started to float in the air and pull its appendages close to its chest before its form started to crack.
"And now, returning to this grand stage with both a new name and look..."
A flash of light was then released.
"Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
The flash vanished, briefly showing a black silhouette with green eyes that sparkled with red like the colors in a kaleidoscope, until its full form was revealed to the crowd.
Odd-Eyes now looked more like a Dragon, its beak having vanished to give it a smooth head like more famous Dragons-type Monsters such as the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, and larger arms instead of its former T-Rex sized ones.
Most of all, it now had wings, which manifested as unconnected and complex shapes of light that were the same green with red kaleidoscopic flecks now seen in its dazzling eyes. It let out a roar as it flapped those wings once, releasing a rainbow of sparkles through the act, which made all of the children watching the duel smile at their beauty.
"Whoa..." Sachi said.
"Just what in the heck-" Yuzu started.
"-is going on?" Gongenzaka finished.