"Attack Heatleo! Inferno Strike!"
"H-Huh?! Waaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
A thunderous crash ripped through the air as the blazing lion swung forward, tearing through the young teen's final defenses and reducing her Life Points to ash.
"I'm glad you didn't hold back," the golden-eyed legend said to his victim, "it made the Duel great!"
"Easy for you to say. You won!" Vega screamed. Standing at the edge of the digital street, she shook her fist at Soulburner, watching as the blazing hero faded into the distance upon his Duel Board.
"Meow, meow, it's no good to lash out at people when they aren't here," someone said.
Vega groaned, turning around to face the feline-voiced speaker. "Sunny, where have you been? I called for you ages ago! Were you sleeping?!"
"Pawdon me, it's not my fault for getting clawed up in a Duel of my own!" she laughed.
Vega groaned, but despite the bad puns, a smile had formed on her face.
"A Ghostrick Nekomusume cosplay? Who's next? Yuki-onna? Fairy?"
"Nyaa," the tiny girl shuffled over, her tail wagging with each step. With a loving purr, she nudged Vega's shoulder with her own and sat down beside her. "I figured I'd just stay like this for a bit. I am a total cat purrson. And look at these paws!" she wiggled her fingers. "They're purrfect for cuddling, meow!"
She lunged forward, running her tiny gloved hands across Vega's uniform. The blue-haired girl squealed and collapsed to her knees, trying to push her friend off.
"Sunny, stop!" she laughed.
"Tickle, tickle, tickle! You love it, nyaa~"
"Please, stop! Aha, really! C'mon, Sunny! Please!" she begged.
"Well, alright," she purred, giving Vega's sides one last pinch. She crawled off and delivered a tiny pout. "But only because you said please."
"Seriously, you're different at school," Vega sighed. "You never act like this!"
"Well, of course, I don't!" Sunny said with a smile. "I'm there to learn, nyaat have fun! Which begs the question-" she narrowed her eyes, running them across Vega's figure, "-what's with you? You look exactly the same! Nyaat playin' dress-up?"
Vega sighed. She'd been expecting the question from Sunny ever since she logged in. After all, it wasn't every day that LINK VRAINS decided to make a new server.
DUEL LINKS
"Go Beyond and Link Further into the Vrains!"
It was supposed to be an exciting new world, one free of the stains of the past! Free from the threats of the Knights of Hanoi, the Ignis, and Data Storms. It sounded like a dream come true at first. Who on earth wouldn't want to join in? To duel on a live Vrains server again without the risk of being deleted?!
Sunny had dragged her away from the classroom the second they heard the announcement, and together, they'd purchased the DLC needed to access DUEL LINKS on day one! They'd even agreed to cement the event by debuting live with new avatars, but...
"You know how my parents can get," Vega sighed. "It's rough as it is. If they find out I wasted money on another avatar, they'll kill me!"
Sunny smiled. "Too bad, nyaa. We could've been a cosplayin' duo!"
"Maybe next time," the blue-haired girl laughed. "Besides, I'm still a bit nervous. Being in Link Vrains after all this time… I wonder just how much I've missed."
Sunny frowned, unsurprised by her friend's small, fragile smile. After all, how else would one expect a victim of the Hanoi to react? During the first great LINK VRAINS crisis, the creeps had assaulted the system, turning anyone and everyone in it into data - Vega included. Sure, Playmaker saved the day and put things right in the end, but Vega had been wary of Vrains ever since, and this was her first time back in.
"...It's fine, nyaa!" Sunny purred, quickly putting on a strong face for her comrade. "Your good furend Sunny will show you ropes and help you meow your way to the top!"
"...And there you go with the bad puns again," Vega sighed, shaking her head. "But, now that you mention it, there is something I need to ask!"
"Nyaa?" Sunny blinked.
"The truth is, I've been having trouble ever since I logged in here," she started. "I mean, sure, the Duel System's great, but it's no fun if you can't win!"
"Win?" Sunny asked. She tilted her head, wiggling her whiskers a little. "You've already been dueling around here, nyaa? Meow's it goin'?"
"Not good," she replied. "STATUS."
She pulled up her Dueling Record and turned it around so she'd see.
0 WINS
0 DRAWS
"Nyaa?"
48 LOSSES
"N-Nyaa…"
"Don't look at me weird! These Duelists are way too strong!" Vega screamed. "How am I supposed to win against them when they're Link Summoning every turn?!"
"'With the right catitude, anything's pawsible!" Sunny chirped, pumping her fists. "What are you playing, Salamangreat?"
"Who do I look like, Soulburner?!" she screamed. Her shoulders sagged as she shook her head. "No. I play Union Aid! And here's my ace! Burning Beast, come out and lend me a hand!"
Steam erupted from the ground before her as a light jumped out from her deck box. It crashed wildly into the steaming space, giving rise to the molten-red beast.
"Kraaaaawr…" the Pyro-type hissed, opening a single red eye.
Sunny twitched.
"Burning Beast?" she asked. "That's your best card?"
Vega nodded, a proud and somewhat smug grin spreading over her features.
"If only I knew how to toughen him up so these other Duelists can't defeat him!"
"No, before that, there's something else, nyaa. You said you play Union Aid?"
"Yup!" Vega chirped. "Pretty cool, huh?"
"But that's a Tutorial deck."
"Huh? No, it's not."
It totally was.
"Urk!"
"Those decks are for newbs!" Sunny hissed. "No wonder you've been having some dueling trouble! This deck's Level 14, at best! If Burning Beast is the best card you have, there's no way that you're gonna win!"
Burning Beast roared, no doubt taking offense to Sunny's cruel words. It leaned forward and pawed the dirt with its front leg, ready to make its strength known.
"Beasty, stop!"
"Hiss!" Sunny sneered, jumping as the monster charged at her. Almost on instinct, she slashed with her claws, ripping Burning Beast in two.
"Best card that you have, my paws!" she screamed.
"Hey, Sunny!" whined Vega.
"Relax, nyaa. It's still alive!" she huffed. "We're in DUEL LINKS, remember? It's not like I really ripped it, okay? The card itself is just fine."
Vega sighed as she checked her deck box, finding it safely inside.
"Don't scare me like that. Jeez."
"I'm the one who should be worried, nyaa!" she retorted. "Did you finish the tutorial missions at all? Why are you using those cards?!"
"Eh? What do you mean?"
"I mean I'm taking you to the card shop, stat!" she exclaimed. "There's no way I'm letting my best furend paw around in DUEL LINKS with trash cards like this!"
"S-Shop?" Vega asked. "What shop?"
"Oh, brother…" Sunny sighed, sagging. "Come on, pawtner. You've got a lot to learn about how things work around here."
-DUEL LINKS-
Fifteen minutes later…
"Uwwwaaaaaaaaaaaa…"
Vega's eyes sparkled.
So many card packs and must-buy boxes!
The place sold Structure Decks, too!
Cyberse Code.
Ruddy Rose Burning.
And all kinds of guaranteed cards!
"You really never been to this place?" Sunny asked.
"I'm sorry! I didn't know!" Vega cried.
Sunny sighed, shrugging while shaking her head. "What a pain, nyaa. You're lucky I'm around to help you out, girl. You would've been in serious trouble! Though the fact you kept using that deck for so long is already pretty pathetic…"
"Ehehehe…" Vega smiled and went back to scanning the shelves. The required cost of each pack hovered before them.
"Uwaaaa!"
So nice!
Two-hundred fifty gems for ten packs, and one thousand gems for a deck! Wow, oh, wow! It was way cheaper than the stuff back in old LINK VRAINS! Even now, she still could hear her parents yelling at her a year prior, demanding that she explain the hundred thousand yen bill they'd gotten from SOLtech! Compared to that, this was a steal! She could pay right out her own pocket!
"Ehehe… Hehehe…!"
Her eyes began to glow red.
Sunny shivered.
'I created a monster,' she thought as she watched Vega hunt cards. A mountain of card packs sat in her hands, reducing her to a cat-mule.
"One more pack. One more pack…!" Vega chuckled, cleaning the shelves.
"V-Vega?" Sunny gulped as she spoke. "Maybe you should save your money?"
"Not until I've cleared out the rest of this box. I've gotta get all the URs!" she breathed. "Decode Talker. Heatleo! All the Link Summons are mine!"
Or so she thought.
"I'm sorry to tell you this, Miss," the cashier said, sweating, "but… your credit card has been declined."
Vega froze where she stood.
"E-Eh? Try it again! I know there's enough money on there!"
The cashier swallowed but swiped it again.
A chime rang from Vega's pocket.
She pulled out her phone, or rather, the digital construct linked to her phone. Another feature of the new LINK VRAINS.
"Always in Touch. Forever!"
"Vega…!" her parent's voice warned, rising as she let out a gasp. "I'm looking at a certain email here. Would you like to know what it says?"
She felt herself swallow. "M-Mother?"
"Your spending limit's been reached," her mom sighed. "Honestly, I know you want to have fun and splurge with your friends, but be more careful when it comes to money! This stuff doesn't grow on trees, Vega!"
"Eep! Yes!".
"For now, I'll give you three thousand yen to use as you please. I'm cutting you off after that for the month. Oh, and tell Sunny, hello."
Her mother hung up.
"..."
"..."
"Did you hear it?"
'Say no. Say no!' Sunny thought.
An awkward silence permeated the store.
"N-Nyaa? Hear what?"
"Yeah," the cashier agreed. "Hear what? Heh…"
'God damn it!' he thought on the inside. 'Why do I always get stuck with the weird ones?!'
"My mother says hello to you, Sunny," Vega sighed, putting her phone into her pocket. She pulled a few packs from the pile and sagged. "I'll just take these if you'd please."
A few card swipes later, she was rung up.
Finally, card packs, GET!
"And at least now you know where to go!" Sunny added as she followed Vega outside. "Sure, you might've not bought the whole box, but maybe it's better this way. New boxes are coming out all the time, nyaa. So, it's better to save your resources! "
Vega sighed. "Maybe you're right. I just want to try and catch up. And with all these new cards, who knows how strong some of these others Duelists might be!"
Sunny grinned. "Catch up, mm? Well, nyaa, there's an idea!"
"Huh?"
"Why don't we have a Duel? There's nyaa way to get better, meow!"
Vega blinked.
"D-Duel you?! Hang on a moment! Sunny! You're one of the best Duelists in our whole class! There's no way I can beat you!"
"Nyaat with that catitude," she purred. Her cat-like eyes started shining. "Steel yourself, Vega! …Is what I'd say, but first, go build your deck, nyaa. I wanna have fun when dueling you, meow, and it's nyaat fun pickin' on newbs!"
"N-Newbs?! Sunny, just because I haven't been on in a while…" she sighed. "Fine, you're on! Just you watch! I'll build a great deck! And beat you!"
"That's the spirit!" Sunny grinned. "What are you lazing around for, then, huh? Hurry and build something cool already so we can throw down once you get back!"
"Y-Yes!" Vega said, smiling brightly as she pumped her raised fist. "I'll do just that, and I'll take you down! Next time we meet, it's on!"
Sunny smirked. "We might be best furends, but don't expect this to be easy. You didn't even know where the card shop was! There's nyaa way that I'm gonna lose!"
"Hmhmhm…"
"Hehehe…"
The two girls grinned at each other.
Which one of them would come out top?
Only the future would tell.
-DUEL LINKS-
Unbeknownst to the two high school students, and not far from where they had gathered, a new threat was rearing its head.
"Heh Heh Heh… It's perfect! You really went all out on the design!"
"You'll find my goods quite authentic. Only the best for a new client."
"With this, the Hanoi will rise! Hmhmhm. Hahaha! HAHAHAHAHA!"
And so, in the dark alleys of DUEL LINKS, the Neo Hanoi were born!
-DUEL LINKS-
"Mmmmm…!" Vega whined, crossing her arms as she glared at her packs.
'Three cards per pack, and I only bought seven. That's just enough for a new deck!' she thought. 'But that's only if none of these packs are a bust! Gods of RNG, help me!'
She prayed and reached for the first of her packs.
"Here we go," she gulped. "Open!"
A shower of sparks burst from inside, followed by several Kuribohs. Vega squeaked as the pack burned away, revealing the three cards inside.
"Normal, Rare," the last card sparkled. Could it be? What was that glow?
A UR on her very first pull? No way! Could she be that lucky?!
The glow faded, revealing the golden sheen of a Super Rare card.
"Hmph!" she pouted. "Draconet, huh? Wait, a Cyberse? No way!"
To think she would get a Cyberse-type, the same type those heroes were known for! She'd known DUEL LINKS was full of new things, but this? This was too much!
"Decode Talker was on the pack's cover," she murmured, rubbing her chin. "Does that mean-? If I'm lucky enough-? RNGesus, praise be!"
She ripped through her next three packs in a hurry but only pulled one Rare and Normals. Many of them were vanillas, too.
'They'll work with Draconet, though,' she thought.
Four packs down, three packs to go.
"Come on, great RNGesus!"
She ripped her Stardust Acceleration pack. Three Kuribohs flew out and winked at her.
"Is this it?! The fated UR at last?!" she wondered happily. She checked the three cards. Two more Normals, and-
'An Ultra Rare Spell card!' she thought. 'Unexpected Dai? Aww, why couldn't it have been a cool monster instead?' she frowned as she skimmed through its summoning effect. 'Could come in handy, I guess.'
Two packs left.
'Decode Talker. Decode Talker, please!' she prayed.
She pulled it open and let out a groan. A whole pack full of three Rares.
'This is the last one,' she thought, staring warily at her last card pack. Another Link Revolution pack. Her last chance to get Decode Talker.
She took a deep breath, grabbed the sides of the pack, and popped the top open. A golden light leaped out from within.
"T-This is…! HUH?!" she gasped.
-DUEL LINKS-
'It's been a while,' Sunny thought, eyeing the alley. 'How long does it take her to build a new deck? You only have a couple of cards!'
As if she'd been heard, Vega slowly emerged from the alley, determined.
"Meow?" Sunny asked, smiling as she saw the grim look on Vega's face.
It faded the second the two girls locked eyes.
"S-Sunny?! You stalker!" screeched Vega. "D-Don't tell me you watched the whole thing?! Were you spying? I thought we were friends?!"
"Nyaa?" Sunny shifted, wagging her tail. "Don't worry. I didn't see nothin'."
"R-Really?"
"You're my best furend! I wouldn't spy on you, Vega!" she laughed. "I was just keepin' watch. This place is online, but you can't be too safe."
Vega frowned, knowing full well how true those words really were.
"Alright, then," she decided. "I believe you, so… So, let's get started!"
"Hm? Already?"
"It's meow or never! I mean, now or never!" said Vega. "Ugh, now you've got me doing it! Come on, Sunny! Let's duel!"
"Wait a meownute! You wanna duel here?"
"Eh? Is it no good?" Vega asked. "I thought it was fine since we locked eyes and all, but was it too soon? I'm sorry!"
Sunny sighed.
"It's nyaat that, nyaa. It's just the unsavory types," she griped. She gestured over her shoulder to some of the other players on the streets. "Two cute girls in a purrace like this is bound to lead to cat-astrophe. Let's move this somewhere a little more public and get this pawty on, 'kay?"
Vega blinked. "Wait, what?"
"I'm saying it's dangerous here, Vega!" she screeched.
"Eep! Hey, stop yelling at me! I can hear you just fine, y'know?!"
Sunny sighed.
'Crisis averted,' she thought, dragging her off.
After relocating themselves outside the arena, she was confident they'd be just fine.
"Claws out, Vega," she purred. "Let's find out if your new deck makes the cut!"
Vega nodded and readied herself. "Alright, Sunny! Let's do this!"
"SPEED DUEL!"
Four cards from their decks materialized in front of their eyes.
"I'll go first!" Sunny said, swiftly spinning a card in her hand, "And I'll start with this purrty guy! I summon Leotaur in Attack Mode!"
The proud warrior of the beast-kin tribe roared as he leaped out of the card, landing on the field with a booming thud while raising his sword to the sky. His orange fur glistened in the digital rays of the glowing sun high above, and his sharp blue eyes narrowed from where they sat on his lion-shaped face.
Leotaur - LV4 - EARTH - Beast-Warrior - (1500/1600)
"I end my turn."
"Huh? That's it?" Vega wondered. "I mean, sure! It's my turn! I draw!"
She materialized a fifth card.
'Alright, Vega, first Duel with Sunny, and first time using this deck!' she thought. 'Let's see what it's got! Well, I'm sure it'll all work out in the end!'
She looked in her hand, trying to ignore the piercing stare of Leotaur.
'It only has fifteen hundred Attack! In that case, I'll do this!'
"I'll set one card," she laid down a Trap, "and call upon my new friend! Come on out, future legend! Crowned by the World Chalice!"
One of the cards floating in front of her swiveled around as she spoke, ejecting a single strand of light that rained down upon her field. As it faded, a blue-haired girl materialized in its place. She smiled gently as she rose to her feet and raised her magical staff.
Crowned by the World Chalice - LV2 - WATER - Spellcaster - (0/2100)
'World Chalice?' Sunny wondered.
"Alright, the moment has finally come!" Vega grinned. She raised and pumped her fist in glee. "I'm gonna do a Link Summon!"
"A Link Summon? On your first turn? Man, you're nyaat messin' around!"
"Of course I'm not! I'm in it to win it, but you'll see that soon enough! By using Crowned by the World Chalice, I can build my very own circuit!" she said. A Link Panel appeared above her as she spoke. "Go, Crowned! Set Link Arrows!"
The sorceress swiveled in place, transforming herself into a blue gust of wind. It soared upward into the Link Panel, crashing into the top arrow. As the storming winds were all sucked inside, the chosen arrow turned red.
"Alright! Arrow authorized! No problems detected!" she shouted. "I Link Summon! Come forth, Imduk the World Chalice Dragon!"
The center panel shattered apart, revealing a world of blinding white light. A small figure burst from within and gracefully fell back down to the field. It landed safely on all fours and let loose a courageous howl, announcing its successful summon to the right Extra Monster Zone it now held.
Imduk the World Chalice Dragon - LINK 1 - WIND - Dragon - (800)
"Purrfect!" Sunny praised with a grin. "Vega, you really Link Summoned!"
"And I'm not stopping there," she replied, grinning back at the catgirl with vigor. "'Cause now, I'm using Imduk's effect! He'll let me Normal Summon again!"
"N-Nyaa?!"
"That cry just now was Imduk calling for help, and here's the person who'll come to his aid! Chosen by the World Chalice!"
Leaping out of his card's artwork like a painting who'd come to life, the blonde-haired Psychic smiled as his red scarf swayed violently in the wind. Landing down on one knee, he quickly rose and lifted his weapon - a golden blade that glowed with the same energy of the Mekkstrosities he destroyed.
Chosen by the World Chalice - LV3 - FIRE - Psychic - (1600/0)
"Alright! Battle!"
"Nyaa?!" Sunny hissed. "Wait, am I trouble?!"
"Destroy 'em, Chosen!" Vega ordered. "Attack with Mekkstrosity Thrasher!"
"Nyaa, hang on!" Sunny cried, but her cries for mercy came far too late. With the attack declared, Chosen by the World Chalice swung into battle.
Raising his blade, the courageous Psychic recklessly raced down the field, eager to clash with the powerful feline warrior staring him down.
CLANG! CRASH!
The sound of clashing steel soon filled the field, and the two girls watched as sparks showered each time their monsters waged war.
"Uwoooooooh!" Leotaur roared as its blade collided with Chosen's again. His lionish pride pushed him forward, despite the boy's greater strength.
Just like that, a fearsome close range battle of wills had begun. Both of them endured supersonic swings that would tear a lesser person apart. But no matter how much pride they had, this fight was a battle of power alone. And Leotaur's strength had just missed the mark. Chosen deflected his blade.
Grasping his hilt with both hands, the Psychic roared and slashed down vertically, taking advantage of the new opening to cleave the lion in two.
"Ugwahk?!" Leotaur's eyes widened in shock as it suddenly happened. His blue eyes locked with Chosen's own, and then, he shattered in place.
"Mew!" Sunny winced, flinching backward as the leftover shockwave raced forward, consuming her in a windy blast that nearly blew her away.
"Go, Imduk! Direct attack!"
"Vega, I thought we were friends!" Sunny cried.
Her words were lost in the ensuing gust summoned by the tiny green dragon.
VEGA - 4000 LP
SUNNY - 3100 LP
Vega pumped her fist. "Turn end!"
"Meow…" Sunny grumbled softly, frowning as she lifted her head from the rubble. "I feel like you dumped water on me. Vega, you big meanie!"
Vega giggled. "No hard feelings? I told you I was in it to win it, Sunny! Now, show me your stuff! Come on, already! Weren't you saying that there was no way you would lose?'"
"One Link Summon and you think you're all that. I'll show you!" Sunny hissed. She leaped to her feet and threw out her hand. "It's my turn. I draw!"
Materializing a fourth card in her hand, her eyes narrowed into slits.
"Pot of Greed!"
She drew two cards and smirked.
"Oh, come on!" said Vega.
"Let's see how you like my pawtner, Vega! I summon Cat's Ear Tribe!"
Light shot from the declared card and coalesced on Sunny's field, transforming into a trio of cats in the centermost Main Monster Zone. The three kittens meowed as they helped each other adjust their helmets and vests, then turned and faced Vega's two monsters with fierce - albeit innocent-looking - eyes.
Cat's Ear Tribe - LV1 - EARTH - Beast-Warrior - (200/100)
"Two hundred Attack Points? What's with that? Are they gonna meow me to death?"
"You'll wish they had once they're through with you," Sunny snickered, her eyes flashing yellow.
Vega frowned. "That doesn't sound good."
"I play Wicked-Breaking Flamberge!" Sunny cried. "By sending a card in my hand to the Grave, it'll increase the Attack of my kittens! So, I'll just dump my Battle Ox here, and give my beauties a sword!"
As one of the cards in her hand disappeared, a giant blade materialized, glowing with a sinister aura that drew the eyes of the three cats towards it. Reaching outward, the blue-furred kitten took hold of it with its paw, and in that moment, everything changed.
"Nyaa, Nyaa, NYAA!" it screamed.
The second he took the hilt into his hands, the sinister aura consumed him, imbuing him with the foul power of the Guardian Baou within. Growling softly, the blue-furred kitten burst with muscles and masses, transforming into a hulking being who could lift the blade with one hand. Beside him, the other two kittens stared at their sibling in awe, wondering how he had gotten so strong and outgrown the others so quickly.
Cat's Ear Tribe - LV1 - EARTH - Beast-Warrior - (700/100)
"And I'm nyaat stopping there, nyaa!" Sunny snarled. "'I'm playing another Flamberge!"
A second sword took form on the field as she tossed the last card in her hand. This time, it was the white-furred cat who plunged headfirst into the void. Snarling, she soon underwent the same changes her sibling had gone through earlier. Glowing black power enveloped her body, spreading like a fierce flame.
"NYAAAAAAAA!" she roared as her fur was dyed a sickening black. She opened her eyes, revealing a sinister yellow glow burning within.
Cat's Ear Tribe - LV1 - EARTH - Beast-Warrior - (1200/100)
"Pretty dramatic for that…" Vega laughed.
"We're just getting started, nyaa!" Sunny roared. "Battle time! Cat's Ear Tribe, destroy Imduk with Cat-astrophe!"
"Nyaaa!"
"Hiiissss!"
"Mew…"
The hulking cats rushed straight into battle, leaving their smaller companion behind as they charged the wide-eyed green dragon. Sensing the danger, Imduk jumped and tried to take flight to safety, but it moved too slow, and the blue-furred cat tore its wings from its back.
"Krawugh!" Imduk squealed, crashing to the ground in a painful heap. It glared at the blue-furred demon above it, then snarled and lashed out with a claw. The act looked like it would cleave through the cat, only for the black cat to stop it, interrupting the strike with the flat blade of her own Wicked-Breaking Flamberge.
"Imduk!" Chosen screamed, extending a hand toward his good comrade. Before he could reach him, however…
SQUELCH!
The black cat claimed the beast's head.
"IMDUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUK!"
VEGA - 3600 LP
SUNNY - 3100 LP
"It's okay!" Vega yelled. "I'll activate Imduk's effect-!"
"Nyaa, nyaa, nyaa~" Sunny cut in, wagging her finger in glee. "Actually, you'll find that's nyaat the case thanks to Flamberge's effect! While it's active, effects that destroyed monsters activate are negated, which means whatever you were planning just nyaaw with that little Link Monster went poof!"
"N-No way. Monster negation?! Ugh. But I'm not finished! If I do this, and then do that, yeah. I can still win!" Vega said.
"Meow you're talking!" Sunny replied, her cat-like eyes shining bright. "Let's make this Duel even better, nyaa! I end my turn. Your move!"
"It's my turn. I draw!"
Another card appeared before her.
'That Wicked-Breaking Flamberge made them strong, but my Chosen is still way stronger! I'll take it out and attack her directly, and then I'll push on for game!' she thought.
"This'll do," she decided, staring at the Normal Monster she'd drawn. "I summon Beckoned by the World Chalice in Attack Position! Go!"
A dark-haired warrior equipped with a spear burst from the card as she yelled, surging forward to stand by Chosen and face the cat tribe beside him.
"Where's Ib?" he inquired, scanning the field for any sign of his sister.
"She's not here," Chosen said.
"Tsk," he spun his spear and prepared.
Beckoned by the World Chalice - LV4 - EARTH - Warrior - (1800/0)
"Alright! Battle! Chosen by the World Chalice, attack!"
"This is for Imduk!" he roared, lunging forward.
Sunny grinned. "Bad move, Vega! Go, my pwetty!"
The two hulking cats leaped to the side, revealing the last frightened kitten.
"W-What?!" Chosen gasped, faltering as he neared the trembling child.
"Hey, what's going on?!" Vega asked. "Chosen, what are you doing?!"
Snickering softly, Sunny shot Vega with a smug look while licking her paw. "You should learn to read your opponent's cards, nyaa. You never know what they might say."
"Read the cards?" Vega frowned and pulled up the field display. In the corner of her eye, a top-down view of the field showed active cards. "Cat's Ear Tribe… It has an effect?!"
"Yup! And I just used it! Now, watch as your precious monster falls prey to the cuteness of kittens!"
"S-So cute…" Chosen breathed, loosening the grip on his blade. "I-I'm sorry! I can't attack! I can't hurt something that cute!"
Chosen by the World Chalice - LV3 - FIRE - Psychic - (200/0)
"Oh no! His Attack Points!"
"Yup!" Sunny smirked. "Cat's Ear's effect will drop them to two hundred points!"
"No, but that means-!"
Sunny grinned.
"He'll fall prey to my kittens!"
The hulking felines leaped back into the battle, surprising Chosen. Catching the Psychic off-guard, they quickly knocked the blade from his hands, then swung forward with their own weapons, cleaving him into three.
"Ugawaghkal!" he coughed, his blood splattering across the field. Vega watched on, horrified, as her Life Points began to fall down.
VEGA - 2600 LP
SUNNY - 3100 LP
"Monsters!" Beckoned hissed from her side. "You'll pay for that, I swear!"
"L-Let's not get carried away," Vega said. "That card is dangerous!"
'Aww, man! And I don't even have any cards to turn this around!' she thought. She frowned as she checked the field again. 'But it's not all bad, I guess. That effect only works if I attack, and Beckoned still has more Attack Points!'
"Turn end."
Sunny smiled brightly upon hearing the words. "Too bad, nyaa. You thought you had plays, but you were the one getting played, meow!"
"It's not yet!"
"Nope," she agreed, "but you never know what I might draw! Speaking of which, it's my turn!"
Another card appeared in her hand.
Her eyes brightened.
'Uh oh!' Vega thought. 'That can't mean anything good.'
"I'm activating a Spell card, nyaa! I play Riryoku!"
The green card flashed as it spun around, appearing behind Cat's Ear Tribe. The three cats stared at it in confusion, even as Beckoned leaped back.
"Huh?" Vega asked. "Hey, what gives?"
"Seems like he knows what it does," Sunny smirked. "But since you don't, let me explain! This card steals a monster's Attack Points!"
"W-What?!"
"Specifically, nyaa, it'll take half from one card I choose," she explained, "and even better, it'll give that amount to another card on the field! I choose to steal your Beckoned's Attack!"
The spear-wielder grimaced in pain. A shadowy hand leaped from Riryoku, impaling him straight through the heart.
"And I'll give his power to my Cat's Ear Tribe!" Sunny finished, smiling nastily.
The shadowy hand spun and slammed into the final small kitten.
Roaring with power, a golden blaze erupted from the orange kitten's hide, transforming him into a hulking mass much like his fellow siblings.
Cat's Ear Tribe - LV1 - EARTH - Beast-Warrior - (2100/100)
Beckoned by the World Chalice - LV4 - EARTH - Warrior - (900/0)
"Battle Phase!" Sunny squealed, throwing her hand forward in delight. "Cat's Ear Tribe, attack Beckoned! Krazy Kitten Ka-Blam!"
Flexing their muscles, the three mad cats raced toward the lone fighter, bearing down on him like a trio of devils out for revenge. Weakened as he was, Beckoned barely had the strength to lift his weapon, and before he could act, the orange cat had completely smashed it in two.
"N-No…" he whispered, glancing at the broken weapon in horror. "Ib…"
He closed his eyes.
The three kittens tore him apart.
"K-Kyaa!" Vega screamed, flinching away from the image of bloodshed. Even closing her eyes didn't help. She could hear them tearing her monster apart.
VEGA - 1400 LP
SUNNY - 3100 LP
"What will you do now, nyaa?" Sunny asked, even as her monster was weakened. Riryoku's effect faded with the end of the turn, reverting the kitten.
Cat's Ear Tribe - LV1 - EARTH - Beast-Warrior - (1200/100)
Even so, Vega gulped. Her last defense was destroyed! She had less than half of her Life Points, too, and she'd barely even scratched Sunny! She glanced in her hand, staring at the only two cards she had left that could fight: Lee the World Chalice Fairy and World Chalice Guardragon.
Vega gulped.
'Am I doomed?! W-What if I do this? Summon Lee, and then, no, no, that won't help either!'
"Uh, Vega?" Sunny wondered. "What's the matter? It's your turn, nyaa!"
"Oh! R-Right," Vega swallowed. She clenched her eyes shut. 'Forget it! If I'm gonna go down, I'll go down swinging!' "It's my turn! Draw-!"
An explosion interrupted her words, knocking both her and Sunny to the ground.
"What the meow?!" the smaller girl screamed, wincing as her Cat's Ear Tribe faded. Vega's cards also faded away, signaling the end of their Duel.
"Huh?! But why-?!"
Another explosion promptly answered her question.
"HAHAHAHA!" a dark voice laughed from the heavens. "I'll really have to thank the Card Trader later! To think he'd give me such a deal!"
Sunny scowled and turned her head to the voice. "Hey, who's yappin'?! And what's with all the explosions, huh?! Can't you see we were dueling down here?!"
Squinting her eyes, Vega peered up toward the shadowy figure. As she gazed at the specter beyond the smoke, however, she suddenly froze.
"No," she breathed. "It can't be."
A steel mask and pristine white clothes.
Complete with a single glowing red eye.
This was…
"A Knight of Hanoi?!" Sunny screamed.
As if hearing her words, other nearby players screamed and ran for their lives, quickly recalling the last horror brought about by their hands.
"That's right!" the Knight declared, "and guess what? I'm not alone! The Card Trader gave me a special gift! Behold, Dragon Master Knight!"
An eerie screech filled the air as the smoke split outward, revealing the monster upon which he stood - the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! With three great heads, the creature hissed and snarled down at the crowd. One even unleashed a devastating ray that tore through one of the buildings.
Vega sat, horrified, as she gazed upon her worst nightmare.
"Not again. Not again…!"
A piece of debris fell toward her.
"V-Vega!" Sunny screamed, jumping and pushing her out of the way. The horde of rock shattered where they'd been seconds prior, flattening the ground underneath.
"S-Sunny!"
"Don't just sit there! C'mon! We've gotta go!"
"Y-Yeah!" she crawled to her feet, turning to flee with the crowd.
Why did things have to turn out like this?
She just wanted to have some fun!
"Kyaaaaaaaa!"
"Run away! It's coming!"
"S-Someone! Save us!"
"What's a Knight of Hanoi doing here?! I thought they'd all been arrested!"
'I knew logging in was a bad idea!' Vega thought, squinting her eyes. 'Now, I'm gonna die again! Please, anyone! Help!'
Three shining lights fell from the sky.
"Decode Talker, attack!"
"Heatleo! Inferno Strike!"
"Great Ogre, Ogre Axe!"
Combined as one, the three attacks cut through the three-headed dragon, leaving the Knight to yell in surprise as the three heads fell one by one.
"W-What the-?!"
"Your time in the spotlight is over, whoever you are!" Gore said.
"I'll never forgive you for hurting these people!" Soulburner agreed with a scowl.
Soaring between them, the hero of LINK VRAINS rode the wind through the sky.
"There's three reasons you won't succeed," he declared, raising his hand. "One: Gore is here. Two: Soulburner, too. And Three-"
"Ai am here!" Ai declared.
"Yes, you are," said Playmaker.
"Playmaker?!" Sunny squealed, clasping her hands at the sight of the boy. "Vega, we're saved!"
"Y-Yeah…" she agreed, glancing up at them.
The heroes of LINK VRAINS…
'Ugh, but why's that Soulburner have to be with them?' she asked. 'I haven't forgotten how you treated me!'
The three Duelists swung all at once.
"Now, begone!" Playmaker roared, and their monsters loosed one last attack.
"N-N-NOOOO!" the Knight screamed, vanishing into the light. "It… It was a cosplay! A COSPLAAAAAAAYYYYYY!"
BOOM!
The threat defeated, the three champions vanished back into the distance, soaring above the grateful crowd like the larger-than-life souls they were.
"And there they go. My heroes…" Sunny sighed, waving after them. "Nyaa? Vega, are you alright?"
"Sunny… I was so scared!" she cried. "I thought I was gonna die! And then, and then! U-Uwwwwaaaaaaa!"
"There, there," the catgirl sighed. "How about we continue our Duel?"
"Eh?" Vega flinched.
Somehow, that seemed even scarier than the Knights of Hanoi. Knowing how close she'd been to defeat…
"I think I'd better practice more first," she cried. She wiped off her tears and shook off her fears, then pumped her fist one last time. "Yeah, that's what I'll do!" she said, glancing toward the skyline. "Next time, I'm not just gonna run away! I'll be like those great heroes, too!"
"Eeeeeeh?" Sunny smiled at that. "I'm sure you can do it, nyaa."
"Yeah," she nodded. "Watch me, Sunny! And I'll with that scrub over there! Hey, you! Duel me already!"
She ran off, leaving Sunny behind.
"Huh? Hey, who are you talking about-? URK!" Sunny felt sick.
Not out of pain, or any leftover emotional damage from the attack… but rather, because the person Vega had challenged wore a red hat.
"V-Vega! Wait, not him!" she squealed, chasing after her.
"...!" the Vagabond said.
And Vega's worst Duel began.
THE END