Chapter 5

First Trial, First Removal

*Author's note* Starting in this chapter, Deck Master effects and made up cards will start being used. Yay! Also, Yu-Gi-Oh manga readers might recognize the title of this chapter. *End author's note*

"What?" Will questioned.

"You heard me right," the Lord of Dragons said. "I'm going to kill you all!"

"And how do you suppose to kill us?" Max said, starting to stand up, clenching his sore leg. "You outnumbered. In a roaming battle, you stand no chance."

"Roaming Battle? That would prove nothing if I killed you with my Dragon army. Instead.." He lifted his left arm from under his cape, revealing a duel disk. "I shall defeat you in a duel."

"What!?" Ryo exclaimed in total disbelief. "How can a monster have a Duel Disk!?"

"It must be a change Kaiba added," Hope said with equal shock in her voice.

"Wait a minute," Max said. "Why do we have to duel this joker? The trial run is completed. So why don't we just log out?"

"Go ahead," the monster said. "It will do you no good."

They all tried to log out, but all they got was an error message.

"What the hell?!" they said in unison.

"Ahahaha! Fools, this game has been infected with a virus! We put it in to keep you from escaping us."

"Wait a minute," Ryo said. "There are more of you?"

"Shut up! Now, who dares to face their Judgement first?" the monster said goadingly.

"I'll kick your ass," Max said, stepping forward.

"Very well. I choose myself as Deck Master."

"I choose Invader of Darkness."

(Max: 8000 LoD: 8000)

"I'll start. I set one monster face down and place two cards facedown and end my turn," said the Lord of Dragons.

"I summon Demon Soldier (1900/1500) and place two cards face down. Now attack your set monster!"

"You have attacked my Army Dragon, (700/800) which allows me to special summon another Army Dragon from my deck."

"Damn it. End turn," Max said begrudgingly.

"Now I tribute Army Dragon for Emerald Dragon! (2400/2000)"

"Oh wow," Max said with sarcasm in his voice. "I fear your mighty monster."

"I'm not done yet. Now I activate my Deck Master's ability. Dragon's Awakening!"

"Deck Masters have effects?" Will asked.

"Geez," Hope muttered. "How many people read the instruction manual besides me?"

Silence was the response from the group.

"I pay 500 of my Life points to special summon Sapphire Dragon. (1900/1600)"

(Max: 8000 LoD: 7500)

"Okay, this could be trouble," Max admitted.

"Emerald Dragon attacks your Demon Soldier."

(Max:7500 LoD: 7500)

"And now Sapphire Dragon attacks directly!"

(LoD:7500 Max: 5600)

"I set one monster face down, place one card facedown and end my turn," Max said.

"Now I summon Spear..."

"Activate Tidal Wave! It destroys all monsters on the field."

"I pay 500 Life Points to special summon another Sapphire Dragon and attack directly!"

(LoD: 7000 Max: 3700)

"I set one more monster facedown and end my turn." Max's confidence had come back during his turn for some odd reason.

The Lord of Dragon drew his card, and began to laugh. "This duel is over fool!"

"What do you mean?"

The monster showed the most recent card he drew, a Fusion card.

"Big deal," Max said, unphased.

"Now I fuse my three Red-Eyes Black Dragons to summon Red-Eyes Ultimate Dragon! (4100/3600)"

"Okay, this could be a problem," Max admitted again. "But, before you attack. Why don't you drop the charade now?"

"What?!" the monster hissed at him. "I'm a Duel Monster and nothing more!"

"Don't hand me that shit. At first you had me fooled, but when you started using your Deck Master ability I was convinced that you're not a Duel Monster."

"What?" Hope asked.

"I know Kaiba used Lord of Dragons before when the Big 5 challenge occurred that one time. You're just using the same effect. And I also know that you're using a Big 5 technique of fusing your Soul with your Deck master."

"Crap!" the monster yelled out. "Okay, you figured that much out, but it won't help you at all! Red Eyes Ultimate Dragon, attack his face down monster!"

"Twilight Zone Trainer. (100/2000)"

"And now Sapphire Dragon attack directly!"

"Magic Cylinder!"

(LoD:5100 Max: 3700)

"End turn." It was obvious that he was pissed.

"Now, to end this game," Max said with an evil aura to his voice. "I remove Demon Soldier, Newt, and Twilight Zone Trainer from my Cemetery to summon Dark Necrophia (2200/2800) in attack mode! Now kill his Sapphire Dragon!"

(LoD: 4800 Max: 3700)

"Red Eyes Ultimate Dragon! Attack his Necrophia!"

( LoD: 4800 Max:1800)

"And I end my turn." As he said those words, a ghost appeared and went inside Red-Eyes Ultimate Dragon and it went to Max's side of the field. "What?!"

"I love it when people step into my Dark Necrophia trap unknowingly," Max said with humor in his voice. "It comes back at the end of the turn it is destroyed and I can equip it to one of your monsters and put it under my control."

"Well, in that case, I reveal one of my facedown cards. Cyclone! It will destroy your Necrophia and return it to my control!"

"Not so fast. You're not the only with a Deck Master! Invader of Darkness! Anti-Instant Magic Curse!"

Max's Deck Master made a Pentagram symbol in its hands and unleashed on the Lord of Dragon's Cyclone magic card, negating it.

"As long as Invader of Darkness is my Deck Master, all of your Instant magic cards are worthless."

"Damn it! Then I will use my other face down card! Destruction Ring!"

"Sorry, but I counter with Bandit's Swiss Army Knife."

(LoD: 4800 Max: 800)

"No!"

"And now I add Demon's Axe to your Dragon (5100/3600) and attack your Life Points directly!"

Red-Eyes Ultimate Dragon unleashed an enormous fire ball which smacked the Lord of Dragon to the ground ending the duel. The image of the Lord of Dragons shattered revealed a kid wearing black clothes with some grey body armor here and there. He was wearing goggles on his head. His hair was brown and spiky and his arms had several belts tied around them.

"Okay kid," Ryo said. "Time to explain."

The kid got up from the ground and began to speak. "My name is Kurt .I'm one of the Judges."

"Judges? You mean that group of elite hackers that terrorize major companies?" Will asked.

"The very same. But, I didn't won't to go along with this plan. I have always liked Duel Monsters. But the boss forced us to attack this game so that Kaiba Corp's investments in this game would be all for nothing."

"How many others are working on this job besides you?" Hope asked.

"19," Kurt replied. "All of them are equipped to duel and are much more powerful than I am."

"Well then kid, you're coming with us. You can stop your fellow Judges from succeeding in their mission."

"I quit the Judges already, so who care what they do? But, I will help you out because I know what they are up to. They are spread out all over the place, so we should split up as well."

"I'll go with Max and Ryo," Hope said. Ryo was delighted when she said that.

"Then I guess I'm stuck with Kurt," Will said as he began to walk away from the group.

"Good luck," Kurt said, walking off in the same direction as Will. "You'll need it."

End Chapter