Chapter 9: Ryu-Yami vs. Raijouta: Hidden Power

Raijouta and Ryu-Yami stood facing each other as they drew five cards and waited for the duel to begin.

Ryu-Yami 8000/Raijouta 8000

"I'll start by summoning Luster Dragon in attack mode!" 1900/1600. A shining dragon descended to the field. "Now I'll set one card and end my turn."

Raijouta was pleased by what he drew. "I summon Marauding Captain in attack mode!" 1200/300. A man wearing greenish-gold armor and holding a broadsword and shield appeared. "Because of his effect I can special summon one level four or lower monster so I choose Wolf Axe Wielder!" 1650/1000. A werewolf holding a large battle-axe and rough wooden shield appeared. Its body was covered with various symbols in red paint. "I'll also set a card and end my turn."

Ryu-Yami chuckled. "Those weaklings will never stand up to my monster! Now I set a monster. Now attack his wolf Luster Dragon!" The Dragon breathed a stream of fire that engulfed the monster. "Now I set another card and end my turn."

Ryu-Yami 8000/Raijouta 7650

Raijouta seemed unphased. "I summon Little Winguard in attack mode!" 1400/1800. A small soldier in blue armor with purple wing adornments appeared. He held a tiny shield and a short sword. "Now I equip my Winguard with Lightning Blade!" The small sword and shield disappeared. Now, the warrior held a large electrified sword with both hands. 2200/1800. "Now attack his Luster Dragon!" The monster charged and swung its sword cleaving the dragon in half.

Ryu-Yami 7700/Raijouta 7650

"Now I'll switch Marauding Captain to defense mode and use Little Winguard's ability to switch him to defense mode as well." Raijouta said. "Your turn."

Ryu-Yami didn't change his happy expression as he drew. "I summon Spear Dragon in attack mode!" 1900/0. A small dragon with a blue back and beige underbelly hovered above the field. It had a long, pointed nose that could have been called a beak. "Now attack his Winguard!" The dragon pushed its wings back and flew in a javelin pose at the Winguard. Suddenly, Marauding Captain jumped in the way and blocked the attack with his sword. However, he wasn't destroyed. "What?"

Raijouta smirked. "You say your money can buy skill but I guess not. If Marauding Captain is on my field, no other warrior type monsters on my field can be attacked until it's destroyed."

Ryu-Yami growled as he watched his attack fail and his Spear Dragon switch into defense mode. "I'll set one card face down and end my turn."

Raijouta drew. "I summon Masaki the Legendary Swordsman in attack mode!" 1100/1100. A samurai in green armor holding a long katana appeared.

"What a weak card!" Ryu-Yami laughed. "I can't believe such a weak card would still exist!"

"Don't count it out yet." Raijouta said. "Now Marauding Captain attack Spear Dragon!" The soldier charged and slashed at the monster, but Ryu-Yami flipped his set card.

"I activate Mirror Force!" A pulse of energy hit Raijouta's Masaki and Marauding Captain. However, suddenly, Little Winguard was destroyed and the other two remained unharmed. Even more miraculously, Spear Dragon was in attack mode! "What?"

"By activating my Zero Gravity trap card all monster switch their modes. That means only my Little Winguard was destroyed."

"Damn you!" Ryu-Yami roared. "I set a card and end my turn."

Raijouta looked at his cards. "I play Change of Heart!" Spear Dragon walked over to Raijouta's side of the field. "Now I'll sacrifice it and my Marauding Captain to summon Sword Hunter!" 2450/1700. A mighty warrior in leather armor carrying a variety of blades appeared. "Now Sword Hunter and Masaki attack him directly!" The warriors rushed forward and swung their swords cleaving away at Ryu-Yami's life points.

Ryu-Yami 4050/Raijouta 7650

"Nice." Came the voice of Ryu-Hikari. Nikki looked at him.

"Would you happen to know Raiji?" she asked.

"Uh..." he stammered. "Just watched the duel..."

Ryu-Yami looked in disgust. However, he smiled as he drew. "I will activate Graceful Charity and discard two cards as well as draw three. Now I activate Chaos Emperor Dragon!" 3000/2500. Suddenly, the monster everyone had heard of and feared rose up. It was a black dragon with green lines across its body. It flapped its great wings as it ascended. "Now as a normal summon, Luster Dragon!" 1900/1600. The shining monster rose into the sky. "Now because I don't trust your set card I play Mystical Space Typhoon!" A great storm brewed and headed toward the image of the large card. However, Raijouta smiled as he flipped the card.

"I chain your card with my Judgment of Anubis!" A statue of the Egyptian Jackal God appeared and its eyes blazed a fiery red. Suddenly, the storm ended and the Chaos Emperor Dragon died.

Ryu-Yami 1050/Raijouta 7650

"Yeah! Go Raijouta!" Came the cries from the other competitors.

"I told you I'd win," Raijouta laughed.

"I'm just getting warmed up. Anyway I have a special strategy all picked out for you! Look at my hand!" Much to the surprise of all, Ryu-Yami revealed his hand.

"Four Pieces of Exodia? Damn you!" Raijouta growled.

"You're in the same trap from two years ago. I was just waiting and now soon I'll win!"

"Finish your turn already!" Raijouta snapped.

"All right. I play Swords of Revealing Light!" The magical swords blocked Raijouta's two monsters. "Now I end my turn."

"All right." Raijouta said. "I activate Polymerization to fuse Masaki and Flame Manipulator to form Flame Swordsman!" 1800/1600. The muscular warrior appeared. He wore red armor over a blue tunic and held a long red-orange blade. "Now I end my turn."

"I play different Dimensions Capsule!" Ryu-Yami said happily. "That means I can guarantee my strategy works! So I'll end my turn by setting a monster."

"Yes!" Raijouta said. "I've beaten you! I play Exchange! Now we each take a card from the other's hand." They walked over. "I take Left Leg of the Forbidden One."

"I'll choose Sword of the Deep-Seated." Ryu-Yami returned.

"Now I set a monster and end my turn."

"One more turn on my capsule," he smirked. "Now I set a monster and end my turn."

"I'll pass my turn," Raijouta said. "Either way you can't summon Exodia!"

"But I can," Ryu-Yami replied as his capsuled card came to his hand. "I play Card Destruction now we must discard our hands and draw new ones."

"Why did he do that?" Nikki asked puzzled.

"Damnit Raijouta you know what's coming," Ryu-Hikari muttered.

"Now I activate my set card Contract With Exodia to summon Exodia Necross!" 1800/0. A the figure of Exodia appeared however, it was blue instead of gold and its chains were silver. "Now I equip it with Black Pendant!" 2300/0. A strange black gem appeared on the monster's neck. "Now destroy Flame Swordsman!" The monster ran forward and pummled the swordsman into the ground.

Ryu-Yami 1050/Raijouta 7150

"I switch all my monster to defense mode, set one, and end my turn." Raijouta said proudly. "That will give me a few turns of safety."

"You're wrong," Ryu-Yami replied. "I play Dark Hole!" A huge vortex engulfed the field and swallowed all the monsters except Exodia Necross. "My monster is immune to Magic Cards to it's fine. And now that it's my Battle Phase again it gains another 1000 attack points!" 3300/0. "Now attack him directly!" The monster bashed Raijouta and he was knocked onto the ground.

Ryu-Yami 1050/Raijouta 3850

"Damn...you..." He muttered. "I set a monster and end my turn."

"Your defenses won't work," he said. "I play Stop Defense!" Raijouta's monster appeared and was revealed as Sasuke Samurai #2. 200/300. "Now my monster has 4300 attack points, enough to defeat you! Destroy his samurai now!" Exodia Necross slammed its fists on the samurai turning it to dust.

Ryu-Yami 1050/Raijouta 0

"Now I've won, weakling," Ryu-Yami said. "I will win this tournament!"

"Nice try Raijouta," Ryu-Hikari said.

"You we're in close proximity to victory," Baxter said.

"Yeah you did fine," Izumi giggled.

"And I'll get revenge for you and beat him!" Nikki yelled. "You hear that I'll beat you!" Ryu-Yami didn't even turn around.

"Next up we have mark against Nikki." Ryu-Yami announced.

Nikki stepped up, she was ready to defeat her rival and prove to him her skills were good...

HES: Hi again everybody! I'd just like you to know this chapter was a bit delayed because of some priorities I had to attend to. Don't worry, I will pick up speed and if I continue at the rate I've planned for the length I've planned, I should be done in early-mid September so please bear with me. Yes, I will attempt to write a sequel but first I'm going to write another fic I've had planned for quite some time. Thanks again fans for sticking by me.

Next time on Amateur Duelist: It's time for Nikki to prove to Mark she's better than she was. In a raging duel Nikki is constantly challenged but seems to be on top. However, mark's got some new cards, and new tricks, he wants to show off. Never fear, Nikki has some great new cards too. Can Nikki finally defeat her rival? Find out Next time on Amateur Duelist.