Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.
Chapter 40: Breaking a loop with a loop
Rikuo's eyes glimmered back that confidence once more. "As I said, by the time I am done your creature will be destroyed in battle by one of my own." He lifted a claws finger up to point at his opponent's Grand Emperor Dragon. "Get ready to feel the power of my own infinite loop!"
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Giovan lifted his eyebrows slightly in surprise at that declaration. ("How can that stupid mutt expect to defeat a monster with infinite attack points?") The computer system for the duel disks could not understand any number setting past infinite. Therefore it would be impossible to summon a monster stronger than Ryu's Grand Emperor Dragon.
Then it dawned on him. He had figured out what Rikuo was planning on doing. ("So that's what he had drawn earlier.") Giovan frowned in distaste. He was about to watch the Dog of War make another comeback.
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Rikuo slid a card into his duel disk. "First I play Monster Reborn on Wolf Demon Lord!" The demon wolf samurai reappeared on the field.
Ryu rolled his eyes in exasperation. "I think I understand now. You plan on fusing your mutt of a monster with the boy's steel beast to create that monstrosity called the Steel Wolf General. I'm sure it has some kind of special ability that will win the game for you."
Rikuo shook his head. "I'm not a one trick horse Ryu. Just like you have new strategies, so do I." He slid another card into his duel disk. "Now I play the magic card Exchange of Soul. This switches your graveyard with mine until the end of the turn."
Ryu looked down at his graveyard slot expectantly, waiting for something from Rikuo's graveyard to explode or something of the like.
The wolf demon laughed sharply. "You're second-guessing me." He sneered. "You've got the wrong idea about my combo. I just need your graveyard for one reason. Now I play the magic card Brain Control to seize control of your Grand Dragon General." A purple brain appeared on Rikuo's field and released a wave of mental energy. Ryu's golden armored monster shuddered in mental pain, and then it floated over to Rikuo's field, its eyes vacant of all free thought.
Ryu narrowed his eyes. "I'm starting to see what you plan on doing. You switched graveyards with me to so that you could use my infinite summon combo." He chuckled coldly.
"Ah Rikuo, you seem to misunderstand the nature of my combo. Grand Dragon General's infinite summon combo requires that you have something that involves monsters to be summoned for it to be a benefit. Alone the combo will not be of use to you. I assumed you would know that."
Rikuo flipped his remaining face-down card up. "I'd stop assuming anything when it comes to me! Reveal face-down magic card, Stress of Battle!"
Ryu stared in confusion at the face-up card. "Stress of Battle? What does that do?"
Rikuo sneered. "As any general should know, sometimes it is not the strength of the single soldier that makes the difference, but the strength of the army as a whole. You've put all of your eggs into one basket Ryu, and you're about to pay the price. You may have spent all of this time building up a perfect loop to power your dragon, but that same loop is about to be used against you."
Ryu watched in horror as the flipped up Stress of Battle card shimmered and then appeared floating above the head of the Grand Emperor Dragon. "What is the meaning of this!? What are you doing to my dragon!?"
"Just watch and see Ryu." Rikuo looked over at the Grand Dragon General. "Let's get this show started. Infinite summon combo activate!" The golden-armored monster tapped the butt of its spear on the ground. A random dragon from Ryu's graveyard was summoned, only to immediately be sacrificed to the Revival Spear. The Revival Spear glowed and then the Grand Dragon General repeated the effect. The next dragon was sacrificed as the one before it and the Revival Spear went off again.
Ryu watched as the Stress of Battle card released a gray mist that fell over his dragon. As the mist surrounded that crystalline monster, the dragon began to turn gray. Its muscles withered and it looked like it was dying slowly.
The sight of his magnificent beast suffering sent pangs of pain right into the dragon demon's heart. "What...what are you doing to it!? STOP!!!"
Rikuo sneered as the infinite summon combo continued in front of him. "I'm not going to stop until your creature's power is completely gone."
Ryu tugged at the edges of his golden hair, his general's countenance gone. All that was left was a tortured soul who was watching his last hope at revenge wither away to a bag of bones and wrinkled skin. "How? Tell me....."
Rikuo scoffed. "Gods you sicken me when you are like this. Fine, I will humor you and tell you what Stress of Battle does." He took a deep breath. "Stress of Battle is a continuous magic card that hangs over your field when I play it. Its effect is that every time I summon a monster all of the creatures on your field lose 500 attack points permanently. So let's see..."
He tapped a claw to his chin mockingly. "Since you have been so kind as to set up the perfect little infinite summon combo for me, I suppose I should offer you my thanks. Because of you my Stress of Battle card can drain your infinite attack point dragon down to zero attack points."
Ryu looked like he was on the verge of tears. "That card you played...there must be some kind of payment you need to make for it....."
Rikuo nodded sagely. "Oh there is. You see it costs 500 life points per use. But..." He pointed at the continuous magic card floating on his field. "Spell Economics means that I don't have to pay a single life point for this combo to work. So say good-bye to your Grand Emperor Dragon and all of its attack points."
Ryu already felt tears beginning to drip down his face as he watched the monster that represented the pride of his tribe turn into a dusty old skeleton, its golden armoring rusted to the point that it looked dark brown. (0/2500)
Rikuo felt no remorse as he pointed at the dragon. "Now you understand what I meant when I said that one of my monsters would destroy yours in battle. Wolf Demon Lord, attack with Howling Sword!" The samurai demon snapped its greatsword into the air, the weapon wreathed in phantom flame. It slammed its blade into the ground and a shockwave of the flame leapt out to consume the remains of the Grand Emperor Dragon.
Rikuo- 2000
Ryu- 5600
Ryu knew what was next. He knew that Rikuo was about to inflict upon him the ultimate insult.
"Grand Dragon General! Spear of Dragon Mastery!" The golden dragon demon threw its crystal spear across the field. The weapon slammed into Ryu's chest and threw him to his back.
Rikuo- 2000
Ryu- 2600
Rikuo sighed and slid the last card in his hand into the duel disk. "It's over Ryu. I play the magic card Hell Meteor. This magic card will deal you 4000 life points of damage, meaning that this game is over!" Above them both the sky ripped open to reveal a flaming dimension of pain and suffering. In the center of all of the cries of pain and despair was the pulsing ball of black and red flame that made up the Hell Meteor. "Good-bye Ryu. Go Hell Meteor!" The ball of flame pitched forward and slammed down upon the dragon demon. The ball pressed into the ground for a few seconds, and then it exploded, spraying the field with holographic flames.
Rikuo- 2000
Ryu- 0
Ryu slowly picked himself up from the small crater that had formed from the holographic explosion. He walked unsteadily over to Rikuo, hands at his sides and eyes to the ground. His golden hair was hanging in his eyes and masking his face.
Rikuo weighed the possibilities that Ryu might try to attack him, but he decided that it wasn't very likely. Therefore he simply shuffled his deck and slid it back into his duel disk. Then he waited as Ryu stumbled over to him.
The dragon demon lifted his face enough to show that he had been crying. His cheeks were stained with the streaks that could only come from someone crying. "You've won again Rikuo. I cannot defeat you. Even when your most powerful cards are missing, you still find a way to defeat me. I hate you..." He whispered the last part, his head hanging low again. He fished four cards out of the graveyard slot of his duel disk and held them out to Rikuo. "Consider these my final memento to you. The Dragon Demon Lord, Grand Emperor Dragon, Revival Spear, and Lord's Ascension. They should all serve you well when you battle Master Garlin."
Rikuo took the cards gingerly, sliding each one into his pocket. "You put up as good of a battle as ever Jourgen. Don't beat up on yourself. You'll get me next time."
Ryu smiled sadly and walked over to the edge of the cliff, his down-trodden eyes looking out at The Asylum. "No I won't. I'm tired of it all Rikuo. I cannot avenge my family. I am ready to be cast into hell where I belong for failing them."
Rikuo snarled and spun the golden-haired boy around. "Damn it Jourgen listen to me! Do you even realize that I didn't kill your family? Do you even understand who did!?"
Ryu smiled tiredly. "Sestros is dead Rikuo. All that is left is you. You were the only thing that was stopping my spirit from finding peace. Now though, I know the truth..."
Rikuo expected to be berated once more for being the cause of Jourgen's suffering. What he heard instead though...
"You are forgiven Rikuo Amero. I understand now that it was not your fault. I was too selfish to see otherwise."
Just like that, Rikuo Amero had regained his lost honor. "Jourgen...."
Ryu shook his head, and trudged past Rikuo. "We shall never meet again. Farewell."
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The sound of clapping caught the attention of both of their hearing. The two demons turned to watch Giovan Garlin step out of the shadows, a chillingly cold smile upon his face. "Well isn't this just a perfectly cliché moment? The villain finally understands the truth and now he goes off to live a life of peace." His smile turned into a scowl. "Unfortunately it doesn't work that way in my story."
Rikuo snorted and waved his hand dismissively at Giovan. "Why don't you go and let the demons talk Sestros? Monstrosities such as you have no right to be involved in the conversations between people who actually care about their honor."
Giovan sneered. "Rikuo Amero...I am going to enjoy killing you when we meet on the field of battle. I'll make sure the rules for our darkness game are extra painful, just so I can watch my Torture Machines literally rip you apart, piece by deliciously screaming piece."
His dark gaze came to Ryu, who was bowing before him. "As always you are the best servant I could ever have Ryu. As you know I am going to have to kill you now for failing me not once, but twice."
Ryu nodded and walked up to his master stiffly. "I understand. I am ready to leave this life with no regrets. I have been able to bury my past."
Rikuo's eyes widened. ("No....Sestros...even for you...don't...")
Giovan nodded and as an almost casual afterthought added. "Oh, one more thing though Ryu. I have a little information that you may make your passing into the afterlife much easier." He leaned in and whispered into his second in command's ear. "The blood of your wife and children tasted so sweet upon my lips. Their flesh so very delicious and tender. So let it be known that they all died for a good cause. They all died to provide King Kilomet Sestros with a nice four course meal in celebration of his victory over the pathetic king of the dragon demons." He lifted his head back and raised his hand to the staring eyes of Ryu.
The Emissary felt himself trembling in rage. "Sestros...you...you..."
Giovan felt the energy building in his palm. "Die knowing that you failed to kill the man that dined upon the flesh of your daughter and drank the blood of your wife. Go to hell, you honorless dog."
Ryu barely registered the pain as Giovan's power tore through him. All he could understand was that he had been tricked all of this time. He somehow managed to avoid crying out in pain. ("If I am going to die honor-less, then at least let it be known that I did not scream.") With that last, barely consoling thought, Grand General Jourgen felt no more.
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As pieces of the very demon that just forgiven him splattered against his cheek, Rikuo clenched his fists tightly, his fangs bared and his eyes glowing. "No. I won't tolerate this. Even for you Sestros..." His claws began to glow an icy blue color. "...THAT WAS WRONG!" He lunged, claws out to gut the business-suited monster.
Giovan lifted his palm up and in one blast Rikuo was flying backwards, sent into an uncontrollable spin. If it wasn't for his claws digging into the ground the wolf demon would have been sent right off the edge of the cliff. "You should know that it is unwise to attack ones betters Rikuo."
The wolf demon came back to his feet and let out a growl so low that it sounded like a death threat. "I challenge you to a darkness game, right here, right now."
Giovan snorted and turned around to walk back into the shadows. "I'm going to go and sleep right now Rikuo. We can settle this tomorrow at the finals. By the way, if you dare to put either the infinite attack combo or the Hell Meteor in your deck for the finals, then I will personally kill your friends. See you in the morning." And just like that he was gone.
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Rikuo had returned to Daniel's room without any problems. As soon as he was back in the bed he slid back into the confines of his other half's soul room.
The first thing that met his eyes was Daniel, staring a walls-worth of cards that were floating in front of him. "What are you doing?"
Daniel barely acknowledged the demon's presence in the room. "Deck building. He said we couldn't run Ryu's infinite attack combo, so I'm seeing if we can create our own."
Rikuo collapsed on a couch and shook his head. "Don't bother. Today I've learned an important lesson about infinite combos. They just aren't worth running. We had best stick to what we have."
Daniel frowned but nodded. "Fine. Are you going to sleep at all?"
Rikuo's answer was to head out the steel door that led into the darkness that was his side of Daniel's mind.
"Guess I'll take that as a yes." Daniel yawned and the cards in front of him faded away. He curled up on couch and slid into sleep.
To be continued...
Next Chapter: The Finals begin
Author's Notes: Hello there everybody. That brings an end to the side-story before the finals. Now we can move on to the main event. On that note, if there are any particular match-ups between the six duelists that you want to see, let me know in your review.
To the Chazman: The whole Amy's brother thing is something of a loose end that I left behind on purpose. I use stuff that like as lifelines when I hit writer's block, so that way I backtrack and find a way around the block. Thanks for noticing that though.