Now Playing… Masterpiece (mihimaru GT / Yu-Gi-Oh! Zexal)
The clouds begin to part, allowing the shining sun to illuminate Beacon Academy. Inside the school, a locker is quickly opened, and hand retrieves a red Duel Disk from it.
Ame no hi mo kaze no hi mo gokkan no fubuki mo shakunetsu no taiyou mo
The scene changes frequently, showing Ruby summoning [ZS - Ascended Sage] against her sister Yang. Another image shows Weiss and Neun bickering as Blake face palms behind them.
Subete hibi wo irodoru zairyou, hekotarenaide ishi to ai wo
Blake sits on her bed with knees to her chest, reading a book with multiple Duel Monsters cards littered around her. [Penguin Brave], played by Weiss, scatters as they avoid an attack from Yang's [Superheavy Samurai Stealth Ninja], equipped with [Soulshield Wall].
Kimi ga kureta yasashisa wa kibishisa
Butsukaru koto de shitta modokashisa
Neun's [Harr, Generaider Boss of Storms] creates a whirlwind around it, blowing away Blake's [Bahamut Shark]. Ruby thrusts her hand forward, and [Number 39] charges forward, raising its blade against [Harr's] trident. As their weapons clash, the force of the impact creates a completely blinding light, leaving only the Numbers 39 and 9 visible.
Chigai wo mitomeru koto de hajimaru juuoumijun odore tenchikaibyaku
Ruby now stands on the balcony of Beacon, smiling at the rising sun with her [Zexal Weapon] and [Zexal Servant] monsters standing beside her.
Hontou wa sabishikatta kimi ni au made wa
Her monsters all run forward, leaping off the edge of the balcony as Ruby smiles behind them.
Hitori de iru hou ga kiraku nan datte usotsuite ita
Ruby straps her Duel Disk onto her arm, and starts running towards the edge of the balcony, jumping off and diving to the bottom to follow them.
Suki no honmo shumi mo marude awanai kedo
Ruby walks down the halls of Beacon Academy by herself, only to be ambushed by Yang as she wraps one hand around her shoulder, with Blake walking a couple feet behind them, pretending more interested in her book and glancing at the half-sisters occasionally.
There is a brief glimpse of Summer Rose's grave stone, decorated with flowers and a picture of the Rose-Xiao Long family.
Inside one of the practice fields, Yang and [Superheavy Samurai Warlord Susanowo] pound their fists together as Pyrrha Nikkos stands on the opposite side of her, glancing at her starting hand and unceremoniously summoning [Gamaciel] by tributing [Susanowo], leaving Yang in dumbfounded shock.
Kimi dake da yo unazuite kureta no wa
[Loptr, Shadow of the Generaider Bosses] appears next to Neun, both of them placing their hands on their chin, and smiling mischievously at [Number 9: Canopy Star - Dyson Sphere].
Ruby and Weiss stand with their backs turned to each other, Number 39 appearing on the back of Ruby's neck, while Weiss has Number 21 glowing on her right cheek.
Yorokobi to kanashimi to ikari to DO to RE to MI to FA to SO to RA to SHI to DO
In rapid succession, images of Weiss dragging Ruby to class, Ruby targeting Weiss' face-down for an attack with [ZW - Leo Arms], and Weiss handing a cup of coffee to a sleeping Ruby flash into their minds, Weiss crying while Ruby tries her best to comfort her, Weiss' [Penguins] dancing around Ruby while their owner sings gracefully, and Ruby and Weiss summoning [Number 39] and [Number 21: Frozen Lady Justice] against [Number 16: Gimmick Puppet - Giant Killer].
Chigawanakya denkinai HARMONY to SCENARIO
As if in understanding, Ruby and Weiss look at each, a small smile forming on both of their faces.
Dare mo onaji ja nai
Ruby spins around and draws a card from her disk, with Yang and a ghostly projection of [Superheavy Samurai Gigagloves] standing by her side.
Sore koso ga ikiteru imi dakara
A woman wreathed in flames brings out [Number C5: Perishing-Gloom Dragon - Chaos Chimera Dragon], the beast's maw glowing brightly and firing a large blast of energy a few seconds later.
In a dark alleyway, Roman turns around to see a completely blank, floating white card.
Tokitoshite dashita oto ga fukyouwaon demo
Neun draws a card from his deck, and with a crazed look on his face, he lunges forward, slamming the card into the reader.
A dark castle is seen, completely surrounded by [Numeron Networks] vines. A shadowy figure appears over the structure, with the Number 1000 and a monstrous figure glowing menacingly behind her.
Dakara akiramenai shinji nukeru tsuyosa de
Blake is standing on the tallest tower of Beacon Academy, raising her hand as if to grasp the moon, while the Number 32 glows faintly on the palm of her hand.
Neun slams his Duel Disk into Ruby's, sending electrical sparks flying upon impact.
Tadori tsukeru sekai no hate de kimi to miru keshiki ga shinjitsu nanda
[Number 9: Canopy Star - Dyson Sphere] appears behind Neun, and it blasts a large beam of energy at Ruby. [Hope] appears in front of her and uses its Moon Barrier to defend.
Ruby sits down on a grassy field, with Yang standing next to her and smiling brightly. Without looking, Yang reaches down and Ruby gladly slaps her with her sister's.
Ame no hi mo kaze no hi mo gokkan no fubuki mo shakunetsu no taiyo mo
Subete hibi wo irodoru zairyou, hekotarenaide ishi to ai wo
[ZW - Dragonic Halberd] roars proudly, scratching the air in front of it. [Superheavy Samurai Beast Kyubi] gallops behind it, twirling its naginata and throwing it forwards. [Penguin Brave] charges forward, but they slow down to help the wizard penguin when it trips and falls down. [Bahamut Shark] roars, creating a stream of water as it slashes its claws at the opponent.
Kimi ga kureta yasashisa wa kibishisa
Butsukaru koto de shitta modokashisa
Lastly, [Number 39] flies forward and slashes, getting its blade trapped in [Jormungandr, Generaider Boss of Eternity's] razor sharp fangs. The warrior pulls back and frees its sword, and then both monsters lunge towards each other.
Chigai wo mitomeru koto hajimaru juuoumijun odore tenchikaibyaku
Ruby opens her eyes and raises her hands to the sky with [Number 39's] card. A bolt of energy from the card as her silver eyes gleam brightly, eliminating the darkness in front of her.
Chapter 1 - Red Queen, Gray Raider
When Ruby said she was going out to buy Yang a congratulatory present for being accepted into Beacon, fighting off goons in black suits wasn't what she had in mind. Regardless, her mother had always told her to do the right thing, if the right thing just so happened to be taking out three grown men after they tried to gang up on her, then she would gladly do it, regardless of the consequences.
Just as she deactivated her Duel Disk, a new figure stepped out of the cloud of dust she had created, no thanks to her monsters. He tapped the closest man with his cane and rolled him to his back, frowning at the drool coming out of his mouth.
"You were worth every cent, truly you were," The man muttered, his bowler hat hiding the disappointed look in his eyes. He then looked at Ruby, noticing the crimson colored Duel Disk on her arm. She flinched slightly, making the criminal's lips curl upwards.
"Well, Red. I think we can all say this has been an eventful evening," He began, activating his own Disk and drawing a card. "But, I'm afraid this is where we part ways." Just as he was about to clap the card into the reader, a red lasso appeared from Ruby's Duel Disk and wrapped itself around the criminal's wrist, causing him to gasp in confusion.
A bright flash of light nearly blinded Ruby, but as it faded, the criminal was still there, cursing and trying to pull the Duel Anchor off of him.
"It worked… Oh my god it worked!" Ruby cheered. She had now idea if her custom made Duel Anchor would even be able to generate the lasso, but the blueprints she downloaded off the internet actually worked! Take that, Yang! Ruby mentally boasted.
The criminal stared blankly at her as she mentally patted herself on the back. Sighing, he grabbed his scroll and checked the time.
"Well, I suppose I have enough time for one match," He said, mostly to himself, but loud enough to remind Ruby of her current situation. He smirked, taking his deck out the slot and shuffling it. "Just don't be too disappointed when I send you back home on a stretcher."
Ruby, with fiery determination in her eyes, simply activated her duel disk and drew her starting hand. "The only place I'll be going is the police station!" She shot back. The criminal's smirk turned into a frown, and he cocked his head in confusion. "Y-y'know, to take you to the police?" He sighed and shook his head, turning his green eyes to his hand.
"Well, at least you tried," He replied with a patronizing smile on his face. Ruby pouted at the sight of it.
Ruby Rose (8000 LP) VS Roman Torchwick (8000 LP)
Now Playing… Tetsu Ushio's Theme (Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links)
"If you don't mind, I think I'll go first," Torchwick said rather courteously, slightly confusing the black-haired duelist. "I begin by activating [Graceful Charity]: I can draw three cards, so long as I discard two of them." Ruby frowned, but didn't say anything as he slid his cards into the GY. "Now, I set one monster and two cards-face down. That's it for my turn. So Red, feeling scared yet?" The criminal asked, adjusting his hat with his cane.
Ruby looked at his field and then back to him. For such a lackluster first turn, he seemed pretty confident about how he ended it. Maybe he bricked? Regardless, she needs to take advantage of it.
Roman Status - 8000 LP / 2 Cards in Hand / 96% Aura
Ruby Status - 8000 LP / 5 Cards in Hand / 99% Aura
"Nope, I draw!" Ruby announced. "I start off by summoning [ZW - Sleipnir Mail]! And since I have a Level 4 monster on my field, I can Special Summon [ZS - Armed Sage] from my hand!" A white and red mechanical horse appeared, followed by a red armor wearing man with multiple weapons strapped to his back.
"And now, with [Sleipnir Mail] and [Armed Sage], I build the Overlay Network!" Ruby shouted, pulling her hands to her chest as the horse and armored man turned into two orbs of glowing yellow energy. In front of her, a galaxy-shaped vortex appeared covered in multiple stars of various colors. Roman frowned. Overlay Networks are supposed to be red vortexes, and a lot smaller.
Wait a minute… Wait a minute!
"I Xyz Summon! Rank 4! [Number 39: King of Wishes - Hope]!"
"You've gotta be kidding me…" Roman muttered his breath.
The galactic vortex exploded in a multicolored blast, shattering the windows on nearby buildings. What rose from it was a strange, key-shaped object that began unfolding itself. It formed into a humanoid warrior, covered from head to toe in white, gleaming armor with golden engravings. On its left pauldron, emblazoned in crimson markings, was the Number 39.
[Number 39: King of Wishes - Hope]
[LIGHT/Rank 4]
[Warrior/Xyz/Effect]
[2500 ATK/2000 DEF]
2 Level 4 Monsters
Cannot be destroyed by battle or by card effect, except by battle against or by the effect of a "Number" Xyz monster. This card cannot be tributed. When a monster declares an attack: you can detach 1 material from this card; negate the attack. If this is targeted for an attack, while it has no Xyz Materials: destroy this card. When this card is destroyed by battle against or by the effect of your opponent's non "Number" Xyz monsters; you can target up to two monsters in either player's GY: Special Summon this card, and if you do, attach those targets to it as Xyz Material.
"[Armed Sage's] effect activates! Since I summoned a [Hope] monster with [Sage] as Xyz Material, I can add [ZW - Asura Strike] to my hand!" Ruby explained. "Then, I activate the effects of both [Asura Strike] and [ZW - Tornado Bringer] from my hand! I equip both of them to [Hope], and increase its ATK!" Beside the shining knight, two monsters emerged, one of them was a red serpentine dragon, and the other was an ornate crimson and green hoop. Both of them began folding and rearranging themselves, transforming into a thin crimson katana and a pair of clawed gauntlets. [Hope] growled with power, raising its ATK to a breathtaking 4700.
"Of course, it had to be another Number," Roman growled irritably.
"I enter the Battle Phase! [Hope], attack his face-down monster!" The golden warrior charged and slashed, its weapons brimming with golden energy. Roman's monster flipped itself face-up, revealing itself to be [BM-4 Blast Spider].
"I activate the trap card [Super Team Buddy Force Unite!]! I can special summon one monster that's a Machine-Type monster from my hand or GY! I special summon [Twin Barrel Dragon] from my GY!" Beside the mechanical spider, a blue two legged dragon with a gun for a head appeared. As it did, [Hope] slashed at the spider, shredding it to bits.
"[Twin Barrel Dragon's] effect activates! I target your [Asura Strike] and flip two coins. If both of them are heads, I get to pop it!" Roman explained as two large coins shimmered into existence.
"You're leaving this all to luck?" Ruby asked, causing Roman to smirk.
"Not entirely, because I also activate the continuous trap [Proton Blast]! Once [Twin Barrel Dragon's] effect resolves, I can use one of [Proton Blast's] effects based on the number of Heads I got! And then, since you destroyed one of my DARK Machine monsters, I can special summon [Desperado Barrel Dragon] from my hand!" Immediately, the two coins shot into the air and landed with a thud. Ruby's eyes gaped, while Roman laughed.
"That's two heads! Your toy sword is destroyed, and [Proton Blast] can blast you with an additional 500 damage and destroy the other sword! And let's not forget my other monster coming out from my hand!" Roman exclaimed. "And now, why don't we say hello to the greatest weapon in my arsenal! Appear, [Desperado Barrel Dragon]!"
Behind [Twin Barrel Dragon] a large, dark green, mechanical monster fell from the sky, crashing down with enough force to make a crater. The large machine its head, which was a large gun barrel and flicked its tail hungrily. The mouthpiece underneath the barrel howled, pointing its two gun arms at [Hope].
[Desperado Barrel Dragon]
[DARK/Level 8]
[Machine/Effect]
[2800 ATK/2200 DEF]
If a face-up DARK Machine monster(s) you control is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per turn, during the Battle Phase (Quick Effect): You can toss a coin 3 times; destroy face-up monsters on the field, up to the number of heads, then if the result was 3 heads, draw 1 card. This card cannot attack the turn this effect is activated. If this card is sent to the GY: You can add 1 Level 7 or lower monster that has a coin tossing effect, from your Deck to your hand.
Then, [Twin Barrel Dragon] let out a mechanical roar, and launched three blasts from its gun-head. The first two destroyed [Asura Strike] and [Tornado Bringer], while the third crashed into Ruby's, knocking the wind out from her lungs and sending her to the ground.
Ruby LP: 8000 - 500 = 7500
Ruby Aura: 86% = 78%
"Hah! Still think you have what it takes to beat me, Red? If you disable the anchor, I'll just walk away like this never, ever happened." Roman's eyes darkened. "I think that'd be best for the both of us…"
"As… if!" Ruby cried. "I set one card face-down, and end my turn!"
Ruby Status: 7500 LP / 2 Cards in Hand / 78% Aura
Roman Status: 8000 LP / 2 Cards in Hand / 84% Aura
"Feh… I draw!" Roman said, beginning his turn. Now, the only problem was getting rid of her Number. His oh so mysterious benefactor had been kind enough to inform him of the topic, but not to give him the tools to deal with them, saying that they were too important for someone like him to hold on to. It pissed him off.
Well, it's not she would've known about some random pipsqueak that just so happens to have not only a Number, but a deck that also supports her Number. Nothing for the guy who's literally doing most of the heavy lifting of that ridiculous plan of hers.
He looked at the card he drew. Well, he'll be able to damage, but until he won't be able to do much of anything with [Hope] constantly resummoning itself to the field.
"I summon [Black Salvo]!" Roman exclaimed, a small bomb with sharp teeth and angular eyes appearing on the field. "Then, I tune Level 3 [Black Salvo] with Level 4 [Twin Barrel Dragon]! I Synchro Summon Level 7 [Samurai Destroyer]!" [Black Salvo] dissolved into a trio of green rings that floated into the air, the blue gun-dragon jumping up into the air to follow it. [Twin Barrel Dragon] devolved into four glowing stars. A green beam of light suddenly engulfed the ring and stars, and when the dust settled, a red mechanical warrior dressed in crimson-orange bushido armor emerged, with a large odachi strapped on its back and a cannon on its right arm.
[Samurai Destroyer]
[EARTH/Level 7]
[Machine/Synchro/Effect]
[2600 ATK/1400 DEF]
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card battles an opponent's monster, your opponent cannot activate cards or effects until the end of the Damage Step, also that opponent's monster has its effects negated during the Battle Phase only. If this face-up card in its owner's control leaves the field because of an opponent's card effect: You can target 1 Machine monster in your GY; Special Summon it.
"Next, I play [World Legacy Clash]! I banish [Desperado Barrel Dragon] in order to reduce [Hope's] ATK! I also chain [Concentrating Current]! [Samurai Destroyer] gains ATK equal to its DEF, giving it 4000 ATK! But in return, it's the only monster that can attack this turn!" [Desperado Barrel Dragon] began shimmering, but before it left, all three of its cannons were aimed at [Hope] and fired, bringing the warrior to its knees, and reducing both its ATK and DEF to 0. Meanwhile, [Samurai Destroyer] began glowing, brimming with power as it drew its sword and charged its cannon. Ruby gulped as she saw the robot point its odachi straight at her.
"Battle! [Samurai Destroyer] attacks [Number 39]!" [Samurai Destroyer] kneeled down, and then suddenly dashed towards [Hope], catching it and its owner off guard.
"[Hope's] effect–"
"Is completely useless, Red! When [Samurai Destroyer] attacks, you can't activate any card effects until the end of the damage step! Also, [Hope's] effects are negated, meaning that you can't negate my attack, and I can destroy it, even though it's a Number!" As [Hope] tried to extend its wings, it received a blast to head from [Destroyer's] cannon, knocking the warrior off balance. Then, the robotic samurai slashed through [Hope's] chestplate, causing it to explode. The resulting shockwave blew Ruby away, the red-cloaked girl shouting as she was picked off her feet and fell to the ground in a heap.
Ruby LP: 7500 - 4000 = 3500
Ruby Aura: 78% = 61%
Struggling to her feet, Ruby picked herself up and glared at Roman, who had a smug smile on his face.
"[Hope's] effect activates! I can special summon it, and attach two cards from my graveyard to it!" Ruby explained. From a dark portal, [Number 39] reentered the field, alongside [Sleipnir Mail] and [Armed Sage]. Both monsters dissolved into glowing orbs that had begun to orbit around the shining warrior. Ruby smirked as [Hope] struck a pose.
"Alright then! [Desperado Barrel Dragon]! Attack [Number 39]! Shotgun Blast Ballista!" [Barrel Dragon] howled, aiming its signature gun head at [Hope], and fired. [Number 39] crossed its arms to protect itself, but staggered backwards when the oversized bullet struck it and exploded. Some of the shrapnel was sent Ruby's way, cutting the sleeves of her dress and grazing her cheeks.
Ruby LP: 4000 - 300 = 3700
Ruby Aura: 57% = 54%
Roman sighed, swiping the sweat of his brow and staggering in place. Three special summons in rapid succession is not fun. Not having any cards in his hand wasn't fun either, but he'd just have to make do with what he has. So long as he keeps whittling down her aura, he should be able to get the win. "That'll be it for me. I end my turn."
Roman Status: 8000 LP / 0 Cards in Hand / 73% Aura
Ruby Status: 3700 LP / 2 Cards in Hand / 54% Aura
"Alright then, I draw!" Ruby exclaimed. She inhaled slightly. "I summon [ZS - Vanish Sage]!" Next to [Hope], a monster with white armor, red wing attachments on its back, and a large spear appeared. The problem was that this monster only had 500 ATK. Summoning it to the field was a risk, but it was one she had to take. "I activate [Vanish Sage's] effect, which lets me draw a card!" Please be a good draw! Ruby pleaded to whatever being would be willing to hear her. Cautiously, she drew her card, glanced at it, and almost immediately slapped it onto her Spell/Trap Zone.
"I activate the effect of [ZW - Lightning Blade], and equip it onto [Hope]! It gains 1200 ATK, and you can't target any of my [ZW] cards with your card effects!" [Hope] raised its hand, and a bright sphere of energy condensed over it, flying into its hand as the energy formed into a silver single-edged broadsword, with the face of a tiger on the guard. [Hope] performed a few experimental swings, the blade crackling with electricity.
"[Hope] attacks [Samurai Destroyer]!" Ruby declared.
"[Desperado Barrel Dragon's] effect activates! I flip three coins, and depending how many heads I get, I can destroy up to that many monsters on the field! And, if all three flips come up heads, then I can draw a card!" Roman interrupted. At once, three coins shimmered into existence and were tossed into the air. They came crashing down, each of them came up heads.
"Ha! I destroy [Vanish Sage]! And since [Proton Blast] is still on the field. I can deal you 500 damage and make you discard one card of my choice!" Ruby yelped as [Barrel Dragon] aimed and fired six shots. One of them struck [Vanish Sage] and tore it to shreds, another clipped her hand, making her discard [Zexal Catapult]. The third bullet was embedded into Ruby's right leg, making the girl cry out in pain as she fell to her knees.
Ruby LP: 3700 - 500 = 3200
Ruby Aura: 49% = 42%
Meanwhile, [Hope] lunged and towards [Samurai Destroyer]. It drew its odachi and swung at the shining warrior, whose weapon easily shattered against the force of [Lightning Blade].
Roman LP: 8000 - 1100 = 6900
Roman Aura: 73% = 68%
"Persistent little pest, aren't you?" Roman muttered as drew per [Barrel Dragon's] effect, tilting his head to avoid a piece of shrapnel. "I'll give you one, more, chance! Deactivate the Duel Anchor, now." The criminal scowled.
Ruby struggled to her feet, gingerly rubbing her leg as she did so. "Not a chance," Ruby told him. Her silver eyes shone intensely. "If I can keep somebody like you from committing crimes, then I'll duel until my last breath! I end my turn!"
Ruby Status: 3200 LP / 0 Cards in Hand / 42% Aura
Roman Status: 6900 LP / 1 Card in Hand / 68% Aura
"Have it your way! I draw!" Roman exclaimed. "I activate the effect [Gizmek Orochi, the Serpentron Sky Slasher]! I banish the top eight cards of my deck to special summon it from my hand! Then, I build the Overlay Network with Level 8 [Desperado Barrel Dragon] and [Gizmek Orochi]! I Xyz Summon Rank 8! [Divine Dragon Knight Felgrand]–!"
Just as the two mechanical monsters were about to fall into the Network, the Duel Anchor that kept Roman tied to Ruby was disabled. Ruby let out a confused squawk, as did [Hope]. Meanwhile, Roman scowled and stopped the Xyz summon, returning the two monsters to their original forms.
"Let her have it, boys!" Roman shouted. [Orochi] and [Barrel Dragon] let out mechanical screeches, aiming their cannons at Ruby and firing as many projectiles as they could manifest.
"[Hope]! Moon Barrier" Ruby cried. [Number 39] flew in front of Ruby as one of its Overlay Units flew into the warriors chest piece and absorbed it. With a wave of its hand,a gold and white shield extended in front of [Hope] and Ruby, protecting them both from the onslaught of explosives. Once the explosions had stopped, [Hope] dematerialized the shield, and found that Roman was nowhere to be seen.
Looking around, Ruby saw Roman atop [Gizmek Orochi], the serpentine mech using its blades to quickly scale a building a few blocks away.
"He's not getting away! [Number 39]! Attack with Hope Sword Lightning Slash!" With a loud cry, [Hope] raised its [Lightning Blade] into the air, and bolt of electricity struck the tip of the blade. [Number 39] lunged towards [Gizmek Orochi]. Roman looked back to see the incoming attack, and quickly cried an order tothe tri-headed machine. It turned one of its heads and the tail blade to [Hope], ready to intercept the attack for as long as possible.
Suddenly, a beam of energy struck [Hope's] chest. The warrior cried out, more out of confusion instead of pain as it was forced into a defensive position. Ruby opened her mouth in shock, watched as another large warrior, covered in black and silver armor appeared, a stark comparison to [Hope's] lustrous gold and white. Looking at it more closely, Ruby realized that this monster looked oddly similar to [Number 39], almost like a dark reflection of it. Emblazoned on the monster's right pauldron was the Number 98.
Following behind [Number 98] was a bullhead. [Gizmek Orochi] extended its neck and used one of its mouths to open the bullhead door. Roman balanced his way up his monster's neck and entered the airship, taking out one card from his deck and slapping the first onto his Disk.
"End of the line, Red! I activate [Lightning Vortex]!" Roman said with a smile, he sent the other card in his hand to the GY, and suddenly, giant bolts of thunder came raining down from the sky, heading straight for Ruby. [Hope] quickly moved in front of her and crossed its arms. It rocked from the resulting explosions, but was relatively unscathed when the onslaught ended.
[Hope] moved behind Ruby. But, the bullhead was already flying away, with [Gizmek Orochi] coiled around it, as if it was protecting the airship. [Number 98] glared at [Number 39], who stared back with equal intensity. [Number 98] vanished shortly after.
Ruby frowned as she saw the bullhead disappear into the horizon. [Gizmek Orochi] gave out a mechanical shriek, more than likely taunting the girl for letting it and Roman get away. [Number 39] glanced at her for a moment, concerned. The girl then shook her head and looked up at [Hope], giving it a thumbs up. The warriors then returned the gesture, and both it and [Lightning Blade] fizzled out of existence.
"Young lady, who is responsible for this mess?" Ruby flinched, hard. With one eye closed, she slowly turned around and saw a blonde woman with a white blouse, stylized cape, and pencil skirt. While her facial features looked rather bored and unimpressed, her eyes were anything but. Standing behind her, [Witchcrafter Vice-Master] stood with her arms crossed, gripping her staff so tightly that it probably would've shattered had she not been created by Aura.
Ruby looked around, and saw the careless and wanton destruction she and Roman had caused during their duel. The road was shattered, potholes the size of cars were everywhere, and nearby buildings had their windows shattered.
"Umm… He had a [Barrel Dragon]?" Ruby said as a half-assed excuse. Inside her soul, she could feel [Hope] face-palm.
[Canopy Star - Dyson Sphere] was becoming impatient. Neun could feel it in his dreams. But it's not like he can do much when he's unconscious. He appreciates [Number 9's] temporary boost that allowed to finish his duel and escape, but once it ran like heaving until he vomited out his own guts. Aura exhaustion is a bitch.
Slowly, Neun puffed out his hair, the sharp spines easily cutting through the pillows his head rested on. Okay, he's not tied up, so that's a good thing. The splitting headache also seemed to be gone, for the most part. He flexed his fingers, then wrist, then his legs and toes. For the most part, everything seems to be working fine.
However, he couldn't feel his Duel Disk on his arm anymore, or his Deck Box attached to his hip. His hands went to his neck, going under his clothes and gripping the [Boss Stage] pendant. It's still there.
Neun's eyes shot open. He was sleeping in a bare room, with a seemingly empty closet and single door on the left side of the room. The windows were completely boarded up by wood, covered by a pair of light brown curtains.
"Where's my deck?" Neun asked [Dyson Sphere]. He felt something faint, almost like a tug pulling him gently past the door. Neun hurriedly pushes the covers off his body, and lands face-first on the carpet. He quickly picked himself back up and exited the room. He walked down the hallway, and found a long mirror on his left. Glancing at it quickly, Neun saw that he was still wearing most of his White Fang uniform, but the hood and overcoat he wore had been removed, leaving only the shirt and pants.
Neun pushed open another door, finding himself in a vaguely familiar book store. [Dyson Sphere] reminded him that it was the Neun stumbled into after making Adam look like a dumbass in front of the other Fang grunts. The hedgehog faunus smiled at that comment.
Sitting at the counter was a large man with black hair and burgundy shirt. When Neun walked out, the man closed his book and looked at the hedgehog with a guarded, tense expression.
"You're awake," The man said. "That's good to–"
"Where's my deck?" Neun asked impatiently, causing the older man to flinch. Walking towards the counter, Neun found a box for [Ghosts From the Past 2], which featured a Ghost Rare [Blue-Eyes White Dragon]. He chuckled slightly. There was no way in hell the SDC would let Industrial Illusions reprint [BEWD]. They'd have a better chance of getting the Schnees to stop what was effectively faunus slavery through peaceful protests.
He knows? He might buy it. He might be able to get another copy of [Condemned Witch] if he does. [Dyson Sphere] buzzed impatiently in the back of his head, and Neun placed the box back on the shelf. Neun tilted his head and glared at the man. The man glared back, though he wasn't able to match his intensity.
"What were you doing, wearing that uniform and walking into my shop," The man asked. Neun tilted his head the other way. The Number 9 started blazing at the back of his neck. Neun narrowed his eyes, slightly to intimidate, but mainly to keep [Number 9] from lashing out.
"I left," Neun said honestly. "I'm done with the Fang, they don't order me around anymore. Now, where's, my, deck?" The man stared at him for a moment longer. Neun stiffened his quills.
"Can I ask why you left?" The man asked. [Number 9] snarled in Neun's mind, urging him to just take back his deck, but the hedgehog faunus resisted.
"The White Fang has started assassinating those who have tried to leave the group. That's it." The man's eyes widened and stood up from his seat, a look of disbelief in his eyes. "It's true, y'know. They're public executions as well, something that the big boss uses to keep the younger recruits from running away. I've even heard that they started sending assassins to finish off people who've left before the new boss took over."
"T-that's…" The man fell back to his seat, and placed his hands on his head. He groaned and muttered something underneath his breath. "Executions… first the violent protests and now this?! How far have they fallen…!"
Neun said nothing to the man. He has his own opinions on the White Fang, but he'd much rather keep them to himself.
After a few seconds of thinking the black-haired man reached down and pulled out Neun's Duel Disk, with his [Generaider] deck slotted inside. [Dyson Sphere] lets out a mechanical sound, making Neun roll his eyes. You need to learn how to be more patient, he tells his Number. [Dyson Sphere] chooses to ignore him.
"So, what are you going to do now?" The man asks, though he looked like he aged 20 years in the span of a few seconds. Neun just shrugs.
"I dunno. I'll figure it out eventually, though," He tells him. Neun looks around for a brief moment, until his eyes return to the owner of the store. "I didn't really have a plan when I left," Neun told him, crossing his arms.
The store owner looked at Neun for a few moments, eyes tired and concerned. "I'll let you borrow some clothes and Lien," The man said. Neun's eyes widened marginally. "It won't be a lot, but it should be enough to rent an apartment for about a week or so and a few pairs of clothes." Neun's eyes widened marginally
"Thanks, I guess," Neun said awkwardly. The large man gets up and walks to the back of the store.
"Wait here while I get your stuff ready. There's a bathroom in the corner of the store," he tells him, and Neun nods.
With that debacle out of the way, Neun sits down and leans back on the seat. He really doesn't know what to do. To be honest, he didn't even know if [Dyson Sphere] was going to help him in Adam's duel.
[Dyson Sphere] buzzed, clearly offended.
"Can it, you oversized vending machine," Neun snarks. [Dyson Sphere] buzzes louder. Neun ignores it, and tries to relax. As he does, he sees a man with white hair and brown eyes enter the store, wearing a dark suit and green shirt. He has a pair of crooked glasses resting on his nose, and a steaming mug in his right hand.
Professor Ozpin, headmaster of Beacon Academy. Neun narrowed his eyes imperceptibly, and [Dyson Sphere] warns him to stay on his guard. Ozpin has multiple Numbers with him.
Neun frowns slightly, he gets up from his seat and tries walking towards the bathroom. But as he walks through the bookshelves, Ozpin walks in front of him and looks through them while sipping from his cup.
"Let's see here… I've been told The Man with Two Souls is a decent story," Ozpin muttered to himself, loud enough for Neun to hear. "Flawed story and pacing, but the concept behind it is intriguing, and the author is capable of creating tense and enjoyable moments. A bit of practice, and I can see the sequel becoming leagues better than the original."
"'Scuse me, but I need to use the restroom," Neun said, crossing his arms.
"Actually, if it's not too much of a bother, I'd like to ask something of you," Ozpin said, turning his head slightly so that Neun could only see one eye. "About two days ago, there was an incident in a warehouse owned by the Schnee Dust Company. Apparently, the White Fang had attempted to take all of the dust stored there," the headmaster explained, watching carefully as the brown-haired boy leaned against a bookshelf with his arms crossed.
"Okay, and?" Neun asked rather impatiently.
"If the sources are to be believed, the entire appropriation derailed when one member went rogue. Some say he even managed to defeat a high-ranking member of the Fang. Interestingly, the deck of choice was [Generaiders], one that is mediocre when played on the table, and used almost sparingly during live combat or Entertainment Duels," Ozpin continued. Neun raised an eyebrow.
"So you're asking if I've seen the guy?" Neun surmised. "Sorry pal, but I don't think I've seen any White Fang member with a [Generaider] deck nearby. I mean, it's kind of hard to miss a monster as big as [Harr] or [Dovelgus], don't ya think?" The hedgehog faunus laughed.
"I suppose that is true. Then again, one can simply remove the card from the reader and find a way to dispose of the uniform, and they would be able to successfully blend in with the crowd," Ozpin said. "That being said, may I have a look at your deck, young man?" Neun flinched, his cool facade dropping momentarily, and reformed into a more guarded one.
"Why?" He asked simply, the hedgehog's lips curling into a frown.
"The sudden change in behavior doesn't help your situation, young man," Ozpin told him.
Neun's frown turned into a mild scowl. His quills puffed out slightly, hopefully not enough for Ozpin to notice. "Cut the bullshit. I'm being assumed that I'm some low life criminal with no basis for that accusation. Obviously, I'd be offended in some way," he retorts.
"Not at such a hostility that you're showing right now," Ozpin countered.
"Then clearly, you've never been near Twitter. Good for you," Neun said back, lacing his voice with contempt. "And let's say I am the guy with the [Generaider] deck? What happens then? Are you gonna arrest me or something? Lock me up in a dungeon somewhere? Or send me back to the SDC? I hear a lot of their workers have been disappearing, and they need more manpower down in the mines."
"Quite the contrary. If, hypothetically speaking of course, you were the defector with the [Generaider] deck, then I want to offer you a place at my academy," Ozpin answered. Neun opened his mouth to say something, but it died in the back of his throat. "I hate to see such talent go to waste. And, not only as the headmaster but also a teacher, I believe it's my responsibility to give you the opportunity to expand your horizons, and hone your skills. I can see you doing well in the professional circuit, even with a deck as taxing as [Generaiders]."
Neun raised an eyebrow, and relaxed his quills. "Why? For all you know, you could be enlisting a genocidal maniac loose into your school, with a deck that's hard to stop when it finally gets going. You really want that sort of wild card roaming around? Wouldn't it be a lot safer to capture me? If, hypothetically speaking, I were the [Generaider] user."
"Normally, that would be the case. However, what would that accomplish? Will he recover from his trauma? What about his anger towards humanity? If we simply lock him up and throw away the key, all we would be doing is simply drowning the side of the conversation that needs to speak out. A side that is drowned out by radicals on both sides," Ozpin said, a cryptic smile forming on his lips.
Neun glared at him for a few seconds. His hand went up to the pendant hidden underneath his shirt, and gripped it tightly. [Dyson Sphere] buzzed impatiently, waiting for Neun to make a choice. How helpful.
"How about this? We start a duel. I go first, and it ends on your turn. No Battle Phase. Whoever has the better board by the end of your turn wins. If you win, I will go with you to your academy. I win, and I leave," A mischievous, predatory smirk was plastered on Neun's face. He stiffened his quills, making them jet out in all directions. [Dyson Sphere] groaned excitedly. Perhaps they could make Ozpin summon his Numbers, and learn how to counter them.
"I suppose this means we both accept that you are the defector?" Ozpin asked innocently.
"Yes or no?" Neun bluntly asked, annoyed. The headmaster sighed and muttered something under his breath. They walked over to a table and sat on opposite sides, drawing the first five cards of their decks.
"Looks like I'm going away scott free," Neun boasted. "You're probably a good duelist, but with so many disruptions on my field by the start of your turn, you won't even be able to start it." Ozpin said nothing, and instead motioned for Neun to play.
"I start by Normal Summoning [Condemned Witch]; I add [Forbidden Droplet] to my hand because of her effect. Then, I discard [Mardel] to summon [Vara, Seidhir of the Generaider Bosses] from my hand. Because I summoned [Vara], I can also summon [Mardel]. When [Mardel] is summoned, I can add [Boss Stage], which I activate. Then, I overlay [Mardel] and [Vara] to Xyz Summon [Laevateinn, Generaider Boss of Shadows] to my Extra Monster Zone. Then I activate [Cup of Ace]." Neun absentmindedly takes out a coin from his pocket and tosses it into the air. "It landed on tails, which means you draw two cards,and I can trigger [Boss Stage's] effect to summon [Loptr] from my deck. Then, I use [Loptr's] effect to tribute itself and Special Summon [Harr] from my deck. I set one card." Neun took a breath and looked at Ozpin, only one card left in his hand.
"I must say, this is an impressive field, especially for a first turn. I can only imagine how taxing this must be to you when using live Aura bodies," Ozpin commented. Neun chuckled slightly.
"The new support that came for [Generaiders] last month definitely gave my deck a boost. I can't remember the last time I wanted multiple playsets of monsters. With [Boss Stage] on the field, as well as [Condemned Witch], I can bring out [Harr], [Utgarda], and [Loptr] at the start of your next turn. Then, with [Forbidden Droplet] and [Harr], I can negate any of your monster's effects. [Utgarda] will let me banish one of your cards, and [Laevateinn] can bring out [Jormungandr] from my extra deck, and absorb your cards as Overlay Units," Neun smiled and cocked his head to the side, giving Ozpin a lazy yet conceited smile. "Your fucked," the hedgehog faunus said cockily. Meanwhile, Ozpin seemed relatively unfazed.
"Now let's see; you Normal Summoned [Condemned Witch], then Special Summoned [Vara], [Mardel], [Laevateinn], [Loptr], and [Harr]. By my count, that is six summons in one turn. Which means I can activate the effect of [Nibiru, the Primal Being] from my hand, and tribute all monsters you control to Special Summon it," Ozpin said. "If this duel were played with our disk, you would have to generate the token, since it is being summoned on your side of the field. A token whose total ATK would become 5600, the sum of [Witch's], [Laevateinn's] and [Harr's] ATK points. I imagine that after six special summons, especially with monsters as physically powerful as the [Generaiders], you'd lose consciousness from Aura exhaustion."
Neun's eyes widened as Ozpin placed the damned rock on his field. With a scowl, he moved all of his monster from his board to the GY, and grabbed one spare card from his Side Deck and placed it face down on the center of his field, using it as the [Primal Being Token] summoned by [Nibiru's] effect.
"Then it's a good thing we're not using Aura. I end my turn." Ozpin smiled, and drew, for a grand total of seven cards in his hand. Neun calculated the risk of using [Cup of Ace], but damn, he's bad at math.
"In that case, I'll draw," Ozpin said, looking at Neun.
"By using [Boss Stage's] effect, I summon a second [Vara] from my deck. I summon [Harr] from my graveyard using [Vara's] second effect, and [Boss Stage's] second effect lets me summon two [Generaider Tokens]," Neun explained, getting another two cards from his Side Deck. Ozpin looked at his hand, and then Neun's board, thinking deeply by the looks of it.
"I begin by activating [Mystical Space Typhoon]. I destroy your set card. [Forbidden Droplet], I believe. Then, I activate the spell card [Super Polymerization] by discarding one card from my hand. I fuse your [Generaider Token] and [Primal Being Token] to summon [First of the Dragons]. Then, I tribute [Vara] and [Harr] to special summon [Lava Golem] to your side of the field."
Neun was really bad at math. And Ozpin wasn't done yet.
"Then I activate the effect of [Cubic Karma] from my GY. I banish it to add [Crimson Nova the Dark Cubic Lord] to my hand. Then, I activate [Polymerization], and fuse my three [Crimson Novas] to Fusion Summon [Crimson Nova Trinity the Dark Cubic Lord]." Neun watched, with his mouth slightly open, as Ozpin plucked his two [Generaiders] and replaced them with the molten staple, and then sent a trio of purple square… things to his GY to bring out a red, tentacled, untargetable and indestructible monster.
"I end my turn," Ozpin finally said. "I have one untargetable and indestructible monster, in addition to one monster that can only be destroyed by Normal Monsters. You meanwhile, have one Token and one monster that will deal you damage during each of your standby phases. According to your own conditions, I suppose that means that I've won?"
"You stacked your deck," Neun growled, his quills sticking out substantially. Ozpin merely smiled at the accusation.
"That is incorrect. You still would have lost, even if [Cup of Ace] was not activated. [Lava Golem], [Nibiru], and all three of my [Crimson Novas] were in my starting hand. Though, I will say that I specifically teched [First of the Dragons] to deal with your tokens," Ozpin told Neun.
With that, the headmaster collected his cards and placed them back on his Duel Disk. He then pulled out a letter from his coat, and handed it to Neun. "The new school year begins in two weeks. There is an airship in Vale that will take you to my school," Ozpin tells him. Neun stares at the envelope, and snatches it from the headmaster's hand.
"I expect great things from you, Neun Griseo," Ozpin said cryptically, closing the door behind him. Neun grit his teeth, and repeatedly stiffened and softened his quills, thinking. He places the envelope face down and leans back on his seat. [Dyson Sphere] buzzed in the back of his mind.
"You want the rest of the Numbers, right. Beacon will Duelist from all over Remnant. Who knows? What might get a few there," Neun told [Dyson Sphere]. The number buzzed excitedly. At that time, the owner of the store walked out of whatever room he disappeared to.
"You don't mind if I stay here for a few more days, do you? I'll work for free?" Neun asks him. The owner sighs, and [Dyson Sphere] lets out a mechanical groan.
[Ruby Rose] wants to become a Pro-Duelist, just like her late mother. Before she mysteriously disappeared, Ruby was able to inherit her [Zexal Weapon/Zexal Servant] Deck, which heavily focuses on summoning multiple Rank 4 Xyz monsters. Even if she can't really interact with other people, she does help as many people as she can, believing that her duels can bring smiles to peoples faces.
In addition to inheriting her mother's [ZW/ZS] Deck, she also obtained her ace monster, and best friend, [Number 39: King of Wishes - Hope].
[Roman Torchwick] is a prolific criminal based in Vale. While he may not be the kingpin he presents himself as, he is still not only a decent thief, but also a talented duelist. His cards often rely on luck, so his Win-Loss ratio may be inaccurate. One day, he met a mysterious individual, and began to steal thousands of tons of Dust from all over Vale.
His reliance on luck may affect his wins and losses, but when [Desperado Barrel Dragon] is on the field, all bets are off.
[Professor Ozpin] is the headmaster of the illustrious Beacon Academy, and Duel Academy designed to expand the horizon of Duelists from all over the world. His curriculum aids students that struggle in the early game, while also able to challenge students that are highly skilled, even those that can defeat Duelist in the professional circuit.
His most powerful monster, one that he rarely brings out, is the untargetable, indestructible [Crimson Nova Trinity the Cubic Lord]. However, being as old as he is, he may have found a monster even stronger than it.
QOTC - What do you think of [Hope's] additional abilities? The biggest thing I wanted to make sure was that they don't get [Kaiju'd], or get removed from the field so easily, since they're supposed to be the strongest cards in the game, in both "Zexal's" and "Numeron's" lore.