Fader was walking thorugh the streets of Domino. It was four in the morning
and he couldn't sleep. There was too much going on that all he ended up
doing was laying in bed staring at the ceiling. Walking seemed to be doing
a good job of calming his nerves.
Fader was just sorting through his deck as he passed by the water fountain when six men in black coats stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"We come with a message from Mr. Evo for you," the first goon said stepping forward.
"That's nice. I'm not interested, now let me pass." Fader tried to move around them but another moved to block him.
"You're going to hear us out," the second thug said.
Fader turned to try and leave the way he came only to find that three of them had manuvered behind him, blocking any exit and completely surrounding him. "It seems I don't have much of a choice. I suppose this is another test?"
"You could say that," said one of the goons from behind. Fader immediately recognized the voice as Potemkin's. "Mr. Evo would prefer to think of it as an opportunity."
Fader gritted his teeth. "Potemkin," he said with contempt.
"Calm down Mr. Hero," potemkin said holding up his hands in front of him. "Like we said we just want to explain Mr. Evo's proposal."
"You've got thirty seconds."
"Mr. Evo would like to give you the opportunity to win six more locator cards and six more rare cards all at the same time."
"I say no thanks. I can win the rest of my way into the Battle City finals without his generosity."
"Would you still say no if we offered you six of these as well?" Potemkin and the other five each reached into their pockets and produced six chains, each with a glass orb attached. Inside each orb was a piece of the Millennium Puzzle.
Fader couldn't contain his surprise. "There's no way!" he exclaimed.
Potemkin continued unphased, "I assure you they are all genuine."
"Alright, you've got my attention," Fader said. "So what do I have to do?"
"Just beat us in a duel," Potemkin said calmly.
"All six of you?"
"That's right. It will be an endurance challenge. You'll face each of us one after the other. If you can best all six of us not only will you get the standard locator and rare care from each duelist, but each of us will hand over our piece of the Millenium Puzzle."
"And if I lose?" Fader asked hesitantly.
"Then you will hand over the three pieces of the Millennium Puzzle that you have in your possession as well as your dueling deck. Then you'll leave Battle City and never return."
"You're serious."
"Absolutely. Mr. Evo doesn't joke around. You will face each duelist in succession. You will keep any cards that you currently have on the field and any Life Points that you gained or lost from the previous opponent. The first duelist you face will be Duncan who will have 500 Life Points. Each duelist you face after him will have 500 more Life Points to start with; ending with me with 3000 Life Points. I do hope that you make it through the other five. I've been waiting for a rematch with you."
"So it's 4000 Life Points versus 10500? Hardly seems fair," Fader told them.
"L:ife is hardly ever fair," Potemkin pointed out. "But the unfair challenges tend to wield the greater rewards. Would't you agree?"
"Alright Potemkin," said Fader, beat. "Let's dance."
The six goons spread themselves out as they surrounded Fader. Fader turned to face Duncan and activated his Duel Disk. Each of the six opponents also activated their own units.
"I'll try and make it quick for you," Fader told Duncan.
"You have no idea how fast this is going to be," Duncan replied. "But even after you beat me, you still have to defeat Vico, Arras, Sabin, Barret and Potemkin."
"I'll deal with them when I get to them. For now I'll lay one card face dwon and play Blade Knight (1600/1000)in attack mode. It's your turn."
"I'll play one magic card," Duncan replied. "Tremendous Fire!"
"But that card..?"
"Deals 1000 damage to you and 500 Life Points of damage to me."
"But you only had 500 Life Points to begin with. You just killed yourself."
"Yes I did. But I also took one Quarter of your Life Points with me," Duncan pointed out.
Fader realized that he was playing a whole different game. These guys were playing without any regard for their own Life Points. As long as they had another player to take their place they could be as reckless as they wanted. Which made each of them even more dangerous. They didn't have to worry about their own safety they could go all out in their attempts to take Fader's Life Points.
Fader: 3000, Vico: 1000, Arras: 1500, Sabin: 2000, Barret: 2500, Potemkin: 3000
Fader turned from Duncan to face Vico who had just drawn his opening hand. I'm going to have to be careful. Fader thought to himself. He could afford to let another one of them take a shot like he had allowed Duncan to get against him.
"It's my turn again," Fader announced. "But since I can't attack you until you've had a turn, I'll just draw and end my turn."
"I'll lay one monster in defense mode and one other card face down," Vico said.
"Alright. I'll lay one monster in defense mode too. Now I'll have my Blade Knight attack your defense monster!"
"Flip Penguin Soldier (750/500)," Vico declared. "I'll send both of your monsters back to your hand. Leaving you defenseless."
"Look again Vico," Fader said pointing to his two monsters, who remained on the field.
"What? My Flip effect didn't work?"
"When Blade Knight destroys a monster its Flip effect doesn't get activated. So your Penguin Soldier goes straight to the graveyard."
"Then I'll just have to eliminate your Blade Knight," Vico relpied. I summon the Giant Red Seasnake (1800/800) in attack mode and destroy your Blade Knight!"
Fader: 2800, Vico: 1000
Fader drew his card. Things weren't going very well. He hadn't even gotten past the second duelist yet and already his Life Points had dropped below 3000. Even with the cards he had in play he was going to need a plan. He wasn't going to be able to win by focusing on them as individaul duelists anymore. They were playing as one collective unit and were handing Fader his ass. He was going to have to start looking at the big picture.
Fader was just sorting through his deck as he passed by the water fountain when six men in black coats stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"We come with a message from Mr. Evo for you," the first goon said stepping forward.
"That's nice. I'm not interested, now let me pass." Fader tried to move around them but another moved to block him.
"You're going to hear us out," the second thug said.
Fader turned to try and leave the way he came only to find that three of them had manuvered behind him, blocking any exit and completely surrounding him. "It seems I don't have much of a choice. I suppose this is another test?"
"You could say that," said one of the goons from behind. Fader immediately recognized the voice as Potemkin's. "Mr. Evo would prefer to think of it as an opportunity."
Fader gritted his teeth. "Potemkin," he said with contempt.
"Calm down Mr. Hero," potemkin said holding up his hands in front of him. "Like we said we just want to explain Mr. Evo's proposal."
"You've got thirty seconds."
"Mr. Evo would like to give you the opportunity to win six more locator cards and six more rare cards all at the same time."
"I say no thanks. I can win the rest of my way into the Battle City finals without his generosity."
"Would you still say no if we offered you six of these as well?" Potemkin and the other five each reached into their pockets and produced six chains, each with a glass orb attached. Inside each orb was a piece of the Millennium Puzzle.
Fader couldn't contain his surprise. "There's no way!" he exclaimed.
Potemkin continued unphased, "I assure you they are all genuine."
"Alright, you've got my attention," Fader said. "So what do I have to do?"
"Just beat us in a duel," Potemkin said calmly.
"All six of you?"
"That's right. It will be an endurance challenge. You'll face each of us one after the other. If you can best all six of us not only will you get the standard locator and rare care from each duelist, but each of us will hand over our piece of the Millenium Puzzle."
"And if I lose?" Fader asked hesitantly.
"Then you will hand over the three pieces of the Millennium Puzzle that you have in your possession as well as your dueling deck. Then you'll leave Battle City and never return."
"You're serious."
"Absolutely. Mr. Evo doesn't joke around. You will face each duelist in succession. You will keep any cards that you currently have on the field and any Life Points that you gained or lost from the previous opponent. The first duelist you face will be Duncan who will have 500 Life Points. Each duelist you face after him will have 500 more Life Points to start with; ending with me with 3000 Life Points. I do hope that you make it through the other five. I've been waiting for a rematch with you."
"So it's 4000 Life Points versus 10500? Hardly seems fair," Fader told them.
"L:ife is hardly ever fair," Potemkin pointed out. "But the unfair challenges tend to wield the greater rewards. Would't you agree?"
"Alright Potemkin," said Fader, beat. "Let's dance."
The six goons spread themselves out as they surrounded Fader. Fader turned to face Duncan and activated his Duel Disk. Each of the six opponents also activated their own units.
"I'll try and make it quick for you," Fader told Duncan.
"You have no idea how fast this is going to be," Duncan replied. "But even after you beat me, you still have to defeat Vico, Arras, Sabin, Barret and Potemkin."
"I'll deal with them when I get to them. For now I'll lay one card face dwon and play Blade Knight (1600/1000)in attack mode. It's your turn."
"I'll play one magic card," Duncan replied. "Tremendous Fire!"
"But that card..?"
"Deals 1000 damage to you and 500 Life Points of damage to me."
"But you only had 500 Life Points to begin with. You just killed yourself."
"Yes I did. But I also took one Quarter of your Life Points with me," Duncan pointed out.
Fader realized that he was playing a whole different game. These guys were playing without any regard for their own Life Points. As long as they had another player to take their place they could be as reckless as they wanted. Which made each of them even more dangerous. They didn't have to worry about their own safety they could go all out in their attempts to take Fader's Life Points.
Fader: 3000, Vico: 1000, Arras: 1500, Sabin: 2000, Barret: 2500, Potemkin: 3000
Fader turned from Duncan to face Vico who had just drawn his opening hand. I'm going to have to be careful. Fader thought to himself. He could afford to let another one of them take a shot like he had allowed Duncan to get against him.
"It's my turn again," Fader announced. "But since I can't attack you until you've had a turn, I'll just draw and end my turn."
"I'll lay one monster in defense mode and one other card face down," Vico said.
"Alright. I'll lay one monster in defense mode too. Now I'll have my Blade Knight attack your defense monster!"
"Flip Penguin Soldier (750/500)," Vico declared. "I'll send both of your monsters back to your hand. Leaving you defenseless."
"Look again Vico," Fader said pointing to his two monsters, who remained on the field.
"What? My Flip effect didn't work?"
"When Blade Knight destroys a monster its Flip effect doesn't get activated. So your Penguin Soldier goes straight to the graveyard."
"Then I'll just have to eliminate your Blade Knight," Vico relpied. I summon the Giant Red Seasnake (1800/800) in attack mode and destroy your Blade Knight!"
Fader: 2800, Vico: 1000
Fader drew his card. Things weren't going very well. He hadn't even gotten past the second duelist yet and already his Life Points had dropped below 3000. Even with the cards he had in play he was going to need a plan. He wasn't going to be able to win by focusing on them as individaul duelists anymore. They were playing as one collective unit and were handing Fader his ass. He was going to have to start looking at the big picture.