Ryan Stone's hazel eyes were filled with a fire of determination as they
stared towards his archrival Michael Laskow.
"I'll start," Ryan said drawing his card. "I play Thunder Nyan Nyan (1900/900) in attack mode." Ryan said as the female electric drummer appeared on his side of the field playing a tune. "And I'll put two cards face down ending my turn."
Michael's turn-
"A typical opening move," Michael said drawing his card. "I play D.D. Crazy Beast (1400/1400) in attack mode." As he placed the card on the center monster slot, a dimension opened up and the upper body of an odd-looking red monster appeared with numerous fangs protruding from its mouth. It let out a roar towards Ryan and his thunder monster. "And I'll equip him with Horn of the Unicorn raising its attack and defense to 2100/2100. Attack D.D. Crazy Beast, Different-Dimension Thunder!" As the large horn appeared on the monster's forehead, it fired a bolt of electricity but as it hit Ryan's drum-playing monster, instead of scorching it, it collapsed in on itself and vanished from the field, with a few sparks hitting Ryan.
"Any monster destroyed by my D.D. Crazy Beast is removed from the duel rather than the graveyard," Michael said.
Ryan: 7800
Michael: 8000
Ryan groaned and he placed his monster card in a compartment not to see it for the rest of the duel.
"And I'll end my turn placing one card face down, ending my turn," Michael said as the card appeared behind his Crazy Beast.
Ryan's turn-
As Ryan drew his card, Michael activated his trap card.
"I activate my Trap card Drop Off," Michael said. "The card you just drew is automatically sent to the graveyard."
Ryan sighed as he discarded his card Creature Swap and sent it to his graveyard.
"Well I play Cyber Raider (1400/1000) in attack mode and as soon as he's summoned, I'll use his effect and take control of another equip card on the field."
As the robotic warrior appeared on the field, D.D. Crazy Beast's horn vanished and reappeared on Cyber Raider.
"That raises his stats to 2100/1700. And now Cyber Raider, attack his Crazy Beast, Discharger Fist!"
The horned robotic warrior channeled its electrical energy into his fist, jumped up high and punched out the D.D. Crazy Beast, sending it to the graveyard.
Ryan: 7800
Michael: 7300
"And I end my turn," Ryan said.
Michael's turn-
"Well good for you," Michael said drawing his card. "A 500 life point lead, but will you keep it up?"
Ryan ignored his insult, "Just play your cards."
"Okay you're eager to lose. I play the Field card Chorus of Sanctuary and I'll play one card face down in defense mode."
Suddenly, the castle platform they were dueling on was surrounded with clouds and right above the clouds appeared a face down monster card. "Your turn."
Ryan's turn-
Ryan didn't remark on his defensive move and drew his card, "I play Sapphire Dragon (1900/1600) in attack mode."
Beside Cyber Raider appeared the dragon of sapphire scales and spread its wings ready to attack.
"Cyber Raider, attack the face down card, Discharger Fist!" His robotic warrior channeled electrical energy back into his fist and jumped up high to take out the face down monster.
But as the card appeared, a dimension opened up and small goblin was riding a D.D. Crazy Beast. Cyber Raider directed his electric punch to the goblin, but the goblin cracked the whip it was holding and the Crazy Beast stood up and endured the blow.
"That would be my D.D. Trainer (100/2000)," Michael said. "And with Chorus of Sanctuary out, his defense is 2500, stronger than your Cyber Raider."
Ryan: 7400
Michael: 7300
"I'll end my turn then," Ryan said.
Michael's turn-
"Time to separate our life points," Michael said drawing his card. "I play Patrician of Darkness (2000/1400) in attack mode and I'll equip it with Megamorph, doubling his attack power 4000." As he grew double in size and was now the size of a giant. "Now Patrician of Darkness, attack Sapphire Dragon with Portal of the Dead!"
The large zombie stormed generated a black portal behind the sapphire dragon and several chains shot out ensnaring Ryan's dragon. The dragon struggled to break free but to no avail as it was sent in and the portal closing up.
Then, the large zombie warrior shrunk back to their normal size and shrunk even further.
"Sure my Patrician's attack is now 1000 from Megamorph," Michael said. "But with his effect, I'll make you attack my D.D. Trainer rather than him."
Ryan: 5300
Michael: 7300
Ryan's turn-
"You'll pay for that," Ryan said drawing his card. "I'll sacrifice my Cyber Raider to bring out Kaiser Glider (2400/2200)." As he placed Cyber Raider into the graveyard, like a Frisbee he flicked Horn of the Unicorn back to Michael who placed the card on the top of his deck.
An armored dragon with two mighty wings appeared and roared at the two weaker monsters he faced.
"And I'll flip my face down card Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying your Chorus of Sanctuary," a great wind came through and the cloudy floor was blown away. "And since you'll just redirect my dragon's attack to your D.D. Trainer, I'll attack it. Hyper Wing Attack!" The armored dragon flew forward doing a loop and when it came down it flew quickly passed the Goblin, bisecting the Crazy Beast and its trainer.
"Your turn," Ryan said.
Michael's turn-
Michael drew his card and thought for a few seconds then said, "I'll switch Patrician of Darkness to Defense mode and I play one card face down and end my turn."
Ryan's turn-
"Well, I'm not sure what you've got there but I know it can't be good," Ryan said drawing his card. "I play the magic card Cold Wave." Ryan and Michael's face down cards were both covered in ice and Ryan continued his turn. "And I'll play Nin-Ken Dog (1800/1000) in attack mode. Nin-Ken Dog, attack the Patrician of Darkness, Silent Wind Slash!"
The doglike human appeared and it suddenly spun around like a top and vanished from sight. He reappeared up in the air slashing downward on the Patrician of Darkness, right down his chest. Michael's zombie then ceased to be and vanished from the field.
"Go Kaiser Glider attack his life points directly, Hyper Wing Attack!" The armored dragon flew towards Michael but first flew up doing a loop and did a barrel-spin wing slash to him directly. "That ends my turn."
Ryan: 5300
Michael: 4900
Michael's turn-
"Well since I can't set or play any of my magic and trap cards, I'll set one card face down in defense mode and end my turn." Michael said as his only monster appeared on the field.
Ryan's turn-
"Cold Wave's effect is now no more," Ryan said as their cards thawed out and drew his card. "I play Harpie's Brother (1800/600) in attack mode."
As the red-winged bird man appeared on the field, Ryan continued, "Harpie's Brother, attack the face down card, High Speed Slash!" The winged-beast raised his wings and threw them towards the ground, launching him from the ground almost instantly arrived to the face down card slashing downward on the yet-to-be revealed card.
The card was revealed to be Morphing Jar and the three blades met across its head slicing it to shreds.
"Now we each discard our hands and draw five new cards," Michael told him drawing five cards.
Ryan also drew five cards and continued his turn, "Nin-Ken Dog, Kaiser Glider, attack Michael's life points directly!"
Right when both of the monsters were about to unleash their attacks, Michael flipped his face down card and what defended him were several robed priestesses chanting a prayer.
"Dammit Waboku," Ryan said as his monsters attacks did nothing. "I'll end my turn then."
Michael's turn-
"Well now," Michael said drawing his card, "Watch and weep as your monsters leave the field. I first play the Magic card, Change of Heart, taking control of your Kaiser Glider. And I'm not finished yet; I also play Different Dimension Gate."
The two magic cards took effect. First, a woman appeared, one side of good and the other of evil. She flew right into Kaiser Glider taking control of him making the dragon switch sides of the field. Then, a metallic structure suddenly appeared and at the top of the structure rested a thick ring that could be seen through. A multicolored wall covered the space in the ring.
"I'll send Kaiser Glider and your Nin-Ken Dog into the Different Dimension." Michael said.
And it was so. Ryan's controlled dragon and his doglike man both got sucked in and were removed from the duel.
"As long as Different Dimension Gate's out, both of your monsters will be out of the duel." Michael said placing Kaiser Glider in a compartment where monsters removed from play.
Ryan placed Nin-Ken Dog in the same compartment on his Duel Disk as well.
"And I'll play two cards face down ending my turn." Michael said as his cards appeared defending his life points.
Ryan's turn-
Ryan drew his card and looked over at Michael's face down card, after a few seconds of thinking he said, "I bet that's a Trap card, but it won't work. I'm saving my monsters. I play Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Different Dimension Gate." As a powerful force of wind shot at the futuristic gate, Michael flipped his face down card.
"I activate Judgment of Anubis," Michael said as a statue of a jackal appeared. "By discarding one card from my hand, I get to negate the effect of one of your magic cards and destroy one of your monsters and deal direct damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack. I choose Harpie's Brother."
The jackal statue unleashed the Egyptian deity himself, Anubis. The jackal- headed god stood in front of the Typhoon's force and was unaffected then he made his judgment. He held out his right arm and pointed his thumb down taking Harpie's Brother to land of the dead, taking with him 1800 of Ryan's life points.
"Ouch," Joey said to himself. "I remember when I had to face that card. Man did it hurt."
"Well," Ryan said. "It's been seven minutes. So much for you beating me in five minutes, Laskow."
"Well you've been stalling," Michael said. "Like what you're doing right now. Why don't you hurry up?"
"Fine, I'll play Archfiend Soldier (1900/1500) in attack mode and I'll end my turn." Ryan said and the armored fiend appeared.
"Looks like Ryan's gotten nervous on what Michael's other face down card could be," Joey said to Yugi.
"That could very well be," Yugi said to him. "But he might be switching to the defensive and with Michael's cards and dueling skills, that's a good idea."
Ryan: 3500
Michael: 4900
Michael's turn-
"You were right to cower," Michael said drawing his card. "Your chances to win are like blocking a sword with a piece of paper. But still you're wasting my time to be in the finals. I flip my face down card, Dark Hole, sucking in your Archfiend Soldier."
As the card was flipped, in between the two duelists, appeared a black hole and Ryan's fiend soldier was sucked in, sending it to the graveyard.
"And here's a card you love to hate," Michael said. "I play Yata Garasu (200/100) in attack mode!"
Ryan's most hated of all cards appeared on the field. That little crow made him glare with fury.
"Yes that's right," Michael said. "There's truly nothing to do. Yata Garasu, attack his life points directly!"
As the small crow flew towards Ryan, he flipped his face down card.
"Activate Raigeki Break!" Suddenly, several small bolts of lightning struck down the little crow to ashes and faded from the field.
"What the?!" Michael shouted.
"That would be my Raigeki Break," Ryan said. "By discarding one card from my hand, I get to destroy one card on your side of the field. I chose that sky rat of yours. I was saving it just for that."
"Damn it," Michael said placing his Spirit card into the graveyard. "I'll end my turn playing one card face down in defense mode ending my turn."
Ryan's turn-
"Well looks like the World Champion's eating his own words," Ryan said. "I play Mechanicalchaser (1850/800) in attack mode and I'll equip him with Big Bang Shot raising his attack power to 2250 and I'll attack your face down card with Multi-Weapon Assault!"
Ryan's many-armed machine charged and struck the facedown card revealing to be a warrior wearing futuristic armor. It was quickly destroyed but before it died, the person pressed a button on their armor covering it and Mechanicalchaser in a reflective sphere. The sphere then shrunk until it couldn't be seen and they were both gone.
"What the hell was that?" Ryan questioned.
"That was my Dimensional Warrior (1200/1000)," Michael said with pride. "Any monster that they are attacked by is destroyed and they're both removed from the duel. However damage is still applied and I lost 1250 life points. A small price to pay."
"So that's what it does," Joey said.
"And it's a pretty powerful effect," Yugi said. "Any monster attacking it goes right down with it."
"Then I'll end my turn placing one card face down." Ryan said and the only card on his side of the field defending him.
Michael's turn-
Michael drew his card then said, "I play Pot of Greed and I draw two cards." Michael drew his top two cards and let out a smirk. "You're in for hell now..."
Ryan: 3500
Michael: 3650
"I'll start," Ryan said drawing his card. "I play Thunder Nyan Nyan (1900/900) in attack mode." Ryan said as the female electric drummer appeared on his side of the field playing a tune. "And I'll put two cards face down ending my turn."
Michael's turn-
"A typical opening move," Michael said drawing his card. "I play D.D. Crazy Beast (1400/1400) in attack mode." As he placed the card on the center monster slot, a dimension opened up and the upper body of an odd-looking red monster appeared with numerous fangs protruding from its mouth. It let out a roar towards Ryan and his thunder monster. "And I'll equip him with Horn of the Unicorn raising its attack and defense to 2100/2100. Attack D.D. Crazy Beast, Different-Dimension Thunder!" As the large horn appeared on the monster's forehead, it fired a bolt of electricity but as it hit Ryan's drum-playing monster, instead of scorching it, it collapsed in on itself and vanished from the field, with a few sparks hitting Ryan.
"Any monster destroyed by my D.D. Crazy Beast is removed from the duel rather than the graveyard," Michael said.
Ryan: 7800
Michael: 8000
Ryan groaned and he placed his monster card in a compartment not to see it for the rest of the duel.
"And I'll end my turn placing one card face down, ending my turn," Michael said as the card appeared behind his Crazy Beast.
Ryan's turn-
As Ryan drew his card, Michael activated his trap card.
"I activate my Trap card Drop Off," Michael said. "The card you just drew is automatically sent to the graveyard."
Ryan sighed as he discarded his card Creature Swap and sent it to his graveyard.
"Well I play Cyber Raider (1400/1000) in attack mode and as soon as he's summoned, I'll use his effect and take control of another equip card on the field."
As the robotic warrior appeared on the field, D.D. Crazy Beast's horn vanished and reappeared on Cyber Raider.
"That raises his stats to 2100/1700. And now Cyber Raider, attack his Crazy Beast, Discharger Fist!"
The horned robotic warrior channeled its electrical energy into his fist, jumped up high and punched out the D.D. Crazy Beast, sending it to the graveyard.
Ryan: 7800
Michael: 7300
"And I end my turn," Ryan said.
Michael's turn-
"Well good for you," Michael said drawing his card. "A 500 life point lead, but will you keep it up?"
Ryan ignored his insult, "Just play your cards."
"Okay you're eager to lose. I play the Field card Chorus of Sanctuary and I'll play one card face down in defense mode."
Suddenly, the castle platform they were dueling on was surrounded with clouds and right above the clouds appeared a face down monster card. "Your turn."
Ryan's turn-
Ryan didn't remark on his defensive move and drew his card, "I play Sapphire Dragon (1900/1600) in attack mode."
Beside Cyber Raider appeared the dragon of sapphire scales and spread its wings ready to attack.
"Cyber Raider, attack the face down card, Discharger Fist!" His robotic warrior channeled electrical energy back into his fist and jumped up high to take out the face down monster.
But as the card appeared, a dimension opened up and small goblin was riding a D.D. Crazy Beast. Cyber Raider directed his electric punch to the goblin, but the goblin cracked the whip it was holding and the Crazy Beast stood up and endured the blow.
"That would be my D.D. Trainer (100/2000)," Michael said. "And with Chorus of Sanctuary out, his defense is 2500, stronger than your Cyber Raider."
Ryan: 7400
Michael: 7300
"I'll end my turn then," Ryan said.
Michael's turn-
"Time to separate our life points," Michael said drawing his card. "I play Patrician of Darkness (2000/1400) in attack mode and I'll equip it with Megamorph, doubling his attack power 4000." As he grew double in size and was now the size of a giant. "Now Patrician of Darkness, attack Sapphire Dragon with Portal of the Dead!"
The large zombie stormed generated a black portal behind the sapphire dragon and several chains shot out ensnaring Ryan's dragon. The dragon struggled to break free but to no avail as it was sent in and the portal closing up.
Then, the large zombie warrior shrunk back to their normal size and shrunk even further.
"Sure my Patrician's attack is now 1000 from Megamorph," Michael said. "But with his effect, I'll make you attack my D.D. Trainer rather than him."
Ryan: 5300
Michael: 7300
Ryan's turn-
"You'll pay for that," Ryan said drawing his card. "I'll sacrifice my Cyber Raider to bring out Kaiser Glider (2400/2200)." As he placed Cyber Raider into the graveyard, like a Frisbee he flicked Horn of the Unicorn back to Michael who placed the card on the top of his deck.
An armored dragon with two mighty wings appeared and roared at the two weaker monsters he faced.
"And I'll flip my face down card Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying your Chorus of Sanctuary," a great wind came through and the cloudy floor was blown away. "And since you'll just redirect my dragon's attack to your D.D. Trainer, I'll attack it. Hyper Wing Attack!" The armored dragon flew forward doing a loop and when it came down it flew quickly passed the Goblin, bisecting the Crazy Beast and its trainer.
"Your turn," Ryan said.
Michael's turn-
Michael drew his card and thought for a few seconds then said, "I'll switch Patrician of Darkness to Defense mode and I play one card face down and end my turn."
Ryan's turn-
"Well, I'm not sure what you've got there but I know it can't be good," Ryan said drawing his card. "I play the magic card Cold Wave." Ryan and Michael's face down cards were both covered in ice and Ryan continued his turn. "And I'll play Nin-Ken Dog (1800/1000) in attack mode. Nin-Ken Dog, attack the Patrician of Darkness, Silent Wind Slash!"
The doglike human appeared and it suddenly spun around like a top and vanished from sight. He reappeared up in the air slashing downward on the Patrician of Darkness, right down his chest. Michael's zombie then ceased to be and vanished from the field.
"Go Kaiser Glider attack his life points directly, Hyper Wing Attack!" The armored dragon flew towards Michael but first flew up doing a loop and did a barrel-spin wing slash to him directly. "That ends my turn."
Ryan: 5300
Michael: 4900
Michael's turn-
"Well since I can't set or play any of my magic and trap cards, I'll set one card face down in defense mode and end my turn." Michael said as his only monster appeared on the field.
Ryan's turn-
"Cold Wave's effect is now no more," Ryan said as their cards thawed out and drew his card. "I play Harpie's Brother (1800/600) in attack mode."
As the red-winged bird man appeared on the field, Ryan continued, "Harpie's Brother, attack the face down card, High Speed Slash!" The winged-beast raised his wings and threw them towards the ground, launching him from the ground almost instantly arrived to the face down card slashing downward on the yet-to-be revealed card.
The card was revealed to be Morphing Jar and the three blades met across its head slicing it to shreds.
"Now we each discard our hands and draw five new cards," Michael told him drawing five cards.
Ryan also drew five cards and continued his turn, "Nin-Ken Dog, Kaiser Glider, attack Michael's life points directly!"
Right when both of the monsters were about to unleash their attacks, Michael flipped his face down card and what defended him were several robed priestesses chanting a prayer.
"Dammit Waboku," Ryan said as his monsters attacks did nothing. "I'll end my turn then."
Michael's turn-
"Well now," Michael said drawing his card, "Watch and weep as your monsters leave the field. I first play the Magic card, Change of Heart, taking control of your Kaiser Glider. And I'm not finished yet; I also play Different Dimension Gate."
The two magic cards took effect. First, a woman appeared, one side of good and the other of evil. She flew right into Kaiser Glider taking control of him making the dragon switch sides of the field. Then, a metallic structure suddenly appeared and at the top of the structure rested a thick ring that could be seen through. A multicolored wall covered the space in the ring.
"I'll send Kaiser Glider and your Nin-Ken Dog into the Different Dimension." Michael said.
And it was so. Ryan's controlled dragon and his doglike man both got sucked in and were removed from the duel.
"As long as Different Dimension Gate's out, both of your monsters will be out of the duel." Michael said placing Kaiser Glider in a compartment where monsters removed from play.
Ryan placed Nin-Ken Dog in the same compartment on his Duel Disk as well.
"And I'll play two cards face down ending my turn." Michael said as his cards appeared defending his life points.
Ryan's turn-
Ryan drew his card and looked over at Michael's face down card, after a few seconds of thinking he said, "I bet that's a Trap card, but it won't work. I'm saving my monsters. I play Mystical Space Typhoon, destroying Different Dimension Gate." As a powerful force of wind shot at the futuristic gate, Michael flipped his face down card.
"I activate Judgment of Anubis," Michael said as a statue of a jackal appeared. "By discarding one card from my hand, I get to negate the effect of one of your magic cards and destroy one of your monsters and deal direct damage equal to the destroyed monster's attack. I choose Harpie's Brother."
The jackal statue unleashed the Egyptian deity himself, Anubis. The jackal- headed god stood in front of the Typhoon's force and was unaffected then he made his judgment. He held out his right arm and pointed his thumb down taking Harpie's Brother to land of the dead, taking with him 1800 of Ryan's life points.
"Ouch," Joey said to himself. "I remember when I had to face that card. Man did it hurt."
"Well," Ryan said. "It's been seven minutes. So much for you beating me in five minutes, Laskow."
"Well you've been stalling," Michael said. "Like what you're doing right now. Why don't you hurry up?"
"Fine, I'll play Archfiend Soldier (1900/1500) in attack mode and I'll end my turn." Ryan said and the armored fiend appeared.
"Looks like Ryan's gotten nervous on what Michael's other face down card could be," Joey said to Yugi.
"That could very well be," Yugi said to him. "But he might be switching to the defensive and with Michael's cards and dueling skills, that's a good idea."
Ryan: 3500
Michael: 4900
Michael's turn-
"You were right to cower," Michael said drawing his card. "Your chances to win are like blocking a sword with a piece of paper. But still you're wasting my time to be in the finals. I flip my face down card, Dark Hole, sucking in your Archfiend Soldier."
As the card was flipped, in between the two duelists, appeared a black hole and Ryan's fiend soldier was sucked in, sending it to the graveyard.
"And here's a card you love to hate," Michael said. "I play Yata Garasu (200/100) in attack mode!"
Ryan's most hated of all cards appeared on the field. That little crow made him glare with fury.
"Yes that's right," Michael said. "There's truly nothing to do. Yata Garasu, attack his life points directly!"
As the small crow flew towards Ryan, he flipped his face down card.
"Activate Raigeki Break!" Suddenly, several small bolts of lightning struck down the little crow to ashes and faded from the field.
"What the?!" Michael shouted.
"That would be my Raigeki Break," Ryan said. "By discarding one card from my hand, I get to destroy one card on your side of the field. I chose that sky rat of yours. I was saving it just for that."
"Damn it," Michael said placing his Spirit card into the graveyard. "I'll end my turn playing one card face down in defense mode ending my turn."
Ryan's turn-
"Well looks like the World Champion's eating his own words," Ryan said. "I play Mechanicalchaser (1850/800) in attack mode and I'll equip him with Big Bang Shot raising his attack power to 2250 and I'll attack your face down card with Multi-Weapon Assault!"
Ryan's many-armed machine charged and struck the facedown card revealing to be a warrior wearing futuristic armor. It was quickly destroyed but before it died, the person pressed a button on their armor covering it and Mechanicalchaser in a reflective sphere. The sphere then shrunk until it couldn't be seen and they were both gone.
"What the hell was that?" Ryan questioned.
"That was my Dimensional Warrior (1200/1000)," Michael said with pride. "Any monster that they are attacked by is destroyed and they're both removed from the duel. However damage is still applied and I lost 1250 life points. A small price to pay."
"So that's what it does," Joey said.
"And it's a pretty powerful effect," Yugi said. "Any monster attacking it goes right down with it."
"Then I'll end my turn placing one card face down." Ryan said and the only card on his side of the field defending him.
Michael's turn-
Michael drew his card then said, "I play Pot of Greed and I draw two cards." Michael drew his top two cards and let out a smirk. "You're in for hell now..."
Ryan: 3500
Michael: 3650