Legends of the Demon Duelist Rival Schools Arc

by Wolf General

Third arc of Legends of the Demon Duelist. The Duelist Academy and North School. Two places of learning that focus on their students learning the game of Duel Monsters. Not everything is as it seems though. Can Ichigo figure out how to defeat Vincent

17. Surviving Torture

Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.

Legends of the Demon Duelist-Rival School Arc

Chapter 17: Surviving Torture

Vincent pointed at his set card, which was now facing up. "The power of Villain's Will protected my monster. If I have one or less cards in my hand and only one monster in play, then if it is a Torture Villain I can make it impossible to destroy in battle or with monster effects." Pyre Chokeman growled low in its throat and smacked Berserker away.

Ichigo closed his eyes and felt like pounding his fist into the ground. "I will not lose! End turn!"

Vincent drew. "Now I summon Torture Villain-Splicer!" (1500/1000) A nearly naked almost skeletal humanoid holding a huge rusty metal spike appeared in play. "And for every other Torture Villain in play Pyro Chokeman gains 300 attack points." (2500/1800) "Attack Berserker with Pyro Flash!" The demon lifted its hand upwards, and a pillar of lava exploded out of the ground to consume the warrior.

Vincent- 2000

Ichigo- 100

Ichigo threw back his head and screamed in pain as he felt the lava burning his skin. Seconds later he fell to the ground in a twitching mess.

Vincent closed his eyes. He snapped his fingers and the music continued. "Stand up."

Ichigo slowly rose to his feet, eyes narrowed. "I'm…not…done…yet…"

"You're nearly there though. End turn."

Ichigo drew. "I use the effect of Dimensional Junk Collector to pick up Cyber Shadow-Shield Bearer from my graveyard and add it to my hand. Now I use the effect of Ballistic Shield to destroy Splicer!" The warrior lifted its weapon and pummeled the monster with bullets. Howling, the skeletal warrior exploded. And from the smoke something launched up into the sky and then came crashing down right through Ichigo's stomach. He stared at the huge metal spike in his stomach for a few moments…and then realized blood was spraying out of his open mouth.

"When destroyed by a card effect, Splicer's effect activates. The top five cards of your deck are discarded." Vincent opened his eyes. "Then again, considering your current situation I doubt that is the first thing on your mind. It's a shame really that you will die without being able to finish the duel with me." His lips lifted slightly. "Unless of course you decide to bring out a certain side of yourself…"

Ichigo felt his spine, which had been pierced. And the pain was fading…. ("Can't….pass…out…")

"I guess not." He shook his head slowly. "So be it, then die."

("I…I…can't do…it…") Ichigo's face started to turn a blue pallor. Then thoughts of Eri flashed through his mind. ("I'm sorry Ahran…") He tilted back his head and screamed.

Vincent was nearly thrown back into the organ from the sheer force unleashed by his opponent. ("Incredible…") His expression turned darker and his muscles bulged slightly under his clothing. ("Perfect…like the sweetest wine…ambrosia…")

The spike shuddered and disintegrated into dust. Ichigo's hair shimmered into a shade of night black and his eyes turned the same color. The wound in his stomach sucked close immediately and he lifted his head to meet eyes with the now sneering Vincent. Now his expression reflected the cold rage in his heart. "Vincent, my turn is done." He snapped the top five cards off of his deck and inserted them into his graveyard slot near the shoulder joint.

Vincent double-snapped his fingers, his expression reflecting a flame in his heart. "Then let the party begin!" The organ's tempo changed, and a sound echoed out across the chamber. It was a dangerous sound….it was death metal, coming from speakers located across the room. And the organ played in perfect rhythm with it. He drew. "It's Showtime! I summon Torture Cat (500/300) in defense mode!" A robotic black panther appeared on the field in a crouching position. "Because it is in play Pyro Chokeman gains attack points!" (2500/1800) The demon snarled and held up its claws, flexing them calmly. "End turn!"

Ichigo drew. "I use the effect of Dimensional Junk Collector to pick up Cyber Shadow-Apprentice (200/300) from my graveyard." He looked at the drawn card and then his eyes met Vincent's. "You made a mistake by summoning another monster to the field. Prepare to lose." He pointed at Cyber Shadow Mainframe and it exploded. "I sacrifice this card to special summon two Cyber Shadow monsters to the field!" A burly warrior and the growling form of Berserker appeared on the field. "I special summon Cyber Shadow-Berserker and Cyber Shadow-Strongarm (1900/1300) to the field!" Both monsters slid into fighting positions.

Vincent glanced at his two monsters and then smiled. "Bring it on."

Ichigo pointed at both of his monsters. "Fusion Gate activate!" Both of his monsters yelled out and leap into each other. They disappeared in a flash of light and were replaced by a towering warrior holding a sword in each hand. "Cyber Shadow-Wild Driver!" (2500/1500) He held up another card and threw it down. "Go Cyber Shadow-Soldier!" A medium-built warrior shimmered into play and posed. "Now go Wild Driver, attack Pyro Chokeman!" The huge warrior slammed its swords across the midsection of the Torture Villain and it blew apart. "When Wild Driver battles with a monster that has the same attack points at it then it wins the fight."

Vincent braced himself against the backlash of his monster's death and growled as his Villain's Will card exploded into dust. "Damn you…"

"Go Soldier, attack Torture Cat! Dark Wave!" The other warrior waved its arm in an arc and a blast of energy swept across the field and hit the machine, blowing it apart instantly.

Vincent removed two cards from his graveyard. "When destroyed Torture Cat lets me take back two Torture Villains from my graveyard and one Polymerization card." He held up Torture Villain-Splicer and Torture Villain-Juicer. "I choose to only take these two back."

Ichigo grimaced and placed a card into his disk. "I set one card face-down and end my turn."

Vincent drew. "It's my turn now…" The sound of the death metal echoing across the room pumped in his blood now. "I fuse Splicer and Juicer together to create Torture Villain-Pierce Bruiser!" (2600/1400) A skeletal giant appeared on the field. In its arms rested a strange contraption that looked like some kind of rocket mixed with a metal spike attached to a metal rod. "Attack Wild Driver and win me this game!"

Ichigo pointed at his face-down card. "Reveal Spirit Barrier!" His face-down card flipped up. "With this card in play I cannot take battle damage as long as I have a monster in play!" The weapon rocketed into the chest of his monster and blew it apart.

Vincent smiled crazily and slid the last card he was holding into his disk. "I set a card face-down. Now come on Ichi-chan, let's see what ya got."

Ichigo snapped the top card off of his deck. "Perfect timing….first I take back Cyber Shadow-Strongarm." He removed a card from his coat pocket and slid it into his hand. "Now I summon Cyber Shadow-Shifter!" (800/1200) A black-clothed ninja appeared on the field and struck a pose. "Then I play the magic card Shifter's Trickery. This card can only activate when Shifter is in play. Now I draw three cards." He slid three cards off of his deck and glanced at all of them. Then he smiled slowly. "Let's try this again!" The air around him become blurry. "I fuse Shifter, Soldier and Trainer together to create Cyber Shadow-Rayden!" (2800/2000) A white-haired warrior in a black body-suit appeared on the field.

Vincent realized that he was about to eat his words.

Ichigo pointed at the monster on his opponent's field. "You know the drill Rayden!" The warrior pulled a sword from out of nowhere and slashed the Torture Villain in half.

Vincent- 3800

Ichigo- 100

Vincent braced himself against the backlash. "You're good…but when you destroyed my monster you made one mistake! Reveal face-down card…"

Ichigo pointed at the set card. "I'm not done yet! Rayden's special ability activates now! When he destroys a monster as a result of battle he also destroys one magic or trap card in play!" The face-down started to flip up and then shattered. "End turn."

Vincent clenched his fists. "For my father…" He drew, and when he looked at the card his dark smile returned. "Go Card of Sanctity! Now I draw until I have six cards in hand, while you get nothing at all!" He snapped six cards off of the top of his deck. "Now try to keep up! I activate Torture Manual! This card lets me add any one card with Torture in its title from my deck to my hand!" He caught a card and sneered as he held it out. "Can you guess what I've got in store for you?"

Ichigo narrowed his eyes. ("As long as Spirit Barrier is in play my life points will survive nearly any damage.")

Vincent threw a card down. "First a guest though! Say hello to Torture Villain-Blood Letter (1500/1500) in attack mode." A multi-armed monster holding a dagger in each hand appeared on the field and cackled at Rayden. "Now comes your end. I play Torture Base!" Fusion Gate disappeared and all around them the chamber came alive, each of the Torture devices now moving. "As long as this card is in play all Torture Villains gain 500 attack and defense points!" (2000/2000) "Also, to access any cards in either graveyard or removed from play pile we both must pay 500 life points. Now Blood Letter, show Rayden hell!" The multi-armed monster started to chant in its deep voice. Energy flowed over the warrior and forced it to its knees. "When this monster declares an attack on one monster on the field the target monster switches modes!"

Ichigo pointed at Rayden. "But my monster had the same stats as yours!"

"So what? When Blood Letter battles with a defense monster it destroys it!" The creature leapt forward and dug its daggers into numerous vital points on the warrior's body. Rayden cried out and blew apart.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes even farther…and an aura of black energy sprang up around him.

Vincent felt his muscles bulge again. ("That's it…keep feeding the fire…") "End turn!"

Ichigo drew. ("I have to keep him away from my life points.") "One monster in defense mode. End turn."

Vincent drew. And the music deepened. "Let's rock!" He threw a card down. "Go Torture Villain-Nightmare!" (1200/1000) A hunched over black shadow appeared on the field. "Go Blood Letter, attack Ballistic Shield!" The monster chanted and the warrior stood up just in time to get a knife in the ribs. "Nightmare, Hell Dreams!" The hunched form moaned and blew the set monster apart.

Ichigo frowned as the backlash hit the pale form of the Spirit Barrier and faded. "When Cyber Shadow-Apprentice is destroyed…"

"…nothing happens!" Vincent pointed at his Nightmare. "While Nightmare is in play all monsters destroyed by Torture Villains get no effects! End turn!"

Ichigo drew. ("This card will work.") "I set a card face-down and summon Cyber Shadow-Sentinel (1500/1300) in attack mode!" A silver-colored robot appeared on the field. "Attack Nightmare!" The machine fired a prismatic blast of light from its eyes that blew the hunched monster apart. "End turn!"

Vincent- 3500

Ichigo- 100

Vincent drew. "Go Blood Letter!" The warrior chanted and Sentinel folded its arms around itself. "Attack now!"

"Oh no you don't!" Ichigo pointed at his set card. "Truce of Opposing Forces will send all monsters in play back to our hands!"

Vincent discarded a card from his hand. "Torture Trainer (1000/1000) can be discarded from my hand to negate any effect as long as I have not summoned during this turn. Also, I cannot summon for the rest of this turn." Truce of Opposing Forces shattered and so did Sentinel as it was slashed apart. "End turn."

Ichigo drew. ("His monster can take apart any monster in my hand. But I have to try to protect myself.") "I set one card face-down and one monster in defense. End turn."

Vincent drew. "Blood Letter will now attack your set monster!" The monster chanted and the shimmered into a monster. It was a bulky silver-colored robot. (0/2200) "Lucky for you that Spirit Barrier keeps you safe." The blades of his monster instantly tore Ichigo's monster apart. "Now I set one card face-down and end my turn!"

Ichigo drew. ("There's nothing in my hand that can help me with this duel. Any effects that involve the graveyard will wipe me out.") "I summon Cyber Shadow-Shield Bearer (500/2400) in defense mode. End turn." A humanoid holding a riot shield in front of it appeared on the field.

Vincent drew. "Your monster is useless!" Blood Letter chanted and when Shield Bearer stood up it leapt across the field and slashed the monster apart. "End turn."

Ichigo drew. "I summon Cyber Shadow-Screamer (350/650) in defense mode and set one card face-down. End turn." A metal box with tiny bug-like legs appeared on his field.

Vincent drew. "I summon Tortured Existence!" (1600/1600) A black cloud appeared on his field. "Attack the little piece of trash!" The cloud released a blast of black lightning that slammed into the machine and shattered it.

Ichigo clenched his fist, feeling this duel slip away from his control. ("He's so powerful…")

Vincent pointed at Ichigo. "It ends here! Blood Letter, extract my payment from his hide!"

"Wait!" Ichigo pointed at one of his set card. "Reveal Emergency Alarm! This trap card triggers when my opponent would land a direct attack! That direct attack is negated and I am allowed to take one monster out of my graveyard and add it to my hand! I choose not to do so."

Vincent snarled. "You're running out of cards…and sooner or later I'll deal the killing stroke! End turn!"

Ichigo looked down at his deck. "Draw." He looked at the drawn card and narrowed his eyes. ("This has a chance…but not yet.") "I summon Cyber Shadow-Strongarm in attack mode!" The burly warrior appeared on his field. "Attack Existence!" It leapt forwards and dissipated the cloud with a few lazy swings. "End turn."

Vincent- 3200

Ichigo- 100

Vincent drew. "I attack with Blood Letter!" Strongarm fell to one knee and was immediately stabbed to death. "Also, I set one card face-down and end my turn."

Ichigo felt the death of every monster…and even with the Dark Halo fueling him he felt drained completely. ("It's…not done…but…") He stumbled to his feet and drew. ("Now's the time to do this.") "I activate the magic card Shadow Fusion! This card lets me draw two cards from my deck for every Polymerization I part with." He held up two of the cards that were key to this deck. "So I discard these two and draw four." Sliding four cards off of his deck, he looked at each one in turn. "I set two cards face-down and play Card of Sanctity." He drew four cards and smiled slightly. "I set one card face-down and one monster. End turn."

Vincent drew. "I summon Torture Vampyria!" (1500/1000) A blue-skinned woman holding a long curved sword appeared on the field. "Go Blood Letter!" The monster lifted its arms and chanted. The face-down card flipped up to reveal Cyber Shadow-Assassin. (1000/800) "Begone from my sight!" Blood Letter slashed the monster apart. "Now feel the wrath of Vampyria!" The female released a blast of energy from her sword towards Ichigo.

"Go Draining Shield!" Ichigo's face-down card flipped up. "I negate your attack and gain 1500 life points." A glowing green barrier appeared and sucked up the energy blast.

Vincent- 3200

Ichigo- 1600

Vincent looked at his hand…and sneered. "That's not a problem. First I activate a continuous magic card called Card Casket." A golden coffin appeared on his field. "Now I play Balance the Forces! First I discard every card in my hand and you discard the same number!" He discarded four cards and Ichigo gasped as the four cards in his hand shimmered away. "Then I send my magic and trap cards in play one by one to the graveyard." He slid the two set cards into his graveyard. "Now you toss two." Two of Ichigo's set cards vanished. "Finally, I discard Golden Casket…" He slid the card into his graveyard and Ichigo's final card vanished. "When this card is sent to the graveyard all cards that were on my field while it was but are no longer in play are returned." His two set cards appeared again.

Ichigo stared at his graveyard slot. ("This can't…how is he…")

Vincent sneered. "You've lost." ("My face-down Trap Jammer and Magic Drain will protect me from whatever cards he plays next turn.") "You have lost, Ichigo Pilkington. Accept fate. And prepare yourself for a hell beyond that of the mortal comprehension. By the time I am done you will be screaming for mercy." He pointed at Ichigo. "You have lost every card in your hand and field…and accessing your graveyard will cost you. Tell me…how do you run a warrior deck without accessing your graveyard?" He coldly smiled, while his music played in the background. "End turn."

Ichigo closed his eyes. "I understand my mistake now…" His hair shimmered back to brown.

Vincent gasped as his source of energy disappeared, and his muscles returned to normal size. "What are you…"

"I don't need the Dark Halo. Not for you." Ichigo smiled and opened his hazel eyes. "You are strong…but there's no need for me to use my full strength. I'll duel this out like it's supposed to be done." He drew. ("Cyber Shadow-King of Swords (2600/2300) isn't what I had in mind though. How am I supposed to defeat his monsters with this card…I can't even summon it.")

Vincent calmly smiled. "You've still lost." His music blared across the chamber. "I can see it in your face."

Ichigo knew it was over…but something itched at the back of his mind. ("Something I'm forgetting? What?") He had no cards in his hand other than King of Swords, and no cards in play….and then his eyes widened with recognition.

Vincent blinked in surprise as Ichigo's expression turned impossible dark.

The half demon narrowed his eyes evilly. "My answer is that no…without graveyard access warriors are hindered…however…" A purple mist started to rise up out of his disk. "Not every Cyber Shadow is a warrior."

"Impossible, your card set is part of the five. All of them are warrior based." Vincent had yet to notice the mist.

"Not true." Ichigo's face was slightly hidden behind the gathering mist. "Actually…there is one spellcaster in the Cyber Shadow faction. And he is right where he needs to be." The mist formed into the phantom of a black-clothed man holding a large leather-bound. "Cyber Shadow-Death Mage!" (1800/700)

"You special summoned from your graveyard! Take damage!" Vincent pointed at Ichigo…and blinked in surprise as nothing happened. "What's going on?"

Ichigo calmly smiled and Death Mage began chanting. "My monster was never summoned. It's using its effect. By removing itself from my play while in my graveyard…" He drew a card. "I draw one card…and the levels of all Cyber Shadows in my hand and on my field are reduced by the number of cards you have in play minus the number I have in play for a turn. That equals five!" Death Mage finished chanting and its phantom form disappeared. "Go Cyber Shadow-King of Swords!" (2600/2300) A dark form shimmered into existence in front of Ichigo. It was a warrior with a fore-arm blade strapped to each arm. "Another group of unworthy foes…"

"It isn't enough attack power to finish this yet!" Vincent refused to believe this was the end.

Ichigo held up his drawn card. "Go King's Ultimate Strike! This magic card…"

"Reveal Magic Drain!" Vincent pointed at one of his set cards…but it didn't flip up. "What?"

Ichigo continued. "…cannot be negated. It can only be activated if King of Swords is in play. Now if he attacks all monsters in play then his attack doubles! And since you have exactly four more cards in play than I do, that's exactly what he's going to do! Go King of Swords, Ultimate Slash!" The warrior launched forwards and moved past both of Vincent's monsters like a blur. (5200/2300)

Vincent stared at both of his monsters as they slowly came apart. And then both exploded with enough force to shatter the speakers in the room and ended the music.

Vincent- 0

Ichigo- 1600

Vincent dropped to his knees. "This cannot be…I had you beaten…you had only one draw…"

Ichigo shrugged and flashed the victory symbol to his opponent. "Maybe you'll pull it off next time."

---

"He did it!" Daniel was jumping up and down, cheering wildly.

Kenshin smiled and shook his head. "There must be a god watching him. No one should be that lucky."

Adriel paled. ("I must figure out a way to defeat you in a duel. But such power…")

The Principal of North School sighed and stood up. "So be it." He casually picked up the Vulcan Cannon at his side without much problem. "I'll do it myself." Without the slightest hesitation he aimed the weapon over the railing towards Daniel's back. "Farewell murderer."

To be continued…

To Bobbomp: Thanks.

To Anime Albino: Eri's not a ruthless killer. She's an evil bitch, but not a ruthless killer.

To Seeker of the Soul: I'm going to start singing memories.

To Hogwarts-Knight: No, they had 6000 apiece. And the other decks might make an appearance. Who knows, I might start taking submissions for what the other two should be.

To Adriel: Dark Halo Ichigo is heals quickly, so he's okay.

To G.O.T. Nick: OO; Errr…well….I guess they are popular. I dunno, that's the thing of the Garlin and Sestros families.

To Raine Vindicare: Perhaps we will.

To Dais: Nice. You'll run out of correct words eventually though.

To Voidtemplar: He stood pretty well, wouldn't you say so?

To Rex: I'm not sure what they are yet. Five is just a good number to go with.

To Erestor: Figured out why yet?

To Star: He's going to bust out some King of Swords is what he is going to do.

To wolfy: Vincent's age can honestly be anything, don't you think? I mean, Ryu appeared as a teenager at first, though he is +5000 years old. Rebecca doesn't have demon attributes for the same reason members of CJ and Deondre's families don't have those attributes. Demon blood in this day and age needs to be awakened. (The reason why I will not disclose yet.)