Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.

Legends of the Demon Duelist-Midnight Arc

Chapter 2: All that glitters

Ryu sighed and opened his eyes, taking in another sniff of the aroma from the candles. "Amazing…he's actually found a way to seal me out. He's found a way to cut himself off from the world." The dragon demon looked over at Daniel. "I'm sorry, but your son is gone. He's using the Dark Halo to form a barricade inside his body."

Eri watched Ahran and shivered. "What could have happened to cause him to seal himself away?"

The rest of the Duelist Academy team sat around the nurse's office silently. When they had heard that their leader was in trouble they had come running.

Adriel looked down at the ground. "Ichigo…"

Kenshin was looking out the window. "Does anyone else have the feeling like something will soon be happening that will leave us all in danger?"

Davis frowned and kicked his feet up onto a bed. "From what I can tell that is the basic setup for you guys anyway."

Hitokage looked out the window with Kenshin at the setting sun. "This is madness…Ichigo is too happy-go-lucky to need to withdraw in on himself. Something truly bad must have happened for him to do this."

"I know what it is…" Daniel closed his eyes, as if he was bowing his head in respect to the dead. "Ahran, where is your deck?"

The wolf demon fumbled about his pockets…and blinked in surprise. "It…isn't on me…"

Daniel clenched his fist. "Ichigo's deck was destroyed….or lost. One of the two. I can assume it's because of destruction, or else he'd be looking for the deck right now." He punched the wall.

"The Cyber Shadows are destroyed?" Adriel, Kenshin, Eri, Krieger, and Griff all had differing reactions to this. Adriel seemed a mix of happy and disappointed, while Eri looked horrified.

Ryu closed his eyes and growled deep in his throat. "What sick bastard would do such a thing?" He tried to imagine his elemental dragons getting destroyed…and the urge to kill started to rise in his mind.

None of the members of the room seemed to like that idea. After all, it wasn't something they could enjoy at all. Those were their decks that were being spoken of. It was like their souls.


Midnight looked against the far wall of his dark throne room. "Akuma, I need you."

A form seemed to appear right through the wall. "Yes milord?"

"Go now and keep stirring things up amongst those at the Duelist Academy. Use whatever methods you wish."

Akuma faded away.


Midas King looked at the collapsed cavern entrance with wide eyes. "This place looks like it has been through a battlefield…" He noticed all of the lumps of dirt….and carefully dug one up. His eyes widened in amazement at what he saw. "It's you…Snake…the one who killed my Enraged Muka Muka." It took him only a moment to understand. He had heard about Ichigo… ("What dark soul could do that…")

"You." A cold voice said.

Midas stood up and turned around to look at the giant of a man who stood about twenty feet away from him. "And who are you?" His confusion turned to anger. "Are you the one who did this?"

"No, but the culprit was an associate of mine." Akuma tugged on his gi. "Now prepare yourself human. The duel begins now." A duel disk appeared on his arm.

Midas clenched his fist and then let it relax. Warming up his Duel Coat, he glared at the giant. "I will not tolerate it! Duel!"

Midas- 4000

Akuma- 4000

Akuma drew. "I begin with Hell Blazer." (2200/1200) An explosion of fire lifted up his field and a dragon made of flames formed. "Also I set one card face-down. End turn."

Midas drew. "For my first move I play Pot of Greed!" He drew twice. "Then I play the magic card Greed Vault." Behind him a huge golden bank vault appeared. "This continuous magic card activates whenever an effect that concerns the number of cards in my hand is activated. The number of cards in my hand is considered to be plus three." He slid a card into his disk. "I set one card face-down, and I also place a monster face-down. End turn." Now he only had three cards in his hand, but he knew all too well that soon enough he would be getting a lot more cards.

Akuma drew. "Your strategy is amusing, but little more than that. To face one such as me you must be strong of spirit! I play Polymerization!" He held up two cards. "Frontier Wiseman and Possessed Dark Soul combine to form Dark Balter the Terrible!" (2000/1000) An ugly warped humanoid appeared on the field. "Attack the set monster now!" It leapt forward and slashed through the set monster. "And the effect of Dark Balter negates the effect of whatever he destroys in battle!"

Midas gritted his teeth and pointed at his set card. "I activate the trap card Gold Shield! This card will protect me from all life point damage for this turn if I have at least three cards in my hand!" A glowing golden shield sprang up around him.

Akuma glowered. "End turn."

Midas drew. ("With Dark Balter in play my abilities are limited.") "I play the magic card Fissure. This card will destroy the lowest attack monster on your field!"

Akuma pointed at Dark Balter. "The effect of Dark Balter activates! By paying 1000 life points I can negate the activation of one normal magic card!" Balter chanted and the Fissure card shattered.

Midas- 4000

Akuma- 3000

Midas looked down at his hand. "Therefore, I set one monster face-down and one card face-down. End turn."

Akuma drew. "Dark Balter, run through his pitiful defense!" The demon slashed through the set monster easily.

Midas pointed at his set card. "I reveal Golden Entombment! This card allows me to take a monster defeated in battle and place it back into my hand. Also, I draw two cards." He slid two cards off of his deck, leaving him with four cards now.

"It doesn't matter! Hell Blazer, direct attack!" The dragon opened its jaws and sprayed Midas with fire.

The professor had been expecting a little bit of pain, but what he got instead was a feeling as if his entire form was aflame. It burned deep into his skin and seared at his clothing.

Midas- 1800

Akuma- 3000

Akuma pointed at the fallen professor. "I was expecting something dangerous. Instead I just get a weakling human. End turn."

Midas' form twitched, but otherwise he didn't move.


Kenshin frowned. "Something is wrong…can't you feel it?"

Ryu grimaced. "A darkness game…"

Everyone in the room looked at each other and then all of them ran out of the office. Whatever was going on had to be stopped.


"You're pitiful. Even for a human…" Akuma was stopped in mid-sentence as Midas stood up.

"You…are a trickster. Somehow you have turned up the damage of your solid vision system. But I won't let that stop me!" He drew. "I summon Muka Muka (600/300) in attack mode!" A stone crab appeared on the field. "This monster's special ability lets it gain 300 attack and defense points for every card in my hand!" (2700/2400) He pointed at Dark Balter. "Attack now! Pinch Strike!" The crab hissed and charged, tearing through the monster easily. "End turn!"

Midas- 1800

Akuma- 2300

Akuma drew. "You think you can hold against me with such a strange monster?" He pointed at his set card. "Then you are sadly mistaken. Reveal Call of the Haunted!" Dark Balter emerged from the dirt at his feet. "Also, I play the magic card Monster Reborn. Revive now Possessed Dark Soul!" (1200/800) A form made of red fire appeared in the air next to Balter. "It ends here…" He smirked and held up his drawn card. "It is the power of death…and the power to steal away life!" His hand waved over his three monsters. "All three of these beasts have served their purpose…and now they are sacrifices…to one of the mightiest monsters in this game!" All three of the demons disappeared into a swirling tornado of black wind.

"Professor King!" Kenshin literally left a dust trail behind him as he ran towards the dueling field. "Are you okay?"

"I'm just fine Kenshin." The professor smirked slightly. "And I believe that this dear man was about to summon the instrument of my destruction?"

The tornado stopped spinning…and cleared to reveal a creature made up of nothing but muscle and bone tissue. It towered a hundred feet in the air, and it slowly lowered its head down to glare at Midas and the Muka Muka.

Akuma lifted his hand up to the air. "The mighty Archfiend Emperor (5000/0) in attack mode!" The god-like demon roared loudly, shaking the entire island with its rage.

"Amazing…" Kenshin stared in amazement at the monster.

Daniel skidded to a stop and felt his heart stop. "That thing…I've seen it before…"

Akuma slid a card from his hand into his graveyard. "The effect of Archfiend Emperor lets me increase its attack power by the attack of one demon monster I discard!" He snickered and energy flowed around the body of the Emperor. "I discard Summoned Skull (2500/1200) to raise the attack of my monster by 2500!" (7500/0) Slowly his hand lifted up to point at Muka Muka. "Go now! Claw of the Abyss!" The Emperor dropped its claws down onto the little crab monster, shattering it.

"From my hand…" Midas could barely speak over the roar of air that accompanied the strike against him. "I activate the effect of Golden Shield!" (0/0) "This card will prevent me from taking more than 1000 life points of damage from one attack!" Though the actual damage was buffered, he was send bouncing backwards as the force pushed against his body roughly.

Midas- 800

Akuma- 2300

Akuma glowered again. "You are like a fly that just doesn't know when to give up. I set one card face-down and end my turn." Now he had no cards in hand, but it didn't matter. Thanks to its effect the Archfiend Emperor couldn't be destroyed by effects or taken control of. It was perfect…

Midas was still on the ground, his gold beard dirty and his eyes closed.

"Professor King!" Kenshin clenched his fist so tightly that the bones cracked. "Get up! You can do it!"


Kenshin sat at the edge of his bed and cried quietly.

"What are you anyway?"

"Some kind of freak…look at those ears…"

"So you're the new student I heard of?" Someone sat down alongside the bed.

Kenshin looked up and tried to wipe the tears from his eyes. "Yes…I'm Kenshin Anderson."

Midas closed his eyes. "The children here are very cruel. I am sorry that your first day was a bad one."

Kenshin blinked in surprise. "Hey now…who are you anyway?"

Midas coughed and looked away. "I am Midas King of the Duelist Academy Obelisk Blue. I suppose you met some of my boys not too long ago."

"Obelisk Blue…" Kenshin closed his eyes. "Those boys were so mean…"

"I try to teach them to be kind, but it never works out correctly." Midas frowned. "Forgive them, for they are sometimes such idiots." He looked down at Kenshin. "So smile…because things aren't always as bad as you think them to be."


Kenshin clenched his fists tighter. "Professor King! Wake up! Please…"

Daniel heard the love in Kenshin's voice…and stepped forwards past the boy. "King, stand up."

Midas lifted his head weakly. "Pilkington…"

"If you truly are a duelist of this Academy, then show your worth now! Show me the pride for this Academy I saw when you challenged for permission before!" He pointed at the golden-clothed duelist. "Stand up…and fight!"

"I…must…" Midas stumbled to his feet. "It's my turn…and you will not bring down one of the greatest duelists in history! I am Midas King…the greatest of this academy…" He drew. "I summon Enraged Muka Muka (1200/900) in attack mode!" A huge stone crab appeared on the field.

Krieger blinked a couple of times. "That monster has five stars though…how'd he summon it without sacrifice?"

"The special ability of Greed Vault lowers the level of all monsters that have an effect involving the number of cards in the owner's hand by one." Daniel smiled slightly.

"The effect of Enraged Muka Muka raises its attack and defense power by 400 points for every card in my hand!" (4000/3700) Midas clenched his fist and the three cards in his hand.

Akuma started a rumbling laugh that was joined in by the Archfiend Emperor. "You fool…that's not enough!"

"I'm not done yet!" Midas held up a card. "I activate the magic card Muka Muka Limit Break!" Enraged Muka Muka and the Greed Vault shattered. "I sacrifice Enraged Muka Muka to summon King Muka Muka!" (2000/1700) A huge stone crab wearing a crown appeared on the field. "For every card in my hand it gains 1000 attack and defense points!" (4000/3700)

"Now you have an even weaker monster in play!" Akuma started to laugh…

"I'm not finished! Card of Sanctity go!" He held up a card. "This magic card forces us both to draw until we are holding six cards in our hand!" He slid five cards off of his deck. "And now…" (8000/7700)

"8000 attack points…" Akuma's eyes widened.

"King Muka Muka, attack Archfiend Emperor now! Golden Claw!" The crab monster roared and released a blast of golden light from its claw that hit the god demon and blew it apart.

Midas- 800

Akuma- 1800

Akuma braced himself against the backlash. "I'm not done yet either!"

"Maybe…maybe not! From my hand I activate the magic card Hand Death! If we have the same number of hand cards, this card included, them we both discard our hands!"

Akuma stared in amazement as his six cards disappeared.

Midas did the same. "End turn!" (2000/1700)

Akuma stood quietly, smoke rising off of his body. "For a human…you are still pitiful."

"What?" Midas pointed at the field. "I am the one with the advantage now!"

"Really?" Akuma drew. "I play Pot of Greed. This magic card lets me draw two cards." Sliding two cards off of his deck, he smirked slightly. "I am not some weakling spawn. I am a Speaker of Midnight. And as such…you shall meet your end! Monster Reborn on Summoned Skull!" (2500/1200) The discarded demon general appeared on the field and roared. "Attack King Muka Muka now! Demon Thunder!" The monster released a blast of electricity that blew the green monster apart.

Midas- 300

Akuma- 1800

Midas braced himself against the backlash. "I am not beaten…"

"From my hand I play the magic card Sneak Attack from the Darkness! This card lets me have a battle phase after the end phase of my turn!" Summoned Skull roared again. "Good-bye, pitiful human!"

Midas' eyes widened…and then he looked over at Kenshin and Daniel. "Pilkington…take good care of him. He is good, but he still needs training."

"King…" Daniel clenched his fists tightly. "Don't…"

"Summoned Skull…" Akuma pointed at the professor.

Kenshin felt tears build up in his eyes. "Professor…"

"Kenshin…I chose the wrong path…you must fight this darkness with light. The power of earth wasn't enough…please…" He turned to face Akuma. "Bring your final blow!"

"Demon's Thunder!" The Summoned Skull released a blast of lightning that slammed into Midas. He didn't scream…instead he just ground his teeth…before dropping to the ground dead.

Midas- 0

Akuma- 1800

Akuma shuffled his deck and smirked, his red eyes shimmering in the gathering night. "So…who is next?"

Daniel narrowed his eyes. "I'll…I'll destroy you!" He started to move forwards…but gasped in surprise as Kenshin leapt past him. "Kenshin no!"

"I CHALLENGE YOU!" The boy's duel disk locked into place.

Kenshin- 4000

Akuma- 4000

To be continued…

Kenshin, what's the matter with you? Control yourself! You can't expect to beat this Akuma guy with the cards you have so far, can you? He's got that Archfiend Emperor, and there are even more powerful monsters in his deck!

Next Episode: The Crusader's Rage

To Rex: Yup. Midnight wants his plans to come to truth badly.

To Gryphinwyrm: It's only going to get more intense.

To Seeker of the Soul: This is the time for shockers, trust me.

To Bobbomp: Considering you never posted any reviews of the Hidden Pack Story, I'd say I don't care whether you like it or not.

To Anime Albino: I have no response to that. If you want to be heartless, then go right ahead.

To john: You ask that kind of question now?

To Neo Arkadia: Hey, there's no other way to go than with a bang.

To falcon demon general: I think you would be speechless no matter what I do. All of your reviews are less than ten words.