Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.
Vanguard Generations
Chapter 20: Hero of the Hero
It was like some kind of war zone that surrounded her on all sides. Large craters were carved into the cement, the nearby buildings were decimated, and there were still some small fires going on a short distance away.
Shinsei's battle must have been enormous. That was the only thing going through Megumi's head as she slowly approached the unmoving body of the wonder boy. ("In less than an hour he went from being dead to being able to defeat one of the heads of the Humanity's Cross.") This was like a dream to her, considering that a little more than a day ago she had just finished explaining to him how the entire Vanguard thing worked.
A weak wind rustled through Shinsei's black and gold hair, and he started to stir. His right arm twitched for a moment, tried to lift up, and then collapsed.
Megumi shook her head back and forth slowly. ("He shouldn't be able to move. However, considering what he has done so far I try to avoid being surprised by this stuff.") She picked up her pace, ready to heal him if he needed it.
"Whoa there, little miss." A rather gruff voice spoke out. "I suggest you leave our Master's prize alone."
Megumi felt all of the hairs on the back of her neck stand out straight. ("Demons?") She felt Hantenshi's prescense infuse her with strength to sooth her nerves, but now she was unsure whether to simply rush up and move Shinsei. ("He might be bait for a hastily-made trap.")
A dark cloaked-form stepped out from behind a nearby wall. "Glad to see you're smarter than I originally thought. Now please leave."
"I can't do that." Megumi felt her body pulse with the natural wrath of any Vanguard when faced by one of the perversities of nature known as demons. "I won't let you and your 'master' have this boy. He is a member of the World Shield."
"Really?" The cloaked demon moved a little closer to Shinsei's body and scoffed. "There are no such markings on him. He never joined your group, so therefore he has no ties to you. I suppose then we'll have to determine who gets him with a duel then?"
Megumi sighed. "If we must. Honestly, what would your master want with this boy anyway?"
"That is not your reason to ask, girl." The demon pulled back the hood of her cloak to reveal what would have a normal human face if not for the fact that on top of his black-haired head there was a pair of pointed wolf ears of the same color. "I am Youmei, duelist of the wolf demon kingdom. Now please…" Pulling a duel disk from out of his robes, he strapped it to his arm and inserted his deck into its slot. "Select who will go first."
Megumi activated the duel disk strapped to her arm and shuffled her deck. Placing her hand on top of the stack of cards, she closed her eyes and hummed to herself. "I see…so Heaven condones this duel." Inserting her deck into its slot, she drew her opening five cards. "I will take the first move!"
"As you wish." Youmei drew his opening hand as well. "Let's see how tough the duelists of the World Armor are."
Megumi- 4000
Youmei- 4000
Megumi slid the top card off of her deck calmly. "I summon Librarian of the Heavens (1100/1000) in attack mode." A wizened old angel leaning on a cane and holding a large book under one arm appeared on her field. "When this monster is summoned, I may draw one card. If that card is a magic card, I add it to my hand. If it is a monster or trap, I discard it. If it is a ritual magic card, then I may add it to my hand and draw an additional card." She removed the top card of her deck. "It is the ritual magic card Symphony of the Heavens, meaning I may draw another card." Drawing once more, she fanned out her hand and placed a card from it into her duel disk. "I place one card face-down on the field and end my turn."
Youmei drew, his ears flicking a little as he looked at what he had pulled. ("So…this girl plays Angels? Foolish concept, considering what my deck is.") "I summon Slayer of the Light!" (1000/1000) A demon covered in black armor with a necklace of battered golden halos around its neck appeared on his field. "This monster, when it battles with a light attribute monster, gains 1500 attack and defense points."
Megumi looked at the necklace of angel halos around the creature's neck and frowned. "Disgusting killer…"
"You're one to talk, murderer of my people!" Youmei pointed at the angel. "Attack now!" (2500/2500)
"Reverse card open!" Megumi's face-down card flipped up and a green barrier of light sprang up to block the demon's attack. "Draining Shield negates your attack and gives me life point gain equal to the attack of the monster."
Megumi- 6500
Youmei- 4000
"End turn." Youmei was slightly displeased at how this little girl had stopped his attack, but since it was just the first turn it didn't matter too much. "Those life points you just gained are going to be disappearing shortly."
Megumi drew. "I play the magic card Friendship Sacrifice. This allows me to sacrifice monsters from my deck instead of my hand and field for a ritual summon during this turn." Sliding the Symphony of the Heaven's card into her disk, she removed her deck from its slot and fanned it out. "I offer Thunder Nyan Nyan and Magician of the Celestials to ritual summon Holy Orchestal (1500/1500) from my hand to my field!" Her field was surrounded by golden light as a glowing angel holding a harp in its hands floated down into play. All around a heavenly orchestra of music played. "When this monster is summoned, all dark attribute monsters in play are destroyed." The Slayer of Light howled in pain and exploded into dust. "Orchestral and Librarian, direct attack." Her two monsters released twin blasts of light that literally buried the demon.
Megumi- 6500
Youmei- 1400
As the torrent of light died down, Megumi slid her hands vertically through her deck a couple of times. "When Orchestral deals life point damage, I may draw two cards." Adding two more cards to her hand, she inserted a single one into her disk. "I place one card face-down and end my turn."
Youmei snarled as his vision finally returned to him. "Insolent girl, I'll take your life in the name of the demon race! Draw!" Snapping the top card off of his deck, he slowly smiled. "I play the magic card Crashing the Pearly Gates. This card destroys all face-up angel type monsters in play." A satisfactory smirk crossed his face as both of Megumi's monsters screamed in pain and exploded into nothing. "Now then, I'll continue by summoning Obliterator of Holy Souls (100/100) in attack mode." A cowering demon appeared on his field. "This monster's special ability is that when he deals you life point damage, for every light attribute monster in your graveyard you take 500 points of damage. Now, direct attack!"
Megumi pointed at her face-down card. "Reverse card open, Holy Radiance! By selecting one angel type monster from my graveyard I can prevent you from attacking during this turn with any monsters that have the attack of the graveyard monster or lower."
Youmei snarled and slammed two cards into his disk. "I set two cards face-down on my field!"
Megumi drew. "I summon Ribbon Dancer in attack mode!" (1200/1500) A lithe angel surrounded by a large number of golden ribbons appeared on her field. "When this monster is summoned, one ritual magic or monster card in my graveyard is added to my hand! I choose Orchestral!"
"Reveal Plucking the Wings!" One of Youmei's set cards flipped up. "This quickplay magic card destroys one light angel in play!" A beam of black light slammed into Megumi's monster and blew it apart.
Megumi bristled a little at the fact that this demon's deck seemed to be perfectly set to counter her Heaven Ritual Deck, but she wasn't worried. ("I'll protect Shinsei from these monsters.") "I place one card face-down on my field and end my turn."
Youmei drew. "Your time is running out, girl. I activate the continuous magic card Photosensitive Virus! This card will deal you 1000 life points of damage during your standby phase if you have a light attribute monster in your graveyard." His monster disappeared in a burst of black light. "I offer my monster as a sacrifice to summon Angel Killer!" (0/0) "While this monster is face-up on my field in attack mode it will instantly destroy all light angel type monsters summoned. Also, when it battles with an angel or a light attribute monster it destroys it! End turn."
Megumi took a deep breath at the sight of another of these annoying anti-light cards. "Draw." She barely flinched when Youmei's virus card sent electric shocks through her body.
Megumi- 5500
Youmei- 1400
"I activate the magic card Pot of Greed, drawing two cards." Megumi inserted a new card into her disk. "I play the magic card Ritual Cooker. By selecting one ritual monster card from my hand and removing it from the game, I can special summon that monster without its requirements in three turns from this one! My choice is Orchestral. Also, I summon Angel Blader!" (1700/100) A gold-suited warrior holding two ornate gold daggers appeared on her field. "End turn."
Youmei drew. "Pitiful choice of monsters, or did you forget the effect of my Angel Killer?" His monster howled and the angel monster exploded into dust. "I'm not sure what you were trying to accomplish, but it failed."
"Nope." Megumi watched as Youmei's monster exploded as well. "When Angel Blader is destroyed, I may destroy a monster in play with original attack points less than its own."
Youmei nodded slowly. "Interesting…I place one card face-down on my field and end my turn."
Megumi drew and gritted her teeth as electricity went through her body violently.
Megumi- 4500
Youmei- 1400
"I summon Hysteric Angel!" (1800/500) An glasses-wearing angel holding a book in its arms appeared on her field. "Direct attack!"
"I reveal another Plucking the Wings!" Youmei snickered as another blast of light flew across his field and slammed into the body of the angel, shattering it.
Megumi sighed again. "I'm not even surprised anymore. I place one card face-down on my field and end my turn."
Youmei drew. ("This girl is still taking me lightly, despite the fact that every card in my deck is dangerous to what she uses.") "It's fine, dear girl. I play another Photosensitive Virus and the magic card Final Fuse. This card lets me select two continuous magic cards that I have in play. If both of them are the same cards, then I may activate a third of that card from my deck." A third Photosensitive Virus continuous magic card appeared on his field. "During each of your standby phases, you'll be taking 3000 life points of damage. You have two turns. End turn."
Megumi flexed her hand and drew, right before she was forcing herself not to bite her own tongue as pain flared through her entire body.
Megumi- 1500
Youmei- 1400
"I activate the magic card Graceful Charity, allowing me to draw three cards and then discard two." Megumi did so with a smile on her face. "Whew…I actually thought I might lose to you too."
("You still will, thanks to my face-down trap card.") Youmei snapped up his hand and his face-down card flipped up. "I reveal the trap card Threatening Roar, preventing you from attacking this turn. That means during my next turn you'll be defeated!"
Megumi pointed at one of her set cards. "I reveal the trap card Necro Ritual. This card allows me to return any discarded monsters from my graveyard back to my hand, but they cannot be discarded or summoned during this turn. They can only be sacrificed or used for a fusion. At the end phase of this turn they will be sent to the graveyard once more!" Two cards left her graveyard. "My discarded cards were Zolga and Mudora!" (1700/1000) (1500/1800)
"Any ritual you summon won't be strong enough to win, girl." Youmei licked his lips in anticipation. He didn't expect he would get so lucky that to take down a Vanguard while he was out here.
Megumi grinned. "Ritual? Not quite." She snapped up one of the cards in her hand. "I activate the magic card Polymerization."
"A fusion?" Youmei looked momentarily surprised, but quickly recovered. "That doesn't matter, it will still be the same in the end. All I have to do next turn is draw and end my turn to finish you off."
"True." Megumi snapped the Mudora and Zolga cards in her hand over. "I fuse Zolga and Mudora together to summon Guardian of the Ancient Sanctuary." A cloaked angel slowly lowered onto her field. (2000/2000) "For every angel in my graveyard, I now gain 500 life points and for every monster in my graveyard my Guardian gains 100 attack points." (2800/2000)
Megumi- 5000
Youmei- 1400
Youmei snapped the top card off of his deck. "You think a little life point gain will stop me? I activate the magic card Angelic Hell! For every light and/or angel type monster in your graveyard, you take 300 life points of damage!" Lightning came crashing down onto Megumi's body violently. "Now I end my turn and you lose!"
Megumi- 2600
Youmei- 1400
Megumi drew. "During my draw phase, I activate the effect of my face-down Hallowed Life Barrier trap card, discarding one card from my hand to make all life point damage to me this turn zero!" There was an explosion of light as Orchestral reappeared in play on her field. (1500/1500)
Youmei grimaced but looked down at his Virus cards in his disk. ("It's fine. These cards can be sacrificed to create a life point barricade for the turn equal to the number of itself in play before activation. Therefore if I sacrifice all of these cards I'll have a 6000 life point blockade against the girl's attacks this turn. Also, when all three of these cards are sent to my graveyard during the same turn, they revive themselves. In other words, I'll still win.") "During your standby phase, I send all of these cards to my graveyard to activate their effect! For each of itself in play before activation, a 1000 life point shield is placed around my life points from the effects and attacks of all angel type monsters!" His three cards exploded and a massive barrier of black and red energy appeared around him. (Angel Type Damage Barrier: 6000)
Megumi pointed at her Guardian. "I don't run this fusion for no reason. Its final special ability lets me sacrifice it to special summon a ritual monster from my hand without sacrifice or need for the magic card!" Her angel disappeared in a golden flash, replaced by a golden angelic knight holding an arcane-symbol covered shield and sword in its hands. "I ritual summon Zerato Guardsman in attack mode." (2500/2300)
Youmei just sneered. ("In total that's 4000, nowhere near enough damage.")
Megumi opened her field magic card slot. "Don't worry too much, but you have lost. I activate the field magic card Ancient Sanctuary!" A giant angelic temple exploded into the sky behind her, filling the ground with clouds to make it seem as if they were floating in the heavens. "When Ancient Sanctuary is in play Zerato Guardsman may sacrifice its chance to attack this turn to deal you its attack in damage!"
Youmei snarled as the barrier around him grew thinner. (Angel Type Damage Barrier: 3500)
Megumi snapped up her other hand card. "I activate Fusion Recovery to return Mudora and Polymerization from my graveyard to my hand!" A strong-framed angel warrior holding a pair of daggers appeared on her field. "I then summon Mudora in attack mode, and for every angel in my graveyard it gains 200 attack points!" (1500/1800) - (2900/1800)
Youmei did a few quick calculations in his head. "You may be able to tear down my barrier, but you won't affect my life points enough to beat me with that kind of power!"
Megumi slid the Polymerization card into her graveyard. "I activate the effect of Orchestral. When there is an Ancient Sanctuary in play and I discard one magic card from my hand, I can deal you 400 points of damage per angel type monster I have in play!" (3x4001200)
Youmei gasped as the barrier grew even thinner. (Angel Type Damage Barrier: 2300) "No…that means…"
"Mudora, attack the barrier now!" Megumi smiled calmly as her monster's daggers slashed through the barrier and into Youmei roughly. "This is for your prejudice against the servants of heaven, so remember it well." (2900-2300600)
Megumi- 2600
Youmei- 800
"Orchestral, attack his life points directly!" A holy blast of light swallowed up the demon duelist, and when the light cleared he had disappeared. "Retreated or destroyed, I wonder…oh well."
Megumi- 2600
Youmei- 800
Turning to face the collapsed Shinsei, Megumi gently helped him to stand up and started to move in the direction of the World Shield safe-house. "You've been nothing but trouble so far…"
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From within a shadowed throne room, a dark form sat in silence and looked upon the image of his servant's failure. "Youmei was no match for her. It was to be expected, but still…" The wine glass in his hand was placed down on the arm of his throne and the shadowed king stood up slowly. "For now I will wait for the boy to recover naturally, and we shall see where he goes. I have a feeling like it will require little effort to bring him to me…and at that time I will push his powers to the maximum. That or I will destroy him completely."
To be continued…