Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh.
Tournament of Tears
Chapter 25: Priest of Steel
Judai whistled loudly and looked up at the towering form of the Empire State Building. "So this is Midnight's choice for a fortress? Well, I can say that he has some good taste, if nothing else." Thunder rumbled in the sky above them, clouds swirling and churning near the tower's peak. "Is that where this Game of the Gods thing is supposed to occur?"
Ryu nodded calmly. "Yes. That is the chosen location for the Game of the Gods. I can feel it in the air…it is like some kind of hellish aura that is hanging down across my shoulders." He turned to look at Rikuo. "What do you think?"
Rikuo was already walking towards the front doors to the building's lobby. "Stop talking already and let me get to work. I intend to be the one to take on Midnight, so just stand back and leave him to me."
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As soon as they entered the dark lobby of the massive building, they knew they were being watched.
Rikuo frowned in displeasure. "Jourgen, keep them going towards the top. We've got company already."
The dragon demon nodded and get a brisk pace. No one argued with Rikuo's judgment on this one. If the wolf demon wanted to take this challenge, then they'd be more than happy to let him.
As soon as Rikuo was alone, he glanced back at the doorway and at the dark form which was outlined against it. "You're one of those Priests of Midnight, right?"
"That would be me." The cowled form pulled back its covering to reveal a humanoid covered in all different kinds of metal implements. "My name is Arunos, the third Priest of Midnight. I am the duelist of machinery and the future. Your deck will not stand against mine."
Rikuo sighed and shook his head in amazement. "It doesn't matter how powerful I become, there will always be fools who just cannot accept such a thing and wish with all their might to crush me. Pitiful."
Arunos calmly lifted his arm and duel disk up, the dim light of the cavern walls giving the room the impression of being some kind of dank and dark dungeon. "Are you ready, Avatar of Fenrir?"
Rikuo scoffed as his duel disk activated. "The name is Rikuo Amero, lord of all wolf demons. Remember it well as the name of the warrior who defeated you."
Arunos- 4000
Rikuo- 4000
"I will begin!" The metal-covered robed man drew. "My first monster is Beam Sniper (900?) in defense mode." A perfectly smooth being made entirely of light appeared on the field in a crouching position. "These are my virtual monsters, creatures made entirely from the power of technology. They will be sufficient to defeat you."
"Why can't I see its defense points?" Rikuo had a general idea behind his opponent's strategy already. ("It won't be like my machines at all. Therefore, I won't have to worry about countering a suicide strike.")
"Beam Sniper's defense is zero unless there is another monster on my field, at which point its defense instead becomes 2300." Arunos inserted a card into a magic/trap slot on his duel disk. "My other card is Hologram Room. Now I may special summon one level four or lower Beam monster from my hand to the field." Another smooth light humanoid appeared on his field. "Therefore I special summon Beam Guardian in defense mode." (0/2200) "End turn." (900/2300)
Rikuo scoffed and drew. "A defense-based machine deck? What a foolish idea. Let me show you how you run a machine deck." He threw a card down onto the middle space in his monster zone. A floating machine covered with numerous weapon-wielding arms appeared in play. "I summon Mechanicalchaser (1850/800) to the field in attack mode. This guy will be enough to get rid of that Sniper. I have a feeling it can attack me despite being in defense mode, if just because of its name."
"That's very perceptive of you, but it is of no matter to me. Your monster is far too weak to break my defense." Arunos had two high defense monsters in play, and that was his confidence. "Even if you destroy one of them, the other will remain to assist me in defeating you for the rest of the duel."
"You talk too much." Rikuo inserted two cards into his duel disk. "I activate my Last Will magic card, and in chain I activate Limiter Removal." Smoke started to spray out of the Mechanicalchaser's body. "Limiter Removal increases the attack power of all machine monsters on my field by double. Therefore, I believe now would be a good time to attack your Beam Sniper with Mechanicalchaser!" (3700/800) The robot's numerous weapons fell all at once, tearing the light humanoid to tiny particles.
Arunos snickered. "Limiter Removal's downside is that it destroys all monsters on your field that it affected during the end of this turn. So what exactly did you accomplish?"
"I accomplished more than you think." Rikuo inserted another card into his disk. "I activate Mystic Wok. This quickplay magic card allows me to sacrifice a monster on my field to gain either that monster's attack or defense in life points. I offer my Mechanicalchaser as a sacrifice to raise my life points by 3700!" The machine faded in a flurry of golden light that fell over Rikuo's body.
Arunos- 4000
Rikuo- 7700
Rikuo smiled slightly as a card appeared on his field. It was the Last Will card he activated earlier. "Last Will's effect triggers now. When a monster on my field is sent to the graveyard during the turn it was activated, I may special summon a monster from my deck with 1500 or less attack points to the field in attack mode."
The card changed into a red mechanical dragon. "I special summon Y-Dragon Head to my field." (1500/1600) "Even though it is still my battle phase, my attack wouldn't accomplish anything against your Guardian. I move to my second main phase and place two cards face-down. End turn." Now he had no cards in his hand. In just his first turn he was out of resources already.
Arunos drew, rolling his eyes. "For all your grandiose actions, you have just emptied your entire hand for some life point gain and to destroy one of my monsters. Was it really worth it?"
Rikuo didn't answer, arms folded across his chest while he waited for his opponent to make his move.
Arunos sighed. "I wonder now if you really are as good as Lord Midnight made you out to be." He placed a card onto his disk and another plain light humanoid appeared on the field. "Beam Swordsman (1900/1000) is my choice for this turn. And he will defeat your weakling dragon and leave you with no monsters! Go now!" The being suddenly pulled a sword made of light out of nowhere and leapt through the air, slashing right through the metal monster. The Y-Dragon Head started to whine loudly, and then exploded. "And now your mistake shows itself."
Arunos- 4000
Rikuo- 7300
"Mistake, is it?" Rikuo sighed as one of his face-down cards flipped face-up. "I'll show you a mistake. Steel Recycler activates when my opponent destroys a machine monster on my field as a result of battle. I may remove that monster from the game to special summon a machine type monster from my deck that has equal or less attack power." A yellow metal tank appeared on his field. "Z-Metal Tank is special summoned." (1500/1300)
Arunos still didn't look impressed. "Your ability to act high and mighty off such stupid plays is astounding. What makes you think the fact that you have special summoned another weakling will make a difference? I place one card face-down onto my field and end my turn."
Rikuo drew. "The difference is determined here!" He looked at the drawn card and he simply had to smile. "Reverse card open! Double Draw forces both players to draw two cards!" Right as both of them drew, he held up the separate card which he had drawn at the start of the turn. "From my hand I activate my quickplay magic card, Magnetic Card!"
"Magnetic Card?" Arunos lifted his eyebrows in surprise. "What kind of…"
Rikuo just continued to smile. "Shuffle the two you just drew back into your deck. This card activates during the turn that you have drawn cards from an effect. Those cards are returned to your deck and I draw a number of cards equal to the number you returned!" He drew two more cards. "Ready to see what I've been setting up for you?"
Arunos snarled. "Stop your boasting and make your move!"
"Sure." Rikuo threw a card down onto his disk next to the Z-Metal Tank card. "I summon X-Head Cannon!" (1800/1500) A blue hovering robot appeared on his field. "Also, I play Monster Returned! One monster in my removed from play pile is special summoned to my field." His Y-Dragon Head shimmered into existence alongside his other two machines. "Prepare yourself, Small Fry. XYZ fusion!" The three robots exploded into numerous pieces which combined into one composite tank. "XYZ Dragon Cannon (2800/2600) has appeared!"
"So what? If you attack you run the risk of activating my trap card." Arunos wasn't impressed by some large piece of steel. "High attack power means nothing."
"Clean out your ears and listen, Junior." Rikuo held up a card. It was a magic card with a picture of some kind of complex battery on it. "I discard Nuclear Battery Booster from my hand to power the effect of my monster! When I discard a card from my hand, I may destroy one card in play!" Arunos' face-down card shattered. "Get it? Your face-down cards don't frighten me in the slightest."
Arunos chuckled calmly. "Lord Midnight was correct about one thing. You are nothing but a mindless brute. Your deck is full of high attack monsters or combos that simply focus on clearing the field. Such a way of attacking is pitiful." He fanned out the two cards in his hand. "Aren't you worried about what these might be?"
"I don't give a damn." Rikuo drew the top card of his deck. "When I discard Nuclear Battery Booster for the effect or cost of a machine monster card, I may draw a card." His eyes widened at the drawn card. ("Research on the Pot of Greed…if I activate it now I can draw a single card. If that card is something I can use to put more pain on him…") Slowly he slid the card into his hand. ("Forget it…let's gamble.") "Hyper Destruction!" The numerous cannons of the XYZ Dragon Cannon unleashed a wave of energy that blew the Beam Swordsman away instantly.
Arunos- 3100
Rikuo- 7300
Rikuo inserted a card into his disk slot. "I place one card face-down and end my turn."
Arunos snapped the top card off of his deck angrily. "You said you didn't care what my two hand cards were? Now pay for your short-sightedness! I play Graceful Charity to draw three cards from my deck, after which I must discard two cards!" Inserting two cards into his graveyard, he snickered calmly as rings of green light appeared around the XYZ Dragon Cannon. "Beam Rings equip to a target in play when they are discarded to my graveyard. They lower the attack of the equipped monster by 500 apiece!" (1800/2600)
Rikuo tried to look confident, but he couldn't ignore that he was beginning to sweat a little. ("XYZ Dragon Cannon is one of my key cards. If he defeats it, then I will be out a powerful weapon.")
Arunos slid a new card into his duel disk. "I activate the magic card Holographic Deployment. This allows me to discard a card from my hand to add a level four or lower Beam monster from my deck to my hand. My choice is Beam Soldier." Another card appeared on the field next to his magic card. "And the card I discarded activates as well. Holographic Benefit triggers when it is discarded from my hand. I can special summon a level three or lower Beam monster from my deck to the field. I special summon Beam Medic (1000/100) and normal summon my Beam Soldier!" (1600/1300)
Rikuo tsked and wagged a single finger back and forth rapidly. "Such a shame, your monster is just a little too weak."
"Is that so?" Arunos pointed at Rikuo's Dragon Cannon. "Beam Soldier gains 100 attack points for every Beam monster in play!" (1900/1300) "Beam Blaster!" A rifle made of light appeared in the monster's hand and it fired a single bullet of light that slammed into Rikuo's monster and blew it apart. "Also, when a Beam Ring that is equipped is sent to the graveyard, my opponent takes 200 points of damage!"
Arunos- 3100
Rikuo- 6800
Rikuo had his arms up to cover his eyes and face from the onrush of upset dust that the explosion of his monster caused, but by the time that dust was settling, he had recovered. "You triggered my trap. Supercharge activates during the turn that a machine type monster on my field is destroyed as a result of battle! I draw two cards!" Snapping two cards off of his deck, the wolf demon glanced at them both before looking up at his opponent's field.
Arunos snarled once more, his metallic body parts glittering in the dim light of the room. "Beam Medic attacks directly!" The other light humanoid leapt in front of Rikuo and punched him across the jaw before it returned to its master's field.
Arunos- 3100
Rikuo- 5800
Arunos removed a card from his graveyard. "When Beam Medic deals my opponent life point damage, I may add a Beam monster from my graveyard to my hand." He inserted a card into his disk. "Also, I place a card face-down and end my turn. Are you starting to understand what my true power is? I am no weak duelist."
Rikuo drew and yawned. "Excuse me if I don't take you seriously yet. Beating one of my heavy monsters just means I need to chastise you properly is all."
"How can such a being hold such an ego? You are a damned dog, and yet you act like you are on the same level as Master Midnight." Arunos shook his head sadly. "It is amazing and pitiful at the same time."
Rikuo started to laugh…and then turned dead serious. "For that dog comment, I suggest you prepare to go running to Midnight right after I tear you down!" He held up a single card. "First I activate Pot of Greed to draw two cards from my deck." Sliding two cards off of his deck, he held up another card. "And my gamble pays off as I play Research on the Pot of Greed. If this card is activated during a turn that Pot of Greed was activated, I may draw two more cards."
Arunos took a couple of steps back in surprise. "From four cards to six so fast…"
"If that surprised you, then this will floor you!" Rikuo snapped up a card with a picture of an orange and blue swirl on it. "I activate Polymerization! I fuse the Jinzo and Wolf Demon Lord in my hand to special summon Steel Wolf General!" A green-armored wolf demon slowly lowered onto the field, a massive sword cocked over one shoulder. (3400/2000)
Arunos felt his body shudder in fear at this oppressive power which was coming from Rikuo. "Is this the power of a god? Is this the strength of the Destroyer of Gods in mortal form?"
"Power? You're not even worth that much!" Rikuo pointed at the Beam Soldier. "Now to clear the trash away! Go now and attack, Steel Wolf General!" The steel demon leapt across the field and slashed its huge sword through the body of the Beam Soldier, easily destroying it.
Arunos- 1600
Rikuo- 5800
Arunos braced himself against the backlash, his eyes wide in fear. "Such a powerful monster…will be destroyed just like that first one!"
"When it comes to synergy with my deck, you're right." Rikuo continued to smile. "XYZ has the power to benefit from all kinds of cards I play…but when it comes to the Steel Wolf General…one card turns it into a killer combo! De-Fusion!" There was a flash of light as the mighty fusion disappeared, replaced by a green-armored humanoid and a wolf demon in samurai armor. "Wolf Demon Lord (2400/1000) and Jinzo (2400/1500) are special summoned!" Phantom flames flowed around the blade of the Wolf Demon Lord's sword. "Howling Sword!" The demon slashed through the Beam Medic instantly.
Arunos- 200
Rikuo- 5800
Arunos looked at his Beam Guardian. "With that monster in play, your Jinzo's attack cannot finish me off!"
"Is that so? Allow me to educate you on a card you must not know about then." He inserted one of the last two cards he was holding into his duel disk. "Go Emergency Casting! This quickplay magic card allows me to select one normal, equipment, field, or continuous magic card in my hand and activate it! Go Big Bang Shot!" Red and orange fire burned along Jinzo's body. (2800/1500) "The attack power of Jinzo is increased by 400. Go Cyber Energy Shock!"
Arunos snickered as a blast of red energy hit his monster and blew it apart. "So what? 400 doesn't mean anything!"
"That it doesn't." Rikuo watched as a red lance of fire blew a hole in the priest's chest, dropping him dead to the ground. "However, Big Bang Shot gives the equipped monster the power to deal damage through the defense of a monster."
Arunos- 0
Rikuo- 5800
To be continued…