Chapter 23, Strategy vs instinct.

Jaden was in the duelling arena with Syrus and Chumley, he had been defeating different opponents all day and a large crowd of people had gathered to watch him.

Jaden was currently duelling a Ra yellow girl who used a Ghostrick deck, "Aright I attack your Ghostrick alucard with my E HERO tempest" said Jaden as Tempest destroyed the girl's monster and reduced her LP to 0.

The crowd cheered as Jaden won the duel and the girl walked away disappointed in herself, "Wow Jaden that's the 4th duel you've won in a row" said Syrus, "It's like your unbeatable" said Chumley.

Dr Crowler was sitting with all of the cheering students looking very displeased, when he had heard that Jaden was duelling in the arena today he had decided to watch in hopes of seeing Jaden lose for once, instead all he had seen was Jaden defeat every opponent he faced.

Jaden had a large grin on his face, with every victory he was becoming more confident and cocky he was starting to believe that no one could defeat him today, so far Jaden had defeated one Slifer, two Ra's and one Obelisk.

"So does anyone else what a duel" said Jaden, the crowd fell silent clearly no one wanted to duel him, suddenly Bastion arrived at the arena "I'll duel you" he said, Jaden smiled happy that he had another opponent.

"Ok Bastion which deck are you going to use" asked Jaden, "I'll be using a special deck I created just to defeat you" said Bastion, many students in the crowd started to talk amongst themselves surprised that Bastion would create a deck just to defeat one person.

"Wow a deck just to defeat Jaden, I don't know if you should be honoured or terrified" said Syrus, "Aright I can't wait, are you ready Bastion" said Jaden clearly not worried in the slightest.

For the first time today Crowler was starting to get excited, "If Bastion built this deck to defeat Jaden then I might get to see him lose for once" he thought feeling a little giddy, Jaden and Bastion readied their duel disks and with a flip of a coin it was decided that Jaden would go first.

Jaden started his turn "I activate Polymerization to fuse Avian and Burstinatrix to summon Elemental HERO flame wingman" he said, "Now I end my turn".

E HERO flame wingman ATK 2100 DEF 1200 LV 6 WIND warrior.

Bastion smiled as his turn started, "I summon Fusion devourer in attack mode and attack your monster" he said, Jaden was confused as Bastion's monster had less ATK points then his monster.

Fusion devourer ATK 1400 DEF 1200 LV 4 DARK fiend.

Jaden was horrified when Fusion devourer destroyed Flame wingman, "When Fusion devourer battles a fusion monster the fusion monster's ATK becomes 0" explained Bastion.

E HERO flame wingman ATK 2100 – 2100 = 0.

Jaden LP 4000 – 1400 = 2600.

"Now I play one card face down and end my turn" said Bastion.

Jaden drew his card, "Wait, before you start your main phase I'm activating my trap card Non-fusion area, as long as this card remains on the field neither of us can fusion summon" said Bastion.

"Oh no, all of Jaden's strongest monsters are fusion monsters, now how's he supposed to win" said Syrus in a panicked voice.

"That doesn't bother me, I summon E HERO stratos in attack mode, and when Stratos is summoned I can add a HERO monster to my hand" said Jaden without a hint of worry in his voice as he added E HERO bladedge to his hand.

E HERO stratos ATK 1800 DEF 300 LV 4 WIND warrior.

"Now Stratos attack his monster" said Jaden, Stratos destroyed Fusion devourer, "Next I play one card face down and end my turn".

Baston LP 4000 – 400 = 3600.

Bastion started his turn "First because you control a monster and I don't I can special summon Unknown synchron from my hand, second I normal summon Bicorn re'em in attack mode" he said.

Unknown synchron ATK 0 DEF 0 LV 1 tuner DARK machine.

Bicorn re'em ATK 800 DEF 1600 LV 4 DARK beast.

"And now I'll use my level 1 tuner and my level 4 monster to synchro summon T.G hyper librarian, and because I used Bicorn re'em to synchro summon the top two cards of your deck go to the graveyard" said Bastion, Jaden sent the top two cards of his deck to the graveyard.

T.G hyper librarian ATK 2400 DEF 1800 LV 5 DARK spellcaster.

"Now Hyper librarian attack Stratos" said Bastion, "Wait I activate my trap card A hero emerges, now you have to choose one card in my hand and if it's a monster I can special summon then I summon it to the field" said Jaden.

Jaden was starting to worry, the only cards he had in his hand was Bladedge and Bubbleman and he know that if Bastion chose Bubbleman then he was doomed, "I choose the card on your left" said Bastion, Jaden summoned the monster that Bastion chose which was E HERO bladedge in attack mode.

E HERO bladedge ATK 2600 DEF 1800 LV 7 EARTH warrior.

"That doesn't matter, I can still finish my attack" said Bastion as his Hyper librarian destroyed Jaden's Stratos, "Now I end my turn".

Jaden LP 2600 – 600 = 2000.

Jaden drew his card "Aright I summon E HERO heat in attack mode, and for every E HERO monster I control Heat gains 200 ATK points" said Jaden.

E HERO heat ATK 1600 DEF 1200 LV 4 FIRE pyro.

E HERO heat ATK 1600 + 400 = 2000.

"And now because he's the only card in my hand I can special summon Bubbleman to my side of the field" said Jaden as he summoned Bubbleman in attack mode.

E HERO bubbleman ATK 800 DEF 1200 LV 4 WATER warrior.

E HERO heat ATK 2000 + 200 = 2200.

"Now then, Bladedge attack his monster now" said Jaden as Bladegde destroyed Hyper librarian, "Heat it's your turn attack Bastion directly", Heat attacked Bastion directly.

Bastion LP 3600 – 200 = 3400.

Bastion LP 3400 – 2200 = 1200.

"Now I'll attack with Bubbleman as well then I'll end my turn" said Jaden, Bubbleman attacked.

Bastion LP 1200 – 800 = 400.

Bastion started his turn "I activate the spell card Dark world dealings, this card lets us both draw one card but then we must discard one card from our hands" he said, both Jaden and Bastion drew and then discarded one card.

"Now I summon Junk synchron in attack, and when I normal summon Junk synchron I can special summon a monster from my graveyard that's level 2 or lower into defence mode, so I'll summon the card I just sent to the graveyard my level 2 Capshell" he said.

Junk synchron ATK 1300 DEF 500 LV 3 tuner DARK warrior

Capshell ATK 0 DEF 0 LV 2 DARK fiend.

"And now because I just summoned a monster from my graveyard I can special summon Dopplewarrior from my hand" said Baston.

Dopplewarrior ATK 800 DEF 800 LV 2 DARK warrior.

"And now I'll use my level 3 tuner and my two level 2 monsters to synchro summon Dark strike fighter in attack mode, and I'll use him to destroy your Bubbleman" said Bastion, Dark strike fighter destroyed Bubbleman.

Dark strike fighter ATK 2600 DEF 1800 LV 7 DARK machine

Jaden LP 2000 – 1800 = 200.

Since Bubbleman was destroyed Heat lost 200 ATK points, "Now I end my turn" said Bastion as he closed his eyes knowing what was going to happen next.

E HERO heat ATK 2200 – 200 = 2000.

Jaden started his turn and smiled, "Ok then Bladedge destroy Dark strike fighter now" he said, Bladedge and Dark strike fighter was both destroyed, "And now Heat finish this duel", Heat attacked Bastion directly.

E HERO heat ATK 2000 – 200 = 1800.

Bastion LP 400 – 1800 = 0.

The crowd started to cheer as Jaden won the duel, Dr Crowler stood up from his seat and walked towards the exit, "How disappointing, I hoped that Bastion would be the one to finally beat Jaden" he thought as he left the area.

Bastion couldn't believe he lost, "How is this possible, all that planning, all that time analysing your deck, how is it possible I lost" he said, "Hey Bastion, thanks for the sweet duel, let me know when you want another one" said Jaden oblivious to what Bastion was saying.

After defeating Bastion Jaden decided to call it a day and returned to the Slifer dorm to rest, not long after Jaden left Bastion returned to his own dorm to start work on a new deck determined to one day defeat Jaden.