Disclaimer: No I do not own Yugioh. I do own Temarocia though, and everything in it.

A loud crack echoed across the abandoned casino floor, followed by the sound of gold hitting the ground. Alita coughed a couple of times and brushed some of the remaining gold dust from her hair. "Thanks for freeing me, King."

The fake Frenchman lit up a cigarette and threw her a thumbs-up. "I still don't know who freed me though, but I'm guessing it was Jason…where is he though?"

"I don't know. On that note, where's Don Karot?" The magician furrowed her brow as she heard someone coming, gripping her staff tightly as she got ready to fight. "King…"

"I hear it." He turned and lifted one leg a little to strike…but lowered it when he realized that it was Saika. "Hey Saika, where's Jace?"

"He's…well…" The girl's hair was standing on end and her newly-added tail was snapping back and forth nervously. "I…ummm…"

"Spit it out," King glanced up at the ceiling, a foreboding feeling in the air. "He told us to leave, didn't he?"

She nodded meekly. "He sounded kind of angry…do you think he'll be okay? After he did that weird thing…and then he flattened that dreadlocks guy I was kind of worried…"

("He took down that fearsome head of security?") Something about that sounded strange to Alita. ("The power of his Grafts was only so-so up to this point, though in his fight against Ruerto Masquil he did well. I wonder now whether or not he is just totally serious or something else happened.")

"Marley got taken down huh?" King frowned in displeasure. "I was going to beat the crap out of him too. Oh well, I guess we'd better go help out bathrobe and then we run like madmen for the exit. I predict that this place is going to come crashing down on our heads if we don't."

"Are you sure it's okay to leave it to him alone?" Alita asked worriedly. "Just because he believes he is strong enough doesn't prove very much at all. After all, if he is beaten then what will happen to the rest of us?"

"If in the time I've spent watching him act stupid, there's one thing I've learned." King flicked his cigarette away and paced off in the direction of the cashier's box. "When that blockhead says get away he means it. I'm sure he swore something stupid like that he was going to destroy this place, so let's get out of his way. How long did he say we have, Saika?"

"Five minutes," The new Graftborn looked rather skittish. "I feel really uneasy all of a sudden. It's like there's something terrifying nearby…a predator or something." She seemed to be muttering to herself now. "I guess it's to be expected after what I saw Jason do. I never knew that Grafters could do something like that…what was that word he said again when it happened…"

"What are you talking about?" Alita leaned in close, head tilted so she could listen fully. "What word did he say and what happened?"

"Well…" Saika began to explain…

------------

Karot's Kingdom seemed almost abandoned. It was like some kind of haunted building more than a casino now. To Flair though this didn't matter. If it was a haunted house then he would simply slay the ghosts… "That doesn't matter though. Alita, stay safe until I return."

Frowning in anger at the stupidity of bureaucrats, the samurai turned and walked off into the night. "You should be fine though…now that what I needed to know has been confirmed. Without a doubt, the dog is the son of that man." It was time to report to his superiors.

Song of Temarocia

Chapter 27: Grafter's Trial; The True Purpose of the Five Elements

Revlis casually held the Grafter up by the edge of his tunic. "You got anything to say in your defense? You're pretty weak, but at least you entertained the Don more than he'd probably like to admit."

("Entertain…huh…") Jason's growl got lower and lower.

"Huh?" Revlis's face got dangerously close to those fangs. "You got something to say or not? I'm about to end it, mon."

"Chimera…Double…" Jason's growl turned into a sneer and then the two of them disappeared within an explosion of dirt and wind.

-------------------------------

"Chimera?" Alita rubbed her chin in concern. "How odd…what happened afterwards?"

"Well…" Saika winced just remembering it. "I heard what kinda sounded like a train and I saw the dreadlocks guy come out of the cloud, and he was all bloody. In fact, he was really bloody." She puffed out her cheeks and stuck her tongue out a little bit. "Kinda like this, except with bruises."

Alita giggled at the appearance of the other girl. "Thank you for the visual aid."

Exhaling and returning her face to normal, Saika grinned. "You're welcome."

-------------------------------

Don Karot, flanked by his two Gold Golems, looked incredibly displeased with what he was just told. "Would you care to repeat that, Jason-kun? My ears may not be working correctly."

"I said that you won't be walking away from this with a single Tem left to your name. In the end I will bring your dreams crashing down around you." The Grafter slowly came into view, revealing long flowing green-silver hair with a pair of perked fox-liked ears poking out of it. Other than that he seemed normal though, excluding the strange amount of extra muscle on his body.

"Perhaps you still don't get it, so let me explain it once more." Don Karot put one hand in a pocket, gesturing with the other. "In this world I am one of the movers and shakers. Great decisions are made by me, and by declaring me as your enemy you are declaring all the other warlords as your enemies as well. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life hounded by them? They will take interest in you if you do, and besides you won't survive in this fight. Is it worth giving up your life?"

"Yeah it is." The Grafter's Carrier appeared around his arm and he drew five times. "My life doesn't mean anything if the members of my gang aren't happy. When they cry, I feel the need to kick the ass of whoever is the cause of it."

"I cannot cure such stupidity." The Warlord rubbed his chin curiously. "My second question though is just what this never before seen Graft is. You said that you defeated Revlis in one hit with it, and I cannot believe such a thing."

"Whether you believe it or not isn't important." Jason stretched his arms a little bit. "Are you ready to fight yet?"

"Indeed." The Warlord started to undo the buttons of his shirt. "It seems that I'll have to go full power against you. Up to this point I'm sure that you think I'm nothing but a braggart hiding behind my troops, correct?"

"Nope." Since he still had no pockets Jason continued to do warm-up exercises for his arms. "You're strong. Anybody can become rich, but to become rich and feared you have to be powerful on your own. The ways people talk up to you makes me think that you've got a trick or two up your sleeve."

"That's correct." Don Karot's gold-plated dress shirt fell off to his side, and he started to unbutton his dress pants. "I do not normally show this to opponents because it is embarrassing to strip down to nearly nothing, but in your case I cannot afford my pride at this time."

Jason frowned at how oddly disturbing it was as the man who had beaten him twice stripped down to nothing but a pair of gold-colored boxers, Don Karot's gold-plated skin glowing in what lights of the casino were still functioning. "Dude, this had better be the world-ender of all techniques because if it isn't then there's no way I'm going to take you seriously. Do your boxers have to be gold? Isn't that overdoing it just a little bit?"

"My apologies if it makes you uncomfortable, but I do not want to ruin my suit," The Warlord's skin started to glow more and more golden. "This is the power, the third trial of a War Merchant that truly encompasses our love for gold and jewels. With it I will become the ultimate powerhouse of destruction, and as long as I have it going you will be unable to damage me. Also, I will be capable of easily surpassing anything your Grafts can do." His eyes were shimmering gold now, as if his greed and darkness were finally revealing themselves. "I hope your enjoy it! Golden Fighter!"

A deep groan came from his body as he grew taller, muscles adding upon muscles. "In this form…" His chest muscles burst forth, his voice becoming even deeper than its normal brass tone. "My great riches become my strength, my speed, and my defense. I become an ultimate fighter, fueled by the things I worked so hard to collect." Stopping as he reached a towering nine feet tall, the now giant-like Don Karot statue opened its lips to reveal a mouth full of sharpened diamond points. "With their power I will be invincible." His fists closed, revealing the diamonds covering his hands. "You cannot stop me now."

"I can't?" Jason took a deep breath…and started chuckling. "I don't buy it."

Don Karot's eyes narrowed and he bent at his knees, Carrier appearing. Off to his side the two Gold Golems slowly faded away. "Then let me show you, Jason-kun, the true reason why no one opposes the Warlords!"

"Sure, it sounds like fun." The Grafter's tail curled around his waist. "You'll have to excuse me if for the first minute or two I seem kinda weak. I'm not used to this body and it's been a long time since I've had an old-fashioned Back-Alley Brawl."

"Back-Alley…Brawl?" The Warlord sneered at this. "I have enough class to find the tone behind that offensive, Jason-kun."

"Like I care." Jason sneered back and his Carrier appeared, the two of them drawing five cards. "Let's do it, Don Karot!"

(Current Wealth: 599,978,000) (3000/7000) Don Karot- 8000/10000

(2500/3000) Jason- 8000/10000

"Draw!" The Warlord touched the top of his deck and then exploded forwards, the ground almost instantly becoming a blur under his feet. "I discard one card from my hand to activate Golden Jackpot, boosting my attack by 2000 by paying 200000 Tem!" His body started glowing brightly and his fist roared forward with impossible speed, crashing through Jason and hurling him fifty feet backwards until finally the objects he was going through actually started to slow him down, bringing his out of control flight into a crash that scraped the carpet in his path out of the ground.

(Current Wealth: 599,778,000) (5000/7000) Don Karot- 8000/10000

(2500/3000) Jason- 8000/10000

Jason slowly stood up, looking absolutely fine other than a little dirty from the numerous things he had just been blown through. "Those diamonds nearly left an imprint in my skin from the force of that attack…or they would have had this been my normal body."

("What does he mean by that? Even a monster would have collapsed under the force of that attack.") Don Karot stood up and braced himself for the counter-attack. "I set two Contingencies and end my turn."

"Draw." Jason touched the top of his Carrier, which was apparently immune to damage or the possibility of losing his cards because of applied pressure. "End turn."

"What?" The Warlord bellowed out in surprise. "Is this some kind of trick?"

"Nope, not at all." Jason crossed his arms across his chest defiantly. "It's all part of my strategy."

"Draw!" Don Karot hit the top of his deck and launched forward again. "I discard one card from my hand to activate Golden Mega Jackpot at the cost of 100000 Tem! If this attack hits then you discard two cards from your hand and my attack increases by 1000 for the turn!" His fist connected with the side of Jason's head, and then with air-shattering speed he somehow managed to land a second punch that turned what would have been an attack capable of sending the Grafter out of the casino into an attack that nearly put him through the floor instead.

(Current Wealth: 599,678,000) (4000/7000) Don Karot- 8000/10000

(2500/3000) Jason- 8000/8000

Jason stood up slowly and smiled confidently. "What the hell was that supposed to do? Make me get in position to take a nap? Sorry Don Karot," He touched the top of his deck. "I'm not sleepy. End turn."

"You insolent little…" Don Karot struck the top of his deck and punched the young man into the ground again, shaking the entire structure of the building. "You dare mock me? If my attacks are having no effect then why don't you just say so?"

"Why? Need a little handicap?" Jason snickered out from his position on the floor. "Well sorry, I'm just not the handicap-giving type!" He exploded upwards and crashed his fist into the Warlord's open stomach, a strange vibrating noise accompanying the action. "End turn."

(Current Wealth: 599,675,500) (4000/7000) Don Karot- 8000/10000

(2500/3000) Jason- 8000/8000

"You fool." Don Karot hit the top of his deck and with that same arm back-handed Jason through another series of obstacles. "Do you really think that hurt me at all?"

(Current Wealth: 599,675,500) (4000/7000) Don Karot- 8000/10000

(2500/3000) Jason- 8000/8000

Jason calmly stood up, his lips curled into a sneer and his eyes shadowed. "And I ask you the same question, Don Karot." His head lifted up and he touched the top of his deck, still apparently unaffected by the Warlord's stone-breaking attacks. (JMP: 9500) "Here I come!" He charged in towards the Warlord and punched him in the stomach again.

"And this time my Contingency activates." A group of small golden spikes erupted from the glittering skin of the Golden Fighter, stabbing right into the young man's hands. "That was my Golden Spike Body, which at the cost of 500 magic points and 1000 Tem negate the damage you would have cost my Priceless Body. It also deals you 500 points of damage, though I suppose that as well will be…" His eyes widened slightly as he noticed something interesting.

"Even though you are apparently immune to the long-term effects of pain, the short-term effects that just flashed on your face tell me…" A slow smile crossed his features. "That I've just hit the metaphorical jackpot, so to speak."

(Current Wealth: 599,674,500) (3000/7000) Don Karot- 8000/9500

(2500/3000) Jason- 7500/8000

"You could say that." Jason licked his bloody right hand a couple of times to try and stop the bleeding of the wound. "I'm not immune to points and blades, but all that pounding you were trying to inflict on this body won't do any good. I've got way too many special abilities and cards that negate stuff like that."

"Is that so?" Don Karot laughed cheerfully at how odd this kind of behavior was. "Will telling me your weaknesses make this any easier for you, Jason-kun?"

"Psh, I'm not looking for easy." Jason smirked ecstatically. "I was looking for a good fight, and you intend to give it to me. Where's the enjoyment in a good fight if you were to spend all this time and effort using useless attacks against me. Besides, if I don't make sure that this fight was something to truly be appreciated then how could I ever tell them that the moment when you lost was truly something, eh?"

"You're a very strange boy, Jason-kun." Don Karot's right hand shuddered and the diamond studs there changed into diamond spears. "Very well then, I'll reward your perseverance with a fight to be remembered! By the end of this the winner will be so exhausted that movement will be impossible for him!"

"We'll see." Jason kicked his leg back and dodged a punch that would have put those spikes through his face, the wall behind him getting four new craters in its originally smooth surface. "Though the countdown is already done. I've got more than enough to begin kicking your ass for real, Priceless Body or not. Now it's just a matter of drawing the correct card."

Then they both became a pair of moving blurs for two seconds before they stopped, Jason's kick having pushed Don Karot's right hand out of the way just enough to avoid getting slashed by the diamond spikes.

----------------------------

King hefted the heavy sack of Tem that he had gotten for his card at the automated Cashier's over one shoulder and grinned to Saika. "With this we'll be set to have plenty of fine meals at other establishments…if there are any other places like this one. How much time do we have left, Saika?"

"Two minutes, I think." The rainbow-haired girl's ears perked and she turned just as Alita rushed around the corner. "Where's Flair-san?"

"He's not anywhere to be found!" The blond-haired girl looked extremely worried now. "I hope those injuries from before haven't disabled him."

King's face contorted in frustration for a few seconds… "Saika!" Having gotten the girl's attention he tossed her the heavy bag of Tem. "Take my angel and head out for now. I promise not to leave until either this place has come crashing down or I've found the bathrobe. I swear." Then he ran past them both and started yelling Flair's 'name'.

"Should we go?" Saika asked mischievously, a wry little grin crossing her face.

Alita returned the grin...more than happy to disobey. "Sure, let's…"

------------------------------

Jason's body was surrounded by a powerful aura of wind energy. "Alita is Alita, not Princess Alita. If she had wanted to be called that then the ass wouldn't have been so careful to call her Alita, now would he?"

--------------------------------

Saika leaned in worriedly as Alita suddenly grew rather pale. "What's the matter?"

"When Jason told us to get out," the blond-haired magician breathed out. "Did you feel chills run down your spine? As if something amazing was about to happen and at the same time everything was going to be alright?"

"Yeah, that's why I know it's ok to not worry." Saika sneered in a very un-Saika-like way. "When he gets this kind of weird smile it means that he plans on doing something for our sakes."

"That's all I wanted to know." Alita turned towards the exit. "Let's go outside. I have a feeling that Jason intends to show us something interesting that we'd need to be outside to see. You, most of all, will probably want to see this too." Giggling at the cute perplexed expression on Saika's face, she put an arm around the other girl's shoulders. ("Jason…please don't screw this up. If you pull it off then this country will roar with your name, and people will finally have hope again.")

----------------------------

(Current Wealth: 599,674,500) (3000/7000) Don Karot- 8000/9500

(2500/3000) Jason- 7500/8000

Jason exhaled sharply and lowered his foot to the ground, right leg shaking. "That makes ten of those jabs I've blocked. Honestly I've forgotten whose turn it is."

"As have I. That happens in Adventurer Duels sometimes, but it doesn't matter." Don Karot's body had yet to show even a scratch on its flawless surface. "Shall we both catch up on the number of draws we've missed, and then we shall see where we go after that?"

"We can do that?" When the Warlord nodded Jason laughed. "That's pretty awesome…"

Both of them touched the tops of their decks ten times. (JMP: 13000)

"I will allow it to be your turn now, Jason-kun." Don Karot stood up to his full height, smirking. "Let me see what you can do."

Jason's arms dropped limply to his sides. "Tell me something first. Just where are we in the casino?"

"Where?" The Warlord looked around him for a few moments and then he smiled in amazement. "This is the Blackjack tables' area, the dead center of the casino."

"Is it?" Jason exhaled in relief. "Good, then it all worked out like I thought."

"Excuse me?" Don Karot glanced around expecting some kind of trap, but there was nothing to be seen but the ceiling of the casino far above their heads. "What are you talking about?"

"The moment you got all huge I knew you'd instinctively try to drive me into the area where there was the most headroom, and while you were chasing me through here earlier I noticed that the center was made up of a bunch of balconies and a huge open area from the bottom floor to the top. It was the perfect place to bring this fight to a close just like I had wanted." Jason touched the top of his deck silently, his eyes smiling. "Now then, I'll show you my powers for real. The power of Chimera One, Vortex Beast!"

"Chimera?" The Warlord growled out, angry that he had played right into this boy's hands.

"I figured it out right after it happened and I broke that loser's body with a punch." Jason looked down at his fist. "Grafters aren't like Graftborn because they are supposed to have multiple Grafts. Alita and the ass were wrong, but considering this class is a legend to them I can't fault them for it."

"All Grafters are supposed to have multiple Grafts?" Don Karot lifted his brow. "What proof do you have?"

"Why else would their first trial be the ability to combine up to two of their Grafts together to make a new one, eh?" The living proof of this laughed. "I'm nothing exceptional when it comes to Grafters…apparently. That doesn't matter though…or at least it won't matter to you."

"A…trial? That's impossible!" The Golden Fighter shook his head vehemently. "You cannot achieve a trial unless you have gone through years of training at your class! It is impossible otherwise!"

"Maybe I'm just a genius at this Graft stuff…" Jason snickered at how utterly idiotic that sounded. "For all I know maybe Grafters get their first Trial within a week of becoming one. How the hell should I know how they work? All I do know for sure…is that this fight is over. By giving me the turn you've set yourself up for defeat!"

Don Karot exploded into laughter at such an utterly idiotic statement. "Do you really think that…"

"I set one Contingency and activate one of Vortex Beast's effects." Jason's body seemed to swell just a little, growing more muscular and taller. "When I start a duel a card called Pressure Core is placed into play with me, and cannot be negated or removed. During each of my end phases this card lets me remove a card from my graveyard and place it under it. Also I can, through the effect of Vortex Beast, place any number of cards from my hand under Pressure Core at any time I wish. Therefore I set nine cards underneath Pressure Core, equaling a total number of seventeen cards, though it should count as nineteen since two of the cards in there are a pair of techniques I used before that count as two cards when under Pressure Core."

("I have thirteen cards in my hand, there's no way he will get to my life…")

"I activate the spell card Roaring Emotions." Jason's eyes were shadowed, and he was scowling. "All cards in both players' hands are removed from the game and if my life points are fewer than yours you remove the top five cards of your deck from the game."

"What?" Don Karot gasped as his entire strategy disappeared, a burst of heated emotions flaring through his mind. "You….you little runt!"

"In my graveyard is a card I've used a lot as Burst Fox, called Shaking Strike. While it's in my graveyard pile every time I land a direct attack I draw one card." Jason's scowl didn't relent. "Just so you know. Oh, and my Contingency, called Vortex Rush, activates now. If I have no cards in my hand then I may return up to ten cards from under my Pressure Core to my hand if they are cards I have placed in this turn. In other words, my hand returns to me." He cracked his knuckles. "One minute…"

"I'll kill you!" Don Karot launched forwards, the burning emotions in his mind caused by the spell card clouding his thoughts. "Golden Super Mega Jackpot!"

Jason's rather swollen body suddenly condensed. "I activate a little trick I just thought up. It's called Velocity Overpressure. It lets me shuffle five cards from under my Pressure Core back into my deck."

His entire body seemed to be shifting, as if something was moving just underneath it with incredible pressure. "If I wasn't immune to ordinary pain I would be screaming in agony right now. It's fine though, since this technique is just perfect for me."

Even as he spoke to his eyes the Warlord's movements slowed down to a crawl. "For the next three turns I am five times faster than normal…and all damage I deal is multiplied by five. In other words," His eyes lifted up to reveal that he could barely see, the pain nearly blinding for even him. "In this one turn it will all disappear. Your riches, your casino, your greed, and your ass. By the time I finish speaking there will be forty-five seconds until the time limit I gave myself will be up."

He flickered out of view to dodge a golden punch that cratered the ground in a forty-foot circumference around the spot it hit, appearing at very edge of the crater. "Release of Power…" The pressure under his skin seemed to disappear beneath the aura of shimmering air that erupted around his body.

"I activate Grand Battle, meaning that for every single technique I activate I'll be attacking again." Jason tapped his deck three more times besides the three he drew from Release of Power. "I activate For Your Family's Sake, drawing three cards from my deck and then ignoring the discard part if I have fewer life points than you do."

By the time he had finished speaking Don Karot had just started standing up, the difference in speed easily evident.

"You made the girl I consider to be my little sister cry…not once…not twice…but countless times." The shimmering mirage-like aura around Jason grew stronger, his face twisted in rage as the pain from his Velocity Overpressure effect was overwhelmed by his will. "What would you do if you were in my shoes, huh Don? Oh wait, if you were in my shoes then you would probably just sell the whiny little brat off to the highest bidder and be done with her, huh?" As he said this the aura grew stronger and stronger, and the veins coming out of his face throbbed faster and faster.

"You…" In slow motion the Warlord started to respond, barely able to keep up with what was being yelled at him.

"You'd just threaten and torture her until she shut up, wouldn't you?" His arms began trembling, and the pillars near him started to crack under the force of the pressure aura coming from just under his poor skin. "In fact, that's exactly what you did to my little sister…to a member of my family! In a million years I couldn't inflict enough pain on you to make up those horrible moments of despair to her!"

"…cannot…" The slow motion Don Karot kept turning, nearing the point where he could see his opponent.

"You don't deserve any respect, you detestable piece of slime! For all your boasting and bragging about your level you have yet to prove to me the one thing that makes a leader!" The veins running along his arms were to their breaking point, a couple of them on the verge of bursting from the overwhelming amount of air pressure being pumped through them. "Do you know what that thing is?"

"…defeat…"

"It's the thing that is about to bring your entire false empire crashing down around you. It is the mark of a real leader and a real man. It is what separates the brutes that will never be mourned by anyone from the men who will stand on top of the world thanks to the supporting shoulders of those they are loved by! It's compassion!"

"…me!" Don Karot's face was growling in rage now, a picture frame look at one who had so much he wished to say.

After a few seconds, at least to his mind, Jason's enraged expression grew even deeper. "For Saika's happiness, for Alita's self-esteem, for King's and Flair's respect of me as a man, and as a small payment towards the debt of my past…" He bent at the knees, and then pushed off the edge of the crater, moving forwards with the speed of a gust of wind as his fist crashed into the Warlord's jaw and forced his head back roughly.

Their eyes met once more, the eyes of two men who cared about their own kinds of riches and were willing to fight to the death to decide whose fortune would carry on past this remaining forty-five seconds. And even though the difference in speed should have prevented it, Don Karot perfectly read the words on Jason's lips. And he couldn't help but dwell, in that one moment before they continued moving, what an odd thing it was to say. "…I'm gonna beat ya till candy comes out, ya giant rich-ass piñata."

(Current Wealth: 599,659,500) (3000/7000) Don Karot- 8000/9500

(2500/3000) Jason- 7500/57000

To be continued…

King: Where's that stupid bathrobe? We need to get out of here before the time limit is up! If this place comes down while we're in it then I doubt even I could make it out okay.

Next Chapter: Fulfillment of Promises