"Well, well… what do we have here?" they both hear a voice come from behind them. They look over to see a rather strong young man with spiky blue hair, a purple jacket, and blue jeans.
"S-Senior Sendou!" Ryuta says to the boy, to which Alex steps back in shock.
"S-Sendou…?" she replies, "As in… the legendary Aichi Sendou?!"
The blue-haired boy nods and replies, "Yep… I'm Hajime Sendou. Son of Aichi Sendou."
"No way…!" Alex exclaims with giddy excitement, "Your dad is like a legend! I even heard he beat MY father!"
"Your dad?" Hajime asks, but then he notices the swirl in Alex's hair and adds, "Hey wait a minute, I recognize that swirl. Are you by any chance related to Chrono Shindou?"
Alex nods and says, "Yep! My name's Alex, Alex Shindou."
Hajime smirks and replies, "Heh… well, then I guess our meeting here must be destiny." He then pulls out his deck and holds it in front of him, "We were meant to fight like our fathers before us! What do you say Ms. Shindou? Shall we fight?"
Alex smirks and replies, "You know it! I wouldn't pass up a chance like this in a million years!"
The two of them then head over to the town square and set up at the fight table. Meanwhile, Ryuta watches them from the side when he hears a small meek voice say his name, "M-Mr. Ryuta…?" He looks over to see a little girl, probably about 12 years of age, with long blonde hair and wearing a pink hoodie, a blue skirt with black leggings, and brown boots.
"Kasumi!" He calls her, "You're just in time. Senior Sendou is about to fight Chrono Shindou's daughter!"
"Chrono… Shindou…?" Kasumi mutters but then lets out a rough and nasty cough.
"Whoa hey!" Ryuta says, putting his arms around her, "Take it easy! I know we said we'd let you come to the tournament, but don't push yourself, okay? If you need to go home and rest, let us know."
"I… I'm okay…" the blonde girl tells him as she looks up at the two prodigies about to throw down, "Besides… I wouldn't want to miss Hajime's big fight."
"Shall we get started?" Hajime asks Alex.
"You're on!" She replies with a confident and excited grin. The two of them then declare in unison, "Stand up… VANGUARD!"
Opening Theme – Fighter (Gundam Build Iron-Blooded Orphans OP4)
Drive 30 – A Descendant's Fight! The Final Battle!
Their Vanguards then materialize behind them as they declare their names.
"Steam Maiden, Ayancia (G0/5000)!" Alex declares.
"Aerolight Squire, Theodore (G0/5000)!" Hajime declares.
Alex blinks in surprise. "Gold Paladin…?" She questions, "I thought Aichi Sendou used Royal Paladin."
"Yeah, I mean… you're not wrong." Hajime tells her, "My father wanted me to use Royal Paladin like him, but… I just didn't think it fit my style. I can see you however, are using your father's Gear Chronicle."
"Yeah, I did," Alex tells him, "but it's not like my father wanted me to. I chose to use Gear Chronicle because… well… I just feel like I have a connection to a certain unit."
"Oh?" Hajime says with curiosity.
Alex looks up at him with a smile and says, "You'll see her soon enough."
Hajime huffs and says, "If you say so." Then begins his turn, "I ride! Aerolight Feline Warrior, Tayna (G1/8000)!" in Theodore's place, a girl with short blue hair and cat ears appears wearing light golden armor and brandishing a sword with pink ribbons attached. "Using Theodore's skill, I can add a Aerolight unit from the top three cards of my deck to my hand. In addition, I also activate Tayna's skill! Look at the top four cards of my deck and call any unit from among them. I call Aerolight Angel Knight, Adriel (G2/10000)!"
"You already called a grade 2?!" Alex exclaims.
Hajime smirks and replies, "There's more where that came from, but for now, I end my turn."
"Alright then… I draw!" Alex exclaims, "Ride! Steam Mouse, Elal (G1/8000)! Then I use her skill to bind one card in my hand (BZ 0-1/G0-3), add 5000 power (8000-13000)! Next I call Steam Maiden, Nanniya (G1/8000), and then two of them will attack (13000-21000)!"
"No guard." Hajime states.
"Drive check (Critical). Critical Trigger! Add 1 critical to Elal (21000-31000/Crit 1-2)!" Elal leaps into the air and fires her crossbow at Hajime's Vanguard, followed by Nanniya who shoots her sniper rifle, hitting the Vanguard with a double whammy. (Hajime: [][])
"My turn! Ride! Aerolight Dragon Knight, Rufus (G2/10000)!" a boy with dragon horns on his head and wearing a white coat while brandishing a golden blade enters the fray, "I use his skill ([X][])! I look at the top four cards of my deck and from them, I call Aerolight Azure Knight, Colart (G2/10000) and Aerolight Mage, Astrida (G1/8000)! With Astrida's skill, all of my units gain 1000 power (8000-9000) (10000-11000) (10000-11000) (10000-11000)! Then I use Colart's skill! All units in the same column gain 3000 power (11000-14000) (11000-14000), and, when the total power of all my units is 45000 or higher, he can boost! Colart and Rufus attack your Vanguard (14000-28000)!"
"No guard." Alex declares.
"Drive check (Draw). Draw Trigger! I give the power to Adriel and draw a card (11000-21000)!" Rufus slashes at Elal, causing her to flop onto the ground (Alex: []). "Astrida and Adriel attack (21000-30000)!" Astrida casts a magic spell that powers up Adriel.
"Guard (SLD 25000)!" Alex declares, saving Elal from the attack. She looks back at her unit, to which Elal gives her a thumbs up and a wink. Alex smiles and gives her a thumbs-up back, thinking it's part of the GIRS 2.0 hologram program. "My turn! Ride!" Alex declares, "Steam Lynx, Shar-kali (G2/10000)!" In Elal's place, the red-haired cat-eared chemist appears. "I activate her skill to bind one card in my drop zone (BZ 2/G3-5). That lets me call Steam Scara, Nanum from my deck (G3/12000). You're not the only one who can call grades higher than the Vanguard."
"I can see that." Hajime says, excited to see what Alex does next. At this time, the sun begins to set over the horizon.
"I use Nanum's skill! I bind the top card of my deck (BZ 2-3/G5-6), and you have you choose one of your rear-guards and send it to the bottom of the deck."
"I choose Astrida."
"Next I call Steam Rabbit, Silili from my hand (G1/6000)!" Alex declares as a young mechanic with bunny ears pops out of the ground like a magic trick. "Nanniya boosts Shar-kali and I attack (10000-18000)!"
"I guard (SLD 15000)!" Hajime declares.
"With Nanniya's skill, at the end of the battle, send her to the soul and draw a card (Soul 2-3). Next Silili boosts Nanum for another attack (12000-18000)! I use Silili's skill (Soul 3-2)! Now, if you want to guard, you can only call up to two guardians."
"I won't guard then." Hajime declares. Nanum aims her arm cannon at Rufus and fires it, hitting him square in the chest, and sending him flying into a nearby bench, but because it's a hologram, the bench is not damaged, however, the same cannot be said for Hajime (Hajime: [X][][]).
"I bind Silili at the end of the battle due to her skill (BZ 4/G6-7)."
Just as Alex ends her turn, both of them hear a helicopter flying overhead. It was a broadcast Helicopter that was being used to Stream aerial footage of the tournament to people all across Japan. On the helicopter, was the tournament announcer who sees the fight between Alex and Hajime and orders the cameraman to get footage of the fight as he shouts into his microphone, "Well, well! What do we have here?! We have a fight between Alex Shindou of Team K3 versus Hajime Sendou of Team Q4 Neo! It's the battle of Generations! The children of famous Vanguard legends duking it out right here, near the end of Fighter Royal's final day! This is a fight you won't want to miss folks!" he then talks into his earpiece and says, "Get a camera crew down there right now. This is going to be one heck of a fight!"
"The first phase is over." Ryuzu's voice comes through the device, surprising the announcer. He didn't expect to be in contact with Ryuzu himself.
" . Myoujin?" he stutters.
"This fight will be the last fight of the first phase," Ryuzu tells him, from atop the Association's Tower looking over the city, "all other fights in progress are to be suspended immediately and declared as ties. Make the announcement."
The announcer is still a little baffled by Ryuzu's orders, but he obeys them and speaks into the mic again, "Attention all Cardfighters! I just word from Mr. Ryuzu Myoujin himself! This Alex versus Hajime fight is to be the final fight of the first phase of Fighter's Royal!" His words ring out throughout the city. Near the harbor, Yui looks up at the sky, surprised by these words. "Everyone else who is currently in a fight, put down your decks and declare a draw!" In a juice bar, Rina looks up at one of the TV screens on the wall to see the helicopter footage of Alex and Hajime's fight.
In other parts of the city, other people from Team Exodus, to Riku, Eiji, and even the mysterious Kenny McGallister, all clean up their cards and suspend their fights.
Back with Alex and Hajime, Hajime is getting ready to ride his Grade 3, "Radiant Light that shines down from the heavens! Lead us into a new Legacy! Stand up… my AVATAR! RIDE!" In Rufus's place, a young man with white and black hair appears in a flash of golden light, wearing white and blue robes, adorned with gold trim and brandishing a flaming sword and sturdy-looking shield as Hajime declares his name, "Aerolight Matriarch, Emericus (G3/12000)! Next, I call Tayna (G1/8000) and with her skill, I call Aerolight Diviner Dragon (G3/12000) and add its power to Emericus (12000-24000)! I also call Holy Mage Alisha (G2/10000), and due to the skill of Diviner Dragon, he gains 5000 power for each of my rear-guards!"
"No way!" Alex exclaims, watching the dragon let out a threatening roar as its body is engulfed in bright golden light (12000-37000).
"And with Emericus's skill, if the total power of my units is 75000 or higher, he gains 1 critical!"
Hajime Board State
(Total Power: 105,000)
(G3/40000) (G3/24000/Crit 2) (G2/10000)
(G1/11000) (G2/10000) (G2/10000)
"Hajime is going on the offensive!" the announcer exclaims, "He's got four attacks lined up, and his units have amassed a whopping total power of a hundred five thousand!"
"Here I come Alex." Hajime taunts her, "First, Alisha attacks your Vanguard!"
"No guard." Alex declares as Alisha opens her holy book and fires a beam of light at Alex's vanguard. (Alex: [][])
"Next, Adriel attacks!" Adriel slashes its sword, putting a huge holographic gash in Shar-kali that quickly fades away (Alex: [][][]), "Now Diviner Dragon attacks!"
"Complete Guard!" Alex declares as a young chibi girl appears and absorbs Diviner Dragon into her lantern.
"At the end of the battle, Diviner Dragon goes to my deck. Now, with some assistance from Colart, Emericus attacks your Vanguard (24000-34000)! I then use his skill ([X][X][]) to retire Adriel and look at the top four cards of my deck. From those units, I call Rufus (G2/10000) and Colart (G2/10000), then Emericus gains both of their powers until the end of the turn (34000-54000)!"
Alex looks at her hand, desperately trying to find a way out. She only has 2 cards left, and both of them could only save her from the other two attacks, but if Hajime gets a critical trigger, it's over. Therefore, she has to take her chances and declare, "No guard!"
"This is it!" the announcer exclaims, "If Hajime can get at least 1 Critical Trigger, he will win this fight!"
"Twin Drive! First check (none). Second check…" the atmosphere is tense as Hajime reaches for his deck and flips the card over… revealing… (Front). Hajime smirks. It wasn't a critical trigger, but still, a trigger that can assure him a victory. "Front Trigger! Add 10000 power to my whole front row!"
(10000-20000) (54000-64000) (10000-20000)
"Oh, and now that the total power of my units is over 125000, Emericus gains another drive check."
"What?!" Alex exclaims.
"Incredible! Hajime has another chance for victory!" the announcer shouts.
"Third Check… (none)." Hajime chuckles, but Alex has no time to feel relieved. Emericus does a double slash on Shar-kali, causing her to scream and fall to the ground. On top of that, Alex is now at five damage, and she can no longer defend Hajime's other attacks.
"It's all down to what I can pull in this damage check…" she thinks to herself as she flips over the first card… nothing. She can feel her heart beating faster as her anxiety rises. She flips over the second card… (Draw). A wave of hope then washes over her seeing the red icon. "Draw Trigger!" she exclaims, "I add 10000 power to my Vanguard and draw one card (Alex: [][][][][]). The card she drew was a trigger, making Alex feel more confident about surviving this turn.
"Rufus attacks your Vanguard!"
"I guard (SLD 10000)!"
"Next, with a boost from Tayna, Colart attacks (20000-31000)!"
"Guard (SLD 15000)!"
Hajime smiles and says, "I end my turn…". Alex wipes the sweat from her forehead in relief. "Tell me something Alex." He adds, "Why is it you decided to become a legend like your dad?"
This question baffles Alex. She tries to think of an answer, however, surprising her, she can't come up with an answer. "I… I'm not sure… I guess it's because I want to live up to my dad's expectations."
"Are you sure that's it?" Hajime asks, making Alex question her answer, "It's fine if you want to become a legend in the Vanguard world, but… are you sure you're not just doing it because your dad was one?" His words hit Alex hard. She had never really thought about WHY she wanted to be a legend before. "To me… trying to live up to what your parents are… is not really being your own person. If Chrono Shindou were here now, what would he say to you?"
"I… I don't know…" Alex replies, "I don't have many memories of my dad."
Hajime raises an eyebrow at this and asks, "Really?"
"Yeah…" Alex replies with a nod, "my dad disappeared when I was only 5 years old…"
Flashback (non-Italicized text is Alex talking in the present)
It was a quiet evening. A 5-year-old Alex is laughing and giggling as she plays Vanguard with a man that had spiky red hair, and a swirl just like hers, but she couldn't make out his face.
"All I remember of him was how he taught me how to play Vanguard. He was good… really good… I would always get upset when I lost."
Alex slams her fists on the floor in anger from losing and points her finger at the man who chuckles and picks her up into his arms.
"I swore I would defeat him one day… but that day never came… One morning, I just woke up and my mom told me dad went on some sort of business trip."
Young Alex walks into the kitchen, holding a large teddy bear, where her mom was cooking breakfast. She tells Alex about her father and Alex just looks at her with a sad and concerned expression.
"A few years later, she told me the truth… but not the whole truth…"
End of flashback
Alex looks down at her board and mutters, "I guess the reason I want to become a legend… is because I want to beat him when I eventually find him again." Alex clinches her fist and then says, "but right now… I'm not focused on becoming a legend. I want to win this tournament… because it's my chance to finally find my dad!"
"And what's going to happen when you do find your dad?" Hajime asks her.
"We're going to be a family again… That's what," Alex tells him. Just then, Yui and Rina arrive on the scene, just in time for Alex to take her next turn. She draws a card from her deck, holds it up to her face, and says, "So you better watch out Hajime… because I'm not going to let anyone stop me!" She holds her card up in the air and chants, "Come on my valued partner! Let's ride on into a world of infinite possibilities! Ride!" In Shar-kali's place, a young woman with short white hair and wearing a mercenary attire of a black coat and a green scarf with goggles on her forehead appears, brandishing twin-gun blades appears as Alex declares her name, "High Steam Maiden, Kashima (G3/12000)!" the white-haired girl then takes her place beside Alex… not behind her, like all her other units, at her side.
Hajime smiles seeing the unit and says to himself, "So… this is your avatar."
"I activate Kashima's Soul Drive! I send cards from bind zone to my drop zone with their total grades being 4 or more (BZ 4-2/G7-3)." Kashima throws off her goggles and scarf, as metallic wings, propelled by blue flames, sprout from her back as she lifts off into the air. "Kashima gains 3000 power, 1 grade, and 1 drive (G3-4/12000-15000/drive 2-3)! Next, I call Susuda from my bind zone with her skill (G2/10000) (Soul 3-2) (BZ 2-1/G3-1), and then I use her other skill to bind a card from the top of my deck (BZ 1-2/G1-2). Add 5000 power (10000-15000)! I then use the skill of Highbrow Steam Mouse, Elal in my bind zone! Since I bound her, I can superior call her and then bind the top card of my deck (G1/8000) (BZ 2-1-2/G2-1-4), and since Kashima is Driven, Elal gains 5000 power (8000-13000)!"
Just then, Alex hears someone call her name, "ALEX!" She looks over her shoulder to see Yui waving at her with Rina by her side, "We're rooting for you Alex!"
"Show him what you can do!" Rina encourages Alex with a gesture.
Alex smiles and nods to her teammates then turn back to Hajime and hold up the one card in her hand. "I discard Clockwiser Owl from my hand, who counts as a grade 3, to liberate the Generation Zone!" A large Stride circle appears in the sky, to which Kashima flies through it. Afterward, a large pillar of light shoots down from the circle as Alex chants, "From the depths of darkness, a light emerges! A light that will change the future! Generation… STRIDE!" Then, from the light, a woman, adorned in a blue dress and brandishing twin blades that look like clock handles, emerges. She dances around the field before striking a pose as Alex calls her name, "Highbrow Time Maiden, Gemekala (GX/25000)! Then I activate her skill ([X][][][][]) (Soul 2-1)! I bind Nanum (BZ 2-3/G4-7), then, in her place, I call Steam Lynx, Shar-kali (G2/10000)! Also, I can use Gemekala's skill again ([X][X][][][])(Soul 1-0)."
"You can?" Hajime questions, slightly worried.
"I bind Susuda (BZ 3-4/G7-9) and call Steam Scara Nanum from my deck! With Nanum's skill, I bind the top card of my deck, and you have to choose one of your rear-guards to put on the bottom of your deck (BZ 4-5/G9-12)."
Hajime scuffs. He doesn't want to retire any of his rear-guards, so he retires the least valuable of his units. "I choose the Colart in my front row." He says.
"Next I use Shar-kali's skill ([X][X][X][][])! I bind a card in my drop zone (BZ 5-6/G12-15), and then I can call a unit with the same grade from my deck. So I call the same unit I bound, Steam Mouse Elal (G1/8000-13000)!" when the second Elal appears, the two variants look at each other in playful confusion, but just laugh at the fact there are two of them. "Next, with Elal's skill, I bind the Shar-kali in my drop zone (BZ 6-7/G15-18), and since she counts as a grade 3 in the bind zone, I can add 5000 power to the Shar-kali on my field (10000-15000)!" The normal Elal leaps forward and gives Shar-kali a great big bear hug as the mouse in her pocket hops onto the Lynx's head, both of them laughing joyfully the whole time.
Alex's Board State
(G3/12000) (GX/25000) (G2/15000)
(XXXX) (G1/13000) (G1/13000)
"THIS IS INCREDIBLE!" the announcer screams, "Alex has managed to fill up her board and stack her bind zone with a lot of high grade units… all while having no cards in her hand! On top of that, she even put a dent in Hajime's formation!"
Hajime smirks and says to Alex with a grin, "Come on then Alex, show me what you can do! Not as Chrono's daughter, but as your own person!"
"You want it, you got it!" Alex tells him as Yui and Rina cheer her on from the side. At the same time, Team Exodus arrives at the scene. "Nanum attacks your Vanguard!"
"No guard." Hajime declares as Nanum shoots her rifle. Emericus tries to deflect it with his shield, but the shot goes right through it (Hajime: [X][X][][]).
"Boosted by Highbrow Elal, Gemekala attacks your Vanguard (25000-38000)! I use Gemekala's skill! She gains 1000 power for each grade in my bind zone. Since the total grade of units in my bind zone is 18, Gemekala gains 18000 power (38000-56000)!"
"Complete guard!" Hajime declares.
"Triple Drive (Critical/?/?)! Critical Trigger! I give all effects to Shar-kali (15000-25000/Crit 1-2)! Second check (Heal)! Heal Trigger! I add another 10000 power to Shar-kali and heal one damage (25000-35000/Crit 2) (Alex: [X][X][][]). Third check (Draw). Draw Trigger!" Yui and Rina are both delighted to see Alex pull a triple trigger. "Another 10000 power to Shar-kali and I draw a card (35000-45000/Crit 2). In addition, with Highbrow Elal's skill ([X][X][X][]), after she boosts, I can draw one more card. Next, Elal will boost Shar-kali, and the two of them will attack your Vanguard (45000-58000)!" Shar-kali tosses potions into the air as Elal takes aim with her crossbow, hoping to hit the potions.
"Alex might actually win this." Yuji observes.
"Big bro Hajime!" Ryuta pleads.
"Watch out!" Kasumi cries.
Elal fires her arrow, destroying the potion and causing a massive explosion, however, Hajime declares, "I guard, and both Alisha and Rufus intercept (SLD 50000)!" three units appear, and Rufus and Alisha join them to hold back the explosion until it fades away, and then they disappear.
Alex steps back in shock. Hajime had blocked her attack, and she was feeling nervous about what he has planned next.
"UNBELIEVEABLE!" the announcer exclaims at the top of his voice, "Hajime survived! Is this it for Team K3? Will Alex lose and cause her team to just miss out on the top 8?!"
Rina grits her teeth and says, "Damn… she couldn't finish it…" while Yui holds her hands over her chest with worry.
"You're going to have to do a lot better than that if you want to defeat me, Alex." Hajime tells her, placing a hand on his hip.
Alex groans and says, "At the end of my turn, Shar-kali and Nanum to go the bind zone with Gemekala's effect (BZ 7-9/G18-24)."
"Then it's my turn. Stand and draw." Hajime declares, but when he sees the card he drew, he smirks and declares, "Final Turn!" Making Alex quiver, as well as her friends and everyone watching, "First, I call Tayna (G1/8000), and with her skill, I call Listener of Truth, Dindrane (G1/7000), and with her skill, (Soul 3-2) I draw one card." Hajime smirks and declares, "I activate my avatar's Soul Drive!"
"Uh oh…" Alex mutters.
"I retire Tayna and Dindrane for the cost! With that, Emericus gains 2000 power, 1 grade, and 1 drive (G3-4/12000-14000/drive 2-3)!" a bright, golden light gathers around Emericus. He takes off his glasses as wings of pure fire sprout from his back. "Next, I liberate the Generation Zone!" Just like with Alex, a large stride circle appears in the sky, shooting down a pillar of light behind Hajime as he chants, "Dragon, who stands bathed in Heavenly, whilst you cower before the gates of Hell! Come forth, dragon of divine lightning! Generation Stride!" From the light, a mechanical-looking dragon with white wings and flourishing a golden robe appears from the light as Hajime calls its name, "Aerolight Matriarch Dragon, Revelation Dragon (GX/30000)!"
"Thirty-thousand power?!" Yui exclaims.
"THERE IT IS!" the announcer screeches, "Hajime's trump card! Revelation Dragon!"
"Next," Hajime says, "I call Rufus (G2/10000) and with his skill ([X][X][X][]) (Hand 1-0), I call Astrida and Colart! Because of my Driven Vanguard, add 3000 power to both of them (G1/8000-11000) (G2/10000-13000), then with Astrida's skill, add 1000 power to all of my units!"
(16000-17000) (30000-31000) (10000-11000)
(11000-12000) (10000-11000) (11000-12000)
"Then, with the skill of Colart, add 5000 power to him and Tayna (17000-22000) (12000-17000)! Also, with the skill of Revelation Dragon, if I called three or more units this turn, all units in my front row gain 10000 power!"
Hajime's Board State
(Total Power: 134,000)
(G2/32000) (GX/41000) (G2/21000)
(G1/17000) (G2/11000) (G1/12000)
"This is incredible!" the announce exclaims, "Hajime has amassed a massive board from almost nothing! Is this really his final turn…?!"
"Boosted by Astrida, Rufus attacks your Vanguard (21000-33000)!"
"I guard (SLD 20000)!" Alex declares.
"Boosted by Tayna, Colart attacks (32000-49000)!"
"No guard." Alex says, "Damage check (Draw). Draw Trigger! Add 10000 power to my Vanguard and draw a card, and with the skill, I soul charge 1 (15000-25000) (Soul 0-1) (Alex: [X][X][X][][]).
"Alex got a lucky break trigger," says the announcer, "but she is at 5 damage! Will it be enough, especially from what Hajime has in store…?!"
Yui holds her hands by her chest and pleads, "Come on Alex…"
"Boosted by Colart, Revelation Dragon attacks your Vanguard (41000-52000)!" The large dragon charges up a ball of energy in its hands, but before it can shoot it, Alex sends a card in her hand to the drop zone.
"Liberating the Generation Zone! Maiden of Time! Come from the future and protect me! Generation Guard!" From a portal, a girl with a smug expression and twin tails opens an energy shield to block Alex from the attack, "Time Sorceress, Kalanum (SLD 15000)! With her skill, I bind Steam Mouse Elal (BZ 9-10/G24-27), and then add 5000 shield for each grade of the bound unit. Since Elal is bound as a grade 3, add 15000 shield (SLD 15000-30000)!"
"That's good…" Hajime says, "but, if I get even one trigger it's over."
"You don't think I know that?" Alex says, not even the least bit scared of Hajime's words.
The young prodigy then reaches for his deck and declares, "Triple Drive. First check (none). Second check (none). Third check…" he stalls for a minute but flips over the top card (none). Alex breathes a sigh of relief, thinking she blocked the attack, however… "I'm not finished yet! I activate Revelation Dragon's skill ([X][X][X][X]) (Soul 2-1)!" The mechanical dragon lets out a roar as all of the units around it kneel before it. A golden light then flows from the units into the dragon. "At the end of the battle, if there are three or more resting units, Revelation Dragon stands! He gets minus 2 drive, and on top of that, he gains the power of every single one of my rear-guards!"
"ALL OF THEM?!" Alex exclaims, watching the dragon's body burst into golden flames, becoming the embodiment of a phoenix (41000-134000/drive 3-1).
"A hundred and thirty-four thousand power?!" Rina exclaims in terror.
"I didn't know units could get that strong…" Yui mutters.
"Incredible…" Saki says, saying the blazing phoenix.
"Hajime's power is quite incredible." Yuji says, "Thought I guess that's to be expected when you're the son of Aichi Sendou."
Alex stares down the phoenix in sheer terror as Hajime says, "You see now Alex? This, is my Vanguard! Not my dad's… not my mother's… Hajime's Vanguard! Revelation Dragon! ATTAAAAAAACK!" the phoenix lets out a roar and begins diving at Kashima. She and Alex brace for the impact, and then there is a massive explosion that covers the entirety of the town square. Thankfully, because it's all holographic, no one was actually hurt. When the smoke begins to settle, Revelation dragon returns to its normal form as Hajime smiles while Alex hangs her head.
"HE'S DONE IT! Hajime has won this card fight!" the announcer exclaims, "He has secured his team a spot in the finals!"
Rina lowers her head in shame… "I can't believe it… we lost…"
But just as Yui was about to do the same thing, she notices something odd. She sees Alex smirking. "Wait… Alex is… smiling…?" she says.
Everyone else in the crowd sees this as well, and wonders why she's so happy that she lost, but then, the smoke clears some more, and a young mechanic-looking girl stands there holding her shield out. Everyone is stunned as Alex looks up at Hajime and announces, "Complete Guard!"
"Th-THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE! ALEX HAD A COMPLETE GUARD WAITING! SHE SURVIVES ANOTHER TURN!" the announcer exclaims in pure excitement.
Hajime clicks his teeth and says, "I end my turn…"
"Stand and draw." Alex says, drawing the only card she could potentially use. When she sees it, she smiles, as it is another copy of Kashima. "Kashima…" Alex says to herself, "You've always been by my side, ever since my dad left… I've always loved fighting alongside you. I know you're probably out there somewhere, with my dad on Cray." Alex then looks behind her to see Kashima looking directly at her. She gives her a thumbs up and Alex nods back. "Dad… I hope you're watching because I'm going to show you what I have become!" Alex takes the card in her hand and declares, "Liberating the Generation Zone!" Just like before, a beam of light shoots down from the sky as Alex chants, "Wings of Light! Take flight and sore high into a future full of happiness and free of despair! Generation… STRIIIIIIIIIDE!" From the light, Kashima emerges, wearing a new white-colored attire. Her hair is longer and blue energy wings sprout from her back as she flies into the sky and brandishes her twin blades as Alex calls her new name, "Retroactive Gear Maiden… Kashima X (GX/27000)!"
Everyone looks in awe of Kashima's new form. Yui and Rina smile with joy as Yui says, "Kashima's evolved!"
"Amazing!" Rina adds.
Meanwhile, at the Shindou residence, Tokoha watches the match on TV. Upon seeing the new form of Kashima, she smiles.
Alex looks at Hajime and says to him, "Hajime… you showed me your Vanguard, now it's time I showed you mine! Kashima attacks your Vanguard!" Kashima stretches her wings and creates several Vanguard circle portals around her, "I activate Kashima's skill ([X][X][X][X][])(Soul 1-0)! I return all of my rear-guards, and all cards in my drop zone to the deck! Then, for each of my rear-guards bound, I can bind one card from the top of my deck (BZ 10-11/G27-30), then I put one card from my deck into my drop zone. Finally, I can call up to one card from my bind zone for every four grades that are IN my bind zone!"
"What?!" Hajime exclaims.
"So I can call up to 7 units! I call two Susudas (G2/10000) and two Steam Maid, Lugalngu (G1/8000) (BZ 11-7/G30-24)! Next, with the skills of my Susudas, I can bind the top two cards of my deck and add 5000 power to both of them (10000-15000) (10000-15000) (BZ 7-9/G24-30)! Then with Lugalngu's skill, if the total grade in my bind zone is 10 or more, add 10000 power (8000-18000) in addition, with Kashima's other skill, all units in my front row gain 1000 power for each grade in my bind zone!"
"That means…" Yuji mutters.
"The total grade is 30, so Kashima and my two Susudas gain 30000 power!"
Alex's Board State
(G2/45000) (GX/57000) (G2/45000)
(G1/18000) (XXXX) (G1/18000)
"Alex has managed to turn things around, and with just a single card!" the announcer exclaims.
Hajime looks through his hand and declares, "I guard and intercept (SLD 45000)!"
Alex smiles and declares, "Triple Drive (Critical/Critical/Critical)!" Hajime steps back in shock. "Triple Critical Trigger! All effects to Kashima (57000-87000/Crit 1-4)!" Kashima flies up into the sky, all that wait into the atmosphere, and then into space. She spreads her wings and creates four clones of herself. From on Earth, Alex chants, "Let's end this fight partner! You and me! Together! Falling Star Slash!"
Kashima and her clones then dive at Mach speed down to Earth. Emericus and his units see a glimmer in the sky and see the Kashima clones diving toward him. One clone destroys one of the guardians, the second destroys another, the third destroys yet another one, and the fourth destroys the final guardian before the real Kashima flies down and slashes right through Emericus.
There is a flash of white, and when it fades, all of the holograms aside from Kashima have disappeared, and Hajime's damage zone… has 6 cards (Hajime: [X][X][X][X][][]). The fight was over, and everyone could hardly believe what they were witnessing.
The announcer takes a moment to adjust his glasses and then shouts into the microphone, "We have a winner! Alex Shindou!" Alex smiles with glee as Yui and Rina run up to her. Rina hugs Alex with joy before Yui practically tackles them both, and they all fall to the ground, laughing all the while. Just then, Hajime and his team walk up to the girls. "You showed me your Vanguard Alex. Not your dad's or your mom's. Just yours. You may have lost this tournament, but I still had a great time fighting you."
"I did as well." Alex replies as she stands up and puts out her hand, "Let's do it again someday." And then gives him a cheesy grin.
Hajime takes her hand and says, "Count on it." The entire crowd cheers for Alex's victory.
Afterward, Alex and Hajime exchange points, and then, a hologram of Ryuzu appears over the association tower as he says, "The first phase of Fighter's Royal is over. I will now announce the winners and those who will be moving on to the second phase. In 1st place, a single fighter who scored more points than any other team combined, Kenny McGallister." Alex and Yuji scoff at his portrait that appears next to Ryuzu. "In 2nd place, Team Crimson. In 3rd place, Team Exodus. In 4th place, Team Rebellion." Riku and Kyoko's portraits appear and Rina narrows her eyes at them. "In 5th place, Team Kiba. In 6th place, Team Wildhart. In 7th place, Team Vanguard Club. And in 8th place, Team K3. All 8 of these teams will be moving on to Phase 2 of Fighter's Royal which will begin 1 month from now. Until then, rest up fighters. You're going to need it.
With that, the hologram disappears and the stage is set. Alex, Rina, and Yui vow to defeat their rivals in Team Crimson, and prove to Ryuzu that they have what it takes to fight the Death Ark. The final stage… has begun…
Ending Theme – Yume no Hikari-Kun no Mirai (Buddyfight DDD Ending 1)
[Next Time]
A party is being held for all the winning teams of the first phase. While Team K3 are making their vows to defeat their rivals on Team Crimson and Team Exodus, Alex and Ryuzu both have a sense that something sinister is brewing.
Next time on Vanguard X: "The Night before the End" Don't miss it!