Chapter 1 - Limit City

"Duel Monsters has undergone profound and radical changes since the day it appeared for the first time, the day in which a real "fever" was unleashed towards the game, so much so that it became extremely famous and spread throughout the globe, catalyzing the attentions of all kinds of individuals. Thanks to its constant evolution and ability to keep up with the times, new legends are established and new generations of duelists emerge, with the objective of beating their opponents and becoming the best. Limit City is one of the most popular theaters of this discipline, but don't be fooled by the name, since the only limit that exists is your imagination. The best champions come from this beautiful metropolis, and a new genesis composed of the most promising minds is about to appear in this reality, and obviously among them there can only be our Shiyuki, a 16 year old boy with the dream of becoming number one."

The sun was casting its warm rays on the windows of the skyscrapers of the majestic metropolis and the cars were passing along the asphalt roads, and people were beginning to crowd the streets of the center, creating kilometers-long lines in front of the stores, everything seemed to proceed in an ordinary way, or at least that's what everyone believed. Like everything, this beautiful city also possessed dark sides.

In its suburbs, there was no shortage of bad and obscure environments, favorite places for crooks and other shady personalities. These were mostly neighborhoods that people avoided because of the stories that circulated about them, with their dirty and abandoned appearance, the mere sight of which made you think twice before setting foot in them, but where it could also happen to combine shady business dealings and where anything could happen...

- Noooo! -

Somewhere, in one of these aforementioned neighborhoods, a chilling scream ripped through the quiet that dwelt there, dispersing in every corner. A man, probably in his thirties, of medium height and with thick brown hair, lay on the ground, motionless, without giving any sign of life. In front of him stood a figure of average height, whose appearance was obscured by the buildings in the area, at his side, a beast with a coat as black as night and a quadrupedal gait, emitted a mighty roar before disappearing, leaving the mysterious individual with a grin on his face.

In the meantime, a few blocks from that alley, in another place shrouded in the shadows of the crumbling buildings in the background, shrill sounds could be heard: two ugly mugs were involved in what looked like a duel. On the field, a creature with numerous tentacles was clashing with another of knightly appearance, equipped with a shining ebony armor and a long crimson blade, which gave that being an even more sinister aura.

- You've reached the end of the line! - thundered one of the two, assuming a threatening air, capable of startling anyone who found himself in his presence. On the other hand, the one who appeared to be a young man, little more than an adult, with a confident look that showed no sign of emotion, did not respond, simply raising his arm upwards.

In a short time the area was invaded by a dazzling light that hit the man in full, preventing any kind of view and making him throw backwards. He slowly moved towards his opponent, who was lying on the ground panting, climbing over him and continuing along the avenue, towards an unknown destination.

The same fate befell two other men, by two attackers whose faces were anything but recommendable, two monstrous entities flanked them, also shrouded in total darkness. No one could explain what was happening or what was at work that day, what was certain was that it was only the beginning... of the end, of course...

Two days after these events took place, the situation seemed to have returned to the usual routine, but no one seemed to warn that danger hovered in the air, ready to loom and seize the unsuspecting inhabitants.

On a rather sunny afternoon, a silver motorcycle sped along one of the city's main highways; on board was the man whose main goal was to excel in Duel Monsters, showing everyone what he was made of, or at least trying to, in one way or another. He overtook in a flash the numerous cars stationed along the street, stopped because of the growing traffic that was being created, ignoring the complaints and insults thrown at him by the exasperated drivers. The roar of his Yamaha became more and more intense, until it seemed at one with the urban ecosystem. He loved the feeling that the intoxication of speed could give him, it made him free from all worries and problems; it was the only thing besides duels that made him feel truly alive. He closed his eyes, surrendering to that intoxicating mix and enjoying the sounds of the city, the best place on earth, or so he called it.

It was the ringing of his communicator that interrupted that magical idyll, bringing him back to reality. He pressed the button on the right side of his helmet;

- Look who came down from space and deigned to answer me, where the hell were you? - said his interlocutor from the other side, a voice all too familiar to the boy, and a slight smile appeared on his face.

- Hey Ren, how come you're so agitated? - He answered rather annoyed. He wasn't the kind of guy who liked to make conversation, least of all with one of his best friends.

- You can't have forgotten, not just today.

- I still don't understand -.

- You are such a knucklehead! You have a duel to fight -.

At those words the young man widened his eyes, he shouldn't have forgotten about something as important as duels, one of his greatest passions

- I'm coming! - he declared, interrupting the call and giving a further acceleration to his racing car, earning the reproaches of any traffic warden he met.

In the meantime, in the center of town, near a store selling playing cards, two individuals were waiting, leaning against the adjacent wall. At a guess, they might have been Shiyuki's age, although the boy with the long, flowing blue hair looked less so due to his height.

- How long does he take to arrive? - snorted the older of the two. He was about 10 centimeters taller than the young man next to him, but the thing that stood out the most was his perfectly shaved head, quite unusual for a young man of his age.

- He'll come, don't worry, Kazuya. If there's anything Shiyuki doesn't lack, it's duels. - retorted the other, fiddling with a lock of golden hair that fell on his face.

An all too usual sound forced him to turn in the opposite direction; his emerald eyes traveled all over the figure in the black leather jacket that was coming off the vehicle. He removed his headdress, revealing a thick mop of charcoal-colored hair, with peach highlights, alternating with scarlet locks, ending in a tuft of the same color and shaped like a flame, placed in the center. The whole thing was enhanced by amber eyes, which inspired awe and wonder at the same time.

- It's about time, you took your time - the boy burst out, while running towards him. Shiyuki didn't answer, just nodded to him and headed towards the store.

- Are you ready? - asked the challenger, taking up a position in front of him.

- I was born ready! - he answered with a smirk, getting a nasty look from Ren, who was impatient with his brazenness. - We'll see about that, braggart! -

- Let's duel! - they both exclaimed

- I guess you can go first - proposed the opponent.

Kazuya = 8000 LP
Hand = 5
Deck = 35

Shiyuki = 8000 LP
Hand = 5
Deck = 35

- I start by activating "Pot of Greed" from my hand, which allows me to draw 2 cards from my deck, then I put a face-down monster on the ground and 2 cards just as face-down. I end my turn -

- A rather disappointing start - the challenger taunted him, drawing a card from his deck. But the young man remained impassive, without batting an eye or responding to the provocation.

- I activate "Mystic Space Typhoon", with which I destroy one of your placed cards, mmh... I choose the one on the left. Then by discarding 1 card from my hand I can especially summon "Frostblade Piercer" -

The card placed on his dark-colored dueling disk came to life, a towering monstrous figure from whose right forearm sprouted a curved silver blade with icy spikes and with a knuckleball of the same color in his left hand landed on the field. (Lv4/Atk:1800; Def:0)

- "Frostblader, huh? Interesting" - Shiyuki observed.

- I activate its effect, once per turn I can target a spell or trap card on my opponent's field, until the end of the turn, it cannot be activated. Battle! I attack your face-down monster. Ah, right! When "Frostblader Piercer" attacks a defending monster, it inflict piercing damage to you - the boy's card was revealed and a white stone of crystalline purity appeared on his side of the field, before being completely destroyed by the opponent's offensive. Shiyuki recoiled, because of the advanced augmented reality system, in battles, the damage done to his Life Points, seemed quite real,. (8000-1500= 6500 LP) - I place a blank card and hand you -

- One moment! - thundered the boy - I activate the effect of the monster you just destroyed. During the End Phase of the turn in which this card is sent to the graveyard, I can summon a "Blue Eyes" monster from my Deck. I summon "Dragon Spirit of White" -

A dragon with stone-like colors and ethereal texture roared across the field. (Lv8/Atk:2500; Def: 2000)

- But it is not a "Blue Eyes" monster - Kazuya objected.

- Who's disappointing now? - replied indifferently - "Dragon Spirit of White" is always considered as a "Blue Eyes" monster. Yet you should know - - I activate the effect of my monster: when it is summoned normally or especially, I can target a spell or trap card of my opponent and banish it. That said, I draw from the deck -

- My "Mirror Force"! - protested the young man.

Kazuya = 8000 LP

Hand = 2

Deck = 34

Graveyard = 2

Banished card zone = 1

Shiyuki = 6500 LP

Hand = 4

Deck = 31

Graveyard = 2

- I'll finish you off in this round! - exclaimed the boy, while his opponent sneered, convinced that his opponent was just "all smoke and mirrors".

- I activate the "Melody of the Awakening Dragon": by discarding a card, I can add from my deck to my hand, two Dragon type monsters with an attack of 3000 points or less and a defense of 2500 or less. I add "Blue-Eyes White Dragon " and "Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon". I then activate the effect of the card I sent to the graveyard. I thus add a second "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" to my hand -

- I already know what he wants to do - murmured the companion leaning against the wall. In fact it was a quite known and predictable tactic, but from the opponent's expression, it was clear that it was not so intuitable for him. He was animated only by the astonishment of seeing the legendary dragon once exclusive to Seto Kaiba, a charismatic man and one of the most powerful champions of this game.

- I now activate the effect of "Dragon Spirit of White" on my field: If my opponent controls a monster, I can offer it as tribute and especially summon a "Blue-Eyes White Dragon" from my hand. You appear in all your magnificence, "Blue-Eyes White Dragon "-

A dragon even brighter and more imposing than the previous one made its appearance, capturing the attention of all those present, gathered to witness the duel in which this superb creature was participating. (Lv8/Atk:3000; Def:2500)

- Subsequently, revealing a second copy of the dragon in my hand, I can specially summon "Blue-Eyes Alternative White Dragon"

A second dragon appeared on the field, differing from the previous one only by the presence of electric blue streaks all over the body and wings even more curved (Lv8/Atk:3000; Def: 2500)

- As you can see, it is not only its appearance to be space, it is also its special power. It allows me, once per turn, to destroy a monster on the opponent's field, you only control "Frostblade Piercer", so it is destroyed -

- Nooo! My monster! -

- And I'm not done yet! However, using this frightening power comes at a cost, that is, preventing him from attacking, but for the next move, it's not a problem. - Kazuya tilted his head slightly, what was he alluding to?

- I activate the spell "Polymerization" from my hand -

- What? - the boy asked in amazement, he couldn't expect such a move, even if the two-colored one was expecting it, having guessed beforehand the way his friend would quickly close the game.

- I fund the two white dragons on the ground and the third in my hand. Delight your eyes with the mightiest of all dragons, in his fully evolved glory! Summon by fusion! Show yourself to us, Neo Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon -

A three-headed creature with a draconic appearance and colors similar to the alternate dragon appeared, in an almost crystalline explosion that pervaded the ground, briefly blocking its visibility. The general astonishment rose high in the sky, observing the ultimate wonder that once belonged to the legendary duelist, harbinger of spectacular fights against his long-time rival, the "King of Games", Yugi Muto. (Lv12/Atk:4500; Def:3800)

- I'm doomed - Kazuya murmured, but so intensely that he was audible to his opponent.

- You can say that again - he retorted - Go Neo Blue-Eyes Dragon, attack him! -

A pearly white beam hit him squarely. (8000-4500= 3500)

- I activate its effect: at the end of the Damage Step, if this is the only face-up card I control and it has already made an attack, I can send to the graveyard a "Blue-Eyes" Fusion monster present in my Extra Deck so that it can continue its assault. I move "Blue Eyes Twin Burst Dragon" to the Graveyard. -

- It's over - Ren announced, stretching.

- Hyper Neutron Blast! - exclaimed the duelist, while the opponent's LPs were decimated in an instant. (3500-4500=0)

After the end of the duel, the boy fled without looking back, he had received a rather crushing defeat and the passers-by who crowded the area, after seeing such a short but intense fight, were fascinated by the duelist's ability to dominate a beast like that. But Shiyuki was not satisfied, in the end it was an opponent who had the reputation of putting on a lot of airs, so it did not represent a real challenge in his eyes, in this way he would not be able to overcome his limits, in addition to the fact that he used cards that were not his, since it was not worth it. Soon the "fans" were gone and the boy could breathe a sigh of relief, he didn't like this kind of thing much, it made him feel uncomfortable.

- Of course you were lucky to find that kind of cards, by now the store was almost out of them - Ren declared as he approached the young man, who with his back turned and leaning against a low wall, observed the buildings of the capital city that stood out in the background. Twilight was approaching and the neon signs that began to light up created a wonderful optical effect.

- Yeah - replied the boy, throwing the open package into the void, which began to flutter due to the breeze blowing through it.

- Anyway... - continued the two-toned man - It was a really fiery duel, even though you didn't give your opponent time to make a single move or counterattack. But the really nice part was when you summoned that huge dragon, sending Kazuya's Life points straight into the abyss. Wow! -

The young man didn't answer; although it was a good feeling, it wasn't the one he was looking for right now, it wasn't what made a duel something worthy of the name, it hadn't made him feel alive, a peculiar characteristic for people like him.

- As usual you're always talkative - he teased him. - But tell me, how is your father? -

Upon hearing those words, the boy rotated towards him, nailing his golden gaze on the figure he was interacting with. - As usual, always busy and always far from home - he raised his eyes to the sky, scanning the many stars that lived there.

- And here we go again - snorted the teenager

-What? - he asked, continuing to keep his gaze fixed on that natural wonder, almost as if it were a painting.

- Every time you make this gesture of staring at the stars. We've known each other practically forever, but I still don't understand what it means -

He shrugged, even he didn't understand the reason for such a gesture, the only certain thing is that something unconscious, almost mechanical, led him to stare at the firmament, giving him a feeling of calm and tranquility. That boy was a real mystery

- Stop, please! I'll tell you anything you want -

On the other side, in one of its suburbs illuminated by neon lights, Limit City seemed more alive than ever, the city was bursting with music and joyful shouts, which invaded all the streets involving shadows and lights as if they were alive and participating in the festivities. In a dilapidated building, almost certainly used for the purpose of entertaining illicit trafficking, a man in his forties and rather stocky, was thrown against the wall, while a slender figure approached at great strides towards him, swinging his flowing chocolate-colored

Frostblade Piercer:

Attribute: Water type. [Warrior/Effect] Atk 1800 Def 0 Level: 4 You can special summon this card (from your hand) by discarding a card from your hand. Once per turn, you can target a spell/trap card from your's oppenent field: it cannot be actived until the end of this turn. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster: Inflict piercing damage to your opponent.

Hi people, this is the first chapter of my fanfiction where the protagonist and some characters are introduced. Who are these shady guys? Why do they do this and above all what do they want?

You will find out in the next episodes