"Let's see. Who should be next?" Houki said as she looked around for her next opponent.
"You want to duel again so soon?" Charlotte questioned. "Can't we stop to get something to eat or something?"
"Charlotte has a point. You need to keep your strength up." Laura said. "If you are at full strength, you will do a better job at your duels and get the necessary points you need."
"Don't tell me you're competing in my tournament as well." They all recognized that voice that always carried a hint of arrogance to it. They all looked ahead and spotted Conner with Mila.
"Hey, guys. It's been a long time." Mila said.
"Houki Shinonono. What are you doing walking around in my tournament?" Conner said.
"Why shouldn't I? You said any duelist could compete." Houki said.
"I did say that, but I know the truth. You weren't good enough to get in Dueling Island. The only reason you made it in was because of Ichika." Conner said. "If you weren't good enough before to get in there, what makes you think you can make it in my tournament?" Hearing him talk like that really got under Houki's skin.
"Houki, just ignore him. He doesn't know what he's talking about." Charlotte said.
"That's right. You are a skilled duelist, but he is just too arrogant to see that." Laura said. They tried to calm her down, but it wasn't really working.
"Let's go, Mila. Let's find me a real competitor to compete against." Conner said as he turned away from them.
"Hold it, Conner!" Houki said. "I have every right to be here like any other duelist, but how about I prove to you my skills. I'll take you on right here, right now!" She challenged him, but nothing. "Why are you walking away? Afraid I'm going to beat you?!" That certainly got his attention.
"Houki, you do have some skill, but no way you can beat my brother." Mila said.
"This shouldn't take long." Conner said as it seemed like he was taking the challenge now. No one calls him a coward like that. The two of them were ready to start a duel, but it was stopped when Conner's phone went off and he answered. "What is it?"
"Sir, we detected an usual signature. We believe it's one of the cards you're looking for."
"Where?" Conner said.
"Are we going to duel or not?" Houki said.
"This will wait another time. I have something that needs my attention. Let's go, Mila." Conner said as he just walked away with Mila following.
"What was that about?" Houki questioned. None of them knew, but they didn't know the danger that their friends are in now.
...
The Duel
Senshi was dueling another minion of Meldrick's named Zen, but Meldrick was controlling Zen. In other words, Meldrick was dueling through Zen, and he already summoned the infamous Izanagi: Deity of Creation. His form and power, as well as the active Psychain Maelstrom field spell, left quite an intimidate feeling. Meldrick had 2700LP with Senshi having 4000, but all Senshi had was Rocket Flyer at 1500atk points and a couple face-downs. That's not enough against Izanagi's 4000atk points.
"I've never seen anything like that before!" Rin said.
"It's huge! How can anyone beat that thing?!" Cecilia said.
"No one can. That's the point." Meldrick claimed. "Izanagi is all powerful. There's nothing you can do against it, Great Hero."
"I wouldn't be so sure." Senshi said as he refused to show field. 'Luckily, one of my face-downs is Mirror Shatter. If he attacks, his monsters will be destroyed and he'll lose 500LP for each one.'
"Don't bother trying to stop him." Meldrick said. "Izanagi has a few abilities. One of them is that he's completely immune to all spells and traps." Hearing that meant that Senshi's trap was completely useless. "That's only the start of what is to come! Izanagi, strike down his inferior monster! Attack with Created Elimination!" Izanagi gathered power between his hands and emitted a bright white light. It unleashed a powerful blast that completely annihilated Senshi's Rocket Flyer with his life points dropping down to 1500. The force of the attack was so much that Senshi was knocked off his feet and hit the ground.
"Ichika!" Rin called as she and Cecilia hurried to him.
"Are you okay?" Cecilia asked as they helped him up.
"Yes. Thank you, but I think it might be best that you two stay back." Senshi said as he got himself back in the duel.
"That's only the beginning of what Izanagi can do. For now, I end my turn." Meldrick said.
"My turn!" Senshi said as he drew his next card.
'What are you we going to do?' Ichika asked as the two talked telepathically. 'Spells and traps won't work against Izanagi, and none of our monsters are strong enough to beat that thing.'
'Don't discouraged, Ichika. We'll find a way.' Senshi told him. 'Every monster has a weakness, and he is no exception. We must win and get a hold of that card. For now, we'll have to fortify our defenses.'
"What's wrong? Are you already quivering in fear?" Meldrick taunted.
"Not even close! I'll find some way to beat you! For now, since I have no monsters on the field, I can special summon Infinite Satellite to the field!" Senshi said as he summoned a satellite with 2200def points. "I'm also going to summon one monster in defense mode and end my turn." He summoned another monster facedown and that was that.
"Was that it? After that tough talk? Pathetic." Meldrick taunted and took his turn. "I now get to show you another effect of Izanagi's." Senshi didn't like the sound of that. "During my standby phase, I can remove a card from my graveyard from play and summon an Iza token." He took one of his monsters in his graveyard and removed it. Then, a much smaller version of Izanagi came out with it having only a 1000atk points. "And what he created, he can disassemble! By tributing one of the Iza tokens, Izanagi grows stronger!" The token turned into energy and flowed into Izanagi with Izanagi's power increasing to 5000.
"5000atk points?! I've never seen a monster that powerful before!" Rin said.
"Izanagi, destroy his satellite!" Meldrick ordered as Izanagi unleashed it's terrifying power once more and destroyed Infinite Satellite.
"I activate my satellite's ability! When it's destroyed, I can special summon an Infinite Stratos to the field!" Senshi said. "I summon out Infinite Stratos Blue Tears!" He summoned out his monster as she flew out with her having 1600atk points.
"That won't save you. I play my spell: Telepathic Movement. This spell card allows me to take one of your monsters and send it to the bottom of your deck, and I choose your Blue Tears." Meldrick claimed. "I knew you were planning to use Blue Tears' ability to deal damage, but you won't be that lucky."
"Not before I get to play my trap!" Senshi said as he activated one of his face-downs. "Rebooted Energy is a trap associated with my Infinite Stratos monsters. When they're the target of an effect, I can gain life points equal to their attack points. I can even add another Infinite Stratos to my hand, and I choose my ever fateful companion: Byakushiki." Energy was bestowed upon him as his life points increased to 3100 with him taking his ace. Then, Blue Tears was sent back to his deck.
"Trying to regain strength? It won't help." Meldrick said. "Izanagi will only grow stronger from here and you will soon meet your end."
"It's a little early for you to start claiming victory already, Meldrick." Senshi said. "It's my turn! I draw!" He drew his next card and saw something that might help. "First, I reveal my Stratos Warrior." He flipped over his monster and revealed it to be his Stratos Warrior with it having 1400atk points. "With that done, I can now bring out this monster. When you have a monster on the field that's stronger than any of my monsters, I can tribute just one monster to summon it. I summon Stratos Paladin!" He released his monster and summoned out a brand new one. This monster looked like a fierce warrior, every part of his body in blue armor and carried a massive sword. He also had 2600atk points.
"How is that monster going to help you?" Meldrick said.
"You're about to see. Attack!" Senshi ordered. Stratos Paladin jumped straight at Izanagi.
"What are you planning? That monster can't withstand the power of Izanagi." Meldrick said.
"That might be true, but Stratos Buster does have a powerful ability! When he attacks a monster with more attack points, the attack points are cut in half!" Senshi said. His paladin unleashed a powerful slash that cut right through Izanagi and Izanagi's attack points dropped to 2500. "There's more! If your monster had attack points that were higher than the original, that power-up is nullified!" Stratos Paladin unleashed another swing with Izanagi's power dropping even more to 1500.
"All right! That thing might be immune to spells and traps, but monsters are a different story!" Rin said as she and Cecilia were glad to see a comeback coming.
"Your monster might survive, but you still take damage! Attack now with Star Grand Slash!" Senshi ordered. His paladin's sword shined bright. It slashed down on Izanagi with Meldrick's life points dropping to 1600.
"A good effort, but not good enough." Meldrick taunted.
"Perhaps, but this duel is far from over." Senshi said. "Since we've now reached the end of this turn, your monster's attack points return to their original." Senshi's turn ended and Izanagi's power went back to 4000. Now that he was done, he braced himself for what was coming next.
"My turn!" Meldrick said as he drew his next card. "Once again, I banish one of the cards from my graveyard to form another Iza token." He took another one of his cards out and brought up another token with 1000atk points. "I think it's time I show you what Izanagi can really do! Destroy Stratos Paladin!" Izanagi unleashed his wrath again and brought it down on Stratos Paladin. The paladin was destroyed with Senshi's life points dropping to 1700. "And now, I think I'll take pleasure in your suffering by having my Iza token attack you directly!" The token flew straight at Senshi to deal even more damage.
"I don't think so! Foolish mistake, Meldrick! I play Mirror Shatter!" Senshi called as he activated his trap. "My trap not only negates your attack, but it destroys all your monsters! Izanagi himself might be immune, but your token isn't!" The token flew straight into a barrier with it being destroyed and the barrier shattering like glass. "What's more is that you lose 500LP for each monster destroyed!" The shards flew in and drained Meldrick's life points as they dropped down to 2200.
"That still isn't good enough for Izanagi himself still remains on the field." Meldrick taunted and he was right. If Senshi wants to win this duel, he needs a way to beat Izanagi, but how? He just doesn't see how he's going to pull that off.
"Looks like you're struggling, Orimura. Even so, you better not lose." Senshi and the others looked up and they spotted Conner and Mila.
"Conner?!" Senshi said as he was surprised to see him.
"Conner and Mila?!" Cecilia said.
"What are they doing here?" Rin said.
"Look at that thing, Conner..." Mila said as she couldn't believe how Izanagi looked. Conner looked more impressed and amazed with a card he believes will be his.
"So that's Izanagi." Conner said. He did like that Ichika was struggling against it, but he wants to be the one that caused it. "Orimura, there's only one person in the world that is allowed to beat you. Until the day comes when I do, don't you dare lose to anyone else. I want the pleasure of being the one that beats you myself." In his own way, that was Conner's idea of pep talk. Oddly enough, it worked as Senshi was still confident he can win.
"You don't need to worry about that. I won't lose." Senshi claimed.
"I think differently." Meldrick said. "There's no card in your deck that can withstand the power of Izanagi! Izanagi will be the being that brings upon your demise, and I shall reign supreme!" No matter how much confidence Senshi has, it won't do him any good if he can't figure out how to beat Izanagi. Can he even do that or is this really where Meldrick claims victory?