Well well well, we've reached an important milestone in this story. 30 chapters is a big accomplishment! Thank you everyone for supporting me as I have created this story. We've past the halfway mark now, and we're closer to the end than we are to the beginning. 75K views and nearly 300 reviews, this story is officially the most popular fanfiction in the 5D's/Original series crossover category, thanks in no small part to you guys. So thank you for all your support once again. Now Yugi, give us the disclaimer and let's get into a special chapter of Yugioh: Chaos Unleashed!
Yami: I'll handle this Yugi. You've got other things on your mind right now. The following is a non-profit fan-based fanfiction. Yugioh, Yugioh GX, Yugioh 5D's, Yugioh Zexal, and Yugioh Arc-V are all owned by Konami, 4Kids Entertainment, Toei Animation, and Kazuki Takahashi. Please support the official release!
Nuttybuddy792: …well, that works too. Thanks Pharaoh.
Chapter 30: A Matter of Pride
Satellite High Rise
Yugi was thoughtful as the feed on Akiza's dashboard ended. This era obviously put an emphasis on speed, in both summoning monsters and in actual Dueling. He had a couple of cards in his Deck that could slow a Duel down, but having witnessed the actual speed of such an intense Duel, the King of Games had some doubts as to whether he could keep up. He pulled out the Magical Girl card that had been the key to defeating Thomas last night. 'You are much more important than when you first appeared to me, that much is clear. Still, it's obvious the Chaos Movement is getting stronger as well. We have to stay strong, because we can't let them win!'
The Pharaoh sensed Yugi's thoughts and while he too was thinking about that extreme Turbo Duel, he was thinking more along the lines of strategies he could use should he be forced into such a situation. It was obvious that this Speed World 2 had more effects than it was letting on. His spirit form touched Yugi on the shoulder, getting his attention. 'We won't let them win. This Chaos Movement is a deluded bunch, and while I wish I could share the future that you saw in your dream with them, we will defeat them. We have our bonds, both with our cards and with our friends. As long as we believe in them, we cannot be defeated.'
'You're right Pharaoh,' Yugi thought back, 'We just have to keep moving forward.' He glanced down at Magical Girl again. 'Still, I can't help but wonder just who left this Tuner monster down in that maze? She's a great card, so why would the Master allow something like that to just sit there where we would eventually find it?'
The Pharaoh's face was solemn. That was a question that was bugging him as well. 'If I knew, I'd tell you Yugi. Perhaps there's another force out there opposing the Master, something other than us.'
'Well I sure wouldn't mind this other force showing up and helping us out in Duels,' Yugi thought. He glanced at Akiza and the twins, where Leo was rather animatedly recapping what had just happened. 'These Signers are putting it all on the line to defend this city, this whole world, the future. Just for once couldn't we get a little help and have someone else save the world?'
'Nobody said this was going to be easy,' the Pharaoh said with a grin. He glanced at Kaiba. 'When some among our own are certainly stubborn in their own way, I'm sure we have enough to take down the Master and his associates.' Kaiba, meanwhile, was looking off into the distance. His mind was racing. Apparently everything in the city was powered by this Momentum energy, which revolved around this Planetary Particle. Akiza had told him that Yusei's father had discovered this particle that revolutionized the entire world, and Kaiba was very intrigued. He had a division that had some funding for cleaner energy, funding that he figured he ought to increase and perhaps point them in the direction of this planetary particle Akiza had mentioned. Anything to get a leg up in the future.
The sound of Duel Runners approaching got his attention. 'And the victor returns,' he thought to himself as Kaiba watched the red and white Runners pull up.
Jack had that arrogant grin on his face as Leo and Luna ran up to him. Leo was bursting with excitement as usual. "That was so cool! What did you even do when you Synchro Summoned that big dragon?!"
The former Turbo King grinned as he ruffled Leo's hair while dismounting his Runner. "Jack Atlas' Burning Soul was all that he needed to take down that chump." He met Kaiba's gaze, his purple eyes showing mirth after his recent victory. "I don't see why Kaiba was so worried about him."
The glare on Kaiba's face told everyone that he was not amused. "I never said I was worried. I was only giving you fair warning. I was the one who had to face him without a clue as to what was in his Deck."
"And a lot of good your 'warning' gave me," Jack retorted, "Even if I didn't know what to expect from him, it was fairly obvious once the Duel started that he was using those puny Dragon Rulers, which couldn't stand up to the one true king of dragons!"
"You think that pathetic dragon of yours is worthy of being called king?" Kaiba asked with a chuckle. "Don't make me laugh."
"Now is not the time for this guys," Yusei said, stepping in between the two proud men in white. "We still have the Chaos Movement to deal with."
"I say now is the perfect time for it," Jack said, stepping past Yusei. "Red Dragon Archfiend is Jack Atlas' very pride and soul, and you have just insulted that very soul. Jack Atlas will not allow this slight to stand!"
Kaiba rolled his eyes. "There you go again, talking in third person. A person of real importance wouldn't need to speak in such a pathetic manner. You almost aren't worth my time."
"Believe me Kaiba, I am definitely worth your time," Jack growled, putting his white Duel Disk on. "Unless you're too much of a coward to face me."
Kaiba glared at the Wings Signer before he activated his Duel Disk. "I'll make you regret those words. Prepare to lose at the hands of my Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
Leo couldn't help but grin as the two men squared off. He could almost see the sparks flying between the two. "You know; I'd always wondered how the great Jack Atlas would've done against the legendary Duelists of old. I know that we're supposed to be working together, but this is going to be so cool!" he commented to his twin sister.
Luna looked at him, mildly irritated. "We shouldn't be fighting among ourselves, not now!"
Yusei was voicing similar concerns to Yugi, who could only sheepishly grin. "Yugi, is there any way you could convince Kaiba to stop this?"
The King of Games shook his head slowly. "Once Kaiba's Dueling skills have been insulted, he won't stop until he's won. I suppose we should just let this play out, it'll be good for both of them to settle this now rather than when we have to fight the Chaos Movement."
Akiza seemed a bit hesitant to just let them battle. "Why now though?"
"I think they need to let off a bit of steam," Yusei noted, "The past couple of days have been really stressful and they nearly Dueled this morning. If anything, it'll buy us some time as we wait for Crow to get back with Dani."
"I'll even let you have the first move," Kaiba said as he finished shuffling his Deck, inserting it into his Duel Disk. He wasn't going to let some joke like Atlas win. "You're going to need every advantage you can get if you want to defeat me!"
Jack raised an eyebrow at that. "You think you're being clever with that. But I, Jack Atlas will make you regret that insult to my pride!"
Both Duelists shouted "Let's Duel!" as they squared off.
Jack LP: 4000 Kaiba LP: 4000
"Since you insist on letting me go first," Jack began as he drew a card, "I'll begin by Summoning the Tuner monster Dark Resonator in Defense mode!" A little fiend holding a tuning fork appeared in front of Jack, holding said tuning fork in front of him defensively.
Dark Resonator: Atk 1300, Def 300, LV 3
"I place one card facedown and end my turn," Jack finished. Flush off his victory against Draco, he was ready to put the man with whom he had clashed with a couple of times already down, if only to shut him up.
Kaiba smirked at the defense Jack had set up. "Is that it? I thought someone of your boastings would start off quicker than that. My draw!" He glanced at the card he drew and played it. "I Summon Spear Dragon in Attack Mode!" A blue and yellow scaled dragon with a long pointed beak much like the pterodactyl of old appeared, floating above Kaiba.
Spear Dragon: Atk 1900, Def 0, LV 4
"Now my Spear Dragon, attack his Dark Resonator with your Drill Peck attack!" Kaiba shouted. The dinosaur-like dragon began rotating as it charged Jack's monster, appearing to stab the Dark Resonator in his robes. Having witnessed the earlier Duel, Kaiba wasn't surprised to see the little Tuner monster bounce off of the Spear Dragon's attack and survive.
"Dark Resonator can't be destroyed in battle once per turn," Jack explained.
"I'm well aware of its special ability," Kaiba snapped, "Which is why Spear Dragon has a special ability that can inflict piercing damage to you when it attacks a monster in Defense mode, a monster like that weak little Resonator."
Jack growled as a red aura appeared around him, signifying the Life Point loss. "A lucky draw."
Jack LP: 2400
"Luck has nothing to do with it," Kaiba shot back. "It's why I'm a superior Duelist to you! Now since the damage step is done, my Spear Dragon switches into Defense mode!" Right on cue, his dragon couched down in front of Kaiba, wings held up to guard himself.
"I'll make you regret trying to play defense with me!" Jack shouted. "Defense is for the weak! My power will overwhelm you!"
Kaiba glared at Jack. "Are you going to keep talking or are you actually going to Duel? All I've seen from you is talk! I end my turn!"
"Then it's my turn!" Jack shouted as he drew a card. He played it almost immediately. "I Summon Power Breaker to the field in Attack mode!" A purple bulky man wearing blue armor and sporting a big yellow fur coat/cape appeared next to the Tuner monster, grinning maliciously.
Power Breaker: Atk 1900, Def 0, LV 4
Kaiba frowned. He knew he was taking a bit of a gamble when he used Spear Dragon, but such was the way of Dueling. "Well Jack, let's see what you got! Come at me!"
"I'll show you true power!" Jack shouted. "I Tune my level four Power Breaker with my level three Dark Resonator!" Dark Resonator leaped into the air, turning into three stars that expanded out into three green rings. Power Breaker leaped into those rings and dissolved into four more stars.
"I'm surprised Jack didn't go for Red Dragon Archfiend right away," Yusei commented.
"Maybe his opening hand didn't give him the monster he needed to Synchro Summon it," Yugi suggested. "Either way, this doesn't bode too well for Kaiba."
"The ruler's shouts echo throughout! Hammer of victory, shatter the very earth!" Jack chanted as the stars aligned within the rings and erupted into a blinding light. "Synchro Summon! Flap your wings, Exploder Dragonwing!" A large purple humpbacked dragon with brilliant orange wings appeared from the light, roaring at Kaiba.
Exploder Dragonwing: Atk 2400, Def 1600, LV 7
Kaiba smirked. "You fool! Instead of using two monsters to attack my Life Points directly, by summoning that pathetic dragon you've ensured I'll be keeping my Life Points intact!"
"Oh really?" Jack asked sarcastically. He had a dangerous gleam in his eye. "This is how power is meant to be wielded. Exploder Dragonwing, attack that pathetic dragon of his! Go and show him the power of your King Storm!" The Synchro dragon unleashed a mighty fireball that consumed Spear Dragon easily.
"Now my Exploder Dragonwing's ability activates!" Jack announced, getting Kaiba's attention. "When Exploder Dragonwing attacks a monster in Defense mode and it has higher attack points than that monster, it can automatically destroy it and inflict damage equal to its Attack points to you!"
"You what?!" Kaiba groaned as the flames washed over him, not doing any real damage but still damaging his Life Points.
Kaiba LP: 2100
"This is what happens when you insult Jack Atlas!" the Wings Signer declared, "I will burn you with my power!"
Kaiba chuckled darkly. "You spoke of pride earlier and now you speak of power? Ha! You know nothing Jack Atlas! That so-called display of power was pathetic! Now end your turn so that I can show you what real power is!"
"You think your outdated Deck can show me true power?" Jack smirked.
"End your turn and find out," Kaiba countered, his blue eyes boring into Jack's purple eyes. Neither man was backing down now. The clash of prides was in full swing.
"I'll do just that," Jack said after a pregnant pause. "Turn end."
Satellite Highway by the Crow's Nest
Crow was in a good mood. He'd defended his nest from the Chaos Movement and he felt like he'd made some progress in getting to know the young woman who was currently clinging to him as he drove the Blackbird. The pulse from his Mark told him that Jack had won his Duel, but somehow he was Dueling someone else now, albeit a lot less threatening than the previous guy. The Tail Signer wondered what that meant as they zoomed down the road. Shrugging it off as it just being another case of Jack being Jack, he glanced back at Dani. She hadn't been quite so awkward getting on as she had when she'd first ridden with Crow. "So Dani, you ever consider becoming a Turbo Duelist?" he asked casually.
"How the hell could I become a Turbo Duelist when I don't even have a Runner?" Dani asked. "It's only like the third time I've ever been on a Runner!"
"I dunno," Crow shrugged, "Just something to keep in mind as the WRGP gets closer. Yusei, Jack and I are thinking of entering, but we could always use a fourth teammate, cause you never know what this Grand Prix will hold."
Dani took a second to fully comprehend his statement. She'd heard about some big Turbo Dueling tournament coming to New Domino City, ever since the Daedalus Bridge had been completed not too long ago. After seeing Crow's passion in Dueling while battling the Chaos Movement, she knew that Crow was genuine in his query. "Crow, do you know what you're asking?"
"Sure do!" came the quick response. Crow was glad he had to keep an eye on the road so that she couldn't see the light blush that came over his cheeks. "I could show you the basics before you have to take the class and all that."
"One thing at a time Crow," Dani said quickly. "We've got a lot of people to deal with. You can think of something else for a first date in the meantime."
Now it was Crow's turn to take a second to recognize what she had said. When he did, his eyes lit up. "Sweet!" He glanced back again at Dani, who merely leaned into him, resting her chin on his shoulder. "So, you really mean that?"
The female Blue-Eyes Duelist sighed as she watched the buildings of the Satellite whizz by. Part of her was scared to getting burned again, but what she had seen from Crow and the sheer joy he managed to bring those kids emboldened her enough to take this chance. "Yeah, I do, just don't try anything sappy. I'm not that kind of girl."
Crow's grin was from ear to ear. "You got it Dani!" The duo zoomed along the Satellite highway, homing in on Yusei's last location.
Satellite High Rise
"My turn then!" Kaiba announced as he drew a card. A part of him relished the challenge presented by these future Decks, and while he had few means with which to keep up, he knew from experience that he could handle anything from this era. He'd been paying sharp attention to Akiza and Yusei's conversation the previous night when she had explained about this mysterious XYZ Summon, which sounded as though it was not from this time. Regardless, whether it was Synchro Summons, XYZ Summons, or the more familiar Fusion Summon, Kaiba was going to crush whatever his opponent was going to throw his way. He glanced at the card he drew and smirked that signature smirk of his. He had a combo set up. "I Summon X-Head Cannon in Attack mode!" A yellow and blue robot attached to a blue-spiky ball appeared in front of him, shoulder cannons at the ready.
X-Head Cannon: Atk 1800, Def 1500, LV 4
Jack narrowed his eyes. "Just what are you playing at?"
"Attack me and find out!" Kaiba challenged, "I place two cards facedown and end my turn."
"Those facedowns are obviously meant to scare Jack from attacking," Yusei noted. "Why else would he play X-Head Cannon in Attack mode?"
"And we know Jack isn't afraid of any facedowns," Akiza added, "So either it's a massive bluff and Kaiba's about to lose or…"
"I know Kaiba well enough to know that's no bluff," Yugi said sagely, "Jack had better be careful."
Right on cue, Jack began his turn. "You think those facedowns are going to stop me?" he shouted as he drew a card. "Think again! I Summon Twin-Sword Marauder to the field in Attack mode!" A lightly armored and masked swordsman wielding twin swords attached to his wrists appeared, blades held in a guard position.
Twin-Sword Marauder: Atk 1600, Def 1000, LV 4
"Now my Exploder Dragonwing, take out his X-Head Cannon with your King's Storm Attack!" Jack shouted. The Synchro Dragon roared and flew up, gathering energy in its mouth.
"I activate my Trap Card!" Kaiba countered. "Shadow Spell!" Chains flew out from the card and attached themselves to Exploder Dragonwing, cutting off its attack. The heavy chains brought the dragon back down to earth, strain visible on the dragon's face.
"What in the world?" Jack exclaimed. The move caught him off guard, given that he had an identical card in his own Deck.
"Shadow Spell stops your attack, negates any further attacks you might try with it, prevents you from switching battle modes, and reduces your monsters Attack points by 700!" Kaiba explained triumphantly.
Exploder Dragonwing: Atk 1700
Jack let out a growl of frustration. He had nothing that he could do to stop Kaiba's X-Head Cannon from wiping out one of his monsters next turn, nor did he have anything that could get rid of that Shadow Spell. "You win this round. I end my turn."
"That won't be the only round I'll win," Kaiba declared, drawing a card. "Just watch as I summon Y-Dragon Head to the field!" Another robot appeared, this one in the shape of a red dragon.
Y-Dragon Head: Atk 1500, Def 1600, LV 4
"Now I'll combine my X-Head Cannon with my Y-Dragon Head!" Kaiba continued, the aforementioned monsters beginning to be drawn to each other magnetically. "As I form the XY-Dragon Cannon!" A compartment on the Y-Dragon Head's back opened up and the X-Head Cannon inserted perfectly, the two monsters combining into one mighty machine.
XY-Dragon Cannon: Atk 2200, Def 1900, LV 6
"Union Monsters!" Jack said dismissively, "What an outdated archtype! I suppose they'd fit you since you're well past your time!"
"Old they may be, but they're more than enough to take you down," Kaiba countered, "Show him what I mean XY-Dragon Cannon and obliterate Exploder Dragonwing!" Jack could only watch as the Union monster unleashed a barrage of red and blue blasts that destroyed the Synchro Dragon, buffeting Jack with the holographic damage.
Jack LP: 1900
"All your bluster about power and you still can't touch me!" Kaiba said, that superior grin still on his face. "I'll end my turn."
"Then it's my move!" Jack said, drawing a card. It was his turn to smile. "And now I'll show you some true power! I activate Polymerization and send Big Piece Golem with my Medium Piece Golem from my hand to the Grave in order to Fusion Summon my Multiple Piece Golem!" The two aforementioned Golems appeared briefly above Jack's head before disappearing into a blue swirling vortex, which crackled with power before spitting out a huge monolith of a Golem. The Fusion monster landed with an earth-shaking thud in front of the former Turbo King.
Multiple Piece Golem: Atk 2600, Def 1300, LV 7
"Take out that XY-Dragon Cannon with your Rock Wrecker Attack!" Jack commanded. The Multiple Piece Golem groaned as it brought its hands together, a boulder growing within.
"I don't think so," Kaiba said suddenly. "I activate my Trap, Command Silencer!" A totem pole with speakers popped up in front of his Union monster before blaring a loud screech, causing everyone to cover their ears from the ear-piercing sound. Even a rocky creature like the Golem wasn't unaffected and he threw the boulder at the totem, crushing the Trap but missing Kaiba's monster.
"What was that?" Jack demanded over the ringing in his ears.
"My Command Silencer negated your attack, saving my XY-Dragon Cannon from harm," Kaiba explained in that superior tone of his. "And it allows me to draw one card from my Deck!"
Jack gritted his teeth in frustration. Asides from that one attack he'd made on Kaiba's Spear Dragon, he was getting completely Dueled around in this battle of pride. Still, he wasn't done yet. It was just one round. "I switch Twin-Sword Marauder to Defense mode, place one card facedown and end my turn."
"That's what I thought," Kaiba said. He drew a card and his smirk grew even wider. "Now then, time to put an end to your rock collection! I Summon Z-Metal Tank to the field in Attack mode!" A yellow caterpillar tank appeared on the field and sparks began to fly between the two monsters.
Z-Metal Tank: Atk 1500, Def 1300, LV 4
"That doesn't bode well for Jack," Luna noted calmly while Leo was beside himself with excitement.
"These two are so evenly matched!" the young boy gushed as the robots rose into the air, "I don't know who's gonna win!"
"Now to combine my Z-Metal Tank with my XY-Dragon Cannon," Kaiba began as parts began shifting on the bottom of Y-Dragon Head and on the top of Z-Metal Tank. "I give you the XYZ-Dragon Cannon!" The combined monster let out a metallic roar as it announced its presence.
XYZ-Dragon Cannon: Atk 2800, Def 2600, LV 8
"That's impressive," Akiza said, "He got all three monsters for that Dragon Cannon really quickly."
"Jack's really going to have to step his game up if he wants to hang with Kaiba," Yusei commented, then blinked. "Wow, I never thought I'd ever say that."
"It looks like this Duel is really starting to pick up," Yugi said.
"I'm not even going all out and I've got you backing into a corner," Kaiba taunted, "XYZ-Dragon Cannon, attack that Multiple Piece Golem with your Hyper Destruction attack!" The Fusion machine fired a humongous beam of destructive power that obliterated the Fusion rock monster.
Jack LP: 1700
"That's not the only monster it'll be destroying this turn," the Kaibacorp executive continued. "For now I discard one card from my hand to blow your Twin-Sword Marauder right off the field!" He placed a Magic card in the Graveyard and the XYZ-Dragon Cannon fired a second blast that destroyed Jack's other monster. "This is real power! This is what happens when you don't puff yourself up with speeches in third person! Jack Atlas, you and your so-called power is useless against the likes of me!"
"I'll make you regret those words!" Jack shouted, feeing the anger well up inside of him. "It's my turn!" His Signer mark flared with his anger as he drew a card. "I activate my Trap, Synchro Spirits! Now by removing a Synchro Monster in my Graveyard from play, I can Special Summon the materials used to Synchro Summon it! Rise up once more Dark Resonator and Power Breaker!" The two monsters appeared once more on the battlefield, eager to join the fray.
Dark Resonator: Atk 1300, Def 300, LV 3
Power Breaker: Atk 1900, Def 0, LV 4
"Next I Summon Dark Bug to the field in Attack mode!" Jack continued. A small black blocky bug appeared next to Jack's other two monsters.
Dark Bug: Atk 100, Def 100, LV 1
"It won't be around for long though," Jack said, "Nor will any of the other monsters on my field. I Tune level four Power Breaker and my level one Dark Bug with my level three Dark Resonator!" The little fiend once more turned into three stars that expanded outwards into green rings. Both of Jack's non-Tuner monsters jumped into the rings, dissolving into five more stars.
"Here we go," Yusei said.
"The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here!" Jack chanted. "Take witness to its creation shaking power!" The stars within the rings exploded into a red and black light. "Synchro Summon! My very soul! Red Dragon Archfiend!" From the light flew Jack's ace monster, which let out a roar.
Red Dragon Archfiend: Atk 3000, Def 2500, LV 8
Kaiba realized belatedly that it was one thing to be watching this monster go about its business from a distance, and it was a whole new thing to be staring down the maw of that dragon. For a moment, Kaiba wondered if this was what it was like for someone to face his Blue-Eyes White Dragons. He clamped down on this random emotion he was feeling from facing the Red Dragon Archfiend. Was it fear? It shouldn't be fear! He was Seto Kaiba! He wasn't supposed to be scared of anything, much less any Synchro Monster that Jack could pull out!
Jack noticed the waver on Kaiba's face and grinned, savoring the fear he knew Red Dragon Archfiend instilled in everybody. "When you insulted me, you insulted my Red Dragon Archfiend and it will not stand for it! Now watch my Red Dragon Archfiend burn your power away with its Absolute Power Force!" The strongest of the Signer Dragons (at least in terms of Attack points) flew forwards, balling its clawed hand into a fist. Flames danced around its form as Red Dragon Archfiend unleashed a mighty punch that struck the XYZ-Dragon Cannon in the middle, the Union monster dissolving from the sheer power of the blow. The fire from the Red Dragon Archfiend washed over Kaiba, who covered his face reflexively. When he lowered his arms, he saw Jack's own arrogant smirk on his face. Needless to say, the Kaibacorp executive was not amused.
Kaiba LP: 1900
"Did you enjoy the taste of hell's flames?" Jack asked rhetorically as he placed a card on his Duel Disk. "I activate the Magic Card Red Dragon Vase, which allows me to draw two cards from my Deck since I control Red Dragon Archfiend! Now then Kaiba, let's see what you got against my power!"
"You think a little hellfire is going to stop me?" Kaiba asked as he drew a card. "It'll take a lot more than one pathetic attack to stop me! I activate the Magic Card White Dragon Ritual! Now by discarding the Vorse Raider in my hand to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon my Paladin of White Dragon to the field in Attack mode!" A mini-version of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon appeared, a rider in white armor on its back as it took to the skies.
Paladin of White Dragon: Atk 1900, Def 1200, LV 4
Jack snorted. "As if that'll make any difference."
"It will when I activate its special ability!" Kaiba shouted as the Paladin of White Dragon soared skywards, turning into a portal of light energy. "By sacrificing my Paladin of White Dragon, I can Special Summon my Blue-Eyes White Dragon directly from my Deck!" Announcing his presence with a booming roar, the legendary dragon of old flew down from the portal and landed in front of the Kaibacorp executive.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Atk 3000, Def 2500, LV 8
Now it was Jack's turn to feel that twinge of fear. He didn't allow it to show, but he knew that taking down even a Blue-Eyes wasn't going to be that easy. His big concern was making sure he didn't get more than one on the field.
"This is your claim to power," Kaiba began, indicating the Red Dragon Archfiend, "While this is only a glimpse of my true power! However, since I used Paladin of White Dragon's ability to summon my mighty dragon, I can't attack with it. So I'll set one card facedown and end my turn." The Blue-Eyes White Dragon roared a challenge, to which the Red Dragon Archfiend responded in kind.
"Look at that!" Leo shouted as the two dragons flew into the air, circling each other warily. It was as if the ace monsters of both Duelists were squaring off. The ground seemed to shake with the power of both these dragons.
"It would seem the rivalry between these two extends to their dragons as well," Yusei commented.
"This is where the real battle begins," Akiza said simply.
The Pharaoh watched the two dragons size each other up. 'It's not often we get to see Kaiba face someone so similar to himself. Not only are they similar in personality, but their dragons have identical stats. Either way, we're in for a long battle.'
"And not just because it's a stalemate either," Yugi said to the Pharaoh.
"My turn then!" Jack declared, drawing a card. 'I can't summon any monsters to attack Kaiba unless I want to sacrifice Red Dragon Archfiend to take out his Blue-Eyes White Dragon, but there's no way I'd give that up. However, I have the cards in my hand that can overcome any Blue-Eyes White Dragon.' Out loud, he made his move. "I place two cards face down and end my turn. Time to see just how well you can strategize Kaiba. Your move."
"I've been practicing the art of strategy ever since I was adopted by Gozaburo," Kaiba said bitterly, childhood memories coming to the back of his mind. "It'll be more than enough to handle whatever your pitiful combo is. I draw!" He looked at the card he drew and closed his eyes. "It'll have to do. I place one card facedown and end my turn."
"As if your outdated facedowns could be enough to stop my power!" Jack declared. "It's my turn!" He pressed a button on his Duel Disk. "And I activate my Trap card, Rule of Power! This prevents Red Dragon Archfiend from being destroyed in battle by a monster with an equal or lower level to it until the End Phase of my turn!" Flames began to churn around the Red Dragon Archfiend, signifying his new power. "And since our dragons are both level eight, that means my Red Dragon Archfiend won't go down when he attacks your Blue-Eyes White Dragon! Red Dragon Archfiend, attack that dragon with Absolute Power Force!" The demonic dragon roared a challenge as he reared his fist back in preparation to strike. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon roared a response as the two dragons flew towards one another in preparation for a clash.
"You activated my Trap card!" Kaiba declared. "Negate Attack! This stops your attack and ends the Battle Phase outright." The two powerful dragons were about to lock claws when an invisible force suddenly yanked the dragons apart, stopping their battle before it could even begin. "My cards may be old for this time, but they're more than enough to stop your pathetic strategy."
"You stopped me for one turn. So what?" Jack scoffed. "I'll end my turn!"
"My draw then!" Kaiba said, plucking the card from the top of his Deck. "I activate the Equip Magic Card Dragon's Treasure, which'll give my Blue-Eyes White Dragon an extra 300 Attack and Defense points!" A green gem flashed above the legendary dragon before being absorbed into the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, causing a blue aura to appear around the dragon.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Atk 3300, Def 2800
"Here we go," Leo said eagerly, "This is gonna be epic!"
"Blue-Eyes White Dragon, destroy his dragon with your Burst Stream of Destruction!" Kaiba ordered. His favorite monster roared as it gathered energy in its mouth, the dangerous glow of light blue energy lighting up the battlefield.
"I play my Trap!" Jack said quickly, "De-Synchro! Now I split my Red Dragon Archfiend into the Monster's I originally used to Synchro Summon it, so now I bring back to the field my Dark Resonator, Power Breaker, and Dark Bug to the field in Defense mode!" The Red Dragon Archfiend transformed into three balls of red light that formed into the original Synchro Materials.
Dark Resonator: Atk 1300, Def 300, LV 3
Power Breaker: Atk 1900, Def 0, LV 4
Dark Bug: Atk 100, Def 100, LV 1
"So you sacrificed your Red Dragon Archfiend to build a solid defense," Kaiba noted, "I'll crush it like my Blue-Eyes is about to crush your Power Breaker! Go Burst Stream of Destruction!" The Blue-Eyes White Dragon fired a powerful beam of pure energy that completely consumed Power Breaker. Jack could feel the power behind that blast. Kaiba chuckled. "You may have saved your Life Points for now, but your dragon is gone and without it you're helpless! I end my turn!"
Jack had a dangerous look in his eye as he drew a card. "Kaiba, you just helped me out. I summon Booster Dragon to the field in Attack mode!" A miniature version of Red Dragon Archfiend appeared, looking less fierce than its fully grown counterpart, but still a tough customer nonetheless.
Booster Dragon: Atk 1600, Def 1000, LV 4
"And now that he's on the field, I'm going to Tune my level four Booster Dragon and my level one Dark Bug with my level three Dark Resonator to Synchro Summon my Red Dragon Archfiend once more!" Jack continued. "Behold, in an inferno of power and might, a blazing new beast is now forged!" Dark Resonator once more turned into three stars that expanded out into three green rings. Booster Dragon and Dark Bug flew into the rings and dissolved into five more stars. Those stars aligned in the rings once more and erupted into a column of black and red flames. "Synchro Summon! My very soul! Red Dragon Archfiend!" Just like before, the Red Dragon Archfiend flew out of the flames, ready to do battle once more.
Red Dragon Archfiend: Atk 3000, Def 2500, LV 8
"It's still weaker than my Blue-Eyes," Kaiba pointed out, "Your Synchro Summon did nothing!"
"On the contrary," Jack countered, "It did everything! Booster Dragon's special ability now activates! Whenever he's used for a Synchro Summon, the new Synchro Monster gains 500 Attack points!" A red aura appeared around Red Dragon Archfiend, who roared as he felt the new power coursing through his veins.
Red Dragon Archfiend: Atk 3500
"Nice one Jack," Yusei said, "That's one way to overcome that power."
"Go Red Dragon Archfiend! Attack with Absolute Power Force and send it off to hell!" Jack shouted. "Show him that you are the only dragon worthy of being the ruler of dragons!" His ace monster flew into the air, flames gathering around his claws again. The Blue-Eyes White Dragon flew up to meet the Red Dragon Archfiend and the two dragons collided in midair, clawing, kicking, and biting at one another. While Blue-Eyes put up a good fight, it was overwhelmed by the Red Dragon Archfiend, who threw the legendary dragon towards the ground, punching Blue-Eyes with flaming fists of fury and destroying Kaiba's favorite monster.
Kaiba LP: 1900
"I place one card facedown and end my turn!" Jack said confidently. "And feel free to surrender whenever you've had enough."
Satellite Highway
Dani started, which Crow felt as they sped down the road. He glanced back, concerned. "What's up?"
"I dunno," she answered, sounding a little confused over the headset. "It felt like a Blue-Eyes White Dragon was just destroyed, and it didn't feel good."
"That's weird," Crow said simply. "You think Kaiba's Dueling somebody? It isn't someone from the Chaos Movement, otherwise my Mark would be telling me that. Although, Jack's Dueling someone right now as well. You don't think…"
The female Blue-Eyes Duelist nodded. "I wouldn't be surprised if Jack and Kaiba were Dueling. They can't get out of the way of their own egos."
Crow laughed at that. "You got that right. Let's see if we can catch the tail end of their Duel." He revved the motor and sped up. "We aren't that far away now!"
"Just don't crash," Dani said simply, hanging on tight. She still wasn't totally used to such high speeds yet, but so long as Crow lived up to his reputation as an expert Rider, she trusted him behind the wheel.
Satellite High Rise
Kaiba glared at Jack, blue eyes boring into purple. He then started to laugh. It was the sort of laugh that was going to make anyone, even the most confident of individuals hesitate. "Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha! You think that you've beaten me just because you've taken down one Blue-Eyes? While it is indeed impressive that you managed to beat one of my Blue-Eyes White Dragons, you have not beaten me yet! My draw!" He looked at the card he drew and his grin only grew that much more insidious.
"Looks like Kaiba's got a plan," Yugi said, "I wonder how Jack's going to weather the storm."
"We're about to find out," Yusei said.
"I place one card facedown," Kaiba began, playing the second to last card in his hand facedown. "And then activate the Magic Card, Card of Demise! Now I get to draw until I have five cards in my hand, but if I don't use them in five turns, I lose them in five turns!" He drew until he held five new cards in his hand.
"Draw all the cards you want; they won't help you!" Jack said confidently. "Not while I have Red Dragon Archfiend on the field! He'll burn away any defense you might try to set up!"
"Who said anything about cowering behind a defense?" Kaiba asked. "I activate the magic of Monster Reborn and revive my Blue-Eyes White Dragon from the Graveyard!" A portal opened up on the ground and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon flew up out of the portal, roaring jubilantly at its return.
Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Atk 3000, Def 2500, LV 8
"You think that pathetic dragon is going to be a threat to my Red Dragon Archfiend?!" Jack asked, holding back a laugh. "It can't stand up to his overwhelming power!"
"Not on his own, no," Kaiba agreed, "But I don't use just one Blue-Eyes White Dragon. I have three with which to take you down!"
"You can't mean," Jack began, sensing Kaiba's implications.
"I do!" Kaiba announced, "I activate my own Polymerization and send the Blue-Eyes on my field as well as the two in my hand to the Graveyard in order to bring forth the ultimate dragon! Alone, they are a legendary engine of destruction. Combined into one, they become an unstoppable force that you cannot hope to defeat!" Three Blue-Eyes White Dragons flew high into the sky, disappearing into a swirling vortex that crackled with white lightning.
"And that is why Kaiba is a master of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon," Yugi said sagely as the lightning struck the ground around the Kaibacorp executive a few times.
"I Fusion Summon the Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" Kaiba shouted triumphantly as the three headed Blue-Eyes appeared from the vortex, descending from the heavens and exuding so much raw power that both Jack and the Red Dragon Archfiend were buffeted by the mere winds caused by its wing flaps.
Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon: Atk 4500, Def 3800, LV 12
"Dani's going to be so mad when she finds out she missed the Summoning of this dragon!" Leo said, eyes wide as he watched the Duel.
"I'm more worried about how Jack's going to stop such a powerful monster," Luna said.
"But in order to show you just how powerless you are compared to me, I'm going to sacrifice my Ultimate Dragon in order to bring forth an even mightier dragon!" Kaiba continued. "You talked about your Red Dragon Archfiend holding overwhelming power. Then I shall just use a monster that has a power beyond overwhelming power!" Cracks began to form in the Ultimate Dragon's scales, brilliant blue light beginning to leak out.
"You're sacrificing your ultimate monster?!" Jack asked. He hadn't been around for Kaiba's Duel against Draco, and he had never heard of a monster that required the sacrifice of a Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon.
"An unrivaled power releases its emotions to return as a shining force!" Kaiba said as the cracks deepened within the Ultimate Dragon.
"Kaiba's really not holding anything back, now is he?" Yugi asked nobody in particular.
'He's normally not this serious unless he's facing us,' Yami said. 'Maybe he's recognized Jack as a true rival and is going all out.'
"I Special Summon the all-powerful Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon!" Kaiba shouted. "HA HA HA HA HA! This is the end for you Jack!" The Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon finally shattered, engulfing the entire duel area in a blinding light. Everyone covered their eyes to avoid having their eyes seared by the brilliant light.
Satellite Highway
"Look, up there!" Dani shouted as a brilliant light seemed to erupt in front of them.
"Looks like something big is happening!" Crow exclaimed. He heard Dani gasp and felt her tense up. "What is it?" He squinted to try and see what was in that light, but it was too bright for him.
The female Blue-Eyes Duelist had no problems seeing through that light and she saw just what the monster that was descending was. "Oh my God…"
"What is it?!" Crow was mildly irritated that she could see something he couldn't.
"Just hurry up and get back to Yusei and the others!" Dani said quickly. "I do not want to miss this!" Her bright blue eyes were wide in awe as she watched the dragon descend.
Satellite High Rise
Jack cracked his eyes open to try and see just what it was Kaiba was summoning, but all he could make out was a pair of burning blue eyes, eyes that sent a chill down his spine. "What is this monster?!" He had to cover his eyes once more to protect them from the shining light.
"This is the Blue-Eyes that will put you in your place!" Kaiba declared as the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon's form was silhouetted in the light. The Kaibacorp executive could see through the light just fine and he watched with pride as his best monster descended. It wasn't often he had to pull out all the stops. Sure, Draco forced him to his Shining Dragon, but he used it to make a point more than out of necessity. Here, he had decided, that Jack was truly worthy of facing the best Blue-Eyes card of all time. "Tremble in despair of my Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon!" At long last, the light faded and the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon could be seen by all. While it was smaller than the Ultimate Dragon it had replaced, the sheer aura it projected told everyone that it was definitely a mightier dragon than the Ultimate. Armless, it may be, but the metallic version of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon spread its wings and howled a battle cry to the skies, sending a small shock wave of pure power across the battlefield.
Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon: Atk 3000, Def 2500, LV 10
"No matter how many times I see that Dragon, I can't help but be awed by it," Yugi commented.
Jack nearly laughed with relief when he saw how many attack points this new dragon had. For all of the flare and fireworks that had come with this Summoning, the fact that the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon couldn't even overpower his Red Dragon Archfiend now that it had powered up was laughable at best. "Where is this power beyond my overwhelming power that you spoke of? You think you can take me on with a monster that has a mere 3000 Attack points?! Don't make me laugh!"
"My Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon has a special ability, one that will extend his power far beyond the likes of yours!" Kaiba said simply, that look of triumph on his face. "He gains 300 Attack points for every dragon in my Graveyard. With Spear Dragon, Paladin of White Dragon, three Blue-Eyes White Dragons, and my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon in the Graveyard, that's 1800 right off the bat!" The ghostly images of the six dragons flashed above the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon, who roared as it absorbed their power.
Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon: Atk 4800
"No way!" Jack was astonished. "But how?"
"This is the ultimate power!" Kaiba shouted. "This is what happens when you face someone with true pride and power! Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon! Attack his pathetic Red Dragon Archfiend now! Shining Nova Burst Stream!" The ultimate form of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon opened its maw, shining blue energy charging in its mouth.
"I play a Trap!" Jack shouted, "Synchro Blast Wave! Now for every Synchro Monster I control, I can destroy one monster on your side of the field! Your Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon is history!" The Trap unleashed a beam of green energy that struck the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon on the chest and exploded, shrouding the dragon in smoke. "You're wide open for me to finish you off next round!"
"Is that what you think?" Kaiba asked without an ounce of worry in his tone. A light blue aura pushed the smoke away, revealing the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon still intact and still charging its attack. "My Blue-Eyes Shining Diffusion prevents him from being destroyed by your Magic, Trap, and Monster effects! The only way to defeat my Blue-Eyes is in battle, and your Red Dragon Archfiend does not come close to the power needed to even scratch my Shining Dragon! Now go! Shining Nova!" The Shining Dragon fired its attack, the sheer size of it dwarfing the size of Red Dragon Archfiend. The servant of the Crimson Dragon roared in pain as it tried to fight off the attack before disintegrating under the assault. Jack felt the power of the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon wash over him, and even though it was holographic images, he could tell that this was a dragon that was not to be trifled with. If this battle had involved real monsters like he had been doing against the Chaos Movement, Jack knew that he would've been in for some serious pain.
Jack LP: 400
"That's right!" Kaiba gloated, "Your so-called overwhelming power has been vanquished! I set one card facedown and end my turn!"
"How can Jack beat a monster that powerful?" Akiza asked, awed by the power of the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon.
"There are only two monsters I've seen Jack use that could possibly take down that Shining Dragon," Yusei answered, "And I don't know how he's going to summon that second dragon."
"You think you've won?" Jack asked as he straightened up, the Mark of the Crimson Dragon flaring brightly. "My Burning Soul won't be vanquished that easily! I may only have 400 Life Points left, but that's more than enough to take you down! For while you have your Shining Dragon, I have my bonds with my friends, and no dragon will shatter that!" The Wings Mark of the Crimson Dragon flared even brighter.
Yusei looked at his own Mark, which was glowing brightly. "Jack…if you need our help then take it!" He held his arm up as the Mark of the Crimson Dragon flared and vanished. The same thing happened to the Marks on Akiza and Luna's arms.
Satellite Highway
Crow watched the Tail Mark on his arm flare and disappear. "Well Dani, looks like Jack needs our help in beating Kaiba."
The female Blue-Eyes Duelist grinned. "Of course he would need help against the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon! Are we almost there?"
"Just a few more minutes!" Crow answered, looking at his Runner's screen and the dot that indicated Yusei's location. Not far now.
Satellite High Rise
Jack felt the Mark of the Crimson Dragon appear on his back while the top card of his Deck began to glow golden. "Now then Kaiba, allow me to demonstrate my power! It's my turn!" He drew the card from his Deck and played the other card in his hand. "I activate the Magic card Demon Thief, which allows me to use a Magic card from my opponent's Graveyard, and I'm choosing your Card of Demise, which allows me to draw until I hold five cards in my hand!" He drew four cards from his Deck while Kaiba rolled his eyes.
"You don't have to explain to me what my own cards do," the Kaibacorp executive said dismissively. "And all the cards in the world won't stop my Shining Dragon! It's power rivals that of the gods!"
"That may be, but I have all the cards I need to beat you!" Jack declared. "Now by sending a monster from my hand to the Graveyard, a monster like my Dread Dragon, I can Special Summon Power Giant to the field in Attack mode!" A large golem made of various colored crystals appeared, fists ready to do battle.
Power Giant: Atk 2200, Def 0, LV 6
"The only stipulation with using that ability is that I must lower Power Giant's level by the level of the monster I discarded," Jack explained. "Since Dread Dragon's level was two, Power Giant's level now becomes four!"
Power Giant: LV 4
"Next I activate the Spell card One for One!" Jack continued, the Magic card flipping up on the field. "By sending the Dark Blade in my hand to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon Battle Fader directly from my hand!" As the odd little clock-like creature appeared, Jack grinned as he pressed a button on his Duel Disk, activating another facedown. After this play, he was only going to have one facedown left, and that was only for dire situations.
Battle Fader: Atk 0, Def 0 LV 1
"Next I activate my Trap, Reincarnation Ring! By sacrificing my level four Power Giant, I can Special Summon a level eight monster from my Graveyard!" the Wings Signer shouted. "Return to me, my very soul! Red Dragon Archfiend!" Power Giant was consumed by black and red fire, which rose up into a blazing inferno. The demonic Synchro monster flew out of the flames and roared, signaling it was back.
Red Dragon Archfiend: Atk 3000, Def 2500, LV 8
The Mark of the Crimson Dragon on Jack's back flared brightly. He held up the glowing golden card in his hand, the last one he had to play. "Now I Summon to the field the Majestic Dragon!"
"I think Jack might pull this one off!" Yusei said with a grin as the pink little dragon appeared. There was a roar from a Duel Runner and Yusei turned to see the Blackbird come screeching to a halt next to his Duel Runner. Crow had a huge grin on his face, while Dani seemed to only have eyes for the dragon on the field.
Majestic Dragon: Atk 0, Def 0, LV 1
"So, what'd I miss?" Crow asked.
"Jack and Kaiba being Jack and Kaiba," Yusei said as he indicated the Duel, "Though it looks like Jack's about to win this round."
"Majestic Dragon?" Dani looked at the pink dragon curiously. It intrigued her, given her affinity for dragons. She felt the power that the little Tuner Dragon could unleash. She took the black helmet she'd borrowed from Crow for the ride off and shook out her braid.
"I think you'll like what that dragon can help create," Crow said, nudging her in the side. "Just watch."
"Now it's time to Synchro Summon your demise!" Jack shouted. "I Tune my level eight Red Dragon Archfiend and my level one Battle Fader with my level one Majestic Dragon!" The Majestic Dragon began to swell, engulfing both Red Dragon Archfiend and the Battle Fader, which dissolved into nine gleaming stars. Jack began to chant. "A lone single polished light, become the true high-ruler and illuminate the earth! Shine your light!" Fire began to froth around the Majestic Dragon as the stars grew in power.
"Whoa, too cool!" Leo shouted as the Synchro Summon commenced.
"Synchro Summon!" the former Turbo King yelled. "the great soul, Majestic Red Dragon!" The flames died to revealed the four-winged Majestic Red Dragon, fire circling its form as the Majestic Red Dragon announced its entrance to the Duel with a roar.
Majestic Red Dragon: Atk 4000, Def 3000, LV 10
"Whoa," was all Dani said as the new dragon took to the skies. "That's….incredible." She looked from the Majestic Red Dragon to the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon. "Looks like neither one is holding anything back."
"Leave it to those two to Duel each other when we got the Chaos Movement to worry about," Crow commented dryly. "Not like we've got the end of the world, or whatever those idiots have planned to deal with."
Kaiba took in this new monster with a grin. "4000 Attack points is pretty impressive, I'll admit, but not enough to take down my Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon!"
"Oh it's more than enough to take down your dragon," Jack countered, "Because my Majestic Red Dragon can negate the ability of your Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon and take its Attack points for itself! Go Power Gain!" The Majestic Signer Dragon roared and fired a translucent beam of energy that surrounded the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon. The mightiest of Blue-Eyes White Dragons roared and flared its blue aura as it tried to fight against the power, but it was too much, even for the Shining Dragon. The blue aura was sucked up into the Majestic Red Dragon, who growled as it felt the new power within.
Majestic Red Dragon: Atk 7000
Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon: Atk 3000
Kaiba's eyes grew wide as he realized what this meant. "Impossible!"
"Oh it's very possible Kaiba," Jack countered, "And Majestic Red Dragon can't be affected by Spells or Traps or Monster Effects. This Duel is over! Majestic Red Dragon, attack the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon with your Ultimate Power Force!" The Majestic Red Dragon unleashed a roar that shook the entire high rise before rising into the air, flames swirling about its form as it prepared to attack
"I still have one facedown left to play!" Kaiba shouted. "Reverse of Reverse!"
"Your Trap is useless against my dragon!" Jack countered.
"Maybe not," Kaiba admitted, "But it allows me to take control of your facedown card and use it as my own!"
Jack's eyes grew wide as he realized what that meant. "No!" Victory was about to be snatched away from him all because he had to play that facedown.
"I take it that means your facedown is pretty devastating," Kaiba said with a grin as the trap flipped up. "Shockwave, huh? So be it. I will not be bested by the likes of you, Jack Atlas! I activate Shockwave and use its effect on my Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon!"
"But that means that they'll lose all of their Life Points at the same time!" Leo shouted.
"Mutually assured destruction," Akiza said simply.
"Go Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon!" Kaiba shouted as blue aura appeared around the ultimate Blue-Eyes White Dragon. "End this Duel with your Shining Nova!" The aura around the Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon turned into flames as it flew into the sky to meet the incoming Majestic Red Dragon. It was a sight to see, the two dragons flying towards each other, one cloaked in red flames, the other in blue. The collision was spectacular. Blue and red flames flew every which way as both dragons were destroyed in the mighty explosion. The fire washed over both Jack and Kaiba, who both had looks of frustration on their faces. This was not how either one wanted it to end, and yet it was.
Jack LP: 0 Kaiba LP: 0
"So nobody won then?" Luna asked quietly.
"That was amazing!" Leo shouted as the flames died down. "First Jack was like 'This Duel is mine,' then Seto was like 'No it's mine!' and the dragons were all like 'roooar' and, and, that was totally wicked!" The young boy was overflowing with excitement after such a spectacular Duel.
"You got lucky Kaiba," Jack growled, "I never should have placed that facedown."
"Luck had nothing to do with it," Kaiba shot back. "I should've never given you the chance to summon that Majestic monster in the first place. My Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon is the best Blue-Eyes card there is!" Dani glanced nervously at her Deck, wondering when she should show Kaiba the new cards she got, if at all. The argument would've continued had Yusei not stepped between the two again.
"Guys, you can have a rematch later," Yusei said, "plan out strategies or something, but stop fighting amongst yourselves. We have bigger things to take care of."
"I'm not worried about the Chaos Movement," Kaiba said dismissively, "They're just a bunch of clowns waiting to be put in their place!"
"You would say that, wouldn't you Kaiba?" a strong female voice rang out, getting everyone's attention. Black flames sprang up around the group as a black Duel Runner came flying down the highway. "But then again, that's what they're saying at HQ about you and the rest of the Signers." The woman glared out at Yusei from under her silver and black helmet. The heavy black eye shadow made her face that much more intimidating, as well as her outfit. Black jeans, black trench coat, dark grey tank top, black and grey combat boots, the whole aura this woman gave off just felt cold. Like the cold heart of-
"Vengeance?" Crow said quizzically, noticing the black kanji in the sky. "I don't remember any kanji like that from yesterday."
"That's because I wasn't in the Satellite yesterday," the woman explained coldly, "The Master has called me back to this time to take you down Yusei Fudo! Duel me!"
"And why me?" Yusei asked suspiciously. "Who are you?"
"Because you are the best Turbo Duelist you Signers have," the woman answered, a grim smile on her face. "And since Thomas is currently indisposed at the moment, I will be your opponent as I am the next best Turbo Duelist available! Win, and the Master just might let you face him."
"Any chance to take down the Master is a chance I have to take," Yusei said, striding over to his Runner and putting his red helmet on. "You're on, whoever you are." He activated his Runner as the woman drove off, the flames forming a Turbo lane down the highway. Yusei soon followed, zooming along the highway as he strove to catch up. He had to find the Master's location so he could put a stop to all this chaos.
Got this chapter done pretty quickly compared to previous chapters, which I like. However, the college semester is starting up again, so bear with me as I try to finish off my degree at Towson!
I wish to give a shout out to Raizen Yusuke, who also had a spectacular Jack vs Kaiba duel in his abandoned story (at least I'm assuming it's abandoned since it hasn't been updated in over 4 years), Yugioh! The Crisis of Time and Space, the other large story in this crossover category. I borrowed the beginning of the duel from his story, so I cannot claim credit for that. The ending, with Majestic Red Dragon is all mine though. I hope I did my part of this Jack vs Kaiba duel justice. Also, DanixCrow is officially a thing. It has been in the beginning for me, ever since I realized Crow didn't get a girl by the end of 5Ds, so I figured why not give our favorite Blackwing Duelist a love interest. Yusei has Akiza, Jack has Carly, why not Crow too? So yeah, while shippings aren't the biggest part of the story, they're still gonna play a part. Regardless, hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
While we're on the topic of shippings, our question for the chapter is as follows: Which shipping in Yugioh did you enjoy the most, out of those that were implied in the anime? Obviously they weren't going to focus on romance when they have card games to showcase, but still, we could see it whenever Tea looked at Yami, or Akiza and Yusei, the biggest expletive deleted tease EVER! Also, which Yugi shipping did you prefer, Yugi with Rebecca or Tea with Atem? Let me know what you guys think!
Response to Guest Reviews (in order with which they reviewed)
Arthogawa: First off, thank you for the well thought out and lengthy review. Those are my favorite kinds of reviews to read, and I'll be honest, your review was a motivator in me getting this next chapter out quickly in order to respond to your review. So thank you again for the review. Now for the response;
I know that Kaiba and Yugi have some pretty powerful cards, Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon getting the spotlight in this chapter, Sorcerer of Dark Magic way back earlier in the story, and so on. In terms of raw power, yeah, the Signers are a tad outclassed without the later evolutions of Shooting Star and Red Nova. I'm trying to keep their relative power levels the same, as evidenced by the draw between Kaiba and Jack in this very chapter as well as the new Majestic dragons I gave Akiza and Luna. I will say that Yusei will not be able to beat the Master without Yugi, and vice versa, so there's that epic (and needed) team up for the climax waiting in the wings. We'll see Yusei and Yugi team up twice before the final battle against the Master, so I'll let the hype build for that. Got a new chaos deck for the Master that'll make his 'meta' deck seem tame.
The whole concept of Accel Synchro is a tricky one to pull off if there aren't Turbo Duels available. I want to make that Summon as epic as possible, but if it's not possible in a ground duel, then I can't really do it, now can I? MrMasterplan had a brilliant idea about using Accel Synchron, which I really like, but I'm honestly not sure how to fit Accel Synchro into this story since Bruno isn't around yet to teach Yusei about it, not to mention there's no motivation to learn Accel Synchro since the Mechlord Emperors haven't made themselves known yet either.
When I made the foreshadowing by the Master, he was referring to Yugi and Yami as one person, ala Pegasus calling him little Yugi like the flamboyant creator he was. My apologies for not being clear, hehe. As for who they'll be teaming up against, well, you'll see soon enough.
The Master is a powerful fellow, and he sees many futures. So he'll be pushing to get to the future he wants, the one where Yusei dies, and be doing anything he can to make it happen. Expect time shenanigans guys. As for poor Thomas, well, he views Thomas as an experiment of sorts, and is trying to push his buttons to get the reaction he wants. Draco was spared for now, in order to unleash the full power of the Dragon Rulers on the next person he Duels. The Master knows their potential. He likes to mess with his minions. He's a crazy fellow, but not one to be messed with.
Time reset? Haha! This timeline is screwed with enough as is! This is a pseudo AU, where I have basically created Yugioh 5D's season 1.5, but I have plans to explore this new timeline of 5D's after the events of Chaos Unleashed. Glad you're enjoying the Crow/Dani shenanigans. Thank you again for your wonderful review and I hope to hear from you in future chapters!
Guest 2: Glad you enjoyed the chapter!
Hunter: We got a glimpse of what was going on back with the Joey flashback chapter, though at this point Joey and Mai are just chasing the Chaos Movement grunts trying to figure out what the heck was going on. When I created this story, I had planned to spend the entire time in the 5D's era. I should've brought Joey along, but that's a mistake learned for a future fanfic. If you're asking about Pendulum Summoning, well, wait and see my friend.
Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Reviews are always welcome, as is any and all respectful criticism. As an author, I'm always looking to improve and I like hearing your thoughts about the chapter.
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Until the next chapter my friends!
From your Nutty Buddy,
The Eagle Nut