I know it's been a while, trust me when I say that I wish I could get these chapters out sooner. My editor has been dealing with depression lately, as such he took longer than I'd have hoped in fixing some errors. Please keep him in your prayers/well wishes, as depression is a serious issue. Now then, let's get on with the beginning of the climax of this exciting story, shall we?
The Master: The following is a non-profit fan-based fanfiction. Yugioh, Yugioh GX, Yugioh 5Ds, Yugioh ZEXAL, Yugioh ARC-V, and Yugioh VRAINS are all owned by Konami, 4Kids Entertainment, Toei Animation and Kazuki Takahashi! Please support the official release! AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAA!
Chapter 39: Chaos Unleashed!
New Domino City
Vice Director Lazar was swamped with paperwork. He had always preferred being the Vice Director for a reason. Goodwin could handle all the technical stuff while he preferred to be more hands on. It was the fun part of being a minion. Now that Goodwin was gone, he was the man in charge, at least until the new Director was sent from Tokyo. Lazar hated it!
His intercom buzzed. The smooth female voice of his secretary reached Lazar's ears. "Vice Director, Officer Trudge is here to see you."
"Tell him he better make it quick!" the clown-like short man snapped, scribbling his signature on yet another piece of trivial paperwork that would keep New Domino City properly funded. At this rate, he was going to miss Kaoru's piano recital, one of Mozart's masterpieces given the few times he'd heard his son practicing. Lazar hated missing his son's piano recitals.
The voice of Officer Trudge got him to look up. He hadn't heard him come in. "Vice Director? I have a request, one that I'd prefer to be kept off the books."
Lazar was intrigued as he paused in the mountain of paperwork. Someone like Officer Trudge was asking for off the books favors. This could be interesting. "And just what is it that you want Officer Trudge? Someone annoying you that you want removed quietly? Though if this is another shot at taking on Yusei Fudo, then I'm going to have to stop you right here. You had your chance against him, several chances in fact, and failed rather spectacularly."
Trudge scowled. "This isn't an attempt to settle an old score." He glanced out the window. "Can't you feel it? Something's coming from the Satellite, something bad."
"Yes, yes, I've heard of some Duelists trying to recreate what the Dark Signers did, symbols in the sky and fire walls popping up out of nowhere," Lazar said dismissively. "And last month it was the fireworks show somebody let off to celebrate a little Satellite tourney. What about this little event that some Satellite cooked up has you so wired that you're asking me for a favor?!" The Vice Director waved his hand at the stack of papers on his Deck. "I have to fill out all these forms in triplicate and then that's just to have the chance for them to be approved by Tokyo! I don't have time for some gut feeling you had just because you had a bad burrito at lunch!"
"I had a burger for lunch, thank you very much," Trudge muttered before shaking his head. "That's why I want it off the books. If I'm wrong, I owe you a big-time favor."
"You work for me, I could ask anything of you at any time," Lazar pointed out cheekily. He liked seeing his underlings squirm.
Trudge sighed but took it in stride. "I'm not asking for a huge squadron, the likes of which Director Goodwin liked to take everywhere. Just five of your best men at most, I want to see what's wrong in the Satellite."
"Fine fine fine," Lazar said, frowning as he turned over one form to realize that there was more paperwork on the other side. "Take Delta Squad then. Just know that this is coming out of your paycheck."
Trudge shrugged. "It'll be worth it if my hunch is right, even if I really hope it's wrong."
Chaos Movement HQ, Duel Room A
Bario glanced up as he heard a sound. He'd been in a meditation of sorts, preparing himself for battle and yet he remained vigilant, ever watchful for any incoming foes. It had taken years to perfect such a technique, and it had served him well. "It would appear someone has been diverted our way."
His Dueling accomplice grinned at the thought. "Finally, some action! I've been itching to go again since Yusei took me out in my own arena!"
"Then perhaps you shall be the first to battle our challenger," Bario said coldly, "Allowing me to see our opponent's strategies should you fall."
Julius Octavius gave the Frigid Barricade an affectionate punch on the shoulder, metal gauntlet clanking off Bario's cold armor. "Like I'm going to lose."
"We shall see," Bario said, glancing around at their surroundings. His frozen side was receding, just as he was shrinking into the shadows, allowing the sandy field of a Roman Gladiator arena to dominate the room. It was simple enough, for whoever was thrust into this field would be in for the fight of their lives. Several torches lit up along the walls, providing a meager firelight for the arena.
Julius rolled his eyes. "Come now Bario, you really think a few torches will be worthy of a spectacle of what I'm about to put on? I may look the part of a gladiator, but I know how to modernize!" The large man snapped his fingers and several spotlights lit up the arena, brightening up the room considerably. One spotlight shone on Julius, light bouncing off his polished armor as he armed his Duel Disk. The other spotlight shone on a slide that emptied onto the sandy arena floor, awaiting their challenger. "Now this is more like it!"
Bario scowled. "Don't let your need for the spotlight cloud your ability to Duel." He faded into the shadows, eyes watching like a hawk. The Frigid Guardian was on watch.
Julius laughed as he drew his Duel Disk. "If anything, the spotlight will help me focus even more. But don't you worry, for I will handle whoever it is easily enough."
Chaos Movement HQ, Duel Room B
Melissa squirmed a little in their spartan room. Matthias had insisted on ensuring the décor of the room wouldn't mess with his calculations, and as such she wasn't allowed any space for theming with her new Insect Deck. The cleanliness, the hum of the machines throughout the room, the overall coldness the room exuded was not for one such as her. She preferred the freedom of nature, especially the feel of the grass and leaves under her bare feet. She would have time for that after this final battle. One Signer had fallen, according to the Master, and perhaps another would fall here. With Matthias to back her up, she was confident they could take on whoever emerged from the slide in front of them.
The cyborg's smooth baritone voice startled her out of her reverie. "You are nervous. Your heartrate is elevated and your breath shallow. You need to control yourself or you will not last long against our incoming foe." He watched her adjust her large glasses out of nervous habit. Why the Master had deigned to give him this nature lover of a woman as a Dueling partner was beyond him. He needed someone who could work well with his cold mentality like Bario or Kuno or one who synergized with his Deck like Mika. His poor apprentice, now standing in the Master's chambers, awaiting a command. If he'd had the emotional capacity for it, he might have felt pity for her.
The Insect Duelist took a deep breath, trying to stabilize her feelings. "Matthias, you know that an environment such as this makes me uncomfortable."
"This room is a product of humanity's inevitable evolution," Matthias retorted. "Your affinity for nature means nothing in Duels that will alter the fate of the world."
"Since these Duels are of such importance, I'd have thought you'd have allowed me to be comfortable in my surroundings," Melissa countered.
"You will adapt. Or you will perish," Matthias stated flatly. "Now prepare yourself, our opponent approaches."
Chaos Movement HQ, Duel Room C
Kuno watched her Duel partner go through an attacking kata with his sword. Alex Bushido had always intrigued her, with his adherence to the old samurai ways. It worked well with his Six Samurai monsters, but she had always believed it had held him back, if ever so slightly. As a disciple of the shadows, she had no time for frivolous things like the warrior code. She was a practical woman. Perhaps that was why she had been assigned to work with young Bushido. Her sharp grey eyes narrowed as the ninja woman saw Alex's strikes slow just slightly as he continued his attack.
With a final slash, the samurai sheathed his katana and relaxed. "It would appear the time for exercise is over."
"Your footwork needs improvement," Kuno told him bluntly.
"That's always been my problem," Alex admitted, standing next to her. Kuno Ichi was by no means a short woman, but Alex stood a full foot and a half taller than her, forcing Kuno to look up to meet his sharp green eyes. "And yes, I've heard it all before, I'm sure you have a half dozen ways to mess me up through my footwork. That is why I practice."
Kuno nodded. "At least you acknowledge your shortcomings. Thankfully, we shall not need footwork for our Duel." A ping on her wrist told her what she needed to know. She armed her Duel Disk, a motion mirrored by Alex. "Our opponent draws near."
Chaos Movement HQ, Duel Room D
Allana sulked at the base of one of her trees. Thomas didn't seem happy with her enlightenment. Draco wouldn't let her get close. She needed action, she didn't care what kind. The dark power within her needed an outlet. She wondered who they were about to face. Yugi and Yusei were the Master's prey, and she did not envy them one bit. The newly anointed Lady of Twilight thought about her possible opponents. Jack Atlas would be fun. His Red Dragon Archfiend didn't stand a chance against her own Dragon, and she wouldn't give him the chance to bring out the Majestic Red Dragon or that Red Nova Dragon he'd brought out against Draco. Facing Kaiba's Dragons of light would also be of great amusement to her. Allana didn't really care for whoever she and Draco were about to face, they were going to get crushed. With light and darkness working together, backed by the power of dragons, none could stand against them!
"Our opponents are on their way," Draco announced suddenly, glancing at the ceiling. The lava pool nearby bubbled as if in anticipation.
Allana giggled excitedly. "Finally! I thought the Signers would never arrive!" Her multicolored eyes looked where their opponents would be deposited from the Master's elevator trap, a manic look within those orbs.
Draco glanced over at her warily. With her new demeanor, Dueling with her at his side seemed a risky proposition. "Just be sure to focus on our opponents. I do not want to waste any resources defending myself from your recklessness."
"Oh Draco," Allana cooed sweetly, "If you get stung, it is because the chaos willed it. We can't control it, we just need to let it do as it pleases."
Draco glanced at her. Her body language was entirely different from the Allana he'd known. It was…eerie. He would have to be wary of Allana, a thought he'd never considered before. Still, at least he knew that she was going to be reckless and as such would be suitably prepared for her Judgment Dragon. Draco toyed with one of the golden coins, looking for any distraction from his crazy partner and hoped that Thomas would return soon to corral his nutty girlfriend. He missed his friend. Bonaparte may have been bombastic at times, but at least he was trustworthy.
The Master's Chambers
It was eerily silent as Yugi Muto and Yusei Fudo entered the chamber of chaos. They could sense the energy within the room. Something was about to happen. The carpet, at least when it wasn't obscured by the multicolored miasma that swirled throughout, made it appear as though they were on the edge of the galaxy and about to fall off. Ignoring that discomforting feeling, the two legendary Duelists walked forward, not entirely sure when the Master would greet them. This room felt huge, far larger than the layout of the Chaos Movement hideout would give it credit for. It was as though this room was somehow bigger on the inside. A humanoid figure loomed in the mists. Yusei approached cautiously, expecting a trap, then relaxed as he realized that it wasn't a threat.
"Seems like we aren't the first ones to have tried to take down the Master," he noted grimly, observing the gem-statue of Jasper Argetum. He was a little perturbed at the gaze of the statue, which seemed to follow his and Yami's path, pleading with them to save him.
"Just another soul depending on us to save the world," Yami said solemnly. He could sense the pain emanating from this poor victim.
Yusei nodded. "We can't fail now." Another figure loomed in the mists, this one much more familiar to the Head Signer. The mechanized body of Mika stood a few yards away, one arm pointing further into the mists while the other was clutched at the necklace around her neck, the only part of her that had remained untouched from the Master's mechanizing touch. "There are too many people counting on us."
"That's the woman who Turbo Dueled you?" the Pharaoh asked, taking stock of the somewhat familiar design. He'd only seen what Yusei's Runner had been able to capture, but he'd seen enough to recognize the former human.
"Yeah," Yusei answered simply. "I wondered if the Master would collect his fallen minions."
The caw of a crow drew their attention away from the robot-person. An ornate purple and gold bird cage rose up from the mists of chaos, its occupant the source of the caw. Yami and Yusei exchanged a glance. The Pharaoh was the first to speak. "You don't think…" he trailed off, not sure if he liked the implications of what he left unsaid. The crow in the cage had orange feathers on the top of his head, as well as red feathers in a familiar pattern along his tail. The crow bounced excitedly as he saw Yugi and Yusei, his tail feathers lighting up just like Yusei's arm.
"Crow?" Yusei gasped, getting a nod from the Signer-turned-bird. "But how?" He was quick to open the cage and free the crow within. The transformed Signer hopped out and landed on Yusei's outstretched arm, quickly hopping up to his shoulder. The Head Signer could feel both Crow's regret and fear.
A voice filled with power reached their ears. "That bird brain lost to my Black Dragon, so he got an opportunity to feel just like his cards."
"Where are you?!" Yusei demanded, looking around through the colorful mists that surrounded the two. "You change my friend back now!"
"I'm right here," the Master replied, appearing within the mists about twenty paces ahead of them. He'd changed since the last time Yami and Yusei had seen him. His skin was now as white as snow, his hair as black as night. His eyes were the colors of chaos, golden sclera surrounding a purple iris in his left eye, the reversed color scheme in his right eye. He took a step back and vanished. The two legendary Duelists could feel the power within his voice now, the resonance underscoring the insanity. His voice came again from behind Yami and Yusei. "Or maybe I'm right here!" Yusei flinched and whirled about, feeling Crow's clawed feet dig into his shoulder so as not to be dislodged from his perch. There was nothing more than a glimpse of the Master again before he faded into the mists of chaos. It was maddening being in here.
"Show yourself!" the Pharaoh demanded, the Eye of Wdjat appearing on his forehead as he tried to use the powers of the Millennium Puzzle to at least clear some of the mist, but it was a futile effort. Whatever mist his power cleared was quickly replaced by more.
"Myself I will show when ready," the Master chastised with a chuckle. "You've arrived just in time for the show, a show which will be the last for many as I end this dull orderly world and usher in a new world, a world of chaos!"
"You're going to destroy the world!" Yami said, remembering Yugi's vision. "I can't allow you to do that!"
"What you 'allow' has no bearing over me," the Master retorted. "For you see, my power comes from the primordial chaos, before there were such dull quotidian things as 'order' and 'balance'" One could hear his disdain for those concepts. "If there was one mistake that the Creator made when he made this universe, it was drawing order from that Chaos."
"Primordial chaos?" Yusei repeated quizzically, slowing in his footsteps. Crow krawed at him inquisitively. Yusei stopped and looked into the mists. "What are you?"
"I am beyond human understanding," came the echoing response. Something appeared to loom in the mists, at a distance far enough that Yusei couldn't quite make it out. "Come closer, dear Duelists, for you shall be the first mortals to witness the finality of your world and the birth of a new one!"
"That can't be good," Yami said quietly.
"We have to stop him before he can release that dragon and that warrior," Yugi said as he floated alongside the Pharaoh in spirit form. His dream wasn't as vivid in his memory as before, but he could still recall the important details.
They approached cautiously, not wanting to fall to some random trap. After what had happened against Matthias and Bario, one could never be too careful. Yami noticed symbols at their feet, creating a large circle around the area to which the Master beckoned. They were in a language he couldn't understand, so ancient Yami dared to think that it wasn't a human language, at least from this planet. The Master stood in the center, the mists swirling about his frame, an orb of swirling energy next to him, absorbing the mists into itself as it swirled with all the colors visible to the human eye.
"Welcome gentlemen," the Master greeted, eyes glowing dangerously with power. "To the beginning of the end."
"You got that right," Yusei growled, "The crazy stops here!"
The Master let out a low laugh as he met the aggravated gaze of the Head Signer. "Oh hohohoho Yusei, the crazy has just barely begun!"
"We'll put a stop to your madness!" Yami declared, holding up his activated Duel Disk.
Yusei mirrored his action. "Whatever you're planning ain't gonna be happening!"
"But it's already begun," the Master said, hands glowing with swirling purple and gold energy. He touched the orb and power surged all around him. A low rumble built up in his throat, turning into a roar that echoed around the seemingly massive chamber, an unearthly sound that would haunt Yugi and Yusei until the end of their days. The orb next to him began to expand, swelling larger and larger, swallowing the legendary Duelists within. They could feel the power of this sphere trying to affect them in ways they couldn't begin to comprehend, but it was only the power of the Millennium Puzzle and the Crimson Dragon respectively that protected them.
"What is this?" Yami whispered, feeling the power of the orb spreading, slowly at first but accelerating bit by bit.
The Master was panting in front of the duo, a shocking display of weakness. "You still don't understand, my poor naïve Pharaoh? You see, Chaos will not be contained. Chaos cannot be contained! I am the embodiment of Chaos! I am the Master! I know how to channel the power of Chaos! I will be the end of this world and will start a new one, through the power of Chaos that fuels me! For you see, Chaos, hehehe, Chaos can never be truly confined in the world of man. Chaos will be- no, must be unleashed!"
"You must put a stop to this!" Yusei shouted. He didn't know what this expanding sphere of Chaos energy they were standing in was doing, but it couldn't be good. Crow cawed in alarm on his shoulder.
"And who's going to make me?" the Master asked, taking a step back into the mists of Chaos. "You?"
"You better believe it's going to be us," Yusei snapped, stepping forward to keep the Master in sight.
The Master laughed. "Do you really think I'll lower myself to beings such as you and Duel? Ohh no, dear Yusei, you must pass one more little test if you really want me to Duel, and trust me, or don't trust me, I don't care, but you do not wish to Duel me."
"I'll take my chances," Yusei countered.
"What is this test?" Yami demanded.
"You're about to find out," the Master said as he faded into the mists, laughing maniacally. "Come closer gentlemen, your end awaits!"
Duel Room A
Julius watched a man in a white trench coat come tumbling down the slide and quickly stand up, taking in the surroundings. This was his moment to shine, to show the true power of the Gladiator, long forgotten in these modern times. "Welcome Jack Atlas, to the last Duel of your brief star-filled career!"
"I hate to break it to you, but my career has just begun!" Jack retorted. "Jack Atlas won't be defeated by the likes of you! You'll be nothing more than a footnote in my autobiography!"
"I see you can talk like a gladiator, now let's see if you Duel like one," Julius began. Losing to Yusei yesterday had hurt his pride and he was eager to redeem himself. His Duel Disk beeped as it linked with Jack's, just as a wall of colorful energy phased through the wall and swallowed the whole room.
"What's this?" Jack asked as his Mark of the Crimson Dragon lit up in response to the new power swirling about. He could sense the power behind it
"The Master has begun his final plan," Julius surmised, "And now all he needs is for me to eliminate one of the many pests who could possibly stop it."
Jack snorted. "It'll take more than the likes of you to eliminate me. But if you want to take a royal beating from the one true King of New Domino City, then I'll be more than happy to oblige!" The two Duelists drew their opening hands in one smooth motion.
Jack LP: 4000
Julius LP: 4000
"Since I'll be challenging you, the so-called King of New Domino City," Julius began, "I'll be taking the first move."
"You'll need it," Jack said, his tone making it clear he was not in the mood to play around. "You'll learn firsthand why you should regret that Jack Atlas has landed in this fake colosseum!"
"It's my turn! I draw!" Julius began, looking at his hand of six. It was about as good an opening hand as he was ever going to get. "If you think this colosseum is drab, then let's take this to an even better one! I activate the Field Spell, Colosseum – Cage of the Gladiators Beasts!" Ragged pillars began to rise up from the ground, blue lines of energy flowing through the stones. The ragged edges of the colosseum created a ring near the ceiling, giving a feeling of finality to this battle. "This is the perfect place for my Gladiators to reign, for a King is nothing to a true Emperor!"
"As I recall, it was a King that took down the last of the Emperors that you hold so dear," Jack countered, "And you aren't going to last nearly as long as they did!"
"Empty words from a man without a title," Julius declared, "Especially when I activate the Continuous Magic Gladiator Beast's Assault Fort!" The blue lines of energy running through the colosseum created a beam of light that swept over the battlefield, giving form to a giant wooden wolf, not unlike the Trojan horse of old.
Jack raised an eyebrow. "You really think such a simple tactic will work against me?"
"Sometimes the simplest plans are the best," Julius countered. "Though this card is anything but simple. I activate the effect of Gladiator Beast's Assault Fort and place Gladiator Beast Lanista from my Deck underneath the Assault Fort!" A green-armored falcon man wielding a spear appeared briefly before disappearing into the Fort.
"Worthless." Jack grunted. "it's not on the field so it can't defend your Life Points."
"That won't matter after I play this!" the armored man said triumphantly, though there was some strain in his voice. "I activate the Spell card Assault of the Gladiators!" A dangerous red aura appeared around him as the gladiator drew his sword and thrust it into the ground. "By paying half of my Life Points, I can Special Summon as many Gladiator Beasts from my Deck as possible, ignoring any Summoning Restrictions! Come forth my mighty Legion of Gladiator Beasts! Arise for your Emperor and fight! It's time to take down this poor excuse of a King!" The red aura burst outwards from Julius and began to manifest into five shapes on his field.
Julius LP: 2000
"You won't be able to attack this turn," Jack pointed out. He glanced at his hand. He had the perfect cards for a counterattack so long as Julius didn't seal his hand somehow. "So play all the monsters you want, I'll wipe them out on my turn!"
His opponent laughed. "I highly doubt that Atlas. I bring forth five of my best Gladiator Beasts! Octavius! Spartacus! Alexander! Bestiari! And the mighty Augustus! Arise my warriors! Let's show Jack Atlas what it means to unite against a common foe!" In the first zone a lightly green armored eagle man holding a staff appeared with a mighty screech. The second zone gained a spike-armored dinosaur man wielding a halberd. A lion-man in golden armor appeared in the fourth zone. In the fifth a green birdman in even greener armor manifested, no weapon of note in his arms. The first four monsters bowed to the third zone as a portal opened up. Through that portal stepped a four-armed purple scaled regal looking bipedal dragon appeared, two hands holding a noble broadsword and the other two arms acting as wings. Augustus' long tail twitching behind him as though he was eager for action.
Gladiator Beast Octavius: Atk 2500, Def 1200, LV 7
Gladiator Beast Spartacus: Atk 2200, Def 1600, LV 5
Gladiator Beast Alexander: Atk 2400, Def 600, LV 6
Gladiator Beast Bestiari: Atk 1500, Def 800, LV 4
Gladiator Beast Augustus: Atk 2600, Def 1000, LV 8
Julius straightened from his sword, a light sheen of sweat on his exposed muscles from the endeavor. "It feels good to put my strength into a Duel. Assault of the Gladiators cannot be played by those weak in body or spirit. Now the special ability of my Colosseum activates! It gains a counter every time I Special Summon a monster from the Deck! I just brought out five monsters from my Deck, so my Colosseum gains a counter and boosts the attack of all Gladiator Beasts on the field by a hundred!" A single orb near the top of the colosseum lit up, signifying the counter.
Gladiator Beast Counters: 1
Gladiator Beast Octavius Atk: 2600
Gladiator Beast Spartacus Atk: 2300
Gladiator Beast Alexander Atk: 2500
Gladiator Beast Bestiari Atk: 1600
Gladiator Beast Augustus Atk: 2700
"Now it's time for some Contact Fusions!" Julius announced. "Gladiator Beast Augustus! Bestiari! Octavius! Time to merge your might!" He shuffled their cards into his Deck as the three aforementioned monsters leapt into the air, flowing into a red portal above Julius' sword. "The soul of the emperor Augustus shall merge with his comrades to create the bastion of ultimate defender! Witness the evolution of the gladiator! Fusion Summon! Appear Gladiator Beast Andabata!" With a burst of energy, Julius' new monster appeared, a lizard man covered in high tech armor and holding a purple jagged greatsword appeared, crouching down and holding up his shield in front of Julius.
Gladiator Beast Andabata: Atk 1000, Def 2800, LV 8
The well-built man spread his arms out wide. "Next, Gladiator Beasts Alexander and Spartacus will begin their own Contact Fusion!" The anthropomorphic lion and dinosaur were next to leap into the air, converging into a purple portal this time. "Great beast of the lions and almighty guardian from the prehistoric predators, come together and create a beast that has grown powerful enough to tame the might of the gladiator beasts!" He brought his hands together as the portal exploded. "Fusion Summon! Come forth Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor!" A feminine anthropomorphic purple lizard in red armor and spinning a golden trident crackling with electricity appeared in a defensive posture.
Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor: Atk 2400, Def 3000, LV 8
"Do you really think that a couple of Fusion monsters in Defense mode is going to scare me?" the former Turbo King asked, putting on a bored expression. "I eat defensive Decks for breakfast!"
Julius did not seem fazed by Jack's trash talk. "Well then it's a good thing I have my two Gladiator Beasts' special abilities to bring out some monsters that you might be a little more impressed with. Once per turn they can bring out a Gladiator Beast Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck ignoring their summoning conditions!"
Jack blinked. "Two more Fusion monsters?"
"Do you realize just how powerless you are?" Julius asked as his two Gladiator Beasts created a portal in the zone next to each other. "I now Summon Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz and Gladiator Beast Nerokius from my Extra Deck in Attack mode!" A large muscular six-winged armored man-bat appeared next to the Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor and another anthropomorphic dinosaur man, looking like an older and more powerful version of Gladiator Beast Spartacus appeared next to the Gladiator Beast Andabata.
Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz: Atk 2600, Def 1500, LV 7
Gladiator Beast Nerokius: Atk 2800, Def 1900, LV 8
"And don't forget that my Colosseum powers up all my Gladiator Beasts!" Julius added.
Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz Atk: 2700
Gladiator Beast Nerokius Atk: 2900
Gladiator Beast Tamer Editor Atk: 2500
Gladiator Beast Andabata Atk: 1100
"I'll end my turn with three facedowns," Julius finished, placing the rest of his hand on his Duel Disk. "Let's see what you have Atlas!"
Jack paused, taking in the army of Gladiator Beasts staring him down. He felt the powers of chaos swirling about the room, adding tinges of color where there should've been none. There was a lot riding on this Duel, and yet he felt something more sinister at work here. Julius wasn't the only person here. Rather than play his hand, Jack decided he'd keep that revelation to himself until the time was right. Let whoever was skulking in the shadows observe his Duel. He was the King, nobody was going to stop him, whether they knew his strategies or now. He placed two fingers on top of his Deck, meeting the gaze of Julius' grey eyes "I have more than what you got, you gladiator wannabe. My soul is raging! It's my turn!"
Duel Room B
Matthias' sensors tracked the approaching Duelist with a laser focus. He was more than ready for this. His pride as a Duelist wouldn't let him accept defeat. Not again. Not after what happened at the entrance. The machinery around the room hummed, feeding him information. The Master was about to unleash his power and so the age of chaos was about to begin. He remained impassive despite Melissa's gasp as Seto Kaiba was spat out of the tube and he collected himself quickly, not willing to show weakness in front of his opponents.
"Out of my way," the Kaibacorp executive demanded, getting straight to the point. "I'm taking down the Master."
"I'm afraid I'll have to stop you," Melissa said, stepping forward with her Duel Disk armed. She had done her best to maintain a regal stature despite being out of her element. Matthias stepped forward, ready to join the battle.
"A two on one Duel?" Kaiba noted, seeing the two of them next to each other. "Interesting. I'll crush both of you spineless cowards and make my way to the Master."
"Cowards?" Melissa repeated, confusion in her tone. "Our cause is anything but cowardly."
"And yet here you are, too scared to face me on your own merits," Kaiba retorted, activating his Duel Disk. "You're like my enemies in the corporate world. They can't face me on their own, so they try to gang up and take me down. They have no pride, they just see me as a threat, as they rightfully should. It doesn't matter to me, I am superior to all of them and crush them, just as I'll crush the both of you pathetic excuses for Duelists. You throw away your pride to gang up on your foes in a futile effort to try and take on a superior opponent! You're less than nothing to me! I'll crush you all!"
Matthias was silent as he absorbed Kaiba's words. Melissa was more outspoken, even if it was in her usual quiet manner. "You certainly talk a big game Kaiba. Let us see if you can back it up against two of us."
"I can at least put my cards where my mouth is," Kaiba said, looking mildly amused at her insistence. "You clearly have no pride as Duelists, so it'll be all that much quicker to defeat you both at the same time!"
Matthias did some mental calculations. He recognized the art of Dun Moch that Kaiba was employing, and despite him recognizing it, it was affecting even him. His pride as one of the practitioners of the Cyber style of Dueling, his pride as a Duelist, his pride as one of the best Duelists working for the Master, all were wounded by Kaiba's barbed words. Yet, he was able to rationalize the situation. His and Melissa's Decks had next to no synergy with one another. If anything, Melissa's new Insect sealing abilities would probably hurt his Deck and his reliance on Machines. A quick calculation of the odds actually showed that they had a better chance of taking down Kaiba's outdated Deck if they Dueled him separately than together. That, and the Master had stated that in order for his changes to take hold, he had to have enough time. Why he hadn't taken another Duelist into his chambers when Matthias had seen through his cybernetic eye that both Yugi and Yusei were in there, hooked up to the security system as he was, was beyond the cyborg. The Master was very secretive about his chambers, only letting his peons in for special occasions. Every attempt at spying on the Master, had been thwarted, even the most secretive of spyware. The Master covered his tracks too well. He came and went as he pleased. Either way, Matthias was going to regain his pride as a Duelist. His Duel Disk retracted back into his arm, eliciting a smirk from Kaiba and a confused look from Melissa. "You are incorrect Kaiba. I have my pride, and as such I shall observe your Duel against Melissa and not interfere."
"Observe all my strategies you want, you clearly have my entire history of Dueling at your disposal, but that won't save you!" Kaiba noted. Matthias idly wondered what the second Deck Box contained "For I know I am a superior Duelist to both of you!"
"That remains to be seen," Matthias' baritone voice said smoothly, taking a step back. Pine green flames began to encircle the room, leaving the machinery untouched. His sensors beeped an alarm, and Matthias turned to see a wave of purple and gold energy engulf the room, messing with the machinery that powered his body. He gasped and clutched his chest as his pacemaker reset itself quickly, the chest pangs gone as quickly as it had occurred. Melissa staggered as grass spread out from her feet, covering the floor inside her ring of fire quickly. Matthias observed the transformation of the Dueling field with interest. It was always fascinating how the Master could alter reality through many ways, and yet remained unable to affect the Signers without defeating them in a Duel. When dealing with the current powers that be, the Master and the Crimson Dragon, one had to be prepared for the backlash. "For Melissa is a competent Duelist in her own right." He could employ Dun Moch in a positive manner as well. "Before you get the honor of facing my Cyber Style Dueling, you must get past her swarms of insects."
Kaiba rolled his eyes. This wave of energy that had engulfed the room was giving him an uneasy feeling in his gut. Something was wrong. But that didn't matter to him. He had a Duel to win. "So if you're done messing with the holographic systems to create your little arena, then let's get on with the Duel! I'll stomp out this bug and dismantle your machines with ease, one at a time or simultaneously, I don't care which."
Melissa was reassured by the feel of grass underneath her feet, it felt natural. The chaos that now permeated throughout the room was unnatural, but she was at last, in more of her element now that Matthias had backed down. With a silent thanks to Matthias for allowing this slice of nature to exist in his room of machines. She drew five cards and formed a hand. "Kaiba, it's time to cut that ego of yours down to size."
Kaiba reached behind him, opened a Deck Box, took his Deck out, shuffled it quickly, and placed it in his Duel Disk. Matthias idly wondered what the second blue Deck Box on his belt contained "You need new lines, I've heard it all before."
"Let's Duel!" both combatants shouted.
Kaiba LP: 4000
Melissa LP: 4000
"I shall move first," Melissa declared. "I draw!" Her green eyes scanned the six cards, quickly formulating a strategy. "I activate the Field Spell Insect Hive!" Hive-like structures began to form around the field, bugs of all kinds buzzing around the field. "This will increase the Attack of all Insect monsters by five hundred, but decrease their Defense by four hundred!"
"Big deal," Kaiba said, clearly not impressed. They had several Field Spells like that back in his time, albeit for specific Attributes and not Monster Types. "They'll still be squished as easily as I crush my enemies."
"I highly doubt that," the Insect user replied, plucking another card out of her hand. "I activate the Spell card Insect Swarm! Now I choose an Insect type monster in my Deck and Special Summon all copies in my Deck to the field, but they cannot be Tributed for any kind of Summon and they cannot activate their special abilities while on the field!"
"All the more food for my Blue-Eyes," Kaiba taunted.
Matthias watched, impassive. 'Kaiba uses his words well. His life in the business world has taught him well. It will be interesting to see Melissa withstand the mental assault. She never was gifted with a barbed tongue.'
"That's if you get the opportunity to bring out a Blue-Eyes," Melissa said calmly. "I summon forth all my Pinch Hoppers from my Deck." Three oversized green grasshoppers appeared in front of her, mandibles clicking in anticipation.
Pinch Hopper: Atk 1000, Def 1200, LV 4
"I place two cards facedown and then activate Card of Sanctity," the Insect-user declared, a light appearing above the field and landing on both player's Decks. "Now we draw until we hold six cards in our hands."
'Not bad,' Kaiba noted mentally. 'She gets a fresh hand and I only get one more card to start my hand. However, it's not going to help her. Not with what I've drawn.'
"I then activate my Dark Hole Spell Card," she continued, a black hole appearing above the field, sucking in the three bugs. "With my three Pinch Hoppers sent to the Grave, I can Summon the 3 Insect monsters currently in my hand! Come forth, Metamorphosed Insect Queen! Hundred-Footed Horror! Brain Crusher!" The first monster that appeared looked much like Weevil Underwood's famous Insect Queen, though it had grown a torso and several extra limbs. The second monster was a giant centipede with spikes growing all over its body as it reared up and roared. The third looked like a giant insect experiment where a mad scientist tried to combine as many insects as possible before giving up with the misshapen mass and setting it loose.
Metamorphosed Insect Queen: Atk 2800, Def 2400, LV 7
Hundred-Footed Horror: 2600, Def 1300, LV 7
Brain Crusher: Atk 2400, Def 1500, LV 7
"And my Insects are powered up by my Field Spell!" Melissa pointed out.
Metamorphosed Insect Queen Atk: 3300, Def: 2000
Hundred-Footed Horror: 3100, Def 900
Brain Crusher Atk: 2900, Def 1100
"Do you really think some oversized bugs are going to faze me?" Kaiba asked, "I've faced bigger snakes in the boardroom."
"Well then perhaps this will change your mind," the Insect Duelist said. "I remove two Pinch Hoppers from my Graveyard in order to Special Summon my Doom Dozer from my hand!" With a roar, another giant centipede, this one with a black carapace and a bright red underbelly, rose up from the ground.
Doom Dozer: Atk 2800, Def 2600, LV 8
"And he gets a powerup as well!" Melissa added.
Doom Dozer Atk: 3300, Def 2200
"Another bug to squish, you've certainly given me plenty of targets for my Blue-Eyes to feast on!" Kaiba taunted. "I'm not impressed."
"Well then perhaps this Summoning will get your attention," Melissa said calmly. "I take my Level Seven Brain Crusher and my Level Seven Hundred-Footed Horror and Overlay the two of them!" The two aforementioned insects turned into purple orbs of energy that rose into the air, dropping neatly into the galaxy that formed on the ground in front of her.
'So this is what an Xyz Summon looks like up close,' Kaiba observed. 'Seeing it used by that cyborg against Yusei and Yugi was very educational, but there's nothing quite like facing it up close and personally.'
"Mighty insect which rules the night, I beg of thee lend me your might," Melissa chanted, "For with your power on hand we'll send our foe unto his end! Xyz Summon! Number 28: Titanic Moth!" The galaxy exploded into a fountain of power which coalesced into a gigantic moth with purple dots and green feathers on its four wings, a purple twenty-eight on its abdomen.
Number 28: Titanic Moth: Atk 2400, Def 2200, Rank 7
"So now that you have your weak new monster, are you done yet?" Kaiba asked. "Your XYZ monster doesn't impress."
"Perhaps it will once it's powered up by my Field Spell," the Insect Duelist replied.
Number 28: Insect Moth: Atk 2900, Def 1800
Melissa met Kaiba's fierce gaze as the number twenty-eight appeared on her leg in a similar spot in relation to the Titanic Moth. "As I have been informed by the Master, this monster is rather special. It's a Number monster, and as such it can only be destroyed by another Number, a monster of which I am certain you do not have! I'll end my turn. Let's see what your slow Deck can do Kaiba!"
"After I'm done, I'm going to make you regret stepping up to face me," Kaiba said, placing two fingers on the top of his Deck. Now was the time to unleash his anger. Hate was a powerful tool when wielded properly, and Kaiba certainly knew how to wield it. "It's my turn! I draw!"
Duel Room C
Kuno watched impassively as Akiza Izinski came tumbling down the tube. The Black Rose Witch was going to be an interesting opponent. Still, a Duel was a Duel, and she had a job to do. "Prepare yourself Akiza, for this will be your final Duel."
"It's going to be interesting taking down that Dragon of hers," Alex commented, holding up his Duel Disk. Silver and black flames sprang up in a circle around them, trapping them inside until the Duel was finished.
Akiza groaned as she began to take stock of her surroundings, getting back to her feet. "Oh great."
'Don't look now, but I think we have challengers,' Dark Akiza said dryly.
'Our services will be best utilized by defeating these two,' Maid Akiza added. 'So we best prepare ourselves.'
"If you two would let me concentrate, then perhaps I can focus on this Duel," Akiza growled as she held up her Duel Disk. Leave it to the Master to have his minions attack them as they were separated and confused. Still, she was ready to redeem herself, after losing her last Duel Akiza was eager to face someone else, even the Master. If that meant being at a disadvantage in a two versus one Duel, then so be it.
Alex shared a glance with Kuno. "Was that…directed at us?"
"It doesn't matter," Kuno said, remembering the mental instability of her opponent. So long as the Master decided to not unleash Akiza's evil persona, they would be fine. "Let the Duel begin!"
"On one condition," Alex added. Kuno looked at him, mildly annoyed. "Since this is a two versus one Duel, my honor as a Bushido wouldn't allow me to begin this Duel unless you were given a handicap. As such, I shall allow you to draw two cards during your Draw Phase instead of one."
"You Bushidos and your worthless honor," Kuno growled, allowing her irritation to show.
"I shan't Duel unless she's given a handicap," Alex stated simply. "Do you accept these conditions Black Rose?"
"I do," Akiza said quickly before Kuno could object. When starting a Duel down six cards from the opening hand, she had to take every advantage she could get. The kunoichi sighed in resignation.
"Let's Duel!" the three Duelists shouted.
Kuno LP: 4000
Alex LP: 4000
Akiza LP: 4000
"I'll take the first move," Kuno began, drawing a card. "I activate the Double Fusion Spell card! By paying five hundred Life Points, I can Fusion Summon twice! First I send the Amazoness Queen and my Amazoness Trainee from my Hand to the Graveyard."
Kuno LP: 3500
'Fusion Summoning on the first turn?' Dark Akiza noted, a hint of excitement in her tone. 'I like this one.'
"You cannot be serious," Akiza snapped.
"I'm quite serious!" Kuno replied as a blue-haired regal looking Amazon holding a large scimitar and a silver-haired Amazon twirling a chain whip appeared above her head before disappearing into a swirling vortex. "Oh great queen of the Amazons, combine your strength with that of your servant and become an even greater leader of the mightiest of warriors! Fusion Summon! Come forth Amazoness Empress!" The portal burst in a fountain of energy, a white-haired regal Amazon stepping out, red cape billowing around her as she drew her mighty dragonsword.
Amazoness Empress: Atk 2800, Def 2400, LV 8
"And for my second Fusion Summon, I send my Amazoness Tiger and my Amazoness Scouts from my hand to my Graveyard!" the ninja continued. A large red scarred tiger and a pair of young Amazons were sucked into the portal again. "Great beast of the Amazons, join forces with these young warriors and become the ultimate creature to serve your Empress!" She brought her hands together. "Fusion Summon! Appear Amazoness Pet Liger!" From the portal stepped a large white-furred black-striped armored liger, battle scars all over its body, including its eye. The Pet Liger roared as challenge as it stepped onto the field before purring as the Amazoness Empress stroked its mane.
Amazoness Pet Liger: Atk 2500, Def 2400, LV 7
"I place one card facedown and end my turn," Kuno said as a wave of purple and gold energy washed into the room.
Akiza could only watch as the wave washed over her and her skull exploded in a wave of agony. "AAAAAAAHHHHHHGHGHGH!" She fell to her knees, cradling her head.
'What the?!" Dark Akiza gasped, feeling the pain as well.
'Since Akiza lost earlier against Louis John Bonaparte, it would appear that we are still somewhat vulnerable to the Master's power,' Maid Akiza noted grimly, pain in her tone even though she maintained the façade of a loyal servant. 'For now the Master's power is trying to turn Akiza into her signature dragon.'
"What?!" Akiza gasped, fear starting to grow as her fingernails grew into short black claws. Unknown to her, her eyes became the color of her dragon, though the sting in her eyes might've given her a clue had she not been fighting back a rising terror. "Please no…"
'It is fortunate that we have entered into this Duel,' Maid Akiza continued. 'For we can halt the transformation so long as we win. This is one Duel we cannot afford to lose, as becoming a dragon would be most detrimental to our ability to serve others.'
'I can think of a lot of ways the Black Rose Dragon could be of use to someone,' Dark Akiza laughed sourly. 'But I doubt it'd help in New Domino City. You may think me evil, but even I realize that being a dragon would only hurt us.'
"Please, make it stop," Akiza begged to no one in particular. This was a nightmare. Part of her was glad Yusei wasn't here to see her like this, but at the same time she wanted his support in this horrific experience.
'We can stop the pain,' Maid Akiza began. 'There are advantages to having multiple personalities. Our dark side and I can take the brunt of the pain so that you can focus on the Duel. Just concentrate on the Duel. Do not lose, or our humanity will be gone.'
Akiza looked up as the pain lessoned, trembling in fear. "No pressure." How ironic that it took her very humanity being at risk to get her multiple personalities to work together.
Alex held his sword in his hand, ready to run forward and strike if needed. He didn't fancy facing an actual dragon. No amount of training could prepare him for that. He watched Akiza get back to her feet, draconic eyes looking fearful. "That's freaky."
"It's your turn," Kuno said flatly, though Alex noticed a little tremble in her hands. She was scared too, but wasn't letting it show. Not obviously. Whatever the Master had released onto the world, it was the true embodiment of chaos. So long as they won their Duel though, the Master had reassured them that there was nothing to fear. Still, Alex had some doubts. His brother had left them, and there was no telling if he was going to be safe while the Master did… whatever it was he was doing.
Alex clenched his fist. No time to hesitate. He sheathed his blade in one smooth motion and placed two fingers on top of his Deck. "It's my turn! I draw!" He looked at his opening hand and began his move. "I activate Shien's Dojo and Six Samurai United from my hand!" A pagoda rose up in the background, creating what looked to be a samurai training ground in the process. The symbol of the Six Samurai began glowing in front of the pagoda, indicating Alex's other Spell card activating.
Kuno nodded appreciatively. Keeping the hand full, unless you were running Infernities, was crucial in winning a Duel. With the swarming capabilities of the Six Samurai, these cards were key to opening strong.
"I then Summon the Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki in Attack mode!" the young warrior continued. A samurai wielding dual swords with two more mechanical arms attached to his armor holding two more swords appeared, brandishing all four swords.
Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki: Atk 200, Def 2000, LV 4
Alex grabbed another card from his hand. "Thanks to his special ability I can Special Summon another Six Samurai from my hand. Come on out Secret Six Samurai - Doji" A samurai in purple TRON-like armor appeared, peering down the scope of his rifle at Akiza.
Secret Six Samurai – Doji: Atk 1700, Def 1200, LV 4
"Next I Special Summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai and Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan in Attack mode due to their special abilities!" Alex said as an elderly samurai appeared, a dangerous gleam in his lone eye. Next to him appeared a more generic samurai in black armor, katana at the ready. "And because I have two other Six Samurai on the field Kageki gains fifteen hundred Attack points due to his special ability! Additionally, Kizan gains three hundred Attack and Defense points due to having an ability just like Kageki's since there are two other Six Samurai with different names on the field! Lastly, since I Special Summoned Six Samurai monsters, Legendary Secret of the Six Samurai's effect activates and Special Summons itself from my hand in Defense mode!" A floating suit of samurai armor appeared, purple smoke throughout the armor holding it up.
Grandmaster of the Six Samurai: Atk 2100, Def 800, LV 5
Legendary Six Samurai – Kizan: Atk 2100, Def 800, LV 4
Legendary Six Samurai – Kageki: Atk 1700, Def 2000, LV 4
Legendary Secret of the Six Samurai: Atk 500, Def 2000, LV 4
"Secret Six Samurai – Doji's effect activates!" the warrior continued, "When a Six Samurai monster is Summoned, I can send a Six Samurai from the Deck to the Graveyard. I send Legendary Six Samurai – Mizuho and Shinai as well as Chamberlain of the Six Samurai from my Deck to the Graveyard! And since Six Samurai monsters were Summoned, Bushido Counters are added for each Six Samurai Summoned!" Four lights appeared on the pagoda, each one in the form of the symbol of the Six Samurai. Two more lights appeared within the pagoda.
Shien's Dojo Bushido Counters: 4
Six Samurai United Bushido Counters: 2
"I activate the effect of Six Samurai United," Alex announced as the lights began to fade in the middle of the pagoda. "By sending this card to the Graveyard, I can draw a card for each Bushido Counter on it!" He drew two cards and began shifting more cards around. "Now I'll take my Level Four Legendary Secret of the Six Samurai and Level Four Secret Six Samurai – Doji and Overlay them!" The two monsters turned into purple orbs and rose into the air, dropping neatly into a galaxy
"Not again…" Akiza groaned as she remembered her Duel against Melissa, which had breathed new life into her dark side. This Xyz Summoning was really starting to annoy her.
"Oh great warrior in the shadows, reveal yourself and help your comrades on the path to victory!" Alex chanted as the galaxy exploded with power. "Xyz summon! Appear now Shadow of the Six Samurai – Shien!" With a flash of light, a new samurai emerged from the fountain of power, katana cutting through the energy with ease. Red cloth armor covered his frame, purple coat flapping dramatically.
Shadow of the Six Samurai – Shien: Atk 2500, Def 400, Rank 4
Shien's Dojo Bushido Counters: 5
"I end my turn with a facedown," the young warrior finished. "Your turn Black Rose. Make it count."
Akiza looked at her hand again, knowing that her fate was up in the air. Her life was at stake once again. She had to focus. For the sake of the world. For her own humanity. For Yusei. She tried to ignore her claws and looked at her two opponents, trying to maintain her resolve. "It's my turn!"
Duel Room D
Allana looked up as she heard the yelps coming from the tube that was spilling into their chamber. Finally! Duelists she could unleash her power on! "Yes!"
Draco rolled his eyes as Allana jumped in the air like a carefree schoolgirl celebrating getting a good grade. They had a job to do, and he was going to do it. He was ready for Yusei, or Kaiba, or Yugi, he'd have gladly taken a rematch with Jack Atlas. What he wasn't expecting was the twins to come tumbling down the tube in a tangled mess. "Wonderful."
"Oh come on! The Master gives me this power and I'm forced to use it on these runts?" Allana complained, clearly unhappy upon seeing Leo and Luna.
"Those 'runts' have defeated Kuno and Hueso," Draco pointed out. "Luna was a Dueling prodigy at the age of three. She may not have won her Duel in the Fortune Cup, that freaky hypnotist was clearly messing with her mind, and despite that she fought him to a draw. We cannot underestimate our foes. My dragons do not care how old their enemies are, they will be slain all the same!"
"Owww," Leo groaned as he lay on the ground, stunned. "That's not the kind of funhouse ride I wanted."
"I don't think this place was build to be a funhouse in the first place," Luna said as she rolled off her brother, having landed on top of him during the slide. She glanced up and saw Draco and Allana watching them, flinching under the hungry gaze of Allana. "And we're definitely not alone."
Leo sat up, rubbing his head. "Wait what?" He saw where Luna was looking and moved to stand between Luna and Allana. "Don't worry Luna! I'll protect you!" He hoped they didn't hear the waver in his voice.
"Are you prepared to Duel?" Draco asked, "For it shall be a two on two Tag Duel. Prepare yourself Signer."
Luna met the gaze of her twin. Leo nodded. "Don't worry Luna, I'll keep you safe. I'll be your shield. You're the one with the Signer powers and all that." He glanced at Luna's arm, her Signer birthmark glowing brightly, then at his own right arm, bare as it was in comparison. "You're the Dueling genius and I'm the silly brother who ends up being the guy they use for laughs."
Luna shook her head. "Leo, you're more than that! You're my brother! We're in this together! We're going to Duel side by side, just like that tag tournament we had back in kindergarten! And we're going to win! But I can't do this without you Leo, so don't go beating yourself up just to make me feel good!" Leo nodded.
The twins activated their Duel Disks in unison, drawing cards to form hands. "We're going to kick your butts!" Leo shouted.
Allana activated her Duel Disk with a giggle. "Yes, it's time to show you the power of light and dark! The chaos shall rise and you shall experience the same enlightenment I have!"
'Something tells me that this woman is a little unhinged,' Luna thought to herself worriedly, 'Because when Crow mentioned her, she was a lot more...nice.'
"Indeed," the raspy voice of Regulus said as he faded into sight on her right. "She's been corrupted by the man she works for. You're going to have to be careful Luna, she's very dangerous."
"What about the other guy?" Luna asked.
Ancient Fairy Dragon's melodic voice reached her ears, even though she remained out of sight. "That man is also dangerous. His dragons are masters of the elements, a deadly threat to those not ready to face the power of those dragons. Be ready Luna, for you will need to be in perfect harmony with your brother. We are ready Luna! Now brace yourself, chaos approaches!"
"What?" Luna asked as her Mark of the Crimson Dragon began to glow even brighter. It created a bubble of red energy around her and her brother as a wave of purple and gold energy flew through the room, engulfing everyone within and spreading.
"What's going on?!" Leo asked, looking around fearfully. Colors in certain areas seemed much more vibrant than before, yet in others the colors had been reduced to black and white. Even though he wasn't nearly in tune with the world of Duel Monsters like his sister, even Leo could feel that this energy was bad.
Allana's laughter got their attention. Her raven and blonde hair was rising up, as though she had placed her hand on one of those Tesla orbs. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha! The Master has finally begun! This world will end in chaos and a new world shall rise!"
Draco doubled over as he felt the power flow through him, the kanji for dragons lighting up on his arm. He felt the power the chaos was giving him, but it was also hurting. What sorcery was this madness?! A glance over Allana and how she was reveling in the power confirmed his suspicions. "You've gone mad!"
"No, dear Draco," Allana cooed, turning her oddly-colored gaze to him as she activated her Duel Disk. "I've finally gone sane! The Master will enlighten you as he's enlightened me! Life is chaos! And we are chosen by the Master to spread this enlightenment, starting with those two right there! Duel with me Draco, and I'll show you the truth!"
Draco hesitated. He knew the consequences of failure, but it seemed the consequences of success were going to be just as steep. Would he be driven as crazy as Allana, or was the enlightenment the Lady of Twilight, as she now preferred her title to be, spoke of merely part of her crazy ravings. The Ruler of Dragons desperately hoped it would be the latter. He didn't want to fail the Master again. That scared him more than becoming like Allana. At least he would keep his humanity. He pocketed the wyrm coin he'd been using as a distraction for his nervous hands and activated his draconic blue-green Duel Disk. "I will Duel with you Allana, of that you should have no doubt. But take care where you strike, lest you end up dooming us both."
Allana rolled her eyes. "With the power of chaos backing my monsters, I'll show mastery over light and dark like you've never seen before! You worry too much!" She turned her crazed gaze over to the twins. "Duel us! And once we defeat you both you'll join me both the light and the darkness!" Black and white flames encircled the group, the teal flames representing Draco few and far between.
Leo looked at Luna. She nodded. They both held up their Duel Disks. Even though Yusei was a superior Duelist, Luna felt very reassured that she was fighting alongside her brother. "We'll stop you, right Leo!"
"Uh, yeah, we got this!" Leo exclaimed, drawing five cards from his Deck. "You guys aren't going to stop my sister! She's a Signer for a reason!"
"Let's Duel!" all four of them shouted.
Allana LP: 4000
Draco LP: 4000
Leo LP: 4000
Luna LP: 4000
"I'll go first," Allana said as she drew a sixth card. "And I shall begin your path to enlightenment with Charge of the Light Brigade! By sending the top three cards from my Deck to the Grave, I can add a Lightsworn monster from my Deck to my hand, a monster like my Celestira, Lightsworn Angel!"
` "Oh no, not Lightsworns," Leo groaned, remembering how Sly had thrashed him with the loaned Lightsworn Deck in class last week.
"Don't worry," Luna reassured him, remembering his defeat all too well. "You're using your Deck now, not that Destiny Hero Deck they gave you to Duel him."
"Yeah, but they still aren't fun to face," Leo said making a face.
"I Summon Kirion, Twilightsworn Warlord!" Allana continued, ignoring the twins interaction. A dark-haired man in grey armor with gold highlights appeared, black and gold cape billowing in the breeze as he gripped his wicked looking red and black axe.
Kirion, Twilightsworn Warlord: Atk 1700, Def 1400, LV 4
"When this monster is Summoned, I can banish a Lightsworn from my hand or Graveyard to Special Summon another Lightsworn monster from my Deck with the same Type and Level, but with a different Attribute!" Allana continued. "I banish Curious, the Lightsworn Dominion from my Graveyard to Special Summon Curious, Twilightsworn Tyrant from my Deck!" Kirion used his axe to cut open a black and white portal, through which a man in bulky black, white, and golden sage-like robes stepped through, peering down at Leo and Luna as though they were mere insects compared to him.
Curious, Twilightsworn Tyrant: Atk 2400, Def 2000, LV 8
"Curious, the Twilightsworn Tyrant's ability now activates!" Allana announced. "Since he was Special Summoned, he can send a Lightsworn from the Deck to the Graveyard, such as my Garoth, the Lightsworn Warrior!" She placed the card in her Graveyard, eyes glowing dangerously. "I'll end my turn with three facedown cards."
Leo and Luna shared a glance. They'd learned the basics about Lightsworn cards in class as part of their Attribute study, but the idea of Twilightsworn was new to them. They didn't seem to be about sending cards from the Deck to the Grave as often as normal Lightsworn monsters. Leo nodded to Luna. "You go first. You're the Signer here."
"Thanks Leo," Luna said with a smile. "It's my turn! I draw!"
"I activate my Trap, Light Spiral!" Allana cackled as her first facedown flipped up while Luna drew her card. A column of light began to spiral skywards. "Each time a card is sent from my Deck to the Graveyard I get to banish the top card from both of your Decks!"
"Say what?!" Leo shouted, not happy at this turn of events.
"It's fine Leo, we can deal with it," Luna said. "I Summon Sunlight Unicorn in Attack mode!" A white unicorn with blue flames serving as its mane and tail appeared, horn glinting dangerously in the firelight.
Sunlight Unicorn: Atk 1800, Def 1000, LV 4
"I then activate my Sunlight Unicorn's special ability!" the Claw Signer continued. "Once per turn I can reveal the top card of my Deck and if it's an Equip Spell card, I can add it to my hand, but if it isn't, then it goes to the bottom of my Deck!"
'That's a bit of a risk,' Draco thought to himself. 'She's risking sending a good card to the bottom of her Deck where she would probably never get to it again this Duel, just for a potential Equip Spell. She must have a good hunch of what's there.'
"Here goes something!" Luna said as she drew the card. She flipped it over to reveal the Horn of the Unicorn Equip Spell. "Nice! Since it's an Equip Spell, it'll stay in my Hand, but not for long as I equip the Horn of the Unicorn on my Sunlight Unicorn!" Sunlight Unicorn's horn began to grow, turning from gray to gold as it doubled in length. "This increases his Attack and Defense by seven hundred points!"
Sunlight Unicorn: Atk 2500, Def 1700
"I place two cards facedown and end my turn," Luna concluded.
"Nice one sis!" Leo cheered. "There's no way they can beat that monster!"
"Your overconfidence is amusing," Draco said. "It's my move! I draw!" He looked at his hand and smiled.
"I'm not sure I like the look of that," Leo said quietly.
"It's still the first turn," Luna pointed out, "He can't attack."
"I won't need to attack to deal with your Sunlight Unicorn," Draco said. "And you're about to see why!"
Satellite Highway
Thomas sat on a guardrail, a short way away from his Runner. His thoughts were in turmoil, and it was easy to see why. Allana was not herself. He'd just taken down a man who'd spent most of his life taking care of orphans. Was this really what he'd signed up for? He wanted to make the world better than it had been. He wanted equality for everyone, was that too much to ask? He'd turned to the Master because the Master was clearly a force for change, but was this the change he wanted? He'd thought the end would justify the means, but the means were causing him to question the methods. Movement to his right got his attention. The Black Dragon peered over to see a Duel going on a hundred yards away. It had a small crowd on onlookers around it. Thomas got closer and watched as a Fencing Fire Ferret danced in and destroyed a Wattchimera, buffeting its owner, a tall, lean, tan man with long dark hair. He wore dark pants, black boots, and a green overshirt on top his black undershirt, with damage. His Duel Disk was standard, with a couple of lightning bolts emblazoned upon it to distinguish it from others. The Fire Ferret returned to his owner, scrambling up the grey pants and white jacket, a knight insignia on his green undershirt, getting a friendly scratch from the cheerful man even as the Wattfox on the Watt Duelist's side sent a growl after the Ferret.
"Alright Shane," the slightly pale dark-haired man said cheerfully. "Let's see if you can bounce back from this! I end my turn with one card facedown!"
The Watt Duelist, Shane apparently, grinned in return. He was clearly enjoying the Duel, even as it had swung against him. "My Watts aren't going to go down that easily Caleb! It's my turn! I draw!"
Thomas watched as the various people of the Satellite made some friendly bets. "No way Shane comes back from this! I got twenty on Caleb!"
"Nah dude, Shane's totally gonna come back from this, look at that grin! I'll see your bet and raise you another twenty!"
"Whaddya nuts?! Watts don't got the firepower to get over that Fire Ferret! You're on!"
Thomas observed the festivities solemnly. These people were enjoying life, taking time away from their busy lives in the factories to enjoy Dueling and life in general. He saw that someone had set up a grill and was serving various cooked foods. This was a party, clearly. Thomas knew the Master was going to enact his final plan soon, which would no doubt disrupt the festivities. He saw a young couple off to the side, watching the Duel while holding hands, something he'd done when he and Allana would sneak away from the Movement and spend time together. Now, he wasn't sure if the Allana the Master had created would ever submit to such a simple gesture. Should he take Allana and see if he could purge her of the darkness the Master had infected her with on his own?
"Hey kid, you look tough," a man said, noticing Thomas lurking nearby, "You thinking about joining this little tourney? Winner gets a plate full of Steely Dan's best ribeye, and trust me matey, you don't wanna miss out on that!"
Thomas grunted. The thought of good food, a bit of a rarity in the Satellite, was making his mouth water. He saw a wave of purple and gold energy emerge in the distance, spreading faster than Thomas could've expected. "What the-"
"Whaddya lookin at?" the friendly man asked, curiously before turning around to see the wall of chaos energy coming towards him. "Oh. That can't be good."
"It's not," Thomas confirmed for the man, bowing his head in resignation. This was the end, one way or another.
"I don't wanna get absorbed again!" the man shouted as the rest of the party was noticing the oncoming wave and beginning to flee. Shane and Caleb remained, watching with Thomas as the chaos wave approached. It engulfed them, and soon the rest of the party. It was accelerating as it spread, the Black Dragon figured it would reach New Domino City soon. He heard a groan of agony and looked over to see Shane doubled over in pain. Thomas' red eyes grew wide as the Watt Duelist began to change, transforming into one of the more powerful monsters of the Watt Deck. Soon, in place of the Duelist stood a Wattaildragon.
"No way…" Thomas gasped. He looked over at Caleb, whose Fencing Fire Ferret remained on his shoulder, hackles raised as it chittered at its owner.
"He's in agony," Caleb said, noticing Thomas' glance. "Pabu here says that this energy is pure chaos! We need to get out of here!"
Thomas nodded, then had to dive to the side as the newly transformed Wattaildragon roared and let lightning bolts fly. He looked over and saw several other Duel Monsters take flight or storm off. Several other people were running, screaming. It seemed that half of the partygoers had been transformed into Duel Monsters. The rest were left to fend for themselves. Thomas watched, powerless to stop them. It must have been the Master's power that left him unchanged, but would that change if he lost another Duel? "Allana," he whispered fearfully. How would her new darkness affect her? He ran to his Duel Runner, intending to get back to Headquarters to figure out what was going on. The kanji for Dragons lit up on his arm as he heard a roar he wasn't expecting to hear. The Crimson Dragon encircled him and his Runner, blinding him in a crimson light.
Daedalus Bridge
Trudge saw the sphere of energy expanding from the center of Satellite. He sighed. His hunch was right. Now to dive right into the madness and try to bring order. He came to a halt "Alright men, are you ready for this? We don't know what sort of stuff we're gonna find in there."
"Ah don't worry about it Officer," the leader of Delta Squad, appropriately nicknamed Boss replied nonchalantly. "We can handle anything in there, no sweat."
"I'm sure Fixer can put together whatever's broken," the second member of the four-man elite squad said cheerfully. "I ain't seen nothin that he can't fix, and he's fixed a lot of what Scorch broke!"
"I can't help it sometimes Sev," Scorch said defensively, but with a barely contained chuckle. "Satellite has some flammable stuff."
"Alright men, tighten up formation around Commander Trudge," Boss said as he adjusted his riot helmet. The four of them were wearing riot armor, which made them a formidable force out in the field when Duel Disks failed. With the helmet activated, it made the visors look like a dangerous blue T. "We move on your command Trudge!"
"Let's go then!" Trudge said, revving his police issue Duel Runner. With that, the five were off. "Sev, you got anything on that barrier."
"Asides from the energy fluctuations I can't really get a good read on it," the second member, Sev, replied. "We're going in blind, since I can't get a reading beyond the barrier. The fact that it's expanding is not good."
"Look ahead!" Fixer shouted as they reached the halfway point across the Daedalus Bridge, marked by the beginning of the monument that would signify the reunification of New Domino City and Satellite. They could see several Duel Monsters flying in the sky ahead, attacking stuff at random.
"So what, an army of Psychic Duelists are running wild?" Boss hypothesized. "We've faced Psychic Duelists before, so long as you get the drop on them they'll drop easily." Delta Squad had been used several times by Goodwin to stall the Arcadia Movement's agenda, and they had yet to fail a mission.
"Something tells me that this isn't a bunch of telekinetics gone nuts," Scorch said quietly. They got closer and closer to Satellite, the wall of purple and gold also getting closer. They reached the Satellite shore at the same time the chaos sphere did and passed through the wall without incident, though several of them unconsciously braced for impact. Then Trudge crashed, as did Scorch. The other three members of Delta Squad watched in horror as their leader and teammate began to writhe in agony.
"Run!" Trudge gasped out before collapsing. He was glad Mina wasn't there to see this. Boss' jaw dropped as he watched Trudge transform into his favorite Synchro, Goyo Guardian, while Scorch appeared to be turning into one of his Laval monsters. Flames soon hid Scorch's growing form.
"Let's move!" Boss shouted, realizing that the other Duel Monsters were transformed people and the sudden change must've caused them to lose it, attacking mindlessly. "Main objective has changed from reconnaissance to damage control. We find people who are still human and set up a shelter from these Duel Monsters. We'll have to find the source of this…whatever this is later!"
"Yessir!" the two remaining members of Delta Squad shouted. They zoomed away from their fallen teammates on their Duel Runners, knowing that to stay behind would invite disaster. They'd yet to fail a mission, now wasn't the time to fail. It was time to get to work.
The Master's Chambers
"Why do you run?!" Yusei challenged, stepping into the mists of chaos where the Master had disappeared. "Are you really that scared to face us!?"
The Master's low laughter reached their ears, though Yusei couldn't triangulate where it came from. It sounded like it was everywhere at once. "Oh ho ho Yusei my boy, you must prove yourself worthy to challenge a higher being like myself! Thanks to my goddess of chaos, I have created a person suitable for you two to face!"
"You…created a person?" Yami asked, stunned by the idea. What sort of man had the power to create life?
"Using a newly released soul and the powers of chaos, my goddess has created the Duelist that will bring you to your knees! If you get past her, then I'll deign to put an end to you personally," the Master told them. The mists began to clear a path in front of them, creating a path into the thicker part of the mists. The galaxy-like floor was moving, carrying the two legendary Duelists forward.
"What the," Yami gasped as images appeared in the mists, images of Ancient Egypt, of the history of man, of Duel Monsters, of the future, of Zero Reverse, flashing faster than they could process.
"Mankind, always trying to find order," the Master monologued, "Always struggling against their base instincts, thinking they could rise above their animal origins, that they were better than the animals they tamed. Well this is going to shatter those flimsy ideals and bring back the law of the jungle unto the world! It is the purest form of chaos! It's going to be glorious! Too bad you two won't be around to see it!" The mists began to disperse, the images in the mist fading as a pseudo Duel arena cleared in the space in front of Yami and Yusei. The galaxies on the floor swirled hypnotically, giving the room a sense of eternity.
"Whoa," Yusei breathed as he took it in. The mists began to coalesce into a feminine figure twenty yards ahead of the two. A silver orb appeared in the mists and dropped neatly into the feminine figure of chaos mist, creating a flash of light. Brown robes with silver dragons along the hem appeared around the mist as it faded into the colors of a normal human, deep hood obscuring the woman's features. A blue and silver spiked Duel-Disk appeared on her arm, activated and ready for action.
"Thanks to the Goddess of Chaos, she'll now face the two of you, under proper Dueling Rules," the Master declared. "Each of you will start with eight thousand Life Points and none of you can attack on the first turn."
"Sounds fair to me," Yami said, drawing five cards from his activated Duel Disk. "Why eight thousand though?"
"Because I want to watch the both of you suffer!" the Master shouted angerly, "After all the headaches you've caused me, it's only fair that I have some retribution of my own!"
"We'll take care of any minion you send our way," Yusei added, mirroring Yami's actions. "Then we're coming after you!"
"With the dragons she wields, I highly doubt that," the Master said jovially as he appeared behind the woman, briefly. "This is going to be fun, watching you squirm."
"Let's Duel!" Yami and Yusei shouted. The woman remained silent. All Yami could see under her hood were fierce glowing silver eyes.
Yami LP: 8000
Yusei LP: 8000
Mystery Woman LP: 8000
"Before we start," Yami began, meeting the gaze of the mysterious woman. "Who are you?" The woman's silver eyes glared at him. She remained silent. Perhaps she was mute.
"The Master just placed her there to stall for time," Yusei said, Crow squawking an agreement. "I doubt she even has a name."
"She has a name, dear Yusei-boy," the Master interrupted. "But you're not entitled to it. Not now."
"Fine then," Yami said, "I'll start this Duel off! I draw!" He drew a card and studied his hand. In one swift motion, he grabbed a card and inserted it into his Disk. "I activate the Spell card Black Luster Ritual!" A ritual table with a coat of arms floating above it and a large brown pot appeared in front of the Pharaoh, eight dots on the pot. "And to finish the Ritual, I'll sacrifice my Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!" The Magna Warrior appeared above the vessel before sinking into the jar. All eight dots lit up and blue flames erupted from the pot.
Yusei was impressed. "Oh wow a Ritual Summon!" While he knew of Ritual Summoning, he had never actually seen one before, due to how inconsistent the Summoning method was. To witness such an impressive Summon from the King of Games was something the Head Signer would never forget.
"Now the soul of the sacrificed shall merge with both the light and the darkness!" Yami said. "And between the light and the darkness, the gateway to chaos is opened! Ritual Summon! The Black Luster Soldier will now descend on the field!" From the flames stepped a tall imposing warrior covered head to toe in yellow and dark blue armor, a large curved sword in one hand and a kite shield in the other.
Black Luster Soldier: Atk 3000, Def 2500, LV 8
"I'll then Summon the Giant Soldier of Stone in Defense mode!" the Pharaoh continued. True to its name, a giant golem soldier appeared on one knee, ready to guard his master.
Giant Soldier of Stone: Atk 1300, Def 2000, LV 3
"I'll place two cards facedown and end my turn," Yami concluded.
"The soldier of chaos, the Black Luster Soldier," the Master commented gleefully. "ohohoho, my ancient Egyptian prodigy, even you know the powers of chaos are unstoppable."
The Pharaoh glared at the Master, lurking in the mists behind their mystery opponent. "Your version of chaos is nothing but complete anarchy. Life requires balance!" He turned his gaze to Yusei. "You're up."
Yusei nodded. "My turn then!" He drew a card, then placed it in the Graveyard on his Disk. "In order to Special Summon my Quickdraw Synchron, I need to send one card from my hand to the Graveyard! Come on out Quickdraw Synchron!" A little robot cowboy appeared in front of the Head Signer, fingers twitching in anticipation.
Quickdraw Synchron: Atk 700, Def 1400, LV 5
"Next I'll play my Quillbolt Hedgehog's ability from the Graveyard," Yusei continued. "Since there's a Tuner on the Field I can Special Summon it from the Graveyard!"
"You sent it there when bringing out your Quickdraw Synchron, didn't you?" Yami noted, grinning as a hedgehog with bolts replacing its spikes appeared, wiggling its hindquarters as it settled in.
Quillbolt Hedgehog: Atk 800, Def 800, LV 2
Yusei nodded as he played another card. "I Summon Shield Wing in Defense mode!" A teal winged-reptile appeared, holding its large wings up protectively.
Shield Wing: Atk 0, Def 900, LV 2
"Now I'm going to Tune my level five Quickdraw Synchron with my level two Quillbolt Hedgehog!" the Head Signer announced, the two monsters rising into the air. Quickdraw Synchron turned into five stars that expanded into green rings. Quillbolt Hedgehog jump in and dissolved into two more stars as Yusei began his Summon Chant. "Gathering anger becomes an entranced warrior born from a brutal god! Become the path its light shines upon!" The stars aligned within the rings and erupted into a column of red light. "Synchro Summon! Howl, Junk Berserker!" A red-armored metal titan emerged from the light, swinging an axe bigger than its body with ease.
Junk Berserker: Atk 2700, Def 1800, LV 7
"I'll also place two cards facedown to end my turn," Yusei finished. Crow clicked his beak in approval.
"Those monsters aren't going to be enough to take her down," the Master cackled. "I thought you two were going to put up a fight! Alright my dear, let's show these two the error of their disgustingly noble ways!" Yusei swallowed nervously. This was a strong opening from the two of them, powerful monsters on one hand, a wall monster on the other, four facedowns, but the confidence of the Master in this mystery woman still gave him cause for worry. Just what was it she used that the Master had such faith in? And who was she?
The woman slowly raised a hand to her Duel Disk and spoke for the first time. "It's my turn." Her voice sounded thick, as though she were struggling to contain something. Perhaps the power the Master was using was too much? It was low, making it a little hard to hear. "I draw!" Her draw created a small shockwave that blew away some of the mists of chaos around her, though it wasn't powerful enough to stir the legendary Duelists hair. They shared a concerned glance. Whatever was coming, it was still going to be dangerous. They were going to have to be on their toes if they wanted to get past this woman.
The end has begun! Chaos has been unleashed unto the world! Whatever shall our heroes do? How the hell am I going to top this in Chaos Incarnate? Well I sure as hell don't know the answer to that last question, but I am looking forward to y'all's commentary on this absolute madness, as well as y'all's speculation on what'll happen next. Also, I was mildly bemused by those who thought I'd gone and actually killed Crow. I mean, being a bird isn't exactly good for one's health, but he ain't dead. Sorry to those of you who thought he was and went and flamed me in PMs (you know who you are), I understand that cliffhangers aren't fun. Anyways, hope you all enjoyed the chapter!
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Question for the Chapter: Having been given a bit of a crash course of the events of Yugioh VRAINS, and the fact that the series will be ending this year (or early next year, I forget the exact timetable) I'm a little curious: What do y'all think of Master Rule 4? I'm sure the D/D/D players hate it, but it has brought some interesting monsters about. I'm still not sure how I feel about Link Summoning, now that I have a better understanding of it, but still, do you like the necessity to have Link Monsters in your Extra Deck, or would you prefer the more rampant run of Pendulums filling up the boards insanely fast? Would you like to see perhaps a balance between the two formats of Master Rule 3 and Master Rule 4? I'll admit I haven't followed the current meta for years (aside from learning that Ancient Fairy Dragon of all the Signer Dragons is banned), but do you guys enjoy Master Rule 4 and what it's brought to the game?
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Curious, Twilightsworn Tyrant belongs to Batmed on DeviantArt, check out all the fanmade cards he's made on there!
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To StardustFan19: I know that Yusei is getting a little left out, but that's probably a response to all the love he'll end up getting in Season 2, at least in canon. I am going to give him and Atem something awesome that'll be key in taking on both their current opponent as well as the Master. He'll be going full force in this Duel, don't you worry about that though, Yusei is arguably the best of the protagonists, though I know he faces stiff competition from Yugi and now Yusaku. He'll be shining soon enough.
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Thoughts? Questions? Concerns? Reviews are always welcome, as is any and all respectful criticism. As an author, I'm always trying to improve. That, and seeing your comments really helps motivate me to continue writing. I'm sure you guys understand what that feels like.
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Follow me on twitter, at nuttybuddy792 for nutty shenanigans, as well as to get a link to my discord server in my twitter bio. I'll respond a lot faster on Discord, so feel free to join.
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Follow me on twitch, at nuttybuddy792, for a variety of games (mainly Nintendo and Sony, but I play more than just those two) as well as the occasional story writing stream so y'all can see my thought processes as I work on various works.
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Until the next chapter my friends, hope that you aren't among those that end up changed by the Master!
From your Nutty Buddy,
The Eagle Nut