Ichika and Houki have done well so far. They won their first duels and are steps closer to entering Peggrin's castle. Ichika may have won against William, and Houki may have won against Hector, but they were intense duels that took a lot. That can only lead to one thing.
"That's it." Rin said as she dropped to the ground. "I'm so hungry. I don't think I can go much further."
"How immature, whining about needing food." Cecilia complained. "A lady should never plead for such things." She tried to keep up a proper appearance, but it didn't help when her own stomach growled. "Oh... Of all the rotten timing."
"You both do make a point about something." Ichika said. "This dueling takes up a lot of energy, and there's no burger stands or any fast food restaurant anywhere on this island."
"Fast food? Do keep in mind I'm a lady of class." Cecilia said.
"Well, do you got any better ideas?" Houki said. "We better do something about food or else we're going to starve before we even get in that castle."
"But what can we do?" Charlotte said.
"What else? We live off the land." Laura said like it was a no-brainer, but all of them looked at her with confusion. "We must live off what's on this island. I'm sure there are plenty of berries we can find, fish we can capture. There is even some insects and plants we can eat. Those are rich in protein and vitamins."
"I am not eating bugs and plants!" Cecilia shouted.
"Same here. I'm a great cook, but even I can't make that stuff good." Rin said.
"Can you really tell something like that, Laura?" Ichika said. "If you can, that's really cool. It might actually be helpful. I'm glad you're here for that."
"Really?!" Laura said with her face turning pink. "I'm glad I can be of service to you." The other girls got annoyed, but their desire for food kept them from doing anything. It was at that moment that Charlotte caught the scent of something.
"Wait. I think I smell something." Charlotte said. All of them sniffed the air and they could smell something cooking.
"Yeah. I think it's coming from that direction." Ichika said as they pointed in the direction. All of them followed the scent and it lead them down to a rocky shore, but they did see fish cooking against a fire. "It's fish!"
"Sweet! They're already cooked!" Rin said as she and the others went and got the fish.
"Wait just a moment. Someone clearly had to have start this fire and cooked that fish." Cecilia said.
"Cecilia's right. We shouldn't be eating that." Houki said, but they all just ignored them and just kept eating. The food just looked too tempted for them to resist. "Save some for me!" Houki tried to snack on the fish herself.
"Oh dear. I actually prefer my fish in a fancier style while using silverware." Cecilia said as she felt a bit embarrassed to eat fish on a stick.
"Lighten up, Cecilia. This fish is quite delicious." Charlotte said. Cecilia just went with it and took a bite.
"Oh my! This is quite delicious." Cecilia said. "Ichika, do you want a taste?" She actually tried feeding him the same fish she took a bite out of.
"Back off! They're the same fish! They taste the same!" Rin said. They were all eating peacefully, but it was interrupted as they saw a spear was thrown near them. "Where the heck did that come from?!"
"Okay, you thieves. What makes you think it's okay to swipe someone else's meal?" Both of them looked and spotted a guy that just came out of the water. He had messy brown hair and blue trunks. He also had one of the tournament's gloves.
"We're sorry. We were all just so hungry." Houki said.
"Indeed. We smelled the fish cooking and we just couldn't help ourselves." Charlotte said.
"Is that so?" The man said as he took his spear. All of them were a little cautious as to what he would do. "So be it." He said as he sat next to him. They were all surprised because they thought he would attack them. "There are plenty of fish in the sea. Help yourself."
"That's not usually what that expression means, but thanks!" Rin said as she helped herself.
"We are sorry. We should have asked first." Ichika said. "Who are you?"
"My name is Wave Arthis. I may have caught those fish as my lunch, but there's nothing wrong with sharing a meal."
"How kind of you." Cecilia said.
"It's actually impressive you were able to catch all these fish with just that spear you have." Houki said.
"I've always been a fan of the sea. Catching fish was my favorite hobby." Wave said. "I travel many harsh seas, seen many incredible fish. The sea can be a harsh mistress, but also truly powerful force. Beautiful as well."
"Sounds like you're quite the fisherman." Ichika said.
"That's right! I hope to conquer all the seas throw at me!" Wave said as he shot his fist forward.
"Hold on. That's one of the tournament's dueling gloves. Are you in this too?" Houki asked.
"I am. I have already defeated another duelist and I have already earn myself four stars." Wave said. "I'm quite the fisherman, but I can be a powerful duelist as well because the sea lends me it's power."
"Really? I would like to that." Ichika said. As soon as he said that, Wave grinned.
"I'm so glad you said that!" Wave said as he held out his spear and pointed it right at Ichika.
"Hey! Don't point that thing at me!" Ichika said.
"I'm well aware of who you are." Wave said. "You're Ichika Orimura. I don't know if this is luck or fate, but this is an opportunity that I can't pass. That's why I am challenging you to a duel!" Seeing where this was going, the spirit in his charm switched places with him and pushed the spear aside.
"Very well, Wave. I accept your challenge." Ichika said. Both of them stepped to opposing sides. They both activated their duel disks and got ready to start.
"For this challenge, I will wager two stars." Wave said.
"Two it is. I'm ready to go if you are." Ichika said.
"I am." Wave said. Now that the stakes have been set, the time has come to start this duel.
"Let's duel!" Both said as they started with 4000LP.
"How did things turn out like this?" Charlotte said.
"That's what happens sometimes." Houki said.
"Allow me to start." Wave said. "I'll start by activating my Concealing Tides continuous spell." When Wave played that spell, water burst through and covered his half of the field.
"A continuous spell?" Cecilia questioned.
"It's a spell that will stay on the field as long as he meets the conditions." Houki said.
"I think I'll also play this." Wave said. He set a monster, but it was hidden under the water and Ichika couldn't see a thing.
"What is this?" Ichika questioned.
"This is the power of my Concealing Tides." Wave said. "As long as this remains on the field, all my aqua, fish, and sea serpents gain an additional 400atk and defense points. However, the true beauty of this card is that my monsters can constantly stay hidden. That's the power of the sea. You just won't know what you're attacked by."
"How can I fight when I don't know what I'm fighting?" Ichika questioned.
"I place one card facedown to end my turn." Wave said.
"This is bad. Ichika can't attack blindly. He's got to find some way to lure in whatever is in that water." Houki said.
"My turn!" Ichika said as he took his turn. 'I'll have to play this carefully. I don't know what I'm against, but I can't wait around.' "I summon Stratos Warrior!" Ichika summoned out a warrior holding a sword with him wearing white armor with rocket fins on his legs and shoulders, and thrusters on his back. He also had 1400atk points. "Attack!" Ichika took the chance to attack whatever was hiding in the water. However, a tentacle shot out and smacked his warrior away. Ichika's life points also dropped to 3600.
"Bad move. You just disturbed Crash Kraken." Wave said. A kraken covered in scars showed itself out of the water, and it also had glowing yellow eyes with 1800def points.
"I see, but at least now I know what I'm up against." Ichika said. "I place one card facedown and end my turn."
"What's that moron doing? That attack just cost him some life points." Rin said.
"Perhaps, but at least that monster can't hide this time." Charlotte said.
"My turn!" Wave said as he drew his next card. "I think I'll add some charge by summoning the Electrical Jellyfish to the field." Wave summoned out a jellyfish that was producing electricity, but it only had 500atk points. It rose to 900, but that didn't appear to be much. "I'll also switch Crash Kraken into attack mode." His kraken switch modes and it had 1800atk points. "Now, drag his warrior!" His kraken reached out and grabbed Ichika's warrior. It dragged him under the water and crushed it with Ichika's life points dropping to 3200.
"No. My warrior." Ichika said as he was left defenseless now.
"With him gone, my jellyfish can attack you directly!" Wave said. His jellyfish unleashed a blast of electricity and blasted Ichika with it as his life points dropped to 2300. "I think that's enough for this turn." When his turn ended, both of his monsters retreated back into the water.
'That's what I get for being careless, but at least now I know what I'm up against.' Ichika thought. He drew his next card and was coming up with a plan. "I summon Infinite Stratos Blue Tears!" He summoned out Blue Tears and she flew out with 1600atk points. "I now activate her special ability. Since she is an Infinite Stratos, I can deal 400points of direct damage." Blue Tears unleashed her drones and each one shot a laser and blasted Wave with his life points dropping to 3600.
"Not bad, but that won't be enough." Wave said.
"We'll see about that once I attack! Now that I know which monster is your kraken, I'll aim for your jellyfish! Attack with Blue Pierce! Attack the monster on the right!" She launched a laser to attack the monster, but Ichika was surprised to see Crash Kraken as the shot was deflected and his life points dropped to 2100. "What happened?! I was certain that was your jellyfish."
"Did I forget to mention one other ability my spell has?" Wave said. "After my monsters attack, I can switch them facedown and rearrange them if I want."
"Are you kidding me?" Rin said.
"This guy conceals his monsters and strikes. It's an effective strategy since this guy seems to be using the sea itself." Houki said. "Truth is, when you're out in water, you never really know when and where you'll be attacked."
"I'll place one card facedown and end my turn." Ichika said.
"My turn! I'll start by summoning my Monsoon Serpent." Wave said. He summoned out a giant sea serpent with it having 1500atk points and it rose to 1900. "I think I'll show you it feels to be surrounded by water. I activate my High Tide trap card!" When he activated his trap, the water rose and surrounded Ichika's field.
"What is this?!" Ichika questioned.
"My trap card works in correlation with my spell." Wave said. "Since I have three water attribute monsters on the field, it blocks off three of your monster zones. That means you have only two available."
"Oh no! With three of his monster zones off limits, Ichika's options are limited." Houki said.
"I'm afraid it gets worse. My Monsoon Serpent allows me to summon a second water monster each turn." Wave said. "I release my jellyfish to summon Great White Jaws!" He released his jellyfish and a shark emerged out of the water with great white teeth. It also had 1900atk points that rose to 2300. "You are about to witness the wrath of my sea creatures! Monsoon Serpent, attack! Wash his monster away!" His monster unleashed a giant wave and Blue Tears got caught in it with her being destroyed and Ichika's life points dropped to 1800.
"No! Now Ichika is left defenseless!" Charlotte said as she was scared of how this ends.
"It's over!" Wave said as his kraken and shark went to attack.
"I think not! I activate Stratos Defense System!" Ichika said. "By cutting my life points in half when you attack me directly, your battle phase ends!" Ichika's life points dropped to 900 and the two monsters backed off. "There's more. Since my life points are less than a thousand, I can summon an Infinite Stratos with 2000 or less attack points."
"Summon whatever you like. It won't help." Wave said.
"We'll see. I summon Infinite Stratos Rafale-Revive!" Ichika said. He summoned out an orange unit with a female pilot and had 2000atk points.
"What are you going to do with her?" Wave said.
"You're about to find out." Ichika said as he drew his next card. "I activate Revive's special ability. It allows me to bring back one Infinite Stratos back from my graveyard. Return, Blue tears!" Blue Tears flew back on the field.
"So what? My monsters have your surrounded." Wave said as all three of his monsters were concealed in the water and ready to strike.
"I'm well aware of that. That's why I'm activating my spell card." Ichika said. "I play Jetstream Impact! This spell card allows me to destroy one spell or trap card with there being an Infinite Stratos on the field."
"Destroy?!" Wave said as he knew what was going to happen.
"That's right. The one I choose is your Concealing Tide!" Ichika said. Revive flew over Wave's field and the impulse of it destroyed Wave's spell with water receding.
"But if my spell is ever destroyed, all my monsters lose all their power and are forced into attack mode!" Wave said as his monsters ended up beached and all their power was gone.
"Which means Blue Tears and Revive can destroy them and end this duel!" Ichika said. Both of his monsters blasted his monsters and destroyed them with Wave's life points dropping to zero.
"Ichika won!" Charlotte cheered with all the girls happy for him. With the duel over, both of them ended things with a handshake and Ichika being rewarded his two stars.
"You are a skilled duelist. I wish you the best of luck." Wave said.
"As do I for you." Ichika said.
"Even though I have lost, I will rise again just like the mighty waves." Wave said as he laughed. That was when Ichika moved to the side as a big wave washed over and splashed Wave. The girls couldn't help but laugh. With them sharing a friendly moment, Ichika now has a total of five stars and is halfway to getting in the castle.