Touhou Duel Masters Café
Chapter 38 – Event Horizon
BGM: Ten Million Relief Plan 1 (Ace Combat 7 OST)
"I cast Faerie Miracle. Since I have all civiizations in my mana, I add the top 2 cards of my deck to my mana." Jonathan cast the boosting spell, Katusking MAX and Donjungle S7 joining Wilhelm, Saizoumist and Hyde in his mana. "Turn End."
"Hmph." His opponent brushed aside her long flowing brown hair, having taken off her hood as soon as the duel started. "I charge a mana, and I summon Bernine." The Dragon Guild that donned Number Nine's armor joined Crysta on her battle zone. "I draw a card. Then with my remaining mana I summon another Crysta and draw a card. Now my Metallicas cost 2 less to summon." She smirked, confident in her abilities to swarm Jonathan over in the duel.
"I wouldn't be so sure of myself if I were you. The duel's just started. Draw!" Jonathan started his turn, and placing Nicol Bolas in his mana, he cast Intense Showering Now. "I put the top 2 cards of my deck into my mana tapped, and I return Donjungle S7 from my hand to my mana. Since he costs 8, I return one of your Crystas to your hand." Using the now staple card in big manas like his friend, Jonathan boosted more mana while temporarily getting rid of a cost reduction creature, earning the ire of his opponent as she caught the bounced Crysta.
"Tsk. My turn." The cultist drew a card, instantly charging it into her mana zone. "…I summon Crysta again with 1 mana and draw a card. Then I summon Shoten, by evolving my second Crysta into him." The vaguely humanoid creature made out of glittering minerals descended upon the battle zone, earning the cultist another draw. "Battle! Shoten, attack!"
"…" Jonathan covered himself from the impact, and caught the broken shield as it reformed into a card. "No trigger."
"Heh. Turn End." The cultists smirked.
"…My turn, untap. And then Shoten's effect, I assume?"
"Of course. At your start phase I put Wonder Turtle into my battle zone tapped with Shoten's effect!" The Light Labyrinth Turtle Metallica joined the ranks of the cultist's creatures, bathing all them in a shining aura. "Wonder Turtle's Labyrinth effect. Since I have more shields than you, my creatures don't leave the battle zone until the start of my turn!"
"…Draw." Jonathan frowned. It wasn't the card he needed now, and he dropped it into his mana zone. "I summon Donjungle S7."
"My creatures won't leave the battle zone, so they won't be losing battles to that card!"
"Doesn't matter. S7, attack Shoten. With Donjungle's effect, I cost trample a power 7000 or less creature… Nicol Bolas from my mana zone." The tri-colored Elder Dragon materialized on Jonathan's side of the field, blasting the cultist's hand with a fiery breath of flame and sending all cards from it to her grave.
"Kuh…!" Shaking her numbed hand from the impact, the cultist glared at the dragon with contempt. "I knew that was coming."
"Did you now? I wouldn't have though with all those draws from Bernine." Jonathan folded his arms. "Donjungle S7 wins the battle against Shoten, although he's not destroyed. Then end phase. Since I attacked with Donjungle, Nicol Bolas stays tapped. Turn end."
"My turn. Draw!" The cultist peeked at her card, and with a sigh of relief, instantly summoned the card. "I summon White Night with 5 mana thanks to Crysta! Then I draw with Bernine. White Night grants me a new shield, and with his Labyrinth effect my creatures win all battles this turn!"
"…Hm."
"Battle! I attack that eyesore of a Joker with Wonder Turtle! 14000 power won't save him now!" Wonder Turtle charged headlong into Donjungle, then bringing down its whole body down on the downed creature, eradicated it from the battle zone. "Wonder Turtle's effect! Since it has won a battle, I look at the top 4 cards of my deck…and from them, I put Blue Defense Silver, Levoix into the battle zone! Levoix's effect, I tap both him and Nicol Bolas, and then I draw a card with Bernine!"
Another Metallica joined the increasing army on the cultist's side, putting the Elder Dragon into a tired state as Shoten instantly destroyed from with a blast of energy.
"…." Jonathan recovered from the explosion, clicking his tongue.
"Kukuku… Not so confident now, are we?" The brunette sneered. "I end my turn."
"Start phase."
"Shoten's effect, I bring out another Wonder Turtle from my hand and draw! I don't need to explain the same effect twice, do I?" Peeking at her drawn Mixel, the cultist was confident she could win the next turn.
BGM: Faith is My Pillar (Etrain Odyssey 4 Super Arrange OST)
"Of course not. Draw." Jonathan started his turn. "My, what a lovely field you've got there. Would be a shame if something were to happen to it, no?"
"What are you saying?"
"9 mana. Dokindam Apocalypse!" Tapping 9 cards in his mana zone, Jonathan summoned the Forbidden Creature.
"What….!?" A gasp escaped her lips. She had been too ahead of herself to remember 5c controls often used this card against swarming decks, especially newer ones.
"I suppose you know his effect already." Jonathan let out a smirk. In response Dokindam Apocalpyse tossed a spear into the empty space overhead, and as it fell, the weapon multiplied into countless copies, raining down on all the creatures as they were sealed from Dokindam Apocalypse's effect. "Sealing is definitely quite the useful tactic against swarms without Commands, don't you think? Even bypasses that effect of Wonder Turtle."
"…." A drop of cold sweat rolled down the cultist's cheek. She had instantly lost 2 of her finishers with no hope of salvaging them, in addition to a large number of cards from her deck as seals.
"Turn End."
"Kuh… draw… I cast Jamming Chuff, preventing you from casting spells until my next turn. Then I draw a card. Turn End…"
"My turn, draw. I summon Katsuking MAX." The Outrage MAX, one of Jonathan's longtime manifestations of his souls, appeared on his side of the field.
"Hmm. Quite the one sided field right now, Jonathan. I can't even activate my effect." Katsuking scratched his chin, a little mockingly.
"Oh, you're still useful alright. Turn End."
"My turn… Draw." The cultists clenched her fist. It was a hopeless battle now, with Jonathan's mana zone now abundant enough to slowly deplete her resources and anything she would summon. "I summon Crysta and Bernine. Turn End…"
"Might as well end this quickly now." Jonathan started his turn, and proceeded to summon Dorago the Great from his mana using Katsuking MAX's ability, to battle his opponent's Crysta, locking her out of any non-dragons she would summon, and taking off Dokindam Apocalypse's seal in the process.
"Battle. Dokindam Apocalypse, Katsuking, Double Break!" Attacking with their weapons, the creatures left the cultist with 2 shields, knocking her off her feet with their ferocious force. She struggled to stand, and was unable to summon Levoix due to Dorago's effect. "No trigger…"
"Turn End."
"My turn, draw… Turn End." Nothing could save her from imminent defeat as she grit her teeth in shame and humiliation.
"My turn. I summon Number Nine." Yet another Dragon appeared on the battle zone, his howl sealing the casting of spells entirely on the cultist's side. "This is the final push. Dokindam, Double Break!"
The last 2 shields splintered, Novalty Amaze unable to be cast with Number Nine's absolute interference in the battle zone.
"Katsuking, todomeda!" With the order, Katsuking brought forth the decisive conclusion for the duel as the cultist's consciousness blacked out.
BGM: Tyranny of Howling Rage (7th Dragon 2020 OST)
Nekohana drew a card as she started her turn. A smile crept onto her lips as she looked at Mad Dead Wood in her grave, which she had conveniently discarded with Scale of Love and Bravery the previous turn in exchange for 2 draws.
"I charge a mana. Then with 3 mana, I use Dolgon Churis' Bad Action Dynamite to summon him! He's destroyed at the end of this turn, but that doesn't matter much."
"Chi. Rev Change, I see." Her foe spat.
"Good of you to know. Battle! I attack with Dolgan Churis, and Revolution Change! I change Dolgan Churis, a cost 5 Fire Dragon, with Doguraeater in my hand!" Proclaiming her ace card's name, the lioness youkai brandished it, changing it with the Dragon Guild in the battle zone. "With Doguraeater's effect, I discard Shortshot Magnum and bring out Mad Dead Wood!"
The Team Acme Dragon growled, and bringing forth its power, expanded the D2 Field into the battle zone, covering it with venomous plants looking to snare any prey they could capture.
"Doguraeater, Double Break!" As per her master's command, the Dragon extended her vines, piercing two of the cultist's shields.
"Tsk..." The cultist ducked, the vines leaving a faint cut on his cheek and robe. Catching the two broken shields, he activated one of them. "Shield Trigger! I summon Ragnark The Clock! With his effect I skip the rest of your turn." The blue humanoid Outrage exerted his powers in turn, cutting off the rest of Nekohana's turn.
"Not that I had anything else to do anyway."
"My turn, draw!" Her opponent started his turn, charging a mana. "I cast Afro Ikimasu to discard Iwashin and draw 2 card. Since Iwashin is put into the graveyard, I draw an additional card and discard another card in exchange. Then I summon School Man! I destroy both him and The Clock, and then you must destroy Doguraeater as well since that's your only creature."
Nekohana clicked her tongue as all 3 creatures were engulfed in explosions. Mad Dead Wood gave all her creatures Ultra Saver for Multicolored creatures, but that did not good at the moment.
"Then since I have more than 6 creatures in my graveyard, Gravity Zero! Millionaire Corssfire!" The Dragonic Outrage burst out from an eruption of flames, instantly deploying his funnels and blasting away 2 of Nekohana's shields due to his Speed Attacker. "How's that?"
"…No Trigger." Recovering from the million power attack, Nekohana declared the absence of any triggers within the broken shields.
"Turn End. Your move."
"I don't need you to tell me that. Draw! I charge a mana, and then cast Gogogo Go1 Knuckle! The Twinpact version, mind you. I discard a card and destroy a creature with power 9000 or less, Crossfire!"
"Hmph." The cultist's creature was struck by two rocket punches, sending him to the graveyard.
"Turn End."
"My turn." The cultist frowned. Nekohana's grave was building up very nicely. If he's unlucky, she might even end him next turn. Not to mention she there's Shortshot Magnum in her graveyard… "…Tsk. Can't duel if you aren't willing to take risks! Draw!"
Making up his determination, the cultist crudely rubbed the faint blood seeping from the cut on his cheek. "I cast Beginning of the End! I put the top 3 cards of my deck into my grave, then I return Crossfire to my hand!"
He's aiming to end it this turn… Nekohana mused to herself.
"With my remaining 2 mana, I summon 5000GT! Then Gravity Zero! Crossfire!" Both Fire Outrages materialized, ready to end the duel with their assault.
"5000GT! Triple Break!" The cultist commanded, and obeying, 5000GT extended his razor arm, cutting through Nekohana's remaining shields in an instant.
"Shield Trigger! Gogogo Go1 Knuckle! I discard Rafululu to destroy Crossfire!"
"Chi…!" Gritting his teeth and unable to deal the final attack without anymore creatures, Nekohana's opponent was left with no option aside from ending his turn.
"My turn! Untap, start phase!" Nekohana declared. "Mad Dead Wood's Denjara Switch! I send all of our creatures…in this case only 5000GT, to the bottom of our decks. Then we put all of our creatures from our graveyard into the battle zone."
"But with Shortshot Magnum's effect…."
"Correct!" Nekohana smiled. Or it might've been more of a snarl. "It's my turn, and my creatures are revived first. And since Magnum is on the field before your creatures are revived, all of them are sent back into the graveyard instead of being revived!"
"Kuh… But this isn't over! Your creatures can't attack for this turn yet!" Defying the situation, the cultist was still determined to turn the tables around.
"You think so? I cast Red Magic! All of my creatures get Speed Attacker until the end of my turn!"
"What…!?"
"Thanks to Magnum and Rafululu, there's not much you can do. Heheh. Battle! Megagoone Churis! Rafululu! Magnum! Break all of his shields!" Upon command, the 3 creatures attacked, splintering the cultist's shields and any hope of comeback.
"This is the last! Doguraeater! Direct Attack!"
The Duel Field dissolved, like an ice cream ball being melted with hot chocolate sauce., as the two humans dashed towards the magicians and cultists gathering around the ritual circle. Jonathan took out a card, blasting them away and sending bodies hurtling towards walls. Outside the basement, low thunder could be heard, as space and reality warped. If one looked closely enough, they would see transparent orbs glowing faintly within the clouds, illuminated by occasional streaks of lightning. Alas, most were too busy going on with their lives to notice such an abnormal occurrence in the heavens, and the few who did either brushed it off as a hallucination after a brief glance, or were frantically trying to make sense of the cosmic deity out of human reason.
"Fuck, they've finished the summoning just in time!" Michael grit his teeth, frantically skimming through the intact copies of grimoires left on the floor. "We need to disperse him with the spell… where is it!?"
"Hahaha…!" Muspel's maniacal laugh bounced off the walls, as Demon grabbed his collar and lifted him off his feet. "The ritual is finished…! Our father will come and grant us unlimited knowledge, and we will…"
His sentence is cut short as Demon, who turned into Shishima, slashed open his throat in pure anger. How could this human not feel fear? Not even at the brink of his own demise?
Bubbles of blood frothed from Muspel's gaping wound, his dry laughs continuing on as the light gradually faded from his eyes, his body growing limp.
"Tsk…" Shishima spat. He had planned on torturing the magician for all the trouble he had made him gone through, but that wasn't worth the effort if there was no fear to feed on. He was to crazed and insane, void of any rationality in his brain.
"Where's the damn spell…?" Michael flipped through the pages, but was unable to make out anything that would help the situation. Alas, he had little knowledge regarding spells of these kinds. Jonathan was in same situation, as they feared the longer it takes, the more damage would be done to the universe.
"I have it." Nekohana help up a grimoire, flipping to the exact page where the required spell was written. "I'll cast it."
"Nekohana?"
"You're both humans. The decrease of sanity might be too much for her." The youkai let out a small chuckle. "I'll be doing this much, for the humans I admire so much. Plus, I doubt you can read Arabic."
"Tsk…" Tossing aside the lifeless body of Muspel, Demon grew even more frustrated at Nekohana's admiration of humans. It nagged at his mind, coupled with the humans' previous statements of both youkai and humans being alike. His pride still wouldn't allow himself to acknowledge, no matter of how true it was, and Nekohana's choice to assist humans through her own will pricked his anger. That is, he decided not to do anything about it for now. He didn't want to perish along with everything else on this world, after all. There was much needed to be accomplished still.
"…" Reading off the grimoire, Nekohana started to chant the spell to disperse Yog=Sothoth. The spellbook glowed with an eerie aura, one that Michael and Jonathan would rather not touch. The sky rumbled as Nekohana continued to mumble Arabic, using up her large magic resources within herself to accelerate the process. The two humans used this opportunity to eradicate any cultists trying to flee the basement. There was no need for them in this world. Or anywhere in the multiverse, in fact, if they were worshipping such a dangerous deity existing out of the event horizon.
Nekohana slammed shut the thick book, panting as she finished the spell.
"…." Demon felt the sky beginning to calm, the ominous and threatening presence fading away. It was almost crushing, and the thought of such an enormous power completely out of his reach pleased him not one bit.
"Phew…" Michael sighed a breath of relief. He was glad Nekohana was here. Even if she wasn't originally part of the expedition, her presence was undeniably an appreciated one. They helped her out of her doubts, she returns the favor multiple times. It was a win-win situation.
Jonathan looked at Nekohana with gratitude as well. He too felt that the lioness was a surprising, yet reassuring ally. Although youkai friends aren't a new thing, it was good to have another one watching their backs at the right moment.
"That was easier than I thought." Demon huffed, trying to hide the fact he was almost crushed by the god thanks to his acute senses. "We didn't have much troubles dispersing him and not a lot of casualties."
"I'd rather not see any of those possibilities happening. It would be a tad too late by then." Jonathan rubbed his temples. "Any problem arising from that period of time would most likely be restricted to this world, at a small scale, so we've completed our mission."
"Yeah, we did." A sharp pain stung Nekohana's head as she clutched it, bending her too her knees.
"You alright?" The humans went to tend to her, only for her to stand and wave it away.
"Yeah…it might just be using up too much of my stamina to get rid of Yog=Sothoth. It's not that easy to call off a god in a matter of minutes."
"Don't strain yourself."
"Thanks. I'm fine, I just need some rest."
"Alright, let's clean up this mess and head back. Can't leave any cultists squirming their way back and causing any future ruckus."
A gap opened in the café, and the group tumbled out, fatigued from the whole ordeal. Jonathan grabbed a chair and plopped his ass on it, while Michael just lay sprawled on the table.
"Pathetic." Demon shook his head. "That's why I don't associate myself with the likes of you."
"Why don't you just shut up and lie down like male lions do?" Michael turned his head, finding the strength for another snark remark.
Demon was about to say something, as another gap opened for Yukari's entry. The youkai sage smiled, tapping her fan on her shoulder as she brushed through her long, silky blonde hair with her other hand.
"Good work, all of you." Yukari sat down on her gap, crossing her legs. "You've successfully averted a crisis. A job well done, if I may say, even if it's your first, Shishima."
"Hmph…"
"And you have my gratitude as well, Nekohana." Yukari nodded towards the other youkai, signaling her acknowledgment of her presence. "You've done much to help. If you wish, you are free to stay in Gensokyo."
"Really?" Nekohana's eyes lit up.
"Of course. You have my word and permission. Feel free to stay wherever you like, provided it's not been occupied yet."
Jonathan piped up with a suggestion. "She can stay here, in the café. The bedroom is empty, and she can help out with the café's operations as well."
"Hm. Not a bad idea." Nekohana mused, mulling over the idea of working and staying in the café.
"You can decide for yourselves. There might be more work soon, so rest well." With that, the boundary youkai disappeared as she leaned back and dropped in the gap, which quickly closed behind her.
"…" Silence once again filled the air.
"So, where will I be staying?"
"We'll see how we can handle that tomorrow. You two can stay in the café bedroom at the back tonight."
"…Tsk."
Decks:
Jonathan: 5c Control (５cコン)
Cultist 1: Wonder Turtle Metallica （白単メタリカ）
Nekohana: 5c Doguraeater (５cドグライーター)
Cultist 2: Graveyard Source (墓地ソース)