Update: As pointed out by ZarcEternal and HunterHQ, there were a few errors in the previous chapter regarding Machine Duplication and the timing of Continuous-Spell cards. Rest assured, I fixed them up. Hope you enjoy Chapter 10!
Chapter 10: The Angel's Enigma
Deep inside the Hanoi Stronghold...
"This is where we will execute the next phase of our plan, father," Revolver told him. The two of them were on a stairway above a massive hole, which leaked with data.
"Very good," the old man said in response. He pulled something out of his pocket, which looked like a small blue cube. "This seed will blossom into a new beginning. A world without LINK VRAINS. No, a world rid of the entire digital network. And not even the shackles of the great beyond will prevent me from being able to achieve this dream."
The old man dropped the cube into the whole, where it started glowing at the bottom before dimming out completely. He then started walking upstairs, back into the Hanoi Stronghold. Revolver followed him a few seconds later.
"There's something troubling you, isn't there, father?" Revolver inquired of him.
Once they got to the main floor, the old man stopped walking and turned to him. "There is, unfortunately." He then turned his head to the monitor, which showed what happened in the mother computer. "Recently, SOL Technologies' mother computer was infiltrated, and a massive amount of data relating to the Lost Incident was stolen."
"Playmaker and Raguel were behind this, then," Revolver concluded, crossing his arms. "With your permission, father, I'll-."
"There's something else," the old man interrupted Revolver. "After I saw the recording, I found something that I thought couldn't be true. But the evidence shows that it is." He motioned for Revolver to watch the file footage.
As Revolver watched the file footage, he saw two duels. The first was between Playmaker and Akira Zaizen, the former security chief of SOL. Even with many setbacks, Playmaker was eventually able to overcome Akira's defenses. The second duel, however, caught him off guard when he saw who Ghost Girl was dueling against. His eyes widened once he recognized the man.
"Impossible," Revolver said, denying the truth. "For ten years, I thought he was dead!"
"Apparently, he isn't," The old man turned off the monitor, seeing that it disturbed his son. "I didn't want to believe it myself, but after looking at how he dueled and used his cards, I'm certain. It's him. It's Arshad."
Revolver didn't know what to think about this new information. A part of him wanted to deny the truth, that Arshad died after the Lost Incident was conducted. But after seeing him on the screen, it was as though he didn't change all those years ago.
"I do not want to face Arshad," the old man continued. "He was a good friend, and had the same dreams as the other researchers and I ten years ago. However, from his actions, he's still pursuing these futile dreams. If we leave him be, he'll only continue getting more dangerous, and I'll be forced to-."
"Must we eliminate him father?" Revolver said, causing the old man to turn to him. "Perhaps if we show him the damage the Ignis will cause to the human race, he could rejoin us. After all, a duelist like him, who doesn't use Link Summoning, would make an excellent member of the Hanoi."
"Or he could report our location to his new friends," the old man bitterly countered. "We need to make every precaution we can, Revolver. But I do see you're point." He sighed. "All right. I will try to sway him to our side, old friend to old friend. But if he refuses, then we'll have to eliminate him. Understand?"
"Yes, father." Revolver bowed to the old man before he dematerialized from the Hanoi Stronghold.
Arshad Saito, Revolver thought. I never thought I would see you again. If you're truly working with Playmaker and Raguel, understand this. He made a fist with his hand as he narrowed his eyes in anger. I will personally eliminate you if it means saving humanity!
On the way to Den Academy...
"Ugh. I hate this thing."
This was said by none other than Progleo, who was out on a walk with Yuhiro. He was scratching the leash that was around his neck. Apparently, the cub no longer had a satellite dish around his neck, as well as the old video recorder on his back. The braces on each of his claws and the coil on his tail were also gone. This made Progleo look like a small husky.
It had been three days since Yuhiro's adventure in the databank. After retrieving the data from the mother computer, Yuhiro requested a program from Watchman that would help Progleo experience the human world, surprising everyone. Watchman granted this request, providing him with the program that will help Progleo experience the real world. Unfortunately, getting Progleo to eat the program was easier said than done, as it took a full hour until he did so. It took Roxy sneaking the program in his favorite meal to do the trick.
"That was dirty of you, sneaking that program into my favorite food like that," Progleo bitterly said.
"It wasn't my idea, you know," Yuhiro stated. "We had to get you to eat it somehow. And Roxy sneaking it into your mini cheeseburger was the perfect idea." He scratched his head and sheepishly chuckled, feeling bad for the poor cub.
"On the bright side, you look so cute!" Herald commented. "Did you know that Husky's are an ever changing cross-breed of really fast dogs? This makes them totally compatible for sled dog racing."
"But I don't want to be a sled-dog," Progleo complained. "I want to be able to interact with this world in the form I was born in."
"I know, Progleo," Yuhiro said. "But people are afraid of what they don't know about. And when people are afraid, they're more likely to take drastic action. Once this world and the Cyberse World are able to coexist, they'll be more likely to see you as an equal."
Progleo then turned around to face Yuhiro. He then gave him the saddest puppy dog face he knew in order to convince Yuhiro to take the leash off him.
"Sorry, little buddy," Yuhiro said, kneeling down and petting Progleo's head, "but a sad, puppy dog face will not convince me to remove the leash around your neck. I did this for you, you know. So you could experience the human world."
"And so far, I'm not having the best experience," Progleo replied. Suddenly, Progleo noticed that he had to use the washroom. "I gotta pee. Where do I go to pee?"
"Usually, dogs pee near trees. Or at the very least, near a firehydrant," Herald said. "Speaking of trees, there's one coming up right now." This caused Progleo to start running, dragging both Yuhiro and Herald with him. After Progleo was finished with his business, he came out from behind the tree, relieved from it.
"Ah. Much better," Progleo said, as he came to Yuhiro with the leash. Yuhiro picked it up and continued walking him to Den Academy.
"You know, I was thinking," Herald said, "that you should have a nickname, Progleo. For when we're in public."
"A nickname you say?" Yuhiro asked. "I wonder what nickname you would like, Progleo? Proggy?" Progleo, having heard that, shook his head. "Okay, what about Bolt? Or Amak?" Progleo shook his head to both those answers as well.
"I know, how about Leo?" Herald asked Progleo, who barked in agreement. "That way, we won't ever forget your name! Not that we never would in the first place," he chuckled.
The rest of the walk to Den Academy was silent. It was good for Yuhiro because he can think about the data he got from SOL Technologies.
He and Roxy, along with Herald, found out who was responsible for the Lost Incident. The man who caused so much pain for him, Miyu, and six other kids. Doctor Kiyoshi Kogami, a researcher at SOL Technologies who ran the Hanoi Project without the knowledge of his superiors. For six months, the project ran uninterrupted until a whistleblower ratted him out to his bosses and shut it down. And on top of that, he died three years following the Hanoi Project.
If Yuhiro had to be honest, he didn't know what to make of the information. While he knew who was responsible for the pain he endured during the Hanoi Project, it belonged to a dead man who couldn't be tracked down as a result. Not only that, but Kogami's name was the only one listed in the data. There's no way Kogami could have done this project on his own, Yuhiro thought. He had to have partners with similar dreams like him.
In the end, there were three people who might know information on the Hanoi Project: Revolver, Infearno, and Dancho. However, there were three problems with that.
One: Even though Yuhiro knew Dancho's real name, Zandaka Ikiagi, he wasn't able to find his contact information. Yuhiro's best guess was that Dancho was keeping a low profile, and as such, was with the Knights of Hanoi as of this moment.
Two: Regarding the Ignis and the Cyberse, what Infearno told him during their duel was complete baloney after hearing Progleo and Herald's accounts on the tale. Yuhiro needed more information from Watchman to figure out what exactly the Hanoi's goal was in destroying the Cyberse. By doing so, he can figure out whether he should pursue Revolver, Infearno, or Dancho. In other words, whoever had the most information on the Hanoi Project.
Three: Playmaker would be looking for Revolver as well. That was pretty obvious. With two people hunting for him, Revolver would make every effort to maintain a low profile as possible, making it next to impossible to find him.
Ultimately, there wasn't anything he could do right now but wait for the Knights of Hanoi to make their next move.
Just before Yuhiro reached Den Academy, he had to go through one last thing. And it started once Progleo escaped from his control and headed for the squirrels near the tree. I gotta catch him before he hurts himself, Yuhiro thought as he ran for the cub.
When he caught up to Progleo, he found the cub at the tree, as well as Aoi Zaizen, who was rubbing his stomach.
"Good morning, Furutani," Aoi said as she turned to him while continuing to rub Progleo's stomach. "Is this your dog? I didn't know you had one."
"His name is Leo," Yuhiro replied, as Progleo walked back to him. Yuhiro picked up his leash. "I got him a few days ago." He continued walking to school, with Aoi following behind him. "It's good to see that you're feeling better, Zaizen."
Aoi nodded at Yuhiro's kind words. "Thank you. That means a lot."
Yuhiro was glad to see Aoi back in full health following the ordeal with the Hanoi. However, a part of him did not want her to follow him right now. He needed the walk to Den Academy to not only think about his work as Raguel, but to chat with Herald as well. He couldn't do that while she was there.
Both of them were silent for a few minutes until Aoi spoke up. "May I ask you a question, Furutani?"
Yuhiro glanced at her, but she was staring ahead. "Alright," Yuhiro responded, now curious at what Aoi's question might be. "What's up?"
"You once mentioned that you didn't know what you wanted for your future because of what you went through, correct?"
"Correct," Yuhiro said. "What are you trying to say, exactly?"
Aoi didn't speak for a minute before she continued, although hesitantly, "Are you not able to figure your future out because of what happened during the Lost Incident?"
Yuhiro's face turned pale as he stopped walking. He soon started hyperventilating as he fell down to the ground, the memories of the Lost Incident flowing through his head. Progleo, who knew what was going on with Yuhiro, tried to comfort him.
"Furutani?" Aoi said, as she got on the ground beside Yuhiro. "Are you alright, Furutani? Can you hear me?" She soon started to become worried, as she shouted, "Yuhiro?!"
"Is everything okay?" A little girl ran to where Yuhiro and Aoi was. As Aoi turned to the girl, she guessed that she was about eleven years old. The girl had short bright violet hair, with a ribbon on top. She wore the Den Academy uniform with a blue tie, indicating that she was a new student. "What can I do to help?"
"Can you help me figure out what's going on with him?" Aoi asked the girl. "I don't know what to do, and-."
"I'll do you one better." The girl pulled out a small syringe with green fluid in it. The canister had a button on it, which the girl pressed, releasing a needle on the other side. "This will help him. But you have to hold him steady, got it?" Aoi nodded, and held Yuhiro steady, while Progleo backed away, unsure of what the girl was going to do to him. "On the count of three. One, two, three!" The girl jabbed the syringe into Yuhiro's chest, releasing the green fluid into his body.
After a few moments, Yuhiro took a deep breath, his senses coming back to him. Progleo jumped into his arms and licked his face upon seeing that he was alright. When he looked around, he saw Aoi and a little girl he didn't recognize concerned for him. As he set Progleo down, he said, "The hell just happened?"
"You experienced an anxiety attack," the girl told him. "I used a healing stim to calm you down. You'll feel a bit doozy, though after 12 hours."
Yuhiro turned to the girl. "A healing stim," Yuhiro repeated, surprised. "I thought those were rare in Den City. Regardless, thanks. For helping me out." The girl smiled at him in response.
The moment was short-lived, though, when Yuhiro remembered what Aoi said that caused him to experience that anxiety attack. How the hell does she know, he wondered. Then he realized something. She was there when he went to talk with Watchman, who blurted out his identity.
That, combined with the fact she learned about the Lost Incident three days ago confirmed one thing. Aoi knew about his identity as Raguel.
He didn't realize he was tensing up until Aoi gently touched his shoulder. "I know it's a lot to take in," she began, "but if you let me, I can-."
"I need some time alone," Yuhiro stated, gently removing Aoi's hand from his shoulder. From the look on his expression, it was clear that he was angry. He leaned forward and whispered to her, "What I went through, it isn't something you can simply forget over time. It becomes a part of you forever. That's why I can't move on." He then resumed walking to school again with Progleo, only at a much faster pace than before. Aoi stood still for a while, trying to get her heartbeat under control, then she started walking again, at a slower pace than Yuhiro, as she saw he didn't want to talk anymore.
To her surprise, the girl followed him. "Are you friends with that Furutani boy?" the girl asked Aoi. The girl's lips curved into a mischievous smile. "Is he your boyfriend, perhaps?"
Aoi's face turned red upon hearing that comment. She turned to the girl. "He's definitely not my boyfriend!" she stated. "Why would you ask that?"
"I don't know," the girl replied. "I'm just a really curious person, who likes teasing people." She looked at her watch. "I need to head to the principal's office to finalize the paperwork with my guardian." The girl turned to Aoi and smiled. "I do hope we're in the same class." Aoi then waved goodbye to the girl, as she ran forward to Den Academy, where she met up with whom Aoi guessed was her guardian.
If Aoi had to be honest with herself, she didn't know what to think of Yuhiro. He was the only one who treated her differently. But I'm not sure myself if he's my friend, she thought. With all the evidence from the past few days, Aoi knew that Yuhiro was Raguel. So this morning, she decided to ask him about it, partly to confirm what was on her mind, but to also let him know that she sympathized with him. Aoi ultimately wanted to let Yuhiro know that she was his friend, and that it was safe to confide in her.
What she didn't expect was for Yuhiro to get angry about it. Nor did she expect him to have a sudden anxiety attack. Aoi knew all about Raguel; how he was the king of LINK VRAINS' black market and his ruthlessness in assignments. But all the times she seen him, he had never scared her. This time, she saw what caused him to earn that reputation in the first place.
A few minutes later...
Yuhiro sat in his seat for his Functions class, doing his best to ignore Aoi sitting in the row behind him. After what she asked him on the way to school, as well as the anxiety attack, he just wanted to be left alone. He was impressed that Aoi was able to figure out his identity, but he was scared for her as well. Threats of being exposed aside, if his enemies found out that Blue Angel knew his identity, they would target her to draw him out. After his duel against Infearno, he didn't want anything else on his conscience.
"Good morning, class." Yuhiro looked up from his tablet at the teacher, who was speaking. "Before we begin, I'd like to make an announcement. Two new students are joining us today; the oldest and youngest to ever attend Den Academy. One of the students is a transfer from Kyoto."
This got Yuhiro's attention. Two new students? He already met the younger one when he had the anxiety attack. As for the older, he hadn't met them yet. Even with this new development, it wouldn't affect him or his work.
The teacher turned to the door. "You may come in now." Two girls wearing the Den Academy uniform and stood at the front.
The older girl stepped forward first. Based on looking at her, Yuhiro knew that she had a strong build than most girls her age. She had long, brown hair that was kept in the form of a ponytail using a hairpin in the shape of a Sakura flower. On her right hand was a glove that had the Sanada symbol on it. Her pink eyes surveyed the room.
"My name is Gekiryushi Sanada," she said, bowing slightly. "Please take care of me." She gave a small smile to everyone across the room.
Yuhiro soon heard a sound across the classroom. All the guys in the classroom, except for Yusaku and himself, were staring at Gekiryushi with wide eyes and open mouths. Some of them even got out of their seats.
You gotta be shitting me, Yuhiro thought, as he put a hand on his face and sighed. These idiots are aware that she's older, right, he wondered. "Why are they staring at her?" Yuhiro asked Aoi, turning to her.
"Because she's pretty," Aoi answered him. "You don't think that she is?"
Yuhiro turned back to Gekiryushi. She was pretty, he guessed. But there was something off about this girl. Usually, people would graduate Den Academy at 17 or 18. Why was she here though?
"Thank you, Miss Sanada," the teacher said. "And now, please give your attention to our other student joining us today." The teacher motioned for the younger of the two students to step forward.
The little girl that Yuhiro bumped into earlier stepped forward, her gold-colored eyes nervously surveying the room. "Uh, my... my name is Rachel Miyake. Please take care of me." She bowed slightly, nervous at what her peers might think of her.
The other students simply sat back down in their seats, muttering as they did so.
"She's too young to be at Den Academy."
"Shouldn't she be in middle school?"
"Den Academy must have been impressed by her intelligence to let someone like her attend this school."
At this point, Gekiryushi had it with everyone's muttering. She stepped forward. "Enough!" she shouted at the entire classroom, getting everyone's attention. "What you're doing to this poor girl is not fair at all! She chose to come here, yet you choose to judge her and not treat her as an equal! If any of you has a problem with her, then you got a problem with me. Understand?" Gekiryushi then glared daggers at everyone, scaring them and ensuring they got the message.
Yuhiro had to admit. Whoever this Gekiryushi was, she had a lot of guts to say that in front of the entire classroom.
"Uh, thanks for that bold statement," the teacher said. "Miss Sanada, why don't you sit in the second row? As for you, Miss Miyake, why don't you take a seat next to Furutani?" Wait, what? Yuhiro glanced up in curiosity as the teacher gestured to the empty seats beside him and the one in the second row. Both girls thanked the teacher, then walked over to their respective seats. Gekiryushi walked to the second bench, while Rachel walked over to Yuhiro's bench.
"Hello," Rachel said, giving a small smile to Yuhiro. "I'm Rachel Miyake. So you're Furutani? The boy I ran into earlier and helped out, correct?"
"The one and only," Yuhiro answered. "Welcome to Den Academy." He turned away from Rachel and to the teacher, determined to focus on the lesson and just get through the day. However, what Yuhiro failed to notice was that Rachel's smile widened.
At the end of Functions class...
"Furutani, I was wondering if you could do me a favor?"
Yuhiro turned from his bag to Rachel in response to her question. Functions class just ended now, and he would have left the classroom had Rachel not asked him the question. He also noticed that much of the class left to follow Gekiryushi. Those poor idiots are going to have their hearts broken within days, Yuhiro thought.
"That depends on the favor," he said, his face blank. While he wouldn't make fun of Rachel or judge her, a part of him was curious as to why she was at Den Academy. If her marks were high enough to get her admittance to the school at such a young age, then he would most certainly be impressed. However, he was also suspicious, as this never happened before.
"Hey, Furutani!" Naoki suddenly appeared beside Rachel. Ugh. He had to be in this class, too. "Don't be rude to our new student!" He turned from Yuhiro to Rachel. "If you like, I can help you any way I can, Miyake."
Rachel turned to Naoki and said, "No thanks. I doubt a 'Neanderthal' as yourself can help me." She turned back to Yuhiro as Naoki's jaw dropped, sputtering as he tried to come up with a response. "After all, you owe me for my help earlier, right Furutani?"
Yuhiro sighed. She had to bring up the anxiety attack? He hoped it wouldn't become his Kryptonite. If people found out about his anxiety attack, they would start using him under the threat of spreading the rumor around the school.
"Alright, fine," Yuhiro conceded. "What is it you need help with?"
Rachel pursed her lips before responding. "Could you show me around the school? I didn't get a tour when I signed up, and I might need help finding my way around."
"Okay. I'll show you around." Rachel smiled as she followed Yuhiro to the exit, ready for the tour. Neither of them noticed Yusaku in the back, staring at Rachel, his eyes narrowed.
Stay alert, Furutani, he thought. Both these girls look more dangerous than they look.
"This is the gymnasium," Yuhiro said, opening the door. It was a massive room, with bleachers on one of the sides of the room for audiences. The gym also had two basketball nets on both sides of the room, as well as a storage room. "Students gather here to partake in sports activities. There are also sports teams you can sign up for if you wish."
"Interesting." On hearing that, Yuhiro turned around and saw Rachel type something on her tablet.
"What are you doing?" he asked, curious.
"Oh, my apologies," Rachel said, smiling as she looked up to face him. "I was just typing up some information that I might need for later on."
"About the gym?" Yuhiro asked. Rachel shook her head in response. He knew it was rude to eavesdrop in a woman's belongings, but a part of him really wanted to see what she typed. After all, there was more to that smile than it seemed. "Or something else?"
"It's simply none of your business," Rachel stated. She then changed the subject. "You know what I see when I first saw your face this morning? I see someone who must have been through something horrific to have that anxiety attack, wouldn't you agree?"
Yuhiro narrowed his eyes. Was Rachel implying that she knew he was a victim of the Lost Incident? However, what she said next surprised him.
"You're not the only one with a face like that," she said. "The girl who was with you this morning had that face. As well as the boy in the back with blue and pink hair. Only to a lesser extent." Rachel's smile soon turned mischievous. "I wonder, do the three of you know each other? To the point where you can trust each other with your secrets?"
"We do know each other," Yuhiro answered her, "but not to that extent." His suspicions about this girl were definitely going up. He had to admit, Rachel was quite observant. She was able to figure out that he, Yusaku, and Aoi all had secrets within minutes of meeting them. Yuhiro was right; this girl was different from the others. To the point where she could be trouble if he dropped his guard. "I think we've seen enough of the gymnasium."
He led Rachel around the school, showing her the classrooms, computer labs, and other places. Throughout the tour, he could see out of the corner of his eye that Rachel continued to take notes on her tablet. Why was she doing that? Was she keeping track of all the information he told her? Or was her goal something else?
The tour would have continued, but Rachel got a call from her guardian. After a few minutes, she spoke to Yuhiro. "I'm deeply sorry," she said. "But I have to go home early. Thank you for showing me around."
"No problem." Yuhiro responded. Rachel was about to run off when she remembered something. She turned around and walked closer to Yuhiro, surprising him.
"When I look at you, there's something I can't identify, yet it's familiar," she told him. "For some odd reason, you look just like someone in my dreams."
Yuhiro couldn't help but ask, "Why do you say that?"
"No reason." Rachel responded. "Anyway, see you tomorrow," she said as she headed out from Den Academy.
If I'm going to stay covert, I need to keep an eye on that girl, Yuhiro thought.
"It's Furutani, correct?"
Yuhiro's thoughts were interrupted at the mention of his name. He turned around, only to see Gekiryushi speaking to him. "If you're looking for Furutani, here I am," he replied.
"What you did for Miyake, it was nice," Gekiryushi said as she stepped forward and extended her right hand. "I'm Sanada. Gekiryushi Sanada."
"Furutani. Yuhiro Furutani." Yuhiro said as she shook her right hand. "What brings you here to Den Academy?"
"A Master's Degree," Gekiryushi said. "in teaching. I come from a family that holds honor in everything they do, above all else. I want to one day pass the lessons my family taught me to the next generation. That is why I seek to become a teacher."
"That's wonderful," Yuhiro commented.
"It definitely is, Furutani," Gekiryushi stated with a smile. "What about you? Have you figured out what you wanted for your future?"
Yuhiro's smile turned into a frown. Ever since the Lost Incident, he couldn't move on, no matter what he did. As a result, it made him uncertain about his future. "No. Not yet. I do hope to find it though before I graduate."
Gekiryushi nodded. "I see. If I can tell you anything, it's this: As long as you have honor, selflessness, and the willingness to do what is right, then you will be fine."
"All right. Thank you," Yuhiro responded. The bell rang. "I have to get to another class. And welcome to Den Academy," he added as he turned around and headed for his next class.
Hours later...
Yuhiro walked home, taking a longer and different route back to Café Matsuo so he wouldn't run into Aoi. He was going over today's events in his head. Two new students joined his class, and the younger of the two wanted him to give her a tour. On top of that, he briefly chatted with the older of the two before the next class.
What surprised him though was how observant Rachel was. Within minutes of meeting, she was able to figure out that Yuhiro went through something horrible in his past, making him someone who keeps secrets. This made him suspicious of her, as he didn't know anything about her. I honestly hate unknowns, he thought.
Were there any people in his life who he can trust his secrets to? Of course there were. There was Roxy, who he can trust completely. He would put Herald down on the list, but he hadn't known him for a long time. However, since the both of them had a common goal, he was willing to work with him. The same thing would go for Watchman as well, only Yuhiro knew him for a much shorter period of time than Herald.
Was there anyone else? His thoughts turned to Miyu, and he blushed. Yes, he could talk to Miyu if he wanted, but the fact that she couldn't respond made it impossible. Still, he was grateful that he could visit her, as he could confide in her what he's been going through. I wonder what life will be like once you wake up, Miyu, Yuhiro wondered. His thoughts were interrupted, however, when Herald appeared from Yuhiro's Duel Disk.
"You seem troubled, Yuhiro," Herald said. "What's up?"
"Sorry if I'm not myself today," Yuhiro said.
"If it's about the information on the Lost Incident, then-."
"It's not about that!" Yuhiro interrupted Herald. And then he went to tell Herald about his day. How two new students joined his class, as well as his suspicions about Rachel Miyake. Yuhiro also told Herald about Gekiryushi Sanada, who was one of the oldest students to enroll Den Academy.
"It just doesn't add up," Yuhiro said, who was stressed out. "And to make this day even better, I had to have an anxiety attack of all things!"
Herald waited until Yuhiro finished venting before speaking. "Yuhiro, when someone goes through a traumatic experience, they don't come out of it unharmed. Rather, they will carry scars with them for the rest of their life. It's whether you choose to move forward or not that makes a difference in the end."
Yuhiro thought about what Herald said. "You make a good point, Herald. And thanks."
"For what?"
"For just simply being there when I needed it." Herald couldn't help but smile.
"Anytime, partner. Anytime."
By the time Yuhiro arrived at Café Matsuo, he saw Roxy eating a chicken sandwich. Must be a new menu option, he thought as he went to the picnic table where she was. The steward bot was behind the counter, serving customers.
"Hey, Yuhiro," Roxy said, as Yuhiro sat down on the chair opposite to her. "How was school?"
"Not the best," Yuhiro admitted. "We got two new classmates, the oldest and youngest to ever attend Den Academy. As for the rest, well, I'll tell you later. What I could use is a distraction."
Roxy stood up. "Then you're in luck, pal. Cause two assignments came in. One from Monty, and one from Watchman." She motioned for him to follow her into the backroom, which he did. After they went into the backroom and sat down in their respective chairs, Roxy turned on the monitor.
"Now where are those emails?" Roxy muttered to herself as she went through her Inbox. "Alright. Bingo! Here they are!" She opened up a window on the monitor, which contained an email from Monty.
To: Raguel
From: Monty
Raguel,
I would tell you about this assignment in person, but unfortunately, I have to attend an important gala in Osaka. Therefore, I will be back in Den City in two days. To keep you occupied, I have a minor assignment for you. If for some reason, it interferes with your other assignment to acquire Playmaker's AI, then you don't have to accept it. If you choose to accept it, then the details are below:
Operation: Retrieval. There are rumors going around of a Cyberse user defeating various duelists on the black market, giving it a bad name. I want you to find this Cyberse user, defeat them in a duel, and send their Cyberse cards to me. If you're successful, I will pay you a good amount for your troubles. Also, please send me a report for the assignment to me as soon as you can.
See you in two days,
Monty.
"I thought Playmaker and I were the only ones who used Cyberse cards." Raguel said, after reading the email. The emergence of a new Cyberse user in LINK VRAINS greatly intrigued him.
"Now this is surprising," Herald said, as he read the email. "Another Cyberse User in LINK VRAINS? I most certainly didn't expect this." He turned to Roxy. "Roxy, did Watchman send an email or something?"
"Hang on. Pulling it up now." Another window on the monitor soon popped up. Only this time, it contained a pre-recorded message.
"Raguel," the pre-recording of Watchman said. "Just a few hours ago, a Cyberse user has been detected in LINK VRAINS. While I wasn't able to find her, I was able to identify her alias: Numera. I need you to find Numera and convince her to join us. If you must, then duel her. Otherwise, she'll become a target of the Hanoi. I provided you with a signal of her last appearance. Let me know how it goes." The message ended after that.
"Numera," Raguel repeated. He turned to Roxy. "Why would she name herself after numbers?"
"Why would someone name themselves after an angel of justice and redemption?" Roxy countered. Yuhiro couldn't help but roll his eyes in response to that comment.
"Fair enough." His eyes narrowed as he considered something. "Do you think the name is a clue?."
"Probably," Roxy admitted. "She could be trying to send you a message as well. Regardless, I think it's worth investigating."
"Agreed." While Yuhiro wanted to investigate this matter, he couldn't help but be conflicted about these assignments. Monty wanted him to acquire Numera's Cyberse cards in exchange for money, while Watchman wanted him to recruit her for her help in the coming Crisis.
"You are aware that we don't have to accept the assignment Monty sent us, right?" Roxy told him. "After all, he still thinks we're focused on retrieving Playmaker's AI."
"The mystery of this Cyberse User, or Numera as she's called, is something we should look into though," Herald stated. "If there are more Cyberse cards in LINK VRAINS, it could mean that several Cyberse creatures from the Cyberse World have managed to enter the network."
"You have a good point there," Yuhiro pointed out. He gained an idea. "Roxy, tell Monty and Watchman that I'll inquire into the matter regarding the Cyberse User."
"You sure about this?" Roxy asked, turning to him. "Cause at some point, you need to choose who you'll be helping."
"Yeah. I'm sure," Yuhiro said. "I want to see what we're dealing with first. By that point, I'll make a decision." He stood up and ran to the closed-off space. He took his deck and put it into his Duel Disk.
"Deck set! Into the VRAINS!"
In LINK VRAINS...
Raguel landed on a rooftop and looked around him. He then pushed a few buttons on his Duel Disk, causing E.M.S. to come out and report for duty. "E.M.S. I need you to find recent appearances of this signal. Can you do that?" The fly saluted at him before flying off and beginning the scan.
After a few minutes, a G.P.S. map of LINK VRAINS appeared on Raguel's Duel Disk, along with another appearance of the signal.
"Roxy's inventions work really fast," Herald stated.
"Or it could mean one thing, Herald," Raguel replied. Numera wanted to be found.
Raguel jumped off the rooftop and onto his duel board, which was on the Data Stream. He zoomed on the data stream as he followed the signal. When Raguel got closer to the signal, it suddenly vanished! That's strange, Raguel thought, as he narrowed his eyes.
"What's the matter?" Herald asked him.
"The signal for some reason vanished," Raguel stated. He would have said more, but he felt the pressure of the data stream underneath his feet increase. As a result, Raguel had difficulty maintaining balance. "Something's not right with the data stream!"
"Uh, Raguel," Herald said, pointing ahead. When Raguel looked forward, he saw a massive yellow triangle, which was sucking them in! "Do something!"
Raguel attempted to drift on his duel board so he could activate his Duel Anchor and latch onto a nearby building. Unfortunately, he missed, causing him and Herald to be sucked in by the massive yellow triangle.
In another area of LINK VRAINS...
The massive yellow triangle appeared once again, spitting out Raguel and causing him to roll onto the ground.
"Are you alright, Herald?" Raguel asked him as he got up. He looked around, and found himself still in LINK VRAINS, although in a different area. If Raguel had to guess, it was in an area that was less populated.
"Yup. I'm still alive," Herald replied. "Although that is something I don't want to go through again."
"It's good to see you survived the trip, Raguel."
Raguel looked around to the source of the voice and gasped. He was soon looking at a massive red and white robot with a blazing sword on its back landing on the ground. The robot had shredded pieces of a cape on both its shoulders and its waist. In its hands, the robot carried a little girl, whom Raguel assumed to be Numera.
The girl had a white bob-cut with a few red strands of hair, as well as green eyes. She wore a black jumpsuit containing final sigma lines on her arms and a nabla necklace around her neck, with pink shoes. She had a scar over her left eye, and a small scratch on the right side of her face.
As the girl stepped off of the mech's hands, Raguel said, "So. You must be Numera."
The girl smiled. "That's correct. I'm Numera."
"You know," Raguel said, "there are rumors going around of a Cyberse User defeating duelists on the black market, giving it a bad name. If you are that Cyberse user, then I suggest you surrender now."
Numera giggled at hearing that. "Surrender? Like that's going to happen."
Before Raguel could ask what she meant, Numera pressed a few buttons on her Duel Disk, causing a golden field to appear around them.
"What the-?" Raguel was shocked at what he was seeing. When he looked behind his back, he saw the massive yellow triangle emitting the golden field. "Roxy, what is this?" Raguel said as he put a hand to the earpiece in his right ear. He tried to log out, but realized he couldn't.
"Checking now," Roxy responded. After a few seconds, Roxy continued talking. "You're not going to like this, Yuhiro. Somehow, this girl created a security field. That means you won't be able to log out!"
"Seriously?" Raguel said. Great. Now he was stuck here, with Numera. This situation just went from bad to worse, he thought.
"I did my research on you, Raguel," Numera stated, giggling some more. "Since you work on the black market, targeting black market noobs was the best way to get your attention. After all, I put that signal on purpose so that you wouldn't ignore it."
"Research-." Raguel narrowed his eyes as he figured it out. "You did this to draw me out. So that I would confront you, Cyberse user to Cyberse user."
Numera smiled again. "Very observant, Raguel. I tried to seek Playmaker out first, but since he always deleted his activity logs, it became very irritating. So after I heard about you, I did some research, which was easier because you were known in the black market. And now, here we are."
Raguel narrowed his eyes further. "Did someone hire you to defeat me?"
Numera, looking insulted, shook her head. "Of course not! I wouldn't use Cyberse cards to hunt other Cyberse users. Rather, I was looking for you because I need your help."
"My help?" Raguel repeated. He then suddenly remembered what Watchman assigned him to do. Might as well try the other option, he thought. "Listen, Numera. I have a client who is looking for other Cyberse users, you know. For help in a coming 'Crisis'. If you accept, then he'll be grateful for your assistance."
She put a hand to her chin and thought about it before responding. "I wonder, does this 'Crisis' have anything to do with the Hanoi?"
Raguel nearly fell over in shock. "What do you know about the Hanoi?" he demanded, surprised that this little girl knew anything about the Hanoi. He even considered, for a brief moment, whether she was a Lost Incident victim or not. If she's a victim of the Lost Incident, then that would answer a lot of questions, he thought.
Numera snickered. "Enough information to surprise you," she replied. "If you like, we can settle this dilemma over a duel."
"Fine by me," Raguel replied. "If I win, you will tell me three things. One: What you know about the Hanoi. Two: How you got those Cyberse cards. Three: Why you would need my help in the first place. Also, should I win, not only will you let me log out, you'll also help us."
"Very well. I agree to those demands," Numera said. However, her smile turned mischievous. "But if I win, you'll help me with my mission, whenever I require your assistance. Understand?"
"YOU BETTER WIN THIS DUEL YUHIRO!" Roxy shouted in Raguel's earpiece. "Because if you don't, you're going to be in a bigger pickle than you already are! And that will be nothing once you return to the real world!"
"She's right," Herald added. "Considering the situation we're in now, we better be careful. After all, who knows what her Cyberse deck can do?"
Raguel scowled. Right now, he didn't have a choice. He did not want to help out another person, as he was already focused on completing tasks for both Monty and Watchman. Unfortunately, with the security field active, he couldn't leave. Despite the complications he faced, the reward was worth the risk, as it would help in the future.
Raguel sighed. "Very well. I accept your terms."
"Wonderful." Numera raised her left arm in the air, causing the giant robot behind her to turn into particles and return to her Duel Disk.
Within moments, a data stream appeared and blew right past them. Both duelists headed for the data stream, jumped in the air, and onto their duel boards. Numera rode a board with black edges that had white stripes around the mid section. The board also had orange flames near the front and a red foot panel in the center.
"Speed Duel!" they shouted.
Raguel: 4000 LP
Numera: 4000 LP
"Since I forced you into this duel," Numera said, "it's only fair you get to go first."
"Only if you insist," Raguel said. "My turn! I Set two cards face down and activate the Continuous-Spell card, Lock and Load!" The card showed Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M charging up its two swords on a scale. "Whenever I Link Summon a monster, I can place a 'Rev' counter on this card!"
"Next I summon Cyreath Valkyrie!" A female warrior with dark red hair, dressed in a long leather loincloth with matching leather brassiere and knee-high boots, appeared on Raguel's field.
Cyreath Valkyrie ATK: 1600 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4
"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel. "The summoning conditions are 1 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Valkyrie in the Link Marker!" Valkyrie went into the bottom arrowhead, turning it red.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come on out! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field in the right Extra Monster Zone.
Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1 ⬇️
"Since I Link Summoned, Lock and Load gains a 'Rev' counter!"
Lock and Load RVC: 0 + 1 = 1
"Scorpius' effect!" Raguel continued. "Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Return, Cyreath Valkyrie!"
Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Valkyrie grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.
Cyreath Valkyrie ATK: 1600 DEF: 1300 LVL: 4
"Appear, for the second time! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel declared, as a second Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Scorpius, which is a Link 1 monster, and Cyreath Valkyrie, in the Link Markers!" This time, Valkyrie went into the top arrowhead, while Scorpius went into the bottom arrowhead.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyreath Chariot Commander!" A ghostly skeletal figure whose entire body was made up of blue flames rode onto the field, in the right Extra Monster Zone. It wore a helmet with jagged, uneven horns, and had an outfit consisting of gauntlets, a pauldron over its left shoulder, a tattered gladiator's skirt, and broken-down metallic boots.
Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2 ⬆️⬇️
"Lock and Load's effect!"
Lock and Load RVC: 1 + 1 = 2
"With that, I end my turn," Raguel concluded.
"Not a bad set-up, Raguel," Herald said, looking at Raguel's field. "One more Link Summon and Lock and Load gets another counter, which will let you activate its effect once you have three! And should you summon a monster to a zone Chariot Commander points to, you can destroy any card she has on your next turn!"
"If we can get through the next turn, that is," Raguel stated.
"My turn! I draw!" Numera said as she drew a card. She then swiped her hand in front of her, revealing her cards. She smiled to herself.
Not a bad opening hand, she thought. With this hand, she can push Raguel into a corner.
"First, I summon Mathmech Sigma from my hand!" A red and white robot carrying a bladed sword appeared on Numera's field. The robot had blue eyes, and on the top of its head was two white spikes that were curved.
Mathmech Sigma ATK: 1000 DEF: 1500 LVL: 4
"Next I activate the effect of Mathmech Subtraction! I can target 1 monster on the field and reduce its attack points by 1000 until the end of the turn. By doing this, I can Special Summon this monster from my hand, in exchange for it not attacking this turn!" This time, a red robot with a huge scarf and slimmer sword joined Numera's field. The robot had two white spikes on each of its shoulders and on top of its head, as well as a red spike on its kneecaps.
Mathmech Subtraction ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4
"That's not good!" Herald exclaimed as Subtraction charged forward and slashed Chariot Commander, reducing its attack points to 1000. Raguel couldn't help but agree with Herald.
Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 – 1000 = 1000
"Level 4 Mathmech Sigma tunes Level 4 Mathmech Subtraction!" Numera declared, smiling in excitement for what's to come. A bolt of red lightning appeared as the whole world greyed out and her two monsters disintegrated into particles. Two rings, one yellow and one red, appeared before turning blue and merging. Eight blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "4 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "8" as light surged through the rings.
"Through code and metal," Numera chanted, "mighty Sigma will obtain a new evolution, ready for battle! Synchro Summon! Appear, Mathmech Magma!" A red and white robot with a massive, black cape emerged from the light and in the right Extra Monster Zone. The robot had white spikes on its head and on its broad shoulders. The robot also carried a sword that was curved throughout the blade, in the shape of waves. Fire erupted from the tip of the sword as Magma swung the sword, ready for battle.
Geomathmech Magma ATK: 2500 DEF: 0 LVL: 8
"I Set two cards face-down. Battle! Geomathmech Magma attacks Cyreath Chariot Commander! Fiery Slash!" Magma charged forward and was about cleave Chariot Commander in two, when...
"Quick-Play Spell, activate!" Raguel interjected. "Cyreath Rebound! This card not only negates the attack, but inflicts damage to you equal to your monsters attack!" Chariot Commander grabbed the sword with its hands and pushed Magma back. A blue laser then fired right out of Cyreath Rebound and towards Numera, but...
"I activate a Quick-Play Spell card as well!" Numera said. "This one is called Spell of Pain! Any effect damage I would have taken is now inflicted to you instead!" She giggled as the blue laser hit a purple shield that appeared from Spell of Pain. The shield then reflected the laser right back at Raguel, going through his stomach and causing him to go on one knee.
Raguel: 4000 – 2500 = 1500 LP
"Hooray! I'm winning, I'm winning!" Numera cheered as Raguel got back up on his feet. She quickly added, "I end my turn. Which means the effect of Mathmech Subtraction ends." As Chariot Commander regained its strength, Numera said, "You still got a chance, Raguel. So show me what you got!"
Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 1000 + 1000 = 2000
"Oh, don't worry," Raguel muttered, "I'll totally show you what I got."
"You alright, buddy?" Herald asked him. "That Spell of Pain card did a number on you, didn't it?"
"Obviously." Raguel replied. "But as long as we have life points, we still got a shot. My turn! I draw!" Raguel drew a card from the top of his deck and looked at Numera's field. She has one Synchro monster and two face-down cards, he thought. If I play this just right, I can deal some damage.
"I summon Cyreath Miner!" A small, male wearing mining gear and carrying mining equipment soon appeared on the field.
Cyreath Miner ATK: 0 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3
"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are one monster! I'll set Cyreath Miner in the Link Marker!" Miner went into the top arrowhead, turning it red.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Emerge! Link 1! Cyreath Pseudo!" A watery spirit with one eye, two long arms, and a tail was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Chariot Commander pointed to.
Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 LINK-1 ⬆️
"Miner's effect!" Raguel continued. "As it was used to Link Summon, I can add any card from my Graveyard to my hand!" Using Miner's effect, Raguel added Cyreath Rebound to his hand.
"Since I Link Summoned, Lock and Load's effect activates again!"
Lock and Load RVC: 2 + 1 = 3
"Chariot Commander's effect! Since a monster was summoned to a zone it points to, I can destroy 1 card you control! And I choose Mathmech Magma!" Chariot Commander fired a fireball at Mathmech Magma, incinerating the robot and turning it into particles.
"I activate Mathmech Magma's effect!" Numera interrupted. "Since it was destroyed by battle or an opponent's card effect, I can add a 'Mathmech' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Using Mathmech Magma's effect, Numera added Mathmech Equation to her hand.
"I activate Cyreath Pseudo's effect!" Raguel said. "It gains attack points equal to the attack points of the monster it's pointing to! Since it points to Chariot Commander, it gains 2000 attack points!" Pseudo morphed into a duplicate of Chariot Commander as its strength increased.
Cyreath Pseudo ATK: 0 + 2000 = 2000
"I'll then activate my Trap card, Godly Fellowship!" The card showed Cyreath Hercules, Cyreath Barbarian, Cyreath Archer, Cyreath Icarus, Cyreath Valkyrie, and Cyreath Legionnaire on a quest. "I can target 1 'Cyreath' Link Monster I control and add 'Cyreath' monsters from my deck to my hand equal to its Link Rating. I target Chariot Commander!" Using Godly Fellowship, Raguel added Cyreath Sphinx and Cyreath Rippler to his hand.
"I activate the effect of Cyreath Sphinx from my hand!" Raguel continued. "Since I added this card from my deck to my hand due to a card effect, I can Special Summon it from my hand!" A creature with the head of a human and the body of a lion joined its Cyreath companions on Raguel's field.
Cyreath Sphinx ATK: 1200 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4
"Sphinx's effect! I can declare the top card of my deck and reveal it to you. If I guess correctly, I can draw an additional card. Otherwise, I must send it to the Graveyard."
"You're gambling?" Numera asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No," Raguel countered. "I'm trusting in my deck to guide me to victory! I declare the top card of my deck to be a Trap card!" Raguel drew the top card of his deck and looked at it. He groaned. "The card was Cyreath Wandering Soul. Since it's a Monster and not a Trap card, I must send it to the Graveyard."
"So I guess that didn't work after all, huh?" Numera said, giggling.
"That's where you're wrong," Raguel said, surprising her. "A minor setback like that won't stop me. I activate the effect of Cyreath Wandering Soul from my Graveyard! By banishing it, I can Special Summon 1 'Cyreath Wanderer' token to my field!" A small ball of mist in the form of a ghost appeared on Raguel's field.
Cyreath Wanderer Token ATK: 0 DEF: 0 LVL: 1
"Excellent work, Raguel!" Herald said. "You're all set for a Link Summon!"
"You're right on that, Herald." Raguel replied. He thrust out his right hand as he said, "Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above him. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Pseudo, which is a Link 1 monster, the Cyreath Wanderer token, and Cyreath Sphinx in the Link Markers!" The Wanderer token entered the top arrowhead, Pseudo entered the left arrowhead, and Sphinx entered the right arrowhead.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Heed the captain's call! Link 3! Cyreath Galactic Squid!" A red-skinned octopus with a white underbelly and four tentacles was summoned to the Main Monster Zone Chariot Commander was pointing to. The squid had black eyes flashing yellow dots, and multiple rows of teeth within its maw.
Cyreath Galactic Squid ATK: 2300 LINK-3 ⬅️➡️⬆️
"Since I Link Summoned, Lock and Load's effect activates!"
Lock and Load RVC: 3 + 1 = 4
"Galactic Squid's effect! When it's Link Summoned, I can target two Main Monster Zones on your side of the field, and you can't use them as long as this card is on the field! I choose your left and right Main Monster Zones! Ink Burst!" Galactic Squid fired two blasts of ink at those zones, turning them black and preventing Numera from using them.
"No, no, no!" she cried, panicking. "My strategy is falling apart!"
"You're strategy is going to fall apart even more!" Raguel added. "Chariot Commander's effect! "Since a monster was summoned to a zone it points to, I can destroy one card you control! And I choose your face-down card on the left!" Chariot Commander threw a fireball at Numera's face-down card on the left, turning it into particles.
"Her whole field is good to go, Yuhiro! With these two attacks, the win is in the bag!" Roxy told him.
"It totally is Roxy!" Raguel said. Going back to the duel, he said, "I Set one card. Battle! Cyreath Galactic Squid attacks you directly Numera! Constricting Suction!" Galactic Squid raised its tentacles at Numera when...
"I activate the Quick-Play Spell card, Rebellion!" Numera interrupted mischievously. "I can target 1 monster you control and take control of it until the End Phase! I choose your Cyreath Chariot Commander!" Chariot Commander's eyes turned red as it disappeared from Raguel's field and then reappeared onto her field. "Are you going to continue your attack, Raguel?"
Sorry about this, Chariot Commander, Raguel thought. "A battle replay occurs. Cyreath Galactic Squid attacks Cyreath Chariot Commander! Constricting Suction!" Galactic Squid wrapped its tentacles around Chariot Commander, squeezing it so tight it exploded into particles.
Numera: 4000 – 300 = 3700 LP
"You were just played by a little girl!" Roxy commented.
"It was clever of her to use that card during my turn," Raguel rebutted. "Otherwise, she would only be able to attack with the targeted monster. While I forgot about Rebellion, I still got some damage in, though."
"True, but way less than what you wanted." Roxy stated. "Wait. Did you just say you forgot to destroy Rebellion? If you had, you would've won!"
"Even I make mistakes Roxy," Raguel told her. "I'll finish her on my next turn." Focusing back to the duel, he said, "I end my turn."
"My turn! I draw!" Numera said, drawing the top card of her deck. I'm in a pickle here, Numera thought as she looked at her field. Due to that Galactic Squid of his, he managed to reduce her Main Monster Zones to one. Her smile widened though as she looked at the card she drew. But I can flip the odds in my favor with this one card.
"Hey Raguel. I activate the Spell card, Pot of Greed!" Raguel's eyes widened in surprise upon seeing that card. "It lets me draw two cards from the top of my deck!" Using Pot of Greed, Numera drew the top two cards from her deck.
"Pot of Greed is a really old card, you know," Herald commented. "With the arrival of Link Monsters, people managed to find new ways of adding the cards they wanted to their hand, to the point where..."
"Pot of Greed no longer found a place in any deck." Raguel finished for him. Rather, it instead became an antique card.
"I activate the Spell card, Mathmech Equation from my hand!" Numera said, continuing her turn. "This card lets me target a 'Mathmech' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! In addition, it gains 1000 attack points until the end of my turn! Return, Mathmech Magma!" The red and white robot with a massive black cape from earlier reappeared in the middle Main Monster Zone on Numera's field.
Geomathmech Magma ATK: 2500 DEF: 0 LVL: 8
Geomathmech Magma ATK: 2500 + 1000 = 3500
"I know what you're thinking, Raguel. You're going to use Cyreath Rebound to stop my attack and win the duel." Numera smiled and narrowed her eyes. "But that's not going to happen. I activate my Skill, Mathmech Decompiling!" The final sigma lines on her arms and the nabla necklace around her neck glowed orange. "Since I control a 'Mathmech' monster, I can target 1 Link Monster you control and destroy it, and then Special Summon 'Mathmech' monsters from my hand, deck or Graveyard up to its Link Rating!" Her smile soon turned into a mischievous smirk. "I see only one Link Monster on your field, Raguel. Which means I target and destroy Cyreath Galactic Squid!"
"Oh no!" both Raguel and Herald exclaimed, as Numera snapped her fingers, causing Galactic Squid to vanish in binary code.
"Since Cyreath Galactic Squid left the field," Raguel explained, "your Main Monster Zones that I targeted earlier can now be used." As Raguel said this, the black ink on those Main Monster Zones vanished, freeing them up for her to use.
"Cyreath Galactic Squid's Link Rating was three, so I can Special Summon up to three 'Mathmech' monsters from my hand, deck or Graveyard," Numera clarified. "However, I only have two Main Monster Zones, so I can only Special Summon up to two 'Mathmech' monsters. Therefore, I'll choose to Special Summon only Mathmech Subtraction from my Graveyard!" The red robot with a huge scarf and slimmer sword reappeared beside Magma, ready for battle.
Mathmech Subtraction ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4
Raguel raised an eyebrow. She could have summoned Mathmech Sigma as well as Subtraction, and then attack with all three. But she didn't. Why? He soon realized the answer to that question. Numera was planning something big.
"Level 8 Mathmech Magma tunes Level 4 Mathmech Subtraction!" Numera said, but Raguel interrupted her.
"Hang on! You need a Tuner monster to Synchro Summon!" In response, Numera wagged her finger at him.
"Mathmech Magma is not only a Synchro monster, but a Tuner monster as well!" she explained, making Raguel gasp in the process.
"I tune the Level 8 Mathmech Magma with the Level 4 Mathmech Subtraction!" Numera declared, squealing in excitement for the appearance of her ace monster. A bolt of red lightning appeared as the whole world greyed out and her two monsters disintegrated into particles. Two rings, one white and one red, appeared before turning blue and merging. This time, twelve blue rings stacked in a tower appeared, a screen displaying "8 + 4" in front of them. The screen changed to "12" as light surged through the rings.
"Code, Metal, and Fire combine into one!" Numera declared. "Sigma's ultimate evolution has been reached, and is now ready to incinerate all who oppose it! Synchro Summon! Appear, my protector! Geomathmech Final Sigma!" A massive red and white robot, bigger than its brethren, emerged from the light and on Numera's field in the right Extra Monster Zone, carrying a blazing sword. The robot had shredded pieces of a cape on both its shoulders and its waist.
Geomathmech Final Sigma ATK: 3000 DEF: 0 LVL: 12
"And in case you were planning on using Cyreath Rebound or another card to stop my monster, I'll have you know. While Final Sigma is in the Extra Monster Zone, he is unaffected by card effects, except by 'Mathmech' cards."
"What?!" Raguel exclaimed, shocked that such a monster had blanket immunity against his cards. Great, he thought. Cyreath Rebound and Cyreath Rippler won't be able to stop this monster now. However, there is still one thing I got left.
"This match is over!" Numera announced. "But just as a contingency, I Set one card face-down. Battle! Geomathmech Final Sigma attacks you directly, Raguel! Scorching Termination!" Final Sigma charged forward at Raguel, with the intent on finishing the duelist off. Moments before the attack connected though...
"I activate my Skill, Call of Olympus!" Raguel suddenly said. "I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster straight from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck. When he looked at the card, he smirked, happy with what he got. This will get me through to my turn, Raguel thought. "Through my Skill, I summon Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M.!" An armored warrior with purple eyes and spikes on its arms, shoulders, and helmet appeared on Raguel's field. It carried two ghoulish swords, which gave the warrior an eerie glow.
Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M. ATK: 2800 DEF: 2000 LVL: 7
"Since I don't have a Link Monster, the second part of my Skill doesn't activate," Raguel added. "But that's not important. With the appearance of my new monster, the question for you Numera is: Are you going to continue your attack or not?"
Numera didn't need to think, as she immediately responded, "A battle replay occurs! Geomathmech Final Sigma attacks Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M.! Scorching Termination!" As Final Sigma clashed swords with P.H.A.N.T.O.M., she continued, "Final Sigma's second effect activates! If it's in the Extra Monster Zone when it battles a monster you control, all battle damage is doubled!"
Final Sigma pushed P.H.A.N.T.O.M. back, breaking the sword struggle between them before vertically slicing the armored warrior in two, destroying and turning it into particles.
Raguel: 1500 – (200 X 2) = 1100 LP
"I activate Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M.'s effect!" Raguel said. "If it's destroyed by battle, I can target one 'Cyreath' monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! Return, Cyreath Chariot Commander!" Chariot Commander reappeared onto Raguel's field, in the right Main Monster Zone.
Cyreath Chariot Commander ATK: 2000 LINK-2 ⬆️⬇️
Numera slowed her duel board down so she could be parallel with Raguel. "Nicely played," she said, praising him. "It's been a while since someone survived a turn against my Final Sigma."
"Are you telling me that all of your other opponents who dueled against you fell to that giant monstrosity?!" Herald exclaimed.
To both Raguel and Herald's surprise, Numera was actually insulted by that comment. "DO NOT CALL MY PROTECTOR A MONSTER, UNDERSTAND?" This caused Herald to shriek in fear.
"That was actually low, Herald," Raguel told Herald. Turning to Numera, he asked, "But answer the question. The duelists you fought in the past. They were all defeated by Final Sigma, weren't they?"
Her anger dropped a bit as she frowned and answered, "Yup. Nothing can defeat Final Sigma once it's on the field."
Then there's only two ways to win the duel, Raguel pondered. Either with a monster that can destroy it by battle, or by attacking her directly. He smirked. Good thing he had both options. As well as Herald and his deck, whom he can both count on. "In that case, I'll be the first to defeat your protector."
"You can try." Numera taunted. "I end my turn."
"Alright, it's my turn! I draw!" Raguel said as he drew the top card of his deck.
"Anything good?" Herald asked, as Raguel looked at the card he drew.
"Not yet," Raguel replied. "But this card can change the odds in my favor." Focusing on the duel, he said, "I activate the Spell card, Cyreath Treasure from my hand! This card allows me to draw 2 cards, in exchange for discarding 1 'Cyreath' monster from my hand!" Raguel discarded Cyreath Rippler from his hand and drew two new cards from his deck. When he looked at them, he was happy with what he got.
"I summon Cyreath Icarus from my hand!" An angelic warrior with a white tunic and brown sandals, carrying a modified bow joined Raguel's field.
Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3
"Icarus' effect!" Raguel continued. "When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Return, Cyreath Miner!" The small miner soon reappeared on the field.
Cyreath Miner ATK: 0 DEF: 2000 LVL: 3
"Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" A Link Portal appeared above Raguel's head. "The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Chariot Commander, which is a Link 2 monster, and Cyreath Miner, in the Link Markers!" Chariot Commander split into two and entered the left and right arrowheads, while Miner entered the bottom-left arrowhead.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Take to the skies and bring terror from above! Link 3! Cyreath Stymphalian Bird!" A massive bronze bird the size of a crane with long blue hair at the back of its head emerged from the Link Portal and was summoned to the right Extra Monster Zone on Raguel's field. The bird had a beak of bronze, sharp metallic feathers on its wings, and razor sharp claws. Its orange eyes looked down at Numera as it screeched at her.
Cyreath Stymphalian Bird ATK: 2000 LINK-3 ⬅️➡️↙️
"Miner's effect! Since it was used to Link Summon, I can add any card from my Graveyard to my hand!" Using Miner's effect, Raguel added Cyreath Rebound to his hand once again.
"That's an interesting monster you got, Raguel," she commented. "However, you won't get to use it. I activate the Continuous-Trap card, Shadow Spell! Not only does your monster lose 700 attack points, it cannot attack nor change its battle position! Your attempts at defeating me end here!" Several chains shot out of Shadow Spell, but Stymphalian Bird shot out several metallic feathers from its wings in response, destroying the card. "How did your monster do that?"
"It's simple," Raguel replied, smiling. "When Cyreath Stymphalian Bird is Link Summoned, I can destroy one Spell or Trap card you control. In this case, I destroyed Shadow Spell!"
"What?" Numera widened her eyes in surprise. However, she quickly became confident again, as she said, "Nevertheless, your bird is no match for Final Sigma."
"Who said I was going to attack Final Sigma?" Raguel said, making Numera raise an eyebrow in confusion.
"Perhaps we need to show her, Raguel." Herald stated.
"That we can agree on, Herald." Raguel responded. He thrust out his right hand. "I activate Stymphalian Bird's second effect. By banishing a monster from my Graveyard, it can attack you directly this turn." He then smirked. "However, if the banished monster was a Link Monster, it can attack you directly equal to its Link Rating!"
This made Numera panic for real. Other than Final Sigma, she had no other defenses against Raguel's cards. But Raguel wasn't declaring an attack on Final Sigma. He was attacking her directly.
"Using Stymphalian Bird's effect, I banish Cyreath Chariot Commander!" As Raguel said this, the bronze colored bird glowed in blue flames. "And since Chariot Commander's Link Rating was two, that means it can attack you directly two times!"
"Oh, this isn't going to end well, isn't it?" Numera said, putting a hand to her face as she accepted the fact that she lost. She then smiled to herself. At least he isn't going to destroy my protector, she thought.
"It definitely isn't!" Raguel confirmed. "Battle! Cyreath Stymphalian Bird attacks you directly, Numera! Blazing Drill Bomb!" Stymphalian Bird flew high into the air away from Numera before divebombing and flying away from her at the last second, causing her to wobble a bit before regaining balance.
Numera: 3700 – 2000 = 1700 LP
"The battle still continues! Cyreath Stymphalian Bird attacks you directly a second time! Blazing Drill Bomb!" Stymphalian Bird turned around and divebombed Numera with more force, causing her to scream and fall off her duel board.
Numera: 1700 – 2000 = 0
"Oh no!" Raguel exclaimed upon seeing his opponent fall off her duel board. He was about to fire his duel anchor at her when Final Sigma headed straight for Numera instead, catching the little girl in its hands and landing on the street below.
"Whoa. Did you see what I just saw?" Herald asked Raguel, making sure he wasn't seeing things.
"Yeah. I did," Raguel affirmed as he headed toward the same street Numera was.
What Raguel failed to notice, however, was that a woman was watching the entire duel on a nearby building.
The woman pressed a few buttons on her Duel Disk and adjusted the static on her earpiece. "I'm reporting to let you know that I found Raguel's Ignis. As well as another Cyberse User."
"Are you sure?" the person on the end asked her.
"I am." The woman grunted in annoyance. "You should know that I'm honor-bound to tell the truth, Kitamura, especially in my hunts. Didn't your bosses tell you this?"
"Uh, yes. They did." Kitamura awkwardly answered her. "Very well. The mission remains the same. Defeat Raguel and obtain his Ignis. As for this other Cyberse User, I'll let you handle the matter, SengokuQueen."
"Thank you. I'll give you the details once I'm done the mission." Before Kitamura could respond, she pressed a button on her Duel Disk and ended the call. She then jumped down onto the street below, where she then entered an alleyway.
After Raguel's duel...
Raguel ran towards where Numera was, where she climbed out of Final Sigma's hands and dusted herself off. As she did that, the massive robot behind her turned into particles and returned to her Duel Disk.
"You know, I'm surprised that you didn't destroy my protector," Numera said, smiling. "How come you didn't?"
Raguel answered her as he narrowed his eyes. "Earlier in the duel, you said that Final Sigma wasn't a monster, but rather your protector. That implied you had a special bond with it. I respect those that care for their Duel Monsters. After all, I take care of one in the real world."
"And considering your 'protector' is a Cyberse monster," Herald added, "it was better for it to live on than be destroyed."
Numera's smile turned into a smirk. "You know, it's funny. You and I are not so different. We both have a common enemy, and we care for our Cyberse monsters."
Raguel nodded. "That I can agree on. But still," he said, "you must honor your end of the deal and comply to my demands."
Numera sighed, ready to answer Raguel's three questions. But before Raguel could ask her the three questions on his mind, he heard a sound.
He turned around. "Stay behind me," he warned Numera, who was quick to comply. The next thing he knew, a light-green Duel Anchor was shot out at nowhere. On instinct, Raguel raised his right arm across his face, and the light-green cord wrapped around his wrist. Numera couldn't help but gasp at what she was seeing.
"Greetings Raguel," a female voice said. When Raguel and Numera turned around to identify the voice, they saw a woman walk out of a nearby alleyway. The woman wore a red jumpsuit with light samurai armor covering her arms, shoulders, legs, hips and chest. She had long, unkempt and free-flowing white hair with red eyes. A samurai mask was used to cover her mouth.
"Who are you?" Raguel demanded from her.
"My name is SengokuQueen," the woman answered him. "And on behalf of SOL Technologies, your Ignis is mine!"
Card Gallery
Cyreath Valkyrie (LV: 4/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1600/DEF: 1300)
If this card destroys a monster by battle: Place 1 'Shred' counter on this card (max: 4). Gains 200 ATK for each 'Shred' counter on this card. If this card is used to Link Summon a monster while it had a 'Shred' counter on it, the Link Summoned monster gains 800 ATK until the end of the turn.
Cyreath Sphinx (LV: 4/Cyberse/Earth/ATK: 1200/DEF: 1000)
If this card was added from your deck to your hand by a card effect, you can Special Summon it from your hand. Once per turn, you can declare 1 type of card (Monster, Spell, or Trap); reveal the top card of your deck to your opponent. If the top card was the declared type, you can draw an additional card. Otherwise, send it to the GY.
Cyreath P.H.A.N.T.O.M. (LV: 7/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 2800/DEF: 2000)
You can Normal Summon this card without tributing, but its original ATK and DEF become halved. If this card is destroyed by battle: You can target 1 'Cyreath' monster in your GY; Special Summon it.
Lock and Load (Continuous Spell Card)
When you Link Summon: Place 1 'Rev' counter on this card. Once per turn, during either player's turn: You can remove 3 'Rev' counters from this card; destroy 1 card your opponent controls.
Godly Fellowship (Normal Trap Card)
Target 1 'Cyreath' Link Monster you control; add 'Cyreath' monsters from your deck to your hand equal to its Link Rating.
Cyreath Pseudo (LR: 1/Cyberse/Water/ATK: 0/⬆️)
1 monster. This card gains ATK equal to the monster it's pointed to.
Cyreath Galactic Squid (LR: 3/Cyberse/Water/ATK: 2300/⬅️➡️⬆️)
2 or more 'Cyreath' monsters. When this card is Link Summoned: Target 2 Main Monster Zones on your opponent's side of the field; they cannot be used while this card is on the field. If you control no other monsters: You can tribute this card; shuffle all cards on the field back into their owner's decks.
Cyreath Stymphalian Bird (LR: 3/Cyberse/Wind/ATK: 2000/️⬅️➡️️↙️)
2 or more 'Cyreath' monsters. When this card is Link Summoned: You can destroy 1 Spell or Trap card your opponent controls. Once per turn: You can banish 1 monster from your GY; this card can attack your opponent directly, then, if the monster banished by this effect was a Link Monster: This card can attack your opponent directly equal to its Link Rating.
QOTC
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Chapter Preview
Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 11: Samurai Showdown. Just before Raguel could get information from Numera, a bounty hunter out of nowhere appears and challenges him to a duel, with Herald on the line! Despite Raguel's best efforts, SengokuQueen counters his strategies by using her 'Bushido Combo'. Can Raguel figure out her 'Bushido Combo' before its too late?
Responses to Reviews and Authors Notes
Thank you to HunterHQ, ZarcEternal, Guest, Guest, Noobmaster, Unnamed, Unknown, Guest, and Anonymous for reviewing Chapter 9 of Obscured Truth.
Surprise! I told you this chapter would be posted in early January, and when I make a promise, I'll do my best to keep it. Also, with the release of Chapter 10, it's the first chapter to be released this year. For those of you that are confused as to when this chapter takes place, Chapters 10 and 11 take place during Episode 21 of Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS. We'll talk about what happened this chapter, the QOTC, and then responses to reviews.
One of the first things that happens this chapter is the reveal of Watchman's real name, which is Arshad Saito. Upon this reveal, Revolver manages to convince his father to try and sway him to their side, to which his father agrees. For those of you who are curious about Watchman's name, Arshad means 'most mature' or 'most wise', while Saito conveys an image of purity and divine worship.
The second main thing that happens this chapter is the introduction of two new characters, which are the youngest and oldest students to ever attend Den Academy. The first character is Savagemaster1999's OC character submission, Gekiryushi Sanada, who is also known in LINK VRAINS as SengokuQueen. She is a bounty hunter contacted by Bishop himself to help Kitamura in retrieving Playmaker and Raguel's Ignis's. Savagemaster1999, if you're reading this, I hope you enjoyed the introduction of your OC. I also hope you enjoy your OC's first duel next chapter.
The other character officially introduced in this chapter is Rachel Miyake, who is also known in LINK VRAINS as Numera (credit goes to HunterHQ for helping with the name). She uses the Mathmech deck, which focuses on setting up an OTK through Synchro Summoning and/or powerful removal through Xyz Summoning. Rachel was the little girl that appeared in the second post-credit scene of the previous chapter. Her real-life appearance is based on Renne Bright from Sora no Kiseki, while her LINK VRAINS appearance is based on Assassin of Black from Fate/Apocrypha, only with way less body-revealing elements. Rachel's personality is based on Spinel from Steven Universe as well, which I recommend watching, as the show tackles and teaches about mental health.
Speaking about mental health, we learn something else about Yuhiro: As a result from the Lost Incident, he suffers from anxiety attacks, in addition to nightmares. This will be expanded on as the story goes on. Note: If you have anxiety or another mental illness and are suffering in silence, tell someone how you feel. You are stronger than you think.
Finally, there was the duel between Raguel and Numera, where something interesting happened. Instead of destroying Geomathmech Final Sigma, whom Numera called her 'protector', Raguel chose to end the duel by attacking her directly. This shows something else about Raguel: he respects those who care about their Duel Monsters.
After the duel, before Raguel can get answers from Numera, he's immediately roped into a duel by SengokuQueen. How their duel will play out, you'll have to read Chapter 11 to find out.
Before I go onto reviews, I want to know your thoughts to the QOTC. Let me know if you think it would be a good idea to post a profile page for Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Obscured Truth. If enough people request it, then I will make profiles for characters that so far appeared in the story.
With that out of the way, it's time for the reviews:
HunterHQ: Roxy's revenge (and the court matter) will be brought up in another chapter. I'm happy that you like the gauntlets, as well as the appearance of Cyreath Goblin. I use dub lines to not only make the story more realistic, I also want those who watch the dub and those who watch the sub to enjoy the story together. To answer your question, Watchman dueled Ghost Girl because she was in his way and wouldn't budge.
ZarcEternal: Thank you very much. You'll be happy to hear that Chapter 9 has been corrected and updated.
Guest: No. Rachel is not the eighth victim.
Guest: Yuhiro wasn't brought to an orphanage. Rather, he was brought to the Den City Shelter. Oh, and thanks for pointing that out to me. I actually forgot about it until now.
Noobmaster: If you want to know about the mystery killer's identity, then I encourage you to keep on reading.
Unnamed: While Watchman knows about the Hanoi, he doesn't know where their HQ server is, unfortunately. His backstory will eventually be revealed, though. As for whether he can return to his body or not, you'll have to read on ahead.
Unknown: Ghost Girl has morals, unlike Blood Shepherd. In that scenario, though, you could say she was caught up in the moment. As for the data on the Lost Incident, SOL always keeps backups in case of emergency, making them available for Raguel and Watchman to take. Oh, and regarding Herald's transformation into a hydra, good job spotting it.
Guest: If enough people request an OP or ED, then perhaps I'll make one once Season 2 comes.
Anonymous: Aoi piecing together Raguel's identity together made things pretty tense, as shown in this chapter. As for whether she'll ask about the other Ignis, you'll have to wait and see.
Please let me know what you thought about this chapter in your reviews, as well as any questions, comments, or opinions you may have. Also, if you find any mistakes in this chapter during the duel, don't hesitate to let me know, and I'll edit them. Your reviews will help me improve as a writer. See you next time!