Cardfight! Vanguard – Override

Sendou Aichi is a timid student whose life is changed by the card game, Vanguard. But as Aichi and his friends reach new heights, the dark and troubling side of the game, combined with a war on Cray, threatens to destroy the players and their new world.
Contains violence, language.


-Hitsue City: Stadium-

Silence reigned over the battlefield, permitting only the whispering of the wind that swept through the canyon to utter any form of sound and break it. The two opposing sides were locked in an invisible battle; launching daggers from their eyes in an effort to intimidate the opposing obstacle. Many eyes of the human audience had fallen upon the white knight positioned alone on one side, surrounded by astral images of the canine comrades that had pooled their powers together in order to summon him to the field as quickly as possible. The lone figure planted the tip of his blade into the ground, producing a minor crack in the gravel. The respective teams behind each leader observed from the benches positioned at the base of the stands; the thick tension in the room making it difficult for any particular individual to sound their thoughts. The head of the more experienced team sat with his back straight against the wooden wall behind him, burgundy eyes locked sharply onto the scene; it was his sister, one of the youngest competitors seen in the tournament, standing on the front lines, staring down the white-armoured soldier.

"So, he's here…" Gouki murmured thoughtfully.

"Blaster Blade… Onii-san's avatar!" Kamui cheered.

"Although that's true, he paid a heavy price to get him out," Misaki mumbled solemnly, her eyes examining the console displayed on the monitors hanging overhead for the spectators to see. "Aichi gave up every unit he had for Blaster Blade. The state of his fight depends right now on the cards in his hand".

Kamui sounded a concerned whine, casting his red eyes to the blue-haired fighter with his back to the group. He had lost himself in the excitement of seeing Aichi's most treasured card emerge in battle after the Royal Paladins had pulled out for much of the competition. Droplets of sweat clung to the child's face, resisting the dread that washed over him – Aichi had, after all, been at a disadvantage in his first match, resulting in his loss – and argued repeatedly to himself that belief would get them through. Although Handsome were the reigning champions, Q4 had been unstoppable so far. Aichi reached for the cards he clutched, removing three and launching them onto the balancing table.

"Call; Knight of Truth, Gordon. Little Sage, Marron. Wingal," he announced.

A trio of circles ignited from the gravel flooring, summoning first a silver-armoured knight, wielding a rapier that sliced through the air with a whistle. Orange ribbons decorating his attire hung delicately, swaying in the breeze produced by the power surging into the two columns of light behind [POW 8000]. Behind the elegant man, the young blonde mage whose spectacles glistened, smiling proudly to be in the presence of the men positioned ahead of him and tightened his hands around the crimson book in his possession [POW 8000]. The final of the reinforcements was the same blue and white canine that had previously been standing where Blaster Blade's weapon had been planted, its extended hairs back to their standard pink [POW 6000].

"Looks like Aichi-kun kept a decent force in reserve," Shin commented, smiling confidently.

"Yeah, show them, Onii-san!" Kamui hollered, excitedly clenching his fists and beaming with relief.

"Marron boosts Gordon," the blue-haired participant stated, shifting the duo into a horizontal position whilst naming each. "Attack Tough Boy".

Marron extended his right arm, clutching the spine of his tome with the fingers of the other. Streams of energy flowed from his palm, seeping into the taller frame before him and enhancing his power [POW 16000]. The silver-haired man lunged forward, charging smoothly across the battlefield, rapier tucked by his hip and inching further back. The weapon shot forward with incredible speed once the enemy was in range, slashing at its metallic skin numerous times while the victim moved slowly to defend itself, blocking the later strikes with the shields attached to its limbs.

Nagisa inflated her cheeks and reached for her deck. "Damage check," the girl huffed. She squeezed the card between her small fingers, turning it over to discover a green aura blazing from the artwork. Her frown immediately flipped, reverting into a small smile, eyes shimmering whilst bathed in the sudden light. "A Heal Trigger. Power to Tough Boy".

The emerald-shaded energy gathered around the damaged machine, repairing the minor wounds inflicted upon its armour-like exterior and leaving no trace of the vicious onslaught [POW 13000]. Gordon grimaced, using the opportunity to return to the other side of the field, moving into safer territory under the watchful eye of his commanding unit.

"Next up," Aichi sounded, leaning over the field once more with his sights set on the central column. "With a boost from Wingal, Blaster Blade attacks the Vanguard".

Nagisa frowned – even with the power boost, her central piece was far weaker than the Paladins' teamwork, even without the additional aid from the pair's loyalty to one another. Her eyes remained lingering on the field, not even bothering to check her hand, it would be far safer to spare her guardians for a later time, when it could be easier to defend.

"No guard," she huffed.

With a clear path ahead, the white knight removed his blade from the flooring and, engulfed by the aura that linked him and the furry creature behind, charged forward. Aichi adopted the knight's vision, watching as the landscape trembled with each heavy footfall, feeling the weight of the wide sword across his arm [POW 19000]. All distractions, all ignored for the sake of keeping his focus, glaring across to the defenceless machine standing in the line of fire. Thoughts of those observing from behind: the trio of teammates waiting for his victory to secure their success and look forward to the National Championship and of the friends clustered in the rows of seats above. People who would have looked down on him or walked on by had it not been for the eventual emergence from his shell. They had become important; they had given him a chance and he wasn't prepared to disappoint them with a poor excuse such as being inexperienced compared to many of the players present, having been playing for mere weeks. This was his chance to prove himself; to make right his mistakes from the opening stages.

'I've got to win. I've got to survive,' the blue-haired fighter thought, narrowing his eyes and losing himself to battle. 'Everyone is depending on me to win so we can reach even higher. I won't lose, I can't… I have to show Kai-kun that I can be strong and capable of fighting at a better level. I'll win with the card he gave me… and return the favour to thank him'.


Ride 10: Descent of the Holy Dragon

[Seiryu no Korin]

-Hitsue City: Stadium-

Although the silent tension was thick in the arena, the Earth air was nothing in comparison to that on Cray. Blaster Blade's boots cracked the smallest of stones and the gravel crunched under each step in warning of the knight's deadly charge. His jaws separated, emitting a growing battle cry, the minimal forces opposite braced themselves, Tough Boy folding its arms over to protect itself with the rounded shields fixed onto its arms. Nevertheless, the muscles throughout Blaster Blade's arms tensed, swinging the weapon from which his title derived. Aichi reached for his deck in unison, lifting Pongal as the result of his Drive Check. Nevertheless, without any guardian to defend it against the attack, the Nova Grappler Vanguard was easy pretty for the fearsome slash that the warrior executed, the top of his sword crashing against the crossed guards, struggling to break through for a moment. The pressure grew too great for the target, its arms falling away under the growing weight of the incomplete assault and suffered a strike across its torso, forcing the machine backwards, stumbling clumsily until losing its footing completely and crashing onto the floor.

Nagisa inflated her cheeks, tearing the next card, a Hungry Dumpty, from her deck and depositing it into the Damage Zone. Cheers erupted from the benches above the Q4 teammates, Morikawa punching the air among the close group celebrating.

AICHI - NAGISA
2 -DAMAGE- 2

"He pulled back already," Izaki stated excitedly.

"Nice job, Aichi," Morikawa hollered.

The propelled voices brought a small smile to Aichi's face, although a faint one to avoid any implication that he had grown confident in by the appearance of his avatar. If anything, he was still as anxious as he had been before, and he couldn't afford to give the competition the wrong impression. Azure eyes launched themselves across the battleground, meeting with Nagisa's glare above the console from which she could barely be seen. A flicker racing across the boy's eyes signalled the end of his turn and handing the reigns to the younger child.

FOURTH TURN – NAGISA

"I'll show you," the girl spat, reaching for her deck and removing the top card, placing it among the others clutched between her small fingers. "I ride Magician Girl, Kirara!"

A column of brightness swallowed the battered Nova Grappler, still shaking to stabilize itself after the attack suffered at the hands of the Royal Paladin icon. In its place, a female machine that the others had witnessed Kamui play outside the Vanguard Circle in the past; red hair flowing from the head, tied into two lengthy pigtails by golden stars that jutted from either side of the pointed hat. A suit of blue and cream covered any body underneath, preserving the female figure, further stars decorating her attire with a length hanging behind, from which spikes emerged along the straightened end. The mechanical girls eyes flashed emerald, striking her battle-ready pose in the face of the amounting forces opposite [POW 9000]. Nagisa's small fingers reached for the additional card on the front line, dragging it back across the console and throwing another in its abandoned space.

"Shout moves back. Call, King of Sword," the girl barked aggressively.

The tentacle creature bounced backwards, opening the space for its successor – another of Kamui's familiar units – a towering masculine machine of beige components locked over a black-suited centred. Many of the plates gleamed with golden decorations; the crimson stripes running vertically along the automaton's calves contained a small set of diamonds, lined with the black that reached upwards from its curled boots. Above the codpiece, a belt was wrapped around its form tightly, a ruby sphere fitted into the centre. A cape of the same shade tumbled down the king's back, two narrow strips of false fabric draped over his shoulders bearing the mark of the three suits of cards – clubs, diamonds and hearts. Dim golden spikes protruded from broad shoulders, close to connecting with the crown of the same colour balanced atop the small head otherwise encased in black. A long narrow sword; crimson within a border of black to match the king's attire, the tip glaring sharply under the sunlight pouring over the Sanctuary plane [POW 10000].

Kamui burst from his place on the bench beside Shin, his clenched fists trembling in front of him with growing frustration over the girl's extensive efforts to copy his deck in a warped form of flattery.

"Nagisa," he growled ferociously.

"Don't worry, Kamui-chan. The king and queen will be together again soon," Nagisa chimed, bringing her hands close to her chin, smiling sweetly over the cards in her grasp. "Just like the way we will be once I've dealt with the competition".

Aichi cast a perplexed look towards his adversary; it was clear how extreme her devotion to Kamui was, however, he struggled to understand why he had become the target of her aggressive side. He had shown no resistance to her affection for the youngster, not that he would dare to if he felt as such, but it seemed she had misinterpreted him at some point since their meeting only a couple of hours earlier.

"I call another King of Sword," the girl announced sharply, tossing a second copy of the card onto the other side of her small Vanguard. "Attack, swing for Blaster Blade!"

The first of the twin wrestlers stomped forward, the base of his boot crashing violently against the ground enough tear open cracks in the soil. Readying its blade, the attacker charged forward, no longer placing all its weight into a slow advance and storming across the field towards the blue-haired knight bracing himself for the attack. Aichi was guard with his countermeasure, hastily pulling a card free from his hand and pressing it against the extended Guard Circle.

"Morgana!"

The sandy-haired woman materialized in front of Blaster Blade, wielding her own weapon with the knowledge that she had appeared solely to defend the clan's representative and positioned it defensively [SLD 5000]. As if it had failed to acknowledge the arrival, the immense machine persisted with its attack, swinging its blade around so that it crashed into the woman's hip, throwing her aside. Morgana let loose a cry, crashing into the ground, the crash kicking a cloud of dust up from the flooring, disappearing into a shower of glimmers amongst the dirtied air.

"Then, Kirara attacks, with a boost from Battleraizer," Nagisa barked, grabbing the two cards and twisting them sharply into position.

"No guard," Aichi grunted, slackening his shoulders.

"Drive Check," Nagisa announced, flipping over her next card; the feminine partner of her Rear-Guard king.

The attack connected, the magician swinging her enlarged wand through the air to cast a shower of energy upon the white knight at the head of the Royal Paladins force. The blue-haired target raised his sword, using the weapon as a shield against a direct assault, though his body was strained nonetheless and rays of light broke past, around the sword, to strike him repeatedly. Aichi reached for his deck, begrudgingly transferring the copy of Gancelot he found to the Damage Zone.

AICHI - NAGISA
3 -DAMAGE- 2

"Counterblast," Nagisa barked, quick to her own column of Damage and turning over both cards roughly. Her hand shot back to the deck waiting on the other end of her field, adding the next card to her hand. Yet she was still far from done and reached down, snatching the card that had been her original Vanguard. "Battleraizer's skill returns it to the deck".

Kamui cringed, hunched forward in his place on the bench behind his teammate with exasperation at the girl's insistence on flattering him with imitation; the deck had so far contained every card that his own possessed. Had she really gone as far as to replicate his deck perfectly? His scarlet eyes flared with frustration as he watched Nagisa reach forward, turning her attention to the final of her attacking force with a sharp twist.

"King of Sword attacks Blaster Blade, boosted by Shout [POW 17000]" she snapped, glaring towards the blue-haired boy whose features the knight had assumed in the Cray simulation broadcast overhead.

Aichi's eyes narrowed, quickly scanning the cards in his hand. He was reluctant to guard with his current selection, but he couldn't afford to take more damage so early on. The small fingers of his other hand shot across, tearing one card from the rest and launching it into the Guard Circle.

"Epona!"

The golden beetle-riding knight materialized in front of Blaster Blade [SLD 10000]. The small arrival braced itself, meeting the king's blade almost immediately after reporting to the battlefield and vanishing in a shower of glimmers that drifted out of the way, fading out of sight. Blaster Blade eyed the spectacle sharply, shifting his venomous glare from the remnants of his comrade to the royal responsible for his slaughter towering over. Although the attacker possessed a grand stature, Epona's sacrifice had drained him of the necessary strength to continue with his original assault and he begrudgingly retreated. The white knight's body grew tense; eager to avenge the fallen, he was bound only by the laws of Cray and Vanguard, preventing him from exacting justice on behalf of the small one. Nagisa scowled in a similar manner, having hoped to open up as great a lead as possible before her opponent could reach the highest Grade. After all, everyone was aware of the United Sanctuary's king lurking within the boy's deck and his fearsome power once his army amassed.

"Turn end," the girl grumbled, tucking her head between her shoulders with a flare of irritation evident through her body's language.

FIFTH TURN - AICHI

A quick draw followed, Aichi sliding the addition of Gallatin into the cards before him. The air grew thicker once more with tension; the two sides were still separated by a minimal margin and with a win already on their side, if Aichi could make the most of his ascension to Grade 3, Q4 would be even closer to victory over the current champions and the National Tournament.

Of those watching behind, Kamui was seated leaning forward, grasping at the bench between his knees; both still infuriated by Nagisa's intentions having completely copied his deck and anxious that Aichi may allow nerves to get to him once more. He was certainly much calmer than previously, but the youngster still fretted that the boy may let the weight of the tournament resting on his shoulders become too much. Kai, meanwhile, focused only on the frail body's short stature, watching him from behind without any clear emotion on his face, his eyes gleaming as sternly as always. Even without acknowledging that the brunet's sight was fixed solely on him, Kai was still in Aichi's thoughts, pushing him to confront the battle for the sake of his ultimate goal.

'I'm not far behind. I just have to concentrate, think of it as a match against Kamui-kun,' Aichi thought, gazing sternly across the field to his short opponent. The cards gathered on the field, the friends watching from behind; they were counting on him, waiting for a triumphant return after pulling out early on after struggling in the opening fights. 'The Royal Paladins that have been waiting for this, the teammates who have worked so hard to get us here. Everyone… I can't disappoint them. I will win this; I will become strong enough for Kai-kun to recognize me as a worthy fighter'.

His concentration was broken by a gentle ringing in his ears; a whistling of a far-off voice, the screeching roar of… A small orb of blues and pinks hovered around the boy, unnoticed by all, but Aichi's surprise was enough to alert his teammates; all watching with puzzlement when the boy froze, still yet to choose his newest Vanguard. Azure eyes shimmered with uncertainty, curious as to what the hazy sounds were supposed to have been – a sign, perhaps, but how? Misaki and Kamui exchanged equally perplexed looks, the younger casting his blazing eyes back to the active fighter anxiously.

"Onii-san?"

Although standard practice was to hide any emotion from those around him, even Kai watched with evident curiosity, seemingly concerned by the unusual behaviour of the blue-haired fighter and his sudden flinch. "He just…"

Aichi was at a loss for words, gazing aimlessly at the cards gathered in his hand, struggling to question – mutely or otherwise – what he had just experienced. It was a phenomenon that hadn't occurred before; what was the noise he had heard? It wasn't just the wind; there was something more to it. In the time it took him to blink and focus his vision, one card ignited; blazing a bright blue in the centre of the arsenal. His mouth fell open faintly, blinking again to ensure that the pressure hadn't caused him to hallucinate, but even when his eyes opened once more, the card was still enveloped in its calm light.

'It feels… as though the card is calling out to me,' he noted silently, gazing at the card before him, reaching for it without thinking until his fingertips brushed against the back, thumb pressed against the very top of the artwork. 'Telling me to use it. But… the voice of a card?'

Even with his doubts about what was happening; whether he was cracking under the stressful position he had been placed in, Aichi continued with his finger's minimal movements, sliding the card away from the remainder, sharply clutching it beside his shoulder with a firm glare cast across to his baffled adversary.

"Kishi tachi no kami yo, idete shinbi no chikara o furue!" Aichi chanted, throwing his arm upwards and the card to the highest he could lift it, bathed in the radiance emitted from the card, slamming it down onto the Vanguard circle over his treasured Blaster Blade. "Raido! Souru Seibā Doragon!" [1]

A wide column of light crashed down from the skies, engulfing the white knight Vanguard in its brilliant light. From the pillar, two large wings emerged, matching the shade of the radiance, followed by an slender body of the same shade, decorated by armour of sapphire and silver wrapped around the dragon's torso and limbs, scarlet eyes igniting from the helm that largely covered her head, letting loose a piercing shriek and stretching both arms and legs, its tail swaying behind her glorious body in the breeze produced by her dramatic entrance [POW 10000]. The appearance of the majestic creature captivated the audience, gaping at its beautiful form floating under the Sanctuary sunlight, enhancing the radiance emitted by the majestic creature upon its arrival. The other Team Q4 players were equally surprised by the inclusion of such a card, although a small smile on Shin's face contrasted their disbelief.

"So- Soul Saver Dragon?" Kamui stammered, rising from his place on the bench.

Misaki cast a curious eye towards the boy. "Is something the matter?"

"During the journey here, Onii-san and I checked over his deck," Kamui stated, shifting his sight from the boy in front to his reserved teammate. "But that card wasn't anywhere to be seen. It wasn't in Onii-san's deck".

"You're saying he added it since the tournament began?" Misaki inquired, visibly concerned by the very suggestion.

"But… why would he do something like that?" Kamui wondered aloud, his eyes fixed on the back of the blue-haired tea-mate in front of him. "Onii-san is smarter than to take such a huge risk. His deck was fine earlier".

Shin scanned the reactions of the others seated outside the battlefield perimeters, keeping his smile to a minimum in order to avoid detection for his part in the meddling. His hiding eyes landed on Kai, the brunet gazing at the boy eager to catch his attention without anything to lure him away; finally focused solely on the youngster who worked for his sight. The fixation, as temporary as it would be, was what Aichi longed for. Throwing himself out and choosing to be adventurous had earned him recognition, even if for a moment. Aichi's eyes were only ahead, blind to Kai's stare; aiming to continue forward with his wild card; the gamble that the entire match – and the entire tournament – would hinge upon. The manager had detected the blue-haired boy's anxiety during the morning while waiting for the others, Misaki absent while attending her private duty. Shin had warned Aichi against the idea of modifying his deck so shortly before the tournament, especially without a chance to test play any altered build. But it had been in the restroom after suffering from the shock of his fight when it dawned on Aichi that he had no other option if he was to rise to the required level the tournament demanded of him.

Hands pressed against the marble either side of the oval sink, Aichi gazed down at the water gathered in the porcelain, a small pool in which his reflection swam, droplets clinging to his bangs and drained face dripping down into the reservoir, producing miniature ripples that disturbed features of the image for seconds. On the side, his deck had been tucked away in the box he carried around, bearing the symbol of the circles occupying a typical field. Azure eyes flickered guiltily over the case's emblem, reaching into the pocket of his trousers and removing a handful of packets, clutching them firmly in the palm of his hand, the foil decorated with images of the rarest units within the set. He cast his mind back to the shop during the morning, propped against the counter of Card Capital anxiously, eyeing over his shoulder at the selection on offer behind, including the set released in recent weeks.

"Are you feeling well, Aichi-kun?" Shin questioned from by the doorway, Sub-Manager lingering on the corner.

"U- Um..." Aichi sounded hollowly, unable to meet the spectacle-wearing team director; a tell-tale sign of his poor ability to lie.

Shin's expression softened; the tournament was a large trial and to place the responsibility of representing his shop on such young shoulders perhaps felt unfair, especially for one as inexperienced and unconfident as Aichi. He paced forward, laying a hand onto the boy's shoulders, drawing his eyes upwards to the warm smile.

"You've nothing to worry about. The team will work as hard as possible to get as far as everyone's skills can carry us," he assured. "Once you get there, you'll see things aren't as bad as you're fretting. Everything will be fine, the pressure will ease when you're back to having fun rather than pushing yourself".

"I guess that's true…" Aichi sighed, sagging his shoulders through a heavy exhale. "Um… would it be possible… to perhaps buy a couple of booster packs? J- Just in case there's any need for improvement".

Shin's eyebrows rose, puzzled by the unusual request. "Aichi-kun, you deck is solid. You've seen that" he insisted. "If it would make you feel any better, though it's not ideal to be tinkering with your deck at this late stage. You've seen how well your deck works as it is, you'd be running an untested structure that may throw off how strong it currently is. Or maybe you'll get lucky and indeed find something to ease it into a higher state".

"I understand I would be taking a risk, but I'm not good enough as I am right now," Aichi pleaded. "I wasn't able to get by Kamui-kun to reach Kai-kun. I've lost more times than won when playing someone other than Morikawa-kun and Izaki-kun. With that kind of record, I'll only hinder the team".

"Your mind is set on this, isn't it? I guess it can't be helped," Shin sighed, moving around to the other side of the counter, removing the boosters from their box, casting a glance over his shoulder to the trembling boy and grasped an additional packet, sliding it underneath the rest. He returned to the divider between them, laying the stack down, though his additional input hadn't gone by unnoticed. Aichi opened his mouth to inform the registrar of his apparent error when Shin raised his hand, sweeping away his concern about the miscount. "That one is a good luck gift. But I'd like if you could make me a deal".

"A deal?" Aichi repeated, eyeing the shopkeeper curiously.

"Hm," Shin sounded with a nod. "I'd like if you could try your deck at the Regionals in its current state. If things don't work out so well, you'll know that something more needs to be done". His hand inched forward, pressing the tip of his finger against the holder, pushing against the centre of the Vanguard emblem, tilting it towards Aichi's chest. "You believe in this deck, don't you? It brought you and Kai-kun together. It brought Q4 to one another and the strength you share with it was enough to get you a place on the team. You're too hard on yourself, Aichi-kun. Your cards must feel that; they're doing their best to help you build confidence, they don't doubt you and they know you don't doubt them, do you?"

"No, of course not!" Aichi cried. "This deck is filled with cards that are all very important to me. They're the cards I fought against Kai-kun with. And the fights with Kamui-kun and Misaki-san. These cards are the very soul of my deck and all the fun fights we've shared, I've never felt as though they weren't enough".

"This is no different," Shin chirped. "You're just a little worried about standing on a bigger stage, but they'll help carry you through. You'll help each other and keep up with the team. Please, for the soul of your deck, I'd like you to hold off opening those boosters until after you've seen how far you can go at your current level".

And he had held onto that promise; to stick with his deck as it was – tweaked over the weeks since the Shop Tournament to reach its best, but that had apparently not been sufficient in dealing with the advanced competition. A pang of guilt resonated through Aichi's chest, leaving a cold emptiness; it was too soon to be resorting to the back-up plan, but he couldn't stop the cycle of thoughts that hounded him, blaming him for failing the team, forcing Kai onto the front lines far earlier than expected. His fingers tightened around the bottom packet, removing it from the rest and laying it against the marble shelf in front.

'Even if I'm already running into this option, I don't want to rely on anyone else to get to where I must reach,' the boy thought, eyeing the excluded pack. 'Tenchou gave that to me as a wish of luck, but I have to learn to use my own power instead of falling onto everyone else. I won't ever be good enough if I keep hiding behind them'.

The remainder were set beside the single pack, Aichi keeping hold of the first and began to strip away the top of the packet, removing the cards and fanning them to search for anything of use. There was nothing new, nothing that could enhance his deck any more than his recent changes. Sliding the cards back in, he moved to the next. The process repeated until all the packets he had purchased were opened; there had been Royal Paladins, but none that would answer his dwindling hopes. His eyes fell onto the sole booster remaining – the one Shin had offered to him; the well-wishing present. Aichi frowned; he'd sworn to himself that he would use only his own strength, he couldn't go back on that word simply because he'd had no luck with the packs brought. Gathering up the group, he slid them into his pocket once again, reaching forward for the isolated pack. But when his fingertips brushed against the foil, an unusual sensation raced through him. The boy flinched, puzzled by the odd feeling that rushed across his body, his fingers withdrawing from the foil casing, staring at the narrow digits.

"What was… ?" he wondered aloud, barely above a whisper.

It had been as though he was being urged to dare, to open the gift given to him; it had been for a reason, after all. Could it be that there was truly something inside that would aid him in his quest to become stronger? Aichi hesitantly reached forward once more, fingers inching closer at a leisurely pace so as not to provoke a repeated reaction. His skin brushed against the foil, fingers wrapping around the pack and lifting it from the marble, gazing at it curiously. Why was this so different from the others? Shin had no idea what was inside, could it have been simply because he had handed it over as an offering? Aichi gripped the faces of the packet, pulling them apart until the pressure resulted in the split along the top and removed the cards, slowly flicking through and turned over the final. His eyes enlarged suddenly from what he had discovered within the collection – the image of a radiant dragon looming over a cliff-face, straggled figures reaching up in search of salvation to the deity whose glowing skin almost blended into the skies behind; it's very stats astonished Aichi, reading over the text printed on the card.

"'Soul… Saver Dragon'?"

In his time of need, the dragon had come to him and once again, it had offered its support to him. Watching the card, Aichi contemplated how the phenomenon had occurred on both occasions as a result of the card – the feeling of detachment from the real world and an other-worldly feeling, even for just a matter of seconds. It had to be a sign – the card was special, it had incredible power and would be what he needed to carry himself through the fight and secure Q4's victory at the tournament. Behind him, Shin retained his smile in spite of the others' confusion.

'You're growing, Aichi-kun. Daring to take a risk for the sake of everyone else,' he thought. 'I'm pleased that something was able to come from your gamble. Good luck, hang in there'.

Kai also remained focused on the blue-haired boy, ignorant of Kamui and Misaki's whispering about the state of the Paladin deck that the former had overseen on the way to the tournament. Jaded eyes narrowed sharply; as though he understood that the flinch ahead of riding his newest Vanguard held significance that even the boy himself hadn't grasped. Even for Aichi, it wasn't a normal reaction.

'Just then… it was… It's not possible and yet…' the brunet thought, tracing the stance of the blue-haired fighter with his burning eyes. 'That wasn't Aichi…'

'Shin-san and Kamui-kun advised me about what to do with this deck, but if I don't try to move forward, my level of skill is only going to drag the team down. I can't disappoint Kai-kun and Kamui-kun after all the effort they've put in to get us this far. I'll repay them with the best game I can play, so that we can move forward as a team, towards the Nationals instead of being a weight that threatens our hopes,' Aichi thought, casting his eyes over the field.

The dragon had answered his hopeful prayers; it had enhanced his deck in a new way, pushing it into a much better position than it had been during his opening game. Even without its appearance, he had succeeded in snatching victory since the secret modification. Now was the chance to show off just how much power his deck held; the boy stretched his neck, reaching out to the newly-placed Vanguard.

"Soul Saver Dragon's Soulblast!" he yelled.

"S- Soulblast?!" Nagisa choked.

The card hovered above its place, those placed within its Soul all blaze with a brilliant glow, shooting one after another from the stack and racing around the field, crashing neatly into the Drop Zone until the stack beneath the dragon's card was obliterated, setting it down without support.

"Soul Saver Dragon's skill activates," Aichi announced confidently, his hair gently fluttering from the energy building up around the central card. The dragon above the land igniting its eyes, followed by its shimmering scales. The immense wings of light stretched out, carrying the dragon higher above the canyon field, streams of power stretching from its slender position to the units gathered around its shadow. "Gordon gains 5000 power [POW 13000]. And that applies to both Marron and Wingal as well! [POW 13000/11000]".

"Huh? Powering up three units at once?!" Nagisa shrieked.

"This is Soul Saver's power: Holy Charging Roar!"

The younger Daimonji flinched, astonished that her opponent had been hiding such a card back until the final match. Her head rotated, enough to cast a concerned look towards her brother, who was equally visibly shaken by the revelation, but quickly cast it aside to assure his sister that the dragon's appearance hadn't yet assured Q4's victory.

Kai narrowed his eyes, equally surprised that Aichi had been hiding a card with such potential; masking it much more effectively than those around him. "Holy Charging Roar…"

"Call; Gallatin and Pongal," Aichi added, throwing the two cards into the empty column, filling his field.

The blindfolded knight was the first to emerge, standing on the empty side of Soul Saver's shadow [POW 10000], while behind him, a robotic canine made its appearance; its body largely concealed by indigo armour with golden rings around the centre, matching the collar and lining around its helm. Amethysts had been fitted into the armoured exterior in various places, including between the two spaces cut away for its yellow eyes to blaze through. Four spikes curled out from the animal's hind legs, their silver shade not far from the thick mane and tail that flowed from the casing [POW 7000].

"First, Gallatin, attack Kirara," Aichi commanded, shifting the two new additions to his field horizontally.

A small stream of energy connected the Hi-Beast to the knight in front, the man lunging forward with his narrow blade pressed against the palm of his other hand. The empty arm shifted, lowering the hand while he let out a fierce cry ahead of the strike, positioning his sword ready to strike the feminine Nova Grappler [POW 17000]. Nagisa tore a card from her hand, tossing it onto the glowing green space at the head of the console.

"Guard: Shining Lady!"

Materializing in Gallatin's path suddenly was the fair woman known to the Q4 team as Kamui's usual Critical Trigger, her body wrapped in a pink attire, decorated with white plates of armour across her body, hair tumbling from the helm that concealed the upper half of her face [SLD 10000]. The woman braced herself, folding her arms in front of her body, although the strike was inevitable and the female let loose a shriek of anguish as she was dismissed, glimmers of her presence dissolving into the air. Nevertheless, the soldier retreated swiftly ahead of the next assault that was bound to follow, Aichi reached forward once the path was clear, pressing down on the heart of his force.

"Soul Saver gets a boost from Wingal and attacks Kirara!" Aichi persisted with the same firm tone, leaning forward while his Vanguard stretched out its arms and wings, legs pressed against one another to assume its majestic pose. "Soul Saver's skill grants it a further 3000 power when it attacks the Vanguard".

"What?" Nagisa blurted.

The dragon arched its back, moving one arm forward where a large sphere of energy amassed against the palm of its clawed hand, crackling with its tremendous power in comparison to the Nova Grappler units looming up at the display [POW 24000]. With no defence set up against the attack, Aichi reached for his deck, removing the first card.

"Twin Drive," he announced, turning over another copy of Gallatin. "Second Check". A golden light blazed from the card – Future Knight, Llew. "Critical Trigger. The power goes to Gordon and the extra Critical to Soul Saver".

The dragon's sphere launched, racing across the field with a high-pitched whistle and collided with the ground, dislodging the gravel and coating the enemy field in dust. A pair of cards toppled into Nagisa's Damage Zone – Lion Heat and Twin Blader, putting her behind once more. Cheers rang out from the stands about the Q4 side, ecstatic calls from the Elementary and Middle School students congratulating their friend on the success of such a move. Miwa smirked, leaning forward with intrigue.

"Who knew he had that kind of power in him," he muttered to himself.

"Nice going, Aichi!" Morikawa howled, clenching his fists with excitement.

"I'm not done yet," Aichi continued with his enhanced firmer tone, reaching for the untouched column of his force. "Gordon attacks, boosted Marron – both having been blessed by Soul Saver's Holy Charging Roar".

The rapier-wielding knight threw himself into the fray, streams of energy surging from the air as well as the blond boy position behind him, forcing his level of power beyond that which any of the Royal Paladins had experienced previously [POW 31000].

"O- Over 30000?" Nagisa cried. "I- I can't guard against that kind of power".

Gordon's weapon struck the Nova Grappler female, unleashing a shriek of anguish in spite of her artificial body. Having listened to Nagisa's disbelief, Aichi smiled; finally confident in his abilities and lapping in the indirect praise uttered by his opponent while King of Sword toppled into her Damage Zone.

AICHI - NAGISA
3 -DAMAGE- 5

"Incredible, participant Sendou has pushed Team Handsome to the brink of defeat before Daimonji has even reached Grade 3!" MC Miya yelled, shooting up from his seat, causing the spectators behind him brief alarm.

"He's got her on the ropes," Eiji cheered.

"TR!" Reiji chanted immediately afterwards.

"If this keeps up, they won't even need to play through the last fight," Izaki quipped.

"Aichi," Emi whispered, beaming optimistically to the back of her brother.

Miwa leaned back, folding both arms across his chest and smiling down at the representative of the team. He was just as excited as those around him, prematurely celebrating the victory all but confirmed. His mind strayed down a separate path quickly; although it was true that the odds were overwhelmingly in Q4's favour now, he was reluctant to lower his guard just yet; the opposing force were the reigning champions, they had to possess enough skill to deal with the competition presented before them. And they wouldn't possibly gamble everything on the love of a young girl without good reason; there had to be more to it. The blond tilted forward, grasping his chin while assessing the field once more; although he had his suspicions, he wasn't about to rain on the parade nor cause the others any reason to doubt, especially as belief in Aichi had reached an all-time high and the boy himself was finally displaying the confidence required to survive a competition.

Aichi straightened up, his field all resting after their relentless battle and cast his eyes upwards to Nagisa, who was hunched over her console, glaring down at the rapidly filling Damage Zone. Like Miwa, Aichi hadn't yet given himself over completely to the idea of his near-victory, there was still a chance for the girl to make a comeback, but that didn't mean his spirits hadn't risen significantly since the beginning of his turn.

"You're annoying. Everyone's already getting excited but it's not over," Nagisa growled, shooting a piercing glare towards the students gathered at the front of the spectator box behind her enemy. "I'm going to win and Kamui-chan will come back with us. Then we can get married and be together forever the way we're supposed to be without anyone getting in the way".

"M- Married?!" Kamui blurted, close to throwing himself from his place on the bench after the shock of the girl's assertion.

SIXTH TURN – NAGISA

The sandy-haired girl removed the next card from her deck, checking over it with a stern expression. Her fingers pulled another from her hand while continuing to hold the new addition separate from the rest. "I ride Asura Kaiser! [POW 10000]"

Kirara twirled rapidly, casting a veil of light around that shrouded her form as it dissipated from the field, replaced by the towering six-armed machine that rose from the display, casting its large shadow across the canyon soil. Those around Soul Saver, unable to compete with the Vanguards' sizes, gaped at the arrival of the Star Gate champion. Nagisa threw down the additional card, the one she had drawn and kept isolated from the rest of her hand, slamming it against the console behind her new Vanguard that the others had seen only as Kamui's prior to the fight.

"Claydoll Mechanic," she barked, reaching for the column at the edge of her territory. "Its skill lets me unflip one card in the Damage Zone. Then I call Queen of Heart".

In the open space behind the spherical machine Vanguard, an orange-armoured being emerged, a mask pressed over the lower part of its face connected to a silver pack on its back through two cables, the scarlet slits of its eyes flashed readily [POW 7000]. Similarly, in the shadow of the lone king stationed to the side, his female companion made her appearance, brandishing her weapons in preparation to aid him in the most effective manner she could [POW 7000].

"Not just Kamui-san's clan and his major units, but even his ace card!" Eiji cried. "She's copied everything!"

"CE" Reiji yelped.

"First the King of Sword with Queen of Heart backing him attacks Gordon," the girl barked, sharply shifting the pair into a horizontal position.

"Gordon?" Aichi gasped.

"Targeting that card heavily reduces Aichi's ability to shield against her later attacks," Misaki murmured. "Rather than losing a 5000 guard, Gordon's Especial guard effectively means he's losing 10000. Protecting against that attack will also cost him tremendously, but Gordon could easily become a target later on, wasting any effort to rescue him now".

"What?" Kamui sounded. "She's getting serious now?"

Aichi made no move to protect his unit, his astral projection hovering beside Soul Saver peered down with guilty remorse; the grey-haired knight was clearly anxious about his planned execution whilst watching the ritual of combining powers took place across the canyon. The king charged forward, enhanced further by his teamwork with the queen he was famous for working with in Star Gate's wrestling sport [POW 20000]. The towering royal was upon his target in a matter of seconds, bringing down the large sword, glowing with its advanced power. Gordon yelled out once struck, his body crumbling into a collection of glimmers that drifted amongst the dust that escaped from the ground as the heavy sword crashed against it, shrouding Pongal from view. Aichi narrowed his eyes, closing them entirely while turning his head away, struggling to come to terms with his strongest formation already losing a valuable asset.

"Please forgive me, Gordon…"

"The other King of Sword attacks Soul Saver Dragon," Nagisa yelled, allowing the blue-haired boy no time to mourn after depositing the fallen card into his Drop Zone.

"What? She's not attacking with Asura Kaiser next?" Izaki wondered aloud.

"Ordinarily, a player attacks with the Vanguard so any Triggers will have a chance should their attack fails, but given she's shown that she's no pushover, there has to be a reason behind it," Miwa murmured, leaning forward. "It's possible she's gambling on Asura Kaiser's skill to stand one of her Rear-Guards for another attack. It's not inexperience, she knows what she's doing".

The duplicate king launched up from the ground, power offered by Shout swirling around his body [POW 17000], granting the power necessary to land a blow capable of dealing damage. Aichi glared at the approaching warrior, keeping his cards lowered. Even though he had declined the chance to guard, Soul Saver shifted, raising her right arm in order to protect his spiritual form from any danger hovering by the line of fire. The boy cast a puzzled and surprised look to the creature, gazing into the sole crimson eye visible from his place over her shoulder. In response, the dragon appeared to lower her head as though she could interpret his actions and unspoken emotion. Aichi's heart tightened with guilt for having the majestic dragon face the battle without erecting some kind of defence to aid her; even then, she was determined to shield him from any harm, to prevent him from experiencing what he had witnessed through Alfred's eyes in the first round. Gazing into the creature's eye, it was as though Aichi could see the resolve of the dragon, the will to serve and guide him to victory, to triumph over the aggressors that had appeared in the Paladins' homeland. The sword-wielding Nova Grappler charged forward, swinging its wide weapon and struck the dragon across the plating above her chest. The dragon let loose a pained shriek, her arm tensed and inched closer to Aichi, who hovered in place, eyes wide with horror, struggling to witness the blow, although he had promised not to shirk from the pain the dragon had endured as a result of his decline to guard. Behind the console, the boy's true form reached to the deck, turning over the top card that would be sacrificed to pay for the successful battle, his eyes tapered and jaws clenched when he discovered the king atop his flaming steed as the artwork decorating the card.

"Alfred…" he hissed, casting his eyes ahead to where the dragon waited. "Soul Saver… I'm sorry. I won't let this be in vain; any of it. I'll do whatever I can to make it up, to end this suffering".

Aichi straightened himself, head hanging close for his bangs to conceal his eyes, casting a thick shadow over the upper half of his face that the lights above failed to penetrate. Nagisa inflated her cheeks and reached forward for the remaining column, sharply shifting her last cards to join the rest of the force around them.

"Claydoll Mechanic boosts Asura Kaiser," she barked. "Attack Soul Saver Dragon".

The six-armed machine stormed forward ahead of its enemy's decision, weapons swinging wildly in anticipation to follow the successful strike of its ally against the figurehead of the squad standing in the force's way, the aura of its partner's donated power thick around its immense spherical form [POW 18000]. Aichi reached for his hand, tearing away two of the cards and slamming them against the console, setting the pair in front of Soul Saver.

"Elaine. Llew," he snapped.

As they were summoned, the emerald-haired woman and blonde young knight materialized before Soul Saver, the elf's ability to float allowed her to maintain the height. Whereas Llew clutched her hand, allowing himself and his robotic pet to stand as a blockade against the onslaught charging their way [SLD 20000].

"Just a turn after attacking with more than 30000 Power, participant Sendou is now guarding with just as much," MC Miya stated, leaning toward the monitor in front of him focusing on the blue-haired combatant.

"Setting up that big a shield? Did you use up everything last turn?" Nagisa asked teasingly, smirking with renewed confidence.

Aichi's eyes hardened, sending a shaky glare across the field to the girl. 'It's true that the shield is excessive. But I have to keep Gallatin back in case I can't draw anything to stand on the front line in Gordon's place. And this way, no matter what, Asura Kaiser won't land a hit on Soul Saver Dragon. Even if I can't use the Soulblast again, this field is strong enough to win the fight. It has to be, I won't let everything we've all worked for go to waste'.

"Twin Drive. First check," Nagisa announced, sliding the top card of her deck away, turning it sharply to unveil another copy of Kirara. It made little difference; her current attack was a guaranteed failure as a result of the defences set up by the Paladins. She drew again, only as she twisted the card, a bright radiance emitted from the card, lighting her frustrated face that transformed swiftly into one of delight and excitement. "A Stand Trigger!"

"No way," Izaki cried, leaning forward in sync with the others. "She actually pulled it off?"

"All the effects go to my right-hand King of Sword [POW 15000]" Nagisa stated, repositioning the chosen twin. "And then he'll attack again. Because the other King of Sword was the one to hit before, I think it's just fair that this one gets a chance".

Aichi tensed his shoulders, head tucked between them while hunched above the back of his field; he had only one card in his hand, the very same that had prevented him from guarding more strategically. Even if Gallatin were to rush forward now, the Nova Grappler's strength was equal to Soul Saver's with assistance, it would make no difference. The dragon was to suffer another blow and his lead was about to diminish. There was nothing he could do short of sacrificing all back-up for the next turn. He would pull through; he would get another chance at snatching victory as the tide of battle was beginning to turn against him. There was still hope. His eyes sharpened, watching the duplicate royal raise its sword, slashing across Soul Saver's abdomen as opposed to its counterpart's attack. The dragon flinched and sank a small degree, slowly falling towards the soil. Though the decent was minimal, Soul Saver retained her place above the ground, spreading her wings out, the lengthy streams of light gleaming with an intensity not unlike the sun's. Iseult toppled into the Damage Zone, equaling the causalities taken on each side.

AICHI - NAGISA
5 -DAMAGE- 5

"Crap, now they're tied again," Morikawa growled.

"She was able to take Aichi's lead and wipe it out," Miwa murmured, pressing his thumb against the corner of his lips.

"But even if that's the case, it's his turn now," Izaki stated, hope clear in his firm tone. "He can turn this around. With a strong field like the one he had, he should be able to finish it off this turn. Handsome are just as close to losing, there's no way they'll pull through another good turn like the last one".

'But last turn, Aichi had all of Soul Saver's power,' Miwa wondered, eyeing the boy cautiously. 'This turn, he has to do things normally, there's nothing in the Soul to use for that kind of attack again'.

"Moving into the seventh turn, participant Daimonji of the reigning champions has pushed participant Sendou, fighting for first-time competitors Team Q4, to 5 damage. A thrilling fight is taking place with both players showing us their very best" MC Miya commented fervently into the curved microphone seated on the desk between the two monitors in front of him. "The fight is in its final stretch; the result will determine if Team Handsome are dethroned before the third match or will get another round to defend their title".

"If Onii-san can pull this off, Gouki won't even fight," Kamui murmured, gripping the bench tightly between his knees. "I wanted to face Gouki after we made it to Regionals, but I want Onii-san to get through this. He's out there even though he's been filled with doubt this entire time, so I'll put my faith in him. If I'm not meant to face Gouki yet, I'm fine with that, I want the team to go as far as possible".

Kai watched the youngster in the corner of his eye; although the muttering was at too low a volume for anyone to pick up, he observed Kamui's mouth moving, no doubt uttering his belief in Aichi, his desire for Q4 to succeed. The brunet reverted his sight ahead, eyes landing on Aichi, the angle from which he watched had the boy blocking the view of his opponent, standing on the edge of the battlefield alone, facing the blows happening in the midst of battle without anyone else to observe.

SEVENTH TURN – AICHI

Aichi reached for his deck, focused solely on the closed lead and his desperate need to win as quickly as possible after Nagisa's display of competence at the game. Handsome weren't simply gambling their campaign on the affections of a young girl, she was just as skilled as the older members of the team. If this was her level of ability, then Gouki's could be terrifying. It wasn't something Aichi was prepared to risk and he sharply tore the card from his deck, raising it close to his eye in order to find what his gamble had been spent on.

'Gancelot?' he stated mutely, his flickering expression fighting the urge to screw itself in frustration. 'If I had known this card was next, I could have defended against both Asura Kaiser and King of Sword's attacks. I'd still be on 4 damage rather than with my back against the wall. If I had the instinct everyone else has, to be able to predict and feel what was coming next…' His head shook suddenly, determined not to allow doubt and regret cloud his thoughts by comparing his choices to the alternative, no matter if taking a different path may have left him in a better position. There was no going back; he was taking the fight head-on, he was struggling his hardest for everyone – the Royal Paladins, the teammates that had worked to get the team so far. He wasn't about to waste all their efforts by dwelling on one error. Reassured, his gaze sharpened and extended through the field. 'It's alright. I just have to inflict one damage; that's all it's going to take. I can do that much, everyone is counting on me being able to. I won't make the same mistakes as before or at the Shop Tournament. None of that matters, I've gotten stronger since back then'.

Exchanging Gancelot for Gallatin, Aichi slid his eyes shut; not looking back to the teammates watching in anticipation of his move, but envisioning how they had when he last set his sights on them. He felt no additional pressure, but rather their gazes helped to spur him on, enhancing his resolve to build upon their successes and win for the team's struggles, in order to reward everything Kai and Kamui had put into the campaign with the promise of the National Tournament.

With that in mind, Aichi threw down his card to fill the empty space of his field. "Call". The second Gallatin materialized on the field, the colouration differing a small degree in order to distinguish him from the original.

"Now their fields are alike," Izaki murmured. "They both have the same Rear-Guards on both sides of the Vanguard".

"It all comes down to how well Aichi can attack. It's doubtful that anyone could get through a turn like this without taking damage, but if she's lucky enough to pull a Heal Trigger, that would set him back," Miwa added sternly.

"She won't get that lucky, Q4 have to win it," Reiji commented smugly.

"HW," Eiji shouted.

Emi transferred her sight from the males in her company to her brother as he leaned forward, switching the column at the other end without hesitation; as quickly as one Gallatin arrived, the other was diving into battle.

"Marron boosts Gallatin and attacks Asura Kaiser," he barked.

The blonde mage stretched his empty hand out, reaching for the knight positioned in front of him, streams of light flowing from his palm and lacing themselves around the blindfolded warrior, who charged ahead [POW 18000]. Nagisa frowned immediately, aware that sustaining even one hit would result in not only her, but the team's defeat and ripped two cards from her hand, tossing them out as shield.

"Kirara and Three Minutes," she barked.

The two cards spun around and landed on the space ahead of her targeted Vanguard, both emerging onto the field simultaneously to bolster the Nova Grapplers' defensive power [SLD 21000]. With the reinforcements' arrival, Gallatin was stopped in his tracks, lowering the narrow blade in his possession, aware that any further attempt of attacking would be futile; even by clearing the blockade, he would lack sufficient strength to continue with the assault. Aichi wasted no time in moving to his next column, shifting the central cards of his force to match the first pair.

"Soul Saver attacks with a boost from Wingal," he asserted firmly. "Soul Saver's skill grants it an additional 3000 Power for attacking the Vanguard [POW 19000]".

Nagisa growled, tossing another card from her hand onto the Guard circle. Her defensive measures didn't come to an end there, her fingers pressed down on the left-hand King of Sword, transferring the card from the front line to the separate space, laying it on top of the card already set in place.

"Guard with Battleraizer. King of Sword intercepts," she declared sharply.

The machine of red and white that had been the girl's initial Vanguard returned to the battlefield in front of her current, folding its arms protectively around the glass cabin between its shoulders. The chosen King of Sword also dragged itself forward, positioning itself as a much taller barrier against the oncoming attack [SLD 26000]. In spite of the shields moving into position, Soul Saver arched her back, stretching forward the claw that had protected Aichi only the turn before, clawed fingers pressed against one another and curling backwards a small degree. Against the palm, small winds collided, drawn in by the deity's power and melding into one force; a sphere of gales brought together and swirling madly. Aichi scowled at Nagisa's decision to guard, would she have enough if he was able to pull a Trigger and enhance his remaining Gallatin? Had she enough to shield her Vanguard against the other attack as things stood? He refused to accept any concept of the girl bypassing the turn without sustaining damage; he had to do something in order to push Team Handsome out of the way, so that Kai and Kamui could be rewarded for all their work with their chance at the National Championship. Azure eyes fell onto the deck; the sensation he had experienced before hadn't returned since, the assurance that he was doing things the way he should be wasn't there. He was playing on instinct alone like normal. He reached forward, fingers twitching anxiously until the tips brushed against the back of the top card.

"Twin Drive," he stated, swiftly sliding the card away and turning it over, finding Marron as the first. A frown was immediately on his face, clenching his jaws with hope rapidly dwindling; if Nagisa was capable of guarding against his current level, then he had to pull a Trigger as quickly as possible to secure his victory.

In the stands, the others watched on, equally as nervous. Emi raised one hand, curling it into a loose fist and pressing it beside her chin, the joints of her small fingers spreading out enough to brush against her lips. "Aichi…"

The older Sendou moved forward again, touching the final card of his check and bit his bottom lip. There was no feeling to aid him in telling whether the card was a Trigger or not; nothing like what Kai may have experienced, allowing him to successfully call Final Turn with every fight he partook in. The brunet's face appeared in the blue-haired boy's mind, joined by their teammates; each counting on him to triumph over the girl. "It has to be a Trigger" Aichi whispered to himself, as though uttering his hopes would be enough for the card to fulfill his wishes. "Please… let it be a Trigger…"

The air became thick with tension, Aichi's chest heaved with the need for air, his throat tight from stiffening his body in preparation for the decisive draw. Droplets of sweat clung to his forehead, one slipped down across his cheek; he was piling pressure on top of himself, focused only on his desire to be acknowledged as a strong fighter and to aid the team in their campaign to reach the National Tournament. For those, he wanted desperately to win the match, taking the pressure off everyone else so they could continue to enjoy the game as normal. His shoulder sagged, growing tenser with the strain place upon it, Aichi neck stretched as it had been before the movement and with a sudden snap, his head twisted towards the deck once more, tilted to the right side.

"Second Check!"

The movement was swift; tearing the card from the stack and slicing through the air, coming to a halt in front of his left hip, still face-down so hope could linger. Twisting his wrist was a slow procedure, narrowing his eyes until discovering what he had drawn – Morgana. There was no Trigger, nothing to push his offensive strength any higher. Aichi's expression crumpled, clearly disappointed with the result, his shoulders dropping and slid the card in between the two he held onto. Soul Saver's attack released, mutating from an orb of winds to a twisted storming across the field, crashing into the two units set up to prevent it travelling further. Light winds swept through, lightly lashing Asura Kaiser without any effect. The units in front of it vanished, draining Soul Saver's ability to continue and returning the slender arm by her side, acknowledging that her role for the turn had come to an end. Aichi eyed his field, heart pounding wildly with the fact that one attack remained; there was still a glimmer of hope, so long as he could execute it, he still had a chance of winning; leaving one King of Sword didn't necessarily mean he had been bested yet.

"Gallatin attacks with a boost from Pongal," Aichi announced, hiding his doubts behind a firm tone.

Exchanging blinded expressions with his counterpart, Gallatin remained still while inheriting the force of its canine ally, lunging forward once his power reached the maximum he could attain from the creature [POW 17000]. The swordsman charged skillfully across the canyon floor, readying himself for the strike with his blade tucked beneath his other arm, palm running along the edge, holding the weapon in place. Nagisa inflated her cheeks again, frustrated by the boy's relentless barrage against her Vanguard in a desperate ploy to deal the all-important final card of damage and threw the card left in her hand onto the Guard circle, moving her remaining King of Sword to join it.

"Guard," she snapped, glaring across the field where NGM Prototype appeared hovering in front of Asura Kaiser, joined by the second of the Rear-Guard duplicates [SLD 21000]. Aichi's brow furrowed; that meant his attack was meant to fail and the turn had been passed without even achieving one point of damage – all that stood between him and playing his part for the team. Gallatin leapt up, swinging his slim blade through the air and cutting through the pair set up as shields to block the strike, managing to protect the head of the enemy force, exploding seconds after Gallatin landed on one knee beyond them, drained of sufficient power to tackle the machine champions towering over him. The turn had failed and now it would be the invaders' chance to launch their counterattack.

"Participant Daimonji has pulled off an impressive turn and protected herself from suffering even one point of damage from a full three attacks," MC Miya reported quickly. "And now it's the turn of Team Handsome to take the offensive and test whether Q4's Sendou can do the same to hang in the game".

"It's alright though, she only has her Vanguard on the front line," Miwa pointed out. "Aichi has plenty of units to guard with against that. Her field isn't likely to support Queen of Heart, even if it's moved forward, unless she draws a Grade 1, even then, it's just two attacks".

"So he should pull through alright?" Izaki asked.

"Of course he will. Even if he doesn't have any extra Grade 3s, Aichi's got a full field," Morikawa scoffed. "And he wiped out her front Rear-Guards, she can't turn it around with so few cards".

EIGHTH TURN – NAGISA

"We'll see about that," Nagisa called, pulling her next – the only one in her possession. Her scorn suddenly lifted, replaced by a bright grin as she eyed what she had pulled from the deck and let out her satisfaction through a laugh, puzzling the team opposite. Once she settled, Nagisa reached for her console, twisting the Shout card beside her Drop Zone. "Shout's skill; I discard a card from the hand and draw to replace it. And what better card to use than the one that proves Kamui-chan and I are meant to be".

The girl's small hand rotated, revealing what had been at the top of her deck prior to her turn – Ring Girl, Clara.

"A Heal Trigger?" Morikawa howled.

"No way, a card like that was there all along?" Reiji cried.

"AA?" Eiji blurted.

"That means even if Aichi had landed a hit…" Miwa choked.

"She would have negated the sixth damage…" Aichi gasped breathlessly.

"Nagisa was prepared all along," Kamui sighed. "Onii-san would have needed to hit her twice to win the match in the last turn. Hey, what do you mean we're meant to be?! I told you, I don't like you!"

"You'll see, Kamui-chan," Nagisa giggled, dropping the card into the growing stack beneath her deck. "This is the Nova Grapplers approving of you putting a ring on my finger at the end of this match. Even your clan wants us to be together".

"Stop talking crazy!" Kamui yelled, leaping up from his place on the bench and shaky an aggravated fist.

Aichi was deaf to the noisy exchange, gazing down at his field, disillusioned; he had been fooled all along, trying his hardest to finish the battle he had been led to believe was in sight when the struggle he was enduring was further away than the scenario he and the others had presumed. The shock had him paralyzed while reality sank in and he was still evidently crestfallen, not that Nagisa allowed him to recover quickly to continue with her turn, snatching the next card of her deck and smirking at the offer her exchange had presented her. She threw down the card in front of the resting Shout, moving her other hand onto the field and grasped the other end of her forces.

"Call. Death Metal Droid," she declared. "Queen of Heart moves forward".

Joining the Nova Grappler forces, a humanoid coated in a black skin-tight suit beneath forest green armour made its appearance. Its armoured suit bearing numerous golden patterns and white segments , while four exhausts stood erected from its steel backpack. A turquoise visor gleamed, its white hands tightening around the grips of the immense cannon by its side, propped by a stand to aid the creature's handling of the rectangular weapon matching its own colour scheme [POW 10000]

"A full front row," Reiji gasped.

"FF," Eiji yelped quickly afterwards.

"But she'll still need a Trigger for Queen of Heart to be of any use," Miwa explained.

"Death Metal Droid attacks Soul Saver Dragon," Nagisa snapped, stretching forward her right arm.

"Attacking with her only other guaranteed attack first?" Izaki cried.

"She's gambling her chance of winning on a Trigger," Miwa reasserted.

The mechanical behemoth stomped forward, closing in on the gracefully hovering dragon. Aichi was quick to retaliate, removing the central card from his hand and presenting it as his choice of a shield.

"Morgana!" he exclaimed, sliding the card in place ahead of his targeted Vanguard.

The rose warrior emerged onto the field, brandishing her blade with a determined glare not to allow the aggressor pass her without disabling its ability to continue on its rampage. The machine launched its cannon regardless, the wide beam of light crashing down against her small body in comparison, the woman let out a shriek and vanished from the space between the Grade 3s, but the draining aura of having expended too much power forced the advancing machine into submission and a slow retreat. The defence wasn't enough to deter Nagisa, however, and the girl was quickly upon her central line.

"Claydoll Mechanic boosts Asura Kaiser," she hollered, tensing her shoulders raising either side of her lowered head.

Sweat clung to Aichi's paling face, sending a stern look across the field while halving his hand once more and tossing the chosen cards onto the Guard circle, joined by more – the twin Gallatins from his front line.

"Guard. Marron and both Gallatins will intercept," he declared, withdrawing and standing straight above the console, sight fixed on the girl opposite, also visibly suffering a toll as a result of the highly-charged fight

That implication was one noticed by members of both teams, eyeing their respective participant cautiously. For Gouki, observing a fight that exhausted his sister had him both slightly concerned while exciting him at the prospect of such an intense fight. The brawny male smirked, shifting his gaze from Nagisa to the boy of her affections watching from across the hall, clearly passionate about how the fight was going.

'So, this is the real team that Kamui chose,' the Handsome leader wondered, appearing both confident and entertained.

In front of Soul Saver, the identical blindfolded warriors leapt into place, joined by a duplicate of Marron [SLD 25000], while the original of the young blond mage was rooted to the spot with a clear view of the enemy's force. The others observed from the stands with baited breath; Aichi had put up everything possibly to shield himself from the blow, keeping himself secure should a Trigger appear that the girl could have intended to give to her Vanguard, but that didn't mean he was clear yet – the very same dreaded result would grant her repositioned Queen of Heart the necessary boost to attack herself. Confident after her recent draws, Nagisa reached for her deck, removing the first card and learning of another Queen of Heart to add to her hand. Faintly unsettled by the latest check, her hand inched forward, eyes set heavily upon the deck, set on accomplishing what her adversary had failed to exact. Her hand fell, pinning down the stack and dragging away the second of her checks, twisting her wrist and uncovering a second copy of her other Rear-Guard.

"It's not a Trigger," Izaki called excitedly.

"That's no good," Miwa interjected. "Asura Kaiser's skill".

"When a Grade 3 shows up during a Trigger check, Asura Kaiser's skill stands a Rear-Guard," Kamui exhaled heavily, his excitement evaporated and replaced by disheartenment. "And if that card in Onii-san's hand can't shield him then…"

Kai's eyes tapered slowly; for all Aichi had done, it hadn't been enough in the end. Given Aichi's reaction to the draw during his previous turn, the card wasn't one that could save him. The trio of units positioned as shields against the attack vanished under the barrage of weapons, leaving the path between Soul Saver and the Nova Grapplers clear. While the three cards fell back into the Drop Zone, Aichi's head remained low, the shade from his bangs casting shadows over the upper half of his face, concealing his eyes as disheartenment took over. He had placed his hopes in the card at the top of his deck the turn before, receiving Gancelot; a powerful unit, but the result of a gamble that had backfired on him. But even if he had taken a risk, he would have been out of cards with which to guard nevertheless. His defeat had been in place no matter how much he struggled against it.

"Death Metal Droid," Nagisa yelled, reverting the card to a vertical stance and back immediately to horizontal. "Slay Soul Saver!"

"There it is; the deadly power of the Nova Grapplers in action," MC Miya hollered. "Despite drawing no Triggers, participant Daimonji has pushed her way through to deal a third attack. It comes down to whether participant Sendou can guard after his most recent move".

Horror was written across the faces of the others watching from above, Kamui equally pained to watch the fatal blow. As much as he wanted to believe there was a chance and Aichi's confidence could earn a much-needed boost, the boy's body language spoke volumes; head tilted and shoulders sagged, it was clear to them that Aichi had given up, he wasn't pinning his hopes on a Heal Trigger lest he taste further bitter disappointment. Without so much as inching his head upwards, the downtrodden fighter uttered his response.

"No… guard…"

Without any obstacle, the metallic aggressor charged its cannon, firing a beam that darted across the field at an incredible speed, diving at the dragon, whose wings folded around her body to shield her as best she could. Aichi uttered a mute apology, his spiritual projection lingering by the dragon, refusing to vanish and abandon her in her greatest moment of need. Like with Alfred, he would see through the fight until the very end; Royal Paladins had a policy of never leaving one of their own behind, Aichi would uphold that stance and stand by his units' sides until they were all dismissed from the Cray battlefield. He couldn't blame his deck or feel anything negative towards having been left with Gancelot; it was simply a mistake that had led to the crushing end; inexperience and underestimating his opponent. He believed in his cards and he trusted them with everything he had, they hadn't let him down in any manner whatsoever, rather they had come through when he felt hopeless, calling out to him in a way they had never before to guide him down a path that brought him to the verge of victory. Which made it all the more difficult to witness Death Metal Droid's beam crash into Soul Saver, grinding the dragon's armoured plating with its burning power, the dragon throwing her head back and letting out a screech like none before. A disheartened Aichi watched from his place hovering above the grappling pair, the dragon making sure to keep the battle away from the boy's spirit. The top card of his deck fluttered away, soaring across the field and landed on its side at the bottom of the column at the other end, tipping over to show a Trigger, but not of the nature he needed; Epona, a Critical.

AICHI - NAGISA
6 -DAMAGE- 5

Soul Saver's body began to disintegrate, reaching out towards the sun overhead as if to express her wish for another to avenge the Paladins' defeat while toppling towards the ground. Even with her slow descent, the dragon never touched the flooring; the dissolution of her body claimed the deity's form before she crashed. Aichi's narrow eyes flickered with regret, watching the display that left Wingal, Pongal and Marron without any stronger units to support; alone against a fearsome force. What action they took, Aichi would never learn; the boy turned his head away, closing his eyes wistfully and the Cray environment dissipated, returning him to the Stadium's hall where silence had fallen.

FIGHT END

"The victor is Team Handsome's Daimonji Nagisa," the referee stationed in the centre announced, stretching his arm towards the girl.

Cheers and sounds of awe resonated from the audience overhead, largely from those above the reigning champions. On the other side of the hall, however, the mood had become sober quickly, more so among the group huddled in the front rows of seats, casting apologetic looks over Aichi as he stood hunched over his console, cards still scattered across the field. Nagisa bounced away from the marked battleground, balancing on his toes in front of Gouki, who rose from his seat, muscular arms folded.

"I did it, I beat him. Kamui-chan will be all mine now!" the girl yelped excitedly.

"Good work, Nagisa," Gouki answered, resting a hand on top of his sister's head, ruffling her hair slightly.

His crimson eyes moved themselves upwards and to the boy she had been targeting who crept slowly closer to his defeated teammate. Blue bangs hung heavily over his eyes, casting a shadow that obscured half of his face while silently collecting his fallen soldiers.

"Onii-san…" Kamui uttered cautiously.

Aichi turned his back on the enemy, the sudden movement having Kamui freeze on the spot and watch anxiously. The older boy lifted his head, peeling back the shade thickly concealing his eyes with a wistful expression.

"Kamui-kun…" he said, averting his sight to the brunet seated on the bench nearby. "Kai-kun… I'm sorry. I took a gamble and it didn't work out so well. We were so close and I've set the team back again".

"Don't be hard on yourself, Onii-san," Kamui insisted, masking a smirk. "After all, now I get to fight. And I've been itching to fight Gouki ever since I started playing Vanguard".

"Is that so?" Aichi asked faintly. "I understand but… I still feel guilty about holding everyone back".

"Don't you worry about that," Kamui chirped. "You're not doing that. This is a big stage for someone who's only been playing a few weeks. I'll avenge you, Onii-san, then we'll go onto the Nationals as a team".

"R- Right," Aichi answered, doubt still traceable in his tone.

Nevertheless, Kamui marched forward, Aichi watching in the corner of his eye while moving in the opposite direction. Gouki arrived at the console in unison with his adversary, both setting down their decks at the same time and began to draw. Behind the bandana-wearing captain, Nagisa waved wildly, her cheeks glowing with a blush.

"Kamui-chan! We'll be together soon," she called.

"No we won't!" Kamui barked fiercely, aggressively slamming three cards back on the top of his deck and removing it to reshuffle, glaring across with embarrassment at the Daimonji siblings when Gouki began grinning at his sister's insistence.

The two filled their hands to hold five cards each, awaiting the signal to do battle while MC Miya's voice boomed across the hall to remind the audience that the competition rode on the result of the match. And while Gouki appeared to be just as eager, Kamui hid his excitement beneath the stern glare he shock across the lined stage.

'Gouki, I've been waiting for this,' the boy thought. 'You were the one who picked me up and showed me how to fight. Before we met, I had given up hope of being strong in any way because I was pushed around so easily by everyone. They were all bigger, tougher and I had nothing to support myself with, until you gave me something to hold onto'.

The spiky-haired child sat hunched against the iron railing marking the edge of the park, one of various places he would go after a struggle, frequently with cuts and bruises from his failed attempts at defending himself. Aware that many children would be lingering nearby, perhaps even some of those who tormented him, Kamui pushed himself away from the railing, balancing on his soles before jumping up and steadied himself. Quick to avoid the eyes of anyone that may arrive, Kamui skulked away, taking no particular route or headed for any destination, but simply strolling along the roads, head hanging low and watching the ground in front. A immeasurable amount of time passed before Kamui took note of where he had wandered, finding himself in a district outside the places he would usually visit, a card shop nearby catching his attention with its unusual design. Curious, the boy crossed the road separating him from the building, although once his shoes landed on the pavement outside, he froze. Hesitation took hold and instead, he turned away, about to wander off elsewhere before spotted when the shuttered doors opened and a tanned male appeared in the doorway.

"Hey, where you headed?" he asked.

Kamui paused, aware that escape was impossible now that he had been found and inched his head around, casting a cold look over his shoulder to the brunet standing behind him with a smirk. It was then the older noticed the cut on the youngster's cheek and leaned forward with a concerned expression.

"Kid, you should get that patched up," he stated.

Kamui pressed a hand over the cut, only the quick touch caused his cheek to sting from the pain and he flinched, tears welling in his eyes. Although he was determined to hide them from view, the unnamed male had seen and already witnessed his poor attempt at masking the pain. He reached forward, about to grab Kamui's arm with the boy jumped away, glaring tearfully at the young man.

"Don't touch me!" he yelled. "I've had this trick before. You pretend to care but then you just go somewhere out of sight and finish the job".

"'Finish'… ?" the other repeated with a frown. He removed a deck of cards from his jacket, holding them out to the boy. "Here, I'll make you trust me if I have to". Kamui lifted a puzzled eyebrow, staring at the deck with bewilderment. "It's my deck, don't you know about Vanguard?"

"And what if I don't?" Kamui scowled.

"That doesn't matter," the tanned male grunted. "This deck is important to me; if you don't trust me, hang onto it until we've gotten you patched up. If you ran off with it then it's something I'd deserve, but until then, I want to trust you to hold it if you'll trust me to help you out".

Kamui inched closer, grasping the top of the stack with both hands and quickly tore it from the larger hand clutching it before he could pull the cards away and mock him for daring. But there weren't any attempts at stealing the deck back, the man smirked and held the shutter open for Kamui to enter, which he did so while eyeing the cards. Catching sight of the spiky-haired boy's fascination in the cards, the older male smirked and followed him inside, immediately moving behind the counter where a first-aid kit had been stored. When he returned with the box, he found Kamui huddled on a seat near one of the barrels used as a fighting table, flicking through the cards with intrigue.

"Seems you like them," he chuckled. "Oh, my name's Gouki. And if you want, I could always teach you the game. You'll be winning fights in no time".

"What?" Kamui uttered.

"You get in a lot of scuffles, don't you?" Gouki asked. "We have Cardfights, so we can clash without hurting each other. And if you get pushed about a lot, then beating everyone at a different type of fight will show them that you've been strong all along. Sounds good, doesn't it?"

Kamui's eyes were wide while listening to Gouki's explanation, dropping back towards the deck in between his hands, in awe at the scenario painted out by the tanned man in addition to the artwork of each card within the deck. "Cardfights…"

With a glint in his eye, Kamui kept watch of the brawny male on the other side of the field, his unkempt hair covered by the burgundy bandana that signified his leadership of the shop and its team, having been present when he earned it from the previous captain. He had overseen every one of Kamui's fights during his time at Handsome, never showing disappointment even when he ventured out to other areas in order to further bolster his skills and test his own deck against other clans.

'But even though you lead me so far, we never fought for real,' the youngster thought. 'That's why this is important to me. I have to see if I've become a good enough player to take you on and see if trying out different waters was enough. You were the one who said I'd be strong if I won against people; I might not be able to beat Kai just yet, but I'm going to do all I can to beat you and then aim for him'.

The two fighters locked eyes, readying themselves with fingers reaching for the base of their hidden Vanguards, the man between them squared his shoulders and stretched his neck, his voice quick to reverberate across the halls.

"Last fight begin".

"Stand up," Kamui and Gouki barked in unison, flipping over their cards. "Vanguard!"

FIGHT START

KAMUI - GOUKI
0 -DAMAGE- 0

The landscape between the two converted once again into the underwater territory of the Granblue ghouls, assuring Kamui that there were no further tricks and he fight with Gouki would be just as he had been hoping – their very best efforts to test how far they had come since the day when the boy had been entrusted to hold the deck. The signature starting Vanguard for both sides took their place on the seabed – Battleraizer for Kamui [POW 3000] and the same Guiding Zombie used by his teammate standing on Gouki's side [POW 5000].

"I've been waiting a long time for this, Kamui," Gouki proclaimed, his muscular arms folded over his chest. "And I couldn't have asked for a better stage, wouldn't you say?"

"Same goes for me, Gouki," the spiky-haired youngster replied with a smirk. "Seeing how far Team Handsome got, it reminded me how badly I'd wanted to fight you properly right from the beginning. I've got a team to play with and they gave me the chance to finally take you on. I'm not going to hold anything back, so I'm sorry to be the one that'll dethrone you from the top of the Regionals".

"That's some statement," Gouki chuckled. "Let's see if you can back it up".

"I'll do more than back it up, I'll keep my word," Kamui asserted, tearing the top card of his deck away.

"Go Kamui-san!" Eiji and Reiji cheered in unison from above.

FIRST TURN – KAMUI

"Ride, Tough Boy [POW 8000]".

Replacing the initial machine was another; the grey mechanical figure bearing multiple rounded shields appearing in the place of its predecessor while the ally in question transported into the space behind the new head.

"Kamui-san's usual start," Reiji muttered. "It's got to be a sign that he's going to win like always".

"LA," Eiji added with an upbeat tone.

The boy's expression supported the pair's belief in him; the arsenal in his hand would be sufficient to take on whatever Gouki planned to through his way; his deck was working with him to deliver the greatest game within his power. Not only for the sake of the unspoken aspiration shared by his opponent, but to fight for the sakes of the team, intending to carry them through to the National level. He peered backwards, casting a quick look across the gathered team, brow furrowing with concerned while crossing by Aichi, whose head was low between his shoulders, masking how disheartened he was by his loss. A high-pitched giggling drew Kamui's head back around to face the enemy, glaring briefly at Nagisa, who waved at her crush.

But with Gouki so close, Kamui was quick to snap his mind out of the girl's troublesome affection for him, shaking his head furiously. 'No, I'm not going to get distracted,' he thought, eyeing Gouki sharply. 'This is my fight with Gouki. And I have to fight so Onii-san doesn't blame himself anymore. I want this to be fun; it will be. And I'll win to make it even better. No-one will stop me; Nagisa's game won't work, I'll show Emi-san and Kai what I can do. But before them… Gouki, this is my fight for you'.

Reading Kamui's expression, a smirk came onto Gouki's face. 'Kamui, I know that look. I've been looking forward to this for a long time and you're going to give it your all. But just because you've come this far, don't expect me to hold back; I'm going to captain my team back to Nationals and show you just how far we can make it'.

With that intention fresh in his mind, Gouki reached for his own deck, well aware that Kamui's turn was long over and tugged on the top, striping it away fiercely with another smirk directed towards the boy.

SECOND TURN – GOUKI

After placing the newest card into his hand, Gouki was quick to remove another, slamming it against the console over the sole card, sliding it behind the new Vanguard to match Kamui's opening rearrangement.

"Ride, Dandy Romario," he announced. "Guiding Zombie moves to the back row".

The lone zombie crawled backwards and to the side, opening up the previously-occupied space for the new ally to take. The being that took the plate possessed blue wrinkled skin, hanging loosely over its deformed features; one half of its left eye obscured by the sagged flesh, three teeth visible between the rubbery lips. A tattered white suit covered the discoloured flesh underneath the neck, holes torn into the elbows and knees, a bowtie wrapped around its neck kept the collar fastened neatly in stark contrast to the shabby orange locks hanging from its head, largely curled around the right side of its crown. In its gloved hands, a single rose [POW 8000].

Quick back to the cards in his possession, Gouki's thick fingers pulled two more away, dropping them to the left of his waiting units. The first to appear in the corner of the spaces opened for the squad was a copy of the shady-skinned ghoul from the first match of the final; a burgundy sash tying the baggy violet vest and white shirt to the being's torso. Its brown boots dragged themselves across the seabed, dispersing sand into the water around it with a low moan, taking its place behind the Vanguard [POW 7000]. In front of the former leader, a replica of the current made its appearance, sporting a slight variation in its colour compared to the original – its flesh a shade closer to lilac than the blue of its counterpart – letting out a low moan.

"Get ready, Kamui," Gouki called, shifting the cards on his field quickly. "The Rear-Guard Romario attacks".

Kamui's eyes narrowed automatically, casting a sharp look across to the Granblue force growing substantially before him, about to strike the first blow The boy made no effort to defend his outnumbered Vanguard, permitting streams of power flowing between the two units directly opposite, enhancing the front-line ghoul's offensive ability [POW 13000]. With a swift snap of its arm, the zombie launched the nose between its fingers across the field, penetrating the joint linking Tough Boy's right arm to its body before it could move to defend itself from the sharp assault, sending bolts of electricity flashing from the afflicted area. With a light scowl, Kamui reached for his deck, removing the Asura Kaiser resting on top and moved it into the Damage Zone. Nagisa's cheeks inhaled with a wide smile; although she attempted to mask her excitement to support the .appearance that she was torn between supporting her brother and the boy she adored.

"Evil Shade boosts Romario," Gouki added, repeating the process of readjusting his cards. Large digits returned to his hand, removing two cards and dropping them into the space beneath the deck. "And on top of that, Evil Shade's skill gives 2000 more power".

Kamui tensed the muscles across his body, his shoulders squared either side of his lowered head and braced himself for another blow. The reluctance to defend was a sign for Gouki to continue with his attack, turning over the top card of his deck to find Captain Nightmist. With an excited glint in his burgundy eyes, Gouki averted his sight to the field ahead, smirking confidently at his rival. In front of him, Evil Shade loomed close to his Vanguard, entrusting its points to the leading figure .Like its copy, the Vanguard launched its rose across the field, striking Tough Boy's other arm to further to damage and push Kamui to lose another Grade 3 – Ultimate Lifeform, Cosmolord.

KAMUI - GOUKI
2 -DAMAGE- 0

"Ah! He's losing too many Grade 3s, he's gonna be done for without even putting up a fight!" Morikawa howled, shooting up from his seat in the stands above the fight.

"That's not the point," Eiji snapped. "Kamui-san hasn't had the chance to attack yet, he'll make up the difference".

"MU," Reiji yapped swiftly afterwards.

"Now, now," Miwa chuckled. "Don't get too excited before the fight really gets going".

The duo of youngsters, exchanged looks and eyed the blond in unison, shooting another sharp glare to the spiky-haired adolescent, whose arms slumped either side of his slouched body. On the wooden flooring, Gouki arched his back, allowing his chest to inch forward and match the confidence radiating from him following a successful opening strike.

"Well, how'd you like that, Kamui?" the older male bragged.

THIRD TURN – KAMUI

Kamui smirked in response, saying nothing to answer the question posed before him. There was no doubt, however, that he was enjoying the fight's opening stages just as much as his opponent in spite of his disadvantage of falling behind in the first round. Laying his hand on top of the deck, he tore the next card and checked it over before reaching for the others in his possession.

"I ride Genocide Jack," the spiky-haired fighter yelled, slamming his card onto the console.

On the ocean floor, a whirlpool threatened to disturb the unmarked battlefield, a column of light erupting from the silver soldier stationed at the head of the minimal force, ripping apart its exterior and, from that, the towering behemoth arose. Scarlet eyes blazed coldly, stretching its mechanical neck backwards and unleashing a ferocious screeching that sent shockwaves throughout the water [POW 11000].

Kamui smirked, sliding his fingers between several other cards in his possession and launched them forward, each standing on one of the emptied spaces left on the console. "Call!"

With the reinforcements, the Nova Grappler squadron expanded significantly from the two units that had existed prior to Kamui's turn. The wrestling champion duo were first to arrive; King of Sword backed by his female accomplice [POW 10000/6000], both striking their signature poses. In front of Battleraizer, a silver machine joined the forces, its curved plating concealing much of the body, leaving only rings around the shoulders, elbows, abdomen, thighs, ankles and the hands exposed, each further protected by a layer of bronze armour. In the palms of the machine's hands, silver rings contained crimson circles, gleaming just as the eyes visible within the shadows of the protection concealing much of its upper half [POW 8000]. Meanwhile, behind the new Vanguard, the tentacle alien, Shout, completed the advanced line-up with a shrill chatter [POW 7000].

"He filled up his field straight away," Reiji cried excitedly.

"FU," Eiji chimed.

"Right, that's an impressive line-up you've got going there, Kamui," Gouki commented with a smirk, mirroring his rival's

"It's about to get better," Kamui bragged, reaching for his Damage Zone and turning over one of the Asura Kaiser lost first. "Jack's Counterblast. Restraint lifted".

With its limitations removed, the towering machine lifted its head higher, the curled neck tilting it back and let loose another piercing roar that shook the waters, sending the currents swirling around in terror. Kamui leaned forward, grasping the first of his cards and shifting it horizontally.

"Here we go; Battleraizer boosts NGM Prototype," he commanded.

Gouki retained his smirk, keeping arms in place folded over his chest and stood back with a composed demeanour, apparently enjoying the prospect of facing a complete squad of Nova Grapplers – Kamui's best set only to improve even further. Streams of energy leaked from the initial Vanguard, encircling the ally stationed in front, whose hands raised, firing beams from the circles implanted in its palms, striking the enemy swiftly [POW 11000].

"Check," Gouki said, turning over the first card to ignite with a golden glow – Rick the Ghostie. "Ah, Critical Trigger. All effects to my Vanguard".

Enhanced by the Trigger's gift, an aura matching wrapped itself around the central figure leading the Granblue, a low and inane laugh emitted from the wrinkled throat, its lips remaining still [POW 13000]. Kamui's smile dipped momentarily, but survived the disappointment and continued as he pulled back Battleraizer, shuffling it into the deck. From behind, the others watched with plain expressions; none showing any degree of concern after the Trigger's appearance, trusting their faith to the youngster who had helped carry them so far through the tournament.

"Shout boosts Jack," Kamui barked, twisting the centre of the formation around. "Attack the Vanguard".

Gouki's shoulders shrugged casually, accepting the new assault against his force without a move for defence. Shout's tendrils wiggled in reach for the monstrous machine in front, pooling its energies into the superior form [POW 18000]. Kamui grasped the top card of his deck, snapping his wrist around to reveal whether what his Drive Check would be – Lion Heat – and mutely added the card into his hand, casting his eyes back up to the unfolding battle. From the cannon lodged in between its mechanic jaws, a beam of light burst out of the Nova Grappler Vanguard, striking the suited ghoul. The afflicted creature stumbled backwards, struggling to maintain its shaky balance and leaned forward, arms draped in front heavily. Gouki followed through with his Damage Check, slowly removing the top card and laying it into the Damage Zone, when the new card began to glow with the same radiance as the one before him.

"Ah, Rough Seas Banshee – a Critical Trigger," he chuckled.

"Another one?" Izaki sighed.

"So it seems, but it puts him at a disadvantage; those are two Criticals he could have had for an attack, but they've been lost to the Damage Zone," Miwa commented. "Meaning he could have just lost half of them and it's less for Kamui to worry about".

"Looks like luck isn't on your side, Gouki," Kamui scoffed confidently, reaching for the final column of his field. "King of Sword attacks with Queen of Heart boosting and her skill".

The final pair standing in preparation began to glow, power streaming from the female to her partner stationed in front, pushing his power to the highest possible amount that only their teamwork could amount to [POW 20000]. On the opposite side, Dandy Romario remained stationary in spite of the creepy shadow cast by the large wrestler's advancing form, also strengthened by the Triggers pulled by the Granblue team's leader [POW 18000]. Surprisingly, however, Gouki made no effort to defend his Vanguard in spite of having already taken two damage and his Vanguard's temporary strength.

"He isn't going to defend?" Reiji queried. "But why not?"

"WN?" Eiji added.

"They've got a point," Izaki reported, casting his sight around to Morikawa and Miwa, who eyed him in return. "With two Triggers on his Vanguard, it wouldn't take much to guard and spare himself more damage".

"He could be building up for a Counterblast," Miwa suggested, grasping his chin loosely. "Although we've no idea, it could be anything. Watching the others, we haven't really seen much of the teams fighting elsewhere in the tournament, so we haven't got much of an idea about the Granblue Clan. The best person in understanding them would be Kamui".

A crash directed the students back to the field, discovering Gouki's shrouded by dust and sand that had burst from the seabed, a third card toppling into his Damage Zone, although lacking a Trigger. Instead, a third copy of Dandy Romario had joined the two. Nonetheless, Gouki appeared as confident as ever, arms still folded proudly over his chest and smirking unfazed.

KAMUI - GOUKI
2 -DAMAGE- 3

"Well, looks like you're doing much better than when you were playing at our shop," the young man bragged. "But it's still not enough, Kamui. Remember, you never won against me before, and that's not going to change today".

"I wouldn't be so sure, Gouki," Kamui laughed. "You're the one that's fallen behind straight away".

"Heh, cocky as always," the brawny captain scoffed. "Well, I'll show you what I can really do".

FOURTH TURN – GOUKI

Under the watchful eyes of the audience both sides, Gouki exchanged the new card granted from his deck with one already in his hand, throwing it onto the central space of the console in front of him.

"Ride, Commodore Blueblood".

Taking the head position, a blue-skinned figure dressed in a burgundy coat with tattered ends brandishing a large gun materialized, fabric skulls decorating the shoulders of its attire. A large white shirt underneath was decorated by a golden medal with a pink ribbon hanging underneath. Blue trousers covered the thick legs, another layer provided from the beneath knees by long lilac boots with yellow tips. A grandiose hat sat atop the blonde locks curling outwards, a ring of red and white fabric floating among them; orange and yellow rings at the top of the headgear that appeared split in the centre, sprouting numerous feathers with crimson ends [POW 10000].

Rather than returning to his hand, Gouki's fingers slid across the field, landing on his initial Vanguard and nudging it beneath the current. "Guiding Zombie's skill; by transferring it to the Soul, I can discard three cards from the top of my deck, sending them straight to the Drop Zone".

Tucking the card in neatly underneath the small stack, Gouki moved his digits immediately to his deck, stripping it of another Rough Seas Banshee and two Captain Nightmists, depositing to the trio into his growing Drop Zone beneath. Kamui smirked at the disappearance of a further Critical Trigger, further crippling Gouki's chances of drawing one to bolster his offensive power when it came to battle, his relief shared by his companions in the stands, who grinned at one another and punched the air enthusiastically. Nevertheless, Gouki appeared unfazed by the loss and proceeded with his turn, large digits falling onto his Rear-Guard Romario and dragging it backwards, dropping another card in front.

"Call. Captain Nightmist".

The wrinkled-skinned zombie slinked backwards, opening up the space it had previously occupied for the new unit; a slim male dressed in a loose white shirt underneath a blue vest hanging open, a cravat locked within a golden emblem and two rings floated from the base of his neck. A diagonal belt strapped around his slender waist secured his clothing; scarlet trousers clinging to his legs swallowed by large brown boots encasing much of his calves. Long tangled black locks flowed from the head of the pirate, tied near the tips by a burgundy cloth, while a crimson counterpart encircled his head at the base of the pointed cap, sporting a symbol resembling a creature's yellow snake-like eye with a long slit for its pupil. The sheath for his sword was emptied, wielding the curved blade over his shoulder [POW 8000]. A copy of the pirate followed on the other side of the field, occupying the free position on the other side of the Vanguard.

"Romario boosts Nightmist [POW 16000], attack NGM Prototype," Gouki commanded, thrusting his fist forward.

"No guard," Kamui grunted, lifting the cad away once the unit was struck by the newest addition to the Granblue squad.

"With a boost from Evil Shade, Commodore Blueblood attacks Genocide Jack. And its skill activates [POW 18000]" Gouki barked, tossing two further cards into the Drop Zone. Kamui clenched his jaws, eyeing his rival who moved quickly towards his deck. "Drive check". With a sharp draw, Gouki tore away the top card, grinning when a golden aura ignited from the Rough Seas Banshee he had pulled, to the disbelief of those around him. "Hah, a Critical Trigger".

"No way, a fourth Critical Trigger so soon?" Izaki yelped.

"His setup must be different. More Criticals and less of something else," Miwa asserted, folding his arms over his chest. "The Granblue are a tricky Clan, he must have been prepared for a scenario where Critical Triggers appear early on".

Streams of energy pooled themselves towards the standing Nightmist [POW 13000], a second aura of power surrounded the Vanguard with a separate colour to mark itself as the enhancing Critical. In the centre of the new power, the blue-skinned vampire aimed his weapon at Genocide Jack, firing sharply and striking the machine in its chest, producing a screeching roar. Two cards floated into Kamui's Damage Zone – Hungry Dumpty and Shining Lady, following the example of the Granblue Trigger and glowing after touching down.

"Power to Jack [POW 16000]".

"Nightmist attacks," Gouki called, repeating his first attack with a different target.

"No guard," Kamui growled.

The duplicate pirate launched himself forward, brandishing his sword ready to attack instead of its previous place over his shoulder [POW 13000]. Dropping down towards the damaged Nova Grappler Vanguard, the man let out a yell, carving his blade through the armoured plating of the larger creature. Jolts of power flickered around the scarred machine, ordinarily threatening to detonate although seemingly far from such a scenario, sparing the other units placed around. A fifth card fell into the Damage Zone; a second copy of NGM Prototype.

"Ah! Kamui-san!" Reiji cried. "He's on the ropes".

"OR," Eiji yelped.

KAMUI - GOUKI
5 -DAMAGE- 3

"As expected of the champions," MC Miya hollered into his microphone. "Participant Daimonji has pushed Participant Katsuragi to 5 Damage before either side has even reached Grade 3. In a repeat of the last match, is this a sign that Team Handsome are to keep their crown or will Q4's overthrow begin now?"

On the benches behind their teammate, the newcomers eyed the field with varying expressions; Misaki and Kai calm on the surface while Shin and Aichi appeared more concerned given their friend had been backed into a corner.

"Kamui-kun…" Aichi whispered anxiously, reflecting on the commentator's words. He had forced the younger Daimonji to 5 Damage early, only for her to topple all his efforts to finish the job. He had faith that Kamui would fare better; with more experience, he had proven himself on numerous occasions in the past, he wasn't about to fail at the final hurdle having helped Kai reach the final round.

FIFTH TURN – KAMUI

"Draw," the spiky-haired fighter called, tearing the top card away from his deck. "Ride, Asura Kaiser!"

A twister erupted from the seabed, engulfing the damaged Nova Grappler leader and replacing it with Kamui's signature unit – the six-armed, spherical champion wielding a variety of weapons [POW 11000]. By its side, a second column of light ignited, a silver lion standing on its hind legs appearing from within. Golden markings decorated the large steel claw attached to the end of a mechanical arm replacing the flesh and muscle of its right, thick brown claws standing up from the curved plating. Bulging abs stretched when the creature arched its back, its lower half covered by thick brown trousers with spikes lined along its thighs. The long rows of razor teeth scratched against one another, pale blue eyes blazed fiercely with the enemy in its sights [POW 10000].

"Lion Heat attacks Blueblood," Kamui barked, keeping his fingertips pressed down against the newest Rear-Guard.

"Nightmist intercepts," Gouki protested, snatching one of the twins stationed on the front line and dropping it into the space ahead of his targeted Vanguard [SLD 15000]. Aware that an attack would be futile in its current state, Lion Heat growled, lowering its clenched fist and metallic replacement.

"With a boost from Shout, Asura Kaiser attacks," Kamui shouted, quick to move to his central column.

"I won't guard," Gouki grunted.

"Twin Drive," Kamui yelled, reaching for his deck and quickly removing his two cards – Genocide Jack followed by Battleraizer, emitting a blue light immediately. "Stand Trigger. All effects go to Lion Heat".

Gouki grimaced at the appearance of the Trigger, allowing the brawny beast to rise from its sunken stance following its failed attempt to strike, powered further by the Trigger's secondary benefit [POW 15000]. The multiple weapons wielded by the spherical Vanguard crashed into Blueblood's firearm, held up as a defence against the onslaught. The vampire leader's arms quaked under the growing strain, leaving him open for an assault further down, an opportunity that Asura Kaiser played upon and struck against the chest of the smaller being with several of its tools, tossing the enemy back. With an anguished yell, Blueblood crashed into the seabed, vanishing in the midst of a cloud kicked up from the collision. Monster Frank tumbled into the Damage Zone, but Gouki's eyes were quick back to the battlefield, casting a stern glare while attempting to mask the sweat that was sliding down the sides of his face. Behind him, Nagisa's cheeks inflated, her tiny fists pressing themselves against her chin in trepidation over the comeback that Kamui was executing, with her own fight still fresh in her mind after coming back from a similar crisis.

"Lion Heat attacks," Kamui yelled, stretching his right arm forward.

"Guard," Gouki snapped, slamming down Skeleton Lookout.

In the path of the lunging beast, a lone skeleton clutching a telescope made its appearance to aid the targeted Vanguard [SLD10000]. Its brittle form quaked upon its scope landing on the charging creature and threw its hands up in panic, succumbing to the fierce assault seconds afterwards and dismissing it from the field, leaving the path open to the original target, but too late to be of any use. Disgruntled at having been robbed of its chance to attack again, Lion Heat's piercing eyes locked with Blueblood's, leaping out of the way only for the Granblue to find King of Sword charging towards it.

"Attack!" Kamui hollered fiercely.

Gouki made no effort to block the next attack, forcing his leading unit to endure the strike from the king's blade, crumpling back onto the ground while the number of cards in his Damage Zone increased to match his adversary's.

KAMUI - GOUKI
5 -DAMAGE- 5

"Onii-chan!" Nagisa cried.

"Nice going," Morikawa howled, raising fists above his head. "Show 'em the power of a Grade 3".

Underneath the spectators, Aichi's head inched upwards, eyes growing faintly wider in astonishment that Kamui was turning around the very same scenario that Nagisa had against him. It gave him hope that the two fights were a sign; that believing in Kamui's capabilities would grant the team their wish to advance to the National Tournament if they could overthrow the current champions. And that with such an aspiration, Kamui could also prove how far he had come to his former teammates. The boy stood with squared shoulders, carefully eyeing his rival, who drew from his deck, smirking at the card he had in his grasp.

SIXTH TURN – GOUKI

"It was a nice run, Kamui, but I'm going to end things quickly," the Handsome leader declared. "Ride, Spirit Exceed".

Just as the audience had seen before, a headless knight standing in silver and magenta armour, flames blazing from the top despite the underwater setting [POW 10000]. The two long swords in its hands gleamed under the light radiating from the flames, letting out a ghostly moan in spite of the lack of a head.

"Call," Gouki added, tossing down a further card. "Rough Seas Banshee". On the field, the doll-like girl appeared, her pale locks floating in all directions, one red eye covered by a metallic patch [POW 4000]. Gouki's fingers pinned the card immediately, sliding it into the growing stack beneath his Vanguard. "Skill activate. By moving her into the Soul, I can draw an additional card". The captain proceeded to do so, launching both the new card and the final in his hand onto the field. "Samurai Spirit. Dandy Romario".

A second headless being emerged onto the field, the faint indications of a face within the orange flames that burned from the emptied space between the collar. Magenta armour lined with gold covered much of the being's body, its chest further clothed by a black vest. Around the creature's waist was a green rope tied into a thick knot in the centre of its stomach from which further strips of armour hung around baggy violet shorts which were pushed into rounded plates barely large enough to fit the ghoul's calves. From the back of the vest, a cape of the same dark shade as its clothing hovered, hanging over a sheath fitted within the ring tied around its waist, from which it tore out a katana [POW 7000]. Filling the final space on the field was the last copy of the blue-skinned zombie from Gouki's deck, completing his line-up and emptying his hand, enlightening Kamui to just how far he intended to go in order to fulfil his prophecy of ending the fight quickly.

"Romario boosts Samurai Spirit, attack Asura Kaiser," Gouki yelled, leaning over the console.

"Intercept, King of Sword," Kamui barked, sliding the card into the line of fire.

The two units clashed, sparks flying from their grating weapons struggling for victory over the other. It was the attacking Granblue that pulled back, the force causing the Nova Grappler to stumble and leave himself open for another swift strike. The katana cut into the armoured skin of the larger being, sinking deep into its body without a great struggle, dismissing the defending unit in a shower of glimmers that dissipated into the watery surroundings. Even with the shield dealt with, the spirit remained mere feet in front of its initial target, brandishing its weapon as if daring to attack once more, yet made no such move having been drained until its offensive strength fell only slightly short of the required amount to continue [POW 10000].

"Evil Shade boosts Spirit Exceed," Gouki commanded, tossing two cards from his deck into the Drop Zone. "Skill activate [POW 19000]".

"Guard," Kamui barked fiercely in protest, holding up the two cards. "Genocide Jack. King of Sword".

The two units materialized onto the field again, neither taking their former positions, but placed further in front as guardians against the onslaught aimed at the Clan's champion [SLD 21000]. In the gallery, the youngsters always by Kamui's side leaned forward, eyes wide with terror.

"But that means he only needs one Trigger to go through!" Reiji called.

"OT," Eiji cried, grasping the wooden barrier set in front of the seats.

"Kamui-kun… he's going to be alright, isn't he?" Emi asked, rotating towards Izaki, Morikawa and Miwa. The trio remained quiet, denying the young girl an answer to ease her concerns.

'Kamui-kun…' Aichi thought, watching the youngster with anxiety clear on his face, his heart thumping as if standing beside the boy.

All eyes ahead, Kamui tensed himself, tightening his grip on the sole card left in his hand. Gouki smirked, reaching forward for his deck.

"Looks like the end, Kamui," he claimed smugly. "If you're risking everything on a flimsy defence like that, then maybe you've got a little further to go. Twin Drive".

Thick tanned fingers dropped heavily onto the deck, dragging away the first card slowly. Kamui's heart thumped wildly, aware of how heavy the risk he was taking weighed, sweat clinging to his brow. Gouki's hand rotated, revealing the first card as another Evil Shade. Still, the rival team's leader didn't falter and continued with his check, resting his digits atop the deck once more and slowly drew away the next, deciding card. Slowly removing the card, Gouki was quick to reveal its identity should he have the Trigger he needed to all but secure victory. Nagisa stretched herself to see, curious about the draw her brother had achieved, disheartened when there was no glow to signify a card that could bolster his power any further, meaning the attack was meant to fail. The blade of the Granblue Vanguard collided with the axe grasped by the Nova Grappler leader, sparks spitting from the two weapons scratching against one another. Without the sufficient power to break through, the smaller was tossed back, using the current to its advantage to land back where it belonged among its allies.

"You might have scraped by one attack, but you're not getting of easy," Gouki declared, reaching for his final column. Romario boosts Nightmist. Attack the Vanguard".

"You might be confident, Gouki, but I'm not going to give up until the match is over," Kamui asserted firmly, his body tense all over.

From behind, Aichi observed the boy's defiant stand with enlarged eyes, flickering with admiration that he remained so strong in the face of a perilous situation. Had it been him, he would have given up on hope, but Kamui was determined to succeed, even if it meant fighting in vain, but he wouldn't surrender. 'Kamui-kun…'

Petrified dread was across Reiji, Eiji and Emi's faces when the pirate launched himself forward, powered by his ally's strength to give himself more than enough to finish the job that his comrades had failed in so far. Aichi straightened his back, inching away from the battle with the fear that should Kamui face defeat now, it was ultimately his fault that the team had failed to triumph after being so close and falling short, pushing the boy into the fight by losing before. Kamui's left hand shot up, launching the last card he had been holding onto, causing it to spin frantically before it dropped down, landing face-up on the glowing space in front of his Vanguard.

"Battleraizer!" he yelled.

The machine manifested on the field in front of Asura Kaiser seconds before the blade of the attacking pirate would strike, taking the blow for the initial target and vanishing as quickly as it appeared. Gouki clenched his jaws, disappointed that the Trigger had slipped his mind and allowed Kamui to survive the turn that he had declared would end the match. Sighs of relief sounded from the gallery above the challenging team, finally able to relax now that control of the fight would fall to Kamui.

SEVENTH TURN – KAMUI

"It's my turn," Kamui announced, tearing away the top card of his deck, the only he held onto after the previous turn had drained him of others. Checking the card, Kamui assessed his field, aware that the fight wasn't going to last much longer, but he was determined to hang in for as long as possible if he wasn't meant to win. However, Gouki's resources were equally drained; the ferocity of the fight was taking its toll on his deck. Reaching forward, Kamui's fingers landed on his isolated Queen of Heart, sliding her forward to join the front-line, opting to take a gamble once more in the hopes that his luck would pay off once again.

"Lion Heat attacks Spirit Exceed," the boy yelled.

"Nightmist intercepts," Gouki retorted, sliding the Rear-Guard in the line of fire.

The pirate lunged to the side, placing him in the path of the charging beast whose claws collided with his blade, sparks spitting out from the collision. Having successfully blocked the assault, Nightmist disintegrated into the water, the card falling into the Drop Zone. With no further units capable of defending his Vanguard active, Gouki cast his eyes down to his hand, clutching the two cards he had received from his Drive Check – enough to defend his leading unit against one more attack, but if Kamui could succeed in pulling a Trigger, the match would hinge upon the card he was to lose to the Damage Zone. For the first time during the fight, doubt began to show within the tanned man's features, bringing concern to the surface of his sister's expression. No longer did she pretend to be torn between Kamui and her brother, but wholeheartedly displayed her dedication to her older sibling, praying silently that he could pull through just as Kamui had managed to the turn before. Meanwhile, on the opposite side of the battlefield, Kamui reached forward, shifting his central column in preparation for the potentially decisive strike.

"Shout boosts Asura Kaiser [POW 18000]" the boy declared sharply. "Attack Spirit Exceed".

"Guard!" Gouki barked in retaliation, tossing his final two cards onto the end of the console, both units materializing on the field swiftly to aid in defending the targeted Vanguard [SLD 20000].

In the stands overhead, both Eiji and Reiji leaned forward in anticipation over Kamui's upcoming check, Emi's palms were pressed against one another, hoping for the best outcome for the team's sake. Likewise, Shin and Aichi appeared nervous over the attack – one Trigger would allow Asura Kaiser to bypass the defence set up, alternatively, it would grant Queen of Heart the chance for a third strike without any barrier to overcome. Misaki silently cast her eyes towards the two either side of her and then ahead once again; she had played no part in the team's campaign to reach the final, but she felt a pang of guilt for having pulled back. Nonetheless, there was a separate pain within her from watching the fight, curling her slender fingers around and grasping her skirt out of view of her teammates. Kamui's fingers shakily inched towards the deck, aware that Gouki was just as apprehensive over the draw as he was – the fight had already echoed Aichi and Nagisa's in the boy's recovery from being backed into a corner early on, but Gouki's failure to draw a single Trigger when it was all he required had Kamui on-edge.

"Twin Drive," he uttered, dropping his hand onto the deck, slowly dragging away the first card. Twisting his wrist, his lips flickered, discovering Death Army Lady had been the first. That placed more emphasis on the need for the second card to be a Trigger. Slipping the drawn card between the fingers of his left hand, Kamui moved forward again, grasping the second card, heart thumping in his throat. "Second Check!" Squeezing his eyes shut, he tore the card away, holding it up in front for several tense seconds before daring to open his eyes and learn what he had drawn. Gradually, the lids parted and Kamui's sight was restored, eyes widening significantly upon realizing what was in his grasp: Cannon Ball – a Stand Trigger.

"Kamui-san!" Reiji and Eiji cried with delight.

Without confirmation from the fighter, an aura surrounded Asura Kaiser, pouring in the additional energy offered by the Trigger and launched the machine forward, its various arms swinging wildly in anticipation for the fight [POW 23000]. The two units called – Evil Shade and Ruin Shade – remained in place, standing their ground until mown down by the towering behemoth and dismissed from the field, allowing the Nova Grappler Vanguard to strike at the Granblue rival. Battering the ghostly knight with its multitude of weapons, a low moaning escaped the headless unit, the closest that the being would sound to the anguish it experienced. Gouki's hand moved onto his deck, pulling away his card, aware that the effort was futile. With Cannon Ball's secondary power, Lion Heat was standing and ready to launch an attack of its own should he succeed in pulling a Heal Trigger.

"D- Damage Check…"

Shakily peeling away the card from the deck, Gouki lifted it to check what he had managed to pull privately before closing his eyes, letting out a heavy exhale, laying down King of Demonic Seas, Basskirk in the Damage Zone.

"It's my loss".

KAMUI - GOUKI
5 -DAMAGE- 6

"The victory goes to Team Q4's Katsuragi Kamui," the referee stationed in the centre of the field declared, raising his left arm towards the boy.

"There it is!" MC Miya hollered into his microphone, shooting up from his seat behind the monitors crowded around him. "Participant Katsuragi of Team Q4, making them the victors over last year's champions!"

FIGHT END

It took a moment for the news to dawn on Kamui, who stood in disbelief that he had managed to conquer his once-teacher. Roars of celebration erupted from the stands overhead, the other team members rising from their places on the bench.

"Kamui-kun," Aichi gasped with relief and excitement.

"Onii-san?" Kamui sounded, slowly turning around. His eyes grew wide, flooded with glimmers of exhilaration and amazement, rushing backwards towards the gathering teammates with a cheer. "We did it!"

On the other side of the field, Gouki remained slumped at the console, head bowed in acknowledgement of his defeat. Cautiously, his followers approached from behind, led by Nagisa, who observed her brother with teary eyes.

"Captain…"

"Onii-chan…" Nagisa sighed.

"I'm sorry. It wasn't enough, I let my crew down," Gouki exhaled heavily. "But, we'll come back stronger than ever next time". Spinning around quickly, the Handsome leader displayed his enjoyment at having been pushed so far by Kamui's skills and finding a rival team strong enough to give them a challenge after the previous tournament ended in their victory. It gave them something to work towards, inspiring the two men who watched with wide eyes and smiles, taking pride in their leader's swift recovery. Gouki twisted his body again, resting his hand on top of Nagisa's head, giving the girl a gentle stroke while eyeing the victorious competition – Kamui in particular. "They've still got a way to go if they're going to do well at Nationals. But I'm proud to hand over the chance to them, we'll just train up ready to face them next time".

In the midst of the celebration, Kamui turned towards Misaki and Shin, posing with a victory symbol made from his fingers with a wide grin. Aichi watched the display from behind, letting a guilty smile slip to the surface, his losses and the resulting pressure put on the youngster still weighing heavily on him. Beside him, Kai stood with one hand thrust into his trouser pocket as normal, his jaded eyes set on the group in front, but his voice directed at the blue-haired boy by his side.

"Being hard on yourself is pointless," the brunet mumbled, catching the younger's attention. "From what I saw, the Sendou Aichi that fought is far stronger than the one from the Shop Tournament. He wouldn't have had the courage to stand and fight. You learned from that experience, just do the same again and you'll be stronger".

Aichi's eyes grew wide with admiration and astonishment that Kai was offering him such compliment, even as indirect as they were. The words brought a smile to his face, cheeks brightening from the joy that overcame him. "Kai-kun". With those words fresh in his mind, the boy mutely swore to follow the example laid before him and redirected his sight to the celebrating trio in front of the pair, determined to become even stronger for the National Tournament that would be waiting for them.


A short time later, the team were on stage, the members of Ultra Rare joining them with bright smiles on their elegant faces. Each of the idols placed medals around the necks of the teammates, congratulating them on their success at the competition. As Kourin draped the red ribbon over Kamui's head, Morikawa fumed in the audience, grumbling about how he was the one she should have been with, to the embarrassment of those around him. Each of the members additionally received a small trophy, while Shin stood on the edge of the stage, clutching a bouquet of flowers given by Suiko, with a shaky smile on his face. Meanwhile, the blue-haired female was standing in front of Kai and Aichi, leaning back from the brunet after presenting his medal.

"Congratulations, you did splendid," she chirped.

Kai simply locked eyes with the young woman. Aichi observed the pair watch each other momentarily, only for Suiko to quickly turn her attention to the smaller blue-haired figure, stretching her arms over and hanging the golden medal around his neck.

"And you as well," she continued. "Things were rough, but you did a fine job".

"A- Ah, thank you," Aichi sounded, a faint blush growing across his cheeks.

That glow expanded when Suiko leaned forward, bringing her face beside Aichi's with a small smile at the boy's flinching. "You can always stop by the shop again. I'd be very interested to see you visit sometime soon".

Aichi blinked with bemusement, puzzled as to why he of all people would be someone that Suiko was intrigued by – he had shown progress since the team's last visit, but he was still far from mastering the card she had given him on the previous occasion. Was it perhaps that she intended to aid him further ahead of the National competition? Cheers from the crowd interrupted his thoughts, joining his comrades in surveying the audience applauding their success and defeated rivals gathered on the floor of the large hall. Towards the back, Minami of the first team to fall to the newly crowned champions stood with arms folded tightly over his chest, his eyes locked on Kai, who remained oblivious to the attention given to him by the pale-haired man.

"The National Tournament, huh?" he mumbled, the corners of his lips twitching into a thin smile. "Guess things are gonna get interesting".

On the stage, Kamui turned his head to Aichi with an ecstatic grin. "Onii-san, let's do our best at Nationals".

"Right," Aichi responded optimistically. Casting his eyes across the audience witness to the success of the team and with Suiko watching from nearby, the blue-haired boy swore once more to improve for the sake of playing his part in the team as well as encourage Kai to accept his challenge. If what the brunet said was true, he was already on the road to the dream rematch, but there was still a considerable way to journey and the National Tournament would be an opportunity to test how far he and the team could go.


PREVIEW

Kamui: PSY Shop? You mean Ultra Rare hang out there?

Aichi: It's not so much just hanging out. It seems they own the place.

Kamui: But you say they're strong. We should check it out and practice for the National Tournament! We'll need to cram in all the fights we can.

Ren: Hm? You guys are part of a strong team?

Kamui: Eh? Who's that guy?

Aichi: I don't know, but there's something about him that feels different. It's a strange feeling, but at the same time… it's familiar. Next time: "Cardfight! Vanguard Override, Chapter 11 – Another World".

Ren: If you're looking for real power, then let me show you the way.


[1] "God of the Knights, appear and muster your mystical power! Ride! Soul Saver Dragon!"


Aaahhhh, it's been too long since an update and there was never supposed to be so much time go by. Between university, Tumblr and Link Joker-Hen, things got a bit wild. The year's been a bit rough and watching everything Kai-kun has gone through in canon has been hard. On the upside, shortly after the last update, the plan for the Asia-Hen section got finished up and looking towards planning Link Joker-hen's equivalent. Motivation for writing was drained for a variety of reasons but hopefully it's making a comeback, although can't be sure with Third Year starting up again soon, will try my best, especially as there's more than just this as a big project underway here. I apologize if the length of the chapter took its toll, never intended for it to come out so long.

- CuteYami, 21st September 2013