"It's time for the finals of the first-ever WRGP!" The drumbeat accompanying the MC's speech only serve to make my anxiety grow. "Today's teams made it this far after winning many battles! Team 5D's defeated Team Ragnarok! Team New World are undefeated giants who are creating a new era of dueling!" The crowd roars as fireworks shoot up. Jack waits on his D-Wheel in the pit.
"They will use the Machine Emperors and an anti-Synchro battle strategy. And we don't know the power of Jose's Machine Emperor." Yusei gives him some final words.
"Leave it to me!" Jack pumps his fist. "We also gained new powers in order to fight them."
"We're counting on you, Jack." Yusei smiles, patting his D-Wheel. Jack sits off the starting line, so we walk into the pit. Crow lets me sit down again. I sigh, just going with it.
"Yusei." I mutter. He leans down, expecting to whisper. "Team New World, they all have the same aura."
"What does that mean?" He whispers.
"I don't know." I sigh. "Kaoru and I have the same aura because I'm basically the reason he's a psychic. For these, there's something about the similarity. It's almost like they're same person."
"Okay." Yusei puts a hand to his mouth. "We'll see if your intuition is right later, I suppose."
"Here it comes!" Crow says as Luciano pulls up to the starting line. Not before he does a flip and activates his duel disk midair, show off. The crowds cheers at the trick, to which he just laughs.
"Let's see if you can compete against the Wheel of Fortune!" Jack scoffs at Luciano's over the top nature, as if he himself is not guilty of it.
"You're about to find out." Luciano says, with a laugh. This makes me think that he has something planned.
"First Wheelers, Jack and Luciano, are at the starting line, and the final duel is about to begin!" The MC announces before the classic Duel Mode, on drones. "The World Riding Duel Grand Prix Finals is about to begin!" The countdown begins. My heart is my mouth. Understandably, for once, because if we lose, the City is destroyed. "Riding Duel! Acceleration!" The two duelists set off. Surprisingly, Luciano manages to shoot ahead of Jack. "Whoa! Luciano is out to a fast start!"
"What?" Jack exclaims.
"Don't let him go first, Jack!" Crow shouts as if he can hear him.
"They simultaneously enter the corner!" I feel Yusei's hand on my arm. I think he's secretly more nervous than he's letting on.
"Don't underestimate the Wheel of Fortune!" Jack proclaims.
"You're fired up. I'll let you have it." Luciano smirks.
"Whoa! Jack Atlas of Team 5D's took the first corner!" I feel Yusei tense. This seems a little weird to me. Normally, most duelists fall over each other for the opportunity to go first.
"Duel!" They chant.
"My turn!" Jack declares. "I summon the Tuner Monster, Dark Resonator, in defense position(DEF:300)! I set three cards and end my turn!"
"Will you do the same thing as usual and Synchro Summon?" Luciano taunts him. "It seems you've forgotten about our Machine Emperor's effects."
"Do you think that I've been waiting my time before this battle?" Jack frowns and raises his head.
"All that effort is pointless." Luciano smirks, knowing he's provoking Jack.
"Stop bragging and attack me!" Jack shouts back.
"Here I go! My turn!" Luciano cackles like a madman... kid? "I summon Sky Core in defense position(DEF:0)! I set three cards and end my turn! Now what will you do?"
"That's their key card!" Bruno exclaims. "Are they planning to summon a Machine Emperor?"
"Yeah." Crow answers, sighing. He was probably hoping that we wouldn't have to deal with this so soon, but we just have to accept it.
"My turn!" Jack declares as their Speed Counter reaches 2. "I activate the Continuous Trap, Dimension Switch! By turning this card's effect on and off, I can remove from play or return a monster to my field. Switch on! I remove Dark Resonator from play! Then, I Special Summon Gear Changer(ATK:1500)! When monsters are only on your side of the field, I can Special Summon this card. Then, it gains Level equal to your monster's Level! It gains Sky Core's 1 Level(LV:4-5)! By turning Dimension Switch off, the monster that was removed from play returns to my field! Level 3 Dark Resonator tunes Level 5 Gear Changer! The ruler's heartbeats will now file through here! Take witness to its creation-shaking power! Synchro Summon! My very soul, Red Daemon's Dragon(ATK:3000)!"
"Jack Atlas's ace monster, Red Daemon's Dragon, has already appeared!" The MC screams as the speakers hurt my eardrums.
"Your strategies are simple because you only use power." Luciano exaggerates a sigh to taunt him further.
"This power proves the bond of 5D's! Witness the power that we acquired through numerous duels! I summon the Tuner Monster, Trust Guardian(ATK:0)!" I'm grateful Jack is using Trust Guardian. We did not deal with that fake Jack Atlas bull for him not to use it. "When Red Daemon's Dragon is on my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand! Appear, Red Nova(ATK:0)!"
"Two Tuner Monsters?" Luciano questions. Jack's already summoned Scarlet Nova Dragon if I'm remembering right, this shouldn't be a surprise.
"My soul burns! Witness ultimate power! Burning Soul!" Jack's Signer Mark glows. "Level 3 Trust Guardian and Level 1 Red Nova double tune Level 8 Red Daemon's Dragon! [quote] Synchro Summon! Come, Scarlet Nova Dragon(ATK:3500)!"
"It appeared!" Rua cheers.
"This card gains 500 attack points for every Tuner in my graveyard. Dark Resonator, Trust Guardian and Red Nova are in my graveyard, so the three Tuners give 1500 attack points(ATK:3500-5000)!" Jack explains.
"You're still making it stronger? I'm amazed." Luciano shrugs his shoulders with a sarcastic smile.
"Scarlet Nova Dragon attacks Sky Core!" Jack shouts.
"Alright, Jack!" Rua pumps his fist. "If an attack destroys it, he can't summon a Machine Emperor!"
"I flip over my trap card, Twin Vortex!" Luciano interrupts, dashing that hope. "This card destroys your monster and my monster!"
"Scarlet Nova Dragon can't be destroyed by your spell, trap or monster effect!" Jack refutes.
"I was aiming for this!" Luciano cackles in response. "Since an effect destroyed Sky Core, from my deck, hand or graveyard, I can Summon Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity(ATK:0), Skiel Top(ATK:600), Skiel Attack(ATK:1000), Skiel Guard(DEF:300) and Skiel Carrier(ATK:400)! Combine, Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity!" A green light flashes. Each part joins together to form the Machine Emperor. "Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity's attack points are equal to the total of its individual parts(ATK:0-2200)!"
"He already summoned it!" Crow exclaims. "Don't let your guard down, Jack!"
"The Synchro Killer, Machine Emperor, has finally appeared!" The MC roars. I jump slightly at the volume of it. Yusei's arms wrap around me.
"Are you doing okay?" He asks, resting his chin on my head. Not before he presses a kiss to the top of my head.
"Yeah." I mutter. I'm only going to get worse, so now I can say that I'm doing okay. That, and Yusei is definitely more nervous than he lets on. He's not normally this forward in front of people. For someone who seems so perfect to everyone else, he really is an anxious wreck. But he's my anxious wreck. I let him think that I'm okay. Anything to make the burden on his shoulders a little easier to bear.
"Scarlet Nova Dragon isn't afraid of 2200 attack points! Scarlet Nova Dragon attacks Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity! Burning Soul!" Jack shouts in typical over dramatic fashion.
"Skiel Guard's effect activates! It can negate your monster's attack once per turn!" A green barrier surrounds the monster long enough for the attack to be deflected.
"I already know its effects!" Jack frowns. "I activate my trap card, Power Pressure! When a monster's attack is negated, you take 1000 points of damage!" Luciano's life points fall to 3000.
"I activate the Continuous Trap, Infinite Aura! For every 100 points of damage, Infinite Aura gains one counter(CNTR:1-10)." Luciano explains. Jack questions it, prompting him to continue. "Every time I take damage, the Continuous Trap, Infinite Aura, records that pain! And when this device activates…" He ends with his infamous cackle.
"How lame! I end my turn!" Jack scoffs.
"Alright Jack!" Bruno cheers. "He dealt 1000 points of damage to Luciano while remaining unscathed!"
"My turn!" Luciano declares, taking their Speed Counters to 3. "Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity's effect activates! It can absorb a Synchro Monster once per turn!" Green tendrils shoot out from the Machine Emperor's chest cavity, curling around Scarlet Nova Dragon. "I'm taking Scarlet Nova Dragon!"
"I won't let you!" Jack exclaims. "I remove Scarlet Nova Dragon from play during your turn to prevent your monster from attacking! How's that? Without a target, your effect and attack are negated!"
"Yes! He did it!" Ruka smiles. "As long as Jack has Scarlet Nova Dragon's power…"
"He doesn't need to be afraid of the Machine Emperor!" Rua finishes.
"How brazen." Luciano merely raises his eyebrows. "I set one card and end my turn!"
"Scarlet Nova Dragon that was removed from play returns at the End Phase!" Scarlet Nova Dragon appears in a burst of flames.
"Whoa!" The MC hollers. "He skillfully avoided Team New World's strategy! And standing in their way is Jack Atlas's newest ace, Scarlet Nova Dragon!"
"I already anticipated this situation! Scarlet Nova Dragon has nothing to fear from a Machine Emperor! Here I go! My turn!" Jack declares, bringing their Speed Counters to 4. "I summon Force Resonator(ATK:500)! By sending it to the graveyard when my Synchro Monster attacks this turn, you can't activate your monster's effect! Scarlet Nova Dragon isn't affected by your Machine Emperor's effect!"
"What?" Luciano mutters.
"And since there's another Tuner in my graveyard, it gains 500 attack points(ATK:5000-5500)! This battle is mine! Scarlet Nova Dragon attacks Machine Emperor Skiel Infinity! Take this, Burning Soul!" Jack shouts.
"I activate the Continuous Trap, Infinite Prison! By discarding one card from my hand, I can treat a monster card in my graveyard as a spell card and set in my Spell and Trap Card Zone!" Luciano interrupts. Interesting effect. Why would he set, what I imagine is, Sky Core?
"How brash!" Jack scoffs. "Vanish, Machine Emperor!" The attack brings Luciano to 0 life points, winning the battle for Jack, but the war is not over.
"The Continuous Trap, Infinite Aura's effect activates. For every 100 points of damage, I place an Aura Counter on the card(CNTR:10-40)." Luciano continues but driving ahead to go back into his team's pit.
"It's over! Team 5D's first duelist, Jack Atlas, defeated Team New World's Luciano! He won using his miraculous new power, Scarlet Nova Dragon!" The MC roars.
"It's strange. He defeated the Machine Emperor so easily." Yusei mutters just loud enough that I can heard it, his arms still around me.
"That's what I'm thinking. Secret strategy?" I answer.
"Definitely." He nods slightly as to stop my head from moving too much. I notice Team New World staring at us from the other pit. They're obviously up to something.
"Team New World's second Wheeler is Placido! What strategy will he use?" The MC talks as Placido speeds out of the pit.
"You've come, you worthless punk! I'll crush you, just like I did Luciano!" Jack proclaims as he catches up to him.
"You talk big for a bug." Placido scoffs. "I'll put you in your place!"
"Duel!" They chant, starting the second part of the duel.
"My turn!" Placido declares. "I summon Wise Core in defense position(DEF:0)!"
"He's already planning to summon his Machine Emperor." Aki sighs.
"I activate Speed Spell - Lightning Rod!" Placido continues. "When I have 2 or more Speed Counters, I can destroy one monster on my field! When a card effect destroys Wise Core, I can Special Summon Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity(ATK:0), Wisel Top(ATK:500), Wisel Attack(ATK:1200), Wisel Guard(DEF:1200) and Wisel Carrier(ATK:800)! Combine, Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity(ATK:2500)!" The parts come together in a green light. "Here I go, Jack Atlas! I activate Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity's effect! Once per turn, it absorbs one Synchro Monster on your field!" My head suddenly feels lighter. Yusei's grip tightens on me. I lean back into him.
"You still don't understand? Your Synchro-sealing strategy doesn't work against Scarlet Nova Dragon!" Jack shouts at him. "I activate Scarlet Nova Dragon's effect! By removing it from play, one of your monsters can't attack! It'll always end the same way! You can never use the same strategy against Jack Atlas!"
"That's my line." Placido scoffs at Jack's dramatics."Did you think the same strategy would work against me?"
"What?"
"I activate the trap, Infinity Barrage!" Placido declares. "When you have no monsters, if I choose not to attack, you take 400 points for every monster! Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity is treated as one monster, but it's actually five monsters. In other words, you take five monsters' worth of damage for 2000 points!" Jack's life points half in an instant, leaving him at 2000. "I set two cards and end my turn. Yusei is my only opponent. I don't need to use my true power against you!"
"He knew absorbing a Synchro Monster wouldn't work, but he did it to Scarlet Nova Dragon from play and leave Jack's field wide open! It all led to this trap card!" Crow exclaims.
"Then I'll force you to get serious!" Jack points at Placido. "I'll show you that you can't survive against Scarlet Nova Dragon! Scarlet Nova Dragon was removed from play, but it returns to the field during the End Phase! My turn!" With that, their Speed Counters become 6. "Scarlet Nova Dragon attacks Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity! Burning Soul!"
"But I now activate Wisel Guard's effect!" Placido interrupts. "Your monster's attack target switches to this card."
"Do you really think you dodged it? I knew you would use Wisel Guard's effect!" Jack smirks. "I activate the Continuous Trap, Burning Strike! When my monster gains its effect and attacks a monster in defense position, it deals piercing damage!"
"What? Piercing damage?" Placido questions.
"Scarlet Nova Dragon has 5500 attack points and Wisel Guard has 1200 defense points." Ruka's fingers twitch. "That means he deals 4300 points of piercing damage! Jack will win!"
"Go, Scarlet Nova Dragon! Burning Soul!" Jack shouts with the usual dramatics.
"That's not good enough!" Placido interjects, making everyone in the pit lean forward towards the monitors. "I activate the trap, Wise G3. By sending Wisel Guard on my field to the graveyard, I can Special Summon Wisel Guard 3 from my hand(DEF:2000). Due to its effect, the attack target switches to Wisel Guard 3. And this card can't be destroyed in battle once per turn!"
"But you still take the piercing damage!" Jack declares as Placido's life points drop to 500. I look over to Team New World's pit, they seem unhappy despite Placido surviving. He must be going off strategy.
"He was so close to winning!" Rua groans.
"The Continuous Trap, Infinite Aura, activates." Placido interrupts. "For every 100 points of damage, it gains one Aura Counter(CNTR:40-75). Then, I activate the trap, Echo Mirror! When a monster in defense position isn't destroyed in battle, I draw one card from my deck. If I draw a monster card, you take 300 points of damage per Level! I drew the Level 3 Monster, Wisel Attack 3! You take 900 points of damage!" Jack's life points drop down to 1100.
"I set one card and end my turn!" Jack's mouth forms a hard line.
"What a fierce battle!" The MC says as they drive past the pits for another lap. "Neither side is giving an inch!"
"But 500 life points is more than enough to defeat him! Fine, I'll follow the plan. My turn!" Placido declares. "I set two cards and end my turn."
"What? You're ending your turn?" Jack exclaims.
"Whoa! Placido ends his turn after only setting two cards!" The crowd descends into something of a frenzy.
"What's going on?" Crow asks.
"He didn't attack." Crow and Aki look at each other, confused.
"What's wrong, Jack Atlas? There's no need to show mercy. Attack me!" Placido spreads out his arms. Yusei's arms tighten around me.
"That card…" He mutters. "Infinite Aura, could it be?" He stands fully upright. "Rua, get the pit board!" Rua scurries off for the board, giving it Yusei who puts in the message. He runs off to flash it for Jack.
"My turn!" Jack declares. "I set one card. I activate the trap, Synchro Sonic! For every Synchro Monster on my field, I destroy one face up card in your Spell and Trap Card Zone. I destroy Infinite Aura!" Yusei relaxes a little, though he's not hugging me from behind anymore, which makes me a little sad admittedly.
"I won't let you do that!" Placido interrupts. I hear Yusei sigh. "I activate the trap, Infinity Guard Formation. By negating my monster's effect this turn, it prevents my card from being destroyed!" Everyone in the pit seems unsettled that Placido would separate his Machine Emperor to protect that card.
"That card is definitely their secret plan! But I'll eliminate you first!" Jack proclaims. "When your Machine Emperor separates, it's just a regular monster with 0 attack points! Scarlet Nova Dragon attacks Machine Emperor Wisel Infinity! Burning Soul!" With that, Placido's life points drop to 0.
"The Continuous Trap, Infinite Aura's effect activates!" Placido gets one last effect in before he returns to the pit. "For every 100 points of damage, it gains an Aura Counter(CNTR:75-80). Then, I activate the Continuous Trap, Infinite Prison's effect. By discarding one card from my hand, I treat one monster card in my graveyard as a spell card and set it."
"He did it!" The MC roars. "After Luciano, Jack Atlas defeated Placido!" The crowd cheers for Jack. Bruno starts looking up that card, so Yusei walks over to that monitor. Aki laughs at my pout.
"What's so special about that card?" Yusei mutters, resting a hand on the desk.
"It's the finale of the first ever WRGP!" The MC roars as Jack passes the pit again. "The baton is passed to Jose, Team New World's last Wheeler!" Placido drives in. Jose stands, throwing off his cloak, revealing a futuristic looking riding suit. His D-Wheel is nowhere to be seen, so he starts running. "What's going on? The last Wheeler, Jose, is running on his own!"
"What is he doing?" Crow squints as the old man starts running on the actual track past us. "Isn't he going to ride a D-Wheel?" His D-Wheel bursts onto the track, coming up behind him. It catches up to him and Jose keeps running beside it.
"Team 5D's, prepare yourselves. The real battle begins now! I'll show you our power!" Jose jumps up into the air. His robotic legs pull away from his torso, flipping backwards. He attaches himself to his D-Wheel and his duel disk appears.
"He combined…" Aki mutters, turning to me in confusion.
"The D-Wheeler combined with his D-Wheel! This is the D-Wheel's final form! The duelist is betting his soul on Team New World's victory!" The MC shouts as if this is a regular Tuesday. I get my backpack from underneath the desk. I pull my bottle out of it and take a huge gulp.
"Yuuka." Yusei turns to me. "That's not water."
"I know." I say. "Like I'm gonna need this if I'm to deal with this shit."
"Yuuka?" Aki stares at the clear bottle.
"Vodka?" I offer the bottle to her. "I would offer to you, Crow, but you're gonna be driving."
"You promised you'd stop drinking during the day." Yusei shake his head.
"Either we win or we die, I'm gonna be celebrating either way. That's my excuse." Yusei keeps staring at me so I put the bottle, rolling my eyes.
"Here I go, Jack Atlas! I'll bury you first!" Jose proclaims, dragging the attention away from me.
"Go ahead and try!" He scoffs in response. "Jack Atlas won't lose against you!"
"Duel!" They chant, starting the next phase. The infinity symbol glows around them.
"What? We'll be taking real damage now!" The panic is evident in Jack's voice.
"My turn!" Jose declares, bringing their Speed Counters to 9. "I summon Grand Core in defense position(DEF:0)! Then, I activate the trap, Explosive Blast! I can destroy up to three Machine-Type monsters on my field that haven't battled this turn. For every monster destroyed by this effect, you take 400 points of damage!" Jack's left with 700 life points, he's below the safety line now. "Then, I activate Grand Core's effect! When a card effect destroys this card, I can Special Summon Machine Emperor Granel Infinity(ATK:0), Granel Top(ATK:500), Granel Attack(ATK:1300), Granel Guard(DEF:1000) and Granel Carrier(ATK:700) from my deck or hand! Combine, Machine Emperor Granel Infinity!"
"Team New World summoned their third Machine Emperor!" My head starts spinning as the yellow Machine Emperor combines. Yusei's over to me within a second, putting his hand on my arm. A scream and the crackling of fire echoes in my mind. I look around me, that was definitely in mind. I must be imagining things. Yusei looks at me with raised eyebrows, I just shake my head.
"I activate Machine Emperor Granel Infinity's effect! Its attack and defense points become the same as my life points(ATK:0-4000)." Jose continues.
"4000 attack points! But Scarlet Nova Dragon has 5500 attack points! Those attack points can't stop my Burning Soul!" Jack scoffs.
"You're very confident in your attack points. I'll start by breaking your confidence. I activate Speed Spell - Takeover." Jose accelerates towards Jack in front of him. Jack has to swerve to avoid him. Jose does a uturn, looming over Jack as he speaks. "When I have 4 or more Speed Counters, I can destroy Infinite Aura to gain life points equal to the number of Counters multiplied by 100. Infinite Aura has 80 Counters. Therefore, I regain 100 times that for 8000 points." Jose's life points shoot up to 12000. "I have 12000 life points! Due to Machine Emperor Granel Infinity's effect, its attack and defense points become the same as my life points(ATK:4000-12000)!"
"12000 attack points!" Jack exclaims.
"I see!" Yusei puts a hand to his mouth. "Their goal was to gather Counters on Infinite Aura and use them to gain life points, attack and defense points!"
"That means…" Ruka turns to Yusei. "The other two lost on purpose?" That would make the most sense. I just don't know what to think anymore. That scream was familiar, I can't quite place it. I've heard it before in a dream. When Diablo appeared and attacked the City, I heard it. I remember. But why?
"The final chapter in completing the Circuit begins!" Jose sets a card. "Witness our power! Machine Emperor Granel Infinity attacks Scarlet Nova Dragon!"
"Scarlet Nova Dragon's effect activates!" Jack declares. "Scarlet Nova Dragon is removed from play until the End Phase, and you can't attack!"
"I won't let it escape!" Jose proclaims. "Granel Top's effect activates! When Granel attacks, your Synchro Monster's effect is negated."
"What? Negate a monster's effect?" Fear flashes on Jack's face.
"Grand Slaughter Cannon!" A searing pain spreads in my chest. I hunch forward but Yusei's arms keep me from falling. My body shakes violently as the screams play in my mind. Jack's screams are blocked out by the noise of the attack.
"Jack!" I hear people shout. The attack ends and the pain fades.
"Yuuka, do you want to go to the infirmary?" Aki asks, rubbing her hand on my back.
"No." I choke out. "I don't want to miss this." It's the finals, I refuse to leave. Aki sighs, looking at Yusei. Aki's hand retracts but Yusei keeps his arms around me. He digs his face into my shoulder. My shaking stops.
"I love you." He mutters. I pat his arm. I know he's constantly worried about me nowadays, but there's only so much he can do. As much as he would want to hide me from everything that could hurt me, he can't.
"I love you too." I whisper, my voice feeling a little hoarse.
"Then, Granel Attack's effect activates! It absorbs the Synchro Monster that was destroyed in battle! Machine Emperor Granel Infinity gains attack points equal to the absorbed Synchro Monster's original attack points(ATK:12000-15500)!" Jose laughs, not too dissimilar from Luciano's. "No monster can oppose it! Victory is ours! The world will be reborn!"
"15500 attack points…" Crow mutters. "You must be kidding."
"There's no way we can defeat that monster!" Rua cries. Jack manages to make it back into the pit, somehow. He's barely conscious. Yusei doesn't let me walk over to him. He keeps his arms around me. He's a lot quieter than usual. Something's wrong with him.
"What's wrong, honey?" I pat his head, playing with his hair a little.
"I'm just scared for you." He mutters, digging his head further into my shoulder. "First, you fainted after coughing up blood. Then, you disappear for a week after I lose you in a wormhole. I'm just worried that any moment I could lose you forever." His arms tighten around me.
"You won't lose me." I comfort him, despite the chance he might actually. As much as it hurt me to leave him, there's a chance that it's the only thing I can do to save him. Saving him is my top priority. I would give my life for him, and I think he knows that.
"Team New World's Jose and Machine Emperor Granel Infinity return to the home stretch!" The MC announces. "Team 5D's passed the baton to Crow, the second Wheeler! We're worried about the status of the first Wheeler, Jack Atlas, but the race continues!"
"Wait, you freak! I'm your next opponent!" Crow calls out to Jose.
"I applaud you for still showing up after witnessing Machine Emperor Granel Infinity's power. Face my Granel with all your power! Show me what a human can do!" Jose taunts him.
"Duel!" The infinity appears around them again. I sigh. It's only going to get worse from here.
"Here I go! My turn!" Crow declares as their Speed Counters reach 10. "I activate Speed World 2's effect! By removing 10 Speed Counters, I destroy one card on the field!" Crow's Speed Counter shoot back down to 0.
"Crow already used 10 Speed Counters!" Bruno exclaims.
"It's fine. You can't play around with an opponent like him." Yusei sighs, holding me tighter.
"I destroy Machine Emperor Granel Infinity!" Crow points at the source of my current pain and suffering.
"I activate the trap, Infinity Wall!" Jose interrupts. "Destruction from a card effect is negated this turn! Did you really think I wouldn't have countermeasures against Speed World 2?"
"So this level of strategy doesn't work against you." Crow sighs. "In that case, I summon the Tuner Monster, Black Feather - Stream the Cloaked(ATK:800)! When a Black Feather is on my field, I can Special Summon this card from my hand! I Special Summon Black Feather - Bora the Spear(ATK:1700)!"
"He has a Tuner and another monster!" Rua points out. "He can now Synchro Summon, but…"
"It's pointless to Synchro Summon when you're facing a Machine Emperor." Jose laughs as if Crow hasn't prepared for this.
"Do you seriously think that Crow the Trickster would use such a simple strategy?" Crow brags. "I remove Steam the Cloaked and Bora the Spear from play to Special Summon Black Feather - Aurora the Northern Lights(ATK:0)! I can Special Summon it by removing a Black Feather and a Black Feather Tuner from play. This card's Level is equal to the total Level of the monsters that were removed from play(LV:10-7). Next, Steam the Cloaked's effect activates! When this card leaves the field, I can Special Summon one Steam Token(ATK:100)! But this Token is destroyed at the End Phase. Once per turn, by removing from play a Black Feather Synchro Monster in my Extra Deck with the same Level as Aurora the Northern Lights, it gains its attack points and effects until my next turn! Aurora the Northern Lights is Level 7, so I remove Black Feather Armored Wing in my Extra Deck from play! So Aurora the Northern Lights has 2500 attack points, which is the same as Armored Wing(ATK:0-2500)!" The monster becomes wrapped in a multicoloured light shaped like Armored Wing. "And since this card gains Armored Wing's effects, it won't be destroyed in battle and it takes 0 battle damage!"
"I see!" Bruno exclaims. "Since Aurora the Northern Lights isn't a Synchro Monster, e can use Synchro Monsters' effects while avoiding Machine Emperor's Synchro sealing. This is Crow's anti-Machine Emperor strategy."
"Battle!" Crow declares. "Aurora the Northern Lights attacks Machine Emperor Granel Infinity!"
"No matter what your strategy, you can never have more attack points than Machine Emperor Granel Infinity." Jose says. "Your actions are pointless."
"No, it's not!" Crow shouts back. "Aurora the Northern Lights has another one of Armored Wing's effects! When this card attacks your monster, your monster gets a Wedge Counter. By removing the Wedge Counter, your monster's attack and defense points become 0 until that turn's End Phase! And when your monster's attack points become 0, Steam Token removes that monster from play! It doesn't matter how many attack points your Machine Emperor has! I created this special strategy to stop Synchro killers! Take it!" If this succeeds, victory will be close.
"Your special strategy is weak. I said it was pointless. I activate Granel Guard's effect!" Jose declares as Scarlet Nova Dragon is spewed out from Granel's chest cavity, still wrapped in tendrils. "Granel Guard switches the attack target to a Synchro Monster that's equipped on my Machine Emperor."
"What?" Crow mutters.
"No way!" Rua cries. "Jack's Scarlet Nova Dragon… It became Crow's enemy."
"But due to Armored Wing's effect, Aurora the Northern Lights isn't destroyed, and he doesn't take any battle damage." Yusei explains. At least there's a bright side here.
"You stuck a wedge into Scarlet Nova Dragon, which is an Equip Card. Therefore, you can't put a Wedge Counter on it!" Jose says as Scarlet Nova Dragon is pulled back into Granel. "What's wrong? Are you done?" Granel is terrifying, not just because of its effects. It inspires this fear in me. I feel my flight instinct kicking in, but I can do nothing.
"I set two cards and end my turn." Crow grits his teeth, after a pause.
"That's the best you could do? Your time is done. My turn!" Jose declares. "I activate Speed World 2's effect. I remove 10 Speed Counters to destroy one card on the field." This evens their Speed Counters, leaving them both at 1. "I destroy Black Feather - Aurora the Northern Lights! Then, Machine Emperor Granel Infinity attacks you directly! Leave the stage!"
"Whoa! If this succeeds, Crow will have 0 life points!" The MC roars.
"Grand Slaughter Cannon!" The pain returns but it's not as sharp as the first time. My eyes close. Yusei pulls me closer.
"Whoa! Ghibli the Searing Wing is in defense position and blocks Granel's attack!" The MC's word make me open my eyes.
"When your monster attacks me directly, I can Special Summon it from my hand(DEF:1600)!" Crow explains as the smoke clears.
"How annoying." Jose tuts as Ghibli is destroyed.
"He managed to stop it." Aki sighs in relief.
"Sorry Ghibli, but I won't let your sacrifice go to waste! I flip over my trap card!" Crow declares. "Black Revenge! When my Winged-Beast Type monster with 1000-or-fewer attack points is destroyed in battle, I can Special Summon two Black Feather - Black Crest Tokens(DEF:800/DEF:800)! Then, I flip over my trap card, Blackboost! When there are two or more Black Feathers on my field, I draw two cards from my deck!"
"Crow survived using consecutive miraculous combos!" The MC roars as the crowd cheers.
"How's that? You haven't beaten me yet!" Crow smirks.
"My attack isn't over. By summoning a monster in defense position, you've tightened the noose around your neck!" Jose laughs as Crow's face falls. "I activate Granel Attack's effect!" Scarlet Nova Dragon is spewed from Granel's chest again. "Once per turn, the monster that Granel absorbed can attack your monster!"
"Granel can attack with the monsters it absorbed?" Crow echoes, crestfallen.
"Go! Battle your teammate, you foolish Synchro Monster!" Jose stretches his arm out. "The equipped monster also deals piercing damage equal to its attack points minus your defense points! Take your teammate's power and feel the pain!" Crow screams as his life points fall to 1300. "The Synchro Monster that Machine Emperor Granel Infinity absorbed can't attack directly. You wouldn't have taken damage if you didn't summon a monster in defense position. I set one card and end my turn!"
"Crow is in big trouble! Is there anything he can do against the overwhelming power of Machine Emperor Granel Infinity?" The MC questions as I exhale a shaky breath.
"Isn't there anything he can do?" Rua asks.
"The remaining Black Crest Token has only 800 defense points." Ruka explains. "If he takes another attack from Scarlet Nova Dragon, he'll take 2700 points of piercing damage and he'll have 0 life points."
"What's wrong? Are you done?" Jose taunts Crow.
"My turn!" Crow declares as their Speed Counters climb to 2. "I tribute Black Crest Token to Advance Summon Black Feather - Hillen the Tengu-wind in defense position(DEF:2300)! Now even if I take Scarlet Nova Dragon's attack, I'll still have 100 life points left."
"But if you don't have a strategy after that, you'll take Machine Emperor Granel Infinity's attack!" Jose answers. Crow stays silent for a moment.
"I set two cards and end my turn!" Crow grits his teeth again.
"So that's the best a human can do." Jose scoffs. "My turn! I activate Granel Attack's effect!" Scarlet Nova Dragon appears once again. "Foolish Scarlet Nova Dragon, attack Hillen the Tengu-wind!" Crow's life points fall to 100 as expected.
"Crow only has 100 life points left! He's pushed to the brink!" The MC says as Crow starts shaking on his D-Wheel.
"Is this the end? Use your trump card and Synchro Summon!" Jose tries to taunt him.
"You can't provoke me." Crow answers, completely straight for once in his life. "If I summon it, your Machine Emperor will destroy it and steal my Synchro Monster and use it to attack Yusei. I have to avoid that!"
"Why do you have to avoid it?" Jose questions. "Friends who fight and hurt each other is the very nature of humanity's foolishness. Look at this repulsive figure. Synchro Monsters symbolise the evolution of humanity's foolishness!"
"Whatever!" Crow scoffs. "Scarlet Nova Dragon is Jack's soul! We always fought alongside Synchro Monsters! Don't you dare badmouth them!"
"You still haven't realised that those ideas lead to destruction! I have nothing more to say because you're going to perish! Battle! Granel attacks you directly! Take Machine Emperor's attack and vanish! Grand Slaughter Cannon!" My head hangs as I try to suppress the fire in my chest. Why does this attack hurt me more than the rest?
"It's over!" The MC says so loudly over the mic that it hurts my ears. "The second Wheeler, Crow, has 0 life points! Team 5D's only has Yusei Fudo left as the last Wheeler!"
"It's over." Jose stops to look at the billowing smoke where Crow once was.
"Not yet!" Crow shouts as the smoke fades. "The Battle Phase hasn't ended yet."
"Crow!" Aki exclaims, standing up and pressing her hands onto the desk. Crow starts driving and Jose follows.
"I activate Hillen the Tengu-wind's effect from the graveyard." Crow's words are forced. He won't last much longer. "When I take a direct attack that deals 2000 or more points of damage, I can Special Summon this card and a Level 3-or-lower Black Feather from my graveyard. Resurrect, Hillen the Tengu-wind and Ghibli the Searing Wind(ATK:0/ATK:0)! Then, I activate the trap, Urgent Tuning! This card activates during the Battle Phase and Synchro Summons one Synchro Monster! Level 5 Hillen the Tengu-wind tunes Level 3 Ghibli the Searing Wind! Darkened gales, become the wings that soar from resolved hope! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Black Feather Dragon(DEF:1600)!"
"Whoa! The Machine Emperor appeared to have annihilated Crow, but he mustered up his final strength to summon his ace, Black Feather Dragon!"
"Why?" Rua questions. "If he activated Hillen the Tengu-wind's effect during the direct attack, he could've used this combo to stop Granel's attack! Why would he activate it after he took damage?"
"Crow wanted to leave Black Feather Dragon for Yusei, so he took Granel's attack." Aki explains. "That was Crow's goal." Tears come to Rua's eyes as he mutters his name.
"You sacrificed yourself to summon a Synchro Monster?" Jose squints.
"That's right. I lost in order for my team to win." Crow smiles, but it seems like a struggle. "ou said that friends fight each other, but that's not the only side to humanity. We can also fight together by passing on my emotions to my friends. It's called a bond. It was a bit rough this time. Yusei, I leave the rest to you."
"I promise to win." Yusei mutters into my shoulder, pulling me tighter.
"Good luck, honey." I turn in the seat as he stands upright.
"Thank you." He presses a kiss to my lips before hugging me properly. "If something goes wrong, promise me you'll go to the infirmary."
"Nothing will go wrong." I say as I play with his hair again. I can't see his face but I know what exactly what his expression is. "Okay, I will." He pulls back, I go to stand up to walk him to the pit.
"Stay here." He presses another kiss to the top of my head. "I don't think you could walk."
"Okay, honey. I love you."
"I love you too." He says before walking off to the changing point with Aki and Bruno. Rua and Ruka run with Crow to the infirmary, leaving me on my own. I sigh. The promise that this will all go away if we win just seems more and more unlikely. Z-One doesn't get the impression that his plans would end because we defeated his minions. I know Z-One. I know that is a certainty.