DISCLAIMER: Yu-Gi-Oh! was created by Kazuki Takahashi.
Yudai watched helplessly as Darren tuned his Monsters together, forming his ultimate Synchro Monster, Power Emperor (3500/3000). With a mere 2500 Life Points, and his only Monster on the field being his Marshmallon Gardna (0/2600), which was currently in Attack Position, his only hope of surviving this turn was with his single face-down card in the Spell/Trap Zone. All he could hope was that none of the four cards in King's hand could stop what he had planned, since he only had one card in his own, and it wasn't going to be of any help in this scenario.
"Power Emperor, destroy Marshmallon Gardna!" Darren ordered. Power Emperor raised its blade over its head with both hands, flames encircling it violently, before slicing it straight down at Marshmallon Gardna, who could only wait with the seemingly increasingly small shield for defense.
"Trap activate: S'Mine Field!" Yudai shouted, flipping his face-down card up and causing Marshmallon Gardna to disappear, stopping Power Emperor's attack as three small Marshmallons with cartoonish-looking fuses on their heads took Marshmallon Gardna's place in Attack Position.
"W...What the hell are those?!" Darren demanded indignantly.
Yudai grinned confidently. "By Tributing a 'Marshmallon' monster I control, I can Special Summon 3 S'Mine Tokens (0/0) in Attack Position to replace it!"
"Your weak Tokens are pathetic, and will not stop Power Emperor's assault!" Darren insisted, pointing at one of the S'Mine Tokens. "Power Emperor, attack the left-most S'Mine Token!" Power Emperor let out a battle cry as it drove its sword at its target. However, before it could lay a hit, the fuse on the S'Mine Token lit and immediately burned out, causing it to explode with such force that it forced Power Emperor back. "What was THAT?!"
"When a S'Mine Token is attacked by an opponent's monster, it self-destructs, inflicting 500 damage to your Life Points!" Yudai explained as, sure enough, Darren's Life Points fell to 3400. "Furthermore, because you didn't destroy it yourself, AND the other S'Mine Tokens are already in Attack Position, Power Emperor's effect can't activate, meaning it can't make its second attack!"
King's jaw locked hard as he realized Hikaru was right. In addition, a glance down at his hand revealed he had no other monsters to Summon, just Speed Spells and Traps. Observing the situation, he glared back at his opponent with near-murderous intent.
Fine then, Darren concluded. He wants to play this game, then I'll wait until I've gathered enough Speed Counters and Speed Spells to ensure he takes the most vicious assault of his life!
"Turn end!" Darren growled angrily, incensed that he was being blocked off like this.
"My turn!" Yudai exclaimed, drawing a new card from his deck as he reached 6 Speed Counters, King having 7. Seeing nothing in his hand that would be the most help right now, he instead declared "Turn end!", passing his turn to Darren.
"Then it's my turn!" Darren roared, pulling free the top card of his deck while he and Hikaru each gained a Speed Counter. "Power Emperor, attack the S'Mine Token on the right!" Power Emperor quickly obliged, brandishing its sword, only for the S'Mine Token to detonate, taking another 500 out of Darren's Life Points. "Turn end!"
"My turn!" Yudai shouted, retrieving another new card while his and Darren's Speed Counters each increased once again by 1. He added it to his hand, looking over his cards before coming to a decision. "I activate Speed World MAX's effect: By removing 7 Speed Counters, I can draw 1 card!" As such, Hikaru quickly drew yet another card from his deck, all the while his Duel Runner slowed due to the loss of all but 1 of his Speed Counters. "I set one monster face-down, and one face-down card in my Spell/Trap Zone! Turn end!"
"My turn!" Darren shouted, drawing a new card. He smiled evilly as he eyed it, his and Yudai's Speed Counters increasing again. "Finally! I Normal Summon Archfiend Soldier (1900/1500)!" A Fiend-type monster wearing a cape and holding a deadly-looking sword appeared at Power Emperor's side. "Now, the last of your defenses will fall! Archfiend Soldier, attack the last S'Mine Token!" Archfiend Soldier quickly stabbed its sword toward the Token, only for it to be forced back when the S'Mine Token self-destructed, lowering Darren's Life Points to 2400. "Power Emperor, destroy Yudai's face-down monster!"
Despite Power Emperor's brutal slaying of the face-down monster, revealed to be a pink gooey creature, Yudai smirked. "Marshmacaron's (200/200) effect: Once per turn, if a Marshmacaron is destroyed, I can Special Summon up to 2 other Marshmacarons from my hand, deck, or Graveyard! Come, Marshmacarons!" Instantly, two more Marshamacarons appeared, Special Summoned from Yudai's deck in Attack Position. "And because they're both in Attack Position, Power Emperor cannot attack again!"
"So clever...yet so utterly foolish, to infuriate your King!" Darren screamed, holding up a Speed Spell. "I play Speed Spell - End of the Storm! While I have 10 Speed Counters, I can destroy every last monster on the field, inflicting 300 damage to each player for each of their destroyed monsters!"
"What?!" Yudai shouted, just as a storm of black winds shot out from King's card, obliterating every monster on the field except for Power Emperor, who survived due to its own effect. Yudai screamed out in pain as the wind ripped past him as well, costing him 600 Life Points, while Darren let out a painful groan as he lost 300. Yudai's Duel Runner shook hard, almost flying off the road and into a wall, but Yudai managed to get control of it just at the last moment, turning back onto the road.
"You should've let yourself crash, you fool!" Darren claimed. "It would've been faster that way!"
"W...When I take damage from a card effect, I can Special Summon Hiwata (200/300) from my hand...!" Yudai groaned, bringing out a red Watapon with fiercer looking eyes in Attack Position. "Furthermore, when Summoned this way, Hiwata gains a Hi Counter for every 100 damage I took!" Hiwata let out a tiny chirp as a series of tiny embers appeared around its head before ending at 6. "Trap card, open: Very Fairy Draw! When Fairy monsters on my side of the field are destroyed by my opponent's card effect, I can draw 1 card for every Level the combined Fairies had!" Reaching to his deck, Yudai drew two additional cards, disappointed he didn't draw a Watapon to Special Summon.
"Draw all the cards you want, they won't save you from the wrath of the emperor!" King insisted. "I set one card face-down! Turn end!"
I could have annihilated him there, but watching him try in vain to stop me is too much to deny myself, Darren rationalized, knowing that, with three Speed Spells, he could have removed 4 Speed Counters to inflict 2400 damage. On my next turn, I'll have 12 Speed Counters. More than enough to ensure he loses EVERYTHING.
"My turn!" Yudai cried, drawing a new card as he and Darren each gained a new Speed Counter. He looked at the card: It was a Trap card, not the Tuner Monster he was hoping for.
Without a Tuner Monster, I can't bring out Teal! Yudai thought, starting to feel beaten already. I...I can't do this!
"Don't give up!" a voice called from his Extra Deck, causing Yudai's eyes to widen. "You have everything you need in your hand right now!"
Yudai was confused, but looked again at the Trap he pulled: Iron Resolve. ...Right. As long as I don't give up, there's still a chance. I just have to believe, like Officer Ikenami always said. 'Believe in your cards'...
"I Normal Summon Shining Angel (1400/800)!" Yudai declared, bringing out his angel to the field. "Then I switch Hiwata to Defense Position, and set three cards face-down! Turn end!"
He played his entire hand! Darren observed. AND he put Hiwata in Defense Position, even though he knows it'll allow Power Emperor to attack it! Is he giving up?
Looking back, King saw the look in Yudai's eyes as they brimmed with confidence. No...No, he hasn't. He wants to win!
"My turn!" Darren roared, drawing another card for his hand while his Speed Counters reached 12, the maximum amount allowed, while Yudai only had 4. Darren looked at his card. It was another Speed Spell, giving him three in total.
I could win the Duel right here and now with this many Speed Counters! Darren realized. But...I...
"Come on, o 'King'!" Yudai taunted, snapping Darren out of his thoughts. "Surely you aren't afraid your monster can't destroy my low-Level Fairies, or do you both sit on a throne of lies?!"
Darren's eye twitched in rage as he made his decision. "I play Speed Spell - Power Baton! When I have 6 or more Speed Counters, I can send a monster from my deck to my Graveyard, increasing Power Emperor's ATK by the sent monster's, until the end of the next Damage Step, at the cost of my next Draw Phase! I send Power Crusher from my deck to the Graveyard!" The holographic image of Power Crusher falling into an open grave appeared on the field before said open grave unleashed a wave of energy at Power Emperor, sending its ATK rocketing up to 5600. "Power Emperor, destroy Shining Angel!"
"Trap card, open: Defense Draw!" Yudai declared as Power Emperor sliced at Shining Angel, an energy field surrounding him as his monster was slain. "During my opponent's turn, at damage calculation, I can make the battle damage you take from this battle 0, and then draw 1 card!" Yudai quickly drew a new card, his Life Points untouched by Power Emperor's attack, and stared in shock at what he held.
It's here! Yudai thought before reaching back to his deck.
"In addition, when Shining Angel is destroyed, I can Special Summon 1 LIGHT monster with 1500 ATK or less from my deck in Attack Position!" Yudai went on. "I choose Little Fairy (800/800)!" A redheaded Fairy appeared on the field, taking Shining Angel's place.
"Power Emperor's effect!" Darren shouted, watching as Power Emperor's ATK returned to normal. "When it destroys an opponent's monster by battle, after damage calculation, I can target 1 face-up Defense Position monster your opponent controls, change it to Attack Position, then make a second attack in a row on that monster!" Instantly, Power Emperor waved a finger, forcing Hiwata into Attack Position, before slicing its sword hard enough to send a wave of flames at it. "This Duel is over!"
"Trap activate: Iron Resolve!" Yudai called, flipping another face-down card up. "By paying half my Life Points, I reduce all Battle Damage to 0, and then end the Battle Phase!" Hikaru watched as the flames from Power Emperor's sword burst through Hiwata, destroying it, but left him undamaged as his Life Points dropped to 950. "Furthermore, when Hiwata is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, it inflicts 100 damage to my opponent for each Hi Counter it had!" The Hi Counters flew across the field from where Hiwata once was, pelting Darren hard and causing him to nearly lose control of his Runner as his Life Points dropped by 600.
Darren grit his teeth hard enough to taste blood. "You survived Power Emperor's assault, but you won't be able to gloat! I activate Speed World MAX's effect: By reducing my Speed Counters by 4, I can inflict 800 points of damage for each card revealed! I have 2 Speed Spells, and 12 Speed Counters, meaning I can easily annihilate you!"
"That's a potential total of 4800!" Yudai shouted in shock.
"TAKE THIS!" Darren roared, his Speed Counters being reduced by 4 as he revealed two Speed Spells. A pair of energy blasts shot out from his Duel Runner, racing toward Yudai's. However, to his shock, Yudai instead revealed a card of his own: Hanewata (200/300). "WHAT?!"
"By discarding Hanewata, I reduce all effect damage this turn to 0!" Yudai yelled, discarding Hanewata to create the image of it taking the blasts for Yudai, the collision nonetheless shaking his Duel Runner hard and cracking the road beneath him.
"...How?!" King demanded. "When did...NO!"
"Trap card, open: Defense Draw!" Yudai's voice echoed in Darren's head as he recalled him activating said card. "During my opponent's turn, at damage calculation, I can make the battle damage you take from this battle 0, and then draw 1 card!"
"You actually drew Hanewata?!" Darren cried, feeling as if reality itself was crashing down around him. "HOW?!"
"I did what I've always been taught to do: Trust in my cards," Yudai explained simply.
Darren looked ready to break the handles of his Duel Runner at this development, knowing he had nothing left in his hand to ensure victory on this turn. "...Turn...end! You may have survived this turn, but on my next turn, I'll be able to bring your Life Points to 0!"
Yudai simply stared back at his opponent. "Sorry, but you aren't getting another turn. I'm ending this NOW."
With that, Yudai placed a finger on his deck, closing his eyes. Cards, respond to my wishes...
"My...TURN!" Yudai shouted, drawing a new card as his and Darren's Speed Counters increased. Looking at the card, he saw one thing: Victory. "Trap card, open: Graceful Revival! I target 1 Level 2 or lower Monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it in Attack Position! Return, Hanewata!" Hanewata instantly appeared on the field next to Little Fairy as Yudai played his last face-down card. "I tune Level 3 Little Fairy with Level 1 Hanewata!"
"You're WHAT?!" Darren demanded, watching as Hanewata became a glowing green ring, Little Fairy flying through it.
"Teal light, pour out from lightspeed and take form! Bring forth the new fairy guardian!" Yudai chanted, all the while Little Fairy's body faded away, leaving only a trio of stars. "Synchro Summon! Take form, Neo-Fairy Teal (2000/1000)!" A brilliant beam of light shot through the rings, leaving behind a tall, teal-haired fairy in a teal dress wielding a strong-looking rapier.
"So, you managed a Synchro Summon, but even your new monster can't hope to stand up to mine!" Darren taunted as his monster stood up to Yudai's.
"Neo-Fairy Teal's effect!" Yudai went on as his Synchro Monster started to gather power in her rapier. "For every Fairy-type Monster in my Graveyard, its ATK is increased by 200!" As Yudai explained this, the transparent images of Hanewata, Little Fairy, Hiwata, Shining Angel, all three Marshmacarons, Marshmallon Gardna, Clumsy Angel, Marshmallon, and Kazewata appeared around Teal, causing her ATK to increase by an astonishing 2200. "Next, I activate Speed Spell - Lightspeed! While I have 5 or more Speed Counters, I can increase the ATK of 1 LIGHT Monster I control by 1000 during the Battle Phase of this turn!" Teal let out a mighty cry as her power increased even more, her rapier surrounded by a golden glow.
"5200 ATK?!" Darren shouted in disbelief.
"Darren!" Yudai yelled. "You talk about your name, how it makes you destined to be King! From now on, remember MY name: YUDAI HIKARU (Great Hero of Light)! Neo-Fairy Teal, destroy Power Emperor!" Neo-Fairy Teal immediately flew at Power Emperor, avoiding its massive sword, before driving her rapier into its skull, causing its body to crack with teal light before breaking apart in a massive explosion, the shock of which shook Wheel of Fortune hard as Darren's Life Points plummeted to 0.
This...can't be! Darren thought as the explosion drew closer to him, coming up against his Duel Runner and causing it to catch fire. I'm...KING!
With that thought, he shut his eyes and did nothing as the explosion finally consumed his Runner, utterly destroying it...just after Yudai sped up and caught him before he could be taken as well. His eyes shot wide open in shock as he realized this, watching as Yudai eventually came to a stop a safe distance away from the burning wreckage of Darren's Wheel of Fortune. Yudai released Darren from his grip, letting him stand next to him and his Duel Runner.
"...Why?" Darren asked, his voice shaking. "Why save me?"
"Killing you wasn't in my game plan," Yudai explained calmly. "Darren, do you really think defeating your enemies in such a manner would be befitting the Turbo Duel King? Is that how you see Jack?"
Darren went to respond, but soon found himself looking down at his clothes. In every way, they were a copy of Jack's, as was the Wheel of Fortune he obtained. In many ways, he guessed, he was also a copy of Jack Atlas. Except, as he thought about it, he realized that Yudai was right: That wasn't the type of behaviour befitting the King, Jack Atlas. He wasn't a killer, not like he almost allowed himself to become in his rage and need for the crown.
"I...I didn't...want this..." Darren admitted, falling to his hands and knees as tears started to form in his eyes. Soon, his clothes started to dissolve, leaving him in his old black jacket, and Power Emperor's card likewise began to fade away from his Duel Disk, which likewise changed into his old model. The burning wreck that was his Duel Runner also seemed to dissolve, leaving little to feed the flames as they died down. He stayed on the ground even as he heard the sound of sirens approaching, a squad car pulling up and letting Aoi and Wataru out.
"Darren, if you want a chance to start over, now's the time to take it," Yudai said. "Redeeming oneself isn't as hard as people think. You just have to try."
Regaining his composure, Darren nodded, getting back to his feet as Ikenami approached. Without exchanging a word, Darren simply raised his arms together, allowing her to place handcuffs on him. With that done, two more officers walked over and escorted him into the back of a car. With that done, Yudai let out a hard sigh, letting himself lean back against his Runner.
"Are you okay?!" Wataru asked. "You really scared me, Yudai!"
Yudai nodded, chuckling a little. "Yeah...I think I scared me, too."
"Couldn't help but rush ahead," Aoi commented with a smirk. "As usual. Right, Cadet?"
Yudai smirked back. Before he could come up with a witty remark, though, the trio found themselves looking in the direction of another Duel Runner speeding toward them. The red Duel Runner quickly came to a halt nearby. Its driver, a man in his thirties with a blue jacket and black jeans, dismounted it and removed his helmet, revealing black and gold hair. He smiled at the trio as he walked over.
"Aoi," he greeted. "I WAS coming to help, but it looks like your student managed to handle things by himself."
Yudai's eyes widened as he suddenly recognized the man standing before him. "Y...You're...Dr. Fudo!"
The man gave a small chuckle, extending a hand for Yudai to shake. "Dr. Fudo was a name more often used to describe my father. Please...call me Yusei."
This Chapter's Fan-Made Yu-Gi-Oh! Cards
S'Mine Field
Card type: Trap
Property: Normal
Effects: Tribute 1 "Marshmallon" monster you control. Special Summon 3 "S'Mine Tokens" (Fairy-Type/LIGHT/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) to your side of the field in Attack Position. Before damage calculation, when a "S'Mine Token" is attacked by an opponent's monster: Destroy the targeted "S'Mine Token", and inflict 500 damage to your opponent.
Hiwata
Card type: Monster
Attribute: FIRE
Types: Fairy/Effect
Level: 1
ATK/DEF: 200/300
Effects: When you take effect damage from a card in your opponent's possession: You can Special Summon this card from your hand, and if you do, place 1 Hi Token on this card for each multiple of 100 damage you took. If this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard due to battle or the effect of a card owned by your opponent: Inflict damage to your opponent equal to the amount of Hi Tokens on this card x 100.
Very Fairy Draw
Card type: Trap
Property: Normal
Effects: If 1 or more Fairy-type monster(s) you control are destroyed by a card effect your opponent controls: Draw cards equal to the total Level of all Fairy-type monsters destroyed by this effect (max.: 5).
Neo-Fairy Teal
Card type: Monster
Attribute: LIGHT
Types: Fairy/Synchro/Effect
Level: 4
ATK/DEF: 2000/1000
Materials: 1 Fairy-type Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters
Effects: This card gains 200 ATK for every Fairy-Type monster in your Graveyard. When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can target 1 Level 4 or lower Fairy-Type monster in your Graveyard, except this card; Special Summon that target.
Speed Spell - Lightspeed
Card type: Spell
Property: Normal
Effects: Activate while you have 5 or more Speed Counters. Select 1 LIGHT monster you control. Increase its ATK by 1000 during the Battle Phase of this turn.
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yusei in da house! XD
So, let's talk about Yudai's name for a second. And yes, I had that scene where he yells it at Darren planned pretty much from the get-go. Yudai is made up of Yu (hero) and dai (great), while Hikaru means light, so put it together and you have the Great Hero of Light (or Hero of Great Light, whichever sounds better). Actually, I suppose in Japan, his family name would go first, so it'd be Hikaru Yudai (the Light's Great Hero?)...and I'm clearly overthinking this. Point is, he's a police officer who protects people and has a deck made mostly of LIGHT Monsters, so the name makes sense for his character. The other reason I picked it is because it contains Yu, just like every other Yugioh main protagonist.
Lastly, I wanted to make something clear about my story, considering some changes that have been made to the game as of late. To be blunt, I'm not going to be making use of Link Monsters or the new rules involving the Extra Monster Zones. If for no other reason, I feel justified in making this ruling because none of these things existed in the 5D's timeline, so I'm just not going there.
Anyway, check back in next time as Yudai and Aoi decide to consult with Yusei about everything going on, and we learn a bit more about one Yudai Hikaru. Ja né!