Disclaimer: I do not own Yugioh or its characters. I only own Sapphira Takaru, Marina Takaru, Toran Takaru and Zahara.

Chapter 10

The Regional Tournament

Sapphira's P.O.V.

I took a deep breath as I entered the stadium that I knew was where this year's Regional Duel Monsters Tournament was being held. It was finally here, and I'll admit that I'm a bit nervous. It was the same last year, but now I'm finally able to think with a clear head unlike my social awkardness last year because I was antisocial until I met Seto. He helped to break me out of that shell and I'm grateful for it. Now, I just need to learn how to talk to people like Seto helped me to at a competition. I just hope that I won't freeze up when people try to talk to me like I did the last time. Otherwise, Seto's hard work would've ended up being for nothing.

I took a deep breath as I looked at the competition. There weren't that many people here. Not that I'm that surprised. Duel Monsters isn't as common here as it is in Japan. It's still popular, but not many people are interested in playing it.

The competitions here usually end up with four rounds because of how few people play it. There are usually only sixteen players in the Regional Competition. The Nationals have even less people playing it. There are only eight people who play in that competition. There are four Regional Tournaments in Egypt, and you need to be in the top two in order to qualify for the National Competition. This year the National Competiton is being held in Cario, Egypt and it's promised to be big.

I walked into one of the rooms to be used for participating players so that I could prepare my deck. I needed to be ready for anything that the competition may have. There are things that I may not know about the competition and I needed to be prepared for anything that they might throw at me. I can't take any chances.

Once I was sure that I was ready, I gathered with the rest of the competitors to the stadium to hear who was going against who. Once I was chosen, I got ready to go up into the arena for me to fight my opponent. He was a black haired and blue eyed male who seemed to specialize in warrior monsters. However, he was no problem for me.

The next round I was up against a reptile monster specialist, who fell just as easily. Then came the semi final round. I went up against a insect monster specialist. However, he may have been slightly harder but he fell just like the rest. Now it was time for the final round and I was up against a fiend monster speicalist.

We both drew five cards before he went first to start the duel.

Challenger: 4000

Sapphira: 4000

He went first.

"I summon out Mystic Clown in attack."

Mystic Clown

Attack: 1500

Defense:1000

"I place a card face down and end my turn."

I drew my card and then looked at his monster. I knew that I had to be careful as I faced my opponent. I didn't trust that face down card of his, but I had a card that I wouldn't have to worry about that face down card of his.

"I summon my Mirage Dragon in attack."

Mirage Dragon

Attack: 1600

Defense: 600

"My dragon attacks your Mystic Clown."

He tried to activate his face down card, but it wouldn't work for him as he looked at me in confusion. I gave him a small smirk in amusement.

" I'm afraid that your face down card won't work on my dragon," I explained. "My dragon's effect makes it impossible for you to activate traps cards during the battle phase."

My dragon attack the monster and destroy it in one blow and taking life points out of my opponent.

"I place two cards face down and end my turn."

Challenger: 3900

Sapphira: 4000

He drew his card to start his turn.

"I summon out my Slate Warrior in attack."

Slate Warrior

Attack: 1900

Defense: 400

"He attacks your Mirage Dragon."

I was ready for this ahead of time. I knew that he would target my dragon.

"I activate my trap card, Waboku. This card prevents me from taking any battle damage this turn and prevents you from destroying my monsters. Better luck next time."

He looked annoyed at this and ended his turn.

Challenger: 3900

Sapphira: 4000

I drew my card and smirked. It was time for one of my favorite combos.

"I summon out my Lord of D. in attack."

Lord of D.

Attack: 1200

Defense: 1100

Then I activate my magic card, Flute of Summoning Dragon. This card allows me to summon out two dragon monsters from my hand as long as I have Lord of D. out on the field. So I summon out my two Red-Eyes Black Dragons in attack."

Red-Eyes Black Dragon

Attack: 2400

Defense: 2000

"Then I activate my trap card, Metalmorph and equip it to one of my dragons. It gains 300 attack and defense, but that's not all. I tribute off my dragon with the metalmorph to special summon my Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon in attack."

Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon

Attack: 2800

Defense: 2400

"Now, I activate my spell card Inferno Fire Blast. As long as I control a Red-Eyes Black Dragon, I can inflict damage to you equal to my dragon's original attack. Unfortunetly, it can't attack the same turn I activate this card but it's worth dishing you out 2400 points of direct damage."

My opponent wasn't happy about the direct damage because he knew that it wasn't over. He still had my other two dragons to deal with.

Challenger: 1500

Sapphira: 4000

"Now, my Red-Eyes Black Metal Dragon will attack your Slate Warrior."

It didn't take much for my monster to destroy his and he smirked at what I knew was his effect.

Challenger: 600

Sapphira: 4000

"Your forgot about my warrior's effect. The monster that destroys my warrior loses 500 attack and defense."

I smirked at that which made him surprised that I wasn't worried.

"It won't matter for long. I only have my Mirage Dragon left to fight and by then you will have lost this duel. My dragon will attack to wipe out the rest of your life points."

The duel was offically over and the winner was me once again.

Challenger: 0000

Sapphira: 4000

Winner: Sapphira

He smiled as he lost the duel and we stood up. We both shook hands with a smile.

"Your a great duelist Sapphira," He spoke. "It's no wonder that you're the National Champion. It was an honor to have dueled you."

I smiled at his words.

"You're too bad of a duelist yourself," I replied back. "If you keep going at it, I have no doubt that you'll be a great duelist yourself. Learn from this loss and you'll know how to come back from any situation."

He nodded and left soon after and I went to where I knew where I would get the trophy for this competiton would be. I smiled as I got my trophy and left the arena and came across Seto.

He smiled as he came up to me with Mokuba beside him. I smiled as they came up to me. I was happy to see them. After all, It's been a while since they last came to Egypt.

Seto was in his usual business attire, so I knew that he was doing Kaiba Corp. business while he was out here. I'm not really that surprised, though. After all, he has an office building here in Egypt so he has to come out here to check up on it eventually.

Mokuba had raven black hair and dark blue eyes. He was wearing a long stripped shirt and black pants with sneakers. His eyes were sparkling in what I knew was excitement at seeing me again.

I coulnd't help but smile back. I was rather fond with the kid and I couldn't help but smile whenever he was around. His smile was rather infectious when it came to me, and sometimes I could see a glimpse of a smile on Seto's face whenever he was around.

"I see that you won again, Sapphira" Seto spoke. " You may just be able to enter the World Championships if you win the Nationals again this year. Hopefully, you'll enter this year unlike last year."

I smiled at him.

"I hope so, Seto" I replied back. "Last year, I wasn't as confidient in my skills to be able to go up against so many high level duelists. This year, though, I feel that I'm ready to see what I'm made of and to face the world as a duelist."

Seto nodded in understanding.

"I know, Sapphira" Seto replied. "I told you last year that you had the skill. You've been able to hold your own against me in a fight and I knew that you could easily make it into the top five of the World Championships. You just needed to gain the courage and the confidience to fight in the tournament. Hopefully, the tournament this year won't be as boring as it was last year."

I nodded in understanding. Last year's World Championships weren't very exciting. Seto won the tournament without breaking a sweat. This year, he really wants a challenge just like I want one.

"Let's hope that we both get that challenge that we're looking for" I answered.

Seto nodded and we both left to go our sepereate ways. The Regional Tournament is finished, so now I just have to wait for the National Competition to come up in two months. It amy take a while for the Competition to get here, but I can't wait for it to happen. It will be a tournament to remember.

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