What was the only Monster in Kagemaru's deck other than the Sacred Beasts that we knew about? If you said "The Creator", you were successfully able to Name that Card!
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My name is Jade Valentine, daughter of Mai Valentine. I was once a great duelist, like my mother aspired to be, and also a martial artist who tried to live up to the ways of tradition set forth by my ancestors.
These days, I spend most of my time teaching martial arts. I haven't dueled in a long time. I give encouragement to the students in my dojo who are also duelists, but no advice – they are here to learn something other than card games.
But… Long ago, my own sensei entrusted me with a great secret… A secret that I would only reveal to one who held the Six Samurai and possessed the power within him to use it.
Nicholas… I looked deep into his soul… I know a few tricks. The power inside him has not yet been awakened, but there is no mistaking, it is there.
I must come out of retirement. I've been preparing for this moment for most of my life.
Once again… It is time to duel.
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CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
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Reenactment
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In one of the Twelve Dimensions, somewhat separate from Xanadu, Freed the Matchless General was sitting in the center of an army camp that had been erected quickly, where several Warriors were being debriefed by other Warriors. He was looking over two clipboards.
"Sir!" shouted a voice, that startled him.
"What?" he said, rather annoyed.
"Did you get the clipboard?" asked the Command Knight.
"Yes, I got the clipboard!" he snapped, "and it's the exact same clipboard as the first clipboard!
"Everyone here doesn't seem to realize how serious this campaign is. We're likely going to be facing Duel Spirits who are working for Shogarr, and we're not showing enough cooperation to take on an army working for Vashtuk!"
"Vashtuk?" asked the Command Knight. "The fallen celestial who was cursed with the form of a thieving goblin after he stole from the god of joy and laughter? His army is a joke… It can't…"
She paused.
"Are we… That bad?" she asked.
"Not yet, but we're getting close," replied Freed. "Well, as the great Carthaginian general Hannibal is attributed to saying, 'We will either find a way, or make one.'
"Give me that!"
He grabbed the bullhorn she was holding and stood up.
"All right folks, listen up!" he shouted through it. "Frankly, I've seen more organized behavior from a Piranha Army in a feeding frenzy! I was hoping for more Sergeant Yorks, and less Gomer Pyles!
"Now everyone, just calm down! Everyone will be assigned by abilities and strength once we gauge them.
"Now, we're going to form three lines, and then line up alphabetically…"
"Oh, for the love of…" shouted someone in the crowd.
"Sorry, Zombyra," said Freed, "but if we don't do this with some semblance of order, we'll be no better than the forces of Chaos that we're fighting. And we don't want that…"
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"That door isn't locked, is it?" asked Nicholas.
"No…" said Olga, trying the knob. "So why don't we run while we have the chance? We'll go down to Domino Mall, look at weirdoes and have a milkshake…"
"What are you scared of?" asked Nicholas.
"What am I scared of?" repeated Olga. "Think about, Nicholas! This woman can break through cinderblock with her forehead!"
"Any sensei would advise against actually doing that," said Jade's voice, this time sounding a little ominous. "You could break your nose."
Then the lights in the room went out.
"Nicholas…" said Olga.
She went for the door again. And this time, it was locked.
"We're trapped…" she squeaked.
Then, several candles placed in alcoves around the room lit.
Nicholas jumped when he saw Jade standing just ten paces in front of him.
She wasn't wearing her armor, but she had changed her wardrobe dramatically. She had changed out of her green kimono, and put on a black one with a red sash. Her hair was now tied in a long ponytail that hung behind her, and most shocking, her face was covered with odd designs, drawn on by what looked like charcoal.
A standard-issue Duel Disk was on her left arm.
"Jade, you're scaring me," said Nicholas.
"That's the idea, young warrior," said Jade. "It's time you learned a few things about the cards you hold, before we decide whether my secrets shall stay hidden or not."
"You want me to duel you, right?" asked Nicholas.
Jade nodded.
"But you won't be seeing Yamoto or Sashia or any of my other signature cards," she continued. "They are not appropriate for such a battle.
"Listen carefully as I tell the whole story… The story of how the cards in your deck came to be…
"On one of his frequent trips to Japan, Pegasus bought an old journal at an auction. If the dates in this journal were accurate, it was written by a powerful lord who lived around the 12th Century AD, the time when Samurai were first becoming molded into the system that they are recognized as.
"This lord detailed six knights who had pledged allegiance to him, who also happened to be brothers. These six were the most skilled, bravest, and most loyal members of his army. Pegasus would later take the descriptions of these knights and design the Six Samurai.
"But the journal also says that before they ever entered the service of this lord, these six brothers studied the arts of warfare under a mysterious sensei. The writer of the journal only refers to him as The True Master. Apparently, after teaching his students all he could, The True Master retired, and retreated to the wilderness to become a philosopher.
"Now, when they were alive, the Six Samurai and their lord had enemies. Their deadliest were a tribe of vicious Yōkai."
"Yōkai?" asked Nicholas.
"Yōkai," continued Jade. "Spirits. Goblins, demons, all manner of supernatural beings ranging from the mischievous Kitsune to the wild Tengu to the ravenous Oni. They represented the dark side of nature.
"The Six Samurai and the Yōkai tribe met in a battle that was fierce and bloody. It seemed the Samurai could not win, because their enemies regenerated themselves after they fell, coming back from the dead stronger than before.
"Finally, help came from an unexpected source. The True Master appeared on a hill above the battlefield. No-one knew where he had come from, but he had come. Apparently, he was not interested in doing anything but watching; however, the appearance of their sensei gave the brothers their second wind. One of the Six – the journal doesn't say which one – confronted the Yōkai general head-to-head, and after a long struggle, struck clean with his sword and split the beast straight down the middle, slaying it.
"The demon army fled, and the Six Samurai were victorious. They looked for their mentor, but he had left as mysteriously as he had come.
"Do you want The True Master to come again, Nicholas? Then you must face me in a duel where that great battle will be reenacted. The deck I have now contains the spirits of the Six Samurai's bloodthirsty enemies, the dreaded Yōkai army. If the Samurai are victorious again, you will be proven worthy."
"An army of evil spirits?" gasped Olga. "Jade… Are you sure?"
"All my life, I have conditioned myself for this very duel, Olga," said Jade. "Thus, when I duel using this deck, I will control these demons, and they will not control me."
"So…" muttered Nicholas. "What will this be? Some sort of Shadow Game?"
"Not quite," replied Jade. "Shadow Games draw power from the dark realm that we mortals call the Shadow Realm.
"This duel will hopefully draw power from two different sources. As far as I'm concerned, I will draw power from the unholy energy of the Yōkai.
"You will draw it from a different source, if you are truly able to. The ancestral power that is drawn from the souls of the six brothers should prove to be more than a match for the source I am channeling…
"IF… If, that is, you are truly worthy of facing my deck with it. Otherwise, the creatures you summon will be no more than holograms, and you will be overcome by the nightmares that I will summon."
Nicholas took some deep breaths. He looked hard at his deck.
He closed his eyes.
"I accept…" he said.
"Then let the battle begin…" said Jade.
(Jade: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (Nicholas: 8,000)
"The first move is yours," said Jade.
"Be careful, Nicholas!" shouted Olga, as Nicholas made his first draw.
"Okay, here goes…" said Nicholas. "I'll summon Marauding Captain…"
He played the card, and in a flourish, the battle-worn warrior appeared, holding his twin swords. (1,200/400)
"Now I'll use his effect, to Special Summon Shien's Footsoldier in Defense Mode."
He played another card, and the small, simian Warrior appeared, sitting cross-legged with his spear in his lap. (700/300)
"I'll play a facedown, and end by playing the Continuous Spell, The Six Samurai United."
A facedown card appeared, and the Continuous Spell appeared next to it.
"Not bad," said Jade. "You managed to do much in your first turn…
"But still… You are still afraid, young warrior. Your voice was thick with fear with every card you played."
"Is that a bad thing?" asked Nicholas, nervously.
"It depends on how you show it," replied Jade. "One warrior I read about thought he was a coward because he was always afraid. Until one wise man told him that simply because he ran from danger, it didn't make him a coward. Certainly, he was confusing courage with wisdom."
"Uhm…" muttered Olga. "Isn't that… Isn't that what the Wizard of Oz told the Cowardly Lion?"
"Was the Wizard not a wise man?" asked Jade. "Still, the point is, the Lion's problem was that he was expressing his fear in the wrong way. True courage is when you're afraid, but you act anyway."
She drew a card.
"I play the Spell Card, Foolish Burial. Now, I can bury any Monster from my deck in my Graveyard."
She quickly took a card from her deck, and discarded it.
"And it will wait there until I need it. Next, a Continuous Spell Card. The powerful Card of Safe Return."
She played another Spell Card.
"Now, every time I Special Summon a Monster from my Graveyard, I get to make one draw.
"Next, I summon Gozuki."
"Who?" asked Nicholas.
A dark flame appeared on Jade's side of the field, and a bestial creature stepped out of it. It looked like a huge, muscular, humanoid bull, holding a giant, wooden hammer. It snarled in a voice that was clearly bestial. (1,700/800)
"Now I use Gozuki's effect," said Jade, taking her deck. "Once per round, I get to take one Zombie from my deck, and send it to the Graveyard."
She discarded a card.
"Why do you keep sending your Monsters to the Graveyard?" gasped Nicholas.
"Didn't you hear that part of my story?" asked Jade. "The Yōkai cannot be killed under most circumstances. If you try, they come back from the grave, and become even more powerful.
"In game terms, that means their true strength is only awakened after they've been summoned from the Graveyard. I will demonstrate.
"The Monster I just discarded is called a Mezuki. And by removing it from play, I can raise another Zombie from my Graveyard. And I'll raise the one I discarded with Foolish Burial. My Crow Tengu!"
The ground in front of her cracked, and a humanoid form burst out. It was a big, black bird with humanoid features, and arms as well as wings. It let out a loud squawk. (1,400/1,200)
"I get to draw one card," she said, as Card of Safe Return glowed. "And when Crow Tengu is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, it destroys one Monster."
She drew a card, and Crow Tengu's eyes glowed with feral light. Shien's Footsoldier burst into pixels.
"Crud," said Nicholas.
"Crow Tengu," ordered Jade, "attack Marauding Captain. Doom wind."
Crow Tengu spread its wings and took to the air. It beat its wings, releasing a fierce gale. Marauding Captain shielded himself, and then shattered.
"Gozuki…" she continued. "Attack Nicholas directly! Soul hammer!"
Steam blew from the bestial Zombie's nostrils. It lifted its hammer and charged at Nicholas.
"Activate… Draining Shield!" shouted Nicholas.
His facedown card shot up, and a sphere of energy surrounded him. Gozuki's weapon slammed into it.
Hey… thought Nicholas, as he felt the tingle. Maybe there is something to this ancestral power… I never felt more energized when I used Draining Shield before…
Could the actual Six Samurai be here?
Well… I won't know until I draw one…
(J: 8,000) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 9,500)
"It's your move," said Jade.
Nicholas drew a card and looked at it.
He placed it on his Disk, and a set Monster appeared.
"That'll do," he said.
"You seem more confident," said Jade, drawing.
"I activate the effect of Gozuki again."
She took a card from her deck, and discarded it.
If she keeps pitching Monsters into her Graveyard, thought Olga, she's gonna run out of them twice as fast!
"Next," said Jade, "I'll summon a second Mezuki."
She played the card, and Nicholas was a little glad she had chosen to summon it. Now he got to see what it looked like. It was an ogre that combined the features of man and horse, wearing a ragged pair of shorts, and holding an axe. It growled, and its eyes narrowed. (1,700/800)
"Attack his Monster!" she shouted.
Mezuki snorted, and charged the facedown Monster, swinging its weapon.
Command Knight appeared on the card. She lifted up her shield and knocked the axe aside. (1,200/1,900) –) (1,600/1,900)
"Sorry, Jade," said Nicholas. "She's a little too strong for him."
"So I see," said Jade. "I set one card facedown, and end my turn."
A facedown card appeared behind her three Zombies.
(J: 7,800) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 9,500)
"All right!" exclaimed Nicholas. "Draw!"
He drew a card. He looked at it.
It was Zanji.
Time to find out… he thought.
"I summon… Six Samurai Zanji!" he shouted.
He played the card, and a burst of light shot up from the space in front of him.
The armored Samurai appeared holding his naginata. He turned slightly to Nicholas.
The slight smile on Zanji's face was all the proof that Nicholas needed. Zanji turned to face the three demons. (1,800/1,300)
"With Command Knight on the field, he gains a little boost."
Zanji glowed, and rose to an Attack Score of 2,200.
"And I'll move her to Attack Mode too…"
Command Knight stood up, and drew her sword.
"And, since I summoned a Samurai, my United card gains one Bushido Counter.
"Now, I'll play Double Summon. This lets me make a second Normal Summon."
He played the card, and took another card from his hand.
"And I'll summon Spirit of the Six Samurai."
With a low moan, the haunted suit of armor appeared next to Zanji. (500/500)
"Since it counts as a Samurai, my card gains another Counter. And since it now has two Counters, I can send it to the Graveyard to draw two cards."
The United card vanished, and Nicholas drew twice.
"Next, I'll Equip the Spirit to Zanji!"
Spirit of the Six Samurai broke apart, and the armor bonded to Zanji, forming a fancier, more elaborate suit of armor. A much more powerful-looking naginata appeared in his hands. (2,700/1,800)
"All right!" shouted Nicholas. "Time to take out some demon trash! Zanji, attack her Gozuki! Rising sun strike!"
Zanji flew at the bestial Yōkai and made a slash with his weapon. It howled and shattered.
"Command Knight, turn that Tengu into a feather duster!"
Command Knight slashed at the winged Zombie with her sword. Crow Tengu made a loud screech and then exploded into black feathers.
(J: 6,600) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 9,500)
Jade smirked.
"Huh?" said Olga. "She's losing, and she's happy?"
"How soon you forget the nature of the Yōkai's powers, young warrior?" said Jade. "Attack them… Kill them if you think you can… Because they'll only come back, gaining strength from the grave itself…
"My move…"
She drew a card.
"I move Mezuki to Defense Mode, and then set a Monster."
Mezuki knelt, and held its axe in front of it. Then a facedown Monster appeared.
"…and my turn is complete."
Nicholas drew a card.
"I summon Six Samurai Nisashi!" he exclaimed.
A blast of wind tore through the hall, causing the candle flames to flicker. Nisashi appeared, holding his glowing katana blades. (1,400/700) –) (1,800/700)
"And since I have at least one Samurai on the field, I can Special Summon Grandmaster of the Six Samurai!"
In a burst of energy, the elderly, eyepatched sensei appeared, holding his longsword. (2,100/800) –) (2,600/800)
"Gee, Jade…" said Nicholas. "All your ominous talk and scary Monsters aside, this isn't very hard… I kinda expected more from you…"
Jade narrowed her eyes.
"Zanji… Attack her Mezuki!"
Zanji speared the Zombie with his weapon, and it burst into shards.
"I get to draw one card, due to my Spirit."
He made a draw.
"Now Nisashi attacks. And since I have another Samurai on the field, he can do so twice! Go! Strike of the Driving Gale!"
Nisashi rushed at the facedown card. A small, cute-looking fox with a flame on the tip of its tail appeared on the card, right before one slash cut it down.
"Now attack…"
"I activate my Trap Card," interrupted Jade, as her facedown card lifted.
"Huh?" said Nicholas. "A Trap? What is it?"
A gaggle of howling ghosts flew out the Trap Card, whose image depicted two specters flying out of a cave.
"Behold…" said Jade. "Haunted Shrine of Wretched Ghosts! Since I have no Monsters on the field, this lets me Special Summon a Zombie from my Graveyard."
Crow Tengu appeared again, forming a fighting stance. (1,400/1,200)
"I get to draw one card due to Card of Safe Return," she said, drawing a card. "And you remember what Crow Tengu can do when it's summoned from the Graveyard, right? I think I'll destroy Command Knight."
Crow Tengu's eyes glowed, and Command Knight screamed. She shattered into pixels. Nicholas's three other Warriors lost 400 Attack Points.
"I still can destroy it!" replied Nicholas. "Grandmaster, destroy Crow Tengu!"
The Grandmaster lifted his longsword, and made a fierce swipe. The goblin screeched again, and shattered into shards.
"And by the way, Nisashi's two attacks do NOT have to come in succession! Attack directly!"
Nisashi made a slash at Jade with his katana, and she grunted and staggered backwards.
"Hurts…" she muttered. "But I've felt worse…"
(J: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 9,500)
"I end my turn," said Nicholas.
"That means the effect of my Fox Fire activates," replied Jade. "Since it was destroyed, it comes back to the field during the End Phase."
The small fox with the burning tail reappeared. (300/200)
"And Card of Safe Return activates."
She made one draw.
"Now, I'll make my normal draw."
She drew again.
"I remove my second Mezuki from play, to raise Shutendouji from my Graveyard."
Once again, the ground burst open, and a new Yōkai crawled out. This one was just as bestial as the others, with wolf-like features and a thick mane of hair. It had no weapon, but instead carried an odd jug that seemed to be made from a gourd, which had odd runes carved on it. It snarled, and saliva dripped from its fangs. (1,500/800)
"Since I summoned it from the Graveyard, its Attack Score becomes 2,000."
Shutendouji glowed with dark energy. (2,000/800)
"And I get to draw one more card due to Card of Safe Return."
She drew a card.
"Next, I Normal Summon Ittan-Momen."
She played the card, and a ghostly shape appeared next to Shutendouji. It looked like a collection of long rags, animated by some phantom force, surrounded by an aura of flames. (1,200/1,500)
"Then, since I have a Fire Monster on the field – I have two, actually – I get to Special Summon Goka, the Pyre of Malice."
She played the card, and a large, iron jar appeared on the field.
"A jar?" asked Olga.
Then flames spouted from the jar, and they solidified, turning into, for lack of better description, a ghost made of fire. It had a demonic face, and large claws made of flames. (2,200/1,900)
"Correction…" said Olga, nervously. "A jar with a Monster inside it…"
"Since I did that," continued Jade, "I have to destroy said Fire Monster…"
Ittan-Momen burst into embers.
"And, when Ittan-Momen is destroyed, one of your Monsters loses 500 Attack Points."
Zanji groaned as an aura of fire surrounded him, and his Attack Score fell to 1,800.
"But I'm not done," continued Jade. "Now, by sacrificing another Fire Monster, I can increase Goka's Attack Score by 500."
Fox Fire vanished, and Goka burned even more fiercely. (2,700/1,900)
"Goka, attack Zanji. Dark pyre."
Goka blazed with flames, and flew towards Zanji. He held up his arm, and the armor covering him shattered. His Attack Score fell to 1,300.
"Zanji survived," muttered Nicholas. "He used the Spirit as a shield."
"Maybe so," said Jade, "but are your other Samurai worth sacrificing to protect him from Shutendouji?"
The ogre breathed a gout of flames from its jowls at Zanji. Zanji groaned again, and shattered into golden triangles.
"I didn't think so," said Jade.
She placed a card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"My move is complete," she said, "which means Goka's Attack Score returns to 2,200."
(J: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 7,900)
Nicholas slowly drew. He looked at the two demons.
"You know, Jade," he muttered, "I have to say, after all these years, you haven't lost your touch…
"I summon… Six Samurai Yaichi!"
In a watery burst, the tall Samurai archer appeared, holding his bow forward. (1,300/800)
"Now he can destroy your facedown card!"
Yaichi's eyes narrowed. He drew back his bow, and fired an arrow, skewering the facedown card.
"Sorry, young warrior," said Jade, "but by destroying it, you activated it. Threatening Roar."
A loud below echoed over the room.
Nicholas paused. He looked at the last three cards in his hand.
"I set a facedown of my own," he said, "then move Nisashi to Defense Mode, and that will be all."
A facedown card appeared behind his three Warriors. Nisashi sheathed his two katana and knelt in a defensive position.
"I draw," said Jade.
She drew, and looked at the card.
"Due to Goka's other effect, I now get a Fireball Token in Defense Mode."
In a small burst of flame, a small fireball with two glowing eyes appeared next to Goka. (100/100)
"Next, I play Graceful Charity."
The Spell Card appeared, and she drew three cards. She looked them over, and then discarded two from her hand.
"Now, I play Tribute to the Doomed to destroy Nisashi."
She played the card, and discarded another one. A blast of energy hit Nisashi, and he screamed before shattering into pixels.
"Now," continued Jade, "I sacrifice my Fireball Token to increase Goka's Attack Score once again."
The Token vanished, and Goka rose to an Attack Score of 2,700 again.
"Goka, attack his Grandmaster."
Goka blazed with fire again, and flew at the Grandmaster.
"I activate… Shrink!" shouted Nicholas. "And it's gonna put out your Monster's fire!"
His facedown card flipped up, and Goka fell to an Attack Score of 1,600. Grandmaster slashed with his sword, and Goka howled before it shattered.
"Shutendouji, attack Yaichi," said Jade, as if nothing had happened.
The ogre breathed his dark flames, and Yaichi cringed before he shattered.
(J: 4,500) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 7,200)
"My turn isn't over," said Jade. "First, I Normal Summon Onmoraki."
She played the card, and a large bird appeared, that looked like a big crane with black feathers and a flame on its forehead. It squawked and flapped its wings. (1,200/1,000)
"Next, one of the Monsters I discarded when I played Graceful Charity is a powerful Yōkai called a Nine-Tailed Fox. If I summon it from my hand, it doesn't have any effects. But, if I sacrifice two Zombies on the field, I can summon it from the Graveyard, and it gains two powerful effects.
"So, I sacrifice Onmoraki and Shutendouji…"
The two Yōkai vanished.
"To bring Nine-Tailed Fox to the field."
The ground split open again, and another creature crawled out. It looked like a bigger, stronger version of Fox Fire, with (naturally) nine glowing tails. (2,200/2,000)
"I get to draw one card, due to Card of Safe Return…"
She made one draw, and looked at it.
"I believe I'll set it facedown…"
She placed it in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
"And I'll end my turn."
Jade's strategy seems clever on the surface, thought Olga. She sends Monsters to the Graveyard and revives them to activate their powers, gaining an extra draw in the process due to Card of Safe Return…
But there is one weakness to this strategy… She's going through her deck twice as fast. Nicholas might be able to deck her out if this keeps up.
Nicholas drew a card.
That's it, he thought.
"I summon Six Samurai Kamon!" he shouted.
In a burst of fire, the Samurai armed to the teeth with explosives appeared, a smile on his sooty face. (1,500/1,000)
"Now I use his effect," continued Nicholas, "to destroy your Card of Safe Return!"
Kamon grabbed one of his explosives, and prepared to light it.
"You make this too easy," said Jade, as her facedown card lifted. "Activate, Divine Wrath."
She discarded a card, a second Card of Safe Return, and lightning flashed. It struck Kamon, and he shattered.
Nicholas stood dumbfounded.
Was her deck specifically built to counter the Samurai's abilities? he asked himself.
"I move Grandmaster to Defense Mode, set one card facedown and end my turn," he said.
Grandmaster knelt and crossed his arms, and a facedown card appeared behind him.
"Not the brightest idea," said Jade, drawing a card.
"I play Premature Burial, to raise Onmoraki from the Graveyard."
The card slipped out of her discard slot, and Onmoraki appeared again. (1,200/1,000)
"When Onmoraki is summoned from the Graveyard, I get to draw one card. And I also get to draw once due to Card of Safe Return."
She made two draws.
"Now, my Nine-Tailed Fox attacks your Grandmaster. And because of the special way in which I summoned it, when it attacks a Monster in Defense Mode, and its Attack Score is higher than the target's Defense Score, the difference is taken out of your Life Points."
"Oh no…" muttered Nicholas.
Nine-Tailed Fox breathed a scorching blast of heat. Grandmaster cringed, and was burned up.
"Now, Onmoraki attacks you directly," said Jade.
Onmoraki screeched and swooped down on Nicholas, and he screamed in pain as it dug its talons into his shoulders.
"That… that hurt!" he gasped.
Jade smirked slightly.
"I never said this would be easy, young warrior," she said. "My move is over."
(J: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 4,400)
Nicholas nervously made a draw.
He played the card quickly, and the Pot of Greed appeared on his side of the field. He made two draws.
He looked at them.
"I activate Call of the Haunted!" he exclaimed, as his facedown card lifted. "I'll bring back my Grandmaster."
A wicker coffin rose to the surface on his side of the field. It opened, and Grandmaster stepped out. (2,100/800)
"Next, I summon Six Samurai Yariza."
In a blur of energy, the black-garbed, masked Samurai holding his spear appeared. (1,000/500)
"Now, a Spell Card," he continued. "It's called Union Attack. For this round only, only one of my Monsters can attack… But he gains Attack Points equal to the Attack Scores of my other Monsters."
He played the card, and Grandmaster rose to an Attack Score of 3,100.
"You forget," said Jade, with a smile, "battle damage to me is reduced to zero."
"At least I can destroy your Fox!" shouted Nicholas.
Grandmaster slashed with his longsword, and Nine-Tailed Fox exploded into a shower of embers.
"I activate its other effect," said Jade. "When it is defeated, I get two Fox Tokens in Defense Mode."
In two bursts of flame, two fiery foxes appeared on Jade's side of the field. (300/300 x2)
Nicholas looked at the last card in his hand.
"I end my turn," he said.
Jade drew a card.
"I will simply move Onmoraki to Defense Mode," she said, "and that will be all."
Onmoraki landed and shielded itself with its wings.
Nicholas drew.
Hope this works, he thought, looking at it.
"I play my own Graceful Charity," he said.
He played the card, and drew three. He held the three cards up to the one that was already in his hand. The three new ones were Premature Burial, Six Samurai Irou, and Cunning of the Six Samurai.
Perfect, he thought.
He discarded Irou and Cunning.
"I play Premature Burial to revive Six Samurai Irou," he said.
He fit the card in his Disk, and the blind, katana-wielding Samurai appeared. (1,700/1,200)
"Then, a Monster in Defense Mode."
He played the last card in his hand, and a facedown Monster appeared.
"All right, everyone!" he exclaimed. "Take out her Monsters!"
Yariza jabbed one of the foxes with his spear, and it burst into flaming sparks. Irou slashed at the other one with his katana, and it burst. Then Grandmaster made a swipe with his sword, cleaving Onmoraki in half.
"And that's my turn," said Nicholas, taking a deep breath.
(J: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 3,600)
Jade closed her eyes. She drew a card.
"I set two cards," she said, as two facedown cards appeared.
"Then, I play Swords of Revealing Light."
She played the Spell Card, and the blizzard of swords shot forward, entrapping Nicholas and his Monsters. The concealed Monster on Nicholas's side revealed itself to be his Morphing Jar.
"Just as I thought," said Jade.
She discarded her hand, and they both drew five cards.
Jade looked at her new hand.
"I activate Shield Crush," she said, playing one of the cards.
A beam of light shot forward, and Morphing Jar was blown to dust.
"Now, I activate my two facedown cards."
The two cards she had just set lifted. They were two copies of the same card.
"Fiend's Sanctuary?" gasped Nicholas.
"That's right," said Jade. "Now I get two Metal Fiend Tokens."
Two objects that looked like stick men made out of metal beads appeared on her side of the field. (0/0 x2)
"Now, I sacrifice both of them…"
The room darkened even more as both of the tokens vanished. A low growl echoed through the room as a dark shadow rose on Jade's side of the field.
The shadow formed into a monstrous ogre, almost nine feet tall. It had red skin, clawed hands and feet, horns on its head, longer horns on its shoulders, pointed teeth, and was dressed only in a ragged breechcloth. It carried a weapon that looked like a big, metal baseball bat with small spikes on the business end. (2,800/2,100)
Nicholas stepped back in fright.
"That's him, isn't it?" he asked. "That's the Yōkai general!"
Jade nodded.
"And Akaoni has a powerful effect that I can use when it is Normal Summoned," she said, holding up the three cards in her hand. "For each card in my hand that I choose to discard, I can send one card on the field back to its owner's hand."
She quickly discarded all three of the cards. Grandmaster, Irou, and Yariza vanished, and their cards appeared in Nicholas's hand.
"Good lord…" he muttered.
"Akaoni," ordered Jade. "Attack him directly."
It was all Nicholas could do not to turn and run as the huge beast bore down on him. It struck him hard with the great club, and he hollered in pain as he was thrown backwards.
(J: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 800)
Then Jade actually laughed.
"Having this duel was an excellent idea!" she laughed. "I don't even remember why I stopped dueling in the first place! It gets my blood pumping!"
Oh, I was afraid of this, thought Olga. Jade claimed she could control these cards, but very slowly, they're breaking free from her control. I don't think they like being controlled by anyone. Nicholas had better think of something fast, or they might turn the tables on her.
Nicholas got up.
"My move," he muttered.
He drew a card and looked at his hand, which, thanks to that last move, now consisted of nine cards.
She made a powerful move, he thought, but she had to toss her whole hand to do it. Still, I don't have anything that can take out that monstrosity.
He played a card, and a facedown Monster appeared. Then he fit two of his cards into his Disk, and two facedown cards appeared.
I just have to pray that she doesn't manage to draw a Monster on her next turn.
"That's all I can do," he said.
"I draw one card," said Jade, drawing.
She looked at the card.
She glanced at Nicholas with a look that made his blood run cold.
She placed the card in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared.
I have a feeling that that's a Trap Card, he thought, and likely a very powerful one…
Akaoni charged at the facedown Monster. Yariza appeared on the card, and with one smash, he was blown to bits.
"Your move," said Jade.
Nicholas quickly drew a card.
His eyebrow rose.
I got an idea, he thought. All I need is one thing…
He hit a button on his Disk.
"Before I move, Jade," he said, "I'm gonna take a look at your Graveyard…"
All the cards in Jade's Graveyard appeared in the air in front of him.
"Aha!" he said. "I had a feeling you might have had this in your deck… It certainly would have benefited you. And you discarded it at one point…"
The cards vanished.
"I play Double Spell! Now, for the cost of one Spell Card…"
He tossed one of his cards.
"…I can use that card… Card Destruction!"
The art for Double Spell changed to that for Card Destruction.
"I'll fold the rest of the cards in my hand, and draw an equal number."
He discarded his five cards, and then drew five times.
What? thought Jade. He just sent Grandmaster and Irou to the Graveyard on purpose?
Nicholas looked at the five cards. Then he chose one, and placed it on his Disk. A set Monster appeared.
"And that's all," he said.
Jade chuckled, and drew a card.
"Time to end this," she said. "I'm going to show you the true power that the Yōkai are capable of… This might be overkill, but…"
Her facedown card lifted. It was a hideous picture that showed a mob of ghouls in a dark wood.
"The Trap Card, Night Parade of One-Hundred Demons!"
"I don't even know what it does," gasped Nicholas, "and I already know I'm not gonna like it…"
"Trust me, you won't," replied Jade. "This Trap lets me Special Summon from my Graveyard as many Zombies as I am able to. Sure, they'll all die when I end my turn, but this duel will be over before that happens."
An aura of flaming, unholy energy burned on Jade's side of the field, and a sound like the cries of a mob of tortured spirits echoed through the hall. Crow Tengu appeared first. (1,400/1,200), then Shutendouji (1,500/800) –) (2,000/800), then the Nine-Tailed Fox (2,200/2,000), and finally, Gozuki (1,700/800). The five demons' eyes glowed with evil light as they glared at Nicholas.
"I get to draw one card due to Card of Safe Return," said Jade, making a draw, "and you remember Crow Tengu's effect, right?"
Nicholas's facedown Monster shattered to pieces.
Jade pointed.
"Get him," she said.
The five Yōkai started to rush at Nicholas.
"Hold on, Jade!" he shouted. "I have a Trap of my own…"
One of his two facedown cards lifted.
"You see, you may be able to summon an army… But so can I! It's a Trap called Backs to the Wall!
"To activate this card, I have to pay all my Life Points but 100 of them. Then, I get to bring back as many Samurai as I can!"
In five flashes of light, five Samurai appeared. Zanji (1,800/1,300), Yaichi (1,300/800), Kamon (1,500/1,000), Nisashi (1,400/700), and the Grandmaster (2,100/800) appeared on Nicholas's side, all in Defense Mode.
(J: 3,700) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 100)
"You may have erected a shield," said Jade, "but my army will kill them all!"
The five demons started to charge again…
"Shield?" asked Nicholas. "Not on your life! They're gonna take your goons down!
"I have another Trap Card! And it's as powerful as it is hard to say…"
His other facedown card lifted.
"Go, Fuh-Rin-Ka-Zan!"
The Samurai quickly stood up.
"Wind! Forest! Fire! Mountain!" shouted Nicholas.
"Swift as Wind," replied Nisashi, holding aloft his blades.
"Silent as Forest," added Yaichi, drawing back his bow.
"Fierce as Fire," said Kamon, as flames appeared in his hand.
"Unmoving as Mountain," said the Grandmaster.
"Combine as one," said Zanji, as he started to glow with pure light.
The light became blinding, and the five demons howled. Then a great bolt of energy blasted towards the five Yōkai, and they screamed just before being reduced to ashes.
Jade looked in disbelief.
She chuckled.
"Not bad," she said. "But you haven't beaten me yet…"
She played one of her two cards.
"I play Monster Reborn."
In a flash of light, Akaoni appeared again on her side of the field in Attack Mode. (2,800/2,100)
The Card of Safe Return glowed, and she drew one card.
She placed it in her Disk, and it appeared facedown.
"My Monster is still stronger than any of yours," she said, "you're still trapped behind my Swords for one more turn, and you only have 100 Life Points left. What will you do?"
Nicholas looked at her.
Good question… he thought.
He looked at his deck. He closed his eyes, and drew a card.
He looked at it.
"You seem to have forgot a few things, Jade," he said. "The special abilities of my Samurai.
"Yaichi, destroy her facedown card!"
Yaichi got up, and shot an arrow from his bow. Jade's Mirror Force lifted up and shattered.
"Kamon, wipe out the Swords!"
Kamon hurled one of his grenades, and the Swords of Revealing Light shattered into bits.
"Everyone else… Move into Attack Mode!"
Zanji, Nisashi, and the Grandmaster stood up.
"Finally," said Nicholas, "I play this… The A. Forces. This gives each of my Warriors 200 more Attack Points for each Warrior present."
He played the card, and all five of the Samurai glowed with energy. Grandmaster rose to 3,100 Attack Points, Zanji rose to 2,800, Nisashi to 2,400, Kamon to 2,500, and Yariza to 2,000.
Jade gasped.
"Grandmaster," ordered Nicholas, "destroy Akaoni!"
A scowl appeared on Grandmaster's face. He charged the huge ogre, and made a savage slash with his longsword. He cut right down the middle of the Yōkai general, slicing it in twain.
"Zanji… Nisashi… Attack directly and finish this duel."
Zanji and Nisashi rushed at Jade with their weapons, and she screamed as they cut into her. She collapsed on her back.
A sad moan echoed through the room as the spell of the wicked Yōkai was broken.
(J: 0) - - - - - - - - - - (N: 100)
"You know…" muttered Jade, not getting up yet, "I think I just remembered exactly why I stopped dueling…"
She looked up, and saw that Nicholas was offering his hand. He looked her in the face.
"You have succeeded," she said with a smile. "The brothers are victorious once again, and the demons have been sent fleeing back to the darkness where they belong…"
She slowly took a card out of her kimono.
"Thus, my secret can no longer be kept hidden… I bequeath to you the avatar… Of The True Master."
Nicholas was excited, but he knew well enough not to show it. He slowly took the card…
But he was somewhat surprised when he looked at it.
"Jade…" he said. "But… But… This card is blank!"
Jade sadly nodded.
"I gave you the card," said Jade, "now I also must tell you the rest of the story. There is a reason why The True Master left his students.
"You see, young warrior, The True Master believed all his life in a fledgling idea. It was a code… A code that stressed the importance of honor, and the superiority of Order. The concept that would one day be called Bushido.
"But eventually, he began to question this belief. He began to wonder if dishonorable creatures who served Chaos were not rewarded just as much as those who followed his ideals. There were proofs to this theory. No matter how many enemies he vanquished, more and more kept coming. He wondered if the cause he dedicated himself to had any meaning at all, and if anyone truly listened.
"Eventually, he became so cynical, he became depressed, and retired from the world of man. That is why he did nothing but watch in that great battle as his students fought.
"Young warrior, you have the card. Now, for The True Master to truly show himself, he must be convinced that his cause is worth fighting for. This card must witness a powerful battle between Order and Chaos, and Order must be victorious."
"So… I'd have to duel again?" asked Nicholas.
Jade shook her head.
"Seeing his students fight will not convince him," she replied. "He must see a triumph by beings who believe in his ideals, which are independent of him. Only then will he believe that the cause he stands for has meaning."
Nicholas paused.
He turned and looked at Olga. She slowly nodded.
"Thank you for your help, Jade," he said.
"Good luck, young warrior," she said.
Nicholas turned to Olga.
"Let's go," he said. "There's no telling when Daala will make her move."
"For all we know," said Olga, "she's already made it…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GOKA, THE PYRE OF MALICE (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 6
ATK: 2,200
DEF: 1,900
Card Description: If there is a FIRE Monster on your side of the field you can Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is Special Summoned in this manner, destroy a FIRE Monster on your side of the field. Once per turn during your Standby Phase, you can Special Summon one ''Fireball Token'' (Pyro/Fire/Level One/ATK 100/DEF 100) to your side of the field in Defense Position. You can Tribute one FIRE Monster on you side of your field other than this one to increase the ATK of this card by 500 until the End Phase.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
AKAONI (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 7
ATK: 2,800
DEF: 2,100
Card Description: When this card is Normal Summoned, by sending any number of cards in your hand to the Graveyard, send the same number of cards on the field to their owners' hands.
Note: "Goka, the Pyre of Malice" and "Akaoni" are Japanese cards that have not yet been released in the United States. Both were based on cards used by Bastion in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CROW TENGU (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Wind
Level: 4
ATK: 1,400
DEF: 1,200
Card Description: When this card is Special Summoned from the Graveyard, destroy one Monster on the field.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ITTAN-MOMEN (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 4
ATK: 1,200
DEF: 1,500
Card Description: When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, decrease the ATK of one of your opponent's Monsters by 500.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
SHUTENDOUJI (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Dark
Level: 4
ATK: 1,500
DEF: 800
Card Description: When this card is Special Summoned from your Graveyard, its base ATK becomes 2,000.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
ONMORAKI (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 4
ATK: 1,200
DEF: 1,000
Card Description: When this card is Special Summoned from your Graveyard, draw one card from your deck.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
NINE-TAILED FOX (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Fire
Level: 6
ATK: 2,200
DEF: 2,000
Card Description: When this card is in your Graveyard, you may Tribute two Zombie-Type Monsters that you control to Special Summon this card from your Graveyard. When this card is Special Summoned via this effect, it gains the following two effects:
- When this card battles a Defense Position Monster with a DEF lower than this card's ATK, inflict the difference as battle damage to your opponent's Life Points.
- When this card is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, Special Summon two "Fox Tokens" (Zombie/Fire/Level One/ATK 300/DEF 300) to your side of the field in Defense Position.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
GOZUKI (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type: Zombie/Effect
Attribute: Earth
Level: 4
ATK: 1,700
DEF: 800
Card Description: Once per turn that this card is face-up on your side of the field, you can send one Zombie-Type Monster from your deck to the Graveyard.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
HAUNTED SHRINE OF WRETCHED GHOSTS (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: Two ghostly spirits flying out of a cavern.
Card Description: You may activate this card when you control no Monsters on the field. Special Summon one Zombie-Type Monster from your Graveyard.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
NIGHT PARADE OF ONE-HUNDRED DEMONS (Trap Card)
Normal Trap
Image: A mob of ghoulish creatures in a dark wood.
Card Description: Special Summon as many Zombie-Type Monsters as possible from your Graveyard. At the End Phase of the turn, destroy all Monsters that were Special Summoned by this effect.
Note: The proceeding eight cards were all used by Bastion at various times in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" Manga.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Coming up next:
You all knew it would happen. Back in Xanadu, Hiroki confronts Sam again, and she demands a rematch! The secret behind Hiroki's treachery is finally revealed, but even so, can Sam stand up to the three legendary Monsters in his deck? The outcome of this duel is one you will have to see to believe! "Ruinous Beast" is coming soon.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Name that Card!
This special edition promo card that was printed in TCG format cannot be used legally, and was never meant to be a legal card. However, it was the model for "Ruin, Queen of Oblivion", and like that card, is a Level Eight, Light-Attribute Fairy. Can you name it?