0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Yumi versus Rasputin
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0
Sam looked at the Monsters in the Dark World Deck. Beiige, Sillva, Goldd…
Reign-Beaux…
She realized now just how hideous and ugly they were…
Lust for power makes people do dumb things… she thought.
She had seen the tapes of the original Battle City… She saw how her great uncle relied so much on Obelisk the Tormentor… How he was almost drunk with the power of the mighty God Card…
…so much that his poor Blue-Eyes were disregarded and put on the back burner…
He learned his lesson the hard way… He had been addicted to that mega-powerful card. In many ways, his use of it was no better than Marik's use of Ra.
If Yugi hadn't taken it from him, it likely would have destroyed him.
The Dark World Fiends weren't Obelisk, but they had presented the same temptation…
She looked at her Dark Ruler Ha Des card.
"It won't happen again…" she whispered. "When Yumi and I duel, I'll duel her as the Consort of Ha Des."
She looked at the Dark World cards again.
"And as for you freaks, once I find Hoshi, you're going back to where you came from…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
"Thank you," said Yumi, taking her tray from the counter.
Yumi sighed as she went up to the condiment counter. Sam had a point… Diets started after vacations. And she was going to start one after this one. She must have gained five pounds since she had gotten to Duelatopia. Sure, dueling tended to burn a lot of calories, but they had started to add up.
For now though, she could enjoy lunch before going in to face the one who had become her greatest foe…
She licked her lips as she spread ketchup on the double cheeseburger in front of her.
As she went to take a bite, she heard a familiar voice behind her.
"The game is still afoot, Yumi."
Yumi glanced over her shoulder, and saw Maria there.
"Can't you see I'm eating?" she asked. "Scram."
"Not worried?" asked Maria. "Yumi, you are in danger. Rasputin…"
"Maria, please…" said Yumi. "You may think I'm dumb, but this time, I'm meeting him prepared."
"He knows you have prepared," replied Maria. "And he has planned a strategy to counter your preparation. You see, the deck he intends to use for this duel…"
"Shut up, Maria!" snapped Yumi.
Maria looked at her.
"Maria, look…" said Yumi, with a sigh, "it's not that I don't appreciate the help… But I'm still a duelist. And I think that Rasputin is one too, at least on some level. If he has indeed adopted a new strategy, I don't have any more right to know about it than he has a right to know about mine."
She bit into the burger.
"Trust me… I'm more than ready for him."
Maria looked at her.
"Then I'll do the one thing I can," she said. "I'll wish you good luck."
She paused.
"May the Fates smile upon you…"
She turned and walked away.
Yumi concentrated on the cheeseburger, noticing Anastasia out of the corner of her eye.
"I hated to be so hard on her…" she muttered, "but I really hate to think I need help."
"I know…" replied Anastasia. "Your grandparents were the same way… Most of the time.
"I hope you truly are ready for Rasputin."
"I'll try my hardest…" said Yumi.
Anastasia put her hand on Yumi's shoulder.
"Yumi…" she said. "When I was undergoing rehabilitation in the Bastion of the Hopeful, when I knew that failure would result in my damnation, I was doubtful of my success at first. I told the ones coaching me that I would try to succeed.
"They told me that I could not try. I would either do it, or I wouldn't do it. There was no such thing as trying.
"So either do, or don't do. There is no trying…"
Yumi nodded, and went back to the burger.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
The sound system was playing polka music, and in the center of the field, Ojama Yellow, Ojama Green, and Ojama Black danced an Irish jig around a pot of gold.
They burst into an explosion of stars, and more ominous music started.
"We're back," said Ben, as he appeared on the screen. "And it's time to decide just who will face Samantha in the final round."
"Indeed," said Natalie. "Two duelists vie for the spot, and they want to climb their way to the top… And they're entering the arena now!"
The music turned more low and spooky, as Rasputin and Yumi walked to the center of the arena. Sheena glared at Rasputin for a second.
"Okay folks…" she said, placing a card in her Disk. "Let's change the scenery again… It's time to go…"
There was another great flash of light.
"…to the Clockwork Nirvana of Mechanus!"
Once again, the entire city had been changed. They were now in a large void, full of floating islands… They resembled gears and cogs, all of them interlocking with each other. On the sides of the cogs were forests, hills, even cities. Flying through the void or perched around the arena were strange spectators – modrons, little clockwork creatures shaped like geometric shapes with arms, legs, and faces.
"The Plane of Ultimate Law," said Delmato, "and I couldn't be happier. Now both of you, cut and shuffle each other's decks."
Rasputin seemed truly out of it as he took Yumi's deck. He started to shuffle.
"So, Rasputin," said Yumi, shuffling. "Care to make any wagers?"
"No thank you," replied Rasputin.
"No?" said Yumi. "You don't want to wager your Rod for my Crown and Gale Shield? Or even one of them?"
"Nope, I'm good," he said.
Then, as he handed the deck back, he held his forehead.
Yumi stared at him. He took his deck back. The Pharaoh appeared next to her.
She looked at her own deck. Something wasn't right…
"Prepare yourself, Yumi," said Rasputin in a sinister voice. "I broke you once before, and when I do it this time, no-one will be there to put you back together…"
Yumi stared at him closely as he walked to his position.
"Weird…." she said. "Very weird…"
"Yumi…" said the Pharaoh, "I have a feeling that he's trying something entirely new."
"And that would be?" she asked.
He sighed.
"Yumi…" he said, "there are times when things even confuse me…"
The Puzzle glowed with golden fire, and the two merged together in a burst of light. Yumi stared down her opponent.
"Contestants…" said Delmato. "Honored guests… Viewers… It's time to duel! Game on!"
(Yumi: 8,000) -------------------- (Rasputin: 8,000)
"You won't be walking away from this one, Yumi!" warned Rasputin, drawing his first card.
He looked at his hand.
"To start, I play Magical Mallet. You know how that works, right? I take any number of cards from my hand, return them to my deck, then reshuffle, and then draw the same number. And I think I'll do that with all five of my cards."
"Huh…" said Ren. "He must have a bad first hand."
Rasputin reshuffled and drew five new cards.
"I'll have this defend me for now, and that will be all," he said.
A facedown Monster appeared.
"About time," said Yumi.
She made a draw. She gave it a strange look, and added it to her hand.
"I summon my Skilled Dark Magician!" she shouted.
In a burst of dark energy, the mage in black appeared. (1,900/1,700)
"Attack his Monster! Black magic blast!"
Skilled Dark Magician fired a wave of dark energy at the facedown card. A young girl in a blue witch's hat and a peasant's dress with dragonfly wings appeared kneeling on the card before she was blown to pieces.
"Heh, heh…" chuckled Rasputin. "Someone who likes Spellcasters as much as you do, Yumi, obviously knows what happens when a Pixie Knight is destroyed in battle. I get to take a Spell Card from my Graveyard, and place it on the top of my deck."
Magical Mallet slipped out of his discard slot.
"Normally, you'd get to choose which one, but I only have this one in there."
He slid it on the top of his deck.
"I place one card facedown, and end my turn," said Yumi.
A facedown card appeared. Rasputin grinned, as if he had been expecting that.
He drew a card.
"As you might expect, I drew Magical Mallet," he said. "Now… If you don't mind… I'd like to play it again. And I'll reshuffle all four of my cards."
"Why does he keep resetting his hand?" asked Ren.
Chelsea held her chin.
"Obviously there's a key card somewhere in his deck," she said. "And he's trying his hardest to get it…"
Rasputin drew four cards.
"Next…" he said. "I play Pot of Greed."
He played the card, and drew two cards.
"Excellent…" he said, looking at his six cards. "My true strategy begins now… With this card…
"I play a powerful Continuous Spell Card… The incredible Chaos Distil."
He placed a card in his Disk, and an explosion blasted behind him. With multiple bursts of steam and smoke, a huge contraption rose behind him. It looked like an enormous, pear-shaped, copper kettle of some sort, covered with tubes, gauges, and gewgaws, with a fire burning underneath it.
"What is that?" whispered Yumi.
"I'm as clueless as you are," replied the Pharaoh.
"And what does this monstrosity do?" asked Yumi, out loud.
"This 'monstrosity', as you put it," said Rasputin, "is a powerful alchemical artifact. With it, an alchemist can harness the secrets of his science, transmuting one form of matter into another.
"In game terms, any card that would normally go to my own Graveyard is removed from play… The cards are used as fuel to power my Distill, you see.
"Also, the Distill is necessary to use many other Spell Cards…
"Like this one… Steel Lamp."
He played the Spell Card, and it vanished. It reappeared inside the panel inside the Distill, burning with flames.
"Now I'm able to summon Alchemy Beast – Salamandra the Steel from my deck."
In a burst of flame, a large, winged Dragon made entirely of Steel appeared in front of him. (500/500)
"An Alchemy Beast?" said Ren.
"That isn't very powerful," said Yumi.
"That tends to be the case with Monsters who can attack directly," said Rasputin with a smile.
"Attack directly?" said Yumi, in shock.
"And I'm not done…" continued Rasputin, holding up two more Spell Cards.
"I also play… Bronze Scales and Lead Compass to summon two more Alchemy Beasts… Ouroboros the Bronze and Leon the Lead!"
In two more bursts of flames, two more Monsters appeared. One was a huge serpent made of bronze. The other was a large lion with a fiendish face made of lead. (500/500 x2)
"Ho boy…" said Yumi.
"I could go into a long discussion on the principles behind how creatures such as these are created using alchemical solutions and formulas," said Rasputin, "but this is a duel, not a science lesson. I'm sure you get enough of that in school.
"Alchemy Beasts, attack her directly!
"Salamandra, Greek fire!"
The Dragon breathed a blast of white-hot flame at Yumi, scorching her.
"Ouroboros, scorching ray!"
The metal serpent shot a beam of pure, burning light from its maw, and Yumi screamed.
"Leon, metal burst!"
Leon the Lead roared, and shards of metal shot from its mane, stabbing into Yumi's chest.
Yumi clutched her chest in pain, and caught her breath.
"And to think my rotten older brother used to tell me that if I jabbed myself with a pencil, I'd get lead poisoning," said Ben. "Yumi looks hurt bad."
(Y: 6,500) -------------------- (R: 8,000)
"Are we all right?" asked the Pharaoh.
"I'll be fine," replied Yumi. "Assuming I don't laugh or sneeze anytime soon…"
Rasputin chuckled, and looked at his deck as Yumi struggled to keep standing. Only he saw the red aura that was surrounding her.
Part one is complete… he thought. Little does Yumi know, every Monster Card in my deck has been laced with thrall powder. The forbidden solution that one alchemist was burned for using.
Now that even one direct attack has succeeded, she is infected with it. I now only have to win this duel…
And once the final blow lands, Yumi is mine. She'll follow me like a lamb.
I won't need to combat her friends to get the other Charms. With her as my slave, she can do it for me. Best of all, she'll have one thing I no longer have… The element of surprise…
Yumi glared at him.
"Okay, buddy, you hurt me," she said. "But your Beasts are weaklings. I can take them out with no problem."
"Oh?" asked Rasputin, taking the last card in his hand.
He fit it into his Disk.
"Only if you can get by this. I play Messenger of Peace."
In a flash of light, a holy man wearing a long robe appeared on the field, and raised his hand. The three Alchemy Beasts didn't seem to care, but Skilled Dark Magician bowed his head.
"Now you can't come near my Beasts, unless you manage to draw a Monster with less than 1,500 Attack Points.
"With that, I end my turn."
Yumi glared at him, and drew a card.
"I place a Monster in Defense Mode, and end my turn," she said.
A facedown Monster appeared next to Skilled Dark Magician.
"I draw one card," said Rasputin, drawing a card. "And I pay 100 Life Points to keep Messenger of Peace."
He looked at the card and grinned.
"And I got the perfect card," he said. "It's a Spell called Black Process Nigredo. A funny name, I know, but trust me, it's no laughing matter. This process is the alchemic formula of death."
He fit it into his Disk.
"By playing this card, I destroy all my Alchemy Beasts on the field. Begone."
The three Alchemy Beasts in front of him erupted into flames, and shattered into shards of metal.
"Rasputin has made a strange move," said Natalie. "He's wiped out his whole line, and I don't know why."
"I'll explain why," said Rasputin. "A good alchemist doesn't tolerate waste, and can easily recycle his material. Now for each Beast I just destroyed, I get to draw two cards."
He quickly made six draws, and looked them over.
"Now, I intend to use them!"
Three Spell Cards appeared on the field.
"I play Mercury Hourglass, Tin Spell Circle, and Silver Key!"
The Spell Cards were consumed in flames, and then three more bonfires appeared on the field. Three more creatures appeared out of the fires. One was a large predator bird made of metal. The other was a large, lamprey-like fish, also made of metal. The third was a round, unhewn, rock-like thing on legs. (500/500 x3)
"Meet Aitos the Tin, Echeneis the Mercury, and Moonface the Silver," said Rasputin. "But before I use them…"
He played another Spell Card.
"I play Soul Release. Now I'll remove the three cards in my Graveyard from play."
Magical Mallet, Pixie Knight, and Pot of Greed appeared above him, and faded into nothing.
He keeps removing more and more cards from play, thought Yumi. That accursed kettle is making sure that nothing reaches his Graveyard. When he finally summons Gren, its Attack Score is going to be through the roof!
"Alchemy Beasts attack!" shouted Rasputin. "Blazing breeze!"
Aitos blew a burning wind from its beak, and Yumi screamed again.
"Freezing stream!"
Echeneis shot a blast of water, striking Yumi in the stomach.
"Sonic slivers!"
Moonface let a blast of pure sound at Yumi, and she fell to her knees, clutching her ears…
(Y: 5,000) -------------------- (R: 7,900)
"I place one card facedown," said Rasputin, "and I end my turn…"
A facedown card appeared in front of him.
Yumi held her chest. She took some deep breaths.
Rasputin isn't fooling around, thought Yumi. And his deck has never been stronger. I've gotta turn this around before he summons something really bad…
She drew a card.
She placed it in her Disk, and a facedown card appeared next to the other one.
"Move…" she said.
Poor Yumi, thought Rasputin, drawing a card. You're so predictable, it's sad.
You're so afraid of my Chaos Fiend… I see the fear in your eyes… I can hear you trembling… So I know exactly how you've prepared.
One of your facedown cards is clearly Magic Cylinder, which would send a powerful attack right back at me.
What you don't know is, my own facedown card is Trap Jammer, which will dash your plan to pieces.
"I'll neglect to pay for Messenger of Peace, and destroy it," he said.
The priest shattered into pixels.
"He was getting on my nerves anyway. Now… While Nigredo is the process of death, there is also a process of life…"
He held up a Spell Card.
"White Process Albred. This card lets me Special Summon my Golden Homunculus!"
A bonfire appeared on the field, and a giant man who seemed to be chiseled completely out of gold appeared, wreathed in flames. (1,500/1,500)
"Whoa," said Natalie. "Rasputin has just summoned twenty-four karats of killing machine!"
"Actually, it's a Warrior," said Rasputin, "even though it doesn't look like one. And it has an impressive ability. It gains 300 Attack and Defense Points for each of my cards that have been removed from play. And there have been fifteen of my cards removed from play so far…"
Golden Homunculus glowed with a golden, fiery aura…
(6,000/6,000)
"NO!" screamed Chelsea.
"I activate a Trap!" shouted Yumi. "Go, Threatening Roar!"
One of her facedown cards lifted, and a loud roar bellowed over the field.
Rasputin gave a look of surprise.
Threatening Roar? he thought. Since when has a member of her family ever used a Trap like that? My Trap Jammer can't counter that… Ooh, if I had known she was going to use that, I would have come with Seven Tools of the Bandit!
"Fine, fine," he said, angrily. "I have to end my turn. Let's see how you intend to bring down my Homunculus…"
Everyone looked, as Yumi drew a card.
Huh? she thought, looking at it.
She stared at it for a minute.
The card wasn't a very rare one, nor a very powerful one, unless you had the right type of deck. But Yumi had certainly never put this in her deck.
Chaos Necromancer? she thought. How the heck did I get this?
She paused for a minute. Had her deck been sabotaged? She looked at Delmato, and wondered if she should call a time out…
She looked at the card again. It wasn't of any use now. This Monster's Attack Score depended on the number of Monsters in her Graveyard. She had none right now, so if it were summoned, the Attack Score would be zero.
She paused again.
Maybe she wouldn't cry foul just yet…
"All right, Rasputin…" she said. "I flip my facedown Monster into Attack Mode. Meet the newest Spellcaster on my team… The Crystal Seer!"
Her facedown Monster flipped up, and a mysterious figure stepped forward. It was a gypsy wearing expensive, silken clothing, a turban, cape, and a veil. She held her hands out, and a glowing, crystal sphere hovered between her hands. (100/100)
"Crystal Seer?" exclaimed Rasputin.
"Don't underestimate her because she only has 100 Attack Points," said Yumi. "She has a powerful Flip-Effect. I get to look at the top two cards on my deck. Then I choose one. The one I choose goes to my hand. I put the other one at the bottom of my deck.
"So, let's see…"
She took the two cards off of her deck.
One of them was Sage's Stone…
The other was a key part of her strategy.
Maybe she could use Chaos Necromancer after all.
She smirked, and put Sage's Stone at the bottom of her deck.
"Check it out, Rasputin!" she said with a laugh, as the card appeared. "It's Special Hurricane!"
"Special Hurricane?" gasped Rasputin.
"Yeah, I added it to my deck after I saw your duel with Erik," said Yumi. "I just have to toss one card…"
She discarded the Chaos Necromancer.
"…and all Monsters on the field who were Special Summoned are destroyed!"
"So, uh, what does this mean exactly?" asked Erik.
"Well…" said Sam. "Since all four of Rasputin's Monster's were summoned with Spell Cards, it basically means he's about to get his ass handed to him."
A fierce storm erupted over the void of Mechanus, and the modrons ran for cover. Crystal Seer and Skilled Dark Magician held onto each other, but they had secure footing. Rasputin's Monsters, however, strained and struggled against the storm, their footing not as secured due to the methods in which they arrived. The three Alchemy Beasts burst into shards of metal. Finally, Golden Homunculus roared, and exploded into a burst of fiery golden slag.
"This isn't possible…" muttered Rasputin.
"Oh, but it is…" said Yumi. "And I'm not through with you yet, Rasputin!
"Since more than enough Spell Cards have been played since I summoned Skilled Dark Magician, and since the Special Hurricane has now subsided, I sacrifice him to Special Summon Dark Magician from my deck."
Skilled Dark Magician smirked at Rasputin. Then he vanished, and the mighty sorcerer appeared in his place. (2,500/2,100)
"Crystal Seer," she said. "You were a big help, but… It's time for you to leave too. Sayonara."
Crystal Seer nodded, and then vanished.
Yumi placed a card on her Disk, and Dark Magician Girl appeared in a flurry of hearts and flowers. (2,000/1,700)
The two Spellcasters looked at Rasputin with dirty looks…
"Oh… no…" he muttered.
"Dark Magician Girl…" said Yumi. "Dark burning attack!"
The sorceress raised her staff, and a mighty blasts shot towards Rasputin. The crowd cheered as the blast hit home and Rasputin screamed…
"Ooh…" said Ben. "That's gotta hurt…"
"Dark Magician," ordered Yumi, "dark magic attack!"
The older Spellcaster fired an even more powerful blast, and Rasputin screamed and was sent toppling backwards.
"I stand corrected," said Ben. "THAT'S gotta hurt!"
(Y: 5,000) -------------------- (R: 3,400)
The audience rose to their feet and cheered as Rasputin struggled to his feet.
"I've been wanting to do that for a long time!" laughed Yumi. "Anyway, I'll place another card facedown, and end my turn."
A facedown card appeared, next to the one she had set on her first turn.
Rasputin shook his head. His ears were ringing.
"That hurt…" he muttered.
He paused.
"THAT HURT!" he screamed.
He looked at Yumi, just to make sure that the red aura from the thrall powder was still there.
Oh, that does it, he thought. Once she's my slave, no job I could think up will be too humiliating…
He looked at her side of the field.
One of those facedown cards MUST be Magic Cylinder. What other Trap could she have set?
He drew a card.
"I play… Chaos Greed," he said, playing it. "Since at least four of my cards have been removed from play, and my Graveyard is empty, I get to draw two cards."
He drew twice. He looked at the cards.
Then he laughed. He laughed out loud.
Here it comes… thought Yumi, sweating.
"Well look here, Yumi," he said, playing a card. "It's an old friend of yours!"
Once again, the roaring flame appeared on his side of the field. The two demonic eyes peered out of it…
Gren Maju Da Eiza had arrived.
"Have you been keeping track, Yumi?" asked Rasputin. "In case you haven't, I've removed twenty of my cards from play so far…"
(8,000/8,000)
"You say you waited a long time to make that attack?" he shouted, pointing at Dark Magician Girl. "I've been waiting to make this one ever since that whore cost me the God Cards!"
Everyone in the crowd gasped.
Yumi looked at Dark Magician Girl, who looked close to tears.
"Keep calm…" whispered Yumi. "He won't get away with that…"
"Gren Maju Da Eiza…" ordered Rasputin.
Dark Magician Girl trembled in fear as flames danced over the Chaos Fiend's exoskeleton.
"Kill Dark Magician Girl! Fires of Chaos!"
The blast of white-hot fire shot towards Dark Magician Girl…
"Go, Trap Card!" shouted Yumi. "Mirror Force!"
Her Trap Card lifted.
"Mirror Force?" said Rasputin, with a smirk. "Well, I was expecting something else… But no matter…
"Activate Trap Jammer!"
His own Trap Card lifted…
"Hold on, Rasputin…" said Yumi. "Did you forget about my other facedown card?"
Her second Trap Card lifted.
"Activate… Dark Bribe!"
"HUH?" exclaimed Rasputin. "Dark Bribe?"
"Yep," said Yumi. "It's a Counter Trap to counter your Trap. In exchange for a small bribe on my part, letting you draw one card, your Trap Jammer… well, it jams."
Rasputin growled as he drew one card. Trap Jammer exploded into shards.
"And that means my Mirror Force is still good to go!"
As the flames shot towards Dark Magician Girl, a shimmering plane of force appeared in front of her. The flames backfired back on Gren Maju Da Eiza, and the Fiend exploded into burning particles.
Dark Magician hugged his apprentice, who was still crying a little.
"Don't worry, you two," said Yumi.
She turned to Rasputin.
"It's over, Rasputin!"
Rasputin chuckled.
"Not yet, it isn't, dear child…" he said. "My Chaos Fiend is coming right back."
"Oh, how?" asked Yumi. "You've already used your Normal Summon for this round, so even if one of those three cards in your hand is another one, you can't summon it. And thanks to your own Chaos Distill, the one that was just destroyed is gone for good."
"I beg to differ!" said Rasputin, taking a card from his hand. "Proceeding to my second Main Phase, I play Dimension Distortion!"
A Spell Card appeared on his side of the field.
"Dimension Distortion?" said Ben. "I've… never heard of that one."
"I must admit, even I'm clueless," said Natalie.
"I suppose even former champions need a lesson now and then," said Rasputin. "Dimension Distortion is actually a common card, but very few duelists use it, because it's almost never useful. See, I can only use it when there are no cards in my Graveyard.
"But when that condition is met, I can Special Summon a Monster that has been removed from play, without paying a dime."
A portal ripped open in the fabric of space behind him.
"Guess who it is."
Gren Maju Da Eiza crawled out of the portal, and landed on the ground. It roared.
"And by the way, since my Chaos Distill just removed Trap Jammer and Dimension Distortion from play, he's even stronger now."
(8,800/8,800)
"Heh, heh… I end my turn."
Rasputin looked at the last two cards in his hand.
Fairy Meteor Crush, which had been there in first place, and Giant Trunade, which he had drawn due to Dark Bribe.
This duel is mine, he thought. Even if she switches her Monsters to Defense Mode on her turn, one mighty blast from my Fiend will finish her once I Equip it with Fairy Meteor Crush.
And if she tries to defend herself with any Traps again, my Giant Trunade will blow them off the field.
Yumi drew a card.
"Okay Rasputin…" she said. "I play… Instant Fusion!"
"Instant Fusion?" he said. "What the…"
"Yeah, you know…" said Yumi, playing the card. "Instant Fusion. I play 1,000 Life Points, add a little water, and poof… I get to summon a Fusion Monster from my Fusion Deck. It has to be Level Five or less, but this guy is sort of a family heirloom… Before my grandfather Joey won Red-Eyes from Rex Raptor, it was his favorite card. And even after he had Red-Eyes for a long time, this Warrior still held a place in his heart…
"So come on out… Flame Swordsman!"
A burst of fire appeared on Yumi's side of the field, and a mighty Warrior in blue and orange, wearing a helmet and carrying a bronze greatsword stepped out of the fire. (1,800/1,600)
"What's the point?" asked Rasputin. "Since you summoned him with Instant Fusion, he can't attack, and he'll be destroyed when you end your turn…"
He paused.
Then a realization hit him.
"Unless…"
"That's right, Rasputin!" said Yumi with a grin, as she held up another card. "I summoned him with Instant Fusion… So I could use him in a real fusion!
"Dark Magician… Flame Swordsman…"
The Spellcaster and the Warrior nodded to each other. The Polymerization card appeared behind them.
"GO!"
The two Monsters leapt into the sky, and swirled into a blur of violet and orange. Dark Magician Girl looked up in wonder, as her Attack Score rose to 2,300…
Then, a new Warrior landed next to her. He was clad in black armor and a helmet, with crimson streaks, with a flowing cape, carrying a gleaming sword and a very large shield with a flaming pattern on it. (2,200/800)
"The Dark Flare Knight!" shouted Rasputin.
"That's his name, don't wear it out," said Yumi. "And it seems you're far more familiar with his special ability than the Big Five was.
"Dark Flare Knight… Attack Gren Maju Da Eiza!"
The void of Mechanus turned dark, and the evil Lord of Chaos roared in bloodlust, and the modrons huddled in fright. But Dark Flare Knight faced the beast without fear. The crowd gasped, as he lifted his sword. It shone in the dim light…
He charged the great demon, his cape flying behind him.
Gren Maju Da Eiza bellowed, and blasted its flame to meet the attack. Even as the overwhelming heat struck him, Dark Flare Knight continued to charge, until it was too much, and the blast reduced him to cinders.
"Perfect!" said Yumi, giving a thumbs up. "As you no doubt know, Rasputin, when Dark Flare Knight falls in battle, my Life Points are untouched. What's more, with the death of his mortal body, his true, divine form is released…"
The darkness of the void lit up, and a brilliant figure descended from the heavens. It was another Warrior, this one wearing armor of solid gold, carrying a halberd with a sharp, golden blade.
He glared at Rasputin and his Monster… (2,800/2,000)
"And Mirage Knight has an even greater ability," said Yumi. "He absorbs the Attack Score of whatever opponent he's battling.
"And since Gren Maju Da Eiza's base Attack Score is indeterminate, and therefore determined by whatever its effect gives it…"
Mirage Knight raised his halberd…
(11,600/2,000)
"Eleven-thousand, six-hundred?!" screamed Rasputin.
"Mirage Knight…" ordered Yumi, "slay Gren Maju Da Eiza!"
Mirage Knight flew into the air, leaving a trail of pure light in his wake. For the very first time, the expression of Gren Maju Da Eiza's face could be described as terror…
The divine Warrior slashed with his weapon, and the Lord of Chaos screamed in an earsplitting death throws…
The explosion from the dying beast sent geysers of flame skyward, lighting up the void in flashy pyrotechnics…
(Y: 4,000) -------------------- (R: 600)
Rasputin was sweating heavily.
"Well, Yumi…" he said with a sneer. "I'll admit you had me worried there for a minute… But I still have 600 Life Points left, and when you end your turn, your Mirage Knight will disappear, so I'm not finished just…"
"Who said I'm ending my turn?" interrupted Yumi. "It's still my Battle Phase, and I still have another Monster who can attack."
Rasputin slowly looked away from Mirage Knight…
Dark Magician Girl smiled sweetly, and waved at him.
"Dark Magician Girl…" said Yumi. "Finish this…"
Dark Magician Girl flew towards Rasputin.
"No…" he shouted. "Stay away from me, you…"
He screamed as Dark Magician Girl cast her spell, and he fell to his knees.
(Y: 4,000) -------------------- (R: 0)
"Humph!" said Dark Magician Girl, turning her back to him.
Slowly, the crowd started to get up. One person started to clap, and followed by several more, and then the whole stadium was applauding.
Delmato lifted Yumi's hand.
"Yumi is the winner!" he exclaimed.
Rasputin was still on his knees.
"I… I lost…" he muttered.
He looked at Yumi.
The red aura was already turning brown. The thrall powder was rotting.
He watched as it turned black, and then crumbled into nothing.
Rasputin spilled his cards on the ground.
"How could I have lost…" he said, dumbfounded. "It was a perfectly devised strategy… The logic behind it was impeccable…"
"Rasputin…" said Yumi. "With some folks, you can't measure their strength using logic.
"And let me tell you… In this crazy world, where things don't always make sense, and nothing is ever for certain, a little faith can work wonders."
Rasputin bowed his head. He took the Rod of the Ancients from his belt, and looked at it.
It's over… he thought. My last plan has failed…
I… I give up…
One quick incantation will sever my ties with the Rod… Then I'll simply give it to her. The police would just take it from me anyway…
He closed his eyes.
Then he paused.
"There is another way, you know," said a voice.
He opened his eyes.
He was in darkness.
"Who said that?" he asked.
Then he paused.
"Oh, it's you…" he muttered. "I figured you were watching over me… So were the both of you hovering over me now? Which one of you is holding the other's leash, might I ask?"
"Now, now…" said the voice. "I want to be friends, Rasputin…"
"I have no friends," replied Rasputin.
"And whose fault is that?" asked the voice. "You could have found ways to make friends, Rasputin… You could have been more social… Taking a bath more often would have helped.
"But seriously, I wouldn't give away this Rod just yet… As you know, you have no idea what it can do…
"Me, on the other hand, I know a great deal more.
"I can get you all eight of the Charms, Rasputin, but you must stop rejecting the help that's been offered you for so long. The Power Wall card was only a taste of what true power can accomplish."
"Bah!" snapped Rasputin.
Then he sighed.
"What do I need to do?" he asked.
"The first thing you must do," said the voice, "is finalize the deal you made so long ago. I know it will be taking a risk that you never intended to take, but I can only help you so much. That fool you made the deal with can handle Yumi… I'll help with the rest.
"Just follow me, and who knows? Maybe we could be partners."
Rasputin snarled.
"Fine, have it your way," said the voice. "But do what you're told for now."
Rasputin opened his eyes, and saw that, while he was talking, he had left the Coliseum and walked outside. His deck was gone – he had likely left it spilled on the floor – but he didn't care. He had decided never to use Gren Maju Da Eiza again, if he ever dueled again.
He took out his cell phone and hit the multi-call button. He spoke into it.
"Olga, Nicholas, Louis," he said. "Meet me at the backup."
Meanwhile, Ren and Chelsea were hugging each other.
"All right!" shouted Ren. "Yumi beat that creep! Sam had better watch out!"
"Sorry you two…" said Erik. "Sam is going to pound her into the pavement."
"Oh?" said Ren. "Want a bet?"
"Actually…" said Erik, "I do…"
He held up his badge.
"I got twenty dollars left on this," he said. "I'll bet it against everything that's left on yours, Ren, that Sam wins tomorrow."
Ren paused. He had twenty-five left on his himself…
He looked at the badge.
Oh, what the heck, he thought. I can't redeem it anywhere else anyway…
"You're on," he said.
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Six o'clock.
Yumi, Ren, and Chelsea were in the V.I.P. lounge, eating pizza that Sheena had graciously provided. Sam and Erik had gone out to eat for their own private celebration.
Ren was laughing.
"Aw, Yumi, did you see the look on Rasputin's face when your Mirage Knight blew that Fiend to Kingdom Come?" he asked. "It was priceless!"
Yumi chuckled herself.
Chelsea sighed, and looked at her pizza. It was extra cheese, pepperoni, and mushroom – a combination she usually loved – but she felt a bit empty.
"You gonna be all right, Chels?" asked Ren.
"I suppose so…" she replied. "I so much wanted to beat Sam… I at least wanted to try to duel Yumi for the title… But I guess I couldn't make it…"
Yumi sighed.
She had supported Chelsea, but in reality, a small part of her was glad that Sam had won. She wanted to duel Sam more than she wanted to duel anyone. More than Rasputin, more than anyone on this island…
She was Yugi Mouto's descendent… Sam was Seto Kaiba's descendent. The two of them were fated to confront each other. It had been decided so long ago that they would be rivals, and would likely repeat itself with each generation.
She put her hand on Chelsea's shoulder.
"Tell you what, Chelsea," she said, "once the tournament is over and we deal with Rasputin, I'll duel you again, with both our decks at their full strength. It may not be on worldwide television for a huge prize, but at least we can duel as mature duelists."
Chelsea smiled.
"You're on," she said.
She bit into the pizza.
"So… Where do you suppose Rasputin and his henchmen went anyway?"
"Eh, he won't get off the island," said Ren. "Sheena has her eye on him, and she'll make sure of that."
Yumi nodded.
"Yeah…" she said with a smile. "Once we find out where he went, we just have to win the Rod from him. Seeing as we smashed his spirit to pieces, it should be relatively easy.
"After all… Tomorrow is another day."
She held up a card and looked at it.
It was the Chaos Necromancer card.
She had gone through her deck twice. There weren't any other surprises in it.
"Yumi," said the Pharaoh's voice. "You realize that there's only one explanation for how it got in your deck. Rasputin put it there when he shuffled your deck."
"But why?" asked Yumi. "If I had just the right number of Monsters in my Graveyard, it might have been able to get by Messenger of Peace and still defeat his Alchemy Beasts!
"Could the card be magic?"
"No," said the Pharaoh. "I can't detect even a small trace of magic in it. It's just a normal card.
"Clearly, this was meant as a message of some sort…
"But whether it was some sort of threat, warning, or something else entirely, I don't know… I don't understand it any more than you do."
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
In her office, Sheena's phone rang. She answered it.
"Arachne here," she said.
"Ms. Arachne?" said a stern voice at the other end. "It's Akuma. Good news. The head of Jarvis and Micawber cracked."
"So he told the authorities that Rasputin was behind the break-in?" asked Sheena.
"Better," replied Akuma. "You should have seen the guy. First he gets there an hour late. He was really upset about having to actually show up, and told the judge that he wanted it done with quickly because he had an appointment in an hour. The judge told him to sit down because he was going to miss it. He started to argue, but the judge threatened to hold him in contempt.
"After the charges were read, he tried to motion for dismissal three times based on three loopholes that he thought would help, but we were expecting all three, and presented documented proof that they were irrelevant.
"Then we presented the recorded conversation between him and the spy that was recorded while the break-in occurred. He got nervous and said it was inadmissible evidence – we had proof that it wasn't.
"That's when reality finally sank in. He pretty much panicked. Apparently, being threatened with jail was a new concept to him. He's spilling his guts completely now.
"He's telling Scotland Yard everything. He told them that Rasputin is the head of no less than eight underworld organizations in Europe and elsewhere, including the League of Ascension, and that they've been handling the legal cases for all of them.
"Incidentally, a lot of convictions and lawsuits that Jarvis and Micawber were responsible for are likely going to be overturned soon, and they're all likely going to have to apply for informant status to avoid going to prison now. But anyway…"
"Just keep doing what you're doing," said Sheena. "You're doing great. Me, on the other hand, I'll get you the big fish."
She hung up and then dialed a number.
"Commander Descartes?" she said. "Yes, it's me… I want an APB put out. Find Rasputin. I want him arrested. Don't listen to any excuses or threats that he makes, period. I'm labeling him a Class-8 criminal, and you are not to treat him as a single rank lower.
"I also want Olga Warren, Nicholas Algernon, and that bodyguard of his brought in, but they are secondary concerns.
"Tell every boat and transport leaving the island to screen every passenger carefully. If someone tries to leave that even might be Rasputin or one of his henchmen, have them use Code B27 to disable the engines and call the nearest squad. They aren't leaving, and they aren't going to hijack a boat either.
"And by the way… This suspect should be considered armed and dangerous. I'm authorizing use of lethal force if that becomes necessary. Be prepared to use hostage rescue tactics and special techniques. Be prepared for anything."
"Affirmative," said Descartes's voice.
Sheena got up and looked out the window.
It was incredibly rare that she assigned Class-8 to someone she wanted brought in. To put it simply, there was no such thing as Class-9.
"There's no place left to hide, pal," she whispered. "You should have known better than to unleash the Lord of Chaos upon the Plane of Ultimate Law…"
0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
In a dark place, Rasputin was standing in a design he had drawn with chalk. It was a circle, in which was drawn a five-pointed star…
A pentagram.
At each point of the star was a lit candle, made of black wax.
He started to chant in a language known only to a select few mortals. The flame of the candles turned from orange to green, and ominous mists appeared in the room.
Two glowing, red eyes appeared in front of him out of the mists.
A voice spoke from where the eyes were. It was deep and commanding… And sounded downright annoyed.
"You have some nerve calling me, Rasputin," said the voice. "It's been how long? Three hundred years? Four hundred? Even I lose track after a while.
"You think you're so smart just because you managed to avoid paying up after we made our deal. Well let me tell you…"
"Look, I'm going to do what you want, okay?" replied Rasputin. "I want you to fulfill the third and final request in our contract."
The glowing eyes narrowed.
"Like I said," said the voice, "you have a lot of nerve. However, I am bound to fulfill your request by the best of my ability. What is it?"
"I want you to seize the Crown of Souls and Gale Shield from Yumi Mouto and deliver them to me," said Rasputin.
"A tall order," said the voice. "I may be powerful, Rasputin, but even I am bound by the rules set by the Sorcerer Kings. Neither I nor anyone under me can simply grab her and steal the Charms… They can only be won. Nor can I force her to submit to me due to our own rules. Due to the terms of the Pact Primeval…"
"Yeah, yeah," snarled Rasputin. "I know all about the Pact Primeval. I read the paperback. A mortal can't be forced to commit or serve evil, they can only be encouraged or tempted.
"So win them then! Use whatever it takes… Offer her access to the Garden of Delights as a wager if you have to, I don't know… It doesn't even have to be Duel Monsters… Offer to play checkers with her or something. Maybe someone can beat her at that.
"And once you get it, do with her whatever you please. Throw her into the Pit of Flame… I really don't care…"
The eyes stared at him again.
"Very well, Rasputin…" he said. "I have someone who can at least make an attempt. By this time tomorrow, you will know whether or not his attempt at that matter was successful."
The eyes vanished.
In the Iron Tower, in the fiendish, iron city, the dark figure brooded on his metal throne.
He hadn't told Rasputin this, but as they were talking just then, he had scanned the forefront of his mind, and had learned his immediate plans.
He tapped his clawed fingers on the throne's armrest.
In the dark figure's mind, he formed an idea.
"Read the paperback, he says…" he muttered. "He mocks the document that defines our existence… He has some nerve…
"If I deliver the Charms to Rasputin, the chances of me collecting what I was promised in our bargain may go from slim to almost nonexistent…
"But due to the terms of the contract we made so long ago, I must attempt to deliver what he was promised, or the contract will become void…
"He suggested that I tempt Yumi with access to the Garden of Delights, something I often use to tempt mortals… He suggested I use a challenge other than Duel Monsters…"
He tapped his fingers together…
He grinned and shook his head.
"But those were merely suggestions, and I don't have to take them to heart.
"No… I will send someone to challenge Yumi at her own game, and offer a wager that she will not possibly refuse…
"Thus… Even if the challenge is lost… I still come out the winner…"
Victory! Yumi has finally defeated Rasputin! But now what? It seems another player, or even a couple, have entered the conflict, and it doesn't bode well for Yumi. But for now, Yumi goes on to the final round, where the cycle repeats itself, and Sam waits for her. The rivalry between the Moutos and the Kaibas is about to explode into a battle again… What will be the outcome?
0
0
0
ALCHEMY BEAST – SALAMANDRA THE STEEL (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Dragon/Effect
Attribute:
Fire
Level:
3
ATK:
500
DEF:
500
Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Steel Lamp". This card can attack your opponent directly.
0
0
0
ALCHEMY BEAST – OUROBOROS THE BRONZE (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Reptile/Effect
Attribute:
Light
Level:
3
ATK:
500
DEF:
500
Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Bronze Scales". This card can attack your opponent directly.
0
0
0
ALCHEMY BEAST – LEON THE LEAD (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Beast/Effect
Attribute:
Earth
Level:
3
ATK:
500
DEF:
500
Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Lead Compass". This card can attack your opponent directly.
0
0
0
ALCHEMY BEAST – AITOS THE TIN (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Winged Beast/Effect
Attribute:
Wind
Level:
3
ATK:
500
DEF:
500
Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Tin Spell Circle". This card can attack your opponent directly.
0
0
0
ALCHEMY BEAST – ECHENEIS THE MERCURY (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fish/Effect
Attribute:
Water
Level:
3
ATK:
500
DEF:
500
Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Mercury Hourglass". This card can attack your opponent directly.
0
0
0
ALCHEMY BEAST – MOONFACE THE SILVER (Monster Card)
Card Specs
Type:
Fiend/Effect
Attribute:
Dark
Level:
3
ATK:
500
DEF:
500
Card Description: This card cannot be Normal Summoned or set. This card can only be Special Summoned via the effect of "Silver Key". This card can attack your opponent directly.
0
0
0
CHAOS DISTIL (Spell Card)
Continuous Spell
Image: A weird copper kettle, covered with gauges, dials, and tubes.
Card Description: When this card is face-up on your side of the field, all cards that would normally go to your own Graveyard are removed from play instead.
0
0
0
STEEL LAMP (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: An old oil lamp made of steel with an open flame.
Card Description: You can only activate this card when "Chaos Distil" is active on your side of the field. Special Summon one "Alchemy Beast – Salamandra the Steel" from your hand or deck.
0
0
0
BRONZE SCALES (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A wiry old balance made of bronze.
Card Description: You can only activate this card when "Chaos Distil" is active on your side of the field. Special Summon one "Alchemy Beast – Ouroboros the Bronze" from your hand or deck.
0
0
0
LEAD COMPASS (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A man standing before a compass the size of a table.
Card Description: You can only activate this card when "Chaos Distil" is active on your side of the field. Special Summon one "Alchemy Beast – Leon the Lead" from your hand or deck.
0
0
0
TIN SPELL CIRCLE (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: A metal disk inlaid with strange runes.
Card Description: You can only activate this card when "Chaos Distil" is active on your side of the field. Special Summon one "Alchemy Beast – Aitos the Tin" from your hand or deck.
0
0
0
MERCURY HOURGLASS (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: An hourglass floating in space among weird-looking clocks.
Card Description: You can only activate this card when "Chaos Distil" is active on your side of the field. Special Summon one "Alchemy Beast – Echeneis the Mercury" from your hand or deck.
0
0
0
SILVER KEY (Spell Card)
Normal Spell
Image: An old key standing point-down over a summoning circle.
Card Description: You can only activate this card when "Chaos Distil" is active on your side of the field. Special Summon one "Alchemy Beast – Moonface the Silver" from your hand or deck.
0
0
0
BLACK PROCESS NIGREDO (Spell Card)
Image: A collage of colors with black being dominant.
Card Description: You can only activate this card when you have "Chaos Distil" active on your side of the field, and this is the only card in your hand. Destroy all "Alchemy Beast" Monsters on your side of the field. For each Monster destroyed by this effect, draw two cards from your deck.
0
0
0
WHITE PROCESS ALBRED (Spell Card)
Image: A collage of colors with white being dominant.
Card Description: You can only activate this card when you have "Chaos Distil" active on your side of the field. Special Summon one "Golden Homunculus" from your hand or deck.
Note: The proceeding cards were all first used by Banner in the "Yu-Gi-Oh GX" episode "Amnael's Endgame (Part One)". Creative credit goes to the writers of that episode.
0
0
0
Chelsea: We've reached the final round…
Ren: I guess it had to happen, didn't it? It's been like a cycle…
Erik: It's a feud that began almost when Duel Monsters was invented, and it likely will continue until it becomes obsolete…
Yumi: Sam and I have dueled before, but she's more powerful than ever… This time, she's truly facing me as a Kaiba, and I'm more of a Mouto than ever. Our truce is officially over.
The conflict that my grandfather and her great uncle started so long ago… One that was fated to begin thousands of years ago… A new chapter is about to be written…
Will this rivalry ever end?
I hope not… It's too much fun!
Coming up next, "The Mounting Heavens of Celestia; Yumi versus Sam".
Sam: I'm heading for the mountain top, Yumi… And I'm gonna throw you off of it!