Cardfight Vanguard: Setsuzoku Sensō
Chapter 6
Hell Week's Flame Suppressing Wind
Imagine… you a student at Setsuzoku Academy walk into your last class of the day just before it starts, and normally it be a cause for minor celebration during Hell Week; however, your last class of the day is physics with the Academy's infamous gym teacher from hell Professor Ryushi. His lectures on the subject are easy to understand, of which is a nice change of pace considering what he normally does to you class. Regardless… as you're taking notes you in turn notice a girl with her hair up in twin-tails fidgeting around with a small black device between her fingers.
"Tch…. haven't had a chance to check out the contents of this thing since lunch ended, but still…. just what the hell am I supposed to do with this?" Umi thought as she continues to twiddle that small black device between her fingers, "Normally I'd ask Kokuo for advice, but he seems to be in his brooding angry delinquent mood. Still… just why the hell did that cake thief jacka** give me this thing?"
That small black device was none other than the flash drive Aadyn gave Umi after their fight was unexpectedly interrupted, and Aadyn's last words about this little device play in her head again as she continues to think about it.
"A flash drive that you could say will be your magical plot device that'll help you rule your reincarnated life or in Chinese Wuxia stories…. be the old grandpa that'll allow you to rule everything that exists under the heavens." The mental recreation of Aadyn's voice whispered within Umi's mind, "That flash drive contains all of the detailed and revised notes I took during my freshmen year here."
"No use thinking about it now….. I'll just focus on the rest of class, and plug in the flash drive into my computer when I get home from school." Umi thought as she picked up a pencil and resumed her notetaking.
"And so you'll get the answer if you divide by X here and move Y to the other side. Now then….. let's do a quick test to see how much you're all paying attention." Professor Ryushi said as he quickly wrote a short problem on the electronic blackboard, "You all should be able to do this with a little bit of mental math…. Hmmm…. looks like you all were saved by the bell."
In other words the bell signifying the end of class for the day rang across Setsuzoku's massive campus, and already students are packing their bags so they can quickly find some way to vent the massive amount of stress caused by the Academy's infamous hell-week.
"HEY….. the bell doesn't dismiss class… I'm the one who gets to make that call!" Professor Ryushi yelled.
Unfortunately no one was able to escape the professor's class before he spoke up, however between the sudden unnerving effect the professor's voice had along with recalling P.E…. everyone in Umi's class herself included sat back down in their seats not daring to make an escape attempt.
"Everyone still here? Good… I have an announcement to make!" Professor Ryushi declared, "As ordered by the principal as part of his initiative to raise the average skill level of academy students, on Friday morning three days from now you will have the results of going through hell week put to a test."
This tidbit of news sends Umi's class along with all of the other high school division freshmen into a tizzy of discussion as they too receive the same news from their own teachers. Just what kind of trial will they be put through?"
"Since it's only the start of the school year this sudden trial will consist of a comprehensive written exam like the academy's entrance exam." Professor Ryushi explained.
Warning bells are already going off in Umi's head at the mere mention of a written exam, of which is to be expected especially since she didn't take half of the entrance exam.
"Shit shit shit shit… other than the two clans I use, Kokuo's Royal Paladins, and what I remember about the clans a few acquaintances of ours played back in junior high….. I'm f***ing horribly underprepared for this." Umi thought as she both starts sweating bullets and feels a desire to bang her head on her desk, "There's no way I can cover what I'm missing in three days."
"But unlike the entrance exam….. the one you'll have on Friday will test you on the clan's or clans you primarily use." Professor Ryushi continued to explain.
"Oh thank goodness….. at least with this I have a chance to bs my way through." Umi thought as she breathed a massive sigh of relief.
"Umi you dumbass, there's no way you'll be able to pass by acting like that. Sure I got a high score on the written part of the entrance exam, but that test was still extremely hard." Kokuo thought as he glanced at Umi's relieved expression while knowing her exact thoughts, "I should be fine, so…. you better hold in your foul mouth and appreciate the fact that I'll help you."
"Such is the fate of students who think they can cruise through this school." Kisaki thought as she quickly glances at Umi before turning her gaze to the rest of the class, "Though it's too be expected for me not to be informed about this trial since I'm a freshmen, but at least I can see why it's not a generalized written exam….. with the physical and mental exhaustion caused by hell week… even I'd have a great deal of trouble recalling what unit is a part of what clan let alone the rest of these commoners."
"As I'm not at liberty to say…. the rules of the practical portion of this trial will be explained to you at the arena… excuse me… I mean one of the arenas. Professor Ryushi explained as he quickly fixes his slip of the tongue.
"Pardon me for interrupting professor, but arenas?" one student asked as he raised his hand, "You mean whatever it is we'll have to do tomorrow won't go on in the big stadium outside or the auditorium for example?"
"I see you're one of the students who entered from outside the academy." Professor Ryushi notes as he took a deep breath, "The stadium some of you here sat in two months ago is normally used in large-scale events such as the aforementioned entrance exam, the Japanese National Vanguard tournament, the world championships, the inter-high tournament, and even for a few other sports. Whereas the Academy uses one or a combination of 5 additional arenas for smaller scale or internal school events like your trail this Friday."
"Then is there a difference between these smaller arenas?" the same student asked.
"There are two differences with the first being that the four arenas in the north, south, east, and west sections of the school can hold around 5 thousand people. Then the central arena can hold around 25 thousand. All of that includes the entire student population of the academy, the school's staff, the close family/friends of both, and members of the press." Professor Ryushi answered, "The second difference is that the central arena is themed after the continuous hot/cold war between the Dragon Empire and the United Sanctuary while the smaller arenas are themed after the other nations."
"Wow….. that s**t must have cost the school a lot of money to make." Umi thought, "But then I guess that means each of these arenas in a way are based off of those branch headquarter places in the G-Era of the anime series…. at least I'm pretty sure it's that era."
"I suggest you spend these next three days doing a serious review of your own clans along with getting some last minute training in as your results on Friday will determine whether or not the Academy believes you're worth nurturing as fighters." Professor Ryushi said as he offered his class one last word of advice, "Now if there are no further questions… you're all free to go."
The students of Setsuzoku Academy break off into their various social groups the moment they leave class as some head off to get some training in, others stop by the cafeteria, and the rest including Umi and Kokuo renew their ever-continuing membership of the go-home club.
"Kokuo my friend, what has you so irritable all of a sudden?" Umi pointed out as she's finally back in her good girl mode, "Holding it in like that isn't good for your health you know."
"Really? You…. you of all people are trying to give me advice about the troubles that come with holding in your emotions?" Kokuo retorts as he looks at Umi dumbfounded as though he received advice on how to quit drinking from a hard alcoholic, "Look…. I…. don't want to talk about it."
"You sure? You know you can tell me anything Kokuo." Umi retorts as well.
"Yes…. I'm sure, but thanks anyway. This is just something I'll have to overcome with my own strength." Kokuo quietly mumbled as he recalls what he overheard from Sekai's sudden interview by the press.
"Kokuo… Rettousei? Who's… that?" Aadyn's mental recreation of Sekai's voice said within his own mind.
"Definitely something I….. no…. he did say I'm too focused on fighting on my own…. this something Alfred II and I have to overcome on our own." Kokuo whispered to himself before turning to face Umi, "What about you? Aren't you worried about Friday?"
"Oh extremely… in fact it's to the point where I may seriously have nightmares about it." Umi honestly answered.
"Then would you like me to help you review Neo-Nectar related material? You'll probably end up drowning on your own if I don't." Kokuo politely suggested.
"I appreciate it Kokuo….. I really do." Umi said in a solemn yet resolved tone as her hand reached towards the sun, "Even if it's only a little…. I've caught a glimpse of the path I'm supposed to take in this life thanks to this school, so….. too prove I belong… like you….. it is something I must overcome with my own strength."
"Hmph…. so she's finally starting to mature as a fighter." Kokuo thought, "Alright, but the offer is still there."
The numerous members of Setsuzoku Academy's Go-Home club all arrived at their own residences without any trouble. What Kokuo had chosen to do at this moment remains a mystery, however Umi quickly returns to her room and turns on her computer.
"Alright… time to see just what the hell is the big deal about this thing." Umi mumbled as she plugs in the flash drive Aadyn gave her into her computer while it was still in the middle of the boot-up sequence.
Umi immediately opens up the contents of the flash drive once her computer's boot-up sequence was complete, and she's completely caught off guard by the massive files within files within files and so on that she finds. One part of this flash drive has an HD video file of every single episode of the Vanguard anime currently out as of yet, the opposite end has individual analysis of varying levels of detail of various cards, and several more things in between.
"How….. just how much time did he spend to make something like this? And this is only for the first year course material?" Umi mumbled as her eyes go wide from shock, "Wait… considering how strong Aadyn was and what Sekai said about him… to have that level ability I guess….. it would make sense to require this amount of effort to make up for a lack of talent."
Umi continues to randomly scroll through countless files like a kid in a candy store, but eventually a particular document file gets her attention.
"Huh….. "Read me Ms. Kitagawa"….. but…. he looked like he gave this to me last minute." Umi thought as she clicked to open the word file, "Could it be…. he planned to give this to me all along? But why…. we just met today?"
Umi opened the world file and found that it was a short letter she suspects to be written by Aadyn along with a series of links to other files on this flash drive separated into different categories.
"Ms. Kitagawa, if you wish to survive Setsuzoku Academy you'll need to put in several times the effort in your training compared to the geniuses here. Training blindly you'll only make it close to the end of your first year at best, but by following the directions below will give you a chance to catch up to the level of fighters like Sekai and Kisaki. Whether you choose to follow the directions below or attempt to forge your own path here….. good luck because I'll be watching. Sincerely, your sponsor." Umi mumbled as she read the contents of the short letter aloud, "P.S: Aadyn here, you should totally thank your best friend's girlfriend for getting you some of the upgrades for your deck…. GIRLFRIEND?! The hell….. that f*** has a girlfriend and he never told me… his best friend? No…. forget it… it's probably just that jacka** cake thief's last ditched attempt at messing with me."
The list of links started with an individualistic analysis of cards suspected to be in Umi's deck, an analysis of it as a whole, play-by-play analysis based on how her good girl/foul mouthed girl modes affect it, suggested edits based on the aforementioned moods, compatible training exercises, suggested strategies against varying decks, suggested decks other than "Maiden of" that Umi could play, studying techniques, and all of it in impressive levels of detail that border on stalking.
"Amazing… if I can comprehend just a part of what's here… my game will improve by leaps and bounds, but that letter…." Umi mumbled as though she pulled a winning lotto scratcher before returning back to reality, "I could be wrong since I only met that cake thief jacka*** once, but this letter feels way too formal for him to have written it save for that part at the end. If that is the case…. who is my sponsor? And how did they convince Aadyn to deliver it to me?"
"We're closing up a little early tonight my precious daughter, so if you want something from the menu for dinner I suggest you tell me soon!" Umi's dad yelled in a doting tone, "Now come down here, give your favorite papa a hug, and tell him how your day ways.
"Like hell I'm going to f***ing go down there and hug you stupid dad!" Umi yelled, "Also some stir-fried vegetable noodles please."
Umi focuses in on the letter's suggested lings regarding studying techniques in order to increase her chances of passing the first part of the sudden trial she has Friday, and she does so while she waits for that delicious victory bowl to be prepared. At that moment another male student of Setsuzoku Academy has finally returned home as Umi starts to burn the midnight oil.
"I'm home!" the male student said somewhat loudly as he walked into his abode.
The house itself was kept clean very well, but you could still tell from the interior that this student clearly lives in a less than financially able neighborhood. The student himself was another freshman at Setsuzoku who had spiky black hair, a cut on his right cheek that somewhat looks like the letter "C", and a simple silver necklace around his deck. Furthermore he appears to be wearing what looks like a uniform at a random convenience store, however upon closer examination you see that it is actually for one of the card shops in the neighborhood. You can also see from the student's work uniform that the card shop he works at also happens to be owned by the Academy.
"Guess mom's already asleep." The student mumbled to himself as he took off his shoes and tossed his bag to the side.
Before the student could move from that spot he hears what sounds like a blanket being tossed to the side, a light being turned on, and what are obviously footsteps heading towards him. The student saw his mother….. a woman in her mid to late 30s who was wearing the kind of outfit one would expect of a female office worker, of which the student's mother seems to have been sleeping in said outfit.
"Oh sorry ma…. I was just saying that because it seemed…. ya know appropriate, but I thought you'd still be at work." The student said with expression filled with guilt, "I didn't mean to wake you up."
"Oh Ryuga, it's not a problem." Ryuga's mom retorts as she gently caresses her son's left cheek for a moment, "What kind of mother wouldn't want to see their son everyday as they…. cough cough… every day. Excuse me for that."
Those coughs weren't mere light exhales of air, but rather they were as though Ryuga's mom was a cat trying to pass a hairball.
"You sure you're okay ma? You've had that cough ever since we came back from the doctor's office a couple months back." Ryuga pointed out, "Maybe you should go see him again when you get a chance."
"I told you already…. the doctor said I had a lung infection, and that the medicine he cough couch… don't worry I'm fine. Anyways…. you remember how I told you that the medicine he prescribed will have to be taken over a several month long period, and that a bad coughing fit is a side effect of the medicine."
"Yeah… I know, but I can't help but be worried about you ma…. I mean before dad died he told me I had to be the man of the house." Ryuga said in a reluctant manner.
"I know, but you should be out enjoying your youth and living your own life when you grow up." Ryuga's mom pointed out, "Speaking of life…. How was school?"
"It's fine…. the lessons are hard…. like really really hard, but they're worth it. In fact I have a big test coming up in a few days that decides whether or not I get to remain a student, so I'll need to get to studying." Ryuga answered with a smile, "In fact I'll probably be doing a little tonight while I wait for the coffee I had at work to wear off."
"That's good, but as I didn't plan on sleeping on the couch I'll be going back to my room." Ryuga's mom mumbled as she walked past her son and back towards the way she came.
Thus Ryuga grabs a bag of chips as well as his actual school bag and returns to his room only to sit at his desk. He opens that bag of chips, takes out one of his textbooks, and was about to commence studying with it when he suddenly stops moving. Ryuga's suddenly overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness, anger, self-disappointment.
"Doctor huh? I was there mom….. I know what he really said, so why did you lie?" Ryuga thought as even a blind man would be able to tell that he has a saddened look on his face right now.
But then Ryuga shakes his head as if to get rid of those negative thoughts and actually commences with studying for the test Friday.
"You can't think about that Ryuga…. You applied to Setsuzoku for mom's sake to keep your promise with dad." Ryuga mumbled to himself as he continued to turn the pages in his textbook.
Ryuga, Umi, Kokuo, even Kisaki, and the rest of the High School freshmen student body are hard at work studying for the test on Friday that will have a hand in determining whether or not they continue on the path to their own version of the pique of the Vanguard world. They all also get some last minute training in preparation for the mysterious practical portion as well. Soon enough the sun rises, falls, and rises again signifying that the day of the trial is now here. Right now Umi is sitting in her classroom half-asleep as she both waits for the rest of her class to arrive and for the test to actually begin.
"Ha…. you think too highly of yourself you lowly commoner!" Kisaki yelled, "It's far beneath someone of my standing to take the effort to "coincidentally" run into you!"
"Yeah well you're not exactly anything special either you highborn noble git!" Kokuo yelled with anger before going on to sarcastically say, "Because it's so hard to become strong if you just toss a few 100$ bills around."
"I'm sorry…. who are you again? Oh that's right…. since Akira-senpai couldn't remember your name I guess I forgot too." Kisaki retorts as her voice is just seething with anger.
Umi immediately perks up once she hears her best friend speak, but she also shakers her head in annoyance once she realizes who else is yelling. A good thing this argument seems to be taking place in the hallway…. Otherwise Umi doubts that simply covering her ears will be enough to drown out the sound of their voices.
"I swear… those two f****** idiots have been arguing like an old a** married couple since the semester started. I wish they'd just fight and get it over with." Umi thought as her eyes go wide when she suddenly recalls something, "That's right…. I never asked Kokuo if what Aadyn said in that letter about having a girlfriend is true. I guess I'll do that when something interrupts them like the last time.
Kisaki and Kokuo have gotten into some kind of argument at least twice a day since the semester started just like Umi had described. They were like oil and water as their arguments have been about something as ridiculous as the best kind of chicken sandwich to school related content such as the better solution to a hypothetical situation in a Vanguard fight. Each time they seemed as though they were going to settle the issue with their decks or possibly their fists…. something keeps getting in their way. Such interruptions consist of things like lessons starting, a guy accidentally pulling the fire alarm, and one time something ridiculous as a Pale Moon clown (you read that right) asking them for directions.
"And 3…. 2…. 1" Umi mumbled as she counted down the time until the universe enacted whatever plan in mind they hand to stop this argument.
"Excuse me you two." Professor Ryushi mumbled as he walked into class early for once.
"Yes professor." Kokuo and Kisaki say as though they were drilled soldiers.
Of which is an understandable reaction considering they, Umi, the rest of Umi's class, and several other students throughout the school are scared of the thought of pissing off the academy's demon king of exercise.
"You're late." Umi mumbled as Kokuo sat down to her right while Kisaki works her way to the opposite entrance to their row of seats.
"Oh… by the way Kokuo my friend, there's something I wanted to ask you if you don't mind." Umi revealed, "I was planning on doing it earlier, but I've been so preoccupied with studying."
"What is it?" Kokuo asked as he took a sip of coffee from a thermos he happened to have brought with him.
"Is it true that the person who helped you get the new cards for my deck was actually your girlfriend?" Umi asked in a rare tone that signified her innocence as a teenaged girl.
Unfortunately for Kokuo, the coffee he had just drunk had travelled halfway down his gullet when his mind registered his best friend's question. The shock caused his eyes to go wide and the aforementioned coffee to take a wrong turn in his gullet, of which caused Kokuo to enter a violent coughing spree.
"Cough cough… oh god cough… my lungs are burning." Kokuo mumbled as he forced himself to get his act together, "Who… told you? Don't you dare lie to me Umi Kitagawa."
Before Umi could respond to her friend's question, she hears the sound of what appears to be something crashing to the ground directly to her left.
"Are you alright?" Umi asked as she turned her head only to notice Kisaki on the floor with her chair on its side.
"Huh? Oh… yeah I'm fine… I just accidentally say too close to the edge of my seat… yes that's it." Kisaki said in a hurried manner as she picked up her chair and sat on it properly.
"You're not going to get out of it again…. who told you?" Kokuo asked as his face looks as though Umi proverbially caught her best friend cheating on his wife.
Unfortunately Umi is able to get out of it again as at that moment Professor Ryushi declares at the perfect moment that it is time to begin the written test. Speaking of which, the professor all though the word "written" was used has his class take the test through a special app on their fancy school phones. Each test was indeed tailor-made to each student, but it was filled with the standard multiple choice or short essay question one might find on any major standardized test. Umi struggles to answer each question, but she's not alone as her entire class including her best friend and Kisaki are straining themselves at times.
"Time's up!" Professor Ryushi declared as he presses an icon on his phone that causes the special testing app to close out on all of his students, "Right now the experts the academy has on hand are reviewing your written questions. In a few minutes you'll be seeing a screen pop up on your phone with your score."
The class does indeed get another pop-up on their phones after a few minutes. Most of these pop-ups have a green background while a few of red backgrounds and in response many students breathe a sigh of relief or cheer out in joy while the rest wallow in disappointment.
"Ha ha… f*** yes I'm through… C-!" Umi thought as she was more relieved to see green than major money launderers.
"Those who have a green background behind their score can stay." Professor Ryushi declared, "While those with a red background behind their score can drop of their academy phones at my desk as you've been expelled."
There are objects by those with red backgrounds almost immediately, of who are also joined by a few students who passed the written exam.
"What the hell? The guy next to me has a 79/100… a freaking C+ and he gets to stay while my score was an 87/100 a B+ that's just unfair!" one of the expelled students yelled.
"The difficulty of each individual test and criteria for passing has been set according to what was expected from the student taking that test. The difficulty of the questions was decided by your estimated skill growth after the first few days of hell week." Professor Ryushi explained before the remainder of the expelled students can break out into a riot.
"Then what about the critera for passing?" that same angry student asks.
"If you can't even match your percentile score on the entrance exam (of which is considered an easier test regardless of individual exam difficulty) in a test on a clan you specialize in….. then as a part of the Academy's new initiative they'd rather not waste the resources to train you!" Professor Ryushi said in a booming voice.
"In that case… would I have passed just by getting 1 point on this test since I never took the entrance exam?" Umi thought, "If so then f***, I wasted my time stressing myself out for nothing."
A few of the expelled students have enough personal honor as fighters to accept the professor's explanations, so they then leave behind their school phones as the professor requested before departing from the classroom for the last time. The rest of the expelled students still want to continue to object, however they still follow the professor's demands as they know better than to make a scene here.
"If any of you lucky survivors need to use the restroom raise your hands now!" Professor Ryushi declared.
Even if there was someone who needed to use the facilities amongst the rest of Umi's class, they'd still hold it in for the fear of them dropping their guard somehow affecting the practical test to come.
"No one? In that case… Class 3-C, follow me to the academy's Zoo Nation Arena." Professor Ryushi ordered.
This arena was only a 20 minute walk for Class 3-C, and when they arrived they could already see other classes funneling in ahead of them or waiting in line to get in behind them. All of these freshmen see what you might normally find in a sports arena…. things like food stalls, gift shops, and "Employee Only" doors. It is Kisaki and a few other students who came up from the Academy's middle-school division who suddenly started to behave like they notice something weird.
"It's curved…. and too plain. Where are all of the decorations?" Kisaki mumbled.
"What do you mean?" Umi couldn't help but ask.
Kisaki doesn't seem to hear Umi's question, but she does get an answer from all of the conversations going on around her. All of the arenas went under some serious renovations where access was restricted to only the construction crew, members of the academy's board of directors, and a few of teachers. The layout of the arena before the renovations should be a flat straight line on each floor like a rectangle, but now it is curved as though it were a Baseball stadium instead. As for the decorations…. each arena should be artistically designed around each nation. In the case of the Zoo nation…. There should have been covered with plants, fake moss on the walls, and similar such displays as though the arena were a building reclaimed by the wild. Other than some fresh paint…. there's nothing indicating this arena is supposed to represent the likes of Great Nature, Neo-Nectar, and Mega Colony.
"Keep moving." Professor Ryushi ordered.
All of the students walk to the core of this stadium where countless epic fights have taken place, but now even that looks different. The closest visual reference would be that of the arena in Yu-Gi-Oh GX's Duel Academy…. in fact the arena here now looks almost exactly like that.
"Okay… this time…. no more interruptions." Kokuo declared as the last of the freshmen classes assigned to this arena take their seats, "Just who the hell told you?"
Unfortunately Kokuo, you're about to be interrupted yet again.
"Can I please have silence in the arena?" a young woman asked as she spoke into the microphone.
The freshmen here for their practical trial, the few upperclassmen who were playing the role of observers, and the other teachers here for the same reason all stopped their own conversations not because it was expected of them; however, it was out of respect as most of the people here recognized the voice of the person speaking.
"Thank you." the female voice said in a neutral tone of voice.
Everyone turned their gaze towards the center of the arena and saw a young lady wearing the uniform of a Setsuzoku Academy high school division 2nd year; she looked plain for a Japanese girl yet also somewhat charming, tawny brown hair that reached just passed her shoulder tied together with a black barrette, copper colored eyes, soft facial features, a peach colored skin tone, and she has a slender body-type with just a tad bit of muscle that makes the whole thing more charming.
"For the sake of practicality to those who don't recognize me…. my name is Kagawa Tsukuyomi, ranked 6th among the Academy's top 10, and I've been assigned as the master of ceremonies for this arena's freshmen practical trial."
"Practicality? Wait…. could she be the one who Rodgers-senpai…. no too early to say. It could just be a coincidence." Umi thought.
"Kyahh…. it's Tsukiyo ojou-sama…. Hey… I think she looked at me… yup she definitely did." an excited female student said.
"As if Kiyo-senpai would take the time to look at some background character student….. it would be me if anyone, but even then that wouldn't be the case due to it not being "practical" under these circumstances." Kisaki thought as she had a smug grin on her face, "Still…. if she's here…. then other members of the top 10 must be in the remaining arenas."
"Say Kokuo…. what's the big deal about this Tsukiyo-senpai?" Umi asked in a tone that was both kindhearted and indicated that she didn't think much of this particular upperclassman.
"Big deal?" Kisaki said as though Umi just insulted her mother, "Kiy…. Tsukiyo-senpai is the strongest 2nd year, but what a lot of people don't know including the students and teachers is that her practical skill is the 4th highest amongst the current top 10 and Tsukiyo-senpai would prefer it if things stay that way."
"I understand…. Kokuo and I won't broadcast that fact, but you must really admire Tsukiyo-senai don't you?" Umi curiously asked, "I apologize if my earlier words sounded a bit crass as that was not my intention at all. I was simply curious about her reputation."
"Of course I admire Tsukiyo-senpai. The only reason she's not ranked higher is because she considers her club-mates more important." Kisaki explained as she put Tsukiyo-senpai on a pedestal of the same level of world-class celebrities, "Like a good Vanguard leading their rearguard and ignoring the gameplay mechanics of certain clans, she chooses to sacrifice the benefits she'd gain at a higher rank so her club-mates can perform to the best of her ability. Also….. how I acted during the entrance exam didn't used to be an act for me, and I owe senpai for that, so that's why I have no intention of taking the rank of 1st until she graduates with it."
"It's not a bad thing to have a senpai to look up to, but if only the one I was close to wasn't such a f****** weirdo." Umi thought, "What club? And what do you mean by "didn't used to be an act?""
"Newspaper club and Tsukiyo-senpai shoved a full serving of humble pie down her throat as this noble-born brat was trying to rise through the ranks as quickly as possible." Kokuo quickly answered as he didn't appreciate being interrupted earlier.
"As expect of some lowborn delinquent using language unbefitting of our school" Kisaki retorts before momentarily pausing, "But… it happened how he said."
"For your practical trail… your class will be randomly matched with another class where students among those classes will be randomly matched to fight one another. The number of fights between each class will be equal to which class has the lower number of students, and the winning class will be decided by who has the higher win percentage. Victory for your class in this trial mean all those in it get a permanent 10% increase to their monthly stipend from the Academy for as long as you're enrolled here, and the members of the losing class get a permanent 10% decrease in their monthly stipend for the same duration." Tsukiyo explained, "Furthermore regardless of whether your class wins as a whole or you win your match as an individual….. or if even the opposite occurs…. your performance will be key in deciding whether you come back to school tomorrow."
The thought of a permanent 10% stipend increase ignites the fighting spirit of many of the freshmen here….. Ryuga and Umi especially, but the smarter freshmen realize that this fight won't be as easy. For example, what if the lower ranked freshmen were matched against the top ranked freshmen? What if each match is to be done with some kind of special rule? What if they're matched against an opponent of equal skill despite the use of the word "randomly"? Regardless of the truth, there is only one way to find out.
"We will begin immediately, so please turn your attention to the big screen as matchups are decided." Tsukiyo announced.
The big screen Tsukiyo-senpai is referring to is actually 4 separate large monitors seemingly built into the center of the northern, southern, eastern, and western walls respectively. On these screens the students see an animation akin to a slot machine playing as pairs of classes randomly roll across a dial, of which eventually…. the dial stops.
"The first class match will be between 3-C of the Seaport building and 3-G of the North Star Building, but please don't turn away from the big screen as the individual matchups are now being decided." Tsukiyo announced.
"Of course… the class I happen to be in is the first one that has to fight…. how did I not see that one coming?" Umi sarcastically thought to herself.
"Oh shit…. isn't Kisaki… and that guy Kokuo who challenged Sekai are in that class?" a student of the North Star building said aloud, "Those guys in 3-G are screwed if they're matched against them."
"Maybe, but Tsukiyo-senpai said it's the total number of wins that decide it. Besides I heard the girl ranked last among the freshmen is in that class…. Umi I think her name was, but it should be a guaranteed win against her regardless." another student of the North Star building pointed out, "The guys in 3-G will love bragging about beating the class Kisaki is in."
Once again everyone here turns to the "big screen" as the same slot machine themed animation continues to play only with the names of each class's students rolling by on the dials, and like before….. those dials eventually come to a stop.
"The first match will be between 1st ranked freshman Kisaki Takamaki and 2nd ranked freshman Ryuga Akaimaru." Tsukiyo announced, "Could both students please come to the stage?"
At first Ryuga and Kisaki intend to walk to the center of the stage on the arena floor, however Tsukiyo signals for them both to stop right after walking up the stairs on the opposite sides of the stage. Next Tsukiyo snaps her fingers, of which causes what looks like half an electronic fight table to appear from a trap door in the floor in front of both competitors. Both Ryuga and Kisaki place down their decks, starting vanguard, draw their opening hands, and even insert their school phones into an appropriate slot to record whatever will happen without even waiting for an explanation about this strange setup.
"As many students here may have noticed, the arena floor used to be just that…. a flat floor with one of the Academy's special fight tables placed in the center. During the break renovations were made to prepare a special surprise just for this trial." Tsukiyo announced, "A surprise the principal claims that will be of great help bringing up the average skill of academy students, but you'll have to wait until the match begins to find out what."
"This layout looks just like in the first era of the Vanguard anime. Could it be…. no there's no way…. could it?" both Ryuga, Kokuo, and many of the students here thought at the same time.
"Renovations that require closing down all of the arenas and forbidding access to all but a few workers… elder brother…. just what would cause you to go that far?" Kisaki thought.
"Are the both of you ready?" Tsukiyo asked.
Both Kisaki and Ryuga quickly nodded their heads in affirmation of the judge's question.
"But before we begin….. Kisaki Takamaki, I challenge you to a ranking match!" Ryuga declared.
Like with the permanent 10% stipend increase, this too sends everyone here into some kind of discussion.
"The hell…. is Ryuga crazy? I mean there is only a difference of one ranking between them on the freshmen ranking, but the difference between them in the overall ranking is as big as the difference between the heavens and Earth." a freshman mumbled.
"I know right… since Ryuga is ranked as the 2nd strongest freshmen he should be able to put up a decent fight before Kisaki cuts him down, but he's just being too arrogant by challenging her like this." another freshmen said.
"He's not being arrogant at all…. I can tell from his eyes… he's determined to win even if he knows he can't….. almost like his life is dependent on it." Kisaki thought as she happened to overhear those particular 2 students.
"My challenge isn't a problem for this trial is it Tsukiyo-senpai?" Ryuga asked in a polite manner while maintaining his serious expression, "If it is I can reschedule my challenge."
"No it's not a problem for this trial's match to be a ranking fight." Tsukiyo answered.
"Not that I can say no anyway." Kisaki retorts.
"Say…. Kokuo, what does she mean by that?" Umi asked as she was referring to Kisaki.
"It's in the student handbook: The Academy's top 10 can't refuse ranking challenges, and at most they can schedule it for a later date if it is impossible for them to fight the moment the challenge is issued….. still I like Ryuga's guys." Kokuo explained, "Maybe I'll challenge him myself when I get the chance."
"You would like his guts since you did the same thing." Umi chuckled.
The people sitting in this particular arena continue to talk about Ryuga's sudden and unexpected challenge, but Tsukiyo asks for silence once more so they can continue with the proceedings of this practical trial.
"I'll ask again…. are the both of you ready?" Tsukiyo asks.
"Yes." Kisaki and Ryuga answer at the same time.
"Then let the fight begin!" Tsukiyo declared.
"Stand up, vanguard!" both fighters declared.
"No matter what….. for ma's sake…. I will win!" Ryuga thought to himself, "Red Pulse Dracokid [Power: 4000]!"
"Sky Child, Breeze [Power: 5000]!" Kisaki declared.
"Stratos Guardian and Kagero…. both are clans that specialize in taking out the opponent's field presence." Tsukiyo thought, "Practically speaking, the victor would be decided between fighters of equal skill by whoever gets their combination plays out first… but these two are not of equal skill at all."
Ryuga's starting vanguard in an adorable little dragon cub with a white mane around his face as well as his shoulders, and he wields a pair of pistol-like weapons that one would be smart to not mistake for a toy unless they no longer wish to continue existing. Meanwhile, Kisaki's starting vanguard looks like a little cupid angel (even though he actually isn't an angel), with white wings, and pieces of medieval style armor covering his vital points. Everyone in the arena and their mother can picture the live form of these units so easily as if they were actually in front of them, and little did they know that there was actually a good reason for that.
"I….. I don't believe it." Kisaki mumbled out of shock as she dropped the cards in her hand.
"No…. way….. I have to be dreaming….. there's just no way this can be real." Ryuga also mumbled out of shock as he too drops the cards in his hand.
The reason these fighters were shocked and the reason a seemingly never ending chains of gasps come from those watching are one in the same. That reason is because the units they're picturing so easily are in actuality truly right before their very eyes. A similar scene is likely playing out in the Academy's other arenas, but Tsukiyo-senpai sees a perfect chance to speak once this gigantic hotpot of varying emotions reaches its peak.
"None of you here are dreaming, and nor are any of you hallucinating. What you are witnessing before you is absolutely real." Tsukiyo announced, "Through a collaborative research project involved with hologram, special effects, computer hardware, computer software, and specialist representatives from the academy we have successfully developed the first phase of technology thought only possible in card game anime. We at Setsuzoku Academy have successfully developed working prototype Motion Figure systems, and you freshmen fighting here today have the honor of taking the first step to perfect them! This initiative was started by the principal's predecessor… all for the sake of helping to raise the skills of Academy students to an even higher level!"
This piece of news lights the fighting spirit of the entire audience…. not only the freshmen to a level a mere 10% stipend increase couldn't possibly hope to match in a lifetime. The audience screamed out with such a blood-boiling desire to fight such that decorum is the only thing preventing them all from dragging Ryuga and Kisaki off the stage in order to have a match themselves.
"Amazing…. I'm still not sure just how passionate I feel about Vanguard, but….. f*** even I really want to fight someone right now." Umi thought as she fails to notice how her fists are shaking with excitement.
"One of you just go up and lose already…. I don't care who, but just get out of my way so Alfred II and I can fight!" Kokuo thought as he squeezes his deck so tightly such that he'd have a bloody hand by now were it made from glass.
Everyone here and in the other arenas say similar such comments to each other like the three above, but once again Tsukiyo gets everyone to quiet down so the proceedings can continue.
"I know all of you are excited to fight yourselves, but make due for now by enjoying the first fight on this arena's system!" Tsukiyo announced.
Everyone turns their gaze back to Kisaki and Ryuga as they now have no choice but to put up an exciting fight. If they don't….. then it's simply a massive dishonor to this newly written and likely also best written page in the history of the Vanguard world.
"I know I promised myself that I wouldn't seek out the 1st rank until you graduate with it Kiyo-senpai, but I'm so tempted to break that vow by challenging you to a ranking match senpai. Still I know I can't….." Kisaki thought as she momentarily glanced at Tsukiyo with a gaze like a blood knight already in the thick of a hearty battle before redirecting her gaze to Ryuga, "So sorry, but….. I'll have to settle this itch by destroying you completely.
"So this means I'll be able to see you in person instead of just my imagination or anime episodes... isn't that right Blademaster my most trusted of partners?" Ryuga thought as he too made the same face as Kisaki, "Then since we can truly fight side by side for the first time…. you better help me win!"
"You can go first since I still need to pick my hand up off the floor." Kisaki said as she gets on one knee in order to complete the aforementioned action.
"Then you'd better not regret it." Ryuga said with a smug expression, "Ride Lava Flow Dragon [Power: 7000]! Red Pulse moves to the back row."
Red Pulse Dracokid is covered in a small torrent of flames rather than the usual shells of light that form when a fighter rides to a higher grade, and in place of the baby dragon is another dragon bigger than an SUV with dark red scales, a whitish yellow underbody, and his body is putting off such heat that the audience can see the air crackle before them.
"This is simply amazing….. no…. don't get distracted by the novelty of the situation." Ryuga thought, "I'll end my turn since there's nothing else I can do."
"Amazing….. I can actually feel the heat from here." one excited student said aloud.
"No kidding….and look at that level of detail." A friend of that excited student said, "I couldn't even begin to imagine the amount of work involved to put out the same results for every single unit in the game."
"It was the principals original intention to have the holograms be as lifelike as possible." Tsukiyo explained, "I'm sure you all would have also liked to see the various "battlefields" mentioned in lore and episodes of the tv series, but due to the massive amount of data involved that proved to be impossible. As the year goes on however; such fields will be loaded onto each Motion Figure system's hard drive as they're completed."
"Western style dragons certainly have their charm, but elder brother….. let's see how it can handle displaying my units tasked with guarding the skies of Cray." Kisaki thought as she drew for the turn, "I ride Small Wind Swordsman, Zephyrus [Power: 7000]!"
This time a powerful wind blows in this small arena such that nearly everyone in this arena save for Kisaki, her opponent, Tsukiyo, and a few others instinctively covered their eyes with their arms in response. Once they lower their arms after a few seconds they see the small angelic knight replaced by his grownup self; of whom was wearing a fully suit of mideval stylized armor in a deep purplish blue color, he had a one-handed sword with a dark blue stripe running from the tip of the blade down to the hilt, and on his back he had a single pair of grayish white wings like that of an angel.
"Like you I shall move my starting vanguard to the back row." Kisaki declared as she slid Breeze behind her vanguard. "Now Zephyrus, let your blade be what starts off this tribulation of heavenly wind and attack Lava Flow Dragon [Total Power: 12000]!"
[Drive Check – Angelic Sky-flyer, Nimby – No Trigger]
A gust of wind once again blows across the arena, of which the intensity is only a fragment of what it was before. Furthermore, all of this wind gathers around the blade of Zephyrus as if it were the epicenter of a tornado; however, things don't stay that way for long as Zephyrus redirects the concentration of this force of nature as a single continues stream. Lava Flow Dragon then braces himself as the force of this wind pushes him to the very edge of the fighting stage, and were this brief encounter simulated to its full effect….. then even the students sitting in the section of the arena behind Ryuga would find it hard to sit still.
[Damage Check – Twilight Arrow Dragon – No Trigger]
"I end my turn since there's nothing else I can do in the opening phase either." Kisaki said, "But you shouldn't take that to mean you actually have a chance of winning."
"Yeah… I know." Ryuga retorts.
Kisaki – Ryuga
6 – Hand – 5
0 – Soul – 0
0 – Damage – 1
0 – Counterblast – 0
F(0) U(16) – G-Zone – F(0) U(16)
Empty / Empty – Empty / Empty
Sky Child, Breeze / Small Wind Swordsman, Zephyrus – Lava Flow Dragon / Red Pulse Dracokid
Empty / Empty – Empty / Empty
"She's not wrong, and I know the chances of me beating her are only slightly above nothing. Still though…. if nothing else it's better I learn how hard I have to work to rise to the top of the freshmen ranking list for ma's sake." Ryuga thought as he drew for the turn, "I ride Wall Ravage Dragon [Power: 9000]!"
This time around the classical flash of light when one rides to a higher grade occurs in a shade of bright red, of which causes Lava Flow Dragon to evolve from a four legged dragon to one that walks on only 2 legs, where his only clothes are the armor on his shoulders/knees, and his main choice of weapon appears to be a visual cross between an assault rifle and SMG.
"I call Dragon Knight, Jabad [Power: 9000] to stand on Wall Ravage's right!" Ryuga said as hand continues to remain in contact with the aforementioned card, "Now Jabad shall face your tribulation of heavenly wind directly and attack your vanguard [Total Power: 9000]!"
"I'll block your dragon knight's assault with Bombarding Falcon [Total Shield: 10000]!" Kisaki countered with a smug yet clearly arrogant expression.
Jabad flies towards Zephyrus at his dragon mount's maximum possible speed, but he quickly sees several tiny shadows before him signifying that a lot of something is about to get the drop on him. The dragon knight naturally looks up and sees dozens if not hundreds of bombs and the falcon that likely deployed them, of which in response he retreats to allied lines before it is too late. Those bombs create several shockwaves, explosions, and craters once they hit the ground… though remember these are nothing more than mostly high level holograms….. otherwise maintenance costs would be utter hell.
"Then with a boost from Red Pulse, Wall Ravage Dragon will fire a volley at your vanguard as well [Total Power: 13000]!" Ryuga declared.
"For this attack I won't be guarding." Kisaki retorts as she maintained a calm yet smug grin.
[Drive Check – Dragonic Blademaster – No Trigger]
"Looks like we'll get to fight together a little sooner than I thought Blademaster, but….. don't worry Red Pulse, you'll get a chance to show off your abilities soon enough." Ryuga thought as though he were actually
Wall Ravage Dragon fired a constant stream of rounds from his gun, however it failed to pierce through the wall of wind created by and controlled through the sword of Zephyrus. The damage was still done however as each bullet that came into contact with that wall of wind revealed themselves to be incendiary rounds, of which the flames generated from such rounds put out enough heat to melt sections of Zephyrus' armor and burn what little bits of exposed skin he has.
[Damage Check – Rainbow Maker Dragon – No Trigger]
"I end my turn." Ryuga declared.
Kisaki – Ryuga
5 – Hand – 5
0 – Soul – 1
1 – Damage – 1
0 – Counterblast – 0
F(0) U(16) – G-Zone – F(0) U(16)
Empty / Empty – Dragon Knight, Jabad / Empty
Sky Child, Breeze / Small Wind Swordsman, Zephyrus – Wall Ravage Dragon / Red Pulse Dracokid
Empty / Empty – Empty / Empty
"I'll say it again…" Kisaki mumbled as she drew for the turn, "You're at least aware of what the difference between us is correct? As well as the fact that your chances of beating me while I'm using my real deck is rather slim?"
"Yes I know….. and truthfully the time limit I have for my goal is still far off, but then if I see a chance that isn't 0 to accomplish that goal sooner…. I see no reason to not go for it." Ryuga answered with a smile that indicated he was excited to fight such a strong opponent despite the situation, "Then…. even if I fail, I just know what not to do next time the same opportunity presents itself.
"Others might take your words as arrogance thinking that the top 10 rankers are people who can easily be challenged, but I don't think that… and I doubt that the other members would as well." Kisaki declared while she maintained that smug yet arrogant grin of hers, "Still….. using you as an example, I'll have to teach the other freshmen what it means to challenge the top 10 to a ranking match… otherwise none of us would have time to focus on our studies."
"And how would you do something like that?" Ryuga curiously asked as he was somewhat worried about Kisaki's counterattack, but wasn't unnerved by it.
"It's not a matter of how, but when." Kisaki retorts, "I'm not so foolish as to declare it a fact set in stone since things like a 6th damage heal trigger can occur, but….. I'm very confident that I can end this fight with my victory by my second stride."
"If Takamaki-sama says so….. then it's as good as being set in stone." One of the students in the audience said, "Hurry up and surrender, so this way you can save us the time!"
That particular student was about to go off on further methods off putting down Ryuga, but then he suddenly felt his entire body go cold when he noticed Tsukiyo glaring in his direction. This was nothing more than the suppression effect that the strong can have on the weak, of which was more than enough reason for this student to shut up and sit back in his seat.
"Enough talking though…. especially since everyone here wants to see a fight and not a debate." Kisaki lightly chuckled as she separated one particular card from the rest of her hand, "I ride Gale Force Archer, Aero [Power: 9000], and I'll call a second Aero [Power: 9000] to my right as well."
The atypical flash of light that occurs when riding to a higher grade occurs once again in Kisaki's case, but this time it was a bright light green color signifying the wind. Zephyrus was revealed to be replaced by a young looking human woman once that flash of light dissipated. That woman was wearing a functional bluish violet colored cloth dress overlaid under medieval style leather armor, and he holds in her right hand a metal bow the same color as her cloth dress. A near exact double of this woman appears a few seconds later, of which the only differences between the double and the original is that the double has slightly darker skin tone with slightly brighter clothes.
"Now I'll have my rearguard Aero fire off a volley of arrows at Jabad [Total Power: 9000]!" Kisaki declared.
Whether it is the magic of the bow or her own power, the archer Aero fires off arrows made from the power of wind every few seconds like a master marksman is continuously being fed rounds for a bolt-action rifle. Jabad is able to dodge this gust of arrows for a while; however the rearguard Aero is able to quickly adjust to his movement pattern, and with a single moment of weakness she fires an arrow that pierces through both Jabad and his dragon mount. Thankfully only particles of light spray out since these are nothing more than high quality holograms, but whatever force that kept the arrow together breaks down once it pierces through its target releasing yet another gust of wind.
"Sorry Jabad." Ryuga thought as he clenched his free hand out of frustration.
"Breeze will add the strength of his wind to Aero as he attacks your vanguard [Total Power: 14000]!" Kisaki declared.
[Drive Check – Bountiful Paratrooper – Draw Trigger]
"And so I'm given a chance to strengthen the next phase of wind's tribulation, but regardless….. all effects to vanguard and I draw [Total Power: 19000]!" Kisaki said in casual yet arrogant manner.
The vanguard Aero chooses not to fire off an endless volley like her rearguard counterpart, but rather she chooses to fire a single super-charged arrow with possibly 2 or 3 times the destructive force of the norm. Wall Ravage Dragon chooses to fire upon that giant arrow with his gun… weakening it in the process, but it's quite clear that he won't be able to stop it. The super-charged arrow fails to pierce its target, but it too pushes Wall Ravage Dragon to the very edge of the fighting stage; however; nearly all of the scales on his chest have been cracked like a piece of mosaic artwork. Still… it is this very realism within the holograms that both cause the audience watching this fight to yell out cheers as well as raise their own desires to fight to the peak.
[Damage Check – Lizard Soldier, Veira – Stand Trigger]
"With that… I end my turn." Kisaki declared as she paused for a moment only to take a deep breath.
"Damn… even though there's only a slight difference in the numbers right now…. it's clear that Kisaki has the tempo of this fight in the palms of her hands." Ryuga thought as he fails to notice how his own palms are becoming a little moist from nervousness, "Wonder if that Kokuo guy felt something similar when he fought Sekai?"
Kisaki – Ryuga
6 – Hand – 5
1 – Soul – 1
1 – Damage – 2
0 – Counterblast – 0
F(0) U(16) – G-Zone – F(0) U(16)
Empty / Empty – Empty / Empty
Sky Child, Breeze / Gale Force Archer, Aero – Wall Ravage Dragon / Red Pulse Dracokid
Empty / Gale Force Archer, Aero – Empty / Empty
"With your sword sweep away all those who would deny us the fire of life! I ride Dragonic Blademaster [Power: 11000]!" Ryuuga declared.
The crowd yells with excitement as one of the first four fights in the world using a real-life Motion Figure system reaches the peak of the mid-game. In any case Wall Ravage Dragon is suddenly surrounded by a column of fire, but it's only on the scale of a shower curtain for the tall dragon due to the fact that this real life MF system has no environments programmed in and the fact that it's indoors. None the less, a giant dragon wielding an equally giant sword still puts a sense of awe down the throats of the audience.
"I move Red Pulse Dracokid into the soul for his skill." Ryuga said as he completed the aforementioned act along with turning a card in his damage zone face down, "Thanks to that I get to check the top 5 cards of my deck for a grade 3 kagero unit."
Ryuga was about pick up the top 5 cards of his deck when all of a sudden 5 small flames appeared in front of him, of which surprised Ryuga causing him to jump back in fright a little.
"What the….. these are all…" Ryuga mumbled as he noticed that a picture appeared in each of the 5 flames.
"Do not be alarmed." Tsukiyo interjected, "Rest assured you won't be harmed, but please use your hand to touch one of the 5 pictures before you."
Ryuga does so by touching the picture in the middle of these 5 flames especially since he has no reason to believe that a respected senpai of the school would do anything to harm him. After touching said picture, the third card from the top of Ryuga's deck slides out like one taking their card back from the ATM while the picture Ryuga just touched suddenly flies in front of Kisaki before burning out.
[Revealed Card – Wyvern Strike, Jaugo – No Trigger]
"I believe I already said that the research initiative to create a working real world Motion Figure system was started 15 years ago by the principal's predecessor, but what you don't know is that about 2 or 3 years into the project…. a special electro-magnetic ink was developed to work alongside the system for certain effects. For practicality's sake, that ink was already inserted into card production." Tsukiyo explained, "The effects due to the software being in the prototype stages only include dispensing cards from the soul, drop zone, and deck. It is hoped that the perfected software will allow special effects like cards turning themselves facedown for counter blasts/locking, the unexplained physics defying motion seen in the Legion era of the original series when cards just fly from the drop zone back into the deck, and even your deck shuffling itself. Of course you're free to do these things manually if you're more comfortable that way"
Ignoring Tsukiyo senpai's somewhat longwinded explanation for a moment, the mere promise of seeing certain anime only card tricks along with the audience's favorite units coming alive only serves to yet again excite them even further.
"I'll call Jaugo [Total Power: 11000] and Dragon Partner, Monica [Power: 7000] to the rearguard!" Ryuga declared before taking a deep breath to calm down from the excitement Tsukiyo's earlier explanation had generated for him, "My partner…. Dragonic Blade Master will attack you first [Total Power: 11000]!"
"No guard." Kisaki countered.
[Drive Check – Dragon Knight, Jannat – Critical Trigger]
[Drive Check – Lava Flow Dragon – No Trigger]
"I give the critical to Blade Master and the power to Jaugo [Total Power: 11000 2 Crit]!" Ryuga declared without even a second thought.
Regardless of whether or not it was due to the force of his swing, the power of being a dragon, and or any form of magic within the blade itself… Blademaster's weapon becomes covered in flame the moment he swings it down on the vanguard Aero's head. Aero fires off another super-charged arrow to weaken the power of the oncoming strike like how Wall Ravage Dragon did the same to her, but unfortunately the definition of insanity continues to be doing the same thing over again and expecting a different result. Although Aero was able to avoid a direct blow, she still ends up being covered in soot as well as having her prized weapon being partially melted from that intense heat.
[Damage Check – Aerial Sharp Shooter, Aura – Critical Trigger]
[Damage Check – Lightning Flash, Zapp – Stand Trigger]
"All of the effects to my vanguard of course so that she can be tempered by this tribulation of fire and wind." Kisaki said as if her decision was a matter of fact, "But what will you do next."
"With a boost from Monica, I'll attack your vanguard with Jaugo of course [Total Power: 23000]!" Ryuga retorts.
"Then I'll just intercept with my rearguard Aero [Total Shield: 5000]." Kisaki counters as she once again speaks in a casual yet arrogant tone of voice.
"Since there's nothing else I can do, I'll just end my turn." Ryuga said as he feels disappointed for not doing more even though it is still a bit early in the game.
Kisaki – Ryuga
6 – Hand – 6
1 – Soul – 3
3 – Damage – 2
0 – Counterblast – 1
F(0) U(16) – G-Zone – F(0) U(16)
Empty / Empty – Empty / Empty
Sky Child, Breeze / Gale Force Archer, Aero – Dragonic Blademaster / Empty
Empty / Empty – Wyvern Strike, Jaugo / Dragon Partner, Monica
"Here it comes." Ryuga thought as he mentally braced himself for the storm that's about to hit him.
As Ryuga has already realized, the calm before the storm has ended and he'll soon become the third person to realize what it means to face the true power of the top 10.
"Now guide the tribulation of heavenly wind into the next stage! Ride….. Ascension Deity, Avia [Power: 11000]!" Kisaki declared.
Aero is also surrounded by a shower curtain scaled column of her own matching element….. namely the wind if you haven't already figured that out. Then once that proverbial shower curtain is removed (sorry no fan service here) a young woman who by chance bears a striking resemblance to Kisaki from the shape of her face down to her long white hair. As for where they're different…. Avia is wearing a kind of dress armor (as in a dress with a little bit of armor built into it) where the dress itself is white like her hair, a silver crown-like object placed in her air, gauntlet armor that reaches just short of her shoulders, another section of armor attached to the side of her ribs that go down to the upper-outer sides of her legs, armor that both covers yet accentuates her bust, she wields a classical knight's sword along with the shield, she has a pair of white feathery angel wings coming out of her back, and her entire countenances seem to glow with a violet hue in the shade.
"Kyahhh…. There it is…. the ace of Takamki-sama." a female student screamed with excitement as though she were a fan at a K-pop concert.
Kisaki's noble and arrogant appearance momentarily fades away as her ace Avia is made real by the proto-type MF system. In fact Kisaki looks upon her ace with a smile and childlike wonder as if she's remembering a happier time in her life, but then her usual demeanor returns once Kisaki recalls where she is. This whole act….. lasted for only a second.
"I said a moment ago that I was confident in ending this fight by my second stride, so therefore surviving past it would be like one of the many trials we'll all face in the Academy as freshmen." Kisaki declared, "As a fighter I've acknowledged to be worthy enough to study at Setsuzoku, wouldn't you agree Ryuga Akaimaru?"
"Yeah….. this is indeed a trial I will have to overcome with my own strength." Ryuga answered as he nods in agreement.
"Then let the first phase of this fight's true trial begin…. stride generation!" Kisaki said calmly before speaking out in a booming voice, "Primordial Storm Sage, Aether [Power: 26000]!"
Yet another gust of wind blows throughout this arena, but its power is several fold all of the previous ones where (though the special effects actually lack the power to do so) the audience feels the need to keep one hand on their seats while the fighters involved need to keep a hand on the fight table unless they both are blown away. In any case….. in Avia's place as the vanguard is an old man similar in appearance to the Final Fantasy summon Ramuh with a long white beard that nearly reaches the floor, robes that are a mixture of a light green and violet cover his entire body, and in one hand he holds a simple staff like two pieces of wood being twisted around one another with a small sphere that looks like the wind rotating around each other on top (Naruto's base form Rasengan if you need a visual reference).
"Kokuo my friend…. what did Kisaki mean by Ryuga being a fighter's she's acknowledged to be worthy enough of this school?" Umi curiously asks of her delinquent looking best friend.
"You've heard the rumors that two others asides from you passed Kisaki's test right?" Kokuo retorts as his gaze refuses to turn away from this fight, "My guess is that Ryuga is one of the other two, and Kisaki's remark only severed to confirm that suspicion."
"Huh…. I wonder who the last person is." Umi mumbled while secretly thinking, "He or she is probably a much stronger fighter than me anyways."
"The rumors going around where three people passed my test are completely true, but that aside I believe that there are three things a fighter needs to be worth the academy's time and resources to train." Kisaki explained.
"I suppose you're going to tell me that each of the three people who passed including me possesses one of those attributes." Ryuga interjects before Kisaki has a chance to continue.
"Yes… a mind that can come up with the proper approach to any situation, power that can see those plans through, and a will to decide where it is all going." Kisaki said, "As curious as I am about how the other two would deal with the pressure that would come from their fellow students by being tagged with my seal of approval… I'm not so crass as to actually reveal their identities. The first person that passed showed me a will to never give up despite the difference in skill, the second person who passed showed be an excellent strategy despite limited options, and there's you…. with your power you actually won."
"Yeah I remember….. but I know that doesn't mean much since you were holding back, not using your real deck, and I was just lucky with that last trigger check." Ryuga sighed as he recalls the day of his practical entrance exam, "But why bring that up again?"
"To remind you to watch those who are stepping forward behind you just as much as you step forward to walk past those ahead, but….. enough with unnecessary speeches. Kisaki explained, "From here on in…. when I talk… it'll only be to bring this fight closer to the end."
"Don't give up Ryuga, Suzu still believes in you!" a girl from Ryuga's class yelled.
"I activate Avia's stride…. actually….. no I won't need that." Kisaki said as if suddenly recalling something, "First phase of the tribulation of wind: I call Aura [Power: 4000], Altra [Power: 7000], and two copies of Nimby [Power: 9000]!"
"I'll admit it." Kokuo mumbled.
"Admit what?" Umi asks.
"That I underestimated how strong Kisaki was, and that part of me believed she only has her rank because of connections." Kokuo answered, "I was foolish because such things are useless in the face of true power, and after facing Sekai….. I acknowledge my mistake as well acknowledging that Kisaki does indeed have the strength of the academy's top 10."
"I activate the skill of my two copies of Nimby: Jaugo and Monica have failed the trial of heavenly wind, and are thus forced back into your hand." Kisaki explained.
The two angels by the name of Nimby release an unbelievably powerful torrent of wind from the palms of their hands, of which both have the power to send Monica and Jaugo flying past the very edge of the stage. Without the technology in the stage to maintain their existence, the two units disappear into particles of light as Ryuga picks up the physical cards representing them.
"That's not all those two do is it?" Ryuga as a growing sense of dread begins to wash over him.
"No it isn't….if you have three or more open rearguard circles when a unit is returned to your hand through this effect, you're forced to discard 2 cards from your hand… and since there are two instances of this effect in play… you have to discard 4 cards from your hand. In this moment you must act like the members of the academy's staff that expel the least capable amongst a batch of students after a trial."
"Damn… in a single moment she cut my hand in half without even attacking." Ryuga thought as he discarded the four least necessary cards from his hand, "Is this what she means by learning what it is like to face a member of the top 10?"
"Altra's skill: +4000 power to all units in the same column as him!" Kisaki declared, "Now the Nimby to my left will attack [Total Power: 13000]!"
[Damage Check – Wall Ravage Dragon – No Trigger]
"Aura's skill: I move her to the soul when my vanguard with Avia in the card name attacks in order to draw and give Aether a +5000 power bonus." Kisaki explained before once again taking a deep breath, "Now with a boost from Breeze, experience the wrath of a sage who has studied the very essence to its core [Total Power: 36000]!"
"Damn…. I can't block it with what's in my hand." Ryuga thought before both reluctantly and frustratingly declaring, "No guard!"
[Drive Check – Ascension Deity, Avia – No Trigger]
[Drive Check – Rainbow Maker Dragon – No Trigger]
[Drive Check – Bombarding Falcon – Critical Trigger]
"Critical goes to the sage while the power goes to the Nimby that has yet to attack [New Total: 36000 2 Crit]!" Kisaki declared.
Aether waves his tall staff with a simple sweeping motion causing several spheres similar to the one that adorns the top of his staff to appear, of who then stretches out his hand in a commanding gesture causing these spheres to fly towards Blademaster like a heat seeking missile. Each of these spheres the explode upon making contact with Blademaster's body like someone poking a balloon filled with thousands of PSI with a needle.
[Damage Check – Dragonic Blademaster – No Trigger]
[Damage Check – Dragonic Blademaster – No Trigger]
"Though you lack rearguard units to face Aether's trial of wind, since his attack hit you're forced to eliminate another pair of incapable students from your hand." Kisaki explained.
Those unfamiliar with the effects of Kisaki's Stratos Guardian gasp in shock, but even they can tell Ryuga is caught between a tornado and a hard place.
"My defense is already in shambles when I haven't even bothered to actually defend yet." Ryuga thought as he discarded another pair of cards from his hand.
"Since you have four or more open rearguard circles I get to draw a card through Aether's skill." Kisaki explained, "Now my rearguard Nimby will attack [Total Power: 29000]!"
"It won't be that easy! Generation guard….. Denial Griffin [Total Shield: 15000]!" Ryuga urgently countered, "It may not be enough to stop your attack face to face, "But thanks to his skill I'll retire your attacking unit."
"As expected I'll have to be satisfied with pushing him to the edge of a cliff. A lesser opponent wouldn't have survived that at all." Kisaki thought, "I end my turn."
Kisaki – Ryuga
5 – Hand – 1
1 – Soul – 3
3 – Damage – 5
2 – Counterblast – 2
F(1) U(15) – G-Zone – F(1) U(15)
Empty / Angelic Sky-flyer, Nimby – Empty / Empty
Sky Child, Breeze / Ascension Deity, Avia – Dragonic Blademaster / Empty
Airborne Magician Girl, Altra / Empty – Empty / Empty
"Now the weak have been eliminated from the group of the strong." Kisaki points out, "Will an entire class be eliminated for failing to meet the Academy's strict standards? Or will at least one gem be polished enough to shine in the world?"
It doesn't take an idiot to figure out that Kisaki is attempting to probe whether or not Ryuga wants to continue this fight to make a miracle happen or make reality what everyone expected to be an obvious result. The teachers, all of the upperclassmen, and some of the stronger freshmen…. especially the ones referred to by name are able to figure this out as well.
"If a gem does indeed shine at the end….. it won't just be the ones who were still standing." Ryuga countered as a look of resolve akin to the one Kokuo had against Sekai appeared on his face, "Every encounter will shine, every match that allowed that gem to be polished will shine, and even the gems that were cracked in two will shine for having the resolve for stepping through these academy's doors."
Ryuga takes a deep breath indicating that he too plans to go off into some kind of speech, of which is only fair considering Kisaki did the same thing a few times to him.
"After watching that guy….. Kokuo's fight against Sekai…. I realized that he's a bit stronger than me even though I'm ranked higher, but while I'm at this school…. things won't stay that way forever." Ryuga said passionately, "So if he didn't give up fighting the strongest person here….. I'm sure as hell am not going to give up fighting you!"
Like with Kokuo in his fight…. many students had the intention of making trouble for Ryuga due to him challenging Kisaki in a public manner, but they no longer had that thought after listening to his short speech. It reminded them that even though they might lack talent compared to the geniuses of the world… so what? Sekai himself said that their 10th ranker was someone who lacked talent as a fighter….. yet he still rose to prominence, so why should they give up.
"You say you want to surpass me?" Kokuo mumbled as he suddenly started breaking out into a chuckle, "Fine…. if you say you're behind me attempting to catch up…. so be it….. and if you want to fight me bring it on. I'd still be walking towards the pinnacle of Vanguard for my dream's sake even if you weren't there, but… more rivals make things more interesting."
"I see…. then show me if you have the will to overturn fate, the mind to figure out how, and the strength to actually do so!" Kisaki declared, "Show all of it with what will likely be your last turn!"
"As you wish…. Looks like you don't want me to give up either." Ryuga mumbled referring to his deck as a whole while drawing for the turn, "Liberating the generation zone!"
"I have ways I can weaken your assault, but I won't. I know I can get arrogant at times in a fight, however even I wouldn't ruin the mood like that." Kisaki thought as she mentally braced herself for Ryuga's counterattack.
"Stride generation….. Supreme Heavenly Emperor Dragon, Vortex Desire [Power: 26000]!" Ryuga yelled, "Stride skill: I retire your Nimby! Then Vortex Desire's skill: When his attack hits your vanguard, I can retire two of your units."
"I've decided….. Ryuga Akaimaru….. the next person I challenge to a fight will be you." Kokuo thought as the expression Ryuga has at this moment causes him to flashback to his fight with Sekai.
"Vortex Desire…. attack [Total Power: 26000]!" Ryuga yelled.
"I nullify your attack with Rainbow Maker Dragon [Perfect Defense], and I get to countercharge since the card I discarded was another copy of Rainbow Maker." Kisaki countered.
[Drive Check – Twilight Arrow Dragon – No Trigger]
[Drive Check – Protect Orb Dragon – No Trigger]
[Drive Check – Dragon Partner, Monica – No Trigger]
Vortex Desire raises both of his hands to the sky as he gathers an immense amount of energy a few feet above his head. To describe a similar scene, it would be like watching WarGreymon from the Digimon series performing his iconic Terra Force attack or Goku from Dragon Ball Z preparing to fire off a spirit bomb. Vortex Desire throws that sphere of immensely concentrated energy at Avia who intends to block it with her shield, but all of a sudden a rainbow of all thing forms in front of Avia before the attack collides with her. That rainbow starts at the front of Avia, forms a corkscrew upwards, and then straightens out stopping at the very edge of the fighting stage. Vortex Desire's attack suddenly starts to follow along the path of this rainbow….. dare I say like Rainbow Road, and the crown sitting near where this road ends instinctively prepare themselves to flee…. though the result is like Ryuga's two units from earlier where this attempted assault disappears in particles of light.
"I end my turn." Ryuga said.
Kisaki – Ryuga
3 – Hand – 4
1 – Soul – 3
3 – Damage – 5
1 – Counterblast – 3
F(1) U(15) – G-Zone – F(3) U(13)
Empty / Empty – Empty / Empty
Sky Child, Breeze / Ascension Deity, Avia – Dragonic Blademaster / Empty
Airborne Magician Girl, Altra / Empty – Empty / Empty
"Hopefully you're not thinking that your defeat is set in stone after that last attack." Kisaki pointed out with her usual smug tone as she drew for the turn.
"Yeah I know it looks bad, but I said earlier I wasn't giving up." Ryuga retorts with a smug expression of his own, "That certainly hasn't changed over the course of a single turn.
"Good…. liberating the generation zone." Kisaki declared as she discards the card she just drew to pay the cost for stride.
"Fly through the rough storms you favor for the sake of a future filled with clear blue skies! Stride generation… Blue Sky Dragon, Cloudburst Dragon [Power: 26000]!" Kisaki yelled.
The most powerful gust of wind yet fills this arena, and all though the gust the audience is feeling is a mere paltry sum compared to what Kisaki and Ryuga are experiencing….. they still fill the need to grasp their seats this time with both hands out of fear of being blown away by the wind. As for the dragon that has momentarily taken Avia's place…. It has the appearance of a traditional western dragon with 2 wings and 4 legs, grayish faded violet scales, a whitish gray underbody, cloudy green eyes, and parts of his body were covered in dark gray clouds as though they were pinned to his body.
"I call another copy of Avia [Power: 11000], another Altra [Power: 7000] as well, and Malevolent Catastrophe, Thunderstorm [Power: 9000] in order to fill out my field." Kisaki said as she looked so sure of her victory despite what she said earlier, "Now that the board has been set up… are you ready to experience a completely different kind of trial?"
"Trial?" Ryuga asks with a confused look.
"Yes…. trial. The fact that you were forced to discard cards from your hand as you face each gust of wind illustrates the various trials you'll face here that'll separate the weak students from the strong here at the academy." Kisaki explained, "You don't need to worry so much as implementing this particular form of the tribulation of heavenly wind is new to me as well."
"New to her…. oh I see…. she just acquired that G-Unit and wants to test it out in this fight….. poor bastard is going to be a lab rat." Kokuo deduced.
"You sure about that my friend?" Umi interjected.
"Yeah… I'm sure." Kokuo answered, "I was confused at first too, but then I remembered how I watched a few of Kisaki's matches that were on public record….. I'm positive she's never used Cloudburst Dragon in any of them."
"The more people that seek the same goal… the stricter the trials to decide who achieves that goal must be. This G-Unit represents that very concept just as my entire clan Stratos Guardian represents the nature of this academy!" Kisaki declared, "I activate Cloudburst Dragon's skill: You get to draw a card."
"I get to… draw? I'm sorry… what?" Ryuga exclaimed in confusion as he expected a more heaven defying effect based on Kisaki's description.
"That's only the first part of the effect, but yes….. you get to draw a card." Kisaki explained with a straight face.
And so Ryuga draws a card as it apparently says on the card that Kisaki just played, however that still does nothing to rectify the confusion that the former is experiencing.
"Cloudburst Dragon….. out of respect for your resolve has decided to give you as many chances as possible to face the tribulation of heavenly wind." Kisaki explained, "5 chances….. to be specific."
"Why 5 cha-" Ryuga was saying when he suddenly realized or at least strongly suspected what Cloudburst was about to do next, "You mean?"
"Yes…. Cloudburst Dragon forces you to call a unit to each one of your empty rearguard circles, so that means 5 cards in total and all 5 of the cards that you have in your hand." Kisaki explained.
An immense amount of suction force appears at 5 points on the floor of the fighting stage around Dragonic Blademaster, and watching this was like seeing the power of 5 sci-fi grade industrial fans working at full power. In any case, each suction point begins to gather a mass of light particles from the world itself and each mass starts to take a physical form. From left to right each of these particles takes the form of Twilight Arrow Dragon, Wyvern Strike Jaugo, Dragon Partner Monica, Protect Orb Dragon, and Lizard Soldier Veira.
"Each trial at the academy is meant to test the ability of each student fighter, and not the ability of their units." Kisaki declared, "As such all of the units you called through Cloudburst Dragon's skill cannot use any of their abilities."
To illustrate Kisaki's point, the hologram simulation of Cloudburst Dragon uses his immense power to form 5 domes of wind around each of Ryuga's rearguards. The wonderful prototype MF system shows each unit trying to break out of those domes, however they're knocked on their backs each time.
"Then to reiterate my earlier point about trails being made more difficult the more people who attempt to take them….. all units on my front row get a +2000 power bonus for each unit you called through this effect." Kisaki explained as she finds herself highly satisfied by setting up what she believes to be the finishing blow of this fight, "That makes a total of +10000 power for my front row."
"Amazing….. just like her last turn…. Kisaki crippled her opponent's defense while amassing attacking power before firing a single shot." Umi mumbled, "She's strong….. there's no other way to describe it, and to think there are 6 other monsters at this academy with even more power than her. I have my work cut out for me."
"As you all saw throughout this fight….. I'm nowhere near as nice as Akira-senpai!" Kisaki yelled as she turned her head to gaze over the entire audience, "Now Cloudburst Dragon, conduct the final lesson on what it means to challenge the top 10 and attack Dragonic Blademaster [Total Power: 41000]!"
[Drive Check – Malevolent Catastrophe, Thunderstorm – No Trigger]
[Drive Check – Ascension Deity, Avia – No Trigger]
[Drive Check – Bombarding Falcon – Critical Trigger]
"Critical to vanguard, and power to Avia [New Total: 41000 2 Crit]!" Kisaki declared as she tapped the aforementioned cards with the trigger.
The dark gray clouds fly off of Cloudburst's body and into Dragonic Blademaster like several different trucks crashing into the exact same point on the same wall. Each dark cloud explodes as it collides with Blademaster reveals themselves to not be a cloud at all, but a magically created storage container in the shape of a cloud. That explosion was not from flames, but heavily pressurized air and water.
[Damage Check – Dragonic Blademaster – No Trigger]
Final Results
Kisaki – Ryuga
3 – Hand – 0
1 – Soul – 3
3 – Damage – 6
2 – Counterblast – 3
F(3) U(13) – G-Zone – F(3) U(13)
Airborne Magician Girl, Altra / Ascension Deity, Avia – Wyvern Strike, Jaugo / Lizard Soldier, Veira
Sky Child, Breeze / Blue Sky Dragon, Cloudburst Dragon – Dragonic Blademaster / Protect Orb Dragon
Airborne Magician Girl, Altra / Malevolent Catastrophe, Thunderstorm – Twilight Arrow Dragon / Dragon Partner, Monica
"Winner of the first match: Kisaki Takamaki!" Tsukiyo declared.
"As if it would be anything less." Kisaki mumbled to herself.
At that moment the entire audience in this arena went off into their loudest cheers yet. Make no mistake….. they all knew that this was a one-sided butt kicking fiasco, but they just did not care in the least as at that moment this fight was a battle between masters of equal skill in their eyes. Soon enough the next pair of fighters comes up onto the stage, then the next pair, the next pair, and the next pair until only one remained. Each pair that came before however, were so excited to see their units come alive that they'd likely be willing to die at that moment without complaints.
"Wow….I thought that Ryuga guy's class wouldn't have the will to fight after Kisaki-sama gave their class a strong opening, but to think it would end up as tie with 13 wins and 13 losses apiece." one student in the audience comments.
"I know right…. since the freshmen 2nd ranker Suzuran is the last student in Ryuga's class she'll have to go up, but it's still not hopeless for Kisaki's class to pull out a win." Another student explained, "I know a few of the guys in her class, and if it weren't for a little bad luck in the written exam…. they'd definitely be in the top 10 of the freshmen ranking."
That slot machine animation plays for the last time for this class matchup, however two emotions are about to be felt in extremes. One being the feeling of a guaranteed victory, and the other of absolute dread… and the reason for that is because…..
"The last 'match: Suzuran Kitashirakawa Vs Umi Kitagawa!" Tsukiyo declared.
"Shit…. she's at the bottom of the rankings." The members of Umi's class said as they anguished in despair.
"YES! She's at the bottom of the rankings!" the members of Ryuga's class yelled as though they were just rescued by their proverbial knight in shining armor.
To Be Continued
Sekai: Um…. interesting….. well….. will the one close to the top of the scale suppress the one at the bottom? Or will the scale even out in the end?
Aadyn: Whatever the case someone will be wallowing in despair.
Suzuran: Yay! Suzu finally has a chance to fight on such a big stage! She's been so bored since school started.
Umi: Next time on Cardfight Vanguard: Setsuzoku Sensō "Hell Week's Daffodil Oracle"
Kokuo: Be careful Umi, you're about to face someone that is a lot like yourself.
OC Card List
Stratos Guardian
Sulmore: This clan was also pulled from the Vanguard fanon wiki, and it was also created by the user Kazuya Tachibana. Kazuya, like with the last two clans you created I hope you enjoy this when you read it; and, I apologize if the aesthetic descriptions used do not match what you had in mind. As always if you find a card in the chapter above that wasn't put in the list below please PM me and I'll take care of it.
Grade 0
Sky Child, Breeze
Power: 5000 Shield: 10000 Race: Airoid
[AUTO]:Forerunner (If a unit of the same clan rides this unit, you may call this unit to (RC))
[AUTO](RC) Generation Break 1 (Active if you have one or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):[Counterblast (1) & Put this unit into your soul] At the beginning of each battle phase, you may pay the cost. If you do, your opponent chooses one of their rear-guards and returns it to his or her hand. Then, they may choose a card from their hand, and discard it. If they did not discard a card, Counter Charge (1), and draw a card.
Bombarding Falcon (Critical)
Power: 5000 Shield: 10000 Race: Hi-Beast
Bountiful Paratrooper (Draw)
Power: 4000 Shield: 5000
[ACT]:[Put this unit into your soul] Choose up to one of your units, and that unit gets [Power]+3000 until the end of the turn.
Aerial Sharp Shooter, Aura (Critical)
Power: 4000 Shield: 10000 Race: Angel
[AUTO](RC):[Put this unit into your soul] When your vanguard attacks, if you have a grade 3 or greater vanguard with "Avia" in its card name, you may pay the cost. If you do, draw a card, choose one of your vanguards, and it gets [Power]+5000 until end of that battle.
Lightning Flash, Zapp (Stand)
Power: 4000 Shield: 10000 Race: Elf
[CONT](RC) Generation Break 1 (Active if you have one or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone): During your turn, if the number of rear-guards your opponent has is two or less, this unit gets "[AUTO]:[Put this unit on the bottom of your deck] At the end of a battle this unit boosted, you may pay the cost. If you do, shuffle your deck, Soul Charger (1) and choose one of your opponent's rear-guards, and until the end of the turn, that unit cannot "Intercept"."
Grade 1
Small Wind Swordsman, Zephyrus
Power: 7000 Shield: 5000 Race: Sylph
[AUTO]:[Choose a grade 3 card from your hand, and reveal it] When this unit is placed on (RC) from hand, you may pay the cost. If you do, search your deck for up to one grade 3 card with "Avia" in its card name, reveal it to your opponent, put it into your hand, shuffle your deck, choose a card from your hand, and discard it.
[CONT](Hand):While you are paying the cost for Stride, this card gets grade+2.
Rainbow Maker Dragon
Power: 6000 Shield: 0 Race: Winged Dragon
[CONT]:Sentinel
[AUTO]:[Choose a card from your hand, and discard it] When this unit is placed on (GC) from hand, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose one of your vanguards that is being attacked, and that unit cannot be hit until end of that battle. Then, if you have a card named "Rainbow Maker Dragon" in your drop zone, Counter Charge (1).
Airborne Magician Girl, Altra
Power: 7000 Shield: 5000 Race: Elf
[AUTO](RC) Generation Break 1 (Active if you have one or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):When your opponent's rear-guard is returned to the hand by the effect of one of your cards, choose up to one of your units in the same column as this unit, and this unit and that unit get [Power]+2000 until the end of the turn.
Grade 2
Angelic Sky-flyer, Nimby
Power: 9000 Shield: 5000 Race: Angel
[AUTO] Generation Break 1 (Active if you have one or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):[Counterblast (1) & Soulblast (1)] When this unit is placed on (RC), if you have a vanguard with "Avia" in its name, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to one of your opponent's rear-guards, return it to their hand, and if the number of open (RC) your opponent has is three or more, your opponent choose two cards from his or her hand, and discards them.
Gale Force Archer, Aero
Power: 9000 Shield: 5000 Race: Human
[AUTO](RC) Generation Break 1 (Active if you have one or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):[Counterblast (1)] When this unit attacks a vanguard, if this unit is boosted, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose one of your opponent's rear-guards, return it to their hand, and your opponent chooses a card from their hand and discards it. Then, if the number of open (RC) your opponent has is three or more, your opponent cannot call grade 0 or less cards from hand to (GC) until the end of the battle.
Malevolent Catastrophe, Thunderstorm
Power: 9000 Shield: 5000 Race: Elf
[AUTO](RC) Generation Break 1 (Active if you have one or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):When this unit attacks a vanguard, this unit gets [Power]+3000 until the end of the battle.
Grade 3
Ascension Deity, Avia
Power: 11000 Race: Angel
[AUTO](VC) Generation Break 2 (Active if you have two or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):[Soulblast (1)] At the end of the battle that this unit was attacked, if the attack hit, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to one of your opponent's rear-guards that are [Rest] or in their back row, return it to their hand, and this unit gets [Power]+2000.
[AUTO](VC):[Counterblast (1)] During your turn, when your G Unit Stride, you may pay the cost. If you do, choose up to one of your opponent's rear-guards, return that unit to his or her hand and your opponent chooses a card from their hand and puts that card on the bottom of their deck. Then, if the number of open (RC) your opponent has is two or more, choose up to one of your units, and that unit gets [Power]+5000 until the end of the turn.
Grade 4
Primordial Storm Sage, Aether
Power: 15000+ Race: Noble
[Stride]-Stride Step-[Choose one or more cards with the sum of their grades being 3 or greater from your hand, and discard them] Stride this card on your (VC) from face down.
[AUTO](VC): When this unit's attacks hits a vanguard, choose two of your opponent's rear-guards, and return those units to his or her hand, and your opponent chooses two cards from his or her hand, and discards them. Then, if the number of open (RC) your opponent has is four or more, draw a card.
Blue Sky Dragon, Cloudburst Dragon
Power: 15000+ Race: Winged Dragon
[Stride]-Stride Step-[Choose one or more cards with the sum of their grades being 3 or greater from your hand, and discard them] Stride this card on your (VC) from face down.
[ACT](RC) Generation Break 2 (Active if you have two or more face up G units in total on your (VC) or G zone):[Counterblast (1) & Choose a face down card named "Blue Sky Dragon, Cloudburst Dragon" in your G Zone, and turn it face up] Your opponent draws a card, then calls a number of cards from their hand to (RC) equal to the number of open (RC) on their field, and those units get "[CONT] (RC): This unit cannot its abilities." until end of turn. Then, all the units in your front row get [Power]+2000 for each card called by this effect until end of turn.