Kingson just stood there. It was as if fortune literally just handed him a freebie. Of all the shops and businesses in all of the city, the one guy he had wanted to talk to walks right into his store!
Kingson was at a loss for words. As he simply stood there, clearly not sure what had caused the amount of luck he was having, The guy, whom Kingson had been thinking and talking about all day, was simply browsing the shelves, looking as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Kingson looked to his right, towards Alison. She simply looked back with the look that seemed to say, "Oh for the love of God will you just get on with it?"
He swallowed as the nervousness gripped him and spoke, "Um… excuse me? Sir?"
The man stopped, and his eyes glanced towards Kingson. He let out a small, "Hm?" like he had just noticed there were others around him.
Kingson froze for a bit, he had somehow garnered enough courage to get his attention, at this point, better to go for broke.
He closed his eyes, "I...I...I want to be a better duelist! Like you! I want to be confident! I want to win! I want to be able to duel with a smile, even when it looks like I'm gonna lose! I want to… be a pro! I want to… DUEL YOU!"
No one in the room could have anticipated what was said, or how it was said, least of all Kingson. For what seemed like an eternity, everyone in the room seemed to be in a stunned silence. Kingson had refused to open his eyes, as if opening them would make him aware of how awkward that whole thing was. Alison, who could only roll her eyes, facepalm, or headdesk a certain number of times before permanent brain damage set in, had simply turned around, content to wait until the awkwardness had passed. While the man had simply stood there, not quite sure what in the name of Mokey Mokey was happening. He too could only really stand there, corpsing as he was trying to figure out just how to really respond to this heart-felt, honesty-stuffed, possibly overly emotional outburst.
After what was really a few minutes, but felt like an eternity, the man finally decided to break the tension, and the silence,
"Umm…. What?" Clearly the best possible answer there…
Kingson, who may or may not have fully thought out what he wanted to say there, quickly attempted to backpedal that, "I-I-I-I mean duel like you! LIKE you! I mean… Oh god… just… don't look at me…"
The man, still listlessly standing there, not quite sure how the best way to go about this would be, simply responded, "You are aware that the last guy who wanted to duel me lost on the first turn, right?"
Kingson quickly looked up, "Yes! I mean, yes, I was there, I saw that duel today. It was great, it was quick. But, I want to duel the way you do, to look at the most hopeless situation, look in that… that face of defeat and loss, and smile through it anyway. Then pull out with a win! I just keep losing, and I want to learn from you!" he said, finally satisfied that he could finally get his point across without sounding like a complete idiot.
The man then had a different look in his eyes in response, it wasn't rejection, but it also wasn't willingness. Was it something akin to... a reluctant acceptance?
"Dude, all I came in for was a card pack and a milkshake…" he started to say.
"Look, how about this? If you agree to help me, I'll buy the card packs and the milkshake for you!"
That had him. The man's expression had suddenly changed, as if those were the magic words.
He sighed, taking a scrap of paper out of his pocket and scribbling something on it before handing it over to Kingson, "Okay… deal. When you finish up here, go to this address here, and we'll talk then." he said, as he started sipping from his milkshake.
Kingson had spent the rest of the workday excited and giddy as a kid on Christmas. He had honestly not expected that pro to agree to train him, or even spend free time with him, but apparently fate had a hand in his life today. Kingson was walking his way down the streets, and started clutching his deck in his pants pocket. He was certainly hoping that this time was actually productive, and not just a prank to get free cards and a milkshake…
Kingson started to break into a run, if it was actually true, he wanted to get there as soon as possible, and if it was a prank or something, he wanted to not waste his time. Passing the shops and houses, he started to pray, to no one in particular, "Please… let this be real…"
Kingson soon came to a town square, and at the end, was the town's clock tower. The town had it built when the architect took inspiration from London's Big Ben clock tower. The locals had taken to naming it "Little Benji" in its honor. Its golden shining face lit the area up like an incandescent candle or light bulb, probably the bulb.
As Kingson stood in front of the tower, he took out the scrap of paper the pro had given him at work. By the light of the tower, it read,
The "Little Benji" Clock Tower
7:00 PM
Bring your Duel Disk and Deck
Knock on the Eye seven times, and speak the phrase "Milkshake Nights"
Well, with instructions that specific, it may not actually be a prank. Looking around the tower, it seemed like there would be nothing indicating an eye anywhere. Maybe on the face of the clock?
Kingson started walking around the tower itself, and when he reached the back, hidden by the trees and shrubbery, over the gray stones was a golden eye, slightly to the right of the center of the side. It seemed to have no business being where it was. But this had to be the eye that was described to him. Kingson rapped at the eye counting in his head until he reached seven, then he spoke the phrase, as if he was not sure if this was an actual 'magic' word or something for a hidden camera comedy show, "Milkshake Nights"?
As if waiting for those very words, a click could be heard. The eye on the wall started rotating counter-clockwise, until it had rotated ninety degrees, and then ejected outward suddenly, resembling a door handle.
Kingson grasped the handle, it didn't go up, down, left, or right. Rather, the handle went in again, and then, as Kingson was fiddling around with it, the handle twisted back to its upright position again, but as it was twisting back, the wall itself had started to twist with the handle! Turning the 'door' until it had rotated down and a clear path and a spiral staircase were visible, with lights leading upward.
Kingson was simply flabbergasted. A secret door, and a hidden staircase hidden by a secret knock and passphrase!? This guy must be a brilliant fiend, or a secret, diabolical supervillain!
Kingson started moving his way up the staircase, it seemed… slightly creepy. There was lighting enough to make it calming, but still it felt like it had the potential to be creepy in the stairway…
After climbing the stairs for what seemed like a good long time, at the very top, Kingson opened another door.
And on the other side was something incredible…
There was what looked like almost a fully furnished apartment inside the clocktower's inner workings. There was actual wooden finished flooring, with holes in the floor for gears and machinery, what looked to be a bar with ice-cream machines plugged in the back, and a huge TV, a cooking wok, and even a decent queen sized bed all inside various parts of the room!
Kingson was simply awestruck… This was amazing!
He heard footsteps as a door across the room opened. It was the pro duelist. He looked like he had just gotten out of the shower. He looked with some shock, as if he had not expected Kingson to actually show up.
"Oh. Hey. So you actually came, Huh." he said almost nonchalantly, "Take out your deck, Let's start by getting set up."
Kingson sat down at the small table, as the man did the same, he took his deck out of his deck box, and placed it on the table.
The man took the deck and started rifling through it, every now and then, removing certain cards and then taking certain cards from his pockets, and adding them in, as he did so, he would mutter specific words and phrases, "Don't need… not even relevant… need one more of these…" he had continued such speaking for a few minutes, until he put the deck back together and handed it over to Kingson, "There. This should make the deck more playable, and I have absolutely no idea why you thought trying to combine two archetypes was that simple. But now it will work."
Kingson took his deck back near himself, "Thank you, really."
"Don't put it away, we need to test it out!"
"Y-You mean we're going to duel?"
"Technically, you'll be dueling the practice deck, but sure."
Kingson suddenly became excited, He was getting a chance to duel a pro duelist! Sure it was a practice deck, but still!
Both duelists took their decks, drew 5 cards and began:
Kingson (5 cards in hand): 8000
Dante (5 cards in hand): 8000
Dante took a card from his hand to start, "Since I have no monsters on my field, I can Special Summon "Primitive Butterfly" in Attack Mode!"
Primitive Butterfly
WIND Attribute
Insect Type
Level 5
ATK 1200/DEF 900
If you control no monsters, you can Special Summon this card (from your hand). Once per turn: You can increase the Levels of all Insect-Type monsters you currently control by 1.
"Next I can Special Summon "Battlewasp - Twinbow the Attacker" in Attack Mode on my Main Phase!" Dante declared as he summoned his next monster.
Battlewasp - Twinbow the Attacker
WIND Attribute
Insect Type
Level 3
ATK 1000/DEF 500
During your Main Phase: You can Special Summon this card from your hand, also you cannot Special Summon monsters from the Extra Deck for the rest of this turn, except Insect monsters. You can only use this effect of "Battlewasp - Twinbow the Attacker" once per turn. This card can make a second attack during each Battle Phase.
Dante smirked, "And now for some fun! "Primitive Butterfly" uses its effect to increase both my bugs' levels by one! Then I'll Normal Summon "Battlewasp - Sting the Poison" in Attack Mode!"
Battlewasp - Sting the Poison
WIND Attribute
Insect Type Tuner Monster
Level 2
ATK 400/DEF 800
If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 "Battlewasp" monster from your Deck to your hand, except "Battlewasp - Sting the Poison". (Quick Effect): You can Tribute 1 other Insect monster, then target 1 Effect Monster your opponent controls; negate its effects until the end of this turn. You can only use each effect of "Battlewasp - Sting the Poison" once per turn.
"By Normal Summoning "Sting the Poison" I can bring a "Battlewasp" to my hand." Dante said, searching his deck for a card. As he added the card to his hand, his smile grew wide, "I tune Level 2 Sting the Poison, with Level 6 Primitive Butterfly, and Level 4 Twinbow the Attacker! I Synchro Summon! Level 12 "Battlewasp - Ballista the Armageddon"!" Dante declared as his powerful monster took its place on the field.
Battlewasp - Ballista the Armageddon
WIND Attribute
Insect Type/Synchro Monster
Level 12
ATK 3000/DEF 800
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
If this card is Special Summoned: You can banish all Insect monsters from your GY; all monsters your opponent currently controls lose 500 ATK/DEF for each of your banished Insect monsters. If this card attacks a Defense Position monster, inflict piercing battle damage. If this Synchro Summoned card in its owner's control is destroyed by an opponent's card: You can Special Summon 3 of your banished Level 11 or lower Insect monsters.
The large insect was really more of a cannon than a bug. As if it was taking most of its strength just to fly. As it hovered in place, Dante slapped a card facedown in the back field, and ended his turn.
"Now then, time to see how you deal with this!" He smiled.
Kingson (5 cards in hand): 8000
Dante (1 card in hand): 8000
Kingson was busy trying to come up with a plan: His hand had some cards, but nothing that might actually stop the Level 12 behemoth. He drew a card, and what he saw was a card he was sure could be his key to victory! He had never really felt like he could win before, so this was huge! He smiled as big as life as he started, "I start by activating "Pendulum Call"!
Pendulum Call
Normal Spell Card
Discard 1 card; add 2 "Magician" Pendulum Monsters with different names from your Deck to your hand, also, until the end of your opponent's next turn after this card resolves, "Magician" cards in your Pendulum Zones cannot be destroyed by card effects. You can only activate 1 "Pendulum Call" per turn. You cannot activate this card if you activated a "Magician" monster's Pendulum Effect this turn.
Kingson discarded one card and took two cards from his deck, his eyes ever more determined, "I then set the Pendulum Scale with Scale 2 "Oafdragon Magician" and Scale 8 "Harmonizing Magician"!
Oafdragon Magician
WIND Attribute
Spellcaster Type/Pendulum Monster
Level 6/Pendulum Scale 2
ATK 2100/DEF 1400
Pendulum Effect: If you have a "Magician" card in your other Pendulum Zone: You can add 1 face-up "Magician" or "Odd-Eyes" Pendulum Monster from your Extra Deck to your hand, except "Oafdragon Magician". You can only use this effect of "Oafdragon Magician" once per turn.
Monster Effect: If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can target 1 "Magician" Pendulum Monster or "Odd-Eyes" monster in your Graveyard, except "Oafdragon Magician"; add it to your hand. You can only use this effect of "Oafdragon Magician" once per turn.
Harmonizing Magician
DARK Attribute
Spellcaster Type/Pendulum Tuner Monster
Level 4/Pendulum Scale 8
ATK 0/DEF 0
Pendulum Effect: All monsters you control gain 100 ATK and DEFfor each face-up "Magician" Pendulum Monster with different names in your Extra Deck.
Monster Effect: Cannot be Special Summoned from the Extra Deck. Cannot be used as material for a Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Summon, unless all other materials are "Magician" Pendulum Monsters. When this card is Pendulum Summoned from the hand: You can Special Summon 1 "Magician" Pendulum Monster from your Deck in Defense Position, except "Harmonizing Magician", but negate its effects, also banish it when it leaves the field. You can only use this effect of "Harmonizing Magician" once per turn.
Kingson knew what was next, so far so good, but it was time to get serious, he cried, "I Pendulum Summon! "Nobledragon Magician", "Performapal Celestial Magician", "Double Iris Magician", and "Purple Poison Magician"!
Nobledragon Magician
FIRE Attribute
Spellcaster Type/Pendulum Tuner Monster
Level 3/Pendulum Scale 5
ATK 700/DEF 1400
Pendulum Effect: Unless you have a "Magician" card in your other Pendulum Zone, destroy this card.
Monster Effect: Cannot be used as Synchro Material, except for the Synchro Summon of a Dragon Synchro Monster. If this card is used as Synchro Material, unless all other Synchro Materials are "Odd-Eyes" monsters, place this card on the bottom of the Deck. If this card is in your hand or GY: You can target 1 Level 7 or higher "Odd-Eyes" monster you control; reduce its Level by 3, and if you do, Special Summon this card.
Performapal Celestial Magician
DARK Attribute
Spellcaster Type/Pendulum Monster
Level 4/Pendulum Scale 8
ATK 1500/DEF 1000
Pendulum Effect: When exactly 1 face-up Fusion, Synchro, or Xyz Monster you control that was Special Summoned from the Extra Deck is destroyed by battle, or an opponent's card effect: You can Special Summon that destroyed monster, then destroy this card. You can only use this effect of "Performapal Celestial Magician" once per turn.
Monster Effect: During your Main Phase, if this card was Normal or Special Summoned this turn: You can apply the following effect(s) for the rest of this turn, based on the other monsters you currently control.
● Fusion: This card can attack directly.
● Synchro: Your opponent cannot activate monster effects.
● Xyz: This card's ATK becomes double its original ATK.
● Pendulum: During the End Phase, add 1 Pendulum Monster from your Deck to your hand.
You can only use this effect of "Performapal Celestial Magician" once per turn.
Double Iris Magician
DARK Attribute
Spellcaster Type/Pendulum Monster
Level 4/Pendulum Scale 8
ATK 1500/DEF 1000
Pendulum Effect: Once per turn: You can target 1 DARK Spellcaster-Type monster you control; apply this effect to it, then destroy this card. Once applied, double any battle damage that monster inflicts to your opponent this turn if it battles an opponent's monster.
Monster Effect: (This card is always treated as a "Pendulum Dragon" card.)
If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can add 1 "Pendulumgraph" card from your Deck to your hand.
Purple Poison Magician
DARK Attribute
Spellcaster Type/Pendulum Monster
Level 4/Pendulum Scale 1
ATK 1200/DEF 2100
Pendulum Effect: Once per turn, if your DARK Spellcaster-Type monster battles, before damage calculation: You can activate this effect; that monster gains 1200 ATK (until the end of the Damage Step), then destroy this card.
Monster Effect: (This card is always treated as a "Fusion Dragon" card.)
If this card is destroyed by battle or card effect: You can target 1 face-up card on the field; destroy it.
His four magicians floated side by side before him. Kingson was definitely feeling good; he may not have the power to take out the 3000 ATK beatstick, but he had material now, and that he could work with.
"I activate Celestial Magician's effect! Since I have pendulum monsters on my field, I can deck search at the end of my turn! Now, I tune Level 3 Nobledragon Magician, with Level 4 Celestial Magician! I Synchro Summon! Level 7! "Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!"
Clear Wing Synchro Dragon
WIND Attribute
Dragon Type/Synchro Monster
Level 7
ATK 2500/DEF 2000
1 Tuner + 1+ non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn, when another Level 5 or higher monster activates its effect on the field (Quick Effect): You can negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. Once per turn, when a monster effect is activated that targets 1 Level 5 or higher monster on the field (and no other cards) (Quick Effect): You can negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. If this card's effect destroys a monster, this card gains ATK equal to the destroyed monster's original ATK until the end of this turn.
The ivory dragon with circuit-laden wings roared as it took its place beside its master.
"Next, I'll use Purple Poison Magician, and Double Iris Magician to build the overlay network! I Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!
Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon
DARK Attribute
Dragon Type/Xyz Monster
Rank 4
ATK 2500/DEF 2000
2 Level 4 monsters
You can detach 2 materials from this card, then target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; its ATK becomes half its current ATK, and if it does, this card gains that lost ATK.
This dragon was almost a polar opposite to its brother on the field. With two purple orbs surrounding it, the ebony dragon roared as it took its place on the field.
Kingson felt his heart racing, the feeling he could accomplish anything, that things were finally swinging his way, and damn, if it didn't feel GOOD!
"By removing my two overlay units from my Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, I'll drain your Ballista's ATK in half!" He declared, doing his best to sound as authoritative as possible.
The dark dragon roared as the two floating orbs of light disappeared in a flash, and purple lightning surrounded bothe the dragon and the floating armed wasp opposite it, the wasp looked to be in pain, as its attack power dropped to half of what it was, and the dragon roared as it's power grew more, with lightning dancing around it.
"Clear Wing Synchro Dragon attacks Ballista the Armageddon!" Kingson declared.
The synchro dragon roared and lunged for the weakened insect, its green circuitry-laden wings glowing fiercely as the synchro monsters collided in combat. The Armageddon feebly tried to hold on but the dragon blew past it, as the bug beast exploded in the process.
"Then, Dark Rebellion attacks you directly!" Kingson declared proudly.
The dark dragon roared as it's dark lightning flashed brightly, so much so, that Kingson had to shut his eyes, and when the luminescence died back down, he couldn't hear anything that would indicate the attack was successful, and as he opened his eyes, what he saw was no real indicator either. He quickly had a look at the life point counter, and yes, his life points had definitely lowered to 3000.
While that was impressive for him, Kingson was actually more impressed by Dante's reaction, or rather lack thereof. The way duels were conducted, with the current technology, the hard-light hologram constructs could actually interact with the world around them, especially duels in public places, and the amount of force and power the monsters unleashed was directly proportional to the strength of the monster's ATK. Usually the DEF of opposing monsters, card effects, or stadium dampening fields could affect the monster's damage to the surrounding area, but in cases where there is no opposing monster, like in a direct attack, or where there were no dampening fields, like now, Duel Monster attacks were known to cause extensive injuries to duelists, plenty of them potentially career-ending, and some even fatal, and cause damage to surrounding areas akin to acts of God, and this guy just tanked 5000 in damage, with it looking like all that happened was knocking his head back a bit.
Kingson stopped, "Wait, wait, wait, stop."
Dante looked at him, puzzled, "Why? You're doing pretty good so far?"
"You just took 5000 damage just now, there's no damage dampeners, that usually puts people in the hospital! You just tanked it like it was nothing! How are you doing that, man?"
"Um… I'm a pro… you get used to it…"
"Even pro duelists would be writhing in pain. Even with it being spread out over two hits, you should still be in some pain!"
Dante looked at Kingson with a bit of a puzzled look, "Look, I have a lot of experience, there have been more than a few days and nights with broken bones, but once you get through those, nothing really hurts after that."
Kingson looked at him, there was something about it that was just… off…
Dante shrugged, "It's getting late, how about this, we'll pick this up again tomorrow. I have a new idea to get you not only experience in dueling, but started on a potential pro career circuit." he said with that same cocky smirk across his face.