The leader of the Rare Hunters sat in a room as he stared into what appeared to be a large crystal ball. And when I say large, I mean it took up at least half the room. Inside of it was mostly empty space. However, there were a few things in it. You see, floating inside of the crystal ball were several souls that they had already acquired.
So far he had lost one of his Rare Hunters. It didn't really matter. He had others who were so much more skilled than that fool. Besides, the person who he dueled against was a far better duelist than average. Also, one expects to lose a few pawns when one is trying to climb his way to the top.
Just then, his blue hair minion entered the room.
"You wanted to see me?" he asked.
"Yes," replied the leader without turning around. "I need you to collect a soul for me. One that I can use that won't interfere with my plans." The leader reached into his pocket and pulled out a picture. He turned around and threw it at his minion like a dart. The teen caught it with ease and looked at it. "Take Milton with you for back up should anyone interfere with this mission."
"Why not just send that loser by himself," said the teen. "This guy looks so pathetic that I'm feeling sorry for him."
"Because I don't want to take any chances," replied the leader. "Now go."
-x-
"I still say you should have taken one of his cards," said Adam as he and Jaden walked down the street. It was the second day of the tournament and so far they hadn't had any duels since the Rare Hunter. After he was defeated, Adam had called up Kaiba and had the bodies taken to a secure location so that their condition could be monitored.
"I didn't feel right," replied Jaden. "I mean, he lost his soul. I didn't want to take one of his cards after that."
"Well, he probably stole them," replied Adam. He then let out a sigh. "I guess it doesn't really matter. We just have to make sure that we take out as many Rare Hunters so that eventually the big boss will come out."
"Uh?" said a surprised Jaden. "What makes you think that he isn't out right know?"
"Because the bad guy never comes out and duels this early," replied Adam. "Don't you watch TV? The bad guy stays in some gloomy place while his henchmen do all his dirty work. Then, after he has lost almost all of them, only then will he make his big move."
"Oh, now I see," said Jaden.
"Also," continued Adam. "Kaiba will call me if he detects any of the Wicked God cards." At this, Jaden face faulted.
"Right," said Jaden as he laughed a little. Then, suddenly, his stomach growled. "I'll be right back." Adam nodded as Jaden ran around a corner and vanished from sight. For the next several minutes, Adam stood there as he waited for his hungry companion to return. Then, he noticed an odd looking person walking towards him. She was wearing what looked like an Obelisk uniform, but slightly modified. This lead Adam to come to one conclusion.
"I found you Rare Hunter!" yelled Adam loudly as he pointed to the person in question.
"I'm not a Rare Hunter!" yelled Dr. Crowler. "They aren't even around anymore!"
"It's obvious that you are one," stated Adam. "No normal person would wear such a ridiculous outfit and such hideous make up. I don't know if you are color blind or something miss but…"
"You know," whispered a nearby bystander to another. "He has a point."
"It's not miss, its doctor," yelled Crowler as he began to stomp his foot on the ground. "I have a PhD in dueling!" A wind blew between them.
"Looks like the only way to find out for sure is with a duel," said Adam. "As per the Duel City rules, I'll wager one of my locator cards as well as my rarest card."
"Very well then," said Crowler as he activated his oversized and flashy Duel Disk. "But just so you know, you don't stand a chance. I happen to be the lead profession at Duel Academy!"
"There's just no way," said Adam as he shook his head. "A profession has glasses, looks smart, and doctors wear lab coats! You are the worst lair I have ever seen!" Tick marks were beginning to appear all over Crowler's face.
"I'll go first," said the irritated professor as he drew his first card. "I'll start off by playing my Future Fusion spell card. I'll then send three cards to my graveyard and then on my second standby phase I'll be able to summon the fusion material monster those cards would create." As he said this, Crowler sent Ancient Gear Golem and two Ancient Gear Soldiers to the graveyard. "Next, I'll summon my Boot-Up Soldier-Dread Dynamo in defense mode." A machine appeared on the field with 2000 defense points. It was shaped like a man and mostly brown. Yet, in its center was a whole and in the back was a space that looked gear shaped. "With that I place one card face down and end my turn."
"Not bad," said Adam as he got serious and drew a card. "I'll summon Gladiator Beast Equeste in attack mode!" On Adam's side of the field appeared a centaur wearing armor all over its half horse, half man body. On its back were mechanical wings and in one hand was a shield. Its attack points were at 1600. "Now I attack with Galloping Assault!" Once the attack was ordered, Equeste began to run right at Dread Dynamo.
"Ha ha ha," laughed Crowler. "Looks like someone skipped his math class. But never fear! I'll be happy to give you a free lesson. My monsters defense points are 400 points higher than yours. That means that you'll lose the difference." Sure enough, as Equeste's hooves hit the machine, it was thrown back and Adam's life points went down to 7600.
"Now that my battle phase is over I can activate my monsters special ability," said Adam with a grin. With that, Equeste began to walk away and a new monster began to walk onto the field. This monster looked like a rhino in white armor with six sided diamond shaped disks circling around him. Once it was in its space, it went into defense position and had 2400 defense points. "Meet Gladiator Beast Hoplomus! His special ability is when he is special summoned, his attack points become 2400. Next I'll place two cards face down and end my turn."
"So you did all that just to get a better defense," said Crowler as he drew a card. "I'm not impressed. I summon my Green Gadget to the field." A green machine with a giant gear in its chest appeared on the field with 1400 attack points. "Now, thanks to this monsters special ability, I can place one Red Gadget from my deck to my hand. Also, because I have a Gadget monster on the field, my Dread Dynamo gains 2000 attack points. I'll which it to attack mode and then place another card face down and end my turn."
Adam drew his card and then surveyed the field. He had a feeling that those two face down cards were traps that would protect his machines. He also had a feeling that he would save those cards for the monster that he was about to summon in his next turn.
"I activate my trap," said Adam as a card flipped over. "It's called Trojan Gladiator Beast and it lets me summon one of my Gladiator Beasts in my hand to your side of the field. So say hi to Gladiator Beast Secutor." There was a poof of smoke on Crowler's side of the field and when it cleared there was a more cartoonish reptile on his side of the field. "And, as a bonus, I get to draw a card. Now I which my Hoplomus to attack mode and attack your Secutor." With that, the rhino like monster, whose attack points were 700, lowered his horn and charged at Secutor.
'If that attack goes through then I'll lose 300 life points,' thought Crowler as he did the math in his head. 'I could use my trap card and protect myself, but then I wouldn't be able to use it later. Oh well, it's only 300 life points. No big deal really.' And with that, Crowler watched as the reptile was pierced by the rhino's horn and his life points went down to 7700.
"Now that my battle phase has ended, I get a new monster," said Adam as Hoplomus walked away. Then the earth began to shake as the sounds of giant footsteps were heard. Then in walked a giant, two story dinosaur man in armor with a bone design on it. Its long tail swung back and forth while it held a staff like axe weapon in its two hands. This grey skinned dinosaur had 2200 attack points. "This is one of the most well know gladiators in my deck, Gladiator Beast Spartacus! And his special ability allows me to move one equip spell card from my deck to my hand when he is Tag Summoned. And I'll use that card right now, so I activate Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica." Spartacus's right arm was then covered by what appeared to be an extra set of armor. "I end my turn."
"I bet you do," said Crowler as he drew a card. "It appears that you were able to summon a powerful monster, well done. Too bad it's not good enough because now I can summon my Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem!" Now, a centaur like version of the Ancient Gear Golem appeared on the field. One of its arms had been replaced with a three fingered claw and was twice as thick. Its size easily dwarfed Adam's monster and left a shadow on the field. It's one red glowing eye looked right at Spartacus and seemed to roar. Its attack points were at 4400. "Now attack with Ultimate Ancient Gear Fist!"
-x-
Over with Jaden, he was waiting in line to place his order which seemed to be taking forever.
"How can this be called fast food?" asked Jaden aloud. Yubel only smirked.
"Jaden, it's you," said a familiar voice. Jaden turned to the side and saw his old roommate Chumley. "I've been looking all over for you. Should have known you'd be getting a snack." Jaden laughed at that.
"So what brings you out here?" asked Jaden. Chumley reached into his pocket and pulled out some cards.
"I came to give you some new cards that I created," he said as he gave them to Jaden. "There some new Elemental Hero's that might come in handy."
"Wow thanks," said Jaden as he looked them over. He then looked up at Chumley. "But, won't you get in trouble for this? I mean, it's like you're helping me cheat or something."
"The way I see it, if you don't win then the whole world is in trouble," said Chumley. "I heard all about it from Pegasus. Right now, you're the best hope we got."
-x-
"Now attack with Ultimate Ancient Gear Fist!" The monster raised its claw like hand and sent it crashing down on Spartacus. But, when the smoke cleared, the dinosaur gladiator was still standing while Adam's life points went down to 5400. "Wait a minute! Your monster should have been destroyed! How can this be?"
"Easy, my spell card," said Adam. "Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica keeps my monster from being destroyed in battle. Also, this card returns to my hand when the monster it is equipped to returns to my deck."
"Fine then, I end my battle phase," said Crowler. He then waited for Adam to do another Tag Summoning, but nothing happened. "Uh, I end my turn."
"Good," said Adam as he drew a card. "I summon Gladiator Beast Dimacari." Now, the purple ox had reappeared on Adam's side of the field. "Now, allow me to give you a lesson in Tag Fusion!"
"There's no such thing," said Crowler. However, both monster jumped into the air and seemed to tag each other. When they did this, they were sucked into some kind of void and a new monster took their place. This monster was almost as tall as the Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem and stood behind Adam. It looked like Spartacus, but its armor was better and now there were four disks with red gems in them floating around him. Crowler pointed at the new monster in fear. "W-What is that?"
"That is Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz," replied Adam as he returned Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica to his hand. Crowler looked at it and began to calm down. It was big, but it had only 2600 attack points. And if his opponent used some card to boost his monsters attack points, his Sakuretsu Armor would destroy him and he had Rare Metalmorph for extra protection. "Next, I'll activate this from my hand: Mystical Space Typhoon and destroy one of your face downs!"
"Oh no," cried Crowler as Rare Metalmorph was destroyed.
"Next," said Adam as he ignored Crowler. "I'll activate this equip card: Gladiator Beast's Battle Halberd! With this card, at the end of my damage step I can destroy one spell or trap card. Also, it comes back to my hand when my monster leaves due to Tag Summoning. Now I attack your Dread Dynamo with Gladiator Beast Gaiodiaz. Now attack with Heavy Beheading Halberd!" Gaiodiaz lifted his giant halberd and then swung it down upon the tiny little robot who looked worried as all hell.
"I activate my trap card," said Crowler as Sakuretsu Armor flipped over. "This trap will destroy your monster before that attack can go through."
"Not bad," replied Adam. "Now I activate my trap: Parry! This counter trap negates and destroys your trap at the cost of me sending one Gladiator Beast in my hand to my deck." Adam then sent Gladiator Beast Octavius from his hand to his deck and watched as Crowler's trap shattered, allowing his monster to destroy Dread Dynamo. Crowler braced himself as he not only lost a monster, but his life points went down to 7100. "Now my monsters special ability activates and you lose life points equal to the attack points of the destroyed monster."
"WHAT?!" yelled Crowler right before the disks showered him in a red light that brought his life points to 5100. "No matter, now you halberd activates and destroys one of my spell or trap cards. But since I have only one, I might as well say goodbye to Future Fusion. And when this card is destroyed, so is my fusion monster." As predicted, Future Fusion shattered and Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem broke apart. Yet, from the rumble emerged Ancient Gear Golem. "Surprise! When Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem is destroyed I can summon an Ancient Gear Golem from my grave to take its place."
"Not for long," replied Adam. "I end my battle phase and send my fusion monster back to my fusion deck. However, unlike contact fusion, my field won't be empty because I can now Tag Summon two new monsters. So let's welcome Gladiator Beast Murmillo and Gladiator Beast Octavius." The two monsters appeared on Adam's side of the field. Octavius was an eagle man in golden armor with red gems embroidered in it. In one hand he held a scepter and his attack points were 2500. "Now I activate the special ability of my Gladiator Beast Murmillo and destroy your golem. Bye-bye!" Like with Reggie, Murmillo blasted the Ancient Gear Golem with a blast of water so powerful that it knocked the monster down on its back and destroyed it. "I then equip my Gladiator Beast Octavius with Gladiator Beast's Battle Manica and end my turn."
"I'm not done yet," said Crowler as he drew a card. "It appears I've been taking it a bit too easy on you. But that's going to change now that I play my Red Gadget!" Now a red machine with a gear on its back appeared on the field. "And that's not all. You see class, when this monster is summoned to the field I can bring Yellow Gadget to my hand. Next I'll play my Double Summon spell can and this allows me to summon once again. So now I sacrifice both my gadgets to summon my Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon!" A shadow loomed over the field causing Adam to look up. There, in the sky was a mechanical dragon that looked very old but still floating in the sky. Crowler's two monsters jumped into the air and then seemed to merge with the dragon, bringing it to life. It began to flap its decaying wings, creating powerful winds on the field. Adam noticed that it had 3000 attack points. "This monsters powers are determined by what monsters I used to summon it. The Green Gadget allows it to still inflict battle damage even if your monster is in defense mode. Well, as long as it's attack points are higher. And the Red Gadget gives my monster the power to inflict an additional 400 points of damage whenever you take battle damage. Now attack that little blue abomination with Ancient Gear Incinerator!" Blue flames shot out of the dragons mouth and hit its target. Adam's life dropped to 3200 and then again to 2800. "I'll end my turn there."
"You know," said Adam as he drew a card. "You're better than the last guy I dueled. I'll play my Pot of Greed so I can draw two cards." Adam then drew two new cards and smirked. "Next, I'll equip my Octavius with Fighting Spirit and Gladiator Beast's Battle Gladius. My Gladius gives my monster an extra 300 attack points. Add that with the 300 points my Fighting Spirit card gives me for every monster on your side of the field and my monsters attack points become 3100!"
"No way!" cried Crowler.
"Now attack his dragon with Gladiators Judgment!" cried Adam. Octavius nodded and flew up into the sky so that it was right in front of the Ancient Gear Gadjiltron Dragon. It then pointed its scepter at that machine and a golden light shot forth and pierced it. As Crowler watched his monster fall and shatter, he lost 100 life pointed. "Now I discard one card to keep my monster on the field and end my turn."
"Fine," snapped Crowler as he drew a card. "I summon my Yellow Gadget in defense mode and end my turn." This yellow machine with a gear on its back had only 1200 defense points.
"I draw," said Adam. "And now, making his return is Gladiator Beast Dimacari. Now attack his gadget with Champion Slash!" Dimacari raced over to where Yellow Gadget was and made an X shaped slashing motion on it which destroyed it. "Now Octavius, attack him directly with Gladiators Judgment!" Octavius pointed his scepter at Crowler and blasted him with a golden light. Crowler fell backwards as his life points fell to 2300. "I discard the last card in my hand and then send Dimacari back to my deck." Dimacari walked off the field and was then replace with Gladiator Beast Equeste. "Now, I get to add one Gladiator Beast that is in my graveyard to my hand. So come on back Gladiator Beast Secutor. Now, I end my turn."
"I draw," said Crowler. "I summon the Ancient Gear in defense mode and end my turn."
"Looks like you used up all your best monsters," said Adam as he drew a card. "Or you have something good but can't summon it. Now Equeste attack with Galloping Assault!" The centaur didn't need to be told twice as it charged fearlessly at the small gear monster and then stomped it with its hooves. "Now Octavius, finish this!" Octavius blasted Crowler with another golden light from his scepter and Crowler fell to the ground as his life points hit zero.
"I'm back," said Jaden as he carried two bags. "What did I miss?" Adam grinned.
"I just took down a Rare Hunter," he exclaimed.
"I'm not a Rare Hunter!" roared Crowler as he leapt to his feet. This caused Adam to hide behind Jaden. "So your friends with this slacker I see. Makes sense. Such disregard for authority."
"Ah Jaden," whispered Adam. "Do you know this freaky old woman?"
"Yeah," said Jaden. "He was one of my professors back at Duel Academy."
"And let me tell you something," said Crowler as he stormed over to Adam and grabbed him by the jacket. "I'm not a woman!" Adam blinked.
"So you're a cross dresser then," he said. Crowler began to grit his teeth and pull out his hair in utter frustration. He then pulled out a locator card and his rarest card.
"Here," he said. "You won these fair and square."
"So does this mean you're out?" asked Jaden as Adam accepted his prize.
"Hardly," said Crowler as he pulled out three more locator cards. "Remember, I am the top profession at Duel Academy. Winning these was child's play, ha ha!" As Crowler laughed, Adam looked at the card, Ultimate Ancient Gear Golem. While it was powerful, Adam's deck wasn't really meant for a card like this. In the end, it was useless.
"Well, I don't need this," said Adam as he handed back the monster card. "You keep it." Now, Crowler looked like he was about to cry.
"T-Thank you," said Crowler. "I was wrong about you. You are different than this slacker."
"There he is mommy," said a little boy across the street. Everyone turned towards the boy, his friends, and their mothers who all seemed to be glaring at Crowler. Now Crowler was sweating bullets. "There's that mean old lady who dueled us and took our locator cards away!"
"Well got to run," said Crowler as he made a mad dash and was followed by the very people he was trying to escape from.
"Wow," said Adam as they watched Crowler fade in the distance. "Your school life must have been weird as hell."