Movement One- Ultimate Duel Cup

Chapter 1

The Invitation

The Duel Dimension

Jack Flare and his good friend, Christina Volkner were strolling through New Domino City, admiring the sights. The two teenagers were here to see the upcoming Ultimate Duel Cup, where representatives of every summoning method were to come, including famous Duelists like Jack Atlas, Yusei Fudo, Jaden Yuki, and Yuya Sakaki.

Jack, a boy with shaggy black hair and orange eyes, was hoping to see Yusei Fudo in action, he was an aspiring Duelist who used mainly XYZ Summoning but thought Synchro was pretty cool too. He wore a black camouflage jacket over a white shirt with a red scarf. He also wore black jeans. Christina, a pretty girl with a slender figure and braided blond hair, also wanted to see Synchro, as she mainly played it. She wore

The Cup was tomorrow, and the exhibition match against Yuya Sakaki was tonight. Jack Atlas usually held the exhibition match, but the burden had fallen on Yuya just for this Cup. The sun was setting, the match was in three hours.

Jack was really excited, he had won his town championship, but it was a relatively small town and not too important in the grand scope of dueling. The two teens turned around and began the walk through a park. They wanted to go through the park first before heading back to the hotel.

"So, excited for the match?" Christina asked. She knew her friend was, she was pretty hyped herself.

"You already know, Sakaki is supposed to be really young too, and already crazy good." They walked leisurely under some trees that were turning yellow when a man jumped out in front of them.

"Wha-" Jack stumbled back when the man clicked his duel disk. The man was in a black leather jacket, with black pants, a black scarf tied around his face, and, you'll never guess, black sunglasses. His hair was a sharp contrast though, it looked naturally black but had been dyed with streaks of red and white.

"Duel! I summon Gladiator Beast Equeste in attack mode!" A blue winged centaur appeared and cantered around the unknown duelist. "Now, if there's a Gladiator Beast on my field, I can summon Test Tiger!" A tiger dressed in exotic colored clothing appeared.

"Tiger's effect, by tributing it, I can return Equeste to my deck and special summon another Gladiator Beast!" Test Tiger exploded into light while Equeste smoothly disappeared. "I summon Gladiator Beast Laquari, and when Laquari is summoned this way, it's attack becomes 2100!"

A flaming tiger dressed in armor appeared. The duelist set a card. "I end my turn."

Jack and Christina took a collective step back, but it didn't seem like they had much choice, both activated their disks. The words "Tag Duel" appeared. Jack set his jaw. His deck hadn't yet failed him. His father, a pilot in the Duel Air Force, used Mecha Phantom Beasts and had passed down a different deck to Jack. Artillery Beasts.

"I summon Artillery Beast Gopher in attack mode!" (Artillery Beast Gopher, Level 4, 1800 ATK.) An armored mecha gopher made of black metal appeared. On its back was mounted large square rocket launchers, brimming with missiles. Gopher snorted. "Gopher's effect, when Normal or Special summoned, it deals 500 damage to my opponent!" Gopher reared up and let loose several rockets from his launchers, slamming into the unknown duelist. "I'll set two cards and end my turn!"

Jack: 4000 LP - Unknown Duelist: 3500 LP - Christina: 4000 LP

Christina began. "I summon Blackwing- Kalut the Moon Shadow, and end my turn there." Christina was a bit more patient, she wanted the absolute perfect hand before going all out and destroying this guy.

"Heh." The man smirked underneath the scarf and drew a card. "My turn, I summon Gladiator Beast Andal!" A huge armored bear appeared. "Now I activate my trap, Horn of the Phantom Beast! My Laquari gains 800 attack!"

Laquari growled as its attack points were raised and snarled. "Battle! Laquari, attack his Artillery Beast Gopher!" Laquari pounced and ripped through Gopher's armor. Jack groaned as 1300 damage hit.

Jack: 2700 LP - Unknown Duelist: 3500 LP- Christina: 4000 LP

"Since a monster equipped with Horn of the Phantom Beast attacked and destroyed a monster, I draw a card! And now, at the end of my battle phase, my Laquari returns to my deck, and now I can special summon another Gladiator Beast, like Gladiator Beast Dimacari!" A purple bull in armor appeared, clutching an axe. "I overlay the two level fours!" The two Gladiator Beasts dropped into a rumbling galaxy.

"Bull of fire, with hooves of bronze, trample through the ruins of your enemies, Gladiator Beast Khaltauroi!" A huge Minotaur made from bronze gears and metal appeared, clad in red armor with fire streaming from it's mouth. (Gladiator Beast Khaltauroi, Rank 4, 2500 ATK.)

The duelist smirked again. "I'll end my turn by setting a couple cards."

XYZ Summoning, eh? Jack thought. He did XYZ too, but he could have sworn Gladiator Beasts were Fusion monsters. Maybe he had missed the latest expansion. "Ok, my turn! Draw!" Jack examined his hand for a moment then grinned. "Perfect!"

"I normal summon another Artillery Beast Gopher!" Gopher returned, shooting steam out his nostrils. It lowered its powerful cannons, "Gopher's effect activates upon his summon, here's 500 damage!" The unknown duelist winced under the scarf as more rockets flew out.

Jack: 2700 LP - Unknown Duelist - 3000 LP - Christina: 4000 LP

"Now, my spell, Twin Earthquake! When a Earth monster is special summoned to my side of the field, I can summon another that is the same level." Jack threw a card onto his disk. "Come on, Artillery Beast Tortoise, defense mode!" A mechanized turtle appeared, made from black metal. A single tank turret rested on its shell as it curled in it's head and legs.

"Now, I overlay the two monsters," the tortoise and gopher dropped into the huge galaxy and clouds rose up, disguising the hidden monster. "Born from the sound of cannon fire and ashes of strife, spread your wings of metal, and end this war with your might- Rank 4, Artillery Beast Peacemaker M-Phoenix!" (Artillery Beast Peacemaker M-Phoenix, Rank 4, 2200 ATK.) A huge mechanized Phoenix soared up, made from red and gold metal, it's wings clicked as the cannons loaded, and it's huge claws gleamed threateningly. It's powerful red head glared down at Gladiator Beast Khaltauroi and flames blazed from its golden beak.

"I activate it's effect, Phoenix can destroy one monster on the field, at the cost of me sending one card from my hand to the graveyard! Good bye, Khaltauroi!" The unknown duelist's eyes widened as his Khaltauroi was destroyed. Then the duelist smiled.

"Hah! I activate my trap, Gladiator's Revenge, if a Gladiator Beast monster is destroyed, I can vanish it to destroy one monster whose attack is lower than the banished monster! I banish Khaltauroi! M-Phoenix is destroyed!" The duelist grinned underneath the scarf.

"M-Phoenix's effect activates, by detaching two materials from it, it cannot be destroyed for one turn!" M-Phoenix gave a squawking cry as its two orbiting units disappeared. "And, during that turn, no monster may attack."

"What!" the duelist cried.

Jack inwardly groaned, he had planned on attacking, but M-Phoenix had to stay on the field. "I'll end the turn."

Christina quickly glanced over her cards. No, not a great hand, plus she figured Jack was having way too much fun with this duel anyway. "I'll summon Blackwing- Oroshi The Squall, and set two cards!" When Jack got overwhelmed, she'd pull out her best cards and Synchro Summon her way to victory.

"Hmm, nice. I suppose you two could get it. Good plays..." The duelist tore off his scarf and sunglasses, revealing a grinning boy a couple years older than Jack and Christina. His eyes shone yellow. "Sorry bout that, here!" The boy tossed two cards at Jack and Christina before turning around and running off into the trees.

"Hey! Wait, what?" Christina yelled, confused. Jack bent down and picked up the cards. They were the size and shape of duel cards, and even had the same back. But the front was a small, cramped letter instead of a monster or spell.

Dear Jack and Christina:

I must apologize for the rough way you received these letters, but your skill had to be tested somehow. Due to your clear success at my test, and the fact I've had my eye on you two for a while, Jack is invited to participate in the exhibition match tonight against Yuya Sakaki. Christina and Jack are both invited to enter the Ultimate Duel Cup, at no cost.

Apologies Again,

Chase Hercules

"Chase Hercules?" Jack asked, "The CEO of Hercules Corp.? Isn't he supposed to be some sort of dueling genius?"

"Yeah, young too. " Christina said, "Weird. And what? You're invited as the opponent of Sakaki?"

"Is this a joke?" Jack said, his face white. Invited to duel Sakaki Yuya...

"I don't think so, there's his signature right there."

"Well, not like I can refuse, can I?"

"Jack, this is weird, you're invited to duel Sakaki, and me and you are both invited to participate in the cup. Since when are we both that famous or skilled?" Christina frowned over the cards in puzzlement.

"I don't know. We did win the town championships, but-" Jack suddenly grinned. "Christina. Think about this! Invited for the cup, it usually costs money, Christina, we can-"

"I know." Christina smiled. "If this is true..."

"Wait, the guy left something behind." Jack reached down and picked up another two duel cards. "Guess I missed them...weird, check it."

He showed Christina the cards. Both were XYZ monster cards, the image was of a lion. The lion that represented Hercules Corp. The effect box said: "Those with this card can participate in the tournament."

The teens looked at each other in wonder, then turned around and stared into the cityscape. There were one building that rose high enough for both to see. Hercules Tower, headquarters of Hercules Corp.