Season 4 Chapter 10: The End of the Pursuit
The Transmulation program was made to protect oneself from having their in real life identities from being protected. This separates the user's connection from their VRAINS personas by minimizing the user's inputs in VRAINS. However, this program has many problems.
First, the programs results in the user having connection issues with the Link Vrains. The program interferes with the connection as it filters a certain information, hindering the connection speed which creates a lag between the user and Link Vrains.
Next, countless experiments have proven that continuous of this program will cause Dissociative Identity Disorder towards the user. Link VRAINS attempts to sync with the user's personalities towards their VRAINS persona. The lack of certain information which was ommited by the program will have their VRAINS persona to 'act as their own'. This includes the user's conscious data. The user's actual conscious and the data will eventually differ from each other, resulting in the user being confused in who they are and not knowing who they are.
Lastly, activating the program is not easily activatable. The program activates when the user's sub-conscious is in a certain state. What exactly is this state is unknown. But experiments suggested that it had to do with a duel. However, the relation between this and the user's sub-conscious is unknown.
World Traveler had received news from Thunder Emperor and Zephyr that they had begun their duels. Their opponents was Revolver and Soulburner. If he had to be honest, among the 3 of them, Thunder Emperor is probably the strongest duelist. However, Revolver is a difficult duelist. After all, he created an Extra Link against Playmaker. If anyone is the strongest in Link Vrains after Playmaker, it is him. He wouldn't be surprised that Thunder Emperor lost. However, with Thunder Emperor's deck strategies, he hopes that he could defeat Revolver.
As soon as he sees someone pursuing him, he stopped before facing his pursuer.
"I suppose I should stop running now, since I can now fight without being outnumbered myself. Who exactly are you?" World Traveler asked the girl in blue.
"Who am I doesn't matter. Where is Playmaker?"
"... You won't be convinced if I told you that I have no idea where he is. You are going to use Accesscode Talker as your argument point to say that I am lying. I have no words to convince you. Let's duel." After answering her question, he activated his Duel Disk. Blue Maiden agrees. World Traveler's answer was too simple and the way he had answer her question, she deems him suspicious and activates her duel disk.
"Speed Duel!"
Blue Maiden vs World Traveler
As World Traveler looked at his hand, he noticed the ID of the duelist he is dueling against in his duel disk.
"So you are Blue Maiden. You remind me of Blue Angel from that name..." He had thought without addressing to his pursuer.
Turn 1: Blue Maiden
"Then I begin. I summon Marincess Pascalus (1200/2000). Pascalus's effect activates on summon, I special summon Marincess Blue Tang (1500/1200) from my hand. On summon, Blue Tang's effect activates, I send Marincess Sea Horse from deck to GY. Shine! The circuit of love and bonds! Summoning conditions is 1 level 4 or lower Marincess Monster. I set Blue Tang in the Link Marker. Link Summon! Link 1! Marincess Blue Slug (1500). Blue Tang's effect activates when used as Link material, I excavate the top 3 cards from my deck and add 1 Marincess card to my hand and shuffle the rest to my deck." Blue Maiden excavates Marincess Circulation, Marincess Current and Marincess Mandrarinn.
"I add the excavated Circulation to hand and shuffle Current and Mandrarinn to my deck. Blue Slug's effect activates when Link Summoned, adding Sea Horse to ! The circuit of love and bonds! I set Blue Slug and Pascalus in the Link Marker and Link Summon! Link 2! Marincess Coral Anemone (2000). Coral Anemone's effect activates, I special summon Blue Slug from GY. Once again, Shine! The circuit of love and bonds! I set Link 2 Coral Anemone and Blue Slug in the Link Marker. Link Summon! Link 3! Marincess Coral Triangle (1500)!"
"A Link 3 1500 ATK monster. That card should be a support card for your deck." World Traveler thought.
"Coral Triangle's effect activates, I send the WATER Marincess Basilalima from hand to GY to add Marincess Wave to hand. I end my turn."
"Wait, you aren't setting cards?" World Traveler asked. Blue Maiden only replied with a smirk.
Turn 2: World Traveler
"My turn, draw. I activate the spell World Legacy Survivor. I excavate 5 cards from the top of my deck then I add excavated "Krawler" monster or "World Legacy" card to my hand while sending the rest to the GY. Otherwise, I shuffle all excavated cards to my deck." The cards World Traveller excavated is Krawler Axon, World Legacy's Mind Meld, World Legacy - "World Chalice", Deus X-Krawler and Krawler Axon. World Traveler adds Spine and sends the rest to GY.
"Krawler? Then you aren't using Mekk-Knights?"
"Who said I was using Mekk-Knights?" While World Traveler is proud about his deck, he narrowed his eyes. What made her think that he was running Mekk-Knights?
"I normal summon Axon (500/1800) and activate Krawler Soma (2000/2500) from my hand. I flip Axon face down to special summon itself! Then I activate Soma's other effect, by reducing it's level by 2 (Soma level: 6 - 4), it can special summon a krawler from deck, hand or GY whose total levels are total Levels equal the amount reduced, in face-up and/or face-down Defense Position. Since I reduced Soma's level by 2, I summon the level 2, Krawler Dendrite (1300/600) in face up defence position." With Dendrite on the field, World Traveler's main monster zone is fully filled with Krawlers.
"Come forth, the circuit that connects to the Stars! The summoning conditions are 2 Krawler monsters. I use Dendrite and Soma as Link Materials! Link Summon! Link 2! X-Krawler Qualiark (2000)! I set a card and activate the field spell World Legacy in Shadow. Now all Krawler monsters gain 200 ATK/DEF (Qualiark ATK: 2000 - 2200)."
"Battle! Qualiark attacks Coral Triangle!"
"Since I controls the Link 3 Coral Triangle, I can activate Circulation from hand. With this effect, I return Coral Traingle from Extra Deck to Special Summon a different Marincess Link Monster with its same Link Marker from Extra Deck, treating it as a Link Summon. Link 3! Marincess Marbled Rock (2500)! Also, for the rest of the turn, Marbled Rock cannot attack or be destroyed by battle this turn."
"Then I cancel this battle and end my turn."
Turn 3: Blue Maiden
"Then it's my turn, draw! Since I control the Link 3 Marbled Rock, I activate Marincess Wave from hand by targeting Qualiark. Qualiark's effects are negated and since I control a Link 2 or higher "Marincess" monster, all monsters I control are unaffected by card effects."
"I chain with Crusadia Krawler, summoning itself (300/2100). Then since it was summoned to Qualiark's link arrow, I adds World Legacy Succession to hand from my deck." As he adds his card to his hand, he thought of how unfair it was for her to be able to activate her trap cards as if she was playing them as if they were Quick-Play Spells. Oh boy, this is going to be a difficult duel.
"Battle, Marbled Rock attacks Qualiark! Marbled Rock did a number of scratch attacks against the insect monster swiftly, immediately destroying the monster afterwards. (World Traveler: 4000 - 3700)
"Since Marbled Rock destroyed Qualiark and I control a Link 3 or higher "Marincess" monster, Marincess current activates from my hand, you take damage equal to Marbled Rock's Link rating x400 and then you take damage equal to the destroyed Qualiark's link rating * 500 (World Traveller: 2500 - 1500)." Waves of sea appeared as it begins to swallow him whole. World Traveler covers himself to prepare for impact. Fortunately for him, the wave disappears right after he takes the effect damage (World Traveler: 3700 - 2500 - 1500).
World Traveller gritted. From just one battle, he lost 2500 LP from that trap card which in his opinion, it's way too overpowered in a duel.
"Since Qualiark is destroyed by battle, I can special summon Soma and Dendrite from GY in face down defence position."
"I end my turn."
Turn 4: World Traveler
"My turn, draw!" After drawing, he looked at his current hand. At first, he had thought on defeat a Link 3 monster without running a risk of Blue Maiden possibly activating her trap cards from the hand. He couldn't get rid of those cards since they weren't set in the first place. So he analysed. How could he counteract her cards if she is going to use them? But then he realized. He has Accesscode Talker. With this very card, he can do more than just overcoming her trap cards, but he can win! That's right! Accesscode does not allow her to activate her cards if it's effects activates. She cannot get through with this.
It was then, he gained a blue aura which quickly consumed him, turning him into a silhoutte.
"I activate the effect of World Chalice from my GY, banishing itself to add World Legacy - "World Crown" to hand. Then I flip summon Axon and Dendrite. Dendrite's flip effect activates: sending Krawler Spine to GY from deck. Come forth, the circuit that connects to the Stars! The summoning conditions is 2 monsters as long as I have a World Legacy card in my GY! I use Axon and Dendrite as Link Material! The original inheritor of the key shall make it her own mission to seal the World Key to prevent the battle of power of God! Link Summon! Link 2! Lib the World Key Blademaster!" Lib appears on the field, wielding World Legacy- "World Key". She prepares to battle.
"I activate succession! Summoning X-Krawler Qualiark from GY to Lib's Link Arrow. Then this is where things gets fun from here!" As World Traveler declares, his hand that has already been covered by the silhoutte have turned darker.
"I activate my skill: Assembly of the World Legacies! I send World Legacy - "World Shield" from deck to GY to summon World Legacy - "World Armor" (2500/2000) from deck and since a World Legacy monster is sent to GY by this effect, for the rest of this duel, World Legacy monsters are unaffected by you card effect and cannot be destroyed by battle! World Armor's effect when Special Summoned activates, adding World Legacy - "World Lance" to hand." At this point, he was expecting Blue Maiden to activate her trap cards now. Clearly, his field is becoming more dangerous and he still could Link Summon monsters with his field being filled up by his monsters once again.
It was then, he notices that Blue Maiden is very familar to him. She seems to know him somehow... Earlier she had expected him to play Mekk-Knights. As far as he could remember, he had only used that deck once and it was in Link Vrains. His opponent was Blue Angel. What if... No way... That's too crazy isn't it?
He returned back to his duel. "Lib's effect activates, setting World Legacy Landmark from deck to field. Come forth, the circuit that connects to the Stars! I use Link 2 Qualiark and Link 2 Lib to Link Summon! Seize the wind that connects to the unseen world! Link Summon! Link 4! Accesscode Talker (2300)!" As Accesscode was summoned, Blue Maiden prepares herself. She realizes that World Traveller intends to win this duel this turn given that she has lost to this very monster before. The very monster that made himself a suspect.
"Accesscode Talker's effect activates, targeting the Link 2 Lib and gaining 1000 ATK per Lib's link Rating (Accesscode ATK: 2300 - 4300). I flip summon Soma and activates Soma's effect, reducing it's level by 2 (Soma Level: 6 - 4) to summon Krawler Ranvier (1100/900) from deck. I Link Summon once again! Using Soma and Ranvier as Link Material, I Link Summon Link 2, X-Krawler Neurogos (1900 - 2100)"
"Then I activate Accesscode Talker's effect! I-" As he swiped his hand to activate his monster's effect, he realizes that he have made a very big mistake. He accidentally entered to his battle phase. Well, that mistake aside, he can still win this. After Accesscode's attack, he can attack directly with Neurogos or World Armor.
"Looks like you aren't activate Accesscode's effect." Blue Maiden smirked. In fact, she was relieved. If World Traveller uses Access Integration, he could have destroyed Marbled Rock with ease and finish the duel with Accesscode attacking directly.
"Accesscode attacks Marbled Rock! World Lance's effect activates! I discard itself to reduce your monster's ATK by 3000 ATK!" Accesscode's spear was replaced with World Lance. The lance uses a hypnotic aura at Marbled Rock (Marbled Rock ATK: 2500 - 0). Blue Maiden remembers this monster as well. That card allows World Traveller to defeat any monsters with ease. And with Accesscode having its high ATK after wiping Blue Maiden's field, he can ensure an OTK. However! His mistake has allowed Blue Maiden to survive!
"Marbled Rock's effect allows her to discard a Marincess card to make both monsters of that battle be unable to be destroyed by battle and she does not take any damage." Marbled Rock creates a shield to protect herself from the attack.
"But you are still open to attack with my other monsters. With the 0 ATK Marbled Rock, you cannot save yourself from defeat! World Armor attacks!" World Armor, with it's hand-like figure, grabbed Marbled Rock as it crushed Marbled Rock (Blue Maiden: 4000 - 1500). It was at this moment she crossed her two hands as her wings grew to spread itself.
"I activate my skill: Shape of Sea! Since I take battle damage with Marbled Rock being destroyed, I summon a WATER monster whose ATK is equal or lower than the battle damage I took from GY. Since I took 2500 damage, I summon the 2500 ATK Marbled Rock!" Marbled Rock returned to the field with her skill.
Well, there goes his win for the turn. He messed up big time and now he is probably going to pay for his mistake. With him losing his aura, his silhoutte soon vanishes, returning World Traveler back to where he was as he ended his turn.
Turn 5: Blue Maiden
"You should have activated Accesscode Talker's effect before going into battle. My turn. I draw. Marincess Sea Horse's (1400/1000) effect, special summoning itself to Marbled Rock's Link Arrow. And then, I activate the Field Spell: Marincess Battle Ocean. Now all Marincess Monsters gain 200 ATK (Sea Horse ATK: 1400 - 1600, Marbled Rock's ATK: 2500 - 2700). The circuit of love and bonds! The summoning conditions are at least 2 WATER monsters. I set Link 3 Marbled Rock and Sea Horse in the Link Marker!" Blue Maiden's monsters enter into the Link Portal.
"The wonder sea of blue! Treasure the friendship of bonds within my hand! Link Summon! Link 4! Marincess Aqua Argonaut (2300 - 2500)! Battle Ocean's effect activates since Aqua Argonaut is Link Summoned into the Extra Monster Zone, equipping Blue Slug, Coral Anemone and Marbled Rock from GY to itself and then Aqua Argonaut gains 600 ATK for every "Marincess card equipped to it (Aqua Argonaut ATK: 2500 - 4300)."
"Battle! Aqua Argonaut attacks Neurogos!"Aqua Argonaut points her staff forward as waves was summoned to consume Neurogos and World Traveller. (World Traveler: 1500 - 0).
With the defeat of World Traveler, he fell to the ground of Link Vrains.
"Damn, I messed up that one win there... Well, I still have others who can defeat you. But I have faith in them...! if they-"
"Oh you were talking about him?"
Two more figures joined Blue Maiden. Soon enough, he saw Revolver and Soulburner being around. That means, Zephyr and Thunder Emperor are defeated! The worst possible outcome has happened to him.
"I have Thunder Emperor's conscious data with me. If you refuse to comply any further, I will delete not only you but his data. You will be the cause of not only your own but his undoing."
"...What exactly do you want?"
"Where is Playmaker?"
"... I have no idea where he is... But I know where is this going from... Accesscode... is not part of the World Legacy archetype. As I have gotten this deck, I was surprised to find Accesscode Talker inside this deck. I uncovered the entire story of the World Legacy, but yet, I have not completed my collection of the archetype, for in place of the World Legacy's Star God, Accesscode Talker was in the deck for some reason..." His answer wasn't sastisfactory to Revolver. So he raised his hand to delete World Traveller, only to be stopped by Soulburner. Noticing this, Revolver made a proposal.
"...Then do one last thing for not only yourself but for him. Surrender your deck to us. We will make use of that deck to find Playmaker." As World Traveller listened to the proposal, he hesitated. He had 2 choices here, to sacrifice his entire efforts of collecting his cards to make his World Legacy deck, or to sacrifice not only himself but Thunder Emperor. He gritted as he procrasted his time for more options. For time is running little for him.
"So you couldn't even make a choice? Then, I hope you prepared yourself!" Revolver's hand turned yellow as he-
"Stop Revolver! You know very well that this isn't the solution."
"But he is our enemy. Him refusing to answer proved it."
"Revolver, he is not. I am certain of it. I have dueled against the someone who called himself Zephyr. He is Sora Yagami, the sixth lost incident victim, just like me!" Revolver then stopped as he eyed to Soulburner, waiting for Soulburner to explain further.
"During my duel, he expressed his desire to protect his friends. He seems to genuinely believed that we are after him for his card for no exactly reason. It seems that after the lost incident, he has made his own very life, without anyone's influence. I believe that they are innocent in this very search for Playmaker, especially when he expressed his own pain 10 years ago." Seeing Soulburner's eyes, it seems that he has determined what they are.
Revolver released Thunder Emperor's data as he said this. "World Traveler, you are very lucky that Soulburner has decided to spare you. I have released Thunder Emperor's conscious data, allowing him to log out of VRAINS. And to the very end, I have deactivated this program. You will shortly log out of Vrains. However, don't think that we have let you off the hook. We will meet again soon Akechi Kira!"
These was the last words he heard as his vision fades as he logs out.
Skill:
World Traveler:
Assembly of the World Legacies (Debuted in Chapter 3): You can send 1 "World Legacy" card from your hand or deck to GY to Special Summon 1 "World Legacy" Monster from your hand or deck. If you sent a "World Legacy" Monster with this effect, for the rest of the duel, "World Legacy" Monsters are unaffected by your opponent's card effect and cannot be destroyed by battle.
A/N: To be honest, I have mo idea how should I use for the summon chant of Aqua Argonaut. So if you have suggestions, you can either PM me or say it in reviews. While it's pretty much a lame way to have Blue Maiden beat World Traveler (since Blue Maiden really had no way to overcome Accesscode Talker), misclicks can happen. This is something that sometimes happened to me when I misclicked entering End Phase instead of Battle Phase. Even if World Traveler won his duel against Blue Maiden, this mini arc cannot extend for too long.
Sorry for the late release of this chapter. Honkai Star Rail came out on Wednesday (26/4/2023) and you pretty much can guess what I was doing. I won't talk much about it. With this chapter out, the only chapters I have left hanging around are chapter 11-12 and 16 (that are finished writing before this fic was published but need to edit first). Once I finished Chapter 12, I'll continue forth with Chapter 13 to 15 and then 16. See you in the next chapter!