Episode 63: Survival of the Fittest
It's the middle of the opening ceremony of the World of Duel Finals. The Minister of Dueling has just announced to the world that the finals will be held in space. The Minister continues his speech saying, "You heard what I said folks, in mere minutes we will send all of the finalists to a nearby launch pad, where they will be immediately lifted off into Earth orbit! Lift off is in T-minus ten minutes! So let's get this moving!" The Minister turns to the finalists and says, "If you would all exit stage right, and follow the official there, he shall lead you to a teleportation pad set up to bring you straight to the launch pad." He returns his attention to the crowd. "I'm sure I speak for the entire world when I say that I wish the greatest luck upon all of you."
The finalists begin to file off the stage in the indicated direction. As he is walking off, Yuni is surpassed by Oblivion. As he is walking past him, Oblivion whispers in his ear, "I look forward to taking your Another Hope card." And Oblivion walks on.
The finalists line up next to a teleportation pad, and prepare to warp. Ma'at, in front of Yuni in line, right before he teleports says, "We will duel again Chaos scum, and when we do, you won't be as lucky as our last two duels." Ma'at steps on the pad and teleports away.
Yuni is just about to step on, when someone grabs him by the shoulder. He turns around to see Seto. Seto says, "All of these other duelists are amateurs, you're the only duelist who's even close to my peer. Don't even think of losing before I have a chance to beat you myself."
Yuni nods in response and steps onto the pad. He thinks, Everyone is gunning for me.
Yugi responds, Yeah, you get used to that. Yuni teleports.
The finalists are now all in line before a massive rocket ship. Yuni, Tori, Brutus and Zenith are in the back, most of the other finalist have already boarded. Seto is in the front of he line, with Kodane standing next to him. A guard standing in front of the access hatch is looking over a list of names. He says, "Alright Mr. Ossius, your clear, but," he points at Kodane, "I'm afraid that this ship is reserved for finalists only."
Seto slips something into the guard's hand and says, "I'm sure you can overlook that fact for me, I am Seto Ossius after all."
The guard look straight at Seto and says, "What's that? I couldn't quite hear you."
Seto slips something else into his hand and repeats himself.
The guard nods and says, "Alright, go ahead." The two walk in.
The remaining four step forward. The guard looks at his list and says, "Alright, I have you four assigned to the same cabin for the trip up, is that acceptable?"
Tori nods and says, "That would be fine."
The guard ushers them in and says, "Move along then, lift-off's in T-minus three minutes." The four get aboard and make their way to a passenger compartment in the back.
The buckle themselves into seats that are oriented so that they're facing the roof while sitting. Once strapped in, Brutus says, "This is so amazing! I can't believe we're going to go into space! That's like number two on my lists of places to go to!"
Tori questions, "Number two? What beats out space?"
Brutus blushes and says embarrassed, "Oh, well…um…you wouldn't care."
Suddenly a voice announces over the intercom, "Lift-off in T-Minus 10"
Zenith says excitedly, "Here we go!"
The voice starts again, "T-minus five…four…three…two…one…zero, lift-off!" The rocket rumbles and roars. "We have lift-off!"
The scene shows the outside of the rocket flying up into the air. After several moments it transitions from blue sky into black, starry space. After a few more moments the rocket approaches a massive wheel-shaped space station. After a few maneuvers, the rocket attaches to the station and docks.
Back inside, the guard from before enters Yuni's cabin, he's floating due to the lack of gravity. He says, "Alright, we have arrived. Please unstrap yourselves, and proceed to the station. Please be careful, as you can tell, we are in zero-gravity." He leaves to tell the other passengers.
They unstrap themselves and float towards the exit. Tori says, "Technically, he was wrong. We're not in zero-gravity, we're just falling at the same speed as the rocket ship, so it seems like there's no gravity."
Brutus says, "Aw, just don't worry about it. No gravity is no gravity."
The group exits the rocket and makes their way into the station. The other finalists follow. The last to disembark is a petite girl wearing a white gown, with silver and gold trim, concealing her face with a hood. Yuni gasps. He thinks, That's the girl that we bumped into, the one who triggered that vision! She must be the eighth finalist!
Seto also looks surprised, but Yuni doesn't notice.
Before Yuni can approach her, a voice announces over intercom, "Everyone please move themselves to the ground. We shall be initiating artificial gravity shortly."
Everyone use handholds on the walls to guide themselves to the floor. With an audible click, gravity turns on. The guard walks out and says, "Alright everyone, move along to the next room, that's were the opening ceremony will conclude."
Everyone walks on. The next room is grand and large. There are massive portholes showing off the starscape. The finalists are ushered to one area of the room, in front of several holo-cameras. They all activate and a life-like hologram of the Minister of Dueling appears. He says, "Welcome duelists to the Orbital-1 Space Station. This place has much history to it. It was in this very space station that the first ever duel in space was conducted, and now it shall be home to the World of Duel Finals! However, I should first explain, the dueling will not begin right away. First, we must have a special trial, in order to further test skills. Please look to the left!" He beckons there, and out of the ground, eight human-sized pods rise. Seto looks intrigued.
Yugi explains, I've seen those things before!
The Minister continues, "These are state-of-the-art Kaiba Corp. Virtual Duel Pods! With them you will be sent into a highly realistic virtual world, were your dueling skills will be tested to their full extent! Be warned, you will not be tested only in standard dueling skills, but also in your Survival Duel skills." The Minister looks to the cameras and says, "For those who don't know, a Survival Duel is a special set of rules that apply only in a Virtual Reality setting. In it, each duelist will be placed in a different location, and given a certain amount of life points, in this case 8000. They must complete a series of tasks in order to move on. These tasks could either be live-time battles with various Duel Monsters, a puzzle, or a real duel. Duelists may cross each other's path, and can chose to help each other, or go their own ways. At the end of the challenge, each duelist will be ranked depending on their remaining life points. Then, when we move onto the actual finals, the duelists will duel using their remaining life points from the Survival Duel. If a duelist's life points are reduced to zero in the Virtual World, they will be eliminated from the tournament." He turns to the finalists. "Are there any questions?" No one speaks up. "Well then, let's begin the Survival Duels! If you would all please attach your deck boxes to the indicated spot, and get inside of a pod."
Each finalist attaches their deck box, climbs into a pod, and straps on a helmet. The Minister says, "Alright duelists, prepare for the activation of the pods!" Each pod lights up. The Minister takes one last chance to say, "Once again, good luck!" The pods activate fully.
One moment, Yuni is laying in a pod, the next he is standing in the middle of a vast field. Yuni thinks, Wow! This is amazing! Everything looks absolutely real!
Yugi asks, Do you mean that these things aren't common sight in your time?
No, not at all. For a while a couple thousand years ago, Kaiba Corp. started to mass-produce these things, but they quickly proved too expensive to catch on. Now they're reserved for the absolute richest people, and a few of the largest Kaiba Lands.
Suddenly there's a giant roar. Yuni looks of to the horizon and sees a Battle Ox charging towards him (Earth/Level 4/Beast-Warrior/Normal/ATK 1700/DEF 1000). Yuni says, "All right, duel on!" A virtual deck appears above Yuni's wrist, the same place it would be if he was wearing a Duel Gauntlet. He draws a card. "Cyber-Technokinetic (Light/Level 4/Psychic/Effect/ATK 1900/DEF 200), protect me!" Yuni's monster appears and launches its laser beam attack at the Battle Ox. The opposing monster is vaporized. Yuni thinks, We should be just fine at this, its just like the Realm of Chaos.
Yugi adds, Not to mention, you have all of my experience too.
I wonder how the others are doing.
Brutus is in canyon lands. He is shouting, "The Great Terror (Dark/Level 4/Fiend/Effect/ATK 2200/DEF 0), attack now!" Brutus' monster slashes its sword at an approaching Giant Soldier of Stone (Earth/Level 3/Rock/Normal/ATK 1300/DEF 2000). The giant is destroyed. Brutus cheers, "Yeah! This isn't so hard!"
But just as he's shouting that, another Giant Soldier of Stone appears behind him and slams down its stone sword at Brutus him, knocking him down (Brutus' LP: 6700).
Brutus, still on the floor, quickly shouts out, "Great Terror, destroy it!" Brutus' monster turns around and attacks the second giant. Brutus gets up and wipes some sweat from his brow. He says to himself, "Man, this is going to suck."
Tori is walking through a forest. Behind her, Monolithic Statue Warrior is following (Earth/Level 6/Rock/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 2000). She's thinking, Alright, I've already defeated one of these forest monsters, but who knows what my be hiding in the shadows. I should tread cautiously. As she's thinking that, she hears a faint rustle in the branches above. She looks up, but quickly stops, and pretends not to there is the faint sound of an arrow being released from a bow. Tori dives out of the way and rolls forward, barely dodging the attack.
From the branches above, Tori hears a noise that a primate might make. Another arrow is released, Tori jumps to the side to dodge it. She thinks, Your mistake, you just revealed your location. Tori commands aloud, "Statue Warrior, attack that tree!" She points at a nearby tree. Her monster stampedes towards the tree and slices through its trunk with its sword. The tree topples and reveals a Yellow Baboon, Archer of the Forest (Earth/Level 7/Beast/Effect/ATK 2600/DEF 1800). Tori thinks, Shoot, it has more attack than my monster! Let's fix that problem. She draws a card and declares, "I equip my monster with Lithic Weapon!" Statue Warrior swaps its sword for a large stone hammer. Tori thinks, Alright, this card gives my monster 100 attack for each of its levels (ATK: 3000). She commands, "Now Statue Warrior, attack the Yellow Baboon!" Tori's monster smashes its hammer down on the baboon, destroying it. Tori smiles triumphantly.
Seto is standing in a cave. He is surrounded by what is practically an army of Troop Dragons (Wind/Level 2/Dragon/Effect/ATK 700/DEF 800). Seto smiles and thinks, Is this all they've got? Bah, I won't even break a sweat. He draws and says, "I summon Plasma Soul via its effect (Light/Level 5/Thunder/Effect/ATK 0/DEF 0)!" He draws another card. "Then I'll activate Super Nova!" He thinks, Now by tributing a level five or higher monster, I can destroy all those dragons. Seto's monster explodes in a burst of fiery energy, incinerating all of the Troop Dragons. Seto walks off and thinks, This won't be a challenge at all.
Yuni is continuing his way through the field zone. He thinks, Alright, we've already managed to beat back several Beast-Warrior monsters, and haven't taken any damage yet. We're on a good track.
Yugi observes, It can only get harder though, keep your guard up.
I'll make sure of that.
Suddenly the voice of Yugi says, "It's time to duel!"
Yuni questions, Why'd you say that?
I didn't say- He suddenly warns, Look out!
Yuni turns around to see Yugi standing before him, equipped with a duel disk. Yugi has just drawn a card and is playing it. He declares, "I summon the Dark Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Normal/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)! Attack with Dark Magic Attack!" The legendary Dark Magician appears and launches its ball of magical energy.
Yuni dodges out of the way and thinks, All right, one of my challenges must be to face off against the King of Games himself. Yuni smiles cockishly. This shouldn't be too hard.
Yugi responds, Hey…I resent that statement.
Yuni smiles again. He pulls out a card and declares, "I summon the Cyber-Tech Magician (Dark/Level 7/Spellcaster/Effect/ATK 2500/DEF 2100)!" Yuni's magician appears before him.
The fake-Yugi declares, "Dark Magic Attack!"
At the exact same time, Yuni declares, "Cyber Magic Attack!" Each magician launch their respective attacks. The two orbs of energy fly at each other and impact in mid-air, causing a fantastic explosion of energy and light.
Yugi says, We're…I mean you and him are equally matched!
Well then I think it's time to change that! He pulls out another card and shouts, "I activate Cyber-Tech Charge! This card gives my magician 1000 extra attack points!" A surge of energy flows over Cyber-Tech Magician (ATK: 3500). "Now, once more, Cyber Magic Attack!" Once again, Yuni's monster unleashes a burst of energy.
Fake-Yugi declares, "I activate my facedown card, Magic Cylinder!" Cyber-Tech Magician's attack goes in through one cylinder that appears, and then comes out of the other. The attack flies directly at Yuni, who has no chance to dodge, and hits him (Yuni's LP: 4500).
Yuni thinks, Shoot, that one mistake nearly took out half of my life points! Cyber-Tech Magician's attack returns to its original (ATK: 2500).
The fake Yugi says, "As long as I believe in the Heart of the Cards, you can not defeat me!"
Yugi complains, I don't sound like that!
Sorry, but that's actually pretty accurate. Yuni returns his attention to fake-Yugi.
Fake-Yugi says, "I equip my magician with Magical Formula! This card boosts the power of my Dark Magician by 700 points (ATK: 3200)!" A magical spellbook appears in Dark Magician's hands. "Go, one last Dark Magic Attack!"
Yuni says, "I'll play a spellbook of my own! I activate the Cyber-Tech Spellbook of Overpowering, to double the attack of my magician!" Cyber-Tech Magician also gets a spellbook (ATK: 5000). "Now counter with another Cyber Magic Attack!" The new attack is double the size of previous ones. The two attacks fly at each other, but upon impact, the larger Cyber Magic attack overpowers the Dark Magic Attack and goes on to destroy the Dark Magician.
Fake-Yugi bows in defeat, and then disappears. Yugi says, Yeah, you did it!
Upon disappearing, a card is left on the floor were he stood. Yuni approaches it and picks it up. The card is Dian Keto the Cure Master. Upon picking it up, a wave of light washes over Yuni (Yuni's LP: 5500). Yuni thinks, I guess that I must get life point bonuses upon completing certain challenges. Yuni starts to walk off.
Yugi says, Well…that was interesting…
Yuni grins and says, That wasn't hard at all. I guess I showed him who the better duelist is.
Yugi starts to agree, You sure did… Then he realizes what Yuni meant and says, Hey!
Yuni laughs as he walks off.
Brutus is tiptoeing through an eerie graveyard at night. He looks back and forth. In the distance, a wolf is heard howling. Brutus jumps. After several panic filled moments, he continues on. While Brutus continues to sneak forward, he looks back behind him. As he's looking behind, Zenith appears. He too is tiptoeing forward, but not looking ahead. The two crash into each other. At the same time, they both jump back and shout, "Ah! Ghost!"
A few seconds later, they realize who each other are. Brutus questions, "Zenith? Is that you?"
Zenith exclaims, "Brutus, am I glad to see you! Why'd you get so scared?"
Brutus, suddenly getting rid of any trace of fear and pretending to be macho, says as if confused, "Scared, who's scared? I wasn't scared."
Zenith laughs and says, "Sure, neither was I."
Brutus says, "Now that we've found each other, we might as well continue on together. Is that okay?"
Zenith nods. "That would be mutually beneficial."
The two continue their trek through the graveyard. After a few moments, behind them a rotten hand burst out of the ground. Brutus and Zenith slowly turn around in pure horror. The ground bursts and a Regenerating Mummy rises out from the grave (Dark/Level 4/Zombie/Effect/ATK 1800/DEF 1500).
Brutus screams in horror and Zenith jumps into the air and lands in Brutus' arms. They are both shivering in terror and they scream together. The mummy slowly ambles towards them. Brutus drops Zenith and runs behind a nearby grave to hide. Zenith gets up and joins Brutus. Suddenly, all around the graveyard, rotting hands push out of the ground. One by one, many more Regenerating Mummies rise from the dead. Brutus and Zenith grab each other in panic and scream.
The first mummy is getting close to their hiding spot. Brutus takes a deep breath and says, "Enough cowering. These are just Duel Monsters, and I have the perfect card to beat them!" He jumps up and declares, "I activate Dark Hole, and send you all back to the dark place that you came from!" A massive vortex opens up in the sky and sucks in all of the mummies. Brutus cheers, "Alright! I did it!"
Zenith says, "Look again idiot."
All around them, the Regenerating Mummies are reforming on the field. Brutus demands, "What happened!? I destroyed all of those!"
Zenith scolds, "Come on Brutus, those are Regenerating Mummies! They regenerate when destroyed by card effect! And that's not all, look!" Each of the mummies grow larger (ATK: 2300).
Brutus questions, "How'd that happen!?"
Zenith points to the eerie crescent moon in the sky with several wispy clouds moving in front of it. "That's the same moon that appears on the card Night of the Living Dead! That card allows a Zombie to gain 500 attack points every time it comes back from the grave! You just gave them all massive power boost!" The mummies continue to slowly encroach in the two.
Brutus says, "Well then, I guess that we have nothing to do but fight this out. Let's do it." Zenith nods in agreement. Brutus pulls out a card and says, "I summon Legendary Lancer (Light/Level 4/Warrior/Effect/ATK 2400/DEF 0)! Let's slay some zombies!"
Zenith draws a card and declares, "Beam down now, Strike Invader (Dark/Level 7/Psychic/Effect/ATK 2600/DEF 0)!" Zenith looks at Brutus and says, "You ready for this?"
Brutus nods. "Let's get this done with!" Brutus and Zenith, with monsters following, charge towards the undead hoard.
Yuni is walking into a small town, a ramshackled one, filled with broken down houses made of stones. There are almost no people in the streets. As Yuni walks down the streets, people in their houses shut their windows and doors, as if to avoid Yuni. Yuni thinks, Something's going on.
Yugi says, I'd be willing to bet that it has something to do with our overall objective.
Yuni nods in agreement. Not too far away, Yuni spots a girl on the side of the road. He approaches her and asks, "Excuse me ma'am, I have a question." The girl looks up at him and runs away. Yuni sighs.
A voice from the distance says, "It's not that often that we get visitors around here. What brings you here stranger?"
Yuni turns around to see an old man wrapped in rags with a walking stick walking out of an alleyway. Yuni says, "Finally, someone who will talk to me. I'm just a traveler. Can you tell me what's going on here? Everyone seems worried about something."
The old man approaches Yuni. He looks him over. He pokes his waling stick at Yuni's deck box and asks, "Are you a duelist?" Yuni nods. The old man explains, "Dueling has brought many misfortunes onto this town." He points his cane off to he distance. Yuni looks in that direction and sees a massive castle. "In that castle lives the Dragon King. He has used his ability to manipulate Dragon-type Duel Monsters to plunder and subjugate the land."
Yuni asks, "Have your people tried to stop him?"
"All of our strongest warriors have been sent to the Castle of Dragons, but none have returned. Our little town has given up all hope." The man appears to consider something. "However, we might now have a new hope."
Yuni looks at him questioningly and asks, "And what's that?"
The man pokes Yuni's stomach with his cane and says, "Not what, but who. For it is you. I think that you are the one who is destined to save us."
Yugi exclaims, That's it! That must be our goal to finish the Survival Duel!
The old man pleads, "Please duelist, we are a poor town, and having nothing to offer, but we need your help. Could you please help us defeat the evil Dragon King?"
Yuni smiles confidently and nods. "Consider your village saved. I will defeat the Dragon King."