The upcoming Dueling City Tournament was going to begin. The day was the day, and every duelist around the city, and maybe even further, was excited for it. However, this was about a lot more to Ichika. He heard about what happened to Houki and was getting serious about it this time.
"You've constructed a well deck, Ichika." Senshi said.
"I hope so. Look at what happened to Houki. They attacked her just to get to us." Ichika said. "I'm starting to think it wasn't a good idea for her to get involved in any of this."
"Houki was going to enter regardless of what we thought." Senshi said. "This enemy would have pulled a move like this even if she hadn't."
"Maybe, but I don't want her or any of my friends to get caught up in our mess." Ichika said. "It's us these guys are after. There's no reason for the rest of them to get involved in something like this."
"Perhaps, but that is simply something we have no control of." Senshi claimed. "There are those out there that will do whatever it takes to get whatever it is they desire, no matter who gets hurt in the process. It's all the more reason we must remain strong no matter what happens. Backing down is not an option."
"I know. I also know that Houki is still going to compete in the tournament." Ichika said. "I just hope this all turns out well." Ichika doesn't want to put his friends in danger, but he knows they also want to help him out.
"Sitting around here isn't going to help. The tournament is going to officially start and we need to get going." Senshi said. "Ichika, no matter what happens, we must stay strong and fight whatever comes our way. Someone out there is after us and we must be willing to fight. Remember all that Tatenashi told us."
"You're right. Let's do this." Ichika said as he grabbed a hold of his deck and got himself ready for the upcoming tournament. No matter what happens now, he's got to be able to fight.
"Hey, you in there, doofus?" Chifuyu said as she came right into her room. "Isn't that tournament going to start soon? Shouldn't you get going?"
"I was just about to leave." Ichika said. "Are you coming?"
"I got better things to do than follow you around." Chifuyu said. "Still, you better do your best out there."
"You know I will." Ichika said.
"Before you do go, your friends are outside and are waiting for you." Chifuyu said.
"Huh? The girls are here already?" Ichika questioned.
"Well... Two of them are here, at least." Chifuyu said. Ichika wasn't sure what she was talking about, so he stepped out of the house. When he did, he saw that Rin and Cecilia were already there.
"Ichika! Good morning!" Cecilia said.
"About time you showed up." Rin said.
"Rin? Cecilia? What are you two doing here so early?" Ichika said.
"Why else? We want to be by your side for when you compete in the tournament." Cecilia said. "We certainly don't want to miss any of your duels."
"Yeah. We don't want to miss any of the action, so we got here early and decided to meet up with you here." Rin said. They both acted like they were supportive friends, but they both had a hidden agenda.
'Of course, I came here early because I was hoping we could leave together and be alone.' They both had the same thought for they were both thinking the same thing.
"Well, okay. What about Charlotte, Laura, and Houki? Are the rest of them coming? Should we wait for them?" Ichika questioned, but that was actually the opposite of what they wanted.
"I think they might have already went on ahead." Cecilia said as she grabbed a hold of Ichika's arm. "Perhaps we should be on our way and go meet up with them."
"Hold on just a minute! Why are you holding his arm like that?!" Rin said as she didn't like it one bit.
"Well, this sounds like an extravagant event, and it's only fitting that a gentleman should be escorted by a lovely lady." Cecilia claimed.
"Is that so?" Rin said as she grabbed a hold of Ichika's other arm. "If that's the case, we better get going." Neither of them like they have to share Ichika since they both wanted to be alone with him, but they both sucked it up and just got to walking.
"Guys, I can walk on my own, plus I don't think this is really necessary." Ichika complained. Many guys would enjoy having two lovely girls on their arms. Ichika is not one of them.
...
Houki
Houki was still sore about the whole thing that happened the other day. She took some kendo gear and tried to deal with her anger and frustration. She took her kendo sword and constantly smacked it against a dummy. After her loss to Track, she was greatly angered about what happened.
"I can't believe I got beat by that guy. How can I help Ichika when I can't even help myself." Houki complained. "If I see that guy again, he is going down!" Houki is fired up. After her defeat, she's more determined to do better, get stronger, and do what she can to help Ichika. She isn't going to go down so easily in this tournament.
...
The City
The tournament is about to begin. Many duelist are coming in to take part in it and all of them can't wait for it to begin. Once Ichika got things settled with Cecilia and Rin, the three of them walked in and soon found themselves near a fountain. They looked around and saw many duelists were in the area.
"Wow. The tournament hasn't officially started yet." Cecilia said.
"I wonder how many will enter, or how the whole thing is going to get sorted out to make the finals." Rin said.
"We should know soon enough." Ichika said as he braced himself for anything that might happen.
"Ichika! Hey, Ichika!" All three of them had a look and soon spotted Hector.
"Hey, Hector. Glad to see you made it." Ichika said.
"Of course I did. No way I was going to miss something like this." Hector said. "Just had a look around. All losers for us to beat."
"Well, I wouldn't go that far. There might be some decent competition." Ichika said.
"Maybe. I did hear that Flint and William are in this tournament as well." Hector said.
"The bug freak and the major hothead? You've got to be kidding." Rin said as they remembered those two well, and wished they didn't.
"Well, Conner did say that anyone could enter." Cecilia said.
"Either way, it's going to be a fierce competition." Ichika said, but he doesn't know how fierce this competition is really going to be. The truth of the matter was that Ichika was being hunted, and those who were hunting them down had already spotted him. As Track enjoyed a nice cup of tea, he already spotted Ichika.
'So, that's Ichika Orimura. Master Meldrick will be pleased to hear that I defeated him.' Track thought as he couldn't wait to complete his mission.
"Well, I'm ready to get this party started. When is that gonna happen?" Hector questioned.
"Conner is suppose to make some sort of announcement about that." Ichika claimed. Ask and you shall recieve.
"Duelist, I'm so pleased that have accepted my challenge!" Conner's voice could be heard, but no one saw where he was.
"That's Conner's voice, but where is he?" Rin said. Everyone looked around, but couldn't quite see where the voice was coming from. Not until Ichika looked up and spotted it. Conner had a blimp and it was carrying screens that was broadcasting Conner for the whole city to hear him.
"Dueling is about to begin!" Conner announced as he began to explain how his tournament is going to work. "I'm expecting to see dueling everywhere. Want to know how this tournament is going to work? It's quite simple. The entire city is your arena!"
"The entire city?!" Cecilia said.
"He always did think big." Rin said.
"The entire city is your arena, but here is where you are suppose to be." Conner announced as he showed an image of a stadium. "You will be dueling to get to this stadium, but only the first eight that make it will advance to the finals."
"Only the first eight?" Ichika questioned.
"What's he talking about? How are we suppose to qualify for the finals?" Hector questioned.
"If you will all look to your duel disks where your life point meter is used, you will see how you qualify for the finals." Conner announced with all the duelists competing had a special meter added to their duel disks, but it was down to zero. "That meter measures the amount of points you get in this tournament. You only get points by taking on someone competing in this tournament. You gain points by winning duels, and the losers get nothing. The more you duel, the more points you get. Using an algorithm of my own design, your point value will increase depending on how the duel goes."
"I think I get it." Hector said as he simplified things. "Depending on how a duel goes depends on how many points you get."
"You want to duel hard. You want to duel fast but intense. The first eight duelists that gain a total of four-thousand points and make it to this stadium advance to the finals." Conner said. "Also, be warned that I too will be competing in this tournament. Whoever wins will be considered the best of the best. With all of that said, let the Dueling City Tournament begin!" With the announcement of the tournament beginning, all of them were excited and wanted to get started.
"It's every duelist for themselves now. Ichika, let's meet up again in the finals." Hector said as he was on his way.
"Sure thing, Hector. We'll see you there." Ichika said as Hector went out. "Well, let's get started." Ichika was ready to duel with Cecilia and Rin excited to see him in action.
'Well, time to make my move.' Track said as he stood up and was ready to attack Ichika and do his master's bidding.
"There you are! I've been looking for you!" Track looked to the side and spotted Houki. "I knew I would find you here!"
"Is that Houki's voice?" Ichika said as he and the other spotted what was going on.
"You again? What do you want?" Track questioned.
"A rematch! I'm not going to be defeated this time!" Houki said.
"I already defeated you. Why would I waste my time giving you a rematch?" Track said. "Besides, I just used you to send a message to your little friend, an example of what's coming his way. He's the one my master truly desires."
"Guess, again. If you want Ichika, you'll have to get through me first!" Houki said.
"Houki! What's going on?!" Ichika called as he and the others hurried over to her.
"What are you yelling about?" Rin said.
"This guy here is backing out of my rematch, probably because he knows I'm going to beat him." Houki said as she referred to Track. When Ichika got a good look at him, he was a little shocked.
"He's wearing the same cloak that Bane was wearing!" Ichika said.
"I told you that I'm not interested in your pathetic little rematch." Track said. "Defeating or beating you serves no purpose, but you are a different matter, Ichika Orimura."
"Tell me, do you answer to the same guy that controlled Bane?" Ichika questioned.
"I actually do, and what my master wants is to bring you down. My name is Track, and I shall be the one to do so. I intend to fulfill my master's desires." Track said. "Come now, Ichika Orimura. Come and face your doom."
"Ichika, don't do it." Houki said. "There's something not quite right about this guy. Somehow, he always knows what card he's about to draw. That's how he was able to defeat me."
"Thanks for the warning, Houki, but this is something I have to do." Ichika said. This is part of what Tatenashi warned him about. This is a challenge he can't run from. Ichika was settled on taking this guy on and switched places with Senshi.
"Very well, Track. You wish to face me for your master? I accept your challenge." Senshi said.
"Excellent!" Track said. The first duel of the tournament is about to begin. The two of them activated their duel disks and were ready to face each other.
"Let's duel!" They both said as this duel was officially starting with them having 4000LP. Seeing the first duel of the tournament starting also drew in a crowd.
"Houki, you said you faced this guy, right? What kind of cards does he use?" Cecilia asked.
"Defensives ones to block attacks." Houki said as she remembered how her duel against him went. "The freakiest part of this is that he guesses what the top card of his deck is, and he somehow always gets it right. When he does, he ensures to deal damage. There was nothing I could have done to stop him." She certainly didn't like that Ichika was about to go through the same thing that she did. "Ichika, you better be careful out there."
"Allow me to start this duel." Track said as he knew just the opening card to start with. "Here's one I like to start with. I play the continuous spell known as Raising Stakes. With this spell card, every time I draw a card, I guess what it is. If I'm right, I get to deal an instant amount of damage of 300LP."
"Oh no. Careful, Ichika! That's how he managed to beat me!" Houki called.
"Warn him all you like! It's not going to do any good!" Track said as he feels like he's already won. "Next, I'm going to summon my Giant Soldier of Stone!" He summoned out his monster with it being just what the name says and had 1300atk points.
"Why summon that card? That card is much better for defense." Senshi wondered.
"You're about to see. I play my Guard Penalty. Now, if my monster switches to defense mode, I get to draw a card." Track said. "In fact, I'm about to do that by activating Earthquake. This spell switches the battle position of all monsters on the field." His soldier switched to defense mode with it having 2000def points. "Now that he switched to defense mode, I get to draw a card. Thanks to Raising Stakes spell, I can also guess what type of card it is. If I'm right, I will deal 300points of damage."
"Careful, Ichika! This is what I warned you about!" Houki called.
"But there's no way he'll get it right." Rin said.
"I say that it will be a spell." Track said and drew the card. "I was right." He said as he showed it. Ichika got blasted and his life points dropped to 3700.
"How did he do that? I don't know, and that's what he did against me." Houki said. "There's got to be something up with this guy."
'Ha. The fools don't expect a thing.' Track thought. 'They don't know that thanks to my special contact lens, I can see the invisible ink I placed on my cards. All my cards are marked, so I know what card I'm going to get. If I can keep this up, there's nothing Ichika can do. It will be over for him before he knows it.' The first duel of the tournament is underway, and Ichika is in a tough situation. He needs to figure out how to stop this cheat or his time in the tournament will already be over.
To Be Continued...