Man, oh man, is it good to be back. Seriously, I have been meaning to get back to this story, but school did keep me away, as well as my other stories. But now, I have some more time to update things, so that's what I'm doing.
That being said… the new cards that came out, as well as new support for certain archetypes give me a LOT more ideas for some awesome duels. After this chapter, we will get even more awesome duels, which I hope you guys will like.
But let's not dwell on that. TO THE REVIEWS!
JCarrasco: Thanks. I hope it's better than the original story.
Earth Dragon Arnighte: Yeah, I remember when you kept bringing him back in our duels. Cheap bastard lol.
Fpinheiro96: Thanks :)
Rebellion Rose: Thanks my friend.
Otaku Avatar: I will.
Exodia3215(AAAAAHHHHH, EXODIA! THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE!): I will. Thanks.
Natsuharemfan: True. Dark Magician Girl(real name: Mana) would want the Exceeds to dress up.
To recap: One day after learning about the world of Duel Monsters, Natsu had begun to train his mind, only to be given a surprise visit by a spirit named Colossal Fighter, who became somewhat of a trainer for him. Meanwhile, Deagon and two of his allies began to discuss Natsu, sending the Dark Grepher monster after him. Later on, Natsu and Happy were greeted by Greipher, who challenged the former to a shadow duel.
Will Natsu be able to win against his first shadow duel? And what plans does Deagon have? Let's find out…
'Magnolia'
The busty blonde of team Natsu felt like today went well. Not only did she have a wonderful dream, but she found a cute pair of clothes that were on sale and had a nice dinner with Plue. Honestly, without Natsu and Happy breaking in her apartment and eating her food, she would actually enjoy her time in Magnolia… though if that were the case, things would get rather boring fast.
"That was good, right, Plue?" Lucy asked the snowman-like Celestial Spirit, who shakingly followed her. Plue gave a cute way while shivering like always. "Yeah. I wonder how everyone else is doing. It was a nice day." As she walked along the edge of the canal in the middle of Magnolia, Lucy began to let her mind wander. "I can't always rely on my spirits to help me win. I mean, what happens if I can use Cancer or Loke or even Aquarius… then again, it's good not to use her unless I REALLY need to."
"Plue?" Plue looked at Lucy curiously, making the blonde smile.
"Sorry. I guess I was thinking out loud." Lucy told Plue before she looked at the sky. 'Maybe Erza or Natsu can help me train. I'm sure they'd be willing to.'
'With Natsu and Happy'
Natsu: 8000 LP
Cards in hand: 3
Cards on field: Card of the Fire Formation, Fire Formation-Tenki, Fire Formation-Tensen, Brotherhood of the Fire First-Lion Emperor(Att: 2200/Def: 200), Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Panda(Att: 2100/Def: 400)
Dark Grepher: 5200 LP
Cards in hand: 2
Cards on field: Call of the Mummy, Zombie World
A cold sweat ran down Natsu's head as he felt something dark and malevolent coming onto Dark Grepher's field. He had felt this kind of power when Stardust summoned his Blue Eyes dragons, but this time… it felt much more different. It felt… cold and dark.
"N-N-Natsu?" Happy whimpered as he continued to hug Natsu's leg in fear.
"Come forth… creature of the dead…" Dark Grepher began to chant as the card in his hand before to glow an eerie purple mist. The fact that it required the sacrifice of Pyramid Turtle must mean it was a monster of unknown power. "I summon… THE RED-EYES ZOMBIE DRAGON!"
"Wait… ZOMBIE DRAGON?!" Natsu called out before the mist blew on his face, making him cover his mouth.
*RRRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRRR*
The sound of a tired, yet powerful roar emerged from the mist. The force behind it began to actually push away the mist, allowing Natsu and Happy to breathe again.
However… the new creature in front of them made their hearts stop.
Hovering over Dark Grepher with menacing red eyes was a dragon. Or rather, what looked like the REMAINS of a dragon. It had black scales, though there were noticeable cracks along the sides, large chipped wings with red veins glowing on it, small blue flames on its sharp head and a long spiky tail. The dragon growled in anger as it looked at Natsu and Happy.
"No way… h-he has a d-d-dragon." Happy muttered, fear filling his voice. He might have seen dragons yesterday, but this one looked so… wrong. If anything, the dragon Dark Grepher had looked ready to die at any moment.
"What the hell is that?" Natsu whispered as he lowered his head, his bangs covering his eyes. Gritting his teeth, Natsu spoke up while raising his head to glare fiercely at his opponent. "I said… WHAT THE HELL IS THAT?!"
"Power. The power given by the Dark Ones." Dark Grepher merely said with no remorse. Obviously, he didn't see how much seeing the undead dragon affected Natsu.
"I DON'T CARE! HOW COULD YOU USE A DRAGON WHO'S ALREADY DEAD?!" Natsu roared while clenching his fist, the cards in his hand threatening to tear. It was one thing to disrespect deceased animals, but dragons crossed the damn line.
"Natsu, calm down." Happy attempted to ease Natsu's anger. "You need to focus on this duel or we'll never leave."
"Yeah...yeah… I get it." Natsu took some breaths in order to calm down. He could be angry all he wants, but the fact remains that he needs to finish the duel.
"Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon, attack Fire Fist Panda." Dark Grepher commanded while extending his arm. The dragon growled before it raised its head and opened its mouth. Then, a burst of purple flames shot out of Zombie Dragon's mouth, covering the field. Panda could only scream as the flames covered his body, turning him to nothing but ash.
"PANDA!" Natsu shouted for his monster before he noticed the flames coming towards him. He quickly turned to the left to dodge, though some of the flames did hit his right bicep. "AAAAHHHH, DAMMIT!"
"Natsu!" Happy quickly flew up to examine Natsu's arm. There was a noticeable burn on his bicep, yet that was it.
Natsu: 8000-7700
"Activate Zombie Dragon's ability. Unholy Revival!" Grepher commanded with a hand raised in the air.
*Crack*
The ground underneath began to crack next to Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon. A hand shot out of the dirt before it began to pull out the rest of the body. Natsu and Happy gasped in horror as the creature that came out of the ground was none other than Panda.
"What did you do?!" Natsu shouted with a heated glare as he held his burned around.
"Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon's ability. When a zombie is destroyed in battle, it is revived to my side." Dark Grepher explained coldly. "Reverse card, open!" His facedown card rose up, revealing a trap card with an image of Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon absorbing the energy of other zombie monsters. "Soul Transmutation allows Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon a second attack in exchange for restricting one Zombie monster from battling. I choose Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Panda!" Panda gasped as a hand shot out of the trap card, phasing through him and ripping out his soul. It was then thrown to Zombie Dragon, who chomped down on the soul to gain more power. "The monster allowed to attack again gains 500 more attack points."
Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon: Att: 2400-2900
"Oh crap." Natsu muttered, bracing himself for another attack. Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon raised its head yet again before firing a burst of purple flames. Lion Emperor raised his sword to defend, but the flames were too strong and like his fellow monster, he was reduced to ashes. Seeing the flames continue to fly towards him, Natsu moved yet again, though this time, his left hand was burned.
Natsu: 7700-7000
Like before, the ground broke open, with the newly revived Lion Emperor coming to Dark Grepher's side. However, his mask was broken, revealing the skeleton of the former warrior underneath.
"Lion Emperor, attack your former master." Dark Grepher ordered. The monster, formerly known as Lion Emperor, pulled out its chipped sword before rushing to Natsu.
"Wait, Lion Emperor!" Natsu tried to plead his monster. However, the monster swung its sword at Natsu, slashing the left side of his stomach. "AUGH!"
Natsu: 7000-4800
"Are you okay?" Happy asked as Natsu kneeled down, holding his side. The Dragon Slayer then let out a harsh choke as he wiped his mouth… before seeing a small amount of blood on his palm.
"Blood?" Natsu muttered to himself while staring at the red liquid. How was that even possible? Stardust never said duels would have actual damage… unless… "This isn't a normal duel. It's real."
"Real? Like… you can ACTUALLY get hurt?" Happy questioned with wide eyes. He should have known that was the case with the whole flame ring around them, but seeing Natsu cough out blood only confirmed his suspicions.
"Yup. And if I lose… yeah, I don't wanna think about that." Natsu said as he regained his composure, though his side still burned a bit.
"Turn end." Dark Grepher simply said, satisfied with how the turn went. Natsu, on the other hand, felt rather annoyed at what was going on.
"I draw!" Natsu drew his next card, adding it to his hand. 'Okay, I just drew Gorilla. He can get rid of that Zombie World card if I just get rid of Tenki. Then again, even if I did that and he gets a power boost from Tensen, I wouldn't be able to get rid of Zombie Dragon. And the other cards in my hand won't do crap against Panda and Lion Emperor. Come on, think!' Natsu began banging his own head, thinking it would help him come up with a new plan. But as he opened his eyes to the field, Natsu realized something.
He could STILL use a certain card to draw.
"I GOT IT!" Natsu cheered as he extended his arm. "I use the effect of Cards of the Fire Formation!" The continuous spell began to glow. "By getting rid of this card, I can draw cards up to how many counters it has, and this one has two of them!" Card of the Fire Formation then exploded, with two small fireballs to float in the air before entering Natsu's deck. He then drew two more cards. A smile broke out in his face as he looked at the new cards. "I play the spell, Swords of Burning Light!"
Just then, several swords suddenly fell from the sky, embedding them on the ground. Then, all of them were engulfed in white flames, creating a barrier between Natsu and Dark Grepher's sides.
"What did you do?" Happy asked in surprise. He noticed Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon attempt to break through the flames, only to move away when it was burned.
"That is Swords of Burning Light. As long as I have this card out, he can't attack." Natsu answered with a grin.
"Awesome! Now, summon a monster and kick his butt!" Happy cheered, finding hope in the situation.
"Yeah… I can't." Natsu admitted, much to Happy's confusion. "See, the problem is that if I have a monster out, Swords of Burning Light goes away." The blue cat looked at his father figure with wide eyes. So now, Natsu couldn't do ANYTHING besides stalling? "But, don't worry. I have a plan."
"That's what I'm worried about." Happy said bluntly, much to Natsu's annoyance.
"I end my turn with one card facedown. Your turn." Natsu set one more card on the field, lowering his arms.
"Draw." Dark Grepher drew his next card before looking at it. "Activate spell card. Pot of Greed. Draw two cards." He drew two more cards. "Summon Paladin of the Cursed Dragon." The ground cracked between Panda and Zombie Dragon as something came out. Natsu and Happy's eyes widened as another dragon, or rather, the corpse of a dragon, rose from the ground. It was a wrinkled light blue dragon with no eyes, carrying a wrinkled warrior with shining armor and a sword.
Paladin of the Cursed Dragon: LV 4. Att: 1900/Def: 1200
"Seriously? Another dead dragon?" Natsu asked while gritting his teeth. "How many times are you gonna keep bringing back the dead?!"
"H-He is using a zombie deck, N-Natsu." Happy meekly said, terrified at the appearance of another dead dragon.
"Card set. Turn end." Dark Grepher said before he set one card like Natsu.
"Draw!" Natsu drew his next card before frowning. "I end my turn."
"Draw." Dark Grepher drew his next card. He looked at it before adding it to his hand. "End turn."
"My move, again!" Natsu drew his fifth card, analyzing it. 'This is good. I think I can make this work.' "I end my turn."
'This is bad. If Natsu can't find anything good to use, then we might not get out of this alive.' Happy thought with a nervous gulp as Dark Grepher drew another card.
"Summon Tuner monster, Plaguespreader Zombie. Attack mode." The ground cracked open yet again as a new monster rose. It was a grotesque, fat purple monster with a disfigured face, swollen arms, torn clothes and what looked like a horn on its shoulder.
Plaguespreader Zombie: LV 2. Att: 400/Def: 200
"Hang on, he said Tuner..." Natsu said as his eyes slowly widened in realization.
"Plaguespreader Zombie tunes with the level four Paladin of the Cursed Dragon." The level two tuner moaned as it turned to two dark purple rings, which began to surround Paladin of the Cursed Dragon. The dragon soon turned into four white stars before they were engulfed in a large pillar of chaotic light. "Creature from the torn abyss, rise once again and feast on the flesh of the living! I Synchro summon… Archfiend Zombie-Skull!"
A large claw ripped through the light, followed by a large foot. Emerging from the pillar of light was a large skeleton-like creature that resembled the Summoned Skull, with torn wings, red claws and dark blue skin.
Archfiend Zombie-Skull: LV 6. Att: 2500/Def: 1200
"Great. Can it even get any worse?" Natsu rhetorically asked, his eyes narrowed at the new monster.
"Activate Plaguespreader Zombie's ability from the grave." Dark Grepher said, as if doing what Natsu asked. "By returning one card from the hand to the top of the deck, it is revived. Though, it is banished if it leaves the field again." Returning one of his cards back to the deck, Dark Grepher brought back the level two Tuner monster. "Now, tune with level five Panda!" Just like with Paladin, Plaguespreader Zombie turned to two purple rings before surrounding Natsu's former monster, who turned to five stars. "You faced one Red-Eyes dragon. Now, you will face TWO."
"... Did he just say t-two?!" Happy shouted in horror. One Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon was giving Natsu a hard time, yet now there was going to be a second?!
"The deadly dragon arises. It shows its fangs and will incinerate those who it sees as a threat! I Synchro summon… Red-Eyes Zombie Necro Dragon!" The rings erupted in a bright light of chaotic power just like before.
*RRRRROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRRR*
Natsu and Happy tensed up as they heard another draconic roar come from the light before something flew out of it. They looked up to see a winged beast circling in the air before landing next to Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon. Funny enough, it looked just like said dragon, with several notable differences. Its body was engulfed with blue flames, small purple scales around its body, and red flames on its eyes.
Red-Eyes Zombie Necro Dragon: LV 7. Att: 2400/Def: 2000
"... I just HAD to say it, didn't I?" Natsu facepalmed as he saw another dead dragon in front of him, growling in anger. Seeing another deceased dragon being used as a weapon made his blood boil, but he would worry about that later.
"Necro Zombie Dragon's ability activates. It gains 100 attack and defense points for every Zombie on the field and in both graveyards." Dark Grepher explained as the Synchro dragon roared in the sky.
Red-Eyes Necro Zombie Dragon: Att: 2400-3400 /Def: 2000-3000
"Turn end."
"Okay…" Natsu took a deep breath before sighing. He had to calm himself down, even with all the monsters he was facing. Putting his fingers on his deck, Natsu opened his eyes sharply. "I DRAW!" He then drew his next card, giving it a quick glance before rolling his eyes. "You gotta be kidding me."
"Is it bad?" Happy couldn't help but ask.
"I play Pot of Greed." Natsu announced while playing the same card Dark Grepher used before as he drew two cards. However, upon seeing them, Natsu's eyes widened. 'Alright! This could actually work!'
"Make your move!" Dark Grepher shouted, making Natsu glare at him.
"I will! Shut up!" Natsu quieted his opponent before looking at his cards. He then closed his eyes for a moment, letting his mind wander so he may be able to find a way to win. "I got it." Natsu then opened his eyes with a fierce glare. "First, I play the spell Fire Formation-Tensu!" A spell card appeared in front of Natsu, which had an image of two Fire Fist monsters attacking while their animal spirits appeared in front of them. "Then, I summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Gorilla in attack mode!" A pillar of fire shot out of the ground before Gorilla appeared. However, as he did, the effects of Zombie World kicked in, causing him to look rather old.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Gorilla: LV 4. Att: 1600/Def: 1000
"Wait! Didn't you say it was bad to bring out a monster?!" Happy shouted as Swords of Burning Light disappeared.
"I got this, pal. Watch." Natsu reassured the cat with a grin. "I activate Gorilla's ability! By getting rid of Tenki, I can destroy Zombie World!" Even in his old age, Gorilla spun his staff before throwing it in the air, allowing it to stab into the ground. Once it did, the entire area was engulfed in harsh flames, burning away the field spell until it was returned to its natural state. Gorilla, as well as Lion Emperor, began to turn back to normal, with Tensen and Tensu giving them a boost in power.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Gorilla: Att: 1600-2000
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Lion Emperor: Att: 2200-2600
Red-Eyes Necro Zombie Dragon: Att: 3400-2900/Def: 3000-2500
"You've weakened my monsters." Dark Grepher bluntly said before giving Natsu a glare. "It will not save you."
"Oh, I think it will!" Natsu shouted back, feeling his confidence boost up again. "Next, because of Tensu, I get to summon another Fire Fist monster from my hand. So say hello to Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Elephant!" A spiral of flames appeared next to Gorilla, taking the form of a new monster. It was another warrior clad in red and golden armor, long gray hair and a white elephant shaped flame behind him.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Elephant: LV: 4. Att: 1000/Def: 1800
"Since I summoned him, Elephant can use his ability!" Natsu shouted as he extended his arm. "By sending Tensu to the graveyard, I can summon a Fire Fist monster from my hand! I summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Boar!" Performing a small dance, Elephant launched his animal spirit towards Tensu, destroying it. The animal spirit then began to spin in a tornado before allowing a new monster to appear. It was a rather large warrior with purple tattoos, authentic warrior clothing that exposed his right shoulder, a red sash around his waist, a thick black beard, and a spear that had the flame spirit of a boat come out of it.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Boar: LV 4. Att: 1100/Def: 1400
"Wow… when did you start thinking about all this?!" Happy blurted out, surprised to see just how strategic Natsu was being right now.
"I'm full of surprises, little buddy." Natsu replied, his grin growing a bit. "Since you Synchro summoned, it's only fair I do the same! So, I tune Boar with Elephant!" Boat began spinning his spear before transforming into four flaming rings, surrounding Elephant. Elephant then turned into four white stars, preparing the Synchro summon. "The fire burns in my soul. This monster will help my way to victory! I Synchro summon… Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Kirin!"
*WHOOSH*
A large burst of flames came out of the ground before it turned brown, into the shape of a chinese dragon. Slowly, the flame dragon began to disperse a bit, revealing a new monster in the middle of the field. It was a warrior, clad in gold and dark green armor, a wooden staff and long black hair with a thick beard and mustache.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Kirin: LV 8. Att: 2000-2300/Def: 2800
"It will not be enough to destroy my dragons." Dark Grepher spoke up without any fear.
"That's where you're wrong." Natsu retorted confidently. "First, since I Synchro summoned Kirin, I get to set one Fire Formation card from my deck to the field!" Kirin spun his staff before slamming it on the ground. A card came out of Natsu's deck before setting itself where Tensu once stood. "Next, for every Fire Formation card I have out, all YOUR monsters lose 100 attack points!" A wave of flames shot towards the dragons, who growled in annoyance.
Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon: Att: 2400-2300
Red-Eyes Necro Zombie Dragon: Att: 2900-2800
"Alright Gorilla, attack Zombie Dragon!" Natsu commended his level four monster.
"WAIT! It's too weak to win!" Happy warned Natsu frantically.
"That's why I'm playing this! Fire Formation-Kaiyo!" Natsu yelled as one of his facedown cards rose up, showing an image of a beast warrior launching two animal spirits forward like a shield. "Its first effect WOULD help, but the second one's what I really want! So now, Gorilla and Kirin get 300 more attack points!"
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Gorilla: Att: 1900-2200
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Kirin: Att: 2300-2600
Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon: Att: 2300-2200
Red-Eyes Necro Zombie Dragon: Att: 2800-2700
'Even if all his monsters got stronger, it isn't enough to win.' Happy thought to himself with a gulp. 'But, I trust Natsu.'
"To add a little more spice, I'm playing the Rush Recklessly spell!" Natsu quickly called out as he activated a spell with an image of a red boar running forward. "This gives Gorilla 700 more attack points!"
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Gorilla: Att: 2200-2900
Red-Eyes Zombie Dragon roared as it opened its mouth towards Gorilla, unleashing a fiery breath attack. However, the beast warrior jumped over the attack before throwing his flaming dagger down, stabbing the dragon in the head. It howled in pain before its whole body lite on fire, turning it to nothing but ash. Some of the flames washed on Dark Grepher, who let out an annoyed groan.
Dark Grepher: 5200-4600
"Next, Kirin will take down Necro Zombie Dragon!" Natsu shouted as his Synchro monster prepared to strike. "But first, I play my other spell, Forbidden Lance!" Natsu then showed him a spell with an image of a woman in a white robe holding a rather elegant lance in her hand. "This card gives one monster the power to be immune to other cards, as long as it loses 800 attack points! I choose Necro Zombie Dragon!" A bright aura surrounded Dark Grepher's monster, causing it to growl.
Red-Eyes Necro Zombie Dragon: Att: 2700-2100
Kirin raised his staff, causing the dragon-shaped flame to spin out of it before engulfing Necro Zombie Dragon. It attempted to leave its fiery prison, but the flames were too intense and it was reduced to ashes, with some embers hitting Dark Grepher.
Dark Grepher: 4600-4100
"HA! How's that?" Natsu taunted his opponent, who said nothing. "Ummm, hello?"
"I think you broke him." Happy commented, a bit put off by how quiet Dark Grepher was.
"I… end my turn." Natsu said, though he kept his attention on Dark Grepher. Suddenly, the tainted warrior raised his eyes… showing his red eyes glowing in anger.
"DRAW!" Dark Grepher howled in pure rage as he drew his card, a trail of black magic following it. He looked at it and for the briefest moment, he smiled. "First, activate Mezuki's special ability from graveyard." The spirit of Mezuki suddenly appeared on the field, slowly going up to the sky. "By banishing it, Red-Eyes Necro Zombie Dragon is revived." Just then, the spirit disappeared, allowing a portal to open up. Stepping out of said portal was none other than the Synchro monster, who glared hatefully at Natsu and Happy. "Then I play the spell card Polymerization!"
"Poly-what?" Happy questioned in confusion while Natsu narrowed his eyes.
"Nothing good." Natsu answered. Dark Grepher showed the two the iconic fusion card, as well as the monster Reborn Zombie.
"Fuse Red-Eyes Necro Zombie Dragon with Reborn Zombie from hand!" Dark Grepher announced as a vortex appeared in the air, with both monsters appearing in front of it. "Beast of the dead, destroyer of souls. Rise and give terror to those in my way!" The two monsters then began to enter the vortex, their bodies turning to mush. "Fusion summon! Arise from the grave… Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon!" A bright light flashed from the portal, forcing Natsu and Happy to shield their eyes.
*RRRRRRROOOOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRRRR*
A large claw emerged from the portal, slamming onto the ground with enough force to make it shake. Then, another claw came out, pulling the rest of the body out in the open for all to see. The new monster was a large red serpentine-like dragon with bone-like armor, large black wings, six spikes on its back, two arms with four sharp claws and yellow eyes with an orb on the top of its head.
Dragonecro Nethersoul Dragon: LV: 8. Att: 3000-2800/Def: 0
"Seriously? ANOTHER DRAGON?!" Natsu shouted. Even though this new beast wasn't an abomination like the other two, it still didn't ease Natsu's nerves one bit.
"Battle. Attack Kirin." Dark Grepher commanded, making the dragon growl. "Effect, activate. Forceful Life." A strange purple aura began to surround Natsu's Synchro monster, causing him to kneel down in pain.
"Hey, what's happening?!" Happy asked in horror.
"Dragonecro's ability. Whenever it battles another monster, as long as that monster has an original level, it loses all its attack points. However, it cannot be destroyed by battle." Dark Grepher answered.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Kirin: Att: 2600-0
Dragonecro opens its mouth before unleashing a large burst of purple flames towards Natsu's Synchro monster. Kirin braced himself for the attack and once the attack struck, he howled in pain. However, like what Dark Grepher said, he was not destroyed.
"I PLAY MY TRAP, SPIRIT BARRIER!" Natsu quickly shouted in an effort to stop the damage from being inflicted. "As long as I have monsters on the field, I take no damage!" Before the flames could strike Natsu, a barrier appeared in front of him, shielding him from the damage he would have received.
"That was too close, Natsu!" Happy shouted, though he was relieved that Natsu wasn't hurt.
"Regardless, Dragonecro's second ability activates. Since your monster still stands, a Dark Soul Token is summoned to my field, with the same attack and defense points as the monster Dragonecro attacked." Dark Grepher announced. Dragonecro opened a hand as dark magic began to form. It then released the magic, allowing it to manifest into a ball of pure dark magic.
Dark Soul Token: LV 7. Att: ?-2000/Def: ?-2800
"Are you done?" Natsu asked with narrowed eyes.
"Activate quick play spell card, Token Extermination!" Dark Grepher shouted as he played a card in his hand, which had an image of a Scapegoat token running forward with a bomb on its chest. "It destroys one token on my field and in exchange, destroys all monsters on your field. Then, you take damage equal to both original attack points."
"Both?!" Natsu and Happy shouted in unison, their eyes wide in horror. The Dark Soul token split in two before they flew towards Kirin and Gorilla. The beast warriors tried their best to swat away the tokens, but they were soon engulfed in a dark flame. Both screamed in pain before they turned to ash, with the flames shooting towards Natsu.
"AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!" The Spirit Barrier trap was unable to protect Natsu as he was struck by the flames in full force.
"NATSU!" Happy tried to reach out to Natsu, but the flames soon burned his paw, making him jump back while holding it.
Natsu: 4800-1100
Once the flames died down, Natsu was revealed to be standing… before he fell forward, his body smoking from the attack. The pain from the spell was so intense, he could feel every part of his body screaming in pain.
'I… I can't… I can't move…' Natsu thought tiredly as he laid there, unable to even lift a finger. He thought for sure his trap would be able to stop any damage, but Dark Grepher kept surprising him. Looking up a bit, Natsu's eyes widened as he saw Happy lying on the ground as well, holding his burned paw. "Ha… ppy?"
"Natsu… it hurts…" Happy whimpered as he turned his body to face Natsu. He looked tearfully at Natsu. "I'm scared."
'No, I can't… quit… now…' Natsu slowly began to push himself up, albeit with some difficulty. 'Happy… needs me… everyone… will be… in trouble…'
"My, you really are in a bind, aren't you?" The dragon slayer and blue cat gasped in shock as they looked up. Hovering over them with his claws crossed was none other than Stardust Dragon, who looked at them with the dragon equivalent of a raised brow.
"Stardust?" Natsu muttered, happy to see his partner actually come when he needed him the most.
"I had a feeling you were in danger, but this wasn't what I was expecting." Stardust informed Natsu, who finally got up on one knee. "You've taken quite the beating. I'm sorry for not coming sooner."
"Yeah… you really did… take your time… huh?" Natsu couldn't help but jokingly say with a grin, though he did wince at the aching pain. "You got… a plan?"
"That depends on you." Stardust said in a sagely tone, much to Natsu's confusion. "Natsu, this is YOUR duel. I may have taught you how to duel, but in the end, this is your fight. All I can do is give you my support."
"Gee, thanks." Natsu said sarcastically, though he understood what Stardust was trying to say. He couldn't rely on the white dragon to bail him out every time, yet just having him next to him made the situation a little more bearable. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes, Natsu placed his fingers on top of his deck. "I… can do this… I can do this…" Sharply opening his eyes, Natsu slowly pulled his card out before drawing it fully. "DRAW!" As he did this, a trail of flames came out of the card. Natsu then brought it close to his face, making him sigh. "I play the Magic Planter spell!" A spell card with an image of a trap card in a pot of mysterious liquid appeared on Natsu's field. "By getting rid of Spirit Barrier, I can draw two more cards." The continuous trap exploded, allowing Natsu to draw two more cards, making his eyes widen. "Sweet! I summon Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Dragon!" A column of flames in the shape of a dragon appeared on Natsu's field before something jumped out of it. It was another warrior, this one being clad in green armor, gold outlines, long black hair, a headdress, and a golden weapon in hand.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Dragon: LV 4. Att: 1800-2400/Def: 400
"I then activate Dragon's ability!" Natsu shouted as Kaiyo began to glow. "By sending Kaiyo to the grave, I can bring back one Fire Fist monster from the graveyard! I destroy Kaiyo to bring back Gorilla!" With that, the continuous trap shattered, allowing Gorilla to come back to the field.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Dragon: Att: 2400-2100
Brotherhood of the Fire Fost-Gorilla: Att: 1600-1900
"Next, I play Monster Reborn!" Natsu then shows the iconic spell card to everyone. "I bring back Boar!" A bright light appeared on the field before Boar came back to life.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Boar: Att: 1100-1400
"Do you have another Synchro monster, Natsu?" Happy asked hopefully.
"Don't need to." Natsu told Happy with a knowing grin. "Cause now I overlay Fire Fist Gorilla and Dragon monsters!" Two of Natsu's monsters turned to red blobs of energy as a vortex appeared on the field, allowing the blobs to enter it. "With these two monsters, I build the Overlay Network and XYZ summon… Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Peacock!" The portal exploded in a bright light, followed by a large pillar of flames that even made Dragonecro pull back. Emerging from the flames was a female warrior with long black hair tied in pigtails, a black chestplate, long black leggings, a long flap covering her lower region, a short red cape and a whip in hand. Behind her was the white peacock-shaped flame.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Peacock: Rank 4. Att: 1000-1300/Def: 1200
"No monster you have will destroy my dragon." Dark Grepher taunted Natsu coldly.
"Yeah… but what if I USE your dragon?" Natsu asked rhetorically, getting everyone's attention. "See, by using one overlay unit and getting rid of Tensen, I can take control of Dragonecro!"
"SAY WHAT?!" Happy exclaimed in pure shock. There was a monster that could take control of the opponent's monster? Duel Monsters were so much different than Happy thought they were. One of Peacock's overlay units disappeared, as well as Tensen, before she began performing a dance, which seemed to mesmerize Dragonecro. Slowly, the fusion monster began to move towards Peacock, who stroked its chin before it stood proudly in front of Natsu.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Peacock: Att: 1300-1000
"Hmmm, not a bad strategy, Natsu." Stardust complimented with a smile. He had to admit, even he had some doubts as to Natsu's potential as a duelist, yet he seemed to be proving himself more and more.
"Peacock, attack Dark Grepher!" Natsu shouted as his XYZ monster pulled her whip with a smirk. "And before she does, I play my facedown, another Tensen!" Natsu's last facedown rose, revealing the trap card he had just sent away.
Brotherhood of the Fire Fist-Peacock: Att: 1000-2000
Peacock's whip was suddenly engulfed in flames before she swung it towards Dark Grepher. He let out a growl as the whip struck his chest, leaving a visible burn mark.
Dark Grepher: 4100-2100
"Dragonecro, finish this!" Natsu yelled with a pumped fist forward. Dark Grepher's former monster opened its mouth before unleashing a powerful breath attack.
"No… NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Was all Dark Grepher said as the attack engulfed him completely, burning through the field.
Dark Grepher: 2100-0; Winner: Natsu Dragneel
As soon as Dark Grepher's life points were reduced to zero, the ring of fire that surrounded the duel area disappeared, though there were several burn marks around. It was clear that even though the duel was over, the effects still lingered.
"YOU DID IT!" Happy yelled with tears in his eyes as he hugged Natsu's leg, making the pink haired male smile. "I WAS SCARED YOU'D LOSE, BUT YOU ACTUALLY WON!"
"Well yeah. You can always count on me, little buddy." Natsu told Happy while patting him on the head.
As Natsu and Happy celebrated the victory, Stardust flew over to Dark Grepher, who laid on the ground. His entire body seemed to be burned and a small noise escaped his mouth.
"This was a test, wasn't it?" Stardust asked in a serious tone. "You weren't simply trying to kill Natsu. You were trying to see how strong he is."
"Stardust, I don't think he can talk." Natsu spoke up as he and Happy moved up to Dark Grepher, looking down at him.
"I'm not talking to him." Stardust explained, much to their surprise. "You're watching, aren't you, Deagon?"
"Of course you would know that, Stardust Dragon." Deagon's voice came out of Dark Grepher's mouth, though he still remained on the ground. The fallen monster then turned his head towards Natsu. "I admit you surprised me, Natsu Dragneel. For someone as idiotic and reckless as you are, your strategies were unexpected, but not unwelcomed."
"Glad I was able to make it fun, jackass." Natsu insulted with a glare. "Why don't you stop hiding and come fight me?"
"Oh, we will. After all, taking the Stardust Dragon as my own would definitely help me and my masters. However, all good things come to those who wait." Deagon explained before letting out a low chuckle. "I will be watching you grow. Watching you become strong so that when we duel, it will be all the more satisfying to rip your hope from your soul."
"The Dark Ones will never return, Deagon. All you've done is damn yourself into an eternity of pain and misery." Stardust said with venom in his voice.
"Perhaps. Then again… who will be the last one standing?" Suddenly, Dark Grepher's body began to turn to dust, flying in the wind. The three looked at the spot where the dark duel monster once laid with different reactions: Happy was shaking in fear, Stardust glared at the spot and Natsu… he had a determined expression.
"We'll beat him, Stardust. I know we will." Natsu told his partner before giving him a grin. "After all, you're helping me."
"I am. And I have faith in you, Natsu." Stardust confessed. Natsu continued to smile at him before he fell back, landing on the charred grass while losing consciousness.
"Natsu!" Happy yelled as he began checking Natsu for any wounds.
"He's just tired, Happy. After all, a Shadow Duel can drain one's life force." Stardust said to the cat while looking at Natsu. 'Still, this was just a foot soldier. If we hope to have any chance at fighting Deagon and the Dark Ones, we need more allies.'
Natsu may have won his first official duel alone, but the war was far from over.
Sheesh, I did not give Natsu a freaking break, did I? First, he loses his first duel. Then, he nearly gets his ass killed against a foot soldier. This just shows that Deagon and the Dark Ones are a lot more of a threat than you would think.
But yeah, I hope I did a good job with how the duel went. There was no way I was having Natsu just win in five turns. There had to be a legit strategy used for it to show that he isn't as much of an idiot as he usually is. Still, if you guys want certain decks to be used in the story, please let me know. Doesn't hurt to hear what you guys think.
We are close to the start of a Oracion Seis arc, and like with the first story, there will be some serious changes I hope you guys will like. But that's for the next chapter, which I hope you guys will look forward to.
Since this is the first time we see original cards being used in this story, I will write them down so you will all know. In addition to that, any Link monsters will be turned into other extra deck monsters, like Peacock being an XYZ monster.
Card of the Fire Formation
Continuous spell card
Effect: Every time a "Fire Formation" spell or trap is activated, play one flame counter on this card. You can remove this card from the field and for every flame counter it has, draw one card.
Soul Transmutation
Quick play spell card
Effect: You can target two zombie monsters on the field. One is not allowed to attack while the other can attack twice with 500 additional attack points until the end of the turn.
Token Extermination
Quick play spell
Effect: You can target one token monster on the field, destroy it. Then, you can destroy up to two monsters on your opponent's field and your opponent takes damage equal to the combined original attacks points of each monster.
However… before we end things… we have a little something special for you guys.
Paperwork was something not many people enjoyed to do. After all, it required hours of writing and would lead to a hand cramp.
Still, it wasn't something a certain person minded doing.
He calmly wrote on the paper in front of him, occasionally sipping his tea that his guildmate graciously gave him. It was an all around calm evening, with everyone having already turned in or are on different quests. While he did like the company of his friends, it didn't hurt to have a moment of quiet every now and then.
*Knock, knock*
'Of course it wouldn't last.' He thought with a sigh, hearing someone knock on his door. "Come in."
The door soon opened up, allowing the person on the other side to enter. They were a young and attractive young woman with brown skin, blue eyes, long black hair that trailed just below her shoulders that featured two locks wrapped in gold rings coming from behind her ears and continuing in front, stopping at her neck. Her attire consists of a cream colored sleeveless one-piece dress with the bottom similar to a sarong, a matching waist length veil which widens and spreads below her shoulders and gold sandals. Her jewelry consists of gold bracelets, ankle bracelets, armbands and brooch bearing a gold necklace with what looked like an egyptian eye on it.
"Forgive the intrusion, master." The young woman said with a respectful bow.
"It's alright, Ishizu. Did you forget something?" The master asked while finishing his paperwork.
"It's… my necklace." The woman known as Ishizu confessed with a deep frown, making her master narrow his eyes.
"You had another vision." The master said in realization, making Ishizu nod. "Does it involve the Dark Ones?"
"I… can't say for certain." Ishizu said in a serious tone as she touched her necklace. "You know of the Millennium Necklace's power, how it can be… unpredictable."
"Usually, your predictions are true." The master stood up from his chair, walking up to his window. "So, what did you see?" Ishizu closed her eyes, brushing her fingers along the necklace.
"I see… a young girl with blue hair… a flying pegasus falling from the sky… a walking city… seven warriors… seven numbers… and the remains of one of the great dragons…" Ishizu listed off before opening her eyes, giving her master a concerned look. "What shall we do?" The master ran a hand through his white hair with purple highlights tiredly. As much as he trusted her visions, it didn't exactly give them a location.
"For now, we need to find this blue haired girl. It may not be much, but if it is related to the Dark Ones, then we need to strike." The master told her before crossing his arms. "The others aren't here, so we will wait for them to make a plan. Get some rest and we will regroup tomorrow."
"Very well, master Ryoken." Ishizu gave one last bow before leaving the office, allowing the young man known as Ryoken to think about her words.
Next time: An alliance is born