Tsubasa pulled her D-Wheel over, letting Hibiki get off first. She had a bit of a stumble to her step, but the younger duelist was handling herself quite well.
"You handled the speed better than Kohinata." Tsubasa noted, stepping off her D-Wheel.
"I don't think by much…" Hibiki said, massaging her forehead.
Tsubasa walked over to her phone, spotting a missed message notification. She picked it up, and her eyes widened.
"Tachibana, get back on the D-Wheel."
"Huh?" Hibiki said. "Why?"
"Sector Two has been damaged. Yukine broke out." Tsubasa said.
"She did? How did…?"
Hibiki remembered placing Chris's three cards next to her.
"No way… this is my fault…"
"No time for that, Tachibana." Tsubasa said. "We need to move."
"I'll take Speed Warrior instead!" Hibiki said, placing on her D-Gazer, before tapping the virtual card and summoning her loyal warrior. She jumped into his arms as they sped off.
"I can't help but feel a bit insulted." Tsubasa admitted, getting back on her D-Wheel, activating her D-Gazer to helmet mode as she revved up and drove after her.
"I'll go first!" Chris said. "And I'll start by setting two cards face down!"
Miku kept on guard. Okay, I know how her deck works. I can read her like a book if I play my cards right-
"I activate my face down card, The Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine!" Chris declared.
Miku gasped, not only at how Chris was activating a card she had just set, but the fact that it was a card they didn't see when they took her deck earlier.
"Normally, I can't activate cards the turn they're set, but this one is the exception." Chris explained. "I can then special summon it to the field in defense mode as a normal monster."
The trap moved to the monster zone, before turning into a ghostly chest piece possessed by blue flames. It possessed a measly 300 defense points.
"And then I'll follow that up by summoning The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm!" Chris said.
A floating helmet and gauntlets possessed by the same blue flame materialized next to Shade Brigandine.
"With that, I end my turn." Chris said. "It's your move."
"Explain yourself!" Miku said.
Chris raised a brow. "What do you mean?"
"Those cards, you never used them before!" Miku said.
"Ah, well." Chris smirked. "That deck I was using before? It was only one of my decks."
"What?"
"A good duelist doesn't show their full hand... or their full decks." Chris said. "This here? This is my maindeck, which I've kept safe for a long time. You should be honored; I'm not holding anything back against you. You scared yet?"
"In your dreams." Miku said, placing a hand on her deck. "I draw! I then activate the spell card, Destiny Draw! This allows me to draw two cards by discarding one Destiny HERO, I can draw two cards. I'll send Destiny HERO - Malicious to the graveyard!"
She slot the card into the graveyard, as she drew two new cards.
"Now I'll normal summon Destiny HERO - Drilldark!" Miku shouted.
The warrior covered in drills descended, all ten drills spinning. Its 1600 attack points meant it was currently the strongest card on the field.
"Gurren Lagann called, they want their character back." Chris snarked.
"When I summon Drilldark, I can special summon one Destiny HERO with equal or less attack points." Miku said. "And I choose Destiny HERO - Dunker!"
What appeared to be a basketball player with blue armor and wild hair ran onto the field.
"You've got to be kidding me." Chris said, seeing how ridiculous the card was.
"I activate Dunker's effect!" Miku said. "By discarding one Destiny HERO, you lose 500 life points! I'll choose Destiny HERO - Disk Commander, so I hope you're tall enough to block a slam dunk!"
Chris wasn't. As Miku's card went into the graveyard, Dunker dribbled a ball of light between his legs, before jumping up and throwing it straight at Chris. The ball exploded, lowering her life points to 3500.
"First blood goes to you." Chris said. "Not bad."
"I'm not done!" Miku said. "Drilldark! Attack Cloven Helm! Piercing Peril!"
Drilldark's arm drill spun faster, as he aimed it at Cloven Helm. With a shout, Drilldark dashed towards the ghostly helmet.
"I activate my trap card!" Chris said. "The Phantom Knights of Wrong Magnetring!"
The card flipped face-up, and a specter carrying a metal ring got between Cloven Helm and Drilldark.
"When this card is activated, I can negate your attack and special summon it to the field." Chris said. "Then I'll use the quick effect to send it and Shade Brigandine to the graveyard, letting me draw two cards!"
Miku frowned. Dunker didn't have enough attack points to overcome Cloven Helm. "I'll throw one card face down and end my turn."
"Then it's my turn! Draw!" Chris shouted. "I'll summon The Phantom Knights of Fragile Armor!"
A skeletal armor filled with blue flames took to the field.
"With my level 4 Cloven Helm and level 4 Fragile Armor, I'll build the overlay network!" Chris declared, as the two monsters entered a swirling portal on the floor.
Miku knew what was coming next, as she prepared herself.
"Formed from pitch-black darkness, to fight those foolish enough to oppose it with its treacherous fangs!" Chris chanted. "Now, descend! Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"
Chris's signature dragon flew out of the portal, landing next to her as it roared at Miku.
I knew it… Miku thought.
"I activate Dark Rebellion's special ability!" Chris said. "I'll detach both of its overlay materials, to lower your Drilldark's attack points by half, and raise Dark Rebellion's by the amount it lost! Treason Discharge!"
The two orbs entered Dark Rebellion's chest, before it electrocuted Drilldark. The drill hero's attack points fell to 800, while Dark Rebellion's rose to 3300.
"Battle! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! Attack Destiny HERO - Drilldark!" Chris shouted. "Lightning Disobey of Rebellion!"
Dark Rebellion glided forward, jaw sparkling with electricity as it swung upwards, tearing Drilldark in half. Miku screamed in pain as the electric shock knocked her onto her back.
"Had enough?" Chris asked. "Cause I'm just getting started."
The elevator door opened, and Hibiki and Tsubasa practically dashed out. Hibiki saw several of the Sector Two agents were injured.
"Tomosato-san! Fujitaka-san!" Hibiki said, kneeling by them. "Are you two okay?!"
"Been better…" Fujitaka winced.
"You two need to go find Chris." Aoi said.
"But you two-"
"Tachibana, I called the Commander and Ogawa." Tsubasa said. "They'll be here soon. We need to find Yukine."
"But-"
"Miku… should be searching for her too." Aoi said.
Tsubasa's eyes widened. "Kohinata is-?"
Without another word, Hibiki grabbed Tsubasa by the arm and jumped back in the elevator.
"...you said that on purpose, didn't you?" Fujitaka asked.
"That would be the only way to make her go." Aoi said.
Miku slowly stood up, breathing heavily from the electric shock. Dark Rebellion was growling at her, almost as if telling her to stay down.
"So you're getting up, huh?" Chris asked.
"I activate my trap card, Destiny Signal!" Miku said.
A signal light shone skyward, with a huge D lighting up on the clouds.
"With this, I can special summon one level 4 or lower Destiny HERO monster. From my deck, I'll summon Destiny HERO - Decider!" Miku said.
The Loch Ness warrior landed in front of the signal as it turned off.
"He's no Batman, but he'll do." Miku said.
"Batman can actually put up a fight." Chris snarked. "Then I'll activate Fragile Armor's effect from the graveyard. I can banish it, then send one card from my hand to the graveyard to draw one card. I'll choose Phantom Knights' Sword."
Chris put one card into the graveyard, as she drew another card.
"I'll set one card face down." Chris said. "And with that, I end my turn."
"Before you do, I'll activate Decider's ability!" Miku said. "I'll add Drilldark from my graveyard back to my hand!"
"Fine by me. Now I'll end my turn." Chris said. "It's your move."
"Draw!"
Miku looked at the card she drew, smirking.
"This duel is over." Miku said.
(Play: Aki Izayoi Battle - Yu-Gi-Oh! 5Ds)
"What the hell are you-?"
"I banish the Destiny HERO - Malicious from my graveyard, to summon a second one from my deck!" Miku declared, summoning the demon hero. "I'll tribute Malicious, Decider and Dunker, to call forth one of my most powerful heroes!"
Three tributes?! Chris thought in panic. That's just like…
The three Destiny HEROs melted into red, entering a small red puddle next to Miku, who had raised a glowing card.
"I'll end your destiny with the life force of all things! Malicious, Decider, Dunker! Give your energy to create the Ultimate D!" Miku shouted. "The unstoppable Destiny HERO - Plasma!"
She slammed the card onto her Duel Disk, and rising from the puddle of blood was a huge vampire-like hero, with a dragon head on its right arm. It flapped its wings, causing Chris to hold up her arm to shield herself from the gust. The wind stopped, and Chris saw that the monster's attack wasn't much of an improvement, only 1900.
"Really? All that for a monster with just under 2000 attack points?" Chris said.
"This isn't an ordinary monster." Miku said. "As long as Plasma remains on the field, he negates the effects of your face up monsters."
"That doesn't help you." Chris said. "Dark Rebellion is still stronger."
"You're right." Miku said. "But this will help. I'll activate Plasma's special ability! Gravity Blood!"
Plasma spread his wings, and they created a vacuum of wind. Dark Rebellion roared in pain before shattering into particles. The particles didn't stay in the air for long, as Plasma started absorbing all of them into the dragon head.
"What the-?! What did you do?!" Chris demanded.
"Plasma's special ability lets him absorb any monster you control, and equip it to himself to gain half of its original attack." Miku said.
Chris watched in horror, as she saw Dark Rebellion's face push through the membrane of Plasma's wings, trying to escape, but failing. Plasma's attack points rose to 3150.
"And then I'll summon Drilldark again, and use his ability to summon another friend, Destiny HERO - Diamond Dude!"
The drill hero took to the field once more, as the diamond-encrusted hero was also at his side.
"Then I'll activate the spell card, United We Stand." Miku said. "By equipping this to Destiny HERO - Plasma, his attack points will be raised by 800 for every monster on my side of the field. I have three monsters, so Plasma's attack points are now-"
"5550 attack points?!" Chris shouted.
"Oh good, you can count." Miku said. "Destiny HERO - Plasma! Attack her life points directly and end this duel! Bloody Fears!"
Plasma spread his wings and fired hundreds of blood bullets at Chris.
"I activate my trap card, Phantom Knights' Fog Blade!" Chris said.
A sword made of fog slammed into Plasma, but it didn't seem to damage him. The blood bullets shot at Chris, but a fog-like shield caused the blood to pass through and hit the ground behind her.
"This card prevents your monster from attacking, and negates its ability." Chris said, as Plasma's attack points dropped to 4300 now that it no longer had Dark Rebellion's power.
"What?!"
"Too bad." Chris said with a mocking grin. "If you equipped United We Stand to either Drilldark or Diamond Dude, you would've won."
"I'm still wiping that grin off your face!" Miku shouted. "Drilldark! Diamond Dude! Attack Chris's life points directly!"
Chris raised her arms to brace herself, but still shouted in pain as Drilldark's attack slammed into her gut, while Diamond Dude's fist struck her across the face. Her life points dropped down to 500.
"I'll set one card and end my turn." Miku said.
(Play: Yuto's Passionate Soul - Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V)
"Then I'm next." Chris said, chuckling as she drew. "What was that you said about this duel being over? Cause I'm throwing them back at you! I activate Phantom Knights' Sword's effect from the graveyard! By banishing it, I can special summon one Phantom Knights card from my graveyard, as long as I banish it when it leaves the field. And I choose The Phantom Knights of Cloven Helm!"
The ghostly helmet and gauntlets appeared once more.
"And since I special summoned a Phantom Knights monster to my field, I can special summon The Phantom Knights of Stained Greaves from my hand, and increase its level by 1!"
An empty suit of knight armor, armed with two rusty cutlasses, appeared next to Cloven Helm.
"With my two level 4 monsters, I build the overlay network!" Chris shouted, as the two entered the swirling portal on the floor.
Miku was half-expecting Utopia, but knew Chris probably still had surprises.
"Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Raider's Knight!"
A black knight on a mechanical steed rode out of the portal, with 2000 attack points.
"But he won't be here for long!" Chris said. "I activate his ability! I detach Stained Greaves, and at the cost of it being destroyed by the end phase, I can special summon one monster that's either a rank higher or lower, by using this card as a material! Now, make way for the true star of the show!"
Raider's Knight descended back into the portal on the floor, as Chris drew a card from her extra deck, holding it up. Lighting cracked around her, as flames rose from behind.
"The dragon of pitch-black darkness! Rise from the flames of rebellion and bring us hope!" Chris chanted. "Rank-Up Xyz Change! Appear, Rank 5! Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"
A bolt of lighting slammed into the ground in front of Chris as she played the card. When it faded, it revealed what seemed to be an upgraded of Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon. Its body had mechanical armor, and its wings were now made of steel, billowing with blue flames from several thrusters. Its roar was far more fearsome, sounding like a bird of prey, and it had 3000 attack points.
"Is this her strongest monster…?" Miku said to herself.
"I detach Cloven Helm to activate Arc Rebellion's special ability! Arc de Rebellion!" Chris shouted.
Arc Rebellion raised its wings and roared. All of Miku's Destiny HEROs fell to a single knee.
"Explain!" Miku demanded.
"Since I activated this effect when Arc Rebellion had a DARK Xyz material, this negates all of your monster effects!" Chris said. "How does that feel?!"
"Why you…!"
"And I'm not finished!" Chris said. "When detaching an Xyz material, Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon gains attack points equal to the combined original power of every other monster on the field!"
"What?!"
Arc Rebellion's flames spewed out as it screeched, its attack points flying up to 7900, even higher than Plasma earlier.
"And to add onto that strength, I'll activate the equip spell, Axe of Despair!" Chris said. "This bumps up Arc Rebellion's attack to 8900!"
Arc Rebellion gained a red glow, as its jaw blades sharpened. Miku swallowed, but braced herself.
"I'll activate Mystical Space Typhoon to destroy Phantom Knights' Fog Blade, so I can attack your monster again!" Chris said.
The card shattered, freeing Plasma.
"You're history!" Chris shouted. "Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon! Attack Destiny HERO - Plasma! Black Onslaught!"
Arc Rebellion flew skyward, right into the path of the setting sun, disappearing from sight… before flying back at breakneck speed, slamming its jaw into Plasma, impaling the hero.
"Trap activate!" Miku said. "Nutrient Z! Whenever I'm about to take over 2000 points of damage, I can activate this to gain 4000 life points before the attack!"
Miku's life points boosted themselves to 5500 right before Arc Rebellion swung its head upwards, ripping apart Plasma. Miku shouted as she took 4600 points of damage, her life points now sitting at 900.
"Hmph, holding on, huh? I'll end my turn." Chris said. "Go on. My next turn will be the end of the duel."
Miku said nothing, as she drew from her deck. She looked at the card she had just gotten, before adding it to her hand.
"I switch Diamond Dude and Drilldark into defense mode." Miku said. "I'll then activate Monster Reincarnation, discarding Destiny HERO - Double Dude to add Decider back to my hand. I end my turn."
I didn't want to take Decider out of the graveyard, but I need my stronger Destiny HERO monsters in order to use Dreadma-
"That's all you can do?" Chris said. "Pathetic. Draw!"
She looked at the card and laughed.
"Perfect! I activate Raigeki!"
A storm of lightning tore across the field, destroying Diamond Dude and Drilldark, leaving Miku wide open with nothing on her field.
So… this is how the duel ends. Miku thought.
"The show's over!" Chris said. "Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon! Attack her directly! Black Onslaught!"
The dragon's wings spewed the blue flames as it propelled it forward. But right as its jaws were about to slam into Miku, a flaming hero covered in wires suddenly materialized and blocked the strike.
"What the-?!"
"I activate Destiny HERO - Dynatag's ability from my hand." Miku said. "He negates the battle damage I would've taken."
Arc Rebellion was pushed back, as Dynatag started to glow.
"But the cost is that we both take 1000 points of damage." Miku said, a small smile on her face.
"What?! No-!"
"I might have lost, but so will you." Miku said. "Detonate, Dynatag!"
Dynatag went up in a fiery explosion. Miku took the hit first, since she was closer. She fell to one knee, and looked through the explosion to see the flames hit Chris. Arc Rebellion disappeared once both of their life points hit zero.
Miku's eyes widened as the flames knocked Chris off her unconscious… and off the edge of the bridge.
"Chris!" Miku shouted.
Without thinking, Miku ran towards her, jumping off the bridge herself. She wrapped her arms around Chris as they plunged towards the water.
It had been an hour since Hibiki and Tsubasa left HQ to try and search for Miku and Chris. Without the tracking system online, there was no way for Sector Two to get a lock on Miku. Hibiki had tried calling Miku several times, but it always went to her voicemail. Just when they were about to give up, they found a bridge over a river. There were several cracked pieces of concrete and scorch marks littered all over the bridge, including one large one in the center. Speed Warrior let Hibiki down, as Tsubasa pulled over.
"Was this…?" Hibiki asked.
"This was the site of a duel of those chosen by the spirits." Tsubasa said, letting the visor on her helmet raise up. "They were here."
Hibiki looked at the damage around her. There was no sign of her best friend at all.
"Miku…"
A/N: So here's the conclusion of the duel between Miku and Chris. I was actually tossing the ball back and forth on who I wanted to have win, and I couldn't come to a definitive decision. And so I decided, let's make it a draw.
This was a fun one to go through, since we debuted another one of the Destiny HERO aces, as well as Arc Rebellion Xyz Dragon (one of my favorite card designs), one of Chris's strongest cards.
Next time, we'll be having a bit of a cooldown, not having a duel. But there is an important reason for that, which you will see soon enough.
Feel free to leave a review. See you all next time.