"People of New Domino City." Goodwin announced. "It's always a terrible tragedy when a gifted duelist, like Greiger, suffers a complete emotional breakdown following such an intense Duel, but rest assured... he will receive all the help he needs."
He turned to Jack and Lazar, calmly pulling a fresh glove from his pocket and putting it on over his mechanical hand. "If you were wondering about my arm, I was in an accident some time ago."
18
On the highest level of the stands, a man in a brown trench coat stood, his crimson red hair styled in strange bangs that partially covered the left side of his face. His lips curved into a smirk.
"I can't believe they're lapping up his lies." The man muttered...
18
Down on the track, several Security officers handcuffed Greiger and began to take him away.
"Yusei!" The South American called. "Take Goodwin down for me!" Yusei nodded and Greiger allowed the officers to drag him off of the track...
18
A half hour later Wenslow was back in the competitor's lounge with Yusei sitting across from him.
"Do you think you can win?" Yusei asked.
"That's the plan."
18
Meanwhile, Akiza and the man in the trench coat stood in a corridor.
"Akiza, you don't need that mask." The man said, gesturing to the white Black Rose mask in Akiza's hand.
"Sayer... I can't Duel without it now." she whispered. "I can't face that crowd..." Sayer smiled and gently touched her shoulder.
"You're not what they think you are." He said softly. "Just step out there with pride and show them your beautiful face." He softly took the mask. "Take our cause from the shadows into the light, Akiza." And with that, he walked away...
18
"Everybody listen!" The MC yelled. "The second and last semi-final match will now get underway, following that amazing Turbo Duel between Yusei and Greiger, we now have another face-off of powerful duelists to witness, right here, right now! First of all, he has the heart of a dragon, I give you...Wenslow!" He rose into view on a hydraulic platform and the crowds cheered wildly.
"And opposing him, we have a girl who's right at home with the roses, a being brimming with anger, the infamous Black Rose... Akiza Izinski!" Akiza rose opposite Wenslow to a series of angry shouts from the crowd, her eyes fixed only on her opponent, who stared back with conviction in his gaze.
"Let's get this show on the road!" The MC yelled. Both duelists activated their Duel Disks, drawing five cards after their Decks were shuffled.
"Let's Duel!"
Wenslow 4000LP/Akiza 4000LP
"You may go first."
"I place one monster face-down." Akiza said calmly, playing the card. It appeared in holographic form before her. "Now I end my turn with a face-down card." The second reversed card appeared.
Wenslow 4000LP/Akiza 4000LP
"Draw!" Wenslow called, doing so. "I activate the Spell Card Trade In. I discard Tri-Horned Dragon to draw two additional cards."
"No monsters are on my side of the field, so I summon Cyber Dragon." (ATK: 2100) "Attack that face down monster." Cyber Dragon opened his mouth and energy gathered up in it before it was fired at the monster, which rose into the form of a purple-robed witch with sallow skin, long black hair and leaves adorning her shoulders. She held a golden staff adorned with amber gems across her chest defensively (DEF: 1200).
The Violet Witch screamed as she was disintegrated by the energy blast.
"When Violet Witch is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can add any Plant-Type monster with 1500 or less defense points from my Deck to my hand." Akiza said. "And I choose Copy Plant!" The card slid from her Deck and into her hand.
"I'll summon Horus the Black Flame Dragon LV4, then set two cards and end my turn with that." (ATK: 1600)
"My turn!" Akiza said sharply, drawing her next card. "I summon Wall of Ivy in attack mode!" A mass of twisted, thorny ivy appeared before her (ATK: 300). "Now I activate the Quick-Play Spell Seed of Deception, letting me bring out a Level two or lower Plant from my hand, and I summon Copy Plant!" A gnarled, twisted mass of roots with two bitter green eyes glaring from it appeared in a flash of light (ATK: 0).
'A level 1 Tuner monster. There's no way for her to make Black Rose Dragon...Wait, it must be able to change it's level.' Wenslow thought.
"I activate the effect of my Copy Plant, letting it copy another Plant-Type monster's Level until the End Phase, and I choose my Wall of Ivy!" Akiza called. Copy Plant glowed with emerald light (Level 2). "And now I'm Tuning Copy Plant together with Wall of Ivy and Rose Fairy in order to Synchro Summon...!"
Copy Plant rose into the skies and descended as two glowing rings that encircled Rose Fairy and Wall of Ivy, reducing them to five glowing stars. The stars aligned and combined as a blast of ablaze rose petals that formed into a great vortex before Akiza, a black, barbed shadow within...
"Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!" Akiza chanted fiercely. With an almighty roar, Black Rose Dragon tore from the Synchro Summon, sending rose petals scattering across the field as its eyes of hate and rage glared daggers at Wenslow, the dragon of fire and anger screaming its tormented malice to the skies (ATK: 2400).
"That's the same dragon from the Daimon Area."
"So you remember my Black Rose Dragon from our last encounter." Akiza said fiercely.
I activate the effect of Black Rose Dragon, removing Wall of Ivy in my Graveyard from play to switch your dragon back into attack mode and put its attack points to zero! Rose Restriction!"
The image of Wall of Ivy appeared as Akiza pocketed the card, the twisted ivy mass rising upwards and being consumed by Black Rose Dragon, who launched its tails across the field, forcing Horus to stand up, the dragon howling as the thorns stuck into its flesh (ATK: 0).
"Now, Black Rose Dragon, attack Cyber Dragon with Black Rose Flare!" Akiza commanded. Black Rose Dragon howled in insane outrage, unleashing a jet of roaring flame from its maw that reduced Cyber Dragon to ashes or it would have had it not been for one of his face downs.
"I switch your dragon to face down defense position with Book of Moon."
"I end my turn with one face-down card!" Akiza finished, placing the card face-down. It appeared behind Black Rose Dragon.
Wenslow 4000LP/Akiza 4000LP
"I draw!" Wenslow called. "And I summon Spear Dragon in attack mode." (ATK: 1900)
"Cyber Dragon, attack Black Rose Dragon with Strident Blaze!" The beam of energy was shot towards Black Rose Dragon, but Akiza's face-down lifted up.
"I activate my Trap Card!" She shouted. "Rose Blizzard negates the attack and switches your monster into defense mode!" A tornado of rose petals shot from the card, shattering Cyber Dragon's attack before forcing him to kneel (DEF: 1600).
"I draw!" Akiza called, doing so. "I equip Black Rose Dragon with Thorn of Malice!" The thorns erupted from Black Rose Dragon's flesh, making the beast howl and rage in insane fury (ATK: 3000). "Black Rose Dragon, attack Cyber Dragon! Hate Rose Whip!" The mighty dragon lashed and smashed the monster with its tails, the thorns slashing across Wenslow too as Thorn of Malice's Piercing effect triggered.
(Wenslow: 2400 LP)
"That was a good strategy. But I don't plan on losing this duel!"
"You're wrong about that." She retorted.
Wenslow 2400LP/Akiza 4000LP
"I draw!" Wenslow shouted. "Time for a clash of dragons! I activate Ancient Rules to special summon...the legendary Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" (ATK: 3000)
"So now it's your Black Rose Dragon against my Blue-Eyes White Dragon. Which one will come out on top?"
"If you think you can win this, then you've got a lot to learn!" Akiza replied sharply.
"So do you!" Wenslow shot back. "I'm going to elevate this duel to greater heights by activating Polymerization."
The two Blue-Eyes in his hand fused with the one on the field.
"Appear, Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon!" (ATK: 4500)
Akiza had a emotionless expression on her face.
"Destroy Black Rose Dragon with Ultimate Burst!" He ordered as energy gathered in all of three of Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon's mouths.
Akiza cried out in pain as she watched the being of her heart break into ashes.
(Akiza: 2500 LP)
"This mark has brought me nothing but pain!" As she shouted, the claw Mark of the Dragon blazed into being on her arm, responding to her emotions of anger and hate. "My whole life, this mark has cursed me with sadness and pain! How could a mark that brings such darkness into my life ever mean anything of good?!"
"That is not a curse! You aren't the only one who has that."
18
"I draw!" Akiza snarled, doing so. "I activate Card of Demise, drawing five new cards!" She drew five times. "I summon Lonefire Blossom!" In a flash of petals, a small twisted plant with orange flesh and a bulb like a stereotypical bomb appeared (ATK: 500). "Now I activate the effect of Lonefire Blossom, Releasing it to Special Summon any Plant-Type monster from my Deck!" Lonefire Blossom combusted and a whirlwind of petals formed before Akiza.
"I summon... Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!" Akiza shouted. The petals exploded out in a great blast of power, revealing the form of an incredibly beautiful woman wearing a regal dress made from pink rose petals, the sleeves woven of dark green ivy, the shoulders formed from crimson roses, and wearing a crown of rose petals and leaves. Despite her beauty, her face bore a stern expression of anger towards Wenslow (ATK: 2800).
18
"I activate Monster Reborn and bring back Lonefire Blossom!" Akiza called. The fiery plant appeared once again (ATK: 500). "Now I activate my Blossom's effect, releasing it to summon Gigaplant from my Deck!" Lonefire Blossom exploded into petals again, the petals forming into a twenty-foot tall monstrosity this time...
Gigaplant looked like an immense tree, but with a hideous red Venus-flytrap style head sporting six hungry blue eyes. Numerous limbs extending from its massive trunk bore scythed blades and its shoulders were covered in thick moss (ATK: 2400).
"I equip Gigaplant with Supervise, activating its Gemini Effect!" Akiza shouted. Gigaplant glowed with fiery energy as the Equip Spell came into play. "And I use that effect to Special Summon Botanical Lion from my hand!" With a ferocious roar, a lion made of bark leapt from Gigaplant's maw, its mane made from rose petals (ATK: 1600). "My Botanical Lion gains 300 points for each Plant-Type monster on my field!" Botanical Lion roared and glowed with emerald aura (ATK: 2500).
"How do you intend to get past my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon."
"With this. The Shining Rebirth trap card allowing me to Synchro Summon from my Graveyard, so I Tune together Copy Plant and Gigaplant to Synchro Summon...!"
Copy Plant rose into the air and became a single glowing ring that descended and encircled Gigaplant, reducing it to six glowing stars. The stars collided and exploded into a familiar pillar of purple fire...
"Chilling flames engulf the entire world. Pitch-dark flower, set into bloom! Synchro Summon! Appear now, Black Rose Dragon!"
The purple fire ripped apart to reveal the enraged form of Black Rose Dragon (ATK: 2400). "Now I activate the effect of Black Rose Dragon!" Akiza shouted. "When it's Synchro Summoned, I can destroy all cards on the field! Black Rose Gale!" The destructive storm of rose petals exploded from Black Rose Dragon, but Wenslow's face down lifted up.
"I activate Threatening Roar. This prevents you from attacking this turn."
"Now I activate the effect of Plant Food Chain! Because it was destroyed while face-up, I can Special Summon any Plant-Type monster from my Graveyard, and I choose Tytannial, Princess of Camellias!" Tytannial reappeared in a flurry of petals (ATK: 2800). "And I end my turn there!"
Wenslow 2400LP/Akiza: 2500LP
"I draw!" Wenslow shouted. "And I use my own Monster Reborn to bring Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon back!"
"Destroy Black Rose Dragon with Ultimate Burst." Black Rose Dragon was destroyed once again.
(Akiza: 400LP)
"I'll end my turn with a face down."
Wenslow 2400LP/Akiza: 400LP
"I draw!" Akiza called. "And I switch Tytannial to defense mode."
Wenslow 2400LP/Akiza: 400LP
"I draw!" Wenslow shouted. "And this duel is over. Go Birthright! I resurrect Blue-Eyes White Dragon!" (ATK: 3000)
"Attack Tytannial with Destruction Burst Stream!" Tytannial screamed as she was blown apart.
"End this duel with Ultimate Burst!" All of Akiza's life points were wiped out by the next attack.