"Gashadodokuro, Bakurohoshi, Valchuris, todomeda!" Akamaru's shouts filled the entire oni village, and in a matter of moments his mighty creatures knocked out three oni, his opponents crashing into a party table, a treasure chest and a wine barrel. With a confident smirk, he turned to his remaining opponent, a drunken green oni who was not fully focused on what was going on. "Now it's just you and me. I hope you do know that leaving me without shields has also triggered Oniend as well, not just Onitime."
"Remind me, what was Oniend again?" the confused drunkard asked, hiccuping immediately after.
"Onitime is activated when in total there are 6 shields or less. Oniend activates when a player has no shields. Now... I summon Dorgan Churis." A blue rat wearing a dragon's skull and claws appeared by the Akamaru's side. "I attack with Dorgan Churis and... Oniend! I cast two Hyakki no Tenjakaku and three Hyakki no Jaoumon for free! Hyakki no Tenjakaku gives -2000 to each of your creatures, so all your weenies now get -4000 and are destroyed!" A small mountainous castle shaped after the sharp head of an oni appeared, a floating magical circle above its roof which fired beams upon the opposing creatures, obliterating them all. "Then Hyakki no Jaoumon's effect, I self mill four cards and out of them revive a non-evolution Darkness or Fire creature which costs 6 mana or less. I'll do this three times and revive... Gedogongen, Oni of "Korekara", Dokuganryu, Oni of "Kagekiri" and Bakurohoshi, Oni of "Musabori"!" Three red gates with pairs of horns made of lava above each, six glowing purple kanji floating in front of each and Jaouga's sharp head painted in the middle of each arose and immediately opened, a samurai oni, a dragon oni and a winged oni each emerging as the rat broke one shield. "Bakurohoshi, break his final shields!" The black-winged oni flew ahead through the three remaining opposing shields. "That was my second attack, so I summon Valchuris, Dragon Armored for free!" A trio of rats wearing dragon skulls and wielding fixing tools appeared as well. "Gedogongen, todomeda!" The oni samurai took out both katanas from their sheaths and used them to slash the drunken opponent, throwing him into a brick wall and sealing his owner's victory.
Cheers and clapping from all bystanders immediately followed, Akamaru smugly standing among his fellow villagers, eager to be in the center of attention. As he packed up his cards, the Oni King emerged from the crowd and walked up to him.
"My son, your display of power today has been unrivaled. I can honestly and wholeheartedly claim to anyone that you are now my equal!"
"I just did it to prove that I am your only true worthy heir. Nobody else now has greater mastery over the Onifuda Kingdom than us!" Akamaru stated with a smile of genuine happiness on his face, one his father had not seen in centuries.
"Please come with me, we must discuss in private." The Oni King pulled his son out of the crowd and both walked into the village entrance tunnel as day's light was coming to an end. "I have just received word from Fukurokuju that Prince Shishima has been rescued from his mother's clutches."
"Why should we care? That fool has failed his mission and lost us a good number of men with his coup attempt. He could've rotted in the queen's prison for an eternity and it would've still not meant a thing to me!"
"Son, why do you hate him so much? Is it because I have given him a part of the cards you believed were always meant to be yours?"
"That's not the only reason, dad! I didn't take a liking to him from the very first moment he set foot here. He's an entitled prick who makes demands and expects everyone around to bow down and do everything he says. Whoever dares stand in his way is immediately stared down and humiliated. He has this way of peering into your mind and openly exploiting any sort of weakness you have inside, and he does it while standing silent and giving you that fucking arrogant smile which makes me want to punch his face into oblivion." Akamaru looked his father in the eye. "Can you honestly tell me he's King Akushishi's son? Last I recall, the former king was a true male, he had a sense of honor and never backed down from a challenge or used underhanded tactics when handling someone. His physical strength and leadership were enough to make the oni respect him, unlike Shishima!"
"I have fought side by side with both Shishima and his father. I noticed while in battle that the two of them had very distinct ways of fighting: where the king swiftly disposed of his enemies, the prince tended to make their demise as painful as possible. Yes, Akushishi was the more honorable of the two, but that is because he was an accomplished king who wielded the power of all Ten Kingdoms. Shishima, on the other hand, had nothing of the sort except his wits, cunning and brute force. This is why I decided to lend him the aid of at least the Onifuda Kingdom." The Oni King placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "I've watched all your duels since you've set on this new path of mastering Oniend. Now that you have achieved this goal, Akamaru... you must find Shishima and give him your copies of Balad Vi Na Shura and End Jaouga, Oniga Emperor Devil."
The shocked prince stared at him for a few moments and immediately shook his head."What?! Dad, no, I've finally gotten something that is mine... I can't!"
"I have analyzed your deck's strategy while using Oniend and I realized you best utilize Oniend cards that trigger while any creature attacks, such as Hyakki no Tenjakaku, Anyaku Yasha and Hyakki no Jaoumon. The other two cards rely only on the opponent attacking or simply do not have synergy with your new main card, which is Hyakki no Jaoumon. Shishima's deck, on the other hand, may put those two to better use." The Oni King gently gripped his son's shoulder. "Please, he also needs to learn the power of Oniend. It's the only way he can overthrow his treacherous mother!"
"Frankly, dad..." Akamaru bitterly spoke, smacking his father's hand away, "...I just don't know what you see in him." He then stomped out of the tunnel and village, storming his way into the mountains, where he could recollect his thoughts and make a decision.
"Akamaru, if you wish to surpass me, you need to overcome the grudge you feel towards Shishima!" the Oni King shouted, but his son did not respond as he walked away.
Night had already settled by the time Shishima finally awoke inside the dimness of Fukurokuju's guest bedroom. His torso had been sown shut again, his skin had grown back and its scars were already in the process of healing as purple fur was growing once again on his body. He had been tucked in to a bed, two heavy pelts keeping him warm and his head resting on three large pillows. Nekohana sat on a chair by the bedside, playing a soft lullaby on her flute. The sight of her was enough to soften his facial expression. Upon noticing Shishima open his eyes, the small Borof quickly flew off her shoulder and hugged his master's nose, crying out:
"Milord, you're finally awake! Nekohana and I were afraid you were knocked into a permanent coma!"
"Nekohana..." Shishima finally had the power to properly speak and upon hearing her name called, the lioness ceased her playing and set the flute aside. "You really came for me, despite the obstacles..."
"Yes, I would do anything for my beloved's sake," she confessed, holding her tears back. He had been saved, they were finally together again. Nothing else mattered in those moments.
"We were worried sick, sire! We actually thought we would lose you again!" Borof loudly sobbed.
"Keh, those torture sessions were nothing compared to this Shishima's might!" the wounded one scoffed, acting as if his current predicament was but a mere inconvenience. Both companions smiled inwardly, the Shishima they knew was back.
"Those wounds are unlike anything I've ever treated before. The healing process will take more than a day, perhaps you will require a week of rest," Nekohana instructed. "My music's magic has been passively healing your outer and inner wounds as well. Please tell me if you require anything to eat or drink."
"I require you to relax for a few moments, that's an order," Shishima replied. Nekohana nodded and eased her stance in the chair. "I also need to know what happened while I had been locked away."
"Shishima, I don't think it's the right time to-"
"Now!" He interrupted her, his cold piercing glare returned, stirring fear in the both of them.
Borof flew off his master's nose and looked at Nekohana, who sighed in defeat. Having no other choice, the two started narrating the happenings of the past few months.
In the meantime, Fukurokuju pushed open two large doors with his wings and turned to his guest.
"And here you can find the library. It contains a vast collection of arcane knowledge and forbidden secrets that I sought to keep away from Koushishi and her ilk."
"Your mansion is indeed very fascinating. I have no trouble identifying you as the queen's former advisor and tactician," Hyouma complimented as she stepped in and looked in awe at the seemingly endless bookshelves, the entire room being lit by torches which were hung from the walls. "The amount of knowledge you have stored here is unbelievable..." she mostly muttered to herself.
"I am known as the daiyoukai of knowledge and wisdom for a good reason, child!" Fukurokuju proudly stated and turned to face her. "Hyouma, I am well aware that under Koushishi's protection you have been taught to mask your true intentions and act as neutral as possible. I also know of your ability to shut down your emotions, but know that such tricks are for naught against my omniscience. I demand that you act like your true self for once."
"You're stating this as if it's easy to show any kind of weakness in our society. I've only gotten this far and joined those at the top by constantly playing along with those around."
"And yet I can still easily read your desire for becoming queen by simply looking into your future."
"My future, you say?"
"Yes. The future is not always set in stone and there are multiple timelines that can result from a single action." Fukurokuju started wandering around the library, Hyouma following him. "I've seen a few futures wherein you are successful in your goal and proudly reign on the throne as the brand new queen of the Twilight Kingdom. But in others I have foreseen failure, sometimes with grave consequences as a result."
"Failure, you say?" Hyouma clenched her clawed fist, doubt beginning to surface in her mind. "Perhaps I shouldn't have been so hasty in betraying Koushishi. Maybe if I somehow managed to convince her with my words to allow me to succeed her already. Just who am I duping here? Verbal persuasion is her main domain of magic, it never would've worked."
"Rest assured, child. I have seen all the timelines in which you chose to remain fully loyal to her and not lend your aid to Nekohana. Do you know what they all have in common?" Fukurokuju paused in the middle of his library, Hyouma immediately doing the same, after which he turned to face her again, a serious look on his avian face. "You never get to ascend on the Twilight Kingdom's throne in any of them. Now you have a chance to change your future, but you will have to work hard for this goal."
"If siding with Shishima is the key to achieving my goals, then you can all consider me your closest ally!" she decidedly declared, earning a satisfied smile from her host's beak.
"I think it would be best for you to discuss this with your cousin once he awakens. Until then, feel free to read anything you wish from my library. It should help you pass the time easier." With those parting words said, Fukurokuju spread his wings and took off, leaving Hyouma all alone with what seemed to be an endless reading material.
Akamaru sat all alone by the edge of a mountain river, the moon's red light shining upon him. Sulking with his arms crossed, he reflected upon the conversation he had previously shared with his father and it only served to make his blood boil even more.
"Poor Akamaru, the Oni King must have put you in quite the difficult position," a familiar voice spoke and the young oni immediately got in a defensive stance. General Rufu emerged from the shadows, a deck of cards in his gloved hand. "If you also renounce part of your Oniend cards, just what kind of power will your deck still have left?"
"That's none of your concern, you geezer!" the angered Akamaru shouted. "Tell me, how do you even know of all this? Speak now or I'll crush your old crummy dog bones in an instant!"
"Calm down now, I haven't come here to fight. Keep in mind, I directly work for the queen herself. There is not one spot in the entire Twilight Kingdom that she isn't aware of. She has eyes and ears everywhere, you see. Which is why she has ordered me to bring you this present."
Akamaru took the cards offered by the wolf daiyoukai and looked through them. He immediately recognized Oniyose's Jutsu, Drag Henge, Tsuruhashi Doji, Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage", Assault, Onifuda Kingdom, Sakonmaru, Oni of "Tsujigiri" and Jaouga, Oniga Oni.
"Impossible, these are..."
"Magical copies of the real Darkness Onifuda Kingdom cards which your father erroneously gave to Shishima. Upon seeing the great injustice which you have suffered, Her Majesty went to great lengths in order to copy these cards. It is her wish that you use the full power of the Onifuda Kingdom to bring an end to Shishima. Then you can recover the cards he was gifted and you will not have to renounce any Oniend cards either. Be advised that these copies will turn into dust by dawn, so I would hurry if I were you," Rufu instructed, making no effort to conceal his grin of excitement.
Akamaru regarded the general with nothing but disgust. Everything was obviously a trap sprung by Koushishi in the hopes that the two princes would annihilate each other in a duel. With his rival still recovering, a powerful direct attack could prove fatal. And there was no guarantee that he would be spared if Shishima somehow defeated him again, so either way, Koushishi would gain something out of their conflict. Still, with the full power of the Onifuda Kingdom by his side, Akamaru could prove once and for all that he was the superior duelist and then his father would see that Shishima had never been worthy of wielding those cards.
"We have a deal." Akamaru nodded and slid the magical copies inside his kimono.
"I knew you couldn't refuse. Shishima is hiding inside Fukurokuju's cave, which in and of itself is also hidden within the Southeastern woods. Thankfully, after centuries of searches, our spies have uncovered its location. Take this with you as well." General Rufu offered Akamaru a map which he immediately took, after which he took off, ignoring the wolf's malicious giggles.
After an hour of intensive care, Nekohana got back on her feet once she finished treating all of Shishima's wounds. His fur and claws had fully grown back, but the scars beneath, his broken bones and internal organs still needed time to properly heal. Fortunately he had fallen asleep, so the recovery process would hasten. Instinctively, she reached her hand and touched his black mane, caressing it lovingly. Deep inside she desired to heal her beloved's inner wounds as well, for the high count of his evil deeds did not matter to her, as she was well aware that deep inside he was suffering alongside his victims. One thing was certain - the fact that Koushishi's torture did not revert him into the blood-hungry monster he used to be was enough proof that he had changed and with time he could grow into a better person.
"I hope your dreams are peaceful at last," she gently whispered and leaned in, kissing his forehead.
"We have company of the unwelcome kind!" Fukurokuju's voice echoed in her head and then she mentally saw an image of Akamaru storming out of the forest and into the cave's depths.
When she snapped out of the vision, Nekohana had the surprise of seeing Shishima rise from his bed and tear off the bandages around his chest, arms and wings.
"Shishima, what are you doing?!"
"Going to deal with that idiot before he becomes a headache for us all," he nonchalantly explained while walking towards the door.
"But your wounds haven't fully healed yet!" Her protests fell on deaf ears as Shishima left the bedroom. "No, please get back in bed!" Nekohana raised her voice as she followed suit down the long hallway decorated with ancient paintings and statues.
"You and Hyouma stand no chance against that hotheaded oni. And besides, I don't want either of you fighting my battles." Shishima stopped in front of the mansion's main entrance and stared outside the opened doors expectantly. "The two of you have already done more than enough for me. But this one is personal, so I order you to stand back and watch!" Upon seeing his rival appear by the lakeside, he walked out to greet him.
"I wouldn't worry so much if I were you," Fukurokuju's voice startled Nekohana, who turned to see him and Hyouma sitting by a window, watching the confrontation that was happening outside. "Even with his heavy wounds, I am certain that Shishima can handle him."
Akamaru stopped beneath the hole in the cave's ceiling, bathing in the red moonlight. Shishima stood in front of him a few feet away, shrouded in the darkness which made his glowing red pupils stand out. Both regarded one another with contempt and remained silent for what seemed like an eternity.
"My father, the great Oni King, intends to have me pass down a part of my Oniend cards to you."
"Oniend, you say? Keh, if that's your daddy's will, I have nothing against it."
"I'm not going to put up with your fucking arrogance tonight!" Akamaru snapped. "I didn't go through all the great effort of mastering the Oniend effect just to easily share its secrets with you of all people!" He immediately took out his deck. "I challenge you. Show me, here and now, that you're worthy of learning the Onifuda Kingdom's true power!"
"And what will you do if I win?" Shishima asked as he took out his own deck, two dueling tables rising between them from the ground.
"Those Oniend cards will be yours, as much as it pains me to say it."
While setting up their cards, Akamaru recalled the conversation he had with General Rufu upon receiving the queen's 'gift'. It was obvious that they had both walked right into her trap, but at that point he no longer cared. He was not dueling Shishima to appease anyone, all he wanted was for his rival to prove himself as a capable Onifuda Kingdom duelist. That would have been enough to bury their grudge behind them. Five glowing blue rectangles materialized above them both, thus marking the beginning of their match.
"I cast Oniyose's Jutsu. With its effect I return a shield to my hand without shield trigger and the next Darkness or Fire creature I summon costs 4 mana less. I summon Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage" with 1 mana!" An oni donning a red and blue samurai armor appeared by Akamaru's side, a skull necklace around his neck and dragon skulls attached to his arms.
"Impossible, those are Shishima's Onifuda Kingdom cards!" Nekohana exclaimed. "How did he get his hands on those copies?"
"He is playing right into Koushishi's hands, I'm afraid," Fukurokuju wisely observed. "For now I suggest we remain silent and witness how this duel unfolds."
"That's right, Shishima. My deck's no longer castrated, I'm wielding the full power of the Onifuda Kingdom against you! Can you stand up to its might?"
"Hell will freeze over when I will cower against the likes of you," Shishima coldly replied and began his turn. "I summon Rousseau Montes, discard Hellborof, Supreme Dragon Edge and discard a card at random from your hand as well." A purple Mafi Gang with four arms, wearing a red mask and holding a golden scale appeared by the lion's side, causing his opponent to discard Gedogongen, Oni of "Korekara".
"Then I hope you're ready for this - Bad Action Dynamite 2, I summon Dorgan Churis and attack with him to Revolution Change into Dogiragon Nova, Blue Guardian Deity!" A small blue rodent wearing the fossilized remains of a dragon appeared and rushed ahead, then jumped in the air and hi-fived a dragon wearing a mechanical red and golden armor with a flowing blonde mane, a sword in his mouth. "Final Revolution, I'll reveal the top four cards of my deck and put any number of multicolored creatures which cost 6 or less into the battle zone!" Akamaru flashed his top four cards - Gashadodokuro, Oni of "Tamagari", Tsuruhashi Doji, Assault, Onifuda Kingdom and Dokuganryu, Oni of "Kagekiri". "I put Dokuganryu in the battle zone and the other three go to the bottom of my deck. Now, Dogiragon Nova, triple break his shields!" The dragon flew ahead and swung the sword with his mouth, slashing away three shields. "You have two shields, I have four, Onitime has activated!"
"Indeed it has, and I must thank you for it!" Shishima grinned as he revealed one of the cards he received from his shields. "Shield trigger, I cast Assault, Onifuda Kingdom! With its effect, I destroy Dokuganryu and revive Hellborof, Supreme Dragon Edge!" A winged and horned wolf plushie wielding a scythe appeared in the battle zone and caused its owner's top two cards to fall in his graveyard, those being Tsuruhashi Doji and Ninjariban, Dragon Edge.
"Since Onitime has activated, Gokensai makes all your creatures enter the battle zone tapped!" Akamaru quickly reminded him.
"Doesn't matter, as Hellborof still brings out Welcome Hell, Supreme Devil King Palace which revives Ninjariban, Dragon Edge, who brings out Whitey, Dragon Soul Church, which in turn freezes Gokensai."
"Very well, then I end my turn and Dogiragon Nova untaps. You're in quite the disadvantage right now. Are you sure you can handle the heat?"
"I cast Bone Dance Charger." Shishima ignored his opponent's taunts and put the top two cards of his deck into his graveyard, those being Borof, Final Dragon Edge and Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage". "I attack with Hellborof and Welcome Hell revives my own Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage"!" The winged wolf plushie dashed forward and hacked two shields with its scythe as another oni wearing a red and blue samurai armor arose, this time by Shishima's side. "Now your creatures also enter the battle zone tapped."
"Shield trigger, I summon Tsuruhashi Doji." A small blue oni wielding a pickaxe appeared by Akamaru's side, sending Dorgan Churis, Hyakki no Jaoumon and Bolshack Dogiragon to the graveyard from the top of his deck, the latter being recovered.
"I attack with Ninjariban and Welcome Hell also revives a Tsuruhashi Doji." The blue ninja plushie rushed ahead as another small blue oni with a pickaxe appeared by its owner's side, milling Hellborof, Supreme Dragon Edge, Rousseau Montes / Monte Scale Sign and Hayabusamaru, Lightfang Ninja, the latter of which was recovered.
"Dogiragon Nova, block Ninjariban!" The dragon wearing a mechanical armor jumped in front of the ninja plushie and hacked it into pieces with the sword in its mouth.
"I end my turn and destroy Rousseau Montes, Tsuruhashi, Hellborof and Gokensai. I discard Magnum, Shortshot to keep Gokensai in the battle zone. Dragsolution - Welcome Hell flips into Deathgoros, Supreme Devil Corrupt King!" The winged palace fired a beam upon Shishima's creatures and eradicated them all except for the samurai oni, then it cracked open and out of it emerged a winged and horned serpentine Demon Command Dragon wielding a scythe in his hands. "Deathgoros destroys your Dogiragon Nova and Tsuruhashi!" The creature gave an ominous growl and tossed the scythe upon the armored dragon and small oni, hacking them both to pieces.
"You see, this is exactly my problem with you, Shishima! You treat a duel just like you treat your opponents in battle - as a means to display your superiority and to stroke your own damned ego! The Onifuda Kingdom reflects the values of us oni as ruthless and passionate demons. You've always shown me just how ruthless you're willing to be, but never showed one bit of passion for dueling. And for this, I'm going to show you how ruthless I can also be - Onitime, I summon Jaouga, Oniga Overlord with 5 mana instead of 10. With his effect, all other creatures get destroyed!" A tall dark red oni with a single horn coming out of his head, skull shoulder pads, a chest armor made of ribs, a battle axe attached to his left foot and a kanabo attached to his right foot appeared and unleashed a wave of darkness upon the battle zone. "I discard Gashadodokuro, Oni of "Tamagari" to save my Gokensai."
"Dragon Evade - Deathgoros flips back to Welcome Hell. I discard Oniyose's Jutsu to also save my Gokensai. Keh, that's what you call ruthless? All I see is you bluffing, Akamaru! Let me show you the extent to which I'm willing to go in a duel - I cast Inferno Sign and revive Hellborof, Supreme Dragon Edge once again!" The winged and horned plushie reappeared, this time sending Bone Dance Charger and Jaouga, Oniga Oni to its owner's graveyard. "I equip Hellborof with Go To Hell, Annihilator Blade and revive Ninjariban, Dragon Edge whom I equip with Migawari, Nightmare Swastika. Now, my Gokensai, suicide with his Gokensai!" The two oni samurai jumped on each other and brawled on the ground. "I discard Tsuruhashi Doji to save my Gokensai."
"I discard my last card, Bolshack Dogiragon, to save mine."
One of the oni samurai pushed the other off and both got back on their feet, each by their owner's side.
"Dragsolution! I flip Go To Hell into Deathshiraz, Devil Corrupt King and destroy four of my creatures - Hellborof, Gokensai, Ninjariban and Deathshiraz himself. I discard my last card, Hayabusamaru, to save Gokensai. Ninjariban stays and Migawari 3D dragsolutions into Utsusemihenge, Blame Demon Dragon! Now, my Deathshiraz also destroys your Gokensai!"
Akamaru watched the destruction of creatures with a pleasure he did not want to admit. "To think that you'd sacrifice that much of your field just to ensure your creatures no longer enter the battle zone tapped. You're either persistent or insane, and I don't know which is worse."
"You wanted me to bring out everything I've got and prove myself to you. Don't tell me you're now intimidated by this Shishima's skills."
"Not at all, as a matter of fact, I'm not holding back either - Onitime, I summon Gedogongen, Oni of "Korekara" with 2 mana. Jaouga, destroy his Gokensai!" A samurai red oni wielding two katanas each in his four arms appeared by Akamaru's side as the dark red oni rushed and crushed the armored one with his kanabo foot.
Silence fell between them as Shishima drew his next card, his opponent anxiously waiting for the next move. A sudden grin which revealed the lion's mouth filled with sharp fangs appeared, followed by maniacal laughter.
"Kehehehe, you're mine! I cast Oniyose's Jutsu and return a shield to my hand. Then I summon Borof, Final Dragon Edge with 3 mana." At his master's call, the wolf plushie jumped off his shoulder and entered the battle zone, growing in size. "With Borof's effect, I self mill Jaouga, Oniga Overlord and recover Hayabusamaru, Lightfang Ninja. Then I equip Borof with Gaiheart, Galaxy Greatsword which grants him speed attacker!"
"An excellent choice, milord!" Borof agreed and stretched his hand in which a blue sword with the images of galaxies painted on its blade appeared.
"I attack with Borof and Welcome Hell revives Tsuruhashi Doji." The little blue oni with a pickaxe reappeared, milling Rousseau Montes / Monte Scale Sign, Bone Dance Charger and Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage". "I'll recover Jaouga, Oniga Overlord. Now, Borof, break his shield!" The plushie hacked a shield away with his sword.
"Shield trigger, I cast Assault, Onifuda Kingdom!" Akamaru intervened. "I destroy your Ninjariban and revive a Tsuruhashi Doji as well. I'll self mill Valchuris, Dragon Armored, Dorgan Churis and Basara, then I'll recover the last one."
"Utsusemihenge, break his final shield!" Shishima ordered and the black plush ninja dragon flew ahead and slashed the remaining opposing shield with his katanas. "That was my second attack, so I dragsolution Gaiheart into Gaiginga, Passionate Star Dragon!" Borof tossed the sword in the air and out of it emerged a white and blue dragon with a flaming red mane who wielded the blade in his left hand. "When Gaiginga is dragsolutioned, I destroy one of your creatures with power 7000 or less, so say goodbye to your Tsuruhashi. And, if you choose Gaiginga, I get an extra turn!"
It was in that moment that Akamaru saw it - the same passionate fire was also in Shishima's eyes. Dueling was not just a tool to overcome others for him, he also found joy in it, even if it was at the expense at the opponents he sought to overwhelm. From that point on, the victor did not matter anymore, for the oni prince had made his decision then and there.
"Gaiginga, todomeda!" Shishima ordered.
"I destroy Gedogongen and prevent you from winning the game!" Akamaru announced and the samurai red oni jumped in the path of the dragon and imploded in its face, pushing it back.
"Keh, I end my turn here."
"Good, at the end of your turn, since you revived something for free, Invasion Zero - I summon Basara, who destroys your strongest creatures and burns one of your shields for each destroyed creature! Since I don't choose Gaiginga, you don't get your extra turn and you also lose your last shield!" Shishima's grin turned into a frown as he saw his final shield had been a shield trigger which he could not use - Tsuruhashi Doji. "And now that it's my turn again, I attack with Basara and since I have no shields... Oniend, I cast Hyakki no Jaoumon for free! I self mill four cards and from among them I revive a Darkness or Fire creature that costs 6 or less which I can also force battle against one of your creatures." The top four cards of Akamaru's deck went into his graveyard, those being Gashadodokuro, Oni of "Tamagari", Gokensai, Oni of "Outrage", Dogiragon Buster, Blue Leader and Zanji Henge. "I'll revive Zanji Henge and give -4000 to Tsuruhashi Doji, destroying him. Then Zanji Henge force battles your Borof and destroys him as well!" A red gate with a pair of horns made of lava above, six glowing purple kanji floating in front of its doors and Jaouga's sharp head painted in the middle arose and out of it emerged a dark red four-legged furry beast with horns which jumped at the small blue oni and wolf plushie, the former getting devoured and the latter getting knocked out of the battle zone by its horns.
"Ninja Strike 4, Hayabusamaru blocks Basara!"
"Jaouga, todomeda!"
Shishima received a kick from the tall dark red oni's kanabo foot and was thrown a few feet back, crashing near the mansion. Nekohana rushed out to her beloved's side and bore her fangs out, growling at Akamaru as he approached them, "If you're even thinking about further harming my prince..."
"Calm down, I'm only doing what my dad told me," he casually replied and tossed five cards on Shishima's chest - four Balad Vi Na Shura and one End Jaouga, Oniga Emperor Devil. "Take these, you've earned them. I think that after tonight we've finally settled our grudge. Don't you agree?"
"As long as you don't find another excuse to relight it," Shishima replied with his usual snark.
"Still, that doesn't mean our rivalry as duelists ends here! For now our score is a tie as 2-2. Next time I'll be the tie-breaker!"
Shishima simply smirked and nodded in agreement. "I guess our sparring can always be useful training in the end."
"Akamaru!" Hyouma raised her voice as she ran to the oni's side. "I sure hope your father didn't forget about my deal with his former senator."
"Oh, Hyouma... long time no see..." Akamaru awkwardly saluted her and started slowly backing away. "No, of course he didn't forget. I assure you, we oni will fully grant you the support you need very soon, provided you agree to do the same."
"I'm standing here by Shishima's side. What do you think I'm doing right now if not supporting your cause as well?"
"I know, I know, and that's great! I'll inform dad of this once I get home and-"
"I want a guarantee, even if we fail our mission, that I will at least become the new Oni Queen."
"W-what?!" Akamaru's mouth fell upon hearing her proposal. "That would imply me marrying you..."
"If that's how it's supposed to be." Hyouma crossed her arms and regarded the nervous prince.
"Look, we'll back you up no matter what. But I'll have to discuss with dad the whole marriage angle. It's not like I'm ready to even propose to someone, let alone you."
"Oh, is that so?" Hyouma coldly glared at him and bore out her metal claws.
For the first time in his life, Akamaru squealed in fear and ran off, Shishima and Nekohana looking confused at the scene. Hyouma turned to them with a giggle and said:
"That's how you deal with the likes of him."
Relieved that the confrontation of the two princes had ended, Nekohana helped Shishima pack up his cards and aided him with walking back inside so that he could resume his rest and properly heal.