It had been a day since Yuzu's defeat at the hands of Asuka. Since then, she has spent most of her day understanding Ritual Monsters and how to deal with them under the tutelage of former Academia student Tenjoin Asuka. Since learning under her, Yuzu herself learned that like many others in Academia, Asuka was once a Fusion user.
However, once she defected and had a friend Carded in front of her, she denounced the Summoning Method. It was clear that she was not comfortable using Fusion, something that Yuzu had expressed disapproval at. She had made it clear to Asuka that it wasn't the Summoning Method that was bad, it was the people who misused it.
Her senpai seemed to already know that, but she was still very uncomfortable nonetheless.
Soon, while exchanging stories with Asuka about her travels throughout the dimensions, the door to their private room was thrown wide open.
"Asuka-san, bad news!" A male student cried out as he and another girl ran into the room supporting a second girl, who was heavily fatigued as she fell to the ground, seemingly from a large amount of running.
"What happened?" Asuka asked with concern, fearing for the worst.
"While we were trying to protect this kid, we were discovered by Academia!" The boy exclaimed, sweat rolling down his face as he was still seemingly frozen with shock in the eyes.
"Our friends stayed behind to deal with him!" The girl reported as she frowned and looked away. "But the feeling I got from that Duelist…"
"What? What feeling?" Asuka pressed on. The girl sniffled as she looked at Yuzu and Asuka with watery eyes.
"I don't think they stand a chance at all!"
Later - On the Docks
"Odd-Eyes Dragon, attack him directly!"
Odd-Eyes...Dragon?
"Starve Venom Fusion Dragon will now attack you directly!" The disoriented Yuri declared with a sadistic grin as his Monster threw its tail at the side of one of his five opponents. The impact created a gash in his clothing as he screamed out in pain, coughing out blood as he was thrown to the ground.
Odd-Eyes...That was that Yuya guy's Monster. Why was he seeing it now?
In a haze, he placed Predator Plants Squid Drosea, a Card he almost didn't recognize due to whatever was happening to him, in the Graveyard. Now, Starve Venom had to attack all Monsters on the Field with a Predator Counter at least once.
"Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon, attack!"
"Kgh! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon will now attack your Super Vehicroid Jumbo Drill…" Yuri commanded through grit teeth, flinching at the sudden voice in his head.
My Xyz Counterpart's dragon...
Starve Venom's tail lashed itself out at the machine. The Monster exploded upon impact as its owner cried out in pain, his Life hitting 0 like his teammate before him.
"It's not done just yet!" Yuri narrowed his eyes, finding that his words were being repeated in his head by another voice.
"Clear Wing Synchro Dragon, attack Master of Oz!"
"Attack Master of Oz, Starve Venom!" Yuri shouted, sweat rolling down his face profusely as he attempted to hide his lack of composure.
Starve Venom's tail rose into the air. The flytrap-like mouth at the end opened up. The tail thrusted itself down, consuming and destroying Master of Oz. The owner, a girl, let out a scream as her Life was also wipes out with one single attack.
Now his dragon?
"Starve Venom Fusion Dragon…"
Starve Venom too?
"Attack Ojama King!" Yuri declared with a scowl, disgusted at the very sight of the ugly Monster. Flinching at the sound of the declaration, Ojama King attempted to run away, only to be ensured within the jaws of Starve Venom's tail. Like Master of Oz, Ojama King was destroyed.
Another boy cried out in pain as his Life Points depleted to 0.
"Now, I will attack…" Yuri trailed off as he glanced at his last opponent, who cowered backwards at seeing the boy's eyes, which flashed with a vibrant violet for a brief second. "VWXYZ - Dragon Catapult Cannon!"
Starve Venom threw out her wings, a grid like pattern appearing as a beam of blue light shot out from the wings, enveloping and destroying the large Monster. The ensuing explosion blew the owner to the ground with a cry of pain, his Life hitting 0 and ending the 5v1 Duel.
"That was quick…" Yuri mumbled with disappointment as he held out his Duel Disk. A bright light enveloped his defeated opponents, covering their silhouettes. When the light dissipated, five Cards with the victim's faces on it fell to the ground. He grinned, his blood rushing at the sight of the five petrified expressions.
"RRRRRRRRR…"
"Hmm?" Yuri blinked, hearing a low growl in his ears. Recognizing the feral sound, he removed Starve Venom Fusion Dragon from his Duel Disk, seeing that the Card was glowing with a light purple. Yuri's eyes also shined with a bright purple as all of a sudden he started to hear his heart beat in his ears rapidly.
No, not his heart…
A wave of thirst and desire flushed throughout his veins.
"You want more, huh?" Yuri mumbled with a smirk. "I feel the same way, Starve Venom."
They would keep Dueling. They would keep searching for strong opponents. They would keep winning and surviving. They would keep thriving.
Yuri turned his head at the sound of two people running and panting toward him. He turned to see two females. The traitor, Tenjoin Asuka, and…
"Oh? I didn't know you were here, Yuzu-chan." Yuri drawled with a sneer at the recognition of the girl.
"Do you know him?" Asuka asked her companion after seeing that Yuri could identify her.
Yuzu placed a hand on her chest, a drop of sweat rolling down her face. "Yes. That guy's the one who has been chasing me through the dimensions."
"That guy? That's very rude, you know." Yuri smiled, holding out his hands in an inviting manner. "I know I told you my proper name. It's Yuri. Now, Yuzu-chan...I wasn't expecting to see you, but I'm glad I did, and when I bring you to the Professor, I'm sure he will be too."
Thump! Thumb!
Yuri smiled crazily all of a sudden. "So, you want to face her too, Starve Venom? My thoughts exactly!"
"You're not getting to her if I have anything to say about it!" Asuka exclaimed, stepping in front of Yuzu with a protective hand separating her and Yuri, who scowled in response.
"You're in the way." Yuri seethed, a dark aura surrounding him as he thrusted his hand out at Asuka. A wave of harsh wind blasted out from his hand, colliding with Asuka's body and blowing the girl back with a cry of pain.
"Asuka-san!" Yuzu cried out of concern as her friend hit the ground unconscious. Yuzu flinched as she faced Yuri, worried that she was going to meet the same fate and get captured.
"How interesting. I didn't know I was that strong. Don't worry." Yuri stated, seeing the girl's concern. "I doubt I could knock you out, I don't really know how I did that. Even if I did, doing that on someone like you would be too boring...and easy. Now then," Yuri finished as he activated his Duel Disk, licking his lips excitedly, "Let's have some fun, shall we?"
Yuzu shivered at the boy's creepy and slow way of speaking. A drop of sweat rolled down her face as she remembered their brief showdown back in the Standard Dimension. In the beginning, she had managed to hold her own, but eventually Yuri took complete control of the Duel, and she was forced to keep running from her for an entire night.
But she was different from back then. She survived the onslaught on the Synchro Dimension. She survived the Friendship Cup, and she had beaten her Fusion counterpart Serena in a Duel. She was much stronger than what she was before.
With a newfound determination, Yuzu activated her Duel Disk, removing five Cards from the top of her Deck.
"DUEL!" She and Yuri yelled in conjunction as they initiated a Duel with one another.
"I believe it was I who went first last time. Why don't you this time?" Yuri offered with a confident smile, believing that it wouldn't change the result in the end.
"You'll regret giving me the first turn!" Yuzu exclaimed as she removed a Card from her Hand, placing it onto her Duel Disk. "I Summon Melodious Diva Canon!" A blue-haired maiden with a blue undershirt with a skin at the end of it with a pink vest over it appeared to the Field with a wide smile on her face.
Canon: Level 4, 1400 Atk, 2000 Def
"If I control a Melodious Monster, I can Special Summon this diva from my Hand. Dance to the stage, Melodious Diva Sonata!" An aqua blue and green haired girl with yellow skin threw back a lump of her hair, appearing with a flash of white light.
Sonata: Level 3, 1200 Atk, 1000 Def
She immediately took a defensive stance, as Yuzu had placed her in Defense Position. Nodding her head toward her Monster, she returned her attention to Canon, raising her hand. "I activate the effect of Melodious Diva Canon. Once per turn, I can change this Card's Battle Position!" Yuzu placed her fingertips on her Attack Position Monster, switching it to Defense.
"I set this Card and end my turn." Yuzu concluded as a set Card took shape in front of her.
"That's all?" Yuri questioned, his voice dripping with disappointment. He placed a hand on the top of his Deck as he continued, "I give you the first turn and that's what I get? I was expecting more. My turn, draw! From my Hand, I Summon Predator Plants Spino Dionaea!" A green plant with a Venus flytrap mouth as a spine protruding from it's back like a spinosauraus appeared to the Field, releasing a low ferocious growl.
Spino Dionaea: Level 4, 1800 Atk, 0 Def
"If this Card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can target a face-up Monster you control and place a Predator Counter on it." Yuri explained, earning a confused look on Yuzu's face.
"Predator Counter?" She didn't remember Yuri using something like that in their last Duel. She looked to Sonata, who glowed momentarily as a vibrant purple plant sprouted from her shoulder. Then, the next thing she knew, her Level had dropped.
Sonata: Level 3-1, Predator Counter 0-1
"That's right. I don't think you've seen this side of my Deck. You'll see what that will do for me shortly. And, as per Spino Dionaea's effect, a Level 2 or higher Monster with a Predator Counter on it has its Level reduced to 1. Battle!" Yuri declared with slit eyes. This is where the fun begins. "Spino Dionaea, attack Melodious Diva Sonata!"
The dinosaur-looking plant charged forward. It's flytrap spine thrusted out of its back, soaring over to Sonata with its jaws open wide. The diva couldn't help but scream as she was ensnared and consumed by the horrific Monster. Yuzu briefly cringed at her Monster's terrible death. He was not going to get away with that.
"Spino Dionaea's additional effect now activates." Yuri revealed with a grin. "After damage calculation, if this Monster battled a Monster with an equal or lower Level, I can Special Summon a Predator Plants Monster from my Deck except Spino Dionaea. Rise, Predator Plants Darling Cobra!" Yuzu shivered as a slimy green plantlike cobra appeared to the Field, letting out an unnatural hiss as it did.
Darling Cobra: Level 3, 1000 Atk, 1500 Def
"I will not activate Darling Cobra's effect. If this Monster is Special Summoned, I can add a Fusion Card from my Deck to my Hand." Yuri drawled, removing said Card from his Deck and then proceeding to activate it. "I fuse the Spino Dionaea and Darling Cobra on my Field." Yuri's Monster swirled in a vortex formation, their very essence combining together to create one being. Yuri grinned sadistically as he brought his palms together and threw them down. "Fusion Summon! Show yourself! Level 7! Predator Plants Chimerafflesia!"
Chimerafflesia: Level 7, 2500 Atk, 2000 Def
"Now then, I think I'll activate Chimerafflesia's effect! Once per turn, I can target a Monster with a Level equal to or lower than this Monster's Level and banish it." Yuri said as his eyes shifted over to Yuzu's remaining Monster, who was gruesomely thrown into Chimerafflesia's mouth, never to be seen again.
"No!" Yuzu cried out as her Monster disappeared. She cringed as she heard the crunching of her Monster's flesh and screams within the jaws of the plant. "H-How cruel…"
Yuri licked his lips, relishing the terrified expression on Yuzu's face. Removing two Cards from his Hand, he concluded his turn while inserting them into his Duel Disk.
Recovering from the shock of her Monster's death, Yuzu drew a Card. Her eyes brightened as they recognized the Card. With a newfound confidence, she inserted the Card. "I activate the Magic Card Ostinato! If I control no Monsters, I can Fusion Summon a Melodious Monster from my Extra Deck by sending two Monsters from my Hand or Deck to the Graveyard as Materials. From the Deck, I'll send Melodious Pendulum Maestra Prodigy Mozart and Melodious Songstress Soprano! Angel's song! Supreme genius! By the guidance of the baton, assemble your power. Fusion Summon! Now on stage, the song of passion! Melodious Floral Saint Bloom Prima!" Yuzu brought her hands together, forcing them downwards as a bright light formed behind her, a girl with blue hair and a yellow dress appeared.
Bloom Prima: Level 7, 1900 Atk, 2000 Def
"Bloom Prima gains 300 Attack for each Melodious Monster used in her Summon!" Yuzu revealed as her Monster gained an aura, showing her increase in Attack.
Bloom Prima: 1900-2500 Atk
"That wasn't a bad Fusion Summon and all, but you realize our Monsters have the same Attack, right?" Yuri questioned with a raised eyebrow. "Summoning your Monster was pointless."
Yuzu ignored the boy's comment, glancing back to the unconscious body of her friend.
Asuka-san...I'll make sure we'll both get out of this okay!
Returning her attention to the Duel, Yuzu used the last Card in her Hand, an Equip Magic Card called Sword of Dalga, equipping it to Bloom Prima. A sword appeared in Prima's left hand, increasing her Attack by 500.
Bloom Prima: 2500-3000 Atk
Yuri remained unfazed at the fact that Bloom Prima was now stronger than his Monster. If anything, he seemed amused, something that startled Yuzu. She didn't forget how weird and creepy the boy was from before, but he seems even more off then from the last time they met...and that was saying something.
"Battle! Bloom Prima, attack Predator Plants Chimerafflesia!" Yuzu declared, her Monster opening her mouth, preparing for an attack.
"I activate the effect of Chimerafflesia." Yuri declared with a grin. "When an attack is declared involving this Monster, your Monster loses 1000 Attack. And if it does, Chimerafflesia will gain 1000 Attack!"
"Wh-What?" Yuzu blinked, unaware of anything this Monster was capable of. She glanced at her own Monster, seeing it's Attack lower while the Attack of Yuri's Monster increased, the latter letting a low, hungry growling sound as it did.
Bloom Prima: 3000-2000 Atk
Chimerafflesia: 2500-3500 Atk
Quickly moving on from her initial shock, Yuzu quickly removed the last Card in her Hand. She inserted the Card into her Magic and Trap Zone, activating the Card as a Quick-Play Magic Card appeared to the Field for Yuri to see.
"I activate the Card Pianissimo!" Yuzu declared as the Card glowed upon activation, a yellow aura suddenly encompassing the Plant Monster. A smirk growing on her face, Yuzu explained as she saw the boy's piqued expression, "With this Card, I can target a Monster on the Field. It won't be destroyed by battle this turn, but it's Attack is reduced to 100! I'll be choosing Chimerafflesia as the target!"
Chimerafflesia: 3500-100 Atk
"Continue attacking, Bloom Prima!" Yuzu cried out as her Monster hummed high pitches that came in the form of shockwaves. The waves ruptured Chimerafflesia's entire body, causing the plant to elicit a wail of pain. However, thanks to Yuzu's Magic Card, the Monster survived. The ensuing shockwaves crashed into Yuri's body, causing the boy to shudder...but not out of pain.
Yuri: 4000-2100 LP
"Hehehehe…"
"Huh?" Yuzu blinked as she heard the low, repeating sound escaping Yuri's lips.
Was he…?
"HEHEHAHAHAHAHA! THAT WAS GREAT!" Yuri yelled with abnormal satisfaction that left Yuzu quivering to the bone. She was the one that had dealt the damage, yet it felt like Yuri was the one who did it instead.
How can he...enjoy pain? Yuzu thought to herself with panic. His behavior was reminding her all too much of the late Sergey Volkov back in the Synchro Dimension. The way he expressed no remorse at hurting others. The way he enjoyed receiving and inflicting pain.
It was...psychotic!
"I-I end my turn." Yuzu concluded, a drop of sweat rolling down her face. "Now, the cost of Ostinato activates. Now, the Monster I Summoned with the Card is destroyed." As she spoke, Bloom Prima disappeared, replaced with a purple portal in the ground. "However, if all of the Materials used to Summon the Monster are in my Graveyard, then I can Special Summon them all! Rise to the stage, Melodious Pendulum Maestra Prodigy Mozart and Melodious Songstress Soprano!" Shooting out of the portal were the two Monsters, Mozart in Attack Position and Soprano in Defense.
Pendulum Maestra Prodigy Mozart: Level 8, 2600 Atk, 2000 Def
Soprano: Level 4, 1400 Atk, 1400 Def
"Oh!" Yuri jumped in with an all-knowing smirk. "And don't forget, the effect of your Quick-Play Magic Card has worn off, so Chimerafflesia's Attack will return to normal."
Chimerafflesia: 100-2500 Atk
"Furthermore, I activate the effect of the Predator Plants Pollen Sucker in my Hand! During the End Phase of a turn in which I took damage, I can send this Card to the Graveyard and regain the Life I lost!"
"No way!" Yuzu cried out as Yuri inserted the Monster into his Graveyard, a purple aura surrounding him as his Life healed.
Yuri: 2100-4000 LP
"Now that that's over, it's my turn!" Yuri drew his Card, licking his lips as he did so. "The fun starts now!"
Yuzu shivered as an image of Yuya overlapped Yuri's figure for a brief moment. There were so many subtle similarities between them that it was creepy that she was seeing them for herself. This boy...also wants to have a fun Duel like Yuya.
But unlike Yuya…
He only Dueled for his own satisfaction.
"To start, I think I'll activate a Trap Card." Yuri began, opening one of his set Cards. "It's called Predator Planning! With this Card, I can send a Predator Plants Monster from my Deck to the Graveyard…" The boy explained as he removed the Card Predator Plants Heliamphorhynchus and placed it into his Graveyard. "Now, a Predator Counter is placed on every face-up Monster on the Field, and their Level gets reduced to 1 if it is greater than 2!" A plant-like creature appeared on every Monster, even Chimerafflesia, lowering the Levels of all Monsters.
Chimerafflesia: Level 7-1, Counters: 0-1
Soprano: Level 4-1, Counters: 0-1
Pendulum Maestra Prodigy Mozarta: Level 8-1, Counters: 0-1
"Oh no!" Yuzu gasped, realizing what was going to happen now.
"Oh yes!" Yuri cried out, relishing the look of shock on his opponent's face. The man he pressed another button on his Duel Disk, activating his second and last Trap Card. "Continuous Trap, Predator Planet, activate! Now, I activate the effect of Chimerafflesia to banish a Monster whose Level is equal to or lower than it. I choose to banish your Mozart!" Yuzu's ace was grabbed by the ankle by a tentacle. The Monster cried out as she was tossed into the plant's mouth, consumed immediately. Yuzu watched in horror as her Monster was munched on slowly and painfully. Yuri grinned as his Continuous Trap glowed. "Now, the effect of Predator Planet activates. Once per turn, if a Monster on the Field with a Predator Counter leaves the Field, then I can add a Predator Plants Monster from my Deck to my Hand!"
Yuri removed a Card that ejected from his Deck. He smirked as he looked at the Card to reaffirm his choice. He had added Predator Plants Sundew Kingii to his Hand.
"I'll now Summon Sundew Kingii!" Yuri exclaimed as the four-legged chameleon-like plant appeared to the Field.
Sundew Kingii: Level 2, 600 Atk, 200 Def
"I activate Sundew Kingii's special effect!" Yuri said as his Monster glowed along with Soprano, much to Yuzu's surprise. "During my Main Phase, I can Fusion Summon a Dark Monster from my Extra Deck using this and other Cards on my Field, Hand, or even your Monsters that have a Predator Counter, which are now treated as Dark!"
"Wh-What?!" Yuzu cried out as Sundew Kingii and Soprano levitated in the air, sinking together.
"Two beautiful flowers with an insect-alluring fragrance! Now become one, and from the hell beneath your petals, give birth to a new terror!" Yuri brought his hands together, bringing them down. His eyes slit as his peripheral vision filled with a white light from the two fusing Monsters. "Fusion Summon! Appear! Poisonous dragon with hungry fangs. Level 8! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!" Yuri's ace practically slithered to the Field, letting out a powerful roar that quickly asserted its dominance to Yuzu, who immediately recognized it as the dragon from the last time they Dueled.
Last time, she had ran away for nearly an entire night. She was afraid, and she could have been captured by Academia right then and there if it weren't for Yugo's sudden arrival.
But things were different now. She wasn't going to be scared by this dragon anymore. She's faced worse things in the war now. This was nothing.
Starve Venom: Level 8, 2800 Atk, 2000 Def
"Now that I have Summoned a Dark Fusion Monster, I can activate the effect of Predator Planning when it is in the Grave." Yuri announced as he removed the Card from his Graveyard. "With this effect, I can banish Predator Planning and then target a Card on the Field and destroy it!" With a grin, Yuri directed his finger at one of Yuzu's set Cards, which shattered into pieces upon declaration.
Yuzu grimaced. That was Melodious Backup Duet. The destruction of that Trap had ruined her plans!
"Tsk! I wish this could go on longer, but I have a job to fulfill." Yuri muttered with a disappointed sigh as he lazily motioned towards Chimerafflesia. "Predator Plants Chimerafflesia, attack her directly!"
"Continuous Trap, activate! Miraculous Light!" Yuzu cried out, activating her set Card. "With this, I can target a banished Fairy-Type Monster and Special Summon it! So, return to the Field, Mozart!" Appearing out of a blue light was Yuzu's ace in Defense Position.
"In that case, then Chimerafflesia will attack Mozart!" One of Chimerafflesia's tentacles whipped out, slapping and destroying Mozart.
"Now, Starve Venom, attack Yuzu directly!" His dragon growled, spinning around and whipping her tail out towards Yuzu. The girl gasped with fear, trying to move away, but to no avail. She cried out in pain as the attack struck her in the stomach. Gagging, she tumbled to the growth. As her body rolled to a stop, she held her bruised midsection, whimpering.
Yuzu: 4000-1200 LP
"I set a Card facedown and end my turn." Yuri concluded as a set Card appeared in front of him. "Now then, hurry up. You're only delaying the inevitable. Either that, or surrender."
"NO!"
"Don't worry. The Professor will take good care of you." Yuri said, giving the downed girl a chilling smile.
Take care of me? Yuzu internally questioned, her body freezing up. Is that what he said to Ruri and Rin right before he ripped them from their homes? And now, because of the Professor's good will, Rin has lost her free will and has attacked her best friend, Yugo.
"Don't screw with me…" Yuzu whispered, the sound of such words sounding foreign to her tongue. She rose to her feet, anger in her eyes, the pain in her body seeming like an afterthought now. "Don't you ever say someone like the Professor will take care of me! After what he did to Rin!"
"Rin?" Yuri mumbled before a lightbulb when off in her head. "Oh! You mean Academia's newest weapon."
"W-Weapon? How terrible! Taking away someone's free will like that!" Yuzu exclaimed, placing a hand over her chest, feeling an aching feel out of disgust. Academia could kidnap her, torture her, or even kill her, but she would be damned if she or any one of her friend's had to lose their free will. With a sharpened gaze, she pointed at Yuri. "You're why Rin and Ruri were captured, so you have the blame in all of this! I won't forgive you for what you did to them! My turn, draw!" Yuzu's Card short out from the Deck, feeling a surge of energy coursing through her body all of a sudden. A dim light appeared at the edge of her eyes as she looked down at her Extra Deck.
This is…a new power. I can feel it! Yuzu thought to herself, noticing her bracelet flash a pink color for a brief moment.
"To think that you would go this far…"
Yuzu gasped, she blinked as she found herself on top of a rocky incline, in the middle of a ravaged wasteland. Destroyed buildings and tanks littered the area, the screams of dying people playing in her head like wildfire.
"You've nearly destroyed the world! Why? Why are you doing this? What made you want to kill the entire world...and Yoshito too!"
"Because...they wanted to be entertained. They wanted more pain and destruction, so I gave it to them! This is what they wanted, Ray! Yoshito got in my way and he just paid the price! And now, you will meet his fate!"
"GAH!" Yuzu yelped, shooting her eyes open, finding herself back on the docks of the Fusion Dimension with Yuri in front of her, who also seemed to be spacing out for some reason, only to return to reality just then.
Did he...see something too? Yuzu wondered briefly. No matter! If he's distracted, then now is my chance!
"I'm activating Card of Sanctity!" Yuzu began, inserting the Card into her Graveyard. "With this, we each draw until we have six Cards in our Hand!"
"A mutual benefit, huh?" Yuri scoffed, drawing three Cards to make six. "How stupid."
Yuzu ignored his comment, drawing six Cards from her Deck. Looking at the Cards she drew, she smiled. This was perfect. Removing one of her new Cards, she activated a Magic Card. "Quick-Play, De-Fusion, activate! With this, I can target a Fusion Monster on the Field and send it back to the Extra Deck! I'll return Predator Plants Chimerafflesia to the Extra Deck!"
Yuri watched with an interested gaze as his Monster was removed from the Field.
"Next, I activate the Magic Card Twin Twisters!" Yuzu said as the Card appeared in front of her. "With this, I discard a Card in my Hand, and then I can destroy up to two Magic or Trap Cards on the Field!" Yuzu discarded the Monster Melodious Songstress Solo. Suddenly, out of nowhere two twisters appeared on Yuri's side of the Field, enveloping both Predator Planet and Yuri's set Card.
"It won't be that easy!" Yuri bellowed, flicking his hand on his Duel Disk, activating his set Card. "Trap Card, Predator Plants Reborn! I can target a Predator Plants Monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! I am bringing out Predator Plants Heliamphorhynchus!" A green plant-like winged Monster appeared to the Field, releasing a screech that forced Yuzu to cover her ears as it was Summoned in Defense Position.
Heliamphorhynchus: Level 8, 1200 Atk, 2400 Def
"Now," Yuzu threw her hair back, taking two Cards from her Hand and showing them to her opponent, "I, using the Scale 3 Melodious Diva Harmony and the Scale 9 Melodious Diva Viola, set the Pendulum Scale!" Yuzu swiped the Cards across her Duel Disk, the word Pendulum playing out across her Duel Disk as her two Monsters appeared on her sides, floating up into the air in blue columns. A large pendulum appeared above her, beginning to sway back and forth. "With this I can Special Summon Monsters from Levels 4 to 8! Swing! Pendulum of soul! Carve an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum Summon! Appear, my Monster!"
Yuzu raised her hand to the air. A blue portal opened above. A beam of light flushed out, taking form as Pendulum Prodigy Mozart in Attack Position.
"That Monster again?" Yuri mumbled before his eyes flashed out of rememberance, suddenly recalling something. "That's right, the Professor did tell me that Pendulum Monsters could be Summoned back from the Extra Deck. A very interesting trait indeed...and very powerful too!"
Seeing that her Monster was back on the Field, Yuzu motioned toward Harmony, a pink-haired, blue-skinned diva with a purple dress.
"I activate the Pendulum effect of Melodious Diva Harmony! Once per turn, if I Pendulum Summon only one Monster, then I can Special Summon a Melodious Monster from my Graveyard! Return to the Field, Melodious Diva Canon!" Yuzu slammed the Monster onto her Duel Disk as it returned from the Graveyard. Seeing that her Monster was back, Yuzu turned to her ace. "I activate the Monster effect of Melodious Pendulum Maestra Prodigy Mozart! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Melodious Monster from my Hand, Deck, or Graveyard! So, from my Deck, I'm Special Summoning Melodious Maestra Shopina!"
Appearing in front of Yuzu was an aqua-haired woman in a purple dress.
Shopina: Level 7, 2300 Atk, 1700 Def
"More fodder?" Yuri taunted with a smirk.
"She is not fodder! None of my Monsters are!" Yuzu yelled out of instant anger. "You're gonna pay for looking down on my Monsters! I activate the effect of Melodious Maestra Shopina! Once per turn, I can target a Light Fairy-Type Monster in my Grave and add it back to my Hand!" Ejected from Yuzu's Graveyard was Melodious Songstress Soprano, which she immediately Summoned to the Field.
"The you who is trying to change yourself isn't wrong."
"With that, you're trying to change yourself into a different Yuzu from up until now!"
Yuto...Yuya...Yuzu thought to herself as she looked at each of her Monsters, thinking very fondly of the second name in her head. Thank you...for supporting my change!
"Now, with the Level 4 Melodious Diva Canon and Melodious Songstress Soprano, I overlay! Angelic souls! Let your harmonic melodies converge and bring the debut of a new artist! Xyz Summon! Dance to the stage! Rank 4! Melodious Floral Saint Ritardanda!" Yuzu chanted, a flash of light enveloping the Field. Appearing off the dimming light was a young female with brown hair dressed in a gray dress that reached to her thighs.
Ritardanda: Rank 4, 2500 Atk, 1000 Def
"And now you've lost my interest." Yuri signed with disappointment, looking at the new Monster with disdain. "You're using such a weak Summoning Method like Xyz?"
"It is not weak!" Yuzu yelled in defense of both the Summoning Method and her friends who use it. "I'll show you right now! It's time to slow the tempo! I activate Ritardanda's effect! Once per turn, by detaching an overlay unit from this Card, I can activate one of two effects! I will choose the first. I can halve the Attack and Defense of all Special Summoned Monsters you currently control!" The new Monster let out a harmonious hum, entrancing Yuri's Monsters and weakening them.
"How annoying…"
Starve Venom: 2800-1400 Atk, 2000-1000 Def
Heliamphorhynchus: 1200-600 Atk, 2400-1200 Def
"Battle!" Yuzu declared with a smile. She had him on the ropes for once. She could actually beat him. "Melodious Pendulum Maestra Prodigy Mozart, attack and destroy Starve Venom Fusion Dragon! Graceful Wave Burst!" Yuzu cried as her Monster released a wave of energy at Yuri's ace.
"I activate Mozart's Monster effect! Once per turn, when this Card is battling an opponent's Monster, I can target another Melodious Monster on the Field. Mozart's Attack then gets increased by the Level of the targeted Monster times 200 until the end of the turn!" Yuzu picked Shophina. Her Level was 7, meaning that Mozart would gain 1400 Attack.
Mozart: 2600-4000 Atk
"Hmm?" Yuri hummed out of sudden shock as Mozart's attack continued, enveloping the Monster and destroying it. The dragon let out a wail of pain as an explosion consumed her remains.
Yuri: 4000-1400 LP
Yuri actually flinched at the destruction of his Monster, letting out a low hiss as he took damage, but not for himself. "You're going to pay for that...dearly." He said menacingly, sending shivers down Yuzu's spine as she saw the deadly glare that the usually sadistic and carefree boy sent her way. She could have sworn that she heard the wrath of the late Starve Venom roaring behind him as he let loose his fury. "Upon destruction, Starve Venom Fusion Dragon's effect activates. All of your Special Summoned Monsters are destroyed, and you take damage equal to the combined Attack of all Monsters destroyed! Goodbye, Hiragi Yuzu!"
"What?!" Yuzu gasped with shock.
A wave of venom erupted out of the smoke left by Starve Venom, gushing towards Yuzu's two Monsters and enveloping them.
Regaining her composure, Yuzu spoke. "The turn Ritardanda is Special Summoned, all Monsters on my side of the Field cannot be destroyed by Card effects!" Mozart and Ritardanda let out wails of pain, but as the acid venom dissipated, the two Monsters still remained on the Field, and Yuzu's Life Points were intact. "Since that's done with, I command Ritardanda to destroy your Heliamphorhynchus! Tempo Stream!" Ritardanda opened her mouth, releasing slow yet powerful waves of high-pitched notes that slowly assaulted Yuri's remaining Monster, destroying it.
Grunting out of annoyance, Yuri held up the Card of the destroyed Monster. "If Heliamphorhynchus is destroyed in my possession by one of your Cards, then I can target a Dark Dragon-Type or Dark Plant-Type Monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! Return to my side, Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!" Rising from the Grave, the purple pain-hungry dragon let out a ferocious and angry roar and bearing out its sharp claws, conveying an emotion that had Yuzu stop in her tracks.
The utter hate and contempt that the dragon was spewing towards her way was nothing short of bizzare. She had never seen Duel Monsters express themselves this much in a Duel.
Damn! Yuzu cursed inwardly, reprimanding herself for her foolishness. She could have decided the Duel this turn if she simply attacked with Shopina first. If she knew about Heliamphorhynchus' revival effect, then Starve Venom wouldn't be a problem right now because Mozart would still have become stronger. It's fine! I'll get him next turn…
"You fool…"
"Huh?" Yuzu blinked from the sudden insult. She looked at her opponent, his eyes covered by his vibrant violet hair. The air around her change, and as she looked to her Monsters, she saw them moving back slightly, hunching over...as if they were cowering.
My Monsters...are afraid?
"If you believe that you have another turn to make up for your screwup, then you are mistaken!" Yuri seethed, revealing glowing purple eyes and a light dark aura radiating around him.
Yuzu gasped as she immediately recognized the sight. She's seen this before in the Synchro Dimension. She looked down at her bracelet to see it twinkling brightly, as if it was sounding some sort of alarm.
"I set this Card and end my turn." Yuzu concluded as the last Card in her Hand materialized in front of her before disappearing. Pellets of sweat streamed down her face as she took a step back. The immense aura swirling around Yuri made her feel sick to her stomach. The darkness around him was...suffocating.
"Now then, it's time for the superior Duelist to make his move." Yuri drawled with a sadistic grin, rigorously drawing a Card from the top of his Deck as he cackled. "I activate the Graveyard effect of Predator Planet! By banishing this Card from the Graveyard, I can conduct a Fusion Summon using Monsters in my Hand or on my Field. I will fuse Starve Venom Fusion Dragon with Predator Plantsts Flytrap! Now, bear witness to a power beyond Starve Venom!"
"A power beyond his ace Monster?!" Yuzu gasped as the two Monsters he declared swirled together in a vortex.
"Poisonous dragon with hungry fangs! Sweet smelling flower that invites the abyss! Now become one, and indulge in whatever pleases you!" Yuri's pupils slit as he brought his hands together and fiercely forced them down as a bright purple light shone behind. "Fusion Summon! Come forth! Level 10! Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon!" A gray-bodied, purple-winged Monster appeared to the Field, releasing a roar reminiscent to that of Starve Venom, but much more deeper and menacing.
Greedy Venom: Level 10, 3300 Atk, 2500 Def
"Now, now, now!" Yuri cried out with excitement. "This is where the fun begins! I activate Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon's effect! Once per turn, I can target a face-up Monster on the Field. That Monster's Attack is reduced to 0, and their effect 8s negated!"
"What in the world? Such a powerful effect!" Yuzu remarked with wide eyes of panic.
"And my target will be…" Yuri looked at all three of Yuzu's Monsters, biding his time like a hawk would to a snake. Eventually, he made his decision. "Melodious Maestra Shophina!" Greedy Venom released four tentacles from within different points of her body, Each tentaclelashed out from around the dragon and towards the Melodious Monster, latching onto each of her limbs. The Monster screamed in pain as her effects and Attack were drained. She glowed with yellow marks down her entire body as she lost power.
Shophina: 2400-0 Atk
"It ends here!" Yuri shouted as he jabbed his arm forward with a wide grin, his purple eyes flashing brightly. "Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon, attack Melodious Maestra Shophina! Greedy Toxin Cannon!" Once again, Yuri's Monster unleashed her tentacles, trapping Shophina once again to restrain her. Greedy Venom's stomach opened up, ready to fire the attack.
Almost immediately, Yuzu frantically made her move. "As long as Melodious Diva Harmony is in the Pendulum Zone while I control two or more Melodious Monsters, then I can't take any battle damage!"
Yuri smirked out of amusement as Greedy Venom released a toxic ball of acid. The ball connected with Shophina and practically dissolved her in an instant, so quickly that she didn't even have time to scream out of pain before she was dead.
Yuzu grimaced at the gruesome fate of her Monster. Shaking her head, she kept her focus on the Duel. She could still win this! Yuri's Greedy Venom had already attacked, so…
"If I cannot do damage with multiple Monsters, then I'll just destroy every single Monster you have to finish you off!" Yuri bellowed gleefully, holding out a Card from his Hand and activating it. "I activate the Quick-Play Magic Card Predator Plast! With this Card, I reveal as many Predator Plants Monsters in my Hand that i choose. And, for every Predator Plants Monster in my Hand, I can place one Predator Counter on Monsters you control up to the number of Monsters I revealed!"
Yuri revealed two Monsters in his Hand, Predator Plants Darlingtonia Cobra and Predator Plants Squid Drosera.
Ritardanda: Predator Counter 0-1
Mozart: Predator Counter 0-1
"Now, Level 2 or higher Monsters with a Predator Counter have their Levels reduced to 1!" Yuri added as the Level of Mozart went down. Since Ritardando was an Xyz Monster, which doesn't have Levels, she wasn't affected.
Mozart: Level 8-1
"I must say, I must thank you for the extra Cards I drew because of your Card of Sanctity. How kind of you!" He commented with a chuckle, much to his opponent's annoyance. "But unfortunately, I am afraid that it all has to end now. From my Hand, I will use the effect of Squid Drosera! During the Battle Phase, if a Monster I control has attacked, then I can send this Card straight to the Graveyard." Yuri explained as he inserted the Card into his Graveyard slot. "I target Greedy Venom, the Monster who attacked. Now, Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon must attack all Monsters you control that have Predator Counters!"
"Not good…" Yuzu whispered to herself as Yuri declared an attack against her Xyz Monster.
Like with Shophina, Ritardanda was restrained by Greedy Venom's tentacles. The Monster screamed as she was left open for a powerful strike to the side courtesy of Greedy Venom's sharp tail. The ensuing explosion caused Yuzu to stumble to the ground with a yelp.
Yuzu: 1200-400 LP
"Kuh! I…am not giving up!" Yuzu grunted as she held up the Card of her destroyed Monster. "When Ritardanda is destroyed, I can Special Summon any Monsters that were Xyz Materials to her right before destruction! Return to me, Melodious Diva Canon!" Yuzu rose her hand to the sky as a portal opened in front of her. An overlay unit rose from it in place of Ritardanda. Soon, the overlay unit took shape, taking the form of Canon in Defense Position. Yuzu smirked, "You can't attack this Monster!"
"Yes. But," Yuri returned with his own grin, "I can still attack your Maestra!"
"Huh?" Yuzu voiced out of confusion.
"Don't worry! I haven't forgotten about her pesky effect!" Yuri retorted. In fact, whether Yuzu used the effect or not didn't matter, it was still over for her. "Greedy Venom Fusion Dragon, attack and destroy Melodious Pendulum Maestra Prodigy Mozart!" Obeying his master's command, Greedy Venom sent out four tentacles at Yuzu's ace, who glowed a bright yellow in response.
"I use the effect of Mozart using Canon as a target! Canon is Level 4! That means that Mozart will gain 800 Attack!" Yuzu countered as the Attack of her Monster grew…
Mozart: 2600-3400 Atk
To surpass even Greedy Venom.
The tentacles collided with Mozart who merely shrugged them off.
"Get him, Mozart!" Yuzu commanded in retaliation as Mozart tightly gripped one of the tentacles with her left hand. With her right, she waved her baton, expelling a magical energy wave at Yuri's Monster. "Graceful Wave Burst!" The attack imploded upon contact with the ground, taking Greedy Venom out in the process.
Yuri threw a hand in front of his face, blocking all of the smoke that was now consuming his sight.
Yuri: 1400-1300 LP
"BIG MISTAKE!" Yuri shrieked as the heavily damaged silhouette of Greedy a Venom emerged from the smoke. "YOU SHOULD HAVE SAID YOUR GOODBYES, HIRAGI YUZU! BECAUSE YOU ARE COMING WITH ME NOW!"
Yuzu's head perked up as an assumption came into her head. Don't tell me...like Starve Venom...
"If Greedy Venom is destroyed, then I can destroy as many Monsters on the Field as possible! Then, their owners will take damage equal to the original Attack of the destroyed Monsters they owned!"
"NO!" Yuzu screamed as Greedy Venom combusted, releasing two pillars of venom that flushed toward Yuzu's Monsters.
Yuzu could only look on with wide eyes as she awaited the fate coming for her Monsters. I failed to beat him...again! Why am I so weak?! She looked down to her set Card. At the very least…
Frantically, Yuzu thrusted her hand out to her final Card, opening it, depicting Melodious Diva Solo admiring herself in a mirror. "Trap Card, activate! Melodious Mirror! This Card is only activated as soon as I am about to take damage! The damage that I would have taken is negated, and instead, you and I both take damage equal to half the amount of damage I would have taken!"
"What?!" Yuri blinked, genuine shock appearing in his eyes. That meant…
"The combined original Attack of both of my Monsters is 5100! So, we're both taking 2550 points of damage!"
The two beams of venom collided with Yuzu's Monsters as Yuri looked on in dismay.
No...this wasn't happening.
How?! How could this happen?!
Someone like her...was forcing him into a draw?!
An explosion enveloped the entire Field upon the destruction of Yuzu's Monster. Smoke filled Yuri and Yuzu's eyes as they both were thrown backwards by the devastating shockwaves, hitting their heads on the ground so hard that they lost consciousness.
Yuzu: 400-0 LP
Yuri: 1300-0 LP
I...had a draw...Yuri thought to himself weakly as he lost consciousness, making a feeble attempt to reach for his Duel Disk.
After a few moments of silence with three unconscious people on the docks, Tenjoin Asuka awoke to quite a sight.
"Ugh…" Asuka groaned, massaging her aching body. "What happened?" She looked at the surrounding area, trying to recall what had transpired. That was the least of concerns when she saw the unconscious and dirty Yuzu on the ground. Immediately, Asuka rose to her feet crying out the girl's name in concern. "Hey! Hey, are you alright? Yuzu!" She placed two fingers on the side of Yuzu's neck, halting her breathing to pick up any sign of life.
She exhaled.
Thank goodness, she was alright.
"Asuka-senpai!" A voice called suddenly. Asuka turned to the source of the voice to see a You Show Duel School member running towards them with other students and Yusho in tow.
"Asuka!" Yusho spoke as he slowly made his way over, supported by two female students. "What happened here? Why is Yuzu unconscious? And who is…?" He looked at the boy on the ground and widened his eyes with shock. "Y-Yuya?!"
"Forgive me, Sensei!" Asuka said, shaking her head. "But that is not your son. That is Yuri. He serves directly under the Professor's fist, and he is easily one of the strongest Duelists in Academia!"
"Hmm…" Yusho hummed in understanding. "If that's the case, then we must take him in. It doesn't feel right, but we can't let him run freely! Hurry, take off his Duel Disk before he is teleported back to Academia!"
"Understood, Yusho-sensei!"
Card Catalog
Predator Plants Pollen Sucker: Level 3, 0 Atk, 800 Def, Plant, Dark: During the End Phase, if you took battle damage this turn, you can send this Card to the Graveyard from your Hand. Regain all of the Life Points you lost due to battle during this turn.
Melodious Diva Harmony: Level 4, 1200 Atk, 600 Def, Fairy, Light, Pendulum, Scale 3: Pendulum effect: Once per turn, if you Pendulum Summon only one Monster, then you can Special Summon a Melodious Monster from the Graveyard. If you control two or more Melodious Monsters, you cannot take battle damage as long as this Card is in the Pendulum Zone. Monster effect: If this Card is Normal or Special Summoned, you can target a Melodious Monster in the Graveyard, Special Summon it. You can only activate this effect once per turn.
Melodious Floral Saint Ritardanda: Rank 4, 2500, 1000 Def, Fairy Light, Xyz, Two Level 4 Monsters: If this Card is Special Summoned, then all other Monsters you control can't be destroyed by Card effects until the end of the turn. Once per turn, you can activate one of two effects: 1. detach an overlay unit from this Card, halve the Attack and Defense of all Special Summoned Monsters your opponent controls. 2. Attach a Level 4 or lower Melodious Monster in your Graveyard to this Card as Material. If this Card is destroyed, then you can Special Summon any Monsters that we're attached to her as Xyz Material upon destruction.
Melodious Mirror, Trap: This Card can only be activated when you are about to take damage. Negate the damage. Then, half the damage you would have taken is dealt to both you and your opponent's Life Points as damage.
What's up guys, it's been a while. I've just been so occupied with school these past couple of months that I just haven't had time to be writing this story. But believe me, I have literally been thinking through so many damn scenarios for this fanfic, and the one that occurs at the end of the chapter occurred to me a week or to ago...Yuri's captured now.
And he had a draw with Yuzu, which will most certainly put a stain on his pride. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed that Duel between those two, we never got to see them Duel in Fusion so I wanted to rectify that. And Yuzu has Xyz Summoned! For those of you who expected her to Ritual Summon, sorry! But, Yuzu hasn't Xyz Summoned yet so I decided to make use of that opportunity here.
Now then, next chapter we're moving away from our short detour to the Fusion Dimension. We're going back to the Xyz Dimension! Hope you enjoy what is to come.
Apple Bloom: I'm glad you enjoyed it!
A1B: I've said it once and I'll say it again, I will see this story to the end. I will get an assistant to do help me if it really gets to that point lol.
Moving away from that, I hope you guys enjoyed his chapter and that mini shift over to Yuzu, who has gotten a little bit of spotlight despite not winning a Duel. However, to be fair, Yuri is easily one of the strongest characters in Arc-V, so drawing with him is a huge accomplishment.
And with that's I'll see you guys later.
Take care, goodbye!
And Happy New Years too!
