Tetsuro stood in silence as he waited for his duel with Yaiba to begin, hands tucked into his pockets to prevent his fingers from tapping.
His nerves thrummed just beneath his skin. Enough to prevent him from sitting down comfortably, but not quite enough to have him pacing laps around the room either.
"Haaa." A sigh escaped him as he wished they'd get on with it.
It was a pain in the ass, but he'd have to get used to this sort of thing. Pro duels were intense when they got underway, but the build-up could be as slow as molasses. According to the Professor's stories, in some cases it could take weeks just to set up a duel in the first place, as agents and coaches worked out sponsorship deals, acquired venues, and signed contracts.
This wasn't anywhere close to that level, of course, since it was ultimately just a schoolyard game, but if he was feeling jittery now it meant he might be bouncing off the walls if he didn't keep his cool in the future.
Better to start now.
He was stuck in this locker room, waiting for the announcer's signal to move onto the field. Yaiba must have been in a similar situation on the opposite end of the stadium.
Tetsuro had made his way to the southern room beneath LDS' main stadium a half hour prior. At first it was quiet, but as the minutes ticked by the steady hum of noise in the background continued to grow as more and more spectators made their way into the stands that encircled the stadium outside.
It felt a lot like the tension before a game of highschool football. That wasn't too different from what he'd expected, though he was still a bit surprised by the way the scale of his and Yaiba's duel had escalated.
He didn't know if it had anything to do with the Akaba heir stealthily increasing the coverage of the event, or if it was totally unrelated to Reiji's plans, and instead the school had simply decided that this would be a bigger deal than he and Yaiba had intended.
Bored teenagers hyping things up?
It…seemed pretty likely, actually.
The newspaper club had taken it a step further as well, when they smelled the blood in the water around the school, publishing a new article each day as a sort of countdown to the destined duel. Tetsuro had skimmed a few of the online articles that got pushed out, but he never cared for the news even on a good day, so he eventually got bored and played with Ze Amin instead.
The gameplan hadn't changed, even if the stage was a bit bigger than anticipated.
The rumbling of the crowd overhead continued to grow, but just as Tetsuro was beginning to lose his patience, a speaker in the corner of the locker room sounded. The neutral tone of one of the staff members running things behind the scenes echoed throughout the otherwise empty locker room.
"Contestants, please step out into the tunnel. The announcers will call you out in 60 seconds, so ensure you're prepared to go on their signal."
Finally. That was his cue.
Taking one last steadying breath, Tetsuro moved into the duel stadium's tunnel as requested. The commentators, a pair of students from the broadcasting club, had just finished hyping up the upcoming duel.
It didn't take long for the announcement to come through.
"And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for! Two duelists locked in eternal conflict! Today, they'll be settling their age old grudge! Who will leave victorious, and who will have their dreams dashed against the ground?! Lets find out! Give a big round of applause for the synchro course's Yaiba Todo and the fusion course's Tetsuro Yamaguchi!"
The cheering of the crowd washed over Tetsuro as he stepped out into the stadium.
Letting a confident grin spread over his face, he kept one hand tucked in a pocket while he waved to his adoring fans with the other. It didn't matter that most of them hadn't heard of him before today; it only mattered that he was here to duel, and that meant entertaining them.
If they weren't his fans now, they would be within the hour.
The stands were fuller than he expected. About halfway to maximum capacity? There were still plenty of empty spaces so people weren't crammed together, but that was already pretty crazy considering that the stadium was designed to hold somewhere in the neighborhood of 20,000 people.
Where the hell did all these guys crawl out from? They couldn't all be students, right?
Shaking his head, he put the distracting thoughts aside.
Instead, he focused on his opponent.
Yaiba's battle-ready stare met Tetsuro's more casual gaze. The shorter teen looked like he was taking this pretty damn seriously, as expected. Such a look wouldn't be out of place on a gladiator in Rome.
Tetsuro's smile grew sharp as he returned his opponent's enthusiasm.
A small beep in his ear told him that his and Yaiba's mics had been activated by the broadcasting team. Everything they said from now on would be broadcast to the whole stadium.
"Yaiba." Tetsuro greeted the shorter duelist with a nod.
"Tetsuro." Returning the courtesy, Yaiba's grin turned feral. "I hope you enjoyed this last week of peace, because after today you won't be able to show your face around school for a month with how bad of a thrashing you're about to get."
He practically felt the crowd hiss as many people took in a breath at Yaiba's blunt approach. Like he was a hammer getting ready to pound down on a nail.
Unfortunately, if he expected Tetsuro to avoid smack talk, he had another thing coming. Talking a big game was one of his strong points. They were both hammers, so sparks would have to fly.
"That's some big talk for someone who was running like their life depended on it the last time I saw 'em. You sure you have the stomach to eat those words? Even if ya don't, I'm gonna cram them down your throat one way or another. Ya better get ready, punk!"
"Tch," Yaiba clicked his tongue dismissively, "If you have the skills, then force me to take back what I said. But from my perspective, it doesn't look like you've got it. The last time was just a matter of circumstance. Today we duel for real."
Most people didn't make the connection between the chase that Tetsuro and Yaiba had a few days prior when Yaiba woke his opponent up early in the morning. Instead, they assumed that such a situation was involved in what led to their 'duel to the death.'
The tension could be cut with a knife.
Both duelists let it simmer for just a few moments longer before raising their duel disk in synchronization.
"Duelists locked in battle!"
"Kicking the earth and dancing in the air!"
"They storm through this field!"
"Behold! This is the greatest evolution of dueling!"
""ACTION DUEL!""
[Tetsuro: 4000 / Yaiba: 4000]
'Damn, that was so embarrassing!' Tetsuro used all of his willpower to not cover his face with both hands. He could do embarrassing things no problemo if it was his own idea, but this damn chant really twisted his guts where he was weak.
Luckily, he didn't have too much time to stew on his shame, as the action field that had been selected took form.
The Solid Vision system spun to life and the stadium changed.
The previously modern stands where the crowd was seated turned into rows upon rows of stone bleachers, while the walls on all sides of the stadium gained the look of a half-crumbled Colosseum. Even the duel field they were standing on grew barren, as packed dirt and sand replaced the lush grass that had been there only moments before.
An ominous, purple fog slowly drifted in from an unseen place, obscuring portions of their vision just enough to give the duelists a few hiding spots while not interfering with the view of the crowd.
"Action Field: Savage Colosseum, set!" The announcer's voice rang out. "While active, all monsters on the field must attack if able! On top of that, for each attack they perform duelists will gain a 300 lifepoint bonus! There will be no holding back in this duel, and only one can emerge triumphant!"
The crowd's eager roar followed up the announcer's words. The two duelists on the field waited for their audience to settle down before beginning the match formally.
A few breaths of silence pervaded before Tetsuro broke it, speaking up to Yaiba.
"Since you were the one who issued this challenge, I'll claim the first move." He wasn't planning to be generous, taking the first turn for himself. Yaiba made no move to stop him.
Taking his starting hand of five cards from his duel disk's automated shuffler, Tetsuro glanced over the options he had available. Ze Amin's card stood out, and next to it was exactly what he was looking for.
The game was on!
Hoisting his first card high and throwing it onto his duel disk with a flourish, he felt Ze Amin manifest behind him in spirit form as she mimed his movements. The phantom of a fox-like mask hung over her head.
"I'll activate the effect of Noh-P.U.N.K. Foxy Tune in my hand! By discarding herself and another card, I can special summon a P.U.N.K. monster from my deck. I'll pitch a copy of Gold Pride - Captain Carrie in order to bring out a flashy guy after my own heart! Lets rock, Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Sharakusai!"
Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Sharakusai
LV: 3 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 600
Sharakusai blazed onto the field in a flash of neon and a riff of sound. With shocking blue hair and bright, rose colored glasses that wouldn't have looked out of place on Kamina's face, the Ukiyoe P.U.N.K. took center stage.
"Hehe, you think your little street musician is gonna be able to handle the heat of the arena?" Yaiba chimed in, eyes raking over Sharakusai in an unimpressed manner.
"You of all people should know better than to judge a book by its cover." Tetsuro shot back, "His art's a bang, and it has a special twist that you're about to see. But first, let me go ahead and add a little extra to his performance."
A slot on the side of Tetsuro's duel disk snapped open, drawing Yaiba's attention along with that of the audience.
"I'll activate a field spell - P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session!"
Field spells acted slightly differently within action duels compared to normal duels. Normally, a field spell would override the natural environment. However, in this case, the action field, Savage Colosseum, took up the majority of the space and the majority of the Solid Vision system's power. So instead of taking up the whole stadium, Extreme Session instead manifested in Tetsuro's half of the field.
A Tron-like grid of neon lines curved around Tetsuro, forming a sort of half-sphere in which his P.U.N.K. monsters could shine a little brighter.
"Sharakusai's monster effect activates! By paying 600 lifepoints, I can perform a fusion summon!"
-600!
A murmur went through a portion of the crowd who were familiar with the summoning mechanic. Performing a fusion summon without the use of a spell card was fairly rare, so some of them had never seen such a method. On top of that, taking damage voluntarily on the first turn of a duel was risky.
"I'll use Sharakusai on the field and Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin in my hand in order to fusion summon Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Rising Carp."
Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Rising Carp
LV: 8 / ATK: 1000 / DEF: 2600
Using the power he'd gained from Ze Amin, Sharakusai manifested a translucent carp that circled around him protectively. The new fusion monster looked nearly identical to the previous Sharakusai, but Rising Carp improved his defensive stats significantly while also giving him a brand new effect.
"On resolution, since I activated a psychic type monster's effect by paying lifepoints when I used Sharakusai, I can draw a card off of JAM Extreme Session."
"Hmm," Yaiba sneered, "You got back some hand advantage while also putting out a fusion monster on the first turn. It's a good strategy, though not nearly enough if you want to give me a challenge. I expected more from the fusion course."
His opponent gave both praise and ridicule in equal measure, eyebrows raised in expectation.
"Ya think I'm done with just this? You're right to expect more, so let me really give you a surprise!"
Tetsuro was in the perfect position to execute the plan he'd showcased to Masumi a few days earlier. If Yaiba thought he was just a fusion user, he was about to be in for a rude wake up call.
He had yet to reveal his synchro or xyz monsters within LDS, so they were still unknown. Only Mieru and the kids around when they had their match at the riverside knew of his synchro capabilities.
Which meant now was the time to show his metal for real!
"I'll activate Rising Carp's effect! By tributing himself, he can special summon two other P.U.N.K. monsters from the deck."
The spirit-like carp released a torrent of light as Tetsuro's monster vanished. In its place, two new figures stepped out. The first was Deer Note, looking as similar to Ze Amin as ever. The second figure was one he hadn't summoned before, draped in an intricate kimono of deep blues and purples, with a mechanical looking mask covering her face. A shadow could be seen behind her, nearly fading into the background.
Joruri-P.U.N.K. Madame Spider
LV: 3 / ATK: 900 / DEF: 600
Noh-P.U.N.K. Deer Note
LV: 5 / ATK: 2100 / DEF: 1800
"Now, since she made an appearance, let me go ahead and activate Madame Spider's effect. In exchange for 600 more lifepoints, I can add a P.U.N.K. trap card from my deck to my hand. I'll take Dangerous Gabu. Following that, JAM Extreme Session can activate one more time this turn, letting me draw one more card."
-600!
Taking his free card, Tetsuro grinned.
His opponent frowned at the move, brows furrowed.
"A fusion that brings out other materials?" Yaiba thought out loud before turning his question to Tetsuro, "Will you be using these two as fusion materials, then? I can't imagine that you'd simply waste your time fusion summoning only to replace your monster with regular ones and search out a trap card."
Tetsuro merely gave a careless shrug.
"You're half right." He admitted, "It's true that I'm gonna be usin' these two as material, but ya seem to be misunderstanding the way my deck's built. I may be in the fusion course, but that doesn't just limit me to fusion summoning, right? …And in case ya hadn't noticed, Madame Spider here has a bit extra going on for her."
Yaiba tilted his head in consideration for a brief moment before his eyes widened as he realized what Tetsuro was alluding to. Checking the cards on the field, he finally saw it.
"She's a tuner!" His shocked declaration caused a wave of murmurs to run through the crowd.
The synchro, fusion, and xyz courses had only existed for a few years, and there was little overlap between them. Most decks simply didn't support the ability to use multiple summoning methods, or if they did, it led to inferior plays when compared to sticking with one primary method.
Many duelists had tried it, of course. A few even managed to learn all three styles of summoning, but they still played separate decks for each one.
The only exception was a single duelist in LDS who used all three extra deck summoning mechanics in one deck, creating a playstyle that was greater than the sum of its parts…the heir himself, Reiji Akaba!
Tetsuro's eyes narrowed in wicked glee as Yaiba took a step backwards in surprise.
"Bingo!" he shouted out, "And here's your prize! Tuning!"
Bright stars surrounded his monsters as they broke down to become even stronger.
"Luminous souls, set your hearts ablaze! Beat as one! P.U.N.K JAM Dragon Drive!"
P.U.N.K. JAM Dragon Drive
LV: 8 / ATK: 2700 / DEF: 2400
Arriving in a flash of color, the twin spirits of Dragon Drive sent waves throughout the stadium's crowd. Two camera drones operated by the broadcasting club zoomed around them as Dragon Drive's image was captured on the large monitors surrounding the stands.
"The effect of Dragon Drive and Deer Note both activate here. I'll build the chain as Deer Note first, and Dragon Drive second - I'll pay 600 lifepoints in order to search a level 3 psychic type monster from my deck."
-600!
An additional copy of Ze Amin was ejected from his deck, which he caught between his fingers.
"As for Deer Note's effect, lets bring back the main man himself. I'll summon the Rising Carp that was sent to the graveyard earlier back to the field! C'mon out!"
With both a fusion and a synchro monster before him, Tetsuro only had one more step to do to complete his plan of drawing the attention of the big wigs within LDS. Luckily, he'd drawn exactly what he needed off of JAM Extreme Session's two extra draws.
"Next up, I'll activate the effect of Gold Pride - Leon from my hand. While my lifepoints are lower than my opponent, I can special summon him. On top of that, when he arrives he brings a friend! Come back from the grave, Captain Carrie!"
Gold Pride - Leon
LV: 3 / ATK: 1500 / DEF: 1200
Gold Pride - Captain Carrie
LV: 3 / ATK: 900 / DEF: 1700
"Carrie will grab me another trap card when she's summoned, so I'll take a copy of Gold Pride - Start Your Engines! On top of that, the clever folks in the audience have probably seen what I'm up to by now, so I won't keep 'em waiting."
Knowing what was coming, Leon and Carrie shared a look. The former kept a cool expression on his face that didn't betray his feelings, while the latter was practically bouncing with eager excitement.
"Using the level 3 Leon and the level 3 Captain Carrie, I'll build the overlay network! Rev up those engines, Gold Pride - Chariot Carrie!"
His two monsters jumped into the overlay network. Out the other end, the sound of roaring engines drew everyone's attention. Carrie burst out onto the field in a bizarre, bright pink chariot. The vehicle was drawn by four mechanical penguins in bandannas that looked like they were riding motorcycles.
Gold Pride - Chariot Carrie
RANK: 3 / ATK: 1900 / DEF: 2700
5D's eat your heart out, 'cause this is the next level of riding duels.
"CAN YOU BELIEVE IT, FOLKS?! THIS IS A CLEar displ-"
He could just barely make out the voice of the announcer over the crowd, shocked at the combination of fusion, synchro, and xyz monsters that now made up his field.
By his old standards, this board was frankly terrible. Dragon Drive and Rising Carp didn't actually have any effects, and Carrie had her own problems. But here…to perform these summons on his first turn was a symbol. A display of his power, and his ability as a duelist.
A bit odd, still, but the locals made the rules and he had to play by 'em.
For the first time since the duel began, Tetsuro moved from his spot as he swaggered his way toward Carrie's new ride. With a quick hop, he got onboard and sat down behind his lovely space pirate monster.
"C'mon Carrie, lets take this baby for a spin. This is an action duel, after all, so we gotta go get us some action cards! Put that pedal to the metal!"
The roar of her chariot's engine was the only answer he received before it thundered forward, getting a cheer from the audience and a startled explanation from the announcer that was drowned in the wind as they continued to pick up speed.
A brief bump and second of vertigo, and then they were airborne.
The jets on the back of the chariot blazed as they started a lap around the stadium, getting just above the crowd. Tetsuro kept his eyes peeled for any action cards hidden in the mist or within the Colosseum's structure.
As they flew, he kicked off his final play for the turn.
"Chariot Carrie's effect will now activate. I'll detach the Leon I have under her as material in order to search a copy of Gold Pride - Better Luck Next Time from my deck! From there, I'll set two cards face-down from my hand, and then activate Better Luck Next Time to search a copy of Gold Pride - Roller Baller! But I gotta pay the price for adding him."
-1800!
Taking another massive chunk out of his own lifepoints, Tetsuro reduced his already depleted life total even further.
[Tetsuro: 400 / Yaiba: 4000]
Between paying for three P.U.N.K. effects and searching for Roller baller, he'd paid a grand total of 3600 lifepoints just to conduct his opening move. He was now in range of most basic burn spells, with the exception of something truly terrible like Sparks. Even a Hinotama would quickly issue him his defeat, and the announcers were more than happy to let the audience know.
"AND TETSURO HAS CUT HIS LIFEPOINTS DOWN TO A SLIVER! WILL HIS MIRACULOUS TRIPLE SUMMON OPENER BE ENOUGH, OR HAS HE JUST MADE HIMSELF AN EASY TARGET?"
He'd taken long enough, so it was time to pass the turn to his opponent who had been relatively silent since he'd summoned Dragon Drive and shown that he wasn't just a fusion user.
"I'll special summon the Roller Baller I searched in defense mode, and with that I'll end my turn. You're almost up, Yaiba, but first we gotta clear up one more effect…since Carrie activated her effect this turn, she'll return to the Extra Deck during the end phase. Which is now!"
Gold Pride - Roller Baller
LV: 5 / ATK: 1800 / DEF: 1600
BOOM!
With a deafening boom, both Tetsuro and Carrie were sent flying from their chariot by a pair of super-powered ejection seats.
Since they'd been circling the arena from up high, their unexpected mid-air launch drew every eye in the stadium. A series of yells, shrieks, 'hell yeahs!', and other expletives sounded from the shocked crowd.
Tetsuro's eyes raked through the crowd as he fell, looking for a specific set of people.
Ah. There they were.
Professor Marco and Masumi were seated together, along with several other students from the fusion course. Marco's hands held a glittery, yellow poster with obnoxious green font that read, "GO TETSURO GO! WE HEART YOU!" while a few other students had caps and foam hands that they'd been using to cheer on their representative.
Tetsuro felt a tear come to his eye at the gesture. Or maybe it was just the speeding wind that was blasting his tear ducts?
He caught Marco and Masumi's gazes as he waved to them, enjoying their wide-eyed expressions. Masumi was the more extreme of the two, looking like she could catch flies with her wide open mouth. It was a shame he hadn't brought any gummy bears along, because he would definitely have thrown them to see if he could score a goal.
Ah well, can't have everything.
Before things got dangerous, and before the majority of the crowd's excitement could turn to fear, Tetsuro's ace monster made a move.
He only saw a flash of orange before his fall was interrupted and he found himself in Ze Amin's arms. The orange haori and the dragon mask she'd gained in her transformation to Dragon Drive floated gently on the breeze, a far-cry from his previous state where the wind had been whipping him on his way down to the ground.
The other half of Dragon Drive, Deer Note, had grabbed Captain Carrie as well.
"My hero." Tetsuro pretended to swoon as Ze Amin's blank gaze was tinged with a feeling of exasperation.
The image they presented probably looked ridiculous. Tetsuro was being carried in Ze Amin's arms like a damn princess. His thug-like demeanor, combined with the fact that he was a full two heads taller than his duel spirit, gave off an image that most people wouldn't be able to forget, for various reasons.
Still, he got a kick out of it.
Ze Amin was a badass, and everyone was gonna see it.
As she settled him back onto the ground, he drew one final card from the effect of Better Luck Next Time. Since a Gold Pride monster was returned to the extra deck during the end phase, he got a little bonus for his loss.
Carrie, who had been placed back onto solid ground by Deer Note, remained in defense position since she was summoned back by Chariot's effect.
First turn completed, he looked back at his opponent, who was staring at Dragon Drive with squinted eyes. Because there was no battle phase on the first turn of a duel, the effects of the Action Field, Savage Colosseum, were not applied.
"Your move, Yaiba! That is - if you think you can keep up! No shame in throwing in the towel if ya can't."
Yaiba's attention shifted back to Tetsuro, eyes burning. His hands were shaking, and his mouth twisted up into a battle-crazed smile.
"Throw in the towel? You're kiddin', right? I can barely hold back from laughin' out loud! The stronger you are the better! I thought I was just gonna show up the fusion course with this duel, but now it seems I'm gonna be known across the whole school as the top dog when I put you down. So don't you dare lose easily, give me the fight of your life!"
Having shouted out in glee, Yaiba ripped the top card off his deck, starting his turn.
"Lets me show you the power of my synchros! I'll activate the spell card, Tuner's High! By discarding the level one Attack Gainer in my hand, I can special summon a tuner monster with the same type and attribute, but one level higher, from my deck! Stand for battle, X-Saber Pashuul!"
X-Saber Pashuul
LV: 2 / ATK: 100 / DEF: 0
Thanks to Tuner's High, Pashuul rushed out of Yaiba's deck, landing on the field in a crouch. His greatsword and battle-scared purple armor gave away his nature as a warrior type monster.
"Next up, I'll normal summon XX-Saber Boggart Knight! When he's summoned, I can also summon another X-Saber monster from my hand. His comrade in arms will be XX-Saber Darksoul!"
In a single breath, Yaiba had summoned out another two monsters. One was a muscled knight in silver whose armor could only be described as a fantasy armored bikini, but for men. The second XX-Saber, Darksoul, hovered low as his red cloak obscured most of his body, a dangerous looking scythe gripped in his hands.
XX-Saber Boggart Knight
LV: 4 / ATK: 1900 / DEF: 1000
XX-Saber Darksoul
LV: 3 / ATK: 100 / DEF: 100
"A tuner and two non-tuners, eh?" Tetsuro observed, "It's time to bring out the big guns, then?"
"You're damn right!" Yaiba's response whipped out like lightning, and he didn't waste any time following up.
"Tuning! Using the level two Pashuul and the level four Boggart Knight, I'll synchro summon! Storming sword, clear the path for your allies! Strike like thunder! XX-Saber Hyunlei!"
The crackle of electricity heralded the coming of Yaiba's monster. Hyunlei appeared on the field with a rumble, her visor and helmet glowing a cyan blue. Sword sheathed, she was ready to be unleashed.
XX-Saber Hyunlei
LV: 6 / ATK: 2300 / DEF: 1300
"When Hyunlei is synchro summoned, I can destroy up to three spell or trap cards on the field! I'll wipe away your two face-downs, along with your Better Luck Next Time! Go!"
Faster than most could blink, Hyunlei's sword erupted from her scabbard, and a blade of lightning shot toward Tetsuro's backrow.
He barely had time to press a button on his duel disk in response. What the hell, that was a strategy too?! Just do things so quickly your opponent can't react in time?! That was a load of garbage! He was definitely gonna try it later, but it kind of defeated the purpose of a turn-based game, no!?
"I'll activate a trap - Joruri-P.U.N.K. Dangerous Gabu!"
Phew. Just barely.
Like a ghost, the wicked Gabu manifested behind Tetsuro, blocking the effect of Hyunlei with its haunting flames.
"Dangerous Gabu will negate the effect of your monster. On top of that, I'll gain lifepoints equal to its attack because I control a P.U.N.K. monster! Thanks for the pick-me-up, Dragon Drive."
+2300!
[Tetsuro: 2700 / Yaiba: 4000]
With his lifepoints back to non-critical levels, Tetsuro gained some extra breathing room against Yaiba's assault.
The X-Saber duelist did little more than give the trap a cursory glance, however, seemingly unconcerned. The fighting spirit in his eyes only grew brighter if anything.
"Saber Slash, activate!" Throwing a spell from his hand, Yaiba's play caused the few students who knew what the card did to cheer.
Tetsuro grimaced in response, also being familiar with it. Normally a destruction spell wouldn't be a big deal since he could tag out Roller Baller to swipe a few of his opponent's monsters with Pin Baller in response, but Saber Slash didn't target. It was like the inverse of the duel he'd previously had with Masumi. Even if he activated Roller Baller now, it would likely just be destroyed by Saber Slash before it had a chance to fuse, since it needed to use itself as material.
His only choice was to leave things be and hope Yaiba didn't know what he was doing.
"Saber Slash can destroy face-up cards equal to the number of attack position X-Saber monsters I control! I'll cut down your Rising Carp and Roller Baller!"
Of course.
Roller Baller was a card that he'd played within LDS before, so it was highly likely that Yaiba would have gotten some info on it. Or maybe his judgment was just good, so he recognized that the effect to quick fusion would be an issue if he didn't deal with it.
Either way, that was his best means of interaction taken out way too early.
"Battle!" Yaiba declared, shifting the phase forward.
Tetsuro eyed the Darksoul on his opponent's field. It looked like Yaiba was out of extenders, at least those that could serve as tuners. He'd summoned Darksoul in attack mode, which allowed it to increase the power of Saber Slash, but now that he'd entered the battle phase it would be forced to attack by the effects of the Action Field they were playing under.
It wasn't a call most players would make, but Tetsuro approved. Darksoul's effect was worth taking some damage for.
"Hyunlei, go! Cut down his Captain Carrie!" On Yaiba's order, XX-Saber Hyunlei launched herself forward. Carrie only had a brief moment to panic before she was slashed into pieces. Her defense wasn't able to stand up to Hyunlei's greater attack.
+300!
Additionally, due to the effect of the Action Field, Savage Colosseum, any time a monster attacked their owner would gain 300 lifepoints. It wasn't much, but the more attacks one declared the more such an effect could snowball.
Now, only Dragon Drive remained on Tetsuro's field.
Going from four monsters down to one, he was forced to once again acknowledge Yaiba's skill. While his field hadn't been crazy, he didn't expect it to get picked apart so cleanly without gaining any value.
Yaiba wasn't finished there, however!
"You may have given me a shock before, but now you're left with only a synchro monster! Your fusion and xyz are long gone, which means you're playing with toy knives in front of a pro sword fighter! Let me show you just how out-matched you are on my home ground! I activate the quick-play spell, Synchro Transcend!"
What the hell was that? Tetsuro wracked his brain, but he couldn't recall ever hearing about such a card!
"My target will be your Dragon Drive! With this card, I can special summon a synchro monster from my extra deck that's one level higher than yours! Its effects will be negated for this turn only, but that's a non-issue. Since yours is eight, mine will be nine! Take command of the battlefield, XX-Saber Gottoms!"
The large form of Yaiba's ace monster hit the field, causing the stadium beneath it to crack with the force of its arrival. Covered in a full suit of silver armor, the billowing red cloak on Gottoms' shoulders stood out sharply. A massive greatsword was in the monster's hand, and he didn't waste any time pointing it toward his adversary.
XX-Saber Gottoms
LV: 9 / ATK: 3100 / DEF: 2600
Before an attack could be declared, however, Tetsuro stopped Yaiba's momentum in its tracks.
"I'll activate my trap card! Gold Pride - Start Your Engines! Since you've summoned a monster, I can reveal three Gold Pride monsters from my deck, and a random one of them will be summoned! After that, your monster will be destroyed!"
"You think that'll be enough?!" Yaiba, unwilling to be outdone, slammed a new card onto his duel disk. "Action Card! Impenetrable Attack! With this, my Gottoms can't be destroyed by battle or card effects during this battle phase!"
"When did you get that, you sneaky bastard?!" Tetsuro fumbled. He hadn't even seen Yaiba move from his spot, while he had flown around on Carrie's chariot earlier but still hadn't managed to find anything.
"Oh? Ya gave me plenty of time while you were flyin' around on your pumpkin carriage, princess. You got to have a moment, while I got an action card. You should pay better attention, right?" Yaiba's smug look caused Tetsuro to grit his teeth as his lips raised in a snarl.
"Ya think yer funny, punk?! Gottoms may still be kickin', but my trap will summon a monster whether or not your card is destroyed. Lets crash this party, Gold Pride - Leon!"
An explosion accompanied Leon's appearance, as the "START!" sign from Start Your Engines hovered overhead for a brief moment.
Gold Pride - Leon
RANK: 3 / ATK: 1500 / DEF: 1200
"Leon's effect activates! When he's summoned, he can bring back a Gold Pride from my grave. C'mon back, Captain Carrie!"
Gold Pride - Chariot Carrie
RANK: 3 / ATK: 1900 / DEF: 2700
Both monsters were summoned in defense mode, shoring up Tetsuro's previously cracked defenses. Carrie's effect also triggered with her summon, adding a copy of Gold Pride - It's Neck and Neck to Tetsuro's hand.
Yaiba's eyes narrowed has he check out the changes on the field.
He was silent for a moment before declaring his next move.
"Gottoms, storm forward! Take out Gold Pride - Leon!"
Faster than his large frame would indicate, Gottoms cut down Tetsuro's newly summoned monster.
+300!
As Leon scattered into particles, another hum ran through the observing crowd. With Gottoms' sky-high attack stat, many questioned why Yaiba hadn't deigned to take out the bigger threat, Dragon Drive. Not only would that remove the stronger monster, but it would also deal some damage on top of that.
Now, unless he had another plan, it was likely that Tetsuro's ace would survive through to the next turn.
However, they were mistaken in their assumption that Dragon Drive was the biggest threat.
Yaiba, more than anyone, knew the value of a tuner monster. After recognizing what Leon was, he made the call to prioritize cutting off Tetsuro's access to additional synchro plays. Essentially, the known threat of Dragon Drive was much easier to deal with compared to the unknown threat that a new synchro monster could present.
On top of that…
"XX-Saber Darksoul, attack his Dragon Drive!"
Since his monster was in attack mode, Yaiba had no choice but to attack due to Savage Colosseum.
+300!
-2600!
[Yaiba: 4900 - 2600 = 2300]
With Darksoul's meager 100 attack points, the damage he took was substantial. Even the announcer got hyped up over the self-destructive play, but he recognized what Yaiba was doing and shared it with the audience.
"OH! Our synchro course representative has taken a massive hit due to his own attack! Rather than reducing the damage he'd take by attacking the defense position Captain Carrie, he went all in and attacked Dragon Drive, destroying his own monster! Will he gain any advantage from this?! It's a dangerous play, but this is what it means to duel in the confines of the Savage Colosseum!
[Tetsuro: 2700 / Yaiba: 2300]
Tetsuro nodded. He would have made the same play in Yaiba's shoes. Not only would this enable Darksoul's effect, but it would also get rid of a liability on his field. If he chose to attack Carrie, he'd only be taking 1600 damage, but then he'd still have a 100 attack monster remaining on his field.
At that point, it would be easy for Tetsuro to clean up.
"With that, I'll end my turn. During the end phase, the effect of XX-Saber Darksoul activates! Because he was sent from the field to the graveyard this turn, I can add an X-Saber monster from my deck to my hand. I'll choose XX-Saber Fulhelmknight!"
The turn swung back.
At this point, their fields looked relatively even.
On Yaiba's side, there were XX-Saber Gottoms and XX Saber Hyunlei.
On Tetsuro's side, there were Gold Pride - Captain Carrie and P.U.N.K. JAM Dragon Drive. He also still had two face-up spells in Gold Pride - Better Luck Next Time and P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme session, however, those two weren't active threats to his opponent.
The true disparity, however, was noticed by those keen duelists who watched on with bated breath. The X-Saber duelist had dumped nearly all of his resources into his play, leaving him with only a single, known card in his hand. His opponent was in a much better position. Thanks to the continued drawing and searching that the P.U.N.K. duelist's cards offered, he had a full hand of cards.
As Tetsuro drew his card to begin his turn, his advantage increased further.
Before he went into his main phase, Yaiba moved. It seemed he was no longer willing to stand still as he jumped onto the shoulder of XX-Saber Gottoms. Rather than sitting down, he showed an impressive sense of balance as he stood tall atop his monster's broad shoulder.
"Lets go, Gottoms. We'll need to requisition some action cards for the upcoming battle!"
Tetsuro's eyes flickered around as well, but the fog of the Savage Colosseum prevented him from making out any action cards in immediately view. Even the figures of Yaiba and Gottoms fell in and out of view as they traversed the terrain. Only XX-Saber Hyunlei remained up close, guarding against his potential moves.
A better entertainment duelist would be able to stay on the move, find action cards, and play the game all at the same time. However, Tetsuro admitted that he was lacking in this department.
He considered himself a good duelist, but trying to keep his plays optimal while flying through the damn sky riding a monster was a whole 'nother level.
…Riding duels would probably be even harder, since they had to control their motorcycles while dueling. How fast did those adrenaline junkies drive? Too fast for his blood. At least in an action duel his monsters were autonomous, so he didn't have to worry about smashing himself into paste on the ground.
Damn, he'd never make fun of card games on motorcycles again.
This was tough
Still, he didn't have time for a pity party. His turn was still on!
"Ze Amin, time to show this punk what you're made of!" Using his normal summon, Ze Amin took the stage next to Dragon Drive and Captain Carrie.
Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin
LV: 3 / ATK: 600 / DEF: 600
"I'll pay 600 lifepoints in order to activate Ze Amin's effect, searching another P.U.N.K. monster from my deck. I'll take a copy of Deer Note, and ya probably know the drill by now - my field spell will trigger, letting me draw a card since I paid lifepoints."
-600!
Drawing one more card, he thought he saw a brief frown on Yaiba's face before his opponent vanished from view again in the fog.
Since he didn't have anything in response to Ze Amin's summon, however, that meant Tetsuro had a free shot at taking the game right here.
Since his opponent was kind enough to give him the chance, how could he not take it?
"Well, Yaiba, its been fun but I think it's about time I wrap this duel up! Yer Gottoms is a big fella, but how about I show you an even higher level monster?"
"OH!" The announcer chimed in as the crowd cheered, "Although the duel has only just entered its third turn, Yamaguchi is already prepared to declare his victory! Is that bluster or confidence?! Lets see what he has in store!"
"Wrap it up?!" Yaiba, clearly unhappy with his opponent looking down on him, shouted, "You think I'm just gonna roll over? Try it and see!"
"Ya don't even need to ask! Tuning!" Ze Amin struck a pose as Tetsuro mirrored her movements. Where previously she had been following his lead, now he was the one following her steps as she prepared for their big push. "Using the level 3 Ze Amin and the level 8 Dragon Drive, I'll synchro! Majestic dragon of amethyst scales, let your heartbeat thunder across the sky! Level 11! Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Amazing Dragon!
Like Shenron erupting out of the dragon balls, Amazing Dragon formed where the stars of the synchro summon aligned, soaring into the air.
It went up and up and up some more.
The titanic form of his dragon practically covered half of the arena, its serpentine body coiling in the air as the audience screamed and shouted in awe. Scales of blue and scales of crimson covered its body. Not many duel monsters came in packages this big, but Amazing Dragon broke the mold just by hanging around.
Ukiyoe-P.U.N.K. Amazing Dragon
LV: 11 / ATK: 3000 / DEF: 2800
Finally, it settled in the air and gazed down at Yaiba, who was looking on with shock reflected in his eyes. However, he quickly shook his head to refocus, eyes flitting to the side and targeting a card that had lodged itself in the side of the Colosseum. He dived toward the action card like a man possessed.
Tetsuro blitzed on, trying to deny Yaiba's last gamble.
"Amazing Dragon's effect activates! When he's summoned, he can return monsters on your field to the hand up to the number of level 3 psychic monsters I control or in my grave! By my count, that means it's time to say bye-bye to your field!"
The wind stirred around Amazing Dragon, getting ready to blow Gottoms and Hyunlei away.
Its yellow eyes glowed with a fierce light as its effect activated.
Gottoms could only raise his sword in a futile act of defiance, but he had no way to stop the dragon's ability.
"ACTION MAGIC!" Yaiba's voice broke through the storming wind, "STAND-OFF!"
"Yer kidding me?!" Tetsuro lost his cool as Yaiba's heart of the cards-ass play paid off. He could only watch in shock as Amazing Dragon's effect was negated.
"This action card lets me target an attack position monster on each field. As long as they both remain face-up, their effects are negated. On top of that, they can't be destroyed by battle, are unaffected by other cards, and they can't attack or change their battle positions!"
Yaiba's explanation nearly caused Tetsuro to pop a blood vessel.
"An action card does all that?! How damn lucky can you get?"
"Say what you want," Yaiba's sneer morphed into a sharp grin, "but I'm still in this duel, and you're not gonna be able to get rid of my Gottoms so easily. Hope ya came with a plan B, because that dragon of yours isn't gonna cut it."
Tetsuro grimaced, realizing his situation. With Amazing Dragon shut down, that actually put him in a bad spot for this turn.
Stand-Off's condition was that both monsters had to remain face-up to keep the invulnerability, which mean he'd need to get rid of his own dragon before taking care of Gottoms.
Normally he'd have ways of clearing his own field of monsters, but his current hand didn't allow it. Link monsters weren't around so that easy option was off the table, and he'd already normal summoned Ze Amin earlier like an idiot instead of using JAM Session…
"Damn it!" He cursed, gritting his teeth, but his response only caused Yaiba to cackle.
Still, while it may not be ideal, but he wasn't out of options just yet.
"Don't get too happy yet, pal! Since Stand-Off was activated in response to my Amazing Dragon, I can use my Dragon Drive's effect from the grave. It'll summon itself back to the field!"
Just as Tetsuro said, Dragon Drive reappeared in a flash of light. The pair's eyes flickered briefly toward Amazing Dragon before returning to their opponent.
"Gottoms may be able to stick around, but the same can't be said for your other monster. Go, Dragon Drive! Attack Hyunlei!"
+300!
-400!
Dragon Drive's 2700 attack was easily able to overwhelm the XX-Saber's 2300. Plus, the additional 300 lifepoints from Savage Colosseum added back half of what Tetsuro had spent earlier in the turn activating Ze Amin.
[Tetsuro: 2400 / Yaiba: 1900]
It was Gottoms against the world on Yaiba's side, being the only remaining card on his field.
With a scowl, Tetsuro set a trap card face-down. He then turned to Dragon Drive, taking a leap into Ze Amin's arms once again.
The duel spirit caught her grumpy master without comment, taking off and flying around to search for action cards as Tetsuro left his opponent with his final words for the turn.
"I'll end my turn here. Ya got another shot, so better make it count!"
During the End Phase, Savage Colosseum activated. Dragon Drive and Carrie were spared from its wrath, since the former had attacked and the latter was in defense mode. Amazing Dragon, on the other hand, was struck with black lightning from the sky as if it were receiving divine punishment.
However, the effect of Stand-Off rendered it immune to other card effects, even the very action field they dueled upon.
In the end, the lightning had struck down in vain.
Yaiba ignored the light show in favor of gazing at his deck with firm eyes. He even ignored Tetsuro as he soared around the field searching for an action card.
As much as he was talking it up for the crowd, only he knew how bad his situation really was. His opponent's dragon was sealed for the moment, but knowing Tetsuro it wouldn't buy him more than a turn. If he didn't turn things around now, he'd be hard pressed to keep up with the momentum of this duel.
"C'mon," he urged as he set his fingers on his deck, "Don't let me down!"
As if he were drawing a sword, he whipped the top card off his deck. Letting his eyes wander over his draw, his expression was grim.
He saw his path forward.
"I'll activate Gottoms' Second Call!" The spell card hit the field, "Since I control an X-Saber synchro monster, I can special two X-Sabers from my graveyard. I'll bring back Hyunlei and Darksoul!"
As Gottoms raised his sword, both monsters were called back to the field.
"Now, I'll summon XX-Saber Fulhelmknight from my hand!"
XX-Saber Fulhelmknight
LV: 3 / ATK: 1300 / DEF: 1000
"Tuning!" upon Yaiba's command, Fulhelmknight and the Hyunlei that he'd just revived converged as stars lit up the field.
The total count was nine!
"Since the first one is incapacitated, a new commander will take to the field! Prepare to charge, XX-Saber Gottoms!"
XX-Saber Gottoms
LV: 9 / ATK: 3100 / DEF: 2600
"Begin by activating your effect by tributing Darksoul!"
Unlike the previous Gottoms, this one didn't have its effect negated by anything, allowing it to immediately use its effect to tribute an X-Saber monster in order to rip a card out of his opponent's hand.
Even flying through the air as he was, Gottoms zoned in on Tetsuro's hand and struck a card out of it, sending it to the graveyard.
Yaiba knew that he'd need to catch up in card advantage to win this duel. Even now, after having lost one, Tetsuro still had three additional cards in his hand. Meanwhile, Yaiba himself had none, relying only on his two monsters to keep him in the game.
Still, he believed in his deck! Gottoms had seen him through harder places than this!
"Gottoms, go!" With a shout, Yaiba wasted no time as he entered the Battle Phase quickly, "Destroy his Dragon Drive before he can get ahold of an action card!"
+300!
Tetsuro swallowed down a curse as his opponent's armored monster rocketed towards him.
Dragon Drive was far quicker, reacting before Tetsuro even called out a command. Dipping down from their flight, they placed Tetsuro back on solid ground before flying forward toward the oncoming Gottoms.
Unfortunately, despite Dragon Drive's bravery, the attack point difference between the two was an insurmountable wall.
-400!
Tetsuro watched as his monster was scattered in motes of light. The wind generated by the impact blew his hair as he shifted his gaze to Yaiba.
His opponent didn't back down, meeting his eyes with a fierce expression.
Unfortunately, that was all he could do.
"During my End Phase, Darksoul will activate. I'll add a copy of Faultroll to my hand. With that…"
"I end my turn." Yaiba declared.
[Tetsuro: 2000 / Yaiba: 2200]
"AND WITH A STRIKING COMEBACK, TOUDOU TAKES THE LEAD! HOW WILL HIS OPPONENT DEAL WITH TWO MONSTERS WITH OVER 3000 ATTACK A PIECE?!"
The crowd roared and cheered as the announcers praised Yaiba's play. Perhaps they knew how bad the situation was and were just playing it up, or perhaps they really had no idea that Yaiba's chances of winning had slipped down through the ground.
Tetsuro drew his card for turn, eyes flickering over his new card before ignoring it. It wasn't important here, even if it would be useful in other circumstances.
After all, he already had the card he needed in hand thanks to Ze Amin's effect last turn!
"I'll special summon Gold Pride - Leon from my hand since my lifepoints are lower than yours! You don't have to worry about him bringing a friend, though, because I won't be activating his effect to revive a monster. Carrie on the field is plenty already, so I'll synchro summon!"
As soon as Leon hit the field, Carrie had already rushed over.
"Level six! Time to shine, Star Leon!"
Gold Pride - Star Leon
LV: 6 / ATK: 2000 / DEF: 2000
Jumping off of his mechanical horse, Leon snapped his fingers and it began transforming into its powered suit form. It encased him quickly, leaving him in a golden suit of armor that enhanced his power greatly.
"I'll activate Star Leon's effect!" Testuro declared, eying the Gottoms that Yaiba had summoned most recently. It wasn't affected by the immunity of Stand-Off, meaning it was a sitting duck before Star Leon's effect.
"With this, Star Leon will gain attack equal to your monster! Exceed Limit!" Calling out the name of Leon's ability, Tetsuro watched it strike home on Gottoms. "On top of that, since my lifepoints are lower, your Gottoms will be destroyed."
ATK: 2000 + 3100 = 5100
With the addition of Gottoms' massive attack stat, Star Leon climbed even higher, surpassing the 5000 limit that even ludicrous monsters like Five-Headed Dragon sat on.
Yaiba watched with a scowl, flinching as his monster was destroyed.
Now, staring at the attack power of Leon, he was backed into a corner.
But he wasn't out yet!
"That's a damn big monster, but it's not enough. Don't forget that because of Stand-Off, my remaining Gottoms can't be destroyed by battle! He may have been forced to remain in attack position, but you don't have the power to defeat me while he's still standing!"
As if his monster could understand Yaiba's words, Gottoms stood protectively in front of him.
His red cloak billowed in the wind like a flag on the battlefield.
This was Yaiba's last line of defense.
He had a lone card in his hand and a single monster on the field. Compared to Tetsuro who not only had Star Leon, but also the invincible Amazing Dragon still on his field along with a hand full of cards, it was like having his back against the wall.
But even so, he truly believed that he could turn the situation around. Even if Leon attacked, at most he would take 2000 points of damage, leaving him with 200 lifepoints to spare.
Additionally, that Amazing Dragon was helping him more than hindering him at this point. As long as it remained on the field, his Gottoms was invincible as well. Considering that dragon's high level, it would be almost impossible for Tetsuro to get rid of it, since synchroing or xyzing with it would require an even stronger monster. Even fusion spells wouldn't be any use, since it was unaffected by other card effects.
Then, if he could draw an X-Saber monster for his turn, he'd be able to use Faultroll to make a comeback.
This was his road to victory!
But…
"Do you think I'll let you have another turn?!" Tetsuro's gaze was blazing, "You may have caught me off guard last time, but it won't happen again! This duel's mine!"
Raising a card from his hand into the air, Tetsuro slammed it down onto his duel disk.
"I'll tribute Amazing Dragon in order to summon Deer Note!"
Just like that, Amazing Dragon shattered, giving way to Tetsuro's tribute summoned monster. With one of the two monsters targeted by Stand-Off no longer on the field, the other lost the extra effects applied by the action card.
Noh-P.U.N.K. Deer Note
LV: 5 / ATK: 2100 / DEF: 1800
Deer Note's ever-present smile was directed at Yaiba, even as his expression fell.
"A tribute summon?!" Yaiba was so confident that Tetsuro wouldn't be able to get rid of Amazing Dragon through synchro, xyz, and fusion that he had overlooked the most basic of the basics.
He had gotten tunnel vision! It was an armature mistake that he'd thought himself above.
"Now," Tetsuro continued, ignoring the roaring of the crowed, "it's a bit of BM, but I think it's only appropriate for me to end this with my personal ace monster. Sorry Yaiba, but I gotta style just a little bit. Forgive me, yeah?"
Yaiba's expression barely shifted, still staring at Deer Note in disbelief.
Seeing his lack of response, Tetsuro continued his play.
"I'll activate the effect of P.U.N.K. JAM Extreme Session. By banishing a P.U.N.K. from my grave, I can special another from my hand. In this case, I'll banish Dragon Drive in order to summon out Ze Amin from my hand."
Appearing in a swirl of purple and orange, Ze Amin's blank gaze drifted toward Tetsuro. Her green eyes lingered for a moment, apparently having found what she was looking for, before she shifted her attention back to their opponent.
Noh-P.U.N.K. Ze Amin
LV: 3 / ATK: 600 / DEF: 600
"Now, it's time to end this. Star Leon, go!"
The boosters on the back of Leon's suit flared to life, blasting a wave of heat into the surroundings as he rocketed at Gottoms. Without the protection of Stand-Off, there was only one result for Gottoms in the face of Star Leon's barrage.
Defeat!
BOOM!
With a crash that shook the whole field, Star Leon's power that had been bolstered to over 5000 pulverized Gottoms, not even allowing the monster a chance to defend.
-2000!
[Tetsuro: 2000 / Yaiba: 200]
Yaiba was left with only a sliver of life. Had Gottoms survived, he'd be safe for another turn, but that wasn't the situation he was in.
Now, his field was empty.
"Ze Amin, it's your move. Finish him off."
Giving a short nod, Ze Amin aimed her fan at Yaiba. With a wave, a blast of energy was sent out. Compared to Star Leon's cataclysmic attack, it seemed tiny in comparison.
However, it was enough.
-600!
[Tetsuro: 2000 / Yaiba: 0]
"AND THAT'S GAME!" The stadium shook as the crowd cheered and the announcers declared Tetsuro's victory, "IN A DISPLAY OF SKILL THAT CAN ONLY BE COMPARED TO LDS' VERY OWN CEO, TETSURO YAMAGUCHI HAS SEALED HIS WIN AGAINST THE TOP STUDENT OF THE SYNCHRO COURSE, YAIBA TOUDOU! WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR…"
They kept going on, but Tetsuro ignored the noise in favor of approaching the shell-shocked Yaiba.
"Nice game, buddy." He snickered now that it was over, "We really got everyone hyped up, and that Stand-Off play was crazy cinematic. The only way it coulda been better is if we were both playing samurai decks!"
Snapping out of his previous state, Yaiba shook his head.
He let out a deep sigh before bringing both hands up to slap himself awake.
"Ouch!"
"The hell you hittin' yourself for?" Tetsuro look at him confused.
"Eh, don't worry about it. I just needed ta wake up, ya know?" Yaiba shrugged, not deigning to answer Tetsuro's quesiton. "But you're right, that was one hell of a duel. Didn't think I'd be on the losing end, but that's how it goes sometimes in battles I suppose. Don't expect me to roll over so easy next time, though."
Yaiba shrugged uncaringly before sticking out his hand. "Good game."
Tetsuro grinned.
"Good game."
...
...
The rest of the day passed in a flash as Tetsuro rode the high of his victory.
Sure, it wasn't some crazy shadow game with the fate of the world in the balance, but it was his first real action duel in front of a massive crowd of people like that. He had been so focused on the duel itself at the time that he hadn't really stopped to think about the scale of things, but after winding down with his win in his pocket, he ended up getting the jitters when he was back in his dorm room.
The praises about his win from Marco, the taunts about his misplays from Masumi, and hundreds of other bits and pieces he'd received in wake of his duel played on repeat in his mind.
The energy didn't leave his body for over an hour after getting home, during which he practically bounced off the walls and annoyed Ze Amin so much that she practically shoved him into his bed to chill out.
Now, after the sun had set, he'd finally calmed down.
Sitting cross-legged, he had a pillow propped against the headboard of his bed as he sat and watched some of the evening duel channels on the TV. He really wished he had a couch for stuff like this, but his tiny dorm room didn't have the space for even a little two-seater.
Oh well, beggars and choosers and all that.
Even as his gaze lingered on the duel replays being broadcasted, his hand drifted down, fingers lightly combing through the hair of his duel spirit as she rested her head on his lap. She was warm to the touch, despite being essentially a monster ghost.
Apparently, as payment for winning the duel and dealing with his hyped up mood, Ze Amin wanted to be pampered for a while.
He huffed in amusement at the spirit, even as his hand kept doing its work.
Despite the blank expression that always rested on her face, his partner could be social and express herself in the oddest of ways. Was she some kind of dog in need of affection?
"Really, sometimes I think I got a little too lucky…" his voice was quiet, but loud enough to carry over the hum of the TV.
Ze Amin opened her eyes to briefly look up at him before shutting them once again.
Just as Tetsuro was about to tease her, however, something new popped up on the duel channel they were listening to, catching his full attention.
"That was a great replay just now, Sachiko! But now, lets move on to some of the upcoming pro-duels for everyone to look forward to. And what a big one we have to start us off! If you haven't been living under a rock, you've likely heard by now, but the reigning champion has been challenged! With a duel set to take place three days from now in…"
Tetsuro's hand froze as his eyes locked onto the screen.
A duel-news anchor he couldn't recall the name of was talking about an upcoming championship duel for the pro circuit. Normally, that wouldn't catch his interest. He'd reviewed several older duels by the current champion, Strong Ishijima, and found the guy pretty lacking. Outside of "beating" Yusho Sakaki by no-show, he hadn't dueled since.
Just about any of the top LDS students could likely wipe the floor with him.
How he kept his spot for so long without a real duel under his belt was a mystery, but Tetsuro was willing to bet that it involved a lot of bribes, the disinterest of better duelists like Akaba Reiji, and a whole bundle of circuit regulations that disallowed duelists from participating without meeting certain criteria.
But now that dog water champion was going to duel for the first time in his reign.
Against Yuya Sakaki, the protagonist of Arc V.
The red-and-green haired boy shown in the duel-news cast was undoubtedly Yusho's son. The confident smile that decorated his face was a mirror image of the older man.
Tetsuro felt a bit surreal for a moment, but it was just a brief flash in the pan before the full weight of the situation fell upon him. Would they be getting a new champion? Yeah, it was sure. Was pendulum about to be magicked into existence? Yep. That was gonna be a pain in the ass, considering it was under the old pendulum rules…no link arrow restrictions, just infinite spam every turn.
Yuck.
But the most important thing this represented wasn't just in this one duel. It wasn't even a new summoning mechanic.
This was it.
The beginning.
Whatever was left of canon with his interference thus far was about to kick off.
He was absolutely going to get involved, but he was hoping for more time. He hadn't even managed to find the Xyz duelists yet! His previous plans crumbled to dust in his mind before he even had the chance to implement them. Still, this was just another chance.
He wouldn't be swept up like a helpless passenger in a storm.
He would be the storm itself!
He would…!
In the middle of his monologuing thoughts, he was snapped out of it by Ze Amin's hand being placed upon his own.
For a moment, his heart was touched. He was really blessed with the best duel spirit, she could even sense his feelings and provided him support! She was seriously the best! She was…
She grabbed his hand lightly, moving it back and forth over her hair. Her neon-green gaze met his. Looking up at him, her eyes seemed to say, "Why did you stop petting me? Hurry up, back to it."
The fuzzy feeling in his heart shattered into pieces.
With an aggrieved sigh, he resumed brushing Ze Amin's hair. The duel spirit, satisfied that he was no longer distracted, closed her eyes once again.
"Seriously, you…"
Ignoring her contractor's complaints, she enjoyed the uneventful night.
A/N:
X-Sabers were hard to write. I played it back in the day so I know the cards, but it's just so underpowered compared to something like Gold Pride PUNK it was hard to keep it interesting. I think it's fine that Yaiba was on the backfoot, but hopefully it was still fun enough to read.
I'm unsure if I'll keep duels this long in the future or if I'll shorten them a bit. It was only 5 turns here, but with the crowd, action cards, etc. I can see it being hard to keep track of for readers. I'd be curious about any feedback on this - How do you feel about the complexity of this duel? Too much? Not enough? Just right?
I'm jealous of GX and DM fanfics because it's so much nicer to write...! I also want to write "normal summon, pass."
In other news, action cards. I opted to use cards that actually exist - I just made them action cards instead of what they really care. Stand-Off is a normal spell that would see zero play in reality but fit pretty well into a duel like this. I plan to do the same thing moving forward as well.
