Chapter 10: The War Begins
Terminus stood in Hanoi's sanctuary and looked at the two screens in front of him. The left one showed the events happening in LINK VRAINS. Right now, his comrade Dr. Genome had started a Speed Duel with Go Onizuka. From Terminus's memory, they were about equally skilled, so he couldn't say who would win. As for the other…
He turned to the right screen. It was a list of Morningstar's known duels and summaries of them. It listed duels against a Knight of Hanoi, Go Onizuka, Watcher, Spectre, and Lilith. Terminus was certain Morningstar had had other duels, but these were the only ones Hanoi had data on.
He had to admit, he was impressed with Morningstar's skills. He had managed to defeat one of the most powerful Charisma Duelists out there and Revolver's right-hand. But something about the latter confused him.
"Terminus." He turned and saw Spectre materialize behind him. "Why are you here? I assumed you would be with Baira and Faust, observing Dr. Genome's duel."
"I am," he answered, gesturing to the left screen. "But I figured I'd take this time to study one of our opponents." Spectre stepped up and looked at the right screen.
"Ah, Morningstar. A dangerous opponent. He even defeated the custom card that Master Revolver made to deal with him. And he did so easily."
"I wished to speak to you about that, actually," Terminus said, interrupting Spectre's musings. "I've seen your real Deck; you didn't use it against Morningstar. Why?"
Spectre smiled. "Two reasons. The first was because Master Revolver wished for me to test Neo Cracking Dragon against a worthy opponent. He wanted me to determine if it was viable for our members to use."
"And?"
"It is not. Difficulty to summon aside, it is only really powerful against Link Monsters. Therefore, it would only hurt Morningstar and Playmaker, two duelists who rely heavily on Link Monsters. And since Morningstar overcame it, Master Revolver saw no reason to believe that Playmaker would not do the same." Spectre's eyes narrowed. "No, we have more effective tools than Neo Cracking Dragon. And they are much easier to use."
"I see. And the second reason you didn't use your Deck?"
"Because even though Playmaker would not be seeing me duel, Master Revolver feared that Morningstar would form an alliance with Playmaker. He had me use one of our standard Decks so to keep my strategies hidden from Morningstar and Playmaker. That way, when the time comes, I can throw Morningstar off his game if I duel him again."
"This was before Dr. Kogami set his plan in motion," Terminus said, frowning. "Revolver thought that far ahead?"
"He anticipated the possibility of failure, as small as it may have been," Spectre said. "He figured maintaining an element of surprise for the future would be a good idea." Spectre looked at the right screen again. "So, tell me; what have you concluded from studying Morningstar?"
"That his reputation as 'the Devil of LINK VRAINS' is earned," Terminus said. "His strategies revolve primarily around Link Summoning; I have yet to see a single monster from his Main Deck with over 2000 attack points. Still, he does have cards that increase his monsters' attack points." He brought up an image of Cyspirit Lancer.
"Most of his monsters and Spell Cards revolve around swarming and Special Summoning from the Graveyard," Terminus continued. "Since his Cyspirit Link Monsters gain effects depending on how many monsters they point to, this is a necessary addition to his arsenal. He also makes use of cards that enable multiple attacks, since cards like his Datastorm Dragon have effects that benefit the more they can attack. His Trap Cards, on the other hand, are primarily defensive in nature, with some also having searching abilities. This protects him from taking damage, while he also gets the cards he needs to undertake his best strategies."
"We observed during his duel with Watcher that he makes use of cards that manipulate the opponent's field as well," Spectre noted.
"Yes, I saw that too. His Mad Mongrel and Thrilled Tunneler both have removal effects that bypass standard anti-destruction efforts. Rather clever of him." Terminus narrowed his eyes. "In summary, Morningstar's Deck is capable of multiple strategies that are meant to keep his opponents guessing. But he does have one major weakness. One you exploited against him, at least temporarily."
"His Cyspirit Link Monsters all require Cyspirit monsters," Spectre said, understanding where Terminus was going with this. "Yes, I hindered him, however briefly, when I used my Dragonoid Generator. But he had a card to get around that effect."
"Yes, he did. I wonder how he would do against Faust and his Motor Worms," Terminus mused. He then turned to the left screen. "In any event, I should watch Genome's duel with Go Onizuka. If Genome fails, I might have to pick up the slack."
Morningstar looked around him at the black tornadoes and the transparent dome. "Cam, what is this?" he asked into his earpiece. In the back room of Café Junpei, Cam scowled.
"I'm not sure, Yasu. The readings are strange. It looks like someone intensified the Data Storm in that area. If I'm right, that means you should be able to ride your D-Board in this area without actually being on a data stream." His scowl intensified. "Our systems are identifying the program as a 'Data Gale.'"
"A method to intensify Speed Duels," Morningstar said, then scowled. "But it's doing more than that. I can't log out. Whatever this dome is, it's keeping me trapped here."
"I-. Hang on," Cam said, going to a different screen. He opened the news on LINK VRAINS. He'd turned it off to focus on Galahad's duel, but now he figured that the main station would show what was going on. And he was right.
"Uh oh."
"What is it?"
"Go Onizuka's dueling a Knight of Hanoi," Cam told him. "Someone going by the name of Dr. Genome. It looks he was the one who activated this thing."
"Go Onizuka?" Morningstar repeated, surprised. "I haven't heard anything about Go since I dueled him. Is the news saying why they're dueling?"
Cam scowled. "It's an ante duel," he said. "If Onizuka wins, he gets the Another removal program."
"Well that's good."
"Yeah, but what Onizuka is offering isn't. He said that he knows who Playmaker is."
Morningstar's eyes widened. "What? He knows Playmaker's identity?" Did Fujiki make a mistake around Onizuka?
"I don't know. Most likely, it's just a lie to get Dr. Genome's attention. But if it's true…"
"…Where are they?" Morningstar asked Cam. "They have to be in this dome with me, right?"
"They are. Their duel just started. You should be able to find it if you look around."
"Got it. I'll see if I can find them." Morningstar pointed his Duel Disk towards the top of a nearby building and fired his Data Anchor. He used it as a grappling hook to pull himself up to the top. If Go was dueling a Knight of Hanoi, it would be easier to find them from a greater height.
After about five minutes of jumping over the rooftops, Morningstar finally found Go and his opponent, and- what the? Morningstar rubbed his eyes. He was sure he was seeing this wrong. He opened his Duel Disk's camera and zoomed in on Go's face. No, his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Go was wearing a black and white mask with a mane of teal hair. And the monster he had, which Morningstar recognized as Gouki Thunder Ogre, was also wearing a mask.
What is Onizuka doing? Morningstar wondered. Deciding he needed a closer look, he released the drone from his Duel Disk and set it to record both audio and visual. He then set it off after Go and his opponent, who Morningstar could now see had green hair and a yellow and silver mask covering his left eye, and a monster identified as Helixx Marmotroll on his field.
"Show me Dark Onizuka's DNA," Dr. Genome said. That was the first thing the drone picked up. Dark Onizuka? Seriously? That was such a tacky name.
"You won't be so calm anymore!" Go said. "I activate the Spell Card: Gouki Poison Mist! Take this!" Morningstar couldn't help but snicker when Go spat purple liquid in Dr. Genome's face. Okay, the name "Dark Onizuka" was lame, but that was a good move.
Morningstar watched as Go used his Thunder Ogre's effect to Normal Summon Gouki Riscorpio, then have it throw Riscorpio at Marmotroll. Morningstar understood what Go was doing; because Riscorpio was at Thunder Ogre's Link Marker when it was destroyed, Thunder Ogre became stronger. Go had taken a little damage to increase his monster's attack points. Risky, but clever. He also found out that the mask Thunder Ogre was now wearing was not just decorative; it also dealt Dr. Genome damage when Thunder Ogre's effect activated. Not a bad strategy.
Morningstar frowned to himself. He remembered Go's strategy from their duel; let himself take damage to make his opponents look stronger, then overpower them with battle damage. Go wasn't playing the same strategy this time.
"Cam, what happened before I showed up?" he asked over the earpiece. "When did Onizuka put that mask on?"
"Right when he activated the Equip Spell Card: Gouki Dark Mask and turned Thunder Ogre into Dark Thunder Ogre," Cam answered. "He said the mask was him signaling a heel turn."
"A heel turn?"
"It's a wrestling term," Cam explained. "It's when the good guy, or the face, becomes a bad guy, or the heel. Onizuka seems to have invoked a heel turn to show his dueling has changed since his duels with you and Playmaker."
"So it would seem." Morningstar turned back to the duel, just as Go used his Skill to bring back Riscorpio to repeat his combo. He had to admit that while Dr. Genome seemed despicable from what Morningstar had seen, he had good control of a D-Board, as he maneuvered around the buildings to keep from crashing into them.
Morningstar scowled when Thunder Ogre – no, Dark Thunder Ogre – punched through a building to destroy Marmotroll. He knew it was virtual reality, but that collateral damage was so unnecessary.
He listened through the drone as Dr. Genome and Go Onizuka conversed. "Your heel fighting style is quite fun!"
"I've evolved into Dark Onizuka!" Go shouted.
Dr. Genome laughed at that. "You evolved because you lost against Playmaker?"
"Him and Morningstar," Go clarified. "It's frustrating, but true. That's when everything changed."
Go looked downwards as he became introspective. "The children in the orphanage idolized me again after my duel with Playmaker. Playmaker has changed this generation. Vowing to defeat him, I thoroughly studied him. And I learned that my style was last generation. However, my dueling is to entertain people!"
Go raised his head to glare at Dr. Genome. "And I made up my mind! I'll adopt a dark fighting style and do anything to win! The crowd yearns for overwhelming power! That is my entertainment!"
Morningstar frowned at that. He didn't know why, but Go's speech… it made Morningstar feel sad. Throwing away how you duel in order to please the crowd… Morningstar saw nothing wrong with adapting your dueling to fit the times, but for someone like Go, he understood that changing his style must have been difficult.
His thoughts were interrupted by Dr. Genome laughing. "I hear that story a lot. When the strong lose, they start to worry. But that means nothing. The only important thing is whether you have excellent DNA or not." Dr. Genome's D-Board became even with Go's. "Even if you become a heel, your DNA hasn't changed. Your destiny, your duel, everything is predetermined!"
"Stop joking!" Go shouted. "I'll decide my destiny and my duel!"
Dr. Genome smirked. "I'll show you the limits to your DNA. My turn! Draw!"
Morningstar scowled at Dr. Genome's words. This guy was obsessed with DNA. He'd heard him say he was a DNA researcher, but some things were not determined by genetics. As far as Morningstar knew, personality was determined by the environment, not by DNA. Or was DNA some kind of weird euphemism for something else?
He watched as Dr. Genome activated a Spell Card to bring back his Marmotroll and another copy of it. The doctor then used his two monsters to Link Summon Helixx Gothiclone, which Morningstar noticed looked like a humanoid ram.
He raised an eyebrow when Gothiclone attacked Dark Thunder Ogre. A 0 attack point monster attacking a 3000 attack point monster? His confusion increased when Gothiclone's attack points became the same as Dark Thunder Ogre's and the battle ended in a tie, with both monsters falling to the ground.
"This also happened in your duel against Playmaker," Dr. Genome noted. "Your appearance may have changed, but your DNA hasn't evolved." Morningstar's eyes widened in surprise when Dr. Genome revealed the second half of Gothiclone's effect and dealt Go 1200 points of damage. So that was his goal!
Dr. Genome ended his turn, and Go began his. "You said that DNA predetermines a person's destiny and his duel," Go said. "But those are your limits! I'll show you your limits!"
Dr. Genome smirked. "Interesting."
Morningstar watched as Go summoned another Riscorpio and Twistcobra. He recognized this move from his duel with Go, but because of Gothiclone's effect, it was pointless to raise Thunder Ogre's attack points. So why-?
His attention was drawn by a new sound over the drone. What was that? He turned the camera and his eyes widened with surprise. Oh no.
Morningstar quickly accessed his D-Board and rushed over to Go's location.
"From my hand, I activate-!" That was as far as Go got before his D-Board was hit from behind. "What the-?" He managed to stay on his D-Board and keep it upright, but he turned to see what had happened. He growled on realizing what had happened.
"Go Onizuka!" The Knight of Hanoi in a green mask shouted at him. "You'll pay for embarrassing us!" His partner in an orange mask then turned a corner from a nearby building and tried to ram Go, but Go was able to evade him.
These are the guys I stopped earlier, Go thought. But there were three of them. Where-?
"I've got you!" He turned and saw a Knight in a blue mask charge him from the side. He was too close for Go to evade. But before he hit-.
A red cord lashed out and wrapped itself around the front of the Knight's D-Board and pulled it downward. The Knight was catapulted off his board and went flying. Go ducked as the Knight soared overhead into a nearby building.
"Who dares interfere!?" The Knight in orange shouted. Then he gasped. "Y-You!" Go turned and gasped.
The Data Anchor returned to Morningstar's Duel Disk as he rode his D-Board beneath Go and Dr. Genome. "Don't interfere with this duel, you cowards," Morningstar said, his contempt for the Knights' behavior evident. "If you wish to duel, then duel me!"
"Morningstar!" Go said, his voice filled with surprise. "What are you doing here?"
"Keeping these pests off your back," Morningstar said as his D-Board rose to Go's level. "This guy has the Another removal program?"
"Indeed I do," Dr. Genome said, answering Morningstar's question. "I must say, it's an honor to meet a duelist of your strength, Morningstar. Once I defeat Dark Onizuka, I'll defeat you and take your DNA. With the DNA of the 'devil of LINK VRAINS' in my possession, I could form the greatest DNA creation of all time!"
"Fascinating," Morningstar deadpanned. "I'll leave this to you," he said to Go. He then turned his D-Board as the Knight in orange tried to ram him.
"Damn it!" the Knight said. "Stay still!"
"Okay," Morningstar said, bringing his D-Board close to Orange's D-Board. He raised his Duel Disk and pressed a button. A golden net sprung forward and ensnared Orange.
"Hey! Let me go!" Orange fell off his board and dangled from Morningstar's Duel Disk.
"As you wish." Morningstar swung his arm and pressed the release button. Orange was sent flying – still in the net – into a rooftop pool. Morningstar then turned to the Knight in a green mask, but was too slow to evade the card Green threw.
"Ah!" Morningstar gasped as the card shocked him. "What was that?"
Green smirked. "That program forces us into a duel! Let's have fun, Morningstar!"
Morningstar showed Green his own smirk, which scared Green. "Alright. But I don't think you'll enjoy it."
Between two nearby buildings, Lilith looked out. "I wasn't expecting Morningstar to interfere in Onizuka's duel," she commented. "Playmaker, certainly, but not Morningstar. Guess he's getting soft."
"Whatever his reason, this is a chance to do your job," Tagoma said over her earpiece. "Observe and record this duel, then Terminus pays us."
"Right," Lilith said as she pressed a button on her Duel Disk. She frowned to herself. Terminus was paying well, but she wished she knew more about him. She hated working for people she didn't know. She made a note to herself to try and get more information on Terminus.
In the public viewing plaza, Yusaku narrowed his eyes. "That was close," Kusanagi commented. "Good thing Morningstar was there."
"What was he doing there?" Ai wondered. "Was he watching and decided to interfere?"
"Who knows?" Yusaku said. "Dark Onizuka's duel is more important right now."
Just outside of the plaza, Takeshi Akino left a nearby tempura restaurant, carrying a take-out bag. He looked towards the television screens and widened his eyes.
"Go Onizuka and Morningstar are fighting the Knights of Hanoi?" he wondered aloud. He smiled to himself. Good luck, gentlemen, he thought as he turned and walked towards the hospital.
Morningstar and Green sped some distance away from Go and Dr. Genome. I'm getting used to this weird dome, Morningstar thought. Makes steering a lot easier, actually.
"Speed Duel!" they shouted.
Morningstar: 4000 LP
Knight of Hanoi: 4000 LP
In Hanoi's sanctuary, Terminus scowled at the screen showing Morningstar and his opponent. He hadn't expected Morningstar to show up to support Go, but he had. Evidently, Morningstar wasn't as heartless as his reputation would suggest.
Still, this was a good opportunity to learn more about Morningstar's dueling. Terminus imagined Lilith would also be watching and recording. Her data might show him something he missed watching from here.
"I'll take the first turn!" Green declared, looking at his hand. "I summon Evilswarm Castor!" A brown and white warrior with a red cape appeared on Green's field.
Evilswarm Castor ATK 1750 DEF 550 LVL: 4
"The turn that Castor is Normal Summoned," Green continued, "I can Normal Summon one 'lswarm' monster in addition to my Normal Summon. I summon Steelswarm Scout!" A little humanoid monster with goggles appeared alongside Castor.
Steelswarm Scout ATK 200 DEF 0 LVL: 1
"A monster with only 200 attack points?" Morningstar mused. He narrowed his eyes. "That means-."
"Appear, our future circuit!" Green declared. The Link portal appeared above him. "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two 'lswarm' monsters! I set Evilswarm Castor and Steelswarm Scout in the Link Markers!" His two monsters entered the Link portal as the top and bottom arrows turned red.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Steelswarm Origin!"
Green's Link Monster was… well, it was a head. It was a giant dark blue head with three horns, sharp teeth, and dark eyes. Morningstar scowled at the monster as it was summoned to the Extra Monster Zone.
Steelswarm Origin ATK 2000 LINK-2 ↑↓
"Steelswarm Origin?" Morningstar muttered. "I've never heard of this monster…"
"I Set one card," Green said. "I end my turn."
"My turn! Draw!" Morningstar drew, then looked up Origin's effects. His eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed.
I see, he thought. This monster prevents either of us from summoning monsters from the Extra Deck to Main Monster Zones, except to the ones it points to. That means I can only have two Link Monsters on the field at a time.
That effect annoyed him, but he had to admit it was a good tactic. Against a duelist like himself, or one like Playmaker, such an effect would limit their options. Or at least, it would make them work to adapt.
"I activate the Spell Card: Cyberse Call!" Morningstar said. "This card adds one Level 4 or lower Cyberse monster from my Deck to my hand. I add Cyspirit Swordsman to my hand!" He did so, then said, "If I control no monsters and you do, I can Special Summon Cyspirit Swordsman from my hand!" The skeleton warrior carrying blue futuristic swords appeared.
Cyspirit Swordsman ATK 1200 DEF 900 LVL: 3
"When Swordsman is Special Summoned by its own effect, I can add one 'Cyspirit' monster from my Deck to my hand," Morningstar said. "I add Cyspirit Lancer to my hand, and then I'll summon my Lancer!" The skeleton carrying a lance and shield appeared alongside Swordsman.
Cyspirit Lancer ATK 1800 DEF 0 LVL: 4
"Lancer's monster effect! While it is in Attack Position, all 'Cyspirit' monsters gain 300 attack points! Digital Charge!"
Cyspirit Lancer ATK 1800→2100
Cyspirit Swordsman ATK 1200→1500
"Appear! The circuit between light and darkness!" The Link portal appeared in the air above Morningstar. "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is one 'Cyspirit' monster. I set Cyspirit Swordsman in the Link Marker!" Swordsman entered the portal, and the bottom arrow lit up.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come forth! Link 1! Cyspirit Cacophonic Caller!" The skeleton in a business suit with two short wings appeared, summoned to the Extra Monster Zone.
Cyspirit Cacophonic Caller ATK 500→800 LINK-1 ↓
"Cacophonic Caller's monster effect! Once per turn, I can Special Summon one Level 4 or lower 'Cyspirit' monster from my Deck to Cacophonic Caller's Link Marker. However, that monster cannot declare an attack and is destroyed during the End Phase. I Special Summon Cyspirit Dancer!" The skeleton in a pink leotard appeared at Cacophonic Caller's Link Marker.
Cyspirit Dancer ATK 1000→1300 DEF 200 LVL: 2
"When there is a Cyberse Link Monster on the field, I can Special Summon this monster! Appear, Cyspirit Prisoner!" The skeleton in a blue and white prisoner's uniform appeared, summoned to Steelswarm Origin's top Link Marker.
Cyspirit Prisoner ATK 1600→1900 DEF 2100 LVL: 5
"Appear! The circuit between light and darkness!" The Link portal appeared once again above Morningstar. "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyspirit' monsters! I set Cacophonic Caller, Dancer, and Prisoner in the Link Markers!" His monsters entered the Link portal, causing the bottom-left, top, and bottom arrows to turn red.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Come forth! Link 3! Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary!" The skeleton in a blue trench coat and silver tricorne hat appeared and raised both of its pistols as it was summoned to the Extra Monster Zone with Cyspirit Lancer at its bottom-left Link Marker.
Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary ATK 2200→2500
"If Cyspirit Dancer is used to Link Summon a 'Cyspirit' Link Monster, that monster gains 600 attack points!"
Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary ATK 2500→3100
"And when Cyspirit Prisoner is sued to Link Summon a 'Cyspirit' Link Monster, I can add 1 'Cyspirit' card from my Deck to my hand," Morningstar continued. "I add Cyspirit Linker to my hand. And because I control a 'Cyspirit' monster, I can Special Summon Linker!" The skeleton in black armor with gauntlets appeared, summoned to Rapid Revolutionary's bottom Link Marker.
Cyspirit Linker ATK 1700→2000 DEF 800 LVL: 4
"This monster can also be Special Summoned when I control a 'Cyspirit' monster," Morningstar continued. "Come, Cyspirit Navigator!" The skeleton in a pirate's outfit appeared, summoned to Steelswarm Origin's top Link Marker.
Cyspirit Navigator ATK 1300→1600 DEF 1100 LVL: 3
"Four monsters all at once?" Green muttered.
"Appear! The circuit between light and darkness!" The Link portal once again appeared in the air above Morningstar.
"What?" Green said, shocked. "A third Link Summon?"
"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two 'Cyspirit' monsters! I set Cyspirit Linker and Cyspirit Navigator in the Link Markers!" The named monsters entered the Link portal, turning the left and right arrows red.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Cyspirit Thrilled Tunneler!" The skeleton with a massive drill for a right arm appeared, summoned to Steelswarm Origin's top Link Marker and pointing to Cyspirit Lancer.
Cyspirit Thrilled Tunneler ATK 1600→1900 LINK-2 ←→
Green laughed. "Too bad for you. Steelswarm Origin prevents either of us from Special Summoning monsters from the Extra Deck to the Main Monster Zones unless Origin points to them. That means you can't Link Summon anymore!"
"I know," Morningstar said. He was also aware of Origin's other effects. But he hadn't summoned Thrilled Tunneler to battle Origin. Because it pointed to Lancer, Thrilled Tunneler could attack Green directly. The damage would be halved, but that was alright. Combined with Lancer and Rapid Revolutionary, Morningstar could inflict over 2000 points of damage this turn.
"I Set one card," Morningstar said, doing so. "Battle!" he then declared. "Rapid Revolutionary, attack Steelswarm Origin! Revolution Shot!" Rapid Revolutionary pointed one of its pistols at Origin and charged it, but Green was ready.
"Trap activate!" Green declared. "Impenetrable Attack! During the Battle Phase, this card allows me to activate one of two effects. I can either prevent one monster from being destroyed by battle or card effects during this Battle Phase, or I can take no battle damage during the Battle Phase." He smirked at Morningstar. "I choose to take no battle damage!"
"You might not be able to damage him, but you can still destroy his monster," Cam said in Morningstar's earpiece.
"No, I can't."
"What?"
Rapid Revolutionary finally fired at Origin. The blast hit, but after the smoke cleared, Origin was revealed unharmed.
Green laughed at Morningstar's failure. "So long as Origin points to a monster, it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects! Thanks to your Thrilled Tunneler, my monster isn't going anywhere!"
"Damn it," Cam muttered. "I thought you had it."
"This duel is far from over," Morningstar said. "I end my turn."
The two duelists turned around a building and zoomed low over the streets. The Knight turned and smirked at Morningstar. "Guess your reputation is exaggerated, Morningstar," he said. "I look forward to defeating you this turn."
The Knight then gestured in front of himself. "I activate my Skill! Double Draw! During the Draw Phase, instead of drawing one card, I draw two!" He drew two cards as Morningstar narrowed his eyes. He remembered that the Knight Playmaker had dueled had used the same Skill. Did all Knights of Hanoi use Double Draw?
Green smirked as he looked at his cards. "A perfect draw," he muttered. He then gestured to his field. "I activate the effect of Steelswarm Scout in the Graveyard! At the start of my Main Phase, I can Special Summon Scout as I control no Spell or Trap Cards!" The little black monster with goggles reappeared.
Steelswarm Scout ATK 200 DEF 0 LVL: 1
"And now I activate the Quick-Play Spell Card: Offerings to the Doomed!" Green declared, which made Morningstar's eyes widen. "At the cost of skipping my next Draw Phase, I can destroy one monster on the field! Say goodbye to your Rapid Revolutionary!" A purple portal appeared beneath Rapid Revolutionary, out of which bandages came and wrapped themselves around Rapid Revolutionary. They pulled Morningstar's monster down and destroyed it. Morningstar grit his teeth.
"Steelswarm Origin's monster effect!" Green declared. "Once per turn, if monsters on the field were destroyed by battle or card effect, I can Special Summon Level 4 or lower 'lswarm' monsters from my Deck in Defense Position, up to the number of monsters destroyed. One monster was destroyed, so I can Special Summon one 'lswarm' monster. I Special Summon Steelswarm Genome!" Morningstar recognized the black ghost-like monster from Galahad's duel. This wasn't good.
Steelswarm Genome ATK 1000 DEF 0 LVL: 2
"Steelswarm Genome can be treated as two Tributes for the Tribute Summon of a 'Steelswarm' monster!" Green said. "I Tribute the Genome treated as two monsters and Steelswarm Scout to Tribute Summon Steelswarm Hercules!" His two monsters disappeared as a giant black and gold monster took their place, summoned to Origin's bottom Link Marker.
Steelswarm Hercules ATK 3200 DEF 0 LVL: 10
"Uh, Yasu? Isn't that-?"
"The monster Hanoi used against Galahad," Morningstar finished. "Yes, it is, Cam."
"Perfect."
Green smirked. "This is the end for you, Morningstar! I activate Hercules's effect! By paying half my Life Points, all other cards on the field are destroyed!"
"Won't he destroy his Link Monster with that effect?"
"No," Morningstar said. "Since Origin points to a monster, in this case, my Thrilled Tunneler and his Hercules, it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects."
"Oh, damn it."
Hercules let loose a sonic blast, tearing apart Cyspirit Lancer, Cyspirit Thrilled Tunneler, and Morningstar's face-down card, which revealed itself as Cyspirit Break. Origin, however, remained on the field, since it pointed to Hercules.
Knight of Hanoi: 4000→2000 LP
Green smirked. "That move may have cost me 2000 Life Points, but now you are defenseless!"
"Are you sure about that?" Green gasped on hearing that.
"I activate my Skill!" Morningstar declared, the silver stripe on his suit glowing. "Cyberse Revolution! When a Cyberse monster on my field is destroyed by battle or card effect, I can Special Summon one Cyberse monster from my Deck, so long as its Level is less than the Level of the destroyed monster!"
"You can't do that!" Green protested. "Thrilled Tunneler was a Link Monster, so it didn't have a Level!"
"But Cyspirit Lancer did," Morningstar reminded Green, making him gasp. "Lancer was a Level 4 monster, so I can Special Summon a Level 3 or lower Cyberse monster from my Deck. I summon Cyspirit Teleporter in Defense Position!" The skeleton in grey armor holding a baton appeared on Morningstar's field.
Cyspirit Teleporter ATK 500 DEF 1500 LVL: 3
Green grit his teeth. "You might survive this turn, but I will still win! I Set one card. Battle! Steelswarm Origin, attack Cyspirit Teleporter!" Origin blasted Teleporter with black energy from its mouth, destroying it and leaving Morningstar defenseless.
"Your turn, Hercules! Attack Morningstar directly!" Hercules gathered dark energy in its hands and blasted Morningstar. Morningstar glared fiercely at the energy as it traveled towards him and-.
It hit him. Morningstar screamed with pain as he was sent flying off his D-Board and crashing into a building. He finally came to rest after crashing through five walls.
Morningstar: 4000→800 LP
"Yasu!" Cam shouted into the earpiece. "Are you alright?"
"No," Morningstar said, wincing as he stood up. "But I can keep fighting." He ran through the hole he'd made and jumped out, back onto his D-Board.
"I end my turn," Green said, smirking at Morningstar. "You can't win this, Morningstar! Before Hercules and Origin, you've failed!"
"Have I?" Morningstar asked, smirking. "I think you'll find you are the one who has failed."
"What?"
"My turn! Draw!" Morningstar looked at his card, then played it. "I activate the Field Spell: Cyspirit Sanctuary! While this card is face-up on the field, all 'Cyspirit' monsters gain 300 attack and defense points! Furthermore, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon a 'Cyspirit' monster from my Graveyard. I use Sanctuary's effect to Special Summon Cyspirit Lancer!" His Lancer reappeared, summoned to the center Main Monster Zone.
Cyspirit Lancer ATK 1800→2100 DEF 0→300 LVL: 4
"And because Lancer is in Attack Position, all 'Cyspirit' monsters gain 300 attack points. Digital Charge!"
Cyspirit Lancer ATK 2100→2400
So now all his monsters gain 600 attack points, Terminus thought as he watched the duel. Even though none of his non-Link Monsters exceed his Link Monsters' attack points, he uses multiple card effects to increase their strength. Clever.
"I activate the effect of the Cyspirit Break in my Graveyard!" Morningstar continued. Green grit his teeth. He recognized that card as the Trap Card his Hercules had destroyed. "By banishing Cyspirit Break, I can Special Summon one 'Cyspirit' Link Monster from my Graveyard. Return, Rapid Revolutionary!"
Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary ATK 2200→2800 LINK-3 ↙↑↓
"Next, I activate the effect of the Cyspirit Teleporter in my Graveyard," Morningstar said. "By banishing Teleporter, I can Special Summon a Level 3 or lower 'Cyspirit' monster from my Graveyard. Come back, Cyspirit Dancer!" Dancer reappeared, summoned to Steelswarm Origin's top Link Marker.
Cyspirit Dancer ATK 1600 DEF 200→500 LVL: 2
"He has only played one card from his hand, yet he summoned a field full of monsters," Green muttered. "This isn't good."
"Appear, the circuit between light and darkness!" The Link portal appeared once more, this time above a building as Morningstar flew over it. "Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyspirit' Effect Monsters! I set Cyspirit Dancer and the Link 3 Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary in the Link Markers!" His two monsters entered the portal, turning the bottom-left, top, bottom, and bottom-right arrows red.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Take flight! Link 4! Cyspirit Datastorm Dragon!" A white dragon skeleton appeared and roared as skin grew over it. The dragon had grey skin with red and silver wings and four horns on its head. It roared once more as it was summoned to the Extra Monster Zone with Cyspirit Lancer at its bottom-left Link Marker.
Cyspirit Datastorm Dragon ATK 2800→3400 LINK-4 ↙↑↓↘
"Since I used Dancer to Link Summon Datastorm Dragon, Datastorm Dragon gains 600 attack points!"
Cyspirit Datastorm Dragon ATK 3400→4000
"4-4000 attack points?" Green said, his voice filled with surprise.
"I activate the effect of the Spell Card: Cyberse Call in my Graveyard," Morningstar said. "By banishing it, I can Special Summon one Cyberse monster from my Graveyard. Return to me, Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary!" His skeleton in a blue trench coat reappeared, summoned to Datastorm Dragon's bottom Link Marker.
Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary ATK 2200→2800 LINK-3 ↙↑↓
"Finally, I activate the Equip Spell Card: Cyspirit Multiplier," Morningstar continued. "And equip it to Datastorm Dragon. With this card's effect, Datastorm Dragon can now make two attacks against my opponent's monsters during the Battle Phase."
Green grit his teeth again. With that dragon being able to make two attacks, it could destroy both of his monsters and deal serious damage. Or it would, if not for Green's face-down.
"Battle! Datastorm Dragon, attack Steelswarm Hercules! Data Flare!" Datastorm Dragon blasted Hercules with blue energy. Before it hit…
"Trap activate!" Green declared. "Mirror Shade! By paying half my Life Points, I take no battle damage this turn!" The attack continued and destroyed Hercules, but Green didn't feel the force of the attack.
Knight of Hanoi: 2000→1000 LP
"Haha," Green laughed. "With this Trap Card, you can't defeat me this turn!"
Cam laughed in Morningstar's earpiece. "This guy hasn't done his homework, has he?"
"Evidently not," Morningstar continued, a small smirk on his face. "Cyspirit Multiplier allows Datastorm Dragon to attack twice. Go, Datastorm! Destroy Steelswarm Origin! Data Flare!" Datastorm Dragon gathered blue energy in its mouth again and blasted Origin, destroying it. But due to his Trap Card, Green took no battle damage.
The Knight laughed. "You may have destroyed my monsters, but now you can't do anything. And once I get my turn-."
"You won't."
"Huh?" Green said, looking back and noticing Morningstar's smirk. "W-Why are you smirking?"
"Because I've just won," Morningstar said. "Datastorm Dragon has an effect that activates at the end of the Battle Phase if it points to two monsters – which it does." The field layout appeared, showing Datastorm Dragon linked to Lancer and Rapid Revolutionary. "At the end of the Battle Phase, Datastorm Dragon inflicts damage to you equal to the number of monsters Datastorm Dragon destroyed this turn multiplied by 500."
"What!?" Green said, shocked. "But… but Datastorm Dragon destroyed two monsters. And two times 500 equals-."
"1000," Morningstar finished. "Exactly how many Life Points you have left." He gestured to Datastorm Dragon. "Go, Datastorm Dragon. End this! Digital Deletion!" Datastorm Dragon gathered red energy in its mouth, then fired it at Green.
"No! Wait-!" Green pleaded, then he was hit with the blast. He screamed as he fell off his D-Board onto a nearby rooftop.
Knight of Hanoi: 1000→0 LP
Morningstar leapt from his D-Board next to the Knight. "Tell me," he began. "Where is Revolver?"
"Why would I tell you?" the Knight asked, wincing as he sat up. Morningstar's response was to fire his security net at the Knight and dangle him off the side of the building.
"H-Hey! Let me go!"
"Are you sure?" Morningstar asked, lengthening the cable and causing the Knight to drop a foot.
"Ah! Okay! Okay! Don't let me go!"
"Where is Revolver?" Morningstar repeated.
"I don't know!" the Knight said. "I-! Aah!" Morningstar's eyes widened as the Knight dissolved in the net. Back in Hanoi's sanctuary, Terminus scowled at the screen. He was getting sick of purging these fools.
"Damn it," Morningstar muttered, reeling his net back in. "They purged this one, too."
"Hanoi really doesn't want you finding out where Revolver is," Cam commented.
"I figured that out." Morningstar knit his eyebrows and frowned in concentration. "Cam, do you think we could make some sort of anti-purge program to keep them around long enough to interrogate? Something we could attach to the Knights like the card this guy threw at me."
"…Maybe," Cam finally said. "But it would take some time. Though, it would take less time if I called in some help."
Morningstar raised an eyebrow. "Ghost Girl? You're willing to work with her?"
"NO!" Cam shouted, making Morningstar wince. "No, I wasn't talking about her. I still have that sample of the backdoor program Playmaker's ally used to get him out of the duel with Go Onizuka. I can contact them and get their help with this. Between both of our groups, we should be able to come up with something much faster than just us working alone."
Morningstar thought about it and nodded. "Alright. Contact them. An anti-purge program would help Playmaker just as much as it would help me." He then looked up and noticed something. "The dome's gone," he commented. "I guess that means Onizuka won his duel."
"Yep," Cam said, glancing at the news. "Playmaker showed up, too. But after he did, Onizuka summoned a Link-4 monster: Gouki the Master Ogre."
"The Master Ogre?" Morningstar repeated. He narrowed his eyes. "After this, I need to talk to Onizuka. And if Playmaker is there too, it's time we talked as well." He got back on his D-Board and raced towards the coordinates Cam sent him.
Go leaned over Dr. Genome and reached into his jacket. He pulled out a glowing green card.
"I'm taking the virus removal program, as promised," Go told Dr. Genome.
"Good guy to heel, heel to good guy," Dr. Genome said, frowning as he turned to Go. "You call that evolving?"
"I make the evolution process entertaining," Go said. "That's why I'm the world's #1 entertainer – Go Onizuka!"
Dr. Genome laughed. "You'll regret defeating me," he said. After saying that, his body turned black and broke into pieces of data. He'd been purged, just like the Knights before him.
In Hanoi's sanctuary, Terminus crossed his arms and sighed. He understood why this had to happen, but that didn't mean he had to like it.
Genome, once we've obtained the Ignis from Playmaker, he thought. I'll bring you back. Baira, Faust, and I will see to it.
Go Onizuka stood in the intersection of the street, while Playmaker stood behind him. Both looked up as Morningstar jumped down from a nearby building and joined them. He gave them each a blank face.
Go briefly gave his attention to Morningstar, but then gave it back to Playmaker. "Playmaker," he said. "You said you came to laugh at me." He then turned so he looked at Playmaker out of one eye. "But that was a lie to motivate me." He turned to fully face Playmaker. "Am I wrong?"
Really? Morningstar thought, keeping his face blank. Really, Fujiki? You came to LINK VRAINS to laugh at Onizuka? That was the best motivational lie you could come up with?
"Who knows," Playmaker said, his eyes closed.
"I will defeat you someday!" Go vowed. "But the Knights of Hanoi are destroying LINK VRAINS! I'll crush them first! Feel free to join me."
"Right," Playmaker said. Morningstar raised an eyebrow. Was Playmaker accepting help? He thought Playmaker didn't want others to get hurt. Or perhaps he recognized the same truth that Morningstar acknowledged; that Go would fight Hanoi with or without Playmaker.
Go turned to Morningstar. "What about you, Morningstar? You saved me from those insects who interrupted my duel with Dr. Genome. Will you fight with us?"
Morningstar was silent for a few seconds, then turned around. "The last time I worked with partners," he said. "I ended up betrayed. I had to fight my way out of a nearly hopeless situation. After that, I vowed not to work with anyone again."
He was silent again, but then turned back to Go. "But you're going to fight Hanoi whether I agree to work with you or not. The same is true of Playmaker. And if we coordinate our efforts and share information, we can fight Hanoi more efficiently." He nodded to Go. "I'll fight with you. But-." he turned to Playmaker. "I signed a contract for your AI, and I am a man of my word. Eventually, I will retrieve it. Until then, it is best to work together."
Playmaker nodded. "Right."
Go then turned to his left. "What about you, Blue Angel?" he asked. Morningstar and Playmaker both turned to look as Blue Angel turned the corner, a serious expression on her face. She looked at Morningstar and gave a small smile. He didn't change his expression as Playmaker turned around. They were ready. To fight against Hanoi.
On top of a nearby building, Lilith frowned down at the scene. "Well this is unexpected," she muttered. "Who would have thought the legendary Morningstar would be willing to work with others? Especially someone who he has an active contract on."
"He has gotten soft," Tagoma commented over her earpiece. "It would be more beneficial to himself to take advantage of the chaos Hanoi is causing to take Playmaker's AI. It's what you and I would do. Still," he added. "This is good for us. If he duels against Hanoi, we'll be able to watch and learn. Fulfill Terminus's contract."
"I suppose that's true," Lilith said, frowning to herself. "Still…" Her frown deepened. Why are you doing this, Morningstar? she thought. Why is a bounty hunter fighting against Hanoi? There's no payment involved, no reward. Why are you doing this?
Or maybe… you're doing it because… because it's the right thing to do? Lilith didn't know what to think of that. Such selflessness… To survive she'd always had to be selfish, to put herself and Tagoma first. She couldn't understand how someone could put others first.
But… that didn't make it a bad thing. She smiled to herself. Morningstar, she thought. You really are interesting, aren't you?
Morningstar vs. Knight of Hanoi
This Duel is conducted as a Speed Duel.
Turn 1: KoH
KoH Normal Summons Evilswarm Castor (1750/550/4). Since Castor was Normal Summoned, KoH can Normal Summon 1 "lswarm" monster in addition to his Normal Summon/Set. He Normal Summons Steelswarm Scout (200/0/1). KoH uses Castor and Scout to Link Summon Steelswarm Origin (2000/2/↑↓) to the Extra Monster Zone. He Sets 1 card. He ends his turn.
Turn 2: Morningstar
Morningstar draws. He activates the Spell Card Cyberse Call, which adds a Level 4 or lower Cyberse monster from his Deck to his hand. He adds Cyspirit Swordsman to his hand. Since he controls no monsters and KoH does, he Special Summons Cyspirit Swordsman (1200/900/3). As Swordsman was Special Summoned by its effect, Morningstar can add 1 "Cyspirit" monster from his Deck to his hand. He adds Cyspirit Lancer to his hand. He Normal Summons Cyspirit Lancer (1800/0/4). Since Lancer is in Attack Position, all "Cyspirit" monsters gain 300 ATK (Lancer: 1800→2100) (Swordsman: 1200→1500). Morningstar uses Swordsman to Link Summon Cyspirit Cacophonic Caller (500→800/1/↓) to the Extra Monster Zone. He activates Cacophonic Caller's effect, which lets him Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower "Cyspirit" monster from his Deck to the zone Cacophonic Caller points to, but that monster cannot declare an attack and is destroyed during the End Phase. He Special Summons Cyspirit Dancer (1000→1300/200/2) in Attack Position to Cacophonic Caller's Link Marker. Since there is a Cyberse Link Monster on the field, Morningstar Special Summons Cyspirit Prisoner (1600→1900/2100/5) in Attack Position to Origin's top Link Marker. Morningstar uses Cacophonic Caller, Dancer, and Prisoner to Link Summon Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary (2200→2500/3/↙↑↓) to the Extra Monster Zone. Since Dancer was used to Link Summon a "Cyspirit" Link Monster, that monster gains 600 ATK (Rapid Revolutionary: 2500→3100). Because he used Prisoner to Link Summon a "Cyspirit" Link Monster, Morningstar can add 1 "Cyspirit" card from his Deck to his hand. He adds Cyspirit Linker from his Deck to his hand.
Since he controls a "Cyspirit" monster, Morningstar Special Summons Cyspirit Linker to Rapid Revolutionary's bottom Link Marker (1700→2000/800/4) and Cyspirit Navigator to Origin's top Link Marker (1300→1600/1100/3) from his hand. He uses Linker and Navigator to Link Summon Cyspirit Thrilled Tunneler to Steelswarm Origin's top Link Marker (1600→1900/2/←→). Morningstar Sets 1 card (Cyspirit Break). Rapid Revolutionary attacks Origin, but KoH activates his face-down Trap Card Impenetrable Attack, choosing to activate its second effect to take no battle damage during the Battle Phase. Rapid Revolutionary's attack continues, but because Origin points to a monster, it cannot be destroyed by battle. Morningstar ends his turn.
Turn 3: KoH
KoH activates a Skill, Double Draw, letting him draw 2 cards during his Draw Phase instead of one. He draws. At the start of his Main Phase, he activates the effect of Steelswarm Scout in the GY, Special Summoning it in Attack Position as he controls no Spell/Trap Cards (200/0/1). KoH activates the Quick-Play Spell Card Offerings to the Doomed, which lets him destroy 1 face-up monster on the field at the cost of skipping his next Draw Phase. He destroys Rapid Revolutionary. KoH activates the effect of Steelswarm Origin. Since a monster on the field was destroyed by battle or card effect, KoH can Special Summon Level 4 or lower "lswarm" monsters from his Deck in Defense Position, equal to the number of monsters destroyed. 1 monster was destroyed, so he can Special Summon 1 monster. He Special Summons Steelswarm Genome (1000/0/2) in Defense Position. KoH Tributes Genome and Scout, with the effect of Genome treating it as 2 Tributes, to Tribute Summon Steelswarm Hercules (3200/0/10) to Origin's bottom Link Marker. KoH activates the effect of Hercules, paying half his LP (KoH: 4000→2000 LP) to destroy all other cards on the field. Lancer, Thrilled Tunneler, and Morningstar's face-down card are destroyed. Origin would also be destroyed, but because it points to a monster, it cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects, and neither player can target it with card effects.
Since a "Cyspirit" monster on his field was destroyed by battle or card effect, Morningstar activates his Skill, Cyberse Revolution. Morningstar can now Special Summon 1 Cyberse monster from his Deck whose Level is less than the Level of the destroyed monster. He Special Summons Cyspirit Teleporter (500/1500/3) in Defense Position. KoH Sets 1 card. He attacks Teleporter with Origin, destroying it. Hercules attacks directly (Morningstar: 4000→800 LP). KoH ends his turn.
Turn 4: Morningstar
Morningstar draws. He activates the Field Spell Cyspirit Sanctuary, increasing the ATK/DEF of all "Cyspirit" monsters he controls by 300. Since he controls no monsters, he activates its effect to Special Summon a "Cyspirit" monster from his GY. He Special Summons Cyspirit Lancer (1800→2100/0→300/4) in Attack Position. As Lancer is in Attack Position, all "Cyspirit" monsters gain 300 ATK (Lancer: 2100→2400). Morningstar activates the effect of the Cyspirit Break in his GY, banishing it to Special Summon 1 "Cyspirit" Link Monster from his GY. He Special Summons Rapid Revolutionary (2200→2800/3/↙↑↓). Morningstar activates the effect of Cyspirit Teleporter in his GY, banishing it to Special Summon 1 Level 3 or lower "Cyspirit" monster from his GY. He Special Summons Cyspirit Dancer (1000→1600/200→500/2) to Origin's top Link Marker. Morningstar uses Dancer and the Link 3 Rapid Revolutionary to Link Summon Cyspirit Datastorm Dragon (2800→3400/4/↙↑↓↘) to the Extra Monster Zone. Because Dancer was used to Link Summon a "Cyspirit" Link Monster, that monster gains 600 ATK (Datastorm Dragon: 3400→4000). Morningstar activates the effect of the Cyberse Call in his GY, banishing it to Special Summon 1 Cyberse monster from his GY. He Special Summons Cyspirit Rapid Revolutionary (2200→2800/3/↙↑↓) to Datastorm Dragon's bottom Link Marker. Morningstar activates the Equip Spell Card Cyspirit Multiplier, and equips it to Datastorm Dragon. Now, Datastorm Dragon can make 2 attacks against KoH's monsters during the Battle Phase.
Datastorm Dragon attacks Hercules, but KoH activates his face-down Trap Card Mirror Shade. He pays half his LP, and he takes no battle damage this turn (KoH: 2000→1000 LP). The attack continues, and Datastorm Dragon destroys Hercules. Datastorm Dragon attacks and destroys Origin. At the end of the Battle Phase, the effect of Datastorm Dragon activates. Since it points to at least 2 monsters, KoH takes 500 damage for each monster Datastorm Dragon destroyed this turn. It destroyed 2, so KoH takes 1000 damage (KoH: 1000→0 LP). Morningstar wins.
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Next Time on Yu-Gi-Oh! VRAINS: Hidden Memories. Chapter 11 - The War of Hanoi
Responses to Reviews & Author's Notes
Thank you to mekyaku, HunterHQ, Nirvash Neo, ClearwingYuta, Ninjacya321, D3lph0xL0v3r, JaneValentine007, Unknowedz, and FanficCrossoverMaster15 for reviewing Chapter 9 of Hidden Memories.
To answer mekyaku's review, if you wish to suggest Link Monsters, you are more than welcome to. However, I have three Cyspirit Link Monsters that will appear. I will not say their names, but they begin with A, S, and W. So if you make suggestions, do not use those ones.
In response to Nirvash Neo's review, I know that the Odd-Eyes archetype is capable of all the summoning methods except Link, which is why I chose the Gaia archetype, as it does have access to Link Summoning in addition to Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz. As for Aoi telling Yasutake she knows he's Morningstar, I have an idea about that, but I won't share. Spoilers.
And to answer FanficCrossoverMaster15's question, yes, Galahad can use Synchro and Xyz, and will use both in a later chapter.
This chapter takes place during Episode 23 and the first half of 24. The next chapter will take place during the latter half of 24 and detail the fight with the ground forces of Hanoi. Also, to give the anime more of a head start, I've decided to establish a certain update schedule. I will attempt to update every 2 weeks so that the anime has time to gain ground on me, and I will update on Wednesday after a new episode comes out. So, to specify, Chapter 11 will come out no earlier than January 17th.
Also, I have decided that I am going to close the poll for Cyspirit Link Monster names. But before I do so, I will announce the results: 4 votes for Quixotic Queen, 2 votes for Jubilant Jester, 2 votes for Knowledgeable Knight, 2 votes for Vivacious Vixen, and 1 vote for Xenodochial Xiphosura. I will not say which ones will appear, but these ones are the ones at the top of the list. Of course, suggestions are always welcome, including name changes for these monsters.
Now, I would also like to take this time to ask for suggestions for improved boss monsters for Galahad and Lilith. Lilith's ace monster is Magical Musket Mastermind Zakiel, and if anyone wants to suggest an upgraded form of Zakiel, preferably a Link Monster version, it would be appreciated. As for Galahad, the Synchro Monster Gaia Knight, the Force of Earth and the Link Monster Gaia Saber, the Lighting Shadow have no effects. Therefore, I would like suggestions for an improved Gaia Knight Synchro Monster or an improved Gaia Knight Link Monster to make him more powerful. I cannot say when these upgraded forms will appear, but I would like them to have such monsters in reserve.
As always, thank you for reading Chapter 10 of Hidden Memories. I know the duel wasn't much this chapter, but I plan to make up for it next chapter. How? You'll have to wait and see! Please post a review of what you thought of the chapter and what you would like to see in the future. As always, constructive criticism is accepted.