Chapter 28: Tag Team Trouble, Part 2

Axel Brodie and Soulburner are up against the masked tag team of Lumis and Umbra. Lumis defended Umbra's The Masked Beast against Soulburner's Salamangreat Heatleo, the latter powered up with Salamangreat Claw. Lumis is now on the offensive and summoned their most powerful monster: Masked Beast Des Gardius.

Lumis/Umbra: 4000 LP

Field: The Masked Beast (Level 8/3200/1800); Masked Beast Des Gardius (Level 8/3300/2500); and 2 face-down cards.

Axel Brodie/Soulburner: 3500 LP

Field: Volcanic Furnace (Level 5/2000/2200); Salamangreat Heatleo (2300/Link-3/↑↙↘) equipped with Salamangreat Claw, a face-up Blaze Accelerator, and 1 face-down card.

"So, those are their strongest monsters!" Axel said.

"That's right, and they're about to feast on your Life Points. Masked Beast, attack his Volcanic Furnace!" Lumis commands Umbra's monster to attack. Axel braces himself for impact.

"I activate the Trap Salamangreat Barrier!" Soulburner reveals his trap card. It depicts a barrier of flame around Violet Chimera, deflecting attacks from Mekk-Knight Purple Nightfall and Deus X-Krawler. "Since I have a Salamangreat Link monster on my field, any attack that's against a Fire monster is negated!" A shield of flame deflects The Masked Beast's attack.

"In that case, Masked Beast Des Gardius will attack Heatleo! Dark Destruction!" Des Gardius deals a shadow-charged slash at Heatleo. The attack is blocked using Salamangreat Claw.

"Did you forget already? Since Heatleo has Salamangreat Claw, he can't be destroyed in battle." Soulburner reminded them.

"But you're still taking damage." Lumis said as the shockwave from the attack hits the Fire Duelists.

Axel/Soulburner: 3500→2500 LP

"You may have saved yourself, but you stand no chance against our monsters! Your turn!" Lumis ends his turn with one card face-down.

"Careful, Axel. Those monsters have over 3000 Attack points. And whatever abilities Des Gardius has, we better not find out the hard way." Soulburner warned him.

Turn 6: Axel (2500)

"Let's hope not." Axel said as his turn began. "I draw!" He sees that he drew Reload. "I activate Reload! Now I can shuffle my entire hand into my deck and draw a new one." Upon activating Reload, Axel shuffles the four cards in his hand into his deck and draws 4 new cards. He sees Tri-Blaze Accelerator, Volcanic Doomfire, Volcanic Scattershot, and Card of Demise.

"I'll start by upgrading my Blaze Accelerator into Tri-Blaze Accelerator!" An upgraded Blaze Accelerator appears with three barrels. "Now, when I destroy your monster with this card, you take 500 points of damage. And all it takes to load is 1 Pyro monster. I load Volcanic Scattershot!" A three-headed flame lizard is loaded into the three-barrel sentry cannon. The cannon fires three of the monster that's loaded. The three lizards fire fireballs from each of their mouths. The fireballs engulf the masked duelists' two monsters, destroying them.

Lumis/Umbra: 4000→2000 LP

"But how? You just destroyed our two best monsters and halved our Life Points without breaking a sweat!" Umbra said.

"Listen carefully, because I'm only going to explain this once." Axel said. "When Scattershot is sent to the graveyard, you take 500 points of damage, and when I load my Blaze Accelerator with Scattershot, I can fire two more Scattershots from my hand or deck and destroy every monster on your field."

"Not fair!" Umbra glared.

"Oh it is fair, and Heatleo is ready to finish you off!" Soulburner said.

"Guess again!" Lumis said. Suddenly, a fiendish mask appears and latches onto Heatleo's face, forcing it to move to Lumis and Umbra's side.

"Heatleo!" Soulburner yelled. "What did you do to it?"

"It's not what I did. It's what your partner did when he destroyed Des Gardius." Lumis said. "That activated its special ability, allowing me to play a special card: The Mask of Remnants."

"Any monster wearing The Mask of Remnants immediately switches to our side." Umbra continued. "So now, your Heatleo is ours!"

Soulburner scowled. "Relax. I can fix this. I send Tri-Blaze Accelerator to the graveyard so that I can summon this! Rise up, Volcanic Doomfire!" The sentry disappears and a fiendish fire monster appears in its place.

Volcanic Doomfire: Level 8/3000/1800

"Whoa! So that's Axel's strongest monster." Soulburner said in awe.

"I admit it's powerful, but it's useless right now." Lumis said. "Since you already used your Accelerator, you can't attack this turn."

"You'd be right, if my turn was finished." Axel's words earned a look of confusion from the masked duelists. "I activate Card of Demise! Now I can draw until I have 5 cards. And after 5 turns, I must discard my entire hand." Axel draws 5 new cards. He sees a new spell card among them. "Now, I activate the Field Spell Volcanic Blaze Zone!" Axel plays his Field Spell, depicting an arena surrounded by volcanic craters and an active volcano in the background. A ring of flame begins surrounding the duelists. "As long as we're inside the Blaze Zone, all Fire monsters gain 300 Attack and Defense points." The heat of the arena energizes Doomfire and Heatleo.

Volcanic Doomfire: 3000→3300/1800→2100

Volcanic Furnace: 2000→2300/2200→2500

Salamangreat Heatleo: 2300→2600

"So you get a few good moves in. So what?" Umbra glared.

"Perhaps this will answer your question. Volcanic Doomfire, attack Heatleo!" Axel commands Doomfire to attack.

"What?!" Both masked duelists gasp in shock. "You used your Tri-Blaze Accelerator to destroy our monsters! You shouldn't be attacking!" Lumis said.

"That's where you're wrong. With Volcanic Blaze Zone, the rules of warfare have changed!" Axel declared. "I can now attack even after I use a Blaze Accelerator. And that's exactly what Doomfire's going to do! Volcanic Cannon!" Doomfire fires a large fireball at Heatleo.

"And even though Salamangreat Claw protects Heatleo from being destroyed…" Soulburner continued. The fireball hits Heatleo, but it isn't destroyed.

"You still take damage!" Axel finished.

"Guess again! I activate Mask of Impregnability!" Umbra reveals his Spell card. An iron mask deflects the flames. "Now we take no damage from your attack."

"Rats! I place two cards face-down and end my turn." Axel ends his turn with two face-down cards.

"Umbra, you idiot!" Lumis yelled at his partner. "What took you so long to protect me?"

"What are you talking about?" Umbra glared. "I had the perfect setup!"

"Then why didn't you use it earlier?!" Lumis asked.

"I was waiting for the perfect time!" Umbra said.

Soulburner saw the two arguing. "Hold on… Their decks work well with one another, but when backed into a corner, their trust starts falling apart like a house of cards. We could use this." Soulburner's thoughts echo in his head.

Turn 7: Umbra (2000)

"It's my turn now!" Umbra draws his card. "We may be behind in Life Points, but with this, we're sure to win."

"Prepare to have your flames snuffed out!" Umbra declares. "I activate Monster Reborn! This allows me to bring back a monster from any Graveyard. Return to battle, Masked Beast Des Gardius!" Their fiendish mask-clad monster reemerges.

Masked Beast Des Gardius: Level 8/3300/2500

"I was hoping I wouldn't see his face again." Soulburner commented.

"Relax, Soulburner. With Doomfire out, he's the only monster he can attack. And even if he attacks my Volcanic Furnace with Heatleo after that, he'll only deal us 300 points of damage." Axel told him.

"That's where you're wrong. After Battle City, we trained hard until we're powerful enough to get our revenge. And this is where it begins. I activate Pot of Greed!" Umbra plays another Spell. "Now I can draw 2 more cards." Umbra draws two cards and sees the one card he needed. He laughs.

"It's all over! My next monster will eliminate you both here and now! I activate Polymerization!"

"Polymerization?!" Axel gasped.

"This allows me to fuse our two monsters together!" Umbra declared. "I fuse Masked Beast Des Gardius and Salamangreat Heatleo!"

"What?!" Soulburner gasps.

"This mighty masked monster will spell certain defeat for the both of you!" Des Gardius and Heatleo transform into pixelated energy twisters and swirl into a larger purple tornado. "I Fusion summon! Masked Emperor Des Kaizer!" From the tornado emerges a much larger monster, larger than Des Gardius. It retains the three masks from Des Gardius, but there are four more masks on its body: two on its shoulders, one on its back, and one on its head.

Masked Emperor Des Kaizer: Level 10/3800/3000

"I never seen that card before!" Soulburner said.

"That's because it takes the energy from those possessed by the Mask of Remnants." Lumis said with a smirk.

"Speaking of the Mask of Remnants, Des Kaizer's ability lets me return it to my deck." Umbra said as the card slips out of the graveyard and into Umbra's deck, which is then auto shuffled. "By doing so, every monster you have in play is destroyed!"

"NO!" Axel yelled. Des Kaizer shot a blast of black lightning from the white mask on its waist. It destroys Doomfire and Furnace.

"Now there's nothing you have that can save you!" Umbra laughs. "Des Kaizer, finish them! Darkness Devastation!"

"I activate Salamangreat Burning Shell from my hand! It lets me summon a Salamangreat monster from my hand by negating its abilities! Come on out, Salamangreat Foxer!" A red fox with a flaming tail emerges.

Salamangreat Foxer: Level 3/1200/1000

"And with Burning Shell's effect, I can use it to blaze the circuit!" The portal opens and Foxer enters it through the down arrow. "I Link Summon! Link-1 Salamangreat Balelynx!" Soulburner summons his flame-tailed lynx cub.

Salamangreat Balelynx: 500/Link-1/↓

"Only 500 Points? You're making this a lot easier! Des Kaizer! Take out his Salamangreat Balelynx!" Umbra commands his monster to attack Balelynx.

"Guess again! I activate Salamangreat Ascetic!" Soulburner reveals his Trap. "By tributing by Balelynx, it not only cancels your attack, but the Battle Phase automatically ends for you!" The attack is deflected by a pillar of flame.

"You got lucky this time, but when our next turn comes, we'll finish you!" Lumis grins.

Soulburner's next words turned their expression into one of shock.

"Next turn, sorry, but with what I have, there won't be a next turn."

Turn 8: Soulburner (2500)

"My turn." Soulburner's right hand ignited before he draws his card, a trail of flame following his movements. "Burning Draw!"

Nearby, Kiku sees Soulburner dueling alongside Axel from her board. "There he is! And he's in a duel!"

"I activate Rising Fire!" Soulburner activates his Spell. "When there are no monsters on our field, I can summon a Fire monster from our Graveyard with 500 extra attack points. Rise once again, Salamangreat Heatleo!" Soulburner summons his Heatleo back.

Salamangreat Heatleo: 2300→2800/Link-3/↑↙↘

"Next, I send Volcanic Blaze Zone to the Graveyard and activate the Field Spell Salamangreat Sanctuary!" Volcanic Blaze Zone disappears and Salamangreat Sanctuary appears in its place.

"With Salamangreat Sanctuary, I can use a Salamangreat Link Monster to summon another copy!" Soulburner announces as a magic circle opens in the air. Heatleo transforms into a spiral of flame and enters the circle. "Reincarnation Link Summon! Rise again from the valley of flame, Salamangreat Heatleo!" Heatleo reemerges with extra flames on its back.

Salamangreat Heatleo: 2300/Link-3/↑↙↘

"When Heatleo is successfully summoned, a Spell or Trap on your field is sent back into the deck. Resounding Roar!" Heatleo roars at one of Lumis' cards and it is sent back into the deck.

"What good is summoning a second copy if it's still weaker than Des Kaizer?" Lumis asked.

"A good question. Heatleo has an ability it can only use when it's Reincarnation Link Summoned. Once per turn, I can choose a monster on your field and its Attack points become the same as a monster in our graveyard. Now your Masked Emperor Des Kaizer has the same number of Attack Points as Salamangreat Mole: a great big 0!"

"0?!" Lumis and Umbra gasp in horror.

"Flame Possession!" Heatleo fires a burst of flame from its claws and hits Des Kaizer.

Masked Emperor Des Kaizer: 3800→0

"No! We're not supposed to lose! Not like this!" Lumis said in horror.

"Please! Have mercy!" Umbra pleaded.

"Sorry, but the flames of justice aren't merciful to criminals! Salamangreat Heatleo, take out Masked Emperor Des Kaizer and finish this!" Soulburner commanded Heatleo to attack. "Inferno Strike!" Heatleo charges at Des Kaizer and deals a powerful punch that pierces through the Fiend's body. Des Kaizer explodes as it roars in agonizing pain. The explosion sends the masked duelists crashing into the rocks.

Lumis/Umbra: 2000→0 LP

"Yes! We won!" Soulburner cheered.

"Theodore!" The Fire duelists hear Kiku's voice.

"Kiku? What are you doing here?" Soulburner asked.

"I was so worried about you! You could've been seriously hurt!" Kiku argued.

Axel stepped forward. "Kiku, was it?"

"And you are?" Kiku asked the West Academy student.

"Axel Brodie. I came here to train for the rest of the tournament before those two showed up and challenged me." Axel explained, glancing at the defeated masked duelists. "I could've taken them on myself, but Soulburner came to my aid and with his amazing moves, we won. Which reminds me…" Axel goes over to Lumis and Umbra to collect his and Soulburner's prize.

"So, you helped Axel beat those two in a duel?" Kiku asked.

"How much of it did you see?" Soulburner asked her.

"Enough to see how amazing you were out there!" Kiku smiled. "And I better make this quick."

"Make what quick?" Soulburner asked. His answer came when Kiku gave him a quick kiss on his lips. His cheeks become as red as his suit. His train of thought halted when he hears Axel's voice.

"Hey, Soulburner! Catch!" Axel throws him four Link Crystals, keeping two. Axel puts his crystals on the band he wears, bringing his total to 10.

Kiku sees 6 crystals on Soulburner's band, and with the 4 Axel gave him, he has the 10 he needs to qualify for the Finals. "Theodore! You did it! You're in the finals!"

"Awesome! I can't wait to tell the others! Let's go!" Soulburner, Axel, and Kiku disappear via teleportation, leaving the defeated Lumis and Umbra, the latter waking up.

"This is all your fault, Lumis!" Umbra yelled.

"My fault?!" Lumis shouts.

"Your lame moves cost us the whole game!" Umbra accused Lumis of negligence throughout the duel.

"No, it was your poor planning!" Lumis argued.

"No, it was yours!"

"No, it was yours!"

Watching them argue from the castle briefing room was Roget, who recovered from his duel against Varis.

"No, it's your fault!"

"No, it's your fault!"

"You're both to blame." Roget sighs before pressing some buttons on his Duel Disk.

"You should be fired!" They both shouted at each other before purple flames surround them and they disappear.

"That takes care of that." Roget said. He hears a knock on the door. "Enter." The door opens and in comes Gozaburo, fully upgraded with cybernetic enhancements. He's now outfitted with a cybernetic eye and a robotic left arm that contains a retractable blade that doubles as a deck holder and Duel Disk.

"I see you got your upgrades, Mr. Kaiba." Roget complimented.

"That I did, and with these, and the new deck, my son won't stand a chance." Gozaburo smirked.

"Not just yet." They hear Emperor Shade's voice before they turn around and see him. "If you want to duel your son, you must get his attention, and that isn't easy."

"He's right. The only you get your rematch is if you somehow get to him through someone else." Roget agreed.

"I have an idea…" Gozaburo smirked evilly.

Fan-Made/OC Cards

Masked Emperor Des Kaizer

Level 10

DARK/Fiend/Fusion/Effect

Fusion Materials: "Masked Beast Des Gardius" + 1 monster equipped with "The Mask of Remnants"

Effect: You can only control 1 "Masked Emperor Des Kaizer". Once per turn, when this card is Fusion Summoned, you can return 1 "The Mask of Remnants" in your GY to your Deck; destroy all monsters your opponent controls. When this monster is destroyed and sent to your GY, return 1 "Masked Beast Des Gardius" from your GY to your hand.

Volcanic Blaze Zone

Field Spell

All FIRE Monsters gains 300 ATK and DEF. "Blaze Accelerator" cards cannot be destroyed. You can declare an attack in the turn you use the effect of a "Blaze Accelerator" card.

Salamangreat Barrier

Normal Trap

Activate when your opponent declares an attack on a FIRE Monster and you control a "Salamangreat" Link Monster: Negate the attack. You can only activate 1 "Salamangreat Barrier" per turn.