Chapter 53: The Master of the Rare Hunters
As Kaiba stepped through the door, he found himself in a wide, empty room staring down a green haired man in a gray robe.
"Ah, Seto Kaiba, I've been expecting you. Welcome."
"Quit the pleasantries, you freak! Hand over the prototypes you stole, and that Quantum Cube!"
The man chuckled, and shook his head.
"You CEO's, so blunt and right to the point. At least wait for our guests to arrive."
"Guys, in here!"
On cue, all of the other Lancers and Ishizu came running in. When Ishizu saw who opposed them, her eyes narrowed.
"Dartz."
"Ishizu, so lovely to see you again."
"You know him, Ishizu?"
"He was once a member of the Plana, but we expelled him for going against our teachings."
Dartz chuckled.
"You call it being expelled, I call it leaving over creative differences."
"Enough chit chat, why are you doing this?"
Dartz picked up The Quantum Cube and held it in front of him.
"Don't you understand? This cube has the power to shape reality to one's will! We shouldn't protect society, we should rebuild it! We can make a world with no hatred, no wars, no disease!"
"Not the way you want to do it!" Ishizu snapped. "The Quantum Cube requires human sacrifice to power itself."
"That's why he had us duel all those rare hunters!" Yuya gasped. "You monster! Those people gave their life for you, and you don't even care!"
"They knew the risks," Dartz said with a shrug. "Besides, their sacrifices will prove vital to the new world I intend to make!"
"Enough!" Kaiba butted in. "I don't know who you are, but I refuse to let you play god. If you want your sacrifice, then you'll have to duel me for it."
Dartz chuckled, but picked up a duel disk.
"Excellent. Your duel energy will provide more that suitable for my needs."
"Kaiba, wait!"
Kaiba turned just in time to catch the card Ishizu had thrown at him.
"Take it. It's your only hope of defeating him."
"Gee, thanks," Kaiba said sarcastically, but still added it to his deck."
"Add all the cards you want, you don't have a chance of beating me."
DUEL!
Dartz: 8000
Kaiba: 8000
"I'll begin with one monster face down. Then I'll set three cards face down and end my turn."
"All that build up for that?" Serena said, unimpressed. "What a letdown."
"Don't underestimate him, Serena," Barrett replied. "We don't know what traps he may have set."
"Barrett is right," Ishizu agreed. "Believe me, Dartz is as clever as he is dangerous."
Kaiba, on the other hand, was not as cautious.
"You can't win by hiding, Dartz! I summon Assault Wyvern (1800/1000) in attack mode! Attack his face down monster!"
The Wyvern blasted it with a powerful dragon breath, revealing it to be a strange jar (500/400). Strangely, the monster survived the attack.
"Sorry, but once Aroma Jar is flipped face up it can't be destroyed by battle. Better luck next time."
"Fine. I'll end my turn with one card face down."
"And since it's the end phase, Aroma Jar's effect activates, giving me 500 life points."
Dartz: 8500
"Before my Draw Phase, I activate the trap card, Solemn Wishes! Every time I draw a card, I'll gain 500 life points."
Dartz: 9000
"Next, I summon Aromage Cananga (1400/1000) in attack mode. And while my life points are higher than yours, all of your monsters lose 500 attack and defense points."
Canaga slammed her staff into the ground, summoning vines to ensnare and drain Kaiba's monster (1800-1300/1000–500).
"Next, I activate the field spell Aroma Garden! Once per turn, if I control an Aroma monster, I gain 500 life points, and every monster I control gains 500 attack and defense points until the end of your next turn (1400-1900/1000-1500) (500-1000/500-1000)."
Dartz: 9500
"And when I gain life points, Cananga's effect returns one Spell or trap card you control to your hand. Now Cananga, destroy his Wyvern!"
Kaiba: 7400
"I'll end my turn there."
Dartz: 10,000
Despite how far behind he was, Kaiba was not deterred.
"I'll start by summoning Protector with Eyes of Blue (800-300/1300-800) in attack mode! And when he's normal summoned, I can special summon The White Stone of Legend from my hand (300-0/250-0)! But that's not all. By tributing White Stone of Legend, Protector lets me special summon a Blue Eyes from my hand! Come forth, Blue Eyes White Dragon (3000-2500/2500-2000)!"
"Impressive, but it won't do much."
"You want to bet? I activate the spell card Burst Stream of Destruction! In exchange for not allowing my Blue Eyes to attack this turn, this card destroys all monsters on your side of the field!"
Kaiba's dragon let loose a powerful blast of energy, vaporizing Dartz's monsters.
"Aroma Garden's effect activates. Since Face Up Aroma monsters were destroyed, I gain 1000 life points for each."
Dartz: 12,000
"True, but thanks to Cananga no longer being on the field, my monsters gain their strength back (300-800/800-1300) (2500-3000/2000-2500). And since White Stone of Legend was sent to the Graveyard, I can add a Blue Eyes White Dragon to my hand. Now, Protector with Eyes of Blue tunes with Blue Eyes White Dragon to call forth Azure Eyes Silver Dragon (2500/2000)! Azure Eyes, attack Dartz directly!"
Dartz remained motionless as the
attack washed over him, dropping his life points.
Dartz: 9500
"I activate the spell card, Numinous Healer. Since I took damage to my life points, this trap gives me 1000 back."
Dartz: 10,500
Kaiba scowled, but there wasn't much else he could do.
"I end my turn with one card face down."
"This isn't good," Gong commented. "Kaiba can't keep Dartz's life points down!"
"Surely there has to be a way to beat him," Rin thought.
"Ishizu, you know Dartz," Yuya said. "Surely you know how to beat him, right?"
But Ishizu shook her head.
"Only if he draws the card I gave to him."
Dartz: 11,000
I'll start by summoning Lonefire Blossom (500/1400) in attack mode! But it won't be around for long, because by tributing it I can special summon one Plant monster from my deck. Come on out, Aromage Bergamot (2400/1800)!"
"My Azure Eyes is still stronger!"
"Not for long. I activate my trap card, Call of the Haunted! I'm sure you remember Aromage Cananaga, don't you?"
Kaiba grimaced as his Azure Eyes was strangled by the vines (2500-2000/2000-1500).
"Next, I'll use Aroma Garden's effect once more."
Dartz: 11,500
"Now then, say goodbye to your face down once more! Not only that, but Bergamot gains 1,000 attack and defense points when I gain life points (2400-3900/1800-3300) (1400-1900/1000-1500). Now Bergamot, destroy his Azure Eyes!"
Kaiba: 5500
"Now Cananga, attack him directly!"
Kaiba braced himself as the mage struck him with her staff, the impact forcing him to his knees.
Kaiba: 3600
"I've put you through enough already. I'll end my turn there."
"Mr. Kaiba, are you alright?"
Kaiba forced himself to his feet with a grunt, his body singed but himself still very much in the duel.
"Never better, kid. And I'll start with the spell card, Card of Sanctity! This lets us draw until we each have six cards in our hands. Now I activate the spell card, Silver's Cry! Come back, Blue Eyes White Dragon! Next, I activate Polymerization to fuse my two Blue Eyes into the Blue Eyes Twin Burst Dragon (3000-2500/2500-2000)!"
"Forgetting something, Kaiba?"
"No, I didn't. Go, Megamorph! Since my life points are lower, this makes Twin Burst's attack points double their original attack (2500-6000)!"
"What?"
"Go, Twin Burst! Destroy Aromage Cananga!"
Dartz: 11,500-7400-8400
"Now Twin Burst, destroy Bergamot (3900-4900-5400)!"
Dartz: 8400-7800-8800
"I'll end my turn with one card face down. Ready to give up yet, Dartz?"
But Dartz just chuckled.
"Give up? Now why would I do that when my victory is all but assured?"
"Are you nuts? You may have more life points than me, but look at the field! I have a monster with 6000 attack points, and you have nothing!"
"And yet you still can't take the lead. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a duel to win!
Dartz: 9300
"And I'll start by summoning Crane Crane (300/900) in attack mode! When I normal summon it, I can special summon a level 3 monster from my graveyard. Come back, Lonefire Blossom! Now, with these two monsters I build the overlay network and Xyz Summon! Rise forth, Rank 3 Chronomaly Crystal Chrononaut (2100/1000) in attack mode!"
"Why would he summon such a weak monster in attack mode?" Serena wondered. "Kaiba's monster will cream it."
"Obviously, he realized he has no hopes of winning this duel and is throwing in the towel!" Sylvio proclaimed, proud of his deduction. But Yuya wasn't so sure.
"I wouldn't be so sure, Sylvio. Something tells me Dartz has something else up his sleeve."
Kaiba was having the same thoughts himself.
Obviously, he wants me to attack him, but why? Well, the only way to win is to attack, but just to be safe…
"I activate the trap card, Gift of the Mystical Elf! This grants me 300 life points for every monster on the field."
Kaiba: 4200
"Now Twin Burst, attack his Chrononaut!"
But Dartz just chuckled.
"Thank you, that's exactly what I wanted you to do! By detaching an overlay unit when Chrononaut is attacked, he isn't destroyed, and you take the damage instead of me!"
Kaiba braced himself as the Xyz monster blew icy cold wind at him, knocking him to the ground.
Kaiba: 300
"I…end my turn with one card face down. Your move."
Dartz: 9800
"Do you see how pointless it is to continue to struggle? Surrender now, and your death will be quick."
"Never!"
"Suit yourself. I place one card face down and end my turn."
The poor fool doesn't realize his fate is already sealed. My Battle Mania will force him to attack, and when he does my Chrononaut will finish him off!
"I'll start by activating my trap, Life Equalizer!"
Ishizu smiled, Kaiba had set the card she gave him. Dartz, on the other hand, was far from pleased.
"No!"
"Yes!"
Kaiba: 3000
Dartz: 3000
"Next, I'll activate Foolish Burial to send a monster from my deck to the graveyard. Next, I'll banish Protector with Eyes of Blue and Kaiser Vorse Raider from my graveyard to special summon Chaos Emperor Dragon- Envoy of the End (3000/2500)!"
"This can't be happening!"
"Now, by paying 1000 life points, every card on the field and in our hands is sent to the graveyard, and for every card sent you take 300 points of damage!"
Kaiba: 2000
Dartz could only watch in horror as Kaiba's monster let loose a torrent of flames which consumed everything, himself included as his life points hit zero.
Dartz: 0000
"No…No, this can't be! NO!"
But Dartz's pleas fell on deaf ears as he disintegrated, vanishing into thin air as Kaiba collapsed to the ground, weary but triumphant.
"It's over…"