Update: I've changed the title of Chapter 5 from Mechanical Advent to Burning Advent, as recommended by HunterHQ. This works out, as I can introduce a new character by Chapter 5. Who this character is, you'll have to stay tuned and find out! Until then, enjoy Chapter 4!
Chapter 4: An Angel's Challenge
In LINK VRAINS...
Blue Angel pointed her finger at Raguel. "Raguel, I hereby challenge you to a duel!"
Oh you gotta be shitting me, Raguel thought, as he glared at Blue Angel, while she smiled back at him in return.
Meanwhile, in the Hanoi Stronghold, Revolver was watching these events through the monitor. Interesting, he thought. Blue Angel will most certainly be useful in our plans.
At that moment, Specter logged in, alongside Dancho.
"Master Revolver," Specter said. "I wanted to let you know that our little project is ready to be used at your command."
"Thank you for the update, Specter." Specter bowed low in response to Revolver's comment. "And how are you feeling Dancho? Was Raguel's strength just as strong as I anticipated?"
"He is just as strong as you said, Revolver," Dancho said. "However, he is indeed a powerful foe, one that I believe could be a danger to us all."
"There's no need to be concerned, Dancho," Revolver said, a look of unconcern on his face. "Your duel against Raguel gave me important data that can be used against him. And I believe this next duel will give us more."
This is a complete waste of time, Raguel thought. He was about to give Blue Angel his answer and log out, when...
"Oi, oi, oi, not so fast, Yuhiro!" Roxy practically shouted through Raguel's earpiece. This caused him to jump.
"Well, Raguel, I'm waiting for your answer," Blue Angel said, now starting to get annoyed.
"Blue Angel, can you please give me two minutes? I need to take this call." Raguel said, turning away from her. "Roxy, what is it? I'm about to log out and-."
"Oh you most certainly are not!" Roxy shouted. "You're going to accept her challenge!"
"Wait. What?!" Raguel said. "Why should I? I just narrowly survived a duel against a Kung-Fu master that can summon energy from his freakin fist!"
"Because I'll be visiting Miyu later tonight!" This caught Raguel off guard. "And I'll have you know that Blue Angel, or as you know her, Aoi Zaizen, was, and still is, Miyu's childhood friend. I think this duel might be the thing that wakes her up from her coma."
Raguel didn't know what to think or say. Roxy, until now, hadn't told him about Miyu's past, other than that Roxy was Miyu's aunt.
"Please," Roxy said. "Yuhiro, I'm begging you."
Raguel sighed. "All right, Roxy. I'll do this for you." And for Miyu, he thought.
Turning to Blue Angel, he said, "You challenge me to a duel? In that case, I say we GET THIS PARTY STARTED!" A smile fell on Blue Angel's face upon realizing he accepted her challenge.
"OMG, he accepted!" the MC shouted at the top of his lungs. "Raguel vs. Blue Angel is about to start! Who will win in the duel of angels?"
"This is exciting!"
"I can't wait!".
"Show us the duel!"
This was said by several people in the Den City Plaza. Yusaku, who was watching the television screens, widened his eyes in shock seeing the events.
"He accepted..." was all Yusaku said, finishing his hot dog.
"Now this could be interesting," Kusanagi added, who was also eating a hot dog.
"Um, not to be rude," Ai said, "but why would this Raguel accept Blue Angel's challenge?"
Yusaku immediately stood up. "There are three reasons why Raguel accepted Blue Angel's challenge. One: By dueling Blue Angel, he can learn how to duel against duelists that use burn strategies, and then come up with strategies to counter them. Two: Someone must have convinced Raguel to participate in this duel. Whether the reasons are noble or not, I'm not sure. Three: If Raguel is one of the children that were involved in the Lost Incident, he must have found a way to move on from its traumas and enjoy life once again." Yusaku became envious of Raguel upon saying that.
"In that case," Kusanagi said, "I believe we should view this duel on the monitor. Just in case something is amiss."
"Good idea," Yusaku said, as he and Kusanagi, alongside Ai, went into Kusanagi's food truck.
In the Hanoi Stronghold...
"How interesting," Revolver said, smiling at what is happening. "Now that Raguel accepted the challenge, this duel will certainly provide me with more data on Raguel's strategies and power."
"On top of that," Specter said, "I believe we may have found our first test subject. With your permission, of course," Specter added.
"You make a valid point, Specter," Revolver replied. "Very well then. Specter. Observe the duel between Raguel and Blue Angel and send the duel data to me. Regardless whether Blue Angel wins or loses, give her the program once the duel's concluded."
"As you command, Master Revolver," Specter said, bowing low before logging out.
"Is this necessary?" Dancho asked, causing Revolver to turn to him. "Are you sure that holding a hostage is the right thing to do? I thought that-."
To Dancho's surprise, Revolver placed a hand on his shoulder. "I understand your concern," Revolver said. "Ever since what happened to your students, you didn't want to involve anyone else. But sometimes, we must make hard decisions for the greater good. You of all people understand this, right?"
Dancho nodded. "Of course. I just feel uneasy about this course of action."
"You need not worry," Revolver said, now turning to the monitor, which showed the duel was about to start. "Once our plan's in motion, I myself will obtain that Ignis. And should Raguel get involved, I know someone who'll snuff out his power once and for all."
In LINK VRAINS...
A strong current of wind blew past the two duelists as a Data Storm arrived at their location. Raguel and Blue Angel jumped in the air and onto their respective duel boards. Blue Angel ended up in front, which Raguel didn't mind. I would've had to duel her at some point, Raguel thought. Better now than later.
"Speed Duel!" Raguel and Blue Angel declared.
Raguel: 4000 LP
Blue Angel: 4000 LP
"Thank you everyone for your support!" Blue Angel said, smiling. "And since I'm in front, I'll be taking the first turn!" She swiped her arm to the side, making four cards appear in front of her. "First, I'll activate the Field Spell card, Trickstar Light Stage! When Light Stage is activated, I can add 1 'Trickstar' monster from my deck to my hand!" She added Trickstar Lilybell to her hand.
"I activate Trickstar Lilybell's effect! Since it was added to my hand except by drawing it, I can Special Summon it from my hand! Come on out and greet the audience!" A young woman wearing a short-pink dress and carrying a massive bell in her hand appeared. She also had long pink hair combed in two ponytails as well.
Trickstar Lilybell ATK: 800 DEF: 2000 LVL: 2
"I'm not done yet, Raguel!" Blue Angel said. "Now I'll summon Trickstar Candina!" This time, a young woman in a yellow dress carrying a megaphone joined the field. She waved to the crowd after being summoned.
Trickstar Candina ATK: 1800 DEF: 400 LVL: 4
"Since Candina was Normal Summoned, I can add any 'Trickstar' card from my deck to my hand!" Blue Angel added Trickstar Lycoris from her deck to her hand.
"And now, for Trickstar Lycoris' effect! I can return any 'Trickstar' monster to my hand to Special Summon her to the field! I'll choose to return Candina, and then introduce Lycoris to the duel!" Candina vanished in particles and was replaced by a young woman wearing a red and black dress while holding a golden sword in her hand.
Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1600 DEF: 1200 LVL: 3
"Appear, the circuit of dreams and hope!" Blue Angel said, firing a blast of energy in the sky, which created a Link Portal. Blue Angel entered it alongside Lilybell and Lycoris.
"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is 1 Level 2 or lower 'Trickstar' monster! I'll set Trickstar Lilybell in the Link Marker!" Lilybell entered the bottom arrowhead at Blue Angel's command.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Trickstar Bloom!" A fair-skinned young woman, wearing a green and yellow dress, a little brown witch-hat, two fairy wings, and holding a broom decorated with a flower on top appeared on the field.
Trickstar Bloom ATK: 100 LINK-1 ⬇️
"Since she was Link Summoned, you get to draw a card Raguel!" Blue Angel said, winking at him.
"Okay then," Raguel said, slightly blushing. Must not let her get to me, he thought, as he drew his card.
"Whoops! I forgot to mention Trickstar Lycoris' other effect!" Blue Angel suddenly said, now smiling with confidence. "Whenever you add a card to your hand, you take 200 points of damage!" Upon saying that, Lycoris pointed her sword at Raguel and fired a golden beam at him, which hit him in the chest.
Raguel: 4000 – 200 = 3800 LP
"I'll also use Trickstar Light Stage's effect! If a 'Trickstar' monster I control inflicts battle or effect damage," Blue Angel explained, "you'll take an additional 200 points of damage!"
The Field Spell materialized beside the idol as it fired a blast of green energy at Raguel, engulfing him in its green light.
Raguel: 3800 – 200 = 3600 LP
"Next, I'll activate Trickstar Make-Up!" The card showed Trickstar Holly Angel being prepped for a show by Trickstar Mandrake and Trickstar Lycoris. "Now all 'Trickstar' monsters I control gain 200 attack and defense points!"
Trickstar Bloom ATK: 100 + 200 = 300
Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1600 + 200 = 1800 DEF: 1200 + 200 = 1400
"I think I'll end my turn here!" Blue Angel concluded. "So, now that I showed you what I got, let's see what you got."
"Don't worry. I won't disappoint," Raguel said. "My turn! I draw!"
"Yup! You drew a card! You know what that means! Lycoris will deal 200 points of damage to you!" Blue Angel said. Lycoris once again pointed her sword at Raguel and fired a golden beam at him, which hit him in the chest.
Raguel: 3600 – 200 = 3400 LP
"And I hope you didn't forget about Trickstar Light Stage!" Blue Angel added, as the card blasted another burst of green energy at Raguel.
Raguel: 3400 – 200 = 3200 LP
Raguel could swear he heard Roxy laughing. "You're enjoying this, aren't you?" he asked Roxy.
"A lot," Roxy said, laughing through Raguel's earpiece.
"You were right about her deck, though," Raguel said. "I gotta be careful, or else-."
"BAM! You're screwed!" Roxy finished, which caused Raguel to hold his right hand to his right ear.
"Just let me focus! Please!" Raguel said.
"Yeah, yeah. Don't worry about me. I'll be enjoying the show."
"Uh-huh." Going back to the duel, Raguel said, "First, I summon Cyreath Archer!" The female archer with pink hair and a light-green cloak joined Raguel's field.
Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3
"Appear! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel immediately created a Link Portal and entered it with Archer.
"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are 1 'Cyreath' monster! I'll set Cyreath Archer in the Link Marker!" Archer entered the bottom arrowhead surrounding the Link Portal.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Scorpius!" A huge scorpion, with large pincers and a long tail, joined Raguel's field.
Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 LINK-1 ⬇️
"Scorpius' effect! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard to a zone this card points to. Come back, Cyreath Archer!"
Scorpius lowered its tail into a portal, with Archer grabbing onto it before jumping out of the portal and back onto the field.
Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3
"Now I activate my own Field Spell Cyreath Grand Hall!" Raguel said. The card showed a large council room on top of a mountain, overlooked by enormous humanoids that were sitting on chairs. "Now all 'Cyreath' monsters I control gain 200 attack points!"
Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 + 200 = 1600
Cyreath Scorpius ATK: 1000 + 200 = 1200
"I Set one card. Battle!" Raguel declared. "First, Cyreath Scorpius attacks Trickstar Bloom!" The massive scorpion charged forward and slashed Bloom in two, turning her into particles.
Blue Angel: 4000 – 900 = 3100 LP
"And now I activate Cyreath Archer's effect! If I cut battle damage inflicted by her in half this turn, she gets to attack directly." Archer pulled an arrow back further than intended.
Cyreath Archer ATK: 1600/2 = 800
"Fire away Cyreath Archer!" Raguel said. Archer fired an arrow, which hit Blue Angel and caused her to stagger a bit.
Blue Angel: 3100 – 800 = 2300 LP
"And that ends my turn." Raguel concluded. "So, had enough?"
Cyreath Archer ATK: 800 X 2 = 1600
"I don't think so," Blue Angel said, drawing a card. "I draw! Since I control a 'Trickstar' monster, I can Special Summon Trickstar Ravenna from my hand!" A young woman wearing a violet dress and a tiara joined the field. In her hand was a magic staff with a flower design.
Trickstar Ravenna ATK: 1500 DEF: 1500 LVL: 5
"Next, I summon Trickstar Rosy!" This time, a young girl wearing a rosy red dress appeared on the field. She carried a flute in her hand.
Trickstar Rosy ATK: 900 DEF: 0 LVL: 3
"When Rosy is Normal or Special Summoned, she lets me add a 'Trickstar' card from my deck to my hand. How about this one!" Blue Angel added Trickstar Dazzle to her hand. "Oh, and thanks to my Continuous-Spell, both my newly summoned Trickstars will both gain 200 attack and defense points!"
Trickstar Ravenna ATK and DEF: 1500 + 200 = 1700
Trickstar Rosy ATK: 900 + 200 = 1100 DEF: 0 + 200 = 200
"I'll use Trickstar Ravenna's effect! Once per duel, if I were to Link Summon a 'Trickstar' Link Monster, she can be treated as two Link Materials!" Blue Angel said, surprising Raguel.
"Appear, the circuit of dreams and hope!" Blue Angel proceeded to create a Link Portal and enter it with Ravenna, Lycoris, and Rosy.
"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two 'Trickstar' monsters! I'll set Trickstar Ravenna, which is being counted as two Link Materials by her own effect, into the Link Markers!" Ravenna split in two as she entered the bottom-left and bottom-right arrowheads.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 2! Trickstar Holly Angel!" A woman with pale blonde hair and blue eyes exited the Link Portal and joined Blue Angel's field. She wore an elaborate blue, white, and purple dress and carried a flail.
Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 2000 LINK-2 ↙️↘️
"And my Continuous-Spell gives Holly Angel 200 more attack points!" Blue Angel added.
Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 2000 + 200 = 2200
"Now to Set two face-down cards. Battle! First, Trickstar Holly Angel attacks Cyreath Scorpius! Holly Flail!" Holly Angel swung out its flail to attack, but...
"I activate Cyreath Provocation!" Raguel suddenly said. The card showed Cyreath Rushing Skeleton being angered by taunts from Cyreath Barbarian, Cyreath Archer, and Cyreath Sentry. "Now monsters you control gain 100 attack points and must attack. Otherwise, their effects are negated and can no longer be used for Link Summoning!"
Bowing mockingly at the Trickstar monsters Blue Angel had, he said to them, "Shall we dance?" This got them all riled up.
Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 2200 + 100 = 2300
Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1800 + 100 = 1900
Trickstar Rosy ATK: 1100 + 200 = 1300
"What will you do Blue Angel?" Raguel asked Blue Angel.
After a moment's hesitation, Blue Angel said, "You brought this on yourself Raguel! Holly Angel resumes her attack on Scorpius!" Holly Angel swung out its flail at Scorpius, destroying the scorpion and causing Raguel to shield his eyes from the explosion.
Raguel: 3200 – 900 = 2300 LP
"Now Trickstar Lycoris attacks Cyreath Archer!" Lycoris fired a golden beam from her sword at Archer, destroying her and pushing Raguel back a bit.
Raguel: 2300 – 300 = 2000 LP
"And now Trickstar Rosy attacks you directly Raguel!" Blue Angel said, pointing at him. Rosy fired a musical note from her flute, which was about to hit Raguel, when...
"I activate the effect of Cyreath Rippler from my hand! If I control no monsters, I can Special Summon this card from my hand and negate the attack!" A ghoul wearing digital pale robes appeared, carrying a small metal wand and triangle. Rippler hit the triangle using its wand, pushing back the musical note Rosy fired.
Cyreath Rippler ATK: 100 DEF: 100 LVL: 1
Cyreath Rippler ATK: 100 + 200 = 300
"Also, the attacking monster is destroyed! Agony Ripple!" This time, Rippler unleashed another musical blast that was much stronger than the previous one, which knocked back Rosy and destroyed her.
"Rosy!" Blue Angel cried out. "I'll have to end my turn," she said, annoyed with her loss.
"Then it's my turn!" Raguel said. "I draw!"
"And Lycoris' effect activates again!" Blue Angel said, interrupting Raguel. "Only this time, Rosy's effect also activates, doubling all effect damage you take!" Lycoris fired a bigger than usual golden beam at Raguel, which pushed him back this time.
Raguel: 2000 – 400 = 1600 LP
"My Light Stage would also normally deal you 200 points of damage, but thanks to Rosy, it's doubled!" The card blasted a gust of green energy at Raguel, making him cover his eyes.
Raguel: 1600 – 400 = 1200 LP
"And one last thing!" Blue Angel added. "Until the end of the turn, Holly Angel gains attack points equal to the damage you took. Holly Blessing!"
Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 2300 + 800 = 3100
I need to get rid of Lycoris. Otherwise, I'll lose the duel, Raguel thought. "First, I'll summon Cyreath Icarus!" he said. An angelic warrior with a white tunic and brown sandals, carrying a modified bow joined the field.
Cyreath Icarus ATK: 1200 DEF: 1100 LVL: 3
"Icarus' effect! When this card is Normal Summoned, I can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or lower 'Cyreath' monster from my Graveyard. Return, Cyreath Archer!" Archer returned to the field right beside Icarus.
Cyreath Archer ATK: 1400 DEF: 1000 LVL: 3
"Grand Hall's effect will also-!"
"Your Field Spell won't do anything," Blue Angel said. "Counter Trap, activate! Trickstar Dazzle!" The card showed Trickstar Bella Madonna wowing the crowd with her musical performance. "When a card effect is activated, I can negate that effect and then destroy it!" Raguel couldn't help but grit his teeth as Grand Hall vanished into particles.
"Since Cyreath Grand Hall is destroyed," Raguel said, "Cyreath Rippler loses its attack boost."
Cyreath Rippler ATK: 300 – 200 = 100
"That doesn't mean I don't have any other moves to make!" Raguel declared. "Appear, the circuit showing the highest mountain!" He created a Link Portal and proceeded to enter it alongside Rippler, Icarus, and Archer.
"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning condition is 1 monster! I'll set Cyreath Rippler in the Link Marker!" Rippler went into the bottom-left arrowhead, turning it red.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! Appear! Link 1! Cyreath Skull Wing!" A skull with wings on its head flew onto Raguel's field.
Cyreath Skull Wing ATK: 300 LINK-1 ↙️
"Appear again! The circuit showing the highest mountain!" Raguel opened another Link Portal, which he, Skull Wing, Icarus, and Archer soon entered.
"Arrowheads confirmed! The summoning conditions are two or more 'Cyreath' monsters! I'll set Cyreath Icarus, Cyreath Archer, and Cyreath Skull Wing, which is a Link 1 monster, in the Link Markers!" Icarus entered the top-left arrow, Archer entered the top-right arrow, and Skull Wing entered the bottom arrow.
"Circuit combine! Link Summon! The strongest warrior chosen by the gods! Link 3! Cyreath Hercules!" A tall, muscular warrior wearing a brown tunic around his waist emerged from the portal He wore shoulder guards resembling lion paws and a helmet resembling a lion's head with a plume forming a mane. He also carried a massive gauntlet with a lion face on each arm.
Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 LINK-3 ↖️⬇️↗️
"At this point, Skull Wing's effect activates! Since it was used to Link Summon a monster, you take 300 points of damage!" The spirit of Skull Wing appeared and literally went through Blue Angel, causing her to shiver.
Blue Angel: 2300 – 300 = 2000 LP
"I Set one card. Battle! Cyreath Hercules attacks Trickstar Lycoris! Nemean Strike!" Hercules charged forward and uppercutted Lycoris, destroying her and turning her into particles. This caused Blue Angel to stagger forward on her duel board.
Blue Angel: 2000 – 600 = 1400 LP
"Hercules' effect! Since your monster's attack points was different than its original attack points, you'll take damage equal to half your monster's original attack! Nemean Rage!" Raguel shouted. Hercules charged once again, only at Blue Angel this time, but...
"I activate Trickstar Dhalia's effect from my hand!" Blue Angel said, turning to Raguel. "If I would take effect damage, I can send her to the Graveyard and reduce it to zero!" A little girl wearing a peachy-orange dress and having short, orange hair put up a magic barrier around Blue Angel, pushing Hercules back to Raguel's field.
"I'll end my turn," Raguel concluded. "Which means Holly Angel's attack points drop back to where they were at the beginning of my turn."
Trickstar Holly Angel ATK: 3100 – 800 = 2300
"My turn! I draw!" Blue Angel said. "I'll summon a second Trickstar Lycoris from my hand!" Another young woman wearing a red and black dress while holding a golden sword in her hand joined Blue Angel's field.
Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1600 DEF: 1200 LVL: 3
"Cyreath Provocation's effect has your monster gain 100 attack points!" The card fired a red aura at Lycoris, which enraged the young woman.
"But Trickstar Make Up also boosts its attack and defense points by 200!" Blue Angel countered.
Trickstar Lycoris ATK: 1600 + 100 + 200 = 1900 DEF: 1200 + 200 = 1400
If this combo works, Blue Angel thought, I'll win this duel. And I'll finally prove to my brother that I'm not his baby sister anymore! "I activate my Skill Trickstar Fraud!" The lines on Blue Angel's clothing glowed pink, as well as the hearts on her wings and her heart-shaped earrings. "By discarding a 'Trickstar' card, you have to draw cards until you have three in your hand!" Raguel gritted his teeth as he drew two cards.
"And thanks to the combined efforts of Lycoris, Rosy, and Light Stage, the duel is concluded. Go!" Lycoris fired a massive golden beam, while Light Stage fired an enormous blast of green energy at Raguel. But...
"Quick-Play Spell, Cyreath Repulse!" Raguel said. The card showed Cyreath Sentry pushing back against a blast of energy fired from Panzer Dragon. "If I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, all effect damage I would've taken is reduced to zero!" Hercules jumped in front of Raguel and protected him by blocking the two blasts of energy using his massive gauntlets.
Great. Now Holly Angel doesn't get her attack boost, Blue Angel thought. There's another way, though. "I equip Trickstar Holly Angel with Trickstar Iris Whip!" Blue Angel said. The card showed Trickstar Black Catbat holding what looked like a purple whip with three ends on it. "By cutting any battle damage inflicted by Holly Angel in half, she gets to attack you directly! Holly Iris Triple Smack!" Holly Angel swung out the whip at Raguel and all three ends hit Raguel in the face at once, pushing him back and almost making him lose balance on his duel board.
Raguel: 1200 – 1150 = 50 LP
"Yuhiro!" Roxy shouted through Raguel's earpiece, causing him to jolt.
"I'm not dead yet, Roxy." Raguel said. "I think I can finish the duel on this turn."
"I hope so, pal. Cause what would Miyu think of you if she saw you lose to her childhood friend?" Roxy asked.
If Miyu was watching, she would kill me for getting my ass kicked, Raguel thought, which caused him to smirk. But she'd also be happy for Blue Angel as well. This got him to smile even wider.
"Just trust me Roxy. The duel is in the bag." With that, Raguel resumed his focus to the duel.
"I end my turn." Blue Angel concluded. If Raguel attacks with Hercules, I can activate my facedown Trap card Trickstar Unity, Blue Angel thought. Which will boost one of my Trickstar's attack points by the other and finish Raguel off! Blue Angel could taste the sweet victory that she would be experiencing on Raguel's next turn. After she defeats him, her brother will no longer see her as his baby sister, but as his sister and maybe his equal. At that point, he wouldn't have to baby her around and, if she was lucky, he would start trusting her.
At SOL Technologies...
Akira Zaizen was watching the duel between Blue Angel and Raguel on his computer's monitor. He narrowed his eyes as the duel progressed.
Why are you doing this, Aoi? Akira thought. During their entire childhood, Akira tried his hardest to make Aoi's life perfect, free from harm and worry. He even promised their parents that he would watch out for her when they weren't around.
However, the moment their parents died, they were thrown into the adult world, and everything they had, including their house, was sold to random strangers. Still, the siblings had each other, and Akira was more determined than ever to make sure Aoi was safe.
Akira spent endless days and nights studying, working, and ruthlessly climbing the corporate ladder in order to fulfil that promise. And one day, he finally succeeded: he became SOL Technologies' security chief. All for Aoi.
Everything I did was for you, Aoi. Just you, Akira thought. Yet he wondered: Was Aoi trying to tell him something by putting herself in danger?
In LINK VRAINS...
"Alright, Blue Angel! I draw!" Raguel said.
But Blue Angel said, "Lycoris' effect kicks in, which means you-!" She suddenly noticed that Lycoris was having trouble using her special ability. "What's wrong, Lycoris? Why isn't your ability-?" She then realized something important she shouldn't have missed.
"You're starting to realize what's going on, huh?" Raguel said. "Do you remember Cyreath Provocation's effect? In case you didn't, let me sum it up for you. Any monster that's affected by this Trap card and doesn't attack has their effects negated. Also, it cannot be used as a Link Material!" Blue Angel gasped upon hearing that.
"Now do you see the error you made?" Raguel asked. "Had you planned a little more carefully, you would have won. But when you attacked me directly with Holly Angel, it was like..." Raguel put his left hand to his chin and pondered before continuing, "It was like you wanted someone to notice you." A shocked expression fell on Blue Angel's face, which told Raguel everything. Bullseye.
"What would you know?" Blue Angel demanded.
"You're about to see." Raguel replied on cue. "I activate my Skill: Call of Olympus! I can Special Summon 1 random 'Cyreath' monster straight from my deck, and if I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" A random card popped out of Raguel's deck. When he looked at the card, he smiled. "Through my Skill, I summon Cyreath Rushing Skeleton!" A small skeleton carrying a bomb appeared on the field, looking very antsy.
Cyreath Rushing Skeleton: ATK: 1000 DEF: 1000 LVL: 4
"And since I control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster, I can add 1 'Cyreath' Spell or Trap card from my deck to my hand!" Raguel added Cyreath Empowerment from his deck to his hand.
"Since I control a 'Cyreath' monster, I can Normal summon Cyreath Cyclops from my hand without tributing!" A brute with one eye, carrying a club and wearing a belt with cloth, soon joined the field.
Cyreath Cyclops ATK: 1900 DEF: 2000 LVL: 5
"I activate Cyreath Empowerment! By tributing 1 'Cyreath' monster, another 'Cyreath' monster I control has its attack and defense points doubled until the end of the turn! I'll tribute Cyclops, so I can double Hercules' strength!" Cyclops vanished into particles, which were absorbed by Hercules as his strength increased.
Cyreath Hercules ATK: 2500 + 2500 = 5000
"Battle! First, Cyreath Rushing Skeleton attacks Trickstar Lycoris! At this point, I activate my little friend's effect! If it attacks a monster whose attack is higher than it, I can destroy this card, and yours with it without applying damage calculation!" Rushing Skeleton charged towards Lycoris with a bomb that was about to explode. It tripped, and hit Lycoris, causing them to both be destroyed the detonation of the bomb.
"This can't be happening!" Blue Angel said, realizing that defeat was inevitable.
"Oh, but it is!" Raguel replied. "Now Cyreath Hercules! Time for the final battle! Attack Trickstar Holly Angel with Nemean Strike!" Holly Angel attempted to hit Hercules with her whip, but Hercules dodged the strike and delivered a massive punch using its gauntlet.
Blue Angel widened her eyes as the impact caused an explosion, throwing her off her duel board.
I lost, Akira. I'm sorry, she thought, closing her eyes as she let herself fall.
Blue Angel: 1400 – 2700 = 0
"And the rest is silence!" Seeing Blue Angel fall, he said, "Whoops! Now I gotta catch her!" He immediately sped up on his duel board and caught Blue Angel in his arms.
"Roxy. I need you to provide a distraction so-."
"So you can have some alone time with Blue Angel." For the second time today, Raguel blushed. "Two little angels sitting in a tree. K.i.s.s.-."
"Shut up, Roxy," Raguel said, as he sped away holding Blue Angel in his arms.
Unbeknownst to him, Specter was watching the entire duel. Just a little longer, he thought. Then he can execute Revolver's plan.
Elsewhere, in Kusanagi's food truck...
"What? The feed's been turned to static!" Kusanagi said. Turning to Yusaku, he said, "It will take a few minutes to get the feed back online, but-."
"Kusanagi, you forgot. Since there's two of us, we can get it back online at a faster rate." Yusaku stated. Kusanagi smiled as the two of them went to work. By the time they were done, the feed was back online, showing the people in LINK VRAINS enjoying the...
"Fireworks show?" Ai asked. "The duel was delayed just for a fireworks show?"
"No, Ai," Kusanagi said. "I don't think it was just for preparing for a fireworks show."
"I agree with Kusanagi's analysis, Ai," Yusaku said, supporting what Kusanagi said. "For three reasons. One: If SOL Technologies believed there would be a delay in this duel, they would have notified the public. But recent events have told me otherwise. Two: If the Hanoi had a role in this, they could have used this duel to learn more about Raguel, and then ambush him after the duel. However, we would have known because you can detect them, Ai. Three: For an unknown reason, Raguel could have caused the delay. The only way he could have done this was-."
"If he had an ally, just like with you and me," Kusanagi finished.
"Exactly," Yusaku said, nodding at Kusanagi. "Therefore, it's important to figure out who Raguel's ally is so we can understand who were dealing with. After all, I don't like unknowns."
A few minutes earlier, in LINK VRAINS...
"Blue Angel. Are you okay?" Raguel asked.
"Ughhh," was Blue Angel said, as she woke up. She found herself looking at Raguel's face, which was filled with concern. Her back was also against a wall as well.
"Where are we?" Blue Angel asked.
"We're on a rooftop, a few miles away from where the duel occurred." Raguel answered her. "You were about to fall, and I got you. If people saw what happened, then they'd be filled with worry for you."
"But I'm fine," Blue Angel insisted, as she tried to get up, but she would have fallen over had Raguel not caught her.
"Easy," Raguel said, catching her. "You need a few minutes in order to regain your senses. Rest and stretch. It'll help." After Raguel made sure that she wouldn't fall over again, he said, "Well. I'm glad you're safe. I have to go now." He turned around and was about to log out when he felt Blue Angel touch his shoulder.
"Wait!" Blue Angel said to him. "Earlier, you didn't want to accept my challenge." This caused Raguel to stop himself from logging out, now curious on what she wanted to say.
"Yet, you did," Blue Angel continued. "I just want to say thank you for that. But I want to know: Why did you go through with the challenge, even though you didn't want to?"
Raguel turned to face her. "There are three reasons why I accepted your challenge. One," Raguel held up a finger, "It gave me an opportunity to duel against someone who utilized a burn strategy. By dueling you, I was able to learn a lot, and can now adapt against other duelists that might use similar strategies in the future. Two," Raguel held up a second finger, "I have a friend who wanted me to accept your challenge. I did this for her, and for someone else. Three," Raguel held up a third finger, "During the duel, when you attacked with Holly Angel, I noticed that you wanted someone to notice you. On my final turn, I wanted to show you the difference between dueling for attention and dueling for someone you care about. These reasons are why, in the end, I decided to accept your challenge."
Blue Angel's eyes widened in surprise upon hearing Raguel's reasons. "I didn't know you had someone to care about. Who is it you're dueling for?"
"How about this?" Raguel said. "If you can find a true reason to duel, then I'll tell you. Farewell, Blue Angel. No, I mean," Raguel whispered in her ear, "Aoi Zaizen." This sent shivers down Blue Angel's spine.
Blue Angel couldn't do anything but watch as Raguel turned around and logged out, leaving Blue Angel alone on the rooftop.
He knows who I am, Blue Angel thought. A true reason to duel? Why else would I duel, she wondered.
"That was a magnificent duel, Blue Angel. Although, if it was against Playmaker, it would have been more exciting," a voice said. This caused Blue Angel to turn towards the owner of the voice. She didn't know who he was, other than that he was a strange figure.
"You're a Knight of Hanoi, aren't you?" Blue Angel said, cutting to the chase.
"Indeed I am," the person said, as he walked forward and dissolved into data, hitting her with a cold wind of data. "But I'm first and foremost your biggest fan." This transported them to a strange room. One where no one could hear them.
"Now listen to me very carefully," the person said. Blue Angel immediately turned to see Specter staring behind her. "You can call me Specter, and I can bring Playmaker straight to you." The next thing she knew, she backed away from him.
"That is what you want, isn't it?" Specter said, which surprised Blue Angel, as she realized that her back hit him. This caused her to turn around and confront him. However, he vanished.
"My sole desire is to aid my favorite duelist so that she can defeat Playmaker," Specter said from the ground, which startled Blue Angel upon looking at where his voice was coming from.
The distraction was enough, as Specter was able to raise his hand and form a purple card, which he threw at Blue Angel. At contact, a bright light shone around Blue Angel.
"If you should ever find yourself in peril during a duel, do not hesitate to put into play the card I just provided you." Specter chuckled. "May you duel well, Blue Angel," Specter said, as he left the room.
The next thing Blue Angel knew, she found herself once again on the roof. "What... What just happened? Why do I feel like I forgot something?" Unable to get her bearings, she immediately logged out.
At Café Matsuo's backroom...
Yuhiro exited the sealed room, who was really tired at the moment.
"That was awesome!" Roxy said, running to Yuhiro and making sure he wouldn't fall.
"I... hope... you're... satisfied..." Yuhiro said, walking with Roxy out of the backroom and into Café Matsuo.
"I'm just letting you know now Roxy, that after today, I don't think that-."
To his surprise, Roxy put her arms around Yuhiro, pulling him in for an embrace. Yuhiro was surprised, as the older woman didn't often give affection. All she usually gave was pep talks, sass, and care.
"Oh," was all he said, as he pat her lower back with his right hand.
"Don't get used to it," Roxy said, pulling away from the embrace and helping Yuhiro sit down on a chair.
Holding the tablet in her hands, Roxy said to Yuhiro, "You go upstairs and rest. We'll review the footage on Dancho tomorrow."
"What about you?" Yuhiro asked.
"I'll be visiting Miyu. Maybe something different will happen," Roxy said, looking hopeful as she exited Café Matsuo.
I hope you're right, Roxy. We need some hope, Yuhiro thought, before going upstairs to his room.
Roxy went to the van and started it up. Yuhiro Furutani, she thought, you're a good kid with a kind soul. And some badass determination. No matter what, you'll keep going in order to fight for what's right. She smiled to herself. I'm glad we met. Guess that was the only thing that came out of the Incident...
Flashback: Ten years ago...
"Miyu!" Roxy screamed as she ran into the police station. She reached the front desk and asked the receptionist, "Is Miyu here?" Her eyes were filled with fear as she said this.
"Easy, ma'am," the receptionist said, which earned her a snarl from Roxy. Apparently, this motivated her into checking the computer for information.
"Let's see... Miyu... Miyu Sugisaki! She's here, but I'm afraid that we're-."
"I don't have time for your bullshit!" Roxy practically screamed at the receptionist, which caused a female officer with short, blond hair to run towards the situation and place a hand on Roxy's shoulder.
"Easy!" the female police officer said. Roxy was about to turn towards her in seething anger when the police officer said, "How about I accompany you to whoever it is you're looking to see? That good with you?"
Roxy slowly nodded as the officer continued, "My name is Barbara, by the way." Barbara showed the receptionist her badge, signed a few papers, and then took Roxy to the back of the station.
"The girl, Miyu, was found by rescue workers, alongside seven other children in a small structure of the woods," Barbara said, walking with Roxy as she was trying to process what happened. "According to their testimonies, the children were subjected to extreme electrical shocks." Roxy covered her mouth with her hands in horror upon hearing this.
"What?" Roxy said, now scared for Miyu. "Who would... who would do this to children?"
"I don't know," Barbara responded sadly, "but what we do know is that, whoever this girl is, she's a fighter." When Roxy turned to Barbara, she continued: "She was able to respond to us, as well as a few others, which gives us hope that they might be able to move past this trauma. Anyway, here we are." Barbara opened the door to the room.
In the room was a small little girl, who wore a pink shirt and a red ribbon, which was similar to a sailor's outfit and a blue skirt. She also had her hair styled in twin tails. The girl was sitting on a bed, her arms around her chest, as though she was trying to get warmth.
When she turned towards Roxy, all Roxy could do was cover her hands to her mouth in joy.
"Auntie... Roxy. Is... that... you?" Miyu asked.
"Miyu!" Roxy said, as she ran forward and gave the poor girl a big hug. "Your auntie's here now, sweetie! No one is going to ever hurt you again!" Turning to the officer, she said, "Thank you so much! Do you think it will be possible to take her home?"
Barbara frowned upon hearing the request. "I'll see what I can do," was all she said, as she went to the front of the station. A few minutes later, she came back, and told Roxy that, while it wouldn't be advisable, she can take Miyu home if she wished. However, the decision was up to Miyu.
"I want to go home, please." Miyu responded to the female officer.
"If that's what you want, Hun," Barbara said. Before leaving with Roxy, Miyu gave Barbara a big hug, and thanked her for making sure she was okay.
By the time Roxy and Miyu arrived at Café Matsuo, Roxy put Miyu to rest on the couch in the living room part of the second floor and immediately called her parents. It was raining once they got there.
"June! Sebastian!" Roxy ran out in the rain and gave her big sister a hug. Her sister, June, wore a green blouse, black jacket, and jeans. She also had long hair to her shoulder blades, with it reaching up to her nape.
Sebastian, on the other hand, wore a brown hat and jacket, with a white shirt and jeans. He had combed black hair, as well as a freshly shaved mustache.
"Where is she?" June asked. Roxy let them into Café Matsuo and into the living room, where Miyu was.
"Miyu? Is that you, sweetie?" June whispered into the sleeping Miyu's ear.
"Mommy? Daddy?" Miyu woke up, and upon seeing her parents, she smiled and jumped into their arms. Roxy couldn't help but cry a bit.
A few minutes later, Miyu went back to sleep, while Roxy, June, and Sebastian, went into the dining room part of the second floor, talking.
"Are you sure this is okay?" Roxy said, running her hands through her dark, curly hair. "Just leaving without planning?"
"She needs a fresh start," Sebastian said. "Away from this city. Away from all this trauma. Maybe one day, when she's older, she'll return."
June took Roxy's hand and squeezed it in reassurance. "It's going to be okay," June assured her. "We will see each other again one day."
By the time Sebastian and June finished packing up, Miyu couldn't help but cry upon learning she might not see her aunt for a very long time.
Roxy knelt down at Miyu and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We will see each other again," Roxy said, trying to fight back the tears. "After all... any promise your auntie makes, she keeps... right?"
The crying girl nodded slowly, then gave Roxy one last hug before her father took her to the car.
Roxy gave June one last hug before saying to her, "Stay safe. And don't forget to keep in contact if you need anything."
June couldn't help but chuckle. "I will, little sis. And try not to destroy the family business while we're away." Roxy watched as the family drove away from Café Matsuo. And once they were gone, she cried and let it all out.
Two years later...
It was evening. Roxy had just finished business for the day and was upstairs on the second floor. Just then, the doorbell rang.
When Roxy went to get it, she was surprised to see Barbara, who was now a police captain.
"Barbara!" Roxy said. "This is a surprise. What can I do for you?"
To Roxy's surprise, the female officer took off her cap. "I was wondering if we could talk in private. Something came up that you should know."
After Roxy and Barbara went inside, the two of them went to the living room part of the second floor.
"Alright, Barbara. No one can hear us. What is it?" Roxy asked.
Barbara sighed before speaking. "Something came up recently regarding your family." Roxy couldn't help but feel dread going through her spine.
"Your sister, June Matsuo, her husband Sebastian Sugisaki, and Miyu Sugisaki were involved in a traffic collision last night." Barbara continued. Roxy gasped upon hearing this information. "But we found something else."
"There's more?" Roxy said, now starting to become afraid for what Barbara might say next.
"When we examined the scene, we found your sister and her husband filled with bullets in their bodies and brains. No harm on Miyu, though, as she fell into a coma upon witnessing the act." Barbara's expression turned into immense sorrow. "I'm so sorry, Roxy. Your sister and her husband were killed."
The news was so overwhelming that Roxy felt weak to her knees, and she would have fallen had Barbara not caught her and helped her sit down on a chair. She then started crying a river of tears.
"Did you... did you catch whoever did this?" Roxy asked Barbara.
"We weren't able to, unfortunately, as he got away." Barbara replied, with a downcast expression on her face. Roxy couldn't help but continue crying as Barbara comforted her.
Once she finished crying, Roxy asked, "Can you take me to Miyu?"
Flashback End: Present Day...
Ever since I saw you that day, Roxy thought, as she drove to the Den City Hospital, I've promised myself that I wouldn't rest until I found out who did this to you, Miyu. Yuhiro, you made a similar promise. A determined expression fell on Roxy's face. Together, nothing will stop us!
Card Gallery
Cyreath Cyclops (LV: 5/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 1900/DEF: 2000)
If you control a 'Cyreath' monster: You can Normal Summon this card without tributing. Once per turn, when this card declares an attack, it cannot be destroyed by card effects.
Cyreath Rippler (LV: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 100/DEF: 100)
When your opponent attacks you directly with a monster they control while you control no monsters: You can Special Summon this card from your hand; negate the attack, and if you do, destroy the attacking monster.
Cyreath Skull Wing (LR: 1/Cyberse/Dark/ATK: 300/↙️)
1 monster. If this card is used for a Link Summon: Inflict 300 damage to your opponent.
Cyreath Grand Hall (Field Spell Card)
'Cyreath' monsters you control gain 200 ATK. Once per turn: You can target 1 'Cyreath' Link monster you control; shuffle cards from your GY into your deck up to its Link Rating.
Cyreath Repulse (Quick-Play Spell Card)
If you would take effect damage while you control a 'Cyreath' Link Monster: Reduce all effect damage you would have taken this turn to 0.
Cyreath Provocation (Continuous-Trap Card)
Monsters your opponent controls gain 100 ATK. While your opponent controls a monster, they must declare an attack; otherwise, its effects are negated and cannot be used as material for a Link Summon.
Trickstar Ravenna (LV: 5/Fairy/ATK: 1500/DEF: 1500)
If you control a 'Trickstar' monster: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. Once per duel, if you were to Link Summon a 'Trickstar' Link Monster: You can treat this card as 2 Link Materials.
Trickstar Rosy (LV: 3/Fairy/Light/ATK: 900/DEF: 0)
When this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can add 1 'Trickstar' card from your deck to your hand. While this card is in your GY, all effect damage inflicted to your opponent is doubled.
Trickstar Dhalia (LV: 2/Fairy/Light/ATK: 500/DEF: 500)
If you would take effect damage: You can send this card from your hand to the GY, and if you do, effect damage you would have taken is reduced to 0.
Trickstar Make-Up (Continuous Spell Card)
Effect: While this card is on the field: 'Trickstar' monsters you control gain 200 ATK and DEF.
Trickstar Iris Whip (Equip Spell Card)
Equip only to a 'Trickstar' monster you control. Once per turn, the equipped monster can attack your opponent directly, but any battle damage it inflicts is halved. When the equipped monster leaves the field: You can banish this card; add 1 'Trickstar' card from your deck to your hand.
Trickstar Dazzle (Counter Trap Card)
When your opponent activates a card effect: Negate that card effect, and if you do, destroy it.
Trickstar Unity (Normal Trap Card)
Target 1 'Trickstar' monster you control; it gains ATK equal to the ATK of the 'Trickstar' monster with the highest ATK until the end of the turn. If you activate this effect, you can only attack with the targeted monster this turn.
QOTC
What do you think Yuhiro/Raguel's music theme should be?
Chapter Preview
Next time on Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS: Obscured Truth. Chapter 5: Burning Advent. Exhausted from the events in LINK VRAINS, Yuhiro attempts to puzzle together Dancho's connection to the Hanoi and who else might be involved. However, when something abnormal happens to Blue Angel, Yuhiro logs into LINK VRAINS, only to be thrown into a situation involving Playmaker, Akira Zaizen, and the leader of the Knights of Hanoi himself: Revolver...
Responses to Reviews and Author's Notes
Thank you to HunterHQ, SavageMaster1999, King, Lightning, and SSJ Shadow for reviewing Chapter Three of Obscured Truth.
Alright, and Chapter 4 is finished! And on time too! I'm very happy with how this chapter turned out, and I hope that you enjoy it too! We'll start by talking about the chapter, an announcement, and then go to the reviews soon after.
In this chapter was the duel between Raguel and Blue Angel. Following Dancho's escape, dueling Blue Angel was the last thing that Raguel wanted, but with some convincing from Roxy, he eventually agreed. Although Raguel was close to losing, in the end, he won the duel.
Last chapter, I promised you that Miyu's past and how she got to the Den City Hospital will be expanded. So here it goes: Two years after the Incident, Roxy receives word from a police officer named Barbara that Miyu and her parents were involved in a traffic collision. But that wasn't the only thing the police discovered, as Miyu's parents were shot. As a result, Miyu fell into a coma due to the trauma of witnessing the act. This was devastating for Roxy, as Miyu's mother, June, was her sister. The death of June, as well as the hospitalization of Miyu, is what motivates Roxy to figure out who did this to her and bring them to justice. Inspiration for this backstory came from both The Amazing Spider Man (2012) and Captain America: Civil War (2016) movies.
We also learn something about Dancho: He's hesitant about taking hostages, ever since what happened to his students. But what happened to them? You'll have to keep reading to find out for yourself.
Alright, time for the announcement: I am hosting a contest, where each of you can submit a maximum of one OC idea to me for the story per review. In order for you to enter this contest, all you need to have is an account on Fanfiction. You also need to pick a number from 1 – 1000 so that, when I pick the winning number, I know who to contact via PM. Below is the template you need to follow in order to submit your ideas to me:
Name:
Gender:
Birthday:
Age:
Eye/Hair Color: (If your character has a VRAINS avatar, put in the section In Vrains:).
Appearance:
Personality:
Residence:
Occupation:
Deck:
Skill: (Please put in how the Skill works. Also, it cannot be broken).
The winners will have their OC ideas be in the story. They will also be announced as well by the time Chapter 7 comes, so stay tuned. If, for some reason, you're not able to submit an OC but wish to request an archetype instead, just pick a number between 1 - 1000 and why you think including the archetype in the story is a good idea in your review.
And now, it's time for the reviews:
HunterHQ: Dancho isn't one of the unnamed scientists featured in Episode 64. He is, however, an old friend of Revolver and the Kogami family, and has had an influence on their lives. So you could say he's involved, but just not in that way. Right now, I'll be focusing on Link Monsters for the Greek Gods, but by Season 2, I'll start creating monsters from other parts of Greek Mythology (ex. Kronos and the Titans).
SavageMaster1999: A Link Monster based on Kratos from God of War? Okay, the idea definitely made me smile, as now I'm wondering whether to use Kratos in his youth or in his battle-hardened age. As for Chiron and Achilles, like I said for Medea in the last chapter, yes, I will make Link Monsters for them based on their appearance from Fate/Apocrypha.
King: Thank you very much King. I appreciate your positive feedback.
Lightning: You didn't sound rude at all, my friend. You were simply providing honest, constructive criticism. And trust me, every little bit helps in writing, as you can improve based on other's feedback. I'm glad to hear that you're interested in this story. As for whether Yusaku will get a Code Talker based off of Yuhiro or not, I'll have to think on that for a bit.
SSJ Shadow: Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades will all be Link Monsters (or as I like to call them, the Big Three). As for who the Fusion, Synchro, and Xyz monsters will be, you'll have to wait and see. And I'm glad you're enjoying the story so far.
I hoped you enjoyed this chapter. Please post your thoughts on this chapter, as well as any questions you may have. Your reviews will help make this story better and better with each chapter. See you next time, as things are just starting to heat up!
