Valz sat at the hospital bedside and watched Yuu's reaction. Yuu was holding Valz's Cyclops Portable Duel Disk in his lap, staring down at the LCD display. The footage from inside the tunnel was grainy and adjusted for low-light visibility, but the shape of Otaro's knee-length coat was clear. Valz had had to explain a few parts of the duel to Yuu (his and Otaro's lack of narration at the time had really hurt the watchability), but the tape clearly ended on Otaro turning tail and fleeing as his life points hit zero.
"So, what do you think?" he asked as the video ended playback.
Yuu put on a pensive face for a second, but a smile quickly spread through it. "My man," he said, high-fiving Valz and shaking his hand violently. "You beat him?"
Valz tried to look humble. "I beat him."
"Yeah, you beat him!"
"I beat him!"
The high-fiving soon brought Yuu to his feet, and he slapped palms so hard it looked like his IV would come out. Everyone who saw him these days called it a miraculous recovery. He had been taken in for starvation and extreme dehydration, but other than that he was unscathed from his ordeal in the mines. So much so that it had raised Valz's suspicions.
There was very little chance that Yuu had previously been involved in the Unlock Project that had claimed Valz's father's life, but Valz couldn't be sure that things would stay that way. Already, Heart would have a medical record of Yuu's bizarre return from a duradine vein. Once they'd put two and two together, they'd come for him. He already suspected that Otaro would, but the champion hadn't been seen around town since the collapse. To be cautious, Valz had redacted some of the audio from his duel. The less Yuu knew about Unlock, the easier it was going to be for Valz to seek out information targets. Plus, he figured Yuu would run away if he knew what was coming for him.
And so the humble reporter danced and high-fived the man who was quickly becoming the talk of the Atrium.
Eventually, Yuu got tired and sat down, pulling his IV bag stand back to the bed. "They said they'd clear me in a few days," he said. "But the Atrium Royale is tomorrow!"
"I mean, it sounds like they're only keeping you here because something should be wrong," Valz said. "But I don't think anything actually is."
"Exactly! I gained, like, a million life points with Solemn Wishes. I think it even straightened my teeth."
There it was again: a mention of the ghost in the tunnel. Valz had never heard of this 'Zekara,' but the name could correspond to any number of aliases and filenames in Heart's database. Yuu's description bordered on the insane and psychosomatic, but there was a small chance that this creature had indeed sought out the miner. If it had, then it was Valz's best lead yet.
Valz's eyes darted to the door. "Okay, well, maybe your head's still a little messed up. I seriously wouldn't go advertising that 'Duel Spirit' you saw, even if they do let you out of here. Besides, if Heart hears about it, they might make you turn in your new cards."
Yuu nodded. It seemed he accepted that the story was hard to believe, so Valz shouldn't have to worry about random people finding out. "Anyway, I'm pretty sure I can just waive the health insurance and leave if I want to."
"Okay." Valz took the absurdity of Yuu's words head-on and tried to keep an upbeat demeanor. "So, what time do you wanna leave tomorrow?"
"I was thinking in the morning-" Yuu cut off suddenly as a knock came at the door. The two of them looked at each other. Yuu shrugged. He had been taking all sorts of visitors lately. None of them had been Clavis.
Valz opened the door. Matsu Monji had put on an overshirt just for this occasion. His hair was combed into little wings at the sides, like a biker on picture day at school. His face fell when he saw Valz.
"Yuu Tokari," he mumbled. "I'm here reading this written statement on behalf of Great Gozu Daimonji, who would like to apologize for the behavior of her subordinates towards yourself, your companions, and your personal belongings. She would also like to invite you to a meeting at Daimonji Manor at your nearest convenience."
Matsu had been turning redder and redder over the course of his rehearsed speech. By the end, none of them could look each other in the eye.
Yuu coughed. "So, a meeting?"
"Yeah," Matsu said, looking relieved to have moved past the apology. "Whenever you're able to move on your own, essentially."
"Well, how's right now?" Yuu said, hopping out of bed. "If Gozu Daimonji wants to duel, then I'm ready whenever, wherever!" he declared, ripping the IV line out of his arm.
He stopped for a second. "Whoa, that's…that's bleeding more than I thought it would."
Matsu searched in his pockets. "Do you want a band-aid?"
"No, I mean, it doesn't hurt."
"Yeah, I mean, I didn't actually have any on me, I don't know why I looked."
"Yeah, no worries."
Matsu scratched the back of his head. "It might get on your clothes, though. I'm going to see if there's any- just loose, you know, around."
"Cool, yeah. We'll meet you outside?"
"Yeah."
Valz and Yuu stood outside of the Heart Infirmary Ward. Being underground meant that the buildings were more compact and fortified, unconcerned with the effects of sunlight. The street had a fine haze over it today; somewhere on the surface, it was raining.
Yuu craned his neck checking for Matsu to reappear. "So, are you gonna come?"
Valz shook his head. "Of course not, dude. Didn't you hear what she made him read? 'A meeting at Daimonji Manor.' She's totally inviting you over."
"Yeah, I promised to duel her." A faint red tint rose in Yuu's cheeks. "Obviously she'd want to use the Daimonji Dojo again."
"Don't play dumb now." Valz grinned impishly, but he was acutely watching Yuu's flustered reaction. Were his powers triggered by emotional fluctuation, or something more instinctual? "She's totally gonna hit you with, 'I activate Compulsory Evacuation Device to return your heart to my hand!' or something."
"What the heck?" Yuu laughed. "Did you come up with that yourself?"
"Nah, it's from a book. One Hundred Duel Pickup Lines. I'll show you sometime. They've got like twenty about Change of Heart."
Matsu Monji emerged from the front door, holding a single bandaid between his massive thumb and forefinger. Valz saluted Yuu goodbye and spun on his heel, walking back to his apartment.
There was little he could do until tomorrow. Right now, it was the Mist Fang's turn. All he could do was wait to activate his trap.
"So, where's Muzou?" Yuu asked as they entered Badtown.
"He's got pink-eye," Matsu replied. "You can see him later if you want. Boss just didn't want him in your hospital room."
"Oh, okay."
It was their third failed attempt at making conversation since leaving the infirmary. Matsu was starting to sweat at the base of his spine. The boss won't punish me for making things awkward, right? Monji punishments consisted of a trance-induced sensory deprivation, where it became impossible to estimate yourself and your abilities. Too long in the trance would drive anyone insane. Matsu suspected that his frequent exposure had already stunted his intellectual potential.
One of the algal lamps was on the fritz, and someone had busted a hole in the bottom, leaking pungent green ooze onto the street. A bunch of kids were standing around poking it with sticks. Matsu was used to the smell - he had drunk from one once on a dare - but it tended to put him off his lunch. The two lightly held their breath as they walked on by.
"Hey, Matsu!"
"It's Matsu!"
The kids who had been playing by the algae suddenly dashed up to them. One, a gap-toothed boy with stringy red hair, jumped up and down as he spoke.
"Matsu! Watch this. Okay, watch this, are you watching?"
Three of the kids began to climb on top of each other. It was clear that they hadn't decided beforehand who would be at the top. Eventually the gap-toothed boy won out, elbowing the other two into a tower beneath him.
"Go! XYZ Dragon Cannon! Direct attack!" The kid pulled out a hunk of goo and chucked it at Yuu.
"Whoa!" Matsu stuck his hand out quickly, and the algae splashed across his wrist. He had saved the Monji's guest, but at what cost? He fought back the urge to throw up, and grinned at the kids, then Yuu. "Guess I'm the Big Shield Gardna, right?"
"But Big Shield Gardna has 2600 defense points, and XYZ Dragon Cannon has 2800 attack points! 2800 is bigger than 2600, so you should be destroyed, Matsu!"
Matsu was astonished. "Um. That's right."
"Get him!"
All the kids picked up their algae-logged sticks and started wailing on Matsu, sending chunks of green ooze everywhere. Matsu covered his head and ran for cover, Yuu following close behind. When the coast was clear, they slowed back to a walk.
"Those brats," Matsu swore, picking the bits out of his hair. "They can't be trusted with math."
Yuu laughed. "Did you teach them to duel?"
"Uh, yeah. They don't really have cards, though. They just like watching."
"That's great! You didn't strike me as the kind of guy who would like that kind of stuff."
Matsu scratched his head. "Well, if the boss is the strongest duelist in the Atrium, of course we're gonna follow her example. She's been cooking up new strategies ever since you beat her, and-" He suddenly clamped his mouth shut.
"Forget I said anything." Oh man. It's definitely gonna be sensory deprivation hypnosis for me.
"You guys still sell cards, right? How's that business going?"
"Oh, better than ever!" Matsu said. "Yeah, we're getting ready to bring in a huge shipment from a client outside the Atrium. Getting the good stuff on the cheap, that's our boss!" At no point would it ever occur to Matsu that this information was any more sensitive than the boss's secret dueling strategy.
"Anyway, we're here." Matsu walked through the front gate of Daimonji Manor, which had been open for the past few days due to the food lines. With the excavation resuming after the Atrium Royale, that welfare situation wouldn't last for long, though.
Daimonji Manor itself seemed to defy the cramped ceiling of the Atrium, leaning into some unexplored dimension for its size. Somehow it managed to be even bigger on the inside. If there was ever a case for the Monji's capacity for property ownership, the manor was Exhibit A. Golden-brown gables surmounted an orchestration of brightly lit windows which didn't ebb like the streetlamps. In Badtown, the Monji's domain had the constancy and terrific force of the sun.
Yuu whistled. "Last time I was here, I was blindfolded."
Matsu jabbed a finger at him. "Act up, and she might blindfold you again."
"Ahahahahaha." Yuu was suddenly walking very fast. "Let's get inside."
Surprised, Matsu followed him. What'd I say? Man, this guy's weird.
Gozu Daimonji sat in her study, reading a book of philosophy while nursing a single glass of wine. Then, her self-consciousness kicked in, and she immediately stood up.
"What am I even doing?" she muttered out loud. The philosophy book was Draw the Out: My Ultimate Guide to Dueling, written by a hacky former pro who'd turned to selling masterclasses to his fans. She didn't even drink wine; the liquid in her wineglass was just grape juice. She preferred it in order to keep a clear head during negotiations, but if anyone found out about her "drinking habit," she'd be laughed out of the room. For some reason, she felt that Yuu Tokari would see right through her again.
When she heard that he had been recovered alive from the mines, she'd immediately made plans to visit him. However, they were not to be, as disputes within the Monji had quickly arisen during the past week. The elders debated the wisdom of their recent investment Duel Monsters, to the point of placing an order for more cards from the surface when the mine was temporarily shut down. If word of that deal got out, their reputation would plummet. Gozu had done a good job shoring up their publicity with the nightly soup lines, but everyone agreed it would soon begin to stretch the Monji's resources too thin.
Besides, she knew what the debate was really about. By losing her duel with Yuu Tokari, she'd lost some authority over the duradine supply. The stronger the Monji's reliance on Duel Monsters was, the weaker Gozu's claim became.
Everyone she saw these days was either voicing their dissent or interceding on the behalf of someone who had. It was an endless shuffle of facades, and on that particular afternoon, she remembered the voice of a man who'd simply said, "Let's Duel, Gozu." She sat beneath those words until they inspired her own simple course of action. She was the leader of the Monji, and she would send for whoever she pleased.
The act of even bringing a duelist to Daimonji Manor would be seen as taking a side in the debate. But if she was powerful enough to create these assumptions, she was powerful enough to remove them.
Besides, all of this would mean nothing to Yuu Tokari. If nothing else, Gozu hoped for a few uncomplicated hours of Duel Monsters with an acquaintance.
…What else could she hope for from him, anyway?
The door opening made her jump, and she involuntarily moved to hide her props, tossing the book across the room and panicking as the wine wobbled in her hand. She made eye contact with Yuu Tokari just as the wine glass met her lips, and then it was too late, the grape juice was disappearing down her throat in six swift gulps.
Silence filled the study. Matsu, who'd entered behind Yuu, immediately turned and left.
Gozu casually wiped the dribble at the corner of her mouth. "Yuu Tokari. It's been a while."
"I see the Monji are still doing well," Yuu said, putting his hands behind his back and toddling around the study. "Was that wine?"
Gozu briefly considered which answer would be less embarrassing. "Yes."
"We ran into some kids on the way here, and they direct attacked us with slime," Yuu said, smiling awkwardly. "Have you been hosting more duels here?"
"It's mostly been Matsu and Muzou," Gozu said. "Their way of passing the time, I suppose."
"I get that, believe me." Yuu's eyes still had their honest shine. "It's great to play without any outside pressure. What's that book?"
"It's nothing. It's garbage. Um." Gozu cleared her throat. "Why don't you take a seat, Tokari?"
Yuu obliged, sliding out a lightweight wooden chair from her study table. He still glanced around, and in those moment's, Gozu's prized refuge of refinement suddenly felt shoddy and ostentatious. The bust of her grandfather in the corner scowled next to the paintings by her aunt. She suddenly felt that the volumes of classic literature on her shelf had all been replaced with her diary.
She stifled this feeling. She had not called on this man to inspire such insecurity.
"I heard about the accident," she said. The topic felt extremely late for the conversation. "I trust you've recovered enough to participate in the tournament?"
"Wouldn't miss it for anything," Yuu said. When they were both standing up, she was taller than him, so having him at the same eyeline unsettled her a bit. "Did you enter too?"
Little did Tokari know the web he'd stepped through. Of course, Muzou had registered for a slot in the Atrium Royale, so that Gozu could step in and show the world the eminence of Daimonji, if the clan still wished for her to do so. To accept at this point would put her at risk of losing all her remaining authority over a single duel, which she would be a fool to accept. Of course, she had still been practicing in secret.
"The Monji already have an entrant," Gozu explained. "Muzou will be sufficient to demonstrate our prowess."
"I thought he had pink-eye."
"He'll live."
Yuu nodded and shifted in his seat. "Hey, Miss Daimonji."
Gozu kept her breathing level. "Yes?"
"What do you think of those pro circuit promoters? Inspector Fey, Otaro Yamatano." Like at the end of their duel, there seemed to be weight at the back of Yuu's eyes.
Gozu folded her arms. "I tend to not trust anyone who comes from the surface. Except you," she amended, remembering their first conversation. "You were fine, obviously. Because you were a child."
"Right." Gozu cringed. "Did you grow up here, Miss Daimonji?"
"I did. Though I can't say my life was ever like the other children of the Atrium." It was the truth, but she wondered if she shouldn't have said it. Tokari had spent his life working, after all. She would have no answer if he came to resent her. The thought made her nauseous.
Yuu nodded. Then, after a beat, he said, "Most days I can remember what the surface was like. When the sun's out, it's like your whole body is pressed to a lamp. And you can put your fingers in the soil and tear it loose like it's nothing."
When Gozu's grandfather had announced his departure, she couldn't understand what had motivated him aboveground. Now, seeing the sun in Yuu's eyes, she knew. "Do you want to go back? If you win the tournament."
Yuu smiled, but his eyebrows pushed together and up like tectonic plates. "I've been trying to figure that out since the pro duelists came down here. I had a lot of time to think in that tunnel, too."
"The edge of death cuts away all doubt," Gozu quoted. The maxim was painted on a scroll hanging in their dojo. "Do you feel any different?"
"I don't know," Yuu admitted. "I'm not that good at estimating myself. If I was, I probably wouldn't have challenged you to a Duel at all."
Gozu shook her head. "You're a fine Duelist. If anything, an accurate appraisal of your skills might have had you wagering much more than a single card. You could have done us some serious damage."
Yuu winked. "Next time, then. Today, I've got nothing on the line but a new style of dueling. It's my answer to every question I've been asking myself."
"The kind of answer you can only get in a duel, right?" Gozu smiled, not caring to shape it into a superior grin. As always, Yuu Tokari was true to his own nature.
"I was close to getting it when I dueled Ori, but the earthquake cut things short."
Gozu sighed. "That earthquake interrupted a lot of things. Half the day I take meetings on what to do about the mine shutting down."
"That sounds rough," Yuu said. "Are you arguing like that with your whole family?"
"The Monji clan has a few branch families, so they're not all immediate relatives," Gozu explained. "Honestly, it's my immediate family that's the worst to deal with. My aunt has quite a temper."
Yuu giggled. Gozu immediately realized that he was remembering the first time they'd met, where she'd picked him up by his jumpsuit lapels. Blood rushed to her face, but it carried none of the sting of rage. She wasn't offended by Tokari's reaction, half because her temper was her own responsibility. The other half was an unexplored feeling. "Anyway, I'll stop talking about clan matters for the day. Did you bring your deck?"
"My what?"
"Your deck." Gozu made sure to enunciate. That's what I said the first time, right? "You're going to need it if you want to prove your worth to Daimonji."
She leaned forward as she often did to intimidate her subordinates, who would usually shrink back in terror. Yuu looked nervous but didn't move back, so all she'd accomplished was moving their faces closer together.
"Well, Miss Daimonji," Yuu said, his eyes flicking back and forth from hers. "I have it here. I'm ready to duel, I just need to tell you something."
Gozu was suddenly aware of the position of every object in the room, none more so than their lips. "Speak, Tokari," she commanded.
"When we dueled, our first time," Yuu began, "I-"
The door burst open. A woman in a large fur mink barreled through, whom Gozu immediately recognized as the worst possible person to walk in at that moment. Oh, no.
"-cheated."
She looked back to Yuu. What?
"WHAT!" Like a hurricane, the mink woman crossed the room and threw Yuu to the ground. She was even taller than Gozu, chewing the scenery with her bulky arms. "How dare you hurt my little Gozilla like thiiiiis!" Her pitch rose on the last word and kept rising.
Gozu half rose from her chair. "Auntie, wait-"
She then instantly took note of the people who had entered behind her aunt: Zato Sanada, and a man in a dark suit with a plastered-on smile. This had been a business call.
"Chizuru Daimonji," she said in a calm voice, sitting back down. "I'd thank you to stop accosting my guest."
"But Gozi!" Aunt Chizu's eyes welled with tears. "Did you hear what he just said?"
"I did." Gozu looked down at Yuu. He looked back at her. Gozu wasn't sure whether that showed remorse or spite. "I will deal with him later. But right now, I understand you have brought me something so important as to have intruded upon my study."
"Why yes, Great Daimonji," Zato said, slicking into the room. "It's a business offer, plain and simple. One with a representative of a wider dueling audience."
Gozu examined the last man, and the details of his suit and posture clicked into place. "You're Inspector Fey, the agent."
"Promoter," Fey corrected, stepping delicately forward. "Agent feels so…espionage. But whatever I'm called, it's a pleasure to hear you say it, Great Gozu Daimonji."
Gozu turned her thoughts inward. Obviously, Zato was here trying to broker a deal between Fey and the Monji. Deeper involvement in dueling, no doubt. And Yuu had cheated in their duel.
What had been the cheat? Had he added cards back into his deck to counter her mill strategy? Or maybe he'd simply made an illegal move, right under the noses of everyone watching. How could she have missed that? Even more so, how could she have misjudged him?
"And Mr. Tokari," Fey said, smiling. "We meet again. I've seen a lot of our mutual friend lately, and he speaks very highly of you."
Yuu stood up and said nothing, moving to the far side of the room.
"Not much for conversation right now. I get it, you've been through a lot these past few days. It's good to see you up and moving, my boy. And I'm just dying to hear about that duel with Ori." The agent's eyes took on a dangerous sheen. "Alas, another time. I have a proposition to discuss."
"Inspector Fey wants to continue to supply the Monji with duradine from his agency," Zato said. "He insists his product can have a better quality and variety than the current competitor."
The current competitor. Gozu's eyes narrowed. Does he know that we've already purchased duradine from the surface? Word can't have gotten out this quickly. There isn't an ounce of proof yet. Just like there was no proof when Yuu cheated in our duel.
Does that mean it was premeditated? Was he working with Zato, like Fey is? How much do either of them stand to gain from discrediting me? There has to be another component here.
"It's not like you to cut out the middle man, Zato," she said, "given how middling a man you are."
Zato bowed slightly. "This time, both clients insisted on meeting face to face."
"And Mr. Sanada couldn't say no to me," Chizu cut in.
Gozu's eyes flicked to her. Oh, could he now?
Her Aunt Chizu, ever the eccentric. She had been the one who'd first tapped into their own supply, started dueling with the duradine they were moving. Gozu had never taken her as the type to actually pursue things further, but it looked like she was ready to put the Monji on the line for it.
Zato stiffened and remained bowing, seeming to ignore the comment. Maybe this was all as awkward and impromptu an association as it seemed.
Or maybe this was all just an act, a way to force Gozu into a position where they could humiliate her and strip away all of her power over a card game.
"And you!" Chizu whirled on Yuu. She had always cut an imposing figure, but now she commanded the room's attention. "I'm not going to let you get away with this, whoever you are! I challenge you to a duel!"
"Chizu!" Gozu shouted, slamming her fist on the table. All eyes turned to her.
Fake fire crackled over Gozu's shoulders as she breathed heavily. The furnace light wavered in the stone eyes of her grandfather's statue. "I see how it is…what you've done. All of you. Well, I accept. I accept, I accept, I accept!"
Zato backed up, startled.
"Do you all think you can cheat me? Me? The Great Gozu Daimonji?" She stood up, feeling the weight of the room. "I will beat you at your own game. Because that is the true capacity of a Daimonji!"
She retrieved her duel disk from her desk. As the metal frame snapped into place, Gozu roared, "I challenge all of you to a Duel!"
The room fell silent, stunned at the Daimonji's display of force. However, as many things are when a formal challenge is issued, hot blood quickly gave way to procedure.
"This duel will hinge on three demands. The first is to you, Zato Sanada. If I win this duel, you will nullify this deal immediately."
Zato shrugged, then paused. "Wait. I'm dueling?"
"The second is to you, Aunt Chizu. If I win, you will furthermore stand down among the Monji and grant me sole capacity of dictating our duradine supply."
Chizu shook her head. "But can't you see this deal is good for us, Gozi?"
Gozu turned away. "The third is to you, Yuu Tokari. If I win, you will never darken my door again."
"I understand," Yuu said softly.
"As for you, Fey," Gozu continued, turning to the promoter, "I have already listed my three demands. I don't wish for your involvement in these matters to begin with."
Fey put his hands up. "My cause is already represented. I'll take a chair."
Gozu hit a latch on the side of her desk, which popped it up onto wheel railings. She slid it to the side. Now, she stood at the back of her study, facing head-on the collusion that had plagued her ever since she had learned the name Tokari.
"Before I forget," Gozu said, reaching into her desk again. "You'll need this."
Yuu blinked as he caught a small, metallic package. Instantly, he knew what it was. "Miss Daimonji…"
"Are you all prepared?" Gozu shouted. Fey had dragged one of the chairs to the corner and was sitting on it daintily. Chizu had pulled out a novelty Duel Disk with a heart-shaped compact, expanding into wings for the monster and spell zones. Zato had somehow scrounged up a beat-up analog disk with some manual-entry features. And Yuu was now putting on the Duel Disk that Gozu had bought him, for the occasion of this day.
Gozu smiled cruelly. "You've all made a terrible mistake."
Four Duel Disks locked into battle mode at once.
"Let's Duel!"
Gozu - 4000 LP
Zato - 4000 LP
Chizu - 4000 LP
Yuu - 4000 LP
"Here's how the turns will be structured," Gozu explained. "I'll take the first turn, then Zato, then I'll take a turn again. Next will be Chizu, followed by me, and finally Yuu. The cycle will then repeat. Is that fine?"
The team of three glanced at each other and then to Fey, who nodded. "Makes sense to me."
It seemed the three of them trusted the pro circuit agent to serve as a referee for this duel. Unfortunately, Gozu didn't have that luxury. While she couldn't prove a conspiracy, the fact that Zato and Chizu represented him was enough to give her a deep distrust of Fey's ruling opinion.
"It's my move," Gozu declared, drawing her first five cards. She pressed them to her forehead, trying to stabilize her breathing. That was her grandfather's first lesson. If you didn't know what to do, you could start with what you already knew: just breathe.
When she lowered her cards, she met her opponents with the glower of a Daimonji.
"My first move will be to summon Shiranui Solitaire." An ancient onmyoji began chanting, clasping the prayer beads at his neck as crimson sigil lines glowed beneath his feet. When the mantra reached a fever pitch, the sigil geysered upwards, enveloping the mage in a tower of flame.
Shiranui Solitaire / Level 4 / FIRE / Zombie / ATK 500 / DEF 0
"Immediately, I tribute this monster to use its ability, calling out another Zombie from my deck. The card I choose is Uni-Zombie!"
When the fire died down, two mismatched zombies were swaying back and forth as they held each other up, crooning a roadman's tune.
Uni-Zombie / Level 4 / DARK / Zombie / Tuner / ATK 1300 / DEF 0
"Next, I use Uni-Zombie's special ability. I send Mezuki from my deck to my graveyard, and raise my Zombie's level by 1."
The green zombie hit a deeply sour note, causing Gozu's deck to shudder. A familiar, horse-headed spirit flew out, glancing at her in acknowledgement before plunging into the graveyard. Even now, her grandfather's strength had not abandoned her.
Mezuki / Level 4 / EARTH / Zombie / ATK 1700 / DEF 800
"Now, Mezuki, your effect activates! Call back Shiranui Solitaire."
A tunnel opened up in the floor in front of her, and Shiranui Solitaire rose again. He restarted his chant, but was disturbed by the bawdy singing of Uni-Zombie.
"She's assembled two monsters with the same level," Zato observed worriedly. "She's going to Xyz Summon!"
"Not quite," Gozu said. She closed her eyes momentarily. The second lesson of the Daimonji flowed out from the first; just like breathing, one had to constantly take in new things to remain alive. It had required a considerable amount of search and strategizing, but now her new tactics were falling into place.
When she opened her eyes, she was looking directly at Yuu. This had originally been her plan to defeat him in a friendly duel, but now it would extinguish every aspect of his wretched conspiracy. "I Synchro Summon, Level 8 Skeletal Dragon Felgrand."
Shining light coalesced into the form of a majestic dragon. But as the shape grew clearer in the Duel Disk's rendering system, the light hardened into bone and cracked into joints, flaying into leathery wings. Soon the dragon's blade-like chin was the only feature recognizable from the glorious silhouette. Its screech originated from scraping teeth, amplified by the hollow of its rotten body. Skeletal Dragon Felgrand eyed its victims with an expression unlike hunger or malice. It was apathetic wrath, cold killing intent. It embodied the force of nature that had given it its unholy life.
Skeletal Dragon Felgrand / Level 8 / Zombie / ATK 2800 / DEF 2000
"Wow!" Chizu exclaimed. "I can't believe you figured out Synchro Summoning too! Isn't she the greatest duelist you've ever seen?" she said, turning to Fey.
Fey smiled politely. "Her combo skills are indeed superb. I'd be happy to punch up any of the showmanship aspects as well."
Zato put his hand on his chin. "Let's see…Rise, devourer of darkness! No, that's too generic. Rise, devourer of bones! Um…"
Gozu bristled. Nobody was taking her seriously. In fact, the only one who hadn't started bantering was Yuu. She tried to ignore the way he was looking at her. Putting her focus back on strategy, she continued her turn.
"Now, by discarding one Zombie monster from my hand, I can special summon Jack-o-Bolan to the field." Gozu slotted Crow Tengu into her graveyard, then watched as a pumpkin appeared on her field. Blue flames shot out of the pumpkin's carved smile, roots calcifying into limbs which grasped a ghostly lantern.
Jack-o-Bolan / Level 7 / DARK / Zombie / ATK 1500 / DEF 2200
"I'll put one card facedown and end my turn." Currently, she had a Level 8 monster, a Level 7 monster, and one Trap card on her field. It was a good turn, but the co-conspirators could have concealed any number of tricks in their decks.
Gozu suppressed a smile. With great cunning, she had placed her greatest weapon where no one would think to look for it. She would only get one chance, though.
Zato drew the sixth card for his turn. He looked uncomfortable even holding a Duel Disk, leaning to one side to balance its bulk.
"You look just like you did when we were young," Chizu said dreamily.
Zato's cool demeanor began to flake, and the edge of his lip twitched. "We met in our thirties, Lady Daimonji."
"But how young we felt!"
Zato coughed loudly. "I'll begin by Normal Summoning Arcastral Wizkid, then." A grid of lightbeams flecked stars into the air, which drew together into the shape of a boy with a backturned cap, slinging a roll of tickets like a whip.
Arcastral Wizkid / Level 4 / LIGHT / Galaxy / Scale 5 / ATK 1800 / DEF 1000
Yuu peered at his mini-screen field display. "Wait, why's the bottom half of the card green?"
Chizu leaned over his shoulder, tapping the field placement to fullscreen the card on his Duel Disk monitor. "It's called a Pendulum Monster, dear. They're treated as Monsters, but they can be played as Spell Cards in the two Pendulum Zones! When that happens, they apply these numbers in the middle as a Pendulum Scale."
"Oh, okay." Yuu lit up as he examined the card closer. "Then, this effect written between the Pendulum Scale is Arcastral Wizkid's effect when it's a Spell Card?"
"That's right! Wonderful job, dear." Chizu clapped a hand on Yuu's shoulder, and the two grinned at each other.
"Wait. You're not dear at all!" Chizu shouted, shoving Yuu across the room. She wiped her hands as he tumbled to the floor.
Zato was still trying to ignore Chizu. "When Arcastral Wizkid is Normal Summoned, I can use its effect to add one Arcastral monster from my Deck to my hand. Arcastral Flipper R!"
Arcastral Wizkid drew out a crystalline token from its pocket and flipped it into the air; the coin slotted into a miniature wormhole that opened above it. Stars began to tumble out of the hole, forming the outline of a spacecraft which flew to Zato's hand.
"Now, I set the Pendulum Scale! Arcastral Flipper L and Arcastral Flipper R!"
Zato deftly slid his hand along the Spell and Trap Zones of his Disk, placing the Pendulum Monsters to the far left and right. Suddenly, pillars of blue light shot up from the field, as the Arcastral space shuttles suspended in midair.
Arcastral Flipper L / Level 3 / LIGHT / Galaxy / Scale 0 / ATK 0 / DEF 1500
Arcastral Flipper R / Level 2 / LIGHT / Galaxy / Scale 8 / ATK 500 / DEF 1000
"The scales are 0 and 8, allowing me to Pendulum Summon monsters with levels from Level 1 to Level 7! I Pendulum Summon from my hand! Arcastral Dancing Star and Arcastral Moonslinger!"
Another portal opened up behind Arcastral Wizkid, this time ebbing with the arc of a pendulum. Two beams of light rushed through and smashed onto the field, revealing two figures. The first was a young girl with a headset and giant metal clogs; the second was a man drawing two slingshots back with his teeth.
Arcastral Dancing Star / Level 5 / LIGHT / Galaxy / Tuner / Scale 7 / ATK 1900 / DEF 2200
Arcastral Moonslinger / Level 6 / LIGHT / Galaxy / Scale 2 / ATK 2400 / DEF 0
"I never knew you had your own deck, Zato," Fey commented from the gallery.
Zato smiled, but there was something frozen behind it. "What kind of hypocrite would I be to organize a tournament without a love for the game? I couldn't resist."
"This is the same deck you used in our first duel," Chizu added, looking wistful. "Ah, the Pendulum Summon…two hearts join together as one, and their family takes the field! How romantic!"
"If it can help the team, it's no big deal," Zato replied with a completely neutral tone.
"I'll be sure to use it, of course!" Chizu said, winking. She then turned to Yuu. "As for you, I absolutely forbid you from using our Pendulum Scale."
Yuu deflated. "Okay."
Zato went on. "Once per turn, Arcastral Dancing Star allows me to gain 500 Life Points for each different level of monster on the field. We've got my Level 4 Wizkid, Level 5 Dancing Star, Level 6 Moonslinger, and your Level 7 Jack-o-Bolan and Level 8 Skeletal Dragon Felgrand! 5 different levels for 2500 Life Points!"
"What about the Level 2 and Level 3 Arcastral Flippers?" Yuu asked Chizu, who'd turned her back on him. "Do they not count because they're Spell Cards right now?"
Chizu grunted at him.
Dancing Star's shoes lit up as it stepped in a frenzy, the stars forming miniature arrows beneath its feet. Zato's saccharine smile only sweetened as the arrows raced around him, mapping myriad orbits in their paths.
Zato - 4000 LP ~ 6500 LP
"Furthermore, when I activate another Arcastral monster's effect, Moonslinger is allowed to shoot out one card in your hand!"
Zato raised an eyebrow. "Assuming that's alright with you, Miss Daimonji."
Gozu gritted her teeth, but said nothing in response.
Every vein in Moonslinger's neck bulged as it bit back the slingshots, stretching its arms forward until its face pointed to the ceiling. Then, the two stones shot free, orbiting each other as they combined into a single stream of force. The card-shaped absence in Gozu's hand was the precursor to the shockwave that blasted over her, forcing her to dig her feet in and shield herself with her arm.
Zato tapped his Duel Disk, and a chunky textbox display scrolled the contents of Gozu's graveyard. "Looks like that card I shot was Gorz the Emissary of Darkness! That one might have caused us some real trouble later. You're sure you didn't want to take any steps to prevent that?"
Through countless veiled threats and insults with close family, Gozu had become able to see when someone was provoking her. Knowing Zato, he'd already concocted a plan to trip Gozu's traps so that his teammates could make their plays without fearing a counterattack. She wouldn't even dignify his taunts with a response.
A hint of annoyance tweaked Zato's brow. "If it's all the same to you, then I'll activate my Flipper L's Pendulum Effect! Using the monsters face-up on my field, I can Fusion Summon!"
The Arcastral Flipper ship drew back in midair, straining against invisible bonds as its thrusters fired. The three Arcastral monsters floated into position, purple fusion energy wisping off of their bodies.
Fey clapped his hands. "Using the fruits of your Pendulum Summon for a Fusion Summon. Bravo, Mr. Sanada."
"His Fusion Summoning is unbeatable!" Chizu insisted. "They call us the Atrium's power couple!"
"Nobody says that!" Zato snapped, his demeanor shifting on a dime.
"I quite agree," Gozu replied. "That Fusion tactic of yours has a weakness, Zato. It's this moment you've created, the instant after your effect activation! I chain the ability of Jack-o-Bolan!"
Zato sneered. "Just try it, then."
Jack-o-Bolan's blue flames scorched across the ceiling. "Jack-o-Bolan lets me exchange its presence on the field for a monster in my graveyard. I'll target my Crow Tengu."
"I see your plans now!" Zato called. "Let's resolve this chain already!"
Chain Link 2 - Jack-o-Bolan
The pumpkin that made up Jack-o-Bolan's torso suddenly yawned open, the edges of its mouth splitting as clawed feet pushed the jaws further apart. Crow Tengu hovered over the field as it molted the husk of Jack-o-Bolan, which crashed to the ground behind it.
Chain Link 1 - Arcastral Flipper L
Just as deftly as he'd set his Pendulum Scale, Zato scooped up his three monsters. "I fuse together Arcastral Wizkid, Arcastral Dancing Star, and Arcastral Moonslinger! Once every thousand years, this being of pure victory passes across our night sky, bringing triumph to its chosen!"
The monsters joined hands as their bodies distorted into a meld of stars. A distinctive spiral took shape, one that soon lashed with the star arms of a galaxy. Yuu and Chizu shielded their eyes, but Gozu would not look away.
Zato's head shone as he shouted, "I Fusion Summon Arcastral Comet Highscore!"
The light pulsed, then shrank to a pinpoint. Watching the sphere of blue fire emerge from that dot, Gozu felt as though she were observing the passing of a thousand years in the span of seconds. Combustions streamed across its surface, their rapidity making them flow like water. Dust spanned its orbit and joined its mass, but the creature's accelerated time never felt frenetic. Its entire surface was its face, and as it yawned open, Gozu bore witness to the fusion reactions at its center.
Arcastral Comet Highscore / Level 11 / LIGHT / Galaxy / Scale 10 / ATK 4000 / DEF 4000
Fey watched in awe as the creature spun into existence. The low-quality holographic display from Zato's Duel Disk suddenly seemed as though it were restraining the monster, as though to manifest it too strongly would bring down Daimonji Manor.
Gozu put the thought out of her mind. There was no way for the game elements to affect their terrain. The stakes were high enough with her leadership on the line.
Zato's bald head hadn't stopped shining. "Arcastral Comet Highscore gains effects for every face-up monster with a different level in my Extra Deck! The first effect, by the way, is that it can't be destroyed by card effects!"
At Comet Highscore's core, Gozu could barely make out the three Arcastral monsters nucleating together, releasing different hues of flame to infuse the comet's surface.
"The second is that it can't be banished by card effects!" Zato continued. "The third is that if it's summoned, I can destroy up to two face-up cards on the field!"
"With this effect, he can eliminate Felgrand and Crow Tengu!" Fey exclaimed. "Great Daimonji's field will be wide open for Highscore's attack! Just marvelous!"
Chizu bunched her mink into her hands like pom-poms. "Go, go, Zato! Go, go, go!"
Twin cosmic flares began scorching at Comet Highscore's surface. Zato pointed across the field. "I target Skeletal Dragon Felgrand and Crow Tengu. It's over, Daimonji!"
"No, it's not."
Zato looked to his right. Yuu had been looking straight at Gozu, but his eyes dropped when her attention turned to him. Still, he continued.
"You see that look she has? That's not the look of someone who's panicking." Yuu smiled at her. "In fact, it's the look of someone who doesn't believe for a moment that they'll lose."
Gozu's entire body seized with rage. This, from the man who beat her! He was mocking her. They were all mocking her. She threw her arm out as though to club them all down.
"Crow Tengu's effect activates! When it is Special Summoned from my graveyard, I can destroy one face-up Attack Position monster you control! I target Arcastral Comet Highscore."
Zato spread his shoulders, making a crooked w-shape with his elbows. "Come now, Great Daimonji. I just told you that Arcastral Comet Highscore can't be destroyed by card effects! When that effect resolves, all that will be destroyed are your hopes of winning."
Gozu folded her arms. "Perhaps you remember that Crow Tengu isn't the only monster on my field. My Skeletal Dragon Felgrand has an ability of its own. Whenever I call back a monster from my graveyard, it can drain the abilities of another monster on the field."
Chain Link 3 - Skeletal Dragon Felgrand
Gobs of white fire floated from Crow Tengu to Felgrand's mouth. They gathered and gilded, an egglike containment of energy. The dragon's crooked neck whipped forward, and a cone of golden light enveloped Arcastral Comet Highscore. From the point of contact, a metallic sheen developed and quelled the comet's furnace. It ground to a standstill, encased in solid gold.
"And with your monster's protective abilities negated, Crow Tengu's effect will obliterate it just as planned." Gozu didn't lift a finger; the chain would resolve on its own.
Chain Link 2 - Crow Tengu
Crow Tengu swung its staff hard, striking against some invisible resistance. The wind absorbed the momentum and multiplied it, forming a cyclone that ripped through the golden comet. Bits of gold began to flake off in the vortex, until the windstorm itself sparkled. Then it vanished as violently as it appeared, leaving Zato's field empty.
Chain Link 1 - Arcastral Comet Highscore
"Looks like I can't even use Comet Highscore's destruction effect," Zato said, sweating. "Well, I'll put a card facedown and end my turn."
"Brava! Brava!" Fey had leapt to his feet, clapping as loudly as his silk gloves would allow. "What an impressive move! You couldn't have figured out that strategy without knowing Zato's plan in advance!"
Gozu shook her head. "It was obvious he was trying to bait out my response. But if I had used Crow Tengu to destroy his cards sooner, the Pendulum effect of Arcastral Flipper R would have Special Summoned another Arcastral monster to take its place."
"But how could you know the effect of his ace monster before seeing it?"
"I didn't need to know the effect; so long as I could target it, I could defeat it. Besides, I need no reason to distrust Zato Sanada."
Fey laughed and took a knee. "Lord Daimonji, you are a truly extraordinary woman. I hope it is not too presumptuous to say that I greatly look forward to our possible partnership."
"Oh, my!" Chizu pushed her fingertips into her cheeks. "What a gentleman this man is! And how faithful!"
Yuu looked strained. Gozu would have to ask him about that later.
"But oh, my dear Zato." Chizu hit a fainting pose, scrubbing her forehead with the back of her hand. "You brought out your ace, only to lose to a queen. At least you were able to set up a Pendulum Scale for our team. I won't let your gift go to waste!"
"During the End Phase, Jack-o-Bolan returns to my field." Cerulean smoke accompanied the crackling of root appendages and the mellow scent of pumpkin. Jack-o-Bolan rose up again between Felgrand and Crow Tengu.
It was not lost on anyone that Gozu now had more monsters than she'd started the turn with. She tried to imagine the fight from their side, facing down the final boss with their best efforts coming together and failing. It was an endless struggle against the peerless Daimonji. Gozu began to relish the suspense for the viewers at home - that is, the shadowy co-conspirators within her own house that were doubtless awaiting the result of this battle. It never hurt to verbally reinforce your position, even when the game could swing in the course of one turn. Perhaps the pressure of the conspiracy was getting to her head, but she felt confident enough to declare herself out loud, for she was the great Daimonji, the ruler of the underground, and she would never, ever weaken herself for anyone again.
"It's over," she vowed.