'Kaiba Dome Hotel dining hall, night'
After the match ups for the first round of the tournament were made, the 32 duelists were given the chance to drop off their belongings to their temporary rooms. Once nightfall came, some of the duelists were gathered in the dining hall, eating a luxury dinner courtesy of their hosts.
"Man! All this food is so good!" Asta declared with stars in his eyes as he ate two cheeseburgers at once, not a care in the world. "I wish we had this kind of food back home!"
"I don't know him, I don't know him…" Zora muttered to himself while eating some bread.
"Eating contest, right now!" Inosuke declared as he slammed a plate full of food onto the table, glaring at Asta. Because he was eating, Inosuke's mask was above his head, revealing his face.
"Woah… you look kinda like a girl!" Asta bluntly pointed out.
"Let's go!" Inosuke then began to eat at a rapid pace. Not wanting to back down, Asta joined in while Zora rubbed the bridge of his nose.
Across the room, Shana was eating her after dinner snack (melon bread, of course) when her medallion spoke up. "Shana, pay attention." The Flame Haze turned to the side to see Kurumi walking over, wearing a black goth-like dress.
"Aw, your old friend spoiled my little surprise…" She teased, sitting across from the swordswoman.
"What do you want?" Shana asked, taking a bit from her treat.
"Oh, nothing much…" The Spirit chucked as she sat across from Shana, leaning on her hands. "It's just that ever since our little introduction, you give off this… vibe. Like you want to kill me."
"Wasn't trying to hide." Shana replied. "Even though we're from different worlds, I can tell just from looking at you. You're just like the monsters in my world."
"You shouldn't call people monsters, sweetie." Kurumi teased.
"What else do you call someTHING like you?" Shana asked, her eyes turning red. "Let's get one thing straight: if it wasn't for these stupid rules, I'd kill you in a heartbeat."
"Oh, you are just adorable…" The chrono user teased, much to Shana's annoyance. "Make sure you move up the ranks. That way, WE can have some fun. Toodles~" With that, Kurumi skipped away.
On the other end of the table, Tsukiumi and Setsuna were quietly eating their food across from each other when two people walked up to them. "Mind if we join you?" Rebecca asked, standing next to Homura.
"I have no objections." Setsuna replied.
"Nor I." Tsukiumi added before the two comers sat across from them.
"Is there a reason you're both so cold to everyone around you?" Homura asked.
"I see no need to befriend my future opponents." The younger girl answered, taking a bite of her food.
"And I need not bother knowing if anyone else becometh mine rival." Tsukiumi added.
"Are you in a different competition or something?" Rebecca asked.
"Thou hast no idea." The non-human answered, squeezing her fork so hard the metal bent over.
"So… after this, can we be friends?" Rebecca questioned.
"…Possibly." Setsuna said with a smirk.
"That works for me!" The vlogger said with a smile, shaking her hand before turning back to the Sekirei. "So, I've been meaning to ask. WHY do you talk like that?" Rebecca asked the water user.
Before Tsukiumi could answer, the door to the dining area opened with force. "Girls!" Most of the room turned to the door to see Yang and Mina at the door. "This place has a full gym and spa!" The blonde declared.
"Come on, ladies! Let's have a little chat!" Mina shouted, grabbing Setsuna and Tsukiumi, pulling them along.
"A spa does sound refreshing." Eleanora confessed with a smile as she stood up from the table. "We should all go!" She then looked over to Levy, who seemed to be reading a book she brought. "Perhaps its waters can help with your… stature."
"My stature?" Levy put her book down and gave Eleanora a look. "I don't think-"
"Come along!" She grabbed the bookworm's wrist and pulled her towards the direction of the spa, much to Levy's reluctance. "You as well." Eleanora reached out and grabbed Ryuko, causing her to drop her croquette.
"Hey, what the hell!?" Her chopsticks fell to the ground as she pulled away. "Let me go!"
'Ryuko! Don't let them take me off!' Senketsu shouted in horror as they were pulled out of the room.
"Wow. You're a superhero in your world?" Gohan asked after hearing a bit of Kotetsu's history. "How many years?"
"Over a decade. Though recently, my identity was leaked, so now everyone just calls me Kotetsu instead of Wild Tiger." Kotetsu answered with a shrug. "It's a bit annoying, but as long as I can help people, I'll bear it."
"That sounds amazing. You know, I'm also a superhero." Gohan revealed as he looked around, making sure no one was eavesdropping. He then gestured to Kotetsu to lean closer. "I'm Saiyaman."
"Oh… cool, I guess?" Kotetsu sweatdropped as it seemed like Gohan expected a bigger reaction.
"I never thought a card game would bring so many people together." Ikki confessed as he ate at a table with Arslan, Kazuto, Senku and Vladilena. "Stella just thought it'd be a fun thing to play every once in a while."
"When I was little, my father showed me this game." Vladilena admitted with a small smile. "It was so new and different that I fell in love with it. In a way, being in this tournament helps me get closer to him, even when he's not here."
"That's truly beautiful, miss Milize." Arslan told her with a nod of respect. "Even a simple card game such as this can bring everyone together. No opposing views, politics or race. Just a competition between two people."
"Or a 2v2 if there's more than two people. And don't even get me started on 3v3s." Kazuto jokingly said as everyone else chuckled. "Seriously though, I get why you guys like the game. I like playing it too, even though I'm more into video games."
"You do know there's Yu-Gi-Oh video games, right? I played a few of them." Senku commented while eating a bowl of rice. "A lot of them were mid, but I'd say GX Tag Force was the best."
"Maybe the second one. I'd say the third was solid enough." Kazuto shrugged a bit. "So Ishigami. You nervous about tomorrow?"
"Worrying about a card game's not the same as trying to rebuild humanity in the stone world." Senku told them with a smile. "Besides, I've dueled in a tourney before and won."
"Really? How long ago?" Ikki asked in surprise.
"3,710 years." Senku revealed, much to the shock of the people at his table. Noticing this, Senku explained. "I was petrified for 3,700 years."
"Ohhh…" While it sounded completely bizarre, the others simply just accepted that and continued eating.
At this moment, The 3rd Dragneel and Earth Dragon Arnighte entered the mess hall.
"Hey, guys. How's the food? Is it to your liking?" 3rd Dragneel asked the duelists, getting several nods and muffled yeses.
"Good to hear. No one wants to sleep on an empty stomach. It sucks, trust me." EDA said before he noticed a certain duelist. "Senku, don't forget that you're in the first duel tomorrow. 10AM sharp. If you show up late, you might get canned."
"Hehehe. No need to worry. I've got the time memorized." Senku replied while grinning. "Besides, I don't plan on losing."
"Like the attitude, but let's let the battlefield decide." 3rd Dragneel told him while putting a hand in his pocket. "Anyone have any questions before we call it a night?"
"Actually, I have one." Gohan raised his hand as 3rd Dragneel nodded to him. "I know if we lose our duel, we're out of the tournament, but does that mean we have to leave?"
"Good question. But you won't have to worry." EDA reassured him. "Even if you lose a duel, you'll be allowed to stay and watch the rest of the tournament. There's no need for anyone to go home yet." Some of the duelists seemed relieved by this. "Besides…" He then pulled out a book and a pen. "We need to have some of your autographs."
"Dude… time and a place." 3rd Dragneel shook his head in amusement. "Rest up everyone and we will see you tomorrow." With that, the two hosts left the duelists to mingle.
Tonight, they would bond.
Tomorrow, eight of them will face off.
'The next day'
A series of fireworks went off in the sky, leaving small puffs of pink smoke as the Kaiba Dome once again opened up.
"WELCOME BACK ONE AND ALL TO THE YU-GI-OH MULTIVERSAL TOURNAMENT!" 3rd Dragneel called out as he and EDA sat at the announcer booth. "I hope everyone's ready for a few duels today!"
"That's right. 4 duels are happening today, with 4 of our duelists potentially leaving with nothing!" EDA added dramatically. "But we're not the only ones watching." He swung his arm towards the left, where a certain section of the stands laid. "The rest of our competitors will also be watching the duels live. Either to support someone or get a feel for their strategy!"
"They make it sound like we're spying on them." Misaka muttered with a sweatdrop.
"It's time we start the first duel! In the red corner, the leader of the Kingdom of Science, Senku Ishigami!"
"And opposite of him in the blue corner is the explosive hero in training with an equally explosive temper, Katsuki Bakugo! Duelists, please come forth!"
Both duelists entered the arena, walking up the stairs and meeting the middle.
"Hope you're ready to lose, celery head." Bakugo arrogantly remarked.
Senku just rubbed some of the wax out of his ear. "Try to excite me, will ya?" The two simply glared at one another as a referee went in between them.
"Please exchange decks and shuffle. We'd like to make sure neither of you tampered with your decks." The referee asked politely. Senku and Bakugo took out their decks before handing them to each other, shuffling thoroughly.
"So EDA, who are you rooting for in the first match?" 3rd Dragneel asked his co-host.
"…Is that a serious question?" EDA asked back. "Senku. You couldn't pay me enough to root for Bakugo."
"Fair point. Senku may be the smarter of the two, but Bakugo's no slouch either." 3rd Dragneel added before the duelists finished shuffling, handing back their opponent's deck before going over to their side of the arena. "Before we decide who goes first, can our two duelists please press the button on top of their duel disks?"
Confused, Senku and Bakugo pressed the button. A second later, a screen appeared in front of them, with several monsters and text under them.
"What you see before you are all the main deck monsters you can choose as your Deck Master!" 3rd Dragneel revealed. "Remember, each one has a different ability, so choose wisely."
"Also, remember that if you summon your Deck Master to the field and it's removed without being used to summon a stronger monster, you automatically lose!" EDA reminded everyone.
"So each Deck Master has a different ability we can use? That makes things a bit easier." Levy hummed in thought.
"Or it makes the duel tougher." Kinji suddenly spoke up next to her. "Sure, the Deck Master can help you get an extra card or heal your life points, but it all depends on how they use it."
"If they choose one with a poor ability, then it'll be more of a handicap than anything." Julis added with her arms crossed.
"Done." Senku declared, picking a card on the screen as it ejected out of his deck, allowing him to summon it. A swordsman rose up next to him, the large golden helm spraying out into tassels. His face was covered by a mask connecting to a red cloak that went under his helm and golden pauldrons.
A white suit and purple tie went together with matching boots and gauntlets. A golden pair of belts held two curved sheathes, the blades of which were in the warrior's hands.
"Litmus Doom Soldier… excellent choice." EDA declared with a smile.
"And here's mine!" Bakugo chose a card from his deck as a monster appeared next to him.
It was a large machine-dragon with a dark purple color scheme. It has several plates of armor, a tail with a claw at the end, several light bulbs around its body and a pair of glowing red eyes.
"And Bakugo has chosen Infernoid Sjette! Not a bad Deck Master." 3rd Dragneel admitted.
"Infernoids…" Ichigo muttered, something that didn't go unnoticed by the others.
"Is there something wrong with that deck?" Rudeus asked with a raised brow.
"Let's just say Senku's gonna have a tough time against them." Was all Ichigo said as he focused on the duel.
"Now that our duelists have their Deck Masters, it's time to choose who goes first!" EDA declares as a coin appears on the large screen. "Choose your side!"
"Heads!" Bakugo called out.
"Then I'll go with Tails." Senku shrugged uncaringly.
"Coin flip… START!" The coin on screen was suddenly flipped as everyone watched in anticipation. The coin hit the ground and spun a bit before finally falling flat, revealing the side facing upwards. "TAILS! Which means Senku goes first!"
"Ladies and gentlemen, count down with us!" 3rd Dragneel shouted as he and EDA stood up.
"5!" Senku and Bakugo glared at one another.
"4!" The other duelists watched with serious expressions on their faces.
"3!" Some guy was throwing up from food poisoning in the bathroom.
"2!" The two duelists slowly reached out to their decks.
"1… DRAW!" Hearing the signal, Senku and Bakugo quickly drew their first five cards.
"LET'S DUEL!"
Senku Ishigami: 8000 Life Points
Katsuki Bakugo: 8000 Life Points
"Since I called it right, I'll start this thing." Senku looked at the five cards in his hand before nodding. "Alright. I place two cards face down, and summon a monster in defense mode. That's all."
Three face down cards appeared on the field before him as Bakugo growled in annoyance.
"Playing defense? That's not gonna win you anything, celery head! I draw!" Bakugo drew his sixth card and looked at his hand. "First, I'll play this: Graceful Charity." A spell card with an image of an angel holding a glowing card appeared. "This lets me draw 3 cards as long as I ditch 2." He drew 3 more cards before sending 2 to the graveyard. "Then, I play the continuous spell Void Punishment!"
"Void Punishment?" Rebecca asked as a spell card with an image of a grayish dragon roaring above a frozen wasteland appeared.
"This lets me ditch another card in my hand in exchange for a Void spell or trap!" Bakugo discarded another card before his deck shot out a replacement, shuffling automatically after he retrieved it. "I summon Infernoid Void Trooper in attack mode!"
Appearing in front of Bakugo was a demonic looking knight with a pointed helmet, dark purple chest plate, a cracked shield on its left hand and a Scimitar in its right.
Infernoid Void Trooper
Level 4 Fire Fiend
1500 ATK / 1000 DEF
"Next, I'll remove one Infernoid monster in my graveyard from play." A monster card came out of Bakugo's duel disk as he pocketed it. "I special summon Infernoid Harmadik in attack mode!"
Appearing next to Void Trooper was a small mechanical dragon, with purple wings, large light bulbs on its back and 3 sharp horns on its head.
Infernoid Harmadik
Level 3 Fire Fiend
1600 ATK / 0 DEF
"This doesn't look good for Ishigami…" Yuta muttered.
"Harmadik's effect activates." Bakugo said with a smirk. "It can destroy one of your monsters as long as he doesn't fight this turn. Blow up that facedown!" Harmadik unleashed a small purple fireball towards the facedown monster.
Senku just smiled as the fireball exploded the card, leaving his field open. "Thanks for that. Cause when Babycerasaurus is destroyed by a card effect, I can summon a level 4 or lower dinosaur monster. Say hi to Carboneddon."
A card shot of his deck before he summoned a gray and black bipedal creature, hard angular slates coming off its black back.
Carboneddon
Level 3 Earth Dinosaur
800 ATK / 600 DEF
"How about that? Senku anticipated his card being destroyed by an effect." 3rd Dragneel said in surprise.
"You never know if the monster you attack is a flip monster. Still, it looks like it's gonna bite Bakugo in the ass." EDA commented with a smirk.
"Whatever. Your monster still isn't strong enough." Bakugo retorted before waving his arm. "Void Trooper, cut down his dragon!"
The Fiend monster charged forward and swung its blade at the creature's neck. To Bakugo's shock, not only had the hologram not lost its head, but the blade was snapped in half. "What the hell!?"
"Two things, muscle head." Senku said, holding up matching fingers. "One, it's a dinosaur. Second, when Carboneddon battles a Fire monster, it gains a thousand attack points." The monster glowed in a purple aura, growing in size until it towered over Harmadik.
Carboneddon
800 - 1800 ATK
The Dinosaur monster roared before raising a foot and stomping down, crushing the Fiend underfoot and sending a shockwave to Bakugo.
Bakugo
8000 - 7700 LP
"First blood goes to Senku!" EDA announces as the audience cheers.
"Grrr… I put 2 cards face down. Turn end." Bakugo set two more cards and sent a nasty glare at Senku. Carboneddon's effect ended, causing it to shrink to its normal size.
Carboneddon
1800 - 800 ATK
"So far, it doesn't seem like Bakugo has a good grasp of the duel." Homura said to no one in particular.
"True. But I have a feeling we'll see his fiery spirit soon enough." Rengoku added with a smile.
"I'm up." Senku drew his next card before smiling. "Nice. First, I play the Lost World Field Spell." A card appeared on the field before it started glowing, a lush primitive jungle forming around the field.
"Now every non-dinosaur monster on the field loses 500 attack and defense points." Vines started to wrap around Harmadik, binding its arms and legs.
Infernoid Harmadik
1600 - 1100 ATK / 1000-500 DEF
"Next, I summon Hydrogeddon in attack mode!" Appearing next to Carboneddon was a creature that resembles an ankylosaur, completely composed of brown water while having yellow eyes.
Hydrogeddon
Level 4 Water Dinosaur
1600 ATK / 1000 DEF
"And now Lost World's second effect activates. When a Dinosaur monster is summoned, you gain a Jurraegg Token." A cluster of small eggs in a nest rose up on Bakugo's field, much to his confusion.
Jurraegg Token
Level 1 Earth Dinosaur
0000 ATK / 0000 DEF
"Why would he do that? That's just giving Bakugo a bigger defense." Ogun questioned with a raised brow.
"Not really." Vladilena told him. "Bakugo can't use the token for a sacrifice. Essentially, Ishigami is closing off Bakugo's field so he won't be able to summon monsters."
"Hydrogeddon, cool off his monster, would ya?" The watery being roared before a spiral of clear water shot out of its mouth, punching a hole through Harmadik before it exploded.
Bakugo
7700 - 7200 LP
"And since Hydrogeddon destroyed a monster, I get to summon another one to the field." A second of the watery ankylosaur appeared on the other side of the carbon monster, slamming its tail on the ground.
Hydrogeddon
Level 4 Water Dinosaur
1600 ATK / 1000 DEF
"That's it for me." Senku chuckled, his monsters staring down Bakugo.
"Wait… why wouldn't he keep attacking?" Asta asked. "He could destroy the token, summon another Hydrathingy, and then have that and Carbowhatsit attack directly."
"He's planning something…" Shana mumbled. "The question is what?"
"You're pissing me off…" Bakugo growled as he drew another card. He noticed the card before grinning. "Perfect. I play the continuous spell, Soul Absorption!" A spell with an image of someone having their soul ripped out of them appeared on his field. "Here's how it works: every time a card's banished, I get back 500 Life Points. Then, I play one of my traps, Void Feast!" A trap with an image of several monsters eating a corpse rose from the field.
"I have to ditch a Void card in my hand or field. So I'm getting rid of my other copy of Void Punishment!" Bakugo discarded said spell. "Then, I get to summon up to 3 Infernoid monsters from my deck, as long as their levels are equal to 8." Three cards popped out of his deck as Bakugo grabbed them and summoned them to the field. "I special summon Infernoids Pirmais, Patrulea and another copy of Harmadik!"
The first monster was a small gargoyle-like machine monster with black wings and red eyes.
The second was another bipedal-like creature with sharp claws, a rust-like color scheme, blue light bulbs and a dragon head-like claw on its right arm.
The final monster was another copy of Harmadik.
Infernoid Pirmais
Level 1 Fire Fiend
0 ATK / 0 DEF
Infernoid Patrulea
Level 4 Fire Fiend
1600 ATK / 0 DEF
Infernoid Harmadik
Level 3 Fire Fiend
1600 ATK / 0 DEF
"Just when we thought Senku had an army on his side, Bakugo swings it around!" 3rd Dragneel called out as both sides' monsters growled at each other.
"Maybe so, but don't forget about the Field Spell." EDA pointed out, just at the jungle sprouted out vines, ensnaring Patrulea and Harmadik.
Infernoid Patrulea
1600 - 1100 ATK
Infernoid Harmadik
1600 - 1100 ATK
"I activate my trap card, Hunting Instinct!" Senku flipped a card over, showing a large dinosaur hunting a smaller snake, which in turn was hunting a frog. "Since you special summoned a monster, I can do the same with a Dinosaur monster from my hand. Say hi to Miscellaneousaurus."
A hodgepodge of a fossil rose up, covered in a glowing blue aura. The head of a triceratops, the lower jaw, body and limbs of a tyrannosaur, front arms of a pterosaur, and the tail of an ankylosaur. The eyes glowed red as the chimera roared.
Miscellaneousaurus
Level 4 Fire Dinosaur
1800 ATK / 1000 DEF
"That is so cool… yet so creepy…" Mina said, both impressed and creeped out by the newest monster.
"And with that, another token shows up in your field." A second clutch of eggs rose up, filling Bakugo's field.
Jurraegg Token
Level 1 Earth Dinosaur
0000 ATK / 0000 DEF
"How's that for a move?" Senku asked, only to raise a brow as Bakugo smirked.
"Thanks for that. Now I KNOW what to do now." Bakugo told him as he extended an arm towards Pirmais. "Pirmais' ability activates! I can choose a face down card on the field and shuffle it back to your deck, so I choose your other facedown!" Pirmais flew into the air before diving down, slamming into Senku's last facedown card. Senku frowned as he was forced to put the card back into his deck, shuffling it a moment later.
"And then, I play my Patrulea's ability! I can choose one spell or trap and blow it to hell! So I'm burning down your forest!" The level 4 monster pulled its right arm back before slamming it to the ground. Then, the entire field spell caught on fire, disappearing soon after.
Infernoid Harmadik
1100 - 1600 ATK
Infernoid Patrulea
1100 - 1600 ATK
"Now, I'll play my Deck Master's ability. Go, Void Consumption!" Much to everyone's shock, Harmadik looked over to Patruela and chomped down on its neck.
"What the hell!?" Some of the duelists asked as Harmadik continued to eat its fellow Infernoid.
"Wow, we really should've put a warning at the start of the duel, huh? Pretty sure we're scarring a few kids right about now." 3rd Dragneel cringed as Patruela was destroyed. However, the particles left from the fallen monster soon transferred over to Harmadik.
Infernoid Harmadik
1600 - 3200 ATK
"Let me guess: survival of the fittest?" Senku huffed, shaking his head.
"You got it. Sjette's Deck Master ability lets me sacrifice one Infernoid monster on my field to give another one its power. And this lasts until the end of your turn." Bakugo explained, frowning a bit. "But, I can't use it on the same monster twice."
"That's actually not a bad Deck Master ability." Shino admitted as she rubbed her chin. "As long as Bakugo has a monster to sacrifice, he can keep buffing his best cards."
"Harmadik, wipe out that walking pile of bones!" Harmadik unleashed a torrent of flames towards Miscellaneousaurus. The flames hit the monster, causing it to explode while Senku crossed his arms.
Senku: 8000-6600 LP
"Just like that, Bakugo's taken the lead!" 3rd Dragneel shouted with a clenched fist.
"That's enough punishment." Bakugo ended his turn, smirking confidently at his opponent as Senku drew his next card.
"I use the Trade-In card." Senku declared, playing a card that shows two men haggling over a golden statue. "By discarding one level eight monster, I can draw two cards."
He quickly sent one of the aforementioned monsters to the graveyard to gain a two card hand. "I place one monster face down, then switch the rest to defense mode." A face down card appeared on the far right before the other creatures shifted to increase their guard.
"That's it for me." Senku declared.
Infernoid Harmadik
3200 - 1600 ATK
"Draw!" Bakugo drew a card before putting it in his hand. "Patrulea, burn down one of his dinosaurs!" Said monster unleashed a torrent of flames into one of Senku's Hydrogeddons, causing it to explode. "Turn end."
Senku smirked as he drew another card. "I flip up my Oxygeddon." The face down card was turned over, revealing a pterosaur made up of spiraling wind.
Oxygeddon
Level 4 Wind Dinosaur
1800 ATK / 800 DEF
"I think I'm starting to get Ishigami's deck." Misaka muttered, catching everyone's attention. "It's more focused on chemistry and dinosaurs."
"Well, he did mention he was put in stone for a few thousand years. I guess that's one reason he chose this deck." Ikki added, paying attention to the duel.
"Now, I play the Gas Vein spell card!" Senku declared, showing a blast of wind blowing a person in a mine. "With it, I can select one wind monster on the field and summon another copy of it from my deck. Say hi to another Oxygeddon." A second pterosaur appeared next to the first one.
Oxygeddon
Level 4 Wind Dinosaur
1800 ATK / 800 DEF
"Now, time for a chemistry lesson." Senku said with a chuckle, confusing Bakugo. "I have one hydrogen atom, two oxygen atoms, and one carbon atom. What do you think happens if I put them together?"
"Ummm… you get a fart?" Inosuke dumbly asked, causing the other duelists to face palm.
"I play Bonding - CO2H!" A Bunsen burner appeared on the field before all four monsters were sucked into the beaker above it. "Mix them up and you get a new concoction! Meet my Carbolic Dragon!" A thick cloud of smoke bellowed out of the glass before it took the form of a black liquidy dragon, its eyes glowing yellow.
"W-What the hell is that!?" Bakugo asked, taking an involuntary step back at the sight of the new beast.
Carbolic Dragon
Level 8 Water Sea Serpent
2800 ATK / 2600 DEF
The dragon roared at Bakugo as it eyed his monsters. "Guess it's time to feed the dragon. Go get 'em, boy." Senku chuckled. "Oh, and did I forget to mention his special ability? When he attacks, all other effects on the field cannot be activated."
"I may have only barely passed Chemistry back in High School, but even I know those chemicals mixed are bad news!" 3rd Dragneel announced.
The Carbolic Dragon gathered a ball of clear water around its mouth before it shot forward, the beam cutting through Harmadik. Bakugo gritted his teeth as he crossed his arms, taking the shockwave from the attack.
Bakugo
7200 - 6000 LP
"I think that'll do for now." Senku said with a smile.
'This damn nerd's tougher than I thought. But I'm not done yet!' Bakugo drew his next card before looking at it, only to widen his eyes. 'This'll do…'
"Looks like he's ready for a comeback." Ryuko pointed out.
"You think you know a lot about Infernoids? Trust me, Celery Head…" Bakugo raised his head with a challenging grin. "You don't! Now let me show you!" Three cards suddenly ejected out of his graveyard slot. "I banish both copies of Harmadik and my Patrulea to summon this… INFERNOID ONUNCU!" Dark clouds began to emerge from the sky as a shadow slowly began to fly down. Soon, a bellowing roar shot out of the cloud, sending a chill through the spines of some of the audience.
Bakugo's new monster soon emerged, revealing its full form. It resembled a large mechanical bird, with large purple bat-like wings, a red and black stomach, a long tail with a spear tip, and what looked like a large red circle on its back.
Infernoid Onuncu
Level 10 Fire Fiend
3000 ATK / 3000 DEF
"Son of a bitch. He actually brought it out." Ichigo said with wide eyes.
"This creature… 'tis truly a hellspawn!" Tsukiumi shouted out.
"Before I play its special ability, I have to first use Soul Absorption." Bakugo spoke up with his arms crossed. "Since I banished 3 monsters, I get 1500 life points back." A green aura surrounded him, restoring some of his lost points.
Bakugo
6000 - 7500 LP
"Then, because I special summoned Onuncu, I can use its special ability." Bakugo's grin became somewhat feral. "Now, EVERY other monster on the field is wiped out of the field! Including your dragon!" Onuncu took flight before unleashing a torrent of flames onto the ground. The flames spread around, destroying Carbolic Dragon and the two Jurraegg tokens.
"When Carbolic Dragon is destroyed, I can bring back the components used to summon him." Senku breathed a sigh of relief as his field was filled once more, this time in defense mode.
Hydrogeddon
Level 4 Water Dinosaur
1600 ATK / 1000 DEF
Carboneddon
Level 3 Earth Dinosaur
800 ATK / 600 DEF
Oxygeddon
Level 4 Wind Dinosaur
1800 ATK / 800 DEF
Oxygeddon
Level 4 Wind Dinosaur
1800 ATK/ 800 DEF
"Looks like blondie wasted his monster's ability." Zora scoffed as he leaned back on his seat.
"I wouldn't say that." Gohan chimed in, catching everyone's attention. "Sure, Senku might have gotten back most of his monsters, but Katsuki was able to free up his own space. Not to mention his monster still has 3000 attack points."
"So what? Onuncu can still wipe out your Hydrogeddon!" The fire monster swooped down to Hydrogeddon before picking it up. Flying high in the sky, Onuncu soon dropped Senku's monster, causing it to explode into pixels. "I'll play Void Punishment's ability again to send this card in my hand to the grave!" Bakugo discarded his last card before adding a new one from his deck. "Time to show you a REAL Field Spell! I play Void Expansion!"
Suddenly, the whole area began to change into a fiery wasteland, covered in blue flames.
"Holy crap. What does that do?" Kazuto couldn't help but wonder as some of the virtual flames reached the stands.
"Nothing good." Ichigo simply answered as Bakugo ended his turn.
'Okay. Didn't expect that. But…' Senku smiled as he drew his next card. "I think I'll be generous and play Card of Sanctity." A spell with an image of two men catching falling gold coins appeared on the field. "Now, we both get to draw until we have six cards!" Both duelists soon drew six new cards.
"That's a risky move. He just gave Bakugo more ammo." Ogun frowned a bit at Senku's decision.
"Maybe. But I have a feeling he's gonna have a comeback." Yang commented with a grin.
Senku stared at his hand and smirked a little. "Yeah, this'll do…" He declared, reaching for a card. "First, I tribute Carboneddon to summon Labradorite Dragon." The dinosaur started glowing from the back before a pair of glittering wings erupted out of it.
Orbs of gems rose up before a long neck ripped out of the shell, a matching gem for the head. Four claws pressed on the ground as the beast roared.
Labradorite Dragon
Level 6 Dark Dragon Tuner
0000 ATK / 2400 DEF
"Next, I'll play the Double Summon card. Hopefully, I don't have to explain what it does. Using its effect, I summon Dragard!" Another dragon was summoned to the field, this one more akin to a wyvern. Purple scales on the underside were protected by thicker black ones on top as white spikes jutted out along the body.
Dragard
Level 4 Dark Dragon
1300 ATK / 1900 DEF
"Now, let's get excited. First, I use Carboneddon's effect." Senku continued. "I banish it to summon one level 7 or lower Dragon Normal monster to the field. And where there was once carbon, now there is diamond. Meet Hyozanryu!"
A brilliant shine appeared in front of the swordsman before a diamond encrusted dragon rose onto the field, golden horns on its head and nose.
Hyozanryu
Level 7 Light Dragon
2100 ATK / 2800 DEF
"Did you forget? My Soul Absorption's still on the field." Bakugo's spell began to glow as the duelist emitted a green aura.
Bakugo: 7500 - 8000 LP
"Not really. Check this out!" The scientist said as Dragard jumped into the air. "Now I tune Dragard with Labradorite Dragon!" The larger dragon roared as it transformed into six rings. Dragard flew through them and turned into four stars before light erupted from the configuration.
"I Synchro Summon Trident Dragon!" Fire erupted around him before three horned heads rose, leading to matching necks that connected to the same body. Large wings carried the beast off the ground as the trio of heads roared in unison.
Trident Dragion
Level 10 Fire Dragon
3000 ATK / 2800 DEF
"Now, Trident Dragion, attack Onuncu!" The crowd was stunned as the three heads roared as they unleashed a torrent of flames, burning anything in their way.
"What are you stupid?" Bakugo asked. "You'll destroy your own monster!" Onuncu charged into the fire and detonated, destroying both the fiend and the dragon.
"I'm the stupid one, huh? Might wanna look around you, blondie." Senku teasingly remarked as Bakugo widened his eyes.
"And with that one move, Bakugo is wide open!" 3rd Dragneel shouted.
"Sacrificing one monster to open a path for others to attack." Eleanora said before a smile grew on her face. "A sound strategy!"
"Sick 'em, boys!" Senku declared before his trio charged forward. The dinosaurs flew past Bakugo, their wings slicing into his side. Hyozanryu then thrusted its horn upwards, lifting Bakugo upwards before he fell to the ground.
Bakugo
8000 - 6200
6200 - 4400
4400 - 2300 LP
"And just like that, Senku has taken a commanding lead in terms of Life Points!" The crowd erupted in cheers as Senku picked three more cards from his hand.
"I'll end it with these three facedowns." He declared, three cards appearing behind his dinosaurs. Bakugo said nothing as he stood back up, his hair shadowing his expression.
"One more all out attack like that and this duel's done for." Shana spoke up.
"Hehehe…" Much to everyone's surprise, Bakugo actually began to laugh. "Hahahaha! This is a riot!" He then looked at Senku with a grin. "I hate to say it, but you're not bad, Ishigami."
Senku, mildly surprised that Bakugo used his surname, simply smirked back. "For a muscle head, you aren't so bad either."
"But don't think I've given up!" Bakugo drew his next card so hard, a small gust of wind blew under him. "First, my Void Expansion activates!" A blue flame appeared on Bakugo's field before transforming into a gray lantern. "At the start of my turn, I get an Infernoid Token!"
Void Token
Level 1 Fire Fiend
0 ATK / 0 DEF
"Then, I play two Continuous spell cards!" Bakugo inserted two cards in his Duel Disk. The first spell had an image of several Infernoid monsters breaking through a tower while the second had an image of a glowing blue monster in the middle of a river. "Void Imagination and Void Breach!"
"Shit. Senku's gonna be in trouble." Ichigo commented with a deep frown.
"Pray tell, what do those cards do?" Rengoku asked curiously.
"Void Imagination makes the level of all Infernoids on the field go down to one, which works well with Expansion since as long as Katsuki has a level one monster, Senku can't target his monsters with card effects." Ichigo raised one finger before bringing up another. "Meanwhile, Void Breach gives all Infernoid monsters 100 attack points for every banished monster Katsuki has."
"Damn. Now those are some strong ass cards." Ryuko admitted while raising a brow. "Neither are giving an inch."
Infernoid Token
0 - 400 ATK
"Void Breach's ability activates!" Katsuki barked as his spell began to glow. "If all the monsters I have on the field are Infernoids, I can add one of my banished Infernoids back to my hand!" He then took one of his pocketed Infernoids and put it back to his hand.
Infernoid Token
400 - 300 ATK
"I play the spell Void Rekindling!" Bakugo activated a spell with an image of Onuncu surrounded by Infernoid Tokens. "With this, if the only monsters I have are Infernoid Tokens, I get to summon more of them to the field, up to the number of monsters you have! And I count three!" Three more flames appeared on the field as Bakugo gained more Infernoid Tokens.
Infernoid Token X3
Level 1 Fire Fiend
300 ATK / 0 DEF
"Next, I play Monster Reborn!" Bakugo activated the iconic spell card. "I bring back Void Trooper!" The first Infernoid monster Bakugo summoned at the start of the duel returned to the field.
Infernoid Void Trooper
Level 4 - 1 Fire Fiend
1500 - 1800 ATK / 1000 DEF
"Ha! He messed up!" Inosuke shouted while pointing at Senku. "He should've brought back greenie's dragon, not his monster!"
"Actually, if I recall, Trident Dragion cannot be brought back from the graveyard as it can only be summoned through a Synchro summon." Arslan corrected.
"Get ready. Because I'm winning this thing!" Bakugo declared as he aimed his arm at Void Imagination. "I use Void Imagination's other ability!" Suddenly, the spell card was destroyed. "By ditching it to the graveyard, I can fusion summon an Infernoid monster with cards on my field and hand!"
"So that's why he brought out more Tokens. To use as material." Misaka commented. "But for what?"
"I fuse my four Infernoid Tokens, Void Trooper, and the Harmadik I brought back to play!" All five of Bakugo's monsters on the field, along with the monster in his hand, were all suddenly absorbed into a vortex in the sky. "The ruler of the land of hellfire will descend from the sky. His very aura will burn down all who oppose him!" As he finished the chant, Bakugo grabbed a card from his Extra deck before slamming it onto his Duel Disk. "I fusion summon… INFERNOID TIERRA!"
A large fireball was shot out of the vortex before slamming onto the ground, causing virtual flames to spread throughout the field. Senku couldn't help but shield his face as a large shadow began to emerge with a low growl.
Bakugo's new monster was a large black dragon with a serpent-like body, black and golden armor plates surrounding its body, two short arms, one of light and the other of darkness, two large wings, the right being white while the other was black, and a head that resembled a king cobra with a large lava-like hair.
Infernoid Tierra
Level 11 Fire Fiend Fusion
3400 - 3700 ATK / 3600 DEF
"Bakugo just brought out one of the strongest fusion monsters in the game!" EDA shouted in surprise as the audience went wild.
"Now, I'm gonna play Tierra's special ability!" Bakugo declared as he brought up four fingers. "See, it can do up to four different things depending on how many monsters I used to fusion summon her." He then lowered two fingers, leaving the remaining two up. "Since I used six monsters, I can use abilities one and two! The first one forces both of us to ditch three monsters from our Extra deck to the graveyard!"
Both players chose three monsters from their Extra decks before sending them to the graveyard. "Next, we have to send the top three cards of our decks to the grave!" Bakugo took out his top three cards before grinning as they were all monsters before he sent them to the graveyard. Senku was not as fortunate as he was forced to send two trap cards and a spell card that would've helped him greatly.
"A card that forces both players to send cards from their deck and Extra deck to the grave. I can only imagine what the other two abilities would've been." Shino muttered with a concerned frown.
"Since I ditched Elder Entity N'Tss, I can use her ability!" Bakugo declared as his graveyard slot began to glow. "Now, I can blow up a card on your field, like your right facedown!"
"Then I'll just activate it!" Senku replied, flipping the card over. "With Needlebug Nest, I send the top five cards of my deck to the graveyard." He looked at the top five cards he was sending, a subtle smile on his face as the card was destroyed.
"…wait, what?" Asta asked with a confused tone. "Why's he trying to get rid of his own cards?"
"Whatever. Now, I get to play the ability if Garura, Wings of Resonant Life!" Bakugo shouted as his graveyard began to glow again. "Since it got sent to the grave too, I can draw a card!" As he drew the card, his grin returned. "Nice. I play another copy of Void Imagination!" As the spell card appeared on the field, Tierra began to glow.
Infernoid Tierra
Level 11 - 1
"Since I have a monster on the field that has a level less than 8, I can summon more Infernoids! So I play Void Trooper's ability!" A card came out of Bakugo's graveyard as he pocketed it. "If I have to summon an Infernoid monster using its own ability, I can just banish this card to act as the entire tribute!" Another card came out of his grave as he placed it on the field. "So say hello to Infernoid Onuncu!"
The large Infernoid monster returned to the field, squawking loudly.
Infernoid Onuncu
Level 10 - 1 Fire Fiend
3000 - 3400 ATK / 3000 DEF
Infernoid Tierra
3700 - 3800 ATK
Bakugo: 2300 - 2800 LP
"And since I brought out Onuncu, I get to destroy every monster on the field!" Bakugo called out, much to everyone's horror.
"He's going to destroy his own Tierra." Julis muttered before her eyes widened. "Unless…"
"Before Onuncu can destroy it, I can play Void Seer's ability from the graveyard!" A spell card came out of Bakugo's graveyard as he pocketed it. "If an Infernoid monster is about to be destroyed by a card effect, I can get rid of this card to protect Tierra!" Onuncu flapped its wings as it unleashed a powerful inferno gust, destroying all of Senku's monsters, leaving only Bakugo with monsters.
Bakugo: 2800 - 3300 LP
"Onuncu, Tierra, finish this duel!" Both of Bakugo's monsters unleashed a stream of flames from their mouths as they moved towards Senku.
"If Senku doesn't do anything, he'll lose!" 3rd Dragneel and EDA stood up from their seats in anticipation.
Senku watched the flames get closer before a smirk grew on his face.
Boom*
The attacks from Bakugo's Infernoids hit their mark, creating a digital cloud of smoke. "That's it! It's over!" 3rd Dragneel announced as Bakugo shoved a hand in his pocket.
"I told you you'd lose." Bakugo told Senku as he prepared to leave…
"Hehehe, who said the duel was done?" Everyone gasped as Senku spoke up, through the cloud of dust.
Senku
6600 - 4800 LP
"But… but how?! That last attack should've ended you!" Bakugo shouted in shock and anger.
Senku pointed to the side as the dust settled, revealing a face up trap card showing a group of men unearthing a skeleton. "Fossil Excavation…" He chuckled. "I sent my last card to the graveyard to summon one Dinosaur monster to my field. Meet Duoterion."
As the last of the dust settled, a large tyrannosaur made of water was standing over the trap card, holes punctured through it.
Duoterion
Level 5 Water Dinosaur
2000 ATK / 1400 DEF
The new dinosaur groaned before it succumbed to Tierra's attack, destroying it and the trap card. "You might have stopped Tierra, but Onuncu can still attack you!" Bakugo's winged monster continued its attack, striking Senku with enough force to send him falling to the ground.
Senku
4800 - 1400 LP
"I put a card facedown and end my turn." Bakugo set one card in his last spell and trap card zone. "Go ahead and draw your last lame card. It won't matter!"
"Actually…" Senku dusted himself off and stood up, drawing his card before grinning. "This card's gonna end this duel. I flip over my final trap card, Bonding - DHO!" A large beaker appeared on the field. "I shuffle one Duoterion, one Hydrogeddon, and one Oxygeddon in my graveyard into my deck."
The three monsters appeared onto the field before they were dropped into the beaker, creating a thick cloud of smoke. "Meet my ultimate monster… WATER DRAGON CLUSTER!"
A card shot out of the graveyard just as water erupted out of the glass before it split into two streams. Twin roars echoed as glowing red eyes emerged, forming two Draconic heads.
Water Dragon Cluster
Level 10 Water Sea Serpent
2800 ATK / 2600 DEF
"When he is summoned, all effect monsters you control not only lose their effects, but all their attack points go to zero!" The twins roared as water flooded the field, soaking the Fire monsters.
Infernoid Tierra
3800 - 0000 ATK
Infernoid Onuncu
3400 - 0000 ATK
"He just powered down his monsters!" Asta stood up in shock.
"Water Dragon Cluster, attack Tierra with Heavy Torrent Shot!" Both heads roared as water gathered around their mouths. The streams shot forward and merged into one, creating a giant torrent.
"I play Dimensional Prison!" Bakugo's final facedown rose, revealing a trap with an image of a knight being absorbed into a portal. "Since your dragon's attacking, I can remove it from play, which means on my next turn, you're finished!"
"Yeah… no." Senku replied. "I play my Deck Master's ability. Once per turn, I can make one monster I control immune to all trap effects. Call it Parts Per Billion!" The swordsman held his blades up and they fired a beam of energy at the Sea Serpent, coating it in a glowing aura.
Undeterred, the high pressure stream shot through both the trap card and Tierra, punching a hole through them and hitting Bakugo.
Bakugo
3300 - 500 LP
"Now, I activate Water Dragon Cluster's other effect. I can tribute this card to summon two individual Water Dragons to the field in defense mode. Don't get too excited, though. Your Fire monsters still won't have any attack points." The dual headed being roared before it was split in half, creating two deadly snakes.
Water Dragon X2
Level 8 Water Sea Serpent
2800 ATK / 2600 DEF
"I place one card face down and end my turn." Senku declared.
"I'm… not… done…" Despite having lost almost all his life points, Bakugo was still determined to keep fighting as he drew his next card. "I WON'T LOSE!"
"Hehehe, then I have some bad news." Senku looked at Bakugo with a smirk. "This duel IS over."
"What does he mean? It's Katsuki's turn and his Water Dragons aren't attacking." Rebecca asked in confusion.
"I play my last trap, Diamond Dust!" Senku's facedown rose, revealing a trap with an image of large snowflakes scattering through a storm, with a frozen penguin knight among them. "This trap destroys all my water monsters!"
"He's destroying his own monsters? I think Senku's finally lost it!" 3rd Dragneel announced as both Water Dragons began to turn to ice.
"It may leave my field empty…" Senku then pointed two fingers towards his opponent. "But, for every Water monster this trap destroys and sends to the graveyard, you take 500 points of damage." Everyone in the stadium widened their eyes in surprise as the frozen dragons began to shatter, turning into ice spears as they aimed at Bakugo.
"No… I was gonna win this…" Bakugo could only watch as the ice spears launched towards him, each one piercing through his body. "NNNNNNOOOOOOOOO!"
Bakugo
500 - 0 LP
Winner: Senku Ishigami
As Bakugo fell on his knees, everyone in the stadium stayed quiet as they processed everything.
"Folks, it seems we have a winner…" 3rd Dragneel started before a smile grew on his face, his hand motioned towards Senku. "The winner of our first duel is… SENKU ISHIGAMI!"
"YEAH!" Finding their voices, the audience began to cheer for the two duelists, with many of them clapping in joy.
"GODDAMNIT!" Bakugo punched the ground hard in frustration, clearly distraught by his loss. "I was this freaking close to summoning Tierra again!"
"Guess you can't beat the power of science." Senku remarked as he went over to his opponent, their monsters and cards all disappearing once their duel disks were turned off. He then offered his opponent a hand. "But, that was one hell of a duel."
"Tch. I don't need your damn pity." Bakugo scoffed. However, a moment later, he took Senku's hand and stood up, "You got lucky this time, Ishigami. Next time we see each other, I'm gonna win."
"Sure you will. But if you want a rematch, you'll have to get in line." Senku teasingly said, much to Bakugo's irritation.
"It was a tough fight, but I knew Senku would be able to win. Even against someone like Bakugo." EDA boasted with a chuckle.
"Come on, dude. I know you don't like the guy that much, but you have to acknowledge his skill at least." 3rd Dragneel told his friend with a frown.
EDA stared at him before sighing. "Alright, alright. Even I'll admit that Bakugo pulled off some good moves, and if Senku didn't use that trap, he'd probably win." Shaking his head, EDA grabbed his mic and stood up. "Since our first duel finished, we're going to be taking a short break. But don't forget to come back at 12 PM when we have our next showdown between Ryuko Matoi and Mikoto Misaka! Stay tuned!"
3rd Dragneel: Man, that was an epic duel, wasn't it?
Earth Dragon Arnighte: It sure was. But you can probably expect about a hundred messages from Bakugo fans, telling you how BS it was that he lost in the first round.
3rd Dragneel: Before anyone starts spamming my inbox and saying how Bakugo misplayed, hear us out. Yes, Bakugo is a smart character, but Yu-Gi-Oh is a tricky game. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.
Earth Dragon Arnighte: We try to treat each duel like an actual match between the two of us. And as other duelists would know, it's all about how you can handle the situation with the cards dealt to you. So even a fan favorite like Bakugo might not always win.
3rd Dragneel: Not to mention the guy already won a tournament in his world, so we needed to give him some kind of loss. Hell, even our friend, who is a massive Bakugo stan, admitted that Senku would beat Bakugo in a duel.
Earth Dragon Arnighte: Before we end the chapter, we're going to put down the information from any original cards we made during the chapter. And let me tell you, I had to make a few for Senku's deck since it seems like Konami forgot about Bastion's deck.
Deck Master abilities
Infernoid Sjette
Infernoid Consumption: Once per turn, you can tribute one Infernoid monster on your field and give its attack points to another Infernoid monster you control. You can only use this effect on one monster with a different name once per duel.
Litmus Doom Soldier
Parts Per Billions: Once per battle phase, when a monster on your field is being targeted by a trap effect, you can use this Deck Master's effect. That monster is unaffected by your opponent's traps until the end of the turn.
Original Cards
Infernoid Void Trooper
Level 4 Fire Fiend
1600 ATK / 1000 DEF
Effect: This card cannot attack unless you control another 'Infernoid' monster. If you special summon an 'Infernoid' monster using its own effect, you can banish this card to act as the whole tribute.
Void Rekindling
Normal Spell
Effect: If you control an Infernoid Token, you can special summon Infernoid Tokens, up to the number of monsters your opponent controls. You cannot special summon monsters for the rest of the turn, except 'Infernoid' monsters.
Bonding CO2H
Normal Spell
Effect: Tribute 1 'Carboneddon', 2 'Oxygeddon', and 1 'Hydrogeddon' in your hand and/or on your field. Special Summon 1 'Carbolic Dragon' from your hand, deck or graveyard.
Glass Vein
Normal spell
Effect: If you control a Wind monster on the field, you can target it. Special summon a Wind monster from your deck with the same name as the monster on your field.
Carbolic Dragon
Level 8 Water Sea Serpent
2800 ATK / 2600 DEF
Effect: Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned with 'Bonding - CO2H'. When this card battles, no other effects can be activated. When this card is destroyed and sent to the graveyard, you can target 1 'Carboneddon', 2 'Oxygeddon' and 1 'Hydrogeddon' in your graveyard: Special Summon them.
Next time: Shocking Strings
