Disclaimer: I do not own the properties of the Yu-Gi-Oh franchise or the work of the cards; I only own the OCs that could or may be involved in this series. I own nothing of the real OCG cards, just the formal OC character.
Friendship Cup — Chapter 18: The King; Yuya Sakaki vs Jack Atlas
In the waiting lounge, Yuya is outfitted with a Turbo Duel jumpsuit. He has to wear it if he doesn't want the fast winds to slow him down. He feels tight, wearing a predominantly red jumpsuit with a secondary white trim, orange markings, and padded knees. The chest of his jumpsuit is grey.
Yuya sat on the couch watching the TV broadcast of the Friendship Cup—fireworks crackled in the night sky. The audience cheered for the beginning of the tournament. It's a different experience than what happened in the Arc League.
"Good evening, Duelists, young and old!" The announcer, Melissa Claire, announced to the audience in the stadium where the Friendship Cup is taking place. "Thank you for eagerly waiting! Over 400,000 spectators have packed the whole stadium into the Duel Palace, which towers over the Coty's center!"
The Friendship Cup is about to start! Duelists worldwide have traveled far and wide to become who the king is! I am Melissa Claire, and I will be your announcer for this event! The city's greatest tournament!"
The sound of the audience cheering fills the stadium. All the residents, Tops and Commons, have come to watch the greatest Turbo Duel in history.
Yuya couldn't believe a tournament like this could happen despite the ongoing Dimensions War. It's like no one knows what is happening. He looked at his deck with anxiety.
"Yasuko, where are you? I hope you're safe," said Yuya. "Where could the others have been taken?"
It was all so sudden. Once the council has decided, Yuya takes over and becomes the first duelist to challenge the King, Jack Atlas. The next thing he knew, he saw everyone caught by security being hauled to a doorway by the council's security.
They told him the others wouldn't be harmed, but he was separated from Yasuko and Akiza again. After everything Akiza and Yasuko did for him, he's separated from the rest of the Lancers. The weight of their goal rests on him now. He can still hear the voices of his comrades and friends telling him to win against Jack Atlas.
"Zuzu must be watching from somewhere nearby! Win and put her mind at ease!"
"Show these Synchro Dimension guys what we can do!"
"Don't worry about us! Just don't lose!"
"You show that bastard Jack the true face of a winner!"
"Crush that bastard traitor! Jack Atlas!"
Yuya was baffled by Crow and Shinji's last statements. They seemed hostile towards him for some reason. Did Jack do something wrong to them? It was a different kind of story for Crow and Shinji. Unlike Akiza, who respects Jack, Crow and Shinji don't like him. Wasn't Jack the first Common to win the Friendship Cup?
"Traitor?" Yuya wondered. "Jack Atlas?"
He turns to the bellhop boy behind him. He has bright blue eyes, and his olive hair is combed upwards. He is the only person in the room with him.
"Hey, uh, do you know what kind of person Jack Atlas is?" Yuya asked. He has to know who his opponent is. Akiza said that Jack Atlas is the greatest Turbo Duelist in the world, and she said he's been the champion for seven years.
The boy hesitates and turns away from him. "Uh…um…" he responded.
Yuya realized he couldn't speak to him because he was a competitor. "Oh, so, were you told not to talk to me?"
"No, nothing like that," he denied.
Yuya snorted. "Are you a fan of Jack's?" he questioned.
The boy immediately faced him. "Wh-why, you ask?"
"I heard that Jack is king to both Tops and Commons, so I'm sure he has a lot of fans," said Yuya. "I was wondering. If you were one."
The boy seems like he's hesitant to answer back.
"Sorry. Since I'm fighting him, I guess it's hard to discuss." Yuya paused to say more. "I was just wondering what kind of person he is."
"Well, um… seven years ago, Jack rose in the dueling world by winning many national championships, and just three years ago, Jack Atlas became the first Commons-born Friendship Cup winner," the bellhop boy explained. "Ever since, he's reigned as king, the undisputed champion."
The boy paused. "The way he acts and speaks… I think they're suited to the one said to be the greatest duelist ever…" He turns away, looking down just by talking about Jack alone.
Yuya recognized the behavior. "I'm sorry. You seem uncomfortable talking about him," he apologized.
"W-well, it's just about time I'll show you to the arena," the boy dismissed. He turns around and heads for the door to open it for Yuya.
He knows it's now the time to get ready. Yuya inserts his deck into his deck holder gauntlet, which he has been wearing, and follows the boy to where he will be taking him.
The bellhop boy escorted Yuya to an elevator shaft. It's where he'll be guided to an underground garage where the duel runners are parked. He was amazed that the Council had many Duel Runners in the building. This is what you probably get if you're from the Tops or the best duelist in the city. Every duel runner is streamlined and sturdy, which means it's all mass-produced. He can see that some are customized based on a duelist's preference. He sure wished he had his own. He picks a duel runner, a crimson-red streamline with a visor on the front, and the back seating is curved up.
Yuya smiled at the duel runner. "Huh? This one will do," he said. He turns to the bellhop boy. "Well, I'm off. Wish me luck." The bellhop boy merely turns away from him. Yuya didn't know what to say since the boy seemed shy. He picks up his helmet and puts it on. The helmet doesn't have a visor, so he wears his signature golden goggles with orange lenses and a blue star obscuring the right lens. He puts his goggles on and hops on the duel runner.
This is the first time he's ever going to ride one. The one Yasuko worked on at Crow's place was a nice practice to know what he would use in the dimension.
He grips handlebars. Yuya then twists the left, indicating to him it's the throttle. He twists the right stick, suggesting that it's the break.
"Alright," Yuya muttered. "Let's do this." He twists the left stick, making him jolt out of the parking spot.
"Uh! Hey! Whoa!"
Yuya can feel his control jiggling between keeping balance and going simultaneously. He follows the tunnel the garage leads him to.
"Now, it's time for the main event!"
Yuya can hear Melissa announcing to the audience.
"The Neo Domino City's pride and joy! The Duel King, Jack Atlas, will hold a special match!"
Upon her declaration, Yuya hears the crowd chanting his name.
"Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack!"
Yuya sees the tunnel exit in the bright light. He accelerates his duel runner to get out of the darkness.
"That's what you get with Jack Atlas! The symbol of the Friendship Cup! Tops and Commons coming together to call for his name!" said Melissa. "But wait just a minute!" The audience slows down and stops chanting briefly to listen. "We have an introduction to our lucky duelist, chosen as the king's opponent for this year's opening ceremony! He's the spunky new kid on the block! The guy who is honored to take on the king! Please give it up for Yuya Sakaki!"
Once his name was declared, Yuya exited the tunnel and entered the stadium. He glanced around, astonished at how big the Duel Palace was. Compared to the one used for the Arc League, the stadium is even bigger.
Yuya can see a glass window curve coming up, moving his stick to turn left. The duel runner didn't turn, so he put in more effort. Yuya nearly crashed, but he kept going until he got the hang of the stick.
"Unbelievable," Yuya commented. "This is why Yasuko wanted to rebuild that other one at Crow's place?" Yuya feels his control easing up. "Crow and the others told me about this, but do they really duel while riding these?"
This is a whole different level of dueling. If he thinks Action Duels are good, he can't imagine doing a Turbo Duel on a motorcycle like this. Yuya sees the starting line and slowly stops at the mark.
"Now, the moment you've all been eating for… The King is here," Melissa announced. "Duelists traveled across the land, searching for his strength and majesty! Despite his Common birth, he's driven the road to success like a proverbial rising dragon. The living legend who stands atop duelists everywhere… Introducing our King of Duelists, Jack Atlas!"
The King's poker card hologram spins in the air before the duelist's name, "King Jack Atlas," appears.
Smoke billows at the tunnel Yuya exited from. Before he knew it, a duel runner speeds out of the tunnel. Jack Atlas and his duel runner, Phoenix Whirlwind, a monowheel vehicle with only one hollow wheel that loops above and around the driver.
Jack Atlas lands on the track and speeds up to the starting line. Jack points at the sky, and the spotlight shines on him as he does. "There can only be but one king! And that is I!" Jack announced.
"Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack!"
Yuya glances at Jack over his shoulder, impressed by how he's stirring up the crowd with his words. He can see him being the true duelist in the dimension.
Jack halts his Duel Runner at the starting line. He turns to the crowd. "Let me ask you a question! How many turns do you think it takes to win?" he questioned.
Many audience members speak randomly, but they all have the same answer.
"First turn!"
"Two turns! Jack!"
"It's three!"
Jack held a fist to the audience. "The king's duel must be entertaining," he boasted.
Yuya was confused. "Entertaining?" This is a rare commodity coming from Jack Atlas himself.
Jack held one finger. "The first turn! I'll take the first move. And then after the curtains rise…" He then held a second finger. "Turn two. I'll allow my opponent to show me what huge can do." He held a third and final finger. "Turn three. I'll finish with a display of overwhelming difference in our skills!"
Yuya couldn't believe what he was hearing. Three turns. Jack claims he can defeat him in three turns. Yuya felt insulted.
"What? Me? Lose in three turns?" he thought. Yuya recalls Crow and Shinji to crush Jack, whom they see as a traitor to the Commons. "I'll show him how I entertain!"
Jack thinks he can beat him in just three turns. He has another thing coming. Yuya knows Fusion, Xyz, and Pendulum. There's no way Jack could defeat him alone with just Synchro Summon.
"First, I will activate the Field Spell," Melissa announced. "Today, we'll be changing the rules a bit by using the Action Field—" she paused when she made the announcements, baffled. "Wait, what?"
When Melissa announced that the duel would use an Action Field Spell, Yuya was caught off guard. "What? An Action Field?" he repeated. The exhibition match is going to use an Action Duel. How did the others know about It?
"Well, whatever it is, rules are rules," said Melissa. "Now, let's go! Crossover Acceleration!"
The device on the duel runners activates the Action Field Spell: Crossover Acceleration. Like before, the Action Field summons a bubble of Action Cards, bursting it like a balloon. "Duel mode. Autopilot, standby." The AI on the device starts the duel, emitting one pulse from each duel runner. The pulse waves over the stadium, and the Action Cards rain down before disappearing into the road.
"How do I play the game with this?" Yuya thought. It's a bizarre way to duel. Action Duels are where his Entertainment Duels thrive, but if they go to Turbo Duel with the Action Cards, it will be hard for him. Either way, he'll do what he's done before. Adapt.
The holographic display shows the countdown.
Yuya and Jack grip their sticks.
3.
Yuya takes a deep breath.
2.
Jack narrows down on the road.
1.
GO!
When the countdown ended, both tires on the duel runners screeched on the pavement in the stadium road, sparks flying behind. Both duelists bolt from the starting line. "Riding duel, acceleration!"
As two duelists began, the first Turbo Duel of the tournament started for both.
"Duel!"
DUEL
Yuya Sakaki (LP 4000)
VS.
Jack Atlas (LP 4000)
The duel runners stream past the crowd watching them. Winds blow in their faces. The speed of their duel runner smoothly runs through the pavement like an arrow.
Yuya is gripping loosely as the duel runner adjusts his controls to match his opponent.
"Autopilot? So, does that mean we can use our hands freely? That's why I can drive and duel simultaneously?" Yuya thought. He finds himself being left behind by Jack Atlas. He twisted the stick to go faster, but it was too late by the time they reached the turn.
"The first move is mine!" Jack stated.
Turn 1: Jack (5x cards)
"Wow, Jack took the first turn, just as he said he would!" Melissa announced.
"My turn!" Jack takes a card from his hand to Normal Summon Red Sprinter (ATK 1700/DEF 1000). "I summon Red Splinter from my hand!" Upon summoning his monster, a red horse fiend demon with long arms and flaming manes sprouting up appears on the battlefield.
"When this is the only monster in the field, I can Special Summon one level 3 or lower Tuner monster from my hand," he explained. Due to his monster's effect, since there are no other monsters on the field, Jack Special Summons Red Resonator (ATK 600/DEF 200) in Attack Position.
"I Special Summon Red Resonator!" Jack summons a red-cloaked, fire demon with sharp teeth holding a key bell and a drumstick.
"Level 2 Red Resonator tunes the level 4 Red Splinter!"
The resonator demon rings the tools together, forming two glowing green rings to scan the splinter demon, turning the monster into four white orbs.
(4 + 2 = 6)
"Let the scarlet souls become one! Tremble before the champion's war cry! I Synchro Summon! Come out, Red Wyvern!"
Jack tunes the Level 4 Red Sprinter with the Level 2 Tuner monster Red Resonator to Synchro Summon Red Wyvern (ATK 2400/DEF 2000) in Attack Position.
The rings burst a white light, and a red demonic dragon appears on the field with flames sprouting from its head. The wyvern roars as it flies beside Jack.
The audience cheered at Jack's splendid performance.
"The king went to a Synchro Summon! What an outstanding start for the king. Will the rest proceed as the king predicted?"
Jack takes out another card and Sets it on the field. "I Set a card face down and end my turn," Jack concluded.
Turn 2: Yuya (5x cards)
It's Yuya's turn now, and Jack is allowing him to do something about his field.
"I'm giving you this chance to show your stuff," said Jack. "Don't disappoint me."
Yuya is determined to show Jack his strength. "I will show you my Entertainment Duel!" Yuya draws a card from his deck. "My turn!"
He removes two Pendulum monsters: Stargazer Magician (Scale 1) and Wisdom-Eye Magician (Scale 4). I set the Pendulum Scale with the Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and Scale 4 Wisdom-Eye Magician!" He activates both cars in his Pendulum Zones, creating the rainbow "Pendulum" on his yellow blade.
The stargazer sorcerer and the wisdom-eye wizard appear in the sky under two lights with a pendant rotating above.
"Now, I activate Wisdom-Eye Magician's pendulum effect!" Yuya declared. "If I have a "Magician" or "Performapal" monster in my other Pendulum Zone, I can destroy itself to place one "Magician" Pendulum monster from my deck to the zone it was in!" He raised his hand to the wisdom-eye wizard. The monster self-deletes itself, allowing Yuya to place the Timegazer Magician (Scale 8) in the Pendulum Zone. "By destroying my Wisdom-Eye Magician! I can place the Scale 8 Timegazer Magician into my Pendulum Zone!"
Once the wisdom-eye wizard disappears, the timegazer wizard takes over and completes the Pendulum Scale.
Yuya takes out a card from his hand and Normal Summons Performapal Skullcrobat Joker (ATK 1800/DEF 0) (4 3) "I summon Performapal Skullcrobat Joker!" Yuya summons a purple-striped jester with a wand: "When Skullcrobat Joker is Normal Summoned, I can activate its effect to add one "Performapal" monster, "Magician" Pendulum Monster, or "Odd-Eyes" monster from my deck to my hand!" A card pops out for Yuya to add Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon
"I add Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" With his best monster in hand, Yuya can make his Pendulum Summon. "With the Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and Scale 8 Timegazer Magician, I can simultaneously Pendulum Summon monsters between levels 2 and 7!" Yuya declared. "Swing, my pendulum's soul! Draw the arc of light in the sky! I Pendulum Summon! Come out, my monsters!" Yuya Pendulum Summons Performapal Trump Girl (ATK 200/DEF 200), Performapal Pendulum Sorceror (ATK 500/DEF 1600), and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (ATK 2500/DEF 2000), all in Attack Position.
"First, Performapal Trump Girl! Next, Performapal a Pendulum Sorcerer! And finally, the rare dragon with two heterochromia eyes! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
The monsters Yuya summoned are as follows: a trump magical girl with a jester hat and red shirt over her mix-matched trousers; a sorcerer with a red band coat decorated with jewels and a hat holding a pendant; and finally, Odd-Eyes Pendulum, a red-scaled dragon with bone armor back wings holding two jewel orbs. Odd-Eye Pendulum's red and green eyes glow, and the dragon roses to life.
"Wow! Yuya Sakaki is incredible! He summoned more than one monster at once!" Melissa stated. "In an earlier scoop, I saw them summoning two monsters at Central Park, but this is more than that!"
The audience was captivated by Yuya's Pendulum Summon, a technique that is foreign to many in Neo Domino. It's a whole different kind of summoning.
"When Pendulum Sorcerer is Special Summoned, I can activate its effect, targeting up to 2 cards I control, destroy them, and then add two "Performapal" monsters from my deck to my hand!" Yuya picks the two cards he will target, and they are the pendulum magicians in his Pendulum Zone. "I target and destroy both my Timegazer and Stargazer Magician to add Performapal Monkeyboard and Performapal Kuribohble!" The two magicians in the light pillars burst into dust, allowing Yuya to add Performapal Monkyboard and Peformapal Kuribohble to his hand. "Now, I activate the Scale 4 Performapal Monkeyboard!" Yuya activates Performapal Monkeyboard (Scale 1).
A monkey with piano key notes for teeth riding on a unicycle floats up in the pillar light.
"When Performapal Monkeyboard is the only card in the Pendulum Zone unless I have a Performapal monster, its Pendulum Scale becomes 4!"
When Monkeyboard is the only Pendulum card in the Zones, since he has no other "Performapal" card in his other Pendulum Zone, monkeyboard's Pendulum Scale becomes 4.
(Performapal Monkeyboard: Scale 1 → 4)
Jack seemed displeased with his decision. "That's not even worth my time!" he insulted.
"No, but when I activate Monkeyboard this turn, Monkeyboard's Pendulum effect allows me to add one level 4 or lower Performapal from my deck to my hand," Yuya explained. "I will add Performapal Lizardraw and the set to my Pendulum Zone!" Yuya picks out the card he wants to add, Performapal Lizardraw (Scale 6), and then activates it.
In the second Pendulum Zone, an orange lizard wearing a magician hat and a frill shaped like the cards float above the Pendulum Zone. In addition, the monkeyboard's Pendulum Scale returns to 1.
(Performapal Monkeyboard: Scale 4 → 1)
"When I control a Performapal monster in my Pendulum Zone, I can activate Lizardraw's Pendulum effect to destroy itself and then draw one card!" The lizardraw blows up in particles, allowing Yuya to draw a card. Yuya checked the card he drew: the Trap Card: Ghosts From The Past.
"Nice! This will help me!" Yuya thought.
"I activate Performapal Trump Girl's special effect! Once per turn, I can Fusion Summon one monster using monsters on my field!" Yuya raises his hand to choose two monsters: the trump girl and Odd-Eyes Pendulum. "I fuse Trump Girl and Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
The trump girl waves her wand and flies up alongside Odd-Eyes Pendulum. "The one who controls the mysterious power, merge with the beast of power, transform into a dazzling light, and reside in the dragon's eye! I Fusion Summon! Come out, the sky dragon that wields the secret arts! Rune-Eye Pendulum Dragon!"
Yuya then activates the effect of Trump Girl, letting him fuse Trump Girl with Odd-Eyes Pendulum to Fusion Summon Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon (ATK 3000/DEF 2000) in Attack Position.
Rune-Eyes emerges from the swirling vortex of red and blue, roaring to life on the field with its golden circle backbone gleaming under the sky.
"And I overlay the level 4 Skullcrobat Joker and Pendulum Sorcerer!" Yuya declared.
The pendulum sorcerer turns into a brown energy while the skullcrobat joker becomes a purple light. Both energies zip up before falling into a galaxy portal beside Yuya.
"From the pitch black of darkness! The fangs of rebellion will fight all those foolish enough to oppose its stupidity powers! Descend now! I Xyz Summon! Appear! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!"Yuya overlays the Level 4 Pendulum Sorceror and Skullcrobat Joker to Xyz Summon Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon (ATK 2500/DEF 2000) (OU: 2) in Attack Position. Dark Rebellion emerges from the bright light shooting up in the sky, screeching in the field.
The whole stadium is exhilarated by Yuya's double summoning of two different Extra Deck monsters.
"Yuya Sakaki moves from a shocking Pendulum Summon to the unusual Xyz and Fusion Summons, producing two dragons!" Melissa stated. "But our hero, Jack, surely won't stand idly by."
Jack doesn't make any reaction to the summons. He is cautious of the boy and starts a counterattack.
"Once per turn, when a monster with the highest ATK points is on the field, I can destroy one face-up monster with the highest ATK!" Jack drifts his duel runner and gestures to Rune-Eyes. "And because Rune-Eyes is the highest, your monster is destroyed!"
The demon wyvern roars and then blasts a flaming burst.
"I won't let you!" Yuya replied. He turns his duel runner up to the curved wall. He spots an Action Card floating in a small bubble. He swiped it, and it was the Action Card: Mirror Barrier. "Yes!" Yuya's duel runner glides in the air alongside his two dragons before landing back on the road.
"I activate the Action Spell Card, Mirror Barrier!" Yuya activates the Action Card. "This lets me target one monster, and it can't be destroyed by card effects this turn!" Yuya gestures to his Rune-Eyes. "Therefore, your card destruction effect is negated!"
As the flaming burst comes to Rune-Eyes, the dragon is protected by a sphere of mirrors, protecting the monster from being destroyed by card effects.
The audience gasped, flabbergasted to see Yuya protecting his monster with one of the Action Cards that rained down on the stadium.
"He blocked it!" Melissa gasped. "Action Cards can do that? Amazing!"
Yuya was determined to make Jack wrong with his claim. "I will not lose in the third turn!" he declared. "I'm going to finish you in this turn!"
Unbeknownst to Yuya, Jack smirked at his determination, intrigued when he made quick work of his monster and the usage of Action Cards. It seemed like Jack had found a worthy opponent.
"I activate Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon's special effect! I can use one Overlay Unit to target one monster on your field whose level is 5 or higher, cut its ATK points in half, and then Dark Rebellion gains that amount until the End Phase!"
(Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: OU 2 → 1)
One of the Overlay Units bursts into the air, and Dark Rebellion opens its wings to emit static electricity. Dark Rebellion shoots its electricity at the demon wyvern.
"Treason Discharge!"
The pink static electricity hits the demon wyvern, cutting half its attack power, and Dark Rebellion gains it.
(Red Wyvern: ATK 2400 → 1200)
(Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: ATK 2500 → 3700)
"I use the effect again!"
(Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: OU 1 → 0)
Yuya uses Dark Rebellion's effect again, bursting its last Overlay Unit. Dark Rebellion shocks the demon wyvern, weakening it to the point that it's powerless against any of Yuya's monsters.
(Red Wyvern: ATK 1200 → 600)
(Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: ATK 3700 → 4300)
"Now, the ATK points of the challenger's dragon are 4300!" Melissa inhaled. "Is this it? This is trouble! Big trouble!"
Jack has to do something with the monster. With his demon wyvern weak, Jack looks at the road for what Yuya calls an Action Card. He spots one coming up and leans his duel runner lower so his hand can reach it. He picked it up and looked at the Action Card. If Yuya can use it like before, he should also be able to do it.
"Battle!"
Jack glances at Yuya as he makes his Battle Phase! "Dark Rebellion, attack Red Wyvern!"
Dark Rebellion flies over and charges its chin horn with power. "Lighting Disobey of Rebellion!" Dark Rebellion closes in and pierces the demon wyvern. The monster explodes, sending Jack to spin out of control as the damage to his life points is massive.
(Jack: LP 4000 → 300)
The audience holds their tongue, stunned by the massive damage to Jack. He nearly lost two-thirds of his life points, and now it's only a matter of time before Jack loses.
"3700 damage at once! That's huge!" Melissa stated.
"And now, the finishing blow!" Yuya exclaimed. "Go, Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! Attack Jack directly!"
Jack was still spinning out of control, but he bared his grip and stabilized himself. Despite that, it's still not enough to save him.
"No way! Will Jack Atlas lose? The King!"
Everyone was holding their breath; some cried for Jack's loss, and the rest watched with anticipation.
"Continuous Shiny Burst!"
The back circle plate on Rune-Eyes opens, and a triangle is formed strong enough to power up his laser. Once it's at full power, Rune-Eyes unleashed the blue laser at Jack. The laser hits Jack and his duel runner, making a massive explosion that spreads heavy smoke.
The audience was left speechless. They thought Jack was undefeated, but they were wrong. Jack lost. It was over.
Yuya should have been proud, but there was something wrong. He had a gut feeling Jack wasn't the kind of duelist to lose too quickly. When he looked ahead, Yuya was surprised.
Jack Atlas emerged from the smoke unscathed. Right above him, Jack had activated an Action Card: Evasive Evasion. "I activate the Action Spell, Evasion Evasion!" As the smoke cleared, a token monster with an orange skull and violet horns sticking out from its eye sockets in a thorny ring appeared on the field.
"Once per turn, I can Special Summon 1 Evasion Token, and it lets me negate one attack," Jack explained. "I used this to negate Rune-Eye Pendulum Dragon's attack!" Jack will negate the attack and then Special Summons an Evasive Evasion Token (DARK/Fiend/Level 1/ATK 0/DEF 0) in Defense Position.
The audience cheered at Jack for his performance, making a comeback in a second.
"Amazing! Jack is so smart!" Melissa commented.
Yuya was impressed that Jack had learned to use the Action Cards; it was his first time dueling with them. He gives him credit, but that doesn't mean he's done with his battle. A replay occurs, and Yuya makes a quick attack.
"Rune-Eyes Pendulum Dragon is unaffected by card effects this turn if I Fusion Summon it using a Pendulum Summoned monster!" Yuya's pointed out.
"What?!" Jack gasped, surprised Yuya possessed a monster that could not be affected by any card effects. Rune-Eyes charges again and blasts the token monster into oblivion with its blue laser.
"You're done!" Yuya stated. "Rune-Eyes can still attack depending on the level of monsters used as components in its Fusion! Trump Girl is a level 2, which means I can attack twice in this battle!" Yuya gestures to the duelist once again. "Rune-Eyes! Attack Jack directly!" Rune-Eyes was charging up another shot to end Jack's life points. Jack has to think of something quick, and he does.
As Rune-Eyes fires another shot, Jack flips up his face-down Trap Card: Reject Reborn. "I activate my trap! Reject Reborn!" he declared. "When an opponent's monster declares a direct attack, it ends the Battle Phase, and then, Special Summon 1 Tuner and 1 Synchro monster from my graveyard, but their effects are negated!" The trap card glows, blocking the shot and repelling Rune-Eyes back.
Yuya was shocked. His Rune-Eyes is unaffected, but that doesn't mean he's still affected by card effects. "What?!" he gasped.
"Your Battle Phase ends, and I Special Summon Red Resonator and Red Wyvern from my graveyard!" Jack announced. At the end of the Battle Phase, Jack Special Summons the red demon and the demon wyvern back to his field. "Be reborn! Red Wyvern and Red Resonator!"
"Incredible!" Melissa beamed. "Not only did he evade the attack, but he also returned two of his monsters to the field! Now that's the Jack we know and love! Our Jack! The champion of champions, king of kings!"
The audience cheered on for Jack Atlas.
Yuya was frustrated. He thought he could beat Jack in his turn before it became Jack's, but instead, he defeated his monsters.
"I Set two cards face-down and end my turn," he concluded as Yuya Set two cards on his field. "At the End Phase, Dark Rebellion's ATK points return to normal."
The power of Dark Rebellion wears off, returning it to its normal state.
(Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon: ATK 4300 → 2500)
Turn 3: Jack (1x card)
Now that it's already the third turn, Jack can go on the offensive. He glanced at Yuya.
"You mentioned having an entertainment duel, didn't you?" Jack questioned. Yuya flinched at his words. Jack's duel runner slows down and rides beside him.
"I have to say, your way of dueling is merely self-satisfaction," Jack insulted. "It's a pathetic far cry from entertainment!"
The more Jack speaks, the angrier Yuya gets. He could guess that Jack was trying to get under his skin, and he couldn't let it happen. "You lack the power to climb the summit where I stand!" With that, Jack twists his stick, accelerating forward ahead of Yuya.
"My turn!" Jack draws a card. Jack can summon the ultimate beast of battle with his monsters on his field.
"Level 2 Red Resonator tunes the Level 6 Red Wyvern!"
The red demon turns into two glowing rings to scan the demon wyvern, scanning it until its solid mass body turns into nothing but six white orbs lining up at the center.
(6 + 2 = 8)
"The cry of the champion shakes heaven and earth! Let the conqueror's unique power be carved into your body!" I Synchro Summon! The raging soul…Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!" Jack tunes the Level 6 Red Wyvern with the Level 2 Tuner monster Red Resonator to Synchro Summon the Level 8 Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend (ATK 3000/DEF 2500) in Attack Position.
From the white light, a huge dragon emerges from the portal. It's a massive dragon with flaming orange skin on its wings and highlights on its body. The dragon had crimson-red armor scales and two massive horns sticking forward on its head. The scarlight dragon roars in the field and flies right beside its master.
Yuya is astonished by the sudden appearance of the starlight dragon. It's such a powerful monster that he can feel its burning energy just by looking at it. "No way," he uttered.
Jack removes a card from his hand and activates the Spell Card: Scarlet Security. "I activate the Spell, Scarlet Security!" The spell card flies up, and the scarlight dragon smashes the spell card with its claws. "If I control a "Red Dragon Archfiend" monster, I can activate this card! It destroys all Spell and Trap Cards my opponent controls!"
"What?!" Yuya gasped.
The claw the scarlight dragon used to smash the spell powered the dragon's arm. Once done, the dragon hits the ground with its claws, creating a flaming wave sent toward Yuya.
"Not so fast! I activate my trap! Ghosts From The Past!" The first trap card, Level Resist Wall, was destroyed, but his other Trap Card, Ghosts From the Past, flipped up. "By banishing two monsters in my graveyard, I can target one Attack Position monster on the field and change its ATK to 0 until the end of the turn!" He banishes Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer and Performapal Skullcrobat Joker from his graveyard to target Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, changing its ATK to 0. "I banish Performapal Pendulum Sorcerer and Skullcrobat Joker to target your Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend and change its ATK points to 0!" The trap card flips up, and a mirage of a pendulum sorcerer and skullcrobat joker appears, allowing them to enter the trap card. The card shoots a purple beam, hitting the Scarlight dragon, and wipes out its attack power to none.
(Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend: ATK 3000 → 0)
After resolving, both the monkeyboard in his Pendulum Zone and his two face-downs are destroyed, but Yuya has to ensure Jack doesn't beat him.
Jack grunted at Yuya's persistence but could still make a comeback. "Don't think you'll survive this turn!" he snapped. "Never underestimate me and my Scarlight!" Jack takes out a card to activate the Spell Card: De-Synchro. "I activate the spell, De-Synchro!" he declared. "By targeting Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend, I can return this monster to the Extra Deck and then Special Summon the monsters I used to Synchro Summon it!" The scarlight dragon disappears from the field, and two portals open up to let Jack Special Summon Red Resonator and Red Wyvern in Attack Position. "I return Scarlight Red Drago Archfiend, Special Summon Red Resonator, and Red Wyvern!"
Yuya couldn't believe Jack managed to get rid of his trap's effect by returning his monster to the Extra Deck. "Damn it!" Yuya speeds up to find more Action Cards.
"When Red Resonator is Special Summoned, I can target one face-up monster on the field and regain LP equal to ATK points!" The red demon chimes together its tools to allow the wyvern's energy to flow through Jack, giving him back life points.
(Jack: LP 300 → 2700)
"Once per turn, Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend's special effect allows me to destroy as many other Special Summoned monsters with lower than or equal to this card's and then inflict 500 points of damage for each monster destroyed!"
The orange scales on the scarlight dragon glowed like fire, and its right claw was being powered, turning it into a flaming fist. "Absolute Power Flame!" The scarlight dragon raises its fist and punches outward to send a flaming fist, hitting both Rune-Eyes and Dark Rebellion. Both dragons are destroyed instantly, and shockwaves course through the air. Yuya felt the impact of the shockwaves, dealing effective damage.
(Yuya: 4000 → 3000 LP)
Yea, grunted as he tried to keep control of his duel runner. "But your monster has no more attack points; I won't take battle damage!" he pointed out.
The stadium bursts into cheers as Jack has regained his full strength. They loved him so much that they were all chanting his name.
"Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack! Jack!"
With his monsters back on the field, Jack makes one last Synchro Summon. "Level 2 Red
(6 + 2 = 8)
"Level 2 Red Resonator tunes the Level 6 Red Wyvern to Synchro Summon! Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!"
Jack tunes the Level 6 Red Wyvern with the Level 2 Tuner monster Red Resonator to Synchro Summon Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend in Attack Position.
The red demon turns into two glowing rings to scan the demon wyvern, scanning it until its solid mass body turns into nothing but six white orbs lining up at the center. The scarlight red dragon reappears back on the field, good as new. Yuya is losing against Jack but can't give up yet.
Jack drifts his duel runner to face Yuya with his arm raised. "Battle! I attack directly with Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend!" The scarlight dragon charges up a powerful fire beam in its jaws. However, Yuya has a comeback of his own. Yuya activates Performapal Kuribohble (ATK 300/DEF 200) from his hand to Special Summon itself.
"I activate Performapal Kuribohble's special effect from my hand! When my opponent declares a direct attack, I can Special Summon this monster and then perform the damage calculation!" Yuya declared. "When I take battle damage, I gain that much LP instead!"
"You're so naïve!" Jack interrupted. "Did you think that strength alone would top me? I don't think you don't understand! Your entertainment is just self-satisfaction! You have no right to call it an entertainment!" In response, Jack activates the Counter Trap Card: Solemn Strike. "I activate the Counter Trap! Solemn Strike! When a monster would be Special Summoned, or a monster effect is activated: I pay 1500 LP to negate the Summon or activation and destroy it!"
(Jack: LP 2700 → 1200)
He pays the cost, and the trap card flips up, causing Yuya's disk on his duel runner to reject the activation and destroy Kuribohble.
"No!" Yuya gasped in horror, realizing that this was it for him.
"Now, kneel before the king!" The scarlight dragon unleashes a flaming burst out of its jaws at Yuya's duel runner. The blast knocks Yuya off his duel runner, wiping out the rest of his life points.
(Yuya: LP 3000 → 0)
WINNER: Jack Atlas
Yuya screamed as the attack punched his lungs, sending him flying up. He falls and lands hard, skidding twice on the road before he collapses on the ground. He grunts in pain, feeling his stomach being pummeled. He couldn't move as the pain from the fall ran through his veins. He tries to look up upon hearing Jack's duel runner parking in front of him. He looked down on the kid, showing no remorse or concern for his well-being. The cheering of the crowd felt deaf to their ears.
Jack seemed displeased with Yuya. He thought Yuya might be a worthy opponent, but instead, he's just like all the others who fell before him in the duel. "Pathetic," he mocked. "This is the best you can do? I'd expect more from an entertainment duelist like yourself. What a waste." With that, Jack turns around and heads back to his Phoenix Whirlwind.
Paramedics and the bellhop boy come to pick up Yuya. The paramedics settle down on a stretcher. As they are going to pick up Yuya, he makes a noise that stops them.
"My…" Yuya groaned. "My father…My dad taught me this way of dueling…." He clenched his fists in anger. "Don't…don't you ever mock my dad's dueling!" Yuya recalls when people ridiculed him for having his dad abandon his challenger. The feeling is returning to him, but it has turned into anger.
The bellhop boy was surprised at Yuya. He seemed determined to get back at Jack Atlas, even when the result was clear. Jack Atlas is a whole different opponent. With that, Yuya collapsed, and the paramedics began to assist in recovering him.
Yasuko was in her room in the Administrative Council penthouse, courtesy of the council booking a room for all the Friendship Cup contestants. She hates being locked up and living in a confined space under the Administrative Council's surveillance. She can imagine what the Facility must've been like for Yuya and the others. She was lucky not to get caught, and so were Declan, Riley, and Moon Shadow.
Now, she's being held against her own will at the penthouse with nothing but a bathroom, bed, desk, and a tv. It's a shame she couldn't go back to the twins and Rin.
"A penthouse? More like a hotel to me," Yasuko commented. Unlacing her boots, Yasuko sits on the bed. She even notices a mint candy on her bed. She unwraps it and eats the candy. Yasuko turned on the TV to watch the exhibition duel between Yuya Sakaki and Jack Atlas.
"Now, it's time for the main event!" the announcer stated.
Yasuko can hear the stadium chanting Jack's name in the background.
"That's what you get with Jack Atlas! The symbol of the Friendship Cup! Tops and Commons coming together to call for his name! But wait just a minute!
"We have an introduction to our lucky duelist, chosen as the king's opponent for this year's opening ceremony! He's the spunky new kid on the block! The guy who is honored to take on the king! Please give it up for Yuya Sakaki!"
The girl watched Yuya riding out of the tunnel in a red jumpsuit and red duel runner with a curved seat.
She can't help but feel anxious about the match. Her first experience with Turbo Duel was stressful during her duel against Kalin. She can't imagine what she would experience in a crowd like the one she's in.
"Now, the moment you've all been eating for… The King is here. Duelists traveled across the land, searching for his strength and majesty! Despite his Common birth, he's driven the road to success like a proverbial rising dragon. The living legend who stands atop duelists everywhere… Introducing our King of Duelists, Jack Atlas!"
Upon Melissa introducing the king, Jack Atlas speeds out of the same tunnel Yuya exited from and rides his Phoenix Whirlwind to the road.
Yasuko watches Jack point at the sky, and the spotlight shines on him. "There can only be but one king! And that is I!" Jack announced. The crowd chants his name, and Jack
Jack halts his Duel Runner at the starting line beside Yuya. He turns to the crowd. "Let me ask you a question! How many turns do you think it takes to win?"
Yasuko raised an eyebrow in confusion. Why would Jack be asking the crowd such a ridiculous question.
Jack held a fist to the audience. "The king's duel must be entertaining," he boasted.
Yasuko was intrigued. "Entertaining?" she inquired. She is sure that Jack Atlas himself is rare, like Yuya, but his entertainment is different.
Jack held one finger. "The first turn! I'll take the first move. And then after the curtains rise…" He then held a second finger. "The second turn. I'll allow my opponent to show me what huge can do." He held a third and final finger. "Turn three. I'll finish with a display of overwhelming difference in our skills!"
Yasuko shakes her head in disbelief. Akiza and the twins have told her Jack is the strongest duelist in the city. Yasuko gets a chance to watch her opponent play in a fight against someone like Yuya. Yet, Jack is such a hypocrite that he thinks he can defeat Yuya in just three turns.
"Ridiculous," Yasuko commented.
"First, I will activate the Field Spell," Melissa announced. "Today, we'll be changing the rules a bit by using the Action Field—wait, what?"
Yasuko flinched as she heard Melissa correctly. "An Action Field?" she repeated. "Wait, they're going to Turbo Duel and do Action Duel simultaneously?" The girl had her own prior experience with the game, and she's now going to duel with Action Cards in a Turbo Duel again. "How'd they know about Action Fields?"
She thought of the only way the Friendship Cup could ever use the Action Field. Yasuko finds it hard to believe that the Administrative Council is going to let the Lancers use their weapon: Action Cards.
"I'm guessing Declan must've pulled some strings for the council," she murmured.
"Well, whatever it is, rules are rules," said Melissa. "Now, let's go! Crossover Acceleration!"
Yasuko finds it strange, even for her. She saw the duel runners pulsing once, allowing a wave to move all over the stadium to sync with the ARC system. "This is weird," she thought. "How could our technology be so compatible with the ones in the Synchro Dimension?" She recalls when her duel runner was syncing to her duel disk, and it connected her and Kalin to use the ARC reactor feature in her duel disk.
"Are our dimensions similar? Or was it just coincidence?"
Whatever it was, for any reason, the duel was about to start. The holographic timer starts to countdown. At "GO", both duelists streak across the track.
At first, Yuya was ahead, but then Jack took the lead and became the first one to turn.
"Wow, Jack took the first turn, just as he said he would!" Melissa announced.
Yasuko watched Jack start off strong, with his end board being a Synchro monster and two face-downs.
"The king went to a Synchro Summon! What an outstanding start for the king. Will the rest proceed as the king predicted?"
"Not bad, let's see how this plays out," Yasuko thought.
It was Yuya's turn, and he was already Pendulum Summoning his monsters to the field. Yasuko can guess the wild reactions from the spectators.
"Wow! Yuya Sakaki is incredible! He summoned more than one monster at once!" Melissa stated. "In an earlier scoop, I saw them summoning two monsters at Central Park, but this is more than that!"
Yuya proceeds to summon his strongest monsters: Dark Rebellion and Rune-Eyes.
"Yuya Sakaki moves from a shocking Pendulum Summon to the unusual Xyz and Fusion Summons, producing two dragons!" Melissa announced. "But our hero, Jack, surely won't stand idly by."
Jack tries to destroy Rune-Eyes, but Yuya blocks it with an Action Card.
"He blocked it!" Melissa gasped. "Action Cards can do that? Amazing!"
It was already over for Jack, or so it seemed. "Now, the ATK points of the challenger's dragon are 4300!" Melissa inhaled. "Is this it? This is trouble! Big trouble!"
Dark Rebellion had destroyed Jack's monster, leaving him vulnerable to a direct attack. "3700 damage at once! That's huge!" Melissa stated. "No way! Will Jack Atlas lose? The King!"
"That's-" Yasuko paused when Jack Atlas snagged an Action Card, blocked Rune-Eye's attack, and brought him back two monsters from his graveyard.
"Incredible!" Melissa beamed. "Not only did he evade the attack, but he also returned two of his monsters to the field! Now that's the Jack we know and love! Our Jack! The champion of champions, king of kings!"
Yasuko realized what the outcome of the match was going for. Jack Atlas was going to wing the exhibition match. He's got Yuya right where he wanted him. She grows resentful of the match. Seeing Yuya defeated instantly by Jack's strongest monster on the third turn was so one-sided and frustrating. Jack really is the strongest duelist in the Synchro Dimension.
It became vividly clear to Yasuko. Yuya is incomplete. Yuya knows how to Fusion and Xyz Summon but doesn't know how to Synchro Summon. She neglected to teach Yuya how to Synchro Summon. Fusion and Xyz Summon alone won't be enough to defeat Academia in their current fighting strength, certainly not against someone from the Synchro Dimension.
If that is the case, Yasuko must teach Yuya Synchro Summon to give him a fighting chance.
Already, time for the Friendship Cup! I know this part was already coming if any of you ever watched the anime if ever liked the anime, but sometimes I stick with the canon and then break it if it needs to be. And this was a canon event, which means nothing has changed for the better. There is new support for Jack, and they will come into another duel or future duels, but for now, this is the best I am going for. If you like the story so far, then don't forget to leave down a comment on what your thoughts are, what you like about the story, what do you think you want to see in the matchups, and if you like, then recommend it to another reader who is bored and wanted something new. The game begins. Hope you enjoy your day.