Yugioh/ML Chapter 4

Call Out

The message played across all of social media, from all of Reflekta's accounts. "Hello, Link Vrains! Reflekta here, with a special message! I am challenging Ladybug to a duel, seeing who is the strongest! Oh, and if you refuse," Her expression turned sinister. "I'll detonate the bombs I've set across the entirety of Link Vrains." The feed changed to show bombs in various locations across the servers of Link Vrains. "Ladybug, you have 24 hours to face me at the top of the tallest tower in the main server or else Link Vrains is blasted back to the stone age!"

Marinette rushed home, running past Fu. "This could very well be a trap!" He called out.

"I can't take that chance!" Marinette hurried into the secret chamber, where she picked up her duel disk and entered the terminal. She logged in, and wasted no time hopping on her duel board, then flying to the designated location, where Reflekta was waiting. Many cameras were hovering overhead, some watching Reflekta, and some watching Ladybug.

"I wasn't expecting you to show up." Reflekta said.

"I'm here, as you wanted. Now turn off the bombs!"

Reflekta smirked. "What bombs? It's called photoshop, silly. You've been pranked!" She laughed while Ladybug felt embarrassed at being fooled so easily. "I mean, come on. I'm not a psycho!"

Ladybug turned around and started to log out. "This was a waste of my time."

"Oh, no you don't!" Reflekta activated a device from her inventory, creating a blue sphere of light around herself that also covered Ladybug. Ladybug tried to press the logout button, but nothing happened. "A special little device, courtesy of Sol Technologies. As long as it's active, you can't log out. Oh, and I also happen to have one of these." Reflekta jumped off the building, and a white and red duel board appeared under her. "Looks like I'll be getting my duel after all."

"She's right." Fu verified. "I can't log you out from here. You'll have to take her down if you want to get out."

Reluctantly, Ladybug readied her duel disk and flew after Reflekta. As the two flew past, the cameras followed.

"I'll start us off, of course." Reflekta decided. "I summon Gouki Suprex!" A blue snake-man in bone armor appeared. (Level 4/Attack 1800) "When I summon Suprex, I can summon another Gouki monster from my hand. Appear, Gouki Twist Cobra!" A green snake-man appeared with two tails on his head and two out of his torso. (Level 3/Attack 1600) "I think I'll end my turn here. Come on, Ladybug. Give the audience a good show!"

While Tikki waved at the cameras, Ladybug tried to ignore them as she drew her card. "I summon Databug Beetle!" An insectoid person appeared, carrying a halberd with a blade in the shape of a beetle's horn. (Level 4/Attack 1700) "I set two cards. Beetle, attack Twist Cobra!" Beetle cleaved Twist Cobra in twain. (Reflekta 4000-3900)

"I then activate the effect of Beetle. Once per turn, if Beetle destroys your monster in battle, it not only gains 500 attack, but can attack one more time. Attack her Suprex!" The halberd increased in size, (Databug Beetle Attack 1700-2200) before Beetle cleaved the second monster. (Juleka 3900-3500)

"Ah! You've dealt such a mighty blow!" Reflekta changed her expression from worry to a smile. "Just kidding. First, I activate the effect of Suprex and Twist Cobra. When they are sent to the graveyard, I can add a different Gouki monster from my deck to my hand. Then, I activate my skill, Pain and Gain, bringing back all my Gouki monsters that were destroyed this turn." Reflekta's hair glowed as she struck a dramatic pose, bringing the two monsters back.

"Surprised, Ladybug? I'm an entertainment duelist, which means that I don't just duel to win. I duel to dazzle and wow my audience!" Indeed, her ratings were already soaring from the moment their duel began, but when she had used her skill, many viewers cheered her on, giving many donations.

"I end my turn." Ladybug stated. As she did, Beetle's halberd returned to normal. (Attack 2200-1700)

"Aw, did I hurt your feelings by being smarter than you? Don't worry about it. Not everyone can be as brilliant and amazing as me. I draw! Since my only monsters are Gouki monsters, I can summon Gouki Riscorpio without tribute!" A bulking, red scorpion-man appeared. (Level 5/Attack 2300) "Now, appear, my circuit!" A light emanated from her hand, conjuring a gateway.

"The summoning conditions are 2 or more Gouki monsters. I place Gouki Twist Cobra, Suprex, and Riscorpio on the link arrows!" The three monsters become tornadoes that hit the bottom of the gateway. "Link summon! Appear, Gouki the Great Ogre!" A giant ogre with a long fur cape and a battle-axe appeared. (Attack 2600/Link Arrows Bottom Left, Bottom, Bottom Right)

"Woo! Give it up for my greatest Gouki monster!"

Despite Ladybug's protests, Tikki cheered.

"Aw, what is that little thing?" Reflekta wondered. "Is that what everyone's fighting over? I can see why; she's so cute, I might just keep her as a pet. Anyway, I activate the effects of Suprex, Twist Cobra, and Riscorpio, each replacing themselves. Next, the effect of Great Ogre kicks in. All monsters on the field lose attack equal to their defense!" Great Ogre roared, and Beetle trembled. (Databug Beetle Attack 1700-700) "Since link monsters don't have any defense points, Great Ogre is safe from its own effect. I also activate the spell Gouki Rematch, bringing back two Gouki monsters from my graveyard with different levels in defense position. Come back, Riscorpio and Twist Cobra!" The two monsters returned in a more defensive position. (Riscorpio Defense 0) (Twist Cobra Defense 0)

"Now for Twist Cobra's effect. By tributing a Gouki monster, I can give that tributed monster's attack to one other Gouki monster I control for one turn." Twist Cobra stabbed both Riscorpio and Great Ogre, causing Riscorpio to shatter and Great Ogre to gain a green aura. (Attack 2600-4900) "Finally, I'll use the effect of Gouki Headbatt in my hand. By discarding another Gouki monster, I can not only summon Headbatt in defense position, but increase the attack of one of my Gouki monsters by 800!"

A red and purple bat-man appeared, and roared, with Great Ogre roaring in turn. (Gouki Headbatt Level 2/Defense 0) (Gouki Great Ogre Attack 4900-5700)

"Great Ogre, smash that Beetle into a pulp! Ogre Axe!" The ogre raised his axe, then charged towards Beetle.

"I activate my face-down, Databug Pincer Strike. When your monster attacks my Databug monster, its attack is halved." Beetle pierced into the side of Great Ogre, creating a purple aura around the monster. (Great Ogre Attack 5700-2850) Great Ogre ignored the attack as it crushed Beetle. (Ladybug 4000-1150) "I then activate Databug Poison Bait. Since your monster just destroyed my Databug in battle, Poison Bait equips to it, reducing its attack to 0." A set of ropes appeared around Great Ogre, restraining it. (Great Ogre Attack 2850-0)

"Smooth moves, Ladybug. I end my turn."

Ladybug silently cursed the fact that her life points were too high to activate Lucky Charm, but decided not to worry about it. "I draw! I summon Databug Spreader!" A large bee appeared, with a saddle on its back. (Level 3/Attack 1000-0) "When Spreader is normal summoned, I can special summon a Databug monster from my hand. Appear, Databug Scavenger!" Another beetle appeared on the saddle, this time wearing black armor. (Level 4/Attack 800-0)

"The effect of Scavenger lets me bring back a Databug monster from my graveyard upon its summon. Return, Databug Beetle!" Scavenger screeched, and a black portal appeared, out of which flew Beetle. (Level 3/Attack 1700-700) "Appear, my circuit!" Another gateway appeared. "The summoning conditions are 2 or more cyberse monsters. I set Databug Beetle, Scavenger, and Spreader on the link arrows!"

The three monsters became tornadoes and hit the gateway. "Link summon! Appear, Codespring Light Connector!" (Attack 2300/Link Arrows Top, Bottom Left, Bottom Right) Unfortunately for Ladybug, none of Reflekta's monsters were in the zone needed for Light Connector to gain additional attack. That wasn't necessary, however. "I activate the effect of Light Connector, summoning Databug Ant!" Light Connector conjured a large ant. (Level 4/Attack 1000-500) (Light Connector Attack 2300-2800) "I then activate the effect of Ant, increasing the attack of one Cyberse monster I control by 1000 for this turn." The ant's eyes glowed, and Light Connector glowed as well. (Light Connector Attack 2800-3800)

"Light Connector, attack her Great Ogre with Radiant Reprove!" Light Connector threw her staff at Great Ogre.

"Not quite!" Reflekta objected. "I activate the effect of Gouki Double Impact in my hand. By discarding it and revealing a level 2 or lower Gouki in my hand, I can increase the attack of Great Ogre by the revealed monster's attack for this turn. I reveal a second Double Impact!" A pot-bellied ogre appeared to block the blow. (Great Ogre Attack 0-1200)

"I then activate the effect of Great Ogre. If it would be destroyed, I can destroy a monster it points to instead." Gouki Twist Cobra joined Double Impact in blocking the attack. Both monsters were obliterated by Light Connector's staff. (Reflekta 3500-900) "Twist Cobra then replaces itself."

"Databug Ant, attack her Riscorpio." Ant bit into Riscorpio, destroying it. Reflekta again replaced the monster. "I end my turn." (Light Connector Attack 3800-2800)

"I have to admit, I'm starting to worry. You've turned the tables on me quite easily. But I never give up. Not with all of my adoring fans watching! I draw!" The card she drew was the gift her mystery friend had given her.

Might as well use it now!

"I summon Dark Heel!" A shady wrestler in a black coat appeared, wearing a demonic mask. (Level 1/Attack 1000) Reflekta started to clutch at her head in pain. The same mask as on Dark Heel appeared on her face as she howled in pain.

"Reflekta?" Ladybug asked, her annoyance turning to worry.

When Reflekta recovered, her eyes seemed to have a hunger to them. "Appear, my circuit!" Another gateway appeared. "The summoning conditions are two or more warrior monsters. I set Gouki the Great Ogre and Dark Heel on the link arrows!"

Great Ogre burst into three tornadoes as it and Dark Heel hit the gateway on each corner. "Link summon! Appear, Dark Crusader!" A knight in black armor appeared, carrying a blood-red sword. (Attack 3000/Link Arrows Top Left, Top Right, Bottom Left, Bottom Right) (Databug Ant Attack 500-1000) "The effect of Dark Heel activates, equipping it onto Dark Crusader!" The same mask as on Reflekta appeared on Dark Crusader.

"I also activate the effect of Dark Crusader. When it is link summoned, I can discard my entire hand to have it gain 500 attack for each card thrown away!" Reflekta tossed her four cards in the air, and Dark Crusader sliced through them all. (Dark Crusader Attack 3000-5000) "Now, because of Dark Heel, when Dark Crusader attacks, it can't destroy your monster in battle, but the battle damage will be doubled! Attack her Light Connector with Blood Reign!"

The knight charged towards Light Connector, who only barely blocked the attack with her staff. "I activate the effect of Pincer Strike in my graveyard, banishing it to redirect the attack to a Databug I control." Databug Ant switched places with Light Connector. "I then pay 500 life points to banish Poison Bait, reducing the attack of both monsters to zero for this turn." A thick poison wall blocked both monsters. (Ladybug 1150-650) (Dark Crusader Attack 5000-0) (Databug Ant 1000-0)

Reflekta growled in frustration. "I end my turn. Hurry up so I can thrash you!" The poison wall evaporated. (Dark Crusader Attack 0-5000) (Databug Ant 0-1000)

"Ladybug, this is really bad." Tikki said. "I can see her data being rewritten. If you don't end this duel soon, I don't know if she'll make it."

Ladybug nodded and flew over to where a particularly large data storm was raging. "Lucky Charm!" She announced as she threw her hand into the data storm with zeal. She quickly grabbed a card out from the winds. "I draw! I summon Databug Spinner." (Level 3/Attack 1000) "Appear, my circuit!" Another gateway appeared. "The summoning conditions are two or more effect monsters. I set Databug Ant, Databug Spinner, and Codespring Light Connector in the link arrows!" The three monsters hit the gateway.

"Link summon! Appear, Codespring Fire Flare!" A woman with hair made of fire appeared, wearing a red dress and holding a bow and arrow. (Attack 2300/Link Arrows Left, Right, Bottom Left) "When Fire Flare is link summoned, I can choose one link monster in my graveyard and increase Fire Flare's attack by that monster's." Light Connector appeared next to Fire Flare. (Fire Flare Attack 2300-4600) "I then activate Fire Flare's second effect, targeting one link monster on the field and gaining attack equal to that monster's link rating times 500." Fire Flare readied four arrows on her bow. (Fire Flare attack 4600-6600)

Reflekta was unable to verbally respond, only growling at Ladybug.

"Fire Flare, attack Dark Crusader with Heat Volley!" Fire Flare fired her arrows, while Light Connector threw her staff. Dark Crusader was able to block the arrows, but the staff hit him, causing an explosion. (Reflekta 900-0)

As Reflekta was knocked off her board, she started to seem like herself again, but quickly fell unconscious. The last thing she saw was Ladybug flying to catch her.