Yugioh/ML Chapter 27

The Invading Dragon

While Ladybug tried to appreciate the various experiments, a worry kept growing in the back of her mind concerning Master Fu. As time went by, she felt more and more like she should contact him, at least to let him know that he was okay. That thought was interrupted by something she noticed in the distance; a figure that looked familiar. She could have simply told the kwami about it, but decided to address it herself.

Ladybug's investigation led her to a forest on another nearby island, one covered in forest that quickly gave way to a vast canyon underneath. She saw the same figure at the bottom of the canyon and climbed down to meet them. They wore a red suit of mechanical armor, like something out of a comic book. "Whoever you are, stop running! Show yourself!" She cried out as soon as she got close enough.

The figure turned around, and she immediately recognized his face; Adrien Agreste.

"Adrien!" Ladybug stepped back, ready for anything. "What are you doing here?"

"Isn't it obvious, Ladybug? I'm here to take back what you've stolen! Give me back Plagg, so that I can have the power I need to destroy the Kwami!"

"Never! He's hidden where you'll never find him!"

"Liar! I know he's here somewhere. I saw him enter the portal right after you. You must have led him here, back to his home where you thought he'd be safe. But none of these wretched creatures are safe from me!"

Ladybug had to stifle a laugh. "I think I would have seen Plagg enter the portal with us. Maybe you've just grown crazy in your quest for revenge."

"Shut up! I saw him, I know I did! He's here, somewhere, and you're going to surrender him to me or else!"

"Or else what? I've beaten you twice before, and I'll do it again!"

Adrien raised a wicked smile. "Oh, it's different this time." He readied his duel disk, and Ladybug did the same.

"I'll go first." Ladybug declared. "I summon one monster face-down and set two cards face-down. I end my turn."

"I draw! I summon Rokket Recharger." (Level 4/Attack 0) "Appear, my circuit! The summoning conditions are one level 4 or lower dragon. I set Rokket Recharger in the link arrows. Link summon! Appear, Striker Dragon!" (Attack 1000/Link Arrows Left)

"When Striker Dragon is link summoned, I can add the card Boot Sector Launch from my deck to my hand, which I will immediately activate!" A large sigil appeared on the ground beneath them. "This card gives all my Rokket monsters 300 attack and defense. It also lets me activate one of two effects each turn. I'll use the first, letting me special summon two Rokket monsters from my hand in defense position. Appear, Autorokket Dragon and Metalrokket Dragon!" The two dragons emerged from the sigil in the ground. (Autorokket Dragon Level 3/Defense 1000-1300) (Metalrokket Dragon Level 4/Defense 1400-1700)

"I then activate the other effect of Striker Dragon, targeting a monster I control and a Rokket monster in my graveyard, destroying the first and summoning the second. However, that won't happen, because it was simply a pretense to activate my Metalrokket Dragon's effect! You see, when my Rokket monsters are targeted by a link monster's effect, they can destroy themselves to release their true power! In Metalrokket Dragon's case, it destroys all cards you control in the same column!"

Metalrokket shaped itself into a bullet and was loaded into Striker Dragon's mouth, then fired at Ladybug's field, wiping out both the face-down monster and the face-down card that was behind it.

"Then, I activate the quick-play spell Quick Launch! This will special summon a Rokket monster from my deck, but it won't be able to attack, and it will be destroyed during the end phase. Appear, Shelrokket Dragon!" (Level 2/Defense 2000-2300) "Appear again, my circuit! The summoning conditions are two dragons, one of which must be a Rokket monster. I set Striker Dragon and Shelrokket Dragon in the link arrows! Link summon! Appear, Quadborrel Dragon!" A yellow metallic dragon with cannons for arms appeared. (Attack 1000/Link Arrows Left, Bottom)

"I activate the effect of Quadborrel Dragon, discarding a card to target and destroy a face-up monster on the field and destroy it. I'll choose my Autorokket Dragon, triggering its effect! By destroying it, I send one spell or trap you control to the graveyard." Autorokket Dragon turned itself into a bullet and was loaded into one of Quadborrel Dragon's cannons, then fired at Ladybug's last face-down.

"Battle! Quadborrel Dragon, attack her directly!" Quadborrel fired out of its cannons, pelting Ladybug with energy. (Ladybug 4000-3000) "I set a card face-down and end my turn. The effects of Metalrokket and Shelrokket now activate, replacing themselves. Appear, Exploderokket Dragon and Magnarokket Dragon!" (Exploderokket Dragon Level 7/Defense 2000-2300) (Magnarokket Dragon Level 4/Attack 1800-2100)

"Aggressive as usual, aren't you?" Ladybug taunted as she drew her card. "You spent a lot of resources just to wipe out three measly cards. Seems nothing changes about you except the frills."

For his part, Adrien ignored the taunt, simply glaring at Ladybug.

"If my life points are lower than yours, I can summon Databug Roach from my hand." (Level 2/Defense 2000) "I then normal summon Databug Scavenger!" (Level 4/Attack 800) "When it's summoned, I can bring back a Databug from my graveyard. Return, Databug Dung Roller!" Scavenger dug at the ground, creating a hole that Dung Roller crawled out of. (Level 2/Attack 1200)

"Appear, my circuit! The summoning conditions are two or more Cyberse monsters. I set my Databug Scavenger, Roach, and Dung Roller in the link arrows. Link summon! Appear, Codespring Wind Guide!" (Attack 2300/Link Arrows Top, Left, Right) "When Wind Guide is summoned, I can destroy spell or trap cards you control, up to the number of its link materials, then it will gain 500 attack for each. I'll destroy your Boot Sector Launch and your face-down!" Wind Guide readied, then fired two arrows.

"I activate the effect of Noctovision Dragon in my graveyard. When you activate a card or effect targeting my set card while I have a link monster in the extra monster zone, I can banish Noctovision to negate that effect and prevent you from targeting that set card again this turn." A dark-green metallic dragon emerged from a purple portal and intercepted each of the arrows before disappearing.

"Then I'll just attack your Quadborrel Dragon with my Wind Guide. Breeze Belt!" Wind Guide fired another two arrows, this time at Quadborrel Dragon.

"Foolish!" Adrien replied. "I activate my face-down Magic Cylinder!" Two red cylinders appeared in front of Quadborrel Dragon. "When your monster declares an attack, Magic Cylinder not only negates it, but deals damage to you equal to your monster's attack!" The two arrows were sucked into the one cylinder, then fired out of the other, hitting Ladybug who only barely blocked them with her duel disk. (Ladybug 3000-700)

"I set a card and end my turn." How has he gotten so good? I haven't been able to lay a scratch on him.

"Tell me, Ladybug. Would you like to know how I've improved so much? I've had my new 'friend' to thank for that." Adrien snapped his fingers, and out of his duel disk, Longg flew out. However, he was now covered in cybernetic parts, barely able to move.

"What have you done to that kwami?" Ladybug asked, horrified at the sight.

"That's the wrong question, Ladybug. The right question is what I'm going to do to you! I draw! I then activate the effect of Quadborrel Dragon again, this time targeting my Exploderokket Dragon. This triggers Exploderokket Dragon's effect, destroying it and dealing 2000 damage to both of us."

Exploderokket Dragon morphed into a bullet, then loaded into Quadborrel Dragon's cannon. Quadborrel fired the shot at Ladybug, sending her flying. (Ladybug 700-0) (Adrien 4000-2000)

As she lay on the ground, battered and bruised by the explosion, Ladybug couldn't believe it. Adrien had beaten her. He walked up and grabbed her, pulling her up so that he could look her in the eye.

"I'll only ask one more time. Where is Plagg?"

Ladybug weakly shook her head. "I told you. He's not here."

"Then I have no need for you." Adrien conjured a sword in his hands and raised it up, ready to strike.

Ladybug was spared by the timely arrival of several kwami, led by Duusu and Mayura. At Mayura's fingertips, data flew forward and grabbed Adrien's hands, holding him still. This caused Ladybug to start to fall, but she was caught by Tikki, who held her up using a data cloud.

Adrien was dragged off, screaming at the top of his lungs. "I'll destroy you all, you hear me? I'll destroy you all! I'll find where you're hiding Plagg, and then you'll pay for what you've done!"

"Are you okay, Ladybug?" Tikki asked, helping Ladybug up.

"I…I'll be fine."