Divine is striking at Aki's home! Are Kiryu and Sherry prepared for their upcoming battles? They better be, considering who they are up against!
Yugioh: The Hope of Six
Chapter 57: Arcadia Arc – Part 12
After returning from Security HQ, Kiryu and Sherry spent the rest of the day recuperating from their previous incident and planning out how to deal with the Elite showing up at midnight. Between all the Security officers patrolling the mansion and their own dueling/fighting skills, they got Aki's parents pretty well covered. Aki's parents, Hideo and Setsuko, were both grateful for their additional protection and deeply concerned for their daughter. They still deeply disliked the idea of facing off against one of Divine's henchmen. Kiryu and Sherry reminded them that Yusei would keep her safe and that they should believe in Aki to handle herself. It took a bit of convincing, but eventually they accepted their words.
Later at night, after dinner, Kiryu and Sherry went up to their room. They had a little bit of time before the Elite Psychic was scheduled to arrive, so they thought it would be a good time for a power nap. Unfortunately, Sherry felt restless. "You okay?" Kiryu asked a few minutes later, when his girlfriend couldn't get settled.
"Ugh, I don't know. I just can't relax and get a quick shut eye." She groaned. "Maybe a nap isn't going to work for me." Kiryu got up.
"Maybe something to drink might help. Can I get you something?" He offered. She nodded, grateful for him.
"How about some water? Please?" Sherry asked. Kiryu raised an eyebrow.
"Water? Usually you'd ask for some decaffeinated coffee. You sure?" He inquired. Sherry just shrugged.
"Yeah. And while you're going to the kitchen, could you please pick up something for me to nibble on?" Kiryu gave a small smile.
"Be right back." Kiryu then headed to the door. Before he stepped out, he turned back to his girlfriend. "Hey Sherry. You sure you're doing okay? I mean, with everything that's been going on lately?"
Sherry nodded. "I'm fine, Kiryu. I just need to keep up my strength and be ready." The young man nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer.
"Alright. Be back in a bit." With that, Kiryu left the room.
Alone now, Sherry sighed as she flopped back on the bed. She looked down at her stomach and rubbed it with her hand. She still could not bring herself to tell Kiryu about the baby. She felt he would not be able to focus on his battle if he knew about his unborn child. Honestly, she thought about telling him earlier that day. The meeting with Ushio and Mikage screwed up that plan, especially the part with one of Divine's people coming to pay Aki's parents a visit. No, it would be better to wait until after all this was over before informing him. She just had to keep it to herself for a little while longer.
Sherry knew full well that she shouldn't be the one to fight Divine's lackey, not in her condition. That was why she had taken some "extra protection" from the Security officers. The tough blonde would not let Kiryu handle this alone, no way in hell. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard a light knock on the door. "Excuse me, Sherry. May I come in for a minute?" Sherry sat up to see that it was Setsuko, who looked very much like her daughter, standing there at the door.
"Sure." She said. Setsuko walked in and sat next to Sherry on the bed. She then gave the younger woman a caring look.
"How are you feeling?" Setsuko asked. Sherry smirked.
"Oh, you know me. I'm tougher than nails and itching for some action." Setsuko gave a little laugh.
"I have no doubt of that. But still… I'm concerned for the both of you." She said with a slight frown.
"I'm fine, Mrs. Izayoi. Kiryu and I are both fine. Really." Sherry tried to assure her. Setsuko then gave a knowing smile.
"Call me Setsuko. Also… I was talking about you and your future little one." She said, her eyes having shifted to Sherry's lower chest area. Sherry gasped as she stiffened, eyes widened and her cheeks flushed.
"W-What? I-I don't know what you're…" The blonde tried to explain, but Setsuko held up a hand to silence her.
"It's okay. You can talk to me about it. I promise, this will stay between us."
Sherry looked down, unsure of what to say. Finally, she said quietly, "How did you know?" The older woman giggled.
"I know a future mother when I see one, seeing as I'm a mother myself. I mean, the signs were there." She paused for a moment before going on. "I take it that Kiryu hasn't been told yet?" Sherry shook her head.
"No. Honestly, I'm afraid how he'll react. It's something we never talked about. Hell, I told him marriage was off the table. I'm not comfortable with both those thoughts. I don't really know if it's something he wants. I just know… I've never considered the idea having children myself. And yet… it's happening." The blonde continued to look away while she spoke, hand on her belly. "Since I was little, Mizoguchi taught me how to live, fight, and survive. I've excelled at all of it. But marriage, giving birth, raising a child… I know nothing about any of that stuff." Sherry lifted her head up to look at Setsuko. "I've never once thought about being married or experiencing parenthood. What if I'm not good at raising this kid? What if I end up being a terrible mother? Or Kiryu a bad father? What if… Kiryu and I both can't handle any of this?"
Setsuko took both of Sherry's hands into her own and gave the latter a comforting look. "I know exactly how you feel. I've asked myself all those same questions. Hideo convinced me that everything would be alright as long as we were there for each other. And we were…" Setsuko gave a sad sigh. "Of course, things became much harder and complicated when Aki's powers awakened. It was a very trying time for me and her father. When Aki left for the Arcadia Movement, I feared I failed her as her mother." She smiled again a moment later. "But we became a proper family again, thanks to Yusei. He helped make things right for the three of us. He helped you two as well. After everything you and Kiryu have gone through, I'm sure you two will end up being great parents." Sherry felt a little less unsure, and a little more… hopeful.
"Really?" She asked. Setsuko nodded.
"Really. Just be there for each other and everything will be fine." Sherry smiled back.
"Thank you, Setsuko." She started to feel better, believing things will turn out for the best.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
After leaving his girlfriend in their bedroom, Kiryu headed down the stairs to the kitchen. As he walked, the young man's thoughts were not on food or drinks. He still worried that Sherry's stomach would cause her more pain again. 'Sherry did say she has been taking her medication and she was fine the rest of the day. Still, what caused her pain to begin with?' Sherry never quite gave him an answer for that. All she said was it was just a random stomach virus. Was it really though? It didn't seem right to him. Plus, he had the feeling Sherry was keeping something from him. Kiryu pondered on this before entering the kitchen. Unexpectedly, he found that he was not the first to arrive.
Aki's father, Hideo, sat at the table with a big bowl of rice balls in front of him. He was about to eat one when he saw his guest. "Ah, Kiryu. Can I help you?"
"Actually, yeah." Kiryu said. "I came to grab something for Sherry and me to eat and and wash it done with. Any suggestions?" Hideo chuckled.
"I'd say it's good timing then. I was just now helping myself to a little snack. How about some of these?" He asked, indicating the rice balls. Kiryu smiled.
"They do look tasty." He admitted.
"That they are. Setsuko actually made these herself." Hideo said. "You can bring a handful with you along with any beverage of your choice for you both to enjoy. But first…" patted on the chair next to him. "Join me for a minute, would you young man?" Kiryu was surprised, but did not oppose the invitation.
"Okay." Kiryu took the seat next to Hideo, who offered him a rice ball. After accepting it, Kiryu took a bite. It was definitely delicious. "You're right. These are good." Hideo chuckled.
"Told you. Cooking is one of my wife's specialties." He then helped himself to one before speaking again. "Do you or Sherry like to cook?" Kiryu gave an embarrassing smile.
"I'm not much of a cook. Sherry can make some good dishes herself, though. She actually started teaching me how to be better in the kitchen." He said modestly. Hideo nodded.
"That's good. Glad to hear it." Hideo leaned on his elbows with a contemplative look on his face. "You love Sherry, don't you?" Kiryu smiled warmly.
"Hell yeah, I do. She's smart, tough, and beautiful. When we first met, we just clicked. We got along so easily and hardly ever have any problems. I've never met anyone like her." Hideo smiled back.
"I feel the same way about Setsuko." He drank some water. "Have you two talked about having children someday?" Kiryu nearly chocked on his rice ball and had to cough a bit before he could reply.
"Us? With kids? No, not at all! The subject never came up! We're not even married!" He admitted.
"Ever discussed marriage?" Hideo questioned further. Kiryu sighed.
"I did ask her once about that, but she shot it down in an instant. Sherry said marriage never appealed to her, believing it belonged to people "not like her"."
"What does that mean?" Hideo asked.
"It means she sees herself as someone that isn't suited for a married life… not after everything she had gone through." Kiryu told him.
"That's too bad. Something tells me you and Sherry could make it work.. along with raising a kid or two." Hideo looked down and frowned. "Having children is blessing. I just wish I had been a better father to Aki when she was little. But I'm grateful to have a second chance to be there for her." He then smiled. "You know, having a child is truly a blessing. It's something you two ought to discuss in the future, along with marriage."
"I doubt Sherry would see herself as mother material." Kiryu said. "Although, I have to admit… I wouldn't mind us giving it a shot. But like I said… Sherry is not into those things."
Hideo thought for a moment before speaking again. "Honestly, when you think about it, being married isn't really that much different from how you two are living now. It would just be official." Hideo then noticed his companion looking distressed. "What is it?" Kiryu sighed.
"I hate what Sherry has gone through recently. Seeing Mizoguchi die in that explosion was a horrible thing for her. It reminded her of the night she lost her parents. He was the only family she had left." Hideo shook his head.
"How terrible. I can't imagine the pain she's suffering from." Kiryu sighed again.
"Sherry has had such a broken past. All I want is to give her a happy future." Hideo put a hand on Kiryu's shoulder.
"I'm sure you can, Kiryu. No doubt about it." Kiryu smiled at the older man.
"Thanks Hideo. I hope so."
/\/\/\/\/\/\
About 10 minutes until midnight, Kiryu, Sherry, Hideo, and Setsuko met up in the master bedroom. Both couples looked at one another. "It's almost time. You both know what to do." Sherry said.
"Stick to the plan, just like we discussed." Kiryu added.
"Are you sure you two will be alright?" Hideo asked, concern in his voice.
"We can handle this. You have to go now. You're the ones here that are in more danger." Kiryu said. Setsuko looked even more distressed.
"But…" The older woman started but stopped after getting a look from Sherry. The blonde shook her head.
"There's no time. Just go. Hurry." Hearing the steely tone in Sherry's voice, Setsuko hardened her face and nodded. She and her husband then turned around, walked up to the full size mirror beside the closet door, and Hideo pushed the diamond on top of it. The mirror popped open, revealing a hidden passage behind it.
During the previous month, Kiryu and Sherry learned from Hideo and Setsuko that a secret passage way was made in when the Izayoi mansion was first constructed. It would lead from the master bedroom to a hidden safe room beneath the mansion. This was done incase of an emergency and no other exit could be reached. What was happening that night would most definitely qualify as an emergency. Even though they had over a dozen officers patrolling the mansion, the knowledge that one of Divine's Elite Psychics would be coming had made them prepare for the worst.
It was this one passage that Aki's parents would use to get to safety. Before starting their way out, Hideo and Setsuko turned back to the younger couple. "Kiryu, Sherry… thank you." Setsuko said.
"Be careful… both of you." Hideo said.
Kiryu and Sherry nodded with confident smiles as they held hands. "We will. Be safe you two." Kiryu replied.
With that, Aki's mother and father began running through the dark passage before the mirror automatically closed behind them.
Kiryu and Sherry looked at each other. "Well, it's just us now." Kiryu said. Sherry nodded before her boyfriend leaned in for a kiss, which she gladly reciprocated.
"Yeah. Now let's do this… for Mizoguchi."
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
When midnight came, it came with a bang… as the men on guard duty found out the hard way.
The explosion that blew the front door apart was enough to shake the whole mansion. Among the wreckage were the bodies of the many Security officers stationed to guard the entrance. Laughing from the result his handy work, Warlord stepped aside to allow everyone else entry. "There you go, Master Divine! Access has just been granted!"
"Nicely done, Warlord." Divine said as he, Salazar, and Skeleton Knight stepped over the carnage their companion created. Warlord stepped inside last.
"Was that all of them Divine?" Salazar asked while looking around the area.
"I believe so. No point of having guards inside if the ones outside would be enough." Divine then turned to his Elites. "You two split up and search everywhere. Find Aki and her parents. Bring them to me back here alive… and unharmed." He emphasized "unharmed" while looking at Warlord, who groaned in disappointment.
"What is your plan for them?" Salazar inquired. Divine smiled evilly.
"A reminder for Aki of why she belongs with us… and no one else."
"Master Divine, I get leaving Aki untouched, but her parents too? I thought we were going to put them in body bags?" Warlord complained.
"Do not question our master's orders." Skeleton Knight scolded his fellow Elite. Warlord gave a little grunt.
"It is fine, old friend." Divine said before addressing the more impatient Psychic. "As for you, Warlord, have some patience. You will get the honor of "disposing" them yourself. But I want both of Aki's parents to be untouched for what I have in mind for them. Is that clear?" The red masked man sighed deeply.
"Perfectly clear, master." Divine smiled.
"Now that that's resolved, let's round the Izayoi family up…"
"Not happening!" A voice shouted from across the main lobby. The group turned to see Kiryu Kyosuke, who had just come down the stairs, Duel Disk on his arm. "You're not touching Aki or her parents!"
"And who pray tell are you?" Divine demanded, surprised by the unexpected arrival. Kiryu smirked.
"Nobody. Just a guy here to kick some Psychic Duelist ass." Divine smirked himself.
"You think you can stop me and my Elites? Don't make me laugh." Kiryu narrowed his eyes at him.
"You must be Divine then. I was actually expecting only one of your Elites to stop by, but not only did more than one show up, their boss decided to come here in person. Must be my lucky night."
Divine widened his eyes. 'He knew I was targeting Aki and her family here tonight? How?' The evil man knew his plans were extremely confidential. No one but himself, Salazar, and his Elites knew. So how could this guy know?
"How are you aware of our plans? And where are Aki Izayoi and her parents hiding?" Skeleton Knight asked.
"My lips are sealed, bone face! Why don't you try beating it out me?" Kiryu responded as he activated his Duel Disk.
Warlord chuckled. "He's a cheeky one. Let me at him, Master Divine."
Divine reconsidered the situation and decided the appropriate action. "Skeleton Knight, search the upper levels of the mansion. Bring anyone you find back to me."
"Yes, Master Divine." Skeleton Knight replied obediently before moving past Kiryu, heading upstairs to check the upper floors.
Kiryu eyed the other Elite warily before he was out of his sight. 'Sherry will have to deal with that guy. As soon as I finish things here, I'll go catch up to her to help.' At least that was what hoped he would be able to do.
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
Alone in the master bedroom, Sherry quickly slipped on a kevlar vest for extra protection before grabbing and strapping on her Duel Disk, preparing for the worst. It was a good thing she had the vest. Dealing with a Psychic Duelist was sure to be painful, plus it should also help protect the baby. Sherry heard a loud crash in a nearby room. Could the Elite have gotten past Kiryu already? He had barely stepped out. Maybe he got attacked and was shoved in there? She didn't know. She heard footsteps approaching the bedroom door after a few more doors were forced open. The battle hardened woman held her belly once more and stared down at it. "Hang tight, sweetie. Mommy's gonna be very busy in just a little bit." Right then, the door crashed to the floor, redirecting her attention to the one who knocked it down.
Skeleton Knight slowly stepped into the room and saw Sherry standing before him, clearly ready for a fight. "You are not one of the people I was looking for." The black skull masked man said in a disappointing tone.
Sherry smirked. "I feel so insulted right now." Though she put up a confident front, the blonde felt slightly concerned. She remembered what Aki said about this particular Elite. 'Great. I get stuck with the mind reading death chump. At least Setsuko and Hideo got away before he barged in.'
"Where are Aki Izayoi and her parents?" Skeleton Knight demanded, ignoring the snide comment.
"Why would I tell you that? Maybe I'm just not the type to chat." Sherry countered.
"Your sense of humor is boring me, wench." He considered reading her mind to learn what she knows, but he suspected she may not be so cooperative. So instead… "If you will not tell me willingly, then I will force it from you in a Duel." He said before activating his own Duel Disk. "Death will gladly take you after I get what I need."
"Bring it!" Sherry challenged as she activated her Duel Disk and begun their battle.
"DUEL!"
(Sherry: 4000) (Skeleton Knight: 4000)
"I will go first, woman. My turn! Draw!" Skeleton Knight declared. He saw a way to get the upper hand very fast. "I play a Continuous Magic card, Name Eraser! Once per turn, I can declare the cards in your hand! If I am right, you must discard all of them! If I am wrong, I will take 1000 points of damage! Now, what are you holding?" He then went silent.
'He's doing it, isn't it?' Sherry knew that the Elite was trying to read her mind. Most fortunately, she was prepared…
After a few seconds, Skeleton Knight gave a chuckle. 'Yes, I see them. She thinks she can beat me with that old strategy? How foolish.' The Elite pointed at Sherry. "The cards in your hand are The Left Leg, Right Leg, Right Arm, and Left Arm of the Forbidden one, along with Pot of Greed. Trying to assemble Exodia right off the bat is a tactic that the whole underworld scoffs at. Know your folly as you discard your entire hand." To his surprise, Sherry smiled.
"Actually… I won't." She then revealed the cards in her hand… none of which were the ones her opponent saw in her thoughts. "Seeing as you got every single card wrong and everything."
Skeleton Knight's jaw dropped behind his mask in total shock. "What?!" He couldn't believe what just happened. 'That… That's impossible! I just read her mind! I clearly saw the cards in her hand, just as she sees them! How did she deceive me?! How?!'
Sherry took great pride in what she pulled. It was a mental exercise Mizoguchi taught her during her teenage years. In the event she would be captured and tortured for information, Sherry would focus her thoughts on one thing and one thing only. That one thought would act as a means to resist the pain and not give up any intel. That same exercise proved very helpful now. "The thing is, Skeleton Knight, I heard about you and your mind reading power from Aki. If you thought you were going to defeat me with an unfair tactic, then you have no idea who you are up against. I made you see the cards I wanted you to see… not what I actually had." She revealed.
"You what?!" The shocked Elite shouted in disbelief. He couldn't believe she duped him like that.
"And because you got my cards wrong, you take the damage from your own card's Effect!" Sherry reminded her enemy, who grunted in pain.
(Skeleton Knight: 4000 - 1000 = 3000)
The Elite Psychic stared daggers at the woman who just humiliated him. "I promise, you will pay for your insolence with your death along with your defeat. I Summon Hellfire Winged Dragon, Ghost Wyvern!" (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 1700; DEF: 0) A purple and gray dragon with decaying skin appeared on the Field. "Next I activate Ghost Fusion! This allows me to Fuse a "Zombie" Monster on my Field with another "Zombie" in my Deck or Graveyard! I am Fusing the Hellfire Sleeping Beauty, Ghost Sleeper from my Deck with my Ghost Wyvern!" A dark vortex appeared and sucked both Monsters into it. "Break down the door of hades and arise! Ghost Fusion Summon! Underworld Dragon, Dragonecro!" (DARK; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 0) Breaking out of the same vortex, a large, legless dark purple dragon with dull gray armor materialized before it's controller.
"A Fusion Summon? That's a surprise." Sherry admitted truthfully.
"Fusion Monsters may be a thing of the past, but my creature is not to be taken lightly." Skeleton Knight told her. "You will see it's deathly power soon enough. For now, I Set one card facedown and end my turn."
Sherry did not like the sound of that. Still, as long as she kept her "mind block" up, she should be fine. "I think I can handle anything you throw at me. My turn! Draw!" She barely got a look at her card before a rumbling similar to what she felt earlier nearly shook her off her feet. "What the hell?" 'That actually felt stronger than the last one. Kiryu, you better be okay…' She thought in worry.
Skeleton Knight saw his opportunity and read Sherry's mind while she was distracted. "Seems like Warlord is having some fun downstairs." He said with amusement.
"Warlord?! Another Elite Psychic is here?!" She exclaimed. She was under the impression that only one would be here tonight. And not just any Elite, but the most violent one, according to Aki.
"Indeed, and so is Master Divine." This shocked Sherry further.
"Divine is here too?!" Her opponent nodded.
"He wishes to reclaim Aki in person. As for your boyfriend, I imagine he is dueling Warlord right now. Most unfortunate. He won't last long against that brute." Skeleton Knight said.
"Don't underestimate Kiryu, just like you shouldn't underestimate me." Sherry warned.
"I am not concerned; both of you will be dead and in the underworld before this night is done. Now then, why don't we continue our Duel? And this should help me: Continuous Trap, Sight Kill! Once per turn, I can guess a card you have just drawn. If I am right, you must discard that card and you cannot attack this turn. If I am wrong, you can draw another card."
Sherry smirked. "Good luck with that."
"The card you drew is Fleur Synchron." The Elite said bluntly. He took satisfaction in seeing the dumbfounded look the blonde had right then. "It seems your mind isn't as protected as you believed." He added with a sickly chuckle.
Sherry cursed under her breath. 'Dammit. I allowed myself to be caught off guard by that small quake. So much for getting my Ace out like I planned...'
"Now, you must get rid of your drawn card and cannot attack." Sherry did so most reluctantly.
'I can't let that happen again. I mustn't.' She thought admonishingly before looking at her other cards. Losing her drawn card and being unable to attack this turn had messed up her strategy. She would have to make do with what she could. "I Summon Holy Knight Jeanne!" (LIGHT; Level 4; ATK: 1900; DEF: 1300) A woman wearing silver armor appeared before it's master. "I then Set two cards facedown and end my turn."
"As expected from one who is in an disadvantage. My turn! Draw!" Skeleton Knight smiled again behind his mask. "The dark gods of the underworld smile for me. I activate Spectral Ice Floe! By banishing a DARK Monster from my Graveyard, this Continuous Magic card protects all my cards on the Field from card effects except for itself!"
'Damn him.' Sherry cursed again. This meant both her facedown cards were now useless.
"I may not have guessed your opening hand correctly, but I did see what you actually held. That brief glimpse gave me all I needed to know for an effective counterstrike. I shall prove that now! Battle! Underworld Dragon Dragonecro, attack Holy Knight Jeanne! Soul Crunch!" The unholy beast grabbed Sherry's Monster and bit down hard on it's shoulder.
(3000 - 1900 = 1100)
(Sherry: 4000 - 1100 = 2900)
Unexpectedly, Sherry felt a terrible pain in the same shoulder as her Monster and screamed as a result. She was shocked further to see blood from the new wound. "Crap! That attack… it really hurt me! Is this what it is like to duel a Psychic Duelist? I never imagined… it would be this bad.' She clinched her teeth, enduring the pain as she held her bleeding shoulder.
"Your suffering pleases me, woman. Now for your Monster! Due to the Effect of Dragonecro, the Monster it attacked is not destroyed, but it's Attack Points are reduced to nothing!"
"What?" Sherry gasped painfully as Jeanne's Attack Power dropped to 0.
"There is more! If that Monster is still face-up on the Field, I can Special Summon a Dark Soul Token with the same Level and Attack Points as the Monster it is based on! Arise, Holy Knight Jeanne: Dark Soul!" (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 1900; DEF: 0) The Fusion Monster pulled a dark substance out of Sherry's Monster and it took shape on Skeleton Knight's Field. Now standing next to Dragonecro was a completely black version of Jeanne appeared next to the undead Fusion Monster.
"Are you freaking kidding me?" Sherry asked through gritted teeth.
"Like my other cards, Dark Soul Jeanne is also protected by Spectral Ice Floe's Effect! Now my Dark Soul Token, attack the real Holy Knight Jeanne!" Sherry braced herself as her Monster was truly destroyed this time. She screamed from pain again as she was thrown against the wall hard.
(Sherry: 2900 - 1900 = 1000)
"Yes. I can hear the doors of death beginning to unlock for your imminent demise. Truly a joyous moment." Skeleton Knight said, taking pleasure in her suffering. He then saw Sherry do something peculiar. She ignored her bad shoulder and held a hand over her belly, great worry evident on her face. Curious, he peeked into her thoughts again and learned the reason. 'So… the young rebel is with child, is she? How ironic…'
Unaware of her mind being read, Sherry immediately shifted her concern to her unborn baby. She hoped the vest protected it from the impact. She couldn't live if she lost the child before it had a chance to take it's first breath, to experience the world with excitement and wonder. 'Please. PLEASE let my baby be alright. I can't bear to lose another precious person. Please let my baby be okay…'
"Time to move on." Skeleton Knight declared before he putting his mask back on and continuing with his turn. "I Summon a Tuner Monster, Hellfire Boatwatcher, Ghost Charon!" (DARK; Level 2; ATK: 500; DEF: 0) A wooden boat with a cloaked decrepit man with an oar appeared. "I am Tuning my Level 8 Underworld Dragon, Dragonecro with my Level 2 Ghost Charon! Roll back the tide of the dead and emerge... from the river of grief that flows through the underworld! Synchro Summon! Underworld Corrupted Dragon, Dragocytus!" (DARK; Level 10; ATK: 4000; DEF: 2000) A more humanoid version of the previous Monster materialized on the Field with an zombie like face on it's chest.
"So that… is your real Ace Monster?" Sherry inquired while still struggling to get back up.
"And also the end for you both." The evil Psychic replied. "You will see very soon. For now… I end my turn."
Sherry was just getting back on her feet when she froze. Surely she misheard that last thing her opponent said. She had to have heard him wrong, right? "Both of us?" Her worst fear was confirmed as Skeleton Knight laughed.
"I am referring to you and the child you carry." He said while pointing at her. Sherry's eyes widened, fear overtaking her. "Oh yes. The underworld is practically begging for me to send you both through it's gates."
"What is it with you and death, bastard?" Sherry asked, her voice trembling.
Skeleton Knight took off his mask and hood, revealing a bald old man with dull grey eyes and yellowed teeth. "Many years ago, I was once known as Harvey Black. I used to be a gravedigger at the local cemetery with non for company but the decaying corpses beneath my feet. I have witnessed quite a few funerals at my time there. During such a funeral, my Psychic powers awakened and was then able to see everyone's thoughts. On and on, I kept seeing mental images of how everyone pictured death and the afterlife. Eventually, I came to accept my family's belief that only one version of death truly exists: The death that leads to the dark underworld. There is no afterlife where a soul can be at peace. That is a falsehood. In the underworld, people suffer eternal torment for the sins they have committed in life. But my family believed that those who are worthy to rule the underworld will not face the never ending punishments that await. They all died believing that reality awaited them, One day, I will join them as well. Knowing this, I have chosen to commit my life to end the lives of those whose thoughts dwell on the fear death. That is what I told Master Divine when he recruited me to his cause. And tonight, my latest targets are you and your baby. What a blessing it will be for that little one to enter the underworld without knowing how the living world can be so… Hm?"
Skeleton Night noticed Sherry had stood straight up, her head lowered and her bangs obscuring her eyes. The old man did not know it, but right then he had made the worst mistake of his life.
Sherry tightened her gloved fists, her body was shaking, and a nasty snarl formed on her face. Finally, as she snapped her head back up to face her current enemy, her eyes were shown to have nothing but unfiltered hatred and rage in them. "No one… I repeat, NO ONE… THREATENS MY CHILD! YOUR ASS IS OFFICIALLY MINE, OLD MAN! MY TURN! DRAW!" She swore then that she would make sure her sick opponent would not touch her child… ever.
"I activate the Effect of Sight Kill once again! Now what card have you drawn this time…" Since Sherry was so upset, Skeleton Knight figured her mind would be vulnerable for his powers to intrude again. To his shock, he could not see Sherry's card in her thoughts. Instead, all he saw was red… a very angry red. 'What is this? Why can't I see her card? Is she blocking me again with that technique of hers?' He cursed under his breath. He would just have to do it the old fashioned way: simple guesswork. It couldn't be that hard to guess what she had now that he had gotten a better idea of what Deck she had. "I believe the card you've drawn is a second copy of Fleur Synchron!" Skeleton Knight felt certain he was right. He wasn't.
"Wrong guess!" Sherry shouted before revealing her drawn card, Harpie's Feather Duster.
"No!" Skeleton Knight swore again for his inability to see into the troublesome blonde woman's mind.
"Thanks to your bad guessing, I can draw another card per your Trap's Effect!" Sherry's second drawn card was one she definitely needed right there and then. "Now I activate an Equip Magic card, Fleur de Fleuret! This will let me Special Summon, and then Equip to, a Level 2 or lower Monster from my Graveyard, but with it's Effects negated! On the plus side, the Equipped Monster gains 700 Attack Points! I'm using Fleur de Fleuret to bring back my Tuner Monster, Fleur Synchron and then Equip it!" (LIGHT; Level 2; ATK: 400; DEF: 200) A small orange flower bud with arms and legs appeared, wearing a very confident smile. It also appeared slightly mechanical if one were to look close enough.
(Fleur Synchron's ATK: 400 + 700 = 1100)
"Your Tuner is still a far cry from matching either of my Monsters." Skeleton Knight pointed out.
"I am just getting started!" Sherry shot back before resuming her turn. "Since I control a Level 2 or lower Monster, I can Special Summon White Steed of the Floral Knights from my hand in Defense Mode!" (WIND; Level 6; ATK: 2400; DEF: 1800) A light blue armored white horse knelt next to the small Tuner. "Next, I Normal Summon Holy Knight's Spearholder!" (LIGHT; Level 2; ATK: 800; DEF: 400) A heavily armed woman with long maroon hair and holding a spear materialized next to it's fellow Monsters. "I am Tuning my Level 6 White Steed and my Level 2 Spearholder with my Level 2 Fleur Synchron! Stronger body, reformed from the light of speed! Ride now and claim the victory that is meant to be yours! Synchro Summon! Shine your brightest, Fleur de Baroness!" (WIND; Level 10; ATK: 3000; DEF: 2400) Sherry's new Synchro Monster was a completely pink armored woman riding on a red and gold armored horse appeared in the place of the other Monsters. It held a long sword in it's right hand while holding a big shield in it's left.
"Her own Ace has emerged has it?" Skeleton Knight said in amusement, seeing it was also weaker than his own Synchro Monster.
"When Fleur de Fleuret goes from the Magic and Trap Zone to the Graveyard, I can Equip it to a Synchro Monster I control! Now my Baroness is even stronger!" Sherry declared as her Monster's power went up.
(Fleur de Baroness' ATK: 3000 + 700 = 3700)
"It is still not enough! Dragocytus is still superior!" Skeleton Knight informed Sherry.
"Perhaps." Sherry said in a mysterious tone. "But that is not my concern! I play my Harpie's Feather Duster, which destroys all your Magic and Trap cards on the Field!"
"You wench!" The old Elite shouted angrily as he watched his cards get blown away.
"Now you can't get to my cards anymore!" Sherry said with a grin. "As much I would love to strike you, I think it will be better for next time. I end my turn."
"You won't have a next time! My turn! Draw!" Despite losing his cards, Skeleton Knight still felt sure of his victory. "I won't need to force you to throw your cards away at this point! I activate the effect of Dragocytus! I can inflict damage to you equal to the Attack Points of a Monster you control! The Monster you hoped was your salvation will instead be your doom!" Sherry smiled widely, confusing her opponent again.
"It's actually the other way around! Once per turn, when a card or Effect is activated, Fleur de Baroness can negate that Effect and destroy that card! Your Dragocytus is dust!"
"WHAT?!" Skeleton Knight exclaimed in horrified disbelief as his dark creature was blown to smithereens with a blast of light from Baroness' shield. "You…!"
Sherry laughed at his dismay. "Hate having the tables turned against you, don't you?" Her opponent fumed from this major setback.
"The underworld shall not be denied of your impending death! I switch my Dark Soul Jeanne to Defense Mode. I then Set one card facedown and end my turn." The Elite planned to make Sherry's death, as well as the death of her unborn child, most excruciating before the underworld would take them and do far worse.
"I'm not dying! Nor will my child! It is YOU that will get a one ticket to Hell! My turn! Draw!" Sherry felt it. It was time finish this. "I activate another Effect of Fleur de Baroness! Once per turn, I can target and destroy one card on the Field! I am ridding you of your facedown card!"
"Not another one!" Skeleton Knight yelled in anger and annoyance as he lost yet another card. "At least you can't touch my Life Points with my Dark Soul Token defending me!" Sherry still smiled.
"That will be the next thing to go! I play Monster Reborn to revive my White Steed!" Sherry's horse Monster returned for battle.
"Oh no…" The evil old Elite Psychic muttered in fear now.
"You should be afraid, you sick old man! Battle! White Steed of the Floral Knights, attack Dark Soul Jeanne!" The majestic horse galloped ahead and trampled over Skeleton Knight's remaining Monster until there was nothing left. "Now… you are going down!" Sherry pointed at her hated enemy. "THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR THREATENING TO MURDER MY FUTURE KID! FLEUR DE BARONESS… DIRECT ATTACK! FLEUR DE LA VICTOIRE!"
Skeleton Knight yelled and fell to his knees from the sword strike of Sherry's Monster.
(Skeleton Knight: 0)
The raged fueled Sherry didn't waste a second. The instant her enemy's Life Points were wiped out, she charged forward like a linebacker and plowed right into the Elite. Skeleton Knight was shocked by this and couldn't react to it before being slammed against the wall beside the door frame. The act knocked him breathless, and perhaps broke a rib or two. From there, Sherry proceeded to beat the crap out of him. Her first punch broke his mask, showing his now bleeding nose. After that, Sherry punched him over and over, blinded by her anger and fierce determination to protect her unborn child. All the blonde could see was red as she continued to hit the man nonstop.
Eventually, Sherry noticed that the old geezer wasn't struggling or even attempted to fight back. She stopped to observe the damage she did. Skeleton Knight's face was severely beaten, bruised, and covered in blood. Most notably… he wasn't breathing. After a quick check, Sherry could find no heartbeat or pulse. "He's… he's dead." She said, her voice hoarse from all the yelling she made. She fell back on the floor and took several deep breaths to regain control of herself. As her head cleared, she realized that she just took a man's life. But she didn't care that particular piece of trash was dead. The man was out of his mind and threatened the life of her child. The world would be better off without him in it.
Once she felt her strength come back, Sherry got up again and headed out to check on Kiryu. She hoped he was alright.
/\/\/\/\/\/\
After Skeleton Knight headed off, Divine turned toward his remaining Elite. "Warlord… take down that cocky punk. He's all yours."
"Hell yeah!" Warlord cheered as he slipped on and activated his own Duel Disk. "This is going to be a hell of a lot of fun!" Kiryu refocused his attention on the Elite approaching him, knowing this was not going to be fun at all.
"DUEL!"
(Kiryu: 4000) (Warlord: 4000)
"I'll let you make the first move. That way, I can get right to pulverizing you when my turn comes!" Warlord taunted in glee.
"How generous of you." Kiryu said, voice filled with sarcasm. "Here goes. My turn! Draw!" He had to plan this carefully if he wanted to survive dueling this nutjob. "First, I send Infernity Dwarf from my hand to the Graveyard to Special Summon a Tuner Monster, Infernity Wildcat from my hand!" (DARK; Level 3; ATK: 1400; DEF: 0) A dark red cat with fiery paws appeared on the Field. "Then I Normal Summon Infernity Daemon!" (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 1800; DEF: 1200) A four eyed humanoid goat with spiked up orange hair and a green on it's forehead emerged next to the first Monster. "After that I Set two cards facedown and activate Wave of Nihility! When I have no cards in my hand, this Continuous Magic card gives 400 Attack and Defense Points to all face-up "Infernity" Monsters I control!" Both of Kiryu's Monster were briefly covered in orange flames while they grew stronger.
(Infernity Wildcat's ATK: 1400 + 400 = 1800; DEF: 1400)
(Infernity Daemon's ATK: 1800 + 400 = 2200; DEF: 1200 + 400 = 1600)
'He's setting up for a Synchro Summon already.' Salazar noted in his mind.
"I activate Wildcat's Effect! By having no cards in my hand, I can banish a "Infernity" Monster from my Graveyard to either raise or lower Wildcat's Level by 1 until the end of the turn! I banish Infernity Dwarf from my Graveyard to make my Tuner a Level 2 Monster!"
"Activating card effects by having no cards in his hand, huh? Interesting…" Warlord muttered to himself in amusement. Divine and Salazar watched in silence as Kiryu's Monster's Level went down.
"I am Tuning my Level 4 Infernity Daemon with my now Level 2 Infernity Wildcat! Servant from Hell's flaming depths, rise with your new found power! Synchro Summon! Infernity Hell Daemon!" (DARK; Level 6; ATK: 2200; DEF: 1600) A taller, red haired version of his non-Tuner emerged. "Like my previous Monsters, my Synchro Monster also grows stronger from Wave of Nihility!" Dark fire covered the creature while it grew more powerful. "That's all I can do for now. I end my turn."
(Infernity Hell Daemon's ATK: 2200 + 400 = 2600; DEF: 1600 + 400 = 2000)
"Not a bad start." Divine said, arms crossed and smiling. "But he is still way over his head in this battle."
Warlord agreed as he snickered. "Oh hehe. It's going to be such fun taking you and your Monster apart piece by piece! My turn! Draw!" The cards in his hand gave him a way to do just that. "I play a Continuous Magic card as well! It's called Gate of the Brave Six! Then I play a Field Magic card, Temple of the Brave Six!" The background changed to an open field with an old temple nearby with a glowing rune in the center. "You'll see what they both do before long!" Warlord added as he went on. "I now Summon my own Tuner Monster, Shadow Six Warmen – Fuhma!" (WIND; Level 1; ATK: 200; DEF: 1800) A man wearing a blue and pink stealth uniform holding two big throwing stars appeared.
"What's his play?" Kiryu wondered.
"Gate of the Brave Six's Effect activates! When a "Six Warmen" Monster is Normal or Special Summoned, I can place 2 Bushido Counters on my Magic card! Believe me, those Counters are going to come in real handy for me! Same can be said for my Field card! It gains 1 Bushido Counter each time a "Six Warmen" Monster is Normal or Special Summoned!" As he said this, small katana sheaths appeared on top of both Magic cards. "Oh, but here's some bad news for you: For each Counter my Temple has, all your Monsters lose 100 Attack Points!"
(Infernity Hell Daemon's ATK: 2600 - 100 = 2500)
"That hardly gives you an advantage." Kiryu said. Warlord chuckled menacingly.
"It's only the beginning of your pain! When I Normal or Special Summon a "Shadow Six Warmen" Monster, I can Special Summon True Shadow of the Six Warmen from my hand!" (DARK; Level 4; ATK: 500; DEF: 2000) A dark purple energy being wearing red samurai armor materialized before it's master. "With it's Summon, my Gate gets 2 more Bushido Counters while 1 more Counter is added to my Temple! Thanks to the latter, your Monster loses another 100 Attack Points!" Warlord laughed while watching Kiryu's Monster's Attack Power drop further to 2400.
'This is starting to become troubling.' Kiryu thought.
"Watch as my top swordsman steps out to slash his enemy to ribbons! I am Tuning my Level 4 True Shadow with my Level 1 Fuhma! Great Swordsman of ancient times! Emerge in the present to cut down any in your path! Synchro Summon! Appear! True Six Warmen – Shien!" (DARK; Level 5; ATK: 2500; DEF: 1400) A big red armored man wielding a long sword appeared, ready for battle. "With another "Six Samurai" Monster brought out, both my Magic cards get more Bushido Counters! And your Monster has grown even weaker!" The crazy Elite said arrogantly as Hell Daemon had it's power now lowered to 2300.
"Warlord is slowly getting the advantage against that guy." Salazar noted. Divine nodded.
"Indeed. He's prepping for his first big strike." He said to the scarred boy.
"Now I'll make my Monster stronger! I play a Magic card, Fast Union! It allows me to Equip a "Union" Monster from my Deck to a Monster I control! In this case, it is Relic of the Six Warmen! By being Equipped with Relic, Shien gains 500 Attack and Defense Points!" Warlord declared as dark purple armor attached itself to his Synchro Monster.
(True Six Warmen - Shien's ATK: 2500 + 500 = 3000; DEF: 1400 + 500 = 1900)
'He's almost ready…' Kiryu thought with certainty.
"Next, I remove 2 Bushido Counters from Gate of the Brave Six to give Shien 500 more Attack Points until the end of this turn! How's my Ace looking now, tough guy?!" The crazy Elite asked with an insane laugh.
(True Six Warmen - Shien's ATK: 3000 + 500 = 3500)
"Just stop your cackling and attack already." Kiryu replied in an annoyed tone. Warlord sneered.
"Cackling? Just for that, this attack will be even more painful for you! Battle! True Six Warmen – Shien, attack Infernity Hell Daemon! Sword of the Six!" The warrior held it it's blade and ran at the demon it intended to slay. Kiryu wasn't going to allow that, though.
"Trap card open, Infernity Force! When an "Infernity" Monster I control is being attacked while I have no cards in my hand, I can destroy the attacking Monster and Special Summon a Level 4 or lower "Infernity" Monster from my Graveyard!" Kiryu countered.
"Ha! That won't work, punk!" Warlord retorted. "When the Monster Equipped with Relic would be destroyed, I can destroy my Union Monster in it's place!" Kiryu cursed while Shien broke out of Relic's armor, reducing it's Attack and Defense Power to 3000 and 1400 respectively. It then proceeded to slice Kiryu's Synchro Monster in half before the latter disintegrated.
(3000 - 2300 = 700)
(Kiryu: 4000 - 700 = 3300)
At the same time his Monster was destroyed, Kiryu felt a powerful force slam into him and sent him flying across the hall and crashing into the staircase. "Ah! Damn, what… was that?" Kiryu groaned pain, struggling to sit up. His whole body ached terribly. 'An attack from a Psychic Duelist shouldn't this much. Unless…' Warlord threw his head back and laughed maniacally, interrupting his thoughts.
"I told you, didn't I? The pain is excruciating, isn't it? That's because I used my unique Psychic power in unison with my Monster's assault! One exceptionally strong shockwave combined with my Monster's attacks makes a very disastrous outcome! And I'm loving every damn bit of it!" He then laughed some more as he watched Kiryu try to get up again. "If you don't want to go through that again, I strongly recommend you surrender now… maybe I will make your death a quick one, eh?"
"No… way… I would lose to a… crazy bastard like you." Kiryu told his opponent while successfully standing up again. Warlord, instead of being insulted, actually chuckled.
"Well well, we got a stubborn customer here. This means more fun for me! Alrighty then, keep entertaining me with your toughness! I Set one card facedown and end my turn. With that, Gate's Effect ends and Shien's Attack Points return to normal." He said as his Ace's power went down to 2500.
'Aki was right about this guy. He's definitely insane. I've got to take him down before I end up dead.' He had no intention of dying here, not with Sherry waiting for him. "Oh, I'll keep going alright. My turn! Draw!" What he drew might buy him a little time until he can make his "big play". "Because I have an "Infernity" Synchro Monster in my Graveyard, I can Special Summon Infernity Enforcer from my hand in Defense Mode!" (DARK; Level 6; ATK: 2000; DEF: 2000) A pale, white haired demon in black armor appeared and knelt before it's master. "When Infernity Enforcer is Summoned this way and have no other cards in my hand, I can send an "Infernity" Trap card from my Deck to the Graveyard and that Trap's Effects become Enforcer's Effects until the end of the turn! I choose Infernity Suppression! Then, Wall of Nihility's Effect increases my new Monster's Attack and Defense Power!"
"Perhaps, but don't forget! Temple of the Brave Six makes your Monster 300 Attack Points weaker due to it having 3 Counters!" Warlord reminded Kiryu.
(Infernity Enforcer's ATK: 2000 + 400 - 300 = 2100; DEF: 2000 + 400 = 2400)
"Like I care about that right now." Kiryu retorted. "I activate my facedown Magic card, Return of the Reaper! It let's me Special Summon an "Infernity" Monster that was banished, in my hand, or in my Graveyard! I'm reviving my…!"
"Nu-uh! That ain't happening! I activate Shien's Monster Effect! Once per turn, when my opponent activates a Magic or Trap card, I can negate that card and, if I was successful, destroy it! Say adios to your Magic card!" Warlord countered, thinking he had bested Kiryu…
"Wrong! I activate the Effect of my Infernity Suppression Trap card through Infernity Enforcer! When my opponent activates a Monster Effect while I control an "Infernity" Monster, I can negate that Effect and inflict damage to you equal to your Monster's Level x 100! Shien is Level 5, so you will take 500 points of damage!"
"Grrn." Warlord grunted as he took the damage.
(5 x 100 = 500)
(Warlord: 4000 - 500 = 3500)
"With your Monster's Effect negated, my Magic card is free to bring my Infernity Hell Daemon back from the Graveyard!" Kiryu's Synchro Monster returns to the battle. "Now for Hell Daemon's own Effect! Once per turn, I can negate the effects of one face-up card on the Field… and destroy it since there are no cards in my hand! I'm negating and destroying your Temple of the Brave Six!" Right then, the old temple vanished and the area was normal again.
"That means his Monsters won't be as weak anymore." Salazar said when he saw Hell Daemon and Enforcer's Attack Powers went up to 2600 and 2400 respectively.
"Battle! Infernity Hell Daemon, attack True Six Warmen – Shien! Hell Blast!" Kiryu's Monster formed an black and orange energy ball in it's hands…
"Aiming for some payback, are you? Well that's not gonna fly! Trap card open, Six Warmen Unannounced Visit! I can Special Summon a "Six Warmen" Monster from my Graveyard, but it gets destroyed during my End Phase! Come back to defend me, Fuhma!" Warlord's Tuner Monster resurfaced. "And with another Summon, Gate of the Brave Six gets another 2 Bushido Counters!"
"Why do that? He's not the one I'm attacking!" Kiryu said, making Warlord scoff at him.
"That doesn't mean he's useless! I activate Shien's other Effect! If it would be destroyed while on the Field by battle or card effect, I can destroy another "Six Warmen" Monster I control to take the fall for it! I'm tossing Fuhma to spare my Ace!" The red demon masked Elite's Tuner blew itself up and gave Shien a faint green aura, which covered it. "Next, Fuhma's Monster Effect! When it is destroyed by battle or card effect, I can Special Summon a "Six Warmen" Monster from my Deck, except another copy of Fuhma! I'm calling forth Six Warmen – Yariza!" (EARTH; Level 3; ATK: 1000; DEF: 500) In Fuhma's place now stood a dark armored warrior with glowing green lines across it and held a spear with a light green energy tip.
"You still take the damage, which is doubled since Hell Daemon is attacking a Monster when I have no cards in my hand!" Kiryu revealed just before his enemy felt the blow.
(2600 - 2500 = 100; 100 x 2 = 200)
(Warlord: 3500 - 200 = 3300)
"More "no cards in hand" effects." Warlord muttered, no longer sounding amused.
"Warlord, I will not allow someone like you to push me around. That is a promise. I end my turn." Kiryu said confidently.
"Both of their Life Points are the same now." Salazar noticed.
"Yes, they do seem evenly matched… for the moment." Divine agreed.
Warlord snarled underneath his mask. "Oh, I won't "push you around" pal… I'll completely knock you down and make sure you NEVER get up again! My turn! Draw! I play Supplies of the Six Warmen to draw 3 cards since I control at least 3 "Six Warmen" cards!" The cards he drew would most certainly help him make good on his word to annihilate Kiryu. "I Equip Shien with Pitch-Black Legendary Steed! The "Six Warmen" Monster Equipped with this gains 200 Attack and Defense Points!" Instantly, Warlord's samurai Monster was mounted on a muscular, pure black horse with red eyes before it powered up.
(True Six Warmen - Shien's ATK: 2500 + 200 = 2700; DEF: 1400 + 200 = 1600)
'Just when that thing wasn't menacing looking enough.' Kiryu thought. Warlord went on.
"Then I remove 2 Bushido Counters from my Gate card to give 500 Attack Points to Yariza until the end of the turn!"
(Six Warmen - Yariza's ATK: 1000 + 500 = 1500)
"He's not giving that boost to Shien this time?" Kiryu questioned out loud.
"And lastly, I play Dark Strike of the Six Warmen! This deadly Magic card allows a "Six Warmen" Monster I control to lower the Attack Points of an opposing Monster it battles by 1000 this turn, but that Monster is not destroyed! I'm letting my Shien have that honor!" Warlord laughed once more as his Ace glowed black, just like the horse it sat on. "Oh, did I forget to mention that Yariza can attack you directly when I control a face-up "Six Warmen" Monster with a different name? Well, you're about to find out the hard way!"
"Here comes the good part." Divine said with a fiendish smile. Kiryu gritted his teeth, knowing what will come next.
"It's time to shed some blood and break some bones! Battle! Six Warmen – Yariza! Direct Attack!" Yariza leaped over both of Kiryu's Monsters and stabbed him in the lower chest. He yelled in great pain from the blow.
(Kiryu: 3300 - 1500 = 1800)
"I bet that hurt a lot." Salazar said softly.
"If you thought that was painful, get ready for this! True Six Warmen – Shien, attack Infernity Hell Daemon once more! Sword of the Six!" Once again, Shien charged forth and slashed Kiryu's Synchro Monster. Except this time, the former made the latter weaker before striking. Again Kiryu felt more pain from both the attack and the shockwave that accompanied it.
(Infernity Hell Daemon's ATK: 2600 - 1000 = 1600)
(2700 - 1600 = 1100)
(Kiryu: 1800 - 1100 = 700)
The second shockwave was stronger than the last. It shook the entire mansion. Unbeknownst to anyone, the chandelier above started to come loose as a result of the strong shockwaves…
As for Kiryu, he crashed harder onto the floor again and screamed in agony. He felt his whole body was broken… though he was sure that was just the pain talking. Warlord laughed insanely, taking pleasure from his opponent's suffering.
"Ah yes, the breaking of bodies and screaming from unbearable pain! Those were sounds I missed from the old days!" After basking in the moment, he went on with his turn. "I remove the remaining 4 Bushido Counters to add a "Six Warmen" Monster from my Deck or Graveyard to my hand! I choose Grandmaster of the Six Warmen from my Deck! Also, because I control a "Six Warmen" Monster, I can Special Summon Grandmaster from my hand!" (EARTH; Level 5; ATK: 2100; DEF: 800) An old man wearing a worn out samurai uniform materialized alongside it's fellow warriors. "With it's Summon, Gate gets 2 Bushido Counters! Then I Set one card facedown and end my turn. Yariza's Attack Points also return to normal at this time." He added as his weakest Monster's power went back down to 1000.
"His opponent looks like he can't get up anymore." Salazar said, seeing how badly injured Kiryu was.
"Yes, I think he's done." Divine said with certainty.
Warlord then proceeded to take off his mask, showing his spiked up green hair, heavily scarred face with red eye shadow around his pale blue eyes. The smile he gave showed most of his teeth had been replaced with gold. "Back in the day, I used to be known as Tony the Breaker. You may have heard of me. I had the rep for breaking everything from bank vaults to people's skulls. I was on a major crime spree, stealing what I wanted and shattered everyone that made the bad choice of crossing me! I got my shockwave ability during my early days and made damn good use of it!" Warlord's face soured. "But that life didn't last as long as I wanted. While robbing a bank, I got careless and walked into a trap I didn't expect. The vault I stepped in was equipped with a strong knockout gas that put my lights out. Next thing I knew, I was in jail after a rather speedy trial. Not only that, but I couldn't get my powers to work so I couldn't bust myself out. They must've found some way to keep me from using them while I was stuck in there. About a month after getting busted, I got my first visitor, who also orchestrated my escape…" Warlord turned back to his leader, who smiled back. "After helping me out, Master Divine gave me a place among his crew. I owed him so I joined up without a fuss." Warlord then turned back to Kiryu. "And now… I get to help him break this entire city and have some serious fun in the process!" The Elite threw back his head and laughed.
Kiryu had heard enough of that psychopath. "Do me a favor… and just… shut the hell up." He said while slowly, and painfully, getting up again. Warlord stopped his fit of laughter and stared at his struggling enemy. Divine and Salazar were also stunned by Kiryu's resilience.
"What's this? You still want more?" His body shaking unsteadily from the devastating attacks he endured, Kiryu stood once more.
"I won't… give up. I will… beat you! My turn! Draw!" In Kiryu's hand was the card he needed to help him fight back and win. "I Summon a Tuner Monster, Infernity Beetle!" (DARK; Level 2; ATK: 1200; DEF: 0) A large black beetle emerged onto Kiryu's Field, ready to do it's part. "My Tuner also gets a boost!"
(Infernity Beetle's ATK: 1200 + 400 = 1600; DEF: 400)
"How's that little bug gonna help you?" Warlord questioned.
"This is how! When I have no cards in my hand, I can Sacrifice Infernity Beetle to Special Summon up to 2 copies of my Tuner from my hand, Deck, or Graveyard! I Special Summon both copies of Infernity Beetle from my Deck!" Before everyone's eyes, one beetle just became two, and they also received a boost from Wave of Nihility.
"Wait. Is he going to…?" Salazar started to ask.
"First, I'm Tuning my Level 6 Infernity Enforcer with one of the copies of my Level 2 Infernity Beetle! The dead and the living...The moment they meet at zero, the demonic dragon will be released from the cage of eternity! Synchro Summon! Come forth, Infernity Death Dragon!" (DARK; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 2400) Kiryu's Ace dark dragon emerged in the place of the two previous Monsters. Like other "Infernity" Monsters, it got stronger from Wave's Effect.
(Infernity Death Dragon's ATK: 3000 + 400 = 3400; DEF: 2400 + 400 = 2800)
"So that is his Ace Monster." Warlord commented.
"He still has a Tuner and another Monster on his Field. Is he…?" Divine asked himself.
"Now… I am Tuning my Level 6 Infernity Hell Daemon with my other copy of Level 2 Infernity Beetle! Between Heaven and Hell… This being appears from Purgatory! Synchro Summon! Arise! The Dragon of Purgatory, Ogre Dragoon!" (DARK; Level 8; ATK: 3000; DEF: 3000) A dark red dragon with red orbs covering it's body appeared to stand next to Kiryu's first dragon. "During the turn Infernity Enforcer was used for a Synchro Summon, another DARK Synchro Monster I control gains 1000 Attack Points! That power goes to Ogre Dragoon!" Kiryu's second dragon roared and glowed dark orange from it's power increase.
(Purgatory Dragon - Ogre Dragoon's ATK: 3000 + 1000 = 4000)
"Is he planning to attack with both his Monsters?" Salazar guessed, though that wasn't what Kiryu had in mind…
"I activate Infernity Death Dragon's Monster Effect! Once per turn, when I have no cards in my hand, I can destroy one opposing Monster and half of that Monster's Attack Points are inflicted to you as damage!" Kiryu revealed. Warlord wasn't about to lose anything to his prey.
"Not happening! Trap card open, Musakani Magatama! When my opponent activates a Magic or Trap card or Monster Effect that destroys cards while I control a "Six Warmen" Monster, I can negate and, if successful, destroy that card!"
"My Ogre Dragoon's Monster Effect says differently!" Kiryu replied defiantly. "Once per turn, while I have no cards in my hand, I can negate the activation of an opponent's Magic or Trap card and destroy it! Your Musakani Magatama just got wasted! Zero Burst!" Warlord could do nothing as his Trap was obliterated. "That's not all! When this Effect was successful, Ogre Dragoon's Attack Points go up another 500!"
(Purgatory Dragon - Ogre Dragoon's ATK: 4000 + 500 = 4500)
"Dammit!" The crazy Elite Psychic cursed loudly from the setback.
"Looks like Warlord is the one in trouble now." Divine said with obvious disdain.
"With your Trap no longer an issue, Infernity Death Dragon's Effect commences! I'm using it to destroy Grandmaster of the Six Warmen! Infernity Death Breath!" The second strongest of Warlord's Monsters was blown away with a dark blast from the dragon's mouth.
(2100 / 2 = 1050)
(Warlord: 3300 - 1050 = 2250)
'This is bad. That human is beating Warlord!' Salazar thought, not happy with this development. Nor was Warlord.
"Grrn! You're really pissing me off, you know that?! Since my Grandmaster was destroyed by an opponent's card effect, I can take a "Six Warmen" Monster from my Graveyard and add it to my hand! I'm taking back True Shadow of the Six Warmen!"
"You won't get the chance to use it again!" Kiryu told him.
"Why is that?" Warlord demanded to know… with Kiryu smirking at him.
"Because I'm finishing you off this turn!" He replied to his enemy's surprise. "Infernity Death Dragon can't attack this turn when it's Effect is used, but my other Monster can do the job! Battle! Purgatory Dragon – Ogre Dragoon, attack True Six Warmen – Shien! Infernity Chaos Flame!" A stream of black orange fire erupted from Ogre Dragoon's mouth and made it's way to Warlord's Synchro Monster.
"I'm not losing another Monster because of you, asshole! If the Monster Equipped with Pitch-Black Legendary Steed would be destroyed, I can destroy my Equip card instead!" The horse Shien was riding on vanished like a cloud of black mist.
"You may have protected your Monster, but it also became weaker! Plus, the damage you take just went up a bit!" Kiryu declared as the attack landed but failed to destroy its now 2500 Attack Point target.
(4500 - 2500 = 2000)
(Warlord: 2250 - 2000 = 250)
"Looks like you were just all talk! I still have Life Points left!" Warlord said with glee. Kiryu's smirk remained.
"That's because I haven't launched my second attack yet." That statement confused everyone.
"The hell does that mean? Your other Monster can't attack this turn! You said so yourself!" The Elite shouted angrily. Kiryu chuckled.
"It can't, but I was referring to Ogre Dragoon."
"Say what?" Warlord said, now totally confused.
"The DARK Synchro Monster that used Infernity Hell Daemon as Material can attack Monsters up to twice each Battle Phase!" Kiryu's reveal caused Warlord's face to become unnaturally pale.
"What?" He said meekly. He knew that even if he could use Shien's Effect again to save it, it would do nothing to mitigate the damage that would erase the rest of his Life Points.
Throughout the Duel, the swinging chandelier became dangerously close to breaking loose. It was barely holding on at that point, ready to fall any second…
"It's over now Warlord! Ogre Dragoon, attack Shien one more time! INFERNITY CHAOS FLAME!" Another flaming strike and the dark samurai warrior was burned away.
(Warlord: 0)
As the crazy Elite Psychic got knocked off his feet, the chandelier above finally gave way and fell. Unfortunately, just before it broke free, the chandelier swung in Warlord's direction… causing it to drop his way. By the time the Elite noticed this, it was too late. He could only scream before the large diamond like structure crushed him to death. Kiryu, Divine, and Salazar stared in shocked horror as blood leaked out from underneath. "Damn…" Kiryu muttered under his breath.
"Warlord… he's…" Salazar just couldn't get the words out.
Divine only sneered, his anger starting to boil him over. "No. Not again…" He muttered furiously. First Jordan, now Warlord.
"Kiryu!" Kiryu looked over his shoulder to see Sherry, running down to him. Relief washed over him, seeing that his woman was alright before she hugged him fiercely.
"I'm fine, Sherry. Just got a little beat up." Kiryu told her. He then noticed her bloody shoulder. "But you clearly need some patching up."
"Tell me about it." She told him with a sigh.
"What's this? Where is Skeleton Knight?" Divine demanded angrily. Sherry turned to him with a self satisfied smirk.
"Old death breath? He found me and well… he got what was coming to him." Sherry replied. "You'll find his bloody face upstairs, with the rest of his lifeless corpse."
Divine's face was one of undisguised fury. "He's dead too?!"
"As a door nail." Sherry admitted without shame. "Guess that makes 3 men you lost, including that bloody mess." She added while pointing at what was left of Warlord.
Before she or Kiryu could do anything more, Divine turned to his young companion. "Salazar, don't let them escape!"
Salazar nodded before surrounding the young couple with a large ring of fire. "They won't go anywhere now!"
"Crap!" Sherry cursed. She and Kiryu couldn't go anywhere without getting burned.
"Better us than Hideo and Setsuko." Kiryu said to her.
With them trapped by Salazar's fire, Divine approached. He was very, very unhappy.
"Listen very carefully, you meddling fools. Unless you two wish to be roasted alive, tell me where Aki and her parents are! NOW!"
To be continued.