Hey, folks. I'd like to share something with anyone who writes Yu-Gi-Oh! fanfiction like I do.

Ever have one of those times where you plan out a duel, only to realize you made a ruling error? One that occurs in an early part of the duel that forces you to rewrite everything afterwards, often forcing you to find an OCG card that fixes it (while not swaying too far from the plot) and if you can't find one, you eventually have to think up a fanmade card and hope it makes sense.

Sigh, maybe I'm just paranoid, ever since a certain dumbass tried to ruin my reputation after I refused to rewrite an entire chapter over something that he felt was an unforgiving continuity error.

As you might assume, that is indeed what I had to do in this chapter - hope I did it right. Enjoy.

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Chapter 18

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He Devoted More Time to It

"Hell-O, duelists and duel enthusiasts!"

Yolanda's perky voice echoed over the BFS Zelos, her face appearing (even larger than life as usual) on one of the huge viewing monitors. I had hoped to escape her cheeky commentary this time, though seeing as this was a "special sneak peek" for this place, I guess it was wishful thinking.

"We're here at the soon-to-open Club DZ, where a duel between space-dandy duelist maverick Lorenzo Carbonni and Duelist of Hogwarts Terone Brickman is already underway! If you're just joining this duel, well, you aren't the only ones, seeing as we just got here due to a certain someone taking a 'shortcut' to avoid the lunch hour rush!"

"Hey, I got us here, didn't I?" protested Brett. "It does seem the good stuff is about to start, because Lorenzo has just taken the advantage over Terone with a clever move - guess you were wrong when you called him an 'outdated eyesore', huh Yolanda?"

That was for sure. Lorenzo has taken me by surprise with his Electromagnetic Railgun Trap Card, which had vaporized two of my monsters, leading only Magician's Valkyria. Sure, it cost him his Big Core, but his Field Spell had given him three high-level Machines in one turn, meaning he still had the B.E.S. Big Core MK-2 and B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core. Even worse, the Field Spell gave them both 500 more Attack Points. (3,000 ATK x2)

"Now I'm gonna hardwire my Break! Draw! Equip Spell to the MK-2,' he said with a laugh. "Case ya don't know what that means, it lets me draw once every time it whacks one of your monsters, for the next three turns!"

I knew what it meant, though given how he sounded like a cackling madman, it was the least of my troubles…

"ATTACK! Ballistic Bullet Hell Barrage!"

The command could not have been more accurate. I assumed Big Core MK-2 began the assault first, though it was hard to tell where it stopped the attack and where Blaster Cannon Core's began. The "barrage" wasn't just bullets either, both the giant crafts unleashed a storm of phaser blasts, missiles, and photon torpedoes, blowing poor Valkyria to ash and then homing in on me, knocking me hard on my back.

(Terone: 5,000) - - - - - - - - (Lorenzo: 8,000)

"Ooh!" gasped Yolanda. "First blood goes to Lorenzo, and Terone is hurt bad!"

"Oh yeah, I'm hurt…" I sat up, and both my facedown cards lifted up. "But you know what they say… It's a good kind of hurt."

The whole space station darkened, Zelos Force turning its one eye towards the bay window, where a black sun had risen into view. Not an eclipsed sun, but a burning, shadowy star. I got up, dusting off my pants, and looked towards it. "Have to thank you, Lorenzo, this was the perfect place to use my Dark Horizon Trap Card for the first time."

"Eh, you're welcome… I think?"

A solar flare was shot from the star's surface, then started to drift towards us. "It summons a Dark Spellcaster with an Attack Score equal to or lower than the damage I took."

The ball of flame darted towards the dueling field and turned into an odd-looking creature. It was like a thin, wooden mannequin that had been hastily put together and painted, vaguely resembling a harlequin. It made a slight, jerky dance, as if it were not completely in control of its movements, and then spoke in a haunting voice, saying, "I am Legion, for I am many," and then kneeling in Defense Mode. (1,500 DEF)

"Uh, I don't get it," said Brett.

"I'll tell you later," said Yolanda.

"My second Trap Card is Shock Draw, which gives me one card per 1,000 points of damage I took from your attack." I drew three times; one of the cards was Cosmo Queen - things were looking up.

"Eh, you're really weirding me out here, Terone. Gonna set one more card facedown, and now I can use Boss Rush." He placed the two cards, and then added, "So… It's your move then."

I drew the card, and I had it now… Just what I needed for the big move I intended. "Okay old girl, ready for the big moment?"

She couldn't answer - I had a feeling this new AI only applied to the Solid Vision images - but simply seeing the monster's face on the card now was encouragement enough. I turned it forward and said, "By sending Cosmo Queen's card to the Graveyard, I can unleash her true divine form!"

I was being dramatic, of course, to be honest, I could have used any Normal Monster for this. Still, it was worth the trouble. Cosmo Queen appeared, floating above the ground, casting a powerful, eldritch incantation. Stones floated up around her, spiraling around and glowing like moons orbiting her celestial form as she absorbed astral power.

She became taller, with her dress changing into a form-fitting outfit with a flowing cape. Her fancy oversized collar became stiff with a flared design and a veil, covering the lower half of her face. Her headdress was now conical with hemisphere-shaped protrusions on either side. She had a staff with a sharp, spindle-shaped point on one end and a top shaped like a W on its side, set with three pink gemstones on each "edge". Her eyes glowed with pure power. (1,500 ATK)

Lorenzo rubbed his chin as he looked up at her. "Huh, I dunno… I kind of expected more than just 1,500 points."

Cosmo Brain was clearly smiling at him under the veil, if her dark, sinister chuckle was any indication.

"She starts at 1,500 but that is going to change, because she gains an additional 200 points times the Level of the monster I used to summon her. The regular Cosmo Queen is Level 8, so do the math there." (3,100 ATK)

"But that's not all she can do. By sacrificing a Spellcaster monster, like Legion the Fiend Jester, I can bring out a Normal Monster from my deck."

Cosmo Brain looked down to her right, at Legion, then lifted her staff and chanted again, the orbs glowing pink. The Fiend Jester literally crumbled into particles that turned into a stream that spiraled around Cosmo Brain. She pointed to the left, and the particles reassembled, turning into Alexandrite Dragon. (2,000 ATK)

"And, because I sacrificed Legion the Fiend Jester, I get to take a Normal Spellcaster from my deck. Hence the term 'Legion'."

I got the card I needed quickly, another from Betty's deck called Trance the Magic Swordsman. I could summon him now, but I had a much better idea. I activated an Equip Spell, then discarded the card.

"Next, I activate Overdone Burial! By discarding this Level 6 monster, I can summon one from the Graveyard that has a lower Level."

The ground stirred next to Cosmo Brain, and a female hand broke through. The Spellcaster broke through, slowly pulling herself out of the ground, and she was angry now. (1,600 ATK)

"Eh? Magician's Valkyria?"

"What," she said, "you were expecting maybe the Addams Family?"

Then I used Bandit Dragon's card, and the draconic racoon hybrid leapt onto the field next to Cosmo Brain. (0 ATK)

Then, he, Valkyria, and Alexandrite Dragon turned into orbs of colored light, and the Overlay Network appeared, absorbing them. With a swing of a shimmering blade, Link, Guardian of Hyrule appeared. (2,300 ATK)

"All right!" cheered Yolanda. "Seems we got here just in time to see Terone bring out one of his stars!"

"Well, we've seen Terone use this one before," said Brett, "but it does seem like Link is a little out of his element here."

"Maybe so," I said, "but he's a fast learner. I'll set two cards -" I fit the last two cards in my hand into my Spell Zone. "- and then get rid of one of Link's Overlay Units to give him the Moon Mirror Shield!"

Link held up his left arm and his regular shield disappeared. A small orb of light floated up from below, turning into a replacement, a large, golden, disk-shaped shield.

"Still don't see how that shield is going to help him against those huge spaceships."

"I'll show you. Cosmo Brain, Link…" The Spellcaster levitated off the ground as her staff charged with power, while Link stood ground with his sword drawn. "...Destroy the core!"

Link swung his weapon, flinging a blade shaped energy projectile towards B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core, his Attack Score rising to 3,100, while Cosmo Brain joined the assault with a powerful beam of magical energy. Both homed in on the prow of the huge ship, slamming into the barriers in front of the glowing spherical core, causing the craft to shudder as the attacks smashed through two of the four barriers. "Ugh…" grunted Lorenzo.

(T: 5,000) - - - - - - - (L: 7,800)

Blaster Cannon Core was still airborne, but they had damaged it.

"I'm ending my turn now, Lorenzo, and thanks to Bandit Dragon's effect, I can draw a card, plus another because I have no cards in my hand. So, bring it on!"

"Eh, consider it brung!" Drawing a card, Lorenzo used one. "I'll use the Field Spell's effect to Special Summon B.E.S. Beacon Core."

The giant eye of Zelos Force used its strange binary projection again, causing a new battleship to appear, and this was certainly a new one to me. It was vaguely square shaped, with the same gap in the hull in front. It had four cores, two in the front side-by-side, and another two behind them, but did not seem to have any shields. (2,800 DEF)

"There's a big problem with this deck, Terone, with Boss Rush in play, I can't Normal Summon. Beacon here lets me cheat a little, and Special Summon a Machine that I'd otherwise Normal Summon. But only three times. Heh, well four, cause of the Field Spell. So, I'll summon this little guy… Oilman!"

One of B.E.S. Beacon's cores dimmed and then went out. The monster summoned was very different from most of the cards he had summoned. A cute little robot strode into the huge hanger, (it was a brand called "Hero Oil", given what was written on the front) like a large can of motor oil with arms, legs, and a head, with a hero cape. (400 ATK)

"Got this idea from a guy I went to school with, he… Ah… Anyway, I'll Union Equip Oilman to Big Core MK-2."

A tractor beam exuded from the bottom of the large ship, lifting Oilman into it. This wasn't looking good - it gave that thing the same effect as Break! Draw! and because Oilman was a Union Monster, it would only be harder to destroy.

"Then I'll attack that elf with MK-2! Open Fire!"

It wasn't quite as intense as before, the barrage of missiles homing in on Link and exploding around him. Still, the Moon Mirror Shield still held, and a third of the ship's shields cracked and shattered.

"If it's any consolation, Terone, it's been three turns since I used Break! Draw! so it's out of juice." The Equip Spell revealed itself and then shattered. "So… Your move."

"This could take a while," said Brett. "Anyone have any idea what they're doing?"

(T: 5,000) - - - - - - - (L: 7,700)

Actually, I knew exactly what Lorenzo was trying here, and far be it for me to disappoint him. I made a draw, then used a Spell Card.

"Dual Gate!" I exclaimed. "For those who haven't been keeping track, I had to discard a Spell Card on my first turn to use Summoner Monk's effect." Two glowing, rectangular portals appeared to my right and left. "That card was another Dual Gate, and by banishing both, I get two more cards."

I placed my right hand in the right portal, and it emerged from the left portal, holding two cards, which I took with my left hand.

"I am so glad we didn't see that," said Yolanda, "aren't you?"

Regardless, I now had one part of the combo I needed. In the meantime…

"I'm using Link's effect a second time, using another Overlay Unit to give him the Equip Spell, Mist Body." Using the card caused Link to close his eyes, a thin, misty veil covering him. "It makes him impervious to destruction by battle. And then… He and Cosmo Brain attack B.E.S. Blaster Cannon Core again!"

For the second time, the Warrior and Spellcaster launched their eldritch beams at the much larger Machine, but this time, the result was different. Cosmo Brain's attack shattered its final shield and then, Link's blow hit the central core itself. A massive explosion erupted from the core, followed by smaller explosions all over the massive craft, until the whole thing shattered.

(T: 5,000) - - - - - - - (L: 7,500)

"Score to Terone!" exclaimed Brett.

"Yes," added Yolanda, "as tough as those mechanical monsters are, they can't withstand even a blow from the weakest monster without their core shields!"

"Eh, look who knows so much," said Lorenzo. The Boss Rush card started to glow, and a Zelos Force cast a wide beam of light onto his side of the field from its pupil. "But there's more where that came from. B.E.S. Tetran!"

The digital field coalesced into a new ship that seemed similar to the Big Core except, well, flat. It had a blue core on a light grey hull, along with four long tendrils, two on the sides of the port and two matching ones on the aft.

"Yeah, that is the weak point of the Bactrian fleet, especially for this one, cause it only gets its shields if I Normal Summon it. But it still gets one from the Field Spell, an' don't forget, that's not the only thing it gets." (2,300 ATK) "So, ya done?"

I nodded and grunted, and Lorenzo drew, and it seemed he already had his move planned out. "I'll use the Field Spell now ta summon B.E.S. Crystal Core!"

It seemed to truly be a Boss Rush now. The new ship he summoned looked less like a ship and more like a mechanism inside an iceberg, with a blue core, which was quickly given one shield by the Field Spell. It had tendrils like Tetran did, but only two in this case, in the front. (2,100 ATK – 2,600 ATK)

"Now check this out! I can use Tetran here to wax one'a your Spell Cards, so…"

B.E.S. Tetran lifted one of its tendrils, aiming at Link; he tried to shield himself with the Moon Mirror Shield, but unfortunately, that was the target. A thin beam of light fired from the tip of the tendril, striking the shield and blowing it to pieces.

"Now I can… Eh, oh right, there's that Mist Body… I'll deal with him later. Right now, I'll use Crystal Core's effect on her!"

Then both of that ship's tendrils focused on Cosmo Brain and caused a rippling wave of energy to flow towards her. She tried to resist, but was pushed over, kneeing in Defense Mode. (2,450 DEF)

"Now attack! Cryokinetic Blast!"

I would have personally called it a freeze ray, as that's what the craft's assault certainly looked like, however, I certainly wasn't going to let this attack succeed.

"I activate Tailor of the Fickle!"

The Spell Card lifted, and the misty veil flowed from Link and started to cover Cosmo Brain.

"Wait, you… Huh?"

"It's a Quickplay Spell that transfers an Equip Spell from one monster to another."

With Mist Body now on Cosmo Brain, she shielded herself with her arm, Crystal Core's assault hitting her. She shivered a little but was unharmed.

"I know that! But why did you… Ah… Eh, suit yourself…"

The B.E.S. Big Core MK-2 opened fire, the artillery homing in on Link and blowing him into pixels.

"I'm sorry," I said, quietly. I was really starting to get attached to these card-creatures, but it had to be done. I looked up and made a quick calculation - Crystal Core no longer had any shields, while MK-2 and had one left – plus Oilman, of course.

And worse, Lorenzo wasn't done yet. "I'll draw once from Oilman, and - Ooh..."

He was clearly happy about the card he got, and I took that as a sign that it meant I was going to be unhappy. He used the card, and three glowing, shimmering swords crashed down around my side of the field.

"That'll hold ya!" he laughed. He pointed to Beacon, and another of its cores went out. "Finally, I'll use the effect of Beacon to summon Nanobreaker in Defense Mode."

I remembered this card - Jenni had used it a few times in sparring matches. It was a young woman in futuristic, silvery armor, holding a large sword shaped like a flame. She had glowing silver eyes, and long raven-black hair. Jenni had told me once that her name was "Jake" and that "Nanobreaker" was the name of the sword and… Well, you didn't come here to learn about video game trivia, right? (1,800 DEF)

"And… I'm done."

I was right - as glad as I was to see Nanobreaker again, this had just gone from bad to worse, as anyone who had dueled someone using Swords of Revealing Light could attest – this pretty much put my team out of commission for a full three turns.

Still, I could at least summon. I drew, then set a monster, and then nodded, ending my turn quickly.

"First I draw… Then I attack! Crush that facedown monster, Tetran!"

What? He's not going to use Tetran's effect again?

Seems he wasn't, because he had gone straight to his Battle Phase. The set monster revealed itself, a fortune teller in an elaborate, gaudy red and blue costume that included a cloak, veil, and feathered turban. Tetran's tendril slammed down, and the Spellcaster was crushed.

"I'm using Crystal Seer's flip effect… I get to look at the top two cards from my deck and take one of them."

Finally! I thought. Seemed I could turn this around. I took one of the two cards, then put the other at the bottom of my deck.

"Eh, fine, fine, your move."

Still, this was odd. He could have used Tetran's effect to destroy Mist Body but… I wasn't exactly in the mood to question at the time, because it was time to act. I drew a card - Apprentice Magician, that was an added bonus - and then used the card I got from Seer.

"Because you have a Field Spell in play I can summon… this!"

Brett went for a closer look as the new monster rose next to Cosmo Brain. "Whoa, I'm seeing double here! There's four Cosmo Queens!" Noticing Yolanda rolling her eyes, he added, "I know, I know, corny joke there… Never saw her dressed like that, though."

This indeed was Cosmo Queen again, looking more like her older self, but with different clothing. Her dress was a bright scarlet, with ribbon-like ornaments, her headdress smaller and streamlined, and an ornate scepter with a spiral pattern and a golden, flame-shaped tip. Golden chains hung from her headdress, shoulders, and scepter. Her eyes were closed, and she was softly chanting. (2,450 DEF)

"By summoning her that way, I can take a Field Spell of my own from my deck… and I'll be using it now! The Way Where There's a Will!"

Lorenzo looked confused, and then gobsmacked, the B.E.F. Zelos cavern melting away, and then a piercing referee's whistle sounding.

"Hut-hut-hut!" said a gruff voice, and the arena around us was covered by astroturf, with a scoreboard and goalposts springing up. Within seconds, the whole place had become a gridiron football field.

"Uh, shouldn't that be 'Where there's a will there's a way?" asked Brett.

"No, this would be the Way that is shown by the Will."

I was glad Yolanda understood that, because I sure didn't. The Field Spell wasn't done either, four bulky humanoid creatures, football players in cybernetic, powered armor, appeared to either side of me, crouching in a three-point offensive stance.

Of course, seeing as playing a Field Spell got rid of the previous one, Lorenzo's was no longer in play, meaning his three battleships in Attack Mode had lost the benefits. (Big Core MK-2: 2,400 ATK, Tetran 1,800 ATK, Crystal Core: 2,100 ATK.)

"So… Uh, is there a point to all this?"

Then, the four cards in Lorenzo's Spell Zone - Oilman, Swords of Revealing Light, Boss Rush, and Call of the Haunted appeared on the scoreboard, then the five monster Cards appeared below those. A bullhorn sounded, and each of those cards was marked by a green circle with a horizontal dash in the center.

"Yes… Each player can use the effect of this Field Spell once per turn, using it to take one card from the top of his deck for each card his opponent has on the field."

"Wait, he gets to draw…" started Brett, "nine cards?"

"Not draw, I get to excavate them, and I don't get to keep them all. I choose one then put the rest, plus one from my hand, at the bottom of the deck."

Ironically, the first card - the one I would have drawn next turn - was Mystical Space Typhoon, this being the one time it wasn't useful. Okay, let's see here, I thought, Chaos Witch, Tricky, Tri-Horned Dragon… Ooh, Witch of the Black Forest, there we go."

I put that one back, then used that card quickly. A tall, dark woman with a long dress and flowing, raven hair appeared. She let out a long, bored sigh. (1,100 ATK)

Cosmo Brain listed her scepter again, pointing towards Witch. "Now, I'll use Cosmo Brain's effect, and -"

"Uhm, Terone, a word?" Cosmo Brain lowered the scepter - Cosmo Queen of Prayers was the one who had spoken. "Just a suggestion, I believe it would be in your best interests to use that on me."

"Wait, what?" snapped Witch. Her lower two eyes opened, and she seemed offended. "Are you saying I'm not a good enough sacrificial lamb here?"

"Uh, ladies?" I started.

"Oh, perish the thought," replied Cosmo Queen, "but I do think it is better that you stay around longer."

"You have nearly three times my Attack Score!"

"That is the point. Neither of us will be able to attack this turn, and when - I note when - it happens to you, we still benefit, regardless of the means in which it does so."

How existential can you get?

"Yo, Terone! What's the hold up?"

"Uh, one minute, Lorenzo!" Then I turned to the two squabbling monsters and said, "Sorry Witch, she has a point there."

Humph! grunted Witch, and she turned her back to Cosmo Queen, crossing her arms over her chest.

"As I was saying… I'll use Cosmo Brain's effect, and sacrifice Cosmo Queen of Prayers…" The Spellcaster made a slight smirk towards Witch and then was consumed in dark magic. "...and summon this!"

Rabidragon bound onto the field, sitting down and scratching its ear before straightening itself and roaring loudly. (2,950 ATK)

"Eh, big scary monster, big deal," said Lorenzo, "I still got two rounds on ya!"

"Actually, you have one free round left, and you aren't going to have as much to do with it as you may think."

"Eh?"

"The Spell Card Way Where There's a Will has an added effect that activates when a player uses it to excavate nine or more cards, like I just did. When that happens, every card on the opposing player's field and Graveyard go back to the deck."

"Say WHAT?"

"Turn end…" I stabbed by thumb

There was a loud alarm and all the green circles on Lorenzo's cards turned into red circles, each with an X through them. All of them - all five monsters and all four of the Spell Cards dissolved and dissipated.

"What an upset!" shouted Brett. "I did not see that coming."

"I would say, neither did Lorenzo. Like a true Boss Rush, he tried to overwhelm Terone with a large number of high-powered monsters, but as it turned out, the strength of his strategy was also its weakness."

Lorenzo took a while to do anything - he looked gobsmacked, but then, it was hard to blame him, I'd have acted the same way. Finally, he drew a card and selected another very quickly, as if he had been waiting to use it.

"Not a bad move there, Terone, but two can play that game. See, because you have more monsters than I do now, I can summon Bubble Eye!"

He played the card, and there was a loud, wet, slurping sound as a viscous liquid flowed out from the holograph-created image of the card and grew into a roughly spherical shape. While the name sounded silly, it described the monster perfectly, a large, amorphous blob of liquid with odd veins on its surface, with an inhuman eye inside. It looked kind of like Mucus Yolk but… eviler. (2,300 ATK)

"Uh…"

"Don' worry, it can't attack this turn. And cause that was a Special Summon, I'll set one more monster, an' then it's your move. Go ahead."

Well, if you insist, I thought.

I drew a card - this was a new one I hadn't used yet, a Level 2 Tuner. I smirked a little at the picture on the card, a young girl with blonde pigtails in a green tunic and helmet. Think I'll save that, I thought.

"Rabidragon…" It took a deep breath, and I pointed to Bubble Eye, and its radiant breath caused it to splatter all over the arena floor.

(T: 5,000) - - - - - - - - (L: 6,850)

I stopped for a minute to see if anything happened, but nothing did. I was okay, my monsters were okay, and Lorenzo's Life Points had taken a hit. I knew there had to be more to it than that, but I'd worry about it later. I nodded to Cosmo Brain, and she focused her magic on the set monster. A few seconds later, her eldritch spell turned the Moai Interceptor Cannons into pebbles.

Witch perked up a bit while smiling evilly at Lorenzo, her two regular eyes closed, and her third one opened, and a beam of dark magic hitting him in the chest. "Dammit!" he shouted.

(T: 5,000) - - - - - - - - (L: 5,750)

"I don't like dames…"

"Oh, I'm not done with you, I'm using Cosmo Brain's effect, and this time I'm sacrificing Witch of the Black Forest to do so."

Witch nodded, closing all three of her eyes as Cosmo Brain used the spell on her, and she vanished. "But first, we'll use her effect…"

Several cards appeared in front of me, the ones in my deck that had 1,500 Defense Points or less. I was about to point to Masked Dragon…

"Uh, wrong! Bad card there, Terone!"

"What?" I turned my head. "You?"

"Yep, me," said Betty. "Third card left of that one, Terone."

I had no idea how she had gotten there or how long she had been there, but I could almost see through her. Was this some sort of… vision?

Regardless, the card she was pointing to was Getsu Fuhma, a Dark Warrior that was among the cards she had given me - well, had lent me, anyway. I had a vague idea why she'd want me to take that one, but I didn't appreciate her butting in like this, nor did I like her being this… close to me.

"You know… Betty… The league has rules against a pro accepting help during a duel."

She giggled. "You just accepted help from Cosmo Queen, remember? Go on, I promise, nobody is going to call you a cheater and disqualify you if they find out you're talking to your cards. Course, they might lock you up in a nuthouse, but hey, those are the breaks, right?"

In a strange way, that sounded reassuring. I touched Getsu Fuhma's card.

"Yo, what's the matter, Terone? You sick or something?"

Actually, I did feel a little woozy. It was like I had been asleep the minute Betty had been there (even though I was standing up) and that touching the card had caused me to wake up. I looked at my hand, and the Getsu Fuhma was there now.

"I'm…" I said. "I'm fine. As I was saying, as per Cosmo Brain's effect…" Using another card caused Tri-Horned Dragon to appear next to Rabidragon with a loud bellow. (2,850 ATK) "Still my Battle Phase, by the way…"

The hulking Dragon lunged at Lorenzo, punching him hard in the chest and knocking him over.

"Dammit," he muttered.

(T: 5,000) - - - - - - - - (L: 2,950)

"And Terone takes the lead!" exclaimed Brett. "That was a bad blow to Lorenzo, both to him and his pride!"

"Heh, heh, actually…" He rubbed his head and pulled himself up. "Yeah, it hurt, but know what? Like you would know, what doesn't kill ya makes ya stronger." He waved his hand, and a set monster appeared in front of him. "See, when Bubble Eye gets whacked, I get to take a Machine with 500 or lower Attack Points and set it."

I guess I should have expected this, but I assumed then that the card was the DUCKER Mobile Cannon, so I just said, "Your move."

"My pleasure! I draw, and then I summon Option Eater!"

I had heard of Option Hunter (a Trap Card), but this seemed to be a totally different creature than the one on that card. This was a saucer-shaped drone with spindly mechanical limbs around its circumference, hovering in mid-air. (0 ATK)

I was about to ask what that did, but I got the answer very quickly. The drone turned on its side, and then a beam of light - a tractor beam - struck Cosmo Brain, pulling the Mist Body card away from her, pulling it into the center of the drone.

"HEY!"

"What do ya expect an Option Eater to do? Well, okay, okay, okay, it doesn't eat Equip Spells, it grabs them and Equips them to itself. Next, I'll flip summon this gal, the Iron Maiden!"

Despite calling it a "gal", this didn't look even remotely female. It was another drone, like a tripod shaped like an inverted cone, with a glass dome on top, with four rectangular panels branching out from underneath the dome. (0 ATK)

"And… by Flip Summoning this dame, I get to bring out two, count 'em, two more Iron Maidens from my deck."

The Iron Maiden's dome retracted, and a missile shot upward. There was an explosion above the stadium, and then two blades fell from it, embedding into the ground like lawn darts. Then, the darts grew into duplicates of the first Iron Maiden, also in Attack Mode.

"So, uh, what's he going to do with them?"

"Brett, in case you didn't notice, all four of those Machines are Level 4."

"You got it! So, I can open the Overlay Network and use these four Machines to bring out MY Blockbuster!"

"All four of them? Seriously?"

"Technically, I just gotta use two monsters, but hey, settling for the bare minimum just ain't my style, know what I mean?"

Oh, I certainly did, and he was dead serious. The Option Eater and all three Iron Maidens turned into particles that were absorbed into the spiraling vortex.

He laughed as the Xyz monster started to form. "I think this one is gonna be a smash hit…"

…To be continued…

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So, does anyone want to take any bets? Lol.

Next chapter will see the answer, along with the conclusion to this duel, plus some cool new cards in Terone's deck.

Oh, and as usual, the fanmade cards listed below will not include any whose full effects have not yet been shown, though in this case, they will be shown in the next chapter.

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B.E.S. Beacon Core (Effect Monster Card)

Machine/Light/Lvl6/1,000ATK/2,800DEF

Effect: Cannot be Special Summoned from the deck. When this card is Summoned, place 3 Counters on it. Once per turn, you may expend 1 Counter from this card, and if you do, you may select 1 Machine-Type monster from your hand that can be Normal Summoned; Special Summon the selected monster. If the selected monster is Lvl5 or higher, it must meet the requirements for a Tribute Summon.

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Bubble Eye (Effect Monster Card)

Aqua/Dark/Lvl5/2,300ATK/100DEF

Effect: Can be Special Summoned from your hand in Attack Position if your opponent controls more monsters than you do; this card cannot attack the turn it is summoned in this manner. If this card is destroyed by battle when in Attack Position, you may, during the End Phase of the turn, select a Machine-Type monster from your hand or deck with 500 ATK or less and Special Summon it in facedown Defense Position.

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Iron Maiden (Effect Monster Card)

Machine/Earth/Lvl4/0ATK/1,000DEF

Effect: If this card is Normal Summoned, you may Special Summon up to 2 monsters from your hand or deck with the same name as this card in Attack Position. During the turn you activate this effect, you cannot Summon any monsters other than Machine-Type monsters.