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Yu-gi-oh 5Ds: Rise of Darkness and Corruption (Athene/ImaginaryMuse & Razgriz)


Yamichi breathed deeply as he prepared for the next strikes against his life; with Gill's field having four monsters on it now and his in Defense Position, Gill would see the one critical weakness of his deck. Scrap Searcher fell first to Marauding Captain, then Rahz cut down his Breaker...Followed by his Scarecrow trap negating Rahz's second attack, and allowing Warrior Lady a free shot at his Life. He was down to 4200, almost half his life gone in just over five turns.

"This is getting bad...Heh, Yuna and this guy might actually get along. They both use fairly effective Warrior decks." Yamichi mused, trying to weigh his options. Gill still had four monsters on the field, and Yamichi hadn't got a hit on his life yet. But, the Field Spell was still active; and as it stood, his backrow was clear for the moment. But even so, at the very least, he needed to defend himself. Which made his next move the most obvious choice.

"My turn! I draw! I'll Summon Scrap Shark and two cards face-down! Then I battle! Shark will destroy one of your Rahz!" the tech would state, the mechanical monstrosity crashing into Rahz and bringing Gill down to 7100 Life. "Turn end!" Yamichi declared, the turn shifting back to Gill's; he had nothing he could do except this right now. And with any luck, the fact that he got a second of his previous trap was a godsend.

"Folks, it looks like Sir Randsborg has gotten Yamichi backed into a corner, but he's still fighting with everything he's got to keep his Life safe! What's his deck capable of, destroying his own monsters like that?" MC would commentate, helping to keep the atmosphere upbeat. "Heh...You'll find out soon enough." Takeshi would mutter bemusedly in his mind; if it was the card the Disciple thought it was, this would be the turning point of the match right here. And with Shark out at 2600 ATK, none of Gill's monsters would get around it. And even with the lead Gill had right now...Takeshi had a feeling it wouldn't last long.

Yusei smirked a bit as Fayth pointed out the deck's inherent flaw; it was true, he could get powerful monsters to his field by constantly having them topdecked. But without sufficient backrow to support them, any decent play could wipe his field clean. And with Yamichi having summoned a powerful monster, buffed by his opponent's field no less, the noble knight would have to play even more carefully. If he wound up facing Yamichi, he would need to bring everything he had.

When Ling would make the offer of refreshments, Yusei stated, "If you have some to spare, I'd love some water." A feeling that was voiced And taking the chilled beverage, Yusei felt the moisture coat his throat and relieve it of the dryness. He hadn't felt particularly dehydrated, but this was welcome all the same. "Appreciate it, Ling!" Lua would say cheerfully, downing nearly half the the bottle in one single gulp before letting out a relieved sigh and adding "Much better!"

"Yeah, thanks...It's not too hot out, but this is going to be a long run if the rest of you are as stubborn as these two were." Takeshi would joke, pointing separately to Lua and Yusei, the former grinning as he replied, "Well hey, that's what powerful Duelists do, right? They never back down and they fight with everything they've got!" Yusei raised his own bottle in a pseudo-toast, "Very true, Luca. That's a good mentality to have."
 

"Another of those beasts, eh?" Gill thought out loud, watching as a second Scrap Shark was summoned on Yamichi's side of the field. Unfortunately, he didn't have anything this time around to keep any of his monsters safe.

Considering what his life had been at before, it wasn't the highest hit he'd taken.

... Still, it didn't fix his new predicament. Now, he had nothing that could handle the Scrap Shark. Worse off, Yamichi was adding more and more set cards to keep himself safe; well, that was what Gill could fairly assume.

"I draw! I'll lay my own monster face down. I then shift my Warrior Lady and Rahz to a more defensive stance. I'll then end."

... Yep. That was exactly what Fayth had figured. By summoning Rahz like he'd been doing, he restricted himself. It probably wasn't intentional. But with her having known another warrior-user, were there not better options for him?

To each their own, she decided.

After passing around a bottle to everyone else, Ling grabbed one of the remaining green teas, opting to have that for herself. "No problem! I figured these would be needed .... or at least helpful to make the time go by faster."

"Heh! You're one to talk about stubbornness, Takeshi. That's exactly what you're gonna be ... as will I. It'll be a miracle we don't end our duel in a draw somehow with how strong our decks are."

Naturally, the words had come from Judai himself. He'd never been one to fret about strategies that weren't his own. However, now that the topic went to how the rest of the duels would go, he eagerly spoke up ... at least about his own.

.... It wasn't until her mind registered something that Fayth finally spoke up.

" ... Who am I going against, anyway? I don't think they announced the match-ups verbally. Just .... showed them, I'm guessing."

"Oh! True! Let's see ... Celeste, right?" Ling asked. When she saw Fayth nod, she looked back up to the large monitor. Beside where Yusei and Luca's names were, it had a dash and Yusei next to it to help indicate the winner.

"Professor Frank, apparently." Ling casually shrugged. "I've never heard of him before. If he's from here .... he's kept himself discreet. Regardless, I've never heard of a Professor Frank from the Tops before."

Oh lovely. Another shady sounding figure, Fayth internally thought. Out loud, however, she merely asked, "And when is that?"

"In two more matches."

Nodding upon learning this new knowledge, Fayth felt relieved and even more nervous. At least she didn't have to go against any of these people. But at the same time ... this was yet another wild card.

... As long as he's not a friend of Mr. E or anything, this should be decent enough. Hopefully.

Her eyelids closed behind her blindfold as Fayth took another sip of her own drink before relaxing against Yusei; not quite falling asleep, but just enjoying the peace. That would definitely be something she'd never miss; the discord and chaos that had come with being able to escape the Facility.
 

Takeshi just grinned at Judai's comment, "Yeah, but ours will be the best kind of stubborn. Because we both summon massive beaters fairly easily; you could call it a true slugfest. The Noble HERO vs. the Swarming Undead! Fusion versus Synchro!" At this Lua couldn't help but laugh, "Man, you sure it's him and MC that aren't related? That sounds like something he would say!" The brown-haired Disciple chuckled, "What? I can't come up with a witty title? Besides, mine and Judai's Duel is going to blow the rest of yours out of the water! No offense, little lady."

Lua then rubbed the underside of his nose with a finger, adding "Last time you two dueled, it was under the cover of that barrier! I can't wait to see what it looks like for everyone to see!"

Yusei smiled as he heard the banter; honestly, being near this kind of joviality was uplifting. It was refreshing to see two people so eager to Duel just for the fun of it. "One day, that kind of spirit will come back to the Satellite as well." he said mentally, gently patting Fayth's hand and adding to Ling's comment, "All that anyone can ask, Celeste, is that you just try your best. Whatever he throws at you, just respond as you can. Believe in your strength, and you'll light the path forward."

Yamichi, meanwhile, was trying analyze the current situation; even with his current Shark on the field, he still had to contend with what likely was a secret strategy by Gill. What did this guy have in mind? What was the ultimate strategy of his deck? But...Looking at Warrior Lady of the Wasteland, he saw an opportunity to make something happen. Something that could help him.

"My turn, draw!" he declared, going forward almost immediately. "I set a monster face-down! Shark! Destroy Warrior Lady!"

"What? Does this young man not know her effect? What is he thinking, everyone?!" MC announced, watching as the mechanical fish impacte with Warrior Lady, its being in Defense making Gill take no further damage, but allowing him to Summon another Warrior from his Deck.

"And with your Warrior Lady's effect, Shark is destroyed once more!" Yamichi clarified, his monster glowing as it prepared to explode in a spectacular fashion. "And he destroys another monster?! What is his plan! What does he hope to gain from this?!" MC commented, before long one of his other face-downs revealing itself. "And with its destruction, I chain my Trap Card, Scrap Crash! When a 'Scrap' monster is destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, I can destroy all face-up Trap and Magic cards you control! Match in the Presence of a Lord and Gaia Power are destroyed!" And then Shark blew up, shattering Gill's Permanent Trap and obliterating his Field Magic, his monsters losing their buff and lessening the restriction on what he could play. "And with Shark's destruction, I send Scrap Chimera from the deck to the Graveyard!"

"What a blow, folks! His monster's own destruction leads to a crippling blow to Sir Randsborg's offense!" the announcer commented, cheers erupting from the audience. Yamichi couldn't help smiling a little bit; not in mocking to the knight, but happy that he was happy such an enjoyable duel. This guy was good, and he was glad he was being gracious thus far. "Turn end!" he declared.
 

"Hehe .... the Fusion vs. Synchro I'll especially agree with."

He'd heard the explanation of how Synchros worked. But why Fusions were mostly forgotten?

Well ... that could wait. Right now, Judai was more than content to simply watch other people duel until his and Takeshi's turn arrived.

It always sounds so easy ... Fayth mused, lightly squeezing onto Yusei's hand. She really wasn't trying to feel pessimistic. But there had been tons of times she felt confident in her abilities, and even those had backfired against her.

Then again, this was different. She had a reason she wanted to get further ahead. The idea of being able to ride her Wheeler in this tournament would be amazing ... more so if she could get as far as possible in the Fortune Cup.

"I'll see. From what I'm gathering with this group though, it may not be as easy, should I end up against any of you all."

Ling merely smiled softly, sneaking a quick glance at Celeste once more before giving her attention to Yamichi and Gill.

Gill rose an eyebrow, also taken aback at Yamichi's decision to attack his Warrior Lady. Did he even know what he was doing?

"I will thus activate her effect and bring a second Warrior Lady unto this battlefield!"

Soon, everyone - including Gill - saw why Yamichi had chosen to make that specific move.

"Hmm ... "

In a way, Yamichi had done him a favor by getting rid of Gaia Power. These Scraps were all Earth, so at least his opponent's monsters weren't getting boosted. Unfortunately, there weren't many other boost cards in his deck, nor was he drawing them.

"I'll take my turn! Draw! I'll switch Rahz back to attack then flip my set warrior! Mystic Swordsman Level 4, arise! My Mystic Sworsdman will attack your set!"

And just like last turn, the Scarecrow was used.

"Fine! Rahz! Pierce thy foe's set monster with thine blade!"

.... Except that when it flipped up, everyone learned why perhaps Yamichi had gone though with setting a monster rather than summoning another attacking one. It was one that couldn't die from battle; Scrap Goblin.

"Ahhh, yes," Judai recalled, smirking as he watched the familiar card appear. "That truly is one of his best cards. It definitely saved him during our duel."

Gill, meanwhile, was steadily starting to lose his patience. It wasn't becoming obvious from his facial expression ... but Aki knew. His surface thoughts were filled with annoyed mental quips and even a small handful of curses here and there.

"Well then, m'lad, I suppose 'tis all I can do for now. Your turn."
 

"Hey wait a minute! Is that allowed!? I thought LV monsters had to be summoned from their lower forms first!" Lua shouted as Gill Flip Summoned his Mystic Swordsman LV 4. "Not all of them; that only really applies to its LV 6 variant. And some LV monsters can be summoned normally, but you lose out on their effects if you do. Others cannot be Summoned at all except by their lower form's effect." Lua seemed contemplative, "But then...How do you know when to use them?" At this Yusei just smiled, "That comes with experience in using them; I only know about them because I've seen people use them, but I've not used them myself. I wouldn't likely know how to play it effectively, if it helps."

"Yep! It's going to be incredible! And Judai...No offense, but I plan on winning this time." Takeshi would tease his new friend; as much as he was enjoying watching Yamichi slowly pile up the advantage. Gill had more monsters sure...But unless he was able to pull out a card like Lightning Vortex, then Yamichi was safe from being attacked. "Well..Gill's getting pressed, it's only a matter of time. All Yamichi needs is one card and he'll completely overwhelm the knight." Takeshi commented lowly, grinning as Judai commented on the Scrap Goblin card. "Heh...Yeah, it's certainly gotten him out of some jams."

Yamichi had no idea that his opponent was losing his patience; if he was, he was hiding it very well. Not knowing that Aki could discern his true feelings; his mind did flash back to the beginning of the match. Who was it that Gill wanted to vanquish? Someone who must have harmed him or someone he cared about...And there was really only one person he knew that likely would have done anything to earn his loathing.

But still...He was here because he managed to show his skill, and he planned on going as far as he can. "My turn, I draw!" Yamichi stated. With Scrap Goblin out, he was at least safe from attacks and with Gaia Power gone, his monsters wouldn't deal as much damage to him even if they did get through. Even so...He couldn't afford to give this guy too much time. But with his current hand, he couldn't even hope to overpower his monsters. Which made this literally the only move he could make.

"I Normal Summon a second Scrap Kong!" Yamichi declared, the metallic ape appearing before automatically exploding like it had done before. "When it's destroyed by a Scrap effect, I can add a Scrap monster from my Graveyard, except for itself, to my hand. Scrap Chimera returns to my hand. And because a Scrap monster was destroyed, I Special Summon Scrap Searcher from the Graveyard. And with that I end my turn." he then said; with this, he could at least get one of his more powerful monsters out, both Goblin and Searcher huddled in Defense Position as a wall against attacks.

"This match is getting intense folks; I won't even lie to you, I'm not sure how this is going to turn out! Both Duelists seem to be a standstill in terms of viable plays to make!" MC commentated, the crowd also seeming equally confused as to what was going on; usually Gill had done more damage to his opponents by this point. But this young man seemed able to counter, to a significant extent, the moves the knightly man could make.

Goodwin continued to watch from above; the announcer was right about one thing, both of them seem to have deadlocked each other. Gill's masterful use of his monsters and supporting backrow, as well as Yamichi's, seemed to have balanced each other. As it stood though, Randsborg was ahead. Would Yamichi be able to turn this around? Even he found himself intrigued by how this Duel could turn out; he would then ask Akutsu, "Akutsu...Do me a favor if you can spare the resources. Look into this 'Scrap' archetype some more; I'm curious about the mechanics behind it. If he's giving Randsborg this much trouble, I might want to have a meeting with this Yamichi personally." The scientist just nodded, "Of course, Director. Just give me a few moments."
 

"Plan all ya want, Takeshi. You're about to go in a duel, though. You should know plans tend to change so abruptly, particularly when you least want them to." His own smile widened as he curiously yet slightly impatiently waited. Their match had been one of the last ones. Go figure .... likely caused by Takeshi's continued curse, somehow. Not literally, granted, but he'd take the opportunity to jab at his friendly rival when he could.

'Mhm. Yamichi seems like he's about to secure his victory soon enough."

The very matter-of-fact words first came from Fayth ... which made Ling's head tilt curiously.

"I'm not gonna pry for too many details. But .... how are you so sure?"

"W-Well ... I can visualize what's going on. They do declare their moves, after all."

"And ... you know all of the cards they're mentioning?"

"Most, yeah."

Ling whistled. "That's impressive. You must have quite the good memory."

Fayth's face flushed slightly, "I mean .... I suppose. I've never really gotten it tested or anything. But thanks. I don't think I've gotten your name, miss ... ??"

"Oh! Sorry! It's Ling. Nice to officially meet you, Celeste."

Meanwhile, Gill was seeing his chances of winning decreasing with each move. Silently drawing his next card when his turn arrived, he took a slight breath. Step one ... he needed to put his frustrations at ease. Letting his emotions get the better of him wouldn't be wise. Now, step two .... he peered down, looking to see what could be done. "I'll set a card. I then sacrifice my Warrior Lady for Freed the Matchless General! Battle! I command thine Freed to slash your Scrap Searcher!"

Apparently, Yamichi must have wanted that, because he didn't stop this attack from going through.

"I end my turn!"
 

"Oi, oi...I have a pretty good idea about your deck now. You won't be able to surprise me as easily, Judai." Takeshi teased right back; of course, Judai still had an advantage even there. He'd seen his own deck in action twice now, and knowing him, the guy had a damn good memory about cards. Which meant he would be able to read his own strategies. But that was alright...Because Takeshi still hadn't revealed all the monsters he had to play. He still had his ace card from Hotsuma and Yuna's little adventure in Arcadia...And what better time than now to use it against him? Their match was going to be intense, and Takeshi knew he was going to have to pull out the stops if he wanted to come out ahead.

Not that he minded; he thoroughly enjoyed having an opponent like Judai. Just meant he could go as hard as he wanted, because the guy had a deck that could just as easily dish it out.

Unseen to either of them, however, the man in the robe excused himself, having to visit the restroom. Unaware that a familiar face was about to make a surprise entrance.

When Gill destroyed his Searcher yet again, Yamichi did indeed not seem fazed in the slightest. In fact, having it in the Graveyard was more beneficial than it being out here. Regardless, he would go onto his turn. "My turn! Draw!" Yamichi declared, looking at the card he just pulled from his Deck. And at this he couldn't help but smile widely; alright, now it was showtime.

"From my hand, I activate the Field Magic, Scrap Factory!" the tech declared, sliding his card into the Field slot of his Duel Disk, surrounding the pair in noisy machinery. "Well...I'd say that about signs ol' Gill's warrant. Yamichi's about to go off here, just you wait." Takeshi chuckled; only he, Judai, Ling and Aki had seen this field in action. And if Gill thought he was in trouble before?

He was about to learn the real definition soon enough.

"What is this, folks?! Yamichi's gone and turned our arena into a recycling plant! How will this turn out?!" MC commented, Yamichi just smiling as he mentally mused about how they would see. "Then, from my hand, I Normal Summon Scrap Chimera and activate its effect! When this card is Normal Summoned, I can target one Scrap Tuner monster in my Graveyard and Special Summon it! Rise, Scrap Beast!" And from one of the presses, the mechanical hound emerged. "I'm tuning Scrap Beast with Scrap Chimera! Rise! Draconid of rust and oil! Synchro Summon! Level 8! Scrap Dragon!"

And in a blaze of light, Yamichi would perform the second Synchro Summon of the Fortune Cup. "AMAZING! The young man's managed to call forth a powerful dragon! Gill looks to be in trouble here, ladies and gentlemen!" Even Yusei seemed mildly impressed, "That deck seems extremely versatile. I had no clue such monsters even existed." And to be honest? It made even Jack's deck seem slow, and he was almost always able to call out his ace as quickly as turn one.

"Next I activate Scrap Dragon's effect! I target Scrap Goblin and your Set card, and destroy them both!"

"Trap Card, Open! Entry Prohibited - No Entry!!"

And with that, his Scrap Dragon would be shifted into Defense Position, along with the rest of Gill's own monsters. A smart play, Yamichi thought; now he wouldn't take damage. "Regardless, I still have my Dragon's effect to resolve! Scrap Shot!" And in two bursts, both Goblin and the activated Trap were annihilated. "Goblin's effect! When a 'Scrap' effect destroys it, I can add a Scrap monster from my Graveyard! I then chain Factory and Searcher's effects! Searcher is Special Summoned, and when a card effect destroys a Scrap monster I control, I can Special Summon a Scrap monster from my Deck! Appear now, Scrap Breaker!"

"Wow! From one move, he managed to populate his field with three new monsters! What a fantastic turn of events!" MC continued to commentate, Yamichi just saying "And with Scrap Factory, all Scrap monsters I control gain 200 Attack Points! Battle! Scrap Breaker attacks Mystic Swordsman!" And with a deadly rush, the formidable sword wielder was brutally beaten. Gill's Life untouched with it being in Defense Position.

"And with that, I end my turn!" Yamichi then said, his Breaker returning to his side of the field.
 

"Hmmm, do you now?" Judai teased back, grinning slyly. "You didn't meet all my cards either. Much like I'm sure the same applies to your own deck. I have quite a few Fusions you never saw." God, if this playful taunting didn't kill the brunette first, the waiting likely would. Tilting his head back, he took another sip of his water, generously provided by Ling, and took another sip. "Heh, yeah. I think Gill's in for a rude wake-up call too. Then again, I can't say I'm overly amazed. Everyone here is crazy strong."

And though she couldn't see it, she felt Judai turn his head to look right at her.

"Even you, Celeste. Fairies are a deck few people make really good use of. But you definitely took advantage of some of their stronger cards."

Fayth chuckled nervously, her empty hand raising and twirling a few blonde strands around her finger. "I honestly think I got a tad lucky. Mainly that Jack has enough of a morale compass to make the right calls when needed, including giving me my stolen win."

" ... That's the part you're surprised at?" Judai inquired, obviously not having expected ot hear that.

"Well ... " Fayth paused, trying to conjure an honest answer that wouldn't sound too .... weird. "Power corrupts even the best of people. It tends to, anyway. I've seen it enough times. And usually, it gets to a point where people forget what they should or shouldn't do. So ... it was a bit of a surprise. A pleasant one though, most definitely. I am very grateful Jack allowed me to be here rather than Mr. E."

Very fair. More than enough, it seemed, as Judai didn't pry more on her answer. If anything, he'd seen the same display enough times himself. "True," he answered after mulling over a select few memories, only to swiftly shove them away. "Well ... we've all got your back. So give it your all when it's your turn!"

That being said, his attention went back to the screen. Like he'd thought, the third match had two very foreign names.

Kazama Soichi vs. Mukuro Enjo​

" ... Wait a second. Didn't another name used to be where Mukuro's is?" Judai asked, his eyebrows furrowing slightly. "I was about to joke I had no idea who to root for ... but now I'm wondering what's up with that name change."

Gill, meanwhile, was feeling so very exasperated. Was there really no way to win against this lad? It was feeling more and more with each second the answer was no.

But ... he had to win! He couldn't lose, let alone in the first round!

"Trap Card, Open! Entry Prohibited - No Entry!!"

Relieved as he was for having drawn this second trap, it was barely helping him out. He needed to turn this around ... or else he'd lose much more than his vow he made to Goodwin before this duel began. "Well played," he managed to dictate, still making an effort to remain his more chivalrous side than caving in and becoming a more corrupt knight. "I thus draw!"

And as he did, he found himself looking at what could easily be viewed as a 'last ditch' type of car. But as things were? This was exactly what he needed to have even a slither of a chance in winning his fight. "I'll lay a card down. Rahz and Freed will turn back into attack position! Freed! Slay the lad's dragon."

The attack was, unsurprisingly, negated ... but it was obvious even for Gill that he would have used the card even if Rahz had been used first. It was the logical decision to make, and this boy clearly had a damn good head attached to his shoulders.

"Rahz will go after thine Scrap Searcher then!" Which was - also expectantly - destroyed. Gill suppressed a sigh, briefly latching onto his lower lip before forcing himself to utter his next declaration. "Turn end!"
 

Much as Yamichi was glad he finally got an advantage, he didn't envy Gill in the slightest. Once he got his Field Magic and Goblin out, it was extremely difficult to unseat him unless they were destroyed. And as it stood now, the knight was at an extreme disadvantage. And Yamichi had to applaud him for trying to destroy his Dragon; if he had succeeded, it would have left quite vulnerable. But thankfully, his Trap saved him.

"You're pretty dangerous, Gill. If I didn't have this Trap, you would have probably cleaned out my Life by now." Yamichi told himself mentally, quite audible to Aki and anyone else who might be Psychically inclined. And with his Searcher being destroyed once more, Yamichi didn't falter. His Searcher was easily revived...Something that Gill would bear witness to this turn.

"My turn! Draw!" Yamichi declared, adding "I switch Scrap Dragon to Attack Position and activate its effect once more! Scrap Breaker and your Rahz in the middle Monster Zone are destroyed!" And after a successive barrage, both monsters were annihilated. "Scrap Factory's effect! I Special Summon a Scrap Chimera from my deck, and Searcher's effect allows me to Special Summon it once more!" Doing so, Gill would see the main power of his Deck. "Next I Normal Summon the Scrap Chimera in my hand and activate its effect! I Special Summon a Scrap Tuner monster from my Graveyard! Assemble, Scrap Mind Reader!" At this command, the bits of junk and scorched metal reformed into a tiny robot with green 'eyes'.

"Astounding! Yamichi's got a full field, and Knight Randsborg is down to two monsters!" MC announced loudly, Yamichi instead going for something different, his voice declaring. "I'm tuning my Mind Reader with my two Chimeras and Searcher!" And as the animation played out, MC kept up the commentary, "He's Synchro Summoning again!? Is he calling it out like he did in the Selection Tournament!?"

This would be confirmed as the audience would hear the chant he used last time, "Burn, erupt and destroy! Raise your three heads and howl in fury! Incinerate my enemy with the power of the sun! Synchro Summon! Level 10! Atomic Scrap Dragon!" And in a flash of light, the three-headed mechanical behemoth descended and roared, its ATK rising to 3400 thanks to Factory and being drowned by the loud cheers of approval from the audience. "There it is! A Level 10 Synchro Summon! Amazing, amazing, amazing!" the announcer shouted, now standing completely on his desk, his eyes wide with an almost manic energy.

And without wasting a moment, Yamichi would then declare, "Battle! My dragons attack your monsters! Wipe them out!" And in a series of devastating blows, Gill would find his field completely empty, his Life now down to a dangerous 4600. "Turn end!" Yamichi then said, the crowd roaring loudly as the young man turned this duel from a one-sided battle in favor of the knight to one for his.

Earlier on Rex had been enjoying the Duel; yes, he would certainly want to have a meeting with this Yamichi fellow. He'd known the Scrap archetype only by name and general function...But if he found such a use for them like this, then having him as a potential ally could be very beneficial for him. "Akutsu...What did you find?" he then asked, the scientist replying "Scraps...Benefit from destruction by their own effects as the non-Synchro variants, with the Synchro monsters themselves benefiting from being destroyed by the opponent. As you've seen, the Field provides one major draw engine for it, with the monster effects allowing the player to recycle the monsters themselves. It seems this Yamichi fellow has mastered it quite well."

At this, Rex pushed a button to speak with Jack's assistant, "Ms. Sagari, please go down to see this Yamichi. Tell him I would like to meet with him in person after this tournament is over." However, before she could respond, he was heralded by a sudden call. "Director, sir! This is Officer Kondo!" a voice said as a video feed popped up on a nearby monitor. "What is it?" Goodwin asked shortly, the officer stating, "It's Shira! He's been assaulted, and he's barely conscious! Someone beat the crap out of him, sir!" The Director could only frown at this, going to the terminal itself and starting to run a check against known Satellite offenders; only one of them could possibly be this brash.

"Any idea who it was that did it?" the Director asked; he already had someone in mind. That damned Fiend or his lover, Yuna. "Shira says it was someone with red and orange hair. Wore riding leathers and large black glasses." At this Jack's eyes widened, "Did you say red and orange hair? Director...Look up the name Mukuro Enjo." Doing so, Rex would find the mugshot and send it to the officer, "Is this the man?" A few seconds later, the officer would reply, "Indeed it is, sir! We'll apprehend him immediately!"

It was here that the Director would give a stunning response. "No...Leave him be. Jack, I believe you made him rather upset at you, yes? I'm curious to see if his talents have improved since your match all those months ago." Jack just crossed his arms, "The man dueled only on luck and no skill at all." Chuckling, Rex would continue, "Officers, if you see a man wearing Shira's robes...Leave him be. And as for Shira himself, have him taken to the hospital to be examined. If his injuries are that severe, he's in no shape to Duel." Hanging up, Rex just said, "Well...Let's just hope Officer Soichi still has his skills about him. At the very least, you might get to face an old rival again Jack."

Takeshi heard Judai's comment, as did Yusei, who looked up at the list of competitors and saw that indeed the name had changed. "You're right Judai...The previous name was Shira." Yusei would reply; what the hell, Yusei thought? How did Mukuro get into this tournament? "What did you do, Enjo? What happened to Shira?" he asked himself mentally.
 

"Wow. So that's his true strength?"

Ling felt her heart fluttering slightly as she watched her boyfriend summon a level 10 Synchro so easily. The sight was as breath-taking as it was unnerving. If she did end up going against him, that would be one of the many things she would have to obviously watch out for. She at least had cards to help deal with both his back-row and monsters ... but having them ready? That would ultimately be up to Fate once more. Yet despite how a part of her was so anxious at seeing Yamichi's true strength, it made her smile widen. She was feeling more and more content she was ever put against him in the selection tournament at all. Their meeting had definitely been one of the best things that had happened to her.

Scraps are capable of all this, huh? Fayth thought, smiling softly. She knew the details on them. However, no one back home had managed to find a productive way to use them, believing a deck hat destroyed itself had such low potential. Seeing ha theory proven wrong .... she was sure Reiji would be interested to learn this. Less for personal gain and more for any future Lancers or soldiers in general. Any advantage to help ensure things mostly stayed in their favor would definitely help.

Gill, meanwhile, was less than content with this turn. Impressed? Mayhaps a tad. But worse than that, he was frustrated. Particularly with his Quaking Mirror Force getting destroyed before he had a chance to use it. He needed something. Any of his monsters.

... But his heart sank as he drew ... and found a card that would have been much more helpful had he gotten it earlier; Solidarity.

Thus, this duel's about to end soon, he silently admitted. All the same, he was a knight. And he'd stay that way to the very end, no matter how annoyed he was at the outcome of this fray.

"I'll lay a card and end."
 

Yamichi's heart was pounding by this point; was he really about to win?! It certainly seemed like it, and damn it felt good! On his field, he had two of his most powerful monsters...And dear Gill was looking at a null field save for one set card. Was it another No Entry Trap card? Or something else? He'd seen the Quaking Mirror Force that was destroyed, so there was a very real chance it was that. But...He also had a gut feeling it wasn't.

"My turn! Draw!" Yamichi said, going directly into the Battle Phase. "Battle! Dragons, attack Knight Randsborg directly!" he shouted, both of his mechanized monstrosities powering up their attacks before unleashing hell on Gill. It was a sight that was both rewarding and kind of unsettling; for a moment, he saw Hajime's bound form in place of Gill, his body being washed over by Atomic Scrap Dragon's overpowering inferno attack. However...When it faded and showed the knight unharmed save for some ruffling of his cloak, Yamichi breathed a sigh of relief.

"AND THERE IT IS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! WE HAVE OUR NEXT QUARTERFINALS CONTESTANT! LET'S GIVE THESE TWO A HAND! WHAT A SPECTACULAR DUEL!" the announcer bolstered to the crowd, the enthusiastic applause making Yamichi blush and wave somewhat sheepishly at the crowd. He would then see Gill himself, the man looking a little disheartened at the outcome; the young man would walk forward until he was but a few paces away. "Sir...I can see why you won the Regionals. That deck of yours...It's kind of intimidating; there were a few times where I thought you had me. But...I really enjoyed the Duel. Arigato." And with that, he would give the knight a polite bow before excusing himself.

"Damn, Yamichi...Nice comeback!" Takeshi teased, ruffling the tech's hair and making him blush. "Oiiii..." he muttered, pulling up the neck of his long coat to hide his face. "Aww, don't be so modest! You crushed it!" Takeshi grinned, pulling Yamichi close and whispering "And hey...Ling was pretty freaking impressed dude; stars in her eyes and everything. I think you made an impression on her." Looking over to the woman he could call his girlfriend - something that still seemed kind of alien to him, if only because they hadn't known each other all that long - and flashed her a happy but awkward smile. "That was so cool, Yamichi! I didn't know about Scraps, but they seem like they're kick-ass on top of kick-ass!" Lua cheered; for someone as young as he, he couldn't help but get excited at seeing powerful monsters in Dueling. "Now I really wish I made it through! I could get the chance to Duel you!" the young man continued on, Takeshi just laughing "Poor kid, so excited she could hardly contain herself."

"What a show, what a show!" MC would then come on next, "Alright, folks! We've had two sets of incredibly stubborn Duelists fighting for supremacy! I think I can safely say we've gotten this tournament off to an impressive start! So let's keep it going! Next up, we have Soichi Kazama versus Sh...What?" Nearly everyone looked in the stands at each other, not knowing what could have caused the jubilant man to suddenly cut himself off. "Uhm...One moment folks! It seems I've gotten the wrong list...My old one says his opponent is Shira, but the new prompt says 'Mukuro Enjo' next on the tournament brackets. That can't be right, it must be some mistake."

It was here that Goodwin's voice would then come over the loudspeakers, "I'm afraid it's no mistake. Shira, I'm afraid, is indisposed. So...Mr. Enjo, why don't you be so kind and show us all who you really are?"
 

Gill wasn't sure what to expect. In truth, he almost didn't notice Yamichi approaching him until he heard his voice. His mind had originally been focused on the outcome. He'd lost. Easy as it could be for the knight to ask Yamichi to succeed where he'd failed, hat was an unfair request. Mainly because there would be no guarantee he'd go against the cursed witch. Hell, she may not even advance. Strong as she was, the woman wasn't invincible. Still ... was it worth asking him?

When he heard Yamichi praise him, the thought almost immediately disappeared. No, most definitely not. The lad was far too pure to heed such a request, anyway. This had been his own personal mission, and he had no one but himself to blame for his failure.

"I thank thee, young man. Drede that thou will certainly get far in this fray. Fare thee well."

His own head bowed as he turned and pivoted on his feet, leaving the stadium.

Ling felt her face quickly light up as she heard Takeshi whispering to Yamichi. "I'm right here," she muttered, playfully shoving Takeshi's shoulders. "I can speak for myself, thanks." Smiling as she sat closer to Yamichi, she leaned forward and hugged him. "I'm not sure if it was stars I saw, but he is right about that. I did ... wow. That was amazing to watch."

Fayth, meanwhile, took a long sip and breath. Stupidly in that exact order, which made her choke a bit on her drink. She knew it wasn't going to be long before she'd be up. As encouraging as everyone had been, walking up and dueling in front of everyone ... there was no way to really prepare for that sort of spotlight. "Hey ... Yusei? When my turn arrives, mind making sure I don't walk too far? I've been hearing and feeling where everyone has gone to, but .... I'd rather make sure."

"Sorry, but .... feeling?" Judai curiously asked.

"Yeah. Footsteps. Like when Yamichi came back ... he came from around that area." She pointed forward, lowering her hand soon after indicating the correct spot before resuming, "Maybe ... ten to twenty paces away, depending on how big one makes their steps. Thirty at the absolute most, but I don't envision it being that far away."

Judai tilted his head ... even slowly stood up. He moved his feet ... yet stayed still. Clearly pretending to walk over and gauge how far away it was. When it fit the range Fayth gave, he chuckled and sat back down, smiling at Fayth. "Not bad, Celeste."

"Heh, thanks. Well ... the other senses have to adapt. Otherwise ... I wouldn't function very well. That's all there is to it."

Rex - as well as the rest of the audience - wouldn't have to wait very long for Mukuro to walk out.

"The hell you mean show you guys who I am?! It's as the screen says; I'm Mukuro Enjo, bitches! Soooo?! Where's this Kazama guy, eh?!" Just like Goodwin had seen earlier, a man with a matching description was very eagerly and hastily making his way to the same area Gill and Yamichi had been recently. A smirk formed as his eyes took note of the large group; specifically the women amongst them.

So that's where all the beauties have been hiding. Heh. Noted for later.

"Well?!" he inquired impatiently. "Does this mean my opponent surrendered? Come on! Either put up or shut up! Have Kazama get his ass out here or declare the winner!"

Fayth frowned, scooting just a bit closer to Yusei. This guy was immediately reminding her of the same three gang members she found upon first entering the Satellite. Even if it led to her meeting someone as generous as Yusei, the other men in question had ... less than honorable intentions. If she hadn't been on edge enough before, now her emotions were practically spiking.

I don't usually take sides, but don't let him win. Sweet gods, please ...
 

"Ah. Sure, I can do that for you." Yusei would reply, feeling a bit uneasy now that the next round of the tournament was about to start. How did Mukuro even get here? From what he'd seen, the only way over was completely guarded by Sector. Unless the guy was already here, like he had been...Which was almost worse; who knew what kind of trouble he had been getting himself in if that were the case.

And it all came to a head when Mukuro revealed himself, coming out of a side entrance and throwing Shira's cloak off of him; Bommer narrowed his eyes, muttering "So...That's what happened to him." He wasn't surprised; Shira might be 'The Duelist of Death' or 'Shinigami Reborn', but the dark-skinned male could tell the man was not equipped to deal with foes physically. He partially wondered if the Director was going to cancel this match anyway...But from the tone, he surmised that it was unlikely.

And as Mukuro would call out his name, Kazama would stand up and reply, "If you're looking for me...Then clearly you're not looking hard enough." That just figured, he thought; there had to be someone from Satellite who came and tried to ruin it for everyone. And even though he didn't really feel like fighting this guy, he remembered what Goodwin had said to him:

"Remember, Officer Soichi. You are part of the Tops' finest Security force. I call on you because I have need of your skills; it is for you to prove yourself. Do this for me, and I promise you won't go unrewarded."

Truth be told, he wasn't really doing this for glory; if Goodwin believed these 'Signers' were part of a dangerous cult that allied heavily with the dregs of the Satellite, then he would answer the call if only because duty mandated he would. He knew that not all people from the Satellite were bad...But it was the gangs that people turned to for help, not them. And frankly, some of the things he had seen as an Officer made him want to surrender his shield. He couldn't believe some of his co-workers sometimes, even if the criminal factions were a real and present danger.

Regardless, he slipped on his Duel Disk and walked past Mukuro without even acknowledging him. "Uhm, wait...Director, sir, is this allowed? If this man wasn't who was originally here..." MC would ask, Goodwin just smiling and replying back over the loudspeaker, "It's fine...Besides, this adds an element of uncertainty. And what better way to entertain the good people of the Tops than to have a twist thrown in every now and again?" This was something that was met with isolated cheers and clapping; seemed Goodwin did know how to turn on the charm from time to time.

"Well, you heard him folks! We've got a new match-up! Kazama Soichi versus Mukuro Enjo! Coin....Toss!" And when the screen would show the giant coin, Kazama called "Heads!" and when it landed correctly, he would say "I'll attack later." giving the new-comer the first move. A risky move, considering this guy likely had a deck he had no idea how to use.

Yamichi would look over at Yusei after this had all transpired, seeing the man have a rather firm look about him. "Uhm...Yusei? Everything alright?" he asked, the duelist nodding "Ah, yeah...Well, I happen to know who Mukuro is. I don't know him very well, but he *is* from the Satellite like me. And if he's here...That only means he's back to try and take Jack on again by going for the title shot." At this Takeshi interjected, "Eh? This has happened before?" Yusei just nodded, "Yeah...A while ago, Jack and Mukuro were in a Title Match. Jack seemed to be down for the count, at his last thousand Life, but basically came back and won the match in a single turn." Takeshi just whistled, "Damn...That's impressive. And this was before they changed the limits, I suppose?"
 

"You're Kazama, huh?" Mukuro mused as his opponent walked by, snickering slightly. "What a pansy! Hahaha! This duel already has victory written with my name on it."

His head turned, almost ready to argue with the MC about this match happening or not. thankfully, - and amazingly - Goodwin was all for this.

"Damn straight! Alright! Let's get this started!" So far, everything had been practically falling into his lap. Finding all the ladies who did get so far in this competition, winning the coin toss, and seeing his beginning hand. This could work. His magic cards maybe didn't seem like they served a purpose now, but he knew they'd come into play later. "You're gonna wish you'd gone first. Too late for you! No take backs!"

While his eyes stayed focused on Kazama, the next words were clearly not addressed to his opponent; something they'd pick up on pretty quickly. "Since I'm highly doubting this guy's gonna amuse me, you all will. I got something for all of you women. Well, most of you are are anyway. Ya'll have a large-ass group, don't ya? In fact, shouldn't a certain one of you already be home playing with your dolls? You already lost. Game over for ya!"

... Yeah. After re-looking at his hand, there was only one truly smart move to make.

"I summon UFO Turtle. I'll heed the K.I.S.S. abbreviation this turn; keep it simple, stupid. So done for now!"

"W-Wow ... what the ... ??" Turning her head to Yusei, Fayth managed to ask, "Is ... he always like this?"

"Hmph. If he thinks he's pulling this crap with the rest of us, he's wrong. I'll storm over there myself if needed." With the insult not having been subtle at all, her eyes softened as she turned to Luca. "Ignore him. He's just a bully. Guys like him pull stunts like this because .... of the stupidest reasons. Usually because they can and feel so sure they can get away."

But surely, that had tot be a bluff, right? Or, alternatively, even if he did have a verbal quip already figured out, he at least couldn't do anything. .... Shouldn't be able to, anyway. "I'm starting to feel like everyone should have someone when they have to leave, or when this tournament ends. Likely both."

Even though Fayth hadn't voiced her hopes for Mukuro to lose out loud, she had another supporter. Already, Ling was praying either this bastard would lose .... or she could be given an excuse to kick his ass without any consequences.
 

Jack's eyes narrowed as Mukuro berated not just his opponent, but the other competitors as well; there was a good reason he had humiliated the man when they last battled. It was because this was exactly how he treated everyone. As a brat, a punk not worthy of success. He had tried to hold back out of both pity and a desire to flex his muscle as a Duelist...But when it was clear that the man would take a mile from even the smallest fraction of an inch, that was when he ended it. And if push came to shove, he would do it again.

"Oi! The hell's that supposed to mean?! I'll show you who should be playing with dolls!" Lua shouted back, Takeshi trying to quiet her down, "Whoa, whoa, easy...It's like Ling said. The guy's a bully; he just thinks he's powerful because he feels like he can get away with it...So don't let him get to you, alright?" Lua just huffed and crossed his arms, "Hmph...Talks about me playing with dolls." And it was here that Lua would shout back at Mukuro, "Yeah? Well, your hair looks like someone farted on an active lighter!"

It was quite the absurd remark...One that Yamichi couldn't help but laugh at. Not to be mean, but because it was so unexpected to hear from a young woman like her. "Where did you pull that from?" he chuckled, Lua not able to help but smile just a little "Eh-he...I don't know, but I had to say something!"

Yusei frowned as Fayth asked if he was always like this, "Unfortunately...Every time I've seen him, that's pretty much it. He is a skilled Duelist, but his temperament is poor. He's sore when it comes to both winning and losing."

Soichi ignored the man's rude remarks, instead saying "You say you like to keep it simple...And yet you've said more words in the last two minutes you've been here than the announcer has in the past three matches. Hasn't anyone taught you to be succinct?" Without giving the man another edge to say anything else, he would then take his turn. "My turn, draw!" Kazama declared, going forward with his turn, "I Normal Summon Hellway Patrol in Attack Mode! Then I'll use him to destroy your UFO Turtle!" His mounted enforcer gunned the engine of his motorcycle, screaming forward and going into a powerslide over his monster, shattering its image.

"Hellway Patrol's effect! When it destroys a monster by battle, it inflicts damage equal to the destroyed monster's Level times one hundred! UFO Turtle was Level Four, which means 400 additional damage to you! Hell Citation!" At this his monster would pull out a submachine gun from the holster on the side of his bike, aim it at Mukuro and fire a short blast. Bringing his opponent down to 7400 in the first turn. Even if it would allow his opponent to Special Summon a monster from his deck. Nothing that could beat his Patrol, though, since it could summon something with 1500 or less Attack Points.

"And with that I end my turn!" Kazama declared, his rider coming back to rest on his side of the field. "And there you have it folks! Kazama makes the first move and a strong one no less! Now let's see how Mukuro responds to that kind of damage!" MC announced afterwards, keeping the energy going and the crowd engaged.
 

Ling blinked ... and then sighed. Well ... if this guy really was going to say something about the women, it'd be a miracle if she herself avoided cursing. So she supposed she could let that slide. Mainly because it came from a very young one lady. That was what took her aback the most; age rather than the gender of the individual cursing. "Unfortunately, replying like that is exactly what he wants. Just ... think of something you enjoy. Dueling? A person you're close with? But ... yeah. That's exactly what bullies feed off of, per se."

If Mukuro actually heard Luca, he didn't care. If anything, the 'insult' made his smirk widen. Sans the farting part, the analogy wasn't too far off considering his deck he used was very fiery.

"Shove off. I'm keeping my moves simple. What I say is none of your concern, quite frankly. You'll have a shit ton more things to worry about."

Indeed, the monster he opted to summon did have less than 1500 attack. "I'll select one of my Burning Skull Heads for UFO Turtle's effect. Easy, MC! I'll face it head on! Not scared of this Patrol! Draw!"

It would have been preferable if he could have used the next card in his hand ... properly. Meaning being able to activate its effect then and there. Ah well. It'd be worth the risk that came with this play. "I activate my field card, Undead World! Next, I summon Molten Zombie. Molten Zombie will attack your Patrol --- yeah, yeah, MC. I can practically hear it. It'll result in a kamikaze. But that's fine~ It's exactly why I have a back-up monster on my field, and he doesn't! So, here comes the second - and direct - attack, courtesy of my Burning Skull Head!"

Though he was barely in the lead, the fact remained Mukuro gained a 400 point lead, with Kazama's life dropping quickly to 7000 life.

"Speaking of fiery things, .... hmph. You don't look as fiery as your hair implies. In fact, you look really cold. Borderline dead. Not my type. I prefer my women warm, thanks."

... Really? He even ... ??

Even Aki couldn't help but react, though it was far more subtle than Lua's response. She wasn't sure whether to feel more insulted or relieved she'd gotten something relatively ... tame. Particularly compared to what the last two were gonna get. The
bastard was feeling so smug and proud in his thoughts that they were practically screaming in Aki's head. "You two - Celeste and Ling - may not wanna stick around for his next few turns."

That certainly made Ling raise an eyebrow. She'd been so quiet. And now ... she was legitimately trying to help out?

Well ... it at least somewhat made up for the earlier exchange.

"Appreciate it, but this punk doesn't scare me. Besides, leaving is another thing he'd want."

"It won't be him scaring you that you'll have to worry about. But ... " Aki shrugged. "I tried."

"Turn end! Come at me, ya pansy!" Mukuro had only paused to contemplate whether to use at least one magic card now or later. Still not yet. The right time would present itself soon enough.
 

Takeshi and Yamichi both felt a slight chill run down their spines as Aki of all people became a target of Mukuro's insults. Well...The dude was definitely crazy. This much was certain; even if he didn't know who Aki was, per se, if she looked cold then it was generally unwise to provoke them. That was a rule that ALL of the Disciples had learned: If someone seemed cold and heartless, best leave them alone. There were more than a few female gang members who could tear Mukuro a new hole, anywhere she would like.

And even the MC seemed a bit miffed; he wasn't doing this to point out flaws in a Duelist's deck or strategy. He was just here because he loved announcing duels, helping to get the crowd excited and engaged. He would rather die than miss a powerful exhibition of Dueling skill, even if he was no real Duelist himself.

Kazama just narrowed his eyes and winced as Burning Skull Head impacted him, dropping his life by a solid 1000 Points; why, oh why, did he have to get faced against someone like him? Having watched the other Selection Tournaments, he was suddenly wishing even that Sasaki woman was here. Even if she was cold, she would be a far more preferable alternative. Plus...She was actually pretty easy on the eyes, now that he thought about it. Yep...He was going to think about her to help keep his mind off of Mukuro's foul attitude.

"That right? Well...Best I knuckle up then. My turn! Draw!" Kazama shouted, declaring afterwards "I banish Hellway Patrol from my Graveyard, and by its effect I can Special Summon a monster with 2000 or less Attack Points from my hand! I choose Ritual Djinn Demolisher in Defense Mode!" At this, a tiny chubby dwarf-like creature would pop-up, an oversized battleaxe crossed over its front as it hunched over. "I'll then set a card and end my turn!"

Takeshi seemed a bit perplexed, "No Normal Summon? He was still able to right?" Yamichi just shrugged, "Probably had a reason; maybe he's banking on the chance his opponent has no other monsters. Even if it eats just one attack, he'll have bought himself time to build up a stronger offense."

And indeed...Kazama had a plan. One facet of which was allowing his opponent to build up a sufficient offense, before bringing it all crumbling down. Even if it would cost him some Life, it would be worth if he could pull this off.
 

"Heh! Getting careless, are we?" Mukuro taunted, also noting the lack of a normal summon. "Fine by me."

It'd make much, much more than simply winning the duel all the more easier for him at this rate. The real question was who to keep his eyes on. Both had their appeal, no doubt. But he couldn't help but favor the blind gal, if only - or primarily - due to thinking she'd be a real screamer in her state.

Suppose I can save the best for last, he internally agreed, smirking as he drew.

"Here I come! I summon a Molten Zombie to the field! Burning Skull head! Incinerate that face-up Djinn, Demolisher of Rituals!"

Nothing was used to stop the destruction. Then again, neither himself nor Kazama had really drawn many back-row cards, so it wasn't overly amazing. Slightly annoying, but he could keep working with this.

"Annnnnd Molten Zombie will go in for the direct attack!"

Just like that, Kazama's life dropped, threatening to reach the half-way point.

There was a slight silence .... perhaps he'd forgotten? Maybe he had been bluffing.

That would be everyone's wish, no doubt. Because he snuck a sideways glance to Ling, chuckling lowly as he easily decided to keep using the original taunt he'd conjured.

"Hey, you! Miss Oriental! I know you've got another particular slit that ain't on that lovely dress of yours. I'd love to see it sometime."

Ling's mouth fell agape. Did he really just say that?

Her mind processed the words, wanting to believe her ears had simply fooled her. But when she couldn't correct what she heard, her face quickly turned a deep red before she glanced swiftly away, hiding her head on Yamichi's shoulder.

"Hold me before I do something stupid," she murmured in a muffled voice, her body shaking in humiliation and rage.

That had been another eason he favored Celeste more so than Ling. Priceless as her reaction had been, it was obvious the guy she was using to hide on was likely a lover.

With Celeste?

That just looked like it could pass off as an elder brother, blood-related or not. She'd also be much easier to find alone.

"Turn end. Haven't run outta steam, have you? I'm just getting started!"
 

Yamichi held Ling close, shooting Mukuro a poisonous glare; the hell was this dude's problem? That kind of commentary was unnecessary, even more so considering that Mukuro's unspoken assessment was correct. She was his girlfriend, someone he loved. "What an asshole...Ignore him, Ling. Dude clearly just says these things to get a reaction." he whispered; even Takeshi was looking none too pleased. "Kazama, you better kick his ass, I swear!" the brown-haired Disciple muttered.

Yusei grimaced; yeah, this was just like Mukuro alright. Much as he hated to admit, this guy had no filter of any kind.

"Oh? Director? Are you sure it's appropriate to have some of his temperament in this tournament? He seems rather ill-mannered." Akutsu would then ask, Goodwin seeming a little put-off by the man's foul language. "Yes. With Gill defeated, we'll need all the sources of antagonism we can scrounge up. And much as I loathe a Satellite brat such as him...His reckless behavior will prove invaluable to preparing the others." He had no trouble saying this in front of Jack; he made it very clear what he was trying to do when he explained the legend of the Dragon Star, and thus his prodigy was clued in on (almost) all the dealings.

"Hardly." Kazama replied flatly after Molten Zombie dropped his Life to 5400, adding "But your attitude is rather unwelcome. Best be careful who you speak to in such a way...You'll find that some will not tolerate disrespect." Kazama then said, declaring "I draw!" Sure, he didn't have much in his hand right now...But with the card he just drew, he would be one step closer to finally making a dent of his own.

"I'll set a monster and one card face-down, then activate the Magic Card, Gishki no Shitajunbi! With its effect, I'll add a Ritual Monster and its corresponding Ritual Magic card from my Deck to my hand!" Kazama declared, showing them to his opponent. Garlandorf, Demon King of Destruction and his Ritual Magic, Ritual of Destruction would be the cards Mukuro would see. "And with that, I'll end my turn!"

"Folks, I believe we're going to see something we haven't seen in a long time! It seems like Kazama is preparing for a Ritual Summon! Of course, he'll just have to somehow keep his monster on the field from being destroyed! Won't be too easy with Mukuro continuing to hammer away at his defenses though!" MC announced; Takeshi raised a brow, "Rituals, huh? Haven't seen that in what seems like forever." And honestly? The last time he did see was when Hotsuma tried to use a deck centered around Demise, King of Armageddon...Definitely not one of his boss's prouder moments, that much was certain.
 

"That ... I ... "

It had been years since anyone made Ling legitimately speechless. But now, she was stammering. Failing to come up with anything coherent. By the time she did find her voice, she was trembling so hard that some of the others could probably feel the bench shaking a bit. "I did not work so hard at beating Sasaki to endure this kind of crap!" she hissed furiously, tightening her own grip slightly just to help ensure she stayed put.

"Disgusting," Judai murmured, frowning. While he was naive in certain regards, the innuendo hadn't been missed. Hearing someone stoop that low? Good god. Even with all the problems in his own dimension, the threat or risk of running into a sexual predator? That had never been an issue for Asuka or any of the other women. It was beyond wrong to have to just sit here and watch the toll this was taking on all of the females.

Worse off, Celeste was supposed to go next.

But at this rate, Judai - and most of the others, likely - wouldn't blame her for not wanting to enter the arena.

And ... Judai was very right. Fayth was already questioning if she even could function. This bastard ... had he purposely saved her for last, knowing she was going to duel next?

The answer was only partially right. The main reason, honestly, was to imply he'd kept her as the main woman his own eyes were staying on. But no one needed to know or catch onto that. Or ... even if they did, it didn't guarantee they'd be able to keep her safe.

"Heh. Don't you have more of your own shit to worry about there, Kazama? Besides, I know that perfectly. That's what counters are for; to get past any obstacles and keep going for your goals. Draw! I'll summon a second UFO Turtle, who'll proceed to attack your set."

.... Huh. That was something he hadn't see in a while; a tie between attack and defense. Another slightly irritating thing, but ah well. It wasn't like he lost anything from it .... save the chance to hit him directly with the stronger monster. Still, Mukuro did have other moves to make.

"Alright then. Molten Zombie will destroy it instead. Burning Skull will get the direct hit once again."

I can't listen!

Given his patterns, Fayth had a decent idea her 'statement' would arrive soon. Her hands quickly rose to cover her ears.

"Awwww, none of that. I purposely waited to save you for last. But thanks for confirming something I figured. You may be blind, sweetie, but you're definitely not stupid. I'm pretty sure every other sense works wonders for you. I can help test that out later, if ya want."

It may have lacked the crude innuendo, but the sexual undertones were there. And that was what made Fayth take her turn in beginning to shake.

" ... Did it work at all? Blocking him out?" Judai asked hopefully, scoffing in annoyance at Mukuro as he watched her head move from side to side.

"He's right about my other senses being keen. But god, I wish I hadn't heard. That's .... that's an unfair psychological game he's playing. Goddamnit ... " Fayth shakily pulled her knees up to her chest, laying her own head on her kneecaps. It wasn't that she didn't want to use Yusei's chest. But she was already asking him for a lot. For the time being, she was still the same burden to others who knew her. Maybe when that was altered, she'd feel more confident.

But right now, this seemed like something she needed to try coping with on her own.

.... Though knowing she had a large target on her back was definitely not doing Fayth any favors.

"Turn end. Let's see if your ritual can turn this around, shall we?" Admittedly, it wasn't just the crowd and spectators curious about the idea of seeing a ritual. Even Mukuro was intrigued. Few people, if any, used any method of special summoning aside from Synchro Monsters. Fusions were easily the second most common method bu .... rituals? This had to be the first - definitely one of the first - people who would even try using such cards.
 

Apparently her attempt to block him out had not worked, evidenced as such when he went through and made THAT statement. Was there no end to his depravity? Yusei couldn't help scowling now, placing a hand comfortingly on Fayth's shoulder. She shouldn't have to put up with this...None of them should, not even Aki who got arguably the tamest insult out of everyone.

"Oi, the hell's your problem, asshole?!" Takeshi yelled, Lua adding "Yeah, what he said! Kazama, pile-drive him or something!" It was clear that he was getting to most everyone in that booth; if he wasn't careful, one of them was going to forget this was a duel and use something else to fight.

Ignoring his crass remark, Kazama would reply, "Indeed...Counters do exist. And you'll find I have one for your monsters well. Draw! From my hand, I activate the Magic Card, Ritual of Destruction!" At this, a giant seal of sorts appeared on his field. Wicked chains rattling as something stirred from deep within the prison. Continuing on, he would then say "I banish Ritual Djinn Demolisher and Ritual Djinn Presider from my Graveyard to fulfill the Summoning requirements! Awaken from your ancient slumber, call forth the might that will devastate all who oppose you! Ritual Summon! Garlandorf, Demon King of Destruction!"

And in a powerful wave, a bestial roar was heard as the chains and seals all shattered loudly, wind blowing harshly against both Duelists as the gigantic monster stepped forth. Howling once more in pure rage, eyes gleaming that demonic red. And with 2500 ATK, it outclassed anything he had on the field...But this would be the least of Mukuro's worries. "When Garlandorf is Summoned successfully, it destroys all monsters on your side of the field! Destructor Aura!"

And in a fantastic display of might, twin balls of energy gathered in each of the Ritual Monster's hands before being flung forward, shattering every one of his opponent's monsters. "That's not all either; when this effect activates, Garlandorf gains 100 Attack Points for every monster destroyed!" And as the meter would show, his monster's ATK rose to 2800. Enough to deal a significant blow to Mukuro's Life.

"Now then...Garlandorf! Direct Attack! Demon's Oversoul!" Kazama shouted, pointing right at Mukuro; his monster gathered even more black crackling energy into an orb on an outstretched hand, drawing it back before hurling it at the fiery-haired man and having it impact him directly. Cutting his Life down to 4600, almost neck and neck where he was at.

"Amazing folks! In one turn, Kazama's turned this Duel more in his favor! They're almost tied in Life now!" MC announced, much to the cheers from the crowd. "Haha, hell yeah!" Lua and Takehsi both shouted at the same time, Yusei even giving a small smirk. "That ought to humble him a little bit...Hopefully." Yusei mused. Kazama too even sported a proud smile, "They say actions speak louder than words, right? I think I've come back a little bit with this...Should be careful what you ask for, my friend. But with that, I'll end my turn. Your move, Enjo."

Goodwin even was grinning a little, "So...Rituals? And here I thought that was a dead way of playing. Archaic, but it's refreshing to see someone using the old ways. Adds an element of surprise to the game...Now let's see if Kazama can keep the advantage."
 

The concern was becoming more and more true. Judai was barely containing himself from standing up and intervening to partake in a physical fight. And he was very similar to Yamichi and the other Disciples in that regard; almost never go into any brawls. But he was very ready to make an exception, even at the risk of forcing himself not to use Yubel's assistance. Not everyone needed to see his change ... if that could be helped, anyway. "Oi ... Celeste. Take advantage of a few things. Timing, for one. This duel's not over, so you have chances to get yourself in a better mindset. Two - and hopefully the most important part - it's no like you're guaranteed to go against him. Three - something just as vital - none of us are letting that bastard get near you."

"I ... I mean, I appreciate the support, but .... "

By now, Ling had calmed herself enough to lift her head. Her gaze had started to shift to the duel, but stopped. Poor Celeste; she was taking this insult-hurling far worse than herself. With how strongly she was reacting, it was safe to assume she'd had some close calls with being raped - or approached with said intentions before. Going next and all the forced imagery ... none of that was helping. Her eyes softened as she looked over to the blindfolded girl ... and got an idea upon looking at her half-finished tea. "If you'll let me, I have some ginseng I carry around with me. It's especially good with getting rid of stress. It may not take away anything that's already been said and thus heard by you, but at least you should have an easier time focusing."

" .... Please ... yes .... " Reaching down, Fayth grabbed her drink, handing it down the line, as it were.

When it reached Ling, she opened a small, discreet pouch that was attached her dress via a mini-belt created with a simple sash. Sure enough, a distinct odor would come from the bag she produced. Something in between bitter but sweet at the same time. "If you don't mind me asking, how'd you get here? Did he accompany you?" she asked, her head nodding slightly towards Yusei.

"No. I .... got directions from my usual partner who joins me. She's been going to work as of late though, so she couldn't come along."

"Well .... it's good to hear you usually do have someone. However ... I'm feeling more and more like enforcing that 'no one leaves alone' idea. You're in the Tops, yes?" When she saw Fayth give an affirmative nod, she began looking between the others. "At least think about pairing up. Come the end of this day though, I'm really thinking it should be enforced."

After taking a few moments to shake the drink - with the cap tightly secured, of course - to ensure the ginseng got mixed in with the tea, she handed it back down to Fayth.

"Thank you," Fayth softly replied, shaking the drink a few more times - more out of habit than not trusting Ling - and reopened the cap, taking a sip .... and made a slight face.

"Heh. Sorry. I kinda was afraid it may be a tad strong. I'm used to it, so ... it's not as potent against me."

"Well," Fayth stated, waiting to swallow the first sip before continuing, "My mind is definitely not on him. That's for damn sure. Thanks."

Mukuro, meanwhile, was indeed slightly regretting daring Kazama to come at him. Not only had he accepted the challenge, he did so in a far more devastating way than even Mukuro would have ever expected. His entire field wiped out in a matter of seconds. And if that wasn't bad enough, his life points were now dangerously close with his opponents. His hand lowered as the last of gusts died down and simply stared at Kazama.

It almost looked as if he had gotten humbled. And perhaps for a few seconds, Yusei's observation had been correct.

However, after he drew and examined his hand, his smirk returned .... and he busted out laughing.

"What a fucking perfect set-up! Thanks, my man! Al-fucking-right! Here I go! Brace yourself, 'cause this is gonna be one hell of a turn! First, I'll activate Foolish Burial to send Meizuki to the graveyard. I then activate Meizuki's effect. By banishing him, I can special summon another monster from my grave to the field. I'll select UFO Turtle. Next, I activate Burial From a Different Dimension, which allows me to take a banished card and get it back to my graveyard. And thus, Meizuki returns, but not for long. This time, I'll select Molten Zombie. Because he was special summoned, I get another card."

Fayth's eyebrows furrowed. He was building up - that was obvious. The main question came down to ... what, exactly? And was it anything legitimate? Or was it a bluff?

"And now for my second Burial to activate. Rinse and repeat time!"

Literally so, as Meizuki would be chosen, only to be banished yet again to summon a second Molten Zombie.

"And now, here's the moment of truth! I summon ... Ultimate Baseball Kid! For every other FIRE element monsters, he gains 1000 more attack!"

Which caused the once 500 attack point monster to jump to 3500. Easily overpowering the Demonic King.

"Baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaatter up! Strike Out Slam on Garlandorf!"

Again, nothing was done to prevent the destruction or damage.

"Hehe, fuck yeah! Sorry kiddos. I ain't going down that easy."

And as for you, Jack, you'll find I can actually back my talk up now. Don't have to like it. In fact, I don't give a fuck if you do or not. Hehe~

Fayth was devastated. He ... really got rid of that Ritual monster? With almost no effort? Her teeth gripped her lower lip as she downed more of her tea. Surely, Kazama had something - anything - to turn this duel around, right? Even if Judai was right and she wasn't guaranteed to go against him, the fact of the matter was she didn't wish to see or hear him after this day was over. And to think she had hated how Kiryu treated her. Even he was seeming merciful in his own rights.

Crazy as Kiryu had been, at least him being a sexual predator hadn't been a concern.

You're losing it if you'd actually rather risk seeing him again than dealing with this prick, she thought, shaking her head in disbelief.
 

Kazama seemed quite confident that he'd gotten an advantage; after all, he had no monsters on his field...And nothing on the field to help resurrect them. Little did he know that Mukuro was actually quite talented...And that despite his foul attitude, his former title of World Champion was not one given in vain (though perhaps one could consider it questionable, given how he had just assaulted another contestant to gain his entry into this tournament).

And when Mukuro made his little statement about this being a perfect set-up, Kazama could only raise his brow in curiosity; what did he have exactly? But...When he started going through his turn, he was immediately thinking that he was going to perform an Advance Summon with all these monsters he just piled up on the field. And yet, he would soon be proven wrong, summoning a Level Three monster with 500 ATK. And while most wouldn't think much of it, its ability would prove to be very useful indeed.

And his eyes could only widen as his own monster threw a sphere of energy at it, Mukuro's monster slamming it right back in Garlandorf's face, his image shattering into pieces and Kazama's life dropping 700 points lower. "Aww, man! Just when he got ahead!" Lua shouted, Takeshi sitting back down himself; he mirrored mentally what the young woman just said, but was also equally annoyed that the guy had a trick like that just waiting for him. "And there's another reversal! Mukuro's fiery slugger just sent a home run through that demon's head! This isn't looking good for Kazama! Can he turn this around!?!" MC announced loudly; if there was one thing that could be said, it's that these two were giving a hell of a show.

Even Yusei seemed a bit distraught; did Kazama have nothing? No, he was sure there was something.

Kazama's eyes narrowed; now he was the one in a bad spot. But...He did have something to protect himself. He needed to just draw it. "Come on...Just give me a few more turns." he pleaded mentally, his eyes closing as he declared, "My turn! Draw!" And when he looked at his card, a wide smile broke out of his own. "From my hand, I activate the Magic Card, Protective Sealing Swords of Light!" And upon the card's activation, all of Mukuro's monsters would be run through by a barrage of holy blades, shining radiantly as they held his creatures in place. "And for three turns, you cannot declare an attack! I'll then set a monster face-down! Turn end!" Kazama then went on.

Yamichi just laughed, "Well...If he just drew that, perhaps there's someone else that wants Kazama to win. Hopefully he'll be able to get something that can turn this around." At this Yusei would speak up, "It's not without its price though...Kazama's banking on being able to draw the cards he needs to perform another Ritual Summon, or perhaps get something that can overpower his monsters. And Mukuro...Let's just say that his deck isn't all about attacking. If Kazama doesn't do something soon, he's going to be in trouble."

Jack and Goodwin continued to watch the Duel, the latter stating "Seems Kazama's in trouble. A good kid, but this was an unexpected development." Jack then asked, "Why did you allow this, Goodwin? You know what he did...He should have been immediately disqualified." At this Goodwin smiled, "Wasn't it you who said Dueling should be for entertainment? Besides, Shira's going to be fine. And who doesn't enjoy when a more sinister element makes a surprise visit? And lastly...Aside from his demeanor, the added twist of his likely coming for you again will help motivate him to push everyone else to do their best." "At least it wasn't the Fiend...I was sure he would do something as reckless, if not more so." Goodwin added as a mental afterthought.
 

This duel was getting worse by the second. And it wasn't even hers. Fayth was frowning, no even trying to hide her own feelings on how thtis duel was progressing so far. Her head quickly nodded as she heard Yusei drop the hint there was more to Mukuro's deck than simply attacking his opponent. "Effect damage, isn't it? A lot of FIRE monsters and traps for said element are really good at including effect damage somehow."

" ... Effect damage?" Ling repeated, tilting her head slightly.

"Mhm. Cards like Backfire ... and even now, his Baseball Kid could hit him despite those Swords being on the field. It'd be a waste, given Ultimate only deals 500 per monster he destroys. He'd weaken it too quickly before using it at its best potential."

" ... Wow. You weren't kidding about your memory. I'm kinda jealous. Hmm. I do see what you mean, though."

Heh. Not half bad. Though if she pieced that together so easily .... is she really blind?

Despite not having as keen of hearing as Fayth, he had picked up on enough of her response to piece together what she'd assumed. Ah well. It only strengthened his decision, and his thoughts. She was far more intelligent than one would immediately assume. As the swords surrounded his monsters, Mukuro merely snickered. "If you think those are gonna stop me, you're dead wrong. Just saying right now. Draw!"

Unfortunately, it was exactly as Celeste said. Even if he could use his Baseball Kid's effect, he'd weaken it and use up a good chance to make full use of it.

"I release both of my Molten Zombies to summon Skull Flame. I'll also set my own card. It's not my preference, but I can afford to wait one turn. The real question is can you? Turn end. Hehehe!"
 

It was indeed impressive that Fayth was able to basically recreate the Duel in her head, especially for someone who had clearly gone without their sight for some time now. Takeshi had to wonder what she pictured people like...And part of him wanted her to envision him as a guy in a clown suit. Complete with oversized shoes and everything, because that was exactly what he was acting like. But the mental imagery was just too much, and he had to stifle a laugh with his hand. Yamichi saw this and asked, "Takeshi? The hell's so funny?"

The brown-haired Disciple just grinned, trying to go back to being more serious but only replied, "I'll tell you later...You'll get a laugh out of it."

Kazama, meanwhile, just frowned as Mukuro mocked his plays; what else did he have in store? It had to be some kind of effect damage, but....He couldn't think too much on it. "My turn, draw!" he declared, seeing the monster he just drew. "I summon Hell Security in Attack Mode, then I Flip Summon Ritual Djinn Curse Enchanter!"

And with this, he could try to go the offensive. One that would severely cripple his offense and weaken his Baseball Kid. "I'm tuning Hell Security with Ritual Djinn! Synchro Summon! Hell T--" he started to say, but a loud buzz from his arm interrupted his sentence. Looking down, he saw a message on his Duel Disk.

"ERROR"

"...What? How?"

He was trying to think, even going so far as to pull out a copy of the monster he was about to Synchro Summon from his Extra Deck. He read the requirements again. '1 Fiend-type Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters'. He had that on the field...Didn't he?

But when he looked again, he saw why he wasn't able to pull it off. Undead World turned his monsters into Undead-types, meaning that he couldn't Synchro Summon anything. He was effectively shut out, but at least he couldn't still attack him. Even so, his cheeks were tinged red with embarrassment, and he just knew that Mukuro would love to drill him for this. "Turn end..." Kazama then stated defeatedly, something that anyone would notice.

"Ouch...Mukuro's Field Spell must have made his monsters a different type for what he was trying to Summon. Poor guy, that's gotta suck." Yamichi said, Takeshi just adding "Hey now, don't give up hope yet! Kazama still has a chance!"
 
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