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


Yusei would indeed slam on the brakes, keeping himself from colliding with the odd aura that seemed to pop up from nowhere. Even though he'd never seen it with his own eyes before, this was where his gut instincts kicked in. And ... it didn't look good. Likely for a damn fair reason. But in case he needed any further proof, it arrived with a new figure making themselves known.

The robes certainly made Yusei raise an eyebrow. That was ... different. Disregarding the attire, there was ... something else that made this newcomer feel even more off.

A spider tattoo? Yusei thought, his head quickly shaking.

"Look, right now, I ... "

His eyes widened, gritting both jaw and teeth firmly as his own Sign acted up as it was finally revealed the 'tattoo' wasn't that at all. It was a mark, and since his own was reacting ... there was only one deduction Yusei could make. One that he voiced aloud.

"I see. So you're one of the Dark Signers?"

It shouldn't have amazed him and in most regards, it didn't. But it definitely irritated him. He hadn't wanted to be correct on detecting the uneasy feelings; apparently, though, there was a justified reason for picking up on them.

"Very well. You wanted this, so here we go. Duel!"

His own arm rose as Yusei - reluctantly but still - got off his Wheeler. His disk activated and without waiting, he removed the top five cards off his deck after it got shuffled. "I'll go first then. Draw! I'll set a monster as well as a card. Turn end!"
 
"Very good...Quite right I am. Not a full-fledged one mind you, but I'm affiliated with them all the same. I've been sent to eliminate you in their name." the robed man would would say, their own Duel starting up. Yusei starting up with a set card and monster, quite a typical move but one that he knew was vital to Yusei's stratagem.

"If I had to take a guess...That set monster is likely Shield Wing, yes? Or Roadrunner. Do you always play so carefully?" the robed man asked, a smile on his face but his tone not conveying a hint of condescension or mocking. "But forgive me, I'm being rather rude aren't I?" he would then say, pulling back his hood to reveal his true face. "Dick Pitt...It's customary to tell your opponent their name before crushing them, is it not?" Dick would comment, chuckling a little as the hood was pulled back over his face.

Yusei would likely recognize him as the up and coming Street Duelist that had gained a fair bit of notoriety for challenging high-ranking Duelists in public. And that how he was acting now was not how he acted during his previous Duels.

"But since your turn is over...I go now! My turn! Draw!" Dick declared, going forth with his moves "I activate the Permanent Magic - Water Hazard and the Field Magic - Atlantis the Legendary City!" As he declared this, a wall of water came to rise up around them, the scenery changing to that of an underwater paradise with the two of them in a sort of Colosseum-type setting, minus the stands and spectators.

"I then set two cards face-down and end my turn! Your move, Fudo!" Dick would then say.

A bit further away, a car was driving along trying to get home from a long day at the office. "Well...Thanks to my articles, I've gotten some great publicity for the paper...But I am beat. I can't wait to have some tea and just relax..." Angela would say, eyes closed for a moment as she pictured herself relaxing in her tub just soaking her troubles away; however, a scanner she had installed to look for illegal duels instantly picked up a hit, making her snap from her daydream.

It wasn't a usual signature either...Was someone using hacked disks?! She'd been looking for this forever! "Screw the hot water...This is my chance! Chief, I'm going to make you proud!" she shouted, excitedly slamming on the accelerator and racing off towards the source of the signal.
 

Not full-fledged?

That was ... odd to hear. So ... a minion, more or less? Was that was he meant? Either way, his eyebrows were furrowed. If they had 'unofficial' members, there was much more than just Kiryu to look out for. That had only been partially a given. Yusei wouldn't have assumed Kiryu was the only Dark Signer, no. But now with the knowledge that there were others whom, despite not being within the ranks, so to speak, were being included and part of the picture .... this was something he needed to bring up.

His head jerked quickly around, eyes further narrowing.

Shit! Then ... Bolger ... is he also?!

His left fist clenched. The right would have joined were it empty. As it was, he didn't want to ruin the cards he was holding in his hand.

"Excuse me?"

He turned back to look at the man, having mostly missed his introduction. However, hearing him correctly name two cards that he did indeed usually set grabbed Yusei's attention once again.

" ..... "

He started to ask why and how he had such knowledge, but decided against it. That was one of the last things that mattered at this very moment. He needed to hurry up with this duel and get to Crow as soon as humanly possible. Not that he didn't think his friend couldn't handle himself; but this was the first time either of them had dealt with the Dark Signers. Back-up wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing.

Jack had all but hinted being alone wasn't smart, and even though they had been on a rocky road the past months, he wasn't about to dismiss his other friend's advice. Truthfully, after hearing from him and Fayth how just Kiryu had been in the theater, he knew he needed to end this duel and get to Crow.

.... He knew what it could have been, but didn't have anything to summon?

It wasn't necessarily odd, but certainly something that Yusei took note of.

"Draw ... "

The field card alone had already hinted he may have his own version of Fuyu's deck. Even if not the Ice Barriers, at least a deck solely of WATER monsters. The revealing of Tornado Wall helped confirm that, as it specifically worked while Umi was on the field. Well ... they were making it easy - in concept, of course - to know what Yusei needed to do. Get rid of that wall.

... Unfortunately, it looked like it was going to be a while. But he already knew what was needed; it would just be a matter of waiting to gather all of the right cards to go through with his plan. Until then ...

"I summon Speed Warrior. Unfortunately, you've made the battle phase all but nonexistent so ... turn end."
 
Even as Yusei might look away, Dick just laughed. "And here I thought I was being rude; not only did you ignore my introduction, but now you're thinking about something else already...Don't you think that's rather bad manners, Yusei?" he would say, watching as the young man would take his turn. He of course didn't actually mind; if anything, it would make him want to force him to stay here longer.

"But seriously Yusei...You had best focus on the Duel here, or else you'll never find out what happens to your dear friend." Dick would say, adding "But if you're worried about Bolger-san being one of us, don't be." Giving the Signer a malicious sneer, he would finish with "He is doing what he does for his own goals, of his own volition. You could say that your friend, as of now, is likely the safest out of all of you in terms of actual danger."

And when Yusei commented on the Battle Phase being sealed, Dick could only chuckle, "Aww, you sound so disappointed. So eager to drain my Life and leave? You truly are a rude one, Yusei. But being friends with Atlas, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised."

Dick knew Yusei was smart; his barrier likely wouldn't hold forever...But it didn't need to; once he managed to Summon his greatest monster, it would be short order to defeat the Signer in the name of his new masters.

"My turn again, draw!"

Unfortunately...Much like Yusei, he too was having difficulty getting the cards he needed to pull off his combination. Thankfully, the titanic cyclones around him - along with the iced-over field surrounding Yusei and his monsters from his Icy Road Permanent Trap card - would serve as a great way to slow down Yusei's likely ability to annihilate him in a matter of seconds. "I'll set a monster for now; seems like we're both in for a long game. I'll be curious to see how you respond to this barrier of mine. We're much alike in that regard, Yusei; some rely purely on the main deck, like that Shimoda character or that knight Duelist Jill...Others, like us, use our Synchros to crush our adversaries."

Dick then laughed lowly, "Thrilling to see such delightful power unleashed is it not? I wonder how you'll like what I have in store for you, Yusei. I can't wait for you to meet him, hehe."
 

"If you're trying to provoke me, that's not smart."

Not that it was easy to do to begin with, but even Yusei could get angry. It just took a lot more effort compared to any of the other Enforcers. In fact, the others teased and half-seriously would often ask where he got his patience from. Had he known his parents better before they died, he probably would have given a more definite answer. Unfortunately, he could only flash Jack, Crow, or Kiryu a wry grin and reply with a simple but earnest response of "I don't know".

"And what of you? I could point my own fingers at you and accuse you of cheating for knowing my deck and what's in it ahead of time. Especially given we've never met face to face before."

His head shook from side to side.

"But ... I'm not going to do that. I may not like that you have such knowledge, but I'm not gonna make accusations without proof."

Hmm .... not likely Ice Barriers. He would have summoned something in attack by now.

Assuming Dick didn't draw a mulligan, that was. But then .... he would have expected him to get a new hand. And since he hadn't ... that only strengthened his belief. He recalled that there were much more attackers than defenders from what Yusei had observed when Fuyu fought Kiryu. So he was feeling confident - and relieved, to be completely honest - that this Dick was using something aside from Ice Barriers. He would have been in a lot worse trouble had the opposite been true. The effects of those monsters were actually rather devastating, more so in the hands of a skilled duelist.

So what does he have?

Off the top of Yusei's head, he couldn't think of many other WATER clans. So be it; time would eventually force his opponent to finally reveal what his deck could truly do.

"Since this is probably gonna be a while as you said ... tell me something. What's in it for you? You said Bolger was doing ... whatever he's doing with Crow on his own. So he's got his own agenda. What's your story, so to speak? Why are you with the Dark Signers?"

Yusei didn't expect much of a response. Or, if Dick would agree to give any answer, it wouldn't result in the duel being put to an end. Not likely, anyway. In fact ... 'not likely' was feeling more like 'definitely not'. If Yusei could have talked his way out of this fight, that would have happened when they met.

Fair.

So then - if he did answer Yusei's inquiry - it could at least give him insight. Considering this was the first meeting with any of these new foes - official or not - it felt like something that could help. Even if only a small amount ... it was something. And that really was better than nothing. That was his hope, anyway. But if push came to shove? He had his own plan to concentrate on.

Granted, it was reassuring to hear that Crow was actually probably safe - at least as far as whom he was riding beside and their status, or lack of, as a Dark Signer. But that didn't guarantee everything, and the wild card factors were what fueled Yusei on.

"Draw!"

... Well, if that wasn't irony, he didn't know what was. Dick was correct in guessing what he usually set. But that hadn't been the first thing Yusei had placed down. Now, however .... ah well.

"I'll set a monster. Turn end."
 
"Testy, testy; I meant not to provoke. I'm simply informing you of what will happen." Dick would reply. Unlike how Yusei might think him to be, Dick actually seemed to act fairly civil...Or the closest thing to civil he could be, considering he literally implied that there would be lethal consequences for whomever lost their encounters with the Dark Signers.

However, when Yusei then went on to ask what his own agenda was, Dick just smiled, "I believe I clarified that at the very beginning, did I not? I'm here to eliminate you in the name of the Dark Signers. My motives are not for myself, but for them. I get only pleasure of serving those who are vastly superior to me, that's all there is to it. You bear the mark of their enemy, therefore you must be destroyed."

It was here that Dick then asked a question, his head tilting a little in curiosity, "Do you believe this to be some sort of personal vendetta? I know between Bolger and Crow that certainly implies...But as you stated, neither of us truly know each other. I'll answer that for you, however: This is not because of some deep-seated grudge or wrongdoing you inflicted upon me. I was merely ordered to carry out your execution in this game, and that is what I shall do."

Dick would then go with his own turn, "My turn! Draw!" Taking a look at his card, he then said, "Well...Guess we're both not having much luck; much as you likely do not have a way around my cards currently, neither do I have a way around yours. So to that end: Let us struggle fruitlessly against each other, for only through this trial of tactics and patience shall one of us prevail. The Gods demand an excellent battle, so let us not disappoint them, Yusei."

His head then bowed slightly, a somber smile still on his face as he then said "Turn end...Now then, Yusei...Let us see if fortune smiles upon you to shatter this wall."
 

So ... it's really that simple, huh?

Yusei wasn't sure how to feel that this group had a borderline narrow way of thinking. Granted, the Tornado Wall card was making it difficult for Yusei to grasp victory. But from what he was seeing? That was the only true obstacle he was getting from Dick. Once that was gone, it appeared like he himself would emerge as the victor.

"No, I heard you," Yusei calmly replied, "But it's like I asked - what do you get out of it? A chance for glory at beating me? And if that backfires, then what?"

.... There was a huge chance that something could happen should Yusei somehow lose. And if the talk he and Crow had heard from Jack and Fayth was anything to go off of ... then he had a decent enough idea on what that was. Maybe not how that'd work, but he had no intentions of dying here.

... He really has nothing?

After all of the turns they'd taken, it definitely seemed weird. Not enough to make Yusei pity the guy, and definitely nowhere near enough to start going easy. The latter being hinted as he drew his top card and quickly saw ... at least a way to get things set up. Not yet a full-fledged victory, but it'd definitely be a start in the right direction.

"I summon Road Synchron! I'll flip up the very first thing I set and reveal it to be Quillbolt Hedgehog. I'll use my Speed Warrior, Road Synchron, and Quillbolt Hedgehog to tune! Synchro Summon! Road Warrior!"

A ghost of a smirk spread over Yusei's face.

"I'm nowhere near done. Not yet. Next, I'll activate Road Warrior's effect to special summon Nitro Synchron in face-up defense mode. Quillbolt will return - also in face-up defense - with its effect. The next time it leaves the field, it'll be banished ... but I intend to make it worth it. Since I normal summoned this turn, I can special summon Turbo Booster. I'll flip my other set up - Shield Wing. Shield Wing, Nitro Synchron, Quillbolt Hedgehog, and Turbo Booster will all be used for a second Synchro Summon!"

The familiar green and silver vortex reappeared, with the creatures jumping in and disappearing in a bright flash of light.

"Synchro Summon! Nitro Warrior! Nitro Synchron's effect activates, allowing me to draw another card."

His smile couldn't help but widen as he stared down at the new card he drew from the effect. "I then play Battle Waltz. I'll select Road Warrior and make a copy of it."

Yusei would go silent, allowing the sight to sink in. Some quick math would reveal that were the wall not up, Yusei would have won in this turn.

"The moment it crumbles ... this duel will end. No questions asked. Turn end."
 
"You might have some negative view of humanity Yusei, but there are people who do things for the collective good without incentive. I happen to be one of those people; I do not need something as lowly as an ulterior motive to destroy you. It was asked of me, therefore it shall be done. Plain and simple. And if I should lose? Well, that means fate smiles upon you to be the victor. After all, this is what a Death Duel is all about: The fight to survive, and only the strongest are allowed to live."

Was it an odd statement? Likely for others, but for Dick it was the only thing he knew as truth. The Dark Signers tasked him with this glorious mission to destroy Yusei Fudo, one of the sworn enemies. And he would do so with every ounce of his being.

And for Yusei, it would likely confirm what would happen once this Duel was over: One of them would not be walking out of here.

And when Yusei Synchro Summoned, not once but twice? He could see why it was he was given this power. Fudo was a formidable threat indeed...One that needed to be dealt with quickly, but as it stood, he had nothing. Nothing except this barrier which could come crumbling down at any moment. He was cognizant of it...But even the threat of being destroyed by his own challenge did not seem to faze him.

"Ah yes, I can see why the Dragon chose you. The heart of a warrior beats within...I can respect that. My old self used to be very much like you...Far less skilled, but no less determined to win." Dick would reply, adding "I know very well this wall is what blocks you, Yusei...But think of it as a test. To see if having that power is truly something you can utilize."

Returning his focus to the Duel, Dick then went forward, "I draw! I'll summon Snow Dragon from my hand, then I'll Flip Summon Dark Repairer!" His monster's were a far cry from any of Yusei's on the field, but it wasn't with their strength he was concerned. At this he then pointed towards his Road Warrior, "Battle! Snow Dragon attacks Road Warrior!" The impish little reptile charged at the hulking mechanical behemoth, the latter delivering a crushing strike that shattered it. But thanks to his Tornado Wall, he would take no damage.

"Snow Dragon's effect then activates! When it's destroyed and sent to the Graveyard, all face-up monsters gain an Ice Counter!"

The four monsters still remaining would then become encased in a shell of clear ice, some emitting groans of what was likely discomfort and pain as they were frozen solid. "Seems like they're not built for cold weather...Guess I should let them warm back up! I remove all the Ice Counters on the Field to Special Summon Snowdust Dragon in Attack Mode!" The ice shells seemed to shatter and fly apart, quickly coalescing on Dick's field into a giant ice-blue dragon that seemed to be literally carved from it. And with 3000 ATK, Yusei was definitely going to lose one of his monsters at the very least.

"Turn end..." Dick would say, adding with a bit of a grin "So Yusei...Which of your monsters will you sacrifice to the lethal chill? You're to lose one at the very least, two or more if you're not careful."
 

Death Duel, huh?

Then ... this barrier wasn't just to keep him from riding away. More likely than not, anyway. Turning and looking at the bright purple circle surrounding them for a few moments, Yusei would look back as Dick started his turn. There was definitely a nerve-wracking factor about this fight all of a sudden now that he knew this wouldn't be any normal fight. But he was at least trying to look calm despite feeling a bit pressured. Now, he had to make his turns - particularly the past one - worth it. Summoning or acting too hastily wouldn't be good for either of them, certainly not Yusei.

He would rendezvous with Crow, which meant coming out as the winner in this duel.

... Sure, Yusei felt a bit of pity for Dick. He doubted his opponent was bluffing, which meant that if he could pave his way and secure a win, Dick would indeed perish. But at the same time, he seemed eerily comfortable knowing what he'd walked into.

"I wouldn't say your old self is completely gone, actually. Most others would probably be even a bit anxious in knowing Damocles's Sword is dangling over them as well as their opponent. You're at least keeping your emotions better in check than most others who would be in your place. You have to have your own warrior mindset and heart in order to be here and staring at Death."

Moreover, he probably wouldn't want pity. So, he offered the one thing Yusei was always great with; sincere, earnest words.

"Draw! None yet. When that happens, it'll be on my terms. Until then ... "

He had already planned on figuring a way to summon Stardust Dragon. The card he drew, however, only reassured Yusei it was indeed the right thing to aim for.

"I'll set a card. Turn end."

Anyone else would probably try to accuse Yusei of being far too arrogant, but he and Dick would know the truth. The massive dragon was the first real monster he had been able to summon. Even if the wall would keep him from getting wounded, recklessly charging would be foolish. Especially if his hand had few other monsters in it.

So Yusei was confident he wouldn't attack until he could afford to take the risk. And with the way things were panning? That wouldn't be anytime too soon, he imagined.
 
"Of all the tales you could have used, you prefer to reference Damocles with respect to myself? How very interesting; color me impressed, Yusei." Dick would comment; indeed, Dick did seem almost too calm for the fact that the guillotine was hanging right over his neck, But this was the power he was bestowed with: Freedom from the fear of Death. That didn't mean he would throw caution to the wind, but it did mean that once things were in place, he would be happy to exercise every ounce of this new strength.

"While I'm flattered you bother trying to appeal to my sense of humility, you give me far too much credit. I have no aspirations of that sort; once this is done, I will do as I am commanded. You of all people should know that the tale of Damocles is a cautionary one: When one aspires for power, they accept all the risks and rewards that come with it. How lucky was he that the breadth of horse hair didn't snap while it hung over his head?" he would then say.

Dick then gave a wicked smile, his head bowed and hiding his eyes as he chuckled, "I wonder when the blade finally does fall, through whose heart shall it pierce? The anticipation is killing me; I can't wait to see how this ends!"

He would then take his next turn, "Draw!" Still nothing he could use...But he did get one of the cards he needed. "So close...So very close." But Dick would then just say, "I'll switch Dark Repairer to Defense Mode, then end my turn."

By this point, Angela had just veered off the freeway and noticed something rather strange; it was near where the signal seemed to be coming from, but...What was it? She narrowed and squinted her eyes as she turned down onto the street, and it looked like...Fire? This must be one of those crazy-ass Duels she'd heard about from her sources! From what she'd heard, Duel Gangs always found a way to try and up the stakes: Swinging saw blades, modified Runners to have the vehicle blow apart when the rider's life hit zero. This was a fairly shady area of the Tops too, so it wasn't surprising to her that .

"Talk about a scoooop!!! Eeeee! Chief is going to be bursting at the seams! This is going to sell even better than those disgusting ramen cups!" she squealed, all smiles as she killed the lights and pulled off to the side. She was still a great deal away from where the duel was actually taking place, but she couldn't risk them being scared off. Unfortunately...She would also need to find a way to mount her camera, since she was currently alone. Ah well, she'd done mostly solo work; she'd make it happen.

"I could call my cameraman...No, that dope would only somehow ruin it! At least I keep a pair of sneakers in the car just in case; no way I'm walking that distance in these heels. My feet would hate me...." she would mutter; after a quick change, she then took her expensive camera and after checking to make sure the battery was full and had a spare on hand, took the case and ran off to where this likely illegal Duel was happening.
 

"That's exactly why I chose Damocles's Sword. Does it not apply to the here and now? Yes, you are using your powers. Even still .... "

He nodded towards the face-up Tornado Wall.

"Let's assume you'd been able to summon your Snowdust Dragon sooner. During the same one you could have activated that card. Would you still have, even before I got my own powerful monsters out? Probably. But in some respects? I don't blame you. I have my own cards similar to that. In their own rights, they keep me safe and ... minimize, if not completely assist in me avoiding, a dangerous blow to my life."

Yusei gave a nonchalant shrug.

"It was more the theme than the man the tale revolved around I was looking around that suited this duel. At any rate ... "

Close? So he is going for something, it seems.

That did explain why his past few turns had been rather tame. Or at least offer one logical explanation. It could have been even simpler, like horrible draws, or both. Well .... whatever the case, he seemed ready to accept whatever fate may or may not come at the end of this fray. And so was Yusei, but then he was adamant on getting out of this alive, even if he lost. Ready to try to defy Death somehow.

"Draw! I'll activate one of my sets, Graceful Revival, and bring back Shield Wing to the field. Turn end."

A different test; would he take the bait or leave Shield Wing alone? It'd be one way for him to get the lead as far as life points went. But it wouldn't allow him to kill off Shield Wing; not unless Dick summoned enough monsters. These answers were what Yusei wanted to see, but that hadn't been the only reason he activated his set. He was building up himself, working on summoning not only Stardust Dragon, but the monster he truly needed to deal with that wall.
 
"Oh, I'm not faulting you in the slightest, Yusei; it's very fitting, actually. Just didn't expect you the type to know Roman mythology is all." Dick would say nonchalantly. And when Yusei summoned Shield Wing, Dick would declare, "Icy Road's effect activates! It's changed to Defense Position!" Of course, given the monster's particular effect, it would actually strengthen Yusei's defenses since it could survive two attacks per Battle Phase without being destroyed.

But this didn't seem to bother Dick in the slightest; after all, he had his own impenetrable defense. And with how Yusei was looking right now? He didn't have squat to get rid of it. Suits him just fine.

"I more than likely would have, if only in the hopes of being able to deplete your Life even just a little. But I suppose it wasn't fully for naught, was it? Even so..." Dick mused, his blank-pupiled pale-blue eyes staring at Yusei from under the hood of his robe, "I wonder why you don't destroy my monsters, Yusei; even if Tornado Wall blocks battle damage, you sure it's fine to just leave me with monsters I can use for nearly anything? I mean, I have a good reason, but you have three monsters that can easily beat over my own. Draw!"

Taking a look at his hand, he sighed, "Guess we'll have to be here a little while longer; I wonder how our respective comrades are doing, Yusei. Crow is strong, but I feel like Bolger likely knows his cards inside and out. Will he be able to overcome such an obstacle?" Giving a small grin, he then added, "Well..Only way you'll find out is to destroy this wall I've built before you. Turn end."

Angela by this point had managed to sneak down the road past another couple of cars, camera recorder in hand as she brushed a few stray locks out of her face. Had to look good for doing such an exposé; she had no idea what was going on, but she didn't plan on missing this. "Huh...Isn't that the Fudo kid I saw Atlas talking to? I knew something about him felt off!" she whispered to herself, recognizing Yusei almost immediately; she got a bad feeling from him, and this in her mind just cemented that he was a no-good lowlife.

Well...Maybe once this got back to the Director, she could start getting real dirt on the Director himself. Imagine the headlines, she thought, especially with the fiascos that her articles helped expose even more. Switching on the camera, she hid behind another car and turned on the recorder, saying with a smile in a low tone to not be heard by the Duelists, "Angela Raines from the Daily Duel here; I've just stumbled across what is very likely an illegal Duel: You can't see it right now, but it looks like they've lit a ring of fire around themselves. Talk about weird, eh?"

She would peek out over the top, allowing the aperture to capture the Duel in action for a moment and allowing the feed to see the two men locked in battle. Before longing turning it back upon herself, "Probably some kind of gang initiation...But doesn't seem like any Duel Gang I've researched. Looks eerily cult-like...Anyway, let's watch and see how it unfolds!" And with that, she would turn the camera back on the action, waiting to see if there was anything that stood out about this Duel.
 

"Knowing one's deck is all well and good. Clearly, you do also. But that's one of the beauties of duels. You could - and maybe do - know every combination I have. But can you prepare for the exact one I intend to use?"

A knowing grin appeared on Yusei's face. This was one of those times where even if a person failed to give a verbal reply, it wasn't needed. But he would give him a chance to offer a response, be it a truthful one or otherwise. Either way, he already felt pretty confident about the answer.

"To be fair, it technically applies to myself, in a sense. I may know what I want to use. But it's not like I can manipulate every single thing I draw."

Maybe a few, like via cards such as Tuning. But that was only for a single card. Those didn't guarantee that combos went off, let alone in a successful manner.

"It's exactly for that reason that duels are never truly over until someone's life hits zero. Even though Crow did rush off in a rather hasty manner, he knows when to calm himself down. I trust that by the time he duels Bolger, he won't let his feelings get in the way of his choices or plays."

Of course, it was equally possible that Bolger would attempt to manipulate Crow's reactions in some form or fashion. Still ... no. Dwelling on a mere possibility wouldn't do Yusei any good.

Yusei took note of Dick's turn - lack of, rather, and couldn't help but wonder if that was a move done out of sheer arrogance or really bad luck. Hopefully the latter, but ... whatever the case, he'd already ended his turn.

"Very well. Draw!"

Still nothing to help destroy the wall. However ....

"I equip Nitro Warrior with Junk Barrage! Nitro Warrior's ... "

And that was when Yusei frowned. What the hell was going on? His eyebrows furrowed as he waited expectantly, and yet ... the effect that should have kicked in never did.

" ... Fine. Well, congrats. You're going to get part of what you wanted; me to attack. My waltz token will destroy your Snow Dragon."

His original plan was to have Nitro Warrior do so and deplete Dick's life with effect damage from Junk Barrage. For some reason, though, Nitro Warrior's attack hadn't gone up despite using a spell card.

"Turn end."
 
"Oh absolutely; it's entirely possible to shut your deck down completely. But doing so would also leave me at a disadvantage, so there's really no net gain for me in doing so." Dick would say, adding "Besides, using such cowardly tactics makes a Duel feel empty. There's no pleasure in fighting if the fight is one-sided." Watching too as Fudo would suicide attack with his Token

As the turns went forward though, it was looking very much like he had described. Junk Barrage's effect allowing Yusei to deal damage to him despite the fact that he had a wall designed to prevent battle damage. It was proof that the young man was as much a threat as Rutger had said him to be. "Yes, I can see why Master desires your destruction...You are powerful, Fudo. A man capable of changing the course of history." Dick thought to himself.

Angela would watch this Duel, getting slightly frustrated as Yusei's opponent seemed to let him wail on his Life. Was he not even trying? No, he was too calm and smiling too much for that to be the case. "Ugh....Going to have to edit this part out. They're both stalled, basically..." the reporter thought to herself, her mental tone displaying her annoyance with the situation.

Little did either realize that things were about to turn around quite harshly for Yusei.

"My turn! Draw!"

It was here that Dick smiled, "Yusei, do you mind if I show you something...Something you'll get to look forward to very soon? Hehe, remember that friend I wanted you to meet. Well, the pieces are all complete. And I have you to thank for helping me set this all up."

Dick would then show Yusei one of the cards in his hand, "I exclude Snow Dragon and Dragon Ice from the Graveyard to Special Summon Fenrir!" It was definitely quite an unusual card, a Level 4 with 1400 ATK that required 2 banishments to Summon? That high of a cost could only mean one thing...

"I then summon the Tuner monster, Dark Repairer!" Dick called out, the strange demonic creature cackling and waving its multitude of tool-bearing appendages around. "Because of Atlantis' effect, Fenrir drops to Level 3! And with this, Level 2 Dark Repairer Dark Tunes with Level 3 Fenrir!"

Yusei would notice that the animation Synchro monsters used would be quite different this time around, Dick's arms over his head as he chanted, "Demon of ice and steel, freeze the Underworld and the souls of the damned! Black out the Light in the endless chill of Death! DARK SYNCHRO! FREEZING FITZGERALD!" And its form burst forth from the column of pitch-black energy, bone-chilling winds rocked the Dueling Field, Angela herself even having to huddle behind the car to escape the wintery blasts of air. One look at her camera would see that a decent layer of frost now covered the lens and body; taking her sleeve she tried to wipe it off. "What the hell kind of monster is that?" she would say as she quickly was able to refocus the camera; though the air now felt as if it were thirty degrees colder. Like a sudden arctic storm had swept through and started to linger.

"Well Yusei...What do you think? I have to thank you for destroying my monsters; it wouldn't have been possible without it." Dick chuckled, adding "I then activate the Equipment Magic, Mage Power! For every Magic and Trap card I control, my monster's power rises by 500! And Atlantis' effect further boosts his power by 200!" With all those buffs, Yusei and Angela would see his monster rise to well over 5000 ATK.

"Now then, Yusei...Let us see how well you can handle an attack from a Dark Signer! Freezing Fitzgerald, annihilate Nitro Warrior! Icy Hell Burst!" Two appendages descended from either side of the ice-covered monster's forms, a barrage of ice shards flying at Yusei's monster and turning it into a pincushion before making it explode...Though that wasn't the worst of it, the shards continuing past it and several piercing Yusei himself and sending him flying back. The winds from the attack's force also making a parked car go flying Angela, herself letting out a scream before she ducked, hearing the sound of shearing metal above as the flung automobile crashed and crumpled on the side of the building. Car alarms blaring loudly from the disturbance, her eyes wide and her breath uneven and ragged from the adrenaline; this was a hell of a scoop...But what the actual fuck did she just witness?! What kind of monster can do that?!

Dick just chuckled, "Well, Yusei? Now you can see why I've been so patient, right? Summoning this guy is no easy matter; much like his power, it requires...some pain from both of us. And up until now, you were the only one hurting me. So I decided to collect. And just think, I'm only a pawn of the Dark Signers; imagine the kind of power they wield." Dick then just laughed and said, "Turn end."
 
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The more he talked, the more it felt ... odd to know Yusei was going against a Dark Signer. Dick seemed to have enough honor in him to avoid what he agreed could be viewed as 'low, cheap tactics'. And yet ... he still had all the other signs - literal ones on his body or otherwise - that indicated this was technically a foe. Yusei honestly felt more and more torn as the duel went on.

On one hand, his desire to rendezvous with Crow hadn't dared began to disappear. Simultaneously, he was partially considering if there were methods that could lead to a draw.

Unfortunately, there were certain reasons draws were borderline impossible to pull off in duels. By the time this ended, there was probably going to be just one of them standing. Even with how slow it was all going, Yusei had no intentions of easily losing what advantage he had when it came to being on the offense. Sure enough, his plan with equipping Nitro Warrior with Junk Barrage worked for quite a while. After gods knew how many back and forth turns went by, he was still standing at 8000 life points, while Dick had been dwindled down to 5900.

But then ... the very atmosphere itself seemed to change. It got more tense, something that made his eyebrows narrow. Lo and behold, Dick relayed he finally finished his setup, and went on to ...

Dark Synchro? Yusei thought, his arms instinctively raising.

Even though he hadn't known beforehand the damage he was about to feel would be real, his gut feelings were often right about when to prepare for danger. Now had, apparently, been a correct time to use that mindset.

A deadly combination of chilly wind plus a few icicles flew by Yusei. A small handful grazed his actual flesh. Right cheek and arm, namely. One even was sharp enough to cut through his lower pant leg and nick his hamstring. Another succeeded in exposing part of his left shoulder by cutting enough of his top and jacket away, wounding him there.

The exposure to the far colder temperature made him shudder ... though that wasn't the only thing that led to Yusei reacting in such a way. He hadn't watched or attended the selection tournament when Takeshi and Shivini dealt accidental, but real, damage to one another. He never could have imagined or guessed how such a thing would feel.

Huh?! Who else is here?!

He didn't turn to look for the source of the scream, but Yusei definitely noted it. He hadn't heard anyone else ... but then again, his focus had seldom left the ongoing fight.

Definitely not Fayth ....

Which was a bit of a relief; mainly because she, too, was a Signer. And should things not go Yusei's way? It'd just expose her to danger she probably wouldn't want to worry about. But ... who had that been he heard? His head shook. Unfortunately, they were probably past the barrier, and even if not? Yusei would need to make this aura go away in order to help them out.

So this is what they're capable of? he thought, taking a long, semi-shaky breath to get aid in turning his attention back to the duel.

"Draw! Actually ... I have to thank you, too. You gave me one thing I needed; some space."

His grin widened, helping mask at least some of his anxiety as he went on with his turn. "I summon Junk Synchron! I'll then set two cards. Road Warrior! Attack Barrier Statue!"

Good. With the attack being successful, it would allow him to do what he had originally wanted, but couldn't whilst the Statue was still on the field. "I'll then go to my second main phase. I'll use Quillbolt's effect to special summon him to the field. Next, I'll use my Quillbolt Hedgehog, Wing, Sonic Chick, and Junk Synchron to Synchro Summon! Junk Destroyer, appear!"

Again, Yusei's smile expanded.

"You knew I was going for this, right? Then it should be no surprise what's going to come next. I'll activate Junk Destroyer's effect. The three cards I choose are Atlantis, Freezing Fitzgerald, and Eishbahn."

Even though Yusei had indeed chosen only three, it resulted in quite a large domino effect.

Once Atlantis went away, so did Tornado Wall. Furthermore, Freezing Fitzgerald being destroyed led to the destruction of Mage Power.

So what started out as Yusei picking three cards ended up with a considerable amount of Dick's field disappearing. All from a Synchro Monster's effect being activated.

"Turn end."

Finally, the wall that had kept Yusei from doing any major damage was now gone and out of his way. Assuming there wasn't a second one he'd already set, of course.
 
"You're still able to stand...So that's why you were chosen as a Signer. Indeed, the Crimson Dragon has chosen quite a worthy vassal for its power." Dick would say, watching as Yusei recovered from the devastating attack. Of course, his mind referenced the Crimson Dragon casually, as if it had been told unto him a thousand times of its existence. His addled brain did not seem to comprehend the magnitude of his admission: That there were others who knew of the Dragon's legend, and likely existed to be the very antithesis of who the Signers were.

His attention focused on Yusei as the young man seemed momentarily shaken by the scream, grinning a little more as he said "Even if you wanted to help whoever that was...Who knows what kind of trouble Crow could be getting into. You really think worrying about a nameless bystander is your top priority? Moreover...We still have a Duel to finish. Don't go being disrespectful now of all times."

However, Dick's attention focused even more on when Yusei himself smiled; what the devil was he talking about? "Your monsters have no chance of overcoming this demon of chilling death, Yusei...No matter what you summon, it will always revive itself. It is the very representation of the Dark Signer's ability to reincarnate themselves." And when he summoned his tiny Synchron, Dick just chuckled, "And what do you plan to do with that, exactly? Your field is full now...And Roadrunner and Shield Wing are your only means of Defense against Fitzgerald's power."

However, his answer came when Yusei would annihilate his Barrier Statue of the Downpour...Making Dick realize what it was Yusei had been going for: And when Junk Destroyer arrived, he had to shield himself as the blast of energy from the titan's chest nearly his entire field to be eliminated...His own monster included. The only weakness of Freezing Fitzgerald, to be destroyed by a monster's power rather than direct combat.

And only when the winds from Yusei's summon and effect activation went away did Dick lower his arms, "Won't lie...That was a good hit, Yusei. Indeed, Kiryu-sama is right to go after you; you are a real threat to the Dark Signers. No matter how much you might strike at me, know that I am only a single pawn of theirs in an endless tide of darkness. That damage you felt from Fitzgerald? Expect my masters to be able to deliver that pain a thousand times over! Draw!" However...It seemed like his all-or-nothing strategy had ultimately failed against Yusei's flexible deck building.

"I'll banish Snow Dragon and Snowdust Dragon to Special Summon a second Fenrir in Defense mode, then Set one card face-down...Turn end."

Angela finally manager to recover enough, having brought up the camera just in time to catch all of what Yusei had down to get back at this robed stranger...And the words he had spoken. "Darkness...What the hell is he talking about? And who is Kiryu?" she whispered; she was certain her screams had been heard, but she couldn't afford to lose any more chances to hear or see what was going on, her camera focused intently on the action even though she'd nearly been killed moments earlier.

"All of this craziness started after Goodwin planned out those tournaments. The selector being tampered with, the Solid Vision malfunction, the boy's disappearance, now this? I know the Director's involved somehow; my gut is screaming it at me. And I plan to use this as proof!" she told herself, steeling her will to stay until the end...Though it was much easier with Yusei having destroyed this 'Dark Signer' and his crazy 'Dark Synchro'.
 
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"I'm not gonna pretend I'm doing so easily, but yes. I can still stand."

Which was very much true, something that could be seen if one paid enough attention to Yusei's body. Tremors could be noted as drops of blood lightly fell from each spot that had been hit and hurt. The shakes seemed worst in the leg, though that was to be expected. Yusei was just ... trying to keep his cool and avoid losing too much focus, ensuring it remained where it was truly needed. The here and now .. this duel.

It'd felt like it had been going on for an eternity.

However, now he was beginning to see the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. He just had to hang on a bit longer.

A twinge of annoyance shot through him. His own throat cleared as Dick spoke up. "I don't tell you what to do or not do. I'd expect that to be returned back. Besides, I'm not the only one who has more vital things to worry about. You do too. Calm as you've been about this fight ... are you really fine knowing this may be your last day alive?"

He was still human after all. And most people didn't have death wishes.

... Kiryu had been an exception. Something that pained him to remember. And yet, he'd defied that somehow. Ah, the irony.

" ... Kiryu-sama?" Yusei repeated, shaking his head after a few moments. "He's just Kiryu for me."

Granted, he hadn't seen the new version of Kiryu. But Yusei wanted to think his revived self didn't have such a huge ego that he'd need to resort to assigning honorifics like '-sama'.

Me and Fuyu may have failed last time, but not again. Next time ... I will figure some way to save you ...

Taking a quick note that Dick was back on the defensive, Yusei drew the top card off his deck, wincing slightly as his shoulder stung and throbbed in agony. Nonetheless, he continued to stubbornly ignore anything that wasn't a card or his field. He wasn't worried about Crow as far as any duels that may or may not have happened. When it came to Bolger and what he might try to do, however ... yes. Very much so.

And here it is, Yusei triumphantly thought, smiling as he glanced at the card now in his hand. The last piece of another puzzle he'd needed to solve since near the beginning of this duel.

"Trap Card, Open! Descending Lost Star! I'll pick my Nitro Warrior to return to the field. I'll then summon Nitro Synchron, but neither will stay long. I'll use my now level six Nitro Warrior plus level two Nitro Synchron to tune!"

The monsters jumped up, the vortex appearing yet again. A bright light engulfed the two as their forms began to change, quickly becoming bigger ... and more radiant, if that was at all possible.

"Clustering hopes will become a new, shining star! Become the path its light shines upon! Synchro Summon! Take flight, Stardust Dragon!"

Finally, his ace monster arrived. And with it, he was able to activate something he'd been waiting to use for quite some time. "Second Trap Card, Open! Shooting Star! I'll select the set backrow you put down in your last turn!"

Yusei's heart couldn't help but skip several beats as he watched a second Tornado Wall flip up, only to shatter.

Oh thank god. I don't think I could have dealt with a second ...

"Next, I'll equip Stardust Dragon with Silver Wing. Now .... battle! Stardust Dragon will attack Fenrir. Junk Destroyer and Road Warrior! Direct attacks!"

After the wolf disappeared, the two monsters would jump forward, each of their own attacks landing right against Dick. His life dangerously dipped, stopping at a very low 300. Considering he'd been just shy of 6000 in the previous turn, it was quite the attack from Yusei.

"Turn end."

And, unless he could do something to turn this in his favor, it was clear the duel as a whole would come to a close soon.
 
"Heh...Did I not explain myself clearly enough? We Dark Signers do not fear Death, Yusei. We are Death incarnate; even if we should die, we can come back again and again. Which means even if you beat me here, Yusei, myself or even another shall rise up to take over the fight. Unlike for you, the Death Games will inevitably lead to your demise." Dick explained, sneering in a sinister fashion.

"Do you get it, Yusei? We are immortal. Nothing can kill us, not even the Signers...Not even you."

And finally, Dick would see Yusei's ace monster; shame he would not get to witness its splendor after this. "Ah yes...The Dragon of the Cosmos. The shining beacon of hope against the crashing seas of destruction around you." Dick would say...But his calm words soon turned to howls of pain as Yusei's other Synchros launched their attacks against him. His Life dropping to near-zero as his body crashed against the barrier, his breaths heavy and wheezing as he struggled to stand back up.

"Ngh...." Dick grunted, holding his side as he held his Duel Disk up; his body was clearly battered, but he still managed to keep his balance. "My turn, draw..." Dick groaned, shakily holding his cards as he went through with his turn...Which resulted in him playing except by setting a monster face-down. It was all he could do...And they both knew it by this point. "Turn end..."

And when Yusei's final attack would go through, he didn't have the energy to yell; he simply just collapsed and fell on his face, the barrier falling down around him. His body covered in bruises and cuts from the brutal attacks.

"Oh my god....Is he dead?!"

That's the voice Yusei would hear as Angela ran forward, camera on her shoulder as she made it clear that she'd recorded everything. "Yusei Fudo, competitor and clear friend-slash-accomplice of the former King, everyone...And after this display of extremely weird, almost cult-like dueling, he wins! Fudo, can you tell everyone who would be watching this what just happened?!"

However, before either of them could try to continue the conversation, a groan of pain interrupted the flow. Dick slowly pushing himself to all fours, a hand coming up and holding his head, "Ah...Damn, everything hurts..." Shaking his head, he then looked up and saw two people standing over him, his eyes now showing clear confusion over what just happened. "Who are you two....Wait, you're Angela Raines! But...What are you doing here?" he asked, looking down and seeing the strange robes covering him. "And what the hell am I wearing?" he mused, looking over himself.

"Well, considering this is who you were Dueling, I was hoping he might have the answers." Angela then asked, turning her focus back on Yusei.
 
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"And yet, you have to die to gain that 'immortality'? That's what you're telling me?"

Yusei shook his head.

"Forgive me if that doesn't add up. But even if you're right? Those ... 'powers' almost always come with a drawback. Even if you all truly are immortal, you have something equally as devastating as a cost."

It didn't sound like it was worth it, something he almost added, but .... stopped. The duel was finally almost over and it was becoming more and more evident his words didn't matter. All he really needed to focus on was what he originally agreed to do; get back on his Wheeler and try to rendezvous with Crow before anything too dire happened.

And thus, in the end, he still couldn't do anything to keep this fight in his favor. Well ...

Nothing significant, anyway. Had he set a monster on almost any other turn, maybe it'd matter more. But as it was? Yusei had already refilled his monster spots with a very strong, formidable set of powerful cards. Also, Dick had acknowledged time and time again he knew perfectly well what he was putting at stake. So, even as the dagger began proverbially falling down the moment Yusei took his card off the top of his deck, he understood there was no point in trying to go back. Forward ... it was the only direction to go at this point.

"I'll try to make this quick then. Stardust Dragon, attack his set."

A twinge of guilt swam through Yusei. The poor guy was already knocked out, and he had to do this?

Well, fuck ...

If things hadn't been awkward enough, the foreign voice revealing itself only made the last part of his turn look .... more barbaric. "Road Warrior! Direct attack! Oi, why are you here, miss? It's extremely dangerous, and ... "

Right as he saw that camera, he stopped talking. He had not expected nor wanting to deal with paparazzi.

He ... lived?

Maybe he really was immortal? Either way, Yusei hadn't expected Dick to stir and wake up. Not that he wasn't glad ... just now more confused than he had been a few moments ago. Thankfully, his resolve was much stronger than his bewilderment, so no one would immediately see that.

"No. No, sorry, miss, but .... I need to be elsewhere."

Adrenaline aided him in running, despite having a somewhat busted up leg, and getting onto his bike.

"I highly suggest you get him to the hospital."

Those would be the last words Angelina hear. Anything else she or Dick tried to say would be drowned out by the roar of Yusei's engine revving to life. After slipping his visor back on, he hit down on the accelerator and sped away.

Crow ... I know you're more than capable, but be careful.

Meanwhile, Crow had made damn sure to keep up and ensure Bolger never left his sights. His hands squeezed down on the handlebars as he turned and looked over at the other man once they'd arrived at a very straight-forward path.

"Oi. So ... mind filling me in, huh? Why now? You literally could have showed up any other time. So why did you come seek me out tonight?"
 
"Hey wait! You can't just run! This is a crime scene! YOU ALMOST KILLED A MAN!"

That was what Angela called out, her camera watching as Yusei would speed off. "Damn it..." she mumbled, Dick finally able to stand up and ask, "Oi...What the hell is going on?" Angela huffed, "Nothing now...." But deciding that she could get something juicy out of this, she then turned to face Dick. "But...You're saying you don't remember a thing? Did that Fudo kid coerce you into this? He is tagged with a criminal mark after all; could be he drugged you, right?"

Dick shook his head, "No...Last thing I remember I had just won a Duel...Then I saw this thread and freaked out....Then nothing..." Angela raised a brow; a thread? The hell was that about, she wondered...Though her chance at musing didn't get to last long; soon she could see and hear the sirens of Sector patrols. "Crap, I can't get caught here....Gotta run!" she said, trying to take off, but Dick grabbed her, "Wait, I can't face the police alone! They'll jam me up, you have to stay and show them what you recorded! Surely something proves my innocence!"

"Tough shit, loser! Hey! LET GO, FUCKER!"

And as Dick pleaded with Angela to stay and help him out, Angela trying to fight him off, soon the pair would be encompassed by spotlights. "FREEZE! BOTH OF YOU, DON'T MOVE!" one of the officers called out, weapons drawn. Both Angela and Dick immediately panicked and held up their hands, "WE SURRENDER!"

=======================================================================================================================

Bolger meanwhile had been leading Crow further and further away, smiling as Crow pulled up closer but still behind him and asked his question. "Straight to the point...You're so much like Pearson it's sickening. But fine, I'll be frank: You have something I need, Crow....And I'm not leaving without it!"

Suddenly, Bolger slammed his Runner hard into the side of Crow's own vehicle, throwing him off a little bit but enough to pull ahead. It was here that he pushed a switch on his console, a set of double doors sliding open and allowing both riders inside. And soon enough, they would close right back up behind them...The pair now enclosed somewhere clearly isolated.

Lights coming on and showing a very well-designed racing track. Bolger then turning off his engine before he removed his helmet to let Crow see his face: The man who was with Pearson last when he went missing.. "Do you like it, Crow? This is my newest design of the Turbo Dueling track. Optimized digital reconstruction, smoothed turns, and multiple server nodes to allow for more distant attacks. No longer will Duelists have to be on each other's backsides just to land a hit. Now even if you're half a length ahead, you can still attack normally."

Bolger just smiled, "But...I didn't bring you here just to show you this. No, no thanks to Pearson, I've had to sell off my collection just to make things come to fruition. But to get what I need to bring this to the Dueling Committee and Kaiba Corporation...I need your Blackfeather Dragon, Crow. An investor would like to have it, as it's a very rare card. But...Since I'm feeling generous, how about a trade? I win...You give me Blackfeather and you never see my face again. You win...Well, I'm sure there's something you want, yes?"
 

Sickening, huh?

That certainly got his attention. Sure, it may not really mean anything, but ... it was something to at least note. If he'd had any ability to pause time long enough to explain to Yusei the real reason he'd rushed off after Bolger, it would make more sense why the urgency had appeared. It wasn't just because Bolger decided to show up, though that certainly did help.

Crow grunted slightly, steadying his Wheeler to avoid crashing before continuing to ride forth, almost slamming on the brakes at the sight of the doors.

I suppose if needed, I can shatter the glass and just go through, but ....

That ended up not being a worry at all, as they opened and closed the moment he and Bolger both entered and exited them respectively. Now he looked back, eyebrows rose with something in between confusion and intrigue. Had he been hallucinating? Where had they even come from? Practically nowhere, if Crow didn't know any better. Looking back ahead of him - more out of habit than worry - he than heard Bolger start explaining himself.

He ... made them appear?

Impressive indeed. He wouldn't dare try to discredit Bolger's work, but ... he was also correct. That was the furthest thing from Crow's mind then and there. So he waited for the explanation to end before nodding and speaking up himself.

"There is indeed something I want. The truth about Pearson's death. There's a lot of things that don't add up, but I learned enough to know one thing. You should know this answer, so I want it."

Crow wouldn't have to wait long. Thirty seconds tops but then ... he would see Bolger offer an affirmative nod.

"Alright then!"

The two would activate their duel disks, initiating a Turbo duel. Crow's eyes narrowed as he concentrated. He made sure to turn quickly yet carefully, securing the first corner for this path. "My turn! Draw!"

... He hardly believed what he was looking at. But quickly shook his head.

Only when this works can you celebrate.

Taking a few seconds to calm himself and get a grip on his emotions, Crow nodded before starting on his turn. "I'll set two cards and summon Blackwing - Pinaki the Waxing Moon. Turn end."
 
Bolger
​
So....This is what that brat wanted? Well...That was fine, because regardless of the outcome, he would have Blackfeather Dragon. There was more than one reason that he had lured Crow here, after all...And if the boy honestly thought this Duel was all there was to it?

He was even more naive than Pearson...Which meant the boy shouldn't be having that card anyway.

"Feh...Still hung up on that aren't you? I'd heard you'd been snooping around...But fine, if you want, I'll tell you everything I know about that day. Now then...Before we're so rudely interrupted, let's get this going."

And soon enough, their Turbo Duel would be underway; unfortunately, it seemed like Crow was getting a lot better at handling himself. Bolger was pissed, no doubt; he'd ridden this track a hundred plus times, meticulously using his analyzers and software packages to determine the perfect parameters for this prototype racing track. From the spacing of the projectors to the position of the amplifiers for the signals between the mainframe and the actual Runners, to even the type of material for the track itself and the angles for construction of the bends...And for this punk to show him up?

That definitely got under his skin.

"So...Still running your bird deck, huh? Fine; I have the means to counter your strategies. My turn! Draw!" Bolger would declare, going forward, "I set two cards face down and activate the Permanent Magic, Torture Room of Nightmare! You'll feel everything I've felt trying to get where I am, Crow! I promise you that!" Taking another card from the mounted Wrist Dealer, he would then say, "I summon Volcanic Rocket in Attack Mode!" At this a bone-covered flaming projectile erupted forward, traveling right alongside Bolger's Runner. "I then activate Rocket's effect! When it's Summoned, I can add 1 "Blaze Cannon" card from my Deck!"

"Reverse Counter Open! Blackbird Close!"

That was annoying, his monster getting hit by a sudden gale of slicing wind and shattering...But what surprised him next was the second effect of that card. "So....Pearson really did leave it to you...That bastard!" he snarled, declaring "Turn end! Let's see if you understand how to use that card, boy!"
 

"I'd say I have the right to know," Crow replied simply, offering little more than a casual shrug. "If there was more to his death ... why shouldn't I have the truth? Alternatively, if I'm wrong and you don't know ... I'll accept that. But until then, closure seems more than fair enough of a request."

Although given how he replied, it seemed like he would learn what really happened. Crow hadn't needed much more incentive to help him win, but ... there it was. If there was anymore of a reason to emerge victorious, it would be to get what he asked. Besides, he wasn't overly happy on the thought of relinquishing both his card or Wheeler. Not that anyone would be ... at least he doubted.

It would have been easy to use the set Shrink. However ... now was an equally proper time to use one of the other sets. A relatively new one that Crow had never gotten to test out before. Mainly because ... did it really work the way he thought the card implied? Now was the time to find that out.

"Reverse Counter Open! Blackbird Close!"

His eyes couldn't help but widen in awe. Holy shit, it did work that way, it seemed. Without needing to Synchro Summon it, out emerged Black-Wing Dragon in all of its glory and wonder. Crow's mouth went from agape to smiling rather proudly. Granted, that did feel like a bit of a shortcut to take in order to summon such a strong monster. But .. it wasn't like his disk had tried to stop the move from happening. So, it was a fair - or at least legal - move, and helped lower any guilt that may otherwise try to bother the young man.

"Effect damage, eh? That's what you're going for?"

The cards that Bolger played helped Crow's attention turn back to the duel. As someone who saw another effect damage deck, it made him grimace slightly. When done right, they could be pretty powerful. Fayth had endured Mukuro's deck because she had a wider array of dealing with those tactics.

As far as Crow himself went?

Not as much, but he did have some cards that could help, yes. How well it'd do so? He and Bolger would both see, Crow supposed.

"Draw!"

Well ... time to test out another new thing, he supposed. Some of his spells had been, embarrassingly enough, misplaced. To a point where Crow permanently lost them. So, to make up for that, he'd replaced them with other cards. Very non-specific, and definitely not typical, but ... hopefully they'd help out.

"I activate Burden of the Mighty. Next, I summon Blackwing - Shura the Blue Flame. I'll set one card and then ... battle! Shura! Black-Wing Dragon! Direct attack!"

A soft, relieved huff escaped Crow's lips as he watched his attacks connect, dropping Bolger down past the half-way mark in one shot.

"Turn end!"

If push came to shove? Then he'd fight Bolger if needed because truthfully? He only agreed to the conditions because it offered him a chance to get what he wanted. But he really wasn't fond of the thought of giving up what were his rightful possessions.
 

Bolger's Runner wavered as the direct attacks slammed into him, barely able to keep control after Shura's piercing flame strike nearly knocked him off. But with some effort he did manage to right his vehicle, catching back up to Crow.

However, he did just smile as Crow tried to surmise the ability of his deck. "Close...But my Deck goes beyond mere effect damage; being someone who fought Pearson, did you not think I knew how your Black Feather deck worked? Come now, Crow, give me more credit than that." Sure, it was annoying that Crow had been able to Summon Black Feather Dragon....But thankfully he did have a way.

"My turn! Draw!" Bolger would say, going immediately into his turn. "I activate the Trap Card, Unstable Greed! I draw two cards from my Deck, but for the next two turns my draws are sealed!" Taking a look at his cards, Bolger smiled; yes this would work. "It seems you're still too young to use that monster, boy! I activate the Permanent Magic, Blaze Cannon! I then activate my other face-down, the Permanent Magic Blaze Cannon - Trident, by sending the face-up Blaze Cannon my field to the Graveyard."

Bolger laughed, "You might be wondering what I meant when I said you were close! Let me show you! I activate Trident's effect, sending the Volcanic Buckshot from my hand to the Graveyard to destroy a monster you control! Goodbye, Black-Feather Dragon! In time, you will be mine! Blaze Cannon Trident, fire!" The massive triple-barreled cannon fired a triplet of beams of flame at Black-Feather Dragon, incinerating the monster as its image shattered.

"And Trident's second effect! You take 500 damage!"

The cannon charged up again, discharging a triplet of fire and striking Crow directly. "And because of that, you take Torture Room's effect! You take 300 more damage!" This time, Crow's entire Runner would spark up, discharging a massive amount of current through him. "And when Buckshot is sent to the Graveyard, you take 500 damage and all monsters you control are destroyed!" This time a portal opened up, the three-headed monstrosity shooting out and hitting both Crow again and Shura, depleting 500 more of his Life and his monster shattering.

At this Bolger's smile widened, "Torture Room's effect! This is what happens to those who stand in my way! 300 more damage to you!" Another massive electric discharge would rock the Black-Feather .

"Oh, but don't think you're getting off that easy! If Buckshot is sent from the hand to the Graveyard, I can send two more Buckshots from my Deck as well! You should know what happens next!" Bolger then pulled two cards from his Deck, laughing "Get a good taste of Pearson's pain, Crow! Surrender Black-Feather and I might be merciful! The second Buckshot!" Feeding the card into his Graveyard slot, Buckshot would appear again, striking Crow a second time and draining 500 more Life...Torture Room surging electricity through him again.

"You want this to end Crow, you know what you have to do! The third Buckshot! Drown in fire just as Pearson did!" And feeding the third Buckshot into his Graveyard, the same cycle repeated. The immolated beast slamming into Crow, Torture Room dealing one last bit of current as Bolger's brutal attack came to an end. "I'll then set a monster! Turn end!" Bolger exclaimed, believing that the endless assault might very well have done a good deal of damage to Crow.

With any luck, Crow would feel the pain enough to just give up...Not knowing that the Black-Feather user had quite a lot more to give.
 

Wow, what got up his ass today? Crow mused, noting the tone Bolger seemed to be using with him. Had he always been this .. snarky? No ... no .... yeah, no. He tried to think back, but no recollections entered his head. Not to say he'd been one-hundred percent tame or anything. But he definitely had never heard Bolger talk like this before. Sounding as if he were insulted and offended with his guess on the type of deck he was using.

Well ... whatever. For now, it was what it was. Whatever 'it' translated into, anyway.

Shit ...

Unfortunately, the cards Crow did had drawn did nothing to cease destruction so ... he couldn't keep his dragon on the field. His teeth gripped his lower lip and sure enough, he began to quickly understand this was indeed going to hurt.

But he never guessed it would have been like this. In fact ... his eyes widened. This wasn't normal. This ... was this literal, real electricity and fire? Normally, he'd think the thought to be an insane one, but ... as each jolt and burn registered, there was no other explanation.

What the fuck?!

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

Crow's Wheeler violently swerved, the screams only heard by Bolger due to them being in a concealed area. Otherwise, he was pretty sure Yusei would have heard him. His hands tightly gripped the handlebars, and even without seeing them, Crow knew his knuckles were a bright hue of white. Now more so than ever, he was thankful he wore gloves. Otherwise, his hands would have been in far more agony than they already were.

They certainly took the worst bits of damage, but he hadn't only been hit there. The electricity and fire were both abusing him indiscriminately, traveling through every nerve and inch of his body.

Even as the eight bits of effect damage finished surging through his body, it looked for a bit as if Bolger would get his wish. Crow's Wheeler moved solely due to the auto-pilot function. But the rider himself didn't seem to move nor speak. A few times, it looked like he was about to fall off. Admittedly, a part of Crow was more than fine with passing out. And he probably would have .... if his mind hadn't picked up on some of his words.

Hold up ... something's .... very off ...

So, Crow began to repeat those 'lines' that stood out to him again ... and again ... and a third, fourth, fifth, even seventh time. Finally, his head lifted as he looked over to Bolger. Even though his voice was weak, it was audible ... and thus easy for Bolger to pick up on anger that Crow was direly trying to keep in check. For now, anyway.

"Oi ... are you ... trying to insinuate you were somehow behind Pearson's demise? Is that what I'm hearing from you?"

His fists clenched tighter just from the mere thought.

"I wanna be wrong. That's why I'm asking than assuming. But if I'm right - you've got a shit ton of nerve to proudly boast that in front of me. "

Yes, the deal had been to get that information after the duel. Crow would have been fine waiting. Now though ... with Bolger almost happily uttering those words, it was something Crow couldn't ignore. His blood was beginning to boil, his mind seeming to expect the worst case scenario, yet praying for the best as he shakily took the top card off his deck.

"DRAW!"

His eyes went away, mainly to see what he was now holding. With his field having been effectively cleared, he did need something to help make up for that last turn. He didn't want to lose this duel ... and now, there may be more than material possessions on the line.

"Heh. Even after everything ... my deck is still heeding me. I summon Blackwing - Bora the Spear. Since you should know my deck, you'll know his effect. Bora! Attack his set!"

It was hilarious in an ironic way; Bolger's life could have been safe had Crow literally drawn any other card. Nope. He got the one that allowed him to inflict piercing damage.

In truth, that was a sign that even though he didn't have a definite response yet, his deck knew. And it was trying to hint the answer was an unfortunate yes. The reason his friend Pearson was six feet under ... it was right beside him. And his deck was working, helping avenge a wrongful murder.

Two-hundred life points wasn't much. But considering it could - and likely would - have been zero, it was a feat in its own rights.

"Turn end ... "
 
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