A Song from the Divines Vol. II - TheSingingSword (2024)

Chapter 1: The Wannabe Rival

Chapter Text

Patty - Aquarius/Standard Dimension

Patty yawned, standing by the edge of the train station as she waited for it to arrive. Her blonde hair was a little frizzy, and her pink streaks were faded, but she couldn't bring herself to care. After seeing Yuri defeat the regional champion last night, she couldn't help but think about the possibilities Yuri could accomplish if he got more serious about Duel Monsters. "I knew it!" she thought as she flipped through her group chat. Her friends were also on their way to school and couldn't stop talking about Yuri's big win or that monster, the Black Tyranno.

The night before, it completely destroyed Randall and his Ritual monsters. The thought of a dinosaur with 2600 attack points made her a little excited to get to school to ask Yuri about his deck. The train soon arrived, and Patty stepped inside, finding an empty seat and sitting down.

"Next stop..." said the synthetic voice over the intercom, "St. Augustus Academy." Patty looked out the window as the train moved, passing by the various buildings and streets of Aquarius.

She clung to the strap hanging from the ceiling as the train picked up speed and glided over the ocean. The water was a beautiful mix of turquoise and aquamarine, and the sky was clear and blue with small wispy white clouds.

"Hey, did you guys hear the news?" asked a young man from another school. "Yuri Montgomery beat Randall Lawson, the United States regional champion, last night."

"I did hear something about that," replied his friend. "But that's impossible, right? I mean, from what I heard, Yuri's about the worst player on the island."

"Yeah, he only plays with his groupies."

"If he's as bad as you say he is, then there's no way he could have beaten Randall."

Patty tried to block out their conversation and leaned her head against the window. She closed her eyes as she listened to the sounds of the train moving through the tracks.

Bzzz! Bzzz!

Patty looked at her phone.

TY: Where u at?

PATTY: I'm on the train. Be there soon.

TY: K.

PATTY: Is Yuri wit u?

TY: Yeah, but don't mention the duel or BLKTyranno. Everyone in school is talking about it. He doesn't want the attention.

PATTY: K. See ya soon

"St. Augustus Senior High School," the intercom said. Patty stood up as the train stopped, grabbing her bag and making her way towards the doors.

They hissed as they opened, and she stepped outside. The sun was high in the sky, and the humidity was warm and inviting. She walked down the steps towards the sidewalk and was assaulted by a big hug from Sabrina, who jumped out of nowhere.

"Patty!" she shouted, wrapping her arm around Patty's neck. "You're finally here!"

"Yup! Let me go, will you!" Patty complained, struggling to get out of Sabrina's grasp.

Sabrina giggled, letting go of Patty. "Sorry, it's just been such a long night. So, is it true? Is it true? Is it true? Is it true you're?!" she said, poking Patty's chest.

"Is what true!?" Patty said, swatting Sabrina's finger away.

"You know," Sabrina said, holding up her phone. "Is it true Yuri defeated Randall last night?"

"Who told you that?" asked Patty, still trying to release herself from Sabrina's grasp.

"The whole school is talking about it, babe. Come on, spill the deets. What happened?"

"How do you know I was even there?"

Sabrina let go of Patty and stepped back. She started fishing around for her phone. "Uh..." She smiled. "Oh yeah." She reached for the waistband of her skirt and pulled out her phone. "I'll tell you how I know. Look." She tapped the screen a few times before turning the phone to Patty.

Patty stared at a quick video montage of Black Tyranno running across the arena, roaring, gnashing its teeth, and destroying Skull Guardian. The caption, "What Monster is this?" was written in red below the video.

In the background, she saw herself, Tyson, Nick, and Carter. Patty covered her face and groaned. "Oh no! One of Randall's buddies recorded the whole thing?"

"Hundreds of thousands of views in less than twelve hours? The comments are blowing up, too. Patty, you and your friends are internet celebs. How come you didn't tell me?"

"I honestly had no idea. There was so much...chaos that night. Ren Kakihara showed up. Then I could have sworn I saw Crystal Anderson in the sky box with Brett Martinetti."

Sabrina's eyes sparkled. "Ren Kakihara!? Brett Martinetti? Girl, it was a star-studded Duel Monsters night, wasn't it?"

"I guess it was," Patty Sai fixing her tie. "But if I tell you what happened, you gotta promise to keep it on the down low. Yuri doesn't want any more attention than he already has."

"Okay, okay," Sabrina said. "I understand. So that Black Tyranno. Is he, uh...you know, an exclusive card for Yuri or something?"

"I don't know," Patty said, continuing her walk to school. "Yuri won't talk about it or say anything about it."

"You don't know? Come on, it's really simple. Did Mr. Montgomery make the card for him or not?"

"I. Don't. Know. Part of me wants to believe it was made for him but at the same time I doubt it very much. Mr. Montgomery is not the kind of man who will spoil his kids with gifts. He believes if his kids want something, they've got to earn it. The same rules apply to Duel Monsters. If Yuri wants to be good at the game, he has to work hard and get his own cards. Which is why part of me doubts the Black Tyranno was a gift from his father."

"Well, that's weird. If Yuri didn't get the card from Mr. Montgomery, then who?"

"I don't know. Maybe he won a secret card-creating contest, stole it, who knows."

Sabrina giggled. "Or maybe he's been doing the midnight rumba with a pretty card designer," she said, raising her eyebrows suggestively.

"Sabrina!" Patty snapped, blushing. "That's disgusting!"

"What? I'm just saying."

"Well, don't. Yuri would never do anything like that."

"Perhaps. Or do you not like the idea that Yuri might be getting it on with someone?"

"I don't care what Yuri does in his private life."

"Uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that, sweetie." Sabrina chuckled. She opened the left pocket of her school bag and took out a crumpled piece of paper. "Found this in your desk."

Patty's eyebrow twitched like a broken clock hand. "Why were you in my desk?"

"I needed a pencil, and I couldn't find one. So I decided to borrow yours. I wasn't expecting to find this," she said, waving the piece of paper in front of Patty's face.

It was a chibi-style drawing of Patty and Yuri kissing with hearts floating above their heads.

"Give that back!" Patty cried, reaching for the paper. "Now!"

Sabrina snatched the paper out of her reach and held it high over her head. "Not until you admit you have a crush on Yuri."

"Sabrina, give it back! Please."

Sabrina laughed, holding the paper as high as she could.

Patty tried to get it back, but Sabrina was six inches tall.

The paper was snatched by Tyson, who was taller than both of them. He folded it and handed it back to Patty. "Sabrina. It's one thing to take someone's pencil but another to take someone's secrets. You can be real insensitive sometimes."

"Aw, come on, Ty. It was just a joke."

"Yeah, yeah." Patty walked away from them. She stuffed her hands into the pockets of her blazer.

She could feel the picture in her pocket and sighed. "How did she find that?" she wondered. "I was going to throw it away, but I just couldn't."

"What the hell is going on here!?" The students turned around and saw Mr. Davidson, the history teacher, standing at the entrance to the quad. "Get to class, all of you! This isn't a playground, and this isn't the place to stand around and do nothing."

The students dispersed in all directions, entering the building through the main doors.

Later that Day...

Everyone in Aquarius knew about the powerful new dinosaur in Yuri's deck. They marveled at the clip of the dinosaur destroying Randall's signature Ritual Monster, Skull Gaurdian, and Yuri felt quite a bit of pride that he had impressed so many people. Of course, with the newfound fame came the drawbacks. A lot of hotshot Duelists from every corner of the five island cities wanted to try their hand against Yuri in the hopes of defeating him and becoming famous themselves.

Yuri was always ready to face them all. A trait that was most surprising to his friends. A few days ago, Yuri would back away from challenges and even run from them, given the chance. He always surrendered his matches when things got rough and was always so timid whenever someone mentioned a Duel. But Yuri seemed to change ever since he defeated Lawson and became an overnight sensation.

Now, he couldn't stop smiling or accepting any challenge he was presented with, such as right now. A little boy named Gus found his profile on Picstagram and challenged Yuri to a Duel at the Duel Dome to play with the new Solid Vision system there. And like many others, Gus offered to sweeten the deal with a reward if he won: a rare card of his choosing from his binder. Of course, the prize Gus and every other challenger wanted was Black Tyranno. But Yuri didn't let that bother him because they were never going to get it. Not in a million years.

After finishing his lunch, he rushed to his bike and rode all the way from the palace to the new Duel Island, which was going to be the city's central hub for tournaments and major events. It was a long ride, but he eventually made it and parked his bike outside the main entrance of the building. There was already a crowd forming around the stadium: Duelists eager to have a go at the Solid Vision arenas to see their cards come to life.

Yuri stepped through the sliding glass doors and was greeted by a blast of cool air conditioning. The lobby had a high ceiling and walls with a neo-futuristic design, with screens mounted on the walls showing replays of matches and card-pack advertisem*nts. There were shops to purchase booster packs, energy drinks, food, and even Dueling merchandise. He approached the fountain of chrome and marble in the middle of the lobby and spotted Gus sitting on the rim, waiting patiently for his arrival.

The boy looked like a rat. His nose was pointed and sort. He had freckles across his cheeks and two small buck teeth that jutted out of his mouth like tusks. He wore a yellow hoodie and shorts. His hands were in his pockets, and an overconfident smile stretched across his face. He stood next to a larger boy clad in a basketball jersey and baggy khaki shorts.

"So, you had the guts to show up, huh?" Gus said. "Good. I wanna get this over with so I can take home your precious Black Tyranno."

"Oh, is that what you think?" Yuri asked.

"Please! You may have won one lucky match, but against my big bro, you don't stand a chance!"

"You're not Dueling me?" Yuri asked.

"No. That honor goes to me!" the bigger boy said, stepping forward and holding up his deck box.

Yuri took a few steps back. "Who are you?"

"My name is Benny. And I'm gonna be the guy who takes your Black Tyranno from ya! So, ready to Duel?"

Yuri glanced between the boys and laughed. "Oh, man. This is rich. All right, let's do this, then."

"So," said Patty, "allowing people to ante up your Black Tyranno, huh?" She came out of the throng of people gathered around the fountain and walked beside Yuri.

Yuri blinked in surprise when he saw her stepping next to him. Her blonde and pink hair flowed down the left side of her face, and a black baseball cap was perched atop her head.

"Whoa... The Reaper!" Gus exclaimed.

Benny looked at her. "I heard you were here in town, too, but I never thought I'd see you in person!"

"What are you doing here?" Yuri asked.

"Came to see you in action again," Patty answered. "It's been two days since you defeated Randall Lawson and now, you're all over social media. Everybody's talking about the new Duelist from Aquarius that defeated America's champion. Looks like you're really making a name for yourself, Yuri."

"Yeah, well, all that ends today!" boasted Benny. "And you're going to be my ticket into the big leagues. Once everyone sees I have your Black Tyranno, my future as a Duelist is set in stone!"

Patty snigg*red softly.

"What's so funny!?" Gus demanded.

"If you win, that is," she replied.

"He will!" said Gus.

"If you say so," Patty said. "There's an arena open just down the hall. If you hurry, you can beat the rush before other Duelists start lining up for their turn on the field."

"All right, Yuri," Benny said. "Let's get this party started!" He led the way to the dueling arena. He stopped to admire the size and architecture of the large stadium that had two huge Solid Vision hologram projectors built into the walls. There were stands like a real stadium and seats that went up high and would accommodate a hundred spectators or more.

Yuri gazed upon the stadium, taking in its grandeur. It was almost like he could hear the sound of cheering crowds.

Benny smirked and rushed for the red platform. He jumped over the safety rail with a grunt. Once his two feet touched the platform, the machinations activated. He was pushed forward and then raised above the deep pit where the monsters were summoned.

Yuri joined him on the opposite end and waited for the automated machinery to carry him over the chasm. He stood on the blue platform as it rose higher into the air. With one last rumble, they halted in place. Patty blew a bubble with her gum and watched from the sidelines. She stood on the frosted glass railing overlooking the chasm which lit up with blue light.

"DUEL!" they both cried out.

LP 4000

"Heh! You first!" Benny said.

T1

"Fine," said Yuri. "I summon Anthrosaurus in ATK Mode!" he said, sliding his card onto the touchscreen playmat. A big-armed dinosaur with purple and red skin appeared in front of him, snarling and hissing. ATK/1000.

T2

"Ha! That lame dinosaur is the best you could muster, Yuri? Watch this. I summon M-Warrior #2 in ATK Mode!" A red-skinned warrior in bronze armor and wielding a curved scimitar appeared next to Benny.

ATK/500

"Hey, he's weaker than my dinosaur," said Yuri.

"Not for long he's not! I activate the spell Shield and Sword!"

"What's that?" Yuri asked.

"Your Anthrosaurus's doom," said Patty. "It reverses their ATK and DEF Points until the End Phase."

"Exactly!" said Benny.

M-Warrior #2 ATK/500 → 1000

Anthrosaurus ATK/1000 → 850

Benny pointed his finger at Yuri. "Go, M-Warrior! Attack his puny Anthrosaurus with Sword Slash Attack!"

The warrior charged across the field and slashed its scimitar through the dinosaur's neck. Its growled and exploded into thousands of pixels. Yuri grimaced as he lost his Life Points.

Yuri: 3850 LP

"And now that your little dinosaur has been taken care of, I'll set a card facedown and end my turn."

T3

"Not bad," said Yuri. "Go, Armored Lizard!" he said, conjuring a blue lizard with hard-looking scales that covered its whole body. ATK/1500. "Now, attack M-Warrior #2!"

"I don't think so! I activate Negate Attack! This will halt your battle phase."

The reptilian monster's claw was frozen in midair, unable to continue its attack.

"All right, fine. I end my turn."

T4

"I told you you didn't know who you were up against," jeered Gus. "My brother is going to crush you."

Yuri smiled. "Don't get co*cky, kid. I'm just getting warmed up."

Benny scowled at Yuri as he drew a card. "You're not so tough. And if you think my M-Warrior was gonna be a pain before, watch this. I summon M-Warrior #2!" He slid the card on his mat and the holograms whirred to life. A second warrior, this one with blue skin, appeared next to Benny, brandishing a big green lance.

ATK/1000

"So what?" Yuri said. "Neither of them are strong enough to take on Armored Lizard."

"Alone, they don't stand a chance. But when I combine M-Warrior #1 with this card, your lizard stands no chance. United We Stand! This card boosts my monster's ATK by 800 for each monster I have on the field. That's 1600 ATK points, boosting M-Warrior #1's ATK to 2100! Now, M-Warrior #1, destroy his lizard with Sabre Slash Attack!" The warrior leaped off the platform and drove its weapon through the lizard's scaly hide, killing it instantly.

"Now, M-Warrior #2, attack his Life Points directly! Spear Thrust Attack!"

M-Warrior #2 charged forward and drove its spear through Yuri's chest. He cried out as he lost more Life Points.

Yuri LP 2400

"Ha! Not so tough now, are ya?" Benny taunted. "I'll end my turn with a facedown." He looked at Patty watching from the railing. "What do you think, Reaper? Think he's got what it takes to beat me?"

Patty frowned and blew another bubble. She didn't say anything, though.

"Ha! Her lack of words says everything I need to hear. Your dinosaurs aren't good enough to defeat my warriors! Who knows. Maybe I can take you on once I take Yuri's Black Tyranno."

Even little Gus knew that was an empty boast. "Okay, bro, let's not get ahead of ourselves. You don't wanna mess with the Reaper."

T5

Yuri wrinkled his nose. "I summon a monster in DEF Mode and set a card face-down."

"Ha! Just as I thought. Your dinos are lame, just like you. And if you thought you couldn't take on my M-Warriors alone, wait till I combine them with this. Polymerization! Now I fuse them to combine into the mighty Karbonala Warrior!"

The two M-Warriors became glowing energy and merged together into a purple knight with a gleaming longsword and circular purple shield.

ATK/1500

"Wait. What the hell did you do that for?" Patty asked. "Your M-Warrior #1 had way more ATK points because of United We Stand."

"How perceptive. But I have what I need to remedy that problem." He held up a spell. "Check it out! Arms Regeneration! Now, United We Stand returns to my field and equips to my Karbonala Warrior!"

ATK/1500 → 2300

"But wait. Watch as I summon Battle Warrior [ATK 700 DEF/1000]! With him on the field, Karbonala Warrior's ATK increases by another 800 points!"

ATK/2300 → 3100

Gus jumped up and down excitedly. "Woo hoo! Go, bro! Now, Yuri is doomed! There's nothing he can do to stop you."

"That's right. I guess you guys should call me Master Warrior now."

Yuri scoffed and let out a laugh. "Master Lame is more like it."

Benny's face turned bright red. "Why you little...!"

"Now, attack Yuri!" ordered Gus. "Let's see how he likes getting smacked around with that sword!"

"Right! Go Battle Warrior! Attack his face-down monster!"

The fist fighter clad in a futuristic body suit leaped into action. It delivered a swift series of jabs at Yuri's facedown monster. It flipped face-up, revealing a triceratops colored orange and covered in spikes.

"What's that!?"

"A new monster of mine. Meet Megazowler! With 2000 DEF points, I'm afraid your Battle Warrior stands no chance!"

Patty giggled. "Yeah. And you lose 1300 Life Points since Megazowler's DEF is way higher than his ATK!"

"Awww...." Benny moaned, his Life Points going down to 2700. "All right. Fine. You deflected that one attack. But your Megazowler is no match for Karbonala Warrior! Attack!"

The warrior brandished his sword and sprinted across the field, but then he lifted high into the air.

"What happened?!" Gus cried out, watching Karbonala Warrior and Battle Warrior just floating in midair.

"Whoa...." Patty said. "Was that Yuri?"

"What did you do?" Benny shouted.

"I activated my trap, Zero Gravity! It switches all our monsters to DEF Mode. So your warrior won't be attacking this turn. Now, I draw. And I'll activate this! Eternal Rest! This spell destroys all monsters with Equip Spells, so your Karbonala Warrior is done!"

Karbonala Warrior howled in agony before he was destroyed and shattered into pixels. Benny clenched his fists. "You may have gotten lucky, Yuri, but I still have enough Life Points to win."

"You're not winning this turn," Yuri said. "I'm ending things now. With this! Black Tyranno!"

"AAAAH! NO!" Benny screamed as the massive beast materialized on Yuri's side of the field. The monster roared at the smaller duelists and stomped its feet on the ground.

Gus and Benny cowered in fear as the beast growled and opened its jaws, unleashing a mighty roar that shook the stadium.

ATK/2600

"You like Equip Spells so much. So watch as I give him this. Raise Body Heat! This will increase the ATK and DEF of my Black Tyranno by 300 points."

"Yuri! 3000 ATK points!" Patty cheered. "You go!"

"And don't forget his special ability," Yuri said. "When there's nothing but DEF Position monsters on your side of the field, Black Tyranno can attack your Life Points directly!"

Benny gritted his teeth and raised his arms in defense. Black Tyranno let out another bellowing roar and charged across the field. Benny shielded his face. Black Tyranno unleashed a spinning tail slap, knocking Benny's platform. "NOOOOOO!" Benny shrieked as the force violently shook the entire stadium. His Life Points dropped to zero.

Yuri LP: 2400

Benny LP: 0

The holograms faded away, and both boys were lowered back to the floor.

"Ya big loser!" Gus shouted. "You said you'd beat him for me!"

Benny looked down shamefully at his younger brother, who was scowling at him. As they argued, Patty and Yuri made their escape, leaving the coolness of the Duel Dome and entering the humid tropical air. They found their way to an open bench near a park, where Yuri sat down and let out a relieved sigh.

Patty took off her cap and fanned herself with it. "Whew! That was awesome! I doubt that kid and his brother will want to mess with you again."

"I hope you're right," Yuri said, gazing up at the palm trees. A strong breeze blew through the park, relieving them from the heat.

"I was impressed, though. You didn't run away or get scared. I thought for sure you would've tapped out once you saw the size of his warriors."

"Not a chance," said Yuri. "I want to make up for all those times I chickened out and let you guys down. For as long as I can remember, you guys had my back and rooted me on. But I shoved your faith in me back in your faces by running away from my foes. But not anymore."

"That's my boy," Patty said. "Wish we could Duel some more, but," she checked the time on her Apple Watch. "We need to get going. We've got a lot of homework to do."

"Oh, crud. I forgot about that. Yeah, Professor Magnus is a killer when it comes to homework."

"He's your business and finance teacher, right? Haha, no wonder he's so tough. He was once a member of the Phobos Corp Board of Directors."

"Yeah, I know. And I slack off at school, dad's going ground me for the rest of my life and take my cards away."

"Poor kid," Patty said, looking at the Tri-Towers, soon to be the quadruple towers where Yuri would one day be the company's new CEO. "Well, better get going." She stood up and winced. "Augh!" she grunted, rubbing her stomach.

"You okay?"

"Uh...no, I got...cramps."

"Cramps?"

"It's my time of the month!" she snapped, but Yuri could see she was lying.

"Come on, Patty, you can tell me. I won't judge."

Patty turned away, but not before Yuri noticed the sweat glistening on her forehead.

"I gotta go." She slung her messenger bag over her shoulder. "See you at school." She gave him a little wave goodbye and headed off towards the train station.

Yuri watched her leave the park, making her way down the concrete sidewalk, passing through crowds of people.

Patty walked down the street quickly, trying to conceal the pain she was feeling. She decided to ride the Ferris Wheel again, as it always helped her relax whenever she felt stressed. After waiting in line for several minutes, she got into the cart, sat down, and leaned her head against the window, gazing at the city view. She rubbed her stomach, which was aching. "No, I can't tell him," she muttered to herself. Patty unbuttoned her blazer and lifted her shirt, revealing a dark bruise on her side. She sniffled and quickly hid it, telling herself that it would only be a few more months until she was free from it. "Just a few more months," she repeated to herself.

Chapter 2: Friends in High Places

Chapter Text

Yuri - Ruby Dragon Gaming Shop

Sergei was quite puzzled by what he was seeing on the Duel Screens. Black Tyranno was there, fully rendered in a 3D model. Yuri commanded it to attack, and it destroyed Nick's new Freed the Matchless General, an ultra-rare warrior-type monster with 2300 ATK.

Sergei would have been notified if there were updated models added to the system, but he received no such notification at all. Yet Yuri's new and mysterious Black Tyranno was right there rendered in full detail as though he belonged to the game. It was like magic.

"I don't know," he said, rubbing his chin, trying to come up with an answer for what was going on. "Jacob isn't one to keep secrets from me. He would have told me if he added a new monster to the game. And it's unlike him to give special favors to his kids. He won't give them so much as a penny if they don't work for it. I don't know."

"It's best not to worry about it," Patty said. She was sitting beside him with a basket of fries in front of her. She quickly drowned them in ketchup. "It is what it is. Yuri's new ace monster is real. He's in the holographic systems in the Duel Dome and, apparently, he's working just fine here."

"Could Yuri have hacked the..."

"I don't think so," said Natalya. She helped herself to one of Patty's fries. "Yuri can't even mod his Fallout or Skyrim games without some help. I seriously doubt he knows anything about hacking systems or rendering such high-quality models like that monster we see on screen."

"I set a monster in defense mode," Nick said nervously. He couldn't tear his gaze away from the Black Tyranno on the screen next to their table.

Yuri chuckled confidently and showed off his game-ending spell card. "I activate the spell, Giant Trunade. This will send all our spell and trap cards back to our hands. And since you've got nothing but defense position monsters on your field, Black Tyranno can use his special power and attack you directly. That's game."

"Hooray!" Natalya clapped her hands. She got one last glance at the Black Tyranno before the screens faded to black and displayed the Ruby Dragon Gaming logo.

"Aw, crap!" Nick threw the cards in his hand on the table. "Man, Yuri, you and your new monster are unreal. You seriously don't know where you got it from?"

"No." Yuri picked up the Black Tyranno card and held it close to his face to look at it. "I really don't know who gave this to me. Most likely it was my dad. He's probably just covering things up."

"He certainly has the money to," Sergei said, approaching their table. "That card is legit. It has its code, microchip, 3D models, and holographic models for the advanced holographic systems they're using in the Duel Dome. If it's safe to use there, then I guess it's okay with me. However, until we figure out where it came from, I'm afraid I have to ban it from being used in the shop's tournaments."

"Aww, how come?" Patty asked.

"He's a strong card with a strong effect," said Sergei. "And he's not in the card database. I've looked at all 1200 cards, and he's not on the list. Until he's at least in the card database, he's an illegal card. But you guys can play squash matches with him. I'll have no problem with that."

"I understand," said Yuri. "Man, hopefully, we can get to the bottom of this."

"Indeed," said Sergei. His expression went from serious to somber in a few seconds.

"What's the matter?" Patty asked.

"Ah, nothing. It's just...this is going to be the last year I see you kids in my shop. I know after graduation you're all going to be off achieving your goals and becoming the men and women you were destined to be. I just wanted to let you all know, from the bottom of my heart, I love you all. And I'm going to miss you when you leave."

"Aww, Sergei," Patty said softly. "You know we'll never forget you."

"Not in a million years," said Carter. "You didn't just make good Duelists out of us. You made us better people. You helped me gain the courage I needed to tell my dad I didn't want to go to RAPTOR but open my own hair salon instead."

"And I wouldn't have met these guys," said Nick. "After Yuri became my buddy, you introduced me to some really cool people. Of course, none cooler than Yuri, Patty, Tyson, and Carter."

"Ah, Nick," said Sergei. "Yes, it took some time adjusting to the blessings that God gave you. It was no accident that you were there the day those boys wanted to throw Yuri over the bridge. You were a guardian angel, my friend. And even though you can be a bit difficult, you're a young man with a heart of gold."

"Yeah, well, too bad that heart of gold doesn't grant him the skills he needs to win a few matches," Tyson teased. He bumped Yuri's shoulder with his fist, clutching his deck. "Mind if I step in, Yuri?" he asked. "I think Nick would like to get his ass handed to him by another opponent."

"I won't be so easy," said Nick. "You and me, Tyson. Let's do this. I'm not afraid of your Beast King Deck."

"He's all yours," Yuri said, getting up from the chair so Tyson could sit down. He shuffled his deck and set his cards on the touch-screen playing mat.

LP 2000

"I'll go first," said Nick. "I'm gonna play the Sogen spell. This will increase the ATK of Warrior and Beast-Warrior monsters by 200 points. And here's Masaki, the Legendary Swordsman, in ATK Mode. Then, I equip him with Fusion Sword - Marusame Blade."

Tyson suddenly looked worried. "Damn, looks like you opened a lot of packs this morning, Nick. I don't remember that in your deck before."

"Yeah, it's one of the new sweet equip spells. I traded a Witch of the Black Forest for it. And judging by that impressed expression on your face, I can tell you know what it does. It will increase Masaki, the Legendary Swordsman's ATK, by 800 points. Add that to the field advantage he gets from Sogen, and that's a 1000-point boost, so his ATK is now at 2100. I set a card face-down and end my turn. Your move."

"Nice play, Nick. Seems like you're getting the hang of this game. All right, I'm playing the field spell Forest. This will increase my Beast monsters by 200 points. Now I'm summoning Leogun in attack mode!"

The Duel Screen showed a jet-black lion with a golden mane roaring on a rock in a clearing in the middle of the forest.

"My Forest field spell will increase his ATK to 1950."

"Pfft!" Nick waved it off. "He's no threat to my Legendary Swordsman, Tyson. He's still too weak to take him on."

"I wasn't done, Nick. Cuz now I'm using Ancient Rules. It allows me to Special Summon a high level Normal Monster from my hand. Heh, and I think you can guess which one it is."

Nick's cards fell from his fingers. "Oh sh*t!"

Without a word, Tyson smacked his rare prize monster on the field.

"Now it's time for Leogun to get a sweet boost. I equip him with the spell, Beast Fangs!" Leogun's fangs were enhanced with sharper metal teeth, with the canines made of gold. "This will increase his ATK by 300. Now Leogun stands at 2250. And I'm not done yet. I activate the spell, Poison Fangs." Suddenly, green acid began dripping from Leogun's teeth as well as Chimaera's.

"What does that do?" Nick asked.

"You'll see soon enough. I attack you with Leogun!"

Leogun sprinted through the forest until he reached Masaki. The two did battle for a few seconds but Leogun got the best of Masaki the Legendary Swordsman and sliced his back with his sharp claws, cutting right through his armor. The battle reduced Nick to 1850.

"Well, at least I didn't take too much damage."

"Oh no, sir. You are going to take some heavy damage. Here's where Poison Fangs come into play. When you take damage from an attack involving a beast monster, you lose 500 Life Points."

"Damn it, Tyson! Give me a break!" grumbled Nick, now at 1350 LP. "Is it my turn?"

"Nah, I'm just gonna mess with you some more with this. In case you got any ideas about beating my Leogun. I use Polymerization to fuse Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts with Berfomet and create Chimera, the Flying Mythical Beast! Now, I end my turn."

Nick slapped both hands on the table and propped himself up with his arms. He leaned forward to get a better look at the card. "Wow, thanks a lot, Tyson! Man, it seems for every rare card I get, you guys get like five! Man, this isn't fair!"

Tyson leaned back against his chair, folded his arms, and nodded his head. "Mmm-hmm. Mmmm-hmm. That's right. My deck is full of the great kings of the wild. The strongest beasts to ever roam the jungle. You and your puny warriors got no chance."

He smiled all of a sudden. "Meh, that's something I would have said a while ago. But I just got my hands on the brand new starter decks."

"A starter deck?" Tyson mocked him with a sarcastic laugh. "Man, Nick, you crack me up."

"Hey, it comes with good spells. Like this one. Dark Hole."

"Huh!"

Patty wanted to laugh but she didn't want to encourage Nick. She placed her fingertips over her mouth and snickered through her nose instead. "Oh, damn. Sorry, Tyson, but the spell card wipes the whole board clean of all monsters."

"Yeah, well, when Chimera the Flying Mythical Beast is destroyed, I can summon Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts in defense mode."

"Heh, not like that card's gonna do you much," Nick boasted. "I summon a new monster that will not only defend me but help me cut your monsters down, too. Total Defense Shogun in defense mode!"

"What in the world is that?" Tyson wondered.

"He's a cool monster that can attack you even when he's in defense mode."

"Wait? What? He can do that?"

Patty leaned over the card to get a better look at the text, in case Nick misread it. "Yup. He can do that. But if he does, his ATK applies not his DEF."

Tyson slid his hand up his face and sighed. "Man, cards are getting so weird nowadays. All right, I'll accept that. He's got an ATK of 1550,"

"1750," Yuri corrected him. "Remember, Nick's Sogen is in play."

"Right, 1750. And my Gazelle only has 1200. So I guess that's it for my monster, huh."

"And a chunk of your Life Points," said Nick. "I reveal my face-down card. Burning Strike. I can equip this trap card to a face-up monster I control. And when it attacks, it can inflict piercing damage on you."

The 3D rendering of Total Defense Shogun sliced through Leogun with his giant sword.

"Oh, crud!" Tyson grunted, surprised that Nick of all people was doing this. "You got...better, Nick."

Nick - 1850 LP

1450 LP - Tyson

"He got a lead over Tyson?" Carter said aloud.

Andre walked in to join them. His face was red from walking out in the summer heat. "Wow. Looks like that starter deck did wonders for you, Nick."

"Andre?" Nick said with a tone of disappointment in his voice. "Just great."

"Easy, there, Nick," Patty said. "No need to get hostile. What are you doing here, Andre?"

"Oh, nothing. I just beat some gang of students called the Red Suns. Man, they were some of the toughest players I've ever faced."

The gang paused what they were doing and looked at him.

"You beat the Red Suns? All of them?"

"Well, all except their Duel King. But he was impressed. He told me to prove my skills at some tournament Mr. Sergei is holding here. The Wyvern Cup."

"You plan on entering the Wyvern Cup?" Nick asked. "Heh. Too bad. I'm entering that tournament, and I plan to win. Like you said, this starter deck has done wonders for my deck, which was already good to begin with. Your turn, Tyson."

"One starter deck isn't going to be enough for you, Nick. I play Graceful Charity. This lets me draw three cards so long as I discard two from my hand. Now, I'll set a monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"So much for your beast kings," Nick said with a sneer. "I knew you were all talk, Tyson. I attack your monster with Total Defense Shogun. And remember, you take damage even if your monster is in defense mode."

Total Defense Shogun was shown charging through Tyson's forest. He slammed his giant sword on the ground, striking what looked like a flying squirrel.

"What was that?" Nick asked. "Huh? Hey, wait! Why did your Life Points go up by 1000?"

"You attacked Nimble Momonga, Nick. When you destroy him in battle, he increases my Life Points by 1000. And I can summon two more from my deck face-down. And because you destroyed a beast-type monster, I can banish two Beast monsters from my Graveyard and special summon this guy from my hand. Yellow Baboon, Archer of the Forest, with an ATK of 2600. Your Total Defense Shogun ain't gonna protect you from him."

"Aww, no!" Nick almost threw his cards down. Man, this ain't fair."

Andre knew he shouldn't tease but after talking so much smack and boasting about winning the Wyvern Cup, he just had to speak out. "I thought you were ready for the tournament, Nick. Doesn't look like you're even ready to take on Tyson. It's your move man."

"I know, I know!" Nick snapped at him. "Shut up; I don't need commentary from you."

"Now, I'll use Monster Reborn," said Tyson. "To bring back Behemoth, the King of All Animals from the Graveyard."

"Man, now I've got to confront his ace monster, too?" Nick tossed his hand down. "Forget it, man. It's over."

Andre laughed. "Fail! Epic fail, Nick. You got screwed over sideways. Looks like you need some more practice, Nick. You're not ready for the big leagues."

"Back off!" he heard someone say. To his surprise, it was Yuri.

"What the hell's your deal? You think because you're a better Duelist, you can just waltz on over and force us to bask in your glory or something? Just because you're better than him doesn't mean you get to make fun of him!"

"But...you guys make fun of him all the time."

"We're his friends! You're not! Stop pretending like you are!"

Those words hurt Andre deeply. "Oh...uh...sorry, Yuri. Say, are you going to be participating in the Wyvern Cup?"

"No, you can count me out! I don't do tournaments."

"What about the Ruby Cup?" Andre asked.

"That was a one-time thing. I have nothing left to prove!"

"Aww, Yuri, come on!" Patty begged him. "You just have to join."

"No!" Yuri almost shouted. "I uh...no. I...I got a lot of homework to do. See you guys later." Yuri picked up his backpack and stormed out of the shop.

"What was that all about?" Nick asked. "You'd think he was offended or something."

"What did I tell you?" Carter said to Andre. "Even with that Black Tyranno in his deck, Yuri is still afraid to enter big events. He'll never be a good Duelist like this."

He noticed Andre still standing there, probably nursing the wound to his pride that Yuri's harsh words inflicted on it. Carter put his arm over Andre's shoulder and led him away from the group. "Hey...don't take what he said to heart, all right. Nick and Yuri, they're like brothers. He saved his life when they were kids, so if he sees anyone but us taking a jab at him, he'll defend him right away."

"I didn't mean to upset him," said Andre.

"Yuri's a sensitive guy, my dude. Why do you think they call him Flower? And by the way, if you're beating all these elite Duelists to impress Yuri into being your friend, you've got another thing coming. You take care now."

Little did they know, they were being watched by Joey with the Seeing Stone he got from Serenity in Termnnia. He was sitting on the head of a giant he, Tristan, and Yugi killed for the 10,000 gold bounty put out by the Duke of Arboreen, who was troubled by it. The Duke's men and some villagers were tying ropes around his corpse so they could take his body to the meadow and burn it.

"Yuri..." Joey whispered. Now that the Dueling was over, the images faded, and he could see no more. "What's wrong, man? Why are you so scared of going to tournaments?" He formed his hand into a fist and shook it. "Bakura. He had something to do with this. It's probably that curse Yugi was talking about."

He put the Seeing Stone into his knapsack and stood up so the duke's men could cut the giant's head off to keep as a trophy.

Yami Yugi approached him, cleaning the giant's blood off his regular sword with a handkerchief."What news?" he asked.

"Yuri's scared of entering tournaments, Yugi. It's just as your informant said. Yuri runs away at the mere mention of a tournament. You think it's dat curse Bakura placed on him."

"Perhaps. There's nothing we can do about the curse, though. Someone else is taking care of that. And for the sake of Yuri's safety, I will not say who. By the way. Is it true that he has...it."

"You mean the Black Tyranno?" Joey asked. "Yeah, they've bonded. I hoped he would give Yuri an edge in overcoming his fears, but...it doesn't even look like he's helping."

Yami Yugi wrinkled his nose. "Your sister is a defiant one. I didn't think she would go behind my back and steal the card from me."

"But Black Tyranno's been looking for Yuri, right?"

"It matters not. I was going to give him the card when he got back to Termnnia. Instead, he's running around with a card many believe was made by Jacob Montgomery to give him an unfair advantage over the competition. I will deal with her when we get back to the East, but I forbid her from becoming involved with any mission regarding Prince Yuri. Am I understood? I will not be afraid to have her locked up, Joey. Sister or not, she broke the law by sneaking Black Tyranno into the Standard Dimension."

"I know, Yuge, I know. Ever since Yuri's eighteenth year began, she's been growing out of control. I'll understand if you must send her to the big house."

"Thank you. This operation must be conducted with the greatest of care. One slight misstep and our enemies will play their hand and ruin everything we've worked so hard to achieve. So, now that this monster has been taken care of, what do you plan to do?"

"I plan on going South to Mellowfields," said Joey. "There's a big tournament down there with a huge sum of gold coins for the winner. I plan on giving those winnings to Yuri."

Yami finally smiled; Joey's generosity warmed his spirit. "Ah, that's very thoughtful of you, Joey."

Joey winked. "Forget about it. And to make things even more interesting, there's a Monster Hunters Guild down there, so I'll be able to hunt for more monsters and make more money as I kick butt in the tournament. I project I'm going to make a killing over the next few days. You just watch, man."

"Then best of luck to you, Joey."

Joey laughed. "Best of luck? I think you forget who yer talkin' to sometimes."

Chapter 3: The Wisdom of Layla Lovecraft

Chapter Text

Layla Lovecraft - Eden Island, Aquarius

Young Layla set up her equipment in her room on the top floor of her beachside apartment suite. As she adjusted the settings and height of her camera, she hummed the theme song from season one of Attack on Titan, one of her favorite Animes.

The camera revealed all the materialistic luxuries a person could want behind her. Luxury furniture, expensive electronics, and decorations that would have the average Joe burning in rage. She thanked her career as a professional Duelist, gamer, and online entertainer for her riches. With an allowance of five million a year, she happily retired at the age of twenty-one.

Once all that was taken care of she put on her white hooded sweater in the shape of a dragon. A frill of cloth spikes went down her back and a little tail came out the bottom of the sweater. The hood had two horns and a hot pink interior and her hands were concealed in the sleeves which sealed to form cute dragon claws. Then she pulled up a black frilly skirt and fishnet stockings.

Her bright blonde hair was formed into two long pigtails with pink streaks. White headphones illuminated by pink neon lights hung over her neck.

She turned on the camera and she smiled and waved. The sunlight peering through her white draped windows made her huge blue eyes sparkle giving her the appearance of an anime girl.

"What's up, guys! Layla Lovecraft here at PinkDragon_Gaming with another session of 'Let's Talk'."

Cut to Layla clapping. "Yay!"

"But before we start, here are the Texts of the Day!"

Cut to Layla with her phone. "Okay, the first one is from LonesomeWarrior069 with: "Hey, PinkDragon_Layla. OMG Ur So HAWT! Show us your tit*!"

Layla stares coldly at the camera. "Hey, LonesomeWarrior!" She flips both her middle fingers up. "f*ck you!"

"Sorry about that guys. This next one is from GEEKLORD1020."

The video cuts to her snickering at the name. "Ha, ha, Geek lord."

Cut to her coughing into her dragon claw sleeve. Her eyes dart from left to right mischievously. Now the video cuts to her reading the text from her fan. She leans back in her elite gaming chair. "Hey, PinkDragon_Layla, did you catch any good memes this week?" she read out loud. "Like seriously guys? I am a Duelist. This is a channel about Dueling and you want me to talk about memes?"

Next clip shows Layla standing in the harbor with a jug of milk. She leaps into the air and flies through space with the soundtrack Shooting Stars by Bag Raiders. Now she's back in her room. A plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies is in front of her. Her face is red from her little stunt and she chuckles. She looks into the camera.

"Ahem, sorry you had to see that." She bites into another cookie. "Mmm, my girlfriend made me these. Her cookies are so beast!" She sticks her left thumb up with approval as she takes another bite of her cookie. "Mmm! Love you, baby!"

The video now shows her leaning back in her chair. "Well enough of those you guys. So here's what's making Dueling news. First off, my reaction to Phobos Corp finally releasing their Solid Vision Holographic technology for everyone." She pumps her fist. "YES!" Layla jumps around the room and then twerks as the song Bubble Butt by Major Lazer is playing in the background.

Back to Layla in her chair. "I am so excited about this you guys. Holographic Dueling was originally reserved for championship tournaments, and there are some pompous assholes, a.k.a the 'elite' (She makes quotations with her fingers) out there who claim that's only reserved for them. In the words of my friend, AJShim, the Virginia state champion..." The video cuts to an image showing a black and white picture of a woman from the 1950s spraying air freshener all over the room. The words: Smells like Bullsh*t are written above her in big black letters. Audio plays the sound of AJShim saying his famous quote. "BULL-sh*t!"

Layla points at the camera and pouts while yelling "NO! NO! You guys suck!"

She sits back in her chair

"Now Solid Vision Holographic Duels. What are they. Well, being the geniuses they are, the scientists and engineers at Phobos Corp have developed a revolutionary new technology called ARC which stands for Augmented Reality Combat, meaning the monsters' AI will be super smart, super interactive, and super real. Trust me, I've seen firsthand what this technology can do. See, I was part of the super secret, super exclusive Tournament of Champions on Mr. Montgomery's private island. Now, I wasn't supposed to reveal anything about that because I was under contract to keep my lips sealed. And uh....they paid me a sh*t-ton of money, too, so obviously, I was going to keep my mouth shut. Anyways, guys, Solid Vision Technology is going to change the game. The monsters were rendered in full size, so if I summoned my Tri-Horned Dragon, he towered right over me. He was HUGE! And the way they fought. My God! It was so, so real! Ugh, I'm glad Solid Vision Technology is coming and is going to be free for everyone soon because I am just so-so-sick of those lame low-rez Duel Screens. They're so corny, and cheesy, and they don't exactly immerse you in the battle, which totally sucks the fun out of the game. I felt bad seeing everyone else not have access to this awesome tech. But it appears your voices have been heard and Phobos Corp has begun construction of local arenas here on Aquarius! But that is not all Duel fans!"

A cut to her screeching with excitement and waving her dragon claw sleeves. "Leon Caldwell, the marketing director and head of the Phobos Corp technological division, has also announced that the company is working on its newest toy. As you can see Leon standing in front of a silhouette of the new piece of tech. He said in an interview with Duel Magazine, quote: I am pleased to announce that we are finished working on Phobos Corp.'s newest, most advanced, and most ambitious product yet. With the release of Solid Vision Holographic technology to the public, we quickly got to work on a way to let Duelists play with holograms anywhere, anytime."

Layla droops over her desk. Mouth wide open with shock. A minute goes by before she says: "HO-LY sh*t! Portable hologram Duels?" Clip of Layla throwing hundred-dollar bills at the camera. "I'm throwing money at the screen but nothing is happening!"

Back to her in her chair "Now, while we're on the subject of holographic tech it should be known that Aquarius's first local arena, The Duel Dome, was built just a few nights ago, and WOW! Talk about action. We had Duelists from all over the country flock to our little playground. There were some pretty elite players there including my bestie and former teammate, Crystal Anderson the Queen of Dragons! Okay, now get this. My girlfriend was there that night and says she saw Crystal entering the dome with who else? Well, Yuri. As she entered the dome she was challenged by the regional champion, Randall Lawson. And Crystal put Yuri up to Duel him."

Layla stares at the camera confused. "Like whaaaat?"

"Okay, guys, Yuri may be the son of the CEO of Phobos Corp and Duel Monsters creator, Jacob Montgomery. And heir to this entire island! BUT he has been labeled number one on the list of one of Aquarius's worst Duelists. You gotta admire Crystal's confidence in him. Now here is where things get interesting. Yuri BEAT him in that Duel."

Layla shouts slapping both hands on the sides of her face. "WOOOOOW!"

"No, you guys, this is not a joke. Yuri won. Now, personally, I hate Randall Lawson; he is a nasty, egotistical pervert and there are days I wish I never met him. But he is being trained by the former world champion, Brett Martinetti. Randall may be a creep but I respect his Dueling skills. Which leaves me to wonder. How in the hell could an amateur like Yuri Montgomery beat a guy like him? Well, the answers may lie in a monster that has been labeled as the Black Tyranno. This is a card that has never been seen or heard of before. One of Randall's buddies posted a video of the monster on Instagram. I'll leave the link in the description. And what do you guys think is going on? Is Yuri's father giving Yuri new cards? Possibly. Is it a lie? A hoax? A fake card? Let me know what your opinions are in the comments. As for me. Well, there's only one way I'm going find out if that card is legit or not."

Layla held out her deck.

"I'm going to challenge Yuri to a Duel and see for myself. Yeah, that's right. Me and Yuri. One-on-one. Stay tuned for that boys and girls. Well, that's the video for today guys. Thanks for watching. As always, leave your comments down below. If you enjoyed the video, please give it a Like. And if you're new to my channel make sure you hit that subscribe button." Cut to Layla making a cute pouty face "Or I'm going to be a very sad panda."

Back to Layla being happy and enthusiastic again. "And don't forget to hit Pink_Dragon's website where you can get some cool t-shirts and other merchandise. And promo cards signed by me and the rest of the team."

She gives a flirtatious wink.

"And Yuri, you better watch out, kiddo. Crystal ain't the only one around here with a powerful dragon deck! Better get your game on, my dude, cuz it's time to Duel."

Andre - St. Augustus High school/Aquarius

As Andre passed the halls of St. Augustus High School, he heard a lot of talk about Yuri's big win against Randall Lawson. Whispers about a new mystery monster that destroyed the Reginonal Champ.

Andre heard some kids saying they wanted to see the monster for themselves. Others bragged that they could easily beat the monster, whatever it was.

"Yuri's not so tough," he overheard Maxwell bragging to a group of girls he immediately identified as the Gems of Paradiso Prima. "If it were me against him, I would have easily won."

"Yeah, right," said one of the Gems, a golden-haired girl named Maria Friedman. "Randall Lawson is a Regional Champion from the United States. He was personally trained by Brett Martinetti, the guy who trained the Summoner of Dragons. That's no walk in the park."

"You girls really think Yuri won by skill? He got lucky. There's no way he could beat a Duelist of Randall's caliber. And what if the rumors are true? That the mystery card everybody's talking about was given to him by his father? He can't be like us, so he gets his daddy to give him special cards to give him an advantage."

Another girl from the group named Taryn Conti rolled her eyes and mocked his words with a scoff. "You would like to believe that. I don't know Yuri personally, but he's a nice guy who plays for the sake of friendly competition."

Her teammate, another blonde with a flower in her hair named Barbie Tyrell agreed. "Yeah, he's a good boy. And there's no way he was gifted with a powerful card. Jacob Montgomery is a very stern man. He doesn't give his kids anything. If they want something, they have to earn it."

"You girls are so naive," said Maxwell. "Yuri's a cheat. Which is why I need your help to take him out and prove what a fraud he is!"

Andre had heard enough and stepped up to confront him. He shouldered his backpack and stood in front of Maxwell to look him in the eye.

"Maybe you'd like to face him yourself!"

"Get lost, asshole!" Maxwell barked. "We weren't talking to you."

"Actually, we were just leaving," said another Gem named Carolina Fairfax. "This guy is writing checks with his mouth that he can't cash in."

"Hey! We're not done yet!"

A good-looking boy with jet-black hair and bright blue eyes came up from behind the Gems and smiled proudly. Andre immediately figured out he was the third Duel King, Diego Morales.

The young millionaire from Spain flashed an arrogant smile as he stood in front of the ladies, whom he hoped would be superstars in the future. Andre backed away to give them their space and let Diego confront the wannabe Duel King.

"Maxwell. Making the nuisance out of yourself again, huh? Do us all a favor and make yourself scarce. You're bothering my friends."

"Come on, Morales. We need each other right now. Aren't you afraid that cheater is going to take your throne?"

"Throne?" Diego laughed. "Don't you think you're being a little dramatic? It's just a silly title the kids around here give to the best Duelists in school. Actually, I rather hope Yuri can become one of the school's Duel Kings before the year is over. In fact, I'm betting money on it."

"What? How could you want him to be one of you guys?"

Diego snigg*red softly. "Well, he is the heir to the most powerful company in the world and this beautiful city we call home. It's only natural the other students show him the proper respect he deserves as a Duel King. And that card he used to beat that arrogant bastard Randall Lawson is going to help him gain that title, I'm sure. But that doesn't mean I won't try my hand at him eventually. I'll send my Gems his way first to see if he and that mystery card are worthy of my time."

"You won't have to worry about that. I'll take down both him and his new dinosaur monster and become a Duel King myself. You'll see."

"Good luck," Barbie sing-songed with a cute giggle. She mockingly swayed her head from side to side, making her pigtails flap around. "If not even a champion from America can stand against that monster, what makes you think you can?"

"You'll see," Maxwell waved his hand and walked away.

Diego flipped Maxwell off as he sulked down the halls. "So you must be the new kid in school. Andre Martin, they call you, right?"

"That's right."

"What's your interest in Yuri?"

"What do you mean?"

"What's your interest in him? Financial? Romantical? Trying to take him down and make a name for yourself? Lord knows everyone wants to, now that he's beaten an American regional champion. You must have quite the connection with him to just randomly stand up for Maxi like that."

"I aim to be his teacher in Duel Monsters. Everyone, even you, talk about how great he is. Well, sorry to say it, but Yuri is...a bit of a coward. He's afraid of big challenges. I was there the night he beat Randall. He might have pulled the win, but that was just luck. If Black Tyranno hadn't been drawn, Randall would have won the match."

Taryn couldn't help but laugh at him. "Dude, you really believe that, don't you? No, Yuri doesn't need a teacher now that he has that new card in his deck. Things have gotten even more interesting around here now that he has a new Ace."

"I know, right!" Barbie squealed happily. "We knew Yuri was good, but to have the skills to beat a Duelist like Randall. I didn't know he had it in him."

"Hmm," Carolina said. "I wonder if all that talk about him being shy was just BS, and he's been holding out on us the whole time. I mean, nobody just gets that good."

The bell rang. It was time to go to class.

Diego clapped his hands. "Come on, girls. Off we go. Expand your minds and soak up every bit of the knowledge you'll be blessed with today."

"Wait, Diego!" Andre called.

"Hmmm?"

"What'll it take for….uh, I dunno. A guy like me to be a Duel King?"

Diego responded with a leer. "I see. You wish to be a Duel King, hoping it will get Yuri to accept your offer to be his Duel Monsters teacher. Well, if that's what you wish to do, who am I to stop you?"

He placed his hands behind his back and walked to Andre. "Look, kid, to be the best, you've got to beat the best. You need to defeat one of the Duel Kings in school. But you can't just simply challenge them. You need to be worthy of their time."

"How do I do that?"

"Well, I acquired fifty victories. Start by doing that. You need to gain the interest of a Duel King in order to play against one. And what better way to gain their interest than winning big. But I wouldn't get any ideas. Competition is fierce. And we're all betting on Yuri."

Yuri - St. Augustus High School/ Standard Dimension

Yuri claimed there was great pain in his chest when he put his head down to take a quick nap in the cafeteria. He dreamed again. Of knights and monsters.

And treasure.

As usual, when the dreams ended, pain followed suit. Yuri was in such discomfort that Tyson had to help him walk to the infirmary, where the nurse looked at him all day. He was x-rayed and examined with a CT scan. Nothing. He was as fit as a football player.

"Stress," Yuri said walking with his friends out of their math class. "She said stress and anxiety were causing me that pain. But...but it sure doesn't feel that way."

"You feeling better now?" Patty asked. "You had me really worried back there, buddy."

"All right, all right," said Yuri. As he walked out of the school, he ignored whispers as he walked out. Some people called him a cheater. They claimed that a Duelist like him could never defeat a champion player like Randall. Then, there were some who wanted to get a shot of Black Tyranno for their blogs, and some even wanted to buy it from Yuri.

"Things haven't been the same since I summoned that monster," said Yuri.

"You should be happy for this kind of publicity, Yuri," said Tyson.

"Yeah, Carter's right," said Patty. "Even if you're not one of those stupid Duel Kings, a majority of the school finally acknowledges you as the great Duelist you have the potential to be."

"Some have called me a cheater," said Yuri.

"Let the haters hate," said Carter. "They're just jealous that it was you and not them who took down Randall."

"Meh, I'm with Yuri on this one," scoffed Nick. "All this publicity sucks."

"Why?" asked Patty. "Because the cameras are focused on Yuri and not you?"

"I'm talkin' about you, Pats," said Nick. "Ever since Yuri won that Duel every camera on the island chain has been focused on your ass!"

"What the hell is he rambling about?" Yuri asked. They walked down the sidewalk towards the card shop to hang out and have lunch. It was Friday after all and Yuri was free from work today.

"They all think I'm your girlfriend, Yuri," said Patty. "And I've got to admit, my friend list has been spiking on social media."

"This is bullsh*t!" said Nick. "Patty's my girl!"

Patty scoffed. "What do you mean, your girl?"

"Well, not yet, but you will be."

Patty rolled her eyes. She grabbed Yuri by the face and planted a big kiss on his lips, all the while flipping her middle finger at Nick.

"See you tomorrow, boys!" Patty said, walking off, leaving them all stunned.

Yuri smirked confidently and walked away with his hand behind his head.

"Hey!" said Nick. "Don't let that sink into your head, Yuri! Yuri!"

"Yuri Montgomery!" someone called out. "Hey, Yuri! Yuri!"

Yuri looked around for the voice.

"Over here!"

"No way!" said Tyson, spotting Layla Lovecraft waving at them from the top of a hill. "Layla of PinkDragon Gaming?"

"Who's she?" Yuri asked, watching the girl run down the hill towards them.

"She is one of the members of that all-female gaming clan. PinkDragon Gaming."

"Ah," Yuri said, "Of course" Now he remembered. He read an article about them once. They have teams for every well-known game like Call of Duty and Halo. Layla was one of Crystal's teammates in the Duel Monsters Team Tournament two years ago. The famous Sensational Dragon Sisters because they all packed well-built dragon decks and dominated the competition.

"But what does she want with me?"

"We're about to find out."

Layla made it down the hill and jumped from a stone ledge. "Woo, glad I finally caught up with you. You Yuri? The one with the glowing green eye?"

"Yeah, that's me."

"I heard about your Duel against Randall Lawson. Man, he is such a creep, my congratulations on defeating him." She extended her hand towards him.

"Uh, thanks," Yuri replied and shook it.

"Now, I've got a question for you, Yuri. Do you think it was skill that allowed you to beat Lawson? Or was it sheer dumb luck?"

"Sheer dumb luck," Yuri answered immediately.

"Care to find out for yourself?" Layla asked, pulling her deck out of her pocket. The cards had gold trim.

"Wow!" Yuri and the others said.

"Go for it, Yuri!" said Tyson.

"I don't think so."

"Why not?" Layla asked. "If you win, I could end all those nasty rumors about you cheating."

"Huh?"

"Come on, Yuri, take my word for it. My fans always listen to what I have to say. And if I say you're legit, you're legit."

"But that's only if I win," said Yuri. "Which I can't. You're a champion player. I'm not. You could easily beat me. Even with my Black Tyranno."

"Then the rumors are true after all," said Layla. "You're running away from a match and that's cowardice."

"You have made a correct assessment," said Yuri.

"Cheaters are cowards, Yuri," said Layla. "If you walk away from my challenge, you're proving all those naysayers right. Come on, kiddo. Prove them all wrong."

"Why do you care if I do?"

Layla wrinkled her nose. Is this guy for real? Is THIS the Duelist who beat Randall Lawson and could potentially one day own the game after his father? What a joke!

Yuri saw the look of distraughtness on her face and suddenly changed her attitude. "Uh, I mean, uh. Very well." He said this with such confidence. He even puffed out his chest and agreed again."Yes, yes, of course, I'll face you. I can't run away forever." Images of a knight clad in platinum flashed through his eyes, filling him with courage. "Come on. The card shop is just down this way."

"We're not going to no card shop, Yuri. I'm playing you at The Duel Dome."

"Oh boy," groaned Carter. "Here we go again. That place is starting to become really popular."

"Come on," said Layla. "I can fit you all in my car."

They jammed into Layla's convertible and took them to the Duel Dome after a short drive. When they were in the elevator, she opened a box full of booster boxes.

"Here," she said. "Fill your deck up with these. There should be some cool dinosaurs in this set you can use."

"Wow," said Nick. "These are from the new set!"

"They're only for Yuri," said Layla, "hands-off."

Yuri knelt and opened the box. "Wow, thanks, Layla."

"Hey, Yuri, you better think about this," said Carter. "These are brand new cards that won't be released until next month. They're going to contain a lot of cards we've never seen before."

Yuri merely shrugged. "I'm a quick study. Layla, with these new cards and my evolving skill, there's no way you'll win."

"Ooooh," Layla leaned against the wall. "Well, now. Look who's suddenly brimming with confidence. What's with the change in attitude?"

"I don't know," Yuri replied as though she asked what life's meaning was. "I really don't know. I'm just...I just don't feel that scared anymore." Again, he saw scenes with the platinum knight flashing through his eyes. "I'm not scared." He placed his hand over his heart. "And I don't know why."

Ding!

The elevator took them to the topmost arena. By that time, Yuri had found plenty of new cards to add to his deck. He gave it one last shuffle and put it in his pocket.

"Okay," said Layla. "You take blue. I'll take red."

"Okay," said Yuri.

They took their places. The platforms arose. The scoreboard above displayed 2000 Life Points.

As they did, Crytal and Brett stormed into the box seats over the arena.

"Where do you think you're going!" Brett shouted at Crystal.

"I think I saw them come up here!" said Crystal.

"Who?" Brett said, joining her on the balcony suite overlooking the arena below. "Well, well, Yuri. I should have known you'd wet your panties seeing him come up here."

"He's brimming with confidence today," said Crystal. She leaned over the glass railing, beaming at him. "The most I've ever seen him."

"And his opponent is Layla!" Brett said softly. "Wow, she looks like she's ready to kick some ass."

"My former teammate should prove a formidable opponent for Yuri," Crystal agreed. "She's sure to take his game to a higher level with this Duel."

"Or give him a most crushing defeat," snigg*red Brett, going to the bar to help himself to a drink. "While Randall was goofing around in regionals, Layla was playing a serious game in the world championships. Yuri doesn't stand a chance."

Meanwhile, Ren had arrived inside a lounge on the other side of the arena, too. He stood there quietly to watch Yuri's match. He kept to the shadows so no one could see him. "So you're here, too?" he whispered.

"Hold on, Yuri," Layla said, opening her backpack. She sent a drone into the air. "Just need a little something to record our match."

"Pretty cool," said Yuri. "So we're going to be Dueling live on your streaming channel or something?"

"Got that right. You're going to be live in 3...2...1!"

Layla waved to the camera mounted on the drone and introduced herself and Yuri to her viewers.

"Is this the same Yuri we know?" Tyson asked. He sat with the others in the first row next to the arena. "Since when has Yuri been cool about getting filmed in front of a live audience?"

"Yeah, this is really strange," said Carter. "Yuri should be running for the hills by now at the mere mention of the word camera and live. But look at him. He's just accepting it like it's nothing. I also wonder where this sudden burst of courage came from."

"Could be from kicking King Andre's ass last week," said Nick. "Who knows? But I'm just glad Yuri's getting some confidence out there. If this keeps up, he should be on the right path to being the Duelist we all expect him to be."

Layla finished the introductions, and then the drone flew higher.

"I appreciate you challenging me, Layla," Yuri said.

"Thanks, you're first!"

"With pleasure," said Yuri. "I summon Trakadon in defense mode!"

Trakadon

ATK/1300 DEF/800

"That all?" Layla laughed. "You're going to have to do better than that. I summon Sky Dragon!"

Sky Dragon

ATK/1900 DEF/1800

After Layla commanded her six-winged beast to attack, the dragon fired a bright blue beam at Trakadon. The little dinosaur screeched and was blasted away. Yuri lost 700 Life Points dropping him to 1300.

"I'm sure you can do better than that," said Layla. "You defeated Randall Lawson. Come on, show me how you did it."

"Yeah, he may have defeated Randall Lawson," said Nick. "But Randall Lawson was not a legendary Sensational Dragon Sister."

Crystal balled her hands into fists and smashed them on the railing. "Damn! Maybe he got a little too confident! What the hell was that?"

"Arrogance can be your greatest enemy," said Brett. "However, just by looking at him, I can tell that's a trait that's very rare for him. Perhaps he's still getting used to his newfound courage. It can be a very strange feeling for someone who's been so fearful and weak the way he's been for his whole life. He's probably exploding with so many emotions right now. He just has to keep them in control."

Crystal looked over her shoulder in bewilderment. "Wow, were my ears deceiving me, or did you just compliment Yuri?"

"I didn't compliment you nitwit"

"Come on, Yuri!" Layla called. "I want you at your best."

"All right," said Yuri. "You want me to do my best, I will. I will play Polymerization to fuse together another Trakadon in my hand with Beast King of the Swamp and create Pragtical!"

Yuri summoned a quadrupedal dinosaur with royal purple skin, its shoulders and head crowned with spikes.

Pragtical

ATK/1900 DEF/1500

"But that's not all!" said Yuri. "I equip him with Raise Body Heat and boost his attack by three hundred points raising Pragtical's attack to twenty-two hundred!"

Pragtical attacked at Yuri's command, slashing Sky Dragon in the chest. The feathered dragon screeched and exploded into a thousand pieces.

"Hm." Layla wrinkled her nose. Her Life Points went down to 1700. "Okay, nice combo attack by the way. But here comes my next monster. I place two cards face down and summon Serpent Night Dragon!"

Crystal clasped her hands together.

"What's with you?" Brett asked, watching Crystal get jittery.

"Oh, I'm so jealous!" said Crystal, seeing the dark serpentine dragon slithering in the air over the field with its four wings. "I've wanted that dragon for years. It's so rare. It's an alternate art card. The chances of getting those are one in a million! Reagan, Layla's girlfriend, gave it to her for her birthday while on a vacation in Hawaii."

Serpent Night Dragon

ATK/2350 DEF/2400

The rare alternate form of Serpent Night Dragon held its body up and spread its red membranous wings which were almost as long as its body. It had sharp blades coming out from behind its scrawny legs and arms. A shadow mane of black hair with a blood-red hue waved ominously from behind its head. Long curved spikes went down its back to its whip-like tail with an ax-shaped weapon at the end.

The dragon screeched and summoned shadows, which flew out and destroyed Yuri's dinosaur.

Yuri-1150

Layla-1700

"So far I'm not impressed, Yuri."

"Well nobody asked you to be impressed!" Yuri retorted. "You're a fool if you think this was going to be like your Duels in those fancy-pants tournaments. I told you, I'm not a good Duelist."

"Come on, kiddo, I meant no disrespect. Crystal sees a lot in you is all."

"She does?"

"Yes. It takes more than sheer dumb luck to defeat a good Duelist like Randall. It takes skill and heart. I want to see something in you, too, Yuri. And I want to help bring out that potential in you. But that's going to be hard to do if you're not putting your all into this Duel. Passionate Duelist is what Crystal calls you. Well, I haven't seen any passion in you. All you've been doing was throwing down random monsters in hopes that I end this Duel quickly. I know you've got something in that deck that can stand up to my dragons."

"I just might," said Yuri. "You know, I'm starting to feel bad."

"Why's that?"

"Crystal. All her life she's tried to cheer me on. Pushing me to be the best. But every time I just shove it in her face. When I beat Randall the other night...I felt alive for the first time in years. But as the days went by, my doubt ate away at my confidence. Doubts that I actually could beat him."

"Doubt is the nastiest monster of them all, Yuri," said Layla. "But it's one we all have to fight at some point. And like any other monster, it can be slain, but that all depends if you want to armor up and fight it."

"You know," said Carter. "She's right."

"Yeah," said Tyson with a nod of his head."

"Hey, Layla!" said Nick. "Thanks a bunch for the pep talk. Maybe we can go out for dinner, and you can give me some of that motivation."

"Sorry, babe," laughed Layla. "I've got a girlfriend already. It's your move, Yuri. Hit me with your best shot."

"Right," said Yuri. "I place two cards face down. Summon this monster in defense mode and end my turn."

"Now we're talking," said Layla. She drew her card, marking the beginning of her turn. "You've got me guessing and on my toes. That's how my opponent should play. But, will it be enough for my next beast?"

"Bring it on, Layla."

"Wow," said Crystal. "He's all geared up and ready to fight."

"Careful what you wish for," jeered Brett. "I think Layla drew her best card."

Layla kissed the card she drew.

"Tri-Horned Dragon!" Layla slapped her strongest monster onto the playing field. She summoned the strongest of the lesser dragons. It was a stubby beast with blue scales, a red underbelly, and yellow claws and spikes.

Tri-Horned Dragon

ATK/2850 DEF/2350

"But hold on there," said Layla. "I activate my trap card, Dragon's Rage. This card will give my dragons the power of piercing damage, which means that even if your monster is in defense mode, you'll still take damage. And at twenty-eight-fifty attack points, my Tri-Horned Dragon will end the game with this attack. Go Tri-Horned Dragon, attack Yuri's face-down monster."

"Activate trap card!" said Yuri. "Sakuretsu Armor."

"Oh no!"

"This card allows me to destroy your attacking monster."

"Close but no cigar, Yuri. I activate a trap card of my own. The Dragon's Bead! At the cost of a card in my hand, my trap card will negate the effect of your trap and destroy it!"

"Fine," said Yuri. "I will flip up my face-down monster, Gale Lizard! I can select your Tri-Horned Dragon and send him back to your hand."

"You still forget," said Layla. "My Serpent Night Dragon is still free to attack your Gale Lizard."

Yuri braced himself for the attack. Gale Lizard was torn to shreds by Serpent Night Dragon's sonic shadows attack.

Yuri-200

Layla-1700

"Revenge never tasted so sweet," said Brett, pouring himself another glass of scotch. "I knew one of my girls would take Yuri out eventually."

Crystal groaned with frustration, remembering that it was Brett who was the manager of her team with the Sensational Sisters. Not that they needed him. He just tagged along to make himself look good.

"I've got to hand it to you, Yuri," said Layla. "That was pretty tense. You saved yourself for the moment."

"If you thought that was amazing wait till you see what I can do next," said Yuri.

"Give me your best shot kiddo!"

"With pleasure. I draw! I activate my Pot of Greed card, which allows me to draw two additional cards. And now I'm summoning Gogiga Gagagigo!"

He summoned a humanoid reptile that stood ten feet high. He had flaming red skin and gold armor covering his torso, crotch, arms, and legs, and barbed the end of his tail which was the size of a full-grown man. The armor covering his elbows and knees was spiked.

Gogiga Gagagigo

ATK/2950 DEF/2800

"Oh geez!" said Layla.

Yuri's monster stormed for Layla's Serpent Night Dragon and tore it to shreds with his sharp golden claws.

Yuri-200

Layla-1100

"Nice move," said Brett. "But she's still in the lead. Damn, I love this game."

"I summon Tri-Horned Dragon in defense mode!" Layla proclaimed. "Now, you can't strike my Life Points!"

"Oh, can't I?" said Yuri. He flipped the card he drew with his fingers to show her.

"Black Tyranno!" cried Layla. "He does exist!"

"Oh no!" said Brett, almost spitting out his drink. "No! No! No! The card that beat Randall!"

Yuri summoned it to the field. Black Tyranno reared its head and roared into the stadium making the Jurassic Park Tyrannosaurus Rex roar.

"You can't use your Black Tyranno's effect anyway!" said Layla. "I have two trap cards on the field, so Tri-Horned Dragon is not the only monster I have on the field."

"Not for long," said Yuri. "I activate the final card of the game, Heavy Storm. With this card, all our spells and traps are destroyed."

A fierce gale erupted from the ground and shattered Layla's two traps.

"This can't be!" said Layla. "I...I lost."

Yuri had not even made the attack yet, but already Layla knew the game was over. Black Tyranno smashed past Tri-Horned Dragon and gave Layla a swipe of his tail.

Yuri-200

Layla-0

Crystal jumped up and down with joy. "He did it!" She looked at Brett. "He really did it!"

"Doesn't surprise me," said Brett. "Layla was the weakest of the sisters. Come along, now. We've got important matters to attend to."

"I have no part in those matters, Brett. You go on!"

"I said, let's go!"

"One of these days, Brett. You're going to regret treating me this way."

"Keep on dreaming, toots," he slapped her rear as she walked by and winked. "Man! I love doing that."

On the other side of the arena, Ren smiled. "Nice work, Yuri." He turned and left.

"That was amazing," said Layla. "And I streamed the whole game live, so if anyone still has anything negative to say about your skills Yuri, they're idiots."

"Thanks for the game and the pep talk, Layla," said Yuri. "I'm not afraid to show the world what I'm made of."

"You still have a long way to go if you want to be a champion, Yuri," said Layla. "But with a heart and skill set like yours, I wouldn't be surprised if that day came soon. Good luck in your future Duels."

"You too," Yuri said. He wanted to shake her hand, but he got a hug instead.

From his private box high above the arena, Andre silently observed the events unfolding below. Unbeknownst to anyone in the arena, he had witnessed Layla inviting Yuri to join her there. Intrigued, he followed them to witness their duel. As he watched Yuri triumph over a former world tag team champion, a sense of unease washed over him. The realization that his aspirations of becoming Yuri's master were slipping further and further from his grasp sent a shiver down his spine.

"Shoot!" he said, slamming his fists on the railing. "He's getting better! Way better! I better make my move now before it's too late!"

Chapter 4: Dragon Den

Chapter Text

It was hard not to get noticed now that word had gotten out that he had beaten the likes of Randall Lawson and Layla Lovecraft. All day, his phone buzzed with notifications as he made new friends and received messages from some who wanted to see his Black Tyranno card or know where he got it. He was mobbed by students eager to see his new card. In his haste to leave, when the final bell rang, he didn't even wait for his friends. He just rushed out of the school and dashed into the city, where he wasn't heard from for the rest of the day.

He put his phone on mute, stuffed it in his backpack, and then marched to a secret beach on Paradiso Prima, where he was sure nobody could find him. He was finally alone. The beaches, though man-made, looked very natural, hidden by a forest of palm trees, rocky cliffs, and rolling hills. Yuri remained in that spot until the sun went down and the stars began to sparkle in the heavens. When it got too dark, Yuri built himself a small fire on the sands and just sat there for hours and hours. Suddenly, he heard footsteps coming from behind him. He turned quickly and saw a big figure coming towards him. The light from the fire revealed the person's silhouette.

It was Andre.

"Whoa, there you are!" he said. "Man, everyone's been looking all over for you."

Yuri looked away and wrapped his arms around his legs. "Really? I've been avoiding them all day."

"Your folks are really worried about you, man." Andre stepped into the light of the fire. "Rumors are going around that you fell into the sea. Come on, let's get you home."

"I don't want to leave this spot." Yuri kept his eyes on the waves crashing against the shore.

"What do you want to do then?"

"Disappear."

"Why?"

"I don't like all this attention. Bad enough that my dad's pressuring me to become his heir to the company. But now this. I can't get a moment's peace anymore. I can't even sleep at night because of all these dreams. I just want a moment's peace."

"What kind of dreams have you been having?"

"You wouldn't understand," Ren said, walking out of the forest with Crystal by his side.

"Ren! Crystal!" Yuri said aloud.

"So there's our little hero," said Ren.

"Yuri!" Crystal cried. She dashed across the sand, passed Andre, and hugged Yuri tighter than ever. "We were so worried about you. Didn't you hear any of us calling you? Why did you run away?"

"Because I need some space. I wasn't ready for all this attention."

"You should be," said Ren. "You're the son of a trillionaire. Isn't it common knowledge that the press would be after you? Everything you do will be in tomorrow's magazine; unfortunately, that's the life we lead."

Yuri raised his left shoulder to shake Crystal off. She whimpered sadly and sat back, her knees on the sand. Yuri then reached out and patted her hand as an apology. "Sorry, Crystal. A month ago, people were starting to believe that I wasn't interesting. And I was happy about that."

He took out his deck from his back pocket. He flipped through his cards until he found the beast that made him the talk of the whole island. "Then he came along. Now, because of him, everyone wants a piece of me."

"So, face your challengers," Crystal said. "You can do it."

"Not with a deck like mine," Yuri said. "I never get anything good when I open packs. The only thing I ever scored was that dragon I gave you. After that, I got nothing. My dad's the game's creator; you'd think I'd have some luck finding some cards."

"I did say I could help you," Andre said. "I'm willing to teach you, Yuri."

"Teach him, huh? Who are you?" Ren asked.

"He's a friend," said Yuri. "And no offense, Andre, but what good are your lessons if I don't have the cards to play?" Yuri said. "You can teach, teach, teach me all day, and it still won't make a lick of difference if I don't have the right cards in my deck."

Andre stepped back and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Good point."

Crystal stood up. She bent forward, brushing the sand from her knees. "I can help you get some cards, Yuri. This is silly. You can't keep running away every time you face a problem."

"And this Duel Gang calling themselves Rare Hunters are a new threat for you to battle," said Ren. "You can't run and hide from them, Yuri. If you do, then they have already won. You can't let that happen, brother. You've come too far to quit now.

"I know."

"So let us help you," said Andre. "I can for sure since I'm one of the Duel Kings at school."

"So what?' said Crystal. "Yuri's beaten opponents who were former champions. He doesn't need some guy with a funny school title to tell him if he's good or not."

"I don't see why all three of us can't teach him," said Ren. "Come on. Let's go to the Ruby Dragon for some training."

"Great idea, Ren!" said Crystal. "Come on, Yuri."

Yuri shook his head. "No, I don't think you guys can help me."

Ren brushed his hair back to keep his bangs from flapping over his eyes in the ocean breeze. "Yuri. Come on. It's time for you to grow up. I always said you had potential. Now's the time for you to show it. Not just to the gang, but to the whole world. We all want to see the Crown Prince of Duel Monsters step up his game. So what do you say?"

Even though he would have rather gone home and read a book, Yuri could not find it in his heart to break a promise to Crystal. How could he? Those sparkling heterochromia eyes in the light of the fire were like precious gemstones, and her smile burned deep into his soul, lighting up the darkness.

"All right, all right, let's go."

They left the beach and split up, taking different routes to the Ruby Dragon. When Yuri got to the store, he stopped and was welcomed by a big surprise. On the front of the game shop was a brand-new 3D billboard showing a red dragon roaring and snarling inside its dark, flaming domain. When he blew fire at the air, pyrotechnics in the walls fired flames.

"It's about time," Yuri said. He watched the dragon's looped animations. "Man, Sergei outdoes himself sometimes."

Crystal came out of the shop and waved him down. "You going to stand there all day or what?"

Yuri followed her inside. "You look nice," he said, complimenting her short white summer dress.

Crystal stopped when she heard his compliment. She looked over her shoulder and smiled at him, then gave a twirl to show off her outfit better. "Thank you, honey," she said, continuing into the shop. "Are you always such a dear?" She approached him, leaning forward like a toddler, looking at a puppy behind the pet shop window. She blessed him with her sweet smile again, then stretched her neck towards his cheek to kiss it. She giggled and kept on strolling through the massive store.

Yuri sure did miss her. He had almost forgotten how beautiful, charming, and playful she was. He was at a loss for words. Seeing Crystal was like finding a rare card in a booster pack. This time, he hoped he could get to keep it.

"I know it's kinda late to call you to the R.D. for Dueling," she said, "but it needs to be done. Now that you're famous around here, everyone will want a piece of you, including those Rare Hunter jerks. I know some guys at school who are eager to slay Black Tyranno for their followers on social media."

Yuri gulped and followed Crystal upstairs, where the newer tables were. Ren was sitting beside one of the tables. It was cluttered with four booster boxes. "Hey, Yuri. Glad you could make it."

"Where's Andre?" Yuri asked.

"Pfft. You mean the great and mighty teacher? Probably running late," Ren replied. "Merry Christmas," he extended his arm and slowly waved it over the goods that were for Yuri. "Well, what are you waiting for? Dig in."

"All of this is for me?" Yuri asked, pointing at his chest.

"Awww!" Crystal chimed. "Come on, dear. Sit down. Open your stuff. What did you get?"

Yuri pulled the chair back and sat down. "Well, I guess it's too much to hope for some good dinosaur cards, huh?"

"Why on earth would you want to run them?" Ren asked. "There's no strategy to them. They're just big giant beat sticks."

"Well, you know me," Yuri said, struggling to open the plastic around the booster box. "Dinosaurs have been a love of mine since I was a little kid. I've had all sorts of dreams about them, too." He stopped unwrapping the plastic. "You know...aside from my dreams about that strange guy with the freaky hair, I've had some dreams about a black dinosaur."

"Ah," said Ren. He slurped some of his iced tea. "Perhaps it was destiny that Black Tyranno found you."

"Oooo," Crystal hooted like a ghost, wriggling her fingers. "Mysterious. Need some help, honey?"

She gently took the box from Yuri. She dug into her purse, pulled out the keys to her Lamborghini, and sliced open the plastic.

"There," she said, handing the box back to Yuri.

He took the box back with excitement and opened it. He grabbed the first pack and opened it. "Wait, wait!" Ren said, holding out his hand. "I heard that it's good luck to sniff the pack."

Crystal pouted and put her hands on her hips. "Ren, seriously. You've been watching way too many TeamSamurai videos. Sniffing the packs is childish and dumb. Yuri, whatever you do, don't sniff the — ugh, he sniffed the pack."

Yuri had the opened pack right under his nostrils. He took a big whiff of the cards. Yes, there truly was nothing like the smell of new cards. "Oh, boy, let's see what's in here." He shuffled through the commons. "Wow!" he exclaimed. "United We Stand!"

"Whoa!" Ren shouted. He almost spat his drink out. "An extremely rare card already?"

"Way to go, Yuri!" Crystal said with a clap.

Yuri tilted the card from left to right so the holographic foil could catch the light of the sun. "Hey, maybe my luck's turning around already." He opened the next pack and got an equip-spell card called Horn of the Unicorn.

"What's this?" Yuri asked.

"That gives your monster an extra seven hundred points," explained Ren. "Give that card to Black Tyranno; he'll be a beast!"

"He already is one," said Crystal. She sat on the edge of the table, helping herself to a bag of chips. "I watched him in battle. Ren, I've never seen Randall so scared."

"I can imagine. It's such a shame I wasn't there to witness all the action. Did...did Brett hurt you?"

Yuri put down his cards and looked at her. "Why would he hurt you?" he asked.

Crystal bit her bottom lip. "I'm fine," she said. "He can't hurt me. Otherwise, his uncle will..." She slid her finger across her throat. "Kkkkccccckkk. Haha, I'm not afraid of him."

"That doesn't really answer my question," said Ren.

"No, it doesn't. But keep asking, and the one getting hurt might be you—or even Yuri. You remember what Brett did to him last time, right? Stop trying to be a hero, Ren."

"If that is what you wish." He looked for a way to ease the tension. "So, what else did you get, Yuri?"

"I got a dinosaur. Mad Sword Beast."

"That's great," Crystal said, returning to her cheerful demeanor. "Now you can inflict Life Points even if your opponent's monster is in DEF Mode. I can't wait to see what you get next. Go on, go on."

After an hour, the table was covered with stacks of new cards. He added the ones he wanted for his deck immediately. At that moment, Andre came in. "There you are," he said. "I looked all over the store for you guys. Man, this place is big. And this new outdoor patio is lit."

"I personally asked Sergei to build it," Crystal bragged. "Well, I paid for it actually."

Ren slapped her on the thigh gently. "All right, Princess Money Bags, we get it. You're filthy rich. Have a seat, Andre."

"Where are Nick, Patty, and the others?" Andre asked. "I thought they'd be here."

"It's a school night," said Yuri.

"Aw, I would have liked to see your friends again," said Crystal.

"Wow, what's with all these cards?" Andre said. He picked one up. "These are brand new?"

Yuri swiped it from his hand. "Yeah, and they're mine."

Andre chuckled. "Well, man, it's good to see you got yourself some new cards. Want to try them out and see if you can last longer than two turns?"

"Andre beat you in two turns, Yuri?" Crystal asked.

"Yeah, but I didn't have these," Yuri replied, holding up his deck. "All right, Andre. Let's go."

Andre sat down, then waited for Yuri to clear the table. "Aww, man. I've been waiting for this. Yuri, try not to rage quit this time."

"Who knows," Yuri said. "Maybe you'll be the one rage quitting this time."

LP 2000

T1

As soon as both their decks touched the mat, a wide monitor rose out from the side of the table to display the 3D battles. "Man, I love this place," said Andre. "All right, Yuri. I'm glad to see you're confident enough to talk a little smack. Let's see if you can back it up. I'm not holding back."

"Neither am I. You said you're here to teach me, so don't disappoint. I'm starting first. I summon Uraby in attack mode! And that ends my turn."

"Yuri!" Crystal began until Ren held up his hand.

"He's here to learn. So let him learn."

T2

Andre grinned and nodded, agreeing with what Ren said. "That's not good, Yuri. Summoning monsters like that with no protection? After your Duel with Randall, I figured you'd know better than that. All right, I summon Darkfire Soldier Number One!"

He placed the card on the mat. Fire burst out of the ground on the cliffside ruins on the screen, revealing a strong-bodied warrior with a curved blade.

"And then," Andre continued. "I equip him with the Salamandra spell card. This increases the power of fire monsters by 700 points."

ATK/2400

"Oh, sh*t," Andre heard Crystal mutter. He bobbed his head confidently and commanded his monster to attack Yuri's dinosaur. The attack was devastating, and the speakers boomed from the explosion that the Darkfire Soldier's sword had created. Yuri's Life Points went down to 1100.

"Odds don't look so good for now, Yuri," Andre said. "It's only the first round, and you're already disadvantaged."

T3

"Well, attack points aren't everything. I set a monster in defense mode, set two cards face-down, and end my turn."

T4

"Don't disappoint me, Yuri. I summon Celtic Guardian and equip him with Legendary Sword, increasing his attack to 1700. Then, I set a card face-down and attack your monster with him."

"The monster you attacked is Sword Arm of Dragon!" Yuri declared, revealing his brand new dinosaur monster. The creature appeared in the game world, slashing Celtic Guardian back with its spear-shaped tail and damaging Andre's Life Points, reducing them to 1670.

"Now, that's a cool card. But his defense won't save him from Darkfire Soldier. Attack."

"And you just activated my set cards. I reveal Reliable Guardian and Castle Walls. Reliable Guardian increases a monster's defense by 700, and Castle Walls gives it another 500 points. Now, his defense is more than enough to hold against your Darkfire Soldier."

Sword Arm of Dragon roared, halting Darkfire Soldier #1's attack. The soldier stumbled for a moment but continued on with his charge. Sword Arm of Dragon whipped his tail, parrying the soldier's flaming sword with the diamond-shaped end of the tail, which was as hard as steel. It pushed him back with a headbutt, then swung its tail again, slashing Darkfire Soldier on the chest and sending him flying back across the field to Andre's side. Andre's jaw dropped when he saw his Life Points drop to 840.

"Wow!" Crystal exclaimed. "Andre took a lot of damage, and it's not even Yuri's turn yet.

"Aw, man," thought Andre.

He got way better. Those cards Crystal and Ren gave him worked wonders for his deck. But if that's the way he wants it, so be it.

"Good move, Yuri. I end my turn. And now that the turn is over, your Sword Arm of Dragon's defense points return to normal. I'll finish him off with Darkfire Soldier."

"You won't do such a thing," Yuri sneered, feeling like he was in control for the first time in a while. "I activate the spell, Eternal Rest!"

"Yes!" Crystal cheered.

"You're screwed, big man," Ren said. "Eternal Rest destroys all cards outfitted with Equip Spells. Your two monsters are toast."

"And now that he's gone," said Yuri. "I'll switch Sword Arm of Dragon to attack mode since he's the strongest card in play right now. Your turn."

T5

Andre bit his tongue in agitation. But he was not scared. He knew what he had to do. "Good game, Yuri. But I'm afraid I have to end it right here."

"What do you mean?"

"First, I activate my spell card, Pot of Greed. Now I draw two cards. Next, I reveal my trap card, Ultimate Offering. I can offer 500 Life Points and get an extra normal summon this turn. But I don't have enough Life Points. Well, for now, anyway." He held up his card. "I cast the spell, Dian Keto the Cure Master. With this card, my Life Points go up by 1000. Now, I summon Alpha the Magnet Warrior in attack mode. Then, I pay 1000 Life Points to summon Beta and Gamma the Magnet Warrior."

"Oh no!" Crystal groaned when she realized what it was that he was going to summon. "Where did he get a card that powerful?"

"Now that I've got all three magnet warriors on the field, I can sacrifice them, merging them together to become Valkyrion the Magna Warrior."

Yuri took a look at what was happening on the Duel Screen. The three little magnet warriors disassembled. Their pieces floated in midair for a moment, and then they suddenly merged together to form an even larger magnet warrior.

"Sorry, Yuri, but it's over. Once again, the prince loses to me."

Crystal's face went red. She started storming toward him; it looked like she was about to murder Andre. Ren grabbed the seat of Crystal's dress to hold her back. "Hang on, my friend. Calm down. As for you, you seem more interested in beating Yuri than teaching him."

"Huh?"

"What he means is you haven't done anything to teach him!" Crystal said. She turned and smacked Ren's hand. "And let go. You're ruining my dress."

Ren did as he was told. Her dress snapped back into place. Crystal straightened it out and looked back at Andre. "You haven't given him any tips or given him ideas for combos or anything. I should have known this was all some ruse to show Yuri you're better than him."

"Easy, Crystal, come on." Yuri grabbed her hand. "Why don't we get a drink or something?"

"Yeah." That was all she had to say and she stormed out of the patio. Yuri picked up his deck and stuffed it in his back pocket.

"Hey, wait," said Andre. "We're still in the middle of a Duel."

"Forget it," said Yuri. He turned and left.

"Wow," Andre said, trying to process what happened. “What’s with them?”

"Crystal's easily triggered," said Ren. "Especially when it comes to Yuri. But I don't blame her for getting mad. What you did was a dick move. Crystal and I bought Yuri those cards to boost his confidence. Instead, you just discouraged him from wanting to play. Was letting him win a few practice matches too much for you to handle?"

"No, but I was always taught to never hold out against your opponent."

"That's true if they're on an equal level with you," said Ren. "Giving your opponent a false sense of victory is an asshole thing to do. But Yuri was here to learn. If you are going to teach my friend, use a practice deck next time so that he can have an idea about how his deck works. When he finally gets the hang of it, then give him a final test with your real deck."

"Sorry," Andre said.

Yuri came back with a huge cherry-flavored slushie. "Sorry for folding, guys."

"Don't be," said Ren. "You've got a lot to learn. And that's what these squash matches are for. But here's a tip. Reduce the size of your deck, man. I mean, look at that brick. You got sixty-five cards in there. Trim the fat from your deck. And you've got a lot of it—lots of weak vanilla reptile monsters. I know how much you love dinosaurs, Yuri, but there just aren't that many of them. So you're just going to have to add something else or make a new deck entirely until your dad comes up with some support for them or something."

Yuri looked at his deck sadly. "Aww, man. You really think so, Ren? A lot of these cards are my favorite."

"Damn it, Yuri, stop being such a baby!" snapped Andre. "Come on. Do you want to get better at the game or not?"

"Don't raise your voice at him!" Crystal said, coming through the doors with a tall cup of lemonade. "You beat him. But it doesn't give you the right to scold him. And lord help you if you scold him in front of me again."

Ren backed away from the table. "Aww, hell no. She's got that crazy look in her eyes. She wants to Duel."

"I'd be more than happy to," Andre said. "Have a seat. But, uh, calm down. You look like you're about to burst."

"Yeah, come on, Crystal, don't be mad," said Yuri. "We need to work together, remember?"

Crystal sighed. "All right, all right. Sorry, guys."

"Well, a friendly Duel should take care of that," said Andre. "And I'd love to try my hand against the so-called Queen of Dragons."

Crystal handed Yuri her drink, and she sat down. She grabbed her purse and searched for her deck.

LP 4000

"Duel!" they both shouted.

"You first," Andre said.

"No, you go ahead."

"If you insist." He looked at his hand. " Okay, Crystal. You wanted my best, I'm giving it to you. I play Card Destruction. Now we discard our cards and draw the same amount we had before."

"That's too bad for you," said Crystal. "One of the cards you forced me to discard was Kidmodo Dragon. When it gets sent to the graveyard, I can summon a powerful dragon from my hand for no cost. And I'll use his effect to call...Van'Dalgyon, the Dark Dragon Ruler!"

"That's not good," Andre murmured. The ground in the Duel Screen sparked. From a dark gateway rose a humanoid dragon, covered in purple armored flesh with red glowing decorative accents and blue gems here and there on its body.

ATK/2800 DEF/2500

"Very well, Crystal,” Andre said. “I discard a card from my hand and special summon The Tricky in defense mode."

T2

"So that's all you could muster, huh?" Crystal said. Her dragon snarled and breathed heavily in front of her. "Disappointed."

"Just you wait and see, Crystal. Don't go counting your chickens yet."

"I already have. The arithmetic is just not in your favor if you're throwing cards away to make plays as simple as special summoning The Tricky. I draw. And I'll use Pot of Greed to draw two new cards. Now, I equip Van'Dalgyon with Fairy Meteor Crush. This card will allow the monster I equip it with to inflict damage to your Life Points even if your monster is in defense mode. Van'Dalgyon. Attack!"

Van'Dalgyon spread his wings, held out his arms, and roared. He flew high into the sky and released a red laser from his mouth, blasting The Tricky to oblivion and taking away 1600 points of damage from Andre.

"Holy crap, calm down, girl."

"If you don't want any more punishment, just quit. I end my turn."

T3

"All right, Crystal.”

Andre placed his two fingers on the top of the deck. "Come on. Heart of the Cards. Just like Master Yugi said." He picked up the card. "Gold Sarcophagus? This isn't going to help me now."

T4

"What was all that talk you said earlier?" Crystal asked. "About teaching Yuri and being his master? Not with a deck like that you're not. It's time to end this. First, I play Dragon Shrine. With it, I send Arkbrave Dragon to the graveyard. Now, I tribute Van'Dalgyon to summon Grav-Crush Dragon! Then, I banish Van'Dalgyon and Alexandrite Dragon to special summon Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End."

Chaos Emperor Dragon rose out of a wall of fire that burst in front of Crystal's booth. The holograms even produced the dragon's odor, filling the arena with the sweet smell of incense.

"Finally, I play Monster Reborn to bring back my Arkbrave Dragon from the graveyard."

Andre just stayed quiet, watching the huge line of powerful dragons in front of him.

It was done.

Winner: Crystal

"I had him in my hand." Andre thought as he looked at Black Luster Soldier. "Damn it. How about a rematch."

"Maybe some other time," said Crystal. "You don't want to Duel me when I'm mad. Besides, we've got a little prince to train. Okay, Yuri, shuffle that deck and let's go at it again. You're not leaving here until you start playing like a pro."

"Actually, I have to get going," said Yuri. "McRaven and my security team are here to pick me up."

Crystal sighed. "Oh well. I tried."

"We'll try again soon, I promise." Yuri packed up his things. "Thanks for everything, you guys. Really. I appreciate it."

"Anytime, Yuri," said Ren.

"You bet." He walked over to Crystal and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "See ya later, Crystal. Sorry I wasn't better this time."

"No worries, Yuri." She smiled at him and brushed the back of her hair. "Don't be afraid to text me if you need anything. I can always call you too."

Andre just stood and watched, anger festering in his chest. He beat the Crown Prince, but got no respect. No one invited him to teach Yuri. In fact, Crystal, Ren, and Yuri all seemed more interested in each other than him. He was starting to think coming to Aquarius was a mistake. But then he remembered the one thing that kept him going and why he was here in the first place.

"Yuri, you've forced me to take drastic measures."

Chapter 5: Duel King

Chapter Text

Andre stormed down the alley to a secret club where the first Duel King hung out with his friends.

A guard outside held out his hand as Andre approached, barring his way. He was most likely from the academy football team, for his stature, muscles, and thick, brown hair were a giveaway. "This is a private club, buddy," said the guard. "You have to get invited in before you can go in."

Andre did not seem fazed. "I'm here to challenge your Duel King to a match!"

The guard crossed his arms and let out a haughty chuckle. "I'd advise you not to do that. It would be a waste of time."

Andre scowled, clenching his fists tightly. "Don't mock me. You have no idea how far I've come. And now, I will face the first Duel King. That is my goal, and that's why I'm here. And I demand to be let inside!"

"You have to get through me!" he snapped his fingers. Two more guards came out with a wooden crate and a rolled-up playmat. The first guard set the crate in front of Andre, and the second unrolled the playmat.

Andre and the guard set their decks on the playmat, ready to duel. Andre raised an eyebrow. Playmats, huh? Very primitive to the way he Dueled back home, where monsters were almost real.

"No holograms?"

"What do you think we are?" the guard said. "We don't have the money nor the space to install a giant playing field like in the new Dueling Grounds. However, if you beat me, you might get the chance to get beaten by our Duel King there. But you won't be getting past me!"

Andre snorted. "You don't know how much of a mistake you just made by underestimating me. Now I will prove you wrong. Let's duel!"

They drew their cards, and the battle commenced.

LP 4000

T1 - Guard

"I'll start first," said the guard. "Since this our turf. I set two cards face-down and summon a monster in DEF Mode. Your turn."

T2 - Andre

"So that's it, huh?" Andre said. "I'll set two cards face-down and end my turn."

T3 - Guard

"Heh, heh, heh. One face-down card. I summon Ancient Sorceror in ATK Mode!" He set the card on the mat.

"And I'm going to activate Ring of Destruction!" Andre said. "This will destroy your monster and damage both our Life Points equal to its ATK points. Well, actually, just you. Because I activate Ring of Defense, which will protect me from Ring of Destruction's effect."

Guard LP - 3000

"Fine. I'll just flip over my Akakieisu and attack your Life Points directly."

"What? How?"

"Duel King rules, kid. We can attack Life Points directly for more damage. See, Dueling takes too long sometimes. Last week, our Duel King was in a 17-turn back-and-forth match. It went on until their decks ran out of cards. So, the Duel Kings devised some new rules to ensure matches don't drag out for too long. It forces players to think strategically like this. When I attack you with Akakieisu, I flip over my Magician's Circle, allowing me to Special Summon a Spellcaster from my deck with 2000 or less ATK. And I choose the White Magical Hat. So, with both him and Akakieisu on the field, you take a combined 2000 damage to your Life Points. And White Magical Hat forces you to discard a card from your hand."

"Augh," Andre grunted, a bead of sweat running down the side of his forehead.

"Heh, heh, heh, heh, heh. You thought you were so smart with your Ring of Destruction strategy, huh? Well, I bounced back and dealt double the damage to your Life Points. But wait, I'll inflict more with this card. Tremendous Fire! It may inflict 500 damage to me, but you'll take 1000, reducing you to your last 1000 Life Points. Heh, you should pack up and go home, kid. If you can't even hold your own against me, how can you hold your own against the Duel King? I end my turn."

T4

Andre - LP 1000

LP 2500

"You haven't beaten me yet!" Andre declared with a determined smirk. "I activate Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two cards. I activate the spell, Ancient Rules, allowing me to Special Summon a high-level Normal Monster from my hand. And I choose Launcher Spider, with a devastating ATK power of 2200! And I attack your White Magical Hat, dealing 1200 damage to your Life Points!"

T5 - Guard LP 2500

"Ugh! Man, that's a strong monster! I switch Akakieisu to DEF Mode and summon another monster in DEF Mode!"

T6 - Andre

"Now, who's running scared?" Andre said. "I've drawn another Ancient Rules spell, and with it, I summon the mighty Hyozanryu the diamond dragon with 2100 ATK. But I'm not down yet. I tribute my dragon so I can summon Curse of Dragon! And then I'll revive Hyozanryu with Monster Reborn!"

"Augh! No way!" cried the guard.

"I'll attack both your monsters with Curse of Dragon and Hyozanryu and then attack your Life Points with Launcher Spider, dealing 2200 damage to your Life Points. Now you're down to your last 300. If you can't think up a way to beat me, you lose."

"Draw!" said the guard. He slammed his fist on the crate. "All right, fine! You can go ahead inside and talk to Malcolm. But just because you beat me doesn't mean you'll beat the Duel King. So good luck!"

"He's going to need the luck. My vengeance demands I face him in battle. For the first Duel King will see what a Duelist I can be in a face-to-face fight."

"All right, just get going already. Go!"

"Yeah, whatever!"

Andre pushed past the three guards and made his way inside the building. He found a red curtain in front of him and pulled it back. He walked down a dimly lit corridor lit with red neon lights. He heard loud music thumping and laughter coming from the room in the distance. As he came closer, Andre saw the source of all the ruckus. There were dozens of young Duelists and teenagers partying in the large space, dancing and laughing. He even saw some girls from school dancing to the loud music with some of the guys. It was odd seeing them without their academy uniforms. In school, they displayed grace, politeness, and respect, but now they were dressed in skintight party dresses, having their hair styled in pigtails, ponytails, and buns. They were out on the dancefloor, shaking their butts and bopping up and down to the music, holding drinks in their hands. A DJ was having a blast spinning records from the turntables and booths while others watched a big-screen TV that played Duel Monsters video footage. The people cheered at every combo or card the players drew on-screen, watching them Duel like their lives depended on it.

Andre scoffed and rolled his eyes. They had it made. It was no wonder this place was so secret. The school would flip if they knew of this place. A secret underground Duel Club for only the best players? His eyes widened when he saw a makeshift throne with comfortable pillows, surrounded by velvet ropes, sitting high on a stage at the back of the club. His best friends surrounded him, and some girls he deemed hot enough to sit beside him, giggling at whatever it was that he was saying to them. He looked so majestic as he sat upon his throne. Though he was a king, he was dressed as anything but. He had a red cap placed backward, a basketball jersey, and jeans. To his surprise, he saw Patty sitting beside him with a glowing neon green drink. She was in a black, form-fitting dress with spiderweb stockings and high-heeled boots that showed off her long and curvy legs.

"Why am I not surprised I'd find you here," Andre said to her. "Oh, man, if only Yuri and his gang saw this!"

Patty took a sip of her drink. "What the hell are you doing here?" she asked with an angry frown.

"I'm here to challenge the Duel King," said Andre, pointing his finger at him.

Malcolm looked up. The group went silent and laughed at Andre's declaration.

"Yeah, right, hey Malcolm! Get a load of this guy!"

Patty rolled her eyes and used her wrist to stir the contents of her drink.

"What is with everyone in this damn school underestimating me?!" Andre growled. "You. I know who you are, Malcolm. I want to face you in a Duel right now."

"You wanna face me?" Malcolm asked with a snide chuckle. "You know, not just anyone can face the Five Duel Kings. Have you earned the right to come up to our club and demand a match?"

Andre reached into his pocket and tossed a bunch of rare cards at the king's feet. The young people looked at them and gasped in shock.

"These are the rare cards of the other four Duel Kings. I beat them all. And now you're mine!"

"No way!" a player gasped. "That's Richard McTavish's Tri-Horned Dragon!"

"And Jake Marco's Seiyaryu!"

Patty crossed her legs. "What the hell are you doing, dude? Is this still about becoming Yuri's mentor? Because if it is, you're wasting your time."

"Mentor, huh?" said Malcolm. "I doubt Yuri will be needing one. He beat Randall Lawson yesterday. And earlier today, he destroyed one of the Sensational Dragon Sisters. The kid's got promise written all over him."

"Of course he does," said Patty. "That's what I've been trying to tell everyone. And with that Black Tyranno in his deck, he's a force to be reckoned with. So you can shove it, Andre!"

"One rare card and a few lucky wins doesn't mean a thing!" Andre spat.

Patty slammed her drink on the table and stood up. "What did you say!?"

"You heard me!" Andre said. "Yuri's wins against those two was dumb luck! I bet you anything that if he didn't have that Black Tyranno, he wouldn't have beaten Randall Lawson or Layal Lovecraft. He needs me! Your lips are just too pressed against Yuri's to realize this. So stop trying to cover him like a damn mother hen and realize he can't even hold his own in a match."

Patty looked like a panther, ready to pounce and strike down her enemy with her deadly claws.

Malcolm held up his hand. "Don't you ever speak to the Reaper like that! I should just let her destroy you here and now for that! But I'm going to accept your challenge. Not because you've proven to be any good, but because I like proving Duelists who think they're good a lesson."

Patty took a deep breath to calm her temper, then sat back on the couch, crossing her long legs. She was fuming, her teeth were clenched, and she glared at Andre. Her hand shook, itching to pull a card from her deck to obliterate the idiot standing before them.

Andre smiled with delight and confidence. "You better choose sides quickly, Patty. Soon, I'm going to rule St. Augustus Academy, and Yuri's going to be my top lackey."

"What will that prove?" she asked with a glare.

"Prove?" said Andre. "That he belongs to me. And soon, you will, too!"

Patty scoffed and laughed at his threat. "In your dreams. Come on, Malcolm, get rid of him, so I can finish enjoying my drink."

"My pleasure," Malcolm said. "But first, let me see his skills. Lloyd! Take him on!"

A boy sitting on the opposite couch stood up. "Right away, sir."

Lloyd pushed past the velvet ropes and went down the stairs. He walked over to a table and placed his deck on it, waiting for Andre to set his down. The other teens gathered around and watched the Duel unfold. Beside them, huge screens turned on to show the monsters battling in 3D.

"You guys have Duel Screens?" Andre asked.

Malcom laughed. "Heh, our parents are rich. We get enough money from them to get our place hooked up."

Llyod flipped a coin into the air. "Heads or tails?" he asked.

"Heads," said Andre.

"Heads it is," replied Lloyd. "I'll go first."

T1

LP 4000

"All right. I summon Twin-Headed Behemoth!" Lloyd slid the card on the touchscreen playmat on the table. Circuit board patterns slithered from the card to form the monster. A two-headed dragon with an ATK of 1500 appeared on the screen next to them.

"I end my turn!"

T2

"Is that it?" Andre sneered. "I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf!"

The four-armed white beast howled when it was summoned and then roared with menace at Twin-Headed Behemoth across from it.

ATK/2000

"And next, I activate Ancient Rules. It lets me Special Summon a high-level Normal Monster from my hand. And I choose the mighty Launcher Spider with an ATK of 2200!"

A spider-like creature with missile launchers mounted on its back burst onto the field with a metallic roar.

"Warwolf, attack his Twin-Headed Behemoth!" The mutant beast charged and tackled the two-headed dragon into pixels.

"Now, Launcher Spider, attack his Life Points directly!" The spider aimed both of his launchers at Lloyd. "Fire!"

Launcher Spider fired both of his missiles straight at the screen and 2200 flashed in red numbers on top of Lloyd's LP bar.

Lloyd LP - 1300

"Next, I set one card face-down and end my turn."

The players looked up at the screen to see Andre's LP bar at 4000 and Lloyd's at 1300.

"Whoa, he's good!" someone from the crowd shouted.

"You think so? I've seen better," said Patty, crossing her legs. She stirred the contents of her glass, bored with the duel.

"Do I bore you, Reaper?" Andre asked.

Patty shook her head and rolled her eyes. "You're pathetic."

Lloyd drew his card. "With his special effect, Twin-Headed Behemoth returns to my field but with only 1000 ATK points. Not that it matters because I summon Judge Man! And with 2200 ATK, he'll make short work of that wolf of yours!"

The huge muscular man materialized out of blue flames. He raised his spiked club, ready to strike down Andre's monster.

"Idiot! I activate the spell, Shrink! Now it will cut your Judge Man's ATK in half!"

Judge Man's muscles shrunk, and he now stood with only 1100 ATK. Gene-Warped Warwolf dodged the giant's club and tackled him. The judge cried in agony as his body shattered into bits of data.

The battle cost Lloyd 900 Life Points, reducing him to his last 400. Andre destroyed the dragon with Gene-Warped Warwolf and attacked Lloyd's Life Points directly with Launcher Spider, ending the match.

"Aww, nuts!" Lloyd moaned.

"Ha, ha! And that's game!" Andre laughed, holding his hands on his waist and looking up at Malcolm on his throne. "What do you say now? You were all talk about facing me in a Duel King battle, but you sent one of your cronies to do it for you. Come on! Let's get this over with already."

Malcolm smirked. "We're not done yet." He snapped his fingers. "Your turn Adam!"

"No problem," said a boy sitting beside Patty. "This is going to be easy."

"Since I won the last match, I go first!" Andre declared with a smirk. "First, I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards. Then, I summon an old friend. Gene-Warped Warwolf! But he won't be joining the field alone. Because I activate Ancient Rules! Like last time, I can summon a powerful Normal Monster. And it's the all-powerful Metal Armored Bug! With 2800 ATK points, I assure you no monster in your deck will stand a chance against it."

ATK/2800 DEF/1500

"I'm not worried," said Adam. "Watch this! I activate Shield and Sword. This will switch the ATK of your monsters with their DEF. So your wolf's ATK is now 100 and your so-called all-powerful Metal Armored Bug is reduced to a puny 1500. Now, I summon Alligator's Sword and attack your Gene-Warped Warwolf!"

As soon as Adam slid the card, a huge alligator armed with a sword charged at Andre's mutant wolf. It sliced through the creature with ease, causing Andre to lose 1400 LP. His LP bar shrunk to 2600. The teens cheered at the sight.

"All right, Adam!"

"Go, baby! You've got him on the ropes!"

Adam pointed at him. "Don't think your bug is going to stop me. I place two cards face-down and end my turn."

"Heh, heh, heh, heh," Andre snickered. "You think those face-down cards will stop me? I activate Heavy Storm! This will wipe them out!"

Adam braced himself as the winds ripped apart the card. "No way! Not that spell!" His Mirror Force and Wall of Disruption shattered.

"Now you're all mine!" Andre balled up his fists. "I equip my Metal Armored Bug with this card! Megamorph!"

Patty gasped. "Whoa! That's one of the rarest Equip Spells in the game!"

Andre was happy to see her attention back on him. He couldn't help but chuckle. "That's right. This card doubles my monster's ATK when my Life Points are lower than my opponent's. Now my bug's power rises to 5600!"

"There's no way!" Adam cried. "I've never seen a monster's power rise to 5600 before!"

"My God!" Patty gasped. She shot up from her seat.

"Still think I'm not worthy of teaching Yuri?" Andre asked. "Metal Armored Bug, attack!"

The creature flew into the air and fired a missile from its body. Adam could only watch helplessly as the projectile struck his Life Points directly, turning them to zero.

"No!" Adam screamed. 4400 Damage displayed in big red letters on the Duel Screen. KO! appeared right after.

Andre looked at Malcom. "So, got any more flunkies to send my way? Or are you gonna face me like a man?"

Malcolm grinned. "One more match. Then, I'll face you! You're up, AJ!"

A boy with spiky orange hair jumped over the velvet ropes and onto the stage. "You bet I am! Let's get this party started."

T1

LP 4000

AJ drew a card. "I summon Slot Machine with an ATK of 2000! But wait till I activate this card. Well, three of them, actually. A full set of 7 Completed! It will increase my Slot Machine's ATK by 700. And since I have three, his power will increase to 4100!"

"Nice!" Malcolm clapped and laughed. "I bet even Andre doesn't have 4100 points of Attack power!"

Patty giggled. "Better pack it up, Andre."

Andre didn't let the taunt get to him. He stood perfectly still, watching the Duel unfold.

ATK/4100

"All right," said AJ. "I end my turn."

"Finally. I was getting ill listening to everyone talk about how powerful your monsters is," Andre muttered. "I draw! I activate Raigeki!"

"OH, NO!" Adam screamed.

The bolt of lightning shot down from the ceiling. Slot Machine was zapped from existence, leaving AJ no defenses.

"Now I activate not one, but two Ancient Rule cards! I summon Garnecia Elefantis and Cyber-Tech Alligator!"

Garnecia Elefantis materialized. The huge elephant had a whopping 2400 ATK. Then, a steel alligator covered in red armor and cables appeared next to it. 2500 ATK displayed next to it.

"Attack him directly!" Andre ordered. Both his monsters charged at AJ and rammed him at the same time. AJ slammed his fists against the table in frustration. His LP bar flashed and dropped to zero.

KO!

"He did it again!" someone shouted from the crowd.

"Dude, this Andre guy is amazing!" another shouted.

"It's over!" said Andre. "This duel has been over before it started. It's just that none of you fools realize it. So, you better step aside, or you're going to get hurt."

Malcolm picked up his deck and walked down the steps. "All right. Don't go thinking you won my crown just yet, Andre. Because I'm not afraid of some new kid with a few rare cards in his deck."

"We'll see soon enough, now, won't we?"

Malcolm and Andre glared at each other as they took their positions on opposite sides of the Duel Table.

LP 4000

Andre - T1

"Draw!" Andre said, his eyes glued to Patty.

She sat back in her seat, crossed her legs and arms, and gave him an ice-cold stare. She wanted him to know she was watching him. She hoped that Andre would mess up so she could watch Malcom punish him.

"I activate Pot of Greed so I can draw two more times. Now, here comes my Gene-Warped Warwolf!"

Andre placed his card on the field, summoning the four-armed mutant beast.

ATK/2000

"And that's it for me!"

Malcolm - T2

"Draw! I activate Graceful Charity, now I can draw three cards so long as I discard two. Then, I activate Pot of Greed. Need I explain what it does?" he said, drawing two cards. "And next, I activate Card Destruction! Now we send our entire hands to the Graveyard!"

Patty smiled deviously and took a sip of her drink. She knew what was coming, and she prayed the beast would make Andre suffer for challenging Malcolm in the first place.

"Now, I summon the mighty Ace of my deck! Go, Golden Homunculus!"

The teens cheered and focused their attention on the screen where a giant made of gold appeared. He roared at Andre and slammed his hammer-like fists into the ground.

ATK/1500

Andre just stood there and grinned. "Is that it? Is that it? Your so-called Ace can't even beat my Gene-Warped Warwolf."

"I'm not through, not by a long shot, Andre. Because I activate Soul Release! And with it, I banish five cards from my Graveyard!"

"So?" Andre said with a shrug. "That won't help you."

"Then you're even more clueless than I thought," said Patty. "Didn't you know that Golden Homunculus's ATK increases by 300 for each banished card Malcolm has in his Graveyard?"

"She's right," said Malcolm. "And since I have five cards banished, his strength increases by 1500, raising his power to 3000!"

Golden Homunculus glowed bright gold and rose to 3000.

"And there's more! Because I banish Giant Soldier of Stone from my Graveyard to summon Rock Spirit!" He called on a giant soldier in Roman Legion armor covered in rock.

ATK/1700 DEF/1000

"And with another card banished, Golden Homunculus's ATK increases by another 300 points!"

Golden Homunculus grew stronger once more, rising to 3300 ATK. The crowd gasped.

"Damn, Malcolm's got him dead to rights!" someone shouted.

"What a rush!"

Patty laughed. "Do yourself a favor and forfeit. You're outmatched."

"He's not going to, Patty," Malcolm said. "So why don't I just beat him into submission? Golden Homunculus, attack his wolf!"

His monster rushed forward and struck the ground with his hammer fists, causing the floor to erupt beneath the mutant wolf and destroy it.

Andre LP - 2700

"Ha! Now you're wide open for my Rock Spirit!" Malcolm pointed at Andre. "Attack! Now!"

Rock Spirit charged with its spear raised and stabbed Andre in the chest.

"Agh!" Andre screamed. He stumbled backward but managed to remain standing.

Andre LP - 1000

The crowd was on their feet and screaming for more. They were enjoying the beating. Malcolm was the rightful Duel King. There was no way Andre could defeat him.

"Down to your last 1000 Life Points already?" Patty asked. "Face it, Andre, you've lost. This is only going to get worse if you keep playing."

"I can take anything Malcolm has to give me," he said through gritted teeth. "You'll see, Patty! I'm the perfect teacher for Yuri! Not this clown or anyone else in this city. I'm better than all of you!"

Patty rolled her eyes. "Your arrogance is astounding. It's also quite boring. Hurry up and finish him off, Malcolm."

"I'll have to wait till next turn. So I end here."

T3 - Andre

"I activate Graceful Charity and draw three for the price of two cards. Now, I activate Ancient Rules! And with it, I call on my ace. Go..." Andre held his card up above his head. "Dark Magician!"

A portal appeared behind Andre. Out of it stepped a tall man in a purple robe. His staff glowed bright purple as he waved it about, ready to unleash its power.

"What the...!" Malcolm shouted.

ATK/2500 DEF/2100

"Is that...?" AJ said, jumping over the velvet ropes and standing beside Andre. "That's one of the rarest cards in the game!"

"How in the hell did this kid get a card like that?" Patty wondered aloud. She stood up and walked closer to the table. She needed a better look at it. Was it real? Or was it fake? No, it was real, alright.

"What do you think?" Andre asked. "You wanted me to bring my A-Game? Well, there you go. Now, I equip my Dark Magician with Megamorph, doubling his ATK to 5000!"

ATK/5000 DEF/2100

A gasp went up from the crowd. Everyone watched in awe as the magician raised his staff high into the air. The energy within the jewel at the tip of his staff radiated throughout his body.

"He has 5000 points?" asked Malcom. "There's no way!"

"Oh, but there is!" Andre shouted. "And now, he's going to attack!"

"Don't think so!" said Malcolm. "I activate Negate Attack to stop your attack!"

Andre grinned as the magic spell struck his monster. "Heh, fine. You saved yourself for just one turn! I set a card face-down and end my turn."

"Just one turn?" Malcolm asked. "You really think your Dark Magician can defeat my Golden Homunculus? Ha! It doesn't matter how strong he is. First, I banish one more Earth monster from my Graveyard to summon Gigantes! And with another banished monster, Golden Homuncuus's ATK increases by another 300. And then, I summon a second Golden Homunculus!"

The second golden giant materialized beside the first. Both were as strong as each other, and now Andre had nothing that could defeat them.

"Now, you must tangle with both my Golden Homunculi! But first, I'll attack your Dark Magician with Gigantes!"

"Wait, what's he doing?" a teen asked.

"That Dark Magician has more ATK points than him! It's a suicide move!"

"No, not quite," said Patty. "Malcolm is playing smart. The battle with Gigantes and Dark Magician might reduce his Life Points to 100, but it's a sacrifice he has to make. With Gigantes's special effect, he can destroy all Spell and Trap cards on the field when it's destroyed."

"I get it! After he sacrifices Gigantes, his effect will destroy that Megamorph and reduce Dark Magician back to his original ATK points."

"And that will leave him at the mercy of his Golden Homunculus."

Gigantes ran across the field and threw himself at the Dark Magician.

"It's all over, Andre!"

"Heh, you wish!"

"What are you talking about?"

"I activate my Quick-Play Spell, Arms Regeneration! I should thank you for playing that Card Destruction earlier. You sent another copy of Megamorph to my Graveyard. And with Arms Regeneration, I can equip it to my Dark Magician, doubling his ATK points even more!"

ATK/10000

As everyone watched in awe, the screen displayed the Dark Magician's power increasing, causing gasps of astonishment from the audience.

"How is this possible?" AJ screamed. "His monster's ATK is now ten thousand?"

"And your Gigantes is about to be blown into pieces!" Andre declared. "Dark Magician, show them what you can do!"

The Dark Magician raised his staff and fired a massive burst of energy from it. Gigantes was vaporized upon impact.

His Life Points plummeted to 0. KO! appeared on the screen.

The club went silent.

Patty stood with her mouth agape. She couldn't believe what she saw. Andre had managed to take out Malcolm, and that wasn't supposed to happen. That monster wasn't supposed to have that much attack power.

Andre picked up his cards, stacked them into his deck, and approached Malcolm. "I lost. Now this club and your title are mine."

"There's no way! There's no way!"

"I beat you, which makes me the new Duel King. So hand over your crown or go home crying to your mother. Your choice."

Malcolm stepped aside and held his arm to the throne. "Take it."

Andre smiled and walked to the chair. He sat down and rested his arms on the side of the chair. Then, he turned to the crowd.

"Hail the new Duel King!" the DJ shouted.

Cheers filled the air. Patty remained quiet, watching Malcolm step down the stairs with a scowl on his face. She didn't know what to make of Andre. Not yet, anyway.

"I'm going to rule this city," Andre said. "See, Patty? I have every right to teach Yuri! I'm strong! I took down the Duel Kings of your school! Can you imagine what you and your friends could accomplish if you worked with me!? Think of it! I'd be your teacher! I'll make you stronger than ever before! With me as your leader, we can rule this city together!"

Patty shook her head and chuckled. "Yuri will never side with you!"

"Then how about you, gorgeous? You can help me convince him to join my cause. Then, together, we can bring this city to its knees! What do you say? Will you be my queen?"

Patty laughed. "Your queen? Get over yourself! I'm with Yuri all the way! I warn you, 'Duel King' don't make enemies out of us! Because you're going to regret this little stunt!"

Andre grinned. "Try and stop me! One way or another, you and your friends are gonna serve me!"

Patty gave him the finger and stormed off amidst the chorus of: "Hail King Andre! Hail King Andre! Hail King Andre!"

Chapter 6: King with an Iron Fist

Chapter Text

Yuri - St. Augustus Academy

Yuri tapped his pencil on his desk, his eyes constantly peering to the clock above the professor's desk. The minutes seemed like hours, and Yuri was growing tired of it. But he had to be patient. Class would end soon. Then he and his friends would head to the Ruby Dragon Gaming Shop for a long session of Duelling. Now that he had beaten two professional Duelists and won his first tournament, he felt even more confident in his skills.

He had proven himself to be a good enough player to compete against anyone who wanted to challenge him. Never before had he felt such pride and excitement about the game. It was his life now. Duel Monsters had become his world. And he loved every minute of it.

Perhaps playing against those mysterious players in his dreams had something to do with it. He wondered if they were real or not. The mystery made his insides cold with anticipation. Who could they be? Where did they come from? Why did they want to teach him?

The questions burned his mind like wildfire. Whether these dreams were real or not, one thing was for sure. He was no longer afraid of Dueling like he once was. And with Black Tyranno as his Ace, there was nothing to fear. He'd never lose. He'd keep winning, no matter what.

Professor Albert tapped on the touchscreen of his Smart Board, and a map of Napoleon's France appeared. He turned to face the class. Napoleon's victory at the Battle of Jena-Auerstädt is widely regarded as his finest moment as a military commander."

He droned on and on. Yuri had become lost in his own thoughts again, and Professor Albert's voice was like the droning of a bee. He wasn't interested in Napoleon's military victories. He had read all about them as a child and knew each battle from the time Napoleon took power to his imprisonment on Elba, his final exile in St. Helena, and finally, his death in 1821.

"And that brings us to the end of our class," Professor Albert said. "Remember, your projects on Napoleon are due next Monday. I expect detailed descriptions of each battle he fought in, including the results and why he won each one. Class dismissed!"

The bell rang and everyone got up from their desks and headed for the door.

Patty cracked her back before putting her messenger bag across her shoulder.

"Hey, champ. Going to the Ruby Dragon?"

Yuri nodded. "Hell yeah! I feel unstoppable!"

"Heh, kinda odd considering he kept forfeiting each time a Duel got hairy," Tyson said, the diamond stud on his left ear shining like a star.

Yuri shrugged. "That was then. This is now! I feel like a new man!"

"You sure it has nothing to do with that Black Tyranno card you got!" Carter asked as he followed his friends into the hallway.

"Maybe," Yuri said, shrugging. "But I've finally found a way to get my game on. I mean, I'm actually looking forward to facing another strong opponent."

"Is that so?" said a red-haired boy, leaning against the wall as if waiting for them. "You know, the school just crowned itself a new Duel King."

"What?" Nick said in surprise. "When did this happen?"

"Just last night," said the boy. "The new kid, Andre Martin, just beat all five Duel Kings in school. Wiped them all out like they were nothing!"

"You're kidding?" Tyson said.

"He's not," said Patty. "I was there last night when he beat Malcolm in a Duel. I had no idea he was such a great player."

"Great?" the boy said, folding his arms over his chest. "The kid's a beast! I bet he could even take out Yuri if he wanted."

"Yuri took down two former champions!" Nick boasted. "He's no pushover. He'd wipe the floor with Andre."

"Oh, you think so?"

"I know so!" Nick shot back.

"Well, I bet Andre would say otherwise. In fact, he's waiting for you in the first-floor cafeteria. He wanted to personally invite you and your friends to a game, Yuri."

"A game?" Patty asked.

"Yes. Andre said he wanted to play a round with Yuri. He also said he wants to recruit you into his team."

"He still wants to be our lord and master, huh?" Natalya said.

The red-haired boy grinned. "You guys should stop being stubborn and just accept him as your master. The guy could soar you all to new heights."

"We don't need him," Yuri said. "We'll get to the top on our own."

"Andre says otherwise. Now, you guys better head down to the cafeteria."

"Or else what?" Tyson said, he moved forward, using his huge frame to intimidate the kid.

"This school has a lot of loyal followers to the new Duel King," the boy said. "Andre has offered five rare cards from his collection to anyone who beats Yuri down. And Yuri, now that you're one of the school's best, that's not a target I'd want on my back if I were you."

"Heh," Tyson scoffed. "Sounds like a load of bullsh*t to me!"

"We can take on any goon this loser throws at us!" Nick said.

"You sure? We all know the Ruby Dragon is where you hang out. It would suck if you'd had to spend the rest of your days getting hounded by every Duelist who wants a piece of Yuri."

"Fine," Yuri said. "Come on, guys. Let's go see what the 'Duel King' wants."

The group entered the cafeteria and found Andre sitting at the center table. He was surrounded by boys and girls. All of them were talking and laughing amongst themselves.

The red-haired boy led Yuri and the others to Andre's table, which faced the ocean and the skyline of Eden Island across the bay.

"Your guests have arrived," he said, bowing low and stepping aside.

Andre's eyes sparkled as he saw Yuri approach the table. "Yuri! Glad you could make it! Please, have a seat!"

"I'm good," Yuri said, folding his arms over his chest. "What do you want?"

"Straight to the point, huh? Well, what do you think? I did it, man."

"You're a Duel King," Patty scoffed. "Congrats."

"No. Not A Duel King. THE Duel King. I forced the other four to relinquish their titles when they lost to me. Now, I'm the sole ruler of the Duelists of St. Augustus Academy. Every player from Grade 7 to 12 has sworn their loyalty to me."

"Everyone except us," said Nick. "We're not gonna follow you, asshole!"

Andre looked at him in surprise. "You'll change your tune soon enough. Now, tell me, Yuri. Have you reconsidered my offer?"

"What offer?" Carter asked.

"I asked Yuri to be my apprentice. You're a rising star, Yuri. I just know in my heart of hearts that YOU are the one destined to become one of the greatest Duelists in the city. I could use a player of your caliber on my team. And don't forget..." He snapped his fingers.

A boy brought out Andre's big binder full of rare cards and opened them. "The reward will be great. I just need the five of you to swear loyalty to me! We'll be the best players in the city, Yuri. You, me, and your crew. Think of what we could accomplish with the power I now possess. What do you say?"

"I say no," Yuri replied. "I'm not joining your little gang."

"Then I guess you've decided to be my enemy," Andre said, standing up. "And enemies of mine get their asses kicked! I'm sorry to do this, Yuri, but I have to make an example out of you. You'll be a lesson for all those who dare defy me. You and me right now! Your precious Black Tyranno is on the line!"

"WHAT!?" Yuri's friends shouted in unison.

"A card as powerful as that deserves to be in the hands of a Duel King. So, what do you say, Yuri? If you win, I'll let you and your friends leave without any trouble. But if I win, you hand over your Black Tyranno and join my gang!"

"No!" Yuri said. "Here's how it's gonna go. You win, you take the card. I win, you drop this who Duel King schtick and never bother me or my friends again!"

"Fair enough. And after I beat you, I'm going to enjoy using your precious dinosaur as a tool to conquer this city!"

"Yuri, come on, man," Tyson said. "That card means everything to you!"

"Don't worry, Tyson," Yuri said. "I'll win this Duel. I promise!"

"Then it's decided. But how about we play in style? Let's have our match with REAL monsters in the Duel Dome! What do you say, guys? My treat!" he looked around at his new followers. They all cheered with excitement.

"Let's go, Yuri," Andre said. "It's time to teach you some manners."

They all got on the train to the new island, where the Duel Dome was built. Andre purchased everyone in the group arena passes to the advanced Duel Arenas, where cards and monsters came to life.

Andre's followers sat on one side of the arena and Yuri's friends sat on the other.

Andre and Yuri got on their platforms, which elevated them over a dozen feet above the deep pit below where the monsters would come to life.

"You ready to lose?" Andre asked, looking up at his new followers in the stands. They cheered him on.

"You ready to kiss my ass?" Yuri asked.

Andre smiled. "Let's get started, shall we?"

"DUEL!" they both shouted.

Yuri: 4000

Andre: 4000

T1

"That Yuri kid has no idea who he's up against!" shouted a boy sitting on the stands.

"He's gonna get wrecked," said a girl.

"He's screwed!" shouted another student.

"Oh, he's finished," a boy said, watching the Duel intently. He looked across the field where Yuri's friends sat. "Heh, I hope Andre manages to coax the Reaper into joining us. She's so hot!"

Yuri set his deck on the liquid crystal LED screen and drew his five cards. "I'll go first," he said, drawing a card from his deck.

"Fine by me," said Andre. "But first, let me explain to you the new rules I set up."

"New rules?" Tyson asked.

"What did you do?" asked Patty.

Andre held up his finger as he explained. "Well, first, no more summoning our boss monsters so easily. From here on out, we have to tribute weaker monsters to summon the stronger ones. I mean, it's bad enough we can sick our monsters on Life Points with direct attacks. But boss monsters from the get-go. Naw, it's too cheap. This will force players to think more strategically and be more creative with their strategies."

"You can't change the rules like that!" Nick said.

"Sure, I can!" Andre replied. "I'm the Duel King. Now, one tribute is required to summon Level 5 or 6 monsters. Anything Level 7 or higher will require two!"

"So that means Yuri's gotta ditch two monsters in order to get his Black Tyranno out!" Tyson said.

"You got it, big boy," Andre said with a laugh. "But good luck trying to get two monsters on the field. My deck is full of powerful monsters that will ensure Black Tyranno never comes out!"

Serenity - Tower of the Kings/Termnnia

Serenity draped herself in a luxurious robe of pure white and shimmering gold as she prepared for her evening prayer at the majestic chapel dedicated to the Goddess of Victory. The radiant colors of her attire mirrored the pristine garments worn by the dedicated priestesses who lovingly tended to the sacred space. Her long brown hair was in a tight bun, exposing the back of her neck. She passed by the giant wall window with a grand view of the city miles below. Her heels tapped against the marble floor, vying for dominance over the sound of the monks' chanting echoing down the halls. She looked at them through the gap between the columns as she made her way to the altar where the statue of the Goddess was enshrined.

She walked to the altar and dropped to her knees, bowing before the statue. She dipped her fingers into the basin of holy water, making a sign of the Goddess, and then kissed it. Just then, the Seeing Stone in her pocket began to glow.

"Yuri!" Serenity whispered with excitement. She knew evening mass was important to everyone, but the way the stone flashed indicated that he must have been in trouble. She took the stone out and ran out of the chapel where Yugi and the others approached, each of them clad in white and gold.

"Sis," Joey said. "What's going on? Mass hasn't started yet. Where are ya goin?"

"Yuri," she said. "He's going to Duel."

"Yuri?" Mai said.

"What's going on?" Téa asked.

"Yeah, what's the deal, Serenity?" Duke wondered. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"What's with that stone?" Tristan said. "Why's it flashing like that? I've never seen it so frantic."

"I don't know," Serenity said. "I have a feeling it's bad. I need to know what's going on."

"We'll come with you," said Yugi. They dashed away from the chapel, the light from the setting sun reflected off the surface of the sea, painting it with the color of blood.

They left the chapel and went into a library with a large table and several chairs around it. Serenity set the stone at the center of the table. They waited for the imagery in the stone to appear.

It didn't take long. Within seconds, a hologram of Yuri appeared. He was standing inside what looked like an arena, with five cards in his hand. "I draw one card," he said to someone they couldn't see.

"Hurry up!" said his foe.

"Wait!?" Yugi said. "That voice!" His Millennium Puzzle flashed and Yami was summoned. "It can't be. Serenity, is there any way we can see Yuri's opponent?"

Serenity fiddled with charms she learned to control the Seeing Stone, trying to find something. But all she could see was Yuri, whose face looked very troubled. "Hold on!" she cried. "I think...there! Yes!"

A figure finally appeared before them.

"Andredion!" Yami gasped.

"No!" Mai exclaimed. "Not that bratty apprentice of yours! What's he doing there in the Standard Dimension with Yuri?"

"So this is where he disappeared to!" Joey shouted. "But how did he get through the Gate? There's gotta be thousands of Black Luster Soldiers monitoring that thing. There's no way some Duel Academia dropout got through without a fight."

"This isn't good," Tea said. "Why is Yuri even dueling him?"

"What's wrong?" Duke asked. "Who is this kid?"

"He's the boy who ignored Belladonna Wyevernheart, the girl who could summon the legendary dragon, Bahamut," Yami replied. "He has great power as a mage, but he is too arrogant and prideful of himself. When she learned his family was planning to overthrow her family, he laughed and disregarded her warning as the ramblings of a crazy girl. He then told her if she wanted his help, she would have to Duel him. If she won, he would help her. But if he won, he would surrender Bahamut to him and marry him."

"What!?" Tristan gasped.

Mai scoffed. "What a creep!"

"Yes. Belladonna was never seen again after that. Most likely, she was also killed in the siege."

To make matters worse, he's the student of my former apprentice, Marcel!"

"That jerk," Mai growled. "I told you he had the potential to be a bad seed, Yugi!"

"I tried to see the good in him. I stopped the GX Duelists from hunting him down. When I found him, he urged me to believe he knew nothing of the coup. I offered him a chance to redeem himself at the Monastery of the Conqueror so he could become a Dark Magician Duelist. But instead of embracing the path of redemption, he viewed his gaining of the Dark Magician as a sign of power. He became the finest Duelist in the monastery, beating everyone in its halls. As his Dueling skills increased, he went mad with desire and revenge. He no longer wanted to learn at the monastery. He said his redemption could only be attained if he became the master of the High King of Termnnia. Yuri. So he took off into the night months ago. No one has seen him since. Until now."

"He must have used magic to slip past the Black Luster Soldiers guarding the Gate," Joey said.

"Whatever he did," said Duke, "he's there! And now he's taking on Yuri!"

T1

Yuri looked at the card he had just drawn and smiled. "First, I set a monster face-down. Then I set two cards face-down and end my turn!"

T2

"Running scared already?" Andre said. "Fine. My move!"

Andre drew a card and snickered. "I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards. Next, I activate Ancient Rules so I can Special Summon the mighty Steam Knight - Hamburk!"

He set the card on the LED playmat, and the holographic systems in the arena hummed as the creature came to life. A gigantic knight digitized on the field, wielding a massive sword shaped like a serrated butterknife.

ATK/2500

"And then I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf!" He laughed as the holograms brought to life a giant four-armed wolf altered by science.

ATK/2000

"Dude! Not cool!" Nick said. "That guy already summoned two powerful monsters!"

"His monsters are huge!" Tyson shouted.

"And they're going to deal serious damage to your leader!" Andre said. "Go, my monsters! Attack his face-down monster!"

"I activate Draining Shield!" Yuri shouted. A glassy force field appeared around him, protecting him from the attack.

"What!?" Andre shouted.

"Since you just declared an attack, I can activate this card and negate your attack, and my Life Points increase by your wolf's ATK!"

Yuri - LP 6000

"Argh! But you're not going to survive an attack from my knight! Go!" He pointed his finger at the face-down monster. "Hamburk, attack his Life Points directly with Steam Slash!"

The knight roared and dashed across the field toward Yuri. Steam blew out of his joints and other parts of his armor.

"I activate Widespread Ruin!" Yuri shouted. "Now your monster is destroyed!"

The knight shouted as a column of fire engulfed him, and the monster's hologram turned into pixelated dust.

"YES!" Yuri's friends shouted.

"Way to go, Yuri!" Carter shouted.

Andre scowled at them. "You think this will keep you safe? You're only prolonging the inevitable. I set one card face-down and end my turn by playing this. The spell card, Prohibition!"

"Oh no!" Patty cried.

"What?" Tyson said.

"Now Andre can choose any card in Yuri's deck and prohibit him from playing it!"

"That bastard!" Carter snarled. "And I know just what he's gonna pick!"

"Haha! Yeah, Yuri's Black Tyranno! Now, so long as my spell is in play, you can't use that card even if you draw it. Just like that, I've lost you your greatest Dueling weapon!"

"That ain't right!" Tyson growled.

Yuri stared at Andre intently as if saying: Are you done yet?

"What?" Andre said. "No protest? Nothing to say? Face it, Yuri. You're nothing without that card. And without Crystal Anderson here to fight your battles for you, you're pretty much finished! Without Black Tyranno or Crystal, you'd be nothing. I can help you there! I can teach you to be the best! I need you to help me get to the top, Yuri."

"Why me? Of all the players on this island, why me?"

"You're the son of the city's founder and CEO of the most powerful company in the world. Don't you find it embarrassing that you're the son of the man who created Duel Monsters and you can't Duel worth sh*t!? Your father must be ashamed of you!"

"Yuri doesn't suck!" Patty shouted.

"Yeah, he's one of the best players I know!" Nick added.

"Yeah, but without that Ace, he's nothing. And you know it, too, don't you, Yuri? You're nothing but a coward and failure with only your daddy's legacy to get you by. But join me, Yuri. You have potential. And I could show you how to tap into it!"

"Shut up," Yuri said through gritted teeth. "Just shut your damn mouth! I don't need your help! And I don't need my Black Tyranno to beat you either! My deck is full of powerful monsters just itching to take you down!"

Duke felt his fists tighten with rage. "That apprentice of yours is starting to piss me off, Yugi."

"How could you think there could be any good in dat kid!?" Joey asked.

"Don't worry! He's gonna wish he never stepped foot in that dimension after Yuri is through with him!" Tristan said.

T3

He drew and grunted. "I summon Tomozaurus in DEF Mode and end my turn!"

He summoned a tan-colored tyrannosaur with glowing yellow eyes. It crouched in DEF mode with its tail tucked between its legs and its arms close to its body.

ATK/500

T4

"Pfft. That weakling? It can't attack or defend. Let me show you what a REAL monster looks like. I summon Opticlops!"

A large cycloptic creature roared onto the field, smashing the ground to intimidate Yuri.

ATK/1800

"And now I attack your face-down monstes with Opticlops."

"You attacked Gale Lizard!" Yuri shouted. "When Gale Lizard is flipped face-up, he sends one monster back to your hand!"

An orange lizard with massive wings that were bigger than its body appeared in front of him. The gale-force winds from its wings sent the wolf back to Andre's hand. Opticlops charged at the lizard, his sharp claws tearing it apart. The holographic image shattered, and Yuri cringed when the particles struck him like raindrops.

"Hmph, so you saved yourself again. Just give up, Yuri! You know I'm going to beat you sooner or later."

"The Duel isn't over yet!" Yuri shouted. "There are plenty more moves I can use!"

"Pathetic!" Andre sneered. "I'll leave it at that for now."

T5

"My move!" Yuri drew and smiled. "I'm going to make use of these new rules and sacrifice Tomozaurus to summon Giga Gagagigo!"

The dinosaur vanished, and a giant reptilian monster with dark green scales and steel armor appeared.

ATK/2450

"Urk! No!" Andre gasped.

Yuri's friends cheered in the stands.

"Way to go, Yuri!" Carter laughed.

"Giga Gagagigo attack his Opticlops now with Adamantium Claw Strike!" Yuri commanded.

Giga Gagagigo flexed its muscles, dashed across the field, and drove its armored fist through the cycloptic demon's stomach, causing it to explode into shards of light.

Andre - LP 3350

"Damn, look our boy go!" Tyson said.

Nick grinned at Patty. "Looks like we won't have to worry about him after all!"

"Yuri is really pulling it out of the bag!" she replied. "He's ahead with 6000 Life Points and he decimated all of Andre's strongest monsters. If Yuri keeps this up, he's going to win!"

Andre stood there staring at Yuri.

"What's wrong?" Yuri asked. "Scared now that I've got the upper hand?"

"Nothing, just enjoying the view," Andre replied. "That girl of yours is real sure of you. Enjoy her while you can, because when all is said and done, her incredible skills are gonna be mine!"

Yuri narrowed his eyes. "Patty is off-limits."

"Then beat me and prove it! Otherwise, I'll claim her as my own. A Duelist as strong as her deserves to be with a King!"

"You're so delusional!" Patty cried. "I'd never go for a creep like you!"

T6

"We'll just see about that, Reaper! Your skills will be mine soon! You're the Ace of Yuri's group. 210 wins with only 9 losses. You're amazing! I want you on my team!"

"I'll never join you!" Patty snapped. "Now shut up and make your move!"

"Fine! Watch this, Reaper. Your little prince is going down. I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf once again! And then, I'm going to activate my face-down card, Shrink! This will cut your Giga Gagagigo's ATK in half!"

"Wait a minute," said Carter. "Why didn't he use that earlier? He could have saved his Opticlops!"

"I'm glad you mentioned that, my follower-in-training," Andre said. "You see, I don't always reveal my full strategy during Dueling practice sessions. I like to keep them guessing. Now watch, I'll show you why I used Shrink when I did. Since my Life Points are lower than Yuri's I can activate this. Megamorph!"

"Megamorph!?" Tyson gasped.

"So that's why he waited to use Shrink!" Nick shouted. "He wanted to weaken Yuri's monster so he could deal double the damage!"

The spell card, Megamorph, made the warwolf's body swell. The wolf was twice the size of Giga Gagagigo and ready to tear him apart.

"My beast's ATK is now doubled thanks to Megamorph! Raising his power to 4000! Attack!"

Gene-Warped Warwolf charged, slamming its shoulder into Giga Gagagigo, and sending him back several feet. Then the wolf clamped his jaws around the lizard's neck and flung him across the field.

Yuri grunted and groaned as the blast from the fallen monster struck him.

"Oh no!" Téa cried.

"Come on, Yuri, take out that creep!" Joey cheered. "Finish dis already!"

"Yuri's losing ground!" Duke said.

"It looks bad," said Mai. "He's in trouble!"

Yuri - LP 3225

Andre - LP 3350

"Now Andre is in the lead!" said Carter.

"Don't panic, Yuri has a way out of this!" Tyson said. "Keep going, bro, you can do this!"

"Andre's gonna make quick work of Yuri now!" the boy in the stands shouted.

"Hold it!" Patty said. "Now that Andre's Life Points are higher, Andre's warwolf's ATK is halved!"

ATK/1000

"Well, stupid me, right?" Andre chuckled. "I end my turn."

T7

"Draw!" Yuri shouted. "I set a card face-down and summon a monster in DEF Mode! That's it for me."

T8

"Draw!" Ande looked at his card and laughed. "Check it out! Ancient Rules! Now I can summon Seiyaryu without tribute!"

A pink dragon with an axe-like beak appeared on the field, spreading its wings as if to intimidate Yuri.

ATK/2500

"He won't stay! I activate Bottomless Trap Hole! Now your dragon is banished!"

"NO!"

Seiyaryu roared as a portal opened underneath her and swallowed her whole.

Andre sneered. "You think you're smart, but you don't know a thing about this game! I switch Warwolf to DEF Mode and summon Giant Soldier of Stone in DEF Mode!"

He summoned a large stone soldier, who stood there, unmoving.

ATK/1300

DEF/2000

T9

Yuri drew a card and smiled. "You don't expect that boulder to stop me, do you? I summon Krokodilus!"

ATK/1100

The green humanoid crocodile appeared, snarling and snapping his jaws open and close.

"Now I attack your wolf and rid him from the field once and for all!"

Krokodilus ripped the wolf to shreds, and the holographic image exploded into fragments, striking Andre and knocking him back.

"Gah!" He gasped.

"I end my turn!" Yuri said.

T10

Andre drew. "I activate Graceful Charity. I draw three and discard two. Then, I set one card face-down and attack your Krokodilus with Giant Soldier of Stone!"

The stone soldier charged forward and punched the reptilian in the stomach.

Yuri - 3025 LP

T11

"I activate Pot of Greed!" Yuri shouted, holding up the card. "I summon Anthrosaurus in ATK Mode!" He summoned a monster that looked like Krokodilus but with purple and violet skin.

ATK/1000

"Now, I flip over my face-down monster, Gale Lizard! And with it, I send your stone soldier back to your hand!"

Gale Lizard blew away the giant stone soldier with another powerful burst of wind.

"Now you're wide open!" Yuri sneered. "Gale Lizard and Anthrosaurus, attack his Life Points!"

A strong gust of wind carried Anthrosaurus across the field. His razor-sharp claws scratched Andre, dealing a combined 2400 damage to his Life Points.

Andre - 950 LP

Andre's co*ckiness was totally gone now. This was not supposed to happen. He should have already won by now. Yuri's friends should have been groaning in despair, but instead, they were cheering. One more attack, and Andre was going to lose. To add insult to injury, his loss wasn't going to be to a powerful monster. It was going to be to a weak vanilla creature like Anthrosaurus.

Patty, Carter, Tyson, and Nick cheered.

"Way to go, Yuri!" Patty said.

"WOOOOOHO!" Tyson clapped his hands. "Get 'em! Get 'em good, dude! You can do it!"

Yuri smiled at them and gave them a thumbs up.

"Yeah!" Joey cheered. His fists were trembling in excitement. "Dere it is, Yugi! Now finish dis guy off!"

"Go for it, Yuri!" Mai shouted.

Duke folded his arms and chuckled. "Looks like he has this Duel in the bag."

"Come on, Yuri..." Serenity whispered. "You can win!"

"Hurry up, Yuri!" Carter shouted. "Finish him!"

Andre snarled at him. "Shut up! You think you're so high and mighty now, don't you? Well, guess what? You're still nothing! You are nothing without that Black Tyranno of yours! That's why you will never beat me! Your stupid friends will see that soon enough! They're just as pathetic as you are!"

Téa's eyes narrowed in fury. "He's learned nothing from you, Yugi. What a waste."

Joey felt his heart thump. "You ain't got a clue who yer talkin' about! Our pal, Yuri, may not have a ton of victories under his belt, but when it comes down to it, he has the courage ta believe in himself and his cards! Take Andre out, man!" He yelled as if he were there cheering Yuri on.

T12

Andre grit his teeth. He's stronger than I thought. I've never been outmaneuvered like this before. Maybe I pushed him too far. Well, it's too late to change that now. It's time to pull out all the stops.

"You're going to regret messing with me," he said. "I activate Monster Reborn and bring back my Ace! You've wowed us with your Black Tyranno, Yuri, but now you're going to face my Ace! Return, Dark Magician!"

The great wizard rose from a column of light, standing beside Andre, who looked up at him, beaming.

ATK/2500

"And now, I reveal my face-down card. Arms Regeneration! This spell allows me to bring an Equip Spell back from my Graveyard and equip it with my Dark Magician! And I chose the powerful Megamorph!"

Yuri gasped as the magician glowed brightly, doubling his size and increasing his attack power.

ATK/5000

"Five thousand points! What the hell!" Yuri cried.

Patty, Tyson, Carter, and Nick looked on in horror.

"Oh, no," Patty whimpered.

"This is bad," Carter said.

"He's totally screwed," Tyson said. "He's gonna lose."

"No, not yet!" Nick shouted. "Come on, Yuri! There has to be something he can do! Something we didn't see! He can still turn this around!"

But there wasn't anything he could do. Dark Magician aimed his palm at Anthrosaurus, who howled in fright. A dark ball of energy formed in the center of the magician's palm, which shot across the field in a flash, obliterating Anthrosaurus, and knocking Yuri's Life Points to 0.

Yuri - 0

Andre - 950 LP (winner)

"No," Carter whined. "Nooo."

"No way, man!" Tyson said, burying his face into his palms.

Andre laughed victoriously.

Patty couldn't believe her eyes. She stood there in silence, staring at Yuri in shock. He lost? After gaining so much momentum, he lost. Her body felt numb. It was like watching a car accident unfold before her very eyes.

Yuri got up, looking down at the ground. He turned and waited for the platform to descend to the field.

"So, what did you think of my skills?" Andre asked. "Impressive, huh?"

Yuri said nothing.

"Now, a deal is a deal!" He held out his hand. "Give me the Black Tyranno, Yuri. Time's up."

Yuri trembled. Tears welled up in his eyes. He reached for the card in his pocket and stared at it.

"Yuri, don't!" Patty pleaded. "Please, you can't!"

"It's over!" Yuri shouted. "I've...I've lost. I have no other choice."

"Good boy," Andre said. "Now give me the card."

Yuri held the card up. Andre swiped it and held it high above his head.

"I WON!" Andre cheered. "The Black Tyranno is mine!"

"No...." Téa moaned. As the Duel concluded, the mystical image slowly faded, leaving the stone immersed in darkness once more. Its glossy surface only reflected the shimmering lights from the adjacent windows, casting an ethereal glow.

Serenity hung her head. "Poor Yuri..."

"I really thought he had Andre," Joey said. "What happened? Yuge, your apprentice just..."

"He's no apprentice of mine," Yugi answered.

"Yugi, what are we gonna do?" Joey asked. "If anyone sees Andre out there, Antilles will think yer sending help to Yuri."

"No one is going to say anything about this!" Yugi said. "We do nothing. This is out of our control."

Joey blinked. "Seriously?"

"I saw a lot of myself in him when he first came here," Yugi continued. "But after that Duel, all I saw was cruelty and greed. Someone who wants to subjugate Yuri, not help him. He's changed his image well enough, at least," he said, referring to Andre's darkened hair. "Unless any of us speak of what we saw today, there's no reason for anyone to suspect he's my former apprentice. All we can do is hope Yuri can recover from this setback. And I know he will. There's no way Yuri will ever serve someone like Andre Martin. Not on his life."

He collected himself and straightened the white sleeves of his jacket. "Let's go. We've done what we can for now. Hopefully, this doesn't lead to bigger problems."

"Yes, sir," Joey said. "Come on, guys.

Chapter 7: The Reaper

Chapter Text

A loud roar echoed through the arena as Andre's followers started cheering.

"All Hail Andre! All Hail Andre!" they chanted.

Andre basked in their glory and turned to look at Yuri and his friends, now standing together, looking down at him with sadness and anger.

"Looks like you guys need me after all," Andre said. "If you want the card back, you and your flunkies will serve me! Come on, Yuri. Join me. With our teamwork, we'll be the best in the city. We could even enter the Millennium Tournament! How cool would that be? The five of us could win it all!"

Yuri and his friends remained silent.

"Well?" Andre asked.

Yuri dashed out of the arena, followed by the jeers of Andre's followers. His friends quickly followed behind him. Yuri continued to run until he heard nothing but his footsteps and those of his friends trailing behind him. As he ran out of the Duel Dome, he vowed never to Duel again.

"Yuri! Yuri, wait!" Patty called.

"Just let him go," Tyson said.

"But..."

"Just give him time to cool off. When all's said and done, we'll have our revenge." Tyson turned to face his friends. "I suggest we all go home, take some time to rest, and plan out how we're going to get Black Tyranno back."

Carter and Nick nodded.

"You guys go on ahead," Patty said. "I'm gonna head for the pier and think."

"Just be careful," said Carter.

Patty smiled and waved goodbye. She took the train back to Phobos Island and exited the Vankim Pier Station. She walked past the docks and made her way to the pier overlooking the sea. The Ferris Wheel she often rode at the end of each day was still lit up. The moon was full and bright, its reflection shimmering across the sea. The waves lapped at the shore, splashing against the rocky cliffside. Patty sighed deeply and paid for a ticket. After taking a seat in one of the cars, the ride slowly began moving.

Patty looked down at the ocean, thinking about the events that had transpired. This wasn't supposed to happen. Andre was not supposed to win. What was worse, though, was that Yuri's spirit was crushed. He had worked so hard over the past few days and had become a great duelist, yet, in just a few minutes, all of that progress vanished into thin air. Now that the Black Tyranno was gone, they would no longer be able to practice or learn new things from the card.

"Damn it, Yuri," she whispered, bumping her forehead against the glass. "Why do you always have to run when things don't do your way?"

She leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes. The car was now at the very top of the wheel. There, she could see all five islands of Aquarius. The skyscrapers, the tall buildings, the bridges, and even the Duel Dome where everything went wrong.

Patty crossed her legs and arms and continued staring out the window. She spent an hour on the Ferris Wheel before finally calling it quits. As she exited the car, she saw two guys in the St. Augustus Academy uniforms waiting for her at the bottom of the steel steps. They were Andre's lackeys.

"So, did you enjoy the show?" asked one of them.

"What the hell do you guys want?" Patty snapped.

"Andre wanted to see you," replied the other one. "He wanted to have some drinks."

"Go away," Patty hissed.

"No can do, Reaper. The Duel King wants to see you now!"

Patty tried to run, but the boys flashed their decks, showing her they were ready to Duel.

"Hmph," Patty said. "Lucky for you, an arena opened here in the pier as well."

"Really?"

"Yeah, Manny, the pier's owner, built it last week. Since I'm his favorite customer, he told me I could get early access to it."

The boys led Patty through the entrance. As she said, a brand-new arena stood on a stage erected next to the Ferris Wheel. It had been modeled after the Duel Dome with its high-tech technology and massive holograms. The arena stands were yet to be built, but the deep pit and the platforms were operational.

Patty tossed her messenger back on the side of the platform's safety rail before hopping on. It elevated her above the pit and then brought her to the center of the field. She lossened her tie, and unbuttoned her blouse a bit before setting her deck on the LED playmat.

"Duel Mode: Engaged," said a robotic voice.

"I'll take her on first!" The first goon, the red-headed boy she and her friends encountered in the halls earlier, jumped on the opposite platform and drew five cards. "Prepare yourself, girl! You're about to get whipped!"

"We'll see about that!"

Patty and the bully stared each other down.

"DUEL!" they shouted in unison.

Patty - LP 4000

Goon 1 - LP 4000

T1

"I'll begin first," Patty said. "I set two cards face-down and summon Dark Titan of Terror in ATK Mode!"

A large giant with four arms appeared on the field, wearing blue armor.

ATK/1300

T2

The goon laughed. "My turn! I activate the Field Spell, A Legendary Ocean! Now all my Water Monsters gain 200 ATK and DEF and their levels are reduced by one. Then, I summon Skreech in ATK Mode!" He cackled, summoning a green reptile with one massive mouth for a head and two legs. It loud out a horrible shriek.

ATK1500 → 1700

"Next, I discard Tadpole from my hand to Special Summon Swap Frog in ATK Mode!"

"Two monsters, huh?" Patty whispered to herself as a golden frog with red decorative banding appeared in front of her.

ATK/1000 → 1200

"Now, I set one card face-down. Okay, Skreech, attack her Dark Titan with Slimy Swing!"

The creature leaped into the air and spun around, swinging his long tail at Dark Titan.

"I activate Dimensional Prison!" Patty said, flipping over her Trap Card. "This will banish your reptile, and my Titan is safe!"

A portal opened up behind Skreech and sucked him inside, vanishing from the game.

"Damn it!" the goon cursed.

T3

Patty placed two fingers on the top of her deck with a smirk on her face. "It's my turn. Draw! Using your King's new rules, I sacrifice Dark Titan of Terror to call on the Earl of Demise!"

ATK/2000

Her monster was dressed like a medieval nobleman and carried a rapier. He moaned and groaned, his face wrinkled and blue with decay.

"Earl of Demise, attack his Swap Frog!"

"Uuuuhhhh!" Earl of Demise raised his sword high and slashed the frog.

The goon shielded himself with his arms as he watched his Life Points tick down.

Patty - LP 4000

Goon 1 - LP 3200

T4

"Those are some scary cards she's got," said the goon waiting for his friend.

"Careful, bro!" called the second goon. "They don't call her The Reaper for nothing."

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But so what? She'll be begging for mercy when I'm done with her! It's my turn. I draw. I activate Pot of Greed and draw two more cards. Awesome! This will put a stop to your offense! Aqua Madoor in DEF Mode!"

An evil spirit in an eerie mask and cape appeared on the field.

DEF/2000

T5

"Hmph," Patty grunted. "You think that will stop me? I also use Pot of Greed; granting me two cards. Now, I activate Tribute to the Doomed!"

"Whoa! That's one of the rarest Spells in the game!" the goon watching the duel cried.

"NOOO!"

Patty discarded a card to the Graveyard and said: "I sacrifice your monster to send him to the Graveyard!"

The masked spirit screamed as it was wrapped in burial cloths and dragged into the Graveyard by a giant red hand. The boy shivered in horror, clasping his shoulders and looking down at the floor.

"I...I can't believe you sent him there."

"Well, believe it. And now your Life Points are open for my Earl to attack!"

The Earl lunged forward and slashed the boy's platform, shaking him violently.

LP 1900

"Your turn, jerk!" Patty said, snickering at the dastardly deed she had just committed. "I set a card face-down and end my turn."

T6

Patty - LP 4000

Goon 1 - LP 1200

"Grrr..." the bully growled. He drew a card and immediately smiled. "Alright, little lady. Looks like your luck has run out. I summon Warrior of Atlantis! He's 1900 now, but with the field power bonus, his power rises to 2100, making him stronger than your Earl of Demise!"

"Yeah! You got her now, man!" the goon watching the fight cheered.

"Warrior of Atlantis! Attack her monster!"

The warrior rose into the air, aiming his crossbow at the Earl. Suddenly, black chains burst from the ground and wrapped themselves around the warrior's arms, torso, and legs. The Earl of Demise cackled as the warrior struggled to break free.

"What the hell?" the bully shouted.

"I activated the trap, Shadow Spell! It prevents your monster from moving and reduces its ATK by 700!"

T7

"For followers of the Duel King, you guys sure are a bore. Now, I sacrifice the Earl of Demise to summon Great Maju Garzett!"

She discarded a card, and the earl faded away, only to be replaced by a large demon with green skin, covered in spikes and chains.

ATK/0

"What? Zero ATK points?" the goon cried.

"You sure are dumb, Reaper," laughed the bully. "Your monster has no attack points, which means you can't use him to battle!"

"That's what you think," Patty said. "Great Maju Garzett's ATK becomes twice the original ATK of the monster I Tributed to summon him."

"Wait...twice! But your Earl of Demise had 2000 ATK points...that...that means!"

"He now has 4000 ATK points!" Patty giggled and her monster's muscle mass increased as he howled to the sky, shaking the arena. "Go, Garzett! Destroy his Warrior of Atlantis!"

The demon shot a volley of lasers from his eyes, striking the warrior and destroying him in an explosion of bright lights.

"NOOOO!" the boy cried, his Life Points depleting to 0.

The goon waiting his turn jumped onto the platform. "Move over, loser, it's my turn now. I'll take down the Reaper and get the reward from Andre!"

"Fine..." Patty groaned. "You better be more fun than this idiot."

Patty - LP 4000

Goon 2 - LP 4000

T1

"My move!" Patty said. "First, I activate the spell, Double Summon!"

"What's that?"

"It's a very rare card that allows me to make two Normal Summons this turn," Patty said. First, I summon Dark Titan of Terror! But he won't stay for long. Because using Andre's new rules, I sacrifice him to summon The Legendary Fiend!"

ATK/1500

The towering, snarling four-armed creature resembled a childhood nightmare, with its razor-sharp claws and menacing presence on the battlefield.

"I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

T2

The goon laughed hysterically. "Whoa! Now that is some heavy metal! That beastie gives me the chills just looking at him!"

Patty narrowed her eyes before rolling them. "I sense sarcasm a mile away."

"No, really? Those are such meager ATK points for something that requires Tribute to be summoned. Your pathetic fiend won't stand up to this. Go, Des Feral imp!"

An imp with green skin and massive horns on its head appeared.

ATK/1600

"I'll increase his power with this card. Dark Energy, which gives him a 300-point boost!" Des Feral Imp was enveloped in black light, increasing his strength.

ATK/1900

"Go, Imp! Attack her monster! Horn Crush!"

The goon laughed, thinking he had defeated Patty, but her smirk only widened when he ordered his attack.

"I activate Negate Attack!" Patty shouted, flipping over one of her face-downs. "This ends your Battle Phase and negates your attack."

"Aw, fine! You saved your stupid fiend this time, but next turn, he's food for my Des Feral Imp!"

T3

"Oh, you sure about that, pal," said Patty. She drew a card, and her grin grew wider.

Legendary Fiend growled, causing its ATK to surge up to 2200.

"Wait? What? How did its ATK get stronger?"

Patty giggled. "Each turn that goes by, Legendary Fiend's ATK increases by 700. Now he's stronger than your imp. But let's make him even stronger with this field spell, Mystic Plasma Zone! This field will increase the ATK of all Dark Attribute monsters by 500 but decrease their DEF by 400. Heh, but it's not like his DEF is what you should be worried about, huh?"

ATK/2200 → 2700

DEF/1800 → 1300

"That's right! With my field spell in play, your Des Feral Imp has been reduced to chow!" She pointed at the imp and shouted: "Legendary Fiend, attack his monster!"

"No way! Not this again!" The bully shivered as Legendary Fiend howled into the air before swiping his claws across the imp, turning him into ribbons of red data.

Goon 2 - LP 3200

"I end my turn," Patty said.

T4

The bully trembled, drawing another card. His hands were so sweaty, he dropped the card he had just drawn onto the floor. "I'll...I'll set one monster in DEF mode and then use Double Summon, so I can summon another one. They may not stand a chance against your fiend, but they'll defend my Life Points until I can figure out a way to deal with it."

T5

"Doesn't look like you can," Patty said. "Now that it's my turn, Legendary Fiend's ATK increases again!"

ATK/2700 → 3400

"Thi-thi-thi-this is bad."

"Come on, you said you had a way to defeat him as long as those two monsters gave you enough time to devise a plan, right? You got one more turn, kid. Legendary Fiend, attack!"

The demon slashed the face-down monster with its claws, shattering it.

"You're all so boring. I set one card face-down and end my turn!"

T6

"I draw!" the goon cried, frantically looking through his hand of cards. "Yes, now this is what I'm talking about! You may have beaten my friends, Reaper, but I've got the perfect card to stop your fiend once and for all!" He held up a spell. "Check it out! Raigeki! This will blast your fiend to smithereens!"

A storm cloud appeared above Patty's field, and a bolt of lightning came down and struck her monster. But instead of being obliterated, the fiend shrugged off the attack and growled at the goon.

"What? What happened?"

"I had a feeling you'd try using spells since your puny monsters are too weak to stand up to Legendary Fiend, so I activated a little trap called Magic Jammer! It negates the activation of a spell card at the price of a card in my hand!"

"Darn it! Well, then I'll just set a monster face-down."

T7

"Ha! Man, you're making this too easy! Now that it's my turn, my fiend's ATK increases by 700 again!"

ATK/3400 → 4100

"Oh man!" The bully moaned.

"Just give up! There's no way you can win now."

"Never! King Andre sent me to take you down and make you enter our ranks! I don't understand why you and your friends can't just join him! Our school could be the best in the city with him leading the way! Why can't you set your stubbornness aside and join us!"

"Oh please! That guy let the title of Duel King get to his head. Now he thinks he can rule over every Duel Monsters player as if they wanted to play along with this stupid game of his. My friends and I don't play to become someone else's lackey. We Duel to prove our worth to each other and ourselves. Not for the glory of some dumb jerk who just wants to make others do his dirty work for him! Now, I activate Monster Reborn to bring Dark Titan of Terror back from the Graveyard. But then I'll sacrifice him to summon the mighty Summoned Skull!"

ATK/2500

Patty summoned one of the strongest monsters of the Fiend-Type. However, hers was an extremely rare alternate art card. Her summoned skull was black with violet armor and one green eye on its head and it wielded a massive black scythe.

"Now I can take out two monsters each turn. Hope that strategy of yours is coming along, kiddo, because you're gonna need it. And don't forget, with the Mystic Plasma Zone in play, my Summoned Skull gains another 500 ATK points!"

Summoned Skull - ATK/2500 → 3000

The bully shook in terror, knowing his chances of defeating Patty were growing slimmer by the second.

"Summoned Skull, attack the monster on the right!"

Her fiend slashed the monster with his scythe, creating an explosion of blue pixels.

"Nooooo!"

"Now, Legendary Fiend, attack the monster on the left!"

Patty's fiend roared and lunged forward, tearing apart the other monster.

"You're next, kiddo. Your Life Points are on borrowed time, so your next move better be good because I'm ending this! You're starting to bore me! I set one card face-down and end my turn."

T8

"It's all or nothing!" the goon cried, drawing a card. "Yes! Alright! Now I can finish you off! Go, Pot of Greed! This allows me to draw two more cards." He drew two more. "Oh yes, you are finished, Reaper!"

"Yeah, yeah, quit bragging and make your move already!"

He placed two cards on his platform. "I activate the spell, Soul Drain! This will drain your Legendary Fiend's ATK to 0 and it lets me draw a card! And it happens to be this card. Graceful Charity. Now I can draw three and discard two. Finally, I activate Monster Reborn! To bring back one of the cards I discarded with Graceful Charity. Return, Cyber-Tech Alligator!"

ATK/2500

The goon grinned at Patty. "That's right! Now that your Legendary Fiend stands at a measly 0 ATK points, he's done for! Attack!"

The alligator opened its jaws and fired a blast of energy at Patty's fiend. But Summoned Skull rushed forward and transferred his ATK points to Legendary Fiend.

"WHAT!?"

Patty laughed and held out her hand as the holograms showed the card she used in jumbo form. "I activated my trap. Covering Fire! When you attack my monster, I can transfer the ATK of another monster on my field to it. Legendary Fiend's ATK now shoots up to 3000 and can easily overwhelm your puny alligator!"

"NO!"

"Yes..." Patty replied with a mocking smirk. "Legendary Fiend, attack Cyber-Tech Alligator!" Her fiend sliced the alligator in half, costing the boy 500 Life Points.

Goon 2 - LP 2700

"Aww, man! I thought I had her!"

"This is nuts," said the first goon. "She really is the Reaper, man! It's no wonder she's the Ace of Yuri's group!"

T9

"My turn," said Patty. "The effects of your Soul Drain wear off and Legendary Fiend's ATK returns to 4100. But don't forget, he gains another 700 ATK points thanks to Mystic Plasma Zone!"

ATK/4100 → 4800

"Well, I think I held back long enough. I'd like to stay and play, but I've got homework.

Patty attacked the last face-down monster with Summoned Skull and then attacked her foe's Life Points directly with Legendary Fiend.

It was over in a matter of seconds.

Patty - LP 4000

Goon 2 - LP 0

As soon as his Life Points hit 0, the goon slammed his fist into the console and fell to his knees. The holograms vanished. He looked at Patty with hateful eyes before turning and walking away with the other goon following behind him.

"Well, that was a waste of time," she sighed, exiting the arena and heading toward the entrance.

Andre was leaning against the wall with his arms folded. "Your reputation certainly precedes you, little miss. But that's what I like about you. You're as good as they say."

Patty walked past him, stopping near the door. "Listen, you better enjoy this while you can. Sooner or later, my friends and I are gonna destroy you. Then you'll never be able to bully anyone again."

"You sound so sure of yourself. Just because you and your friends won that group tournament at your card shop doesn't make you unbeatable. I need you guys in my group, Patty. You're some of the best in school. You want to see Yuri grow, right? Come on. Together we can help him..."

"Forget it! You take his best card away from him, belittle him, and now you have the audacity to try and recruit us?"

Andre pushed himself off the wall and stood upright. "Yes. We don't have to be enemies here."

"You're sure doing a good job making us hate you, Andre Martin. By the way, what's your obsession with making him stronger? Duelists usually have goals of elevating themselves, but your taking down the Duel Kings and taking over the school seems more for his benefit. What do you really want from Yuri?"

Andre chuckled. "He's my shot at redemption."

"Hmm. Piss someone off?"

Andre shrugged. "A lot of people."

Patty wrinkled her nose, trying to hold back a snort. "Only natural. And you think being the mentor of the son of Phobos Corps president and CEO is going to absolve you of those sins?"

"Perhaps, perhaps not. But Yuri's a fine boy with incredible talent, and I feel he can use a strong mentor. The fact that he's the son of the founder of Phobos Corp means he could be someone special one day. I just wanna help him get there. And by making him a member of my group, I can train him to be the best he can be."

"And you think tormenting him is the best way to make that happen?"

"If he had accepted my offer to join my group, this wouldn't have been necessary. Unfortunately, you left me no choice. You know what, I don't care. Whether he joins me or not, once I become the best Duelist in this city, you, him, and all those who got in my way will suffer the consequences."

"Good luck." Patty opened the door and walked out, leaving the young man alone in the hall.

Chapter 8: Taming of the Beasts

Chapter Text

On the school roof, Yuri and his friends had lunch to escape the noisiness of the cafeteria, which was now even nosier with followers of Andre Martin all sitting together. It was hard to tell where one table started and ended because they were all connected like a hive mind.

Yuri sighed, staring at his sandwich, which was slowly getting soggier by the second, thanks to the mayonnaise seeping through the bread.

"Poor guy," Patty said, swirling her fork in the pasta inside her plastic lunchbox container. "Andre's gang is really putting him through the wringer."

"I don't get it," Nick said. "He hasn't done anything to them."

"That's how bullies are," Carter replied. "They pick on whoever they want whenever they want and never have to explain themselves. You've seen it happen before."

"Well, I think this has gone on long enough! We gotta teach Andre and his goons a lesson!" Tyson clenched his fists and raised them in front of him. "We should fight back!"

"Not sure about that." Patty shook her head. "We'd just be giving him what he wants."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Nick asked. "What about Yuri's Black Tyranno? We need to get that card back."

"Patty, you're the strongest in our group," said Carter. "Why not take on him for the card?"

"I would if I could, but he keeps putting in offers that I have to refuse. She stuffed her mouth with pasta. "Plus, I just don't have the time for that crap. Come on, guys, you can't expect me to fight your battles all the time. It's our senior year. I've got homework, guys. And I can't leave Max alone all day. Not with my parents. And with the school math competition coming up, I'm gonna be studying my butt off until then."

"Heh, heh, that's one busy butt," Nick said with that stupid grin of his.

She rolled her eyes and gave him the finger. "You guys have any bright ideas?"

"I'll take 'em on," said Tyson.

"You sure, Tyson?" Patty asked.

"Damn right. Andre crossed the line when he took Yuri's Black Tyranno and called us 'lackeys'. We're not some group of mercenaries he can buy out. We're a team. A family! I won't sit here and let that jerk try and claim us like some prize."

"There are a lot of players we have to go through, man," said Nick. "You're sure about this?"

"Damn right. You give me the Duels, and I'll win 'em," said Tyson.

"I've got your back, man," Yuri said, finally speaking up. "If you're willing to do this for me, I should at least back you up. But we're gonna need some help. As strong as we are, taking on Andre's goons alone is suicide."

"What about Natalya?" Patty asked. "She's good. Remember, she's The Gale, and her Simorgh is one badass bird monster. And we've got my girl Sabrina and her Cosmo Queen to back us up, too. I told her about what happened, and she said if we need help, we can just call."

"All right, sounds good to me," Yuri said. "Thanks, guys. I wish I could fight my own battles. But without Black Tyranno, I'm powerless."

"That's not true," Carter said. "You almost had Andre last night! And you never had summon him."

"Yeah, but nothing beats Black Tyranno." Yuri sighed and looked up at the sky. He was going to need another miracle if he wanted to beat Andre and reclaim his card.

"Yuri,' Patty said, "one of these days you're going to realize you don't need him."

"Maybe not," said Tyson, "but that doesn't mean we should sit idly by and let Andre get away with taking our friend's best card. That's just wrong."

"Well, no matter what happens, we're always gonna be there for each other, Yuri," Nick said, raising his water bottle.

The bell rang, signaling the end of lunch period. Everyone packed their bags and headed inside.

"See ya later, Yuri," Tyson said, following his friends down the hall.

"Come on, Yuri!" Patty said. "We've got English literature next. Don't wanna miss that, do we?"

"I guess not."

As he followed them back into the building, he wondered just how he was going to survive the rest of the school day.

Yuri, Patty and Nick said goodbye to Carter, who went to the east wing for calculus. After going up the escalator, Nick made a sound like he was choking before freezing stiff.

"What?" Yuri asked.

Nick pointed down the hall. A janitor was mopping the floor. When she turned, Yuri and Patty recognized her immediately.

"Children!" Consuelo said with a smile. "So nice to see you again."

"Consuelo?" Yuri asked in surprise. "What are you doing here? And why are you dressed like that?"

She wore a janitor's uniform complete with the cap that covered her head.

"I'm the new custodian for this school."

"Really?" Patty asked. "I had no idea."

"Yes. It's been getting hard just maintaining the restaurant. So after months of getting my passport for the surface, I found myself this job. I have a few friends taking care of the restaurant down below so I could come here and get extra work. Now I can spend more time with all of you."

Nick covered his face with his hand. "Mom..."

"What?" asked Patty. "A mother can't check on her son and make sure he's doing well?"

"But it's embarrassing!"

"Oh, don't be silly!"Patty said, slapping him behind the head. "Well, we need to head to class Consuelo. Congratulations on your new job!"

"Thank you!"

Yuri and his friends said goodbye to Consuelo and then walked to their next class.

"I don't believe this," Nick groaned. "My mom's the school janitor. How humiliating!"

"Oh, stop it, Nick. I'm happy she got her passport to be here topside. She can finally be with you in public without having to hide her true identity anymore."

"Yeah, but now people will know me as the guy with the janitor for a mom!"

"You're overthinking this," said Yuri. "Uh oh..."

He made a face of disgust and pointed toward the lockers. "Oh, man! Here they come."

Sure enough, four members of Andre Martin's posse were coming towards them. They stopped and spread out, blocking the path.

"Hello, Reaper," the leader said. "And you two lovebirds. What's up?"

"What do you want?" Yuri demanded.

"To give you an opportunity," replied the goon.

"And what kind of opportunity is that?"

"An offer. You want your Tyranno back, don't you? Well, I'll make it easy for ya. Take the card back and join us."

"This again?" Yuri spat. "Forget it! We've already made our decision."

"Oh yeah? Well, you might wanna reconsider it. I mean, you're powerless without your Black Tyranno, Yuri."

"If that's so, why was Andre so close to getting his ass kicked?" Patty sneered. "He got lucky and stumbled into the win. Had Andre not pulled out that Dark Magician, Yuri would have beaten him."

The goons laughed.

"Is that so?" Another of them asked.

"Is there a problem out here?" asked Professor Richmond, the school's best English literature teacher. Patty almost swooned upon seeing him. His wavy black hair and blue eyes looked even more handsome than before. "Are these guys giving you trouble?"

"Just a little Duel Monsters spat, sir," Nick said.

"Well, cut it out! This isn't a tournament hall. This is school. Get to class, now!"

"Yes, Mr. Richmond," Patty said, shooting him a dazzling smile.

He nodded and motioned Yuri and his friends inside. The goons grumbled and walked away, leaving them alone in the hallway.

"Nick," Professor Richmond said. "Can I have a word with you for a minute?"

"What is it now, Nigel?"

"Stay there, Patty, Yuri, take your seats."

Patty frowned and did as told. "See you later, Nick."

She and Yuri took their seats in the back of the class. A few students were still coming in, taking their places, and waiting for the professor to start the lesson.

"Nick," said the professor. "Your grades are slipping again." He showed him the exam paper, which had a large, red 59% circled at the top.

"Oh man..."

"You know I can't let you join the hockey team with grades like this."

"But..."

"No buts, Nick."

"Argh! Why are on me so hard all the time."

"Because Mr. Montgomery appointed me as your guardian. I'm just doing my job, Nicholas. This is for your own good. If I see any improvement from you, I might change my mind. But I'm telling you, if I don't see a grade over 70% on your next assignment, I'm sorry. Yuri's uncle tells me you hang out at his shop after school to play varsay. Do you study?"

"A little bit," said Nick. "Why? Are you gonna tell him not to let me in?"

"I might have to. Believe me, I'm connected to Phobos Corp. I've known Yuri's family since he was a baby, and they're great people. You don't want to disappoint them. They expect so much from you."

"They do?"

"You believe Mr. Montgomery would invest so much money in you, an orphan, if he didn't see something special in you? Look, Nick, I know what it's like to be abandoned by your parents. I never knew mine. But you have privileges others will never have. The president of the most powerful corporation in the world pays for your education, gives you the honor of being topside, and this is how you repay his generosity?"

Nick looked at his feet. "Sorry, Nigel."

"Don't apologize to me. Go make things right with Yuri's uncle."

"Yes, Professor," said Nick, hanging his head and slumping toward the classroom.

"All right, gang, settle down!" Professor Richmond called out. "We've got a lot to get through today."

The last few students shuffled in and took their places in the lecture hall.

Nick sat behind a boy with blonde hair, who grinned when he felt Nick's shadow looming over him.

"Hey, Rogers. I hear your mom and mine have a lot of things in common."

"What do you mean?" asked Nick.

"Well, my mom's a banker, and your mom is...oh, wait, she's just a janitor. Nevermind."

Nick felt his stomach clench. "Huh. Very funny, Nathan. Tell me another joke, and I'll break your nose!"

Nathan laughed. "Nice one, Yuri! Thanks to your family's connections, that bottom dweller gets to live here with the better folk. How does it feel knowing you got your life saved by someone below you?"

"I said shut up," Yuri warned.

"Or what?" Nathan said.

"Is there a problem, boys?" Mr. Richmond asked from the front of the class.

"No, sir," said Nathan.

"Good." Then he turned to his desk. "Let's begin, shall we?" He raised his hand, which held the remote control for the holographic projector. "Now, who can name one of the most famous works of Shakespeare?"

He pushed the button on the remote. The projector hummed to life.

"Man, I hate that guy," Nick mumbled to himself.

"Don't let him get to you," Yuri said, patting him on the shoulder.

"Yeah," Patty added. "He's just a jealous prick. And he's one of Andre's minions. Don't pay any attention to him."

"Thanks, guys," Nick said.

Nathan turned his head. "By the way, Andre expects you guys to be at the Duel Dome after school. Passes have been paid for."

"Does that guy not care if we have homework and after-school activities?" Patty asked.

"Not really," Nathan replied.

"We have a study session after school," Patty said. "So tell your king we're going to be late."

"Whatever. Just be there. Or something might happen to your Black Tyranno, Yuri."

"What?"

"King Andre says the card is not even worth keeping as a trophy. Beating you wasn't that much of a challenge for him, so he might not want to keep it. It might serve as a coaster for his drink or something."

"You bastard!" Patty hissed. "Why you..."

"Miss McKnight, please!" Mr. Richmond called from the front of the room. "Let's get back on topic!"

Yuri clenched his fists and bit his tongue.

"So it's best you guys answer his challenges. If you don't, that shows Andre you don't care for the card. So if you don't care, neither will he."

That son of a bitch! Yuri thought. Andre is forcing my friends and I to set our priorities aside so he can bully us into playing by his rules.

Nathan snickered to himself before turning back around in his seat.

School finally ended after a long day. The cafeteria, usually full of players wanting to play a quick game before being picked up, was empty as they flocked to the Duel Dome to watch the matches between Andre Martin and the other academy students.

Yuri and his friends finished their study session, packed their things, and took the train to the Duel Dome.

The subway train arrived at the station, and Yuri and his friends got off and followed the crowd toward the dome. The screens outside displayed a match being played inside. Andre's Dark Magician could be seen blasting his opponent's monsters away with powerful blasts of magic.

"It looks like Andre is going undefeated," Patty said.

"Who cares? Let's get in there," Yuri said, leading them through the front door.

After showing their passes at the turnstiles, the group ran up the escalator to the top level of the arena. When they reached the main floor, the place was swarming with students from the academy and the other schools in Aquarius, their best players coming to see who the new king was. The rest were watching on the jumbotron screen above the field.

"There they are," said the red-haired boy. "The guests of honor. What a pleasant surprise. Hey, Andre. They're here."

Andre stood tall atop the platform. "Thank you, Rodney," he said. "Welcome, everyone. I am glad you all made it. So, have you come to take Black Tyranno from me?" he said, holding up the card with a fluent twirl of his wrist.

"I'm here to take him from you!" said Tyson. "You and me. Right now!"

"Heh, not quite. You wanna face me for the card, you have to beat three of my followers first. Then, if you can manage to get past them, you can challenge me for your card back."

"Hold it!" Nick shouted. "Let me get a chance to get Yuri's Black Tyranno back!"

"Nick, stop!" Patty begged.

Andre chuckled. "Well, well. If it isn't the janitor's kid. Fine. You can take the challenge."

"Hold on!" Tyson yelled. "I said I was going to..."

"Too late!" Rodney said. "The Duel King has already spoken. It's time for you guys to have a taste of his power! Who will go first?"

"I will," Nathan said. He stood up from his seat in the stands with his hands in his pockets. "I'm ready to show this bottom dweller how real Duelists duel."

"You want some of this?" Nick asked. "Then come get some!"

"Oh no..." groaned Yuri.

Patty pinched the bridge of her nose, shaking her head. "Just let him learn, babe."

Nick rushed to the blue platform and threw his backpack on the corner before hopping on. The platform elevated him high above the audience.

"Yuri, I'll try my best!" he called down.

"That's what I'm afraid of," Yuri sighed.

Nathan slowly walked to his platform and jumped in. The machinations whirred as it brought him above the crowd.

"Time to see if you're worthy enough to face the Duel King," Nathan said. "This game shall be short and sweet, Nicholas."

"Just play the damn cards!"

"All right," Rodney said. "The two players are set, so the Duel begins!"

LP 4000

T1

"I go first since I'm the challenger!" Nick said. "I summon Swordsman of Landstar in ATK Mode!"

A tiny green-skinned humanoid is wielding a sword bigger than he appeared. He made a squeaky sound and swung his weapon.

ATK/500 DEF/1200

Everyone in the arena laughed, and Yuri and his friends cringed.

"Your puny little monster won't be able to stand up against my army of monsters," Nathan said.

"Heh, talk all you want, loser. I'm not done yet. I activate Magnum Shield!"

"Hey, he finally added Spell Cards to his deck!" Yuri said.

"It's about time," Patty grumbled.

Swordsman of Landstar's shield turned into a red tower shield outlined in gold. A spear popped out the top, making his defense higher. "This card increases my swordsman's ATK equal to his DEF points.

ATK/1700 DEF/1200

"How pathetic," Nathan laughed.

Nick held out his fist and shook it. "Well, talk all you want. But I'm here to defend Yuri. My monsters are like knights ready to take on all-comers!"

T2

"Heh, you call that puny swordsman a knight? I'll show you what a real knight looks like with this card. Command Knight!"

A tall, gorgeous blonde woman wearing heavy armor and wielding a longsword appeared before him. She spun the weapon and took a fighting stance.

ATK/1200 DEF/1900

"And when she's out on the field, all Warrior monsters ATK increases by 400, raising her power to 1600! I will also use Pot of Greed to draw two cards." He drew. "Excellent. I set one card face-down and end my turn!"

T3

"My move! Heh, your Command Knight may be supped up in fancier armor, but my swordsman's got more ATK points. And I'll give him more with this card. Legendary Sword! It will increase my swordsman's ATK and DEF by 300!"

ATK/2000 DEF/1500

The swordsman's sword glowed bright white. He held it up and swished it around.

"And then, I summon M-Warrior #1 in ATK Mode!"

A bulky blue-skinned barbarian wielding a green lance and donning a yellow helmet materialized in front of Nick's platform. The monsters were shown to be almost ten meters tall, making the battle look even more epic.

ATK/1000 DEF/500

"Now attack!" Nick ordered. "Take him down, Swordsman of Landstar!"

The tiny swordsman charged forward and leaped toward his opponent with his weapon poised to strike.

"Oh no, you don't," Nathan said. " I activate Inspiration! This Trap Card increases my Command Knight's ATK by 700 points!"

"No!" Nick gasped.

ATK/2300

Command Knight was covered in a green aura. She readied her blade and deflected the swordsman's blow as if he were nothing but an insect. Then, she sliced him to ribbons.

Nick screamed in horror, his Life Points dropping to 3700. "Aww, man. He was my strongest card."

Nathan burst into laughter. "What did you expect? Did you think that puny monster could actually beat my Command Knight? And if that pathetic creature was your best monster, I'd hate to see your worst! My turn!"

T4

"Poor Nick," Patty said.

"He shouldn't have even challenged him," Yuri said.

"Damn, that, Andre," Tyson said. "I should be the one up there."

"Of course, he'd let our weakest player step up," said Carter. "Everyone knows Nick can't play worth crap!"

"Well, duh," said Patty. "How else can Andre show off his power and humiliate us? Nick doesn't know any better."

Nathan drew. "Ah, perfect! I tribute Command Knight so I can summon summon Knight of the Red Lotus!"

The tall blonde woman knelt and disappeared, and a new warrior appeared. He was clad in dark, thorny armor and carried a greatsword that was jagged like a stem covered in thorns.

ATK/2100 DEF/1800

"Attack his pathetic M-Warrior!" Nathan ordered. "Flaming Sword of Hellfire!"

The knight charged across the field and struck down the blue barbarian, shattering him into pixels. Nick braced himself as the explosion rocked his platform. His Life Points were reduced to 2600.

"Good riddance!" Nathan said after the blast. "Your monsters are pathetic, Rogers. You may as well give up now because you're facing a true Duelist who can easily demolish your deck in one turn."

T5

"Not yet!" Nick said. "Augh. Man. I summon Battle Warrior in DEF Mode!"

ATK/700 DEF/1000

Battle Warrior hid behind arms as he crouched on the floor.

T6

Nathan laughed at the sight of him. "What a wimpy-looking monster. What do you expect to defend yourself with that guy? I summon another Command Knight!"

Another one of the knights appeared in front of him.

ATK/1200 DEF/1900

"And remember, all my Warrior monsters gain 400 ATK from her presence!"

ATK/1600

ATK/2500

"Now go, Command Knight. Destroy his Battle Warrior!"

The female warrior jumped forward and swished her blade. She shattered Battle Warrior to pieces.

Nick clutched the edges of the platform, gritting his teeth. "You'll...never beat me!"

Nathan laughed again. "Is that so? Well, I end my turn. Come on. Show me your best strategies. Defeat my two powerful knights with your lame swordsmen."

T7

"Aww, man. I...I summon M-Warrior #2 in DEF Mode!" Nick said.

ATK/500 DEF/1000

"Ha!" Nathan chuckled. "That puny weakling won't help you any more than your other warriors. Now, I draw. Ahahaha!" he snickered, picking up the card he had just drawn. "Oh, yes! With this card, I end it all! Double Summon! Now, I summon the mighty Blade Knight and Valkyrian Knight!"

He summoned a knight in mirrored armor with a jeweled shield and sword with 1600 ATK, and the other was a muscular warrior with 1900 ATK clad in colossal scarlet armor trimmed in gold avian designs.

"These are REAL knights, Rogers! Not those pathetic vagabonds you play with. Of course, I wouldn't expect anything less from you. You no doubt scavenged those worthless cards in the slums beneath our prestigious city. But me. I have the best cards money can buy. You may hang around Yuri, but you're always going to be a bottom dweller. I'm through playing with you! My knights will destroy you now! Blade Knight, attack his M-Warrior!"

The knight charged across the field and sliced his target, cutting him down in one strike.

"Now, the rest of you, attack his Life Points!"

Nick screamed and raised his arms above his head as the other knights came charging at him. The explosion knocked him backward. He got up to find his Life Points had dropped to 0.

"What a complete waste of my time," Nathan sighed. The other students laughed at Nick for his poor skills and his status as a Stowaway. Nick picked up his deck and sulked out of the arena, not bothering to listen to his friends as they called out to him.

"Bastard!" Tyson growled. He pointed at the arena. "Don't go anywhere, pretty boy! You and me next! Then I'll take down two more of you losers since your Duel King isn't man enough to face me himself!"

"Heh, let's see if you've got what it takes then," Nathan said, hopping off the platform.

Patty watched in frustration. "Oh, Nick..." She hated Nick's constant flirting with her and his creepy stares. However, she felt sorry for him because of how cruelly Andre and the others treated him.

"All right, folks, we have another challenger!" Rodney announced.

Tyson jumped over the safety railing of his platform and tossed his backpack on the floor. "Hey, guys, don't worry about me. I got this! I'm gonna send these punks packing and get Yuri his card back!"

Patty smiled and nodded.

LP 4000

"DUEL!"

"I'll start things off," Nathan said with a bored tone. "Hopefull, you'll last longer than your friend."

"You bet your ass, I will!" Tyson roared.

"Don't underestimate this guy, Nathan," said Andre. "They call him the Beast Master! He and Patty were the ones who elevated Yuri's team to victory in the group tournament last summer."

Nathan drew. "Hmph. We shall see."

T1

"I summon Command Knight!" Nathan declared, summoning the female knight to the field.

ATK/1200 DEF/ 1900

"And remember, she gains 400 ATK because of her effect. Next, I set two cards face-down and end my turn."

T2

"Pathetic," Tyson snickered. "By making fun of my friend, you've unleashed the animal inside. Now it's time to go Beast Mode! I draw! Oh yeah!" he said as he picked up the card. "The perfect counter against you!"

"Ha! We'll see about that!" Nathan said. "You may think your monster is powerful, but so are my knights!"

"I highly doubt that puny knight of yours will stand against my beasts in the forest. I activate the field spell, Gaia Power!"

"What?" Nathan gasped.

Everyone looked up at the jumbotron and saw the sky above them change from blue to orange. The clouds disappeared, replaced by an endless sea of tall trees with thick, dark-green leaves. Then, a giant tree rose above the canopies and towered above all the other ones. The students gazed up in awe as it shot a bright green beam into the heavens."

"My monsters love nature," Tyson said. "With this card in play, my Earth monsters will be powered up by 500 points. Next, I activate Graceful Charity by discarding two cards; I can draw three. Next, I summon Voltic Kong!"

A large gorilla with electric powers emerged before him. He punched his fists together, and his fur stood on end.

ATK/1800

"But he's a Light monster," Nathan sneered. "He won't get the bonus from your spell."

"I ain't through just yet. Don't think for a second those face-down cards of yours will save you because I activate the spell Solidarity! So long as there is only one type of monster in my Graveyard, all monsters I control with the same type have their ATK points increased by 800! So Voltic Kong's power goes up to 2600. But I'm not done!"

"How much more could you possibly have?" Andre gasped.

"Time for you to face the strongest card in my deck!" Tyson boomed. "I activate Monster Reborn! Now I can summon my powerful Ace. Come forth, Behemoth the King of All Animals!"

A huge purple beast emerged, howling at the ceiling. His body was covered with scars, and he had two short horns coming out of his head. He slammed the floor, creating a miniature earthquake.

ATK/2700

Everyone watching gasped in astonishment.

"No way!" Carter shouted.

"Now, because of Solidarity and my field spell, Behemoth's power rises to 4000!"

"NO WAY!" Andre shouted.

Nathan stared up at the colossal monster and babbled in fear. "I activate Inspiration and Spikeshield with Chain! It won't protect my knight from your Behemoth, but I can still reduce the damage at least."

"Ha! Your lame traps aren't gonna save you, dawg! I activate Poison Fangs!"

Behemoth and Voltic Kong's fangs grew longer and sharper. Purple ooze dripped from their teeth.

"What did you do?" Nathan shouted.

"When my Beast monsters inflict damage to your Life Points, an additional 500 damage will be inflicted."

"I'll lose over half of my Life Points if your beasts attack!"

"That's right. And it's time to charge!" Tyson ordered. "Behemoth, attack!"

Behemoth ATK/4000

Command Knight ATK/2800

"This is gonna hurt!" Nathan cried. "It's no use! My trap cards won't save me this time."

"No!" Andre shouted.

The purple beast charged across the field and rammed his fist into Command Knight, blowing her to pieces. He lost 1200 Life Points, but with Poison Fangs, it was increased to 1700, reducing his Life Points to 2300. And with Voltic Kong's ATK at 2600, the Duel was over. Voltic Kong summoned a thunderstorm and fired a bolt of lightning that struck Nathan and reduced his Life Points to 0. He fell onto his knees, holding his chest, coughing and gasping for air as the holograms disappeared.

"Way to go!" Yuri cheered, clapping his hands together.

"Damn, Tyson! That was overkill, don't you think?" Patty shouted. "Woooo!"

"A one-turn kill?" Andre gasped. "Now I HAVE to have these guys on my team!"

Nathan glared at Tyson and slipped away when his platform lowered.

Tyson pointed at the followers sitting on the stands nearby. "Any one of your flunkies out there think you can take on the Beast Master!"

Rodney stood up and clapped his hands. "Bravo! Bravo! You are certainly living up to your reputation. I'll take you on next!"

LP 4000

"Look at our boy," Patty said with a smile. "He's ready to destroy these guys."

"You're telling me," Yuri chuckled. "With those cards in his hand, Rodney doesn't stand a chance."

T1

"I go first," said Tyson. "And I'll start by summoning Bazoo the Soul Eater in ATK Mode!"

A monstrous purple baboon appeared in front of him. It hooted, scratching the floor.

ATK/1600

"All right. That ends my turn."

T2

"I summon a monster in DEF Mode!" said Rodney.

T3

"Ha! And you have the audacity to call my friends lame. I summon Berserk Gorilla in ATK Mode!"

A red gorilla screamed as he slammed his chest.

ATK/2000

"Attack his face-down monster, Berserk Gorilla!" The ape smashed his opponent's card with his massive fists.

"Nice try! But the monster you attacked was Bubonic Vermin. And it lets me summon another one to defend my Life Points!"

"That little hamster isn't going to stop Bazoo!" Tyson shouted. "Bazoo, attack his second Bubonic Vermin!"

Bazoo got on all fours and charged across the field like a bat out of hell. He lunged and pounced on top of the other hamster and crushed him with his massive fist.

"Don't forget, I get another Bubonic Vermin back when one of them is destroyed."

"Whatever! More food for my beasts! I end my turn."

T4

"That's what you think! I tribute Bubonic Vermin to summon Empress Mantis!" A giant white praying mantis with appendages resembling flowers rose from the ground. She had 2200 ATK points. "Your beast is no match for her. Attack Bazoo the Soul Eater with Flowery Wind Storm!"

Empress Mantis raised her arms and unleashed a gale of petals.

"Don't think so! I activate Dimensional Prison, which banishes your mantis!"

The storm of petals disappeared, and Empress Mantis was gone.

"NO!" Rodney cried out.

T5

"Time to finish you off, punk! I activate Solidarity. I suppose I don't need to remind you what it does."

"But your monsters won't get the 800 ATK power bonus. There are no Beast monsters in your Graveyard!"

"Not yet. I tribute Bazoo the Soul the Eater to summon the mighty Leogun!"

Bazoo was replaced by a ferocious black lion with a golden mane and glowing emerald eyes.

ATK/1750

"And now that there's a Beast-Type monster in the Graveyard, my monster's power increases by 800."

Leogun - ATK/2550

Berserk Gorilla - ATK/2800

"Well, he's screwed," Patty giggled. "With his field wide open, poor Rodney has no choice but to take the full brunt of Tyson's attack."

Tyson pointed at Rodney's empty field and shouted: "Berserk Gorilla, attack him directly!"

The red gorilla pounded his chest and let out a vicious roar. He opened his mouth and released his fire breath.

Rodney screamed in horror as he felt the heat of the flames against his face.

"Now, Leogun! Finish him off! Jungle King's Rage!"

Leogun jumped into the air and flew towards Rodney with lightning speed. He brought his paws together and delivered a powerful strike to Rodney's chest. The impact sent him flying backward and caused his Life Points to hit zero.

"What a victory!" Yuri shouted, clapping. "You showed them who's boss!"

The platform lowered, and Rodney stepped down to make way for the next challenger.

"Man, these guys are something else," Andre said. "I never thought I'd see such a powerful group of Duelists. I have a whole army of them, and these four are better than them combined."

The next challenger jumped into the red platform, ready to take on Tyson. "Don't worry. My monsters are gonna make pelts out of your beasts!"

"Hah! Just try it!" Tyson laughed. "It's time for you to taste defeat!"

Yuri sat back in his seat. His heart was beating fast. He wished he could Duel the way his friends did. After all, he was on the bench the entire tournament, acting as a backup while Tyson, Patty, and Carter took home the glory. Just there for the sake of being there. He wondered if he had any potential and hoped that one day, he would be able to live up to their expectations.

T1

Tyson started with Graceful Charity. From their seats, Yuri and the others could tell he was already going to win this match easily. "I summon Voltic Kong!" Tyson shouted, tossing his card onto the field.

Voltic Kong - ATK/1800

The large vermillion ape with electrified fur emerged and slammed his fists together.

"All right, let's see what you got!"

T2

Patty snigg*red through her nose.

"What's so funny?" Yuri asked.

"Tyson's just begging for someone to kick his ass," Patty answered.

Carter smirked in agreement, his mouth curling up from the corner. "When you're as good as him, it must get boring after a while. It's almost like he's offering some of his Life Points because he knows his opponent can't beat him."

Yuri chuckled and shook his head. "Yeah. That sounds like him."

Tyson held out his arms as though he were waiting for a bear hug. "Come on, bring it!"

"Your monkey doesn't scare me!"

"He's an ape, moron!" Tyson retorted. "Monkeys have tails, but apes don't!"

"What is this biology class?"

"I guess for a guy as dumb as you, it might as well be!" Tyson said.

The guy on the other end of the arena looked confused and a little offended. He was clearly trying to make himself look cool and intimidating, but Tyson's constant laughter was making him furious.

"Monkey, ape, sasquatch, it doesn't matter! I'm taking it down with this card. Go, Gemini Elf!"

A pair of slender female elves dressed in pink and blue dresses appeared in front of him. Their hair was done up in ponytails, and they both had 1900 ATK points.

"And then I equip them with Black Pendant, raising their power up by 500!"

Gemini Elf - ATK/2400

A black gem materialized around each elf's neck.

"Now attack!"

The two elves crossed their hands and summoned twin lightning storms, blasting Tyson's monster and reducing his Life Points to 3400.

T3

"Time for some payback," Tyson said, drawing. "I summon Bazoo the Soul Eater!" A giant purple baboon with glowing red eyes emerged and snarled at the Gemini Elves.

ATK/1600

"Ha! He won't last long against my girls!"

"Don't be so sure about that! Because I'm using his special ability! I can banish three monsters from my Graveyard, and Bazoo's power increases by 900."

Bazoo - ATK/2500

"Oh no!"

Bazoo charged across the field and lunged at the two elves, mauling them to pieces. They shattered into holograms as Bazoo roared in triumph. The foe was unimpressed.

"Ha! One hundred measly Life Points. Big whoop! You'll take even more damage with my pendant's effect. When it's sent to the Graveyard, it inflicts 500 points of damage to your Life Points!"

Tyson - LP 2900

"A lucky hit. No big deal. I end my turn."

T4

"I summon Vorse Raider!" the opponent shouted.

An armored beast-man wielding a battle axe emerged in front of the baboon.

ATK/1900

"And I equip him with Horn of the Unicorn, increasing his power by 700!"

Vorse Raider - ATK/2600

"This ends now! Vorse Raider, destroy Bazoo!"

Tyson narrowed his eyes and accepted the attack. Vorse Raider charged and brought his axe down on Bazoo, slashing him diagonally and slicing him in half.

Tyson - LP 2800

"That wasn't a bad play," Yuri admitted.

"Please," Patty scoffed. "Vorse Raider may be strong enough to take out Bazoo, but Tyson's going to strike back tenfold."

Carter nodded. "Just watch. It's only a matter of time before Tyson shows this guy why he's known as the Beast Master."

"Come on, Tyson! Kick his ass!" Patty shouted.

"Yeah, stop toying around with him!" Carter yelled. "That's cruel, man! That's cruel!"

"Toying around?" the opponent said. "You mean..."

"Yeah! I could have ended this a while ago. The three monsters I banished with Behemoth, Berserk Gorilla, and Leogun."

"But...those are your most powerful monsters!"

"Yes, they are. And I don't need them to beat the likes of you. You're not worthy of their time. I activate the spell, Spellbook Inside the Pot! Now, we both get to draw three cards. Come on, chump." Tyson held up three fingers. "I just gave you three chances to save your sorry skin. Let's see if they can save you from this. I activate Cost Down! By discarding a card, a monster in my hand has its Level reduced by 2. And since this bad boy was a Level 6, I can bring him out easily now that he's Level 4. Go, Gravity Behemoth!"

The giant black and purple beast emerged, growling and roaring, stomping his massive feet and shaking the earth beneath him.

Gravity Behemoth - ATK/2300

"Holy crap!" the opponent cried out, taking a few steps back. "You...you're going to use THAT against me?"

Tyson smiled and chuckled under his breath. "What's wrong? Afraid of getting hurt? He's 300 points weaker than your Vorse Raider. Got the balls to attack him, dawg? Well, do ya? Yeah? Well, let's see how confident you are when I slip this card face-down. I end my turn."

A trap materialized in front of Tyson. The holograms disappeared. The duelist glared at it and then drew.

T6

"I activate a Cost Down card, too! Now I discard this lame monster to summon Rude Kaiser in ATK mode!"

The armor-clad lizard warrior with axe blades on his gauntlets appeared and roared as he raised his fists into the air.

Rude Kaiser - ATK/1800

"Time to take out your Gravity Behemoth! Vorse Raider, destroy it with Battle Axe Smash!"

"I activate Sakuretsu Armor, punk! It'll destroy your Vorse Raider!"

Vorse Raider smashed his axe against the armored beast, but the force of the blow shattered the blade. He snarled and then pixelated away. The opponent grimaced as his only chance for victory was gone.

"Well, that was anticlimactic," Yuri said.

"Tell me about it," Patty rolled her eyes. "And they call themselves Duelists."

"Draw!" said Tyson. "Oh, don't forget. Your Horn of the Unicorn gets sent to the top of your deck, so you just ruined any chance of drawing a card to help you get out of this mess. That's why I activated Spellbook Inside the Pot."

"You planned this all along!?"

"You bet I did. Even with that power boost, your Vorse Raider was no match for me. So, I activated Spellbook Inside the Pot to help you get three cards before the horn got sent to the top of your deck. But seeing how lame your play was, they were no good, just like you!"

The crowd erupted into laughter.

"Tyson put that kid in a tough spot with his own card," said Carter.

"And feeling bad for him, he gave him three extra cards with his pot card to help him out," said Patty. "But not even that could help him!"

"Yeah, Tyson's a crafty one," Yuri said, nodding.

The opponent gritted his teeth as Tyson went on.

T7

"Draw!" Tyson shouted. "I activate the Field Spell, Gaia Power, so my beasts can thrive! Next, I summon Fierce Tiger Monghu!"

A large orange and black tiger with green eyes rose from the ground, roaring mightily as he stood beside Gravity Behemoth.

ATK/1700

"When my tiger is out, all monsters except him lose 500 ATK. Gravity Behemoth's ATK falls to 1800, but Monghu's rises to 2200! And then, I activate Polymerization! Now I fuse Gazelle the King of Mythical Beasts, with Berfomet and create Chimera, the Flying Mythical Beast!"

Gazelle, a giant yellow lion with brown hair, and Berfomet, a gargoyle-like creature, merged together and became a two-headed lion with beautiful white feathered wings and a hissing snake for a tail.

Chimera - ATK/2200 → 1700

"Now I have enough monsters to wipe you out! First, I'll sick Monghu against your Rude Kaiser!"

Fierce Tiger Monghu opened his mouth and fired a ball of energy that struck the lizard warrior head-on. The foe was sent flying backward by the attack.

"Now, Chimera and Gravity Behemoth, finish him off!"

Two blasts of fire were unleashed from the mouths of both creatures, striking the boy directly. He screamed in pain as his Life Points fell to zero. The holograms disappeared, and the platform lowered.

"All right, King, now it's just YOU and ME!"

Andre gulped. He had hoped one of his guys could take down Tyson. But alas, none of them had what it took to defeat the Beast Master.

Tyson furiously pointed at the Duel King. "I see that look in your eyes, Andre!" he shouted. "It's fear, isn't it? You're afraid to face me because you know you can't win!"

"What!?" Andre snapped. "You wish! I'm not scared of you or anyone else here. I beat Yuri, didn't I?"

"And now you think you can take me on!? Hah! You'd be lucky if you survived long enough to see the second turn."

"We'll see about that." Andre stepped down from the stands amongst a chorus of well wishes, and I love yous from the crowd. "Let's get this over with! But here's the thing. If you lose, you surrender your Behemoth to me!"

"Oh no!" Patty gasped.

"Tyson, don't!" Yuri shouted. "That was your first rare card, man!"

"Hey, don't worry about me, guys. I got this!"

Andre jumped onto his platform and they started the match.

"DUEL!" they both shouted.

Tyson - LP 4000

Andre - LP 4000

"All right, Beast Master. Show me how good you really are. I activate Graceful Charity. Now I discard two cards so I can draw three. Next, I activate Ancient Rules and summon Seiyaryu!"

The pink dragon with an axe-shaped beak rose and flapped its wings.

Seiyaryu - ATK/2500

"And then I summon Vorse Raider!"

Vorse Raider raised his battle axe into the air and roared.

ATK/1900

"And that's it for me!"

Patty scoffed, shaking her head. "Idiot. He thinks tossing out beefy monsters like that is going to stop Tyson."

Carter snigg*red under his breath. "You gotta be kidding me. It looks like Andre hasn't done his homework on Tyson. All the better for us!"

T2

"I hope you enjoyed your time with Black Tyranno while it lasted!" Tyson shouted. "First, I activate my field spell, Gaia Power!"

The entire stadium glowed green as the holographic fields of grass and trees appeared. "Next, I use Cost Down, so I can..."

"Do you ever shut up?" Andre snapped.

"Huh?"

"We know what it does. We've seen you use it a dozen times already. Hurry up and summon your high-level monster, Tyson."

"Arrgh, you're lucky you're way over there, punk!" Tyson said with a snarl. "I summon Gravity Behemoth!" The giant behemoth with gray armored skin emerged from the trees, snapping branches off the tallest ones with his horned head as he stepped onto the field.

Gravity Behemoth - ATK/2300

"Next, I activate Monster Reborn to bring back my boy, Behemoth the King of All Animals!"

"Not him again," Andre groaned.

A giant behemoth even bigger than the one on the field materialized beside the others, snorting and roaring and stomping his feet. His mighty roar caused the audience to cover their ears.

Behemoth - ATK/2700 → 3200

"Yes! Here we go!" Carter cheered. "All right, now things are about to get interesting!"

"Next, I activate Solidarity! With it, my Beast monsters gain 800 ATK points so long as I have nothing but Beast-Type monsters in my Graveyard."

"But you don't have any," said Andre. "So your card doesn't work."

"Oh no?" Tyson said, holding up his own Graceful Charity card."

"Oh no..." Andre said.

Gravity Behemoth's ATK rose to 3100, and Behemoth's rose to 4000.

"YEAH!" Patty clapped her hands and cheered. "All right, boys! Take down his puny dragon!"

First, Gravity Behemoth stomped Vorse Raider as flat as a pancake with his massive foot. And then Behemoth pounced on Seiyaryu and sank his teeth into the dragon's neck. He bit hard until the beast shattered into pieces. The total damage was 2700, reducing Andre's Life Points to 1300.

"What was that you were saying about taking Behemoth away from me?" Tyson asked with a smug expression. "I end my turn."

T3

"My draw," said Andre. "I play Monster Reborn to bring back my Dark Magician!" A blast of lightning struck the ground and revealed the purple-robed sorcerer with his staff raised.

Dark Magician - ATK/2500

"Ha!" Patty exclaimed. "Andre must think he can take out Behemoth with that thing!"

"And then, I set one card face down," Andre said. He reached into his sleeve and took out a Trap Card before setting it on the field.

T4

"Your puny magician's ATK hasn't been increased by a single point!" Tyson laughed. "I bet you forgot about Gaia Power."

"Oh, yes. How could I forget? Your field spell increases all your monster's ATK by 500 points."

"And with this next attack, you're finished, Duel King! I hope you enjoyed your rein while it lasted! Go, Behemoth! Destroy his Dark Magician!"

Behemoth roared and charged at the mage, who stood there like a statue.

"I activate Magic Cylinder!"

"NO!" Patty yelled.

The cylinders materialized in front of the Dark Magician. When Behemoth tried to claw him, two bursts of light erupted from the trap and hit both creatures simultaneously. They howled in pain as they lost their balance and fell, landing on their backs and shaking the entire field before shattering to pieces. Tyson's Life Points were reduced to 0.

"What happened?" Yuri cried.

Andre laughed as the holograms vanished. "Magic Cylinder negates any battle damage that would have been inflicted to me and sends it to my opponent's Life Points instead."

"You sneaky little bastard!" Tyson shouted. "

"Call me what you want. It's not my fault you blindly attacked me, knowing I have a face-down card. Now fork it over, loser!"

Tyson sighed heavily as he held up his deck. His eyes closed shut as he ran his thumb against the edge of his cards. He slowly handed his precious card to Andre, who snatched it without any hesitation. He held Behemoth above his head in triumph as the crowd went wild.

"No way," Patty muttered. "Andre beat Tyson?"

"That can't be!" Carter said. "It's impossible! I thought for sure that Tyson would win."

"Yeah, me too," Yuri said.

"Same rules apply," said Andre. "You don't have to lose your card forever. All you have to do is join my crew. Same with you, Yuri. Join me and you two can get your precious cards back."

"I'm not joining you, asshole! Never! I'll get it back when the time is right, so enjoy him while you can!"

Andre laughed again. "Enjoy him? This card doesn't deserve a spot in my deck. But hey, maybe he'll serve as a decent coaster for my drink."

Yuri gritted his teeth and clenched his fists tightly. His right eye flashed green, and he was about to jump down and fight Andre right then and there until Patty pulled him away and led him out of the stadium.

"Forget it, Yuri. Come on, let's go."

"Where do you think you're going?" Andre said. "The fun has just begun!" He held up Black Tyranno and Behemoth. "Look. Now I have two trophies from your group. So, I ask you again, Yuri. Will you join me? You know you can't beat me without them, right? What good are you without those cards?"

"Oh, shut up!" Patty shouted. "Just shut up, will you! I'm the one you want the most, right? So why not take me on!?"

"Patty, no!" Tyson snapped.

Andre shrugged. "Fine. You win; you can take both Black Tyranno and Behemoth back."

"That's not all!" Patty shouted, her anger getting the best of her. "You've been hounding us for days! And I'm going to put a stop to all that. If I win, not only will you give back the cards you took from my friends, but you will NEVER, and I mean NEVER, bother us again. AND...you're going relinquish your title of Duel King for good!"

"Ooooh!" the followers shouted, covering their mouths with their hands.

"Interesting," said Carter. "This oughta be fun."

Andre rubbed his chin in thought. "I don't see why not. But with stakes that high, I deserve a prize equally as grand, don't you think?"

"And what is that?"

"If I win, not only will you fork over your Zera the Mant, but you will become my Duelist! You will Duel for your Duel King without questions asked, and you will remain with me until graduation!"

"Dude, you've gone too far now!" Yuri yelled.

"Then, you will bring Yuri, Nick, Tyson, and Carter to me, and they will do the same! You can all start a new life under me!"

"Don't push your luck, dick! You get Zera and Me. That's it!"

"All right, deal! I'll acquire all of your friends after I've beaten you!"

"You wish! When I beat you, you won't have any authority to command us!"

"Let's get on with it already," said Andre. He pointed to the empty pod. "Well, what are you waiting for? Get your sweet little butt in there. Unless you're afraid to lose, that is."

"Not on your life!" Patty growled. She stepped onto the platform as it rose, leaving Yuri, Tyson, and Carter standing there.

"Aww, man, too much is riding on this," said Tyson.

"No kidding," said Yuri. "If Patty loses, not only do we not get our cards back, but she's his for the rest of the year."

The three watched in anticipation, praying with all their might that their friend would prevail against Andre.

Chapter 9: Lighting the Shadows

Chapter Text

Patty's platform took her high above the pit. Once at the top, the lights outlining the field lit up.

"Ready, Patty?" Andre called.

"I sure hope you are, loser. You have no idea who you're messing with!"

"Oh, it's you who has no idea who they're dealing with. As your king, I'll go first! Watch this, Patty. I activate Spellbook Inside the Pot. Now, you and I get to draw three cards."

"And you're being so helpful...why?" Patty smirked.

"Because I'm a nice guy, babe. Besides, you need all the help you can get against me. Now watch as I activate not one but two Ancient Rules! Now, I can call on two powerful monsters. Meet Sengenjin and Metal Armor Bug!"

A giant blue cyclops equipped with golden weapons rose out of the ground first. His 2750 ATK made his fans cheer. A mechanical-looking beetle with a red exoskeleton emerged next. It was stronger at 2800 ATK points.

"Wow," Patty said. "That's quite the opening move."

"Ah, I see I've impressed the reaper. Well, watch this, babe. I activate Foolish Burial! This will send a monster from my deck to the Graveyard. And I'll revive it with this! Monster Reborn! Now return and serve your Duel King, Black Tyranno!"

Black Tyrano roared loudly, silencing the stadium and making everyone stare in awe at his magnificence.

ATK/2600

"What!?" she screamed. "You're using the card you took from Yuri against me!"

"And why shouldn't I? I won him from Yuri, so now I own him! He's mine to do what I want."

"BASTARD!" Yuri hollered.

"We didn't have to be enemies, guys," said Andre. "But you just had to keep going against me. I gave you plenty of chances to join me, but you ignored every single one of them. Now, suffer the consequences of your actions. You guys get to watch as what was once the miracle of Yuri's deck destroys your friend! HAHAHAHAH!"

"All right, you sicko!" yelled Patty. "You asked for it!"

"Oh, I'm so scared. I set this card face-down and end my turn. Go ahead and attack me, Patty. I'm waiting!"

T2

"You're going to pay dearly for this!" Patty said through gritted teeth.

She drew her card. "I activate Pot of Greed, allowing me to draw two cards. Next, I use the Zera Ritual card! With it, I sacrifice Zoa from my hand to call upon my Ace! Behold the claws and teeth of my favorite Duel Monster! Zera the Mant!"

Patty's dark dragon-like fiend appeared in front of her in an aura of light, unleashing a roar of power. His purple cape flowed in the air as he growled, smoke billowing through his teeth.

ATK/2800

"And that's not all. I activate Premature Burial! By paying 800 of my Life Points, I can bring Zoa back from the Graveyard!"

A blue fiend with long fins coming from the top of its head and sharp golden claws rose out of the ground. It howled, shaking the entire stadium.

ATK/2600

"Oh, I'm not through with you yet, asshole! Now I use Polymerization, fusing together Ancient Brain and Tainted Wisdom to become Skull Knight!"

The two fiends joined together and formed a knightly figure in skull-themed armor. His large blade gleamed in the spotlight as he let out a battle cry.

ATK/2650

"Your reputation precedes you, Patty," said Andre. "Three powerful monsters on your first turn. You and I are equal in terms of skill, huh?"

"Shut up! You and I have nothing in common! And we never will! Now, I activate Card of Demise. Now, I can draw until I have five cards in my hand. However, if I discard my entire hand in five turns. Not that it matters because I'll be taking you out long before that! Zera, attack Black Tyranno with Claw Slash!"

"I don't think so! I activate Command Silencer!"

A totem pole with huge speakers appeared beside Andre. It unleashed a high-frequency sound wave, pushing Patty's beast back.

She screamed and covered her ears in agony. "What the hell is that!?" she cried. "My eardrums are going to burst!"

"Command Silencer ends your Battle Phase and lets me draw a card," Andre said. "You're gonna have to try harder than that if you want to hit me."

"Ugh! You little...whatever! I set two cards face-down and end my turn. You better hope that card you drew with Command Silencer is good enough to defend you!"

T3

Andre chuckled. "As a matter of fact, it does. Because thanks to this spell, I can have a fresh start." He switched the Hinotama spell he got with the Card of Sanctity in his sleeve. "Check it out, Patty. Card of Sanctity. Now you and I get to draw until we have six cards in our hands."

"Lucky move," Carter pouted.

"A little too lucky," Yuri said. "This guy always turns things around when things go bad for him. He's up to something. I know it!"

"It's not over yet, guys!" said Tyson. "Patty may be outmatched in power, but her skills will give her an edge! She's got something planned with those face-down cards of hers."

"Yeah, but with Card of Sanctity, who knows what he could do next?"

"He's right," said Tyson. "The deck Andre plays is full of surprises. That's why he's so dangerous."

Patty drew her cards as did Andre.

"What's the matter?" Andre said. "Did I make you draw up a strategy to take me down?"

"And then some," Patty said with a grin.

"Well, I hate to break it to ya, babe, but you won't be using any of them. First, I activate Cost Down! With it, a monster in my hand is now easier to summon. And I choose to Tribute my Sengenjin to summon Tyson's Behemoth, the King of All Animals!"

"What!?" Tyson cried. "NO!"

His prized card emerged from the ground. The crowd erupted into cheers.

"Behemoth!" Tyson cried. "No! Now Andre's forcing Patty to go against MY card! Dammit, this isn't good!"

"HAHAHAHA! Behemoth and Black Tyranno! Now, both of your friends' precious cards are up against you! And that's not all. I activate a very rare card called: Spell Card: Monster Reborn!"

"What's that?"

"It allows me to bring back a monster from my Graveyard. However, it cannot attack or activate its effects this turn. Return, my ultimate servant! Dark Magician!"

A bright light appeared in front of Andre. It dimmed, revealing the wizard in purple robes. He crossed his staff and bowed to his new master.

ATK/2500 DEF/2100

"Dark Magician?" Patty gasped.

"Heh! Impressed? Even though he cannot attack because of Spell Card: Monster Reborn, I can still put his ATK points to good use. With this card. Archfiend's Staff of Despair!"

Dark Magician held out his staff, and it transformed into a hideous staff with a green skull on the top.

"This card will reduce the ATK points of your monsters equal to half my Dark Magician's ATK points!"

"Oh no! Where'd you get a card that powerful!?"

"I have my sources," said Andre. "And that's all I'll say about it. Dark Magician, use your Staff of Despair to weaken all of Patty's monsters!"

Dark Magician swung his staff at each of Patty's fiends, weakening them as his master commanded. They were enveloped by a green aura, forcing them to their knees.

"YES! BOW TO ME, YOU LOSERS!" Andre screamed. "BOW BEFORE THE MIGHT OF YOUR DUEL KING!"

Zera the Mant - ATK 1550

Skull Knight - ATK 1400

Zoa - 1350

"HAHAHA! Your strongest monsters are weaklings before me! HAHAHA! Now, for my last move, I equip Black Tyranno with United We Stand! This will increase his ATK by 800 for each monster I control. Well, you're the math wiz, right? You do the math!"

Black Tyranno - 5800 ATK

The crowd went wild. The arena shook with applause and thunderous cheers.

"And don't think your face-down cards will help you this turn, Reaper! I conduct my Battle Phase, and in doing so, I activate my last card. Anti-Magic Arrows!"

Patty's eyes widened, and she gasped in horror.

"Now, you can't activate your Spell or Trap cards to save you! To put it simply, your ass in mine!"

"NO!" Patty screamed. "NOOOOOOOOOO!"

"HAHAHAHA! Now, my monsters will tear you apart! Black Tyranno attack Zera the Mant!"

Black Tyranno unleashed a loud roar, then charged towards Zera, opening its mouth to unleash its devastating attack. It bit Zera's neck and after a loud crunch, Zera's fragmented remains flew all over the field.

Patty - 0 LP

"That bastard..." Tyson muttered. "He used our cards to beat her! And now he's gonna take Patty!"

Andre grinned as his platform descended. Patty was still dumbfounded by what happened. No one had ever gotten the best of her like that before. She hung her head in shame, unable to meet her friends' eyes.

"Patty, don't let him get to you!" Yuri shouted.

"I'm afraid it's over, Yuri," Andre said as the platform reached the ground. He approached them with his followers. "Back away, chumps. She's one of us now. And Patty, I believe you owe me a card." He held out his hand.

"Patty, don't do it," Tyson pleaded. "Don't give up your ace!"

"I...I..." Patty stammered. She looked at Andre, who glared at her, waiting for his card.

She took it from her deck and handed it to Andre.

"You're mine now," Andre said, clutching her card in his hand. He held Zera and his ritual spell up high to the crowd.

"He beat her!"

"He beat the Reaper!"

"Long live the Duel King!"

Yuri and his friends stood there, staring at Andre in anger as he mocked them by waving Patty's card over his head.

Andre held up his fist. "Check it out. I got this cool new ring today to celebrate my status as the school's new Duel King." He showed off his gold diamond-encrusted ring on his index finger. "Now, as my new follower, show me the respect I deserve and kiss it."

Patty was stunned at what he was asking her to do.

"KISS IT!" Andre demanded. "I beat you, so now you're one of my followers. Show me your undying loyalty by kissing my ring!"

"Kiss it!" said Andre's followers. "KISS IT!"

Tyson, Carter, and Nick were shaking their heads.

"Don't do it, Patty!" said Yuri.

Patty leaned forward and kissed the ring on Andre's index finger.

"HAHAHAHA!" Andre laughed. "That's more like it! Welcome to the group, babe! We're gonna have a lot of fun together." He looked at the others. "Enjoy your freedom while you can, guys. All of you will be under my control. But you'll soon like it. I didn't want it to go this far but you left me no choice. Stop being so stubborn and join me. We can go to new heights together!"

"Forget it!" Carter said. "You still have ME to contend with! Unfortunately, I have to get to the salon to work. But tomorrow, here, after school! My ocean deck will turn you into driftwood! You hear me?"

Andre smirked. "I'm looking forward to it, pretty boy. Your Levia-Dragon Daedalus is my next target." He held up Black Tyranno, Behemoth King of All Animals, and Zara the Mant. "Behold. Your friends' strongest cards are all mine. Enjoy your Levia-Dragon while you can because I'm gonna take it from you." He stuffed the cards into his blazer's inner pocket.

"Come on, guys! Let's celebrate my victory at the Burger World!" Andre said, patting Patty on the back.

"Sure. Whatever," she said, staring at her friends. She walked past them, hanging her head.

"Patty," said Carter.

"You better kick his ass, Carter. If he wins, I'm going to do it myself!"

"Hey! Get moving!" Rodney said. "Your ass is property of Andre now. So you better get used to it."

"PROPERTY!" Tyson roared. He stood up, his powerful frame looming over the boys. "Say that again! I dare you! I double dare you, mother f*cker!"

"Hey, calm down, bro," Rodney said.

"Respect her! She may follow Andre now, but that don't make her some trinket that belongs to him! I'm a Duelist with honor. If we lose, I hold my head up and respect that. I acknowledge when my foes get the best of me, we all do," he looked at his friends, who nodded in agreement. "But disrespect my friend in any way, then forget cards because I'm gonna whoop ya'll with my fists, GOT IT!"

Rodney's eyes widened. "Y-yeah! Okay, man. Calm down. I was just joking."

"That goes for all of you!" Yuri said. "Don't force us to get physical."

Patty beamed at her friends. "Thanks, guys. It means a lot to me. Carter. Kick his ass tomorrow."

"I will."

Patty and Andre left the stadium with his followers.

"I hate them," said Yuri. "I really, really hate them."

"We're not done yet," said Tyson. "Carter. We're counting on you, man."

Carter cracked his knuckles. "I'm ready."

Chapter 10: Wrath of the Gale

Chapter Text

Boy, oh, boy. Andre was very strict when it came to his new Duelist. Patty was forced to settle all his disputes at school and was even made to do his homework and class assignments. All so Andre could focus more on Dueling and keeping the title of Duel King. Andre was so strict that he would even send his followers to stop Yuri and his friends from talking to her. She felt like a prisoner, but what could she do? Andre had her ace card in his possession, and without it, she wasn't going to be winning any Duels anytime soon. At lunch, a rainstorm fell, but the cafeteria was still crowded. Andre sat with Patty, Rodney, and several other members of his group.

"Here's your homework for today," Andre said, handing Patty a stack of papers.

"What?"

"Do it for me. You lost to me, so you're obligated to do it. Or did you forget our agreement?"

"But I already did my own assignments."

"Well, do it again."

"Are you kidding me!?"

"Hey, you're one of my followers, right? So that means you do what I say."

Patty sighed and took the papers. She started working on them, grumbling to herself as she did.

Despite the weather, Yuri and his friends were having lunch on the school roof. They sat under the shelter, watching the rain fall.

"So he's just making her do what he wants?" Natalya said. She was still clad in her tutu as she had come from ballet practice in the Performing Arts wing of the school. She wore her school blazer over it, and her hair was tied back into a bun. "I don't believe it. I mean, we all know he's a jerk, but this is taking things to another level. He's got to be stopped."

"We'll stop him today after school," said Carter. "I'm going to challenge him for Patty's freedom and our cards back."

"He's not going to want to give up so many precious stakes for nothing, Carter," Natalya said. She stuffed a riceball into her mouth and swallowed. "He's not stupid. Andre knows the consequences of a defeat. If you lose, he'll have you join his group and Patty will still be under his thumb."

"He won't accept us unless we ALL join him," said Yuri. "Patty's just the exception because of her skill and, dare I say, her beauty."

"Man, that creep!" Nick said. "I'm sorry I let you down, guys! If my deck was just better, maybe I could have made a difference."

"Bruh," said Tyson. "If Me nor Patty or Yuri could beat the asshole, what made you think you could?"

"Well, maybe I wouldn't have beaten him, but I would have shown Nathan a thing or two. I get it. I'm poor. My mom's not a banker, a hotshot CEO, a politician, a space entrepreneur, or a world-class lawyer or anything. But I'm still a person! I saved Yuri's life! You'd think that would mean something around here!"

"It would," said Carter. "But your poor grades, poor skills, and lack of respect for authority don't exactly earn you points with the other kids. Professor Richardson worked hard to help you get through school, but you keep failing tests and falling behind, and now he's fed up. You know he was the first to recommend you for the hockey team because he believed in you. That was before you failed that test."

"I'm gonna do better," said Nick. "I'm gonna try harder to keep up with my studies. I might not be as rich as the rest of you, but I can do my best to make a name for myself. And Dueling is no exception! I'll find a way to get my hands on a better deck!"

"I wish I could help," said Yuri. "But my dad says not to lend you a penny unless you earn it for yourself. Did you find a job?"

"After last night, I had no choice but to look for one," Nick sighed. "I'll be working at Central Avenue Pizza every afternoon. I'll be a delivery boy. And if I can make some extra cash, I'm going to try and buy the best cards Sergei's got at the shop."

"Well...it's a start," Natalya said. "Good luck buying any of our rare cards with a pizza boy's salary. One of our rare cards cost 1000 gold. Do you really think you can afford them?"

"I'll save up," Nick said. "I don't care how long it takes; I'll get the best cards and be the best Duelist ever."

The bell rang. Natalya neatly packed her lunch box. Her manners were always so elegant.

"Well, I wish you luck, Nick," she said. "I hope none of this Duel King business will stop you guys from attending my recital this Saturday. I'm going to be dancing Swan Lake. I've always dreamed of being Odette, and this is my chance."

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Natalya," Tyson said. "You worked hard to be one of the top ballerinas in your class. I bet you're going to do great."

Natalya smiled. "Thanks. Well, I'll see you later." She waved goodbye and began her return to the school's Performing Arts wing.

"Such a cutie," Carter said. "Why don't we just ask her to join us?"

"I don't think Sergei's going to want his niece involved in any of this," said Tyson. "Natalya's a good person and a fine Duelist, but we're not mixing her with any of this. Got it?"

Carter shrugged his shoulders. "Okay. If you say so."

"See you guys later," said Yuri. He took his books and began his walk back to the classroom. He encountered trouble not even a second after getting out of the elevator. A few of the Duel King's followers blocked Natalya's path. Yuri was not surprised. He expected as much when they saw her.

"You're The Gale! The most powerful winged beast Duelist in Aquarius," Rodney said. He slipped his sunglasses down the bridge of his nose and looked her up and down. "You have to join the group."

"I'm not interested in joining bullies!" Natalya retorted. She tried to sound tough, but with half her tutu showing, the others found it hard to take her seriously. "Let me pass."

"Need I remind you what happened when your friends neglected to join the Duel King," one of them said. "Their rarest cards are now in Andre's possession. So, if I were you, I'd play nice. Otherwise, your Simorgh, Bird of Divinity, is next."

"If you guys think I'm giving up my card so easily, you've got another thing coming!"

"Ooooh, the pretty little ballerina thinks she's tough," Rodney said. "Andre is gonna love seeing me pluck your feathers!"

"Leave her alone!" Yuri shouted. "She doesn't have to join the group. And you can't force her."

Rodney snorted. "No. We're not gonna force her, obviously. So how about you Duel me at the Duel Dome, little girl? Unless, of course, you're too chicken."

"I'm no chicken!" Natalya said. She stomped her foot and looked up at the boy, her eyes full of anger. Her tutu bloomed around her hips like a flower.

"It's settled then. You and me, Gale. Heh, but they could call you a breeze. Look at you. You're small, frail, and weak. There's no way you can defeat me."

"We'll see about that, punk!" Natalya said. "Now, EX-CUSE ME!" she pushed them aside, surprising them all with her strength, and stepped down the hall with her nose in the air.

"Hey! Don't walk away from me!" Rodney shouted. "You got some nerve!"

"She'll see you at the Duel Dome. Now, you better keep away from her and accept your loss like a man. Otherwise, you have her uncle to deal with. He's ex-Spetsnaz, so you don't want to mess with him."

Rodney gulped. "Y-yeah! Fine! But when I defeat her, she's coming with us. Just like Black Tyranno. Just like Behemoth. Heh, and just like Patty."

"In your dreams. Now, get to class. You can't Duel us if you're in detention." Yuri slid the strap of his backpack over his shoulder. "Excuse me!" he said, pushing through the boys and walking down the hall.

"He's after Nattie, too!?" Tyson whispered in biology.

Yuri just nodded, jotting down his notes by the rain-splashed window. "Yeah, not surprised. She ranked third in the Ruby Dragon's local tournament last month. Andre probably wants to make her one of his followers to make sure she doesn't get in his way. She's got enough cards that could give him a run for his money."

"Damn!" Tyson growled. He punched the table.

"Everything okay, Mr. Washington?" Professor Patford said.

"Just fine, ma'am. I added too much salt to my test tube, that's all."

"Then go get the lab safety manual and fix it. This is not a time to be careless. Your experiment is due next hour, so if I were you, I'd hurry."

"Yes, ma'am." Tyson got up and headed to the back of the room.

Yuri sighed as he continued jotting down his notes. He just knew Andre was going to be trouble for them the moment he came to school. But he never expected anything like this. For the longest time, he thought his friends were the strongest players he had ever seen. But then he came along and shattered his world. Andre was not only strong but also incredibly mean-spirited. He took pride in humiliating people who couldn't live up to his expectations.

And now he had followers blindly obeying him, and the worst part was that they were just as mean and rude as their leader. Yuri did his best to focus on class. He needed to do well in order to impress his father. He'd been trying so hard to keep his grades up, and it wasn't easy. But he wanted to prove he was worthy of being the future president of Phobos Corp and rule this city alongside his father.

At the end of the day, Yuri, Tyson, and Carter walked out of the school with their backpacks over their shoulders. Yuri's mind was swimming with thoughts of the Duel King. Damn it, this game was supposed to be fun. Why did it have to get so competitive and hostile?

"Yuri! Tyson! Carter!" Nick came running down the steps. "Hey! I heard Natalya is Andre's next target. Is it true?"

"It is. We're heading for the Duel Dome now to see her match."

"I wish I could tag along, but..." he opened his backpack and put on his delivery hat. "My shift at Central Avenue Pizza starts now."

"Do you have a means of transportation?" Yuri asked.

"Consuelo took out a hefty amount of money to get me a razer scooter. It's not the most expensive, but it should get me where I need to go."

"That's good. But good luck keeping those pies dry in this rain though," Yuri said, pointing to the storm.

Nick laughed. "Don't worry. They secure the pizzas in these super cool carrying bags. They keep 'em dry and the heat in. So I'm good. Well, I'd better go. See you guys later!"

"Later!" Yuri said.

Carter crossed his arms. "Heh. He's going to be a pizza boy for a while."

"You gotta start somewhere," said Tyson. "My dad was just a hot dog vendor before he became the multi-billionaire he is today. Nick's got the determination. He's going to get there. Just gotta keep trying."

"I sure hope so," said Carter. "Let's get going before we miss the show."

"I'd rather we go back to the Ruby Dragon and play for fun like we used to," said Yuri. "It's been a while since we've had a good time."

"It'll be over soon," Tyson said. "Just you wait. After today, Andre will be nothing more than a distant memory."

Yuri smiled. "I can't wait. I just want this all to be over."

"Me too," said Tyson.

"And me," said Carter. "So let's get going."

The boys took the bus to the Duel Dome, anticipating a good fight.

Natalya stood outside the arena entrance with her arms folded across her chest. She looked at the building with dread, not wanting to step foot inside. But she had to. She was clad in a pink hoodie and shorts and had her ruby hair tied back into a ponytail. Yuri was the first to find her.

"Natalya, are you okay?" he said.

"What does it look like?" Natalya said.

"I get it. You're afraid."

"I'm not afraid. I'm angry." She clenched her fist, her eyes narrowed into slits. "I hate being called small and cute! I'm just as tough as Patty and Crystal! Stand back. There's a gale blowing through this Duel Dome!"

She cracked her knuckles.

"Let's get this over with," she said, stomping up the steps.

The rest of the group followed, heading for the arena entrance.

"Area 10, please," she said, her head barely reaching the counter. "We've all received invites."

"Go right ahead," the man said.

They stepped into the elevator and pushed the button. Once the doors opened, they walked through a hallway lit by lights. They could hear the cheering from the crowd echoing through the corridor. Yuri and the others pushed the door open and stepped into the arena. The seats on the other side were partially full with Andre's followers. Andre stood at the south end of the arena, which faced the skyline of Eden Island.

"Took you long enough," he said.

"Let's just get this over with," Natalya said. "I win; you leave me alone! And that's it! That's all I'm here for."

"That's right," said Tyson. "Our beef is with you, boy! So leave Natty alone when she beats your goon!"

"I am not some goon!" Rodney said. "I'll be the one taking her Simorgh from her and adding it to our collection!"

"No, you won't!"

"Oh, but I will. I can't wait to see the look on your pretty face when I win, little girl."

Natalya made a pose like she was about to go Super Saiyan. "Call me little girl one more time, and you'll be sorry!"

"I'm trembling," said Rodney. "You're not even close to my level! I can't wait to see you lose. It's going to be so embarrassing; everyone will talk about it for weeks!"

Natalya grumbled and hurried to the blue platform. "So, uh, how do these things work?"

"Just think of it as a normal playmat, honey!" Patty called from below, her homework and textbooks scattered across her lap. "Set the cards on the LED board, and the holograms will do the rest. These Solid Vision Duels can get intense, so I hope you know what you're in for."

"Don't worry about me!" Natalya shouted. "I've got this. And thanks!" She looked up at the scoreboard. Her LP was displayed beside her with a bright red 4000. The same was shown for Rodney, who took the red side.

"Time to go bird hunting!" said Rodney. He drew his first five cards and glared at her. "Game on!"

"DUEL!"

LP 4000

"My go!" said Rodney. "I set two cards face-down and summon Choas Rider Gustav in ATK Mode!" He summoned a green-skinned warrior in red armor riding a red motorcycle with loud, roaring pipes. He swung his sword around, hoping to intimidate Natalya, but she remained calm and collected, her eyes locked on his as she drew her next card.

T2

"I play the spell, Rising Air Current!" She slapped the card on the field. "This will give all Wind Attribute monsters an extra 500 ATK points but weakens their DEF by 400."

"Hey, Gale, did you forget my Chaos Rider Gustav is also a Wind Attribute monster? Heh, you just made him stronger."

"Poor fool," said Carter. "He still underestimates Natalya. She wouldn't have given Gustav the advantage of the power bonus if she wasn't going to summon something stronger."

"Well, this should be interesting," said Tyson.

"I activate Pot of Greed," Natalya continued. "Then, I summon Phantom Griffon!"

She summoned a blue griffon with gold feathers and 2000 ATK points. With the field power bonus, its ATK went up to 2500, making it more than a match for Rodney's Gustav.

Rodney laughed. "Hah! Forget I had two face-downs? I play Nightmare Wheel!"

Phantom Griffon vanished and reappeared trapped inside a torture wheel shaped like a dragon's head. It screeched and tried to fly out of it, but the spikes around it were too sharp and hurt it each time it moved.

"Your beast is trapped and can't attack me. Also, you take 500 damage during each of my turns. I outsmarted you, Gale. Guess you're not as bright as everyone thinks."

Natalya growled. "I end my turn."

T3

"My go," Rodney said. "I draw. You take 500 points of damage! And that will do it for me, babe."

T4

"My turn. And don't call me babe." Natalya drew her next card. "Since I can't use my Griffon anymore, I'll Tribute it and summon the mighty Alector, the Sovereign of Birds!"

She summoned a humanoid bird covered in steel armor resembling feathers and huge red wings.

ATK/2400 → 2900

"Now I can finally get rid of your Gustav! Attack!"

The bird of steel swooped over to Gustav, brandishing his sharp claws.

"I think not, babe! I activate Impenetrable Attack! This won't stop me from taking damage, but my Gustav remains on the field!"

Gustav held out his sword and parried each of the swipes from Alector's claws as he sat on the motorcycle. The crowd cheered, amazed by how real the holograms looked. Natalya didn't like how she was losing control of the game. She had more Life Points and the strongest monster, but Rodney was doing a good job keeping her birds at bay.

"I end my turn by setting a card face-down!" she said.

T5

"You bore me, Gale. I summon Diskblade Fighter!" he summoned another motorcycle-riding warrior in blue armor and armed with a circular blade. "And thanks to your field, he gains another 500 ATK, increasing his power to 2200."

"Still not enough to take on Alector!" said Tyson.

"Oh no? Well, watch this! I activate Diskblade Fighter's effect; by banishing a Trap Card from my Graveyard, he gains an extra 500 ATK points. So, I'll banish Nightmare Wheel to increase his power to 2700. Then, I activate Pre-Preparation of Rites, allowing me to add the Ritual Spell Revival of Dokurorider and the monster itself to my hand. And I'll activate my Ritual, sending another Dokurorider to the Graveyard so I can summon my second one!"

Lightning flashed around a red flag that suddenly appeared on the field. VROOM! VROOM! The loud, thundering roar of a motorcycle echoed through the arena as Dokurorider rose from the ground. He was a dark rider with a black skull mask. He revved up his bike's engine, creating a cloud of smoke and exhaust. He sped to the flag and grabbed it, adding it to the back of his bone-themed bike as a trophy.

ATK/1900

"And finally, I activate United We Stand, equipping it to my mighty rider!"

"Oh no!" Patty yelled. "Now his ATK will increase by 800 for each monster he has on the field!"

"I see she's not as dumb as she looks," said Rodney. "Yes, with three monsters on the field, Dokurorider's ATK increases to 4300! And there's more. I activate the effect of Chaos Rider Gustav! By Banishing two spells in my Graveyard, his power increases by 600 points, raising his strength to 2500!"

"Impossible!" shouted Carter. "She can't win now!"

"No one's going to beat Andre!" said Rodney. "You're just a bunch of losers! And after Dokurorider wipes out your shiny chicken, my other riders will sic their swords on you and finish this Duel! Attack!"

VROOM! VROOM! Each of the motorcycles roared and charged at the steel bird. Alector spread his wings and prepared for battle.

"I activate my Trap Card! Woboku!" said Natalya. "This will save my Alector, and I will take no damage."

The three riders sped past Alector, not able to reach him. They turned around and returned to their master's side. Rodney cursed under his breath, disappointed.

"I end my turn," he said.

T6

"I draw," said Natalya. "I play Graceful Charity. Now, I draw three and discard two. And then I play Polymerization, fusing Goddess with the Third Eye with Blue-Winged Crown to create Punished Eagle!"

From the mountains soared a blue eagle with a red glowing mark on the top of its head. Its 2100 ATK rose to 2600 thanks to Rising Air Current.

"Attack his Diskblade Fighter!" Natalya commanded.

The eagle dove at the monster but was blocked by a protective shield that appeared in front of Diskblade Fighter.

"That's the effect of my Negate Attack, which skips your Battle Phase. And with another Trap in my Graveyard, that's more ammo for my Diskblade Fighter next turn."

Natalya felt her heart racing. It all rode on her next card. "I set this face-down and end my turn."

T7

"I know your stupid chickens were no match for me!" said Rodney. "Now, I banish Negate Attack to increase Diskblade Fighter's ATK by another 500 points."

The monster growled as a bright green aura surrounded him.

Diskblade Fighter ATK/2700 → 3200

"Then I'll attack with Diskblade Fighter! Your bird will be sliced into pieces by the blade of my motorbike!"

"I don't think so! I activate Wall of Disruption!"

"WHAT!? NO! That reduces the ATK of my monsters by 800 for each one I have on the field!"

"Right! So your biker gang gets their ATK reduced by 2400!"

"Not fair! I had this Duel won!"

T8

"Yeah, but not good enough. All right. I activate Monster Reborn. Now I summon the mighty King of the Skies, Simorgh, Bird of Divinity!"

Natalya's favorite monster descended from the clouds and perched beside her with its wings spread wide, letting out a loud and powerful cry that silenced the crowd. Its jade-colored feathers were radiant, and its beak was long and curved like a scimitar. With the field power bonus, its 2700 ATK increased to 3200.

"And with that, your Duel is over. Simorgh, Alector, and Punished Eagler will attack! Destroy his riders! Spiral Strike!"

Simorgh and the other two birds flew above Rodney's monsters and dove at them, spreading their wings and creating a whirlwind that ripped through the air. The three motorcycles were thrown around as if they were nothing but toys. Then, Simorgh attacked, striking them with its wings and destroying them, taking Rodney's Life Points with them.

"What a rush!" shouted Tyson.

"Seems like we found the gang's weakest link," said Carter. "All this Rodney guy has done was lose."

"A deal is a deal!" Natalya shouted. "Now leave me alone! I'm not going to join your followers like a mindless sheep! And if you ever send your goons my way again, you'll have my uncle to deal with! Don't test me on this!"

Andre gave a wave of his hand. "Whatever. Go. You're making a mistake, but if that's what you want, so be it. But you guys!" he pointed at Yuri and his friends. "We still have a Duel to get underway, don't we? I'm looking to add Carter's sea serpent to my collection! But first, let's see if he's worthy enough to face me with a gauntlet of three Duelists."

Carter laughed. "What's the matter, tough guy? Can't face me yourself so you send your boys to do the work for you?"

"Oh, I'll take you on. But I want to see if all the hype about you is true. I don't Duel losers. So, are you up for it or not?"

Carter remained in the Duel Pod. "Whatever. Send me your minion. This is going to be quick."

"We'll see."

Chapter 11: Conquering the Sea

Chapter Text

The followers of Andre took their seats to watch the gauntlet commence. It would be Carter against three of Andre's goons for the chance to face him and reclaim the cards he took from his friends.

The first opponent, a boy with flaming red hair, walked to the arena. He wore the school football team's letterman jacket and blue jeans. Alec was written in yellow stitching on his jacket.

LP 4000

T1

"You ready to do this?" Alec said.

Carter slammed his fist on the screen, wondering why everyone had to ask that stupid question before every match. "Hurry up and go. I need to face your lame king."

"Very well. I'll set this monster face-down in DEF Mode and set a card face-down as well. Your move."

T2

"Draw!" Carter shouted. "I activate Graceful Charity and draw three cards. Then I discard two. Now I activate A Legendary Ocean!"

The pit was flooded with Solid Vision water that splashed around in turbulent waves. When it settled, the glassy surface revealed a sunken civilization deep in the ocean. "This raises my Water monster's ATK by 200," Carter said. "And you're about to meet one right now. Piercing Moray in ATK Mode!"

There was a flash underneath the water. Then, all was still and silent, save for the plopping and churning of the water. The crowd watched carefully, wondering what could be lurking in the depths.

"Piercing Moray attacks your face-down monster!"

Something massive leaped out of the water and fell on the face-down monster. A giant brown eel with rocky skin and a giant horn on its head. The face-down monster was revealed to be Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu, a monster with just 500 DEF, who easily fell to the eel's 1700 ATK. It impaled him with its horn and dragged him into the water, then leaped back into the ocean, vanishing from sight.

"Holy crap, that scared me!" Patty screamed. "Carter sure has a taste for terrifying sea creatures."

"No harm down," said Alec. "My monster allows me to add an Equip Spell to my hand when it's destroyed. And seeing as how it was in DEF Mode, I don't lose Life Points."

"Don't be too sure of that," said Carter. "My eel can inflict damage to you even if he attacks a monster in DEF Mode."

"Huh?" the poor jock gasped as his Life Points decreased by 1200. He now stood at 2800 LP.

"Yeah!" Tyson laughed. "Way to play, brother!"

"You still have Life Points left," said Alec. "And I still have more tricks up my sleeve."

"Then let's see them?" said Carter. "I set a card face-down and end my turn."

T3

"Draw! Hmph. You may have gotten the best of me that time, but I assure you things will be different. FIrst, I banish Iron Blacksmith Kotetsu so I can Special Summon Spirit of Flames!"

He summoned a red creature with a muscular body rising out of a pit of flames above the water. ATK/1700

"Next, I summon Flame Tiger in ATK Mode!"

A tiger covered in fire leaped out of a burning tree and landed on the water. It roared and raised its claw, increasing the flames' intensity.

ATK/1800

"Next, I will boost my tiger's power with Salamandra! This flaming sword will increase his ATK to 2500!" An orange glass sword with a golden hilt appeared before the tiger. It snarled, spitting flames before taking the weapon into its mouth.

"I can't wait to see him destroy that stupid fish of yours!" said Alec. "Attack!"

Soul Tiger roared and jumped out of the water, its sword ablaze as it flew toward Piercing Moray. With an elegant flip, it sliced the eel in half, causing it to burst into a thousand pixels.

"Now, Spirit of the Flames, attack him directly!"

The Spirit of the Flames spat fireballs from its mouth, engulfing Carter's entire side of the field. He screamed and shielded himself from the flames.

Carter was shielded by three twisters that formed out of the water.

"What are those? And why have your Life Points yet to go down? I should have reduced you to more than half your Life Points with that attack!"

"I activated Twin Twisters!" said Carter. "So long as Umi is on the field, I take no damage from any of your attacks!"

"But...you don't have Umi on the field."

Patty laughed at the dumb jock. "Wow, read the card in its entirety next time, huh? A Legendary Ocean is treated as Umi when it's on the field. So Carter can activate his Twin Twisters card and protect himself. So unless you equipped your deck with Hinotama, Ookazi, or other burn damage spells, you're not inflicting any damage to Carter!"

Andre gasped. "That's one powerful card!"

"Oh, man! I wasn't expecting anything like that!" Alec said. "Damn, you Water Duelists have the most annoying cards!"

T4

"Draw!" said Carter. "Oh, it's over now, punk! A Legendary Ocean not only counts as Umi and increases my monsters' ATK, but it also reduces their Level by 1. Now, I activate Monster Reborn, bringing one of the monsters I discarded with Graceful Charity earlier."

"It can't be!" Alec shouted.

"Hell, yeah! Rise, Levia-Dragon Deadalus!"

From the ocean rose a huge, blue-scaled serpent with a pearly-white underbelly and bright ruby fins. It let out a terrible roar, sending a violent gust of wind that caused the water to rise and splash.

ATK/2600

"Now, I activate Levia-Dragon Daedalus's effect: Fury of the Deep! By destroying Umi, Daedalus can destroy everything on the field except himself!"

A massive tidal wave erupted from the ocean, dousing the entire pit and putting out all the fire in Alec's field. The stadium shook as the wave came crashing down. Everyone screamed and held on to their seats, feeling the arena rumble and quake. The wave swallowed Alec's monsters whole, and they vanished.

"Oh, I'm not done yet! Not by a long shot! I activate Pre-Preparation of Rites! This allows me to add Fortress Whale Oath and Fortress Whale to my hand. And I'll activate it, sacrificing Great White and Spiked Gillman to Ritual Summon the mighty Fortress Whale!"

Patty almost dropped her books in excitement; her hands balled up into fists, and she held them close to her face in anticipation. She had seen Carter's whale on the Duel Screens, but to see it fully rendered in all its glory in the powerful Solid Vision was something else entirely.

The whale's arrival was even more impressive, too, as he leaped out of the water and soared through the air. He let out a mighty cry and hovered above Carter, completely filling the entirety of the arena. The dome had to be digitized away by the Solid Vision projectors to let the whale's entire size be displayed to the crowd. It was a breathtaking sight.

ATK/2350

"All right, Carter!" Patty cheered.

With one last direct attack, the two most powerful monsters in Carter's deck easily wiped out the remainder of Alec's Life Points. The arena shook as the double KO occurred. The crowd roared with applause.

Despite being Andre's followers, even they were impressed with his skills.

Patty's eyes sparkled. "I knew he could do it!" She looked at Andre with a leer. "Hmph. "Two more to go before he takes on you, O' mighty Duel King!"

"I... I'm not scared!" Andre said. "He's weaker than you and Tyson. My boys will take him on!"

"We'll see about that!" Patty shouted.

Andre could never have been more wrong. The Duels with the two other opponents went by like a breeze. With the combined power of his fortress whale and Levia-Dragon, Carter wiped the floor with the next two boys and sent them packing.

"Well, it looks like you're up!" Carter said. "Face me, Duel King!"

Andre gulped. He looked at his friends, who were just as nervous. "I'm not afraid!" he shouted. "You're not ready for me, or the cards I have!"

He hurried down to the red Duel Platform and jumped in. It lifted him up above the field until he locked eyes with Carter. Even though they were two yards apart, Andre could feel the hate in Carter's glare.

"Your fishes might have beaten my minions, but you won't beat me!" Andre shouted. "I'm going to crush you like the little roach you are!"

He cackled to himself. Not after I've studied your deck these past two matches. Thanks to my followers, I know all your strategies and just the cards to counter them. He stuffed a few cards into his sleeve.

"Since I'm the king, I'll go first!" Andre declared. "Check it out. I activate not one, but two Ancient Rules!"

Carter rolled his eyes. "I suppose this is the part where I dramatically scream, 'oh no!'" he said, slapping both hands on his face.

Patty laughed. "It's like watching the same match over and over again. That jerk has no imagination."

"What a one-trick pony!" Yuri said.

"Respect me!" Andre shouted. "I'm the Duel King!"

"The Lame King is more like it!" Tyson laughed.

"Shut up! I'm going to summon Garnecia Elefantis and Cyber-Tech Alligator from my hand with no cost!" The two high-powered vanilla monsters rose out of the ground. "There, two powerful monsters on my first turn! And to add more firepower to my army, I summon Gene-Warped Warwolf with an ATK power of 2000! Laughing now, Carter?"

"I'd be laughing if you did something original, but I don't expect you to think that hard."

Patty giggled. "This guy is too much."

Andre's face was bright red. You idiots will honor me soon enough!

T2

LP 4000

"My turn!" Carter said. "Draw. I activate the spell, Terraforming! With it, I'm allowed to search for a Field Spell in my deck and add it to my hand."

"Let me guess. A Legendary Ocean," Andre said.

"Precisely. Now, I activate the spell Water Hazard! Once per turn, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower Water monster from my hand if I have no monsters on my field. So here comes White Dolphin in ATK Mode!"

He summoned a small white dolphin with a horn on its head, which leaped out of the water and splashed back down.

ATK/500

"I know what you're thinking, but White Dolphin won't stick around for long. Because I sacrifice him to summon my Levia-Dragon Daedalus!"

With a flash, the beautiful white sea creature was replaced by a large blue armored serpent that shot up into the air with a roar that shook the entire arena.

ATK/2600 → 2800

"Next, I'll set a card face-down and attack your Alligator with Levia-Dragon Daedalus! Go, Tidal Surge!"

A wave came crashing down on the alligator, washing him away. Andre took 300 damage, dropping him to 3700 LP.

"Haha! What was that you were saying about my fishies, Lame King?"

T3

"You insolent worm!" Andre growled. "Your monsters aren't going to be so powerful when I get my strongest monsters out!" He reached into his sleeve and pulled out a card. "I activate Card of Sanctity, which lets us draw until we have six cards in our hands."

"Again?" Tyson said, rubbing his chin. "This guy's strategy is so repetitive. He blows his whole hand summoning powerful monsters, and when things get hairy, he somehow has what he needs to refill his hand and start again."

"Something fishy's going on here," said Yuri. "And I don't think it's Carter's deck."

Carter drew until he had six cards as well. "Oh, you're gonna play it like that, are you?"

Andre smirked. "Watch as I summon my Ace." He switched a monster card in his hand for a spell card in his sleeve. "I activate Graceful Charity. Now, I can discard two cards and draw three. And then, I'm going to activate Monster Reborn! And I'll bring back my Dark Magician!"

The purple-robed sorcerer rose out of a swirling portal, his scepter glowing with energy. He aimed the tip of his weapon at Carter's field.

ATK/2500

"Like me, new strategy? It's something I picked up from you guys! Yeah, I've seen you guys use the Graceful Charity/Monster Reborn combo to bring back your strong monsters, so I figured I could use it, too!"

Carter burst out laughing and slammed his fist on his podium, nearly breaking the glass surface. "Oh, man, you can't be serious! You learned from us? And you wanna be OUR teacher and Master? Are you insane, or do you live in a world of delusion?"

Patty started snickering at the irony. Ever since they met this kid, he kept boasting about how he was going to teach them to become better players, and now he was using their own strategies like a damn parrot.

Andre was furious. His face turned bright red, and he clenched his fists, trembling with anger. "I'll wipe that stupid smile off your face!"

"Oh, no," Carter said. "You're not gonna ruin this for me. I've been waiting to take you down for a long time, and I'm going to enjoy every moment of it. So, go ahead. Hit me with your best shot."

"I will, so I'm activating United...

"United We Stand, yeah, yeah, yeah, now you're going to give it to Dark Magician and boost his power over 4000 ooooh, shocker!" Patty said sarcastically, making herself and the rest of the group laugh.

Andre screamed. He banged on the podium and cursed them all. "I'll wipe the smiles off your faces when I use my Dark Magician to destroy his ace! Attack, Dark Magician!"

Dark Magician raised his staff and summoned a blast of magic. It hit Levia-Dragon Daedalus head-on, engulfing it in purple fire. Andre laughed and clapped his hands. He was going to say something clever but through the smoke, he heard the sound of rushing water. When it cleared, the famed twisters of Carter's Tornado Wall were seen swirling around his platform.

"You may have beaten Daedalus, but thanks to Tornado Wall, I take no damage. And if so long as my trap is in effect, I will continue to be safe from damage."

"Coward! Hiding behind your lame walls! Fight me like a man!"

"Oh, please. You're one to talk. Sending your minions to hunt down me and my friends at school and then forcing us through a gauntlet just to face you? You're not man enough to face us alone! And you know it. You're pathetic, Andre!"

"You don't know anything about me!"

"I know you're a weak, arrogant, narcissistic loser! I don't know what you're trying to prove here, but you're nothing more than a little kid. Now, if you don't mind, it's my turn!"

T4

"Yeah! You tell him, Carter!" Yuri cheered.

"Damn, he's on fire!" Tyson shouted.

"You can do it, Carter!" Nick yelled.

Andre screamed at them. "Shut up!"

Tyson then stood and smacked his fist against his palm. "Yo! You better cool it, lest you want to feel the heat!"

Andre snarled knowing that he was the one who had to shut up. He heard his followers whispering amongst themselves. He turned to face them and saw that they were not looking at him with respect but instead were judging him. He could see it in their eyes. They were marveling at the strength of Yuri and his friends. He was the Duel King, but the group of five were the true winners here.

Andre clenched his teeth. I have to win! If I lose, my reputation will be ruined!

"My turn," Carter said. "I activate the spell, Salvage! Adding Daedalus and White Dolphin back to my hand. Then, I'm going to use Water Hazard, to Special Summon White Dolphin yet again. Now I activate Moray of Greed. I shuffle two Water monsters back to my deck and draw three cards. Next, I activate Fortress Whale Oath!"

"Oh no!"

"Oh, yes! Now I send 7 Colored Fish and Great White to the Graveyard as Tribute to call upon my almighty Fortress Whale!"

The titanic whale leaped out of the water, casting a mighty shadow over Andre and his minions. He let out a roar and flapped his fins, splashing Andre's platform with water. The giant fortress on its back aimed its cannons at Andre's monsters, signaling it was ready for battle.

"Now I activate Surface, which allows me to bring back my Great White to the field! Then, I activate Big Wave, Small Wave! Now, I sacrifice White Dolphin and Great White to Special Summon two Water monsters from my hand! First, I call on the mighty Kairyu-Shin!"

The blue serpent loomed out of the water and hissed.

ATK/1800 → 2000

"And now, return my great beast! Levia-Dragon Daedalus! Reclaim the waters and unleash your fury!"

Daedalus rose out of the ocean and hovered above Andre. The arena was filled with waves and spray. The serpent's natural armor was like a giant sparkling aquamarine, and its snowy-white underside glistened like a mine of precious gems. Its eyes, however, were blood red and filled with a murderous intent.

Andre backed up and hid behind his podium. "He..he's back!"

"Wow, did you see that?" the followers gasped.

"He not only summoned Daedalus, but he brought out his Fortress Whale and that Kairyu-Shin, too!"

"Carter is in a whole different league!"

"That whole group is!"

Andre couldn't believe what he was hearing. They're cheering for him? He glared at his followers. He had to turn things around. He just had to. But for now, he could only watch as his monsters became food for his serpents. First, Fortress Whale (ATK 2350 → 2550) aimed its cannons at Garnecia Elefantis. They fired with a thunderous boom, sending the massive elephant crashing into the water. Then, Levia-Dragon Daedalus (ATK 2600 → 2800) opened its mouth wide and devoured Gene-Warped Warwolf. The two attacks reduced Andre's Life Points to 2750.

"You won't get away with this," Andre growled.

T5

Carter 4000 LP

Andre 2750 LP

"Well, that's that," said Carter. "Without your other monsters, your Dark Magician's power gets reduced."

"Still, United We Stand has his power standing at 3300. He's still the strongest monster on the field."

"Maybe," said Carter. "But don't forget Tornado Wall is still in effect. You may take out my monsters, but I will take no damage. So go on and waste your best card on me!"

Andre gritted his teeth. His Dark Magician still had enough power to destroy Carter's monster, but it was too risky. What if Carter had some sort of trick up his sleeve? No, he couldn't show he was afraid. "Attack his Daedalus! Dark Magic Attack!"

Dark Magician launched a dark blast from his staff and fired, but then the waters in front of the monsters formed huge waves. Lightning flashed all around Carter's side of the field as the water formed into the head of the ocean god himself, Posiedon.

"What is this!?" Andre shouted.

"I activated my trap, Posiedon Wave! It negates your attack and inflicts 800 damage to your Life Points for each Fish, Sea Serpent, or Aqua monster I control. And I count three, bitch! So that's 2400 damage."

Lightning crackled, and Andre's Dark Magician was electrocuted and thrown into the water.

"Oh, no!" he screamed as he felt a massive amount of pain jolt through him. "AAAAAHHHH!" Andre fell to the ground and groaned. His Life Points plummeted to his last 350.

"He's gonna beat the Duel King!" someone shouted from the crowd.

"Andre never stood a chance!"

Andre heard their cheering. His pride had taken a beating. They were looking at him in shock and disappointment. It was almost as if the group of five had hypnotized the crowd to love them. They had the fans! But, Andre still had some cards in his sleeves. Literally.

"This is not going to happen! I won't lose!"

"Just surrender!" Yuri shouted. "You can't inflict damage to Carter's Life Points even if you tried. And your Dark Magician may be boosted by that United We Stand card, but he'll figure out a way to destroy you anyway. Don't make yourself a laughing stock."

Andre snarled. "I'll make you my student yet, Yuri!" he reached for a Trap Card in his sleeve. "I set a card face-down and end my turn!"

T6

"Time to end this!" Carter said. "I activate the spell, Riryoku! First, this card will cut your Dark Magician's ATK power in half. And then, the other half goes to my Levia-Dragon Daedalus, boosting its ATK points up to 4450. Go, Tidal Surge!"

Andre gritted his teeth. He didn't want to have to cheat, but what else could he do. He activated the Trap he set from his sleeve. "I activate Mirror Force!"

"Oh no!" shouted Patty. "He has one of those Trap Cards!"

"sh*t! CARTER!" Tyson shouted, pounding his fist against his glass podium.

Andre snickered. "Now, your monsters will be destroyed, and I'll take no damage! Hahahahaha!"

"Oh, sh*t, this ain't good!"

Daedalus's wave smacked against a glass barrier with hexagon shapes on it. The waves reflected off the barrier and smashed back to Carter's side of the field, destroying his monsters in a spectacular fashion. Andre couldn't help but laugh, for now, his side of the field was clear, and it was time for him to start his turn and take this duel into the final lap.

"Oh no, my monsters!" Carter shouted.

Andre smirked. "Now I'm safe, and your monsters are in the Graveyard!"

"Fine!" said Carter. "But Tornado Wall will still protect me!"

"Not for long!" Andre said. He reached into his sleeve and took out an spell. "I activate Giant Trundade and return all your Spell and Trap Cards to your hand. So bye-bye, Tornado Wall!"

Tornado Wall shattered as it was caught up in the gust. "No," said Carter.

"And now," said Andre. "Your Field goes bye-bye, too!" He laughed as the high winds sucked up the ocean water, causing the ocean floor to be completely barren.

"I'm finished," said Carter dejectedly.

"Yes, you are. And now, I reequip my Dark Magician with United We Stand, raising his power back to 3300. And I'm not done yet. I activate the spell, Zera Ritual!"

"NO!" Patty shouted. "My Zera!"

"And now," Andre shouted. "I tribute Tyson's Behemoth and Yuri's Black Tyranno so I can summon Zera the Mant!"

Yuri watched as Tyson's beloved monster, the indestructible Behemoth, King of All Animals rose from the floor. It roared as it was absorbed into a vortex. Yuri then watched as Black Tyranno was next to fall to the field. His loyal, faithful Duel Monster was sucked up into a vortex of wind. Zera the Mant came out of the vortex, towering over the Dark Magician. He roared like a feral animal, sending shivers up Patty's spine.

"That's another 800 points for my magician!" Andre boasted. "Dark Magician! Attack his Life Points directly!"

The Dark Magician conjured a giant ball of black fire and hurled it at Carter. He could only watch helplessly as his life points were reduced to 0.

"Yes!" cheered Rodney. "Against all odds, Andre has managed to defeat the mighty Carter!"

Carter stared down at his feet in shame. He was beaten. The humiliation was overwhelming.

Andre breathed a sigh of relief and stepped out of the podium to collect his prize. He walked to Carter and held out his hand. "Now fork it over! Your Levia-Dragon Daedalus is mine!"

Carter reluctantly took out a card from his deck and handed it to him.

"Yes," said Andre. "Now all your cards belong to me!" He held up Black Tyranno, Levia-Dragon Daedalus, Zera the Mant, and Behemoth King of All Animals. "I have four incredibly powerful monsters, and I didn't even have to lift a finger. This was easier than I thought. Hahahahaha!"

The group looked away, feeling humiliated.

Rodney placed his hands on his hips and leered at the group. "Why don't you losers just accept that Andre is the true king of this school? He's taken each of your best cards. He's proven he's better than all of you!"

"No more games!" said Andre. "You guys belong to me! Accept my teachings! Become my apprentices and we can dominate every single person in this city."

Patty couldn't take it anymore. "I won't do it! I'd rather lose a hundred times before becoming your student!"

"Same!" said Tyson.

"Ha! I've got nothing left to prove," Andre said. "I've beaten Yuri's group. Your cards belong to me. I'm the best there is. I'm the king here! If you want your cards back, you're going to have to earn it!"

"And we will!" Yuri said, standing up. "I've had just about enough of you!"

"Oh yeah?" Rodney sneered. "And what do you plan to do about it?"

"One more match!" Yuri said. "One more match and we put an end to this once and for all. If you win, I become your minion, no questions asked. I'll do anything you say!"

"Anything?"

"Yeah, but if I win. You not only give our cards back to us, but you relinquish the title of Duel King forever!"

"Ha! Prepostrous. I would never."

"Oh yeah?" Tyson said. He stood up. "Then how about adding my services to the wager!"

Carter did as well. "Mine, too! You beat Yuri, you can have all of us!"

Natalya wanted to protest, but her friends were stubborn. "You know what, add me to it as well. You wanted The Gale, right? Well, you can have me if you beat Yuri."

Andre looked around. "So all of you in my service. How can I pass it up? Without your Black Tyranno, Yuri, you're a weakling anyway. Fine. I accept your challenge. Meet me here tomorrow. Prepare to lose, Yuri! I'm going to prove I own you!"

He cackled loudly as he walked away.

Yuri stood there wondering what he had just done. Without Black Tyranno, there was no way he could ever hope to beat Andre. But he wasn't going to let his fears get the best of him. Somehow, some way, he was going to end the Duel King's reign once and for all.

Chapter 12: Crystal's Fury

Chapter Text

When Yuri and his friends stepped out of the area, the tropical rains once again started pouring down on them. Yuri stopped walking and faced the sky. He closed his eyes and opened his mouth, feeling the drops of water against his skin.

Patty smiled and hugged him from behind.

"You're brave doing this," she said. "But you're an idiot, too. Without Black Tyranno, what can you do?"

"Don't worry," said Yuri. "I may not have any good cards in my deck right now, but I think I may be able to use something to my advantage."

"I hope so," Tyson said. "I'm not looking forward to becoming that prick's apprentice."

"Yeah, same," Yuri said. "Do you guys want to get a bite to eat or something?"

They stopped and thought about it.

Carter sighed and rubbed the back of his head. "Yuri... it's been a rather long and... disappointing day for me. I think I'll go home."

Natalya just shook her head. She wanted to go home, too.

"Yeah," said Patty. "Besides, we have a lot of homework to do. We should get to it."

Tyson shrugged. "Yeah. And I have about two hours before I have to head to my dad's restaurant. My shift is going to be killer with this weather."

Yuri nodded. "It's fine. See you guys tomorrow, then?"

"Count on it!" Patty said, cheerfully.

The group split ways but Yuri remained where he was. The rain fell harder and drenched him in seconds. He looked up at the dark clouds. A bolt of lightning flashed. Yuri didn't flinch.

"Yuri!" someone called.

Yuri looked around and saw Crystal standing by an aquatic garden. She held a black umbrella and headed towards him, but he shook his head and dashed away.

"Yuri? Hey! What's wrong!?"

Yuri made his way through the crowds and tried his best to make sure she wouldn't catch up with him.

"Yuri!? Please, slow down! Yuri!"

But he was gone. She heard Andre's group laughing behind her through the pitter-patter of the rain on her umbrella. She turned around to see them stepping out of the arena.

"Look, boss, there he goes!" Rodney shouted.

"I knew Yuri would be a coward!" Andre laughed.

"Hey!" Crystal snapped. "What did you guys say to him?"

Andre looked down at her and smiled. "Look, guys. The Queen of Dragons herself!"

Rodney and the others laughed.

Crystal's cheeks flushed. "What did you guys do to him!?"

"Ha! I've been beating him and his flunkies for the past few days."

"You beat them?"

"Yeah!" Rodney said, pumping his fist in the air. "You should have seen it! Our Duel King wiped the floor with them!"

"No way!"

"Way. Check it out," Andre said, taking out the group's monsters from his pocket.

Crystal's eyes widened when she saw Black Tyranno, Levia-Dragon Daedalus, Behemoth King of All Animals and Zera the Mant. "How dare you!"

"Because I'm damn good, that's how. What was that you said to me back in the Ruby Dragon? That Yuri and his friends didn't need me. That they were better than me. Haha! Yeah right!"

"Give those cards back to them this instant!"

"Or what? They lost to me fair and square. I proved that I'm better than them. And tomorrow, Yuri is going to be my apprentice. He challenged me to one final Duel. And when he loses, he and his friends will become my servants!"

Crystal gritted her teeth. She couldn't believe it. Yuri and his friends had always been so friendly and humble. Sure, she was never too close with them, but she knew for a fact that none of them could have lost to this co*cky asshole. It must have been a setup!

"You're a monster!" Crystal shouted. "Yuri and his friends are ten times the duelists you'll ever be."

Andre cackled and stepped toward her. His gang followed. "I'd like to see them try to prove it to me tomorrow. Then we'll see who the real loser is! Ha ha!"

Crystal watched as Andre walked away.

"Where the hell do you think you're going!?" She shouted at him. "I challenge you to a Duel! Right now!"

The gang stopped walking. Andre slowly turned around. "You want to challenge me? Well, you better be ready to face defeat. Your pal Yuri stood no chance against me."

"Neither did you when we last Dueled each other."

The gang gasped. "You Dueled her, boss?"

"And lost?"

"Heh, I was going easy on her," Andre boasted. "It's going to be different this time. I'm not holding back anymore. You won't get lucky twice."

Crystal snorted. "We'll just see about that. Let's Duel!"

The group followed Andre and Crystal back to the arena. They were all full but Crystal knew of a secret arena where Brett and his flunkies would go to practice in peace. It was a small building with only 50 seats and an arena at the center. The group marveled at the luxury and beauty of Brett's private stadium. There were even some of the best food stalls in the city. Crystal led Andre to the arena at the center, which was lit up by a chandelier that hung above them.

Andre set down his deck, and Crystal did the same. He noticed the pods had an all-leather interior and comfortable, reclining seats. The podiums had buttons to adjust the height and angle.

"This is a nice place," Rodney said, sitting down behind Andre.

"Yeah, very swanky," another said.

"Are we allowed in here?" gulped another kid. "This is Brett Martinetti's place."

"Hey, Crystal's his girlfriend. So I think we can watch them Duel in here."

Crystal opened her designer purse and took out her deck. She set them on the LED display next to the holographic projectors. Andre's gang sat in their seats and started eating popcorn from the machines.

Andre chuckled. "Looks like you got yourself a private audience for your humiliation, eh? Just so you know, I don't Duel without stakes. So how about you fork over one of your rarest dragons to me? I know. Your Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End will be perfect!"

"What? She has the Chaos Emperor Dragon, boss?" Rodney gasped.

"That's the rarest dragon in the world! Where did she get a card like that?"

"She's Brett Martinetti's girlfriend. I bet he gave the card."

"No!" Crystal yelled, hoping to shut them up. "Yuri found it a long time ago and gave it to me as a symbol of our friendship!"

"Ha! That loser would give you that card just to symbolize your friendship?" Andre laughed. "He's more of a simp than I thought! If he gave you a card that rare, he possibly wanted something more than just friendship. I bet he wanted a go at your pretty ass, but he couldn't because Brett already owns it."

Crystal slammed her fists against the podium. "How dare you!? Yuri would never do such a thing! And besides, he's ten times the man you'll ever be!"

"Sure, whatever. Put that card up for grabs, Dragon Queen. I can't wait to win it when I beat you!"

"Fine! But if I win..."

"Don't even think about it, Crystal. I'm not about to put my trophies on the line. Yuri is going to Duel me for them tomorrow. So pick something else."

"Fine. I know he'll defeat you tomorrow. I just know he will. So promise me this. When I beat you, you will swear to honor your word! You hand back their cards and STOP with this whole Duel King thing. You have to swear on it."

Andre smirked. "Fine. If I lose, which I won't, I'll be a man of my word."

"Good. I'm going to be there tomorrow to see your match. If you try any funny business, well, let's just say I know some people who are going to make you very sorry!"

"Her boyfriend is the nephew of the Aquarian mafia boss, Andre," Rodney said. "You better do what she says, man. I don't want to hear about how you disappeared or something in the papers."

Andre scoffed. "Oh, please. I wouldn't dream of pulling anything funny. Like I said, I'm a man of my word. So, let's get this Duel started."

LP 4000

T1

"DUEL!" they both shouted.

"I'll go first!" Andre declared. "Heh, I know you've got some strong dragons in there, Crystal, so I'm going to destroy them without them even having to come to the field. I activate Card Destruction! Now we send our hands to the Graveyard and draw the exact amount of cards we had before. Next, I set one card face down and summon Beta the Magnet Warrior in DEF Mode!"

His yellow magnet warrior arose from the ground and crouched so his DEF could act as a shield for Andre's Life Points.

That ends my turn!"

T2

"Draw!" Crystal declared. She drew her card and then added it to her hand. "You thought you got rid of my dragons, Andre? Think again. For each one I lose, another will take its place. First, I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards. Then I activate Roll of Fate. This card lets me roll a six-sided die, and then I get to draw cards depending on my roll."

A giant die rolled out of nowhere and landed on a four.

"Excellent. Now I draw four cards, but I banish four cards from the top of my deck."

"That's a nice card you got there," Andre said.

"Thanks. Now, I summon Lord of Dragons!"

She set her card on the LED mat, summoning a wizard clad in dragon bone armor [ATK/1200].

"And then I use not one, but two Flutes of Summoning Dragon! Now, one of these would allow me to summon two dragons from my hand, but since I played two, I can summon four! Meet Luster Dragon #2 [ATK/2400], Tyrant Dragon [ATK/2900], Dragonic Knight [ATK/2800], and the mighty Hyozanryu [ATK/2100]!"

"WHOA!" Andre's gang shouted.

They marveled in awe as the four dragons towered over the field. They all had different attributes and abilities and were among Crystal's strongest dragons. The dragons roared and snarled at Andre as if they knew of the terrible things he had done to Yuri and his friends.

"No way! Four dragons!" Rodney cried.

"She really is the Queen of Dragons! She summoned them so easily!"

Crystal smiled. "Heh, looks like your followers understand who you're dealing with, Andre. Your stone soldier won't stand against any of them. And once he's gone, your Life Points are toast."

"I don't think so!" Andre said. He didn't expect her to make such a powerful move, so he quickly shifted his Magic Cylinder for a Mirror Force instead and set it before anyone could notice. "Go ahead and try to stop me, Crystal!"

"Is that so? Well, I set one card face-down and then attack!"

"I activate Mirror Force!" Andre yelled. "Now your dragons are going to get a taste of their own medicine!"

Their breath attacks bounced off the shield and flew back to Crystal's field, incinerating the dragons.

"And just like that, your army of dragons has been wiped out!"

T3

"My turn! And I'm going to use Double Summon, so I can bring out Alpha the Magnet Warrior and Gamma the Magnet Warrior to the field. Then, I tribute them to call on the mighty Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!"

A golem made of three magnet warriors combined together arose from the ground and struck a pose with its sword.

Valkyrion the Magna Warrior

ATK/3500 DEF/3850

"Whoa," Rodney whispered. "What a monster! How'd you do that, boss?"

Andre smiled. "Don't underestimate me. I've got tricks you wouldn't believe."

"You may have a strong warrior," Crystal said. "But he won't be able to protect you when my dragons return."

"They won't return! I sent all your best dragons to the Graveyard without even breaking a sweat! Now, Valkyrion, attack her Life Points directly!"

"I activate the Trap, Pinpoint Guard!" she declared. "This card lets me summon a Level 4 or lower monster from my Graveyard and summon it in DEF Mode! Return, Lord of Dragons!"

A mighty roar shook the arena as Lord of Dragons reappeared on the field with his arms stretched out. Valkyrion's lightning-fast strike was blocked by the sorcerer's cape.

"What happened? My Magna Warrior should have destroyed him!"

"A monster revived with Pinpoint Guard cannot be destroyed in battle or by card effects the turn it's summoned," said Crystal. "So my Life Points are safe from your Magna Warrior."

"Argh! I should have known it wouldn't have been that easy. But no matter. You're not going to revive those dragons because I use this card. Soul Release! Now, I can banish five cards from either Graveyard. And I choose yours. Say goodbye to Van'Dalgyon, Dragonic Knight, Tyrant Dragon, Krystal Dragon, and Gravi-Crush Dragon. Damn, girl, that's a lot of powerful dragons in your Graveyard."

Crystal shrugged.

"Oh, you don't care, huh? It doesn't matter. Even if you were to revive all of them, none of them can take on Valkyrion the Magna Warrior. I end my turn."

T4

Crystal started giggling.

"What's so funny!?"

"Revive all of them? Why that's just what I'm going to do."

"How? I banished them from the game?"

"I can bring them back with this card. It's a powerful and rare spell called Dimension Fusion. Now, by paying 2000 of my Life Points, I can bring back as many banished monsters as possible to my field!"

"WHAT!?"

Crystal's Life Points dropped to 2000 LP. The dragons roared, signaling their return to the game.

Andre's gang jumped to their feet and shouted. "She brought them all back!"

Tyrant Dragon, Van'Dalgyon, and her Krystal Dragon returned to the field in all their glory.

"And I'm not done yet. I banish Infernal Dragon and Alexandrite Dragon from the Graveyard. Two monsters with Light and Dark Attributes. You know what that means."

"Oh...no...no!"

"Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End! Rise and show this fool what happens when he messes with Yuri!"

The mighty dragon roared as it arose from a cloud of black smoke. Andre gasped and stumbled backward. He nearly fell off the podium. Chaos Emperor Dragon - Envoy of the End had finally joined Crystal's ranks. His long brown hair whipped from underneath his helmet, and the chandelier above made his armor of shimmering platinum shine. The aura emanating around him was so powerful it made the air grow cold.

ATK/3000

"It doesn't matter!" Andre shouted. "Valkyrion is still stronger!"

"Oh, shut up! I activate Dragon Heart! Now, I banish three dragons from my deck, and Chaos Emperor Dragon's ATK increases by 1000!"

ATK/4000

Andre hung his head and slammed his fist on the screen. "Oh, whatever. Just end it already."

"If you say so! Go, Chaos Emperor Dragon! Attack Valkyrion with Inferno Flame Burst!"

Chaos Emperor Dragon fired a devastating stream of fire that engulfed Valkyrion and destroyed him. The other dragons followed with a direct attack. Andre's Life Points plummeted to zero.

A slow clap echoed across the arena making everyone fall silent. Brett stood at the entrance, smiling. "Bravo. Bravo," he said, walking toward the arena. The black silk of his Phobos Academy blazer shone with each step. "Excellent. You didn't waste any time taking care of this scum."

Andre stood silently as Brett approached the Duel Pod, giving him a dangerous vibe.

"So, you're the one causing all the trouble. The one they call the Duel King of St. Augustus Academy."

"Y-yeah," Andre said, trying to sound tough. "I...I'm the best Duelist in the whole school."

Brett just laughed. And he laughed loud and hard. He laughed for almost a minute before speaking again. "The best? Any idiot can be the best in a school like St. Augustus Academy. I've seen better Duelists than you in the Junior League. I suppose I should thank you for teaching Yuri and his friends a lesson, but something about your victories against them stinks. By chance, you're always lucking out when they have you beat. Either you're the lord of miracles or you've been cheating, which I highly suspect is true."

"I...I don't cheat!" Andre barked. "My skill is why I win all those matches. I was better than Yuri's friends."

"As much as I despise those self-righteous fools, I find them losing to the likes of you hard to believe. Hmph. Hey, babe."

"Yeah?" Crystal answered.

"Am I correct in assuming this guy is going to face Yuri in an all-or-nothing Duel tomorrow?"

"Yes."

"Then I will be there to watch. And you're welcome to use my arena. A match as exciting as this deserves a better stage. I'll keep an eye on you, Andre Martin. Let's see if your skills are as good as you say they are."

"Well, I have Yuri's Black Tyranno! It was his only strong card. With that card, I'm invincible!"

"Invincible, huh? Interesting. We shall see." Brett snapped his fingers. "All right, everyone. Fun's over. Out of my arena!" As he said this, his friends from Phobos Academy walked in with disgusted looks on their faces as if the students of St. Augustus were filthy rats.

"Ugh. Never have I seen such a vast concentration of low-talent Duelists in my life," one of them said.

The students could not argue with that. The kids from Phobos Academy looked like the elite. Their clothes were top-of-the-line designer brands. The jackets were more elaborate than the ones the other schools had. They wore a variety of gems and jewelry to show off their wealth and success. Their decks were protected in black leather cases decorated with gold and silver. Compared to them, the students from St. Augustus looked like dirt-poor trash.

"Go on!" Brett said, smirking. "Off with you. Skeedaddle, away with you."

"Hmph," Andre said, passing by him. "When I defeat Yuri tomorrow, I'm taking her out next. Then it's going to be you and me!"

Brett rolled his eyes. "I'm shaking in my shoes," he said. "By the way. They cost more than your entire wardrobe put together. Now get out."

Andre narrowed his eyes and followed his entourage out of the arena, but not before stopping to take one last look at the kids from Phobos Academy. "We'll meet again soon."

"No doubt. Just don't cry when you lose," Brett replied.

Chapter 13: Heart of Platinum

Chapter Text

Yuri sat in bed with his arms wrapped around his legs. He rested his chin on his knees and sighed. The rain splattered against the windows, drowning out the sounds of his music. The weather was as gloomy as he felt. There was a deep pain in his heart that he couldn't explain. His throat was dry, but he couldn't find the strength to go to the kitchen for water.

"I know I'm in over my head, but I can't just let this guy walk all over us like this. Dueling was supposed to be fun. There shouldn't be kings or gangs or whatever."

A flash of lightning struck outside, lighting up his room.

"What if Andre is right? What if I'm nothing without Black Tyranno?"

He punched his pillow, trying to vent his anger.

He looked at the ceiling as if Yami Yugi himself was going to come down and talk to him. "Well? Where are you!? Isn't this the part where you say that we're not alone in our battle, that good will always triumph over evil, and that I should never give up hope?"

He growled.

"Damn it! Now I'm taking to figments of my imagination!" He closed his eyes. It had been days since he battled those mysterious Duelists in his dreams. He supposed he should have been grateful for that. It meant he could get a good night's sleep and not wake up in intense pain.

But he oddly found himself missing Zane, Jaden, Alexis... and even Yami Yugi. He didn't believe the whole High King business but couldn't deny Yami's wisdom and experience. If only he were here right now, maybe he could tell him what to do. Sure, the pain sucked, but if it meant seeing them again, he would take it in a heartbeat.

"Man, my life was so simple before I started playing this game. Uncle Sergei wasn't kidding when he told me Duel Monsters could change someone."

He took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. "It's just one more match. That's all it is. I just have to beat Andre and everything will go back to normal."

His phone buzzed on his desk. He got up to check it. A text message from Nick read:

"Group chat with me, Ty, Carter, and Patty."

Yuri went to his desk and turned on his PC. Once he logged into the Duel Network, he joined the private chat room they made. Everyone's faces came up on the screen.

"Hey guys," Yuri said, waving weakly.

"Hey, bro," Patty said. She was clad in her pajamas. Her pink/blonde hair was tied up in pigtails. "How are you holding up?"

"I'm okay. You?"

She shrugged. "Been better."

"This whole thing with Andre is getting out of hand," Tyson said. "We need to put an end to him once and for all."

"Easier said than done," Carter said. "It's all up to Yuri now. But without Black Tyranno..."

"Stop with that," Patty said. "Yuri almost beat Andre last time when he used that Prohibition spell."

"I know!" Nick said. "He got lucky. He got the right card and stumbled into the win!"

"Him getting the luck of the draw each time is why we're here," said Patty. "Guys, don't you find it odd that we can somehow put this guy on the ropes and somehow he draws, I don't know, Card of Sanctity or Monster Reborn or something like that at the most critical moment and turns everything around? This doesn't seem right to me."

"You think he's cheating?" Yuri asked.

"I wouldn't put it past him!" Nick said. "You guys are some of the strongest players I've ever seen. Each and every time, you guys have him within an inch of defeat. And like some sh*tty anime character, he pulls a miracle out of his ass and wins the round. He has to be cheating!"

"Guys," Yuri said softly to calm them down. "Let's not lose our cool here. I know we're all steamed that we lost to this guy. I've never wanted Brett Martinetti to put cement shoes on a jerk as badly as I want them on Andre. But accusing someone of cheating without proof is going to get us nowhere. I'm just going to have to give it my all tomorrow. But keep an eye on him at all times. If he uses dirty tricks to cheat his way to victory, then say something immediately. We can at least make him lose by disqualification."

"Sounds good, man," Tyson said. "I'll keep my eyes on him like Nick on Patty's ass."

The others laughed. Carter tried to fight it back. He slapped his forehead while Patty rolled her eyes. "Very funny, big guy," she said. "Seriously, though. Good luck. We'll be there for you. By the way, Nick, how was your first day of work?"

"It was good until I had to deliver pizzas in the rain. Man, oh, man. The pizzas were nice and warm, but I was stuck in the cold. I can't wait to trade my scooter in for a car."

"You'll get there soon," Carter said. "Just take things slow and steady. Work hard, and you'll have your own sweet ride in no time."

Natalya's profile appeared with a ringing sound.

"Hey, Natalya wants to join the chat," Patty said. "Just a second." She tapped her keyboard, accepting the request. A picture of Natalya filled the screen. She was brushing her wine-colored hair in front of a mirror.

"Hey, everyone!" she said, waving to them.

"Hi, Natalya," everyone answered.

"Yuri, are you okay?" She asked, setting her brush down. Without her bun, she looked like an entirely different person. "I heard you challenged Andre in an all-or-nothing Duel tomorrow. Is it true?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Are you sure you can do this?"

"He doesn't have a choice," Nick said. "He has to do this. If he loses, we're stuck with this jerk as our Duel King for the rest of the year."

"Let me take care of him!" She said.

"No, baby," Patty said. "We can't have you losing Simorgh to that asshole. This is Yuri's battle."

The girl pouted. She looked around, fluttering her eyelashes before looking back at the screen. "I understand. Yuri, I wish you the best of luck."

"Thanks, Natalya," said Yuri.

She gave a thumbs up and tucked her hair behind her ear. "You got it. I don't know what you have in store for him, but I hope you make him pay for what he's done. Andre Martin is not a Duelist. He's a scumbag, plain and simple."

"Couldn't agree more," Carter said.

"Kick his ass, Yuri!" Patty cheered. "Beat the crap out of him!"

Everyone smiled.

"I wish I could be there, but I gotta work," Nick said. "Just promise us you'll do your best, bro."

"I will," Yuri promised. "Tomorrow, we get our cards back. And Andre Martin will never bother us again."

Patty leaned close to her camera and pointed at Yuri. "I'm holding you to that, Yuri. Tomorrow, Andre is finished."

Yuri nodded. "Yes, ma'am."

She smirked. "Good. Well, guys, I'm going to turn in now. I have a test tomorrow."

"Yeah, I'll be seeing you guys later. Yuri, good luck tomorrow, man."

"Thanks, buddy. Later."

They all signed off and closed the chat room.

Yuri sighed heavily and leaned back in his chair.

"Just one more match..."

The day came at last. With the final Duel on everyone's minds, the hours at school were tense and anxious, and seemed to drag for what felt like ages. But before they knew it, classes had ended, and it was time to go. Everyone gathered around Yuri at his locker as he put away his books.

"So, you ready?" Patty asked.

"No," Yuri said. "But I've got to do what I must. I've got to try. If we're going down, we'll go down fighting."

"That's right!" Patty said.

Tyson held out a fist. "Give him hell, man."

Yuri smiled and bumped fists with him. They left the school and boarded the bus to the Duel Dome. The storm from last night intensified, Bright flashes of lightning pierced through the dark clouds and rain poured from the sky.

"Hey, Yuri," said Nick as he sat next to him. "You okay?"

Yuri looked out the window and saw the city pass by. The waves underneath the bridges were wild and rough, crushing against the concrete and steel pillars.

"Yeah, just got a lot on my mind."

"Hey, you've come a long way since you got that Black Tyranno, man," said Tyson. "With or without him, you're going to kick that Duel King's butt!"

"Thanks, guys," Yuri said. The bus turned towards the bridge leading to the Duel Dome's island. The palm trees that forested the path to the entrance swayed violently in the wind, almost losing their branches.

The bus hissed as it stopped before the stadium's large automatic doors. Everyone grabbed their bags and stood up. Nick, Tyson, Carter, and Patty stayed close to Yuri as they left the bus and entered the arena. Andre's goons, like sentinels guarding their king's castle, leaned against the glass walls by the front desk. They all sneered at them.

"It's about time you showed up," said one of the thugs. "King Martin has been waiting for you for some time now."

"But isn't the arena this way?" Yuri asked.

"You're going to Duel in style," said Rodney. "Brett Martinetti allowed us to use his private arena for this duel. He thought it would be appropriate, don't you think?"

"Brett?" Nick said. "Aw, no, I don't like this already."

"Come on," said Patty. "Don't make any eye contact with him." She grabbed his wrist and led him like a mother pulling her child across the street. Yuri and the others followed. They went through a set of doors near the lobby and walked down a long corridor until they came to a flight of stairs leading to another Duel Dome level.

"Wow, this place screams pretentious," Tyson said, looking around the lavish hallways decorated with gold and bronze. "Look, there's the mafia boy himself up on the balcony with his groupies."

On the opposite side of the hallway was Brett Martinetti's personal box. It was a spacious room with a clear view of the main arena below. His friends from Phobos Academy sat around him as a pretty serving girl passed around a platter of fries and finger sandwiches.

Andre was already seated on the red platform. Unlike the other platforms in the Duel Dome, this one had a sleek design light a fighter jet and was festooned with gold leafy patterns.

"Welcome, Yuri," Andre said when he saw him. "Glad you could finally join me."

"Whatever," Yuri said. "Glad we can Duel here. Because now I can kick your ass in style."

"Oh, I am frightened," Andre chuckled. But enough talk. Let's get started. Remember, if you lose, you and your friends will accept me as your master and mentor! You will follow my lead forever. Got it?"

"Yeah, yeah, just be sure to uphold your end of the bargain and relinquish this whole Duel King nonsense. And give our cards back."

"That's not going to happen. I built this deck just to torment you, Yuri. You should have accepted my offer when I was still being nice."

Brett snigg*red at the drama unfolding below. He held out his glass, and one of his buddies poured him some champagne. "What a great show," he said. "This is better than watching a soap opera. I mean, look. Yuri, the kid who lost his ace going against the tyrant king who defeated his friends. This is a good way to spend a Friday afternoon, huh?"

His friends all nodded and laughed. Crystal, sitting beside him, narrowed her eyes, hoping he could pull another miracle today and defeat Andre as he did Randall and Layal Lovecraft. "Come on, Yuri..."

Yuri jumped into the blue platform, which rose, taking him high above the pit where the holographic monsters would be generated.

The Duel Arena became quiet, like the calm before a storm.

"All right, guys! The moment you've been waiting for," said Rodney. "Our challenger, Yuri Montgomery, is challenging Andre Martin, the reigning Duel King! If Yuri wins, Andre will renounce his claim to the title and relinquish everyone's cards. But if Yuri loses, he and his friends will belong to Andre forever! Who will win this epic showdown? Who will reign supreme as the King of Duelists!? Let the final match begin!"

He held out his hand.

"DUEL!"

Back in Termnnia, the Seeing Stones began to glow. Serenity called everyone to her chambers to watch Yuri take down Yugi's renegade apprentice at once. Not five minutes after sending the text, the doors to her room flung open. Yugi, Tristan, and the others rushed inside and gathered around her table.

"Well, it's about time you got here," Serenity said. "I thought you were going to miss it."

"Sorry," said Téa. "Tristan had to use the bathroom."

"Sorry, got drunk at the bar earlier," he said. "I'm still depressed the Senate allowed the Three Points Plan to pass. Yugi, was there nothing else you could do?"

"I wish I could have done more," said Yugi. "But with all the plan's support, even I couldn't stop it."

"We can't mop about that forever," said Mai. "From what I understand, Declan Akaba and Seto Kaiba already have their own plan in motion, right Yugi?"

He pressed his finger to his lips. "Please, Mai. Let's not talk about that in the Spyre of the Kings. Who knows how much the poison of Antilles's gold has leaked into these walls."

"Yuri's Dueling yer apprentice Andre Martin now," Joey said. "Let's focus on that."

"Yeah!" said Tristan. "The sooner Yuri whoops that obnoxious brat, the better. I want Yuri to make him pay for everything he's done."

"I want to see him win, too," said Yugi. "But remember, Andre was one of the top students in Duel Academia, and he was an apprentice of the Spirit of the Puzzle. He may be a power-hungry villain, but he is a formidable Duelist. Yuri's going to have a tough battle on his hands."

"Why would the Spirit take this brat under his wing!?" Joey snapped. "After all the trouble he caused everyone!"

"Yami Yugi believed in second chances," Téa explained. "Maybe he saw something in this Andre kid."

"Sure," said Mai. "He gave the kid a second chance, and what does he do? He ditches the monastery the Spirit sent him to train and leaves for the Standard Dimension to bully the Crown Prince. Hmph! Yuri's master and mentor, my ass! My boy better kick his butt!"

Serenity pointed at the stone. "He's starting the match! Here we go!"

Life Points

Yuri: 4000

Andre: 4000

"So, who will go first?" Brett said. "Crystal," he tossed her a coin. "You call it, babe."

She caught it and flipped it. "Heads: Andre. Tails: Yuri!" she declared

It landed on tails.

"Looks like you'll start the fun," said Andre.

"Yes, I shall. I activate Ancient Rules! And I'll summon Absolute King Megaplunder!" Yuri summoned a new dinosaur he got from the shop the other day. It was a carnivorous dinosaur colored azure blue with a feathery mane going down its back and red stripes on its side.

ATK/2000

"Next, I activate Polymerization! And I'll fuse Trakadon and Beast King of the Swamp to summon Pragtical!" He brought forth a purple dinosaur with spiked appendages on its shoulders and head. A long tail with a thagomizer at the end whipped around.

ATK/1900

"And then, I'll activate Card of Sanctity!"

"Whoa!" Brett said. "When did Yuri get a card like that?"

"What's it do?" one of his friends asked.

"It's a very rare spell that allows both players to draw until they have six cards in their hands," Brett replied. "Think of it as a redo. However, the only one getting the full benefits of that card is Yuri since he wasted his entire hand summoning those two pathetic dinosaurs."

Yuri picked up three cards from his hand and set them on the field. "Finally, I'll set these three cards face-down and end my turn."

"Nice!" said Tyson. "Yuri isn't playing around!"

T2

Andre bobbed his head up and down. "I see you got yourself quite the card, Yuri. But I hope you weren't planning on using those new cards. I activate Card Destruction! Now, we discard our entire hand and draw a new one."

"I know how it works!" Yuri said, discarding his cards to the Graveyard.

Andre chuckled, tossing his cards like trash before drawing his new hand. "Heh, then I guess you won't mind if I activate this! It's called Hand Destruction. Now, we discard four cards in our hands and send them to the Graveyard. Then, we draw four new cards."

"Okay..." Yuri said.

"Now, Yuri, I'm going to use Graceful Charity. This lets me draw three cards so long as I discard two. But check it out. One of those cards was this Spell Card. Card of Compensation. When it's sent to the Graveyard, I get to draw two more cards."

Brett chuckled and sipped his drink. "What is this guy planning?"

"Must be something big," said one of his friends.

Andre held up a spell so everyone could see. "I activate Card of Aversity! If you have a monster on the field, including a Special Summoned monster, like your Absolute King Megaplunder, I get two more cards!"

"More cards!" Tristan said.

"Oh, no," said Téa. "He's drawing like crazy. Who knows what kind of cards he acquired with this crazy strategy!"

"Don't worry," said Joey. He leaned in closer toward the stone to see the field a little clearly. "Yuri's got some face-downs. I'm sure he's ready for whatever this guy has planned for him."

Andre smiled at Yuri, then burst into laughter."Now that I have the resources in my hand and in my Graveyard, my master plan can finally be set in motion! I play the spell Soul Release! This lets me banish five cards from either Graveyard. But I'll stick to mine. So these five monsters go bye-bye. But not for long."

"What do you mean?" Yuri asked.

"Because I'm bringing them back with this card! Dimension Fusion! Now, by paying 2000 Life Points, I can bring back each of those banished monsters directly to the field!"

"Augh! No way!"

"Yes! Now watch as I bring back your Black Tyranno! Carter's Levia-Dragon Daedalus! Patty's Zera the Mant! And Tyson's Behemoth King of All Animals!"

The bright flashes and glittering lights displayed the Aces of his friends and his beloved Black Tyranno, lining up and glaring at Yuri with their red eyes.

"And last but not least, the all-powerful Chaos Command Magician!" [ATK/2400]

"Our monsters!" Tyson shouted.

"He's going to use them against Yuri!" Carter.

"That bastard!" Patty shouted. "Only Andre Martin would be callous enough to pull something like this!"

"Hahahaha!" Andre laughed. "Now, time for a change in leadership. I activate Magical Dimension! When I control a Spellcaster, I can use this card to destroy a monster I control and switch it for a Spellcaster in my hand! So I'm going to get rid of your precious Black Tyranno!"

A black and gold sarcophagus appeared. It opened up and released a dark vortex that consumed the Black Tyranno and replaced it with a new monster. "Come forth! Dark Magician!"

The sarcophagus opened, and Dark Magician emerged, taking his position before everyone's monsters.

ATK/2500

"See this, Yuri? This lineup is a metaphor for what's to come. I'm the leader. They follow me, and you will, too!"

He spread his arms out to show off the collection of powerful monsters lined up before him.

"They're all mine now! And just like your monsters, your friends are mine! I am the King! I can beat anyone with any deck! And soon, with you and your friends under my wing, I'll never lose! I am the King of Duelists! And since my Dark Magician is the leader of this lineup, let's make him stronger! I activate, United We Stand! Now, Dark Magician's power increases by 800 for each monster I control! And with four loyal servants backing him up, that means his attack points go up to a total of...6500!"

Yuri took a step back. "Gkkk! He's...strong!"

"Oh no!" Serenity said.

"I knew this wasn't going to be easy," said Mai.

"Dark Magician! Destroy his Absolute King - Megaplunder!"

"I knew you couldn't resist!" Yuri said. "I activate my Trap Card! Offensive Guard! This will cut your Dark Magician's ATK in half!"

ATK/3250

"So what? He's still stronger than your Absolute King!"

"That's what you think! I activate my second face-down card. Covering Fire! This card will transfer Pragtical's ATK to my Absolute King - Megaplunder's raising his power to 3900! Now he's stronger than your magician!"

"Yes!" Tyson shouted. "Way to go, Yuri!"

"Aww, no!" Andre whined.

Absolute King - Megaplunder swiftly dodged the blast of dark magic before swatting Dark Magician away. The legendary sorcerer crashed against the wall behind him and burst into pixels.

"Aw, man!" Andre muttered as his Life Points trickled down to 3350.

"And now that that's over, Offensive Guard also lets me draw a card.

Serenity and the other cheered around the stone, each of them impressed by Yuri's handling of the overpowered magician.

Andre banged the panel with his fist. "Well, at least I still have your friends' monsters!"

"They aren't yours," Yuri said. "And I will get them back when all is said and done."

Brett chuckled from the balcony. "I must say, I didn't expect a move like that from Yuri. Maybe he's not so worthless after all."

Crystal expressed her frustration by exhaling a puff of air through her nose. "You only realize this now? He did beat your star protege after all."

"My dear, that was just beginner's luck. I don't know who this Andre guy is, but he's got some impressive skills. I mean, look at his field. The Aces of his dear friends under his control. This is going to be good."

"You may have beaten my Dark Magician, but your Pragtical will be an excellent target for MY Zera the Mant! Attack!"

Zera the Mant grunted and charged across the field, raising his sharp claws. With one mighty swipe, Pragtical roared out in pain before vanishing into pixels.

Yuri grunted, shielding his face from the harsh wind the blast produced. His Life Points were lowered to 3100.

"Ha! You may have gotten he best of my Dark Magician but the round is mine! I stand with more Life Points than you do!"

T3

"A slight lead won't change a thing," Yuri said. "I draw. I activate Swords of Revealing Light!" He held up his card. A golden magic circle lit up above him. Then, it exploded, showering Andre with bright light, forcing him to cover his eyes. Dozens of swords made of light rained from the sky, each piercing the ground and keeping his monsters trapped.

"Now, your monsters can't attack me for the next three turns!"

"Phew," said Patty. "Yuri might have bought himself some time with that one."

"He better get something good in those three turns," said Tyson. "I mean, look what he's up against. Our best monsters! Behemoth, Zera, and Deadalus. We beat Yuri's ass with those monsters countless times, all on their own. But now they're on the field together under the hands of that prick!"

Nick crossed his arms and pouted. "Hmph, at least you guys have Aces for jerks like him to take. When am I going to get a cool Ace monster for my deck?"

"You're really going to grumble about this now?" Patty asked.

T4

Andre drew his next card. "All right, Yuri. I set one card face-down and call it a turn."

T5

"Draw!" Yuri added the card to his hand. "I summon Yowie!" He summoned a brown lizard creature with six spider legs.

"When Yowie is summoned, you skip your next draw phase!" Yuri said.

"No matter," said Andre. "I activate my Trap. Dark Renewal!"

A red coffin decorated in gold rose out of the ground and opened. A dark force from the blue jewel at the center of the coffin opened and sucked in the life forces of Chaos Command Magician and Yowie. When the full energy of both monsters were absorbed, the doors closed with a loud bang.

"What did you do?" Yuri shouted. "My monster!"

"Yeah, and his Chaos Command Magician, too!" said Tyson. "What's going on here?"

Andre relished their confusion. "Ha! When you summoned your monster, and I control a Spellcaster, Dark Renewal will destroy them both and allow me to Special Summon a Dark Spellcaster-Type monster from my deck or my Graveyard."

"Oh no..." Yuri grumbled. "Not him!"

"Yes! Return, Dark Magician!"

The spell caster returned, standing behind Andre, crossing his arms over his chest.

"That Dark Magician is back?" Carter said.

"I bet you anything Andre filled his deck with cards that keep his magician out," Patty said.

"Of course, I did, Reaper. Dark Magician is going to lead your monsters like I'm going to lead you! A leader, when he falls, must always get back up and continue fighting. Just like the Dark Magician in this Duel, I'm going to emerge on top, and soon you all will fall under my leadership! I am the King!"

"All right, all right. I get it!" Yuri said. "I end my turn."

T6

"Since your Yowie prohibited me from drawing this turn, I end my turn. Two more left and the swords will set my army of monsters free!"

T7

"All right, Andre. Here goes. I tribute Absolute King - Megaplunder and summon another Yowie in ATK Mode!"

"What!? Aww, man! My draw phase is skipped again!" He smiled to keep his cool. "If you think some flashy swords and a brown turd lizard skipping my draw phase are going to scare me, you're sadly mistaken, Yuri. Don't forget, your friends' strongest monsters are under my control! And when the swords are gone, my Dark Magician is going to lead my army of rare and powerful monsters to crush you!"

"We'll see about that. I end my turn."

T8

Yuri 3100 LP

Andre 3350 LP

"And so will I," said Andre. "One more turn left, Yuri."

Brett drummed his fingers on the side of the balcony. He sipped from a wineglass.

"Yuri's been making some cowardly plays," he chuckled. He peered from the corner of his eye to see Crystal's reaction. "He may have given himself a three-turn delay but when those swords fade away, he's going to be crushed by the strongest cards of his dear friends."

"You're loving this aren't you?" Crystal asked.

"Why wouldn't I? I love seeing Yuri with his back against the wall."

"You, of all people, should know what happens when Yuri's back's against the wall," Crystal replied.

Brett looked down at her and gave her an incredulous look. "Oh, please, Crystal. You're going to tell me that you believe in him?"

"Yes, I do."

"Hmph. Well, we shall see how long this little charade lasts. The minute those Swords go away, Andre is going to unleash hell on him."

T9

Yuri 3100 LP

Andre 3350 LP

"All right, Andre," Yuri said. "Here goes. Draw! I activate Pot of Greed and draw two cards. All right, now, I sacrifice Absolute King - Megaplunder and Yowie to summon the mighty, Rainbow Snake Eingana!"

A massive green serpent emerged from a portal that was created by blue magic. It lifted its head up high and extended its body outwards. The snake's eyes shone bright red, and as it slithered, the opal scales on its body glittered like a rainbow in the light.

ATK/2200

"Whoa! Yuri!" Nick shouted. "Nice monster! But, uh, wasn't your deck prehistoric-themed or something?"

"Haha, you never heard of Titanoboa or Vasuki?" Yuri asked.

"So what?" Andre said. "He has only 2200 ATK points. He's far weaker than any of the monsters I have on the field."

"Oh, is that so?" Yuri said. "Well, let's see what happens when I activate this card. Rush Recklessly! Now, my snake gains 700 ATK points [ATK/2900]! And your magician is going to be the first one for Eingana to swallow!"

Rainbow Snake Eingana hissed as it rose even higher above the ground. Its tongue flicked around in excitement, ready to consume Andre's magician.

"Your snake may be bigger, but he's not strong enough to defeat my Dark Magician! I activate Negate Attack and end your Battle Phase!"

Tyson slammed his fist against the side of his seat. "Damn! So far, it's been back and forth with those guys."

"Careful, Tyson," Patty said. "You were about to call them evenly matched. No. Not, Yuri. Deep down, I know he's leagues beyond Andre. Even now, despite the losses he sometimes takes, he's been finding a way to turn things around. Those matches against Randall and Layla were no fluke. He's getting better with each duel."

T10

Yuri 3100 LP

Andre 3350 LP

"Draw," said Andre. "And I'm going to end my turn place placing two cards face-down. Your swords are now gone."

The swords flickered as if fighting to keep their light. Then, they faded away.

T11

Yuri 3100 LP

Andre 3350 LP

"Draw!" Yuri said. "I summon Set a monster in DEF Mode. And then, I equip Rainbow Snake Eingana with the Black Pendant!" The snake raised its neck higher as the black pendant appeared around it. "My snake's ATK now increases by 500, raising it to 2700! Now, let's try this again! Rainbow Snake Eingana, attack Dark Magician!"

Andre shrugged and let the snake lunge at his magician. The moment the snake's mouth was open, Andre activated his face-down card. "Reveal Trap Card! Spellbinding Circle!" A magic circle erupted from the card and trapped Rainbow Snake Eingana.

"NO!" Nick roared in frustration.

Joey slammed his fists on the table so hard, the image on the stone shook, causing his friends to yell and calm him down. "Arrgh! Come on!" he roared. "How many times does Yuri have to go through this?"

"Come on, Yuri! Hang in there!" Téa shouted.

Yuri looked down at his card and clenched his teeth. "I set a card face-down and end my turn," he said.

T12

Yuri 3100 LP

Andre 3350 LP

"All right, Yuri! Playtime is over!" Andre quickly swapped his face-down card for a very powerful one in his sleeve, and he set it on the field before anyone knew the wiser. "I activate my face-down card. Altar of Dark Charity!"

"What's that?" Patty asked.

An altar made of black steel rose out of the ground. Black Tyranno was hanging in between two sharp pillars by chains.

"That's Yuri's Black Tyranno!" Yusei yelled. "That sick bastard! What has he done!?"

"My Altar of Dark Charity allows me to revive a monster from my Graveyard in DEF Mode," Andre explained. "However, its effects are negated and it can't switch its position or attack."

"So what good did it do bringing him out?" Yuri shouted.

"Oh, he's gonna serve his purpose!" Andre said. "He is useless, but his ATK points can still serve to make my monsters stronger. You see, I can transfer his ATK points in multiples of 100 and increase my other monster's ATK by the same amount! Now, watch as I transfer 2000 of his ATK points to my Dark Magician!"

The pillars let out a terrifying hum and red lightning violently zapped Black Tyranno until all his energy was gone and transferred over to Andre's Dark Magician. The magician's eyes glowed brightly as he was filled with more power.

ATK/4500

ATK/600

"Damn you!" Yuri snarled.

"What's the matter, Yuri? Is that monster important to you? Well, look at him now. A worthless piece of junk, unable to fight for his master! Well, he still has 600 ATK points I can put to good use. I'll give 200 to Daedalus!"

The pillars zapped Black Tyranno again. The dinosaur roared, thrashing about in its chains. As it struggled more chains shot out of the pillars, constricting its body even further. Crystal looked away when the chains wrapped themselves around Black Tyranno's jaws to keep him quiet. She felt tears stinging the back of her eyes as she looked at the poor creature.

Daedalus's body let off a bright light as he absorbed the monster's life force.

ATK/2800

ATK/400

"Now, I'll transfer 200 more to Zera the Mant!"

A third shock of red lightning coursed through Black Tyranno and was sent to Zera the Mant. His muscles bulged, and the spikes on his shoulders, arms, and legs extended outwards.ATK/3000

"And another 200 to Behemoth, King of All Animals!"

Black Tyranno let out a terrible cry before screaming out in agony as his body was ravaged by electricity. Behemoth roared and flexed its powerful arms, basking in the rush of energy coursing through its body.

ATK/2700

ATK/200

"Ah, looks like he's still got 200 more ATK points, so I'll give those to Dark Magician!"

"No!" Nick and Carter shouted together.

ATK/4700

ATK/0

"All right, Yuri. This is it! All four of my monsters have enough ATK points to crush your Eingana and the rest of your Life Points! And don't think your face-down cards are going to save you, fool! Because I activate, Anti-Magic Arrows!" Andre never had the card in his hand, however. It was another card he had stored away in his sleeve.

"Oh no!" Yugi yelled, balling his fists in anguish. "Now Andre is going to prohibit Yuri from activating his face-down cards!"

"No, Yuri!" Mai yelled. "There's gotta be something he can do."

"I don't believe it! Yuri's gonna lose!" Joey yelled.

"Dark Magician!" Andre shouted. "Attack his Rainbow Snake Eingana! Dark Magic Attack!"

The Dark Magician held out his staff. He closed his eyes as if concentrating, summoning all his strength. With an earth-shattering roar, the magician unleashed his most powerful spell attack, blasting a beam of dark magic at Yuri's snake. The serpent tried to fight off the attack by using its own powers, but alas, it was not strong enough and was obliterated into ashes. Yuri yelled and held on tight as his platform shook violently from the blast. His Life Points took 2000 damage from the attack, reducing him to his last1100.

"This is it, Yuri! It's all over! My monsters are going to destroy you with one last...huh?"

Rainbow Snake Eingana rose from the smoke and hissed.

"What's this!"

The snake opened its mouth and fired a rainbow beam from its mouth, destroying Dark Magician! Then Zera the Mant, Daedalus, Behemoth, and Black Tyranno were destroyed as well. Andre screamed in horror. He leaned closer to the LED board displayed in front of him, checking his field for glitches or errors. When he saw there were none, he became even more confused.

"But how?" Andre asked. "You couldn't have used any face-down cards! My arrows prevented you from playing them!"

"What just happened?" Nick asked.

"I...I don't know," Patty said.

Yuri smiled despite the big hit to his Life Points. "When Rainbow Snake Eingana is destroyed, it can destroy all monsters you control!"

Everyone began to cheer, however, the celebration was short-lived when they noticed Andre's smile.

"Heh! You think that's the end of my army?" Andre said. "Your snake's effect just allowed to activate this all-powerful card!" He flipped and revealed a trap, glimmering in a prismatic rare pattern. "Behold, Last Stand of the Brotherhood!"

"What?" Brett said. "Whoa, where did this loser get a card like that?"

Andre laughed and held out his arms. To everyone's horror, Dark Magician, Behemoth, Zera, Daedalus, and Black Tyranno rose out of the ground.

"What's going on!?" Tyson roared. "They're all coming back!"

When all five monsters were lined up in front of him, Andre began to explain. "Last Stand of the Brotherhood activates when five monsters on my side of the field are destroyed at the same time. I can pay half my Life Points [LP 1675] and resurrect them back to the field in DEF Mode, ignoring their summoning conditions! However, they come back with no effects, no ATK or DEF, and they can't attack or be used as tribute. However, they can't be attacked or targeted by your card effects. Except for one monster of my choosing."

"What do you mean?"

"Out of the five monsters I chose to resurrect, I can choose one of them to be the leader."

"Let me guess, your Dark Magician, right?"

"That's right. I choose him. And then, my trap allows me to increase his ATK by 800 for each monster on my side of the field! So Dark Magician's power rises from 0 to 4000!" Andre burst out laughing amidst the cheers of 'Hail, King Andre! Hail, King Andre! Hail, King Andre!"

"Hah. It's all over, Yuri. With no monsters to defend you, your Life Points are wide open! Dark Magician, attack and end this! Make Yuri and his friends my loyal servants!"

Dark Magician raised his staff and unleashed his deadly magic. The blast struck Yuri, enveloping him in black smoke. Patty screamed as she watched her friend disappear.

Andre waited for the smoke to clear but gasped when he saw Yuri still had 1100 Life Points left.

"What's going on?" he said. "But...I hit you dead on! I should be the victor here!"

"Yes, but because I took more than 1000 damage during the battle, I was allowed to Special Summon Ruklamba the Spirit King in DEF Mode." There was an alligator standing in front of Yuri with a mane of black hair. It hissed before pixelating into nothing.

"He took the attack, and my Life Points are safe!"

Serenity pressed her hands closer to her chest and breathed a sigh of relief as she felt her heart beating hard.

"Wow, what a save!" Mai said.

"Yeah! That's it, Yuri!" Joey cheered.

Yuri's friends stood up and cheered, save for Patty, who was fanning herself with her hand.

"sh*t, dude, I need some new underwear," she joked. "Damn it, Yuri, don't scare me like that."

T13

"My turn," Yuri said. "I summon Ipiria in ATK mode!" he summoned a blue lizard with a white mustache and beard. "When he's summoned, I can draw a card." He took a deep breath. "And it better be a good one. I'm out of options. I used up all my best cards. And no matter what I do, Andre keeps coming back stronger. This is it, little guy. Your effect is my last hope."

He placed his fingers on the top of his deck. For a moment, he could hear the voices of Yugi and the others calling out to him despite they were a dimension away. They were like angels, giving him strength to keep fighting. He closed his eyes and let their words reach him. All the doubt he felt was washing away with their cheers and their love, mixed with the faith from his friends here in the Standard Dimension. He slid the card off the deck and stared at it.

"Yes," he whispered. "Yes. I can use this. I will win."

"What is it?" Andre asked impatiently. "Let's see what you got, chump!"

"This! It's called Ultra Evolution Pill!"

"I know what it does!" Andre said. "I've seen you use that card dozens of times to bring your Black Tyranno out. What good will it do? I've got the strongest dinosaur in your deck right here on my field!"

"Black Tyranno's my Ace and my most precious card. But he's no longer the strongest in terms of ATK points."

"Huh?" Andre said.

"Ultra Evolution Pill, activate!"

Ipiria started to glow brightly and grew ten times its size.

"Dinosaur and machine combine to create a creature of legendary strength!" Yuri shouted.

As Yuri's monster's transformation began, a huge shadow was cast over Andre's army. He looked up and gaped when he saw what had suddenly appeared.

"No way," Andre said.

"Rise Super Conductor Tyranno!"

A colossal green tyrannosaur, covered in shiny chrome armor plating from head to tail, suddenly appeared from a beam of light. The dinosaur growled fiercely while flexing its powerful arms and legs, causing the ground to shake as it raised its sword high above its head. Lightning crackled all around it.

ATK/3300

"Whoa..." Brett said, standing out of his seat.

"That thing is a beast!" said Tyson.

"Look how big it is!" Carter added.

Nick laughed. "That's awesome!"

"It's so cool!" Patty exclaimed.

Andre sighed and flung some hair off his face. "He's impressive, I'll give you that. But have you forgotten my Dark Magician's ATK is 4000? He still outpowers your Tyranno."

"Not quite," Yuri said. "I'm done playing your games! I'm sick of you parading around with our monsters and mistreating them! With this brand-new dinosaur under my control, I bring an end to your reign! I activate Riryoku!"

"Ugh! No! Now you can cut Dark Magician's ATK in half and transfer those points to your dinosaur!"

Super Conductor Tyranno ATK/5300

Dark Magician ATK/2000

"This is the end!" Yuri shouted. "Super Conductor Tyranno, attack his Dark Magician!"

"Wait! Yuri! Wait!" Andre called. Gone was his overconfidence. Now, a tone of desperation and sad whimpering took its place. "Yuri, please don't! I need this! You have no idea how badly I need this! Please, let me win, Yuri, please!"

"What's gotten into him?" Nick asked.

Tyson shrugged. "I don't know. He's never begged for mercy before."

"But...what can he do?" Carter asked. "He's totally outmatched now. I guess he has no other alternative than to hope Yuri can find it in his heart to let Andre rule as Duel King."

"Ha! Like that's gonna happen," Tyson replied.

"Yuri, please! Let me win! I swear I'll give you back your cards! I swear! Please, let me win this match! We can do so many great things together. Come on, Yuri, please!"

"Forget it!" Yuri shouted. "My Super Conductor Tyranno is taking out your Dark Magician, once and for all! Destroy him!"

The Super Conductor Tyranno unleashed an ungodly roar as its inner machinations and generators whirled to life. It released lightning from its orbs that took off high above the dome and formed into a dragon. The dragon opened its mouth, unleashing a powerful electrical beam that disintegrated Andre's last trump card. Then, the other monsters shattered into pieces like glass. The force from the blast caused Andre's arm to fling upwards, then cards came spilling out of his sleeve, dropping onto the field like confetti.

"LOOK!" Carter shouted, pointing at the cards on the floor. "He had cards in his sleeve the whole time!"

"So that's how he was able to get the right cards to beat us!" Tyson yelled. "You cheating bastard! You should be ashamed of yourself!"

"Of course," said Patty. "That's why he forced us to Duel in gauntlet matches just to face him! He was studying our decks. And when it was time to face us, he stuffed the cards he needed to counter our strategies into his sleeves!"

"BOOOOO!"

"BOOOOO!"

"YOU'RE A CHEATER, ANDRE!"

"LIAR!"

Andre looked around in disbelief. His once loyal subjects were now turning against him.

Brett had seen enough. He snapped his fingers. "Boys, get this loser out of my arena."

The guards walked down to Andre's pod and dragged him away while he kicked and screamed.

"Let me go! You can't do this to me! I'm Andre, I'm Andre! No, no! NO!"

They took him to the entrance and unceremoniously shoved him outside. He fell to the ground with a thud.

"Here's yer deck, yer majesty!" laughed one of Brett's henchmen. He threw all of Andre's cards on the ground and closed the door behind them.

Brett sat back down and slid his fingers down his golden hair.

"So, does he still not impress you?" Crystal asked. "Even when someone rigged the game in their favor, Yuri won!"

"Impressive, but that doesn't change anything," Brett said. "He's still scum. And he always will be in my eyes." He stood and clapped his hands. "All right, losers. Show's over. Get out of my arena."

The students picked up their things and hurried out of the stadium. Crystal wanted to go down and congratulate him, but Brett grabbed her by the wrist. "Where do you think you're going?"

"I was just going to-"

"We're going home. Now! Guys, grab her things, and let's go."

"No! I want to go see Yuri!"

Brett tightened his grip. "You'll do what I say, or else there will be consequences, girl! I own you, remember?"

Crystal bit her lip and nodded her head sadly. "Fine..." She looked up and straightened her back, trying to look brave. "How can you treat me like this!? I'm the Aquarian Champion!"

"You only have that title because my uncle showered you with the best dragon cards money could buy. However, that doesn't change the fact that you're bound to my family. Need I remind you of the contract?"

She shook her head.

He laughed and roughly patted her cheek. "Good. Piss me off in the slightest, and you'll not only lose that dragon deck, but you'll find yourself living in the slums."

Crystal kept her lips tightly shut.

"Let's go."

Brett and his friends left the stadium while Crystal trailed behind them like a sad puppy.

Yuri watched her sadly until they disappeared from view. "Crystal...I'll free you from him one day."

Patty was at the platform Andre stood on and picked up their cards. She handed them back to their owners.

"Yeah!" Tyson said, holding up Behemoth. They held their Aces together. "The gang's back together!"

"That was so cool, Yuri!" Carter said. "Even with that loser cheating, you still managed to win."

"Thanks, but it wasn't just me who won. We all did."

"I guess," Nick said. "But your new dinosaur is pretty damn awesome. Wanna trade?"

"No."

"Aww, come on!" Nick whined.

"Poor guy," Patty giggled. "He's the only one without an Ace."

"Aww, come on! Yuri, let me have the big guy! You have Black Tyranno back!" He rushed to Patty. "Come on, Pats, you've got like three powerful monsters in that deck. Let me have one!"

"No can do, bud," Patty said, patting his back.

They laughed at him as he whined about how unfair life was.

"Hopefully, things can go back to normal," Tyson said.

"I hope so," Carter said, crossing his arms. "We can get back to our daily lives without having to worry about that creep challenging us to a duel every other hour."

"Yeah," Tyson sighed. "You know, I'm gonna use this experience as a flex."

"Huh?" they all said.

"I mean think about it, how strong are we that our foes have to cheat in order to beat us?"

Yuri chuckled. "Right. We must be one tough crew."

"And with you and Black Tyranno, you're part of what makes our team strong."

"What about me?" Nick said.

Patty laughed. "Until you get something descent in that deck of yours, you can be the water boy."

Nick frowned and crossed his arms. "Whatever."

The five friends started to walk out of the stadium.

"Well, if anything," Yuri said. "All that excitement has given me an appetite. How about we go to Blockbuster Pizza?"

"I'm in!" Nick said.

Patty smiled. "Me too."

"Sounds good," Tyson said.

"You're treating, right Yuri?" Carter asked.

"Ha, ha, ha! Was getting your cards back not enough?"

They entered the atrium and noticed Andre sitting alone on the side of the fountain. His head was low, and he appeared to be crying. Now, you're not going to believe this, but moments later, Andre found himself sitting in the booth opposite Yuri and his friends at the pizza place.

"Yuri, I'm sorry I took everyone's cards and kept forcing you to be my followers. The better player won today, and that was you. Ugh, I was such a creep to you guys this whole week. And now everyone at school knows it. I'm ruined. Everyone saw me as a cheater."

"I hope you realize what happens when you let pride and power consume you," Patty said. "You were already a good player. But because you were so obsessed with us, you lost your way and resorted to lying and cheating to win."

"And like Patty said, you were already a strong Duelist already," Tyson said.

"No way? You really think so?"

"Yeah, bro. We all do," Carter said. "Your deck is full of some pretty kick-ass cards."

"Yeah, Dark Magician's cool," said Nick. "It's YOU I don't like."

Patty finished her slice and wiped her mouth. "Well, hopefully, we can all put this behind us and just get back to playing the game and enjoying it."

"So that's it?" Andre asked. "How could you guys let me off the hook this easily? I was a total jerk to all of you."

"The Duel's over, Andre," said Yuri. "Let's leave the fighting on the battlefield. Because revenge, pride, and greed never have any winners."

"You're right. I'm sorry. But what am I going to do now? Nobody's gonna wanna play against me anymore. My reputation is ruined."

"Perhaps," said Tyson. "But a couple of rounds against us at the Ruby Dragon after school could help people see you're changing your ways and Dueling with honor and respect."

"Wait, you mean...I can Duel with you guys?"

"Same time, same place," said Carter. "The Ruby Dragon Gaming Shop is a place where players can just chill and enjoy the game. No Duel Kings, no stakes, just fun."

"Until Saturday when we play to boost our rankings," said Patty. "If you're truly sorry, Andre, you'd do best to leave that oversized ego of yours behind and just play the game with friends."

"I am sorry. And you guys are offering me something far more than apprentices or rare cards."

Yuri held out his hand. "Wanna start over?"

"Definitely."

They shook hands.

"You guys are making a mistake," said Nick. "But if Yuri's cool with him, whatever."

"I hope you can think better of me soon, Nick," Andre said.

"That depends," Nick said, not looking at him. He had rather seen his friends leave the boy on the curb where he belonged. But their golden hearts and forgiving nature wouldn't allow that. And because they were kinder than he was, Nick was stuck with the guy. "Fine. But if I catch you cheating or shoving your ego down our throats, I'll feed ya a knuckle sandwich."

Andre smiled. "Thank you for giving me another chance."

"It's your only chance," said Tyson. "So careful, bruh."

"I will be. I promise."

Patty gave him a warm smile and a wink.

The gang spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying each other's company. Yuri looked around and was proud of what he was seeing. There was laughter and smiles and no arguing or fighting. All five friends were getting along again as though there had never been a rift between them to begin with.

A new day would come, and with it, the excitement of a brand-new adventure.

Chapter 14: Lancers in the Night

Chapter Text

As the night fell, Patty settled into her seat on the Ferris Wheel, overlooking the sparkling city lights from high above the city docks. With each bite of her cheeseburger, she savored the day's thrills and pondered her missteps. Reflecting on the cherished memories she had made that day, her thoughts lingered most on Yuri.

The ride finally ended. As she walked out, Andre emerged from the crowd, holding a hot dog. "Patty!" he called. "Hey, Patty."

"Good lord, you again?"

"Don't worry. I'm just getting a bite to eat. You?"

"I'm just...I just wanted to take a walk."

"Well, I'm not doing anything. Do you want to get something to eat?"

"I just ate, thanks." She walked by, brushing past him. "I'm going up on th

"Look, I'm sorry about everything. I really am." She didn't listen. Andre rushed after her. "Patty. Patty, wait. Come on. I said I'm sorry."

"I know you are," Patty said, still marching away from him. "You wouldn't stop apologizing back at the restaurant. But it's going to take more than some crumby apologies to wash away the sins you committed against us, Andre. Like Yuri said, you wanna hang with us, you have to prove yourself."

"And I will. I swear it. I know about Yuri's dreams."

She stopped and stood there for a minute or two. She finally looked over her shoulder at him. "He told you?"

"I heard enough from you and the others."

"You're a sneaky one, huh?"

"The school roof isn't exactly a private eating ground," Andre chuckled. "He says some guy with pointy hair is haunting his dreams. Dueling him and stuff."

Patty just nodded her head. "Yeah...it's been scaring me. He's been sent to the hospital numerous times for waking up in intense pain. But when he gets checked out, he's totally fine. But now that he's gotten better, they've stopped. He said they motivated him to Duel better."

"Seems to show," Andre said. "He defeated me despite my tricks. I'll never forgive myself for that. I want to make it up to you guys."

"Look, kid, I said it once, I'll say it again. Prove it to us. Prove you've changed and maybe we'll lean to you a little more." She took her phone out of her pocket and sighed. "Well, I really need to get going. So, talk to you later?"

"Where you going?" Andre asked.

"Back on the Ferris Wheel. I wanna have another go."

"I see. Wanna exchange numbers?"

"Not right now. But see you at the card shop next time."

"I'll be there. I hope you and I can have a rematch. Wanna put any stakes on the line?"

Patty co*cked her hip to the left and placed her hand on it. The lights of the Ferris Wheel flashed brightly in her eyes, making them twinkle with color and radiate with mischief. "I forgot. You always like to make things interesting. Well, what do you have in mind?"

"Loser buys lunch."

"Pfft, either way, you're making it so I spend an afternoon with you, huh? You cheeky bastard. But if those are the terms of your match, I guess I'll accept. But to ensure you don't get any ideas, we'll have lunch in the Ruby Dragon's cafe."

"All right, I understand."

"Not a guy of many words, are you? Well, I need to get going. So long, hotshot."

She left him standing bewildered behind her. She bought her tickets to the Ferris Wheel and got on. She stretched her arms over the seat and looked out to sea. It was pitch black out there. The lights from ships in the distance flashed and the floating guard towers shined like beacons.

"What could his dreams mean?" she wondered. "I get that Yuri's important around here, but could there be more to him than I thought? Maybe he's meant for more than being the future president of his father's business."

She looked at her Zera the Mant card at the bottom of her deck. "You have answers. I know you do. So...talk to me."

Down below, Patty was being stalked by a hunter. A boy stood at the foot of the Ferris Wheel, waiting for Patty to come down and Duel her. He was from a small faction of troublemaking Duelists called Ghost Hunters. These mischievous boys stalked the city streets digging up information on every Duelist in town. And if they had a Ghost Rare card in their collection, they were their next target. Tonight, Patty was theirs. They were after her Ghost Rare Zera the Mant.

"I'm in position," said the boy. "Her card's as good as ours."

Unfortunately for him, Andre spotted him. He heard every word and rushed to go after him. But as soon as he reached the boy's spot, he was gone, just like that.

"What in the world?" Andre said. He ran around the pier looking for him. He was determined to find him. Guys like him did whatever it took to claim their quarry and he hated what he might do to Patty if she didn't fork over Zera the Mant. Suddenly, he heard something coming from a small hut on the beach—a scream of fright, followed by a column of fire that shot off into the night.

Andre ran in the direction of the flames and saw the boy lying on the ground in front of him with smoke billowing off his clothes and thousands of embers flying through the air. His cards fluttered through the air alongside them. What he saw next, stunned him beyond belief.

A Volcanic Doomfire. Standing there as though it had been summoned for real.

And there was only one person he knew who specialized in such a beast.

"Andre," said the Duelist. "Long time no see."

"Axel?" Andre said. "Axel Brodie?"

"Damn right," Axel said, summoning back Volcanic Doomfire. "Don't worry about the girl. She's gonna be all right. The Lancers and I are taking care of those Ghost Hunter thugs."

"Lancers? Declan Akabasent you guys here?" Andre asked. "What for?"

"To protect Yuri from the Duel Gangs. And you."

"Me?"

"Don't think any of us have forgotten that crap you pulled that led to the fall of Duel Academia, Andre. You want to exile yourself here, fine. But you'll stay away from Yuri if you know what's good for you."

"You won't force me to do that," said Andre. "Like it or not, these guys need me."

"Oh, really? Is taking their cards and trying to lord over them by taking their freedom away what they need?"

"I messed up, I know. But Yuri helped me."

"He did no such thing. He destroyed you and exposed you for the cheat you are. Now you have no where else to go and no more idiots to rule over. You should be thankful Yuri and his friends have such big hearts, Andre."

"I know, I won't argue with that. So, what exactly are you guys doing here?"

"Some hoodlums have snuck their way into the Standard Dimension. How, we don't know, but they're hear. And they wear this."

He took a ripped hood from his pocket with a Millennium Eye symbol on the top.

"Rare Hunters. They're here for Yuri."

Andre glared at the hood and then looked up at Axel. "I'll do what I can to help you take them out. What do I have to do?"

Lore: Duel Gangs

With Duel Monsters being known as 'The Money Maker of all Card Games' making cards that can fetch mouth-watering prices in the market, it came as no surprise to RAPTOR Security that gangs involving these card-collecting troublemakers would soon infest the streets of Aquarius. If you have what they want, they will hunt you down and take it from you. And they're not very keen on asking politely. They roam around in packs like wolves, surrounding their prey and forcing them to fork over their rarest card, gold coins, and other valuables. You only have two options when encountering these hooligans. You either fight their best player in a Duel or fight for your life. Even if you do win the Duel, they'll still knock you senseless and take your belongings.

There is no low the members of these Duel Gangs won't stoop to. They have sent people to the hospital, burned street-side card vendors, rob card shops in the night, and in rare cases, murder winds up becoming a consequence of running into them. They mostly patrol the industrial island of Enron and will stalk the streets of the harbors around various parts of the city fighting for dominance like a pack of hyenas. They've even been known to delve into the slums of Los Angeles Rojas and harass the Stowaways there, not fearing any reprisal from RAPTOR since the city's security forces always turn a blind eye to their calls for help. All agree that something must be done about them soon. Traveling the streets of Aquarius does not seem safe anymore.