So this duel is mainly to show off Rocky and Kimi. In the original version of the series, they usually didn't do anything apart from the other main characters, and I always hated myself for not giving them more stuff to do. This is to make up for that, and to actually address the affects of Shadow Games, which I just kind of stop talking about after a while.
This and the following chapter also give us a look at the decks of a couple more members of the Duelists of the Order. I show Karen and her crew, the villains next book, a pair of brothers in an upcoming special, and several high-ranking members in the upcoming Yu-Gi-Oh! DE over the course of this series, but these guys are just regular, average members. Seeing them duel allows the reader to gauge the average skill level of the average member a little better, and reveals that the average Order member is, in fact, pretty clever and skilled.
Chapter Seven
A Duel of Survival, Part One
Kimi and I stood almost back to back, facing our opponents. My Soul of Earth pinged, and I could sense a little bit about the level of power that these guys had. I couldn’t be sure since I didn’t have a lot of experience with the Soul and its powers, but I got the feeling that a duel against these two would be very difficult. In fact it made me glad that I’d already beaten one of them.
“You won’t escape me again, kid,” said Jock Thug, drawing his first hand of the game. “I begin with ‘Pot of Greed’ to draw two more cards.”
He did just that, selecting one of his newly-drawn cards, “Next I play ‘Magical Mallet’, shuffling three cards from my hand into my deck to draw three cards.”
He drew a third time, and his face lit up, “Finally I place one card face-down and activate two copies of ‘Jam Breeding Machine’.”
Behind my opponent appeared two large machines, like round metal pods each with a circular hole in the side facing the battlefield.
“Each turn, during my standby phase,” my opponent explained, “each of these machines will produce a ‘Jam Token’. I’ll never run out of monsters!”
I frowned, This guy’s already building up for a big sacrifice. Still, his strategy is risky. He may start summoning a lot of monsters next turn, but right now he’s left himself completely open. His face-down must be a Trap to protect him from a direct attack.
I drew my opening hand and looked it over, I’ll attack with a weaker monster and bait him into using his Trap early.
I put on my best game face, “I don’t care how many monsters you plan to summon later, because right now you have exactly zero monsters to defend yourself with. I summon my ‘Destroyer Golem’, one of the few purely offensive monsters in my entire deck.”
As I spoke a giant statue warrior was formed from the rocks and gravel all around us, brandishing his larger, sturdier right arm, which he used as his weapon (ATK: 1500).
“‘Destroyer Golem’,” I commanded, “attack him directly with Battle Fist!”
Jock Thug laughed, “If that’s the best you can do against me then I’ve grossly overestimated you.”
My monster charged, his fist raised. I expected my opponent to use his Trap, if only to protect himself from being physically harmed. After all this was a Shadow Game. Weak of not the strike from my monster would hurt. Bad.
I was wrong, however, watching with disbelief as the giant monster punched my opponent with all of his might, sending him sprawling (8000-1500=6500).
I frowned again as my opponent rose to his feet, laughing confidently, I misinterpreted his strategy completely, and I’m already feeling the extra strain of the Shadow Game on my body, tiring me out, just like John and the others said I would. I have to prepare for whatever’s coming next.
I selected several cards from my hand, “I place three cards face-down and end my turn.”
My opponent shot me a sneer, “I can see you over there, scrambling to prepare a defense against an attack that you know is coming. For your sake, I hope you’ve prepared well enough.”
Kimi
The darkness curled around us and I immediately felt constricted, like a weight had been placed on my chest, a weight that was getting heavier with each passing minute. I gasped. The others had told Rocky and me all about the stresses of fighting in a Shadow Game, but this was worse than I’d expected. But I could handle it. After all, I didn’t have a choice, and besides, it served to push the image of Rocky standing over me protectively like a super hero out of my mind.
I drew my opening hand, I don’t know how tough this guy is yet, and I can’t imagine that it would be much fun to lose Life Points in a game like this, so I’ll start out with a strong defense and try to buy some time until I know more.
“I summon,” I announced, “the ‘White Magician Pikeru’ in defense mode, and I equip her with ‘Heart of Clear Water’, protecting her from battle damage and from the effects of other Spell cards.”
A young sorceress in a white dress appeared wearing a headdress that looked like one of the ‘Sheep Tokens’ summoned by the Spell card ‘Scapegoat’. She raised her staff and became surrounded by a transparent magical bubble.
“I also set a card,” I concluded. “Do your worst. I’m ready for it.”
“You think that because you’ve so completely protected your monster that I can’t touch you?” my opponent asked. “Well you’re wrong. I don’t care about your monster. It’s like football. The only player who really matters is the QB. Take him out and the play’s over.”
He drew his cards, “I summon the direct attacker, ‘Jinzo #7’!”
Oh well, I thought, the remnants of my usual good mood that had survived the last few minutes disappearing with his announcement, that’s just wonderful.
My opponent’s monster, a metal-plated android with a white 07 painted on his chest, appeared at the thug’s side (ATK: 500).
“My monster attacks,” my opponent declared, “with Cyber Energy Fist!”
The robot charged at me, teleporting past my monster and punching me in the chest with an energized fist. I gritted my teeth, resisting the urge to cry out (8000-500=7500). Just like the strains of the Shadow Game, being attacked in a Shadow Game was worse than I’d expected. Lucky for me I don’t tend to stay injured for long when dueling.
“I didn’t expect that,” I said, projecting (false) confidence, “but I came to the party prepared. At the end of your turn I activate the Continuous Trap card ‘Solemn Wishes’!”
I drew my next card and my pain subsided in a rain of healing light.
Rocky
Jock Thug drew his next card, “During my Standby Phase two ‘Jams’ appear.”
As he spoke each of his machines produced a small blob creature with a wicked face (ATK: 500 (each)).
“I bet you’re expecting me to sacrifice my two monsters,” Jock Thug told me, “but I have other plans for them. I play the Field Spell card ‘Wetlands’.”
“What-lands?” I wondered as the area from me to my opponent transformed into a soggy, swampy marshland.
“‘Wetlands’,” my opponent explained, “increases the Attack of every Level Two or lower Water monster I control by 1200!”
“What?!” I exclaimed, the two ‘Jams’ growing larger, their watery forms undulating fiercely (ATK: 500+1200=1700).
“Next,” Jock Thug continued, “I activate 'Elemental Surge - Water', which allows me to increase the Attack of my 'Tokens' by another two hundred each turn, until my next turn, and I reveal ‘Aqua Chorus’. My monsters with the same name resonate with each other, increasing each other’s strength.”
The two ‘Jams’ were wreathed in blue light, and began to undulate rapidly (ATK: 1700+200+500=2400).
“My monsters attack,” Jock Thug announced, sneering. One of the two ‘Jams’ stretched portions of its body into a dozen spears that pierced my ‘Destroyer Golem’, causing him to crumble (8000+1500-2400=7100). The other monster produced a liquid tentacle, striking me in the gut, causing me to gasp (7100-2400=4700).
“You’re already overwhelmed,” my opponent declared, “and my army of monsters will only keep growing larger!”
He chose another card from his hand, “I set a card, and I end my turn.”
He smiled arrogantly, as if daring me to take on his combo. I drew, uncertain as to what I could do. I was happy when I saw my newest acquisition.
“I activate ‘Miracle Rupture’,” I announced, “discarding one Rock monster from my deck to draw a card.”
I drew again, “Next I play the card I just drew, a second ‘Miracle Rupture’, discarding again to draw again.”
I decided to take a risk, sending the one monster that could save me to the Graveyard. I drew for a third time, and I was relieved to see that even though the card that I’d drawn wasn’t what I was hoping for, it was strong enough that it just might allow me to turn the duel around anyway. All I had to do was time everything just right.
“I summon,” I announced, my mind racing, “the powerful ‘Giant Soldier of Stone’, my favorite card!”
A giant warrior made of solid rock appeared, hunched down over me protectively (DEF: 2000). I glanced at the face-down card at my feet which, when combined with my monster, should allow me to stop my opponent’s attacks cold.
Of course, as much as I tried to convince myself, I knew that this duel wasn’t going to be so easy, and my doubts were solidified when my opponent laughed.
“Double the defense of that monster,” Jock Thug said, “and you still wouldn’t be able to stop me. I win next turn!”
He drew his card, and two more powerful monsters appeared at his side.
Card of the Day:
Wetlands
Played by: Rocky's Opponent
In keeping with the theme of showing off the skills of the average Order members this chapter, I decided to put the key card of Rocky's opponent (referred to as the Jock Thug above) as the card of the day. Without this card, the Duelist's deck falls apart, but with it, his strategy is pretty fast and difficult to overcome.
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