Going back to this chapter after some time now, I really like how it turned out. I make it pretty tense and back and forth. I'm running out of ways to make "The Fiend Megacyber" seem more dangerous than it actually is, though. That could be a problem eventually...
Chapter ThirteenKing of the Different Dimension vs. King of O.T.K.;
Battle of the Favorite Cards!
“I draw,” I said, “and I begin my turn with the face-down Trap card ‘Return from the Different Dimension’. I pay half of my Life Points (6500/2=3250) to return my out of play monsters to the field.”
The sky opened up long enough for ‘X – Head Cannon’ and ‘Y – Dragon Head’ to emerge.
“Next I summon ‘Z – Metal Tank’,” I continued, and a yellow tank with a cannon above each of its two treads and an eye-shaped sensor in front, attached by a retractable stalk, appeared at my side (ATK: 1500).
“Now," I announced, "I play ‘Soul Absorption’ and combine my three monsters in the same way as before,” ‘Y’’s wings fell away, and he settled onto the back of ‘Z – Metal Tank’, and ‘X’ attacked to ‘Y’’s back in the same manner as before. “This creates the mighty ‘XYZ – Dragon Cannon’ (ATK: 2800), and restores fifteen hundred of my Life Points (3250+1500=4750).
“The ability of my ‘Dragon Cannon’ lets me discard a card to destroy any card on my opponent’s side of the field." I explained. "I discard ‘Magician of Faith’ first to destroy ‘King Pyron’.” ‘XYZ’ took aim with five cannons and fired, blowing the flame monster away.
“Next I discard ‘Night Assailant’," I declared, "destroying ‘Allessa’ as well.”
My monster fired again, destroying Christopher’s remaining monster.
“Finally,” I said, “because I discarded ‘Night Assailant’, I can return a Flip-Effect monster in my Graveyard to my hand, a Flip-Effect monster like ‘Magician of Faith’. I discard her again to destroy ‘Ultimate Offering’.” My monster fired another blast, and Christopher's Trap was destroyed as well.
“Now,” I concluded, “I attack with my monster, Cannon Fireblaze!”
‘XYZ’ charged his cannons and fired, hitting Christopher dead on (6300-2800 =3500). I finally had control of the field, but against Christopher, I had no idea how long it would last.
“Good play,” said Christopher, genuinely, “but it’s my turn again. I replay ‘Card of Sanctity’.”
He and I both refilled our hands.
“You’ve left me in a pretty serious situation,” said Christopher, “but unlike you, I held my trump card until the very end. If you paid any attention at all to my last duel, you should know where this is going. I remove ‘Blizzard Dragon’, ‘Aquarian Allessa’, and ‘Solar Flare Dragon’ from play,” my Life Points climbed due to ‘Soul Absorption’ (4750 +1500=6250), “to summon my favorite monster, ‘Frost and Flame Dragon’.”
The two-headed dragon made of ice and fire appeared with a roar (ATK: 2300).
“I think you’re familiar with my monster’s effect,” said Christopher, his voice full of pride. “I destroy your monster with Freezing Ice Breath!” The dragon breathed both ice and fire on my monster, overwhelming him and destroying him.
“Now I finish my turn by throwing two cards face-down and attacking you directly.”
The dragon attacked again, this time hitting me rather than one of my monsters (6250-2300=3950).
“This is what I came to this tournament for,” I said, almost shaking with excitement. “For so long I’ve been searching for an opponent capable of really putting me in a corner. My team-mates are the only duelists I’m close to anymore who are even a challenge. Even today against Evo I had a backup plan in case things got rough. But right now, I have nothing at all up my sleeve. This is what Duel Monsters is really about, what all gaming is about: facing your opponent’s power with courage and resolve. Whether I win or lose, this tournament is the most fun I’ve had in a long time.”
“I’d say the same about you,” said Christopher, “but to be honest, I expected a lot more from you.”
“Oh, don’t for one second think that I’ve given up,” I said. “I still plan on winning this duel. I play ‘Soul Release’, removing five cards in my Graveyard from play to recover twenty-five hundred Life Points (3950+2500=6450). Next I set a monster, and I set two cards face-down.”
“Planning on using your monster’s flip effect to destroy my monster,” Christopher asked, “or were you planning on using a face-down card? Either way, it won’t work. I never leave ‘Frost and Flame Dragon’ unsupported.
“I reveal face-down card ‘Deadly Ice Field’," he declared, "destroying the Face-down card on the right.” A pillar of ice rose up beneath my card, destroying it. I discarded it, revealing it as ‘Blast Held by a Tribute’
“Next I activate my monster’s effect, destroying your monster.”
The dragon fired off his two breath attacks, scoring a direct hit against my monster. He was revealed for an instant as ‘Cyber Jar’.
“Now I summon ‘Burning Beast’,” a beast made of fire and lava appeared (ATK: 1500), “and I combine him with the Continuous Spell ‘Frontline Base’, letting me Special Summon ‘Freezing Beast’.” A second beast appeared, this time made of ice. “I unionize my monsters, creating ‘Freezing Burning Beast’.” The two beasts merged into a larger beast made of both ice and fire (ATK: 1500).
“I attack with ‘Freezing Burning Beast’," Christopher continued, "protecting him by activating ‘Forced Ceasefire’. I discard a card to prevent you from activating Trap cards this turn. And when ‘Freezing Burning Beast’ hits your Life, your remaining face-down card is destroyed.”
His monster slashed, and I lost Life Points (6450-1500=4950), and my face-down ‘Mirror Force’.
“Now I attack with my ‘Dragon’,” he announced. His monster breathed ice and fire on me once again (4950-2300=2650).
“I place a card face-down,” Christopher concluded. “I win. You’ll never reach my monster.”
I can’t survive another round of attacks, I thought, and I have no more ways to restore my Life Points. This is my last turn. If I don’t win this turn, I lose. I’m in the same boat as last time, and just like last time, I will win!
I drew my card. It wasn't what I'd hoped, but it was something that would give me another chance to draw it, the ‘Pot of Greed’ card.
“Activate ‘Pot of Greed’,” I declared, “to draw two cards.”
I went to draw my cards, but I stopped and closed my eyes. I'd been anxious to retaliate against Christopher's attack at the start of the turn, and it hadn't hit me then, but this was it.
I have one chance, I realized. I only need one last card. If I don’t draw it, then there's a really good chance that I'll win the game. But if I don't draw it, the cards in my hand won't even buy me another turn. A lot of the stuff that I do as a Duelist, I do out of the public's eye. I only have as many fans as I do because people see me, are mildly interested, and then they Google me and see that I beat Christopher. But if I fail to beat him again, I'll lose that.
I took a deep, calming breath, Losing here wouldn't be the end of the world. I know that. I could recover, from a career perspective, but I would really, really, like to win.
So, half resigned and half defiant, I opened my eyes, and I pulled my cards, fanning them out, and staring down at them with something between relief and amazement. I smiled, Perfect
“I make my final stand here,” I said, “with my favorite card. I summon ‘The Fiend Megacyber’!” I placed the card on the Duel Disk, and the yellow-armored warrior appeared in a swirl of yellow and black static, his fists charged with energy (ATK: 2200).
“First,” I continued, “I play ‘Dark Core’, discarding ‘Contract with the Dark Master’ to remove ‘Freezing Burning Beast’ from play.” A dark orb appeared, sucking the composite monster in, and even restoring my Life Points slightly (2650+500=3150).
“Second I play ‘Heavy Storm’," I announced, "destroying your face-down card.” The card was blown away, revealed as ‘Negate Attack’, which would have halted my final play in an instant.
“And finally,” I continued, “I activate two Spell cards, transforming ‘Fiend Megacyber’ into his most powerful form. I play ‘Fusion Sword Murasame Blade’ and ‘Assault Armor’!”
The armor on my warrior’s right arm grew out over his hand and then stretched out, forming a longsword, and his body was surrounded by a yellow-white aura (2200 +800+300=3300). Christopher smiled, more happily than I would have expected, “You know, winning is fine, and fighting a good opponent who gives you a good challenge, that’s fine too, but the most fun comes from fighting someone who’s close to your level. Someone who you really don’t think you can beat.”
"I couldn't have said it better myself," I told him, smiling back. We paused for a moment, and just took it in. It had been an amazing duel, one that neither of us would ever forget.
“I can release the ‘Assault Armor’,” I said, as I discarded the card, “to allow my monster two attacks this turn.” The aura around my monster flared up (3300-300 =3000), and he shot into the air. “‘Fiend Megacyber’, attack with Auracyber Slash!” My monster swung his sword, lobbing off both of the dragon’s heads at once. The ‘Frost and Flame Dragon’, what was left of it, collapsed and disappeared (3500+2300-3000=2800).
“Now,” I said, my warrior still hanging in the air, “I finish it.”
Christopher looked me in the eyes calmly and asked, “Rematch?”
“Yeah,” I replied, “someday.”
The aura around my monster seemed to shatter like glass, and my monster fell, slashing Christopher from head to toe with his blade (2800-3000=0). My monster landed in a crouch, and Christopher stepped back. ‘Megacyber’ stood up and faded away. I walked over to Christopher and offered him my hand. He shook it.
“So you beat me again,” said Christopher. “You make your team proud. But one day I’m going to figure out what makes you so strong, and then we’ll duel, and I’ll finally win.”
“So the battle continues?” I asked.
“Our battle will never end,” Christopher replied, turning to step down from the duel stage, which had just finished lowering to the ground, “you know that.”
He walked away, back to his seat. But I stayed where I was. I still had one duel left to fight.
“And there you have it!” said the announcer. “John, the leader of the Duel Force has defeated King of O.T.K. Christopher Johnson!”
The crowd all around me cheered, but I didn’t notice I was too busy watching the figure that approached me as I waited for the announcer to speak a particular set of words. My opponent stepped up across from me. He was small in stature, but his Duelist’s aura was the strongest I’d ever seen.
The announcer spoke again, “That means that John will continue on to the final round to face the one and only King of Games, Yugi Muto!”
The roar of the crowd was enormous. I thought that I felt the ground rumbling beneath my feet, but maybe that was just my knees shaking.
Alright Hiro, I said, this is going to be our hardest fight yet. You up for it?
For this, Hiro replied excitedly, always.
My Soul glowed, becoming the Soul of Chaos, and mine and Hiro’s minds became one, clear and concise. Unlike my duel with Exodus, I felt Hiro's skills and instincts physically merge with mine. I wasn't John, and I wasn't Hiro. I was someone else, someone better than either of them. I saw Yugi react to the change, his competitive spirit flaring.
I'd known for a while now, since being urged to go back and re-watch some of Yugi's duels once I got my magic, that there was more to Yugi than there appeared to be, just as there was more to me. Just as I'm the ancient and super powerful Forgotten Duelist reborn in modern times, I knew that Yugi had some tie to ancient times as well. Remembering that, it made me even more excited.
This is it. Yugi Muto, I thought, I don't care who you are, or how strong you might be, I’m going to win this duel!
Card of the Day:
The Fiend Megacyber
Played by: John
Finally finally John's favorite monster is the Card of the Day! I waited such a long time to do this because this is the first time that "Megacyber" is actually the big game-winning card against a serious opponent. Not to mention that, in John's first duel with Christopher, John needed "Great Maju" to win, while here he is able to win with his favorite monster at his side, showing how much his skills have grown.
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