Things finally get going in this chapter. It is all action from here, plus what I think is some pretty good character analysis of Judai from Yu-Gi-Oh! GX, who changed probably more than any other Yu-Gi-Oh! protagonist over the course of his series.
Also, keep an eye out for an original card in this chapter. I designed and even illustrated it myself, along with a second original Judai card. I'll post them at the end of the chapter.
Duel Three
Judai Yuki (Season One)
vs.
Judai Yuki (Season Four)
"I summon 'Elemental Hero Clayman' in defense mode, and throw down a face-down!"
A bulky warrior made of sturdy clay armor appeared, hunched down in a defensive posture (DEF: 2000).
"You should know," Judai said, "that I know your deck as well as I know my own, and I know exactly what's coming. You set 'Clay Charge' so that, when I attack, my monster will be destroyed and I'll take damage."
The younger Judai didn't respond, and Judai knew he was right.
"My turn," Judai began. "I've come a long way since I used a combo like that. I'm gonna show you how far. I play 'Subspatial Battle'."
"Oh," the younger Judai exclaimed, "cool card! I don't have that one."
"Anyway," Judai continued, "we each reveal three monsters from our deck, one at a time. Each time the stronger monster goes to it's owner's hand, and the weaker monster is destroyed, and it's owner takes five hundred damage."
Each Judai chose three monsters. First, Judai revealed 'Necro Guardna', and his younger counterpart revealed 'Elemental Hero Bladedge'.
"Looks like I win round one!" the younger Judai exclaimed. A ghostly image of the powerful-looking, gold-armored, blade-armed warrior appeared and sliced a ghostly image of Judai's monster, a wicked-looking warrior in black and red armor. Judai took damage (8000 -> 7500) but it didn't faze him.
Next, Judai revealed a strange creature, like a living demonic wall, the 'Necro Defender', and his younger self revealed the yellow and blue-armored lightning warrior 'Elemental Hero Sparkman'.
"I win again!" the younger Judai exclaimed as his monster vaporized Judai's with one blast. Again, Judai took a hit (7500 -> 7000).
"This is the last one," the younger Judai said playfully. "If I win this one, I'm gonna be really disappointed."
"Then you won't be disappointed," Judai told him, "because my last monster is 'Elemental Hero Neos'."
A monster in a white suite with a blue gem on his chest and blades on his arms appeared and blasted the younger Judai's 'Elemental Hero Necroshade' with a beam of light. The younger Judai took his first hit (8000 -> 7500), but he didn't care.
"That's the monster I designed! I remember, I based him off of Ultraman, and I gave him the power to fuse with aliens from space. I never thought he'd get made into a real card!"
Judai ignored him, "Next I set a monster and end my turn."
"Alright," the younger Judai began, "I'm up again! I use the effect of the 'Necroshade' that you put in my Graveyard to normal summon the 'Bladedge' that you put in my hand!"
The younger Judai's golden monster reappeared, this time more substantially, posing heroically.
"I don't see any Traps," the younger Judai said, "so unless the game has changed a lot in two years, I think I'll be okay if I attack!"
'Bladedge' lunged at Judai's hidden monster.
Don't try to bluff me, Judai thought. I know that you know what my 'Necro Guardna' does. You expect me to use it to stop your attack. Won't you be surprised. After all, that monster is part of my back-up plan.
'Bladedge' struck. Judai's monster was revealed, an evil-looking living tomato. 'Bladedge' cut it in half, and his piercing effect dealt Judai further damage (7000 -> 5500).
"'Mystic Tomato'?" the younger Judai wondered. "How much has my deck changed?"
"More than you can imagine," Judai replied. "You recognized 'Neos'. Let's see if you recognize this one. With my 'Tomato''s effect, I summon my spirit partner, Yubel!"
The winged, multicolored demon woman appeared at Judai's side, her arms crossed defiantly.
"I do recognize that monster!" the young Judai exclaimed. "It was my favorite for years, but I could never summon it, so I got rid of it. I've regretted it ever since."
Judai looked over at Yubel, and she smiled down at him with motherly affection.
"Don't worry," Judai said, "we get her back."
"I'm glad," the young Judai continued, "but just because Yubel was my favorite card once it doesn't mean I won't fight my hardest against her. I set two face-downs and end my turn."
"Then you already lose," Judai declared. "I'm not kidding around. I'm going to summon my most powerful monster. I play 'Fake Hero', Special Summoning 'Neos' from my hand, and I send 'Neos' and 'Yubel' to the Graveyard to initiate a Contact Fusion, combining them together," the white-suited hero reappeared, and in a flash Yubel merged with his suite. His arms, shoulders and chest became encased in armor colored the black and purple of Yubel's body. His head was encased in a black cowl that covered his eyes, Yubel's red third eye appearing on his forehead. Yubel's wings sprouted from the sides of his head.
"This is 'Neos Wiseman'," Judai explained, "the monster that's gonna win this duel (ATK: 3000)."
With pride, Judai declared his attack, "'Neos Wiseman', destroy 'Bladedge' with Ultimate Nova!"
"Then it's time I reveal my first face-down," the younger Judai declared. "It wasn't 'Clay Charge' after all. It was 'A Hero Emerges'! You pick a card from my hand, and if it's a monster it becomes the new target of your attack."
As Judai waited, his younger self shuffled his hand. Finally he stopped. Judai took only a second to decide which of the four cards to choose, "The one all the way left."
"Alright!" young Judai exclaimed, and he slapped the card onto his Duel Disk, "I summon 'Hero Kid', which summons two more 'Hero Kids' from my deck!"
Three identical monsters, kids in futuristic armor, appeared on the younger Judai's field, standing side by side, ready for action (ATK: 300 (each)).
"'Neos' attacks the 'Hero Kid' then," Judai declared, and 'Neos Wiseman' summoned up a massive burst of energy. He released it, but young Judai was ready.
"Next I reveal 'Kid Guard', tributing one 'Hero Kid' to negate the attack of your monster."
The lead 'Hero Kid' lunged at the 'Wiseman''s attack, intercepting it with all of his might, holding it back from the other monsters until it dissipated. 'Hero Kid' disappeared with the attack.
"Next I add 'Elemental Hero Avian' to my hand with the effect of 'Kid Guard'," young Judai concluded.
Frustrated, Judai placed a card on his Duel Disk, "One face-down, and I end my turn. Good luck getting past my monster. After all, when he battles he deals you damage equal to your monster's Attack, and gives me Life Points equal to your monster's Defense."
"Good to know," young Judai replied. "Even with such a strong power, I think I know how to beat your monster.
"Draw!" he added a new card to his hand. "And I play 'Polymerization', fusing the two 'Hero Kids' on my field into 'Hero Teen'!"
The two diminutive warriors became one teenage version of 'Hero Kid'.
"I know we never use this card much," young Judai declared, "but I'm sure you remember that it gains two hundred Attack for every 'Kid' in the Grave!"
The young Judai watched excitedly as his monster powered up via its effect (ATK: 1100 -> 1700).
He's so unfocused, Judai noted, just like I used to be. He has no idea what he's getting himself into.
"Sorry," young Judai said, "but as serious as you've gotten, you've lost your Duelist spirit. I reveal my last face-down, 'Miracle Kids', decreasing the Attack of 'Neos Wiseman' by twelve hundred!"
The spirits of the three 'Hero Kids' emerged from young Judai's Graveyard and attacked 'Neos' one by one (3000 -> 1800).
"My 'Bladedge' attacks!" young Judai commanded, and 'Bladedge' struck with his blade, only to find himself slip right through 'Wiseman' as if he were a ghost and hit Judai instead.
"Maybe I did lose my spirit," Judai told his counterpart, "but I've gained a sense of duty, and a willingness to do what needs to be done. Reveal 'Astral Shift' to divert your attack from my monster to myself, and draw a card (5500 -> 2900).
"Then let's see what's better," the young Judai said, excited by the prospect, "my spirit or your conviction. I throw down two face-downs and end my turn!"
Judai smiled despite himself, This duel is getting interesting.
Original Cards:
I always liked the concept of the Hero Kid card and expected to see more of it in the series. When it stopped popping up, I came up with the idea for these, and actually decided to make them when I wrote this duel. I'm particularly proud of HERO-Man.
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