[LOCK PLEASE] [The Final Episode] Yu-Gi-Oh! D-Accel: Episode 74/75: The Ultimate End Game

[Agro]

Just posting here to remind you that I refuse to read this until I get comments in return. :\

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Chapter 11: Letter From a Friend]

[i]Chapter 11: Letter from a Friend[/i]

[i]I’m assuming once you’ve finished reading this, you’ll have a much greater understanding of your purpose here, and what it is you are supposed to do. It would come as no surprise to me if you had been feeling out of place here. After all, while I can tell you keep it inside for the most part, on the inside you’re anything but a corporate guy. You’re a duelist and a fighter at heart, and I’ve been able to see that from the get-go.[/i]
[i]Much of this I would have liked to tell you in person, but such a thing would have put you at much greater risk, and that is not a risk I was willing to take. You see, I have known and understood those we work alongside for quite some time now; many of them are just as clueless as you probably are now in regards to everything which you are soon to experience. Even writing this is becoming increasingly difficult, and I have yet to fill you in. Please bear with me as this is my final goodbye to you, someone I have considered to be a wonderful protégé. While we were never increasingly close, I’ve never been very close with anyone, and with this in mind I still feel a responsibility of sorts for you, being the one who was assigned to take you under my wing.[/i]
[i]I’ve always presented an image of corporate stooge, something I greatly detest but something that, at the same time, was of great importance. You see CodEn is not relevant at all. It has come and it will soon be gone. It is merely a pawn in the grand scheme; with everything that’s been going on lately behind the scenes, so much is being prepared and it will all be unleashed at once, making things very dangerous.[/i]
[i]Takumi Moreno, the CEO of the company and the one who is responsible for many of our displeasures here, is actually nothing more than a greed-driven corporate leader. The design and construction of the D-Accel was not truly his orchestration. While he believes it to be so, there are other forces at work, secretly, behind the scenes controlling and manipulating his every action. These forces do not have the representation necessary to do the job themselves here in this world, so they have taken to using Takumi as their puppet, as he is a figure of authority. In actuality it is not Takumi’s fault that he lacks the sanity necessary to be a perfectly normal human being in our society; it is not his fault.[/i]
[i]I learned of this quite some time ago, but it was too soon to take action. While I suppose it might have been possible to stop the creation of the D-Accel, it would not have been enough to stop everything. It would’ve merely been a thorn in the side of a force far too powerful to be stopped so easily. The entire aspect of CodEn was to provide a distraction from the normal powerhouse companies. KaibaCorp was such a figurehead for so many years, and with its downfall, the people needed something new to rely on. By putting CodEn in such a relevant place, the people would fall into the palms of the hands of those controlling things. [/i]
[i]Using Takumi himself, these forces are able to dictate nearly all of their plans with little to no interruption, because they are not even known to exist. Turbo Dueling has been irrelevant for so many years, so do not be fooled. The purpose of the D-Accel was not to revive Turbo Dueling at all. It was merely a ploy to have reasoning behind its creation. You see, the Duel Runner themselves served that purpose. The D-Accel I continue to refer to might be more familiarly known as a Pilot Chip. It was the device used to collect energy from duels, as Takumi explained it to us in the introductory conference.[/i]
[i]Where the plan went wrong was the delivery process. You see, Terrance Major was the name of the man entrusted with the job of the D-Accel’s actual design. While he was threatened to deliver success and nothing less, he could not bring himself to go through with the plan, and decided against delivering his finished product. An unexpected injury which caused him to be rendered temporarily unconscious led to the abduction of the D-Accel, falling right into the hands of the enemy. Terrance himself has gone into hiding, and his whereabouts are still unknown, but I believe he will eventually reveal himself to aid in the fight. [/i]
[i]The problem that was posed for CodEn next was the fact that the D-Accel, while it did fall into enemy hands, did not fall into the hands of the enemy who is truly the most threatening. It was taken by a rebel group looking to take the company down. While their intentions aren’t good, they are far less dangerous, as they simply want revenge and riches. The ultimate issue exists in the fact that they are so blinded by revenge that they become easy targets. They will not be able to maintain the D-Accel for long. Not at all.[/i]
[i]That being said, there are a group of people similar to us scattered around the globe with some, should we say, interesting abilities. I’ve learned to utilize mine quite well, and I imagine that in due time, you will as well. If you’re having some trouble taking this in, try and recall that we witnessed an example of these abilities first hand in my duel with the cloaked duelist. His jikokusori is just one of many powerful skills that make this battle much more…interesting.[/i]
[i]I am unsure of your own ability to be quite honest, but I do know of mine, and it is one I must use for the first and only time. I have practiced it on occasion, but it is meant for a one-off purpose, you see. I have been able to gather information that the outside forces are ready to bring things to a close as it pertains to the company and Takumi himself. I possess what is known as the seishoubaundo, a defensive maneuver designed to absorb and reflect energy. [/i]
[i]Today I will use this power to protect the outside world; unfortunately, there will be nothing I can do to save the lives of those inside of the CodEn building itself at the time of the attack, but I am working as quickly and efficiently as possible to get all of them out before such an event is to occur. Realize though that I’m not too worried about all of this; if my suspicions are correct about the way this will go down, I’ll find myself devoid of this world, but we’ll meet again much sooner than expected.[/i]
[i]So listen, here’s what I need to you to do. Of course, this is entirely your call, but if anything I’ve learned about you is correct, I’ve got no need to worry. You can take this entire letter as a joke and return to business as usual, but it’s not the path I would recommend. There are two individuals working rather hard, or I presume they will be soon if they have not already, to try and put a stop to this. They are far from strong enough to even put a dent in the enemy’s armor, but they will get more powerful. And I believe that you will grow more powerful alongside them.[/i]
[i]They go by the names Kenji Christianson and Sora Tenjioshi. Both extremely different individuals, the fact that they are drawn together by this looming battle is no coincidence. They are just some of the many others you will meet along the way, each with their own extremely powerful abilities. You will need to find them. Remember what I said earlier; it’s not just about Duel Monsters anymore. But the important thing to keep in mind is that while the enemy has the ability to kill many of you with ease, they need the game of Duel Monsters to collect energy. The only way to use the D-Accel properly to collect the amount of energy they need is through dueling. Rest assured they are no pushovers in that regard, either.[/i]
[i]What I’m trying to tell you is that you can take advantage of the fact that they need you alive to truly utilize your energy, and that gives you precious time. You must learn to utilize your Reikonryou, or Soul Charge, which is of course the ability I was referring to earlier. Once they pass the stage where Duel Monsters is a necessity, you will need to be able to defend yourself. Find out how to master this ability, then meet up with your allies. [/i]
[i]I must go now. I fear it’s actually quite close now. I have no doubt they will use illusions to make things appear different than they are, so be wary. While I’m sure this is a lot to take in, I have full confidence in you, Orii Yuuske.[/i]
[i]Best regards,[/i]
[i]Yoruki[/i]
[i]Also, of note, just in case you didn’t receive this in time, I’ve utilized the small amount of energy I had left to toss you a shield. I’m sure you’ll be fine until after the attack. Cheers![/i]
---
Orii folded the letter shut and placed it back on the desk, where he’d picked it up from. That explained the odd feeling he’d been getting; how had the majority of the building been destroyed while his office had remained in near-mint condition? There had always been a sense in the back of his mind that perhaps he did have something more to offer, but being stuck in such a low-end situation like this made that hard to believe.
Interestingly enough, the thought that Yoruki knew of this the entire time and could do nothing about it until now was saddening. The two had never had an extremely close relationship, but he had always had a tremendous amount of respect for Yoruki for having to take as much s*** as he did, and now, he supposed, that respect had been returned. That posed two simple questions;
Who was Yoruki if he was so aware of this entire situation, and how was he supposed to find out how to use his powers in such a short amount of time? [i]Here we go again with one of these puzzles that have no starting point...[/i]
---
“This entire time, you’ve been living inside my head?” Sora asked, puzzled. “How is something like that even possible? I’m barely beginning to understand the incredible power I possess, but to think that another being is living inside of me at the same time, especially one so free to communicate, seems to be out of the realm of possibility.”
[i]You would think such a thing to be true, but in fact, while I exist, I do not exist at the same time.[/i]
“I’m confused.” Sora said. “Is this perhaps a result of my mind being so worn out from the Aruda’s attacks?”
[i]Your mind is actually far stronger than you believe it to be. I should know, I’ve lived here for quite some time. Perhaps I should explain what I am trying to say. While I exist within your mind, I am a part of you; I am not my own individual being because I was created by you and I continue to exist exclusively inside of you. I am your Reikonryou. Your Soul Charge. You draw your energy from me. For us to be speaking now is actually quite rare; normally humans do not have the ability to communicate with their Reikonryou, especially one at such a low level. At the same time, you have incredible drive and determination and I’m tempted to believe that this is the reasoning behind your mental capabilities.[/i]
“Rei—Reikonryou?” Sora continued to look around to find the source of the voice, but there was nothing. The blackness had become much calmer now; it was almost soothing. “Is that the name of my ability, like that jikokusori that Calion mentioned?”
[i]You’re on the right track, but not quite. You see Reikonryou is something that each one of your kind possesses. Your Reikonryou, not just yours for that matter, but everyone’s, is derived from the same source of power. The jikokusori, for instance, is Calion’s Reikonryou in materialized form. Sora, you have your own. In fact, you have more than one, but learning to utilize these abilities takes time and energy, something you cannot afford to waste so carelessly.[/i]
“More than one?” The question was a genuine one. “So you mean I have more powers than just my strength?”
[i]Ah, how young and foolish you are. Your strength is not one of your powers at all, in fact. It’s somewhat of a “side effect”, if you will, that goes along with your true power. Each Reikonryou is broken down into five stages. Each stage comes with its own ability. Despite the difference in number, it is not reasonable to believe that one stage is stronger than another. For you see, once you have reached the fifth stage, or any stage below for that matter, you are then able to use any of the abilities from any lower-ranked stages. Don’t get any ideas, however. You see, only one person has ever been able to reach the 5[sup]th[/sup] Stage. And while it was powerful beyond comparison, you can only reach the 5[sup]th[/sup] Stage once. Because then…[/i]
“I understand,” he replied. “So tell me then, why am I here now? Should I not be back there fighting alongside Kenji, to be there in case he needs protection?”
[i]Precisely. But it’s not a matter of if; Kenji will need your help, and he will need it sooner rather than later. Which is why you must learn, right now, how to unlock the first stage. For if you cannot…[/i]
[i]Well then, I am afraid you both will die.[/i]
…
[b]To be continued...[/spoiler][/b]

[Aerion Brightflame]

Impending death... How cheery.

Seriously though, new chapter was really good. There was a lot of stuff answered, and now you are actually getting into depth with thier abilities. I do draw some paralels other stuff i've read, or seen. The suggestion of Stage 5 killing you (At least thats the vibe i got), and the, you must unlock your powers or die kinda seemed a bit like Ichigo from bleach. But thats never a bad thing in my book. And all things generally have the same roots if you look back hard enough. I mean almost any fantasy thing will end up taking bits from lotr at some point.

I'm ranting slighty aren't I? -laughs to myself- But seriously man, it was an awesome chapter. As always i shall look forwards to the next one, and as always i shall post about the few things of it I understood.

Oh yeah, i was only 50% confuzed this time. I'm slowly understanding the plot.

[Randomflyingobjects]

I read the two newest chapters, and enjoyed the duel, except for the fact that the capter ended and it says nothing about the duel in the next chapter, which isn't necessarily bad, just mildly annoying.

As for chapter 11, I mostly skimmed the letter, and forgot who the heck Orii was entirely, though I am glad you got to Sora.

[Synchronized]

I'm gonna level with you, I've recently become huge Bleach fan so I have tried to incorporate a few elements of that style into this, but not anything too significant.

I purposely skipped the duel in Chapter 11 because it's the last duel of the Arc so I want to draw it out a bit so that it wasn't just a one-and-done kind of thing. The letter is actually somewhat relevant, because Orii and Yoruki are the ones who worked for CodEn and had to retreive the package.

Really appreciate the feedback guys.

[Aerion Brightflame]

[quote name='- Neo -' timestamp='1344039108' post='5996689']
I'm gonna level with you, I've recently become huge Bleach fan so I have tried to incorporate a few elements of that style into this, but not anything too significant.

I purposely skipped the duel in Chapter 11 because it's the last duel of the Arc so I want to draw it out a bit so that it wasn't just a one-and-done kind of thing. The letter is actually somewhat relevant, because Orii and Yoruki are the ones who worked for CodEn and had to retreive the package.

Really appreciate the feedback guys.
[/quote]

Yes... Feedback is good.

Seriously though, how were Karakuri for the duel? I'm thinking of using them at some point, but i don't want to if they are to irritating to use.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='HiveNet' timestamp='1344039951' post='5996700']
Yes... Feedback is good.

Seriously though, how were Karakuri for the duel? I'm thinking of using them at some point, but i don't want to if they are to irritating to use.
[/quote]

The most difficult part is typing out all of the names. But Kenji is a main character, so we'll see more of the Karakuri as we go along; I'll have to let you know once I write a duel that uses more of them.

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Chapter 12: I Must Break the Seal!]


[i]Chapter 11: Letter from a Friend[/i]

[i]Ah, how young and foolish you are. Your strength is not one of your powers at all, in fact. It’s somewhat of a “side effect”, if you will, that goes along with your true power. Each Reikonryou is broken down into five stages. Each stage comes with its own ability. Despite the difference in number, it is not reasonable to believe that one stage is stronger than another. For you see, once you have reached the fifth stage, or any stage below for that matter, you are then able to use any of the abilities from any lower-ranked stages. Don’t get any ideas, however. You see, only one person has ever been able to reach the 5[sup]th[/sup] Stage. And while it was powerful beyond comparison, you can only reach the 5[sup]th[/sup] Stage once. Because then…[/i]
“I understand,” he replied. “So tell me then, why am I here now? Should I not be back there fighting alongside Kenji, to be there in case he needs protection?”
[i]Precisely. But it’s not a matter of if; Kenji will need your help, and he will need it sooner rather than later. Which is why you must learn, right now, how to unlock the first stage. For if you cannot…[/i]
[i]Well then, I am afraid you both will die.[/i]
Sora found himself in a state of near-shock as the words coursed through his body, sending chills up and down his spine. Somehow, despite being in a mental state, he was able to feel things normally, which made this place even more confusing. “What is it I need to do?”
[i]Ah, now that’s what I like to hear! It’s simple, really. The two have agreed to a duel of ten turns, and are currently on Turn 4. What that means is, you’ve got less than six turns of dueling in which to reach the 1[sup]st[/sup] Stage. Since it does appear these two like to talk quite a bit, you might be able to buy yourself some time. For your friend’s sake, you’d better hope he doesn’t let his anger cloud his judgment too much; otherwise he might rush into battle and make a mistake that will cost him dearly.[/i]
“Hopefully he won’t,” Sora replied, trying to reassure himself.
[i]As do I. Now then, let’s begin. Prepare yourself, Sora Tenjioshi.[/i]
---
[i]What the hell is that thing? He turned his two pieces of scrap metal into a damn dragon?[/i] Aruda gazed up at the beast towering above him. His victory was still assured; however this certainly posed an inconvenient threat. [i]No matter, I’ll get rid of it just the same.[/i]

[spoiler=Naturia Barkion]
******/EARTH
Dragon / Effect
When a Trap Card is activated: You can banish 2 cards from your Graveyard; negate the activation and effect of that card, and destroy it.
2500/1700[/spoiler]

“It’s time to get serious,” Kenji declared. “There are six turns left in this duel, and I’m about to shorten that.”

“Admirable enthusiasm, but I must ask, how do you plan to do that when you can’t even touch my monster?” Aruda grinned; it was true, his protection had begun to take effect and now, no matter how strong the monster, it was useless in the long run. “I’m afraid you’re just too late.”

“Well then, how disappointing.” Kenji mocked sadness. “I’m going to go ahead and try anyway though, if you don’t mind. Activate, Earth Ruler’s Might!”

[spoiler=Earth Ruler’s Might]
Normal Spell Card
Activate only if you control a Level 5 or higher EARTH monster; until the End Phase, neither player can activate Spell or Trap Cards and the effect(s) of face-up Spell or Trap Cards on the field are negated. Monsters your opponent controls cannot be destroyed by battle during this turn. All EARTH monsters you control can inflict piercing Battle Damage until the End Phase.[/spoiler]

Aruda chuckled as a somewhat different colored shade began to emit from the Sealmaster’s barrier. “Sorry, but I was prepared for something along these lines. With Talisman of Spell Sealing, your Spell is completely useless!”

“I have to be honest; I’m a bit ashamed,” Kenji said, “that you’d think of me as such a novice. I may not play as much as I used to, but I’m not an idiot. Naturia Barkion’s power is not just for show. When you activate a Trap Card, I can banish two cards from my Graveyard to render it useless! Go Nature’s Force Dragonblast!”

A blast of energy from the dragon’s mouth enveloped the barrier entirely, shattering it, and leaving the Sealmaster wide open for attack. “It’s true I can’t destroy your monster this turn, but since we’re on a turn limit here, all I have to do is hit you for enough damage that your stall won’t help. And thanks to Earth Ruler’s Might, I’m about to do just that! Barkion, attack his Sealmaster with Ferocious Fang Assault!”

[i]I can’t let this go through! But he’s shut down every damn option I have. I had taken into consideration the fact that he might try and throw me off, but with that dragon’s ability to negate by Talisman’s, I have no way to counter-attack![/i] Aruda could do nothing but brace for impact as the dragon crashed down onto his kneeling mage, who screamed out in pain as he was nearly devoured in an instant. The impact of the attack sent Aruda back a good ten feet as he nearly crashed into the wall behind him. Able to utilize his baundodageki just in time, his own energy absorbed most of the blast. Still, it left him in a good amount of pain. Something he had not prepared to face.

- Aruda’s Life Points: 600
- Kenji’s Life Points: 4000

“People like you who want to use this game as a means of destruction and power,” Kenji said, catching Aruda off-guard as he tried to recover, one on knee. “You people are the reason this game has caused so much pain. And I don’t mean whoever you’re working for in particular. Moreso those with an evil heart who wish to do nothing but take a good thing and inflict damage with it! And those are the exact kind of people I despise!”

---

“Do not talk about such things as if you know the kind of person I am,” Aruda replied, as Kenji noticed a change in his expression. “You do not know the kind of person that I am, and you are wrong to assume that you have even the slightest clue.”

He stood up, and nothing but the feint signs of a saddened soul was visible on his face. There was a blur of conflicted emotion as he spoke. “Duel Monsters has always been my passion. When I was younger, I thought of this game as the greatest thing our world had to offer. There was nothing I loved to do more than build every Deck I could think of, coming up with strategies to my heart’s content. It was so much fun, such a thrill ride. Whether or not I lost, it didn’t matter so much. In fact, sometimes I enjoyed it; I loved being able to come up with new ideas and learn from my mistakes. I’m not sure what you’d call it, analyzing, perhaps? Either way it was my one true passion. However as I grew up and continued to learn, I found myself becoming less and less interested in the wonderful art that was building and playing, and more obsessed with winning, with creating the perfect strategy. This drive to be the best led me to seclude myself from my family. My wife and I grew distant, and my children longed for attention that I refused to give them due to my own selfish actions. My oldest son, Kaitero, was preparing for his entrance to Duel Academy which, as I’m sure you’re aware, is increasingly difficult to get into nowadays, much more so than it was years ago, either way. While he would be living there on a full scholarship, he begged me to be there to attend his entrance exam, to determine his placement and watch to see how much he’d developed. Of course, I continued to shut the world out, but because all I wanted at the time was to create the perfect Deck, something no opponent could overcome, I brushed him off and told him that if he left me alone, I would go.”

Aruda appeared shaken up, but Kenji said nothing as he listened to the man’s explanation. “All he wanted was my recognition, but I was too absorbed in my own work to even give him that. Do you know what it’s like to be that kind of father, the kind of father who cannot even acknowledge the existence of his own children? When the day of his exam came, I was preparing to go as I’d promised, when I received a call from my agent that there were arrangements being made to get me a spotlight duel, one that would be broadcast world-wide on television. In order to do so, I had to go and meet with those in charge, to see whether or not I fit the bill of the challenger they were looking for. Without any hesitation, I went there almost immediately, paying no attention to the fact that I was supposed to be on my way to Duel Academy to support Kaitero in his quest to become a Professional Duelist, much like I had always dreamed of being.”

---

“I think I’ve said enough,” Aruda replied, sighing as he did so. He forced himself to regain control, shuffling through the cards in his hand as he turned his focus back to the duel entirely. “I had but a moment of weakness, when in reality the focus of this duel should be to win and nothing else. I believe it’s my move.”

“Wait a minute,” Kenji interrupted; he felt as though he knew the words he wanted to say, but he couldn’t find them as he searched his head for the questions. “What happened? I don’t understand, if you ended up becoming a pro, why are you here, now, doing this?”

“Enough!” The larger man exclaimed. “I said I’ve said enough. Now, back to the duel. It’s currently the fifth turn, meaning we’ve reached the halfway point. I begin I’ll follow up my previous move by activating my face-down card, Talisman of Spell Sealing!”

[spoiler=Talisman of Spell Sealing]
Continuous Trap Card
The effects of all Spell Cards your opponent controls, except “Talisman” Spell Cards, are negated. You must control a “Sealmaster Meisei” to activate and resolve this effect. If you do not, destroy this card.[/spoiler]

The robed warrior’s strength began to flow into him once more, as a second barrier, this one with energy more visible than the last, formed around him. After a moment, it began to expand so that it surrounded both duelists, encompassing the entire field. “As you can tell, I have come closer than ever now to creating the perfect lock! A strategy so strong it renders the opponent virtually impossible to make even one move!”

“Heh,” Kenji brushed his hair back. “That’s all well and good, but you fail to see the one flaw in your plan. With a turn limit, unless you win within the next five turns, locking me down won’t do a thing. Sure, you can shut down almost all of the cards in my Deck, but that doesn’t change the fact that I’ve yet to take even the slightest amount of damage. All of your focus on perfection has clouded your mind and made it so once you achieve perfection, as you call it, there is nowhere to go but down!”

“How dare you insult me!” Aruda spat on the ground, a cold silence in the room. “You have no idea who I am or what I’ve been through! This is my life’s work! Becoming the perfect duelist is something I have strived for, for such a long time, and now by setting up this perfect combo I will not only defeat you, but I will take your energy and use it to become the best duelist in the entire world!”

[i]This guy’s lost it. Without filling in that missing gap between now and the end of his story, I can’t quite piece together how, but it’s clear he’s not playing with a full Deck.[/i] Kenji considered just humoring him, but thought that perhaps, with victory, he could save the man’s life and at least give him some sort of hope. It was clear despite his intentions that his humanity was still there, somewhere. Bringing it out would be the issue. “Forgive me. I understand things must be hard for you, and in a way I admire your determination to be the best, but I cannot allow you to win. It is nothing personal, Aruda Soriento. But you see, I have lost things in my life as well, but I do not use it as justification for my actions. I can see that there is in fact good inside of you, and if beating you will somehow bring that out, I guess its all the more reason to win!”

“You stand no chance of victory,” Aruda snapped. “Not with my perfect Deck finally being used to its full potential!”

Quick field scan. Kenji tried to piece together what was going on; the lock was missing something, for sure. With four back row and just the one monster, Aruda didn’t have much room left. His instinct told him that Aruda was planning something with those Talisman cards; he’d played two so far, and with one space left to add a third. Common sense told him the face-down card remaining must have been the “trigger” to bring the whole thing together. How long that would be until it was used he couldn’t be sure. Unless...[i]What if the reason he wanted ten turns was because that was exactly how much time he needed to set it up? By setting such a limitation, he allowed himself just enough time to get his lock going while preventing himself from taking damage in the first place. If I’m right, his big reveal will take place not on his next turn, but the one after.[/i]

“I shall place one more face-down card, and end my turn.” Aruda laughed, a twisted look on his face. “You’ve got four turns left till it’s over.”

[i]Something like that.[/i] There were two possible outcomes here. Either Kenji was completely off, and he’d suffer a crushing defeat, or he’d pinpointed the exact strategy and had to come up with a way to stop it. Hopefully, the second one was more accurate, but either way, this duel would end in five turns. Only three of those turns were Kenji’s. That meant he didn’t have much time to do something significant. [i]Here goes nothing.[/i] “Draw!”

It was exactly what he needed. He had no access to Spells, or Traps, but he did in fact have free reign as it pertains to monster effects. And that was more than enough to do some damage. “It’s obvious your Sealmaster Meisei is the one card holding all of this together. So by taking him out of the equation, your barriers crumble down.”

“That’s true, but unfortunately for you, removing my Sealmaster from the field will be nearly impossible. He’s become invincible!”

“We’ll just have to test that theory,” Kenji remarked, setting a monster on the field. “When this game started, you told me you didn’t have much time to waste at all. With that in mind, I see no point to waste time stalling. Just the one monster should do it.”

Aruda was perplexed for a moment. “You have very few opportunities to actually mount any sort of comeback, and you waste one of them on a useless face-down? How foolish.”

[i]This duel has some pretty heavy ramifications, but no matter what, I can’t allow myself to lose here. It’s not my own life and well-being I’m worried about. It’s the lives of those who didn’t deserve to die, and those who still don’t but will soon find themselves in a situation that they have no chance of fighting their way out of. If we can stop these guys, we can save those innocent people and avenge those whose lives were taken. That is my reason... [/i]“That is my reason to fight! While you’re the toughest duelist I’ve ever had to face, the fact remains that I cannot die yet! I know there are others out there stronger than you and I will defeat them as well! That is the difference between you and I! You strive for perfection, you fight for no one but yourself. Whereas I fight to protect the people around me, even if it means I suffer in the process!”

“I love dueling and I love protecting those around me; this is a game, but you said yourself, it was one of your greatest passions. You have allowed yourself to stray so far from your own goals that you’re now fighting on the side of the very thing you hated the most! I don’t know who you’re working for or what it is they’re trying to achieve, Aruda Soriento, but I do know this! No matter what it takes on my behalf...” Kenji looked towards Sora, seeing him still lying there, no longer bleeding, but still hurt no doubt. He thought of Raio, and the shattered remains of the CodEn headquarters...the people who had been hurt because of his insecurities... “I swear to you Aruda Soriento, I will not lose!!”

[b]To be continued...[/spoiler][/b]

Four episodes to go until the end of the Arc. I'm really liking how this is progressing so far. For those of you who have a problem with the duel being dragged out as much as it is, I'll tell you the only reason I'm doing it is because this is the last duel of the Arc; I try to keep episodes within a 3,000 word limit, and to be able to make the story resonate as well as it is so far, there are a lot of logic gaps that need to be filled in.

[Aerion Brightflame]

Hmm, it is an odd deck. I can understand why the duel would be slow. Given, well its a stall deck.

Why do i think his big win card will be when you control sealmaster whose-its, and the three sealing thingys, deal damage to your opponent equal to the number of turns x300. Thats why he would need 14 turns.

Still, its all good. Ardua seems kind of odd. His deck at the moment is terrible, and yet he is shouting about its perfection. I suspect insanity due to some kind of duel. energy getting stolen from him giving negative side effects.

Look forwards to the next one as always.

[Randomflyingobjects]

I hate to say it, but I'm a bit dissapointed. This is the final duel, yet Aruda seems relatively weak. Usually the arc's final duel is against a player who has epic cards, as well as invinsible protection. It's not a bad duel, it just seems out of place, here at the arc's finale. You can really tell a duelist strength once they summon their trump monster... a monster with weak ATK, DEF, no real effect, and revolves around getting protected by spells.

Is Aruda's monster real, or one of your custom cards? If it's a custom card, it should have a handful of ATK or DEF.

I don't mind a lengthy duel, but the contents seem somewhat shallow, for the big finish.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Randomflyingobjects' timestamp='1344377507' post='6000393']
I hate to say it, but I'm a bit dissapointed. This is the final duel, yet Aruda seems relatively weak. Usually the arc's final duel is against a player who has epic cards, as well as invinsible protection. It's not a bad duel, it just seems out of place, here at the arc's finale. You can really tell a duelist strength once they summon their trump monster... a monster with weak ATK, DEF, no real effect, and revolves around getting protected by spells.

Is Aruda's monster real, or one of your custom cards? If it's a custom card, it should have a handful of ATK or DEF.

I don't mind a lengthy duel, but the contents seem somewhat shallow, for the big finish.
[/quote]

Believe it or not, it's actually a real card. It's one of the lesser-known Normal Monsters from the Ancient Sanctuary set. I haven't used any Custom Cards for Aruda yet. Perhaps it'll begin to make a bit more sense when we get into his backstory a little more?

I can understand the complaints though because it's definitely not the kind of "big bad" that's going to please everyone, but there are still some surprises yet to come.

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Episode 13: Escaping Perfection]

Episode 13: Escaping Perfection

“Your words are powerful, and you speak with as much passion in your desire to win as I do.” Aruda spoke calmly, though Kenji could sense something off in his voice; he had gone off the deep end, so to speak. “While you call me out for speaking in such a manner that goes against what I believe in, you are doing the same, are you not? Claiming victory is not important before stating that it is the only possible outcome.”

Feeling the pressure in the room begin to increase as the forces at work grew stronger, Kenji sighed. “You fail to understand anything I’m saying. The obsession you have developed with being this perfect duelist has made it so you can’t process any logical thoughts.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Aruda interjected.

“I don’t know who you’re working for or what your orders were, but it’s become clear to me that this duel, at least for you, is not about following them.” Kenji continued. “While it may have begun that way, all you strive for is achieving that ultimate goal of perfection. Once you reach it, where do you go from there? You need my energy because that is what you were ordered to obtain, but once you get it, will you utilize it for its intended purpose, or will you use it simply to make yourself stronger? You have strayed from any path of realism and have become nothing.”

“Shut up!!” The rage in Aruda’s eyes became more evident. “It is time to continue this duel! No words you have can save you at this point, and I will prove it! For it is now my turn, and it’s time for me to show you the true power and intention of my Deck!”

It looks like I hit a soft spot. Kenji wasn’t sure whether to laugh or be worried.

“Watch as I activate the Spell Card that will mark the end of this duel!” Aruda exclaimed as he placed a Spell Card in his duel disk. A long piece of parchment, covered in a bunch of mysterious symbols, appeared on the field and began to wrap itself around the barriers, encircling them a total of three times. “Watch as I activate, Burst Talisman!”

[spoiler=Burst Talisman]
Continuous Spell Card
During either player’s turn: You can target 1 “Talisman” Spell or Trap Card that has been face-up on the field for at least 10 turns. Destroy that target and all “Talisman” cards on either player’s field. Then, inflict 1000 damage to your opponent for each card destroyed this way.[/spoiler]

There it is. The final piece to his puzzle. I knew something like this would be coming along. That looks like a paper bomb of sorts, and it’s wrapped itself around the barrier. What the hell... “Not too surprising, but enlighten me, what’s it do?”

Aruda smiled, a menacing, crazy one at that. “I’m glad you asked. You see, my Burst Talisman is the final piece to the puzzle. It completes, in a way, this entire set-up we’ve been waiting on. Of course, I cannot use it yet, but it triggers instantly once one of my Talisman cards has been on the field for a total of ten turns. From there, all of them are destroyed and my opponent takes one-thousand points of damage for each one hit this way!”
“I’m surprised,” Kenji said. “I thought you might try and make this a little more interesting. You see by revealing your Burst Talisman on Turn 7, while I still have two more turns to come up with a counter-attack, you’ve left your strategy at risk, wouldn’t you say?”

Aruda shook his head. “Don’t be foolish. I chose to reveal it to you now to stress to you how true to my goal I really am. To demonstrate what this lock of perfection can truly do. You see, Kenji Christianson, in the span of three turns, this duel will be over one way or another, but in your case, I can’t promise it will end well.”

“We’ll just see about that.” Kenji drew. “I’m not as much of a fool as you take me for. I noticed during my last turn that you were setting up something that would conclude on the 10th turn of the duel, thus explaining why you issued a challenge with a limit of ten turns. You needed time for a set-up. By stalling, you could buy all the time you needed and allow me to believe I actually had an advantage of some sort. You’ve managed to shut down all of my Spell and Trap Cards entirely, and since I can’t attack you directly, you’re pretty much safe. But now, that’s going to change. And it’s all thanks to my face-down monster.”

That’s why he set a monster last turn! Aruda exclaimed to himself, piecing the two together. “How could you have figured it out?!”

“Simple,” Kenji explained. “The thing about perfection, Aruda, is the fact that it hasn’t quite been perfected yet. Now, allow me to end this game! As I reveal, Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 "Sazank"!”

[spoiler=Karakuri Ninja mdl 339 "Sazank"]
***/EARTH
Machine / Effect
This card must attack if able. When this face-up Attack Position card is selected as an attack target, change it to Defense Position. When this card is flipped face-up, select 1 face-up monster on the field, and send it to the Graveyard. During the turn this card is flipped face-up, it can attack your opponent directly.
1200/1200[/spoiler]

Wielding a short sword, the robotic ninja leapt forward onto the field, ready to strike. “And here’s the part where this game ends in my favor, for two reasons! You see, Sazank has a special ability that you might want to take into consideration.” Kenji explained. “During the turn he’s flipped face-up, Sazank can take any monster on your field and send it to the Graveyard. Since you’ve only got the one, I’m pretty sure the choice is clear! Take out his Sealmaster!”

The ninja sprang into action, attempting to drive the sword and pierce the barrier surrounding the robed figure, but a stronger, different colored barrier appeared in its place.

“Not so fast,” Aruda explained, bursting with laughter, “Do you think I would just allow such a technique to go through? Reveal my final Trap Card, Talisman of Reversal!”

[spoiler=Talisman of Reversal]
When a player or a monster is targeted by the effect of an Effect Monster: negate the effect and apply it to the opposite player.[/spoiler]

“Another one?!” Wide-eyed, Kenji took a step back as his monster’s attack was unable to break the shield. “No way...”

“This is the most powerful one of them all! Talisman of Reversal causes any of your effects to be used against you!” Aruda bellowed. “Now instead of your ninja destroying my Sealmaster Meisei, Meisei is able to destroy it!” The red shield surrounding Meisei began to extend, consuming the ninja and causing it to vanish.

[i]s***, how the hell do I get out of this? I’ve only got one more turn to make a move after this and if I can’t turn it around before then, I’ve got to worry about more than just losing. [/i]Taking a deep breath, Kenji went through his hand, scanning each card quickly, trying to figure a way out at the same time. There wasn’t much he could do at this point, if all of his effects were to be reversed. Could it be possible this guy had truly created a perfect lock? [i]That was the last shot I had at getting out of this...[/i]

---

[i]It’s funny, I never thought you’d be the type to give up so easily.[/i]

That voice. It couldn’t be. Kenji looked around, but as expected there was no one around but his opponent and Sora, who was still wounded.

[i]Keep turning your head like an idiot, but you won’t find me. I’m not here, remember? [/i]The voice laughed. [i]I must say Sargeant, quitting already when the answer is right in front of you is such a stupid thing to do.[/i]

“Raio...” Kenji’s voice dragged out. “It can’t be. But you...”

[i]I know this is hard for you; it’s going to be harder on everyone but I told you, don’t worry about me. If my memory can be an inspiration to help you fight stronger than so be it, but don’t let your rage and hatred over what happened to me blind you like it has to him. He’s so blinded by the mistakes he’s made in his life that he has completely given up on being anything more than a puppet for the people he works for. Don’t become that person, Kenji.[/i]

“I had the confidence,” Kenji said. “I knew how everything was going to play out, I caught onto his strategy. But Sazank was the last option I had to break his lock. Now that he’s got everything in place, I’m not sure there’s any way to counter attack because there’s nothing I can do.”

[i]I didn’t leave the fate of the world in your hands because I thought you were a coward who couldn’t finish the battle. [/i]

The words struck Kenji like an arrow.

[i]Running away when the going gets tough only proves you don’t have what it takes to truly fight for what you believe in. I’ve always looked up to you because you have such a strong heart and you care so much about people. The amount of people whose lives are on the line here is too many to count. But know this, Kenji; you are not alone. You can do this. Come on then.[/i]

---

“I get it now.”

“Do you?” Aruda asked, laughing. “Have you finally realized that you stand no chance of victory?!”
“No.” As Kenji fixated his gaze from the floor to his opponent, he spoke, “That in order to stay true to what I said and defeat you, I have to pool together every ounce of energy I have into one play that will be enough to win!”

“Don’t be a fool,” Aruda replied, perplexed. “You see even if by some crazy lucky move you managed to remain in this duel, you wouldn’t be able to survive the physical force of the energy. It would kill you on the spot. You haven’t taken an attack yet, so you don’t know what it’s like when the energy is this strong and this real!”

[i]If the power truly is that strong, how was he able to take all of those hits as if nothing happened? [/i]How strong could this guy really be? Kenji found himself suddenly immersed in the reality that the power of this move would be unlike anything he’d ever seen before. They were trapped inside the barrier. In a matter of minutes it would crash down upon him and no matter what he did, there would be no way to escape the physical pain. [i]I have to be strong enough to survive it. I can do this.[/i] “I’ll place one card face-down and end my turn. Make your last move then, Aruda Soriento.”

“There is no further move I can make,” Aruda said, calmly. “I’ll simply pass.”

[i]Just like I thought you’d do.[/i] “Let me ask you something, right before this duel concludes, of course.”

“I suppose I can honor that request,” Aruda’s bulky cheeks puffed out as he laughed once more. “After all, it’s the last one you’ll be making.”

“Good, good.” Kenji said. “Before we finish this duel, tell me something. Why is it you work for these people? If you truly wanted to achieve perfection, would not you not want to be operating on your own accord? What is it about them and their goals that makes it worth your while?”

Aruda’s facial expressions seemed to suggest that the question struck a chord. “That is a simple question. I allowed the game of Duel Monsters to ruin and consume my life. It affected me in so many areas because I used it for selfish reasons as opposed to its intended purpose. Our Master does not intend to do this; he intends to use the power of Duel Monsters to bring about change to the world and make it a better place. If I could not bring myself to do so on my own accord, I can at least use my abilities to help him achieve his goal! You see, while I don’t believe in violence, I believe in doing whatever is necessary to help my Master achieve his goal. Sacrifices will be necessary but they are martyrs for a greater future!”

“So all those lives that have been lost...and all the ones you are intending to end soon including my own, they mean nothing to you?” Kenji asked, rage in his eyes.

Aruda nodded. “Think about it like this. I’ve already lost my family. If I could not be man enough to care about my own flesh and blood, why should I waste my time trying to care about others? I have no need for humanity anymore!”

[i]This guy’s off his rocker.[/i] Kenji placed his hand on the top card of his Deck, but was hesitant to draw. As soon as he did, the Burst Talisman would trigger and it would come down to an all-or-nothing move. [i]Here...goes...[/i]

“Draw!”

Immediately as he did so, Kenji could begin to feel the force field around him growing stronger. Flames began to ignite on both ends of the paper bomb, moving at a rapid pace towards the center. As soon as they made contact with one another, the barrier would implode. Barkion hovered over Kenji, shifting to protect him, but knowing there was nothing it could do to reduce the force of the attack.

“Finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for! It’s here!” There was genuine joy in Aruda’s eyes. Seeing someone be so thrilled about the damage he was about to inflict to another human being sent chills down Kenji’s spine.

[i]Time to brace for impact...[/i]

“Now the two ends meet, Burst Talisman triggers! Go, annihilate him!” Aruda screamed. “It was a fun game, but now it must come to an end! You are imperfect, so you must die! Kenji Christianson!”

As the two ends of the paper bomb connected, a silent explosion followed.
The different shades of color that comprised the force field surrounding them began to merge into one, a bright blue color. The fields began to merge as well, taking on a spherical form. “Now go, destroy him!”

Kenji saw nothing but light heading towards him.

“Feuer-zerbrechen.” At the moment the words were spoken, a massive amount of energy filed the room, colliding with the force already moving. It was difficult to make out what it was, but Kenji could see a fist collide with the blast, just before it struck him. For a moment there was a standstill, but the first broke through the sphere, releasing a black stream of light, splitting it clean down the middle.

“What in the hell is going on?!”

Kenji smiled an almost mocking smile as the scene cleared, and he could see things normal once again. “Sora, it’s nice to see you’ve made a full recovery.”

“Someone had to save you,” Sora replied, his fist still surrounded by the black energy. “Right? Even with that Trap Card, you wouldn’t have survived such a hit.”

“This cannot be,” Aruda was in disbelief. “How were you able to interrupt the duel and penetrate the barriers?! What kind of ability is this?!”

“You’re seeing first hand that which is known as the {1[sup]st[/sup] Stage, Feuer-Zerbrechen, [i]light shatter}[/i].” Sora held up his fist. “This ability allows the user to repel and break down any sources of energy, by striking at just the right angle and breaking it down into smaller particles that simply disintegrate. Granted, I couldn’t stop the actual Life Point damage, but I was able to break down all of your energy at once. And Kenji, you did have something, no?”

“He’s right,” Kenji said. “Just before your attack hit I activated the Trap Card Damage Balance Zero Plus.”

[spoiler=Damage Balance Zero Plus]
Normal Trap Card
Activate only when you would take damage from an opponent’s card effect by Tributing 1 monster you control; that damage is negated and your Life Points become 100.[/spoiler]

“At the cost of my Naturia Barkion, I was able to hold on just enough to stay in this,” Kenji grinned. “You almost pushed me to quit, but I saw the flaw in your barrier, the slight crack that made it only very good, not perfect.”

“That is what you think, but you couldn’t be more wrong!” Aruda exclaimed, bursting out with laughter once again. “You see, even though you managed to stop by ultimate attack, this is the last turn of the duel! And in case you haven’t noticed, you have no monsters at all, while I still have a monster that is completely invincible! You threw me off guard for but a mere moment but now...”

“Now nothing,” Sora interrupted him. “I’m not a fan of violence either, but I’m going to make an exception this time around. Hey Kenji, are you about ready to finish this up?”

[i]Sora...Something’s changed about him...his confidence, his attitude, I’m not really sure what is it, but he’s right. This game is over.[/i]

[b]To be continued...[/spoiler][/b]

[Randomflyingobjects]

Alright, the duel started getting a bit more interesting. It would have been nice if he played that card that inflicts all that damage earlier, so he looked like a bigger threat. Had he played that card a couple chapters ago, he would have seemed a lot stronger.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='Randomflyingobjects' timestamp='1344537104' post='6002120']
Alright, the duel started getting a bit more interesting. It would have been nice if he played that card that inflicts all that damage earlier, so he looked like a bigger threat. Had he played that card a couple chapters ago, he would have seemed a lot stronger.
[/quote]

I was moreso trying to build up to the big reveal and explain what he meant by achieving perfection. By truly shutting down all of the opponent's moves, he's created a "perfect" lock, but of course Kenji was able to break through it because nothing is perfect.

Perhaps a slow reveal wasn't the best way to go, but I had to set things up first.

[Aerion Brightflame]

Damn, i wasn't right.Oh well.

It was a nice card though, fitting with the character. And now, he is almost certainly doomed.

I think.... As ever, a good chapter man. My only concern is it has dragged a bit. Just a tad. Since its a 3/4 chapter duel... which really could have ended this one. Or at least, depending on how much of a duel there is left.

[Randomflyingobjects]

He could have played that one card at least a chapter ahead, to give the reader the worry of both a perfect lock and a giant pile of damage looming to inflict pain.

[Synchronized]

[quote name='HiveNet' timestamp='1344540960' post='6002171']
Damn, i wasn't right.Oh well.

It was a nice card though, fitting with the character. And now, he is almost certainly doomed.

I think.... As ever, a good chapter man. My only concern is it has dragged a bit. Just a tad. Since its a 3/4 chapter duel... which really could have ended this one. Or at least, depending on how much of a duel there is left.
[/quote]

Duel's just about done. It will definitely end in the next episode. Then we'll end the Arc in the final episode, and then move on to some filler while I come up with the best way to advance the plot. It won't be a long filler Arc, just a few Chapters.

[quote name='Randomflyingobjects' timestamp='1344555335' post='6002473']
He could have played that one card at least a chapter ahead, to give the reader the worry of both a perfect lock and a giant pile of damage looming to inflict pain.
[/quote]

This is true. I probably made some mistakes. I've planned this out beforehand, but I didn't know how to actual convey it to paper.

[Synchronized]

Two Chapters left until the end of the Arc; any more comments/feedback?

[Synchronized]

[size=3][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][spoiler=Chapter 14: The Bigger Picture, Part One][/font][/size]
[size=3][font=verdana, geneva, sans-serif][color=#333333]“Feuer-zerbechen is my 1st Stage technique; it is an ability that others possess as well, but one that is only as powerful as the strength coming from the user behind it.” Eyes-wide, Aruda listened to Sora’s words realizing full well that which he was describing. He’d heard of the technique several times; one of his colleagues had nearly mastered it, but in the colleague’s case, it had been a 3rd Stage technique. Was it possible that this boy possessed so much physical strength that a 3rd Stage technique was only the first for him?[/color]

[color=#333333]“So, it looks like you’ve suddenly abandoned your motto, eh?” Kenji asked. “You know, not striking unless you’ve been provoked?”[/color]

[color=#333333]“I’m beginning to think the stress of the duel has caught up to you, Kenji,” Sora moved himself out of the picture, stepping out of the duel area. “But before this duel got underway, he was responsible for that giant renovation in the wall there.”[/color]

[color=#333333]Kenji smiled, halfway careful to avoid Sora seeing. “Found a bit of a loophole did you? I suppose if you’ve come to this sort of realization I won’t have to worry about you as much as I was before in the upcoming battle.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“Worry about me? I’m the one who just saved your ass.” Sora quipped. “I’ve got plenty to fill you in on, so what do you say you bring an end to this duel? It’s gone on for five episodes already.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“You’re right,” Kenji replied. “I’ve grown quite distracted with all that’s been thrown into the mix here that I haven’t really kept focus on the duel alone. The fact of the matter is, he doesn’t seem to be accepting help. My plan was to try and save him from this black cloud looming, but it’s clear he’s abandoned his humanity. I believe the only way to save him is to win.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“How dare you talk about me as though I weren’t here?” Aruda interrupted, his eyes blind with rage and despair. It’s as though he knew his perfect strategy had failed him, but was refusing to accept such a result. “I have more Life Points than you at this point, and you cannot damage me, meaning that as soon as you end your turn this duel will be over and your life will be ours for the taking! What’s so funny?”[/color]

[color=#333333]Aruda’s question was in response to a random fit of laughter, coming from Kenji himself. Not so much maniacal as it was cocky, but that had become the usual. Besides, with all he’d endured, it was hard to take much of anything serious at this moment. He was exhausted. “The fact of the matter is, if I didn’t have a chance of winning, I would’ve just taken the blast head-on and accepted defeat like a man. There would’ve been no point in making the duel last just to lose in such an anticlimactic manner, don’t you agree? The reader outrage would’ve been huge.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“I’m not sure I understand what it is you’re trying to say,” Aruda replied.[/color]

[color=#333333]“No worries, I’ll show you right now.” Kenji placed a card into his duel disk, causing a swirling green vortex, surrounded by a fluorescent shade of green, emerged on the field. The deeper the vortex got, the stronger the colors and forces became, until there was a deep green light at the end, clearly visible to all parties. “Karakuri Tactic: Last Resort!”[/color]

[color=#333333][spoiler=Karakuri Tactic: Last Resort][/color]
[color=#333333]Normal Spell Card[/color]
[color=#333333]Activate only if you control no cards. Target exactly 2 “Karakuri” monsters from your Graveyard: Banish those targets. Then, Special Summon 1 “Karakuri” Synchro Monster from your Extra Deck with a Level equal to the combined Level of the banished targets. Destroy that monster during the End Phase.[/spoiler][/color]

[color=#333333]“With this, I’m allowed to give my warriors an honorable sendoff. Watch and learn, as I banish Karakuri “Haipa” and Karakuri “Ninishi” from my Graveyard to Special Summon, the Level 7 Karakuri Shogun mdl 000 “Burei”!”[/color]

[color=#333333]The two wooden warriors broke down into separate components, being pulled into the vortex. After a brief moment, a new, much larger being took to the field, this one a combination of wood and metal, comprising a warrior that towered over the field, vaguely resembling a human in form. An odd key-like weapon rested in the holster around its waist, as the tattered red cape which represented its superiority blew in the wind behind him.[/color]

[color=#333333][spoiler=Karakuri Shogun mdl 000 “Burei”][/color]
[color=#333333]*******/EARTH[/color]
[color=#333333]Machine / Effect[/color]
[color=#333333]1 Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner Machine-Type monsters[/color]
[color=#333333]When this card is Synchro Summoned, Special Summon 1 “Karakuri” monster from your Deck. Once per turn, you can target 1 monster on the field and change its Battle Position.[/color]
[color=#333333]2600/1900[/spoiler][/color]

[i][color=#333333]I’m sorry to have to do this, especially to anyone. Despite my outward appearance, in my heart this is not something I would do, no matter what the reason. Unfortunately too many lives are now on the line for me to just leave such an issue unnoticed. If I could do anything to save you, I would, but I cannot. I understand you must have endured some extremely tedious hardships; we all do. Understand that I do not hold you responsible for any of this; I know that while you present a non-caring appearance on the outside, it is them, whoever you work for, who are responsible for this chaos that has only just begun. I promise not as an officer of the law but as a human being with moral values that I will do everything I can, and more to bring an end to this and restore the lives of those who have been forced to suffer. Now it is over.[/color][/i]

[color=#333333]“Burei,” Kenji had difficulty issuing the final command. Part of him felt guilty for having to do so. As an officer, he had sworn to protect the innocent, but this had to be done. By partaking in this battle he would be abandoning his duties as an officer regardless. It came down to morality. “Finish him.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“Have you lost your sanity?” Aruda asked, a crazed look in his eyes. “I told you, you cannot damage nor destroy my Sealmaster!”[/color]

[color=#333333]“My Shogun’s special ability activates once per turn, and it allows me to use the power of his sword to force one of your monsters into the opposite Battle Position.” The weapon in Burei’s hand began to glow red as the Shogun held it into the air. That same glow surrounded the Sealmaster, forcing it into a standing position. Immune to destruction, but defenseless. “Burei, finish him off, Shogun’s Ultimate Strike!”[/color]

[color=#333333]Having reached its turn limit, the key in Burei’s hand began to morph, becoming slimmer in size and significantly sharper at its end. The red and white that comprised the majority of the key itself became the holster, as the shogun grasper the massive sword, swinging it straight into the chest of its enemy. A massive amount of energy was released from the blast, practically obliterating the entire half of the building in which Aruda had been dueling. [/color]

[color=#333333]Aruda’s Life Points: 0[/color]

[color=#333333]---[/color]

[color=#333333]“Might end up having to do some more renovating on this place,” Kenji sighed. “At least it’s over.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“Are you alright?” Sora had walked over to the fallen Aruda, who was still breathing, albeit barely. “That attack alone nearly killed him. He’s not in good shape and there’s nothing we can do to save him in time.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“How can you be sure?” Kenji asked, panicked. “There’s a possibility we could save his life if we can get him to a hospital in time!”[/color]

[color=#333333]“Always so...naive...” Aruda grabbed onto the bottom of Kenji’s shirt, getting his attention. From the way he was speaking, he was fading fast. “There’s no...hope for me...anyway. I’m bett...better this way.” He stopped talking to cough up blood. “I don’t...know much about them. Most of our orders were passed down from a...representative among us. They are referred to as CLEAR. Very few people have...ever actually seen them in person. It is them we were working for. I could not escape this cruel reality but...it is possible that you...you could be the ones to...”[/color]

[color=#333333]He closed his eyes.[/color]

[color=#333333]In the moment of silence, Kenji and Sora had not noticed the brunette woman standing in front of them. As the two parties recognized one another, the girl began to clap her hands slowly, without a doubt mockingly.[/color]

[color=#333333]“I told him this would happen, but to be honest I actually owe you a debt of gratitude,” the woman said flirtatiously. “Eventually I would have had to do the same thing myself, but I got much more enjoyment out of watching it play out from the sidelines as opposed to having to...get my hands dirty.”[/color]

[color=#333333][i]I’ve got a really strange feeling about her. Something’s not right.[/i] Kenji shared a quick glance with Sora; he could tell by the look in Sora’s eyes that he felt the same way, but the two of them were careful not to let the woman get any sort of read on their own emotions.[/color]

[color=#333333]The woman laughed, licking her lips. “Now then, I suppose we can allow for the real fun to begin.” She held her right arm out to the side as a sword began to materialize out of thin air. It was about the length of her arm, if not slightly longer, and emblazoned with the mark of a flower. Kenji grabbed Sora’s arm and the two of them moved back, but they were not her target. She drove the sword straight down into Aruda’s chest. If he wasn’t dead before, it was certain he would be after that shot.[/color]

[color=#333333][i]What the hell?![/i] Kenji felt himself wanting to cry out in frustration, but was careful not to make any sudden movements. They had no idea what in the world they were facing.[/color]

[color=#333333]“Don’t look so frightened,” she chuckled. “He’s already dead, he’s of no more use to us, anyway. Might as well enjoy the taste of his energy, wouldn’t you agree?” In an almost sickening manner, Aruda’s body began to disintegrate into thin air, turning into a series of blue energy particles. The woman opened her mouth and absorbed the particles, her body glowing a similar color. In a matter of seconds, Aruda was no longer there. “Ah, that’s much better. I don’t believe in being wasteful. Now then, allow me to properly introduce myself. My name is Kimora.”[/color]

[color=#333333]There came no response.[/color]

[color=#333333]“Well, aren’t you going to introduce yourselves?” She asked, placing her sword in a holster at her waist. “I suppose you must struggle with making new friends.” Again, she licked her lips, feeling the energy of the soul she’d just absorbed flowing through her at an extremely fast pace.[/color]

[color=#333333]“With all due respect,” Kenji replied, “Generally I’m not inclined to be friends with someone who makes their first appearance by killing a defenseless man.”[/color]

[color=#333333]Kimora appeared perplexed, but soon smiled. “You appear to be misguided. I didn’t kill him at all. What you just witnessed was the power of my 3rd Stage, {Kontonhitonami: Soul Swallow}. My sword possesses a unique ability that allows me to absorb the spirit and all of its energy of anyone it comes in contact with. Not to mention, they taste absolutely delicious.”[/color]

[color=#333333][i]Did she say 3rd Stage? Does that mean...[/i] Sora couldn’t process the thought; from what he’d learned, it took an immense amount of energy to access even the 1st Stage, never mind the third. He still had some strength, but using his own 1st Stage drained nearly all of his energy. She could so calmly use it as though it were nothing, and in addition to that, it actually restored her power instead of draining it. She was far more powerful than Aruda; by miles. Just her presence was difficult to uphold. [i]There’s no way we can even begin to fight with her. And it doesn’t look like she’s here to duel.[/i][/color]

[color=#333333]“Kenji, this isn’t a fight we can handle right now,” Sora said, trying to keep relatively quiet, though he knew she’d hear them anyway. Think about it, you’re exhausted from that duel and I haven’t recovered completely. Not to mention, she’s far more powerful than the two of us put together.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“So what do you want us to do?” Kenji asked, turning his attention to Sora entirely. “Just run away? You don’t expect her to follow us? It’s clear she has no regard for human life; leaving the warehouse only puts more people in danger.”[/color]

[color=#333333]Sora stared towards the ground. He knew Kenji was right; even if they managed to escape, there would be nowhere to run to. With the short amount of training he’d had, it was possible that, at most, he could get in one more attack; but there was no form of energy to break down, which was how the Feuer-zerbechen functioned. “So then, I presume you’re not here simply to collect your fallen comrade and move on?”[/color]

[color=#333333]“Ah, but what fun would that be?” Kimora asked. “There’s nothing quite as exhilarating as a brilliant battle. And besides, the two of you look delightful. I’m nearly drooling imagining what you’d taste like as we speak.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“I guess we have no choice but to fight then,” Kenji said. “I don’t really feel like being tonight’s entrée.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“Perhaps we could reach a compromise,” Kimora smiled, looking right into Kenji’s eyes. “The two of you could hand yourselves over, and I’ll only absorb seventy-five percent of your life-force. With whatever’s left, you could work as my subordinates, carrying out my every demand. That sounds like a better exchange than the other result.”[/color]

[color=#333333]Sora could feel the energy within him becoming reckless; the necessity to fight was becoming more evident, and his strength – whether or not it was only temporary he couldn’t be sure – was coming to him in full force. If there was a time to take advantage and strike, it was now. His speed was somewhat increased as well. Was that a result of the 1st Stage? This is such a stupid idea...[/color]

[color=#333333]His speed was incredibly shocking, as two steps forward was more than enough to accelerate him to Kimora’s position; he was quick to shift behind her, to throw her off. She had no idea what was going on in the rush of things. “I’d never lay my hands on a woman, but I’m not sure you qualify!” He scored with a right hook to the jaw, sending her flying into the rubble which had been created from Aruda’s defeat. Kenji stared wide-eyed at the situation. [/color]

[color=#333333]She started to stand, but with another two steps, Sora shifted right to her location. The speed was almost impossible to control, but he didn’t have time for that. Kimora reached for her sword, beginning to unsheathe it, but Sora struck with another shot, this one to the chest, and she crashed back onto the floor, this time in the center of the room. Is it possible that he had become this powerful? With one more shot, he could more than likely take her down completely. He had been able to catch her off-guard and once the first shot struck, it appeared she had lost the ability to regain control of the situation. “I hate fighting, but I’m opposed to the idea of allowing innocent bystanders to get hurt just for your twisted ways! So excuse me if I come across as harsh; I can’t allow anyone to be hurt! Now, take this!”[/color]

[color=#333333]He rushed to the center, blasting Kimora with a kick to the chest, using every ounce of force he had behind it. She screamed in pain as she flew back into the wall, crashing through it to the outside world. As Sora caught his breath, the remnants of rubble from the section of the wall that she had crashed into fell down on top of her. It looks like I did it...[/color]

[color=#333333]“That agility...is it possible someone could be so powerful?” Kenji asked aloud. “This kid is breathtaking.”[/color]

[color=#333333]Sora dropped to one knee, breathing heavily. Moving at such a pace took the wind right out of him, but he had been able to do enough damage. Still, to think someone with the ability to reach the 3rd Stage would be after them already[i]...what the hell is this?[/i][/color]

[color=#333333]A near-blinding light exploded from the pile of rubble, causing all of the brick and stone fragments to disintegrate. Sora reached to shield his face, but the pure force of the attack caused a few small cuts on his face regardless. As he awaited comments, Kimora’s screeching laughter echoed throughout the warehouse. She stood in front of him where the pile of rubble had once been, relatively unscathed.[/color]

[color=#333333]“Well, I’m impressed.” She spoke with less mockery in her voice then before, but the tone of superiority was still there. “Not only did you have the confidence to strike, you actually hit me three times. It’s been a while since I’ve seen such speed. But don’t think you will catch me off guard again.” She locked eyes with Sora; he felt fear, or so he thought.[/color]

[color=#333333][i]She’s alive...? That’s impossible...[/i] Kenji tried to come to grips with the reality that stood in front of him.[i] That last attack...how could she have survived it without a single scratch?[/i][/color]

[color=#333333]“That was fun, though.” Kimora said, sensing and enjoying the fear in both of them. “Unfortunately, I only have so much time for fun, otherwise I get in trouble. So while I’d rather stay here and have fun toying with the two of you, I have to bring this to an end.”[/color]

[color=#333333]“Hold on a second,” Sora interrupted. “Aruda said during the duel that you couldn’t kill us; you needed us alive to duel because you needed our energy. What’s changed in the matter of minutes since the duel ended?”[/color]

[color=#333333]“Technically that was the order,” she held her sword into the air, “but I’m sure we could find suitable energy sources elsewhere. The two of you are just too powerful for me to waste my time dueling you. I’d rather just kill you where you stand!”[/color]

[color=#333333]In a flash, she was gone.[/color]

[color=#333333]“Sora, watch out!” Kenji called out, but he was too late. Before they could even recollect what happened, Kimora’s sword had slashed through Sora’s body, right below his chest. [/color]

[color=#333333][b]To be continued...[/b][/spoiler][/color][/font][/size]

[Aerion Brightflame]

Dun, Dun, DUNNNN.

So the duel is over, and it was always going to be a Shogun wasn't it? It fits the archetype. And the ending.... Awesomenessess.

But yes, as ever its a goody. And go super agile people with swords. They always liven things up

[Randomflyingobjects]

Didn't see [i]her [/i]coming...

Was she there the whole time? I don't remember seeing her at all. Anyway, good/weird ending. I liked the moment where Sora broke the forth wall. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the next chapter, the season finale!

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Chapter 15: The Bigger Picture, Part Two]
Everything was so blurry. Despite his efforts to keep his eyes open, even if only slightly, Sora's vision became consumed by darkness. With the seconds that passed less and less of what had been in front of him was visible, until nothing remained but complete blackness. Strangely enough, he could still hear sounds, as the drops of blood from his chest struck the floor, one by one.

The pain was almost non-existent. Maybe just so strong and unlike anything he'd ever felt that it was as though his entire body had been paralyzed and numbed instead. Somehow, he could still sense Kenji's presence. He couldn't see him, nor did he hear any words, but he was still there. Which meant either the both of them were still alive, or they had both been killed. As fast as Kimora's movements had been, to think she would have been able to move from one of them to the other that quickly wasn't even rationally possible.

How long, he wondered until the effect of Kontonhitonami would kick in. His fate would be the same as Aruda's, or so it seemed. The sword had made contact with him and broken through his body, so to think anything else would be the result was naive. Kimora remained silent as well, but as the seconds continued to pass by, the sounds he could hear did not grow any louder, or quieter for that matter. It was as though he was frozen in time somehow.

It wasn't possible to see anything as he tried to force his eyes open. It felt as though they were already. Maybe the process was beginning to kick in, and she was just dragging it out due to her borderline-insane personality? Wait a second - out of the corner of his eye, just barely, he could see the outside world. Someone had taken the warehouse and compressed it into the smallest possible fragmented image, just big enough to know it exists but not big enough to see clearly. Was that his final grip on reality?

Maybe he could move his arms; far from logical, but nothing was making sense and everything was changing constantly so what harm could come from trying? He tried to muster up the strength to move his right arm, the energy within his body so far scrambled that he couldn't get anything to move the way he wanted it to. [i]Come on, focus...[/i]

“Struggle all you want, but it won't make a difference,” for the first time, he heard Kimora's voice. “My sword has already broken through; the process has already begun. Because you had far greater energy at the time of the strike than Aruda did, it isn't as quick a process. However you can't defend yourself from it, regardless. The strength necessary to move even one finger is unbelievable. Don't waste your time.”

[i]The sword has broken through...Wait a second...if the sword is where the energy is being taken from, that means it's all going to be concentrated at one point in my body before it's absorbed. And that means...that I should be able to...[/i] Sora made a fist with his right hand, grabbing the sword by the tip of the blade.

“What the--?” Kimora was stunned. “What are you doing?!”

“Sora...are you insane?” Kenji asked, thinking aloud.

“Feuer-zerbechen.” Swirls of black surrounded Sora's wrist and upper forearm, quickly latching onto the sword and repelling against the energy that was being pulled from inside of his body. The further the black swirls got down the sword, the more the energy was repelled, until it was no longer visible. “My sword, what are you doing?!”

“Your technique, while entirely physical, concludes by absorbing the energy from within my body and adding it to yourself.” Sora explained, as Kenji listened intently, wondering how the hell he'd managed to figure this out. “But in order to absorb the energy, you have to withdraw it, first. My 1st Stage technique does the exact opposite, by breaking down and reflecting energy. While I began to fade, I realized that before you could actually take my power, you had to have a centralized concentration of the energy first, and where does that energy go? Right to trhe point where you made contact. By grabbing the blade of the sword and using my technique on the sword itself instead of on you, the energy you tried to take from me is forced back into my body, and the aftermath...well, that blows the sword and the remaining power right back...at you.” He turned his head to lock eyes with her. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, nor did she had time to take it in as the move took effect, sending her flying.

[i]What happened to him during the duel that caused him to change so much? This power and brilliance, he went from being so quiet to being an ass-kicking machine.[/i] The admiration ended quickly as Sora fell to one knee; Kenji rushed to his side, knowing that even though he had been able to reflect the blow, he was still stabbed at point blank and that would take a significant toll. “Are you alright? Stick with me, I'll try and get you out of here.”

“Do you think you can take me down that easily?” Kimora's voice was one of fatigue; she was no longer unscathed. The simple kicks and punches hadn't done as much earlier, but Sora's retaliation had almost killed her. She wouldn't admit that and give them the satisfaction of knowing they'd come so close, but beside the point.

“She...” Kenji nearly dropped Sora in surprise, but grabbed him quickly and held him up against the wall for balance. “She's still alive...”

“That move was incredible,” Kimora replied, panting. “Truly it was. And you should know I'm not one to compliment my enemies. But to pretend that I'm not hurt after something like that would not even fool the likes of you. The difference between you and I though, is that all I have to do is kill you and I become fully recovered. You don't have that luxury. Even if you were able to kill me, I've fatally wounded you, and that means that I've already won this battle. Now, take this!” With minimal effort, Kimora hurled her sword forwards, headed straight for Sora.

“Sora, get out of the way!” Kenji screamed, pushing him backwards and standing to take the attack. It was heading straight for his chest, the aim just off the charts.

“Kenji no, don't be...” Sora called out, but it was too late.

A glowing red light emerged from nowhere, circling at a rapid pace, much faster round than the sword was moving forward. Sora had to shield his eyes from how bright it was, which caused a sharp pin in his chest. The light materialized and settled in the form of a blade around Kenji's right forearm. It was a fluorescent red in color, almost oval shaped, and comprised entirely of energy. “1st Stage, {Shippuuhishu; Hurricane Dagger}.”

Kenji didn't appear to know exactly what he was saying, as though the power had come to him so quickly that it was simply the overwhelming strength which allowed him to call out the name of his ability. “Your sword is a joke,” he muttered, simply raising his arm and reflecting the strike with a single blow. “My Shippuuhishu's size can be freely changed at will. By simply expanding the energy particles, it can act as a shield, a sword, or both.”

[i]He deflected that shot without a single trace of fear.[/i] Sora attempted to hold himself up, amazed at what he was seeing. “So this has become interesting.”

Kimora brushed herself off, grasping her sword by the handle with great intensity. If the sword wasn’t infused with energy, it would more than likely have broken or bent from the strength. “This battle is releasing such heavy amounts of energy. So much so that I have unintentionally brought out your 1st Stage technique. Most of the time, there is no set “way” to unlock the 1st Stage, regardless of how strong you are. It’s something that happens purely on instinct. From there, you can learn to use the technique in a variety of ways, and begin to learn what your other Stages are capable of I think you owe me gratitude.” She grinned.

“Is that so?” Kenji was breathing somewhat heavily, as the influx of power flowing through him was something out of familiarity. “Well, forgive me then, because I’m not exactly feeling grateful today. But you can take this as a token of my thanks! {Hyoujinryuusei; Slicing Meteor Shower}.”

“You think an attack will be enough to slow me down?!” Kimora exclaimed, swinging her sword wildly through the air, preparing to defend herself from whatever was coming next.

“Who said anything about slowing you down?” Kenji asked, “I was just thinking about knocking you down a few pegs is all.” The oval-shaped formation on Kenji’s arm began to break apart into hundreds of smaller fragments, all the same color, but some different in size than others. They flew towards the sky, circling around one another. As he raised his arm, the fragments shot back down, heading straight for Kimora, all of them at a different pace; with the speed it would be impossible for her to block every one, and she knew it.

“What is this?!” Kimora was able to block the first few shots with ease, simply using her sword to cut them down. But the more she sliced, the faster the next set of fragments came down. Eventually, it began to catch up with her. One of the more medium sized fragments struck her right shoulder, tearing through it clean. She nearly dropped the sword, allowing three more fragments to strike her in different places; standing was nearly impossible now. “This can’t be! How is it that a mere human could have this kind of power?!”

I[i] know the people who I must fight to defend are with me here. Raio, and Sora, and all the innocent people who lost their lives...it is for them that I cannot lose this battle, no matter what![/i] “You only saw the first part of my attack; the fragments cut you down, but then, they’re able to recollect themselves and form the weapon on my wrist once more! And since you can’t move, you’re wide open.”

Sora was bewildered. His ability to control the fragments as though they were a series of weapons instead of just one is incredible.[i] I guess it’s fair to say Police Work may not have been the best line of duty.[/i]

“Are you alright, Sora?” Kenji asked, not actually looking towards his ally but sensing his now-standing presence.

“I’m good,” Sora replied. “I don’t know how many times I’ve told you already, you don’t need to worry about me.”

Kenji shrugged. “Easier said than done, but I’ll take your word for it. Now I’ve got to finish this.” He leapt into the air, leaving Kimora to struggle; no matter what she did she couldn’t seem to stand. The fragments that had struck her had added an immense amount of energy to her at the same time, so much so that she couldn’t withstand the force behind it. “Take this!”

“s***, there’s nowhere to move!” Kenji’s attack struck flawlessly as Kimora screamed out. “You haven’t seen the last of me!”

With that, she vanished.

---

Kenji collapsed to the ground. His weapon was gone, having used up the rest of his energy in that last attack. But they had won, for now. Sora rushed over to Kenji, holding his chest which had stopped bleeding by this point. That in and of itself was strange, but he didn’t exactly have the time to sit and question the physics behind his body’s recovery process.

“Kenji...” It was obvious by his body’s condition that the fight had taken a lot out of him. Everything that they had experienced just now was unlike anything either of them had faced before; Sora thought of Aruda, a poor, confused soul who was forced to suffer because of his own actions. It was clear that Aruda regretted who he’d become and probably appreciated what they’d done for him.

But Kimora, something seemed different about her. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what it was, but something about it was just overwhelmingly strange.

“I guess it’s time to get out of here then.” Sora sighed. “But I guess five minutes of rest isn’t going to kill anyone.”

---

“It appears they have defeated both Aruda and Kimora.”

“You act as though this information comes as a surprise to you, Umiiruka. It was rather obvious such an event would occur. Realistically, replacing her among us was a rather smart decision.”

“Why do you think I did so? If I had made such a careless mistake and kept her on board, we would be down a member already, and this fight has hardly begun. With that in mind, Aruda’s defeat lead to our revelation, isn’t that a problem?”

“How could you figure such a thing?” A louder, more powerful voice interrupted the conversation between the two men. “Do not insult my intelligence so as to suggest I was unaware that our existence would be revealed to them. In fact, it is a necessity. You must understand that while we could simply kill them all and be done with it, we would then be unable to collect enough energy to complete our ultimate goal; they need to be alive and become stronger and we will need to duel them.”

“So what comes next, sir?”

“If they nearly died facing a former member of our organization, imagine how much more challenging things can become for them? Why not find someone who’s interested in doing some fighting? Buy me some time while our pristine author writes a filler arc.”

“As you command, sir.”

“I think I’ve got just the one.”

To be continued...[/spoiler]

Thanks for all the feedback so far, guys. Hoping to get some more readers now that there's a break from the main story that gives everyone a chance to catch up. The next 5-7 episodes will be purely filler, but they should be enjoyable no less, because they will have a little relevance to the main story.

I'm so glad with how well this is turning out so far.

[Aerion Brightflame]

Lots of fighting, and powers and the things that remind me a heck of a lot of bleach. Again. sorry to keep mentioning it, but i find it awesome so its no compaint.

Its nice that the powers are seperate and unique.Rather than as I intially feared being the same just with differing power levels...

And now CW falls back into its dormant state. Until i actually write more than 2 pages of my fic XD

[Synchronized]

[quote name='HiveNet' timestamp='1345079681' post='6007770']
Lots of fighting, and powers and the things that remind me a heck of a lot of bleach. Again. sorry to keep mentioning it, but i find it awesome so its no compaint.

Its nice that the powers are seperate and unique.Rather than as I intially feared being the same just with differing power levels...

And now CW falls back into its dormant state. Until i actually write more than 2 pages of my fic XD
[/quote]

Bleach ends up being heavy inspiration on this. Especially because I'm still in the middle of the series, but I try to stray away from it in some ways, too!

The powers are quite interesting; I haven't even begun to get into that much yet. I have no idea how long the story will be at this point. The filler arc will go into some necessary backstory, so that's at least a plus, but it'll be far less tedious to write filler than it will be to write the main story.

As a note, while normal episodes are about 3000 words, the Filler Arcs will probably be closer to 2000 words instead.

[Synchronized]

[spoiler=Chapter 16: Underlying Messages]


“Alright class, remember, tomorrow morning before any of the normal proceedings, your reports will be due.” A rather tall woman, far from slender but not exactly obese, stood in front of the chalk board, drawing the groans and irritated scowls of all the teenagers in attendance. She wrote something, a due date of some kind, on the board, before taking a seat at her desk. “Now then, have a great night and remember, there's no time for fun tonight, you need to get those papers done! Anyone who doesn't have them finished will not be eligible to receive a final grade!”

With the “official” approval to leave class, dozens of kids stood up, three or four rows at a time, and in less than a minute, the near one-hundred person classroom was now empty, save for the teacher and one boy, who had remained behind. He was wearing jeans, a mixture of blue and black, faded and torn at a few spots. They hardly stood out against the bright blue color of his hair; unique, but not exactly the craziest thing you'd see around Houshou Island. “Mr. Kiryu, just a moment.”

The boy stopped in his tracks and let out a heavy sigh, loud enough for the teacher to hear because he knew for a fact she would call for him. He walked up to her desk, purposely taking his time to frustrate her somewhat. It was the most enjoyment he'd get out of this boring day. “What is it, Miss Tekkai?”

The woman smiled, an almost obnoxious smile as her large lips took up the bottom half of her face. She was quite an...interesting individual, Kiryu thought. “I simply wanted to make sure you understand how important it is that you finish this report. I know you may be the island's best duelist and all, and while those skills are surely exceptional, you won't be able to leave the island and make it to any sort of relevant dueling position if you do not finish your classes, now will you, Mr. Kiryu?”

“I guess you're right,” Kiryu sighed. “Oh well, I'll get it done then, I suppose. What's it, half a page?”

“Half a page?” Ms. Tekkai asked, rage boiling in her eyes. “Have you paid attention to anything I've said in class?!”

“Eh, not really,” Kiryu said. “I remember you writing the date on the board but I'm pretty sure I knocked out shortly after that.”

She did her best to hide her frustration, but Kiryu wasn't paying much attention to it anyway. He just wanted to get out of class and head home. He was beat, napping on those wooden desks was anything but comfortable. A real nap was in order. “I'm not sure if you think this is funny or not, but I am not joking when I say I will not pass you if you do not finish this paper, Mr. Kiryu. Too often I have had students like you who believe they are better than the rest of the class act as if they can sail their way through. I will not tolerate this kind of behavior. You must write and complete a five page paper, due to me by the first thing tomorrow morning. Otherwise you can kiss your dueling career goodbye.”

Kiryu turned his head towards the door. He went to speak, but hesitated. Ms. Tekkai watched on, half-frustrated, half-confused as the boy began walking towards the door. “Two pages, I got it. Well then, I'll see you in class tomorrow, I suppose.”

---

The schoolyard was filled with kids and adults alike, rushing to their cars with excitement. Kiryu knew the feeling; he could only stay awake for an hour in the damn place and he was exhausted daily. Imagine how bad it must've been for the rest of them who actually stayed awake for the whole six.

Houshou Island was different. Located off the coast of the United States of America, in a relatively distant area that wasn't actually close to any other country, the inhabitants were mostly duelists. The common dream amongst people here was to make it to one of the big countries to be a part of the Pro Leagues there. Of course, that was easier said than done. In order to even be considered for the Pro Leagues, you had to have a recommendation from an Officiator on the island. Here, there were only two; and getting their attention was anything but a simple task.

Kiryu was one of the lucky ones. His incredible dueling skills and unparalleled lack of regard for pretty much anything made him an ideal candidate. He had no family on the island, so his emotions were virtually non-existent. Not to say he didn't feel, but he honestly didn't care much about anything. Except dueling, he figured. But even then, the passion wasn't nearly as great as it was for some of the aspiring duelists on the island. Anything to leave this depressing place.

To tourists it might seem like a dream vacation, but it wasn't all it was cracked up to be. He could never really put his finger on what, but something about the island left him with a really uneasy feeling. Normally, he'd spend his nights in a hotel, if he did sleep, otherwise he'd just practice his dueling and work on getting off the damn island.. After eight years, it was finally time for the last day of classes. The lady wanted the paper written, but he wasn't even sure if he'd do it. Fact of the matter was, he'd make his way to the Pro Leagues with or without that grade. It was already assured.

[i]Of course, right on cue.[/i] He felt his phone ringing in his pocket, and begrudgingly pulled it out to answer. “What is it? Can't you give me a break once in a while? I'm extremely tired. I'm sure there's nothing else I need to train for today that can't wait a while, Hiyoru.”

“It's a pleasure to speak to you as well, Kiryu,” the voice on the other line replied, in a mocking tone. “Listen, you know as well as I do that the last thing I'd like to do is trouble you, but we're having some...issues getting things situated.”

“Issues?” Kiryu asked, his attention perked. “What kind of issues? Are they related to what I think they are?”

“Unfortunately, yes.” The voice answered. “You see, I was working on preparing the final documents necessary to get you ready when the ship comes to pick up its next installment at the end of the week. I've already spoken with multiple Pro League representatives and everything was set. That is, until I discovered that somewhere else on this island, there is another prospect who has somehow gotten in touch with them. It is not my doing, but there is another duelist here on the island who is threatening your guaranteed spot in the Pro Leagues.”

[i]That can't be![/i] How would something like that even be possible? He had been forced to duel nearly everyone on the island in Exhibition matchups, and he'd defeated nearly everyone with ease. Of course there were a few who put up a fight, but for the most part this island's player base was closely associated with defeat. “I can't believe something like this would be happening when I'm this close to leaving this place. Tell me, Hiyoru, what am I supposed to do to resolve this?”

There was silence on the other end of the line as Hiyoru tried to formulate a response. “Unfortunately, without having any idea of who this prospect is, the only thing I can begin to suggest, and this could be risky...”

“Out with it,” Kiryu said.

“Well, I could speak with the League Representative and arrange a showdown between the two of you; since it's obvious the Leagues have been keeping an eye on both of you, putting together a duel shouldn't be too difficult. The problem there is, should you lose, you're, to put it frankly, there aren't many other options.”

“You can't possibly think I'd actually lose to this person, could you?” There was a hint of anger in Kiryu's voice as he spoke. To think he hadn't proven himself above and beyond what was required was just ridiculous. “How insulting.”

There was a sigh on the other end of the line. “I didn’t say that, Kiryu. Try and think about it from a logical perspective for a moment, will you? It’s simple. Whoever this person is, you’ve more than likely never faced him before. On top of that, he’s a resident of Houshou Island which means he’s not exactly new to the area. Throughout your training, you’ve faced nearly everyone I could come up with to put you against. So if I was never able to find him and arrange for a duel between the two of you, he must be good, and he must have some powerful help on his side. By preventing himself from being noticed or recognized by our side, he’s essentially kept himself from anything that would threaten him leaving this island. He’s obviously working under someone brilliant.”

Kiryu heard the words and let them sink in, but had decided he would not give Hiyoru the reassurance of knowing that he was correct. The fact of the matter was, his career was being threatened here, the one thing he had actually been somewhat driven to work for. Having all the talent in the world was not enough to get him there; despite being called a prodigy duelist. “Whatever. Let’s arrange a duel then. I’ve had enough of the stupid games of Houshou.”

“As you wish,” Hiyoru responded. “Just remember, don’t say I didn’t warn you. I fear you don’t realize in the slightest what you’re up against, Kiryu.”

“More like the other way around,” Kiryu said. “Whoever thinks I’ll be a one-way ticket to success has another thing coming.”

“Very well, Kiryu.” There was nothing but a dial tone on the other end as Hiyoru ended the call. Kiryu scowled to himself as he put the phone back in his pocket.

[i]I guess that nap’s going to have to wait a few hours. What a bore.[/i]

---

*[i]NEXT MORNING[/i]*

While his cool, confident demeanor more often than not overruled anything else that might get to him, Kiryu had spent the majority of the night going through his cards and making a variety of changes. He could swear he’d taken the same card out and replaced it, only to do the same thing again a minute or two later, at least fifteen times the night before. He was worried. It had nothing to do with the fact that he might lose, or that his skill and recognition was being threatened. In reality, he’d never really worked to get any of that stuff anyway, so it didn’t feel like he was losing something important.

What was worrying him was the fact that should he lose, it was very much a possibility that he’d have to stay on Houshou Island. There were always other means to leave the island than a League Ship, but it cost absurd amounts of money, money he didn’t have. To think that he would have to continue to live a life of emptiness and devoid of meaning, that was the only negative of it all. The escape had nothing to do with making it to the Pros. He just wanted to get out and experience the world, with the hope that perhaps he would find something or someone that would make him realize his true purpose.

Having talent made you a target; it wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. Sure, he could out-duel almost anyone, but to think that made a significant difference in the grand scheme of things was laughable.

He had received a call from Hiyoru late last night. The duel would take place today, in a matter of hours. There were no Arenas or Stadiums on Houshou Island, but there was an Underground Duel Arena which had been closed off for years. Sometimes the younger duelists would sneak over there to duel or hang out, and more often than not it was ignored because there wasn’t much harm in it. Hiyoru had arranged for the duel to take place there.

In actuality, this would be the most important duel of his life.

“Perhaps I’ll have to put a little effort in this time around.”

[b]To be continued...[/spoiler][/b]