Yu-Gi-Oh! NT

[Will Rideout]

Yu-Gi-Oh! NT

Chapter 1: Out for Delivery

Floorboards, long-since past their youthful resilience, creaked alongside a steady pattern, muffled underneath a similarly wooden door. A door, capitalized in the darkness that shrouded it, outlined by the hallway lights that had peeked through. A door, that seemed to both entrance the light from the outside and keep in the darkness of the room. A door, that appeared to face opposite of a young man, kneeling, who’s skin paralleled inside the ebony contained by the wooden frame.

“…forty-four, forty-five, forty-six.” The young man placed a deck of playing cards from his lap beside him. “Tomorrow...” The young man caught his face in his hand, running it down, as if to rub off his growing frustration. He sighed as he reached for the deck of cards. “Again.”

Since the beginning of time, society has been dictated by the wane of the sun. From designated curfews for children before the light ebbs, to the closing hours for businesses. We’ve tried to replicate and harness its potential through the creations of ‘flashlights’ and ‘streetlamps’. It’s not that people aren’t meant for the morning, it’s our dependency on receiving its shine to quantify a time to be productive; the young man hadn’t believed in that form of addiction, he got up to catch the sun.

The sun peeked its way through beige window blinds, bringing an orange lense over the room. Dilapidated and stained through years gone by, a single mattress laid underneath the window, stress mirrored in the environment. Steam particles danced between beams of light, from underneath the bathroom door. Coconut cocktails seemed to waft through, filling the room with the aroma of a morning jog being cleansed. The young man stepped out, his breath became visual as his steps creaked along the floor towards his dresser. Throwing on what he could find, he made his way into his apartment’s hallway.

Incense burned at the frame of his door, did little to block out the smoker-lungs that he stepped into. The handrailing declined within the confidence of the building. 

“Timid Hima’s big day today?”

The young man, Hima, peered down the flight to witness the shrill from the Harpie, that posed the question, make her way up to him. She had been accompanied by a congregation of women whom followed suit. Hima swiftly turned to look back at his door before stopping halfway. He took a deep breath and began his way down.

“…Yeah...” Hima felt his breath being forced out alongside his word. Like sinking deeper into the depths of the ocean, he felt the pressure of the environment closing in on his lungs as he closed to meet this woman.

“Tryin’ to duel before you head to work?” The woman, the leader of the pack, flipped her crimson-flamed hair as she met Hima at the middle of the stairway. “You won’t have to pay up this time. My gift to you.” A wink assured her of her word. 

Hima- 

“I’m alright Hiita, I’m running late anyway.”

“Yeah? I’m tryna’ do ya a favor here.”

Hima pressed on.

“Ya haven’t a single win and ya think ya can pick and choose who ya do or don’t duel?”

Hima’s heartbeat increased with every sly syllable uttered.

“That’s a luxury for champions, the luxury for those who know what it means to win. Probably still runnin’ with that 46-card deck.”

The three other women that accompanied Hiita didn’t share in her demeanor, but they did little to stop her.

 “I’m doing charity work fo-”

Hi-

 “Happy Birthday Hima.”

Hima pivoted himself to face the woman who said that. He hadn’t noticed her as she had been at the end of the line, but his eyes didn’t miss a detail about her.

“Never mind him, Wynn. This party was your idea.”

Hiita’s impatience broke the two’s eye-lock. She made her way back in pace with the group, nearing the top of the stairs, her emerald hair flowing behind every step. 

“I don’t know why ya botha’ with ‘im.”

______________________________________________________________________________

“Hima! Hurry up and get your uniform on! We’re swamped over here!” Hima’s grandfather was a large man; both in stature and in personality. “I can’t believe that you decided to oversleep on the opening day of the new set!” The crowd that had been amassed inside the card shop were whipped into a frenzy. A handful of them held up money, ready to be taken by his grandfather, while some others held the new duel monsters pack like a prized trophy.

“Don’t forget your manners now.” Hima’s grandmother was kind beyond her years. She often looked up to customers, but it was the customers that had looked up to her. As she handed out packs to customers who had paid, Hima finally caught sight of her. “Oh Hima, you came just in time! Happy Birthday young man!” She smiled at him as he made his way to the back office to change.

______________________________________________________________________________

Throwing on his work-apron, Hima stood before the office door. Taking a deep breath, he firmly grasped the handle. The commotion inside the store became an uproar as more pack boxes of the new card packs began being placed in view. 

‘Duel Monsters’, a phenomenon that couldn’t be understated by anyone of the current age. They had said that these cards came into existence when humanity was on the brink of cyclical-war, and have remained a focal point for society ever since. Crime still occurs, as that is as inevitable as opening a card pack and not getting that rare that you’ve sought after, but it has been on a steady decline for decades. These cards are nothing special, but the way they bring people together and carve a smile on their faces should be cherished.

Hima wiped sweat from his forehead as the uproar of the card shop turned into a controlled pattern as attention was shifted from the front counter to individual tables; people were dueling. 

“I summon the Dark Magician!”

“Ah man! I didn’t think you’d have that!”

Everyone that had been present had been locals for as long as Hima had moved to Neo Ventus city, yet, Hima wouldn’t consider them more than customers; they saw him as an easy pick-up. A tug at his arm sent Hima’s attention downwards.

“Would you like to duel?”

A young girl, no older than twelve, appeared in front of him. Pig-tails and glasses completed her attire.

“Uh, no thank you.” Caught off guard, Hima continued picking up opened wrappers from the tables.

“Oh, ok.” Pushing up her glasses, she watched Hima intently. “My name is Chiyo. I’m new to this area, especially this shop.”

Hima, pretending not to hear, moved to another table.

“Six-Samurais are one of my favorite decks.” Chiyo declared beside him. “I’m not that good at deck-building so I can’t seem to get a win under my belt. Hehe.”

Hima turned to her and stared for a bit before opening his mouth. “My record isn’t any better, that I’m sure.” Noticing her continued commitment, he looked around. His Grandfather looked over his shoulder as he led a handful of customers to another table. His Grandmother began wiping down tables after picking up wrappers. Hima sighed as he opened up his deck-box in front of Chiyo.

______________________________________________________________________________

“Celebration time!” Hima’s grandfather threw his large body back into a rocking chair, bottle in hand, raising it towards the ceiling with a smile as if bestowing it with The One up high. “Who woulda guessed the turnout’ll be this big?”

“I’m as elated as you are dear,” Hima’s grandmother responded to his cheers by snatching the bottle from him. “but we can’t forget about Hima’s birthday. It was thanks to him that today ran as smoothly as it did.”

“Of course! Even while coming through late, the kid managed to catch up and overtake us! Sooner than later, he’ll need to take over this shop from me. I don’t have much time left.” Grandpa chuckled.

Hima sat there, hands underneath the table and a smile underneath his emotions of overt neutrality. 

“Pa, go get the cake from the fridge. Hima is growing bored just hearing us ramble.”

“Women don’t understand, right boy?” Grandpa winked at Hima while excusing himself. 

Grandma pulled her tote bag to her lap. Rummaging through it, she started humming a tune that resonated with Hima. “This song was your mom’s favorite too. You inherited more than her smile, it seems.” She gleaned.

“Don’t just stop there, she also has her smarts too! Which is something she got from you.” Pa bellowed as he set a large white cake in front of Hima. “All that’s missing is your dad’s tenacity.” Sitting down, he leaned back, eyes towards the city. “I can’t even count how many times I had to turn him down from our little girl. But boy, did that man ever become one.”

Hima found his eyes drawn to his lap, where his 46-card deck laid within his hands. A cold metal feeling kept him in the now.

“What is it that you’d want to wish for, on this special day of yours?” Ma asked earnestly, taking his hand into hers. Hima looked at her, tearing up.

“I want to-“

BRANG-BRANG

“Pa! Didn’t you tell people that we’re closed early today?!” Ma’s attention shifted over to a confused-looking Pa.

“I did! Damnit, I’ll be right back.” Excusing himself from the table again, Ma’s attention went back onto Hima’s. The ringing from the phone stopped as he heard his grandfather screaming into the receiver.

“I forgot, honest.”

Ma’s face looked concerned but comforting at the same time. She knew not to press any further. This was his day and he’s allowed to express himself however he’d wish to.

“You won’t believe this.” Pa came back to the table, almost out of breath. “They expected a delivery today and we failed to deliver.” Pa prided himself in delivering the best customer-service in the city, this was a blow to the gut that Hima knew couldn’t be shaken free.

“Oh, Dear. We can’t focus on one forgotten delivery when we have the best present the world could deliver to us, right here. This is Hima’s birthday, this is an exception.” Ma always knew how to alleviate a situation, but Pa didn’t have the face of a man who was going to give up on this.

“You haven’t been wrong in our 44 years of marriage.” Pa took a breath. “But this is a delivery for someone’s own kid. It’s their birthday today too.” The tension in the air stuck like syrup as the weight of the situation became real. “I’m sorry Hima, I’m going to have to go.” Getting up from the table, Pa went to grab his coat. “I’ll be right back.”

KA-THUNK

The drop of a large man couldn’t go unnoticed in the silent, near empty, shop.

“Pa!!” Both Ma and Hima said in unison as they hopped out of their chairs to attend the fallen man. Rolling him onto his back, Ma lifted his head and rested it on her lap. “Hima! An ice-pack!” 

Hima ran into the storage room and found the freezer. Then stood there….and stood there….

“Hima!” Ma screamed from the other room.

Getting back to his senses, he grabbed the ice pack from the freezer and made his way back to them.

“Thank you Hima. He exhausted himself this week. Getting the shop ready for the opening and your birthday. He’s nowhere near death’s door, but he definitely looked at the hinges.” 

Hima stood there, just looking at Pa. He’s breathing, but nothing more than that.

“It’s bout time he got some rest anyway.” Ma relaxed the room to a blissful level, another ability of hers.

“Hi..Hima.” Pa’s voice was weak. The contrast from where his voice bellowed before, sounded almost like a meek whisper at this point.

“Pa! Stop it! Just rest!” She could summon down the gods if they pissed her off.

“Please Ma, let me speak to the boy.” She had to hold her tongue. “Hima, I wrote the address down.” He took a deep breath. “Please, deliver this to that family.” Pa pointed at the counter and there laid a light-brown package and an address written on top.

Hima got up and grabbed the package, looked at the address and knew it was close.

“You got it Pa.” Hima took off.

______________________________________________________________________________

Hima ran, knowing his lungs could take him anywhere. Around block corners, through intersections, he couldn’t stop. He’d deliver this and be on hi-

“Somebody help me!!”

A little girl shouted to the side of Hima. The boy stood and looked around to see if he could see who it was. Through an alleyway, he made out a group of older men and a little girl; he could make out her pig-tails and glasses.

“No way that that’s the girl from earlier.“ Hima stood there…and stood there…

“Somebody!! Please!!” She screamed again.

Hima stood there…and stood there…

“HIMA!!”

Hima shot into action! Sprinting across the street to the alleyway, right before reaching the group.

“Let…her go.” Almost out of breath, Hima made an order.

“Hm? Look at this hero y’all!” The biggest of the group took notice. He couldn’t be any more than a couple of years older than Hima, but his face has been through some things. Faint scars across his lips and eyebrows. Hima knew that a fight wouldn’t be in his favor. “You know this kid?” He motioned to the little girl.

Hima trembled with their eyes on him. But he was too far in to back down now. “Just met her today.” 

“Hima.” Chiyo sounded relieved to have him there.

“So what’s it to ya if we rough her up a bit? She stole from us and now she doesn’t know where she left them.” 

“Whatever it was, I can pay for them to be replaced.” Hima bargained.

“That right?” The group surrounded Hima at this point. 

“Fuuka, this kid works at the card shop. He’s gotta be loaded with shit.” One of the members revealed to the leader, Fuuka.

“No shit?! Well damn, looks like this was worth it after all.” Motioning to Chiyo. “You can scram now kid, your work is done.” 

Chiyo nodded and made her way away from them.

“Chiyo?” Something didn’t sit right with Hima.

“Oh, that’s right!” Chiyo exclaimed, running back to them. “This package was meant to be delivered to me.” She laughed, taking The package out of Hima’s hands.

“Wait…what?!” Hima’s anger started coming out.

“Yeah, I was sent to scout you out. Had to make it convincing. Didn’t think you’d actually show up, knowing how timid you are.”

Hima’s stomach dropped. Looking around to every sneering, he realized he was stuck in a trap.

“Give up your shit.” Fuuka grabbed Hima by his collar, raising him up off the ground. 

“I was set up? Just to pad out some more hollow-victories?! It’s been this way for so long, why am I surprised?…But what makes me most mad-”

“Let’s duel!” Hima shook free from Fuuka’s grasp and dropped to the ground.

“Duel? I heard you don’t have a single dub on your record kid. What do I gain from beating you?” Fuuka looked almost disappointed that that would be proposed.

“This.” Hima freed his necklace from his shirt. “The key to the card shop.” Sweat was starting to develop along his eyebrows. 

“The balls on this guy.” Fuuka whistled. “Sounds like I’ll be upgrading in no-time.”

Hima knew that even the lowest of thugs have a code of honor when it comes to dueling. He doesn’t plan on winning though, he just needs to buy time to figure out how to get out of this mess.

“Which deck you usin’ today Fuuka?” A member chimed in.

“Uh, gimme the WIND one. I don’t wanna get too annoyed here.” Just as he finished declaring, his gang adhered a silver duel disk to his left arm. He slammed the deck into the deck slot and grinned.

“It’s time to duel.” Hima’s stomach began tying itself within every syllable uttered. He readied his black duel disk to his left arm. His deck counter read: 46.

 

Fuuka
 LP: 4000
—VS—
Hima
LP: 4000

[Will Rideout]

Chapter 2: My First Loss

Fuuka
LP: 4000
—VS—
Hima
LP: 4000

“Each duelist draws 5 cards from their respective decks at the start of the duel.” Chiyo, as if going over what had been recently taught to her, started to recall. “Then, the turn player draws one card for their turn.”

On cue, Fuuka drew for his turn. “Starting out, I’m going to activate the Spell Card, Remembering!”

“A spell I can only activate as the first card of my Main Phase. Any monster I Normal Summon gains the effects it would gain from being in the Standby Phase!”

“Fuuka just activated a Spell Card.” Chiyo continues. “One of the three card-types that compose a Deck. Only playable during either Main Phases, but an endless amount can be activated as long as conditions are met. The stronger the effect, the stronger the restriction.“

”I’m going to Normal Summon Elemental HERO Woodsman!” Slamming his card onto one of the five monster-zones, a flash of light brought forth a green man, covered in wooden-bark.

“Players can only Normal Summon once per their turn. This Summon requires them to be in attacking-position.” Chiyo studied.

“Due to my Spell card, I can activate Woodsman effect right now! This allows me to add a ‘Polymerization’ from my deck to my hand.” Fuuka’s deck shuffled inside the loader. Once it stopped, a single card protruded from the top. “Now, I activate ‘Polymerization’!” Playing the card his deck just gave him, he continues. “This Spell allows me to fuse monsters from my Hand or Field into a new, Fusion Monster!” Sending two cards from his hand to the graveyard slot, his Woodsman erupts into a purple tornado. “Come forth, Elemental HERO Nagualman!”

Chiyo’s mouth hung open, this wasn’t the combo of some thug, this was a duelist that knew what it took to go pro!

Fuuka’s thugs were all in an uproar as they knew their boss was in the driver’s seat of this duel!

Hima, not sharing an ounce of the excitement, plastered his face with complete neutrality.

“Now, I activate Nagualman’s effect. When it’s Fusion Summoned, I can add an Equip-Spell card from my deck to my hand.”

“An Equip-Spell is a Spell that has it’s effects attached to being attached to a monster.” Chiyo explained.

“I equip Nagualman with Hurricane Boomerang!” Slamming his card into the slot, Nagualman reached out his hand. A large, wooden boomerang appeared in a flash of light. His monster’s ATK changed from 2400 to 2900.

“Due to ‘Remembering’ stopping me from setting this turn, I’ll end it there.” Fuuka took a sigh and smiled, proud of his combo.

Turn 2
Fuuka
LP: 4000
—VS—
Hima
LP: 4000

Hima took a sigh and frowned, disgusted in his options.

“I draw.” Drawing from his deck, he looked at his 6 cards, then at Fuuka’s monster, then to his hand, then to-

“Hurry the fuck up!” Fuuka ordered as his irritation grew. “You look like you don’t even wanna  duel.”

Hima could only agree. This was the spur of the moment, just to buy him some time to think of a way out of this. Not only could he not think of anything, but now he’s staring down another opponent for him to lose to. “Fuck, man.” He knew he didn’t have what it took to win.

“I activate the Spell Card ‘Double Summon’.” Hima said meekly. “I’m allowed to Normal Summon twice this turn.”

Chiyo almost got nervous, as this was a play that someone uses to bring out a big monster.

“I Normal Summon both ‘The Six Samurai - Yachi and Yariza.”

Playing both of these cards down, both monsters appeared in front of Hima, in a flash of light. Peering through the gap between them, he honed in Fuuka. He felt more confident than he did before. “I think I can do this!” “Now, I set a card in my Spell/Trap Zone before I move to my Battle Phase.” Hima grinned as he pressed o-

“Before that.” Fuuka raised his finger and wagged it, as if acknowledging that Hima did something he wasn’t supposed to. “ I activate the effect of my ‘Hurricane Boomerang’. Once per turn, during either Main Phase, I can destroy all cards in your Spell/Trap Zones.”

Fuuka’s monster swung its oversized boomerang over its head a couple of times before sending the now-formed tornado over to Hima’s field. Picking up the face-down card in the back row, it was revealed to be ‘Pot of Greed’.

…

…

…

“…Is he…playing with the boss?” One of the members asked in bewilderment. “That card lets you draw two cards from your deck, for free!” Another chimed in. “There’s no way he just set that card, thinking it’d be worth saving for the next turn.” They were almost laughing at this point

Chiyo had to catch her laugh in her hands, but some noise poked through. “PFFTT!!” She did her best to swallow it, but she soon joined in with the rest of them.

Fuuka couldn’t mirror their enjoyment. He wasn't filled with humor, but rage. 

Hima, now realizing where he messed up at, looked around, through the gang members, trying to find ANY way out of this.

“You think this shit is a fucking game?!” Fuuka asked while reaching behind his back. “Play something stupid like that again and we won’t need to finish this!”

The laughter that filled the alley muted itself. Hima felt his knees grow weak over what had just occurred. Fuuka brought out a gun.

“Boss! Hey!!” The members close in on Fuuka, trying to calm him down. “Get outta here kid!” One of them motioned to Hima to run.

He turned to where the opening was and hovered his hand over his deck, signifying that this duel was ov-

“…My grandpa told me that a man who goes back on his word isn’t one worth living…So if running away is an option that I’m willing to pick…he might as well shoot me now!”

Hima stood his ground, knees shaking as his eyes began to focus in on Fuuka, who, despite his gang's influence, hasn’t lowered his gun or his anger.

“I said, ‘Let’s duel!’ So that’s exactly what we’re going to do!” Hima’s words raised for the first time, lowering the buzzing commotion. “I’m doing the best I can! Dueling isn’t the easiest thing to do with all this thinking! I may misplay, but fuck, sometimes it just feels good to play this game and learn from it! I’m not running from you or anyone! Once you win, you guys can do whatever you want to me! And if that means shooting me, then I’ll make it an easy target!!” His heart was pounding so hard, he was certain he could hear it. Strangely so, he felt almost light-headed, but not from exhaustion; something he can’t pinpoint.

Fuuka, for once, was so caught off guard, he almost forgot to breathe. But more importantly, he smirked at something specific about this situation. “Hm, that’s the fucking spirit kid!” He bellowed. “You show more guts than half the dudes here!” He laughed. “I won’t let them get in your way, let’s enjoy this duel until the last lifepoint drops!!”

…

“What’s going on?” Chiyo wondered. “Shoot? Shoot what?” She felt left out, like a joke that she’s not in on. “Fuuka’s been pointing at Hima for a minute now, and everything got way too intense. This is so weird.”

“I think the boss likes him.” A member announced. “Yeah, he may suck at dueling, but at least he has heart!”

“I’ll continue!” Wiping a tear from his eye, he plays a card. “I activate the Spell card, ‘One Day of Peace’!”

“So he’s not planning on attacking this turn?” Fuuka thought.

“We both draw a card from our decks.” Hima’s confidence grew with this draw. “Now, I move into the Battle Phase! Yariza has a battle effect that allows me to attack directly with him if I control another ‘Six Samurai’ monster! Yariza, attack!” Hima threw his hand forward, ordering his spearman to launch his weapon at Fuuka directly.

“Ok, he might actually be an idiot.” Chiyo was almost convinced that Hima knew what he was doing. “‘One Day of Peace’ is a powerful Spell, but it prevents either player from taking damage for the next two turns.”

“Hm.” Fuuka took a side-step to avoid the spear.

“The power comes from the fact that the player can activate it during the Main Phase 2, after dealing damage to the opponent.” Chiyo shook her head. “Now it's wasted. And I was wondering why he’d summon both monsters in attack-position. Oh well.”

“Ah…well, damn.” Hima hadn’t remembered the restriction of his own card. “Ok, so then I…” Looking at his hand, holding only two cards. “I’ll set these two cards and end my turn.”

“Two cards, huh?” Fuuka started to focus in.

Turn 3
Fuuka
LP: 4000
—VS—
Hima
LP: 4000

 

“I draw.” Fuuka added a card to his hand.

“Wow, it’s already the third turn and nobody has dealt any damage.” The gang chirped. “This kid may suck, but he's hanging in there.” 

A glare from Fuuka shut them up.

Hima wasn’t focused on them, moreso on Fuuka’s hand. “Aside from the card he just drew, he should still have two cards in his hand still.” Doing the math, he continued. “Where’d they go?” He grew concerned.

“I activate the Spell ‘O-Oversoul’!”

“I can Special Summon a Normal Elemental HERO from my graveyard.” Looking through his graveyard. “I’m summoning back one of the materials for Nagualman, come out, ‘Elemental HERO Avian’!”

The winged-hero appeared beside Nagualman in a flash of light.

“Now, battle!” Fuuka threw his arm forward. “Nagualman, attack Yaichi!” The shaman charged forward and slammed his boomerang into the archer, causing an explosion. Hima covered his face as the smoke dissipated, leaving only Yariza on his field. “Now, Avian, attack Yariza!” Avian charged forward, causing Yariza to ready his spear.

“Interesting.” Chiyo pondered. “Knowing that his Avian will get destroyed, he rather leave Hima with no monsters for the following turn. Especially if he summons another Samurai, Yariza could then attack directly. He’s beyond experienced.” 

Yariza thrusted his spear through Avian, but his wings shot forward, drilling the spearman with feathers; both exploded.

“Due to your spell, I couldn’t deal any damage. So I’ll end it there.”

Turn 4
Fuuka
LP: 4000
—VS—
Hima
LP: 4000

Hima’s lightheadedness has turned into an outright migraine at this point, but he pursued on. “I draw.” Being the only card in his hand, he had little options. “By banishing two ‘Six Samurais’ from my graveyard, I can Special Summon this monster from my hand.” In a flash of light, a man stood tall in front of Hima. “Enishi, Shien’s Chancelor!”

“That’s a monster.” Fuuka’s gang was standing in awe. “Who’d have thought he’d do something cool like that?”

“You could almost assume that he planned this from the beginning.” Chiyo was almost impressed.

Fuuka almost shared in the shock, but relaxed his eyes again.

“Since your monster has more ATK than mine, battling it isn’t an option.” Hima threw his arm forward. “So I’ll destroy it with my card effect! Go, Determined Termination!”

“I-” Fuuka bit his tongue.

Enishi squatted low while gripping his sword, looking down, focusing. Raising its head, Nagualman exploded, relaxing Enishi back into its upright stance.

For the first time in this duel, Fuuka’s field and hand were left barren, while Hima’s field was looking as impressive as a man in charge.

“I can’t attack with Enishi when I use its effect, so I’ll end it there.” Hima’s eyes were drooping lower, he couldn't focus, but he knew he had to.

Turn 5
Fuuka
LP: 4000
—VS—
Hima
LP: 4000

“Hm, not going to lie Hima, you’re having me on the ropes, even though no blood has been shed yet. But this is where I’m taking this duel back!” Fuuka declared as his gang cheered. “What you didn’t notice is that ‘Hurricane Boomerang’ has another effect. When it’s sent to the graveyard, I can place it on top of my deck.” Fuuka drew.

“So that card is…” Chiyo anticipated.

“I’ll just show you.” Fuuka turned his newly drawn card to Hima, revealing itself to be ‘Hurricane Boomerang’.

“Ok? But that Equip-Spell requires Nagualman to even be usable.” Hima’s confusion hurt his head even more. “So he purposely gave himself a dead-draw?”

“Oh, would you look at that, the Standby Phase came around again.” Fuuka smiled on. “Nagualman has another secret effect. Once per Standby Phase, he’s allowed to Summon itself from the graveyard.” A recognizable purple tornado made itself on Fuuka’s field, bringing with it ‘Elemental HERO Nagualman’ as it dissipated. “And with this, I can send a monster on your field to the grave. Obviously I’m choosing Enishi.” Nagualman raised his arm, summoning forth a tornado atop of Enishi, absorbing the samurai. “Then, when I’m successful in sending a monster to the grave, I can Special Summon a Normal ‘Elemental HERO’ from my graveyard! Come back, Avian!” The tornado made its way to Fuuka’s field. The green-bird hero was left in its wake.

“Damn, what a reversal!” Chiyo showed genuine shock.

“Now, I re-equip ‘Nagualman’ with his ‘Boomerang’!” Nagualman’s ATK went back up to 2900. 

“Why isn’t Hima activating his backrow? Are they that powerful that he’s saving them for his last turn? Or…did he just forget about them?” Chiyo knew it was likely the latter.

“Now, I attack with ‘Avian’ and ‘Nagualman’!” Fuuka threw his arm forward.

“And it’s looking like Fuuka isn’t concerned.”

Hima covered his face with his arms, but the tempest of the attacks sent him flying backwards, into the wall behind him.

2900 + 1000 = 3900 
4000 - 3900 = 100

Hima LP: 100

“Hm, and that’s the end of my turn.” Fuuka knew this would be Hima’s last turn.

Turn 6
Fuuka
LP: 4000
—VS—
Hima
LP: 100

Hima, slowly getting to his feet, readied himself to draw.

“He’s not giving up? Man, I can’t imagine the kind of mental training he’s been going through.” Fuuka’s gang was surprised that this duel is continuing.

But Fuuka’s eyes were intently focused on Hima. He was seeing something different about him…his left eye…his left eye had a faint glow…

“My turn, draw!” Hima’s draw muted the alley, everyone could feel his aura had changed.

“Shien’s Spoils of War.” Hima activated a Spell card. “By banishing an ‘Enishi’ monster from my graveyard, I can draw a card.” 

“I-”

Hima’s eyes pierced into Fuuka’s, quieting his response.

“No, this isn’t the right moment.” Fuuka thought to himself.

“Did…Did Hima just intimidate Fuuka?…” Chiyo thought she was seeing things.

“Then, if my LP is 100 or lower, I can draw a second card!”.” Hima looked at his hand, grabbing a card and continued. “I activ-”

Fuuka had slipped up a bit, almost smirking. This was unnoticed by everyone present, aside from Hima.

“I cancel that!” Putting the card he was going to activate back into his hand-

“He pulled back?!” Chiyo, now mouth fully agape, disbelief waved over her as this is a Hima that was free of mental-struggle. “He’s taking in all outside-parameters before finalizing a play, but at a speed that seems almost inhumane.”

“He’s truly like a samurai. The way he’s playing his hand is like a samurai sheathing and unsheathing a katana.” Fuuka, finally seeing what kind of opponent he’s facing, knew, this was the moment.

-pulling his other card out, he continued. “I activate ‘Shien’s Decree’! I return ‘Enishi’ to my graveyard and send ‘The Six Samurai-Irou’ from my deck to my graveyard in order to-”

“I activate ‘Hurricane Boomerangs’ third effect!” Fuuka cut him off. “I negate the activation of that Spell!” 

Hima looked at his card again and realized it had the word ‘Negated’ written on it in red lettering.

“Raigeki!” Hima prepared for this moment.

“There’s no way! Despite being negated, I read about ‘Shien’s Decree’ and it’s a complete boardwipe if his lifepoints are 100 or less! Fuuka knew that, so obviously he had to negate it, but to think Hima had a monster-wipe left in his hand is an insane recovery!” Chiyo realized that Fuuka was caught inside of a pincer attack. “Paying the cost of ‘Shien’s Decree’ has to be a part of his plan, but he must’ve known Fuuka would negate it, through an effect he has never seen before. With it negated, the lingering-restriction  for the rest of the turn is also negated.”

A large column of lightning rained down from the sky, evaporating ‘Nagualman’ and ‘Avian’ in its wake.

“But, without any monsters, there’s nothing to stop him from taking direct damage next turn when ‘Nagualman’ comes back!” Chiyo almost showed concern for Hima.

“Heh, bring it Hima!” Fuuka ordered.

“Iai! Trap activate! ‘Return from a Different Dimension’! By paying half of my life points, I’m bringing back both of my banished samurais!” A portal appeared in front of Hima, bringing forth ‘Yaziru’ and ‘Yaichi’. “Then, I activate my final Trap! Iai! ‘Return of the Six Samurai’! Summoning back, ‘The Six Samurai - Irou’ from the grave.” A blindfolded swordsman appeared right in front of Hima.

100 / 2 = 50
Hima LP: 50

“Looks like you did it kid.” Fuuka smirked, realizing the inevitable. "This is my first loss."

“Now, attack my samurais!” Throwing his arm forward, sending all three samurai into an onslaught. “Edge End.”

1000 + 1300 + 1700 = 4000 
4000 - 4000 = 0
Fuuka LP: 0

DUEL OVER
Fuuka
LP: 0
—VS—
Hima
LP: 100

Winner: Hima