Disclaimer: Minor spelling, grammar, and other mistakes may be present.
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[Standard Arc Opening Theme (Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Opening 1: BELIEVE X BELIEVE)]
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Scale 05: Operation LDS Infiltration
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A few days ago…
Shizuka and Yuga walked down the streets of Maiami City, the bustling sounds of the city filling the air. Shizuka had a serious expression on her face, while Yuga appeared to be much more relaxed. As they walked, Yuga began to lag behind, spotting a cotton candy stand up ahead. Just as he was about to wander off...
"Oh no, you don't!" Shizuka pinched Yuga's ear, making him yelp in pain.
"Ow, ow, ow! Fine, no sweets!" Yuga cried out, trying to free himself.
Shizuka sighed and released his ear, putting one hand on her hip. "You need to focus. We were in the middle of planning something important."
"Isn't planning your job?" Yuga asked. "You know I'm terrible at this kind of thing."
"Yeah, but I still value your input," Shizuka replied. "Kind of..."
Yuga nodded, "Alright then, what have you come up with so far?"
Shizuka's expression shifted to one of concern.
"Well, I've been trying to figure out a way to get into LDS Tower without drawing attention, but I've hit a roadblock. This place is a multi-billion dollar corporation that controls nearly everything in the city. How do we even begin to break into something like that?"
Yuga frowned, "You're the one who thought kidnapping Akaba Leo's son was a good idea."
Shizuka shrugged, "Yeah, but it's safer to try and kidnap the president of a massive corporation than face off against those warmongers directly. This is the less dangerous option."
"True…" Yuga muttered as he thought it over for a moment. "Okay, I think I have an idea."
Shizuka raised an eyebrow, "What is it?"
"Why don't we just put on disguises and walk right through the front entrance?" Yuga suggested.
"That's a stupid idea," Shizuka quickly dismissed. "LDS's security would instantly figure out we're not part of the organization. They have a system that checks all their members against their databases."
Yuga smiled slyly, "Well, what if we hacked their database and made it look like we're part of LDS?"
Shizuka blinked at him for a moment, "That's... actually a solid idea," Shizuka admitted. "Not all of it, though. If we just appear in their database as members out of nowhere, they'd notice right away. But if I tamper with the IDs and add in some fake ones to cover our tracks, it could work."
Shizuka then spotted a nearby cafe and pointed toward it.
"Let's stop there for a bit. You can buy whatever you want while I get to work on the plan."
Yuga's face lit up at the suggestion, "Nice!"
Without another word, he darted into the cafe, ordering two caramel lattes at the counter—one with extra sugar for himself. Shizuka sighed before a soft smile formed on her face as she followed after him.
Shizuka took a seat at one of the empty tables, and Yuga joined her shortly after. A few minutes later, the waiter appeared with their ordered lattes, placing them down at the table.
"Thank you," Yuga said, giving a small nod of gratitude to the waiter before taking a sip of his latte. His face lit up from the sweetness. Shizuka chuckled softly at her best friend's antics before enjoying her own latte. She then set her cup down and began getting to work.
The first task was creating fake IDs, so Shizuka started looking for references, which she found easily by infiltrating LDS's database using one of their stationed computers as a proxy from afar. Once she had a reference, she made a copy and began creating the fake IDs. The process was tedious, but after about 30 minutes of trial and error, she managed to create twenty-five IDs.
She shut her laptop, stretching her arms. "Finally done. That took a lot longer than I thought it would."
"Done?" Yuga looked surprised. "That was fast."
"I only made the fake IDs," Shizuka yawned. "That's the easy part. Now I need to make our IDs and add them to their database without getting caught. Then, I need to make sure our fingerprints are in there as well in case they check security. But…" Shizuka leaned back into her chair lazily. "I'm too tired to do all of that right now."
"We can do other stuff in the meantime, like get those LDS uniforms," Yuga suggested.
"How do you suggest we do that?" Shizuka asked with groggy eyes.
"We could just beat up two LDS members and steal their clothes," Yuga proposed casually.
"No, we are not doing that," Shizuka dismissed the idea quickly. "That'll just alert Leo Corporation about our plans. You already messed up by dueling those thugs earlier."
"You can't blame me for that," Yuga defended himself. "They were hitting on you, so I had to teach them a lesson."
"And I'm grateful for that," Shizuka replied. "But my point still stands. We need to keep a low profile before our plan kicks off."
"I got nothing then," Yuga sighed and leaned back in his seat. "I doubt there are any fake LDS uniforms lying around the city."
Shizuka frowned, "If you can think of a better way, I'm all ears."
Yuga went silent for a moment, deep in thought. "I'm… not sure. Maybe we can buy them? Like, maybe Leo Corporation has a merch shop where we can just buy uniforms?"
Shizuka quickly opened her laptop, typing away for a few moments before finding something. "They do have a shop, and they sell uniforms there. But…"
"But what?" Yuga asked.
"They're ¥24,000 (about $150 USD) each," Shizuka replied, her voice flat.
"¥24,000!?" Yuga's jaw dropped. "We don't have that kind of funding, do we?"
"We do," Shizuka said. "But it'll definitely put a dent in our budget."
"Damn… maybe we should just steal them after all," Yuga grumbled.
"We're not stealing them," Shizuka said, her tone firm. "I already placed an order for them."
Yuga froze, "M-My candy money…"
He should've just kept his mouth shut after all.
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2 days before the operation…
Yuga and Shizuka sat in an alleyway, a cardboard box beneath their feet. Shizuka opened it, revealing two fresh LDS uniforms. She handed one to Yuga.
"This looks a bit big, don't you think?" Yuga asked, holding up the uniform. It was a whole size larger than what he usually wore.
"Beggars can't be choosers," Shizuka replied, comparing the uniform to her own. "I got one a size too big too. There weren't any other options."
Yuga slipped the uniform on, surprised by its high quality.
"Isn't it weird they're selling near-identical replicas of their uniforms?" Yuga wondered. "It's almost like they're asking for someone to use them for shady purposes."
"Probably why they're so expensive," Shizuka said, adjusting her own uniform. "They probably figured no one would be dumb enough to waste money like that."
Once she got a feel for the uniform, she took it off and pulled out her laptop.
"Now, we just need to make our IDs and upload them to the database," Shizuka said, starting to type.
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A while later…
Yuga and Shizuka were at a clothing shop. Yuga held a bag, stuffed with products and items.
"Do you really need all of this?" Yuga asked, looking exhausted. "You said our budget was tight."
"It's all necessary," Shizuka replied. "For the disguises."
She picked out a hair tie, using it to tie her long scarlet hair back.
"This one's good," Shizuka said with a smile. "Let's pay."
They went to the counter, paid, and then Shizuka handed Yuga some items, telling him to go change while she did the same. Afterward, they came out wearing LDS uniforms.
Shizuka had more makeup on than usual, with red lipstick, eyeliner, and light powder. Yuga wore a pair of fake square glasses.
"You actually look smart with those glasses," Shizuka teased. "Kind of cute."
Yuga blinked, awkwardly blushing. After a moment, he just accepted the compliment. "Thanks?"
"You're welcome." Shizuka grinned and pulled out a camera. "Let's take a photo for our IDs."
"Right."
They left the shop and found an empty spot in the city to take photos.
"Make sure you get my good side," Shizuka said, striking a pose.
"Does it really matter?" Yuga asked.
"Of course it does," Shizuka said. "I need to look at least decent in every photo I take."
Yuga sighed and snapped a few photos of her.
They swapped places, and Shizuka took the camera.
"Okay, smile," she said, snapping a photo. She frowned when she saw it. "You look too serious. I said smile, didn't I?"
"I don't like taking photos," Yuga muttered. "You know this. If I smile, it'll look awkward."
Shizuka sighed. "Fine, this one works. Let's upload these and get to a cafe."
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1 day before the operation…
The two of them had already planned out most of what needed to be done. Shizuka yawned as she typed away at her laptop, finishing the final details for their preparations. Meanwhile, Yuga went over both his deck and Shizuka's, running different strategies through his mind.
Once Shizuka finished, she shut off her laptop and leaned back in her seat, stretching her arms.
"With that, everything is set in place," Shizuka said, a satisfied smile on her face. "We'll be ready to carry out the plan tomorrow."
"I've gone over some dueling strategies as well," Yuga replied, handing Shizuka her deck.
"Good," Shizuka said, tucking her deck into her holder. "Preparations for 'Operation Kidnapping Akaba Leo's President Son by Infiltrating LDS' are now complete."
Yuga stared at her, blinking in disbelief.
"What?" Shizuka raised an eyebrow.
"That name is way too long. Operation names are supposed to be short and sweet."
"So what? It covers everything we need to do tomorrow."
"That can be shortened to something like 'Operation LDS Infiltration.' It rolls off the tongue way better."
Shizuka paused, considering it. "That does sound better," she admitted. After thinking a moment more, she nodded. "Okay, we'll go with your name then. From now on, this'll be called 'Operation LDS Infiltration.'"
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Disguised as regular employees, Yuga and Shizuka confidently made their way to the entrance of LDS. They approached the security checkpoint, where a guard stood ready, holding a tablet with a hand sensor on the screen.
Shizuka stepped forward without hesitation. She placed her hand on the sensor, and within seconds, her ID appeared as a hologram. The guard studied it for a moment before nodding, granting her access.
Yuga, on the other hand, felt a slight knot in his stomach but managed to keep his composure. He stepped forward and placed his hand on the sensor. The guard glanced at the hologram, his eyes lingering a moment longer before he waved Yuga through as well. Yuga followed Shizuka inside, his nerves simmering beneath his calm exterior.
Once inside, Shizuka subtly gestured for Yuga to follow her. She led him toward the stairwell, and they attached their duel disks to their arms. As they ascended the stairs, they typed on their interfaces to communicate, careful not to attract attention as people descended past them.
{So what's the plan now? We've managed to avoid detection so far.} - Yuga
{We keep going up. According to the map, Akaba Reiji's office should be on the top floor.} - Shizuka
{Couldn't we have taken the elevator? It's much faster.} - Yuga
{We could, but I doubt there's a way to go directly to his office from there without authorization. Plus, there are fewer people going up the stairs. It's a super tall building after all.} - Shizuka
{Yeah. But what if they catch on to what we're doing and send people after us?} - Yuga
{If they send one or two people, we duel them. Otherwise, we just run.} - Shizuka
They reached the halfway point of the stairwell and decided to take a short breather.
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Elsewhere…
Akaba Reiji sat in his office, his gaze fixed on the cityscape outside the windows as he pondered over his next moves. The soft hum of the air conditioning was the only sound in the room until the doors to his office swung open.
Nakajima stepped inside, his footsteps sharp and precise, "Reiji-dono, we've let the intruders in just like you asked," he reported.
Reiji turned his head slightly, his expression unreadable, "Good. Keep an eye on them," he replied. "While I don't mind them snooping around, I don't want them breaking anything here."
Nakajima nodded. "Understood. I'll also call for two of our duelists to be positioned outside your office."
"Good," Reiji's lips curled into a faint smile, his curiosity piqued, "I'm interested to see how those two fare against our duelists."
"Yes, President," Nakajima responded with a bow. He pulled out his duel disk, making a quick call as he left the office.
Reiji silently watched his subordinate leave before returning to his silent thinking.
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"Finally…" Yuga collapsed to the ground as they reached the top floor of LDS Tower, panting heavily. "Why *pant* the hell *pant* did I agree to do this?"
"Maybe *pant* the elevator wasn't such a bad idea after all," Shizuka commented, her legs trembling from all the walking. "But we made it. Just a little longer before we reach Akaba Reiji."
Yuga shot her a glance, "What about when we reach Akaba Reiji? How are we…you know…going to kidnap him? You never actually told me the plan for that."
Shizuka shrugged nonchalantly, "I don't know."
Yuga's jaw dropped, but Shizuka ignored him, already walking down the dark hallway. With a sigh, he quickly got his act together and followed. They walked for a minute before Shizuka came to a sudden stop, raising her hand to signal Yuga.
"Huh? What's wrong?" Yuga asked.
"Someone's coming," Shizuka said, her expression turning serious.
Footsteps echoed through the hall, growing louder as they approached. Before long, two young men in LDS uniforms stepped out of the shadows.
"I was surprised to hear a report from the supervisor about intruders. Looks like the reports have some truth to them after all," one of the youths smirked.
"And a cute one at that," the other youth added, whistling. Shizuka felt a chill run down her spine. "What's a pretty lady like you doing snooping around the Leo Corporation?"
"Who are you guys?" Yuga immediately stepped in front of Shizuka.
"I'm Friedo, a top student from LDS's Fusion Course," the youth who'd flirted with Shizuka introduced himself.
"And I'm Baron, a student who takes both the Fusion and Synchro Courses," the other youth added. "We were ordered by our supervisor to deal with certain intruders snooping around in places that they shouldn't."
"Judging by the fact that you both are duelists, I'm assuming we settle this with a duel, right?" Yuga inquired.
"That's right," Friedo replied, strapping a duel disk to his left arm. Baron did the same, but with his right arm.
"Since there are two of us, I suggest we have a tag duel," Baron proposed. "Both players share a field, graveyard, and Life Points. We can't attack each other or draw for the first two turns of the duel. We can also activate the Spell/Trap Cards our partner places as if they were our own. The only thing we don't share is our hands."
"That's fine with us," Shizuka said, activating her duel blade.
"Yeah," Yuga agreed as he did the same, his eyes narrowing at Friedo. "I'll pay you back for those flirtatious comments you made toward Shizuka!"
"Right down to business," Friedo grinned. "That's just the way I like it."
Friedo and Baron both activated their duel blades in unison.
[Duel!] All four of them shouted together as the duel began.
Yuga & Shizuka — LP: 4000
Friedo & Baron — LP: 4000
[Turn 1: Yuga] [H:5]
"I'll start!" Yuga announced. "I summon Gravekeepers - Skeleton Guard (Dark/Fiend/Tuner/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 0/LV: 3)!"
A skeleton with a rusty helmet and a sword appeared.
"When Skeleton Guard is Normal Summoned, I have to discard a card from my hand."
Yuga sends a card from his hand to the graveyard.
"Next, I tribute Skeleton Guard from my field to activate its second effect!" Yuga declared. "I can add a 'Gravekeepers' card from my deck to my hand!"
Yuga added a card to his hand.
"I now set two cards and end my turn," Yuga concluded.
"That's it?" Friedo couldn't contain his laughter. "So much for fighting for that girlfriend of yours."
"Worry about yourself," Yuga rolled his eyes.
Baron stepped forward, glancing back at his partner.
"I'll take the next turn if you don't mind," Baron said to Friedo.
"I don't mind," Friedo shrugged.
[Turn 2: Baron] [H:5]
"I summon Naturia Marron (Earth/Plant/Effect/ATK: 1200/DEF: 700/LV: 3)!" A brown, puffy pollen puff monster with cute eyes appeared on his field. "When this monster is summoned onto my field, I can send 1 'Naturia' Monster from my deck to my graveyard!"
Baron sends a card from his deck to the graveyard.
"Naturia Bumblebee's effect activates! If a card is sent from my hand or deck to the graveyard, I can Special Summon this monster from my hand!"
A large, cute bumblebee appeared on his field.
[Naturia Bumblebee (Earth/Insect/Tuner/Effect/ATK: 700/DEF: 1100/LV: 2)]
"When Naturia Bumblebee is summoned onto my field, I can place a Trap Card from my deck directly onto my field!"
Baron added a card to his hand and placed it face down on his duel blade.
"Now the Level 2 Naturia Bumblebee tunes Level 3 Naturia Marron!" Baron announced as his monsters transform into green rings and orbs respectively, lining up as a green pillar of light shot through the center. "I Synchro Summon! Come forth, Level 5! Naturia Beast (Earth/Beast/Synchro/Effect/ATK: 2200/DEF: 1700/LV: 5)!"
A green lion monster with legs made of tree wood appeared.
"I set a card and end my turn," Baron concluded with a face down.
"Then it's my turn now! Draw!" Shizuka declared as she drew a card and began her turn.
[Turn 3: Shizuka] [H:6]
She then revealed a monster in her hand.
"I activate Cyber Star Cherry's effect!" Shizuka declared. "By discarding it from my hand, I can add a 'Cyber Star' Monster from my deck to my hand! I add Cyber Star Nova Princess!"
Shizuka discarded the revealed card before adding a new card to her hand.
"Next, I summon Cyber Star Jade (Light/Fairy/Effect/ATK: 1300/DEF: 700/LV: 4)!"
A girl with long green hair, wearing a pair of black glasses appeared. In front of her was a floating block which had a computer resting on top.
"When I only control Light Monsters, I can summon Cyber Star Saturn (Light/Fairy/Effect/ATK: 400/DEF: 600/LV: 4) from my hand!"
A girl with short yellow pigtails, wearing a dazzling yellow dress and a cybernetic purse appeared.
"Next, I activate the Ritual Spell, Cyber Star Ritual! Which allows me to Ritual Summon a 'Cyber Star' Monster from my hand as long as I pay the appropriate tributes!"
"Ritual!?" Friedo was surprised at the use of such an outdated summoning mechanic.
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On a tablet, Akaba Reiji watches the ongoing duel with interest.
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"Naturia Beast's effect activates!" Baron announced. "When a Spell Card is activated, I can send the top 2 cards from my deck to my graveyard to negate that effect and destroy that card!"
"Not so fast!" Yuga counters as his set Trap Card is flipped face-up. "I activate my Trap Card, Wandering the Border! When a monster activates an effect that negates the activation of a card, I can negate that monster's effects for the rest of this turn instead!"
"Nice going, Yuga!" Shizuka smiled at her friend before continuing her turn. "I sacrifice Cyber Star Saturn in order to summon a Level 8 Monster!"
"What!? But that monster is only Level 4?" Baron was surprised.
"When Cyber Star Saturn is used to Ritual Summon a LIGHT Ritual Monster, it can be used as the entire requirement!" Shizuka announced.
A cybernetic portal appeared in front of her. Her monster is turned into energy as it is then absorbed into the portal as she begins chanting.
"Radiant princess whose grace shines as bright as a supernova," Shizuka chanted. "Arise from the cybernetic world! I Ritual Summon! Come forth, Level 8! Cyber Star Nova Princess (Light/Fairy/Ritual/Effect/ATK: 2300/DEF: 2100/LV: 8)!"
A beautiful woman with long, blonde hair wearing high-tech armor that has circuits built into it appeared. Surrounding the female monster is a brilliant light that illuminates the dark hallway completely.
"Nova Princess' effect activates! When she is Ritual Summoned onto my field, I can add a 'Cyber Star' Monster from my graveyard to my hand. I add Cyber Star Saturn," She takes a card out of her graveyard. "Once again, I activate Cyber Star Saturn's effect, allowing me to Special Summon it onto my field!"
[Cyber Star Saturn (ATK: 400/DEF: 600/LV: 4)]
The pigtail girl with yellow hair appeared once again.
"Battle!" Shizuka moved into her Battle Phase. "Nova Princess attacks Naturia Beast! Brilliant Supernova!"
The female monster charges a giant ball of energy, sending it towards Baron's monster and destroying it. The two of them wince at the shockwaves.
Friedo & Baron — LP: 4000 → 3900
"Cyber Star Saturn's effect activates!" Shizuka announced. "When a 'Cyber Star' Monster I control destroys one of your monsters via battle, you take 200 points of damage!"
The pigtail monster digs into her purse, pulling out weird balls that it then throws at the two duelists, hitting them in the face.
Friedo & Baron — LP: 3900 → 3700
"Whenever my opponent takes effect damage, Nova Princess' ATK increases!"
(Nova Princess — ATK: 2300 → 2500)
"Next, Cyber Star Saturn attacks you both directly!"
Friedo & Baron — LP: 3700 → 3300
"And I'm not done yet! Now Cyber Star Jade attacks you both directly!"
Friedo & Baron — LP: 3300 → 2000
"I set a card and end my turn!" Shizuka concluded.
"Damn she's relentless…" Friedo rubbed his head. "I'll pay you back for that! I draw!"
[Turn 4: Friedo] [H:6]
"I summon Ojama Red (Light/Beast/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 1000/LV: 2)!" A red, small gremlin-like monster appeared.
"Ew, it looks almost as hideous as that guy," Shizuka's face was green with disgust.
"Shut it, you wench!" Friedo sneered. "Ojama Red's effect activates, allowing me to Special Summon up to four 'Ojamas' from my hand! Appear, Ojama Green (Light/Beast/Normal/ATK: 0/DEF: 1000/LV: 2), Ojama Yellow (Light/Beast/Normal/ATK: 0/DEF: 1000/LV: 2), Ojama Black (Light/Beast/Normal/ATK: 0/DEF: 1000/LV: 2), and Ojama Blue (Light/Beast/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 1000/LV: 2)!"
Four more gremlin-like monsters appeared on his field.
"I'll be using your Trap Card, Baron!" Friedo declared as the set trap is flipped face-up. "Emergency Fusion! With this card, I can Fusion Summon a monster from my Extra Deck, using monsters from my field as materials! From my field, I fuse Ojama Green, Ojama Yellow, and Ojama Black!"
The aforementioned monsters rise into the air, fusing together.
"I Fusion Summon! Appear, Level 6! Ojama King (Light/Beast/Fusion/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 3000/LV: 6) in defense mode!"
A large egg-like monster, smiling widely with its teeth appeared.
Shizuka covered her mouth, "I feel like I'm going to throw up."
"Me too…" Yuga agreed.
"Ojama King has a very special effect!" Friedo announced with a confident smirk. "While it's on the field, I can select three Monster Zones. From now on, you cannot use those selected Monster Zones!"
Ojama King begins to glow as three zones light up.
"Locking Monster Zones?" Shizuka was surprised. "What a nasty effect…"
"I'm not done yet!" Friedo announced. "I activate the Fusion Spell, Polymerization! I fuse the Ojama Blue on my field with Ojama Red!"
The two monsters rise into the air and fuse.
"I Fusion Summon! Appear, Ojama Knight (Light/Beast/Fusion/Effect/ATK: 0/DEF: 2500/LV: 5) in defense mode!"
An armored monster with a yellow body and long loose eyes sticking out appeared.
"Ojama Knight has a similar effect to Ojama King, allowing me to lock two more of your Monster Zones!"
Ojama Knight raises its sword that soon begins to glow, as two more of their monster zones light up.
"I end my turn with that," Friedo concluded with a smirk. "Too bad for you two, now you won't be able to do anything!"
"He's right…" Shizuka muttered as she glanced at Yuga. "Now neither of us can play any more monsters until we deal with that guy's monsters."
"We still need to try, otherwise, all of this preparation will be for nothing," Yuga responded. "My turn! Draw!"
[Turn 5: Yuga] [H:3]
Yuga looked at the card he drew briefly.
"I set a card and pass," Yuga ended his turn.
"Hah! How tragic…" Friedo laughed as he wiped a tear from his eye. "You can't even do anything anymore. It's only a matter of time before you lose!"
"Impressive as always, Friedo," Baron complimented. "Allow me to join in the fun too! I draw!"
[Turn 6: Baron] [H:3]
"I activate the Spell Card, Double Summon!" Baron announced. "Instead of one Normal Summon, I can conduct two Normal Summons during this turn!"
Baron then plays a card.
"I summon Naturia Sunflower (Earth/Plant/Effect/ATK: 500/DEF: 0/LV: 2)!"
A happy-looking sunflower appeared on his field.
"Next, I tribute Naturia Sunflower to Advance Summon!" Baron shouts. "Appear, Naturia Bamboo Shoot (Earth/Plant/Effect/ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000/LV: 5)!"
Two brown, chibi bamboo shoot monsters appeared.
"While this monster remains on the field, neither of you can activate Spell or Trap Cards!" Baron declared.
"What?" Yuga was stunned.
"Tch," Shizuka clicked her tongue.
"Battle!" Baron moved into his Battle Phase as his chibi bamboo monster ran forward. "Naturia Bamboo Shoot attacks Cyber Star Saturn!"
One of the chibi bamboo launches the other into the Shizuka's monster, causing both her and Yuga to wince at the shockwaves.
Yuga & Shizuka — LP: 4000 → 2400
"As long as Cyber Star Jade remains on the field, 'Cyber Star' Monsters we control cannot be destroyed by battle!"
"I end my turn with that," Baron concluded.
[Turn 7: Shizuka] [H:2]
"My turn! Draw!" Shizuka drew a card. There wasn't much else she could do so she decided to move into her Battle Phase. "Battle! Cyber Star Nova Princess attacks Naturia Bamboo Shoot! Brilliant Supernova!"
Her monster sends a bright ball of energy towards the bamboo shoot monster. The monster is annihilated by the attack which caused Baron and Friedo to wince from the shockwaves.
Friedo & Baron — LP: 2000 → 1500
"Cyber Star Saturn's effect deals an extra 200 points of damage thanks to it destroying one of your monsters!"
Saturn's digs into her purse, pulling out colorful balls that it then hurls towards her opponents. However, this time they manage to step away before the attacks could hit them.
Friedo & Baron — LP: 1500 → 1300
"Thanks to Nova Princess' effect, her ATK increases by the amount of effect damage you took!"
(Nova Princess — ATK: 2500 → 2700)
"Not so fast!" Baron interrupted. "I activate the effect of Nature's Calling from my graveyard! When a 'Naturia' Monster I control is destroyed, I can draw one card and Special Summon the destroyed monster to my field! Return, Naturia Bamboo Shoot in defense mode!"
[Naturia Bamboo Shoot (ATK: 2000/DEF: 2000/LV: 5)]
"Tch," Shizuka clicked her tongue. "I switch both Cyber Star Jade and Cyber Star Saturn to defense mode, and end my turn!"
[Turn 8: Friedo] [H:1]
"Draw!" Friedo began his turn, a smug grin spreading across his face. "I set a card and pass."
He then let out a loud, mocking laugh. "You guys might as well give up. There's no way you're winning this!"
"This guy is really annoying..." Shizuka frowned, her patience wearing thin. "Their combination has completely locked us out of playing. At this rate, we'll just fizzle out. We need to do something, and fast."
Yuga glanced down at his hand, his expression darkening. "I've got nothing in my hand that can do anything. If we could make use of our Trap Cards, we'd be able to carve a path to victory. But this..."
"Then you'll just need to draw the out, Yuga," Shizuka said, her voice steady with resolve. "Otherwise, we'll never be able to save our loved ones."
Yuga remained silent for a moment, the weight of her words sinking in. He then nodded, a determined look crossing his face. "Right. I'll try my best. Right here and now! Draw!"
[Turn 9: Yuga] [H:3]
Yuga's deck glowed for a moment as he drew a card. When he saw what he drew, he smiled.
[Current Theme Playing: Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc-V Sound Duel 1 OST 23 - A Cornered Duelist]
Yuga revealed a monster card in his hand.
"I activate the effect of Gravekeepers - Sinister Curse! By tributing a monster on your side of the field, I can Special Summon it to your field in defense mode! I tribute Naturia Bamboo Shoot!"
"What?" Baron was shocked as his monster was replaced by a dark skeleton wearing an even darker cloak.
[Gravekeepers - Sinister Curse (Dark/Fiend/Effect/ATK: 100/DEF: 100/LV: 5)]
"Since that monster of yours is out of the way, we can finally activate Spell and Trap Cards!" Yuga announced.
"So what?" Friedo scoffed. "As long as my Ojamas stay on the field, you can't summon any more monsters!"
"That's if they stay on the field," Yuga stated. "I still have monsters on my field that can battle!"
"Huh!?" Friedo cried out.
"I switch Cyber Star Jade to attack position! Then I will battle!" Yuga declared as Shizuka's Nova Princess rises into the air. "Cyber Star Nova Princess attacks Ojama Knight! Brilliant Supernova!"
Friedo's monster is vaporized by the attack. Two of Yuga and Shizuka's monster zones stopped glowing.
"Cyber Star Saturn's effect activates once again," Shizuka jumped in. "Since your monster was destroyed by Nova Princess, you take 200 more points of damage!"
Friedo is hit in the face by a colorful ball, while Baron narrowly avoids being hit.
Friedo & Baron — LP: 1300 → 1100
(Nova Princess — ATK: 2700 → 2900)
"Tch," Friedo clicked his tongue. "I won't go out like this!" His set trap is flipped face up. "I activate my Trap Card, Ojama Reborn! During the End Phase, Ojama Monsters I control that were destroyed this turn will be revived once again! This pointless last ditch struggle will be meaningless!"
"Meaningless, huh?" Yuga said with a dark expression. "Nothing we do is meaningless!"
"Eh?" Friedo was surprised.
"Cyber Star Jade attacks Gravekeepers - Sinister Curse!"
The green-haired female monster begins typing at her keyboard, digitising a giant block of text that says "BOOM!", which is then sent shooting towards the cloaked skeleton on the opponent's field, destroying it.
Shizuka smiled as she snapped her fingers, "Once again, you take 200 points of damage since a 'Cyber Star' destroyed your monster."
Friedo & Baron — LP: 1100 → 900
"Next, I activate my set Trap Card, Ritual Trade!" Yuga announced. "By tributing 1 Ritual Monster currently on the field, I can add a Ritual Spell or Ritual Monster directly from my deck to my hand! Sorry, Shizuka, but I need to sacrifice your ace monster."
"That's fine with me," Shizuka nodded resolutely. "Just make sure you defeat them this turn."
Yuga smiled as a card slipped out of his deck. He grabbed it and placed it onto his duel blade with a swift motion.
"I activate the Quick-Play Ritual Spell Gravekeeper's Ritual from my hand!" Yuga declared. "By tributing monsters from my field, I can Ritual Summon a DARK Monster during the Battle Phase!"
"A Ritual Summon during the Battle Phase!?" Baron gasped, his eyes wide with disbelief.
"N-No way!?" Friedo stammered, taken aback.
"I sacrifice the Level 4 Cyber Star Saturn and Jade in order to Ritual Summon a Level 8 Dark Monster!" Yuga shouted.
An altar materialized behind Yuga, its surface glowing with an eerie light as Cyber Star Saturn and Jade transformed into blue flames, which spiraled around the altar, lighting the candles placed around it.
"The forgotten records, buried deep within the eternal stream of memories, shall now awaken!" Yuga chanted, a dark aura rising from him as his voice grew louder. "Ritual Summon! Be reborn, the teller of these ancient texts, Gravekeeper's - Solemn Tales (Dark/Fiend/Ritual/Effect/ATK: 100/DEF: 100/LV: 7)!"
A massive, skeletal figure in a black coat appeared behind Yuga, holding an ancient, dusty book. The figure was so large it filled nearly the entire hallway, casting a menacing shadow.
"H-Holy Shit—!?" Friedo's jaw dropped as he stared at the enormous monster.
"Solemn Tales gains 500 ATK for each Dark Monster in my graveyard," Yuga said in a monotone voice. "Since there are two in my graveyard, Solemn Tales gains 1000 ATK."
[Gravekeepers - Solemn Tales — ATK: 100 → 1100]
"That was surprising and all, but that pathetic attack stat won't make a difference," Friedo said, regaining his composure with a smug grin. "Even after all of that, you still failed to keep your promise. You even destroyed your only possible win condition. What a failure of a partner you are—"
"Shut it, imbecile!" Yuga snapped. The sudden outburst made Friedo freeze, his words catching in his throat. Even Shizuka flinched, startled by her friend's abrupt shift in demeanor.
"You're so dumb it makes me sick!" Yuga continued, his piercing gaze locking onto Friedo. "Your fate has already been sealed!"
"Eh?" Friedo tilted his head in confusion.
"Battle! Gravekeepers - Solemn Tales attacks you directly!" Yuga shouted.
The giant skeleton opened its book as a dark ball of energy slowly emerged.
"What!? But we still have a monster on our field! You can't do that—!?"
"Solemn Tales' effect allows it to deal damage to you directly!" Yuga declared. "Now finish this, Solemn Tales! Knowledge of the Forsaken!"
A dark orb of energy shot out from the monster's book, hurtling straight toward Friedo and Baron. Their eyes widened in shock, but they couldn't react in time. The attack struck them head-on, triggering a massive explosion that shook the entire area. The force sent both duelists flying, their bodies ricocheting violently between the roof and ground in rapid succession.
Friedo & Baron — LP: 900 → 0
Winner: Yuga & Shizuka
[BGM (Background Music) Ends Here.]
Yuga panted heavily as his monster dematerialized. He clutched his head briefly, the faint dark aura surrounding him dissipating shortly after.
"Yuga, are you okay?" Shizuka asked, concern evident in her voice.
"Y-Yeah, I just need to catch my breath. Nothing to be worried about," Yuga replied, waving her off.
Shizuka wasn't buying it.
"You did it again."
"Huh?—OW!" Yuga yelped as Shizuka pinched his ear sharply.
"You lost control of yourself for a second," Shizuka said, frowning. "This is the third time it's happened now."
"I'm fine though—OW!" Yuga protested as her grip tightened.
"You're not," Shizuka insisted firmly. "The first time, I chalked it up to the built-up trauma from Academia's invasion. The second time, I thought it was just a fluke." She let out a frustrated sigh. "But three times? This isn't a coincidence anymore, Yuga."
Shizuka then let go of Yuga's ear.
"We can discuss this later; we're still in the middle of our operation," Shizuka said, her fingers tapping a few buttons on her duel disk. "Akaba Reiji's office is at the far end of this hallway. We need to move before those guys we defeated wake up—or worse, reinforcements show up."
"Right," Yuga nodded, though Shizuka could notice that his mind was drifting off somewhere.
"..." Shizuka suddenly grabs Yuga's arm.
"W-What?" Yuga blinked, taken aback by Shizuka's unexpected gesture. His cheeks flushed slightly.
Shizuka didn't respond, instead pulling Yuga with her toward the entrance of Reiji's office. She let go of his hand as she pushed the door open. Inside, Akaba Reiji sat behind his desk, a calm smile on his face as he stood to greet them.
"I've been expecting you," Reiji said smoothly. "You've done well to make it this far."
"You've been expecting us?" Yuga asked, surprised.
"We were literally stopped by two LDS members just before getting here," Shizuka replied, exasperated. "Of course, we were expected."
"Well, since we were expected…" Yuga said, activating his duel disk. "...guess we'll just have to kidnap you with force. Maybe that'll give us a chance to one-up Akaba Leo."
Reiji smiled faintly, unphased, "I doubt my father would halt his plans just because you threaten my life."
Shizuka frowned. "What kind of father wouldn't care about his own son's life?"
"A horrible one, which my father certainly is," Reiji replied. "That's why I plan on stopping him."
"You plan on stopping him?" Yuga's eyes widened in surprise. "Aren't you two in cahoots?"
Reiji's expression darkened slightly, "Aside from blood, I have no affiliation with that man," he said, his voice tinged with bitterness. "He selfishly abandoned me and my mother to fend for ourselves while he chased after his own dimensional ambitions."
"Neat sob story, but don't think that'll stop us from kidnapping you, Akaba Reiji," Shizuka regained her composure, her voice firm. "You're our only leverage against Akaba Leo."
Reiji's expression remained calm, "I have a better idea. Why don't you join me?"
"Join you?" Shizuka raised an eyebrow, confused.
"I plan on gathering a group of powerful duelists," Reiji explained, his tone steady. "Together, we'll fight against my father's elite forces. I call them the Lancers."
Odd naming choice. Yuga thought to himself
"So, you plan on directly confronting your father?" Shizuka asked, skepticism laced in her voice. "That's literal suicide."
"It may be," Reiji responded, his gaze sharpening with determination. "But for the safety of Maiami City's people—and for my own personal grudge—I will follow through. Even if it means making sacrifices to achieve this goal."
"He's taken from you too, right?" Reiji extended his hand towards them with a slight smile. "Join me, and together we can stop my father's plans."
Yuga and Shizuka exchanged uncertain glances.
Reiji's smile remained, and he added, "I'll also give you a lifetime supply of sweets." Mainly aiming this at Yuga.
Yuga's eyes lit up at the mention of sweets, his expression turning eager. "Sweets!? Deal!" he immediately agreed.
—BAM!
Shizuka slammed her fist onto Yuga's head, sending him tumbling to the ground in pain. She shot him a glare before turning her attention back to Reiji.
"As much as I dislike your offer, seeing how a direct confrontation could end badly, I'll agree to join your plan," Shizuka said. "But don't get any ideas. I don't trust you. You still have his blood in your veins."
Reiji's smile remained calm, but the intensity in his eyes remained, "Fair enough," he said, acknowledging her words. "Trust is earned, not given. But I assure you, I'm not my father."
"I hope you're right about that." Shizuka shot him a glance before picking up Yuga from the ground.
"Glad you've agreed without much of a fuss," Reiji smiled as he returned to his seat, crossing his fingers as he spoke. "Let's have a chat."
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
In the Fusion Dimension…
Akaba Leo looked down from his throne coldly. Kneeling beneath him was Ryouga, who was slightly sweating at the Professor's intense glare.
"May I ask why you've come so early? And with no refugees captured at that?" Leo asked.
"I had him! I swear I did!" Ryouga shouted. "He just surprised me, that's all. The next time I see him, I'll—!"
"Silence!" Akaba Leo shouted, shutting Ryouga up. "You've made a mockery to Academia's honor by losing to a mere Xyz Refugee." He then facepalmed. "Honestly, I should demote you just for this, but I'm willing to give you another chance."
"R-Really—?" Ryouga smiled before Akaba Leo spoke again.
"However, you will not be deployed right now," Leo explained. "For now, you'll be stationed here at Academia until the next major operation." Akaba Leo than narrowed his eyes at Ryouga. "Am I clear?"
"Crystal," Ryouga replied.
"Good," Akaba Leo released his glare. "You may leave now."
"Y-Yes, Professor." Ryouga said before scurrying off.
Once Ryouga left the Professor's throne room, he slammed his fists into the wall, making a dent in it as he gritted his teeth in anger.
"That damn, Xyz scum!" Ryouga sneered. "I swear, the next time I get my hands on him, I'll make him pay!"
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
In the Standard Dimension…
A scene unfolded in a large, empty alleyway at night which was suddenly illuminated by a bright blue light. From within the light emerged a young woman with long, spiky dark blue hair, her lighter bangs falling just in front of her face.
Most of her attire was concealed beneath a rough cloak, leaving little visible.
"Sorry, Yuto, Shun," she said, her voice firm. "I don't plan on sitting idly by while you two go off and fight for our comrades."
With that, she turned and walked away.
<><><><><><><><><><><><>
Custom/Altered Cards:
Monster Cards:
Gravekeepers - Skeleton Guard
ATK: 0, DEF: 0, LV: 3
Dark/Fiend/Tuner/Effect
Monster Effect: When this card is Normal Summoned; discard 1 card from your hand. You can tribute this card from your field, add a "Gravekeepers" Card from your deck to your hand.
Naturia Bumblebee
ATK: 700, DEF: 1100, LV: 2
Earth/Insect/Tuner/Effect
If a card is sent from your hand or Deck to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon this card from your hand. If this card is Summoned: You can Set 1 Normal Trap Card directly from your Deck to your field. You can only use each effect of "Naturia Bumblebee" once per turn.
Cyber Star Cherry
ATK: 700, DEF: 900, LV: 4
Light/Fairy/Effect
Monster Effect: If you Ritual Summon exactly 1 LIGHT Ritual Monster with a card effect that requires use of monsters, this card can be used as the entire requirement. (Quick Effect): You can discard this card from your hand, add 1 "Cyber Star" Monster from your deck to my hand.
Cyber Star Jade
ATK: 1300, DEF: 700, LV: 4
Light/Fairy/Effect
Monster Effect: If you Ritual Summon exactly 1 LIGHT Ritual Monster with a card effect that requires use of monsters, this card can be used as the entire requirement. "Cyber Star" Monsters you control cannot be destroyed by battle.
Cyber Star Saturn
ATK: 400, DEF: 600, LV: 4
Light/Fairy/Effect
Monster Effect: If you Ritual Summon exactly 1 LIGHT Ritual Monster with a card effect that requires use of monsters, this card can be used as the entire requirement. If you control only Light Monsters, you can Special Summon this card from your hand. When a monster your opponent controls is destroyed by battle, deal 200 damage to your opponent.
Cyber Star Nova Princess
ATK: 2300, DEF: 2100, LV: 8
Light/Fairy/Ritual/Effect
Monster Effect: You can Ritual Summon this card using "Cyber Star Ritual." If this card is Ritual Summoned: You can add 1 Light Monster from your GY to your hand. Once per turn, when your opponent targets a "Cyber Star" monster you control with an effect (Quick Effect): You can negate that effect, and if you do, inflict 200 damage to your opponent. Each time your opponent takes effect damage, increase this card's ATK by the same amount.
Gravekeepers - Sinister Curse
ATK: 100, DEF: 100, LV: 5
Dark/Fiend/Effect
Monster Effect: You can Tribute 1 monster your opponent controls; Special Summon this card to your opponent's field in Defense Position.
Gravekeepers - Solemn Tales
ATK: 100, DEF: 100, LV: 7
Dark/Fiend/Ritual/Effect
Monster Effect: You can Ritual Summon this card with any Ritual Spell. This card can attack your opponent directly. This card gains 500 ATK for each DARK monster in your GY. (Quick Effect): Once per turn, when your opponent activates a card or effect, you can banish 1 DARK monster from your GY; negate that activation, and if you do, destroy that card.
Spell/Trap Cards:
Cyber Star Ritual
Ritual Spell
This card can be used to Ritual Summon any "Cyber Star" Ritual Monster. You must Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal or exceed the Level of the Ritual Monster you Ritual Summon. You can tribute one monster on your field, and return this card to your hand.
Wandering the Border
Counter Trap
When a monster activated an effect that negates the activation of a card; negate that monster's effects for the rest of this turn instead.
Emergency Fusion
Normal Trap
Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck, using monsters you control as Fusion Materials.
Ojama Reborn
Normal Trap
During the End Phase: Special Summon all "Ojama" monsters destroyed by battle or card effect this turn.
Ritual Trade
Normal Trap
Tribute 1 Ritual Monster on the field; add 1 Ritual Spell or 1 Ritual Monster from your Deck to your hand.
Gravekeerper's Ritual
Quick-Play Ritual Spell
This card can be used to Ritual Summon any DARK Ritual Monster. During the Main Phase or Battle Phase, Tribute monsters from your hand or field whose total Levels equal or exceed the Level of the Ritual Monster you wish to Ritual Summon, then Ritual Summon that monster.