“That was so sweet!” Jaden excitedly clapped Phil on the back as the Ra Yellow sat down on the bench in the sidelines. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a combo like that before! How did you come up with it?”

Phil froze for a second, and then his features lit up with an easy grin. “Oh, you know. Just gotta look at all your cards every once and a while, there’s some shit you’ll see in your collection that might surprise you. As for the Reversal Quiz OTK, well, the main issue is figuring out how you want to get the deck started since you have to find a way to draw a bunch of cards while decreasing your own life points at the same time. If you manage to do only one of those two things? Well, it’s sad to say but the combo doesn’t work. Especially since Reversal Quiz clears out your hand and field as the cost for activating it.”

Jaden nodded, quietly digesting Phil’s opinion on the strategy while he watched Chazz march up onto the stage, the prickly Obelisk Blue still almost vibrating with what was clearly disgust, with perhaps a shade of anger thrown in the mix.

“Anyways, it doesn’t matter all that much.” Phil lightheartedly mentioned. “From now on people will be watching out for my deck since it’s kinda a one trick pony, even at first glance. Honestly, assuming I don’t fuck up, the real game starts now.”

“The real game?” Jaden raised his eyebrows in confusion towards his friend.

“See, the thing is that side decks are a feature at this event.” Phil began, his body unconsciously displaying the so-called ‘lecture mode’ that he and Bastion both tended to adopt when they were about to take a deep dive into one topic or another. A mode that was either a boon, or a curse, depending on who a person talked to about it and what topic the two boys were about to explore. “Now, I don’t particularly care if the opposing teams use side decks. If they do, then there is a bit of an element of chance added to the game, but, in regards to my own strategy, unless they possess both a hard counter to my strategy, and my alternative strategy it matters not what they side. Instead, the key is what I side.”

Jaden scratched his head, trying to make sense of the tangle of words Phil was spewing out of his mouth. Of course, it didn’t help either that Phil’s voice was gradually becoming faster and faster, another feature of the ‘lecture mode’ that, as far as Jaden could tell, commonly occurred whenever Phil and Bastion became excited or extremely interested about a subject. “So their side deck doesn’t matter, but yours does?”

“Yes!” Phil exclaimed, and then cautiously looked around, lowering his voice as Chazz’s duel began against the second of the North Academy students, a boy called Daniel Rose. “I went into this knowing that my deck has obvious counters once you know what it is. Lifegain, trap cards that burn me before I can pop off with Reversal Quiz, the list goes on and on. Now, I had my own thoughts on how I might counter those strategies, but I wasn’t too worried since I wasn’t expecting the addition of the side deck. That addition does mean that countering my deck becomes easier, but since I’m expecting that counter, I can counter that counter with my own counter, or simply switch strategies altogether since I do have the ability to switch out a total of 15 cards if I want to. The first option would be funny, but after a few minutes of thinking after the side deck reveal, I figured the second would not just be funny, it would be hilarious. So, after a few more minutes of thinking about the problem, I came to my conclusion: smokescreen those bitches. Then, when they start expecting my side deck, I can try and anticipate that by switching back to my original strategy.”

“Smokescreen?” Jaden muttered in thought. “Sweet name, but what do you mean by that?”

However, instead of launching into yet another enthusiastic explanation, Phil simply tapped his nose with an infuriating smirk plastered on his face. “Ah. That, my friend, is a surprise for the next round.”

Jaden shook his head, laughing at Phil’s response. “Awesome. I can’t wait to see it!”

With Phil cutting his own explanation short in favor saving a surprise for Jaden, he turned his attention back to the two duelists in the middle of the arena. Fortunately, Phil didn’t have any drinks to spit out in surprise, so his reaction towards seeing what Chazz’s opponent was playing ended up being rather low-key.

What in the everliving fuck. Phil thought to himself as he watched the duel with eyes as wide as dinner plates. The duel itself seemed rather simple at first glance. Chazz had summoned Card Trooper (400/400) in defense position on his first turn, taking advantage of the card’s effect to send the top three cards of his own deck to the graveyard, then setting an additional two cards and ending his turn. So far, so good. Nothing out of the ordinary for Phil, who had several pet decks of his own that followed similar strategies. No, it was the opponent, who Phil vaguely remembered as some dude named Daniel, who had instantly grabbed Phil’s attention by summoning one singular monster in attack position:

Steelswarm Caller (1700/0)

How in the hell did that guy get fucking Steelswarms. Aren’t they supposed to be a 5Ds archetype? Shit. Think, Phil. Think!

While keeping part of his attention focused on the ongoing duel to see what other monsters Daniel Rose would summon, Phil began to order his chaotic thoughts and thought through each possibility that shot through his mind.

Right. Could it be that Pegasus decided to print them early? Possible, but I had a buddy who played them back in college, and I think I remember some of the little Steelswarms having restrictions that they can’t be used as Synchro material. Synchros don’t fucking exist yet, or at least they shouldn’t, so either the archetype is incomplete or there’s about to be a serious problem. Of course, that’s if Pegasus printed them. Could be that they were found on the ground like Bastion’s Water Dragon Cluster. That too is another card that shouldn’t exist yet. Otherwise… if my first two ideas are wrong, that means there’s another transmigrator or reincarnator that’s parting with their collection. Honestly I don’t know which possibility is scarier. If that last one is true, it won’t be a problem if they’re on my side or neutral. But… if they’re not either of those, well shit.

Nearly endless possibilities raced through Phil’s mind as he watched Daniel Rose use the spell card Double Summon, using its effect to tribute summon Steelswarm Mantis (2200/0) by sending Steelswarm Caller as fodder. Steelswarm Caller’s and Mantis’s effects both went off, with Caller special summoning Steelswarm Gatekeeper (1500/1900) in attack position since it was used as tribute summon fodder for a Steelswarm monster, and Mantis using its effect to pay 1000 life points in order to revive Steelswarm Caller from the grave in attack position.

Still none of the ones with Synchro restrictions. Quite a conundrum indeed, Phil ol’ boy. I guess until proven otherwise, I have to assume my enemies can potentially drop a big-ass Synchro monster on my head… but it would be a bit risky to run Synchro monsters of my own before confirming that to be a fact. No sense in painting a target on my back if it turns out Synchros weren’t introduced a whole series earlier than they were supposed to. No sense in laying out the welcome mat for people to steal my beautiful binders, and getting Pegasus’s attention would be annoying at best, potentially dangerous at worst. No telling what that eccentric bastard would do if he finds out the true extent of what I have access to.

Phil shook his head, doing his best to clear out the jumbled mess of thoughts and half-baked plans that were threatening to give him an absolute banger of a headache.

Wait… isn’t there some sort of restriction for Synchro summoning anyways? Was it speed or something else? I know they rode around on those souped-up motorcycles for some reason… shit it’s kinda backfiring on me that I never watched 5Ds. Jeez. Well, with luck there will be something that prevents their usage altogether and I don’t have to worry about it. I think there was a restriction on XYZ summoning in the anime, or was it on Pendulum? If there was, then the possibility of Synchros having a restriction would be greater than zero. One of those two you had to train for or something, but I never watched those anime either so it could just be my terrible memory bullshitting me.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Chazz stared down his opponent, considering his options and suppressing his own curiosity about Daniel Rose’s deck, one filled with cards he had never seen nor even heard of before. No matter, curiosity was best saved for after the duel. Until then, Chazz had only one goal: win with honor and restore at least part of Duel Academy’s reputation after Phil had cheerfully flushed it down the toilet.

Still, the situation could be better, Chazz mused to himself as he glanced at the life point counters, noting the extreme difference between his 100 life points and Daniel Rose’s 3000. Part of him wondered if Phil’s recklessness was rubbing off on him. The Ra Yellow had almost seemed to make it a habit to snatch victory out of nowhere with his own life points as close to zero as possible, though Chazz was unsure if that was due to a desire for a dramatic finish, or for simple lack of care for his own life points as long as they remained above zero.

Yet, despite the fact that Chazz had begun his turn with only two face down traps and five cards in his hand due to his own Card Trooper’s effect on death and his draw phase, he felt not even a single droplet of despair in his heart.

I see. Daniel Rose has nothing but pure offense at this point in time, not even a single face down set to protect his monsters. Steelswarm Mantis being a 2200 attack monster with no noticeable effects aside from its on-summon one, Steelswarm Caller only gaining abilities when used to tribute summon, and Steelswarm Gatekeeper being a complete unknown factor beyond its decent attack.

Chazz’s eyes flashed with pure fighting spirit as he made his move, having taken full stock of the field.

“Last turn was a powerful combination, I give you that!” Chazz shouted confidently. “However, let The Chazz show you how its done! First things first, I activate my trap card. Call of the Haunted, bring forth my Card Trooper (400/400) from beyond the grave!”

Contrasting the grey, steel-like color of Daniel Rose’s insect-like Steelswarm monsters, Card Trooper’s bright red and blue design was like a shock of color among a dull, foggy sky as the machine rumbled to life once more and turned on its blindingly bright searchlights.

“I activate Card Trooper’s effect to send another three cards from the top of my deck to the graveyard in exchange for my monster gaining 1500 additional attack for the duration of the turn. Then, by banishing a light and a dark monster, that being the Mystic Tomato and the Mirage Dragon in my graveyard, I special summon the wizard of light and darkness, Chaos Sorcerer (2300/2000)! Then, to top it off, I send my Card Trooper to the graveyard to tribute summon a monster of my own. Prime Material Dragon (2400/2000)! Show yourself!

As Chazz shouted out a rapid-fire series of commands, his side of the field, once nearly deserted, was swiftly filled by a pale sorcerer dressed all in black and wearing a nasty grin, right next to an orangish-yellow dragon covered in straight groves that almost made the beast appear to have been carved out of wood and given life. However, despite Chazz’s monsters still being outnumbered, it was more than enough in his eyes as Chazz announced that he was moving to the battle phase.

“Daniel Rose, I hope you don’t regret placing down traps to protect your monsters, because from where I stand your defense looks to be made out of paper! Chaos Sorcerer, destroy Steelswarm Mantis! Prime Material Dragon, show your power and erase Steelswarm Gatekeeper from existence!

Daniel Rose grimaced as two of his three monsters were easily destroyed and his life points were brought down to 2000, though the noticeable lack of tension on his face betrayed that his confidence was still unshaken.

“Well played.” Daniel Rose muttered, before raising his voice as Chazz ended his turn. “Your dragons are truly as formidable as the rumors say they are. But, I cannot let my North Academy be ejected from this tournament on the first day! You lose, Chazz! I tribute my Steelswarm Caller from my field to summon the level six Steelswarm Moth (2400/0) in attack position! On his summon, Steelswarm Moth’s and Steelswarm Caller’s effects both activate! By paying another 1000 life points, Steelswarm Moth will target your Chaos Sorcerer and your Prime Material Dragon to return them to your hand, while Steelswarm Caller will bring forth another level four or lower Steelswarm monster from my deck!”

The audience hushed as Daniel Rose confidently declared his move, their many eyes darting to and fro between the duelists.

That was, until a grim smile spread across Chazz’s face. “Fine by me. However, I’ll have to disappoint your North Academy. Trap card, activate! Dragon’s Rebirth! By banishing a dragon on my field, that being the Prime Material Dragon you targeted with your Moth, I can special summon any one dragon monster from my hand or my graveyard!”

Daniel Rose’s eyes shot wide open out of sheer surprise, and then he narrowed his eyebrows. “Of course, it doesn’t matter a single bit if you don’t have a dragon stronger than my Moth.”

“Hah! I would be a disgrace to dragon duelists all over the world if I didn’t!” Chazz replied, his dark smile growing ever larger by the second. “By banishing my Prime Material Dragon from my field, I summon from my graveyard the harbinger of purity, the white sun that drives back all shadows! Lightpulsar Dragon (2500/1500), in attack position!”

The wood-like body of Prime Material Dragon cracked and splintered, vanishing from the field in an instant as a blindingly-bright white and blue dragon burst triumphantly onto the field from Chazz’s graveyard, letting out a keening cry of triumph as it came back from the dead to stare down the insect-like green and black shape of Steelswarm Moth.

Daniel Rose scowled. “Again, well played. However, that doesn’t change that your Chaos Sorcerer gets sent back to your hand, while I get to summon Steelswarm Genome (1000/0) from my deck in defense position.”

“That it doesn’t.” Chazz acknowledged with a nod of his head, returning his Chaos Sorcerer back to his hand while the tiny, cocoon-like shape of Steelswarm Genome bounced onto the field with a miniscule war cry.

“Sadly, I suppose all I can do now is place two cards face down, and end my turn.”

Chazz drew his next card without bothering for any fanfare. A good showing so far, but there’s no telling what traps he has set now. At least he’ll be more cautious now. With only 1000 life points left, he can’t activate effects as costly as his Mantis and Moth were. Assuming the rest of his high-level monsters also have that 1000 life point cost to gain their effects, this may be a huge advantage. Yet, I can’t press it too much. One single mistake from me, and our fate in the tournament will hang on Jaden’s shoulders.

Chazz suppressed a small shudder at the thought. Even though the attitude of the Slifer Red was mostly tolerable and he was a decent enough duelist, Chazz couldn’t let his school, his dorm, and Professor Crowler down by leaving their fate in the tournament to the weakest of the three duelists that had been entrusted with a mission to win.

“Starting off, I activate my spell card. Dragon Shrine! The effect is quite simple, allowing me to send White Dragon Wyverburster straight from my deck to my graveyard. Now that I have a dark and a light in my graveyard thanks to the shrine, I banish a dark, the Divine Dragon Apocralyph, and a light, the White Dragon Wyverburster, to summon Chaos Sorcerer (2300/2000) once more to the field! Chaos Sorcerer, use your effect to banish his Steelswarm Moth!”

Daniel Rose’s face visibly paled as the black-clad form of Chaos Sorcerer giggled and formed orbs of purple and yellow on his hands in preparation to resolve his effect. “Not so fast! I activate my face down trap, Infestation Wave! By returning my tribute-summoned Steelswarm Moth from the field to my hand, I get to destroy your Lightpulsar Dragon!”

Chaos Sorcerer’s unnerving grin was wiped from his face as the target for his effect disappeared back into Daniel Rose’s hand and brightly-lit form of Lightpulsar Dragon was nailed square in the chest by a beam of dark purple energy shot from Steelswarm Moth’s retreating form.

Not ideal, but this makes it so there’s only a weak defender and an unknown trap card to wade through. Better than losing to a Magic Cylinder, for sure. It’s a pity Chaos Sorcerer can’t attack after using his effect, though… I suppose it’s time to be ‘bloody resilient’, as that idiot in yellow would say.

“Fine. You may have gotten rid of my Lightpulsar, but the thing about dragons is that few things are powerful enough to keep them down for long! Lightpulsar Dragon, I activate your graveyard effect! By sending one light and one dark monster from my hand to the graveyard, that being my Mystic Tomato and my Shining Angel, I bring forth Lightpulsar Dragon from beyond the veil of death once more!”

Chazz slightly hesitated, glancing at his hand once more in consideration. I could… but I need something in reserve. Mirror Force always strikes when one least expects it, after all. I know that lesson well.

“Now, though it may be a risk, I command my Lightpulsar Dragon to destroy your Steelswarm Genome!”

For a moment every muscle on Chazz’s body tensed as his opponent began to open his mouth, but upon seeing Daniel Rose shake his head in irritation while sending the low-level monster to the grave, Chazz relaxed once more.

A serious risk, but one I have no choice but to take. Leaving him a monster to use as tribute fodder could very well spell the end of the game as quickly as a Magic Cylinder could.

“With that, I set one face down card, and I end my turn.”

Daniel Rose drew a card with a grimace, one that bloomed into a grim smile similar to the one Chazz had worn earlier. Chazz mentally cursed at his own bad luck, while simultaneously feeling overjoyed that there was truly another person his age, aside from Phil and Jaden, who could keep up with him.

“I admit, Chazz. This feels absolutely exhilarating, like I’m dancing on the edge of a cliff. Now, I can’t wait to see how you deal with this, Chazz! I activate my trap card, Infestation Ripples! By paying 500 life points, I’ll copy your move and bring forth my Steelswarm Caller (1700/0) back from the dead once more, in attack position! Though, this little guy won’t be around for long. I think you know the drill by now, Chazz. Caller, offer yourself up as a sacrifice to bring forth the summon of a higher lifeform! Steelswarm Girastag (2600/0)!

Just like all the other Steelswarm monsters, Girastag had an obvious insect-like appearance, its hard, chitinous shell shining grey and black in the morning sun, all highlighted by the orange on its chest, biceps, and palms.

“Now, Steelswarm Girastag is a special case.” Daniel Rose began, forestalling Chazz’s own question upon seeing that the monster was level seven. “Since I had a Steelswarm monster on my field, I can summon this big guy with only one tribute as long as I use that monster. And, since I summoned him by tributing a Steelswarm monster, I can activate his effect. I target your Chaos Sorcerer, sending it to the graveyard and healing myself by 1000 life points!

(Chazz: 100 Daniel Rose: 1500)

Unlike the last time that his monster was slated for destruction, Chazz fell silent as Chaos Sorcerer was destroyed with a pitiful scream by one enormous, thundering blast from Steelswarm Girastag’s arm cannon. Then, just as it had happened numerous times in the past, Steelswarm Caller’s effect activated, special summoning another copy of Steelswarm Caller from Daniel Rose’s deck in attack position to replace the one that had been tributed a moment before.

“Chazz! Show me what you’ve got, because if you have nothing, this attack will end it all! Steelswarm Girastag, destroy his Lightpulsar Dragon!

Inch by inch Steelswarm Girastag raised its arm cannon, charging up another one of its thundering blasts to demolish Chazz’s dragon. However, as soon as Daniel Rose called out his order, Chazz’s eyes flashed with an unending tide of fighting spirit once more.

“Absolutely worthless! I activate my quick play spell, Book of Moon, which allows me to flip your Girastag into face down defense position!”

Steelswarm Girastag’s attack was not even halfway charged up before a large, blue book, covered in Egyptian Hieroglyphics, spun forward and bashed the insect monster right on the head, causing the bulky monster to cover its head and begin sobbing from the pain.

“I see.” Daniel Rose closed his eyes in visible frustration, before snapping them open with a glare. “That buys you one more turn, make sure you use it well!”

“I will.” Chazz smirked as he saw his next card. Of course it would be you. Truly, there is no better way to win with glory than with your help, partner. Best of all, it seems my move of holding one of my monsters in reserve last turn was correct after all, even though my opponent lacked Mirror Force. Though, with the knowledge I have now, I could have won last turn If I had summoned it… bah. I’ll save that question for Phil and Bastion to argue over.

“First off, I banish the Mystic Tomato and Shining Angel I sent from my hand to the grave earlier in order to summon Darkflare Dragon from my hand, in attack position. Then, I move to the battle phase. Darkflare Dragon, destroy his face down Girastag! Lightpulsar, annihilate the Steelswarm Caller!

Both dragons struck together, one shining with a brilliant white and blue light, the other surrounded by a ring of flame and coated with dull black and red skin. Before them, the twin insects were no match, and they perished with pitiful groans while their steel skin melted into scorching hot puddles of molten metal.

“Now, I move to my second main phase. Daniel Rose, consider this as a show of my respect for your ability and luck as a duelist. By using Lightpulsar and Darkflare as tributes, I summon the monarch of black and white, of good and of evil. My companion, Light and Darkness Dragon (2800/2400)!

Where Lightpulsar Dragon and Darkflare Dragon had been pure light and pure dark respectively, Chazz’s ultimate monster was an exactly even mix of them both. One wing was coated with feathers that were gentle and soft, almost like it was a wing of an angel. The very sight of that wing gave off a gentle feeling, like the watchers were caught in a loving embrace. The other wing was covered with leathery, dark skin, decorated with a single brutal spike, like the appendage had been torn off the back of a demon and grafted to the beautifully terrifying dragon.

Daniel Rose gulped as the creature descended onto the field with a mighty roar, one that dug right through his heart and bringing forth a feeling of primal fear.

“I-I draw.” Daniel Rose shuddered, barely even able to look at the new addition to his hand. Even if it was a powerful monster… he had heard about Chazz before. He knew what Light and Darkness Dragon could do. There was no way that the tribute material needed for an equally powerful monster could be found on such a short notice, not without the dragon negating the effects needed to gather it.

He closed his eyes, forcing his own trembling frame to a halt as he gathered his courage and pride as a duelist. “I end my turn.”

Opposite of Daniel Rose, Chazz merely nodded his head in acceptance of the unspoken words, foregoing all other moves to go straight to his own battle phase in a show of respect.

“Light and Darkness Dragon, show him our pride.”

Then, with a flash that was both so bright that it lit up the arena like the noon sun was nestled right in the middle of it, and so dark that not even a single person could make out their hand right in front of their face, Daniel Rose’s life points dropped to zero.