Malkator came to an abrupt halt. A woman had just walked into his field of vision. She looked at Malktor, then entered a fighting stance as she turned on her duel disk. She had on a determined expression, but her hands were shaking.
"What's she doing?" Hiroshi asked.
"I think she's challenging us," Malkator said.
"Then let's accept," Hiroshi said. "You go first."
"She's scared," Malktor said.
"No I'm not!" She snapped. "I'm going to bring you two down! At once if I have to! Whatever it takes!"
"Two on one?" Hiroshi asked.
"Alright," Malkator said. "What are your conditions?"
"You both start off with half life points," She said nervously. "And I'll get a turn for each of you. I'll go, then one of you will go, then me again, then the other of you, then me again."
"Sounds fair," Malkator said. "Let's go."
"Me first," The woman said. "I'll start with the field spell card Magical Citidel Of Endymion!"
They were all instantly surrounded by a new field. It was a palace brimming with magical energy.
"Each time a spell card is activated, I can place a spell counter on this card," she said. "Next, I summon Crusader Of Endymion!"
A spellcaster type monster appeared on her field. He wore blue plated armor. He was level 4 with 1900 attack points.
"Next, I use Spell Power Grasp!" She said. "This card lets me place a spell counter on my field, then add another Spell Power Grasp from my deck to my hand. But I can't activate it this turn. And since I activated a spell, I can place another counter on my field, adding up to 2 so far."
Her field now had two floating ruins in the sky above it.
"Then I play the spell card Ookazi, which deals 800 damage to one of you," She said, pointing at Malkator. "I choose you!"
Malkator was hit by a blast of fire, and his life dropped from 4000 to 3200. Another counter appeared on her field.
"I set one card and end my turn," She said.
"Okay," Malkator said. "I'll go next."
Malktor drew his card and looked at it. He thought back to his last duel, and how he had performed an xyz summon. He'd need multiple monsters with the same level for it to work. And if he couldn't get the same level monsters out, he'd need to change their levels with a card effect. Looking at his cards, he saw exactly how he could do that.
"I'll start by summoning Scion Youth in attack mode!" Malkator said.
A young child wearing cultist robes appeared on his field. He was level 1 with 600 attack.
"Next, I play the spell card Scion Appearance!" Malktor said. "This card lets me summon a Scion card by taking damage damage equal to its attack points!"
"Are you crazy!" Hiroshi said. "She's already brought your life down! You can't just spend life points carelessly!"
"Shut up," Malkator said. "I special summon Scion Cheapshot to the field!"
A man in a dusty western outfit, complete with a bandana, appeared on Malkator's field. He was level 4, with 500 attack points, and he had as cigar in his mouth and his thumbs in his pockets.
"Oh, I get it," Hiroshi said. "You summoned a monster with low attack power so you wouldn't take too much damage."
"Pretty much," Malkator said, as his life dropped to 2700.
"Since you used a spell card, my field gets another counter," the woman said, as a fourth floating ruin appeared.
"Okay," Malkator said. "I activate Scion Youth's effect. Now, his level becomes equal to Scion Cheapshot's level."
Scion Youth suddenly grew older, taking the appearance of a young man, in his early twenties.
"Now, I build the overlay network with these two level 4 monsters!" Malkator said. "I use them to xyz summon Scion Stratosphere!"
Malktor's monsters were pulled into a vortex, from which a new monsters emerged. He was dressed in dark clothing with an elegant, deep blue cloak. He was rank 4 with 2100 attack points and 1800 defense points.
"Now I use his effect," Malkator said. "By detaching an overlay unit, I can target one monster my opponent controls and deal you damage equal to its level times 300."
Scion Stratosphere drew a pistol from beneath his cloak and took aim.
"Your monster is level 4, so you take 1200 damage," Malkator said.
Stratosphere pulled the trigger, and a barrage of star-shaped bullets pelted the woman. her life dropped to 6800.
"Now, since I used my monster's effect, I'll take half the damage you took," Malkator said.
"What!?" Hiroshi snapped.
Stratosphere turned around and blasted Mlkator with another shot of stars, reducing Malkator to 2100.
"Stop wasting your life!" Hiroshi said angrily.
"Shut up," Malkator said. "I'll now have Stratosphere attack!"
"I use the trap card Barrier Of Endymion!" The woman said. "This card lets me negate an attack directed at a light spellcaster I control!"
Stratosphere's attack was cut short.
"Now, I can add a spell counter to one card I control," She said. "I choose my field spell card."
"Damn it," Hiroshi said.
"I set one card face down and end my turn," Malkator said. "You're turn, ma'am."
"My name is Cassandra," she said.
Meanwhile, Daniel wandered the Board, trying to decide what to do next. As he walked, a young girl bumped into him, almost knocking him over. She was frantic. For a moment, Daniel wondered why, but then he heard a voice.
"Come out, girly!" the voice called from a distance away. "I won't bite!"
"What's going on?" Daniel asked.
"He's trying to duel me," she said. "I don't want to risk it."
Daniel caught a glimpse of her chest. Only two glowing marks. She had been defeated once already. No wonder she was scared.
"Find a place to hide," Daniel said. "I'll handle this."
She fled around the corner of a building as a man came into view. He had dark black hair and was dressed in a beige coat. His dueldisk was shaped like a shield with a sword attached to it.
"Lookin' for someone?" Daniel asked casually.
"Yeah the man said. "Some little bitch."
"Well, why don't I fill her shoes?" Daniel said, switching his duel disk on.
"You wanna duel, huh?" the man asked. "Okay. Let's go!"
"I'll go first!" Daniel said, drawing.
He had switched to his fiend deck earlier. He didn't like using a single deck too often.
"I set on monster in defense mode, and one other card face down," Daniel said. "Your move."
"I draw!" the man said. "Then, I use Black Luster Ritual! With it, I tribute level 4 Dark Blade and Disciple Of The Forbidden Spell from my hand to ritual summon my level 8 Black Luster Soldier!"
A knight dressed in blue armor with a buster sword appeared. He had 3000 attack points.
"Next, I banish my dark attribute Dark Blade and my light attribute Disciple Of The Forbidden Spell to special summon Black Luster Soldier, Envoy Of The Beginning!" The man said.
Another warrior appeared. He looked like Black Luster Soldier, but with gold added to his armor. He also had 3000 attack.
"So, he's using a warrior type chaos deck," Daniel thought to himself.
"Next, I summon Gaia The White Knight!" the man said.
Another warrior showed up on his field. This one was level 4 with 1600 attack.
"Alright," Daniel said. "I can handle this."
"We'll see about that!" the man said. "It attack with Envoy Of The Beginning!"
"I activate the continuous trap Astral Barrier!" Daniel said. "Now, I can make any attack directed at one of my monsters into a direct attack!"
The attack went straight past his face down monster and hit him directly, dropping his life to 5000.
"I attack again with Black Luster Soldier!" the man said.
"I use Astral Barrier's effect!" Daniel said.
The attack hit Daniel directly, reducing him to 2000.
"I attack with Gaia this time!" the man said.
"I'll use Astral Barrier one last time!" Daniel said.
The attack reduced Daniel to 400 life points. But his monster was safe. That's what he was aiming for.
"Wasting all that life, huh?" the man said. "Pathetic."
"You can call it pathetic once I've made my move," Daniel said.
"Then go!" the man encouraged.
"I use the Board's effect!" Daniel said. "By paying 300 life points, I can guess what kind of card I'll draw. I guess monster!"
Daniel's life dropped to 100. He drew, revealing his Summoned Skull. Perfect.
"Now, I can draw one more time," Daniel said. "Then, I flip summon Skull Knight #2!"
A sword wielding skeletal warrior appeared. It was level 3 with 1000 attack.
"Now, I activate double summon!" Daniel said. "Now I can summon twice this turn! And I'll start by tributing Skull Knight to bring out my Summoned Skull!"
Daniel's Skull Knight was replaced by a hulking, winged skeleton. It was level 6 with 2500 attack points.
"And since Skull Knight #2 was tributed to bring out a fiend type monster, I can summon another Skull Knight #2 from my deck," Daniel said. "Then I'll tribute that one to bring out Dark Ruler Ha Des!"
A wicked demon appeared on Daniel's field. It held a goblet in its hand. It was level 6 with 2450 attack.
"And now Skull Knight's effect activates again," Daniel said. "Now I can bring out one more!"
Another Skull Knight appeared.
"What good will those do you?" the man asked.
"You're about to find out," Daniel said. "But first, who are you?"
"My name is Xander," the man said.
"I'm Daniel," Daniel said. "Now, prepare to see what happens when you harras girls. I play the spell card Lightning Vortex!"
"Shit!" Xander said.
"I discard Gren Maju Da Eiza to destroy every monster you control!" Daniel said.
The field erupted with lightning, obliterating every monster Xander had out.
"Damn it!" Xander exclaimed.
"I'm not finished yet!" Daniel said. "Next, I banish my two Skull Knights and the Gren Maju Da Eiza in my graveyard. By banishing these three fiend type monsters, I can special summon Dark Necrofear!"
An alien creature showed up on Daniel's field, with 2200 attack points.
"Now, let's end this!" Daniel said. "I attack directly with all four of my monsters!"
Skull Knight #2, Summoned Skull, Dark Ruler Ha Des, and Dark Necrofear all attacked. Their combined attack power was 8150, which brought Xander down to 0. One of his scars glowed brightly, and he shouted a few choice swear words before vanishing.
Back at the threeway duel, Cassandra took a deep breath.
"My turn," she said, drawing. "I use Spell Power Grasp to place a sixth counter on my field, then add a third Spell Power Grasp to my hand."
She added her card to her hand.
"And since I used a spell, my card gets yet another counter," she said. "Then, I play the continuous spell card Shard OF Greed."
A new spell appeared on her field, and an 8th counter was placed on her field spell.
"Next, since Crusader Of Endymion is a gemini monster, I can use my normal summon this turn to convert him into an effect monster," she said. "And using his effect, I place another counter on my field, and increase his attack by 600 until the end phase!"
Crusader's attack rose to 2500, and her field gained its 9th counter.
"Now, by removing 7 counters from my field, I can special summon Endymion, The Master Magician!"
A sorcerer with 2700 attack appeared on her field, with its staff held high.
"Since he was special summoned, I can return a spell card from my graveyard to my hand," she said. "I choose Ookazi. Then I use Ookazi to deal 800 damage to you!"
She pointed at Hiroshi this time, and as another counter appeared on her field, Hiroshi's life dropped to 3200.
"Now, I attack Scion Stratosphere with my Master Magician!" she declared.
"I play the trap card Vision Shield," Malkator said. "Now, Scion cards I control can't be destroyed this turn."
"You'll still take damage," she said.
The attack hit, reducing Malkator's life points to 1500.
"Then, I attack it again with Crusader!" she said.
Malaktor lost another 400 life points, bringing him down to 1100.
"I end my turn," Cassandra said.
"Good," Malkator chuckled. "Which means my monster's effect kicks in."
"What?" She asked.
"During my opponent's end phase, if Scion Stratosphere is face up on the field, I can inflict damage to my opponent's life points equal to the battle damage I've received this turn," Malkator said. "That adds up to 1000."
Cassandra's life dropped to 5800.
"Fine," she said. "I end my turn."
"Now I'll go," Hiroshi said, drawing. "I summon Matador Of The Wooden Girl!"
A man dressed in a matador costume appeared on Hiroshi's field. His body was pierced by multiple strings, which suspended him in the air. He was level 4 with 1000 attack points.
"When this card is summoned, I can reveal cards from the top of my deck until I reveal a monster with Wooden Girl in its name," Hiroshi said.
The first card he revealed was Stage Of The Wooden Girl. It was a spell card. The next card he revealed was Samurai Of The Wooden Girl.
"Now, I can special summon this monster in defense mode, and send every other card I revealed to the graveyard," Hiroshi said. "I summon Samurai Of The Wooden Girl!"
The monster he summoned looked exactly like Hiroshi, and wielded a 5 foot long samurai sword. He was level 6, with 2000 defense.
"Did you just summon yourself?" Malkator asked.
"I guess so," Hiroshi said. "Next, I discard Phantom Of The Wooden Girl from my hand, and with his effect, I can reduce my Samurai's level by 2."
The monster Hiroshi discarded resembled a cloaked man with a broken masquerade ball mask. Samurai's level dropped from 6 to 4. The same as Matador.
"Now, I overlay my two level 4 monsters to xyz summon Katana Master Of The Wooden Girl!" Hiroshi said.
His new monster had 2200 attack points, and held numerous blades.
"Now, I activate the effect of Malkator's Scion Stratosphere!" Hiroshi said. "I detach and overlay unit from it, then target your Master Magician and dish out damage equal to its level times 300."
Endymion was level 7, so Cassandra took 2100 damage. She was now at 3700.
"Now, I take half that damage," Hiroshi said.
Stratosphere turned his gun on Hiroshi, and his life dropped to 2150 when he was shot.
"You okay?" Malkator asked.
"Better than you," Hiroshi said. "Next, I use the effect of Katana Master. by using one of his overlay units, he gains 200 attack for each monster in my grave with Wooden Girl in its name!"
Hiroshi now had 2 Wooden Girl monsters in his graveyard, so his monster rose to 2600 attack.
"Now, attack her crusader!" he ordered.
His Katana Master cut down her Crusader.
"Katana Master can't deal any damage this turn, so I'll just set two cards and end my turn," Hiroshi said. "Your move."
"I'm getting real sick of you two," Cassandra said, drawing. "When I draw a card during the draw phase, I can place a Greed counter on shard Of Greed. Then I use my final Spell Power Grasp."
Due to Power Grasp's effect, a fourth counter was placed on her field, and since she had activated a spell card, a fifth counter was added.
"Next, I play the spell card Cup Of Ace," she said. "I toss a coin, and if it's heads, I draw two cards. If it's tails, one of you draws two cards."
She held her breath as she toss a coin, then let out a sigh of relief when it landed on heads. She drew two cards, and a sixth counter was placed on her field.
"Next, I activate One Day Of Peace!" she declared. "Now, each of us draws a card, and no one takes damage until my opponent's next end phase."
Everyone drew a card, and a seventh counter was placed on her Magical Citadel.
"Perfect," she said. "I remove seven counters from my field to summon another Endymion, The Master Magician!"
A second copy of her Magician appeared beside the first.
"Now, thanks to his effect, I can reuse my Ookazi yet again, but I'll save it for later. Time for you guys to see my ultimate monster!"
"You mean Endymion isn't your best card?" Hiroshi asked.
"Of course not!" she said. "By tributing my two level 6 or higher spellcasters, I special summon my ace card! come forth, Sorcerer Of Dark Magic!"
A sorcerer clad in dark black robes appeared on her field, twirling its staff skillfully. It was level 9, with 3200 attack and 2800 defense.
"Um, Hiroshi?" Malkator asked. "Are we screwed?"
"That is a distinct possibility," Hiroshi replied nervously.
