High within the tinted observation tier of the LDS tower, drowned out the chaotic roar of the stadium crowd below. Reiji Akaba stood near the main terminal, his spectacles catching the clean, green luminescence of active tracking brackets. Ryoho stood a step behind him, arms folded squarely over his chest, his eyes fixed.
"A private extraction," Ryoho remarked, his voice flat. "You went to unusual lengths for these two, Reiji."
"Standard corporate algorithms cannot account for multi-dimensional encroachment," Reiji replied smoothly, tapping a command key to maximize the profile of both duelists. "To counter something absolute, one introduces an untested anomaly. Watch them."
Below, the holographic projectors began their initialization cycle on stadium.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" Nico Smiley's voice cut through the stadium speakers, instantly sending a shockwave of energy through the stands. "Welcome to the preliminary matches! From the absolute peak of elite LDS dueling education... the man who has rewritten his very soul for the ultimate stage... Sawatari! Shingo!"
A man came from the dark terminal. He had a straw hat of old samurais on his head. Wearing a old styled yukata and police cloths. He was whistling with a green leaf. His face was obscured. The hum of his whistling lingered in stadium a time.
His whistling suddenly stopped.
"Cards are calling me." He said in gentle voice. "They are calling me to draw them. The heaven has only one star. The number one duelist!"
He flung his cape like cloth, obscuring him and with another flung, Shingo Sawatari strutted onto the arena floor, his tailored jacket worn lightly over his black blazer-shirt.
"Not just Sawatari. I am Neo New Sawatari."
Behind the security barrier, his three dedicated lackeys cheered frantically, holding up hand-painted banners.
"Neo New Sawatari-san!"
"The winner has already been decided!"
"Just surrender whoever the opponent is! You've got no chance!"
"Oh! Such a classic style to appearance!" Nico smilled, announcing the entrance of Sawatari.
"And his opponent!" Nico swung his arm toward the opposite entryway. "A colorful wild-card entry who remains completely blank! Give it up for... Rezz?!"
He walked out into the blinding stadium lights wearing a vibrant orange shirt, casually running a thumb through his side-combed black hair before flashing a movie-star grin at the front rows. "It's not Rezz! It's Razz you creapy smiley!"
Stadium become silent for a moment until Razz talked.
"Thank you, thank you! I knew you guys were waiting for the real main character to hit the stage!"
Up in the Youshow School's people, Yuya leaned over the safety railing. "Hey! That's the guy from the docks!"
"He looks entirely ridiculous," Yuzu muttered. "He's acting like he already owns the arena."
"But look at his eyes," Yuya observed, his focus on the boy. "He isn't just showing off. He completely believes the stage belongs to him."
"The field parameters have reached maximum stability!" Nico Smiley announced, raising his hands high. "Let the environment manifest! Action Field Open: Canyon of the Forgotten Kings!"
The concrete floor dissolved instantly into a jagged landscape of massive, weathered red-rock columns, precarious rope bridges, and narrow mountain paths built from ancient stone. Deep crevices split the terrain, with glowing Action Cards resting along steep ledges.
"Now, duelists! Chant the traditional oath of the arena!" The crowd roared.
"Duelists locked in battle! Manfully facing each other! Together with their monsters, they kick the earth and dance in the air! Witness the wondrous and beautiful... ACTION DUEL!"
Razz blinked at the thunderous chant, scratching the back of his neck. "Kick the earth? Is this a physical education class or a card game? Whatever, sounds flashy enough for me!"
Sawatari snapped his new LDS-engineered Duel Disk into place, the blade glowing a sharp green. "Amateurs shouldn't try to read the script. Allow me to set the tempo!"
"DUEL!"
Sawatari: 4000 LP
Razz: 4000 LP
"The first move belongs to the elite!" Sawatari declared, drawing his card with an extravagant flourish. "I set the Pendulum Scale using Scale 3, Yosenju Shinchu L and Scale 5, Yosenju Shinchu R!"
Slapping the two cards onto the edges of his disk, two blinding pillars of rainbow light shot upward on Sawatari's left and right sides. Within them, two massive wooden shrine pillars wrapped in sacred hemp ropes and paper talismans rose heavily from the dirt, their scales glowing over the field.
[WIND / Rock / Pendulum / Level 3 / PS: 3 / ATK: 0 / DEF: 2100]
[WIND / Rock / Pendulum / Level 3 / PS: 5 / ATK: 0 / DEF: 2100]
"Pendulum...?" Yuya didn't blink or was in shock. "So Ryo and LDS already have produced the Pendulum cards."
"Sawatari was saying he will get his hands on Pendulum cards," Yuzu said. "But I never thought it will be this early."
At end, Shuzo muttered with Yoko, Yuya's mom. "I knew this was gonna happen soon. But to think in the championship. LDS really is using this opportunity for promoting."
"I can now simultaneously summon monsters of 4!" Sawatari snapped his fingers. "Pendulum Summon!Come forth, my loyal vanguards! Yosenju Kama 1 and Yosenju Kama 3!"
A massive circular portal cracked open in the sky between the two wooden gates. Two green wind-streams shot down like mini-tornadoes, revealing two human-sized, bipedal weasel demons wrapped in loose traditional robes. One aggressively spun a massive, curved scythe, while the other held a jagged wooden hook bound with rusted chains.
[WIND / Beast-Warrior / Effect / Level 4 / ATK: 1600 / DEF: 500]
[WIND / Beast-Warrior / Effect / Level 4 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 1000]
"So this is Pendulum summon..." Razz looked with fascination.
"New New Sawatari-san!" A lackey got emotional.
"You are best!"
Everyone in stadium were chattering with sudden excitement.
"Yes! Look! This is the power of Neo New Sawatari!" Sawatari announced with his voice strong.
"I thought only Yuya Sakaki could do Pendulum summon."
"LDS definitely created their own Pendulum cards." From the audiance, people muttered under their breath.
At another corner, Hokuto, Yaiba and Masumi sat together in line.
"That Sawatari is trying to be flashy as always." Hokuto said.
"Yeah, but a new deck can change duel." Yaiba scanned the duel.
"Since Yosenju Kama 3 was successfully summoned, its mandatory effect triggers!" Sawatari smirked, pulling a card automatically from his deck slot. "I can add any 'Yosenju' card from my Deck to my hand. But wait, I'm setting the stage further! I activate the continuous spell: Yosen Whirlwind! I set one card face-down and conclude my turn! And during the End Phase, my Kamas return safely to my hand!"
The two weasels dissolved back into swirling green wind currents, returning straight to Sawatari's hand and leaving his field bare but protected by his looming wooden gates.
...
"President, looks like everything went completely smooth. It's a success." Nakajima said as the technicians and scientists reported the data.
"Pendulum energy detected. No error in physical visual."
"Power balance and output are stable."
"No energy instability!"
"Hmm. With this, we are close to our goal."
...
Razz squinted at Sawatari's empty field. "Wait, your monsters just packed up and went home? What kind of strategy leaves you totally wide open? Are you trying to give me a head start out of pity?"
Sawatari laughed loudly, flipping his hair. "Ha! Shows how much you know! This is just to show my level! My skills! The ultimate stage technique—safety and perfection wrapped into one! And the audiance must get their deserving entertainment. Try hitting what isn't there, amateur!"
"Challenge accepted!" Razz grinned, drawing his card. "I activate the Field Spell Card: Gateway to Chaos! When this card is activated, I search my Deck for a 'Gaia the Fierce Knight' monster and add it to my hand. I choose Gaia the Fierce Knight Origin!"
A bright, circularly rotating gate emerged behind Razz. Opening with a blinding light.
Razz slotted the card into his hand. "Next, I Normal Summon Gaia the Fierce Knight Origin!"
A pillar of golden, holy light punctured the canyon floor, bringing forth a noble knight clad in dark plate armor with blue trim, sitting astride a powerful warhorse and lowering a massive jousting lance.
[LIGHT / Warrior / Effect / Level 4 / ATK: 1600 / DEF: 1200]
"A knight with low attack points?" Sawatari mocked, resting a hand on his hip. "Oh, I am absolutely trembling over here."
"Don't worry, the real show is just starting!" Razz snapped back. "I activate the Spell Card Spiral Fusion! I fuse Gaia the Fierce Knight Origin on my field with 'Curse of Dragon - Cursed Dragon' from my hand!"
A massive purple vortex tore through the canyon floor. The knight and a spectral, skeletal purple dragon fused together, exploding into the sky! The blue-armored knight rode high atop the tattered wings of the purple dragon, confidently brandishing twin jousting lances that crackled with spiraling white wind.
[WIND / Dragon / Fusion / Level 7 / ATK: 2600 / DEF: 2100]
"Gaia the Dragon Champion! And the bonus effect of Spiral Fusion triggers!" Razz pointed up at his soaring dragon. "When a 'Gaia' monster is Fusion Summoned using it, it gains 500 attack points and can attack monsters twice per Battle Phase!"
Gaia the Dragon Champion ATK: 2600 → 3100
"He's an fusion user?!" Yuzu gasped.
"Thirty-one hundred attack?!" Sawatari's trio of lackeys screamed in unison, hugging each other in terror.
"You just wasted your normal summon just to use summon this card." Sawatari mocked.
"Battle!" Razz shouted. "Gaia, attack Sawatari directly! Spiral Shrimper Strike!"
"I don't think so!" Sawatari turned on his heel, running along a narrow rock ledge and snatching a glowing card from a stone crevice. "I activate the Action Spell: Evasion! I won't take your attack!"
"Whoa, hold on a second!" Razz blinked as a blue holographic barrier deflected Gaia's lances. "He just grabbed a card from the scenery! Is that even legal?!"
"Eh...? This is Action Duel. Using Action Cards is totally valid and legal." Nico explained.
"You have to run and look for them, dummy!" Yuzu yelled from the stands, shaking her head in exhaustion. "This is Action Duel! If you want to use them, they're scattered all over the field!"
"Man, this city has some weird rules," Razz muttered. "Fine. Since Gateway to Chaos is face-up, each time a monster card is sent from the hand or field to the Graveyard, it gains one Chaos Counter. Two monsters were sent for my Fusion Summon, so my spell gains two Chaos Counters! I set two cards face-down and end my turn."
"My turn! Draw!" Sawatari drew with a theatrical leap. "Did you really think an elite star like me would let you run the show? I Pendulum Summon my two Kamas back to the stage! Go, Yosenju Kama 1 and Kama 3!"
The circular sky portal cracked open once more, and the two wind-riding weasels dropped back onto the rocky paths with a sharp hiss, swinging their scythe and chained hook.
[WIND / Beast-Warrior / Effect / Level 4 / ATK: 1600 / DEF: 500]
[WIND / Beast-Warrior / Effect / Level 4 / ATK: 1200 / DEF: 1000]
"And because another 'Yosenju' monster is on the field, I summon Yosenju Kama 2 from my hand by its own effect!" Sawatari smirked as a third gale of wind tore up the dirt, revealing a shorter, lightning-fast weasel demon spinning dual-wielded crescent hand-scythes.
[WIND / Beast-Warrior / Effect / Level 4 / ATK: 1800 / DEF: 200]
"A whole pack of weasels!" Razz laughed. "What are you going to do, tickle my monster to death?"
"Kama 2 can attack you directly by cutting his damage in half!" Sawatari sneered. "Go, Kama 2! Bypass his overgrown lizard!"
"Not going to happen!" Razz slammed his hand down. "I use this card, Envoy of Chaos! When an opponent's monster declares an attack, I can discard this card from my hand to negate the attack!"
"Tch! You think you're clever?" Sawatari snapped. "But by sending a monster from your hand to the Graveyard, your own Gateway to Chaos spell gains a third counter! You're helping your own spell, but this will just make things more fun for my audience. And you're failing to see my true act! I activate my face-down Trap Card: Yosenju's Secret Move! Since I control a 'Yosenju' card and all my face-up monsters are 'Yosenju' monsters, your card effect is negated and destroyed!"
A sudden gust of wind shattered Razz's defense. Kama 2 leaped through the smoke, its blades cutting straight across Razz's chest before zipping back.
Razz LP: 4000 → 3100
"Now, Yosenju Kama 1 attacks your Gaia the Dragon Champion!" Sawatari ordered.
"Are you out of your mind?!" Razz yelled. "Your weasel only has 1600 attack! My dragon has 3100!"
"I'm not done!" Sawatari sprinted across a nearby rope bridge and plucked an Action Card floating in mid-air. "Action Spell: Over-Confidence! If my monster has lower attack than yours, it gains attack equal to the difference during damage calculation!"
The difference: 3100 − 1600 = 1500
Yosenju Kama 1 ATK: 1600 → 3100
"A tie?!" Razz gritted his teeth as both monsters crashed together, exploding into a massive cloud of digital smoke that wiped both Gaia and Kama 1 from the board. Because monsters went to the Graveyard, Gateway to Chaos absorbed the stray energy, gaining more counters.
Counter 3 → 5
"And because your Gaia left the field, my continuous spell Yosen Whirlwind activates!" Sawatari gloated, pointing a finger at Razz's sole remaining face-down card. "It bounces one card you control back to your hand! Begone!"
A miniature cyclone swept across Razz's field, blowing his face-down card straight back into his hand.
"Now, Yosenju Kama 3, attack him directly!" Sawatari laughed.
Razz ran hard, sliding under a falling rock pillar to find an Action Card, but the jagged canyons and dust obscured his view.
From the edge of the dark access tunnel, Vance stood completely still, his eyes closed. He analyzed the shifting solid vision environment. Without a physical communicator in sight, Vance simply focused Razz's silhouette, his voice somehow audible to Razz. "Three meters to your left, inside the hollowed red stone crevice. Take that one, Razz."
Razz didn't hesitate for a second. Hearing Vance's voice print straight into his thoughts, he changed direction mid-stride, diving into the cleft just as a rock column crumbled where he had been running. He snatched the glowing card. "Action Spell: Miracle! It cuts the battle damage in half!"
Razz LP: 3100 → 2500
"I end my turn! And during the End Phase, my Kamas return to my hand safely!" Sawatari chuckled, watching his weasels dissolve into green mist. "Look at you, completely bare-fielded and helpless! This is the strength of Neo New Sawatari!"
Razz dusted off his orange shirt, wiping a streak of red dirt from his cheek. "Man, you really like to make people run. My legs are getting a workout. But you forgot one thing, Neo New guy."
"Oh? And what's that, traveler?"
"Every time a card goes to the Graveyard, my spell gets stronger," Razz said with a smirk. "During that wild turn, my fallen Gaia the Dragon Champion went down with your monster. My Gateway to Chaos is sitting pretty with five Chaos Counters!"
Sawatari narrowed his eyes.
"I draw!" Razz snapped his card out. "I activate the Spell Card: Trade-In! I discard the Level 7, Gaia the Fierce Knight from my hand to draw two new cards!"
Gateway to Chaos Counters: 5 → 6
"Now, I activate the second effect of Gateway to Chaos! By removing three Chaos Counters from it, I add one Ritual Card from my Deck to my hand! I choose Super Soldier Ritual!"
"A Ritual?!" Sawatari gasped. "Don't tell me you're bringing out—"
"You bet I am! I activate Super Soldier Ritual! I Ritual summon the level eight monster! I tribute level 4, Beginning Knight and level 5, Curse of Dragon from my hand!"
"Wait a minute!" Sawatari interrupted, pulling out a calculator. "Four plus five is nine! A Level 8 ritual monster needs exactly eight levels! Do you don't know simple math, traveler!"
Razz grinned widely, tapping his temple. "Looks like you didn't read the script, Sawatari! Beginning Knight's effect allows it to be treated as the entire requirement for a Black Luster Soldier ritual, but even using standard levels, Super Soldier Ritual requires levels equal to or greater than 8! The math is legal!"
The canyon floor tore open violently as a massive dark-violet ritual crest etched with golden runes expanded across the dirt. The tributed monsters dove into the center, erupting into a pillar of pure twilight energy that pierced the clouds.
"Arise, ultimate warrior of legend! Ritual Summon! Descend, Black Luster Soldier - Super Soldier!"
The legendary warrior dropped heavily out of the twilight vortex, landing with a thunderous impact. He stood tall in heavy dark and red plate armor, a long crimson mane flowing from his horned helmet as he gripped a massive, serrated broadsword that bled waves of light and shadow.
[EARTH / Warrior / Ritual / Level 8 / ATK: 3000 / DEF: 2500]