A Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V Story:
"Yu-Gi-Oh! Arc V: Pendulum's Fifth Swing"
Scale 01: Supreme King's Rebirth
"Ack! Y-Yuzu! Quit pulling!"
In the streets of the ever-bustling city of Maiami City, two young teens were found making their way to the park with the intention of spending the day, free of dueling in exchange for relaxing peace and quiet.
The first was a boy with red and green hair, utterly messy and all over the place. His eyes were deep crimson red, accenting the green color of his wild hair. He wore a simple orange-red shirt with a white jacket sitting on his shoulders, complete with baggy jeans and large shoes. Around his neck were goggles – orange tinted with stars painted across them.
The second was a young girl, bearing dark pink hair done in pig-tails with a few strands of her hair being a much lighter shade. She had large, bright blue eyes. Her attire was a simple sleeveless shirt – white in the center with pale blue next to it. Completing the look was a red skirt with knee-high black socks and pink loafers.
"Sorry, Yuya!" the girl, Yuzu Hiiragi, apologized as she relinquished her hold on Yuya Sakaki's wrist. "Didn't mean to pull so hard."
"Could've fooled me…" Yuya muttered, rubbing his wrist. He wasn't going to say it out loud, but Yuzu's grip was like that of a vice. "A-anyway, why are we going to the park?"
Yuzu gave her friend a questioning look. "…do you have any idea how long you were in the Solid Vision room?" she asked, receiving a blank from him in respsonse. "Three days. Three days of nothing but dueling with Gon. Nonstop."
"For a good cause!" Yuya argued as he took out two cards from the pouch on his belt. "I had to know how to do Pendulum Summoning again!"
"And you couldn't have just re-watched your duel with Nijima?"
A brief recap – Yuya Sakaki was the son of Yusho Sakaki, a talented and renowned entertainer of Duel Monsters. The appropriate name was "Dueltainer." Their job, first and foremost, is to send the crowd into a frenzy with their wonderful duel style, spreading smiles all around. One day, Yusho disappeared when he was supposed to duel against Ishijima. Since then, Yuya has wanted to repair the damage done as a result, as people slandered Yusho's name as he believed to have fled rather than duel him.
Flash forward years later, and Yuya was given the opportunity to duel Ishijima properly. In the final stages of the duel, Yuya had unveiled a brand new type of Summoning: "Pendulum Summoning." By placing two special cards at the respective ends of the Duel Disk, establishing the Scale, one can summon monsters of certain levels so long as they match the set Scale.
The best example is Yuya's Timegazer and Stargazer Magicians – by setting these two monsters in the Pendulum Zones, Scales 2-7 are established. Therefore, a duelist can summon monsters between Levels 2 and 7 to the field.
There was just…one problem, however.
Yuya couldn't replicate that summoning method. At least, not at first. In order to remember how to accomplish Pendulum Summoning, Yuya dueled Gongenzaka (simply just "Gon" for his friends) hundreds of times.
200 duels later, and Yuya finally accomplished Pendulum Summoning once again.
As Yuzu brought this fact up, Yuya's face turned scarlet as he looked away, unable to meet her in the eye. He knew she had a point, but the idea never occurred to him. Plus, even if he did review the video, it was much more fun to try and remember how to accomplish Pendulum Summoning the good old fashion way!
Yuzu sighed, shaking her head as she pinched her nose. "Look," she stated firmly, folding her arms. "You've been dueling nonstop for three days in that stuffy room. Dueling is fun and all, but taking breaks important."
"Well, you put it like that…"
The girl smiled. "Then come on. Let's go!" Yuya felt a smile form across his face as the two hurried to their destination.
However, the boy was unaware of the soft glowing of the pendant that sat beneath his shirt. It let out a soft humming, the crystal letting out a mysterious shine. Yuya was none the wiser as he failed to notice it.
.
.
.
.
.
Flames.
Fire.
Destruction everywhere, stretching as far as the eye could see.
The city was left in ruins – buildings left to crumple apart into debris, spilling out into the street and crushing the fleeing rats seeking to escape death.
In the distance, a black creature released a roar of anger and rage, glaring down a tiny figure that dared to oppose.
In his ears, static.
"W...bec...ne...!"
The creature releases yet another roar.
The tiny figure raises its arm, a brilliant light shining from the contraption on its forearm.
Then-!
.
.
.
.
.
Maiami Park was a wide open space, found close to the right side of the city. It was fairly large, big enough to allow people to run through it should they desire a good spring or run alongside their dog. The lush trees that filled it also provided a home for wayward birds, filling holes inside the trunks to provide living spaces. Squirrels and other wildlife made their homes here. The clean air also provided some comfort for Yuya as well, which only increased Yuzu's point.
"It's nice out today." Yuzu noted as she looked up as they walked along the path leading further into the park. "We should have packed some lunch."
Yuya nodded in agreement. "Mm."
"Say, Yuya?" the girl turned to him, face curious. "What are you going to do now?"
"Eh?" Yuya tilted his head, confused. "What do you mean?"
"Well, you managed to beat Strong Ishijima." Yuzu pointed out. "That technically makes you the Maiami City Champion. So, what are you going to do now?"
That caused the goggle-wearing boy to pause and frown, crossing his arms. Ever since his father disappeared, Yuya had wanted nothing more than to prove his father was not a coward. Defeating Ishijima was more or less his lifelong goal in proving that. Now that he's accomplished that, though...he realized Yuzu was right. What else was there to accomplish? He tried to think on it, but he was left stumped. He had been so focused on defeating Ishijima that he couldn't think of what else there was to follow.
"I...don't know, really." he confessed to her. "I didn't really think about it that much."
Yuzu sighed, palming her face. "I was afraid of that." she said in exasperation.
Honestly, why had she expected Yuya to think that far? Well, she supposed she couldn't exactly blame him. After Yusho disappeared, his only goal was simply proving that his father wasn't a coward. While defeating Ishijima and unveiling a never-before-seen summoning method had more or less in the spot light, she doubted opinions of Yusho had changed. Worse, if the reactions from the kids who wanted to see Yuya's Pendulum Summoning was any indication, she knew that people would consider Yuya a cheater. Because of his inability to perform Pendulum Summoning the second time around at first, the influx of students had called him out on it and left.
Yuzu didn't particularly care much for their departure. It was obvious that they only wanted to learn Pendulum Summoning and nothing else. You Show Duel School was not that sort of place. It followed Yusho's teachings - in that dueling was meant to bring smiles to people's faces. Kids who wanted to learn some fancy new summoning method were most certainly not welcomed!
"Well, in the meantime." Yuzu beamed. "Let's just enjoy the small break. Knowing Dad, he'll probably have something in mind."
Yuya chuckled. "Yeah, he probably does." As the two walked, the boy suddenly stopped. "Huh?" He looked down, finally noticing the soft glow of his pendant. Confused, he pulled it out from his shirt. Yuzu's eyes caught sight of it, staring in surprise as it glowed. Strangely, it was also shifting around, as if swinging. "What in the world...?"
"Why is...?"
'Wait, now that I think about it...wasn't my pendant shining back during my duel with Ishijima?' Yuya thought, remembering the incident before his mind blanked out. He also recalled that when his pendant began to glow, his cards changed. Staring at the pendant, he noted how the shifting had stopped, instead pointing off to the side. 'It's...pointing?'
He craned his head, following where the Pendulum was tilting. His eyes widened, however, when he saw a figure sprawled out across the grass far off to the side. "H-hey!" he cried as he leaned over the railing. "You okay?!"
He received no response. Worried, he leaped over the railing. "H-hey, Yuya!" Yuzu shouted, startled as she chased after him. Concerned for him and the fallen person, she hopped over the railing that lined the path through the park. She rushed over to her childhood friend, reaching him shortly. She noticed how he seemed to go still as he flipped the person over, looking at their face. "Yuya?" she called, worried. Seeing his face, it was one of utter shock and surprise. "W-what's the mat..."
She stopped when she saw the person's face and gasped.
It was a teenager, older than them by a few years. He had silver hair with light green highlights, a few strands being parted to the side. He wore a blue and white jacket with orange borders over a black undershirt. He wore red-brownish gloves over his hands, black pants with brown chaps, faded gold knee pads, dark-blue suspenders with faded gold buckles hanging from a red-brownish belt with two large holsters. At the center of his belt was a large faded gold buckle, and brown shoes with dark-blue outlines and straps.
The most shocking factor, however, was his face.
The same face as Yuya Sakaki.
"...ait, I think he's coming to!"
"Mnrgh..."
A pair of yellow eyes fluttered open, staring at an unfamiliar ceiling. At first, a harsh light blinded Zarc, forcing him to blink rapidly as he held a hand over his face to block it out. Eventually, however, his eyes adjusted to the light. Groaning softly, he lifted himself up, cradling his head. A pulsating migraine burned inside his skull, rampaging madly like a wild beast. "Whoa, take it easy!" a female voice urged. "You need to rest."
"W-what?" Feeling two presences near him, Zarc turned. In front of him were two kids - one with pink hair and the other wearing goggles around his neck. "Who..." He winced as he fell back down on the couch in which he rested in. The throbbing in his head was making it hard to think.
The goggle-wearing boy frowned heavily in concern. "You okay?"
"I...I think so." Zarc answered hesitantly. "My head hurts." He then took a moment to look around. Like the ceiling, the room was unfamiliar to him. The walls, the posters that hung, the floor...everything was unfamiliar. He shook his head, trying to ease the headache he was suffering from. As he massaged his temples in an attempt to soothe it, he looked back at the two next to him. "Where...am I?"
"You Show Duel School." the girl answered. "It's the guest waiting room. We found you unconscious in the park."
Zarc frowned. "In...the park?" he asked, uncertain. "You Show Duel School?"
"Yeah. It's the school my dad owns."
Zarc nodded slowly, accepting the answer. Slowly, he began to feel the headache fading. He rubbed his throat, idly noting how dry it felt. "Water..." he murmured under his breath. The boy must have heard him as he took out a water bottle somewhere on his person. Zarc gratefully accepted it, downing the contents. The irritation in his throat faded and he breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you..."
Slowly, he sat up. Unlike before, there was no wave of nausea. "If you don't mind me asking...who are you two?"
"My name's Yuzu Hiiragi." the girl introduced herself with a bow before gesturing to the boy next to her, who smiled and waved at him. "And this is my friend, Yuya Sakaki."
"Yo!"
Zarc smiled back sheepishly, bowing his head. 'They seem relatively nice.' he thought pleasantly. 'Even still...what was I doing in a park?'
"So, what's your name?" Yuya asked him.
"Zarc. My name is...Zarc."
The two smiled and bowed their heads. "Nice to meet you, Zarc." Yuzu said. "So...what were you doing at the park?"
The teen frowned. "Park?" he asked, confused for a moment before he remembered what she said earlier. They found him unconscious in the park. But...why? What was he doing there? He put a hand to his head, trying to remember. His forehead creased as he struggled to remember the reason.
static.
nothing but static.
"w...bec...on...!"
Another headache came, only of less intensity and more of an annoyance. "I...I don't..." he gaped, struggling to find something amidst the white noise. No matter how hard he searched, however, there was nothing. Zero. Zilch. Nada. Not a single thing. Confusion and anxiety soon set on his face as he shut his eyes to block out the pain in his head, wishing it would fade away like before. "I don't...remember."
An unsettled look settled on the two, sharing a concerned look at one another before turning back to Zarc. "You mean..." Yuya said with soft eyes. "You have amnesia?"
"I...think so." Zarc said. As the headache faded away at last, he let out a sigh as he shook his head, staring at the ground. "I can't remember why I was at the park...or where I'm from or...anything. Just my name. That's it."
"That's..."
The two couldn't even imagine what it was like. While normally they would be skeptical of such a thing, Zarc didn't seem to be lying. He looked heavily uncomfortable when he struggled to remember. Also, they weren't sure why, but for some reason...they wished to give him the benefit of a doubt. They genuinely believed that he had no memories to call his own. Of course, that just led to the big question: Who was he? Where was he from? He must have come from Maiami City, or perhaps someplace else. Of course, such questions were useless without proper answers.
An idea then came to Yuzu. "Do you have anything on you?" she asked, earning a confused look from the two boys. "Maybe you have something to jog your memory?"
Zarc pondered on the thought. It seemed like a good idea. He then began to search himself for something - anything - that might give him a clue. Eventually, he found a pouch at his waist. Unhooking it from his belt and undoing the tab, he pulled out the contents.
"...!"
Recognition spread across his face as he held the cards in his hand. He knew what they were. Duel Monster cards. That's what they were called, right? No...he was sure that was what they were. This was a deck.
His deck.
"You're a Duelist, Zarc?" Yuya asked, eyes glittering with excitement. "That's awesome! Maybe you were some big name or something!"
Zarc chuckled awkwardly, scratching his cheek. The concepts were familiar to him. Bits of memory came back to him. He was a Duelist, he was sure of it. The deck in his hand was his. He played the game called "Duel Monsters." To accomplish that, he used a Duel Disk. That, of course, brought about another problem as he continued to search himself. He then gave a pout of disappointment when it came up empty. "...I don't have a Duel Disk with me."
"Really?" Yuzu asked in confusion as she folded her arms, cocking her head. "Hm...maybe you lost it somewhere?"
"Maybe..." Zarc said slowly before he nodded in assurance. "I do remember being a Duelist, though. I guess that's something, at lea-"
"I GOT IT!"
The two jumped, turning to Yuya who had the biggest grin on his face, leaning forward on his chair. He was dangerously standing on it while steadying himself with his hands on the backrest. "Zarc, let's have a duel!" he said enthusiastically, garnering confused looks from them. A duel? So suddenly? What was wrong with him? Yuya soon clarified what he meant. "Maybe if we duel, you can get your memories back!"
Yuzu groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Yuya..." she said with exasperation, giving Yuya the stink-eye. "Don't tell me you actually believe in that old superstition!"
Zarc blinked. "Super...stition?"
"Supposedly, if you don't have any memories, dueling will help you remember." she stated before crossing her arms with a huff. "It's idiotic, if you ask me." She then turned back to Yuya in disapproval, putting her hands on her hips. "And what happened to taking it easy today?"
"Oh, come on!" Yuya clasped his hands. "Please, Yuzu?!"
"Zarc doesn't have a Duel Disk with him!"
"He can borrow one of the spares we've got in back!"
"What if he doesn't want to duel?!"
"Actually..." Zarc spoke up. Yuzu and Yuya looked at him, finding a sheepish smile on his face as he stood up. "I'll give it a shot." Yuya's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree while Yuzu stared at him, slack-jawed and left stupefied. He was actually going along with this idiotic plan?! Seeing this, Zarc chuckled. "Who knows? Maybe there's a bit of truth in this old wives tale."
Yuzu groaned. "Boys." she muttered under her breath, causing Yuya and Zarc to blink, confused by her words. She then shook her head. "Fine. I'll get the stage ready. Yuya, can you get Zarc one of the spare Duel Disks?"
"Roger!"
After being handed a spare Duel Disk, which was situated around his wrist and latched unto his bracer, Yuzu had left to set up the setting of the Duel. He didn't understand it, but Zarc was willing to go along with it. "Man, I'm so excited!" Yuya said with a wide smile as he stood opposite to Zarc, checking his deck to see if it was in working order before placing it in the Duel Disk. He then looked back up at Zarc with a grin. "This'll be my first time dueling with Pendulum since Ishijima!"
"Pendulum?"
"You'll see~" Yuya teased before looking up at the display window up above. "Yuzu! Is it ready?!"
"Just about!" Yuzu called. "Activating Solid Vision now! Action Field, set!"
Suddenly, the box room they were in shimmered with light, spreading across the floor, walls and ceiling. It came so suddenly that Zarc had to shield his eyes. Once the light faded, however, he was left astounded. "W-what in the world...?!"
It was a city. No, scratch that. A city that never slept. Everywhere he looked, there was a street lined with buildings with a neon sign, glowing brightly and brilliantly. The signs varied from a girl wearing a bunny outfit carrying a tray of drinks to a cowboy taking aim. The sky above them was dark, letting the signs glow even more brightly. "Ooh, Dad's favorite stage!" Yuya exclaimed with excitement as he looked around, nodding with approval. "Nice~!" He then turned to Zarc, snickering at his bewildered expression. "What do you think, Zarc?"
"What is all of this?" Zarc asked, utterly astounded. Had they teleported somewhere? Curious, he walked over and touched one of the buildings. It felt incredibly solid, yet he saw small ripples of static from where his hand touched it. "Incredible..."
"This is Solid Vision." Yuya informed him. "A system that gives dueling a more realistic take. This takes it up to a new level by implementing mass!" The grin on his face grew wider as he prepared his Duel Disk, which created a board of light extending out from it. "It's only fitting that our first duel should be an Action Duel, don't you?"
Zarc blinked. "Action...Duel?" he inquired before a small smile formed on his face. Whatever kind of battle this 'Action Duel' was, it was bound to be something impressive. Strangely, he felt rather at home in this place. Not the stage itself, but the feeling...this environment felt nostalgic. Perhaps he had been dueling in this kind of battlefield before? "Alright, then."
"Yosha~" Yuya exclaimed before he recited a chant. "Duelists locked in battle, kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters! They storm through this field! Behold, this is the newest and greatest evolution in dueling! Action..."
There was a brief pause. Zarc soon understood why as he spoke the fated word alongside Yuya as his own Duel Disk lit up, creating its own board.
DUEL!
Yuya Sakaki: 4000 LP
Zarc: 4000 LP
With a snap of Yuya's fingers, a gathering collection of gold cards exploded, falling across the field. Zarc was curious behind it, but thought little of it for now as the Duel had now begun.
"I'll let you go first!" Yuya told Zarc.
The teen nodded in gratitude. "Draw." He grasped the card from atop his deck, giving it a glance before adding it to his hand. "I summon Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkwurm from my hand to the field!" As he placed the Monster Card on the board created by his Duel Disk, the monster emerged. The beast emerged from a burst of light, revealing a dragon with blade-like wings with a lashing tail resembling a trident.
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkwurm - Dragon/Pendulum/Effect - Scale: 5 - Level: 4 - Element: DARK - ATK: 1800/DEF: 1200]
"I activate Darkwurm's Effect. When this card is Normal or Special Summoned, I can add one "Supreme King Gate" monster from my deck to my hand."
A card then slipped out from the deck, allowing him to draw it. Zarc let out a small frown, noting that the card, Supreme King Gate Zero, had the same design as Darkwurm. The top half was red, like a standard Monster Card, but the lower half was blue like a Spell Card. Furthermore, there were two colored gems on either side, bearing a number on it. Looking at the monster classification, Zarc's brow furrowed. 'Pendulum?' he thought, confused. 'I don't remember a type like that.' He paused, then shrugged. 'Then again, there's a lot I don't remember. I'll ask Yuya or Yuzu when this duel is over.'
Looking at his hand, Zarc then set two cards down on the board. "I set two cards face down, and end my Turn."
"Supreme King?" Yuzu questioned to herself in the control room, curious. "I've never heard of an archtype like that before."
"Not bad, Zarc!" Yuya praised as his turn began. "My Turn! Draw!" A wide smile then spread across the young boy's face as he spread his arms, causing Zarc to look in wonder while Yuzu shook her head with a smile, recognizing what he was about to do. "Ladies and gentleman~! In honor of our young amnesiac duelist, I'll show him a never-before-seen trick in Dueling! Now then, feast your eyes on this new summoning!"
Zarc quirked an eyebrow. "New summoning?" he questioned in confusion. "What does that mean?"
"To start the show, I set the Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and the Scale 8 Timegazer Magician in the Pendulum Zone!"
Yuya proceeded to place two cards on the ends of his board. The board then lit up with the rainbow-colored words of "PENDULUM." Soon afterwards, two pillars of light formed on either side, with two monsters inside. To the left was a humanoid monster clad in a white robe with flowing blonde hair carrying a weapon with a circular guard. To the right was another humanoid monster, this one dressed in black with short red hair flowing out from the cap. Gold markings lined his robes while a cog-like wheel spun around his wrists.
The world then shimmered with an ephemeral blue light, littered with shining stars. From above, a giant blue crystal swung back and forth in a circle, creating a portal of some sort. The way it swayed brought to mind the swaying of a pendulum.
"With this, I can now summon any monster in my hand that are in between Levels 2 and 7!" Yuya announced, much to the shock of his opponent. Spreading his arms wide, Yuya continued on with his summoning. "Swing, Pendulum of my Soul! Draw an arc of light across the ether! PENDULUM SUMMONING!" At the height of his chant, Yuya raised a hand up towards the portal above him. "Come forth, my Monsters!"
From there, three lights shined down to the field. One was a giant pink hippo with a wide grin across its mouth, revealing its large teeth while tipping its tophat to the bewildered Zarc. Another was a blue fish shaped like a sword bearing an Elvis-styled hairdo, a pulsating tick-mark above its sunglasses as if angered.
However, neither garnered Zarc's attention as much as the third monster.
It stood proudly between its allies, bearing crimson scales with two large thorns extruding out from the center of it's body, carrying a colored orb. Inside the chest of it's body was a large jewel blue jewel. A similar colored jewel could be found in between the dragon's eyes, which were dichromatic - one green and one red.
"Everyone, give it up for Entermate Discover Hippo, Entermate Sword Fish, and the one, the only...Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
[Entermate Discover Hippo - Beast/Effect - Level: 3 - Element: EARTH - ATK: 800/DEF: 800]
[Entermate Sword Fish - Fish/Effect - Level: 2 - Element: WATER - ATK: 600/DEF: 600]
[Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon - Dragon/Pendulum/Effect - Scale: 4 - Level: 7 - Element: DARK - ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000]
"Three monsters at once...?!" Zarc breathed in amazement. "And one of them is a Level 7 to boot!"
Yuya grinned at his opponent's bewildered expression. "Pretty cool, huh?" he asked. "This is a Summoning Method I made recently! With this, I can summon any monster of any level so long as they're within the set Scales of the Pendulum. Thanks to my Stargazer and Timegazer, I can summon any monster that are Levels 2 through 7 in my hand without having to tribute them or Advance Summon!"
"Impressive." Zarc nodded. He had to admit, creating a Summon Method like this, especially at Yuya's age, was very impressive. Even if the situation seemed a bit unfair, he was still very amazed by what he saw. That, and he had to admit, it was quite enjoyable, seeing him perform it in the same manner a circus master would announce the next performance in an exaggerated, over-the-top manner.
Still, though...
'Is it my imagination, or is his Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon looking at me?'
Sure enough, the dichromatic dragon that Yuya called was staring straight ahead. More specifically, staring at Zarc. He could feel it's eyes bearing into him, staring at him with something foreign and unknown. Zarc frowned a bit, noting how it seemed to bristle. Even stranger, he could feel something from it. However, it was so far away, he wasn't able to make it out.
He didn't have time to ponder more on it, however, as Yuya suddenly hopped atop Entermate Discover Hippo, much to his shock. Even more shocking was that the monster then began to dash off in a random direction. "W-what in the hell is he doing?"
Meanwhile, as Discover Hippo dashed through the field, Yuya's eyes searched for one of the cards that had scattered throughout the area. "Where are you, where are you...?" he muttered before his eyes widened, finding one atop one of the many platforms of light. "Aha!" With a kick, Discover Hippo leaped up to the platform. Yuya then swiped the card, his smile growing wider as he added the card to his hand. "Alright!"
"Pardon for a moment," Zarc held up a hand. "But...what are you doing?"
"You're about to find out!" Yuya answered as he finally began his move. "I activate Entermate Sword Fish's ability! I can target one monster on your side of the field, and lower its ATK Points by 600 until the End of my Turn!"
At this, Entermate Sword Fish shook, a red aura forming around it before it roared with anger. Copies of the monster emerged forward and launched themselves at Supreme King Servant Dragon, impaling the ground around it. The dragon let out a weak cry as it felt its power being dampened.
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkwurm - ATK: 1800-600=1200]
Zarc narrowed his eyes, biting his lip. "Odd-Eyes has 2500 ATK points." he noted. "When he declares the Battle Phase, I'll take 1300 damage."
"I'm not done yet!" Yuya continued, suprising Zarc as he showed off the card in his hand. "I now activate the Action Magic: High Dive! I choose one monster on my side of the field, and increase its ATK points by 1000 until the end of the Turn!"
Zarc's eyes widened in panic. "What?!"
"I activate High Dive's Effect!" Yuya declared as he slammed the card on the board. "And the one to receive its boon is my Odd-Eyes!"
[Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon - ATK: 2500+1000=3500]
Odd-Eyes let out a roar as a golden light surrounded it, power radiating off of it's form. Yuya then smirked as he swung his arm, now moving on to the offensive. "Battle! I attack Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkwurm with my Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon! With those dual-colored eyes of yours, lay waste to all you see! Spiral Strike Burst!"
Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon reared its head back as red and black flames burned inside its mouth before letting loose. A torrent of inferno, spiraling forward, launched itself from the mouth of the beast. It soon struck Darkwurm, who was helpless to defend against it. An explosion soon followed with golden shards spreading out. Zarc winced as he felt the intense heat blow right through him. He then blinked, realizing this fact.
'I...felt it?'
"And now, Entermate Discover Hippo and Sword Fish attack you directly"
Yuya's shout brought him back to reality as the sword-shaped amphibion and the circus hippo leaped into the air, dive-bombing after him with Yuya leaping off his monster's back, landing safely back on the ground. Zarc cringed as he held his arms over his face as copies of Entermate Sword Fish struck him, along with the reeling force of the spin-strike from Discover Hippo. The force had sent him flying, landing right on his back and flopping before settling on the ground, face-down.
Zarc: 4000 → 300 LP
"Nrgh..." Zarc groaned as he got back up to his feet, shaking off the damage. "Damn that hurt."
Yuya's face was in panic when he saw Zarc's battered form. "Aw, crap! Did I go too far?!" he wailed in distress, much to Zarc's confusion. "You okay, man?!"
"Y-yeah..." Slowly, Zarc returned back to his feet. Strange...why was Yuya fussing over him? Was it normal to worry about someone if they were hurt? Especially if they were your opponent? Perhaps it was pity? Or something more? Regardless, he had to admit, the boy was no slouch. However, he was far from done, as Yuya saw when he saw the determined glare in his eye as he revealed one of his face-downs. "I activate my Trap: Supreme King Indignation!" The card flipped up to reveal an aura-shrouded beast, roaring out at a pair of monsters that stood before it. "If a monster with "Supreme King" was destroyed this turn, I gain back half the Life Points I lost during the Battle Phase."
He let out a small sigh of relief as he felt the pain wracking his body lessen as a green, warm light embraced him.
Zarc: 300 → 2150 LP
Yuzu released a sigh of relief, reclining in her chair. "That was close." she said. She was worried about Zarc for a moment there. Yuya had underestimated the damage done, but he was at least apologetic. This duel was meant to help him get his memories back, not rough him up. Still, that was rather strategic of him. "Hm...I wonder if his duel style is anticipating his opponent's moves and planning ahead?"
"Also thanks to Supreme King Indignation, I can draw one card from my deck, and add it to my hand." Zarc continued. He swiped the top card from his deck, only for his eyes to widen. He looked back up at Odd-Eyes, who continued to stare at him, and then looked back at the card. "Well, now..."
With the battle phase over and done with, Yuya placed a card on his board. "I set one card face-down, and end my Turn." he stated. "The effects of High Dive also end." The powerful aura around Odd-Eyes dissipated. His eyes softened in concern. "You sure you okay?"
"I am." Zarc assured him. "Still...you could have told me dealing damage was going to hurt."
The boy at least had the decency to look ashamed as he turned away, scratching his cheek. "S-sorry." he mumbled out. "It didn't really occur to me."
Zarc smiled and shook his head. "My Turn. I Draw." he announced, taking another card and adding it to his hand. As he prepared his next move, he thought back to what Yuya did before. "Pendulum..." he muttered, looking at the card. "I wonder if..." Deciding to act on his thoughts, and go along with what instinct told him, he took two cards from his hand, placing them in the aforementioned ends of the board, thus causing it to light up with the same effect that showed on Yuya's board from earlier, causing a smile to form on his face. "I see now."
"E-eh?" Yuya blinked, seeing two familiar columns of light form on either side of Zarc. He also noticed the elated smile on his face. "What's going on?"
"I figured out how my cards worked, Yuya." Zarc told him, much to his confusion. "As thanks...allow me to reciprocate! I set the Scale 0 Supreme King Gate Zero and the Scale 8 Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrake in the Pendulum Zone!"
Rising from within the left pillar was a bizarre creature shaped like a ring, body pitch-black with blue circuits running across the body while bits of metal were clamped over it. On the other pillar was yet another dragon, this one with two sets of pinions with the familiar green markings on its body while a sword was left inside its skull, showing off the blade inside it's maw.
Yuya's eyes widened to the point where they threatened to pop out from their sockets. "N-no way...!"
"With this, I can now summon any monster between Level 1 and Level 7 simultaneously!" Zarc said with fire burning in his eyes as he raised a hand above him. Like with Yuya, a blue pendant swung back and forth, only this one bore cracks on its surface. "Swing, Pendulum of Eternity! Back and forth, ring out towards the unseen future! PENDULUM SUMMONING!"
From inside the portal above him, two beings descended down to the field. One was none other than Darkwurm, who resounded a cry at its triumphant return. Its companion was a black dragon with the same green markings as the other two, this one lacking any legs whatsoever and bearing only a tail. From behind were proud wings, only they showed wear and tear along the thin skin. One of its eyes was also scarred, leaving it closed.
"Returning to my field is Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkwurm!" the amnesiac teen announced with fervor. "And with him, Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrago!"
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrago - Dragon/Pendulum/Effect - Scale: 8 - Level: 4 - Element: DARK - ATK: 1600/DEF: 900]
As the two dragons stood proudly before Zarc, Yuya could only gape. He could scarcely believe his eyes. Ever since his duel with Ishijima, he believed that he was the only one to possess Pendulum cards...obviously, however, he was wrong. Oh, so wrong...and more than that, the summoning method was also in the hands of someone who didn't even have any memories! How was this even possible? Why? How could someone like that have these wonderful cards? Naturally, it was a heavy blow to Yuya's pride, though once he realized what he was thinking, he felt immensely guilty.
How could he even think like that? Shouldn't he be happy that he wasn't the only one with these cards? He then shook his head, remembering the purpose of this duel.
'The cards that scattered earlier must be like the card Yuya showed.' Zarc though as he looked around. He soon found one card atop a neon sign. 'I'm beginning to understand how these Action Duels work now.' He hopped atop Darkdrago, holding unto it's neck as it flapped into the air, moving towards the intended target. Once he was within range, he swiped it, adding it to his hand. To his disappointment, however, the card didn't have anything as grandoise as what Yuya demonstrated. 'I don't have a use for this card...yet.' He thought before he hopped down to one of the platforms of light. As he did, he felt something seemingly echo to him, calling out.
Looking down at his deck, a brief image flashed in his mind. A black beast, lightning cackling around it while glaring down at the fool who dared to stand against it.
'That's...' Zarc realized the significance of it as he looked at his monsters. He then smirked. "Alright then...!" As Darkdrago returned to Darkwurm's side, Zarc continued on with the preparations. Before this beast could take to the field and take part in Yuya's show, he still needed to lay the groundwork. "I activate Darkdrake's Pendulum Effect. Once per turn, I can draw a "Supreme King" Spell or Trap from my deck, and add it to my hand." As Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrake let out a cold shine from within the pillar of light, Zarc took one such card from his deck, smiling at the choice and proceeding it set it. "I set one card face down."
And now...it was time to show off yet another surprise for the two You Show Duel School students. "Using Supreme King Servant Dragons Darkwurm and Darkdrago, I construct the Overlay Network!"
Below, a swirling nebula of stars formed, creating soft waves across the earth. Darkwurm and Darkdrago bounced high into the air, becoming bodies of purple energy and dive-bombing straight into the nebula. Moments later, a powerful burst of light exploded from the miniature galaxy, creating a shockwave that nearly sent Yuya flying. Inside this light, a new more powerful beast was being born. As its body became corporeal, it could only rear its head and release a cry that signaled its birth.
"Fangs of pitch-black darkness, that which crushes the foolish oppression! Come forth, and descend!" The light dispersed, revealing this powerful beast in all of its glory. Like many of Zarc's monsters, it was shown to be a dragon. It's body was a mix of black, gray and purple with green markings etched into its body. Its jaw bore two sharp stags that stretched outward like tusks, and its wings had a purple orb engraved into them. Yellow, piercing eyes glared out at its enemies as prple lightning danced across its form alongside two orbs of light. "XYZ SUMMONING! Rank 4! Supreme King Servant Dragon Dark Rebellion!"
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Dark Rebellion - Dragon/Xyz/Effect - Element: DARK - Rank: 4 - ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000]
"No way...!" Yuzu breathed.
Earlier, when Zarc revealed that he was capable of enacting Pendulum Summoning as well, she was more than shocked. She was also worried about Yuya, given how much proud he had in creating that previously-unknown summoning in his duel against Ishijima. It was no doubt a heavy blow to his pride. However, Zarc had surprised her again even further with this latest unveil.
Xyz Summoning. It was similar to Tribute Summoning, in that required specific monsters. In this case, it required two monsters of the same Level. Given Pendulum's nature of allowing one to summon any monster of any level, Xyz was more than able to be effectively used.
"Incredible..."
Zarc hopped down from the platform of light, standing proudly beside Dark Rebellion, who glowered at its enemies. "It seems I remember how duel effectively." he said, placing a hand on his hip with a small grin. "It seems there is a bit of merit to that old horseplay after all. Don't you think so, Yuya?" The boy didn't answer at first, seemingly still shaken. Seeing this, Zarc's face became one of worry and concern. Had he done something wrong? "Yuya?"
"E-eh?" Yuya finally snapped back to earth as he laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Sorry! You doing Pendulum and Xyz caught me off guard! You're...really something, Zarc."
It then dawned on Zarc why Yuya was so flustered. He cursed himself for not realizing it sooner. Yuya had said earlier that he crafted Pendulum Summoning himself, and by the way he said it, it must have meant he had done so recently. Seeing someone else perform the Summoning he himself forged must have been a heavy blow. "...sorry." he apologized, causing Yuya to blink. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings."
"H-hey, it's okay!" Yuya told him, panicking. "I mean, yeah, it-it really surprised me when you Pendulum Summoned, but...hey, just means you can do it too." He then adopted a curious expression. "Though, how'd you get Darkwurm back? As far as I know, Pendulum summons monsters from your hand, not the Graveyard."
"Actually...it seems that Pendulum Monsters, when destroyed, are sent to the Extra Deck instead."
Yuya's eyes widened. "Seriously?" he asked, shocked by this piece of information. Once more, his pride deflated a bit. It seems that there was still so much to learn about his new Summoning.
Regardless, the two ceased their conversation, as the Duel was still ongoing.
"Battle!" Zarc announced, calling his monster to action. "I attack Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon with Supreme King Servant Dragon Dark Rebellion!" Yuya and Yuzu's eyes widened at this as Dark Rebellion released a roar, the dark electricity around its body increasing as it readied its attack. What on earth was he thinking?! Both monsters had equal attack points! It would be mutual destruction, and since his Life Points were below 2500, he would lose. Was he suicidal? He then revealed his trick, smirking as he did so. "I activate Dark Rebellion's effect! Detaching one Overlay Unit, I can reduce one monster's attack points to zero, and then add it to Dark Rebellion's!"
One of the orbs of light crossed with Dark Rebellion's mouth, which it crushed. The electricity around it burned as parts of its body seemed to open up, revealing more orbs. "Treason Discharge!" Suddenly, the lightning around its body lashed out at Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon, causing it to let out a weak cry and stagger back, falling to one knee.
[Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon - ATK: 2500-2500=0]
Yuya's eyes widened in panic, rushing to his ace monster's side. "Odd-Eyes!"
Dark Rebellion released a low growl as power suddenly surged through its being, lightning growing ever fiercer.
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Dark Rebellion - ATK: 2500+2500=5000]
"And now, the finale!" Zarc growled. "Dark Rebellion! Revolt Lightning Disobey!"
Dark Rebellion released yet another cry as it spread its wings, dashing forward while electricity rampaged around it, ripping apart the ground as its twin fangs rushed forward. It soon reached Odd-Eyes, and let loose with its overwhelming power. Thunder and overwhelming wrath reigned down upon it in a single burst of lightning, engulfing the monster completely and kicking up a cloud of dust.
Yuzu, in fright, leaped up to her feet, looking on in worry. "Yuya!"
With the attack finished, Dark Rebellion flapped its wings and returned to its master's side. Zarc looked on expectantly, slightly hoping that Yuya was nowhere near Odd-Eyes at the time of its destruction. Otherwise, he'd be seriously injured. However, the line of thinking made Zarc clench his fist in slight disarray, for a small part of him was actually hoping Yuya had been caught in the blast. What the hell was he thinking?! He shouldn't be enjoying that! Especially not since Yuya was going out of his way to try and help him!
As the dust cleared, he found Yuya nowhere in sight, much to his relief. However, what confused him was that Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon still stood before him, no worse for wear. "How...?"
"Whew...got in time!" Yuya's voice cried with relief. Looking over, he found the young performer off to the side near an alley, panting and resting his back against the wall. "I activated the Action Magic: Miracle. This prevents my monster's destruction and halves the battle damage!"
Yuya: 4000 → 1500 LP
Yuya chuckled as he pushed himself off the wall, scratching the back of his head. "That was close. I thought for sure I was a goner!"
"You and me both." Zarc shared a laugh with him, genuinely relieved he was okay. He was also somehow happy that Odd-Eyes was also safe as well, despite how strange it seemed. He took a quick look at his hand and then sighed softly. It seems he was all out of moves. "I end my turn. Dark Rebellion's effect now ends and both monsters' ATK points return to normal."
Yuya let out a sigh of relief as he found Odd-Eyes shake off the sluggish feeling it felt earlier while the overwhelming lightning around Dark Rebellion faded. The boy then began his counterattack. "My Turn! Draw!" With a swipe, he took the next card from his deck and adding it to his hand. "And to start off my comeback, I once again swing the Pendulum!" Once again, the pendulum above Yuya began to swing as Stargazer and Timegazer Magician let spread their arms, heralding the coming of a new monster. "PENDULUM SUMMONING! Come on out, Entermate Hammer Mammo!"
Emerging out from the portal above and landing on the ground was yet another bizarre looking monster, wearing a hat similar to the one worn by Entermate Discover Hippo. A hammer was found at the end of its trunk, which seemed to be apart of its body while bearing stars painted on its cheeks.
[Entermate Hammer Mammo - Beast/Effect - Element: EARTH - Level: 6 - ATK: 2600/DEF: 1800]
Smiling, Yuya once again took off atop Discover Hippo, rushing across the Action Field and jumping over the platforms of light. Realizing his intent, Zarc hopped atop Dark Rebellion and chased after him. He wasn't about to let Yuya grab another Action Card that could turn the tide in his favor. Unfortunately, Yuya seemed to had discovered one already as Discover Hippo leaped over to the rooftop of one of the buildings, leaving Yuya to lean over to the side and scoop up the card. "Yoink!" Soon, Discover Hippo skidded to a stop. The rest of Yuya's monsters soon joined him, leaping up to the building.
Zarc cursed. "Damn...I wasn't able to stop him."
"And now I activate My Trap Card: Entertainment Flash!" Yuya announced, flipping up the card he set down in his previous turns. "If I control an "Entermate" monster, I can switch one of your monsters into Defense Mode until the end of your next turn! Naturally, I choose Supreme King Servant Dragon Dark Rebellion!"
As the card flipped up, revealing - ironically - Discover Hippo hopping atop a trampoline, a burst of light shot forward, hitting Dark Rebellion. It let out a small whine as it curled its wings in front of it, a blue aura enclosing it.
Zarc's eyes furrowed heavily. "Why would you activate that now?" he asked, confused. "If you had activated it when I launched an attack on Odd-Eyes, you would have avoided the battle damage."
"Because it wouldn't be as much fun, now would it?" That seemed to make Zarc pause. Fun? He thought it would have been fun to not activate the trap until only after the attack was done? That...that was...foolhardy. Reckless, even! What kind of madman would even think of doing that?! Yuya seemed to notice this as he chuckled. "That's the sort of dueling we Dueltainers go for! Act as reckless as possible, to ensure our crowds are left satisfied with a goofy smile on their face!"
'S-smile...?'
Unknown to either participants, the words struck a chord in the young amnesiac.
"And now for my comeback!" Yuya continued with a grin. "Battle! I attack Dark Rebellion with Entermate Hammer Mammo! I'm also activating his effect, which sends all traps and spells on the field back to your hand!"
The elephant let out a whine, which released a shockwave that destroyed the cards Zarc had set, thus returning them to his hand. It proceeded to hop into the air, raising its hammer, which seemed to grow in size. Zarc, however, remained unfazed. "Supreme King Servant Dragon Dark Rebellion's Effect can activate, even during my opponent's turn. I tribute one Overlay unit to reduce Hammer Mammo's attack points to zero and add its ATK points to Dark Rebellion. Treason Discharge!" Once again, Dark Rebellion released a wave of electricity from its body, wrapping around Hammer Mammo and causing its hammer to shrink considerably.
[Entermate Hammer Mammo - ATK: 2600-2600=0]
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Dark Rebellion - ATK; 2500+2600=3100]
"Now you take damage equal to Dark Rebellion's DEF poits."
Yuya, however, simply grinned as he showed off another trick up his sleeve. "I activate the Action Magic: Damage Banish! This negates any battle damage caused this turn!" Hammer Mammo's hammer struck Dark Rebellion's wings, only to be shrugged off and sent flying back to Yuya's side. However, Yuya was quick to send out another attacker. "And now I send Odd-Eyes to take down your dragon! Spiral Burst Strike!"
Once more, a spiral of flames was launched at Zarc, though he was quick to act and quickly slammed down a defense. "I activate my own Action Magic: Evasion! I can negate your monster's attack and prevent my monster's destruction!"
"Sorry, Zarc!" Yuya said, closing one eye and sticking out a tongue. "But I'm activating Stargazer Magician's Pendulum Effect. Once per turn, I can negate the effects of a Spell Card and set it to your field."
Zarc cursed as he watched his card disperse with its effect effectively removed. However, he still had one more defense. "I activate Supreme King Dragon Servant's third effect! I can return Dark Rebellion to my Extra Deck and Special Summon two "Supreme King" monsters from my Graveyard!"
With a cry, Dark Rebellion spread its wings and vanished into a burst of light. Zarc then landed on a nearby platform of light, cringing slightly from the impact, having landed on his knees. Standing, he then took the cards sliding out from his Graveyard pile and slammed them to his board. Emerging beside him was Supreme King Dragon Servant Darkdrago and Darkwurm, both with wings enclosed with the same blue aura around them.
"I set Darkwurm and Darkdrago in Defense Mode. Additionally, I chain Darkwurm's effect. When Normal or Special Summoned, I can add a "Supreme King" monster to my hand." A card popped out from Zarc's deck, allowing him to take it. To his pleasant surprise, it was another Pendulum Monster: Supreme King Gate Infinity. The scale was also quite promising as well. 'I think I can use this.' he thought before returning to the matter at hand once he saw Odd-Eyes preparing another strike.
Bracing himself, the red clad beast launched another blast, this one striking Darkdrago. A pillow of dust kicked into the air, though he remained unfazed as Yuya hopped down to the ground, landing effortlessly in a crouch before he looked up with a wide smile. "I end my turn here." he said. "So, what do you think, Zarc? Isn't this fun?"
Fun... He hadn't thought about it, but somehow, the duel had excited him. His mind raced back to what Yuya told him. How choosing to delay an action made the duel far more exciting. The idea of it bringing smiles to the audience. He looked up at the room where Yuzu was, wondering if she was smiling as well. In his mind, he found a crowd gathered around them, all with faces marred with excited grins and smiles everywhere.
The very thought made his heart skip a beat.
"...yes." he said, grinning alongside Yuya. "It is fun! And now it's my turn! Draw!" After taking the card from the deck, Zarc gave it a look. A wide smirk formed across his face as he looked back to the field. He could end this easily in so many ways, but...all he could think about was the idea of using the one card in his hand. The idea was making his heart dance. He then looked at his board, only to blink in surprise.
"...well, it seems we're learning more about Pendulum Summoning in this duel." Zarc said. Yuya tilted his head in confusion before he noticed that Supreme King Gate Zero and Supreme King Dragon Servant Darkdrake were nowhere to be found. Rather, they were in Zarc's hand. "It seems Pendulum Monsters, when placed in the Pendulum Zones, are treated as Spell Cards." His smile then returned to his face as he drew two cards from his hand, placing them back on the board. "I set the Scale 0 Supreme King Gate Zero and the Scale 4 Supreme King Dragon Servant Odd-Eyes in the Pendulum Zone!"
The pillars of light returned at his side. The ring-like monster that was Supreme King Gate Zero was back in the left pillar, though on the right was-
Yuya gasped. "O-Odd-Eyes?!"
Indeed, for within the right pillar was none other than Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon. Rather, a creature who bore a striking resemblance to Yuya's own ace monster. The dragon had the same green markings as the previous. It also seemed a bit bigger, bearing a more ferocious look to it.
Yuzu's eyes widened, seeing the near perfect double of the red dragon on Yuya's field. "An Odd-Eyes archtype?" she wondered aloud in amazement. "No, its registered as a Supreme King...but even still, it looks just like Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!" Her eyes narrowed in wonder at Zarc, who's smile never faded. "Zarc...who in the world are you?"
"And now I activate Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes' Pendulum Effect!" Zarc continued. "By tributing a "Supreme King Servant Dragon," I can destroy this card and sent it to the Extra Deck. Additionally, I can draw a Pendulum Monster with 1500 ATK points or lower from my deck and add it to my hand. I tribute Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkwurm to remove Odd-Eyes from the Pendulum Zone, sending both to my Extra Deck!"
Darkwurm let out a cry as it turned into a body of light, swallowing the green-and-red dragon inside the pillar of light before shattering. As this happened, a card popped out from his deck, allowing him to draw it. However, the card itself was inconsequential to his plans as everything was already in place.
"And now, I set the Scale 13 Supreme King Gate Infinity in the Pendulum Zone! As of now, I can summon any monster between Level 1 and 12 simultaneously!"
As soon as the card replaced Odd-Eyes and the word "PENDULUM" lit up across his board, the monster emerged in the right pillar of light. Like Supreme King Gate Zero, it was bizarre and formed a diagonal infinity sign, bearing a black body with circuits and metal clamped onto it, though there was a strange growth at the top, bearing several glowing blue pieces embedded on it.
Upon this declaration, Yuya's face paled. "T-that means..."
"He can summon any monster he wants now..." Yuzu whispered, losing strength in her legs and falling in her seat. "No way...this is insane!"
"And now, once more! Swing, Pendulum of Eternity! Back and forth, ring out towards the unseen future! PENDULUM SUMMONING!" Raising his hand up to the ephemeral portal above his head, forged by the cracked pendulum, Zarc bellowed at the top of his lungs. "Come to me, my Monster Servants!"
In response to his call, four bolts of light crashed upon the field. Standing before Yuya and against his own set of monsters were the Supreme King Servant Dragons that Zarc had shown off, all staring down the Entermate monsters. Meanwhile, the two Odd-Eyes monsters glared at one another, growling and roaring as if finding the other's presence detestable.
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrake - Dragon/Pendulum/Effect - Scale: 8 - Element: DARK - Level: 4 - ATK: 1600/DEF: 900]
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes - Dragon/Pendulum/Effect - Scale: 4 - Element: DARK - Level: 8 - ATK: 2500/DEF: 2000]
As the monsters stared each other down, Zarc noted how his SKSD Odd-Eyes and Yuya's Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon seemed to despise one another, almost like they despised each other. Was that even possible for a mere projection? No, that wasn't it. These monsters were real. He could feel it. There was a presence behind each one. They were most certainly alive. So why on earth were they hating one another? Deciding to put the matter aside, Zarc then hopped atop SKSD Odd-Eyes, taking off in search of another Action Card. Yuya was quick to do the same, chasing after his opponent.
"You really are something, Zarc!" he called behind him. "I didn't think you had an Odd-Eyes of your own!"
"Yeah!" Zarc called behind him, showing off a smile. "I figured it would be 'exciting' to have two Odd-Eyes see which one is better!"
"Hah! Listen to you! Methinks you're a Dueltainer!"
As much as Zarc dearly hoped such was the case, he focused on finding the Action Card. Riding atop a monster seemed to be the most effective rather than on foot, something of which Yuya demonstrated several times. Looking up, he found a card resting atop a platform of light. "There you are." he whispered as SKSD Odd-Eyes slammed its tail down, giving it a boost as it hopped atop the face of a building, allowing Zarc to leap off of it in the hopes of reaching it. He thankfully reached it before Yuya did as the latter was almost within reached before he snatched it, grabbing ahold of a platform's ledge and dropping back down to the ground.
He hid a smirk when he saw what the card was. 'This will work.' he thought as he added it to his hand. He then turned back to Yuya, who landed on another platform, and began his next attack. "I activate Spell Card: Supreme King's Wing!" he called, placing the card on the field. It flipped up to reveal a brilliant beautiful feather with vibrant green circuits. "I then equip it to Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes!" The card shattered apart, bits flowing into SKSD Odd-Eyes, who let out a gleeful roar in response. With his plan in motion, Zarc's eyes narrowed and swung his arm. "Battle! I attack Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon with Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes! Furthermore, I activate Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkrago's effect! Once per Turn when I declare an attack with a "Supreme King Servant Dragon" monster, I can lower the opposing monster's ATK points by 1000, and then add a 1000 ATK points to my own!"
Darkdrago released a hateful roar, energy flowing and echoing from its insipid cry. Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon gave a low snarl as it staggered a bit, but remained standing whereas SKSD Odd-Eyes reared its head back, gathering power within its maw as a dark red aura burned around its body.
[Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon - ATK: 2500-1000=1500]
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes - ATK: 2500+1000=3500]
"Now! Spiral Strike Burst!"
With the command in place, SKSD Odd-Eyes released the pent-up energy, releasing a powerful blast of dark red flames, spiraling forward at its opposing counterpart. However, just before it could connect-!
"I activate the Action Magic: Great Escape!" Yuya declared, having snagged such a card from behind a nearby neon sign. "This automatically ends the battle phase!"
A blue and gold barrier ceased the attack, banishing the flames. Zarc couldn't help but feel perhaps a bit impressed with Yuya's swift movements as he had no choice but to end his turn early. "I set one card face-down and end my turn. Darkdrago's effect now ends and returns both Odd-Eyes' ATK points to normal."
Yuya let out a sigh of relief. "Whew...talk about a close call." he mumbled under his breath. It was times like this that he was thankful for Action Cards, as they had saved him more times than he could count. Zarc was definitely no slouch, coming at him with intense force that would make a lesser duelist crumple under the pressure. Of course, that just made this duel all the more exciting! Teeth gritted, hands gripping the seat...this was the kind of entertainment he sought! "Alright, then! Draw!"
Adding the card to his hand, Yuya immediately targeted what was probably the biggest threat he faced right now - SKSD Odd-Eyes. "I activate Entermate Sword Fish's effect! Once per turn, I can lower a monster's ATK points by 600! I choose your Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes!"
As Sword Fish prepared to activate its effect, Zarc flipped the card he set. "I activate the Continuous Trap: Supreme King's Command." The flipped up to reveal four dragons (among of which was SKSD Odd-Eyes and SKSD Dark Rebellion) bowing to a greater figure standing before them. "Once per turn, if my opponent targets a card I control with an attack or an effect, I can redirect it to another monster I control. I redirect Entermate Sword Fish's effect to Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrake."
Much to Yuya's dismay, the trap card gave off a glow that enveloped SKSD Odd-Eyes, sending the smaller copies of Entermate Sword Fish away from it and towards Darkdrake, who let out a whine as it felt its power being repressed by the comical swords.
[Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrake - ATK: 1600-600=1000]
"Then I follow up by activating the Action Magic: Tenacity." Zarc continued as he played the card, which shattered as soon as it was shown off. The bits then danced around SKSD Odd-Eyes being absorbed into its form. "Using this card's effect, I can negate the destruction of a monster. Until the end of this turn, Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes cannot be destroyed." His smirk grew wider as his trap card glowed again. Yuya felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up straight as a feeling of dread came over him. "I also activate Supreme King's Command's other effect. Once per turn, if my opponent controls a monster, I can force it to enter the battle phase with one dragon-type monster I control."
Yuya soon realized what Zarc was going for, and immediately took off, hoping to find another Action Card. His opponent continued on anyway.
"Using Supreme King's Command, I target your Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon and my Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes. And now, Battle!"
The two dragons roared, writhing energy gathering within their jaws as waves of power washed across the Action Field. Yuya slid across the pavement as he snatched an Action Card from underneath a trash can, hastily slamming it on his Duel Disk. "I activate the Action Magic: Evastion-!"
"Unfortunately, Yuya, that's not going to help." Zarc regretabbly informed him. "Until Supreme King's Command's effect ends, neither of us can use the effects of monsters, traps or spells."
"EH?!"
A resounding cry was released from both Odd-Eyes', releasing an infernal blast at one another. Black-and-red flames clashed against the other, struggling to overcome the opponent's own attack. SKSD Odd-Eyes won out as it increased the power of its blast, consuming Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon's Spiral Strike Burst completely and smashing straight into it. An explosion soon followed with shards of the dragon flying through the air before dissolving into particles.
Yuya's heart sank at this, feeling as if he had just been hit in the heart, That card had been his ace - his symbol of courage. He then remembered what Zarc had discovered - Pendulum monsters, when destroyed, are sent to the Extra Deck. Come next turn, he could summon Odd-Eyes again and turn this whole thing around. "As long as I still have my monsters, I can-"
"It's already over." Zarc interrupted as he slipped a hand into his pocket, causing Yuya to look in confusion. "Supreme King's Wing now activates. When equipped to a monster, it can deal damage equal to the ATK points of a monster that was destroyed in the battle phase. In other words, since my Supreme King Servant Dragon Odd-Eyes destroyed your Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon..."
SKSD Odd-Eyes' body burned dark green as similar colored energy gathered in its maw, particles of light flowing in. Yuya's eyes widened as he tried to run, looking for an Action Card. Unfortunately, he then remembered a horrible fact:
You could only carry one Action Card in your hand.
"...you take 2500 points of damage."
SKSD Odd-Eyes slammed a foot down, releasing a green blast of energy that came straight at Yuya. He looked over his shoulder just in time to see it bearing down on him. In seconds, it consumed him and sent him flying, rolling through the streets of the Action Field before he finally came to a stop, face firmly planted on the floor, legs high in the air and butt in full view before falling back down to the earth.
Yuya Sakaki: 1500 → 0
WINNER: Zarc!
Yuya let out a small groan as he pulled himself up on all fours. Around him, the Action Field known as Broadway began to break apart into particles of light, soon returning to the bleak and ordinary room they had dueled in. "You okay there, Yuya?" Zarc called as he walked over to the boy, holding a hand to him. "Sorry if I was rough."
"N-no worries." Yuya assured him as he grabbed ahold of his hand, pulling himself up with a sheepish smile while rubbing his nose. "Though, next time, ease up a bit...I think my face got roadburn."
Zarc and him shared a laugh. The former was happy that Yuya was okay. He had to admit, that duel was far more enjoyable than he thought it would be. Ever since Yuya had showed him that duel style of his, his heart had been jumping nonstop. It was ramming against his chest, and he left thoroughly enjoyed. Even though the duel ended with Yuya losing, the boy still smiled. If the look on his face was any indication, he also enjoyed the duel.
'What...is this feeling?' Zarc questioned as his chest tightened. 'Earlier, I enjoyed the idea of Yuya getting hurt, but...his dueling. It...it was...'
Beautiful. There was no other way he could describe it. A duel style where one brings smiles to the faces of one's audience, and even his opponent, could only be called beautiful.
"YOSHA~! That duel was 100% HOT-BLOODED!"
The two blinked, craning their heads to find Yuzu entering the room with four other people. Among the four were three children of the same age - a red-headed girl with fair skin, golden eyes and a large multi-colored headband. She wore a short cream t-shirt with a striped pink and red long t-shirt. Her attire also consisted of a red skirt and long black tights. She wore brown shoes and has a blue bracelet. The first boy was rather pudgy with blonde hair - the front sticking up into spikes with orange eyes and wearing a yellow hoodie with a bear design on the front. He also wore bright orange shorts with suspenders, complete with yellow-and-blue shoes. The second boy seemed to be the most intelligent, wearing blue hair and shoes. He wore a white short sleeved shirt and brown vest, along with a watch and short khaki pants. His eyes were a mix of purple and gray.
The fourth, however, was a man with dark blue eyes and brown/orange hair, wearing a red/orange jumpsuit with a green trim and red fire design. Underneath, he wore a dark blue shirt with another fire design. He also wore a white whistle.
"That was amazing, you two!" Yuzu said as they came up to them. "I didn't think I'd be that nervous to see who would win!"
The pudgy boy nodded strongly. "Yeah yeah! I was getting the shivers just from watching!"
Zarc sweatdropped. "T-the...shivers?"
"I didn't know there was anyone besides Yuya-niichan who could do Pendulum Summoning!" the blue-haired boy said, staring at Zarc in awe. "And you even had the same kind of monster as him!"
"You two were so cool!" the girl said dreamily.
Zarc could only laugh bashfully, scratching the back of his head. "I-I wouldn't say that..." he said before he bowed his head. "My name's Zarc. It's nice to meet you all."
"My name's Futoshi!"
"I'm Tatsuya!" the blue-haired boy said, bowing back. "It's nice to meet you, Zarc!"
"And I'm Ayu! Very nice meet you!"
The man chuckled, crossing his arms. "The name's Shuzo Hiiragi, owner of You Show Duel School." he introduced himself. "And Yuzu's father."
"W-wait..." Yuya's face paled a bit in horror, realizing that everyone was here. "Don't tell me you guys all saw me getting..."
Shuzo smirked. "We came in time to see Zarc-kun doing a Pendulum Summon, followed by you getting your butt whupped." Yuya's head fell in shame, a dark cloud hanging over his head, much to the group's amusement. The man then turned his attention to Zarc. "So then, Zarc-kun. What brings you to You Show Duel School?" Before Zarc could say anything, Shuzo leaned forward, a fervent fire in his eyes. "Could it be...you want to join our School?!"
"FATHER!" Out of nowhere, Yuzu brought out a paper fan, whacking Shuzo in the back of his head and knocking him to the floor. Zarc could only stare at the sight, unsure whether to feel amused or confused. Where on earth did she get that paper fan from? "What have I told you about personal space?!"
"S-sorry!"
Zarc turned to Yuya. "...they're a lively family, aren't they?"
Yuya chuckled. "You have no idea." He then turned to Shuzo, who got up from the ground, rubbing the spot where Yuzu had smacked him. "We found Zarc unconscious in the park. The truth is, he...lost his memories."
"E-eh?!" Tatsuya and the children looked at Zarc in surprise. "You have amnesia?!"
Zarc nodded. "I don't really remember anything. Just my name." A beat, then a small smile. "And how to duel, though I'm still a bit lost on Action Duels."
"The whole reason Yuya and Zarc were dueling was to try and get his memories back." Yuzu told them before she folded her arms. "And obviously, it didn't work."
Yuya winced. "Aw, come on, Yuzu! Zarc had a lot of fun, didn't he?" He hastily turned to the teen in question. "You had fun in our duel, right Zarc?" Zarc felt perhaps a bit amused at the look of panic written across the poor boy's face. Obviously, he and Yuzu had a good relationship...though the male was deathly terrified. If her smacking Shuzo like that was any indication, he could see why.
Either way, he saved Yuya's skin. "I did, actually." Zarc told them with a wide smile. "It was...different."
"Entertainment Dueling usually is." Shuzo told him, giving the boy a wry smile as he put a hand on his hip. "Yuya duels the same way his father, Yusho Sakaki, taught him. Its what we teach here: if you're gonna duel, make people smile."
So, the school taught people to duel and make people smile? There was truly a place that practiced such a thing? Once again, Zarc felt his heart soar at the very prospect.
Then, a thought came to mind. A though that made him giddy.
"...Hiiragi-san. If it isn't too much trouble, I'd like to join You Show Duel School."
The looks on their faces were priceless. The children squealed with joy while Shuzo's eyes burned, utterly overjoyed at the prospect of a new student joining his school. Yuzu and Yuya looked in shock, not expecting him to make such a request.
"A-are you sure?" Yuya asked, startled. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm more than happy you want to come to our school, but...why?"
Zarc pursed his lips. How was he supposed to put it? "Well, the way I see it, you and Yuzu were the ones who found me. As strange as it is, I feel like...if I stick with you, I might learn something about myself. That, and..." He smiled again. Compared to the ones he gave previously, this smile was bright and pure. Dazzling. Stunning. "...I want to learn how to make people smile. I want to learn that kind of dueling. I want to learn...the dueling you do, Yuya."
"...eh?!"
Yuya's face exploded into atomic red, utterly left speechless. The children giggled at his expression while Yuzu grinned. "Well, well." she said, enjoying the sight. She wished she had brought a camera with her. The sight was completely adorable. "Looks like you have a fan, Yuya~"
The shock lasted on the boy's face a few seconds before he shook his head, grinning. If Zarc wanted to learn dueling the You Show Duel School, then who was he to turn down a student? Besides, Zarc was a fellow Pendulum user! Someone besides him who could use this newest method of summoning! With him, he'd be able to explore more into how Pendulum Summoning, and by extension, Pendulum Monsters worked. If their duel proved anything, there was much to be learned.
"Alright! But in exchange, you help me learn more about Pendulum. Deal?"
Zarc nodded, smiling as they shook hands. "Deal."
Unknown to anyone in that room, even to Yuya himself, his pendant was shining once again, much like it had before. However, it faded away before anyone could notice it. Soon after, a soft glow emanated from Yuya's duel disk, also unnoticed by everyone.
Zarc...nii...chan...
-Chapter: END-
?: These are...my Pendulum cards now.
Yuya: No way...I thought only me and Zarc...!
?: His Pendulum Summoning readings are higher than even that of Yuya Sakaki. There's almost no information on this "Zarc" whatsoever.
Zarc: Beautiful wings of light, that which soars at the speed of light! Spread them, and wipe out your foes! SYNCHRO SUMMONING!
?: Synchro, Xyz and Pendulum...heeeh, they sound like fun!
Next Scale: Dance of the Dragons
Card Information
Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrago / DARK / Level 4 / Dragon / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 1600 / DEF 1600 / Scale 5 / Pendulum Effect / Once per turn, if a "Supreme King" monster you control battles: You can make that monster gain 500 ATK for each "Supreme King" card you control, until the end of the Damage Step. / Monster Effect / Once per turn, during either player's turn, if a "Supreme King" monster you control battles: You can make that monster gain 1000 ATK; also, the monster it is battling loses 1000 ATK and DEF. These changes last until the end of the Battle Phase.
Supreme King Servant Dragon Darkdrake / DARK / Level 4 / Dragon / Pendulum / Effect / ATK 1600 / DEF 900 / Scale 8 / Pendulum Effect / Once per turn: You can Set 1 "Supreme King" Spell/Trap Card from your Deck. / Monster Effect / If this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can activate this effect: Special Summon 1 Dragon-Type monster from your Graveyard.
Supreme King Command / Continuous Trap / While you control a "Supreme King" monster: Once per turn, if your opponent targets a card you control for an attack or with a card effect, you can change that target to another appropriate target. Once per turn, if your opponent controls a monster: You can target 1 Dragon-Type monster you control and 1 monster your opponent controls; if either are in Defense Position, change them to Attack Position, also, those monsters immediately battle. Cards and effects cannot be activated when those monsters battle, until the end of the Battle Phase.
Supreme King Indignation / Normal Trap / Activate at the end of a Battle Phase in which a "Supreme King" monster you control was destroyed and in which you took damage. Gain LP equal to half the damage you have taken this turn, then draw 1 card.
Supreme King's Wing / Equip Spell / When equipped to a monster card, you can deal damage equal to the ATK points of the monster you destroy in the Battle Phase with the monster equipped with this card.
A/N: Special thanks go to Donjusticia, who helped make three of the four cards listed here, and Shimmering-Sky, who created "Supreme King Indignation" and the outline for this duel. I highly recommend them both!