Vanguard: Lockdown World Chapter 6: Turn 6: Into the Mountain, a cardfight!! vanguard/cardfight!! ヴァンガード fanfic

Hey Scarlet, and thanks for your review. Helped me get past a writer's block I've been suffering from recently.

Well, in regards to Aichi, his "disappearance" is indeed a major factor in how things were shaped out. But the point I was trying to get across is that the Aichi who was plucked from the past doesn't really have the experience and grit necessary to just make everything better outright. In fact he's kind of in a shitty situation right now. But yeah, the reasons why his presence is important will be explored little by little.

However, yeah, he does need to establish a bit of a presence, and now that the story is approaching its first actual turning point, there will be plenty of time for him to get in on the action. Case in point; chapter 6.

At this point I'll clarfy something about the deck Aichi's using. As is mentioned in the story, it's pretty much made up from remnants of the Royal Paladin army, which has been decimated by Link Joker. As such, it is fully intentional that it lacks in coherency and power, as it's meant to have a 'this is all that's left, gotta make do with it'. As seen in this chapter, I intend to make acquisition of new units and their incorporation into his deck part of the actual story, with hopefully good results.

Another point I've been thinking about is whether I should keep repeating the info on the fake units I'm using that have previously appeared at the bottom of each chapter. Taking into example this chapter, where Aichi used 15 fake units, but all but 2 of them had already appeared in chapter 2; I wonder if it's helpful to list them again, or if it distracts from the actual 'new' units. Let me know what you think.

VGLDW06

TURN 6: Into the Mountain

Izaki took the lead, followed by a nervous Aichi, with Misaki forming the rear, keeping a watchful eye for any unexpected surprises from their backs. They crossed the threshold they had uncovered, which seemed to lead straight into the mountain.

Once inside, Aichi blinked a few times to adjust to the sudden, fluorescent light that filled the space they found themselves in. It was a narrow corridor, fully metallic, and drab in appearance – it was barely wide enough for two people to walk abreast, and there were no distinguishing characteristics, beside the light emitters that seemed to be installed into the ceiling at regular intervals. They couldn't see anything resembling an end or a different path yet – whatever there was, it was obscured by the shadows ahead. Aichi was uncomfortably reminded of how secret military bases or laboratories looked in movies. The oppressive quiet was not helping.

"Security cameras." Izaki said suddenly. Aichi followed his fingers to see nothing more than two, softly blinking red lights where the ceiling met the wall, opposite to each other – with how small they were, he'd have definitely missed them had his companion not pointed them out.

"Shoot them." Misaki said without a moment's hesitation, and before Aichi could ask just what she meant by that, two gunshots echoed in the empty corridor, and he cried out and nearly dropped to the floor. His two friends were looking at him, holding long-barelled, police-issue handguns.

"Wh – what the hell?!" He exclaimed. "Why do you have..."

"Guns may not be much use against Reverse fighters, but that doesn't mean that there aren't other threats out there that guns will help with." Misaki interrupted irritably. "We're clearly not meant to be in this place, and given the fact that someone has to have been keeping the generator up, there is a decent likelihood someone else is bunkered in here, and between the security cameras and the cardfight we had to go through out there, it's safe to assume they already knows we're here. Since the system outside was still active, it's probably not Reverse fighters. Now I don't know who that might be or how they're going to react to us being here, but I'd rather be prepared for any eventuality. And that's why we're making sure we kill every camera we come across. That way if we are forced to retreat the same way we came, they won't be able to constantly keep track of our location."

Aichi opened his mouth to protest, then closed it again, as he didn't find anything to say. Misaki sounded like she had done this before, and for all he knew, she actually had. So they walked on, shooting down three more camera pairs along the way – apparently ammunition wasn't a scarce commodity, and why would it be if Reverse fighters and the ones opposing them had no use for it, and there was hardly anything else left.

Finally, after about five minutes of walking at a slow pace, making sure they didn't miss anything of importance along the way, they arrived at the end of the corridor, which split into a T-intersection. Directly in front of them was a half-open door that led into a room, which they could see was better illuminated than the place they were in. The left path curved out of sight, and the right one led to what looked like an elevator.

"Let's check out the room first." Izaki suggested, and everyone agreed. He pushed open the door and walked in warily, gun in hand. But his worries were unfounded – other than them, there was no one else inside the large circular chamber. Its purpose, however, soon became clear to them, as they noticed the array of projector screens attached to the walls, and the computer terminals placed on top of various desks underneath them. This was clearly the control room of the... facility, whatever it actually was. Unfortunately just about everything seemed to be shut down, the illumination provided by the few screens that were lit up, but weren't showing anything interesting.

"I don't suppose we can get into any of them." Aichi muttered, walking over to the first terminal and booting it up. As expected, it immediately requested a password, which he had no clue how to find.

"No, but I bet the good doctor here can." Aichi turned to Izaki, who was pointing at a cluster of screens. A few of them were only showing static – evidently, those they had shot – but the others were functional and displaying different areas of the complex. There were mostly rooms filled with various materials and some empty rooms that looked like cells, but two of them weren't. The first was showing a cell where a man was lying down on a makeshift bed, presumably asleep, yet in a strangely rigid posture. And the second showed a small office, where a short, balding man in a lab coat was pacing back-and-forth, scribbling things on a notebook. Judging from his behavior, he either hadn't noticed the intrusion – which made sense if the room they were in was the only place from which the camera footage was available – or he just didn't care.

"There's someone else here!" Despite what Misaki had said, Aichi had half-expected the building to be abandoned. "Wait... you don't think he's Reversed, do you?"

"It's hard to say from a screen." Izaki frowned. "But people who have been Reversed tend to just stand in one spot as if frozen, not moving at all, unless they are actually given orders. So I'd wager pretty good money he's fine. A Reverse fighter wouldn't just stay holed up in a place like this, anyway. How do we get to him?"

"Follow the elevator down to the second basement, take a right past Experiment Rooms A and B and go through the door marked Office." Izaki and Aichi turned to stare at Misaki, who had smoothly given those directions as if it was her own home.

"How the hell do you know that?" Izaki asked.

"There's a building plan right by the door." Misaki pointed at the map attached to the wall, which displayed the entirety of the complex. The floor they were in, marked Ground Floor, only had the Observation Room and the Sleeping Quarters. One floor below, marked Basement A, was the Storage Room, Battle Arena A, and Printout Room. And Basement B that was below that had Battle Arena B, Office, Experiment Rooms A through D, and Holding Facilities A through F. "I've already memorized this thing. So shall we go find the guy?" She didn't wait for their response. Aichi and Izaki glanced at each other, sighed, and followed her out to the elevator.

Following Misaki's directions, they reached the bottom floor and headed towards the office. Along the way they passed the half-open doors to the Experiment Rooms, and had to suppress shivers – those rooms looked like a cross between surgery rooms and torture chambers – not a good combination. Ignoring them, they walked straight through the opened door, and...

"Finally, you're here! You're three days late! This place is desperately understaffed as is, you can go tell the higher-ups they need to send the new guys in faster!"

They looked at each other. The man – doctor Hayabusa, as his name tag implied – had certainly not given them the reception they had been expecting.

"Um, are we really that late?" Misaki tried a diplomatic approach. Clearly the doctor had them confused with people he was actually expecting, so it was best to play along. "What was the date we were supposed to get here again? Because I'm pretty sure we got it right..."

"Why yes, if getting it right means coming here three days later than you're supposed to, you fools! You should have been here February second, February second!"

They looked at each other. They did not know which year doctor Hayabusa was talking about, but given that it was autumn, they could only arrive at a conclusion they had been worried about since the beginning. The good doctor had been driven mad by his solitary confinement. But that didn't mean he couldn't be of use to them.

"Right, well, we're sorry about that." Misaki said, trying her best to sound remorseful. "But we're here now, and we'd like to get started immediately. So if you could show us the ropes..."

"Ah. Hum. Yes." Doctor Hayabusa stroked his chin. "No point in wasting any more time... come, then!" He quickly led them to the room marked 'Experiment Room C'. It was larger than the others and somewhat cleaner, although there were a lot of desks filled to the brim with paperwork, and some strange tube-like machines. However, the back of the room was blocked off by a large space divider. Aichi and his two friends didn't have much time to ponder on it, though, because the professor immediately rounded on them.

"Now then." He announced, pointing a finger at them. "...gotcha!"

"What - ?!" But before they could properly react, a forcefield similar to the one that had been projected outside earlier spread through the room, barring Misaki and Izaki outside, near the door – and leaving Aichi trapped within. "What do you think you are doing?" Misaki snapped.

"Hehe... did you really think you could deceive a world-class scientist such as myself like this?" Hayabusa tapped his temple for emphasis. "I saw through you from the moment you walked in this building... you, you cannot call yourselves members of the academic society!" He pointed towards Aichi. "You... you have blue hair!" He shouted dramatically. "What kind of utter delinquent dyes his hair blue?!"

"Uhm, ah, well, I..." Aichi did not know how exactly to respond to this, but the professor rounded on Misaki.

"And you!" He went on. "Light purple?! Granted it's not as bad as blue, but what kind of professor worth his salt would accept you as fellow men of science?!" I – is this guy really judging us based on hair colors...?

"And you!" Finally, he turned to Izaki. "You... you actually look pretty respectable." Hayabusa frowned, as he failed to find a flaw in Izaki's appearance. "You pass. But still, that is no excuse for hanging out with delinquents such as these! You will be punished, too, when your turn comes!"

"I – I don't know whether I should be flattered or annoyed..." Izaki scratched his plain old brown hair.

"For invading upon this sanctuary of science, and attempting to deceive me, punishment is in order." Doctor Hayabusa announced severely. Only then did Aichi realize that the automated fight system had already been activated. "I will teach you a thorough lesson in manners!" Hastily, Aichi placed his own deck on the console, as the doctor had already done – the last thing he wanted was the system to give him an automatic defeat for stalling. "Stand up, Vanguard!"

"S – stand up!" Still taken aback by the circumstances, Aich followed suit. "Stargal!" The high beast with the rich crystal fur appeared in front of him, growling with anticipation.

"Chalk Sparrow!" In turn, a small bird with light gray feathers materialized on the opposing side, flexing its wings. Great Nature... Aichi easily recognized the clan, but not the unit itself.

First Vanguard (Doctor Hayabusa): Chalk Sparrow (G0 / 5000 PWR)

First Vanguard (Sendou Aichi): Stargal (G0 / 5000 PWR)

"A professor using a Great Nature deck... how original." Aichi heard Misaki sneer behind him. From what he could tell, his two companions didn't seem to be taking things so seriously, so he took that as a cue to relax. After all, the doctor didn't look Reversed – or really, much of a cardfighter at all. So he was probably safe.

"Silence!" He was, however, indignant. "There is value in experimentation and breaking the norm, but working on tried-and-true patterns is an important part of science, too! My turn!" He snatched a card out of his deck. "I ride Monoculus Tiger!" And his Vanguard reformed into a fierce-looking orange striped tiger, an ocular device attached to its left eye. "Sparrow moves to the back, and I end my turn!"

Ride: Monoculus Tiger (G1 / 7000 PWR)

Superior Call: Chalk Sparrow (G0 / 5000 PWR)

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 5 | Soul: 0 | Dmg: 0
(R) n/a - n/a
(VG) Monoculus Tiger (7000) – Chalk Sparrow (5000)
(R) n/a - n/a

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 5 | Soul: 0 | Dmg: 0
(R) n/a - n/a
(VG) Stargal (5000) - n/a
(R) n/a - n/a

"Then it's my turn." Aichi said quietly. Concentrate... "I ride Flash Aegis, Iseult!" It was regrettable to lose one of his Sentinel cards so early, but he had no other choice if he wanted to advance to the next Grade. "Stargal moves, and with its boost, Iseult attacks!" The dark-skinned shieldmaiden jumped, using her large metal buckler as a mace. (6000+5000=11000 vs 7000)

Ride: Flash Aegis, Iseult (G1 / 6000 PWR)

Superior Call: Stargal (G0 / 5000 PWR)

"Hmpfh. No guard!" Upon this declaration, Aichi verified the top card of his deck – but no trigger appeared. His opponent's check turned up no result, either, and Aichi ended his turn.

Drive Check: Cataphract Dragon

Damage Check: Pencil Knight, Hammsuke

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 5 | Soul: 0 | Dmg: 1(U)
(R) n/a - n/a
(VG) Monoculus Tiger (7000) – Chalk Sparrow (5000)
(R) n/a - n/a

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 6 | Soul: 0 | Dmg: 0
(R) n/a - n/a
(VG) Flash Aegis, Iseult (6000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) n/a - n/a

"Now it's my move." The professor seemed confident. "Ride! Compass Lion!" The large king of beasts, coated in silver-and-emerald plating, replaced the tiger. "And call! Barcode Zebra!" A large zebra with the stripes on its side arranged to look like a barcode appeared to the right. "Zebra's effect!" He lifted the top card of his deck. "Superior Call! Coiling Duckbill!" A strange duck-like creature appeared behind the zebra, smiling contently. "At this moment, Duckbill's effect activates, and I target Zebra!" Aichi knew that combo. "Now, boosted by Duckbill, Zebra attacks!" (7000+7000=14000 vs 6000)

Ride: Compass Lion (G2 / 11000 PWR)

Call: Barcode Zebra (G2 / 7000 PWR)

Superior Call: Coiling Duckbill (G1 / 7000 PWR)

"No guard!" Aichi shouted as the two beasts went after Iseult, who tried valiantly to defend herself with her shield. "Damage check... get." The card in his hand flashed golden. "Critical trigger. All effects to Iseult."

Damage Check: Battle Sage, Garon (Critical trigger)

The professor frowned slightly. "Then, Compass Lion attacks! Sparrow boosts!" (11000+5000=16000 vs 6000+5000=11000) Even with the trigger's boost, Aichi could not safely defend with just one card from his hand. So he allowed the massive lion to pounce on his Vanguard, knocking the breath out of her. He attacked with his Rear Guard first, and with the Vanguard second... a Stand-based trigger lineup? Thankfully, no such card appeared during this Drive check.

Drive Check: Compass Lion

Damage Check: Speargal

"At the end of my turn, the effect of Compass Lion resolves." The professor announced. "I have to retire one of my rear guards, such as Zebra." His Vanguard suddenly struck out with its paw, offhandedly knocking its own ally off the field. "However! When Zebra is retired, the effect inherited from Duckbill activates, and I get to draw one card! That's all for my turn, now come at me, delinquent!"

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 6 | Soul: 1 | Dmg: 1(U)
(R) n/a – Coiling Duckbill (7000)
(VG) Compass Lion (11000) – Chalk Sparrow (5000)
(R) n/a - n/a

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 6 | Soul: 0 | Dmg: 2(U/U)
(R) n/a - n/a
(VG) Flash Aegis, Iseult (6000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) n/a – n/a

VGLDW06

"H – hey, is Aichi going to be alright..." Izaki muttered, watching the fight. The professor had clearly managed to take the lead so far – he had kept his hand count up, while the only available target on his field was the 11000 Power Compass Lion.

"It doesn't really matter." Misaki on the other hand wasn't invested in the battle at all. "This guy is not Reversed – just crazy. He's annoying, but likely can't cause too much trouble... Izaki, you stay with Aichi. I'm going to see what I can find in the other rooms."

"Gotcha." Izaki gave her a thumbs-up. "Shout if anything happens." Misaki returned a nod and hurried away.

VGLDW06

"Hey! Where are you going! Come back!" Professor Hayabusa shouted after the departing Misaki. "Class isn't over yet! Grr... detention!"

"..." Aichi didn't know how to talk to the man that was lost in his own world. He could only imagine the circumstances that had led to his condition. So he simply began his turn, drawing a new card. He looked carefully at his hand. Blaster Blade was there, ready to take his spot at the forefront of the field. But...

"Blaster Blade is... unwell." Akane said softly, and Aichi only barely recognized the colorful, melodious voice of the beast tamer that was one of the first he had heard, when he had initially inadvertently tapped into the power of his Psyqualia. "The 'seal' he was placed in after Link Joker's ambush... it wasn't quite the same as Lock, which at least leaves the body and mind relatively unharmed. It was meant to drain, to break. And the main invasion followed soon after he was set free. Forced to fight again and again with a body that was weakening, barely able to support the power of the sword he wielded... his health is in an extremely precarious condition right now. Unless he absolutely has to join us on the battlefield, he is resting, sleeping in order to recover some of his strength."

Aichi knew using Blaster Blade here would, whether he wanted to or not, draw upon the power of the unit from Cray, thanks to Psyqualia's link. No... I cannot rely on Blaster Blade all the time. I have to prove that I can battle and win without him, for my sake as well as for the sake of the other knights fighting by my side. So he ignored that card, and instead reached for another. "Cataphract Dragon, ride!" A magnificent white dragon, covered in pure silver-and-blue armor, armed with a long spear and a tower shield, appeared on his Vanguard circle. This unit... I cannot use it to its full potential yet. It was just one of the problems he had with the new circumstances. Some of the skills of the units in his deck seemed disconnected, and the overarching strategy seemed to be missing quite a few links. This deck... it could not be called anywhere near 'competitive', which was little wonder, if it was only formed by the remnants of the Royal Paladin army that survived the Link Joker invasion. Aichi could only hope it would be enough. "Attack!" Due to Compass Lion's high base power, he had no way to mount a significant offense. (9000+5000=14000 vs 11000)

Ride: Cataphract Dragon (G2 / 9000 PWR)

"Guard!" The professor announced triumphantly. "Alarm Chicken!" I knew it, Stands... Aichi watched as an oversized chicken with an alarm clock attached to its chest appeared, casting reverbating sound waves that stopped his dragon dead in its tracks.

"Drive check... get." With relief, Aichi noticed the crimson glow on the card he withdrew. "Draw trigger. Power to Cataphract, and I draw." Of course, even with the power boost, the attack wasn't enough to break through.

Drive Check: Margal (Draw trigger)

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 5 | Soul: 1 | Dmg: 1(U)
(R) n/a – Coiling Duckbill (7000)
(VG) Compass Lion (11000) – Chalk Sparrow (5000)
(R) n/a - n/a

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 7 | Soul: 1 | Dmg: 2(U/U)
(R) n/a - n/a
(VG) Cataphract Dragon (9000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) n/a – n/a

"Done already? How lukewarm, as expected, a mere societal renegade cannot hope to match the dignified strength that men of true intellect possess!" The doctor was once more lost in his rantings. "Kneel before my strength, boy! I ride... Honorary Professor, Chatnoir!"

"Wh – what?!" At first, Aichi was shocked, because it seemed as if his opponent's Vanguard had disappered entirely. But he quickly noticed that the Unit that had replaced it was a small cat wearing large, round glasses and a tall academic hat, and was currently perched on Hayabusa's shoulder, leering at him with an extremely smug smile as only a cat can.

Ride: Honorary Professor, Chatnoir (G3 / 11000 PWR)

"And now I call, Pencil Knight Hammsuke, and Binoculus Tiger!" A hamster, slightly larger than the cat, brandishing a pencil-shaped machinegun, materialized in front of Duckbill, and a larger tiger with a truly huge pair of binoculars attached to its back, appeared on the other, empty ground his teeth as he saw the Great Nature combo slowly beginning to form...

Call: Pencil Knight Hammsuke (G2 / 8000 PWR)

Call: Binoculus Tiger (G2 / 9000 PWR)

"Go, Tiger! Attack his Vanguard! And with Tiger's skill, Hammsuke receives plus 5000 Power!" (9000 vs 9000)

"Guard!" Aichi knew he had to act, lest the damage escalate quickly. "Margal!" The red armored canine appeared, frightening the tiger away with its fierce growl, but the enemy paid little attention.

"Chatnoir!" He called out. "Show him the pride of a scientist!" The cat meowed ferociously, raising its claws which glistened like daggers. "With a boost from Sparrow, attack!" And then it gracefully leapt across the field. (11000+2000+5000=18000 vs 9000)

"N – no guard!"

"Twin Drive." The professor touched his deck. "First!" Aichi gulped as a sapphire glow burst from the verified card. "Stand trigger! Power to Binoculus, and it stands!" The tiger returned to battle-ready stance, having recovered from the previous setback. "And second... no trigger." Aichi breathed in relief – but it was short-lived, because when he saw what card the opponent had checked... That... is bad news... He silently checked for a damage trigger, but it came up blank.

Drive Check: Eraser Alpaca (Stand trigger)

Drive Check: Battler of the Twin Brush, Polaris

Damage Check: Blood Rose Knight, Morgana

"You don't have time to relax! Binoculus attacks again, and Hammsuke receives another 4000 Power!" (9000+5000=14000 vs 9000)

"Guard!" Aichi cried out desperately. With how high Hammsuke's power had climbed, this was his only chance if he wanted to prevent being driven to five damage this turn. "Hazegal!" This time it was a high dog with lithe, almost translucent skin that appeared in the tiger's path. The wise beast growled frustrated, before retreating once again.

"Hammsuke!" The doctor commanded. "With Duckbill's boost... teach him a lesson!" (8000+4000+4000+7000=23000 vs 9000) There was no way for Aichi to defend against this one, so he sighed as his dragon was assaulted by a barrage of gunfire. But as he picked out the next card to be added to his damage zone...

H – huh? His vision had suddenly shifted again, and he was no longer in the stuffy research room, facing off against the insane professor. Psyqualia? Instead, he was in a barren, dark mountainous landscape – it was similar in some ways to the area outside, and the dark sky that was dominated by crimson rings was the same. But noone could have confused this place with the scenic mount Fuji. The mountains were tall and ragged, with jagged spires piercing the heavens, and the landscape below alternated between rocky plains and dense forestland. Behind his point of view, a large temple-like structure rose from the mountainside, with giant pillars crafted out of pure silver marble, and carvings of wolfheads before the entrance. This is – the Shrine of the Silver Wolf? Aichi wondered. But his eyes were immediately drawn to the figure that stood in front of the structure. A muscular, red-headed female warrior brandishing a giant broadsword in one hand, and a literally massive silver shield in the other. Blue flames seemed to burst out of her armor, radiating cold instead of heat – but it was a passionate aura of determination that reached Aichi, even though he was not physically there. Somehow, she felt familiar to Aichi, as if he had seen her before...

And suddenly, an attack came – a massive blast of dark energy seared through the sky, shot from far away by some unseen opponent. It was large enough to dwarf even the knight herself – and yet she stood her ground resolutely, raising her shield. The energy bolt collided with the defensive armament in a deafening explosion that would have probably knocked Aichi off the mountain, had he been physically there. Once the storm of rocks and debris that were raised by the blast cooled down, Aichi searched the warrior with his eyes – amazingly, she was still intact, as was her shield, although she was kneeling on the ground, looking more than a little winded. But at that moment, her eyes met Aichi's – and he saw her pride and resolve had not been dampened in the slightest.

"Hey, wake up! How long are you gonna make me wait! I am an important person, busy person, you know!"

Professor Hayabusa's words shook Aichi out of his trance, and his mind returned to the fight. He looked at the card he was holding. Even though it was not a trigger, it felt warm to the touch, and he immediately recognized it. It's – her! The same warrior that he had just witnessed defending the Royal Paladin shrine was depicted in the card he placed on his damage zone, and Aichi realized just why she seemed so familiar. He originally knew her as Knight of Blue Flames, Dynas – but like many of the earlier units in the game, she had been upgraded to a new form.

Damage Check: Knight of the Aegis, Dynas

"Stalling for time won't help you!" The professor tapped the console. "I end my turn, and the Unit powered-up by Binoculus Tiger must now be retired. But, this activates Hammsuke's ability! I Counter Blast one, and retrieve another Hammsuke from my deck!"

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 6 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 1(F)
(R) n/a – Coiling Duckbill (7000)
(VG) Honorary Professor, Chatnoir (11000) – Chalk Sparrow (5000)
(R) Binoculus Tiger (9000) - n/a

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 5 | Soul: 1 | Dmg: 4(U/U/U/U)
(R) n/a - n/a
(VG) Cataphract Dragon (9000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) n/a – n/a

"Stand and... draw." Aichi drew his new card with trepidation, fully aware that his damage now stood to four, compared to the opponent's one. This is - ! He had drawn a second copy of Dynas. Alright. Time to make my move.

"The proud soul that swore an oath to the King of Knights, to defend what the crown stood for until the bitter end! Appear now!" Cataphract Dragon's body dissolved in motes of silver and blue, reforming into a knight wielding a two-handed blade, coated in thick grey armor. "I ride Crown Sword Knight, Lucan!" Unfortunately, Lucan's Inherit skill could not be activated now. But Aichi wouldn't let that hold him back.

Ride: Crown Sword Knight, Lucan (G3 / 10000 PWR)

"Call! Shieldgal, and High Beast Tamer, Akane!" The heavily-armored high dog and the trainer of its breed appeared. "Akane's Especial Counter Blast!" He flipped over Speargal's card in the Damage Zone, fulfilling the requirement, and verified the top five cards of his deck. "Superior Call, Shieldgal!" And an exact clone of the defense-oriented canine appeared behind Akane.

Call: High Beast Tamer, Akane (G2 / 9000 PWR)

Call: Shieldgal (G1 / 6000 PWR)

Superior Call: Shieldgal (G1 / 6000 PWR)

"And now..." He slid a card onto the last open rear guard circle. "Come forth, warrior maiden with a soul of iron! Raise your shield to repel the darkness of the abyss! Call! Knight of the Aegis, Dynas!" And the hologram of the brave female knight he had just encountered materialized from a burst of blue flames. Was it his impression, or did she turn slightly and nod towards him?

Call: Knight of the Aegis, Dynas (G3 / 10000 PWR)

"So your field is lined up... let's see what you've got!" The professor shouted. First things first... it would be ideal if I could get rid of that Tiger, break that combo off before it starts...

"With Shieldgal's boost, Akane attacks Binoculus Tiger!" Aichi commanded.

"Guard!" But, predictably, the enemy would not allow that so easily. "Eraser Alpaca!"

"Then... Lucan! With Stargal's boost, attack!" The warrior roared, raising its sword and charging at full speed. "Limit Break! Power plus 10000!" (10000+5000+2x5000=25000 vs 11000)

"No guard!" The professor barked.

"Drive trigger, check! No trigger..." The first card turned up blank. "Second... get! Critical trigger!" Lucan was empowered with a golden aura. "Critical to my Vanguard! And power to Dynas!"

Drive Check: Speargal

Drive Check: Strikegal (Critical trigger)

"Damage check." The professor muttered. "First... no trigger. Second... stand trigger." He frowned. "Binoculus stands... power to Chatnoir."

Damage Check: Pencil Squire, Hammsuke

Damage Check: Alarm Chicken (Stand trigger)

Hand poised over Dynas' card, Aichi stopped to think. If he attacked again, that would result in a fourth damage – and Limit Break would be enabled. He did not know what Chatnoir did, but if it had a Break Ride skill... Aichi did not want to risk it, not just yet. "Dynas attacks Binoculus Tiger!"

"Cowering away from a Limit Break? How trite. No guard." Hayabusa scoffed as his Tiger was bisected by Dynas' mighty sword blow. With a sigh, Aichi ended his turn.

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 5 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 3(F/U/U)
(R) n/a – Coiling Duckbill (7000)
(VG) Honorary Professor, Chatnoir (11000) – Chalk Sparrow (5000)
(R) n/a - n/a

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 4 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 4(F/U/U/U)
(R) High Beast Tamer, Akane (9000) – Shieldgal (6000)
(VG) Crown Sword Knight, Lucan (10000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) Knight of the Aegis, Dynas (10000) – Shieldgal (6000)

"Let's see if you can defend yourself against this... I call Knight Hammsuke to the rear guard. I also call Compass Lion, and Pencil Squire, Hammsuke behind it."The doctor quickly refilled his rear guard circles by using two copies of units Aichi had already seen, and the younger version of the pencil-armed warrior.

Call: Pencil Knight, Hammsuke (G2 / 8000 PWR)

Call: Compass Lion (G2 / 11000 PWR)

Call: Pencil Squire, Hammsuke (G1 / 6000 PWR)

"Now, with Hammsuke's boost, Compass Lion attacks!" (11000+6000=17000 vs 10000)

"Strikegal guards." Aichi declared steadily. The ferocious lion's claws struck the high beast's spiked armor, but failed to break through.

"Chatnoir!" (11000+2000+5000=18000 vs 10000)

"No guard." Aichi only hesitated for a moment. His opponent was running at least two different Stand triggers. While the possibility his deck contained some Critical triggers was certainly there, the chance of one of them appearing now should be low enough to make card conservation a viable option.

"Taking this head-on? Fine, then drive check!" Hayabusa lifted the card dramatically. "...no trigger. Second check... nothing here, either."

Drive Check: Honorary Professor, Chatnoir

Drive Check: Coiling Duckbill

"Damage trigger, check." Aichi muttered. But the revealed card came up blank, too.

Damage Check: Wingal Storm

"Boosted by Duckbill, Hammsuke!" The professor pressed on. (8000+7000=15000 vs 10000)

"Akane Intercepts." Aichi declared quickly. "And guard, Speargal!" The beast tamer and her faithful companion jumped in the middle of the fray, and using their whip and armor respectively, warded off the knight's assault battery.

"End Phase... Compass Lion retires Hammsuke, and I Counter Blast one card to add another copy to my hand." The doctor growled impatiently. "Turn end."

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 6 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 3(F/F/U)
(R) n/a - Coiling Duckbill (7000)
(VG) Honorary Professor, Chatnoir (11000) – Chalk Sparrow (5000)
(R) Compass Lion (11000) – Pencil Squire, Hammsuke (6000)

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 2 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 5(F/U/U/U/U)
(R) n/a – Shieldgal (6000)
(VG) Crown Sword Knight, Lucan (10000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) Knight of the Aegis, Dynas (10000) – Shieldgal (6000)

Aichi sighed, drawing a new card. His situation hadn't increased dramatically – his opponent was still at three damage, and he needed something to tilt the scales in his favor. He glanced at the card that he had just added to his hand. This can work...

"Call!" He said out loud. "High Beast Brawler, Seiran!" A blue-haired young fighter, wearing armor of matching color, appeared in front of the lone Shieldgal. "Seiran's Especial Counter Blast!" Just like Akane, this new form of Seiran had an ability that could be activated when he was first called, by Counter Blasting a High Beast card. "Seiran himself, as well as a High Beast on my field, gain plus 4000 Power for the turn!" Using this effect, Aichi empowered his left-side Rear Guard column from 15000 to 23000 total power, enough to force 15000 worth of shield.

Call: High Beast Brawler, Seiran (G2 / 9000 PWR)

"Attack!" Aichi shouted. "First, Seiran will strike, with Shieldgal's boost! Your target is Chatnoir!" (9000+5000+6000+5000=23000 vs 11000)

"I see what you are planning." Professor Hayabusa sneered. "Your low-level strategies are easy to read for me! Guard! Dictionary Goat, and Coiling Duckbill!"

"Then, Lucan attacks!" Aichi pressed on. "Limit Break!" (10000+5x2000+5000=25000 vs 11000)

"No guard!" Having guarded the previous strike, Hayabusa could afford to risk the appearance of a single Critical trigger.

"Drive check." And indeed, although the first card turned up nothing of immediate use – albeit it was one of the few cards in this deck that he actually remembered from his own time – the second glowed golden. "Get, Critical trigger! Critical to Lucan, power to Dynas!" Exactly like the previous turn, Lucan's empowered sword slashed at the much smaller cat. Chatnoir hissed indignantly, retreating to its safe position atop its wielder's shoulder. Two cards fell on the opponent's Damage Zone, but neither revealed a helpful trigger. Great, I caught up!

Drive Check: Conjurer of Mithril

Drive Check: Battle Sage, Garon (Critical trigger)

Damage Check: Monoculus Tiger

Damage Check: Barcode Zebra

"And now, Dynas!" Aichi shouted.

"Hmpfh. Guard!" The doctor recovered quickly. "Cable Sheep! I discard my Grade 2 Hammsuke, perfect defense!"

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 2 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 5(F/F/U/U/U)
(R) n/a - Coiling Duckbill (7000)
(VG) Honorary Professor, Chatnoir (11000) – Chalk Sparrow (5000)
(R) Compass Lion (11000) – Pencil Squire, Hammsuke (6000)

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 4 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 5(F/F/U/U/U)
(R) High Beast Brawler, Seiran (9000) – Shieldgal (6000)
(VG) Crown Sword Knight, Lucan (10000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) Knight of the Aegis, Dynas (10000) – Shieldgal (6000)

"So this is as far as you go..." The older cardfighter sneered. "Let me show you just what kind of unbridgeable gap exists between a scientist, a man of intellect and wisdom who guides the destiny of the world, and a worthless dropout, a footnote on the backlogs of society! Break Ride!" He slammed a card on his console, and Chatnoir vanished in a pillar of emerald light. "Battler of the Twin Brush, Polaris!"

Aichi gulped as a fierce polar bear, standing on its hind legs and covered in thick metal armor, its arms protected by two powerful, ornate guards that could easily be used as weapons, burst of of that light, unleashing an earth-shaking roar.

Ride: Battler of the Twin Brush, Polaris (G3 / 10000 PWR)

Aichi was already acquainted with the ability of that Unit, which had been Chris' ace card while he was under the corruptive influence of Psyqualia. What was more worrying was the fact that its power jumped up to 20000, due to the Break Ride effect of Chatnoir – and Aichi knew the Break Ride skills did not stop there. Additionally, the professor called a second Chatnoir in front of Duckbill.

Call: Honorary Professor, Chatnoir (G3 / 11000 PWR)

"Chalk Sparrow moves to the Soul." Hayabusa continued. "And Compass Lion gains a new skill for the turn. And now... let me show you the extent of my science combo! Compass Lion attacks, with a boost of Hammsuke! And at this moment, two effects activate! First, the effect inherited by Chatnoir's Break Ride increases Compass Lion's Power by 4000! Then, the effect inherited by Chalk Sparrow increases Chatnoir's Power by 4000!" Aichi gasped as both of the opposing front row rear guards were engulfed in empowering light. I see, this is bad... "And Lion's attack is still on!" (11000+4000+6000=21000 vs 10000)

But, at the same time... This Unit's skill... Aichi's eyes wandered to his field.

"Intercept." He said slowly. "Seiran!" The high dog trainer advanced forward.

"Just 5000 shield? It's not enough!" Hayabusa snapped. "But it's no surprise that a delinquent such as you wouldn't be able to tackle even a basic equation, hmm?"

"I'm not done." But instead of reaching for the cards in his hand, Aichi instead tapped another card on his field. "I Counter Blast two cards... and activate the effect of Knight of the Aegis, Dynas on my Rear Guard! Dynas can move to the Guardian circle, and in doing so, defend with 10000 Shield!" The shieldmaiden marched forth, and used her giant shield to slam the lion, that was already distracted by Seiran's attacks. The great beast whimpered and fell back.

"How pointless!" The doctor laughed. "Look at my field, boy! You know the effect of Polaris! You can't stop this onslaught of attacks!"

Indeed, having seen it in action, the professor's combo was certainly terrifying. A continuous wave of attacks utilizing stand triggers and the effect of Polaris, with each attack being able to further increase his attack power... thanks in part to the clairvoyance of Psyqualia, he could see quite clearly how the turn would go from there. The professor would attack with the rear guard Chatnoir, using the Break Ride skill to push the column further to 26000 power. If Aichi defended, then it would be Polaris' turn. Limit Break would activate, standing Compass Lion and increasing its power further. If a Stand trigger was checked, Chatnoir would also return to standing position. Assuming Aichi was actually able to block all the attacks so far, Compass Lion would attack again, using both effects for an 8000 Power boost, resulting in a 27000 Power attack. A Heal trigger would be the only way for Aichi to make to this point – and that would still potentially leave a second attack from Chatnoir which, combined with the Trigger's boost, would swing for a massive 30000. In other words, a certain-kill combo that could only be survived by staying considerably ahead in damage, or gathering an absurd amount of cards in your hand – and Aichi had neither of those advantages.

What he did have, though...

"Dynas' skill... doesn't end here." The knight's shield shone with a brilliant white light, causing the beasts on the opposing side to shied away. "After being called to the Guardian circle with her ability... I can then target one of your Rear Guards, except the ones in battle, and Retire it!"

"What?!" But before the professor could react, the retaliation came – a stream of pure white light exploded out of Dynas' shield, striking Chatnoir who, despite its nimble movements, failed to dodge it, and was incinerated with a mournful meow. "I – it can't be – my scientifically flawless combination..." Against an average deck, Dynas' effect wouldn't have been a massive setback – but for the doctor's Stand-based strategy...

"Grr... don't get to cocky!" Regardless, he didn't let up. "You have too few cards in your hand still, mathematically speaking, your survival is highly unlikely! Polaris attacks!" The polar bear howled, beginning a mad rampage forward. "And now, Limit Break!" He turned over two cards in his Damage Zone. "Compass Lion stands, and gains 4000 Power! And Polaris, Power plus 4000!" (10000+10000+3000=23000 vs 10000)

"Guard!" Aichi slammed a card from his hand onto the Guardian circle. "Strikegal!"

"Not enou - " The professor began, but was cut short as Aichi reached for his field.

"Also, Counter Blast! I activate the effect of Shieldgal, and call it to the Guardian circle, along with its companion!" The two high dogs advanced forward, standing in the way of the mighty polar bear. "Superior Guard!"

"Superior G – bah!" Hayabusa growled, increasingly irritated. "Twin Drive, check!" He picked up a card. "Get!" He exclaimed. "Stand trigger..." Then paused briefly. "Hammsuke stands. And... power to Polaris!" His Vanguard was wrapped in a sapphire power surge. Aichi braced himself. Compass Lion would already be reaching dauntingly high attack power, so boosting it further was useless. Instead, the optimal choice – was to give the power to his Vanguard, and bank on a second trigger. And should that trigger appear – Aichi's guard would be broken, and he'd have only a sixth damage heal to rely on. "Second check - !" But his opponent's disgruntled expression was enough indication – Aichi was safe. The giant bear's armored hands struck down the three high beasts trying to thwart it – but they managed to faze it enough, and it didn't have the strength left to pursue a confrontation with the solitary knight, who had raised his blade defensively.

Drive Check: Eraser Alpaca (Stand trigger)

Drive Check: Battler of the Twin Brush, Polaris

"Bah... even so! Lion attacks!" There was still... that final attack. "And the skills from Chatnoir and Sparrow activate, Power plus 8000 to Hammsuke!" (11000+4000+4000+6000+4000+4000=33000 vs 10000) "Its attack power is too high, you can't defend against this!"

"Guard." But attack power wasn't the only thing that mattered. Aichi slid forward a single card. "Flash Aegis, Iseult. Perfect defense." Rest for now... He discarded Blaster Blade's card from his hand. At that moment, he felt a surge from the bond they shared via Psyqualia – a calm, steady sensation, reflecting his avatar's confidence and unshakeable will. Blaster Blade knew that Aichi had held him back on purpose, and was grateful for it, as well as proud of the fact that he had been able to stand without him. Iseult materialized before Compass Lion, knocking it backwards with her shield.

"Grr... at the end phase... Lion and Hammsuke retire." The doctor snapped. "And for every time that the Break Ride skill of Chatnoir was activated, I draw a card!" He made two draws. "Furthermore, Pencil Squire's Counter Blast brings an additional Squire to my hand! You survived this turn somehow, but your field and hand are practically empty! Just try breaking through this!" He indicated the six cards in his hand.

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 6 | Soul: 4 | Dmg: 5(F/F/F/U/U)
(R) n/a - Coiling Duckbill (7000)
(VG) Battler of the Twin Brush, Polaris (10000) – n/a
(R) n/a – n/a

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 1 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 5(F/F/F/F/F)
(R) n/a – n/a
(VG) Crown Sword Knight, Lucan (10000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) n/a – n/a

"Stand and... draw." Indeed, from an objective perspective, Aichi's chances weren't looking good right now. With only his Vanguard column and two cards in his hand... but, the Royal Paladins in his deck wouldn't give up so easily. "Call." He declared. "Conjurer of Mithril!" And a blonde sword-wielding warrior appeared besides Lucan. "And skill, activate! I check the top card of my deck, and if it is a Grade 1 or 2 Royal Paladin, I can Superior Call it!" He touched his deck and closed his eyes. Please...

Call: Conjurer of Mithril (G2 / 7000 PWR)

And he felt it, the warm sensation underneath his fingers – his Units were responding to him. He lifted the card and -

"Superior Call!" He exclaimed. "Speargal!" He placed the unit on the other, empty lane.

Superior Call: Speargal (G1 / 7000 PWR)

"Bah, one more Unit won't make a difference now!" The professor growled.

"No." Aichi reached for his Drop Zone. "One Unit can make all the difference... when a High Beast appears from my deck to the Rear Guard, I can call this Unit from my Drop Zone! Superior Call, Hazegal!" And the Heal trigger High Beast with the translucent fur appeared to back up the Conjurer. "Also, call! Margal!" The red armored canine he had drawn at the start of his turn now materialized in front of Speargal, completing his formation.

Superior Call: Hazegal (G0 / 3000 PWR)

Call: Margal (G0 / 4000 PWR)

"F – Five Rear Guards?!" The professor recoiled.

"Let's go." Aichi stretched his hand. "Boosted by Hazegal, Conjurer of Mithril!" (7000+3000=10000 vs 10000)

"Guard!" The Squire Hammsuke appeared to ward off this relatively weak attack. But what came next...

"Boosted by Stargal, Lucan! Limit Break!" With Aichi's field completed, the berserker knight reached its full power at 25000. Now, it all depended on...

"Grr... guard!" The opponent was not giving up. "Dictionary Goat! Eraser Alpaca!" 30000... he has three cards left in his hand, one of them is Polaris, the other two... "Th – that's all..." Aichi breathed. Then the unknown two cards probably were Grade 1 or higher units – he'd need one of those for Aichi's leftover rear guard lane anyway, and guarding with more was pointless since a trigger would determine the outcome either way. It all came down to...

"Twin Drive." Aichi said quietly. "First check... no trigger."

Drive Check: High Beast Tamer, Akane

"And... second." Aichi closed his eyes – and entrusted the outcome on the bond he shared with his units. He lifted up the top card.

An emerald glow wrapped around it.

"Heal trigger." He said softly. "One damage is recovered... and Lucan receives plus 5000 Power."

Drive Check: Hazegal (Heal trigger)

With a fierce battle cry, the knight slammed its sword through the large chicken and goat, tearing them to shreds without even slowing down. Polaris charged to meet him, readying its clawed arms – but Lucan's fierce sword blow found the creature's heart before its attack could land. A card rose from the professor's deck – but it was only a dull, triggerless check.

Damage Check: Binoculus Tiger

With a groan, Polaris collapsed, the hologram fading away, leaving only a professor who had seemingly gone speechless from shock. The forcefield around them disappeared.

Professor Hayabusa
Hand: 3 | Soul: 4 | Dmg: 6(F/F/F/U/U/U)
(R) n/a - Coiling Duckbill (7000)
(VG) Battler of the Twin Brush, Polaris (10000) – n/a
(R) n/a – n/a

Sendou Aichi
Hand: 2 | Soul: 2 | Dmg: 5(F/F/F/F/F)
(R) Conjurer of Mithril (7000) – n/a
(VG) Crown Sword Knight, Lucan (10000) - Stargal (5000)
(R) n/a – n/a

"Good job, you did it Aichi!" Izaki cheered behind him. "Alright now, doc." He walked forward, flanking professor Hayabusa who was surreptitiously edging towards the back of the room. "Spill the beans. What's going on here? What is this place and what happened to it?"

"Heh... you fools!" But the scientist was determined to hold out until the end. "Do you really think this is over, oh no, you have seen nothing yet, I will now unleash the greatest horror..." He dramatically withdrew a remote control and pressed a big red button. "Come out, Scott!"

"Who the hell is Scott?" Izaki demanded, but at that time, two things happened – Misaki's loud curse reached their ears through the facility, and, using that momentary distraction where the two boys were frozen – Hayabusa dived behind the wall divider.

"Aichi, go after him!" Izaki took only a split second to make a decision. "I'll go check up on Misaki!"

"G – got it!" Aichi didn't want to get in the way of the others, so he obeyed without hesitation, diving behind the canvas after the professor. However...

"H – he's gone?" He blinked. There was no sign of him anywhere. The back of the room was just a plain empty space, no hiding spots or doors of any kind. "Where did he go... ugh!" A sudden stab at his senses alerted him – the professor was gone, but he was still close, and so was Aichi's actual objective. "A trapdoor? A hidden exit?" He mused. He glanced around the floor, not really trying to locate something by sight, but allowing the other senses that were flooding in his head through Psyqualia – the superior sense of smell and hearing of the High Dogs – to track what he was looking for. Quickly, they led him to an area of the wall that looked utterly nondescript – but according to those instincts, was the entryway to a hidden corridor. Now how do I open it...

But before he could even think about it, before his shocked eyes, the section of the wall suddenly disappeared, leaving an opening large enough for a single person to comfortably pass through. Beyond that, there was more darkness, but Aichi knew it was the right direction.

However – he did not need his extended senses, to feel the aura of deep blackness, the radiance of danger, that lay further ahead. What he was looking for was indeed close, but what would happen when he found it... that was a different story.

VGLDW06
FIN

CARD OF THE DAY:

Knight of the Aegis, Dynas
Grade 3 | Twin Drive!
United Sanctuary | Royal Paladin | Human
10000 | - | 1
• [AUTO] [V]:[Return 1 Royal Paladin Unit with "Aegis" in its card name from your Drop Zone to the bottom of your deck and shuffle your deck] When this Unit appears on (VC), you may pay the cost. If so, draw 1 card, and this Unit gains [Power]+5000 until the end of this turn.
• [AUTO] [R/Soul]:[CB2] When your Royal Paladin except this Unit is attacked, you may call this Unit to (GC) and if you do, it gains [Shield]+10000 for that battle, and you can choose 1 of your opponent's Units on (RC) that is not attacking or boosting and Retire it.
With this Aegis, I will be the shield that defends the Sanctuary. This, I swear.

One of the few high-ranking female knights in the Sanctuary's standing army. When the Link Joker invasion began, Dynas briefly served as a member of the special corps Jewel Knights, and witnessed its massacre firsthand at the hands of their leaders, who had fallen under the curse called Reverse. Dynas managed to escape, and remained on the run for a while, fighting the invaders in small skirmishes wherever she could – but the hopelessness of the situation began to weaken her heart and spirit. It was in that desperate time that she heard it – the call of a Cosmo Dragon, the highest-ranking deities in the Sanctuary, calling upon her. She followed the dragon's cry to a hidden vault, where she discovered one of the Sanctuary's top-secret weapons, the prototype model of the Aegis shield that is also used by Iseult. Because this prototype relied extensively on the technology used in the Blaster weapon series, it was considered too volatile and hard to control – however, it has a frightening potential. Without hesitation, Dynas picked up the ancient shield, with the resolve 'I will defend the Sanctuary, even if it costs me my own life.' With renewed strength and resolve, Dynas continues to follow the call of the dragon who saved her from despair, searching for allies to fight beside...

VGLDW06

PROFESSOR HAYABUSA:

Chalk Sparrow
Grade 0 | Boost
Zoo | Great Nature | High Beast
5000 | 10000 | 1
• [AUTO]: 'Forerunner' (When you Ride a Unit that shares a clan with this Unit on this Unit, you may call this Unit to (RC))
• [AUTO] [R]:[Move this Unit to the Soul] Choose 1 of your Great Nature, for this turn, it gains the following skill: {{ [AUTO] [V/R]: When this Unit attacks the Vanguard, choose 1 of your Great Nature Rear Guards, for this turn, it gains [Power]+4000, and Retire it during your End Phase. }}

VGLDW06

SENDOU AICHI:

Stargal
Grade 0 | Boost
United Sanctuary | Royal Paladin | High Beast
5000 | 10000 | 1
• [AUTO]: 'Forerunner' (When you Ride a Unit that shares a clan with this Unit on this Unit, you may call this Unit to (RC))
• [AUTO] [R]:[Move this Unit to the Soul] When this Unit boosts a Royal Paladin Unit with 'Legend' and the attack hits a Vanguard, you may pay the cost. If so, search your deck for up to 1 [Cosmo Dragon] and add it to your hand, then shuffle your deck.

Flash Aegis, Iseult
Grade 1 | Boost
United Sanctuary | Royal Paladin | Human
6000 | 0 | 1
• [CONT]: 'Sentinel' (you can only have up to 4 cards with 'Sentinel' in your deck)
• [AUTO]:[Discard 1 Royal Paladin from your hand] When this Unit appears on (GC), you may pay the cost. If so, your Royal Paladin won't be hit for that battle.

Blaster Blade LEGEND(*)
Grade 2 | Intercept
United Sanctuary | Royal Paladin | Human
9000 | 5000 | 1
• [CONT]: 'Legend' (you can only have up to 1 copy of a Unit with 'Legend' in your deck. You can only have up to 3 cards with 'Legend' in your deck)
• [AUTO] (V/R) (CB2): When this Unit appears on (VC) or (RC), Retire 1 of your opponent's Rear Guards.
• [AUTO]: 'Inspire': When you activate a skill with 'Inherit', call this Unit to (RC).

High Beast Tamer, Akane
Grade 2 | Intercept
United Sanctuary | Royal Paladin | Human
9000 | 5000 | 1
• [AUTO] [R]:[CB1 Royal Paladin [High Beast]] When this Unit appears on (RC), if you have a Royal Paladin Vanguard, you may pay the cost. If so, look at the top 5 cards of your deck, choose up to 1 Royal Paladin [High Beast] among them and call it to (RC) in the same column as this Unit, then shuffle your deck.

High Beast Brawler, Seiran
Grade 2 | Intercept
United Sanctuary | Royal Paladin | Human
9000 | 5000 | 1
• [AUTO] [R]:[CB1 Royal Paladin [High Beast]] When this Unit appears on (RC), if you have a Royal Paladin Vanguard, you may pay the cost. If so, choose 1 of your Royal Paladin [High Beast] on (RC), that Unit and this Unit gain [Power]+4000 until the end of this turn.

Cataphract Dragon
Grade 2 | Intercept
United Sanctuary | Royal Paladin | Cosmo Dragon
9000 | 5000 | 1
• [AUTO] [V/R]: When this Unit's attack hits the Vanguard, if you have another [Cosmo Dragon] Vanguard or Rear Guard, unflip 1 card in your Damage Zone.
• [AUTO]: When you Ride a [Cosmo Dragon] on this Unit, unflip 2 cards in your Damage Zone, then choose up to 1 of your Vanguards, that Unit gets [Power]+5000 for this turn.

Crown Sword Knight, Lucan(*)
Grade 3 | Twin Drive!
United Sanctuary | Royal Paladin | Human
10000 | 5000 | 1
• [AUTO] [V] [LB4]: When this Unit attacks, this Unit gets [Power]+2000 for each of your Royal Paladin Rear Guards until the end of that battle.
• [AUTO] [V]: 'Inherit': When this Unit appears on (VC), if there are 1 or more cards with 'Legend' in your Soul or (RC) that share a clan with this Unit, this Unit gets [Power]+10000 and [Critical]+1 until this turn's End Phase.

Note: the skills / stats of cards with (*) are not fully revealed yet