Mizael was angry.
It had all been so perfect. The great, prideful reunion of the Barian Lords before their enemies. It had been meant to demoralise them. To show them how futile their efforts up to now had been. The reappearance of Nasch and Merag had brought the seven of them back together at last, and displaying this to Yuma and Astral – and thereby underlining the fact that they were now forced to fight their old comrades – would have sent them spiralling into despair. Once that happened, the seven of them would have annihilated Yuma and Kaito, sealing victory once and for all.
But everything had fallen apart so quickly. An unknown person had launched smoke bombs at the Barian Lords, obscuring their enemies from sight. Blinded, the seven of them had been unable to stop Yuma and the others escaping.
"Yuma... Kaito... where are you?" Mizael growled, launching himself from rooftop to rooftop, his eyes scanning the streets below.
The second he had recovered, Nasch – who's Barialapis had for some reason reacted with Yuma's pendant, immobilising the pair of them – had given the order to spit up and comb the city to find Yuma and the others. They had no need for orders beyond that. They knew their mission: attack on sight, retrieve the Numbers.
Mizael changed direction to follow a highway, moving as fast as the layout of the human city would allow him.
Like his comrades, he had good reason to be in a hurry. However, he wasn't quite so driven by Nasch's orders as the others. In fact, he desperately wanted to catch up to the group before any of the others did. But not to fight Yuma. Personally he didn't care much for dueling Yuma – he had almost defeated him before, and had no doubts in his ability to do so again.
Kaito, on the other hand...
Above all else, Mizael wanted nothing more than to have a fierce, heartfelt duel with Kaito. Not for anything as trivial as Number hunting, but to prove, once and for all, which of them was the true Galaxy-Eyes master. He couldn't let one of his comrades defeat Kaito first. He wouldn't allow it. Kaito was his prey, and his alone.
And then he saw it. Lights, in the distance. A large, minibus-like vehicle speeding along the highway just ahead of him.
"Found you!" Mizael cried, darting towards the vehicle. He had it. He'd found them first. Kaito was all his.
The scream was his only warning.
Glancing over his shoulder, Mizael caught a glimpse of one of the strangest sights he'd seen in a long time. A young girl of about Yuma's age, speeding through the air towards him, riding what seemed to be a giant pink rocket-propelled hover-cannon. And screaming her head off.
No sooner had he laid eyes on it when the girl fired her cannon. A series of energy blasts shot through the air towards him, knocking the girl back from the recoil.
"What?!" Mizael exclaimed.
With just seconds to spare, he landed on the nearest rooftop and held up his hand, conjuring an energy shield. The attack smashed into the barrier, exploding with a force that rocked the building beneath him. Mizael winced. Had the girl's 'battlecry' not alerted him, he was sure that the attack would have seriously injured him.
"Who are you?" he called through the smoke.
The girl landed opposite him with a thud, her cannon flying away of its own accord. Straightening up, she stared Mizael down with fire in her eyes.
"I am... Anna!" she proclaimed, pointing at him. "Even if it kills me, I won't let you lay one finger on my Yuma!"
"Little girl, I won't forgive anyone who stands in my way," Mizael replied, all the while conscious of his ever-fleeing quarry.
"You won't forgive, you say?" Anna repeated indignantly. "Well that's my-"
"That's my line!"
Anna stopped, confused. Both of them turned their eyes to the sky, and almost immediately spotted a figure on another nearby roof, looking down on them with a triumphant smile. He was dressed like some bizarre superhero, complete with white spandex, a blue cape, and a red mask with a gold protrusion that looked almost like a crown.
"Today is one again a banquet of justice!" he called to them. "ESPer Robin, ally to those in trouble, has now arrived!"
Now Anna looked just as bemused as Mizael felt. "ESPer Robin... you mean like out of the TV show?"
"That's the one!" Robin jumped down from the roof, landing nimbly on one knee in front of Anna. "Real name Fuya Okudaira. But you can call me Fuya, young lady."
"Um..."
"And you," he went on, standing up and pointing at Mizael, "may address me as 'The Great Transdimensional Hero: ESPer Star Robin'! Nothing more, nothing less!"
"Why are you here?" Anna asked. "And why are you dressed like that?"
"Same reason as you, I reckon," Fuya replied. "Yuma was the first real friend I ever had, and I owe everything to him: my confidence, my family, and my life. The absolute least I can do now – as a hero and as a friend – is help him when he needs it most.
"Hmph," Anna scoffed, turning to face Mizael. "Don't go so far as assuming anything about Yuma and I. He means more to me than you'll ever know."
"Be that as it may," Fuya nodded, mimicking her movement, "we find ourselves on the same side here."
Anna grinned. "Yeah. How about it then, Goldilocks? Think you can take us both?"
Mizael sighed and shook his head. "Pathetic..." he muttered. "Is this the greatest resistance that humanity can muster? I don't have time to play with you small-fries." He turned and made to leap from the building.
Something exploded in front of him, sending him staggering backwards. Glancing up, he saw Anna's cannon, still hovering in the sky and blocking off his escape route.
"You're going nowhere!" Anna shouted.
Mizael's fist clenched. He was torn between two choices. His mind was telling him to blast that irritating device out of the sky and keep chasing Kaito. But that was the second time this girl had dared to raise a hand against him. Before he could give chase, he had to show the pair of them what it meant to slight a Barian Lord.
"Very well," he growled, turning back to the pair. "But I meant what I said. I will show no mercy to those who stand against me!"
"I meant what I said too!" Anna retorted, triggering her duel disk. "I won't let you past, even if it kills me!"
"Likewise!" Fuya called, activating his own. Mizael copied them, the bandage-like gauntlet on his arm unfurling and reforming to create a white, wing-like disk. As Anna and Fuya prepared their D-Gazers – and Mizael's eye flashed red – the augmented reality field rose up around them, tinting everything an electric green colour.
"DUEL"
Mizael LP: 4000
Anna LP: 4000
Fuya LP: 4000
"I'll take the first move," Mizael said. "I draw! I Set one monster in Defence Position and end my turn."
"Me next," Anna asserted. "I draw! First, I activate the Field Spell, revolving Switchyard!" As she placed the Spell on her duel disk, a wave of light rippled out from her feet, transforming their surroundings from the empty city landscape into a train yard. Closed garage doors surrounded them, and spotlights illuminated the great revolving track between them.
"Revolving Switchyard..." Mizael repeated.
"This card has two effects, of which I can activate one per turn," Anna explained. "I activate the second effect! By sending one card from my hand to the Graveyard, I can add a really big train from my Deck to my hand. I discard Ruffian Railcar to add Heavy Freight Train Derricrane to my hand!" She placed one card in the Graveyard, and caught her new addition as her Deck spat it out. "Next, I Summon Lionhearted Locomotive!" One of the bay doors behind her rattled open, and from it, a large green steam train rumbled out, stopping just short of Anna.
Lionhearted Locomotive: Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 2400/DEF 2100
"A monster with 2400 ATK right off the bat?!" Fuya said surprised.
Anna grinned. "In a Battle Royal, we can't attack on our first turns. So I Set one card and end my turn!" A face-down appeared in front of her. "And during the End Phase, my discarded Ruffian Railcar's effect activates, letting me add Snow Plow Hustle Rustle from my Deck to my hand."
"And so, the banquet begins!" Fuya declared, swishing his cape aside. "Draw! I Normal Summon Beast-Warrior Puma!" A black, panther-like warrior emerged before him.
Beast-Warrior Puma: Beast-Warrior-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 1600/DEF 1000
"Puma's effect activates! By Tributing it, I can add D.D. Esper Star Sparrow from my Deck to my hand." The panther drew its sword and held it aloft. The blade flared with light along its length and emitted a high-pitched note, upon which Puma burst into a shower of light particles.
"Star Sparrow..." Anna muttered, tapping a button on her D-Gazer.
"I won't be Summoning it yet," Fuya went on, showing Mizael the card before placing it in his hand. "But you won't have to wait long to meet the real me! I place two cards face-down and end my turn." The Set cards materialised before him.
"Then it's my turn, draw!" Mizael drew with vigour, his eyes fixed on the pair opposite him. "Now that we've all had a turn, the attacks can begin! I Special Summon Schwarzschild Limit Dragon!" A brown, serpentine dragon with an orange underside appeared before them, twisting itself into an infinity symbol.
Schwarzschild Limit Dragon: Dragon-Type/DARK/Level 8/ATK 2000/DEF 0
"If my opponent controls a monster with 2000 or more ATK," Mizael explained, indicating Lionhearted Locomotive, "Schwarzschild can be Special Summoned directly from my hand. Then, I Flip Summon Heliosphere Dragon!" His face-down monster flipped up, and a pink, bat-like dragon with a heart-shaped indent in its centre appeared.
Heliosphere Dragon: Dragon-Type/LIGHT/Level 4/ATK 0/DEF 1900
"Heliosphere's effect activates!" he went on. "If I control a Level eight Dragon, I can change Heliosphere's Level to eight!"
Heliosphere Dragon: Level 4 → 8
"Two Level eight monsters..." Fuya muttered. "Here it comes."
"Let me show you, pathetic humans, just what it means to stand before the Barian Lords! Level eight Schwarzschild and Heliosphere, Overlay!" At Mizael's command, both dragons shot up into the air as purple and yellow bolts of light, clearing the way for a galaxy portal to open up. "I use these two monsters to construct the Overlay Network!" The two Material Monsters chased spiralled down into the portal, which exploded with light. "The howl that pierces the universe – reflect the distant past, and revive from the roots of the galaxies! Manifest yourself now, and guide me to victory! Xyz Summon! Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon!"
The violet symbol flashed across the field, spelling out the number one-hundred-and-seven. The Number's sealed form rose out of the portal – a huge upside-down Dual Square pyramid, made from a dark purple metallic material, and with red and blue crystals set into opposite faces. The construct opened up, and three long, spindly tails spilled out from inside. Pieces of what looked like machine parts began to unfold from within the sealed form, assembling and connecting in different ways, until eventually, a colossal, mechanical-looking dragon floated above them. Its body was the same colour as its sealed form – a purple so dark that it bordered on black – and constructed from the same metallic material. Its arms were two wide metal plates that looked like shields, and its eyes a piercing, bloodthirsty red colour. As the residue from its explosive Summoning died away, the dragon drew back its head and let out a roar – a strange, high-pitched screech that a second later descended into a rumbling howl. Two bright yellow Overlay Units traced circles around the beast, contrasting sharply against its dark, armoured hide.
Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon: Dragon-Type/Xyz/LIGHT/Rank 8/ATK 3000/DEF 2500 – 2 OLU
"Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon..." Fuya breathed, staring up at the beast, a thrill of fear chilling him to the core.
Anna grinned unsteadily. "So that's your ace, huh?"
"Don't get the wrong idea," Mizael said firmly. "Don't you dare believe that I'm honouring you by going all out. You are far from deserving of Tachyon Dragon's majesty. However, I'm hunting bigger prey today... and you two are just in my way. For insects like you who block my path, there can be only one punishment: a total and utter annihilation!"
Fuya flinched. Anna readied herself.
"Battle! Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon, attack the would-be hero directly! Tachyon Spiral of Annihilation!" The mechanical dragon drew back its head and began charging a bright purple sphere of energy.
"Trap Card, open! A Hero Emerges!" Fuya's face-down card activated, and he held up his four card hand. "Now you have to select one random card in my hand, and if it's a monster, I can immediately Special Summon it!"
Mizael's eyes narrowed in annoyance. "The far left."
Fuya gave a bark of laughter. "Yes! You picked brilliantly, sir! The descent of the transdimensional hero has finally arrived! Appear, D.D. Esper Star Sparrow!" From high above, the famous dark-skinned warrior with a red cape materialised before its owner, creating a stark contrast between the two heroes.
D.D. Esper Star Sparrow: Warrior-Type/LIGHT/Level 10/ATK 3000/DEF 1500
"Hmph," Mizael snorted. "Since the conditions on the field have changed, I call a replay. Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon, redirect your attack to Lionhearted Locomotive!" The dragon turned on Anna, and unleashed a blast of violet energy that blew her train to smithereens. Anna herself was knocked backwards by the force of the attack, landing heavily.
Anna LP: 4000 → 3400
"Anna! Are you ok?!" Fuya called.
"Y- yeah..." Anna breathed, struggling to her feet. What an impact… she thought. It's like getting hit by Yumimi's Chaos Xyz all over again. Worse even.
Mizael watched impassively, allowing her to get to her feet before continuing. "At this moment, I activate Tachyon Dragon's effect! Once per turn, at the end of the Battle Phase, I can detach one of its Overlay Units to negate the effects of all other face-up monsters on the field, and if any of them have had their attack points modified, those modifications are removed!" Behind him, the dragon absorbed one of the yellow orbs into the red gem on its chest.
Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon: 2 → 1 OLU
"Tachyon Transmigration!" At this order, the Tachyon Dragon suddenly began to shrink down, folding in upon itself, until they found themselves staring at the Number's sealed form once again, revolving slowly in the air above them. Then, the red and blue gems imbedded into the construct suddenly flashed with light, and a blinding, all-consuming blaze of colour was released from the sealed form. The lights from Revolving Switchyard were eclipsed by the multi-coloured blaze as it washed over the field, suffusing Esper Star Sparrow.
"Hang in there, Star Sparrow!" Fuya called.
"With this your monster's effects are sealed," Mizael said. "Additionally, for each card or effect that resolved previously during this Battle Phase, Tachyon Dragon gains an additional 1000 ATK until the End Phase, also it can move away from the end of the Battle Phase and make one more attack!" The rainbow cacophony was starting to ease up now, the sealed form's revolutions slowing down. "Reverberate through time and be reborn! Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon!" The sealed form opened up once again, and within a few seconds, the Number was hovering above the field, even more menacing than before, an aura of yellow energy now surrounding it.
Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon: ATK 3000 → 4000
"What?!" Anna gasped.
"It can make multiple attacks?" Fuya said.
"Correct," Mizael nodded. "And the girl's field is now wide open. Go, Tachyon Dragon! Put her to rest!" At his command, the dragon began charging another attack.
Desperately, Anna reached for her hand. "I activate the effect of Snow Plow Hustle Rustle in my hand! By destroying my Set card, I can immediately Summon it in response to a direct attack!"
"What?! Mizael exclaimed. "Destroying your own Set card?"
Anna grinned. Another door slid up behind her, bringing forth a giant red train with a snow plough attached to it. The track it was on took it straight to Anna's Set card – Grade-Up – which it smashed straight through without stopping.
Snow Plow Hustle Rustle: Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 10/ATK 2500/DEF 3000
"That's not all! You now take 200 damage per card destroyed this way!" Mizael winced as the train zoomed past him, pelting him with shards of the destroyed Trap Card.
Mizael LP: 4000 → 3800
"Then, the other effect of Revolving Switchyard activates!" Anna went on before Mizael could react. The track brought Hustle Rustle back around to Anna's side where it stopped. "When I Summon an EARTH Machine, I can Summon a smaller train from my Deck, and turn it into a big train!"
"What are you talking about, girl?" Mizael snapped.
"You'll see. Appear, Express Train Trolley Olley!" The revolving track between them began rotating, grinding slowly around until it formed a new track to a garage off to the side. The door opened, and from it a cargo train pulling containers of coal emerged.
Express Train Trolley Olley: Machine-Type/EARTH/Level 4/ATK 1800/DEF 1000
"Then, due to Switchyard's effect, Trolley Olley's Level increases from four to ten!"
Express Train Trolley Olley: Level 4 → 10
Mizael's fist clenched. "If you're quite finished," he snarled, "I'll leave your ridiculous toys alone, and instead use another replay to attack Esper Star Sparrow!" At that moment, the dragon fired once again. The intense beam of purple energy shot down and struck the monster with the force of a bomb going off. Fuya screamed and was lost in the explosion. "That much drama from a mere 1000 damage," Mizael said disdainfully. "He won't last minutes."
"I wouldn't be so sure," Anna replied, waggling her finger at him.
"What?"
Both of them watched as the smoke cleared, revealing a remarkably unharmed Fuya. His monster was gone, but in front of him, one of the flashing barriers used to stop trains entering the Switchyard had lowered, creating a shield that had blocked the shockwave from the attack. Fuya himself was just now recovering, having himself been cowering behind his cape from an attack that had never reached him.
"I... whuh..." he said, a bit disoriented. "Why didn't I take damage?"
"I'd very much like to know that as well," Mizael called.
Anna laughed. "It's my Revolving Switchyard, of course! The effect that Summons extra trains to my field has a condition attached to it. After I use that effect, my opponent takes no further battle damage this turn." She pointed a finger at Mizael, then at Fuya. "This is a Battle Royal, so both of you are considered my opponents. Therefore, neither of you take damage this turn, even from battling each other!"
"Awesome!" Fuya breathed. "Thanks Anna!"
"Don't mention it," she replied. "Just make sure you pull your weight in this duel. Even a train can only carry so much baggage."
Mizael's eyes narrowed. What's going on…? he thought. What kind of dueling style is this? It's rash, reckless, destructive… yet so calculated. I've never seen anything like it-
"What's wrong?" Anna barked, interrupting the Barian's train of thought. "Hurry up and end your turn already!"
"Insolent girl," Mizael snarled. "I place three cards face-down and end my turn. And during the End Phase, Tachyon Dragon's effect wears off, and its ATK returns to normal."
Number 107: Galaxy-Eyes Tachyon Dragon: ATK 4000 → 3000
"Yes!" Anna grinned. "I've got you now! Once it's started, the charge of my Runaway Deck can't ever be stopped. On this turn, you're history, Goldilocks!"
Author Note #1: Oh how I've missed the Barian Lords.
Author Note #2: So from now on, the Extra stories will be following the same format we used in Delta. That is, all cards will use their OCG/TCG effects, with the exception of certain special cards, depending on the era. For the ZEXAL stories, cards such as the Numbers, Rank-Up-Magics, CXyzs and so on will use their anime/manga effects, whilst everything else will use its OCG/TCG effects. Additionally, we will be using some custom cards. Only a few – we're mostly sticking to existing cards – but most of the ones we add will be relatively significant.
Author Note #3: This was timed quite well actually, what with Allen using almost the same Deck as Anna in ARC-V. Did anyone else notice that they also have the same last name?