Vanguard. The card game that became a way of life in no time, but one day, imagination wasn't enough. Eventually, a group of fighters came together to create a new way of fighting. They called it the 'Neo-Fight System'. With it, fighters no longer had to use their imagination, and could bring out their units and fight alongside their Vanguards. Eventually, there became a new way to experience Vanguard. That way was through teams. Players could form teams of 5 members, and 1 'Extra' member, registered to their Neo-Fight Glove, which contained the fight system, and other general applications a fighter would need. Teams could participate in official events, or fights against other teams, earning points to go up in rank. None Rank, Bronze Rank, Silver Rank, Gold Rank, Platinum Rank, Diamond Rank, and Star Rank. At the top of the ranks, Star Rank, lies a special tournament held annually. Only teams that have reached Star Rank may enter, and the winning team is declared the top team in the world.

This is the story of team Azure Crimson, and their journey through Vanguard.

A plane landed at the airport of a city, and walking out it among the crowd was a boy with light blue hair, ocean blue eyes. They walked out of the airport and into the city to look around, smiling to himself.

I'm finally back...It's been 5 years since I came here. I was told I didn't have to help with the move-in, because I guess they knew the first person I wanted to see back at the city I was born in...!

He thought, before starting to run. However, he quickly bumped into someone else, both of them falling over. "S-Shoot..! Sorry about that, are you alright..?" He asked, before his eyes slightly widened as he saw his cards had fallen everywhere. "Ah, my deck..!" The boy said, trying to pick his cards up, before the other person, who had a dark blue hood over their head spoke.

"You're...a cardfighter, right? Strange, you don't feel like the others in this city..." They remarked, the boy looking over confusedly. "Ah. Sorry, let me help you with those." They said, helping the boy pick up his cards, eventually handing him back the rest of his deck.

"Thanks...Sorry about that. I was in a hurry to meet up with an old friend that I wasn't paying attention to where I was going." The boy said, the hooded figure laughing a bit.

"It's quite alright, but...say. It might be sudden to ask this to someone I've just met, but I'd like to ask you for a favor." The figure said, before taking out their own deck and handing it to the boy, the deck emitting a strange light blue glow. "If you accept this favor, you will be granted the path to your destiny. However, the choice is yours." They said, the boy raising an eyebrow.

"My...destiny? That sounds kind of weird, but all you want is for me to take the deck, right? Are you sure you're fine with parting with a deck like that?" The boy asked, the figure nodding.

"I haven't had a cardfight in years. It's better off in the hands of someone like you, someone with fighting spirit. I could feel it just from looking at you. Despite that timid attitude you had when you bumped into me." The figure said, the boy sweatdropping.

"W-Well, if you insist..." The boy said, reaching for the deck, the figure speaking up again.

"Say...what's your name, boy? I'd hate to forget someone like you, if you're doing me such a big favor." They asked, the boy looking slightly surprised.

"Oh, my name...It's Azure. Azure Cova. Nice to meet you..." Azure said, before grabbing the deck, as the light became brighter, practically flashing the whole street, Azure yelping in surprise. By the time it cleared, nobody seemed to act like anything had happened, and Azure looked around to see the deck he grabbed had vanished. "What the..? What just happened?" He wondered out loud, before shrugging. "I...guess it was nothing. Still, If I remember anything about him, then he's probably waiting in the dragon empire park! I know for sure I remember where that is!" Azure said, starting to run again, except watching out for others this time.

Azure Cova

Age 15

Azure is a softhearted but passionate fighter. He moved to a separate country 5 years ago, and has finally been able to move back on this day. While he usually lacks confidence, He tends to have more going for him than he believes. After meeting a strange hooded man, his 'destiny' has been sealed.

At the dragon empire park, a young boy with light brown hair and red eyes was cardfighting on a table with another kid around his age. "This will finish it..!" They declared, the other kid reaching for their deck and not pulling a heal trigger, as they sighed. "Looks like it's my win. Still, you fought well." They said, before a voice called out from the entrance.

"DRAKE!" Azure called, the boy, Drake, looking over towards the voice, as his eyes slightly widened. "Drake! It's really you! Man, you got taller..." He said, looking at the boy.

"Azure..? Is it really you? It's been 5 years..! How've you been, buddy? Speaking of taller, dang, are you finally 6 feet or something?" Drake asked, giving the blue haired boy a high five. "You really finally moved back, huh?" He asked, Azure nodding.

"Of course. I kept our promise. Now there's only one thing left to do, right?" Azure asked, smiling, taking out his deck, and putting on what appeared to be a cyan fingerless glove with a blue gemstone on the back of the 'hand' on his left hand. "I told you before I left, when I came back, we'd have a cardfight. Since it was created recently, and I've always wanted to try it with someone close to me...Let's use the Neo-fight system, Drake." He said, Drake grinning, and putting on a red fingerless glove that was similar to Azure's.

"You've got it. After all, I always wanted to see how much stronger you'd have gotten from a whole other country. Let's go." Drake said, walking over to an open field in the park, Azure walking to the opposite side, the Neo-Fight gloves glowing blue and red respectively, as the two fighters took out their decks, and placed them on the gemstones of the gloves, the decks disappearing, before a 'field' appeared in front of the two, with a first vanguard already face down on both sides.

"Stand up, Vanguard!" Drake declared.

"Stand up, my, Vanguard!" Azure also declared, as the first vanguards automatically flipped up...

Drake Fried

Age 16

A friend of Azure's since childhood. When Azure moved away, he promised that he would return, and when he did, they would have 'The best Cardfight ever'. Drake himself is a relatively calm individual, despite using a fiery deck of a clan known as 'Krieger'.

CARD/CLAN TRIVIA

Krieger - A clan within the Dragon Empire consisting of 'Dragonslayers', humans with the strength to match, and even exceed Dragons, and dragons that have become close allies and friends to those Dragonslayers. Despite their title, the Dragonslayers only slay Dragons that cause havoc for others.

Dragonslayer Mercenary - Grade 0, 5000 Power, 10000 Shield. A Krieger unit with Forerunner, which means it can move to Rear Guard when rode upon. In addition, just like Standard starting vanguards, a Quick Shield Ticket is added if the opponent's Vanguard was already Grade 1! Mercenary also has a special ability when a Grade 3 unit with a certain name is placed on the Vanguard Circle, but that will have to wait for the next chapter. Oh well.