The sun bled yellow across Vystoria as notifications began to pop in every HUD.
[System Update: Preliminary Duel Rounds – Bracket A Match #03 | Condition: "Iron Will"]
Special Rule: If your Life Points fall below 2000, you cannot Special Summon unless by Fusion.
Rex stared at the glowing letters hovering above his wrist display. His jaw flexed. Iron Will, huh? That meant aggressive rushdown strategies had the advantage. For his Knights, this was a tough hand to play. But he wasn't about to fold.
He slid his deck into the slot on his duel disk with a crisp click, the metallic plates unfolding into activation mode as the disk hummed with bright white light.
Across the courtyard, cheers erupted as duelists gathered to spectate. His opponent—lean, sharp-eyed, with the smug grin of someone who thought today was easy money—stood waiting.
Rex breathed out slowly.
Alright Rex…..you got this!
---
Dim neon lights cast jagged shadows against cracked concrete walls. Shin stood in the underground chamber, the hum of generators mixing with the bass of distant music. Screens above displayed Contract Match – Authorized, the stakes flashing in crimson:
[Wager: Deck Rights + 20,000 V-Coins]
He tightened the strap of his duel disk, the matte black surface gleaming faintly under the sickly glow. His HUD flickered as Nyx leaned lazily against a railing nearby, that damn sly grin never leaving his face.
"You ready, Yukari?" Nyx's tone was playful, but the glint in his eyes said he was watching every move. "This guy? One of his lackeys. Beat him, and the big man notices you. Lose…" He trailed off with a shrug and a grin that didn't need words.
"I'm not losing," Shin said flatly. His voice carried no bravado, only cold certainty. He slid his deck into the slot—click—and the duel disk activated with a sharp hiss of energy.
The opponent stepped forward, hood drawn low, eyes hidden in shadow. He smirked as the HUD locked in the terms of the duel.
As Shin lifted his wrist, the faint reflection of his face flickered against the neon glow—and for a split second, he saw Shiyu's smile in the reflection. His chest tightened.
Shiyu… this is for you.
The two scenes mirrored each other—Rex stepping into the polished arena bathed in tournament lights, Shin stepping into the gritty steel cage with chains rattling overhead.
Both raised their duel disks. Both saw the HUD countdown start in front of their eyes:
[3… 2… 1… DUEL!]
The roar of the crowd in Rex's ears. The metallic clang of gates locking behind Shin. Two battlefields. Two destinies.
And then—
---
The virtual arena shimmered alive, summoning stone pillars and a battlefield of cracked earth glowing with white glyphs. The announcer's voice boomed:
"Condition: Iron Will! Special Summon restrictions below 2000 LP—keep your guard high, duelists!"
Rex smirked. "Figures they'd give me an uphill climb."
Mira grinned across the field. "Don't sweat it, street boy. You'll be done before that rule even matters."
[LP: 4000 | Turn 1 – Rex]
Rex drew his opening hand with a sharp flick. "Draw! First, I Normal Summon Knight Recruit – Bran!"
A warrior in silver light-plate armor appeared, kneeling with a blade.
[ATK: 1000 | DEF: 500]
"When he's summoned, I add a Knight Ascension monster from my deck to my hand. I'll grab, Knight of the Dawn Blade!"
He slid the card into his hand, eyes scanning his next move.
"I'll set one card face-down and end my turn."
[Field: Knight Recruit – Bran (ATK 1000) | 1 Set Card]
---
[LP: 4000 | Turn 1 – Mira]
Mira grinned wide.
"My move! Draw! I summon Blade Raider – Hark!"
A black-armored warrior burst onto the field, dual sabers gleaming.
[ATK: 1600 | DEF: 1000]
"And when he's Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon Blade Raider – Kain! from my hand!"
A second figure, cloaked in crimson armor, landed beside him.
[ATK: 1700 | DEF: 1200]
"Two monsters already? Not bad," Rex muttered, narrowing his eyes.
Mira jabbed a finger forward. "Battle! Hark, strike down Bran!"
The black-armored warrior lunged, slashing Bran in half.
Rex LP: 4000 → 3400
"Not so fast!" Rex snapped. "My trap activates—Ascension Barrier! When a Knight falls, I Special Summon a Level 4 Knight from my GY in Defense Mode! Come forth, Knight Recruit – Elric!"
A warrior in bronze armor rose to his knee, shield raised.
[DEF: 700]
Mira smirked. "That won't save you! Kain, attack Elric!"
The crimson warrior slashed, shattering Elric's shield and breaking through.
Rex LP: 3400 → 2900
"Turn end," Mira said smugly.
[Field: Blade Raider – Hark (ATK 1600), Blade Raider – Kain (ATK 1700)]
---
[LP: 2900 | Turn 2 – Rex]
Rex clenched his fist. "Draw!"
He slid the card into his hand and smirked. Perfect.
"I summon, Knight of the Dawn Blade!"
A tall warrior in shining silver armor materialized, sword glowing faintly.
[ATK: 1700 | DEF: 1200]
"And now—Ascension Call! I tribute Dawn Blade and call forth a mightier knight! Rise, Knight General – Valos!"
Energy flared as a towering knight in ornate armor strode onto the field, broadsword gleaming like molten steel.
[ATK: 2300 | DEF: 1800]
"When Valos is summoned, I recover one Ascension Call from my GY to my hand!"
Mira tsked, but Rex wasn't done.
"Battle! Valos, take out Blade Raider – Kain!"
Valos raised his sword and brought it down in a single devastating arc.
Opponent LP: 4000 → 3400
Rex pointed forward. "End turn."
Mira sneered. "Not bad… but you're done now!"
The crowd leaned forward, tension buzzing in the arena as Mira smirked across the field. Her duel disk gleamed with dark purple holographics, a perfect contrast to Rex's silver light.
"Not bad, Eastside boy," she purred, her long braid swaying as she drew her next card. "But that little general of yours? He's about to get crushed."
[LP: 3400 | Turn 3 – Mira Crowley]
She twirled the card between her fingers and slammed it down.
"I Normal Summon Blade Raider – Lysandra!"
A lithe warrior in black and violet armor leapt onto the field, twin daggers flashing.
[ATK: 1500 | DEF: 1000]
"And when Lysandra hits the field, I get to Special Summon Blade Raider – Kain from my GY back to the field!"
Crimson lightning cracked as Kain returned, slamming his twin sabers together.
[ATK: 1700 | DEF: 1200]
Rex's eyes narrowed. She's swarming again.
"And it doesn't stop there," Mira sang. "I activate Bladed Union! With this, I can fuse two Blade Raiders from my field! I fuse Lysandra and Kain!"
The two warriors spiraled upward in a vortex of steel and violet flame.
"Come forth—Blade Raider Queen – Salaria!"
A towering warrior queen clad in obsidian armor descended, her massive scythe humming with energy.
[ATK: 2600 | DEF: 1900]
The crowd erupted in cheers at the sudden fusion play.
Rex muttered under his breath, "…Fusion cards, huh? Guess everyone's jumping on the Extra Deck train now."
Mira snapped her fingers dramatically. "Battle phase! Salaria, cleave that tin can of yours in two! Obsidian Guillotine Slash!"
The queen warrior raised her scythe high and brought it down in a sweeping arc toward Knight General – Valos.
"Not happening!" Rex roared, flipping his face-down. "Trap activate—Knight's Pride! By tributing Valos, your attack is negated!"
Valos slammed his sword into the ground as he vanished in radiant light, forming a shield wall that stopped Salaria's scythe dead in its tracks.
"Tch…" Mira clicked her tongue, annoyed. "Fine. I'll set one card and end my turn. But next round? You're done."
[Field: Blade Raider Queen – Salaria (ATK 2600) | 1 Set Card]
---
[LP: 2900 | Turn 4 – Rex]
Rex drew with a sharp flick and grinned. Perfect draw.
"Draw! First, I activate Light of the Round Table! My Field Spell boosts all my Knights by 200 ATK and lets me recycle one Knight from my GY each turn!"
Golden glyphs lit up across the battlefield, a shimmering table of light forming beneath Rex's feet.
"I'll retrieve Knight Recruit – Elric from my GY to my hand! Then, I summon Elric in defense mode!"
The bronze-armored warrior knelt with shield raised.
[DEF: 700 → 900 with Field Boost]
"And now I play Ascension Call! I tribute Elric to Special Summon Knight Paladin – Ardent!"
Energy roared as a towering paladin clad in white and gold armor emerged, his flaming sword stretching toward the sky.
[ATK: 2500 → 2700 with Field Boost]
"When Ardent is summoned through Ascension, he gains 300 ATK for each Tribute monster in my GY! That's two—Valos and Elric! So he gains 600 more!"
[ATK: 2700 → 3300!]
The crowd gasped as the light engulfed Ardent like a blazing inferno.
Mira blinked, her smirk faltering. "…3,300 ATK? Seriously?"
Rex slammed his hand forward. "Battle! Paladin Ardent, take down Salaria! Flame of the Ascendant!"
Ardent charged, sword burning white-hot as it cleaved through the obsidian queen in an explosion of molten shards.
Mira LP: 3400 → 2700
Rex pointed his blade forward. "Turn end. Your move!"
---
[LP: 2700 | Turn 5 – Mira]
Mira's teeth clenched as she drew her next card, glaring at Rex through narrowed violet eyes. Then, that smirk returned.
"Heh. You're strong. I'll give you that. But can you handle this?!"
She slapped her card down. "I activate Blade Resurrection! I banish two warriors from my GY to bring back a Fusion monster I controlled! Return to me—Salaria!"
The Blade Raider Queen reformed in a storm of violet fire.
[ATK: 2600]
"And now I activate Dark Blade Art – Guillotine Formation! Salaria gains 500 ATK and can attack twice this turn!"
[ATK: 2600 → 3100]
The audience roared as Mira raised her hand high.
"Battle! Salaria, crush Ardent!"
The obsidian queen lunged, scythe screaming through the air—
Rex smirked. "Not this time. I chain Heroic Charge! I tribute one Knight on the field—Ardent himself—to Special Summon from my hand Knight Vanguard – Caden!"
A steel-armored vanguard knight slammed into the field, twin shields locking together.
[ATK: 1900 → 2100 with Field Boost]
"And thanks to Heroic Charge, Caden can't be destroyed by battle this turn!"
Salaria's scythe crashed against the shields, sparks flying as Caden held firm. Mira snarled and ordered the second attack, but Caden held strong again.
"End turn!" Mira spat, frustration creeping in.
---
[LP: 2900 | Turn 6 – Rex]
Rex drew—and his eyes gleamed like steel.
"This is it."
He thrust his card forward. "I activate Fusion Armory! I fuse Caden on my field with two Knights from my hand—Knight of the Dawn Blade and Knight Priest – Galwin!
Spirits of steel and light converge—become the eternal flame that forges legends!
Fusion Summon! KNIGHT ASCENDANT – ETERNAL FLAME!"
A blazing titan in radiant crimson-gold armor descended, wreathed in fire like a living sun.
[ATK: 3200 → 3400 with Field Boost]
The crowd erupted. Mira's jaw dropped.
Rex pointed straight at her. "Battle! Eternal Flame, attack Salaria! Burn through darkness with the sword of dawn! Flame Emperor Strike!"
The titan swung its blazing greatsword in an arc of fire so bright it swallowed the arena. Salaria shattered in an explosion of obsidian shards.
Mira LP: 2700 → 0
WINNER: REX SAWYER
The crowd thundered with cheers as Rex lowered his duel disk, his chest heaving with adrenaline. He stared at his flaming titan before it faded, whispering under his breath:
Shin… don't fall behind.