The smell of smoke and synthetic sweat hung thick in the underground chamber. Neon sigils pulsed against concrete walls, painting the crowd in sickly green light. Dozens of figures leaned over rusted railings, their HUD lenses glowing with odds and bets.
Shin walked toward the cracked dueling platform, boots echoing over the metallic floor. His duel disk flickered to life on his forearm with a cold crimson glow, different from the polished shine of official arenas. He felt the weight of the King's Decree trap pulsing in his deck like a living thing.
Across from him stood a hulking duelist with a cruel grin and a black scarf masking half his face. His ID tag flashed on Shin's HUD:
[Contract Duel Initiated]
[Opponent: Kade Vorn]
[Stakes: 1 Rare Card + 20,000 V-Coins]
The crowd roared as the timer hit zero.
---
[LP: 4000 | Shin | Turn 1]
Shin's voice was calm, but his eyes were sharp.
"I'll start this." He drew, his Fiendling cards glowing faintly in crimson.
"First, I summon Fiendling – Murkmutt in defense mode."
A low, shadowy hound slithered onto the field, its body like black fog with glowing ember eyes.
[DEF: 1200]
"Then I set two cards face-down."
Two shards of darkness sank into the ground behind the hound, pulsing like buried hearts.
"I end my turn."
Nyx, lounging on a broken throne at the edge of the pit, tilted his head with a wolfish grin. "Opening soft, huh? Or are you baiting him?"
---
[LP: 4000 | Kade | Turn 2]
Kade cracked his neck, his own duel disk spitting violet sparks.
"My turn. Draw." His smile widened as he slapped down his first card.
"I summon Steelmaw Ogre!"
A monstrous ogre of molten iron and rusted claws slammed into the arena, the ground trembling beneath its weight.
[ATK: 1900 | DEF: 800]
"And I'm not done. I activate Pain Circuit! For every attack position monster I control, your Fiendlings lose 500 DEF."
Murkmutt shivered as spectral chains coiled around it.
[DEF: 1200 → 700]
Kade pointed with a savage grin. "Steelmaw Ogre, crush that mutt!"
The ogre lunged, claws tearing across the ground—
"Trap activate!" Shin's voice cut through the roar. "Phantom Cage! All battle damage is negated this turn."
The ogre's strike smashed into Murkmutt, but the impact froze mid-air like shattering glass.
"Tch." Kade sneered. "Fine. I end my turn. But next round? That dog dies screaming."
---
[Turn 3 | Shin]
Shin drew slowly, his eyes cold.
"You talk too much."
"I activate Ghostbound Pact! I send two Fiendlings from my deck to the graveyard and gain 1000 LP."
The ghosts of Fiendling – Lurkbat and Fiendling – Grinshade drifted into the abyss, and Shin's HUD blinked:
[LP: 4000 → 5000]
"Next, I summon Fiendling – Bleakhound!"
Another hound stalked forward, its fur dripping black ichor, jaws gnashing.
[ATK: 800 | DEF: 800]
"And when Bleakhound is summoned, I discard a card to draw one. I'll pitch Phantom Familiar – Wicke. And because Wicke was discarded, I special summon it in defense mode!"
A tiny, doll-like phantom crawled from the shadows, chains dangling from its limbs.
[DEF: 600]
The crowd hissed and jeered as Shin's side flooded with twisted, malformed shapes.
"Battle. Bleakhound—attack Steelmaw Ogre!"
The spectral hound lunged in a blur of black fire—
Kade grinned. "You're insane. That thing's weaker than mine!"
"Not for long. I activate Graveburst Chains!" One of Shin's face-downs flared to life. "Your ogre loses 1000 ATK."
Chains of bone erupted from the ground, dragging the ogre to its knees.
[Steelmaw Ogre: 1900 → 900]
Bleakhound tore into its chest in an explosion of dark flame.
Kade LP: 4000 → 3700
Shin's voice was a low growl. "End turn."
---
[Turn 4 | Kade]
Kade snarled, drawing with a vicious flick.
"You little rat. You think you're clever? Watch this."
"I summon Ragehorn Demon!"
A massive, crimson-skinned demon wreathed in molten sigils rose from a hellish rift.
[ATK: 2000 | DEF: 1200]
"And now I activate Demonblood Pact! I tribute Ragehorn and summon Blood Tyrant Ogre!"
The arena trembled as a towering ogre dripping molten steel and gore appeared, clutching a serrated blade twice its size.
[ATK: 2800 | DEF: 2000]
The crowd went feral, HUDs flashing bets in the thousands.
"Battle! Blood Tyrant Ogre—slice that mutt in half!"
The ogre raised its cleaver, and Bleakhound barely had time to snarl before being obliterated in a geyser of sparks and darkness.
Shin LP: 5000 → 3000
"And when it destroys a monster—take an extra 500 burn damage!"
[Shin LP: 3000 → 2500]
Kade's voice dripped venom. "Next turn, you're done. I end."
---
[Turn 5 | Shin]
The crowd was chanting now, savage and loud:
"Tear him apart! Tear him apart!"
Shin didn't hear them. His hand hovered over his deck as if something called to him from inside it. He drew—and the card pulsed in his HUD like a living eye.
King's Decree. The first Sin card he ever claimed.
He slid it into his disk without hesitation. His voice was calm—too calm.
"My turn. Draw."
"I activate Spectral Portal! I discard one card to special summon Fiendling – Grinshade from my deck."
A gaunt fiend with a grin like a knife blade slithered onto the field.
[ATK: 1900 + effect boost incoming]
"And Grinshade gains 600 ATK for every monster in my graveyard. There are five."
[ATK: 1900 → 4900]
The crowd gasped. Kade's face drained of color.
"Four… thousand… nine hundred?!"
"And I'm not done." Shin's voice was ice. "I set one card face-down and activate Necrohowl! Bring back Bleakhound from the graveyard."
The hound erupted from the shadows, growling low.
"Battle. Grinshade—tear that ogre to pieces."
Grinshade lunged, warping into a hurricane of claws and teeth. The Blood Tyrant Ogre didn't even scream before being annihilated in a crimson explosion.
Kade LP: 3700 → 1600
"And when Bleakhound's on the field after an attack like that…" Shin smirked faintly. "It feeds."
Bleakhound lunged for Kade's LP directly, tearing another chunk away.
Kade LP: 1600 → 800
Shin raised his hand. "End turn."
---
[Turn 6 | Kade]
Kade's hands shook as he drew. "I—I still got this!" He slapped a card down.
"I summon Steelmaw Ogre again!"
The smaller ogre rose, but it looked pitiful now under Grinshade's towering shadow.
Kade screamed. "Attack that mutt!"
"Trap activate." Shin's voice was soft—almost a whisper. "Sin Trap: King's Decree."
The entire arena went dark.
Chains wrapped around Kade's monster mid-strike. The ogre howled as spectral crowns impaled its skull, its body disintegrating into ash.
King's Decree – Effect:
When your opponent declares an attack: Negate the attack. Then banish one monster they control at random. If you control a Fiend monster, inflict 1000 damage.
Kade's HUD blinked red.
[LP: 800 → 0]
The crowd exploded into chaos. Some screamed, others backed away as if the Sin energy still lingered in the air.
Shin lowered his duel disk slowly, his eyes glowing faintly in the dim neon haze.
One by one, they kneel.
Nyx clapped slowly from his seat, grinning like a wolf. "Now that… was beautiful."
The roar of the underground crowd faded into a low hum as Shin stepped down from the dueling platform, sweat clinging to his skin like oil. The taste of adrenaline still lingered on his tongue. His HUD flickered:
[CONTRACT DUEL COMPLETE]
[Reward: Rare Card – Blood Pact Chain]
[+20 000 V-Coins] [+500 Xp]
But Shin barely glanced at it. His breathing slowed, eyes narrowing as he spotted Nyx waiting for him in the shadows—leaning lazily against a rusted steel pillar, the neon light licking across his sharp grin.
Nyx pushed off the pillar with the easy grace of a predator. "You really know how to put on a show, Shin."
Shin didn't respond. He unclipped his duel disk and let it power down with a metallic hiss before strapping it back to his hip. "You said if I beat your guy, you'd tell me something."
Nyx chuckled softly, circling him like smoke. "Straight to the point. I like that."
"Quit stalling," Shin said coldly, his voice echoing slightly in the cavernous arena.
Nyx's grin widened as he stopped, his eyes glinting violet in the low light. "Fine. You want a name? The man who buried your brother in that Contract Duel…" He leaned in close, his whisper brushing Shin's ear like a blade.
"Veyric Drayden."
The name hit Shin like a punch to the chest. His fists clenched unconsciously, nails biting into his palms. "Veyric…" he repeated slowly, tasting the bitterness in his mouth.
Nyx straightened up, hands slipping casually into his coat pockets as if he'd just told Shin the weather. "One of the most ruthless duelists in the underground. Some call him The Butcher of Bonds. Not because he kills his opponents—oh no, he's worse. He takes everything from them. Their cards, their credits, their pride. Leaves them hollow."
Shin's voice was a low growl. "Then I'll take him down."
Nyx laughed—an unrestrained, sharp laugh that echoed off the concrete. "You? Take him down? You've got guts, I'll give you that. But guts alone won't save you from Veyric. You think tonight was tough? That guy you beat was a pawn."
"Then I'll crush every pawn until I get to him," Shin shot back, eyes hard as steel.
Nyx tilted his head, studying him like a rare card. "You really think it's that simple, don't you? Here's the thing: Veyric… he doesn't play by the rules. And I'm not talking about bending them—I'm talking about rewriting them."
Shin frowned. "What are you talking about?"
Nyx's smirk curved into something darker. "Veyric has a Duel Skill."
The words hung heavy in the neon haze. Shin's brow furrowed. "Duel Skill? Like… those abilities you unlock for official matches? Starting a duel with an extra card? A thousand extra Life Points?"
Nyx wagged a finger, stepping closer so his eyes gleamed like twin shards of amethyst. "Cute little perks for tournament kids. What Veyric has? It's a different beast. It's a personalized override. It bends the flow of the duel—just enough to make every move tilt in his favor."
Shin's voice was flat. "So what's his skill?"
Nyx chuckled and shook his head slowly. "Now, now. Where's the fun in spoiling everything? Let's just say this—when you face him, you won't just be dueling his deck. You'll be dueling his will. And his will… crushes most men long before their LP hits zero."
Shin's jaw tightened. He felt the phantom weight of his deck at his side. "I don't care. I'll break through it."
Nyx grinned like a wolf that had just scented blood. "Spoken like someone ready to sign their soul away." He clapped a hand on Shin's shoulder—a casual gesture that felt more like a claim. "Keep winning, Shin. Keep feeding that fire. Because when you finally stand across from Veyric Drayden… I want a front-row seat."
Nyx turned, his coat swirling behind him like a shadow given life. But just before disappearing into the throng of gamblers and duel junkies, he glanced back with a grin sharp enough to cut glass.
"Oh… and Shin?"
Shin's eyes lifted. "What?"
"Hope you like pain. Because Veyric? He lives for it."
And with that, Nyx vanished into the darkness, leaving Shin alone under the harsh neon glow—heart pounding, fists tight, and a name burning in his mind like a curse:
Veyric Drayden.