"Duel!" ×2
[Kira, LP4000]
[Mr. Armstrong, LP4000]
Word quickly spread that the Sector Security's Director was going to duel the warden. Every prisoner in the facility crowded up to their bars to watch.
Normally, all Sector Security members were the enemy to these inmates—symbols of the privileged, an oppressive force.
But none of them had ever seen "the Director" in person. It was always the warden, Mr. Armstrong, who tormented them.
So now, as the officer stepped forward to duel Mr. Armstrong for Yusei's sake, the inmates actually began rooting for the officer, eager to see the warden get his comeuppance.
Kira was polite:
"I'll let you go first."
"Ahaha, thank you, Director,"
Mr. Armstrong grinned obsequiously.
Normally, he'd defer and let his superior take the first move, even throw the game if things looked bad.
But today's duel could change his destiny—he had to give it his all, no matter what.
This duel concerns my future—I must win!
"I'll go first. Draw!"
Mr. Armstrong's thick fingers drew a card.
"I summon 'Iron Chain Repairman' in Attack Position!"
Amid the effect lights, a chubby repairman bound in silver chains appeared, wielding a massive sledgehammer nearly as big as himself.
As a warden with only a brief appearance in the anime, even Mr. Armstrong had a custom archetype: the "Chain" cards, a chain-themed deck, most of which had actually been printed as real cards—quite a good treatment for an anime-original deck.
[Iron Chain Repairman, ATK 1600]
"Then I set two cards facedown, and end my turn!"
He gave a sycophantic smile:
"Your turn, Director."
Though he acted deferential, he was quite confident in his dueling skills; among his colleagues, he was considered decent. If he didn't have a gambling addiction, he'd never have accepted a risky duel against an inmate.
As for Director Goodwin?
Mr. Armstrong hadn't heard of Goodwin ever dueling anyone openly.
Most real duelists have at least some reputation in the underground scene; but Goodwin was famous only for politics, not cards.
So Mr. Armstrong judged that even if the officer was hiding his true skills, he probably wasn't that strong.
I definitely have the advantage this time!
Behind the bars, Yusei watched impassively.
The Director isn't like I expected—at least, so far, he seems like a genuine, upstanding duelist. Interesting. I wonder what kind of duel the fabled officer will put on.
"My opponent has a monster, but my field is empty,"
Kira said, holding up a card,
"So I can Special Summon this from my hand— Oracle of the Sun!"
[Oracle of the Sun, ATK 1000]
A tribal mage with an ancient sun emblem over his chest, this was one of the cards Kira had won from the Dark Signer Goodwin.
"Then, I Normal Summon the Tuner monster, 'Jutte Fighter'!"
[Jutte Fighter, ATK 700]
"A Tuner?"
The inmates began buzzing.
"Is the Director about to Synchro Summon on his first turn?!"
"Level 2 Tuner, Jutte Fighter—plus Level 5, Oracle of the Sun—Synchronize!"
Jutte Fighter transformed into two rings of starlight, which wrapped around Oracle of the Sun, its body shimmering with five stars, forming a line of radiant energy.
"Cleaving Light Slash! Synchro Summon—
—Level 7, Seven Swords Warrior!"
A golden-armored warrior, swords crackling with energy, cut the air with overlapping sword auras, creating sonic booms.
[Seven Swords Warrior, ATK 2300]
Yusei's eyes widened slightly:
"Seven Swords Warrior? That's... the same as mine."
Seven Swords Warrior was one of the Synchro monsters Yusei himself picked up in Satellite Zone. Seeing the officer make the same choice, he unconsciously felt warmer toward him.
Mr. Armstrong, on the other hand, was uneasy.
What the hell? He goes straight into a Synchro like it's nothing? Maybe this Director isn't as weak as I thought...
"Battle. Seven Swords Warrior attacks 'Iron Chain Repairman'!"
Seven Swords Warrior swung, sending out a wave of sword aura.
Mr. Armstrong refocused—Even if the officer is stronger than I thought, I have enough dueling experience to handle it—
"I activate my set card: Continuous Trap, 'Soul Anchor'! After activation, it becomes an Equip Card, and the equipped monster can't be destroyed in battle!"
Mr. Armstrong targeted his Repairman.
Chains shot out from the Trap Card's artwork, wrapping over the repairman like steel armor.
Seven Swords Warrior's blade struck with a clang, deflected by the chains.
Kira said,
"But you still take battle damage."
[Mr. Armstrong, LP4000 → LP3300]
The instant he lost life, Mr. Armstrong's duel disk suddenly burst out blue sparks. Electric arcs sizzled up his arm; the shock made his eyes bulge, and he shrieked like a pig being slaughtered.
He dropped to one knee, covered in sweat, shock and fear on his face:
"What... why!?"
He knew about the shock system—it was his own idea, meant to torture inmates.
In the anime, it was used on Yusei.
Whenever someone lost life points, the one wearing this duel disk would be shocked. However, Mr. Armstrong cheated—his disk wasn't actually set to deliver shocks, only the inmate's was.
He was supposed to be immune.
"I've heard, Mr. Armstrong, you love using electric duel disks to torment prisoners. I've always wanted to try such an exciting duel,"
Kira smiled gently.
"Before we began, I ordered your men to switch on the shock system. What's wrong, Warden? Are you unwilling to play along?"
Mr. Armstrong turned ghostly pale, shaking his head:
"N-no, not at all..."
Behind bars, Yusei's eyes narrowed—
Was the warden planning to shock ME in our duel...?!
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