I walked down the street towards Hitsue Middle School, Eva following behind me, looking at the surroundings of Earth with an excited gleam in her eyes.
After Eva had manifested from the Depend Card, she had aided me with the Blank Cards I'd obtained from the System. With her careful Guidance and my PSYqualia, we were able to complete a Deck together... And I had to admit, for this era, this Deck was extremely powerful.
However, Eva had told me something as we created the cards. As new units were born, it would influence Cray as a whole- existing units would grow and evolve.
Though how long that would take, Eva couldn't say. It could take a year, two years, maybe even a decade. But, as a result of my creating new units, Cray would start to begin its evolution into the power after Gyze's Era.
For now, however, Eva merely followed me to school in her spirit form. Her consciousness was split between Earth, and Cray- where she was currently building her own space station in the Star Gate area for conducting research.
"How interesting~" Eva hummed as she looked around. "In many ways, your civilization is so far behind Cray. Brandt Gate alone could probably conquer this planet in a matter of days, if even that."
"Star Gate," I reminded Eva. "It doesn't become the Brandt Gate until after Gyze's defeat, when Star Gate incorporates Link Joker's technology from Planet Brandt into their own nation."
"Oh, tell me about it," she huffed. "Luckily I know how to build most of the technology, even with the scraps that I can find in Star Gate. Honestly, you can really tell they are over three thousand years behind the times."
I just smirked in amusement as Eva went on her little rant, finding it rather adorable.
I finally arrived at school- Hitsue Middle School. I ignored the people around me, as usual, and made my way to class- easing into my seat as I looked around... It was as class started that I finally put my focus on a group of three people.
The first, a girl who had a book up and was ignoring the teacher as she instead focused on opening Booster Packs with an annoyed look on her face. Despite her aggressive demeanour, she was beautiful- dangerous. Her hair was long and silky black, with crimson eyes and a stunning face.
Nobunaga Morikawa... Her appearance was like that of a teenage Nobunaga from the Fate Series, and there was no denying her beauty. It seemed that, in this timeline, she had replaced Morikawa.
Sat nearby was another girl that was equally as sunning with light brown hair tied back in a ponytail, with red eyes- just like Nobunaga's. She looked at Nobunaga with exasperation written on her face.
Rei Izaki. Her appearance was like that of Rei Miyamoto from Highschool of the Dead... She had taken Yuta Izaki's place.
Though, from what I recalled based on the fragmented memories I received when I arrived, she and Nobunaga were half-sisters in this timeline- sharing the same father.
Finally, my eyes turned to the last girl in class I had my eyes on...
Unlike the other two girls, she was clearly withdrawn and shy. She quietly did her work, shrinking in on herself and even hid her red eyes beneath her blue bangs as if trying to avoid being seen. Her clothes were baggier than others, as if trying to hide her body from view. However, I noticed that under the table she was holding a Card. While I couldn't see the card, I could catch a glimpse of how her eyes subtly lit up and a soft smile curved into her lips as she looked at it.
Medaka Sendo. With an appearance just like that of Medaka Kurokami from Medaka Box, I was aware that she was a peerless beauty- but her own insecurities and past experiences had shaped someone who should have been a confident woman into a very timid one.
And, if I wasn't wrong, the card she held in her hand was Blaster Blade.
Blaster Blade was an extremely rare card in the world of Vanguard- so rare that it was equivalent to the likes of Blue-Eyes White Dragon in Yu-Gi-Oh. It was so rare that it was regarded as a myth, a legend, simply due to how rare the card was.
Truthfully, Nobunaga taking the card didn't make sense- especially given her later obsession with Grade 3s. In the manga and V-Series it was different, Morikawa actually used a Royal Paladin Deck and later changed to using Spike Brothers. But in this world, Morikawa initially used a Spike Brothers Deck before obtaining his massive obsession with Grade 3s.
It wasn't outrageous to assume that Nobunaga would also share that trait with Morikawa. A shame, because Nobunaga was a genuinely skilled- an extremely lucky- cardfighter when she had an ordinary deck in her hand.
However, with her obsession with Grade 3s...
"Bastion wouldn't be out of the question for her," I murmured to myself, smirking in amusement.
"Haa?" Eva voiced from behind. "You want to bring that stuffy guy who lords up in his palace to this time?"
I held back a snort, "Careful, Eva. You're starting to sound like Youthberk."
Eva merely snorted and glanced outside. "Hm... Oi, I'm going to go out and check out the presence of Overlord's Vanguard in the High School Division- I've always wondered what the Dragon Emperor looks like in person."
I glanced back, "You don't know?" I questioned.
"The Dragon Emperor doesn't show up in public much ever since Gyze's defeat. Legends say that he's training for his final battle against Blaster Blade... Even Blaster Blade hasn't shown up much in the last 3,000 Years since Gyze's defeat- many wonder if he's even still alive."
I just nodded, "Alright, go on ahead," I told her. "Not like I can stop you anyway."
"Medaka Sendo," Nobunaga smirked as she had Medaka pinned against the wall after school. "I didn't know you were a Vanguard Fighter!"
"A- A vanguard fighter?" Medaka spluttered, looking at Nobunaga with some fear in her eyes.
"Don't play dumb," Nobunaga scowled. "Everyone who fights with Vanguard is a Vanguard Fighter. That goes for you too, right?"
"N- No," Medaka shook her head. "You've got it all wrong... I've never even played before."
Nobu just smirked and glanced back at Rei, who rolled her eyes and shrugged. "Well, whatever. Now, how about you show me that card you're keeping in your pocket?"
Medaka hesitated, clearly struggling between obeying and protecting the card that meant everything to her.
"What are you doing?"
Nobu and Rei both tensed and whirled around, their eyes falling on me as I stood nearby, a hand in my pocket as I stared at them coldly with my golden eyes.
"You call yourself a Vanguard fighter, and yet you pressure someone so that you can take their cards?" I asked, stepping forward. "Such a thing besmirches the name of a Cardfighter- it just makes you scum."
"You-!" Nobu's face turned red as she glared with pure rage. "Who are you?"
"Don't even recognise your classmates now, Nobunaga Morikawa?" I asked mockingly.
"Ah..." Medaka spoke up. "Mikoto... Yoshida-kun... RIght?"
"Well, it looks like someone pays attention," I smirked as I walked forwards calmly, my PSYqualia momentarily flaring.
Medaka's own latent potential momentarily caused her own eyes to flare with PSYqualia's light before she held her head in pain.
However, the pressure a PSYqualia user gave off also caused Nobu and Rei to gulp and move away from Medaka as I walked past them and stopped in front of her.
I gently lifted my hand and pat her head, my eyes returning to normal. "You really need to learn how to stand up for yourself, Sendo-chan," I told said with a kind smile, before I turned to face Nobu.
"You..." Nobu glared. "D- don't get in my way, this has nothing to do with you."
"When Card Fighters act like scum, it has everything to do with me..." I reached into my pocket and lifted up my Deck. "If you want to get Sendo's Blaster Blade, you'll have to go through me."
"Eh?" Medaka looked at me in surprise. "You... You know about Blaster Blade? And... And you don't want it?"
"No way," I snorted. "Blaster Blade doesn't fit my Deck, a card that can't be used by the person who has it is worthless- it is better off going to someone who can use it. Besides, I saw how you looked at that card in class. It has a special connection with you, right?"
Medaka's cheeks turned slightly red but she nodded.
"Then that's all the reason I need," I looked at Nobu. "So, Morikawa... What'll it be? Beat me in a Card Fight, and I'll step aside. But if you lose, you'll apologise to Sendo and stop bullying her."
"You..." Nobunaga glared before she grit her teeth. "You're on!"
"Are you sure about this?" Rei interjected, looking at her sister with a worried look. "He's not normal, Nobu."
"He can't be better than that girl from the shop!" Nobu snapped. "I'll win, no problem!"
With that, the four of us- including Medaka- all moved nearby to a Fight Table that was set up.
In this world, Vanguard was already extremely popular. While it wasn't as popular as it was in G, Fight Tables were already being set up in various places so people could experience Vanguard Fights wherever they went.
I calmly set my Deck and Ride Deck down on the table. The Ride Deck also existed thanks to Timeline Changes, so no worries about being Grade Locked... Probably a good thing for Morikawa too, I wasn't sure if she was already in her Grade 3 obsession phase yet. I knew it existed as soon as Episode 3 though.
"Ohh?" Eva's voice echoed as she suddenly descended nearby. "What's this? A cardfight?"
'Something like that,' I responded to Eva, speaking mentally as I shuffled my deck before I drew five cards... Hm, these were fine. No need for a mulligan. My PSYqualia flared momentarily, 'I'll crush her easily enough.'
Eva giggled before she glanced at Medaka. "Oh...?" She tilted her head. "This girl... She's Blaster Blade's Vanguard, isn't she?"
'That's right... But she hasn't yet completed her resonance with Blaster Blade.'
Eva just grinned. "Well then, let me watch how you use me in our first fight together, Mikoto~"
I placed my hand on the card in front of me. "You ready, Nobunaga?"
Her eyes narrowed as she did the same. "I was born ready!"
"Well then..."
In moments, the two of us stood upon the surface of the Planet Cray. Astral bodies floating upon the surface, but soon to be imbued with awesome power.
"Stand Up! Vanguard!"
Power flooded our astral bodies, transforming us in mere moments.
"Mecha Trainer!" Nobu declared, transforming into a robot dressed up as a sports trainer.
"One Who Craves Knowledge, Eva," I spoke calmly as I momentarily took on Eva's appearance.
The Fight was on.
"Sendo-chan," I spoke up.
"Eh? Y- Yes?" She spoke up questioningly.
"Since you haven't played before, I'll explain the rules as we play. If anything confuses you, check the rulebook or ask me about it later, got it?"
"Y- yes!" She nodded, quickly focusing up.
"You got a problem with that, Morikawa?" I asked her.
She scowled. "Tch, just make it quick!"
I chuckled in amusement, "As you wish..." I glanced at Medaka. "Vanguard Decks consist of 54 cards. 4 cards from Grades 0-3 are put in your Ride Deck. This will be your 'Ride Line' that you will use as your Vanguard. The turn order progresses as thus..."
"Draw," I pulled a card from my Deck. "During the Draw Phase, you will stand all of your cards- that is moving them from the horizontal rest state to the vertical standing state- and draw a card. Then, the Ride Phase. You can choose to Ride a Grade 1 from your hand... Or, instead, you may discard a card from your hand in order to Ride from your Ride Deck."
"I discard Aiding Monster, Tectian, in order to Ride to the next grade. I Ride An Afternoon Nap Regardless of Place, Eva!"
My form on Planet Cray shifted, still being Eva but looking extremely sleepy, letting out a yawn.
"Eva's Skill. When I Ride her on top of Eva, I can search my Deck for a Research card and add it to my hand," I lifted my deck and sift through it before I revealed a card, "I'll add Result of the Experiment, Henceforth to my hand."
"Research Card?" Medaka questioned, the other two also looked equally as confused.
"A Research Card is an Order Card- a new addition to the game," I told her. "For the sake of simplicity, you can think of them as Spells. There are three types- Normal Orders, Set Orders, and Blitz Orders. Normal Orders activate and resolve immediately. Set Orders remain in the Order Zone, having additional effects while there. And Blitz Orders are Orders that you activate on your opponent's turn when they attack."
"Order Cards..." Nobu murmured, clearly shocked by the new type of card.
"Aiding Monster, Tectican's Skill," I added. "When it's discarded during my turn, I check the top 5 cards of my Deck for a Set Order and put it in my hand."
I lifted the cards and smirked, "Lucky. I add The World is a Blue Research Lab to my hand," I revealed it before I placed it in my hand. "Then- Set Order, Result of the Experiment, Henceforth. I can only play this card if I have an 'Eva' Vanguard. Currently, it won't be doing anything."
Once more, I looked back at Medaka. "At this point, I would attack. However, the person going first can't attack. Therefore, my Battle Phase immediately ends, and I move to the End of my Turn."
"A- Ah... Understood," Medaka nodded quickly. The Order part had clearly thrown her off, but she was finding her rhythm once again.
My attention turned back to Nobu. "Now then, it's your turn..." I smirked. "Do entertain me."
***
One Who Craves Knowledge, Eva
Grade 0 | 6000 Power | 5000 Shield | Cyberoid | Star Gate
[Auto]: When this unit is rode upon, if you went second, draw a card.
An Afternoon Nap Regardless of Place, Eva
Grade 1 | 8000 Power | 5000 Shield | Cyberoid | Star Gate
[Auto]: When this unit is placed by riding from "One Who Craves Knowledge, Eva", search your deck for up to one Research card, reveal it and put it into your hand, and shuffle your deck.
[Glitter] (This card is a [Glitter] which seeks the Fire Regalis)
Aiding Monster, Tectican
Grade 2 | 10000 Power | 5000 Shield | Alien | Star Gate
[Auto]: When this card is discarded from your hand during your turn, look at the top five cards of your deck, choose up to one Set Order from among them, reveal it and put it into your hand, and shuffle your deck.
Result of the Experiment, Henceforth
Grade 1 | Set Order | Star Gate
Play this if your vanguard is a [Glitter] with "Eva" in its card name!
[Continuous while in the Order Zone]: All of your rear-guards with "Obscudeid" in their card names cannot be retired by your opponent's card effects.
[Active while in the Order Zone]: If your order zone has four or more Research cards, [COST] [put this card into soul], [Counter-Charge 1], choose a card with "Obscudeid" in its card name from your drop, and put it into hand.
The World is a Blue Research Lab
Grade 3 | Set Order | Star Gate
Play this if your vanguard is a [Glitter] with "Eva" in its card name!
[AUTO]:When this card is put into the order zone, look at the top five cards of your deck, choose up to one card from among them, call it to Rearguard, and shuffle the deck.
[Active while in the Order Zone once per turn]: [COST] [Soul-Blast 1 & Rest three research cards in order zone], choose one of your [Glitter] units, and it gets [Power] +5000 until end of turn.