NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 20: A Little Too Rough
Gloria drew her card, and a sharp grin spread across her face. "Looks like it's time we bring in more allies, huh, sister?"
Grace, though Gloria was vague, instantly caught her drift. "Let's get started then. Since we control an Amazoness monster, I can Special Summon Amazoness Spy from my hand!"
She revealed the card, and in a flash, a petite Amazoness emerged on the field. Her skin was sun-kissed, her attire a wild blend of fur and cloth. A red mask obscured her identity, and a tattered cape fluttered behind her as she twirled a small dagger in one hand.
[Amazoness Spy, 800 ATK]
"But what's a tribe without its queen?" Gloria declared, lifting another card from her hand. "I tribute Amazoness Spy to summon the ruler of the battlefield, Amazoness Queen!"
The ground of the Duel Arena cracked open, and from within rose a massive stone throne, carved as if from the very soul of the jungle. Sitting atop it, already poised for war, was a titan of a woman, radiating sheer power. Her armor glistened like burnished bronze, forged for endless war. Her sword, taller than any man, rested across her lap as she stood.
[Amazoness Queen, 2400 ATK]
The Tyler Sisters exchanged a glance, silent but in sync. Their matching grins caused Jaden's excitement to spike, while Yumi, ever the calm one, merely watched with narrowed eyes.
"I activate the Spell Card, Tribal Energy!" Gloria declared. "For every Amazoness monster my sister and I control, we draw 1 card!"
Yumi blinked at the card name. Tribal Energy?
He doesn't remember there ever having been a card like that in the game, well, the real-life version that is.
The closest thing that came to mind was Tribal Synergy, a Skill Card used by Mai Valentine in Duel Links. That one let players draw cards if they controlled either Harpie Lady and Amazoness monsters while having the other one in their hand.
Did his presence in this world cause new cards to be printed?
He did bring a lot of future cards into this era. Duel spirits, which were originally weak or didn't exist, come to life because of him.
There is a saying: "Stand users attract other Stand users."
So maybe in this case... "Printed cards attract other printed cards."
"If you've lost count, that's three cards!" Grace added smugly.
Gloria nodded and drew three cards with a grin that didn't bode well.
Grace peeked over at her sister's expression, eyes lighting up. "Oh, you drew those cards, huh? Then this duel's already over."
"How right you are, sister!" Gloria declared, slamming a card into her Field Zone."I activate the Field Spell, Amazoness Village!"
In an instant, the Duel Arena transformed. Wooden huts rose from the ground, encircled by towering trees. Amazoness warriors filled the scene, training, patrolling, or watching from the rooftops.
"Oh?" Yumi looks around with interest, unlike the real world, where only a piece of paper was placed down on the table, this world's holographic function is actually quite lifelike.
Like the field spell, Skyscraper, makes massive buildings shoot out around the players, giving the impression that they're playing cards in the middle of a city street, rather than inside a building.
"Now then! Since my village makes all of our monsters gain 200 attack points, and oh. Did I forget about my little kitten's effect? He gains 100 attack points for every Amazoness in our graveyard!"
[Amazoness Queen, 2400 -> 2600 ATK]
[Amazoness Baby Tiger, 500 -> 700 -> 900 ATK]
[Amazoness Fighter, 1500 -> 1700 ATK]
"But we're not done yet," Gloria chimed in, slapping another card into play.
"I activate the Continuous Spell, Amazoness Fighting Spirit! Whenever one of our Amazoness monsters battles a stronger monster, she gains 1000 ATK during the damage calculation only!"
The card shimmered to life beside the sisters, pulsing with the rhythm of drums and tribal chants.
Gloria turned toward her sister with a wicked smile. "Sister, if I may?"
Grace nodded, catching the signal from her sister. "Well, then. Amazoness Fighter attacks Darkbright!"
[Amazoness Fighter, 1700 -> 2700 ATK]
The warrior sprinted forward, leaping into the air and twisting her body to deliver a powerful hook toward the dark-armored HERO.
But Jaden wasn't having it. "I activate Hero Barrier! Since I control an Elemental HERO, I can negate that attack!"
A shimmering shield erupted from the Trap Card, blocking the Fighter's punch mid-air. The Amazoness flipped backward, landing beside her comrades with an annoyed grunt.
"Tch... Don't think you are safe!" Gloria growled. "Our Queen can still attack! Now, go, pulverize Darkbright!"
The towering Amazoness Queen rose from her throne with regal fury and charged. She slashed her blade upward, cleaving through Darkbright in a burst of sparks and flame.
[Jaden & Yumi, LP 8000 -> 7400]
"Trap Card, activate!" Jaden shouted, flipping his last face down. "Hero Signal! When an Elemental HERO I control is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or lower HERO from my hand or deck!"
He glanced toward his partner. "Go for it, AIBO!"
"Right." Yumi drew a card from his deck and slammed it onto his Duel Disk. "I Special Summon Elemental HERO Woodsman in Defense Position!"
The earthy warrior materialized on their side of the field, kneeling with arms crossed, his wooden armor bracing for impact.
[Elemental HERO Woodsman, 2000 DEF]
Jaden smirked. "When Darkbright is destroyed, I get to destroy one monster you control. Say goodbye to your Queen!"
The residual energy of Darkbright pulsed on the field, transforming into dark lightning that surged toward Amazoness Queen. She roared as the shock overwhelmed her, exploding in a violent burst.
"Tch!" Gloria clicked her tongue, frustrated to see her strongest monster fall.
"With the Queen gone, your little tiger gets weaker too!" Jaden added with a grin.
[Amazoness Baby Tiger, 900 -> 800 ATK]
But the sisters weren't fazed.
"Then our Second Main Phase. Our Field Spell's effect," Gloria countered. "When an Amazoness is destroyed by battle or card effect, Amazoness Village lets us Special Summon another Amazoness from the deck with equal or lower Level!"
She turned to Grace, who was already holding up a card.
"Rise again, Amazoness Queen!"
The mighty warrior emerged from the tribal mist once more, her glare colder than ever.
[Amazoness Queen, 2400 -> 2600 ATK]
Gloria casually took one more card from her hand. "And I'll set one card face-down to wrap it up."
A card appeared behind the Queen, humming ominously with energy.
She looked at Yumi and smirked. "Your move, pretty boy."
"Finally, it's my turn." Yumi smiled, placing his hand over his deck. "Draw!"
In one fluid motion, he drew and slipped the card into his hand. "Jaden, watch closely, this is the new strength of my HEROes."
"Woodsman's effect, letting me add one 'Fusion' card to my hand." The Polymerization in Jaden's grave flew out and fell into his AIBO's hand.
"Next, I activate the effect of Vision HERO Faris in my hand. By discarding Elemental HERO Avian, I can Special Summon Faris to the field!"
The green-winged HERO vanished into the Graveyard, and a high-tech portal opened. From it stepped a futuristic warrior clad in purple armor, his body flickering with a holographic sheen like a walking projection before turning solid.
[Vision HERO Faris, 1600 ATK]
"Whoa! That new HERO looks awesome, AIBO!" Jaden beamed, practically leaning in to get a better look.
Yumi gave a subtle smirk, ignoring the enthusiasm. "Faris's effect activates. When he's summoned, I can place a 'Vision HERO' monster from my deck into my Spell & Trap Zone."
Behind Faris, a second holographic figure appeared, Vision HERO Increase, its color scheme a soft electric blue, humming quietly in place.
"Next, I'll Normal Summon Elemental HERO Airman (Stratos)!"
A powerful wind kicked up, and a sleek HERO in blue armor descended, turbines whirring on his wings as his feet touched down.
[Elemental HERO Airman, 1800 ATK]
"Airman's effect, since I control other HERO monsters, I can destroy Spell or Trap cards up to the number of other HEROes I control."
Lifting up his duel disk, the cards of his other HERO glowed, including Woodsman, Faris, and even Increase in his spell and trap zone. The last one actually surprised Yumi a little since the real world's effect doesn't work like this, before he realized that.
Even if the HERO is placed in the Spell and Trap Zone, it still counts as a HERO he controls.
Smiling, he continued. "Even Increase in my backrow counts. Good to know."
He refocused. "That makes three. Say goodbye to both of your face-downs and your Amazoness Village."
"Not so fast!" Gloria snapped, flipping her face-down card. "Quick-Play Spell, Amazoness Secret Art! I Fusion Summon using monsters from my field and hand!"
Two ethereal shamans materialized, chanting as glowing sigils circled around them."I fuse Baby Tiger, whose name becomes Amazoness Tiger, with Amazoness Archer in my hand!"
The Archer girl appeared, picking up the small tiger before they vanished into a swirling vortex. "Come forth, Amazoness Pet Liger!"
A massive lion-tiger hybrid appeared, its body covered in scars, while both its front legs had metal shoulder guards on each side. On its head is a small head guard, while its right eye has a scar running over it.
The beast growled, its piercing eye staring at the Slifer Reds on the other side.
[Amazoness Pet Liger, 2500 ATK]
Airman's effect resolved, obliterating the sisters' backrow and their Field Spell in a gust of wind and data shatter.
"Tch. Not as cute as the kitten..." Celina muttered from the sidelines, disappointed at the loss of fluff.
"Now, Increase's effect activates!" Yumi continued. "By tributing one HERO I control, Airman, I Special Summon Increase from the Spell & Trap Zone!"
Airman dissolved in golden fragments. Increase replaced him with a leap and a battle stance.
[Vision HERO Increase, 900 ATK]
"Increase's effect activates when this card is summoned from my Spell and Trap Zone, I get to Special Summon a HERO monster from my deck!"
An adjustment, mixing both the real-life effect and the manga effect of this incredible Vision HERO, Increase's real-life effect, only letting you summon out a Level 4 or lower Vision HERO, while the manga lets you summon a HERO monster.
From his deck, Yumi summoned another warrior with obsidian-toned armor.
"Vision HERO Vyon joins the fight!"
[Vision HERO Vyon, 1000 ATK]
"Vyon's effect, when this card is summoned, I can send 1 HERO monster from my deck to the Graveyard. I choose Shadow Mist."
He sent the card swiftly, then continued.
"Shadow Mist's effect, when sent to the Graveyard, I can add a HERO from my deck to my hand. I'll take Elemental HERO Liquid Soldier."
Seeing Yumi continuously pull his deck out, pick a card, shuffle it, then pull it out to pick another and shuffle it, made the two Tyler sisters feel a bit uneasy.
"Vyon's second effect activates, I banish Shadow Mist from my Graveyard to add a Polymerization from my deck to my hand."
Again, he added another card to his hand and shuffled his deck for the last time in this one turn... probably.
"Jaden, let me show you the power of my new HERO!" Yumi said with a smile.
"Let's gooo! Show them what you got AIBO!" Jaden shouted, hopping in place like a kid at a candy store.
"I activate Polymerization! I fuse Faris, Increase, and Vyon!"
The three HEROes leapt into a swirling fusion vortex. The sky pulsed red as a new figure emerged.
"Witness the might of my Ultimate Vision HERO, Vision HERO Trinity!"
A titan clad in deep crimson armor stepped forward. Glowing red lights pulsed from his head, chest, and stomach. When his boot hit the ground, the arena cracked beneath him.
[Vision HERO Trinity, 2500 ATK]
"The effect of Trinity!" Yumi said, "After this card is Fusion Summoned, for the rest of this turn, this card's ATK becomes double its original ATK! And since I use three Vision HEROes as material, this ATK boost stays permanent!"
Another mix between the real-life effect and manga effect, similar to Increase, the Fusion condition is three HEROes taken from the real-life version, while the permanent attack boost is based on the manga version that can only be fusion summoned using 2 or 3 Vision HEROes, if summon using three Vision HEROes then the ATK will double.
The hero's red armor made a muffled sound like an idling engine, as if lightning was stuck inside the steel armor and roared. Steam seemed to be spitting out from the gaps in the armor plate, and the rapidly heating gas made the hero's body seem to become erratic and distorted.
[Vision HERO Trinity, 2500 -> 5000 ATK]
"Attack power…five thousand!?" Gloria was shocked,
"So strong..." Grace mutters.
Yumi smiled, looking down at his hands. Right now, he could end this duel with the remaining resources he has, but when he looked at his friend Jaden, the protagonist of this world. Yumi decides to stall this duel out for a bit longer.
His friend needs to grow stronger; otherwise, by the time the events of Season 2 and 3 come along, Jaden will not be strong enough to handle the pressure.
Originally, this duel was meant for Syrus to grow, but since Yumi has taken his place in this duel, it's only best for him to help his friend get stronger.
"Battle! Vision HERO Trinity, attack Amazoness Queen!"
The hero clenched his fists, and a low metallic roar emitted from the red armor as if a machine were roaring.
A dazzling red light condensed on the indicator lights on his chest and shoulders, and the HERO's fist landed on the female warrior.
"Trinity Crush!"
The attack landed, sending the Amazoness Queen falling back before she quickly got back up, wiping the blood off her lips.
The Tyler sisters definitely felt that attack as the force was so strong they nearly fell back on their butt.
[Gloria & Grace, LP 8000 -> 5400]
"Amazoness Queen's effect, our Amazoness monster can't be destroyed by battle!" Gloria said through clenched teeth, the after-shock of that last attack still fresh in her mind.
Yumi just looked at her with a calm smile and said. "Trinity can attack three times in one turn, but he can't attack directly."
His words cause the entire room to widen their eyes in shock, jaws hanging.
5000 ATK and attack three times in one turn? With just one punch, you could already kill someone. Do you really need to add two extra punches?
Ignoring their reaction, Yumi commanded his HERO to attack once more. "Continue, attack Amazoness Queen! Trinity Crush!"
The red armor hero charged toward the female warrior once more. The blow sent her flying back, crashing hard on the ground and kicking up a lot of dust.
"Ahhhhh!" Both the Tyler sisters scream, feeling the powerful impact once again.
[Gloria & Grace, LP 5400 -> 2800]
"Trinity Crush!"
Yumi didn't even give the Amazoness Queen time to get back up as the red HERO appeared right before her and punched her hard one last time.
[Gloria & Grace, LP 2800 -> 200]
Both sisters fell to their knees, feeling the overwhelming pressure coming from him.
For a moment, they even began to suspect that they were the ones being punished, not the other way around.
The audience, seeing this scene, couldn't help but feel pity for the two Tyler Sisters and their monster.
The Strongest Slifer Red... he is really ruthless, beating up girls like that.
"Are you alright? Sorry if I was a little too rough with ya." Yumi said with a smile.