The quarterfinal stage sat high above the crowd. Standing on the platform, Bastion Misawa felt the thrum of excitement, a steady rise of heat in his chest.
He glanced across at the other Duelist and smiled. "It's been a while since we really Dueled, Chazz."
"Yeah. Feels like we only sparred that first term," Chazz Princeton said, nodding as old memories flickered by.
They hadn't faced each other often, at least not in a proper match. In the Fusion Department, they'd tossed decks at each other plenty of times across cafeteria tables.
Bang, bang, bang.
Fireworks blossomed overhead, and the two Duelists' holograms flared across the arena screens.
"Duel!"
Duel Academy (Main Campus) — Bastion Misawa — LP: 4000
Duel Academy (Main Campus) — Chazz Princeton — LP: 4000
A wall of flame roared up behind them.
No signature Ace cut-in rose from either side. KaibaCorp had suggested a Light and Darkness Dragon splash for Chazz, but he'd refused. As for Misawa, he'd rotated through so many builds, he'd even piloted Amazoness earlier, that production couldn't pick a single "face card."
"My turn. Draw." Misawa drew.
"I activate Pot of Greed to draw two."
Cards slid into his hand. "Then Graceful Charity, I draw three, then discard two."
He fanned his new grip, eyes glinting.
Beautiful.
Dragon's Mirror.
He ran the math, eyed a Continuous Trap and a monster in hand, then chose. "I discard Duoterion and Oxygeddon to the GY."
"Oh? Going for the Bonding line?" Chazz couldn't help but comment. "You barely touched those in the prelims. Saving them for me?"
"Exactly. Testing ends when I face you," Misawa said. "Next, Monster Reborn, I revive Duoterion from the GY."
A compact, sinewy Dinosaur rose in a spiral of light.
"When Duoterion is Normal or Special Summoned: I add a 'Bonding' Spell/Trap from my Deck. I take Bonding - DHO."
He held the card up so Chazz and the cameras could see. "Now I activate Bonding - DHO! I shuffle Duoterion from my field, Hydrogeddon from my hand, and Oxygeddon in my GY into the Deck, Special Summon!"
A tidal roar crushed the soundscape. A leviathan-sized chemical chimera surged out, rings of water formulae spinning around its frame.
"Water Dragon Cluster!"
[Water Dragon Cluster] — Level 10 | WATER | Sea Serpent | 2800 ATK / 2600 DEF
Chazz's lip quirked.
"Summoning a 2800-ATK boss on turn one, was that the plan?" he asked.
"A plan? No," Misawa said, calm and sure. "Merely preparation."
Chazz raised an eyebrow.
"When I went to the Amazoness encampment, I did a lot of thinking."
"I heard," Chazz said, smirking. "You and a..."
"Ahem. Not for this venue," Misawa cut in, then continued. "The Fusion Army's incursion into the X Dimension severed inter-Dimensional dialogue. It will happen again. Even people struggle to understand one another; between Dimensions, and between spirits and humans, differences in common sense lead to friction, conflict… even hatred.
"So I chose my path. I'll be the bridge across every future Dimension."
Chazz stared. "That's not exactly a small goal. Between countries we don't even share languages; between Dimensions we don't even share summoning methods. How do you pull that off alone?"
"It's simple. There's one thing that never changes, no matter the world, the Dimension, human or spirit." Misawa extended a hand, palm up. "Mathematics."
The word hit like a spark. Even kids in the stands blinked at the certainty in his voice.
"As long as there are formulas and numbers, there's a route to mutual understanding. To peace. I'll be the diplomatic envoy of mathematics."
"Hah! Amazing, Misawa!" Chazz threw his head back and laughed. "Then show me everything, because I'm the guy who surpasses past and future and becomes the strongest. If you don't go full power here, who's ever gonna trust you?"
"Ha, of course I understand, I Set two cards and end my turn!"
"My turn. Draw." Chazz drew, then snapped a card forward. "In my Draw Phase, I activate the Quick-Play Spell Armed Dragon Flash! I Special Summon 1 'Armed Dragon' from my Deck in Defense Position, Armed Dragon LV3!"
"Then, in the Standby Phase, Armed Dragon LV3 sends itself to the GY to evolve. From my Deck, Armed Dragon LV5!"
The small plated wyvern swelled with power, plating locking into a lean, battle-ready frame.
[Armed Dragon LV5] — Level 5 | WIND | Dragon | 2400 ATK
"Quick-Play into LV3, then straight up to LV5…"
"Whoa, an LV monster!"
"Didn't think we'd see the classics!"
LVs weren't top tier, but they were legends; seeing the line on stage sent a ripple through the crowd.
"You're going to use LV5 to blow away my 2800?" Misawa asked mildly. "But the classic LV5 has to send a monster from hand to the GY with ATK at least equal to its target. 2800 ATK, Chazz… even for you, that's not trivial."
"Unlucky for you, I've got it." Chazz lifted a card. "Armed Dragon LV5, activate! I send Armed Dragon Thunder LV7 from my hand to the GY; destroy 1 face-up monster with ATK ≤ 2800!"
LV5's fist detonated with lightning. Misawa's 2800 behemoth shattered in a geyser of force.
Misawa raised an arm against the shockwave, unruffled.
"When Armed Dragon Thunder LV7 is sent to the GY to activate a Dragon's effect," Chazz continued, "I add 1 'Armed Dragon' from my Deck. I take Pile Armed Dragon, and Special Summon it! I send Armed Dragon Thunder LV3 from my hand to the GY to fulfill its condition!"
A drill-armed dragon slammed down beside LV5, bellowing skyward.
[Pile Armed Dragon] — Level 7 | WIND | Dragon | 2600 ATK
"And Armed Dragon Thunder LV3, when it's sent to the GY to activate a Dragon's effect, I draw 1 card."
Chazz drew, glanced, and nodded.
"Not done yet. Pile Armed Dragon, I send Armed Dragon Thunder LV5 from my Deck to the GY; Pile gains ATK equal to that Level × 300, and for the rest of this turn only 1 of my monsters can attack. Then Thunder LV5, when sent to the GY to activate a Dragon's effect, adds a Level 5 or higher WIND Dragon, I take Armed Dragon LV10!"
Pile Armed Dragon — ATK: 2600 → 4100.
The audience buzzed.
"All off one line. That's Chazz."
"It's battle time, Misawa! If you can't even stop..."
"Trap Card, Waboku." Misawa's tone was gentle, almost apologetic. "Peace, Chazz. Opening with overkill only scares off people who could be our friends."
Chazz huffed a laugh. "Fair enough." He slid two cards into his backrow. "Main Phase 2, Set 2. End turn."
Pile Armed Dragon — ATK: 4100 → 2600.
"My turn. Draw." Misawa drew, and the corner of his mouth lifted.
There it is, the second piece.
At his shoulder, Tania's spirit flickered and gave a small nod.
"Here I go, Chazz."
"Bring it on, Misawa!"
"I activate the Spell, Dragon's Mirror!"