Chapter 38: Communicating Through Duels
As the atmosphere grew increasingly tense, Reiji Akaba spoke with a light chuckle, "It seems there's a misunderstanding between us and our allies."
"Letting this misunderstanding escalate won't be beneficial for our upcoming cooperation, now will it?"
"So, what's your point?" Yūga Hōzumi retorted.
"Since we're all Duelists, let's communicate through a duel. How about it?" Reiji Akaba proposed.
"If it's you, fine. Anyone else is out of the question. I'm not interested in wasting my time on a clown," Yūga Hōzumi said, glancing at Yuya.
"Ten thousand Xyz Monster cards," Reiji Akaba said, making an enticing offer. "They might not compare to the monsters from your XYZ Dimension, but as far as I know, the card factory in the XYZ Dimension was destroyed at the very start of the war, wasn't it?"
Yūga Hōzumi chuckled. Reiji Akaba was right. Most Duelists in the Resistance Army hadn't received new cards in a long time. The new army being trained by Shinjō Katsu and the others represented an even greater card deficit. Even with his system, relying on it to supply cards for an entire army was a futile effort.
"I heard you're searching for the future possibilities of Pendulum Summoning," Yūga Hōzumi said out of the blue.
"Do you have some advice for me?" Reiji Akaba asked flatly.
"I wouldn't call it advice. I may not understand the future possibilities of Pendulum Summoning, but I can tell you the limitations of your vaunted Pendulum Summoning," Yūga Hōzumi said with a smile.
"Is that so? I look forward to it," Reiji Akaba said. "How about we conduct the duel in the Action Duel format? After all, our Duel Disks still need the stadium's projection system to give the monsters substance."
"Fine," Yūga Hōzumi nodded. "As for the Action Field, let's not randomize it. We'll use the map that was destroyed by that Fusion Dog during my match today."
"Can you tell me why? LDS can still restore the destroyed field," Reiji Akaba asked.
"We will personally rebuild the shattered Heartland City after we have our revenge. We don't need virtual projections for self-comfort."
"Then, please."
…
Under the veil of night, everyone entered the long-since-emptied Duel Stadium. As they did, the stadium lights flared to life.
Under everyone's gaze, an expressionless Yūga Hōzumi and a dazed Yuya stood at opposite ends of the field.
Seeing his opponent's listless expression, Yūga Hōzumi couldn't help but look up at Reiji Akaba, who was seated in the audience, and say loudly, "If your duelist isn't in the mood right now, we can reschedule. We can wait until he's composed himself. Dueling him now would be a complete waste of time."
Normally, if an opponent showed such an attitude, Yūga Hōzumi would have already stormed off. The only reason he was still willing to speak civilly with Reiji Akaba was purely for the sake of those 10,000 cards.
"Yuya! Pull yourself together!" Yuya's good friend, Gongenzaka, couldn't help but shout. "A man can't back down in a situation like this!"
"Yuya, show some spirit! Don't you want to prove that Yusho Sakaki was right?" Yuzu also shouted toward Yuya.
Hearing Yuzu's call, Yuya looked up, clutching the pendant around his neck, and murmured, "Dad..."
"Yuya! Just as you've always believed in Yusho Sakaki, we've always believed in you! You can do it! Your dueling can bring a Smile to everyone!" Yuzu shouted, trying to convey her conviction to Yuya.
"Yuzu..." Yuya slowly raised his head, the light returning to his eyes, making Yūga Hōzumi's eyelid twitch.
"He recovered just like that? Is the Smile Cult really that terrifying?" Yūga Hōzumi thought.
Yuya looked directly at Yūga Hōzumi, his expression resolute. "I deeply sympathize with what you've all endured, but dueling should never be a tool to spread hatred. A duel that can make everyone Smile is a true duel, and I'll prove it to you!"
Hearing this, Yūga Hōzumi felt an exasperated laugh bubble up inside him.
"This father and son are truly something else!" he thought. "But, it's good that he's recovered. In that case, I'll just have to beat him back into a depressed wreck all over again."
"Action Field, on! Smoke-Filled Heartland City." Reiji Akaba pressed a button in front of him, and the stadium's solid-light projection system instantly activated.
Around the two duelists, the broken walls and rubble of buildings materialized, with thick, dark smoke occasionally rising from the ruins.
"Duel!" (x2)
"My turn!" Yūga Hōzumi declared.
"I summon Utopic Onomatopeia in Attack Position!"
"I activate the effect of Utopic Onomatopeia!"
"During my Main Phase, I can Special Summon up to one 'Gagaga,' 'Gogogo,' 'Dododo,' and 'Zubababa' monster from my hand in Defense Position!"
"I Special Summon Gogogo Golem in Defense Position!"
"I overlay my two Level 4 monsters!"
"O demon of the battlefield, descend now and crush my enemies! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Steelswarm Roach!"
A swirling vortex of stars appeared before Yūga Hōzumi. A moment later, a demonic warrior clad in golden pauldrons, wearing a cockroach-shaped helmet, and wielding a rapier appeared on his field.
Steelswarm Roach ATK: 1900
"I set one card and end my turn."
"My turn! I draw!" Yuya drew his card.
After drawing, Yuya grabbed the pendant hanging from his neck and looked at Yūga Hōzumi. "My dad left me this pendant. He told me that if I bring smiles to others, happiness will naturally find its way to me. I've always believed his words, and because of that, the miracle known as Pendulum Summoning was born in my hands, like a gift from the heavens."
"I set the Pendulum Scale with the Scale 1 Stargazer Magician and the Scale 8 Performapal Odd-Eyes Unicorn!"
Yuya placed the two cards on opposite ends of his Duel Disk, and the colorful word 'PENDULUM' materialized in an arc of light above it.
Two pillars of light appeared behind Yuya, and within them, the two monsters serving as the Scales slowly rose.
Between the pillars, a pendulum identical to Yuya's pendant began to sway.
"Swing, pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the sky! Pendulum Summon! Appear, my monsters!"
"Performapal Drummerilla!"
"Performapal Silver Claw!"
"And the majestic and beautifully radiant Odd-Eyes! Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!"
Three beams of colorful light descended with the pendulum's swing, materializing into monsters on Yuya's field.
"At this moment, I activate the effect of Steelswarm Roach! By detaching one Xyz Material from this card, I can negate the Special Summon of a Level 5 or higher monster and destroy it!" Yūga Hōzumi said coldly, just as Yuya's monsters were about to fully materialize from the light.
The demonic warrior swung its rapier, and a wave of dark energy swept across Yuya's field. Of the three beams of light, only the one representing the Level 4 Performapal Silver Claw remained. The other two were instantly snuffed out by the dark energy, their light dissipating into the air.
…
(end of chapter)
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