Dueling is Magic!
Many Futures

Chapter 45

Dark Revelations

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"Everyone must, in time, learn to grow on their own. But I never forgot the people who helped me grow before that point. After all, the true King must always carry the feelings of those whom he defeated," said Jack as he rounded a corner on the highway. Crow's voice sounded from the speaker in his helmet.

"My turn!" Crow drew a card. "Bayamo the War Hammer, attack Red Dragon Archfiend!"

"Continuous Trap, open: 'Red Screen!' While this card is face-up, your monsters cannot attack." A crimson barrier appeared behind Jack and Red Dragon Archfiend. Crow growled, Set a card face-down and ended his turn.

Jack started his turn and drew a card. As he did, Crow activated his Trap Card. "I play 'Blackboost' and draw two cards," he said.

"I Summon the Tuner monster 'Trust Guardian,'" Jack said. The tiny armored fairy appeared on his field, a serious look on its face.

"Do you remember this monster, Crow? I was able to overcome myself because of this card. You and Yusei insisted that I use it, and it's never failed me when I have!"

"You should know by now. If I control 'Red Dragon Archfiend,' I can destroy Red Screen to use its final effect, reviving a Level One Tuner monster from my Graveyard. Return, 'Synkron Resonator!'"

Release me, said a voice in Jack's head. Jack shook his head to get the voice out.

"The darkness is calling me, Crow," Jack said. A red light emanated from the left side of his chest. "But I won't give it what it wants, not yet. It's still subject to my Burning Soul! Trust Guardian, Synkron Resonator, double-tune with Red Dragon Archfiend!"

Both Tuners vanished, leaving four rings of fire behind that encircled Red Dragon Archfiend. They began to spin rapidly until it was encased in a ball of fire.

“The King and the Devil, here and now shall become as one. A raging soul! Lift up the very cries of creation itself! Synchro Summon! Come forth, ‘Red Nova Dragon’!”

Jack's strongest monster burst out of the flames with a roar that echoed between the city's buildings. A yellow gleam flashed in its eyes, and fire flew away from its wings and claws.

"When Synkron Resonator is sent to the Graveyard, it adds another 'Resonator' monster in my Graveyard to my hand." Dark Resonator slid out of Jack's Duel Disk and he placed it in the card holder on his wrist. Red Nova Dragon's Attack Points dropped by five hundred. "Battle! Red Nova Dragon, attack Bayamo the War Hammer! Burning Soul!" Red Nova Dragon burst into flames and flew toward Bayamo as it tightened its grip on its hammer.

"I activate 'Kalut the Moon Shadow's' effect!" Crow shouted. "By sending it from my hand to the Graveyard, I can give a battling 'Blackwing' monster I control a fourteen-hundred Attack Point boost until the End Phase!"

The streets below gave way to water as the two monsters drew closer. Bayamo raised its hammer as Red Nova Dragon approached, then brought it down on its head, sending it careening past the highway and into the bay. Red Nova Dragon reemerged moments later, its fire extinguished and water pouring off its body.

"Since Trust Guardian was used as one of its Tuners, Red Nova Dragon can give up four hundred of its Attack and Defense Points to survive one battle each turn," Jack stated. "I end my turn."

"My turn! Bayamo the War Hammer, attack Red Nova Dragon!" The jets in Bayamo's wings flared up, pushing it forward at incredible speed. "Now I activate Bayamo's effect, negating Red Nova Dragon's effects, but Bayamo cannot destroy it by battle while they're both face-up." Red Nova Dragon's Attack Points dropped by one thousand moments before Bayamo's hammer smashed into the side of its face, sending it tumbling toward the water again. Red Nova Dragon regained its balance and flew under the highway, then returned to the sky above Jack.

"Even though Bayamo cannot destroy Red Nova Dragon now, Trust Guardian's effect still applies," Jack said.

"Blackwing Armor Master, attack Red Nova Dragon and plant a Wedge Counter on it!" Crow shouted. "I Set two cards and end my turn."

"My turn," Jack said. "I activate the second effect of 'Speed World Two.' I pay seven Speed Counters to draw one card. Next, I change Red Nova Dragon to Defense Mode, Set one card face-down, and end my turn."

"My turn! I activate Armor Master's effect. Red Nova Dragon's Wedge Counter is removed and its Attack and Defense Points are reduced to zero."

The black needle wedged into Red Nova Dragon's hide disappeared and its Attack and Defense Points dropped instantly.

Jack spun his D-Wheel around and shifted it into reverse. "Red Nova Dragon is still protected by Trust Guardian," he said. "You cannot defeat me this turn, Crow."

"Is that right?" Crow said. "Did you forget that Red Nova Dragon's effects are negated?"

"Well, it should! I activate the Trap 'Level Retuner' and reduce Armor Master's Level by two. Next, I summon 'Blackwing - Blizzard the Far North' from my hand and use its effect Special Summon 'Blackwing - Jetstream the Blue Sky' from my Graveyard."

A small, white bird with black feathers running along the edges of its wings and a black-feathered crest on its head appeared above Crow. The blue-feathered Jetstream appeared beside it.

"Level Two Blizzard, tune with the Level One 'Jetstream' and Level Five 'Armor Master!' Gust fiercely, O storm! Gain the will of steel and the speed of light to sublime your form! Synchro Summon! 'Blackwing - Silverwind the Ascendant!'"

A sword flashed in the sunlight as a thin warrior born on silver wings descended to the field. Though he wore a dark suit, thin golden armor covered that. Gold boots protected his feet. His helmet bore striking resemblance to the head of "Black-Winged Dragon."

"I activate Silverwind's effect! Once per turn, I can destroy up to two monsters with lower Defense than Silverwind's Attack Points, but Silverwind can't attack this turn. Go, Perfect Storm!"

"I told you that there's no such thing as perfection in a Duel!" Jack shouted. He spun his D-Wheel back around, shifting back to forward gear. "Continuous Trap, 'Burning Rebirth!' By Releasing a Level Eight or higher Synchro I control, I can resurrect 'Red Dragon Archfiend' from my Graveyard and equip it with this card. If 'Burning Rebirth' leaves the field, the equipped monster is destroyed. Revive, my mighty servant!"

Silverwind began slashing and stabbing wildly with its rapier, but Red Nova Dragon vanished in a burst of flame. More fire erupted from the water below as Red Dragon Archfiend soared into the air with a mighty roar.

"I'm still not finished with you, Jack! Bayamo the War Hammer, attack Red Dragon Archfiend! Typhoon Hammerblow!" Bayamo raised its war hammer and raced toward Red Dragon Archfiend.

"Burning Rebirth's final effect!" Jack announced. "By sending this card and a Tuner in my hand to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon the monster Released for its activation. Be reborn, 'Red Nova Dragon!'" Fire once again engulfed Red Dragon Archfiend. It burned a deep crimson, took solid form and clung to the creature's body. Red Nova Dragon spread its wings to dismiss the fire and roared.

"You're in a tight spot now, Crow!" Jack laughed. "I figured out how to stop Bayamo's effect entirely. You can only use it when it starts its attack, but changing the number of my monsters on the field, even simply by replacing them, causes a replay, where your monster is still attacking but you must now choose a new target or cancel the attack. Bayamo the War Hammer is no match for Red Nova Dragon!"

"Bayamo, stop!" Crow yelled. The afterburners on its wings shut down and it returned to Crow's side. "I activate my final 'Blackboost' and pay seven Speed Counters for 'Speed World Two's' effect. I draw three cards... and I Set them face-down. Your turn, Jack."

"You still have much to learn if you are ever going to best me, Crow Hogan," Jack said. "My turn!"

* * * * *

Jack found himself in a dark room made of yellow bricks and lit by torchlight. A crimson glow came from the pit surrounding the platform where he stood.

The massive stone statue on the other side of the room cracked and exploded. Jack shielded his eyes from the dust until it cleared. When he looked up, the face of Red Nova loomed over him.

You are a skilled duelist to have discovered the weakness of your opponent's monster. But it will not be enough, and you know it. It will never be enough.

"No. Crow is my friend. As long as he learns and grows, I am fine with defeat at his hands."

You and I both know that he is not stronger than you on his own. That card has dark origins.

"I suspected as much. Crow says he got that card from Yusei. Yusei also told him that the Black King isn't real. I think something happened to Yusei and that HE is the Black King."

"Crow's never told a lie a day in his life. There's no reason he would start now."

He will learn nothing if you let him win. If you care for him, for this city, for your reputation, you must release me!

Thousands of blood-red snakes shot up from the pit around Jack. They all glared down at him, hissing loudly. Jack looked around at them and uncrossed his arms.

"I was told that the Earthbound Immortals were evil gods imprisoned in the earth itself by the Crimson Dragon, which was called Quetzalcoatl in those days. But the people in that age only thought it was a god because they did not know better. You are no god. What are you?"

I AM A GOD! The snakes lunged forward at Jack, but stopped. A red aura appeared around him as his heart began to glow.

My brethren and I were born from purest darkness. It was a schism, the fabric of reality as it was before ripped apart by the rage of something more ancient than any of us.

Our lives are nothing but pain. We want to die, to stop, all of us did, but we are also all born with an incredibly strong survival instinct. We fight to preserve our own lives, even against our conscious wishes. That, in part, is what led to our immortality- a subconscious desire of our instincts. We cannot have our own destruction, and so we began to destroy everything else in sight. It made us feel better... partially. But it was never enough.

Do you see, Jack Atlas? We are living beings, and yet our existence is a perversion of life itself! This is never how it should have been! My imprisonment has been unbearable! Release me and let me destroy the world to sate my thirst!

"Lend me your power, then," Jack said. "But you will not destroy the world. Instead, I will help you."

You cannot help me or my kind! We are darkness incarnate! We are mockeries of life! We were never meant to exist! Release me and let me show your opponent the depths of my rage!

* * * * *

Jack slumped over the console for a moment, then shook his head quickly to clear it.

"Jack!" Crow called as he pulled up alongside him. "What happened? What was with the weird glowing and the screaming?"

"Here is a final lesson for you, Crow," Jack said. "It's one that Yusei has tried to teach us both all our lives: Strength is not something you build up alone."

"I Normal Summon 'Chain Resonator!'" Chain Resonator appeared on the field. The chain on its back flowed in the wind like a cape. "When Chain Resonator is Normal Summoned while a Synchro Monster is on the field, I can Special Summon a 'Resonator' monster from my deck. Red Nova, lend me your power!" A card slid out of Jack's deck. What looked like black smoke enveloped the card.

Chain Resonator tossed its chain into a portal and pulled it out again with it wrapped around a new monster. It was another 'Resonator,' but it was encased in a huge crystal. Its robes appeared torn and a dark blue orb was sunken into its chest.

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Next time on Dueling is Magic! Many Futures

Jack has summoned a fearsome 'Dark Tuner' monster, a creature only bestowed upon Dark Signers by the Earthbound Immortals! But Jack insists that he hasn't fallen to the darkness. Instead, Jack takes his duel further than ever before with a new kind of Synchro Summon!

Chapter 45

The King's Duel

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Featured Card

Blackwing - Silverwind the Ascendant
DARK
Level 8
Winged Beast/Synchro/Effect
1 "Blackwing" Tuner + 2 or more non-Tuner monsters
Once per turn: You can target up to 2 face-up monsters whose DEF is equal or less than this card's ATK; destroy them. This card cannot attack during the turn you activate this effect. Once per turn, if a "Blackwing" monster you control would be destroyed (by battle or card effect), it is not destroyed.
ATK/2800
DEF/2000

Burning Rebirth
TRAP
Continuous Trap Card
Tribute 1 Level 8 or higher Synchro Monster you control to target 1 "Red Dragon Archfiend" in your Graveyard; Special Summon it, and equip it with this card. When this card leaves the field, destroy the equipped monster. During either player's turn: You can send, to the Graveyard, this face-up card you control and 1 Tuner monster from your hand; Special Summon the monster Tributed for this card's activation.

Blackwing - Bayamo the War Hammer
DARK
Level 11
Winged Beast/Synchro/Effect
1 "Blackwing" Tuner + 1 or more non-Tuner "Blackwing" monsters
Must be Synchro Summoned, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. When this card is Synchro Summoned: It gains 400 ATK for each non-Tuner monster used as its Synchro Material. Once per turn, if this card attacks an opponent's face-up monster: You can activate this effect; while that monster is face-up, its effects are negated and this card cannot destroy it by battle (this is a Quick Effect). When this card is destroyed: target 1 non-Tuner monster used as this card's Synchro Material in your Graveyard; Special Summon, from your Graveyard, that target and the Tuner monster used for this card's Synchro Summon, then inflict 500 damage to your opponent. You can only activate this effect of "Blackwing - Bayamo the War Hammer" once per duel.
ATK/2800
DEF/1600

Dueling is Magic! Many Futures

by Wolfgang

Chapter 45: Dark Revelations