//------------------------------// // The Cursed Treasure Deck // Story: Delta Harmony // by The Avenger //------------------------------// “The name’s Iron Will, and I call the shots around here,” the blue minotaur said as he walked up to Yuji. “Let Iron Will tell you, newbies. This rehabilitation center has rules for both the outside and the inside. Yep, that’s right… And Iron Will calls the shots on the inside.” “I’ve heard of you,” Old Ace said. “You were a Pro Duelist before Dueling was outlawed, weren’t you!?” “Shut up, you old geezer!” Iron Will snapped. “Sorry, but I never expected to meet a Pro Duelist here of all places,” Old Ace said. “I used to watch you Duel in the nationals 15 years ago.” “Quit talking about ancient history!” Iron Will hissed. “That geezer doesn’t know how to take a hint…” “Especially since the old days are a taboo subject around Iron Will…” a couple of the toadies whispered to one another. “As Iron Will was saying, the rule on the inside is that Dueling me determines your rank here,” Iron Will continued. “By determining that, those on the bottom will be totally obedient to those on the top!” “Knew it!” Old Ace laughed. “I figured something ‘round them lines and brought my deck too!” Iron Will was pleasantly surprised, to say the least. “Oh?” “My Deck is amazing!” Old Ace continued. “It has some pretty rare cards! It’s called the Cursed Treasure Deck!” Old Ace added as he began pulling out his cards from the various hiding places in his vest. Then, like some clown, he started moving around like he was dancing while showing off his cards. “‘Rare cards’?” “‘Cursed Treasure Deck’?” “What about you two?” Iron Will asked Yuji and Kisara. “Our Decks got confiscated,” Kisara replied. “That’s a crying shame,” Iron Will said, before looking over to Chrysalis and her changelings, who had, by now, taken seats on a bench. “Iron Will has a feeling that you bugs don’t even know how to play Duel Monsters, huh? That just puts you guys at the bottom of the barrel!” This earned him a glare from the changelings. “Geezer, let’s get started,” Iron Will said as one of his toadies gives Old Ace a gray Duel Disk. Old Ace happily put the Duel Disk on. “I’m so happy I’m gettin’ to Duel against you, Iron Will!” “Make sure you’re careful, Iron Will,” a goat said to him. “He has some rare cards… That’s what’s really worrying us.” “Humph! It’s just a big bluff,” Iron Will mockingly said. “Iron Will is going to show him for what he really-” “That so? A bluff, is it?” Old Ace said, interrupting Iron Will. “Take a gander at this, Yuji, Kisara.” “Iron Will allows you to kick things off,” Iron Will said. “Really? Okay!” Old Ace said. “Let’s Duel, then!” He placed his Deck in the holder, and an orange colored blade appeared. The two then drew 5 cards, as per the rules of a Duel. Old Ace (LP 4000) vs. Iron Will (LP 4000) Turn 01 “It’s my turn!” Old Ace cheered as he drew a card. “If I don’t control any cards, I can summon the Cursed Treasure - Amulet of the Alicorn in defense position.” A gray and black amulet, with a gray unicorn’s head as well as wings and a red gem, appears next to him. “What is that!?” one of Iron Will’s toadies asked. “Why it’s the Amulet of the Alicorn!” Old Ace happily said. “The Amulet of the Alicorn is a magical amulet blesses the wearer with untold powers. However, the more the bearer uses the amulet, the more it corrupts him or her.” Cursed Treasure - Amulet of the Alicorn DARK Rock-type Level 3 DEF: 0 Suddenly, dark red energy emerged from the amulet and struck Old Ace. He screamed a bit as his Life Points were reduced. Old Ace (LP 4000 - 1500 = 2500) Iron Will, his toadies and the changelings all laughed at Old Ace’s misfortune. “The real Alicorn Amulet may corrupt its user and give them untold powers, but when Amulet of the Alicorn is summoned, it apparently makes its owner take 1500 points of damage!” a goat laughed. “I end my turn,” Old Ace cringed. Old Ace’s LP: 2500 Hand: 5 Turn 02 “Iron Will's turn! Draw!” Iron Will declared. “Iron Will sets a card face-down and begins Iron Will’s turn,” he said. “Iron Will activates the Spell Cost Down! This’ll decrease the Level of all monsters in my hand and on my field by two until the End Phase. The downside is that Iron Will has to discard 1 card in my hand to activate it. Now Iron Will summons the Level 6 Ushi Oni!” A gold jar appeared, and a blue minotaur-like creature, only with octopus arms on its shoulders and no visible legs, emerged from it. Ushi Oni DARK Fiend-type Level 6 - 2 = 4 ATK: 2150 “That thing is disgusting!” A changeling said. “Normally you need to tribute a monster to summon a monster that’s a Level 5 or 6,” said Yuji, “but by using Cost Down’s effect he was able to Normal Summon it without a tribute.” “Ushi Oni! Attack his defending monster!” Iron Will ordered, making the set card flipped. Ushi Oni charged and rammed into the amulet, shattering it into pieces, much to the devastated Old Ace’s horror. “Awright!” all of Iron Will’s toadies cheered. “My Cursed Treasure…!” Old Ace exclaimed. “Iron Will sets a card facedown and ends his turn.” Ushi Oni Level 4 + 2 = 6 Iron Will’s LP: 4000 Hand: 2 Turn 03 “W-Well then. My turn. Draw,” Old Ace said, drawing the card. “Iron Will activates his Trap!” Iron Will suddenly exclaimed. “Light of Intervention! Now, as long as this card stays on the field, both players have to summon monsters face-up, even in defense position.” “On that note…” Old Ace said as he grabbed the leftmost card in his hand. “I summon Cursed Treasure - Rings of Scorchero in defense position!” He exclaimed as 14 gold rings appear, all of them staked from smallest at top to largest at the bottom. “Gold rings?” “Those are the Rings of Scorchero. I read about them in a Daring Do book once.” Cursed Treasure - Rings of Scorchero LIGHT Rock-type Level 4 DEF: 2400 “That’s right!” Old Ace happily said. “The Rings of Scorchero, which appeared in the book ‘Daring Do and the Ring of Destiny’, are 14 golden rings from the Tenochtitlan Basin. The rings have a dark enchantment on and, when the right ritual is performed, they can control the entire basin!” “Hey, old geezer, are you trying to Duel here? Or open a museum? You’ve done nothing but throw out worthless cards. Are you trying to make a fool out of me?” “I’m just showing you my Cursed Treasures is all. I end my turn!” Old Ace finished. Old Ace’s LP 2500 Hand: 5 Turn 04 “Iron Will’s turn! Draw!” He declared. “Old geezer! Is bragging about your cards the only thing you want to do? Every last one of your cards are pieces of crap!” Both Kisara and Yuji glared angrily at Iron Will for saying that. “This was a waste of time! I’m going to clear those crappy cards out of here!” Iron Will exclaimed. “First, I tribute Ushi Oni!” “Eh? Why?” Old Ace asked. “I now special summon Great Ushi Oni in attack position!” Iron Will added as Ushi Oni disappeared, before another blue minotaur-like monster appeared. This one was even uglier than the last. Its lower body was similar to a spider’s body and it had 4 blood red eyes. Great Ushi Oni DARK Fiend-type Level 8 ATK: 2600 “Ugh! Its even more hideous than the last one!” Chrysalis exclaimed. “Great Ushi Oni is a monster that can be special summoned by tributing an Ushi Oni you control,” Iron Will said. “Great Ushi Oni, attack his Cursed Treasure - Rings of Scorchero!” The fiend then jumped toward the rings. “Specter’s Bite!!” Great Ushi Oni shattered the gold rings like they were nothing, much to Old Ace’s horror. “Great, Iron Will!” one of his toadies cheered. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning hit Old Ace. He screamed as more of his life points slipped away. Old Ace (LP 2500 - 2000 = 500) All of Iron Will’s toadies began laughing again, along with the changelings. “That’ll teach you!” Iron Will laughed. “I can’t believe anyone would collect so many useless cards,” a goat exclaimed, infuriating Yuji and Kisara. “Great Ushi Oni’s effect activates!” Iron Will added. “When it destroys a monster by battle, it can attack again!” “What!?” “Attack the old fool directly!” Iron Will ordered. Old Ace screamed in panic as Great Ushi Oni lunged at him. Old Ace fell off of his hooves as the attack hit, unintentionally scattering his cards. Old Ace (LP 500 - 2600 = 0) Winner: Iron Will “Old Ace! Are you okay?” Kisara asked as she and Yuji ran to his aid. She helped him up, but he quickly ran to where his cards fell. “You lose, you old fart,” Iron Will said as he walked over to Old ace, who was still gathering his scattered cards. “Honestly… Not only did you Duel to make a fool out of Iron Will, but you didn’t reduce Iron Will’s Life Points at all!” As he said that, Old Ace gathered all of his cards, except for one: his Cursed Treasure - Amulet of the Alicorn card. Turning around, he saw it, but Iron Will stepped on it before he could grab it. “Old dude, you’re getting the worst rank of them all!” Iron Will exclaimed as Old Ace tried his best to move Iron Will’s foot. “I wasn’t trying to make a fool out’cha!” Old Ace exclaimed as he began to cry. “I just wanted to show a Duelist as great as you these cards of mine! I love all of ‘em! What’s so wrong with that!? Sure, I’m not too keen on their effects, but it feels like the mysteries of the ancient world shine through these cards, so I care for them an awful lot! “Come on, I’m beggin’ you! Please move your foot! My precious card’s cryin’ in pain!” Old Ace sobbed, but Iron Will began to rub his foot into his card. “Aah! You’re not right!” “Ha!” Iron Will said, then he felt someone grab his left arm. He looked to see Yuji, who suddenly threw him across the room. “Ow! What the hell do you think you’re doing!?” Iron Will yelled as Old Ace began to check his card for any damage. “Will you lend me your deck?” Yuji asked Old Ace, which surprised both him and Iron Will. “I want to win with this Deck,” Yuji added. Old Ace complied and gave him both the Duel Disk and his Deck. “Old Ace said that you were once a Pro Duelist…” Yuji said to Iron Will as he puts the Duel Disk on. “You’ll be facing me next.” “Sounds fun!” Iron Will said as he got up. “But do you really believe that you can win with that ludicrous deck?” “That’s right. There’s not one card of the many that exist that’s useless!” Yuji added, which put a big smile on Old Ace’s face while Iron Will chuckled.