The Heroes and The Rivals -Descent-

"Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!"

Shouted Sakura, as she places the card rather hard into the top of her Duel Disk's plate.

From the blooming lunar flower, a nightmarish-looking dragon appears from beneath the translucent white petals.

The dragon had various orbs etched on his body, big horns like a Taurus, two mandible near his drooling mouth, and two pairs of wings like Venus flytrap-like head with mouth when open lined with long fangs belonging to a serpent.

The appearance of the dragon steal the attention of the surrounding audience.

Some amazed by the tyrannical yet majestic posture of it, while others felt intimidated by it oppressing presence.

If there's a word that can describe the dragon, it would be:

Vicious.

Tyrannic.

Powerful.

Troublesome.

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon, it is certainly right to call it a BOSS Monster.

"I had seen Sakura's dragon multiple time, but... whenever I see it, it is truly... breathtaking" said Jasmine looking at the duel on the podium's chair.

Not only her, but when the dragon appears Chazz even paused his duel against Jaden, "Tch, damn it..."

Jaden confused seeing Chazz's reaction, and so he shifted his gaze toward the direction of his gaze.

"Whoa! Isn't that Sakura's dragon? Man, her dragon is so cool! Maybe I should asked her for duel later" amazed him.

Hearing his words, Chazz snorted, "Humph! A loser like you want to challenge her?! Hahahahaha, know your place, Idiot! Someone weak as you are nowhere near her level! So get back to your hometown, your small-time Hero!!" Insulted him.

Hearing his jeer, Jaden become rather angry, "What's wrong with that?! Just because I'm not that good with my head doesn't mean I can't win against her!"

Jaden then points his index finger to Chazz, "Etched this in your mind! Even though I'm an idiot, I'm... Going to become a duel king!!" Declared him.

Hearing his declaration Chazz laughs with mocking tone, he said, "A Slacker like you, who's late on the exam want to become a Duel King?! Don't joke with me! Duel King is a title... that only reserved for the strongest!! And that person is me!!"

Chazz put his finger on top of the mounted deck, "Draw!", drawing the card rather forceful.

He then points his finger toward Jaden, "Slacker like you... just stay down at your ghetto and keep dreaming!!"

On the other side of the arena...

A youth with dual-colored hair were standing with a HERO facing against the white queen and her vicious dragon.

Even under such pressure, he can't help but to show a smile.

Sakura, seeing Yuji were confused, "What's so funny?", asked her.

"Didn't you heard it?" Said Yuji looking sideways at Jaden.

Sakura tilted her head, "What's wrong with him?" Asked her which, she then also gazes at Jaden's figure.

"I'm happy" answered him.

"Happy?"

He nods, "Yeah... I'm happy that there is another guy who want to become a Duel King"

"Why so?" Asked her.

Yuji shifted his gaze toward her, "Don't you get it? There is only one throne, but the competitors are so many"

Sakura opens her mouth, but then closed it, she then held her chin thinking about why it can bring Yuji such joy?

Sakura closed her eyes, remembering her past. She was a special person, whether it is sports or studies, she can do it easily with her talent.

Except maybe understanding people's emotion.

She can't understand the feeling of a fellow child who were left by their mother.

She knew what expression is, and whenever her friends is sad, anger, etc.

Likewise, she can change the facial expression of her to adapt to the current situation, but that's not mean she understood their feeling.

If there's something she can understand, that is the feeling of boredom or emptiness, and obsession toward a certain person.

Looking at the confused her, Yuji answered, "Because it's exciting!"

Sakura opens her eyes, "Exciting?" Told her.

Yuji nods affirming her word, "Yeah!

Meeting new people, dueling against each other, get to know another deck, knowing strategy you didn't know or never see, as we compete against each other for that spot without knowing which one of us is winning or losing.

Aren't those just exciting?!" Smiled him.

Sakura widened her eyes, his words touch something in her heart. Hearing it, she clutched her hand in front of her bosom.

[Yeah... he's right, I'm always good at everything whether it is studies or sports.

So good that I can do it with almost no practice... so good that I was never struggling against an opponent

Because of it... there is no joy when I learned it nor when I achieved it]

"Ah" Sakura comes to a realization.

[That's right...

The reason I want to beat him is neither because of that humiliation nor that I frustrated because I'm on a losing streak.

The reason... it is very simple! Because it's fun

Whenever I duel him, Yuji can bring out my full potential.

It's exciting to see what kind of play he's going to bring out, how can I counter against it

That's why whenever I lose against him is so irksome... because I struggle, because I was excited, because... because... I truly want to win!]

"Hum~ I understand, it's seem I'm too smart for not realizing such thing" told her.

Sakura then gaze at her dragon, then shifted her gaze to Yuji, "Well then..." Sakura swing her hand, "Starving Venom's effect activate!"

"Eh?" Yuji gasped, for a minute there he forgot that he was dueling her, and he just realized that this is still her turn!

The vicious dragon roared, on Yuji's side The Elemental HERO Great Tornado let out a shining golden aura that flew toward Starving Venom's wings.

Sakura extend her arm showing her open palm, "If this monster is Fusion Summoned: I can make Starving Venom gain attack equal to one special summoned monster the opponent control until the end of this turn.

Not only that! Once per turn, Starving Venom can negate and steal the name and effect of the special summoned level 5 or higher monster my opponent control"

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon > E•HERO Great Tornado

ATK/2800>5600 DEF/2000

"Let me borrow this ability" told her, as she snapped her fingers.

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon creates a rotating orb made from dust and sand on his palm.

After the rotating orb gets bigger, he then throws it toward E•HERO Great Tornado.

Yuji raised his arms, bracing himself for the impact.

The orb explode, creating a spherical, rotating explosion that grinds the hero alive.

The wind from the explosion fluttering his clothes roughly and almost blasting Yuji away.

"Great Tornado!", screamed him worried.

Thankfully, the hero is still alive, albeit with heavily damaged armor.

His black shroud is gone, cracks appears on his armor, some part of it destroyed and even start to fall off.

E•HERO Great Tornado (LV.8)

ATK/2800>1600 DEF/2200>1100

"Set two cards, turn... end"

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon (LV.8)

ATK/560P>2800 DEF/2000

Sakura declared her end turn, but before he drew, Yuji gaze attentively towards his HERO and Sakura's dragon.

[Not only it had amazing ability to gains attack, another monster's name, and even their effect, but also to destroy all the special summoned monster it is opponent control upon his destruction.

Starving Venom Fusion Dragon... is it truly a troublesome opponent]

Yuji held his chin, wondering what kind of strategy or play to get rid of her dragon.

He gazed at his cards, then shifted his gaze again toward the vicious dragon.

He already comes up with a strategy to get rid of it, but the problematic one is rather than the dragon itself, the set of cards behind it is the true trouble.

Right now in his hand, there is no a single card that can destroy nor even negate a card's effect.

If he blindly rushed in, it would be him who is going to lose.

Sakura tilted her head, confused of seeing him silent, "Yuji... your turn"

Like a bubble had been pop up, Yuji realized and apologize to her for making her wait, "Haha, sorry, sorry"

Even so, as a duelist he can't back down, as a duelist whatever the risk he should face it with head held high, "Alright, Dr-"

BZZZT!!!

"Gah!!", Yuji screams in surprise, the moment his fingers touch the surface of the mounted deck, he felt an electrifying sensation from his fingertips through his entire body.

The electrifying sensation was so real that Yuji start sweating profusely.

[What was that?!! Is The Duel Disk broke?!! Is it?! ....no, Misawa already checked it for me before the exam, and he said there aren't any problem with it... if that so, then why?!!]

"What's wrong?" Asked her, hearing her question, Yuji scratch his cheek and wryly laugh saying it was nothing.

Sakura pouted, looking at him who just lying to her.

"Ha...haha...." laughed him dried.

Yuji then gaze at his Duel Disk, he even tried to smell it if there is any burnt smell, but he found nothing.

His action even made the audience wondered.

"Well then... let's do it again", said Yuji after letting out a deep breath, with his eyes closed he tries to draw the card again.

"Draw!" Shouted him, eyes still closed.

Yuji slowly open his eyes, then take a peek of what kind of card that can give him such real electrifying sensation.

"This is!" Yuji gasped, to think that this card is the cause of the sensation.

Yuji who is still skeptical scratches his hair. He, Yuji Kusanagi, even though he can no longer see Duel Monster spirit now, in the past he can see them clearly.

Anything that related to Duel Monster spirit is regarded as a supernatural phenomenon, but Yuji who had, known and used them in the past never felt this electrifying sensation.

He even wondered if it's his Duel Disk that had a problem rather than this card.

As knowing what he was thinking, Yuji's fingers who still holding that card begins to feel another sensation.

The card he was holding to giving him a warm sensation, like his fingers were dipped in the hot warm water, "This... how can this?!"

Bewildered and scared, he can stop his trembling hand.

Yuji takes a deep breath from his nose, then let it out through his mouth, trying to calm his nerf.

After he does this, the strange warm feeling is gone, his hand holding the card no longer trembling.

Looking at the card, Yuji already make his decision, "I don't know why or what you wanted, but... let's go!"

He put a card to the top of The Duel Disk's plate, a holographic image of the card appears, "I activate the spell card Miracle Fusion"

Sakura who knew what the card does won't let Yuji plays it, "Reverse card, open. Cursed Seal of The Forbidden Spell"

"What?!" his eyes widen, shocked to see the card she's activated.

Cursed Seal of The Forbidden Spell's effect: When a Spell Card is activated: Discard 1 Spell; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it, and if you do that, your opponent cannot activate Spell Cards with that name for the rest of this Duel.

Yuji grit his teeth, the memory of The Cross Duel back in the Girl' Dormitory rushed into his head. Sakura... she's still tried to cripple his deck.

Unlike Mind Crush, who just discard all copies of the declared name, but can be used again if the possessor of the cards can return and get the cards in to his hand to activate it.

But Cursed Seal of The Forbidden Spell, completely banned and negate the card(s) until the duel is over.

Jaden, Syrus, Misawa, Crowler, Shepard, Alexis and her friends also surprised seeing this move.

"For real?! She managed to crippled Yuji's deck again?" said Syrus surprised.

"Again?" Misawa wondered what is Syrus talking about, but abstain to ask him.

He held his chin, amazed by her tactic, "This is a good move, with this she manages to cutoff one of his key cards... I should write it down"

Crowler giggles looking at Yuji's expression, and claps his hands amazed of her move, "Hohoho, meraviglioso Signora Sakura! With this, one slacker is down no-nee"

Yuji shakes his head to try to snap from the shock, [Note to self: Prepare a lot of negate next time], told him in his mind, to show a dried smile.

Sakura started to speak, "I actually want to use Non Fusion Area against you, unfortunately... I didn't have that card... yet"

Yuji scratches his cheek, wryly laughs at her words.

"Can't be helped, HEROES get stronger when they work together, after all"

He continues, "But don't think I didn't account from such move, I still had Polymerization and other cards to play in case of this thing happen"

Yuji then shifted his gaze toward the wounded HERO, "Right here right now, I tribute Elemental HERO Great Tornado on my field"

"Tribute?" Sakura surprised.

Fire begins to immolate the wounded HERO, the fire then gets bigger like a wildfire.

Seeing such huge fire, many students begin to panicked, if it's not because the announcement made by Crowler that the fire isn't real there would surely be chaotic.

BOOM!

The HERO explodes, creating a pillar of flames that runs toward the sky like a reverse shooting star.

The blazing shooting star then explodes, creating a whirlpool of wildfire.

Yuji smile, he then took a card from his other hand then raised it high for everyone to see.

"From the dark dimension... you who wield the flame of destruction"

A dragon head appears from the center of the whirlpool, gradually revealing itself.

"With your dichromatic eyes, gaze upon this chaotic world and pulverize those wicked souls!"

The audience were amazed by the sudden appearance of such majestic presence.

On Sakura's field, the vicious Starving Venom Fusion Dragon begun to roar loudly toward the descending dragon.

His roar was so loud that the audiences and the students who also being tested at the same time covered their ears.

"Starving Venom, What is wrong with you?!! Hey, answer me!"

But her words fell on deaf ears, the vicious dragon had it attention locked on toward Yuji's dragon.

"Advance Summon!"

TAK...

"... what?" Sakura slowly shifted her head. On such chaotic and loud situation she can hear clearly the sound of a card being placed, "Yuji?"

The majestic dragon fall like a teardrop, body clad in flames, the image of the descending dragon were like a fallen ember.

"Set ablaze!"

It lands on his field, creating a burning crater shaped like a spider's web.

"Odd-Eyes Advance Dragon!!"