Crossroad, Clash

"Warrior Elimination"

The spell card Warrior Elimination, like its name implied, the card had the effect to destroy all warrior-type monster from the field.

The moment Sakura put the card, all the monster the opponents control suddenly inflate a bit, then-

BOOM!!!

Explodes to smithereens.

"Aaa! My Flame Wingman!!" Shout Jaden holding his head, shocked.

"Oh... gracious..." whisper Yuji, closing his eyes.

"No way..." Alexis eyes wide open, shocked to see her Ace monster gone.

It seems that when the explosion goes off, not only the duelists that were shocked, or cursing. But also their respective monster.

E•HERO Absolute Zero: Dammmnnn yoooouuuu woman!

E•HERO Flame Wingman: I haven't shown my move yet!!

Cyber Blader: *scream in anguish*

The explosion was so bright and loud, it was a miracle that the security or other peoples didn't notice their duel.

Thick grayish dust covering the field, obscuring everybody's figure and sight.

Then it was followed by a sudden blizzard.

When the explosion goes blasting. All the people's presents (except the perpetrator) shocked seeing the powerful monster destroyed with just a simple spell card.

Among them, the one who's affected the most were Alexus.

Her pupils dilated like a dot in the plain white HVS paper, mouth hanging slightly open like it was unlocked by a thief, and her silky smooth fingers can't stop twitching.

A shadow covered her eyes like a mask, but it certainly can't hold off the horrified lenses of her.

"I summon Lonefire blossom in attack position"

The words of the silver-white hair girl wakes her up like the words Prince Charming say to The Sleeping Beauty.

Frustrated, Alexis bit her lip, then shakes her head to erase the ugly emotion, and to help her focus on the current predicament.

On Sakura's field appears a strange plant with coiled or tangled trunks resembling a rope, with a round white flower or fruit with a fuse that resembling a bomb.

"Activate... monster's effect. Once per turn I can Tribute one face-up Plant monster, and special Summon one plant monster from my Deck... of course... the offering can be the monster itself" say Sakura flatly.

The fuse that embedded on the fruit start to lit up. Like a snake, it's creating a slither sound, and when the lit goes to the inside of the fruit-

"I special summon-"

BOOOM!!!

The plant explode like a C4 type bomb, creating a blinding light and massive dust explosion.

After the visual effect disappears,

Everyone present looks at the expressionless Sakura, can't help but to think that she might be one of the or actually an explosion maniac.

The field was covered by the heavy, thick gray dust, but suddenly the dust was warded off by a thousand cherry blossom petals.

The countless petals fluttering and dance around the field and the duelist.

"Wuooo!! What kind of monster she summoned?" Ask Jaden excited.

Then in the middle of the cherry blossom whirlpool, appear a young Japanese Yamato Nadeshiko dancing atop the giant cherry blossom flower with her beloved fan, enticing the entire audience.

"Talaya, Princess of The Cherry Blossom" say Sakura.

Talaya, Princess of The Cherry Blossom (LV.8) ATK 2800 DEF 1200

Whoever man or woman, they can't help to be charmed by her lustrous beauty.

"What a beauty..." say Syrus and Jasmine, enticed by her beauty.

Talaya: *wink*

Sy's and Jasmine's cheeks becomes redder when she winked toward them.

"Set three cards, I end my turn" announce Sakura.

Next turn is Jaden, because this is still her first turn unfortunately she can't declare a battle, and her deck didn't specialize in FTK.

"Oh! Is it my turn? Kay... draw!" He checked the card he draws, and can't help but to show an innocent glee.

He quickly put the card on his Duel Disk's plate, "I activate Pot of Greed, and draws two cards"

He continues, "First, I summon Sparkman in attack position, and then..."

Jaden glares at the people's presents, having made up his mind, he ordered Sparkman into battle.

"Sparkman attack Yuji! Static Shockwave!!"

The HERO in blue suit with golden armor and visor, extended his arm toward Yuji.

Lightning charged and condensed on his palm, creating sounds like the crackings of the bone.

From his palm, he launched a bolt of lightning toward Yuji.

"Kuh..." groans Yuji, "I'll get you later for this"

Yuji |LP 4000>2400|

Jaden rubs his nose while chuckling happily, "Hehe, bring it on! Of course... my turn end" tell him.

Next is Alexis, before she draws, she stole a glance toward Sakura. On her field there's a monster with an attack of 2800, and 3 set up cards in her back row.

As she noticed her glance, Alexis quickly avert her eyes.

"Draw" tell her.

Alexis looking at her cards, on her hand is just one monster and one trap card.

[...this will do]

"I summon Cyber Tutu in attack mode"

When she put the card, a visored teenage girl in a pink suit appear doing a ballerina dance move.

"Cyber Tutu, attack Yuji directly. Pounding Pirouette!"

The visored girl moves toward Yuji with spinning movements, and finally kick him in the chest.

It is fortunate that Yuji raised his arms to block it, alas his Life Points still get down.

Yuji |LP 2400>1400|

"Kuh! You know, I've got a feeeeling that you two deliberately wants to bury me" say Yuji.

"No way! You're thinking too much" reply Jaden smiling.

"I hope so..."

Alexis didn't say anything and continue to do her move, "I put one card on the back row. Turn... end"

The moment Alexis announce her end phase, Yuji already put his fingers on his deck, excited to pull out a reversal.

"My turn, draw" he looks at the card he pulled.

[Well...]

"I set a card on the back row, My turn end"

Now is Sakura's turn. Unlike the others, Sakura still had a monster with a whopping, 2800 attack point. That, and a set of cards on her back row.

Yuji didn't have any monster on the field, so if she drew a monster that surpass 1200 attack point, she can pull an OTK to Asuka, and Yuji.

"...draw"

Sakura's look at her newly draw card, but with her usual expressionless face, it can't be known if she excited/happy about it, disappointed, sad, it was hard to know.

"I normally summon a monster"

Alexis then waved her hand, "Trap card, open!"

Beside her, an image of trap card titled Forced Back is shown.

"With this trap, I can negate the normal summon or flip summon of a monster, and forced it back to the duelist hand"

The moment Alexis finished her world, Sakura casually grab her monster card from the Duel Disk's plate to her hand again.

"Then... Talaya, attack Yuji" say her softly.

The Cheery Blossom princess begin to dance, countless cherry blossom petals appears and dance around her.

The cherry blossom petals obediently follow the fan movement as it were a performance snake.

"Mai (Dance)! Sakura Gaeshi"

Talaya swing her hand three times, the petal like it was alive following the direction of her swing, creating three crescent moon shape attacks toward Yuji.

Yuji saw the coming three crescent moon attack, then wave his hand, "Trap card activate! Magic Cylinder"

In front of him appear two red barrels, the right one absorbing the three crescent attack like it was a vacuum cleaner, and the left let it go of the crescent attack toward Sakura.

She saw her own attack bounce back to her, but she received it without bating any eyes, nor raise her arms.

Without further protection, Sakura received Talaya's Sakura Gaeshi back, draining her LP.

Sakura |LP 4000>1200|

"Good work" even though her LP is drained a lot, she's still complimenting her opponent, albeit with flat tone and blank face like a cardboard.

But Yuji knew that Sakura means well, and her complimenting him is genuine

... Somewhat.

"Then, I end my turn"

...

On the sideline, the audience (Syrus, Jasmine, and Mindy) were watching attentively the four of them duel.

It's unknown why, but watching them duel is really fun, and also make your heart and mood drive like roller coaster.

It'll be perfect if there are popcorn and soda here.

"In just one turn they manage to summon a strong monster" whisper Sy.

Mindy who hears him also nod, "Yeah, I support Alexis... but whoever win even though he's a Slifer dorm student I don't mind"

"What's with that Mindy?! Are you not Alexis' friend" shout her.

Mindy sigh, "It's not like that, but... umm, I don't know how to say it. It's just their duel lit something in my heart"

"Mindy..." her friend Jasmine look at her with complicated expression, then she dropped her expression like looking at a child with tired eyes, "You fall for him don't you... Yuji I mean?"

"Eh?!" Sy surprised (even jealous) hearing that.

But the most surprised maybe the Silver-white haired girl that duel over there.

Sakura's ears twitched hearing her words, she felt something fill her stomach with Nitric acid, painful and gross.

Without their knowing, Sakura look at the three of them with cold eyes, clear like newly made katana. Sharp, clear, beautiful, guaranteed can kill a person.

Mindy smile wryly, "Well, if I have to choose between Yuji and Judai, I'll probably choose Yuji. He's more handsome".

"Mou, you just like him because of his look" say Jasmine.

Syrus let out a deep sigh hearing Mindy's reason, "Ha... girl" whisper him.

""What did you say?!"" Ask the two of them with menacing voice.

"Ah-umm, nothing" smile Sy weakly.

It seems when it comes to girl, he had a very bad luck.

However, when Momoe tell her reason of liking Yuji, Sakura's eyes become more empty like her souls had been sucked out.

"Sakura, what's wrong?" ask Yuji worried.

"Nothing" say Sakura, as she averts her eyes from Yuji, "Just... focus on the game"

"O... kay"

[Is it because I use Magic Cylinder?! Or is it something else?! Kuh, I didn't know. Just... say something, will you?!]