I’ll burn you

"Annoying…"

This was Dwain's impression of his next opponent.

After Summoning Blue-Eyes White Dragon and destroying Yamadron, Liaf seemed despondent. His expression only grew worse as Dwain could not help but say as innocently as he could, "It's no one-of-a-kind, but I think it's pretty good. And thanks to your Field Spell it gets even better. Thank you."

What followed was Liaf putting up whatever defense he could. But ultimately, he surrendered after a few turns and Dwain was the winner.

Dwain ignored the cheers of the crowd and - what he felt was - excessive hype from the announcer who ranted about how ultra rare, valuable, and powerful Blue-Eyes was.

This wound up delaying the other match and Dwain had to listen to a near one-sided conversation with Norvel. Dwain did not dislike the other boy; he just did not get along well with people who talked a lot.

To his relief, the next match began and Dwain was able to get a look at his next opponent's Deck. However, it became quickly apparent who that would be.

In the current state of Duel Monsters, the standard was to have a Deck of forty-to-sixty cards with 'professional' Duelists keeping closer to the minimum. At forty cards, these duelists usually have thirty-to-thirty-five Monster Cards and five-to-ten Spell and Trap Cards. However, there are some Duelists who rely more heavily on Spells and Traps with a Deck consisting of twenty-five monsters and fifteen spells and traps despite the risk of not drawing any monsters when you need to and potentially losing the Duel.

Norvel was the latter kind of Duelist. After watching a few turns, Dwain noticed the other boy's Deck consisted of two elements. The first was monsters with higher Defense Points than Attack Points. The second point was the high number of cards that inflict damage to the opponent's Life Points. Norvel's play-style amounted to perpetually putting his monsters in Defense Position and using Spell Cards to decrease his opponent's Life Points. Put simply, his Deck could be considered a first generation Stall & Burn Deck.

Knowing how this was going to end, Dwain decided to make some adjustments to his Deck. Upon entry, he had to register his Deck with the organizers to make sure he was not breaking any rules - too many cards, not enough cards, no more than three copies of a card, etc. In addition, he also had to register a Side Deck with them if he had one - up to fifteen separate cards he could switch out with the cards in his Deck between Duels so long as the total number of cards in either Deck remained the same.

Before he knew it, Dwain was called up for the finals.

"Let's have a good match," Norvel said - reaching out his hand.

Dwain eyed the other boy skeptically but still accepted the handshake. As he walked up here, he saw how upset and disgruntled his opponent had been as he walked by. Having played against Decks like Norvel's himself - albeit the modern equivalent - Dwain understood how infuriating they could be. For Norvel to be so friendly despite having such an infuriating Deck that was guaranteed to burn bridges, Dwain did not trust it. He felt the other boy's personality was a facade…or he was the type to be too happy-go-lucky to notice. He found it hard to tell which was worse.

The five minutes they had to prep quickly passed. They shuffled, cut, and put their cards in place and Norvel asked how they should decide who goes first.

"I'm good with whatever," Dwain responded.

"Alright," Norvel said as he looked up in thought. "Since I don't really go on the offensive and you seem to prefer it, how about I go first and you can take the first attack?"

"Fine by me."

"Duel!"

At the announcer's declaration, both boys drew five cards from their Decks.

Norvel drew his sixth card to start his turn and looked at his hand. A look of concern appeared on his face. "Wow, you have terrible luck."

"Hmm," Dwain hummed inquisitively - raising an eyebrow.

Norvel looked at him apologetically. "I start by Setting a monster face-down." After placing the card face-down on the placemat, Norvel pulled three other cards from his hand and placed them onto the bottom row of the placemat one at a time. "Then, I activate Sparks, Hinotama, and Ookazi."

"Seriously," Dwain complained loudly.

Sparks: Normal Spell Card

[Inflict 200 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.]

Hinotama: Normal Spell Card

[Inflict 500 damage to your opponent's Life Points.]

Ookazi: Normal Spell Card

[Inflict 800 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.]

Three cards were projected onto the field standing up and facing Dwain. The first depicted a small fire among a burning background, the second depicted a large fireball, and the last showed a large house utterly ablaze. From the first card, a small fire shot out, arched through the air, and burst upon hitting Dwain's field. The second released a (relatively) large fireball that shot toward Dwain - vanishing upon reaching the edge of the holographic field. And the last one set Dwain's side of the field ablaze momentarily.

Dwain Snyder: 2000 - 200 - 500 - 800 = 500

Norvel Schwartz: 2000

"I end my turn."

Dwain stared flatly at his opponent. "…I know it's impolite and we're in the middle of a Duel, but would you mind telling me the composition of your Deck."

Norvel acted embarrassed and hugged himself. In a faux girlish voice, he said, "Hentai!" After a moment, he burst out laughing and said more seriously, "Nah, it's fine. I carry three copies of Sparks, Raimei, Hinotama, Final Flame, and Ookazi."

"If I were you, I'd just make a Deck of nothing but cards like that."

Norvel scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "I actually tried that. Sometimes I got unlucky and couldn't finish my opponent in one turn. With no monsters to Summon, I lost by default."

Dwain hummed in acknowledgement before turning his attention back to his cards. Among the cards in his hand, he saw one he was sure would prove useful in winning this Duel - Stop Defense. However, he decided to wait until he was sure he'd be able to finish things.

Looking at the rest of his hand, it did not amount to much. The only card worth mentioning is the card he just drew - one of the handful of spells and traps he swapped in from his Side Deck - Just Desserts.

Dwain had intended to use Norvel's own strategy against him. Unfortunately, Just Desserts inflicts damaged based on the number of monsters the opponent controls which limits its use in a time where plays have little need to Summon multiple monsters.

"I could try Summoning something, use Stop Defense to flip his monster into Attack Position, and use Just Desserts to inflict some extra damage," Dwain plotted. "However, if his monster is too strong, it won't work. I have to be sure how strong his monster is. But I don't have enough Life Points to just attack so I can see what it is…"

"I'll Set a monster and a card face-down," Dwain eventually said, "and end my turn."

As the two cards were projected onto Dwain's field, Norvel blinked owlishly. He then put his free hand behind his head as he said, "Guess you weren't able to take the first attack, huh? Well'p my turn."

Norvel drew a card and looked at it with confusion. He then turned to Dwain as he put it onto the field. "Wow, you have terrible luck right now. I play Raimei."

Raimei: Normal Spell Card

[Inflict 300 points of damage to your opponent's Life Points.]

"Seriously," Dwain again complained - though much more weakly.

The card projected onto the field depicted storm clouds and a single, small bolt of lightning. Suddenly, an arch of lightning shot out of it and toward Dwain. Though, like Hinotama, it only went as far as the edge of the field.

Dwain Snyder: 500 - 300 = 200

Norvel Schwartz: 2000

"Your turn," Norvel said happily.

Dwain grumbled under his breath as he drew. What he got was one of the cards he added from his Side Deck. Immediately, he slapped the card onto the field. "I Summon, Mysterious Puppeteer!"

Mysterious Puppeteer: Earth Attribute, Level 4, Warrior-type, Effect, ATK/1000, DEF/1500

[If another monster is Normal or Flipped Summoned: Gain 500 Life Points.]

A figure draped in purple robes of a puppeteer appeared on the field. From within the wrappings of their face, two points of yellow light shined out. Their outstretched arms revealed their bony, clawed hands and from their fingertips extended strings leading to a simplistic wooden doll with a smiling expression etched into its face.

"Next, I Flip Summon Claw Reacher."

Claw Reacher: Dark Attribute, Level 3, Fiend-Type, ATK/1000, DEF/800

The horizontal, face-down card on Dwain's field suddenly flipped over into a vertical, face-up position. The card vanished and in a display of light, the monster emerged. It had a metal mask for a face with two small horns. It had on a purple, sleeveless tunic or long shirt almost reaching its knees. Its arms seemed metallic and segmented - ending in a pair of clawed, bony hands.

"Now, Mysterious Puppeteer's effect activates. Since a monster was just Normal or Flipped Summoned, I gain 500 Life Points."

Dwain Snyder: 200 + 500 = 700

Norvel Schwartz: 2000

"Still too weak to just attack," Dwain thought.

Norvel then burst out, "That's amazing! I've never heard of a card like that. It must be pretty rare."

Unsure how to respond, Dwain simply said, "Maybe. Anyway, I'll end my turn."

"My go," Norvel said while drawing his card.

Dwain eyed him skeptically for another Spell Card.

"Looks like your luck is changing," Norvel said sincerely - though looking a little disappointed. Adding the card to his hand, he hummed thoughtfully, "Hmmm…I'll…end my turn."

"My move then," Dwain replied.

Drawing a card, Dwain's eyes bulged upon seeing what it was. "I guess I win," he eventually thought after staring at the card for a minute. Still, part of him found it strange that he managed to draw the card. The Kaiba Starter Deck he received only had the one, so to draw it out of forty cards two Duels in a row seemed odd to him.

Dwain added the card to his hand and pulled out another. "I play, Stop Defense."

Stop Defense: Normal Spell Card

[Select 1 Defense-Position monster on your opponent's side of the field and change it to Attack Position]

Projected onto the field was a blue-green Spell Card depicting a soldier in blue armor carrying a large shield with a white 'X' crossing him out.

"I target your face-down monster."

The card in question flipped over and changed from a horizontal position to a vertical one. Like Claw Reacher before, the card then vanished and the monster appeared in a display of light. This monster resembled a young man with long, light green hair, long pointed ears, and delicate face. He wore a yellow gown that covered his body and a wreath of purple leaves on his head. However, his hands poked out from under his gown and were disproportionately large and entirely made of wood.

Green Phantom King: Earth Attribute, Level 3, Plant-Type, ATK/500, DEF/1600

"Darn," Norvel muttered. He then turned back to Dwain with excitement. "That's another card I've never heard of. I'll have to stay on my toes if I don't want to lose."

"I'm afraid to say, you already have," Dwain said smirking and pulling a card from his hand.

Norvel looked back at him in confusion.

"Now I Summon, Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"

Blue-Eyes White Dragon: Light Attribute, Level 8, Dragon-Type, ATK/3000, DEF/2500

On the field, a mighty and ferocious dragon appeared roaring mightily. Built somewhat similarly to a tyrannosaurus rex, the dragon's body was sleeker, rounder, and pure white to the point it almost seemed radiant with a long neck and pair of large wings on its back. Although still only the size of a chess piece, the detail with which the white dragon was projected allowed it's power and majesty to be fully conveyed.

"I can't tell if that's just how the card is designed or if Kaiba went the extra mile in Blue-Eyes's hologram," Dwain thought idly upon his second viewing of the dragon.

Shaking his head to disperse his idle thoughts, Dwain quickly said, "And, due to my Puppeteer's effect, I gain another 500 Life Points."

Dwain Snyder: 700 + 500 = 1200

Norvel Schwartz: 2000

Norvel just blinked blankly at the field before a look of disappointment appeared on his face. He slumped in his chair and scratched the back of his head awkwardly.

"Now, Blue-Eyes White Dragon, attack!"

The dragon on Dwain's field opened its mouth and energy began building within. A ball of light crackling with energy began to form. The dragon reared back before throwing its head forward and released a stream of destructive power toward Green Phantom King. Upon impact, the energy seemed to build and a dome of light expanded from the point of impact until bursting - momentarily forming a pillar of light as the monster was destroyed.

Dwain Snyder: 1200

Norvel Schwartz: 2000 - 2500 = 0

"Even its attack seems to have higher animation," Dwain internally added before standing up as the holographic field deactivated and the projected monsters vanished.

Reaching out his hand, Dwain offered, "Good game."

Norvel sighed sadly before standing himself and accepting the handshake. "I thought I had you for a second. But, I started expecting I'd lose once you Summoned that Puppeteer."

"My advise? Add some destruction cards. With how weak your monsters are, you wouldn't suffer much from Two-Pronged Attack's backlash."

"Oh, believe me, I'm thinking about it."

The announcer then approached the two. "Well there you have it folks," he announced, "we have our winner!" He then gently took Dwain's wrist to raise his hand victoriously into the air. "The legal cheater! The Dueling lawyer! The second master of Blue-Eyes! Dwain Snyder!!"

Among the cheering, Dwain blushed in embarrassment and tuned it out as he thought, "Guess I'll have to learn to be comfortable in situations like this. Now, I just need to collect my winnings and wait for phase two. With how Kaiba acted in episode one, I doubt I'll have to wait long. He'll come for my Blue-Eyes just like he came for Yugi's grandfather's. Then, all I have to do is beat him and my plan to get into Duelist Kingdom should be assured…hopefully."