Chapter 5: Number Hunting.

Drake returned to Yuma's house in time for supper. As he was walking through the door Yuma excitedly shouted out.

"Hey Drake! Look I'm already got my Heart Key to fifth layer already. I'm Jetting!"

"YUMA! Have you entered this duel carnival?!"

"Kari!!"

Looks likes the beans have been spilled. Drake wanted to sneak away back out of the door before…

"And you Drake! Where do you think you are going? You knew about this didn't you?!"

Without any decorum Drake ran as fast as his legs would carry him. Forget about supper, he'd rather miss a meal or two than get what Yuma had coming to him now. If she found out that Drake had actually register Yuma, then he was a dead man… again.

By the time he had stopped running Drake was already on a bustling street, filled with shops, café's, restaurants and clubs. It was a bit early for the evening rush of party goers but it was still busy. He was considering whether or not to treat himself to a good meal when everything seemed to just, stop.

The traffic, the people, even the birds in the sky just stopped in their tracks and hung motionless.

Drake knew this. It was an ability of the Number Hunter Kite! Time Freeze. It wasn't truly stopping time itself, but everything else was moving thousands of times slower than normal within the field.

It was a good thing he was protected by the power of one of the Legendary Dragons. But if Kite was nearby…! That meant a Number was here as well!

Was he around here somewhere? Drake extended his senses as far as they would go. That way! Drake felt a faint energy from over there. With top speed he maneuverer around the frozen people in his path, eventually turning down a small alleyway and coming out onto a deserted back road. His duel gazer tattoo activated just in time to allow Drake to see Kite and his Galaxy-Eyed Photon Dragon, blast his opponent away with a Photon Stream of Destruction.

"Now I will take your Number. Photon Hand!"

Drake watched as Kite extracted the Number Card effortlessly, his victim turning old and feeble in front of his eyes as his soul was extracted.

*Clap, Clap, Clap*

Kite snapped his head towards Drake as he slowly clapped away. Kite instantly raised his vigilance. An ordinary person wouldn't be able to move through the effects of his Time Freeze. So this guy also a Number user?

"A magnificent attack, worthy of such a great dragon. I am sorry I missed the rest of your duel, but I can't say I enjoy the finale."

"And you are?"

"Drake, Drake Atlas. It's a pleasure to finally meet the infamous Number Hunter, your name is Kite right?"

"If you know of me, does that mean you are a Hunter too?"

"Err… technically not yet, I actually was hoping for a chance to get my first Number today."

Kite got angry.

"You think you can lie to me? If you don't have a number then how are you able to move in this frozen time space?"

"What can I say, I am just special." it was the truth.

"Let see you be so glib after I hunt you and your Number!"

A red rope of energy whipped out of Kites wrist guard and attached itself to Drakes arm, it was Kites Duel Anchor. Even if Drake wanted to leave now Kite wouldn't let him.

"Fine be that way, but when I win, I want you to hand me the Number you just took, deal?"

"If you can beat me, but that won't happen."

"Then lets Duel!"

Drake let Kite take the first move.

[Turn 1 Kite LP:4000 Hand:5, Drake LP:4000 Hand:5]

"My move, I draw. Since I have no monsters on the field, I can special summon <Photon Thrasher> from my hand. Then I summon <Photon Crusher> to the field to join him."

[Photon Thrasher – Lv4 ATK:2100/DEF:0, Photon Crusher – Lv4 ATK:2000/DEF:0]

Two metallic warriors, that looked to be made up of pieces of futurist armour held together by surging currents of energy took to the field. But they weren't to be around for long as they plunged into a black hole.

"Since you seem so interested in the Number I just hunted, let me give you a taste of its power. With these two monsters I form the Overlay Network! I XYZ Summon <Number 85: Crazy Box>!"

[Number 85: Crazy Box – Rank 4 ATK:3000/DEF:300 OU:2]

It was truly a fitting name for this Number, the monster that appeared out of the vortex of the overlay network looked like someone had painted a giant Rubik cube black and was in the prosses of dismantling it. On one of its sides was the glowing number 85 and its two overlay unites flew in orbit around it.

"I then set a card face down and end my turn."

[Turn 2 Drake LP:4000 Hand:5, Kite LP:4000 Hand:4]

"Oh? You better not look down on my skill too much Kite, or you will be sorry."

"Draw. I summon the <Keeper of Dragon Magic> in attack mode, when this card is summoned to the field, I can discard one card from my hand to add either a <Polymerization> or 'Fusion' spell, from my deck to my hand. So I activate this effect by discarding my <The White Stone of Legend> and add a <Polymerization> to my hand"

[Keeper of Dragon Magic – Lv4 ATK:1800/DEF:1300]

A humanoid dragon warrior clad in blue scaled armour took to the field.

"My Stone of Legends effect then activates allowing me to add a <Blue-Eyes White Dragon> from my deck to my hand."

"Next I play the Polymerization I just got, to fuse the Blue-Eyes in my hand with my <Alexandrite Dragon> to summon the great <First of the Dragons> in attack mode!"

<First of the Dragons - Lv9 ATK:2700/DEF:2000>

A great dark blue dragon took to the air, its body covered in spikes and horns. This monster of Drake's could be fusion summoned by using any 2 normal type monsters.

"Looks like maths isn't your strong suite, my Number is still stronger than your dragon."

"Keep talking yourself into a pit if you want, I set two cards face down and end my turn."

[Turn 3 Kite LP:4000 Hand:4, Drake LP:4000 Hand:2]

"Big talk, I draw. Next I activate the effect of Number 85, by sending one overlay unit to the grave I can roll one die and then apply an effect determined by the number that is rolled."

[Number 85: Crazy Box – OU:2 > 1]

One of the Numbers overlay units flew down to Kite and transformed into a large red die in Kite's hands, he tossed it out and it bounced and rolled to the middle of the field before coming to a stop. A two!

"When I roll a 2 Number 85's effect allows me to draw 1 more card from my deck."

An effect based on a dice roll? Drake wanted to face palm. This was something a duellist like Joey should have, not a duellist of Kites calibre. Good thing he wouldn't have it for long.

"I activate Number 85's effect again!"

[Number 85: Crazy Box – OU:1 > 0]

This time Kite rolled a 5.

"Now my Number can use its effect to destroy any card on the field, so I choose your First of the Dragons!"

A beam of crimson energy fired off from Kite's Crazy Box towards the high flying dragon.

"Bad move, my dragon cannot be effected by other monsters card effects and that even includes your Number cards."

Drakes dragon skilfully dodged the crimson beam.

"Are you taking this duel seriously Kite?" Drake was a little upset.

"What do you mean? Obviously, the advantage is mine."

"Don't try to bluff me, my Dragons Eye can see right through your card."

"Dragons Eye?" Kite was confused at this new term.

Drake pointed to his duel gazer tattoo that faintly glowed with power.

"My Dragons Eye isn't like some ordinary duel gazer; It also has the power to analysis any face up card on the field and reveal its hidden abilities to me. And it tells me that you were lucky with your rolls. If you had rolled a one then you would have lost half of your life points, and a six would have destroyed your own monster. Even if you didn't use its effect, you can't do much with it. To think its a monster with 3000 ATK, but you can't actually use it to attack me, ha-ha if you aren't playing with me then what?"

Kites look turned serious, Drake had analysis his Number card perfectly.

"You want me to get serious? Very well! But remember you asked for this!"

"I play the spell <Photon Lead> this spell card lets me special summon a level 4 or lower Light attribute monster that was added to my hand this turn. I special summon <Daybraker>."

[Daybreaker – LIGHT Lv4 ATK:1700/DEF:0]

"Then I active Daybreakers special effect, when it is special summoned to the field, I can special summon another copy to the field from my hand."

Two silver clad knights took to the field in turn.

"With these two monsters I can XYZ summon, so I now build the overlay network, come forth rank 4 <Number 50: Blackship of Corn>!"

[Number 50: Blackship of Corn - Rank 4, ATK:2100/DEF:1500 OU:2]

A monster looking like an ancient pirate ship took form, its number proudly displayed on its sail as two lights orbited around it. A second number already, finally this duel was starting to get good Drake thought.

"I activate Number 50's effect, I use one overlay unit to destroy your 'Keeper of Dragon Magic' and deal 1000 points of damage to you."

[Number 50: Blackship of Corn – OU: 2 > 1]

One of the lights shattered as a great net flew from the ship to capture Drakes monster, pulling it into its main cannon. With a bang it fired a shot right at Drake, even with him being prepared he was forced several meters back by the force of the impact. This wasn't just AR any more, but a duel with the true power of a Number card that could bring actual damage during a fight.

[Drake LP: > 3000]

"Next I sacrifice my two Numbers, in order to summon the light that will purify this world. Come forth <Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon>!"

Drake didn't need Kite to explain, he knew that Galaxy-Eyes could only be special summoned by offering up two monsters on the field with over 2000 ATK. In Kites hand appeared a large purplish red shuriken or star, which he tossed into the skies above. In a flash of blinding light, it transformed into a great, blue glowing, dragon clad in purple armour.

*ROAR!*

[Galaxy-Eyes Photon Dragon – Lv8 ATK:3000/DEF:2500]

"If I remember correctly the first thing you said to me was that you admired by dragons attack, well now you can experience it first hand! Galaxy-Eyes Photo Dragon attack 'First of the Dragons' with Photon Stream of Destruction!"

[GEPD ATK:3000 > FotD ATK:2700 – Drake LP > 2700]

The blinding blue ray engulfed Drakes beast and smashed into Drake, the actual force sending him flying backwards into a trash can.

"Aurgh!"

"With that your monster is des…!?"

Kite suddenly stopped his speech as the smoke cleared to reveal the form of Drakes dragon still on the field. Slowly getting up from the floor Drake explained with a grin on face.

"My dragon has another special ability Kite, 'First of the Dragons' cannot be destroyed in battle except at the hands a normal monster! And your Galaxy-Eyes is an effect monster, so my dragon won't be going anywhere quite yet."

"A pointless stall. My turn is over."

Kite was displeased that his Dragon was unable to properly display its superiority, that ability was almost like a Numbers. But his Galaxy-Eyes was still stronger, he would win, he would complete his mission and gather all the Numbers… for Hart.

[Turn 4 Drake LP:2700 Hand:2, Kite LP:4000 Hand:3]

Drake was breathing heavily, if not for his reinforce body he might actually have been injured this turn. But this didn't frighten him, it was the opposite in fact. This kind of blood boiling action was what he had been hoping for.

"I Draw."

Drake felt it was time to show Kite what a truly great dragon looked like.

"I activate the spell <Trade-In>, by discarding my level 8 Blue-Eyes from my hand I can draw 2 new cards from my deck."

"Then I activate the spell <The Melody of Awakening Dragon>, by discarding a card from my hand I can add two dragons with 3000 or more ATK and 2500 or less DEF from my deck to my hand. I discard <Totem Dragon> and I choose to add <Blue-Eyes White Dragon> and <Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon> to my hand."

"Shining Dragon? What kind of beast is that?" Kite had never heard of such a monster before, but his question went unanswered.

"I activate my face down card <Dragons Rebirth> this trap card allows me to special summon a dragon from my hand or graveyard after I banish a dragon I control from the game. I banish my 'First of the Dragons' from the game to bring back from my Graveyard my <Keeper of Dragon Magic>"

A pillar of flame engulfed the great dragon before scattering to once more reveal the form of the dragon warrior.

[Keeper of Dragon Magic – Lv4 ATK:1800/DEF:1300]

"Why? That dragon is so much weaker. What are you planning?"

"I'm planning to activate my Keeper's special ability. I discard the third Blue-Eyes in my hand to the grave in order to add the spell <Polymerization> from my deck to my hand."

Kite had no idea of what was coming.

"I play <Dragons Mirror>, by banishing monsters from my graveyard I can fusion summon a dragon type fusion monster to the field. I banish all three copies of my Blue-Eyes White Dragon from the grave, to Fusion summon the <Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon>!"

[Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon – Lv12 ATK:4500/DEF:3800]

A massive mirror appeared on the ground below, reflected in its glass were three white dragons. Suddenly from the mirror a pillar of light pierced up through the heavens, from it emerged two great wings and then the pillar slowly faded to reveal the rest of the body of the three headed beast. The three heads roared in unison releasing a shockwave of force that even forced Kite back a few steps and shattered the surrounding street lamps.

*ROAR!*

"What power!" Kite was stunned at the monster that stood before him.

"You should quickly say hello because he's not staying around for long, let me introduce you to an even more powerful monster. I sacrifice my Blue-Eyes Ultimate Dragon to special summon the <Blue-Eyes Shining Dragon>!!"