☆1: Firestarter

"Do you believe in darkness?"

It was a strange question... strange indeed, but somehow it attracts something... something inside me, my feeling? My psyche? My soul perhaps?!

That little question made my heart beat with odd anticipation, an excitement that I don't want to acknowledge.

Opening my mouth, "I..."

....

Sunday. A few days after the exam.

"Kuhh!"

A half-naked muscular guy kneeled on the ground, gritting his teeth in frustration. In front of him, a boy with dual colored hair watching him with bored expression.

4 Wins 0 Lose

That is the number of match between Yuji and Damon.

At first, Yuji were interested in Damon drawing card training, and then challenge him to get a taste of a drawing master like him.

On their first and second match, he won quickly and flawlessly on the third turn, then on the third match, Yuji decided he wouldn't use his usual HERO deck and opt for the ordinary HERO deck like Jaden.

He won, resulting in another OTK.

The fourth and final match, rather than using HERO, he decided to use his old deck that consist of cards he found on trashcan back before he was a Duel Academy student.

He felt that it'll be more interesting, beside... Yuji hasn't used them in a long time.

He even purposely extends the duel, expecting that Damon would pull some nice or miraculous combo, expecting that Damon's deck would be stronger when it's near the end game or when few cards are left.

But, no. Damon didn't pull any of it, even after Yuji purposely extend the match and wasted about more than 20 cards.

"No way... how can I lose?" Asked him, as he grasped the soil tightly.

"Dunno, but... thank you for the duels", say Yuji waving his hand, then start leaving the half-naked muscular guy behind.

"Wa- wait!" Damon shouted, as he reaches his hand toward Yuji.

But Yuji won't listen to his plea, instead he fastened his footsteps.

The day before, Yuji coincidentally listening to the talk between two female students about the well full of discarded cards.

Intrigue, he decided he should try looking for the said well, but rather than the rumored well he found a Tarzan that about to throw his deck toward the river.

"Stop!!" Shout Yuji.

"Hm?", The Tarzan startled, he looked back, watching the furious Yuji dashing toward him, which he then jumped into the air, "Wait who a-", and kick him right in the stick!

"... Koohak!", screamed Damon, spitting out his saliva.

He fell, eyes turning white while his body convulsing as both of his hands covering the crotch area.

"Phew, save", Yuji relieved as he wipes the sweats off his forehead.

"&$%&!!", Damon cursed after he listened to Yuji's words.

Both of them start arguing with each other, even after Yuji learned the reason why he is doing it, Yuji felt that his "drawing" training by throwing the cards into the river and then pick a certain right card is stupid, and he refused to apology.

After reaching an understanding, well... the rest is history.

...

"It's... not here"

It's been more than one hour since he resumed his search for the well, he even ventured deeper in the woods but found nothing, there isn't a single well in the forest.

"What should I do now?", wonder him while looking toward the warm, refreshing blue sky. "... I should've continued sleeping, if I knew it would end like this", comment him, as he closed his eyes.

"Oh, a student?"

"Who?!", Yuji quickly come to his sense, and ready his duel disk as he's positioning himself for a battle.

In front of Yuji, a man with a height of nearly 2 meters was leaning next to a tree.

The man in front of him was dressed very strangely, a black leather jacket with several spikes around his shoulders and back, along with black glasses covering his eyes like agent Smith from The Matrix movie.

"Hnhnhnhnhn...", the stranger chuckled, amused watching Yuji's silly reaction.

"Who are you?!!" Shouted Yuji, as he gazes toward the stranger fiercely.

"Don't be afraid, I'm just an ordinary person who happened to be passing by", tell him.

"Liar...", Yuji replied. "A strange man with questionable fashion said he just an ordinary person, and just passing by? In the middle of a forest? Telling me to not be afraid? Heh, nice try", Yuji squinted his eyes, and sarcastically laughing at the stranger's words.

Would you believe the words when a stranger you just met said, Do not be afraid? No!

Would you believe a strange man with strange fashion he was an ordinary person? No!

Would you believe a person who just suddenly appear in front of you in the middle of the forest as just passing by? Hell No!

No matter what, the stranger sound so fishy.

The stranger stopped leaning against the tree, then walked slowly towards Yuji.

"Stop, or I'll call the island security", threaten Yuji, as he shows his PDA.

"Heh!", rather than intimidated, the stranger snorted against his threat.

"I'm not joking... one push and all the security would come chase and beating you up".

Not paying attention to Yuji's threats, the stranger kept walking toward him while grabbing something from his back.

Alerted by his behavior, Yuji then pu-

"Here"

Yuji almost pushed the emergency button.

"This is my ID, you can look at it", say the stranger, showing Yuji his wallet with an ID inside the license slot.

Still skeptical, Yuji ordered the stranger to throw his wallet toward him.

"... throw it"

"...", the stranger was quiet, he measured Yuji from top to bottom and back to top.

"Last chance...", threaten Yuji, as his finger almost touch the emergency button on his PDA.

"Heh... clever girl", amused him.

The stranger threw his wallet at Yuji, and it landed close to his feet. Yuji carefully took the wallet, with his gaze still locked onto the stranger's figure.

"Why don't you read it?", say the stranger, pointing his finger at his wallet.

Yuji squinted his eyes, then divert his gaze from the stranger toward the ID inside the wallet.

-GALLOP Security-

Name: Trueman

Agent ID: E157S4GX

License: 26914168

Phone: 11001900

"Gallop security... Trueman", whisper Yuji.

"Call me Mr. T", request him, "Now, can you return my wallet?", ask him while smiling.

Yuji avert his eyes from the wallet toward Trueman's eyes, "...", his gaze become fiercer by the second, trying to uncover Trueman's expression from his covered eyes, like a dagger slowly pierce through the flesh.

"Hnnn", Trueman grunts, he felt a nasty prickly sensation from the kid's gaze, "Pre.tty.please?", ask him with a deep hoarse tone.

"...here" say Yuji, as he threw the wallet toward Trueman.

"Thank you" replied him, after he caught the wallet.

Even after putting his wallet back, Yuji's gaze still measured him for any potential threat move.

"Don't look at me like that, you already know who am I right?", say Trueman, "Can you stop it? Being gazed so FIERCELY by a student... especially a male student is kinda... annoying... you know?", joke him, as he let out an annoying chuckle.

"Then... why a security agent like you here? You aren't one from the academy"

"Heh, me here is none of your business, but... it doesn't matter if I told you or not" say Trueman.

He continues, "I'll be brief, I'm here to investigate the disappearance of the old Blue Obelisk Dorm's students... of course I'm already had the permit to do so" tell him.

Yuji slightly moves his head, the topic of The Old Obelisk Blue Dorm's students pique his interest.

"Investigation?", asked Yuji, still locked in position for a duel, "The Old Obelisk Blue Dormitory isn't here" tell him quickly.

"Of course I know that, I'm not that stupid!"

Yuji squinted his eyes further, "Then tell me everything you know! Including yourself, and the one that sent you here!"

There is a logical reason why Yuji included the person that sent Trueman to the island.

He deducts that whoever sent the weirdo Trueman here is related to the incident.

The person who sent him, can be also the perpetrator of the incident that wants to cover his involvement, or maybe he or she can be a potential ally for him to uncover and to some extent helping him to save a certain person.

Trueman snorted, "Why I must tell a snort-nosed brat like you?! You are just a student, and a Slifer to boot"

He continues mocking Yuji, "What can a poor and no-name student like yo- ah... hahahaha I see... yes... that's right... Hey brat! How about a duel with me?", asked him.

Yuji a little confused, in the middle of his mockery, Trueman... he stopped for a while, like he just noticed or remember something important, then he laughs again letting out an annoying tone to challenge him.

"If you win, I'll tell you all I know" challenge Trueman.

"Heh, fine by me", Yuji smirked, rather than keep asking and threatening the weirdos named Trueman to spill the beans, it is more simple to duel him instead.

"That's more like it", say Trueman, grinning like a predator ready to kill his prey.

Truman extend his left arm, then dark smoke begin to shroud on the very same hand like a snake coiling around a tree branch.

"What... is that?", whisper Yuji mystify.

"This would do" say Trueman after an unrecognizable black duel disk appear on his left arm.

Perplexed, Yuji asked him, "You... who? What are you?"

Truman chuckled seeing Yuji's expression like confused Bugs Bunny's face, "Why don't you beat me and find out?", tell him goading Yuji.

"Tch, as you wish!", Yuji's duel disk begin to extend, and give a booting computer sound.

Both duelists maintain their distance, both eyes lock into each other's figure.

"I warn you, I'm strong", say Trueman.

"In your little mind called brain that is", refute Yuji.

""Duel!""

Trueman |40000|

Yuji |4000|

"My turn!" Shout Truman, "Draw!"

"Hnhnhnhn... this is good, it's seem your luck already run out", mock him.

He continues, "First! I summon Dark Archetype in attack position!"

A mole-like creature appeared, it was devoid of nose and mouth, and a mechanical-like collar attached to its neck.

Dark Archetype (Lv.4)

ATK/1400 DEF/400

"I then set 2 cards, lastly I activate Future Fusion!"

An electrical pylon rise from the ground, it ascension create a heavy dust, making Yuji covering his nose and mouth.

On the peak of the electrical pylon there is a some sort of red lamp that keep giving off a buzzing sound like a radar.

Future fusion's effect:

During your 1st Standby Phase after this card's activation: Show 1 Fusion Monster in your Extra Deck and send the Fusion Materials listed on it from your Main Deck to the GY. During your 2nd Standby Phase after this card's activation: Fusion Summon 1 Fusion Monster from your Extra Deck with the same name as the monster you showed, and target it with this card. When this card leaves the field, destroy that target. When that target is destroyed, destroy this card.

"The one that I want to summon is this!", say Trueman showing the card to Yuji.

Yuji squinted his eyes, trying to read the monster's name and effect.

"That is!", Yuji surprised after reading the name of the monster, "F.G.D..." whisper him.

F.G.D or normally known as Five God or Five Head Dragon, some said it was one of the strongest dragon type monster and also the ultimate fusion monster the public currently know.

It had a whooping attack of 5000 that even exceed Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragon, furthermore the monster itself can't be destroyed by Fire, Water, Wind, Earth and Dark attribute monster.

It's said that the only monster that can surpass it were Dragon Master Knight. A fusion monster that consist of Kaiba's legendary Blue Eyes Ultimate Dragons and Yugi's powerful warrior monster, The Black Luster Soldier.

"Hnhn... hahahahahaha! That's it! That is the kind of face I want to see! A face of someone who had give-"

"Oi... who said I had given up yet?"

Trueman's word were cutoff by Yuji.

He smirked, "F.G.D... it is really a powerful monster, but... as long I can destroy Future Fusion it can't be summoned. Furthermore, if it really gets summoned then... heh".

Adjusting his glasses, Trueman say, "Ho... I wonder how long you can keep that arrogant attitude?"

"This isn't arrogance... it is a self-confidence!", remark him.

Snorted, Trueman decided to end his turn.

"Now, let me experience the power of your deck", say Trueman presenting his body to be attacked.

"You'll see... draw!", on his first draw Yuji draw a Polymerization, "Nice...", think him.

"From my hand, I fusion summon Elemental HERO Ocean and Elemental HERO Sparkman"

The two HEROes jump and merge together in the air.

"Come forth, my loyal aid! Elemental HERO Absolute Zero!"

A winter armored HERO then appeared, doing the iconic Super Hero landing.

E•HERO Absolute Zero (Lv.8)

ATK/2500 DEF/2000

"Let's go, Absolute Zero! Destroy his monster!", shout Yuji as he's pointing his finger toward Dark Archtype.

SHA!

Absolute Zero, rush forward, ready to strike the enemy with his bare hand.

Trueman smirked looking at Yuji's monster who is about to destroy his monster, "Trap card open, Zero Gaze".

A set card was opened, it had the illustration of Panther Warrior being gazed by The Eyes within the flames.

"Zero Gazer's effect, when a face-up attack position monster on my field is selected as an attack target, that monster attack monster become zero"

Dark Archetype (Lv.4)

ATK/1400>0 DEF/400

"Turning his own monster's attack to zero? What is he planning?", wonder Yuji.

A card ejected from Trueman's deck, "Then I draw one card".

"So it's like that" whisper Yuji.

The mole like creature then smashed by the strike of the winter armored hero, scattering its body into countless polygonal fragments.

Dark Archetype: Krrrk!!!

Trueman |4000>1500|

Receiving 2500 wasn't a problem for Trueman, in fact, he's hoping for this very outcome.

"Dark Archetype's effect activate"

Dark Archetype's effect:

If this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard, you can choose 1 monster in your Deck with an ATK equal to the Battle Damage you took from that battle. Send monsters whose total Levels equal the Level of the chosen monster from your hand to the Graveyard, and Special Summon the chosen monster.

Trueman pulled a card from his hand and send it to the duel disk.

"2500... that is the damage I took from you"

Trueman leer, "I'll show you something special, boy~"

Showing his wicked smile, Trueman raise his hand that holding a card that radiate a brilliant red light.

"No way...", Yuji were shocked.

The card that Trueman held, is one of the card he was very familiar with. The same card that he wish to have in the future, a card that symbolize the power and friendship.

Not even the students and the teachers of Duel Academy had that card! But this mere security agent have it.

PLAK!

He then shoved the card roughly toward the duel disk's plate.

"Who are you?!", Yuji shouted.

Red line like blood appear on the ground making a circular then pentagram symbol.

CRASS!

From inside the symbol, blood flowing like a fountain, making a mess of a big puddle.

Slowly... a figure drenched in blood rise from it.

Trueman laughs, he spread his hands as to welcoming the monster, "Applause for his rebirth!"

All the blood quickly evaporate, and an imposing figure stand facing the winter armored hero, showing him a mischievous smile.

"Dark Magician!"