☆20: The Emergence

Through the windows, the lonely hallway is illuminated by the piecing moonlight that can't drive off the sunken darkness nevertheless.

On that hallway, a lone girl walking slowly in trance, listless... toward the door on the end of the lonely hallway.

"I'm home...", told her with a tired tone, as she opened the door.

She then closed and locks off the door.

Never minding to changed her uniform, she quickly jumps to her bed, slamming her face to the white comforting pillow.

"Haaaaamffmmmmffff!!!

[This suuuuccckkkkssss!!!]", she screamed.

She punched and kick the bed, "Why?! Why I can't win against him?!", cried her.

She grits her teeth, face contorted with rage and disappointment.

"I already made notes, training, get cards that can counter him, but why?! Why?! Why I can't win?! Am I really that weak?! Am I really... that pathetic?!"

She hugs her pillows as hard as she can, "Just... why? I just want to win against him", cried her.

Sakura pulls herself from the pillow, and then swept the tears from her eyes.

"No... let's try again"

With fiery eyes, Sakura immediately get down from her bed to her study table. Quickly grabbed a pen and prepared a book, then she checks her PDA if The Academy creates any record of today's duel between her and Yuji.

She bites her lips, and the bitterness of iron fouled the inside of her mouth. With narrows eyes like sharpened dagger, she swears.

"Next time... I'll defeat you, Yuji!!!"

.....................................

"This is my VICTORY!", yells Sakura.

The tyrannical violet beam pushed back Odd-Eyes' blazing flames, until it pierce through his armor-like scales with ease as if it was made from butter.

The violet beam shoot through the dragon, but it wasn't over yet. As the violet beam still continuing chasing after the dragon's master that hide behind its back.

"Ggguuuaaaahhhkkk!!!"

The beam connects, hitting him with a force of wrath.

The loud BANGING sound reverberates, the arena's lights flickers, and massive explosive gray dust emerges on the spot where Yuji is standing previously, hindering the spectators' eyes.

Jaden-Yuji |LP 1500>0|

"Yuji!!!", Jaden, Syrus, and Chumley screams, as they were worried and horrified by the attack he had caught.

Syrus grab his hairs, with a petrified expression he looked at the Life Points of his two friends become a Big ZERO.

"Yuji and Big Bro... lost?"

Beside Misawa, Alexis cover her mouth with her hands, her eyes widened witnessing the result of the duel.

"No... please no"

The four of them starred wide-eyes at their friends' Life Points without blinking.

Meanwhile, on Crowler's side...

"Scherzi, Signora Sakura!!!"

Crowler stood up from his seats, "Non~ Non~ Non~", then dancing in pivot turn as he laughs celebrating Sakura and Aster's victory.

While as for Jaden, rather than thinking about their Life Points, he immediately ran into the thick gray smoke, trying to find and help his friend.

"Koff! Koff! Yuji!! Where are- you?"

Haden's eyes widen, as shock filled his eyes, he saw that his friend Yuji is laying on the floor unconscious.

Without wasting another second, he ran towards him.

"Yuji!", yells him as he approaches.

Meanwhile, on Sakura's side.....

Witnessing Yuji and Jaden's LP to 0 made her speechless. Her body trembling, and her widen eyes freeze looking at the big monitor that show Jaden and Yuji's LP.

"I... uh- I", the surprise of defeating him, made her speech staggered.

The corners of her mouth bend upward, "I... won?"

Aster, who heard her question, nods.

"Yes, we won"

Aster slowly closed his eyes, the feeling of winning seems kinda hollow, unlike the usual.

"Ha...", he let out a sigh.

Actually, he wanted to be the one who dealt the last attack alongside his Destiny HERO.

Then make a little speech about The Destiny HERO he is so proud off.

But that chance had been stolen from him by Sakura, his tag duel partner.

Nevertheless, a win is a win. Is it also Thanks to his HEROes that they arrived at this victory.

"This is also destiny...", said Aster in low tone.

Contrary to him, the excitement of defeating Yuji made her body trembling with euphoria.

[I won? I really defeat Yuji? I... I-]

Realizing she had won, her heart beat much faster, and her cheeks turned into a rose pink as her smiling figure become more lovely, resembling that of a princess in love.

"I won!!!", yells her, as she raised her hand while smiling.

Aster who standing beside her let out a chuckle, as he's looking at the senior whom he thought as a cold beauty with an expressionless face like a machine smiling so cheerfully.

Sakura jumps in excitement.

"Yessss! I won!! I won agains-"

"You sure about that?"

Jaden-Yuji |LP 1500>00|

"Eh?!", Sakura stops, shocked because the sudden voice of Yuji and the monitor shows their Life Points at 00.

All the spectator become dumbfounded, wondering if there is something wrong about the monitor, because just then Jaden and Yuji's LP gained another 0.

"Huh?!", Syrus rubs his eyes, wondering what he saw were real.

"Huh? It's... real", told him.

Jaden-Yuji |LP 1500>000|

The spectators also wondered the same thing, as they shocked to see Jaden and Yuji's LP gained another zero.

"Nyo-nyo?", Crowler stops his dance then also stared at the monitor, "Eh? Is it broken?", wonders him.

Among the spectators, there is one- no! Two peoples who knew why there are three zeros at their LP.

"Kukuku, did you all forgot about something?", said Kei Mavis, as she amused looking at the other spectators' dumbfounded face.

On the other side, Gerard, a Slifer Student (in disguise) is grinning, as he noticed the reason behind the anomaly when he recorded the duel between the four of them with his hidden camera.

"Open your eyes, do you all see something amusing down there?", told him.

Then their LP changed again, revealing a new value that exceed the previous-original one.

Jaden-Yuji |LP 1500>2000|

"What... is the meaning of this?", asked Sakura, surprised.

She was celebrating her victory over Yuji, but suddenly the value of their LP changes, as of right now Yuji, and her Life Points were equal.

[Why is he- no... no way!!]

"Kuh!", she bit her lips, a taste of iron filled her mouth as she shifted her gaze toward the thick gray smokes that still hasn't settled yet.

"Yuji!!!", yells her with aggressive tone.

The spectators shifter their eyes, following Sakura's gaze toward the thick gray smoke.

The thick smoke gradually dwindles, revealing the silhouette of two peoples.

The smoke disappears, and the figure of Yuji kneeling while extending his left arm and pointing his palm toward the standing Jaden as to not to approached him, appears.

"Yuji!", shouted Syrus, Misawa, Alexis, and Chumley with happy expression.

"Why???!!!", shouted Crowler in shock.

Sakura narrowed her eyes, clicked her tongue, and shouts, "Yuji!!!".

The person she calls to, Yuji, is letting out a weak laugh, "Hehe, sorry Sakura. But, that won't make me fall that easily", teased him.

"Wuuuoooo!!!", the spectators cheered and shouts loudly, amazed because of the twist and that the duel isn't over yet.

"You... you... Hmph!", Sakura pouted and shifted her gaze from him.

Yuji slowly standing as he scratches his hair while looking at the frustrated expression of her.

Sakura then shifts her attention again to Yuji, "Then... how can you still survive?"

Yuji laughs awkwardly, then points to the holographic image beside him.

"Nutrient Z...", answers him.

He continues, "During the opponent's turn, if I take 2000 or more battle damage, gain 4000 Life Points"

-●-●-●-

"This is my VICTORY!", yells Sakura.

The powerful beam pushed back Odd-Eyes' attack, and then pierce through his majestic armor-like scales like it was made from paper.

"Odd-Eyes!", cried Yuji worried.

Looking at the coming light, "Dang it...", Yuji lowered his head down and closed his eyes, accepting the outcome.

"Ggguuuaaaahhhkkk!!!"

Trinity's attack hits him with wrathful force, and Yuji being baptized in it felt that all of his cell screaming in pain simultaneously.

[Just kidding!]

Yuji let out a grin, before Trinity's attack hit him, he already pressed the button on The Duel Disk.

"Nutrient Z, activate!"

-●-●-●-

Sakura clicked her tongue, "You know... you can just activate the trap card in a normal way rather than in some dramatic way", critics her.

Yuji grinning, "A Pro job isn't just winning, but he also needs to mesmerize the audience! Isn't that right, Aster?"

Aster nods slowly, "Yeah".

Sakura sighs, "Yuji... you are NOT a PRO!", exclaimed her.

"But one of The Duel Academy's goals is to produce a strong duelist that can stand on The World Stage, simply put... a Pro Duelist. Isn't that right, Chancellor Shephard?!", said Yuji, as he turns his head toward Chancellor Shephard.

"Yes, that's right", nods him.

Aster squinted his eyes, [As I thought... defeating him won't be that easy]

Strangely enough, Aster is happy that Yuji, his opponent, isn't defeated yet.

Sakura doing a facepalm, "Whatever! I set one card, and end my turn"..., told her with a tired tone.

She continues, "At the end phase, Vision HERO Trinity's attack return to his original value"

V•HERO Trinity (LV.8)

ATK/5000>2500 DEF/2000

Yuji laughs while apologizing.

"Don't make that sour face, Sakura. Let me tell you, that last attack is so scary that I almost pissed myself and missing the chance to activate Nutrient Z"

Sakura pouted, "Hmph! Whatever!"

"Just... stay dead, won't you?", whispers her with somewhat crying tone.

Alexis, Syrus, and Chumley breath a sigh of relief.

"Kuh... Yuji, you almost made me crying", says Syrus.

"Yeah! To think he purposely did it to mesmerized us all, ugh... I don't know if I must laugh or not", sighs Chumley.

He continues, "and here I thought Jaden is the only one that is crazy to pull it off"

Alexis silently watches Yuji's back.

[Good Job Yuji, but... now there isn't any card on your field]

She then shifted her gaze to Jaden, "Can you grab the victory, Jaden?", asked her smiling.

"Man, that some wacky move you've pulled there!", said Jaden, with crossed arm.

"Yeah... but that's kinda fun, you should try it sometimes", said Yuji.

"Meh, kinda troublesome", said Jaden with dropping-uninterested eyes.

"Hahaha!", Yuji laughs.

Yuji turned his head to Jaden, "Sorry Jay, the next turn... can I leave it to you?"

Jaden gives Yuji a thumbs up, "Ou! Leave it to me!"

Thanks to Nutrient Z, Jaden and Yuji gained a second wind in this duel, and a Life Points that tied with Aster and Sakura.

Even so, they can't relax yet. Because in a Duel, everything can happen, and an advantage can become a disadvantage in the blink of an eye.

"Yuji! This new chance you created, I won't waste it!", said Jaden as he put his fingers on top of his deck, "Draw!"

Unlike his previous turn, this turn Jaden pulls the card with greater strength as his life depends on it.

"I activate the spell card Graceful Charity! This card allows me to draw 3 cards then discard 2", in a flash Jaden draws 3 cards then discarding 2 cards.

Looking at the cards in his hand, he let out a smirk, "Let's go! From my hand, I activate Miracle Fusion!", told him as he shows the card to everyone.

Aster and Sakura's eyes frowned.

Jaden clenched his hand while smiling, "This turn, I'm going to show you all, the strongest HERO in my deck!"

He continues, "From The Graveyard, I fuse Elemental HERO Sparkman and Elemental HERO Flame Wingman!"

Jaden then bring his clenched hand to his chest and then raising it high.

"The HERO who wield the armaments of light, unite with The HERO branded in Dragon's mark! Combine into one to pulverize the darkness with the power of shining light!"

A Whirlpool consist of Purple and Green energy appears behind Jaden, following by two comet-like with different colors (White for Sparkman; Red for Flame Wingman) flies towards the center.

"Fusion Summon!", shouted Jaden as he shows the fusion monster card for everyone to see.

Spreading the wings that clad in shining white of justice, wearing an armor that glows under the radiant light with glimmering silver accent on it like the moon shining in the darkest night.

"Show your might, Elemental HERO Shining Flare Wingman!"

The HERO clenched his right hand, and then throws a punching pose toward Sakura and Aster.

E•HERO Shining Flare Wingman (LV.8)

ATK/2500 DEF/2100

"So it's here, the opposite to my Shining Phoenix Enforcer. Elemental HERO... Shining Flare Wingman!", said Aster.

Jaden nods, "One of Shining Flare Wingman's effect is that he gains 300 attack for each Elemental HERO in my- wait... OUR Graveyard!", explained him.

E•HERO Shining Flare Wingman (LV.8)

ATK/2500>5200 DEF/2100

Sakura narrowed her eyes, "5200... that's a lot"

Aster nods, "Yeah... by that point there should be NINE Elemental HEROes in their Cemetery"

The moment Jaden fusion summoned E•HERO Shining Flare Wingman, the spectators surprised as they had witness another monster with power that exceed The Egyptian God, Obelisk The Tormentor, again.

Syrus clenched her hand, "Good move, Big Bro!"

Misawa nods, "Yeah, his attack already exceeds that of Trinity, besides... if Number 1 manage to damage Trinity or Destroying him, it would be their victory"

"Shining Flare Wingman...", Alexis remembers the previous duel behind Obelisk Blue Girls' Dormitory.

That time Alexis and Sakura were eliminated is when Jaden fusion summoned him to destroy Yuji's Sunrise, then before he destroys Sunrise, Yuji blew Sunrise up first with the trap card Ring of Destruction to get a draw.

For her, this will be the first time to truly witness the true abilities of Jaden's strongest HERO.

Jaden bumped his fists together, "Yosha, this is the right time for battle!"

He then continues by pointing his fingers like a gun to Trinity, "Shining Flare Wingman, bring victory to us!"

E•HERO Shining Flare Wingman spreads his luminous wings and flies toward the sky.

"Shining Shoot!", yells Jaden as he unleashes a punch.

E•HERO Shining Flare Wingman unleash his finishing move by diving in quickly from the sky, performing a drop-kick which engulf his leg with moonlight aura, the way he quickly dives in to deliver the blow is resembling a Halley's comet.

"Go! Big Bro!", cheers Syrus.

"...", Sakura looked at the incoming attack with blank eyes, and casually press the button on her Duel Disk, "Trap card, open. Drain Shield"

Right then, an AT field builds like a translucent purple dome with hexagon patterns appears surrounding V•HERO Trinity.

Misawa clenched his wrist, "Dangerous! If Shining Flare Wingman attack goes through, rather than destroying Trinity, it'll just increase Sakura and Aster's Life Points!"

Jaden's eyes widen, and grits his teeth lightly, "No other choice...", whisperedhim.

In a flash, he took a card from his other hand, and shows it to Sakura.

"From my hand, I activate the trap card Red Reboot!", reveals him.

"Huh?!", Sakura, Aster, Yuji, Misawa, and the others surprised.

"Trap Card from the hand?", asked Sakura.

Jaden smirk, "That's right! By paying half of The Life Points, I can negate the activation of the opponent's trap card and set it face down"

He paused a bit then continues, "Then, for the rest of this turn my opponent's can't activate any trap cards"

Jaden-Yuji |LP 2000>1000|

Jaden's smirk changed into an awkward smile, "But... by doing so, you can set another trap card directly from the deck", explained him.

Misawa nods, "I see. It is a risky card to play, I would say, but the risk is equal to the reward. With this, Sakura's Drain Shield would be negated, and as long Shining Fl-"

Before Misawa finished his words, Sakura nonchalantly took a card from her hand and shows it to Jaden.

"Sakura... You!", yells Jaden, surprised.

Sakura smiles, "Red Reboot... activate!"

"It's bad!", yelled Alexis after looking at Sakura's card.

Sakura's LP begin decreasing rapidly. Rather than frowning, Aster is nodding in agreement even after witnessing their Life Points decreasing.

Contrary to him, Jaden and Yuji were the one who's frowning looking at their opponent's LP decreasing.

Aster-Sakura |LP 2000>1000|

Jaden lowered his head, as his bangs covered half of his face.

Sakura's Red Reboot negate Jaden's own. But because these two cards were activated from the hand, rather than setting it face-down, Jaden's Red Reboot were discarded to The Graveyard instead, and he can't set up a new trap card.

E•HERO Shining Flare Wingman's drop-kick attack falls on The AT shield.

But rather than destroyed, The AT shield blocks the attack, and drained the white energy like aura from E•HERO Shining Flare Wingman, keeping the V•HERO Trinity safe.

E•HERO Shining Flare Wingman narrowed his eyes, and then jumps back to Jaden's side.

Yuji clicked his tongue as he watches his opponents' LP increasing.

Aster-Sakura |LP 1000>6200|

"Life Points... 6200?!", said Syrus pointing at the monitor with trembling fingers.

Alexis frowned, "This... this is bad"

Misawa nods, as a sweat tickling down his cheek, "Yeah... it is"

Sakura closed her eyes.

"Too bad Jaden, it seems you can't grasp the victory this turn", told her as she slowly opens her eyes.

Jaden stood silently, he didn't usher any words. It is hard to know what he's currently thinking as his facial expressions could not be seen due to his bangs covering his face.

"I-", one word coming from his mouth.

"I?", wonders Sakura.

"I...", Jaden's fingers trembling, then it follows to his whole body.

"...", Sakura stood quietly, waiting for his response.

"Impressive!!!", yells Jaden with twinkling eyes.

"It's totally Impressive, Sakura! My trap negate your trap, your trap negates my trap again! It's so cool, what an interesting moves!", said Jaden, pointing his fingers at Sakura to praising her.

Sakura opens her mouth in disbelieved, but then closed it and then laughs.

[As Yuji said, Jaden Yuki... is an interesting guy]

"Thank you...", smiles her.

She continues, "Then, is there any move you would like to make?"

Jaden smiles wryly, "I still want to continue, but I don't have any card left to attack you... sorry, but I just set a card, then end my turn now", apologized him as he scratches his hair.

"No need", replied Sakura as she shakes her head slowly.

"There's always the next turn... IF there's any", told her, letting out a smirk.

Sakura shifted her gaze toward Aster, "Mr. Pro, can you grab the victory on your next turn?".

Aster, who noticed her gaze, shrug off.

"I don't know if it is possible..... Hmph, what I am saying. Of course, I can do it"

"Draw!", told him as he draws a card.

Aster then shifter his gaze to Sakura then Jaden, and finally to Yuji.

"I recognized the three of you already summoned your strongest HERO. Then, as a reward...", he paused.

"I'll show you three, the true terror of Destiny HERO", exclaimed him as his pupils seems to get bigger and the color of his eyes become paler.

"...?!!!", Yuji, Jaden, and Sakura suddenly felt a tyrannical pressure.

Unlike the previous pressure Yuji had felt, the pressure Aster currently gave off is much more terrifying.

It felt like he was crucified like a heretic getting burned alive slowly, and with the view in front of him were nothing but scattered corpses laying on the flat stone road, staining it with bloods and the rotting stench.

Aster's pupils expands, "Destiny HERO Malicious, activate your effect in The Cemetery!"

His Duel Disk ejects a card from The Cemetery zone, then aster put it to the banishment zone.

"D-HERO Malicious' effect, let me remove it from The Cemetery, after that special summon another Malicious from the deck"

A terrifying three horned HERO with a pair of great black bat wing and some parts of the body covered in black fur belongs to a black goat appears like the diabolical Satan from the Bible!

"Come forth, Destiny HERO Malicious!"

D-HERO Malicious (LV.6)

ATK/800 DEF/800

"Is that a HERO?", asked Jaden.

Aster sneer, "Not all HERO wear cape and fantastic looking, you know?"

Jaden nods at Aster's words, it is true Malicious' appearance isn't what he thought from a HERO.

Unlike D-HERO Dystopia, D-HERO Malicious' appearance is a bit gory, not heroic at all!

Even so, he is still a HERO, maybe there are some reasons of why his appearance were demonic looking.

Maybe in the future, he'll get to know about The HERO's lore story.

"Then, I activate the spell card Pot of Greed to draws 2 cards"

After he draws, Aster quickly activate another spell card.

"I then activate Fusion Recovery to recover Vision HERO Vyon and Polymerization from The Cemetery"

[Now, it is completed!]

"Sakura senior, lend me your Vision HERO!", said Aster.

Before Sakura answers him, Aster already made his move, not caring if she'll allow it or not.

"From my hand, I activate the spell card Polymerization to fuse the two HEROes on the field"

The lights on the room flickers wildly, then 2 or 3 light bulbs shatters, scaring the spectators.

"Everybody, CALM DOWN!", said Crowler to reassure the students present.

Fortunately, the shattered light bulbs' shards didn't fall on the students.

Aster smiles, as fires suddenly emerges near the spot where he's standing, not caring if the fires would burn him alive.

The fires then spread quickly to the whole stage of the arena, trapping the four of them in it.

Jaden, Yuji, Sakura, and the others quickly raised their arms as the scorching waves of air blowing to their face.

"This moment, I'll show you the strongest Destiny HERO at my disposal!", announced him as he clenched his hand.

Aster start to chant:

"The HERO with the power to turn mirage into reality! The HERO afflicted with demonic curse!"

The flames burned Vision HERO Trinity and Destiny HERO Malicious alive as if they were fuel.

Aster raised his fist hands high as if he's receiving a grace from The God.

"Combine into one in the intersection of Destiny, and reign over the power of Destruction and Resurrection!!!"

The two HEROes disappears, swallowed by the flames.

"Fusion summon!", he then clasped his hands together, forming a snake hand seal.

CAAAAWWWKKKK!!!

Immediately, a giant bird with body made from the flames appears from the burning ground.

Yuji grits his teeth hard, then yells, "Here it comes!!!"

Then a hand punches through the bird's chest from the inside.

"Come on! Destiny HERO..."

Like a cracked egg, the HERO inside emerges by bursting through the bird's body, shattering it body to bits.

Yuji and Jaden widened their eyes, witnessing the new emergence of Destiny HERO, as they awed and terrified by its presence.

"Destroyer Phoenix Enforcer!!!"