The pressure brought about by the Shadow Duel weighed on Crowler’s shoulders like he was trying to lift a semi-truck by himself. It wasn’t the idea of what would happen to him if he lost that weighed on Crowler, though the thought alone was certainly terrifying. No, it was literal pressure coming from the shadows that danced around the duelists’ bodies. Each brush of the darkness made him nearly fall to his knees from the force. His lungs labored to draw in enough air to even function in the first place.
Crowler growled in anger as he forced his lungs to take in enough air to speak. “I’ll take the first turn! I activate the continuous spell card Ancient Gear Castle. Then, I summon Ancient Gear Knight (1800/500), which will activate castle’s effect to place a counter on itself since a monster was normal summoned. Since my knight is an Ancient Gear monster, he’ll also gain 300 extra attack points from castle’s other effect (1800/500 -> 2100/500). Finally, I place two cards face down and end my turn!”
The hallways of the abandoned dorm rumbled to life as an ancient stone castle emerged from the shadows. Several futuristic metal cannons bristled from its ramparts as the gears that littered the walls of the structure spun endlessly for no clear purpose. In front of the open gates, like a guardian protector, a metal knight with a shield made of a gear and a deathly-sharp lance stood sentinel, unmoving aside from its swiveling head that searched for any and all threats to the kingdom.
Bernardello began his turn with a laid-back smile. “I draw. Funny, Vellian. It’s the same song and dance with every single one of your duels. Attempting the same strategies over and over again. I summon Koa’ki Meiru Speeder (1200/2200) in defense position, place three cards face down, and end my turn.”
Upon the summon of Bernardello’s monster, another gear broke through the stone walls of Crowler’s castle to join the collection that spun on the walls as the card signaled that another counter was added to it.
Like the Ancient Gear Knight, Bernardello’s Koa’ki Meiru Speeder was made out of metal. However, this was where all similarities ended. The speeder shone brightly with a smooth, futuristic material, while the slick, twisted three-pronged symbol of Koa’ki Meiru gently pulsed between the two jet engines underneath the wing-like arms of the speeder. In addition, once Bernardello’s turn ended, even the esoteric circuitry scrawled all over the monster’s body shone as its master revealed a machine-type monster, Koa’ki Meiru Powerhand, to prevent the speeder from being destroyed from its own effect.
“The same song and dance, huh?” Crowler snapped back. “It’s because I know who I am! I know my deck, and it knows me! Look at you, Marco! I’ve told you before, I’ll tell you now! Ever since you found that deck in those ancient ruins, it’s been like a tiger was given wings! Yet you never challenged Koyo, nor even Midori once Koyo fell ill. Is that why you joined the Shadow Riders? Because you decided that you weren’t enough? That you needed more power? They’ll just use you up and throw you away like a sack of garbage once they have all the keys. The shadows have no pity for you, no remorse. Only insatiable hunger.” The last few words Crowler said with a voice that shone with sadness, a stark contrast to his earlier anger at Bernardello.
Bernardello’s eyes shone with a cold light as he fired a verbal salvo back to Crowler. “And you’re an incompetent old clown. You can’t even do your one job right, to be a teacher! How many students have you failed by teaching them old rules that are no longer followed? How many kids have you thrown out into the pro scene to be devoured by that pack of wolves? Christ, you still keep telling people that only one field spell can be on the field at a time, but it hasn’t been that way for years! If that’s not enough, well…”
Bernardello paused with a nasty laugh to let his next words sink deep into Crowler’s skin. “You trusted me, even after I gutted that failure Sartyr and left the corpse of that idiot security guard in the jungle to be eaten by wild animals. Two different people, but their eyes were filled with the same kind of fear once they realized that they were about to die. Oh, and there was that one time I let a student get possessed by a duel spirit who used to serve Zorc Necrophades just so I could test the strength of another student. He even survived the shadow duel, so these next few months for that kid are going to be hellishly brutal. And that’s if his sanity is even still intact by now!”
At first, Crowler paid little mind to Bernardello’s harsh words. They were, after all, enemies. His former student would say just about anything to get under his skin for an advantage. But as soon as Bernardello began to admit to his crimes, those same words fell like hammer blows on Crowler’s ears as he stared at Bernardello with eyes wide in horror.
“You…” Crowler whispered with shaking breaths. So great was his horror, his disgust, that the professor couldn’t even finish his own sentence. “I… I draw.” Crowler gulped back the rising tide of bile in his mouth. Those terrible crimes… he shook his head as a tidal wave of sadness began to replace that bile. “I activate Pot of Greed to draw two more cards. Then, I sacrifice Ancient Gear Knight to tribute summon Ancient Gear Beast (2000/2000 -> 2300/2000).
Just as the monstrous, fanged wolf-like metal beast started to stalk onto the field, Bernardello flipped over a trap card with a savage expression on his face.
“Not so fast, Crowley-wowley! In response to your normal summon, I activate the trap card, Automatic Laser! In return for revealing one Iron Core of Koa’ki Meiru in my hand, I can destroy the monster you just summoned!”
Crowler frowned as a beam of pure blue light from a grey metal turret pierced right through the chest plate of his beast, downing it in one blow before the monster could even cry out in agony.
“Fine. I’ll activate my face down continuous trap card. Ancient Gear Reborn, show yourself! Once per turn, if I control no monsters, I can special summon one Ancient Gear monster from my graveyard, and it’ll gain 200 attack as well. However, since my beast’s own effect prevents me from choosing it to special summon, I will bring back Ancient Gear Knight instead (1800/500 -> 2300/500). Oh, and look at that. It has enough attack points to destroy your speeder. Ancient Gear Knight, would you kindly remove that trash off of my field?”
The iron lance of Ancient Gear Knight struck right through the core of Koa’ki Meiru Speeder, causing its jet engines to spark and smoke as the flying machine lost altitude to crash and burn on the ground.
“Cold.” Bernardello smirked as Crowler ended his turn. “What a thing to do to your own student, teacher-man!”
Crowler glared at Bernardello with undisguised venom in his eyes. “You aren’t my student. The Marco Bernardello I knew was a kind boy, one that never stopped laughing, that never stopped striving to touch the stars. I was there when he fought his first professional duel, cheering my voice hoarse in the stands. I lent him my car when he wanted to take his girlfriend out somewhere nice. I presented him his graduation diploma in his final year of the academy and watched his parents break down crying in joy. You are not him.”
Bernardello smirked back while he drew his card, clearly basking in Crowler’s hatred. “Oh, but I am. This? This is just more fun than the tournaments. There’s actually some skin in the game now. Anyways, I’ll go ahead and take back the advantage you stole. I activate the spell card Core Compression, which will allow me to reveal an Iron Core of Koa’ki Meiru in my hand and ditch my Koa’ki Meiru War Arms in order to draw two cards. Then, I reveal another one of my face down cards. Continuous trap card, Core Reinforcement, activate! Bring back Koa’ki Meiru War Arms in attack position!”
Bit-by-bit Bernardello’s field shimmered to life once more as several mechanical arms appeared out of the darkness to slot a glowing dark blue core into the unmoving body of War Arms that had been discarded to the side earlier like a heap of unwanted trash. The core flashed bright blue before sinking back into a steady dark blue pulse as the bipedal pig-like creature stumbled unsteadily to its feet, glancing around in confusion before grabbing its flanged black-iron mace to confront the knight on Crowler’s field. Even though there was a noticeable difference in attack points between it and the knight, Koa’ki Meiru War Arms woke up from the embrace of death ready and willing to brawl.
“Uh-uh-uh.” Bernardello chided the monster for its eagerness. “Don’t bother, you’re about to be gone real soon. Since I control a Koa’ki Meiru monster, I can summon my level seven Koa’ki Meiru Rooklord by using only Koa’ki Meiru War Arms as a sacrifice due to its own effect.”
Just as quickly as it had appeared on the field, Koa’ki Meiru War Arms gave a squeal of terror as the light from its blue core sputtered and died while the mechanical arms that slotted it in rusted in a matter of seconds. The abandoned dorms shuddered as a colossal mechanical figure walked forward with unbelievably heavy steps. The bright blue armor shone in what little light got through the shadows, while various symbols of Koa’ki Meiru blazed with an unearthly orange light on the creature’s hammer-like fists and massive white iron shoulder plates.
“Welcome to the fun, Koa’ki Meiru Rooklord (2800/2200)! As an added bonus, I can remove from play War Arms from my graveyard to destroy up to two cards you control when Rooklord is normal summoned. I choose to destroy your Ancient Gear Reborn and your face down card!”
Crowler scowled as his continuous trap card and his face down Draining Shield were both dispatched with a wave of Rooklord’s fists.
“Alright. Now that your face down card has gone bye-bye, Koa’ki Meiru Rooklord, smash that knight to oblivion!”
Though Ancient Gear Knight had kept the 200 attack point boost from Ancient Gear Reborn even after the trap card was destroyed, its 2300 attack was nowhere near enough to contest the 2800 attack of Bernardello’s monster, causing Ancient Gear Knight to explode in a shower of gears as Crowler’s life points dropped for the first time in this duel.
Crowler: 3500 Bernardello: 4000
Then, Bernardello simply ended his turn by discarding an Iron Core of Koa’ki Meiru from his hand to keep Rooklord from destroying himself.
Crowler hacked out a string of dark red blood onto the floor. Even though only the shockwave of Rooklord’s blow hit him instead of the monster’s iron fists, his body ached like he had been run over by a truck. Crowler glanced around, trying to think of something, anything that could get him the advantage back. With four counters on Ancient Gear Castle, he could afford to tribute summon any of the monsters in his deck, even the stronger level eight ones. All he had to do first was see them in his hand. Aka, the hard part. “I draw.” Crowler’s eyes momentarily closed in disappointment. No high-level monsters yet. “I place one monster in face down defense position, another card face down, and I end my turn.”
Bernardello started his turn with a cocky grin. “Hey there, I thought you were going to ‘properly educate me’! Where’d all that fire and fury go?”
“It’s been replaced with cold certainty and disgust.” Crowler ground out in response.
“Fun, fun!” Bernardello laughed. “Very well, I place one card of my own face down and go to battle phase. Koa’ki Meiru Rooklord, destroy his pitiful defense!”
Crowler’s eyes flashed as he shouted in response. “Wrong move! I reveal my face down monster, Kiseitai (300/800)! Since your monster declared an attack on Kiseitai when it was in face-down defense position, Kiseitai becomes an equip spell card equipped to your Rooklord! Also, since the damage calculation is skipped, your monster’s attack is foiled!”
Bernardello narrowed his eyes, yet a closer look saw them glimmering with an emotion almost close to interest as a strange worm-like creature tangled its long body around his monster while a single human hand sprouted from its tail to wave teasingly at him. “Hey there. That’s something I haven’t seen you use before.”
Crowler simply scoffed in response. “A proper teacher knows he can still learn a thing or two from his students. And this year? I’ve been learning more than I’d have thought.”
“Fine. In my end phase, I reveal a warrior monster in my hand, Koa’ki Meiru Bergzak, in order to prevent Rooklord from being destroyed. Pass turn.” Bernardello eventually replied after considering his options for a moment.
“Indeed. I shall act in your end phase as well.” Crowler said. “I activate a continuous trap. Solemn Wishes! Then, on starting my turn, Solemn Wishes activates its effect when I draw my card, increasing my life points by 500 each time I draw.”
Crowler: 4000 Bernardello: 4000
Crowler wiped away a few more droplets of blood from his mouth as he smirked upon noticing Bernardello’s confusion at the change to his usual strategy. Overhead, a gentle, healing rain trickled down. Each drop felt like a blessing from heaven itself as the water left Crowler feeling refreshed and rejuvenated from the earlier strikes.
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“As I said earlier, an old dog can learn new tricks. That Slifer slacker Jaden reminded me that one should never put their eggs all in one basket, and that Ra Yellow kid Phillip showed me that a good defense can eventually be turned into an even better offense. And in all honesty? Those kids are growing on me like a spot of mold in the bottom of a shower. I place one card face down and summon Ancient Gear Box (500/2000 -> 800/2000) in defense position. My castle also gains yet another counter from that, but it hardly matters at this point.”
Bernardello scowled as Crowler’s defense was renewed with the appearance of a box with arms and legs that was covered in gears.
“So this is your strategy? Bore me to death? You forget, I’ve played against stall strategies in the pro tour before. I’ve played against them, and beat them like a drum! I draw!”
“Not so fast!” Crowler shouted hoarsely behind another gob of blood stuck in his mouth. “During your standby phase, Kiseitai’s effect activates. Since it’s equipped to your Rooklord, my life points are increased by half of your monster’s attack points. That means I gain a nice, healthy 1400 life points!”
Crowler: 5400 Bernardello: 4000
“Like that matters.” Bernardello eventually laughed after a moment of surprise. “I activate Pot of Greed to draw two cards, and then I activate my continuous spell card Core Transport Unit. By discarding a card from my hand, which will be the trap Koa’ki Meiru Shield, I get to add a core from my deck to my hand. Of course, it’s a pity to lose the trap, but it’s not like I can use it against you anyways since it’s a battle trap. Then, I’ll go to battle phase once more and have my Rooklord turn your Ancient Gear Box into a pile of rusty springs!”
Crowler quietly accepted the destruction of his monster, and his turn soon arrived after Bernardello revealed Koa’ki Meiru Bergzak once more due to Rooklord’s effect.
“I draw. Solemn Wishes activates, gaining me another 500 life points.”
Crowler 5900 Bernardello: 4000
Then, Crowler grinned. “Perhaps it’s time to demonstrate another lesson I’ve learned from the youth at this academy. I summon Yellow Gadget (1200/1200) in defense position. On summon, it’ll add a Green Gadget from my deck to my hand. After that I activate my continuous trap card Ultimate Offering! By paying 500 life points, I get an additional normal summon or set. I’ll immediately use that in order to summon Green Gadget (1400/600) from my hand in defense position. On summon, Green Gadget will add a Red Gadget from my deck to my hand. I pay another 500 life points to summon Red Gadget (1300/1500) in defense position. Red Gadget will add a Yellow Gadget from my deck to my hand. Another 500 shall be paid!”
Crowler’s grin widened as his field was eventually filled with a total of five monsters made of shiny white gears and main bodies that were painted with the color respective to their name. Though their eyes looked unfocused, like someone had opened a bag of googly eyes to stick on their faces, the sheer number of them was impressive. Under the rounded, comical feet of the monsters, a stark red pool of sacrificial blood deepened with each summon, to the point that it submerged the feet of the gadget monsters.
Crowler: 3900 Bernardello: 4000
“Of course, I don’t have the resources to use these gadgets to their full potential right now, but something tells me that at least a few of them will be around for my next turn. I pass!”
“Stealing a page from Yugi Muto’s playbook? No, actually, now I remember what you’re doing. It’s cute that you found a way to reduce the downside of Ultimate Offering, but you don’t seem to have your Gadjiltron Dragon in your hand to make use of all those gadgets. If you did, you’d have summoned that monster as soon as you had exactly three different colors on the field. What a pity, it’s not a monster you summon often.” Bernardello mused as he drew a card and Crowler’s life points were increased by another 1400 points.
“What you may call a lesson from those braindead youths, I call a waste of time. I see no sense in waiting around for you to draw your dragon. Still during my standby phase, I activate my own continuous trap card. Core Blast! Once per turn, during my standby phase, since you control more monsters than I do and I control a Koa’ki Meiru monster, I can destroy cards you control until you control the same amount of cards as I do monsters. Core Blast, destroy every single card Crowler controls aside from that Green Gadget!
Crowler’s face paled as a box marked with the symbol of Koa’ki Meiru surged out from the darkness. Several tentacles lashed out from its side as the box began to whine and heat up. The temperature of the room they dueled in became hotter and hotter, to the point that both men were wiping beads of sweat from their brows as the metal making up the box became cherry-red with heat. The heat increased constantly, jumping in temperature by tens of degrees in a matter of seconds until it was so hot that all the gadgets besides the bright green one on Crowler’s field melted from the feverish environment alone. The metal dripped and bubbled onto the floor, mixing the bright reds and yellows of the gadgets with the dull brown of the Kiseitai, the dark stone of the castle, the boiling rain of Solemn Wishes, and the bloody pools of Ultimate Offering.
“Now, I’ll match that so-called ‘defense’ of yours by reminding you of the unbridled aggression you pounded into my head all those years ago, teacher! I summon Koa’ki Meiru Bergzak (2000/200) in attack position, and then go to my battle phase. Bergzak, destroy that last gadget monster!”
Bernardello’s monster struck forward in a flash with its twin swords. While the mask that covered its face hid the creature’s emotions, each muscle that bulged under the dark form-fitting cloth it wore twitched in anticipation as the swords cleaved through the green metal of Crowler’s remaining gadget like a hot knife through butter.
“Since Bergzak destroyed a monster in battle, he gets to attack again! Strike that worthless clown down!”
Crowler couldn’t help it. Despite all his effort, he let out a terrible howl of pain as Bergzak’s swords opened a cut so deep in his chest that glistening bone could be seen past the ruined cloth of his Obelisk Blue coat. Another scream of pain escaped his lips as Bernardello’s Rooklord struck that exact same spot that had been cut down to the bone hard enough that Crowler could tell without even looking that several of his ribs were broken.
Crowler: 500 Bernardello: 4000
For a moment, Crowler doubled over with his hands on his knees as he gasped for the breath that was driven out of his lungs by that hammer blow. His ears rang, loud enough that he could only just barely hear Bernardello end his turn, allowing Bergzak to be destroyed by his own effect while he discarded an Iron Core of Koa’ki Meiru to keep Rooklord on the field.
Crowler muttered something in between the blood that freely streamed out of his mouth, and Bernardello mockingly held up his hand to his ear, motioning for his former teacher to speak up.
“I said…” Crowler spoke again with extreme amounts of effort. “I said that the time Jaden Yuki took down my Ancient Gear Golem in order to pass the exam was more impressive than your core whatever trap. I draw.”
Crowler took another moment to steady himself, doing his best to still his breathing so he could limit the flashes of pain that surged through his brain like a speeding bullet train with every movement he made.
“I activate Graceful Charity. Drawing three, discarding the last gadget I searched for earlier, along with Ancient Gear (100/800). Now…” Crowler gritted his teeth between labored breaths. His vision blurred, and for a moment it felt like the shadows twirling around his shoulders were solidifying with each gasp of his tortured lungs.
“Now, I activate my spell card, Ancient Gear Factory! By revealing my level eight Ancient Gear Golem, and banishing Ancient Gear monsters from my graveyard whose combined levels are double the revealed monster’s, I can normal summon that revealed monster without tributing. I banish the level six Ancient Gear Beast, the level four Ancient Gear Knight, the level four Ancient Gear Box, and the level two Ancient Gear. With those combined levels equaling sixteen, I summon the ancient sentinel of worlds long gone. The precursor to modern Japan, the one who existed long before even Koa’ki Meiru was an infant civilization. The geared giant of destruction, Ancient Gear Golem (3000/3000)!
Crowler hawked out a thick gob of blood as his shouting moved one of his broken ribs enough so that it punctured one of his lungs. Each second that passed made it harder and harder to breathe as his right lung began to collapse and fill with blood.
“Battle phase. Ancient Gear Golem, atomize his Rooklord.” Crowler forced out the word between heaving breaths as his body struggled to pull in enough air to function. Meanwhile, either oblivious or simply uncaring of its master’s struggles, the colossal humanoid form of Ancient Gear Golem swiveled its head so that its red eyes settled on the bright blue paint of Koa’ki Meiru Rooklord. Despite them both being unfeeling machines, the Rooklord took an unconscious step backwards as the Ancient Gear Golem stepped forward to tower over it.
All-in-all, Koa’ki Meiru Rooklord, a monster that was certainly not in any way small, could barely reached up to Ancient Gear Golem’s knees. The golem stepped closer and closer, the steps picking up speed faster than Koa’ki Meiru Rooklord could retreat. Then, a single hammering fist of the golem reduced the Rooklord to a cloud of particles so small even the human eye couldn’t observe them.
Crowler: 500 Bernardello: 3800
“I… end my… turn.” Crowler faintly said. A thump rang out as his body hit the floor and his head cracked against a nearby wall. His eyes went in and out of focus as a steady stream of blood forced its way out from between his lips, dyeing them crimson red along the way.
Bernardello laughed loudly. The bellows of his full-bellied laugh echoed around the rooms and hallways of the entire abandoned dorm. Each peal of mad laughter, each howl of mirth from his lips only made the noise louder and louder. Yet to Crowler, it was muffled. Like there was a thick film of water or syrup in between him and Bernardello.
“What a turnaround. What a turnaround!” Bernardello roared in between gales of whooping laughter. “To think that you could summon your ace even after I destroyed your entire field! How interesting! How amusing! Truly, it was worth fighting Camula, Amnael, and Tania over who got which target. You know, Camula wanted to flay your soul in sacrifice to her Illusion Gate. Instead, she’ll have to settle for that sfigato, that loser, Hibiki. Anyways, I have business to take care of after this, so no more playing around. Oh yes, playing around!” Bernardello said in response to Crowler’s confused expression, even though the teacher was clearly barely able to concentrate at this point due to blood loss.
“I’ve had my winning strategy in my hand from the very beginning. I simply wanted to have a bit of fun while I’m waiting for Phillip Jenson to show up. I could have killed you on the second turn. Aren’t I merciful for not doing that? That I waited for you to try your best before I trap your soul in a card for all eternity, to be bartered and sold to the highest bidder?”
Bernardello’s disgusting grin fell away to reveal a greedy, leering look that Crowler would have never thought his former student could ever make before this night.
“I activate my spell card, Diamond Core of Koa’ki Meiru, which allows me to add any Koa’ki Meiru card from my deck to my hand. I’ll add my own ace monster. Koa’ki Meiru Maximus, come to papa. Then, I’ll activate Core Transport Unit’s effect once more, discarding the card I drew at the start of my turn, Core Blaster, to add another Iron Core of Koa’ki Meiru from my deck to my hand. Now to seal your doom, clown man. By removing from play the Iron Core of Koa’ki Meiru I just added to my hand, I can special summon Koa’ki Meiru Maximus (3000/2500).”
“Then, I activate Maximus’s effect. See, he’s an aggressive, hungry fella. Maximus, would you mind demonstrating that by using your effect to destroy his weakling golem?”
In front of Bernardello, a dragon that looked more snake-like than dragon-like raised its long neck to stare at Ancient Gear Golem. Koa’ki Meiru Maximus gave one arrogant flap of its silver wings before its metal throat bulged and its mouth opened to lengths that seemed nearly impossible for any living creature to obtain. The silvery, almost liquid metal that made up the dragon’s body shuddered, heaved, and contorted until finally a massive blast of blue and red light shot out from Maximus’s mouth to incinerate Ancient Gear Golem in one swift blow.
Bernardello paused to savor the delicious moment. It felt like each and every one of his veins was pulsing as shivers of excitement ran down his spine. “This makes one more key for me.” He laughed. “And once the think tank of the key keepers is crippled by me defeating Phillip while Tania defeats Bastion, I’ll see if I can find little Chazz before Camula does. If I win fast enough, it might all be over before the sun comes back out in the morning.”
Crowler’s body stilled, but as the shadows shifted, his eyes widened as he seemed to catch a glimpse of someone, or something, just past the mist. Crowler grunted, and let out a pained yet muffled groan as he braced his back against the wall his head slammed against earlier.
Bernardello watched in bemusement as Crowler, bit by bit, used the wall to slide himself to a standing position once more. Rivulets of blood streamed out of his mouth and out of the deep cut to his chest with each movement the man made, but it was almost like Crowler couldn’t even feel pain anymore.
“You know, if its your goal to amuse me enough to put off your defeat for a few more seconds, it’s working.” Bernardello chortled at the pitiful sight. “Could you do a flip for me? If you do a flip, I’ll give you another turn.”
Crowler paused his movements as he finally reached a standing position. He raised his head, and even though his eyes were cloudy with pain, his face was steeled with resolve. “A duelist…” Crowler heaved out with strained gasps as he looked not to Bernardello, but to the sight he had seen in the shadows. “A true duelist goes out shouting in defiance.”
Bernardello nodded mockingly, not even bothering to try and see what, or who, Crowler was directing those words to. “Of course, of course. Maximus, finish this worthless lump of flesh. Papa needs some nice new clothes and the ones I want cost the low, low price of a duelist’s soul.”
Every bit of sound was sucked away from the world as Koa’ki Meiru Maximus drew in a stream of reddish-orange flames. They gathered in swirling pools within the dragon’s mouth. Maximus screamed in joy, and then a blast of fire reminiscent of the dragons of old blasted out of its mouth.
Crowler shoved himself forward so that he was no longer leaning against the wall in support, raising his arms and screaming in a mixture of defiance and incoherent rage with such strength that flecks of blood spun out of his mouth to paint the nearby wall.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
As Bernardello walked forward to pick up a gently smoking card off the ground with a jaunty spring to his step, Phil stepped forward out of the shadows. His face was blank as he stared at Bernardello. Eventually the man noticed Phil’s presence.
“Ah! Phillip! Bambino! I’m glad you got my messa-“ Bernardello began to say, but his words faltered as Phil walked to the other end of the hallway and readied his duel disk.
Bernardello laughed gently. “It seems I won’t be able to surprise you with this after all. That’s too bad. I was going to make it exciting and dramatic, just for you.” He carefully stowed the card he picked up off the ground, one that had an image of a familiar ponytailed professor wearing a battered Obelisk Blue coat screaming in what was potentially fear or rage on it. “Do you really want to do this? Or perhaps you’re smart enough to surrender right off that bat. I saw your duel with Dimitri. I know what you can do. I’m a pro, you don’t have a chance.”
Phil considered Bernardello’s words nonchalantly. “A pro, huh? You know, maybe you’re right. You’re a pro. Well, if you truly are one…” Phil unclasped the buttons on his Ra Yellow jacket and slipped his hand into it, withdrawing a dark blue deck box with a single drop of water stamped into the material on the front of it.
“I’ll treat you like a pro. Yeah. Just like a pro.”
As soon as Phil withdrew the deck held within the box and slotted it into his duel disk, the shadows that swirled around the duo picked up their pace to almost frantic levels. The usual screaming and gibbering noises persisted, like Bernardello was used too, but there was something else. Something at the very edge of his hearing…
It was a deep, croaking bellow, a mixture of pure, undiluted rage and an endless ravenous hunger.