As Renji adjusts her deck at school, Perse looks over her shoulder and smiles. "Need help?" He asked.
"Thanks, but no thanks. I want to try and see how much I can do on my own before adding those secret weapon cards you gave me." She says.
"Well, alright. Hey Amu. Wanna check out her deck? You're a fanatic." He calls over his twin sister, who just stared out the window blankly. "Guess not..." He sighs.
Renji would look back to Amu, very worried about how quiet she was. She was always a quiet girl, but this was just unnatural. "That's okay, Perse. I'm sure she'll come around." She smiles and stands up. "Okay, I gotta go now. See you guys tomorrow." Renji waves, and jogs out of the classroom. As she left the school, someone wearing a kitsune mask and black cloak would catch her attention. She stopped her jog, and stared at this person for a moment. They seemed to have noticed her staring, and would start to walk away. Curious, she quickly follows after them. For some reason, she felt that they wanted to talk to her. "Hey!" She called.
"You actually came..." A muffled male voice would speak. Renji would look up and down the mystery figure, trying to discern who they were. The only thing that she noticed was, despite wearing a baggy and thick cloaked hood, her bust was exceptionally big. The only other person she could think of with those properties was... "Renji Himekawa. I come with a warning. Drop out of the Fated Clash." They would say.
"What...?! Drop out? I can't do that!" She refused.
The masked figure stares at her. "If you continue to participate, your wish will not come true. All that awaits you is death." They say. "Knowing this, do you still wish to continue?"
Renji's eyes widen. "What do you mean death awaits me...?!"
"Exactly as it sounds. If you value your life, then you'll do well to stay far, far away from Hakusan fight stage." With that final warning, the masked figure walks away.
———
After a day at the card shop, Perse and Amu return home later in the afternoon. Just as they were going to open the door, it opens as their father, Jared Kanzaki, was just coming out. "Oh, dad. You going back to work, or something?" Perse asked.
"Ahaha. No, nothing like that. I'm just going out to...consult another doctor." He would say with a chuckle. He would then lean himself down and pats his kids' heads. "I'll be back later, okay? I'll make sure everything goes fine." He says to them with a gentle smile. With that, Jared makes his way off the property and into his car. After a nice drive, he parks his car in a parking lot just below Hakuson. Once he steps out of the car, he's greeted by the same masked figure. "Funny seeing you here."
"Why would I not be?" They say back.
"Did you tell the Miracle girl?" Jared asked as he started to walk up the mountain road.
"Only a light warning. I can't jeopardize myself and say too much. So don't expect them to be scared off just from that alone." The masked figure says.
"I figured as much... Either way, this is where her tournament run ends. I won't let her win." He says, and stands at the fight table.
"You'd better..." They say, and disappear to the background of the fighting stage. Jared would stand and wait for his opponent to arrive now. And arrive she did. "Wow, you actually showed up." He says, actually impressed despite the warning of death.
"How could I not?" Renji asked, then steps up to the table. Once she gets a good look at her opponent she finally realizes that yes, she is way out of her league. "Th-The creative director of Bushiroad himself is taking part in the Fated Clash?!" She asked.
"Hahaha! Oh please. I'm off work hours, so I'm just a simple cardfighter." He tried to play himself down. "But don't think this will be easy. I'm going to beat you and get my wish."
"I couldn't have said it better myself...!" Renji did her best to fight off the nerves as both players set up their fields.
Once again, Gabwelius floats in to announce the start of the fight. "Renji Himekawa! Jared Kanzaki! Raise up your Fated Ones cards and let us hear your battle cry!"
"Grasp fate!" Jared shouts.
"In our hands!" Renji finishes, as the sleeves begin to magically change once again. Renji's sleeves have changed to silver and gold, while Jared's became red and black.
"Let the second round of the Fated Clash BEGIN!!" Gab shouts.
"Stand up!"
"Stand up! The!"
"Vanguard!"
As the game starts, Tohru and Carmen stood at the upper observation deck, watching intently. "I wasn't expecting to see you here, Tohru-senpai." Carmen says.
"Well of course I would be. Gotta scope out the competition." Tohru says with a chuckle.
"Blitz Chief Mechanic, Warton!"
"Wings of Aspiration, Soel!"
"Gabwelius has stated that the first contestant to arrive gets to go first, so I draw." Jared takes the first turn. "I ride Blitz Best Programmer, Strazer. Set my energy generator and end my turn."
"Then I draw. Ride Patrol of Gusts, Ventesta. Draw from Soel's skill. Call Painkiller Angel, and attack."
Jared took note of the card she discarded. A Grade 2. There was probably a reason as to why she dropped that. "I guard." Jared wasn't taking any chances.
"Drive check. No trigger. Painkiller's skill, soul blast and retire herself to draw a card. I end my turn." Renji sighs. As expected, Jared was a professional. He knows when to take damage, and when is too early.
"I draw. I ride up to Blitz Head Researcher, Uber. Using Strazer's skill, soul blast one and add a Product Set Order from my deck to my hand that's Grade equal to or less than your Vanguard. Add Mobile Kennel, Eingarten to my hand. From my hand, I set the Product Order, Assault Flight Carrier, Lubetzal. I then call Schwarzer Eins. Uber attacks. His skill, I energy blast three and operate Lubetzal. I draw a card."
"I guard!" Renji tried to block the attack as well, but this didn't go as planned.
"Drive check. Draw Trigger. Power to Uber, and I draw a card. It breaks!" Renji takes the damage, and grits her teeth. "I end my turn."
"I draw!" Renji takes her turn now. "I ride Knight of Great Advance, Ascensior! Call Ventesta from the soul and soul charge! Divine Sister, Biscotti's skill! When she's discarded, I energy blast three and draw a card. Attack with Ascensior!"
"No guard."
"Drive check. Critical Trigger! All effects to Ascensior!"
With that, Jared takes two damage, which makes him smile.
"I end my turn."
"You've got guts, I'll give ya that, kid." He says. "Let's kick this fight up a notch, shall we?! With these hands! Let's blaze a trail in uncharted territory! My avatar, Fated One of Guiding Star, Welstra "BLITZ ARMS" ride!"
Welstra lands himself down onto the battlefield, grinning almost wickedly. His giant robotic arm comes to life, as Jared continues his turn.
"Using Uber's skill, I soul blast and discard Eingarten to add Extreme Satellite Weaponry, Euryanthe and Mobile Fortress of Obliteration, Freischutz Maximum to my hand! Eingarten's skill lets me place it into Order Zone when it's discarded! And then, I activate Divine Skill! Deploy the Guiding Star! With a counter blast, I can place both Euryanthe and Freischutz Maximum into the Order Zone, and operate Maximum! When operated, it retires one of your rearguards and takes 5k power from your vanguard!"
Renji's field gets blasted, and her vanguard's power is reduced. "I didn't even know there were cards that could do this...!" She groans, looking at her hand.
"Then Euryanthe's skill when played, I draw a card and energy charge three! Next, I use Eins' skill to put him into my soul and draw a card. I call Operate Master, Freiheit, Blitz Operator, Trolle, Detonation Monster, Bobalmine, another Schwarzer Eins, and Blitz Customer Support, Kurde! Get ready, because I'm going to blast you into orbit! I attack with Trolle with support from Bobalmine! Trolle gets a continuous 5k power as long as I have a Product Order! 23k total attack! But that's not all! I use Trolle's skill to counter blast and operate Maximum! Reducing your power by another 5k!"
Renji's Ascensior was now at a whooping 0 power, making it difficult for her to block. "I guard!" But nonetheless, she stops the attack with two cards in from her hand.
"Bobalmine goes to my soul and I counter charge!" Jared flips a card from his damage face up, meaning he can use it again for later. "And I'm not done yet! Freiheit attacks next! His skill soul blast two cards and operate Maximum again! Reduce your power by another 5k! 18k attack!"
Renji grits her teeth. "No guard!" She's forced to take the attack. That's her second damage.
"And now Welstra attacks! Skill activates! Energy blast two to gain 10k power and operate Maximum one last time!" This was the fourth operate, which left Renji's vanguard's power at negative 10k! "And then, I can counter blast and move Freiheit back to my hand and call Freischutz as a unit! Kurde lets me energy charge one to cut the cost on half! She also gets another 5k when boosting Welstra! That's a total power of 36k to your -10k!"
"No guard!" Renji declares.
"Twin drive! First check! Critical Trigger! Power to Maximum, critical to Welstra! Second check! Draw Trigger! I draw an extra card and give more power to Maximum!" With that, Renji is suddenly forced to 4 damage. "All cannons, lock on target! Freischutz Maximum! OPEN FIIIIIIIRRRRE!!"
Renji takes her fifth damage, and she was only a Grade 2! When he said he would blast her to orbit, he really meant it.
"At the end of my turn, Maximum returns to port at the Order Zone. When a Grade 2 or greater set order is put into my Order Zone, Eins goes to my soul and I draw a card. I end my turn." Jared says with a confidence smile.
After the massive assault, Renji was left panting. It was weird. It was almost as if she could feel her unit's pain as well. She was drenched in sweat, but she pulled through. "I draw! Wings of salvation, descend from the heavens! I ride the Fated One of Miracles, Rezael!"
Rezael finally makes his appearance after Ascensior got his beating, as his shining wings would flap to keep himself airborne. He looks on to Welstra atop his mobile fortress, smiling confidently.
"Ascensior's skill! I call Nobia from the drop! Then her skill, counter blast to call a card from the top three of my deck! I call Knight of Piercing, Cadwalla! Then from my hand, I call Gaurgaon and Aerial Sage!" Once she builds her board, it was time to make her moves. "Let the miracle descend! Divine Skill, activate! I return all my Critical Triggers in the drop to my deck, getting an extra drive and an extra skill that will last me for the fight until the condition is met! Nobia attacks your vanguard!"
"I won't guard that." Jared takes the damage happily.
This made Renji think. 'He wants damage...! But I slow down and attack his rearguard? Or should I push and try to get him next turn...?! That's assuming I even get a next turn... No, I can't think that! I need to believe in my cards!'
"Cadwalla attacks next! 23k!"
"I guard!" Jared stops this attack easily.
"Cadwalla's skill! I soul blast and retire her to add a Grade 2 or greater card from the top tree cards of my deck to my hand! Now Rezael attacks! His skill! Counter blast, and call Resurgent Dragon and Gigantech Masher! Gigantech gets 15k power, and Resurgent gets 10k power!"
"Perfect guard!" The professional wasn't taking any chances with this one.
"Triple drive check! First check! Heal Trigger! I heal one damage and power to Gigantech! Second check, Front Trigger! 10k power to my front row! Third check! No trigger! Resurgent attacks! 30k!"
"Guard!" Jared stops the next attack as well.
"Gigantech!"
"No guard!" This left the olde man with 4 damage. By strategically blocking attacks he could guard, he managed to avoid taking any serious damage this turn.
"I end my turn...!" Renji sighs. This was bad. He was about to steamroll her now.
"You had a good run. But it's time that I end this. I draw. And now, Persona Ride! I call Freiheit, Blitz Assistant, Sortien, and Bobalmine! Trolle attacks! Counter blast and operate Maximum! Retire Resurgent Dragom and reduce power by 5k!"
"I guard!" Despite the power drop, she managed to block it.
"Freiheit next! Operate Maximum! Then counter blast to move Trolle back to hand and call it as a unit!"
"I guard!!" This was a costly block, which costed most of her hands.
"Welstra attacks the Vanguard! Skill! Plus 10k power and operate Euryanthe!"
"Huh?!" Renji realizes that he set that Product last turn, but didn't use it.
"Euryanthe can't be operated on the turn it was set! Wanna know why? I'll tell you! When Euryanthe is operated, it retired one of your rearguards, choosing Aerial Sage! Then it reduced an additional 10k power from your vanguard! And...you're going to have to take a damage since you have four!"
"Seriously?!" Renji freaks out from this.
"Do it Euryanthe! Fate Change Cannon, FIRE!!!" Jared exclaims loudly, with Welstra's voice echoing behind him.
The massive satellite cannon boots up its laser, and blasts down on Rezael making both the archangel and Renji scream in pain. The fifth damage flies into the damage zone, signaling her near defeat.
"Hey now, don't pass out! Welstra's attack is still incoming!"
Renji grits her teeth, and is just about ready to accept her defeat. "I don't...guard..." She sighs.
"Twin drive. Draw Trigger. Power to Maximum and I draw." Jared's draw makes him cringe a bit. A Critical Trigger. If he hit that, he was sure to win. "Second check. No trigger." He says.
As Renji was about to take the last damage, she starts to see visions. Flashbacks of her practice fights with Athena. Her game with Perse. And lastly, the last time Amu smiled.
'No... I can't let it end like this...! Not when I've barely just begun!' She thinks to herself and grits her teeth once more. 'Rezael! I need your help! I need your help!'
"It's not over yet...!" Renji growls, and looks up at the sky. She could see Rezael's white feather falling from above her. "Only those who reach out for the faintest ray of hope...! Will be granted a MIRACLE!!" She repeats the quote she heard from deep in her mind, and flips over the last card "OVER TRIGGER!!!" She announces.
"You're kidding me...!!" Jared laughs in disbelief.
"Hey, wanna know something? Rezael has a pretty funny interaction when I sixth check an Over Trigger. First! Rezael's Divine Skill becomes active! It's the return! Of the Miracle! I heal a damage! And, since I checked my Over Trigger, the damage is null, and it's removed from the game! That means, I'm back to four damage! And now, Maximum can't hit me!" Renji exclaims.
"Hahaha...! HAHAHAHAHAHA!!" Jared lets out a hearty laugh and places his free hand over his face. "God, that's one hell of a miracle pull... I end my turn. Maximum returns to the Order Zone, and Sortien goes to my soul to counter charge one. A miracle saved you, but let's see if you can keep riding this wave, Miracle Girl!"
"Oh, I will! Just watch me!" Renji starts her turn with a draw. "I knew you would arrive in my time of need...! Persona Ride, Rezael! I move up Gaurgaon, and attack with him! 23k!"
"I guard and intercept with Freiheit!"
"Gigantech attacks! 23k!"
"Guard!" He throws down the Critical Trigger in his hand.
"Rezael attacks next! Counter blast and call Nobia and Biscotti! Biscotti's skill activates! I energy blast three and check the top three cards of my deck! I place one on the top, and the rest go to the bottom!"
Jared looks at his hand. If she checked any triggers, she would break through his guard. Now it just depends on what the trigger could be. If it was Critical, he's done for. If it was a Front, he was done for. If it was a heal, he would be safe. He grins, and throws down his sentinel card. "Perfect guard!"
"Twin Drive! First check! Critical Trigger! All effects to Nobia! Second check! No trigger!"
The battle on Cray was as fierce as it was down on earth, with Welstra holding Rezael's blade back with his giant metal arm. Having successfully guarded his attack, Welstra swings his arm to parry, and punches Rezael away. "Nobia! Go!!!" Rezael calls for his comrade, with Renji's voice echoing under his. From behind her vanguard, the Knight of Gentle Beauty, Nobia, flies in to land the killing blow. Just like her leader, she clashes sword with arm against Welstra from below, taking the man into the sky.
"No guard! First check! No trigger! Grrr! Second check! No trigger!"
With a determined yell, Nobia crashes Welstra into orbit, sending him straight into his satellite cannon and exploding it from the sheer impact.
With that final attack, Jared had lost. He would laugh happily to himself and look back at Renji. "You got me good there, kid. Not bad."
"THE WINNER! The Fated One of Miracles!" Gabwelius announces proudly.
With that round done, both contestants hold their cards up, as Rezael absorbs Welstra's emblem, like how Tohru and Carmen did.
"Honestly, I wasn't expecting to actually beat me. You did well." Jared says.
"Thank you for this opportunity, sir...!" Renji would bow.
"You know, you might just be able to pull this off." Jared says.
"Huh?" The young woman tilts her head a bit.
"Hah. Nothing. Here." Jared hands her his business card. "If you need anything, just give me a call. I'll help out however I can." He offers her, and starts to leave the venue. As he left, he would get the notification for the next round. The Fated One of Taboo vs The Fated One of Zero.
As he walked, his masked friend appears from the around the corner. "You told me she wouldn't win."
"Hey, not even all the confidence in the world is gonna stop an Over Trigger from happening." He laughs. "Besides...I feel like this is a good outcome."
"Hmm..." The masked figure didn't seem to believe this. "I'll have to come up with a different plan..." They say and start to walk back to Jared.
———
As the notification comes out, the bald contestant looks at his phone. "Haha... Seems like it's finally my turn." He chuckles to himself, relaxing in a massage chair.
———
The notification rings out once again in a darkened room. The owner of the phone seemed to not care, but they look at the screen anyway. Fated One of Taboo vs Fated One of Zero.