POV: Shawn Valon
Location: Valon Mansion
"Alright… let's see if this works," I muttered, mostly to myself.
The Duel Runner hummed beneath me as I locked my Duel Disk into its mounted slot. The moment the connection clicked into place, a low vibration traveled through the frame — as if the machine were waking up.
I activated the system.
A faint digital pulse rippled across my vision.
Then the notifications appeared.
[System synchronization complete, Turbo Duels now available.]
[New Gates now available to open]
[New Mission: Start Your Engines!]
You have the license, you have the ride, and now you have the deck time to test your metal.
- Defeat your opponent
[Reward]
5,000 Gems
1x Custom Duel Runner mod
[Accept?]
{Y/N}
I didn't hesitate.
"Accept."
The mission window dissolved, and I swung my leg over the Duel Runner. The moment I settled into the seat and pulled the helmet on, I felt it — that electric rush crawling under my skin.
A swirling portal tore open halfway down the driveway, violet and gold energy spiraling inward like a vortex of light.
My heart started pounding.
My Runner's engine roared to life beneath me — a deep, hungry sound.
"Oh yeah," I breathed.
I twisted the throttle.
In seconds, I was flying down the driveway and straight into the portal.
The world stretched.
Then snapped.
And suddenly—
I wasn't in front of my mansion anymore.
I was on a race track.
A massive, futuristic stadium towered around me — layered platforms, glowing rails, digital screens the size of skyscrapers. Neon lights traced every curve of the track. The air itself hummed with energy.
I slowed slightly, swiveling my head as I rode.
Wait.
No way.
No actual way.
"…Is this the Kaiba Dome?" I muttered under my breath.
The structure. The layout. The towering holographic projectors.
This wasn't just any stadium.
This was the Kaiba Dome.
From Yu-Gi-Oh! 5D's.
Which meant—
"…New Domino City."
I almost forgot I was driving.
If this were real — if I were actually inside the 5D's world — then—
The sudden roar of another engine snapped me out of my spiraling nerd meltdown.
I turned my head.
A Duel Runner pulled up alongside mine as if it had phased into existence.
The bike was sleek but unmarked. Deep red. Minimalistic. Honestly? If you didn't know what you were looking at, you'd think it was just a high-end street motorcycle.
It wasn't flashy.
Still… I wasn't looking at the Runner.
I was looking at the driver.
A guy about my age. Red leather jacket. Black shirt. Jeans. Red cap with goggles strapped over it.
And the weirdest part?
No matter how I angled myself — no matter how the stadium lights hit him —
I couldn't see his eyes.
Couldn't see most of his face.
Just his mouth.
Calm.
Neutral.
Unbothered.
My stomach flipped.
"No way, no actual way…" I muttered under my breath.
My opponent wasn't just any duelist.
The Vagabond from Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Links.
A roaming challenge duelist. A test of skill for players who wanted a challenge.
He turned his head slightly toward me.
And even without seeing his eyes…
I felt like he was measuring me.
The system interface flickered into view.
[Turbo Duel Initiating… in 3…]
I turned my head toward the Vagabond — or at least where I assumed his eyes were beneath that shadowed cap.
[…2…]
We revved our engines.
They roared like caged beasts straining against chains.
[…1…]
"Let's Duel!"
Shawn LP: 4000
Vagabond LP: 4000
Turn 1 — Shawn
Speed Counter: 1 / 12
"I'll go first, if you don't mind!"
I drew my opening hand and grinned under my helmet.
Oh yeah.
We're cooking.
"First, I activate the effect of Junk Converter!"
In a flash of light, a small mechanical robot materialized beside my Runner, hovering effortlessly as we sped down the track.
Junk Converter
Attribute: EARTH
Level: 2
Warrior / Effect
ATK: 400
DEF: 200
"Junk Converter lets me discard it and one Tuner monster from my hand to add one 'Synchron' monster from my deck to my hand!"
The little robot gave a salute before dissolving into a swirling dark portal. I sent it — along with a tuner monster — to the Graveyard.
My Duel Runner's display lit up, projecting my deck list in midair as I sped forward.
'Okay… that's insanely convenient.'
I selected my target.
A card slid out from my deck automatically.
I caught it between my fingers as the rest of the deck shuffled itself.
"Next — I Normal Summon Junk Synchron in Attack Mode!"
A burst of orange light exploded beside me.
A small orange robot appeared, white scarf fluttering dramatically in the wind as if we weren't going over a hundred miles an hour.
Junk Synchron
Attribute: DARK
Level: 3
Warrior / Tuner / Effect
ATK: 1300
DEF: 500
"Since Junk Synchron was Normal Summoned, I can activate its effect!"
His eyes flashed.
"Come back, Junk Converter!"
The same dark portal tore open beside us, and Junk Converter popped back out in Defense Mode, landing lightly on the track's projection grid.
It beeped happily.
Junk Synchron gave it a confident nod.
"But I'm not done!"
I leaned forward slightly, the speed pushing against my chest.
"Since I Special Summoned Junk Converter, I can Special Summon Doppelwarrior from my hand!"
A puff of smoke erupted behind me, and a warrior clad in dark gear stepped forward, futuristic blue weapon glowing faintly at his side.
Doppelwarrior
Attribute: DARK
Level: 2
Warrior / Effect
ATK: 800
DEF: 800
The three monsters raced alongside me, keeping perfect formation.
I felt it building.
The rhythm.
The momentum.
"Now I have everything I need…"
I grinned.
"To take this duel into overdrive."
I thrust my arm forward.
"I Synchro Summon!"
Junk Synchron leapt upward, glowing brilliant gold.
He transformed into three luminous green rings — the tuning gates.
Doppelwarrior rose next, his body dissolving into two blazing stars of light.
"I tune Level 3 Junk Synchron with Level 2 Doppelwarrior!"
The two stars aligned within the rotating green rings.
The air trembled.
A pillar of blinding white light erupted skyward.
"Let's rev it up!"
The light shattered—
And a powerful warrior in patchwork armor landed hard onto the projected field, turbines igniting at his back.
Junk Warrior
Attribute: DARK
Level: 5
Warrior / Synchro / Effect
ATK: 2300
DEF: 1300
The impact sent a shockwave across the holographic track.
But I wasn't done.
"Since Doppelwarrior was used as Synchro Material, I get two Doppel Tokens!"
Two smaller warriors split from the fading light and landed in front of me.
"I place both in Defense Mode!"
Doppel Token (x2)
Attribute: DARK
Level: 1
Warrior / Token
ATK: 400
DEF: 400
I smiled. "Now here's the fun part."
Junk Warrior's turbines flared brighter.
"When Junk Warrior is Synchro Summoned, he gains the combined ATK of all Level 2 or lower monsters I control, and I have three monsters Level 2 or lower on my field."
Junk Converter.Two Doppel Tokens.
Four hundred.Four hundred.Four hundred.
Energy surged from them into Junk Warrior.
His power spiked violently.
"That's twelve hundred additional attack points!"
The display flared.
Junk Warrior ATK: 2300 → 3500
"Three thousand five hundred attack points on turn one."
The wind whipped past my helmet as Junk Warrior roared, mechanical fists clenched.
I slid one card into my disk.
"I set one card face-down… and end my turn."
I turned slightly toward the Vagabond as we rounded the next curve of the track.
"Your move."
Turn 1 — The Vagabond
Speed Counter: 1 / 12
He said nothing as he drew.
No dramatic call.
No smug line.
Just the steady scream of his engine growing louder.
Then—
Two flashes of dark light erupted beside him.
A crimson-scaled dragon descended first, wings cutting through the air.
Vice Dragon
Attribute: DARK
Level: 5
Dragon / Effect
ATK: 2000
DEF: 2400
Then a smaller fiendish warrior appeared, red energy pulsing from its body.
Dark Resonator
Attribute: DARK
Level: 3
Warrior / Tuner / Effect
ATK: 1300
DEF: 300
The moment I saw them together, I didn't even need to think.
"…Of course," I muttered.
The green Synchro rings ignited around his field.
"Of course it's a Jack Atlas deck."
Vice Dragon dissolved into crimson energy.
Dark Resonator became a burning red star.
The rings aligned.
The sky above the track cracked open with a pillar of molten light.
And then—
It descended.
A massive dragon of black scales and magma-veined armor, red energy flowing between the cracks in its body like volcanic lava.
Its eyes opened.
Burning.
Dominant.
Scarlight Red Dragon Archfiend
Attribute: DARK
Level: 8
Dragon / Synchro / Effect
ATK: 3000
DEF: 2500
It roared.
The sound wasn't just noise — it was pressure.
The air shook.
My Duel Runner wobbled violently beneath me, and I had to tighten my grip to keep control.
"Easy… easy…"
But it wasn't my Runner that took the real hit.
Scarlight's aura exploded outward.
A shockwave of red energy ripped across the field.
My Special Summoned monsters—
Junk Converter.
Both Doppel Tokens.
They didn't stand a chance.
They shattered into fragments of light.
Junk Warrior slid back slightly, turbines flaring as he resisted the blast.
Shawn LP: 4000 → 2500
I grit my teeth.
"Right… Scarlight destroys all Special Summoned monsters with ATK less than or equal to its own, and I get damaged by 500 for each monster destroyed."
Which meant my 3500 ATK Junk Warrior survived.
Barely.
The Vagabond wasn't done.
He activated a Spell.
Red Dragon Vase
Spell Card
If you control "Red Dragon Archfiend": Draw 2 cards. You cannot Normal or Special Summon monsters this turn, and until the end of your opponent's next turn.
He drew two.
Then, calmly set three cards face down.
No attack.
No aggression.
Just control.
And ended his turn.
Turn 2 - Shawn
Speed Counter: 2/12
As my turn began, my Duel Runner's engine roared louder, syncing with the increase in speed.
"Alright… my turn. I draw!"
The card slid into my hand.
I didn't smile this time.
I studied his field.
Scarlight hovered beside him, molten veins pulsing like a living volcano.
Three face-down cards.
No movement.
No reaction.
'Why only Scarlight?'
Was his hand bad?
Unlikely.
Was he baiting me?
Almost definitely.
'If I overcommit and lose Junk Warrior, I lose momentum.'
But if I play too cautiously?
He dictates the pace.
I exhaled slowly.
This isn't a normal duel.
This is Turbo.
There's more than one way to win.
Outlast him.
Outrace him.
Outplay him.
"Since I have two Speed Counters, I activate the Speed Spell — Angel's Baton!"
Golden light spiraled behind me, and a radiant angelic figure appeared in the air, wings shimmering as we sped down the track.
Angel's Baton
Speed Spell
This card can be activated by removing 2 of your Speed Counters. Draw 2 cards from your Deck and send 1 card from your hand to the Graveyard.
With a gentle motion of her hand, two cards slid from my deck.
I caught them mid-ride and scanned them quickly.
Oh, that's good.
I sent one to the Graveyard.
The angel dissolved into particles of light.
"Now I Normal Summon — Stardust Synchron!"
A flash of white-blue light burst beside me.
A small mechanical dragon — clearly modeled after Stardust Dragon — appeared, hovering at my side. Its metallic wings fluttered, and it let out a soft digital chirp.
I couldn't help it.
I reached out and lightly patted its head.
"…You're kind of adorable."
It chirped louder.
"And thanks to Stardust Synchron's effect, I can add one card that mentions 'Stardust Dragon' from my deck to my hand."
My Runner's display shifted again, presenting my options.
There it is.
I selected my target and pulled the card free as the deck auto-shuffled.
"I've got plans… but you'll see those soon enough."
Now—
Time to test him.
"Battle!"
Junk Warrior's turbines flared.
"Junk Warrior sends his dragon to the scrapyard — Scrap Fist!"
He surged forward, fist igniting with spiraling energy as he charged Scarlight.
And then—
A crimson barrier erupted from the Vagabond's field.
The attack slammed into it and dispersed harmlessly.
I clicked my tongue.
Of course.
He flipped one of his face-downs.
Red Screen
Continuous Trap Card
Your opponent's monsters cannot declare attacks. During each of your End Phases, you must pay 1000 LP or destroy this card. You can target 1 Level 1 Tuner in your GY; destroy this card, and if you do, Special Summon it. You must control "Red Dragon Archfiend" to activate and resolve this effect.
A red digital wall formed between our fields.
Junk Warrior pulled back, unable to break through.
So that's the play.
Lock me out of battle.
Force me to waste resources trying to break his back row.
And since this is Turbo…
I can't even use normal Spell removal without Speed Counters.
I exhaled sharply.
"Fine."
I slid a card into my Disk.
"I'll end my turn."
I looked toward him as we rounded another glowing bend in the track.
"Your move."
Turn 2 — The Vagabond
Speed Counter: 2 / 12
Silent as ever, the Vagabond drew his card.
Scarlight's molten aura flared brighter.
And somehow…
I got the feeling the real duel was about to begin.