Late at night, the King, Jack Atlas, suddenly jerked awake in his luxury penthouse, sitting up as if sprung by a coil.
"Urgh... What's this pain?"
Clutching his arm with the Dragon Mark, he rolled up his sleeve and stared at his glowing limb.
"The Dragon Mark... this pain is... and this sense of unease surging in my heart..."
Jack frowned, then instinctively looked outside the window, toward the Duel Stadium—which should've already been empty by this time of night.
"What's going on?"
Jack wasn't alone.
At almost the same instant, Luna, Akiza, Yusei, and other Dragon Signers also abruptly woke up, feeling burning pain on their arms.
At this point, they still had no idea what the Dragon Mark truly meant, nor their own destiny. Even so, each could instinctively sense impending crisis and suffocation from their Dragon Mark.
It was like something was warning them—danger was right around the corner.
And it was here—in this city—beside them.
…
"It's my turn. Draw!"
It was Kira's turn.
[Kira, Speed Counter 1 → 2]
[Greiger, Speed Counter 1 → 2]
"At the start of my second turn, I have two Speed Counters," said Kira. "So now, I can activate this card from my hand:
Speed Spell - Angel Baton! If I have two or more Speed Counters, I draw two cards from my deck, then discard one."
Probably the Speed Spell that appeared most often in the anime—exclusive to Riding Duels, a downgraded version of Graceful Charity.
Greiger: "At this moment, I activate my set card!
Continuous Trap – Appropriate! This can only be activated when the opponent draws cards outside their Draw Phase.
After this, every time the opponent draws outside their Draw Phase, I also get to draw two cards from my deck."
"Appropriate, huh? What a nostalgic trap." Kira smiled. "Well then, I'll summon this guy first. From my hand, normal summon—Abyss Soldier!"
Jets of water burst out by the speeding Duel Runner, swirling into a translucent vortex. A golden trident slashed through the water as a merman soldier emerged, brandishing his weapon and scattering splashes around.
[Abyss Soldier – ATK 1800]
"Abyss Soldier's effect," said Kira. "Once per turn, I can discard a WATER monster to return any card on the field to its owner's hand."
Kira sent a card from his hand to the graveyard.
"Hmph, this tactic won't work on me!" Greiger boasted. "I activate my set card—Trap Card, Spellbinding Illusion!
One monster's ATK drops by 500 until the end of the turn, and its effect is negated!"
(Manga card)
He turned on the massive Duel Runner and pointed at Abyss Soldier.
"Bind Abyss Soldier, nullify its effect!"
A faint sealing circle appeared at the feet of Abyss Soldier. The merman groaned, his colors dulling and the water swirling around his trident quickly dispersed.
[Abyss Soldier, ATK 1800 → 1300]
"Effect negated, huh." Kira said, "Then let's just battle.
Abyss Soldier, attack Spell Reactor ・RE!"
With Spell Reactor's DEF at only 900, even the weakened Abyss Soldier was stronger. The merman straightened, thrust his trident, the sound of wind howling as he charged at high speed.
"Just as I expected!" Greiger shouted. "At this moment—I activate my set card! Trap Card—Fake Explosion!
This can only be activated when the opponent declares an attack, making my monster indestructible for that battle!"
The trident struck Spell Reactor, but transparent energy crackled over its tough metallic shell, repelling Abyss Soldier backward.
"And after damage calculation," Greiger revealed another card, "I can special summon one Summon Reactor ・SK from my hand or graveyard.
Appear! Summon Reactor ・SK!"
Boom! An explosion erupted where the trap was set, spewing out a transparent blaze and smoke. From the darkness soared a green steel mecha, two turbines spinning furiously, looking like a Transformer evolving from glider to robot.
[Summon Reactor ・SK – ATK 2000]
"So after Summon, comes Spell... Let me guess, you've got Trap Reactor in your hand?" said Kira.
Greiger ignored him completely.
"So cold... Well, I'll set two cards and end my turn."
Two set cards briefly flashed on the sides of Kira's Duel Runner but quickly became transparent, as if they melted into the high-speed world.
"My turn! Draw!" Greiger declared.
"I summon the final Reactor—Trap Reactor ・Y FI!"
Another antique-looking green airplane flew from the summoning vortex. Its nose folded down into a chest, cockpit rose into a head. Wings became arms, tail split into legs, transforming into a flying robot at Greiger's side.
[Trap Reactor ・Y FI – ATK 800]
The three Reactors—SK, Y FI, and RE—together form the Grand Air Raid combination.
"It's all set!" Greiger thrust his hand forward.
"Activate Summon Reactor ・SK's effect!
When all three—SK, Y FI, and RE—are on my field, I can send them all to the Graveyard to Fusion Summon
Flying Fortress SKY FIRE from my hand, deck, or graveyard!
With all my fury, unite!"
Summon Reactor moved to the center, flanked by the other two. The machines began to transform, magnetized and assembling. The mega machine grew limbs, the fan in its chest spinning, heavy cannons locking on.
Flying Fortress SKY FIRE, summoned!
[Flying Fortress SKY FIRE – ATK 3000]
"It appeared already—your ace, SKY FIRE," said Kira. "Looks like your spirits are truly high."
To put all three specific Reactors on the field at the same time, without enough effective search tools—such a bricky system working so smoothly only happens in anime.
Of course, this is also a testament to Greiger's strength.
"The fury from losing my home—all my family, my little siblings... Why spare none? What did they do wrong? Why did they have to die so miserably?"
His anger mounted, massive fists shaking.
"Look, Goodwin! This SKY FIRE is my rage—and the rage of all those who died for your selfish desires!
Now, I'll ignite this wrath!"
Greiger roared.
"Activate Flying Fortress SKY FIRE's effect!
Once per turn, discard one card to destroy a card on your opponent's field!"
Greiger discarded a card to the graveyard.
"Destroy the set card in your back row!"
…
…
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