Season 0: Theme Keycard #1 C16: That's Cheating!

"Are you ready, Mery?"

The Spirit nodded, her face tense, as she materialized at his prompt.

"Alright! Mark the location with your Magic!"

Encircling herself with flame, the Hand glanced at her Lord for further instructions, but upon seeing Lenix preoccupied marking his own spot, she began to drift away.

Being a disembodied Duel Spirit had its perks. For one, Mery didn't need to walk and could float freely;

And two, no wall or boundary could restrict her unless it was enchanted.

To say it's convenient was undermining it, yet, Meryt-Nerbet could not help but relish and bask in the burst of energy and joy simple air, the scent of wet grass gave her.

One might assume the Human Realm to be more polluted, what with the two Industrial Revolutions it had experienced, but the Spirit World had been ravaged by the fires of war for eons by the time of her death as a human, and the conflicts would likely continue for millennia more, even beyond the end of her existence.

Compared to the metallic stench that seemed to permeate the Spirit World and the ceaseless battles between the various Factions, including her Venerable Holiness', this was… Preferable.

At least in the Human Realm, the odds of stumbling upon a rotting corpse just around the corner or accidentally wandering into the territory of a Cosmic Horror were drastically lower.

It could still happen, of course, but Meryt wasn't one to nitpick.

Sitting on the soft grass, her eyes fixed on the blue sky that stirred a surge of nostalgia in her chest.

Her Ladyship's Realm was beautiful in its own right, but its skies were always choked with the ash of the Phoenix.

Most Realms were like that, with rare exceptions like Zeradias' Sancturary, but even those had downsides, like the constant light filtering through the highest Layer—the nigh maddening light that nearly blinded the Hand the last time Meryt visited for a peace-treaty. Closing her eyes, the Hand's consciousness too began to drift, lulled by the High Priest's voice. “Five… Six… Seven. Exactly seven meters, that should be the limit.“

Meanwhile, the High Priest was still engrossed in trying to note down all the nuances of his Duel Disk.

From his findings, Conjuration and Equip each took about a second to complete, and all Spirits, regardless of their height or weight, would appear within a 7-meter radius from his position.

This limitation, unfortunately, couldn’t be cheated by simply raising his hands or legs, but the default radius was sufficient to catch someone off-guard.

Whether it would be enough against the other psychotic 'Gamer,' however…

And even if it were, which Lenix highly doubted, what good would a 3000 ATK or less do?

If he had Wightbaking, Skullie probably had other Wight-support cards as well.

While Wight might have been considered a gimmicky-meme Deck in the era Lenix came from, it was a true menace in GX Format.

What it lacked in protection, it made up for in its ability to consistently summon a Level 1 boss monster with 5000 to 10,000 ATK in the 1st or 2nd Turn.

Not to mention the "Lady in Wight," a monster that offered the King protection against both Traps and Spells. Lenix never imagined there'd come the day, but he's pretty damn desperate for Effect Veiler, Forbidden Droplet, or Called by the Grave at the moment.

Either option would completely undermine the tactic, but Lenix figured Skill Drain and Dimensional Fissure would have to suffice. Afterwards, he continued his daily routine by trying to Level-Up his Skill Cards instead.

For someone chosen by Nephthys, Lenix really wasn't skilled with the Element.

Any random person off the street, if they possessed the Duel Energy necessary, would make a better student for the Hand, which's where the so-called "Legendary Jujitsu Master” came in.

Since he wasn't excelling at Pyromancy, Lenix thought he might be better suited for Martial Arts. Just a few days of training under the Spirit confirmed he was right.

He'd not be able to challenge the Spirit to unarmed combat anytime soon, but Lenix liked to think he'd be able to hold his own if push came to shove. Heaving from the exercises, he dropped next to the sleeping Spirit and silently wiped the sweat clinging to his brows.

Even martial arts, at their core, were still forms of Magic, drawing upon the same Source as any other Magical Practice, but the difference lay in the physical activities involved.

While Spellcasters focused solely on manipulating Mana—or Duel Energy in this case—Martial Arts lowered the strict requirements by incorporating katas; specific movement which, when used with Duel Energy, could achieve the same results.

The low entry-requirements, coupled with the fast increase earlier on made it an ideal Practice for Lenix. Besides, although Lenix wasn't particularly out of shape, every man wanted abs; Lenix's no different. And not just any abs, but the kind his younger-self would doodle in the margins of his school textbooks after trying and failing to draw Goku for the fifth time, then improvising by squibbling more abs until the drawing's more abs than Saiyan.

Was it a vain pursuit? Perhaps, but when life gives you a lemon—or access to an ethereal energy that's a harmless and extremely potent steroids, plus a Immaterial 'Legendary' Jujitsu Master—you take and make the most of it, no questions asked. "You're advancing faster than I expected.“

"Holy shit! Was that a compliment?"

True to his vicious design, the Legendary Jujitsu Master's a stubborn old man who rarely had anything nice to say, and was as difficult to please as he's stubborn.

This was the first time he had anything positive to say about Lenix or anyone ever.

"Don't let this go to your head. I did not expect much from you to begin with.“

But, as with all previous times, the old man still decided to end on a negative note, almost as if he couldn’t help himself.

Already accustomed to the Jujitsu Master's behavior, Lenix chose not to argue with him.

Instead, he focused on healing, nourishing, and strengthening his damaged muscles using Duel Energy as he had been taught, even as his aching body and mind begged for sleep.

The accelerated regeneration was a nice side-perk, but negligible at his level.

What he truly wanted was the Infusion of Duel Energy into his muscles, bones and organs; a process that would allow him to breach the threshold between what's naturally attainable and what's supernatural; made all the easier by intentionally wearing his body down through grueling exercises and nigh inhuman practices Lenix otherwise would have never subjected himself to if not for the very tangible benefits he'd gained already.

Exercise was a lot more encouraging and fun when you could actually see and feel the changes this quickly.

Unlike those Wuxia and Xianxia novels, however, it didn't come with a sudden DE Boost, nor could Lenix just sit on his ass, breath and still expect to see no decline in combat power, so it's a huge commitment; one he's all too willing to make for power.

It was either this or going on a rampage for EXP and Loots.

Of course, Lenix wasn't naive enough to think he could complete the entire Playthrough without taking a life, but the longer he could delay it, the better it'd be for his peace of mind. “Slow the Flow of your Chi (Duel Energy), fool! How many times do I have to tell you—!“

"It's a double-edged sword, I get it. I get it," Lenix repeated, falling onto his back as he stared at a drifting cloud.

From a gameplay perspective, the Legendary Jujitsu Master's effect was a powerful way to deprive the opponent of resources by replacing their Draw with older cards, making him an excellent tool for snowballing a Duel, but what really intrigued Lenix was how an effect that bounced a card to the top of the Deck would resolve in the real world.

If only he could persuade the Spirit to form a Bind with him and experience the ability himself. "Are you sure you don't want to join me, gramps?"

“I can never accept a Duelist who views the Art as a mere Tool, while you'll never see it as anything but. We are as incompatible as FIRE and WATER.“

"Tsk." Lenix clicked his tongue, tossing one leg over the other as he yawned. "You keep saying that, but aren't you still here?"

“Out of curiosity, mostly. A Duelist who seeks to better themselves and not just their Deck comes around once every bluemoon.“

"Can't be that rare. Who would pass up the chance to have actual superpowers?" Lenix mumbled sleepily.

“Many have,” The Jujitsu Master replied. “The rest never develop the Chi needed to enter the Practitioner Stage, let alone complete it.“

"Y-You know—" Breaths becaming more rhythmic as he spoke, Lenix barely managed to get the words out before his Operating System crashed from the exertion. "You have got to explain these 'Stages' you keep mentioning."

The Jujitsu Master crossed his legs and hummed thoughtfully. “When you wake, I shall, Disciple.“

From Lenix's perspective, it felt like only a moment had passed since he closed his eyes, only to be abruptly woken by the sound of crisp footwears and the rustling of grass, then greeted by the glaring, midday Sun.

Eyes fluttering open, he glanced at a group of suited men standing just ten meters away.

"Mr. Owens? Lenix Owens?" One, the tallest of the group inquired.

"That's me." Lenix answered with a smack of his lips.

"We've brought your equipment for the Tournament and a message from Mr. Pegasus."

“Which is?“

“'It's showtime.'”

— [SK(GX)] —

There was rarely a quiet day in Domino City, but with the announcement of the new Battle City, Duelists from all around the globe had started to converge on the city.

"Please register your name, address, and preferred model, and collect your Tournament-approved gear and rulebook over there."

Everywhere Lenix looked, he saw the same scene: people scrambling to sign up for the 3rd Battle City Tournament.

Most of the arrivals were young and full of energy, eager to prove themselves, yet blissfully unaware of the hidden dangers lurking beneath the city's glamourous surface; of the grimy corners and even grimmer people predating amongst them.

Although the Gutter had a rule against kidnapping, Lenix and everyone in said circle knew how loosely that law was enforced.

The international tournament had turned the area into a prime hunting ground, and not only for the denizens of Erebus but for them as well; Gamers.

"All EXP and loots..." He murmured as the car turned a corner, KaibaCorp Tower standing tall and majestic in the distance. “EXP and Loots.“

Led into the Gutter by his recruiter, Lenix nodded at the guard stationed outside the bar, before taking a moment to carefully survey his surroundings.

"Looks like they upped the security," Even with just a cursory glance, he already spotted four to five guards in disguise.

"There have been... Complications with the new arrivals.“

"Complications?"

Lenix echoed, suppressing a smirk as he ducked through the hidden door and entered the East Gate.

Usually, the crowd consisted of a variety of Asians—he had seen Chinese, Japanese, Filipinos, and even Cambodians paraded around with shock collars on them, but there seemed to be an influx of 'new elements' to the usual mix. “Мне жаль, но я не могу помочь с этой просьбой.“

Whatever the Russian guy had just shouted, it's quite clear his new owner wasn't fond of it, judging by the electricity coursing through him. Lenix was about to challenge the owner for the man's freedom when his attention was diverted by a familiar face.

"You?"

"Mr. Owens! Mr. Owens! Please help me!"

Cried the gambling addict Lenix had saved before, now in chains.

"I released you, though." Lenix remarked, puzzled.

"You did, and they immediately captured me after you left!" The tearfully man explained.

"Did they now?" Lenix turned to the shop owner with a grin, who retorted angrily. "Wait, hold on a damn minute! This guy got free and went right back to the casino, bet himself, and lost! We buy them in batches! Ain't me damn fault they transferred him back to me!"

Speechless for a moment, he snapped toward the slave, who sheepishly scratched the back of his head.

"You can't blame a man for trying his luck, right? Please, this won't happen again."

Tilting his head, Lenix glared into the man's eyes, silently inspecting the myriad of emotions running through them: Regret, fear, hope—yet conspicuously absent was any hint of remorse. Grabbing the back of his head as one might with a misbehaving dog, he spat, "I gave you a chance, and look what you fucking did with it..."

"Pl-Please!"

Choking out a plea, the gambler desperately lunged for Lenix's sleeve.

"I just need a second one! Everybody deserves a second chance, right?!"

"How many 'second chances' have you been given? And how many more will you need?"

The man answered confidently, "One. Just one."

Then his owner's voice cut through, as harsh and unforgiving as ever.

"Don't believe a word outta his mouth. The little bastard pawned his own sister to pay off his debt the first time. If his mother were alive, he'd have pimped her out too."

“Fuck you!“

“You motherfucker—!“

The scene felt almost surreal to Lenix as he backed away. “Did he really prostitute his own sister?“

"No idea, but I wouldn't be too surprised,"

The recruiter replied. "The people down here aren't nice, Lenix. If they were, they'd never have been invited, unless they purposefully sought us out. They are all dirtbags who would have ended up as a slavers if they had had the chance."

“All of them?“

A wicked grin spread across his lips as the gray-haired man responded. "Nothing can remain innocent here, Lenix. None. One way or another, they all end up corrupted."

"Is there no exception?"

"The exceptions are all dead, or worse... Now, unless you wish to Duel for him again, I believe we have someone to visit?"

Shaking his head, Lenix fell in line behind the Recruiter.

"Wait! Where are you going?! He's going to kill me!"

"Are you really okay with this?"

"What choice do I have?" Came Lenix's frustrated reply. "Look after the idiot for the rest of his life? I gave him a clean slate, and he fucked it up in less than a month."

"Fair enough... Don't cry for the stupid, or you'll be crying all day, am I right?"

The recruiter quipped, maintaining a casual tone as they ventured deeper into the depths of the Gutter.

To its credit, for all its flaws and human rights violations, the Gutter had a surprisingly thriving motel scene.

Since most of it's owned by the people who ran the place, it was essentially a government-owned building where no one, not even the toughest criminals, dared to cause trouble. “You left her alone?“

Hands tucked away in his pockets, the man shrugged. "I don't know about you, but I wouldn't trust anyone in this god-forsaken place with my trash, let alone a girl recently out of a comatose. And I'm fully including myself here.“

Once inside the building, they made their way to room 402 and knocked on the door. "Hikaru-san? Are you decent?"

"I am, come on in.“ The interior wasn't too shabby, but a lingering stench of blood caught Lenix's attention for a split second while his brain slowly began to register the girl.

Nagisa's lidless eyes stared blankly at him as she powdered her melted skin. "Jesus..."

“I know I'm not much to look at, but that's not very nice.“

“It was not my intention. How are you doing? Feeling any homicidal urges?“

"Some..." The Fire Maiden replied flatly. "The scars still bother me, but at least the phantom pain has eased up. Whatever you did that night has brought me some much-needed respite, and for that, I thank you, Mr. Owens.“

Rummaging through her drawer, Nagisa retrieved a card from her Deck and placed it in front of Lenix. "That's..."

"What I owe you.“

"Hazy Flame Hyppogrif." Lenix licked his lips as his nail gently grazed the card. "You're giving me your ace?"

"I'm honoring our deal. Perhaps you will be able to bring out his potential better than I did." The Spirit let out a plaintive whine, hiding behind her as Lenix flicked the card.

"Thanks, I suppose.“

"It's what I ought to do. Now... You mentioned a way to get back what I've lost?"

"Your beauty?"

"My Humanity," Nagisa mumbled, closing her eyes and getting lost in her memories. "You have no idea how inhuman it feels to look like me. If you've lied to me, I swear, I will dedicate my life to destroying you."

Staring at the girl, Lenix smirked. "I haven't lied… If you want to regain your beauty, you simply need to refine your powers further. It is that simple."

“”"Powers?" The Recruiter and Nagisa echoed while simultaneously giving him confused looks.

"Come on now, you didn’t think your opponents were terrified just by your charming demeanor, did you? Magic is very real, and yours has manifested in quite a destructive manner, Hikaru-san. That’s why every opponent you faced before me fell ill afterward—the pain you inflicted and the shocks were simply too overwhelming.”

"That's it? 'Learn magic' is your brilliant solution?"

"Yes. Learn a Restoration Spell from a Duel Spirit. A Spellcaster would be a good start, but if you're desperate, you could always make an offering to an Old God, a Cosmic Horror, or a Demon from the Underworld—there are plenty of those to go around. I'd not recommend that particular route, though. It's a monkey's paw situation unless you get lucky and find a benevolent Spirit."

"You can't be serious..." Nagisa leveled a glare at him, fists clenched and shaking to her sides.

"On the contrary." Lenix stepped forward, turning into a blur of motion as his fist shot forth, stopping mere inches from her face while the shockwave trashed the furniture. "I'm being quite serious. Learn Magic, and your problem's solved.“

“H-How did you—?!“

Glancing at his reflection in the broken mirror, Lenix grinned. “Magic.“

ATK: 95

DEF: 50

His stats were, frankly, pathetically low compared to every other Spirit, but Lenix had only just started taking his training seriously now that the Leveling-Up process had slowed to a crawl. And yet, 95 ATK already placed him firmly in Tier-9 according to the Tiering System of VS Battle.

Tilting his head, he reached for her face, disregarding the violent flinch he felt as his fingers traced her jawline and the disfigured, scarred skin.

"And Nagisa... I'll overlook it this time, but if you ever threaten me like that again, I shall take it as an act of aggression and respond accordingly. Remember, I shattered your mind with a thought; imagine what I else could do if I put in a little more effort."

Her eyes met his for the briefest moment before she looked away in fear.

While the Penalty had helped her regain control over the insanity brought on by years of ridicule, torture, and discrimination, it was also the most painful and mentally exhausting experience of her life—possibly even more so than the accident that had taken both Nagisa's family and Humanity.

"Understood?"

Swallowing the bile that rose in her throat, Nagisa Hikaru smacked her lips to calm her anxiety and nodded. "Crystal."

"Good. Since you're awake, here's the key to your collar. I hope that the next time we cross paths will be under better circumstances.“

Clapping loudly, Lenix gave the two an awkward smile and made for the door in a hurry.

“Well, if you two will excuse me, I have other matters to attend to. Goodnight.“

Only after he had left did the two breathe a sigh of relief. “Man... That kid's intense. I thought he'd rip your head off for a moment there.”

“You're telling me.”

Clutching her chest, the girl lay back on the bed. She thought she had made peace with death, but staring it in the face was still quite the nerve-wracking experience.

“Say, what is your assessment of him?”

“Why? Are you jealous?”

“You jest.”

Snorting at his curt response, Nagisa kicked back her legs, tapped on the bed, and mumbled, “Insane. The way he looks at everybody, it's like he's staring at something lesser. If he could float, I'm almost certain he'd be levitating above us mere mortals. It is truly infuriating.”

“Really? I didn't see it.”

“You didn't because you and he are similar. Only he sees everyone but himself as tools in a story; while include yourself.“

“Harsh.”

“But not untrue.” The girl smirked as she crawled toward him, pausing as she felt the nozzle of a gun pressed against her stomach. “Still, for an evil man, you have a gentle touch.”

"You were awake?"

"For the latter half of the week, yes. I could feel, but I couldn't move or speak... I felt your hands on me; felt the warm rags you pressed against my skin."

Chuckling, Tanaka Hoshio adjusted his fedora and leaned on his cane with a smirk. "If you know me so well, then surely you understand that I'm incapable of the love you desire from me. Knowing that, will you still continue with this?"

Looking into his eyes, Nagisa smiled.

"I don't see any repulsion in your eyes; no pity, and that's enough. That's all I can ask for."

She pressed a gentle kiss to his lips before retreating for a bated breath. "So be a gentleman and soothe a maiden's lonely heart, will you?"

— [SK(GX)] —

Ducking into an alleyway, Lenix changed out of his outfit and into something more discreet before checking back into the motel.

Dropping onto the bed, he pulled out Nephthys and his new Level 6: Hazy Flame Hyppogrif. Lenix wouldn't hesitate to admit he hadn't seen this card in his life, but its effect was pretty neat. If the Stat Boost were higher, he'd be a lot less hesitant to play it. Alas, "It's pretty shit, isn't it?"

The once-per-turn 300 ATK boost was frankly pathetic, and to get it, he'd even have to sacrifice more resources when he could simply use that to Summon an immediate threat to the board instead. It wouldn't fit in a Nephthys Deck either, since its effect didn't Destroy but Tributed instead.

Overall, Hazy Flame Hyppogrif's not that valuable to him; rarity asides.

“Then I'll just have to make it useful," Lenix muttered to himself as he tossed a copy of Polymerization and Nephthys onto the blanket. "If Judai can do it, so can I."

Yuuki Judai wasn't the only one known for handling Fusion Monsters; he was just the most prominent example.

The Pharaoh had used the United Dragon to create some pretty impressive Fusions in his time.

The card was so overpowered that Takahashi-sensei had to nerf it by making Atem unworthy.

Unfortunately, Lenix's not an Incarnation of an Ancient Evil King, nor did he possess a Millennium Cheat Engine dangling from his neck.

What he did have were connections to a bunch of Duel Spirits and proper communication.

“Is this right?“

"You're messing up the runes... Just let the Handmaiden do it."

Conjuring Mery as instructed, Lenix watched carefully as she burned Egyptian symbols into the carpet.

“Now, pour some mercury into it. Afterward, place me on the right and the Beast on the left. The Polymerization must remain at the center of the Magic Circle.“

“Done… What now?“

"Now we wait for Midnight—that's when the Transition between the Old and the New happens… You will have to keep it up until Sunrise.“

“And then you'll evolve?“

The Sacred Phoenix turned her head to the side and impatiently rapped on the card featuring her. "It's not that simple. The Ritual will kickstart the process, but it will take time and Energy to complete—lots and lots of Energy."

"How long will that take?"

“Weeks? Months? Years? It all depends on how much Duel Energy you provide Us with. Until completion, you'll need to perform the Ritual and inject Us with Duel Energy from Midnight to Sunrise every day.“

"Ha..." Lenix sighed as he set the candles, grumbling, "And you're sure there's no way to speed up the process?"

"You cannot rush perfection, my Priest!" Nephthys replied snobbishly.

"Fine. Let's do this," Lenix said, rubbing his hands together as he lit the candles and dripped blood into the Circle before reaching for Meryt's hands. "Follow my lead, Your Eminence."

“I'm counting on you.“ Nodding to the Spirit, he tipped the cup near his lips and sighed.

He didn't even know what half the ingredients inside do, but apparently the liquid was supposed to allow him to temporarily open his Third Eye or whatever and better connect to the Spirit Realm. One thing they had made crystal clear from the moment he conceived the idea was that he wouldn't be conscious for most of it. Instead, his Spirit would guide the DE being filtered out of Polymerization and assist in easing the Fusion.

“Holy—” He had just consumed the mixture, and already he could feel it working its Magic as the world spun around him.

Furniture started to blur together, while his perception of time slowed to a crawl, and dark purple smoke began to converge in his vision. Absentmindedly, he began walking toward the Temple just beyond the horizon, stumbling onto a carpeted street of the town below, but the most curious thing wasn't the ash-choked sky, nor the thunderous chant echoing beside his ears.

It was the thousands of Egyptian women kneeling on the street, praying to the giant Statue of the Phoenix. All eyes trained on him as he ascended the stairs, seemingly unaware of the hands ripping and tearing at his clothes to change him out of his usual outfit and into something more appropriate for the ocassion. “You're…”

“Speechless at your Our magnificence, High Priest?“

Lenix had always admired Nephthys' design—perhaps it was the gold, maybe the fire—but he had never felt any attraction toward her. Goddess or not, she was essentially a flaming chicken, after all.

The woman he was facing now, however, was no chicken. Sure, she wore a headgear shaped like one and was dressed in armored gold that resembled her more monstrous Form, but the outfit clung to her silhouette like a second skin instead.

She was the furthest thing from the Nephthys he's familiar with.

“Let the Union Rite begin!”

The proclamation reverberated in his mind, echoing like a sinister symphony.

The drums, lutes, and harps collectively hammered at his eardrums in a discordant rhythm, prompting him to groan while his surroundings twisted and contorted as the Sacred Phoenix exploded into a radiant sphere and ascended, transforming into a second Sun that began to merge with the first.

The vibrant colors of the world bled into one another,

The sky melted into a cascade of iridescent hues,

Meanwhile, shadows danced on the periphery of his vision, flickering specters that seemed to cheer or jeer as he staggered onto the altar.

He bit into his fingers, feeling the sharp sting as blood seeped out and dripped onto the stone surface, shifting into blooming scarlet flowers, their petals stretching and reaching for the vast, swirling Heavens above.

Then, colors faded to gray, shadows retreated, and silence replaced the jarring pulses as Reality snapped back with a vengeance, and Lenix found himself sitting alone in his room once more.

The world was still, and Nephthys was gone, leaving only the bright florescent light buzzing in the ceiling.

“Did we succeed?“

The answer came in the form of an eruption from the purple, swirling egg that now sat in the center of the charred Magic Circle.

"Guess we did."

—/—/——/——/—/—

Duelist Profile

Name: Lenix Owens

Title: The Mimic

Level: 7

XP: 10,819/216,000

Duel Energy: 0/38,400 (Regen: 32 Unit/Sec)

Bonded Spirits (Max. 5): Hand of Nephthys (13.95%), Mimicking Man-Eater Bug (19.9%), Grasschopper (9.8%)

Spirit Enhancement(s) / Skill(s): Destiny Draw (2/10), Spirit Vision (3/10), Pyromancy (2/10), Destiny Defied (1/10), Shadow Initiation (1/10), Chosen of Nephthys (MAX)

Third-Party Softwares: Semi-Gamer's Mind (MAX), Observe (MAX)

Duel Points: 221,105

Duel Record: 173 Total / 173 Win – 0 Loss – 0 Draw

Win Ratio: 100%