Season 0: Theme Keycard #1 C6: Mantis Barrage!!! (EDITED)

A/N: I changed up the ending a bit for dramatic effect. The name of the chapter has been changed too.

Seated across from him, Takimaru couldn't help but exclaim in awe as the waitresses, dressed in revealing monster-themed outfits, paraded by their table, face turning a bright shade of red each time one passed.

"Take a picture, why don't you? It will last longer." Lenix teased, pulling Takimaru from his daydream.

Realizing his 'subtle' acts of admiration was anything but subtle, he lowered his head in embarrassment. "Like you aren't sneaking a glance yourself!"

"It's okay to look,"

Lenix continued, nonchalantly stirring his steaming coffee. "That's the whole point of places like this, but the Necrofear cosplayer? Are you serious? Have some standards, my guy.“

Attention drawn to the pavement opposite, Lenix tapped his glass in irritation.

Across the street, a group of five caught his eye.

It was Akane and the thugs who ambushed him. Who else? The red-haired man beside her was most likely her brother, accompanied by three others who had previously attacked Lenix on the older Fushio's orders.

Dragged along by his exasperated little sister, the man hardly resembled the ruthless Yakuza boss he allegedly was. Yet, his muscles; his steady footing even as he's pulled around by the ears, and the Duel Spirits trailing behind him, hadn't escaped Lenix's notice.

Behind them, the enormous phantom of Heraklinos roared, clashing his shield and halberd to rile up the smaller Duel Spirits flanking the group protectively.

Watching them, Lenix couldn't help but reminisce about his heyday with the Gladiator Beasts.

The G-Beast deck was his first proper Deck, and presumably many others'.

Built around a single Archetype known for its Special Summons, swift Fusion plays and constant tag-in/out playstyle, the Deck had brought the era a bunch of powerhouses like Gyzarus and Heraklinos.

Its ease of play and construction made it a staple for newer Duelists until faster strategies began to emerge, pushing the Gladiator Beasts into obscurity.

Although barely competitive as a casual deck by modern standards, many older duelists still remember the fear they inspired.

Few things were more frustrating than drawing the crucial Spell or Trap card needed to turn the tide, only for it to be obliterated by Gyzarus or, worse, negated by Heraklinos.

In simpler terms, they were the Tenpai Dragons before Tenpai Dragons existed.

“Mah… Look at them. A bunch of meta-slaves.” He snickered.

These Archetypes weren’t even supposed to have existed this early in the Timeline.

They were staples, sure, but of the Edison/Synchro Format, not GOAT.

“Owens!“

"Fushio…"

Lenix crossed his arms, forcing a smile that must have looked quite ugly, judging by Akane's reaction as the group settled at their table.

It couldn't be helped. Due to his old dorm's remote location, no taxi driver would answer his calls, leaving Lenix to drag an unconscious Takimaru and all his luggage for three miles until he finally found a motel where they could put their feet up. It was already 3a.m by then…

To say Lenix was less than pleased was severely undermining it.

“H-Hi?“ The girl greeted awkwardly, pinching and twisting her brother's side to remind him to behave.

“Wassup?“

“Nii-san,” Akane growled, her expression darker than the bottom of a pot.

“Urgh… Good morning to you two.”

“Trust me, I'd love to have a good morning too, but that's kind of hard when I just got kicked out of my apartment last night and had to hike five miles because of someone's whims. This is anything but a 'good' morning.”

The Fushio pair both froze.

“Wait, you got kicked out?!“

"Yeah," Lenix answered, his smile strained. "Couldn't even get the remaining rent back from the old hag, thanks to your brother."

“Watch your tone!“

"Or what? Are you going to fight me again? Right here in the middle of a busy street, in broad daylight? Maybe one of you plans to duel me? Or perhaps you'll head back to my place, stir up trouble, and get me evicted? Oh, that's right... You already did, you bunch of pricks. And to think, the Yakuza's supposed to have honor. Ganging up on someone just because they befriended your sister—does that sound honorable or reasonable to you, Fushio-san?"

To his credit, the red-haired man did know to at least appear ashamed.

“It indeed was an overreaction. I apologize.“

Lenix stared at the seemingly apologetic man and sighed. "What's done is done. But if this happens again, I'll have to get the authorities involved.“ It's a weak threat, but on account of Akane, he's ready to offer the Fushio Group an olive branch.

“Fret not, the Fushio Group will solve your housing proble—”

"No need to worry about my housing. I'll handle that myself. Your job is to cover my friend's medical fees—"

Lenix added, gesturing toward the battered and bruised 'Block Dragon' main.

The guy had definitely seen better days, sporting a black eye and split lips, but he was holding on strong. Courtesy of his Aces, Lenix reckoned.

“That's a given.“

"And compensate me for the psychological damages, too."

"Psychological damages, my arse! You beat us, didn't you? Don't think just becau—"

"Sato-san..." Akane began, only to be cut off by the man himself.

"I had to walk four miles from 1 a.m. to 3 a.m., pack up all my stuff, lug him around,”

Lenix thumbed at the man next to him. “So yes, I would say I deserve compensation for the psychological damages. If it makes you feel any better, think of it as coverage for my lost rent. How about that?"

“You—!“

"Enough! Just pay him. We're in the wrong."

"But, Akane-oujo!"

"I don't care. You attacked my friend!"

Akane glared, then turned to her brother, who was desperately trying to shrink away, whistling innocently as if that'd make him invisible. "And you! You looked me in the face, promised you wouldn't do anything to my friend, and then broke your promise!"

"... In my defense, I sent them before you asked me to, well, leave him alone. Plus, they were ordered to only scare him. Rough him up if necessary, sure, but..."

"Is that supposed to make it better?" Lenix and the girl chimed in unison.

"But this, but that—is that all you know how to say?"

"Sorry," Musashi Fushio conceded immediately, upon seeing his sister's anger. “Do you prefer cash or DP?"

"DP." It had been a decade since the introduction of Duel Monsters, and by now, DP was practically synonymous with money. Every store, motel, hotel, and so on accepted it as currency. Even his old, run-down dormitory's not an exception, although the old hag sure liked to complain about it whenever he paid with the digital currency.

“Your account number?“

“XXX-XXX-XXX-333.“

Musashi pressed a few buttons on his Duel Disk, then gestured toward Lenix’s. “Please check your balance.”

“75,000 DP… Well, at least you’re not stingy. Takimaru?”

“Yeah?”

“Give me your account details. I’ll send you half the DP. Consider it a token of my appreciation.”

"Oh, you don't have to—"

"Oh, but I insist.“

"Oh, in that case, my account is—what?!" He shot a glare at the Yakuza. "What are you staring at? I'm not going to say no to free money twice!" Once half the money had yet again exchanged hands, the tension in the room finally began to dissipate as the group sipped on their respective drink.

"By the way, what was that message about?" Lenix's the first to break the awkward, yet comfortable silence, his sleep-deprived brain suddenly conjuring the image of the text he barely glossed over before passing out cold last night.

A bit flustered by the attention, Akane fidgeted uneasily in her seat.

"Message?" She repeated. “What message?“

"You know, the one about the disappearances?"

"Oh, that! Nii-san told me a lot of Duelists have gone missing recently. I was worried you might become a target given your reputation...“

"Worried, were you?"

"In your dreams." The sound of a kettle boiling over brought their eyes ovee to Musashi, whose face now flushed a bright crimson, veins popping out of his forehead like writhing worms at what he deemed a bit too friendly of an interaction the two were having.

"You got something to say, Nii-san?" Akane prodded.

"... No." The older Fushio spat the words through teeth clenched so tightly, Lenix feared they might just shatter on the spot.

"If you keep interrupting us, I'm leaving—"

"Yes!!!"

"—With him.“ She added, gesturing across the table with a sly smile.

"What?" Takimaru and Lenix both asked simultaneously, following the direction of the finger pointing at the former.

But if their reactions echoed mild confusion, Musashi Fushio's was downright violent. “NO!!! He's even worse!“

"Hey!"

"Don't throw shade at my buddy, you siscon. He might not look like a twelve years old, act like he were five, but he put his health on the line to help me!“

“Screw you!!“

After catching stray shots out of nowhere, Takimaru clutched his heart as if struck by fifty arrows at once.

"Alright, alright. Let's settle down... So, about the disappearances, any idea who the culprit might be?"

Lenix questioned, puzzled. Although Duel Monsters was a global phenomenon, Domino City was its epicenter. Home to a diverse array of powerful Duelists, it seemed foolish to cause trouble here.

Not to mention, it was watched over by the main cast.

Even with Yugi away on his World Tour, there were still Jonouchi, Mai, Kaiba and many others present in Domino City.

Who would dare have the gall?

“Some people had seen victims following a cloaked Duelist to remote locations. They were never seen again afterwards.“

"And nobody thought to check on them?"

It sounded ridiculous to him.

People were nosy, including himself sometimes. There was no way in Hell the duel-obsessed citizens of Domino City would miss a match.

"Someone must've noticed something, right?"

"That's just it. They vanished as soon as they were out of sight."

Lenix paused from stirring his coffee, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "Have the police found anything?"

"They've chalked up the disappearances to running away from home or hiding out of embarrassment after losing. The excuses still work for now since few amongst the public are aware, but once they catch on..."

"The police will have to take the case more seriously." Lenix concluded.

The cloaked duelist was probably initiating Shadow Duels, hence the lack of evidence, but why they needed Duelists' Souls—that was the real question. '... Maybe I should give Jonouchi a call.'

It would be ideal if Yugi could hurry back from his World Tour.

This seemed like a perfect job for the 'King of Games.'

Leaning forward, Musashi locked eyes with him, imploring, accusatory gaze searching and probing for answers.

"Why are you so interested? Do you want to catch him? Or maybe you are him?“

"If I were him, your goons wouldn’t be sitting here today; stinking up the place. In fact, your sister would be gone too. And as for catching the guy, Hell. No. This sounds like none of my business."

“Lenix!“ Akane gasped.

"Look, I'm not risking my life on the off-chance I can succeed where a bunch of other Duelists failed."

If he knew who the cloaked Duelist was and what Deck he used, he might consider giving it a shot.

But going in blind with his Soul on the line? That was never going to happen.

He was no protagonist, no Pharaoh, or Supreme King—just plain old Lenix Owens, a Duelist who's arguably a bit more informed than the rest. A Shadow Duel was not only above his pay grade, but a needless bother. 'It'd be fine if it's just an instant lightout…' It's another matter to be confined to the Shadow Realm, entirely aware and deprived of all basic needs and wants.

"... Understandable, but cowardly."

"What can I say? I'm a capital 'C' coward. Dueling should be fun and mentally challenging, not life-threatening. Besides, aren't you the big, bad Yakuza? Why don't you handle it?"

Ego bruised, all three of the so-called 'Yakuza' grumbled, but none of them replied.

What was it Lovecraft liked to toot again?

"The biggest fear is the fear of the unknown.“

"Nevertheless, we don't intend to let whoever this is wreak havoc… My men have all been ordered to patrol and keep a close eye on one another. Whatever their trick is, they can't take us all on."

"It's your funeral."

"Wow, such support! This is exactly why we do this—for the good people of Domino City!" The 'Gladiator Beast' main echoed sarcastically.

“I can't help you guys, but I can call in support.“ Dialing Grandpa Mutou, Lenix greeted enthusiastically. “Gramp, it's me. You got a minute?“

“—If you're asking about the new Insect Deck, I haven't received any new shipments yet.“

"No, that's not it. I'm just curious, when is your grandson coming home?"

"—Yugi? He isn't scheduled to return for another month. Why do you ask?"

"There's a job for the King of Games. It's a matter of life and death. Can you reach out to him?"

"—I'll give him a call. In the meantime, have you tried Jonouchi?"

“I'm calling him later. Thanks, gramp.“

“—No need.“

"Way to push your responsibility onto others."

Annoyed, Lenix shot Musashi a glare from the corner of his eye, growling.

"What responsibility? I'm just a regular citizen. This isn't my job. It's the police's, and it's definitely not my fault the authorities aren't taking the threat seriously either."

“Tsk.“

If looks could kill, both would have died a dozen times already, fortunately—”Guys, please. Can you just get along? For me?“

Musashi sighed and restrained himself, while Lenix just shrugged.

"Before we head out, my subordinate has a request for you."

Sitting uneasily under the sudden focus, the gangster croaked, "I... Could I get my Samurais back? I'm willing to pay for them!"

Lenix glanced at the Legendary Samurai next to him and chuckled. "You remember how you treated them, right? Why the sudden change of mind?“

"It was the heat of the moment, plus it feels… Odd to not have them by my side. Please.“ He pleaded.

Rolling his eyes, Lenix unclasped the deck from his belt and held it up to eye level.

"I never intended to take your 'Six Samurais,' nor do I need your money, but I'll only return it to you under one condition.“

“What is it?“

“Never treat your cards like that again. They're not just cards, you know?"

Given the already established bond between Zanji and his liege, along with the differences in their personalities and values, convincing the Samurais to defect to a new Liege would be quite an uphill battle.

It'd be even harder now that their old Liege had swallowed his pride and humbled himself to get them back. It seemed the wiser course of action to return them to their rightful owner in exchange for a debt owed. Not to mention, Lenix hadn't fully acclimated to the Insects yet.

He had no plans to switch to a new Deck, at least not until he had mastered his current cards and achieved maximum optimization.

Extending the Deck toward the man, Lenix shot at his wrist like a viper, gripping it with strength that belied his appearance, and put on a friendly smile. Eerily friendly, from Akane's perspective.

"What's your name?"

"Ka-Kato Asahi."

"'The Eternal Blessing of the Morning Sun?' You have a good name and a strong Deck. Last night was just bad luck. I'm looking forward to a rematch."

He needed to get better, faster than Akane, and the Six Samurais would offer excellent practice. 'Have they released Skill Drain yet?' He idly wondered, before turning his gaze to the girl's elder brother. 'Although the Gladiator Beasts might be fun to tackle too.'

“B-Akane, your friend's creeping me out. Tell him to stop it.“

"Ugh, never mind him. He has this radar for Duelists and gets excited whenever he thinks someone might stand a chance against him."

"You want to duel? After all that?"

"This and that are different." Lenix's smile grew even more deranged as he gestured to the back. "There just so happens to be an arena in the back… A duel to put this all behind us, what do you say?“

"Ah, what the Hell... Why not? Lead the way."

As they stepped into the arena, they were immediately met with thunderous applause. "Oh, shit! It's Mimic!"

"Back for another win?! Gimme a sec to put my DP on you!"

"Can you give me some pointers?"

Lenix had his admirers, but Musashi Fushio was equally popular, it looked like. And even more infamous.

"That red-haired guy... Holy crap, it's Musashi Fushio!"

"Do you know who that is?"

"Know him? The guy's the leader of the 'Thousands March' gang and has been notorious for two years! He's undefeated as well, with an even better record than Owens'!"

"Is he really that scary?"

"Just watch and learn. We're in for an entertaining time today."

“Ladies and gentlemen, step right up and place your bets now! Once the Duel begins, there will be no more chances!!! Place your bet, and you might walk away with a heavier pocket!”

“Or lighter—” chimed in the co-announcer.

“”Pockets! Come on, give luck a try!”” They yelled in unison.

Lenix and Musashi could not help but set aside their enmity and exchange a wry smile as they awaited their turn in the arena.

“Don’t lose, Mimic! I’ve got a lot of DP riding on you!”

“Take down that disgusting Insect, Beast King!”

“No pressure.”

“None.“

Lenix chuckled as he sifted through his deck, quietly assessing his odds.

He had felt confident facing Akane and the Lightsworn due to her inexperience.

Musashi Fushio, however, was a different story.

As an established player with two years of experience to bank on, he was going to be a lot harder to beat.

Fortunately, compared to the Lightsworn, Lenix was intimately more familiar with the Gladiator Beasts.

Hell, it'd not be wrong to say he knew the Archetype inside-out.

As long as he could avoid all the pitfalls, prevent Musashi from swarming the board, and ensure “Gladiator Beast Bestiari” get destroyed the moment it hit the field, Lenix believed he should be fine. Of course, while this sounded extremely simple on paper, it's going to take a lot of resources to achieve that much, still… 'Took a while, but I might need to Destiny Draw.'

At Level 1, he could only do it once per Duel, but that's really all a Duelist needed, really. Yugi and Judai had accomplished a lot more with a lot less.

“Lenix, how sure are you of winning?“

Grinning cheekily, he winked. “Why, you worried?“

“Now's not the time for joke. Nii-san is really good, you know?“

“50/50.“

“That's–!“ Akane hissed.

That was the highest evaluation Lenix had ever given someone.

'Is Nii-san really that good?'

“C'mon, folks!“

On stage, the holographic projection of a monster exploded, raining brilliance upon the clapping viewers.

"—And next up! You've heard of him, you've seen him and his insects in action! Give it up for... LENIX OWENS!"

As the Duelists were ushered off stage, the second announcer chimed in.

"—And in the other corner, the GLADIATOR KING! He burst onto the scene two years ago and has dominated every opponent he's faced since! Let's hear it for—"

“”—MUSASHI FUSHIO!!!“”

Lenix had to hand it to whoever ran 'Spirit World'; they sure knew how to hype up a crowd. Stepping up stage, he patted his Duel Disk, tossed his glove to Akane's older brother, and shouted, "Let's see what you've got. Tails!"

"Don't disappoint. Heads.“

Coin Toss: Tails


Lenix Owens: 4000 LP

Musashi Fushio: 4000 LP

“I'll go first!“

Hand consisting of Howling Insect, 4-Starred Ladybug of Doom, Doom Dozer, Flying Kamakiri #1 and Level Up, Lenix started by putting his Howling Insect face-down. Not the best deal ever, but with Doom Dozer, it's only a matter of time before he got a 2800 ATK monster on the field. The biggest headache was how to protect said monster.

“I'll set one card face-down, and end my turn.“

“My turn, I draw!“ Humming to himself, Musashi took one glance at his hand and smiled. 'According to his profile, he should only pack two Man-Eater Bugs in his Deck… No. Bestiari is limited to 1, and far too valuable to waste this early. I'll do that then.'

After a second of contemplation, Musashi set two cards—Solemn Judgment and Seven Tools of the Bandits—and Normal Summon, “Come forth, Bestiari!“

Gladiator Beast Bestiari

WIND

Level: 4

[Winged Beast/Effect]

ATK: 1500

DEF: 800

The projected card burst into a dazzling explosion, and from above, the cyan Winged Beast descended, its mechanical wings roaring like thunder under the Sun. "But I'm not done yet!"

Fully aware of his opponent's tactics, he pressed on. "I activate Test Tiger from my hand! As long as I have a Gladiator Beast on the field, I can Special Summon this card, then tribute it and shuffle another Gladiator Beast I control back in my Deck to Special Summon a new one from my Deck!"

Golden swirls enveloped both the tiger cub and the cyan, humanoid Beast, revealing—"I'll Special Summon Gladiator Beast Laquari in Attack Position!"

Gladiator Beast Laquari

FIRE

Level: 4

[Beast-Warrior/Effect]

ATK: 1800 > 2100

DEF: 400

"When this card is Special Summoned by the effect of another Gladiator Beast, it gains an additional 300 ATK!"

"—How wonderful, ladies and gentlemen! A 2100 ATK monster right off the bat! How will Mimic turn this around?!" The crowd erupted as the flaming 'cat,' clad like a wrestler, leapt to the field, executing punches and kicks like it owned the place.

Unlike the audience, Lenix was less surprised by the monster's appearance.

Rather than fear, it'd be more appropriate to say he felt nostalgia. "Laquari, attack his face-down!"

Lenix's Howling Insect couldn't withstand even a single attack before being pummeled and sent to the Shadow Realm.

"I activate Howling Insect's effect from the graveyard to special summon Flying Kamakiri #1 in Defense Position!"

“At the end of Battle Phase, if a Gladiator Beast attacked or was attacked, they can be shuffled into the Deck so another can tap in! Murmillo, take Laquari's place!“

Gladiator Beast Murmillo

WATER

Level: 3

[Fish/Effect]

ATK: 800

DEF: 400

"Trading a 2100 ATK monster for that trash? Is this guy nuts?!" Yelled one of the gamblers below who had staked his savings on the Gladiator King.

"Show them, Murmillo! Destroy his monster with your effect!" The turbines behind the monster whirred to life on command, shooting violent jets of water that sliced through Lenix's Kamakiri with ease.

"What?!" The same guy earlier couldn't help but gasp.

"And since your Kamakiri was taken out by a card effect, its abilities can't activate, which means no Tribute for your Level 5 Ultimate Insect! I end my turn. Checkmate, Owens!"

“I wouldn't be so sure about that! I draw!“

The yellow praying mantis stared back at him.

If the opponent had managed to swarm the field, Grasschopper would have been the perfect solution, but as it stood, this was just a dead draw.

"I'll banish Kamakiri and Howling Insect from my Graveyard to Special Summon Doom Dozer!" The earth split open as a massive, red and fleshy centipede emerged onto Lenix's field.

"2800 ATK?! Damn, did he upgrade his deck?!"

"I activate my Trap card, Solemn Judgment, paying half my LP to negate its Summoning. Begone, you pest!"

Musashi Fushio: 2000 LP

And just like that, his Level 8 Insect Boss was taken out of the game. If only he had drawn a Solemn Judgment to counter his opponent's move. Alas... 'If you can hear me, now's a good time to show yourself, Mimic.'

"I'll set one monster face-down and end my turn."

With the Duel's momentum in his favor, Musashi moved swiftly to secure victory. "I Summon Laquari again! Attack his face-down monster!"

The agile Gladiator shattered Lenix's Ladybug, but not without a price. The four stars on the destroyed monster's back released a pollen that infected it in the process, killing the Level 4 Beast-Warrior instantly. "When 4-Starred Ladybug is flipped up, it destroys all Level 4 monsters you control." While his gambling-addicted fans were happy about the play, Lenix was not.

Why? Because his Ladybug hadn't taken Murmillo, and if he's not mistaken, the monster Musashi was going to tag-in next would bring Laquari right back to the field.

“Murmillo, attack his LP directly!“

Lenix Owens: 3200 LP

“Then, I'll exchange Murmillo for Gladiator Beast Darius!“

Gladiator Beast Darius

EARTH

Level 4

[Beast-Warrior/Effect]

ATK: 1700

DEF: 300

"I knew it." Lenix sighed.

"By activating Darius's effect, I can Special Summon one monster from my Graveyard with its effects negated! Now return to me, Laquari! And then, I'll end my turn...“

Grinning ear-to-ear, Musashi taunted across the stage.

“My sister spoke highly of you, Owens, but I guess it's just youthful fascination, after all. This turn will be your last… Treasure it.“

"Man-Eater Bug. I need you." As if responding to his call, the Deck in his Duel Disk emitted a brilliant light—a light visible only to those with an abundance of Duel Energy.

“He's…”

“Destiny Drawing.“ Musashi muttered grimly.

Duel Energy: 4800 > 2400


Flipping the card over, Lenix felt a twinge of disappointment to find only Pinch Hopper.

"I'll set another monster face-down, place a card next, and end my turn."

"Let me guess, that's your Ace monster, isn't it? Sorry to say, but it won't save you!"

Musashi drew a card and quickly summoned the only monster in his Deck that was unrelated to the Archetype, activating its effect. "I'll send one Fusion material I need to the Graveyard with Elemental Hero Prisma's effect—"

"Fuck... Of all the people to know how to build a Deck." It just had to be the wielder of one of the most overpowered Archetype.

"For the rest of this turn, Elemental Hero Prisma will be treated as that Fusion material! And now, for the finale! I shall fuse Prisma and Laquari to Summon: Gladiator Beast Gyzarus!"

Gladiator Beast Gyzarus

DARK

Level 6

[Winged Beast/Effect]

ATK: 2400

DEF: 1500

"Its effect allows me to target two cards on the field and destroy them!"

"—Uh-oh! It looks like the infamous Mimic is in a bit of a pickle! If he doesn't have a way to turn this around, he might lose this turn!“

“—Will he be able to turn this around?! Or will the Gladiator King be the one to end his win-streak at last?!“

"The card you just destroyed was Pinch Hopper! When it's sent to the Graveyard, I can Special Summon any Insect monster from my hand! I'll choose Flying Kamakiri in Defense Position!"

It would only buy him a turn, but Lenix didn't care.

As long as he survived this round, he'd be able to turn this around.

“Darius, attack his monster!“

“Dream Cicada, come forth and use your effect to switch Gyzarus to Defense Position!“

“Dammit!“

Reluctantly, his opponent could only end his turn. “Don't be smug. You have only extended your misery. The next turn—“

“So you say…“ The card Lenix drew was Creature Swap. He was “Unfortunately, there will be no next turn for you! I shall start by switching my Dream Cicada to Attack Position—”

Dream Cicada

WIND

Level: 3

[Insect/Effect]

ATK: 300

DEF: 1300

"Then I play my Spell card! Choose one monster on your field to swap with my Cicada!"

Gritting his teeth, Musashi scanned his field. “I'll give you Gyzarus.“

Shocked gasps filled the air as everyone stared at him, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Fools unaware of the clause of Creature Swap. With an ATK of 2400, Gyzarus could have ended the Duel right then and there. However, because of the Spell card's effect, the boy wouldn't be able to switch Gyzarus to Attack Position, allowing him to endure this one turn and strike in the next.

Once Gyzarus was destroyed, he could Summon Gladiator Beast Samnite from his hand, attack with it, tag in a copy of Darius to his field, and then it'd not be long before the Winged Beast returned to his control. While its effects would be negated, it wouldn’t matter by then.

He could shuffle his Darius back into the Deck to Special Summon Laquari, and with all its Summoning conditions met, his most prized monster would emerge—the same one that had earned him his nickname, Gladiator Beast King—Heraklinos.

It was a foolproof plan, 'Unless…'

Enveloped by the Spell's power, the creatures swiftly exchanged places.

"Since Gyzarus is of no use to me, I'll Tribute him to Summon my Grasschopper instead."

Grasschopper

EARTH

Level: 5

[Insect/Gemini]

ATK: 2350

DEF: 1000

“Shit.“

Below the stage, a few Duelists sighed. "It's over. The Gladiator King has been dethroned."

Just then, having barely stolen victory from the clutch of defeat, Lenix excitedly announced.

"As a Gemini monster, Grasschopper can be Normal Summoned while on the field to activate his effect, allowing him to attack every monster you control once!“

“How's this possible?“ Wide-eyed, Musashi clenched his fists.

“Slice-n'-dice his Darius!“

The yellow praying mantis lunged at the monster with the zeal of a starved wolf, tearing the Gladiator Beast apart and devouring the chunks whole. Its eyes fixed on the trembling Dream Cicada next.

Looming over both the hapless creature and the bewildered Gladiator King, it obediently awaited his next command, but try as it might, it still couldn't conceal the excitement bleeding into its body language, nor the saliva dripping from its mouth.

Musashi Fushio: 1350 LP

With no Trap cards set on the field, no Spells left to cast, and no other trick up his sleeve, Musashi could only stand frozen in disbelief. Helpless while his opponent whittled away at his Life Points to set the stage for the final blow.

“End this now, Grasschopper! Mantis Barrage!!!“

Musashi Fushio: 0 LP

"Phew... That was close." Wiping the sweat from his forehead, Lenix put on a relieved grin and winked. "Good game.“

It took the announcer only a moment to recover from the shock of the Duel’s finale before proclaiming, "—My, my! What a twist, ladies and gentlemen! All hail our NEW, UNDEFEATED KING!!!"

—/—/——/——/—/—


Duelist Profile


Name: Lenix Owens


Title: The Mimic


Level: 4


XP: 187/6000


Duel Energy: 3951/4800 (Regen: 8 Unit/Sec)


Bonded Spirits (Max. 5): Scared Phoenix of Nephthys (0.2%), Hand of Nephthys (6.1%), Mimicking Man-Eater Bug (9.7%), Grasschopper (0.1


Spirit Enhancement(s) / Skill(s): Destiny Draw (1/10), Spirit Vision (1/10), Pyromancy (1/10)


Duel Points: 7440


Duel Record: 53 Total / 53 Win – 0 Loss – 0 Draw


Win Ratio: 100%