Monthly Bushiroad Short Novels: Cardfight!! Vanguard

2016 Issue | February: Great Clash! The Ruleless Gallows Ball!

"Hey... hasn't the witch come?"

Gallows Ball---the only sport which originated in the lawless land of Dark Zone and developed a global popularity. It is a ball game well-liked by the important people of the darker side of society.

"Witch? Oh, you meant Dehtail of Shadow Paladin. That said, I haven't seen her since morning."

Gallows Ball has written rules, but they are basically meaningless. There hasn't been a game with all players unscathed, and the sport is more deadly than some fighting sports. And there is a team, most notorious and feared within and beyond the nation.

"We're going to play against Spike Brothers an hour later."

That is "Spike Brothers". Non-publicised rumours tell that the team is responsible for many deaths in matches every year.

"The witch has returned to her nation. This is the letter she left."

Nonetheless, their violent deeds were nothing more than exciting shows in the eyes of powerful people of that time. They heard the rumours, but they had no reason to ban the team. Some had been driven by senses of justice to protest against the team, but the weak protesters could do nothing against the authority.

"Let me read that... hmm, I have come up with the 'synthesis procedures' of the 'new medicine', so I shall return... that's all."

"How dare she!"

"Please don't shout out so loudly... my ears hurt."

This injustice was no more. To expose the cruelty of "Spike Brothers" to the world... under this "casus belli"---representatives from different nations formed a coalition team and challenged "Spike Brothers" to an interleague match.

"How can I not shout out loud!? Fleeing before fighting violates the aesthetics of mutants!"

<The representative of Zoo is "Tryghul" of "Megacolony". He is a mutant who seeks further promotion by accepting this task despised by other mutants.>

"Calm down. Yelling makes you look cheep, Mr. Elite."

<The representative of "Dark Zone" is "Sullivan" of "Dark Irregulars". He is a psychic who seeks to empower his psychic power by fighting powerful beings.>

"It's all okay~ If everyone works together, things will work out, somehow~"

<The representative of Magallanica is "Freddy" of "Granblue". The pirates sent him as an agent, but Freddy does not even know what he needs to do.>

"I have no intention of losing in the match. My main objective is investigation, but I shall seek victory with all my strength as well."

<The representative of Dragon Empire is "Miyabi" of "Murakumo". Being a ninja, she is the only member who joins the match purely for the purpose of investigation.>

"Stop making noises simply for the disappearance of one or two girls. From the very beginning, I am enough to settle this. You all can simply watch."

<Another representative of Dragon Empire is "Gaia Emperor" of "Tachikaze". He is not associated with Miyabi, and he comes only to test his own strength.>

"The match will begin soon. We cannot but accept the fact that we are fighting with one member less."

"Nothing can be done."

"Hmm. Hey, repentance comes stand up, they said... hey, one of you should do the tsukkomi, 'repentence comes late, not stand up'!"

The three mechas standing in a group are "Jackalord", "Horned Hulk" and "Dragotwist". They are representatives from Star Gate, and they are the most cooperative among the members. They came to examine if the team play of the "Beast Deity Army" could work outside Nova Grapple as well.