Half way to the hideout, Yusei was trying not to spaz out so he could concentrate on driving.
"Yusei," The raven haired man looked down at his screen where the strange robot face symbol was glowing red. It looked as if Optimus was speaking through the Speakers of the Duel Screen. "May I ask you another question? This... vehicle that I have taken form of, it feels strange as if... one part of me remains dormant... untapped..."
"What do you mean?" Yusei asked as he saw the screen come to life and seemingly activate a duel screen. He knows he didn't activate it and he also knew that no one else was forcing him into a duel, so it stood to reason that Optimus seemed to be trying out his new body and looking through their technology.
It was kind of interesting as Yusei quickly thought about it. Optimus had the power to transform into other machines, but didn't quite know what type of machine they were turning into. Perhaps if he wasn't so dazed, he would have loved to know more about this transforming ability.
Optimus' voice came out. "This... duel system... it seems to be reacting to my Spark... what is it?"
"Duel system?" Yusei blinked as he looked back at the screen. "Well it's kind of long to explain, but in basic terms our society revolves heavily around the dueling system."
Yusei saw a data stream on the screen, his eyes widened in surprise as he recognize some of the data streams passing by. Those were some of the same data that he had catalogued manually into his Duel Runner. Yusei was amazed that Optimus was able to copy his old duel runner to this extent. But what was going on?
The screen turned back to the face symbol as Yusei drove around some debris. "I accessed some of the memory banks the previous vehicle held, but I do not understand what this duel monster process is? From what I could gather, it almost looks like a gladiatorial sport?"
Yusei felt humbled as the tone of curiosity came out from the electronic speakers. In a strange way, even Optimus must have had questions of his own. There was some odd sense of comfort knowing he wasn't the only one truly lost in all of this. "Well Optimus, I suppose it would be like..."
Yusei trailed off as he heard a familiar sound heading his way. "... Like I'm going to have to show you that sooner than you think."
Right behind him were a group of Sector Security cops, one car, and one other turbo duelist. Both of them were trailing after Yusei with their sirens blaring.
"Who are they?" Optimus inquired.
"Someone we probably don't want to meet right now." Yusei spoke before punching the accelerator and going faster than he originally expected.
"The heck? What is with that Duel Runner?" The Turbo Duelist, Tetsu Trudge.
For Sector Security noted as he saw the rouge Duel Runner move even faster than a regular duel runner.
'Sir," The Turbo Duelist looked over to the Police Car. "There's something off. Our Scanners aren't able to completely identify that Duel Runner. There's some kind of error whenever we try to scan it."
"What?" Trudge raised his brow.
"It's almost as if that Duel Runner is... being powered by something else completely."
Trudge cursed under his breath. "Well that doesn't sound good. It's heading towards the old Factory, the car won't be able to follow. I'll pursue the target alone."
"Are you sure Sir?"
Trudge looked at his screen towards the driver and the other officer. "We need more men at the Crash site, no doubt some other gangs might be interested in what fell from the sky. It's one turbo duelist anyway."
"Very well, good luck sir." The others spoke before braking and heading back towards the crash site.
Yusei noticed that the car was backing off, but the Turbo Duelist was still going after them.
"..." Yusei seemed contemplative before stopping for a second.
Trudge saw this and slid to a stop as well. "Well, well Yusei, it's been a long time since the re-education center. So what's the matter? Ready to turn yourself in?"
"I was just noticing you dismissing the other officers. I wondered why you would do that."
"Pssh, I don't need them to stop trash like you and your duel runner! They're better off helping the others at the crash site." Trudge spoke out.
Yusei just sat there silent
"Hey punk, you listening to me?"
"Yeah. You just called me and my duel runner trash. But I'll have you know that this trash is stronger than you ever thought was possible right now." Yusei said with his poker face, but he had sent the others to back up his fellow security members. Perhaps there was a sense of honor in him.
Well said Yusei, very well said. Optimus thought.
"Why don't we make a deal? Let's duel; if you win, I come quietly, if I win, you let me go."
"Deal." Trudge said quickly, beaming with pride and confidence at the challenge.
"Yusei, is that wise to risk that?" Optimus whispered with a bit of shock.
"Trust me Optimus, there's more to this than it looks." Yusei whispered back as they both started up their engine.
Trudge looked around. "We're nearby the old 44 Highway, our duel will continue in that highway and as we make our way there."
"Deal." Yusei agreed as Trudge activated Speed World and the entire area was warped under a duel field.
As Yusei straightened up he saw Trudge line up side by side with him.
"I'll start things up with the Speed World field spell," said Trudge.
"Duel Mode Engaged." Both runners spoke out at the same time. "Autopilot standing by."
When the screen booted up, it had the same card symbol as Trudge's but with the Autobot insignia right in the middle.
Trudge immediately noticed the difference. "What's up with your duel runner's AI voice? Shouldn't it be female like mine?" Trudge questioned.
Yusei remained silent and focused on the road.
"Tch! Fine! I'll make you talk when I win!"
"Let's ride! / Let's ride!" Yusei and Trudge said in unison and started to drive away.
Yusei - LP: 4000
Trudge - LP: 4000
As Yusei and Trudge raced [towards the old highway], Optimus started to feel something off with his Spark. This odd... field that he was activated to make was feeling funny, and every part of his body started to... feel strange as well. He wondered, what exactly was this Dueling that the Earth Culture was so focused on.
"I 'm going to get to the bottom of this..." said Trudge as he took the first move and drew his card. "...Heh, I summon Assault Dog in attack mode." A dog with machine guns on its back came out and started running alongside Trudge.
(Assault Dog/Earth/Level 4/Beast/Effect/ATK - 1200/DEF - 800) When this card is destroyed by battle and sent to the Graveyard: You can Special Summon any number of "Assault Dog" from your Deck.
"I then set one card face-down and end my turn."
Optimus stared. His mind raced with many questions like, "What is that strange creature? Is this one of those Monsters cards he briefly went over? Are they real?" But he thought it best to sit and continue to observe the situation. After all, from his own personal experience the unknown could either be a great asset or danger.
"It's my move then," As Yusei drew a card from his deck and noticed the cursor on his screen moving around from the deck, to the different cards on the field.
It seems that Optimus seems to be trying to understand what is going on.
Yusei: SPC - 1
Trudge: SPC - 1
As each duelist gained a speed counter, Optimus felt his frame speed up and then... he felt something odd. There was this... other energy building up in his body, Foreign, new, and peculiar. This vehicle was able to produce a different form of energy on their own, which Optimus found interesting to say the least.
But it seemed to be reacting to his Spark.
Yusei continued on with his turn. "And with the power of my speed counter, I can summon Speed Warrior." A silver warrior an oxygen mask come out and started running next to Yusei.
(Speed Warrior/Wind/Level 2/Warrior/Effect/ATK - 900/DEF - 400) Once per Battle Phase, if this card was Normal Summoned this turn (except during the Damage Step): You can make its ATK become double its original ATK, until the end of the Battle Phase.
So this is a duel, interesting. It seems like they use cards to fight against other, like a gladiator in this world's ancient past. With that the speed of the Ener-D within the duel disk started to go into dangerous territory when Optimus felt something unsettling within his spark.
Trudge scoffed as he saw the points of the monster on his screen. "You never were good at math, now were you? I mean that monster's attack points are less than mine. Why bother summoning him out?"
Just as Trudge finished his sentence Speed Warrior's attack points doubled to 1800.
"Hey, why'd his attack points double like that?"
"Back at the re-education center, I heard that you were at the bottom of your class at the academy, and I can see why now. My Speed Warrior's ability allows me to double its attack when normal summoned!"
"Eh, still a wise guy I see, I'd expect nothing less"
"Well did you expect my Speed Warrior to attack your Assault Dog?!" Yusei pointed towards the enemy monster.
"Wait, Yusei!" Optimus exclaimed into Yusei's headset "Something's wrong with my system!" But the attack was already declared.
As Speed Warrior charged, Assault Dog started unleashing a barrage of bullets toward Speed Warrior but it didn't affect it in the slightest. But what was surprising was that Yusei's monster had this odd hue around them. Yusei, on the other hand, didn't notice the aura around his Speed Warrior.
"Go, Hypersonic Slash!"
Speed Warrior kicked Assault Dog and destroyed it. Once the attack finished the rest of the damage, it created a huge shockwave headed straight for Trudge.
"Ahhhhhhhhh!" Trudge cried out as he felt real damage from the attack his duel runner swerved and he almost lost control and crashed.
Yusei: LP - 4000
Trudge: LP - 3400
"What!?" Yusei cried out in surprise.
"What was that!?" Optimus spoke out. "Does that usually happen?!"
"No! It wasn't supposed to do..." Yusei trailed off and noticed his duel disk. Instead of the bright rainbow colors out lining around his duel disk, there was a sharp blue hue glowing from the holograms.
Trudge roared as he ran up to catch back up. "What the hell was that you satellite scum!?"
"It... It was..." Yusei bit his lip before whispering to Optimus. "Optimus, the duel system, something is wrong with it."
"The holographic system was it?" Optimus asked, bringing up the readings on Yusei's screen.
"Yes... what the heck are these readings?" Yusei noticed the odd spikes in the screen.
Optimus spoke again. "Yusei, this system... it's tapping into my Spark."
"Your what?" Yusei asked, but was interrupted by Trudge.
"I will make sure you rot in jail for that punk!" Trudge angrily called out.
In the meantime, Trudge spoke up. "I activate the effect of Assault Dog. When it's destroyed by battle and sent to my graveyard, I can summon another Assault Dog from my deck." He glared angrily at Yusei with a burning new passion. As another mecha dog appeared into his side of the field.
"...I'll just play one card face-down and end my turn!" Yusei said as he ended his turn.
Yusei: SPC - 2
Trudge: SPC -2
The two separated from each other on the highway. Yusei taking a lower road while Trudge taking a higher road. This was the moment they needed to talk.
"Optimus, what's a Spark!?" Yusei harshly whispered.
"My Spark, is my life force it seems to be affecting your holographic duel system. This duel machine is creating strange energy and it's mixing with me... It's as if it's boosting it to the point these 'holograms' might be tangible monsters."
"Optimus, if any of those attacks are real, we could hurt him! I don't want that!" Yusei spoke to him. "Duels aren't meant for that!"
"Interesting, from where I come from, duels are far more deadly, but I do understand what you are doing. I will... try to stop the foreign energy from mixing up with my..." Optimus went silent. For a few seconds, the duel disk seemed to flicker between brilliant blue and the pinkish rainbow like color until it turned back to the old duel disk colors.
Meanwhile on above, Trudge was noticing something off with Yusei; it looked like he was talking to someone. But his instruments weren't picking up a radio signal... what the heck was with this mad man?
"Hope that holds..." Yusei spoke out as the two saw that the roads reconnected with each other and Yusei began his duel again.
As the two came back into play Trudge continued to glare angrily at Yusei while Yusei was looking cautious. The raven haired man felt bad about that accident.
Trudge drew his card. "And now, with your Speed Warrior's attack points halved, it's my turn. And I release my Assault Dog in order to summon Handcuffs Dragon." A long serpentine-like dragon came out with handcuffs on its head and tail.
(Handcuffs Dragon/Wind/Level 5/Dragon/Effect/ATK - 1800/DEF - 1800) When this card is destroyed by battle with an attacking monster your opponent controls and is sent to the Graveyard, you can equip this card to that monster. The equipped monster loses 1800 ATK. When it is destroyed and this card is sent to the Graveyard, you can Special Summon this card.
"Here's a quick math lesson with 1800 attack points, your Speed Warrior is about to be subtracted from the playing field!"
Yusei felt bad, but he wasn't going to lose this duel, too much was going on to lose right now and get sent to prison! "Not if I play my face-down, Scrap-Iron Scarecrow."
(Scrap-Iron Scarecrow/Normal Trap) When an opponent's monster declares an attack: Target the attacking monster; negate the attack, also, after that, Set this card face-down instead of sending it to the Graveyard.
"Heh," grunted Trudge.
"With this, I can absorb the attack from your dragon and save my Speed Warrior!"
"Heh, you mean that would of happened if not for the Wiretap trap card!"
(Wiretap/Counter Trap) When a Trap Card is activated: Negate the activation, and if you do, shuffle that card into the Deck.
'Come on Yuse, focus. You can't let someone like him beat you around.'
"Handcuffs dragon, take out his monster!" Trudge said as it put the squeeze on Speed Warrior.
Yusei: LP - 3100
Trudge: LP - 3400
"That will teach you not to mess with Sector Security!" Trudge said as he passed Yusei on the highway I had better finish this duel quick before someone gets hurt. Yusei thought as he got ready to draw his card.
"It's my turn!"
Yusei: SPC - 3
Trudge: SPC - 3
"And I summon Sonic Chick in defense mode!" A pink bird with red boots on its feet appeared with a blue aura around it.
(Sonic Chick/Earth/Level 1/Winged Beast/Effect/ATK - 300/Def - 300) Cannot be destroyed by battle with a monster that has 1900 or more ATK.
"With that done I set two cards face-down and end my turn!"
"Ha, ha, ha! Just like a piece of Satellite scum to hide behind junk after messing with the system trying to get away, but I'll flush you out." As Trudge drew his card he grinned wickedly.
Yusei: SPC - 4
Trudge: SPC - 4
"Heh, 1, 2, 3! Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, by sending Assault Dog, Guard Dog, and Tactical Espionage Expert to the graveyard, I can Special Summon Montage Dragon!" A three-headed, purple dragon with a yellow underbelly appeared behind Trudge.
(Guard Dog/Earth/Level 3/Beast/Flip/Effect/ATK - 1500/DEF - 500) FLIP: Your opponent cannot Special Summon for the rest of this turn.
(Tactical Espionage Expert/Earth/Level 3/Warrior/Effect/ATK - 1300/DEF - 1200) When this card is Normal Summoned successfully, no Trap Cards can be activated.
(Montage Dragon/Earth/Level 8/Dragon/Effect/ATK - ?/DEF - 0) Cannot be Normal Summoned/Set. Must be Special Summoned (from your hand) by sending 3 other monsters from your hand to the Graveyard, and cannot be Special Summoned by other ways. This card's ATK becomes the combined original Levels of the sent monsters x 300.
"And now Montage Dragon's attack points becomes the total number of levels I sent to the graveyard, multiplied by 300. So that makes it 3000!"
"Quite the beast," Yusei said almost nonchalantly.
"Wait till you see it in action, but first my Handcuffs Dragon is taking out your Sonic Chick." Once again Handcuffs Dragon put the squeeze on Yusei's Sonic Chick and it was destroyed. Yusei on the other hand had a stoic expression on his face.
"Have a taste of your own medicine scum! Montage Dragon, go Power Collage!" With that all three heads attacked him with a burst of energy each.
"Grr," growled Yusei as both his life points and speed counters dropped. The blast was strong, but it wasn't hurting him like what had happened with Trudge.
Yusei: LP - 100
Trudge: LP - 3400
Yusei: SPC - 1
Trudge: SPC - 4
Optimus noticed something as these... Speed Counters went down, he too was losing speed and decelerating quickly. Optimus quickly looked over his scans and then noticed a safety function that would force him to stop if Yusei was to lose this duel. "Well... that looks inconvenient." He muttered to himself before looking towards his rider.
"Are you alright?" Optimus asked through Yusei's headset.
"Yeah, I'm fine Optimus." Yusei said to Optimus.
"Hey, punk are you gonna duel, or are you gonna talk to yourself like your crazy and belong in a psych ward?" Trudge said as he slowed down enough to slam against Yusei then pull back out in front of him.
"You may have knocked me down, but you haven't knocked me out."
"Oh please, you haven't got a card in your deck that can save you now."
He's right. Then again I've never relied on just one card before and I don't plan on starting now! Yusei thought.
Let's see what I got for you Trudge. Yusei thought as he looked over to his deck and drew, a smirk dawned on his face as he looked at the card.
"It's go time!"
Yusei: SPC - 2
Trudge: SPC - 5
"I summon out, the Junk Synchron tuner monster!" An orange humanoid machine with a green pull rope and a white scarf came out.
(Junk Synchron/Dark/Level 3/Warrior/Tuner/Effect/ATK 1300/DEF 500) When this card is Normal Summoned: You can target 1 Level 2 or lower monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target in Defense Position, but its effects are negated.
"You have a tuner monster? That can't be!" Trudge exclaimed.
"And yet somehow it is." Yusei retorted. "Next I activate the ability of Junk Synchron, with it I can special summon 1 level 2 or lower monster from my graveyard. So welcome back Speed Warrior. Now I activate Speed Spell - Vision Wind."
(Speed Spell - Vision Wind/Normal Speed Spell) Activate only while you have 2 or more Speed Counters. Select and Special Summon 1 Level 2 or lower monster from your Graveyard. Destroy it during the End Phase.
"My Vision Wind, what do you plan on doing with that?"
"Win this duel, cause with it I can summon out 1 level 2 or lower monster from my graveyard. Here comes Sonic Chick!"
"Tch," Trudge replied.
"Next, I tune level 3 Junk Synchron with level 2 Speed Warrior in order to synchro summon..." Junk Synchron pulled his pull rope and rose up into the air. It then turned into three green rings. Speed Warrior then entered the rings turning into bright white stars.
"I synchro summon, Junk Warrior!" A pillar of light then went through the rings turning into a purple clad warrior with a right fist bigger than the left and a white scarf similar to Junk Synchron's.
(Junk Warrior/Dark/Level 5/Warrior/Synchro/Effect/ATK 2300/DEF 1300) "Junk Synchron" + 1 or more non-Tuner monsters. If this card is Synchro Summoned: It gains ATK equal to the total ATK of all Level 2 or lower monsters you currently control.
Optimus noted something off when Yusei performed the synchro summon the Duel Energy he was trying hard to separate started over flowing, and he desperately tried to channel the energy away from his Spark.
"Before anything else happens, Junk Warrior's effect activates which allows it to gain attack points equal to all level two or lower monsters on the field!"
"Ha, your monster won't have enough attack points to take me out!" Trudge pointed out.
"That's what you think. I activate the trap card Graceful Revival in response to Junk Warrior's synchro summon!"
(Graceful Revival/Continuous Trap) Activate this card by targeting 1 Level 2 or lower monster in your Graveyard; Special Summon that target in Attack Position. When this card leaves the field, destroy that monster. When that monster leaves the field, destroy this card.
"With this card I can special summon one level 2 or lower monster from my graveyard, and I choose Speed Warrior! Then Junk Warrior's effect finishes up and gives him 1200 more attack points than before since both Speed Warrior and Sonic Chick are level two or lower monsters. So their attack points are added to Junk Warriors."
"My Junk Warrior is gonna make sure that I stay free from the Facility. Junk Warrior attack Handcuffs Dragon." Junk Warrior then gave Handcuffs Dragon a powered up right punch which then disappeared in yellow pixels.
Yusei: LP - 100
Trudge: LP - 1700
Yusei: SPC - 2
Trudge: SPC - 4
Yusei released a held breath with relief as he saw Trudge not taking another powerful shockwave. It looked like what Optimus was doing was working. "Good job, Optimus."
"Yusei..." Optimus tried to warn, the duel disk colors were starting to flicker back to bright blue.
"What the!?" Trudge called out, making Yusei turn to him from Optimus. "The heck is wrong with your duel Runner!? One minute it malfunctions and makes an attack hurt, now it's working fine? You've got a faulty Runner that's better of scrapped!" Trudge yelled.
"I won't let you scrap him!" Yusei yelled back defiantly.
"Fine Then!" Trudge called out and pointed back at his Junk Warrior. "When Handcuffs Dragon is destroyed by battle and sent to the graveyard, I can equip it to a monster you control. You really are a fool to act first, scum. Looks like you forgot about the power of my card."
"Actually, no I didn't. I activate the trap card Equip Shot!"
(Equip Shot/Normal Trap) Activate only during the Battle Phase. Select 1 Equip Card equipped to a face-up Attack Position monster you control, and select 1 face-up Attack Position monster your opponent controls. Equip that monster with the selected Equip Card. Then, conduct battle between your previously equipped monster and the selected monster (other effects cannot be activated during this battle)
"With this trap card this duel is mine. I can then target one equip card on a monster on my field then equip it on a monster you control Trudge, then have the two monsters battle against each other even if one has already battled this turn!"
"You can't do this Yusei!" Trudge exclaimed as his monster lost 1800 attack points and dropped to 1200 attack.
At this point, the Energy-D started spiking even more.
Optimus tried to warn Yusei that he wasn't able to hold it anymore. "Yus-"
"Junk Warrior, end this. Go Scrap Fist!" The warning didn't come fast enough as Yusei sent his monster towards the Dragon, the mighty warrior racing to punch the dragon, but before the attack could connect, Yusei's duel disk glowed bright blue-making Yusei realize that this attack would actually hurt.
As Junk Warrior reared back once again and destroyed Montage Dragon, all Trudge felt was intense pain.
"AHHHHH!" Trudge cried out in pain as the massive explosion sent him flying off the Highway!
"NO!" Yusei cried out in terror, but then he suddenly felt himself jerked hard as Optimus made the Runner go even faster and run after the falling Trudge. Optimus smashed through the old freeway wall and jumped towards the falling Trudge.
Trudge, as he fell to his death, started to fear for his life. T-This is how it ends? ... Wait, what's that? ... HOLY CRAP!
In mid-air, Yusei's bike started... expanding Yusei felt his entire bike changing and growing within the amount of seconds until Optimus was back into his full size and catch Trudge before they all fell down with a crash.
Meanwhile, on a roof top, a watcher of the duel gapped in awe at what had happened to the winner's runner.
Optimus looked up after the dust settled and looked to his arms to see both Yusei and Trudge fine. "Yusei, is the man alright?"
Yusei, even though he saw it before, was still impressed by the size of Optimus, but more pressing matters came to mind when Yusei looked over to Trudge.
He sighed in relief when he saw him breathing. "He's fine Optimus... take us back to his duel runner. I need to send of an SOS Signal for his friends to pick him up."
"Good call." Optimus said as he carefully climbed up the high way before turning back into his Runner form so the highway wouldn't collapse under his real weight.
Yusei helped Trudge top his bike which smashed into the wall. He gently placed him down before making the Security's SOS signal launch.
"There, we can go. We have much to talk about."
"Agreed. How long before we reach our destination?" Optimus moved over to Yusei in his Runner form.
"We shouldn't be too far... come on." Yusei spoke as Optimus let him back on and the two drove away from the unconscious man.
As the two left, the watcher stood at the edge of the building and watched the two people of interest leave. He knew what X-Energy could be capable off, but now it was in the hands of their number one target, Yusei Fudo? No, this was too early! Yusei Fudo needed to have certain events happen before they could face him, if they killed him off too soon, Z-one will...
And now one of those beings was with him!? ... He wanted to go right there and force them both to be destroyed, but for once, he begrudgingly decided to go against that. He needed to go back to the others. This was very troubling news.