Izanagi's fight was done.

The nameless teams had an irrelevant fight.

And Tartarus had easily cleaned up the third nameless team.

The last fight of the top 8 between Hanabi and Blacksync was on.

So on in fact that Akafuyu had just returned to his team's room following his fight with Gin.

He walked past his teammates, his team leader glaring daggers at him, took a seat on the couch, and busted out the premium porno mag he had acquired last week.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Kiru calmly asked.

"Honey I'm home?" Akafuyu questioned.

That's it, Kiru blew a fuse.

The only thing preventing Kiru from shredding Akafuyu like a paper magazine or skinning him was Satoru, who held her back by the back of her collar.

"YOU KEEP SAYING YOU'LL WIN AND THEN YOU JOB AT EVERY CORNER! THE MONKEY'S PAW CAN ONLY CURL SO MUCH BEFORE IT BREAKS AND GETS ANIMAL PROTECTION SERVICES ON OUR ASSES! YOU THINK WE CAN AFFORD A LAWYER TO DEFEND OUR ASS FROM HYPOTHETICAL ANIMAL PROTECTIOM SERVICES?!"

"What can I say? Luticia is strong. Her new form? Wooey, that is a strong buff. Fuchigami Gin and his Luticia deck are just too strong. And Naustrea? Only someone with absolute skill over a deck makes a call chant for a rear. Fuchigami Gin was resonating with the most important cards of his deck. It was a testament to the bond between card and cardfighter. He and Luticia are simply an exception to everything we thought we knew. I was cooked more than I had accounted for."

"Shut up before I forking vaporize you, you porn addict...!" Kiru growled, smacking Satoru's hand away and then crouching with her hands on her head. "My entire Anti-Hanabi plan went down the drain over some oaf and his concerning love for yakisoba buns!"

"What exactly was the plan here, boss?" Satoru asked, taking a seat on the couch. "I'm pretty sure you never told us you had one."

"It was sacrificing you to Mikazuchi."

"...for real?"

"For real, for real."

"Oh I get it." Akafuyu chuckled. "Man, that plan could have actually worked. If only Luticia wasn't ome of the strongest decks ever made."

"I don't wanna hear a peep from you until the top 4..."

"Thinking of the top 4 already? Good, good. I like the implication of you having a plan in motiom to salvage us." Satoru snickered.

"The plan exists!" Kiru barked, then groaned loudly. "The plan is play like most other teams and not try to bait the opposing team's strongest..."

Kiru got up and fixed her jacket. She had to look like she was a responsible team leader, afterall.

"Ahem. Hanabi is one win ahead of us. One more and we're out. They'll want to wrap this up quickly, so they'll definitely be sending Mikazuchi next. He's their stupid ace in the hole and whatever. Therefore, I'll go fight him. As the best out of the three, I got the best odds of beating him."

"Alot of the plan runs on elbow grease and dice rolls." Satoru pointed out as he took off his shades to clean them.

"You'll get used to it. We don't even have a basic plan for our financial situation. A budget? Who needs that." Akafuyu laughed, then slammed down his magazine on his lap. "We do! And we need more than just betting on you beating that doctor guy!"

"Do you have a better idea?! It's not like we can do the bait and switch considering you lost to a man and his unhealthy yakisoba pan addiction!"

"What if they're doing the bait and switch, huh? What if you go out there and it's Onizuka Masato who comes out?!"

"Could I beat Mikazuchi Kaido..." Satoru hummed to himself, rubbing his chin.

"Hanabi is a team with years under their belt, they don't gotta bust out the morally questionable strats we need!"

"We're off to a fantastic start." Akafuyu deadpanned. "I can feel the confidance and positivity."

"Look, we lowrolled! We just lowrolled! Not only did we get stuck with Hanabi on our first game, but we also got shafted by being in the same block as the Eternal Ruler, so we're jumping off the frying pan and into the fire here." Kiru explained. "But so what? We're fighters, aren't?"

"Cardfighters, actually." Her roommated corrected. "The actually is important, I think."

"And you know what's the cool thing about Vanguard? You never how it ends until it does! So who cares if we're going against the titans of the past generation and against the shiny stars of the current one, we'll just have to see how it ends!"

"The sunday morning card game anime logic really is our best alley, isn't it?" Satoru joked, following it with a small laugh. "Well, whatever comes, you're the boss, boss."

"You bet your ass I am! And I'm gonna go and beat that actually satan into the dirt!"

With her proud declaration and surrounded by the applause of the teammates that kinda looked up to her, Kiru bravely stomped out of the room before Ryuzaki's face startled someone again, off to face the fiend who hauned the commonwealth!

Prepare yourself, Mikazuchi Kaido! Your days are over!

"Yo." Masato waved.

But Masato was the douchebag who showed up!

"Fork off, fork off, FORK OFF!" Kiru yelled as she looked at her opponent.

"We got jebaited. I told her we could get jebaited." Akafuyu said.

"I'll go look up how to counter Magnolia." Satoru replied.

Inside Hanabi's resting room, Kaido watched the fight from the window, hands tucked into his pockets. He smirked.

"Kiru's a competent fighter. Competent fighters tend to surprise you more often than not. In an ideal world, Masato wins, but I have no expectations from him. What do you think, Gi-"

Kaido looked back at Gin, who tried his best to act like he hadn't been caught redhanded with a yakisoba bun still in its wrapper hanging from his lips.

They didn't have yakisoba buns in the resting rooms. Nor did they sell them at the stadium.

Gin offered Kaido one of the six yakisoba buns he carried on his right arm like a small child.

"Wan wan? Hef eak hugeher."

Kaido stared at him with raw disappointment on his eyes.

"I'd rather not take away from your... Overflowing happiness." He deadpanned, shifting his focus back to the fight.

"You've rocked so far, Blacksync, but the sign of your demise is here! My name is Onizuka Masato, and I swear on-"

"Stand Up, Vanguard! Blue Deathster, Sora Period!"

"Wha- W-wait a sec, I haven't even done my mulligan!"

"Then hurry up before I turn you and your lousy tracksuit to mush, Tracksuit!" Kiru growled.

"Tracksuit?! I'll have you my tracksuits are high quality!"

"Hey hey, wanna bet she disqualifies herself by throwing insults at Tracksuit before they end their game?" Ryuzaki whispered to his partner.

"You're calling Tracksuit Tracksuit too, honey." Payic sweatdropped.

Masato shivered.

"W-why do I have a feeling some powerful people are also calling me Tracksuit behind my back..."

And the game was on.

Until it wasn't.

"Avantgard attacks! Thousand Swords: Mikazuki!"

It was Kuru's first grade 3 turn, following the turn where Masato rode up into Blond Ezel ahead of time due to Beaumains' ability.

He was sitting at a comfortable two damage, nothing could wrong.

"No guard! I don't got anything to worry about!" Masato declared, crossing his arms with his eyes closed.

And so the monkey's paw curled.

Well, Kaido's hand curled.

"You stupid idiot, I'm going to pulverize you..." Kaido darkly muttered.

"Heh, I know what that bastard Kaido's probably thinking." Masato said, confidently rubbing his nose with his thumb, sporting a smug grin too big for his own good. "He's probably thinking I'm a stupid idiot for not guarding, but I'm safely at two! So what if Avantgarda's on hit goes of? I'll just nullify that second swing with the Aegismare I checked last turn! Not even a double crit can end me! She'd need a crit-"

"Twin drive! First check! (Star Aggression Dragon - Critical) All on the vanguard! (23000>>33000/2)"

"And the overtrigger to win! Nobody ever gets their overtriggers!" The white haired exclaimed, looking back at his team's window. "Suck on that egg, Kaido! My actions have no consequen-!"

"Second check!"

A rainbow light erupted from behind him.

"Masato, you dumb...!" Kaido slammed his hand against the glass, growling and groaning and even throwing in some profanities in spanish and chinese.

"(Star Dragon Deity of Infinitude, Eldobreath - Over) Overtrigger!"

"My vanguard gets 100 mil, I draw and Eldobreath gets removed! (33000>>100033000/2) Then, Eldobreath's additional effect! My front row's power and crit gets doubled! (100033000/2>>200066000/4) End this bastard, Avantgarda! Blacksync Invasion!"

Four cards flew straight into Masato's damage zone, the first three all being heals that couldn't go off because he had the brilliant idea of pushing Kiru to five last turn.

The stadium was silent.

Not because a game had been closed by those damn overtriggers.

But because everyone was equally disappointed in Masato.

Masato could feel all the eyes on his back, but it wasn't those that scared him. It was the possibily pissed japanese-mexican man waiting for him.

He grabbed his cards, he uttered a quick "Good game" to his opponent, and he was off to his final destination.

The moment man crossed the door, he sealed his fate. Burdened by the consequences of his actions and Kaido's masterful bribery, Masato clung to a dim hope.

"Gin, fifty yakisoba buns."

"Got it."

"Wait, no, have mer- MY BACK!"

Masato was turned into a living rug upon which Gin sat. And Gin had pounds of muscle making him the boxing champion he was today.

"I'll admit I was betting on you losing, but you could have lost in a less embarassing way, dumbass!" Kaido exclaimed, pacing from one side to the other with arms crossed.

"What do you mean you were betting on me losing?! Who does that?!" Masato asked, though saying he squeaked like a dog toy would be more appropriate.

"A remotely smart tactician! This is the basic stuff even Takanori knows! Ugh, Hanabi's credibility has been sent back to 2048 after this... Losing to not guarding an on hit and then taking a crit and an oT up the ass... This is the stuff the rookies are doing!"

"Ryuuga's probably losing his mind right now. No level of being friends can prepare someone for a loss like this." Gin pointed out.

Ryuuga was indeed flabbergasted when he heard about Masato's game. He even offered Gin ten extra yakisoba buns for another ten minutes of sitting on Masato.

"Screw him, just get off me, you giant oaf!"

"Fine. Gin, let him go." Kaido ordered.

"Thank you!"

"And then throw him at the wall until he explodes!"

"DUDE!"

"I won't assist in a murder. I could lose my boxing license." Gin deadpanned. "How about I sit on him? The couch is more comfortable than the floor."

"What kinda distinction is that?!" Masato asked.

"Hm... Alright."

"Damn you, Mikazuchi-!"

Gin spent the entirety of game three sitting on Masato, whose paper thin muscles and pre-cooked instant noodle bones could only hope they'd survive this one.

On the Blacksync side, the gang surrounded the table where they had Satoru's deck spread out. They had to devise some way for him to beat the terror of light novel protagonists.

"Hm... I got it. I know how you can beat Kaido." Kiru said.

"Oh? What're you thinking, boss?" Satoru asked.

Kiru offered him her deck.

"Use Avantgarda, sack Eldobreath."

"Huh, no."

"Why not?! Eldobreath's the best overtrigger in the game! If we wanna beat that rich arseshole and his draw one billion Magnolia deck, a blind Eldo is our best shot!"

"I think I'll win with skill."

"How about you take the cheap way out?"

"Neither of you is gonna mention they got your ride deck grade 3 in the records, are you?" Akafuyu asked, and got prompty ignored. "Alright."

"Okay, try to change my mind." Kiru offered. "What's your plan to beat Mikazuchi?"

"Play Vanguard as good as I can and hope for the best." Satoru explained, throwing her a thumbs up.

"We're not making it to the top 4..." She groaned, head hanging low. "Alright, Hotshot-san... Go do you thing. You got our full support."

"Wait, for real? That was fast."

"We have nothing to lose." She replied, raising her head.

"We actually have even less to lose than you might think." Akafuyu corrected. "We'll be cheering you on, Satoru-kun."

"If there's anyone capable of doing the impossible, it's someone who has the same overconfident brainrot my sister has." Kiru sighed. Her spirit had seen better days. "Will you lose?"

Satoru grinned a grin that Kiru was used to seeing coming from a certain tanuki.

"Nah, I'll win."

And the final round was on.

From Hanabi's side, the one who plagued generations old and new, the testament of skill to cardfighters everywhere, the recurring character in Takanori Yuuto's worst dreams and the ultimate surgeon, Mikazuchi Kaido!

And from Blacksync's side, the white haired, sunglasess-wearing, always smiling, Ryougi Satoru! Despite his deck and the things his best friend called him non-stop, he was, in fact, not a furry!

"It's an honour to be here fighting you, Kaido-san. I heard you jobbed to a guy playing Lughaid."

And Satoru was off to poking the bear.

"I wouldn't trust what some dinosaur-sniffing idiot with correct recollection of past events. That idiot is biased towards his stupid friend for looking like his brother."

And Kaido was off to insulting Yuuto and Nozomi. Fantastic.

"You sound like you got alot of pent up rage, Kaido-san. Trouble at home?"

"If by trouble you mean Masato and by home you mean my team quarters, yes I have alot of troubles at home. But I got big buff guy to handle them for me."

"Can his big arms hold you after I beat you, though?" Satoru asked, showing a smirk.

"I know you're friends with Izuru's kid thing. I can see what's the glue holding you together."

"Best friends. We think the best is important. Our similarities go beyong that, though. We're also great at beating people above our ranks."

"You've got big words for someone with everything to lose." Kaido said, placing down his starter. He smirked himself. "Stupid people like you are like flies to me."

"Correction. I'm from Blacksync, Kaido-san." Satoru said, also setting down his starter. "We got nothing to lose."

Kaido and Satoru traded a glance and another smirk. Ryuzaki and Payic didn't even need to give the order.

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Kind Lordling, Granfia!"

"Sylvan Horned Beast, Lotte!"

"Cute animals are a long way from the pirates you got famous with. Draw! Ride! Future Suzerain, Granfia! Pass."

Satoru
Hand: 5
Damage:
OXO
OOO

Kaido
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"The playstyle brought me to Magnolia, but it didn't take long to see it was a match made in heaven. Every deity needs a pet with a commanding aura. Draw. Ride! Blossoming Flowers Sylvan Horned Beast, Charis!"

"A doctor with a god complex? I think that's the furthest from a match made in heaven."

"You haven't met Namie. With Lotte's skill, I draw a card, then charge three since I went second. (0>3) Charis attacks! (8000)"

"No guard."

"Drive check! (Sea Strike Dragon, Enlargulv)"

"Nice dead card. (Rosarium Fairy)"

"Nice unusable wincon. Turn end."

Satoru
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
OXO
OOO

Kaido
Hand: 7
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"My turn. Draw amd energy charge! (0>3) Ride! Genius Wise Wolf, Granfia! Future Suzerain's skill, I call a Plant token behind the vanguard! Then, Sea Rumble Brave Shooter's skill, I energy blast three to draw! (3>0) Nice, my tech. I call Flame Leaf Chaotic Dance, Hakusui & Remred! Their skill calls another Plant token, then I counterblast one to get a skill! Any unit called by an effect this turn gets 5k, which is exactly what my tokens are! (5000>>10000) (5000>>10000) And because you can never have too many, I call Fairy of Candor, Darian! Battle! Darian's skill calls a token in front of her! (5000>>10000) Boosted by Darian, the token attacks! (10000>>18000)"

"So this is where the bum in bumrush comes from. I guard with Jackalope. (23000)"

"Then boosted by a different token, Granfia attacks! (10000>>20000)"

"No guard."

"(Luster Impact Dragon) Aw, bummer. A trigger would have been funnier."

"Being funnier than you doesn't sound like a tall order. (Friendship Fairy)"

"Say that when one of your four outs to being a grade 4 deck isn't looking at me from your damage zone. Hakusui & Remred will attack next, also boosted by a token they boosted! (10000>>20000)"

"(Custodial Dragon)"

"Awesome. Pass."

Satoru
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
XXX
XXX

Kaido
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw. Energy charge. (3>6) Ride! Mercy Sylvan Horned Beast, Lattice! Charis' skill. I scry three and call Sylvan Horned Beast, Banaspati. The other two cards get milled. Banaspati's skill! Counterblast, soulblast, I choose my Sylvan Horned Beast vanguard and revive a card that's not Banaspati for every two of its grades. I revive Goildoat! Battle. Goildoat attacks. (10000)"

"Hakusui & Remred intercept. (15000)"

"Lattice attacks! (10000)"

"No guard."

"Drive check. (Flappoy Lilikoi) No trigger."

"(Lavien Lord, Granfia) Me three."

"Banaspati attacks. He gets 5k for every two grades of my Sylvan Horned Beast vanguard. (15000)"

"Sure thing. (Luster Impact Dragon)"

"Turn end."

Satoru
Hand: 5
Damage: 3
XXO
XXX

Kaido
Hand: 7
Damage: 2
XXX
OOO

"Ugh, why did he have to rush... And why didn't he get a defensive either?!" Kiru groaned. "Granfia takes forever to get going, that's the worst against a deck that can do everything under the sun!"

"You're overexaggerating." Akafuyu pointed out.

"No I'm not, Magnolia is stupid, ban Inlet!"

Satoru looked back at his team's window and laughed. He could see those two arguing again.

"If my ability to read lips hasn't gotten rusty... I think the boss just called you twelve profanities in eleven seconds. Isn't she something else?"

"I'm surprised you didn't team up with Izuru's kid-adjacent thing. What gives?" Kaido asked.

"I wasn't in the room when Izanagi formed, it was a spur of the moment thing."

"Sounds stupid."

"Hm... I guess it is. But you also what also is stupid?"

"You?"

"Yes, you. So you should read a book Kaido-san, your stupid is showing big time! Stand and draw! Energy charge! (0>3) Granfia's skill let's me ride up for free so long as Future Suzerain in the soul and a token on the field, which I do!"

Satoru grabbed the last card of his ride deck and smirked.

"Under the luminescent moon, along the chords of the ranunculous and the drums of the peonies, the lord of phantasmic blue sees all. Ride! Lavien Lord, Granfia!"

"And to not waste any more of your time, Granfia's skill! Soulblast one to turn all tokens in Noblesserose's gauges and call her! Awaken to the breath of the planet, my vibrant rose! Body and soul as one, let us begin this waltz to the melody of the earth! Call, Noblesserose!"

"So you're into plants with curves? Gross."

"No, but I'll take that over being called a furry. For every gauge under her, Noblesserose gets 5k! (5000>>20000)"

"I can certainly call you that too."

"You'll need to call yourself something to make yourself feel better after this L. I call Ranran Orangerine, a second Darian and a single Luster Impact! Ranran Orangerine makes a token that gets turned into a gauge! (20000>>25000) Then, Luster Impact's skill. He gets 5k and Boost. (10000>>15000) Battle! Ranran Orangerine and both Darians go off! Three new gauges go under Noblesserose! (25000>>40000) Then I'll counterblast two to draw two! Boosted by Darian, Luster Impact attacks! (15000>>23000)"

"Zlatarog. (25000)"

"Boosted by the other Darian, Ranran Orangerine! (10000>>18000)"

"Goildoat and Banaspati intercept. (20000)"

"Give me your blessings, Noblesserose! Granfia attacks! (13000>>53000) Roseburst in Phantasmic Blue!"

"No guard."

"Twin drive! (Rythmica Kiwi - Heal) Heal trigger! All on Luster Impact and I'll gladly heal! (15000>>25000) (Ranran Orangerine)"

"Damage check. (Forbidoll Surrogate) No trigger."

"Please, do keep damaging your pieces, Kaido-san. I appreciate it. Granfia's skill! I gauge blast three to restand Luster Impact and buff him by 15k! (25000>>40000) Then, Luster Impact's skill! Soublast to draw and add another 5k! (40000>>45000) Lustet Impact attacks! (45000)"

"No guard. (Flappoy Lilikoi) That's the last damage you'll deal in this match, and in this tournament."

"Don't threaten me with a fun challenge run, Kaido-san. Pass."

Satoru
Hand: 8
Damage: 2
XXX
XXX

Kaido
Hand: 6
Damage: 4
OXO
OOO

"Is that your thing? Talking big through the hardships to make them not seem as big as they are? I thought putting on an overconfident mask was your friend's gimmick."

"Then I guess you just don't know me and Harui that well." Satoru said, waving his cards. "You may be on a whole different league than me. Everything may be your favour. Every odd is stacked against me. But honestly? I'm too bad at math to care about the odds."

"Then go read a book, your stupid is showing. Stand and draw. Energy charge. (6>9)"

"Tch, leave it to the rich guy to so effortlessly steal your catchphrase..."

Kaido picked up the cards of his ride deck.

"What need I say that will not be soon repeated? Mighty or feeble, look upon my works and kneel. Only the unequaled beast king may stand above this valley! Ride! Sylvan Horned Beast King, Magnolia!"

"And you even got that super expensive alt art from Triple Drive? Why would a famous doctor take time from his day to come flex his riches at soms teenagers and broke college students?"

"I hate stupid children. Goildoat's skill. When Magnolia is ridden during the battle phase, I put him to soul to give Magnolia 5k! (13000>>18000) The discard Enlargulv's skill. When discarded to ride a grade 3, I draw. And then, Lattice's skill! When Magnolia rides over him, soulblast to return a grade 3 in drop to hand. I choose Enlargulv. I call Friendship Fairy."

"Ah dang it."

"Friendship Fairy's skill. Counterblast, put her to soul and superior ride!"

Kaido raised one of the cards in his hand.

"The endless valley is your fate. On this blossoming field, only the beast with no equal can lead the rest. Roar and descend, the strongest beast emperor! Ride! Sylvan Horned Beast Emperor, Magnolia Elder!"

"Magnolia Elder's skill. I call Goildoat from soul behind him. I call Flappoy Lilikoi and use his skill. Energy blast three to revive a Sylvan Horned Beast from my drop, which will be Banaspati. (9>6) Banaspati's skill. Counterblast, soulblast, revive two Inlet Pulse and call them to the back. Magnolia Elder's skill! While there is a Magnolia in soul, all my rear-guards get 5k and can attack and intercept from the backrow! (10000>>15000) (13000>>18000) (10000>>15000) (13000>>18000) (10000>>15000)"

"I can take some wet noodle wings."

"You can take yourself home. Battle. Magnolia Elder attacks! (13000) Sylvan Magnum Opus!"

"As funny as it'd be to no guard... I guard with Kiwi. (28000) Two to pass, Kaido-san."

"Triple drive. (Sylvan Horned Beast, Goildoat) (Frenzied Heiress - Front) Front trigger. My front row is boosted. (15000>>25000) (13000>>23000) (15000>>25000) (Custodial Dragon) No trigger. The left Inlet attacks. (18000)"

"Lena. (23000)"

"The right. (18000)"

"No guard. (Burrow Mushrooms)"

"Flappoy Lilikoi. (25000)"

"Peppery Pepper. (28000)"

"Goildoat attacks. When attacking from the backrow, he gets 10k! (15000>>25000)"

"Lena, Orangerine intercepts. (28000)"

"Since he attacked from behind the vanguard, Goildoat retires and I draw. Banaspati attacks. His skill gives him 10k. (25000>>35000)"

"No guard. (Ranran Orangerine)"

"Turn end. Both Inlets go to soul and I draw two."

Satoru
Hand: 4
Damage: 4
OXX
XXX

Kaido
Hand: 11
Damage: 4
XXX
OOO

"Making everything out of nothing... You should consider becoming an alchemist, Kaido-san. You got the skills."

"Alchemy is for hacks and doesn't work like that, do your turn so that we can get to my next turn faster." Kaido grumbled.

"Careful, big guy. People who bring up their next turn tend to not get it." Satoru teased, waving his cards once again.

"I'm the exception, you're the rule."

"Ouch. I'll give you props, that's a fine line. Stand and draw! Energy charge! (3>6) Under the lumuniscent moon and surrounded by the melody of life, the lord in phantasmic blue will continue to see all! Persona Ride! Lavien Lord, Granfia!"

"Draw! (13000>>23000) (15000>>25000) I call a new Ranran Orangerine and give Noblesserose a gauge! (10000>>20000) (5000>>30000) Since you're such a nice guy, I'll hurry up, Kaido-san. Battle! Orangerine and both Candors activate! (30000>45000) And again, counterblast two to draw two! Boosted by Darian, Luster Impact attacks! (25000>>33000)"

"Heiress, Banaspati intercepts. (38000)"

"Stand with me once again, Noblesserose! Granfia attacks! (23000>>68000) Roseburst in Phantasmic Blue!"

"Custodial Dragon. Perfect guard."

"Twin drive! (Lavien Lord, Granfia) (Peppery Pepper - Critical) A great crit at a great time! I give all effects to Luster Impact! (25000>>35000/2) Granfia's skill! Gauge blast three and stand Luster Impact! He gets 15k, then another 5k from his own skill! I draw one! (35000>>55000/2) Luster Impact attacks! (55000/2)"

"Elementaria Sanctitude. Perfect guard."

"Of course. Boosted by Darian, Ranran Orangerine! (20000>>28000)"

"Flappoy Lilikoi's skill. When my Sylvan Horned Beast is attacked, I retire it to give the attacked unit 10k. Then, guard with Zlatarog. (38000)"

"So that last damage I'd deal bit wasn't total bull... Can't wait for it to bite you where the sun doesn't shine. Pass!"

Satoru
Hand: 9
Damage: 4
XXX
XXX

Kaido
Hand: 5
Damage: 4
OXO
OOO

"You talk too much, Ryougi Satoru." Kaido said following a calm sigh.

"Oh? Does that annoy you, Kaido-san?" Satoru replied, hiding his smile behind his cards.

"No, but it's as meddlesome as it gets. At least be interesting and make an original comeback, otherwise close your mouth and it keep it like that for the next five minutes."

"Oh? Do you need that much time to beat me?"

"Three of them are a courtesy. Use them to reflect as you return to your team following this defeat."

(Media - Nube Negra)

"Stand and draw. Energy charge. (6>9) The endless valley is your fate. On this blossoming field, only the beast with no equal can lead the rest. Roar and descend, the strongest beast emperor! Ride! Sylvan Horned Beast Emperor, Magnolia Elder!"

"Goildoat's skill. (13000>>18000) Then, Magnolia Elder's skill calls him out. (10000>>15000) I call Enlargulv. (13000>>18000) Skill. Soulblast and return Flappoy Lilikoi to my hand, then call it over Enlargulv. (10000>>15000) Flappoy Likikoi's skill. (9>6) Come back, Banaspati. (10000>>15000) Then, Banaspati's skill! Inlet Dragon! (13000>>18000) (13000>>18000)"

"Tch, that's alot of power in a little apple..." Satoru grumbled.

"An apple a day keeps the doctor away... Unless he catches it and throws it back at mach one. Battle. Magnolia Elder attacks! (18000) Sylvan Magnum Opus!"

"Sanctitude for free!"

"Rookie mistake. Triple drive! (Abyss Temptation - Critical) Get, critical trigger. All effects to Banaspati. (15000>>25000/2) (Sea Strike Dragon, Enlargulv) (Frenzied Heiress - Front) Get, front trigger. (15000>>25000) (18000>>28000) (25000>>35000) Your best case scenario is gone. Even though my field lacks power, your best lifeline was to guard every attack and take Banaspati's, but that's not the case anymore. Every attack is a trigger or a two card guard. Banaspati is big enough to be a sentinel or bust. Tell me, funny man. Do you have enough shield in stock?"

"I told you, Kaido-san." Satoru grinned, as if inviting his opponent to throw everything at him. "I'm too bad at math to care about the odds."

"Then go drown in your own stupidity. Banaspati attacks! His skill activates! (35000>>45000/2)"

"Pepper, two Sea Rumble Brave Shooters and then intercept with Ranran Orangerine and Luster Impact! (48000) Sea Rumble Brave Shooter's skill! (6>0)"

"Inlet attacks! (18000)"

"Darian and Luster Impact! (23000)"

"Once again! (18000)"

"Burrow Mushrooms and Rosarium Fairy! (23000)"

"Three cards, and one of them's a shieldless grade 3. Unless you got a trigger in there, you can see yourself out. Flappoy Lilikoi attacks! (25000)"

"Heh. I thought you were more open minded, Kaido-san. I don't need a trigger to guard if I just get one here!"

"Sure. But guard Goildoat's attack and you're left with two cards. Unless that second unknown card and what you draw for turn and Persona Ride are Rosarium Fairies, your turn will be even shorter than the last."

"You're on. Damage check!"

Satoru turned over the top card of his deck.

He smiled.

Kaido didn't.

"Oy vey..." Kaido grunted.

"Get... Your karma. (Rythmica Kiwi - Heal) I give the power to my vanguard, and since we're both at four because someone was too good to hit five, I stay at four! (23000)"

"Yeah, shut up, I heard it already, it's always my karma... Goildoat attacks. Skill. (15000>>25000)"

"No guard! (Gratias Gradale)"

"Goildoat retires and I draw, them both Inlets go to soul and I draw two. Turn end."

Satoru
Hand: 3
Damage: 5
OXO
XXX

Kaido
Hand: 10
Damage: 4
XXX
OOO

"Stand and draw! Energy charge! (0>3) I'm not enough into buddhism to care about karma, but this time, I'll be the exception while you're the rule! Under the luminescent moon and surrounded by the melody of life, the lord in phantasmic blue will continue to see all! Persona Ride! Lavien Lord, Granfia!"

"Draw! (13000>>23000) I call Spiritual King of Brightsky, Meridzanblia and Rosarium Fairy! (5000>>15000) (8000>>18000) Rosarium Fairy's skill, I sack off Meridzanblia to get two gauges! (5000>>40000) Then, I call a second Rosarium Fairy and sack the Darian behind her to get another two gauges! (8000>>18000) (40000>>50000) And to top it all off, I call my last Darian! Battle! Here I come, Mikazuchi Kaido! All or nothing! Darian's skills! (50000>>60000) Boosted by Darian, Rosarium Fairy attacks! On attack, get Noblesserose's attack! (18000>>26000>>86000)"

"No guard! (Sea Strike Dragon, Enlargulv)"

"Once again with the other Rosarium Fairy! (18000>>26000>>86000)"

"Over Guard! Source Dragon Deity of Blessings, Blessfavour! (63000) Then, Frenzied Heiress and intercept with Banaspati! (88000)"

"Let's go, Noblesserose! Give me this last dance! Granfia attacks! (23000>>83000) Roseburst in Phantasmic Blue!"

"Custodial Dragon! Perfect guard!"

"It's my win! Twin drive! (Mythiarq Habitat) (Rosarium Fairy) Granfia's skill! Gauge blast three and stand Rosarium back up! (18000>>33000) Rosarium Fairy attacks! Skill! (33000>>78000) Let's end this! Noblesse Triumph!"

"No guard! Damage check! (Sylvan Horned Beast, Banaspati) Tch, no trigger... Good game, Ryougi Satoru."

"Yeah..." Satoru chuckled as he panted. "Yeah, you too, Kaido-san."

While Ryuzaki and Payic went off and their post-match commentary about Blacksync beating the overwhelming odds and surviving their encounter with Hanabi, Kaido and Satoru shook hands and went off their separate ways, each back to their own team.

Kaido was received by the unending booing of a now freed Masato, but at least Gin was adult enough to applaud Kaido's efforts.

"You were great out there, Kaido." Gin said.

"You got your ass bitten by staying at four! That's way worse than what happened to me! Booooo, you're on fraud watch, boooooo!" Masato exclaimed.

"You let an on-hit in the year of our lord 2056 and got oT'ed, shut up. Gin, watermelon his skull." Kaido commanded, making his way to the couch.

"You got it."

"Y-you keep your thighs away from me, you hairy Luticia player!" The tracksuit-wearing young man screamed in agony.

On the other hand, Satoru was received by an applause from Akafuyu and cheers from Kiru, who pulled him down to his level by the collar, put an army around his neck and rubbed his head with her fist.

"Attaboy! I know you had something in you! I mean, I spent most of the game thinking about what train to catch after this, but you made it not matter in the end!"

"Bus." Akafuyu corrected, puttig extra emphasis on it. "What bus to catch. Train passes are for people with reasonable spending habits."

"Oh put a sock on it. We're celebrating this win tonight! We may have been outsmarted, but we still pulled through! That's the power of having nothing to lose!"

"I'm happy to see you're happy with me, boss. I take it you got a plan to beat Tartarus then?" Satoru asked.

"No." Kiru admitted, letting go him and crossing her arms. "But I'm hopeful. Fate's been out to get us this entire event, since even before the First Winter Tournaments began. We took forever to get a third member, we got thrown into the same block as two incredible teams, and then we had our youngest guy go throw down with a legend, but we're still here."

"One of those points isn't like the other." Akafuyu deadpanned.

"The odds are still stacked against us, but you know what?"

"Enlighten me, boss."

Kiru grinned.

"I'm also too bad at math to give a shot about the odds."

"Really not what you want to hear from someone studying to become an engineer."

"Shut up, Kidaniboy! I don't need math to make giant robots, I just need to pilot them!"

Satoru laughed and took his shades off.

"I like your style, boss. Let's go make Tartarus our birch!"

"Our birch!"

Akafuyu sighed.

"Poor Satoru is starting to get corrupted by that alcoholic devil..."

"Hey!"

"But, that being said... Let's go fork up all the birches." He said with a small smirk.

The top 8 concluded.

On side A, Izanagi and and some nameless team were gonna have an off-screen fight.

On side B, following their harrowing fight with Hanabi, Blacksync was gonna go up against the strongest team of the tournament and the one favoured to win, Tartarus.