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Yu-Gi-Oh! The Four Virtues
Episode 20: “Inheritance”
“Toshiro, put me down!” Jaya protested, struggling mightily against her friend’s strong grip.
Toshiro was carrying Jaya in his arms down a corridor in the Kaiba Corp building. She had just emerged victorious in her semifinal duel against Electra, but had lost a lot of energy by doing so. Toshiro insisted that she go the infirmary to rest.
“I don’t need to go to the infirmary!” Jaya growled, punching his chest repeatedly. “I’m fine, Toshiro!”
Toshiro winced with each blow, but still strode through the infirmary doors. “Jaya, if you don’t shut up and stop beating the crap out of me, I’ll tranquilize you and tie you to the bed.”
Jaya ceased her resistance and raised an eyebrow. “You do know how wrong that sounded?”
Toshiro blushed before dropping Jaya on the white-sheeted bed. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Yuki. You need to rest before the finals.”
Jaya lay down reluctantly, feeling her muscle protest vehemently at the movement. “I guess you’re right…” she muttered, wincing at the pain. “But you have to win! You promised!”
Toshiro brushed a lock of hair out of her face. “I will, don’t worry.”
“But you’re facing Ash!” Jaya exclaimed, quickly returning to an upright position, her teeth clenched to fight the pain of her muscles. “After seeing that Genesis card, I'm starting to think that he’s unbeatable!”
Toshiro grinned. “No one’s unbeatable, Jaya…as you proved not a day ago.”
Jaya looked confused for a moment, but then her eyes widened in clarity. “That duel…”
“Jaya…you wanted this duel…and I will follow through!” Toshiro shouted. “Arms Master, direct attack!”
Arms Master used his new weapon and fired a blast at Jaya.
“Trap Card open!” Jaya shouted. “Hero’s Wrath lets me pay half my LP to bring back my Shining Flare Wingman, no questions asked!” In a flash the hero reappeared. (2500 ATK à 3400 ATK)
“Arms Master is still stronger!” Toshiro replied.
Jaya closed her eyes. It’s all up to you now, Shining Flare Wingman! Opening her eyes, she shouted “Go Lightforce!”
As the Trap Card lifted, Toshiro cringed. “No! Not that!”
“I remove Thunder Giant from the game!” Jaya cried, and a ghost figure of the hero appeared behind Shining Flare Wingman and flowed into his body. The armored hero crackled with new electric power.
“COUNTERATTACK!” Jaya screamed. “BLAZING ELECTRIC SHOT!!”
Shing Flare Wingman’s attack was a gold stream of energy infused with lightning. It met Arms Master’s attack head on, and a gigantic explosion ripped through the field. The shockwave was so strong, both duelists were blown off their feet.
“But, we never finished that!” Jaya protested. “It was a draw!”
Toshiro shook his head. “No Jaya, you won that duel. I had no way to counter your Lightforce card. You won, fair and square.”
Jaya looked up at him in awe. How can he stand there and openly admit his defeat…without feeling angry? If it was me, I’d be furious!
Toshiro turned to leave. “As I said before Jaya, don’t worry. I have a way to beat his Genesis.”
And maybe even a way to figure out that kid, he finished mentally as he exited the room and made his way back to the entrance.
* * *
Ash Phoenix sat on his D-Wheel, his helmet on his lap and his deck folded out in front of him. He gazed over each one, taking in their art, their stats, and their effects, before resting his eyes on Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys.
My friend… Ash thought, holding the card in his hand like it was a treasured gem, you have stood by me through all these years, through all these struggles, as I fight my way back into my father’s favor. We are so close…yet so far. But I have confidence: you have never let me down. We will win this fight!
Suddenly, a voice brought Ash back to reality. “Ash Phoenix…its time”
The disgruntled teen turned and noticed a new figure approaching. “Toshiro Henry…done attending to your girlfriend?”
Toshiro glared at his opponent. “Firstly, she isn’t my girlfriend. Secondly, why are you like this? Why are you so…b*****?
Ash returned the glare. “You couldn’t even begin to understand”
Toshiro scowled. “Try me!”
Ash held the teenager’s gaze for a minute before lowering it to the ground. “My father is Aster Phoenix, world famous duelist. Ever since I was born, he expected me to continue his legacy. Everything was to further promote and expand his greatness. But I was never good enough. I was never able to win tournaments, even when he gave me the best cards available. It wasn’t because I didn’t have the heart: I wanted to win. All duelists do. But for some reason…I just couldn’t do it.”
“Did you trust your cards?” Toshiro asked.
Ash snorted. “Don’t give me that crap. That may work for Yugi and Jaden, but not for us mortals”
“It works for me” Toshiro shrugged.
Rolling his eyes, Ash continued. “Anyways, my father grew angry. He swore that I would never succeed him, that I was a failure. I would never weld his Destiny Hero deck. I was an outcast.
“So I ran away. Far away, to America. There, I rebuilt my card collection. A pack here, a junk single there…until I had created my Sacred Phoenix deck. Ever since its conception, I have never lost. With these cards, I feel…alive. They are my friends, my only friends. And with their help, I plan to rise to greatness, so my father will have to notice me! Then, I will be accepted! Then, I can shoulder his burden, and with his deck I can continue his legacy!”
Toshiro shook his head slowly. “Ash…you’re logic…it’s faulted in so many ways.”
“How so?!” he demanded.
“You’re fighting for the wrong reasons.”
“What other reason is there?!” Ash shouted back. “Honor…power…glory…those are the only things that matter!”
“No” Toshiro’s voice cut through the air like a tempered blade. “There are more important things for which to fight for: love…friendship…and, most importantly, for fun.”
“Fun lost its appeal a long time ago.”
“Listen, I know where you stand!” Toshiro ground out, beginning to lose patience. “My parents are Gregory and Violet Henry! I know all about family legacies! But I rejected them! I don’t want to be an insignificant footnote in the history books! I want to create my own legacy, my own greatness! That’s why I chose to wield the Destiny Heroes: they create their own destiny! They refuse to be pawns in fate’s twisted chess game, just as I refuse to! Create your own legacy, Ash! That is your life’s purpose!”
Ash stared at Toshiro for a few seconds, before laughing loudly. “You actually believe this garbage you’re spouting?! You really are pathetic!”
Toshiro swung one leg over his D-Wheel and jammed his helmet onto his head. “Well, then I must open your eyes in this duel!”
Ash followed suit and revved his engines. “You will try”
Both simultaneously pressed a button on their monitors, activating their bikes’ Duel Mode. “DUEL!” With that, the two shot down the lane.
Toshiro – 4000 Ash – 4000
The two duelists drew their opening hands. Toshiro’s hand consisted of Speed Draw, Card Booster, Diamond Dude, D Shield, and Last Stand of Destiny. Ash was looking at the following cards: Breaker the Magical Warrior, Phoenix Tears, Magician Rising, Hand of Nephthys, and Hour of Genesis.
Ash smirked to himself, imagining Toshiro behind him, who was unaware of the threat looming before him. All I have to do is force his hand…just force him into a corner, make him misplay once…and I win!
“Ash!” Toshiro called. “I’ll take the first move! (Polymerization) I summon Destiny Hero Diamond Dude in ATK mode! (1400 ATK)” A green clothed hero with diamonds sticking out of his body appeared. “His ability activates now, so by sending the top card of my deck to the graveyard, I may activate it next turn if it was a Normal Spell Card. Next, I set three cards facedown (Speed Draw, Card Booster, and D-Shield) and end my turn” With the end of this monologue, three reverse cards disappeared into the tarmac surrounding Toshiro’s D-Wheel.
“Well, then, it’s time to see whether you’re bluffing or not!” Ash declared while drawing his next card (Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys).
So, you’ve arrived already, my friend… “I summon Breaker the Magical Warrior!” The magician was clothed in reddish-purple robes that were lined with gold. A silver sword was held in its right hand, and a red shield with a green orb in its center were in the left. “Thanks to its ability, it gains a Spell Counter when its Normal Summoned, increasing its ATK by 300! (1600 à 1900 ATK)” A green aura materialized around the warrior-magician, and it waved its swords expertly. “Now my monster, slice that Diamond Dude!”
“Sorry Ash, my D-Shield Trap Card will switch my Diamond Dude to DEF mode and make it indestructible in battle!”
As the pearly blade descended, Diamond Dude kneeled on one knee and was surrounded by millions of ice shards. The blade made contact, and the blow was deflected.
“Well played,” Ash allowed, “but my Breaker didn’t get its name because of its sword. I can remove its Spell Counter to destroy one of your facedowns! (1900 à 1600 ATK)”
Toshiro narrowed his eyes. “That was your aim!” he accused. “You wanted to see what I was planning!”
“Breaker, destroy a facedown!” Ash commanded. The green aura vanished and flew to a point just left of the D-Wheel. A reverse card was consumed in green flame and was revealed to be a Spell Card, its picture depicting cards flying a high speeds from the top of a deck. “Hmm…Speed Draw. It lets you draw two cards during the Battle Phase, I believe. That means…your last facedown is Card Booster!”
Toshiro gaped as his opponent. “But how…?”
Ash chuckled. “Over time, one’s moves become predictable. I’ve studied your deck Toshiro, and I know all your moves! You can’t win!”
Toshiro snorted. “If you think that, then you must be crazy!”
“We’ll see” Ash responded, selecting a card from his hand and sliding it into his duel disk. “I set one card facedown (Magician Rising) and end my turn.”
Toshiro swiftly drew his next card and, after glancing at it, slammed it onto the duel disk. “I sacrifice Diamond Dude to summon Destiny Hero Dasher! (2100 ATK)” The protected hero vanished, and its place, riding smoothly on its wheeled metal feet, was a silver armored humanoid with a bullet-like head. “Now my monster, attack Breaker the Magical Warrior!”
The hero rocketed forward and, raising his right leg to shoulder height, brought it around in a blow to the chest. Breaker subsequently exploded into pixels, the debris making Ash decelerate.
Toshiro – 4000 Ash – 3500
“Trap Card activate!” Ash shouted. “My Magician Rising lets me Special Summon a Spellcaster-type monster from my deck, and I choose my D.D. Magician! (1500 ATK)” A scantly clad female with blonde hair and blue eyes appeared next to Ash’s D-Wheel. Her robes were a metallic black with silver buckles attached to the shoulders and lower arm sleeves. Her staff was silver also, with a black orb at the tip.
“Nice monster” Toshiro smirked. “Think she’d take my number?”
Ash snorted. “Stop being a hormone-driven pervert and get back to the duel.”
“Fine…” Toshiro sighed dejectedly. “Dasher is switched to DEF mode the turn it attacks. That ends my turn.” Dasher knelt on one knee, its protected arms shielding its face. (1000 DEF)
“My move!” Ash announced, sliding the top card from his duel disk. (Wildfire’s Fury) “I activate the continuous spell Wildfire’s Fury! This card activates when a creature is destroyed in battle, but you’ll find out its full capabilities soon enough. Next, I summon Hand of Nephthys!” His monster was female, with a gold robe and headdress. “Now, by sacrificing my two monsters, I can Special Summon my friend ands comrade: Sacred Phoenix of Nephthys! (2400 ATK)”
The two magicians erupted into flames and flew into the sky. Ashes rained down and formed the outline of a winged beast. In another flash of flame, the ashes flew outwards in all directions, revealing a bird covered in gold plates. Its wings burned with an inner fire.
“Now my monster, incinerate that hero with your Sacred Firestorm!”
The gold beak opened and a stream of red-gold fire was fired at the crouched hero. Its armor seemed melt off its body in the heat, and he vanished into pixels.
“Wildfire’s Fury now activates!” Ash announced. “Whenever a monster is destroyed in battle, the owner takes 500 damage!”
A blast of fire shot out from the Spell Card’s hellish image and enveloped Toshiro in a cruel embrace. He yelled as the red-hot flames licked his body.
Toshiro – 3500 Ash – 3500
“It’s your move, Toshiro” Ash finished smugly as his phoenix returned beside him.
Toshiro, panting, drew his next card and again slammed it onto his disk. “Destiny Hero Defender, aid me!” A gigantic stone guardian appeared alongside its summoner, its thick armor covering its body, even though it didn’t need any help defending. “That’s all I have”
Ash chuckled and drew his next card, plus an extra thanks to Defender’s drawback. (Flame Vortex and Sacred Metamorphosis) “I activate the ability of my D.D. Magician! By removing it from the game, I can remove your Defender as well!”
A ghostly apparition of the skimpy magician appeared behind the hulking defender. She wrapped her arms around its thick neck and together they vanished into space.
Toshiro braced himself, for he knew an attack was coming…
“I activate Flame Vortex!” A tornado of flame surrounded Sacred Phoenix, who absorbed the power and glowed every brighter. “This increases my monster’s ATK by 1000! (2400 à 3400 ATK) Now, DIRECT ATTACK!”
Another blast of flame consumed Toshiro and he had to fight to remain in control of his ride. He decelerated and started rapidly applying and releasing the brakes. Ash took this as an opportunity to speed ahead.
Toshiro – 100 Ash – 3500
Ash laughed loudly as he turned to watch his opponent struggle to regain control. “All that talk of choosing your own destiny isn’t paying off, is it? You only have 100 Life Points left! You cannot afford to let me destroy any of your monsters now! One attack and you’re through!”
“That…may be,” Toshiro grunted, finally putting his D-Wheel back on course. “but 100 LP is all I need to prove my point to you!”
“Well then, take you turn!” Ash invited.
Toshiro glanced at his deck, a tiny worm of doubt creeping into his brain. Briskly shaking his head, he ruthlessly crushed his fear and drew his next card. “I activate Price of Knowledge! By discarding my hand and sending my last facedown card to the graveyard, I get to draw three cards!”
Ash snorted. “You better hope they’re good ones then!”
“You bet they are!” Toshiro countered. “I activate Polymerization to fuse my Disk Commander and Malicious together to summon my Destiny Hero Street Commander! (3500 ATK)”
The horned devil was sucked into the vortex along with the light blue jumpsuit-wearing humanoid. In a flash of light, a new monster emerged: it had gold body armor, with black armor for his legs and hands. His head was protected by a helmet, and he wore mini-jet engines on his thighs and shoulders.
“Now Street Commander, attack his Sacred Phoenix! Street Justice attack!” Toshiro ordered.
Ash, unseen by the trailing Toshiro, bowed his head and smiled widely. So…he’s upping the ante. Street Commander is a formidable foe indeed. However, I sense that this isn’t your strongest, Toshiro. You haven’t been pushed over the edge just yet.
That is why, Ash continued as the attacking hero obliterated Sacred Phoenix with a well-placed punch, i won’t activate Flame Vortex’s effect. I want you to force me to bring out Genesis…that will make my victory all the sweeter.
“Your own Wildfire’s Fury will cost you 500 LP!” Toshiro reminded his opponent. Ash merely grunted as the flames surrounded him in a cage of heat.
Toshiro – 100 Ash – 2900
“Since my Sacred Phoenix was destroyed in battle,” Ash stated, “I can summon my Egg of the Sacred Phoenix!” The fallen pixels re-arranged themselves into the shape of a golden egg. “When it hatches, my Phoenix shall be reborn!”
Toshiro nodded. “I end my turn”
Ash drew lazily drew his next card, chuckling lightly (Phoenix Rising). “I activate my Sacred Metamorphosis!”
Toshiro looked up sharply as the egg hatched and the golden bird reappeared (2400 ATK). “That’s why you didn’t activate Flame Vortex’s effect!” he accused.
“Very astute!” Ash applauded. “However, did you remember Flame Vortex’s second effect? Since I Special Summoned a Fire monster from my graveyard, it returned to me…and to my Sacred Phoenix.” The flaming whirlwind enveloped the avian, circling it with a bright red aura. (2400 à 3400 ATK)
“It still can’t beat Street Commander” Toshiro pointed out.
“True…but it can once I play Phoenix Rising! Since it was Special Summoned from the grave, I can further increase its ATK by 1000! (3400 à 4400)”
Toshiro grimaced, but inwardly he was smiling. C’mon…bring it on…
“This is the end!” Ash announced while turning is D-Wheel around as to watch the fireworks. “Sacred Phoenix, attack!”
“It’s not over till the fat lady sings, Ash!” Toshiro countered. “I activate Persistent Dreams!”
“How?!” Ash demanded. “It wasn’t in play?!”
“When its in the graveyard, I can remove it from play to prevent all damage dealt to me this turn!’ Toshiro explained.
“But how…?” However, Ash then remembered Toshiro’s very first turn. “You sent it to the graveyard with Diamond Dude’s effect!” he accused.
The burning flames consumed the Destiny Hero and reduced it to ashes, but the excess flame split around Toshiro harmlessly. “You win some, you lose some” Toshiro replied. “Now I activate Street Commander’s effect: when destroyed, I draw an extra card.”
Ash returned to a forward position. “Then take your turn. (4400 à 3400 ATK)”
Toshiro closed his eyes…and slowly drew. When he opened his seeing orbs and looked at the new card, he smiled. “Ash!” he called. “It’s time to prove my theory correct!”
Ash glanced back. “How?”
“I summon Destiny Hero – Legacy!” Toshiro’s newest hero was clad in silver armor. A silver helmet protected its skull, and a black crest similar to the symbol of the Destiny Heroes was etched onto his chest plate. His gauntlets were black, as well as his boots. (1500 ATK)
“My Legacy has many abilities” Toshiro explained, “all of which depend on my Life Point score. Since I have 100 Life Points remaining…it can possess all of them!”
“What?!” Ash exclaimed. “What can it do?!”
“Destiny Hero – Legacy cannot be destroyed in battle” Toshiro answered. “Furthermore, it cannot be targeted by your Trap and Spell cards. The effects of all cards on your side of the field are sealed until after Damage Calculation. Finally, Legacy’s ATK is doubled. (1500 à 3000 ATK)”
Ash whistled. “Some monster…”
“I’m not done!” Toshiro continued. “Every warrior needs a blade, so I’ll play Destiny Sword – Legacy Blade!” A 10 foot long buster swords appeared in Legacy’s right hand. It looked incredibly heavily, but the hero wielded it like it was made of air. “Now my Legacy’s ATK is raised by 1500! (3000 à 4500 ATK)”
Ash smirked. So…this is your best…
“Legacy, attack Sacred Phoenix!” Toshiro commanded. “Legacy Slash!”
The armored figure leapt into the air and slashed its sword in a downward arc. The majestic bird was cut in two, and a powerful shock collided with the leading rider, making him slow down.
“Wildfire’s Fury activates once more!” Toshiro shouted, his voice summoning a fireball that flew at the already weakened Ash.
Toshiro – 100 Ash – 1300
“I end my turn.” With Toshiro’s simple statement, his warrior shouldered his buster sword and took up a floating-like position, his face unreadable behind the metal helmet.
Ash kept his head bowed as he drew his next card. “Toshiro…as you know, my Sacred Phoenix has been removed from play as per my Egg’s effect.”
Toshiro nodded. “So?”
Ash’s head lifted…and he was sporting a smile that was threatening to split his face in two. “So?! So you’ve cleared all the conditions for my greatest monster!”
Toshiro’s face fell. “Oh no…”
“I activate Hour of Genesis!” Ash shouted. “I pay 1000 Life Points to summon my greatest monster: GENESIS, PHOENIX WARRIOR! (4000 ATK)”
A portal opened, and a gold armored figure emerged. His helmet was gold, with a transparent visor revealing red pupil-less eyes. His right hand carried a flaming gold sword, and flame designs were etched into the armor on his body. Two gold wings erupted from his back.
Toshiro – 100 Ash – 300
Toshiro looked up at the winged warrior. Inwardly, he was grinning. Gotcha…
“I now halve Genesis’ ATK to activate its ability!” Ash announced. His counterpart seemed to grin as he powered up his blade. “REVERSE GENESIS!!”
The energy stored in the blade was unleashed in a glowing stream that hit Legacy’s buster sword. The impact shook the very ground, and both duelists found it hard to retain control over their D-Wheels. Legacy seemed to struggle against the force, trying to reflect it back at the caster ,but eventually he groaned and exploded into pixels.
Toshiro scowled as the debris washed over him. “Legacy…”
“You have no one left to defend you, Toshio!” Ash cackled. “This is over! Genesis, direct attack!”
“Yes, Ash, this is over!” Toshiro agreed as Genesis began powering up his Genesis Shockwave attack. “However, it is not my end…its yours!”
Ash looked back in shock. “What?!”
"I knew from the start that you'd want to summon your Genesis!" Toshiro announced. "You want to prove without a doubt that you have the power necessary to wield your father's deck. What better way than to summon your strongest monster? Throughout this duel, you have played your cards in just the right way to summon your Genesis!"
Ash gaped in astonishment, unable to counter with words.
"Just like you have attempted to lead me on, I have done the same to you!" Toshiro continued. "Legacy is the one card that can counter your Genesis, and throughout this duel my aim has to bring him into play, and I have! Your plan has backfired, Ash! Your defeat is at hand!"
"How?!" Ash demanded. "Your Legacy is in the graveyard! How can it beat me from there?!"
“My Legacy has another ability!” Toshiro replied. “When the Trap Card ‘Persistent Dreams’ is removed from play, I can pay half my LP to bring him back to the field!” A portal opened in front of Ash’s monster, and the silver armored hero returned, flexing his arms as he received his power boost. (1500 à 3000 ATK)
Toshiro – 50 Ash – 300
Ash sniggered. “Nice trick, but I still one-up you! Go, Phoenix Tears! This Spell Card restores the ATK of my Genesis! (2000 à 4000 ATK)”
“Nice, but I’m not done!” Toshiro cried. “I activate the effect of Destiny Sword – Legacy Blade! When Legacy is on the field without being armed, I can bring back Legacy Blade and equip it to my monster!” The silver buster sword reappeared in Legacy’s hand, and he gave it an experimental twirl to make sure the balance remained perfect. (3000 à 4500 ATK)
Meanwhile, Ash looked on with a horrified expression: he had nothing else he could use to counter Legacy Blade.
“Legacy, counterattack!” Toshiro shouted. “LEGACY SLASH!!”
Legacy leapt at his foe, swinging his sword around to slice Genesis in half at the waist. However, Genesis’ sword intercepted the blow, and the two monsters began forcing each other back and forth, trying to keep the other engaged in the lock. However, Legacy gave an almighty push and disengaged. Genesis was off-balance, giving the Destiny Hero the opening he needed to impale his opponent with Destiny Sword – Legacy Blade.
Toshiro – 50 Ash – 0
Ash skidded to a halt, his face assuming a stunned expression. He had come so close…yet he had failed. Father will never take me back now! He despaired silently.
Toshiro pulled up beside his opponent. “Ash…you now have a choice to make.”
Ash turned away to hide the gathering tears. “What…choice is that?” he choked.
“Either you continued on this path and go nowhere…” Ash heard the revving of engines and a brief pressure on his shoulder, “or you can start anew”
As Toshiro sped away, Ash look at his duel disk and gasped: a lone spell card was sitting in front of him. The picture depicted a large red buster sword surrounded by flames. The hilt was gold, and the background was covered by a shadow.
“Destiny Sword…Phoenix Blade”
End of Episode