"Stand up the vanguard!" Maxios exclaimed.

"Weeb." Callum yawned, the two turning their face down starters face up.

"Wow thx"

"You're welcome. Werfleder Ordonnaz." The vanguard circle expanded dark purple.

"Gifted Bear!" The vanguard circle expanded green.

(New opening here)

"Stand and draw! I ride Reader Pig, slide Bear back and end."

Maxios:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OXO

Callum:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
Soul:0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw, I ride Creeper, Ordonnaz moves back. Boosted, Creeper attacks. (7000 > 12000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check. (Tragic Claw)"

"Damage check! (Cutter Falcon) Crit, all to vanguard! (7000 > 12000)"

"End."

Maxios:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
OXO
OXO

Callum:
Hand: 6
Damage: 0
Soul: 0
OXO
OXO

"Stand and draw, imma ride Trickle British—"

"Oh god, they're using my home country's name in vanguard cards now? I wouldn't be surprised to find a Dumb Dumb Japan..."

"Hey, I'm part English!" Maxios retorted.

"Oh god, he's also from the same place I'm from... suddenly I feel ashamed to be English." Callum snickered. "I guess you're an imperfect inbred."

"Your logic lacks sense... I call Duckbill and give life insurance to Bear! Bear's skill, rest itself and revealing Chatnoir in my hand! Adding Chatsauvage! Go, Duckbill! (7000)"

"Are you a furry? Guard with Jaegar. (7000 > 12000)"

"Did... did you seriously ask me that? Trickle British! (9000)"

"Yeah. Using bipedal animals, I'm not sure if you're into that or not. No guard."

"Are you into slimy green blobs? (Honorary Assistant, Mikesaburo)"

"Nah, I'm more of the cut open their stomach and steal their kidney kind of guy. (Succubus of Pure Love)"

"Uh, am I allowed to phone the police on you?"

"Do that and we don't play card games."

"Okay... Bear retires and I draw one."

Maxios:
Hand: 7
Damage: 1
OXX
OOO

Callum:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
Soul: 0
OXO
OXO

"Stand and draw, I ride Sykes— oh hey, that's my last name!"

"I thought your last name was Sensei?"

"My name is Kakashi Sensei Sykes, to be specific. Call Tragic Claw and Demonted. Skill of Demonted, checking top seven and shoving Assassin (Enigmatic Assassin) into soul. Skill of Claw, since Demonted was called in the same column as him, I can soulcharge one. (Dimension Creeper) Okay, Demonted attacks. (9000)"

"Hmm... no guard. (Go Home Toad)"

"Vanguard. (9000 > 14000)"

"No guard as well!"

"Drive check. (Dark Knight of Nightmareland) Critical, all to vanguard. (14000 > 19000/1★ > 2★)"

"Crap, this is bad... damage checks. (Contradictory Instructor, Shell Master, Bootcamp Cymric)"

"Damn, I saw that turtle in Kung Fu Panda!"

"Haha, "funny"..."

Maxios:
Hand: 7
Damage: 4
OXX
OOO

Callum:
Hand: 4
Damage: 1
Soul: 3
XXO
XXO

"Stand and draw! Be emotionally, physically and mentally prepared to grasp the possibilities of the future! Never stop learning, as that knowledge is our core strength! I ride my avatar, Honorary Professor, Chatnoir!" The vanguard circle expanded dark green.

"Knowledge is strength? That's the most bullshit I've heard in my life, and I've heard of a lot of bullshit."

"What? If you have knowledge, you're the strongest you can be—"

"Shut up. I never got a chance to even go to school, but I can speak both English and Japanese, walk, read— okay maybe not that one— and I can play a damn card game! And why's that? Because I didn't rely on knowledge! Knowledge isn't strength... Strength comes from this!" Callum tapped on his head with a scowl.

"Your head?" Maxios asked.

"No, you mentally disabled child. It's called my fucking will to survive. So for your pretentious ass to say knowledge is strength... really pisses me off."

"Yeesh, stop getting so emotional over a ride chant..." Maxios muttered. "Look man, we all have our own definition of strength. For me, being knowledgable is that strength. But hey, if it's your will to survive, it's your will to survive. I won't judge you for it."

Callum looked at Maxios with his green eyes wide open. "...I'm beating your chinky ass next turn."

"Okay, now that was just rude! I attack with Chatnoir! (11000)"

"No guard."

"Twin Drive!! (Honorary Professor, Chaverite, Coiling Duckbill)"

"Damage check. (Succubus of Avarice)"

"Look at all that sweet succ in the Damage Zone..." Maxios reached his hand out in a comedic fashion.

"You probably enjoy getting sucked off by guys. Hell, you seem fucking butch with that hairstyle. What is that mess of long hair? What do you do with it? Why do you even have long hair? What's the fucking point?"

"Haters gonna hate. I like how I look, so..." Maxios grinned slyly. "Throw more insults at me, and I won't care."

"You're too happy..."

"I nearly died almost a year ago. Life is too short to care about what others think... you gotta make your own choices without anyone else telling ya or putting ya down, cuz once that life you have is gone," Maxios snapped his fingers. "You won't ever get it back."

"Boohoo, I feel so fucking sad."

"Heheh, salty?"

"No, sweet."

"Good on you."

Maxios:
Hand: 9
Damage: 4
OXX
OOO

Callum:
Hand: 4
Damage: 2
Soul: 3
XXO
XXO

"My turn, stand and draw. I ride, Blade Wing Sullivan!" The vanguard circle exploded black. "Skill of Sullivan, I'm gonna put three copies of Demonted into my soul. (Demonted Executioner, Demonted Executioner, Demonted Executioner) Now, Unleashing the Generation Zone!!"

"Time to die. Nice knowing ya, Kakashi Sensei Sykes."

"Great Demon, Souless Demagogue!"

"Yep, I'm gonna die... We all know where this is going..."

"Skill of both Dimension Creepers and one Sykes in my soul! I soulblast them all and soulcharge six! (Blade Wing Sykes, Dark Knight of Nightmareland, One Eyed Succubus, Wertiger Jaegar, Flying Librarian, Enigmatic Assassin) Demagogue's skill gives him six CONT skills where my front row gets 1k."

"So... it's 6k?"

"Yes. Skill of Jaegar, counterblast and draw a card. Skill of Werfleder, counterblast and into soul, I soulcharge 2 (Wertiger Jaegar, Amon's Follower, Abysm Lust) and draw a card. Getting another 3 skills. Skill of Sykes, soulblast him and soulcharge 2. (Monochrome of Nightmareland, Enigmatic Assassin) Another 2 skills. Call, Monochrome and use Tragic's skill. (Dimension Creeper) Another skill. Tragic's second skill, he gets boost. Creeper's skill. (Flying Librarian, Blade Wing Sullivan) Another two skills."

"That's at... 14k."

"Skill of Monochrome, to deck, soulcharge 1, (Dimension Creeper) countercharge 1 and draw one card. Gain another skill, and I'll use Dimension Creeper. (Enigmatic Assassin, Amon's Follower, Abysm Lust) Another two skills. Calling Librarian. Tragic's skill. (Succubus of Avarice) Another skill added. Using Librarian's skill, counterblast and soulcharge 2, (Blade Wing Sykes, Werkatze Rekrut) drawing a card and countercharging 1. Adding another 2 skills."

"21k..." Maxios gritted his teeth uncertainly.

"Anymore and I'll probably deck out." Callum clicked his tongue as he called a Sullivan to rear-guard. "Demagogue's Skill. 21000 power to the whole front row. (8000 > 29000) (26000 > 47000) (11000 > 32000) Time to end this shit... Boosted by Tragic, Librarian. (29000 > 38000)"

"Am I allowed to scoop?"

"Do that and I shank you."

"Okay then, no guard. (Honorary Professir, Chatsauvage)"

"Sullivan attacks next. (32000)"

"Generation Guard! Head of the Bastion, Ardillo! His skill, I retire Duckbill and if I have three or more open RC, he gets 10000 shield! (11000 > 26000 > 36000)"

"Skill of Assassin in soul, I call him to the rear guard during the beginning of the attack step and he gets 15k power. Then the skill of Demagogue gives him 21k. (5000 > 20000 > 41000) Now, Demagogue attacks. (47000)"

"Shell Master, Perfect Guard!"

"Triple drive. (Wertiger Jaegar, One-eyed Succubus) Critical, all effects to Assassin. (41000 > 46000/1★ > 2★) (Dark Knight of Nightmareland) Critical, all effects to Assassin. (46000 > 51000/2★ > 3★) Beginning of the attack step, I'll call another Assassin out from soul. His skill plus Demagogue, adding 36k. (5000 > 41000) Enigmatic Assassin attacks with a whopping three criticals! (51000/3★)"

"Holy shit..." Maxios stared at the behemoth coming straight at him. "Time to put my luck on the line! NO GUARD!"

"The chances of you getting three consecutive Heal triggers is so unlikely even an idiot like me who doesn't even know what 4 x 3 is can figure out I'm gonna win!"

"No. Because, I have one thing you don't."

"And what would that be?"

"Plot armour asspulls! Triple damage checks!"

"What the fuck is a plot armour asspull?!"

"You're about to find out! HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! (Automatism Koala, Automatism Koala, Automatism Koala) TRIPLE HEAL TRIGGERS! HEALING THREE DAMAGE AND ALL EFFECTS TO VANGUARD! (11000 > 26000)"

"...that's... a plot armour asspull?" Callum spoke with a wide mouth, shaken up by what Maxios had just done.

"Yes. I thought you knew, since it's all in here." Maxios tapped on his head. "My will to survive. To survive your onslaught of Assassins!"

"Ha, you won't survive the next three attacks. Five damage and a six card hand, I doubt you're gonna be able to block everything! So, beginning of attack step! Calling Assassin from soul, and adding 36k. (5000 > 41000) Assassin number two, end him! (41000)"

"Now there's the passion in you! Ignite that flame, and let it burn! This is the real spirit of a vanguard fight, Kakashi! I guard with Approval Frigate, Crayon Tiger, and Triangle Cobra! (21000 > 46000)"

"Beginning of attack step, calling another Assassin from soul. You know the deal by now. (5000 > 41000) Third times the fucking charm... Enigmatic Assassin number 3, end him! (41000)"

"I guess my luck had to run out somewhere. At least this isn't steel beams... No guard! (Honorary Professor, Chaverite)"

"And that... is my complete victory." Callum smirked smugly. Maxios chuckled.

"Good match. But play of the game goes to me, since I pulled three Heal triggers!"

"It doesn't matter if you even got 4 of them in a row. You were fucked the moment I strode Demagogue."

"Whatever you say." Maxios laughed. Masaru and Izanoku joined the two.

"Who won?" Masaru asked quickly.

"I did, obviously." Callum replied swiftly.

"Kakashi here's got a good deck. I didn't even Stride." Maxios sighed with two hands on his hips.

"Ka...Kashi?" Masaru's eye's squinted. "Maxios, I don't think that's his real name."

"Since when was his nickname Kakashi? It was Karashi! We agreed to this!" Izanoku looked at the three males with a ticked off expression.

"What's wrong? You lost your match?" Maxios asked.

"No, I beat this ZTB reject with my deck." Izanoku replied. "I'm just annoyed about something else..."

"Hey, don't look at me! I won my match."

"Wow, so they got a clean sweep on us..." Masaru looked at Maxios with dead eyes.

"Bruh, we gotta quit vanguard now."

Ripping through the tense air was a powerful shriek and a blast of green light. Attentively turning their heads to the source, Izanoku, Masaru and Maxios looked at awe at what had happened, while Callum looked at the three in confusion. Shimmering her butterfly wings, Zoa screeched, letting another loud roar from her jagged mouth.

"It's... beautiful." Izanoku cut through the silence first.

"What are we looking at?" Callum asked shortly after.

"...The Zeroth Dragon..." Masaru replied with a cautious tone.

"And somehow we've fucking awakened it..." Maxios shivered, dropping to the floor due to the sheer size of Zoa, who towered over the whole jungle like a skyscraper. The dark clouds reacted badly, snapping into a force of anger and unhappiness. The grey sky finally fit the scene of unrelenting rain, and set the backdrop for Zak's encounter with the Zeroth Dragon. He simply stood there, looking up at it speechless and gasping for air, while the same hooded figure who had tamed the beast earlier stood across him. Under her mask was a wide grin.

(New ending here)

"Wait a second... the whole reason why we're here is to get Zoa! We've been wasting time fighting you guys!" Maxios exclaimed. Masaru looked at him with wide eyes.

"Oh right... We were so caught up in the moment, we forgot about it."

"And now my friend will successfully capture Zoa." Izanoku smirked. "Checkmate, you losers."

"We still get there if we hurry!" Maxios exclaimed, before Callum took out his knife.

"Seriously... You guys aren't gonna go anywhere unless you want me to slice open your throat. If I'm nice, I'll go after your ligaments first."

"Do that and this time I won't be afraid to shoot you dead!" Masaru warned Callum.

"And if you shoot Callum dead... I'll open fire against you and your friend. You don't want that... right? ♥︎" Izanoku giggled.

"So we're trapped here..." Maxios curled into a small ball of despair. "We're gonna fail the mission..."

"I don't know about that..." Masaru chuckled with a small smile. "C'mon Ryuzaki... Where's the reinforcements?! I didn't get paid to become a hostage dammit! Just jump in already and save our asses!"

"What you do know is that the final act is beginning. And you both have played brilliantly into my hand." Izanoku declared with a laugh of joy. "Thank you both for being so dumb to forget about Zoa. I really do appreciate it... ♥︎ Especially you, Masaru. You're one interesting person to talk too. ♥︎"

Next time on Z World:

#14: Zoa

"The cost is a card with the same name as my vanguard! I'll put my future on the line to win this fight! If I fail to do so, all of the cards in my Generation Zone will never return! Devour my future and manifest! Zoo's Zeroth Dragon, Ultimate Stride! Zeroth Dragon of Death Garden, Zoa!" The vanguard circle exploded in a black-green colour.

================================

A/N

Yo, Fox here! I hope you enjoyed that chapter!

Maxios: y u no show off my dekki

Okay. WHO. KEEPS. LETTING. MY. CHARACTERS. INTO. THE. AUTHORS. NOTE.

Ryu: *laughs in Ryu*

I'm gonna pull my hairs out at this rate...

Maxios: Hey since I didn't get to show off my new deck, the next time I appear can I use Ange?

Ugh, whatever, fine.

Maxios: YEET IM GONNA USE MERMAID WAIFUS!

I really do think I made all my characters really dumb.

Maxios: Nah fam, Ange is BDIF. Gonna use that shit to win boi.

It's a shame you're never fighting again, though.

Maxios: wtfbruh

EHUE

Maxios: Petition to ban Fox

Ryu: Signed

Masaru: Where's the sheet?

Izanoku: Let me join in

Ghost Characters: *shaking their pens furiously*

*eye twitch*

Maxios: LET'S GIVE THIS BOOK TO SHIDA!

Ryu: I take back my signature

Masaru: *sips tea* Tear up that petition.

Izanoku: Who's Shida?

Masaru: Some Portuguese writer. Not to be confused with Ronaldo.

Izanoku: ...okay then.

Ghost Characters: *goes back to the other life*

Maxios: *sweatdrop* Did... did they all just resign?

Ryu: Look man, Shida puts you through lots of structured fight arcs. You know how they end.

Maxios: OH tru, I'd end up in a hospital bed with steel beam injuries.

Ryu: ...hang on a minute...

👀 Don't look at me

Ryu: MAXIOS WHERE IS THAT PETITION—

Maxios: AHA! WE GOT TWO SIGNATURES! EVERYONE, SIGN THE PETITION! GIVE Z WORLD TO SHIDA!

Okay before this spirals our of control I'm just gonna end the Note here...

That's all, Fox out!

————

[REDACTED]: *takes petition from the shadows*

Maxios: ...Eh? WHERE'D MY PETITION GO?!

[REDACTED] *whisper* My [REDACTED]. [REDACTED] this to exist in this [REDACTED]... it would ruin... [REDACTED]. *sets paper on fire, before [REDACTED]*

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[recognition: false]accusation(?)
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