Kawaguchi got up weakly, wiping away the remnants of his tears.

"Lame... I'm so lame..."

Muttering to himself, Kawaguchi then proceeded to punch himself in the face.

"Ah... I'm so damn lame!"

Shigeru raised an eyebrow, a small snicker escaping his lips.

"What's this? You pumping yourself up or something?"

"You really suck, Zenkichi..."

"And you swallow."

The two boys laughed over that crude joke. It was hard to believe they hated each other over how they were acting right now.

"You know what I mean, damn it."

"Hey, you set yourself up for that one."

"I've set myself up for a lot of things..."

"C'mon, let's not dilly dally any longer. I'm raring to go."

"So am I. Let's get this over with."

"Stand up, Vanguard!"

"Entertain Messenger."

"Crimson Lion Cub, Kyrph!"

"You've changed your deck, eh? Guess it suits you, you always liked felines."

"Like I said... I'm moving on from those days in my own way. This is one of them."

"Guessing that's the same reason you got your hair tied up in a mop now? You always used to have it down back then."

"They say changing your hairstyle is symbolic for growth."

"Ain't that about cutting hair?"

"Same difference. I like long hair."

As usual, who got to go first was randomly chosen.

"First Turn: Shigeru Zenkichi."

"Oh, sweet. Don't piss your pants by the end of this, Masaru."

"Trust me, I have worse things to worry about than this fight now cuz of you."

"How awfully calm of ya. Stand and draw! I ride Brassie Bunny from the Ride Deck and use it's skill to drop and draw! I draw from the starter, call Dynamite Juggler to rear, and turn end!"

Strangely, Shigeru called a trigger to rear-guard. What was he planning to do with it?

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

Kawaguchi:
Hand: 5
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride Relentless Knight, Lulach from the Ride Deck!"

Lulach was one of the cards Kawaguchi added to his deck last minute when we learnt about the Ride Deck moments before the war started.

"I draw from Kyrph! Lulach's skill, when placed, I discard to draw!"

"Huh, we basically did the same thing but in opposite order."

"Great minds think alike, yeah? Lulach attacks! (8000)"

"Dunno if I'd call your mind "great". No guard!"

"Then neither is yours. Drive check! (Knight of Blue Skies, Shanak) Critical! All to vanguard! (8000 > 18000/1 > 2)"

"Tch, lucky. Damage checks! (Purple Trapezist, Silver Thorn Acrobat, Leonor) That's not good..."

"Lucky, eh? That's not quite the case."

"You learnt a new trick? Please do enlighten me."

"I wouldn't call it a trick per se... but more like upping the odds."

"Ahh, I think I get it now. You run twelve critical, just like me."

A small grin appeared on Kawaguchi's face.

"Twelve? Ha! I run sixteen, idiot!"

Shigeru looked genuinely surprised for a moment, but then smiled thinly.

"And pigs can fly. There's no way even you're dumb enough to forgo heal triggers in your deck."

Without hesitation, Shigeru accused him of lying. Unfortunately for him, Kawaguchi was speaking the truth. The gimmick behind Kawaguchi's new rush deck was running sixteen critical, double the standard amount.

"We'll see about that. Turn end!"

Shigeru:
Hand: 5
Damage: 2
Soul: 1
OXO
OXO

Kawaguchi:
Hand: 7
Damage: 0
OXO
OOO

"You jump back way too quickly."

"It's either that or dwelling in despair. Personally, between the two, I'd pick the former."

"How optimistic. Stand and draw! I ride Miss Direction from the Ride Deck! Her skill, I counterblast and put Juggler into soul to draw two and put a card from hand to soul!"

So this was why Shigeru fielded a trigger so early. He wanted to use it for Miss Direction's cost to draw two.

"That crit might've helped me, actually. I call Endive Beast Tamer and use her skill! Counterblast and rest her to call two cards from my soul to a column! I call, Brassie Bunny and Fesbright Escaper! Miss Direction attacks! (9000)"

"No guard!"

"Drive check! (Double Head Unicorn)"

"Damage check! (Knight of Elegant Skills, Gareth)"

"Boosted by Bunny, Fesbright attacks! (9000 > 17000)"

"Shanak! (23000)"

"Turn end!"

Shigeru:
Hand: 6
Damage: 2
Soul: 2
XXO
XXO

Kawaguchi:
Hand: 6
Damage: 1
OXO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride Flame Wind Lion, Wonder Ezel from the Ride Deck! I call Crimson Lion Beast, Howell! Wonder Ezel's skill, I soulblast and retire Howell to ride from my deck, my avatar! The first ascension of golden pride, I superior ride Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel!"

"I get an Imaginary Gift: Accel II! I draw one, and Ezel gets drive minus one! (2 > 1) Next, I call Knight of Superior Skills, Beaumains and use his skill! I discard a card to superior call from deck, Knight of Elegant Skills, Gareth! (8000 > 13000) Here comes the second ascension of golden pride, from my hand! I soulblast Kryph and superior persona ride, Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel!"

"I get another Imaginary Gift: Accel II! I draw a card, and Ezel gets drive minus one! (2 > 1)"

Impressively, Kawaguchi had managed to both ride skip to grade 3 as well as superior ride twice, opening two Accel circles. Even though Ezel wasn't the main focus of his deck anymore, he still ran the engine for it so he could do this—

"I call Bluish Flame Liberator, Percival! (12000 > 17000) Percival's skill, since my vanguard is grade 3 or greater, I counterblast and discard a card to get an Imaginary Gift: Accel II and superior call Oath Liberator, Aglovale (9000 > 14000) from my deck!"

Since he was at grade 3, he now had access to Percival's skill and could gain another Accel marker. Shigeru hadn't even rode to grade 3 yet, but Kawaguchi had opened three additional circles just by breathing. This amount of advantage would be overwhelming, especially because Shigeru was still stuck on grade 2.

"Beaumains attacks! (9000)"

"No guard! (Dancing Princess of the Night Sky)"

"Gareth attacks! (13000)"

"No guard! (Candy Clown) Heal trigger! I heal and give power to vanguard! (9000 > 19000)"

That heal would let Shigeru hold on a little longer, as it made defending the rest of Kawaguchi's onslaught slightly easier.

"Aglovale attacks! (14000) His skill, I put Gareth into soul to give him +10k! (14000 > 24000)"

"Brassie Bunny! (29000)"

"Aglovale bounces to my hand! Blond Ezel attacks! (12000) Ezel's skill, when he attacks, I can call a card from hand to rear-guard! I call, Aglovale! (9000 > 14000) Golden Passion - Lionhearted Tango!"

By attacking with Aglovale first and returning him to hand, Kawaguchi was able to recall him using Ezel's skill to essentially get two attacks with him. It was an extremely clever way of utilising their skills in tandem.

"Darkside Sword Master guards! (39000) No pass!"

"Drive check! (Flame of Victory) Critical! Power to Percival, critical to Aglovale! (17000 > 27000) (14000/1 > 2) Percival attacks! (27000)"

"Tempting Hoopster guards! (29000)"

"Aglovale attacks! (14000/2) His skill, I put Percival into soul to give him +10k! (14000 > 24000/2)"

"Dynamite Juggler guards! (34000)"

"Aglovale bounces to hand. Turn end!"

Shigeru:
Hand: 2
Damage: 3
Soul: 2
XXO
XXO

Kawaguchi:
Hand: 5
Damage: 1
OOXXOO
OOO

"Stand and draw! I ride Miracle Pop, Eva from the Ride Deck! Imaginary Gift: Accel II! Draw a card!"

This was certainly a strange card to ride. It must've been a set up card, because Shigeru didn't declare it as being his avatar. He must've been scheming something for turn 4, but that just meant it gave Kawaguchi the perfect opportunity to kill him on turn 3.

"Endive's skill, I counterblast and rest her to call Miss Direction and Entertain Messenger from soul to a column! I call Silver Thorn Acrobat, Leonor (9000 > 14000) and use her skill to soulblast all my soul to give her +15k! (14000 > 29000)"

Endive was a very effective tool at filling the board. Shigeru's small hand meant he couldn't commit many cards to board, but being able to call cards from soul instead solved that problem. He had completely filled his ranks and it only costed him one hand card.

"Eva attacks! (12000)"

"No guard!"

"Twin Drive!! (Poison Juggler) Critical trigger! Power to Fesbright and critical to vanguard! (9000 > 19000) (12000/1 > 2) (Tempting Hoopster)"

"Damage checks! (Crimson Lion Beast, Howell, Oath Liberator, Aglovale)"

"Boosted by Messenger, Direction attacks! (9000 > 15000)"

"Flame of Victory guards! (27000)"

"Boosted by Bunny, Fesbright! (19000 > 27000)"

"No guard! (Knight of Superior Skills, Beaumains)"

"Leonor! (29000)"

"No guard! (Flame Wind Lion, Wonder Ezel)"

Shigeru had managed to push Kawaguchi to five damage.

"Boo-yah, turn end!"

Shigeru:
Hand: 4
Damage: 3
Soul: 0
XXXX
   XXX

Kawaguchi:
Hand: 4
Damage: 5
OOXXOO
     OOO

"Stand and draw. Zenkichi, you said I've been running away this entire time. However, that's not true. I haven't ran away from the past. Not one bit."

"You say that, yet you never bothered to talk to me when I tried."

"That's because I wasn't trying to run away from the past. I was trying to move on from it, which meant cutting ties with everyone, like you said."

"So we're meaningless to you now, huh? Must be comfortable, doing whatever you want without considering others."

"Zenkichi, did you ever honestly value our friendship?"

"Of course I did! If I didn't, then I wouldn't be working my ass off trying to make things up with you, dumbass! I want things to go back to how they were between us. That so much to ask for?"

"Yeah. It is. Sorry, Shigeru-san, but I'm starting another fire. I'm setting fire to this bridge called "our past". I don't want things to go back to the way it was. I'm burning it all down so I can start anew. This is my way of moving on from those days - by restarting from zero."

"Masaru... I guess we have different thoughts on the matter, cuz I think that's a terrible way of "moving on". You just wanna forget it ever happened and pretend that you're a nice guy whose done nothing wrong...! It makes me sick! This is the conclusion you've reached? Don't give me that crap! What the hell happened to you? Where the hell is your backbone, you coward?!"

"I'm not "forgetting" I set fire to the school. I won't even "pretend" I'm a good person either. I accept both of those as a part of me - as part of the man known as "Kawaguchi Masaru" from middle school. However, the man you're facing now... isn't the same person as him. The man you're facing now is the "Kawaguchi Masaru" of GEN Academy. A proud member of E Class, the dumping ground for defectives!"

Kawaguchi slammed a card onto the vanguard circle, causing it to spiral out in dark blue.

"The fire that I started long ago in the past... has now become one with me! Continue howling from my soul, the sacrilegious flames that burn in this sacred core! The final ascension of golden pride, avatar next! I ride Prominence Glare of the Bluish Flames!"

"I get an Imaginary Gift: Accel II and draw! Prominence Glare's skill, I look at the top four cards of my deck and call a card from among them to rear-guard! I call Knight of Superior Skills, Beaumains! (9000 > 14000) Beaumains' skill, he gets +3k since he was placed from a card ability! (14000 > 17000) I call Oath Liberator, Aglovale (9000 > 14000) and Bluish Flame Liberator, Percival! (12000 > 17000) Percival's skill, I counterblast and discard a card to get an Imaginary Gift: Accel II and call Oath Liberator, Aglovale from deck! (9000 > 14000) Skill activate!"

Kawaguchi's visor began glowing copper bronze with blue specks.

"Blue Reinforcements! I call the top card of my deck to rear-guard!"

Flipping the top card over, Kawaguchi grinned.

"I call Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel to my last Accel circle! (12000 > 17000)"

Even when he rode a brand new avatar, his old one was still loyally fighting alongside him.

"Prominence Glare attacks! (12000) His skill, I counterblast and discard a card! Since I called three or more rear-guards, he gets +15k and goes critical! (12000 > 27000/1 > 2) Then, since I called four or more rear-guards, you can't guard this attack with sentinels! (27000/2) Golden Passion - Explosion Blue!"

I could vividly see an explosion of dark blue and light blue flames flash before my eyes.

"No sentinels? No problem. Skill, activate!"

In a twist of events, Shigeru was activating his Skill during Kawaguchi's turn. It didn't even cross my mind that Skills could be used during the opponent's turn. Does this mean his Skill was the defensive type? Shigeru's visor began glowing lilac purple.

"Bluff Dice! I roll a six-sided die and get an effect based on which number it lands on! If it's an odd number, my vanguard gets drive +1 until end of turn. If it's an even number, my vanguard cannot be hit until end of battle. Obviously, I'm gambling for the latter option here, so let's test my luck!"

How unique. While his Skill was luck based, it could be used both offensively and defensively, which was rare among the Skills I've seen thus far. To nullify Prominence Glare's attack, his dice would need to land on either 2, 4, or 6. A 50/50 chance.

A small d6 manifested in Shigeru's hand. He tossed it into the air before hurling it onto the board. As it rolled, Kawaguchi clapped his hands together, praying that the die would land on an odd number so his attack would breakthrough. However, a sly smirk emerged on Shigeru's face.

"I wouldn't put my hopes up if I were you."

"What do you mean?"

"Didn't you pay attention to my Skill's name?"

The rolling die was beginning to slow down.

"It's "Bluff Dice", isn't it?"

"Correct. What do you think those words mean?"

"Well... in the most literal sense, it means "lie of the dice"."

"You can guess where this is going then."

"I don't get it...?"

"It's easier if I just show you then. Land on six."

As if under his control, the die stopped rolling, landing face up on six.

"H-huh?! How?!"

Kawaguchi was bewildered by the result. Shigeru snickered.

"Hey, an even number. Your attack's been rendered useless."

"How'd you do that?! Did you rig the dice?!"

"Nothing of the sort. I simply used the second part of my Skill."

"Second part...?"

"It's what puts the "bluff" in "Bluff Dice". See, if I have zero cards in soul... I can control which number the die lands on."

That was the deceitful trick behind Shigeru's Skill. By activating it when he no soul, he had complete control over the outcome of the Skill. There was no RNG involved - that was the bluff. He lied to Kawaguchi to give him false hope just to knock it all down.

"You're seriously the worst, Shigeru-san..."

"Hate the game, not the player. Gotta say, they gave me a pretty nifty Skill. It's way cooler than your lame ass call one."

"Twin Drive!! (Oath Liberator, Aglovale, Scarface Lion) Critical! All to Ezel! (17000 > 27000/1 > 2)"

Prominence Glare, emblazoned in blue flames, swooped in to decapitate Eva, but a giant dice fell from the sky between them, blocking his holy sword, the Slashing Breaker of Blue Flames, from ever reaching her.

"Damn, can't you stop sacking crits just for one second? Gimme a break here."

"Says the one cheating dice rolls. My non-Accel Beaumains attacks Fesbright! (9000)"

"I don't really wanna do this, but Hoopster guards! (19000)"

"My Accel Beaumains attacks! (17000)"

"Hmm. No guard! (Brassie Bunny)"

"Percival attacks! (17000)"

"Now that I've committed to it, I gotta do it."

In other words, Shigeru was betting on a damage trigger to shut down the rest of his attacks.

"No guard! (Candy Clown) Sweet, a heal trigger! Except..."

"You can't heal, since I'm at five. I took that damage on purpose last turn to force you into having to sixth damage heal!"

"Huh, that means you were pretty confident that you could kill me this turn."

"Damn right I was."

"I always liked that rambunctious side of you. Welp, if I can't heal, I'll just give power to vanguard! (12000 > 22000)"

"Unfortunately for you, my remaining attacks are two Aglovale and critical trigger boosted Ezel, so they'll still be able to hit! Aglovale attacks! (14000) Skill, I put Percival into soul to give him +10k! (14000 > 24000)"

"They can hit, but now they're 5k shield guards, which is what I was after! Leonor, intercept! (27000)"

"Aglovale bounces to hand! My other Aglovale attacks! (14000) Skill, I put Beaumains into soul to give him +10k! (14000 > 24000)"

"Miss Direction intercepts! (27000)"

"Aglovale bounces to hand! Ezel, finish this! (27000/2) Golden Passion - Lionhearted Tango of Black Resister!"

"Poison Juggler guards! (37000)"

"Damn it..."

"If it weren't for my Skill, you might've actually had me on the ropes."

"Honestly, I think that damage trigger had more impact than your dice roll. Turn end."

Shigeru:
Hand: 2
Damage: 5
Soul: 0
OXXO
XXX

Kawaguchi:
Hand: 7
Damage: 5
OXOOXOOO
OOO

OST: Howling Moon II

"Stand and draw. Maybe my title shoulda been The Gambler, not The Swindler, cuz I'm feeling lucky! Final Turn!"

This was Shigeru's final gambit for revenge. Knowing that Kawaguchi would kill him next turn if he didn't end it here, he decided to go for broke, much like Satou did against Yukina.

"The odds are looking in my favour! Betting everything on this full house, the cannon fuelled by nightmares will flush you with a bang! Evoke a grand performance on this wondrous stage of tricks and deceit! I ride my avatar, Gun Salute Dragon, End of Stage!"

"Imaginary Gift: Accel II! Draw a card! Eva's skill, when she's rode upon, I counterblast to draw a card and give my vanguard +10k! (12000 > 22000) End of Stage's skill, when he rides on a grade 3, I soulblast all the cards from my soul to give him +5k and you can't call sentinels when he attacks! (22000 > 27000) Next I call Double Head Unicorn (9000 > 14000), Fesbright Escaper (9000 > 14000), and Purple Trapezist! Boosted by Messenger, Trapezist attacks! (7000 > 13000)"

"Beaumains intercepts! (17000)"

"Double Head Unicorn! (14000)"

"Aglovale guards! (17000)"

"Accel Fesbright! (14000)"

"Aglovale guards! (17000)"

"Boosted by Bunny, Fesbright! (9000 > 17000)"

"Howell guards! (22000)"

"End of Stage attacks! (27000) Eject from the Stage!"

End of Stage stared down Prominence Glare, roaring at him and sending a firework of attacks his way. Prominence Glare runs into the explosions headfirst, his sword emitting bluish flames.

"Fortune Bell and Howell guards! (37000) One to pass!"

"Twin Drive!! (Silver Thorn Acrobat, Leonor, Double Head Unicorn) Busts. End of Stage's skill, since I have zero cards in soul, I put two cards from my hand and all my rear-guards into soul to restand the vanguard! When Trapezist, Fesbright, and Double Head go into soul, their effects activate and go on stand-by! First, I'll resolve Trapezist, who soulblasts herself to call Double Head from soul! (9000 > 14000) Next, I'll resolve Fesbright, who soulblasts all cards in soul except herself to call herself with +15k! (9000 > 24000) Lastly, I'll resolve Double Head, who counterblasts to call a card from my hand, Leonor, and give her +5k! (9000 > 14000 > 19000) End of Stage attacks again! (27000) Eject from the Promised End!"

"Flame of Victory and Gareth guard! (37000) One to pass!"

And just like that, Kawaguchi had exhausted the last of his hand. With three more rear-guard attacks staring him in the face, and no heal triggers in his deck, he knew for certain that this was definitely game over.

"Twin Drive!! (Tempting Hoopster, Poison Juggler) Boo-yah, a critical trigger! If I'm getting revenge, I'm getting it in style! I'm giving it all to End of Stage! (27000 > 37000/1 > 2) It was nice knowing ya, Masaru!"

End of Stage's cannon fired ribbons of candy coloured explosives, entertaining and pleasing the crowd as his show lit up and livened the circus. Prominence Glare, stuck in the cage of the circus, dodged, rolled, and ran away from End of Stage's random and irregular firing of it's cannon, but eventually the attacks caught up to him.

The bluish flames that were defending him from the aftershock of the blasts had been finally snuffed out. At point blank, End of Stage snaked his head around the cannon and shot one last firework at an exposed and defenceless Prominence Glare. Blowing up in his face, the proud golden armour Prominence Glare wore had cracked, and wisps of blood began to trickle down his body.

"BAM! POW! ZOW! BLAM! KABOOM!"

Limping over, drenched in red, the knight of the Bluish Flame order was dead.

"Damage checks... (Incandescent Lion, Blond Ezel, Prominence Glare of the Bluish Flames)"

"And that's game."

As if right on Shigeru's cue, a pop-up appeared on my visor.

"Kawaguchi Masaru is Dead."

"I hope seeing him get defeated was enough satisfaction for everyone still hurting over what Masaru did. Now I'm gonna peace out."

Shigeru said those last words at the camera, before walking away. He didn't even bother to take a second look at Kawaguchi, who was slumped over on the floor.

"Kawaguchi-san..."

In the moment of his deepest despair, a gentle voice called out for him.

"...what?"

"We should probably leave the mall... since we're both dead."

It was Tadokoro, who had finally woken up after being blasted by Shimizu. Kawaguchi undid his mop, letting his hair flow naturally, before standing up.

"Yeah. Let's get outta here, Tadokoro-san."

For some reason, I had a funny feeling that Kawaguchi would be okay. If anything, this encounter with Shigeru might've made him even stronger. He might've lost the battle, but he hadn't lost the war just yet.

But for E Class, our only hope of winning this war depended entirely on Akihiro. If he could beat Zyriot, we might have a chance at rebounding from our heavy losses so far.