Teachers, staff, and students were all afraid of him. Whenever he visited a school, it meant that something was very wrong, and he was coming to fix it, no matter what the cost. He must have heard about the ban on Buddyfight being lifted at Harumi Middle School, most of them believed. He was bound to hear about it eventually. And now, he was there to set the record straight. Buddyfight would not be allowed in any of his schools. Period.
"KIDANI! GET OVER HERE!!!" he spoke with a loud booming voice. No matter where one was in the school, if he called out a person's name, that person would come. He was tall and imposing, even more so than the coach could even dream of being. Everyone was afraid of him. This was the district chief.
Principal Kidani ran as fast as he could to meet with the district chief. "Yes..."
"I CANNOT HEAR YOU, KIDANI!!!"
"Yes! Boss-sama!"
"I THOUGHT I TOLD YOU BUDDYFIGHT WAS BANNED FROM THESE GROUNDS..."
"It was, uh, it is, Boss-sama!"
"THEN WHY, KIDANI, DO I SEE YOUR STUDENTS PLAYING THAT WRETCHED GAME?!"
"Boss-sama, it's not my fault! That Shidou kid came here and has thrown the school into full-blown rebellion!"
The district chief softened his voice at the sound of the word "rebellion". "Where is this Shidou kid?" A crowd of students slowly dispersed, revealing Dan and the rest of the Buddyfight Club. He then approached Dan slowly. "Are you this Shidou I keep hearing about?"
"Yes, sir," Dan answered politely, but not as politely as the district chief wanted.
"You are expelled."
The club was in shock, possibly outrage. "Expelled?!"
"That is the only proper punishment for leading the entire school to make a laughingstock out of me," the district chief explained. "The other district chiefs, they laugh at one who cannot maintain full control at all times. That is the only reasonable recompense for this behavior. AND AS FOR EVERYONE ELSE WITH A CORE DECK CASE, DETENTION FOR THE NEXT MONTH! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?!"
"Yes! Boss-sama!" the other students said at once.
"ALL OF YOUR BUDDYFIGHT ITEMS WILL BE CONFISCATED, AND YOUR BUDDY MONSTERS WILL BE RETURNED TO WHATEVER WRETCHED, GODS-FORSAKEN WORLD THEY CAME FROM."
The students would have been fine with detention. Many have had to go through it before. However, the threat of having their Buddy monsters ripped out of their hands was too much. As the chief's men came in to take the monsters away, many students ran from the scene. A few tried to call the Buddy Police, not knowing that a few officers were already there, including Captain Tasuku Ryuenji. The district chief noticed Asaka in the crowd of students trying to hide her Buddy monster.
"Kidani..." he said to the principal, turning towards him. "You can't even keep your own daughter in line. You disgust me. Also, you're fired."
"Fired?! No!!!" the now former principal screamed in agony.
"This is uncalled for!" Dan protested.
"I agree," Captain Ryuenji followed. "Your actions are way too extreme."
"Did you two say something?" the district chief asked, feigning ignorance. "I don't listen to someone who's been expelled and someone who has no jurisdiction here. Now leave before I call the actual police and have the two of you arrested for trespassing."
"Can you at least tell us why you want the game banned?"
"Because this game is evil," the district chief answered. "It is a vile, wretched game that only causes destruction and despair! It is a game from the deepest depths of the fiery pits of Hell. I may not be able to completely get rid of the game, but I can do my part to make sure no child in my district can unleash a great evil upon this world!"
Dan could do nothing besides watch the chaos unfold around him. All the progress made in making Harumi Middle School a friendly place for Buddyfight, being destroyed before his eyes. He then heard a voice.
"Dan, do you notice something unusual about the chief?" Captain Ryuenji asked him. Dan looked for what the Captain was referring to. He then saw it, a Core Deck Case! It was not like any Deck Case he had seen before. It certainly was unusual, Dan must have thought to himself. Why would someone who claims to hate Buddyfight have a Deck Case? With a little urging from the Captain, Dan knew exactly what to do.
Walking up to the district chief, Dan said to him, "I challenge you to a Buddyfight!"
The district chief laughed in his face. "Why would I listen to your demands? You are not a student here anymore. Also, I believe I ordered you to leave the premises before I had you arrested for -"
"You have a Deck Case," Dan interrupted him.
"What difference does that make?"
"I means you are a Buddyfighter," Dan told him, having connected the dots. "Or, you were a Buddyfighter at some point. Either way, you know how to play."
"YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL ME WHAT I AM!!!" The district chief got in Dan's face. "If you are trying to blackmail me, forget it. You are still expelled. Buddyfight is still banned in my district for as long as I am in charge, no, as long as I am alive there will be no children playing Buddyfight on these premises. That. Is. FINAL!!!"
Dan was unfazed. "If you are so confident, then defeating me in a Buddyfight should be a breeze. After all, if you're good at the game, what have you to lose?"
"What do I have to lose?" the district chief realized with a smile. "Okay, Shidou, I accept your challenge. If I win, you will remain expelled, Buddyfight will remain banned, but not only that, but you, Mr. Ryuenji, and Mr. Kidani will be locked away for a long time. The only proper recompense for your insidious rebellion."
"Well then, shall we take it outside?" Dan asked him.
"Absolutely!" the district chief replied. "Let's get this over with!"
In the commons, Dan and the district chief were about to begin their Buddyfight.
"The Four Horsemen blaze a path of destruction and desolation! Ride forth and Luminize! Apocalyptic Knights!"
"The world is but a dream, but illusions are what you make of them! Luminize! Illusion Ritual!"
"BUDDYFIGHT!!!"
"Raise the flag!" Both fighters said at once.
"Darkness Dragon World!" was the district chief's flag.
"Magic World!" was Dan's flag.
"First Knight of the Apocalypse, Gratos!"
"Illusion Dragon, Danzari!"
"I have the first move," the district chief told his opponent. "Charge and..."
"Wait!" everyone else said at once.
"What???"
"I'm not sure when was the last you played Buddyfight," Dan explained, "but the player who goes first can draw, then charge and draw to begin their first turn."
"Draw..." The district chief then drew two cards to compensate. "I cast! Accel End! The top five cards of my deck go into the drop zone, and my gauge increases by one. Then, I Buddy Call to the center!" (Chief: 10→11) "Through conquest, comes the deliverer of death! First Knight of the Apocalypse, Gratos!"
"He's already got his Buddy monster out," Danzari told Dan.
"That was certainly a lucky first draw," Dan commented.
"Gratos is a size 2 monster with 7000 Power, 2000 Defense, and 3 Critical!" the chief boasted. "Attack the fighter, Gratos!"
"It's been too long since I've been in a Buddyfight," Gratos answered. "I'll destroy this thing." (Dan: 10→7)
END OF MOVE
"I draw! Then I charge and draw!" Dan began his first turn. "I call Illusion Dragon, Dancat to the center!"
"Let's get this battle started, nya!" Dancat told him.
"Dancat lets me draw a card and increase my gauge by one. Then I Buddy Call Illusion Dragon, Danzari to the center!" (Dan: 7→8)
Danzari then appeared on the field in his natural form, that of a large dragon with many feline features. "A little bit of sleep won't hurt you too much, you two," he said to his opponents.
"Let's turn this Buddyfight around, Danzari," Dan told his Buddy. "Attack Gratos!"
"Will do."
"Not so fast!" the district chief responded. "Gratos' effect activates! By putting three soul cards on the bottom of the deck, I destroy your monster!"
"This was unexpected...!" Danzari said as he was destroyed.
"Revive with Soulguard!" Dan said, bringing Danzari back to the field.
"Then I cast! Revival of Apocalypse! This sends two cards from my deck into my monster's soul and it deals you one damage." (Dan: 8→7)
"Danzari has Double Attack! Go, Danzari!"
"Gratos' effect activates!"
"Not again...!" Danzari was once again destroyed, but was once again revived with Soulguard.
"Cast! Revival of Apocalypse!" (Dan: 7→6)
END OF MOVE
"Dan couldn't deal any damage to the district chief..." Katarina observed. "He needs to think of something and fast."
"Come on, Dan!" Raiki shouted while his fists were clenched. "Don't let this guy win!" They then noticed Shingo's arm twitching.
"Are you okay, Shingo?" Katarina asked.
"I sense a terrible power emanating from within him," Shingo answered her.
"Not again..." Katarina scoffed.
"Do not scoff the Prince of the Night," Shingo cut back. "He has a mysterious dark force guiding him. Do not ignore this fact."
"I can tell you're enjoying this Buddyfight," Dan told his opponent.
"How can you think something so ridiculous?" The Chief was a bit furious to hear that.
"I might not remember a lot of things," Dan answered him, "but I can never forget the feeling I get when I Buddyfight. I know it when I see it in another Buddyfighter."
"Whatever. There is no way you can win," the district chief told his opponent. "So long as I can keep soul cards under my monster, you cannot possibly defeat it. Draw, then charge and draw! Once again, I cast! Accel End!" The chief's drop zone now had seven cards. "Then cast! Death Gauge Timer!"
"His deck just lost five more cards!" Raiki observed.
"A solid observation," Shingo agreed. "But he won't have to worry about decking out."
"What do you mean, Shingo?" Katarina asked him.
"He will win this game before he even gets close," Shingo told her.
"Hey, whose side are you on?" Raiki asked him angrily.
"I only report what fate has decided."
"Cast! Vampire Fang! My gauge increases by two!"
"Two more cards..." Dan observed.
"Call to the center! Introducing the evolved form of Gratos! Ride on, Apocalypse King of Knights, Gratos!!!"
"To thirst on the souls of my defeated enemies," Gratos told his opponents, "there is no greater pleasure."
"Gratos' effect activates," the chief continued. "By dropping a soul card, I can finally get rid of that pesky Danzari once and for all!"
"What is with this guy???" Danzari complained as he was destroyed for the third time.
"Revive with Soulguard!" Dan said, bringing his Buddy back one more time."
"Even so," the district chief told Dan, "you still take three damage."
Dan screamed as his life total was becoming dangerously low. (Dan: 6→3)
"Gratos, attack Danzari!"
"As you wish." Gratos them charged forward and finally destroyed Danzari.
"Gratos also has Double Attack."
"I cast! Illusion Dragon Shield!" (Dan: 3→4)
END OF MOVE
"Dan is in a really tough spot," Katarina observed.
"What do you mean?" Asaka finally said something.
"Dan has only four life," Katarina explained. "The Chief has eleven, and will only gain more life the more times his monster is destroyed. As well, Gratos has a Counter that can destroy Danzari and deal three damage to Dan once each turn."
"What can Dan do?" Raiki asked her. "Not even his Impact card can put a dent in the Chief's life total."
"I'm not sure..."
"There's got to be a way we can defeat him, Danzari..." Dan said before beginning his next turn.
"There might be a way," Danzari answered him. "But you will have to follow my lead."
"Got it. Draw, charge and draw! I call Dancat to the center, then call Danzari back to the center!"
"It's good to be back, Shidou-kun."
"Likewise. Now I cast Illusion Replenish! My gauge increases by three and I regain one life. I'll activate this twice for good measure." (Dan: 4→5→6)
"Sweet!" Raiki said excitedly. "Now Dan can have a better chance to fight back!"
"I cast! Illusion Break!"
"Illusion Break?!" Katarina said confused. "I've never even heard of that card.
"Illusion Break allows both of us to call a monster without paying the Call Cost, but they are destroyed at the end of the turn," Dan explained, before calling Dancat to the left. "As well, both of our gauges increase by one."
"Wait... why would Dan give his opponent a free monster and free gauge?" Raiki asked.
"It's because of his Impact card," Katarina explained. "Dan is trying to close the gap between his and his opponent's life points so he can win."
"That makes sense," Raiki admitted. "But at the most, Dan would deal eight damage with his Impact. The chief would still have something like five life left at the end of the turn."
"Unless Dan has a plan to survive his opponent's turn..."
"Danzari, shall we begin?" Dan asked his Buddy.
"I couldn't agree more, Shidou-kun."
"I evolve Illusion Dragon, Danzari into Great Illusion Dragon, Danzari Phantom!!!" Dan sent a card from his hand, gauge, and drop zone on top of Danzari, then placed the new Danzari Phantom card on top of that stack.
"Evolve?" Katarina asked. "I didn't know Danzari could do that?"
"Interesting..." Captain Ryuenji said to himself. "Their bond is strengthening..."
"This is the true power of evolution!" Danzari told his opponents. The monster had taken on a ghostly form, gained a scimitar, and acquired silvery armor. This was Great Illusion Dragon, Danzari Phantom.
"Danzari Phantom, a size 3 monster with 15000 Power, 10000 Defense, and a Critical of 3! He has the Soulguard and Double Attack abilities!" Dan explained. "As well, Danzari Phantom's effect! By paying ten gauge, I can rest all cards on your field. They can't stand or be called over until the end of your next turn, and you are dealt one damage for each card rested! You rested three cards, so that's three damage to you!" (Chief: 11→8)
"Alright!" Raiki shouted excitedly. "Dan's about to turn the tables on that creep!"
"As well, since you rested more than two cards," Dan continued to explain, "Danzari Phantom gets 15000 Power and Penetrate. Danzari, attack Gratos!"
"This frozen blade shall be the price for your insolence," Danzari told Gratos. "Phantom Strike!"
"Gratos' effect activates!" The chief dropped a soul card from Gratos to destroy Danzari Phantom and deal Dan three damage. (Dan: 6→3) However, Dan used Soulguard to revive his monster.
"I've got one more attack to go!" Danzari told them, before destroying Gratos.
"Gratos' effect! When it's destroyed, I gain one life point." The chief responded. (Chief: 8→9) "In addition, I revive Gratos with Soulguard!"
"Regardless," Dan responded back. "You still take Penetrate damage."
The chief growled as he took the damage. (Chief: 9→6)
"This is going to be close," Katarina observed. "The game will be decided by what Dan decides to do next."
"Your monsters are not strong enough to defeat my Gratos," the district chief told Dan with a sneer. "Once I win this Buddyfight, I'll make sure you get locked up for a long time! Now end your turn so I -"
"Final Phase!"
"What the?"
"I cast! Illusion Ritual, Danzari Storm!" Dan became surrounded by his signature blizzard.
"Impossible!" the chief told him. "You don't have enough gauge to use that card!"
"Normally you would be right," Dan explained to him. "But this cost is reduced by one for each soul Danzari has! So I only have to pay two gauge."
"What?!"
"As well, it deals five damage to you, plus one damage for each card you have at Rest!"
"That means eight damage!" Raiki said excitedly.
"Dan is going to win!" Katarina agreed.
"Impact! Illusion Ritual! Danzari Storm!!!" The blizzard began to expand rapidly and envelop the entire field.
"This isn't right. I was supposed to win!!!" (Chief: 6→0)
Game End! Winner: Dan Shidou!
The rest of the Buddyfight Club tacked Dan to the ground in celebration of his surprising victory.
The district chief had noticed Dan at the bottom of a pile of people and walked over to talk to him. He could see students celebrating everywhere he looked. Kneeling down almost to Dan's level, he said, "Thank you."
"For what?"
"It's been a long time since I could enjoy a good Buddyfight," the district chief admitted. "I was afraid of so many things growing up that I was not willing to risk my life or other people's lives just for a children's card game. Disaster, Yamigedo, The Chaos, just to name a few. You showed me that Buddyfight can still be enjoyed no matter what. Even when you had everything going against you, you still had a smile on your face. I might never get to that level where you're at, but today, even if just this once, I am a Buddyfighter again."
"Glad I could help..." Dan said, hurting a little from the pile of friends dogpiling him.
Standing back up, the district chief then told everyone, "The Buddyfight ban is officially lifted today, effective immediately. And Dan Shidou is not going to be expelled." The entire school cheered, all except for Former Principal Kidani, who slowly walked away from the scene.
"Where do you think you're going?" the chief asked him.
"Home," Kidani answered him, "so I can look for a new job..."
"There is no need for such silliness," the district chief answered back. "You've been reinstated."
"Really?" Kidani asked, before turning around with tears in his eyes. Once-again Principal Kidani ran over to the district chief and hugged him, saying "Thank you so much..."
Dan looked at the situation with a sort of smile on his face, as he couldn't get off the ground. Once everyone got off him, Captain Ryuenji offered the Buddyfight Club an interesting opportunity.
Dan: And now for the card intro segment! At the end of each episode, I'll talk about an important card you'll need to think about using when you Buddyfight.
This week's card is my newest monster, Great Illusion Dragon, Danzari Phantom. If you pay ten gauge when this monster is called, not only do you get to Rest every card on your opponent's field, but you can also deal damage for each card at Rest! Just like regular Danzari, you need to be able to charge a lot of gauge in order to use the effect, but it gains 15000 Power and Penetrate if you Rest two or more cards, I think it's a worthwhile addition to your deck.
I hope everyone tries out this card at least once. With this card, you can take your skills to the next level! Let's Buddyfight!
Asaka: Dan! You have to say yes! I've always wanted to tour the Buddy Police headquarters!
Dan: Hold on a second," Dan was confused. "I thought you just started playing Buddyfight?
Asaka: Well... I've always wanted to play Buddyfight, but only when the ban was lifted was I allowed to play...
Katarina: Well, it would be an interesting opportunity to see the inner workings of the Buddy Police...
Raiki: I don't see why not. Besides, we could probably figure out what's wrong with Shingo?
Shingo: I heard that...
Tasuku: So what will it be?
Dan: Alright then! Let's do it! Next week, we'll be visiting the Buddy Police headquarters, where we'll be sure to see plenty of interesting faces! Until then, let's all have a good Buddyfight!
Next chapter: Field Trip! Meeting the Buddy Police (Part One)!