Chapter 003: King of the Underground Fights

''Another nice day outside... But... Something doesn't feel right...''

''Work started early for Makoto, since it was a Saturday. Locals day. Vanguard fighters from all over the city have come here to fight for a spot in regionals. 64 people came to Card Shop Castle just to fight, and many more came to watch. ''

Makoto simply watched as many fights as he could.

At the end of the day, the crowd was reduced to just a small group: Kenji, the shop's owner, Baku and Kotaro, always following Makoto around, Regina Stratos, the winner of the the tournament, Izuru Momoyama, a boy of maybe 10, finished second, and Hanako and Makoto, still thinking about the other night...

"I was so close!" Kotaro yelled to the whole group, "If I hadn't lost to Regina, I would have qualified for the regional!"

"There's no need to yell, Kotaro..." Makoto answered, "Besides, you still finished 5th. It's quite an improvement over last time." Kotaro wasn't having it. He showed Makoto a paper with the top 8 results:

1st: Regina Stratos (Megacolony) 2nd: Izuru Momoyama (Great Nature) 3rd: Kenishi Hoshido (Gold Paladin) 4th: Rei Kamari (Bermuda Triangle) 5th: Kotaro Mitoshi (Gear Chronicle) 6th: Akiza Ishida (Bermuda Triangle) 7th: Dan Miyagi (Bermuda Triangle) 8th: Kyari Kawasaki (Gold Paladin)

"Look at this, Makoto," Kotaro told him, "That's me! I was that close! Maybe if I fought one of them Gold Paladin guys..."

"Be glad you made it that far, Kotaro," Makoto responded, "Last year, you lost in the first round." At that moment, the postman arrived with a letter. Kenji greeted the postman and received the letter.

"Who's the letter for?!" Baku asked excitedly.

"Definitely not you," Kenji answered, "You don't live here." He looked at the envelope and handed it to Makoto. "It's for you."

"For me?" Makoto asked, before looking at the envelope. "It's from Rex Kido..."

"Rex Kido?!" Kotaro and Baku asked at the same time. Baku added, "Isn't he that billionaire playboy who sponsors the Vanguard Fight Circuit?"

"That's correct," Kenji replied, "He's probably congratulating you on your victory over Reiji."

"How would he have heard of that?" Makoto asked, looking at the envelope. Hanako only smiled. Makoto opened the envelope and began to read the letter.

To whom it may concern,

''I hope this letter finds you well. If you have received this, I have learned of your surprising victory over Reiji Midorihara. This is a massive accomplishment that no other Vanguard fighter has achieved, as you may know.''

''I would like to extend to you an opportunity to enter the Tournament of Champions, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to fight against the best of the best of the best. Of course, I have no record of you ever entering a tournament, so I need more proof of your abilities as a Vanguard fighter.''

''Go to the location marked with a star on the map. (The map is stapled to this letter, just in case you didn't know.) Ask for Jun. He will show you who you need to fight.''

Best regards,

Rex Kido

"He wants me to fight another person so he can see if I qualify for some tournament..." Makoto told the others. "But..."

"But what?"

"How did he know about the fight?" Makoto asked. Hanako began to giggle. "What's so funny?"

"How could you not see the video I posted?" Hanako replied, "Literally everyone has seen it by now!" Makoto froze. Everyone began laughing.

--

Later that night, Makoto made his way to the specified location. Once there, he saw a fight table surrounded by a steel cage. He was met by a young man who wore a long coat and had small diamond ear piercings.

"You're just in time for the main event," the man said, "You must be Makoto Sakaki."

"That's me."

"I'm Jun Mutsuki," the man said, "I'll be your challenger tonight." Makoto nodded. The two made their way to the table. As they did so, Rex Kido and one of his assistants made their way to their seats.

"So what makes you think he has what it takes?" the assistant asked Rex. Rex only laughed it off.

"He beat Reiji," Rex answered, "If he can do that, he can defeat anyone." The assistant nodded.

"This is a different kind of fight, though..."

--

"So what's with the cage?" Makoto asked.

"This isn't the kind of Cardfight you're used to," Jun answered, "Welcome to the Underground Fight Circuit!" The crowd cheered at the sound of those words.

"And tonight, you and I are fighting with these special gloves." Jun tossed a pair to Makoto.

"What are these for?" Makoto asked. Jun only smiled.

"You'll find out..."

"Now, Stand Up! Vanguard!" Both fighters were ready to fight.

"!" Jun said. As he said that, in their imaginations, he transformed into a robot dressed as a fitness trainer.

Makoto replied with "Starburst Dracokid!" Then, he rode Starburst Squire as usual.

"Ride! !" Jun became a different robot, more streamlined, and ready to attack. "Superior Call ! Then attack!"

"No guard!"

"You know what happens next, right?" Jun asked, smirking.

"Of course," Makoto said, "Damage Check, no trigger." As he placed the card in the damage zone, he felt a shock go through his body.

"I told you this was a special fight," Jun told him, "Those gloves make you feel the pain your vanguard feels. But... you didn't scream..."

"That's not much," Makoto answered, "I've felt worse in middle school."

"Whatever..."

--

Meanwhile, in a different part of the city, Reiji Midorihara was pondering his next move. He slammed his fist onto the table. His manager, Ryo Kanzaki, was standing nearby.

"Reiji-sama," Ryo began to say, "Don't worry about that kid. He just got lucky."

"Maybe he did..." Reiji answered, "But a loss is still a loss... Now I will never be perfect..."

"Well..." Ryo tried to respond, "Even the best Cardfighters ever seen lost from time to time... uh... Toshiki Kai... Aichi Sendou... Kenji Sakaki..."

"I am supposed to be better than them..." Reiji answered, "Perfect..." He then saw a letter on the table, then read it over quickly. He's probably done so a dozen times now. "I'll get my revenge here..."

--

Back in the steel cage, some time had passed, but it was Jun's turn again. Jun's field consisted of, , and Wonder Boy.

"Now I ride! Appear before me, the great leader of Spike Brothers! !!!" In their imaginations, General Seifried appeared to do a touchdown dance once he appeared.

"My rear-guards retreat into the soul, then superior call!" Just as quickly as Wonder Boy and Highspeed, Brakki vanished, more copies of them appeared. Jun also called, then superior called a. Brakki attacked Makoto's Silent Tom, then Seifried attacked Amaterasu.

"Twin Drive!!" Jun checked two critical triggers. "This is an advantage of the Spike Brothers, the calling from the deck thins it out so I can check more triggers. In addition, I restand Brakki thanks to Seifried's skill. Attack!"

"Psychic Bird! Oracle Guardian, Gemini!"

"Juggernaut Maximum attacks!" In their imaginations, he charged towards Amaterasu. Only one thing could stop the charge.

"Perfect Guard! Weather Forecaster, Miss Mist!"

Makoto then drew his next card.

"Spread your wings and take flight, dragon born of starlight! I ride Starburst Dragon!" The dragon born of starlight appeared on the field. Jun was a little bit concerned. Amaterasu and Silent Tom appeared as well. "Imaginary Gift: Protect I!"

A bright beam of light began to be generated by Starburst Dragon: "Starburst Pulse!" What this did was take the top five cards of Makoto's deck, add all the normal units among them to his hand, then place the triggers in top.

"Twin Drive Check! Double Critical! One goes to Amaterasu, the other goes to Silent Tom." Jun let the attack go through, but not the other two attacks. One he guarded with a Perfect Guard, the other with a critical trigger.

"Ride! The secret weapon appears on the field, ready to steal victory from his enemies! !!!" Jun looked rather pleased with himself. Suddenly, five rear-guards appeared on the field. This was the "Ultimate Superior Call".

"You can't escape the brute force of the Spike Brothers!" Jun shouted as he began to attack. First, Unite Attacker, boosted by Wonder Boy, which Makoto blocked with a Perfect Guard. Double Critical again. Second came Brakki, boosted by. Makoto used a Perfect Guard there as well. 43,000 Power was just too much.

"Juggernaut Maximum attacks your vanguard! 46,000 Power!" ''Three cards in hand, and no Perfect Guards left... This game is mine...''

"Sphere Magus! Oracle Guardian, Nike!" Two units appeared in front of Starburst Dragon just in time to block the attack.

"47,000?!!!!!" Jun was not happy to see that. Victory was just out of his reach... Makoto, however, only had one card in his hand.

Come on, cards, give me something good... Makoto thought to himself as he drew his next card. He paused. I already have Starburst Dragon in my hand, but not enough counter blasts to use its skill... Jun has been controlling the flow of the battle up to this point. I need a Gemini... He could barely look at the card he drew.

"Once again, I ride Starburst Dragon! Then it's an Imaginary Gift: Protect I!"

"Nice try, Makoto," Jun responded, "But I know you don't have enough counter blasts to use its special skill."

"Call! Oracle Guardian, Gemini!" Makoto replied back.

"WHAT?!"

"Skill! Place Gemini into the soul, and Counter Charge! Now, Starburst Dragon, attack with Starburst Pulse!!!"

Jun threw two copies of on the guardian circle. "No chance!"

"Twin Drive Check! Critical Trigger!"

"N- NO WAY!" Jun could not find the words.

"The effects go to Amaterasu. Second check, no trigger. Amaterasu attacks!" Jun didn't have enough to guard with. Makoto won.

The shock pulling through Jun's body was too much for him, and he nearly fainted. Makoto walked over to Jun and helped him up.

"That was a good fight," Makoto said to Jun. Jun barely nodded. He agreed, to be sure, but the shock made it difficult to do so. "Why do you do these fights?" Makoto then asked, "All they do is hurt people. That's not what Vanguard is supposed to be about."

"Tell that to Reiji..." Jun responded.

Reiji!

But before Jun could say more, Rex Kido and his assistant entered the steel cage.

"Congratulations, Makoto," Rex began, "You have shown me exactly what I needed to see. Consider yourself invited..."

"Consider myself out of your tournament," Makoto interrupted, "If this is the kind of fighting I expect to see at your Tournament of Champions, count me out."

"Please, Mr. Sakaki, reconsider your decision," the assistant answered.

"Yes, Makoto," Rex added, "Perhaps the Underground Fight was a bit too much, and I apologise."

"A bit too much? People can die in this kind of fight."

"I wanted to see the full extent of your abilities as a Vanguard fighter," Rex kept trying to apologise.

"Forget it," Makoto snapped back, "I'm not doing it." Makoto then walked out of the warehouse where the fights were being held. Rex simply watched him leave. The moment Makoto was out of sight, Rex told his assistant to write another letter, this time, addressed to Kenji.

--

As Makoto stormed off, he thought to himself, ''What is up with these people and their serious fights?! It's supposed to be about having fun and making friends...'' Makoto then saw an image of Reiji.

I knew it... You are weak, just like your weak father... the image appeared to be speaking to Makoto. I thought you wanted to fight me again...

Makoto stared at the image, then thought to himself, ''I just realized something... I don't like people like you...''