Chapter 005: Clash of Dragons! Kenji vs. Makoto

''"Ride! Sunrise Knight, Carnax!" As Carnax appeared in the fighters' imaginations, Kenji looked at Makoto, as Silent Archer, Tenma.''

"You know, Makoto," Kenji began, "Over this past week, I've noticed something."

''"What's that?" Makoto asked looking up from his hand cards.''

''"You and Reiji aren't so different after all..." Makoto and the slowly growing crowd of spectators were all shocked upon hearing that.''

"What is that supposed to mean?" Makoto asked, stunned, possibly hurt. Kenji picked up an Imaginary Gift: Force II.

"It means that you only fight to win," Kenji replied. By this time, Card Shop Castle was nearly busting out the seams it was so full of spectators. "You don't fight with purpose."

"So fighting for fun isn't a purpose?" Makoto answered with another question. Kenji quickly went through the motions. Put a hand card into soul, add a grade 3 from the deck to the hand cards. Call Knight of Loyalty, Bedivere. Superior call Knight of Friendship, Kay. Draw a card. Soul Blast 3, draw a card, give the front row a 10000 Power boost.

"Not really, no," Kenji answered back, "Your father fought for fun, but he also used Vanguard to right wrongs, to fight bullies, and to pay the bills."

--

In a flashback, Naito sat on his bed, looking at a deck of cards.

"He always believed in miracles. And I think he got that stupid saying of his sometime while he was trying to beat Shark..."

Ohayou...

"Oh?" Naito looked up from his cards.

"He said he got the phrase from a dragon he saw in the sky one night. Of course, I didn't believe him, but what happened next would surprise everyone...

--

"What happened next?" Makoto asked as Kenji began to turn cards sideways.

"We need to continue this fight first," Kenji replied quickly, "Carnax attacks your vanguard."

"Miss Mist! Perfect Guard!"

"No dice! Twin Drive!" Kenji replied back, "First, critical trigger! All effects go to Bedivere. Second, draw trigger! Power to Marron." Makoto stopped paying attention to the fight for a moment.

--

"Starburst Dragon, attack the vanguard!" Naito said to Makoto in a flashback.

"Damage check... What?! I lost again?!"

"Four in a row, to be exact," Naito answered, "It's close to bedtime. How about we play again tomorrow?"

"...How did you get so good at Vanguard...?"

"Let me put it like this," Naito began to answer, "There's two kinds of Vanguard fighters: those who fight for fun and those who fight to win. Me? I try to do both."

"Both?"

"Exactly!" Naito answered back, "Winning isn't fun if you know your opponent isn't fighting at their best. And losing isn't fun if you know you aren't fighting at your best. When both of you fight at your best, you can both have fun no matter what happens. There's one thing you need to know about Vanguard, Makoto."

"What is that?"

"You never know how a fight will end."

"But you always win... Everyone calls you First Vanguard or something. Clearly you know what happens next..."

Naito began to chuckle. "Honestly, I'm no better than anyone else. More often than not, I have to believe a miracle will happen."

"A miracle?"

"Yep," Naito replied, "Give the world a big ohayou, and if the world says ohayou back, a miracle happens. Do that, and you can beat anyone."

"Even you?"

Naito laughed. "Yes, Makoto. Even me."

--

"Do you guard?" Kenji began to shout at Makoto. Makoto looked at Kenji in a daze.

"Y-Yeah..." Makoto placed a heal trigger on the guardian circle.

"Uh..." Kenji began to say, "That's not enough shield."

"Oh..." Makoto placed a Luck Bird on the circle as well.

"Marron attacks!"

"N-no guard!" Makoto was struggling to make words by now. Kenji noticed.

"Looks like I got to you," Kenji said to Makoto. "It's your turn... Unless you want to forfeit?" Makoto then got a little more serious.

"I won't forfeit," Makoto replied, smiling, "Stand and draw!" There it was. "Spread your wings and take flight, dragon born of starlight! I ride Starburst Dragon!" The dragon born of starlight appeared on the field. Kenji smirked a little smirk.

"There it is," Kenji said to Makoto, "But you don't quite have the cards for the skill."

"That's not quite true, Uncle Kenji," Makoto replied quickly, "Silent Archer, Tenma put a grade 3 into the soul so I could add Starburst Dragon to my hand."

"Well played, Makoto, but will it be enough?"

"Let's find out," Makoto then answered, "Starburst Dragon, attack! Starburst Pulse!" Makoto then went through the motions of his own skill. Pay the cost, look at top five, add the normal units to the hand cards, place the triggers on top, see what happens next. Kenji guarded that with a Perfect Guard.

"Twin Drive! First, draw trigger! Power to Starburst Knight. Second, critical trigger! The effects go to Silent Tom. Next, Silent Tom attacks!"

"Guard!" Kenji said as he placed a critical trigger on the board.

"Finally, Starburst Knight!"

"No guard. Damage check, draw trigger!" Makoto was concerned.

"You know, Makoto," Kenji said to him, "This reminds me of the first time I saw that card..."

--

"Starburst Dragon, attack the Vanguard!" Naito said excitedly as he was on the verge of defeating Shark.

''Finally... I made a miracle happen...''

"Damage check..." Shark said quietly. He was turned speechless as the card he checked simply fell into the damage zone. "You... You cheated!"

Shark's gang of bullies slowly surrounded Naito. They were ready to beat him senseless. However, Naito managed to calm Shark down.

"I didn't cheat," Naito replied, "In fact, it was a miracle I even beat you at all."

"A miracle?" Shark thought for a moment, then called off his cronies.

--

He said no more. Kenji knew he had to win this turn. "Stand and draw!" He looked at the card he drew. Makoto became nervous...

"What is it?"

"From the highest heavens, soar down to this world with glimmering wings, Super Royal Ride!!! Sanctuary Guard Dragon!!!" In their imaginations, a large white dragon floated down to the ground on angelic wings. Makoto knew this was a dragon whose strength rivaled that of his own dragon. Once again, he pulled out a Force II marker, then called a Marron where Bedivere was and a Pongal where Kay was. Pongal Soul Charged a Draw Trigger.

"Skill of Sanctuary Guard Dragon: Counter Blast! Call Rainbow-calling Bard from the deck, and it gets 5000 Power! Also, since I have four or more grade 1 rear-guards, my front row gets 10000 Power! As well, Rainbow-calling Bard's skill gives Sanctuary Guard Dragon an additional 10000 Power!"

Makoto was in trouble. He guarded the vanguard's attack with a Perfect Guard, but it wasn't enough.

"Twin Drive!! Double Critical!! One to Marron and the other to... well... the other Marron!" One attack would have been for 26000 and the other for 34000. Makoto couldn't guard both attacks. He lost. Kenji looked at him from across the table.

"You okay, Makoto?" Makoto only smiled.

"That was a great game, Uncle Kenji," Makoto answered back. The crowd cheered. Somewhere within that crowd, Regina and the older boy simply watched as Kenji and Makoto shook hands.

"Did you say he was invited to the tournament by Rex Kido personally?" the older boy asked Regina.

"That's what he says," Regina replied, "But I don't know if he will actually go."

"He should," the boy answered back, "If what you said is true, then Reiji will have his work cut out for him."

"I'll ask him," Regina then said, before walking over to Makoto. "Makoto-san?"

"Yeah?" Makoto answered as he turned around.

"Did you decide on whether you are joining the tournament?"

"Hmm," Makoto thought for a moment. "Yeah," he finally said, "I'll go to the Tournament of Champions."

"Great!" Kenji then said, "I'll send a letter to Mr. Kido and tell him the good news." He then pointed to Makoto, saying, "And you need to be getting ready! Chop chop!"