The first thing Lazar noticed was the silence.
Not the silence that had settled over the world after the adults disappeared. He had grown accustomed to that one—the absence of traffic, the dead shopping centers, the houses where dinner remained on tables that nobody would ever return to.
This silence was different.
It belonged to people who had just watched a man lose everything he had been so certain he would win.
Jimmothy Junior the III stared at his Duel Disk.
His Life Points had reached zero.
The holographic display flickered once before shutting down, leaving him with nothing but his reflection in the darkened screen.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then Lazar heard a quiet sigh.
"Well."
Jimmothy lowered his arm.
"That's going to make the paperwork rather unpleasant."
Lazar glanced at the man standing across from him. "You just lost a duel that was supposed to collect three hundred Duel Points from a bunch of people who barely have enough food to eat. Forgive me if I'm not concerned about your paperwork."
"Paperwork is the foundation of civilization, my dear boy."
"Then civilization must have been pretty boring."
Marcus snorted.
He was still sitting on a battered supermarket crate, his exhaustion apparent despite the grin he wore. Emily stood a short distance away with several members of her group, watching Jimmothy carefully. Nobody seemed entirely convinced that the duel was truly over.
Lazar couldn't blame them.
In this world, a duel wasn't entertainment. It wasn't a game played after school or a hobby shared between friends.
It was a way to decide who ate tomorrow.
Sometimes, it decided who lived long enough to see tomorrow.
Jimmothy finally looked up.
"Congratulations, Lazar. A respectable victory."
"Thanks."
"You have successfully prevented me from collecting three hundred Duel Points."
"That's one way to put it."
"Unfortunately, you seem to have misunderstood something rather important."
Lazar's expression barely changed.
"Oh, good. Here comes the part where the losing guy explains why he actually won."
Jimmothy placed a hand over his chest.
"I would never insult the sanctity of a duel by suggesting such a thing. You defeated me. Fairly, too, which is particularly irritating."
"You're welcome."
"But the debt remains."
The room changed.
It wasn't a dramatic shift. Nobody shouted. Nobody reached for a weapon.
Instead, the people around them remembered where they were.
The supermarket had once been a place where families bought groceries and complained about prices. Now, its shelves were mostly empty, its windows were covered with makeshift barricades, and its occupants were counting their remaining meals.
Marcus rose from his crate.
"Hold on. You offered the duel as an alternative to payment."
"Indeed."
"We won."
"Correct."
"So the debt is settled."
Jimmothy tilted his head.
"I said that I would accept a duel instead of immediate payment. I did not say that losing the duel would erase the debt."
Marcus's grin disappeared.
"You've got to be kidding me."
"I assure you, I am entirely serious."
Lazar looked between them.
"Wait. You dragged yourself all the way here, offered us a duel, put your own pride on the line, and now you're saying nothing changes?"
"Not nothing." Jimmothy lifted one finger. "I have suffered a humiliating defeat. My professional reputation has sustained a rather unpleasant dent. And I have learned that your friend here is a much more troublesome duelist than his appearance suggests."
"That last part was obvious," Marcus muttered.
"But the debt," Jimmothy continued, "belongs to your shelter. Not to me personally."
Lazar's eyes narrowed.
"Then why did you duel us?"
"Because I believed I would win."
The answer came without hesitation.
Jimmothy smiled.
"And because, if I had won, you would have learned that a debt is considerably more painful when someone has the power to enforce it."
For the first time since the duel ended, Lazar stopped looking amused.
There it was.
Not a threat, exactly. Something worse.
A man who genuinely believed that the system he served was reasonable.
Jimmothy wasn't collecting three hundred Duel Points because he needed the money to buy dinner. He was collecting them because someone had decided that the shelter owed them, and because that someone had enough power to make the debt matter.
The world had lost its adults.
Apparently, it hadn't lost the people who enjoyed being in charge.
"So what happens now?" Lazar asked.
Jimmothy straightened his coat.
"Now I report my defeat."
"And then?"
"Then someone else decides what to do about it."
Marcus folded his arms. "Let me guess. Someone stronger."
"Perhaps. Someone more senior, certainly."
"Can't wait."
Jimmothy turned toward the exit, then paused.
"Oh, one more thing."
Lazar sighed. "You really do love these."
"Love what?"
"The little speeches you give when everyone thinks you're finished talking."
Jimmothy ignored him.
"Your victory will be recorded. The Kings will know that the shelter's debt collector was defeated in a sanctioned duel. They will also know who defeated him."
He adjusted his cuffs.
"That means you are no longer an anonymous teenager wandering around the ruins, Lazar."
He smiled pleasantly.
"You have become a name."
Then he walked away.
Nobody stopped him.
Nobody wanted to be the person who discovered whether a defeated debt collector could still cause trouble on his way out.
The doors swung shut behind him.
For several seconds, the supermarket remained silent.
Then Marcus exhaled.
"Well. That was awful."
Lazar looked at him.
"You were the one who told me he was annoying."
"I said he was annoying. I didn't say he was going to be annoying for the rest of my life."
"You should have read the fine print."
"Next time, I'm letting you read the fine print."
Lazar laughed.
It came out more naturally than he expected.
For a moment, the supermarket felt almost normal.
Then someone behind them began to cry.
It was a small sound, quickly muffled. Lazar turned toward it and saw a boy sitting beside one of the empty checkout counters, his face buried in his hands. He couldn't have been older than twelve.
Nobody mocked him.
Nobody told him to stop.
They were all too tired for that.
Lazar looked away first.
He had won the duel. Jimmothy had lost. The immediate threat had walked out through the front door.
And yet, the people around him were still hungry.
The next hour passed in a blur of conversations.
Marcus gathered the older members of the shelter to discuss what Jimmothy's visit meant. Emily spoke with her group, checking how much food they had left and whether anyone needed medicine.
Lazar stayed near the entrance.
He watched the street through a gap between two boards covering the windows.
There were fewer people outside than there had been a week ago.
That wasn't necessarily good.
At the beginning, people had wandered everywhere. Some had searched for their families. Others had raided stores or tried to reach relatives in neighboring cities. A few had immediately started organizing groups, convinced that someone would eventually arrive to explain what had happened.
Nobody had come.
The people who remained had adapted.
Some formed shelters.
Some formed gangs.
And some, like the people Jimmothy represented, had discovered that controlling resources was almost as good as controlling people.
A shadow crossed the street.
Lazar straightened.
Two teenagers were pushing a shopping cart loaded with bottled water. A third walked beside them, carrying a Duel Disk. They moved with the cautious confidence of people who believed they had enough supplies to survive the next few days.
At the corner, they stopped.
One of them pointed toward the supermarket.
Toward Lazar.
The other two looked over.
They exchanged a few words before continuing down the street.
Lazar watched them disappear.
"Something interesting?"
Emily had approached without him noticing.
"Maybe."
She stood beside him, peering through the gap.
"Do you think they're with The Kings?"
"Could be."
"Are you worried?"
Lazar considered the question.
"Yes."
Emily blinked.
He glanced at her.
"What? Did you expect me to say no?"
"I thought you'd make a joke."
"I can be worried and funny. It's called having range."
She gave him a small smile, but it faded quickly.
"What happens if they come back?"
Lazar didn't answer immediately.
He could tell her that they would fight. That Marcus had a strong deck, that Lazar had already beaten Jimmothy, and that they could handle whatever came next.
It would be comforting.
It might even be true.
But he had learned something from his first few days in this world.
Confidence was easy when the consequences belonged to someone else.
"I don't know," he admitted. "But we'll deal with it when it happens."
Emily looked down at her hands.
"We can't keep depending on you."
The words were quiet, but Lazar heard them clearly.
He turned toward her.
"That's not what I'm asking you to do."
"You stepped in when Jamal was threatening us. You got us food. Now you beat the man who came to collect our debt. What happens when you aren't here?"
Lazar opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Emily wasn't accusing him. That would have been easier.
She was afraid.
And she had a point.
He couldn't be everywhere. He couldn't duel every person who threatened someone weaker than him. Even if he won every duel, he would eventually run out of cards, strength, or luck.
Perhaps all three.
"I don't want you to depend on me," Lazar said at last. "I want you to be able to survive even when I'm not around."
"Then teach us."
He looked at her.
Emily held his gaze.
"We have cards. Some of us have Duel Disks. We know the rules, at least mostly. But when something actually happens, we freeze. We don't know what to do."
She swallowed.
"I don't want to keep being the person someone has to save."
Lazar remembered the first time he'd seen her.
The fear in her eyes. The desperation in her voice. The way she had tried to stand her ground even when the situation had already turned against her.
He understood why she was asking.
"All right," he said.
Emily blinked. "Really?"
"Really. But I'm warning you now, I'm a terrible teacher."
"Why?"
"Because I intend to be brutally honest."
"That's fine."
"And I won't tell you that a bad play was good just because you're trying your best."
"Fine."
"And if you make a mistake that gets you killed in an actual duel, I'm going to be extremely annoyed."
Emily stared at him.
Then she laughed.
It wasn't a particularly loud laugh, but it was genuine.
"You're impossible."
"So I've been told."
"By Marcus?"
"Among others."
For a little while, the two of them watched the street.
Then Emily spoke again.
"Lazar?"
"Hm?"
"Thank you."
He didn't make a joke this time.
"You're welcome."
Marcus found him twenty minutes later.
"Got a minute?"
"No."
"Excellent. Come with me."
Lazar followed him through the supermarket, past the makeshift sleeping areas and the stacks of supplies. Marcus led him to the back, where a group of teenagers had gathered around a table made from two shopping carts and a wooden board.
A map had been spread across it.
Not a particularly good map. It was a printed city map with handwritten markings, crossed-out streets, and several circles drawn in red.
Lazar leaned over it.
"What am I looking at?"
"The neighborhood."
"I gathered that much."
"These are the places where people are still trading supplies." Marcus pointed to a cluster of markings. "These are shelters. These are stores that have already been emptied. And these…"
He tapped three red circles.
"These are places where people have disappeared."
Lazar's expression changed.
"Disappeared how?"
"We don't know. Some groups left their shelters overnight. Others were seen heading somewhere and never came back. No bodies, no messages. Nothing."
"Could they have moved?"
"Some of them, sure. But all of them?"
Marcus leaned against the table.
"We've been so busy trying to survive that nobody's really looked at the bigger picture. Everybody is scavenging, hoarding supplies, fighting over Duel Points. But something's happening outside our little corner of the city."
Lazar studied the map.
The red circles were spread across several neighborhoods. None were particularly close to the supermarket, but they weren't far enough away to dismiss.
"Have you told anyone?"
"Who? The Kings?"
"Fair point."
"I asked a few people. Most don't want to talk. The ones who do have different stories. Some say people are leaving to join bigger groups. Others say there's a place where you can get food without paying Duel Points."
Lazar looked up.
"Free food?"
"That's what they claim."
"That sounds suspicious."
"That's what I said."
"Did they tell you where?"
Marcus pointed toward the eastern edge of the map.
"Somewhere over here. Near the old train station."
Lazar frowned.
That area was under The Kings' influence, according to Emily. It was also where Jimmothy had come from.
"Maybe it's a trap."
"Maybe. But if it isn't, I'd like to know why someone is handing out food while everyone else is fighting over scraps."
"Could be charity."
Marcus stared at him.
Lazar shrugged.
"What? It exists."
"Sure. And maybe Jimmothy is secretly a philanthropist who collects Duel Points because he enjoys helping people with accounting."
"That would explain his personality."
Marcus shook his head.
"Anyway, I was thinking of sending a small group to investigate."
"Who?"
"Me, obviously."
"No."
Marcus raised an eyebrow.
"No?"
"No."
"That's a compelling argument."
"You just spent the last hour looking like you were about to collapse. You need rest."
"I've rested."
"You sat on a crate."
"It was a very comfortable crate."
"Marcus."
The humor slipped from Marcus's expression.
For a moment, he looked older than seventeen.
Not because his face had changed, but because Lazar could see the weight he was carrying. The responsibility of keeping people fed, the fear of losing them, and the knowledge that being the strongest duelist in a group didn't automatically make him the best person to lead it.
"I can't just sit here," Marcus said quietly. "People are disappearing. The Kings are collecting debts. We've got enough food for a few days, maybe a week if we're careful. And now they know about you."
He looked down at the map.
"If something happens to this shelter, I need to know where we can go."
Lazar understood.
Marcus wasn't looking for an adventure.
He was looking for an escape route.
"Then we'll go together," Lazar said.
Marcus looked up.
"You just told me to rest."
"I did. And I stand by that. But I'm also not letting you wander into a suspicious free-food operation controlled by an organization we know almost nothing about."
"You make it sound like I'm the irresponsible one."
"You're the one who wanted to investigate the mysterious food."
"Because it's mysterious food!"
"That's exactly why we're not going alone."
Marcus stared at him for a moment.
Then he grinned.
"There he is."
"Who?"
"The guy who talks like he's got everything figured out, then immediately volunteers to do something dangerous."
"That's a terrible description of me."
"It's a perfect description of you."
Lazar sighed.
"Fine. We investigate tomorrow. After you've slept."
Marcus held out his hand.
"Deal."
Lazar shook it.
Neither of them noticed the boy standing in the doorway until he spoke.
"You're both going to get yourselves killed."
They turned.
The newcomer looked about sixteen. He wore a dark jacket with a torn sleeve and carried a Duel Disk that was older than either of theirs. His hair was cut short, and a fresh bruise darkened one side of his jaw.
He glanced at the map.
Then at Lazar.
"You're the one who beat Jimmothy."
Lazar tilted his head.
"Word travels fast."
"Not fast enough. I had to hear it from someone who heard it from someone who was actually there."
"Sounds reliable."
The boy ignored the remark.
"If you're planning to go to the train station, don't."
Marcus straightened.
"Why?"
"Because The Kings aren't the only ones operating out there."
The boy stepped closer to the table.
"And the people offering free food aren't giving anything away."
Lazar studied him.
"Who are you?"
The boy hesitated.
"Call me Ren."
"That's not your name, is it?"
"No."
"Great. We're already off to a wonderful start."
Ren pointed at the eastern edge of the map.
"There's a group operating near the station. They call themselves the Collectors. They take Duel Points from people, but they don't use the same system as The Kings."
Marcus frowned.
"What do they do?"
"They challenge people. Not for their supplies. Not for their debts. They duel for information, territory, and sometimes people."
Lazar's amusement vanished.
"People?"
Ren nodded.
"If you lose, you owe them something. Sometimes it's Duel Points. Sometimes it's a card. Sometimes it's a promise to work for them."
"And if you refuse?"
Ren looked at him.
"Then they make sure nobody else wants to refuse."
For a moment, nobody spoke.
Then Lazar looked back at the map.
Three red circles.
The train station.
The unexplained disappearances.
Perhaps they were unrelated.
Perhaps they weren't.
But one thing was becoming clear.
The world wasn't simply falling apart.
People were building new systems in the ruins, and some of those systems were worse than the world that had existed before.
Lazar folded his arms.
"All right, Ren. Tell us everything you know."
Ren shook his head.
"Not here."
"Why?"
"Because one of the people in this shelter works for them."
Marcus immediately turned toward the others gathered around the table.
"Are you sure?"
"I saw him."
"Who?"
Ren gave them a name.
A name Marcus recognized.
His expression hardened.
"You're certain?"
"Positive."
Lazar looked between them.
"Someone here is working with the Collectors?"
Ren nodded.
"And if they find out I've told you, they'll come for me."
Lazar let out a slow breath.
"Well. So much for a quiet evening."
He glanced at Marcus.
"Get some sleep. Tomorrow, we investigate the train station."
Marcus looked as though he wanted to argue, but eventually nodded.
Ren started toward the door.
"Wait," Lazar called.
The boy stopped.
"If you're in danger, you can stay here tonight."
Ren stared at him.
"Why would you help me?"
Lazar shrugged.
"Because someone has to start making this place worth living in."
For a moment, Ren looked as though he didn't know what to say.
Then he nodded once and left.
Lazar watched him go.
He had a bad feeling about tomorrow.
Unfortunately, bad feelings had become a fairly reliable part of his life.
The next morning, Lazar woke to the sound of a Duel Disk activating.
He was on his feet before he was fully awake.
A crowd had gathered near the supermarket's entrance. Marcus stood at the front, his arms folded. Emily was beside him, and Ren had positioned himself near the wall.
Across from them stood a boy wearing a gray jacket with a white emblem stitched over the chest.
A circle.
Inside it, three vertical lines.
Lazar had never seen the symbol before.
But judging by the expressions around him, everyone else knew exactly what it meant.
The boy raised his Duel Disk.
"Good morning."
His voice was pleasant.
That made Lazar trust him less.
"My name is Silas. I represent the Collectors."
Marcus stepped forward.
"We didn't invite you."
"No. But I heard your shelter had an interesting evening yesterday."
Silas glanced toward Lazar.
"Defeating a representative of The Kings. That's quite an accomplishment."
Lazar rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
"Does everyone in this city have a newsletter?"
"Only the interesting events make it into circulation."
"Then I look forward to reading the issue about your visit."
Silas smiled.
"I'm sure you will."
His gaze moved to Ren.
The smile didn't disappear, but something behind it sharpened.
"I understand you've been asking questions about the train station."
Ren said nothing.
"That's unfortunate. Curiosity can be expensive in these times."
Marcus moved between them.
"If you've got something to say, say it to me."
"Very well."
Silas looked around the shelter.
"I have a proposal."
"Of course you do," Lazar muttered.
Silas continued as if he hadn't heard him.
"The Collectors are expanding our operations. We offer protection, access to supplies, and a stable network of trade. In exchange, participating shelters contribute a reasonable amount of Duel Points and agree to our rules."
"Sounds like The Kings," Marcus said.
"An understandable comparison. But we're not The Kings."
"What's the difference?"
Silas smiled.
"The Kings collect debts. We negotiate agreements."
Lazar glanced at the emblem on his jacket.
"And if someone doesn't agree?"
"Then we respect their decision."
"Really?"
"Of course."
Silas extended his arm, pointing toward the street.
"Provided they understand the consequences of remaining independent."
There it was.
The threat, wrapped in polite language.
Marcus's expression darkened.
"We're not joining you."
"I expected as much."
Silas lowered his arm.
"Then perhaps we should settle the matter through a duel."
The crowd grew quieter.
Lazar looked at Marcus.
Marcus looked back.
Neither needed to say anything.
They had just spent the previous evening discussing the dangers of this world, and now one of those dangers had walked directly through their front door.
Silas's eyes settled on Lazar.
"Unless, of course, your shelter's champion is too tired to defend his new reputation."
Lazar smiled.
"Oh, that's cute."
Marcus caught his arm before he could step forward.
"You're not taking every duel that gets thrown at you."
Lazar glanced at him.
"I wasn't planning to."
"Good."
"I was planning to take this one."
"Lazar."
"Marcus."
They stared at each other.
Then Marcus let go with a frustrated sigh.
"Fine. But if you lose, I'm dragging you out of here myself."
"That's touching."
"Shut up and win."
Lazar turned back toward Silas.
"All right. What's the wager?"
Silas's smile widened.
"One thousand Duel Points."
A murmur swept through the shelter.
One thousand.
That was more than most of them had seen in one place since the world ended.
Lazar's smile faded.
"And what exactly do you get if you win?"
Silas looked toward Ren.
"The boy who has been spreading rumors about our organization will come with us. He has some information that belongs to the Collectors."
Ren went pale.
Marcus immediately stepped forward.
"No."
Silas raised a hand.
"Let me finish. If your champion wins, the Collectors will leave this shelter alone for thirty days. No recruitment attempts, no demands for payment, no interference."
"Thirty days?" Lazar repeated.
"An entire month of peace."
"And if we lose?"
Silas glanced at Ren again.
"Then he comes with us, and your shelter agrees to consider our offer of protection."
Lazar stared at him.
A thousand Duel Points.
Ren's freedom.
Thirty days without interference.
It was a carefully designed wager. Silas had made sure that winning would help the shelter, while losing would cost them something they couldn't easily replace.
And he had made sure Lazar understood exactly what was at stake.
"One more question," Lazar said.
"Go ahead."
"Why do you need Ren so badly?"
Silas's expression remained pleasant.
"Because information is valuable."
"That's not an answer."
"It's the only one you're getting."
Lazar studied him for a long moment.
Then he activated his Duel Disk.
"Fine."
Marcus muttered something that sounded suspiciously like a prayer.
Emily stepped closer to Ren.
The boy looked terrified.
Lazar glanced at him.
"Hey."
Ren looked up.
"If I win, you're buying me breakfast."
Ren blinked.
"What?"
"You heard me. I'm risking my life for you. The least you can do is buy me breakfast."
For the first time that morning, Ren almost smiled.
"Deal."
Lazar turned toward Silas.
"Let's duel."
Silas raised his Duel Disk.
"With pleasure."
The devices activated simultaneously.
LAZAR — 4000 LP
SILAS — 4000 LP
Turn 1- Silas
The crowd moved back, leaving the two duelists facing one another in the center of the supermarket.
Lazar drew his opening hand.
He felt the familiar weight of the cards between his fingers.
For a moment, he thought of the previous day's duel. Of Jimmothy's traps, the Loan Tokens, and Gearfried's final attack.
Then he pushed those thoughts aside.
One duel at a time.
One problem at a time.
That was how he had survived so far.
Silas examined his own hand before looking up.
"Shall we begin?"
Lazar grinned.
"After you."
The first card hit the field.
And somewhere beyond the barricaded windows, the new world continued to turn.
Silas moved first.
He drew a card, glanced at his hand, and selected a monster.
"I'll summon a monster in face-down Defense Position."
A holographic figure appeared on his side of the field, concealed behind a darkened silhouette. Silas followed it by placing a card face-down in his Spell and Trap Zone.
"That concludes my turn."
Lazar studied the opposing field.
One hidden monster. One face-down card.
Not much to work with.
Then again, the same could be said about most opening turns.
"All right. My turn."
He drew a card.
Lazar — 4000 LP | 6 cards in hand
Silas — 4000 LP | 4 cards in hand
Turn 2 Lazar
Lazar examined his hand before selecting a monster.
"Let's see how you handle the cold. I summon Blizzard Warrior!"
A small warrior clad in icy armor appeared on the field, gripping its weapon as frost gathered around its feet.
Lazar immediately entered the Battle Phase.
"Blizzard Warrior, attack his face-down monster!"
The warrior charged across the field, its weapon raised. The moment it struck, the concealed monster was forced into view.
A squat, stone-bodied creature emerged from the holographic darkness. Its heavy frame absorbed the impact, barely moving as Blizzard Warrior's attack bounced off its rocky exterior.
Mine Golem. 1900 DEF.
Lazar's eyes widened slightly.
Blizzard Warrior staggered backward. The difference in their defensive strength was more than enough to repel the attack, and the collision sent a shock of pain through Lazar's body.
Lazar — 3500 LP
He clenched his teeth.
Five hundred points of damage.
Not enough to threaten him by itself, but a reminder that even a seemingly harmless attack could hurt in this world.
Silas watched without offering a word.
Lazar glanced at Mine Golem, then at the single face-down card on his opponent's field.
"So you're hiding behind a rock."
Silas smiled faintly. "It's a rather sturdy rock."
"Yeah? Let's see how long it lasts."
Lazar placed a card face-down in his Spell and Trap Zone.
"One face-down. I end my turn."
Blizzard Warrior remained on the field, having failed to overcome the unexpected defense. Across from him, Mine Golem stood motionless, its stone body blocking the path forward.
Silas's smile widened just a little.
"An aggressive opening, Lazar. But perhaps you should look before you charge."
Lazar rested a hand against his Duel Disk.
"Perhaps you should enjoy your little rock while you can."
Neither duelist looked away.
The duel had only just begun.
Turn 3- Silas
Silas drew his card.
He studied Lazar's field for a moment before reaching toward the monster that had protected him from Blizzard Warrior.
"Your little warrior has a problem, Lazar."
"Does it?"
"There's a difference between having a strong defense and being untouchable."
Silas lifted Mine Golem from his Duel Disk.
"I tribute Mine Golem!"
The stone creature crumbled into fragments of light. In its place, a massive figure descended onto the field, its armored body covered in rough stone and its presence carrying the weight of a collapsing mountain.
"Behold! I Tribute Summon Granmarg the Rock Monarch!"
The Monarch landed with a heavy impact that rattled the holographic ground beneath him.
Silas raised his hand toward Lazar's remaining face-down card.
"And now, Granmarg's effect activates! When he's Tribute Summoned, I can destroy one face-down card on the field!"
Granmarg raised his enormous fist.
"Destroy Lazar's face-down card!"
The Monarch brought his fist down.
"Not so fast!" Lazar shouted.
His face-down card flipped face-up.
"Waboku!"
A shimmering barrier spread across Lazar's side of the field just as Granmarg's attack struck. The force of the impact shook the barrier, but it held firm, dispersing the Monarch's power into harmless ripples of light.
Silas's eyes narrowed.
"Waboku?"
"That's right. For the rest of this turn, my monsters can't be destroyed by battle, and I take no battle damage."
Lazar leaned forward, a confident grin spreading across his face.
"You wanted to get rid of my face-down card. Congratulations. You found out what it was."
Granmarg's effect had been used, but Waboku had resolved in time to protect Lazar from the Monarch's destructive assault. His face-down card was gone, yet Blizzard Warrior remained safe.
Silas examined the field.
Granmarg stood ready to attack, but Waboku had taken the teeth out of his Battle Phase. Whatever damage the Monarch could have inflicted this turn would have to wait.
Silas lowered his arm.
"No further plays. I end my turn."
The holographic field settled into silence.
Lazar glanced at Granmarg.
A Tribute Summoned Monarch with a powerful removal effect. Silas had sacrificed his defensive monster to bring out something much more threatening, then immediately attempted to clear Lazar's defenses.
It was a solid play.
Unfortunately for Silas, Lazar had prepared for the possibility that his opponent would try to destroy his face-down card.
"All right," Lazar muttered as he prepared to draw. "My turn."
The Monarch remained on the field, towering over Blizzard Warrior.
And this time, Lazar knew exactly what he was up against.
Turn 4-Lazar
"My turn!"
Lazar drew his card, glancing at his hand before a smirk crept across his face.
"All right. Let's see if you can handle a little pressure."
He selected a monster and placed it onto his Duel Disk.
"I Normal Summon Blade Knight!"
A knight clad in polished armor appeared beside Blizzard Warrior, drawing its sword as it took its place on the field.
Blade Knight — 1600 ATK.
Lazar's gaze shifted to Blizzard Warrior.
"Next, I'll activate the Spell Card Back-Up Rider! I choose Blizzard Warrior, giving it an additional 1500 ATK!"
Energy surged through the icy warrior. Frost gathered around its armor, and its weapon glowed with a renewed intensity.
Blizzard Warrior — 1400 → 2900 ATK.
Lazar pointed toward Silas's imposing monster.
"Blizzard Warrior! Attack Granmarg the Rock Monarch!"
The warrior launched itself forward, its weapon trailing a storm of ice. Granmarg stood firm, its rocky body braced against the incoming strike.
For a moment, the two monsters clashed.
Then Blizzard Warrior's enhanced attack overwhelmed the Monarch's defenses.
Granmarg shattered into fragments of light, its massive body collapsing beneath the assault.
The difference in their ATK values sent a shockwave through the field.
2900 ATK versus 2400 ATK.
Silas took 500 points of battle damage.
Silas — 4000 → 3500 LP.
Lazar lowered his arm with a satisfied grin.
"Now that's more like it."
Blade Knight remained beside him, its sword raised and ready. But at 1600 ATK, it was nowhere near strong enough to defeat Granmarg in battle if the Monarch returned.
Silas, however, appeared remarkably unconcerned.
"Did you really think that would be enough?"
He flipped his face-down card.
"Trap Card activated! Time Machine!"
Lazar's smile faded slightly.
"Oh, come on."
Silas gestured toward the place where Granmarg had disappeared.
"Time Machine allows me to Special Summon a monster destroyed by battle this turn, returning it to the field in the same battle position it occupied when it was destroyed!"
The scattered fragments of Granmarg began to glow.
Stone plates reassembled. Its massive limbs locked back into place, and the Monarch rose once more, returning to the field in Attack Position.
Granmarg the Rock Monarch — 2400 ATK.
Silas adjusted his sleeve.
"Some assets are simply too valuable to lose."
"That was terrible."
"And yet, here I am with my monster back."
Lazar clicked his tongue, but his attention soon shifted to Blizzard Warrior.
"Well, if you're going to keep bringing things back, I might as well get something out of this."
He pointed toward Silas's Deck.
"Blizzard Warrior's effect activates! Since it destroyed your monster by battle, I can look at the top card of your Deck and choose whether to put it on the bottom."
Silas's eyes narrowed.
Lazar revealed the top card.
Ties of the Brethren.
He examined it briefly.
"Hmm. I don't think I want you having this anytime soon."
He returned the card to the bottom of Silas's Deck.
Silas remained silent. Time Machine had saved his Monarch, but Lazar had still removed a potentially useful card from immediate reach.
Lazar placed one card face-down in his Spell and Trap Zone.
"One face-down. I end my turn."
The field settled into a tense stalemate.
Blizzard Warrior stood empowered by Back-Up Rider, boasting 2900 ATK until the End Phase. Blade Knight waited beside it with 1600 ATK, while Granmarg towered over both monsters with 2400 ATK.
Lazar had struck first, but Silas had preserved his strongest monster.
And Lazar knew better than to underestimate a man who had planned for his monster to be destroyed.
Turn 5- Silas
Silas drew his card.
He studied Lazar's field, then activated a Spell Card.
"Let's make this interesting. I activate Book of Eclipse!"
A gigantic book materialized above the battlefield, its pages opening to release a wave of pale light.
"Book of Eclipse changes all face-up monsters on the field to face-down Defense Position!"
Blizzard Warrior and Blade Knight vanished beneath the spell's shadow. Even Granmarg the Rock Monarch was forced into a face-down position.
Lazar raised an eyebrow.
"You're hiding your own monster, too?"
"There's a reason for everything."
Silas pointed toward his concealed Monarch.
"I Tribute my face-down Granmarg the Rock Monarch!"
The stone creature dissolved into light. A moment later, a much larger figure descended onto the field, its armored body resembling a mountain carved into the shape of a king.
"I Tribute Summon Granmarg the Mega Monarch!"
The enormous monster struck the ground, sending a tremor through the holographic battlefield.
Granmarg the Mega Monarch — 2800 ATK.
Silas immediately raised his hand.
"Now, its effect activates! Because Granmarg the Mega Monarch is Level 8, I can destroy two Set cards on the field!"
Lazar's eyes narrowed.
"Hold on. You brought the original Granmarg back with Time Machine. That doesn't mean it was Tribute Summoned again."
Silas smiled.
"Exactly. Time Machine returned my monster after it was destroyed by battle. It didn't change the way it was originally Summoned. And that return gave me the opportunity to Tribute it for the Mega Monarch."
He gestured toward Lazar's side of the field.
"Now, destroy both of his Set cards!"
Granmarg the Mega Monarch raised its massive arms. Two crushing shockwaves swept across the field, smashing Lazar's face-down cards into fragments of light.
Lazar's defenses were gone.
"Furthermore," Silas continued, "because I Tributed an EARTH monster for this Summon, I draw one card!"
He drew from his Deck and added the card to his hand.
Then he placed another card face-down in his Spell and Trap Zone.
"One Set card. And now, battle!"
The Mega Monarch advanced, its enormous fist gathering energy.
"Granmarg the Mega Monarch! Attack Lazar directly!"
Lazar had no monsters left to intercept the attack and no face-down cards remaining to protect him.
The Monarch's fist slammed into him.
The impact sent Lazar stumbling backward, pain shooting through his body as his Life Points plummeted.
Lazar — 3500 → 700 LP.
The crowd erupted in shocked murmurs.
Marcus stepped forward, his fists clenched. Emily stared at the field in disbelief, while Ren looked as though he had just watched the duel's outcome become inevitable.
Silas lowered his arm.
"Now you understand. You destroyed my original Monarch, but Time Machine allowed me to recover it. That recovery gave me the opportunity to Tribute Summon its Mega form, clear your defenses, and attack directly."
He looked at Lazar's empty field.
"Your earlier attack was good. But a single successful battle doesn't guarantee victory."
Lazar slowly straightened. He could feel the damage throughout his body, and his legs wanted to give way. Still, he forced himself upright.
Silas's expression remained composed.
"Your turn, Lazar. Let's see what you have left."
Lazar looked at his Duel Disk.
Seven hundred Life Points.
No monsters.
No defenses.
Across from him stood Granmarg the Mega Monarch, backed by a face-down card. One more direct attack could end everything.
Lazar took a breath and reached for his Deck.
Then he smirked.
"Hey, Silas?"
Silas raised an eyebrow.
"What is it?"
"You've spent this entire duel explaining how clever your plays are."
Lazar drew his next card.
"Let's see if you can explain how I beat you."
Lazar — 700 LP
Silas — 3500 LP
The next move belonged to Lazar.
Turn 6 — Lazar
Seven hundred Life Points.
That was all Lazar had left.
Across from him, Silas stood behind Granmarg the Mega Monarch, its massive stone body looming over the field with 2800 ATK. Lazar's Blizzard Warrior and Blade Knight had both been destroyed, leaving him with nothing but a single face-down card.
Silas had taken only 500 damage so far. The difference between them was enormous, and he knew it.
"Your position is looking rather unfortunate," Silas remarked. "I trust you understand that this is the point where most people accept a losing proposition."
Lazar drew his card.
"Funny. I was just thinking that you talk a lot for someone who's only won one turn so far."
Silas's expression barely changed.
Lazar glanced at the cards in his hand, then at the Mega Monarch. He had no monster capable of challenging it in battle. Not with his Life Points so low.
But he didn't need to beat it in battle.
"I activate Smashing Ground!"
The Spell Card struck the field, and the ground beneath Granmarg the Mega Monarch fractured. Massive stone pillars erupted around the Monarch before the earth collapsed beneath its feet.
With Granmarg the Mega Monarch being the only monster Silas controlled, there was no question which monster would be destroyed.
The Monarch sank into the collapsing ground and vanished.
For the first time since the duel began, Silas had no monster protecting him.
Lazar immediately placed another card onto his Duel Disk.
"Now, I Normal Summon Daybreaker!"
Light gathered across the field, forming the silhouette of a warrior before solidifying into Daybreaker, its blade gleaming beneath the shelter's dim ceiling.
"Daybreaker, attack directly!"
Daybreaker lunged forward.
Silas took the full force of the attack.
Silas: 3500 → 1800 LP.
The impact forced him to take a step backward. His jacket fluttered as the attack's remaining energy dissipated around him.
Lazar had dealt 1700 damage in a single turn.
But Silas was already reaching for his face-down card.
"Unfortunately for you," he said, "taking damage was precisely what I was waiting for."
He flipped it face-up.
"Damage Condenser!"
The Trap activated in a flash of light.
"When I take battle damage, I can discard a card from my hand to Special Summon a monster from my Deck with ATK equal to or lower than the damage I took!"
Silas selected a card from his hand and discarded it.
"You dealt me 1700 damage. That means I can call upon a monster with 1700 ATK or less."
His Duel Disk projected a search of his Deck. A card emerged, spinning once before Silas caught it between two fingers.
"Come forth! Beta the Magnet Warrior!"
Three metallic components descended onto the field, assembling into a powerful mechanical warrior. Its magnetic limbs locked into place with a heavy clang, and its body settled into an aggressive stance.
Beta the Magnet Warrior — 1700 ATK.
Silas had lost his strongest monster, but Lazar's direct attack had given him a new one.
Lazar stared at Beta, then at Silas.
The Collector adjusted his sleeve.
"You see, Lazar? Every action has a price. Sometimes, the more damage you inflict, the more opportunities you give your opponent."
Lazar's gaze drifted toward the card he had drawn.
"Then I guess I'd better make the next one count."
End of Turn 6.
Life Points: Lazar — 700 | Silas — 1800
Turn 7 — Silas
Silas drew his card.
He glanced at it, and a smirk slowly spread across his face.
"Well, well. It seems the duel has finally reached the interesting part."
Lazar eyed him suspiciously. "You've been saying that every time you do something annoying."
"And yet you continue to be surprised."
Silas raised a card.
"I activate Pot of Greed! This allows me to draw two cards from my Deck!"
He drew twice, adding both cards to his hand. As he examined them, his smirk widened.
"Excellent."
Silas placed another card onto his Duel Disk.
"Now, I activate my Field Spell! Magnetic Field!"
The ground beneath them shimmered. Glowing magnetic patterns spread across the field, and a low metallic hum filled the shelter.
"While I control an EARTH Rock monster of Level 4 or lower, Magnetic Field allows me to Special Summon a Magnet Warrior from my Graveyard!"
He extended his hand toward his Graveyard.
"Return to the field! Alpha the Magnet Warrior!"
Metallic components rose from the ground and assembled into Alpha, which landed beside the Beta the Magnet Warrior already standing on Silas's field.
Alpha the Magnet Warrior — 1400 ATK.
"Next, I Normal Summon Gamma the Magnet Warrior from my hand!"
A third mechanical warrior materialized, its metallic body crackling with magnetic energy.
Gamma the Magnet Warrior — 1500 ATK.
Lazar's gaze moved between the three machines.
Beta had been summoned through Damage Condenser on the previous turn. Alpha had returned from Silas's Graveyard, and Gamma had just been summoned from his hand.
Three Magnet Warriors.
Lazar recognized the formation.
"Oh, you've got to be kidding me."
Silas chuckled.
"Surely you didn't expect me to rely on a single monster?"
He raised his arm, pointing toward his three warriors.
"I Tribute all three Magnet Warriors!"
Their bodies began to glow. Alpha, Beta, and Gamma broke apart into streams of magnetic energy, which spiraled together above the field. The three separate forms merged, creating a colossal silhouette.
"From the union of three warriors comes the ultimate magnetic warrior! Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!"
A towering mechanical giant emerged from the light. Its armored body gleamed, and the force of its arrival sent dust swirling across the floor.
Valkyrion the Magna Warrior — 3500 ATK.
Silas looked directly at Lazar.
"You've fought admirably. But every duel has an end."
He pointed toward Lazar's remaining monster.
"Valkyrion! Attack Daybreaker! End this duel!"
The giant charged forward, its enormous fist raised. Daybreaker braced itself, but the difference in their strength was overwhelming.
"Not happening!"
Lazar slammed his hand onto his Duel Disk.
"I activate my face-down Trap Card! Defense Draw!"
Silas's expression shifted.
The card had been set by Lazar several turns earlier, waiting for precisely this kind of moment.
"Defense Draw can only be activated when an opponent's monster declares an attack on my monster! I take no battle damage from this attack, and then I draw one card!"
A brilliant barrier erupted around Daybreaker just as Valkyrion's fist struck.
The impact shook the shelter. Dust rained from the ceiling, and cracks spread through the barrier as the giant's overwhelming strength forced Daybreaker backward.
The barrier held long enough to protect Lazar from the attack's damage.
But it couldn't save Daybreaker.
The warrior shattered into fragments of light, leaving Lazar without a monster on the field.
Lazar drew a card from his Deck as Defense Draw finished resolving.
Lazar: 700 LP.
His Life Points remained unchanged.
Silas's Valkyrion stood triumphant, its 3500 ATK making it the strongest monster either duelist had summoned during this duel.
Yet Lazar didn't look away.
Silas folded his arms.
"You've survived another turn. I'll give you that. But with no monsters left to defend you, how much longer can you keep this up?"
Lazar examined the card he had just drawn.
"Long enough to make you regret that speech."
For the first time, Silas's smirk faltered.
End of Turn 7.
Life Points: Lazar — 700 | Silas — 1800.
Turn 8 — Lazar
Lazar drew his card.
For a moment, his eyes remained on it. Then a familiar smirk spread across his face.
"Looks like faith still has my back."
Silas raised an eyebrow. "Faith?"
Lazar slid the card into his hand.
"Something like that."
He placed a monster onto his Duel Disk.
"I summon Freed the Brave Wanderer!"
A warrior clad in armor appeared on Lazar's side of the field, his sword held firmly at his side. He stood tall, facing the colossal Valkyrion the Magna Warrior without the slightest hint of hesitation.
Freed the Brave Wanderer — 1700 ATK.
Silas stared at the newcomer.
Then he laughed.
"That's your answer?"
He gestured toward Valkyrion, whose towering form cast a shadow over Freed.
"Your monster has 1700 ATK. Mine has 3500. You're down to 700 Life Points, and you've summoned a warrior that can't even come close to matching mine in battle."
Silas shook his head.
"I expected more from you, Lazar."
Lazar merely smiled.
"Funny. I was thinking the same thing about you."
His hand moved toward his Graveyard.
"Freed the Brave Wanderer's effect allows me to remove two LIGHT monsters from play to destroy a monster on the field!"
Silas's laughter stopped.
Lazar selected two cards.
"First, Blade Knight. And second…"
He lifted the card that had been destroyed by Valkyrion only moments earlier.
"Daybreaker!"
Both monsters vanished from the Graveyard in flashes of light.
Freed's sword began to shine. A surge of energy raced along its blade, growing brighter with every passing second.
"Now, Freed! Destroy Valkyrion the Magna Warrior!"
Freed launched forward.
Silas's expression hardened.
"Valkyrion, defend yourself!"
But the command came too late.
Freed's blade cut through the magnetic energy surrounding the colossal warrior. Valkyrion's armor fractured, its immense body destabilizing as the power holding it together collapsed.
A deafening crash shook the field.
Valkyrion the Magna Warrior was destroyed!
Silas stared at the empty space where his strongest monster had stood.
Lazar wasn't finished.
"I activate the Equip Spell Divine Sword—Phoenix Blade!"
A radiant sword materialized in Freed's hand, its blade burning with a brilliant golden light. Freed gripped the weapon, and its power flowed into his armor.
"Phoenix Blade grants Freed another 300 ATK!"
Freed the Brave Wanderer: 1700 → 2000 ATK.
Lazar pointed directly at Silas.
"Freed! Attack directly!"
The warrior charged.
Silas had no monster left to intercept the attack. His eyes widened as Freed crossed the field, Phoenix Blade blazing in his grasp.
The sword struck.
Silas was thrown backward by the force of the direct attack. His Duel Disk flashed as his remaining Life Points drained away.
Silas: 1800 → 0 LP.
For a moment, the shelter fell silent.
Then the duel's display flashed its final result.
WINNER: LAZAR.
Freed lowered his sword as the golden light faded around him.
Lazar exhaled slowly. His Life Points had been dangerously low, and one wrong move would have ended everything. Yet the monster Silas had dismissed as hopeless had dismantled his strongest warrior and delivered the finishing blow.
Silas stared at his Duel Disk, unable to hide his disbelief.
"You destroyed Valkyrion with a single effect…"
"Two LIGHT monsters," Lazar corrected. "And a little faith."
He glanced at Freed, then back at Silas.
"Never underestimate a warrior just because he's weaker than the monster standing in front of him."
Silas said nothing.
For once, the Collector had run out of things to say.
End of Turn 8.
Final Life Points: Lazar — 700 | Silas — 0.
Winner: Lazar.