Chapter 16 Attack

I smiled under the mask. This is really fun.

"And you're not bad, but you're being dark for some reason... maybe you prepared a trap on Mantris?"

I tactfully remain silent. Well, my opponent's ignorance only plays to my advantage.

"Play it."

"Ha!" realizing he can't expect an answer from me, he throws another Bakugan into the fray.

He decided to take a chance though and threw it to Mantris.

Well, let's give it a try.

"Bakugan into battle, Gorgonoid on the field! Activate ability card, Fire Judge!"

A very real demon with wings and horns appeared, was orangey red, with green demonic snake eyes. To be honest, it looked like a gargoyle....

[Battlefield Power Change: 330g and 320g+100g]

[Battlefield Power Change: 330g and 420g]

"Bakubattle!"

Well, with a +100g boost, even opening a gate card would be useless. My +30g would simply do nothing. However, I successfully knocked the card out of him.

"Gorgonoid, erase it!"

In fact, there were only 2 gate cards left now, one was canceled and the other belonged to the opponent, meaning there was nothing I could do to help.

I still had a double machete ability card that I could try to do something with, but that was not the problem here. I had the means, but I didn't have the time. The enemy had already launched a sonic wave at my Bakugan. The cards that acted instantly were my Ventus cards, not the abilities of the Bakugans, the ones still flying and so on. In other words, there was a possibility that I would just waste the opportunity to activate the ability.

Of course, the enemy wasted another strong trump card here. Apparently, he was also wary of my control by Mantris. Well... we both know about the glittering slingshot, neither of us has it, but we fear the other having it....

I naturally had other means of manipulation from Ventus, but here's the thing - one less card is one better.

I'm sorry, Mantris, but I'm gonna have to give you up today. I don't want to take a chance.

A second later, my monster disappeared in the glow and rolled back to my feet.

"1 to 1, that's right!"

Indeed.

Both of us have lost Mantris, our control.

He has Serpinoid, Gorgonoid, 1 ability and 1 gate card, while I have Centipoid and Bee and Ventus cards. No cards on the bakugans....

Honestly, the situation isn't in my favor, but I... I can do something.

I still have Ghost Mind, which makes everyone on the card lose. The only question is how best to deal with the Serpinoid.

All right, let's play.

"Close the gate card!" commanded Tatsuya.

Huh? I don't get it.

The Fire Ring card closed, and the bakugan itself flew back into his hand.

As I recall, this technique can be used to return a monster from the field, but... the price for doing so would be forfeiting that gate card.

Why did he do that? His bakugan got a boost in strength and was quite capable of handling anything I could throw out, and he also had abilities on him.

Why?

Still, it was impossible to keep my opponent waiting forever.

"Gate card to the field, bakugan to battle," Ghost Mind and Bee.

"Vesta, get ready, you're coming out soon.

"Huh?" if the Bakugans had a facial expression, it would be very excited right now.

"Bee on the field!"

"That's how it is, huh! Good. Bakugan to battle, Serpinoid to the field! Battle!"

Great, the fish bit. My Bee had a power level of 350, which meant that throwing out a Gorgonoid with no abilities would be certain death.

Well, it's not a hopeless situation, okay? 

Anyway, time to put a copper basin over it.

"Bakubattle!" said I.

"Not so fast! Look what I got," he pulled out a card. "Activate ability card, volley fire!"

His Gorgonoid sphere lit up and flew towards the battlefield.

[Battlefield Power Change: 350g and 320g+320g]

[Battlefield Power Change: 430g and 640g]

Oh my god, seriously?

"Did you see that? I've doubled my power! Whatever you played out there, I won here!" he smiled haughtily.

Well, underneath the mask, I laughed.

I won, yeah. Ten times.

As far as I was concerned, he no longer had anything to override the goal card.

I was dreading what that card could be, which was... well, the card is strong, but it's going to hit him hard in the face now.

The question now was whether to do everything filigree, 3-in-1, or relent and give the Bee to him to tear up....

Well, why?

"Activate ability card, blow it off the field."

I launched the card towards Bee, sending bakugan to another gate card.

"H-hey..." he was completely confused. "W-what are you doing?"

Tatsuya didn't understand anything yet.

"Open the gate card, Ghost Mind."

At those words, my opponent's facial expression turned ashy. His mouth opened wide in surprise, and his eyes seemed to flutter open.

Nothing out of the ordinary: I wanted what was best, but it turned out the same as always.

A white glow appeared on the map.

Finally realizing what was happening, he shouted in disbelief...

"Noooo!"

Bang!

The two bakugans were swept away.

My opponent's last two lights went out.

"Thanks for the fight," I said.

Well, I did enjoy it, though Vesta's look at me and Tatsuya was a little displeased.

It was understandable, after all, he wanted to warm up and everyone had already done it without him.

"How's that, huh?" he asked, cocking his head.

"Don't worry, there will be another opportunity," I consoled the bakugan.

Tatsuya, on the other hand, was upset. He didn't say a word. Of course, that was understandable. He'd trapped himself and personally buried his chances of winning when he still had two Serpinoid ability cards and a gate card.

Deciding not to linger any longer, I headed in the opposite direction of him.

Anyway, that's it for today for now.

After walking about 100 meters away and finding myself in a deserted place, I took off my mask and fastened it on my belt.

"Vesta, well, still want a fight for today?"

"You gotta be kidding me! You didn't even throw me out on the battlefield! You call that a friend?"

"Come on, you're already like a relative to me."

Although he took my words warmly, he still "pecked" me in my pocket.

From behind I heard the sound of footsteps.

"Eh, but agree, how could you be so stupid to get caught. I obviously set a trap, and he, just seeing it, immediately rushed to not..."

Before I could finish, someone behind me quickly approached and held a handkerchief, heavily moistened with some kind of mixture, to my face.

'What the...? - I became wary and quickly began to turn my head.

Alas, no sooner had I reached for the flame than consciousness began to leave me.

"Shinji? Shinji!" somewhere in the background in my head was Vesta's voice, but soon it too was gone.

...