Chapter 7: Caster’s Bizarre Luck

"Now it's my turn."

Jounouchi declared, a striking Duel Disk strapped to his left arm. He eyed the bound Kyoko Sakura with a determined glint.

With a flourish, he drew a card from the thick deck held in his right hand.

"Here we go! Tiger Axe!"

The moment the strange card slapped onto the Duel Disk, a physical manifestation erupted from it. A ferocious tiger, standing tall on two legs, materialized, wielding a massive axe that glinted menacingly.

!!!

Her hands immobilized by an unseen force, Kyoko instinctively tried to manipulate her spear, willing it to extend and transform. But panic surged through her as she realized it was useless. All she could do was scramble backward in a desperate retreat.

Bang!

The giant axe slammed into the ground with a bone-jarring thud, sending a web of cracks spidering outwards.

Roar!!

The tiger let out a bone-chilling roar and lunged after Kyoko, its massive axe swinging in a deadly arc.

Swish! Swish! Despite the strange hexagram binding her, Kyoko's agility remained impressive. She dodged each attack elegantly, her movements a blur of desperate maneuvers.

"Lancer! Why aren't you fighting back?"

Kayneth's voice, laced with concern, crackled through a familiar device.

"Of course, I can't! This weird magic circle has sealed my ability to attack!"

Kyoko retorted, a hint of anger flashing in her eyes.

Her frustrated tone clearly showed that she had heard Kayneth's doubt. If she could have countered normally, she wouldn't have been reduced to dodging like a cornered animal.

"Lancer's magic resistance should be high."

Kayneth narrowed his eyes as he watched the fight displayed.

"Even so, she's still restrained by Caster's magic?"

Sola, Lancer's Master, asked with a concern.

"It seems the opponent isn't as simple as we thought."

---

"Tsk, normal attacks are useless?"

Kyoko muttered in frustration. She couldn't break free no matter how often she strained against the invisible bonds. In a desperate gamble, she unleashed another ability.

Crack!

Her spear shot through the air with a sharp snap, transforming into a chain that pierced the lumbering tiger before her.

"It only seals normal attack abilities,"

Kyoko realized, her gaze sharpening. Her eyes darted to the striking device strapped to Jounouchi's left arm.

"That's the source of your magic, isn't it?!"

Without a moment's hesitation, she aimed her next attack. Whoosh! Like a crimson iron chain, the thorny vines erupted from her spear, propelled forward with deadly intent.

"This won't work,"

Jounouchi declared calmly as he faced the assault. With practiced ease, he slapped another card onto his Duel Disk.

A mighty roar filled the air as a warrior materialized on the field. Clad in a gleaming helmet and wielding a heavy axe, he stood resolute. With a powerful swing, he deflected the incoming thorny chains, the metallic clang echoing through the tense atmosphere.

"Now! Attack!"

Jounouchi commanded, his voice ringing with authority. The warrior wasted no time, leaping towards Kyoko with a battle cry.

"Hmph, who would get hit by such a predictable attack?"

Kyoko scoffed, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes.

With a graceful sidestep, she effortlessly evaded the warrior's descending strike.

Bang!

The earth shuddered under the impact of the giant axe slamming into the ground.

Kyoko barely had a moment to react before a new sound pierced the air – a menacing whoosh coming from her side. With a desperate lunge, she used her spear to propel herself away, narrowly avoiding the surprise attack.

"You can summon more than one familiar?"

she exclaimed, her brow furrowing in frustration. Standing beside the first was another identical warrior wielding a heavy axe.

In theory, Jounouchi, the Caster, shouldn't have posed a significant threat. But the magic and familiars he wielded were unlike anything she'd encountered – truly unconventional.

"Your agility is impressive. Seems like getting the Dragon Ball from you won't be a simple feat."

Jounouchi grudgingly admitted.

The pincer attack from the two warriors proved ineffective, surprising Jounouchi. Unlike the rigid structure of a Duel – one attack, one defense – real combat demanded constant movement and evasion.

Bang! Clang!

A flurry of blows filled the air, but none found their mark.

'This isn't a duel,'

Jounouchi realized with a growing sense of unease. The form might be similar, but the essence was fundamentally different.

3001

3000

2999

A glance at his Duel Disk sent a jolt of worry through him. The lack of a "Master" meant his magic source was a constant drain. He needed to maintain a healthy amount of Life Points (LP) to avoid defeat.

Without a Master, his LP would steadily dwindle, making an aggressive strategy too risky. This girl, after all, had taken down "Gearfried the Iron Knight" in a single blow. Her attack power had to be at least 1800, if not higher. One hit, and he could be in serious trouble.

'I have to take a gamble.'

He thought, his eyes scanning his hand and set cards. With a determined sigh, he reached for the top card of his deck.

'Here we go again, another unknown card.'

The inability to see his deck turned every draw into a gamble. Some cards he recognized – a comfort – but unfamiliar ones like this could throw him off balance.

He drew the card, revealing a green magic card emblazoned with the words "Change of Heart."

'Moryo's card, most likely. Control, huh? Based on past experiences, it might work on her. But controlling her wouldn't guarantee victory unless I could force her self-destruction.'

Hesitation gnawed at him as he slotted the card into the spell/trap zone. This wasn't the ideal solution, but his options were dwindling.

He wasn't here for a brutal brawl; his mission was to acquire the Dragon Ball, not fight with such extreme measures. But his options were dwindling.

"Let's do this!"

With a resolute nod, he activated the card.

"What?!"

A gasp escaped Kyoko's lips as a spectral being materialized before them – a girl divided between light and darkness. An unnerving sensation washed over Kyoko, her eyes momentarily glazing over.

"Now, retrieve your Master's Dragon Ball!"

Jounouchi commanded, seizing the opportunity.

He wasn't sure how long this mind control would last, but he hoped it would buy him enough time.

"Get it for me!"

In a blur of motion, Kyoko vanished, leaving Jounouchi alone with his sudden realization.

"Wait a minute... shouldn't I remove the restraints?"

Belatedly, he remembered the "Spellbinding Circle" that still bound Kyoko, hindering her ability to attack normally. He'd gotten so caught up in the moment that he'd overlooked a crucial detail.

---

"Caster seems to be controlling Lancer? That's way too powerful!"

Hiding somewhere and having witnessed the whole scene, Waver felt a bit panicked.

Whether it was the summoned familiars or that mysterious magic, none of it was something he had ever seen before. And now, even controlling an enemy Servant seemed possible.

"The most unpredictable opponent, huh?"

Lelouch was silent for a moment before giving a high evaluation.

If it were him, he would have immediately made Lancer commit suicide and then gone after the Master to seize the Dragon Ball himself.

That would minimize risk since it was still unknown what Noble Phantasms and trump cards Lancer possessed.

Previously confident in the Geass' ability, Lelouch now felt a bit reluctant to face Caster. He couldn't gauge how many tricks this Caster had up his sleeve.

Judging by the mechanical device on his arm, it was already filled with unknown cards, meaning "traps" could be triggered at any time.

Attacking or even facing him would trigger his magic, making any encounter extremely dangerous.

The best method would be to eliminate him from a distance. The Nightmare he controlled seemed to be the best means for this.

But a problem arose: would long-range and area attacks also trigger Caster's magic?

---

AN:

[Change of Heart]: target an opposing monster, rendering it unable to attack or change its battle position. However, this granted temporary control – the card's destruction would immediately free the monster. Additionally, strong resistance from the target could further shorten the control duration.

In a way, it was fortunate for Kyoko that she'd faced Jounouchi. If she was against some menace, her Lancer Luck might have triggered, followed by suicide.