Chapter 29. Underdog

2,800 Jayden ---- 1,600 Bastion

Jayden was flummoxed. He didn’t know what to do now that he didn’t have much of his roster. I frowned seeing him like that, and stood in my seat, much to the surprise of Blair beside me. “C’mon!!” I yelled to him angrily to get his attention. His head snapped over to me with surprise. “That card means something!! Don’t forget it!!” I yelled louder as I pointed to his spell card still on the field. The Heart of the underdog we got together. Jayden glanced at the card, and his winning smile came back like it was never gone.

I frowned and sighed from him losing his mojo for such a low stakes game, even for a second. I sat back down as Jayden continued his turn. Blair stared at me for a bit, while my little pal Kuriboh was still floating around me with a cheerful attitude. I glanced at Blair to see her slight smile adorning her face. “You really want everyone to do their best.” I scoffed at her statement, and shook my head. “I just want a good match. It would be boring if it ended here.”

I focused back on the stage to avoid Blair’s gaze, and wanted to see the way I thought Jayden would get out of this situation. “I’ll throw Avian in defense position, then switch Sparkman in defense too, and end my turn!” Jayden yelled with his returned resolve, and we all watched as Jayden set up his defense on his side of the field.

Elemental Hero Sparkman/Warrior/Normal/Level 4/ Atk:1600 Def:1400

Elemental Hero Avian/Warrior/Normal/Level 4/ Atk:1000 Def:1000

“Everyone loves an underdog story! That’s what's gonna be even sweeter when I win!” Jayden cheered as he ended his turn. Bastion scoffed. “‘Win’... I guess everyone can dream. I Draw!” Bastion looked at his card, and nodded with a satisfied smile. “I summon Mathematician in attack mode!” A cloud of pink fog erupted on the field, and different numbers composed to form an old man with large glasses and a white beard.

Mathematician/Spellcaster/Effect/Level 3/ Atk:1500 Def:500 Mathematician

“When I summon him to the field I have to send a card from my deck to the graveyard, and then draw one when he is destroyed by battle… But that’s for later. Now Water Dragon! Attack his Sparkman!!” With that the giant Water Dragon uncoiled himself, and spat water with tremendous speed towards Jayden’s defensive monster. It wasn’t long till Sparkman was destroyed, and Bastion kept up the pressure.

“Now! Mathematician! Attack his Avian!” The old man held out his staff, and watched as formulas and numbers rocketed towards the defending hero. They shot straight through him as he was destroyed. Jayden’s life points were unchanged, but he didn’t have any more monsters, while only holding three cards in his hand. However, that didn’t stop his massive grin while looking at Bastion.

“You may have taken my fusions… But that doesn’t mean that I can’t win! All of my monster’s are still raring to go!” He cheered as he glanced at the heart of the underdog… The last card on his field. Jayden had thought back to getting that card with Rakki. At first he wasn’t sure that it would mesh well with his deck, and just knew that Rakki liked Joey Wheeler’s dueling. Rakki's deck was almost the same as Joey’s. Rakki was a little sad that he couldn’t use it himself, and Jayden thought he was just pushing the card on him to watch it be used.

He watched as Rakki got the card, and described what it did. Rakki was smiling more brightly than Jayden had seen over the few weeks they knew each other. When he did get the card, he had a feeling. Something strange that he couldn’t quite explain. Much like his little buddy that floated around him, and saved him on his entrance exam. It was during this match that he understood what that feeling was. It was a feeling, telling him to keep hold of the card, just like when he first got his little buddy.

It definitely paid off, now that it had kept giving him cards to keep up with Bastion. Jayden knew that Bastion hadn’t added his new card, with his new friendship helping him through this battle. ‘That card means something!!’ He glanced over at Rakki giving his resting scowl, but couldn’t help but grin just seeing him. His thoughts were derailed from Bastion explaining his strategy. “Yes, however you must admit, your most powerful monster’s have been sealed. You may still try, but we all know how this will end.”

Jayden smirked from going against the odds. Excited to see how he might get out of this jam. He looked at his cards to formulate a quick plan. “I Draw!” He yelled as he quickly took the top card from his deck. He looked at what he got to see how it might affect his judgement. “First! I’m gonna play the spell card emergency provisions! This allows me to sacrifice my heart of the underdog, and gain 1,000 life points for it!” He yelled as his health points rose. He had a smaller smile on while looking at the heart of the underdog as he was putting it in his graveyard.

3,800 Jayden ---- 1,600 Bastion

He got his game face back on before continuing his turn. “Next! I’ll summon Elemental Hero Bubbleman in attack mode!!” A bust of bubbles revealed a man in a childish hero costume standing proud. I scoffed from his outfit, but wondered what Jayden might do with him.

Elemental Hero Bubbleman/Warrior/Effect/Level 3/ Atk:800 Def:1200 Bubbleman

“And since he is the only card on my field, I get to draw two more cards!” He quickly drew his cards, and glanced at them for a second. “And I’m gonna use one of those cards right now!” He pulled one of the cards while I was astonished by that play. ‘Did he just put an 800 attack monster on the field, without having the equip card for that monster!?’ I sighed from his main character's luck while Blair looked at me with confusion for my reaction. I shook my head while staring at the stadium. “And they say I have good luck…”

“I activate my equip spell, Bubble Blaster!” Jayden yelled as his monster got a massive bubble RPG. “Giving him a whole 800 more attack points!”

Elemental Hero Bubbleman/Warrior/Effect/Level 3/ Atk:1,600 Def:1200

“Now! Bubbleman! Attack his Mathematician!!” Bubbleman destroyed the math wizard, and Bastion’s life points dropped ever so slightly.

3,800 Jayden ---- 1,500 Bastion

“Don’t forget about my Mathematicians effect!” Bastion yelled as he placed the monster in his graveyard. “When he is destroyed, I get to draw a card!” He then quickly drew his card as Jayden finished his turn. “Then I’ll just throw down a face down and end my turn!” Bastion smiled as he drew his card. “You are simply postponing the inevitable… But perhaps this will help you realize! I activate the spell card Pot of Greed!! Allowing me to draw two more cards!!” He drew his cards, but a bright light was appearing from his grave.

“It seems it is time!” Bastion smiled as his graveyard shined brighter and brighter. “You see Jayden! Carboneddon was the first card in my graveyard! And after all of the weight, and pressure from all of the cards on top of him, form him into something much grander! Allow me to show you! The Diamond Dragon, Hyozanryu!!”

Hyozanryu/Dragon/Normal/Level 7/ Atk:2100 Def:2800 Hyozanryu

Water Dragon/Sea Serpent/Effect/Level 8/ Atk:2800 Def:2600 Water Dragon

“Now!! Hyozanryu! Attack his Bubbleman!” Hyozanryu blew a crystal breath, sending Bubbleman hiding behind his RPG. “Hold on now!” Jayden yelled. “When Bubbleman is attacked while holding his trusty Bubble Blaster, the Blaster takes the hit for him!” We watched as the blaster was destroyed, and Bubbleman was now left defenseless.

Elemental Hero Bubbleman/Warrior/Effect/Level 3/ Atk:800 Def:1200

“No matter! Water Dragon! Attack his Bubbleman again!” Bastion commanded as he smiled seeing his win a few turns away. “Now! I activate my trap! A hero emerges!” This makes you choose a card from my hand! And if it’s a monster!? I get to summon it!” Bastion frowned a bit while thinking what card would be best. It was a coin toss between either of the cards. “The left!” He pointed to the card on his left, and Jayden’s smirk grew. “Good choice! For me that is!! I summon  Elemental Hero Blade Edge!”

Elemental Hero Blade Edge/Warrior/Effect/Level 7/ Atk:2600 Def:1800 Blade Edge

Bastion frowned deeper as the attack for Jayden’s Bubbleman still went through, damaging his life points.

1,800 Jayden ---- 1,500 Bastion

“I lay one card face down, and end my turn.” Bastion said, with his smirk slightly faltering.