Cardfight!! Vanguard: R

Episode Two: Song 2 / Chapter 8

8 – They Greet Each Other as Equals (Taichi vs Yume)

"Ride the Vanguard! Vagrant Knight, Arthur!" Taichi stepped forward out of the light, clad in aged and mismatched armour pieces, lifting the giant broadsword high he plunged it deep into the rocky surface releasing some form of energy from the blade. "Imaginary Gift: Force!"

Taichi took his gift marker and placed it underneath his Vanguard. "Grade 3 units have two abilities that set them apart from other units. The first is Twin Drive – when a Grade 3 Vanguard attacks it has the ability to perform two drive checks instead of one."

"So... you would be calling two allies to fight with you later" Yume inquired.

"Precisely" Taich then pointed to the second icon on his card, "the second ability is the Imaginary Gift. When you ride a Grade 3 with this icon, you can acquire a gift marker and use it however you see fit." He slid the gift marker out from underneath his Vanguard, "My Force grants the unit that its on ten thousand additional power"

"Ten thousand?!" Yume's jaw dropped, "but in that case..." she counted on her fingers "Will any of my attacks be able to hit you?!"

"The ten thousand is only active for my turn" Taichi explained further, "once it's your turn again, my Vanguard's power will revert to its normal amount."

"I see" Yume laughed lightly, feeling relieved that she wouldn't have to struggle much in the battles to come. "So then... what about my gift?"

"We'll come to that when it's time" Taichi turned a card facedown in his damage zone, "for now you should be focused on how you'll be able to survive this next turn! Using Arthur's skill:

[AUTO] [(VC)]: When placed, [COST [CBLAST(1)], call a grade 2 or higher card from your hand to (RC), draw 1 card.

"I call Knight of Bounty, Gauwane!" Gauwane appeared alongside Taichi and Galahad, leaning against his sword which he had dug into the ground. Taichi looked over to him and stared intently. Gauwane picked his ear with his finger and flicked away the contents he scraped out and took up his sword. "Using Gauwane's skill:

[AUTO] [(VC/RC)]: When placed call a card from your hand to (RC), both it and this unit get [POWER]+5000 until the end of the turn.

"I call Merlin to support the Vanguard" The young warlock appeared behind her recent companion, murmuring the first few words of an incantation, a radiant ball of energy swirling in her hands. "Now Mordredus to the rearguard!" The young warrior returned once again glaring daggers toward Yume spinning his halberd to intimidate her.

He was the first to attack. Mordredus fought in an unorthodox way – especially for one who used the halberd as their main weapon. Using his foot, he launched it into the air toward the enemy line, and with almost incredible speed vanished and reappeared in the air to catch his weapon, coming down with it striking Yume in the shoulder.

"Using Mordredus' skill:

[AUTO] [(RC)]; When this unit's attack hits a Vanguard, [COST [SBLAST(1)], choose one of your opponent's rearguards and retire it.

"Retiring Neztach"

Using the momentum of his downward strike, he spun around used the dague of his halberd to pierce through Neztach's armour. Giving one final look at her Vanguard, she smiled wryly and vanished. Mordredus pulled his weapon away and re-joined his comrades.

"Gauwaine takes the next strike!"

In the confusion of the second strike from Mordredus. Yume had failed to realise Gauwane's approach from the left. The mercenary swung his sword wildly at first to break any chance of a guard, and then proceeded to move in for a lazy standard strike, recognising that she wasn't much of a threat in this state. His blade found its mark, not taking much pride in striking her, he casually returned to Taichi's side and drove his sword into the ground. He sat down against some rocks and relaxed.