01x44 - Illusion of Hope

[bunniefuu]

Previously on
"Yu-Gi-Oh VRAINS."

So we finally meet each other
in real life, Varis.

Yes we do... Playmaker.

You're Dr. Kogami's son.

Yes, the name's Roken.

My father is a brilliant man.

But know that he is an even
greater visionary.

He could see the course of the
future better than anyone.

That future was one

full of strife, of difficulty,
and of challenges

that mankind
had never faced before.

He felt that humans
alone could not stand up
to these challenges.

That is why he decided to use

all of SOL Technologies'
resources to create the Ignis.

Like I said, my father
was a visionary.

He felt that the Ignis
were evolving too quickly.

So he ran millions
of simulations

to see where all of this
would lead in the future.

And they all led
to the same outcome.

The extinction of mankind.

You believe that
the Ignis are evil

because they're going
to destroy us?

Then if we're willing
to destroy the Ignis,

what does that make us?

Let's duel, one final
time, Varis.

So if you win, the network,
along with the Ignis,

will be destroyed,
as you wish.

But if I'm right
and defeat you,

the Tower of Hanoi
will be stopped.

Very well, Playmaker.

Let's duel!
Let's duel!

Excode Talker,
att*ck Varis directly!

I activate my trap
Mirror Force.

Farewell.

By destroying Excode Talker,
you've allowed me to resurrect

Restoration Point Guard
from my graveyard.

You may have dealt
the opening blow,

but I will deal
the final one!

♪♪

♪♪

[door opens/closes]

Yusaku and Varis already
started their duel.

Come on now, buddy, win this!

[Frog]
Bring us in closer
and dodge the debris!

Will do!
Oh man, I remember thinking

it was embarrassing when my mama
forced me to take

ballet lessons last year,

but now, thank you, Mama!

Whew! I made it through
safe and sound, Boss!

Ugh, well, she might wanna
get her money back!

Oh, oh!
You pirouetted your way through

that garbage like
you had two left wings!

[Pigeon screams]

I need more lessons!

[Ai]
Not to put any pressure on ya,

but the clock's tickin',

so you gotta b*at Varis pronto.

I mean, I know you just tried
to b*at him and failed,

like badly, but ya know,
tick-tock tick-tock?!

Right.

It's my turn!
I draw!

Due to Link Coin's effect
on my previous turn,

Vorticular Drumgon
returns to my field.

When my Vorticular Drumgon
resurrects,

I'm allowed to draw
one card from my deck

and add it to my hand.

Then I shall summon
Sniffer Dragon to my field.

Sniffer Dragon's ability
activates

allowing me to add another copy
of Sniffer Dragon

from my deck
to replenish my hand.

He has everything
he needs to Link Summon.

Just because he can doesn't
mean he's going to, right?

No, Ai, that's exactly
what he's going to do.

Now's the time to manifest
my circuit!

Authorizing Link Arrows!

The summoning conditions are two
or more Effect Monsters.

So, I set both my Sniffer Dragon

and Vorticular Drumgon
in the Link Arrows!

I Link Summon!

Link 4, Topologic Bomber Dragon!

[Ai]
Aw, glitch!

That's his best monster!

I activate the Equip Spell
Borrel Regenerator!

I resummon a Rokket monster
from my graveyard

in defense mode
and equip it with this card.

Return to the fight,

Metalrokket Dragon.

And due to the effect of my
Field Spell Boot Sector Launch,

my Metalrokket Dragon gains

and defense points.

[Ai]
This is, uh, less than
optimal, Playmaker.

But on the bright side
at least it was only
a teensy weensy bump.

Believe me, program, there
is no bright side for you.

Since I summoned a monster
next to Topologic Bomber
Dragon's link,

its special ability
destroys all monsters
in our Main Monster Zones.

Decimation Destruction!

This now leaves you
absolutely defenseless.

[Playmaker]
I beg to differ.

Say what?

Whenever a Link Monster
is summoned,

Restoration Point Guard cannot
be destroyed during that turn

so only your monster
was destroyed.

I see.

You make that sound...

like it's a bad thing
but you're wrong!

By destroying my monster,

Borrel Regenerator allows me
to draw one card from my deck.

And now, Topologic Bomber Dragon

att*cks Restoration Point Guard!

Go, Malicious Mayhem!

Go, Malicious Mayhem!

Ah, you gotta do
something, Playmaker!

If we take this hit, we'll
suffer 2000 points of damage.

That's, like, half
our life points!

Almost 90%!

That's good math.

But I much prefer to take
no damage whatsoever.

When my Cyberse
monster is att*cked,

I can send Rescue Interlacer
from my hand to the graveyard

to take no damage
from this battle!

Ahh...

That's not so bad of a move.

But, not so great of one either

because Topologic Bomber
Dragon's special ability

deals you damage equal
to Restoration Point Guard's
att*ck points!

Well, ya lost a K's
worth of life points,

but that's less than two.

I don't wanna jinx it
by sayin' this out loud,

but it coulda been
a whole lot worse.

Good job.
Huh?

That means that you
just went and jinxed it.

I didn't think you were
superstitious.

But it so happens you are
absolutely correct, Playmaker.

I activate Mirror
Force Launcher to exchange

a card in my hand
with Mirror Force.

Oh, no!

I gotta reverse the curse.

"I hate to jinx it
by saying this out loud,

but I hope Mirror Force
does b*at us."

[chuckling]
I did my part, Playmaker.

Now you do yours!

Next, I place two cards
face down.

And since my Metalrokket Dragon
went to the graveyard,

its special ability
lets me summon

another Rokket monster
from my deck.

Rise, Magnarokket Dragon!

With that, I end my turn.

And since you did,

my Rescue Interlacer's
ability activates.

Because it used its special
ability earlier this turn,

it can resurrect itself
from my graveyard.

[Kolter]
That's an okay start,
but it's only a start.

Yusaku's still got
a long ways to go

if he wants to turn
this duel around.

If that's even possible with
Mirror Force back in play.

Yikes! I'm no expert,

but even I can tell
Varis is ahead

by counting the number
of cards on the field.

Ahh! Well, go ahead
and count 'em up

but one thing I won't do
is count Playmaker out!

[Ai]
If one of his facedowns
is Mirror Force,

which I'm definitely
sure that it is,

it'll destroy our
monsters if we att*ck.

I know.

[Ai]
Well, here's what
you might not know.

I'm a...
a skosh not sure

you have what it takes
to pull this through.

No offense?

None taken!

Because you're usually
more wrong than right!

What!? You know Link Monsters

can only be summoned
in att*ck mode!

Now that's just spite!

I'll create the circuit
by setting Rescue Interlacer

and Restoration Point Guard
in the Link Arrows!

I Link Summon!

Link 3 Transcode Talker!

Its special ability allows
me to bring Excode Talker

back from my graveyard
and summon it

next to Transcode Talker's link!

[Ai]
What good does it do ya?

Topologic Bomber Dragon's
special ability will blasticize

Excode Talker anyway.

Perhaps.

But it still fulfills a purpose.

By linking to Transcode Talker,
Excode Talker gives it

protection from card effects

and 500 att*ck points.

but it ain't much.

Oof.
Oof is right.

Ahh!
What a waste.

Now Bomber Dragon!

Destroy Excode Talker!

I activate my trap
Shield Handler!

Instead of destroying
my monster,

your Dragon's
special abilities
are negated instead.

Well, well, now, aren't you
just so full of surprises?

More than you know.

I activate
Shield Handler's
second effect

to equip this card
onto Excode Talker.

By doing so, none of your cards'

effects can destroy it anymore.

Then Transcode Talker's
special ability gives

both my Code Talkers

Nice!
Both our Code Talkers
are now suped-out!

Since Varis's Mirror Force can't
destroy our monsters anymore,

his face is gonna
do the crying emoji.

Do I actually look
worried to you?

You should upgrade your
facial recognition software.

And I have no problem
upgrading your face!

Playmaker, att*ck
and pummel that punk!

No.
No?!

No no! Yes!

I have something
different in mind.

By returning Rom Cloudia
from my graveyard to my hand,

I can summon Simm Tablir!

Right next
to Excode Talker's link!

Next I summon Rom Cloudia!

Rom Cloudia's special ability

allows me to retrieve a Cyberse
monster from my graveyard.

So Latency returns to my hand.

But it won't remain
in my hand for long.

Because Latency's
own special ability

allows me to automatically
summon it!

Now I have all that I require
to create my circuit!

The summoning conditions
are three monsters.

So I set Simm Tablir,
Rom Cloudia and Latency
in the Link Arrows!

Link the circuit!
I Link Summon!

Link 3 Powercode Talker!

Excode Talker now strengthens

the monsters next to its links,

so Powercode
gains 500 att*ck points

and can't be destroyed
by effects.

Bet Varis is so scared he's
flappin' around like a chicken!

'Cause not only do our three
Code Talkers have enough

att*ck points to wipe out
Varis's monsters,

but wipe out the rest of Varis's
life points as well!

Defeating Varis is sure gonna
leave him in a "fowl" mood.

Varis! It's over!

Whoa! Playmaker
has the upper hand.

He's got a W within his reach!

Not to mention a V, an I,
a C and a T and O-R-Y!

[Kolter]
Come on, Yusaku,
this is your chance.

Powercode! att*ck!

[Playmaker]
Power Smash!

You took the shine
off that chrome.

Now why don'tcha
polish the other off!

Transcode Talker!

Take out Topologic
Bomber Dragon!

Oh, I don't think so... ha!

I activate my trap Link Turret.

Yikes! That thing's almost

as big as his ego.

Playmaker, I knew you'd
have strategies to counter

my Topologic Bomber Dragon.

So I have a counter
to your counter.

By sending two Rokket monsters
from my deck to the graveyard,

Link Turret gains
a Rokket Counter

for every Link Monster
on the field.

Furthermore, my Link Monster

can't be destroyed
in battle this turn.

But that doesn't stop
ya from taking damage!

And every single life
point is crucial.

att*ck!

However, since there are

four Link Monsters in play,

my trap Link Turret
gains four Rokket Counters.

In addition, whenever
I take damage from a battle,

I can add another
Counter to Link Turret.

I place one card face down
and end my turn.

That lets me activate
Magnarokket Dragon's
special ability.

I can summon another
Rokket monster from my deck.

This one here.
So now I will call forth
my Autorokket Dragon!

Playmaker, I think we're doin'
all right in this duel,

but I feel like
there's something hangi''
over our heads.

Maybe 'cause there
literally is!

I got a gut feeling it's bad,

and I don't even have a gut.

What do you think it does?

I don't know.

Oh, okay...
Thanks for that.

Hmm, after all your bluster

chronicling how you
would defeat me,

I'm still standing
here before you.

Just pathetic.

But then again being pathetic

is what you two do best.

It's my turn.
I draw!

I activate...
My spell Squib Draw!

By destroying one of the
Rokket monsters on my field,

I can draw two cards
from my deck.

Autorokket Dragon, be gone!

And next...
my Boot Sector Launch's

effect will now activate!

For every extra monster
you have in play,

this Field Spell allows me
to resurrect a Rokket monster

from my graveyard
and place it in defense mode.

Since you have three monsters
while I have one,

I bring back two Rokkets:

Shelrokket Dragon
and Metalrokket Dragon!

And with them,
I manifest my circuit!

The summoning conditions
are two Rokket monsters.

So I set Shelrokket and
Metalrokket in the Link Arrows!

I Link Summon!

Link 2 Miniborrel Dragon!

Next up, I summon
Gateway Dragon!

Go, Gateway Dragon!

Open a portal to summon a Level

Sniffer Dragon!

I really hope he's not gonna
use 'em to Link Summon.

Like really, really,
really, really,

and I jinxed it again,
didn't I?

Yes, you did, and there's
nothing you can do to stop it!

The summoning conditions are
three or more Effect Monsters.

So I set Gateway Dragon,
Sniffer Dragon

and Miniborrel Dragon
in the Link Arrows!

Link the circuit!

This dragon's been thirsting
for a long time

to sink its fangs
into you again, Playmaker!

I Link Summon... Link 4,
Borreload Dragon!

I Link Summon... Link 4,
Borreload Dragon!

Ah! Borreload Dragon tossed
our tail in our last duel!

But last time's last time
and this time's this time!

Our monster has more att*ck
points than his!

[Playmaker]
If not for Borreload's
special ability.

Huh? What,
the what now?

You forgot about it,
didn't you, Ai?

No! I got the memories
of a goldfish!

Very well then, Ignis.

It is my pleasure
to give you a reminder.

Go Borreload Dragon!

[laughing]
Once per turn.

It can drain 500 att*ck
and defense points

from one of your monsters,

and you can do nothing
to stop it!

Next, Borreload att*cks
Transcode Talker!

But Transcode Talker
has 300 more

att*ck points
than Borreload Dragon.

As if I'm not aware of that.

Borreload Dragon
has another ability.

It lets me gain control
of the monster that it att*cks,

meaning your
Transcode Talker is mine!

Oh no! Instead of getting
taken out, we got taken from?

With Transcode Talker
under my control,

it's no longer co-linked
with Excode Talker,

so your monster loses

Instead, Transcode Talker
will use that same

special ability to serve me.

It co-links with
Topologic Bomber Dragon

to empower each other!

Now, Topologic Bomber Dragon,

blast away at Excode Talker!

Without Excode Talker
around to power it up,

Powercode Talker
loses 500 att*ck points.

Now then, allow me
to give you the pleasure

of learning how it feels to be
att*cked by your own monster!

Oh, no!

Playmaker!

Ohh...

[Varis laughing]

[Varis]
You're out of monsters,
Playmaker.

Actually no, you're not
just out of monsters.

Playmaker, you're also
out of hope.

Hope for saving Link VRAINS.

Hope for getting revenge.

But this should
come as no surprise,

since your hope for victory
was always an illusion.

♪♪