01x29 - Kolter's Khronicles

[bunniefuu]

Kolter's Khronicles:
File number 1007.

I started this log
thinkin' it'll make

a great novel someday,

but now I'm not so sure
I'll survive 'til then.

The Hanoi have expanded their
reach beyond the boundaries

of LINK VRAINS,

hurting duelists
in the real world.

And just when we think
we find a lead to stoppin' em,

another new mystery pops up.

I gotta take a breather and
figure out what we know so far.

Maybe that'll let me see
the forest from the trees,

or else I'll get lost
in these woods forever.

♪♪

What better place to start
than... well, the start.

It all began ten years ago
with the Lost Incident.

Six children were taken
from their homes...

including my brother Jin

and Yusaku.

[Yusaku]
Unh... Where am I?

[Kolter]
Each child was locked away
in an empty room

except for a VR headset.

Ya know, most people log in
to virtual reality

to have a good time,

but it was the opposite
for them.

They were forced to duel
over and over.

We still don't know why.

But they had to win,
or else.

[game voice]
You lose!

[pained grunts]

The only things they were
allowed to do

were eat, sleep, and duel.

That's it.
Day in, day out.

Eat, sleep, and duel.

And if you lost...

[game voice]
You lose.

[Kolter]
You lost out on the eat part.

Sure the grub
wasn't that great,

but grub's grub
when you're starving.

[pained grunts]

They took this game that's
supposed to be fun for everyone

and twisted it.

But then one day&

[game voice]
Good, you never gave up.

You may go home now.

[Kolter]
It was over.

After six long months,

the children
were finally rescued.

Well, physically rescued,
but emotionally?

My kid brother's
still not the same,

'cause some scars heal
quicker than others

and some
don't ever heal at all.

But you get
two choices in life.

You can let your past break you,
or you can break your past.

So when we learned that a group
of hackers known as

the Knights of Hanoi were
involved in the Lost Incident,

we teamed up
to take them down.

Linkslayer attack!

Giga-Claw!
[screams]

Uh!

You dare to attack
the Knights of Hanoi?

You've made
a fatal mistake!

Once you cross us,
you're marked for life!

Good, then you'll be seeing
a lot more of me.

So you ought to
remember this face

or better yet...

My name:
It's Playmaker.

[Kolter]
While we were
trackin' down the Hanoi,

they were trackin' a rogue
AI known as an Ignis.

What made it different from
other AI programs

was that it was self aware,

too self aware
if you ask me.

Uh oh!

Feet do fail me now!

Oh wait,
I don't have feet.

I found you, Ignis!

Or not!

No no no no no!
I'm trapped!

[Kolter]
We figured that if we could
capture the Ignis,

it'd save us the trouble
of finding the Hanoi

'cause they'd come
looking for us.

[panicked flee]

If the AI took the bait...

it'll come straight here!

[sighs]

[surprise reaction]
Oh...

Hello there.

You must be the AI
everyone wants.

[surprise reaction]
Where am I?

Inside my Duel Disk.

So I'm trapped in here?

Who are you clowns?

Clowns who rescued you
from the Knights of Hanoi.

Why you!

I'm sorry I called you
stupid ugly clowns.

Let me go!

[Kolter]
But that wasn't happenin'.

I have what you're
looking for right here.

So if you don't
call off your attack,

you will regret it.

Because I'll delete
this AI right now.

W-w-w-w-what?

I've decided I don't
like you very much.

If you want this program,

there's only one way
for you to get it.

By beating me in a duel.

[growl]

That Ignis is
as good as mine.

[Ai]
Hey I've been looking
for your deck and woof!

You won't beat his dragon
with these cards.

Oh, is that so?

Then you had better hope

that your analysis
is incorrect.

Or else you'll be
going home with him.

Glitch, that'll be worse than
hanging out with you.

Okay then,
I'll even up the odds.

Cyberse, generate
new data material!

[electronic buzzer]

Interesting.
I've never felt such speed.

Ready?

[both]
Let's Speed Duel!

Now arise!
Cracking Dragon!

How do you like that,
Playmaker?

Whoa!

How could you be so dumb to
switch to the wave directly

in front of
the Data Storm?

[laughing]

[screaming]

There are special monsters

that only live inside
the Data Storm.

What do you mean,
special monsters?

Monsters that
you and only you

can summon with
your unique skill!

And the more intense
the storm,

the stronger the monster!

Which you'll need if you
wanna beat that hoodlum!

Your skill lets you
draw one random card

in the Data Storm

when you have a thousand
or fewer life points.

Seize the wind,
Playmaker!

You did it!

Go Storm Access!

I Link Summon!

Link 3, Decode Talker!

Decode Talker!
Attack!

Decode Destruction!

Aaaaahhhh!

A thug like you has
no place in LINK VRAINS!

Since the Hanoi
wanted Ai so badly,

we wondered what secrets
he was hiding.

Turns out hacking
his hard drive was tougher

than cooking
the perfect footlong.

But we did crack
one video file

and, man, was it a doozy.

Hey, that's Hanoi's
Cracking Dragon.

It appears Ai's faced
the Hanoi before.

And it looks like the dragon
is attacking that world.

What is this place?

[Kolter]
Who's that?

Whoa, bro!

There you are, Ignis!

Kolter, shut down
the power!

Quick!

On it.

[grunts]

[gasping]

[breathing heavily]

Are you okay?

I saw him.

Saw who?

The guy we saw
in Ai's memories.

So like do ya think
he was tracking us down?

Seems so.

Ai, who was that
in the video?

I unmuted you.

So I strongly recommend
that you stop pretending

that you can't talk.

I could just hack into
your source code again.

All right, all right!

I'll talk you
crazy flesh beast!

But a lot o' my memories have
been lost or damaged.

I was lucky to escape
with any memory circuits

after that dragon
accosted me!

So who is the guy
in the video?

That was Varis.

And who exactly
is Varis?

Ya know your buddies,
the Knights of Hanoi?

He's their alpha dog!

Hold on, you mean
their leader?

You should see
the look on your faces!

Goofy as ever!

But as to who what when
where why he att*cked?

Well, I don't remember.

Except who!
'Cause who's me!

He's the one I want.

Learning that Varis was
the leader of the Hanoi

was one thing,

actually dueling him
was another.

Playmaker!

This is where you
will crash and burn!

As you already know,
I can wield the incredible power

of the Data Storm
in the palm of my hand.

These winds rage for me,
and me alone.

I activate my skill!

That's the monster
that I'm looking for!

Storm Access!

You're mine now.

I Link Summon!

behold the power of Link 4,
Topologic Bomber Dragon

Get your act together,
Playmaker!

If I had sweat glands,

I'd be swamped waist deep
in AI juice!

Face the facts,
you're backed into a corner.

But you still got a way out!

By using my skill?

Exactly!

Seize the wind,
Playmaker!

Go, Storm Access!

You may have retrieved
the Link Monster,

but it's useless
if you can't summon it.

[Kolter]
A Speed Duel wasn't enough
to settle their fight,

so they took their scrap
to the next level--

a Master Duel!

I Link Summon!

Rise up!

Link 4 Borreload Dragon!

[roaring]

I know that dragon.

It must be his
strongest monster!

Though you technically still
have your Cyberse monsters,

they're not around
to help you.

So you can't stop
Borreload Dragon

from attacking you
directly!

Now fire!

Thunder Borrel Cannon!

[screaming]

With that,
I end my turn.

I draw!
Unh!

But it'll be my last draw

if I don't immediately
make a comeback.

But what can I do
without my monsters?

What's this?

Uh, I sense the presence

of a new Cyberse monster
in my deck.

So if my gut is true,

that means Varis failed
to truly erase the Cyberse!

Oh!
I'll prove it!

I Link Summon!

Link 4
Firewall Dragon!

[Varis]
When Fire Prison no longer has
any Cyberses under lockdown,

it's destroyed.

So when you used your
Cyberses to Link Summon,

you destroyed my prison
and summoned a new monster

at the same time.

Tempest Terahurtz!

Time for you to go kapow!

Grr!

[pained cry]

[Kolter]
We haven't seen Varis
since that duel,

and that worries me
more than eases my mind.

'Cause you know he's up
to somethin'

and that something
can't be good.

But at least we have a few
new allies on our side

who've stepped up
their game.

Like Gore.

Mash up my circuit!

I'm now Link Summoning!

Link 4
Gouki The Master Ogre!

Grr!

Next I activate
Master Ogre's ability!

Once per turn, for each Gouki
that I return to my hand

one of your monsters loses
their special abilities!

And I'm subbing out two!

So your Helixx Necro Darwin
has its feathers plucked!

And Helixx Gothiclone ain't
lookin' too good either!

No!

Then what do you say
we get to tearin' down

those jobbers one by one!

Go and drop kick Necro
Darwin into next week!

[pained scream]

And next and last.

Carve up Helixx Gothiclone
and end this duel!

[growling]

[pained scream falling]

[Kolter]
And Blue Angel's doin'
her thing too.

[both]
Let's Speed Duel!

Huh?

The summoning conditions require
at least two Trickstars.

And I have three!

I set Trickstars Narkissus,
Mandrake, and Holly Angel

in the Link Arrows!

Link the circuit!

I Link Summon Link 4
Trickstar Bella Madonna!

[screaming]

Unh!

Well, Bella,
what say we end this duel.

Destroy Dark Mummy
Surgical Forceps!

Scimitar Stream!

[announcer]
Gee-Gee!

No one's clipping Blue Angel's
wings this day!

[Kolter]
When I first thought
of bustin' up the Hanoi,

I never thought
I'd be teaming up

with a fez-wearing wrestler
and a blue-haired pop star,

but hey,
whatever works, works.

And Yusaku will
never admit it,

but I'm sure he doesn't
not not hate it.

But his primary MO
is to go solo.

Now!

I create
the ultimate circuit!

Link Arrows authorized!

The summoning conditions
are three monsters.

So I set two
Motor Worm Tokens

and Cyberse Wizard
in the Link Arrows!

I Link Summon!

Link 3 Powercode Talker!

[roaring]

Go! Power Smash!

[roaring]

[Kolter]
We took out three
of Varis's top lieutenants,

but I doubt
that'll slow him down.

And what if the Hanoi
aren't the only ones

working against us?

So like a hot dog
without toppings,

things could be better,

but it could be
a whole lot worse.

'Cause if every duel gets me
closer to saving Jin,

then bring on the slings
and arrows.

Even though we've
already been battling

the Knights of Hanoi
for years,

this w*r is only beginning.

And one thing
I know for sure

those thugs may have
started the fight,

but Yusaku and I
will end it.

[sighs]

Jin.

[knock on door]

Who's there?

Hey, still up?

It's kinda late
even for you.

I just have way
too much on my mind.

Soo much that he
couldn't fall asleep.

Even after buying
a Mr. Stuffybear
for snuggle time.

That's enough.

Oh!

Anyway, that's why
you're here, right?

'Cause Kolter tells
the best bedtime stories.

Nothing'll send you
to dreamland faster

than his thrilling tale
of combining different meats

into the perfect
frankfurter.

I thought that
ten-parter was good.

It wasn't, but that's
the least of my concerns.

I'm worried about what Varis's
next move might be.

The time is near.

The Tower of Hanoi
will soon be complete

and all of humanity will be
put to the ultimate test.

♪♪